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Amblyopia is the leading cause of vision impairment in children, and its early detection can avoid irreversible consequences for a child’s visual ability. In this prospective study, to detect amblyopia risk factors, we examined patients aged 18 to 30 months in primary care settings. Patients were referred to an ophthalmologist for confirmation. The main aims were to detect amblyogenic risk factors and to assess the usefulness of a photoscreener in such settings. Out of 453 patients, 42 (9.3%) presented visual alterations according to the photoscreener, with astigmatism being the most common. The instrument had good sensitivity (89%) and specificity (91%), with a positive predictive value of 76% and a negative predictive value of 96%. Overall, 38% of the patients required follow-up, and 47% needed glasses. The automated screening device allowed these children to be diagnosed at an early stage.Conclusions: The use of a photoscreener to screen 2-year-old children in primary care settings was helpful and accurate.What is Known:• Early detection of amblyopic risk factors is important to avoid vision defects. However, it is very difficult to measure visual acuity using visual charts in children younger than 4 years old.What is New:• Instrument-based screening in children aged 18 to 30 months allows excellent detection of early amblyopia risk factors in primary care settings.

Parasitic freshwater mussels are endangered ecosystem engineers with an array of impacts on multiple trophic levels and life stages. While the impacts of adult mussels on separate trophic levels have been studied, few have directly tested how adult mussels can impact trophic interactions, or investigated the impacts of the parasitic mussel larvae (glochidia) on such interactions. We present a laboratory study which mimics two‐stream substrates for the endangered thick‐shelled river mussel (Unio crassus): one dominated by gravel and one by cobbles. First, the preference of a gammarid (Gammarus pulex) for mussel‐dominated habitats was tested in the presence/absence of chemical cues from the predator bullhead (Cottus gobio). Second, the preference of bullhead for mussel‐dominated habitats was tested under or without glochidia infestation. Third, the effect of infestation on bullhead predation on gammarids was assessed in the presence of adult mussels. Gammarids only significantly preferred mussel habitats in the absence of predator cues, whereas infested bullhead tended to prefer mussel habitats in cobble substrates. The presence of adult mussels only significantly reduced bullhead predation on gammarids in the gravel habitat, whereas infestation did not affect bullhead predation. Despite gammarids not preferring mussel habitat in the presence of predator cues, mussel beds represent valuable habitat to gammarids as mussel presence can facilitate a reduction of predation by bullhead. Infestation did not affect the rate of bullhead predation on gammarids but did attract bullhead to mussel habitat in cobble substrates. Our results suggest that mussel beds may be valuable habitat for both their host fish and the prey of their hosts, attracting both and increasing predator–prey interactions. This study highlights the cross‐trophic mechanisms by which multiple life stages of parasitic mussels can impact the interactions of their surrounding benthic community, underscoring their importance as ecosystem engineers. We tested the impact of adult and larval parasitic mussels on the predator–prey interactions between European native bullhead and gammarids. We demonstrate that the parasitic larvae of the mussels have a minimal effect on predation rates but adult mussels have a noteworthy impact on the habitat preference of both species.

The abuse of drugs and chemicals has become a problematic public health dilemma for the world's population and one that must be dealt with by parents, societies, clinicians, researchers, and even countries in the world. This book discusses the complex neurobiology that underlies drug addiction and reveals how these illicit chemicals disrupt central nervous system neurotransmission involving such neurotransmitters as serotonin, dopamine, and others. This manual reviews current understanding in drug interactions with neurotransmitter systems, neuroimmune signaling, current research on reward circuitry, and current medications used to treat drug addiction. It also discusses related topics such as drug addiction in females, co-morbid conditions, drug addiction in minority populations, prenatal drug exposure and others. The book covers new drugs of the 21st century and discusses such controversial topics as legalization of drug use. It also provides internet resources, treatment facilities by state, and parent support organizations. The importance of prevention of drug abuse is a key theme of the book.