Verifying the hypothesis of disconnection syndrome in patients with conduction aphasia using diffusion tensor imaging

BACKGROUND： It is thought in disconnection theory that connection of anterior and posterior language function areas, i.e. the lesion of arcuate fasciculus causes conduction aphasia. OBJECTIVE： To verify the theory of disconnection elicited by repetition disorder in patients with conduction aphasia by comparing the characteristics of diffusion tensor imaging between healthy persons and patients with conduction aphasia. DESIGN： Case-control observation. SETTING： Department of Neurology, Hongqi Hospital Affiliated to Mudanjiang Medical College. PARTICIPANTS： Five male patients with cerebral infarction-involved arcuate fasciculus conduction aphasia, averaged （43±2） years, who hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, Hongqi Hospital Affiliated to Mudanjiang Medical College from February 2004 to February 2005 were involved in this experiment. The involved patients were all confirmed as cerebral infarction by skull CT and MRI, and met the diagnosis criteria revised in 1995 4^th Cerebrovascular Conference. They were examined by the method of Aphasia Battery of Chinese （ABC） edited by Surong Gao. The results were poorer than auditory comprehension disproportionately, and consistented with the mode of conduction aphasia. Another 5 male healthy persons, averaged （43 ± 1 ） years, who were physicians receiving further training in the Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital were also involved in this experiment. Informed consents of detected items were obtained from all the subjects. METHODS： All the subjects were performed handedness assessment with assessment criteria of handedness formulated by Department of Neurology, First Hospital Affiliated to Beijing Medical University. Arcuate fasciculus of involved patients and health controls were analyzed with diffusion tensor imaging （DTI） and divided into 3 parts （anterior, middle and posterior segments） for determining FA value （mean value was obtained after three times of measurements）, and a comparison of FA value was made between two sides. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Analysis results of arcuate fasciculus DTI of healthy controls and patients with conduction aphasia. RESULTS： Five patients with conduction aphasia and 5 healthy controls participated in the final analysis. ①All the subjects were right-handedness.② The left FA value of anterior, middle and posterior segments of arcuate fasciculus was larger than the right one in most normal volunteers, i.e. arcuate fasciculus with normal function on the left side was more than that on the right side. Because the amount of healthy controls was small, so positive conclusion has not been obtained, and only above-mentioned tendency was demonstrated. Healthy controls had good bilateral arcuate fasciculus; Three patients with conduction aphasia presented left FA value of anterior segment of arcuate fasciculus smaller than the right one, and two patients presented the left FA value larger than the right one. Four patients presented the left FA value of middle segment of arcuate fasciculus smaller than the right one, and one patient presented the left FA value larger than the right one, i.e. middle segment of arcuate fasciculus of 5 patients with conduction aphasia was all involved in at different degrees. Four patients with conduction aphasia presented the left FA value of posterior segment of arcuate fasciculus smaller than the right one, and one patient presented the left FA value larger than the right one, i.e. posterior segment of arcuate fasciculus of 5 patients was all injured at different degrees. CONCLUSION： Arcuate fasciculus of patients with conduction aphasia all is involved in at different degrees, which verifies the theory of disconnection of repetition disorder in patients with conduction aphasia.

Aligned Ion Conduction Pathway of Polyrotaxane‑Based Electrolyte with Dispersed Hydrophobic Chains for Solid‑State Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

A critical challenge hindering the practical application of lithium–oxygen batteries(LOBs)is the inevitable problems associated with liquid electrolytes,such as evaporation and safety problems.Our study addresses these problems by proposing a modified polyrotaxane(mPR)-based solid polymer electrolyte(SPE)design that simultaneously mitigates solvent-related problems and improves conductivity.mPR-SPE exhibits high ion conductivity(2.8×10^(−3)S cm^(−1)at 25℃)through aligned ion conduction pathways and provides electrode protection ability through hydrophobic chain dispersion.Integrating this mPR-SPE into solid-state LOBs resulted in stable potentials over 300 cycles.In situ Raman spectroscopy reveals the presence of an LiO_(2)intermediate alongside Li_(2)O_(2)during oxygen reactions.Ex situ X-ray diffraction confirm the ability of the SPE to hinder the permeation of oxygen and moisture,as demonstrated by the air permeability tests.The present study suggests that maintaining a low residual solvent while achieving high ionic conductivity is crucial for restricting the sub-reactions of solid-state LOBs.

Variational Approach to 2D and 3D Heat Conduction Modeling

The paper proposes an approximate solution to the classical (parabolic) multidimensional 2D and 3D heat conduction equation for a 5 × 5 cm aluminium plate and a 5 × 5 × 5 cm aluminum cube. An approximate solution of the generalized (hyperbolic) 2D and 3D equation for the considered plate and cube is also proposed. Approximate solutions were obtained by applying calculus of variations and Euler-Lagrange equations. In order to verify the correctness of the proposed approximate solutions, they were compared with the exact solutions of parabolic and hyperbolic equations. The paper also presents the research on the influence of time parameters τ as well as the relaxation times τ ∗ to the variation of the profile of the temperature field for the considered aluminum plate and cube.

Development and Optimization of Universal Bone Conduction Hearing Spectacles

Background: Non-implantable bone anchored hearing devices (BCHDs) are utilized for patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss who are unsuitable for conventional hearing aids or have unresolved middle ear issues. These devices can be surgically implanted or attached using adhesive plates, dental sticks, elastic headbands, or bone conduction spectacles. Optimal fitting of bone conduction spectacles requires appropriate frame selection and contact pressure in the temporal and mastoid areas. The ANSI S3.6 and DIN EN ISO 389-3 standards recommend a contact area of approximately 1.75 cm2 and a maximum force of 5.4 N for effective sound transmission and comfort. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the technical fit and mechanical stability of universal bone conduction hearing spectacles compared to established systems. A Sen-Pressure 02 thin-film sensor connected to an Arduino Uno R3 board measured contact force in the temporal and mastoid areas. Several BCHDs were tested, including the Bruckhoff la belle BC D50/70, Radioear B71 headset, Radioear B71 elastic headband, Cochlear Baha SoundArc M, and Cochlear Baha elastic headband, on a PVC artificial head, with data analyzed using ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests. Results: The la belle BC D50/70 spectacles showed comparable contact force to established BCHDs, ensuring adequate sound transmission and comfort. Significant differences were observed between the systems, with the Radioear B71 headset exhibiting the highest forces. The la belle BC D50/70 had similar forces to the Radioear B71 elastic headband. Conclusion: The la belle BC D50/70 universal bone conduction hearing spectacles are a technically equivalent alternative to established BCHDs, maintaining pressure below 5.4 N. Future research should explore the impact of different contact forces on performance and comfort, and the integration of force control in modified spectacles. This study indicates that the la belle BC D50/70 is a viable alternative that meets audiological practice requirements.

Finite Difference-Peridynamic Differential Operator for Solving Transient Heat Conduction Problems

Transient heat conduction problems widely exist in engineering.In previous work on the peridynamic differential operator(PDDO)method for solving such problems,both time and spatial derivatives were discretized using the PDDO method,resulting in increased complexity and programming difficulty.In this work,the forward difference formula,the backward difference formula,and the centered difference formula are used to discretize the time derivative,while the PDDO method is used to discretize the spatial derivative.Three new schemes for solving transient heat conduction equations have been developed,namely,the forward-in-time and PDDO in space(FT-PDDO)scheme,the backward-in-time and PDDO in space(BT-PDDO)scheme,and the central-in-time and PDDO in space(CT-PDDO)scheme.The stability and convergence of these schemes are analyzed using the Fourier method and Taylor’s theorem.Results show that the FT-PDDO scheme is conditionally stable,whereas the BT-PDDO and CT-PDDO schemes are unconditionally stable.The stability conditions for the FT-PDDO scheme are less stringent than those of the explicit finite element method and explicit finite difference method.The convergence rate in space for these three methods is two.These constructed schemes are applied to solve one-dimensional and two-dimensional transient heat conduction problems.The accuracy and validity of the schemes are verified by comparison with analytical solutions.

Effect analysis of unilateral deaf adults wearing bone-conduction hearing aids:A case report

The prevalence of unilateral deafness(SSD)or asymmetric hearing loss(AHL)among patients with hearing impairments ranges from 7.2%to 15.0%,indicating a relatively significant proportion.However,these individuals often overlook their hearing loss,resulting in delayed or inadequate treatment.This oversight can lead to a lack of binaural summation and squelch effect,as well as the head shadow effect,which can significantly impact their speech recognition and sound localization abilities,especially in noisy environments.Recently,a groundbreaking Sound Bite™Pinyin® Bone Conduction Hearing Aid(HA)device has been has been introduced as a viable alternative to traditional percutaneous stimulation hearing assistance devices.This innovative device harnesses bone conduction technology to convey sound vibrations directly to the inner ear via the bones of the jaw and skull,effectively bypassing the air conduction pathway that is commonly compromised in individuals with hearing loss.This report details the evaluation and adjustment process of a HA device worn by a 31-year-old female patient who suffers from a congenital ossicular chain deformity in her right ear,while maintaining normal hearing in her left ear.The report comprehensively covers the hearing thresholds of the 31-year-old female patient on the day of fitting the hearing aid and one month later.It also presents assessments of the hearing aid’s performance through the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit(APHAB)questionnaire,conducted three days after adjustment,one month later,and one year later.Furthermore,the report details the evaluation of the patient’s sound localization ability,comparing her performance before and after wearing the hearing aid device.Additionally,it includes measurements of her speech recognition ability for monosyllabic words and Yang Yang Ge words,which are specific tests in the Chinese language,conducted two years after the initial fitting of the hearing aid.The discovery that bone-anchored hearing devices can significantly enhance hearing thresholds in patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss represents a significant milestone.These devices not only improve speech recognition ability but also enhance sound localization in noisy environments.This improvement is accompanied by a high level of subjective satisfaction among patients,indicating a positive impact on their overall quality of life.

Effects of atrial septal defects on the cardiac conduction system

The case report presented in this edition by Mu et al.The report presents a case of atrial septal defect(ASD)associated with electrocardiographic changes,noting that the crochetage sign resolved after Selective His Bundle Pacing(S-HBP)without requiring surgical closure.The mechanisms behind the appearance and resolution of the crochetage sign remain unclear.The authors observed the dis-appearance of the crochetage sign post-S-HBP,suggesting a possible correlation between these specific R waves and the cardiac conduction system.This editorial aims to explore various types of ASD and their relationship with the cardiac con-duction system,highlighting the diagnostic significance of the crochetage sign in ASD.

Axonal Conduction Velocity: A Computer Study

This paper derives rigorous statements concerning the propagation velocity of action potentials in axons. The authors use the Green’s function approach to approximate the action potential and find a relation between conduction velocity and the impulse profile. Computer simulations are used to bolster the analysis.

Variational Approach to Heat Conduction Modeling

It is known that Fourier’s heat equation, which is parabolic, implies an infinite velocity propagation, or, in other words, that the mechanism of heat conduction is established instantaneously under all conditions. This is unacceptable on physical grounds in spite of the fact that Fourier’s law agrees well with experiment. However, discrepancies are likely to occur when extremely short distances or extremely short time intervals are considered, as they must in some modern problems of aero-thermodynamics. Cattaneo and independently Vernotte proved that such process can be described by Heaviside’s telegraph equation. This paper shows that this fact can be derived using calculus of variations, by application of the Euler-Lagrange equation. So, we proved that the equation of heat conduction with finite velocity propagation of the thermal disturbance can be obtained as a solution to one variational problem.

Galerkin-based quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME)method for anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry

The accurate and efficient analysis of anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites is crucial for structural design and performance evaluation. Traditional numerical methods, such as the finite element method(FEM), often face a trade-off between calculation accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a quasi-smooth manifold element(QSME) method to address this challenge, and provide the accurate and efficient analysis of two-dimensional(2D) anisotropic heat conduction problems in composites with complex geometry. The QSME approach achieves high calculation precision by a high-order local approximation that ensures the first-order derivative continuity.The results demonstrate that the QSME method is robust and stable, offering both high accuracy and efficiency in the heat conduction analysis. With the same degrees of freedom(DOFs), the QSME method can achieve at least an order of magnitude higher calculation accuracy than the traditional FEM. Additionally, under the same level of calculation error, the QSME method requires 10 times fewer DOFs than the traditional FEM. The versatility of the proposed QSME method extends beyond anisotropic heat conduction problems in complex composites. The proposed QSME method can also be applied to other problems, including fluid flows, mechanical analyses, and other multi-field coupled problems, providing accurate and efficient numerical simulations.

Sterilization Effect of Cooking Process for Guilin Rice Noodles Based on Heat Conduction Model

Guilin rice noodles, a unique cuisine from Guilin, Guangxi, is renowned both domestically and internationally as one of the top ten “Guilin Classics”. Utilizing a heat conduction model, this study explores the effectiveness of the cooking process in sterilizing Guilin rice noodles before consumption. The model assumes that a large pot is filled with boiling water which is maintained at a constant high temperature heat resource through continuous gentle heating. And the room temperature is set as the initial temperature for the preheating process and the final temperature for the cooling process. The objective is to assess whether the cooking process achieves satisfactory sterilization results. The temperature distribution function of rice noodle with time is analytically obtained using the separation of variables method in the three-dimensional cylindrical coordinate system. Meanwhile, the thermal diffusion coefficient of Guilin rice noodles is obtained in terms of Riedel’ theory. By analyzing the elimination characteristics of Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farinofermentans, this study obtains the optimal time required for effective sterilization at the core of Guilin rice noodles. The results show that the potential Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farinofermentans will be completely eliminated through continuously preheating more than 31 seconds during the cooking process before consumption. This study provides a valuable reference of food safety standards in the cooking process of Guilin rice noodles, particularly in ensuring the complete inactivation of potentially harmful strains such as Pseudomonas cocovenenans subsp. farinofermentans.

Compressive Mechanical and Heat Conduction Properties of AlSi10Mg Gradient Metamaterials Fabricated via Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Metamaterials are defined as artificially designed micro-architectures with unusual physical properties,including optical,electromagnetic,mechanical,and thermal characteristics.This study investigates the compressive mechanical and heat transfer properties of AlSi10Mg gradient metamaterials fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion(LPBF).The morphology of the AlSi10Mg metamaterials was examined using an ultrahigh-resolution microscope.Quasi-static uniaxial compression tests were conducted at room temperature,with deformation behavior captured through camera recordings.The findings indicate that the proposed gradient metamaterial exhibits superior compressive strength properties and energy absorption capacity.The Gradient-SplitP structure demonstrated better compressive performance compared to other strut-based structures,including Gradient-Gyroid and Gradient-Lidinoid structures.With an apparent density of 0.796,the Gradient-SplitP structure exhibited an outstanding energy absorption capacity,reaching an impressive 23.57 MJ/m^(3).In addition,heat conductivity tests were performed to assess the thermal resistance of these structures with different cell configurations.The gradient metamaterials exhibited higher thermal resistance and lower thermal conductivity.Consequently,the designed gradient metamaterials can be considered valuable in various applications,such as thermal management,load-bearing,and energy absorption components.

Speech and language therapy for aphasia following subacute stroke

The aim of this study was to investigate the time window, duration and intensity of optimal speech and language therapy applied to aphasic patients with subacute stroke in our hospital. The study consisted of 33 patients being hospitalized for stroke rehabilitation in our hospital with first stroke but without previous history of speech and language therapy. Sixteen sessions of impairment-based speech and language therapy were applied to the patients, 30-60 minutes per day, 2 days a week, for 8 successive weeks. Aphasia assess- ment in stroke patients was performed with Giilhane Aphasia Test-2 before and after treatment. Compared with before treatment, fluency of speech, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, oral motor evaluation, automatic speech, repetition and naming were improved after treatment. This suggests that 16 seesions of speech and language therapy, 30-60 minutes per day, 2 days a week, for 8 successive weeks, are effective in the treatment of aphasic patients with subacute stroke.

ACUPUNCTURE COMBINED WITH LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR TREATMENT OF MOTOR APHASIA CAUSED BY ISCHEMIC APOPLEXY

Objective To observe therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with language training on aphasia induced by ischemic apoplexy and investigate the mechanisms. Methods 60 patients were randomly divided into a treatment group treated by acupuncture associated with language training and a control group treated by simple language training. Tongue-acupuncture was applied as the main therapy, and language training included speech organ training, mouth-shape and voice training, spoken language expression training and practical communication ability training. According to Aphosio Bottery of Chinese （ABC）, language ex- amination evaluation was made, and event related potential （P300） was detected before and after treatment. Results The therapeutic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group （P〈O. 05）, and the scores of ABC items including information content, speech fluency, repetition, vocabula- ry denomination, color naming, response denomination, confirmation or negation, acoustic recognition and carrying out instruction in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group （P〈0.05）. After one course of treatment, the latencies of N2 and P3 waves in P300 were significantly short- ened and the amplitude of P3 was significantly elevated in the treatment group, compared with those in the control group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with language training provided remarkable therapeutic effects in treating cerebral infarction-induced motor aphasia, and it was better than simple lan- guage training. The results of enhancing of the ABC scores including information content, speech fluency, repetition, vocabulary denomination, color naming, response denomination, confirmation or negation, acous- tic recognition and carrying out instruction, and shortening of the latencies of N2 and P3 waves in P300 and ele- vation of P3 amplitude may be taken as the indices for evaluating and anticipating clinical therapeutic effects of the therapy for treating the disease, which may also be some of the mechanisms.

Constraint-induced aphasia therapy for patients with aphasia: A systematic review

Objectives:This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of constraint-induced aphasia therapy(OAT)for aphasic patients reported by randomized controlled trials.Methods:Relevant randomized controlled trials were retrieved from 11 electronic databases.A methodological quality assessment was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook,and metaanalyses were performed by using RevMan 5.2.A descriptive analysis was conducted when the included trials were not suitable for a meta-analysis.Results:A total of 12 trials were included.A statistically significant group difference was shown from the meta-analysis in the results measured by the Western Aphasia Battery(random-effects model,MD=1.23,95%CI=0.31 to 2.14,P<0.01).However,there were no statistically significant differences shown in the results of the Boston Naming Test(fixed-effects model,MD=-1.79,95%CI=-11.19 to Z62,P>0.05)and Aachen Aphasia Test(fixed-effects model,MD=-1.11,95%CI=-4.49 to 2.27,P>0.05).The descriptive analysis showed positive results in language performances of naming,repetition,and comprehension.Conclusion:This systematic review indicated that CIAT was efficient for improving language performance with regard to naming,comprehension,repetition,written language,and oral language based on the current evidence.And this review provides some meaningful guides for clinical practice:expand the therapy duration to 2 or 3 h per day,focus on naming,and choose the best assessment tool.It also indicates a need for more rigorous,large-scale,and high-quality trials in the future.

Nerve conduction models in myelinated and unmyelinated nerves based on three-dimensional electrostatic interaction

Until now, nerve conduction has been described on the basis of equivalent circuit model and cable theory, both of which supposed closed electric circuits spreading inside and outside the axoplasm. With these conventional models, we can simulate the propagating pattern of action potential along the axonal membrane based on Ohm＇s law and Kirchhoff＇s law. However, we could not fully explain the different conductive patterns in unmyelinated and myelinated nerves with these theories. Also, whether we can really suppose closed electrical circuits in the actual site of the nerves or not has not been fully discussed yet. In this report, a recently introduced new theoretical model of nerve conduction based on electrostatic molecular interactions within the axoplasm will be reviewed. With this new approach, we can explain the different conductive patterns in unmyelinated and myelinated nerves. This new mathematical conductive model based on electrostatic compressional wave in the intracellular fluid may also be able to explain the signal integration in the neuronal cell body and the back-propagation mechanism from the axons to the dendrites. With this new mathematical nerve conduction model based on electrostatic molecular interactions within the intracellular fluid, we may be able to achieve an integrated explanation for the physiological phenomena taking place in the nervous system.

Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Evidence of Non-Fourier Heat Conduction Behavior

This paper consists of two parts. (1) For a hollow sphere with sudden temperature changes on its inner and outer surfaces, the hyperbolic heat conduction equation is employed to describe this extreme thermal case and an analytical expression of its temperature distribution is obtained. According to the expression, the non-Fourier heat conduction behavior that will appear in the hollow sphere is studied and some qualitative conditions that will result in distinct non-Fourier behavior in the medium is ultimately attained. (2) A novel experiment to observe non-Fourier heat conduction behavior in porous material (mainly ordinary duplicating paper) heated by a microsecond laser pulse is presented. The conditions for observing distinct non-Fourier heat conduction behavior in the experimental sample agree well with the theoretical results qualitatively.

Decay rates and time lags of heat conduction in building construction under field conditions

The field measurements of decay rates and time lags of heat conduction in a building construction taken in Nanjing during the summer of 2001 are presented.The decay rates and time lags are calculated according to the frequency responses of the heat absorbed by the room＇s internal surfaces,inside surface temperature,indoor air temperature and outdoor synthetic temperature.The measured results match very well with the theoretical results of the zeroth and the first order values of the decay rates and time lags of heat conduction in the building construction,but the difference between the measured values and the theoretical values for the second order is too great to be accepted.It is therefore difficult to accurately test the second order value.However,it is still advisable to complete the analysis using the zeroth-and the first-orders values of the decay rates and time lags of heat conduction in building construction under field conditions,because in these cases the decay rates of heat conduction reach twenty which meets the requirements of engineering plans.

Lesion localization of global aphasia without hemiparesis by overlapping of the brain magnetic resonance images

Global aphasia without hemiparesis is a striking stroke syndrome involving language impairment without the typically manifested contralateral hemiparesis, which is usually seen in patients with global aphasia following large left perisylvian lesions. The objective of this study is to elucidate the specific areas for lesion localization of global aphasia without hemiparesis by retrospectively studying the brain magnetic resonance images of six patients with global aphasia without hemiparesis to define global aphasia without hemiparesis-related stroke lesions before overlapping the images to visualize the most overlapped area. Talairach coordinates for the most overlapped areas were converted to corresponding anatomical regions. Lesions where the images of more than three patients overlapped were considered significant. The overlapped global aphasia without hemiparesis related stroke lesions of six patients revealed that the significantly involved anatomi- cal lesions were as follows： frontal lobe, sub-gyral, sub-lobar, extra-nuclear, corpus callosum, and inferior frontal gyrus, while caudate, claustrum, middle frontal gyrus, limbic lobe, temporal lobe, superior temporal gyrus, uncus, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal, amygdala, and subcallosal gyrus were seen less significantly involved. This study is the first to demonstrate the heterogeneous anatomical involvement in global aphasia without hemiparesis by overlapping of the brain magnetic resonance images.