BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Anatomical education utilizes mainly cadaver dissection, but it also depends on innovations such as novel preservation techniques, simulation models, and virtual dissection apps. There is no review on anatomical patents. This study aimed to review the worldwide landscape of existing patents on anatomical education to identify gaps and opportunities for utilization and further innovations.

We conducted a scoping review for inventions, utility models, and industrial design applications on anatomical education. We searched the following databases as of December 31, 2022 (WIPO Patentscope, Espacenet, and Derwent). We deduplicated the records, screened them for eligibility, and extracted information on characteristics of the patent application and applicant. We computed frequency and percentage according to country, type of applicant, number of inventors, type of patent, scope of patent, purpose of patent, organ system, status of patent, and time to patent granting.

Out of 667 merged records from the initial search, we removed 312 duplicates, excluded 97 records, and included 258 reports in the review. The median number of patent applications per year was 58 (range, 32, 61). Majority of the applications were from China and USA (36.0 and 34.9%, respectively), national in scope (62.8%), industry as applicant (49.6%), inventions (77.5%), usable beyond anatomy (70.9%), physical models (53.1%) and with pending status (63.6%). The median time to granting for 65 patents was 316 days (range, 40 to 1568).

For the period 2018-2022, there were 258 patent applications related to anatomical education, both as a basic science and in clinical applications, were mostly inventions, applied for by industry, contributed by US and China, only national in scope, physical 3D models (mostly musculoskeletal, head/neck and sensory organs, and whole body), and usable beyond basic anatomy. The majority of patent applications are still pending with only 65 granted patents. Plastinated specimens, and the urinary, reproductive, and pulmonary organ system models were least represented.

The emergence of new-generation artificial intelligence technology has brought numerous innovations to the healthcare field, including telemedicine and intelligent care. However, the artificial intelligent medical device sector still faces significant challenges, such as data privacy protection and algorithm reliability. This study, based on invention patent analysis, revealed the technological innovation trends in the field of artificial intelligent medical devices from aspects such as patent application time trends, hot topics, regional distribution, and innovation players. The results showed that global invention patent applications had remained active, with technological innovations primarily focused on medical image processing, physiological signal processing, surgical robots, brain-computer interfaces, and intelligent physiological parameter monitoring technologies. The United States and China led the world in the number of invention patent applications. Major international medical device giants, such as Philips, Siemens, General Electric, and Medtronic, were at the forefront of global technological innovation, with significant advantages in patent application volumes and international market presence. Chinese universities and research institutes, such as Zhejiang University, Tianjin University, and the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, had demonstrated notable technological innovation, with a relatively high number of patent applications. However, their overseas market expansion remained limited. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the technological innovation trends in the artificial intelligent medical device field and offers valuable information support for industry development from an informatics perspective.
Artificial Intelligence ; Patents as Topic ; Humans ; Inventions ; China ; Brain-Computer Interfaces ; Telemedicine ; Equipment and Supplies ; Robotics ; Algorithms

The emerging biomedical industry has an increasing demand for the professional talents and puts forward higher requirements for the quality, especially the innovation ability of the talents. Exploring a new model for fostering the innovation ability of postgraduates majoring in biological and medical sciences based on the principle of integrating production, education and research is of practical significance for improving the quality of professional talents and empowering the bio-economic development. Taking the training of innovation ability of postgraduates majoring in biological and medical sciences at Jiangnan University as an example, this paper introduced a new training system of "six integration and six optimizations". This system included ideological guidance, discipline system, training program, faculty, research innovation platform, and communication and cooperation. Satisfactory cultivation results were achieved with this new system. This paper is expected to provide reference for the training of innovative talents in the biological and medical industry.
Biological Science Disciplines/education* ; China ; Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Inventions

In order to judge the future development trend of science and technology, plan ahead and lay out the frontier technology fields and directions, China Association of Chinese Medicine(CACM) has launched consultation projects for collecting "major scienti-fic issues and engineering technology difficulties in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)" for the industry for three consecutive years since 2019. Up to now, 18 projects have been selected as major issues for research, and some experience and achievements have been made. These projects have been applied in important scientific and technological work such as scientific and technological planning and deployment at all levels of national, local, and scientific research institutions, the selection and cultivation of major national scientific and technological projects, and the construction of innovation bases, giving full play to the role of the think tank advisory committee of CACM. This study reviewed the selection of major issues for the first time, systematically combed its application in the national layout of science and technology, and put forward the existing problems and improvement suggestions, aiming to provide new ideas for further improving the selection of major issues and research direction, providing a theoretical basis and decision support for the national scientific and technological layout in the field of TCM, and promoting scientific and technological innovation to facilitate the high quality development of TCM.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Inventions ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

Focusing on the reform initiatives of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) & Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in medical scientific and technological innovation from perspectives of deepening the reform and optimizing the ecosystem of science and technology innovation, this article summarizes the highlights of CAMS & PUMC's efforts in safeguarding people's health and promoting the Healthy China 2030 strategy through scientific and technological innovation in the fields including basic research, disease prevention and treatment, and medical technology in the past ten years. These achievements embody the endeavors and responsibility of CAMS & PUMC in realizing self-reliance and self-improvement of Chinese medical science and technology and highlight its contributions to the development of medical science and technology of China.
Humans ; Inventions ; Ecosystem ; Academies and Institutes ; China

COVID-19/transmission* ; Equipment Design ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control* ; Inventions ; Occupational Diseases/prevention & control* ; Pandemics ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Singapore/epidemiology*

The goal of this paper is to review the advantages and disadvantages of the various treatment options of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) total joint replacement (TJR). TMJ articles published within the last 20 years were reviewed to collect the information on non-invasive and invasive TMD treatment methods. Recent technological advancements helped the evolution of treatment methods and offered significant value to TMD patients and surgeons. Considering the TMD levels, the therapeutic procedures can involve general health examiniations, physical therapy, medication, oral rehabilation or as an end stage clinical invention, temporomandibular joint replacement. In fact when intra-articular TMD is present, the effective treatment method appears to be TJR. However, concern for infection, material hypersensitivity, device longevity and screws loosening issues still exists. Further combined research utilizing the knowledge and expertise of, surgeons, material scientists, and bioengineers is needed for the development of improved TMD therapeutic treatment.
Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inventions ; Joints ; Longevity ; Methods ; Surgeons ; Temporomandibular Joint

BACKGROUND: Dietary patterns have a significant impact on prognosis, recurrence, and survival in patients with cancer. This study investigated dietary patterns using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) in cancer survivors compared to those in the general population without cancer.METHODS: Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI data, cancer survivors were defined as those diagnosed with cancer more than 1 year before the survey. The associations between possible predictors and the DQI-I score were examined using t-tests and analysis of variance. Adjusted multiple linear regression analysis was performed to compare the differences in DQI-I scores between cancer survivors and controls.RESULTS: In univariate analysis of 9,351 subjects (433 cancer survivors and 8,918 controls), age, sex, body mass index, marital status, education level, income, residential area, smoking status, and alcohol consumption were associated with the DQI-I score (each P-value < 0.05). After adjustment, cancer survivors showed higher DQI-I scores than the controls (67.40±8.90 vs. 65.50±9.40, P-value=0.007). In subgroup analysis, cancer survivors within 5 years after cancer diagnosis showed higher DQI-I scores than the controls (68.70±8.30 vs. 65.50±9.40, P-value=0.034), whereas those who survived beyond 5 years post-diagnosis did not show significant differences from the controls (66.70±9.20 vs. 65.50±9.40, P-value=0.063).CONCLUSION: Cancer survivors within 5 years of cancer diagnosis showed better dietary patterns than those in the general population. However, the differences were not observed after 5 years post-diagnosis. To reduce the risks of second primary cancer and mortality, targeted inventions for dietary habits are necessary for long-term survivors of cancer.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Education ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Inventions ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Marital Status ; Mortality ; Neoplasms, Second Primary ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survivors

In recent years,the number of patent applications for traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) inventions has increased rapidly,but the authorization rate has declined. Listed TCM enterprises are a group of active innovators in this field,so this paper analyzes their patent quality by combining patent application and authorization with R&D investment of enterprises in order to explore a practical way to improve the quality of TCM patents. The conclusions are as follows: the R&D investment of listed TCM enterprises is insufficient and the gap between enterprises is large; the number of patent applications is within a reasonable range,but some enterprises still have abnormal patent applications,and patent quality needs to be improved; in addition,the patent operation capacity of enterprises still needs to be improved. In this phenomenon,enterprises should improve R&D investment,strengthen the level of technological innovation,improve the ability of patent operation,and consciously eliminate the output of " abnormal patents"; the patent administrative department should optimize policy direction which is beneficial to the improvement of patent quality,grasp the normal and reasonable examination scale,and jointly improve the quality of TCM patents.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Inventions ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

This article refreshes the innovative review approach of medical device in China at first. It proposes reference through presenting a series of existing review and approval of innovative medical device in U.S. as well as new tools and methods for supporting scientific review.
China ; Device Approval ; Equipment and Supplies ; Inventions