Audio-analgesia and Multi-disciplinary Pain Management: A Psychological Investigation into Acute, Post-operative Pain

Background: Audio-analgesia, the ability of music to reduce the perception of pain, has been a significant field of research in the past decade. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the musical constructs of harmonicity and rhythmicity on acute, post-operative pain. Method: 98 patients scheduled for primary total knee arthroplasty were randomly allocated at their pre-admissions clinic to one of four music listening groups, receiving commercially-available music. The participants in the experimental groupings were randomised according to the musical constructs of high/low harmonicity and rhythmicity (four possible groups; + +, + –, – +, – –). Music groups were compared against a silent control group, receiving quiet relaxation (with headphones). After surgery using a standardised anaesthetic regiment, all participants undertook a 15-minute listening/ silent intervention on the ward for each day of their in-patient stay (max. 5 days). The primary endpoint was pain intensity. Salivary cortisol concentrations and mood stability were also monitored. Qualitative data was collected via daily feedback and assessed through thematic category analysis. Results: A significant reduction in pain intensity from pre- to post-test was shown for all participants (p < 0:0005), but with no difference between groups (F(4;68) = 1:331, NS). Quiet relaxation (mean change: 22.27%) was as effective as music listening (mean change: 37.47%). Salivary cortisol concentrations showed an interaction between music with high harmonicity and high rhythmicity (+ +) and music of low harmonicity and rhythmicity (– –). + + music reduced cortisol concentration to a greater extent on Day 1 (p < :05) than – – music. There was no significant difference between groups in mood disturbance. Qualitative data revealed four thematic categories of response: psychological, physiological, musicological and methodological, overall indicating that patients utilised their intervention as a distracting and relaxing cognitivecoping strategy. Conclusion: Music is a viable therapeutic medium which reduced pain, as effectively as quiet relaxation. Compositional constructs were minimally active in the degree of analgesia and physiological changes experienced by patients, but where this did occur, it could be related to Berlyne’s inverted-U model of musical preference (Berlyne, 1971). The positive reception of the interventions and the associated benefits, supports the inclusion of cognitive-coping strategies in multi-modal care pathways

Antioxidant and DPPH-Scavenging Activities of Compounds and Ethanolic Extract of the Leaf and Twigs of Caesalpinia bonduc L. Roxb.

Antioxidant effects of ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia bonduc and its isolated bioactive compounds were evaluated in vitro. The compounds included two new cassanediterpenes, 1α,7α-diacetoxy-5α,6β-dihydroxyl-cass-14(15)-epoxy-16,12-olide (1)and 12α-ethoxyl-1α,14β-diacetoxy-2α,5α-dihydroxyl cass-13(15)-en-16,12-olide(2); and others, bonducellin (3), 7,4’-dihydroxy-3,11-dehydrohomoisoflavanone (4), daucosterol (5), luteolin (6), quercetin-3-methyl ether (7) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1Ç2)-β-D-xylopyranoside (8). The antioxidant properties of the extract and compounds were assessed by the measurement of the total phenolic content, ascorbic acid content, total antioxidant capacity and 1-1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide radicals scavenging activities.Compounds 3, 6, 7 and ethanolic extract had DPPH scavenging activities with IC50 values of 186, 75, 17 and 102 μg/ml respectively when compared to vitamin C with 15 μg/ml. On the other hand, no significant results were obtained for hydrogen peroxide radical. In addition, compound 7 has the highest phenolic content of 0.81±0.01 mg/ml of gallic acid equivalent while compound 8 showed the highest total antioxidant capacity with 254.31±3.54 and 199.82±2.78 μg/ml gallic and ascorbic acid equivalent respectively. Compound 4 and ethanolic extract showed a high ascorbic acid content of 2.26±0.01 and 6.78±0.03 mg/ml respectively.The results obtained showed the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of C. bonduc and deduced that this activity was mediated by its isolated bioactive compounds

Changing Time - Shaping World: Changemakers in Arts & Education

A World of Changemakers - how can a hybrid arts lecture series concept in e-learning create attitudes and shape skills as a playful and critical thinking navigator in an uncertain world? To re-create meaning is an interdisciplinary cross-sectional task of our zeitgeist in a civil society. The international contributors represent key roles in relevant philosophical, technical or economic debates, non-university community art & design projects or companies

An analysis of the condition of bilingualism: false myths, advantages and a case study in kindergarten

openThe following work aims to examine bilingualism: debunking false myths, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages and presenting a case study in kindergarten. Previous research results are contradictory; various scientists believe that being bilingual in childhood can cause various disorders, including language and social problems, others believe in its benefits. After analyzing the benefits and false myths of bilingualism, the researcher affirms that raising a bilingual child could pose challenges for family and school, but could also bring enormous benefits.The following work aims to examine bilingualism: debunking false myths, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages and presenting a case study in kindergarten. Previous research results are contradictory; various scientists believe that being bilingual in childhood can cause various disorders, including language and social problems, others believe in its benefits. After analyzing the benefits and false myths of bilingualism, the researcher affirms that raising a bilingual child could pose challenges for family and school, but could also bring enormous benefits