A reinvestigation of the deceptively simple reaction of toluene with OH, and the fate of the benzyl radical : a combined thermodynamic and kinetic study on the competition between OH-addition and H-abstraction reactions

This work reports density functional and composite model chemistry calculations performed on the reactions of toluene with the hydroxyl radical. Both the experimentally observed H-abstraction from the methyl group and possible OH additions to the phenyl ring were investigated. Reaction enthalpies and barrier heights suggest that H-abstraction is more favorable than OH-addition to the ring. The calculated reaction rates at room temperature and the radical intermediate product fractions support this view. At first sight, this might seem to disagree with the fact that, under most experimental conditions, cresols are observed in a larger concentration than benzaldehyde. Since the accepted mechanism for benzaldehyde formation involves H-abstraction, a contradiction arises that calls for a more elaborate explanation. In this first exploratory study, we provide evidence that support the preference of H-abstraction over OH addition and present an alternative mechanism which shows that cresols can be actually produced also through H-abstraction and not only from OH-addition, thus justifying the larger proportion of cresols than benzaldehyde among the products

Short-Term Effects of Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor Combination on Glucose Tolerance in Young People With Cystic Fibrosis—An Observational Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: The effect of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) on glucose tolerance and/or cystic-fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is not well understood. We performed an observational study on the short-term effects of ELX/TEZ/IVA on glucose tolerance. METHODS: Sixteen adolescents with CF performed oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) before and 4–6 weeks after initiating ELX/TEZ/IVA therapy. A continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system was used 3 days before until 7 days after starting ELX/TEZ/IVA treatment. RESULTS: OGTT categories improved after initiating ELX/TEZ/IVA therapy (p = 0.02). Glucose levels of OGTT improved at 60, 90, and 120 min (p < 0.05), whereas fasting glucose and CGM measures did not change. CONCLUSION: Shortly after initiating ELX/TEZ/IVA therapy, glucose tolerance measured by OGTT improved in people with CF. This pilot study indicates that ELX/TEZ/IVA treatment has beneficial effects on the endocrine pancreatic function and might prevent or at least postpone future CFRD

Corporate Governance, Opaque Bank Activities, and Risk/Return Efficiency: Pre- and Post-Crisis Evidence from Turkey

Does better corporate governance unambiguously improve the risk/return efficiency of banks? Or does either a re-orientation of banks' revenue mix towards more opaque products, an economic downturn, or tighter supervision create off-setting or reinforcing effects? The authors relate bank efficiency to shortfalls from a stochastic risk/return frontier. They analyze how internal governance mechanisms (CEO duality, board experience, political connections, and education profile) and external governance mechanisms (discipline exerted by shareholders, depositors, or skilled employees) determine efficiency in a sample of Turkish banks. The 2000 financial crisis was a wakeup call for bank efficiency and corporate governance. As a result, better corporate governance mechanisms have been able to improve risk/return efficiency when the economic, regulatory, and supervisory environments are more stable and bank products are more complex.corporate governance;bank risk;noninterest income;crisis;frontier

Company ‘Emigration’ and EC Freedom of Establishment: Daily Mail Revisited

Following the ECJ’s recent case law on EC freedom of establishment (the Centros, Überseering and Inspire Art cases), regulatory competition for corporate law within the European Union takes place at an early stage of the incorporation of new companies. In contrast, as regards the ‘moving out’ of companies from the country of incorporation, the ECJ once considered a tax law restriction against the transfer abroad of a company’s administrative seat as compatible with EC freedom of establishment (the Daily Mail case). For years, this decision has been regarded as applicable to all restrictions imposed by countries of incorporation, even the forced liquidation of the ‘emigrating’ company. This paper addresses the question whether EC freedom of establishment really allows Member States to place any limit on the ‘emigration’ of nationally registered companies. It argues that EC freedom of establishment covers the transfer of the administrative seat as well as the transfer of the registered office and, therefore, that the country of incorporation cannot liquidate ‘emigrating’ companies. In addition, it addresses the question whether a new Directive is needed to allow the transfer of a com- pany’s registered office and the identity-preserving company law changes. It argues that such a Directive is necessary to avoid legal uncertainty and to protect the interests of employees, creditors and minority shareholders, among others, who could be detrimentally affected by the ‘emigration’ of national companies

Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia: discrepancy according to different algorithms

Background: Diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is challenging since there is no gold standard test. The European Respiratory (ERS) and American Thoracic (ATS) Societies developed evidence-based diagnostic guidelines with considerable differences. Objective: We aimed to compare the algorithms published by the ERS and the ATS with each other and with our own PCD-UNIBE algorithm in a clinical setting. Our algorithm is similar to the ERS algorithm with additional immunofluorescence staining. Agreement (Cohen's κ) and concordance between the three algorithms were assessed in patients with suspicion of PCD referred to our diagnostic centre. Results: In 46 out of 54 patients (85%) the final diagnosis was concordant between all three algorithms (30 PCD negative, 16 PCD positive). In eight patients (15%) PCD diagnosis differed between the algorithms. Five patients (9%) were diagnosed as PCD only by the ATS, one (2%) only by the ERS and PCD-UNIBE, one (2%) only by the ATS and PCD-UNIBE, and one (2%) only by the PCD-UNIBE algorithm. Agreement was substantial between the ERS and the ATS (κ=0.72, 95% CI 0.53-0.92) and the ATS and the PCD-UNIBE (κ=0.73, 95% CI 0.53-0.92) and almost perfect between the ERS and the PCD-UNIBE algorithms (κ=0.92, 95% CI 0.80-1.00). Conclusion: The different diagnostic algorithms lead to a contradictory diagnosis in a considerable proportion of patients. Thus, an updated, internationally harmonised and standardised PCD diagnostic algorithm is needed to improve diagnostics for these discordant cases

100 Gbit/s serial transmission using a silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) modulator and a duobinary driver IC

100 Gbit/s three-level (50 Gbit/s 00K) signals are generated using a silicon-organic hybrid modulator and a BiCMOS duobinary driver IC at a BER of 8.5x10(-5)(<10(-12)). We demonstrate dispersion-compensated transmission over 5 km

100 Gbit/s serial transmission using a silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) modulator and a duobinary driver IC

100 Gbit/s three-level (50 Gbit/s 00K) signals are generated using a silicon-organic hybrid modulator and a BiCMOS duobinary driver IC at a BER of 8.5x10(-5)(<10(-12)). We demonstrate dispersion-compensated transmission over 5 km

Increased nuclear suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 in asthmatic bronchial epithelium suppresses rhinovirus induction of innate interferons

Background Rhinovirus infections are the dominant cause of asthma exacerbations, and deficient virus induction of IFN-α/β/λ in asthmatic patients is important in asthma exacerbation pathogenesis. Mechanisms causing this interferon deficiency in asthmatic patients are unknown. Objective We sought to investigate the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 in tissues from asthmatic patients and its possible role in impaired virus-induced interferon induction in these patients. Methods We assessed SOCS1 mRNA and protein levels in vitro, bronchial biopsy specimens, and mice. The role of SOCS1 was inferred by proof-of-concept studies using overexpression with reporter genes and SOCS1-deficient mice. A nuclear role of SOCS1 was shown by using bronchial biopsy staining, overexpression of mutant SOCS1 constructs, and confocal microscopy. SOCS1 levels were also correlated with asthma-related clinical outcomes. Results We report induction of SOCS1 in bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) by asthma exacerbation–related cytokines and by rhinovirus infection in vitro. We found that SOCS1 was increased in vivo in bronchial epithelium and related to asthma severity. SOCS1 expression was also increased in primary BECs from asthmatic patients ex vivo and was related to interferon deficiency and increased viral replication. In primary human epithelium, mouse lung macrophages, and SOCS1-deficient mice, SOCS1 suppressed rhinovirus induction of interferons. Suppression of virus-induced interferon levels was dependent on SOCS1 nuclear translocation but independent of proteasomal degradation of transcription factors. Nuclear SOCS1 levels were also increased in BECs from asthmatic patients. Conclusion We describe a novel mechanism explaining interferon deficiency in asthmatic patients through a novel nuclear function of SOCS1 and identify SOCS1 as an important therapeutic target for asthma exacerbations