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The synthesis of arylamines from renewable resources under mild reaction conditions is highly desired for the sustainability of the chemical industry, where the production of hazardous waste is a prime concern. However, to date, there are very few tools in chemists' toolboxes that are able to produce arylamines in a sustainable manner. Herein, a robust one‐pot approach for constructing bio‐based arylamines via a combined photooxidative dearomatization‐rearomatization strategy is presented. The developed methodology enables the synthesis of structurally complex amines in moderate‐to‐good isolated yields using biomass‐derived phenols, natural α‐amino acids, and naphthols under remarkably mild reaction conditions. For the photooxygenation of phenols, a novel chrysazine‐based catalyst system was introduced, demonstrating its efficiency for the synthesis of natural products – hallerone, rengyolone, and the pharmaceutically relevant prodrug DHED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree sloths rely on their limb flexors for bodyweight support and joint stability during suspensory locomotion and posture. This study aims to describe the myology of three‐toed sloths and identify limb muscle traits that indicate modification for suspensorial habit. The pelvic limbs of the brown‐throated three‐toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) were dissected, muscle belly mass was recorded, and the structural arrangements of the muscles were documented and compared with the available myological accounts for sloths. Overall, the limb musculature is simplified by containing muscles with generally long and parallel fascicles. A number of specific and informative muscle traits are additionally observed in the pelvic limb of B. variegatus: well‐developed hip flexors and hip extensors each displaying several fused bellies; massive knee flexors; two heads of the m. adductor longus and m. gracilis; robust digital flexors and flexor tendons; m. tibialis cranialis muscle complex originating from the tibia and fibula and containing a modified m. extensor digitorum I longus; appreciable muscle mass devoted to ankle flexion and hindfoot supination; only m. extensor digitorum brevis acts to extend the digits. Collectively, the findings for tree sloths emphasize muscle mass and organization for suspensory support namely by the hip flexors, knee flexors, and limb adductors, for which the latter two groups may stabilize suspensory postures by exerting appreciable medially‐directed force on the substrate. Specializations in the distal limb are also apparent for sustained purchase of the substrate by forceful digital flexion coupled with strong ankle flexion and supination of the hind feet, which is permitted by the reorganization of several digital extensors. Moreover, the reduction or loss of other digital flexor and ab‐adductor muscles marks a dramatic simplification of the intrinsic foot musculature in B. variegatus, the extent to which varies across extant species of two‐ and three‐toed tree sloths and likely is related to substrate preference/use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If arbitrage is costly and noise traders are active, asset prices may deviate from fundamental values for long periods of time. We use a sample of 158 closed-end funds to show that noise-trader sentiment, as proxied by retail-investor flows, leads to fluctuations in the discount. Nevertheless, we reject the hypothesis that noise-trader risk is the cause of the long-run discount. Instead we find that funds which are more difficult to arbitrage have larger discounts, due to: (1) the censoring of the discount by the arbitrage bounds, and (2) the freedom of managers to increase charges when arbitrage is costly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Weight-management medications (WMM) are recommended for the treatment of obesity. This study examined characteristics associated with initial receipt of WMM among eligible veterans in the first year following enrollment in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MOVE! behavioral weight-management program.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of VHA patients with obesity or overweight and obesity-related comorbidities who enrolled in MOVE! from October 2013 to September 2016 (N = 153,939). Multivariable logistic regression models estimated predictors of having a filled prescription for WMM and for orlistat.Results: A total of 1.1% of these veterans received WMM. The most common WMM included orlistat (70.4%), phentermine/topiramate (11.2%), and bupropion/naltrexone (9.7%). Female sex, higher BMI, obstructive sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, depression, lower back pain, and alcohol abuse were associated with greater odds of use of WMM, whereas age over 65 years, Hispanic ethnicity, and required co-payments were associated with lower odds. Among patients receiving WMM, older age, black race, female sex, higher BMI, cardiovascular disease, lower back pain, and congestive heart failure were associated with use of orlistat versus any other WMM.Conclusions: Of patients engaged in MOVE! in the VHA, 1.1% received WMM. WMM are underutilized among veterans. Additional research is needed to understand barriers to incorporating WMM into comprehensive obesity treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Weight recidivism following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is common and is associated with recurrence of comorbidities. Studies with long-term follow-up of recidivism quantified by weight regain (WR) are lacking. A retrospective review of all RYGB at our center from 2004 to 2015 was performed to examine the effects of race and type 2 diabetes on WR following RYGB.Methods: Multivariable linear mixed models were used for the effects of time and race on weight, WR relative to nadir weight (WR/nadir), and WR relative to maximal weight loss, and Cox regressions were used for low, moderate, and high WR/nadir.Results: A total of 1,395 participants were identified. The sample was limited to African American (AA), Caucasian American (CA), and Hispanic American (HA) participants. The effects of time (P < 0.0001), race (P < 0.0001), and race × time interaction (P = 0.0008) on weight trajectory were significant. AA had significantly more WR than CA (P < 0.01). AA and HA had a higher hazard ratio for having low, moderate, and rapid WR/nadir.Conclusions: Racial disparities after RYGB include WR and particularly affect AA. Understanding the etiologic factors that contribute to these disparities is important to optimize the long-term clinical outcomes of bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Share prices rise after companies announce repurchases, but there are differing views as to why this happens. Repurchases are announced by closed-end funds when their discounts are widening (market-to-book is falling). The immediate post-announcement effect is a small jump in a fund's share price, but the main effect occurs over the next four years during which time there is significant outperformance both of the fund's price and of its investment portfolio. Liquidity of the shares does not change. Repurchases, if executed, reduce the size of a fund and therefore the manager's fees. Our findings are consistent with directors using the threat of repurchases to discipline managers whose investment performance has been poor, leading to a closer alignment of pay and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a large sample of UK-listed closed-end funds to examine whether governance has an impact on two indicators of fund performance: the level of fund-management fees and the discount at which a fund trades. Fees are under the control of the directors, and we find that they are inversely related to fund returns, even after allowing for differences across investment sectors. Fees are, on average, higher if a fund has a large board, few directors from outside the fund-family, many directors from within the fund-family, and low ownership by the management company. Discounts for funds are wider if the management company or any blockholder has a significant long-term stake, suggesting that investors are wary of entrenched management. The results suggest that boards are frequently compromised in their duty to shareholders by their dependence on fund-management companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents study that examined classificatory choices within an explicit, incentives-based framework. The results obtained will provide an insight into the general applicability of positive accounting theory by evaluating its explanatory power in a hithero untested choice situation. The assumed object of smoothing in this study is the reported profit after tax, but before extraordinary items. This is chosen because, under U.K. GAAP, it provides the basis for the calculation of the earnings per share figure, a statistic regarded by many as a key financial ratio. The instrument of smoothing which we examine is the classification of items either above the line or below the line. In this study, we refer to exceptional and extraordinary items as discretionary classification items. We will show that in U.K. financial reporting they occur frequently and are of significant magnitude. The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. In the next section we (i) define earnings management, (ii) review positive accounting theory, which provides the general theoretical framework for this study, (iii) discuss the relationship, within this framework, between the accounting choice, earnings management and income smoothing literatures, and (iv) develop our model and hypotheses. In the third section we describe our measure of smoothing and detail our sample and methods. The fourth section contains results and discussion. The final section presents the conclusions.

Continuous monitoring of electrophysiological biosignals such as electrocardiogram (ECG) and bioimpedance (BioZ) rely on gel‐based electrodes and adhesive skin interfaces requiring active patient interaction inherently restricting chronic use. Current solutions aimed at addressing seamless, comfortable, and reliable recordings with dry electrodes use battery power and are limited to days of operation with clinical‐grade fidelity. Here, current limitations are overcome by uniting at‐distance wirelessly powered wearable electronics with carbon‐doped filament deposition modeling (FDM) printed dry electrodes that overcome impedance degradation by seamless integration into textile and biosymbiotic systems, allowing for high‐fidelity operation over indefinite timescales. These capabilities are demonstrated with ECG during work, activity, and sleep and BioZ recordings documenting gains in forearm training over weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]