A brief descriptive analysis of stroke features in a population of patients from a large urban hospital in Richmond, Virginia, a city within the 'stroke belt'.

Purpose: To provide a descriptive analysis of the stroke features in a population of patients from a large urban hospital within the 'stroke belt', with the intention of stimulating interest in creating similar comprehensive databases across the country; the differential population features that may contribute to the increased incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke within the 'stroke belt' can thus be better studied and understood.

Background: Strokes account for approximately 5-10% of all deaths in the western world. Within a geographically nondescript region in the Southern United States known as the 'stroke belt', however, the incidence of stroke is 1.

A quality assurance program for determination of herbicides in estuarine waters.

A quality assurance program was developed for two grantee laboratories studying the herbicides atrazine and linuron in Chesapeake Bay water. Proposed methodologies were evaluated by performance and system audits. The objectives of the quality assurance program and the results of the audit program are discussed.