Deaths from volatile substance abuse in those under 18 years: results from a national epidemiological study.

The epidemiology of deaths from volatile substance abuse (VSA) in those under 18 years that occurred in the UK from 1981-90 is described. The analysis of deaths is based on a national register, which has information obtained from a regular survey of coroners, the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, and a press clippings agency. Altogether 605 people under 18 died from VSA during this period. Seventy per cent of deaths occurred between the ages of 14 and 16. The largest number of deaths were attributed to butane gas lighter refills. There was a large north-south gradient in age specific mortality ratios (Scotland 180, south east England 87) and nearly four times as many deaths occurred in social class V compared with social class I. Deaths from VSA are an important and preventable cause of deaths in those under 18. Strategies aimed at prevention should include measures to reduce experimentation, intervention to reduce socioeconomic deprivation, and health education campaigns aimed at schools and parents.     

Human cytomegalovirus persists in myeloid progenitors and is passed to the myeloid progeny in a latent form

CD34+ progenitor cells can harbour latent human cytomegalovirus (HCMV); however, the mechanisms of HCMV latency remain unclear. We have investigated the effects of the haematopoietic lineage restriction on the establishment and spread of the latent HCMV to progeny cells. In vitro-infected and latently-infected haematopoietic progenitor cells derived from HCMV seropositive donors were studied. The presence of HCMV DNA in bone marrow progenitor (BMP) cells was determined by single colony polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The presence of CMV DNA was found to be restricted to myeloid progenitors and the percentage of HCMV-infected cells was lower in naturally-infected cells than in in vitro-infected cells. Erythroid differentiation resulted in an abortive infection with persistence of the viral nucleic acids in red cell precursors. In BMP cells from HCMV seronegative donors, HCMV DNA was localized in the nucleus. Bone marrow progenitors in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF) maintained HCMV DNA for extended periods of time. No viral production could be detected throughout the culture but the comparison of the numbers of latently-infected cells prior to and after the culture suggests that proliferation of haematopoietic progenitor cells may lead to the expansion of latently-infected cells.     

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells based on Zn1−xSnxO nanocomposite photoanodes

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ss-DSSCs) comprising Sn²⁺-substituted ZnO nanopowder were purposefully tailored via a co-precipitation method. The solar cells assembled in this work were sensitized with N719 ruthenium dye and insinuated with spiro-OMeTAD as a solid hole transport layer (HTL). Evidently, significant enhancement in cell efficiency was accomplished with Sn²⁺ ions-substituted ZnO photoelectrodes by maintaining the weight ratio of SnO at 5%. The overall power conversion efficiency was improved from 3.0% for the cell with pure ZnO to 4.3% for the cell with 5% SnO substitution. The improvement in the cell efficiency with Sn²⁺-substituted ZnO photoelectrodes is attributed to the considerably large surface area of the nanopowders for dye adsorption, efficient charge separation and the suppression of charge recombination provided by SnO. Furthermore, the energy distinction between the conduction band edges of SnO and ZnO implied a type II band alignment. Moreover, the durability as well as the stability of 15 assembled cells were studied to show the outstanding long-term stability of the devices made of Sn²⁺ ion substituted ZnO, and the PCE of each cell remained stable and ∼96% of its primary value was retained for up to 100 h. Subsequently, the efficacy was drastically reduced to ∼35% after 250 h of storage.

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ss-DSSCs) comprising Sn²⁺-substituted ZnO nanopowder were purposefully tailored via a co-precipitation method.     

Decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions for P(O)–C bond formation

Phosphorus-containing compounds are one of the most important classes of organic compounds, which have wide applications in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, agricultural chemistry, and materials chemistry. In particular, organophosphorus compounds bearing a P(O)–C bond have attracted significant attention in recent decades due to their widespread biological and pharmacological activities. In this review, we will highlight the most important developments in the construction of P(O)–C bonds through decarboxylative C–P cross-coupling reactions. The literature has been surveyed from 2011 to May 2018.

Phosphorus-containing compounds are one of the most important classes of organic compounds, which have wide applications in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, agricultural chemistry, and materials chemistry.     

Evidence for a Physiologic Role of Erythropoietin in Fetal Erythropoiesis

Administration of antibody prepared inrabbits against human urinary Ep to fetalsheep during the last third of the gestation period resulted in a suppression oferythropoiesis in the fetus. This wasevidenced by a sharp decrease in the numbers of circulating reticulocytes and a reduced rate of ⁵⁹Fe incorporation into RBC,spleen, and bone marrow, effects ascribable to a neutralization of endogenous Ep.In addition, there was a significant decrease in the numbers of nucleated erythroid cells in the bone marrows of thesefetuses. These results point to a physiologic role for Ep in fetal erythropoiesis.

Submitted on December 17, 1973 Revised on February 19, 1974 Accepted on February 20, 1974     

A Hypertransfused Mouse Assay for Thrombopoietic Factors

A method was developed for the quantitative separation of platelets from CF1mouse whole blood. This made it possibleto determine the platelet incorporation of³⁵S-sulfate without the necessity of doingplatelet counts. Daily hypertransfusions ofthe mice to three to four times normalplatelet levels for 4-5 days significantlyreduced platelet uptake of radiosulfate toan average of about 40% of the nontransfused controls. Mice rendered thrombocytopenic 48 hr earlier by antiplateletserum, had 2-day ³⁵S uptakes over 2 1/2times the controls and 6 times the hypertransfused animals. The administration of atotal of 2 ml of serum, given twice daily for3 days from a thrombocytopenic patientwith Hodgkin's disease caused a highlysignificant 103% rise in radiosulfate incorporation when compared with saline in thehypertransfused mouse. Normal humanserum from a healthy donor caused a smalland insignificant rise. The serum from a patient with Hodgkin's disease caused ahighly significant 63% rise in ³⁵S incorporation when compared to the normal serum.

Submitted on June 19, 1972 Revised on March 10, 1973 Accepted on March 10, 1973     

Detection of Chikungunya virus in Aedes aegypti during 2011 outbreak in Al Hodayda, Yemen

In October 2010, the Ministry of Public Health and Population reported an outbreak of dengue-like acute febrile illness in Al Hodayda governorate. By January 2011, a total of 1542 cases had been recorded from 19 of the 26 districts in the governorate with 104 purportedly associated deaths. In response this event, in January 2011 entomological investigations aimed at identifying the primary vector and the epidemic associated etiological agent were carried out. Based on the reported cases and the progress of the outbreak in the governorate, mosquito collection was undertaken in two of the most recent outbreak areas; Al Khokha district (130 km south of Al Hodayda) and Al Muneera district (100 km north). Mosquito adults were collected from houses using BG-sentinel? traps, aspiration of resting mosquitoes and knock-down spraying. Indoor and outdoor containers adjacent to the houses were inspected for larvae. Subsequently mosquito pools were analyzed by RT-PCR for detection of the four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4), and for Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Aedes aegypti was the dominant mosquito species collected. Four pools represent 40% of the tested pools, all containing adult female Ae. aegypti, were positive for CHIKV. Three CHIKV isolates were obtained from the RNA positive mosquito pools and identified by rRT-PCR. This finding marks the first record of CHIKV isolated from Ae. aegypti in Yemen. The larval container and Breteau indices in the visited localities surveyed were estimated at 53.8 and 100, respectively. The emergence of this unprecedented CHIKV epidemic in Al Hodayda is adding up another arboviral burden to the already existing vector-borne diseases. Considering the governorate as one focal port in the Red Sea region, the spread of the disease to other areas in Yemen and in neighboring countries is anticipated. Public health education and simple measures to detect and prevent mosquito breeding in water storage containers could prevent and reduce the spread of mosquito-borne viruses like CHIKV and DENV in Yemen.     

Decreased frontal lobe function in people with Internet addiction disorder

In our previous studies, we showed that frontal lobe and brainstem functions were abnormal in online game addicts. In this study, 14 students with Internet addiction disorder and 14 matched healthy controls underwent proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure cerebral function. Results demonstrated that the ratio of N-acetylaspartate to creatine decreased, but the ratio of cho- line-containing compounds to creatine increased in the bilateral frontal lobe white matter in people with Internet addiction disorder. However, these ratios were mostly unaltered in the brainstem, suggesting that frontal lobe function decreases in people with Internet addiction disorder.     

N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide: a useful and versatile reagent for the direct fluorination and amination of (hetero)aromatic C–H bonds

This review updates recent advances and developments in the direct fluorination and amination of (hetero)aromatic C–H bonds utilizing N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide, classified according to the type of catalyst.

This review updates recent advances and developments in the direct fluorination and amination of (hetero)aromatic C–H bonds utilizing N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide, classified according to the type of catalyst.     

Correction: Oxidative carboxylation of olefins with CO2: environmentally benign access to five-membered cyclic carbonates

Correction for ‘Oxidative carboxylation of olefins with CO₂: environmentally benign access to five-membered cyclic carbonates’ by Liang Wang et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 9103–9115.

The Royal Society of Chemistry regrets that incorrect details were given for Ref. 10b, 11b and 11c in the original article. The correct versions of Ref. 10b, 11b and 11c are given below as Ref. 1, 2a and 2b, respectively.The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.