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Few studies have evaluated environmental factors that predict survival to old age. Our study included 913 African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) who resided in the tri-county area of the Jackson, MS metropolitan area and were 65-80 years at baseline. Participants were followed from 2000 through 2019 for the outcome of survival to 85 years old. We evaluated each of the following census tract-level measures of the social/physical environment as exposures: socioeconomic status, cohesion, violence, disorder, healthy food stores, residential land use, and walkability. We assessed mediation by physical activity and chronic conditions. As a complementary ecologic analysis, we used census-tract data to examine factors associated with a greater life expectancy. A total of 501 (55%) JHS participants survived to age 85 years or older. Higher social cohesion and greater residential land use were modestly associated with survival to old age (risk difference = 25%, 95% CI: 0-49%; and 4%, 95% CI: 1-7%, respectively). These neighborhood effects were modestly mediated through leisure time physical activity; additionally, social cohesion was mediated through home and yard activity. In our ecologic analysis, a greater percentage of homeowners and a greater proportion of people living in partnered families were associated with higher census-tract level life expectancy. African American older adults living in residential neighborhoods or neighborhoods with high social cohesion were more likely to survive to old age.

BackgroundWhile evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a first-line treatment, its real-world effectiveness is unknown. We compared cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) each to an individual psychotherapy comparator group, and CPT to PE in a large national healthcare system.MethodsWe utilized effectiveness and comparative effectiveness emulated trials using retrospective cohort data from electronic medical records. Participants were veterans with PTSD initiating mental healthcare (N = 265 566). The primary outcome was PTSD symptoms measured by the PTSD Checklist (PCL) at baseline and 24-week follow-up. Emulated trials were comprised of 'person-trials,' representing 112 discrete 24-week periods of care (10/07-6/17) for each patient. Treatment group comparisons were made with generalized linear models, utilizing propensity score matching and inverse probability weights to account for confounding, selection, and non-adherence bias.ResultsThere were 636 CPT person-trials matched to 636 non-EBP person-trials. Completing ⩾8 CPT sessions was associated with a 6.4-point greater improvement on the PCL (95% CI 3.1-10.0). There were 272 PE person-trials matched to 272 non-EBP person-trials. Completing ⩾8 PE sessions was associated with a 9.7-point greater improvement on the PCL (95% CI 5.4-13.8). There were 232 PE person-trials matched to 232 CPT person-trials. Those completing ⩾8 PE sessions had slightly greater, but not statistically significant, improvement on the PCL (8.3-points; 95% CI 5.9-10.6) than those completing ⩾8 CPT sessions (7.0-points; 95% CI 5.5-8.5).ConclusionsPTSD symptom improvement was similar and modest for both EBPs. Although EBPs are helpful, research to further improve PTSD care is critical.

A close relationship between fatty acid metabolism and cancer development is well-established. The hydroxyacyl-coenzyme a dehydrogenase (HADH), a key enzyme in fatty acid beta-oxidation, has recently been identified as an anti-oncogenic factor in various cancers and an oncogenic factor in conditions like acute myeloid leukemia. In cancer cells, HADH not only directly catalyzes fatty acid beta-oxidation but also indirectly influences multiple signaling pathways such as PPAR, TNF-α, JAK-STAT3, PI3K/Akt, IFN-γ, MAPK, and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways, affecting cancer cell proliferation and migration. HADH shows promise as a potential tumor biomarker for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in different cancer types, holding significant clinical value.

BACKGROUND: Inadequate treatment of high blood pressure (BP) can lead to preventable adverse events in nursing home residents, while excessive treatment can lead to associated harms. METHODS: Data were extracted from the VA electronic health record and Bar Code Medication Administration system on 40,079 long-term care residents aged ≥65 years from October 2006 through September 2018 (FY2007-2018). Hypertension prevalence at admission was identified by ICD code(s) in the year prior, and antihypertensive medication use was defined as administration ≥50% of days. BP measures were averaged over 2-year epochs. RESULTS: The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension diagnosis at admission increased from 75.2% in FY2007-2008 to 85.1% in FY2017-2018 (p-value for trend 140/90 mmHg. Future research is needed to better understand the benefits and harms of BP control in nursing home residents.

ObjectiveRacial/ethnic disparities in menopause symptoms and hormone therapy management remain understudied among women served by the Veteran's Health Administration, despite the unique racial/ethnic diversity of this population. Thus, we determined racial/ethnic disparities in medical record-documented menopause symptoms and prescribed menopausal hormone therapy among women veterans.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional analyses of national Veteran's Health Administration electronic health record data from 2014 to 2015. We used logistic regression models to compare medical-record documented menopause symptoms and treatment (eg, vaginal estrogen or systemic hormone therapy) by self-identified race/ethnicity, adjusting for age, body mass index, and depression. Models examining hormone treatment were adjusted for menopause symptoms.ResultsAmong 200,901 women veterans (mean age 54.3, SD 5.4 y; 58% non-Hispanic/Latinx White, 33% non-Hispanic/Latinx Black, 4% Hispanic/Latinx, and 4% other), 5% had documented menopause symptoms, 5% were prescribed vaginal estrogen, and 5% were prescribed systemic hormone therapy. In fully adjusted multivariable models, non-Hispanic/Latinx Black women veterans had lower odds of documented menopause symptoms relative to non-Hispanic/Latinx White women (OR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.78-0.86). Moreover, non-Hispanic/Latinx Black women (OR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.70-0.77), as well as Hispanic/Latinx women (OR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61-0.77), had lower likelihood of systemic hormone therapy prescription. Hispanic/Latinx women had higher odds of vaginal estrogen prescription (OR 1.12 95% CI: 1.02-1.24) than non-Hispanic/Latinx White women. Non-Hispanic/Latinx Black women had lower likelihood of estrogen use (OR 0.78 95% CI: 0.74-0.81) than non-Hispanic/Latinx White women.ConclusionDespite evidence suggesting higher menopause symptom burden among Black women in community samples, documented menopause symptoms and hormone therapy were less common among Black, compared with White, women veterans. Additionally, Hispanic/Latinx women veterans had lower odds of prescribed systemic menopause therapy and yet higher odds of prescribed vaginal estrogen, despite no difference in documented symptoms. These findings may signal important disparities in symptom reporting, documentation, and/or treatment for minority women veterans.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of overweight， obesity and fatty liver disease （FLD） in adult residents in a suburban area of Shanghai， and to explore the relationship between these conditions and eating out of home （EOH）.MethodsAdult residents from Zhongshan Street， Songjiang， Shanghai， were invited to report their frequency of EOH and undergo a physical examination using B-ultrasonography from May to September 2017. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between EOH and conditions of overweight， obesity， and FLD.ResultsAmong the final sample size of 6 608 participants， the prevalence rates of overweight， obesity， and FLD were 41.65%， 14.71% and 38.29%， respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders， logistic analyses revealed that participants with an EOH frequency > once/week had a 1.44-fold higher prevalence of obesity （P=0.006）， a 1.35-fold higher prevalence of overweight/obesity （P=0.005）， and a 1.36-fold higher prevalence of FLD （P=0.008）.ConclusionThe prevalence of overweight， obesity， and FLD is relatively high in Songjiang， Shanghai. EOH may be a risk factor for these diseases， and residents are recommended to reduce the frequency of EOH.

BackgroundThe remediation technology for U(VI), Ca2+ and other pollutants in the groundwater of the mining area of in-situ leaching of uranium has become a key technical bottleneck restricting the decommission of uranium mine, and the microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology can well mineralize and remove heavy metals in the groundwater.PurposeThis study aims to remove the pollutants in groundwater of uranium mining areas with MICP.MethodsFirst of all, bacillus pasteurianus was selected, and its acid resistance and tolerance to uranium were analyzed. Then, the effects of initial U(VI) concentration, initial Ca2+ concentration, initial pH value, concentration of bacterial solution, and the time of mineralization on the removal of pollutants by MICP were explored. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) were employed to characterize the composition and microstructure of the mineralization products of MICP, in order to reveal the mechanism of mineralization and decontamination. Finally, water with low uranium concentration was treated by bacillus pasteurianus to verify the application of MICP.ResultsThe results show that Bartonella pasteurii has good urease activity at pH value of 4 and can adapt to the groundwater containing U(VI) concentration of 100 mg∙L-1. When the initial pH value is 4, the initial uranium concentration is 50 mg∙L-1, the Ca2+ concentration is 8 000 mg∙L-1, and the time of mineralization by MICP is 48 h, the removal rates of U(VI) and Ca2+ in the groundwater are 61% and 54%, respectively. The removal rate of U(VI) further increases to 91% when the initial pH value is increased to 7. Meanwhile, the increase of Ca2+ concentration promotes the removal of U(VI) in groundwater by MICP, however, the removal rate of Ca2+ is relatively low if the concentration of Ca2+ is too high.ConclusionsThe composition of MICP mineralization products is mainly uranium-containing calcium carbonate, in which the uranium is immobilized mainly by co-precipitation. Therefore, Bacillus pasteurianus can well remove U(VI) and Ca2+ in the groundwater of the mining area of in-situ leaching of uranium, and has a good prospect of application.

BackgroundCertain classes of antihypertensive medication may have different associations with cognitive impairment.ObjectiveTo examine the association between prevalent use of antihypertensive medications that stimulate (thiazides, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, angiotensin type I receptor blockers) versus inhibit (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers) type 2 and 4 angiotensin II receptors on cognitive impairment among older adults residing in Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing homes for long-term care.MethodsRetrospective cohort study. Long-term care residents aged 65 + years admitted to a VA nursing home from 2012 to 2019 using blood pressure medication and without cognitive impairment at admission. Main exposure was prevalent use of angiotensin II receptor type 2 and 4-'stimulating' (N = 589), 'inhibiting' (N = 3,219), or 'mixed' (N = 1,715) antihypertensive medication regimens at admission. Primary outcome was any cognitive impairment (Cognitive Function Scale).ResultsOver an average of 5.4 months of follow-up, prevalent use of regimens containing exclusively 'stimulating' antihypertensives was associated with a lower risk of any incident cognitive impairment as compared to prevalent use of regimens containing exclusively 'inhibiting' antihypertensives (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.74-0.93). Results for the comparison between 'mixed' versus 'inhibiting' regimens were in the same direction but not statistically significant (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88-1.06).ConclusionFor residents without cognitive impairment at baseline, prevalent users of regimens containing exclusively antihypertensives that stimulate type 2 and 4 angiotensin II receptors had lower rates of cognitive impairment as compared to prevalent users of regimens containing exclusively antihypertensives that inhibit these receptors. Residual confounding cannot be ruled out.