An explant culture system for the study of atrial development.

An explant culture system for the study of chick atrial development was tested using media of varying composition. Right atria from chick embryos of 13 days incubation were excised, placed on stainless steel mesh grids and cultured for 16-21 days in supplemented media. The results indicated that DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum maintained the highest percentage (57%) of contractile atria in culture.

Prediction of mortality in community and institutional settings.

This study attempted to re-evaluate predictors of mortality based on a large sample of mentally retarded individuals. Additionally, mortality rates were compared among several types of placements including institutions after controlling for the most salient predictors of death. The findings indicated that non-mobility and the need for medical support add to the risk of an early death for these children, and are significant indicators of mortality, regardless of level of retardation and placement.

Ocular angiostrongyliasis in Japan: a case report.

A small motile worm was found in the posterior pole of the eye of a patient, producing a decrease in visual acuity. The patient had signs of meningitis and had cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia. His serum was positive for antibodies to Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

Comparison of successful and unsuccessful community-placed mentally retarded persons.

Differences in the characteristics of unsuccessful and successful community-placed clients were examined. Discriminant function analysis identified a maladaptive behavior factor and sex to be significant discriminators between the two groups. Unsuccessful clients manifested a significantly higher frequency of every maladaptive behavior assessed by the maladaptive variable.

Comparison of resting intracoronary particulate imaging and stress thallium-201 studies.

Stress thallium-201 and resting dual intracoronary particulate imaging were evaluated in 120 patients who underwent coronary angiography. Forty of 42 patients without significant coronary disease had normal stress images and 41 had normal rest studies. Eighty-three stress perfusion defects were identified in 61 of 78 patients with coronary artery disease.

Myocardial perfusion as an indicator of graft patency after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Stress and resting myocardial perfusion were assessed in 38 patients who received 96 grafts. Stress perfusion was evaluated with thallium-201 and resting myocardial blood flow distribution with radiolabeled particles. When both stress and rest perfusion were normal, graft patency was 82% (51 of 62 grafts).

The spectrum of cardiac defects in the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, types I and III.

Nineteen patients with types I and III Ehlers-Danlos syndrome were hospitalized at our institution between 1973 and 1978. Chest roentgenogram, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram were done; 11 patients underwent cardiac catheterization. Thirty-five cardiac or great vessel abnormalities were detected.

Maladaptive behavior and community placement of mentally retarded persons.

The prevalence of maladaptive behavior was investigated for retarded individuals residing in institutions, community facilities, or their own home. In addition, the relationship between behavior problems and sex, age, level of retardation, and race was examined. The findings confirmed a much higher prevalence of behavior problems in the institutions as compared to community placements.

Acute pancreatitis secondary to furosemide with associated hyperlipidemia.

A patient is described with acute pancreatitis which was probably caused by furosemide. Administration of furosemide on two separate occasions was associated with increases in serum amylase concentrations and recurrence of abdominal pain. This case is of further interest because of the presence of hyperlipemia in the absence of an underlying lipid abnormality.

Judgment error in category vs magnitude scales.

The effects of a variety of experimental conditions on the judgments (length of lines) of 16 normal and 16 mentally retarded observers were examined using category and magnitude scaling techniques. Using error and variability of judgment as criteria for measuring response bias, for normal subjects knowledge about the stimulus range, whether learned or provided, had as much to do with resulting judgments as the type of scale used. Judgment error of the retarded group was significantly greater than the normal group and appeared to be related to their limited ability to assign categories or proportions to the simuli used.