The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory of "treating heart and brain diseases with same methods (Nao Xin Tong Zhi: NXTZ)" has great significance to the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It has been proven effective by a great deal of clinical researches. However, the underlying mechanism for this theory is still unclear. To provide insights into the potential mechanism of "NXTZ", this study attempts to deeply investigate the mechanism from two representative cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebral apoplexy. First, various data resources were integrated to obtain different types of biomedical entities including drugs, targets, pathways and diseases. Then, three different approaches including text mining, biological network and enrichment analysis were utilized to recognize the potential common features between CHD and cerebral apoplexy, and the corresponding functions of drugs which could treat both diseases, thus unveiling the mechanism of NXTZ.
Brain ; drug effects ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Heart ; drug effects ; Humans ; Stroke ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To present the baseline characteristics of serum uric acid level in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)in single.centre nephrology clinic and judge the risk factor for decreased renal function of CKD Datients.Methods A cross-sectional study on CKD patients in clinic was carried out for 9 months.Results 780 CKD cases were enrolled in the study.The top four causes of CKD in these patients were primary glomerular disease(59.0%),essential hypertension(7.6%),lupus nephritis(6.4%)and diabetic nephropathy(6.3%).The average age was 41.9.The distribution of CKD stage was 47.8%of CKD1,18.7%of CKD2,14.0%of CKD3,8.1% of CKD4 and 11.4%of CKD5.Multivariate Logistic regression regression analysis indicated that age,proteinuria,hypertension were independently correlated with decreased renal function.Conclusion This is the largest cross-sectional study of CKD in China,which will help to determine the basic status of Chinese CKD patients,laying a basis for further followup.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of eonnexin 43 (Cx43) and clinicopathologieal characteristics of gastric cancer, and to study the role of Cx43 in peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. Methods Thirty-two patients who had gastric cancer and with peritoneal metastasis had been admitted to Southwest Hospital from January 2000 to December 2008. Gastric cancer tissues, adjacent tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues were obtained postoperatively, and the expression of Cx43 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between Cx43 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer was analyzed. All data were analyzed via Spearman rank correlation coefficient, Fisher exact probability and chi-square test. Results The expression of Cx43 was mainly detected in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. The positive expres-sion rates of Cx43 in gastric cancer tissues, adjacent tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues were 34% (11/32), 100% (32/32) and 94% (30/32), respectively. There were significant differences in the Cx43 expression between gastric cancer tissues and adjacent tissues (X~2=28.350, P < 0.01), and between gastric cancer tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues (X~2 = 21.989, P < 0.01). The expression of Cx43 did not correlate with age and sex of patients (r = -0.030, - 0.169, P > 0.05), but with tumor differentiation, histological type and lymph node metastasis (r = 0.750, 0.642, - 0.357, P < 0.05). Conclusions There is a decreased expression of Cx43 in gastric cancer tissues and a up-regulated expression of Cx43 in metastatic peritoneal tissues. Cx43 may play a positive role in the peritoneal metastasis.

Objective To present the baseline characteristics of serum uric acid level in patients with chro-nic kidney disease(CKD). Methods A cross-sectional study on CKD patients was carried out in our hospital for 9 months. Results 713 patients were enrolled. The top three causes of CKD in these patients were primary glomerular disease(61.2%, 436/713), essential hypertensive kidney disease (7. 2%, 51/713 ) and diabetic nephropathy (5.8% ,41/713). Serum uric acid level and the incidence of hyperuricemia were associated with the stage of CKD (F = 73. 569, P = 0. 000;χ2= 138. 156, P = 0.000). A significantly negative correlation was discovered between ser-um uric acid level and the level of glomerular filtration rate(RR = - 1. 045 ,P =0. 000). A significantly positive cor-relation of serum uric acid level was found with diastohc blood pressure, proteinuia level, smoking and BMI ( RR = 1.400,15. 149,37. 696,and 3.421 ,P <0.05 ,respectively). Conclusions The cross-sectional study of serum uric acid level in patients with CKD will help to determine the dynamic changes of serum uric acid level in Chinese CKD patients and lay a solid basis for the prevention and treatment of CKD and its complications.

Objective To evaluate the use of three-dimensional reconstruction (3D) to improve the success rate in the first attempt of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 109 patients with small HCC (with single nodule from 3 to 5 cm in diameter) treated with radiofrequency ablation between June 2010 and June 2013.A safe ablation margin was evaluated before and after radiofrequency ablation.The patients were divided into two groups: the 3D-RFA group (49 patients were evaluated by three-dimensional reconstruction before RFA treatment) and the 2D-RFA group (60 patients were not evaluated by three-dimensional reconstruction before RFA treatment).The success rate of the first attempt of radiofrequency ablation, recurrence free survival, overall survival and complications were compared between the two groups.Results The success rate of first ablation reached 95.9％ (47/49) in the 3D-RFA group which was significantly higher than the 48.3％ (29/60) in the 2D-RFA group (P ＜ 0.05).The local tumor progression rate was 8.1％ in the 3D-RFA group versus 23.3％ in the 2D-RFA group (P ＜0.05).The 1-, 2-, 3-year recurrence free survival rates were 85.4％, 63.9％, and 49.8％ respectively in the 3D-RFA group and 72.4％, 43％, and 34.4％ respectively in the 2D-RFA group (P ＜ 0.05).The 1-, 2-, 3-year overall survival rates were 91.4％,78.4％, and 60.9％ respectively in the 3D-RFA group and 83.3％, 58.7％, and 40.9％ respectively in the 2D-RFA group (P ＜0.05).Complications occurred significantly less in the 3D-RFA group (4％, 2/49) than the 2D-RFA group (13.3％, 8/60;P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Three-dimensional reconstruction improved the success rate of the first attempt of radiofrequency ablation and the prognosis of patients, and with less complications for small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To compare the effects and significance of laparoscopic and open D2 gastrectomy on the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10.Methods The clinical data of 146 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the Southwest Hospital from November 2010 to October 2011 were prospectively analyzed.All the patients were randomly divided into the laparoscopic group (75 patients) and open group (71 patients)according to the sealed envelope method.Laparoscopic or open D2 gastrectomy were performed according to the 14th edition of gastric cancer treatment guidelines of Japan Gastric Cancer Association.Peritoneal lavage fluid was collected at the beginning and the end of operation,and the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 in the peritoneal lavage fluid were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The measurement data were analyzed using the t test,and the count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.Results The preoperative concentrations of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (34 ± 13)μg/L and (35 ± 12)μg/L,respectively,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =-5.110,P ＞ 0.05).The postoperative concentrations of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (4015 ± 1592)μg/L and (6724 ± 2112)μg/L,respectively.The postoperative concentration of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group was significantly lower than that of the open group (t =-8.367,P ＜ 0.05),and the postoperative concentrations of IL-6 were significantly higher than those before operation in the laparoscopic group and open group (t =-59.065,-87.123,P ＜0.05).The preoperative concentrations of IL-10 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (43 ±9) μg/L and (42 ± 10) μL,respectively,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =1.190,P ＞0.05).The postoperative concentrations of IL-10 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (92 ± 32)μg/L and (62 ± 23)μg/L,respectively.The postoperative concentration of IL-10 was significantly higher than that of the open group (t =6.408,P ＜ 0.05),and the postoperative concentrations of IL-10 were significantly higher than those before operation in the laparoscopic group and the open group (t =-12.680,-6.802,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Peritoneal inflammatory reaction is relatively lighter after laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy when compared with open D2 gastrectomy,which might prevent the peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer mediated by IL-6.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic methods for hilar bile duct carcinoma. Methods The clinical data of 36 patients with hilar bile duct carcinoma from Jan 1998 to Jul 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The misdiagnosis rate(39%) was high. All patients underwent a surgery. The median survival time of 16 patients treated by radical resection was 30 months. The 1,3,5-year survival rate was 93%,50% and 25% respectively. While the median survival time of the rest 20 patients treated by a variety of non-radical operation was 16 months with 1,3,5-year survival rate of 47%,8% and 0 respectively(t=2.585).Conclusions Early diagnosis and radical resection improves long-term survival of patients with hilar bile duct carcinoma.

Objective To evaluate the value of urinary normal and modified nucleosides in the diagnosis of primary gallbladder carcinoma.Methods Between March 2011 to September 2012,28 patients with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (PCG) were included in this study.Spontaneous urine samples were collected and 10 kinds of urinary nucleosides in the sample were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography method.Another 62 patients with benign gallbladder disease and 70 healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls.Routine clinical tumor markers,including serum CA19-9 and CA125 levels of the PCG patients were also evaluated.Results 10 kinds of nucleoside had a good linear correlation (r＞0.99),and the recovery rate was between 87.4％ ～121.5％ range,and the accuracy rate was between 87.7％ ～121.3％,and the RSD of precision was between 1.5％～10.5％ range.In addition to adenosine and cytidine,the mean levels of the rest of the urinary nucleosides in the PCG group were much higher than those of the controls (P＜0.01).Based on principal component analysis,89.3％ of the PCG patients were correctly identified,which was much higher than those detected by CA19-9 (60.7％) and CA125 (67.9％) (P＜0.01).Conclusion Urinary nucleosides may become additional tumor markers which when combined with other clinical methods may help in the screening and early diagnosis of primary gallbladder cancer.

Objective: Gallbladder polyps are frequently discovered in the past decade. Ifthe polyps are oenign,without concomitant stone and the gallbladder has a good function, it is not an absolutely indication for cholecystectomy. For this reason percutaneous endoscopio polypectomy of the gallbladden polyps were developed and applied. Methods: Among those who underwent peroutaneous endosoopic polypectomy of the gallbladder, 85 patients with gallblaeder polyps were studied. Under the epidural anesthesia, cholecystoscope was introduced into the gallbladder. The polyps were coagulated by self-made miorowave ceagulator and then resected for histopathelogical evaluation. The preserved gallbladders were followed up to evaluate the effioacy of this minimally invasive therapy. Results: All precedures were eventful with mean operation time of 1h to 1. 5h. Sixty seven patients were followed-up for a mean of 5.5 yeah (2～9 years) and showed all patients to be symptom free and in 64 cases the gallbladder function was found to be well preserved without recurrence of polyps and occurrenca of gallstones on ultraSound. Conclusion: The procedure reposed is a reliable, simple,effective and minimally invasive technique to remove gallbledder polyps and to preserve gallbladder function for the patients who have the benign gallbladder polyps.