Taking the medical education of UCLA Medical School as an example, this paper com-pares the differences of medical education between Chinese and the United States medical schools . US medical education features students from undergraduate students, the organ system-oriented curriculum, diversified teaching methods with emphasis on the PBL one and diversified academic assessment, under-graduate-based teachers' allocation and training objectives for excellent clinical physicians. From the expe-rience of American medical education, our country should focus on optimizing the teaching system, updat-ing the teaching ideas, diversifying the teaching methods, promoting students' initiative, strengthening clinical probation, strengthening students' clinical skills, improving the construction of teaching facilities and network, and enhancing the humanistic quality education and the overall quality of teachers.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cystathione beta synthase (CBS) gene T833C, G919A, 844ins68 polymorphisms and plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels in ethnic Uyghur and Han patients with essential hypertension (EH) in Xinjiang.

METHODSFour hundred twenty nine cases including 211 Uyghur and 218 Han EH patients were recruited, whilst 410 healthy individuals including 210 Uyghurs and 200 Hans were used as the controls. Amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) was adopted to analyze the CBS gene polymorphisms including T833C, G919A and 844ins68. Enzymoimmunoassay was applied to determine the plasma level of Hcy. Chemiluminescence was applied to determine the plasma folic acid and vitamin B12.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the plasma Hcy level was significantly higher in the EH group in both ethnic Uyghurs and Hans (P < 0.05). Plasma levels of Hcy in T833C, G919A genotypes (for both heterozygotes and homozygotes) were statistically higher than wild types (P < 0.05). A significant difference was detected in G919A polymorphism between the EH patients and controls in both Uyghur and [CM(144.5mm] Han ethnics (Uyghur: x² = 10.264, P < 0.01; Han: x² = 23.075, P < 0.01), and in T833C between the EH patients and controls in ethnic Uyghurs (x² = 40.254, P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated that age (OR=1.151, P=0.047, 95% CI = 1.002-1.323), T833C (CC) (OR = 1.078, P = 0.003, 95% CI = 1.043-1.114), obesity (OR = 1.284, P = 0.021, 95% CI = 1.038-1.590), hyperhomocysteine (OR = 3.296, P = 0.016, 95% CI = 1.244-8.733) were independent risk factors for EH among ethnic Uygurs, while age (OR = 1.162, P = 0.007, 95% CI = 1.042-1.297), obesity (OR = 3.501, P = 0.003, 95% CI = 1.521-8.060), hyperhomocysteine (OR = 1.046, P = 0.031, 95% CI = 1.011-1.459) were independent risk factors for EH in ethnic Hans after adjusting for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONPlasma level of Hcy is associated with ethnic Uyghur and Han patients with EH in Xinjiang. CBS gene T833C CC genotype may be associated with the EH among Uyghur ethnics.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; ethnology ; Cystathionine beta-Synthase ; genetics ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level and 66A/G and 524C/T polymorphisms of methionine synthase reductase (MSR) gene with essential hypertension (EH) in ethnic Uygurs and Hans from Xinjiang.

METHODSFrom September 2011 to July 2014, 199 Uyghur and 216 Han patients were collected, while 195 healthy Uyghur ethnics and 217 healthy Han ethnics were recruited as the controls. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP) was adopted to detect the above polymorphisms. Enzyme immunological assay was applied to measure the levels of plasma Hcy.

RESULTSCompared with the control, plasma Hcy levels were significantly higher in EH group in both Uyghur and Han ethnics (P<0.05). In both ethnic groups, there were also significant differences in MSR 524C/T polymorphism between the patients and controls (Uyghur: chi-square=6.559, P=0.038; Han: chi-square=12.684, P=0.002). No significant difference was found in MSR 66A/G polymorphism between the patients and controls in both ethnic groups (P>0.05). Plasma Hcy level in those with a 66G/524C genotype was statistically higher than that with 66A/524T (P<0.05). After adjusting confounding factors such as gender and age, Logistic regression analysis indicated that age (OR=1.924, 95% CI:1.177- 3.164, P=0.009), obesity (OR=2.491, 95% CI: 1.584-3.920, P<0.01), hyperhomocysteine (OR=1.609, 95% CI: 1.016-2.548, P=0.043) were independent risk factors for EH in Uygurs, while age (OR=1.133, 95% CI: 1.010-81.272, P=0.033), hyperhomocysteine level (OR=3.894, 95% CI: 2.432-6.237, P<0.01), and obesity (OR=1.864, 95% CI: 1.141-3.046, P=0.013) were independent risk factors for EH in Han ethnics. No association was found between the polymorphisms and EH in Uygurs and Hans.

CONCLUSIONAge, hyperhomocysteine and obesity were common independent risk factors for EH in both Uygur and Han ethnics from Xinjiang. The MSR 66G genotype can increase the plasma concentration of Hcy, while MSR 524T genotype may reduce it. MSR 524C/T TT genotype may be a protective factor for EH. MSR polymorphisms 66A/G and 524C/T are not independent risk factors for EH in Uygur and Han ethnics from Xinjiang.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; enzymology ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide