Lead contamination in raptors in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lead contamination is a widely recognised conservation problem for raptors worldwide. There are a number of studies in individual raptor species but those data have not been systematically evaluated to understand raptor-wide lead exposure and effects at a pan-European scale. To critically assess the extent of this problem, we performed a systematic review compiling all published data on lead in raptors (1983–2019) and, through a meta-analysis, determined if there was evidence for differences in exposure across feeding traits, geographical regions, between hunting and non-hunting periods, and changes over time. We also reviewed the impact of lead on raptors and the likely main source of exposure. We examined 114 studies that were unevenly distributed in terms of time of publication and the countries in which studies were performed. Peer-reviewed articles reported data for 39 raptor species but very few species were widely monitored across Europe. Obligate (vultures) and facultative scavengers (golden eagle, common buzzard and white-tailed sea eagle) accumulated the highest lead concentrations in tissues and generally were the species most at risk of lead poisoning. We found no evidence of a spatial or decadal trend in lead residues, but we demonstrated that high lead blood levels relate to hunting season. Exposure at levels associated with both subclinical and lethal effects is common and lead from rifle bullets and shot is often the likely source of exposure. Overall, our review illustrates the high incidence and ubiquity of lead contamination in raptors in Europe. However, we did not find studies that related exposure to quantitative impacts on European raptor populations nor detailed studies on the impact of mitigation measures. Such information is urgently needed and requires a more harmonised approach to quantifying lead contamination and effects in raptors across Europe

Costs of breeding are rapidly buffered and do not affect migratory behaviour in a long-lived bird species

Life history theory states that individual fitness in one stage of life is conditioned by what occurred in previous stages. In migratory species, reproductive effort during breeding has often been found to influence body condition, molt schedule, self‐provisioning and migration of individuals in subsequent seasons (i.e., carryover effects of breeding). However, there is a current uncertainty in understanding how long‐distance migrants trade off among such energy‐demanding activities (i.e., breeding, molting and migrating). To provide evidence to the field, we experimentally reduced the parental effort of a long‐lived Procellariform, the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis), by inducing failure at the incubation stage. Treatment and control birds were tracked during their subsequent migration by means of light‐level and immersion loggers and sampled for six specific feathers (molted at different periods along the migratory cycle) upon the recovery of the loggers 1 yr later. Feathers were used to perform stable isotope analysis (SIA) and determine corticosterone levels (CORT). By these means, we evaluated the effect of breeding effort on migratory strategy, at‐sea activity patterns, molt patterns, and levels of stress experienced by birds along the non‐breeding period. We did not detect any difference between birds in the induced failure group and successful breeders in terms of spatio‐temporal distribution: all birds shared common foraging areas throughout the study period and the timing of major phenological events did not differ. Failed birds significantly advanced their molt, as revealed by SIA and flying activity patterns. The stress levels of failed birds, inferred through CORT concentrations in feathers, were found to be consistently lower than in successful breeders, through the end of the breeding to the non‐breeding period. Thus, we provide robust evidence that the costs of reproduction can be physiologically mediated from the breeding to the non‐breeding period through molting schedules and CORT levels. However, we failed to detect clear effects on migratory behavior or subsequent breeding success, suggesting that costs of breeding in long‐lived species may be rapidly buffered during the post‐breeding period, as would be expected from life history theory

Variation in scale cortisol concentrations of a wild freshwater fish: habitat quality or seasonal influences?

A signifcant body of literature suggests that aquatic pollutants can interfere with the physiological function of the fsh hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis, and eventually impair the ability to cope with subsequent stressors. For this reason, development of accurate techniques to assess fsh stress responses have become of growing interest. Fish scales have been recently recognized as a biomaterial that accumulates cortisol, hence it can be potentially used to assess chronic stress in laboratory conditions. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the applicability of this novel method for cortisol assessment in fsh within their natural environment. Catalan chub (Squalius laietanus) were sampled from two sites; a highly polluted and a less polluted (reference) site, in order to examine if habitat quality could potentially infuence the cortisol deposition in scales. We also evaluated the seasonal variation in scale cortisol levels by sampling fsh at three diferent time points during spring-summer 2014. In each sampling, blood was collected to complement the information provided by the scales. Our results demonstrated that blood and scale cortisol levels from individuals inhabiting the reference site were signifcantly correlated, therefore increasing the applicability of the method as a sensitive-individual measure of fsh HPI axis activity, at least in non-polluted habitats. Since diferent environmental conditions could potentially alter the usefulness of the technique, results highlight that further validation is required to better interpret hormone fuctuations in fsh scales. Scale cortisol concentrations were unafected by habitat quality although fsh from the polluted environment presented lower circulating cortisol levels. We detected a seasonal increase in scale cor- tisol values concurring with an energetically costly period for the species, supporting the idea that the analysis of cortisol in scales reveals changes in the HPI axis activity. Taken together, the present study suggests that cortisol levels in scales are more likely to be infuenced by mid-term, intense energetically demanding periods rather than by long-term stressors. Measurement of cortisol in fsh scales can open the possibility to study novel spatio- temporal contexts of interest, yet further research is required to better understand its biological relevance

Management of wet age-related macular degeneration in Spain: challenges for treat and extend implementation in routine clinical practice

Purpose: to ascertain wet AMD (wAMD) management patterns in Spain. Methods: a two-round Delphi study conducted through a questionnaire-based survey designed from literature review and validated by an independent Steering Committee. Results: forty-nine retina specialists experienced in wAMD participated by answering the two-round study questionnaire. Retina specialists are the main responsible for wAMD diagnosis and monitoring, including visits and associated procedures, with a median time per visit of 15 minutes. Standard treatment strategies are based on anti-VEGF administration, including standard loading dose administration followed by maintenance with aflibercept or ranibizumab (81% of patients). Although treat and extend (T&E) dosing strategy is considered as optimal for wAMD management (78% of the panelists), the main routine healthcare limitations (i.e., visits overload, reduced staff, short visit time, coordination issues, lack of facilities) conduct to self-defined "flexible" strategies, based on T&E and pro-re-nata (PRN) protocols. Conclusion: proactive treatment patterns (T&E) are the preferred ones by the retina specialists in Spain. However, their proper implementation is difficult due to healthcare resource limitations, as well as organisation and logistic issues. The use of anti-VEGF agents with longer duration of action could facilitate the use of strict T&E approaches according to routine clinical practices

The importance of being dead: cell death mechanisms assessment in anti-sarcoma therapy

Cell death can occur through different mechanisms, defined by their nature and physiological implications. Correct assessment of cell death is crucial for cancer therapy success. Sarcomas are a large and diverse group of neoplasias from mesenchymal origin. Among cell death types, apoptosis is by far the most studied in sarcomas. Albeit very promising in other fields, regulated necrosis and other cell death circumstances (as so-called "autophagic cell death" or "mitotic catastrophe") have not been yet properly addressed in sarcomas. Cell death is usually quantified in sarcomas by unspecific assays and in most cases the precise sequence of events remains poorly characterized. In this review, our main objective is to put into context the most recent sarcoma cell death findings in the more general landscape of different cell death modalities

Planning for a dynamic and adaptive management of the metropolitan green infrastructure: PEPNat as a case study

Como resultado de la Declaración de Parque Natural de la Sierra de Collserola, acaecida en 2010, actualmente se está tramitando un nuevo plan especial de protección, el PEPNat, cuyos objetivos principales son la preservación de la biodiversidad y la potenciación de los servicios ecosistémicos en el marco de una gestión dinámica y adaptativa. La necesidad de instrumentos flexibles de ordenación de los espacios naturales protegidos se hace cada vez más evidente, debido tanto al dinamismo de los espacios abiertos como a las nuevas demandas de la sociedad y a las situaciones que se prevén como consecuenciadel cambio climático. Sin embargo, los instrumentos de planificación urbanística que cuentan con varias décadas de vigencia, como el plan general PGM y el plan especial PEPCo, no responden adecuadamente a esta realidad cambiante. Así, en contraposición con otros modelos basados en una zonificación rígida, el PEPNat apuesta por una ordenación que garantice la máxima protección y que a la vez sea flexible. Dos aspectos clave de este planteamiento son la zonificación ambiental y el seguimiento y monitorización del estado del Parque. Este se plantea a tres niveles: indicadores a escala de parque y de finca, acciones de control de los ámbitos identificados como sensibles (espacios de interés conector, red hídrica, etc.), y, finalmente, a nivel de proyecto o actuación. Además, el Plan prevé el desarrollo de una herramienta de análisis sistemático del territorio, basada en SIG, que permitirá valorar el estado actual y evaluar el cumplimiento de los objetivos ambientales definidos. Las conclusiones se centran en los principales retos y oportunidades que suponen la implementación de estas propuestas en el marco de la infraestructura verde metropolitana.As a result of the Collserola Range Natural Park Declaration in 2010, a new special protection plan is currently being aproved. The main objectives of this new plan, the PEPNat, are the preservation of biodiversity and the increase of ecosystem services under dynamic and adaptive management. The need for flexible instruments for the management of protected natural areas is becoming increasingly evident, due to both the dynamism of open spaces and the new demands of society and the anticipated effects of climate change. However, urban planning instruments that have been in force for several decades, such as the PGM and the PEPCo, do not respond specifically to this changing reality. Thus, in contrast to other models based on a rigid zoning, the PEPNat aims at guaranteeing the maximum protection in a flexible manner. Key aspects of this approach are the environmental zoning and the tracking and monitoring of the state of the Park. This continuous observation has been established at three levels: indicators at the park and estate levels, control actions of the most sensitive spaces (areas of connective interest, water network, etc.), and, finally, at the project or performance level. In addition, the Plan foresees the implementation of a systematic analysis tool for the area, based on GIS, to evaluate the current state and weigh the fulfilment of the environmental goals. The conclusion focuses on the main benefits and difficulties of the implementation of these proposals in the frame of the metropolitan green infrastructure

Legacy and emerging organohalogenated compounds in feathers of Eurasian eagle-owls (Bubo bubo) in Norway: Spatiotemporal variations and associations with dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N)

The occurrence of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) in wildlife has received considerable attention over the last decades. Among the matrices used for OHCs biomonitoring, feathers are particularly useful as they can be collected in a minimally or non-invasive manner. In this study, concentrations of various legacy OHCs –polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)–, as well as emerging OHCs –per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPEs)– were determined in feathers of 72 Eurasian eagle-owls (Bubo bubo) from Norway, with the goal of studying spatiotemporal variation using a non-invasive approach. Molted feathers were collected at nest sites from northern, central and southern Norway across four summers (2013–2016). Additionally, two museum-archived feathers from 1979 to 1989 were included. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) were used as dietary proxies. In total, 11 PFAS (sum range 8.25–215.90 ng g− 1), 15 PCBs (4.19–430.01 ng g− 1), 6 OCPs (1.48–220.94 ng g− 1), 5 PBDEs (0.21–5.32 ng g− 1) and 3 OPEs (4.49–222.21 ng g− 1) were quantified. While we observed large variation in the values of both stable isotopes, suggesting a diverse diet of the eagle owls, only δ13C seemed to explain variation in PFAS concentrations. Geographic area and year were influential factors for δ15N and δ13C. Considerable spatial variation was observed in PFAS levels, with the southern area showing higher levels compared to northern and central Norway. For the rest of OHCs, we observed between-year variations; sum concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, PBDEs and OPEs reached a maximum in 2015 and 2016. Concentrations from 1979 to 1989 were within the ranges observed between 2013 and 2016. Overall, our data indicate high levels of legacy and emerging OHCs in a top predator in Norway, further highlighting the risk posed by OHCs to wildlife. Keywords: Bird of prey Feathers Isotopes OPE POP PFASpublishedVersio

Situació epidemiològica de la verola del mico a Catalunya

Situació epidemiològica; Verola del mico; CasosSituación epidemiológica; Viruela del mono; CasosEpidemiological situation; Monkeypox; CasesAquest informe presenta la situació de la verola del mico a Catalunya fins a febrer de l'any 2023