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Month: October 2023

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The holiday season brings joy and celebration. It can also amplify stress levels with the rush of activity and expectations associated. National Stress Awareness Day is well timed at the beginning of November to raise attention to the stress many feel at this time of year. Founded by the International Stress Management Association, National Stress Awareness Day is intended to “increase public awareness and help people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives.”

A daily mindful self check-in can help you identify when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or down.

If you are feeling stressed there are practices that can help immediately relieve everyday stressors. Try a brief meditation like this Self Havening practice:

Self Havening for Stress by Ulf Sandstrom on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWK0UN-uWwA&t=210s

The GW Office of Integrative Medicine has a set of short videos for finding calm in the storm. Check their Calming Breath Playlist on YouTube. Here’s a sample of what’s on the list -

Fifteen minute Meditation

Forest Bathing

Closing the Stress Worry Loop

The GW SMHS Resiliency & Well-Being Center has a more extensive set of resources for stress relief, anxiety, and self-care. They also provide a live mind/body practice every Friday at 2pm through their A Mindfulness Experience webinars.

If you want to talk to someone about your stress or anxiety, the Resiliency & Well-Being Center will provide brief counseling and referral services. Contact their offices at 202-994-2502 or email them at rwc@gwu.edu. Their Peer Caregiver program trains managers and staff to identify colleagues in need of support and get them on the road to assistance. If you’re interested in becoming a Peer Caregiver, fill out their interest form. Here is a list of trained Peer Caregivers in SMHS.

With Humanities Highlights, Himmelfarb staff aims to spotlight useful books from our Humanities collection. This week, we’re showcasing “The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery” by Beth Macy. 
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With Humanities Highlights, Himmelfarb staff aims to spotlight useful books from our Humanities collection. This week, we’re showcasing “The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery” by Beth Macy. 

About the Book: “The Knife Man” is a biography of maverick surgeon, “John Hunter:” the father of scientific surgery. Moore deep-dives into the murky depths of pre-enlightenment surgery and the (sometimes sketchy, sometimes shadowy) birth of modern surgical practice. 

Reasons to Read: If you enjoy reading about quacky medicine (bloodletting for every possible ailment), want to reinforce your gratitude for the 21st century (anesthetics!), or feel intrigued by sentences like, “Excitedly, he hurried the limb up to his attic” (Moore, 2005, p. 11). 

Reasons to Avoid: If you’re squeamish about rotting bodies (and physicians tasting them . . .), excising bullets with grime encrusted tools, cauldrons to boil down skeletons, bladder stones “the size of tennis balls” (p. 46), or grisly accounts of gonorrhea (one Georgian aristocrat had “at least” 19 bouts)  (p.128).  

Fun Facts: 

  • Among many other firsts, John Hunter was the first person to successfully practice artificial insemination, way back in the 1770s (Ombelet and Robays, 2015).  
  • John Hunter’s eclectic manor formed the basis for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. With his wide involvement in grave robbing rings, it’s not hard to imagine. (John Hunter Left a Body of Work Behind Him, 2019). 
A painting of a dissecting room, by T.C. Wilson
"The Dissecting Room," by T.C. Wilson, which depicts William Hunter, John's brother

References:

John Hunter Left a Body of Work Behind Him. (Oct. 4th, 2019). Scottish Field. 

Moore, Wendy. (2005). The Knife Man. Crown. 

Ombelet, W., & Robays, J. Van. (2015). Artificial insemination history: hurdles and milestones. Facts Views

Vis Obgyn, 7(2): 137–143. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4498171/#:~:text=John%20Hunter%20wrote%20the%20first,the%20founder%20of%20scientific%20surgery%E2%80%9D.

Wilson, T. C., “The dissecting room,” OnView, accessed October 17,

2023, https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/items/show/13559.

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It’s that time of the year again, autumn is in full swing and trick-or-treating is just around the corner. Take a minute to ask yourself: what is on your plate? Whether you will be attending festivities or not, now is a great time to try something new. 

If you are looking for something that captures the natural flavors of autumn, try making rosemary - pumpkin seed brittle. If your brittle is too sweet, don’t forget that you can always compliment it with some sea salt sprinkled on top. If you would like to add some more protein to your snack, the almonds in these pumpkin spice granola cups combined with oats make these yogurt cups a game-changer for fiber! You can also customize them to your liking with colorful fruit or candy. 

If you are looking for something more savory, why not challenge yourself to make a more classic carrot soup? Carrots are not only vitamin-packed, but the recipe is perfect for those who adhere to a vegetarian diet. For best results, use a blender! This time of year, we all know it may be difficult to keep calories low. If calories matter to you, these cheese & spinach stuffed portobellos are only 196 calories per serving.

For a complimentary dessert, these candy corn gelatin cups are definitely an eye-catcher! Or if you are brave enough to fry, why not try these fried apple pie rolls? While fried foods may not be as healthy, there is a silver lining in the fact that coconut oil contains Vitamin E. Like most semester finals, holidays often include an underlying sensation of stress, especially when faced with busy schedules. This crockpot spiced cider will not only make your place of living a center of aromatherapy, but it might also serve to remind you that all things take time. 

This season, don’t forget to take some time for yourself to enjoy what Autumn’s pantry has to offer. From the Himmelfarb Library, we wish you a safe and Happy Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and a most cozy Autumn to all!  

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Many people are aware that June is LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States. But the community’s history is also recognized in October during LGBTQ History Month. This month began in 1994 when Rodney Wilson, a high school history teacher in Missouri, noticed a lack of LGBTQ representation in the curriculum. To address this gap, Wilson drafted a proposal and shared it with national organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign. Wilson worked with other historians and community organizers to ensure that LGBTQ History Month was nationally recognized. 

Wilson envisioned LGBTQ History Month becoming part of a school’s curriculum. This meant that he needed to consider the standard academic schedule when selecting when to honor LGBTQ History Month. October was selected because it did not overlap with other cultural or historical awareness months such as Hispanic Heritage Month (September) or Black History Month (February). October also had historical significance to the LGBTQ community in the United States. “The first March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979 was in October. The second March on Washington in 1987 was also in October, specifically October 11–a date that would make the inaugural National Coming out Day the following year.” (Agassi, 2023)

For these reasons, October became LGBTQ History Month in the United States.

The 1979 & 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights:

Similar to the Stonewall riots and protests in 1969, the 1979 and 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights were two events that drew attention to the discrimination  the LGBTQ community faced. During both marches, community advocates listed their demands that would protect people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender. 

The 1979 march was inspired by the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gave his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. Openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk pushed for a similar march for LGBTQ people. Unfortunately Milk was assassinated before his idea could become reality. Two New York based activists, Steve Ault and Joyce Hunter, moved forward with Milk’s vision. (Chibbaro Jr., 2017). The 1979 march drew national attention as thousands of people came to DC to protest and share their demands for an equitable society. 

“A five-point platform for the march called for passage by Congress of a “comprehensive” lesbian and gay civil rights bill; a presidential executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal workplace, the military, federally contracted private employers; repeal of all ant-gay/lesbian laws; an end to discrimination in child custody disputes for gay and lesbian parents; and protections for gay and lesbian youth against discrimination at home or in schools.” (Chibbaro Jr., 2017)Several years later, the 1987 march took place in October and the group of marchers had similar demands as the one made in 1979. This march also focused on the impact of AIDS on the LGBTQ community and discriminatory laws. “Items added to the platform beyond those included for the 1979 march included a call for legal recognition of lesbian and gay relationships; repeal of sodomy laws applying to consenting adults; an end to discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS; reproductive freedom for women; and an end to racism in the U.S. and an end to apartheid in South Africa.” (Chibbaro Jr., 2017) The AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall during the march. This NBC News report provides a historical view of the 1987 march and press coverage. Additionally, there is an original recording of the 1979 March and other resources available to the public.

While Pride Month celebrates the accomplishments of the LGBTQ civil rights movement, LGBTQ History Month serves as a time to reflect on the history of the community and remind people of the hard work from activists and other historical figures. Rodney Wilson if believes it is vital to look to history and that history has a way to make people feel less lonely or uncertain about their lives. “For Wilson, history at its core is mystical, particularly “about this continuing conversation with the dead, and with the events that they worked on and completed in their lifetimes–some of which are still with us, and some aren’t. There’s a real mystical communion between the past, the present and the future in studying our history.”” (Agassi, 2023)

References:

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Boo at the Zoo
Date: October 20, 21, and 22
Location: Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Cost: Tickets/ $35 / Member tickets $25

Boo at the Zoo is a popular event with tickets and parking spots sell out quickly. Guest should plan ahead and purchase both ticket and parking passes early.

13 Nights of Halloween
Date: October 19th - 31st
Time: Check the calendar for event times and dates
Location: Wunder Garten
1101 First Street Northeast Washington, DC 20002

Have a Spooktacular time at Wunder Garten. Over the course of thirteen nights join in on Halloween-themed events such as costume parties for you and your pets, pumpkin carving contests, and more. Enjoy screening scary movies and dance the night away with the DJ. Keep the party going into the weekend with live music!

Hocus Pocus Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 28th
Time: 9:00pm - 11:30pm
Location: City Tap Penn Quarter
901 9th St., NW Washington, DC 20001

Join the spooktacular Halloween bash at City Tap Penn Quarter! Get ready for a night of tricks, treats, and wicked fun. Dress up in your most bewitching costume and party with us till the witching hour! We've got a cauldron full of thrilling activities, including a costume contest and creepy cocktails that will cast a spell on your taste buds. Don't miss out on the live DJ and bone-chilling music that will keep you dancing all night long.

Hocus Pocus Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 28th
Time: 9:00pm - 11:30pm
Location: City Tap Penn Quarter
901 9th St., NW Washington, DC 20001

Join the spooktacular Halloween bash at City Tap Penn Quarter! Get ready for a night of tricks, treats, and wicked fun. Dress up in your most bewitching costume and party with us till the witching hour! We've got a cauldron full of thrilling activities, including a costume contest and creepy cocktails that will cast a spell on your taste buds. Don't miss out on the live DJ and bone-chilling music that will keep you dancing all night long.

Haunted Georgetown Walking Tour (with Oak Hill Cemetery Spook Walk)
Date: October 22nd
Time: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Georgetown
Corner of 27th & Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20007
Cost: $25
We will start the tour at the beautiful and haunted Oak Hill Cemetery, where we will solve the mystery of the Tiffany-inspired angel in the Chapel window. From there we will go to other locales, like the mystery mansion with doors to nowhere and a previous owner who suggested being buried inside with a stake in his heart…the “ten o’clock ritual” at the old Foxhall mansion. Suggested Attire: Dress comfortably. The tour will go on rain, shine, or even if there is a full moon.

Falls Church Ghosts and History Tour
Date: Friday, October 20th
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Cherry Hill Farmhouse
312 Park Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046
Cost: Free

PLEASE BRING A FLASHLIGHT - We will be walking in the dark and crossing streets. You are responsible for your safety.

PLEASE DONATE 3 OR MORE CANS OF FOOD

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Enjoy yourself and have a safe and frighteningly good time this Halloween season.

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Picture of a brown woman wearing a pink shirt holding a pink ribbon.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the need for awareness and action is as vital as ever. While we often associate this month with fundraising events, it's essential to recognize that supporting breast cancer awareness can encompass a more comprehensive approach to wellness.

This month is an opportune moment for all members of the health sciences community, including faculty, students, and staff, to partake in understanding the risk factors, symptoms, and early detection techniques related to breast cancer. It is beneficial for all to gain insight into these facts so that you may share them with your patients, peers, and the broader community. Raising awareness commences with a deep understanding of the subject matter, and there are excellent resources available from reputable organizations like the American Cancer Society, the CDC, and the American Association for Cancer Research that can be used to help consumers be well-informed. If you are looking to delve further into the subject during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we encourage you to explore the educational guide provided by the National Breast Cancer Foundation. 

It is vital to underscore that recognizing and acting upon symptoms is of utmost importance. Now is a fantastic time to promote regular breast health check-ups and screenings, as early detection is the linchpin of successful treatment. We urge you to encourage visits to healthcare providers for routine breast examinations and screening.

Let's elevate breast cancer awareness beyond just the pink ribbon, focusing on a more data-driven and comprehensive approach to wellness in 2023. Take the time to empower yourself and your patients with knowledge, prioritize breast health through regular check-ups, and actively engage in advocacy to bring about meaningful change. Awareness is a collective effort, and your involvement can make a significant impact in the fight against breast cancer. 

Additional resources can be found in Himmelfarb’s collection: 

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The Nobel Prizes are awarded annually on December 10 which marks the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. According to Nobel’s will, the prize and award funds “is to be distributed annually as prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” (Nobel Prize Outreach AB, 2023) Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been awarded over six hundred times and one thousand laureates have been recognized across the five award categories. 

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. Their research in mRNA and its potential therapeutic applications “contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times.” (The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, 2023) Karikó and Weissman’s research not only significantly contributed to the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine, but their work may be used as the foundation to create future immunizations against certain forms of cancer or other debilitating illnesses. 

Prior to the work of Karikó and Weissman “In vitro transcribed mRNA was considered unstable and challenging to deliver…Moreover, in vitro-produced mRNA gave rise to inflammatory reactions.” (The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, 2023) Despite these obstacles, the two researchers collaborated and through their efforts “Karikó and Weissman had eliminated critical obstacles on the way to clinical applications of mRNA.” (The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, 2023) 

In their first reactions interviews, Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman shared what winning the award meant to them and how their long careers led them to this moment:

The formal award ceremony will take place on December 10, 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden and will be broadcast live on television and on The Nobel Prize YouTube channel. To learn more about previous Nobel Prize winners or about the history of these awards, visit the Nobel Prize website.

References: 

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Image of lightbulb and text "Need only the best information for your research, patients or staff? Yes we do that!"
Image from the Medical Library Association

October is National Medical Librarians month. Started by the Medical Library Association in 2001, it is “an annual observance that recognizes and appreciates the critical role that health information professionals play in healthcare, research, and education.“

This year’s theme is Yes, We Do That! Librarians and library staff at Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library do everything from literature searching and systematic review service and consultation, to providing support for virtual anatomy and 3D printing. Here are some of the things Himmelfarb librarians and library staff did over the last academic year:

  • Answered 2,188 reference questions through chat, email and at the Himmelfarb service desk, including 574 in-depth consultations for literature searches, systematic reviews, predatory journal consultations and for other reference and research support services.
  • Taught 725 education sessions to 7,422 attendees.
  • Ran 186 3D print jobs for users.
  • Loaned over 3,800 books and other materials to users.
  • Borrowed 372 consortium loan service books for users and provided over 1,500 articles, chapters, and books through interlibrary loan services to users. 
  • Purchased and processed 400+ new print books for Himmelfarb collections and 9 new anatomy models for the Bloedorn lab on the third floor - stop by and check them out!
  • Licensed and activated 619 new ebooks for users.
  • Provided service for 1.2 million links to full-text electronic resources. 
  • Added  2,307 records representing GW SMHS, GW School of Public Health, and GW School of Nursing scholarly output to the Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC). 192,814 items were downloaded from HSRC by researchers at 7,704 institutions in 216 countries!
  • Published 16 instructional videos to the Himmelfarb YouTube channel representing over 2 hours of original content, with high-quality closed captioning edited manually by library staff. Our new videos were viewed 465 times (13.27 total hours of watch time), out of 23,227 views (1,292 hours) for all content on our channel.
  • Created 9 and maintained 341 Research Guides on topics including APA Citation format, library tutorials, guides to databases, and resource guides by subject. Research Guides had over 2 million page views by users at GW and beyond.

Himmelfarb library staff members are here to support your research, education, and clinical information needs. Reach out to us through our chat service (always staffed by a Himmelfarb librarian or reference specialist), email at himmelfarb@gwu.edu, phone at 202-994-2850, or stop by our service desk.  

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Retraction Watch and Crossref logos.
Image from Retraction Watch.

On September 12, 2023, Crossref, a not-for-profit membership organization aiming to make research easy to find, cite, link, assess, and reuse, formally acquired the Retraction Watch database, a comprehensive database of retractions. Retraction Watch began in 2010 as a journalism blog that aspired to “examine whether scientific correction mechanisms were robust” (Oransky, 2023). In 2018, with financial support from the MacArthur Foundation, the Arnold Foundation (now Arnold Ventures), and the Helmsley Trust, the Retraction Watch Database in its current form was officially launched. 

The database was licensed to organizations to help researchers stay informed about current retractions. With Crossref’s purchase of the Retraction Watch Database, the database will now be completely open and freely available. According to a Crossref blog post, this agreement “will allow Retraction Watch to keep the data populated on an ongoing basis and always open, alongside publishers registering their retraction notices directly with Crossref” (Hendricks, et al., 2023). This agreement only pertains to the Retraction Watch Database - the Retraction Watch blog continues to be separate from Crossref, and will continue to independently investigate retractions and related topics. Crossref will remain a “neutral facilitator in efforts to assess the quality of scientific works” (Hendricks, et al., 2023). 

So why does all of this matter? The volume of journal articles being published continues to grow. With so many articles being published, it’s difficult to keep track of articles that are later retracted. Researchers who want to avoid citing a retracted article in their papers have to put in a lot of time and effort into checking each reference on publisher sites for retractions, and it’s incredibly difficult to catch all retractions (Oransky & Lammey, 2023). It’s even more difficult for readers to know if a work they are reading is citing retracted articles. According to Hendricks et al., “combining efforts to create the largest single open-source database of retractions reduces duplication, making it more efficient, transparent, and accessible for all” (Hendricks et al., 2023). 

Interested in learning more? Watch a discussion about this new collaboration: 

References:

Hendricks, G., Lammey, R., Ofiesh, L., Bilder, G., Pentz, E. (2023, September 12). News: Crossref and Retraction Watch. Crossref blog. https://www.crossref.org/blog/news-crossref-and-retraction-watch/

Oransky, I. (2023, September 12). The Retraction Watch Database becomes completely open - and RW becomes far more sustainable. Retraction Watch blog. https://retractionwatch.com/2023/09/12/the-retraction-watch-database-becomes-completely-open-and-rw-becomes-far-more-sustainable/

Oransky, I., Lammey, R. (2023, September 27). Making retraction data freely accessible - Why Crossref’s acquisition of the Retraction Watch database is a big step forward. The London School of Economics and Political Science blog. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2023/09/27/making-retraction-data-freely-accessible-why-crossrefs-acquisition-of-the-retraction-watch-database-is-a-big-step-forward/

STM Publishing News. (2023, September 13). Crossref acquired Retraction Watch data and opens it for the scientific community. STM Publishing News. https://www.stm-publishing.com/crossref-acquires-retraction-watch-data-and-opens-it-for-the-scientific-community/

Starting October 10th, a writing center tutor will be onsite at Himmelfarb every Tuesday from 4 pm - 6pm.
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We are thrilled to announce that a representative from the GW Writing Center will be providing in-person consultations at the Himmelfarb Library this semester! 

A Writing Center consultant will be onsite every Tuesday from 4 pm - 6 pm, beginning October 10th. They can help you with a variety of writing assignments from research reports to cover letters to CVs.

The Writing Center service will be located adjacent to the first-floor Circulation Desk, in the alcove near the emergency exit. The service is free.

Walk-ups are welcome if there is availability, but appointments are recommended. To make an appointment, visit the Writing Center website.

If you are a first-timer, you'll see a link on the page that lets you register for an account. If you are an online student, or would simply prefer a remote consultation, you'll see an option to request a virtual consultation (appointments are available from 9am to 9pm, Monday through Friday, and 5pm to 10pm on Sundays).

In the meantime, check out the Writing Center's resource collection, including tips on citations, grammar, and quality research. 

Photo by Pereanu Sebastian on Unsplash

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