Blood lead levels in an endangered vulture decline following changes in hunting activity.

Lead ammunition stands out as one of the most pervasive pollutants affecting wildlife. Its impact on bird populations have spurred efforts for the phase-out of leaded gunshot in several countries, although with varying scopes and applications. Ongoing and future policy changes require data to assess the effectiveness of adopted measures, particularly in the current context of biodiversity loss. Here, we assessed the long-term changes in blood lead (Pb) levels of Egyptian vultures from the Canary Islands, Spain, which have been severely affected by Pb poisoning over the past two decades. During this period, the reduction in hunting pressure and changes in legislation regarding firearms usage for small game hunting likely contributed to a decrease in environmental Pb availability. As anticipated, our results show a reduction in Pb levels, especially after the ban on wild rabbit hunting with shotgun since 2010. This effect was stronger in the preadult fraction of the vulture population. However, we still observed elevated blood Pb levels above the background and clinical thresholds in 5.6% and 1.5% of individuals, respectively. Our results highlight the positive impact of reducing the availability of Pb from ammunition sources on individual health. Nonetheless, the continued use of Pb gunshot remains an important source of poisoning, even lethal, mainly affecting adult individuals. This poses a particular concern for long-lived birds, compounding by potential chronic effects associated with Pb bioaccumulation. Our findings align with recent studies indicating insufficient reductions in Pb levels among European birds of prey, attributed to limited policy changes and their uneven implementation. We anticipated further reductions in Pb levels among Egyptian vultures with expanded restrictions on hunting practices, including a blanket ban on Pb shot usage across all small game species.

Apex scavengers from different European populations converge at threatened savannah landscapes.

Over millennia, human intervention has transformed European habitats mainly through extensive livestock grazing. "Dehesas/Montados" are an Iberian savannah-like ecosystem dominated by oak-trees, bushes and grass species that are subject to agricultural and extensive livestock uses. They are a good example of how large-scale, low intensive transformations can maintain high biodiversity levels as well as socio-economic and cultural values. However, the role that these human-modified habitats can play for individuals or species living beyond their borders is unknown. Here, using a dataset of 106 adult GPS-tagged Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) monitored over seven years, we show how individuals breeding in western European populations from Northern, Central, and Southern Spain, and Southern France made long-range forays (LRFs) of up to 800 km to converge in the threatened Iberian "dehesas" to forage. There, extensive livestock and wild ungulates provide large amounts of carcasses, which are available to scavengers from traditional exploitations and rewilding processes. Our results highlight that maintaining Iberian "dehesas" is critical not only for local biodiversity but also for long-term conservation and the ecosystem services provided by avian scavengers across the continent.

Dumbbell-shaped thoracic chondroid chordoma mimicking a neurinoma.

A 31-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with paraparesis and pyramidal signs. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a homogeneously enhanced mass occupying the spinal canal at the T1-T2 level and extending to the apical pleural space through the right intervertebral foramen. Surgical resection was achieved using a laminectomy and complete facetectomy. Histological examination indicated chondroid chordoma. The patient received postoperative proton radio-therapy. Chondroid chordoma is a subtype of chordomas with better prognosis, and it may appear as a dumbbell-shaped tumor as previously described in classical chordomas.

Brachial neuritis or Parsonage-Turner syndrome: A problem of liability. A presentation of 3 cases. / Neuritis braquial o síndrome de Parsonage-Turner: un problema de responsabilidad. A propósito de 3 casos.

Neuralgic amyotrophy, brachial neuritis or Parsonage-Turner syndrome is a rare neuromuscular involvement of unknown aetiology. When it onsets in connection with a health care act, such as childbirth or surgery, a malpractice argument is often used as a cause of adverse outcome, usually due to an incorrect position of the patient on the operating table, a circumstance which directly involves the anesthesia area. Three cases are presented of Parsonage-Turner syndrome following very different surgery, with different results as regards prognosis. A review and discussion of bibliography is presented on the possibility that such circumstances are the subject of malpractice claims. Special emphasis is placed on the most currently accepted aetiopathogenic theories, and the relationship of this syndrome with the surgical act as a determining medico-legal aspect. Valuation parameters are proposed.

Esophageal lymphangioma: case report and review of the literature.

We report a 66-year-old patient with an esophageal lymphangioma. Five other cases have been reported previously. Clinical features, diagnosis, and therapy are discussed.

Hemangiopericytoma of the spleen.

Hemangiopericytomas are rare vascular tumors, most frequently found in the muscles of the lower extremities. A parenchymatous origin is extremely uncommon. We present here what we believe is the first case ever reported of an hemangiopericytoma of the spleen.

[Latent sprue in a 62-year-old man]. / Esprue latente en varón de 62 años.

We report a case of a 62-years-old male, diagnosed by radiology, antigliadin antibodies and intestinal biopsy of sprue, without fat malabsorption. The patient with a free gluten diet evolved to a clinic and radiologic normalization in three months and a great histological improvement.

[A gluteal mass as the initial manifestation of a calcified hepatocarcinoma]. / Masa glútea como manifestación inicial de un hepatocarcinoma calcificado.

A patient is reported who had a mass in the gluteal region of three years evolution that turned out to be a metastasis of hepatocarcinoma. The peculiarities of this case are commented, as well as the unusual form of presentation of the hepatocarcinoma. The prolonged clinical evolution and the presence of calcifications in the primitive tumor should be emphasized.

Heterotopic gastric mucosa in the rectum.

A case of an ulcer of the rectum in a 20-year-old patient with rectal pain and rectal bleeding is reported. Histological examination of the endoscopic biopsy showed the presence of gastric or fundic mucosa. The patient was treated with Cimetidine and alkaline drugs, with positive results. Ulcer cicatrization was verified at subsequent endoscopic examinations, and biopsies obtained at different levels of the colon revealed a normal histological picture.