Nutritional intake is often compromised in elderly, multimorbid patients. Enteral nutrition (EN) by means of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and tube feeding (TF) offers the possibility to increase or to insure nutrient intake in case of insufficient oral food intake. The present guideline is intended to give evidence-based recommendations for the use of ONS and TF in geriatric patients. It was developed by an interdisciplinary expert group in accordance with officially accepted standards and is based on all relevant publications since 1985. The guideline was discussed and accepted in a consensus conference. EN by means of ONS is recommended for geriatric patients at nutritional risk, in case of multimorbidity and frailty, and following orthopaedic-surgical procedures. In elderly people at risk of undernutrition ONS improve nutritional status and reduce mortality. After orthopaedic-surgery ONS reduce unfavourable outcome. TF is clearly indicated in patients with neurologic dysphagia. In contrast, TF is not indicated in final disease states, including final dementia, and in order to facilitate patient care. Altogether, it is strongly recommended not to wait until severe undernutrition has developed, but to start EN therapy early, as soon as a nutritional risk becomes apparent.

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This paper describes a project in which Communication Studies pedagogy was incorporated into Software Engineering courses at California State University, Northridge. Responding to the needs of potential employers as well as the ABET 2000 criteria, faculty from the Departments of Communication Studies and Computer Science developed a variety of instructional strategies to enhance students' ability to work in teams and maximize group effectiveness. The project involved specific instruction in group communication skills as part of the regular course of instruction, the administration of the Kolbe A TM Index, and assessment by students and instructors of the value of the team process and projects.

Recent studies at California State University, Northridge using the Kolbe A™ index have shown differences in conative profiles between computer science students near graduation and those just entering the program. Since conation, or a person's inherent talent or natural way of doing things, relates to how a student approaches learning, it may provide clues as to why some students quit the program prior to graduation. The Kolbe instrument used in this study is a tool for measuring conative talents. It has been widely used in industry to aid in management activities and assist in the formation of effective teams. Its use in education has been limited, but it has potential for providing insight regarding differences in student learning and in understanding issues related to student retention. For example, one recent study showed a significantly higher implementor conative instinct among entering students than existed among graduating students. This suggests that some students with strong implementor talents may have dropped out of the program, possibly because they were not given sufficient opportunity to engage in "hands on" activities. It may be that some students are discouraged from continuing in the major because they find the learning environment incompatible with the natural ways they approach learning.

The importance of teaching students to enjoy and value life-long learning.