[The effect of music containing binaural beats on daytime fall-asleep dynamics]. / Vliianie muzyki, soderzhashchei binaural'nye bieniia, na dinamiku dnevnogo zasypaniia.

AIM: To test the hypothesis that listening to the music with the effect of binaural beats of theta and delta range during nap decreases sleep latency defined by 2nd slow wave sleep stage appearance, as well as improves its stability. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experimental set of 20 min duration was established according to the counterbalanced scheme with 21 subjects. Each subject participated in two attempts: one attempt included sound stimulation (music) and another one was sham (silence). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The decrease in sleep latency during stimulation is not confirmed reliably. The increase in sleep stability has been confirmed reliably using nonlinear regression model. The findings can be used in the development of non-pharmacologic ways of sleep treatment.

[Urgent surgical correction of ventricular septal defects in children of first months of life].

The article presents the results of urgent surgical correction of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and a range of associated congenital heart diseases (CHDs) in 123 children of the first 6 months of life, hospitalized between 1988 and 2002 in a severe or critical condition. In 102 patients the progression of clinical symptoms was caused by a big single VSD and in 21 patients--by multiple VSDs. 70 patients had significant associated CHDs. Significant extracardiac anomalies were revealed in 75 patients. The condition of 55.3% of children had deteriorated due to pneumonia. Correction of defects with cardiopulmonary bypass was performed after urgent examination and intensive therapy. Hemodynamically significant VSD were closed in 117 (95.2%) patients. Two patients were reoperatied due to the presence of residual VSD. Partial or full simultaneous correction of associated CHDs was performed in 68 patients. 93.5% of patients with isolated VSDs survived the operation. The survival rate of patients with associated CHDs and extracardiac anomalies was 81.5%. Postoperative mortality risk factors were found to be critical condition at hospitalization and preoperative activity of infectious process (P < 0.01 and < 0.05, respectively). Accumulation of experience and introduction of a special approach allowed an 8-time decrease of the hospital mortality, which has not exceeded 3.4% within last 3 years. Good and excellent follow-up results were obtained in 98% of the survived patients within 10 to 67 months after operation. Precise diagnostics of associated CHDs and extracardiac anomalies, intensive preoperative treatment and weighed estimation of indications and risk factors allow significant improvement in the results of primary correction of VSD and accompanying cardiovascular anomalies in children of the first months of life in a heavy and critical condition upon admission.

Right subscapular artery catheterization for balloon valvuloplasty of critical aortic stenosis in infants.

This study was performed to evaluate the utility and safety of catheterizing the right subscapular artery for balloon valvuloplasty of critical aortic stenosis in infants. Twenty-one patients, age 20 days to 17 months, underwent attempted valvuloplasty through the surgically exposed right subscapular artery. Five or 7Fr catheters with balloon diameters of 7 to 10 mm were used. Valvuloplasty was successfully performed using this approach in 11 patients. In 2 other patients, the subscapular artery would not accommodate the balloon angioplasty catheter (7Fr), and the arteriotomy was extended into the axillary artery. In these 13 patients, the peak systolic pressure gradient across the aortic valve was decreased from 85 +/- 23 to 33 +/- 7 mm Hg. Moderate aortic regurgitation developed in 3 patients. In the remaining 8 patients, valvuloplasty could not be performed through the right subscapular artery. In 2 patients, the right subclavian artery was anomalous and led to the descending aorta. In 6 small patients, no catheter could be advanced across the aortic valve. In 1 of these patients, a guidewire perforated a coronary sinus of Valsalva causing death. Overall, valvuloplasty using the right subscapular arterial approach was successful in 13 of 19 infants (68%) with normal right subclavian arteries, including all 10 such patients weighing > or = 5.5 kg. No clinically significant peripheral vascular complications or brachial plexus injuries occurred. Thus, the right subscapular arterial approach is an alternative route to be considered when planning balloon aortic valvuloplasty in infants.

[Transluminal balloon valvuloplasty in the treatment of congenital critical aortic valve stenosis in infants in the 1st year of life]. / Transliuminal'naia ballonnaia val'vuloplastika v lechenii vrozhdennogo kriticheskogo klapannogo stenoza aorty u detei 1-go goda zhizni.

Balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 14 patients with congenital valvular aortic stenosis. Their age was 28 days to 12 months. All the patients had severe heart failure. Balloon valvuloplasty was successfully conducted in 8 patients. The systolic pressure gradient between the aorta and the left ventricle decreased, on the average, from 81.2 +/- 21.4 to 31.3 +/- 8.2 mm Hg, i.e. by 61.5%. Only 2 patients developed moderate aortic insufficiency after balloon valvuloplasty. The left ventricle could not be catheterised in 6 infants: in 4 patients due to critical valvular stenosis, in 2 due to a. lusoria. One of them died when the guide was attempted to be introduced through the narrowed aortic valve, which resulted in aortic sinus perforation. Long-term results were studied in 4 patients 3 to 24 months after surgery. Their clinical condition improved. The systolic pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the aorta was in agreement with the values obtained just after transluminal balloon valvuloplasty. Transluminal balloon valvuloplasty can be successfully performed in 1-year-old infants with congenital critical aortic valvular stenosis and yields good immediate results. A further accumulation of clinical findings, development of procedures for transluminal balloon valvuloplasty and study of long-term results will allow indications for this tool to be worked out in this group of patients.

[Comparative-age analysis of the socially dangerous acts of late middle-aged mental patients (epidemiologic study)]. / Sravnitel'no-vozrastnoi analiz obshchestvenno opasnykh deistvii psikhicheski bol'nykh pozhilogo vozrasta (épidemiologicheskoe issledovanie).

A comparative epidemiological study covered two groups of patients (n = 4811), aged 55 years and over, diametrically differing with regard to the origin of the disease: (1) schizophrenic patients and patients with mental disturbances in the long-term period of craniocerebral trauma. The authors consider age-specific peculiarities of the rate and structure of antisocial actions, as well as their relationship with some clinical, social, and demographic characteristics of the patients.