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Based on the backbone of the nitrogen-rich triazole and tetrazole structure, their N-OH derivatives were designed to improve the properties of energetic materials. This work introduces five novel nitrogen-rich derivatives and their energetic salts as high-performance compounds. Reliable methods and correlations are used to predict the heat of formation, density, detonation, and combustion properties and explosive power. The predicted energetic properties are also compared with well-known explosives, TNT, TATB, RDX, and HMX, to evaluate the performance. A majority of the designed salts exhibited high positive heats of formation, good detonation properties, and high explosive power. Ammonium, hydrazinium, and hydroxylammonium salts ( 1- 3), which have relatively high densities (over 1.86 g/cm3), resulted in good detonation velocities (above 9.0 km/s) and pressures (above 35 GPa), making them competitive energetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A mole gun is a weapon, which is used to trap and kill moles. This report provides an overview of the state of knowledge of mole gun injuries, comparable to blast injuries caused by fireworks, explosive or gunshot. Over a 2-year period, the authors reported their experience with ten hand injuries caused by mole gun. Radial side of the hand was often concerned, particularly the thumb. The authors explain their choices in the management of such lesions. Surgery was performed primarily and a large debridement currently seemed to offer the best outcome for the patient. Blast, crush, burns and lacerations may explain the higher rate of amputation to the digits. A long period of physiotherapy, specifically of the hand, was needed before the patient could return to work. This ballistic hand trauma encountered by surgeons requires knowledge and understanding of these injuries. It should be in accordance with firearms law because of severe injuries encountered and possible lethal wounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is a cyclic nitramine explosive commonly used for military applications that is responsible for severe soil and groundwater contamination. In this study, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was shown to efficiently degrade RDX anaerobically (3.5 µmol·h-1·(g protein)-1) via two initial routes: (1) sequential N-NO2 reductions to the corresponding nitroso (N-NO) derivatives (94% of initial RDX degradation) and (2) denitration followed by ring cleavage. To identify genes involved in the anaerobic metabolism of RDX, a library of ~2500 mutants of MR-1 was constructed by random transposon mutagenesis and screened for mutants with a reduced ability to degrade RDX compared with the wild type. An RDX-defective mutant (C9) was isolated that had the transposon inserted in the c-type cytochrome gene cymA. C9 transformed RDX at ~10% of the wild-type rate, with degradation occurring mostly via early ring cleavage caused by initial denitration leading to the formation of methylenedinitramine, 4-nitro-2,4-diazabutanal, formaldehyde, nitrous oxide, and ammonia. Genetic complementation of mutant C9 restored the wild-type phenotype, providing evidence that electron transport components have a role in the anaerobic reduction of RDX by MR-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]