Ab initio electronic structure calculations of solid, solution-processed metallotetrabenzoporphyrins

An ab initio study of the electronic structures of solid metallotetrabenzoporphyrins (MTBPs) utilized in organic transistors and photovoltaics is presented. Bandstructures, densities of states, and orbitals are calculated for H2, Cu, Ni, and Zn core substitutions of the unit cell of solid TBP, as deposited via soluble precursors that are thermally annealed to produce polycrystalline, semiconducting thin-films. While the unit cells of the studied MTBPs are nearly isomorphous, substitution of the core atoms alters the structure of the bands around the energy bandgap and the composition of the densities of states. Cu and Ni core substitutions introduce nearly-dispersionless energy bands near the valence and conduction band edges, respectively, that form acceptor or deep generation/recombination states.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 4 table

Ab initio molecular dynamics study of manganese porphine hydration and interaction with nitric oxide

The authors use ab initio molecular dynamics and the density functional theory+U (DFT+U) method to compute the hydration environment of the manganese ion in manganese (II) and manganese (III) porphines (MnP) dispersed in liquid water. These are intended as simple models for more complex water soluble porphyrins, which have important physiological and electrochemical applications. The manganese ion in Mn(II)P exhibits significant out-of-porphine plane displacement and binds strongly to a single H2O molecule in liquid water. The Mn in Mn(III)P is on average coplanar with the porphine plane and forms a stable complex with two H2O molecules. The residence times of these water molecules exceed 15 ps. The DFT+U method correctly predicts that water displaces NO from Mn(III)P-NO, but yields an ambiguous spin state for the MnP(II)-NO complex.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

The Effectiveness of a Geriatrics Curriculum

With support from the AAMC/John A. Hartford Foundation the University of Massachusetts Medical School developed a Geriatrics curriculum and faculty development that would be integrated across all four years. Beginning in Fall 2001, these were implemented over the next two academic years in both preclinical and clinical areas and are highlighted on the timeline above. Would implementation of this new Geriatrics curriculum and faculty development impact students’ ratings of instruction time in Geriatrics? Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2005

Under-Represented Minorities and Medical School Admissions: Preference Factors That Influence the Decision to Matriculate

Currently, the need for the recruitment and retention of qualified Under-Represented Minority (URM) students remains a pressing concern for U.S. medical schools. In response to this need, we analyzed admissions data at our medical school to determine which factors may positively or negatively influence the decision of an URM applicant to matriculate at our school, when compared to their White/Asian counterparts. Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2007

Advisor/Mentor Role in Guiding Future Primary Care Physicians

One component of UMMS’s mission is to provide affordable, high-quality medical education to state residents and to increase the number of PCPs practicing in underserved areas of the state. This study responds to our growing need to recruit future PCPs by investigating differences in relationships with advisors/mentors between those students who pursue a primary care residency and those who do not. Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2009

Diversity Climate Survey Results: Changing Institutional Culture

Purpose: To gather and analyze data at two points in time on perceptions of institutional values connected to a wide range of diversity issues. This study gauges student, faculty, and staff views on institutional support of diversity with results guiding future inclusion and training efforts within the organization. Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2008

Independent Learning: Emerging Themes

Previous research findings suggest “independent learning” appeared to be the single most useful method for helping students facilitate learning in their preclinical years. This study extends upon our prior work exploring students’ definition of independent learning. Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2009

Stratigraphy, Sequence, and Crater Populations of Lunar Impact Basins from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) Data: Implications for the Late Heavy Bombardment

New measurements of the topography of the Moon from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)[1] provide an excellent base-map for analyzing the large crater population (D.20 km)of the lunar surface [2, 3]. We have recently used this data to calculate crater size-frequency distributions (CSFD) for 30 lunar impact basins, which have implications for their stratigraphy and sequence. These data provide an avenue for assessing the timing of the transitions between distinct crater populations characteristic of ancient and young lunar terrains, which has been linked to the late heavy bombardment (LHB). We also use LOLA data to re-examine relative stratigraphic relationships between key lunar basins

Increasing the Depth of the Recruitment Pool for Future Women Academic Leaders: Should We Begin with Medical School Electives?

A 2002 report from the AAMC Project Implementation Committee indicated, “The pool from which to recruit women academic leaders remains shallow” (Bickel, et al., 2002). Since hen, much attention has been focused on improving conditions for women at the faculty level. Yet, few studies address the possibility that the medical school experience could impact the initial depth in this recruitment pool. Is there a trend in medical school that may be negatively impacting women’s success in pursuing a career in academia? Presented at the AAMC (Association of American Colleges) Annual Meeting, RIME (Research in Medical Education) Program, November 2006