OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of moxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints for precancerous lesions of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG).

METHODSFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a stomach meridian group, a control point group and a vitacoenzyme group, 10 rats in each group. The CAG precancerous lesion model was made in all the groups except the normal group. The rats in the normal group and model group were bundled for 30 min per day; the rats in the stomach meridian group and control point group were bundled and treated with moxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints or control points for 30 min per day; the rats in the vitacoenzyme group were treated with intragastric administration of vitacoenzyme, once per day. All the treatment was given for 20 weeks. The pathological morphological change of gastric mucosa was observed under optical microscope; the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), gastric mucosal proliferatig cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), argyrophilic protein of nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) in gastric mucosal cells were detected by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, in the model group the gastric mucosal cells showed dysplasia and the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, PCNA, VEGF, Ag-NORs in gastric mucosa cells in the model group was increased significantly (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the gastric mucosa lesion gradually recovered and the expression of EGF, TGF-alpha, PCNA, VEGF, Ag-NORs in gastric mucosal cells was gradually decreased in the stomach meridian group, control point group and vitacoenzyme group, in which the stomach meridian group had the most significant effects (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion at stomach meridian acupoints can obviously decrease the expression of cell proliferative factors in gastric mucosa in rats with CAG precancerous lesions, inhibit the gastric mucosal cell dysplasia, and promote the recovery of gastric mucosa.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa ; cytology ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and appropriate cut-off point of waist circumference of abdominal obesity for components of metabolic syndrome in Uygur population in Xinjiang. Methods A questionnaire-based survey, physical examination, and blood testing were conducted according to cluster random sampling in Uygur residents above 18 years old in Xinjiang.There were 3 542 samples collected,based on the International Diabetes Federation(IDF)standard of metabolic syndrome, the relativities of clustering of metabolic syndrome components and different strata of waist circumference for Uygur were analyzed,and looking for the appropriate cut-off points for identifying two or more components of metabolic syndrome within the shortest distance of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results According to IDF standard,the waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)corresponded to the shortest distance in ROC curve,at these cut-offs of abdominal obesity for component of metabolic syndrome,the prevalences of metabolic syndrome were 21.3%,19.5%in men, while 23.0%in women,the prevalence of women was higher than that of men(P<0.05).The prevalences of≥1,≥2 components of metabolic syndrome were shown an increasing trend with the increasing size of waist circumference, and the odds ratio of clustering of metabolic syndrome components were also increased significantly.Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Xinjiang Uygur population was higher than that of national level.The cut-off points of waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)combining other components definition of IDF standard were recommended for identifying metabolic syndrome of Uygurs.

Objective: To compare metabolic syndrome(MS)with Framingham risk score as predictors of cardiovascular disease(CVD)among Kazakhs population. Methods: The participants were the residents who had been followed up for more than 5 years in representative areas of Kazakhs in Xinjiang. We assigned MS a continuous risk score for predicting the development of CVD based on the weights of MS components. MS and Framingham risk score were compared in terms of their ability in predicting years in representative areas of Kazakhs in Xinjiang. We assigned MS a continuous risk score for predicting the development of CVD based on the weights of MS components. MS and Framingham risk score were compared in terms of their ability in predicting development of CVD using Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: The incidence of CVD was 13.87%. The incidence of CVD was higher in the MS group than it in the non-MS group(21.59% vs 11.10%, P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve of MS risk score was significantly larger than that of MS classification(0.727 vs 0.585, P<0.001); the area under the curve of MS risk score was close to that of Framingham risk score(0.732 vs 0.727, P=0.673). The association between CVD and each quintile of MS risk score was more significant than that between Framingham risk score and CVD under the same exposed condition(4.61, 9.33, 14.15, 22.29 vs 3.69, 6.36, 8.47, 16.99). Conclusion MS risk score that included age may be a better predictor of CVD among Kazakhs population.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the status and influencing factors of the health literacy(HL) of college students in a comprehensive university. METHODS: A total of 3 360 students from in a comprehensive university of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps was selected using multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method. The HL level of college students was investigated and evaluated with self-edited Xinjiang Construction Corps College Students Health Literacy Questionnaire. RESULTS: The HL level of college students was 17.1%. The HL level of medical students was higher than that of non-medical students(35.4% vs 10.0%, P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis results showed that among the medical students in grade three or four, those with medium and excellent academic achievement, and Han nationality had a positive effect on their HL level(P<0.01). Among the non-medical students, female and medicine related optional courses had a positive effect on their HL level(P<0.05). Students in the sophomore year had a negative effect on their HL level(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a big difference in the level of HL between medical students and non-medical students. Medical college students and non-medical college students have different factors affecting HL, medical education is related to improving HL.

OBJECTIVETo dynamically observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on repair of gastric mucosal lesion in rats with gastric ulcer, and to explore the time-effect relationship and molecular mechanism of EA for gastric ulcer.

METHODSA total of 72 SD rats were randomly assigned to a normal group, a model group, a acupoint group and a sham acupoint group, and each group were further divided into a 1-day subgroup, a 4-day subgroup and a 7-day subgroup, 6 rats in each subgroup. The rat model of gastric ulcer was established by using intragastric administration of ethyl alcohol. The rats in the acupoint group were treated with EA at"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the rats in the sham acupoint group were treated with EA at points 5 mm next to"Zusanli"(ST 36) and"Liangmen"(ST 21); the EA was given 30 min per treatment, once a day. The rats in the normal group and model group were treated with immobilization for 30 min per day, and no EA was given. PR-PCR method was applied to test the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and substance P (SP); Western blot method was applied to test the expression of neurotensin (NT).

RESULTSAfter 1-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was higher than that in the normal group (<0.01), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was decreased (<0.01, <0.05); compared with the model group and sham acupoint group, the ulcer index was decreased in the acupoint group (both <0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was up-regulated (all <0.05) while that of NT was up-regulated (both <0.01). After 4-day treatment, the ulcer index in the model group was reduced but still higher than that in the normal group (<0.05), and the expression of PCNA, SP and NT was up-regulated and higher than that in the normal group (all <0.01); the ulcer index in the acupoint group was similar to that in the normal group (>0.05), and the expression of PCNA and SP was lower than that in the model group (<0.01, <0.05), and the expression of NT was not significantly different from that in the model group (>0.05). After 7-day treatment, the differences of indexes above were not significant among the four groups (all >0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at acupoints of stomach meridian has two-way regulation on PCNA and SP and improve the expression of NT in different pathological state of gastric ulcer, which could further improve the repair of gastric ulcer.

Objective: To construct and confirm a predictive model for the risks of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its factors in Xinjiang Kazakh population. Methods: A total of 2 286 Kazakh individuals were followed for 5 years from 2010 to 2012 as baseline survey. They were recruited in Xinyuan county, Yili city, Xinjiang. CVD cases were identified via medical records of the local hospitals in 2013, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Factor analysis was performed on 706 MS patients at baseline, and main factors, age, and sex were extracted from 18 medical examination indexs to construct a predictive model of CVD risk. After excluding the subjects with CVD at baseline and incomplete data, 2007 were used as internal validation, and 219 Kazakhs in Halabra Township were used as external validation. Logistic regression discriminations were used for internal validation and external validation, as well as to calculate the probability of CVD for each participant and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The prevalence of MS in Kazakh was 30.88%. Seven main factors were extracted from the Kazakh MS population, namely obesity factor, blood lipid and blood glucose factor, liver function factor, blood lipid factor, renal metabolic factor, blood pressure factor, and liver enzyme factor. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting CVD in the internal validation was 0.773 (95%CI 0.754-0.792). In the external validation, the AUC for predicting CVD was 0.858 (95%CI 0.805-0.901). Conclusions The CVD risk prediction model constructed by 7 main factors extracted from Kazakh MS patients has high validation efficiency and can be used for risk assessment of CVD in Xinjiang Kazakh population.