[Bioimpedance analysis in medicine].

This review covers the problems of using of bioimpedancemetry in medicine. This method is currently becoming more widely used for diagnostics of various pathological disorders. The advantages and disadvantages of non-invasive and invasive bioelectrical impedance analysis were described. It was revealed that the results of invasive bioimpedancemetry were more accurate in comparison with the results of non-invasive bioimpedancemetry, and changed due to morphological damages of tissues. This review provides an overview of the practicability of more extensive using of invasive bioelectrical impedance analysis in medicine.

Experimental study of the diagnostic potentialities of bioimpedance measurement in acute intestinal obstruction.

The dynamics of impedance values of the small and large intestine, parietal peritoneum, and greater omentum was analyzed during different periods of experimental acute intestinal obstruction. The impedance was below the normal, which indicated progressive microcirculatory disorders and necrosis of the intestinal wall. The histomorphological picture of healing of anastomoses created after resection of the intestine with consideration for bioimpedance values and of anastomoses created after resection of the intestine in a priori viable tissues virtually did not differ.

A dynamic upper atmosphere of Venus as revealed by VIRTIS on Venus Express.

The upper atmosphere of a planet is a transition region in which energy is transferred between the deeper atmosphere and outer space. Molecular emissions from the upper atmosphere (90-120 km altitude) of Venus can be used to investigate the energetics and to trace the circulation of this hitherto little-studied region. Previous spacecraft and ground-based observations of infrared emission from CO2, O2 and NO have established that photochemical and dynamic activity controls the structure of the upper atmosphere of Venus. These data, however, have left unresolved the precise altitude of the emission owing to a lack of data and of an adequate observing geometry. Here we report measurements of day-side CO2 non-local thermodynamic equilibrium emission at 4.3 microm, extending from 90 to 120 km altitude, and of night-side O2 emission extending from 95 to 100 km. The CO2 emission peak occurs at approximately 115 km and varies with solar zenith angle over a range of approximately 10 km. This confirms previous modelling, and permits the beginning of a systematic study of the variability of the emission. The O2 peak emission happens at 96 km +/- 1 km, which is consistent with three-body recombination of oxygen atoms transported from the day side by a global thermospheric sub-solar to anti-solar circulation, as previously predicted.

South-polar features on Venus similar to those near the north pole.

Venus has no seasons, slow rotation and a very massive atmosphere, which is mainly carbon dioxide with clouds primarily of sulphuric acid droplets. Infrared observations by previous missions to Venus revealed a bright 'dipole' feature surrounded by a cold 'collar' at its north pole. The polar dipole is a 'double-eye' feature at the centre of a vast vortex that rotates around the pole, and is possibly associated with rapid downwelling. The polar cold collar is a wide, shallow river of cold air that circulates around the polar vortex. One outstanding question has been whether the global circulation was symmetric, such that a dipole feature existed at the south pole. Here we report observations of Venus' south-polar region, where we have seen clouds with morphology much like those around the north pole, but rotating somewhat faster than the northern dipole. The vortex may extend down to the lower cloud layers that lie at about 50 km height and perhaps deeper. The spectroscopic properties of the clouds around the south pole are compatible with a sulphuric acid composition.