Normative Grip Strength Values in Males and Females, ages 50 to 89 years old

Purpose. To develop normative reference values for grip strength of males and females between the ages of 50 and 89 years old that can be used by health care professionals in clinical settings. Methods. This study assessed data from a sample of males and females between the ages of 50 and 89 years old who participated in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. The Health and Retirement Study collected data from 6,266 participants in a physical measures sub-study. Grip strength was assessed in a standing position with the shoulder adducted and elbow flexed to 90 degrees. One practice trial was allowed and then the participant performed 2 maximal effort trials using each hand. Right and left hand mean scores were calculated. The HRS data were reported in kilograms. Results. Subjects were stratified by sex and age. Each stratum was defined using 5-year intervals, male or female, and by right or left hand. Mean grip strength, standard deviation, sample size, and percentile ranks from 5 to 95 at intervals of 5 are reported for each stratum in both kilograms and pounds. Conclusion. The normative values provided in this report should advance the clinical utility of grip strength as a physical measure. Percentile ranks are easy to determine and interpret for both the patient and clinician. Clinicians will benefit from the results of this study by better assessing the physical status of their patients, developing better goals for their patients, and providing better education to their patients on this aspect of physical health

Sea Level Rise and Casco Bay’s Wetlands: A Look at Potential Impacts, Freeport Edition

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership looked at the ten of the fourteen municipalities that line Casco Bay to identify potential areas of marsh migration and possible impacts to existing developed areas due to tidal inundation from sea level rise. This is one of a series of ten reports

Sea Level Rise and Casco Bay’s Wetlands: A Look at Potential Impacts, Phippsburg Edition

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership looked at the ten of the fourteen municipalities that line Casco Bay to identify potential areas of marsh migration and possible impacts to existing developed areas due to tidal inundation from sea level rise. This is one of a series of ten reports

Sea Level Rise and Casco Bay’s Wetlands: A Look at Potential Impacts, Harpswell Edition

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership looked at the ten of the fourteen municipalities that line Casco Bay to identify potential areas of marsh migration and possible impacts to existing developed areas due to tidal inundation from sea level rise. This is one of a series of ten reports

Sea Level Rise and Casco Bay’s Wetlands: A Look at Potential Impacts, Yarmouth Edition

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership looked at the ten of the fourteen municipalities that line Casco Bay to identify potential areas of marsh migration and possible impacts to existing developed areas due to tidal inundation from sea level rise. This is one of a series of ten reports

Sea Level Rise and Casco Bay’s Wetlands: A Look at Potential Impacts, Portland Edition

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership looked at the ten of the fourteen municipalities that line Casco Bay to identify potential areas of marsh migration and possible impacts to existing developed areas due to tidal inundation from sea level rise. This is one of a series of ten reports

Core Competency-Related Professional Behaviors During Patient Encounters: A Report From the Association for Athletic Training Education Research Network

Context: To enhance the quality of patient care, it is important that athletic trainers integrate the components of the core competencies (CCs; evidence-based practice [EBP], patient-centered care [PCC], health information technology [HIT], interprofessional education and collaborative practice [IPECP], quality improvement [QI], professionalism) as a part of routine clinical practice. In what ways, if any, athletic training students (ATSs) are currently integrating CCs into patient encounters (PEs) during clinical experiences is unclear. Objective: To describe which professional behaviors associated with the CCs were implemented by ATSs during PEs that occurred during clinical experiences. Design: Multisite panel design. Setting: A total of 12 professional athletic training programs (5 bachelor\u27s, 7 master\u27s level). Patients or Other Participants: A total of 363 ATSs from the athletic training programs that used E*Value software to document PEs during clinical experiences participated. Main Outcome Measure(s): During each PE, ATSs were asked to report whether professional behaviors reflecting 5 of the CCs occurred (the professionalism CC was excluded). Summary statistics, including means ± SDs, counts, and percentages were tabulated for the professional behaviors of each CC. Results: Data from 30 630 PEs were collected during the study period. Professional behaviors related to EBP were the most frequently incorporated during PEs (74.3%, n = 22 773), followed by QI (72.3%, n = 22 147), PCC (56.6%, n = 17 326), HIT (35.4%, n = 10 857), and IPECP (18.4%, n = 5627). Conclusions: It is unsurprising that EBP and PCC behaviors were 2 of the most frequently incorporated CCs during PEs due to the emphasis on these competencies during the past several years. However, it is surprising that ATSs did not incorporate behaviors related to either HIT (in 65% of PEs) or IPECP (in 82% of PEs). These findings suggest that directed efforts are needed to ensure that ATSs are provided opportunities to incorporate professional behaviors related to the CCs during clinical experiences

Impact of Poxvirus Vector Priming, Protein Coadministration, and Vaccine Intervals on HIV gp120 Vaccine-Elicited Antibody Magnitude and Function in Infant Macaques

ABSTRACT Despite success in reducing vertical HIV transmission by maternal antiretroviral therapy, several obstacles limit its efficacy during breastfeeding, and breast-milk transmission is now the dominant mode of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in infants. Thus, a pediatric vaccine is needed to eradicate oral HIV infections in newborns and infants. Utilizing the infant rhesus macaque model, we compared 3 different vaccine regimens: (i) HIV envelope (Env) protein only, (ii) poxvirus vector (modified vaccinia virus Ankara [MVA])-HIV Env prime and HIV Env boost, and (iii) coadministration of HIV Env and MVA-HIV Env at all time points. The vaccines were administered with an accelerated, 3-week-interval regimen starting at birth for early induction of highly functional HIV Env-specific antibodies. We also tested whether an extended, 6-week immunization interval using the same vaccine regimen as in the coadministration group would enhance the quality of antibody responses. We found that pediatric HIV vaccines administered at birth are effective in inducing HIV Env-specific plasma IgG. The vaccine regimen consisting of only HIV Env protein induced the highest levels of variable region 1 and 2 (V1V2)-specific antibodies and tier 1 neutralizing antibodies, whereas the extended-interval regimen induced both persistent Env-specific systemic IgG and mucosal IgA responses. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) antibodies in plasma were elicited by all vaccine regimens. These data suggest that infant immunizations beginning at birth are effective for the induction of functional HIV Env-specific antibodies that could potentially protect against breast milk transmission of HIV and set the stage for immunity prior to sexual debut