Proof of concept for eliminating Aedes aegypti production by means of integrated control including turtles, copepods, tilapia, larvicides, and community participation in Monte Verde, Honduras.

Monte Verde, a peri‑urban squatter community near San Pedro Sula, virtually eliminated Aedes aegypti production in all known larval habitats: wells; water storage containers including pilas (open concrete water tanks used for laundry), 200-liter drums, 1000-liter plastic "cisterns," buckets; and objects collecting rainwater. The project began in 2016 when Monte Verde was overrun with dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. During more than a year of experimentation, Monte Verde residents crafted an effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly toolkit that was inexpensive but required full community participation.

Influence of extracellular pH on growth, viability, cell size, acidification activity, and intracellular pH of Lactococcus lactis in batch fermentations.

In this study, we investigated the influence of three extracellular pH (pHex) values (i.e., 5.

Effect of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles on Skin Tumor Cells and Dermal Fibroblasts.

Iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles have been used in many biomedical approaches. The toxicity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on mammalian cells was published recently. Though, little is known about the viability of human cells after treatment with Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

Continuously manufactured magnetic polymersomes--a versatile tool (not only) for targeted cancer therapy.

Micromixer technology was used to prepare polymeric vesicles (Pluronic® L-121) dual loaded with the anti-cancer drug camptothecin and magnetic nanoparticles. Successful incorporation of the magnetic nanoparticles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed a relatively narrow size distribution of the hybrid polymersomes.

Magnetic silver hybrid nanoparticles for surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopic detection and decontamination of small toxic molecules.

Magnetic hybrid assemblies of Ag and Fe3O4 nanoparticles with biocompatibly immobilized myoglobin (Mb) were designed to detect and capture toxic targets (NO2-, CN-, and H2O2). Mb was covalently attached to chitosan-coated magnetic silver hybrid nanoparticles (M-Ag-C) via glutaraldehyde that serves as a linker for the amine groups of Mb and chitosan. As verified by surface-enhanced resonance Raman (SERR) spectroscopy, this immobilization strategy preserves the native structure of the bound Mb as well as the binding affinity for small molecules.

Using ovitraps to assess the quantity of mosquito larval habitat during local eradication with source reduction and ovitraps.

The quantity of mosquito larval habitat in a specified area was assessed by placing a known number of ovitraps in the same area. The ovitraps competed for oviposition with the unknown quantity of larval habitat, and that quantity was deduced by comparing the number of eggs laid in the ovitraps when the number of ovitraps was changed from one time to another. This method can be used to assess the effectiveness of source reduction.

Hybrid biofunctional nanostructures as stimuli-responsive catalytic systems.

A novel active biocatalytic reaction system is proposed by covalently immobilizing porcine pancreas trypsin within the thermoresponsive polymer shell of superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles.Active ester-functional nanocarriers suitable for the immobilization of amino functional targets are obtained in a single polymerization step by grafting-from copolymerization of an active ester monomer from superparamagnetic cores. The comonomer, oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate, has excellent water solubility at room temperature, biocompatibility, and a tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water.

Larvicidal algae.

Although most algae are nutritious food for mosquito larvae, some species kill the larvae when ingested in large quantities. Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that kill larvae do so by virtue of toxicity. While blue-green algae toxins may offer possibilities for delivery as larvicides, the toxicity of live blue-green algae does not seem consistent enough for live algae to be useful for mosquito control.

Turtles.

Juvenile turtles have the capacity to eat more than 500 3rd and 4th instar mosquitos per day. Keeping one turtle in each water-storage tank during field trials for a dengue-control project in Honduras eliminated all mosquito production from the tanks. In Louisiana, keeping turtles in residential roadside ditches polluted by septic-tank effluent reduced Culex quinquefasciatus larvae and pupae by more than 99%.

Cyclopoid copepods.

Cyclopoid copepods have proved more effective for practical mosquito control than any other invertebrate predator of mosquito larvae. Their operational potential is enhanced by the fact that mass production is relatively easy and inexpensive. The exceptional potential of copepods for mosquito control was first realized about 25 years ago.

Natural control of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae in residential ditches by the copepod Macrocyclops albidus.

Natural populations of three larvivorous copepod species live in residential roadside ditches in Louisiana: Macrocyclops albidus, Acanthocyclops vernalis, and Megacyclops latipes. Macrocyclops is most common and killed an average of 27 first-instar Culex quinquefasciatus larvae/copepod/day in the laboratory. Although severe pollution from septic tank effluent in some parts of the ditches creates havens for Cx.

Copepod predation on Anopheles quadrimaculatus larvae in rice fields.

Cyclopoid copepods and mosquito larvae were surveyed in southwestern Louisiana rice fields. Almost every rice field had a natural population of Mesocyclops ruttneri, Acanthocylops vernalis, or Macrocyclops albidus. Judging from the abundance of pupae, 29% of the fields were responsible for virtually all Anopheles quadrimaculatus production, apparently because larval mortality suppressed production in the other fields.

Eradication of Aedes aegypti from a village in Vietnam, using copepods and community participation.

In northern Vietnam, copepods of the genus Mesocyclops were used for biological control of Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue viruses, by inoculation into wells, large cement tanks, ceramic jars, and other domestic containers that served as Ae. aegypti breeding sites. The use of Mesocyclops was complemented by community participation with respect to recycling to eliminate unused and discarded containers that collected rainwater and provided Ae.

Effects of Mesocyclops longisetus (Copepoda:Cyclopidae) on mosquitoes that inhabit tires: influence of litter type, quality, and quantity.

A 59-week study was conducted to evaluate the impact of adult Mesocyclops longisetus populations on larval mosquito species inhabiting tires. Greater than 90% reduction of number of 1st and 2nd instars was recorded by 4 wk with 90% reduction of number of 3rd and 4th instars after 7 wk. Reduced control was noted with the onset of cooler winter water temperature.

Control of larval Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) by cyclopoid copepods in peridomestic breeding containers.

Mesocyclops longisetus (Thiébaud), Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides Harada, Mesocyclops venezolanus Dussart, and Macrocyclops albidus (Jurine) were tested for their effectiveness in controlling Aedes aegypti (L.) larvae in a variety of containers around homes in El Progreso, Honduras. All four cyclopoid species killed > 20 larvae per cyclopoid per d under container conditions.

Juvenile turtles for mosquito control in water storage tanks.

Juvenile turtles, Trachemys scripta, provided highly effective control of mosquito larvae in cement tanks (pilas) where water was stored for household cleaning. When single turtles were introduced to tanks with histories of high mosquito production, nearly all turtles remained in good health and no mosquito larvae survived to the pupal stage. Families welcome turtles in their water storage containers in Honduras.

Compatibility of cyclopoid copepods with mosquito insecticides.

Larvivorous copepods (Macrocyclops, Mesocyclops and Acanthocyclops) were tested for their sensitivities to commonly used mosquito larvicides and adulticides. The cyclopoids were not harmed by Bacillus thuringiensis (H-14) (B.t.

A simple method for cultivating freshwater copepods used in biological control of Aedes aegypti.

A simple method for indoor and outdoor cultivation of Mesocyclops aspericornis, Macrocyclops albidus and Mesocyclops n. sp. copepods is presented.

Elimination of Aedes albopictus from tire piles by introducing Macrocyclops albidus (Copepoda, Cyclopidae).

The copepod Macrocyclops albidus is an unusually promising new form of biological control for mosquito larvae. When introduced to two isolated tire piles, M. albidus eliminated all Aedes albopictus larvae from both piles within 2 months.

Evaluation of cyclopoid copepods for Aedes albopictus control in tires.

Six species of cyclopoid copepods in New Orleans were tested for biological control of Aedes albopictus larvae in discarded tires. Six to 8 weeks after introduction, Diacyclops navus, Acanthocyclops vernalis, Mesocyclops ruttneri and Mesocyclops edax reduced the number of Ae. albopictus larvae by 83, 90, 95 and 96%, respectively.

Natural control of larval Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae) by the predator Mesocyclops (Copepoda: Cyclopoida).

Forty-two ground water sites on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Colombia were sampled quantitatively with a plankton net to assess the abundance of mosquito larvae and associated fauna. Many of the sites contained substantial numbers of Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann larvae, but the larvae were virtually absent wherever there were large populations of the copepods Mesocyclops venezolanus, M. longisetus, or M.

Tryptamine alkaloid toxicosis in feedlot sheep.

Tryptamine alkaloid toxicosis (Phalaris staggers) was diagnosed in feedlot sheep. Clinical signs of toxicosis, which were exacerbated by excitement, included gait abnormalities, muscular tremors, nystagmus, and convulsions. An estimated 8% of the most severely affected lambs had clinical signs of toxicosis.

Mosquito control by plankton management: the potential of indigestible green algae.

Most kinds of phytoplankton are good food for mosquito larvae. However, Culex, Aedes and Anopheles larvae fail to develop successfully in water where certain species of closely related green algae in the order Chlorococcales are the main source of food; apparently because the larvae are unable to digest them. Many species of Scenedesmus, Kirchneriella, Dactylococcus, Elakotothrix, Tetrallantos, Coelastrum, Selenastrum and Tetradesmus have this effect.