Differential survival throughout the full annual cycle of a migratory bird presents a life-history trade-off.

Long-distance migrations are among the most physically demanding feats animals perform. Understanding the potential costs and benefits of such behaviour is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. A hypothetical cost of migration should be outweighed by higher productivity and/or higher annual survival, but few studies on migratory species have been able to directly quantify patterns of survival throughout the full annual cycle and across the majority of a species' range. Here, we use telemetry data from 220 migratory Egyptian vultures Neophron percnopterus, tracked for 3,186 bird months and across approximately 70% of the species' global distribution, to test for differences in survival throughout the annual cycle. We estimated monthly survival probability relative to migration and latitude using a multi-event capture-recapture model in a Bayesian framework that accounted for age, origin, subpopulation and the uncertainty of classifying fates from tracking data. We found lower survival during migration compared to stationary periods (β = −0.816; 95% credible interval: −1.290 to −0.318) and higher survival on non-breeding grounds at southern latitudes (<25°N; β = 0.664; 0.076-1.319) compared to on breeding grounds. Survival was also higher for individuals originating from Western Europe (β = 0.664; 0.110-1.330) as compared to further east in Europe and Asia, and improved with age (β = 0.030; 0.020-0.042). Anthropogenic mortalities accounted for half of the mortalities with a known cause and occurred mainly in northern latitudes. Many juveniles drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on their first autumn migration while there were few confirmed mortalities in the Sahara Desert, indicating that migration barriers are likely species-specific. Our study advances the understanding of important fitness trade-offs associated with long-distance migration. We conclude that there is lower survival associated with migration, but that this may be offset by higher non-breeding survival at lower latitudes. We found more human-caused mortality farther north, and suggest that increasing anthropogenic mortality could disrupt the delicate migration trade-off balance. Research to investigate further potential benefits of migration (e.g. differential productivity across latitudes) could clarify how migration evolved and how migrants may persist in a rapidly changing world

Зомета в терапии рака предстательной железы с метастатическим поражением костей на фоне андрогенной депривации (результаты Российского многоцентрового исследования)

Introduction: Hormonal therapy is the method of choice in treating disseminated prostate cancer. Chronic androgenic suppression causes a reduction in bone mineral density. The most common complications of bone metastases are pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, pain, etc.Methods: A multicenter study (11 clinics of Russia) assessing the efficacy of Zometa in preventing skeletal complications of bone metastases was conducted in 2004—2005. Zometa was administered intravenously at a dose of 4 mg every 3Р4 weeks with androgenic deprivation. Its objective effect was evaluated in 70 patients. Changes in bone mineral density were evaluated by densitometry.Results: Complete pain relief was achieved in 73% of the patients; after therapy 86% of the patients had 0—1 WHO activity status score, 97% of the patients had no bone complications. The level of bone resorption marker β-Cross-Laps decreased to the normal values in 51% of the patients.Conclusion: The study has provided an evidence of the efficacy of Zometa and the necessity of using this drug in complex therapy for bone metastases of prostate cancer.Introduction: Hormonal therapy is the method of choice in treating disseminated prostate cancer. Chronic androgenic suppression causes a reduction in bone mineral density. The most common complications of bone metastases are pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, pain, etc.Methods: A multicenter study (11 clinics of Russia) assessing the efficacy of Zometa in preventing skeletal complications of bone metastases was conducted in 2004—2005. Zometa was administered intravenously at a dose of 4 mg every 3Р4 weeks with androgenic deprivation. Its objective effect was evaluated in 70 patients. Changes in bone mineral density were evaluated by densitometry.Results: Complete pain relief was achieved in 73% of the patients; after therapy 86% of the patients had 0—1 WHO activity status score, 97% of the patients had no bone complications. The level of bone resorption marker β-Cross-Laps decreased to the normal values in 51% of the patients.Conclusion: The study has provided an evidence of the efficacy of Zometa and the necessity of using this drug in complex therapy for bone metastases of prostate cancer

Резолюция по итогам Совещания экспертов по лечению кастрационно-резистентного рака предстательной железы

Resolution on the results of the Meeting of Experts on the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer.Итоги обсуждения вопросов лечения метастатического кастрационно-резистентного рака предстательной железы (мКРРПЖ) и определения места препарата энзалутамид в лечении пациентов с мКРРПЖ