SMC Spain

The French authorities have announced the first recorded case of human infection with the Shamonda virus. The patient was receiving treatment for a serious illness and died in early October. This virus was first identified in farm animals in Europe this past summer, but had previously been detected in animals outside the continent. It is usually transmitted between animals via the bites of infected midges (Culicoides). It is still unknown how the patient contracted the viral infection and whether this was the direct cause of death. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in a press release has stated that it is monitoring the situation closely.

A team from the Netherlands has studied the role that salt marshes might play in protecting coastal areas subject to heavy swells from flooding. To this end, they transported and installed 306 square metres of salt marsh and vegetation in the Delta Flume, one of the world’s largest wave flumes. After 21 hours of exposure to waves up to two metres high, they found that the vegetation can reduce wave height by more than 10 per cent and by up to 50 per cent on low-energy marshy coasts — that is, those where waves reach a maximum of one metre. According to the authors, the restoration and conservation of salt marshes on storm-exposed coasts could be a promising strategy for mitigating the effects of storms. The findings are published in Nature.

Using clinical and genetic data from more than 10,000 Australians with depression, an international team has found that nearly 25 per cent suffered from what they have termed ‘circadian depression’ – a subtype previously proposed by the scientific community that is characterised by disrupted sleep-wake cycles, reduced daytime activity and low energy levels. In the study, those identified as having this form of depression reported an earlier age of onset, more severe clinical features and weight gain during depressive episodes. The authors, whose study is published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, state that these findings “support the apparent validity and potential clinical utility of a circadian subtype of depression as a clinical profile”.

The journal Tobacco Control has published a study on the proportion of passive smokers in Spain in 2024, which allows for a comparison with three previous editions and, for the first time, includes information on non-smokers’ exposure to smoke on outdoor terraces, as well as to e-cigarette products. The study, carried out by the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), shows, for the first time in the data series, an upward trend in the number of passive smokers. Bar terraces are identified as the main location of exposure. Three of the authors explained the main findings and their recommendations at a briefing organised by SMC Spain.

A study carried out by the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has estimated the proportion of passive smokers in Spain in 2024. The study allows for a comparison of trends with three previous editions and, for the first time, includes information on non-smokers’ exposure to smoke on outdoor terraces, as well as to e-cigarette products. The results indicate that exposure has stopped falling and appear to show, for the first time in the data series, an upward trend in the number of passive smokers. Bar terraces are identified as the main location of exposure. The study is published in the journal Tobacco Control, part of the BMJ group.

Transboundary aquifers are groundwater reserves that extend across the territory of two or more countries, as is the case between Spain and Portugal. Globally, these aquifers supply 35 per cent of farmland irrigated with groundwater, but few are covered by international cooperation agreements. A study published in the journal PNAS has analysed water use in the 426 known transboundary aquifers. The results find no evidence that these aquifers, on average, suffer greater depletion than those located within a single country, although depletion tends to be concentrated near borders.

A study led by the CSIC, which has analysed more than four million records of wild bees and hoverflies — known as flower flies — in Europe over the last century, shows that the majority of bee species and approximately half of the hoverfly species have experienced a decline. The study, published in PNAS, covers data on 88 per cent of these species and highlights that, by region, there were declines in the Atlantic and continental zones for both groups of pollinators, whilst recent increases were observed in the Alpine region in the case of bees.

Although menopause is a part of the lives of millions of women—accounting for about one-third of their lives in total—it remains one of the least-studied stages of women’s health. With up to 72 associated symptoms, there are still many unanswered questions about many of them and the impact of treatments. We spoke with experts to find out which questions remain unanswered.

Plastics are generally considered to be chemically inert, which is why they are so frequently used for food packaging, bottling water or manufacturing toys. However, when a large piece breaks down into microplastics — less than 5 mm in size — its surface area increases dramatically in relation to its volume. As a result, the amount of material exposed to the environment is much greater. A study published in Nature concludes that this new surface area is not necessarily safe when submerged in water, but may generate high-energy reactive radicals — reactive oxygen species — which can cause harm to health and the environment.

Currently, weather forecasts become less accurate as the lead time increases, especially beyond two weeks. A study published in the journal Nature presents a machine learning method that corrects errors in existing weather models and improves forecasts for a period of two to six weeks. When applied to an artificial intelligence model from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the method doubled its predictive capability. It also improved the prediction of extreme weather events, such as floods and cold snaps. According to the article, these advances could help improve agricultural planning, energy management, and disaster preparedness.