Antibody Titers and Seroconversion Kinetics of Outbred Swiss and Heterozygous Nude Soiled-bedding Sentinels for Murine Norovirus and Mouse Hepatitis Virus.

Sentinel animals remain a common means of evaluating rodent health in research colonies. An evaluation of our sentinel program revealed that using Crl:CD1(ICR)-Elite (CD1-E) mice was expensive, occasionally disrupted by limited supply, and minimally responsive to the 3Rs. This evaluation prompted us to explore the use of CRL:NU- (Het-nude) mice as soiled-bedding sentinel (SBS) animals.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia assessment and treatment efficacy: setting the record straight (response to Campbell-Taylor).

In September 2008, an article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association criticizing current dysphagia assessment and management practices performed by speech-language pathologists in Long-Term Care (LTC) settings. In the same issue, an editorial invited dialogue on the points raised by Campbell-Taylor. We are responding to this call for dialogue.

Characteristics of dysphagia in elderly patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

The purpose of this study was to describe the swallowing characteristics of elderly patients requiring mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy admitted to a long-term, acute-care hospital. The study was conducted through retrospective record review of patients on mechanical ventilation who had received a Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS) during their hospitalization. In a period from 1994 to 2002, 58 patients met the inclusion criteria.

Environmental effects on the assessment of people with dementia: a pilot study.

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to use a standardized assessment of independent living skills to explore the effects of environment on functional performance of individuals with dementia.

Methods: Twelve participants (6 males, 6 females), diagnosed with dementia, were given the Structured Assessment of Independent Living Skills (SAILS), a standardized assessment of functional motor, cognitive, instrumental, and social performance. Participants were assessed in their homes, in an adult day-services facility they regularly attended, and in an occupational therapy clinic.

Integrating health promotion, patient education, and adult education principles with the older adult: a perspective for rehabilitation professionals.

With demographic changes and an increase in the number and proportion of older adults, there is now a greater demand for health promotion and patient education by rehabilitation professionals who are experts in their respective fields and who are knowledgeable about normal and pathologic aging. Older adults are more at risk for chronic illnesses and are interested in learning more about their own health. Many interrelationships between health promotion, patient education, and adult education exist in the context of rehabilitation for older adults.