Macquarie University

BackgroundPsychotic symptoms are common in patients with Parkinson's Disease Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, known collectively as the Lewy Body Dementias (LBD). It is important to identify these symptoms early and accurately. However, these symptoms are challenging to identify and quantify in clinical practice. The Psychosis and Hallucinations Questionnaire (PsycH-Q) was developed as a self-report tool using patient-friendly language to assess hallucinations and related phenomena and has been previously validated in Parkinson's Disease patients without dementia and their caregivers.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the utility of the PsycH-Q in patients diagnosed with a Lewy Body Dementia.MethodsA total of 33 LBD patients, assisted by their caregivers, completed the PsycH-Q, along with the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Psychiatric Complications (SCOPA-PC) and the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Items relating to hallucinations and psychotic phenomena from the SCOPA-PC and MDS-UPDRS were then compared with analogous ratings on the PsycH-Q.ResultsScores on the PsycH-Q were significantly correlated with SCOPA-PC Questions 1 and 3, as well as the MDS-UPDRS question 1.2 (Spearman's rho of 0.65, 0.73, and 0.47, respectively; p < 0.01 for all three correlations).ConclusionsThese results support the PsycH-Q as a patient-friendly questionnaire that accurately identifies hallucinatory phenomena and their features in LBD patients via self-report completed by patients with their caregivers. Future use of the PsycH-Q in clinical practice and research could improve early detection of psychotic symptoms in LBD patients, leading to improved management.

Seagrass meadows are among the most degraded coastal habitats worldwide, with limited natural recovery. Interest in using dredged sediments for restoration is increasing, but further study is needed to ensure sediment-seagrass compatibility. We tested a novel restoration approach in Cockburn Sound, southwestern Australia, to evaluate: (a) the feasibility of sediment capping using containment structures in a subtidal environment, (b) the potential benefits to seagrass of dredged products as a cap over port sediment, (c) the influence of adding natural organic matter (seagrass wrack) and (d) benefits of seagrass root microbiomes to restoration outcomes. We established four sediment treatments: control plots (undisturbed), plots with containment structures (experimental controls) and plots with containment structures filled with dredged products, half of which with seagrass wrack. We transplanted 1120 sprigs of the seagrass Posidonia australis, half with experimentally disrupted root-associated microbiomes. While containment structures remained intact, their addition, regardless of sediment treatment, had negative impacts on seagrass survival. By 12months, average survival dropped to 54% (±3.6SE) for all containment structures compared to 82% (±5.6SE) in control plots. Net shoot numbers declined in treatments with containment structures (approx. 40% shoot loss). Neither wrack addition nor intact root microbiomes enhanced plant performance. This study suggests that while seabed manipulation techniques such as sediment capping with dredged products using containment structures are technically feasible, they may not support seagrass restoration. With careful matching of the structures and sediments to ecological requirements, such approaches may still be valuable for restoration or other coastal management objectives in sensitive marine systems.

Assessed the efficacy of a transdiagnostic internet-delivered psychological intervention for depression, anxiety and disability in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Randomised controlled trial of 142 participants with a confirmed diagnosis of MS were allocated to either an immediate treatment group (n=73) or treatment-as-usual waitlist control (n=69). The intervention, the Wellbeing Neuro Course, was based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and included six online lessons delivered over 10weeks with the option of support from a psychologist via email and telephone. Primary outcomes were symptoms of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and disability (WHODAS 2.0). One hundred and thirty-three participants commenced the trial (treatment n=72; control n=61) and were included in intention-to-treat analyses. Significant between-group differences were observed in depression (PHQ-9; g=0.54; 23% average [avg.] symptom reduction), anxiety (GAD-7; g=0.37; 30% avg. reduction) and disability (WHODAS 2.0; g=0.28; 14% avg. reduction) at post-treatment favouring treatment (all ps<0.05). Treatment-related effects were maintained at 3 and 12-month follow-up. No adverse treatment events were reported. Internet-delivered transdiagnostic psychological interventions appear to be an acceptable and efficacious option for providing accessible psychological care for adults with MS.

Over the past 25 years, a prevailing clinical dogma has held that significant cognitive impairment constitutes a contraindication to the use of Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's disease. Whilst multiple studies, excluding such patients, have repeatedly emphasised the motoric benefits of this approach, less consideration has been given to the consequences of excluding this cohort. However, emerging evidence suggests that Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease patients with moderate cognitive impairment not only allows for significant reductions in dopaminergic therapy (typically alleviating many non-motor symptoms) but also favours survival and reduced admissions into institutional care. These small studies have not demonstrated significantly increased surgical or stimulation related complications in such patients and would suggest that further prospective studies, specifically evaluating this approach are warranted. Indeed, in the absence of a successful disease modifying therapy, exclusion from Deep Brain Stimulation often commits these advanced patients to a trajectory of ineffective pharmacological complexity. Alternative infusion therapies are associated with high discontinuation rates whilst escalating dopaminergic therapy, frequently exacerbates non-motor complications, including orthostatic hypotension, hallucinations, somnolence, and cognitive fluctuations. This flawed treatment strategy further accelerates functional decline, hospitalisation, and institutionalisation. Therefore, a reluctance or failure to offer Deep Brain Stimulation, where appropriate, may inadvertently consign patients to poorer long-term outcomes.

This paper reexamines the beta-return relation through the lens of time-varying risk aversion. We show that the security market line (SML) depends critically on the level of aggregate risk aversion. During periods of high risk aversion, the SML exhibits a positive slope and an intercept that is statistically indistinguishable from zero, with investor sentiment playing only a minor role. During periods of low risk aversion, the SML slope becomes negative and the intercept is significantly positive. Investor sentiment affects the SML only when risk aversion is low. These patterns are robust across alternative portfolio constructions, longer investment horizons, and multiple measures of risk aversion.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich oils, such as fish oil (FO), borage oil (BO), and evening primrose oil (EPO), are highly susceptible to oxidative degradation, which compromises their nutritional value. This study applies Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate data analysis to develop a non-destructive, reagent-free approach for monitoring fatty acid composition and oxidation induced by mild thermal stress (∼50°C), which simulates degradation. FTIR provides clear spectral markers of oxidation and achieved up to 100% classification accuracy, while Raman spectroscopy offered complementary information on unsaturation but showed lower performance (79-84%) and greater oil-type dependency. These findings highlight the importance of algorithm choice in multivariate modelling of spectroscopic data, with Support Vector Machines consistently outperforming other methods. Overall, the spectroscopy-only workflow demonstrated here offers a rapid, scalable, and non-invasive platform for oxidation detection and authenticity testing in PUFA-rich oils under realistic storage conditions.

Alcohol use is driven not only by environmental cues but also by individual differences in motivational style. Recent work has demonstrated how memory cues can reduce subsequent desire for alcohol, yet it remains unclear how personality traits shape this effect. To address this, we recruited male and female participants ( N = 169) who completed the behavioural inhibition/approach system (BIS/BAS) scales and were then cued to recall either a previous alcohol drinking episode and estimate the number of alcohol calories consumed (Alcohol Cue, AC) or a control (Neutral Cue, NC). They then rated their desire for alcohol (DAQ). Findings revealed lower desire for those in the AC compared to NC group and separately, a positive association between alcohol desire and BAS and particularly BAS-Drive. We further found that a measure of residual BAS (BAS less BIS) was positively related to desire but did not moderate the effect of memory cue. These findings suggest that being reminded of a previous drinking episode can exert a modest but consistent influence on alcohol desire. • Memory of a recent drinking episode reduced alcohol desire in males and females. • Increases in Behavioural Approach System (BAS) increased alcohol desire. • BAS did not moderate the effect of the alcohol memory cue. • Memory cues could offer a simple method of reducing alcohol desire.

Abstract The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in Australia in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). This article reports the results of the campaign. Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited through convenience sampling in metropolitan and regional Australia including hospitals, universities, pharmacies, libraries, and community centres. Three seated BP readings were taken on each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP &amp;lt;140/90 mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 2284 were screened, with a mean age of 39.5 years and 52.1% of whom were female. Of all participants, 679 (29.7%) had hypertension, of whom 356 (52.4%) were aware, and 315 (46.4%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 156 (49.5%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 23.0% had controlled BP. The MMM campaign in Australia identified a substantial number of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. The MMM campaign continues to be a cost-effective strategy in Australia to screen participants for hypertension, assess BP control and refer participants to primary care physicians where appropriate. Further efforts from all stakeholders are essential to further improve the reach of the MMM campaign in Australia, to increase awareness and improve BP control in line with the National Hypertension Taskforce of Australia Roadmap.