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Addiction System (addiction + system)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Opioid agonist pharmacotherapy in New South Wales from 1985 to 2006: patient characteristics and patterns and predictors of treatment retention

ADDICTION, Issue 8 2009
Lucy Burns
ABSTRACT Aims The aims of this study were to: examine the number and characteristics of patients entering and re-entering opioid replacement treatment between 1985 and 2006, to examine select demographic and treatment correlates of leaving treatment between 1985 and 2000, and to compare retention rates in methadone and buprenorphine maintenance treatment from 2001 to 2006. Design A retrospective cohort study using register data from the Pharmaceutical Drugs of Addiction System. Setting Opioid substitution treatment in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Participants A total of n = 42 690 individuals prescribed opioid replacement treatment between 1985 and 2006 in NSW. Measurements Client characteristics over time, retention in days in first treatment episode, number of episodes of treatment and proportion switching medication. Findings Overall, younger individuals were significantly more likely to leave their first treatment episode than older individuals. In 2001,06, after controlling for age, sex and first administration point, the hazard of leaving treatment was 1.9 times for those on buprenorphine relative to those on methadone. Retention in treatment varied somewhat across historical time, with those entering during 1995,2000 more likely to leave at an earlier stage than those who entered before that time. Conclusions Retention in treatment appears to fluctuate in inverse proportion to the availability of heroin. Individuals in contemporary treatment are older users with a lengthy treatment history. This study has provided population-level evidence to suggest that retention in methadone and buprenorphine differ in routine clinical practice. Future work might investigate ways in which patient adherence and retention may be improved. [source]

Methadone in pregnancy: treatment retention and neonatal outcomes

ADDICTION, Issue 2 2007
Lucy Burns
ABSTRACT Aim To examine the association between retention in methadone treatment during pregnancy and key neonatal outcomes. Design Client data from the New South Wales Pharmaceutical Drugs of Addiction System was linked to birth information from the NSW Midwives Data Collection and the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection from 1992 to 2002. Measurements Obstetric and perinatal characteristics of women who were retained continuously on methadone maintenance throughout their pregnancy were compared to those who entered late in their pregnancies (less than 6 months prior to birth) and those whose last treatment episode ended at least 1 year prior to birth. Findings There were 2993 births to women recorded as being on methadone at delivery, increasing from 62 in 1992 to 459 births in 2002. Compared to mothers who were maintained continuously on methadone throughout their pregnancy, those who entered treatment late also presented later to antenatal services, were more likely to arrive at hospital for delivery unbooked, were more often unmarried, indigenous and smoked more heavily. A higher proportion of neonates born to late entrants were born at less than 37 weeks gestation and were admitted to special care nursery more often. Conclusion Continuous methadone treatment during pregnancy is associated with earlier antenatal care and improved neonatal outcomes. Innovative techniques for early engagement in methadone treatment by pregnant heroin using women or those planning to become pregnant should be identified and implemented. [source]

Using ColE1-derived RNA I for suppression of a bacterially encoded gene: implication for a novel plasmid addiction system

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 6 2006
Irene Pfaffenzeller
Abstract The use of plasmid DNA for gene therapeutical purposes is a novel technology with advantages and drawbacks. One of the required improvements is to avoid antibiotic resistance genes or other additional sequences for selection within the plasmid. Here, we describe an alternative approach to equip a ColE1 plasmid with a regulatory function within the cell, which could be used for selection of plasmid carrying cells. No additional sequences are required, since the mechanism is based on RNA/RNA antisense interaction involving the naturally occurring RNA I derived from the plasmid's origin of replication. The plasmid replicational regulatory network was linked to the transcriptional regulatory network of an engineered target gene, present on the bacterial chromosome. Thus, gene suppression of a reporter could be achieved by mere presence of the ColE1-type plasmid pBR322. Proof of this concept was shown in shaker-flask experiments and fed-batch fermentation processes. The strategy of regulating gene expression by plasmid replication implicates a novel strategy for plasmid selection, as the gene to be suppressed could be toxic or growth hampering, providing advantage to plasmid carrying host cells. [source]

Suicidal genetically engineered microorganisms for bioremediation: Need and perspectives

BIOESSAYS, Issue 5 2005
Debarati Paul
In the past few decades, increased awareness of environmental pollution has led to the exploitation of microbial metabolic potential in the construction of several genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) for bioremediation purposes. At the same time, environmental concerns and regulatory constraints have limited the in situ application of GEMs, the ultimate objective behind their development. In order to address the anticipated risks due to the uncontrolled survival/dispersal of GEMs or recombinant plasmids into the environment, some attempts have been made to construct systems that would contain the released organisms. This article discusses the designing of safer genetically engineered organisms for environmental release with specific emphasis on the use of bacterial plasmid addiction systems to limit their survival thus minimizing the anticipated risk. We also conceptualize a novel strategy to construct "Suicidal Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (SGEMs)" by exploring/combining the knowledge of different plasmid addiction systems (such as antisense RNA-regulated plasmid addiction, proteic plasmid addiction etc.) and inducible degradative operons of bacteria. BioEssays 27:563,573, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]