In the acute phase of traumatic brain injury or cerebrovascular disease,disorders of hypothalamic-pituitary-cortical axis,hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis may exist.The main cause is primary or secondary impairment of hypothalamus as well as pituitary after brain injury.Most of the variations of endocrine after acute brain injuries may be temporary and reversible,but some patients will accompany with hypopituitarism or neuroendocrine deficiency.It is important to set a guideline to decide who and when to test.Hormone replacement therapy should also be verified if it can improve the outcome of patients with brain injuries.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of age on long-term prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods102 inpatients with TBI were evaluated by following-up, using Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Functioning Item of Disability Rating Scale (DRS-F) , Employability Item of Disability Rating Scale (DRS-E) and Quality of Life Index (QLI).ResultsThe average age of 102 cases was 29.7±12.5. There were no significant differences among different groups in GOS and DRS-F (P>0.05), but the level of DRS-E or QLI showed much higher in <27 years old group than those in >45 years old group (P<0.01).ConclusionThe factor of age may affect the long-term prognosis of TBI, quality of life and employability of young patients are better than elder patients.

Objective To preliminarily evaluate the value of color power doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis(AS). Methods Fifty-seven sacroiliac joints in 31 patients with active AS and 40 sacroiliac joints in 20 volunteers were detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.The color flow signs inside the sacroiliac joints were observed,and the resistance index(RI) was measured. Results In active AS,color flow signs were seen in 55 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.53?0.08 in 45 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography.In the volunteers,color flow signs were seen in 16 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.97?0.01 in 6 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography. Conclusion The abnormal flow signs at the sacroiliac joints can be detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.Low RI values provide diagnosis evidence for active AS.

AIM:To investigate the characteristics of Ets-1 and VEGF expression and distribution in the experimental diabetic rat retina.METHODS:Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ).At 4 weeks after STZ-injection,animals were sacrificed.Total proteins were isolated from retinas of experimental and control eyes and were assessed by Western blot analysis.Frozen cross sections of eyeballs with 14um thickness were used to perform double immunoffuorescence staining with anti-Ets-1 and anti-VEGF antibodies.RESULTS:Both Ets-1 and VEGF expression were up-regulaled in the diabetic retina,the distribution of Ets-1 and VEGF was identical to each other,and the two proteins were almostlocalized in all retinal layers.CONCLUSION:Ets-1 might contribute to the pathologic progress of the diabetic retina induced by VEGF.

AIM: To determine the involvement of Ets-1 in the pathological progress of the experimental diabetic retina. METHODS: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Total RNA and Total proteins were isolated from retinas of experimental and control eyes at 4 weeks after STZ-injection and were assessed by Northern blot analysis and Western blot analysis, respectively.RESULTS: Expression of both Ets-1 mRNA and Ets-1 protein was significantly increased in the experimental diabetic rat's retina after STZ-injection compared with the control group (P＜0.001).CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that Ets-1 was involved in the pathological progress of experimental diabetic retina.Further studies should be conducted to focus on the relationship between Ets-1 and VEGF in the diabetic retina.

· AIM :To investigate the role of pericytes in growth of retinal microvascular endothelial cells with a co-culture system in order to understand some mechanism of angiogenesis in hypoxia induced retinal neovascular disorders.(RMECs) were isolated by a modified protocol using CD31 coated Dynabeads, and identified by immunocytochemical staining with anti-Factor Ⅷ and CD31 antibodies. Rat retinal pericytes were isolated and characterized by immunofluorescent staining with PDGFR-β; and desmin antibodies. Pericytes and RMECs were cultured in a contact co-culture system both under normoxia and hypoxia by Millicell chamber. RMECs proliferation was evaluated by MTT and cell cycle assay with flow cytometry. RT-PCR was used to detect the alteration of KDR/Flk-1 mRNA level in RMECs under normoxia or hypoxia in the co-culture system.harvested with the modified isolating method. The two cell types were identified by positive Factor Ⅷ, CD31 and PDGFR-β, desmin cytochemical staining respectively.RMECs proliferated significantly under hypoxia from 3 to 9d with a maximal rate on day 6 (24.9%, P ＜ 0.01) by MTT. In the co-culture system, the proliferation of RMECs was inhibited by pericytes. After 6d exposure to hypoxia,the fraction of S-phase RMECs number was greatly increased by 43.9% (P ＜ 0.01). In the co-culture system,RMECs proliferation was inhibited by pericytes through decreasing the fraction of S-phase cell number both under normoxia (3.6%, P＜0.05) and under hypoxia (15.1%,P＜0.01). KDR/Flk-1 mRNA level in single cultured RMECs was shown to increase approximately 1.3-fold when exposed to hypoxia. Compared with single cultured RMECs, co-culture with pericytes could decrease KDR/Flk-1 mRNA by 45.1% (P＜0.05) and 27.7% (P ＜ 0.05) under normoxia and hypoxia condition respectively.pericytes could inhibit proliferation of RMECs under both normoxia and hypoxia. The inhibition effects of pericytes maybe, at least in part, due to downregulation of KDR/Flk-1 of RMECs. These findings confirm that pericytes could be a potential inhibitor in the pathogenesis of retinal neovascularization.

Objective To investigate and analyze the situation of urban neglected children aged 3 to 6 in 9 districts of Chongqing .Methods Totally 1 316 children were randomly sampled under stratification from 18 streets of 9 district of Chongqing . Based on the Child Neglect Norms used by China ,prevalence of child neglect was identified and SPSS 13 .0 was employed for statis‐tical analysis .Scores ,frequency/degrees ,age ,sex and 5 types (physical ,emotional ,educational ,safety and medical) of child neglect on every group of the regions were calculated .Results The average prevalence of child neglect for the 3 to 6 year‐olds was 22 .95% ,and the total degree was 39 .56 ± 7 .19 .No significant differences were found in the prevalence and degree of child neglect between males and females and among age groups (P<0 .05) .The frequencies of child neglect for the five types were 5 .09% to 10 .64% ,with the higher frequencies of safety neglect (10 .64% ) and physical neglect (9 .50% ) .The degrees of child neglect for the five types were 36 .94 to 41 .24 ,with the higher degrees of educational neglect and physical neglect (41 .24 ± 10 .43 ,39 .81 ± 9 .32 respectively ) .No significant differences were found in the frequency of the types between males and females and among age groups . No significant differences were found in the degree of the types (with an exception on emotional neglect among age groups) between males and females and among age groups .The children aged 3 to 6 were mainly involved in single item of negligence ,with incidence rates as 13 .68% and proportions as 59 .60% .Conclusion The frequency and degree of child neglect among children aged 3 to 6 in the urban areas of 9 district of Chongqing were medium ,and similar between males and females and among age groups ,except the degree of emotional neglect .The children aged 3 to 6 had the higher frequencies of safety and physical neglect ,and the higher de‐grees of educational and physical neglect .The children aged 3 to 6 were mainly involved in single item of negligence .

Background Hyaluronic acid is a mucopolysaccharide existing in extracellular matrix and having good biocompatibility.Using chemical crosslinking method can improve the physical properties of the material,so cross-linked hyaluronic has potential clinical application value.Objective The present study was to evaluate the histocompatibility and biological security of cross-linked hyaluronic acid as ophthalmic implant material.Methods Cross-linked hyaluronic acid implant material was prepared according to the criteria of Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices (GB/T16886.5-2003).Eighteen 8-week-old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomized into the experimental group and the control group.Cross-linked hyaluronic acid material with 5.0 mm diameter was implanted into corneal stroma interlaminationally in the experimental group,and only corneal stromal interlaminational pocket was made without any implanting material in the control group.Biological response of cornea was assessed in vivo from 1 week through 3 months after operation by slit lamp microscope.The corneas were obtained 2 weeks,1 month and 3 months respectively for histopathological examination.Mouse embryonic fibroblasts were cultured in cross-linked hyaluronic acid film plate,medical silicone material culture plate and regular culture plate respectively for 24 hours,and the cell growth state and morphology were observed under the inverted microscope and scan electron microscope.MTT assay was used to test the relative growth rate of the cultured cells 48 hours after cultured using extracted liquid of hyaluronic acid implant material.Results Cross-linked hyaluronic acid implant material showed a well healing to the corneas of rabbits during the observation duration,without obvious inflammatory response and neovascularization.The arrangement of stromal fibers was uniform in order,and no infiltration of inflammatory cells was seen under the light microscope.The cells grew well after cultured with cross-linked hyaluronic acid film and regular medium for 24 hours,but in the silicone culture group,fewer of adherent cells and more floating cells were found.The relative growth rate of the cells was 87.50％ 48 hours after cultured with extracted liquid of hyaluronic acid implant material.Conclusions The cross-linked hyaluronic acid material has good histocompatibility and biological security in rabbit cornea tissue.

Aim To study the protective effect of icariin on the impairment of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and the underlying mechanism. Methods The proliferation of BMSCs was evaluated by MTT assay, the morphological change of apoptotic cells was tested by using the chromatin dye Hoechst 33258, and the apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry. The proteins expression of cleaved caspase-3 was detected with Western blotting, the activity of caspase-3 was detected by Activity Assay Kit; iNOS and TNOS were detected by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) assay kit. Results MTT detection showed that 5-FU could reduce the survival rate of BMSCs, 10, 20, 40 μmol · L-1ICA could promote the proliferation of BMSCs, and blocked the inhibition of BMSCs cells growth induced by 5-FU. When BMSCs cells were treated by both ICA (10, 20 p, mol · L-1) and 5-FU (2.5×l0-2g· L-1) for 48 hours, compared with model group, the early apoptotic rates of ICA test groups were significantly reduced (P < 0. 01), the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and the activity of caspase-3 were significantly reduced (P < 0. 01), and the activity of iNOS and TNOS was inhibited in a certain degree (P < 0. 05). Conclusions ICA could protect BMSCs against 5-FU-induced damage. The protective role of ICA is probably related to reducing the activity of iNOS and TNOS, inhibiting the activation of caspase-3, and inhibiting the occurrence of apoptosis.

Background Most animal models of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) are single attacked procedure,with a different feature from the natural course of human recurrent autoimmune uveitis.So establishing a recurrent EAU model is necessary for the clinical study on EAU.Objective This study was to establish the recurrent EAU model in rat and investigate the ocular inflammation and pathological manifestation and interleukin-17 (IL-17)expression in the eye.Methods T cells isolated from the spleen and draining lymph nodes of Lewis rats immunized with interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) 1177-1191 peptide fragments (R16) 10 days earlier were re-stimulated with R16 in vitro and injected into naive syngeneic rats to establish the recurrent EAU models,and the normal Lewis rats were used as controls.The eyes of model rats were then examined daily for clinical signs of uveitis by slit-lamp biomicroscopy and scored Caspi's criteria.The rats were sacrificed 1 month,2,3months after injection respectively,and the retinal sections were prepared for the pathological examination by hemotoxylin & eosin staining.Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of IL-17 in the retina.Results Adoptive transfer of R16-specific T cells to Lewis rats induced recurrent uveitis.The inflammatory scores on the fourth day,the sixth day,and the inflammatory response disappeared on the tenth day after injection.However,the inflammatory reaction occurred repeatedly 4 or 5 times in the 2-month duration after that,and the right and left eyes of a single recipient showed a different pattern of relapse,and the clinical manifestations of EAU was similar to the natural course to those of human autoimmune uveitis.In the retinal specimens of 1-,2-and 3-month group,the number of inflammatory cells was gradually decreased as the time lapse.Compared with the normal group,the thicknesses of the entire retina,outer nuclear layer and inner nuclear layer decreased with a significant difference among the 4 groups (F=20.46,288.40,4.43,all P=0.00).The number of RGCs in the normal group,1-,2-and 3-month group was 231.27 ± 15.36,225.36 ± 17.79,132.18 ±9.39 and 67.45 ± 11.90,respectively,showing a significant difference among them (F=68.94,P=0.00).Immunohistochemistry showed that the scores of the IL-17 expression in the rat retina were 0.64 ± 0.17,1.92 ± 0.19,1.17 ± 0.23 and 0.83 ± 0.23,showing statistically significant difference (F=64.10,P=0.00).Conclusions The stimulation of R16-specific T cells can induce recurrent EAU in Lewis rat.Th17 is involved in the disease course.