The impact of group music therapy in ameliorating the depression among patients with dementia in care homes: A randomized control trial.

Despite the increasing use of music therapy to treat patients with dementia, studies focused on developing nations are still in their embryonic stages. In this view, this study examined the impact of group music therapy intervention in ameliorating depression levels among older people in two care homes. A randomized control trial (RCT) was carried out in which a total of 121 patients were randomly divided into control 61 and experimental group 60. After 6 weeks, 12-session experiment which involved passive and active music therapy, it was found that music group therapy intervention reduced the depression level of older persons in the experimental group, compared to those who were not exposed to the music therapy; control group. The music therapy session also influenced the salivary cortisol of the patients as it was shown to reduce their salivary cortisol levels. It was also observed that after three months of follow-up, participants in the experimental group still maintained a low level of depression and salivary cortisol level, but the control group's level was still high, thus, substantiating the effect of music in reducing depression among older people. We encouraged clinicians, nursing practitioners and care homes in Nigeria to incorporate music therapy as part of the treatment offered to patients with dementia.

The structure and amphipathy characteristics of modified γ-zeins by SDS or alkali in conjunction with heating treatment.

γ-Zein was modified by SDS or alkali combined with heating treatments in water and in 70% ethanol to change its amphipathic properties and explore the relationship between amphipathic characteristic and structure. γ-Zein water-dispersibility was dramatically increased via alkali or SDS combined with heating treatments, but their ethanol-dispersibilities were significantly different during ethanol evaporation. High both water-dispersibility and ethanol-dispersibility were found from alkali modified γ-zein while high water-dispersibility but low ethanol-dispersibility were obtained from SDS modified γ-zein, indicating that alkali modified γ-zein had better amphipathic characteristic compared with SDS modified γ-zein. Alkali modified γ-zein with higher amphipathic characteristic possessed higher structural inversion ability since it was easy to recover its native state as solvent changing from water to ethanol, contrary to SDS modified γ-zeins whose amphipathic characteristic was not improved. Moreover, the higher structural inversion ability of alkali modified γ-zein depended on the recovery capability of α-helix structure as solvent altering.

[Constituents of Dendrobium devonianum and their antioxidant activity].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Dendrobium devonianum and identify the material basis components of its function, and then provide the basis for development and utilization of D. devonianum. METHOD: The constituents were separated and purified on the chromatography of silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-18 silica gel, and then their structures were elucidated based on the spectra data. ABTS method was used to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of the phenolic compounds among them. RESULT: Nine compounds were isolated and identified as 2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-b] indole-3-carboxylic acid (1), 2'-deoxythymidine (2), adenosine (3), N-trans-p-coumaroyl tyramine (4), N-trans-p-feruloyl tyramine (5), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (6), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (7), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester (8), and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid (9). Compound 5 showed good antioxidant activity with IC50 1. 61 mmol. L-1, Compound 9 showed weak antioxidant activity with IC50 35.72 mmol. L-1. CONCLUSION: All these compounds were isolated from D. devonianum for the first time. Among them, compounds 5 and 9 had some antioxidant activity.

[Study on intraspecific genetic diversity in different plant populations of Pogostemon cabli].

OBJECTIVE: To study the genetic polymorphism and intraspecific genetic differentiation of different populations of Pogostemon cablin, and find out the effective method to distinguish DNA fingerprint of different populations of P. cablin. METHOD: Five plant populations of P. cablin were analyzed by RAPD markers. PopGen 32 software for clustering analysis and calculating. Fourteen of the 80 random primers were tested to possess the stronger detecting effect of polymorphous character. RESULT: A total of 84 bands was amplified by the 10 primers, among them 17 bands were monomorphic. 67 of them were polymorphic. The results indicated that the genetic variations existed within the different plant populations of the same species. CONCLUSION: It is feasible by RAPD technique with specifically primer to analyze the genetic diversity and identify 5 plant populations of P. cablin. RAPD technique has provided a new path for identification and classification of P. cablin genetic germplasm.

[Study on tissue culture of Ficus hirta].

The tissue culture of Ficus hirta Vahl. was studied. The nodes were used as explants and 1/2MS media with different plant growth regulators were tested. The result showed that the adventitious bud differentiation medium was 1/2MS + BA1.0 mg/L + NAA1.0 mg/L and 1/2MS + BA1.5 mg/L + NAA0.5 mg/L, the media for multiplication was 1/2MS +6 - BA0.5 mg/L, and the medium for rooting was 1/2MS + IBA1 mg/L. The cause of nigrescence in the tissue culture and its preventive methods were also discussed in this paper.

[Resource investigation and exploitable foreground of Sarcandra glabra].

The investigation showed the wild resource of Sarcandra glabra (Thumb.) Nakai in the part region of South China including Guangdong, Guangxi and Jiangxi was very plentiful and had a wonderful developmental foreground.

[Content determination of psoralen in root of Ficus hitra by HPLC method].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contents of psoralen in Ficus hitra. METHODS: High Performance Liquid Chromatography was performed on Diamonsil C18. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: methanol-water (60:40) as mobile phase, flow rate being 1 ml/min and detecting wavelength at 245nm. RESULTS: A good linearity of psoralen was shown in range of 0. 356 - 2. 848 mg/ml (r = 0.9999), the average recovery is 103.99%, RSD = 3.07% (n = 5). The method has good reproducibility, RSD = 1.59% CONCLUSION: This method can supply evidence for the quality evaluation of Ficus hitra.

[Observation and comparison of the flowers of Pogostemon cablin from different habitats].

The present work is concerned in the observation and comparison among the flowers of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. from 3 different habitats by microscopical identification and electron microscopy scanning. The results provided scientific basis for recognition and distinction of Pogostemon cablin varieties.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis].

Three compounds were isolated from Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis (Noot) Swingle. The structures were identified as limettin(I), stigmasta-5, 22-dien-3-ol(II) and palmilic acid(III) on the basis of UV, MS, IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and DEPT.

[Effects of various organic fertilizers on growth and mineral nutrient absorption of Morindar officinalis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of various organic fertilizers on the growth and the mineral nutrient absorption of Morindar officinalis. METHOD: The growing character and the mineral nutrition contents were determined with conventional assay methods. RESULT: The influences of four kinds of fertilizers on the bionomics and nutrient absorption of M. officinalis successively were: biotic organic fertilizer A > biotic organic fertilizer C > biotic organic fertilizer B > farm manure. CONCLUSION: Different kinds of organic fertilizers could facilitate the growth and the mineral nutrient absorption of M. officinalis. Increasing the fertilizer amount of germ manure could promote the absorption of mineral nutrients and the accumulation of dry matters in plants.

[In vitro culture and the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of Morinda officinalis].

OBJECTIVE: To establish an effective system for the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of M. officinalis, for laying a foundation for the improvement of breeds and introduction of foreign objective genes. METHOD: The explants used for culture were the nodular stem segments from M. officinalis. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain was EHA101, containing vector plasmid pGA482GG. The GUS gene and NPT II gene were introduced into the plasmid. RESULT: MT basal medium with BA 1 mg.L-1 was effective to inducing the direct shoot formation, and the frequency of shoot formation was 97.8%. As BA concentrations increased, the ability of shoot formation decreased. The explants oriented with their apical ends protruding from the medium produced more shoots than when they were placed with their basal end upright or were placed horizontally. The optimal rooting medium for regenerating shoots was MT basal medium supplemented with 0.2 to 0.5 mg.L-1 NAA, and a root induction rate over 80.0% was observed. The selection pressure for kanamycin was 50 mg.L-1. Cefotaxime was used as antibiotics, and the concentration was 300 mg.L-1. After 1.5 months, 14.8% resistant shoots were emerged from the explants. Histochemical GUS assay showed that 22.2% of the resistant plants were GUS-positive. CONCLUSION: Plant regeneration system and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation have been established for M. officinalis in vitro.

[The observation and comparison of Pogostemon cablin from different habitats].

The present work is concerned the observation and comparison among 4 kinds of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco.) Benth. from different habitats by some methods, such as descriptions identification, microscopical identification and scanning electron microscopy. The results provide scientific basis for recognition and distinction of Pogostemon cablin varieties.

[Diagnosis and integrative evaluation on soil fertility of three Chinese medicinal materials in GAP plots].

The fertility of soil was diagnosed and integratively evaluated by modified Nemoro Index with eight indexes, i.e. pH, organic matter, total N, P, K and available N, P, K on three national Chinese medicinal materials GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) experimental plots of Pogostemon cablin, Citrus medica and Morinda officinalis in Guangdong. The results showed that the pH, organic matter and other major nutrient contents were low and imbalance. There are lots of nutritive disturbance factors. The level of soil integrative fertility in any of the plots was poor.