Accelerator mass spectrometry measurements of 233U in groundwater, soil and vegetation at a legacy radioactive waste site.

Low-level radioactive wastes were disposed at the Little Forest Legacy Site (LFLS) near Sydney, Australia between 1960 and 1968. According to the disposal records, 233U contributes a significant portion of the inventory of actinide activity buried in the LFLS trenches. Although the presence of 233U in environmental samples from LFLS has been previously inferred from alpha-spectrometry measurements, it has been difficult to quantify because the 233U and 234U α-peaks are superimposed. Therefore, the amounts of 233U in groundwaters, soils and vegetation from the vicinity of the LFLS were measured using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The AMS results show the presence of 233U in numerous environmental samples, particularly those obtained within, and in the immediate vicinity of, the trenched area. There is evidence for dispersion of 233U in groundwater (possibly mobilised by co-disposed organic liquids), and the data also suggest other sources of 233U contamination in addition to the trench wastes. These may include leakages and spills from waste drums as well as waste burnings, which also occurred at the site. The AMS results confirm the historic information regarding disposal of 233U in the LFLS trenches. The AMS technique has been valuable to ascertain the distribution and environmental behaviour of 233U at the LFLS and the results demonstrate the applicability of AMS for evaluating contamination of 233U at other radioactive waste sites.

Community-academic partnerships to embrace and ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in translational science: Evidence of successful community engagement.

Community-Research Advisory Councils (C-RAC) provide a unique mechanism for building sustainable community-academic partnership, fostering bidirectional understanding of complex research issues, disseminating timely research findings, and thereby improving public trust in science. Created in 2009, the Johns Hopkins C-RAC has a mission to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) of stakeholders across the entire research continuum. It has nurtured over a decade of partnership among community and academic stakeholders toward addressing health disparity, health equity, structural racism, and discrimination. Evidence of successful strategies to ensure DEI in partnership and lessons learned are illustrated in this special communication.

Mental health outcomes before psychotropic medications: a retrospective case series of one state hospital records from 1945 to 1954.

BACKGROUND: Current outcomes for mental illness are widely regarded as poor. Since the introduction of psychotropic medications in the mid 1950's, previous psychosocial practices were minimized in favor of medication focused treatment. The majority of large U.S. state hospitals have closed with records destroyed or in storage, inaccessible to researchers. This creates barriers to studying and comparing outcomes before and after this shift in treatment practices. AIMS: The study aim was to examine discharge outcomes in relation to length of stay and diagnosis in one U.S. state hospital. METHODS: This case series study examined 5618 medical records of participants admitted to one state hospital from 1945 to 1954, the decade prior to adoption of psychotropic medications. RESULTS: Of the 3332 individuals who left the facility, over half (59.87%) of first episode hospitalizations were discharged within 1 year, and 16.95% were hospitalized for more than 5 years. 46.17% of all admissions were discharged from hospital with no readmission. The most common diagnoses included schizophrenia, other forms of psychosis, and alcoholism. In the decade before the introduction of psychotropic medications, participants were often admitted for a single episode and returned to their homes within several years. CONCLUSIONS: Although limited to one site, findings suggest that discharge outcomes prior to psychotropic medication as a primary treatment for mental illness may be more positive than previously understood.

Use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in solid organ transplant recipients with pre-existing type 2 or post-transplantation diabetes mellitus: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have demonstrated kidney, cardiovascular and mortality benefits in the general population; however, the evidence is limited in solid organ transplant recipients. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current efficacy and safety data of SGLT2 inhibitors in adult kidney, heart, lung, and liver transplant recipients with pre-existing type 2 or post-transplantation diabetes mellitus. METHOD: We searched MEDLINE, MEDLINE Epub, CENTRAL, CDSR, EMBASE, CINAHL, and sources of unpublished literature. All primary interventional and observational studies on SGLT2 inhibitors in transplant recipients were included. Clinical outcomes included mortality, cardiovascular and kidney events, and adverse events such as graft rejection. Surrogate markers including hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and weight reduction were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 17 studies that were included in this systematic review, there were 15 studies on kidney transplant recipients (n = 2417 patients) and two studies on heart transplant recipients (n = 122 patients). There was only one randomized controlled trial which evaluated 49 kidney transplant patients over 24 weeks. Overall, studies were heterogeneous in study design, sample size, duration of diabetes, time to SGLT2 inhibitor initiation post-transplantation (ranging from 0.88 to 11 years post kidney transplant; five to 5.7 years post heart transplant) and follow-up (ranging from 0.4 to 5.25 years in kidney transplant patients; 0.75 to one year in heart transplant patients). Only one retrospective study evaluated mortality as a part of a composite outcome in kidney transplant patients; however, study limitations restrict generalizability of results. Overall, studies could not confirm clinical cardiovascular and kidney benefits in the transplant population. Findings suggested that SGLT2 inhibitors may improve glycemic control; however, they are associated with urinary tract infection. Diabetic ketoacidosis and acute kidney injury also occurred in these studies, with precipitating factors such as infection and acute heart failure exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS: While SGLT2 inhibitors are promising agents with expanding indications in the non-transplant population, these agents may not be suitable for all solid organ transplant recipients, and close monitoring (e.g. for urinary tract infections) and patient education (e.g. sick day management) are essential if these agents are initiated. Evidence is based on short-term findings and suggests an association with hemoglobin A1c reduction and increased adverse events. Further long-term randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on clinically important outcomes, including mortality reduction, in solid organ transplant recipients.

Assessing for socioeconomic background diversity in behavioral health workforce development programs.

Assessing workforce diversity is an increasing area of evolution. A comprehensive assessment of socioeconomic diversity is important in that it can help identify needs and enable planned inclusion across a range of students. Subsequently, a more comprehensive set of background indicators is needed. The purpose of this brief report is to describe the approach we are using to determine socioeconomic background among individuals participating in a behavioral health workforce program. By using 3 strategies to assess background, we were able to determine that 4 individuals reported being unable to pay for housing, 3 indicated they had sold plasma, and 1 had experienced homelessness since starting graduate school. Our findings provide a starting point for using a comprehensive set of indicators to guide the recruitment and selection process in workforce development programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Rare earth elements and yttrium as tracers of waste/rock-groundwater interactions.

Increasing concentrations of Rare Earth Elements (REE) plus yttrium (REY) are entering the environment due to human activities. The similar chemical behaviour across the whole REY, i.e. the lanthanide series (lanthanum to lutetium) and yttrium, allows their use as tracers, fingerprinting rock-forming processes and fluid-rock interactions in earth science systems. However, their use in fingerprinting waste and particularly low-level radioactive waste has not received much attention, despite the direct use of REE in the nuclear industry and the traditional use of REE as proxies to understand the environmental mobility of the actinide series (actinium to lawrencium). The highly instrumented low-level radioactive waste site at Little Forest (Australia) allows a detailed REY study, investigating interactions with local strata, neighbouring waste forms and shallow groundwater flows. Groundwater samples and solids from cored materials were recovered from 2007 to 2012 from the study site and regional baseline sites in the same geological materials. The REY in water samples were analysed by automated chelation pre-concentration (SeaFast, ESI) followed by ICP-MS determination, while solid samples were analysed using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and X-ray fluorescence scanning (ITRAX). Solid rocks showed no REY departed from typical Upper Crust compositions in either Little Forest or regional background sites. Shallow groundwater from ~4-5 m, at or slightly below waste trench levels, showed water-waste interaction as a marked enrichment, relative to shale-normalised patterns, in samarium, europium and gadolinium, with depleted yttrium. Leachate samples from the neighbouring urban landfill show different REY normalised patterns. REY distribution changes with depth through increased interaction with shales and sandstones. Variations in pH and redox conditions lead to widespread precipitation of Fe-hydroxides, which scavenge REY with differential uptake by precipitating solids, resulting in increases in Y and higher Y/Ho ratio in the groundwater along the flow path. Our study revealed that the Little Forest low-level radioactive waste has a REY fingerprint different to that of groundwater in surrounding land uses. REY can be used to fingerprint diverse waste sources, assess the mobility of lanthanides inferring the mobility of selected actinides, and to trace the fate of REY during groundwater recharge. The approach presented can refine source allocation and trace pollutant mobility in current and legacy urban, mixed and radioactive waste sites around the world.

Care processes and structures associated with higher medication adherence in adolescent and young adult transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify care processes and structures that were independently associated with higher medication adherence among young transplant recipients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study of 270 prevalent kidney, liver, and heart transplant recipients 14-25 years old. Patients were ≥3 months post-transplant, ≥2 months post-discharge, and followed in one of 14 pediatric or 14 adult transplant programs in Canada. Patients were enrolled between June 2015 and March 2018 and followed for 6 months. Adherence was assessed at baseline, 3, and 6 months using the BAASIS© self-report tool. Patients were classified as adherent if no doses were missed in the prior 4 weeks. Transplant program directors and nurses completed questionnaires regarding care organization and processes. RESULTS: Of the 270 participants, 99 were followed in pediatric programs and 171 in adult programs. Median age was 20.3 years, and median time since transplant was 5 years. At baseline, 71.5% were adherent. Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression models with program as a random effect identified two program-level factors as independently associated with better adherence: minimum number of prescribed blood draws per year for those >3 years post-transplant (per 1 additional) (OR 1.12 [95% CI 1.00, 1.26]; p = .047), and average time nurses spend with patients in clinic (per 5 additional minutes) (OR 1.15 [1.03, 1.29]; p = .017). CONCLUSION: Program-level factors including protocols with a greater frequency of routine blood testing and more nurse time with patients were associated with better medication adherence. This suggests that interventions at the program level may support better adherence.

A record of fallout 239Pu and 240Pu at World Heritage Bathurst Harbour, Tasmania, Australia.

This study presents the first measurements of anthropogenic plutonium (239Pu and 240Pu) concentrations and atom ratios (240Pu/239Pu) for Tasmania, in sediment collected from Bathurst Harbour, in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Australia. The weighted mean 240Pu/239Pu atom ratio measured at this site was 0.172 ± 0.007 which is consistent with published data from mainland Australia and global and Southern Hemisphere averages. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios ranged between 0.11 and 0.21 with the earliest recorded 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios being the lowest, suggesting an influence of low atom ratio fallout from nuclear testing in Australia. Post-moratorium fallout 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios were consistent with other records. Lead-210 (210Pb) sediment chronologies indicate sediment accumulation rates have increased since the early part of the 19th century at this location.

Polo-like kinase 1 independently controls microtubule-nucleating capacity and size of the centrosome.

Centrosomes are composed of a centriolar core surrounded by a pericentriolar material (PCM) matrix that docks microtubule-nucleating γ-tubulin complexes. During mitotic entry, the PCM matrix increases in size and nucleating capacity in a process called centrosome maturation. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is recruited to centrosomes and phosphorylates PCM matrix proteins to drive their self-assembly, which leads to PCM expansion. Here, we show that in addition to controlling PCM expansion, PLK1 independently controls the generation of binding sites for γ-tubulin complexes on the PCM matrix. Selectively preventing the generation of PLK1-dependent γ-tubulin docking sites led to spindle defects and impaired chromosome segregation without affecting PCM expansion, highlighting the importance of phospho-regulated centrosomal γ-tubulin docking sites in spindle assembly. Inhibiting both γ-tubulin docking and PCM expansion by mutating substrate target sites recapitulated the effects of loss of centrosomal PLK1 on the ability of centrosomes to catalyze spindle assembly.

Death education for children and young people in public schools.

BACKGROUND: Conversations about death are often associated with fear, anxiety, avoidance and misunderstandings. Many adults feel that these discussions are inappropriate and confusing for young people. In this project, two fourth-year nursing students partnered with a local palliative care team to examine death education for children. The nursing students focused on children's understandings of death and their coping abilities, the lack of appropriate discussions about death with children, and the implementation of death education in public schools. Three online death education resources were identified and evaluated for use in public schools. This project fueled preliminary local discussions and advocacy efforts in the provision of death education for children. In the future, death education will need to be incorporated into education plans at local schools, and could be done in collaboration with the local palliative care team.

A Comprehensive and Contemporary Review on Immunosuppression Therapy for Heart Transplantation.

Heart transplantation is the standard of therapy for patients with end-stage heart disease. Since the first human-to-human heart transplantation, performed in 1967, advances in organ donation, surgical techniques, organ preservation, perioperative care, immunologic risk assessment, immunosuppression agents, monitoring of graft function and surveillance of long-term complications have drastically increased recipient survival. However, there are yet many challenges in the modern era of heart transplantation in which immunosuppression may play a key role in further advances in the field. A fine-tuning of immune modulation to prevent graft rejection while avoiding side effects from over immunosuppression has been the vital goal of basic and clinical research. Individualization of drug choices and strategies, taking into account the recipient's clinical characteristics, underlying heart failure diagnosis, immunologic risk and comorbidities seem to be the ideal approaches to improve post-transplant morbidity and survival while preventing both rejection and complications of immunosuppression. The aim of the present review is to provide a practical, comprehensive overview of contemporary immunosuppression in heart transplantation. Clinical evidence for immunosuppressive drugs is reviewed and practical approaches are provided. Cardiac allograft rejection classification and up-to-date management are summarized. Expanding therapies, such as photophoresis, are outlined. Drug-to-drug interactions of immunosuppressive agents focused on cardiovascular medications are summarized. Special situations involving heart transplantation such as sarcoidosis, Chagas diseases and pediatric immunosuppression are also reviewed. The evolution of phamacogenomics to individualize immunosuppressive therapy is described. Finally, future perspectives in the field of immunosuppression in heart transplantation are highlighted.

A Canadian Survey on Adverse Symptoms Experienced by Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse symptoms experienced by solid organ transplant recipients remain largely unexplored despite their purported frequency. OBJECTIVE: To characterize patient perspectives on adverse symptoms, identifying the most problematic symptoms and the perceived cause and treatability, and to evaluate their impact on quality of life (QoL) and medication adherence. METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed to members of the Canadian Transplant Association, to characterize perceptions on symptom experience (Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Distress Scale), and QoL (Short Form-12), medication adherence (Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications Scale), demographics, and clinical situation. RESULTS: The questionnaire was distributed to 249 solid organ transplant recipients and achieved a 51% response rate (N = 127). Respondents reported a mean of 25 (standard deviation 10) adverse symptoms each. In women, the most prevalent and distressing symptoms were tiredness, lack of energy, sleep difficulties, difficulty concentrating or memory problems, diarrhea, joint pain, and depression. In men, they were tiredness, flatulence, lack of energy, sleep difficulties, and erectile problems. With the exception of flatulence, these symptoms were more often perceived to be caused by medical conditions rather than by immunosuppressants or other medications. Quality of life was similar to the general public, with mean physical and mental component scores of 47.4 (9.9) and 52.1 (8.2), respectively (relative to a US average of 50 [10]). However, QoL scores inversely correlated to the number of symptoms reported and were higher in patients who perceived all symptoms to be treatable. CONCLUSION: Adverse symptoms may impact patient well-being. Perceived cause and treatability should be further explored.

Clinical, clinicopathologic, and hepatic histopathologic features associated with probable ketoconazole-induced liver injury in dogs: 15 cases (2015-2018).

OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical, clinicopathologic, and hepatic histopathologic features and outcome for dogs with probable ketoconazole-induced liver injury. ANIMALS: 15 dogs with suspected ketoconazole-induced liver injury that underwent liver biopsy. PROCEDURES: Medical record data were summarized regarding signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic and hepatic histopathologic findings, concurrent medications, ketoconazole dose, treatment duration, and outcome. RESULTS: Median age and body weight were 8.2 years (range, 5 to 15 years) and 13.0 kg (28.6 lb; range, 8.2 to 38.0 kg [18.0 to 83.6 lb]), respectively. The most common breed was Cocker Spaniel (n = 5). All dogs received ketoconazole to treat cutaneous Malassezia infections. Median daily ketoconazole dose was 7.8 mg/kg (3.5 mg/lb; range, 4.4 to 26.0 mg/kg [2.0 to 11.8 mg/lb]), PO. Treatment duration ranged from 0.3 to 100 cumulative weeks (intermittent cyclic administration in some dogs); 6 dogs were treated for ≤ 10 days. Common clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, and vomiting. All dogs developed high serum liver enzyme activities. Hepatic histopathologic findings included variable lobular injury, mixed inflammatory infiltrates, and conspicuous aggregates of ceroid-lipofuscin-engorged macrophages that marked regions of parenchymal damage. Five dogs developed chronic hepatitis, including 3 with pyogranulomatous inflammation. Of the 10 dogs reported to have died at last follow-up, survival time after illness onset ranged from 0.5 to 165 weeks, with 7 dogs dying of liver-related causes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings for dogs with hepatotoxicosis circumstantially associated with ketoconazole treatment suggested proactive monitoring of serum liver enzyme activities is advisable before and sequentially after initiation of such treatment.

Sexual Offender Treatment Effectiveness Within Cognitive-Behavioral Programs: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of General, Sexual, and Violent Recidivism.

The current sexual offender literature focuses on recidivism reduction in an effort to increase public safety. While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) programs are considered a mainstream treatment method, it is essential to study recidivism as an indicator of treatment effectiveness. This meta-analysis examines research published since 1970 to determine the overall effectiveness of treatments in reducing recidivism among adult male sexual offenders. Decade of implementation and CBT treatment features are also assessed as moderator variables. The results from the 25 studies identified were converted into 42 weighted effect sizes utilizing a random-effects model. Significant overall effect sizes were found for sexual and violent/combination recidivism; however, multiple indices indicate heterogeneity in the effect sizes. Significant differences were found in the overall effectiveness of the treatments by decade, and the treatments delivered during the 1990s were found to be related to lower levels of sexual and violent/combination recidivism.

Radionuclide distributions and migration pathways at a legacy trench disposal site.

This paper examines the distributions of several anthropogenic radionuclides (239+240Pu, 241Am, 137Cs, 90Sr, 60Co and 3H) at a legacy trench disposal site in eastern Australia. We compare the results to previously published data for Pu and tritium at the site. Plutonium has previously been shown to reach the surface by a bath-tubbing mechanism, following filling of the former trenches with water during intense rainfall events. This has led to some movement of Pu away from the trenched area, and we also provide evidence of elevated Pu concentrations in shallow subsurface layers above the trenched area. The distribution of 241Am is similar to Pu, and this is attributed to the similar chemistry of these actinides and the likely in-situ generation of 241Am from its parent 241Pu. Concentrations of 137Cs are mostly low in surface soils immediately above the trenches. However, similar to the actinides, there is evidence of elevated 137Cs and 90Sr concentrations in shallow subsurface layers above the trenched area. While the subsurface radionuclide peaks suggest a mechanism of subsurface transport, their interpretation is complicated by the presence of soil layers added following disposals and during the subsequent years. The distribution of 90Sr and 137Cs at the ground surface shows some elevated levels immediately above the trenches which were filled during the final 24 months of disposal operations. This is in agreement with disposal records, which indicate that greater amounts of fission products were disposed in this period. The surface distribution of 239+240Pu is also consistent with the disposal documents. Although there is extensive evidence of a mobile tritium plume in groundwater, migration of the other radionuclides by this pathway is limited. The data highlight the importance of taking into account multiple pathways for the mobilisation of key radioactive contaminants at legacy waste trench sites.

Review of Individual Placement and Support Employment Intervention for Persons with Substance Use Disorder.

Objectives: Work is a critical part of recovery for many people with chronic health conditions, including Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based practice designed initially for adults with mental illness. Although the evidence for using IPS with individuals with severe mental illness is well documented, less is known about the efficacy of using IPS with consumers with substance use disorders, and the results have yet to be systematically evaluated and organized. Key components of zero exclusion, rapid competitive job search, and incorporation with treatment services as well as benefits are components that make IPS a strong practice to incorporate into substance abuse treatment. This study aims to evaluate and organize the evidence base of using IPS with adults with substance use disorders. Results: A systematic review was conducted of meta-analyses, reviews, and individual studies from 2000 through 2019, measuring the efficacy of IPS with individuals with SUD or comorbid SUD. Databases searched were Scopus, PubMed, and PsychInfo. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies are reviewed and critiqued for their application to a SUD population. Then, barriers and facilitators of IPS implementation with this population are discussed. Conclusions/Importance: There is a high evidence to support to application of IPS for persons with SUD, both singly and when combined with a mental health disorder. Barriers to IPS implementation including episodic treatment, risk of relapse, and housing or criminal justice instability make the IPS program a useful best practice to consider for this population.

Becoming an Evidence-Based Practitioner.

Mental health and substance use disorders co-occur frequently, and are associated with poorer outcomes in life domains including housing, employment, health, and recovery. Finding evidence-based interventions for engagement and recovery can be a challenge for practitioners and organizations, as it involves accepting new interventions, and then implementing and measuring the results. However, practitioners frequently use their opinions or non-generalizable experiences rather than evidence-based findings to guide their practice. Medication-assisted therapy programs, especially for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, is an area of treatment where there are solid evidence-based outcome findings and where, nonetheless, many practitioners continue to use less-, or non-effective treatment approaches. Conflict between groups of staff using two different approaches can have serious negative impact on treatment outcome. These can be effectively addressed through a combination of education and interventions aimed at resolving intra-staff conflict.

How significant is atmospheric metal contamination from mining activity adjacent to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area? A spatial analysis of metal concentrations using air trajectories models.

This study investigated metal contamination from historical mining in lakes in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) and surrounding region. The largest increase in sedimentation and metal contamination occurred ca. 1930 when open-cut mining commenced and new mining technology was introduced into the region. The geochemical signal of lake sediments changed from reflecting the underlying geology and lithology to that reflecting mining activities. The HYSPLIT air particle trajectory model explains metal distribution in the lakes, with those in the northwest region closest to the mines having the highest metal contamination. Lake metal concentrations since mining activities commenced are in the order: Owen Tarn > Basin Lake > Perched Lake > Lake Dove > Lake Dobson > Lake Cygnus, with Perched Lake and Lakes Dove, Dobson and Cygnus in the TWWHA. Metal contamination affected centres up to 130 km down-wind of mining sites. Enrichment factors (EF) for Pb, Cu, As and Cd are >1 for all lakes, with Owen Tarn and Basin Lake having very high EFs for Cu and Pb (98 and 91, respectively). Pb, Cu, As and Cd concentrations are above the Australia/New Zealand lower sediment guidelines, with Pb, Cu and As above the high guidelines in Owen Tarn and Basin Lake. This study demonstrated the legacy of metal contamination in the TWWHA by mining activities and the consequences of a lack of execution of environmental regulations by past governments in Tasmania.

Response of Microbial Community Function to Fluctuating Geochemical Conditions within a Legacy Radioactive Waste Trench Environment.

During the 1960s, small quantities of radioactive materials were codisposed with chemical waste at the Little Forest Legacy Site (Sydney, Australia) in 3-meter-deep, unlined trenches. Chemical and microbial analyses, including functional and taxonomic information derived from shotgun metagenomics, were collected across a 6-week period immediately after a prolonged rainfall event to assess the impact of changing water levels upon the microbial ecology and contaminant mobility. Collectively, results demonstrated that oxygen-laden rainwater rapidly altered the redox balance in the trench water, strongly impacting microbial functioning as well as the radiochemistry. Two contaminants of concern, plutonium and americium, were shown to transition from solid-iron-associated species immediately after the initial rainwater pulse to progressively more soluble moieties as reducing conditions were enhanced. Functional metagenomics revealed the potentially important role that the taxonomically diverse microbial community played in this transition. In particular, aerobes dominated in the first day, followed by an increase of facultative anaerobes/denitrifiers at day 4. Toward the mid-end of the sampling period, the functional and taxonomic profiles depicted an anaerobic community distinguished by a higher representation of dissimilatory sulfate reduction and methanogenesis pathways. Our results have important implications to similar near-surface environmental systems in which redox cycling occurs.IMPORTANCE The role of chemical and microbiological factors in mediating the biogeochemistry of groundwaters from trenches used to dispose of radioactive materials during the 1960s is examined in this study. Specifically, chemical and microbial analyses, including functional and taxonomic information derived from shotgun metagenomics, were collected across a 6-week period immediately after a prolonged rainfall event to assess how changing water levels influence microbial ecology and contaminant mobility. Results demonstrate that oxygen-laden rainwater rapidly altered the redox balance in the trench water, strongly impacting microbial functioning as well as the radiochemistry. Two contaminants of concern, plutonium and americium, were shown to transition from solid-iron-associated species immediately after the initial rainwater pulse to progressively more soluble moieties as reducing conditions were enhanced. Functional metagenomics revealed the important role that the taxonomically diverse microbial community played in this transition. Our results have important implications to similar near-surface environmental systems in which redox cycling occurs.