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This review presents first ever literature survey on historical development of farm animal welfare indicators and assessment in the Danube region. This area, encompassing European Eastern countries and the Balkans, is to a large extent heterogeneous in terms of culture and language. However, international (English) publications were disproportionally small compared to the amount of research institutions and animal welfare activities present in the region. Therefore, the authors aimed at investigating the published literature, focusing on country level and on native languages. Data were collected for the 1980-2015 period referring to scientific papers published in international and national journals, papers and abstracts in proceedings of the international and national conferences, reviews, monographs, short communications, Ph.D., Master and Graduation theses. Welfare assessment of all farm animal species was observed including fish. Over 180 papers were in line with the preselected index. Data collected showed that publishing dynamics grew rapidly towards the last decade. Most of the studies were focused on animal welfare indicators such as stress, injuries and mutilations, behaviour, body condition and management practices. Cattle, chickens, pigs and sheep were the predominant species investigated. The study revealed that experts from the region were greatly involved in the studies of animal welfare indicators and assessment, contributing to development of the currently most widely used animal welfare assessment protocols, thus having an important role in animal welfare research and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After Glisson's description of rickets, it took two centuries to realize that rickets was due to the absence of antirachitic nutrients in the diet or lack exposure of the skin to ultraviolet rays. This bone disease caused by vitamin D deficiency was one of the most common diseases of children 100 years ago. This paper explores how the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of rickets shifted in the first decades of the twentieth century.Material and Methods: Although benefits of cod liver oil as food were known as early as the seventh century, cod liver oil was only proposed as medicinal for rickets in Northern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. The relationship between rickets and nutritional deficiency was suspected and demonstrated between 1880 and 1915, at the same time of the discovery of other vital substances (vitamins) needed to prevent beriberi, scurvy, and pellagra. Understanding that the lack of photosynthesized vitamin D or the lack of dietary vitamin D was a similar risk of rickets was an important turn in the comprehension of the disease. We look at the sequence and turn of events related to the discovery of vitamin D.Results: Rickets has been recognized first as a disease of urban living people. Cod liver oil had been used since 1700 as a nonspecific treatment for a range of diseases. Generations of children in cities of the north of Europe had learned to hate the taste and smell of the black oily liquid and then grown up to be parents who, in turn, hated to force it down their children's throats. Occasional papers before 1900 pointed to its efficacy for rickets, and most textbooks of the early 1900s mentioned it only as a treatment option. The discovery in the early 1900s that artificial and natural ultraviolet rays had both antirachitic activity allowed to produce antirachitic foods just by food irradiation with artificial ultraviolet irradiation. Clinical guidelines were adopted to propose exposure to sunlight or to artificial ultraviolet radiation to prevent rickets in children. By the mid-1920s, rickets was promoted as universal, at times invisible to non-experts, but present to some degree in nearly every young child regardless of race or class. It was thus used to promote the young disciplines of preventive medicine, pediatrics, and public health. Innovative advances were made in the understanding of vitamin D synthesis from 1915 to 1935. A public health campaign of the 1930s was a success to eradicate rickets, using irradiated ergosterol from yeast to enrich milk and other foods with vitamin D, ensuring that the general population was consuming sufficient vitamin D.Conclusion: Rickets therefore provides an excellent window into the early politics of preventive health and the promotion of targeted interventions in the world. It is also a relevant historical counterpoint for current debates over the role of risk factors (absence of light or sun) for disease (today's so-called "lifestyle" diseases). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present data on damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) of the Landscape of outstanding features (LOF) "Vlasina". Most of the data were collected during research camps of the Scientic Research Society of Biology and Ecology Students "Josif Pančić" that took place from 2013 to 2018, when 27 Odonata species were recorded. If this research is combined with previously published data, 37 species of damselflies and dragonflies were recorded in Landscape of Outstanding Features "Vlasina". The paper presents distribution and reproduction status of the recorded species, as well as their diversity in this area. The most important species is Epitheca bimaculata (Charpentier, 1825), because Vlasina represents one of its southernmost and highest habitats in Europe. For Sympetrum flaveolum (Linnaeus, 1758) Vlasina is one of the most important habitats in Serbia, as well as for Leucorrhinia pectoralis (Charpentier, 1825) which is Natura 2000 species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecoregionalization is the process by which a territory is classified in similar areas according to specific environmental and climatic factors. The climate and the environment strongly influence the presence and distribution of vectors responsible for significant human and animal diseases worldwide. In this paper, we developed a map of the eco-climatic regions of Italy adopting a data-driven spatial clustering approach using recent and detailed spatial data on climatic and environmental factors. We selected seven variables, relevant for a broad set of human and animal vector-borne diseases (VBDs): standard deviation of altitude, mean daytime land surface temperature, mean amplitude and peak timing of the annual cycle of land surface temperature, mean and amplitude of the annual cycle of greenness value, and daily mean amount of rainfall. Principal Component Analysis followed by multivariate geographic clustering using the k-medoids technique were used to group the pixels with similar characteristics into different ecoregions, and at different spatial resolutions (250 m, 1 km and 2 km). We showed that the spatial structure of ecoregions is generally maintained at different spatial resolutions and we compared the resulting ecoregion maps with two datasets related to Bluetongue vectors and West Nile Disease (WND) outbreaks in Italy. The known characteristics of Culicoides imicola habitat were well captured by 2/22 specific ecoregions (at 250 m resolution). Culicoides obsoletus/scoticus occupy all sampled ecoregions, according to its known widespread distribution across the peninsula. WND outbreak locations strongly cluster in 4/22 ecoregions, dominated by human influenced landscape, with intense cultivations and complex irrigation network. This approach could be a supportive tool in case of VBDs, defining pixel-based areas that are conducive environment for VBD spread, indicating where surveillance and prevention measures could be prioritized in Italy. Also, ecoregions suitable to specific VBDs vectors could inform entomological surveillance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of urban ecosystems and climate change, both outcomes of massive lifestyle changes, contribute to a series of side effects such as environmental deterioration, spread of diseases, increased greenhouse gas emissions and introduction of invasive species. In the case of the Athens metropolitan area, an invasive mosquito species—the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)–has spread widely in the last decade. This spread is favoured within urban environments and is also affected by changing climatic trends. The Asian tiger mosquito is accompanied by risks of mosquito-borne diseases, greater nuisance levels, and increased expenses incurring for its confrontation. The main aims of this paper are (i) to estimate the various costs associated with their control of this invasive species, as well as its health and nuisance impacts, (ii) to evaluate the level of citizens’ well-being from averting these impacts and (iii) to record citizens’ and experts’ perceptions regarding alternative control measures. Evidence shows that experts tend to place a high value on mosquito control when associated with serious health risks, while citizens are more sensitive and concerned about the environmental impacts of control methods. The synthesis of results produced by the current study could act as a preliminary guide for the estimation of societal welfare from the confrontation of similar problems in the context of a complex ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 30 years, Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) has increasingly been reported as an agent of ocular infections in animals and humans throughout Europe. Following the cases of canine ocular thelaziosis recently recorded in Austria for the first time, in the present paper, we describe the first case of T. callipaeda infection in an Austrian cat with no history of traveling abroad. This finding further supports the occurrence of the parasite's autochthonous transmission cycle in the country. The cat showed serous ocular discharge, conjunctival hyperemia, and mild conjunctival edema in the right eye. Mechanical removal of the parasite from the cat's eye, in combination with milbemycin oxime/praziquantel oral treatment and topical use of tobramycin/dexamethasone eye drops led to complete resolution of the clinical signs within 2 weeks. Results presented in the current study are of great importance for the local veterinarians who seemed largely unaware of this zoonotic parasite. Therefore, increased awareness of medical and veterinary communities is imperative for preventing further infections in both animals and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) have been responsible for some of the most explosive epidemics of emerging infectious diseases over the past decade. Their impact on both human and livestock populations has been dramatic. The early detection either through surveillance or diagnosis of virus will be a critical feature in responding and resolving the emergence of such epidemics in the future. Although some of the most important emerging arboviruses are human pathogens, this paper aims to highlight those diseases that primarily affect livestock, although many are zoonotic and some occasionally cause human mortality. This paper also highlights the molecular detection methods specific to each virus and identifies those emerging diseases for which a rapid detection methods are not yet developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-cigarette use has become increasingly popular, especially among the young. Its long-term influence upon health is unknown. Aim of this review has been to present the current state of knowledge about the impact of e-cigarette use on health, with an emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe. During the preparation of this narrative review, the literature on e-cigarettes available within the network PubMed was retrieved and examined. In the final review, 64 research papers were included. We specifically assessed the construction and operation of the e-cigarette as well as the chemical composition of the e-liquid; the impact that vapor arising from the use of e-cigarette explored in experimental models in vitro; and short-term effects of use of e-cigarettes on users' health. Among the substances inhaled by the e-smoker, there are several harmful products, such as: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acroleine, propanal, nicotine, acetone, o-methyl-benzaldehyde, carcinogenic nitrosamines. Results from experimental animal studies indicate the negative impact of e-cigarette exposure on test models, such as ascytotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, airway hyper reactivity, airway remodeling, mucin production, apoptosis, and emphysematous changes. The short-term impact of e-cigarettes on human health has been studied mostly in experimental setting. Available evidence shows that the use of e-cigarettes may result in acute lung function responses (e.g., increase in impedance, peripheral airway flow resistance) and induce oxidative stress. Based on the current available evidence, e-cigarette use is associated with harmful biologic responses, although it may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(3):329-344. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent discovery that iconic depictions in caves on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi are more ancient than those from Upper Palaeolithic Europe raises questions as to when such images first arose and why the graphic outcomes from the two locations are so similar. In this paper, we show that these questions can be addressed by exploiting the extensive research carried out over the recent past on the psychology of perception and the neuroscience of the visual brain that allows the proper place of iconic depictions in understanding cognitive evolution to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The European Radiobiology Archives (ERA), supported by the European Commission and the European Late Effect Project Group (EULEP), together with the US National Radiobiology Archives (NRA) and the Japanese Radiobiology Archives (JRA) have collected all information still available on long-term animal experiments, including some selected human studies. The archives consist of a database in Microsoft Access, a website, databases of references and information on the use of the database. At present, the archives contain a description of the exposure conditions, animal strains, etc. from ~350,000 individuals; data on survival and pathology are available from ~200,000 individuals. Care has been taken to render pathological diagnoses compatible among different studies and to allow the lumping of pathological diagnoses into more general classes. 'Forms' in Access with an underlying computer code facilitate the use of the database. This paper describes the structure and content of the archives and illustrates an example for a possible analysis of such data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to phytotoxins that are present in imported ornamental or native plants is an important cause of animal disease. Factors such as animal behaviors (especially indoor pets), climate change, and an increase in the global market for household and ornamental plants led to the appearance of new, previously unreported plant poisonings in Europe. This has resulted in an increase in the incidence of rarely reported intoxications. This review presents some of the emerging and well-established plant species that are responsible for poisoning episodes in companion animals and livestock in Europe. The main plant species are described, and the mechanism of action of the primary active agents and their clinical effects are presented. Data reflecting the real incidence of emerging poisoning cases from plant toxins are scarce to nonexistent in most European countries due to a lack of a centralized reporting/poison control system. The diversity of plant species and phytotoxins, as well as the emerging nature of certain plant poisonings, warrant a continuous update of knowledge by veterinarians and animal owners. The taxonomy and active agents present in these plants should be communicated to ensure awareness of the risks these toxins pose for domestic animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although rabies in domestic and wild animals represents a significant threat to public health and can cause economic losses among livestock, there are very few studies that examine the economics of rabies in animals. The literature that does exist can be characterised as poorly documented estimates of costs, with insufficient information to allow replication of the analyses. Most papers have numerous 'violations' of the standard recommended procedures for assessing burden of disease and the cost and benefits of interventions. For example, most studies do not distinguish between financial charges and true economic costs. Further, despite the fact that controlling rabies in animal populations is often a multi-year task, only a few papers contain a multi-year framework, complete with discounting of future costs and benefits. Globally, dog-transmitted rabies represents the largest threat to human health. In order to prevent the transmission of rabies in a dog population, it is theoretically necessary to vaccinate a minimum of 60 to 70% of the dogs. Even countries with potentially sufficient resources, however, do not often meet and sustain these rates. One reason for such failure might be that individual dog owners might feel that it is too expensive to vaccinate their pets. Recent estimates in the US of the cost of vaccinating dogs range from $US16 to $US24 per dog. In developing countries, estimates range from $US0.52 in Thailand, to $US1.19 in the Philippines, to $US2.70 in Malawi. None of these estimates include indirect costs accured by the pet owners. Lethal methods of dog population control are even more expensive, and attempting to control rabies by reducing dog populations has not worked for any extended period. Rabies in livestock is often reported, but the impact in the US and most developed countries appears relatively small. Vampire bat-transmitted rabies in Latin America appears to be the most serious rabies problem in livestock. The largest cost due to wildlife rabies is the cost of vaccinating domestic animals, both large and small. In the US, domestic animals face multiple sources of wildlife rabies. Attributing the entire cost of vaccinating domestic animals to 1 species can result in the over estimation of the benefits of immunising a given wildlife population via vaccine-laden baits. For example, despite a definite decline in the number of rabid foxes, it has been difficult to obtain the promised benefits of using oral vaccines in Europe to control fox rabies. Other authors maintain that the use of oral vaccines to control fox rabies is cost beneficial, but there are no convincing data supporting that claim. Additionally, vaccinating raccoons with an oral vaccine requires approximately 4 times more vaccine-laden baits vaccinating foxes, which makes it highly questionable if it would be cost beneficial to use oral vaccine to attempt raccoon rabies elimination in areas where it is already enzootic. The economics of using oral vaccines to prevent raccoon rabies invading uninfected areas has yet to be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance This paper has two overarching aims: (1) presenting the results of studying the Albacete tariff of medicines of 1526 and (2) broadly analyzing the origin and influences of medicinal traditional knowledge in the region of Albacete, Spain. We use historical and modern literature that may have influenced this knowledge. Our primary goal was to determine the ingredients used in the pharmacy in the 16th century CE in Albacete through the analysis of the tariff, and our secondary goal was to investigate until when ingredients and uses present in pharmacy and herbals persisted in later periods. Methods The identity of medicines and ingredients was determined by analyzing contemporary pharmacopoeias and classical pharmaceutical references. We analyzed further 21 sources (manuscripts, herbals, and books of medicines, pharmacopoeias, pharmacy inventories, and modern ethnobotanical records) for the presence/absence of ingredients and complex formulations of the tariff. Using factorial and cluster analysis and Bayesian inference applied to evolution models (reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo), we compared textual sources. Finally, we analyzed the medicinal uses of the top 10 species in terms of frequency of citation to assess the dependence of modern ethnobotanical records on Renaissance pharmacy and herbals, and, ultimately, on Dioscorides. Results In Albacete 1526, we determined 101 medicines (29 simple drugs and 72 compound medicines) comprising 187 ingredients (85% botanical, 7.5% mineral, and 7.5% zoological substances). All composed medicines appear standardized in the pharmacopoeias, notably in the pharmacopoeia of Florence from 1498. However, most were no longer in use by 1750 in the pharmacy, and were completely absent in popular herbal medicine in Albacete 1995 as well as in Alta Valle del Reno (Italy) in 2014. Among the ingredients present in different formulation are the flowers of Rosa gallica , honey ( Apis mellifera ), the roots of Nardostachys jatamansi , and Convolvulus scammonia , pistils of Crocus sativus , grapes and raisins ( Vitis vinifera ), rhizomes of Zingiber officinale , bark of Cinnamomum verum , leaves and fruits of Olea europaea , mastic generally of Pistacia lentiscus , and wood of Santalum album . The statistical analysis of sources produces four well-separated clusters (Renaissance Herbals and Pharmacopoeias, Ethnobotany and Folk Medicine, Old phytotherapy, and Modern phytotherapy including Naturopathy) confirming our a priori classification. The clade of Renaissance Herbals and Pharmacopoeias appears separated from the rest in 97% of bootstrapped trees. Bayesian inference produces a tree determined by an initial set of two well-distinct core groups of ingredients: 64, locally used in Mediterranean Europe during centuries; and 45, imported, used in pharmacy during centuries. Complexity reached its maximum in Albacete 1526 and contemporary pharmacopoeias, gradually decreasing over time. The analysis of medicinal uses of the top 10 ingredients showed low coincidence between Dioscorides and different Renaissance herbals or medical treatises and of all of them with ethnobotany in Albacete. Conclusions Regarding our question: is there something new under the sun? In some aspects, the answer is “No”. The contrast between expensive drugs, highly valued medicines, and unappreciated local wild medicinal plants persists since the Salerno's school of medicine. Old medicine in Mediterranean Europe, as reflected by Albacete 1526 tariff of medicines, involved strict formulations and preferences for certain ingredients despite other ingredients locally available but underappreciated. This confirms the fact that any system of medicine does not get to use all available resources. Ethnobiological records of materia medica, in rural areas of Albacete, describe systems with a high degree of stability and resilience, where the use of local resources, largely wild but also cultivated, is predominant in contrast with the weight of imported exotic products in pharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ixodes ricinus is a European tick that transmits numerous pathogenic agents, including the bacteria that cause Lyme disease (some genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex). This tick has been considered as a classic example of an extreme generalist vector. However, host-associations in such vector species are difficult to determine from field observations alone and recent work suggests that host specificity may be more frequent in ticks than previously thought. The presence of host-associated vector groups can significantly alter the circulation and evolutionary pathway of associated pathogens. In this paper, we explicitly test for host-associated genetic structure in I. ricinus. We analyzed genetic variability at 11 microsatellite markers in a large sample of ticks collected directly from trapped wild animals (birds, rodents, lizards, wild boar and roe deer) at five sites in Western and Central Europe. We found significant levels of genetic structure both among host individuals and among host types within local populations, suggesting that host use is not random in I. ricinus. These results help explain previous patterns of structure found in off-host tick samples, along with epidemiological observations of Lyme disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objectives of this paper are to review published data on the prevalence and epidemiology of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and colonization in animals and to provide suggestions for preventing and controlling the problem in veterinary practice.. MRSA first emerged as a serious pathogen in human medicine during the late 1970s and has been increasingly reported in animals during the past 10 years. The prevalence of MRSA in human infections varies markedly between geographical areas, being as high as 60% in parts of the USA, 40% in southern Europe but <1% in northern Europe. Epidemiological evidence, including phenotypic and molecular typing data, suggests that MRSA isolates from dogs and cats are indistinguishable from human healthcare isolates, whereas strains of MRSA isolated from horses and associated personnel are different. There is evidence that transfer of MRSA strains can occur between animals and humans and vice versa. Guidelines for the control of MRSA in animals have been drawn up by individual institutions bas, ed on those available for human MRSA infection. Risk factors for MRSA infection in animals are currently under investigation and such data are essential for the preparation of specific guidelines for control of MRSA in veterinary practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: What is the underlying neuropathology in a cynomolgus macaque model of functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea (FHA) and can it be normalized to restore ovulation?Summary Answer: Anovulatory monkeys exhibited increased hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE), kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the early follicular phase, but administration of the NE reuptake inhibitor (NRI), reboxetine (REB), restored ovulation during stress and normalized NE, kisspeptin and GnRH.What Is Known Already: Female cynomolgus macaques, like women, show individual reproductive sensitivity to modest psychosocial and metabolic stress. During stress, resilient females ovulate through two menstrual cycles whereas stress-sensitive (SS) macaques immediately cease ovulation. On Day 5 of a non-stressed menstrual cycle, resilient macaques have less NE synthesizing enzyme [dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH)], kisspeptin and GnRH innervation of the medial basal hypothalamus but more endogenous serotonin than SS macaques. Stress increased DBH/NE, kisspeptin and GnRH but did not alter serotonin.Study Design, Size, Duration: In a longitudinal design, 27 adult (7-13 years) female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) with three different levels of sensitivity to stress were monitored with daily vaginal swabs and frequent serum progesterone (P) measurements. Three 90-day experimental periods called 'Cycle Sets' were monitored. A Cycle Set consisted of one ovulatory menstrual cycle without stress, and two cycles, or 60 days, with modest stress. Each Cycle Set was followed by a rest period. During a Cycle Set, individuals were either untreated (placebo) or administered escitalopram (CIT) or REB. Ultimately, half of each sensitivity group was euthanized during stress with CIT or REB treatment and the hypothalamus was obtained. Neurobiological endpoints were compared between CIT and REB treatment groups in stress resilient and SS monkeys.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: The monkeys were housed at the University of Pittsburgh primate facility for the duration of the experiments. Upon euthanasia, their brains and serum samples were shipped to the Oregon National Primate Research Center. The hypothalamus was examined with immunohistochemistry for the expression of DBH (a marker for NE axons), kisspeptin and GnRH. P was measured in the serum samples by radioimmunoassay.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: Daily administration of REB restored ovulation in 9 of 10 SS animals during stress. Of note, REB significantly increased P secretion during stress in the most sensitive group (P = 0.032), which indicates ovulation. CIT lacked efficacy. REB significantly reduced DBH/NE, kisspeptin and GnRH axon density in the hypothalamus relative to CIT treatment (P = 0.003. 0.018 and 0.0001, respectively) on Day 5 of the menstrual cycle in resilient and sensitive groups.Large Scale Data: N/A.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The US FDA has not approved REB for human use, although it is used in Europe for the treatment of depression/anxiety as EdronaxTR. Whether REB could be useful for the treatment of FHA in women has not been determined.Wider Implications For the Findings: The use of an NRI to treat FHA is a novel approach and the potential reinstatement of ovulation could be straightforward compared to current treatment protocols. The underlying neurobiology provides a compelling case for treating the origin of the pathology, i.e. elevated NE, rather than circumventing the hypothalamus altogether with gonadotropins, which have associated risks such as hyperstimulation syndrome or multiple births.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): Portions of this study were supported by NIH grant HD062864 to C.L.B., NIH grant HD62618 to J.L.C. and C.L.B. and 1P51 OD011092 for the operation of the Oregon National Primate Research Center. There were no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the description on the surgical treatment for the fractures at the distal radial or ulnar among small dogs weighing less than three kilograms in Europe. The dogs were given a postoperative analgesia that were administered intramuscularly. Radiography has been conducted to able to monitor the fracture healing. The complete fracture healing suggests the appropriate time for the removal of the fixator.

Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the cost-effectiveness of different non-invasive imaging-guided strategies for the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in a European population of patients from the Evaluation of Integrated Cardiac Imaging in Ischemic Heart Disease (EVINCI) study.Methods and Results: Cost-effectiveness analysis was performed in 350 patients (209 males, mean age 59 ± 9 years) with symptoms of suspected stable CAD undergoing computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) and at least one cardiac imaging stress-test prior to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and in whom imaging exams were analysed at dedicated core laboratories. Stand-alone stress-tests or combined non-invasive strategies, when the first exam was uncertain, were compared. The diagnostic end-point was obstructive CAD defined as > 50% stenosis at quantitative ICA in the left main or at least one major coronary vessel. Effectiveness was defined as the percentage of correct diagnosis (cd) and costs were calculated using country-specific reimbursements. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were obtained using per-patient data and considering "no-imaging" as reference. The overall prevalence of obstructive CAD was 28%. Strategies combining CTCA followed by stress ECHO, SPECT, PET, or stress CMR followed by CTCA, were all cost-effective. ICERs values indicated cost saving from - 969€/cd for CMR-CTCA to - 1490€/cd for CTCA-PET, - 3092€/cd for CTCA-SPECT and - 3776€/cd for CTCA-ECHO. Similarly when considering early revascularization as effectiveness measure.Conclusion: In patients with suspected stable CAD and low prevalence of disease, combined non-invasive strategies with CTCA and stress-imaging are cost-effective as gatekeepers to ICA and to select candidates for early revascularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is the most abundant cervid in Europe and, as such, has a considerable impact over several human activities. Accurate roe deer population size estimates are useful to ensure their proper management. We tested 3 methods for estimating roe deer abundance (drive counts, pellet-group counts, and camera trapping) during two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) in the Apennines (Italy) in order to assess their precision and applicability. During the study period, population density estimates were: drive counts 21.89±12.74 roe deer/km2 and pellet-group counts 18.74±2.31 roe deer/km2 in 2012; drive counts 19.32±11.12 roe deer/km2 and camera trapping 29.05±7.48 roe deer/km2 in 2013. Precision of the density estimates differed widely among the 3 methods, with coefficients of variation ranging from 12% (pellet-group counts) to 58% (drive counts). Drive counts represented the most demanding method on account of the higher number of operators involved. Pellet-group counts yielded the most precise results and required a smaller number of operators, though the sampling effort was considerable. When compared to the other two methods, camera trapping resulted in an intermediate level of precision and required the lowest sampling effort. We also discussed field protocols of each method, considering that volunteers, rather than technicians, will more likely be appointed for these tasks in the near future. For this reason, we strongly suggest that for each method managers of population density monitoring projects take into account ease of use as well as the quality of the results obtained and the resources required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Accelerated Development of VAccine beNefit-risk Collaboration in Europe (ADVANCE) is a public private collaboration aiming to develop and test a system for rapid benefit-risk (B/R) monitoring of vaccines, using existing electronic healthcare record (eHR) databases in Europe. Part of the data in such sources is missing due to incomplete follow-up hampering the accurate estimation of vaccination coverage. We compared different methods for coverage estimation from eHR databases; naïve period prevalence, complete case period prevalence, period prevalence adjusted for follow-up time, Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis and (adjusted) inverse probability weighing (IPW). Methods: We created simulation scenarios with different proportions of completeness of follow-up. Both completeness independent and dependent from vaccination date and status were considered. The root mean squared error (RMSE) and relative difference between the estimated and true coverage were used to assess the performance of the different methods for each of the scenarios. We included data examples on the vaccination coverage of human papilloma virus and pertussis component containing vaccines from the Spanish BIFAP database. Results: Under completeness independent from vaccination date or status, several methods provided estimates with bias close to zero. However, when dependence between completeness of follow-up and vaccination date or status was present, all methods generated biased estimates. The IPW/CDF methods were generally the least biased. Preference for a specific method should be based on the type of censoring and type of dependence between completeness of follow-up and vaccination. Additional insights into these aspects, might be gained by applying several methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here describe the first fossil remains of a green lizard of the Lacerta group from the late Miocene (MN 13) of the Solnechnodolsk locality in southern European Russia. This region of Europe is crucial for our understanding of the paleobiogeography and evolution of these middle-sized lizards. Although this clade has a broad geographical distribution across the continent today, its presence in the fossil record has only rarely been reported. In contrast to that, the material described here is abundant, consists of a premaxilla, maxillae, frontals, parietals, jugals, quadrate, pterygoids, dentaries and vertebrae. The comparison of these elements to all extant green lizard species shows that these fossils are indistinguishable from Lacerta trilineata. Thus, they form the first potential evidence of the occurrence of this species in the Miocene. This may be also used as a potential calibration point for further studies. Together with other lizard fossils, Solnechnodolsk shows an interesting combination of survivors and the dawn of modern species. This locality provides important evidence for the transition of an archaic Miocene world to the modern diversity of lizards in Europe. In addition, this article represents a contribution to the knowledge of the comparative osteological anatomy of the selected cranial elements in lacertids. This study gives special emphasis to the green lizards, but new data are also presented for related taxa, e.g., Timon lepidus, Podarcis muralis or Zootoca vivipara. Although the green lizards include several cryptic species for which determination based on isolated osteological material would be expected to be difficult, our comparisons show several important morphological differences, although a high degree of variability is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Gasterophilus Leach are obligate parasites in domestic and wild equids and responsible for cosmopolitan gasterophilosis. Although with only eight species known so far, they have received considerable attention because of their significant veterinary and economic importance. Surprisingly, we found that G. flavipes (Olivier) is a valid species based on morphological characters from male, female and the egg, after spending half a century as a synonym of G. haemorrhoidalis (Linnaeus). In the present study, G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis (Brauer), which are the three closely related species possessing a remarkable mixture of shared morphological characters, are diagnosed and comparatively redescribed; the key to separate adults and eggs are provided, together with a series of high-resolution photographs from all the body parts. COI barcodes do not allow for a separation of G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis, but showed a closer relationship between G. flavipes and G. haemorrhoidalis than the other two combinations, which is consistent with the morphological evidence. Geographically, G. flavipes seems to be common and widespread in the warmer parts of the Palaearctic region. Thus, the epidemiology of gasterophilosis where G. flavipes is known or supposed to occur calls for a more careful veterinarian re-assessment. A decline in the populations of Gasterophilus spp. has been noticed in Europe, but all seven Palaearctic species of Gasterophilus appear to maintain stable populations in Xinjiang (China), which may be explained by a higher biodiversity of equids and less use of anti-parasitic treatments in Xinjiang than in Europe. Our study shows that morphological characters still provide the solid backbone in classification of Gasterophilus at species-level, and updated diagnoses and a key is provided to distinguish G. flavipes, G. haemorrhoidalis and G. inermis, and to facilitate studies of epidemiology, phylogeny and host-parasite co-evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linden (Tilia spp.), a profusely flowering temperate tree that provides bees with vital pollen and nectar, has been associated with bumble bee (Bombus spp.) mortality in Europe and North America. Bee deaths have been attributed, with inadequate evidence, to toxicity from mannose in nectar or starvation due to low nectar in late blooming linden. Here, we investigated both factors via untargeted metabolomic analyses of nectar from five T. cordata trees beneath which crawling/dead bumble bees (B. vosnesenskii) were observed, and of thoracic muscle of 28 healthy foraging and 29 crawling bees collected from linden trees on cool mornings (< 30°C). Nectar contained the pyridine alkaloid trigonelline, a weak acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, but no mannose. Principal component analysis of muscle metabolites produced distinct clustering of healthy and crawling bees, with significant differences (P<0.05) in 34 of 123 identified metabolites. Of these, TCA (Krebs) cycle intermediates were strongly represented (pathway analysis; P<0.01), suggesting that the central metabolism is affected in crawling bees. Hence, we propose the following explanation: when ambient temperature is low, bees with energy deficit are unable to maintain the thoracic temperature required for flight, and consequently fall, crawl, and ultimately, die. Energy deficit could occur when bees continue to forage on linden despite limited nectar availability either due to loyalty to a previously energy-rich source or trigonelline-triggered memory/learning impairment, documented earlier with other alkaloids. Thus, the combination of low temperature and nectar volume, resource fidelity, and alkaloids in nectar could explain the unique phenomenon of bumble bee mortality associated with linden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austrian beekeepers frequently suffered severe colony losses during the last decade similar to trends all over Europe. This first surveillance study aimed to describe the health status of Austrian bee colonies and to analyze the reasons for losses for both the summer and winter season in Austria. In this study 189 apiaries all over Austria were selected using a stratified random sampling approach and inspected three times between July 2015 and spring 2016 by trained bee inspectors. The inspectors made interviews with the beekeepers about their beekeeping practice and the history of the involved colonies. They inspected a total of 1596 colonies for symptoms of nine bee pests and diseases (four of them notifiable diseases) and took bee samples for varroa mite infestation analysis. The most frequently detected diseases were three brood diseases: Varroosis, Chalkbrood and Sacbrood. The notifiable bee pests Aethina tumida and Tropilaelaps spp. were not detected. During the study period 10.8% of the 1596 observed colonies died. Winter proved to be the most critical season, in which 75% of the reported colony losses happened. Risks for suffering summer losses increased significantly, when colonies were weak in July, had queen problems or a high varroa mite infestation level on bees in July. Risks for suffering winter losses increased significantly, when the colonies had a high varroa mite infestation level on bees in September, were weak in September, had a queen older than one year or the beekeeper had few years of beekeeping experience. However, the effect of a high varroa mite infestation level in September had by far the greatest potential to raise the winter losses compared to the other significant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum is increasingly globally bioavailable with acidification from industrial emissions and poor mining practices. This bioavailability increases uptake by flora, contaminating products such as fruit, pollen, and nectar. Concentrations of aluminum in fruit and pollen have been reported between 0.05 and 670mg/L in North America. This is particularly concerning for pollinators that ingest pollen and nectar. Honey bees represent a globally present species experiencing decline in Europe and North America. Region specific decline may be a result of differential toxicity of exposure between subspecies. We find that European honey bees (Apis mellifera mellifera) may have differential toxicity as compared to two allopatric Mediterranean subspecies (Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera caucasica) which showed no within subspecies exposure differences. European honey bees were then used in a laboratory experiment and exposed to aluminum in their daily water supply to mimic nectar contamination at several concentrations. After approximately 3 weeks of aluminum ingestion these bees showed significantly shorter captive longevity than controls at concentrations as low as 10.4mg/L and showed a possible hormetic response in motility. We also compared European honey bees to Africanized/European hybrid bees (Apis mellifera mellifera/scutellata hybrid) in short-term free-flight experiments. Neither the European honey bee nor the hybrid showed immediate foraging deficits in flight time, color choice, or floral manipulation after aluminum exposure. We conclude that European honey bees are at the greatest risk of aluminum related decline from chronic ingestion as compared to other subspecies and offer new methods for future use in honey bee toxicology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers in most western countries have increased use of fertilizer and pesticides with impact on wild animals and plants, including the abundance of insects and their predators.I used 1,375 surveys of insects killed on car windscreens as a measure of insect abundance during 1997–2017 at two transects in Denmark. I cross‐validated this method against three other methods for sampling insect abundance, and I investigated the effects of this measure of insect abundance on the abundance of breeding insectivorous birds.The abundance of flying insects was quantified using a windscreen resulting in reductions of 80% and 97% at two transects of 1.2 km and 25 km, respectively, according to general additive mixed model. Insect abundance increased with time of day, temperature, and June date, but decreased with wind resulting in a reduction by 54%. The abundance of insects killed on a car windscreen was strongly positively correlated with the abundance of insects caught in sweep nets and on sticky plates in the same study areas and at the same time as when insects were sampled using windscreens. The decline in abundance of insects on windscreens predicted the rate at which barn swallows Hirundo rustica fed their nestlings, even when controlling statistically for time of day, weather, and age and number of nestlings. The abundance of breeding pairs of three species of aerially insectivorous birds was positively correlated with the abundance of insects killed on windscreens at the same time in the same study area. This suggests a link between two trophic levels as affected by the temporal reduction in the abundance of flying insects.These findings are consistent with recent dramatic declines in insect abundance in Europe and North America with consequences for the rate of food provisioning of barn swallow offspring, the abundance of aerially insectivorous birds and bottom‐up trophic cascades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topology of animal transport networks contributes substantially to how fast and to what extent a disease can transmit between animal holdings. Therefore, public authorities in many countries mandate livestock holdings to report all movements of animals. However, the reported data often does not contain information about the exact sequence of transports, making it impossible to assess the effect of truck sharing and truck contamination on disease transmission. The aim of this study was to analyze the topology of the Swiss pig transport network by means of social network analysis and to assess the implications for disease transmission between animal holdings. In particular, we studied how additional information about transport sequences changes the topology of the contact network. The study is based on the official animal movement database in Switzerland and a sample of transport data from one transport company. The results show that the Swiss pig transport network is highly fragmented, which mitigates the risk of a large-scale disease outbreak. By considering the time sequence of transports, we found that even in the worst case, only 0.34% of all farm-pairs were connected within one month. However, both network connectivity and individual connectedness of farms increased if truck sharing and especially truck contamination were considered. Therefore, the extent to which a disease may be transmitted between animal holdings may be underestimated if we only consider data from the official animal movement database. Our results highlight the need for a comprehensive analysis of contacts between farms that includes indirect contacts due to truck sharing and contamination. As the nature of animal transport networks is inherently temporal, we strongly suggest the use of temporal network measures in order to evaluate individual and overall risk of disease transmission through animal transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hantaan virus (HTNV) and Puumala virus (PUUV) are rodent-borne hantaviruses that are the primary causes of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe and Asia. The development of well characterized animal models of HTNV and PUUV infection is critical for the evaluation and the potential licensure of HFRS vaccines and therapeutics. In this study we present three animal models of HTNV infection (hamster, ferret and marmoset), and two animal models of PUUV infection (hamster, ferret). Infection of hamsters with a ~3 times the infectious dose 99% (ID99) of HTNV by the intramuscular and ~1 ID99 of HTNV by the intranasal route leads to a persistent asymptomatic infection, characterized by sporadic viremia and high levels of viral genome in the lung, brain and kidney. In contrast, infection of hamsters with ~2 ID99 of PUUV by the intramuscular or ~1 ID99 of PUUV by the intranasal route leads to seroconversion with no detectable viremia, and a transient detection of viral genome. Infection of ferrets with a high dose of either HTNV or PUUV by the intramuscular route leads to seroconversion and gradual weight loss, though kidney function remained unimpaired and serum viremia and viral dissemination to organs was not detected. In marmosets a 1,000 PFU HTNV intramuscular challenge led to robust seroconversion and neutralizing antibody production. Similarly to the ferret model of HTNV infection, no renal impairment, serum viremia or viral dissemination to organs was detected in marmosets. This is the first report of hantavirus infection in ferrets and marmosets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of Neanderthal groups across Western and Central Europe during Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 3 has held the attention of archaeologists for decades. The role that climatic change, genetic interbreeding, and interspecies competition played in the extinction of Neanderthal groups is still debated. Hohle Fels is one of several important Middle and Upper Paleolithic sites from the Ach Valley in southwestern Germany which documents the presence of Neanderthals and modern humans in the region. Chronological and stratigraphic records indicate that these two groups occupied the site with little to no overlap or interaction. This provides the opportunity to examine the behavioural variability of Swabian Neanderthal populations without the complication of cross-cultural influence. In this study we contribute a terrestrial paleoenvironmental record derived from the small mammal material from Hohle Fels Cave to the ever-growing archaeological record of this period. By reconstructing the climate and landscape of the Ach Valley during this time we can identify the effect that the OIS 3 environment had on the presence of Neanderthals in the region. Based on indicator taxa and the habitat weighing method, the small mammal record, which includes rodents, insectivores, and bats, from Hohle Fels shows that the earliest Neanderthal occupation took place on a landscape characterized by substantial woodland and forest, rivers and ponds, as well as moist meadows and grasslands. A gradual increase in cold tundra and arctic environments is clear towards the end of the Middle Paleolithic, extending to the end of the early Aurignacian which may correlate with the onset of the Heinrich 4 event (~42,000 kya). Our taphonomic analysis indicates the material was accumulated primarily by opportunistic predators such as the great grey owl, snowy owl, and European eagle owl, and therefore reflects the diversity of landscapes present around the site in the past. Importantly, at the time Neanderthals abandoned the Ach Valley we find no indication for dramatic climatic deterioration. Rather, we find evidence of a gradual cooling of the Swabian landscape which may have pushed Neanderthal groups out of the Ach Valley prior to the arrival of modern human Aurignacian groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the Paleolithic art and ornaments discovered in Romania come from the site of Poiana Cireșului. Four Paleolithic layers have been studied at this site—the oldest one belongs to the Early Gravettian period between 30 ka and 31 ka BP. The ornaments discovered in this layer include perforated shells from three species of mollusks: freshwater Lithoglyphus naticoide and Lithoglyphus apertus as well as Homalopoma sanguineum (an exclusively Mediterranean species). Poiana Cireșului is one of the very few Gravettian sites where perforated Homalopoma sanguineum shells were found, and the importance of this discovery is stressed even more by the very long distance between the site and the nearest source located over 900 km away. This find suggests the connection of communities here with the Mediterranean area as well as a possible movement of populations from the south of the continent to the east of the Carpathians with significant implications in understanding human group mobility and the origin of the Early Gravettian in this area. Furthermore, Poiana Cireșului is the only Gravettian settlement where Lithoglyphus naticoides shells were used. The unique association of perforated shells—not found in any other Gravettian settlement—contributes to the identity of the Paleolithic community of Poiana Cireșului through their ornaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the types of social organization characterizing the pre-Roman Celtic populations of Italy. Here, we explore the funerary variability characterizing the late Iron Age site of Seminario Vescovile (SV: Verona, Italy, 3rd-1st c. BC), and test its possible correlation to diet and relative exposure to developmental stressors. Patterns on funerary treatment (N = 125), δ13C and δ15N (N = 90), and linear enamel hypoplasia (N = 47) from SV are compared, and their possible association with sex and age-at-death further discussed. Results point to the presence at SV of variable funerary customs while at the same time demonstrating a rather homogenous diet and exposure to developmental stressors: funerary treatment is mainly correlated to age-at-death but do not appear to be associated to either isotopic patterns or hypoplasia frequencies. Accordingly, even if some weak social differentiation may have characterized the individuals buried at SV, this was not reflected in markedly differing living conditions. Our study is the first to attempt an exploration of the links between age, sex, funerary variability, and diet in a pre-Roman Celtic community from Italy. While highlighting the potential of a multifaceted approach in bioarcheology, it also points to a series of analytical and theoretical issues relevant when trying to disentangle the cultural and biological dimensions of social differentiation in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both close inbreeding and distant outbreeding may reduce fitness below the level of individuals with intermediate parental relatedness. In the haplodiploid plant-inhabiting predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis, which is patchily distributed within and among host plants, fitness is indeed reduced in the short term, i.e. by a single generation of inbreeding. However, in the medium to long term (multiple generations), distant out-breeding should provide for favorable demographic founder effects in isolated populations. We tested this prediction in isolated experimental lineages founded by females mated to a sibling (close inbreeding), a male from the same population (intermediate relatedness) or a male from another population (distant outbreeding) and monitored lineage growth and persistence over four generations. Cross-generationally, lineages founded by distantly outbred females performed the best, i.e. produced the most descendants. However, this was solely due to superior performance from the F2 generation onwards, whereas in the F1 generation, lineages founded by females mated to males from their own population (intermediate relatedness) performed the best, as predicted from short-term in- and out-breeding depression effects. At the genetic level, this result was most likely due to distantly outbred founders introducing higher allelic variability and lower homozygosity levels, counterbalancing inbreeding depression, which inevitably occurs in isolated lineages, from the F2 generation onwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gale, A.S., Kennedy, W.J. and Walaszczyk, I. 2019. Upper Albian, Cenomanian and Lower Turonian stratigraphy, ammonite and inoceramid bivalve faunas from the Cauvery Basin, Tamil Nadu, South India. Acta Geologica Polonica, 69 (2), 161-338. Warszawa. The lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, ammonite and inoceramid faunas of the Upper Albian, Cenomanian, and Lower Turonian Karai Formation, the highest unit of the Uttatur Group in the Pondicherry Sub-Basin of the Cauvery Basin in Tamil Nadu, south India, are documented. Detailed logs and descriptions of sections between Karai and Kulakkalnattam, Odiyam and Kunnam, and north-west of Garudamangalam are presented. They provide the evidence for an ammonite zonal scheme that can be correlated in detail with sequences developed in Europe, with successive Upper Albian zones of Pervinquieria (Subschloenbachia) rostrata and P. (S.) perinflata (the latter on slight evidence), Cenomanian zones of Mantelliceras mantelli, Cunningtoniceras cunningtoni, Calycoceras (Newboldiceras) asiaticum, Pseudo calycoceras harpax, Euomphaloceras septemseriatum and Pseudspidoceras footeanum. The Lower Turonian is represented by a Neoptychites cephalotus-Mytiloides borkari fauna. Over 120 ammonite species are described, of which Puzosia (Bhimaites) falx, Protacanthoceras parva, Watinoceras elegans, Euomphaloceras varicostatum, Kamerunoceras multinodosum, and Carthaginites multituberculatus are new. The new genus Kunnamiceras, with Ammonites tropicus Kossmat, 1865 as type species, is interpreted as a paedomorphic dwarf derivative of Pseudocalycoceras harpax (Stoliczka, 1864). Ammonite faunas from shales are dominated by feebly-ornamented taxa: leiostraca; those from sandstones by strongly ornamented taxa: trachyostraca, differences interpreted as reflecting the preferred habits of adults in life. 15 species of inoceramid bivalves, including a newly described species Inoceramus chiplonkari, are recognised, with a mixed East African-Euramerican-North Pacific affinity. On the basis of the stratigraphic framework developed, a sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the Karai Formation is proposed, and correlated with those recognised in Europe, Morocco, and the United States Gulf Coast and Western Interior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting the impacts of climate change on Aedes-borne viruses—especially dengue, chikungunya, and Zika—is a key component of public health preparedness. We apply an empirically parameterized model of viral transmission by the vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, as a function of temperature, to predict cumulative monthly global transmission risk in current climates, and compare them with projected risk in 2050 and 2080 based on general circulation models (GCMs). Our results show that if mosquito range shifts track optimal temperature ranges for transmission (21.3–34.0°C for Ae. aegypti; 19.9–29.4°C for Ae. albopictus), we can expect poleward shifts in Aedes-borne virus distributions. However, the differing thermal niches of the two vectors produce different patterns of shifts under climate change. More severe climate change scenarios produce larger population exposures to transmission by Ae. aegypti, but not by Ae. albopictus in the most extreme cases. Climate-driven risk of transmission from both mosquitoes will increase substantially, even in the short term, for most of Europe. In contrast, significant reductions in climate suitability are expected for Ae. albopictus, most noticeably in southeast Asia and west Africa. Within the next century, nearly a billion people are threatened with new exposure to virus transmission by both Aedes spp. in the worst-case scenario. As major net losses in year-round transmission risk are predicted for Ae. albopictus, we project a global shift towards more seasonal risk across regions. Many other complicating factors (like mosquito range limits and viral evolution) exist, but overall our results indicate that while climate change will lead to increased net and new exposures to Aedes-borne viruses, the most extreme increases in Ae. albopictus transmission are predicted to occur at intermediate climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proving voyaging at sea by Palaeolithic humans is a difficult archaeological task, even for short distances. In the Mediterranean, a commonly accepted sea crossing is that from the Italian Peninsula to Sicily by anatomically modern humans, purportedly of the Aurignacian culture. This claim, however, was only supported by the typological attribution to the Aurignacian of the lithic industries from the insular site of Fontana Nuova. AMS radiocarbon dating undertaken as part of our research shows that the faunal remains, previously considered Aurignacian, actually date to the Holocene. Absolute dating on dentinal collagen also attributes the human teeth from the site to the early Holocene, although we were unable to obtain ancient DNA to evaluate their ancestry. Ten radiocarbon dates on human and other taxa are comprised between 9910–9700 cal. BP and 8600–8480 cal. BP, indicating that Fontana Nuova was occupied by Mesolithic and not Aurignacian hunter-gatherers. Only a new study of the lithic assemblage could establish if the material from Fontana Nuova is a mixed collection that includes both late Upper Palaeolithic (Epigravettian) and Mesolithic artefacts, as can be suggested by taking into account both the results of our study and of the most recent reinterpretation of the lithics. Nevertheless, this research suggests that the notion that Aurignacian groups were present in Sicily should now be revised. Another outcome of our study is that we found that three specimens, attributed on grounds both of morphological and ZooMS identifications to Cervus elaphus, had δ13C values significantly higher than any available for such species in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brucellosis is a major public health problem still prevalent as a neglected endemic zoonosis requiring proactive attention in many communities worldwide. The present study involved analysis of Brucella field strains submitted for typing to the Italian National Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis from 2007 to 2015. Strains were identified at the species and biovar levels by classic and molecular techniques according to the World Organisation for Animal Health Manual. In total, 5,784 strains were typed: 3,089 Brucella abortus (53.4%), 2,497 B. melitensis (43.2%), 10 B. ovis (0.2%), 181 B. suis (3.1%), and 7 B. ceti (0.1%). The 2,981 strains from cattle were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3, and 6 (90.1%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (9.9%). The 318 strains from water buffalo were typed as B. abortus biovars 1, 3 (95.9%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (4.1%). The 2,279 strains from sheep and goats were typed as B. abortus biovars 1 and 3 (4.3%); B. melitensis biovars 1, 3, (95.3%); and B. ovis (0.4%). The 173 strains from wild boar were typed as B. suis biovar 2 (98.3%) and B. melitensis biovar 3 (1.7%). The 11 strains from pigs were typed as B. suis biovar 2. The 13 strains from humans were typed as B. melitensis biovar 3. The two strains from horses were typed as B. abortus biovar 1, while the seven strains from dolphins were typed as B. ceti. This additional knowledge on the epidemiology of brucellosis in Italy may be useful to formulate policies and strategies for the control and eradication of the disease in animal populations. The animal species affected, biovars typed, geographical origins, and spatial distributions of isolates are herein analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors represent promising candidates for gene therapy; however, pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NAb) may reduce AAV vector delivery efficiency. In this study, the presence of AAV NAb was investigated in cats, which serve as a larger and outbred animal model for the prediction of gene therapy outcomes in humans but also in cats.Serum/plasma samples from 230 client-owned Swiss cats and 20 specified pathogen-free cats were investigated for NAb to AAV1, AAV2, AAV5, AAV6, AAV7, AAV8 and AAV9 using in vitro transduction inhibition and a beta-galactosidase assay. NAb to all tested AAV serotypes were found. Of the client-owned cats, 53% had NAb to one or more of the AAV serotypes. NAb (≥1:10) were found at frequencies of 5% (AAV6) to 28% (AAV7). The highest titers were found against AAV7 (≥1:160). The NAb prevalence to AAV2, AAV7 and AAV9 differed geographically. Regarding titers ≥1:10 against single AAV serotypes, age, breed and sex of the cats were not associated with the NAb prevalence. Cats with titers ≥1:20 against AAV2 and titers ≥1:40 against AAV7 were significantly younger than cats with low/no titers, and purebred cats were significantly more likely than non-purebred cats to have NAb to AAV2 (≥1:40). Additionally, regarding NAb to all AAV combined, female cats were significantly more likely than male cats to have NAb titers ≥1:40. Preliminary data using AAV-DJ indicated that less pre-existing NAb to the hybrid AAV-DJ can be expected compared to the wild-type AAV serotypes. AAV NAb will need to be taken into account for future in vivo gene therapy studies in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biologic therapies target aberrant pathways in diseases including diabetes, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Despite recent scientific advances, patient access to these agents can be limited. Biosimilars are designed to be highly similar to the originator biologic, targeting the same biological pathways, with comparable efficacy and safety. Biosimilars have the advantage of lower treatment costs, offering the potential for increased clinical use and patient access. Several biosimilars are approved for clinical use in the USA and Europe; however, there is a lack of awareness about biosimilars among healthcare providers and patients. This overview of the scientific basis of biosimilars and current indications aim to enhance discussions with patients and increase understanding of the role of biosimilars in individual treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is native to Southeast Asia. It was first detected in France (in the southwest) in 2005. It has since expanded throughout Europe and has caused significant harm to honeybee populations. We must better characterize the hornet’s flight capacity to understand the species’ success and develop improved control strategies. Here, we carried out a study in which we quantified the flight capacities of V. velutina workers using computerized flight mills. We observed that workers were able to spend around 40% of the daily 7-hour flight tests flying. On average, they flew 10km to 30km during each flight test, although there was a large amount of variation. Workers sampled in early summer had lower flight capacities than workers sampled later in the season. Flight capacity decreased as workers aged. However, in the field, workers probably often die before this decrease becomes significant. During each flight test, workers performed several continuous flight phases of variable length that were separated by rest phases. Based on the length of those continuous flight phases and certain key assumptions, we estimated that V. velutina colony foraging radius is at least 700 m (half that in early summer); however, some workers are able to forage much farther. While these laboratory findings remain to be confirmed by field studies, our results can nonetheless help inform V. velutina biology and control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Aleurocanthus Quaintance & Baker, 1914 comprises about 80 species worldwide, several of which are of economic importance for crops including Aleurocanthus woglumi and A. spiniferus. During import interceptions A. camelliae , a look-alike of the former species, has occasionally been found on imported Camellia bonsai, pot plants and shrubs in the Netherlands. Living populations of this species may be locally found on imported and traded plants in the EPPO region. In Europe all species of the genus Aleurocanthus are regulated, which makes early recognition necessary. A reliable identification is needed to take adequate measures that prevent the establishment and spread of newly intercepted species in Europe. A key is given to related genera and to developmental stages, together with an overview of field views of puparia and the main discriminating morphological and microscopic characters of both adult and pre-adult stages of three species. Since 2008, A. spiniferus is established in southern Italy and is spreading, both in Italy and in surrounding countries in the Mediterranean region, causing severe economic and ecological damage not only to the Citrus culture but because of its polyphagy to many other host plants as well. The early recognition of species newly introduced into Europe is complicated by the loss of taxonomical knowledge and the diminishing number of taxonomic workers. A revision of the genus should include the delimitation of the genus, separating it from related genera, the (re)description of the intraspecific variation of known species and the description of newly collected species by molecular techniques and morphological methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural risk of West Nile Disease results from the usual functioning of the socio-ecological system, which may favour the introduction of the pathogen, its circulation and the occurrence of disease cases. Its geographic variations result from the local interactions between three components: (i) reservoir hosts, (ii) vectors, both characterized by their diversity, abundance and competence, (iii) and the socio-economic context that impacts the exposure of human to infectious bites. We developed a model of bird-borne structural risk of West Nile Virus (WNV) circulation in Europe, and analysed the association between the geographic variations of this risk and the occurrence of WND human cases between 2002 and 2014. A meta-analysis of WNV serosurveys conducted in wild bird populations was performed to elaborate a model of WNV seropositivity in European bird species, considered a proxy for bird exposure to WNV. Several eco-ethological traits of bird species were linked to seropositivity and the statistical model adequately fitted species-specific seropositivity data (area under the ROC curve: 0.85). Combined with species distribution maps, this model allowed deriving geographic variations of the bird-borne structural risk of WNV circulation. The association between this risk, and the occurrence of WND human cases across the European Union was assessed. Geographic risk variations of bird-borne structural risk allowed predicting WND case occurrence in administrative districts of the EU with a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI: 0.79–0.92), and a specificity of 68% (95% CI: 0.66–0.71). Disentangling structural and conjectural health risks is important for public health managers as risk mitigation procedures differ according to risk type. The results obtained show promise for the prevention of WND in Europe. Combined with analyses of vector-borne structural risk, they should allow designing efficient and targeted prevention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six species have been described in the genus Sphaerotarsus, five from Australia and one from Iran. Only three of them have been described from larvae. The knowledge of this small group is very limited, and here we describe and illustrate the larvae of Sphaerotarsus baenai sp. nov. collected from soil in two provinces of Andalusia, Spain. This is the fourth larval species described in the genus, and the first report of Sphaerotarsus for the European fauna. A key to the species of Sphaerotarsus larvae is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency of extreme events, such as flooding and droughts, which are anticipated to have negative effects on the biodiversity of primary producers and consequently the associated consumer communities. Here we assessed the effects of an extreme early summer flooding event in 2013 on ant colonies along an experimental gradient of plant species richness in a temperate grassland. We tested the effects of flood duration, plant species richness, plant cover, soil temperature, and soil porosity on ant occurrence and abundance. We found that the ant community was dominated by Lasius niger, whose presence and abundance after the flood was not significantly affected by any of the tested variables, including plant species richness. We found the same level of occupation by L. niger at the field site after the flood (surveyed in 2013) as before the flood (surveyed in 2006). Thus, there were no negative effects of the flood on the presence of L. niger in the plots. We can exclude recolonisation as a possible explanation of ant presence in the field site due to the short time period between the end of the flood and survey as well as to the absence of a spatial pattern in the occupancy data. Thus, the omnipresence of this dominant ant species 1 month after the flood indicates that the colonies were able to survive a 3-week summer flood. The observed ant species proved to be flood resistant despite experiencing such extreme climatic events very rarely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, native to South East Asia, is listed as one of the worst invasive vector species worldwide. In Europe the species is currently restricted to Southern Europe, but due to the ongoing climate change, Ae. albopictus is expected to expand its potential range further northwards. In addition to modelling the habitat suitability for Ae. albopictus under current and future climatic conditions in Europe by means of the maximum entropy approach, we here focused on the drivers of the habitat suitability prediction. We explored the most limiting factors for Aedes albopictus in Europe under current and future climatic conditions, a method which has been neglected in species distribution modelling so far. Ae. albopictus is one of the best-studied mosquito species, which allowed us to evaluate the applied Maxent approach for most limiting factor mapping. We identified three key limiting factors for Ae. albopictus in Europe under current climatic conditions: winter temperature in Eastern Europe, summer temperature in Southern Europe. Model findings were in good accordance with commonly known establishment thresholds in Europe based on climate chamber experiments and derived from the geographical distribution of the species. Under future climatic conditions low winter temperature were modelled to remain the most limiting factor in Eastern Europe, whereas in Central Europe annual mean temperature and summer temperatures were modelled to be replaced by summer precipitation, respectively, as most limiting factors. Changes in the climatic conditions in terms of the identified key limiting factors will be of great relevance regarding the invasive potential of the Ae. albopictus. Thus, our results may help to understand the key drivers of the suggested range expansion under climate change and may help to improve monitoring programmes. The applied approach of investigating limiting factors has proven to yield valuable results and may also provide valuable insights into the drivers of the prediction of current and future distribution of other species. This might be particularly interesting for other vector species that are of increasing public health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are involved in mammalian brain damage. However, little is known about Pb and Cd brain levels in wildlife that reflect the geochemical background. The aims of the study include the estimation of Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations, and the determination of relationships between these elements in the brains of 94 mesocarnivores. Road-killed or hunted animals were obtained from north-western Poland near the Polish-German border. The investigation covered the native Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, badger Meles meles, pine marten Martes martes, beech marten M. foina, European polecat Mustela putorius, red fox Vulpes vulpes, and alien species: feral and ranch American mink Neovison vison, raccoon Procyon lotor and raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. Depending on the diet and environmental pollution, the carnivore brains accumulated toxic metals in varying amounts. The highest median Hg levels (in mg/kg dry weight, dw) were found in the piscivorous Eurasian otter and feral mink (2.44 and 3.96), Pb in the omnivorous raccoon (0.47), while Cd in minks (~0.06). We indicated that Pb-based ammunition is a significant source of the element in scavengers from hunting area, and we also found a significant correlation between Pb and Cd levels in the fox brain. Finally, this study is the first to suggest background levels for brain Pb and Cd in mesocarnivores (<0.50 and <0.04 mg/kg dw, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a long and deliberate persecution, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) is slowly recolonizing its former areas in Europe, and the genetic consequences of this process are of particular interest. Wolves, though present in mainland Estonia for a long time, have only recently started to recolonize the country’s two largest islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The main objective of this study was to analyse wolf population structure and processes in Estonia, with particular attention to the recolonization of islands. Fifteen microsatellite loci were genotyped for 185 individuals across Estonia. As a methodological novelty, all putative wolf-dog hybrids were identified and removed (n = 17) from the dataset beforehand to avoid interference of dog alleles in wolf population analysis. After the preliminary filtering, our final dataset comprised of 168 “pure” wolves. We recommend using hybrid-removal step as a standard precautionary procedure not only for wolf population studies, but also for other taxa prone to hybridization. STRUCTURE indicated four genetic groups in Estonia. Spatially explicit DResD analysis identified two areas, one of them on Saaremaa island and the other in southwestern Estonia, where neighbouring individuals were genetically more similar than expected from an isolation-by-distance null model. Three blending areas and two contrasting transition zones were identified in central Estonia, where the sampled individuals exhibited strong local differentiation over relatively short distance. Wolves on the largest Estonian islands are part of human-wildlife conflict due to livestock depredation. Negative public attitude, especially on Saaremaa where sheep herding is widespread, poses a significant threat for island wolves. To maintain the long-term viability of the wolf population on Estonian islands, not only wolf hunting quota should be targeted with extreme care, but effective measures should be applied to avoid inbreeding and minimize conflicts with local communities and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic pig production differs in many ways from conventional production of pigs, e.g., in antibiotic use, herd structure, feeding regimes, access to outdoor areas and space allowance per pig. This study investigated if these differences result in a lower occurrence of antibiotic resistance in organic slaughter pigs in Denmark, France, Italy and Sweden. Samples were taken from the colon content and/or faeces and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of ten antibiotics were determined in isolates of Escherichia coli. In addition, the proportion of tetracycline (TET) resistant E. coli in colon content and/or faeces from individual pigs was determined. In all four countries the percentage resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides or trimethoprim was significantly lower in E. coli from organic pigs. In France and Italy, the percentage of isolates resistant to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid or gentamicin was also significantly lower in the E. coli from organic pigs. Resistance to cefotaxime, was not found in any country. The percentage of E. coli isolates resistant to TET as well as the proportion of TET-resistant E. coli was significantly lower in organic than in conventional pigs, except in Sweden where TET-resistance was equally low in both production types. There were also differences between countries within production type in the percentage resistance to individual antibiotics as well as the proportion of TET-resistant E. coli with lower median proportions in Sweden and Denmark compared to France and Italy. The study shows that in each of the four countries resistance in intestinal E. coli was less common in organic than in conventional pigs, but that there were also large differences in resistance between countries within each production type, indicating that both country- and production-specific factors influence the occurrence of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes albopictus is a tropical invasive species which in the last decades spread worldwide, also colonizing temperate regions of Europe and US, where it has become a public health concern due to its ability to transmit exotic arboviruses, as well as severe nuisance problems due to its aggressive daytime outdoor biting behaviour. While several studies have been carried out in order to predict the potential limits of the species expansions based on eco-climatic parameters, few studies have so far focused on the specific effects of these variables in shaping its micro-geographic abundance and dynamics. The present study investigated eco-climatic factors affecting Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics in metropolitan and sub-urban/rural sites in Rome (Italy), which was colonized in 1997 and is nowadays one of the most infested metropolitan areas in Southern Europe. To this aim, longitudinal adult monitoring was carried out along a 70 km-transect across and beyond the most urbanized and densely populated metropolitan area. Two fine scale spatiotemporal datasets (one with reference to a 20m circular buffer around sticky traps used to collect mosquitoes and the second to a 300m circular buffer within each sampling site) were exploited to analyze the effect of climatic and socio-environmental variables on Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics along the transect. Results showed an association between highly anthropized habitats and high adult abundance both in metropolitan and sub-urban/rural areas, with “small green islands” corresponding to hot spots of abundance in the metropolitan areas only, and a bimodal seasonal dynamics with a second peak of abundance in autumn, due to heavy rains occurring in the preceding weeks in association with permissive temperatures. The results provide useful indications to prioritize public mosquito control measures in temperate urban areas where nuisance, human-mosquito contact and risk of local arbovirus transmission are likely higher, and highlight potential public health risks also after the summer months typically associated with high mosquito densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent of gene flow during the range expansion of non-native species influences the amount of genetic diversity retained in expanding populations. Here, we analyse the population genetic structure of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in north-eastern and central Europe. This invasive species is of management concern because it is highly susceptible to fox rabies and an important secondary host of the virus. We hypothesized that the large number of introduced animals and the species’ dispersal capabilities led to high population connectivity and maintenance of genetic diversity throughout the invaded range. We genotyped 332 tissue samples from seven European countries using 16 microsatellite loci. Different algorithms identified three genetic clusters corresponding to Finland, Denmark and a large ‘central’ population that reached from introduction areas in western Russia to northern Germany. Cluster assignments provided evidence of long-distance dispersal. The results of an Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis supported a scenario of equal effective population sizes among different pre-defined populations in the large central cluster. Our results are in line with strong gene flow and secondary admixture between neighbouring demes leading to reduced genetic structuring, probably a result of its fairly rapid population expansion after introduction. The results presented here are remarkable in the sense that we identified a homogenous genetic cluster inhabiting an area stretching over more than 1500km. They are also relevant for disease management, as in the event of a significant rabies outbreak, there is a great risk of a rapid virus spread among raccoon dog populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]