Human neonatal ovary: proposal of a three-dimensional model

A model of human neonatal ovary is presented, derived from morphometric, evaluations carried out on left ovaries removed from five full-term neonates with a 46, XX karyotype, free from malformations of the genital apparatus. According to this model, the gonad can be represented by a triaxial ellipsoid with a central medullary core surrounded by a cortical stratum of constant thickness. The germinal population, consisting of follicles and primitive cortical tissue, occupies the cortex, intermingled with the interstitium or stroma. In the cortex it is then possible to describe an outer layer formed by primitive cortical tissue, and an inner portion occupied by follicles. The primary and secondary follicles fill the portion near the medulla and the primordial ones are contained in the middle and outer zones. Since the variability observed among ovaries is slight, we can propose a mean model of neonatal ovary in which the spatial relationships among the different components, the total number of follicles and their position in the cortex can be calculated.     

Initial results of an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program in a private health institution

Between October 1994 and the end of February 1995 115 patients were included in our programme. In these patients we monitored 141 cycles, performed 128 punctures and 100 ET. In 14 instances (9.2%) the cycle was abolished. By puncture of 1468 follicles 1370 oocytes were obtained which corresponded to a recovery rate of 93.3%. On average by aspiration 11.9 oocytes per patient were obtained. From the total number of acquired oocytes 54.6% were fertilized and 43.5% divided. Of 596 embryos 290 were transferred and the remainder was vitrified. A total of 17 clinical pregnancies were achieved, incl. 5 which terminated by abortion, the remainder proceeds. The authors are aware that they present a relatively small group during a short period of time, and thus the first results of the centre cannot be presented as a current standard. Despite this the results permit some optimism for the future and indicate a certain amount of standardization of the authors' clinical and laboratory work.     

Mapping field density distribution in radiators by microwave noise

In his earlier paper on Active Microwave Radiometry, the author indicated that microwave noise can be used to map field density distribution inside radiators and in antenna systems, without the need for anechoic chambers. The presented paper gives details and results of such experiment. The method is described, details of equipment are given and results are presented with a concluding commentary.     

Analysis of global and local extrema of regularizing functionals in the problem of the reconstruction of images observed through randomly inhomogeneous media

An approach to the reconstruction problem of undistorted images of objects observed through randomly inhomogeneous media is considered. The approach is based on the solution to the integral equation of the first kind (convolution equation) with an unknown kernel and inaccurately defined right-hand side. It is demonstrated that the procedure for the construction of an inverse operator needed for the solution is determined by the minimization of the nonlinear regularizing multiextremum functional, which takes into account the a priori data regarding the positive intensity distribution in the image of an object. The analysis of the structure of the multiextremum functional is presented. The estimates of the reconstructed images that correspond to the global and local extrema are studied. The results of a numerical experiment on the reconstruction of the optical image of an object observed through the turbulent atmosphere are presented.     

Structural aspects of the manufacture of semiproducts made from titanium nickelide-based alloys

The effects of the charge composition, casting method, and metal forming method on the structure and shape-memory-effect (SME) and superelasticity characteristics of titanium nickelide-based alloys are studied. The shape recovery temperatures of semiproducts are shown to depend substantially on the volume fraction of the Ti₂Ni intermetallic phase, whose formation is stimulated by the oxygen present in a charge or absorbed during casting. An increase in the volume fraction of Ti₂Ni in an alloy leads to nickel enrichment of the B2 phase and a decrease in the shape recovery temperatures. Subsequent metal forming at the stage of semiproduct manufacture only weakly affects the volume fraction of Ti₂Ni and favors the formation of its equiaxed shape and a more uniform Ti₂Ni distribution in the B2 matrix. In alloys where the B2 phase contains more than 56.5 wt % Ni, quenching from temperatures above 600°C and aging in the temperature range 400–500°C result in the dissolution and precipitation, respectively, of the nickel-rich Ti₃Ni₄ and Ti₂Ni₃ intermetallics. Therefore, the shape recovery temperatures of semiproducts and finished products can be controlled. Moreover, as the aging temperature changes, the volume fraction and size of nickel-rich intermetallic particles, the slip stresses, and the SME force characteristics change. For example, to increase the compression forces for osteosynthesis fixation devices, one has to use a titanium nickelide-based alloy with a high nickel content in the B2 phase and to perform aging at low temperatures (400–450°C).     

Prevalence of osteoporosis in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in Czech women and men aged 50 to 75 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bone mineral density was assessed in an age-stratified random sample of 713 women and 429 men from two cities (Prague and Litom?rice) in the lumbar spine, proximal femur and total body by dual X-ray absorptiometry and in the distal forearm by single X-ray absorptiometry. The proportion of women and men in each age group with bone density below specified levels at any of these skeletal sites was projected to the population structure of the Czech Republic. With advancing age, in women at 55 years and in men at 65 years of age the population with normal bone mineral density becomes smaller, and a greater proportion has osteopenia or osteoporosis. Overall, an estimated 428,000 women and 195,000 men over age 50 have osteoporosis and another 680,000 women and 435,000 men have osteopenia. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this first population-based cross sectional study in the Czech Republic document a high prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia which is comparable with that published for the Netherlands and the United States. The results offer a basis for economical considerations in diagnosis, treatment and consequences of osteoporosis.     

An efficient approach for face recognition based on common eigenvalues

In this paper, a simple technique is proposed for face recognition among many human faces. It is based on the polynomial coefficients, covariance matrix and algorithm on common eigenvalues. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that the identification of similarity between human faces is carried out without computing actual eigenvalues and eigenvectors. A symmetric matrix is calculated using the polynomial coefficients-based companion matrices of two compared images. The nullity of a calculated symmetric matrix is used as similarity measure for face recognition. The value of nullity is very small for dissimilar images and distinctly large for similar face images. The feasibility of the propose approach is demonstrated on three face databases, i.e., the ORL database, the Yale database B and the FERET database. Experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed approach for feature extraction and classification of the face images having large variation in pose and illumination.     

Autonomous navigation system of near-Earth spacecraft

An autonomous navigation system for near-Earth spacecraft is described; this system allows determination of the satellite orbit and prediction of its motion parameters. Radio navigation measurements of GLONASS and GPS satellite systems are used for this purpose. The autonomous navigation system is designated for operation on near-Earth orbits which do not go beyond the navigation areas of GLONASS and/or GPS and on orbits with large eccentricity whose apocenter is at a distance of 50–70 thousand km from the Earth’s surface. The developed methods and algorithms for orbit determination are based on the application of laws of motion dynamics of a spacecraft directly at processing primary phase measurements of the carrier frequency and code pseudo-range using an extended measurement base. Algorithms for determination of motion parameters of the spacecraft and results of simulation and operation of a model system are presented. The possibility of creation of an onboard autonomous navigation system with precision and reliability higher than those of the ground measuring complex is demonstrated.     

Diagnostic performance of edited 2HG MR spectroscopy of central glioma in the clinical environment

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine - Oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) is pooled in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant glioma cells. Detecting 2HG by MR...