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The Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, a medium-sized scavenging bird, is the most-threatened bird species in Italy, with only 10–12 breeding pairs in 2019 distributed in three regions of Southern Italy. With this study, we aim to describe the first documented breeding of Egyptian vulture in Sardinia and to understand which temporal and environmental factors affected its frequentation of a supplementary feeding station. We monitored the nest used during 2019 through direct observations, and the use of the feeding station through camera traps. We fitted a Bayesian Generalised Additive Model to model the effect of the day of the year, the hour of the day, wind direction and wind speed on the presence of Egyptian vulture in a specific hourly time slot at the supplementary feeding station. The chick hatched around 5 July 2019, and it fledged around 21 September. The Egyptian vulture had two peaks of frequentation at the supplementary feeding station: a first one in June, and a second, more important one, between late August and early September. The probability of recording Egyptian vulture peaked between 10:00 and 16:00, and was affected by wind direction, with a slightly higher chance of recording Egyptian vulture when winds came from South-West, West or even North-West, and a lower chance when winds were eastward. This study marks an important step in the conservation of the Egyptian vulture in Italy; it provides an example of spontaneous colonisation, and of the increased attractiveness of the habitat for scavenging birds linked to the actions implemented within a LIFE project. To better target future conservation efforts, it is important to continue with the monitoring and to perform genetic analyses to assess the origin of the individuals. First reproduction of Egyptian vulture in Sardinia. Assessing the effect of the day of the year, the hour of the day, wind direction and wind speed on the probability of presence at a feeding station near the nest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors that shape the circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) emission profiles of europium(III)‐based CPL emitters to have specific sign properties, e. g. monosignate individual CPL transitions, is key to design novel complexes for applications ranging from advanced security inks to bio‐probes for live cell imaging. In order to correlate structure and spectral characteristics, a photophysical and kinetic investigation has been conducted on a series of coordinatively saturated nine‐coordinate europium(III) systems based on 1,4,7‐triazacyclononane. We highlight that lanthanide emission is sensitive to changes in the ligand field by showing the linear dependence of total emission intensity ratios as a function of solvent polarity, for europium(III) complexes displaying an internal charge transfer (ICT) excited state. This sensitivity increases by a factor of 20 when studying changes in CPL spectra, rendering these complexes accurate probes of local polarity. Solvent polarity, solvent‐specific effects, and the nature of the chromophores' coordinating donor atoms strongly influence the kinetic stability of europium(III) complexes with respect to enantiomer interconversion. Notably, we show that the choice of donor groups to coordinating to europium(III) and the nature and polarity of the solvent affects the rate of racemisation, leading to systems with very long half‐lives at room temperature in non‐polar media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), the most abundant and widespread vulture in Europe, has been the focus of two LIFE project in Sardinia, that foresaw, among other actions, the release of individuals to increase population size. Within the project LIFE Under Griffon Wings (2015-2020), out of 76 Griffon Vultures that have been released in North Western Sardinia, 43 have been fitted with GPS/GSM tags. On the 3rd of April 2023, one of these Griffon Vultures, named "Caniga", crossed the Strait of Bonifacio and reached Corsica. It stayed on the island for 20 days, before returning to Sardinia on the 23rd of April. Despite Griffon Vultures have been occasionally reported in Corsica in the last decades, this was the first time that one of the individuals released within the LIFE "Under Griffon Wings" project was recorded there. This observation provides evidence that expanding Griffon Vultures in Sardinia could also include Corsica in their movements and calls for the transboundary management of vulture populations between the two islands, including both monitoring and conservation actions minimizing anthropogenic mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old World vultures are experiencing dramatic population declines and now are among the species most threatened with extinction. Understanding the environmental variables that can influence the reproductive indexes of vulture populations can facilitate both habitat and species management. The aim of this study was to identify which environmental variables primarily affect the breeding successes of the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus in northern Sardinia by applying a Bayesian hierarchical model. A unique dataset of reproductive records (197 nests monitored over 39 years for a total of 992 breeding records) was used. Eight environmental and topographical variables describing the habitat at the nesting sites were considered as potential predictors of breeding success. These included mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, isothermality, elevation, the normalized difference vegetation index, wind speed, and the aspect and slope of the land surface. In addition, we also considered the effect of human disturbance and the type of nest. According to our best model, the probability of successfully raising a chick in Griffon Vultures was higher in nests exposed to a high wind speed, not covered by natural shelters, where the vegetation was mostly represented by shrub and pastures, with low human disturbance and in years with low rainfall. This model will be useful for management of the breeding habitat and to identify the area most suitable for Griffon Vulture reproduction. This information is crucial for programming conservation measures aimed at enlarging the area of occupancy of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although the population of Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is significantly increasing in Europe, in Italy the species is still on the Red List as 'Critically Endangered', with the last natural population persisting on the island of Sardinia. Several episodes of poisoning hampered the success of conservation actions implemented in the years 1987–1995. In 2005 there were estimated to be only 31–32 territorial pairs, with the population occupying the territories of Alghero and Bosa. We used a long-term dataset of reproductive records from the Sardinian Griffon Vulture populations to run a population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate the extinction risk using the Vortex simulation software. The model estimated the probability of extinction over the next five generations (estimated generation time: 11 years, simulation time used: 55 years) as 96.4% for the Alghero population, and near-zero for the Bosa population. We used sensitivity analyses to understand how uncertainty about parameter values affect model outcomes. Population projections were evaluated under different management scenarios tackling the main threats (poisoning and human disturbance) and implementing conservation actions (supplementary feeding and restocking). Our results showed that population size is a critical factor in affecting the projections of population dynamics of Griffon Vultures. Sensitivity analyses highlighted the importance of poisoning events to population persistence and showed that juvenile and adult mortality rates had a secondary impact on population viability. The only conservation measure effective in significantly increasing stochastic growth rates in the Alghero population, whose initial population was set at five individuals, was the complete removal of poisoning events. When targeting the Bosa population (initial population size 94 individuals), supplementary feeding, mitigation of the risk of poisoning episodes, restocking, and mitigation of human disturbance in the reproductive sites significantly increased stochastic growth rate. A cost-effectiveness analysis should be performed to prioritise interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Fast-track program has been applied in several surgical fields. However, currently many surgical patients are elderly over 70 years of age, and discussion about the application of such protocols for elderly patients is inadequate. Materials and methods : The present study was designed to consider the safety and feasibility of application of a fast-track program after colorectal surgery in elderly patients. A total of 76 elderly patients with colorectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection were randomly assigned to receive either the fast-track care program ( n = 40) or the conventional perioperative care protocol (control group, n = 36). The fast track protocol included no preoperative mechanical bowel irrigation, immediate oral alimentation and earlier postoperative ambulation exercise. The length of postoperative hospital stay, the length of time to regain bowel function and the rate of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results : The length of time to regain bowel function, including the passage of flatus [32 (24–40) h vs 42 (32–52) h], and to start a liquid diet (13 [10–16] h v/s 43 [36–50] h) were significantly shorter in patients receiving the fast track care protocol compared with those receiving the conventional care protocol. A shorter duration of postoperative hospital stay was recorded in patients receiving the fast-track program than in those receiving conventional care [6 (5–7) days v/s 9.5 (7–12) days]. A reduced percentage of patients who developed general complications was also observed in the fast-track group (5.0% v/s 18%). Conclusion : Fast-track after laparoscopic colorectal surgery can be safely applied in carefully selected elderly patients older than age 70 years. The fast-track recovery program resulted in a more rapid postoperative recovery, earlier discharge from hospital and fewer general complications compared with a conventional postoperative protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of cationic and neutral p-Br and p-NO 2 pyridine substituted Eu(III) and Gd(III) coordination complexes serve as versatile synthetic intermediates. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution occurs readily at the para position under mild conditions, allowing C-N and C-C bond forming reactions to take place, permitting the introduction of azide, amino and alkynyl substituents. For Eu(III) complexes, this approach allows late stage tuning of absorption and emission spectral properties, exemplified by the lowering of the energy of an LMCT transition accompanied by a reduction in the Eu-N py bond length. Additionally, these complexes provide direct access to the corresponding Eu(II) analogues. With the Gd(III) series, the nature of the p-substituent does not significantly change the EPR properties (linewidth, relaxation times), as required for their development as EPR spin probes that can be readily conjugated to biomolecules under mild conditions., (© 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aim: Pseudoaneurysm (PA) at the anastomosis site in kidney transplantation is a rare but serious complication that usually requires graft nephrectomy. Literature reports are sporadic and usually focused on limb rather than graft salvage. In this paper we focus on this last point., Material of Study: 6 patients presenting large PA at the anastomosis between iliac and graft artery were identified in our series. The diagnosis was performed with US, AngioTC scan and angiography. Blood cultures and labeled leukocyte scintigraphy were also performed. All patients underwent open surgery., Results: Transplant nephrectomy was needed in all cases except one, in which it was possible to perform a graft replanting on hypogastric artery. Our perioperative mortality and morbidity rate was recorded., Discussion: Etiology of PA is multifactorial, however an association with chronic rejection or infection must be also considered. Our mortality and morbidity rates are in accordance to literature. In our experience we observed only large PA so to require an open surgery but this approach has allowed the rescue of graft functioning just in a single case. Endovascular procedures are linked to higher rate of graft salvage than surgery but they can be used just in selected cases., Conclusions: Our experience and literature review led us to believe that the rate of graft salvage in patients with large PA at anastomosis site could be improved only by a planned therapeutic program that includes surgical and endovascular approach, taking the advantages of both technique and overcoming their limits.