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Zika virus acquisition during pregnancy is associated with severe fetal damage. The Zika virus is related to dengue virus and yellow fever virus, yet fetal damage has not been related to dengue or inadvertent vaccination for yellow fever during pregnancy.

Aim VITAL, a phase II single‐arm study, aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of panitumumab addition to 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU), mitomycin‐C (MMC) and radiotherapy (RT) in patients with localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCAC). Methods Adult, treatment‐naïve SCCAC patients (Stage T2‐T4, any N, M0) and ECOG‐PS ≤2, received panitumumab (6 mg/kg, day 1 and Q2W; 8 weeks), 5‐FU (1000 mg/m2/d, days 1‐4 and 29‐32), MMC (10 mg/m2, days 1 and 29) and RT 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction) to the primary tumor and mesorectal, iliac and inguinal lymph nodes, plus 10‐15 Gy boost dose to the primary tumor and affected lymph nodes. The primary objective was disease free survival rate (DFS) at 3‐years (expected 3‐year DFS rate: 73.7 ± 12%). Results Fifty‐eight patients (31 women; median age: 59 years; ECOG‐PS 0‐1:98%; TNM II [29%] (T2 or T3/N0/M0)/IIIA (T1‐T3/N1/M0 or T4/N0/M0) [21%]/IIIB (T4/N1/M0 or any T/N2 or N3/M0) [47%]/nonevaluable [4%]) were included. The median follow‐up was 45 months. The 3‐year DFS rate was 61.1% (95% CI: 47.1, 72.4). The 3‐year overall survival rate was 78.4% (95% CI: 65.1, 87.1). Eighteen patients (31.0%) required a colostomy within 2 years posttreatment. Grade 3‐4 toxicities were experienced by 53 (91%) patients. Most common grade 3‐4 treatment‐related events were radiation skin injury (40%) and neutropenia (24%). No toxic deaths occurred. Improved efficacy in colostomy‐free survival and complete response rate was observed in human papilloma virus positive patients. Conclusions Panitumumab addition to MMC‐5FU regimen in SCCAC patients increases toxicity and does not improve patients’ outcomes. RT plus MMC‐5FU remains the standard of care for localized SCCAC patients., VITAL, a phase II single‐arm study, was aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of panitumumab addition to 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU), mitomycin‐C (MMC) and radiotherapy in patients with localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCAC). The study concluded that panitumumab addition to MMC‐5FU regimen in SCCAC patients increases toxicity and does not improve patients’ outcomes.

Of the 10,272 currently recognized reptile species, the trade of fewer than 8% are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the European Wildlife Trade Regulations (EWTR). However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has assessed 45% of the world's reptile species and determined that at least 1390 species are threatened by “biological resource use”. Of these, 355 species are intentionally targeted by collectors, including 194 non-CITES-listed species. Herein we review the global reptile pet trade, its impacts, and its contribution to the over-harvesting of species and populations, in light of current international law. Findings are based on an examination of relevant professional observations, online sources, and literature (e.g., applicable policies, taxonomy [reptile database], trade statistics [EUROSTAT], and conservation status [IUCN Red List]). Case studies are presented from the following countries and regions: Australia, Central America, China, Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Germany, Europe, India, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Western Africa, and Western Asia. The European Union (EU) plays a major role in reptile trade. Between 2004 and 2014 (the period under study), the EU member states officially reported the import of 20,788,747 live reptiles. This review suggests that illegal trade activities involve species regulated under CITES, as well as species that are not CITES-regulated but nationally protected in their country of origin and often openly offered for sale in the EU. Further, these case studies demonstrate that regulations and enforcement in several countries are inadequate to prevent the overexploitation of species and to halt illegal trade activities.

Thin films of (TTF)(TCNQ) (TTF=tetrathiafulvalene, TCNQ=tetracyanoquinodimethane) are deposited on Si (001), KBr, and stainless steel conversion coatings (SSCC) using chemical vapor deposition. These films are characterized by IR, XRD, conductivity measurements, and SEM. Conducting nanowires and nanorings of (TTF)(TCNQ) and nanowires of (TTF)[Ni(dmit) 2 ] 2 (typically, 20 nm×20 μm) are prepared by successively dipping SSCC in acetonitrile solutions of TTF and TCNQ, or (TTF) 3 (BF 4 ) and (Bu 4 N)[Ni(dmit) 2 ], respectively. These nanowires are observed by SEM. The (TTF)(TCNQ) nanowires are also observed by TEM and AFM and characterized by current-voltage measurements. Nanowires of (TTF)[Ni(dmit) 2 ] 2 are also obtained on silicon conversion coatings (SiCC) and characterized by Raman spectroscopy.

4034 Background: Standard of care for SCAC has remained unchanged over the past 4 decades. More than 80% of these tumors overexpress the EGFR receptor and

4105 Background: Pancreatic cancers are resistant to radiotherapy (RT) and current chemotherapy agents. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is over-expressed in pancreatic cancer and in vitro studies have shown that EGFR inhibitors can overcome radio- and chemo-resistance. The aim of the study was to determine the maximally tolerated dose of gefitinib, in combination with RT and gemcitabine for patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC). Methods: Eighteen patients with pathological proven LAPC, due to major vascular invasion based on helical computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasound, were entered. The targeted irradiated volume included the tumor and 2 cm-margin. Prophylactic irradiation of regional nodes was not allowed. Patients with >500 cc of planned tumor volume (PTV) were excluded. An initial cohort of 6 patients was treated with RT (45 Gy/25 fractions/5 weeks) plus concomitant gefitinib (250 mg/day). Successive cohorts of patients received 100, 150 and 200 mg/m2/day of gemcitabine in a 2 hour infusion over weeks 1,2,3,4, and 5 with gefitinib (250 mg/day) and RT. Gefitinib was continued after RT until progression. A pharmacodynamic study of angiogenic markers (VEGF and IL-8) was also performed. Results: Mean PTV was 293cc (range 137–462 cc). There were no dose-limiting toxicities on study. Common toxicities were mild neutropenia, asthenia, diarrhea, cutaneous rash and nausea/vomiting. One patient showed a partial response of 13 months in duration, and 7 patients showed disease stabilization. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 3.7 months and median overall survival (OS) was 7.5 months. No patients have a reduction in VEGF levels >50%. Reduction in VEGF serum levels >25% and IL-8 levels >50% had no impact on PFS and OS. Conclusion: Our results support thatthe combination of gefitinib, RT and gemcitabine showed an acceptable toxicity but with modest activity in LAPC. [Table: see text]

θ-(BETS)4[Fe(CN)5NO] (1), (BETS)2[RuBr5NO] (2), and (BETS)2[RuCl5NO] (3) [BETS = bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene] have been prepared by electrocrystallisation of BETS using [Fe(CN)5NO]2− or [RuX5NO]2−, X = Cl or Br, as supporting electrolytes and 1,1,2-TCE/ethanol (10 vol%) for 1, nitrobenzene/1,2-DCE (40 vol%)/ethanol (10 vol%) for 2, and benzonitrile/ethanol (10%) solutions for 3 as solvents. Compound 1 exhibits a metallic behaviour down to 40 K, 2 behaves as a semiconductor and 3 as an insulator. The crystal structures of 1, 2, and 3 were determined by X-ray diffraction methods. BETS molecules in 1 crystallised in a θ-type mode. By contrast, the crystal structures of 2 and 3 show a packing of BETS molecules consisting of slipped, stacked (BETS)2 dimers. The dimerisation is much stronger in 3 than in 2. The physical behaviours of the three phases were investigated by means of molecular and band structure calculations and are shown to be directly related to the [MX5NO] (M = Fe, X = CN; M = Ru, X = Cl, Br) structural conformations.

The importance of format, graphic layout, and ques- tion routing instructions on the quality of survey data has been acknowledged for self-administered survey instruments, but the significance of these factors for questionnaires administered by interviewers has not been recognized equally. This paper exam- ines two studies in which interviewers used different question- naire designs to administer the same set of survey questions to randomly selected adult respondents in housing units that made up area probability samples of the Detroit metropolitan area. The paper presents empirical evidence of specific effects (questions skipped in error, unprobed answers) directly attributable to the choice of questionnaire design. The analysis shows that question- naire design choices can either help or hurt the quality of data collected by interviewers. Furthermore, the behaviors of experi- enced and inexperienced interviewers are affected in similar ways. In other words, interviewing experience does not compen- sate for format deficits in the design of survey instruments. Questionnaire design is frequently overlooked as an important aspect of the development of field instruments and as a potential source of independent effects on survey estimates. Discussions about topics such as question formatting options, graphic layout, integration of in- terviewer recording tasks for complex question series, and optimal routing strategies are frequently absent from published works that oth- erwise deal with questionnaire development. The quality of questionnaire design is generally recognized as an important factor for self-administered instruments (Dillman 1978, 1983); however, the importance and special problems of design for questionnaires to be administered by interviewers has not been ac