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We demonstrate a new class of composite fibrous membranes, consisting of an ultra-fine cellulose nanofibrous network infused into an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous scaffold on a melt-blown polyethylene terephthalate (PET) non-woven substrate for water purification. Depending on the infusion process and the ultra-fine cellulose nanofibers (UFCNs) used [e.g. modified ultra-fine cellulose nanofibers (m-UFCNs) or microcrystalline cellulose nanofibers (MCCNs)], different nanostructured scaffolds were formed as seen by electron microscopy. Membranes with UFCNs consist of an interwoven two-dimensional ultra-fine nanofibrous network that is deeply entangled with the electrospun scaffold and organized in a quasi-three-dimensional fashion, while those with MCCNs tend to locally wrap around the electrospun scaffolding nanofibers without forming a major network. Filtration tests illustrated that both membranes, while maintaining high permeation flux, exhibited excellent retention capabilities for simultaneous sieving for bacteria and adsorption for viruses.

A subterranean species of pseudocrangonyctid amphipod, Pseudocrangonyx gudariensis Tomikawa & Sato, sp. n., is described from the spring-fed stream Gudari-numa in Hakkoda Mountains, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. Pseudocrangonyx gudariensis is morphologically similar to P. coreanus Uéno, 1966 and P. febras Sidorov, 2009 based on its relatively small body size, small number of articles of rami of pleopods, and urosomite 1 without basal setae. However, P. gudariensis is distinguished from those species based on the following characteristics: from P. coreanus, antenna 2 of female without calceoli, palmar margins of gnathopods 1 and 2 with distally notched robust setae, inner margin of inner ramus of uropod 2 with 4 robust setae, and basal part of inner ramus of uropod 2 without slender seta; and from P. febras, carpus of gnathopod 2 without serrate robust setae on posterodistal corners, peduncle of pleopods 1 and 2 with setae, and longer article 2 of uropod 3. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear 28S rRNA and histone H3, and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA markers showed that P. gudariensis is placed among known Pseudocrangonyx Akatsuka and Komai, 1922 species. However, its exact phylogenetic position within the genus could not be determined. The polyphyly of the Japanese Pseudocrangonyx species indicates that multiple colonization events of Pseudocrangonyx ancestors to the Japanese Archipelago could have occurred. The reliability of the past Pseudocrangonyx records from Japan is briefly discussed.

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