Genetic and Non Genetic Hearing Loss and Associated Disabilities: An Epidemiological Survey in Emilia-Romagna Region

Hearing loss is one of the most common congenital sensory disorders. It can be associated with several comorbidities, in particular developmental disabilities (DD). In Emilia-Romagna (ER), a region in Northern Italy, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide the diagnostic framework and treatment for these conditions. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence of hearing loss, both isolated or in association with comorbidities, in the juvenile population. The study draws its data from the ER Childhood and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Information System (SINPIAER), an Administrative Healthcare Database collecting the clinical data of all those who have attended CAMHS since 2010. The most frequent type of hearing loss was bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, which was present in 69–72% of the cases, while bilateral conductive hearing loss was the second most common type, ranging from 8 to 10%. Among DD, congenital malformations, mental retardation, visual impairment, and cerebral palsy were the most common. In particular, autism spectrum disorders show increasing incidence and prevalence among CAMHS users in ER region. In-depth knowledge of hearing loss epidemiology and related conditions, such as developmental disabilities, in the juvenile population is crucial for disease prevention, health planning, and resource allocation.

Sightings trends and behaviour of manta rays in Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil

Despite substantial progress in mobulid research over the past decade, knowledge gaps in manta ray ecology and behaviour remain, particularly in the South Atlantic Ocean. Opportunistic photographic and video records of manta rays collected between 2002 and 2019 at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (FNA) in northeast Brazil provide evidence to support the year-round use of the region by manta rays (believed to be Mobula cf. birostris). From a total of 130 sighting records, manta rays exhibited feeding behaviour in 36.9% (n = 48) of sightings, indicating that the shallow waters surrounding the archipelago are used as feeding grounds. Approximately half of the records (53.8%) corresponded to identified individuals that were re-sighted repeatedly, using the area in different seasons and for several years. Of the compiled records, 69.2% of sightings were of small individuals (≤3 m disc width). All identified males had undeveloped claspers and females had no visible mating scars, suggesting a juvenile population. Despite being limited to a small local sample, here we present the first report of manta rays at FNA and provide preliminary evidence of feeding behaviour by juvenile manta rays in Brazil. This information contributes to our understanding of the regional distribution and habitat use of manta rays in Brazilian waters.

Results of the expert forum on the use of perampanel in adolescents with epilepsy in everyday clinical practice

In June 2020, an online forum of experts on the use of perampanel in adolescents with epilepsy in everyday clinical practice was held. The main goal was to discuss the features of juvenile epilepsy, its diagnosis, the possibilities of using perampanel in this category of patients, and the effectiveness of using the drug in everyday clinical practice. The forum was attended by leading experts in neurology and epileptology. Current data on the epidemiology of epilepsy in the child and juvenile population were presented; the issues of difficulties and diagnostic errors were considered, as well as features of managing adolescents with epilepsy, adverse events of antiepileptic therapy, results of studies on the effectiveness of perampanel, and many social aspects of the life of patients in this category.

Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth

Juvenile population density has profound effects on subsequent adult development, morphology and reproductive investment. Yet, little is known about how the juvenile social environment affects adult investment into chemical sexual signalling. Male gumleaf skeletonizer moths, Uraba lugens, facultatively increase investment into antennae (pheromone receiving structures) when reared at low juvenile population densities, but whether there is comparable adjustment by females into pheromone investment is not known. We investigate how juvenile population density influences the ‘calling' (pheromone-releasing) behaviour of females and the attractiveness of their pheromones. Female U. lugens adjust their calling behaviour in response to socio-sexual cues: adult females reared in high juvenile population densities called earlier and for longer than those from low juvenile densities. Juvenile density also affected female pheromonal attractiveness: Y-maze olfactometer assays revealed that males prefer pheromones produced by females reared at high juvenile densities. This strategic investment in calling behaviour by females, based on juvenile cues that anticipate the future socio-sexual environment, likely reflects a response to avoid mating failure through competition with neighbouring signallers.

Youth Crime in Colombia

In some countries, the increase in the youth population is connected to greater criminal activity. In the case of Colombia, different studies support the idea of providing socio-economic possi-bilities for young people to avoid being linked to illegal and criminal activities. Based on these precedents, this document examines whether the increase in the youth population in Colombia is directly connected to municipal crime during 2000-2010, a period in which those born in the 1990’s reached their teenage years and could participate in urban crime. For this study, economic and other variables of total and juvenile population are constructed for youth between the ages of 15-24, as well as variables in population density and political polarization incorporating the crime index proposed by (Durán, López, & Restrepo, 2009). The proposed model estimates that youth population density, population growth, conflict actions and political polarization are asso-ciated with an increase in crime. Also, greater development and political polarization can lead to an environment of less crime.

Dynamic Behaviors of a Single Species Stage Structure Model with Michaelis–Menten-TypeJuvenile Population Harvesting

A single species stage structure model with Michaelis–Menten-type juvenile population harvesting is proposed and investigated. The existence and local stability of the model equilibria are studied. It shows that for the model, two cases of bistability may exist. Some conditions for the global asymptotic stability of the boundary equilibrium are derived by constructing some suitable Lyapunov functions. After that, based on the Bendixson–Dulac discriminant, we obtain the sufficient conditions for the global asymptotic stability of the internal equilibrium. Our study shows that nonlinear harvesting can make the dynamics of the system more complex than linear harvesting; for example, the system may admit the bistable stability property. Numeric simulations support our theoretical results.

Examining the influence of the communication frame and gender identification in the intention to screen for Hepatitis C

Background: Hepatitis C is present all over the world with a high prevalence in European Regions, and Italy appears to be one of the European countries with an estimated prevalence of the chronic disease in about 3% of the population (1.5 million people). The scientific evidence shows that risky behaviours are widespread among young people and require particular attention and adequate measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different narrative communicative scenarios regarding the intention of students to carry out diagnostic testing for Hepatitis C and if gender identification, and the increase in information about the infection risk could influence the students’ propensity to undergo a medical test.Methods: The study was voluntarily attended by 850 university students. Participants were administered three narrative scenarios with different frames (positive, negative, ambivalent) and including two gender options (male and female) for the main character of the story.Results: Results showed that in order to stimulate the propensity for a diagnostic check in the juvenile population, the use of a negative scenario with a same gender character was always more effective than the use of a positive framed scenario, even if the level of knowledge about the disease was remarkable.Conclusion: The findings of this study can ultimately help the policy makers develop communication campaigns to raise awareness of the risk and encourage medical screening that needs to be adapted to target populations.

“Taking a Walk on the Wild Side”: Exploring Residence-to-Crime in Juveniles

Although evidence regarding the journey-to-crime in juvenile offenders is available for some areas of the world, little is known about their mobility patterns in Southern Europe. Variables such as prosocial facilities, transport stations, or socioeconomic backdrop have been proved to influence the traveled distance. Therefore, we aimed to confirm previous findings in the journey-to-crime literature using data provided by the Juvenile Justice Department of the Basque Country (Spain). Although some results are in line with those of previous studies, emphasizing the relevance of environmental factors for better understanding crime patterns in the juvenile population, other specific patterns also emerged that suggest the need to replicate research across countries and to consider specific behavior patterns and styles of spatial design in each study setting.