Conical dispersion and effective zero refractive index in photonic quasicrystals.

It is recognized that for a certain class of periodic photonic crystals, conical dispersion can be related to a zero-refractive index. It is not obvious whether such a notion can be extended to a noncrystalline system. We show that certain photonic quasicrystalline approximants have conical dispersions at the zone center with a triply degenerate state at the Dirac frequency, which is the necessary condition to qualify as a zero-refractive-index medium. The states in the conical dispersions are extended and have a nearly constant phase. Experimental characterizations of finite-sized samples show evidence that the photonic quasicrystals do behave as a near zero-refractive-index material around the Dirac frequency.

[Providing care to an elephant leg patient: a nurse's experience].

This article reports on the experience of nurses who provided nursing care to a woman who had recently immigrated to Taiwan from Mainland China. The woman suffered from chronic lymphedema, and had previously received surgical treatment for the condition. The period of nursing care ran from June 10th through September 9th, 2008. Nursing care experience focused on the two care issues of anxiety and health seeking behavior. During the nursing process, we expressed empathy, encouraged the patient to express her feelings, and provided disease-related information. We successfully resolved the patient's anxiety problem. The patient learned to use distraction to help relieve pain. The patient also participated in a rehabilitation program to improve her blood circulation. We tracked the patient's rehabilitation progress through e-mail correspondence. We hope that this complete nursing experience can serve as reference in caring for patients facing similar problems in the future.

Development of A Patient-reported Outcomes Scale for Post-stroke Aphasia Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Holism / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To develop a patient-reported outcomes (PRO) scale for post-stroke aphasia based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holism. Methods:Referring to the TCM holism, the theoretical model was established following the standard process for the development of the PRO scale. An item pool was established and optimized with case review, patient interview, expert questionnaire survey and consensus conference. The PRO scale was established finally. Results:A pool of post-stroke aphasia items based on the holistic view of TCM was constructed in the physical, psychological and social model. The Expert Comment Form for the PRO Scale for Aphasia after Stroke was formed after sorting out the item pool. After expert surveys and meeting discussion, 40 items were finally selected to form the first version of Patient-reported Outcomes Scale for Post-stroke Aphasia-TCM. Conclusion:The first version of Patient-reported Outcomes Scale for Post-stroke Aphasia-TCM has been developed based on the TCM holism and the concept of PRO, which can be evaluated clinically.

Frequency-dependent Alterations in Amplitude of Low-frequency Fluctuations in Resting-state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Post Stroke Aphasia / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To explore the characteristics of local brain neural activity in post stroke aphasia (PSA) patients in different frequency bands and the relationship between Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) scores and specific frequency bands. Methods:From March, 2015 to May, 2018, 15 PSA patients, and 15 healthy adults as controls matched for age, gender and education were recruited. They were assessed with WAB and scaned with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) on the frequency bands of 0.01-0.08 Hz, 0.027-0.073 Hz, and 0.01-0.027 Hz were calculated. The ALFF and fALFF in different frequency bands were extracted and the correlation with the WAB scores in the patients were analyzed. Results:On 0.01-0.08 Hz, ALFF increased in the right precentral gyrus in the patients. On 0.027-0.073 Hz, ALFF increased values in the right precentral gyrus, and fALFF decreased in the right cerebellar Crus2 region; fALFF in the right cerebellar Crus2 region negatively correlated with the scores of information content (r = -0.576, P = 0.025), auditory comprehension (r = -0.658, P = 0.008), repetition (r = -0.616, P = 0.014) and aphasia quotient (r = -0.611, P = 0.016) of WAB. On 0.01-0.027 Hz, the fALFF decreased in the left inferior parietal limbic gyrus, and positively correlated with the scores of information content (r = 0.538, P = 0.039) and aphasia quotient (r = 0.526, P = 0.044). Conclusion:Resting-state fALFF abnormalities in PSA patients are frequency-dependent, which associate with some frequency-specific neurofunctional alterations.

Stimulation Mode and Model of Word-picture Language Task in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Test for Post-stroke Aphasia (review) / 中国康复理论与实践

The cognitive neuroscience researches about post-stroke aphasia provide the interpretation of all aspects of linguistics. The word-picture research paradigm can be applied to assess different types of aphasia, in various ways of stimulation modes and models. It is more helpful combining functional magenetic resonance imaging to research the mechanism of brain damage and recovery objectively. The interactive application of language task and imaging has also become a new direction in the mechanism study of aphasia.

Characteristics of Electroencephalogram Power Spectrum Network on Uninjured Side of Post-stroke Aphasia / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To clarify the characteristics of electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum network of right hemisphere in patients with post-stroke aphasia (PSA) after left brain damaged. Methods:From December, 2018 to June, 2019, twelve PSA patients with left hemisphere injury were recruited and twelve healthy adults were matched as control group. China Rehabilitation Research Center aphasia examination (CRRCAE) was used to evaluated the linguistic function, and the EEG was collected. The functional connection characteristics of Alpha and Theta power spectrum were compared, and the correlation with language items was analyzed. Results:In PSA patients, the functional connection enhanced in Alpha and Theta frequency bands of central area, frontal, parietal and frontal-parietal joint areas, and decreased in Theta frequency bands of temporoparietal, parietal-occipital area, frontal, fronta-parietal and frontal central areas. The enhancement of alpha frequency functional connection from the right parietal occipital region to the central region was significantly correlated to the reduction of the expression ability (P < 0.05), while the weakening of theta frequency functional connection between the right parietal occipital region and the forehead and the center of the forehead was significantly correlated to the ability of speaking, reading, copying, dictation and calculation (r = -0.676~-0.717, P < 0.05). Conclusion:EEG power spectrum network can reflect the reorganization of right brain function network, and the change of right frontal parietal central network function connection may be closely related to PSA language injury and recovery.

The anxiolytic effect of aromatherapy on patients awaiting ambulatory surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to determine if aromatherapy could reduce preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients. A total of 109 preoperative patients were randomly assigned to experimental (bergamot essential oil) and control (water vapor) conditions and their responses to the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and vital signs were monitored. Patients were stratified by previous surgical experience, but that did not influence the results. All those exposed to bergamot essential oil aromatherapy showed a greater reduction in preoperative anxiety than those in the control groups. Aromatherapy may be a useful part of a holistic approach to reducing preoperative anxiety before ambulatory surgery.

Based on real-time recurrent learning on cost structure of the medical service.

Face Taiwan Medical system mechanism, in order to provide the best medication quality, approach cost efficiency without wasting any resources, and management goals of hospitals. Therefore, this paragraph based on Recurrent Neural Network to develop a time serial relation, to construct a formula to calculate the medication cost. According to the information we have, combined with the data base to analysis the current medical system, to understand the medical quality, cost efficiency, and problems. Once we understand the problems, we will be able to correct them and provide the best medical system(1987)6, with reduced cost. To be the guideline for the hospitals and reach our management goal.

Effects of electro-acupuncture on neuronal apoptosis and associative function in rats with spinal cord injury / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of electro-acupuncture to improve the bladder function after acute spinal cord injury in rats and its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty healthy adult male SD rats of SPF grade, with body weight of 220 to 250 g, one week after feeding adaptation, were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, electro-acupuncture group, electro-acupuncture control group with 15 rats in each group. Sham operation group underwent no stimulation, and the moderate damage model of spinal cord injury were made in other three groups according to modified Allens method. The model group were not treated, electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture on Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue, and electro-acupuncture control group were treated with electro-acupuncture on 0.5 inch next to Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue. The frequency of 2/100 Hz, current of 1 mA, stimulation time of 15 min, once a day, left and right alternately stimulate every time, for a total of 7 times. The changes of residual urine volume and urine output in rats at the 1st and the 7th days after operation were observed. And 7 d later, the rats were sacrificed and the injured spinal cord were taken out to observe the apoptosis, and to detect the changes of Bcl-2, Bax, Bad content.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After modeling,the rats of three groups showed different bladder dysfunction. In electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group, the residual urine volume of the 7th day after operation was significant lower than the 1st day after operation (P < 0.001), and there was statistically significant difference on the 7th day after operation between two groups (P < 0.001). Compared with model group, the urine output of electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significantly increased on the 7th day after operation, and there was sig- nificant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.001). Electro-acupuncture can inhibit apoptosis of spinal cord neurons by TUNEL detection. Postoperative at 7 d, the rate of nerve cell apoptosis in electro -acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significant increased than model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.005). Compared with model group, the positive expression rate of Bax, Bad decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and Bcl-2 increased (P < 0.01) in electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group,there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electro-acupuncture can obviously promote the repair of acute spinal cord injury,its mechanism may be through increasing Bcl-2, inhibiting the expression of Bax, Bad, which inhibits the apoptosis of spinal cord neurons.</p>