Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Factors Associated With Early Sexual Debut Among Ghanaian Women From The Manya – Krobo District, – Ghana, 2011, Omoro Faye Omoighe, Amanda D. Castel, Jeffrey Bingenheimer

GW Research Days 2013

Affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics GW, School of Public Health and Health Services

Title: "Factors associated with early sexual debut among Ghanaian women from the Manya – Krobo district, – Ghana, 2011"

Background: The dipo, a Krobo puberty initiation rite practiced annually among an estimated 2,000 Ghanaian females ages 2–20, is a cultural rite of passage into womanhood that is intended to promote abstinence from sexual activity until marriage.

Objectives: This study examined the risk of early sexual debut among dipo-initiated Krobo females versus uninitiated Krobo females. This study also assessed Manya–Krobo societal opinions regarding the sexual health outcomes …

Justification Of Intimate Partner Violence In Egypt, Amira A. Roess, Esther L. Aranda

GW Research Days 2013

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an important problem in developing countries and associated with poor reproductive health outcomes.

Objectives: To describe trends and justification of IPV in Egypt.

Methods: We used the 2008 Egypt Demographic Health Surveys (EDHS). Information on IPV was drawn from 16,527 women in 2008. We performed bivariate analyses to examine trends in and risk factors for justification of IPV.

Results: 39.5% of respondents reported that IPV is justifiable. Logistic regression suggests that age, education, wealth and female autonomy are associated with respondents not justifying IPV. In contrast respondents who supported the continuation of female circumcision …

The Characteristics Of Women Seeking Funding From The Dc Abortion Fund, Karin Elizabeth Bleeg

GW Research Days 2013

Objectives: To determine whether the population DCAF serves, based on current research, are those most in need of its financial services. Describe the population that DCAF is supports by age, race and ethnicity, poverty, educational attainment, union status, contraceptive method used, referral source, and number of prior pregnancies.

Methods: An adapted version of The Guttmacher Institute's National Patient Survey will be used to collect data from women who contact DCAF for financial assistance for their abortion (n=150). The data will be collected for one month and then analyzed in SPSS.

Results: Between January and March 2013 approximately 400 women contacted …

Developing Standardized Language For Use In Lgbt Health Research, Vaibhav Jain, Marisa Workman, Sara Mostafa, Abigail Wolfe, Stefania Davia, Natalie Terens, Keith Li, Blaine Parrish

GW Research Days 2013

BACKGROUND: In the past two decades, the LGBT community in the United States has been more visible, active, and positively accepted by society. As acceptance progresses, research interests on the LGBT population have increased, driving the need for standard language for researchers to share for comparative and community-based participatory research. "What term is right?" is often the question researchers ask a very diverse LGBT community. In August 2012, the District of Columbia's Office of LGBT Affairs identified incongruent language in a number of published reports commissioned by the Mayor's Office. The Office realized the importance of standardized language for health …

Skinning The Surface Of Bone Abnormalities In Trichothiodystrophy, Rina Allawh, Michael Xiong, Deborah Tamura, John J. Digiovanna, Michael T. Collins, Kenneth H. Kraemer, Suvimol Hill

GW Research Days 2013

Objective(s): The purpose of the study conducted is to characterize the qualitative and quantitative features of the bone abnormalities present in patients diagnosed with Trichothiodystrophy (TTD), a DNA repair and transcription disorder. An additional goal of the study is to identify TTD patients at risk for rapidly progressive bone abnormalities in order to improve diagnosis and treatment for TTD patients.

Study Design: A retrospective study conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examining the bone abnormalities present in a study population comprised of 32 patients between the ages of 1 and 29 years of age diagnosed with TTD. Radiographic …

Evaluating A Multidisciplinary Approach To Teaching Mobile Healthcare, Dalya N. Elhady, Neal Sikka

GW Research Days 2013

PURPOSE

Mobile healthcare is a rapidly evolving opportunity to leverage technology to improve access and quality of healthcare while reducing costs and increasing the mobility of patients and providers. Innovations are often created by technical experts without adequate knowledge of the interplay between various mobile health agencies (i.e. clinical, business, regulatory, etc.). In order to improve the communication and cross-silo collaboration between mobile health leaders in a variety of fields, a multidisciplinary approach to education is necessary. Integrative teaching has received relatively little recognition in the medical education literature. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary format to …

Intensive Goal-Directed Treatments In Enriched Environments Augments Patient Outcomes Post-Stroke, Blake A. Kandah, Michael A. Klonowski, Ryan M. Pelo, Nicole M. Williams, Raquel V. Santiago, Christopher K. Thompson, Kristan A. Leech, Carey L. Holleran, Abigail L. Leddy, T. George Hornby

GW Research Days 2013

Objective: Previous research indicates that patients post-stroke, average 400-800 steps within physical therapy sessions and demonstrate heart rate values of 24-35% of HR Max. This dosage and intensity is inadequate to promote neuroplastic changes and maximize recovery. The goal of this study was to quantify and examine the amount of high-intensity stepping practice that was delivered within an Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation (AIR) setting for individuals with sub-acute stroke.

Methods: 14 patients with a diagnosis of sub-acute stroke were admitted to AIR. Standardized outcomes included the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the …

Infrastructure For Health: Empowering Village Health Teams In Uganda, Daniel C. Mays

GW Research Days 2013

BACKGROUND: The Ugandan National Health System, primarily organized by the Ministry of Health, utilizes community health workers which are structured as Village Health Teams (VHTs). Omni Med, a Boston-based NGO, works with the Ministry of Health to train and mobilize VHTs in the Mukono District.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding how VHTs are empowered to improve health in their communities, educating VHTs in health and medicine, mobilizing VHTs by providing motivation and oversight, and understanding VHT-member experiences through focus groups.

METHODS: Omni Med works with community chairpersons to organize VHT elections. Subsequently, Omni Med holds a training course on health topics like hygiene …

Fall Safety Assessment At The New School Of Public Health And Health Services Building, Amanda Mcqueen, Seung-Sup Kim, Melissa J. Perry

GW Research Days 2013

Objective: Falls are one of the leading causes of workplace death, lost work time, and costs to industry, particularly in construction. The public health burden of falls is significant, as approximately 25% of nonfatal injuries and 38% of fatalities in the general construction industry are due to falls. The goal of this study is to develop an assessment tool to evaluate fall safety in general construction and to evaluate fall safety among five skilled construction trades (i.e. electricians, painters, carpenters, welders, and roofers) throughout different stages of a new building construction project. The project is the new School of Public …

Examining The Impact Of International Volunteer Service And Village Health Teams On Community Health In Uganda's Mukono District, Caitlin M. Sherman, Anne E. Nichols

GW Research Days 2013

In many third world countries there is a dramatic shortage of doctors available for the countries' growing population. Similarly, the countries' infrastructure lacks adequate public transportation at an affordable cost. This is especially true throughout the continent of Africa. As a result, many people do not seek care until it is too late and do not receive basic medical education on how to keep their family and themselves healthy. To try to alleviate this issue many countries have begun training community health workers. In Uganda, they are called Village Health Teams (VHT). VHTs are people selected by their community to …

Prevalence And Genotype Distribution Of Hpv In Cytology Specimens Containing Atypical Glandular Cells: A Case Control Study, Sarah B. Namugenyi, Michael J. Balsan, Sara N. Glick, Jeanne A. Jordan

GW Research Days 2013

Introduction: Although the incidence of squamous cell cervical cancers in the U.S. has markedly declined over time with the introduction of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, the incidence of glandular cell cancers has increased. The sensitivity of detecting lesions containing abnormal glandular cells is much lower than that for lesions containing abnormal squamous cells. While AGC-grade cytology results represent <1% of all Pap test results reported annually in the U.S., up to 40% of them represent a corresponding high-grade lesion on the followup biopsy. Guidelines for managing AGC-grade cytology released in 2006 by the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology include HPV testing. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV in AGC-grade liquid-based cytology (LBC) specimens compared to control specimens negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM).

Methods: Quest Diagnostics provided de-identified case and control LBC specimens. Cases were women with AGC-grade LBC specimens collected between 2007- 2012. Controls were a sample of women with NILM-grade LBC specimens collected between 2011-2012. DNA was extracted from LBC specimens using the …

Vaccination Of Balb/C Mice With The Na-Apr-1 M74 Hookworm Vaccine Generates Neutralizing Antibodies And A Potent Immune Response, Amar R. Jariwala, Xi Chen, Mark S. Pearson, Brian Keegan, Jill B. Brelsford, Jordan L. Plieskatt, Bin Zhan, Alex Loukas, Peter Hotez, Jeffrey M. Bethony

GW Research Days 2013

BACKGROUND

Human Hookworm Infection, a neglected tropical disease infects more than 600 million people around the world. Hookworms ingest hemoglobin containing erythrocytes and Necator americanus Aspartic Protease-1 wild type (Na-APR-1wt) a hemoglobinase cleaves hemoglobin to form Heme and Globin. Globin is further digested by other gut enzymes and the nutritional products are absorbed by the hookworm’s gut wall. Also, Heme which is toxic to hookworm is detoxified by the Necator americanus Glutathione Transferase-1 (Na-GST-1); a detoxification enzyme secreted by the gut of the hookworm. Necator americanus Aspartic Protease-1 M74 (Na-APR-1 M74) is a new …

Novel Neutralizing Antibody Assays For Recombinant Human Hookworm Na-Gst-1 Vaccine, Xi Chen, Brian Keegan, Peter J. Hotez, Jeffrey M. Bethony, Amar R. Jariwala

GW Research Days 2013

BACKGROUND

Necator Americanus, a human hookworm causes approximately 85% of the global hookworm infections. Hookworm ingest hemoglobin containing erythrocytes. Hemoglobin is further digested to Heme and Globin by hookworm's gut enzymes. Iron-containing Heme is a potent enzyme inhibitor and generates toxic reactive oxygen species which is toxic to hookworms. Hookworm's gut enzyme Na-GST-1 (Necator Americanus Glutathione S-Transferase-1) has been hypothesized to detoxify Heme. Na-GST-1 adjuvanted with Alhydrogel® is a new vaccine which is currently under clinical development. Na-GST-1 has two active sites, the ligand binding or Heme detoxification site (H-site) and the catalytic active glutathione binding …

A Comparative Study Of The Standard Prenatal Care In Nicaragua To Standard United States Prenatal Care, Lynsa Minh Nguyen

GW Research Days 2013

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and cost effectiveness of the standard prenatal care offered in Nicaragua and the United States.

METHODS: In a comparative study of standard prenatal care in Nicaragua with the prenatal care in the U.S., the number of appointments, the types of tests/screenings, the frequency of tests/screenings, and the maternal and neonatal mortality rates were compared. Data concerning prenatal care was collected from a U.S. obstetric gynecologist and a Nicaraguan government nurse and doctor in the respective countries. The mortality rates used were provided by The World Bank.

RESULTS TO DATE: Standard prenatal care in Nicaragua recommended …

Multicopy Crystallographic & Biophysical Analyses Of The N-Terminal Domain Of Nbce1-A: Illumination Of The Human R298s Mutation, Harry S, Gill, Ali Ramezani, Talal Alzahrani, Dominic S. Raj

GW Research Days 2013

Background:

NBCe1-A membrane-embedded macromolecules cotransport sodium and bicarbonate ions across the bilayers that serve to maintain acid-base homeostasis throughout the body. Defects are linked to a number of disorders, including proximal renal tubule acidosis, mental retardation, dental defects, and cataracts. Previously, we demonstrated the N-terminal domain of NBCe1-A (Nt) is in pH-sensitive monomer-dimer equilibrium. At neutral pH, bicarbonate ions bind the Nt, stabilizing dimerization and intermolecular self-associations of dimers.

Methods:

We determine and analyze the X-ray crystal structure of the Nt as a dimer at 2.4-A resolution using molecular-replacement methods, and a multicopy crystallographic structure of the monomer using 5 …

Guardian Engagement Learning Community 2012-2013, Ebony Allen, Paige Kulie, Risa Nakajima, Sarah Scheinfeld, Jordanna Snyder, Julia Song, Zachary Spoehr-Labutta, Kelly Worden

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Healthy Teen Scholars, Tanya Abraham, Katherine Boretsky, Shari Boyce, Nikita Desai, Odera Ekwunife, Rachel Glassford, Ahimsa Govender, Dolores Prudent, Anna Yakovleva

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Patient-Driven Resource Planning Of A Health Care Facility Evacuation, Bruno P. Petinaux, Kabir Yadav

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: The evacuation of a health care facility is a complex undertaking, especially if done in an immediate fashion, ie, within minutes. Patient factors, such as continuous medical care needs, mobility, and comprehension, will affect the efficiency of the evacuation and translate into evacuation resource needs. Prior evacuation resource estimates are 30 years old.

Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional survey of charge nurses of the clinical units in an urban, academic, adult trauma health care facility (HCF), the evacuation needs of hospitalized patients were assessed periodically over a two-year period.

Results: Survey data were collected on 2,050 patients. Units with patients …

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - April 2013, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Transitioning Veterans Collaborative, Suzanne Arnott, Kiara Baginski, Geoff Ball, Elizabeth Buchanan, Jay Choi, Courtney Gieber, Jackie Lussier, Nigel Madden, Satya Piccioni-Grenna, Nellie Trenga-Schein, Paul Tschudi, Heidi Wolff

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Senior Wellness Learning Community: Young At Heart, Amna Vahidy, Brook Simopoulos, Caitlin Bove, Julia Zamarchi, Kathleen Pormento, Megan Dormond, Meghana Vijaysimha, Sarah Jones

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Medicine + Health, Spring 2013, George Washington University, School Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Office Of Communications And Marketing

Medicine + Health Magazine

No abstract provided.

Annual Report 2012, Forum Staff

National Health Policy Forum

This annual report describes the activities of the Forum during the 2012 calendar year, and provides a snapshot of our resources.

Access To Chemical Data Used In Regulatory Decision Making, Lynn R. Goldman, Ellen K. Silbergeld, Randall Lutter, Craig Barrow, Christopher J. Borgert, James W. Conrad Jr., Debra Edwards, Allan Felsot

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Gw Nursing, Spring 2013, George Washington University, School Of Nursing

GW Nursing Magazine

No abstract provided.

A New E-Professionalism/Social Media Course: Student Reflections And Impact, Gisela Butera, Alexandra Gomes, Katherine C. Chretien, Terry Kind

Himmelfarb Library Faculty Posters and Presentations

This poster provides a review of interim results from a qualitative study on first-year medical students' attitudes and perceptions of their definition of medical professionalism in social media. Included in the study is an evaluation of changes in perspective since becoming a medical student and after participating in an E-Professionalism and Social Media instructional session.

Neurosurgery Concepts: Key Perspectives On Regulatory Proteins, Management Of Ossification Of The Posterior Longitudinal Ligament, And Radiosurgery For Intracranial Lesions, Jonathan H. Sherman, Zachary A. Smith, Jin Mo Cho, Michael Lim, Chaim B. Colen, Chae-Yong Kim, Vincent Yat Wang, Gabriel Zada, Gordon Li, Isaac Yang

Neurological Surgery Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pit Latrines And Their Impacts On Groundwater Quality: A Systematic Review, Jay P. Graham, Matthew L. Polizzotto

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Pit latrines are one of the most common human excreta disposal systems in low-income countries, and their use is on the rise as countries aim to meet the sanitation-related target of the Millennium Development Goals. There is concern, however, that discharges of chemical and microbial contaminants from pit latrines to groundwater may negatively affect human health.

Objectives: Our goals were to a) calculate global pit latrine coverage, b) systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit latrines on groundwater quality, c) evaluate latrine siting standards, and d) identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for …

Open-Source Collaboration For Global Health: Science And Practice, Ariel Pablos-Méndez, Michael Klag, Lynn R. Goldman

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Increased Brain White Matter Axial Diffusivity Associated With Fatigue, Pain And Hyperalgesia In Gulf War Illness, Rakib U. Rayhan, Benson W. Stevens, Christian R. Timbol, Oluwatoyin Adewuyi, Brian Walitt, John Vanmeter, James N. Baraniuk

Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Gulf War exposures in 1990 and 1991 have caused 25% to 30% of deployed personnel to develop a syndrome of chronic fatigue, pain, hyperalgesia, cognitive and affective dysfunction.

Methods

Gulf War veterans (n = 31) and sedentary veteran and civilian controls (n = 20) completed fMRI scans for diffusion tensor imaging. A combination of dolorimetry, subjective reports of pain and fatigue were correlated to white matter diffusivity properties to identify tracts associated with symptom constructs.

Results

Gulf War Illness subjects had significantly correlated fatigue, pain, hyperalgesia, and increased axial diffusivity in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. ROC …