New neutron rich isotopes 267107Bh and 266107Bh were produced in bombardments of a 249Bk target with 117-MeV and 123-MeV 22Ne ions at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron. Identification was made by observation of correlated alpha-particle decays between the Bh isotopes and their Db and Lr daughters using a rotating wheel system. 267Bh was produced with a cross section of approximately 70 pb and decays with a 17(+14)(-6) s half life by emission of alpha particles with an average energy of 8.83+/-0.03 MeV. One atom of 266Bh was observed, decaying within 1 s by emission of a 9.29-MeV alpha particle.

Following a prediction by Smolańczuk [Phys. Rev. C 59, 2634 (1999)], we searched for superheavy element formation in the bombardment of 208 Pb with 449-MeV 86 Kr ions. We have observed three decay chains, each consisting of an implanted heavy atom and six subsequent a decays, correlated in time and position. In these decay chains, a rapid (ms) sequence of high energy a particles (E a $ 10 MeV) indicates the decay of a new high-Z element. The observed chains are consistent with the formation of 293 118 and its decay by sequential a-particle emission to 289 116, 285 114, 281 112, 277 110, 273 Hs (Z 108) and 269 Sg (Z 106). The production cross section is 2.2 12.6 20.8 pb.

Thiazolones with an exo-norbornylamine at the 2-position and an isopropyl group on the 5-position are potent 11beta-HSD1 inhibitors. However, the C-5 center was prone to epimerization in vitro and in vivo, forming a less potent diastereomer. A methyl group was added to the C-5 position to eliminate epimerization, leading to the discovery of (S)-2-((1S,2S,4R)-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ylamino)-5-isopropyl-5-methylthiazol-4(5H)-one (AMG 221). This compound decreased fed blood glucose and insulin levels and reduced body weight in diet-induced obesity mice.