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A reliable diagnosis of adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is challenging as many of the symptoms of ADHD resemble symptoms of other disorders. ADHD is associated with gambling disorder and obesity, showing overlaps of about 20% with each diagnosis. It is important for clinical practice to differentiate between conditions displaying similar symptoms via established diagnostic instruments. Applying the LightGBM algorithm in machine learning, we were able to differentiate subjects with ADHD, obesity, problematic gambling, and a control group using all 26 items of the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS-S: S) with a global accuracy of .80; precision (positive predictive value) ranged between .78 (gambling) and .92 (obesity), recall (sensitivity) between .58 for obesity and .87 for ADHD. Models with the best 5 and best 10 items resulted in less satisfactory fits. The CAARS-S seems to be a promising instrument to be applied in clinical practice also for multiclassifying disorders displaying symptoms resembling ADHD.

Animal communities can be influenced by the composition of the surrounding landscape through immigration. Depending on habitat preferences, however, the effect of the landscape matrix can be positive or negative and can vary with scale. We tested this idea with arable spiders and tried to infer dispersal distances from relationships between local density and landscape composition at different spatial scales. Thirty-eight landscapes around the cities of Göttingen and Giessen, Germany. Spiders were captured with pitfall traps in one field of winter wheat in each landscape. Landscape composition around the fields was characterized at 11 scales from 95 m to 3 km radius by land-use mapping and subsequent GIS analysis. Correlation tests were performed between landscape composition and local densities or species richness. In both study regions, local species richness was enhanced by non-crop habitats on a landscape scale. The overall densities of wolf spiders (Lycosidae), long-jawed spiders (Tetragnathidae), crab spiders (Thomisidae), and dwarf sheet spiders (Hahniidae) increased significantly in landscapes with high percentages of non-crop habitats. Out of the 40 species tested, 19 responded positively to the percentage of non-crop habitats in the surrounding landscape, and five responded negatively. Depending on the species, the spatial scales with the highest explanatory power ranged from 95 m to 3 km radius around the study fields, potentially reflecting dispersal distances. Arable spider species showed contrasting responses to the landscape context with respect both to the direction and to the spatial scale of the relationship. The variation in landscape requirements among species ensures high spider densities in a wide range of situations, which contributes to ecosystem resilience. However, species richness of arable spiders depends on heterogeneous landscapes with high percentages of non-crop habitats.

1. The distribution and abundance of animals are influenced by factors at both local and wider landscape scales. Natural enemies of pests in arable fields often immigrate from the surrounding landscape, and are also influenced by local management practices. Thus, landscape diversification and farming methods may both enhance farmland biodiversity, but their relative roles and possible interactions have been little explored. 2. The relationships of ground-dwelling spiders (Araneae) to landscape features and to organic agriculture were studied in 12 pairs of organic vs. conventional fields of winter wheat Triticum aestivum along a gradient of landscape complexity. 3. High percentages of non-crop habitats in the landscape increased local species richness of spiders from 12 to 20 species, irrespective of local management. This indicates that larger species pools are sustained in complex landscapes, where there is higher availability of refuge and overwintering habitats. 4. Organic agriculture did not increase the number of spider species, but enhanced spider density by 62%. Additionally, spider density was positively related to the percentage of non-crop habitats in the surrounding landscape, but only in conventional fields. 5. Synthesis and applications. The species richness of ground-dwelling spiders in crop fields was linked to large-scale landscape complexity, while spider densities responded to local management practices. Organic agriculture benefits farmland spiders and augments the numbers of predatory spiders, thereby contributing to pest control. However, measures to conserve species richness must also take landscape-scale factors into account. Complex landscapes including perennial non-crop habitats should be preserved or restored to achieve high levels of spider diversity.

Aim: Niche theory emphasizes the importance of environmental conditions for the distribution and abundance of species. Using a macroecological approach our study aimed at identifying the important environmental gradients for spiders. We generated numerical values of niche position and niche width. We also investigated relationships between these niche properties as well as the degree of phylogenetic conservatism in order to draw conclusions about the evolution of the habitat niche. Location: Central Europe: lowlands of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Methods: We analysed 244 published spider communities from 70 habitat types by correspondence analysis. The resulting community scores were used to test for correlations with habitat characteristics. Species scores were used to derive niche position (mean scores) and niche width (standard deviation of scores). To test for niche conservatism we estimated variance components across the taxonomic hierarchy. Results: The first two axes of the correspondence analysis were correlated with shading and moisture, respectively. Niche width had a hump-shaped relationship to both environmental gradients. β-diversity was strikingly higher in open habitats than in forests. Habitat niche conservatism was lower than phylogenetic conservatism in body size. Main conclusions: Environmental factors are important drivers for the β-diversity of spiders, especially across open habitats. This underlines the importance of preserving the whole range of moisture conditions in open habitats. Narrow niches of species occurring at the ends of both environmental gradients indicate that adaptations to extreme habitats lead to constraints in ecological flexibility. Nevertheless, the habitat niche of species seems to evolve much faster than morphological or physiological traits.

Clock genes govern circadian rhythms and shape the effect of alcohol use on the physiological system. Exposure to severe negative life events is related to both heavy drinking and disturbed circadian rhythmicity. The aim of this study was 1) to extend previous findings suggesting an association of a haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphism of PER2 gene with drinking patterns, and 2) to examine a possible role for an interaction of this gene with life stress in hazardous drinking. Data were collected as part of an epidemiological cohort study on the outcome of early risk factors followed since birth. At age 19 years, 268 young adults (126 males, 142 females) were genotyped for PER2 rs56013859 and were administered a 45-day alcohol timeline follow-back interview and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Life stress was assessed as the number of severe negative life events during the past four years reported in a questionnaire and validated by interview. Individuals with the minor G allele of rs56013859 were found to be less engaged in alcohol use, drinking at only 72% of the days compared to homozygotes for the major A allele. Moreover, among regular drinkers, a gene x environment interaction emerged (p = .020). While no effects of genotype appeared under conditions of low stress, carriers of the G allele exhibited less hazardous drinking than those homozygous for the A allele when exposed to high stress. These findings may suggest a role of the circadian rhythm gene PER2 in both the drinking patterns of young adults and in moderating the impact of severe life stress on hazardous drinking in experienced alcohol users. However, in light of the likely burden of multiple tests, the nature of the measures used and the nominal evidence of interaction, replication is needed before drawing firm conclusions.

Reports of current ADHD symptoms in adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD are often discrepant: While one subgroup reports a particularly high level of current ADHD symptoms, another reports—in contrast—a very low level. The reasons for this difference remain unclear. Although sex might play a moderating role, it has not yet been examined in this regard. In an epidemiological cohort study from birth to young adulthood, childhood ADHD diagnoses were assessed at the ages of 4.5, 8, and 11 years based on parent ratings. Sex-specific development of ADHD symptoms was analyzed from the age of 15 to 25 years via self-reported ADHD symptoms in participants with (n = 47) and without childhood ADHD (n = 289) using a random coefficient regression model. The congruence between parent reports and adolescents’ self-ratings was examined, and the role of childhood ADHD diagnosis, childhood OCC/CD, and childhood internalizing disorder as possible sex-specific predictors of self-reported ADHD symptoms at age 25 years was investigated. With regard to self-reported ADHD symptoms, females with a childhood ADHD diagnosis reported significantly more ADHD symptoms compared to females without childhood ADHD and males with and without ADHD throughout adolescence and young adulthood. In contrast, males with childhood ADHD did not differ from control males either at age 15 or at age 25 years. Only in females did a childhood diagnosis of an externalizing disorder (ADHD and CD/ODD) predict self-reported ADHD symptoms by age 25 years. Our findings suggest that self-reports of young adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD are influenced by sex. Specifically, females with childhood ADHD report increased levels of ADHD symptoms upon reaching adulthood. To correctly evaluate symptoms and impairment in this subgroup, other, more objective, sources of information may be advisable, such as neurophysiological measures.

Satisfactory psychometric properties in offline questionnaires do not guarantee the same outcome in Web-based versions. Any construct that is measured online should be compared to a paper-based assessment so that the appropriateness of online questionnaire data can be tested. Little research has been done in this area regarding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. The objective was to simultaneously collect paper-based and Web-based ADHD questionnaire data in adults not diagnosed with ADHD in order to compare the two data sources regarding their equivalence in raw scores, in measures of reliability, and in factorial structures. Data from the German versions of the Connors Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS-S), the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS-k), and the ADHD Self Rating Scale (ADHS-SB) were collected via online and paper questionnaires in a cross-sectional study with convenience sampling. We performed confirmatory factor analyses to examine the postulated factor structures in both groups separately and multiple group confirmatory factor analyses to test whether the postulated factor structures of the questionnaires were equivalent across groups. With Cronbach alpha, we investigated the internal consistency of the postulated factors in the different questionnaires. Mann-Whitney U tests with the effect size \"Probability of Superiority (PS)\" were used to compare absolute values in the questionnaires between the two groups. In the paper-based sample, there were 311 subjects (73.3% female); in the online sample, we reached 255 subjects (69% female). The paper-based sample had a mean age of 39.2 years (SD 18.6); the Web-based sample had a mean age of 30.4 years (SD 10.5) and had a higher educational background. The original four factor structure of the CAARS-S could be replicated in both samples, but factor loadings were different. The Web-based sample had significantly higher total scores on three scales. The five-factor structure of the German short form of the WURS-k could be replicated only in the Web-based sample. The Web-based sample had substantially higher total scores, and nearly 40% of the Web-based sample scored above the clinically relevant cut-off value. The three-factor structure of the ADHS-SB could be replicated in both samples, but factor loadings were different. Women in the Web-based sample had substantially higher total scores, and 30% of the Web-based sample scored above the clinically relevant cut-off value. Internal consistencies in all questionnaires were acceptable to high in both groups. Data from the Web-based administration of ADHD questionnaires for adults should not be used for the extraction of population norms. Separate norms should be established for ADHD online questionnaires. General psychometric properties of ADHD questionnaires (factor structure, internal consistency) were largely unaffected by sampling bias. Extended validity studies of existing ADHD questionnaires should be performed by including subjects with a diagnosis of ADHD and by randomizing them to Web- or paper-based administration.

1. Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to biodiversity and can lead to the loss of both species and ecosystem services, but fragmentation effects vary greatly between studies and studied organisms. Understanding the distinct effects of habitat amount and isolation at the patch and landscape scale may account for some of this variation. 2. We studied biodiversity in 30 traditional orchards that were selected for independent variation in habitat amount and habitat isolation at the patch and landscape scale. We analysed species richness and abundance of snails, beetles, true bugs, spiders and breeding birds that avoid open farmland but occur in woody vegetation types. Additionally, the abundances of nine single species were analysed using specific habitat definitions. 3. Surprisingly, the effects of habitat isolation were more important than the effects of habitat amount. Effects at the patch scale were more frequent than landscape-scale effects. 4. Spider species richness decreased with increasing patch-scale habitat amount. Abundance of the weevil Phyllobius oblongus increased with landscape-scale habitat amount. Negative effects of patch isolation were greater for predatory birds and spiders, while the predominately herbivorous beetles, true bugs and snails were less affected. Species richness of birds, spiders and beetles, and abundance of birds, Cyanistes caeruleus, Parus major and Fringilla coelebs, decreased with increasing patch-scale habitat isolation. In contrast, species richness of spiders and beetles increased with increasing landscape-scale habitat isolation. 5. Synthesis and applications. The effects of habitat fragmentation differed between taxonomic groups, with stronger and more consistent responses in birds than invertebrates. Our understanding of fragmentation effects may be biased due to the dominance of bird studies in the literature, and further invertebrate studies are encouraged. Landscape management to improve biodiversity or ecosystem services requires a group-specific approach and coordinated priority setting. High habitat connectivity benefited wood-preferring birds, spiders and beetles, lending support to national initiatives for increased habitat connectedness. The negative effects of patch isolation were greater for natural pest regulators, birds and spiders than for herbivorous beetles and bugs.

In this study, the association of aggressive behavior and personality traits with plasma cortisol levels was investigated in a high-risk community sample of adolescents. Plasma cortisol levels were collected in 245 fifteen-year-olds (118 males, 127 females) from an epidemiological cohort study of children at risk for psychopathology. Additionally, measures of reactive and proactive aggression, externalizing behavior and callous-unemotional together with impulsive personality features were assessed. Both subtypes of aggression as well as delinquent behavior and impulsive personality traits showed significant negative correlations with plasma cortisol levels. This association was observed in males, but not in females. In both gender groups, callous-unemotional traits were unrelated to plasma cortisol levels. This result suggests that the association between cortisol levels and aggression in adolescents is mediated rather by impulsivity than by unemotional or psychopathic traits.

Child temperament as well as parenting behaviors have been linked to adolescent depression. Beyond their main effects, the interplay between these factors is of interest. For example, in an interactive model, a differential susceptibility of temperamental variants to parenting has been suggested. However, so far, the differential susceptibility hypothesis has mostly been studied with a focus on externalizing disorders. On the other hand, parenting may shape the child’s temperament and vice versa in a transactional process. In a prospective, longitudinal at-risk sample (163 boys, 176 girls), we assessed emotional (easy–difficult) and regulative (self-control) temperament at ages 4.5, and 8 years, respectively, as well as parenting quality at age 4.5 years using the HOME inventory. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to investigate the prediction of depressive symptoms at age 11, measured by the Child Depression Inventory, including interaction terms between the temperament variable and parenting. We additionally tested whether parenting was mediated by child temperament. As previously reported, both self-control and parenting were longitudinally associated with preadolescent depressive symptoms. There were no interactive effects between temperament and parenting. However, the effects of parenting were partly mediated by self-control. Our data do not support a differential susceptibility of temperamental variants in the development of preadolescent depression. However, our results are in line with the assumption that parenting may shape young children’s temperament, with positive parenting in the early childhood fostering the development of regulative temperament.