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On request of the EU Commission, EFSA carried out an Extensive Literature Review (ELR) to provide a list of vector species or reservoirs species of pathogens of crustaceans, listed in Annex II to the AHL, aiming to update the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. In this Technical Report, the detailed review protocol of the ELR and assessment of potential vector and reservoir species is described of the crustacean pathogens listed in Annex II to the AHL: Taura syndrome virus (TSV), Yellow head virus (YHV) or White spot syndrome virus (WSSV). In total 2,530 research publications were collected for abstract screening and from these, 110 were selected for further full text analysis. In the final data collection and assessment 34 relevant research publications were used for extracting information on vector and reservoir species of the above crustacean pathogens. The results for crustacean species for which scientific evidence indicates that a role as vector species or reservoir species is likely are presented as tables in the supplementary material of this report. This publication is linked to the following EFSA Journal articles: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8172/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8173/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8174/full This publication is linked to the following EFSA Supporting Publications articles: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8123/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8124/full [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On request of the EU Commission, EFSA carried out an Extensive Literature Review (ELR) to provide a list of vector species or reservoirs species of pathogens of crustaceans, listed in Annex II to the AHL, aiming to update the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1882. In this Technical Report, the detailed review protocol of the ELR and assessment of potential vector and reservoir species is described of the crustacean pathogens listed in Annex II to the AHL: Taura syndrome virus (TSV), Yellow head virus (YHV) or White spot syndrome virus (WSSV). In total 2,530 research publications were collected for abstract screening and from these, 110 were selected for further full text analysis. In the final data collection and assessment 34 relevant research publications were used for extracting information on vector and reservoir species of the above crustacean pathogens. The results for crustacean species for which scientific evidence indicates that a role as vector species or reservoir species is likely are presented as tables in the supplementary material of this report. This publication is linked to the following EFSA Journal articles: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8172/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8173/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8174/full This publication is linked to the following EFSA Supporting Publications articles: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8122/full, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8124/full [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested EFSA assess antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for animal transmissible diseases, with a view to listing such pathogens for European Union action. This Scientific Opinion addresses the ad hoc method developed: (i) to give a global state of play as regards resistant animal pathogens that cause transmissible animal diseases, (ii) to identify the most relevant bacteria in the EU and (iii) to summarise their actual or potential animal health impact, and to perform their assessment for being listed and categorised according to the criteria of Articles 7, 5, 9 and 8 within the Animal Health Law (AHL) framework. An extensive literature review is carried out to give the global state of play of selected resistant bacteria that constitute a threat to animal health (i). An expert judgement procedure, based on the outcome of the literature review, is applied to identify which among those bacteria subjected to the literature review are the 'most relevant' in the European Union (ii). Their animal health impact in the European Union and their assessment for being listed and categorised according to the AHL framework will follow the 'ad hoc method for the assessment on listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law' that EFSA has developed in the past (iii). The assessment of (i) and (ii) is addressed in distinct scientific opinions that are published separately by animal species of interest (dogs and cats, horses, pigs, poultry, cattle, small ruminants, rabbits and aquatic animal species). The assessment of (iii) is addressed in distinct scientific opinions and published separately by the animal pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This opinion describes outdoor farming of pigs in the EU, assesses the risk of African swine fewer (ASF) introduction and spread associated with outdoor pig farms and proposes biosecurity and control measures for outdoor pig farms in ASF-affected areas of the EU. Evidence was collected from Member States (MSs) veterinary authorities, farmers' associations, literature and legislative documents. An Expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) was carried out to group outdoor pig farms according to their risk of introduction and spread of ASF, to rank biosecurity measures regarding their effectiveness with regard to ASF and propose improvements of biosecurity for outdoor pig farming and accompanying control measures. Outdoor pig farming is common and various farm types are present throughout the EU. As there is no legislation at European level for categorising outdoor pig farms in the EU, information is limited, not harmonised and needs to be interpreted with care. The baseline risk of outdoor pig farms for ASFV introduction and its spread is high but with considerable uncertainty. The Panel is 66-90% certain that, if single solid or double fences were fully and properly implemented on all outdoor pig farms in areas of the EU where ASF is present in wild boar and in domestic pigs in indoor farms and outdoor farms (worst case scenario not considering different restriction zones or particular situations), without requiring any other outdoor-specific biosecurity measures or control measures, this would reduce the number of new ASF outbreaks occurring in these farms within a year by more than 50% compared to the baseline risk. The Panel concludes that the regular implementation of independent and objective on-farm biosecurity assessments using comprehensive standard protocols and approving outdoor pig farms on the basis of their biosecurity risk in an official system managed by competent authorities will further reduce the risk of ASF introduction and spread related to outdoor pig farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of some of the control measures against diseases included in the Category A list according to Regulation (EU) 2016/ 429 on transmissible animal diseases ('Animal Health Law'). This opinion belongs to a series of opinions where these control measures will be assessed, with this opinion covering the assessment of control measures for foot and mouth disease (FMD). In this opinion, EFSA and the AHAW Panel of experts review the effectiveness of: i) clinical and laboratory sampling procedures, ii) monitoring period and iii) the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zones, and the minimum length of time the measures should be applied in these zones. The general methodology used for this series of opinions has been published elsewhere; nonetheless, the transmission kernels used for the assessment of the minimum radius of the protection zone of 3 km and of the surveillance zone of 10 km are shown. Several scenarios for which these control measures had to be assessed were designed and agreed prior to the start of the assessment. The monitoring period of 21 days was assessed as effective, and it was concluded that the protection and the surveillance zones comprise > 99% of the infections from an affected establishment if transmission occurred. Recommendations, provided for each of the scenarios assessed, aim to support the European Commission in the drafting of further pieces of legislation, as well as for plausible ad hoc requests in relation to FMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of some of the control measures against diseases included in the Category A list according to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases ('Animal Health Law'). This opinion belongs to a series of opinions where these control measures will be assessed, with this opinion covering the assessment of control measures for African Swine Fever (ASF). In this opinion, EFSA and the AHAW Panel of experts reviewed the effectiveness of: (i) clinical and laboratory sampling procedures, (ii) monitoring period and (iii) the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zone, and the minimum length of time the measures should be applied in these zones. The general methodology used for this series of opinions has been published elsewhere; nonetheless, specific details of the model used for the assessment of the laboratory sampling procedures for ASF are presented here. Here, also, the transmission kernels used for the assessment of the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zones are shown. Several scenarios for which these control measures had to be assessed were designed and agreed prior to the start of the assessment. In summary, several sampling procedures as described in the diagnostic manual for ASF were considered ineffective and a suggestion to exclude, or to substitute with more effective procedures was made. The monitoring period was assessed as non-effective for several scenarios and a longer monitoring period was suggested to ensure detection of potentially infected herds. It was demonstrated that the surveillance zone comprises 95% of the infections from an affected establishment, and therefore is considered effective. Recommendations provided for each of the scenarios assessed aim to support the European Commission in the drafting of further pieces of legislation, as well as for plausible ad hoc requests in relation to ASF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of some of the control measures against diseases included in the Category A list according to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases ('Animal Health Law'). This opinion belongs to a series of opinions where these control measures will be assessed, with this opinion covering the assessment of control measures for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). In this opinion, EFSA and the AHAW Panel of experts review the effectiveness of: (i) clinical and laboratory sampling procedures, (ii) monitoring period and (iii) the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zone, and the minimum length of time the measures should be applied in these zones. The general methodology used for this series of opinions has been published elsewhere; nonetheless, specific details of the model used for the assessment of the laboratory sampling procedures for HPAI are presented here. Here, also, the transmission kernels used for the assessment of the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zones are shown. Several scenarios for which these control measures had to be assessed were designed and agreed prior to the start of the assessment. In summary, sampling procedures as described in the diagnostic manual for HPAI were considered efficient for gallinaceous poultry, whereas additional sampling is advised for Anseriformes. The monitoring period was assessed as effective, and it was demonstrated that the surveillance zone comprises 95% of the infections from an affected establishment. Recommendations provided for each of the scenarios assessed aim to support the European Commission in the drafting of further pieces of legislation, as well as for plausible ad hoc requests in relation to HPAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, three dibenzoylmethane derivatives in their β-diketo form have been selected to investigate their photophysical and photochemical behavior upon interaction with human serum albumin (HSA). In organic solvents, absorption and phosphorescence emission spectra of the α-bromo derivative of avobenzone (BrAB) were similar to those of the α-methylated and α-propyl analogs (MeAB and PrAB). However, laser flash photolysis experiments revealed a different transient species centered at 350 nm, assigned to the radical obtained from a singlet excited state dehalogenation process. Interestingly, the transient absorption spectrum of BrAB within HSA showed the typical features of the β-diketone triplet excited state. In the case of MeAB and PrAB derivatives, binding to HSA was associated with a significant increase of their triplet lifetimes as compared to acetonitrile. Finally, the Norrish type II process has been considered as a model to evaluate the influence of the protein microenvironment on the photoreactivity. In this context, photodegradation of PrAB in aerated solutions, to give avobenzone (AB), has been monitored by UV spectroscopy. Interestingly, the quantum yields of AB formation were markedly dependent on the reaction medium (1.4 × 10−2in acetonitrile and 3.9 × 10−2within albumin medium); by contrast, chemical yields of ca.50% were obtained in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate-decorated meso-tetraarylporphyrins P-Gand P-Cwere synthesized viaLewis-acid catalyzed condensation of acetylated carbohydrate-substituted benzaldehydes and pyrrole. Their efficiency of singlet oxygen production was compared with the corresponding non-substituted porphyrin. The oxidation of the spin trap molecule TEMP (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone) by singlet oxygen to TEMPO was measured by ESR spectroscopy, showing higher reaction rates for the sugar porphyrins. These results were corroborate by laser flash photolysis measurements that resulted in higher triplet lifetimes of glucosyl- and cellobiosyl porphyrins in comparison with tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin. Low ee was detected in the photooxygenation of ethyl tiglate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-Lapachone is a natural 1,4-naphthoquinone with promising biological activity. The fused dihydropyran ring present in its structure, acting as formal 2-alkoxy and 3-alkyl substituents to the quinone moiety, endows this compound with milder redox properties and lower toxicity, when compared with other bioactive 1,4-quinones. Its photochemistry, here reported, seems to originate from the triplet state, which shows ππ* character. Triplet quenching in acetonitrile solution with added hydrogen-atom donors such as 1,4-cyclohexadiene or 2-propanol is inefficient, independent of solvent polarity, and leads to formation of the semiquinone radical. With phenol and indole, quenching rate constants are two orders of magnitude higher, but smaller than the value for triethylamine. In the first two cases the semiquinone radical can be detected by laser flash photolysis and in the last case, the anion radical derived from α-lapachone is readily detected. The semiquinone radical can also be observed in the quenching of triplet α-lapachone by 2′-deoxyguanosine and by the methyl esters of l-tryptophan and l-tyrosine, whereas for l-cysteine methyl ester the quenching rate constant is very slow. Triplet α-lapachone is not quenched by thymine, thymidine, 2′-deoxycytosine or 2′-deoxyadenosine; this is probably due to its ππ* character and low energy, which prevents oxetane formation and triplet–triplet energy transfer, respectively. Steady-state photolysis of aerated solutions of these compounds in the presence of α-lapachone does not show evidence of decomposition, whereas similar experiments with 2′-deoxyguanosine result in efficient consumption of the nucleoside. Singlet oxygen is formed from triplet α-lapachone, and a quantum yield of 0.68 is measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholylamidofluorescein (CamF) has been selected as a fluorescent bile acid scaffold to perform a full characterization of its photophysical properties. In aqueous medium, under nitrogen, the absorption spectrum of CamF was expectedly dependent on pH. Under air, the presence of CO2 resulted in a partial protonation of the photoactive form, reducing the absorbance of CamF. The fluorescence spectrum of CamF in ethanol (λexc = 481 nm) showed a broad band with maximum at 518 nm; the fluorescence quantum yield was 0.67, and the fluorescence lifetime was 4.8 ns. Laser flash photolysis of CamF showed the triplet state transient with a broad maximum at ca. 540 nm and a lifetime of 19 μs. Flow cytometric kinetic assay of CamF uptake in real time was performed in suspensions of rat hepatocytes, showing that living hepatocytes accumulated slowly but constantly CamF along the 5-minute experimental period. Besides, intracellular fluorescence of live cells was found to be clearly dependent on the extracellular concentration of CamF. Thus, flow cytometry has allowed us to demonstrate that CamF is specifically taken up by living rat hepatocytes in a concentration-dependent fashion, suggesting the suitability of this molecule for further studies on bile-acid transport in liver cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciplex behaviour of three benzoxazole derivatives has been detected and intensively investigated by means of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques and transient absorption spectroscopy. The fluorescence of these compounds shows the properties which are typical for the excited state charge transfer complexes (exciplexes). Besides of the short wavelength fluorescence, which is similar in spectral distribution to the fluorescence of the electron acceptor (2-p-tolyl-benzoxazole), the red shifted, broad and structureless emission band is observed in solvents of low and medium polarity. The detailed analysis of the fluorescence data shows that the ratio of the CT and LE fluorescence initially increases with increasing solvent polarity, achieves a maximum, and drops for more polar solvents (εs = 7). Similar behaviour is observed for the exciplex fluorescence lifetimes. The overall fluorescence and the relative intersystem crossing quantum yields show the decrease of these values with increasing solvent polarity. These observations have been explained on the basis of Marcus-type theory for nonradiative charge transfer rate constants. Increasing solvent polarity strongly accelerates the back electron transfer process which recovers the whole molecule in the ground state. The probability of the compact exciplex formation (i.e. sandwich-type structures) depends on solvent viscosity and degree of freedom of the bending of the saturated linker. The compound containing crown ether as a donor subunit may be used as a fluorescent indicator of inorganic cations (barium and lithium). We found an effective complexation of the compound in the ground state with barium and lithium cations. The complex is also stable in the excited state which manifests itself in strong increase of the fluorescence intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photochemical reactivity of β-lapachone (1), nor-β-lapachone (2) and β-lapachone 3-sulfonic acid (3) has been examined by laser flash photolysis. Excitation (λ = 266 nm) of degassed solutions of 1–3, in acetonitrile or dichloromethane, resulted in the formation of detectable transients with absorption maxima at 300, 380 and 650 nm. These transients, with lifetimes of 5.0 µs, were quenched by β-carotene at a diffusion-controlled rate constant and assigned to the triplet excited states of 1–3. Addition of hydrogen donors, such as 2-propanol, 1,4-cyclohexadiene, 4-methoxyphenol or indole led to the formation of new transients, which were assigned to the corresponding ketyl radicals obtained from the hydrogen abstraction reaction by the triplets 1–3. In the presence of triethylamine it was observed the formation of the long-lived anion radical derived from 1–3, which shows absorption maxima at 300 and 380 nm. The low values observed for the hydrogen abstraction rate constants for the β-lapachones 1–3 using 2-propanol and 1,4-cyclohexadiene as quenchers led us to conclude that their triplet excited states show ππ* character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanistic pathway for degradation of cinnamic acids using 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium as well as 2,4,6-triphenyl(thia)pyrylium salts (1a,b) as solar photocatalysts has been unambiguously established. Results obtained in steady-state experiments have been correlated with time-resolved photophysical studies. High percentages of photodegradation (60–70%) were achieved when aqueous solutions of caffeic and ferulic acids (2a,b) as model pollutants were submitted to irradiation in the presence of 1a,b. Electron-transfer quenching of both the singlet and triplet excited states of 1a,b by 2a,b has been proved, and the quenching rate constants (close to diffusion control) have been determined. However, the percentages of singlet quenching by 2a,b, even at relatively high concentrations of the model pollutants, is lower than 5%. In addition to this, growth of the signal corresponding to the pyranyl radical occurs in the microsecond timescale, incompatible with the singlet state as precursor. Thus, photodegradation of 2a,b mainly involves the triplet state of the photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]