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Biomedical subjects

W Boyce

Publications and source records attributed to W Boyce.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Asthma and wheezing symptoms in young people in six Western countries.

BACKGROUND: Asthma diagnosed in children shows wide geographical variations. Large scale surveys identify children with diagnosed asthma, but neglect the group of youngsters with multiple asthmatic complaints. METHODS: A short validated asthma questionnaire was included in six national surveys of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study. Prevalence rates are presented by country, gender and age. Gender and age differences are analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions controlling for age and smoking. RESULTS: Large country differences are observed in the prevalence rates of diagnosed asthma (8.6%-20.9% in boys, 6.9%-18.5% in girls) and young people with "asthma-like symptoms" (9.6%-20.2% in boys, 9.2%-23.1% in girls). When controlling for age and smoking, significant gender differences are observed (more diagnosed asthma in boys, more asthmatic symptoms in girls). Age differences were observed in adolescents with "asthma-like symptoms", but not in diagnosed asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Using a short asthma questionnaire, large differences in diagnosed asthma and wheezing symptoms are observed between the countries. A considerable group of youngsters with "asthma-like symptoms" is detected in all countries, and may be an unrecognised risk group in health promotion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Disability advocacy organizations: a descriptive framework.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to offer a descriptive framework to analyse the participation of people with disabilities in policy advocacy over the past 20 years. METHODS: The study used a qualitative research design to describe and analyse organizations participating in policy advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities in Canada between 1981 and the present. Data for the study were assembled through interviews with key informants who had participated in three policy cases: the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982 (federal); the Canada Clause of the Charlottetown Accord, 1991 (federal); the Ontario Consent to Treatment, Advocacy and Substitute Decision-making bills, 1993-1995 (provincial). For each of the three cases, key informants were identified who could report with authority on the participation of individuals or groups representing people with disabilities. Interviews with key informants were conducted by the investigators, transcribed and coded to produce five dimensions along which advocates described their organizations. RESULTS: Three ideological dimensions were identified to describe organizations representing people with disabilities: purpose, tactics, and view of disability. Two practical dimensions were also identified: membership and resources. Each of these dimensions is described in detail with quotes from the interviews to illustrate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: These five dimensions result in a descriptive framework for discussion and comparison of organizational characteristics of advocacy organizations representing people with disabilities. Further, the framework affords a vehicle for discussion of the relative success of policy participation on issues affecting the lives of people with disabilities.

Canada↗
PubMed2000

Videoscopic Heller myotomy for achalasia--results beyond short-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Heller myotomy has long been utilized for patients failing nonoperative management of achalasia. Videoscopy has been advocated to decrease the morbidity of Heller myotomy; however, few reports document outcome beyond 1 year after videoscopic Heller myotomy. PURPOSE: To determine perioperative morbidity, relief of dysphagia, and the incidence of postoperative reflux symptoms following videoscopic Heller myotomy with follow-up to over 4 years. METHODS: Patients with achalasia documented by barium esophogram and esophageal manometry underwent videoscopic Heller myotomy beginning in 1992. Intraoperative peroral endoscopy was utilized to guide the cephalad and caudad extent of myotomy. A barium esophogram was undertaken in the immediate postoperative period to evaluate for subclinical leak and assess esophageal emptying. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients underwent videoscopic Heller myotomy. The mean age was 51 years +/- 19 (range 14 to 91). Most (62%) patients had undergone pneumatic dilation prior to surgical consultation and 54% had previous botox injections. All patients complained of dysphagia and 40% had symptoms of heartburn prior to myotomy. After myotomy, 91% of patients stated that their swallowing was improved with myotomy. Thirteen patients (18%) experience heartburn more than once per week after myotomy. The average length of stay was 2 +/- 2 days, with 72% of patients spending 2 days or fewer in the hospital. Six (7.7%) major complications occurred: five esophageal perforations and one enterotomy without long-term sequellae. Three procedures (3.8%) were converted to "open" procedures. No deaths occurred. We conclude that videoscopic Heller myotomy is safe and efficacious, with low morbidity and mortality. Videoscopic myotomy provides relief beyond the short term for dysphagia due to achalasia with minimal reflux symptoms. We advocate videoscopic Heller myotomy in the treatment of severe dysphagia due to achalasia not adequately palliated by or amenable to nonoperative management.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The attitudes of community based rehabilitation workers towards people with disabilities in south India.

This study explored the attitudes of south Indian Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers towards people with disabilities. The research presents a demographic profile of the CBR worker, provides a measure of their attitudes towards people with disabilities, and investigates the factors that influence the formation of these attitudes, in particular the role of CBR education programmes. A questionnaire and an attitude measurement instrument, specifically developed for the Indian context, provided descriptive data. Interviews provided background information on south Indian culture and CBR educational programmes. Analysis of the data revealed that CBR workers in south India tend to be young, female and lacking in work experience. They have positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, which are influenced by their amount of education. CBR educational programmes appeared to have little effect on workers' attitudes, perhaps reflecting a lack of educational strategies directed specifically at attitude development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Elaeophorosis in bighorn sheep in New Mexico.

Two bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in New Mexico (USA) were found to be naturally infected with Elaeophora schneideri. An adult ram examined in 1997 in the Fra Cristobal Mountains had 26 nematodes in the carotid and iliac arteries, and microfilariae were present in the skin, nasal mucosa, brain, and lungs. This ram was markedly debilitated prior to euthanasia and extensive crusty, scabby lesions were observed on its head. In 1998, a yearling ewe found dead adjacent to Watson Mountain near the Gila Wilderness area was found to have 13 nematodes present in its heart. This is the first report of E. schneideri in bighorn sheep, and we suggest that bighorn sheep are susceptible to E. schneideri infection wherever they coexist with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) and appropriate tabanid vectors.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Collaboration in community based rehabilitation agencies.

One of the strategies which non-government organizations (NGOs) involved in Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) use to develop their organizations and maximize their impact is through collaboration with other partners. A survey conducted by the International Centre for the Advancement of CBR identified collaboration styles, concerns, opportunities, and barriers among NGOs working in disability. Discussion focuses on differences between collaboration in industrialized and less developed countries; on resource dependency; and on structural characteristics of organizations that influence their interactions. The limited public concern for disability issues is viewed as a principal reason for the broad collaboration patterns which are seen in this field.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1997

Pathways to scaling-up in community based rehabilitation agencies.

Scaling-up is the expansion or development of organizational activities to achieve a greater impact. Scaling-up among non-government organizations (NGOs) involved in community based rehabilitation (CBR) is a recent phenomenon. Case study materials from NGOs in India, Canada, and Indonesia are used to illustrate four pathways to scaling-up in CBR and the use of collaboration strategies in these efforts. Discussion focuses on differences between scaling-up in industrialized and less developed countries and on structural characteristics of organizations which influence their pathways.

Canada↗
PubMed1995

Inter-rater reliability of a paediatric outcome measure in Nepal.

The Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children (HRDC) in Nepal identified the need to evaluate their in-hospital and community programmes. An instrument was developed to provide information regarding the functional level of the children treated by the HRDC as well as to provide information regarding care-givers' attitudes towards disability. Inter-rater reliability of the measure was tested in three regions of Nepal with 49 children. Six HRDC field workers travelled in pairs to the childrens' homes and alternated in roles as test administrator and observer. Correlations between the scores documented by the administrator and observer were used to estimate inter-rater reliability. Inter-rater reliability coefficients, calculated using a weighted kappa statistic, varied from 0.60 to 1.0. We conclude that the instrument demonstrated an acceptable level of inter-rater reliability in the field setting. Future studies to measure construct and concurrent validity, test-retest reliability and responsiveness of the instrument are recommended as well as testing the instrument in different cultures.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Characterization of an Anaplasma ovis isolate from desert bighorn sheep in southern California.

To understand the role of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in the epidemiology of anaplasmosis, we recovered a field isolate from a suspected enzootic area in southern California (USA). Whole blood was collected from three desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) and inoculated into a susceptible splenectomized domestic sheep, calf and a susceptible spleen-intact bighorn sheep. No infection occurred in the calf, but a detectable infection developed in both the domestic sheep and bighorn sheep 24 days after inoculation. The infection in both domestic and bighorn sheep resulted in severe clinical disease but was resolved with the use of tetracycline. Using monoclonal antibodies and DNA probes, we confirmed that the isolate was Anaplasma ovis.

Anaplasma↗
PubMed1992

Long-term follow-up of ICU patients.

Critical care medicine programs must provide outpatient experience for their fellowship trainees. We have developed an unusual follow-up plan allowing critical care fellows to contact their patients months after their intensive care unit stay. We evaluated responses of 46 patients after a mean interval of 8.6 months since their initial intensive care unit stay. Patients were stratified by severity of disease by using the APACHE scoring system. Diagnostically, the patients represented the typical medical-surgical intensive care unit population. Patients were asked 11 questions concerning their health and socio-emotional status as it related to their hospitalization and intensive care unit stay. Our results established a practical method of providing outpatient follow-up that may fulfill residency review requirements for critical care fellowships, confirmed previously speculative ideas about ICU experiences, and suggested future research opportunities to study intensive care unit patients following discharge.

Aftercare↗
PubMed1992

Psoroptes sp. in two llamas (Lama glama) in Washington.

Psoroptes sp. mites were isolated from two llamas (Lama glama), a 4-mo-old male and its dam, in Washington. Mites were restricted to the ears and were responsible for head-shaking and incoordination. Infestations were treated successfully with a subcutaneous injection of ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg of body weight and with 2 drops of ivermectin diluted in saline given topically in each ear. This is the first known report of Psoroptes sp. in llamas in the United States.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Implementation and evaluation of a strategic parasite control program for captive exotic ungulates.

A parasite control program was designed for greater than 1,200 exotic ungulates maintained in mixed-species enclosures at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Three strategically-timed anthelmintic treatments were given during 1988-1989, and their success was evaluated by monitoring pretreatment and posttreatment fecal egg counts. Adequate parasite control was achieved for animals in 52 ungulate species, as evidenced by low pretreatment egg counts and the absence of egg-shedding after treatment. However, animals belonging to 11 species in the subfamilies Antilopinae, Hippotraginae, and Caprinae were identified as important targets for more intensive control efforts because they shed either greater than 100 eggs/g of feces before treatment, or greater than 0 eggs/g after treatment, at 2 or more sampling periods. These results and observations were used to generate management recommendations and illustrate how a model parasite control program can be developed for collections of exotic ungulates.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Morphometric analysis of Psoroptes spp. mites from bighorn sheep, mule deer, cattle, and rabbits.

A morphometric study of Psoroptes spp. mites was conducted to address difficulties encountered in species identification and to provide insights into the phylogenetic relationships between mites found on different hosts. A discriminant analysis employing 9 morphologic characters revealed that the lengths of the outer opisthosomal setae and the lateral margins of the opisthosomal knobs were the 2 most important characters for grouping mites according to host species. This analysis clearly separated mites collected from allopatric populations of bighorn sheep, rabbits, and cattle into discrete groups. However, differences were not detected between mites collected from sympatric populations of infested mule deer and bighorn sheep, suggesting that these mites were not host specific and represented a single interbreeding population. Differences also were not detected among mites collected from the ears and body of bighorn sheep and rabbits, demonstrating that the location of mites on a given host should not be used as a primary criterion in species identification.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Efficacy of ivermectin against gastrointestinal nematodes in dromedary camels.

The anthelmintic activity of ivermectin when administered orally and subcutaneously at a dosage of 0.2 mg/kg of body weight was evaluated in 4 trials involving 20 dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Fecal egg counts were made on the day of treatment and at 2, 4, and 10 weeks after treatment. Trichostrongylid egg counts were reduced by a maximum of 100% when ivermectin was administered orally and by greater than 88% when given subcutaneously. Egg counts of Trichuris spp were reduced by greater than 85% with oral administration, but increased following subcutaneous treatment. No adverse local or systemic reactions were observed following treatment with ivermectin by either route.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Tubular carcinoma of the breast. Clinical and pathological observations concerning 135 cases.

Clinical and pathological features of 135 tubular carcinomas are discussed. Tumor size varied from 0.2 to 2.5 cm with a mean diameter of 0.9 cm. In situ carcinoma was found associated with tubular cancer in 86 cases (63.6%). In 82 of 86 (95.3%) it was of micropapillary/cribriform intraductal type. Twelve of 109 patients in whom axillary dissection was performed were found to have axillary metastases. Six patients (4%) developed recurrent or disseminated metastatic carcinoma during a mean follow-up period of 7.2 years. Two of these patients are dead of disease. Tubular carcinoma should be distinguished from microglandular adenosis, an uncommon form of sclerosing adenosis.

Adenocarcinoma↗