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Carlotta Lunghi,1– 3 Ippazio Cosimo Antonazzo,2 Sofia Burato,2 Emanuel Raschi,2 Violetta Zoffoli,2 Emanuele Forcesi,2 Elisa Sangiorgi,4 Marco Menchetti,5 Pasquale Roberge,3,6 Elisabetta Poluzzi2 1Department of Health Sciences, Université Du Québec À Rimouski, Lévis, Québec, Canada; 2Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 3Groupe De Recherche PRIMUS, Centre De Recherche Du CHUS, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada; 4Drug Policy Service, Emilia Romagna Region Health Authority, Bologna, Italy; 5Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 6Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadaCorrespondence: Carlotta LunghiDepartment of Health Sciences, Université Du Québec À Rimouski, 1595 Boulevard Alphonse Desjardins, Lévis, Québec G6V 0A6, CanadaTel +1 418-833-8800 Ext. 3275Email Carlotta_Lunghi@uqar.caPurpose: Antidepressant consumption has risen in recent years, driven by longer treatment duration. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of antidepressant long-term and chronic use in the Bologna area, Italy, and to identify their main determinants.Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective claims-based cohort study by using the Bologna Local Health Authority data. A cohort of 18,307 incident users of antidepressant drugs in 2013 was selected, and subjects were followed for three years. A long-term utilization was defined as having at least one prescription claimed during each year of follow-up, while chronic utilization was defined as claiming at least 180 defined daily doses per year. Factors associated with chronic and long-term use were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions.Results: In our cohort, 5448 (29.8%) and 1817 (9.9%) subjects were dispensed antidepressants for a long-term course and in a chronically way, respectively. Older age, antidepressant polytherapy, polypharmacy, and being prescribed the first antidepressant by a hospital physician were all factors independently associated with chronic and long-term prescriptions of antidepressant drugs. Results were reported separately for men and women.Conclusion: Antidepressant long-term and chronic prescriptions are common in the Bologna area. Because longer treatment should be clinically motivated, these results strongly prompt the need to evaluate the actual relevance, as they may indicate potentially inappropriate prescription patterns.Keywords: antidepressants, depression, anxiety, anxiety disorders, primary care, pharmacotherapy, adherence, epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, treatment

Aggressive and violent behaviour is a challenging psychiatric emergency to manage, especially among vulnerable categories such as patients with Intellectual Developmental Disorder. Although there is some evidence that clozapine may be useful as an anti-violence compound, its use is limited by common metabolic complications. An adult patient presented with obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, compulsive food intake, severe Intellectual Developmental Disorder, and a treatment-resistant aggressive behaviour. Clozapine was administered resulting in reduced aggressive behaviour. Unexpectedly, a reduction in the food craving as well as a sustained improvement in both anthropometric parameters and glycemic control were observed during the clozapine treatment. Our case report, describes these findings for the first time, highlighting the need for more clinical research to investigate both the efficacy of clozapine in the Intellectual Developmental Disorder populations and its long-term effects with special regard to the metabolic outcomes in this type of patients.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the inflammatory and/or oxidative damage related to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are responsible for negative effects on sperm physiology and metabolism. Thirty New Zealand White rabbit bucks were divided into 5 experimental groups (6 animals/group): Control, treated with 0.9% NaCl; AgNP, treated with a 5 mM AgNP solution; LPS, treated with 50 g/kg b.w. E. coli LPS; AgNPs + NSAID, treated with an anti-inflammatory drug at 0.2 mg/kg b.w. and 5 mM AgNPs; and AgNPs + Vit E, treated with 0.18 mg/kg b.w. vitamin E and 5 mM AgNPs. Sperm quality and oxidative and inflammatory status were assessed at different times (0-60 days). Two statistical models were built: the first evaluated the effects of AgNPs and LPS (vs. Control), whereas the second evaluated the protective effect of an NSAID and vitamin E against AgNP-induced damage. Three principal component analyses were performed: sperm traits (motility, volume), oxidative status (antioxidants, oxidative metabolites, and redox reactions), and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6). A negative effect on reproductive traits resulted after NP administration. In particular, an inflammatory/oxidative response took place in the reproductive tract during the first 2-3 wks of AgNP administration (cytokine and oxidative metabolite generation); the inflammatory/oxidative thrust impaired the status of rabbit tissues (seminal plasma, sperm, and blood), inducing a response (increased antioxidant enzymes and redox reactions) at 4-7 wks; oxidative stress, if not totally counteracted, likely induced toxicity in the late phases of AgNP administration (8-9 wks). In conclusion, exposure to silver nanoparticles produced a similar but more persistent effect than that of LPS on rabbit reproductive tissues: AgNP administration triggered a proinflammatory response linked to oxidative thrust, worsening many sperm parameters. However, only anti-inflammatory treatment counteracted the negative effects of AgNPs, whereas vitamin E seemed to act as an adjuvant, attenuating the oxidative cascade.

Alien species are the second leading cause of the global biodiversity crisis, after habitat loss and fragmentation. Popular pet species, such as parrots and parakeets (Aves, Psittaciformes), are often introduced outside their native range as a result of the pet trade. On escape from captivity, some such species, such as the ring–necked parakeet and the monk parakeet, are highly invasive and successfully compete with native species. Populations of Amazon parrots (Amazona spp.) can be found throughout the world, but data on their status, distribution and impact are incomplete. We gathered and reviewed the available information concerning global trade, distribution, abundance and ecology of Amazon parrots outside their native range. Our review shows that at least nine species of Amazon parrots have established populations outside their original range of occurrence throughout the world (in Europe, South Africa, the Caribbean islands, Hawaii, and North and South America). Their elusive behaviour and small population size suggest that the number of alien nuclei could be underestimated or at undetected. Despite international trade bans, the large trade of wild–caught Amazon parrots in past decades appears to have contributed to the establishment of alien populations worldwide. Establishment success seems to differ geographically. While European populations are still small and growing slowly, USA populations are large and expanding geographically. This difference is not related to large propagule pressure (trade) but possibly to a better niche match between native and introduced ranges. Amazona aestiva is the most frequently encountered Amazona parrot, with at least eight alien populations reported to date. All these populations, with the exception of those in the USA where the climate is more suitable for their establishment, are composed of a low number of individuals even though they have been established for a long period of time. Further research is required as little information is available on the ecology and potential impact of these alien populations.

We report for the first time the occurrence of the alien ant Cardiocondyla obscurior Wheeler, 1929 on the Greek island of Crete. Cardiocondyla obscurior is one of many congeneric taxa with worldwide success as tramp species, having attained a cosmopolitan distribution while having Indomalayan origins. It was first detected in Europe in 1999, and since 2015 it has started to be found outdoors in Southern European countries. Our record is the first in Europe in which the species is observed to be established outdoors in an agricultural area instead of an urban environment. Introduced Cardiocondyla ants are generally thought to have little ecological impact, although targeted studies have been lacking. Cardiocondyla obscurior is the third species of its genus to be found on the island of Crete, which is characterized by a remarkable ant diversity.

Active learning and practices are strongly encouraged or made mandatory by local, national, and European organizations. Therefore, we set up an interactive practical classroom, engaging all of the attending students of the year (n = 47). Each student was assigned a physiological role (marked on a cardboard sign) in the following events: stimulation on motoneuron dendrites, sodium ions (Na[superscript +]) influx and potassium ions (K[superscript +]) efflux, action potentials onset and saltatory conduction along the axon, acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter exocytosis following Ca[superscript 2+] influx, ACh binding to postsynaptic membrane receptors, ACh-esterase action, excitatory postsynaptic potential, release of Ca[superscript 2+] from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, mechanism of muscular contraction and relaxation, and rigor mortis. A sketch was drawn with colored chalks on the ground outside the room: the motoneuron with its dendrites, cell body, initial segment, myelinated axon, and synaptic bouton; the postsynaptic plasma membrane of the muscle fiber; and the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Students each had their own role and were asked to position themselves and move, accordingly. This resulted in a complete, dynamic, and fluid representation being performed. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the students' learning was limited at this pilot stage. However, positive feedback was received in the self-evaluation reports that were written by students on the physiological meaning of their own role, as well as in the satisfaction questionnaires requested by the University. The rate of students who successfully passed the written exam and the rate of correct answers that included the specific topics addressed in this practice were reported.

Formica clara is an ant species that was historically confused with other congeneric species such as F. rufibarbis until recent taxonomic developments. Due to such misunderstanding, while F. clara is known to occur across a very large Eurasian range, its actual distribution in the Mediterranean is often scarcely known. The distribution of F. clara and F. rufibarbis in Italy is remarkably obscure since almost all records, which spanned across the whole Italian peninsula and Sardinia, were published between 1834 and 1969, at times when the two species were treated as a single taxon. The few modern records of the species testify the presence of F. rufibarbis in the Alps, and F. clara in the Alps, the Po Plain and Sardinia. Here we present some new distributional data on the two species, extending the geographic range of F. rufibarbis south to the Northern Apennines (225 km) and that of F. clara throughout the Italian Peninsula south to Sicily (900 km). These results significantly change the previous understanding of F. rufibarbis as a widespread species while suggesting F. clara to be a common mountain species through the whole Apennines. Further investigations will be needed to verify whether F. rufibarbis occurs farther south.