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Low-dose psychedelics have shown potential in modulating chronic pain in humans, yet their application in veterinary medicine remains unexplored. This study protocol proposes to investigate the therapeutic potential of low-dose oral administration of 1-cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic acid diethylamide (1cp-LSD), a legal LSD analogue in certain countries, for the management of chronic pain in privately owned dogs with osteoarthritis. The study will employ a randomized, placebo-controlled design with caregivers blinded to treatment allocation. A cohort of about 24 dogs previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis, will orally receive sub-perceptual, intermittent doses of 1cp-LSD over a 30-day period, while maintaining their standard analgesic regimens to safeguard animal welfare. Outcome measures will include the Canine Brief Pain Inventory and caregiver-reported assessments, including the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), to evaluate both pharmacological efficacy and the influence of caregiver expectations as an indirect indicator of placebo effects as a secondary aim. The study anticipates a reduction in pain scores among treated dogs, potentially modulated by caregiver expectations. However, the sustained effect of 1cp-LSD in osteoarthritis remains uncertain due to interactions with inflammatory mediators. Limitations include the lack of established dose–response relationships, small cohort size, and variability in caregiver perceptions, which will be analyzed descriptively. The protocol establishes a comprehensive and methodologically framework to evaluate both the pharmacological therapeutic effects of low-dose psychedelics in managing chronic osteoarthritic pain and the psychological factors that may influence perceived outcomes.

The 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma devastated banana production, a key crop, with a 50% loss (53,000 tons). Concerned about potential contamination from volcanic ash and magma, we investigated the elemental composition of bananas from the eruption area and control sites. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis quantified both essential and non-essential mineral elements, including potentially toxic elements identified by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), as well as rare earth elements (REEs) and other trace elements that are scarcely studied under volcanic conditions. This approach allowed for spatial and temporal comparisons. Results showed a decrease in element levels post-eruption; however, samples from the volcanic area still exhibited elevated concentrations of Fe, Co, Cd, Al, Ba, Ni, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, and REEs. Control samples from unaffected islands with higher anthropogenic pressure showed elevated levels of Mn and Mo. Despite the increased element levels, banana consumption remains safe and constitutes a valuable source for the recommended daily intake of Mo and Co. Most toxic elements were present at less than 1% of the tolerable daily intake (TDI), with the highest values for As and V reaching 3%, and no risk was associated according to the margin of exposure approach. This eruption highlights the need for continuous monitoring in volcanic regions to safeguard public health and food safety.

The organic wine market is rapidly growing worldwide, both in terms of production and consumption. However, the scientific literature is not conclusive regarding differences in the elemental composition of wines according to their production method, including both major and trace elements. Minerals can be present in wine as a result of both anthropogenic and environmental factors. To date, this has not been evaluated in volcanic contexts, neither has the emergent issue of rare earths and other minority elements as potential sources of food contamination. This study using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses organic and conventional wines produced in the Canary Islands (Spain), an archipelago of volcanic origin, to compare their content of 49 elements, including rare earths and minority elements. Our results showed that organic wines presented lower potential toxic element content on average than their conventional counterparts, but differences were not significant. Geographical origin of the wine samples (island) was the only significant variable differentiating wine samples by their composition profiles. By comparing our data with the literature, no agreement was found in terms of differences between organic and conventionally-produced wines. This confirms that other factors prevail over elemental composition when considering differences between wine production methods. Regarding the toxicological profile of the wines, five samples (three organic and two conventional) exceeded the maximum limits established by international legislation. This highlights the need for stricter analytical monitoring in the Canary Islands, with a particular focus on Cu and Ni concentration, and potentially in other volcanic areas.

La Graciosa, a Natura 2000 site in the Canary Islands, faces substantial conservation challenges, including a large free-roaming cat population that threatens the island’s native biodiversity. In July 2024, a Trap–Neuter–Return (TNR) campaign achieved an 81.4% sterilization rate within urban areas, highlighting TNR’s short-term effectiveness in reducing reproductive potential and, consequently, mitigating predation pressures primarily through the prevention of new litters and reduced reproductive activity in cats. The campaign’s success relied heavily on the active involvement of the local community, who assisted with identifying, trapping, and monitoring free-roaming cats, thereby facilitating a high sterilization rate. However, administrative restrictions hindered access to peri-urban zones, leaving essential population clusters unsterilized and limiting the campaign’s overall scope. Additionally, strong opposition from conservation groups, amplified by extensive media coverage, halted the project prematurely, reducing the effective sterilization rate to 69.3% within three months. Population Viability Analysis (PVA) suggests that achieving high sterilization rates could lead to population reduction over time; however, the inability to access all population segments and to reach the ideal 93–95% sterilization threshold limits TNR’s potential as a long-term standalone solution. Our findings underscore the need for adaptive, context-specific management frameworks in ecologically sensitive areas that integrate TNR with complementary measures, consider regulatory barriers, and value community involvement. This case study provides crucial insights for policymakers and conservationists seeking to balance biodiversity conservation with humane management practices in protected areas.

Background: The infant population is particularly sensitive, so the risk posed by their diet must be analyzed. The aims of the present study were (i) to determine the contents of 38 elements in 159 samples of ready-to-eat baby food sold in Spain and (ii) to estimate the dietary intakes and risk assessments of these elements in name brands and store brands in infants ranging between 6 and 12 months of age. Methods: A list of essential, non-essential/toxic elements, rare earth elements (REEs), and other hi-tech-related elements that are currently considered as emerging environmental pollutants were measured in ready-to-eat baby foods by ICP-MS. Results: Fish purees showed the highest concentrations of mercury (28.1 ng/g) and arsenic (346.2 ng/g). The levels of manganese, molybdenum, and chromium exceed the adequate intake, being higher in the case of store brands. The acute hazard index was above 1 for molybdenum and manganese. A risky consumption of thallium and mercury was observed, being higher among name brands. The risk associated with the consumption of REEs was low, although its presence should be highlighted. Conclusions: This is the first time that these chemical elements have been measured in ready-to-eat purees for babies. The presence of some of them, such as mercury, should be sufficient to monitor the levels of these contaminants in food intended for such a sensitive population as children.

This study presents the scientific and methodological foundation of Spain’s first national framework for the ethical management of community cat populations: the Action Plan for the Management of Community Cat Colonies (PACF), launched in 2025 under the mandate of Law 7/2023. This pioneering legislation introduces a standardized, nationwide obligation for trap–neuter–return (TNR)-based management of free-roaming cats, defined as animals living freely, territorially attached, and with limited socialization toward humans. The PACF aims to support municipalities in implementing this mandate through evidence-based strategies that integrate animal welfare, biodiversity protection, and public health objectives. Using standardized data submitted by 1128 municipalities (13.9% of Spain’s total), we estimated a baseline population of 1.81 million community cats distributed across 125,000 colonies. These data were stratified by municipal population size and applied to national census figures to generate a model-ready demographic structure. We then implemented a stochastic simulation using Vortex software to project long-term population dynamics over a 25-year horizon. The model integrated eight demographic–environmental scenarios defined by a combination of urban–rural classification and ecological reproductive potential based on photoperiod and winter temperature. Parameters included reproductive output, mortality, sterilization coverage, abandonment and adoption rates, stochastic catastrophic events, and territorial carrying capacity. Under current sterilization rates (~20%), our projections indicate that Spain’s community cat population could surpass 5 million individuals by 2050, saturating ecological and social thresholds within a decade. In contrast, a differentiated sterilization strategy aligned with territorial reproductive intensity (50% in most areas, 60–70% in high-pressure zones) achieves population stabilization by 2030 at approximately 1.5 million cats, followed by a gradual long-term decline. This scenario prioritizes feasibility while substantially reducing reproductive output, particularly in rural and high-intensity contexts. The PACF combines stratified demographic modeling with spatial sensitivity, offering a flexible framework adaptable to local conditions. It incorporates One Health principles and introduces tools for adaptive management, including digital monitoring platforms and standardized welfare protocols. While ecological impacts were not directly assessed, the proposed demographic stabilization is designed to mitigate population-driven risks to biodiversity and public health without relying on lethal control. By integrating legal mandates, stratified modeling, and realistic intervention goals, this study outlines a replicable and scalable framework for coordinated action across administrative levels. It exemplifies how national policy can be operationalized through data-driven, territorially sensitive planning tools. The findings support the strategic deployment of TNR-based programs across diverse municipal contexts, providing a model for other countries seeking to align animal welfare policy with ecological planning under a multi-level governance perspective.

Managing community cats on islands requires reconciling animal-welfare mandates with biodiversity protection under real operational constraints. In the Canary Islands (Spain), national Law 7/2023 endorses ethical, non-lethal colony management, while subsequent regional resolutions restrict TNR in and around protected areas, narrowing municipal room for action. We combine a multilevel governance assessment with stochastic demographic simulations parameterized from official records to compare three sterilization regimes over 20 years. The intensive regime (≈60-70%/year) reflects the coverage threshold previously identified by Spain-based modelling and field evaluations and adopted in national program guidance; the 20%/year regime represents the pre-resolution baseline widely observed across the archipelago up to December 2024; and the 4%/year regime reflects the post-resolution reality, with abrupt declines in sterilizations, operations largely confined to urban cores, and program suspensions in multiple municipalities. Minimal (4%) and low (20%) efforts produce rapid population growth, bringing numbers close to the assumed carrying capacity under our deliberately high-K configuration and sustaining high densities and associated welfare and ecological risks; only sustained high-coverage TNR prevents saturation and produces progressive declines across island contexts. Under insular constraints, outcomes are determined by achievable coverage rather than regulatory intent; aligning policy and implementation to secure continuous, high-coverage TNR-particularly in risk-sensitive areas with appropriate safeguards-offers a feasible pathway to meet animal-welfare obligations while limiting ecological pressure.

The 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma devastated banana production, a key crop, with a 50% loss (53,000 tons). Concerned about potential contamination from volcanic ash and magma, we investigated the elemental composition of bananas from the eruption area and control sites. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis quantified both essential and non-essential mineral elements, including potentially toxic elements identified by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), as well as rare earth elements (REEs) and other trace elements that are scarcely studied under volcanic conditions. This approach allowed for spatial and temporal comparisons. Results showed a decrease in element levels post-eruption; however, samples from the volcanic area still exhibited elevated concentrations of Fe, Co, Cd, Al, Ba, Ni, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, and REEs. Control samples from unaffected islands with higher anthropogenic pressure showed elevated levels of Mn and Mo. Despite the increased element levels, banana consumption remains safe and constitutes a valuable source for the recommended daily intake of Mo and Co. Most toxic elements were present at less than 1% of the tolerable daily intake (TDI), with the highest values for As and V reaching 3%, and no risk was associated according to the margin of exposure approach. This eruption highlights the need for continuous monitoring in volcanic regions to safeguard public health and food safety.

Human breast milk represents the best choice for the nutrition of infants. However, in addition to containing beneficial nutrients and antibodies, it can also be considered the best indicator of infant exposure to contaminants. We developed a multi-residue method using a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure and capillary gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry for the determination of 57 persistent organic pollutants, including 23 organochlorine pesticides, 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human milk and colostrum samples. We have used primary secondary amine in the clean-up step as it gave a more efficient separation of the analytes from fat and superior removal of the co-extracted substances compared with gel permeation chromatography. No significant matrix effect was observed for the tested pollutants, and therefore matrix-matched calibration was not necessary. The average recoveries from spiked samples were in the range of 74.8–113.0 %. The precision was satisfactory, with relative standard deviations below 16 %, while values of 0.1–0.4 μg L −1 were established as the limit of quantification for all the target analytes (0.05 and 100 μg L −1 ). The method was successfully applied to the analysis of 18 human colostrum and 23 mature milk samples. All the samples tested were positive for at least nine different residues, with some samples containing up to 24 contaminants. Remarkably, the contaminants hexachlorobenzene, p,p’-DDE, PCB 138, PCB 180, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were present in 100 % of the colostrum and mature milk samples analyzed.

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