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By Hon. A. Gail Prudenti, Esq.

Hon. A. Gail Prudenti, Esq.

After working most of your life and finally paying off your mortgage, the last thing you want is to see the assets you’ve accumulated through years of diligence fall into the government’s hands because you required long-term care either at home or in a nursing home. There is a way — a perfectly legal and legitimate way — to shield those assets and protect your children’s inheritance. But there’s really no time to lose. One of the ways in which we protect assets is by creating a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT).

With a MAPT, you can protect your assets from the cost of long-term care. But there is a hitch: The trust must be created sixty (60) months before nursing home care is necessary. Currently, in New York, there is no lookback for transfers made before you apply for home care or Community Medicaid. At the writing of this article, we are unsure if a lookback will ever be implemented in the homecare setting. To be safe, planning early is imperative and the key to asset protection and preservation.

Let’s back up a second. Nursing home care is extremely expensive (very roughly $15,000 a month) and few people can afford to pay this amount over the long haul. Ultimately, they will rely on the Medicaid benefits to which they are entitled. In fact, approximately 72% of all nursing home costs in New York are covered by Medicaid. That means if you are in a nursing home paying privately, you are in the minority.

Under the 2024 Medicaid resource allowance, the application can have $30,182.00. If you have assets that exceed that amount, there could be a spenddown. If you do nothing, you could lose your home and investment assets. If you establish a MAPT — and stay out of a nursing home for sixty (60) months — those assets are out of the government’s reach and will be there for your benefit and ultimately, your beneficiaries.

In addition to the resource allowance, a Medicaid recipient can have retirements accounts in an unlimited amount (provided those accounts are set up for a specific monthly distribution), an irrevocable pre-paid burial, and a car. At death, there will be recovery for the benefits paid by Medicaid during the recipient’s life. This recovery can be avoided if assets avoid probate by having a joint owner, beneficiary, or are held in a MAPT when the recipient passes.

Although situations differ, what happens most often is an aging person or couple, as part of sound estate planning, will consult with an elder law or trust/ estate lawyer to weigh the benefits and drawbacks and determine if a MAPT makes sense and which assets should go into the trust. The trust funding is a crucial part of this process as is choosing a trustee. Often, the trustee is an adult child or other relative or friend who you can trust to follow your wishes.

What happens if your house is in a trust, and you decide to move? No problem. The trustee can sell the house and then the proceeds can be used to buy another home or simply invested to pay you income from the trust. 

Similarly, if you put your stock investments in the trust, the trustee can buy and sell securities in the trust. The new home and the new stock stays in the trust. The grantor of the trust keeps all the income, and the principal is protected.

Trusts can be legally complicated, and if you do decide to investigate a MAPT, it’d be wise to consult with an attorney who specializes in that area of law and keeps a close watch on statutory changes that may affect the operation of the trust. Mistakes and oversights can have devastating unintended consequences. It may be difficult or impossible — and it will certainly be expensive — to revise a trust. Better to get it nailed down just right from the start.

Hon. Gail Prudenti, Esq. is a Partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. focusing her practice on Trusts and Estates. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. serves clients from New York City to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, Manhattan and East Hampton.

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Tobias Janowitz and Hassal Lee. Photo by Caryn Koza

By Daniel Dunaief

Before treatments for any kind of health problem or disease receive approval, they go through a lengthy, multi-step process. This system should keep any drugs that might cause damage, have side effects or be less effective than hoped from reaching consumers.

In the world of cancer care, where patients and their families eagerly await solutions that extend the quality and quantity of life, these clinical trials don’t always include the range of patients who might receive treatments.

Hassal Lee. Photo by Caryn Koza

That’s according to a recent big-picture analysis in the lab of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professor Tobias Janowitz. Led by clinical fellow Hassal Lee, these researchers compared where clinical trials occurred with the population near those centers.

Indeed, 94 percent of United States cancer trials involve 78 major trial centers, which were, on average, in socioeconomically more affluent areas with higher proportions of self-identified white populations compared with the national average.

“We should test drugs on a similar population on which we will be using the drugs,” said Lee. In addition to benefiting under represented groups of patients who might react differently to treatments, broadening the population engaged in clinical trials could offer key insights into cancer. Patient groups that respond more or less favorably to treatment could offer clues about the molecular biological pathways that facilitate or inhibit cancer.

Janowitz suggested that including a wider range of patients in trials could also help establish trust and a rapport among people who might otherwise feel had been excluded.

The research, which Lee, Janowitz and collaborators published recently as a brief in the journal JAMA Oncology, involved using census data to determine the socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds of patient populations within one, two and three hour driving distances to clinical trials.

The scientists suggested researchers and drug companies could broaden the patient population in clinical trials by working with cancer centers to enlist trial participants in potential life-extending treatments through satellite hospitals.

Project origins

This analysis grew out of a study Janowitz conducted during the pandemic to test the effectiveness of the gerd-reducing over-the-counter drug famotidine on symptoms of Covid-19.

Janowitz generally studies the whole body’s reaction to disease, with a focus on cancer associated cachexia, where patients lose considerable weight and muscle mass. During the pandemic, however, Janowitz, who has an MD and PhD, used his scientific skills to understand a life-threatening disease. He designed a remote clinical trial study in which participants took famotidine and monitored their symptoms.

While the results suggested that the antacid shortened the severity and duration of symptoms for some people, it also offered a window into the way a remote study increased the diversity of participants. About 1/3 of the patients in that population were African American, while about 1/4 were Hispanic.

Lee joined Janowitz’s lab in early 2022, towards the end of the famotidine study. 

“The diverse patient population in the remote trial made us wonder if commuting and access by travel were important factors that could be quantified and investigated more closely,” Janowitz explained.

Lee and Janowitz zoomed out to check the general picture for cancer clinical trials.

To be sure, the analysis has limitations. For starters, the threshold values for travel time and diversity are proof of concept examples, the scientists explained in their paper. Satellite sites and weighted enrollment also were not included in their analysis. The cost other than time investment for potential clinical trial participants could present a barrier that the researchers didn’t quantify or simulate.

Nonetheless, the analysis suggests clinical trials for cancer care currently occur in locations that aren’t representative of the broader population.

The work “leveraged freely available data and it was [Lee’s] effort and dedication, supported by excellent collaborators that we had, that made the study possible,” Janowitz explained.

Since the paper was published, Cancer Center directors and epidemiologists have reached out to the CSHL scientists.

Searching for clinical research

After Lee, who was born in Seoul, South Korea and moved to London when she was five, completed her MD and PhD at the University of Cambridge, she wanted to apply the skills she’d learned to a real-world research questions.

She found what she was looking for in Janowitz’s lab, where she not only considered the bigger picture question of clinical trial participation, but also learned about coding, which is particularly helpful when analyzing large amounts of data.

Lee was particularly grateful for the help she received from Alexander Bates, who, while conducting his own research in a neighboring lab in the department of Neurobiology at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, offered coding coaching.

Lee described Bates as a “program whiz kid.”

A musician who enjoys playing classical and jazz on the piano, Lee regularly listened to music while she was in the lab. Those hours added up, with Spotify sending her an email indicating she was one of the top listeners in the United Kingdom. The music service invited her to an interview at their office to answer questions about the app, which she declined because she had moved to the United States by then.

The top medical student at Cambridge for three years, Lee said she enhanced her study habits when she felt unsure of herself as a college student.

She credits having great mentors and supportive friends for her dedication to work.

Lee found pharmacology one of the more challenging subjects in medical school, in part because of the need to remember a large number of drugs and how they work.

She organized her study habits, dividing the total number of drugs she needed to learn by the number of days, which helped her focus on studying a more manageable number each day.

Lee will be a resident at Mt. Sinai Hospital later this year and is eager to continue her American and New York journey.

As for the work she did with Janowitz, she hopes it “really helps people think about maintaining diversity in clinical trials using data that’s already available.”

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

By Heidi Sutton

Did you know that April 4 is National Chicken Cordon Bleu Day? Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic dish that many associate with fine French cuisine. It features a chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese, then breaded and pan-fried. 

The name “cordon bleu” literally translates to “blue ribbon” in French. In the 1500s, the Order of the Knights of the Holy Spirit became known as “Les Cordon Bleus.” The knights used a blue ribbon to hang their talisman, and eventually the term became associated with distinction and honor. It was then used in the 16th century to refer to an honor bestowed upon excellent cooks. 

The earliest known recipe for chicken cordon bleu was published in 1950 in a Minneapolis food magazine. It spread across the Midwest over the next decade and was likely rebranded as a French dish due to the fancy name.

Julia Child helped popularize chicken cordon bleu nationwide when she included a recipe in her acclaimed 1961 cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her version stuffed chicken with ham and Gruyère cheese, then dipped it in egg and breadcrumbs. This became the standard way of preparing chicken cordon bleu in American homes and restaurants. So while it sounds like an elite French dish, its roots as a breaded, cheese-stuffed chicken cutlet are thoroughly American. 

To celebrate National Chicken Cordon Bleu Day, cook up some delicious chicken cordon bleu for your family to enjoy tonight! 

Bon appétit! 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Cordon Bleu

YIELD: Serves 3

PREPARATION TIME:  10 to 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6 thin slices of salt-cured Virginia-smoked ham or prosciutto ham

3 slices domestic Swiss cheese or Gruyère cheese

1 whole egg

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup flour

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 tablespoon table ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS: 

Slice chicken horizontally without cutting all the way through to create butterfly breast. Place chicken on cutting board with sheet of plastic wrap over top. With meat mallet, gently pound chicken to even thickness of breast. Place two slices ham and cheese on one side of breast and fold back over.

In bowl, whip together egg and water to create egg-wash. On two separate plates, put flour and breadcrumbs. Season flour with salt and black pepper. Carefully dredge chicken first into seasoned flour, then into egg-wash, followed by breadcrumbs.

Heat olive oil in ovenproof sauté pan. Place chicken in pan to brown. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, then flip each breast over. Place pan into oven at 350°F and cook until each chicken breast reaches 170°F internal temperature, about 20-25 minutes.

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Silas

Welcome to the 28th edition of Paw Prints, a monthly column for animal lovers dedicated to helping shelter pets find their furever home.

 

 

Milo

Meet Milo

In his prime at the age of seven, this modest, mild mannered Terrier mix at Little Shelter in Huntington is Milo. Always happy to see you, he loves going on walks and participating in all your plans for the day. Deferring to you for the itinerary, he’s content just to be by your side, whether you’re working to bring home the bacon ( did someone say bacon?) or taking the day off to enjoy the spring weather. Affable and courteous, Milo is the perfect gentleman and the best storyteller, making him the most popular guest at any gathering. If our man Milo sounds like the ideal addition to your family, stop by soon to say hello! 631-368-8770, ext. 2

Peluche

Meet Peluche

With a name meaning “plush”, this one year old Chihuahua mix at Little Shelter in Huntington is Peluche. Somewhat shy, he’s nevertheless eager to meet and make new friends, expand his social circle, and become more well-rounded and confident. Enjoying long walks filled with sights, sounds, and interesting smells, he’s also available when you need someone fluffy to cuddle. Quick-witted and motivated, he’s ready to learn new skills while priding himself on his already acquired knowledge of quality companionship. “And, they say life is an adventure full of mystery, so let’s go….” Stop by Little Shelter and start your latest escapade with Peluche by your side! 631-368-8770, ext. 21

Blaze

Meet Blaze

Can you imagine 5 years (1,825 days) without a family, a home, a couch to veg on, a friend to snuggle with?  March 29 was Blaze’s 5th shelter-versary at the Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter and Adoption Center. At 11 years old, this boy is a staff favorite. He’s affectionate, well mannered, knows his commands, loves fiercely and vocalizes what he wants. Blaze is nervous of strangers and protective of his people. That’s his only (very workable) quirk. He doesn’t deserve to spend another anniversary in the shelter.  Will you be his hero?  631-360-7575

Catastrophe

Meet Catastrophe

Catastrophe is a one and a half-year-old male cat up for adoption at Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton. This handsome boy was rescued from a high kill shelter in Georgia. He gets along well with humans and felines alike, and adjusted quickly to the open living cat room at the shelter. Catastrophe has made friends with a few other cats and enjoys head rubs from the staff and volunteers. Come meet this wonderful cat today! 631-727-5731, ext. 1

Silas

Meet ‘Spicy’ Silas

Currently up for adoption at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter, Silas is a pint-sized bundle of energy and personality! At approximately 2 years old and 30lbs, this spunky terrier mix is ready to charm his way into your heart.

Despite his small stature, Silas has a BIG personality! He’s full of sass and loves to play, especially with other dogs. Silas may be little, but he’s fearless and enjoys romping around with bigger pups. He can be weary of strangers but with a bit of patience and continued training, Silas is sure to thrive in a loving home.

Silas is seeking a forever family with experience handling feisty terriers. He’ll do best in a quieter adult home without children, but another dog-friendly dog would be the perfect companion for him. Silas thrives on playtime and goofiness, and he’s eager to show off his full personality in a supportive environment.

If you’re ready to welcome this lively little guy into your home and heart, fill out a matchmaker application at www.brookhavenny.gov/152/Animal-Shelter. Silas can’t wait to find his forever family and share all his love and playfulness with them. Let’s make Silas’s dreams of a forever home come true! 631-451-6955/ 631-451-6953

Rescue is a lifestyle. Adopt, don’t shop.

Check out the next Paw Prints in the issue of May 2.

Paw Prints is generously sponsored by Mark T. Freeley, Esq.

 

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Antibiotic use can affect the microbiome

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Each of us has a microbiome — trillions of microbes that include bacteria, viruses and single-cell eukaryotes that influence our body’s functions. When “good” and “bad” microbes are in balance, we operate without problems. However, when the balance is tipped, often by environmental factors, such as diet, infectious diseases, and antibiotic use, it makes us more susceptible to diseases and disorders.

While the microbiome is found throughout our bodies, including the skin, the eyes and the gut, we’re going to focus on the gut, where most of our microbiome lives.

Research into the specifics of our microbiome’s role in healthy functioning is still in its infancy. Current research into the microbiome’s effects include its role in obesity, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s, and infectious diseases, such as colitis.

What influences our microbiome?

Lifestyle, such as diet, can impact our microbiome positively or negatively. Microbiome diversity may be significantly different in distinct geographic locations throughout the world, because diet and other environmental factors play such a large role.

When we take drugs, such as antibiotics, we can wipe out our microbial diversity, at least in the short term. This is why many have gastrointestinal upset while taking antibiotics. Antibiotics don’t differentiate between good and bad bacteria when they go to work.

One way to counteract these negative effects is to take a probiotic during and after your course of antibiotics. I recommend Renew Life’s 30-50 billion units once a day, two hours after an antibiotic dose and continuing once a day for 14 days after you have finished your prescription. If you really want to ratchet up the protection, you can take one dose of probiotics two hours after each antibiotic dose.

How does the microbiome affect weight?

Many obese patients continually struggle to lose weight. Obese and overweight patients now outnumber malnourished individuals worldwide (1).

For a long time, the paradigm for weight loss had been to cut calories. However, extreme low-calorie diets were not having a long-term impact. It turns out that our guts may play important roles in obesity and weight loss, determining whether we gain or lose weight.

The results from a study involving human twins and mice are fascinating (2). In each pair of human twins, one was obese and the other was lean. Gut bacteria from obese twins was transplanted into thin mice. The result: the thin mice became obese. However, when the lean human twins’ gut bacteria were transplanted to thin mice, the mice remained thin.

By pairing sets of human twins, one obese and one thin in each set, with mice that were identical to each other and raised in a sterile setting, researchers limited the confounding effects of environment and genetics on weight.

The most intriguing part of the study compared the effects of diet and gut bacteria. When the mice who had received gut transplants from obese twins were provided gut bacteria from thin twins and given fruit- and vegetable-rich, low-fat diet tablets, they lost significant weight. Interestingly, they only lost weight when on a good diet. The authors believe this suggests that an effective diet may alter the microbiome of obese patients, helping them lose weight. These are exciting, but preliminary, results. It is not yet clear which bacteria may be contributing these effects.

Does gut bacteria contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that can be disabling, with patients typically suffering from significant joint soreness and joint breakdown. What if gut bacteria influenced RA risk? In a study, the gut bacteria in mice that were made susceptible to RA by deletion of certain genes (HLA-DR genes) were compared to those who were more resistant to developing RA (3). Researchers found that the RA-susceptible mice had a predominance of Clostridium bacteria and that those resistant to RA were dominated by bacteria such as bifidobacteria and Porphyromonadaceae species. The significance is that the bacteria in the RA-resistant mice are known for their anti-inflammatory effects.

Although we can’t yet say what the ideal gut bacteria should consist of, we do know a few things that can help you. Diet and other lifestyle considerations, such as eating and sleeping patterns or their disruptions, can affect the composition and diversity of gut bacteria (4). Studies have already demonstrated prebiotic effects of fiber and significant short-term changes to the microbiome when eating fruits, vegetables, and plant fiber. The research is continuing, but we’ve learned a lot already.

References:

(1) “The Evolution of Obesity”; Johns Hopkins University Press; 2009. (2) Science. 2013;341:1241214. (3) PLoS One. 2012;7:e36095. (4) Nutrients. 2019 Dec;11(12):2862.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Change is not just a distant possibility, it’s a force shaping the way we live, work and connect with one another today. 

From artificial intelligence and machine learning to environmental and clean energy initiatives, the landscape of technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, presenting us with both challenges and opportunities. 

In recent news we have seen the incorporation of AI in the classroom, workforce and in industry. We have seen integration of technology on a local level as in the case of the CBORD Patient app for meal ordering at Stony Brook University Hospital. We even see technology connecting one another in civics and other community gatherings with the use of platforms such as Zoom. We have the opportunity to chat in the many community-run online forums accessed via Facebook and other platforms.

We have seen proposals for clean energy initiatives such as the Sunrise Wind project or the governor’s proposal for electric school buses. We have also seen investments and grants given to institutions such as Brookhaven National Lab and Stony Brook University to help further innovation and creation. 

While some may view these changes with apprehension or skepticism, we must recognize that the march of progress is unavoidable. Rather than resisting the tide of innovation, let us embrace it as a means to propel our community forward into a brighter, more prosperous future.

One of the most promising aspects of integrating emerging technologies into our community is the potential to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across various sectors. Whether it’s optimizing transportation systems through the use of predictive analytics or improving access to health care services through telemedicine and patient assistive applications, technology has the power to revolutionize the way we deliver essential services and meet the needs of our residents.

Moreover, the integration of emerging technologies can foster economic growth and innovation, attracting new businesses, entrepreneurs and investment opportunities to our community. 

However, as we embark on this journey of technological integration, it’s essential that we do so with careful consideration for the ethical, social and environmental implications of our actions. 

As we embrace emerging technologies, let us not lose sight of the importance of human connection and community cohesion. While technology has the power to connect us in unprecedented ways, it can never replace the warmth of a face-to-face conversation or the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a close-knit community. 

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By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

We have learned to be impatient. Combining our instant gratification experiences with the information, access and communication at our fingertips, we have less tolerance to wait for anything.

When we find out we’ll have to stand in line for a meal for more than half an hour, we dive into our phones, searching for other nearby restaurants where we can eat within 10 minutes or less.

When we wait on the phone for customer service, we shake our heads, bite our lips, roll our eyes and sigh repeatedly while waiting for someone who encourages us to try the app or to use the automated system next time.

We want life to be at least as good if not better today than yesterday and we want that now. It’s a tough time to have to demonstrate patience and to show that we understand that life involves processes.

When we recover from an injury, we want to look at the damaged part of our bodies and, like Superman, somehow fix it by glaring at it or willing the cells involved in the process to work faster and to allow us to run on a stress fracture in our foot or to self-heal a torn rotator cuff so we can go back out and play tennis or softball again.

It’s tough to celebrate or appreciate small victories because we know where the finish line of our recovery is, where the endpoint of our request is and whatever we want immediately.

Perhaps we need to recalibrate our expectations to understand and appreciate what small wins look like. While we know what we’d like with the end result, we can see small improvements as a way to enjoy the moment and to understand and appreciate how we’re on the right track.

In recovering from my stress fracture, I have been impossibly impatient, staring at the treadmill the way I used to long for an ice cream sundae with hot caramel and chocolate sprinkles.

The treadmill, where I overdid my exercise routine and created the stress fracture, had been a source of relief.

Several times over the last few weeks, I was tempted to see if I could restart my running, only to decide, reluctantly, that I would be jeopardizing my longer term recovery.

Instead, I limited my walking and have appreciated how much better my foot feels when I maneuver around the house. The recovery isn’t complete, but the improvement, which seemed imperceptible at first, is now noticeable.

Recently, on a short walk with my dog, I spoke with a friend whose mother was celebrating a milestone birthday. Paul was frustrated with the lower quality of life that his mother is enduring, as she struggles with her memory and doesn’t enjoy many of the same things, like food and family, that used to bring her pleasure.

Paul wondered at the regular frustration he felt at the incremental losses he, his mother and their family felt each day.

While both my brothers are doctors, as was my father, I have no medical training, which makes it impossible for me to offer an informed opinion on the cognitive and physical processes that occur at the end of people’s lives.

That didn’t stop me from suggesting ways to find small wins each day, which may depend on the mental state of his mother.

At some point, those wins, whether they involve a memory of something meaningful to his mother, a card game that reaches completion, or a song she enjoys hearing can become the focus of a visit, rather than the parts she and they lose, can become the new yardstick for a win.

Impatience for something better immediately is a luxury, as are so many other aspects of life, we take for granted.

When the light turns green, we want to make the light so we can reach our destination. At the same time, a red light can give us a few extra seconds to look at the spring flowers blooming around someone’s house, to hear children shouting with delight as they pile into a car on the way to their youth soccer game, or to extend a conversation that might otherwise end when we step out of the car.

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The cover of the first issue of The Village Times in 1976 by Pat Windrow

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

On Monday. April 8th, there will be two miracles: the eclipse of the sun in North America and the 48th birthday of The Village Times, the flagship paper of TBR News Media. While not in the same category, one being macro and the other micro, they are both remarkable in their own way. 

If someone had told me I would be sitting here, writing this column on my computer 48 years after we had sent that first issue to bed, I would have been both stunned and yet not surprised. When we started, I never thought we would fail. Such is the necessary optimism of the entrepreneur. By the same token, where have all those years gone? They can be recaptured in 2,496 issues since so far; we never missed a week.

As for the total solar eclipse, this is the second time in seven years that the moon’s pathway will come between us and the sun, totally blocking out the light on the Earth beneath for as much as four minutes, depending on location. It will take 70 to 80 minutes for the eclipse to become total and the same amount of the time for the moon then to recede from the face of the sun. The route of darkness will begin on the west coast of Mexico and move northeast diagonally to exit off the east coast of Canada.

One way for us to think about all those intervening years since 1976 is by remembering how old our children were and what they were doing then. My sons recall our having a table at the July 4th Bicentennial celebration sponsored by the Three Village Historical Society at which we gave out copies of the three-month old newspaper. It was a great setting at which to introduce ourselves, and we produced a special section for the event. My sons were 10, 8 and almost 7 at the time, and I’m sure I had them moving through the crowd offering newspapers.

My husband, who was an accomplished photographer, had taken the pictures of costumed patriots for the supplement, so the occasion was, for us, a family affair in addition to an historic one.

You might ask how the moon, which is 400 times smaller than the sun, could obscure that solar surface. The answer is that the moon is about 400 times closer to us, and so when the moon is in the right spot, they seem the same size. And when the Earth gets between the moon and the sun, which happens a couple of times a year, we have a lunar eclipse, an occurrence less spectacular than a solar eclipse.

You might also ask how a newspaper started by a handful of housewives and 10 minor investors could possibly compete with established weeklies that had deep-pocketed owners and long histories of publishing. That, truly, was something of a miracle. 

Our editorial staff was made up of smart mothers who felt captive in their kitchens and were looking for some sort of additional role in the community. They were willing to accept $5 for an assignment that they would then load their children into the station wagon and go cover, writing up the article after their children were asleep in the evening or their husbands came home to help with the family duties. 

And that was after we were able to pay them the fee. Now they were “professionals.” For the first couple of years, we couldn’t pay them anything. Without too much hubris, I want to salute their intelligence and dedication to starting something we felt was of value and would serve our community and ultimately our democracy. 

A prominent message of the Bicentennial was the need for accurate information in order for people to govern wisely themselves. That is why the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and the national treasury partially subsidizes newspapers with discounted postage rates to this day.

We at TBR News Media continue to consider it a privilege to serve you by casting light on current issues. 

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As the vibrant hues of blossoming flowers herald the arrival of spring, we are reminded of the beauty of change and growth. Just as nature undergoes a transformation during this season, so too can our community benefit from a renewal of spirit and purpose. 

Spring cleaning is more than just a household chore — it is an opportunity to breathe new life into our surroundings and reaffirm our commitment to the well-being of our community. As we shake off the cobwebs of winter and open our windows to let in fresh air, let us also take stock of the areas in our neighborhood that could use a little extra attention. 

Whether it’s organizing a neighborhood cleanup event, like that of the Great Brookhaven Cleanup or the Setauket-Port Jefferson Greenway trail cleanup, or the several town recycling initiatives, picking up litter on our daily walks or simply taking the time to tidy up our own front yards, every effort counts toward creating a cleaner, more inviting community for all.

Recycling initiatives are a crucial component of our spring cleaning efforts, providing us with a tangible way to reduce waste and protect the environment. As we sort through our belongings and declutter our homes, let us also be mindful of how we dispose of unwanted items. 

By recycling paper, plastics, glass and other materials, we not only conserve valuable resources but also help to minimize the burden on our landfills and reduce pollution. Let us make a concerted effort to incorporate recycling into our spring cleaning routines, setting aside items that can be repurposed or recycled rather than discarded.

In addition to traditional spring cleaning tasks, let us also consider other ways to preserve the beauty of our community and foster a sense of connection among residents. Planting native species in our gardens, supporting local environmental initiatives and advocating for sustainable practices are all ways in which we can contribute to the health and vitality of our community. By working together toward common goals, we can create a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

As we embark on this season of renewal, let us seize the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community and the world around us. We can make a difference — one clean street, one recycled item, one act of kindness at a time.

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From left, Juan Jimenez and Sanjaya Senanayake in front of CO2 and Methane Conversion Reactor Units in the Chemistry Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

By Daniel Dunaief

If we had carbon dioxide glasses, we would see the gas everywhere, from the air we, our pets, and our farm animals exhale to the plumes propelled through the smokestacks of factories and the tail pipes of gas-powered cars.

Juan Jimenez. Photo by Kevin Coughlin/BNL

A waste product that scientists are trying to reduce and remove, carbon dioxide is not only a part of the photosynthesis that allows plants to convert light to energy, but it also can be a raw material to create usable and useful products.

Juan Jimenez, a postdoctoral researcher and Goldhaber Fellow at Brookhaven National Laboratory, has been working with carbon dioxide for the last 10 years, in his undergraduate work at CUNY City College of New York, for his PhD at the University of South Carolina and since he arrived at BNL in 2020. 

Jimenez contributed to a team led by engineers at the University of Cincinnati to create a way to improve the electrochemical conversion of this greenhouse gas into ethylene, which is an important ingredient in making plastics as well as in manufacturing textiles and other products.

University of Cincinnati Associate Professor Jingjie Wu recently published work in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering in which they used a modified copper catalyst to improve the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into ethylene.

“I’m always looking out to collaborate with groups doing cutting edge research,” explained Jimenez, who spearheaded the research at the National Synchrotron Lightsource II. “Since the work on CO2 is a global concern we require a global team” to approach solutions.

Jimenez is fascinated with carbon dioxide in part because it is such a stable molecule, which makes reacting it with other elements to transform it into something useful energy intensive.

A modified copper catalyst helped convert more carbon dioxide, which breaks down into two primary carbon-based products through electrocatalysis, into ethylene, which has been called the “world’s most important chemical.”

“Our research offers essential insights into the divergence between ethylene and ethanol during electrochemical CO2 reduction and proposes a viable approach to directing selectivity toward ethylene,” UC graduate student Zhengyuan Li and lead author on the paper, said in a statement.

A previous graduate student of Wu, Li helped conduct some of the experiments at BNL.

This modified process increases the selective production of ethylene by 50 percent, Wu added.

The process of producing ethylene not only increases the production of ethylene, but it also provides a way to recycle carbon dioxide.

In a statement, Wu suggested this process could one day produce ethylene through green energy instead of fossil fuels.

Jimenez’s role

Scientists who want to use the high-tech equipment at the NSLS-II need to apply for time through a highly competitive process before experimental runs.

Jimenez led the proposal to conduct the research on site at the QAS and ISS beamlines.

Several of the elements involved in this reaction are expensive, including platinum, iridium, silver and gold, which makes them prohibitively expensive if they are used inefficiently. By using single atoms of the metal as the sites, these scientists achieved record high rates of reaction using the least possible amount of material.

The scientists at BNL were able to see the chemistry happening in real time, which validated the prediction for the state of the copper.

Jimenez’s first reaction to this discovery was excitement and the second was that “you can actually take a nap. Once you get the data you’re looking for, you can relax and you could shut your eyes.”

Working at NSLS-II, which is one of only three or four similar such facilities in the United States and one of only about a dozen in the world, inspires Jimenez, where he appreciates the opportunity to do “cutting edge” research.

“These experiments are only done a few times in the career of the average scientist,” Jimenez explained. “Having continuous access to cutting edge techniques inspires us to tackle bigger, more complicated problems.”

In the carbon dioxide research, the scientists drilled down on the subject, combining the scope of what could have been two or three publications into a single paper.

Indeed, Nature Chemical Engineering, which is an online only publication in the Nature family of scientific journals, just started providing scientific papers in the beginning of this year.

“Being part of the inaugural editions is exciting, specifically coming from a Chemical Engineering background” as this work was published along with some of the “leading scientists in the field,” said Jimenez.

New York state of mind

Born in Manhattan, Jimenez lived in Queens near Jamaica until he was 11. His family moved into Nassau County near the current site of the UBS Arena.

During his PhD at the University of South Carolina, Jimenez spent almost a year in Japan as a visiting doctoral student, where he learned x-ray absorption spectroscopy from one of the leading scientists in the field, Professor Kiyotaka Asakura. Based in Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, Jimenez enjoyed touring much of the country.

A resident of Middle Island, Jimenez likes to run and swim. He enjoys cooking food from all over the world, including Spanish, Indian and Japanese cuisines.

As a scientist, he has the “unique luxury” of working with an international audience, he said. “If you are having lunch and you see someone eating amazing Indian food, you can talk to them, learn a bit about their culture, how they make their food, and then you can make it.”

As for his work, Jimenez explains that he is drawn to study carbon dioxide not just for the sake of science, but also because it creates a “pressing environmental need.”

He has also been looking more at methane, which is another potent greenhouse gas that is challenging to activate.

Ideally, at some point, he’d like to contribute to work that leads to processes that produce negative carbon dioxide use.

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