Patients with coronary chronic total occlusions have usually anginal symptoms, reversible ischemia on stress testing and viable myocardium subtended by the occluded artery. Notwithstanding the optimal clinical characteristics for revascularization by means of percutaneous coronary intervention, the majority of subjects with chronic total occlusions are treated medically or referred for coronary artery bypass grafting. This review highlights the evolution and latest advancements in percutaneous techniques and technologies for revascularization of CTO.

Mitral regurgitation is the second most common valvular disease. The etiology is either primary or functional-secondary to the left ventricle dysfunction in the course of coronary artery disease, arterial hypertension and diabetes. Along with the population aging and increasing number of comorbidities the number of patients with mitral regurgitation soars. In patients with heart failure the mitral regurgitation significantly decreases the quality of life and worsens the survival prognosis. Surgical correction is the treatment of choice in patients with mitral regurgitation. However, up to 50% of potential candidates are denied surgery for its prohibitive risk. The minimally invasive, percutaneus procedures are potential solution for those subjects. Currently the „edge to edge” technique with use of the MitraClip system is most commonly performed. This procedure is less efficient in MR reduction than open heart surgery. However, the number of periprocedural complications is smaller. It has been shown the MR correction with the MitraClip device improves the duration and quality of life. There are several ongoing preclinical studies on the percutaneusly implanted mitral valve prosthesis. First in men procedures have been performed. However the mitral valve anatomy is much more complex as compared to aortic. Therefore the breakthrough comparable to TAVI procedure will not occur in the very close future.

The goal of this study was to test the efficacy of a tactile attention distraction from pain and compare its effectiveness with a virtual reality (VR) distraction on an analogous task. VR is considered to be the gold standard for attention distraction, but it cannot be used in certain clinical cases or for particular medical procedures. A repeatedmeasures experimental study was carried out with 42 participants using tactile and VR variants of an n-back task and a cold pressor test for pain. The independent variable was the distraction type (tactile, VR, or no-distraction) and the dependent variable was pain tolerance (i.e., time participants kept their hand in cold water). The results showed that both tactile and VR games effectively increased pain tolerance compared to the control condition. Effect sizes for both interventions were similar. However, the effect was observed only for female participants.

English in India evokes connotations of worldliness, education, class, and power. Although many less socially fortunate groups lack in the English language competence, its presence in the Indian street is increasing, and not only in the context of tourism and marketing. The investigation of the linguistic landscapes of a number of localities in northern India will focus on public service advertisements written in English which convey guidelines for the creation of a healthier Indian society. The study, informed by the rhetoric of social intervention approach, investigates the choice and the frequency of the persuasive rhetorical devices used in the texts. It also discusses which of the three modes of persuasion typically underlie the analysed advertisements, thereby highlighting the preferred approach to tackling local issues and, indirectly, contributing to strengthening the role of English through the positive perception of the messages conveyed.

In the context of the socio-political instability that exists in Ukraine, the problem of stress resistance among psychological service professionals has emerged. The aim of the research is to analyse the professional activity of psychologists in Ukraine at the present stage under the influence of stress factors. The following methods were used to study the nature of stress and its impact on the personality of a psychologist: analytical and synthesis methods, statistical, comparative, survey and interpretive methods. The research results theoretically reveal the peculiarities of the concept of stress, the stages of stress development, and identify the main stressors of professional activity. An empirical study of the stress resistance of psychologists was conducted. The influence of stress on the quality of psychological care was determined. Professional qualities in the psychologist's personality structure were identified, the phenomenon of professional exhaustion, the role of countertransference in counselling were studied, the importance of the code of ethics for psychologists and its violation in the course of practice were revealed. The importance of interventions and supervision as a means of psychological support for the professional development of psychologists was investigated, and statistical indicators of the level of stress were analysed. The practical significance of the research is determined by the current coverage of the problem of the impact of stress on the professional activity of a psychologist and in the creation of effective ways of emotional self-preservation and development of stress resistance, which provide the search for their resources for self-healing and effective work.

Introduction: Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) such as pacemakers or car-dioverter defibrillators prevent dangerous heart arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities. Post-inter-vention education is crucial in the patient recovery process and aims to avoid both dangerous behavior and unnecessary restraints in daily living.
Objective: The evaluation of knowledge of daily activities’ safety among patients with CIEDs and an analysis of the relationship between the state of knowledge and perceived post-intervention quality of life.
Materials and Methods: The study group included 100 patients (57% men) with CIEDs, recruited in the University Hospital in Kraków. Data on the patients’ knowledge about permissible daily activities, medical procedures and perceived quality of life was collected using a dedicated questionnaire, which comprised 57 simple and multiple-choice questions.
Results: The analyzed group included patients aged 28 to 97 years (mean age 73). Among them, 26% either have not received or have not read the information booklet. Two-thirds of them either need more information about their device (51%) or do not possess essential knowledge (15%). Patients raised con-cerns about performing daily activities such as: car-driving (38%), using seat belts (14%), bathing (15%), returning to work (51%) or climbing stairs (16%). They reported anxiety when using computers (39%), mobile phones (51%), microwaves (73%) and even electric toothbrushes (51%). It has been observed that patients with a greater general understanding of the pacemaker and post-implantation restraints had a higher quality of life on average.
Conclusions: Patients with CIEDs restrain themselves excessively in daily living. There is a strong need to provide them with knowledge of their medical condition, concomitant capabilities, and limitations to undergo a fully successful rehabilitation. Comprehensive and easily comprehensible recommendations may play a key role in improving patients’ quality of life.

This paper tackles the questions of material culture and protecting heritage values through urban intervention. Urban intervention is understood as the identification of local heritage with a diagnosis of potential development profiles and application of the adopted solutions to underlie the formation of a new local centrality. It is underlined that the right urban intervention needs to be conducted for and with local inhabitants. Urban intervention, as proposed in this paper, is understood as a tool to properly direct the development of peripheral areas, especially rural ones. The basis for the research is the idea of spatial re-definition that aims to upgrade not only spatial but above all social attractiveness. An original two-stage methodology adopted for the purpose of the research with the use of the author’s AIA method was presented. This developed tool can harness the potential of material culture of local heritage. The shown research methodology is universal and can be applied in any urban interventions intended to transform places characterized by either partially or completely lost spatial and social identity.