Care dependency in older stroke patients with comorbidities: a latent profile analysis.

Objectives: To explore latent profiles of care dependency in older stroke patients with comorbidities and to analyze the factors influencing different latent profiles. Methods: A total of 312 older ischemic stroke patients with comorbidities were included in the analysis. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to classify the participants into potential subgroups with different types of care dependency. The influencing factors of the classification of care dependency subgroups were determined using multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Results: The care dependency score of older ischemic stroke patients with comorbidities was (51.35 ± 13.19), and the patients could be classified into 3 profiles, namely Universal dependency (24.0%), Moderate activity-social-learning dependency (28.0%), and Mild activity-social-learning dependency (48.0%); caregiver, BI at admission, and functional impairments were independent factors influencing care dependency (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There are three latent profiles of care dependency in older ischemic stroke patients with comorbidities. According to the characteristics of various populations, medical staff are able to implement specific interventions to lower the level of dependency and further improve the quality of life of patients.

Developmental trajectory of care dependency in older stroke patients.

Background: Stroke is the leading cause of death in China. Older stroke survivors often have other chronic conditions, not only musculoskeletal deterioration due to age, but also changes in body image that can be brought on by stroke and other diseases, making them unable to take good care of themselves and dependent on others. The degree of dependency affects the rehabilitation progress of stroke survivors and shows dynamic changes that need to be recognized. Objectives: This study investigates the trajectory of dependency changes in older stroke patients with comorbidities and analyze the influencing factors. Methods: Grounded in the Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework (CITF), a longitudinal study was conducted from February 2023 to October 2023, tracking 312 older stroke patients with comorbidities admitted to two tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou. Care dependency levels were assessed using Care Dependency Scale on admission day 5 (T0), at discharge (T1), 1 month post-discharge (T2), and 3 months post-discharge (T3). Growth Mixture Model were utilized to identify trajectory categories, and both univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression methods were employed to explore factors associated with different developmental trajectories. Results: A total of four developmental trajectories were fitted, C1 (high independence-slow increased group, 52.0%), C2 (moderate independence-rapid increased group, 13.0%), C3 (moderate independence-slow increased group, 25.0%), and C4 (low independence-increased and decreased group, 10.0%). Length of hospital stay, place of residence, level of social support, residual functional impairments, NIHSS score, and BI index independently influence the trajectory categories. Conclusion: There is heterogeneity in care dependency among older stroke patients with comorbidities. Most patients gradually reduce their dependency and become more independent, but others remain dependent for an extended period of time. It is recommended to focus on patients who live in rural areas, have low social support, have high admission NIHSS scores and have residual functional impairment, and provide them with personalized continuity of care and rehabilitation services in order to reduce care dependency and the burden of care, and to improve patients' quality of life.

Multi-user upper limb rehabilitation training system integrating social interaction.

COVID-19 causes persistent symptoms such as weakness and myasthenia in most patients. Due to the cross-infection of COVID-19, the traditional face-to-face rehabilitation services are risky for the elderly. To ensure that the elderly in urgent need of rehabilitation services receive training while minimizing the disturbance of the COVID-19 pandemic on their social activities. We have improved the existing virtual upper limb training system, and added a social factor to the system. Seniors with upper limb rehabilitation needs can use the system to compete or collaborate with others for training. In addition, a set of natural and scientific exclusive gestures have been designed under the direction of following the doctor's advice. The experiment is conducted jointly with the chief physicians of the geriatrics department in the authoritative class-A hospitals of Class III. Our experiment, which lasted for two months, showed that the virtual training system with social factors added had the best rehabilitation effect and enhanced the initiative of patients. The system has value for popularization during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Parametric Testing of Metasurface Stirrers for Metasurfaced Reverberation Chambers.

In this paper, the correlation coefficients and the total scattering cross sections (TSCSs) for different types of metasurfaced stirrers and the traditional metallic stirrer, and the effects on field uniformity when such stirrers are used in reverberation chambers, are analyzed. Three metasurfaced stirrers are considered: A stirrer with two unit cells arranged alternatively (#1), a stirrer with two unit cells arranged in a chessboard-like manner (#2), and a stirrer with two unit cells in random arrangement (#3). From the correlation coefficient and TSCS results obtained in simulations, it follows that metasurfaced stirrer #1 is the best option. Field uniformity analysis of the resulting metasurface reverberation chambers (MRC) equipped with the different stirrers also supports this conclusion.

Enhancing the Number of Modes in Metasurfaced Reverberation Chambers for Field Uniformity Improvement.

The use of metasurfaces to increase the number of modes, lower the operating frequency, and improve the field uniformity in reverberation chambers (RCs) is investigated in this paper. The method used to improve the field uniformity and decrease the resonance frequencies is based on increasing the number of modes by using the concept of subwavelength cavities. The resonance frequencies of a RC with metasurface wall are derived and expressed analytically in terms of macroscopic characteristics. Simulation of the reflection phase of the unit cell is then given as a guideline to choose the required microscopic parameters of the designed metasurface. The mode density in such subwavelength RCs is then obtained using a numerical eigenmode solver. Compared to traditional RCs, a much higher modal density is obtained at low frequencies. The standard deviation of the field uniformity in the test volume of the RC corresponding to different types of metasurface walls is finally compared. It is shown that by increasing the number of modes in the RC at the lower band, the operating frequency decreases and the field uniformity of the RC is improved.