Influence of small-group experiential learning of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on the oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors of elderly patients with diabetes

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at the oral health problems of elderly patients with diabetes. A training course of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine was constructed, helping patients improve their oral health quality of life. METHODS: A randomized controlled prospective experimental study was conducted. A total of 190 elderly patients were divided randomly into an observation group and a control group with 95 cases in each. The control group received regular health education, while the observation group was based on the control group to implement the integrated experiential learning of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in small groups. The oral health knowledge, attitude, behavior, and blood glucose control status along with the oral health quality of life of the two groups were compared before the intervention and at 3-month postintervention. RESULTS: Three months after the intervention, the fasting blood glucose control and the 2-h postprandial blood glucose/glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the observation group were significantly better than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The oral health quality of life in the observation group was significantly better than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The small-group experiential learning model of integrated Chinese and Western medicine can promote the transformation of knowledge-beliefs-behaviors in elderly patients with diabetes, which is conducive to controlling blood sugar levels and improving the quality of oral health.

Isoflurane Enhances the Expression of Cytochrome C by Facilitation of NMDA Receptor in Developing Rat Hippocampal Neurons In Vitro / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study examined the effects of clinically relevant concentrations of isoflurane on the amplitude of NMDA receptor current (INMDA) and the expression of cytochrome C in cultured developing rat hippocampal neurons.The hippocampi were dissected from newborn Sprague-Dawley rats.Hippocampal neurons were primarily cultured for 5 days and then treated with different concentrations of isoflurane [(0.25,0.5,0.75,1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC))].The peak of INMDA was recorded by means of the whole cell patch clamp technique.The cytochrome C level was detected by Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR.Our results showed that isoflurane (0.25,0.5,0.75 and 1 MAC) potentiated the amplitude of INMDA by (116±8.8)％,(122±11.7)％,(135±14.3)％ and (132±14.6)％,respectively,and isoflurane increased the mRNA expression of cytochrome C in a concentration-dependent manner.The cytochrome C mRNA expression reached a maximum after 0.5 MAC isoflurane stimulation for 6 h (P＜0.05).It was concluded that isoflurane enhances the expression of cytochrome C in cultured rat hippocampal neurons,which may be mediated by facilitation of NMDA receptor.