Land Use Change Disrupts the Network Complexity and Stability of Soil Microbial Carbon Cycling Genes Across an Agricultural Mosaic Landscape.

To understand the effects of agricultural land use change and management on soil carbon (C) cycling, it is crucial to examine how these changes can influence microbial soil C cycling. Network analysis can offer insights into the structure, complexity, and stability of the soil microbiome in response to environmental disturbances, including land use change. Using SparCC-based co-occurrence networks, we studied how land use change impacts the connectivity, complexity, and stability of microbial C-cycling gene networks across an agricultural mosaic landscape in Canterbury, New Zealand.

The prevalence of lifetime trauma and association with physical and psychosocial health among adults at the end of life.

Background: National guidelines recognize lifetime trauma as relevant to clinical care for adults nearing the end of life. We determined the prevalence of early life and cumulative trauma among persons at the end of life by gender and birth cohort, and the association of lifetime trauma with end-of-life physical, mental, and social well-being.

Methods: We used nationally representative Health and Retirement Study data (2006-2020), including adults age > 50 who died while enrolled (N = 6495).

A Precision Engineered Interleukin-2 for Bolstering CD8+ T- and NK-cell Activity without Eosinophilia and Vascular Leak Syndrome in Nonhuman Primates.

Unlabelled: We have created a precisely pegylated IL-2 [SAR-444245 (SAR'245) or pegenzileukin, previously THOR-707] designed for proliferation of target CD8+ T and NK cells for anticancer activity, with minimal expansion of anti-target regulatory CD4+ T cells (Treg) that counter their action, or eosinophils that trigger vascular leak syndrome (VLS). We performed in vivo studies in nonhuman primates (NHP) to monitor the safety of SAR'245, pharmacokinetic profile, and pharmacodynamic parameters including expansion of peripheral CD8+ T and NK cells, and effects on Tregs and eosinophils. Studies included multiple ascending dosing and repeat dosing with different regimens (QW, Q2W, Q3W and Q4W).

Contribution of Involuntary Job Loss to the Burden of Depressive Symptoms Over Two Decades in a National Study of Aging Adults.

Objectives: In recent decades, risk of job loss in America after age 50 has been high, potentially causing significant stress during the period preceding retirement. Yet no study has quantified the burden of clinically relevant depressive symptoms attributable to job loss in this age group over this period or identified the most vulnerable populations.

Methods: Participants aged 50+ in the Health and Retirement Study (recruited 1992-2016) who were employed and scored <5 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression 8-item scale (CESD-8) at baseline (N = 18,571) were followed for depressive symptoms until they first had CESD-8 ≥5 or died, or through the 2018 survey.

Association of Caregiving Receipt With Mental Health Utilization in a National Cohort of Older Adults.

Objective: There exist significant age disparities in mental health (MH) utilization, such that older adults, including older veterans, are much less likely to use MH services. In-home caregivers represent a novel, yet understudied, pathway to increase appropriate utilization. We sought to examine the association between receiving caregiving assistance and MH utilization and test moderation effects of cognitive status and depression severity in a sample of older veterans.

Re-thinking all-cause COVID-19 hospitalizations as a surrogate measure for severe illness in observational surveillance studies.

All-cause COVID-19 hospitalization ≤ 30 days of infection is a common outcome for severe illness in observational/surveillance studies. Milder COVID-19 disease and COVID-19-specific measurements calls for an evaluation of this endpoint. This was a descriptive, retrospective cohort study of adults ≥ 18 who were established in primary care at Veteran Health Administration (VHA) facilities.

Development of an online teaching platform to improve access to postgraduate pathology training in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Resource barriers to the provision of accessible training in cancer diagnosis in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) limit the potential of African health systems. Long-term provision via teaching visits from senior pathologists and trainee foreign placements is unsustainable due to the prohibitive costs of travel and subsistence. Emerging eLearning methods would allow pathologists to be trained by experts in a cheaper, more efficient, and more scalable way.

Which older adults are at highest risk of prescribing cascades? A national study of the gabapentinoid-loop diuretic cascade.

Background: Prescribing cascades are important contributors to polypharmacy. Little is known about which older adults are at highest risk of experiencing prescribing cascades. We explored which older veterans are at highest risk of the gabapentinoid (including gabapentin and pregabalin)-loop diuretic (LD) cascade, given the dramatic increase in gabapentinoid prescribing in recent years.

Comorbidities, healthcare use, and contact with healthcare transition services in older veterans after incarceration.

Background: The Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) program was established to support community reintegration for veterans after incarceration. Yet, it is unclear how those with and without HCRV contact differ. We sought to evaluate differences in medical and psychiatric conditions and healthcare utilization among mid-to late-life reentry veterans who did and did not receive HCRV outreach.

A national study of clinical discussions about cannabis use among Veteran patients prescribed opioids.

Background: The Veterans Health Administration tracks urine drug tests (UDTs) among patients on long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) and recommends discussing the health effects of cannabis use.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of cannabis-related discussions between providers and patients on LTOT during six months following UDT positive for cannabis, and examine factors associated with documenting cannabis use.

Design: We identified patients prescribed LTOT with a UDT positive for cannabis in 2019.

Association of Cannabis Use With Cardiovascular Outcomes Among US Adults.

Background: We examined the association between cannabis use and cardiovascular outcomes among the general population, among never-tobacco smokers, and among younger individuals.

Methods And Results: This is a population-based, cross-sectional study of 2016 to 2020 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey from 27 American states and 2 territories. We assessed the association of cannabis use (number of days of cannabis use in the past 30 days) with self-reported cardiovascular outcomes (coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and a composite measure of all 3) in multivariable regression models, adjusting for tobacco use and other characteristics in adults 18 to 74 years old.

Whey Protein Supplementation and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Risk Factors: An Umbrella Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Emerging research suggests whey protein (WP) supplementation may modify type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk factors, including glucose control. As systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) gain importance in nutrition literature, we conducted an umbrella systematic review to chronicle published systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses of RCTs pertinent to WP supplementation and T2DM modifiable risk factors. This review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews standards.

Military Sexual Trauma and Menopause Symptoms Among Midlife Women Veterans.

Background: Sexual assault and/or sexual harassment during military service (military sexual trauma (MST)) can have medical and mental health consequences. Most MST research has focused on reproductive-aged women, and little is known about the long-term impact of MST on menopause and aging-related health.

Objective: Examine associations of MST with menopause and mental health outcomes in midlife women Veterans.

Plant species identity and plant-induced changes in soil physicochemistry-but not plant phylogeny or functional traits - shape the assembly of the root-associated soil microbiome.

The root-associated soil microbiome contributes immensely to support plant health and performance against abiotic and biotic stressors. Understanding the processes that shape microbial assembly in root-associated soils is of interest in microbial ecology and plant health research. In this study, 37 plant species were grown in the same soil mixture for 10 months, whereupon the root-associated soil microbiome was assessed using amplicon sequencing.

Lung Cancer Screening Among U.S. Military Veterans by Health Status and Race and Ethnicity, 2017-2020: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

Introduction: Veterans are at high risk for lung cancer and are an important group for lung cancer screening. Previous research suggests that lung cancer screening may not be reaching healthier and/or non-White individuals, who stand to benefit most from lung cancer screening. We sought to test whether lung cancer screening is associated with poor health and/or race and ethnicity among veterans.

Advanced Research Institute (ARI): Supporting the Geriatric Mental Health Research Pipeline.

The Advanced Research Institute (ARI) in Mental Health and Aging is a NIMH-funded mentoring network to help transition early-career faculty to independent investigators and scientific leaders. Since 2004, ARI has enrolled 184 Scholars from 61 institutions across 34 states. We describe the ARI components and assess the impact and outcomes of ARI on research careers of participants.

Comparative mRNA booster effectiveness against death or hospitalization with COVID-19 pneumonia across at-risk US Veteran populations.

Studies of comparative mRNA booster effectiveness among high-risk populations can inform mRNA booster-specific guidelines. The study emulated a target trial of COVID-19 vaccinated U.S.

Whole genome sequencing of Penicillium and Burkholderia strains antagonistic to the causal agent of kauri dieback disease (Phytophthora agathidicida) reveals biosynthetic gene clusters related to antimicrobial secondary metabolites.

Phytophthora agathidicida is a virulent soil pathogen of Aotearoa New Zealand's iconic kauri tree species (Agathis australis (D. Don) Lindl.) and the primary causal agent of kauri dieback disease.

One-Year All-Cause Mortality and Delivery of the Collaborative Chronic Care Model in General Mental Health Clinics.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the evidence-based collaborative chronic care model (CCM) is associated with reduced all-cause mortality among adult patients treated in general mental health clinics.

Methods: Data came from a stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized CCM implementation trial across nine U.S.

A national population-based study of cannabis use and correlates among U.S. veterans prescribed opioids in primary care.

Background: Cannabis is marketed as a treatment for pain. There is limited data on the prevalence of cannabis use and its correlates among Veterans prescribed opioids.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and correlates of cannabis use among Veterans prescribed opioids.