Manual Resistance Training (MRT), an alternative to traditional resistance training, requires minimal equipment and may be effective when applied in school-based physical education (PE) classes. The purpose of this study was to document the physical changes in adolescents (N = 222) using MRT in school-based PE settings. Six fitness tests from the Fitnessgram assessment tool were selected to assess students' cardiovascular and muscular fitness and skin-fold tests were used to assess body composition. One Control and two Experimental Groups were defined. The Control group of students (N = 129) attended regular PE classes. One Experimental group (N = 63) attended PE that was complemented by the MRT system. A second Experiment group (N = 30) attended PE complemented by MRT and cardiovascular endurance training. Using the selected Fitnessgram tests post-test measurements were done after 9 and 18 weeks of PE. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the three groups for most measures. Compared to baseline, experimental groups improved significantly in all six fitness measures and showed more improvements than the Control group in most fitness measures both at 9 and 18 weeks. None of the groups showed significant improvement in body composition. The results documented that an MRT complemented PE program was effective in improving adolescents' muscular fitness. An 18-week combined MRT and cardiovascular endurance training program effectively improved cardiovascular and muscular fitness but was ineffective in improving adolescent body composition. An MRT based exercise session requires minimal equipment and set-up, and can be performed in a short period of time, therefore it is suitable for application in regular PE settings.

The prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) in nursing home residents has reached 85% in some nursing homes and is linked to increased mortality among residents. Separate survey questionnaires were developed and administered to 99 nursing assistants and 44 nurses (35 RNs, 9 LPNs) from five eastern Washington nursing homes. The purpose was to assess nurse (RN, LPN) and nursing assistant perceived beliefs and views related to nutritional needs of nursing home residents that have a potential impact on PCM of residents. Experienced nursing assistants did not view the nurse as an active participant during mealtime. Specific barriers such as a lack of time and training, too many residents, working short staffed, poor food quality, and a lack of nurse-nursing-assistant teamwork may contribute to residents not getting enough food to eat. An education program addressing staff relationships and nutrition training of nursing assistants could improve the ability of nursing staff to ensure residents' food intake and improve the quality of life for residents in nursing homes.

IVIG-N is efficacious, well tolerated and safe in patients with ITP and PID. Its pharmacokinetic properties were comparable to those of Sandoglobulin.

Although the largest minority population in the United States, Hispanics are under-represented in hospice at the national level. The study purpose was to document Hispanic access to hospice services in an environment where Hispanics are a majority population. The framework for the study was Aday and Anderson's model for access to medical care. In this framework, access is not defined as availability of services and resources, but whether services are actually used by the people who need them. We completed retrospective chart reviews of 500 Medicare beneficiaries who died in four hospices. Study variables were decedent characteristics and access to hospice and hospice disciplines. Results showed that Hispanics and whites differed on characteristics known to influence access to health services, e.g., preferred language and type of caregiver Although the proportion of Hispanic elders dying in hospice was less than the proportion living in the community, the proportions of Hispanic elders who died in the community or died in their homes were not differentfrom the proportion that died in hospice. When access to hospice disciplines was compared between Hispanic and white decendents, the results showed one difference-more whites than Hispanics had access to volunteer services. Overall, the study showed that Hispanics were not underrepresented in hospice, and they had equal access to hospice disciplines. These findings differ from national data and may be associated with Hispanics being the majority population in the community. To learn how population dominance influences minority access to services, Hispanic access to hospice could be studied in locales with varying proportions of Hispanics in the population.