The Synthesis of a Bisbenzothiophene (BBT) Based Organic Semiconductor with Increased Function and Increased Solubility

Organic semiconductors are growing in applications for use in modern technology.1 The main interest in these molecules can be attributed to their low cost (compared to silicon) and their ability to be used on flexible substrates. There are four features that make a good organic semiconductor. First, the molecule should be conjugated, having alternating single and double bonds (lone electron pairs act similarly to double bonds). Secondly, the molecule should be planar, or flat, in shape. Thirdly, the molecule should have a narrow band gap to increase the overall conductivity. Lastly, the molecule should be soluble to ease application. 3,4:3’,4’-Bisbenzothiophene (BBT) 1 is a fairly unexplored molecule that is known to have semiconducting applications. BBT is conjugated and planar, but its band gap is large and it is highly insoluble. The aim of this research was to synthesize a malononitrile substituted BBT molecule in order to increase solubility and decrease the band gap. Theoretical modeling supports that this molecule will be highly conjugated, will be mostly planar, will have a narrow band gap, and will have increased solubility as a result of a high dipole moment

Multimodal Analgesia: A Solution to the Epidemic of Opioid Monotherapy for the Treatment of Acute Pain in the Inpatient Hospital Setting

Over the last several decades the topic of acute pain management has led to several pendulum swings in clinical practice and has now elevated to the level of patient safety. This problem came to light in the 90s with the persistent underuse of acute pain medications that led to an increased awareness of the need to adequately assess and treat patients' pain.1,2,3 In recognition of this ongoing inadequate treatment of acute pain, APS (see glossary) designated pain as "the fifth vital sign" in 1995.4 As a community made up of HCPs (see glossary), scientists and other pain experts, their goal is to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering.5 While successful in bringing pain assessment and treatment to the forefront for healthcare providers, the "Pain as the Fifth Vital Sign" campaign has unfortunately led to the unintended consequence of an over-reliance on opioid medications. In an attempt to provide adequate analgesia for their patients, HCPs often prescribe opioid monotherapy (opioids only) to treat acute pain. Opioids, while effective, are associated with serious and sometimes fatal adverse events. The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction, moving from a lack of awareness of the need to assess and optimally treat acute pain, to now over-treating with opioid monotherapy, which can cause harm and put patients' safety at risk. With new and emerging non-opioid options for treating acute pain management, HCPs should assess patient risk for adverse effects and employ a MMA approach. This approach uses the lowest effective opioid dose needed and thus minimizes the adverse effects to the patient. The APS is set to release new guidelines in January, 2016 on use of MMA for acute pain management in the hospital setting. There is an urgent need for the implementation of risk assessment tools and opioid minimization strategies in hospitals across the country to provide safe and effective treatment of acute pain. Both HCPs and patients alike would benefit from education on MMA and the non-opioid options available for treating acute pain. Education and implementation of a MMA approach has proven to be efficacious and safe while enhancing recovery for patients and reducing costs associated with length of stay to the hospital. Not only does a MMA approach lead to safe and effective acute pain management for the hospitalized patient, but it may potentially reduce the incidence of chronic pain that results from inadequate treatment of acute pain. A 2008 review article by Macrae describes how postoperative pain has been shown to correlate with the incidence of chronic postsurgical pain.6 This paper will review one promising strategy to appropriately preventing chronic pain and avoid analgesic gaps, the MMA approach.Master of Public Healt

Campus & alumni news

Boston University Medicine was published by the Boston University Medical Campus, and presented stories on events and topics of interest to members of the BU Medical Campus community. It followed the discontinued publication Centerscope as Boston University Medicine from 1991-2005, and was continued as Campus & Alumni News from 2006-2013 before returning to the title Boston University Medicine from 2014-present

RG 10.19 St. Mary\u27s Church, Boston, Mass., Finding Aid

All physical materials associated with the New England Province Archive are currently held by the Jesuit Archives in St. Louis, MO. Any inquiries about these materials should be directed to the Jesuit Archives . Electronic versions of some items and the descriptions and finding aids to the Archives, which are hosted in CrossWorks, are provided only as a courtesy. In 1834, four lots of land on Endicott Street in Boston’s North End were purchased by the Catholic Church to establish a parish and to build a church. The first mass was offered in the basement of the church in December 1835, and in May 1836, St. Mary’s Church was dedicated to the service of God. The Society of Jesus’ presence began at St. Mary’s with the arrival of Fr. John McElroy, S.J. as the first Jesuit priest in 1847. The parish of St. Mary’s grew to a large number and the need for parochial education was felt throughout the community. The Sisters of Notre Dame established a girls’ school in 1849 and the School for Boys was established by the Jesuits in 1859. With the parish numbering over 10,000, land was purchased in 1873 to build a new church which was dedicated in December 1877. The school and parish continued on until the 1970s when the school closed in June of 1973 and the rectory closed in 1976. The church was demolished and a housing building was built in its place. The collection of St. Mary’s parish contains a variety of media including the following: church announcements, financial information, house diaries, publications for the various jubilee celebrations, rectory diaries, and general files which include categories such as correspondence, death registers, and deed information

Care and the Neoliberal Individual

© 2017, Journal of Economic Issues / Association for Evolutionary Economics. Abstract: This article explores two conflicting ethical systems: neoliberalism and institutionalism. Neoliberalism’s foundations support an overarching ethic of individual autonomy and individual responsibility. Institutionalism contrasts this conception with a view of human beings as relational. The ethical foundation of such a view requires a meta-ethic of interpersonal responsibility that supports an ethic of care

Pupal Exuviae of Culex Pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) Can be Utilised as a Non-Invasive Method of Biotype Differentiation

Abstract Background Culex pipiens L. is a principal vector of zoonotic arboviruses in Europe, acting in both an amplification role in enzootic transmission between avian hosts and as a bridge vector between avian hosts and mammals. The species consists of two forms which are indistinguishable using morphological methods but possess varying ecological and physiological traits that influence their vector capacity. In this study we validate methods that can be used to extract trace DNA from single pupal exuviae of Cx. pipiens for use in molecular speciation of samples. These DNA extraction methods are compared using measurement of the total yield and successful identification using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Results Genomic DNA was initially extracted from colony-derived individuals using an ethanol precipitation method, two commercially available DNA extraction kits: DNeasy® Blood & Tissue Kit (Qiagen, UK) and Wizard® SV Genomic DNA Purification System (Promega, UK) and a direct real-time PCR method. Time elapsed between eclosion and processing of pupae significantly influenced Cx. pipiens form identification as nucleic acid concentration and PCR amplification success decreased with increased time elapsed. Real-time PCR amplification success, however, was not shown to vary significantly between the three extraction methods, with all methods successfully identifying all samples, but the direct real-time PCR method achieved a lesser amplification success rate of 70% (n = 20 for each treatment). More variable results were produced when field-derived exuviae were used, with no significant difference in real-time PCR amplification success found across the four methods and a lower overall rate of successful identification of 55–80%. Conclusions This study shows that both colony and field derived Cx. pipiens pupal exuviae can be a useful non-invasive source of trace DNA permitting accurate biotype differentiation for at least twenty-four hours post-eclosion. The significance and utility of this technique in ecological and behavioural studies of Cx. pipiens is discussed and recommendations made for use according to experimental scenario

Phytochemicals Added to the Feed of Ovariectomized Adult Rats Increase Brown Adipose Activity

Background: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) uncouples respiration, using lipids as an energy source while dissipating heat. Increases in BAT activity are protective against obesity, thus compounds that increase BAT activation may help prevent weight gain. Resveratrol (R) increases BAT activity by upregulating thermogenic genes. As phytochemicals have synergistic properties, our research strategy has included investigation of the efficacy of relatively low concentrations of phytochemical blends on BAT activation. Methods: Previously, we showed that R combined with genistein (G) and quercetin (Q) reduced weight gain in aged ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. In the current study, OVX rats were fed diets containing doses of phytochemicals with vitamin D (diet 1: 1000 mg/kg G; diet 2: 500 mg/kg G, 200 mg/kg R, and 1000 mg/kg Q; diet 3: 1000 mg/kg G, 400 mg/kg R, and 2000 mg/kg Q). Results: After 16 weeks, rats in the high dose group had a significantly smaller scapular BAT depot compared to non-OVX controls (0.74 g v 0.92 g;

BMQ

BMQ: Boston Medical Quarterly was published from 1950-1966 by the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals