Ecoflex is a commercial designation for elastomers developed based on the principles of environmental sustainability and flexibility. Various manufacturers offer different types of Ecoflex products with distinct compositions and functions. Among these, the platinum-catalyzed silicone rubber Ecoflex series has demonstrated considerable applicability in various fields of oral medicine due to its excellent flexibility, biocompatibility, stability across a wide temperature range, and tunable mechanical properties. In tissue engineering, it can simulate the mechanical behavior of oral mucosa, and is used in cleft lip surgical training models and preoperative evaluation for temporal bone defect reconstruction. In the field of wearable devices, leveraging its encapsulation protection and flexible characteristics, highly sensitive sensors constructed from Ecoflex can monitor signals such as oral bite force and masticatory muscle activity, thereby aiding in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders and postoperative evaluation of cleft lip and palate. Moreover, when combined with bio-waste materials, it promotes the functionalization and sustainability of oral wearable devices.In drug delivery systems, its conformability and controlled-release capability address challenges in localized oral drug administration. Designs such as flexible microneedles and temperature-responsive composite systems provide precise solutions for treating periodontitis and oral ulcers. In minimally invasive surgical instruments, its softness enables the development of soft robots and magnetically controlled microfluidic valves, enhancing surgical safety and precision. In the field of oral rehabilitation, Ecoflex soft liner materials, inspired by the suction cup structure of octopus tentacles, improve denture retention. Their low modulus reduces mucosal irritation, ensuring both comfort and durability. Although Ecoflex shows great potential in biomedical applications, it still faces certain challenges, particularly regarding long-term stability after implantation, mechanical fatigue resistance, and microbial colonization, which require further investigation. In the future, with advancements in 3D printing technology, Ecoflex is expected to achieve more precise clinical translation across multiple fields and drive innovation in intelligent biomaterials.

Objective To analyze residents' awareness,usage,and influencing factors regarding smart shared Tradition-al Chinese Medicine(TCM)pharmacies in Nanchang City.Methods Descriptive analysis,one-way ANOVA,chi-square tests,and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to determine the awareness,usage,and influencing factors of shared TCM pharmacies.Results The survey revealed that the primary channel for disseminating information about smart shared TCM phar-macies is the internet.The functions of TCM decoction and delivery services were widely recognized among respondents.Conven-ience was a key advantage considered by users.Most respondents had not used smart shared TCM pharmacy services,while over half primarily utilized TCM decoction,delivery,and prescription review services.Willingness to pay for decoction and delivery services was moderate,and drug quality emerged as a critical issue for the development of smart shared TCM pharmacies.Statisti-cally significant differences in awareness were observed across age,education level,residential area,household registration type,occupation,and household income(P＜0.05).Age,occupation,residential area,and household registration significantly influ-enced usage frequency(P＜0.05).The primary drivers of usage behavior were the functional value of smart shared TCM phar-macies rather than demographic characteristics.Conclusion It is recommended that the government,hospitals,and enterprises collaborate to establish a service framework for smart shared TCM pharmacies that ensures"visible quality,reliable delivery,and affordable pricing".

Objective To analyze residents' awareness,usage,and influencing factors regarding smart shared Tradition-al Chinese Medicine(TCM)pharmacies in Nanchang City.Methods Descriptive analysis,one-way ANOVA,chi-square tests,and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to determine the awareness,usage,and influencing factors of shared TCM pharmacies.Results The survey revealed that the primary channel for disseminating information about smart shared TCM phar-macies is the internet.The functions of TCM decoction and delivery services were widely recognized among respondents.Conven-ience was a key advantage considered by users.Most respondents had not used smart shared TCM pharmacy services,while over half primarily utilized TCM decoction,delivery,and prescription review services.Willingness to pay for decoction and delivery services was moderate,and drug quality emerged as a critical issue for the development of smart shared TCM pharmacies.Statisti-cally significant differences in awareness were observed across age,education level,residential area,household registration type,occupation,and household income(P＜0.05).Age,occupation,residential area,and household registration significantly influ-enced usage frequency(P＜0.05).The primary drivers of usage behavior were the functional value of smart shared TCM phar-macies rather than demographic characteristics.Conclusion It is recommended that the government,hospitals,and enterprises collaborate to establish a service framework for smart shared TCM pharmacies that ensures"visible quality,reliable delivery,and affordable pricing".

Objective:To review the literature on improving patients′medical experience, analyze the current research status in this field, and provide references for enhancing patients′medical experience.Methods:A search was conducted for studies related to improving patients′medical experience published from January 2015 to November 2024 in eight databases, including CNKI and Web of Science. Using software CiteSpace 6.4.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.19 to analyze publication trends, keyword clustering, existing problems in the process of improving patients′medical experience, and the measures taken.Results:6 507 articles were included, of which 4 452 were in English (68.4%) and 2 055 were in Chinese (31.6%). The annual number of publications showed a nearly linear growth trend ( R2 = 0.983 9). The clustering analysis results indicated that domestic and international research mainly focused on patient-centered diagnostic and treatment systems, behaviors, services, and environments. Existing studies revealed that there were still problems such as long waiting times for appointments and consultations (292 articles), uneven distribution of medical resources (198 articles), and poor doctor-patient communication (155 articles). To improve patients′medical experience, the following intervention measures were proposed: accelerating the medical reform process and strengthening government responsibilities (169 articles); enhancing service concepts and innovating service models (363 articles); optimizing the consultation process and simplifying medical procedures (221 articles); improving the consultation environment and optimizing the facilities in the consultation area (181 articles); and integrating technological advantages to cover the entire medical process (346 articles). Conclusions:Research on improving patients' medical experience was increasingly attracting the attention of more and more scholars. Issues such as low service efficiency, unbalanced resource allocation, and poor doctor-patient communication need to be given special attention. In the future, it is recommended to enhance the experience of patients′ medical experience by strengthening policy and institutional guarantees, accelerating the construction of information technology, improving doctor-patient communication skills and humanistic care, and enhancing the capacity of primary medical services.

Regenerating periodontal bone defect surrounding periodontal tissue is crucial for orthodontic or dental implant treatment. The declined osteogenic ability of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) induced by inflammation stimulus contributes to reduced capacity to regenerate periodontal bone, which brings about a huge challenge for treating periodontitis. Here, inspired by the adhesive property of mussels, we have created adhesive and mineralized hydrogel microspheres loaded with traditional compound cordycepin (MMS-CY). MMS-CY could adhere to the surface of alveolar bone, then promote the migration capacity of PDLSCs and thus recruit them to inflammatory periodontal tissues. Furthermore, MMS-CY rescued the impaired osteogenesis and ligament-forming capacity of PDLSCs, which were suppressed by the inflammation stimulus. Moreover, MMS-CY also displayed the excellent inhibitory effect on the osteoclastic activity. Mechanistically, MMS-CY inhibited the premature senescence induced by the inflammation stimulus through the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2) pathway and reducing the DNA injury. Utilizing in vivo rat periodontitis model, MMS-CY was demonstrated to enhance the periodontal bone regeneration by improving osteogenesis and inhibiting the osteoclastic activity. Altogether, our study indicated that the multi-pronged approach is promising to promote the periodontal bone regeneration in periodontitis condition by reducing the inflammation-induced stem cell senescence and maintaining bone homeostasis.
Animals ; Bone Regeneration/drug effects* ; Rats ; Periodontal Ligament/cytology* ; Microspheres ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Hydrogels ; Periodontitis/therapy* ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Stem Cells ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans

Objective To explore the effects of behavior change intervention based on the multi-ple-theory model on patients with dyslipidemic ischemic stroke.Methods A total of 93 patients with dyslipidemic ischemic stroke who were hospitalized in the vascular neurology ward of Beijing Tiantan Hospital,Capital Medical University from January to August 2024 were selected as the study subjects using the convenience sampling method.They were randomly divided into control group(n=49)and intervention group(n=44)using the envelope-drawing method.Patients in the control group re-ceived routine stroke health education,while those in the intervention group underwent a 3-month be-havior change program guided by the multiple-theory model.The levels of healthy behaviors,body mass index(BMI),total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C),and low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C)were compared between the two groups.Results There were no statistically significant differences in general information and disease-related data between the two groups(P＞0.05).At 1-,3-,and 6-month after the intervention,the level of healthy behaviors in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group,with statistically significant differ-ences(P＜0.05).There was a statistically significant difference in BMI between the two groups at 6 months after the intervention(P＜0.05).The TC levels in the intervention group at 3 and 6 months after the intervention were lower than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).The HDL-C level in the intervention group at 6 months after the intervention was high-er than that in the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P＜0.05).The LDL-C levels in the intervention group at 1-,3-,and 6-month after the intervention were lower than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in TG levels between the intervention group and the control group at different time points after the intervention(P＞0.05).Conclusion The behavior change intervention pro-gram based on the multiple-theory model can effectively improve and maintain healthy behaviors and improve blood lipid levels in patients with dyslipidemic ischemic stroke.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of Xuanfei Baidu Decoction (XFBD) in a mouse model of dampness-heat toxin pneumonia. By exploring how XFBD exerts its effects, we seek to deepen our understanding of its role in treating pulmonary diseases and to address the current knowledge gap regarding its mechanisms of action, thereby supporting its clinical application. Methods: Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) were employed to analyze the chemical constituents of XFBD. The protective effects of XFBD were evaluated using a dampness-heat toxin-induced mouse model, established through dampness-heat exposure and HCoV-229E infection. XFBD was administered orally, followed by assessments including lung index measurement, micro-CT imaging, viral load quantification, cytokine analysis, and histological evaluation via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Proteomics and single-cell transcriptomic analyses were conducted to explore the potential mechanisms underlying XFBD’s pharmacological effects. A cellular model of HCoV-229E infection was developed to investigate changes in the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments confirmed the strong binding affinity between key XFBD components and PKA. Finally, PKA activators and inhibitors were applied in vitro to validate these mechanistic findings. Results: In vivo studies demonstrated that XFBD significantly reduced the lung index, improved the structural integrity of lung and tongue tissues, and decreased levels of proinflammatory mediators, including IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Proteomic and single-cell transcriptomic analyses showed that the differentially expressed proteins after XFBD treatment were primarily associated with inflammatory responses and immune regulation. The cAMP/PKA signaling pathway was identified as a key mechanism underlying these therapeutic effects. Notably, Western blot, ELISA, molecular docking, and SPR analyses confirmed that XFBD elevated cAMP levels and p-PKA expression, thereby activating the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in vitro. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that XFBD significantly alleviates symptoms in mice with dampness-heat toxin pneumonia. Its therapeutic effects are mediated, at least in part, through activation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. These findings provide compelling evidence that XFBD is an effective herbal remedy against HCoV-229E infection.

Objective:To investigate the regulatory effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subregions in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).Methods:This study was a cross-sectional investigation. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were retrospectively collected from 56 PMS patients (PMS group) and 66 healthy controls (control group) recruited from various universities and hospitals in Nanning between November 2021 and June 2024. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data and fMRI data during taVNS immediate stimulation (2 Hz, 25 Hz) were acquired from subjects during their late luteal phase. Using thalamic subregions (anterior thalamic nucleus, lateral nucleus, ventral nucleus, medial nucleus, central nucleus, posterior nucleus) as seeds, two-sample t-tests or paired t-tests were employed to analyze alterations in thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and the regulatory effects of taVNS on these changes. Independent samples t-test were used to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory indicators between the PMS group and the control group. The relationship between taVNS regulation of thalamic subregion FC in PMS patients and thalamic internal functional connectivity were analyzed using mediation effect analysis. Results:Compared to the control group, patients in the PMS group showed increased scores on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale 17, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 14 during the late luteal phase ( P<0.05). At baseline, PMS patients exhibited higher FC between the left thalamic lateral nucleus and the left insula, and lower FC between the left medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, and ventral nucleus of the thalamus and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) compared to the control group (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 2 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation in PMS group, FC between the left thalamic medial nucleus, posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the right MFG, as well as the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleu and the left MFG increased compared to baseline levels; meanwhile, FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus, ventral nucleus and the left insula decreased compared to baseline levels (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). During 25 Hz taVNS immediate stimulation, the FC between the left thalamic ventral nucleus and the right MFG decreased compared to the baseline level (GRF corrected, voxel-level P<0.001, cluster-level P<0.05). Mediation effect analysis showed that the FC between the left thalamic posterior nucleus and the left lateral nucleus mediated part of the association between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-left insula and the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-left putamen/insula; there were significant direct effects between the FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left posterior nucleus and FC of the left lateral thalamic nucleus-the left insula, as well as between the FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the left MFG and FC of the left ventral thalamic nucleus-the right MFG. Conclusions:taVNS can modulate abnormal FC of the left thalamic subregions in PMS patients, restoring it toward normalization. The regulatory effects of 2 Hz stimulation are more pronounced than those of 25 Hz stimulation. This modulation primarily operates through two pathways: the left thalamic lateral nucleus-left insula-left thalamic ventral nucleus pathway and the left MFG-left thalamic ventral nucleus-right MFG.