Distribution of seabirds and waterbirds in the German Baltic Sea throughout the year

Die Verbreitungsmuster ausgewählter See- und Wasservogelarten in den Offshore-Bereichen der deutschen Ostsee werden erstmals für die vier Jahreszeiträume Frühjahr, Sommer, Herbst und Winter dargestellt. Dabei zeigen sich bei den einzelnen Arten sowohl räumliche als auf saisonale Verbreitungsunterschiede. Die deutschen Ostseewässer stellen für See- und Wasservögel ein wichtiges Rast-, Mauser- und Überwinterungsgebiet dar, einige Arten kommen in international bedeutsamen Konzentrationen vor. Für das im Mai 2004 an die EU-Kommission gemeldete Seevogelschutzgebiet „Östliche Pommersche Bucht“ im Ostteil der deutschen Ostsee werden erstmals aktuelle Bestandszahlen der wichtigsten Seevogelarten vorgestellt. Für im Untersuchungsgebiet nur selten auftretende Seevogelarten werden die Gesamtzahlen aller Nachweise aus den Schiffszählungen angegeben. Ziehende oder nur im Küstenbereich vorkommende Wasservogelarten werden lediglich namentlich aufgelistet. In Ergänzung zu früheren Publikationen liefert der vorliegende Artikel umfassende Informationen über das Vorkommen und die jahreszeitlichen Unterschiede der häufigen See- und Wasservogelarten im Offshore-Bereich der deutschen Ostsee.The German Baltic Sea is a very important area for seabirds and waterbirds. 38 species are regularly found in coastal or offshore waters. Many of them occur in international important concentrations and are subject to various conservation-related conventions and directives, especially the EU Birds Directive and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). From 2000 to 2005, several research projects were dedicated to describe and analyse the distribution and abundance of seabirds in the offshore area in the German Baltic Sea at high spatial and temporal resolutions. In this study, we present for the first time the distribution of seabirds and waterbirds in the German Baltic Sea throughout the year, based on transect counts from ships. The main focus is on the offshore areas. For the most numerous species we present the distribution for the four seasons summer, autumn, winter and spring, defined species-specific. The maps clearly show spatial and temporal differences in the distribution of the various species. While Red-breasted Mergansers, Great Crested Grebes or Great Cormorants occur predominantely close to the coast, Red-necked Grebes, Slavonian Grebes and Common Guillemots, among others, prefer offshore-areas. The most numerous and characteristic species are the sea ducks Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter and Velvet Scoter. They prefer areas with low water depth along the coast or on shallow banks in the offshore area. While Common Eiders occur chiefly in the western parts of the German Baltic Sea, Velvet Scoters are mainly found in the eastern parts. Both species have high densities in the winter half-year but only small numbers during summer. Long-tail Ducks and Common Scoters are distributed over large areas of the German Baltic Sea, but while the former species occurs in the winter half-year only, the latter species is present throughout the whole year. Gulls are widespread throughout the study area and show only local and/or short-term concentrations. Aggregations are often in the vicinity of high fishing activities. The most frequent gull species is the Herring Gull. Terns occur only in very small numbers in the German Baltic Sea, with Black Terns exhibiting small concentrations in the eastern part during late summer. Species that occur predominantly in coastal areas of the German Baltic Sea are not presented in detail. However, for Mute Swan, Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye and Goosander we present maps for the winter half-year (October-April), as the nearshore distribution of these species sometimes extent into offshore areas. For species occuring only seldom within the study area we present a list with the total number of individuals seen during the surveys. Coastal or migrating waterbird species are only named. Together with previously published information on the distribution of seabirds and waterbirds in the German Baltic Sea, available mainly for the winter and spring periods, this study gives a comprehensive overview about the spatial and temporal distribution of the most numerous and widespread seabirds and waterbirds in the German Baltic Sea. In addition, current population estimates of these species are given for the recently designated Special Protection Area “Pommersche Bucht” in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the eastern part of the German Baltic Sea

Anthropogene Nutzungen und deren Auswirkungen auf Seevögel in der Deutschen Bucht: Entwicklung methodischer Ansätze und Bewertung der Effekte

Im Hinblick auf die Intensivierung der anthropogenen Aktivitäten auf dem Meer bestand das Ziel dieser Arbeit darin, die Auswirkungen verschiedener Nutzungsformen auf Seevögel ergebnis- und methodenorientiert zu bewerten. Dabei wurden sowohl Auswirkungen auf das Nahrungssuchverhalten als auch auf die Verbreitungsmuster ausgewählter Seevogelarten untersucht

Untersuchungen zur Rolle des Prion-Gens bei der molekularen Pathogenese der sporadischen Einschlusskörpermyositis

Die sporadische Einschlusskörpermyositis (s-IBM) ist eine chronisch progressive, entzündliche Muskelerkrankung. Die Pathogenese der s-IBM ist unklar, es werden verschiedenste Mechanismen diskutiert. Die in dieser Arbeit durchgeführten Untersuchungen zur Sequenz des Prion-Gens bei Patienten mit s-IBM stellen in diesem Zusammenhang einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Klärung der Pathogenese der Erkrankung dar. Es wurden bei 35 s-IBM Patienten die Zygotie am Kodon 129 des Prion-Gens und die Sequenz des Prion- und des aB-Crystallin-Gens untersucht. Dabei fand sich eine signifikante Häufung der Methionin/ Methionin-Homozygotie bei s-IBM-Patienten im Gegensatz zum deutlichen Überwiegen der Methionin/Valin-Heterozygotie bei der gesunden Kontrollpopulation. Außerdem wurde in dieser Arbeit bei einem s-IBM-Patienten eine bis dahin noch nicht beschriebene Mutation H140R im Prion-Gen gefunden. Der Bereich dieses Aminosäureaustausches liegt in einer bei Säugetieren hochkonservierten Region und ist möglicherweise nicht neutral in Bezug auf die Funktion des Prion-Proteins. Die Funktion des aB-Crystallins als Chaperon, welches neben der korrekten Proteinfaltung möglicherweise auch die Umfaltung von Proteinen in pathologische Formen wie z.B. in PrPsc katalysiert, macht dieses Protein interessant im Hinblick auf die Funktion des Prion-Proteins.In der Mutationsanalyse im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden sieben Patienten auf Mutationen im gesamten aB-Crystallin-Gen und insgesamt 24 Patienten auf Sequenzabweichungen im dritten Exon untersucht. Es stellte sich heraus, dass es bis auf einen schon bekannten Polymorphismus (A117A) keine weiteren Abweichungen von der Wildtypsequenz gab. Lediglich bei einem Patienten fand sich der A117A-Polymorphismus ohne konsekutiven Aminosäureaustausch

Ecosystem based modeling and indication of ecological integrity in the German North Sea - Case study offshore wind parks

Human exploitation and use of marine and coastal areas are apparent and growing in many regions of the world. For instance, fishery, shipping, military, raw material exploitation, nature protection and the rapidly expanding offshore wind power technology are competing for limited resources and space. The development and implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) strategies could help to solve these problems. Therefore, suitable spatial assessment, modeling, planning and management tools are urgently needed. These tools have to deal with data that include complex information on different spatial and temporal scales. A systematic approach based on the development of future scenarios which are assessed by combining different simulationmodels, GIS methods and an integrating set of ecological integrity indicators, was applied in a case study in the German North Sea. Here, the installation of huge offshore wind parks within the near future is planned. The aim was to model environmental effects of altered sea-use patterns on marine biota. Indicators of ecological integrity were used to assess altering conditions and possible ecosystem shifts ranging from systems' degradations to the development of highly productive and diverse artificial reef systems. The results showed that some ecosystem processes and properties and related indicators are sensitive to changes generated by offshore wind park installations while others did not react as hypothesized

The CoViD-19 pandemic and mental health: Disentangling crucial channels

Since the start of the CoViD-19 pandemic, a major source of concern has been its effect on mental health. Using pre-pandemic information and have customized questionnaires in the Dutch LISS panel, we investigate how mental health in the working population has evolved along with the most prominent risk factors associated with the pandemic. Overall, mental health decreased sharply with the onset of the first lockdown but recovered fairly quickly. In December 2020, levels of mental health are comparable to those in November 2019. We show that perceived risk of infection, labor market uncertainty, and emotional loneliness are all associated with worsening mental health. Both the initial drop and subsequent recovery are larger for parents of children below the age of 12. Among parents, the patterns are particularly pronounced for fathers if they shoulder the bulk of additional care. Mothers' mental health takes a particularly steep hit if they work from home and their partner is designated to take care during the additional hours

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Varying foraging patterns in response to competition? A multicolony approach in a generalist seabird

Reducing resource competition is a crucial requirement for colonial seabirds to ensure adequate self‐ and chick‐provisioning during breeding season. Spatial segregation is a common avoidance strategy among and within species from neighboring breeding colonies. We determined whether the foraging behaviors of incubating lesser black‐backed gulls (Larus fuscus) differed between six colonies varying in size and distance to mainland, and whether any differences could be related to the foraging habitats visited. Seventy‐nine incubating individuals from six study colonies along the German North Sea coast were equipped with GPS data loggers in multiple years. Dietary information was gained by sampling food pellets, and blood samples were taken for stable isotope analyses. Foraging patterns clearly differed among and within colonies. Foraging range increased with increasing colony size and decreased with increasing colony distance from the mainland, although the latter might be due to the inclusion of the only offshore colony. Gulls from larger colonies with consequently greater density‐dependent competition were more likely to forage at land instead of at sea. The diets of the gulls from the colonies furthest from each other differed, while the diets from the other colonies overlapped with each other. The spatial segregation and dietary similarities suggest that lesser black‐backed gulls foraged at different sites and utilized two main habitat types, although these were similar across foraging areas for all colonies except the single offshore island. The avoidance of intraspecific competition results in colony‐specific foraging patterns, potentially causing more intensive utilization of terrestrial foraging sites, which may offer more predictable and easily available foraging compared with the marine environment

Adult Gannet migrations frequently loop clockwise around Britain and Ireland

The Gannet Morus bassanus is one of the seabirds considered most at risk from collision mortality at offshore wind farms in UK waters, so a better understanding of migration routes informs assessments of risk for different populations. Deployment of geolocators on breeding adults at the Bass Rock, Scotland, and Skrúður, Iceland, showed that the timing of migrations differed between populations, birds from Bass Rock passing south through UK waters mostly in October and back in February while birds from Skrúður passed south through UK waters mostly later, in November, but returned north earlier, in January. Many birds from both colonies made a clockwise loop migration around Britain and Ireland. Only a minority of birds from the Bass Rock returned northwards to the colony through the southern North Sea. A counter-intuitive consequence is that many Gannets moving northwards through waters to the west of Britain and Ireland in spring may be birds from North Sea colonies. Although Gannets normally remain over the sea, one tracked bird appears to have made a short overland passage in spring from the west of Scotland through central Scotland to the Bass Rock, whereas most returned around the north of Scotland