News
The Annual Meeting of The Institute for Technology in Health Care was held May 19, 2007 with all Board
Members in attendance. During the meeting a presentation was made by our guest, Mr. Marcos Caceres of
Project Honduras. All previous awards were reviewed. A 2007 Award was approved for the Smithsonian
Institute, National Museum of Natural History: Human Bone Density in 17 th Century America. Minutes
of the 2007 Annual Meeting may be obtained on request after approval in 2008.
George Washington University HIV Seminars
2006 Award: George Washington University Department of Public Health and the HIV/AIDS Institute was awarded
support funds for a seminar series on the use of technology in HIV Care and Treatment. These seminars were
held on September 28, 2007 and October 24, 2007.
Update
The GW Department of Public Health and the HIV/AIDS Institute received a second grant to continue the
series into 2008. Two seminars are presented. On April 23, 2008 topic:" Current Status of HIV Vaccine Research - Where Do We Go From Here?" The October 22, 2008 topic "HIV Drug Resistance: How can nw drugs or new drug classes help?"
Smithsonian Institute Human Bone Density in 17th Century America
The first W. Raymond Mize, Jr, MD, Technology in Clinical Care Award was granted to the Smithsonian
Institute to utilize modern technology, DEXA scans, to assess bone health of the skeletal remains found
at settlements in Jamestown, Virginia and St. Mary's, Maryland. DEXA scans are most frequently used to
diagnosis osteoporosis. DEXA scans have begun at the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC for
this Smithsonian Project.
Update
Human Bone Density in 17th Century America Progress Report
Femoral bones from the early settlements such as Jamestown and various locations in Maryland and Virginia
have had Dexa scans.
Of the first ninety, sixteen show osteopenia, and three show osteoporosis. Most of these were from humans
that had not reached the age where the rate of bone loss exceeds that of bone growth. Dr Owsley, the grant
recipient, is considering whether poor nutrition could be a factor in relatively young individuals involved
with physical labor.
A finding of 22% decreased bone mineral density suggests, that this ITHC sponsored study utilizing the technology
of Archeology and Medical Imaging, that current concepts regarding the cause and treatments for bone mineral
deficiencies require further analysis for improved health care today.
The AIDS Institute
The AIDS Institute was awarded a grant in 2007 to develop "ActionLink News Service: HIV Providers E-Newsletter" to
assist in its efforts to communicate and disseminate to HIV specific health care providers around the US as well
as exchange vital information regarding the care/treatment and prevention of HIV infections. |
