Proceed with Caution: Readjusting the Procedural Requirements for Prenuptial Agreements Post-Acurio v. Acurio

The article discusses the need to amend the procedural requirements for prenuptial agreements under the Louisiana Civil Code following the Supreme Court\u27s decision in Acurio v. Acurio which held that acknowledgment of an act under private signature must take place before the marriage

Bank affiliated directors and earnings management: Evidence from India

We examine the governing impact of creditors, i.e. Bank Appointed Directors (BAD), on the earnings management of corporate firms in a context which is characterized by underdeveloped financial institutions, a weak legal (contract) enforcement system and lack of insolvency resolution framework, i.e. India. Unlike the US, where BADs play a limited monitoring role, BADs in India play an active role in firm monitoring and thus have a negative impact on the discretionary accruals. Further, we document that the impact is greater for firms with a greater degree of information asymmetry and the agency problem. These results remain robust even after controlling for potential endogeneity issue

Studies into cytauxzoon and helminth infections of bobcats (Lynx rufus) of Northwest Arkansas

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Cytauxzoon felis and gastrointestinal helminth infections in bobcats (Lynx rufus) of Northwest Arkansas, an area known to have numerous cases of cytaux in domestic cats. Sixty bobcat carcasses were collected from trappers located in Mulberry and Decatur, Arkansas. Blood samples from the hearts were used to isolate Cytauxzoon DNA. Next, a polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) procedure coupled with gel-electrophoresis assay for the 18s region of extracted DNA were used to determine the presence of the protozoan in the bobcats at the time of harvest. Out of the 60 bobcats, 54 (90%) were positive for the protozoan’s infection. These findings indicate a large reservoir of Cytauxzoon for possible infection of domestic cats. Along with the detection of Cytauxzoon felis, intestinal helminths of the bobcats were collected and identified. The isolated helminths included Alaria marcianae, Ancylostoma sp., Molineus barbatus, Taenia sp., Spirometra mansonoides, Mesocestoides lineatus, Aonchotheca putorii, Physaloptera praeputialis and Toxocara cati. All helminths found were previously shown to be common in omnivorous and carnivorous sylvatic as well as domestic mammals of the region. It is amazing that bobcats are able to withstand both parasitic infections concurrently, as they roam the forests of Northwest Arkansas

The Moderating Effect of Third-Party Assurance on the Relationship Between CSR Disclosure and Investor Judgments

Abstract: Using a survey-based experiment, we investigate whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures can influence perceptions of corporate reputation and if these perceptions affect investors’ assessment of firms as attractive investments. After viewing CSR disclosures, participants were asked how they perceived the subject firm as a potential investment, and also how they assessed the firm’s reputation. Specifically, the subject firm’s CSR disclosure was manipulated to include either all-positive performance information or mixed information reporting that some CSR goals are not being achieved. A second manipulation divided disclosures into those that were based on information assured by a third-party and those that were not assured. Current MBA alumni and MBA students from an AACSB-accredited university were surveyed. The results supported the usefulness of assurance in promoting a positive firm image, particularly when only positive CSR performance information is reported. The effect of perceived corporate reputation on investment attractiveness was also found to be significant. Together, the findings suggest that when CSR disclosures are assured, they can positively influence investors’ assessments of corporate reputation, which in turn leads to greater investment attractiveness. Key Words: Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, voluntary disclosure, corporate reputation, investor judgements, assurance, Global Reporting Initiative

Nuclear factor-kappa B: Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper interface analogs suppress pathology in an Alzheimer's disease model

Introduction Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper is a regulatory protein that sequesters activated nuclear factor-kappa B p65. Previously, we showed that rationally designed analogs of the p65-binding domain of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper, referred to as glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper analogs (GAs), inhibited amyloid β–induced metabolic activity and inflammatory cytokines in mixed brain cell cultures. Here, we investigate the therapeutic efficacy of GA in an Alzheimer's disease model. Methods GA and control peptides were synthesized covalently as peptide amides with the cell-penetrating agent. C57Bl/6J mice induced with lipopolysaccharide-mediated neuroinflammation (250 mg/kg i.p/day for six days) were treated on alternate days with GA-1, GA-2, or control peptides (25 mg/kg i.v). Brain tissues were assessed for gliosis, cytokines, and antiapoptotic factors. Results The brain tissues of GA-1– and GA-2–treated mice exhibited significantly reduced gliosis, suppressed inflammatory cytokines, and elevated antiapoptotic factors. Discussion The antineuroinflammatory effects of GA suggest potential therapeutic application for Alzheimer's disease

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Family Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale Among Surrogate Decision-Makers of the Critically Ill

Objectives The purpose of this study was to report the psychometric properties, in terms of validity and reliability, of the Unconscious Version of the Family Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (FDMSE). Methods A convenience sample of 215 surrogate decision-makers for critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation was recruited from four intensive care units at a tertiary hospital. Cross-sectional data were collected from participants between days 3 and 7 of a decisionally impaired patient\u27s exposure to acute mechanical ventilation. Participants completed a self-report demographic form and subjective measures of family decision-making self-efficacy, preparation for decision-making, and decisional fatigue. Exploratory factor analyses, correlation coefficients, and internal consistency reliability estimates were computed to evaluate the FDMSE\u27s validity and reliability in surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients. Results The exploratory factor analyses revealed a two-factor, 11-item version of the FDMSE was the most parsimonious in this sample. Furthermore, modified 11-item FDMSE demonstrated discriminant validity with the measures of fatigue and preparation for decision-making and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability estimates. Significance of results This is the first known study to provide evidence for a two-factor structure for a modified, 11-item FDMSE. These dimensions represent treatment and palliation-related domains of family decision-making self-efficacy. The modified FDMSE is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to measure family decision-making self-efficacy among surrogate decision-makers of the critically ill

Glucocorticoid Induced Leucine Zipper in Lipopolysaccharide Induced Neuroinflammation

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones secreted as the end-product of the neuroendocrine stress cascade. Both absence and elevated GC mediate neurotoxic responses, suggesting that a narrow window ranging from physiological to slightly high GC mediate protective responses. The beneficial effects of GC are attributed to the transactivation of regulatory proteins and inhibition mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR) interactions with other co-factors. The glucocorticoid induced leucine zipper (GILZ) is a gene strongly upregulated by GC and mediates many of the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of GC. Although GILZ is constitutively expressed in many tissues including the brain, the expression has been shown to occur with varying dynamics suggesting that the local milieu modulates its expression with consequent effects on cellular responses. Here we investigated the expression profile of GILZ in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mediated neuroinflammation model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our data suggest that the GILZ expression is downregulated in neuroinflammation correlating inversely with the pro-inflammatory cytokines and innate immune responses

Role of A1 receptor-activated GIRK channels in the suppression of hippocampal seizure activity

The neuromodulator adenosine is released during seizure activity to provide negative feedback suppression of on-going activity and to delay the occurrence of the next burst of activity. Adenosine acts via multiple G protein coupled receptors including the A1 receptor (A1R) which inhibits neurotransmitter release and hyperpolarises neuronal membrane potential. The hyperpolarisation is produced, at least in part, by the activation of G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels. We have used tertiapin-Q (TQ), a potent and selective inhibitor of GIRK channels, to assess the role of GIRK channels in controlling seizure activity in areas CA1 and CA2 of mouse hippocampal slices. TQ (100–300 nM) blocked ∼50% of the adenosine-mediated membrane potential hyperpolarisation of hippocampal CA1 and CA2 neurons. TQ (100 nM) had no significant effect on synaptic transmission in area CA1 of the hippocampus but enhanced transmission in CA2, an effect prevented by blocking A1Rs. TQ (100 nM) increased the frequency of spontaneous activity (induced by removing Mg2+ and increasing K+) and blunted the effects of exogenous adenosine on the suppression of activity. TQ had a significantly greater effect on electrically-stimulated seizure activity induced in CA2 versus that in CA1, producing a greater increase in both the duration and amplitude of the stimulated bursts. This is consistent with the greater A1R density and A1R activation tone in CA2. Thus GIRK channels play a role in the supressing effects of adenosine on seizure activity

High-intensity interval training is safe, feasible and efficacious in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis : a randomized controlled trial

Background: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves bursts of high-intensity exercise interspersed with lower-intensity exercise recovery. HIIT may benefit cardiometabolic health in people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Aims: We aimed to examine the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of 12-weeks of supervised HIIT compared with a sham-exercise control (CON) for improving aerobic fitness and peripheral insulin sensitivity in biopsy-proven NASH. Methods: Participants based in the community [(n = 14, 56 ± 10 years, BMI 39.2 ± 6.7 kg/m2, 64% male), NAFLD Activity Score 5 (range 3–7)] were randomized to 12-weeks of supervised HIIT (n = 8, 4 × 4 min at 85–95% maximal heart rate, interspersed with 3 min active recovery; 3 days/week) or CON (n = 6, stretching; 3 days/week). Safety (adverse events) and feasibility determined a

Assessment of Discordance Between Surrogate Care Goals and Medical Treatment Provided to Older Adults With Serious Illness

Importance: An important aspect of high-quality care is ensuring that treatments are in alignment with patient or surrogate decision-maker goals. Treatment discordant with patient goals has been shown to increase medical costs and prolong end-of-life difficulties. Objectives: To evaluate discordance between surrogate decision-maker goals of care and medical orders and treatments provided to hospitalized, incapacitated older patients. Design, setting, and participants: This prospective cohort study included 363 patient-surrogate dyads. Patients were 65 years or older and faced at least 1 major medical decision in the medical and medical intensive care unit services in 3 tertiary care hospitals in an urban Midwestern area. Data were collected from April 27, 2012, through July 10, 2015, and analyzed from October 5, 2018, to December 5, 2019. Main outcomes and measures: Each surrogate's preferred goal of care was determined via interview during initial hospitalization and 6 to 8 weeks after discharge. Surrogates were asked to select the goal of care for the patient from 3 options: comfort-focused care, life-sustaining treatment, or an intermediate option. To assess discordance, the preferred goal of care as determined by the surrogate was compared with data from medical record review outlining the medical treatment received during the target hospitalization. Results: A total of 363 dyads consisting of patients (223 women [61.4%]; mean [SD] age, 81.8 [8.3] years) and their surrogates (257 women [70.8%]; mean [SD] age, 58.3 [11.2] years) were included in the analysis. One hundred sixty-nine patients (46.6%) received at least 1 medical treatment discordant from their surrogate's identified goals of care. The most common type of discordance involved full-code orders for patients with a goal of comfort (n = 41) or an intermediate option (n = 93). More frequent in-person contact between surrogate and patient (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.43; 95% CI, 0.23-0.82), patient residence in an institution (AOR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.82), and surrogate-rated quality of communication (AOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99) were associated with lower discordance. Surrogate marital status (AOR for single vs married, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.01-3.66), number of family members involved in decisions (AOR for ≥2 vs 0-1, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.05-3.21), and religious affiliation (AOR for none vs any, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.12-21.09) were associated with higher discordance. Conclusions and relevance: This study found that discordance between surrogate goals of care and medical treatments for hospitalized, incapacitated patients was common. Communication quality is a modifiable factor associated with discordance that may be an avenue for future interventions