Disulfide-adducts with cysteine residues in human serum albumin prove exposure to malodorous mercaptans in vitro.

Malodorants are mixtures containing mercaptans, which trigger the flight instinct upon exposure and might thus be deployed in military and civilian defense scenarios. Exposure to mercaptans might lead to unconsciousness, thus representing a possible threat for health. Therefore, we developed and validated a bioanalytical procedure for the simultaneous detection and identification of corresponding biomarkers for the verification of exposure to mercaptans. Disulfide-adducts of ethyl mercaptan (SEt), n-butyl mercaptan (SnBu), tert-butyl mercaptan (StBu) and iso-amyl mercaptan (SiAm) with cysteine (Cys) residues in human serum albumin (HSA) were formed by in vitro incubation of human plasma. After pronase-catalyzed proteolysis, reaction products were identified as adducts of the single amino acid Cys and the dipeptide cysteine-proline (Cys34Pro) detected by a sensitive µLC-ESI MS/MS method working in the scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (sMRM) mode. Dose-response studies showed linearity for the yield of Cys34Pro-adducts in the range from 6 nM to 300 µM of mercaptans in plasma and limits of identification (LOI) were in the range from 60 nM to 6 µM. Cys34-adducts showed stability for at least 6 days in plasma (37 °C). The presented disulfide-biomarkers expand the spectrum for bioanalytical verification procedures and might be helpful to prove exposure to malodorants.

Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray: An Assessment of Respiratory Health and its Management Following Accidental and Deliberate Exposures.

Introduced into law enforcement in 1976, the oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray has been labeled as one of the most significant and radical developments in law enforcement. However, epidemiological research on OC health effects is deficient, receiving little public support. The major responses to acute exposure to OC spray can be found in the pulmonary system. The molecular mechanism(s) involved in the action of capsaicinoids, the active constituents in OC, are complex cascades of reactions which end up in necrosis or apoptosis. OC may also damage and deplete biological redox systems in the epithelial lining fluids and within cells and mitochondria, modifying structural proteins and nucleic acids and leading to enzyme inactivation. Since there are no characteristic laboratory tests available for identification or confirmation of OC exposure, and on the basis of prevailing data, reassessment of the health risks of OC exposures in vulnerable populations and in-depth study of the molecular mechanics of receptors is the need of the hour for the development of effective countermeasures. This review aims to consider evidence for adverse effects of OC spray used in ways comparable to their application by law enforcement personnel and civilians, with possible treatment recommendations that are precedent for improved management.

Rapid screening of riot control agents using DART-TD-HRMS.

PURPOSE: Riot Control Agents (RCAs) are chemicals used in law enforcement for non-lethal riot control and use in conflicts between states that violates the Chemical Weapons Convention. OPCW's Scientific Advisory Board has identified sixteen potential RCAs including capsaicinoids, CS, and CR. RCAs may be misused for criminal purposes, so methods for detecting such misuse are needed. This study therefore evaluates the feasibility of a rapid, high throughput screening method of RCAs on surfaces (particularly clothing surfaces) by Direct Analysis in Real Time with a thermal desorption unit coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-TD-HRMS). METHODS: A broadly applicable method for detecting potential RCAs was developed and tested on cotton fabric samples sprayed with self-defence sprays from an in-house reference stock. The feasibility of detecting RCAs by direct analysis of surface wipe samples placed in the DART source was also investigated. RESULTS: The method detected all sixteen RCAs and contaminated clothing were successfully screened for active agents in a reference collection of self-defence sprays. A pilot study also showed that RCAs can be detected by holding a sample directly in front of the DART source. CONCLUSION: DART-TD-HRMS enables rapid and simple screening of RCAs on fabric samples enabling a high sample throughput.

Return to intended oncologic therapy after colectomy for stage III colon adenocarcinoma: Does surgical approach matter?

AIM: Return to intended oncologic treatment (RIOT) is an important paradigm for surgically resected cancers requiring multimodal treatment. Benefits of minimally invasive colectomy (MIC) may allow earlier initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) and have associated survival benefits. We sought to determine if operative approach affects RIOT timing in resected stage III colon cancer. METHODS: NCDB identified pathological stage III colon adenocarcinoma patients who underwent resection and received ACT. Propensity score matching and kernel density estimation compared operative approaches and conversion impact on intervals to RIOT. RESULTS: A total of 15,132 open colectomies (OC) versus 14,107 MIC were included. MIC patients had two-days shorter median length of stay (LOS) (4 vs. 6 days; p < 0.001), one-week shorter median time to RIOT (6 vs. 7 weeks; p = 0.015) comparing 12,867 matched pairs. There was no difference in time interval to RIOT between the LC versus RC, converted MIC vs. OC groups. MIC was a favourable predictor of earlier RIOT (HR 1.14 [1.07-1.22]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MIC in stage III colon cancer is associated with a shorter time to RIOT when compared to OC. Since timely initiation of ACT may influence cancer outcome, MIC may be oncologically preferable. Prospective studies are needed to assess RIOT and survival outcomes in stage III colon cancer.

Mental health symptoms following the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol.

On January 6, 2021, rioters stormed the US Capitol to overturn the Congressional certification of Joseph Biden as the 46th president of the United States. In previous work, the symbolic dis/empowerment framework, as a result of sociopolitical context, has influenced health outcomes in certain sub-populations. We examine whether the Capitol Riot corresponds with an increase in mental health symptoms and explore whether this relation differs by individual political party affiliation and/or state electoral college victory. We utilize the Understanding America Study, a nationally representative panel of adults, between March 10, 2020-July 11, 2021. Using fixed effects linear regression, we find a modest increase above expected levels in mental health symptoms immediately following the Capitol Riot. This result holds for Democrats overall, Democrats in Biden states, and when restricting analyses to only states that voted for Biden (or separately, for Trump). Democrats show the greatest increase of mental health symptoms following the Capital Riot, supporting the symbolic dis/empowerment framework as well as notions of political polarization and allegiance. Social and political events of national importance may adversely affect mental health of specific subpopulations.

Investigating the effects of dermal exposure to in-vivo animal models on the riot-control properties of a powder formulation of Tragia involucrata leaf hair lining.

Purpose: Riot control agents (RCAs) such as CS, CN, CR, PAVA, and OC, etc., are already in use and has produced numerous health risks, including skin burns, dermatitis, gastrointestinal issues, impairment of respiratory variables, conjunctivitis, etc., and even prolonged and repeated exposure may cause death. Therefore, there is a demand and need for non-lethal, non-toxic RCAs that can effectively control riots without resulting in fatal outcomes. This study was carried out to evaluate the health risks related to a novel formulation made from isolated Tragia involucrata leaf hair lining, that can be used as the best suitable non-lethal RCAs.Methods: According to the OECD guidelines, studies on acute dermal toxicity, dermal irritation/corrosion, and skin sensitisation were carried out. Wistar rats were used in an acute dermal toxicity study, and the results indicated no mortality, morbidity, or abnormal food-and-water intake, biochemical parameters, or histopathological examination findings. A study on dermal irritation in Rabbits produced moderate erythema and the effect was instantaneous and resolved within 72 hrs of post-exposure. A skin sensitisation test was conducted on Guinea pig.Results: The results showed that the formulation had moderate skin-sensitizing properties after the application of the challenge dose. Patchy erythema was seen, and it went away 30 hrs after the gauze patch was removed.Conclusion: The preclinical results did not produce any indication of severe toxicity which supports it to be used as a natural RCAs in the future.

Toxicological evaluation of a nonlethal riot control combinational formulation upon dermal application using animal models.

Numerous adverse effects on human health have been reported in epidemiological studies of oleoresin capsicum (OC) and other riot control agents (RCAs). Importantly, the daunting risk of such RCAs can be neutralized by optimizing the desired concentration of such agents for mob dispersal. Hence, a nonlethal riot control combinational formulation (NCF) was prepared for dispersing rioters without imparting fatal outcomes. However, for desired utilization of NCF, it is essential to recognize its extent of potential toxicity. Therefore, the current investigation evaluated the dermal toxicity of NCF using experimental animals in compliance with the OECD guidelines. Additionally, few essential metal ions were analyzed and found non -significantly different in the test rats as compared to control rats. Moreover, abnormal dermal morphology and lesions ultrastructural tissue defects were not noticed as evinced by different studies like ultrasonography, histology, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. Further, Doppler ultrasonography exhibited non-significantly different blood flow velocity in both groups, whereas miles test demonstrated a significantly increased Evans blue concentration in test rats compared to the control rats, which might be due to an initial increase in blood flow via an instant action of the NCF at the cutaneous sensory nerve endings. However, our results demonstrated NCF can produce initial skin irritating and sensitizing effects in guinea pigs and rabbits without the antecedence of acute toxicity (≤2000 mg/kg) in Wistar rats.

Human background DNA on stones in an urban environment.

Stones are frequently used as tools in criminal acts. In our department, around 5 % of all analysed crime scene related trace samples are contact or touch DNA traces swabbed from stones. These samples are primarily related to cases of damage to property and burglary. In court, questions can arise about DNA transfer and the persistence of background DNA not related to the respective crime. To shed some light on the question of how likely it is to detect human DNA as background DNA on stones from an urban environment, the surfaces of 108 stones sampled throughout the city of Bern, the Swiss capital, were swabbed. We detected a median quantity of 33 pg on the sampled stones. STR-profiles suitable for a CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) registration in the Swiss DNA database were established from 6.5 % of all sampled stone surfaces. For comparison, retrospective casework data analysis from routine crime scene samples demonstrates a success rate of 20.6 % for the establishment of CODIS-suitable DNA profiles from stones sampled for touch DNA. We further investigated how climatic conditions, location and properties of the stones affected the quantity and quality of the recovered DNA. In this study, we show that the quantity of the measurable DNA decreases significantly with increasing temperature. Furthermore, less DNA could be recovered from porous stones, compared to smooth ones.

A critical review of the US Senate examination report on the 2021 US Capitol riot.

The US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, is currently regarded as an unprecedented armed occupation of the US Capitol that left an irreparable stain on the history of American democracy. Five months later, as part of reflective practice, the US Senate released an examination (review) report on the response failures of federal and local law enforcement agencies, along with corresponding recommendations. This research seeks to critically analyze not only response failures but also recommendations made by the US Senate with a comprehensive theoretical framework incorporating concepts of (1) legitimacy and power, (2) procedural justice, and (3) crowd psychology and the protest policing model. In the end, the research tries to present a practical cooperative dialogue or at least a dialogic approach as a means of strengthening legitimacy based on procedural justice, given that not only European countries but also the Republic of Korea currently operate '(Korean and Swedish) Dialogue Police' and (British) 'Police Liaison Officer' in practice.

Noxious effects of riot control agents on the ocular surface: Pathogenic mechanisms and management.

Riot Control Agents (RCAs) are chemical compounds used by law enforcement agencies to quell violent demonstrations as an alternative to lethal force and as part of police/military training. They are also known as tear gases because of the hallmark ocular irritation and lacrimation they cause. The most common RCAs include oleoresin capsicum (contained in Mace and pepper spray), chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, dibenzoxazepine, and chloroacetophenone (previously the main content of Mace); some of which have been in use for decades. Their immediate incapacitating effects are mediated through polymodal afferent fibers innervating the corneal surface, inducing the release of peptides that cause neurogenic inflammation. Although previously thought to have only transient effects on exposed patients more severe complications such as corneal stromal opacities, corneal neovascularization, neurotrophic keratopathy, conjunctival necrosis, and pseudopterygium can occur. Concerningly, the lack of research and specific therapies restrict the current management to decontamination and symptom-tailored support. This manuscript will provide an overview of the toxic mechanisms of RCAs, their clinical manifestations, and current therapy after exposure to tear gases.

["Whether the Lord putted Moscow and neighbouring cities empty?": Moscow pest of 1654].

The first ten years of the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich were distinguished by extreme turbulence. The unsuccessful actions of the "government" of the boyar Morozov provoked chain of city riots which reached their apogee in famous "Salt Riot" in the capital. After that, religious feuding began that in near future resulted in the Schism. Afterwards, Russia, after long hesitation, entered the war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that as it turned out, prolonged 13 years. Finally, in 1654, after long break, the plague again visited Russia. The plague pestilence of 1654-1655 was relatively transient (it began in summer and gradually faded away with the onset of winter), however very deadly and shook both the Russian state and Russian society to the ground. It disrupted habitual regular way of life and unsettled all and everything. The authors propose original version of origin of this epidemic and reconstruct its course and consequences on the basis of evidence of contemporaries and extant documents.

Drugs as Chemical Weapons: Past and Perspectives.

The emergence of modern chemical weapons and chemical warfare is traditionally associated with World War I, but the use of poisons in the military has its roots deep in the past. The sources of these poisons have always been natural agents that also served as medicines. This relationship between poison and medicine, and nowadays between chemical warfare and medicine, or between 'military chemistry' and pharmacy, appears to be very important for understanding not only the history but also the possible future of both phenomena. This article looks at some historical examples of the use of drugs as chemical weapons and, conversely, the use of chemical weapons as medicines. It seeks to find answers to some questions that are particularly relevant to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which aims to achieve a world without chemical warfare.

Military Marking Round Injury to the Globe.

Marking cartridges are an increasingly popular form of nonlethal training munitions used primarily for military live-fire simulations. We report a case of ocular trauma due to such a projectile, resulting in the complete loss of vision and placement of a scleral shell. A 20-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity in his right eye after being struck at close range by a marking cartridge during military training. Computed tomography imaging revealed a retained metallic foreign body within a deflated right globe, prompting emergent exploration and repair of the right globe. Postoperative course was complicated by pain and pruritis which resolved over a period of months. Nonlethal weapons, such as marking cartridges, are increasingly used for civilian crowd control as well as military and law enforcement training. Despite guidelines mandating the use of personal protective equipment with marking cartridges, eye protection may not be consistently used during simulated combat exercises. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first formal report of ocular injury due to this type of ammunition. Based on this case, we discuss other similar types of nonlethal munition used by military and law enforcement, their risks to the eye and orbit, and what steps may be undertaken to reduce future injury.

Political violence, risk aversion, and population health: Evidence from the US Capitol riot.

This study is the first to explore the impact of the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot on risk avoidance behavior and the spread of COVID-19. First, using anonymized smartphone data from SafeGraph, Inc., and an event-study approach, we document a substantial increase on January 6 in non-resident smartphone pings at the sites of the protest: the Ellipse, the National Mall, and the US Capitol Building. Then, using data from the same source and a synthetic control approach, we find that the Capitol riot led to an increase in stay-at-home behavior among District of Columbia residents, consistent with risk avoidance behavior and post-riot policies designed to limit large in-person gatherings. Finally, while we find no evidence that the Capitol riot substantially increased the spread of COVID-19 in the District of Columbia, we do find that counties with the highest inflows of out-of-town protesters experienced a 0.004 to 0.010 increase in the rate of daily cumulative COVID-19 case growth during the month following the event. These findings are exacerbated in counties without COVID-19 mitigation policies in place. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00148-022-00914-0.

Simultaneous determination of trace level riot control agents in environmental water by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector.

In this paper, a direct immersion solid-phase microextraction procedure for the simultaneous analyses of four primary riot control agents: 2-chloroacetophenone, o-chlorobenzylidene malonitrile, dibenz(b,f)-1,4-oxazepine, and oleoresin capsicum at µg/L concentration from environmental water was developed. Several parameters that influence the extraction effectiveness were investigated, including fiber type, extraction temperature, extraction time, starring rate, and salinity. Under the recommended conditions, the optimized method had reasonable linearity and accuracy. The average recovery of this method ranged from 84 to 108.1%. The limit of detection for all the analytes ranged from 0.2 to 3 µg/L and the limit of quantification ranged from 1 to 10 µg/L, respectively. A relative standard deviation from 3.0 to 4.3% can be achieved depending on the compounds. The procedure was applied to analyze all the four riot control agents simultaneously in several environmental samples.

Chemical Agents Encountered in Protests.

The most common chemicals used in riot control agents are chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, chloroacetophenone, dibenz[b,f]-[1,4]-oxazepine, and oleoresin capsicum. They cause ocular, respiratory, and dermal effects usually within seconds to minutes of exposure, but delayed effects have been reported. In addition, the canisters containing these chemicals can cause traumatic injuries when launched as projectiles. Although most effects are mild, some may be serious, especially in those with preexisting respiratory disease. Treatment consists of removing the patient from the source of exposure, removing contaminated clothes, and copiously irrigating the affected areas with water.

Assessment of toxicological consequences upon acute inhalation exposure to chemically improvised nonlethal riot control combinational formulation (NCF) containing oleoresin capsicum and skatole.

Sensory irritation is an acute adverse effect leading to temporary disability posed by riot control agents in various deployable forms are utilized by defense personal in violent mob attacks but their irreversible toxic effects and risk assessment have been a matter of concern. These intimidating risks of available riot control agents have led to exploring the pulmonary toxicity profile of the oil in water emulsion formulation developed for vicious crowd controls containing an irritant oleoresin capsicum, a malodorant (skatole), and a commercial dye, followed by characterization using standard methods. Nonlethal riot control combinational formulation (NCF) has been aimed to be the best possible low-lethal alternative for riot control measures. In this study, 30 min of acute inhalation exposure of NCF was given to Wistar rats and various respiratory parameters like lung dynamics, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytological assays, pro-inflammatory cytokines estimation, antioxidant activity, collagen accumulation, cytotoxicity, in vivo lung imaging, western blot, histology of lung tissue, etc. were investigated to validate its potentiality and rate of irritation reversibility as nonlethal agents. An exaggerated physiological change like sensory irritation, changes in lung functional variables, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, etc. were noticed initially without airway obstruction as the expression of nociceptive TRPV1 protein did not alter the physiological regulation of protective proteins like Nrf2 and HO-1 and also no abnormality was found in lung tissue architecture. In conclusion, it can be stated that this formulation can be explored as a nonlethal riot control agent intending to generate discomfort but with early reversibility of sensory irritation and no recurrence of toxicity.

RcdMathLib: An Open Source Software Library for Computing on Resource-Limited Devices.

We developped an open source library called RcdMathLib for solving multivariate linear and nonlinear systems. RcdMathLib supports on-the-fly computing on low-cost and resource-constrained devices, e.g., microcontrollers. The decentralized processing is a step towards ubiquitous computing enabling the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. RcdMathLib is modular- and layer-based, whereby different modules allow for algebraic operations such as vector and matrix operations or decompositions. RcdMathLib also comprises a utilities-module providing sorting and filtering algorithms as well as methods generating random variables. It enables solving linear and nonlinear equations based on efficient decomposition approaches such as the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) algorithm. The open source library also provides optimization methods such as Gauss-Newton and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithms for solving problems of regression smoothing and curve fitting. Furthermore, a positioning module permits computing positions of IoT devices using algorithms for instance trilateration. This module also enables the optimization of the position by performing a method to reduce multipath errors on the mobile device. The library is implemented and tested on resource-limited IoT as well as on full-fledged operating systems. The open source software library is hosted on a GitLab repository.

A Modern "Nightstick Fracture" Induced by Contemporary Ballistics During the George Floyd Protests.

A 28-year-old male presented to the emergency department with an isolated ulnar shaft fracture secondary to a ballistic injury with a wooden pellet gun. This injury is also known as a "nightstick fracture," which is a common eponym in orthopedic surgery used to describe a fracture of the ulnar shaft. The eponym gained its title for the injury commonly seen when in a defensive position while being attacked with a wooden club. It is widely accepted that this infamous injury was popularized in the 1960s as a sequela of the many race-related riots across the United States. This case details how the nightstick fracture is still prevalent as a result of political protesting today, despite modern-day methods of non-lethal riot control.

Riot-related injuries managed at a hospital in Beirut, Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: Between October 2019 and February 2020, massive crowds protested in Lebanon against economic collapse. Various less than lethal weapons including riot control agents and rubber bullets were used by law enforcement, which led to several traumatic and chemical injuries among victims. This study describes the clinical presentation, management, outcome, and healthcare costs of injuries. METHODS: A retrospective review of the hospital records of all the casualties presenting to the Emergency Department of the American University of Beirut Medical Center between October 17th, 2019, and February 29th, 2020, was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 313 casualties were evaluated in the ED, with a mean age of 30.2 +/- 9.6 years and a predominance of males (91.1%). Most were protestors (71.9%) and arrived through EMS (43.5%) at an influx rate of one patient presenting every 2.7-8 min. Most patients (91.1%) presented with an Emergency Severity Index of 3. Most patients (77.6%) required imaging with 10% having major findings including fractures and hemorrhages. Stones, rocks, and tear gas canisters (30.7%) were the most common mechanism of injury. Musculoskeletal injuries were most common (62.6%), followed by lacerations (44.7%). The majority (93.3%) were treated and discharged home and 3.2% required hospital admission, with 2.6% requiring surgery. CONCLUSION: Less-than-lethal weapons can cause severe injuries and permanent morbidity. The use of riot control agents needs to be better controlled, and users need to be well trained in order to avoid misuse and to lessen the morbidity, mortality, and financial burden.