Background: Rehabilitation of subacute stroke patients represents a major challenge. Objective: This study was conducted to examine the effects of mirror therapy on balance ability among subacute stroke patients. Methods: The patients were assigned to a mirror therapy group ( n = 17) or a sham therapy group ( n = 17). Participants in the experimental group received mirror therapy and conventional rehabilitation therapy for a total of 60 minutes (mirror therapy: 30 minutes; conventional rehabilitation therapy: 30 minutes) per day, with a 10 minute rest period halfway through the session. Participants in the experimental group received training 5 days/week for 4 weeks. Participants in the control group received sham therapy and conventional rehabilitation therapy for a total of 60 minutes (sham therapy: 30 minutes, conventional rehabilitation therapy: 30 minutes) per day on the same day. Balance Index (BI) scores were obtained using a balance measurement system. Results: A significant difference in post-training gains for the overall stability index and medial and lateral stability index was observed between the experimental group and the control group ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that mirror therapy may be beneficial in improving balance ability among subacute stroke patients.

Silicon (Si) has attracted considerable attention due to its high theoretical capacity compared to conventional graphite anode materials. However, Si-based anode materials suffer from rapid capacity loss due to mechanical failure caused by large volume change during cycling. To alleviate this phenomenon, crosslinked polymeric binders with strong interactions are highly desirable to ensure the electrode integrity. In this study, thermally crosslinked polyimide binders were used for Si-alloy anodes in Li-ion batteries. The crosslinked polyimide binder was found to have high adhesion strength, resulting in enhanced electrode integrity during cycling. Therefore, the Si-alloy anodes with crosslinked polyimide binder provide enhanced electrochemical performance, such as Coulombic efficiency, capacity retention, and cycle stability.

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