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In 2005, the Swiss official feed inspection of Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station (ALP) was mandated to check bird feed and raw materials for the presence of Ambrosia sp. seeds. Indeed, such seeds were found in varying amounts when analyzed in the feed microscopy laboratory. The producers were informed, and a limit of intervention (50 mg.kg-1 ≈ 9 to 10 seeds.kg-1) was finally set for this undesirable component. The results of five years of controls show, at first, around 50% of contaminated samples. With appropriate measures, the level of contamination could be lowered in the following years. In parallel, the size of Ambrosia sp. seeds and the sieves to be used for routine analyses were checked. Ambrosia sp. seeds found in feed checked in Switzerland were seldom larger ("wider") than 3.5 mm and never smaller than 1.5 mm. Several EU Member States started their own control and monitoring programs. The results of studies from Germany, Slovenia and Denmark, presented by their feed microscopists at the IAG meetings, indicate the presence of Ambrosia sp. seeds in 21 to 75% of the products put on the market.

Management of thyroid nodules. Thyroid nodules are frequent and most of them are benign incidentalomas. Physical examination will search for risk factors of thyroid cancer and should evaluate the presence of local or cosmetic symptoms. Whatever the way they are discovered, TSH assessment and ultrasound (US) examination should be systematic. Scintigraphy should be reserved to low TSH patients. US allows to assert the nodule's existence, to measure it and to assess the context (goiter, auto-immune disease). US also allows quantitative risk stratification of malignancy using the EU-TIRADS score, which goes from 1 to 5 and defines the indications for fine-needle aspiration : all nodules above 20 mm (except non compressive EU-TIRADS 2 cysts), EUTIRADS 4 nodules above 15mm and EU-TIRADS 5 nodules above 10 mm. Surgery is indicated for compressive benign nodules and for suspect and malignant nodules above 10 mm. For those below 10 mm in diameter, the patient may be offered active surveillance and surgery in case of progression, provided that there is no lymph node involvement and no extra-capsular extension. Other nodules will be monitored after one year, three years and every five years if needed. Laser and radiofrequency thermoablation will probably partially replace over time surgery for solitary benign nodules., Competing Interests: G. Russ déclare n’avoir aucun lien d’intérêts.