Expired air temperature (Tex), metabolic rate (MR), and skin (Ts) and body (Tb; rectal) temperatures were recorded in four or five young (1-2 yr) harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) in air [mean air temperature (Ta) = -30, -10, or 10 degrees C] and in water [mean water temperature (Tw) = 2.3 or 24.8 degrees C, with Ta = -30, -10, 0, or 10 degrees C]. Apparent lower critical temperature was below -10 degrees C in air. Above this Ta, mean MR was 5.85 W.kg-0.75 (2.23 W.kg-1), while mean MR was 12.56 W.kg-0.75 (4.69 W.kg-1) at Ta -30 degrees C. When seals were immersed in water of 2.3 degrees C, mean MR was 6.13 W.kg-0.75 (2.31 W.kg-1), regardless of Ta. At Ta -30, -10, and 10 degrees C, mean Tex in air were 9.5, 13.0, and 25.0 degrees C, respectively. The corresponding values for seals in water (Tw = 2.3 degrees C) were 8.0, 9.5, and 15.5 degrees C, respectively. The low Tex recorded at Ta -30 and -10 degrees C in air and at all Ta in water (Tw = 2.3 degrees C) suggests that heat was conserved by nasal heat exchange. At Ta 10 degrees C, mean Tex of seals in air was approximately 10 degrees C higher than mean Tex of seals in water (Tw = 2.3 degrees C). Furthermore, seals subjected to a Tw of 24.8 degrees C at Ta 0 degrees C had a mean Tex 10 degrees C higher than when subjected to Tw 2.3 degrees C at the same Ta. These observations suggest that Tex in seals is under thermoregulatory control. In a series of forced dives of up to 5-min duration Tex was found to be the same before and after the dive regardless of dive duration and Ta.

We proposed a novel method called HARP-I, which enhances the estimation of motion from tagged Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The harmonic phase of the images is unwrapped and treated as noisy measurements of reference coordinates on a deformed domain, obtaining motion with high accuracy using Radial Basis Functions interpolations. Results were compared against Shortest Path HARP Refinement (SP-HR) and Sine-wave Modeling (SinMod), two harmonic image-based techniques for motion estimation from tagged images. HARP-I showed a favorable similarity with both methods under noise-free conditions, whereas a more robust performance was found in the presence of noise. Cardiac strain was better estimated using HARP-I at almost any motion level, giving strain maps with less artifacts. Additionally, HARP-I showed better temporal consistency as a new method was developed to fix phase jumps between frames. In conclusion, HARP-I showed to be a robust method for the estimation of motion and strain under ideal and non-ideal conditions.

Ringed seal (Phoca hispida) is assumed to be the most important and common prey of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). However, during a scientific survey in the ice area of the northern Barents Sea east of Svalbard in June 1995, an unexpectedly high number of polar bears were observed feeding on harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) carcasses. Samples of both harp and ringed seals were obtained and organochlorine (OC) occurrence and pattern in these two potential polar bear prey species were determined. Significantly higher OC concentrations were found in harp seals, as compared to the ringed seals. All animals in the northern harp seal group were lean specimens in late moult. The industrial chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and the OC pesticides bis-2,2,(chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and chlordanes (CHLORs) were analysed in blubber. The concentrations of sigma PCB (sum of concentrations of 16 PCB congeners) and sigma DDT (sum of concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE) in the northern harp seal group ranged from 2093 to 20,382 and 1460 to 10,381 ng g-1 lipid weight, with mean concentrations of 11,133 and 6847 ng g-1 lipid weight, respectively. The mean concentrations of the CHLORs, oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor, were 1311 and 3743 ng g-1 lipid weight, respectively, while the mean concentrations of HCB and HCH isomers (alpha-, beta- and gamma-HCH) were all < 500 ng g-1 lipid weight. No significant difference was found in the mean total blubber mass between the two seal species when collected in June. This indicates that polar bears preying on harp seals instead of ringed seals at this time of the year could accumulate significantly higher PCB concentrations. We suggest that polar bears feeding along the ice-edge east of Svalbard in May and June preferentially prey on harp seals instead of ringed seals, and that this may partly explain the variation in PCB concentrations among polar bears from the Norwegian Arctic. An hypothesis is that the harp seal may function as a transport vector of OCs into the high Arctic environment.

The unknown compound UBC-1 previously described as the major organobromine contamination in the blubber extract of a hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) from the Barents Sea was identified as 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (DPTE). DPTE, which is the main component of the brominated flame retardant (BFR) Bromkal 73-5 PE, was synthesized by electrophilic addition of bromine to allyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (ATE). The chirality of DPTE was proven by gas chromatographic enantioseparation of the synthesized racemate. On the basis of GC/ECNI-MS ion chromatograms (m/z79 and 81), DPTE was the dominating organobromine compound in blubber and brain samples of hooded seals and harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) from the Barents and Greenland Seas. The concentrations of DPTE in blubber and brain were up to 470 and 340 microg/kg wet weight. Next to DPTE, the natural dibromo-trichloromonoterpene (MHC-1), the anthropogenic BDE 47 and BDE 99, as well as ATE, 3,5-dibromo-2-(2',4'-dibromo)-phenoxyanisole (6-MeO-BDE 47), 2-bromoallyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (BATE), and 4,6-dibromo-2-(2',4'-dibromo)-phenoxyanisole (2'-MeO-BDE 68) were present with decreasing relevance. BATE, which was detected for the first time in environmental samples, was synthesized from DPTE by E2 elimination. In brain samples of the harp seals, DPTE, ATE, and BATE were the most abundant organobromine compounds, whereas polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and MHC-1 were virtually absent. This indicated that DPTE, ATE, and BATE were able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The general co-occurrence of ATE and BATE in samples contaminated with DPTE support the hypothesis that these compounds are biotransformation products of DPTE. Anaerobic transformation studies of DPTE with super-reduced corrinoids resulted in the formation of ATE. Furthermore, 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) and two other unknown minor transformation products were detected.

Omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, is an essential fatty acid necessary for human health, and it protects against cardiovascular disease, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effects of omega-3-rich harp seal oil (HSO) on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-(IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-12/IL-23 (p40) in peritoneal macrophages of mice. The culture supernatants of murine macrophages exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), HSO, or HSO+LPS were harvested to assay IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12/IL-23 (p40) cytokines and NO. TNF-α, IL-1 β, and IL-12/IL-23 (p40) levels, except IL-6, were lower in the culture supernatants of mouse peritoneal macrophages exposed to LPS plus HSO than those of the groups exposed to LPS alone. These observations demonstrate that omega-3-rich harp seal oil downregulates the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-12/IL-23 (p40). These results suggest that HSO could be potentially used as a preventive agent or as an adjunct in anti-inflammatory therapy, if more research results were accumulated.

Neuroacanthocytosis is an inclusive term for a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the association of neurological abnormalities with red cell acanthocytosis. In the late 1960s, Levine et al. reported a family with a syndrome of neurological deficits such as choreiform involuntary movements, epileptic seizures, intellectual impairment, and paranoid ideation along with acanthocytosis without any disturbance in either alpha- or beta-lipoproteins nor retinitis pigmentosa. Critchley et al. also reported familial cases with acanthocytosis and neurological disorders without beta-lipoproteinemia. These cases have been classified as the Levine-Critchley syndrome of neuroacanthocytosis. Cases of neuroacanthocytosis have been classified into 2 groups depending on the presence or absence of movement disorders such as chorea. One group comprises the core neuroacanthocytosis syndromes in which neurodegeneration occurs primarily in the basal ganglia, specifically the striatum, causing movement disorders. The core neuroacanthocytosis syndromes mainly comprise of the two diseases, chorea-acanthocytosis and the McLeod syndrome. Huntington's disease-like 2, and pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) are very rare but these diseases can also be included in this group of syndromes. Advances in molecular genetics have enabled us to distinguish between these diseases. Recently, the hypoprebetalipoproteinemia, acanthocytosis, retinitis pigmentosa and pallidal degeneration syndrome (HARP syndrome) has been genetically shown to be an allelic form of PKAN. The second group of neuroacanthocytosis syndromes includes abetalipoproteinemia (Bassen-Kornzweig disease) and hypobetalipoproteinemia that are characterized by the abnormal decay of lipoprotein with the intestinal malabsorption of fat leading to neurological abnormalities and acanthocytosis. In this type of neuroacanthocytosis shows a progressive spinocerebellar ataxia with peripheral neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa are observed, but movement disorders are not seen.

This article describes the long-term course of anxiety disorders based on the findings of the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Program (HARP) study--a prospective, naturalistic, longitudinal study of patients with anxiety disorders. Data from the HARP study emphasize both the chronicity of anxiety disorders and their frequent psychiatric comorbidity with other anxiety disorders and depression. Social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder are more chronic than panic disorder, although the latter has higher rates of relapse following recovery. Anxiety disorders have a major impact on the everyday lives of sufferers. The detrimental effects on social, psychological, and physical functioning are comparable with other chronic medical and psychiatric conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Comorbidity with depression significantly increases the probability of suicide and is associated with poorer outcome. Findings from the HARP study have significant implications for treatment, which currently tends to focus on short-term outcomes. Future studies should emphasize the role of preventive pharmacotherapy to improve the long-term course of anxiety and to reduce its associated suffering, suicide, and occupational and social impairment.

Zoonotic infections transmitted from marine mammals to humans in the Baltic and European Arctic are of unknown significance, despite given considerable potential for transmission due to local hunt. Here we present results of an initial screening for Brucella spp. in Arctic and Baltic seal species. Baltic ringed seals (Pusa hispida, n = 12) sampled in October 2015 and Greenland Sea harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus, n = 6) and hooded seals (Cystophora cristata, n = 3) sampled in March 2015 were serologically analysed for antibodies against Brucella spp. The serological analyses were performed using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) followed by a confirmatory testing of RBT-positive samples by a competitive-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA). Two of the Baltic ringed seals (a juvenile male and a juvenile female) were seropositive thus indicating previous exposure to a Brucella spp. The findings indicate that ringed seals in the Baltic ecosystem may be exposed to and possibly infected by Brucella spp. No seropositive individuals were detected among the Greenland harp and hooded seals. Although our initial screening shows a zoonotic hazard to Baltic locals, a more in-depth epidemiological investigation is needed in order to determine the human risk associated with this.

Marine mammals have been subject to heavy anthropogenic pressure by direct killing and chemical pollution all over the world. Most studies of contamination and biomarker responses in marine mammals have been conducted using animals killed by hunting out of a total of 12 cetacean species studied, 45 of the specimens were obtained by sacrificing the animal; out of a total of eight pinniped species studied, 40 of the specimens were obtained by killing. The development of a series of non destructive techniques to evaluate biomarker responses and residue levels is recommended for the hazard assessment and conservation of endangered species of marine mammals. Here we review the current status of the non destructive biomarker approach in marine mammals, describing the biological materials available for non destructive tests in stranded brain, liver, blood, skin, subcutaneous blubber, muscle and fur and free ranging animals blood, skin biopsy, fur and faeces and the respective biomarker techniques mixed function oxidase activity and DNA damage in skin biopsy samples; porphyrins in faeces and fur; esterases, porphyrins, clinical biochemical parameter, vitamin A and micronuclei in blood samples. Residue analysis can be carried out in the various biological materials. We also report the results of applying this methodological approach to cetaceans minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, fin whale-- Balaenoptera physalus, beluga whale-- Delphinapterus leucas, short finned pilot whale-- Globicephala macrorhynchus, harbour porpoise -- Phocoena phocoena, Rissos dolphin-- Risso s Grampus griseus, Dall s porpoise-- Phocoenoides dalli dalli, melon headed whale-- Peponocephala electra, bottlenose dolphin -- Tursiops truncatus, striped dolphin-- Stenella coeruleoalba, spinner dolphin-- Stenella longirostris, killer whale-- Orcinus orca and pinnipeds northern fur seal- Callorhinus ursinus, hooded seal-- Cystophora cristata, grey seal-- Halichoerus grypus, harbour seal-- Phoca vitulina, ringed seal-- Phoca hispida, harp seal-- Phoca groenlandica, ribbon seal-- Phoca fasciata, largha seal- Phoca largha, southern sea lion-- Otaria flavescens in field studies for prognostic and diagnostic purposes.

The health industry is one of the most auspicious domains for the application of Internet of Things (IoT) based technologies. Lots of studies have been carried out in the health industry field to minimize the use of resources and increase the efficiency. The use of IoT combined with other technologies has brought quality advancement in the health sector at minimum expense. One such technology is the use of wireless body area networks (WBANs), which will help patients incredibly in the future and will make them more productive because there will be no need for staying at home or a hospital for a long time. WBANs and IoT have an integrated future as WBANs, like any IoT application, are a collection of heterogeneous sensor-based devices. For the better amalgamation of the IoT and WBANs, several hindrances blocking their integration need to be addressed. One such problem is the efficient routing of data in limited resource sensor nodes (SNs) in WBANs. To solve this and other problems, such as transmission of duplicate sensed data, limited network lifetime, etc., energy harvested and cooperative-enabled efficient routing protocol (EHCRP) for IoT-WBANs is proposed. The proposed protocol considers multiple parameters of WBANs for efficient routing such as residual energy of SNs, number of hops towards the sink, node congestion levels, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and available network bandwidth. A path cost estimation function is calculated to select forwarder node using these parameters. Due to the efficient use of the path-cost estimation process, the proposed mechanism achieves efficient and effective multi-hop routing of data and improves the reliability and efficiency of data transmission over the network. After extensive simulations, the achieved results of the proposed protocol are compared with state-of-the-art techniques, i.e., E-HARP, EB-MADM, PCRP and EERP. The results show significant improvement in network lifetime, network throughout, and end-to-end delay.

Keywords: IoT; WBAN; cooperative effort; efficient data transmission; energy harvesting; routing protocol.

ECoG of both hemispheres, EOG, neck EMG and EKG were recorded in 2 white (age 10 days) and 2 gray pups (age 1 month) of harp seal. The active wakefulness occupied 23.4 +/- 3.8% of total recording time, the relaxed wakefulness--32.6 +/- 3.6%, drowsiness--4.8 +/- 1.1%, slow wave sleep--31.5 +/- 3.0%, paradoxical sleep--7.7 +/- 0.8%. The sleep cycle averaged 18.2 +/- 1.4 min. Interhemispheric asymmetry of the ECoG was not seen in all 4 pups. The respiration was fast and regular in the relaxed wakefulness, then long respiration pauses were alternated with episodes of hyperventilation during slow wave sleep and there was rare and irregular respiration in the paradoxical sleep. The heart rate was lowest during the paradoxical sleep. It is suggested that this pattern of sleep, allowing seals to delay their breathing during sleep for a long time may be considered as an adaptation to existence in freezing seas.

Two white-coated (ten day-old) and two grey-spotted (one month-old) pups of the harp seal were implanted with electrodes for recording the electrocorticograms of the two hemispheres, electrocardiogram, electrooculogram and electromyogram of the neck muscles. In all individuals ECoG slow waves always developed synchronously in both hemispheres. When white and grey pups were recorded on the snow, the amount of active wakefulness was, respectively, 21.1% (s.e. 11.8%) and 29.9% (s.e. 0.2%) of total recording time, quiet wakefulness = 27.1% (s.e. 4.4%) and 38.2% (s.e. 6.6%), drowsiness = 7.7% (s.e. 0.5%) and 2.07% (s.e. 0.9%), light slow-wave sleep (SWS) = 15.1% (s.e. 3.2%) and 13.0% (s.e. 2.4%), deep SWS = 21.2% (s.e. 2.4%) and 13.8% (s.e. 3.8%), paradoxical sleep (PS) = 8.0% (s.e. 1.4%) and 7.4% (s.e. 1.1%). PS always followed SWS and was fragmented. Respiration was very rare and irregular in PS and a considerable part of PS episodes occurred within a single respiratory pause. During SWS all pups displayed respiratory pauses of up to three minutes, alternating with hyperventilation periods. Heart rate was lowest in PS. Peculiarities of sleep and the pace of sleep pattern development during the first month in seals may be adaptive to the cold environment and ice field drifting in their habitat.

This paper addresses the high-precision measurement of the distortion of a digital camera from photographs. Traditionally, this distortion is measured from photographs of a flat pattern that contains aligned elements. Nevertheless, it is nearly impossible to fabricate a very flat pattern and to validate its flatness. This fact limits the attainable measurable precisions. In contrast, it is much easier to obtain physically very precise straight lines by tightly stretching good quality strings on a frame. Taking literally "plumb-line methods," we built a "calibration harp" instead of the classic flat patterns to obtain a high-precision measurement tool, demonstrably reaching 2/100 pixel precisions. The harp is complemented with the algorithms computing automatically from harp photographs two different and complementary lens distortion measurements. The precision of the method is evaluated on images corrected by state-of-the-art distortion correction algorithms, and by popular software. Three applications are shown: first an objective and reliable measurement of the result of any distortion correction. Second, the harp permits us to control state-of-the art global camera calibration algorithms: it permits us to select the right distortion model, thus avoiding internal compensation errors inherent to these methods. Third, the method replaces manual procedures in other distortion correction methods, makes them fully automatic, and increases their reliability and precision.

We return a clinical case of leptospirose revelated by a complicated febrile harp pneumopathie of a sharp respiratory distress syndrome having required a transfer in resuscitation. The goal of our article is to recall that it is necessary to think systematically about a pulmonary shape of leptospirose facing an atypical pneumopahie.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between end-tidal partial pressure of CO(2) (ETCO(2)) and PaCO(2) in isoflurane-anesthetized harp seals.

METHODS

Three 5-month-old 25- to 47-kg harp seals (Phoca groenlandica).

METHODS

PaCO(2) was determined in serial arterial samples from isoflurane-anesthetized seals and compared with concomitant ETCO(2) measured with a side-stream microstream capnograph. Twenty-four paired samples were subjected to linear regression analysis and the Bland-Altman method for assessment of clinical suitability of the 2 methods (ie, PaCO(2) and ETCO(2) determinations). The influence of ventilation rate per minute (VR) on the ETCO(2) to PaCO(2) difference (P[ET-a] CO(2)) was examined graphically.

RESULTS

The correlation coefficient between the 2 measurements was 0.94. The level of agreement between ETCO(2) and PaCO(2) varied considerably. Values of ETCO(2) obtained with a VR of < 5 underestimated PaCO(2) to a greater degree (mean bias, -4.01 mm Hg) and had wider limits of agreement of -13.10 to 5.07 mm Hg (-4.01 mm Hg +/- 1.96 SD), compared with a VR of>> or = 5 (mean bias, -2.24 mm Hg; limits of agreement, -7.79 to 3.30 mm Hg).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that a microstream sidestream capnograph provides a noninvasive, sufficiently accurate estimation of PaCO(2) with intermittent positive ventilation at a VR>> or = 5 in anesthetized harp seals.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the acute changes in circumferential and longitudinal strain after exposing a coronary artery to various interventions in swine.

METHODS

Percutaneous balloon angioplasty catheter was guided to location aid device (LAD) under X-ray fluoroscopy to create different patterns of ischemic insults. Pigs (n = 32) were equally divided into 4 groups: controls, 90 min LAD occlusion/reperfusion, LAD microembolization, and combined LAD occlusion/microembolization/reperfusion. Three days after interventions, cine, tagged and viability magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were acquired to measure and compare left and right circumferential strain, longitudinal strain and myocardial viability, respectively. Measurements were obtained using HARP and semi-automated threshold method and statistically analyzed using unpaired t-test. Myocardial and vascular damage was characterized microscopically.

RESULTS

Coronary microemboli caused greater impairment in l left ventricular (LV) circumferential strain and dyssynchrony than LAD occlusion/reperfusion despite the significant difference in the extent of myocardial damage. Microemboli also caused significant decrease in peak systolic strain rate of remote myocardium and LV dyssynchrony. Cine MRI demonstrated the interaction between LV and right ventricular (RV) at 3 d after interventions. Compensatory increase in RV free wall longitudinal strain was seen in response to all interventions. Viability MRI, histochemical staining and microscopy revealed different patterns of myocardial damage and microvascular obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Cine MRI revealed subtle changes in LV strain caused by various ischemic insults. It also demonstrated the interaction between the right and left ventricles after coronary interventions. Coronary microemboli with and without acute myocardial infarction (AMI) cause complex myocardial injury and ventricular dysfunction that is not replicated in solely AMI.

OBJECTIVE

Despite attempts to increase calmness in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), preterm neonates still experience stress. The question arises how to further promote the infants' wellbeing. Therefore, the immediate effects of pentatonic live music on preterm infants and their mothers were examined.

METHODS

In a two-centre randomized controlled trial with crossover design preterm infants were exposed sequentially to two conditions: live pentatonic harp music (LPHM) used in Anthroposophic Medicine or standard care. The order of the conditions was randomized within each subject. The primary outcome was change of the number of oxygen desaturations < 90%/h, whereas secondary outcomes were: heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate variability (HRV), the perfusion index, pulse-transit-time and maternal anxiety and others not reported on in this article.

RESULTS

21 preterm infants were randomized (14 girls), mean gestational age at measurement 35 + 0 weeks (SD 1 week). The primary outcome parameter showed no significant changes. Regarding the secondary outcomes the comparison of the pre-post-differences between the conditions showed significant effects for the HRV parameters pNN50 (ΔpNN50 = 1.46%, z = -2.47, p = .001) and SDNN (ΔSDNN=-0.06 ms, z = -2.25, p = .002). The music intervention significantly increased the values of pNN50 (Mdn 1.2% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.04) and marginally those of SDNN (Mdn 31.7 ms vs. 36.4 ms, p = 0.05). No changes were found in the other parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

While the use of music in the NICU had no effect on the number of oxygen desaturations, it increased two HRV parameters indicative of infants' parasympathetic tone.

BACKGROUND

Heparin affin regulatory peptide (HARP), also called pleiotrophin, is a heparin-binding, secreted factor that is overexpressed in several tumours and associated to tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. The C-terminus part of HARP composed of amino acids 111 to 136 is particularly involved in its biological activities and we previously established that a synthetic peptide composed of the same amino acids (P111-136) was capable of inhibiting the biological activities of HARP. Here we evaluate the ability of P111-136 to inhibit in vitro and in vivo the growth of a human tumour cell line PC-3 which possess an HARP autocrine loop.

METHODS

A total lysate of PC-3 cells was incubated with biotinylated P111-136 and pulled down for the presence of the HARP receptors in Western blot. In vitro, the P111-136 effect on HARP autocrine loop in PC-3 cells was determined by colony formation in soft agar. In vivo, PC-3 cells were inoculated in the flank of athymic nude mice. Animals were treated with P111-136 (5 mg/kg/day) for 25 days. Tumour volume was evaluated during the treatment. After the animal sacrifice, the tumour apoptosis and associated angiogenesis were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. In vivo anti-angiogenic effect was confirmed using a mouse Matrigel™ plug assay.

RESULTS

Using pull down experiments, we identified the HARP receptors RPTPβ/ζ, ALK and nucleolin as P111-136 binding proteins. In vitro, P111-136 inhibits dose-dependently PC-3 cell colony formation. Treatment with P111-136 inhibits significantly the PC-3 tumour growth in the xenograft model as well as tumour angiogenesis. The angiostatic effect of P111-136 on HARP was also confirmed using an in vivo Matrigel™ plug assay in mice

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that P111-136 strongly inhibits the mitogenic effect of HARP on in vitro and in vivo growth of PC-3 cells. This inhibition could be linked to a direct or indirect binding of this peptide to the HARP receptors (ALK, RPTPβ/ζ, nucleolin). In vivo, the P111-136 treatment significantly inhibits both the PC-3 tumour growth and the associated angiogenesis. Thus, P111-136 may be considered as an interesting pharmacological tool to interfere with tumour growth that has now to be evaluated in other cancer types.

OBJECTIVE

Music-thanatology is a palliative modality that uses harp and voice to provide bedside vigils, particularly for terminally ill or actively dying. We sought to determine the benefits of music vigils for terminally ill patients.

METHODS

Survey of 55 family members, whose terminally ill loved one experienced a music vigil during hospitalization, regarding effects on the patient's breathing, relaxation, comfort, pain and ability to sleep. Written comments on negative and positive results of the vigils were coded using content analysis.

RESULTS

Family members perceived that the vigils resulted in modest improvement in the patients' breathing, relaxation, comfort, and ability to sleep, with fewer positive effects on pain, and almost no negative effects. Open ended comments focused on the positive benefit in increasing calm, relaxation, comfort. Comments on the positive effects for the family were almost as common as comments on the positive results for the patient.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of music-vigils in palliative care should be investigated more extensively as our study supports that this intervention has benefits, almost no risk, minimal cost, and may improve patient-family experience of the dying process.

Nurses use music therapeutically but often assume that all patients will equally appreciate the same type of music. Cultural differences in music preferences are compared across five pain studies. Music preferences for pain relief are described as the most frequently chosen type of music for each culture. Findings indicate that in four studies, musical choices were related to cultural background (p = .002 to .049). Although the majority in each group chose among the other types of music, Caucasians most frequently chose orchestra music, African Americans chose jazz, and Taiwanese chose harp music. For culturally congruent care, nurses should become aware of cultural differences in music preference and provide culturally specific selections among other music expected to have a therapeutic effect.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated whether harp therapy reduces levels of stress and improves clinical outcomes in patients undergoing embryo transfer.

METHODS

This prospective randomized trial enrolled 181 women undergoing embryo transfer, who were randomized to harp therapy during embryo transfer or standard treatment. Patients underwent standardized psychological testing and physiologic assessment of stress.

METHODS

The study was conducted in a reproductive medicine practice.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found in the heart and respiratory rates, nor was there a significant difference in event-based anxiety at baseline. Harp therapy had a significantly larger decrease in state anxiety from pre- to post-embryo transfer. Clinical pregnancy was 53% versus 48% for the harp therapy and standard treatment groups, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Harp therapy decreases state, or event-based, anxiety, significantly lowering state scores posttransfer and having a positive effect on acute levels of stress. There was an increased pregnancy rate, but larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate whether harp therapy has an effect on clinical outcomes.

Fast tracking of motion is the key step towards tagged MRI-based quantitative cardiac analysis. Existing motion tracking approaches, including the widely used HARP method, are either time consuming or qualitatively inconsistent, or both. We present in this paper a new fast motion tracking method based on a meshless kernel. For MR image sequences containing multiple image frames, tag intersections are automatically detected in all frames and indexed in the first frame. Then a thin plate spline approach is used to establish a point-to-point correspondence between tag intersections in the initial and the current frame. Lastly, we use a meshless registration kernel to generate a dense displacement map that minimizes the residual of sparse motion at intersections. To further improve the motion tracking, we develop a special technique to preserve tangential angles of tags at tag intersections. We tested our new method on both numerical phantoms and in vivo heart data. The motion tracking results are evaluated against the ground truth and manually drawn tags. Clinical application potential is demonstrated by cardiac strain analysis based on the proposed methodology.