AIM: To study antiasthmatic effect of citral from aqueous extract of fruit of cubeb litsea tree and its mechanism.METHODS: By inducing asthma with Ach-histamine method in guinea pig,cough with ammonia in mice and the output quantity of phenol red from the trachea in mice,the antiasthmatic was observed,preventing cough and eliminating phlegm effect of citral. By measuring the tension of guinea-pig isolated tracheal rings,the both influence of citral was observed on isolated guinea pig tracheal rings and inhibition's effects of citral on contraction induced by Ach.RESULTS: Citral prolonged apparently the incubation period of asthma due to Ach-histamine solution in guinea pig and the coughing incubation period,reduced coughing frequency induced by ammonia in mice,increased excretion of phenol red from the respiratory tract in mice,inhibited the constrictions induced by Ach,and shifted the dose-effect curves of Ach to the right.CONCLUSION: Citral has functions of expelling phlegm,relieving cough and resisting asthma,satisfactory bronchi spasmolysis.

BACKGROUND: What kind of traumatic changes could be observed in remote lumbar spinal cord after high-speed steel ball induced sciatic nerve injury?OBJECTIVE: To study the ultra structural changes of lumbar spinal cord motor neurons after the sciatic nerve injury due to high-speed steel ball.DESIGN: Retrospective randomized controlled study with experimental animals as subjects.SETTING: The field operation research institute of a military medical university college.MATERIALS: This study was carried out at the Ballistic Laboratory of Research Institute for Surgery from May 2001 to December 2002. Sixty-five SPF flap-eared rabbits of either gender weighing from 2.5 to 3.0 kg were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Daping Hospital Affiliated to the Third Military Medical Univeristy of Chinese PLA. All the rabbits were divided randomly into normal control group( n = 5), firearms injury group (n = 30) and cutting injury group( n = 30) . The two latter groups were subdivided into one-day, three-day, one-week, two-week, 4-week and twelve-week groups with 5 rabbits in each group.METHODS: The rabbits in the firearms injury group were injured at the midpoint of lateral posterior body surface projection of the right sciatic nerve with 0. 38 g steel ball containing 0.65 g detonators. The right sciatic nerve was cut at the same injury level in the cutting injury group.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The following pathologic changes of the lumbar spinal cord were observed with optical and electronic microscope at posttraumatic day 1, day 3 and week 1, week 2, week 4 and week 12 respectively.RESULTS: Micro-hemorrhage, neuron swelling and vacuoles were observed in the firearms injury group and the number of motor neurons decreased significantly, but these changes were unobservable in the cutting injury group.CONCLUSION: Compared with the cutting group, the injury to the spinal cord was severer in the firearms group and the survival neurons were less.

Objective To explore the possibility for preventing the underwater blast injuries. Methods Fifty rabbits were divided into two groups: protection and control groups. The animals were placed at the rang of 5.0m to 17.5m far from the explosion point. 0.2kg of TNT Explosives was placed 3 meters under water. Physical parameters of blast wave were measured using pressure transducers. At 6 hours after injury, the mortality rate and morphological alternations were observed. Results The safe devices were shown to be effective against underwater blast injuries. Most of the animals had no or mild pulmonary and intestinal injuries. The whole injury severity was reduced by 2 to 3 degrees with our own made device. Conclusion Our safe device could be used to protect against underwater blast injueirs.

Objective To explore the relationship between depression and malnutrition in hospitalized aged patients. Methods The mini nutritional assessment (MNA) table and geriatric depression scale (GDS) were used to investigate the nutritional status and depression of 114hospitalized elderly. Results The prevalence of depression was 62.3% (71 patients), the prevalences of malnutrition and latent malnutrition were 43.9% (50 patients) and 41.2% (47patients) respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition and latent malnutrition was higher in depressive patients than in non-depressive patients. After controlling age, number of illnesses, bed-ridden or not and method of nutrition, the nutritional status was negatively correlated with the grade of depression.Conclusions The prevalence of malnutrition in depressive patients is high and is associated with the grade of depression.

ObjectiveBy the study of histological feature of the regenerated nerve at different time after operation,to explore the mechanism of the peripheral nerve regenerationwhen the distal nerve stump is repaired by a smaller proximal end with artery sleeve briding.MethodsFour Wistar rats were served as the donors of arteris for bridging.Sixteen Wistar rats were randomized into 2 groups (n =8 per group).In control group,the right sciatic nerves were cut off and received epineurial suture.In experimental group,the right sciatic nerves received artery sleeve bridging in different size.HE staining was taken to observe the histological changes of the regenerated nerve at 7,14,21 and 28 days after operation.ResultsThe new regenerated axons need about 21 days to pass the bridging gap.Twenty-eight days after operation,the number of the regenerated axons in distal segment was greater than that of the proximal in the experimental group.The regenerated axons were matured and more regular.Conclusion The functional reserve of repaired nerve is exists when the proximal end is smaller than the distal in size by means of amplification effect.And the method of artery sleeve bridging provides a better situation for functional reserve.

Objective To analyze and discuss the possible reasons of the bone resorption beneath the prostheses after chin augmentation.Methods Twelve patients were admitted to our department for further correction after chin augmentation with materials.The bone resorption was observed through the clinical research and X-ray examination.Results All the patients were underwent the removal of the materials,genioplasty was performed in 8 patients,and two patients were treated by chin augmentation with polyethylene.All the patients were satisfied with their facial contouring.Mild bone resorption was found in seven patients (depth of bone resorption ≤2 mm),in which five patients were used with silicone materials,two patients were performed with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implants.Moderate bone resorption was seen in three cases.All of them were used with silicone implants (2 mm ＜ depth of bone resorption ≤4 mm).Severe bone resorption happened in two patients (depth of bone resorption ＞4 mm).One was used with silicone implant,and the other one was carried out with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene implant.Conclusions The imbalance among mentalis muscle,materials and underlying bone might be one of the key reasons.Thus for mild and moderate microgenia cases,chin augmentation with material is suitable,while long-term fellow-up study is necessary.But for the cases of severe mirogenia or microgenia and micrognathia with dentofacial deformity or mentalis muscle hyperactivity,genioplasty might be performed as well to correct their deformities.

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Bmi-1 in pancreatic cancer.Methods The expression of Bmi-1 mRNA was detected in pancreatic cancer and matched adjacent normal tissues by using real-time PCR in 22 cases of human pancreatic carcinoma.Bmi-1 and p16 protein were determined in 61 cases of human pancreatic carcinoma with immunohistochemistry and their relationship with clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed.Results The expression of Bmi-1 mRNA was 0.314 ±0.040 in cancerous tissues, and 0.143 ±0.056 in adjacent normal tissues, and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.01 ).36 cases (59.0%) of PC were detected with positive expression of Bmi-1 protein, and 34 cases (55.7%) with no expression of p16 protein.The expression of Bmi-1 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.020 ) and tumor differentiation ( P = 0.018 ); the expression of Bmi-1 was negatively correlated with the expression of p16 ( P = 0.033 ).Conclusions Expression of Bmi-1 was increased in pancreatic cancer, which may be involved in the malignant behavior of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting p16 expression.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is considered safe for diagnosis of meniscus injury,having accuracy as high as 80% to 100%.However,it is found that there are some false positive and false negative in the clinic.OBJECTIVE: Through assessment of menisci injuries of the knee using magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy,to investigate MRI manifestation in different types of meniscal injuries.METHODS: A study from January 2003 to December 2008 was performed in 212 patients with knee injury undergoing preoperative MRI.Radiograph was read by physicians who had a senior professional title from radiology and orthopaedics departments,and meniscus damage and damage morphology were predicted.Arthroscopy was conducted by chief physician.Meniscus damage during surgery was considered as gold standards.The accuracy of them was compared.The statistics of accuracy of MRI diagnosis was gathered.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Totally 212 patients and 230 knees were included,and a total of 215 knees of meniscus injury were described by MRI diagnosis and 213 knees of meniscus injury were proven by arthroscopy.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of MRI diagnosis of meniscus injury respectively were 93.5%,64.7%,93.0%.It is found that the sensitivity of MRI diagnosis of bucket-handle damage is high.MRI is easy to miss diagnosis in a light meniscus posterior horn tear,and resuts are more false positive in lateral meniscus injury.It needs arthroscope operation or further surgery in some condition such as gradeⅢ type injury,meniscus displacement after injury and articular capsule separation,which indicates instable meniscus.

Objective To establish animal models of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and discuss the early functional MRI findings.Methods Twenty-five adult white rabbits were divided into control group (n =5),mild DAI group and severe DAI group (n =6) according to random number.Mild DAI group was subdivided into mild DAI 3 h (n =6),1 day (n =4) and 1 week (n =4) groups.Routine MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed.Parameters measured were fractional anisotropy (FA),apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC),axial diffusivity (AD) and radical diffusivity (RD).Results Significantly increased FA (P＜0.01) and decreased ADC (P＜0.05) and RD (P＜0.01) were detected in severe DAI group compared to control group,but there was no significant variation in AD between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Each parameter remained almost unchanged in mild DAI 3 h group and mild DAI 1 week group,but FA was increased (P ＜ 0.01) and RD decreased (P ＜ 0.05) in mild DAI 1 day group,with no changes of ADC and AD.Conclusion DTI is a sensitive way to detect the occurrence and development of DAI and can provide referential images for early DAI diagnosis.

The feature of HPM(high-power microwave) and its effect are briefly introduced.The destroying mechanism of HPM to different electronic medical equipment is described in detail.The reinforcement of HPM and effective measures are discussed.It is crucial to study the effects of high-power microwave radiation on military electronic equipment due to wide application of HPM in future military actions.