Prevention of microbial contamination of surgical wounds

Comparative analysis of 3707 operations on the organs of the abdominal cavity has shown the significant advantage of the suggested by the authors method for intraoperative wound protection with latex rubber in combination with placing the longitudinal removable sutures over the subcutis and skin, and dressing-free management of the wounds in prophylaxis of the postoperative purulent wound complications. After 310 operations of different contamination degree performed with the use of the given method, no suppuration of the operative wounds was noted.     

The effect of naloxone on the preoperative gastric volume and pH

The effect of 4 mg oral naloxone on preoperative gastric volume and pH of gastric aspirate was studied in a double-blind, randomized study. Twenty patients received 10 ml of naloxone (4 mg) mixed with 10 ml of orange juice, and 20 patients received 10 ml of isotonic saline mixed with 10 ml of orange juice, 2 h before surgery. Gastric content was obtained immediately after intubation of the trachea. No significant difference in gastric volume and pH of gastric aspirate was found between the two groups. It is concluded that naloxone does not affect gastric emptying and gastric acid secretion to a degree great enough to protect against aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs.     

Clinical picture, dynamics and treatment of reactive depressions in infant.

The authors studied the typology, clinical picture, dynamics and therapy of reactive (psychogenic) depressions in 46 children, aged 1.5-4.5 years. Clinical-psychopathological variants of depression and types of dynamics have been described, which is important for prognosis and choice of adequate therapy.     

Radiation safety in space flights in the Intercosmos program

This paper reviews the basic stages in the development of radiation safety of space flights within the framework of the Intercosmos program, including ground-based experiments on charged particle accelerators and gamma-emitters and actual flight studies onboard biosatellites and orbital stations. The paper also discusses norms and standards of radiation safety as related to flights of varying duration. It emphasizes the contribution made by Intercosmos cooperative projects into the development of space flight radiation safety parameters adopted as standards by the USSR Standardization Committee.