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Artificially intelligent robots as teachers (AI teachers) have attracted extensive attention due to their potential to relieve the challenge of global teacher shortage and realize universal elementary education by 2030. Despite mass production of service robots and discussions about their educational applications, the study of full-fledged AI teachers and children's attitudes towards them is quite preliminary. Here, we report a new AI teacher and an integrated model to assess how pupils accept and use it. Participants included students from Chinese elementary schools via convenience sampling. Questionnaires (n = 665), descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling based on software SPSS Statistics 23.0 and Amos 26.0 were carried out in data collection and analysis. This study first developed an AI teacher by coding a lesson design, course contents and Power Point with script language. Based on the popular Technology Acceptance Model and Task-Technology Fit Theory, this study identified key determinants of the acceptance, including robot use anxiety (RUA), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and robot instructional task difficulty (RITD). Moreover, this study found that pupils' attitudes towards the AI teacher, which could be predicted by PU, PEOU and RITD, were generally positive. It is also found that the relationship between RITD and acceptance was mediated by RUA, PEOU and PU. This study holds significance for stakeholders to develop independent AI teachers for students.

ObjectiveWith the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry, the investment in research and development of new commercial Chinese polyherbal preparations (CCPPs) is increasing, and the varieties of CCPPs are growing. CCPPs play an increasingly important role in the TCM industry. This study has comprehensively summarized and analyzed the current situation of CCPPs that has been on the market in China, and provided suggestions for the research and promotion of CCPPs.MethodsThis study took the CCPPs approved for marketing in domestic drug database of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) as the research object, and combined with the publication of related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CCPPs in 2020–2022 and the sales of CCPPs in domestic chain pharmacies, statistical analysis was carried out on the drug name, pharmaceutical companies, dosage form, number of flavors, CBDs, ICD-11 classification of diseases treated, etc.ResultsCurrently, 58,409 approvals for CCPPs have been issued in China, involving 9,986 varieties of CCPPs, 2,896 pharmaceutical companies and 39 dosage forms. The number of flavors of prescriptions of CCPPs varies from 1 to 90, among which Glycyrrhiza glabra L. [Fabaceae; Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma] and Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels [Apiaceae; Angelicae sinensis radix] are the most widely used. The study found that the CCPPs with the most diverse variety is CCPPs for the treatment of respiratory diseases, some CCPPs can treat multiple system diseases. According to the survey, the sales of CCPPs for respiratory diseases in the chain pharmacies account for more than 1/3 of the total sales of the chain pharmacies, while the number of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on CCPPs for circulatory diseases was the largest.ConclusionThe approval process of CCPPs should be further standardized, and the transformation of TCM prescriptions into CCPPs should be promoted. In the approval process of CCPPs, it is suggested to strengthen the supervision of drug names to clarify the differences between the CCPPs of same name but different prescriptions. Improve the effectiveness and safety of CCPPs by improving the quality of CBDs. It is suggested to optimize the design of new drug research program of CCPPs to avoid waste of research resources.

ObjectiveTo explore the clinical effect, safety and effectiveness of ultrasound-guided rhomboid intercostal and subserratus plane (RISS) block for postoperative analgesia after minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIE-McKeown), and provide new ideas for the selection of postoperative analgesia programs for minimally invasive esophageal cancer surgery patients.MethodsA prospective randomized controlled study design was used to collect data. Patients undergoing MIE-McKeown in the Department of cardiothoracic surgery of Fuling Hospital of Chongqing University from March 2022 to June 2023 were prospectively collected as research objects. They were divided into three groups by random number table method: Group A: continuous RISS plane block+patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), Group B: single RISS plane block+PCIA, and Group C: control group, simple PCIA. The outcome indicators of each group were recorded and compared: ①Analgesic effect [visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score for rest and cough at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery], ②Postoperative use of analgesics [the amount of sufentanil used within 24 hours after surgery, the number of effective presses of the analgesia pump and the number of additional rescue analgesia], ③Adverse reactions during postoperative analgesia [dizziness, lethargy, postoperative nausea and vomiting(PONV), hypotension, respiratory depression, urinary retention, etc.], ④Intraoperative hemodynamic indicators [mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) at different time points], ⑤Analgesia satisfaction. ①②③ were the primary outcome indicators, and ④⑤were the secondary outcome indicators.ResultsA total of 96 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled, with 32 cases in each group. Group A patients had lower resting and cough VAS scores at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery compared to Group C. Group A had lower resting VAS scores at 2, 24 hours after surgery and lower cough VAS scores at 12, 24 hours after surgery compared to Group B. Group B patients had significantly lower resting VAS scores at 2, 6, 12 hours after surgery and lower cough VAS scores at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery compared to Group C (all P < 0.05). The dosage of sufentanil, the number of effective compressions of the analgesic pump, and the additional number of remedial analgesia gradually increased between groups A, B, and C within 24 hours after surgery, with statistical differences (all P < 0.01). The incidence of dizziness and PONV in Group C was higher than that in Groups A and B, respectively (both P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in MAP and HR among the three groups of patients before anesthesia induction (T0), immediately after skin incision (T1), 5 minutes after skin incision (T2), and 5 minutes after extubation (T3) (all P > 0.05). The satisfaction with pain relief in Group A, Group B, and Group C decreased sequentially(P < 0.05).ConclusionsUltrasound guided RISS block can provide good postoperative analgesia for MIE-McKeown surgery. As an active exploration of multimodal analgesia, continuous RISS has better analgesic effects. It is safe, effective, and worthy of further clinical promotion and use.