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A novel diffusion system for in-line rapid thermal diffusion is presented. The lamp-heated furnace has a low thermal mass and a metal free transport system based on the walking beam principle. The furnace has been used to process first solar cells with lightly and highly doped emitters respectively. Solar cells with shallow lightly doped emitters show that the emitters processed in the new device can be well passivated. Shallow emitters with sheet resistances of up to 40 /sq. have been contacted successfully by means of screen printing and firing through a SiNx antireflection coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While brain metastasis (BM) velocity is a valuable prognostic metric at time of intracranial progression (ICP), pre-SRS risk factors for post-SRS high-burden intracranial progression (ICP) remain poorly characterized. We hypothesized that pre-SRS clinical parameters are associated with subsequent high-burden (ICP), defined as either ≥5 (ICP5) or new/progressive ≥11 BMs (ICP11). All patients completing an initial SRS course for BMs at two institutions from 1/2015-12/2020 were retrospectively identified. Patients with prior whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and/or BM resection were eligible. Demographic and clinical parameters were collected. ICP was defined as any radiographic concern for distant and/or in-field progression per multidisciplinary consensus. Overall survival (OS) and freedom from ICP were estimated via the Kaplan Meier method. Cox models assessed association between parameters and freedom from ICP5 and ICP11. We identified 1383 patients completed SRS, with a median follow up of 8.7 months. Patients were 54.8% female, 45.6% with KPS ≥90, and a median of 63.4 years old. Primary tumor types included non-small cell lung (48.7%), breast (14.7%), and melanoma (8.5%). 46.9% had oligometastatic disease (≤5 metastatic foci: including BMs) at SRS, and 53.4% underwent SRS for >1 BM. 10.3% of patients had undergone prior WBRT and 26.1% surgical resection. 555 patients (40.1%) experienced ICP following SRS, of whom 72.6% had 1-4, 11.5% had 5-10, and 15.9% had ≥11 new/progressive BMs. Among patients with ICP, 6-month freedom from ICP was 35.5% (95% CI: 31.1-40.5%) for those with 1-4 BMs at time of ICP, 29.7% (95% CI: 20.4-43.3%) for 5-10 BMs, and 20.5% (95% CI: 13.5-30.1%) for ≥11 BMs (p = 0.016). Respective 12-month OS rates were 56.8% (95% CI: 52.1-61.9%), 46.0% (95% CI: 35.1-60.1%), and 38.7% (95% CI: 29.4-50.9%; p<0.001). Neurologic symptoms at time of ICP were observed in 21.1% of patients with 1-4 BMs, 28.1% with 5-10 BMs, and 50.0% with new/progressive ≥11 BMs (p<0.001). On multivariable analysis, superior freedom from high-burden ICP was associated with the following pre-SRS parameters: oligometastatic burden (ICP5: HR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47-0.99; ICP11: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36-0.97), no prior immunotherapy (ICP11: HR 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34-0.57), and a single BM at time of initial SRS (1 vs 2 BM, ICP 5: HR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31-0.82; ICP11: HR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.24-0.84), while primary tumor type was not associated with ICP5 or ICP11. Pre-SRS parameters including polymetastatic burden, prior receipt of immunotherapy, and >1 BM were associated with post-SRS high-burden ICP. High burden ICP developed earlier following SRS completion and was associated with higher rates of neurologic decline and inferior OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain metastases (BM) are common in melanoma patients. The effect of gene mutations is not well characterized since first-line metastatic therapy has shifted from chemotherapy (CHT) to molecularly targeted therapies (TT) and immunotherapy (IO). We report outcomes of melanoma BM patients stratified by molecular subtype and pre-stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) systemic therapy. We identified all patients completing an initial SRS course for BM at two institutions between 1/2015 and 12/2020. Patients who had prior WBRT and/or resection were eligible. Demographic and clinical parameters were collected, along with melanoma tumor molecular characteristics. Intracranial progression (ICP) was defined as any radiographic distant and/or in-field progression per multidisciplinary consensus. Overall survival (OS) and freedom from ICP (FFICP) were estimated via the Kaplan Meier method. From a total of 1383 SRS BM patients, we identified 118 (8.5%) with melanoma. Median follow up was 8.7 months, median age 64 years (IQR 51-72), 81% had cutaneous origin, and 55% had a KPS of 90-100. Molecular subtypes included BRAF (45%), NRAS (9.3%), and c-KIT (3.4%). Overall, 61% received IO prior to SRS, while 25% and 9.3% received TT and CHT prior to SRS respectively. 60% of patients harboring a mutation received IO as first line therapy, 10% received TT, and 30% received both TT and IO prior to SRS. BRAFmut patients more likely to have received TT prior to SRS (43% vs 9.2%, p<0.001) compared to BRAFwt patients. Median OS was 9.7 months (95% CI 7.8-13) and was not significantly different from non-melanoma patients (p = 0.6). Median FFICP was worse for melanoma patients (5.9 mos, 95% CI 3.5-8.5) than non-melanoma patients (8.96 mos, 95% CI 8.2-9.7, p = 0.009). A total of 72 ICP events occurred, with 56 (77.8%) distant ICP cases, 3 (4.2%) in-field ICP, and 13 (18%) ICP events that were radionecrosis (RN) only. RN was associated with the presence of a targetable mutation (18% vs 2%, p = 0.006) and receipt of TT pre-SRS (36% vs 9.8%, p = 0.001). BRAFmut patients had significantly worse FFICP (3.8 mos, 95% CI 3.0-6.8) compared to BRAFwt patients (8.5 mos, 95% CI 5.8-30.2, p = 0.006), although median OS was not significantly different (9.6 mos, 95% CI 6.9-16 vs 10.7 mos, 95% CI 6.7-15.5, p = 0.8). NRASmut was associated with better FFICP (29 mos, 95% CI 2.94-NA, p = 0.02). In this modern, multi-institutional cohort of SRS patients, melanoma BM patients had worse FFICP compared to non-melanoma BM patients, and BRAFmut patients had worse FFICP than BRAFwt patients. RN was associated with mutational status and receipt of TT pre-SRS. OS did not vary significantly across groups. This analysis may help inform systemic therapy decisions and future genomic studies for patients with BMs from melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa has been called the 'odd man out' because the hectare-scale tree diversity of African equatorial forests is lower than that of forests in other parts of the tropics. Low diversity has been attributed to the smaller area of the African forest and a history of drought, fire and contraction. Several facts shed doubt on this interpretation. The current area of the central African forest is roughly 2 million km2. Even during periods of Pleistocene contraction, numerous moist refugia remained, including 6 posited for Gabon, a country the size of the U. S. state of Colorado. The gamma-diversity of Gabon is high, implying higher alpha diversities. Finally, tree diversities on small islands in the Solomons and Fiji archipelagos are twice those prevalent in Gabonese forests, suggesting that historical contractions may not have been sufficient to reduce diversity to its current level. To place the African situation in perspective, we compared tree stands in Gabon and the Peruvian Amazon. Peruvian forests contained a mean of 618 trees ≥ 10 cm dbh per ha vs 377 for Gabon, or 64% more. Peruvian forests contained relatively more small trees (≥ 10, <20 cm dbh) and many fewer large trees (≥ 20 cm dbh) than Gabonese forests. These structural differences were consistent across 10 Gabonese and 10 Peruvian sites and transcended local gradients in climate and geology, suggesting that they are intrinsic to the two continents. Tree species diversity in Perú is concentrated in the small tree class (≥ 10, <20 cm dbh), whereas it is highest in the larger tree classes in Gabon. Alpha diversity is apparently lower relative to gamma diversity in Africa than it is in Amazonian Perú , implying higher beta diversity. The densities of small plants (<1 m tall) are similar in Gabonese and Peruvian forests; the observed structural differences develop later at the sapling and small tree stages. Explaining the low hectare-scale diversity of African forests thus reduces to understanding why the density and diversity of small trees is so anomalously low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system are confronted with a large quantity of treatment offers based on methods of complementary medicine. Despite a considerable number of publications on this topic, the scientific evidence is still poor. This article focuses on Ayurvedic medicine (AM), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mind-body medicine and homeopathy. These procedures have a longstanding tradition of practice and each claims to have its own theoretical concept; however, the application in the field of rheumatology can only be recommended either for specific entities or, in the case of homeopathy, not at all. In addition, this article summarizes the evidence for dietary recommendations, nutritional supplements and herbal medicine in rheumatology. The latter topics are frequently discussed in the popular press and are a much-debated issue between physicians and patients; however, clear-cut recommendations for the application on a scientific basis are the exception and mainly consist of the endorsement to adhere to the principles of a Mediterranean diet., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Introduction: The chatbot ChatGPT represents a milestone in the interaction between humans and large databases that are accessible via the internet. It facilitates the answering of complex questions by enabling a communication in everyday language. Therefore, it is a potential source of information for those who are affected by rheumatic diseases. The aim of our investigation was to find out whether ChatGPT (version 3.5) is capable of giving qualified answers regarding the application of specific methods of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in three rheumatic diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). In addition, it was investigated how the answers of the chatbot were influenced by the wording of the question., Methods: The questioning of ChatGPT was performed in three parts. Part A consisted of an open question regarding the best way of treatment of the respective disease. In part B, the questions were directed towards possible indications for the application of CAM in general in one of the three disorders. In part C, the chatbot was asked for specific recommendations regarding one of three CAM methods: homeopathy, ayurvedic medicine and herbal medicine. Questions in parts B and C were expressed in two modifications: firstly, it was asked whether the specific CAM was applicable at all in certain rheumatic diseases. The second question asked which procedure of the respective CAM method worked best in the specific disease. The validity of the answers was checked by using the ChatGPT reliability score, a Likert scale ranging from 1 (lowest validity) to 7 (highest validity)., Results: The answers to the open questions of part A had the highest validity. In parts B and C, ChatGPT suggested a variety of CAM applications that lacked scientific evidence. The validity of the answers depended on the wording of the questions. If the question suggested the inclination to apply a certain CAM, the answers often lacked the information of missing evidence and were graded with lower score values., Conclusion: The answers of ChatGPT (version 3.5) regarding the applicability of CAM in selected rheumatic diseases are not convincingly based on scientific evidence. In addition, the wording of the questions affects the validity of the information. Currently, an uncritical application of ChatGPT as an instrument for patient information cannot be recommended., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Real-world data for filgotinib, a Janus kinase (JAK)1 inhibitor, are limited in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Objectives: To explore real-world filgotinib use in patients with RA in Germany., Materials and Methods: This retrospective chart review included patients aged ≥ 18 years with confirmed moderate to severe RA who initiated filgotinib before December 1, 2021, with ≥ 6 months of medical records available prior to filgotinib initiation or after initial diagnosis. Patient characteristics, prior treatments, reasons for initiating/discontinuing filgotinib, disease activity, dose adjustments and concomitant treatments were recorded., Results: In total, 301 patients from 20 German rheumatology outpatient units were included. One-third were aged ≥ 65 years and almost half had ≥ 1 cardiovascular (CV) risk factor. Most patients initiated filgotinib as monotherapy (83.7%; 12.7% of whom with glucocorticoids) and at the 200 mg dose (84.7%); higher proportions of those initiating the 100 versus 200 mg dose were aged ≥ 65 years and had renal impairment or ≥ 1 CV risk factor. Oral administration (78.4%), fast onset of action (66.8%) and administration as monotherapy (65.4%) were the most common reasons for initiating filgotinib. At 12 months, 41 (18.4%) patients had discontinued filgotinib, most commonly due to lack of effectiveness. After 6‑months of follow-up, 36.8% of patients had achieved Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) remission and 45.6% had achieved CDAI low disease activity., Conclusions: In clinical practice in Germany, reasons for initiating filgotinib in patients with RA were related to dosing flexibility and general JAK inhibitor attributes. Filgotinib was used predominantly as monotherapy and was effective and generally well tolerated; however, longer-term data in larger, prospective cohorts are needed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Robot-assisted surgery has emerged as a transformative technology, revolutionizing surgical approaches and techniques that decades ago could barely be imagined. The field of urology has taken charge in pioneering a new era of minimally invasive surgery with the ascent of robotic systems which offer enhanced visualization, precision, dexterity, and enabling surgeons to perform intricate maneuvers with improved accuracy. This has led to improved surgical outcomes, including reduced blood loss, lower complication rates, and faster patient recovery. The aim of our review is to present an evidence-based critical analysis on the most pioneering robotic urologic approaches described over the last eight years (2015-2023)., Competing Interests: Dr Simone Crivellaro is a consultant for Intuitive. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Franco et al.)

Methods of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are appealing for many patients with rheumatic diseases. The scientific data are currently characterized by a large number of publications that stand in contrast to a remarkable shortage of valid clinical studies. The applications of CAM procedures are situated in an area of conflict between efforts for an evidence-based medicine and high-quality therapeutic concepts on the one hand and ill-founded or even dubious offers on the other hand. In 2021 the German Society of Rheumatology (DGRh) launched a committee for CAM and nutrition, which aims to collect and to evaluate the current evidence for CAM applications and nutritional medical interventions in rheumatology, in order to elaborate recommendations for the clinical practice. The current article presents recommendations for nutritional interventions in the rheumatological routine for four areas: nutrition, Mediterranean diet, ayurvedic medicine and homeopathy., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a standard of care for many patients with brain metastases. To optimize post-SRS surveillance, this study aimed to validate a previously published nomogram predicting post-SRS intracranial progression (IP). We identified consecutive patients completing an initial course of SRS across two institutions between July 2017 and December 2020. Patients were classified as low- or high-risk for post-SRS IP per a previously published nomogram. Overall survival (OS) and freedom from IP (FFIP) were assessed via the Kaplan−Meier method. Assessment of parameters impacting FFIP was performed with univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Among 890 patients, median follow-up was 9.8 months (95% CI 9.1−11.2 months). In total, 47% had NSCLC primary tumors, and 47% had oligometastatic disease (defined as ≤5 metastastic foci) at the time of SRS. Per the IP nomogram, 53% of patients were deemed high-risk. For low- and high-risk patients, median FFIP was 13.9 months (95% CI 11.1−17.1 months) and 7.6 months (95% CI 6.4−9.3 months), respectively, and FFIP was superior in low-risk patients (p < 0.0001). This large multisite BM cohort supports the use of an IP nomogram as a quick and simple means of stratifying patients into low- and high-risk groups for post-SRS IP.

Purpose: Patients with cervical cancer are at high risk for opioid use. This study aimed to characterize opioid prescribing patterns at 2 urban hospitals., Methods and Materials: Data from patients with cervical cancer treated with curative intent from 2011 to 2018 were retrospectively collected. Women with unrelated chronic opioid use before diagnosis, persistent/recurrent disease at 3 months after initiation of treatment, or initiation of opioids >6 months after treatment were excluded. Demographics, disease characteristics, treatment, and outpatient prescription practices were collected. Endpoints included duration of opioid use ≥6 and ≥12 months., Results: There were 106 women included, of whom 83% received definitive radiation. Most patients (n = 91, 85.8%) received outpatient opioids. Most common timing of prescriptions were before cancer therapy (35.9%), postprocedure (26.4%), and during radiation therapy (17.0%). Median duration was 3 (interquartile range, 1-11) months; 35.2% of these patients received opioids ≥6 months and 22% received opioids ≥12 months. Greater International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, recurrent/residual disease, initiation of opioids before treatment, history of depression or anxiety, and use of gabapentin or steroids were associated with long-term opioid use., Conclusions: Most patients were prescribed outpatient opioids, many of whom used opioids for 12 months. Improvement in provider communication and education, increased posttreatment monitoring, and further evaluation of nonopioid therapies are needed in this patient population to reduce long-term opioid use., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Purpose: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Radiation Oncology Education Collaborative Study Group (ROECSG) hosted its annual international symposium using a virtual format in May 2020. This report details the experience of hosting a virtual meeting and presents attendee feedback on the platform., Methods and Materials: The ROECSG symposium was hosted virtually on May 15, 2020. A postsymposium survey was distributed electronically to assess attendee demographics, participation, and experience. Attendee preference and experience were queried using 3-point and 5-point Likert-type scales, respectively. Symplur LLC was used to generate analytics for the conference hashtag (#ROECSG)., Results: The survey was distributed to all 286 registrants, with a response rate of 67% (191 responses). Seventeen nonattendee responses were omitted from this analysis, for a total of 174 included respondents. Eighty-two attendees (47%) were present for the entire symposium. A preference for a virtual symposium was expressed by 78 respondents (45%), whereas 44 (25%) had no preference and 52 (30%) preferred an in-person meeting. A total of 150 respondents (86%) rated the symposium as "extremely" well organized. Respondents who had not attended a prior in-person ROECSG symposium were more likely to prefer the virtual format (P = .03). Seventy-eight respondents (45%) reported a preference for the virtual platform for reviewing scholarly work, and 103 (59%) reported a preference for an in-person platform for networking. On the day of the symposium, #ROECSG had 408 tweets and 432,504 impressions., Conclusions: The 2020 ROECSG symposium was well received and can serve as a framework for future virtual meetings. Although the virtual setting may facilitate sharing research, networking aspects are more limited. Effort is needed to develop hybrid virtual and in-person meetings that meet the needs of participants in both settings. Social media is a significant avenue for dissemination and discussion of information and may be valuable in the virtual setting., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to identify factors influencing female medical students' decision-making about specialties, specifically surgery and interventional radiology (IR), in an effort to inform future recruitment and professional development strategies., Design: An electronic survey was created to assess both qualitative and quantitative data., Setting: The survey was sent prior to a symposium for trainees interested in pursuing IR or surgery, held at University of Chicago (Chicago, IL) in February 2019., Participants: The 90 female trainees who registered were sent the survey, and 48 (53%) responded voluntarily., Results: All respondents were female, 46% planned to pursue surgery or IR. Students pursuing surgery/IR were less concerned about being valued by their colleagues (p = 0.0073), being in charge of patients' lives (p = 0.0017), radiation exposure (p = 0.0171), chemical exposure (p = 0.0223), emotional stress (p = 0.0244), or shift work (p = 0.0045), compared to the nonsurgery/IR students. No differences were found in ranking of motivating factors, personal strengths or weaknesses, deciding factors, areas for seeking mentorship, or gender diversity. Top motivations among all respondents were intellectual rigor of medicine and becoming a mentor, while concerns were personal physical health, managing a career, pay equity, and gender-based biases. Students most often sought mentors and clerkship experience for making specialty decisions. They reported greatest strengths in empathy and resilience, and weaknesses in negotiating and public speaking., Conclusions: Female medical students planning to pursue surgery/IR expressed greater confidence in their contributions to patient care and lower concerns about workplace hazards. Regardless of specialty intent, female students shared scholarship motivations for a career in medicine, valued the role of mentorship, and expressed persistent concerns about gender discrimination, personal health, and skills-based weaknesses. Identifying factors influential in career decision-making is important in order to recruit and retain a more gender-diverse physician workforce., (Copyright © 2020 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Current radiation oncology patient education materials exceed national readability recommendations. A graphic narrative educational tool, the Communicating the External Beam Radiation Experience (CEBRE) discussion guide, was developed to facilitate patient-provider communication. A pilot study evaluated perceived benefits of CEBRE for patients and physicians., Methods and Materials: CEBRE was designed through a collaboration between physicians and designers. Designers interviewed patients, family members, and the clinical team. Interviews were coded for themes, leading to the design principles that drove the design of CEBRE, including a graphic narrative component. CEBRE explains the radiation therapy care path. Readability was measured using the Flesch-Kincaid test. Patients receiving radiation therapy or in follow-up and practicing radiation oncologists reviewed CEBRE and completed independent surveys. Each survey included modified versions of the Systems Usability Score (SUS) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) short form, along with questions unique to CEBRE. Likert-type scores are reported as median (interquartile range)., Results: CEBRE scores at a 5.4 Flesch-Kincaid grade level. Thirty-four patients and 15 radiation oncologists completed surveys. Patients had completed a high school/general equivalency degree (18%), a 2-year degree or some college (50%), or at least 4 years of college (32%). Patient and physician responses were concordant. On a scale of 1 to 5 for modified SUS and 1 to 4 for modified STAI ("strongly disagree" to "strongly agree") the SUS scores were 4 (4-5) and 4 (4-5) and STAI scores were 3 (3-4) and 3 (3-3.5) for patients and providers, respectively. This indicates CEBRE is usable and would decrease anxiety. Compared with text, the graphic narrative component of CEBRE was rated as "quite helpful" (4 [4-5])., Conclusions: CEBRE, a graphic narrative education tool developed through a novel collaboration between designers and radiation therapy stakeholders, is accessible for patients and practical to facilitate patient-provider discussion. Perceived benefits demonstrating high usability and the potential to decrease patient anxiety warrant further prospective investigation of CEBRE in the clinical setting., (Copyright © 2019 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent match trends from the National Resident Matching Program suggest that the number of allopathic medical students (MD) pursuing general surgery is declining. This decline may have profound consequences given the surgeon shortage predicted by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Early exposure to surgery opportunities may increase a student's desire to pursue the specialty as a career. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect surgical activities have on promoting student interest in surgery., Methods: Medical students (years 1-3) at the University of Illinois at Rockford completed a two-component activity: a questionnaire and laparoscopic box activity. Differences in lifestyle factors, psychomotor aptitude, and future career interests were compared., Results: A total of 64 medical students completed the activity. 45.3% of students reported that the activity positively influenced their decision to pursue a career in surgery. Rating of the importance of living in a rural versus urban community was an important lifestyle factor (p = 0.01) for students without rather than with an interest in surgery, 3.95 and 3.19, respectively. No differences were observed in other lifestyle factors., Conclusion: Early exposure to surgical activities may foster interest in students who lacked previous intention to pursue the specialty.

A new fossil skate, Ostarriraja parva gen. et sp. nov., represented by a single partial articulated skeleton collected from the early Miocene fish-bearing strata of Upper Austria, is described here in detail. This taxon exhibits a unique combination of skeletal and dental features (e.g. nasal capsules broad and oval; presence of pectoral arch; compound radial articulated with single radial segments in serial fashion; separated pelvic girdle condyles; reduced catenated calcification of radials; about 86 pectoral radials; 20-21 pelvic-fin radials; 65-70 predorsal vertebrae) that clearly support its assignment to a new genus of the order Rajiformes, and the phylogenetic analyses reveal its basal position within the group. The comparison between Ostarriraja and the holomorphic batoids from Late Cretaceous of Lebanon traditionally aligned with skates concurs to suggest that this Neogene occurrence represents unquestionably the first known skeletal record for the group. The morphological and phylogenetic affinities of Ostarriraja with the living skates suggest a close association of this taxon with the temperate-cold water environments hypothesized for the Central Paratethys during the early Miocene. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8BB8F0F3-35C5-47FA-AE3C-2CBF445C4BCA.

EFSA was asked for a partial risk assessment of Spodoptera frugiperda for the territory of the EU focussing on the main pathways for entry, factors affecting establishment, risk reduction options and pest management. As a polyphagous pest, five commodity pathways were examined in detail. Aggregating across these and other pathways, we estimate that tens of thousands to over a million individual larvae could enter the EU annually on host commodities. Instigating risk reduction options on sweetcorn, a principal host, reduces entry on that pathway 100-fold. However, sweetcorn imports are a small proportion of all S. frugiperda host imports, several of which are already regulated and further regulation is estimated to reduce the median number entering over all pathways by approximately 10%. Low temperatures limit the area for establishment but small areas of Spain, Italy and Greece can provide climatic conditions suitable for establishment. If infested imported commodities are distributed across the EU in proportion to consumer population, a few hundreds to a few thousands of individuals would reach NUTS 2 regions within which suitable conditions for establishment exist. Although S. frugiperda is a known migrant, entry directly into the EU from extant populations in sub-Saharan Africa is judged not feasible. However, if S. frugiperda were to establish in North Africa, in the range of thousands to over two million adults could seasonally migrate into the southern EU. Entry into suitable NUTS2 areas via migration will be greater than via commercial trade but is contingent on the establishment of S. frugiperda in North Africa. The likelihood of entry of the pest via natural dispersal could only be mitigated via control of the pest in Africa. If S. frugiperda were to arrive and become a pest of maize in the EU, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or broad spectrum insecticides currently used against existing pests could be applied., (© 2018 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.)

Contactin2 (Cntn2)/Transient Axonal Glycoprotein 1 (Tag1), a neural cell adhesion molecule, has established roles in neuronal migration and axon fasciculation in chick and mouse. In zebrafish, antisense morpholino-based studies have indicated roles for cntn2 in the migration of facial branchiomotor (FBM) neurons, the guidance of the axons of the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fascicle (nucMLF), and the outgrowth of Rohon-Beard (RB) central axons. To study functions of Cntn2 in later stages of neuronal development, we generated cntn2 mutant zebrafish using CRISPR-Cas9. Using a null mutant allele, we detected genetic interactions between cntn2 and the planar cell polarity gene vangl2, as shown previously with cntn2 morphants, demonstrating a function for cntn2 during FBM neuron migration in a sensitized background of reduced planar cell polarity signaling. In addition, maternal-zygotic (MZ) cntn2 mutant larvae exhibited aberrant touch responses and swimming, suggestive of defects in sensorimotor circuits, consistent with studies in mice. However, the nucMLF axon convergence, FBM neuron migration, and RB outgrowth defects seen in morphants were not seen in the mutants, and we show here that they are likely off-target effects of morpholinos. However, MLF axons exhibited local defasciculation in MZcntn2 mutants, consistent with a role for Cntn2 in axon fasciculation. These data demonstrate distinct roles for zebrafish cntn2 in neuronal migration and axon fasciculation, and in the function of sensorimotor circuits., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)