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Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and its public health and economic burdens are rising. There is substantial evidence that dietary factors significantly reduce ASCVD-related morbidity and mortality, and that Americans, including those with established ASCVD, adhere poorly to cardio-protective diet patterns. Despite this, there continues to be a large gap in nutrition education during medical school and post-graduate training, leaving physicians poorly prepared to counsel patients on diet, nutrition, and related behavior change. The result is a massive missed opportunity to improve cardiovascular disease prevention at the health system level. However, recent calls for change by stakeholder groups, and a surprising new experiential learning model, suggest this may be changing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophilic trisubstituted ethylene monomers, ring-substituted methyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl2-propenoates, RC6H4CH=C(CN)CO2 CH3 (where R = H, 2-CH3, 3-CH3, 4-CH3, 2-C2H5, 4-C2H5, 4-iC3H7, 4-C4H9 and 2,4,6-(CH3)3), were synthesized by the piperidine-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and methyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR. Co-polymerization of the propenoates and vinyl acetate in solution with radical initiation (AIBN) at 70°C yielded equimolar alternating co-polymers. The composition of the co-polymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR, GPC, DSC and TGA. The high Tg of the co-polymers in comparison with that of polyvinyl acetate indicates a substantial decrease in chain mobility of the co-polymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. The gravimetric analysis indicated that the co-polymers decompose in the 214–400°C range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equimolar alternating co-polymers of vinyl acetate and electrophilic trisubstituted ethylene monomers, halogen ring-substituted methyl (E)-2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RC6H4CH=C(CN)CO2CH3 (where R = 2-Br, 3-Br, 4-Br, 2-Cl, 3-Cl, 4-Cl, 2-F, 3-F, 4-F), were prepared via co-polymerization in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the co-polymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR. High glass transition temperatures of the co-polymers in comparison with that of polyvinyl acetate indicate a decrease in chain mobility of the co-polymers due to the high dipolar character of the tri-substituted ethylene monomer unit. The gravimetric analysis indicated that the decomposition of the co-polymers occurs in two steps. The first step is relatively fast weight loss in 227–370°C range, followed by very slow decomposition of the formed residue in 370–950°C range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]