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Background Identification of vectors is of prime importance in the field of medical entomology for both operational and research purposes. An external quality assessment of mosquito identification capacities was carried out within the MediLabSecure Network, which is composed of laboratories located in 19 countries close to the European Union around the Mediterranean and Black seas. Methods A set of blind samples consisting of 7 or 8 adult mosquitoes and 4 larvae was given to each participant laboratory. In all, 138 adult mosquitoes and 76 larvae of different species were distributed for genus and species identification. Results All identifications were exclusively morphology based. Overall, 81% of identifications were correct at the genus level, 64% at the species level. The results were highly varied among the 19 participating laboratories. The levels of correct identifications were: 100% (three laboratories), 90–95% (four laboratories), 50–75% (six laboratories) and < 50% (six laboratories). Conclusions This evaluation showed the need to maintain efforts in capacity building and quality control in the field of medical entomology and, more specifically, in the morphological identification of the Culicidae. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3127-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

WOS: 000365166000002, PubMed ID: 26271257, The distribution of phlebotomine sand flies is widely reported to be changing in Europe. This can be attributed to either the discovery of sand flies in areas where they were previously overlooked (generally following an outbreak of leishmaniasis or other sand fly-related disease) or to true expansion of their range as a result of climatic or environmental changes. Routine surveillance for phlebotomines in Europe is localized, and often one of the challenges for entomologists working in non-leishmaniasis endemic countries is the lack of knowledge on how to conduct, plan and execute sampling for phlebotomines, or how to adapt on-going sampling strategies for other haematophagous diptera. This review brings together published and unpublished expert knowledge on sampling strategies for European phlebotomines of public health concern in order to provide practical advice on: how to conduct surveys; the collection and interpretation of field data; suitable techniques for the preservation of specimens obtained by different sampling methods; molecular techniques used for species identification; and the pathogens associated with sand flies and their detection methods.

Small scale gasification systems are employed to meet the requirements of distributed energy systems using locally available biomass at or near the point of use, or pre­treated biomass, such as pellets, bought from an established market. Small scale gasification systems can be employed in rural or urban contexts in both, industrialized or developing areas. This paper describes a supply chain management approach generally formulated and concretely applied to a specific case study located in Atebubu district (Ghana), which uses cassava peels as raw material. The problem is defined as a multi­objective mixed integer linear program considering two main criteria, the net present value and the environmental impact through Impact 2002+ indicator. Taking into consideration rural development in a developing country, the energy models should also deal with social criteria. The technology used to satisfy the electricity demand is a biomass gasifier combined with a gas engine., Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 2738-2743

Access to sustainable energy is vital for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). In the current context of reviewing the MDG fulfilment status, the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa is poignant: 2 out of 3 families, mainly in rural areas, live without electricity or access to modern energy services. At the same time, decentralised small-scale renewable energy based solutions have proofed to be the only viable option for users with low or very low energy demands, living in remote or isolated areas. Electricity generation form biomass has been gaining interest and institutional support worldwide, and particularly in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). In order to support decision makers in electrification planning in SSA, the GRECDH is developing a Guideline tool to characterize programmes and projects, and their main components. This tool follows an integrated approach, with multi-criteria decision analysis, biomass systems feasibility characterisation, reference financial schemes and electricity service models, valorisation of some social factors and quantification of social NPV. The guidelines are being applied to the specific case of MDG achievement and energy access in two Sub-Saharan reference countries - Ghana and Mozambique, within the on-going Europe Aid project “Energy for All 2030”., Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 2416-2422

Expanding economies and global warming are increasingly important and interrelated challenging issues which require cleaner and more efficient power plants designs to comply with sustainable energy demand are required. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants have an important role, because of their more efficient way of producing energy from fossil fuels. Actions are focused on clean power and H2 from coal, and bioproducts. So, one of the future of coal-based power generation strategies should be CO2 transport and storage in order to obtain a purer hydrogen stream. This paper proposes a methodology and supporting tool for estimating plant performance in terms of power effiency and environmental compliance and making an economic assessment for different scenarios. The technical performance has been modeled in Aspen Hysys and Aspen Plus, and models have been validated with real power plant data from ELCOGAS. Comparisons, in terms of power, emissions, efficiencies and costs between a wide variety of plant designs are presented: they enhance differences in raw material, purification units layout, and hydrogen obtention. Results obtained are examined and discussed towards future work.