Trends in treatment attendance for substance use disorders among adolescents and emerging adults in Australia, 2003-2020.

Background: Substance use disorders frequently begin in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Knowledge of trends in alcohol and other drug (AOD) service utilisation during these periods can inform policy development to align service delivery with treatment need.

Aims: Characterise trends in AOD treatment episodes among adolescents (aged 10-17) and emerging adults (aged 18-24) across Australia, and compare to adult trends (aged ≥25).

Groups for belonging: a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial of a group-based loneliness intervention for people attending treatment for alcohol and other drug use.

Background: People accessing alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment experience high rates of loneliness, which is a strong driver of substance use. Groups for Belonging is a 6-session group-based intervention that combines elements of the social identity informed intervention Groups for Health with psychoeducation and strategies to help participants manage loneliness and overcome cognitive barriers to social connection. The project will examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of delivering Groups for Belonging within routine care offered by AOD treatment providers in Australia.

Relationship Between Patient-Reported Experiences and Treatment Satisfaction Among Men and Women in Residential Substance Use Treatment.

Introduction: Understanding the experiences of women participating in residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment is important in ensuring treatment effectively meets women's needs. Patient-reported experience measures aid in assessing women's experiences of treatment but are often used to quantify women's treatment satisfaction without additional context regarding specific treatment experiences. This study examined the relationship between the domains of the Patient Reported Experience Measure for Addiction Treatment (PREMAT) and overall treatment satisfaction, including whether relationships differed by gender.

Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein, and Vascular Recurrence After Stroke With and Without Atherosclerosis.

Background: Uncertainty remains whether inflammation is implicated in poststroke recurrence in patients without atherosclerosis. We evaluated the contribution of atherosclerosis status to the association between inflammatory markers and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) poststroke.

Methods: We performed an individual-participant data meta-analysis of 11 prospective cohorts (12 countries, 1995-2017).

Gender and Overdose Risk Factors Among Clients Entering Residential Treatment for Opioid Use.

Introduction: The period post-residential treatment for opioid use is associated with heightened risk of overdose. The current study aims to: (i) describe characteristics of men and women attending residential treatment for primary opioid use; (ii) identify classes of clients based on primary opioid and other substance/s of concern and (iii) identify relationships between substance use profile and sociodemographic risk factors for opioid overdose, including differences by gender.

Methods: Data from 2994 clients (29.

Mutual-Support Groups for Alcohol and Other Drug Use in East, South and Southeast Asia: A Scoping Review.

Issues: Given the growing need to understand mutual-support groups for alcohol and other drug (AOD) recovery across diverse cultural contexts, it is essential to comprehensively examine these groups in East, South and Southeast Asia, including strategies to enhance their cultural appropriateness and their effectiveness.

Approach: Searches were conducted in Cinahl, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science until November 2021. Original studies in peer-reviewed journals of any language and design that examined mutual-support groups for AOD use in these regions were included.

Results of the Protein Engineering Tournament: An Open Science Benchmark for Protein Modeling and Design.

The grand challenge of protein engineering is the development of computational models to characterize and generate protein sequences for arbitrary functions. Progress is limited by lack of (1) benchmarking opportunities, (2) large protein function datasets, and (3) access to experimental protein characterization. We introduce the Protein Engineering Tournament-a fully-remote competition designed to foster the development and evaluation of computational approaches in protein engineering.

Psychological Distress Trajectories in Residential Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment.

Introduction: Residential clients frequently report high psychological distress at intake, but little is known about changes in distress throughout treatment. This study aimed to identify in-treatment trajectories for psychological distress and factors associated with trajectory classes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of adults attending Australian non-government residential substance use treatment between 2012 and 2023 was identified from routinely collected data, NADAbase.

Should octogenarians and people aged 90 years and over be treated separately in studies of stroke? An evaluation of national audit data.

Introduction: Population studies frequently use ≥80 years for defining 'very old' but as mean life expectancy frequently exceeds 80 years internationally, this may no longer be appropriate. Those ≥90 years now represent a significant proportion of stroke patients. We examined national data to examine the differences between those 80-89 years and those 90+ years.

Can protein expression be 'solved'?

Recombinant protein expression is central to biotechnology's application. However, not all proteins can be expressed in all organisms, and, given the vast experimental space, it can be challenging to identify the conditions that will yield successful protein expression. The field lacks a predictive model of soluble protein expression that could replace laborious experimental trial and error.

Residual Risk of Recurrent Stroke Despite Anticoagulation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of stroke, and oral anticoagulants (OAC) reduce this risk. However, there are limited data on the residual risk of recurrent stroke in patients with AF.

Objective: To determine the recurrent stroke risk in patients with AF by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The continuing care project: A multi-arm randomised controlled trial of a continuing care telephone intervention following residential substance use treatment.

Background: Previous research suggests telephone-delivered continuing care interventions are effective in reducing rates of substance use. This study assessed the effectiveness of telephone-delivered continuing care for people who had stayed in a residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment facility for at least 4-weeks.

Methods: Participants were 277 (20 - 71 years; M = 38 years, SD = 10.

A qualitative exploration of affected family members' responses to methamphetamine use using the family resilience framework.

Introduction: Families affected by a loved one's methamphetamine use experience substantial harm and burden. Pathologising views have been dominant in understanding families' experiences, reinforcing stigma and limiting support provision and access. Using a family-resilience framework, this qualitative study aimed to identify adaptations in response to the stress and strain of supporting a loved one with methamphetamine use.

Sociocultural context of SMART recovery in Singapore: A qualitative exploration of members and facilitators perspectives and experiences.

Introduction: Various services and mutual-aid groups, such as SMART Recovery, provide support for substance use rehabilitation in Singapore. Despite this, substance use remains a growing public health concern with a large treatment gap. This suggests potential barriers to accessing substance use treatment unique to Singapore's sociocultural context.

Measuring recovery among people who have completed residential rehabilitation: Factor structure and scoring of the substance use recovery evaluator.

Introduction: The substance use recovery evaluator (SURE) is a new patient-reported outcome measure of recovery from alcohol and other drugs. The original SURE validation study did not include clients from residential rehabilitation treatment, and the possible challenges in applying the measure in this setting were noted. This study evaluates the factor structure and scoring of the substance use recovery evaluator for people after discharge from residential alcohol and other drug rehabilitation in Australia.

"Holding on to Hope": follow up qualitative findings of a tobacco treatment intervention for people experiencing mental health conditions.

Background: Mental health service users are more likely to smoke tobacco and are as likely to make quit attempts as people not experiencing SMI, but they are less likely to succeed. Quitting tobacco can be harder for people experiencing SMI due to higher levels of nicotine dependence, more severe withdrawal, and many other complex factors. The Quitlink study was a randomized controlled trial combining a tailored 8-week Quitline intervention delivered by dedicated Quitline counsellors plus combination nicotine replacement therapy for people who experience SMI.

A mixed-methods study of staff perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of patient-reported routine outcome measures and feedback in alcohol and other drug treatment.

Introduction: Preliminary evidence supports the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) and feedback for enhancing client outcomes in alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment. However, successful implementation remains challenging. This mixed-methods study applied the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework to examine inner setting and staff characteristics that act as barriers and facilitators to the implementation of PROMs in AOD treatment.

Clinical and Biomarker Determinants for Recurrent Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: Despite effective secondary prevention, including oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy, the risk of recurrent stroke (RS) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains substantial with an annualized risk of 3.2%-6.5% per year.

Intra-Individual Reproducibility of Early and Late C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-6 in Patients with Non-Severe Ischaemic Stroke and Carotid Atherosclerosis.

Introduction: Acute and late inflammatory markers including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are associated with future vascular events after stroke. However, few longitudinal studies exist examining the intra-individual reproducibility of inflammatory biomarker measures at different timepoints after atherosclerotic stroke. We sought to examine the reproducibility of hsCRP and IL-6 in a cohort of patients with minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) caused by ipsilateral carotid atherosclerosis.

Anticoagulation usage and thrombolytic therapy in subjects with atrial fibrillation-associated ischemic stroke.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes up to 20% of ischemic strokes and 30% in some populations such as those more than 80 years. Previous research showed that widespread adoption of Direct Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC) prophylaxis had not been associated with a reduction in AF-associated stroke prevalence but there was a considerable rate of breakthrough stroke in patients receiving anticoagulation and anticoagulation rate may be affected by increasing use of DOACs.

Aims: We undertook a more detailed study using the Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) to determine the characteristics of anticoagulation practice in AF-associated stroke, particularly breakthrough stroke, adherence to prescribing guidelines and effect on thrombolysis rate.

Exploring the potential of Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART Recovery) mutual-help groups for supporting people who use methamphetamine: A qualitative study examining participant experience of initiation and engagement.

Introduction: Improving support options for people who use methamphetamine is of critical national and global importance. The role of mutual-help groups within the treatment-seeking journey of people who use methamphetamine is unclear. Self-Management and Recovery Training ('SMART Recovery') mutual-help groups are led by a trained facilitator and support participants to work on individual goals, including, but not limited to abstinence.

Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein, and Recurrence After Stroke: A Time-Course Analysis of Individual-Participant Data.

Background: Inflammation promotes atherogenesis. Randomized controlled trials of anti-inflammatory therapies for prevention after stroke have not yet demonstrated clear benefit. IL-6 (interleukin-6) and hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) are independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events poststroke and may guide patient selection in future randomized controlled trials.

New South Wales alcohol and other drug service providers' perceptions of the relative importance of client variables for determining treatment need.

Introduction: This study examines alcohol and other drug (AOD) service providers' perceptions of the most important variables (client complexity and demographic) for determining treatment need and intensity of intervention.

Methods: Online cross-sectional survey of N = 188 clinicians/service managers working in AOD services across metropolitan and regional/rural New South Wales, Australia. Participants ranked the importance of demographic and family factors, substance use, physical health, mental health, functioning and activities of daily living and youth-specific variables in identifying treatment need (five-point Likert scales).