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Wildlife is at risk of exposure to rodenticides used in pest management. An industry-led stewardship scheme introduced new rules on use and sale of products across the UK in 2016, with the aim of reducing this risk. To determine if the scheme had achieved this, exposure to second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) was measured in foxes. Liver samples from 406 foxes collected between 2011 and 2022 were analysed and the percentage presence and concentrations of SGARs, where present, from pre-stewardship and post-stewardship samples were compared. There was no statistically significant change in the percentage of foxes exposed to bromadiolone, difenacoum or summed SGAR residues after the introduction of stewardship. The percentage of foxes exposed to brodifacoum increased significantly post-stewardship, from 18% to 43%. There were no significant changes of either summed or individual SGAR concentrations post-stewardship.These findings suggest that the industry-led stewardship scheme has not yet had the intended impact of reducing SGAR exposure in non-target wildlife, and they highlight a substantial increase in foxes encountering brodifacoum, together with weak statistical evidence of an increase in the percentage of foxes exposed to multiple SGARs.

The smart city concept, influenced by societal changes, technology, and geopolitics, is transitioning towards a human-centered model—Smart City 3.0. Emphasizing community engagement, this model ensures that new technologies are tailored to each city’s unique needs. The creation of a participatory society is essential for this approach, fostering public involvement in decision-making. Core mechanisms include public consultations and participatory budgeting, as legislated, enhancing co-management between authorities and residents. To successfully implement Smart City 3.0, it is vital to build a partnership based on mutual trust between local authorities and communities. Opinions must not only be expressed, but factored into city planning and development. Advisory bodies like city youth councils illustrate this approach, engaging youth in meaningful roles and ensuring their interests are represented. This paper investigates the vital role of community members in the creating of smart city. Additionally, the paper conducts a comprehensive review of various models of participation, evaluating their respective strengths and weaknesses within the context of smart city development.

The purpose of this paper is to indicate the possibility of applying cognitive technologies in smart city services and analyze their impact on strategic management in the city. The subject of this study is the use of cognitive technologies in big data as one of the tools of smart city. The study also identifies the risks that may occur when using modern technologies at the local level. At the same time, it refers to features that can provide a form of safeguards for an individual’s rights and freedoms. This article also covers legal issues that affect the use of cognitive technologies in local government units. This paper indicates that the challenge that local governments should now meet is to build a Smart Sustainable City. Implementation of modern solutions should strive to improve the lives of all residents and thus prevent the exclusion of social groups or individuals.

The contamination of the environment by some veterinary medicines and their impact on wild animals is of increasing concern. However, there is a lack of information about their residues in wildlife. The sentinel animals most commonly used for monitoring the level of environmental contamination are birds of prey, and information on other carnivores and scavengers scarce. This study examined the livers from 118 foxes for residues of a range of 18 veterinary medicines (16 anthelmintic agents and 2 metabolites) used on farm livestock. The samples were collected from foxes, primarily in Scotland, shot during legal pest control activities conducted between 2014 and 2019. Closantel residues were detected in 18 samples, and the concentrations found ranged from 6.5 µgkg−1 to 1383 µgkg−1. No other compounds were found in significant quantities. The results show a surprising frequency and level of closantel contamination, raising concerns about both the route of contamination and the potential impacts on wild animals and the environment, such as the potential for significant wildlife contamination to contribute to the development of closantel-resistant parasites. The results also suggest that red fox (Vulpes vulpes) could be a useful sentinel species for detecting and monitoring some veterinary medicine residues in the environment.

Secondary exposure of predators to anticoagulant rodenticides, and in particular second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs), is a global phenomenon. The widespread and large-scale nature of this exposure has attracted considerable concern, although the consequences in terms of likelihood of poisoning of individuals and resultant impacts on populations are not well characterised. Secondary exposure of predators may as rise from once or more of: (i) eating contaminated commensal rodents subject to control (target species are typically rats and house mice); (ii) consumption of contaminated non-target small mammals (such as Peromyscus, Microtus, and Apodemus species) that encounter and feed on what are rodent-attractive baits; (iii) consumption of non-rodent vertebrate and invertebrate prey that may also incidentally encounter and eat baits. We hypothesised that predators feeding primarily on target species may be most at risk of exposure to SGARs while those predominantly taking non-mammalian prey may be at least risk. We tested this hypothesis by comparing exposure, determined from the presence and magnitude of SGAR liver residues, in red kites (Milvus milvus), which feeds extensively on rats, in barn owls (Tyto alba), kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), and tawny owls (Strix aluco) that feed widely on non-target small mammals, and in sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) that feed predominantly on small birds. We found that the scale and magnitude of exposure was broadly consistent with our hypothesis, and that controlling for age in the analysis could be important as older birds can accumulate residues with age. However, exposure in kestrels was typically greater than that in barn owls and tawny owls, despite what is thought to be a general similarity among the species in their diets. We discuss the relative importance of trophic pathways relative to other factors that may drive secondary exposure in predators, and confirm that species that feed on rats or other target species may be at most risk of exposure and poisoning.

The lobular distribution of 9 different anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) residues in the liver of a sentinel predator/scavenger i.e. the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was determined following multi-residue analysis using Ultra (High) Performance Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The aim of the study was to address concerns that if distribution of AR residues in the liver was significantly heterogeneous, analysis of random sub-samples or finite remnants of liver could result in false negatives or lead to incorrect toxicological diagnoses. Intact livers excised from animals shot as part of routine legal pest control activities in Scotland during 2018 and 2019 were sub-sectioned and the lobular concentration of AR residues was investigated. Analysis of individual lobes from 10 different fox livers revealed that AR residues initially detected in a randomly selected small portion of liver tissue were present throughout the liver. Also, in cases where AR residues were not found in the initial randomly selected portion, they were not found in the subsequent more detailed examination. The limit of quantitation was 3 μg kg‐1 and AR residue concentrations ranged from 3 to 885 μg kg−1. Statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the eight and six out of ten livers that tested positive for bromadiolone and brodifacoum, respectively. No statistical evidence was found of differences in mean residue levels of bromadiolone throughout the liver i.e. within and between liver lobes. However, brodifacoum showed a statistically significant difference (p < .001) in mean residue concentration between the lobes but there was no statistical evidence of mean differences within the lobes.

Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) products are used globally to control rodent pests in domestic, urban, agricultural and industrial environments. However, there is a substantial volume of evidence that non-target vertebrate wildlife i.e. predators and scavengers in particular and other animals, are vulnerable to contamination via direct or indirect routes of exposure. The determination of multiple AR residues in liver tissue samples that can range from remnants of a small bird of prey liver to an intact liver from a large mammal is complicated as residue levels encountered can vary considerably too. So, the utilisation of ultra-sensitive systems has to be carefully considered in order to allow routine application of the method to all sample compositions presented for analysis. The UHPLC–MSMS method described now: • permits quantitative analysis of ultra-low levels of multiple-residues (0.0025–1 mg kg−1) in a single experiment. • uses the same U(H)PLC column for the determination of AR and multiple-pesticide residue in similar specimens. • allows higher sample throughput due to shaking rather than tumbling of samples during the extraction procedure. Method name: An improved multi-residue method for the determination of 9 anticoagulant rodenticides in liver tissue from non-target vertebrate wildlife and domestic animals using Ultra (High) Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC–MSMS), Keywords: Anticoagulant rodenticides, UHPLC–MSMS, multi-residues, GPC clean-up, liver

Purpose: The primary objective of the survey was to verify the effectiveness of the procedures used to improve the management of public services by the Municipal Office. Design/methodology/approach: The perception of customer service quality was studied among clients who personally visited the Municipal Office in Zabrze in 2023 to avail of the on-site public services. Finding: Besides determining the level of approval for the quality of services provided by the Municipal Office in Zabrze, the study also aimed to identify the reasons that made the clients find the administrative process either satisfying or causing negative feelings. There was also a verification of the changes in the quality of the town hall's operation, especially customer service, among the surveyed individuals who had previous experience with administrative matters. Respondents from this group were asked to point out specific changes they noticed since their last visit. Practical implications: The results of the research project described in the article will be implemented into the realm of planning new organizational solutions, improving existing rules, schedules, and procedures, and supervising the entire process of client service. Originality/value: Conducting research on the quality of client service allows for a scientific reflection on the functioning of public administration and expands knowledge on this subject. It also enables the identification of further research areas and determining spheres for the implementation of innovative solutions that streamline the operations of local government units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of cyclical indicators found: (1) the composite indexes contain more reliable turning point information than most of the individual indicators; (2) the Commerce Department's composite index would benefit [...]