The Production of Chloropicrin as Needed from Dry Mixtures of Picric Acid and Bleaching Powder

Chloropicrin or trichloromethane is a colorless liquid boiling at l 12°C and having a specific gravity of 1.69. It was first prepared by Stenhouse from picric acid and bleaching powder. Its first use was in chemical warfare by the Allied troops in 1918. It was prepared in large quantities at Edgewood Arsenal during the World War, by the method developed and patented by the senior author. Picric acid, hydrated lime, and water were mixed to form a calcium picrate suspension. This suspension together with a suspension of bleaching powder and water was run into a still. The chloropicrin was steam-distilled off

A preliminary examination of differential decomposition patterns in mass graves

This study represents a preliminary, quantitative approach to the examination of differential decomposition patterns in mass graves. Five pairs of mass graves, each containing the carcasses of 21 rabbits, were used to examine decomposition rates at four fixed positions within the burial. A pair of graves was exhumed at approximately 100 accumulated degree day (ADD) intervals. At exhumation the total body score (TBS) and internal carcass temperature of each rabbit were recorded. Although there was no significant difference between decomposition rates for core and deep-positioned carcasses (p = 0.13), all other position differences were significant (p < 0.001). Decomposition occurred fastest in shallow carcasses, followed by mid-outer carcasses; both deep and core carcasses exhibited a slower rate. Internal carcass temperature was significantly influenced by carcass location within the mass grave; there was a mean internal temperature difference of ca. 1 oC between deep and shallow carcasses (30 cm apart). Adipocere formation was minimal and confined, with the exception of a single individual in the mid- periphery, to the deepest level. Decomposition rate may be as affected by the compactness of a mass as by interment depth and/or peripheral substrate contact, and further investigation into the role of oxygenation and pH are required

Angry responses to infant challenges: parent, marital, and child genetic factors associated with harsh parenting

This study examined genetic and environmental influences on harsh parenting of 9-month-olds. We examined whether positive child-, parent-, and family-level characteristics were associated with harsh parenting in addition to negative characteristics. We were particularly interested in examining evocative gene-environment correlation (rGE) by testing the effect of birth parent temperament on adoptive parents’ harsh parenting. Additionally, we examined associations among adoptive parents’ own temperaments, their marital relationship quality, and harsh parenting. Adoptive fathers’ (but not adoptive mothers’) harsh parenting was inversely related to an index of birth mother positive temperament (reward dependence), indicating evocative rGE. Higher marital quality was associated with less harsh parenting, but only for adoptive fathers. Adoptive parents’ negative temperamental characteristics (harm avoidance) were related to hostile parenting. Findings suggest the importance of enhancing positive family characteristics in addition to mitigating negative characteristics, as well as engaging multiple levels of the family system to prevent harsh parenting. Children have the potential to evoke strong positive and negative affective responses from parents, which then influence and organize caregiving behavior (Dix, 1991). All young children demonstrate challenging behaviors, such as prolonged crying that may be difficult to soothe, uncooperativeness with bathing or dressing, or difficulty with eating or sleeping. The degree to which parental negative emotion is evoked by these challenges and expressed in interactions with children is often characterized as harsh or overreactive parenting. Harsh parenting is a function of a complex interplay of risk and protective factors that operate at multiple levels of the family system (i.e., characteristics of the parent, child, and family environment; Belsky, 1984; Boivin et al., 2005; DiLalla & Bishop, 1996; Neiderhiser et al., 2004, 2007; Towers, Spotts, & Neiderhiser, 2002). The long-term maladaptive developmental outcomes associated with harsh, negative parenting during infancy (Bayer, Ukoumunne, Mathers, Wake, Abdi, & Hiscock, 2012; Bradley & Corwyn, 2008; Lorber & Egeland, 2009) underscore the need for improved understanding of risk and protective factors associated with early harsh parenting. The current study aims to extend on the research on harsh parenting in infancy in two ways. First, although risk factors for early harsh parenting are well documented, we know little about factors that buffer parents from harsh parenting during infancy; this study examines independent and differential effects of positive and negative characteristics on harsh parenting. Second, although interest in child effects on parenting, including harsh parenting, has been present in the field for decades (Bell, 1979; Bell & Chapman, 1986; Rutter et al., 1997) we know very little about the degree to which the effects found in the literature truly reflect evocative effects of infants’ genetically influenced characteristics. The current study used an adoption design to test the hypothesis that genetically influenced temperamental characteristics of 9-month-olds would influence adoptive parents’ harsh parenting. Previous research has identified many correlates of harsh parenting, including negative characteristics of the parent (e.g., maternal depression; Lovejoy, Graczyk, O’Hare, & Neuman, 2000), family (e.g., marital hostility, Rhoades et al., 2011), and child (e.g., difficult temperament, Plomin, Loehlin & DeFries, 1985; poor regulation, Bridgett et al., 2009). Previous research has identified risk factors for harsh parenting, but very little is known about how positive parent, child, and family characteristics might mitigate it. For example, a positive marital relationship could buffer the impact of high levels of depressive symptoms on parenting, and thus have implications for prevention and intervention efforts. The current study examined positive and negative parent, child, and family factors in association with harsh parenting. A second emphasis centered on understanding the role of infants’ genetically influenced characteristics on harsh parenting. Much of the previous work on child effects on parenting has examined child temperament. In general, child positivity is related to positive parenting, while child negativity is related to negative parenting (Putnam, Sanson, & Rothbart, 2002; Wilson & Durbin, 2012). However, the general lack of genetically sensitive designs in this research makes it impossible to determine whether these associations exist because (1) harsh parenting leads to negative child characteristics, (2) specific child characteristics evoke harsh parenting (evocative gene-environment correlation, rGE; Plomin, Loehlin & DeFries, 1977; Scarr & McCartney, 1983) or (3) children and parents share genes that contribute to both parenting and temperament (passive gene-environment correlation). Therefore, genetically-sensitive research designs are needed to disentangle these influences to understand specific mechanisms underlying relations between child characteristics and parent behavior

Memory consolidation in honey bees is enhanced by down-regulation of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule and changes its alternative splicing

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam) gene encodes a cell adhesion molecule required for neuronal wiring. A remarkable feature of arthropod Dscam is massive alternative splicing generating thousands of different isoforms from three variable clusters of alternative exons. Dscam expression and diversity arising from alternative splicing have been studied during development, but whether they exert functions in adult brains has not been determined. Here, using honey bees, we find that Dscam expression is critically linked to memory retention as reducing expression by RNAi enhances memory after reward learning in adult worker honey bees. Moreover, alternative splicing of Dscam is altered in all three variable clusters after learning. Since identical Dscam isoforms engage in homophilic interactions, these results suggest a mechanism to alter inclusion of variable exons during memory consolidation to modify neuronal connections for memory retention

Parental attributions of control for child behaviour and their relation to discipline practices in parents of children with and without developmental delays

Children with developmental delays (DD) are at risk for developing behavior problems. Research suggests that parents’ causal attributions for child behavior are related to parenting. This study investigated this association in parents of children with DD compared to parents of typically developing (TD) children. It specifically focused on attributions of child control by separating these from attributions of responsibility, blame and intent, and from attributions of parent control and responsibility. Fifty-one parents of children with DD and 69 parents of TD children completed two questionnaires. The Written Analogue Questionnaire measured causal attributions. The Parenting Scale measured dysfunctional discipline practices. Parents of children with DD viewed the child’s role in problematic behavior more positively while also viewing misbehavior as more fixed than parents of TD children. Parents of TD children who viewed their child as more in control over misbehavior used less dysfunctional discipline, but this association was not found for parents of children with DD. The results advance understanding of how parents perceive behavior problems in children with DD and the important role these perceptions play in parental behavior management strategies. More importantly, these perceptions relate to discipline practices differently for parents of children with DD compared to parents of TD children, highlighting that parent interventions should be adapted to the specific needs of parents of children with DD

Second asymptomatic carotid surgery trial (ACST-2): a randomised comparison of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy

Background: Among asymptomatic patients with severe carotid artery stenosis but no recent stroke or transient cerebral ischaemia, either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can restore patency and reduce long-term stroke risks. However, from recent national registry data, each option causes about 1% procedural risk of disabling stroke or death. Comparison of their long-term protective effects requires large-scale randomised evidence. Methods: ACST-2 is an international multicentre randomised trial of CAS versus CEA among asymptomatic patients with severe stenosis thought to require intervention, interpreted with all other relevant trials. Patients were eligible if they had severe unilateral or bilateral carotid artery stenosis and both doctor and patient agreed that a carotid procedure should be undertaken, but they were substantially uncertain which one to choose. Patients were randomly allocated to CAS or CEA and followed up at 1 month and then annually, for a mean 5 years. Procedural events were those within 30 days of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses are provided. Analyses including procedural hazards use tabular methods. Analyses and meta-analyses of non-procedural strokes use Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN21144362. Findings: Between Jan 15, 2008, and Dec 31, 2020, 3625 patients in 130 centres were randomly allocated, 1811 to CAS and 1814 to CEA, with good compliance, good medical therapy and a mean 5 years of follow-up. Overall, 1% had disabling stroke or death procedurally (15 allocated to CAS and 18 to CEA) and 2% had non-disabling procedural stroke (48 allocated to CAS and 29 to CEA). Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year non-procedural stroke were 2·5% in each group for fatal or disabling stroke, and 5·3% with CAS versus 4·5% with CEA for any stroke (rate ratio [RR] 1·16, 95% CI 0·86–1·57; p=0·33). Combining RRs for any non-procedural stroke in all CAS versus CEA trials, the RR was similar in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (overall RR 1·11, 95% CI 0·91–1·32; p=0·21). Interpretation: Serious complications are similarly uncommon after competent CAS and CEA, and the long-term effects of these two carotid artery procedures on fatal or disabling stroke are comparable. Funding: UK Medical Research Council and Health Technology Assessment Programme