Race and income have substantial effects on mortality and use of services among Medicare beneficiaries. Providing health insurance is not enough to ensure that the program is used effectively and equitably by all beneficiaries.

This study tested the hypothesis (H1) that surf swimming involves a quantifiable experience component. Sixty-five beach lifeguards with (n = 35) and without surf experience (n = 30) completed: a best effort 200-m swim in a 25-m pool, a calm and a surf sea; an anthropometric survey; maximum effort 30-s swim bench test; 50-m pool swim (25 m underwater). In both groups, time to swim 200 m was slower in calm seas than in the pool and slower in surf than in either calm seas or the pool (p < 0.05). Calm sea swim times of the two groups did not differ significantly, but the no experience group was, on average (Sp-pooled variance), 49 s (62) slower on the 200-m swim in the surf conditions (p < 0.05). A stepwise regression identified surf experience as a predictor of surf swim time (R(2) = 0.32, p < 0.01). It is concluded that there is a significant and quantifiable (18 %) experience factor in surf swimming. This limits the usefulness of pool swim times and other land-based tests as predictors of surf swimming performance. The hypothesis (H1) is accepted.

Ammonia ion-selective electrode (ISE) measurements, reported as apparent ammonia, were correlated to expert sensory assessments of 6 different fish species stored on ice and at room temperature. Total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N), and apparent ammonia showed the same development trend during storage. ISE measurements and TVB concentrations had a correlation of r 2 = 0.92. Sensory assessment, using a 1-to 100-mm line scale with values Ͼ Ͼ Ͼ Ͼ Ͼ 50 considered unacceptable, resulted in an r 2 between sensory scores and ISE measurements of 0.78.Regression analysis predicted 19.6 mg/100 g of apparent ammonia in fish tissue at the sensory limit of 50, regardless of storage conditions. ISE measurements could be used in predicting borderline quality and decomposition.

Women's birth experience, studied in two time periods, had negligible impuct on their persistence in breast-feeding, nor did early postpartum experience, type of feeding regimen, or timing of solid food introduction emerge as significunt correlates. Women's prenatal intentions were the strongest predictor of breast-feeding success in the first month, and the mother's own history of having been breast-fed us an infant appears to be a predisposing factor. The influence of socioeconomic factors and childbirth preparation classes ure examined. A revised Lzersion of (I ptrper siibmitted to the Joitrnirl in Jirne1980. Resecirch w w s siipported by (I Grrggenheim Fellowship t o Doris Entwisle cind by NIMH grunts MH2S172. MHI2S25. cind NICHD gront 13103. One of the ciiithors (Doering) is now (it Environmentcil Progrcims. Inc.. Btiltimore.

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