Objective: To study temperature distribution in different electrodes and to evaluate thermal spread during colonic anastomosis induced by radiofrequency energy through finite element modeling, aiming to provide the basis for optimizing the design of new electrodes with improved effectiveness of electrosurgical welding.

Methods: Three electrodes with the feature of concave-convex (CC), rail coupled concave-convex (rail-CC), and cross rail coupled concave-convex (cross rail-CC) were designed for radiofrequency-induced serosa-to-serosa colonic anastomoses to evaluate the thermal spread process by finite element modeling using COMSOL Multiphysics. Parameters used in the modeling were set with a peak voltage of 45 V, a duty cycle of 10% and a repetition rate of 1 s. Additionally, a three-dimensional finite element model of the cross rail-CC electrode was further constructed to compare temperature variation and distribution when the voltage Fwas applied to ridges of upper electrode alternately.

Results: The electrode with CC design produced similar temperature between 'gap' and 'compressed' areas, whereas the electrode with rail-CC design exhibited the highest temperature at 'gap' and 'compressed' areas compared with those with CC and cross rail-CC designs. Moreover, the cross rail-CC electrode, by tightly occluding the upper and lower electrodes, could create uniform compression and temperature variation. When electric voltage was applied to ridges of upper electrode of the cross rail-CC electrode alternately, the temperature at 'gap' was half of that at the 'compressed' section, which was comparable to the temperature at 'compressed' area in the rail-CC electrode (p=0.241).

Conclusion: Alternating application of voltage to ridges of upper electrode of the cross rail-CC electrode can potentially produce an optimal fusion zone by reducing thermal damage with low 'gap' temperature while keeping the 'compressed' temperature high.

With the development of medical-engineering integration technology and the growing clinical rehabilitation demands, intelligent rehabilitation robots have emerged as a prominent area of research in stroke rehabilitation. The application of exoskeleton rehabilitation robots holds significant potential to alleviate the pressure on rehabilitation resources in China. These robots offer high-intensity, high-repetition rehabilitation training for stroke patients, helping to restore limb motor function, improve daily living independence, and contribute to neuroplasticity. As such, they are becoming an essential treatment modality for patients with motor function disorders. In this review, we first categorize ankle-foot rehabilitation robots based on the interaction methods between the robot and the user, detailing their structural characteristics and application scenarios. Additionally, we classify existing control strategies, including admittance control, impedance control, electromyography control, trajectory tracking control, and Proportional-Integral-Derivative control, based on the rehabilitation needs at various stages of recovery. Each control method is summarized, and their current research status is analyzed. Besides, current research status of key technologies in rehabilitation robots, both domestically and internationally are also summarized in this paper. Finally, the key challenges in the development of ankle-foot rehabilitation robots and future research directions are discussed, providing a reference for the research and design of these robots.

Anesthetic pharmacology, a specialized branch of pharmacology, differs significantly from the foundational phar macology taught in undergraduate medical programs. A key challenge lies in effectively distinguishing and inte grating these two courses to enhance students' theoretical understanding and foster their clinical anesthesia skills. This paper explores strategies for optimizing lesson preparation and delivery in anesthetic pharmacology, focusing on course positioning, student knowledge assessment, clinical integration, objective setting, content development, instructional design, innovative teaching tools, and classroom management. The ultimate aim is to enhance teaching effectiveness and train anesthesiology professionals with robust theoretical knowledge and practical competence.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a simple, sensitive and non-invasive marker that can monitor eosinophilic airway inflammation. Its levels are influenced by height, weight, gender, ethnicity and smoking status. FeNO was first introduced as a biomarker to assist in asthma detection, and now plays an important auxiliary role in its diagnosis, management, and prognosis evaluation, including treatment guidance and drug efficacy assessment. With continuous exploration, exhaled nitric oxide has demonstrated utility in a variety of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic cough and interstitial lung disease. It can also serve as a biomarker after lung surgery to indicate the risk of postoperative complications and impaired lung function. This article summarizes the clinical value of exhaled nitric oxide in common pulmonary diseases, aiming to provide a reference for its clinical application.

Candida albicans (C. albicans), a conditional pathogenic fungus, is widespread in nature and can live in symbiosis with organisms in small quantities. When the normal microflora is imbalanced, the epithelial barrier is disrupted or the immune system becomes dysfunctional, C. albicans can change from commensal to pathogenic pathogen, causing both superficial and life-threatening systemic infections with no effective treatment. The morbidity and mortality of invasive Candida infections in perioperative patients are high due to underlying chronic diseases, immune deficiencies, and pathophysiological disorders. C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) are the main pattern-recognition receptors for fungal activation of innate immunity and host defense. Upon binding to ligands, CLRs induce multiple signal transduction cascades followed by activation of nuclear factor kappa B through spleen tyrosine kinase - and caspase recruitment domain containing protein 9-dependent pathways. Analyzing the effects of regulatory CLR-induced signaling cascades on host immune cells is critical for understanding the molecular mechanism in regulating antifungal immunity. As one of the core factors in host innate immune regulation, protein post-translational modifications regulate the strength of immune effects by modulating protein conformation, stability, affinity, subcellular localization, etc. This makes the post-translational modification sites promising as potential targets for modulating antifungal immunity. This review primarily described the study progress of post-translational modifications in controlling CLR-induced signaling cascades throughout the process of innate immunity against C. albicans. We aim to provide better understanding of these mechanisms and aid in the identification and development of biomarkers and drug targets for invasive candidiasis.

Ethical approval is the first essential step for medical master's students to officially initiate research. This article discusses the ethical issues encountered in various types of research projects conducted by professional master's students, the preparation of ethical application materials, conflicts between the timing of ethical applications and the clinical training rotation schedules, and the continuity of ethical applications among students within the same cohort and across different cohorts.