Effects of music therapy on mood, pain, and satisfaction in the neurologic inpatient setting

Music therapy (MT) has been used in health care settings for a wide variety of treatment goals. Many inpatients with neurologic impairments struggle with low mood and pain for which MT may be a novel adjunct treatment. The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate change in mood and pain following a single MT session; (2) explore the impact of an MT program on mood, pain and satisfaction from the perspective of the patient, family and staff. A mixed-methods study was conducted. Forty participants completed pre/post MT surveys evaluating mood, pain and satisfaction. Individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 14 MT program participants (inpatients), 5 family members of participants and 16 staff. There was significant improvement in mood (p p  Improvements in mood and pain were reported from pre-to-post MT session and in interviews. Further evaluation of MT effectiveness against standard of care rehabilitation and cost implications is required.Implications for RehabilitationMusic therapy (MT) is delivered by accredited music therapists (MTAs) in health care settings, including rehabilitation units, as an individual, group or co-treatment therapy.MT can be used for a range of health outcomes, including the treatment of mood and pain, in addition to improving inpatient satisfaction.Early evidence using pre/post MT surveys suggests an improvement in mood and pain following a single therapy session.Qualitative data suggest overall benefit of offering MT services in addition to standard neurorehabilitation therapy, including improvements to emotional regulation, pain management, self-concept, enjoyment, and social connectedness. Music therapy (MT) is delivered by accredited music therapists (MTAs) in health care settings, including rehabilitation units, as an individual, group or co-treatment therapy. MT can be used for a range of health outcomes, including the treatment of mood and pain, in addition to improving inpatient satisfaction. Early evidence using pre/post MT surveys suggests an improvement in mood and pain following a single therapy session. Qualitative data suggest overall benefit of offering MT services in addition to standard neurorehabilitation therapy, including improvements to emotional regulation, pain management, self-concept, enjoyment, and social connectedness.</p

Vitamin D in health and disease: Current perspectives

Despite the numerous reports of the association of vitamin D with a spectrum of development, disease treatment and health maintenance, vitamin D deficiency is common. Originating in part from the diet but with a key source resulting from transformation by exposure to sunshine, a great deal of the population suffers from vitamin D deficiency especially during winter months. It is linked to the treatment and pathogenesis and/or progression of several disorders including cancer, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness and diabetes. This widespread deficiency of Vitamin D merits consideration of widespread policies including increasing awareness among the public and healthcare professionals

The Genomes of Three Uneven Siblings: Footprints of the Lifestyles of Three Trichoderma Species.

The genus Trichoderma contains fungi with high relevance for humans, with applications in enzyme production for plant cell wall degradation and use in biocontrol. Here, we provide a broad, comprehensive overview of the genomic content of these species for "hot topic" research aspects, including CAZymes, transport, transcription factors, and development, along with a detailed analysis and annotation of less-studied topics, such as signal transduction, genome integrity, chromatin, photobiology, or lipid, sulfur, and nitrogen metabolism in T. reesei, T. atroviride, and T. virens, and we open up new perspectives to those topics discussed previously. In total, we covered more than 2,000 of the predicted 9,000 to 11,000 genes of each Trichoderma species discussed, which is >20% of the respective gene content. Additionally, we considered available transcriptome data for the annotated genes. Highlights of our analyses include overall carbohydrate cleavage preferences due to the different genomic contents and regulation of the respective genes. We found light regulation of many sulfur metabolic genes. Additionally, a new Golgi 1,2-mannosidase likely involved in N-linked glycosylation was detected, as were indications for the ability of Trichoderma spp. to generate hybrid galactose-containing N-linked glycans. The genomic inventory of effector proteins revealed numerous compounds unique to Trichoderma, and these warrant further investigation. We found interesting expansions in the Trichoderma genus in several signaling pathways, such as G-protein-coupled receptors, RAS GTPases, and casein kinases. A particularly interesting feature absolutely unique to T. atroviride is the duplication of the alternative sulfur amino acid synthesis pathway