Vesicants are the main agents used to fill chemical weapons, and chemical weapons abandoned by the Japa-nese Army in China.The mustard-lewisite mixture, which was developed for cold weather or high-altitude use due to its lower freezing point, is a special and important agent.The toxicology, emergency treatment and clinical management of mustard-lewisite mixture poisoning are introduced in this paper.

Chemical terror is one of the main forms of terrorism. The proliferation of chemical weapon and abuse of chemical poisons make chemical terrorism flourish and diversified in occurrence. The features of chemical terrorism are unexpectedness, surreptitiousness, diversity in their vehicles and media, and it could be widespread to involve a broad area to create a serious tumult. Medical protection is the pivotal step to control the influence of chemical terror. Anti-chemical terror medicine will provide new important subjects for researches in chemical-defense medicine, and studies in chemical-defense medicine will lay the foundation of anti-chemical-terror medicine. In conclusion, it is imperative that the principles, main subjects, and strategies of research on anti-chemical-terror medicine should be established as early as possible.

In 2002, a research report about toxic warfare launched by the United States Air Force attracted the attentionof the U.S.military and civilian disaster emergency rescue organizations .By reviewing historical events related to the malicioususe of toxic industrial chemicals in the war , this report proposed the concept of Toxic Warfare , and discussed itsimpact on the United States military and homeland security .In this paper, the concept and history of toxic warfare and itsinfluence on American military and homeland security are reviewed , the threats of toxic warfare facing China and counter -measures against toxic warfare are analyzed.

One of the most promising antimalarial drugs which are widely used throughout the world is the artemisinin (ARS)and its derivatives,e.g.,artemether,arteether,and artesunate.Their true potential lies in broader anti-disease applications.The mechanism of action of these compounds appears to involve the endoperoxide bridge to produce carbon-centred free radicals.Large clinical studies did not show serious side effects,however,there is a paucity of large-scale clinical trials suitable to detect rare but significant toxicity.Therefore,a final and definitive statement on the safety of artemisinins still cannot be made.In contrast,animal experiments at high doses shown considerable toxicity upon application of artemisinins.In the present review,the authors give a comprehensive overview on toxicity studies in cell culture and in animals (mice,rats,rabbits,dogs,and monkeys)as well as on toxicity reported in human clinical trials.The authors emphasize the current knowledge on neurotoxicity,embryotoxicity, genotoxicity,hemato-and immunotoxicity and cardiotoxicity.Rapid elimination of artemisinins after oral intake represents a relatively safe route of administration compared to delayed drug release after intra-muscular (im ) injection. There are drug-related differences, i.e., intramuscular application of artemether or arteether,but not to artesunate,which is safe and gives good profiles after im administra-tion in severe malaria.It might also be important in determining dose limitations for treatment of other diseases such as cancer.Questions about dosing regimens,safety of long-term use and possible inter-actions with existing therapies and toxicities that might be related to the treatment of tumors should be answered by appropriate clinical and preclinical studies.

Acute lung injury ( ALI) is a type of pulmonary excessive inflammation with high morbidity and mortality.It can be induced by multiple causes.There are currently no successful therapeutic or preventive measures because the patho-genesis of ALI has not been completely clarified.Many studies have shown that the activation of complement 5a (C5a) and its receptors is necessary in the process of ALI.Drug development targeting on C5a and its receptors may bring new hope to the treatment of ALI.In this article, the experimental evidence and possible mechanisms are summarized to reveal the rela-tionship between C5a and ALI.

Lung is the main target of lung-damaging agents(or choking agents,lung irritants)which can result in potential permanent respiratory depression,the rapid development of acute lung injury(ALI)and pulmonary edema,even death in severe cas-es. Recently,with the research progress in the pathogenesis of lung-damaging agents,numerous corresponding experimental studies were carried out and some progress were made. This paper summarizes the progress in the study of lung-damaging agents on the re-search situation,pathogenic mechanism and biomarker,to provide reference for the promotion of ALI prevention,medical antagonis-tic measures and clinical treatment.

Chemical weapons(CW), as weapons of mass destruction on the battlefield , made their debut in the First World War of the last century .To achieve total prohibition on CW , the international community concluded the Chemical Weapons Convention(CWC)in 1993, and it came into force in 1997.So far, only seven countries have been outside the CWC.The offensive and defensive pattern of the world changed then , and the world began to enter the post-CW era.A chemical terrorist attack perspective is needed in consideration of chemical threats facing the world .This article summarizes the experience on specific chemical attacks , analyzes the possibility , sources, types and developments of a chemical terror-ist attack, and puts forward countermeasures for any possible chemical terrorist attack .

The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life-support medications , intravenous administration , airway maintenance supplies , and medical/surgical items.It is designed to supply and resupply state and local public health agencies in the event of a national emergency anywhere and at any time within the United States or its territories .This article introduces the development , emergency supplies reserve and maintenance of the SNS .

OBJECTIVE To investigate the change of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),intercellular adhesion molecules(ICAM-1),matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 contents in cultured pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) in rats after perfluoroisobutylene (PFIB) exposure. METHODS PMVECs were separated and purified using a modified method of implantation of pulmonary tissues. After identification,PMVECs were divided into the normal control group and the PFIB-exposed groups(n=3). The PFIB-exposed groups inhaled PFIB at the concentration of 200 mg · m-3 for 5 min in a flow-past header,while the normal control group were PMVECs in quiescent condition. The supernatants and lysates of PMVECs were harvested at 0.5,1,2,4 and 8 h,respec?tively, after execution. The contents of TNF-α,IL-1β,ICAM-1,MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured by ELISA,and the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured by gelatin zymography. RESULTS① According to the morphologic characteristics of cell growth and the expression of specificity antigens and the bind experiment of phytohemagglutinin,the cells separated and purified by modified method shared the characteristics of PMVECs.②TNF-αwas rapidly expressed by PMVECs at 0.5 h post PFIB stimulation and the maximum value was achieved at 2 h post PFIB stimulation(P<0.05). The newly synthesized TNF-α was slowly released out of the cells. The maximum TNF-α in the supernatant was achieved at 4 h post stimulation.③Within 2 h of stimulation,PMVECs synthesized a large amount of IL-1β and peaks at 2 h. However,IL-1βwas never released to the extracellular milieu.④The amount of ICAM-1 was rapidly synthesized by PMVECs after PFIB stimulation,but at a low level.⑤After stimulation with PFIB,MMP-2 in the supernatant of PMVECs culture was gradually increased,peaked at 2 h and then decreased subsequently. The biological activity of MMP-2 in the supernatant was also enhanced after PFIB stimulation. PFIB did not stimulate synthesis or secretion of MMP-9,indicating that PMVECs were not the main source of MMP-9 during PFIB inhalation-induced acute lung injury. CONCLUSION PFIB stimulates the surviving PMVECs to synthesize a large amount of TNF-α,IL-1β, MMP-2 and conjunctive ICAM-1.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the pulmanary fibrosis formed after a single PFIB exposure.METHODS A total of 70 male mice were exposed to PFIB 130 mg·m-3 for 5 min.Pulmonary edema of 10 mice was evaluated by lung indices at 24 h after PFIB exposure.Pathological changes and collagen deposition were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Sirius red stainings in the other mice,changes in collagen content in lungs and plasma by measuring the respective hydroxyproline content at 2,4,6,8,12 and 16 weeks after PFIB exposure.RESULTS Severe pulmonary edema was observed at 24 h after PFIB exposure.At day 14 after PFIB exposure,inflammatory cell infiltration,alveolar septum thickening,interstitial and alveolar edema and protein leakage were noticed.Collagens types Ⅰ and Ⅲ on the wall of vessel and bronchi were severely damaged,but considerable amount of collagen type Ⅲ deposited on the alveolar wall.The content of hydroxyproline considerably decreased in the lungs but increased significantly in the plasma up to six weeks.Hydroxyproline in lungs and plasma began to recover at the end of 8 weeks,and then returned to normal.At 16 weeks,they recovered to normal level.At the end of 4 weeks,the lung lesions and the collagens at the wall of vessel and bronchi began to recover gradually; collagen typeⅢ at the alveolar wall was gradually absorbed,too.At 16 weeks,the lungs almost recovered to normal level.CONCLUSION At earlier phase after PFIB exposure,the excessive collagens destruction in lungs is observed,but no pulmonary fibrosis forms at the later phase.