[Vegetative State: Difficulty in Identifying Consciousness and Predicting Outcome].

Article consists of literature review, authors experience of the application of neurovisualization and neurophysiological research methods to predict the recovery of consciousness in patients in vegetative state (VS). According to the literature data PET with FDG has higher sensitivity in the detection of signs of consciousness, then functional MRI (fMRI). The method fMRI allows assessing the functional activity of the brain in a state of rest and in response to stimulation with different modalities ­ visual, auditory, etc (with the application of active and passive paradigm). A higher specificity in the detection of signs of consciousness have the methodology of fMRI with the active paradigm, at the same time, the absence of signs of consciousness according to the fMRI can not be charged as a basis for the conclusion of a poor prognosis in a particular patient. Neurophysiological tests (EEG, TMS, EP, etc) are more readily available and quite effective. Based on the literature analysis, the authors comes to the conclusion that neurovisualization and neurophysiological tests used in the prediction of the outcome of VS reflects the residual functional activity of different brain areas, in a context of diffuse brain damage, and the recovery of consciousness is usually combined with the restoring of the functional activity off the thalamocortical tracts, which activity, indirectly, is evaluated using these methods. In the authors' opinions, the main disadvantage in the interpretation of the is the lack of a common pathophysiological concept of the organization of brain functions in VS patients. The authors offer for the discussion their concept of stable pathological states of the brain, which is based on the works of Russian pathophysiologists.

[Analysis of the annual open Russian competition for the best scientific student work in medical science]. / Analiz provedeniia ezhegodnogo otkrytogo rossiiskogo konkursa na luchshuiu nauchnuiu raboty studentov po razdelu "Meditsinsikie nauki".

For over 5 years, the I. M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy has been the basic Institute for holding the open Russian competition for the best scientific student work in medical sciences. The Academy has developed a methodological basis of this competition, which allowed the practical use of its organizational forms by the areas of informational support, evaluation of works, awards, office work. The authors' skills in presentation have become an original educational component in addition to usual expert estimation of works and afforded to obtain knowledge of progress in basic science and different problems in the organization of researches. The original competition organizing system has raised the popularity of the competition and the annual number of participants from different medical institutes and stimulated youth's interest in researches.