Dissonance in Music Impairs Spatial Gait Parameters in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: It is known that music influences gait parameters in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it remains unclear whether this effect is merely due to temporal aspects of music (rhythm and tempo) or other musical parameters.

Objective: To examine the influence of pleasant and unpleasant music on spatiotemporal gait parameters in PD, while controlling for rhythmic aspects of the musical signal.

[Left cerebral ischemia in mitral valve aneurysm].

An anterior mitral leaflet aneurysm was detected by two-dimensional echocardiography using the transesophageal approach in a 53-year-old patient with cerebral ischemic event. The transesophageal examination allowed a clear description of the aneurysm which was confirmed during surgery. This case demonstrates that transesophageal echocardiography is the method of choice in evaluation of distinct valvular lesions.

Myocardial echinococcosis with perforation into the pericardium.

Though rare, cardiac echinococcosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of cardiac tumors, particularly in patients originating from endemic areas or with manifestation of hydatid disease in other organs. Diagnosis and localisation of the cysts is best accomplished with non-invasive methods such as 2-D transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography and NMR. Excision of the cardiac cyst from the interventricular septum in a 21 year old patient with polyvisceral echinococcosis was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass.

[Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve: primary echocardiography diagnosis in an asymptomatic patient].

A rare case of a cardiac tumor located between the right coronary ostium and cusp of the aortic valve is reported. Diagnosis was confirmed by two-dimensional echocardiography. Histologic evaluation revealed a papillary fibroelastoma.

Effectiveness of converting enzyme inhibition (enalapril) for mild congestive heart failure.

The present study investigates the effectiveness of converting enzyme inhibition (CEI) on cardiac performance of patients with congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association functional class II). Outpatients (n = 12) were treated with enalapril, 5 to 10 mg twice daily, in addition to stable doses of digitalis and diuretic drugs. Before and after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment a treadmill exercise test and echocardiography were performed.