One Meaning for Two Persons: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model Analysis of Meaning in Life, Anxiety, and Depression Among Rehabilitation Patients and Caregivers.

OBJECTIVE: Patients and caregivers in the inpatient physical rehabilitation setting are presented with life-changing medical conditions, and their meaning in life can change dramatically. Meaning in life is associated with fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, but little is known about how they are related interdependently among patients and caregivers. In the current study, we aim to explore their dyadic relationships. DESIGN: Actor-partner interdependence model through structural equation modeling for dyadic analyses. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 160 pairs of patients and caregivers recruited from 6 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals in China. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted among pairs of rehabilitation patients and caregivers. The presence of and search for meaning were measured with the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. RESULTS: In 2 separate models, we found that patients' presence of meaning was negatively associated with their own depression (ß = -0.61, P < .001) and anxiety (ß = -0.55, P < .001), as well as their caregivers' depression (ß = -0.32, P < .001) and anxiety (ß = -0.31, P < .001). However, the caregivers' presence of meaning was only negatively associated with their own depression (ß = -0.25, P < .05) and anxiety (ß = -0.21, P < .05). A search for meaning was not significantly associated with depression or anxiety. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results indicate that the anxiety and depressive symptoms of rehabilitation inpatients and caregivers are associated with their own level of presence of meaning. Caregivers' depression and anxiety are interdependently associated with patients' presence of meaning. Clinicians should take dyadic interdependence into consideration when providing psychological services to rehabilitate patients and their caregivers. Meaning-centered interventions can be helpful for the dyads' meaning-making and mental health.

Fast analysis of principal volatile compounds in crude and processed Atractylodes macrocephala by an automated static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVE: Atractylodes macrocephala, a famous herbal medicine, is used extensively in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Processing procedure is a common approach that usually occurs before A. macrocephala is prescribed. This paper describes a sensitive and specific assay for the determination of principal volatile compounds in crude and processed A. macrocephala. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study concentrated on the development of a static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SHS-GC/MS) for separating and identifying of volatile compounds from crude and processed A. macrocephala samples. RESULTS: The results showed that the volatile oil in crude and processed A. macrocephala was markedly quantitatively and qualitatively different. Processing resulted in the reduction of volatile oil contents and variation of chemical compositions in A. macrocephala. CONCLUSION: The proposed method proved that SHS-GC/MS is rapid and specific, and should also be useful for evaluating the quality of crude and processed medicinal herbs.