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AbstractAim: As most substance use prevention programs are offered at school, it is important to explore which group of students might be at increased risk. Both researchers and educators have often maintained that students with special educational needs due to emotional and behavioral disorders (SENs-EBD) are particularly vulnerable. Hence, the aim of the current systematic review was to examine the alcohol and cannabis use by students with SENs-EBD in comparison to students without SENs or other types of SENs. Methods: Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, the review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023375799) and search terms were entered in Web of Science, Scopus, ERIC, and PubMed in December 2022. Publications were required to report on empirical quantitative studies (primary data) that assessed alcohol and/or cannabis use by adolescent students with SENs-EBD and a comparison group, and be published in English-language journal articles, conference papers, or book chapters from 2000 onwards. The QuADS tool was used for quality assessment. Results: Based on these criteria, six articles (sample sizes N = 61 to N = 122,180) were included for the thematic narrative synthesis. The studies revealed that the percentage of students with SENs-EBD consuming alcohol and cannabis was higher compared to students who did not have SENs or attended mainstream schools. Conclusion: The small number of heterogeneous studies, with limitations concerning the sample size, missing effect sizes, and influence of control variables, demonstrates the need for more research. The systematic review provides guidance for such future research endeavors, as well as preliminary notions for practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and purpose: The purpose of this scientific paper is to review the current knowledge of the effects of red wine on human health, particularly with regard to cardiovascular disease. State of Knowledge: Since the 1990s, red wine has gained its status as a health-promoting alcohol through the French Paradox - when drunk in moderate amounts, it protects against cardiovascular disease. The authors have collected scientific papers on the health effects of alcohol, red wine and resveratrol-a polyphenol that is the main component with healthpromoting effects of wine. On their basis, they analyzed the assumptions of the positive effects of wine reaching inconclusive conclusions. Summary: Despite the fact that both ethanol and resveratrol have a positive effect in in vitro studies, in population studies their effect is much less significant, either because the negative behavioral-health effects in the case of ethanol are omitted or the actual effective doses of resveratrol are omitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unhealthy alcohol use represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH), in part through its impact on HIV management. Chronic pain, a common comorbidity, exacerbates suboptimal engagement in the HIV care continuum and has reciprocal detrimental effects on alcohol outcomes. There are no integrated, accessible approaches that address these comorbid conditions among PLWH to date. This paper describes a research study protocol of an integrated telehealth intervention to reduce unhealthy drinking and chronic pain among PLWH (Motivational and Cognitive-Behavioral Management for Alcohol and Pain [INTV]). Methods: Two-hundred and fifty PLWH with unhealthy drinking and chronic pain will be recruited nationally via online advertisement. Informed consent and baseline assessments occur remotely, followed by 15 days of ecological momentary assessment to assess alcohol use, chronic pain, functioning, and mechanisms of behavior change. Next, participants will be randomized to either the INTV or Control (CTL) condition. Individuals in both conditions will meet with a health counselor through videoconferencing following randomization, and those in the INTV condition will receive 6 additional sessions. At 3- and 6-months post-baseline, participants will complete outcome assessments. It is hypothesized that the INTV condition will result in reduced unhealthy alcohol use and pain ratings compared to the CTL condition. Conclusion: This protocol paper describes a randomized controlled trial which tests the efficacy of a novel, integrated telehealth approach to reduce unhealthy alcohol use and chronic pain for PLWH, two common comorbid conditions that influence the HIV treatment cascade. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05503173. Highlights: Unhealthy alcohol use and chronic pain are common in people living with HIV. An integrated telehealth intervention may improve alcohol, pain, and HIV outcomes. Ecological momentary assessment will examine processes underlying behavior change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating burden of lifestyle‐related diseases stands as a critical global public health challenge, contributing substantially to the prevalence of chronic conditions and a large portion of premature mortality. Despite this, concise evidence‐based lifestyle interventions targeting physical inactivity, nutrition, alcohol and smoking continue to be underutilised. Although good evidence exists for addressing the four lifestyle‐related risk factors independently, rarely do these present in isolation. Evidence is lacking regarding how to integrate interventions targeting multiple risk factors. Consequently, this paper aims to provide an overview of the evidence for delivering multiple interventions in primary healthcare settings. Different lifestyle factors are inter‐related, with decisions around ordering of the delivery of multiple lifestyle interventions an important consideration. There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of addressing some lifestyle factors simultaneously (e.g., physical activity and nutrition), although smoking cessation may be delivered best in a sequential approach. While the World Health Organisation highlights four key lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical activity, alcohol and smoking), incorporating additional elements such as sleep, mental well‐being and social connectedness offers a holistic framework for promoting well‐being. Despite the presentation of multiple behaviour risk factors being commonplace in healthcare settings, the evidence (outlined in the paper) for how best to deliver interventions to address this is limited, with further research and subsequent clinical guidance required. In order to address the barriers to delivering lifestyle interventions in primary care, innovation will be required. The use of non‐medical personnel, social prescribers and health coaches has the potential to alleviate time constraints, whilst mounting evidence exists for group consultations for addressing lifestyle‐related non‐communicable diseases (NCDs). If the challenges to implementation can be addressed, and if healthcare systems can adapt for the promotion of healthy lifestyles, the impact of NCDs can be mitigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alcohol is implicated in epileptogenesis and seizures attack. An increasing number of studies about alcohol and epilepsy have been published. We aimed to assess research trends and hot spots in the field of alcohol and epilepsy. Patients and Methods: Literature concerning alcohol and epilepsy was systemically searched through the Web of Science database. Collaborative maps were quantitatively analyzed by using the VOSviewer and CiteSpace tools. Results: A total of 1578 papers about the field of alcohol and epilepsy were taken into analysis, which was written by 6840 authors from 2153 institutions in 85 countries, published in 676 journals, and cited 79 667 references from 10 750 journals. The United States was the leading country and had close ties with others. The University of Toronto was the most productive institution. Alcoholism‐clinical and experimental research was the fastest‐growing journal. Richard J. Bodnar was the author contributing the most literature. Analysis of keywords showed epilepsy, alcohol, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and management were common themes. Conclusion: The presented study conducted the first bibliometric analysis of the field of alcohol and epilepsy, which will provide insights into the latest progress, evolution paths, frontier research hot spots, and future research trends in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of ultrasonication on cellulose microparticles in different conditions. FTIR (Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry) and XRD (X-ray diffraction) analyses were used to compare the changes in the cellulose microstructure caused by the following various ultrasonic treatment conditions: time, amplitude of generated ultrasound waves, output power converted into ultrasound, the liquid medium (water and isopropyl alcohol) used for ultrasonication, and the shape of the vessel used for sonication. The cumulative results lead to an increase in the crystalline region directly proportional to the condition of sonication. Also, the total crystallinity index varied from 1.39 (pristine cellulose) to 1.94 for sonication in alcohol to 0.56 for sonication in water. The crystallinity index varied from 67% (cellulose) to 77% for the sample with 15 min of sonication in isopropyl alcohol and 50.4% for the sample with 15 min of sonication in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol and Other Drug Facilitated Sexual Violence (AODFSV), known as "drink-spiking," is the administration of alcohol or other drugs to someone without their consent, with the intent to harm them. Investigation into portrayals of AODFSV in the Australian news media is needed. Using feminist critical discourse analysis, this paper investigated the portrayal of AODFSV in the Australian news media in the past ten years. 226 articles were included for analysis and three themes were identified. Firstly, "how the media constructs the drink spiking narrative," uses the "cautionary tale" that warns women about the dangers of the night-time economy and reinforces and perpetuates victim-blaming and rape myths. Secondly, "how the media normalises the drink spiking discourse" focuses on the substances used in drink spiking, the settings, the construction of the perpetrator and the victim as well as the depictions of sexual violence. Thirdly, "how the media shapes responses from emergency services" including police and hospital staff. This paper highlights the way the media creates and reinforces drink-spiking discourse, which constructs drink-spiking as individual behaviour rather than a culturally embedded issue. Such ideology perpetuates victim blaming and rape myths. We argue for critical and thoughtful reporting on AODFSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper describes the design and implementation of an online survey experiment to investigate the effects of alcohol warning labels on alcohol‐related knowledge, risk perceptions and intentions. Method: The survey collected self‐reported data from 14 European countries through two waves of data collection with different recruitment strategies: dissemination via social media and public health agencies was followed by paid‐for Facebook ads. The latter strategy was adopted to achieve broader population representation. Post‐stratification weighting was used to match the sample to population demographics. Results: The survey received over 34,000 visits and resulted in a sample size of 19,601 participants with complete data on key sociodemographic characteristics. The responses in the first wave were over‐representing females and higher educated people, thus the dissemination was complemented by the paid‐for Facebook ads targeting more diverse populations but had higher attrition rate. Conclusion: Experiments can be integrated into general population surveys. Pan‐European results can be achieved with limited resources and a combination of sampling methods to compensate for different biases, and statistical adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of mental disorders among youth worldwide is one of society's most pressing issues. The proposed methodology introduces an artificial intelligence-based approach for comprehending and analyzing the prevalence of neurological disorders. This work draws upon the analysis of the Cities Health Initiative dataset. It employs advanced machine learning and deep learning techniques, integrated with data science, statistics, optimization, and mathematical modeling, to correlate various lifestyle and environmental factors with the incidence of these mental disorders. In this work, a variety of machine learning and deep learning models with hyper-parameter tuning are utilized to forecast trends in the occurrence of mental disorders about lifestyle choices such as smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as environmental factors like air and noise pollution. Among these models, the convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, termed as DNN1 in this paper, accurately predicts mental health occurrences relative to the population mean with a maximum accuracy of 99.79%. Among the machine learning models, the XGBoost technique yields an accuracy of 95.30%, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.9985, indicating robust training. The research also involves extracting feature importance scores for the XGBoost classifier, with Stroop test performance results attaining the highest importance score of 0.135. Attributes related to addiction, namely smoking and alcohol consumption, hold importance scores of 0.0273 and 0.0212, respectively. Statistical tests on the training models reveal that XGBoost performs best on the mean squared error and R-squared tests, achieving scores of 0.013356 and 0.946481, respectively. These statistical evaluations bolster the models' credibility and affirm the best-fit models' accuracy. The proposed research in the domains of mental health, addiction, and pollution stands to aid healthcare professionals in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders in both youth and adults promptly through the use of predictive models. Furthermore, it aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers in formulating new regulations on pollution and addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) represent a continuum of lifelong impairments resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol, with significant global impact. The "spectrum" of disorders includes a continuum of physical, cognitive, behavioral, and developmental impairments which can have profound and lasting effects on individuals throughout their lives, impacting their health, social interactions, psychological well-being, and every aspect of their lives. This narrative paper explores the intricate relationship between oxidative stress and epigenetics in FASD pathogenesis and its therapeutic implications. Oxidative stress, induced by alcohol metabolism, disrupts cellular components, particularly in the vulnerable fetal brain, leading to aberrant development. Furthermore, oxidative stress is implicated in epigenetic changes, including alterations in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA expression, which influence gene regulation in FASD patients. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation contribute to epigenetic changes associated with FASD. Understanding these mechanisms holds promise for targeted therapeutic interventions. This includes antioxidant supplementation and lifestyle modifications to mitigate FASD-related impairments. While preclinical studies show promise, further clinical trials are needed to validate these interventions' efficacy in improving clinical outcomes for individuals affected by FASD. This comprehensive understanding of the role of oxidative stress in epigenetics in FASD underscores the importance of multidisciplinary approaches for diagnosis, management, and prevention strategies. Continued research in this field is crucial for advancing our knowledge and developing effective interventions to address this significant public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive alcohol intake will aggravate the health risk between the liver and intestine and affect the multi-directional information exchange of metabolites between host cells and microbial communities. Because of the side effects of clinical drugs, people tend to explore the intervention value of natural drugs on diseases. As a flavor substance, spices have been proven to have medicinal value, but they are still rare in treating hepatointestinal diseases caused by alcohol. This paper summarized the metabolic transformation of alcohol in the liver and intestine and summarized the potential value of various perfume active substances in improving liver and intestine diseases caused by alcohol. It is also found that bioactive substances in spices can exert antioxidant activity in the liver and intestine environment and reduce the oxidative stress caused by diseases. These substances can interfere with fatty acid synthesis, promote sugar and lipid metabolism, and reduce liver injury caused by steatosis. They can effectively regulate the balance of intestinal flora, promote the production of SCFAs, and restore the intestinal microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

24/7 Sobriety programs largely focus on reducing alcohol consumption among justice-involved individuals whose alcohol use has led them to repeatedly threaten public safety. Participants are ordered to abstain from alcohol use and subject to frequent alcohol testing (e.g., twice daily breathalyzers, remote alcohol monitoring); those testing positive face an immediate sanction, typically a night or two in jail. Unlike drug courts and other forms of coerced substance use disorder treatment, 24/7 does not require participants to enter a treatment program or attend self-help group meetings; however, these approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The empirical evidence suggests that participants largely abstain from heavy drinking while in the program and that 24/7 participation is associated with lower probability of criminal legal involvement and mortality. This evidence is largely based on research in the Great Plains states with large rural populations. Several questions remain about these programs (e.g., optimal program length, possible benefits of incorporating positive incentives, efficacy of different alcohol testing technologies), many of which can best be answered in an experimental setting. In addition to reviewing the existing research on 24/7, this paper highlights additional research questions and ideas for conducting randomized controlled trials with the program, especially in more urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol or drug impairment is a major risk factor for road traffic crashes, and studies on this issue are essential to provide evidence-based data for policymakers. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such studies are often conducted in partnership with one or more organizations in high-income countries (HICs). The aim of this article is to provide recommendations for improving project planning and decision-making processes in epidemiological studies on alcohol, drug and traffic safety in LMICs involving HICs. We searched Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Google Search for articles and reports in English about lessons learned when conducting collaborative research in LMIC as well as papers presenting recommendations for effective research collaboration with partners in LMICs. Based on the search results, we selected 200 papers for full text examination. Few were related to studies on the effect of alcohol or drug use on road traffic safety. However, several conclusions and recommendations from other studies were found to be relevant. We combined the findings with our own experience in a narrative review. We also present a checklist for risk and quality assessment. Many papers presented similar recommendations, which included the importance of addressing local needs, ensuring adequate resources, local project ownership and leadership, establishing strong partnerships among all involved stakeholders, promoting shared decision-making and planning, and implementing strategies to translate research findings into policy, practice, and publications. It is also important to avoid HIC bias, which prioritizes the interests or perspectives of HICs over those of LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presented introduces an innovative accident prevention system that employs deep learning models and sensors to identify and alert drivers who lose concentration while driving for a variety of reasons. The system targets drowsiness, cell phone use, and alcohol consumption, which are among the leading causes of automobile accidents. The proposed solution employs neural networks to identify specific patterns associated with driver inattention and generates an audible alert to refocus the driver's attention on the road. In addition, the system utilizes alcohol-detection sensors, as alcohol consumption is another significant cause of accidents. This system seeks to reduce the number of casualties by enhancing road safety considering the high number of daily collisions, which are primarily caused by speeding. The paper describes the design, architecture, and implementation of the system on a modest scale to provide a lifesaving, cost-effective solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The literature review aimed to identify the barriers the Punjabi and/or Sikh community have in accessing support for alcohol addiction. Method A systematic review of the literature was undertaken of four scholarly databases, Google Scholar and grey literature on UK-based research conducted after 1980 into alcohol addiction in the Punjabi and/or Sikh community. Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria outlined in the paper and were included in the review. Results Ten main barriers to accessing support were found; stigma, religion, lack of understanding of addiction, over reliance on a medical model of treatment and disregard of therapy, cultural implications of being a member of the Punjabi and/or Sikh community and the addiction community, gender and generational differences and a lack of government commitment to alcohol support for BME communities with a lack of culturally specific services. Conclusion Despite the many barriers explored, the role of stigma remained a powerful theme throughout often underpinning other barriers. A key recommendation across many papers was the need for culturally sensitive support services. Several areas for future research were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violent injury varies widely across England and Wales as does the price of alcohol. While the links between alcohol consumption and violence are well established in the medical and epidemiological literature, a causal link is questionable. This paper cuts through the causative argument by reporting a link between the general price of alcohol and violence-related injury across the economic regions of England and Wales. It examines the influence of the real price of alcohol and identifies an 'April effect' that coincides with the annual uprating of alcohol prices for excise duties, on violence-related injuries recorded at Emergency Department attendance. The data are monthly frequency of violent injury rates covering the period 2005–2014 across the economic regions. The principal finding is that a one-way relationship between the real price of alcohol and violent injury is established, and tax policy can be used to reduce the incidence of violent injury and the associated health costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in the United States. It contributes to over 140,000 annual deaths, to over 200 related diseases and health conditions globally, and accounts for 5.1% of the global disease burden. Despite its substantial impact, AUD remains undertreated, marked by a scarcity of approved medications. This paper explores the current treatment landscape and novel strategies for both alcohol withdrawal syndrome and AUD. Promising results, including the use of psychedelics alongside psychotherapy, noninvasive neural-circuit-based interventions, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, and GLP-1 receptor agonists, have emerged from recent studies. While these advancements show potential, further research is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of their effectiveness. The clear shortage of approved medications and other treatment modalities underscores the pressing need for ongoing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusion\nHIGHLIGHTSA qualitative exploration into the views of alcohol service staff on transdermal alcohol sensors (TAS) within three alcohol services in South London, UK. This study aims to assess the acceptability and feasibility of TAS implementation in alcohol services to provide treatment in clinical settings and identify potential challenges and solutions from the perspective of service providers.Ten participants, in a patient-facing role with alcohol-related treatment, completed a semi-structured interview.Three core theoretical themes guided the analysis: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitudes toward use. Participants thought TAS could be useful as part of alcohol treatment in their service. They thought their service users may face some challenges using the TAS, (such as wearing the device; misplacing it, and/or remembering to remove and replace it for bathing). In general, participant attitudes toward TAS tended to be positive but there were some concerns about the cost and staff training. Participants believed their service users would be skeptical about wearing it, but that it could complement their treatment and motivate them toward their treatment goals.Results support the acceptability and feasibility of TAS within alcohol services. Participants suggested potential methods of implementing TAS within their treatment plans which could benefit both staff and users. Participants were agreeable and willing to learn more about TAS including the practicalities of implementing TAS. TAS were seen as a potentially useful treatment facilitator, if implemented correctly with sufficiently motivated service users and if specific challenges were addressed.The first paper to interview clinical staff from alcohol-treatment services about transdermal alcohol sensors (TAS).Staff were positive about the implementation of TAS as a potential adjunct to alcohol treatment.Staff were skeptical about applicability and engagement with technology amongst some service users.Several practical ways to use TAS were suggested.The first paper to interview clinical staff from alcohol-treatment services about transdermal alcohol sensors (TAS).Staff were positive about the implementation of TAS as a potential adjunct to alcohol treatment.Staff were skeptical about applicability and engagement with technology amongst some service users.Several practical ways to use TAS were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has suggested a decline in alcohol use among students, however, only a few papers offer to explain why adolescents are drinking less. According to ESPAD, adolescents' alcohol use is decreasing in Europe, but only Hungary shows an increasing trend. The paper aims to give explanation for the opposite trends. The analysis is based on a cross-national dataset, ESPAD in 2003 and 2019, involving 25 countries (N = 157,790). The background variables cover family, school, leisure time, risk behaviors. Chi-square tests, logit explanatory model, KHB method were applied. In Hungary and in countries with decline the strongest relation with current alcohol use was found for internet use, going out, parental control, daily smoking, and alcohol intake. In countries with decline and in Hungary, stronger parental control, going out less often, smoking less may contribute to a declining trend while a more widespread internet use may contribute to an increasing trend. Hungary shows the same pattern as the countries with decline, so other factors such as a lack of alcohol policy, permissive attitudes, media representation, health awareness may be behind the different trends. Future research should be directed toward providing further explanations for the opposite trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Welsh Government has commissioned a number of projects to consider the influence their implementation of Minimum Pricing for Alcohol (MPA) legislation in March 2020 had on the alcohol consumption and related behaviours of drinkers. Given the MPA's overlap with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdown measures and restrictions, this rapidly became a story about the early impact of COVID-19 as it did MPA. This paper captures the core thematic messages from this specific strand of work, and in doing so reflects on (1) how early experiences of COVID-19 and the first lockdown influenced consumption and purchasing of alcohol behaviours and, in turn, (2) how relevant the introduction of MPA was for any of these. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone with 32 drinkers 9 months after the implementation of the legislation in March 2020. The sample was recruited from three sources: the National Survey for Wales; a third sector organisation offering housing support to the homeless; and through an online survey on MPA. Results: COVID-19 had more relevance than MPA to drinkers. Furthermore, when MPA did have an influence on their behaviour, it was felt most keenly by the harmful drinkers in the study. These drinkers described spending more on alcohol, switching to other potentially more harmful substances, such as crack cocaine and synthetic cannabinoids, and more involvement in acquisitive crime and begging after the price increase. While our results might be an early indication of the influence of MPA on harmful drinkers, the small sample of this group in our study limits the generalisability of the findings. Conclusion: To date, the implementation of MPA has had little influence on the drinking patterns or lives of the drinkers in our sample. It is important that future research examines the longer-term influences of MPA before any conclusions on its effectiveness can be drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambition to translate the concept of recovery capital (RC) from research to practice has entailed operationalisations of RC to measure progress and outcomes of alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatments.At the same time, the role played by standardisation in social work organisations is known to be a complex matter, and research suggests that the implementation of standardisation should be carried out with caution. By examining the need for a RC assessment tool in a Swedish AOD treatment context, this paper contributes to the discussion on the use of assessment tools for measuring treatment progress and outcome in AOD treatments, as well as interrelations between standardisation aims and social work professionals. Four group interviews with employees at AOD treatment facilities were conducted in Stockholm, Sweden. The interviewees were presented with an example of an RC-based assessment tool and asked to review the applicability of the tool in their daily work. The findings provide insights on the applicability of specific assessment list items, as well as general observations on the complex relationship between standardisation and discretion in social work. The findings suggest that professionals will ultimately rely on their knowledge and experience, and act accordingly to support the service user, regardless of any manual or standardisation that regulates their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A primary community prevention approach in Iceland was associated with strong reductions of substance use in adolescents. Two years into the implementation of this prevention model in Chile, the aim of this study was to assess changes in the prevalence of adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the substance use outcomes. In 2018, six municipalities in Greater Santiago, Chile, implemented the Icelandic prevention model, including structured assessments of prevalence and risk factors of substance use in tenth grade high school students every 2 years. The survey allows municipalities and schools to work on prevention with prevalence data from their own community. The survey was modified from an on-site paper format in 2018 to an on-line digital format in a shortened version in 2020. Comparisons between the cross-sectional surveys in the years 2018 and 2020 were performed with multilevel logistic regressions. Totally, 7538 participants were surveyed in 2018 and 5528 in 2020, nested in 125 schools from the six municipalities. Lifetime alcohol use decreased from 79.8% in 2018 to 70.0% in 2020 (X2 = 139.3, p < 0.01), past-month alcohol use decreased from 45.5 to 33.4% (X2 = 171.2, p < 0.01), and lifetime cannabis use decrease from 27.9 to 18.8% (X2 = 127.4, p < 0.01). Several risk factors improved between 2018 and 2020: staying out of home after 10 p.m. (X2 = 105.6, p < 0.01), alcohol use in friends (X2 = 31.8, p < 0.01), drunkenness in friends (X2 = 251.4, p < 0.01), and cannabis use in friends (X2 = 217.7, p < 0.01). However, other factors deteriorated in 2020: perceived parenting (X2 = 63.8, p < 0.01), depression and anxiety symptoms (X2 = 23.5, p < 0.01), and low parental rejection of alcohol use (X2 = 24.9, p < 0.01). The interaction between alcohol use in friends and year was significant for lifetime alcohol use (β = 0.29, p < 0.01) and past-month alcohol use (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), and the interaction between depression and anxiety symptoms and year was significant for lifetime alcohol use (β = 0.34, p < 0.01), past-month alcohol use (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), and lifetime cannabis use (β = 0.26, p = 0.016). The decrease of substance use prevalence in adolescents was attributable at least in part to a reduction of alcohol use in friends. This could be related to social distancing policies, curfews, and homeschooling during the pandemic in Chile that implied less physical interactions between adolescents. The increase of depression and anxiety symptoms may also be related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors rather attributable to the prevention intervention did not show substantial changes (i.e., sports activities, parenting, and extracurricular activities). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence shows that price is an important policy lever in reducing consumption of alcohol and tobacco. However, there is little evidence of the cross‐price effect between alcohol and tobacco. Methods: This paper uses an econometric model which estimates participation and consumption elasticities, on data from the UK Living Costs and Food Survey 2006–2017 and extends the literature by, for the first time, estimating joint price elasticities for disaggregated alcohol and tobacco products. This paper presents new price elasticities and compares them to the existing literature. Results: The own‐price elasticity estimates are all negative for both participation and consumption. There is no pattern to the estimates of cross‐price elasticities. The elasticity estimates, when used in the Sheffield Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Model, produce bigger changes in consumption for the same change in price compared to other elasticity estimates in the existing literature. Discussion and Conclusions: Consumption of alcohol and tobacco are affected by the prices of one another. Policymakers should bear this in mind when devising alcohol or tobacco pricing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, ionic liquids as a new group of solvent have successfully showed high capacity for applications in chemical engineering industries because of their desirable properties so knowledge of their properties such refractive indices of the binary system of alcohols and ionic liquids have high importance. This paper presents predictive tool based Least Squares Support Vector Machine optimized by Particle swarm optimization to determined refractive index of this binary system. In order to prepare the mentioned algorithm, a comprehensive databank contains 688 experimental refractive indices of the binary system of different alcohols and ionic liquids is used. The developed method shows satisfying results based on statistical and graphical comparisons. Furthermore the effects of different inputs on refractive index term has been investigated by a novel sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on findings from the From Adversity to University project, a unique widening participation initiative developed by one university to support a diverse range of people into Higher Education through engagement with a 12-week bridging module. This small-scale case study presents an in-depth exploration of how learning space shaped students' experience of a bridging module during the COVID-19 pandemic. Space is conceptualised through a theory of embodied cognition which recognises the complexity of social, cultural, and cognitive inter-relations between space and students' learning experience. An interpretative narrative methodological approach was taken, drawing on the Listening Guide [LG]. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with five students who completed the bridging module during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. All had been affected by homelessness and most were in recovery from alcohol and/or drug addiction. For all participants, there was a complex and dynamic interconnectivity between learning spaces and their experience of the bridging module. The findings demonstrate for the five students how learning spaces (including the flexibility of the space) contributed to participants' sense of belonging, recovery from drugs and alcohol addiction, mental health and well-being. Implications of the study point towards the need for further research into the connection between learning space and the creation of a sense of belonging particularly for students from marginalised groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Small doses of alcohol may or may not benefit cardiovascular disease (CVD). • Alcohol industry actors have been involved in review-level evidence, generating concerns. • Industry funding is not a major determinant of co-authorship in alcohol and CVD. • Conflicting findings on alcohol and CVD may be due to industry funding bias. • Progress in this area has implications for alcohol public health science and policy. Alcohol's effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) are controversial. Alcohol industry actors have shown particular interest in this subject, and been extensively involved through research funding, and in other ways, generating concerns about bias, particularly in reviews. We conducted a co-authorship network analysis of the primary studies included within a previous co-authorship study of 60 systematic reviews on the impact of alcohol on CVD. Additionally, we examined the relationships between declared alcohol industry funding and network structure. There were 713 unique primary studies with 2832 authors published between 1969 and 2019 located within 229 co-authorship subnetworks. There was industry funding across subnetworks and approximately 8% of all papers declared industry funding. The largest subnetwork dominated, comprising 43% of all authors, with sparse evidence of substantial industry funding. The second largest subnetwork contained approximately 4% of all authors, with largely different industry funders involved. Harvard affiliated authors who at the review level formed co-authorship subnetworks with industry funded authors were seen at the primary study level to belong to the largest epidemiological subnetwork. A small number of key authors make extensive alcohol industry funding declarations. There was no straightforward relationship between co-authorship network formation and alcohol industry funding of epidemiological studies on alcohol and CVD. More fine-grained attention to patterns of alcohol industry funding and to key nodes may shed further light on how far industry funding may be responsible for conflicting findings on alcohol and CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alcohol's harm to others (AHTO) refers to harms caused to those other than the drinker. The current paper estimates the prevalence of formal and informal supports sought due to AHTO and examines whether the type of support accessed varies by sociodemographic, economic and harm‐related characteristics. Methods: An Australian sample of 2574 people completed the 2021 AHTO survey, out of which 888 perceived they experienced harm from another's drinking. Prevalence of accessing services and supports was measured. Additionally, several sociodemographic factors, economic factors and harm‐related factors were included in multivariable logistic regression models predicting service/support use. Specifically, four models were constructed probing use of any service/support, use of police, use of counselling services and use of family/friend support. Results: Of the survey sample, 12.4% accessed any support/service. Seeking support from family and/or friends was most common, followed by police, counselling, healthcare services and being admitted to hospital. Women had higher odds of accessing counselling and family/friend support. Respondents with a higher education level and two or more financial stressors had higher odds of accessing police and counselling. Respondents harmed by a stranger had higher odds of accessing police, whereas respondents harmed by someone they know had higher odds of seeking support from family/friends. Experiencing more severe harm was associated with greater odds of accessing any support. Discussion and Conclusions: Several sociodemographic and economic factors were associated with accessing different supports. These findings may inform service development, interventions and policy changes for people affected by others' drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Population‐level alcohol use data are available from high‐income countries, but limited research has been conducted in sub‐Saharan Africa. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to summarize population‐level alcohol use in sub‐Saharan Africa. Method: Databases searched included PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and AJOL, without language restrictions. Searches were also conducted in the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx) and Google Scholar. Search terms encompassed 'substance' or 'substance‐related disorders' and 'prevalence' and 'sub‐Saharan Africa'. We included general population studies on alcohol use (including any use, high‐risk alcohol use and alcohol use disorders) from 2018 onwards. Prevalence data for alcohol use among sub‐Saharan African adolescents (10–17) and adults (18+) were extracted. Analyses included life‐time and past 12‐ and 6‐month alcohol use. Results: We included 141 papers. Among adolescents, the life‐time prevalence of alcohol use was 23.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.3–37.1%], 36.2% (CI = 18.4–56.1%) in the past year and 11.3% (CI = 4.5–20.4%) in the past 6 months. Among adolescents, 12‐month prevalence of alcohol use disorder and alcohol dependence were 7.7% (CI = 0.0–27.8%) and 4.1% (CI = 1.4–7.9%), respectively. Among adults, the life‐time prevalence of alcohol use was 34.9% (CI = 17.7–54.1%), 27.1% (CI = 5.0–56.4%) in the past year and 32.2% (CI = 19.8–46.0%) in the past 6 months. Among adults, the 12‐month prevalence of alcohol use disorder and alcohol dependence were 9.5% (CI = 0.0–30.4%) and 4.3% (CI = 0.8–9.8%), respectively. The highest weighted life‐time prevalence of alcohol use, 86.4%, was reported in Tanzania among adults. The highest weighted past 6‐month prevalence of alcohol use, 80.6%, was found in Zambia among adolescents. Conclusion: Alcohol use patterns vary across countries and subregions within sub‐Saharan Africa, and comprehensive population‐level data on alcohol use remain scarce in numerous sub‐Saharan African countries. The prevalence of alcohol use disorder is common among adolescents in sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the extent to which people drinking at harmful levels responded to minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland in the way they, family members and those providing services anticipated they would. It examines data taken from a larger evaluation of the impact of MUP on people who are drinking at harmful levels. Qualitative interview data, (utilizing interviews and focus groups, with individuals, treatment services, and family members) was generated prior to the implementation of MUP in Scotland to provide insights into anticipated responses and comparable data generated across an extended 19-month period post-implementation and provided insights into actual responses. Overall, the data showed consistency between anticipated and actual responses, with fewer differences observed. In line with anticipated responses, many drinkers switched from cheap, strong ciders to other alcohol products, notably vodka. They consistently responded to the decrease in alcohol affordability by utilizing existing behavior such as managing finances and prioritizing spends on alcohol, including borrowing money, foregoing essentials, and using savings. There was less evidence of anticipated harmful consequences of MUP occurring, such as increased crime, switching to other drugs, or examples of acute withdrawal. Drinkers and those living and working with them, have a good command of how alcohol affordability is maintained or impacts on expenditure and other choices, and how they respond to any decrease in affordability including the introduction of minimum price policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents here a novel electrical sensor for detecting alcohol concentration in the exhale of an individual. We highlight fabrication of the sensor followed by subsequent assemblage into a handheld unit. The prototype yields a remarkable sensitivity along with a linear range of ~ 250–800 ppm. Additionally, we demonstrate the implementation of it in the helmet of a biker—which is further validated by in situ results related to monitoring exhale activity of few subjects. Through proper tuning with the ignition control system, the prototype can act as a protective gear for drunken drivers. Once the concentration of alcohol is sensed above a permissible level, the ignition system can be momentarily stopped; thereby averting plausible accidents. We believe that this sensor can be upgraded to more advanced protocol via a little tweaking with Internet of Things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This technical note reviews the plethora of concentration units used to report blood‐alcohol concentration (BAC) and breath‐alcohol concentrations (BrAC) for legal purposes in different countries. The choice of units sometimes causes confusion when scientific papers originating from a certain country might be introduced into evidence via expert testimony, such as when alcohol‐related crimes are prosecuted. The concentration units are also important to consider when blood/breath ratios (BBRs) of alcohol are calculated and compared between countries. Statutory BAC limits for driving in most nations are reported in mass/volume (m/v) units, such as g/100 mL (g%) in the United States, mg/100 mL (mg%) in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, or g/L (mg/mL) in many EU nations. By contrast, Germany and the Nordic countries report BAC as mass/mass (m/m) units, hence g/kg or mg/g, which are ~5.5% lower than m/v units, because whole blood has an average density of 1.055 g/mL. There are historical reasons for reporting BAC in mass/mass units because the aliquots of blood analyzed were measured by weight rather than volume. The difference between m/m and m/v is also important in postmortem toxicology, such as when distribution ratios of ethanol between blood and other biological specimens, such as urine, vitreous humor, and cerebrospinal fluid, are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The current paper examines the proportion of drinking occasions and total alcohol consumed that takes place at off‐premise locations. Comparisons are made between high‐income countries: Australia, New Zealand, England and Scotland, and across drinker‐types: high‐risk and lower‐risk. Methods: Data were taken from the International Alcohol Control study in Australia (N = 1789), New Zealand (N = 1979), England (N = 2844) and Scotland (N = 1864). The cross‐national survey measures location and beverage‐specific alcohol consumption. The number of drinking occasions and mean consumption across on‐ and off‐premise locations and the proportion of drinking occasions that high‐ and lower‐risk drinkers had at on‐ and off‐premise locations was estimated for each country. Results: The majority of drinking occasions among high‐risk drinkers occurred at off‐premise locations across all four countries; Australia 80.1%, New Zealand 72.0%, England 61.7% and Scotland 60.7%. High‐risk drinkers in Australia had significantly larger proportions of drinking occasions occurring at off‐premise locations compared to England and Scotland. Across all countries, high‐risk drinkers and lower‐risk drinkers consumed significantly larger quantities of alcohol per occasion at off‐premise locations compared to on‐premises locations. Finally, the majority of total alcohol consumed occurred at off‐premise locations across all countries for high‐ and lower‐risk drinkers. Discussion and Conclusions: As the accessibility to alcohol outside of licensed premises continues to increase, particularly with the expansion of home delivery services, it is important to be mindful of the high proportion of heavy drinking occasions that occur off‐premise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Unhealthy alcohol use represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH), in part through its impact on HIV management. Chronic pain, a common comorbidity, exacerbates suboptimal engagement in the HIV care continuum and has reciprocal detrimental effects on alcohol outcomes. There are no integrated, accessible approaches that address these comorbid conditions among PLWH to date. This paper describes a research study protocol of an integrated telehealth intervention to reduce unhealthy drinking and chronic pain among PLWH (Motivational and Cognitive-Behavioral Management for Alcohol and Pain [INTV]). Methods Two-hundred and fifty PLWH with unhealthy drinking and chronic pain will be recruited nationally via online advertisement. Informed consent and baseline assessments occur remotely, followed by 15 days of ecological momentary assessment to assess alcohol use, chronic pain, functioning, and mechanisms of behavior change. Next, participants will be randomized to either the INTV or Control (CTL) condition. Individuals in both conditions will meet with a health counselor through videoconferencing following randomization, and those in the INTV condition will receive 6 additional sessions. At 3- and 6-months post-baseline, participants will complete outcome assessments. It is hypothesized that the INTV condition will result in reduced unhealthy alcohol use and pain ratings compared to the CTL condition. Conclusion This protocol paper describes a randomized controlled trial which tests the efficacy of a novel, integrated telehealth approach to reduce unhealthy alcohol use and chronic pain for PLWH, two common comorbid conditions that influence the HIV treatment cascade. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05503173.

INTRODUCTION The underlying factors of oral squamous cell cancers (OSCC) have been elucidated, but studies have focused little on etiological differences in affected oral cavity sites. The aim of this retrospective study was to clarify the role of carcinogen exposure in OSCC of different oral cavity areas. METHODS A cross-sectional study of patients with primary OSCC was conducted retrospectively, based on patient records from Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, between January 2016 and December 2020. The patients' self-reported history of tobacco smoking and alcohol use was explained by tumor site, age, sex, tumor size, and lymph node status in a logistic regression model. The information on smoking and alcohol use was compiled from a patient background form. RESULTS In 519 patients, tumors occurred most often in the tongue (51%), gingiva (21%), or floor of the mouth (FOM; 15%). FOM had 26-fold greater odds for a history of smoking and alcohol use than other tumor sites (OR=25.78; 95% CI: 8.02-82.95; p<0.001). Gingival and buccal sites were associated significantly less with smoking and alcohol use (OR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.28-0.67; p<0.001 and OR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.25-0.92; p<0.026, respectively). Patients of older age were less likely to have a history of smoking and alcohol use (AOR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.94-0.97; p<0.001) than younger patients. Tumor size (T3-4) and FOM increased the odds for history of smoking and alcohol use (AOR=1.73; 95% CI: 1.15-2.60; p=0.009 and AOR=26.15; 95% CI: 8.01-84.84; p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS OSCC of oral cavity sites has notable differences in etiology. FOM seems to be related almost exclusively to conventional smoking and heavy alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, there has been scarce effort to consider the intertwining of colonization and the commercial determinants of Indigenous health. This is a vital omission, and one that this paper proposes to address. We propose how four losses of tradition borne out of colonialism are intertwined with four respective commercial determinants of Indigenous health: 1) loss of traditional diets and the ultra-processed food industry; 2) loss of traditional ceremony and the tobacco industry; 3) loss of traditional knowledge and the infant formula industry; and 4) loss of traditional support networks and the alcohol industry. Building on Indigenous efforts to decolonize spaces and assert control over their own lives, we argue that analyzing the mechanisms through which industry activities intersect with colonial legacies will improve broader understandings of Indigenous health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]