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We have studied in situ the adsorption of a soluble anionic dye polymer onto spread monolayers by means of reflection spectroscopy. We found that the adsorption is governed by the charge neutrality; the ratio of the adsorbed polymer unit and the cationic monolayer molecule is nearly 1:l for the surface density in the range of 50-77 &/monolayer molecule. On the other hand, no adsorption occurs onto an anionic monolayer. We have also investigated the adsorption kinetics of the polymer. The rate of adsorption can be reproduced very well with a simple diffusion simulation.

Positron emission tomography measurement of FDG uptake was most sensitive in detecting the side of the epileptic focus. On the other hand, SPM analysis of the DV of FMZ was the most sensitive method for delineating the actual epileptic focus.

Beginning in 1974, the Japanese Ministry of Health Welfare directed the screening of schoolchildren for proteinuria. We studied their procedure and methods in 6197 school children and also evaluated a new urine dipstick that measures albumin concentrations down to about 10 mg/l and creatinine down to about 300 mg/l. We used specimens from adult in- and outpatients to test the accuracy of the dipsticks. Based on the quantitative results, we set as cutoffs < 150 mg/l for protein and < 30 mg/l for albumin as the concentrations representing "low risk." The quantitative values were assumed to be correct, and the dipstick results were judged accordingly, i.e., a dipstick protein of > or = "150" mg/l or an albumin of I "30" mg/l indicated increased risk of developing or having a genitourinary disorder. The sensitivity/specificity of the protein dipstick was 95.1%/95.5%, and the same for the albumin dipstick was 83.8%/93.8%. The cut-off for the albumin dipsticks probably should be set somewhat lower to reduce the number of false negatives and increase the sensitivity of the dipstick. When we compared the quantitative albumin to the protein dipsticks with the above cut-offs, we found the sensitivity/specificity to be 79.3%/94.4%, i.e., much like the albumin dipstick results. The many reports on the association of albuminuria and risk of renal disease recommend that screening should be done for albumin rather than protein. Based on the data from the school children, we estimate that a dipstick albumin of "30" mg/l is borderline increased risk, and that a protein dipstick of "150" mg/l is the same. If we call the dipstick "10" mg/l albumin, "30" mg/l albumin and the "150" mg/l protein results "low risk," then we estimate the prevalence of albuminuria in the school children to be about 2.1% and proteinuria to be about 4.3%. Children with these values should have a quantitative test for albumin and protein. We also tested a dipstick for creatinine and found increasing values with increasing age in both genders; the older boys had significantly higher creatinine values than the older girls and younger boys. For the albumin/creatinine ratio, we found 6028 children with a ratio of < 30 mg/g indicating low risk and 159 children with a ratio of > or = 30 mg/g indicating increased risk. The ratio may be more useful owing to the likely reduction of the number of false negatives and false positives.

Optical imaging of intrinsic signals is a useful technique with superior spatial resolution for delineating the somatotopic representation of human primary sensory cortex. Furthermore, it can be used as an intraoperative monitoring tool to improve the safety and accuracy of resections of brain tumors adjacent to or within the sensorimotor cortex.

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A patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episode (MELAS) syndrome underwent serial measurement of cerebral blood flow with xenon computed tomography (Xe-CBF) while presenting with strokelike episodes accompanied by a cerebral lesion. He underwent positron emission tomography (PET) measurement of the regional cerebral blood flow (PET-CBF), metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2), and glucose (CMRGlu) after his symptoms and lesion disappeared. During the symptomatic period, Xe-CBF and the Xe-CBF response to acetazolamide loading were well preserved both in and outside the low-density lesion. In the PET study, decreased CMRO2 and increased PET-CBF and CMRGlu were noted in the entire brain. The strokelike episodes of patients with MELAS are more likely attributed to the failure of oxygen metabolism than to a vascular accident.