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Articles by Daniel Hirsch
Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution in the Gas Phase
1 Introduction Nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reactions are key reactions in chemical research and synthesis, notably in pharmaceuticals and in medicinal chemistry [1, 2]. As the name suggests, this reaction entails a nucleophilic attack at an aromatic carbon bearing a leaving group (X, usually a halide), displacement of the leaving group, and substitution by the nucleophile (Figure 1).
It’s Time for Men to Tell Their Gal Pals That PrEP Is for Them, Too
For years, HIV prevention has been marketed primarily to gay and bisexual men — and to a lesser extent, some transgender communities — leaving far too many cisgender women unaware that PrEP could benefit them too. It’s time to officially extend the invitation.
July 28 is World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day is observed every July 28. It’s an occasion to raise awareness about the spread, prevention, and treatment of viral hepatitis. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that almost 300million people live with chronic hepatitis B or C globally. More than 1.3 million people die each year, and there are two million new cases reported annually.
The Bottom Line When It Comes to Colorectal Cancer, the Second Leading Cancer Killer in the Nation ⋆ The Palm Springs Post
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Given that colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, it’s a common disease that more people should be aware of — especially because it’s highly preventable. Roughly 153,000 Americans a year receive this cancer diagnosis. That number could be lower if more people were aware of the lifesaving effect of early screening, which is currently recommended starting at age 45 for most adults.
Golden Years, Rainbow Tint: The New Health Landscape for One's Latter Years
When Steven Wybenga and Clay Cross moved to Morongo Valley in 2011, they looked forward to a different pace of life than the one they had experienced in the Bay Area, where they met — one that was more affordable and gave them time to enjoy the local art scene and the natural beauty of the high desert with their four dogs and two cats. But the move also meant disconnecting from the LGBTQ+ community they knew and, crucially, the queer-affirming health care they had come to rely on.
Evaluation of Kidney Failure Risk Equation score for vascular access planning in an Australian cohort
Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions. Supporting Information Filename Description imj70281-sup-0001-FigureS1.jpgJPEG image, 137.4 KB Figure S1. St George Renal Department Kidney Disease Education Clinic (KDEC) pathway. References 1, , , , , et al. A predictive model for progression of chronic kidney disease to kidney failure.
1990: The H-Bomb: Who Really Gave Away the Secret?
A secret conference was held in April 1946 at Los Alamos, chaired by Edward Teller, to review wartime work on the thermonuclear or hydrogen bomb—the so-called “Super” bomb.
1990: The H-Bomb: Who Really Gave Away the Secret?
Explosion of the first hydrogen bomb, during a test on Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands, as part of Operation Ivy Mike on November 1, 1952. Sometimes called the “Super” bomb at the time, this was to be the first full-blown test of what was to become known as the Teller-Ulam design for a fusion device. Edward Teller pressed for the first hydrogen bomb test, which was conducted just days before a presidential election.
President Trump’s radical attack on radiation safety
In May, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders that, in part, require the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to consider dramatically weakening its radiation protection standard. If federal radiation limits are gutted in the manner urged by the president, the new standard could allow four out of five people exposed over a 70-year lifetime to develop a cancer they would not otherwise get.
President Trump’s radical attack on radiation safety
President Trump’s radical attack on radiation safety By Daniel Hirsch, Haakon Williams, Cameron Kuta | October 15, 2025, https://thebulletin.org/2025/10/president-trumps-radical-attack-on-radiation-safety/?variant=B&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Trump%20s%20attack%20on%20radiation%20safety&utm_campaign=20251009%20Thursday%20Newsletter%20%28Copy%29 In May, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders that, in part, require the US Nuclear Regulatory...
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It’s Time to Say “Yes” to Yeztugo
The groundbreaking new form of PrEP to prevent HIV, from Gilead Sciences, is a long-lasting injectable that only needs to be given twice a year. Now that’s a game-changer. Here’s all you need to know. (as seen at daphealth.org) There’s a new sheriff in PrEP Town. In June, the FDA approved a new long-lasting injectable called Yeztugo (correct pronunciation, per Gilead Sciences Chairman and CEO Daniel O’Day: yez-TOO-go) for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.
Fighting Persistent Disparities in PrEP Usage
Since its arrival in 2012, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has revolutionized the fight to stop the spread of HIV. Its usage in the U.S. has climbed steadily over the last decade — from around 9,000 users to over 300,000, according to Center for Disease Control (CDC) data. However, a grim reality sadly persists. Huge disparities exist in terms of who is accessing PrEP, and which communities are benefiting from the lowered HIV infection rates the 99% effective drug can bring.
How a director of national intelligence helps a president stay on top of threats from around the world
The director of national intelligence is the president’s principal adviser on intelligence. A former White House intelligence official explains the role and how the person in it serves the nation. In all the arguments over whether President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence is fit for the job, it’s easy to lose sight of why it matters. It matters a lot.
A tree grows in LA: Urban Trees Initiative achieves its first planting
USC Dornsife Public Exchange program is now bringing much needed shade to Los Angeles neighborhoods in need of greenery. Waiting for the bus on a 100-degree day in Los Angeles can be a major endurance test. Move under the shade of a nearby tree, however, and you could feel a refreshing temperature drop of up to 15 degrees. That difference makes a scorching summer day more tolerable, and it can even prevent heat stroke.
USC Dornsife’s Percival Everett wins National Book Award for ‘James’ - USC Dornsife
Percival Everett, acclaimed USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences professor, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 National Book Award in the fiction category for James, a re-imagining of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This marks another extraordinary milestone in a year of accolades for Everett, who recently received the Kirkus Prize for James and was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. In his acceptance speech, Everett’s quiet, self-deprecating humor came through.
Over a million US children scarred by drug overdoses
As of 2019, more than 1.4 million children have lost a family member to a drug overdose, with younger children increasingly affected, according to a USC Dornsife study. An estimated 1.4 million U.S. children — 2% of all children nationwide — had lost a family member to a drug overdose as of 2019, according to a study by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Penn State University.
Vulnerability to financial scams in aging adults could be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, new research shows - USC Dornsife
Adults who self-reported higher vulnerability toward financial exploitation showed lower thickness in a brain region that is affected early in Alzheimer’s disease. A brain region affected very early in Alzheimer’s disease may explain why some aging people are at greater risk of financial exploitation. That is the key finding of our new study, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
What triggered Nepal’s catastrophic 2021 flood – and could it happen again? - USC Dornsife
Using cutting-edge technology, USC Dornsife scientists discovered how a deadly combination of factors led to disaster. They hope their research will help identify other regions vulnerable to similar flooding events. In late September and early October this year, unusually heavy monsoon rains led to deadly flooding and landslides in Nepal’s southern Kathmandu region.
Restricting sugar before birth and in early childhood greatly reduces risk of chronic disease later in life
A low-sugar diet during pregnancy and in the first two years of life can meaningfully reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood, a new study has found, providing compelling new evidence of the lifelong health effects of exposure to sugar restrictions early in life.
Restricting sugar before birth and in early childhood greatly reduces risk of chronic disease later in life
Researchers at USC Dornsife, UC Berkeley and McGill University take advantage of a “natural experiment” from World War II to analyze how sugar rationing influences long-term health. A low-sugar diet during pregnancy and in the first two years of life can meaningfully reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood, a new study has found, providing compelling new evidence of the lifelong health effects of exposure to sugar restrictions early in life.
Record USC grant funds study of program on how to handle controversial topics in the classroom
USC Dornsife researchers receive nearly $4 million from the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate a new classroom program teaching debate, deliberation and civil discussion skills to middle and high school students.
Nobel laureate Arieh Warshel invested into the American Academy of Sciences and Letters
Arieh Warshel, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and a pioneer in computational biophysics, was invested as a member of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters (AASL) at a ceremony held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 23. The organization was founded in 2023 to promote scholarship and honor outstanding achievement in the arts, sciences and learned professions. It also emphasizes intellectual courage.
USC Urban Trees Initiative helps bring shade to local middle school
On the sun-baked corner of West 67th Street and South Main Street, shade is hard to come by. The nearly 1,000 students enrolled at the adjacent Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School need relief from rising temperatures. Thanks to support from USC’s Urban Trees Initiative, a solution is on the way.
Danzy Senna's work explains why this election season feels like ‘Groundhog Day’ for mixed-race people
The author and USC Dornsife professor explores how political discourse misses the mark on the mixed-race experience in the United States. Complex conversations about the reality of being mixed race in the United States are nothing new to author Danzy Senna, a professor of English at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
For America’s 250th anniversary, USC Dornsife scholars lead commemorative initiatives
The 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding is less than two years away. As plans to commemorate the “semiquincentennial” unfold, the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is taking a leading role in shaping public understanding of the nation’s history and its future. The USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies Institute (EMSI) based at USC Dornsife has received $500,000 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to spearhead an ambitious educational project.
Finding practical solutions to plastic problems
Megan Fieser is focused on finding a solution to one of the most pressing sustainability problems: what to do about all the plastic accumulating in our environment.
Common drug shows promise in extending lifespan
Scientists say mifepristone, used in cancer and reproductive care, could pave the way for anti-aging treatments. New research from biologists at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences reveals that mifepristone, a drug best known for its use for ending early pregnancies, might also extend lifespan. The findings could pave the way for anti-aging treatments.
Homelessness, high rents weigh heavily on Angelenos, USC Dornsife study finds
LABarometer survey on affordability and livability highlights how Los Angeles County residents prefer to solve homelessness and finds that 29% of residents who moved in the last year were forced to do so by rising rents, while 24% of all residents want to leave L.A. More than 9 in 10 Los Angeles County residents say homelessness is a pressing issue, and 64% feel its impact in their neighborhoods, according to the most recent findings from the USC Dornsife annual LABarometer survey on...
Captive tigers can help the wild ones according to new research
USC Dornsife professor Jazlyn Mooney’s research explores how her exploration of captive tigers’ genetic ancestry could benefit the wild tiger population. The number of tigers living in captivity has risen in the United States in recent years, prompting Congress to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022. In fact, experts estimate approximately 5,000 tigers live in private facilities across the United States alone.
Alumnus and TikTok “Sandwich King” Debuts Cookbook
Since Owen Han graduated with an economics degree from USC Dornsife in 2020, his recipe videos have garnered him a social media following of nearly 7 million and a cookbook deal. Alumni from USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences have embarked on a wide array of career paths, from spy to mayor to “Sandwich King,” as alumnus Owen Han ’20 was recently dubbed by the Los Angeles Times.
Mixed emotions – neuroscience is exploring how your brain lets you experience two opposite feelings at once - USC Dornsife
Countless parents across the country recently dropped their kids off at college for the first time. This transition can stir a whirlwind of feelings: the heartache of parting, sadness over a permanently changed family dynamic, the uncertainty of what lies ahead — but also the pride of seeing your child move toward independence. Some might describe the goodbye as bittersweet, or say that they’re feeling mixed emotions.
From US Navy SEAL to Successful Fitness Entrepreneur
It might seem an unlikely career choice for a history graduate, but alumnus Randy Hetrick is the successful entrepreneur behind two leading physical training start-ups: TRX Training and OutFit Training. His path to fitness entrepreneurship took several unexpected twists and turns after earning his degree from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in 1987 — including serving as a U.S. Navy SEAL and working as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill. So, how did he get where he is today?
Professor Jeb Barnes analyzes the changing role of courts in U.S. politics
Barnes, an expert in law, politics and public policy, explains how recent Supreme Court decisions and a shift in judicial tactics are reshaping U.S. politics. In the wake of recent Supreme Court terms with controversial decisions on presidential immunity, abortion and other hot-button issues, public trust in the court sits at historic lows.
USC Dornsife Professor's research helps USA Track and Field Olympians in Paris
USC Dornsife Professor Jill McNitt-Gray is a sports scientist who, since the London 2012 Olympic Games, has worked with USA Track and Field to help improve the performance of Olympians in the long jump and triple jump. McNitt-Gray, whose research focuses on the control and dynamics of human movement, is traveling to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Watch as she explains the science behind the long and triple jumps and her work in the Dornsife Biomechanics Research Lab.
‘Cancer detective’ wants to use liquid biopsy to change how the disease is diagnosed and treated
For cancer researcher Peter Kuhn, the battle against the disease is profoundly personal as well as scientific. Kuhn’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 48. Though treatment was successful, Kuhn watched her live for decades with the terrifying specter of its return. With every small ache and pain, she worried the cancer might be back — and 33 years after her first diagnosis, it recurred.
What is ‘blue carbon’? Inside USC’s research on carbon capture in Upper Newport Bay
Despite covering just 2% of the ocean, coastal wetlands — such as tidal salt marshes, mangrove forests and seagrass beds — are responsible for storing nearly half of all carbon found in ocean sediment. These “blue carbon” ecosystems naturally absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and bury it deep within their soil. Assignment: Earth logo Learn more about USC’s Assignment: Earth initiative.
‘Mercury bomb’ threatens millions as Arctic temperatures rise
The Yukon River flows west across Alaska toward the Bering Sea, eroding Arctic permafrost along its banks and transporting sediment downstream. Within that sediment lurks a toxic stowaway: mercury.On a gold background, “Asgmt Earth” appears inside a black circle and “USC” inside a small, white circle that slightly overlaps the black circle.
Keeping native bees buzzing requires rethinking pest control
New research adds solid evidence to the suspicion that steep declines in America’s wild bee populations stem in large part from pesticide use. Saving the crucial pollinators requires new approaches to managing pesky insects, say USC Dornsife researchers. Whether you’re strolling through a garden, wandering a park, or simply enjoying an open space in the United States, you’re likely to notice bees buzzing about the flowers.
Summer Sustainability Internship Equips Community College Students for Success
The USC-Cerritos College Summer Research Internship in Sustainability at USC Dornsife opens academic and career pathways for aspiring science majors. Alejandro Hernandez takes his education very seriously. He’s the first in his family to attend college, pursuing majors in both chemistry and computer science at Cerritos Community College in Norwalk, Calif. “I can see myself working at a research-based job in the future,” he says.
Two prestigious grants fund PhD research in marine and molecular biology
A diversity supplement grant from the National Institutes of Health and a Gilliam Fellowship — the first to be awarded to USC Dornsife — will advance doctoral student scholarship. Research on neurogenerative disorders and the capacity for marine life to withstand warmer temperatures has gotten a boost, thanks to a grant and fellowship awarded to PhD students and faculty at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Fulbright Scholar awards go to USC Dornsife professor and 2 PhD students
The prestigious awards will enable the scholars to conduct research and teach in France, the Czech Republic and Spain’s Canary Islands. A professor and two doctoral candidates at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for the 2024–25 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
USC Dornsife Public Exchange and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) work together to advance use of nature-based solutions to tackle climate change
At USC’s Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., policymakers, researchers and practitioners from across the country explored how nature can be used to address increasingly frequent climate-associated risks, such as floods, heatwaves and fires. Los Angeles epitomizes the many climate-driven hazards that confront cities today — wildfires, air pollution, heat waves, coastal erosion, flooding, and drought.
Three USC Dornsife professors’ books named among best of the 21st century
Percival Everett, Maggie Nelson and Viet Thanh Nguyen were recognized by The New York Times for their literary achievements. Three professors from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, all of whom are distinguished MacArthur Fellows, have had books named to The New York Times list of “Best Books of the 21st Century.” The accolade highlights the tremendous impact of their work on contemporary literature and scholarship.
USC Dornsife scholars win Goldwater and Astronaut scholarships, and a prestigious fellowship
Two students and one alumnus obtain highly competitive scholarships and a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute fellowship, supporting work in quantitative biology, physics and environmental policy. Two students at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, along with a recent graduate, have added to the expansive list of accolades received by USC Dornsife scholars.
When it comes to butterflies, people prefer pretty ones. That’s a problem for scientists.
Scientists studying biodiversity rely on public data, but USC Dornsife researchers found that butterfly sightings on one popular online platform are skewed by personal preferences. Research shows humans often perceive attractive people as more intelligent, healthier, better leaders and more trustworthy. It turns out this bias extends to the insect world.
Moms think more about household chores − and this cognitive burden hurts their mental health - USC Dornsife
Moms execute more household tasks. But they’re also family executives, doing more of the thinking ahead and assigning that are part of all those chores – bad news for their mental health. When you think about housework, you likely think of actions: scrubbing the dishes, running errands, chopping vegetables for dinner. And it’s not news to say that mothers often shoulder the burden for most of those activities.
From witnessing oppression to investigating resistance
Wolf Gruner understands oppression. Born in East Berlin mere months before construction of the infamous wall that would divide the city for the next three decades, he grew up behind the Iron Curtain. Over the years, he witnessed the oppression of political dissidents and experienced discrimination against artists critical of the state. As one of them, he wrote poems and stories and came to detest how the government used persecution as a political tool.
$59 million boost enhances USC Dornsife’s Understanding America Study and nationwide research
National Institute on Aging grants increase study participant diversity, add new data sources and fund new research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. To quickly and accurately assess the American public’s attitudes on a wide range of topics — including health, work, politics and religion — researchers nationwide turn to the Understanding America Study (UAS).
Discovery of vast sex differences in cellular activity has major implications for disease treatment
Study comparing the genetic activity of mitochondria, the cell’s power plants, in males and females finds extreme differences, suggesting certain disease therapies must be tailored to each sex. “We discovered a pronounced ‘men are from Mars, women are from Venus’ pattern,” says marine and environmental biologist Suzanne Edmands. She refers not to human psychology, but rather to mitochondria, the cell components responsible for generating energy.
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