A5080462582- Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Migration, Health and Trauma
- Global Maternal and Child Health
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Healthcare Systems and Reforms
- Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
- Health and Conflict Studies
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts
- Homelessness and Social Issues
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Employment and Welfare Studies
- Global Health Care Issues
- Iron Metabolism and Disorders
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Agricultural risk and resilience
- Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- ICT in Developing Communities
- Sodium Intake and Health
- Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
University of South Carolina
2022-2025
American University of Beirut
2016-2025
American University
2024
Refugee Council
2023
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
2007-2010
St George's, University of London
2001-2009
MRC Human Nutrition Research
2007
Jenner Institute
2005-2007
Imperial College London
2005-2007
University College London
2007
Summary Human natural killer (NK) cells form a circulating population in state of dynamic homeostasis. We investigated NK cell homeostasis by labelling dividing vivo using deuterium‐enriched glucose young and elderly healthy subjects patients with viral infection. Following 24‐hr intravenous infusion 6,6‐D 2 ‐glucose, CD3 – CD16 + sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMC) fluorescence‐activated sorter (FACS) were analysed for DNA deuterium content gas chromatography mass spectrometry...
Memory T cells can be divided into central-memory (T(CM)) and effector-memory (T(EM)) cells, which differ in their functional properties. Although both subpopulations persist long term, it is not known whether they are maintained by similar mechanisms. We used vivo labeling with deuterated glucose to measure the turnover of CD4(+) healthy humans. The CD45R0(+)CCR7(-) T(EM) subpopulation was shown have a rapid proliferation rate 4.7% per day compared 1.5% for CD45R0(+)CCR7(+) T(CM) cells;...
There are currently over 1.1 million Syrian refugees in need of healthcare services from an already overstretched Lebanese system. Access to antenatal care (ANC) presents a particular challenge. We conducted focus groups with 59 rural Lebanon identify contextual and cultural factors that can inform the design digital technologies support refugee ANC. Previously identified high utilization smartphones by population offers opportunity for using technology access ANC as well health advocacy....
The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is a UN FAO-Voices of the Hungry project (FAO-VoH) metric food insecurity (FI). FAO-VoH tested psychometric properties FIES with use global 2014 Gallup World Poll (GWP) data. However, similarities in its structure sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to allow aggregation SSA results were untested.
Abstract The ability to measure, describe and interpret T cell kinetics is pivotal in understanding normal lymphocyte homeostasis diseases that affect numbers. Following vivo labeling of dividing cells with 6,6‐D 2 ‐glucose eight healthy volunteers, peripheral blood were sorted by CD4, CD8 CD45 phenotype. Enrichment deuterium DNA was measured gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. A novel model kinetics, allowing for heterogeneity within pools, used analyze data on acquisition loss label...
Abstract The age-associated decline in immunocompetence is paralleled by changes the proportions of PBL subpopulations. In turn, size and composition peripheral lymphocyte pool determined input from thymus bone marrow balance proliferation death each subpopulation. We compared kinetics subtypes young (seven eight CMV seronegative) healthy elderly human subjects (six seven seropositive), using deuterated glucose DNA labeling vivo to measure rates T cell disappearance. For CD45RO+ cells both...
Women and children account for a disproportionate morbidity burden among conflict-affected populations, yet they are not included in global accountability frameworks women's children's health. We use Countdown to 2015 (Millennium Development Goals) health indicators provide an up-to-date review analysis of the best available data on Syrian refugees Jordan, Lebanon Turkey internally displaced within Syria explore challenges this conflict setting.We searched Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Popline...
With 1,033,513 Syrian refugees adding a strain on the Lebanese healthcare system, innovation is key to improving access healthcare. Our previous work identified potential for technology improve antenatal care services and increase refugee agency. Using (1) paper mock ups mobile based prototype, (2) process mapping, (3) focus groups interviews (4) informant meetings, we explored concept of led community radio shows deliver peer-led We observed influence health education, dynamics agency in...
Digital technology is increasingly used in humanitarian action and promises to improve the health social well-being of populations affected by both acute protracted crises. We set out (1) review current landscape digital technologies actors populations, (2) examine their impact on (3) consider opportunities for challenges faced users these technologies. Through a systematic search academic databases reports, we identified 50 actors, and/or organized them according stage cycle that they were...
Lebanon hosts the highest per capita refugee concentration worldwide. The Palestinian presence in dates from 1948 and they remain a marginalized population. No information on their food security status has been reported previously. A survey of representative sample households (n = 2501) was conducted using stratified two stage cluster sampling approach. We measured insecurity modified USDA household module, locally validated. collected data demographic, socioeconomic, health, housing, coping...
Women and children suffer disproportionately in armed-conflicts. Since 2011, the protracted Syrian crisis has fragmented pre-existing healthcare system. Despite massive health needs of women children, delivery key reproductive, maternal, newborn, child adolescent nutrition (RMNCAH&N) interventions, its underlying factors are not well-understood Syria. Our objective was to document intervention coverage indicators their implementation challenges inside Syria during conflict. We conducted 1) a...
The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is a UN FAO Voices of the Hungry (FAO-VoH) experiential metric food insecurity (FI). It was pilot tested in some countries but not Arab speaking ones and validated using global data. Yet, its psychometric properties may vary League States (LAS) due to cultural linguistic differences.
This study assesses COVID-19 vaccine intentions among a sample of older Syrian refugee beneficiaries humanitarian organization in Lebanon, and explores factors associated with refusal. The findings are part an ongoing rotating 4-wave panel study. was limited to participants from the first who completed phone interview between January-February 2021. Out 1,037 beneficiaries, almost third (29%) reported no intention vaccinate. Reasons for refusal were: newness (35%); preference maintain...
Conflict reduces availability of production input and income, increases the number days households had to rely on less preferred foods, limits variety foods eaten portion size meals consumed. While existing studies examine impact conflict different food security measures (e.g., Food Consumption Score, Insecurity Experience Scale), relationship between these as well their with political, economic, agricultural factors remain under explored. insecurity may not only be an externality but also...
Female-headed households (FHHs) are regarded as disadvantaged. There multiple social trajectories that can lead to women heading households. It is important distinguish between these trajectories, well societal norms and contextual factors, understand how when FHHs represented a dimension of gender inequity. Our analysis defines describes typology 16 FHH types (FHH16) based on demographic characteristics.This cross-sectional study used national Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) Multiple...