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The Brahminy blind snake, Indotyphlops braminus, is the most widely introduced reptile globally. Its spread has been facilitated by the international plant trade, owing to its ability to inhabit plant pots. In Europe, I. braminus is found in Spain (mainland Spain and Canary Islands: Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and La Gomera), Portugal (Madeira Island), Malta and Italy (Ischia and Sicily Islands). This study presents data on the long-term persistence of I. braminus at the first occurrence site in Sicily (Paceco, western Sicily) and new records of the species in this region. Observations in Paceco from 2017 to 2023 suggest the possible survival of a population. Furthermore, individuals attributable to this species were observed in two additional sites, both in urban contexts: the island of Pantelleria (Sicily channel) where two specimens were found in the same site in 2023 and 2024 and Valderice (western Sicily). Our findings indicates that I. braminus may be significantly more widespread in Sicily than previously known. Therefore, further surveys in this area are necessary, and monitoring these sites could be crucial in assessing the survival of this species in Mediterranean climates.

We report the first observations regarding the presence of the leaf-toed gecko, Euleptes europaea, in Sicily. During field activities for environmental impact assessment several leaf-toed gecko individuals were found in a restricted coastal area in the north-west of the island, near the city of Palermo. Further surveys were then carried out to better assess the presence of the species. A total of 21 E. europaea individuals were observed in a small area of approximately 4.4 hectares, consisting of mixed eucalyptus and pine reforestation. Out of the 21 individuals, there were 14 males, 5 females, and 2 whose sex could not be determined. Additionally, at least two pregnant females were observed. Leaf-toed geckos were found exclusively under eucalyptus bark, syntopic with two other Gekkota species (Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turcicus). The presence of such a breeding population of E. europaea is probably limited to a small area. However, our results do not allow us to clearly assess either its origin or its actual distribution and demography, therefore new field investigations are necessary.

Abstract Although the efficacy of pharmacy in the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been well established, the lack of predictors of treatment response poses great challenges for personalized treatment. The current study employed a comprehensive approach, combining genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) and deep learning (DL) methods, to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of pharmacological treatment response in ADHD. Based on genotype data of medication-naïve patients with ADHD who received pharmacological treatments for 12 weeks, the current study performed GWAS using the percentage changes in ADHD-RS score as phenotype. Then, DL models were constructed to predict percentage changes in symptom scores using genetic variants selected based on four different genome-wide P thresholds (E-02, E-03, E-04, E-05) as inputs. The current GWAS results identified two significant loci (rs10880574, P = 2.39E-09; rs2000900, P = 3.31E-09) which implicated two genes, TMEM117 and MYO5B, that were primarily associated with both brain- and gut-related disorders. The convolutional neural network (CNN) model, using variants with genome-wide P values less than E-02 (5516 SNPs), demonstrated the best performance with mean squared error (MSE) equals 0.012 (Accuracy = 0.83; Sensitivity = 0.90; Specificity = 0.75) in the validation dataset, 0.081 in an independent test dataset (Acc = 0.61, Sensitivity = 0.81; Specificity = 0.26). Notably, the variant that contributed most to the CNN model was NKAIN2, an ADHD-related gene, which is also associated with metabolic processes. To conclude, the integration of GWAS and DL methods revealed new genes contribute to ADHD pharmacological treatment responses, and underscored the interplay between neural systems and metabolic processes, potentially providing critical insights into precision treatment. Furthermore, our CNN model exhibited good performance in an independent dataset, encouraged future studies and implied potential clinical applications.

Background and aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the rate of compliance to institutional guidelines on surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) among the surgical wards of our facility and to evaluate the impact of our antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP) on the adherence rate. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study including all 14 surgical wards of our hospital. Eight of these wards participate in a non-restrictive ASP. All patients admitted to one of the wards who had been prescribed SAP were included; the appropriateness of prophylaxis was defined according to the institutional protocols. Results: During the study period, we evaluated 169 patients undergoing a surgical procedure, of whom 105 (62.1%) received SAP. Overall, 10 (10.5%) patients were prescribed unnecessary prophylaxis; among the remaining 95, 30 (31.6%) received appropriate prophylaxis, while 65 (68.4%) were prescribed SAP deemed inappropriate for one or more reasons (38.5% received a drug with a larger spectrum of activity, 9.2% a molecule with a narrower spectrum, 36.9% an incorrect dose and 76.9% a longer duration of prophylaxis). A higher number of patients in the inappropriate prophylaxis group received abdominal surgery (P = 0.001) and were admitted to a ward not participating in the ASP (P < 0.001). At multivariate analysis, being admitted to an ASP unit was the only factor independently related to having received appropriate prophylaxis. Conclusions: A low rate of adherence to local guidelines on SAP was observed, but a non-restrictive ASP can significantly impact the appropriateness of surgical prophylaxis.

Objective: To examine the effects of triple beaded mixed amphetamine salts (TB MAS) on ADHD and executive dysfunction symptoms throughout the day in adults with DSM-5 ADHD. Method: This was a 6 week, single-blind, placebo-lead in trial of TB MAS (12.5-37.5 mg/day); all participants received 2 weeks of single-blind placebo); one individual was a placebo responder and was discontinued. One of these 18 dropped after 1 week on 12.5 mg/day, while all others completed the trial and received 37.5 mg/day TB MAS. Results: There were significant effects of TB MAS on all clinical measures, including investigator overall symptoms (AISRS); self-report overall (ASRS), time-sensitive ADHD (TASS) scores throughout the day, impairment (CGI) and executive function scores (BRIEF-A). TB MAS was generally well tolerated. Conclusions: This study extends prior findings of TB MAS to adults with DSM-5 ADHD; it further re-validates findings of efficacy of TB MAS throughout the day.

Objective: To explore outcomes of stimulant treatment for ADHD in pediatric populations with particular attention to bipolar disorder (BPD). Method: We conducted a literature search of PubMed articles published prior to August 25, 2022 that focused on BPD, mania, and psychosis prior to, or as result of, stimulant treatment. We excluded studies: (1) unrelated to stimulants, (2) general stimulant research, (3) articles older than 40 years, (4) study protocols, or (5) case reports. Results: A total of 11 articles met all inclusion/exclusion criteria. Some reports found stimulant treatment safe and well-tolerated in children with comorbid BPD and ADHD. Others found evidence of treatment-emergent mania (TEM), discontinuation, and other adverse events with stimulant treatment. Conclusion: Poor outcomes associated with stimulant treatment in pediatric populations with BPD necessitate work to identify patients at risk of serious stimulant-related adverse events. Our results were limited by automated search filters and a pediatric, primarily male sample. "(J. of Att. Dis. 2024; 28(5) 740-750)"

Objective: Examine differences in care patterns around adult ADHD between race (White/Non-White) and ethnic (Hispanic/Non-Hispanic) groups utilizing existing quality measures (QMs), concerning diagnosis, treatment, and medication prescribing. Methods: The AAFP National Research Network in partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical used an EHR dataset to evaluate achievement of 10 ADHD QMs. The dataset was obtained from DARTNet Institute and includes 4 million patients of 873 behavioral and primary care practices with at least 100 patients from 2010 to 2020. Patients 18-years or older with adult ADHD were included in this analysis. Results: White patients and Non-Hispanic/Latinx patients were more likely to achieve these QMs than Non-White patients and Hispanic/Latinx patients, respectively. Differences between groups concerning medication and monitoring demonstrate a disparity for Non-White and Hispanic/ Latinx populations. Conclusions: Using QMs in EHR data can help identify gaps in ADHD research. There is a need to continue investigating disparities of quality adult ADHD care. "(J. of Att. Dis. 2024; 28(5) 923-934)"

Objective: There is growing evidence of involvement of inflammatory mechanisms in ADHD. Previous studies found significantly higher rates of ADHD among children with FMF. The present study examined the rate of exposure to FMF in children with a later (within a 5-year period) diagnosis of ADHD compared to non-ADHD children. Methods: A population-based case-control study of all children (<18 years) registered in Leumit Health Services during 01.01.2006 to 06.30.2021. All cases met ICD-9/10 criteria for ADHD. They were matched by age, sex, and socioeconomic status on a 1:2 rate to randomly selected non-ADHD controls. Results: Fifty-six (0.30%) children with ADHD (N = 18,756) were previously diagnosed with FMF compared to 65 of 37,512 controls (0.17%). A significant, independent association existed between a preceding FMF diagnosis and a later ADHD diagnosis [OR = 1.72 (95% CI 1.18-2.51); p = 0.003]. Conclusions: The mechanisms underlying the association w between FMF and later ADHD diagnosis merit further elucidation.

Objective: Several studies have shown that Adult ADHD presents differently in younger and older adults. We sought to assess the difference in care between these two groups using previously identified quality measures (QMs). Methods: Using electronic health record data, we matched a younger group of ADHD patients to an older group. We then assessed the achievement of the QMs using probit models with and without interaction terms. Results: The majority of QMs shown an increase in achievement for both groups over time. However, significant differences in quality of care between younger and older adult ADHD patients persisted. By the end of the study period, with the exception of three QMs, younger patients achieved the QMs more. Conclusion: While, in general, the quality of care for adult ADHD increased from 2010 to 2020, there were still differences in care between younger and older adult ADHD patients.

Objective: We examined the association between the number, magnitude, and frequency of febrile episodes during the 0 to 4 years of life and subsequent diagnosis of ADHD. Methods: This population-based case-control study in an Israeli HMO, Leumit Health Services (LHS), uses a database for all LHS members aged 5 to 18 years between 1/1/2002 and 1/30/2022. The number and magnitude of measured fever episodes during the 0 to 4 years were recorded in individuals with ADHD (N = 18,558) and individually matched non-ADHD controls in a 1:2 ratio (N = 37,116). Results: A significant, independent association was found between the number and magnitude of febrile episodes during the 0 to 4 years and the probability of a later diagnosis of ADHD. Children who never had a measured temperature >37.5°C had a significantly lower rate of ADHD (OR = 0.834, 95% CI [0.802, 0.866], p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Febrile episodes during 0 to 4 years are associated with a significantly increased rate of a later diagnosis of ADHD in a dose-response relationship.

Objective: To provide additional information about clinical features associated with adult ADHD in patients diagnosed in childhood compared to those first diagnosed in adulthood. Method: We stratified a sample of adults with ADHD into patients diagnosed in childhood versus adulthood and compared demographic and clinical characteristics. Results: We found similar clinical features in adults diagnosed in childhood and adults diagnosed in adulthood. Among those diagnosed in adulthood, 95% reported symptom onset in youth. Our results do not support the hypothesis that ADHD diagnosed in adulthood is due to misinterpreting symptoms of other disorders as ADHD. They also suggest incorporating behavioral signs of executive dysfunction into diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults may increase diagnostic sensitivity. Conclusion: These results support the validity of ADHD diagnoses in adulthood, as these adults show similar clinical profiles to those diagnosed in youth. Our results also suggest that if adult-onset ADHD exists, it is rare.

We studied a Triops population from a Mediterranean temporary pond located in Guadalcázar, a township in the western part of Córdoba Province. There are four morphologically similar species of Triops occurring in the SW Iberian Peninsula. In particular, the two species found in southern Andalusia, T. baeticus and T. gadensis, cannot reliably be told apart based on known morphological characters. We thus used sequences of 12S rDNA as a molecular marker to soundly identify the population to species rank. Our results demonstrate that the Triops population studied belongs to T. gadensis. This result is rather unexpected given that the species was thought to be restricted to a small distribution range along the Atlantic coast in Cádiz Province. The population is located at approximately 170 km from previously known sites of T. gadensis and shows a previously unknown haplotype, the sixth 12S haplotype reported for the species. Based on a molecular clock designed for dating divergence events among conspecific samples of Triops, the haplotype is estimated to have diverged at 10.3–29.4 ka BP. We thus suggest that the population has high conservation value, and its habitat, including the surroundings, should be legally protected. We further propose that an open habitat type as pastureland should be retained for the surroundings of the site in order to support its ecological function in the frame of meta-populations dynamics, and as a possible source population from which new localities could be populated via passive dispersal.

The recent elevation of the Western Grass Snake, Natrix helvetica, from subspecies status prompted an assessment of its natural history and ecological traits compared to closely related species. We report an unusual predation attempt by the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile on N. helvetica sicula from Sicily, indicating an ecological interaction previously overlooked in this species. The observation suggests that this crab may utilise snakes’ muscle tissue as an additional nutrient source. This predator-prey interaction, although probably rare, adds to the understanding of the dynamics between crabs and snakes, shedding light on their interaction in freshwater habitats. To provide context for our observation and highlight its rarity, we searched through scientific literature and online sources to generate a comprehensive review of the phenomenon that examines the predatory behaviour of crabs on snakes.

Mercury cadmium telluride (Hg1−xCdxTe or MCT) is the premier material for infrared detection. However, despite its importance, studies exploring the ultrafast photoresponse in this semiconductor alloy are limited. Here, we use time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy to perform a detailed study of the picosecond charge carrier dynamics in long-wave infrared Hg1−xCdxTe (x ∼ 0.2) films, providing insight into ultrafast carrier cooling and temperature-dependent scattering mechanisms. Due to the multilayer photoexcited sample geometry, an elementary thin-film analysis leads to a negative photoconductivity artifact. We, therefore, derive a modified thin-film photoconductivity formula to accurately extract a Drude photoconductivity spectrum. In our analysis, we include the effects of carrier diffusion and the conduction band non-parabolicity in Hg1−xCdxTe. We extract ultrahigh electron mobilities as large as 6 × 105 cm2 V−1 s−1 at 25 K. At cryogenic temperatures, we find the photoexcited electron mobility is up to four times larger than the dark mobility, which we attribute to suppression of ionized impurity scattering due to hole capture by acceptor-type Hg vacancies. In addition, after photoexcitation, we observe a relatively slow rise in photoconductivity over a 10 ps timescale with a monotonically increasing carrier scattering time and a carrier effective mass that decays exponentially with a time constant of 1.9 ps, which we attribute to hot-carrier cooling dynamics in the non-parabolic conduction band.

Objective: To investigate the associations of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with binge eating spectrum conditions (BESC) (binge eating disorder [BED], bulimia nervosa [BN], and recurrent binge eating [RBE]), psychiatric and somatic comorbidity, and healthcare utilization in a representative sample of a Brazilian city. Methods: A household survey of 2,297 adult residents of the city of Rio de Janeiro was conducted. The Adult Self-Rating Scale Screener (ASRS-6) was used to assess ADHD symptoms. BESC was assessed using the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5) and confirmed by telephone interview. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess psychiatric comorbidity. Closed-ended questions investigated somatic comorbidity and healthcare utilization. Results: ADHD symptoms were highly associated with BESC (BED: OR = 13.2, 95%CI 4.3-40.6; BN: OR = 27.5, 95%CI 5.9-128.7; RBE: OR = 5.8, 95%CI 2.9-11.4). However, with further adjustment for psychiatric comorbidity (depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and impulsivity), the ORs were no longer significant. Healthcare resource utilization was significantly higher in participants with ADHD and BESC but lost significance after controlling for psychiatric comorbidity. Conclusion: ADHD was associated with an increased prevalence of BESC and greater healthcare utilization. Nonetheless, there was an essential interplay among psychiatric comorbidity in the associations of ADHD and BESC.

ABSTRACTA wide range of survey studies have explored vaccination hesitancy/resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided evidence that this can be explained by several individual variables from the ideological, clinical, and socio-affective domain. However, evidence about which individual variables predict vaccine hesitancy in the post-pandemic state of COVID-19 is meager. We administered a battery of questionnaires to a group of 120 Italian participants with high and low scores on the adult vaccine hesitancy scale (aVHS) to investigate the predictive role of ideological (i.e. political orientation), clinical (i.e. anxiety, interoceptive accuracy), and socio-affective (i.e. alexithymia, disgust sensitivity/propensity, empathy) variables on vaccine hesitancy/resistance. This study provides evidence that lower interoceptive awareness and cognitive empathy are predictors of a greater hesitancy to get vaccinated in the post-pandemic COVID-19 state.

In recent decades, medicinal leeches of the genus Hirudo have experienced a sharp decline throughout their distribution range due to their overexploitation for medical use and habitat alteration. Such a phenomenon is not fully understood because of the complex taxonomy of the genus, which remained unsettled until the beginning of the XXI century, when the implementation of DNA taxonomy allowed for a better understanding of the diversity of the genus and the distribution ranges of Hirudo species. Only the Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 is currently reported to occur in Italy and its major islands, although records of other Hirudo species have been reported in the literature. In this study, we report the occurrence of the Dragon leech Hirudo troctina Johnson, 1816 in Sardinia and provide its molecular characterization. In addition, based on a review of the existing literature and museum collections, we provide an ample synopsis of the available evidence regarding the occurrence of the species on the island. Hirudo troctina proved to be widespread and abundant in Sardinia during the XIX century but became rarer and rarer in the XX and XXI centuries possibly due to its overexploitation for medicinal use and export in mainland Europe, the abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and the decline of wetland habitats and amphibian populations. Currently, the only recently validated occurrence sites of the species are the water bodies of the “Giara di Gesturi”, a basaltic plateau in central-southern Sardinia. No corroborated evidence of the possible occurrence of other Hirudo species on the island was found. A better understanding of Hirudo troctina distribution in Sardinia will allow the amelioration of its protection and management practices, also under the provisions of the European “Habitats Directive”, where the H. medicinalis species complex is listed in Annex V.

Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus are vectors of a range of pathogens of public health significance in North America. These ticks transmit pathogens to and from wild animal reservoir host species, but also bite humans and expose them to the pathogens. We describe the geographical and temporal distribution of the pathogen Babesia odocoilei, the causative agent of cervid babesiosis. Ixodes spp. ticks collected through active and passive surveillance were submitted to the National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada for analysis of the presence of B. odocoilei from 2018 to 2021. Generalized linear models were constructed to evaluate the temporal change of B. odocoilei prevalence across Canada. Babesia odocoilei-positive I. scapularis are widespread across south-central and eastern regions of Canada, with an overall prevalence of 12.0 % in both nymphs (CI 95 % : 11.4–12.6) and adults (CI 95 % : 11.9–12.1) collected in passive surveillance and 13.2 % (CI 95 % : 12.9–13.5) and 10.0 % (CI 95 % : 9.8–10.2) in nymphs and adult, respectively, collected in active surveillance. A single I. pacificus tick tested positive in active surveillance out of 29 ticks collected in British Columbia, while no B odocoilei-positive I. scapularis were found in passive surveillance among the 11 adult ticks tested. Although B. odocoilei infection prevalence of adult I. scapularis was significantly higher in 2019 (14.1 %) than in 2018 (7.4 %), it remained stable from 2019 to 2021, suggesting that this pathogen may already be well established in endemic tick populations. The results provided in this article represent, to date, the most comprehensive picture of B. odocoilei distribution and prevalence in ticks in Canada and highlight the interest of maintaining One Health surveillance approaches to give added insight into disease transmission cycles for less well-characterized microorganisms.

This study presents the polarization photodetection enhancement in Sb2Se3 nanotube (NT)‐based near‐infrared (NIR) photodetectors through simulation‐based and experimental investigations. High‐quality single‐crystal Sb2Se3 NTs are grown via chemical vapor deposition and characterized by using multiple techniques. The optical simulation reveals a remarkable difference in the light absorption ratio (specifically, absorption along the NT/nanowire (NW) against absorption perpendicular to the NT/NW) between Sb2Se3 NT and NW of the same size in the NIR region. The complementary photodetection experiments present that the fabricated Sb2Se3 NT photodetector demonstrates enhanced polarization photodetection in the NIR range, as indicated by a significantly increased dichroic ratio (3.03 at 850 nm) compared to that of similar‐sized NW counterpart (1.81 at 850 nm). Additionally, the Sb2Se3 NT photodetector exhibits exceptional performance, with a high responsivity of 4.18 A W−1 and specific detectivity of 8.94 × 1010 Jones under 830 nm light illumination. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the microcavity resonance effect and its role in polarization photodetection enhancement, highlighting the potential of self‐assembled Sb2Se3 NTs in high‐performance near‐infrared polarized photodetection and other relevant applications.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with a major genetic component. Here, we present a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of ADHD comprising 38,691 individuals with ADHD and 186,843 controls. We identified 27 genome-wide significant loci, highlighting 76 potential risk genes enriched among genes expressed particularly in early brain development. Overall, ADHD genetic risk was associated with several brain-specific neuronal subtypes and midbrain dopaminergic neurons. In exome-sequencing data from 17,896 individuals, we identified an increased load of rare protein-truncating variants in ADHD for a set of risk genes enriched with probable causal common variants, potentially implicating SORCS3 in ADHD by both common and rare variants. Bivariate Gaussian mixture modeling estimated that 84-98% of ADHD-influencing variants are shared with other psychiatric disorders. In addition, common-variant ADHD risk was associated with impaired complex cognition such as verbal reasoning and a range of executive functions, including attention.

In vivo experimental analysis of human brain tissue poses substantial challenges and ethical concerns. To address this problem, we developed a computational method called the Brain Gene Expression and Network-Imputation Engine (BrainGENIE) that leverages peripheral-blood transcriptomes to predict brain tissue-specific gene-expression levels. Paired blood-brain transcriptomic data collected by the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Project was used to train BrainGENIE models to predict gene-expression levels in ten distinct brain regions using whole-blood gene-expression profiles. The performance of BrainGENIE was compared to PrediXcan, a popular method for imputing gene expression levels from genotypes. BrainGENIE significantly predicted brain tissue-specific expression levels for 2947-11,816 genes (false-discovery rate-adjusted p