Craniofacial development illuminates the evolution of nightbirds (Strisores)

Evolutionary variation in ontogeny played a central role in the origin of the avian skull. However, its influence in subsequent bird evolution is largely unexplored. We assess the links between ontogenetic and evolutionary variation of skull morphology in Strisores (nightbirds). Nightbirds span an exceptional range of ecologies, sizes, life-history traits and craniofacial morphologies constituting an ideal test for evo-devo hypotheses of avian craniofacial evolution. These morphologies include superficially 'juvenile-like' broad, flat skulls with short rostra and large orbits in swifts, nightjars and allied lineages, and the elongate, narrow rostra and globular skulls of hummingbirds. Here, we show that nightbird skulls undergo large ontogenetic shape changes that differ strongly from widespread avian patterns. While the superficially juvenile-like skull morphology of many adult nightbirds results from convergent evolution, rather than paedomorphosis, the divergent cranial morphology of hummingbirds originates from an evolutionary reversal to a more typical avian ontogenetic trajectory combined with accelerated ontogenetic shape change. Our findings underscore the evolutionary lability of cranial growth and development in birds, and the underappreciated role of this aspect of phenotypic variability in the macroevolutionary diversification of the amniote skull

Exploring Health Science Students’ Notions on Organ Donation and Transplantation: A Multicenter Study

The knowledge acquired during university education about organ donation and transplantation (ODT) decisively influences the information future health professionals transmit. This is important in ODT where the participation of the general public is essential to obtain organs. Objective: To determine notions of Spanish medicine and nursing students on ODT and its relationship with attitude toward ODT. Methods and Design: and design. We conducted a sociologic, multicenter, and observational study. The population for our study consisted of medical and nursing students in Spanish universities. Our database was the Collaborative International Donor Project, stratified by geographic area and academic course. A validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO-RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously. Our sample consisted of 9598 medical and 10, 566 nursing students (99% confidence interval; precision of ±1%), stratified by geographic area and year of study. Results: The completion rate for our study was 90%. Only 20% (n=3640) of students thought their notions on ODT were good; 41% (n=7531) thought their notions were normal; 36% (n=6550) thought their notions were scarce. Comparing groups, there were differences between those who believed that their notions on ODT were good (44% nursing vs 56% medical students; P < .000), and those who believed it scarce (54% nursing vs 46% medical students; P < .000). Notions on ODT were related with attitude toward the donation of one''s own organs: those who considered their notions were good were more in favor then those who considered it scarce (88% vs 72%; P < .000). Conclusion: Only 20% of Spanish medical and nursing students thought their notions on ODT were good. Having good knowledge is related to a favorable attitude towards ODT. Receiving specific information on the subject could improve their knowledge about ODT during their training

Global wealth disparities drive adherence to COVID-safe pathways in head and neck cancer surgery

Peer reviewe

Comunicación corta. Infección por Sarcocystis: una causa importante de decomiso de canales en ovino adulto en España

The frequency, distribution and impact of small ruminant Sarcocystis infection in the European Union is largely unknown; this study reports the prevalence of macroscopic Sarcocystis sp. cysts and associated carcass condemnation, in 6065 adult, cull, small ruminants from 145 farms in Spain. Macrocysts were detected in 12% of sheep from 60% flocks, and in none of the 345 goats examined. Most affected sheep had cysts in more than one body part and as a result, 79% of sheep carcasses with cysts were totally condemned. Consequently, it is estimated that Sarcocystis spp. infection could be costing the Spanish sheep industry € 20 million yr-1. Three types of cysts were identified according to size, shape and location: narrow, filament-shaped measuring 2-10 × ≤1 mm, present striated muscles only, and two wider types measuring 2-20 × 2-6 mm, including oval-shaped oesophageal cysts and more elongated cysts in striated muscles. Narrow and wide macrocysts were found in the same sheep and are compatible with Sarcocystis gigantea and Sarcocystis medusiformis, respectively, as described in New Zealand in the 1970s. However, cyst size and morphology varies with age and location. Moreover, S. medusiformis has not been reported in Europe and species-specific diagnosis is necessary to ascertain the ethiology of macrocysts in this study.&nbsp;Apenas existe informaci&oacute;n sobre la frecuencia, distribuci&oacute;n e impacto actual de la sarcocistiosis en la Uni&oacute;n Europea; este trabajo describe la prevalencia de quistes macrosc&oacute;picos de Sarcocystis spp. y el porcentaje de decomisos asociados a los quistes, en 6.065 peque&ntilde;os rumiantes adultos de desvieje, de 145 granjas de Espa&ntilde;a. Se observaron quistes en 12% de ovejas de 60% de reba&ntilde;os, y en ninguna de las 345 cabras examinadas. La mayor&iacute;a de las ovejas afectadas present&oacute; quistes en varias zonas corporales decomis&aacute;ndose el 79% de las canales afectadas. Seg&uacute;n esto, las p&eacute;rdidas por la infecci&oacute;n por Sarcocystis spp. para la industria ovina espa&ntilde;ola se estimaron en 20 millones de euros a&ntilde;o&ndash;1. Se observaron tres tipos de quistes seg&uacute;n el tama&ntilde;o, forma y localizaci&oacute;n: estrechos, filiformes, de 2-10 &times; &le; 1 mm, en m&uacute;sculo estriado solamente y dos tipos de quistes anchos, de 2-20 &times; 2-6 mm, ovales en es&oacute;fago y los mas elongados en musculatura estriada, que podr&iacute;an corresponderse con las especies Sarcocystis gigantea y Sarcocystis medusiformis, descritas en Nueva Zelanda en la d&eacute;cada de 1970. Sin embargo, ser&iacute;a necesario un diagn&oacute;stico espec&iacute;fico para confirmar la etiolog&iacute;a de los quistes de este estudio, ya que el tama&ntilde;o y morfolog&iacute;a de &eacute;stos var&iacute;a seg&uacute;n la edad y la localizaci&oacute;n, y S. medusiformis no est&aacute; descrita en Europa

Macroevolutionary drivers of morphological disparity in the avian quadrate

Peer reviewed: TruePublication status: PublishedFunder: European Research Council Starting Grant: TEMPO; Grant(s): ERC-2015-STG-677774In birds, the quadrate connects the mandible and skull, and plays an important role in cranial kinesis. Avian quadrate morphology may therefore be assumed to have been influenced by selective pressures related to feeding ecology, yet large-scale variation in quadrate morphology and its potential relationship with ecology have never been quantitatively investigated. Here, we used geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods to quantify morphological variation of the quadrate and its relationship with key ecological features across a wide phylogenetic sample. We found non-significant associations between quadrate shape and feeding ecology across different scales of phylogenetic comparison; indeed, allometry and phylogeny exhibit stronger relationships with quadrate shape than ecological features. We show that similar quadrate shapes are associated with widely varying dietary ecologies (one-to-many mapping), while divergent quadrate shapes are associated with similar dietary ecologies (many-to-one mapping). Moreover, we show that the avian quadrate evolves as an integrated unit and exhibits strong associations with the morphologies of neighbouring bones. Our results collectively illustrate that quadrate shape has evolved jointly with other elements of the avian kinetic system, with the major crown bird lineages exploring alternative quadrate morphologies, highlighting the potential diagnostic value of quadrate morphology in investigations of bird systematics