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Introduction: The aim of the present study was to examine for the first time the factorial, construct, and predictive validity of the motivation for treatment (MfT) scale in a cohort of patients undergoing inpatient-qualified alcohol withdrawal treatment with the goal of referring patients to further treatment. The MfT scale has previously been evaluated in different settings of substance abuse treatment, revealing factorial ambiguity. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first study that conducted comprehensive factor analyses versus separate analyses of the factors conducted in prior studies in order to clarify the aforementioned factorial ambiguity., Methods: A total of 249 patients (mean age 45.2 years (SD = 10.3); 34.4% females) with alcohol dependence were assessed. Data were obtained from four inpatient clinics specialized in qualified alcohol withdrawal treatment in Germany. First, confirmatory factor analyses were carried out to examine the fit of the four models discussed in the literature. Second, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Correlations of the new factors with other motivational constructs and referral to a subsequent treatment were investigated as measures of construct and predictive validity., Results: None of the four models showed an acceptable fit to the data in confirmatory analyses. The exploratory analysis suggested to eliminate seven items because of inappropriate factor loadings and resulted in a shortened MfT scale, which consists of three factors based on 17 items. For the latent variables "problem recognition," "desire for help," and "treatment readiness," satisfactory composite reliability was found with 0.82, 0.80, and 0.78, respectively. Evidence for predictive validity was found in the correlation between "treatment readiness" and referral to a subsequent treatment., Discussion/conclusion: The new shortened MfT scale exhibited remarkable parsimony, which is desirable in settings such as withdrawal treatment, where patients frequently are cognitively or physically impaired. Despite its briefness, construct and predictive validity were better than in the original version of the MfT scale. The factorial validity of the suggested scale needs to be corroborated in further research., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: The implementation of person-centred, need-oriented and flexible care for people with substance-related problems is often insufficient, in large part due to the complexity of addiction support services among different providers. A standardized online assessment and subsequent sector-independent treatment coordination could provide individuals with more appropriate services, thereby making better use of individual services and leading to a more effective addiction support system as a whole. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of sector-independent treatment coordination following an online assessment, in comparison with the current standard of care and treatment process in Germany., Methods: The sample size of this randomized, controlled trial has been set to a total of 400 participants with substance-related problems. Participants living in Stuttgart, Germany, will be randomly allocated to (1) the intervention group with immediate online assessment and subsequent sector-independent treatment coordination (ASSIST) or (2) the waitlist group. Participants in the waitlist group will initially remain in usual care and only be provided with the online assessment 6 months later. Short-term effects (over 2 months) and medium-term effects (over 6 months) of ASSIST will be compared between the intervention and the waitlist groups. The primary outcome is improved treatment satisfaction. Secondary outcomes include improved subjective quality of life and empowerment, reductions in patients' substance use, unmet needs and illness-related clinical and social impairment. Health economic evaluation as well as quantitative and qualitative process evaluations will be conducted., Discussion: The results of this study are expected to provide information on whether sector-independent treatment coordination following an online assessment contributes to improved health care service provision for people with substance-related problems. This randomized controlled trial will help identify facilitators and barriers to the sustainable implementation of a cross-sectoral care concept in substance abuse services., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00026996 . Registered on 29 October 2021., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives : Now more than ever, there is an obvious need to reduce the overall burden of disease and risk of premature mortality that are associated with mental health and substance use disorders among young people. However, the current state of research and evidence-based clinical care for high-risk substance use among youth is fragmented and scarce. The objective of the study is to establish consensus for the prevention, treatment, and management of high-risk substance use and overdose among youth (10 to 24 years old). Materials and Methods : A modified Delphi technique was used based on the combination of scientific evidence and clinical experience of a group of 31 experts representing 10 countries. A semi-structured questionnaire with five domains (clinical risks, target populations, intervention goals, intervention strategies, and settings/expertise) was shared with the panelists. Based on their responses, statements were developed, which were subsequently revised and finalized through three iterations of feedback. Results: Among the five major domains, 60 statements reached consensus. Importantly, experts agreed that screening in primary care and other clinical settings is recommended for all youth, and that the objectives of treating youth with high-risk substance use are to reduce harm and mortality while promoting resilience and healthy development. For all substance use disorders, evidence-based interventions should be available and should be used according to the needs and preferences of the patient. Involuntary admission was the only topic that did not reach consensus, mainly due to its ethical implications and resulting lack of comparable evidence. Conclusions: High-risk substance use and overdoses among youth have become a major challenge. The system's response has been insufficient and needs substantial change. Internationally devised consensus statements provide a first step in system improvement and reform.

Background: In the implementation of placement matching guidelines, feasibility has been concerned in previous research. Objectives of this process evaluation were to investigate whether the patient-centered matching guidelines (PCPM) are consistently applied in referral decision-making from an inpatient qualified withdrawal program to a level of care in aftercare, which factors affect whether patients actually receive matched aftercare according to PCPM, and whether its use is feasible and accepted by clinic staff., Methods: The study was conducted as process evaluation within an exploratory randomized controlled trial in four German psychiatric clinics offering a 7-to-21 day qualified withdrawal program for patients suffering from alcohol dependence, and with measurements taken during detoxification treatment and six months after the initial assessment. PCPM were used with patients in the intervention group by feeding back to them a recommendation for a level of care in aftercare that had been calculated from Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE) and discussed with the staff on the treatment unit. As measurements, The MATE, the Client Socio-Demographic and Service Receipt Inventory-European Version, a documentation form, the Control Preference Scale, and the Motivation for Treatment Scale were administered. A workshop for the staff at the participating trial sites was conducted after data collection was finished., Results: Among 250 patients participating in the study, 165 were interviewed at follow-up, and 125 had received aftercare. Although consistency in the application of PCPM was moderate to substantial within the qualified withdrawal program (Cohen's kappa ≥ .41), it was fair from discharge to follow-up. In multifactorial multinomial regression, the number of foregoing substance abuse treatments predicted whether patients received more likely undermatched (Odds Ratio=1.27; p=.018) or overmatched (Odds Ratio=0.78; p=.054) treatment. While the implementation process during the study was evaluated critically by the staff, they stated a potential of quality assurance, more transparency and patient-centeredness in the use of PCPM., Conclusions: While the use of PCPM has the potential to enhance the quality of referral decision making within treatment, it may not be sufficient to determine referral decisions for aftercare., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00005035 . Registered 03/06/2013., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The hypothesis tested was that dietary inclusion of insect meal (IM) causes an alteration in the cecal microbiota composition and its fermentation activity of growing pigs. Five-week-old male crossbred pigs were randomly assigned to three groups of 10 pigs each, and fed isonitrogenous diets either without (CON) or with 5% IM (IM5) or 10% IM (IM10) from Tenebrio molitor larvae for four weeks. The relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes was lower in group IM10 than in group CON ( p < 0.05), whereas the relative abundance of Firmicutes and the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes-ratio tended to be higher in groups IM10 and IM5 than in group CON ( p < 0.1). The relative abundance of the Proteobacteria tended to be higher in group IM10 than in groups CON and IM5 ( p < 0.1). The concentrations of the total short-chain fatty acids in the cecal digesta did not differ between the three groups, but the concentrations of the branched-chain fatty acids in the cecal digesta were higher in group IM5 and IM10 than in group CON ( p < 0.05). The present study shows for the first time that the replacement of soybean meal by Tenebrio molitor larvae meal causes a shift of the cecal microbial community and its fermentation activity in growing pigs.

The present study tested the hypothesis that the liver lipid-lowering effect of insect meal (IM) is caused by its low methionine concentration. A total of fifty, male obese Zucker rats were randomly assigned to five groups of 10 rats each (casein (C), IM, IM + Met, IM + Cys, and IM + EAA). While group C received a diet with casein, the IM-fed groups received a diet with IM as the protein source. In groups IM + Met, IM + Cys and IM + EAA, the diets were additionally supplemented with methionine, cysteine and essential amino acids (EAA), respectively. Hepatic concentrations of triacylglycerols and cholesterol, and hepatic mRNA levels and activities of lipogenic and cholesterogenic enzymes were markedly lower in the IM-fed groups than in group C ( p < 0.05). All of these parameters either did not differ across the IM-fed groups or were only slightly higher in groups IM + Met, IM + Cys and IM+EAA than in the group IM. In conclusion, the results indicate that a difference in the amino acid composition between IM and casein, a low concentration of methionine in IM and a reduced cysteine synthesis secondary to a decreased methionine availability resulting from feeding IM are not causative for the lipid-lowering effect of IM.

Background: Placement matching guidelines are promising means to optimize patient-centered care and to match patients' treatment needs. Despite considerable research regarding placement matching approaches to optimize alcohol abuse treatment, findings are inconclusive., Objectives: To investigate whether the use of patient-centered placement matching (PCPM) guidelines is more effective in reducing heavy drinking and costs 6 months after discharge from an inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment compared to usual referral to aftercare. Secondary aims were to investigate whether age, gender, trial site or level of care (LOC) are moderators of efficacy and whether patients who were actually referred to the recommended LOC had better treatment outcomes compared to patients who were treated under- or overmatched., Methods: Design. Exploratory randomized controlled trial with measurements during withdrawal treatment and 6 months after initial assessment., Setting: Four German psychiatric clinics offering a 7-21 day inpatient qualified withdrawal program for patients suffering from alcohol dependence., Participants: From 1,927 patients who had a primary diagnosis of alcohol dependence and did not have organized aftercare when entering withdrawal treatment, 299 were invited to participate. Of those, 250 were randomized to the intervention group (IG, n = 123) or the control group (CG, n = 127)., Intervention: The PCPM were applied to patients of the IG by feeding back a recommendation to a LOC for aftercare that was calculated from the Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE) and discussed with the staff of the treatment unit. Patients of the CG received a general feedback regarding their MATE interview on request., Measurements: The MATE, the Client Socio-Demographic and Service Receipt Inventory--European Version and the MATE-Outcomes were administered. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models., Results: In the intention-to-treat analysis, there were no significant differences between IG and CG regarding days of heavy drinking (incident risk ratio [IRR] 1.09; p = 0.640), direct (IRR 1.06; p = 0.779), indirect (IRR 0.77; p = 0.392) and total costs (IRR 0.89; p = 0.496). Furthermore, none of the investigated moderator variables affected statistically significant drinking or cost-related primary outcomes. Regardless of group allocation, patients who received matched aftercare reported significantly fewer days of heavy drinking than undermatched patients (IRR 2.09; p = 0.004). For patients who were overmatched, direct costs were significantly higher (IRR 1.79; p = 0.024), but with no additional effects on alcohol consumption compared to matched patients., Conclusions: While the use of PCPM failed to affect the actual referral to aftercare, our findings suggest that treating patients on the recommended LOC may have the potential to reduce days of heavy drinking compared to undertreatment and costs compared to overtreatment., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aims: Shared decision making (SDM) is increasingly demanded in medical decision making. SDM acknowledges patients' role preferences in decision making processes. There has been limited research on SDM and role preferences in substance use disorders; results are promising. Aim of this study was to investigate role preferences of patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD), and to identify predictors of these preferences., Method: Cross-sectional data collected from June 2013 to May 2014 in four detoxification wards in Germany during a randomised controlled trial (RCT, Registration Code 01GY1114) was analysed. Of the 250 patients with AUD who were included in the RCT, data from 242 patients [65% male; mean age = 45.2 years (sd = 10.3)] were analysed. Participants' role preferences were assessed with the Control Preference Scale. Potential correlates were drawn from instruments used in the RCT; multinomial logistic regression was used., Results: 90% (n = 217) of the AUD patients preferred an active or shared role in decision-making, 10% (n = 25) preferred a passive role. Patients' desire for help was associated with their role preference (OR = 3.087, p = .05). The model's goodness of fit was Nagelkerke's R 2  = 0.153 [χ 2 (24) = 25.206, p = .395]., Conclusions: Patients' preference for an active role in decision-making underscores the importance of involving patients in their treatment planning. Patients' desire for help seems to be an important determinant of paternalistic decision making. However, further research is needed to determine whether patients' role preferences are related to their behavior during their treatment referral and recovery., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Filamentous fungi are able to differentiate morphologically and adapt the metabolism to internal and external cues. One major regulator is the so-called velvet protein, VeA, best studied in Aspergillus nidulans. The protein interacts with several other proteins to regulate light sensing, the balance between asexual and sexual development, penicillin biosynthesis or mycotoxin production. Here, we characterized a novel VeA-interacting protein, VipA. The 334 amino acid long protein comprises a FAR1-like DNA-binding domain, known from plant transcription factors like FHY3 (Far-red elongated hypocotyl 3). VipA interacted not only with VeA, but also with the WC orthologue LreA in the nuclei and with the phytochrome FphA in the cytoplasm. Conidia and cleistothecia formation was similarly affected in a vipA-deletion strain as in an fphA mutant. However, the effect was less pronounced, suggesting a modulating and not an essential role in light sensing. In addition, VipA modulated heme biosynthesis in response to light through association with the hemB promoter, the gene encoding 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase. After illumination of A. nidulans mycelia with white light the intracellular heme concentration increased by 30% in comparison to a vipA-deletion mutant. Hence, VipA couples heme biosynthesis to the illumination conditions., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The fungal genus Aspergillus is of critical importance to humankind. Species include those with industrial applications, important pathogens of humans, animals and crops, a source of potent carcinogenic contaminants of food, and an important genetic model. The genome sequences of eight aspergilli have already been explored to investigate aspects of fungal biology, raising questions about evolution and specialization within this genus., Results: We have generated genome sequences for ten novel, highly diverse Aspergillus species and compared these in detail to sister and more distant genera. Comparative studies of key aspects of fungal biology, including primary and secondary metabolism, stress response, biomass degradation, and signal transduction, revealed both conservation and diversity among the species. Observed genomic differences were validated with experimental studies. This revealed several highlights, such as the potential for sex in asexual species, organic acid production genes being a key feature of black aspergilli, alternative approaches for degrading plant biomass, and indications for the genetic basis of stress response. A genome-wide phylogenetic analysis demonstrated in detail the relationship of the newly genome sequenced species with other aspergilli., Conclusions: Many aspects of biological differences between fungal species cannot be explained by current knowledge obtained from genome sequences. The comparative genomics and experimental study, presented here, allows for the first time a genus-wide view of the biological diversity of the aspergilli and in many, but not all, cases linked genome differences to phenotype. Insights gained could be exploited for biotechnological and medical applications of fungi.

The ability for light sensing is found from bacteria to humans but relies only on a small number of evolutionarily conserved photoreceptors. A large number of fungi react to light, mostly to blue light. Aspergillus nidulans also responds to red light using a phytochrome light sensor, FphA, for the control of hundreds of light-regulated genes. Here, we show that photoinduction of one light-induced gene, ccgA, occurs mainly through red light. Induction strictly depends on phytochrome and its histidine-kinase activity. Full light activation also depends on the Velvet protein, VeA. This putative transcription factor binds to the ccgA promoter in an fphA-dependent manner but independent of light. In addition, the blue light receptor LreA binds to the ccgA promoter in the dark but is released after blue or red light illumination and together with FphA modulates gene expression through histone H3 modification. LreA interacts with the acetyltransferase GcnE and with the histone deacetylase HdaA. ccgA induction is correlated to an increase of the acetylation level of lysine 9 in histone H3. Our results suggest regulation of red light-induced genes at the transcriptional level involving transcription factor(s) and epigenetic control through modulation of the acetylation level of histone H3., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Despite considerable research on substance-abuse placement matching, evidence is still inconclusive. The aims of this exploratory trial are to evaluate (a) the effects of following matching guidelines on health-care costs and heavy drinking, and (b) factors affecting the implementation of matching guidelines in the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients., Methods: A total of 286 alcohol-dependent patients entering one of four participating detoxification units and having no arrangements for further treatment will be recruited. During the first week of treatment, all patients will be administered Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE), European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions health status questionnaire (EQ-5D), and the Client Socio--Demographic and Service Receipt Inventory-European Version (CSSRI-EU). Patients who are randomly allocated to the intervention group will receive feedback regarding their assessment results, including clear recommendations for subsequent treatment. Patients of the control group will receive treatment as usual and, if requested, global feedback regarding their assessment results, but no recommendations for subsequent treatment. At discharge, treatment outcome and referral decisions will be recorded. Six months after discharge, patients will be administered MATE-Outcome, EQ-5D, and CSSRI-EU during a telephone interview., Discussion: This trial will provide evidence on the effects and costs of using placement-matching guidelines based on a standardized assessment with structured feedback in the treatment of alcohol-dependent patients. A process evaluation will be conducted to facilitate better understanding of the relationship between the use of guidelines, outcomes, and potential mediating variables., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00005035. Registered 03 June 2013.

Aspergillus nidulans responds to light in several aspects. The balance between sexual and asexual development as well as the amount of secondary metabolites produced is controlled by light. Here, we show that germination is largely delayed by blue (450 nm), red (700 nm), and far-red light (740 nm). The largest effect was observed with far-red light. Whereas 60 % of the conidia produced a germ tube after 20 h in the dark, less than 5 % of the conidia germinated under far-red light conditions. Because swelling of conidia was not affected, light appears to act at the stage of germ-tube formation. In the absence of nutrients, far-red light even inhibited swelling of conidia, whereas in the dark, conidia did swell and germinated after prolonged incubation. The blue-light signaling components, LreA (WC-1) and LreB (WC-2), and also the cryptochrome/photolyase CryA were not required for germination inhibition. However, in the phytochrome mutant, ∆fphA, the germination delay was released, but germination was delayed in the dark in comparison to wild type. This suggests a novel function of phytochrome as far-red light sensor and as activator of polarized growth in the dark.

Day treatment for alcohol dependent patients is still uncommon in Germany. The presented study aims to answer the question how patients experience this kind of treatment and which factors they perceive as important for their treatment success.7 interviews with alcohol-dependent patients were conducted. Data were analysed with qualitative methods and the help of a computer-supported coding system.We found several factors that are relevant for patients, especially important are factors concerning the therapeutical relationship as well as factors that are specific for day treatment.We can conclude that day treatment is seen as helpful to improve dependency symptoms by the patients., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)