This week in April is National Library Week. Are you a big fan of libraries? Now might be a fantastic opportunity to ask yourself: what are some of my favorite library experiences? Maybe you found a favorite book series or a quiet study place for an important exam. One couple in Texas even had a beautiful Library themed wedding!
Some accomplishments that we are proud of: Staff Updates:
Following Anne Linton’s many years of incredible service, Laura Abate accepted her promotion to Director of Himmelfarb Library in July 2022!
Former Serials Librarian Ruth Bueter was promoted to Associate Director of Library Operations in early March 2023. Thank you to JoLinda Thompson for her great work as Interim Associate Director of Library Operations!
Himmelfarb welcomed new staff: Our reference team has grown over the past year with the addition of Rachel Brill (Reference and Instruction Librarian), Deborah Wassertzug (Reference and Instruction Librarian), and Temitayo Wolff (Reference Specialist).
Our Metadata Specialist, Brittany Smith is relentlessly working on her Master of Library Science at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro.
Catherine Sluder, BloedornTechnology Center Manager, received the 2022 SMHS Dean's Excellence in Service Award. Bravo!
Himmelfarb Librarians have been busy publishing in the last year too! Several Himmelfarb Librarians and staff have upcoming publications, conference posters, and presentations just around the corner.
If you aren’t yet in the library spirit, we challenge you to read a book this season! Reading has been shown to reduce stress, muscle tension and to slow your heart rate. At Himmelfarb Library, we continue to be honored to serve such a diverse, talented, and intellectual group of students, staff, and faculty members here at GW. Raise High!
Earth Day is April 22nd, and Himmelfarb Library wants to encourage you to celebrate by making small changes to help keep our planet healthy - because healthy living is easiest on a healthy planet. Here are 10 simple choices you can make to have a healthy impact on our planet this Earth Day and every day!
Drive Less: Driving may be a convenient way to get from point A to point B, but there are numerous planet-friendly options that have a much lighter impact on the environment. Biking or walking when you’re going shorter distances are great options to decrease your carbon footprint and to get in some great exercise too! If your destination is too far to walk or bike, consider taking public transportation like Metro.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: By now, you’re likely familiar with the 3 R’s of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Reducing the number of things you throw away starts by being aware of the amount of packaging in the things you purchase. Try to purchase options with minimal unnecessary packaging, so the amount of packaging you throw into the trash can or recycle bin is reduced. Reuse and/or repurpose items as much as possible. Instead of throwing away that peanut butter jar, could you reuse it for another purpose after it’s been washed? If you really don’t have another use for an object, do your best to recycle it when you’re finished with it.
Choose Sustainable Seafood: If you eat fish, making sure your seafood choices are sustainable can have a positive impact on the environment. Whether you choose sustainably wild-caught or sustainably farmed seafood, sustainable seafood is harvested or farmed in a way that allows species to reproduce and the habitats the species call home to thrive. To learn more about how to make sustainable seafood choices, visit www.FishWatch.gov.
Plant a Tree: Trees are incredibly important in the fight against climate change. Trees not only provide the oxygen we need to breathe, but they also help clean that air. Many of the products we use every day come from trees - wood furniture, wood framing in buildings, paper, cardboard boxes, and that delicious maple syrup on your pancakes! When making purchases of tree-based products such as paper, choose products that are sustainably harvested from companies that have responsible environmental practices. And do your part to help clean the air you breathe by planting a tree!
Conserve Water: By cutting down on the amount of water you use, you can help reduce the amount of runoff and wastewater that eventually ends up in the earth’s waterways and oceans. There are lots of little things you can do to make a big impact! From fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, turning off the water while you brush your teeth, to only running the dishwasher when it’s full, composting food waste instead of using the garbage disposal, and only washing full loads of laundry - you can save water every day by making easy, small choices. To learn more about things you can do to conserve water, check out the EPA’s WaterSense website.
Shop Wisely: As a consumer, you can make your voice and your values heard with the purchasing choices you make. If you value recycling, make a point to purchase items made from recycled materials instead of options that are made from new raw materials. Buy items that have less packaging and will therefore create less waste. Use reusable shopping bags, a choice that is not only good for the environment but will save you the bag tax in many areas.
Don’t Send Chemicals into Waterways: Use non-toxic chemicals and products whenever possible to prevent harmful chemicals from ending up on our waterways. Non-toxic, plant-based products are widely available for a wide variety of products including dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products, and hand soaps.
Switch to Long-Lasting Lightbulbs: Energy-efficient light bulbs not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they can also help you save on your electricity bill! According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED light bulbs “use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting” and can last three to five times longer than compact fluorescent bulbs (United States Department of Energy, n.d.). Want to save even more? Turn the lights off when you leave a room!
Educate: If you want to make an impact on the environment, the best thing you can do is to educate yourself on things you can do to make a difference. Once you know more, you can do more to further your impact!
Volunteer: Lastly, volunteer for community cleanups, watershed projects, and environmental projects. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the region, including with DC’s Department of Energy and Environment, and on-campus through GW Sustainability and a variety of student groups.
Celebrate Earth Day this year by making small changes that can have a big impact on the planet! Healthy living is easiest on a healthy planet, so do your part to keep our planet healthy and thriving.
References:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service. (n.d.). Protecting our planet starts with you. National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/earthday.html
Photo: Jose Ramon Pato from Coruña, España, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
If you’ve watched the hit show The Last of Us, you probably know about the “zombie fungus” cordyceps and would prefer to avoid it like the plague. Cordyceps is actually a highly coveted ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. But what is it? And could this “zombie fungus” actually be useful in treating certain medical conditions?
Cordyceps is a fungus parasite that typically lives on caterpillars and other insects in the mountains of China (Natural Medicines, 2023b). To grow, cordyceps attach to a host, often a caterpillar, and the fungus root structure (mycelia) eventually spread throughout the host’s body, until the fungus has taken over the host’s tissue completely, thus killing the host (Natural Medicines, 2023a). The Last of Us portrays cordyceps as prevalent in the wild, but it’s actually pretty hard to find. So difficult to find in the wild, that the cordyceps that end up in commercial products (including dietary supplements with purported “anti-aging” benefits) are grown and fermented in a lab (Natural Medicines, 2023a).
While Cordyceps does “induce zombielike symptoms in insects” (Hume, 2023), it might help improve immunity and have positive effects on cancer and tumor size (Natural Medicines, 2023a). There is currently a lack of large, randomized controlled clinical trials on the use of cordyceps, which makes it difficult to make definitive statements about its efficacy (Lexicomp, 2020). However, it has been used in doses of 3-6 grams daily for up to one year with apparent safety (Natural Medicines, 2023b).
Cordyceps had traditionally been used to “improve weakness, impotence, and fatigue associated with aging” in elderly populations (Lexicomp, 2020). It has also been shown to produce modest improvements in biomarkers in some patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as modestly improve COPD symptoms (Natural Medicines, 2023b). However, it’s important to note that the studies that produced these results were small clinical studies and that further research is needed. Cordyceps has also historically been used to treat heart disease, showing improvement in cardiac function, arrhythmias, and overall quality of life (Lexicomp, 2020). Again, it’s important to note that these results have not yet been confirmed by large, high-quality clinical trials (Lexicomp, 2020).
While cordyceps is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and is being discussed more widely thanks to the popularity of The Last of Us, more research is needed to determine if it has safe and effective medicinal uses, and there has yet to be any sound scientific evidence that supports it use (Natural Medicines, 2023a). However, perhaps its recent popularity will result in further research on cordyceps and its potential uses.
Calling all artists! Do you have a painting, print, or photograph that you'd like to share? How about some needlework, pottery, or handmade jewelry? Himmelfarb Library is excited to announce the 2023 Himmelfarb Library Annual Art Show! We invite you to display your artwork in this year's show!
The Himmelfarb Art Show, now in its 35th year, is open to all students, faculty, and staff of the SMHS, SPH, and SON. We are currently accepting submissions through Thursday, April 13th.
Important Dates:
Submissions: Now through Thursday, April 13th. Submissions can be dropped off at the Himmelfarb Circulation/Reference Desk.
Opening Reception: Monday, April 17th, 4:00pm - 5:00pm.
Art Show: Monday, April 17th through Thursday, May 11th.
To submit a digital copy of your work for inclusion in the Virtual Art Show, please send the file to himmelfarb@gwu.edu. You may also submit exclusively to the Virtual Art Show if you prefer.
As part of this year's art show, Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb presents the 2023 Cheery Blossom Photo Contest! Enter your best photo of this year's cherry blossoms by Friday, April 7th for a chance to win a prize! Contest entries will be featured in the Virtual Art Show. Photos will be judged based on creativity, originality, and overall artistic impact. The contest winner will be selected by the members of the Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb Committee. Sumibt print photographs in person at the Himmelfarb Circulation/Reference Desk, or submit your digital photos online. JPG, PDF, and PNG files only please. Read the full contest rules to learn more.
SMHS MD Class of 2023 students at their Himmelfarb Library orientation in August 2019.
After four years of medical school, the MD Class of 2023 has made it Match Day! Congratulations from all of us at Himmelfarb Library! We couldn’t be more proud of all you’ve learned and accomplished during your time here. We’re so glad to have been a small part of your journey to becoming exceptional physicians.
We encourage the GW community to tune in to watch Match Day live! Watch as students receive and open their letters to find out where they’ll spend their residency training.
Here’s a look back to when the MD Class of 2023 was just starting their medical school journey and attended their Himmelfarb orientation.
Springtime is here! This is the perfect time to head to the Tidal Basin to take those amazing photos. Enter your best cherry blossom photo with a chance to win a PRIZE. Contest photos will be showcased, if permission is granted, in the 2023 Himmelfarb Art Show which opens April 17, 2023. This contest is sponsored by Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb.
Contest Rules:
Your photo must be submitted between Monday, March 20, 2023, thru Friday, April 7, 2023.
Complete a 2023 Contest Submission Form. Limit 1 entry per person. • Photo submissions should be original photos taken in 2023 by a student, resident, faculty, or staff affiliated with the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, or School of Nursing. • By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest.
Who Can Enter:
Students, residents, faculty, and staff affiliated with the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Milken Institute of Public Health, and School of Nursing.
How To Enter:
Digital photos – complete the Online Formto submit photo file (JPG, PDF, PNG files only)
Print photos – submit a photo in person at the library with a Print Submission Form. Print photos will be returned at the end of the art show.
Judging:
Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and overall artistic impact. The winner will be selected by the members of the Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb committee.
*Himmelfarb Library reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify rules at its discretion. Himmelfarb Library reserves the right to reject any entrant whose entry appears off-topic or violates the rules.
Photo by Pixabay from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clean-clear-cold-drink-416528/
Warning: This post tells the tragic true story of a woman’s death.
On January 12, 2007, a Sacramento radio station called KDND aired its morning show, The Morning Rave. That day, the show held an on-air contest called “Hold Your Wee for a Wii”, in which around 20 contestants competed to win a Wii console by drinking as much water as they could without urinating.
As the contest was occurring, the hosts – Adam “Lukas” Cox, Steve Maney, and Patricia “Trish” Sweet – joked about the contest.
Sweet: “Can’t you get water poisoning and, like, die?”
Cox: “Your body is 98% water. Why can’t you take in as much water as you want?”
A listener then called into the station to inform the hosts that the contest could have dangerous, even fatal consequences.
Caller: “I want to say that… those people that are drinking all that water can get sick and possibly die from water intoxication.”
Cox: “Yeah, we’re aware of that.”
Maney: “They signed releases so we’re not responsible so it’s okay.”
One contestant was 28-year-old Jennifer Strange. She drank approximately 2 gallons, or 7.6 liters, of water in 3 hours (Hochelaga, 2020). During the contest, Strange complained of a headache, and the hosts made fun of her distended stomach. After the contest, Strange called a friend and said she had an intense headache. Only a few hours later, Strange was dead. She had died from acute water intoxication.
Hew-Butler et al. (2019) explain what happens when a person becomes overhydrated:
When modest amounts of water (or other hypotonic fluids) are ingested above osmotically-driven thirst stimulation (overhydration), osmoreceptors located within the highly vascularized circumventricular organs (CVO’s) within the brain detect a (dilutional) decrease in plasma [Na+] once water is absorbed into the circulation from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These CVO’s, located outside of the blood brain barrier, suppress both the release of the body’s main anti-diuretic hormone, arginine vasopressin (AVP), from the posterior pituitary gland and suppress the sensation of osmotically-driven thirst to prevent further dilution of plasma [Na+]. Oropharyngeal receptors, activated by physical contact with ingested fluids, as well as gastrointestinal sensors responding to stretch receptors sensing fullness serve to terminate drinking behavior, perhaps as an anticipatory measure to prevent the pathophysiological consequences of overdrinking (i.e., cellular swelling).
Overhydration, particularly when not accompanied by polyuria (excess urination) can result in the dilation of the bladder, ureters, kidney, and stomach. The most extreme consequence is water intoxication.
Water intoxication results from an electrolyte imbalance defined as plasma sodium concentration < 135 mmol/L. This excess of total body water relative to extracellular sodium is called hyponatremia. Symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea, blurred vision, tremors, dizziness, lethargy, and seizures (Kotagiri et al., 2022). A recent systematic review analyzed case reports of hyponatremia and found that in 53% of the cases under consideration, the symptoms were severe, including seizures and coma (Rangan et al., 2021). In patients with severe symptoms of hyponatremia, practice guidelines recommend an IV infusion of 100 mL of 3% NaCl over 10 minutes, repeated twice if necessary (Verbalis et al., 2013). Hyponatremia causes swelling of the brain, and if cerebral edema exceeds the physical limits of the skull, it can lead to brain herniation, cerebral hypoxia, and, finally – as in Strange’s case – death (Hew-Butler et al., 2019).
Directly following Strange’s death, KDND discontinued the Morning Rave program and fired ten station employees, including the three DJs who had hosted the program. Strange’s family issued a wrongful death lawsuit on January 18 against Entercom, the company which owned KDND. The wrongful death case began in September 2009. On October 29, 2009, the jury awarded Strange’s family $16,577,118 in monetary damages and found Entercom Sacramento LLC to be 100% at fault for Strange’s death.
Do you know of another interesting true crime case with medical connections? Email Rachel Brill at rgbrill@gwu.edu.
References
Hew-Butler T, Smith-Hale V, Pollard-McGrandy A, VanSumeren M. Of Mice and Men-The Physiology, Psychology, and Pathology of Overhydration. Nutrients. 2019 Jul 7;11(7):1539. doi: 10.3390/nu11071539. PMID: 31284689; PMCID: PMC6682940. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6682940/
Rangan GK, Dorani N, Zhang MM, Abu-Zarour L, Lau HC, Munt A, Chandra AN, Saravanabavan S, Rangan A, Zhang JQJ, Howell M, Wong AT. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hyponatraemia associated with oral water intake in adults: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2021 Dec 9;11(12):e046539. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046539. PMID: 34887267; PMCID: PMC8663108. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/12/e046539.long
Verbalis JG, Goldsmith SR, Greenberg A, Korzelius C, Schrier RW, Sterns RH, Thompson CJ. Diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of hyponatremia: expert panel recommendations. Am J Med. 2013 Oct;126(10 Suppl 1):S1-42. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.07.006. PMID: 24074529. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002934313006050?via%3Dihub
We are excited to invite you to share your creative projects with us! Himmelfarb Library’s annual art show features photographs, paintings of all mediums, drawings, sculptures, and more created by GW’s health sciences community! Starting March 13th, we encourage you to submit your favorite work of art! If you are uncertain about what types of media may or may not be accepted, feel free to contact us at himmelfarb@gwu.edu.
Important Dates:
Submissions: Monday, March 13 through Thursday, April 13. Submissions can be dropped off at the Himmelfarb Circulation/Reference Desk. For each submission, we need the name of your piece and the artist’s name.
Opening Reception: Monday, April 17, 4:00pm - 5:30pm.
Art Show: Monday, April 17 through Thursday, May 11
Need some inspiration? Here are some of last year’s Art Show submissions:
Whether you are a football fan or not, why not take some time this weekend to shake up your regular cuisine routine?
For appetizers, these Fried Buffalo Artichoke hearts are a healthier alternative if you’re a chicken wing fan. Not only are they vegetarian-friendly, but artichokes also help to lower bad cholesterol! Not into artichokes? No problem. Air fryer lovers or oven users can create these alluring cheesy cauliflower tots! Cauliflower is a fantastic option if you are watching carbohydrates, and it is high in fiber and B vitamins!
In addition to being low on carbs, these keto taco cups are an eye-catching delight, and offer a flavor fusion of onions, cilantro, and avocado! Lastly for appetizers and a personal favorite of mine, oven-fried pickles. Packed with flavonoids, dill helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
For an entree, these spicy shrimp lettuce wraps give every reason to try something new! Who said Superbowl Sunday needs to be only burgers and hot dogs? If you are craving chicken, these barbecue herbed drumsticks offer a unique mix of sweet and savory flavors that will make it difficult to resist going back for seconds. For our grillmasters, add these skewered chili-honey-garlic shrimp kebabs to your menu!
If you are entertaining young ones or are looking for something colorful and different, these sour patch grapes just might hit the spot after salty and savory dishes! Who would have thought that green grapes could be transformed into sour patch treats? Following the trend of fruit, these chocolate-dipped apricots will offer a new and different flavor with a pistachio crunch! For a dessert that will be a bit more filling, these cinnamon vanilla donuts are both whole grain and sugar-free while still deliciously sweet!
Photo by Nothing Ahead from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/words-in-dictionary-4440720/
In today’s blog post, we investigate the histories behind some of the health-related phrases we use every day.
Snake Oil
Snake oil refers to “a substance or product sold as a remedy for a disease or medical condition but which has no real medicinal value” (OED). But in the 19th century, snake oil was a legitimate medical product which Chinese immigrants introduced to Americans to help reduce inflammation. One explanation for why this works is that snake oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (Kunin 208). Traditional snake oil was made from Chinese water snakes, but because that species isn’t native to the U.S., some American businessmen claimed they were selling the Chinese product when they were actually using oil from rattlesnakes, which was less effective, possibly due to its lower concentration of EPA.
One of those businessmen was named Clark Stanley, and he marketed Stanley’s Snake Oil. But it wasn’t just the use of rattlesnake oil that made Stanley’s product fraudulent; a 1917 investigation found that Stanley’s Snake Oil actually did not contain any snake oil at all, rattlesnake or not! Now, the phrase “snake oil” is used to refer to any fraudulent medical products, forever besmirching the traditional Chinese medicine instead of the American charlatans who profited off of it.
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Sure, it’s not too surprising that eating apples helps you stay healthy, but how long have people actually been saying so? The February 1866 edition of the journal Notes and Queries mentioned a proverb spoken in Pembrokeshire, a county in Wales: “Eat an apple on going to bed, And you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” That’s the earliest attestation of the phrase in any form, and it appears that by the late 19th or early 20th century, the phrase had been solidified into the form we know today.
A 2015 study researched the truth of this adage. The article concluded that “evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.”
Laughter is the Best Medicine
The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but the idea has been around for quite a while. Proverbs 17:22 of the King James Bible says: “A cheerful heart is good medicine / but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” And this isn’t a purely metaphorical statement. Simply search for the phrase on PubMed, and you will find that manystudies have shown the positive healing effects of laughter. (It seems almost inevitable that if a medical article concerns the effects of laughter, the authors will use this phrase in the title.)
Under the Weather
This idiom almost certainly originated in the nautical world, although theories abound as to how exactly the phrase came to be. The most popular theory posits that when a sailor felt ill or seasick, he would retire under the weather bow of the ship (i.e. the windward-facing side) so as to prevent potential exposure to bad weather. Thus the sick sailor would be “under the weather”.
A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down
You might have thought it had older origins, but this pithy phrase was invented for the 1964 movie Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews had not yet committed to the main role and had mentioned to Walt Disney that she did not like one of the songs. Disney really wanted Andrews for the part and so he instructed the songwriters, brothers Robert and Richard Sherman, to come up with a more catchy song to replace the original.
The story goes that Robert Sherman arrived home from work a few days later, and his wife told him that their children had gotten their polio vaccine that day. He asked his son if the shot hurt. The boy responded that it was not a shot; rather, the medicine was placed on a sugar cube which he swallowed. Inspired by that story, Robert came up with the song “A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down”. Apparently, the song was good enough for Julie Andrews, and the rest is movie musical history!
