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March 8, 2016   

From the Northeast Node: A New CTN Protocol

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The Northeast Node is pleased to announce the approval of CTN-0073-Ot (Towards Detecting Cocaine Use Using Smartwatches in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network), a project that will build upon the team's recent work in successfully detecting cocaine use in the natural field environment using heart rate measurements.

The goal of this project is to investigate methods to detect cocaine use from heart rate data captured by smartwatches, so this approach can be deployed widely in the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN).

This method will enable us to automatically detect cocaine use and the precise timing of such use, as well as nicely complement self-report methods that suffer from temporal inaccuracy in reporting cocaine use in the field setting.

Detection of cocaine use via smartwatches will build upon, and extend, the study team's recently developed methods to identify cocaine use from interbeat interval heart rate data obtained from electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors and physical activity from accelerometer data.

The Northeast Node will lead the project under the direction of Lisa Marsch, PhD, and Santosh Kumar, PhD. Read more. . .

CTN Trial Progress

Study results for Open Studies as of the March 7 Trial Progress Report.

CTN-0050 - Long Term Follow-up to the CTN-0027 (START) Study: Enrolled 876 (original N=1,267 START Study participants)

CTN-0051 - X-BOT (Extended Release Naltrexone vs. Buprenorphine for Opioid Treatment). Enrolled 520 (N=550).

CTN-0056-Ot - Testing and Linkage to HIV Care in China. Enrolled 478 (N=360)

CTN-0057-Ot - SBIRT-PC (SBIRT in Primary Care). Enrolled 108 (N=120)

Total Enrolled in all Studies: 23,755

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New from the CTN Dissemination Library

Do Masculinity and Perceived Condom Barriers Predict Heterosexual HIV Risk Behaviors Among Black Substance Abusing Men? Wilson J, et al. J Health Disparities Res Pract 2014;7(6):54-71. Read more. . .

Gender Differences in HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Clients of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs in the U.S. Pan Y, et al. Arch Sex Behav 2016 (in press). Read more. . .

Gender Differences in Internalizing Symptoms and Suicide Risk Among Men and Women Seeking Treatment for Cannabis Use Disorder from Late Adolescence to Middle Adulthood. Koster KT, et al. J Subst Abuse Treat 2016 (in press). Read more..

Cost-Effectiveness of an Internet-Delievered Treatment for Substance Abuse: Data from a Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial. Murphy SM et al. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016 (in press). Read more. . .

More New in the Library. . .

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Meet the New Members of the Research Development Committee

Congratulations to the new members of the RDC (Research Development Committee)! The RDC is made up of eight CTN PI members and a Chair selected from the membership.

They include (in alphabetical order):

  1. Gavin Bart (Northstar Node)
  2. Kathleen Brady (Southern Consortium Node)
  3. Dennis Donovan (Pacific Northwest Node) (Chair)
  4. Lisa Marsch (Northeastern Node)
  5. Ned Nunes (Greater New York Node)
  6. James Sorensen (Western States Node) (Co-Chair)
  7. Maxine Stitzer (Mid-Atlantic Node)
  8. Madhukar Trivedi (Texas Node)
  9. Li-Tzy Wu (Mid-Southern Node)

Thanks to all the CTNers who expressed interest in this committee! Congratulations also to Dennis Donovan, who has been elected RDC Chair, and to James Sorensen elected RDC Co-Chair at the February RDC meeting. Based on the enthusiastic response to our call for nominees, nine PIs have put forth their names and have been accepted. An election will not be held.

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Also of Interest

Proposed Rule to Change Regulations Related to Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records. These regulations have not been substantially updated since 1987. Comments on the proposed rule, which hasn't been substantially updated since 1987, must be received no later than April 11. Read more. . .

Chasing Heroin Airs on PBS Frontline. From the streets of Seattle to the halls of power in Washington, this two-hour investigation examines the shifting landscape of America's war on drugs -- and what happens when addiction is treated as a public health issue, not a crime. Streaming free online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/chasing-heroin/.

Recording of Webinar on Synthetic Drug Threats in the US Now Available. Sponsored by NDEWS, Jill M. Head, Supervisory Chemist in the DEA’s Special Testing and Research Laboratory, discussed the history of synthetic drugs, the evolution of “legal highs” and new psychoactive substances. The webinar was recorded on Feb. 24, 2016, and is archived on the NDEWS website.

NOTICE: The CCC and DSC offices at Emmes will be closed on March 25, 2016. DSC Help Desk staff will not be available that day but will respond to requests when the office reopens on Monday, March 28.

Upcoming Meetings & Trainings

Save the Date! 2016 Addiction Health Services Research Conference, October 13-15, 2016, Seattle, WA. Hosted by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute of the University of Washington and the Northwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center. Call-for-abstracts and registration coming soon. Visit site.

Free Web-Based Training on Contingency Management.
A NIDA-funded study on Contingency Management for adolescents and their families (outpatient treatment for substance use problems) is seeking participants. The entire cost of the training and support system is provided for agencies or independent counselors that participate in the study. CEUs are available. Visit site.

Webinar: Challenge of Evidence-Based Group Therapy for SUD. NIDA Clinical Coordinating Center webinar presented by Dennis Wendt, PhD, of the Pacific Northwest Node. March 23, 1pm ET. Register and read more. . .

Webinar: The Relationship Between Prescription Opioid Misuse & Heroin Abuse. Sponsored by the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) and featuring Wilson M. Compton, MD, of NIDA and Daniel Cicaarone, MD, MPH of UCSF. Register and read more. . .