Metabonomics is the branch of science concerned with the quantitative understandings of the metabolite complement of integrated living systems and its dynamic responses to the changes of both endogenous factors (such as physiology and development)and exogenous factors (such as environmental factors and xenobiotics). As a holistic approach, metabonomics detects, quantifies and catalogues the time related metabolic processes of an integrated biological system, ultimately, relates such processes to the trajectories of the pathophysiological events. Ever since its birth in 1999, metabonomics has already been described in more than 800 scientific papers and half dozen patents, amongst which almost 700 papers were experimental articles. Now, metabonomics has been established as an extremely powerful analytical tool and hence found successful applications in many research areas including molecular pathology and physiology, drug efficacy and toxicity, gene modifications and functional genomics, and environmental sciences. This holistic approach has thus become an important part of systems biology and has now evolved to be a unique part in global systems biology. The essence of metabonomics and some of the present applications were reviewed to illustrate the rapid development of this extremely exciting new frontier.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy ofXing Nao Kai Qiao (brain awakening and orifice opening) Needling plus mountain-burning fire manipulation in treating post-stroke limb numbness.Method Eighty patients with post-stroke limb numbness were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened byXing Nao Kai Qiao needling plus mountain-burning fire manipulation, while the control group was byXing Nao Kai Qiao needling alone. The sensory function and motor function (Fugl-Meyer Assessment, FMA), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and Barthel Index (BI) were observed before and after intervention.Result The component scores of FMA (motor function, sensory function, range of motion, and joint pain intensity), NIHSS scores, and BI scores were significantly changed respectively after 1 and 2 treatment courses in both groups (P<0.05). The component scores of FMA, NIHSS scores, and BI scores after 2 treatment course were significantly different from that after 1 treatment course in both groups (P<0.05). After 2 treatment courses, the sensory function score, joint pain intensity in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionXing Nao Kai Qiaoneedling plus mountain-burning fire manipulation is an effective method in treating post-stroke limb numbness.

Shenjincao injection was prepared from the extract of Lycopodium cernuum L. by ultrafiltration or wateralcohol methods,respectively,and then injected intra-peritoneally in groups of rats contaminated with quartz powder to assess their prophylactic effects. After 5 weeks of treatment,the rats were dissected and the fresh and dried weights,collagen content and the pathologic grading of the lungs were examined. Results showed that Shenjincao injection prepared with ultrafiltration was effective for the prophylactic treatment of experimental silicnsis of rats,while that prepared with water-alcohol method was devoid of such effect. The antisilicosis active principle of Shenjincao was explored and discussed.

Objective To evaluate the effects of nimodipine (NIM) on pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH) and to assesse the effects of nimodipine on intraplatelet free calcium(PF[Ca 2+ ] i). Methods Fourty eight patients with moderate or severe PIH were randomized to receive either NIM or magnesium sulfate. We observed the change of blood pressure, urc protein, PF[Ca 2+ ] i and symptoms of preeclampsia before and after medication. We compared the pregnancy outcome of the two groups. Results 1.There was significant reduction of blood pressure at 1/2 h?1 h and 2 h after the administration of nimodipine. The maternal heart rate increased significantly ( P

Objective To explore the prevalence and risk factors of knee osteoarthritis (OA) among the elderly in Tianjin. Methods Totally 2038 elderly in Tianjin were investigated from January 2010 to June 2011 according to protocol of APLA-COPCORD Core Questionnaire to identification of risk factors for knee OA. Results The prevalence rates of knee pain and knee OA were 23.1％ and 21.7％,respectively. Knee OA appeared much frequently in women than men (27.6 ％ vs.16.1 ％,x2 =46.893,P＜0.001 ) in the trend of increase with aging(x2 =764.34,P＜0.001).BMI in knee OA group [(25.4±3.3) kg/m2]was significantly higher than in non-knee OA group [(23.8± 2.9) kg/m2],(t =7.944,P＜0.001).Menopause age in female knee OA group was younger than in female non-knee OA group [(50.2±3.7) years vs.(52.8±4.1) years,t=7.665,P＜0.001].Binary logistic regression revealed that age,sex,BMI and age of menopause were risk factors of knee OA,and eating vegetable might prevent from osteoarthritis,whereas there were no significantly association between knee OA and the other factors such as smoking and drinking.Conclusions Age,female and overweight are identified as risk factors of knee OA.

Objective To observe the incidence rate of anaemia and analyze the nutritional situation in the elderly population.Methods From April to August 2010,a total of 2052 elderly persons from out-department of Tianjin First Center Hospital were divided into four age groups:65-69years group (n=528),70-74 years group (n=593),75-79 years group (n=423) and 80 years and over group (n= 508).The body mass index (BMI),haemoglobin (Hb),mean corpuscular volume (MCV),triglyceride (TG),creatinine (Cr),serum albumin (ALB) and ferritin (Fer) were tested and evaluated using K-W test.Results (1) Anaemia was found in 90 subjects (4.4 %),4.0% in men and 6.l% in women,9.5% in 80 years and over group.The subjects with Hb level less than 90g/L were all 80 years and over.(2)There were significant differences among the groups in BMI,TG,Cr,ALB,Hb,MCV and Fer levels (all P＜0.01).There were significant differences among four groups in Hb and ALB levels (P＜0.01 ),and partially differences in TG, Cr and MCV levels (P＜0.05).(3)The Hb level was significantly correlated with TG, ALB, Fer and MCV levels (r=0.115,0.211, 0.114 and 0.089, all P＜0.01 ) from Pearson analysis.Conclusions Anemia incidence in elderly population is increased along with aging and is higher in women than in men, especially higher in 80 years and over group.Nutritional situation gets worse with aging.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of atherosclerosis in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) combined with low diastolic blood pressure and risk factors related to low diastolic blood pressure (DBP).Methods A total of 447 elderly patients with untreated ISH were divided into the low DBP (DBP＜70 mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) group (n=206) and the non-low DBP (DBP＞ 70 mmHg) group (n=241) according the DBP level.Clinical data including brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid artery ultrasonography, blood lipids, blood glucose, plasma homocysteine were collected and determined.baPWV, carotid intimal-medial thickness (IMT) and the incidence of carotid plaques were compared between the two groups.Risk factors for low DBP were analyzed.Results There were no significant difference in systolic pressure levels between the low DBP group and the non-low DBP group [(160.8±10.1) mmHg vs.(161.1-±-10.9) mmHg, P＞0.05].Pulse pressure, baPWV levels, IMT and the incidence of carotid artery plaque were higher in the low DBP group than in the non-low DBP group [(98.4 ±11.7) vs.(77.4±12.0) mmHg, (1 785.3±175.0) vs.(1 436.5±114.4), (1.2±0.2) mm vs.(1.1±0.3)mm and 78.2％ (161/206) vs.67.2％ (162/241), each P＜0.05].Stepwise logistic analysis showed that age, gender (female) and diabetes were independent risk factors for low DBP (OR=1.62, 2.07, 1.38, all P＜0.05).Conclusions Atherosclerosis is more serious in elderly patents with ISH combined with low diastolic blood pressure than those without low DBP.Age, gender (female) and diabetes are independent risk factors for low DBP.

Objective To explore the feasibility of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI to detect the chronic hepatitis b-induced early kidney injury. Methods Seventeen clinically diagnosed chronic hepatitis b patients with early kidney injury and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this preliminary study. The 17 patients underwent dynamic nuclear renography and then subdivided into stage 1 kidney injury group (n=7) and stage 2 kidney injury group (n=10). All of the enrolled subjects underwent BOLD examination and T2* relaxation rates (R2*) of renal cortex and medulla of split kidney, and the ratio between them (R2*med/cor) were measured separately. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed on the control group and chronic hepatitis b patients group (kidney injury stage 1 and stage 2 group) to compare the difference of renal cortical and medullary R2*values and R2*med/cor ratio. ROC curves were used to evaluate the efficacy of renal cortical and medullary R2* values and R2*med/cor ratio to diagnose the chronic hepatitis b-induced kidney injury. Results The cortical R2*values of control group, stage 1 kidney injury group and stage 2 kidney injury group were(16.87 ± 0.74)/s,(17.88 ± 0.73)/s,(20.29 ± 2.87)/s, respectively;the medullar R2*values of control group, stage 1 kidney injury group and stage 2 kidney injury group were (28.07±1.03)/s,(31.14±2.49)/s,(32.81±3.28)/s, respectively;R2*med/cor of the of control group, stage 1 kidney injury group and stage 2 kidney injury group were 1.67 ± 0.09, 1.75 ± 0.16, 1.63 ± 0.13, respectively, and the differences among the three groups were statistically significant (F values were 17.779, 19.170 and 3.439 , all P<0.05). Furthermore, the renal cortical and medullary R2* values of chronic hepatitis b patients were significantly higher than the control group, and the the renal cortical R2* value of the patients in stage 2 kidney injury group was also higher than the stage 1 kidney injury group. The area under curve (AUC) of ROC of the renal cortical and medullary R2*values and R2*med/cor to diagnose chronic HBV hepatitis-induced early kidney injury were 0.903, 0.949 and 0.526, respectively. Conclusion It's feasible and has great value to use renal BOLD MRI for the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis b-induced early kidney injury, and the renal cortex is more sensitive than the medulla to the kidney injury.

The growth of P. cruentum when added organic carbon source, organic nitrogen source and group B vitamin into medium were investigated in the present work. Results showed that glucose promoted growth rate observably. When addedZ% (W/V)glucose into the medium, the growth rate was doubled and biomass increased 92.6%to that of control after incubated 10 days . organic nitrogen source restrained the growth or harmed to P. cruentum. Vitamin Be and B12 also promoted the growth rate.

Objective · To investigate the gender-related metabolomic differences in human saliva. Methods · The saliva metabolomic profiles of 5 male and 5 female healthy volunteers with matched age, body mass index (BMI), living and tooth-brushing condition were acquired using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Metabolites were identified using publicly accessible databases and further confirmed individually with standard compounds. Both multivariant and univariate statistics were conducted to find inter-gender differences.Results · Forty-eight metabolites in human saliva were identified including 13 amino acids, 6 choline metabolites, 15 carnitines, 4 sphinganine metabolites,7 lysophosphatidylcholine and 3 organic acids. Levels of phenylalanine, acetylcarnitine, propionylcarnitine, butyrylcarnitine, isobutyrylcarnitine,isovalerylcarnitine and sphinganine were higher in the saliva of females than that of males. Conclusion · Rich metabolic information present in human saliva with significant gender diffference which ought to be taken into consideration in study on the metabonomics of saliva.