Development of X-ray fluorescence technique for the uranium determination in Mongolian coal, coal ash, and phosphate ore

The results of the determination of uranium in Mongolian brown coal, coal ash, phosphate rock, and technological samples by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry are presented. Technological samples were produced from phosphates by chemical treatment. Powder geological samples and Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) were pressed as tablets. For chosen conditions of the sample preparation procedure analytical figures of merit were carefully studied, as exemplified by the rock and uranium ore Reference Materials. The variance of the total uncertainty is 2 % for uranium in the analyzed samples, and one is 7 % in the rock CRMs. The estimated values of the uranium detection limit for the CRMs are within the interval from 1 to 3 ppm. For the correction of the matrix effects the background standard method was used. Values of the uranium contents in the studied samples vary within the interval from 3.0 to 35.0 ppm. The comparison of the wavelength dispersive (WD) XRF results with the energy dispersive (ED) XRF results and the neutron activation analysis (NAA) was performed. It is demonstrated that the WDXRF have satisfactorily agreed with the EDXRF results and the NAA within the limits of the uncertainty. It is shown that the values of the relative discrepancies between the WDXRF and EDXRF results are in the range of 2.0-18.0 %, and between the WDXRF and the NAA results are in the range of 2.0-20.0 %. These values are less than 30 %, yielding the third category of the precision of the mineral raw material analysis

PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME SMALL MAMMALS FROM SCIURUDAE FAMILY IN MONGOLIA

The squirrel family, Sciuridae, is one of the largest and widespread, ecologically common families of mammals. Due to the conspicuousness of this small mammal group with a big population, insufficient knowledge exists about its phylogenetic relationships. In this study, we identified 14 DNA sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene in 6 species of Sciuridae and these sequences were compared with corresponding published COI gene sequences of the same species in Eurasia and determined their phylogenetic relationships by Neighbor-joining method

Применение рентгенофлуоресцентного анализа в криминалистике в Монголии

We study the possibility of evaluating the elemental composition of automotive (vehicle) coating paints and determining the gunshot residue from 5.6 mm bullets of a small-caliber gun using the EDXRF technique. An Elvax EDXRF spectrometer, consisting of a Si-PIN detector with a resolution of 200 eV for MnKα radiation with energy of 5.9 keV and a mini X-ray tube with Rh anode, was used. Results of the study showed that the number of shots was directly correlated to the relative intensity of barium and lead on the gunshot target, and the distance of the shooting could be determined using chemical elements intensities, such as Pb, S, Ba and Cu intensities, from the gunshot residue. In the case of automotive paints, the elements identified in the samples were Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Cl, Zn, Cr and Pb, and the EDXRF technique could be used for the identification of the different cars by the paint coating samples from the crashed car. This work was the first study which used the EDXRF analysis for automotive paints in Mongolia.Исследована возможность оценки элементного состава автомобильных лакокрасочных покрытий и определения химического состава остатков после выстрела из пистолета с пулями 5.6 мм с использованием технологии энергодисперсионного рентгено-флуоресцентного анализа (ЭДРФА). Использован спектрометр Elvax EDXRF, состоящий из Si-PIN-детектора с разрешением 200 эВ для излучения MnKα c энергией 5.9 кэВ и мини-рентгеновской трубки с Rh-анодом. Для обработки спектра использовано программное обеспечение ELVAX. Результаты исследований показали, что количество выстрелов коррелирует с относительной интенсивностью излучения линий бария и свинца на огнестрельной мишени, а расстояние от огнестрельного оружия до цели можно определить, используя интенсивности некоторых химических элементов остатков выстрелов из огнестрельного оружия, таких как Pb, S, Ba и Cu. В случае автомобильных красок элементами, идентифицированными в образцах, оказались Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Cl, Zn, Cr и Pb, а метод ЭДРФА может использоваться для распознавания различных автомобилей по образцам лакокрасочного покрытия из разбитого автомобиля. Эта работа является первым исследованием, в котором использовался анализ ЭДРФА для автомобильных красок в Монголии

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus among Wild Birds in Mongolia

Mongolia combines a near absence of domestic poultry, with an abundance of migratory waterbirds, to create an ideal location to study the epidemiology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in a purely wild bird system. Here we present the findings of active and passive surveillance for HPAIV subtype H5N1 in Mongolia from 2005-2011, together with the results of five outbreak investigations. In total eight HPAIV outbreaks were confirmed in Mongolia during this period. Of these, one was detected during active surveillance employed by this project, three by active surveillance performed by Mongolian government agencies, and four through passive surveillance. A further three outbreaks were recorded in the neighbouring Tyva Republic of Russia on a lake that bisects the international border. No HPAIV was isolated (cultured) from 7,855 environmental fecal samples (primarily from ducks), or from 2,765 live, clinically healthy birds captured during active surveillance (primarily shelducks, geese and swans), while four HPAIVs were isolated from 141 clinically ill or dead birds located through active surveillance. Two low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIV) were cultured from ill or dead birds during active surveillance, while environmental feces and live healthy birds yielded 56 and 1 LPAIV respectively. All Mongolian outbreaks occurred in 2005 and 2006 (clade 2.2), or 2009 and 2010 (clade 2.3.2.1); all years in which spring HPAIV outbreaks were reported in Tibet and/or Qinghai provinces in China. The occurrence of outbreaks in areas deficient in domestic poultry is strong evidence that wild birds can carry HPAIV over at least moderate distances. However, failure to detect further outbreaks of clade 2.2 after June 2006, and clade 2.3.2.1 after June 2010 suggests that wild birds migrating to and from Mongolia may not be competent as indefinite reservoirs of HPAIV, or that HPAIV did not reach susceptible populations during our study.published_or_final_versio

APPLICATION OF X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE IN MONGOLIA

In this work, we have studied the possibility of evaluating the elemental composition of automotive coating paints and determining the gunshot residue from 5.6 mm bullets of a small-caliber gun using the EDXRF technique. An Elvax EDXRF spectrometer, consisting of a Si-PIN detector with a resolution of 200 eV for MnKα radiation with energy of 5.9 keV and a mini X-ray tube with Rh anode, was used. Results of the study showed that the number of shots was directly correlated to the relative intensity of Barium and Lead on the gunshot target, and the distance of the shooting could be determined using chemical elements intensities, such as Pb, S, Ba and Cu intensities, from the gunshot residue. In the case of automotive paints, the elements identified in the samples were Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Cl, Zn, Cr and Pb, and the EDXRF technique could be used for the identification of the different cars by the paint coating samples from the crashed car. This work was the first study which used the EDXRF analysis for automotive paints in Mongolia.         Key words: XRF, application in the forensic science, gunshot residue, automotive paintDOI: 10.15826/analitika.2017.21.4.005

PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME SMALL MAMMALS FROM <em>SCIURUDAE</em> FAMILY IN MONGOLIA

The squirrel family, Sciuridae, is one of the largest and widespread, ecologically common families of mammals. Due to the conspicuousness of this small mammal group with a big population, insufficient knowledge exists about its phylogenetic relationships. In this study, we identified 14 DNA sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene in 6 species of Sciuridae and these sequences were compared with corresponding published COI gene sequences of the same species in Eurasia and determined their phylogenetic relationships by Neighbor-joining method

Vitamin D supplements and prevention of tuberculosis infection and disease

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D metabolites support innate immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. METHODS: We randomly assigned children who had negative results for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube assay (QFT), to receive a weekly oral dose of 14,000 IU vitamin D3 or placebo over 3 years. The primary outcome was the proportion of children having a positive QFT result at 3 years. Secondary outcomes included end-study vitamin D status and incidence of tuberculosis disease, acute respiratory infections and adverse events. RESULTS: 8851 participants underwent randomization (4418 to vitamin D, 4433 to placebo), of whom 95.6% had baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations <20 ng/mL. Mean end-study 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in participants randomized to vitamin D vs. placebo was 31.0 vs. 10.7 ng/mL (95% CI for difference, 19.9 to 20.6 ng/mL), and 147 participants in the vitamin D group vs. 134 participants in the placebo group tested positive by QFT (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.10, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.38, P=0.42). Tuberculosis disease was diagnosed in 21 children in the vitamin D group and 25 children in the placebo group (aRR 0.87, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.55). 29 participants randomized to vitamin D and 34 randomized to placebo were hospitalized for treatment of acute respiratory infections (aRR 0.86, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.40). Incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between study arms. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D supplementation did not reduce risk of tuberculosis infection, tuberculosis disease or acute respiratory infections among vitamin D-deficient schoolchildren in Mongolia