Search

Pollution by atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is a serious threat to human health, and traditional window screens are unable to intercept fine particles. Therefore, it is urgent to develop anti-haze window screens to effectively protect the public. We prepared a polyurethane/silicon nitride (PU/Si 3 N 4) electret nanofiber membrane with a minimum diameter (350 nm) and narrower diameter distribution than those of PU-Boehmite, PU-SiO 2 , and PU-TiO 2 membranes by electrospinning. The PU-Si 3 N 4 fiber membrane has good mechanical properties with stress of 18.05 MPa and strain of 170%. Moreover, PU/Si 3 N 4 exhibits a maximum current peak (2.63 pA) at 90 °C. Importantly, PU/Si 3 N 4 membranes applied to window screens still maintain high filtration efficiency (79.36%) and low resistance (25 Pa) to air flow at a low areal density of 1.22 g/m2. Furthermore, they show good light transmittance (40%) and air permeability (46.42 mm s−1). Therefore, PU/Si 3 N 4 electret nanofiber window screens have broad application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper assesses the contribution of window screens to the indoor thermal comfort in a vernacular courtyard house. The adaptive thermal comfort standard EN 15251 was adopted to carry out the evaluation of the case study which achieved accepted operative temperatures along the summer. The maximum indoor temperatures were reduced, in average of 5.5°C and 4.2°C below ambient for two different spaces. The window screens were then removed in the simulation model in TRNSYS, which resulted in increase of the indoor temperatures with an average of 2.4°C. The window screens were found to be efficient in reducing the cooling demand of 50% and 40% in two different spaces. However, considering the winter sun solstice, the absence of the window screens contributes to a slight increase of indoor temperature and hence decrease of the energy demand required for heating during winter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla (Toxopneustidae, Echinoids) is a source of protein for many islanders in the Indo-West Pacific. It was previously reported to occasionally cause ciguatera-like poisoning; however, the exact nature of the causative agent was not confirmed. In April and July 2015, ciguatera poisonings were reported following the consumption of T. gratilla in Anaho Bay (Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas archipelago, French Polynesia). Patient symptomatology was recorded and sea urchin samples were collected from Anaho Bay in July 2015 and November 2016. Toxicity analysis using the neuroblastoma cell–based assay (CBA-N2a) detected the presence of ciguatoxins (CTXs) in T. gratilla samples. Gambierdiscus species were predominant in the benthic assemblages of Anaho Bay, and G. polynesiensis was highly prevalent in in vitro cultures according to qPCR results. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses revealed that P-CTX-3B was the major ciguatoxin congener in toxic sea urchin samples, followed by 51-OH-P-CTX-3C, P-CTX-3C, P-CTX-4A, and P-CTX-4B. Between July 2015 and November 2016, the toxin content in T. gratilla decreased, but was consistently above the safety limit allowed for human consumption. This study provides evidence of CTX bioaccumulation in T. gratilla as a cause of ciguatera-like poisoning associated with a documented symptomatology.

The sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla (Toxopneustidae, Echinoids) is a source of protein for many islanders in the Indo-West Pacific. It was previously reported to occasionally cause ciguatera-like poisoning; however, the exact nature of the causative agent was not confirmed. In April and July 2015, ciguatera poisonings were reported following the consumption of T. gratilla in Anaho Bay (Nuku Hiva Island, Marquesas archipelago, French Polynesia). Patient symptomatology was recorded and sea urchin samples were collected from Anaho Bay in July 2015 and November 2016. Toxicity analysis using the neuroblastoma cell–based assay (CBA-N2a) detected the presence of ciguatoxins (CTXs) in T.gratilla samples. Gambierdiscus species were predominant in the benthic assemblages of Anaho Bay, and G.polynesiensis was highly prevalent in in vitro cultures according to qPCR results. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses revealed that P-CTX-3B was the major ciguatoxin congener in toxic sea urchin samples, followed by 51-OH-P-CTX-3C, P-CTX-3C, P-CTX-4A, and P-CTX-4B. Between July 2015 and November 2016, the toxin content in T.gratilla decreased, but was consistently above the safety limit allowed for human consumption. This study provides evidence of CTX bioaccumulation in T.gratilla as a cause of ciguatera-like poisoning associated with a documented symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed window screens and eave baffles (WSEBs), which enable mosquitoes to enter but not exit houses, as an alternative to indoor residual spraying (IRS) for malaria vector control. WSEBs treated with water, the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin, or the organophosphate pirimiphos-methyl, with and without a binding agent for increasing insecticide persistence on netting, were compared with IRS in experimental huts. Compared with IRS containing the same insecticide, WSEBs killed similar proportions of Anopheles funestus mosquitoes that were resistant to pyrethroids, carbamates and organochlorines and greater proportions of pyrethroid-resistant, early exiting An. arabiensis mosquitoes. WSEBs with pirimiphos-methyl killed greater proportions of both vectors than lambda-cyhalothrin or lambda-cyhalothrin plus pirimiphos-methyl and were equally efficacious when combined with binding agent. WSEBs required far less insecticide than IRS, and binding agents might enhance durability. WSEBs might enable affordable deployment of insecticide combinations to mitigate against physiologic insecticide resistance and improve control of behaviorally resistant, early exiting vectors.