Open Burn Pit Exposure in Headache Disorder and Migraine.

Importance: Open burn pits have commonly been used for waste disposal by the US military but have not been systematically investigated as an independent risk factor for headache disorders.

Objective: To evaluate the association between exposure to open burn pits and incidence of headache and migraine.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Veterans Health Administration Headache Cohort along with data from the US Department of Defense and the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit (AH&OBP) Registry to assess registry participants with potential exposure to open burn pits in the Veterans Health Administration from April 1, 2014, through October 31, 2022.

Radiation Biological Toximetry Using Circulating Cell-Free DNA (cfDNA) for Rapid Radiation/Nuclear Triage.

Optimal triage biodosimetry would include risk stratification within minutes, and it would provide useful triage despite heterogeneous dosimetry, cytokine therapy, mixed radiation quality, race, and age. For regulatory approval, the U.S.

Long-term opioid therapy trajectories and overdose in patients with and without cancer.

Objective: Pain is experienced by most patients with cancer and opioids are a cornerstone of management. Our objectives were (1) to identify patterns or trajectories of long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) and their correlates among patients with and without cancer and (2) to assess the association between trajectories and risk for opioid overdose, considering the potential moderating role of cancer.

Methods And Analysis: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among individuals in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) database with incident LTOT with and without cancer (N=44,351; N=285,772, respectively) between 2010-2017.

Changes in opioid prescribing in veterans with headache during the COVID-19 pandemic: A regression discontinuity in time analysis.

Objective: To determine changes in opioid prescribing among veterans with headaches during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by comparing the stay-at-home phase (March 15 to May 30, 2020) and the reopening phase (May 31 to December 31, 2020).

Background: Opioid prescribing for chronic pain has declined substantially since 2016; however, changes in opioid prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic among veterans with headaches remain unknown.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized regression discontinuity in time and difference-in-differences design to analyze veterans aged ≥18 years with a previous diagnosis of headache disorders and an outpatient visit to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) during the study period.

Trajectory of blood pressure after initiating anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide treatment of migraine: a target trial emulation from the veterans health administration.

Background: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is involved in migraine pathophysiology and blood pressure regulation. Although clinical trials have established the cardio-cerebrovascular safety profile of anti-CGRP treatment, limited high-quality real-world evidence exists on its long-term effects on blood pressure (BP). To address this gap, we examined the safety of anti-CGRP treatment on BP in patients with migraine headache in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Monoclonal Antibodies and Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Severe COVID-19 Outcomes Among Veterans With Migraine Disorder.

Importance: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide involved in migraine pathophysiology, is also a key neuroimmune modulator. CGRP antagonists may help mitigate the hyperinflammatory response observed in patients with COVID-19; however, findings from the literature are contradictory, and to date, no study has investigated the safety and effectiveness of CGRP antagonists against COVID-19.

Objective: To evaluate the association between CGRP monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and sequela hospitalization, requiring supplemental oxygen, use of mechanical ventilation, or death.

Children and young people's participation in decision-making within healthcare organisations in New Zealand: An integrative review.

There is a paucity of literature on children and young people's participation in decision-making within healthcare organisations in New Zealand. This integrative review examined child self-reported peer-reviewed manuscripts and published guidelines, policy, reviews, expert opinion and legislation to explore how New Zealand children and young people participate in discussions and decision-making processes within healthcare settings and what are barriers and benefits to such participation. Four child self-reported peer-reviewed manuscripts and twelve expert opinion documents were retrieved from four electronic databases including academic, government and institutional websites.

Complex Patient Navigation by Veteran Patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for Chronic Headache Disease: A Qualitative Study.

Patients living with headache diseases often have difficulty accessing evidence-based care. Authors conducted a qualitative research study with 20 patients receiving headache care at seven Headache Centers of Excellence within the Veterans Health Administration to examine their experiences navigating headache care. This study employed thematic qualitative analysis and conducted cross-case comparisons.

Understanding headache classification coding within the veterans health administration using ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM in fiscal years 2014-2017.

Objectives: Understand the continuity and changes in headache not-otherwise-specified (NOS), migraine, and post-traumatic headache (PTH) diagnoses after the transition from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Background: Headache is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic conditions managed within primary and specialty care clinics. The VHA transitioned from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM on October-1-2015.

Opening the black box of bird-window collisions: passive video recordings in a residential backyard.

Collisions with windows on buildings are a major source of bird mortality. The current understanding of daytime collisions is limited by a lack of empirical data on how collisions occur in the real world because most data are collected by recording evidence of mortality rather than pre-collision behaviour. Based on published literature suggesting a causal relationship between bird collision risk and the appearance of reflections on glass, the fact that reflections vary in appearance depending on viewing angle, and general principles of object collision kinematics, we hypothesized that the risk and lethality of window collisions may be related to the angle and velocity of birds' flight.

Correction: A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.

Frequency, Demographics, Comorbidities, and Health Care Utilization by Veterans With Migraine: A VA Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background And Objective: To describe the relative frequency, demographics, comorbidities, and health care utilization of veterans who receive migraine care at the Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) and to evaluate differences by gender.

Methods: This study extracted data from VHA administrative sources. Veterans diagnosed with migraine by a health care provider between fiscal year 2008 and 2019 were included.

Characteristics and Gender Differences of Headache in the Veterans Health Administration: A National Cohort Study, Fiscal Year 2008-2019.

Background And Objectives: To determine gender differences in headache types diagnosed, sociodemographic characteristics, military campaign and exposures, and health care utilization among US veterans in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Methods: This study used a retrospective cohort design to examine VHA electronic health record (EHR) data. This cohort includes veterans who had at least 1 visit for any headache between fiscal years 2008 and 2019.

Enhancing the capacity of the health workforce to deliver best practice diabetes care.

Diabetes prevalence is increasing; the technologies and medicines used to manage diabetes have become more complex, and the specialist health workforce with qualifications in diabetes is insufficient. Generalist health professionals have limited diabetes knowledge, despite engaging with people with diabetes in healthcare daily. An innovative framework is needed to align with the Australian National Diabetes Strategy to build a competent, flexible and adaptive workforce to promote excellence in diabetes care.

Telehealth perceptions and utilization for the delivery of headache care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utilization of telehealth for headache services within the Veterans Health Administration's facilities housing a Headache Centers of Excellence and multiple stakeholder's perspectives to inform future telehealth delivery.

Background: Telehealth delivery of headache treatment may enhance patient access to headache care, yet little is known about the utilization or patient and provider perceptions of telehealth for veterans with headache.

Methods: This mixed-methods study analyzed multiple data sources: (1) administrative data, which included 58,798 patients with medically diagnosed headache disorders, documented in at least one outpatient visit, from August 2019 through September 2020 from the 12 Veterans Health Administration's facilities with a Headache Center of Excellence and (2) qualitative semistructured interviews with 20 patients and 43 providers 6 months before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and 10 patients and 20 providers 6 months during the beginning of the pandemic.

Essential components of care in a multidisciplinary headache center: Perspectives from headache neurology specialists.

Background And Objective: Comprehensive headache care involves numerous specialties and components that have not been well documented or standardized. This study aimed to elicit best practices and characterize important elements of care to be provided in multidisciplinary headache centers.

Methods: Qualitative, semi-structured telephone interviews with a purposive sample of headache neurology specialists from across the US, using open-ended questions.

Economic Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Cancer Between 2000 and 2015 in Saskatchewan: Study Protocol.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are both detrimental diseases that present great burdens on society. Years of life lost (YLL), premature years of life lost (PYLL), working years lost (WYL), and productivity loss are all effective measures in identifying economic burden of disease.

Objective: We propose a population-based study to analyze comprehensive provincial cohorts of Saskatchewan residents with COPD, lung cancer, and combined COPD and lung cancer in order to identify the burden these diseases present.

Complementary and integrative medicine perspectives among veteran patients and VHA healthcare providers for the treatment of headache disorders: a qualitative study.

Objective: To evaluate veteran patient and provider perceptions and preferences on complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) for headache management.

Background: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has spearheaded a Whole Health system of care focusing on CIM-based care for veteran patients. Less is known about patients' and providers' CIM perceptions and preferences for chronic headache management.

A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

The development of safe and effective vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections remains an urgent priority worldwide. We have used a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based prime-boost immunization strategy to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine candidate. We have constructed VSV genomes carrying exogenous genes resulting in the production of avirulent rVSV carrying the full-length spike protein (SF), the S1 subunit, or the receptor-binding domain (RBD) plus envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2.

Mutations in PBP2 from ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae alter the dynamics of the β3-β4 loop to favor a low-affinity drug-binding state.

Resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporin ceftriaxone in the pathogenic bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae is conferred by mutations in penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2), the lethal target of the antibiotic, but how these mutations exert their effect at the molecular level is unclear. Using solution NMR, X-ray crystallography, and isothermal titration calorimetry, we report that WT PBP2 exchanges dynamically between a low-affinity state with an extended β3-β4 loop conformation and a high-affinity state with an inward β3-β4 loop conformation. Histidine-514, which is located at the boundary of the β4 strand, plays an important role during the exchange between these two conformational states.

Comparison of attitudes towards the service connection claims process among veterans filing for PTSD and veterans filing for musculoskeletal disorders.

Many veterans have negative views about the service connection claims process for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which likely impacts willingness to file service connection claims, re-file claims, and use Veterans Healthcare Administration care. Nevertheless, veterans have reported that PTSD claims are important to them for the financial benefits, validation of prior experience and harm, and self-other issues such as pleasing a significant other. It is unknown if reported attitudes are specific to PTSD claimants or if they would be similar to those submitting claims for other disorders, such as musculoskeletal disorders.

Utilisation, access and recommendations regarding technologies for people living with type 1 diabetes: consensus statement of the ADS/ADEA/APEG/ADIPS Working Group.

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes presents significant challenges for optimal management. Despite intensive glycaemic control being the standard of care for several decades, glycaemic targets are infrequently achieved and the burden of complications remains high. Therefore, the advancement of diabetes management technologies has a major role in reducing the clinical and economic impact of the disease on people living with type 1 diabetes and on health care systems.

The acceptability and feasibility of screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for pain management among new England veterans with chronic pain: A pilot study.

Objectives: Musculoskeletal disorders often lead to chronic pain in Veterans. Chronic pain puts sufferers at risk for substance misuse, and early intervention is needed for both conditions. This pilot study tested the feasibility and acceptability of a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment for Pain Management intervention (SBIRT-PM) to help engage Veterans seeking disability compensation for painful musculoskeletal disorders in multimodal pain treatment and to reduce risky substance use, when indicated.