Cluster analysis of the origins of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus

In March and April 2009, a new strain of influenza A(H1N1) virus has been isolated in Mexico and the United States. Since the initial reports more than 10,000 cases have been reported to the World Health Organization, all around the world. Several hundred isolates have already been sequenced and deposited in public databases. We have studied the genetics of the new strain and identified its closest relatives through a cluster analysis approach. We show that the new virus combines genetic information related to different swine influenza viruses. Segments PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NP and NS are related to swine H1N2 and H3N2 influenza viruses isolated in North America. Segments NA and M are related to swine influenza viruses isolated in Eurasia

Development and approbation of a mobile test bench for mechanical uniaxial compression testing of biological tissues

A technique and a prototype of a mobile test bench for conducting experiments on uniaxial compression of biological tissue samples have been developed. The test bench consists of high-precision scales, an electronic caliper with modified grips, and a video camera. With the help of the test bench, a series of experiments (120 in total) was carried out to determine Young's modulus of atherosclerotic plaques and vascular walls removed from the human body no later than a few hours. A database of plaques and artery walls' mechanical characteristics, as close as possible to their real strength properties, has been formed. In addition, regression dependencies linking Hounsfield units and Young’s moduli of atherosclerotic plaques were constructed. The uniaxial compression technique has been verified on the Instron 3342 universal testing machine. Also, to demonstrate the applicability of the developed technique and test bench for uniaxial compression of hard tissues, experiments were conducted with 14 samples of bovine spongy bone

Molecular characterization of severe and mild cases of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 strain from Argentina

While worldwide pandemic influenza A(H1N1) pdm case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.4%, Argentina's was 4.5%. A total of 34 strains from mild and severe cases were analyzed. A full genome sequencing was carried out on 26 of these, and a partial sequencing on the remaining eight. We observed no evidence that the high CFR can be attributed to direct virus changes. No evidence of re-assortment, mutations associated with resistance to antiviral drugs, or genetic drift that might contribute to virulence was observed. Although the mutation D225G associated with severity in the latest reports from the Ukraine and Norway is not observed among the Argentine strains, an amino acid change in the area (S206T) surrounding the HA receptor binding domain was observed, the same previously established worldwide

Influence of Temperature and Duration of α-Fe2O3 Calcination on Reactivity in Hydrogen Oxidation

Исследовано влияние температуры и продолжительности прокаливания однофазных образцов гематита со структурой α-Fe2O3 на окислительную способность в отношении водорода в режиме температурно-программируемой реакции в интервале 40–900 °C. Показано, что температура прокаливания является существенным фактором, влияющим на реакционную способность решеточного кислорода в окислении водорода. Образцы α-Fe2O3, прокаленные при 800–900 °C, проявляют наибольшую активность, процесс восстановления α-Fe2O3 в этих образцах протекает через стадию восстановления до магнетита, с последующим полным восстановлением до металла через совмещение стадий восстановления оксидов. Прокаливание образцов α-Fe2O3 при 1000–1100 °C приводит к существенному снижению окислительной способности, восстановление α-Fe2O3 начинается при температурах на 50–100 °C выше, идет без выделения отдельных стадий восстановления, полное восстановление α-Fe2O3 до металла в исследованных условиях не происходит. Установлено, что с увеличением температуры прокаливания образцов возрастает рентгенографическая плотность α-Fe2O3, что свидетельствует о снижении степени разупорядочения кристаллической решетки, которое приводит к росту энергии связи решеточного кислорода и существенному снижению реакционной способности α-Fe2O3 в окислении водородаThe effect of temperature and duration of calcination of single-phase samples of hematite with the α-Fe2O3 structure on the oxidizing ability with respect to hydrogen in the temperature-programmed reaction mode in the temperature range of 40–900 °C was studied. It is shown that the calcination temperature is a significant factor affecting the reactivity of lattice oxygen in the oxidation of hydrogen. Samples of α-Fe2O3, calcined at 800–900 °C, show the highest activity, the process of α-Fe2O3 reduction in these samples proceeds through the stage of reduction to magnetite, followed by complete reduction to metal through the combination of reduction stages of oxides. The calcination of α-Fe2O3 samples at 1000–1100 °C leads to a significant decrease in the oxidizing ability, the α-Fe2O3 reduction initiates at temperatures 50–100 °C higher, proceeds without separating individual reduction stages of oxide, there is no complete reduction of α-Fe2O3 under the studied conditions. It has been established that with an increase in the calcination temperature of the hematite samples, the X‑ray density of α-Fe2O3 increases, which indicates a decrease in the degree of crystal lattice disorder and an increase in the binding energy of lattice oxygen and manifests itself in a significant decrease in the reactivity of α-Fe2O3 in the oxidation of hydroge

Test Results of Fuel Additive in the Boiler with Grate Firing of Coal

В настоящее время в отечественной теплоэнергетике отсутствует опыт применения топливных присадок для повышения эффективности топливоиспользования в угольных котлах. Однако за рубежом данное направление увеличения эффективности сжигания твердых топлив получило широкое распространение, что, в первую очередь, обусловлено поиском технологий «экологизации» использования «грязного» угля. В статье приводятся результаты промышленных испытаний комплексной топливной присадки катализирующего и модифицирующего действия на угольном котле КВ-р-11.63-115 в одной из котельных г. Новокузнецка Кемеровской области. По результатам испытаний зафиксировано повышение к.п.д. брутто котельного агрегата на 5,1 % (абс.) при соответствующем снижении расхода условного топлива на выработку единицы тепловой энергии. Применение присадки привело также к очистке экранных труб от слоя натрубных отложений и изменению структуры образующегося при сгорании угля шлака, который стал более однородным и без очагов агломерацииNow the domestic heat-and-power engineering has no experience of use of fuel additives to increase efficiency of fuel usage in coal boilers. However abroad this direction of increase in efficiency of combustion of solid fuels has been widely adopted, that, first of all, is caused by search of technologies for “ecologization” of use of “dirty” coal. The article contains the results of industrial tests of complex fuel additive of catalyzing and modifying action in the coal boiler KV-r-11.63-115 in one of the boiler houses in Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo region. The test results showed increase in gross efficiency of the boiler unit for 5,1 % (abs.) along with the corresponding decrease in consumption of coal fuel to produce one unit of heat energy. Application of the additive also led to cleaning of furnace tube from a layer of deposits and changing of structure of slag formed at combustion of coal which became more homogeneous and without agglomeration center

Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation of Farmed Salmon Is Associated with Infection with a Novel Reovirus

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) mariculture has been associated with epidemics of infectious diseases that threaten not only local production, but also wild fish coming into close proximity to marine pens and fish escaping from them. Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) is a frequently fatal disease of farmed Atlantic salmon. First recognized in one farm in Norway in 1999[1], HSMI was subsequently implicated in outbreaks in other farms in Norway and the United Kingdom[2]. Although pathology and disease transmission studies indicated an infectious basis, efforts to identify an agent were unsuccessful. Here we provide evidence that HSMI is associated with infection with piscine reovirus (PRV). PRV is a novel reovirus identified by unbiased high throughput DNA sequencing and a bioinformatics program focused on nucleotide frequency as well as sequence alignment and motif analyses. Formal implication of PRV in HSMI will require isolation in cell culture and fulfillment of Koch's postulates, or prevention or modification of disease through use of specific drugs or vaccines. Nonetheless, as our data indicate that a causal relationship is plausible, measures must be taken to control PRV not only because it threatens domestic salmon production but also due to the potential for transmission to wild salmon populations

Caracterización molecular de cepas de influenza A (H1N1) 2009 de casos leves y graves de la Argentina

Fil: Cisterna, Daniel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Campos, Ana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Pontoriero, Andrea. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Alonio, Virginia. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Molina, Viviana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Palacios, Gustavo. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Solovyov, Alexander. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Hui, Jeffrey. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Savji, Nazir. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Bussetti, Ana Valeria. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Jabado, Omar J. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Street, Craig. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Hirschberg, David L. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Rabadan, Raul. Columbia University. Department of Biomedical Informatics; Estados UnidosFil: Hutchison, Stephen. 454 Life Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Egholm, Michael. 454 Life Sciences; Estados Unidos.Fil: Lipkin, W. Ian. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Baumeister, Elsa. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaWhile worldwide pandemic influenza A(H1N1) pdm case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.4%, Argentina’s was 4.5%. A total of 34 strains from mild and severe cases were analyzed. A full genome sequencing was carried out on 26 of these, and a partial sequencing on the remaining eight. We observed no evidence that the high CFR can be attributed to direct virus changes. No evidence of re-assortment, mutations associated with resistance to antiviral drugs, or genetic drift that might contribute to virulence was observed. Although the mutation D225G associated with severity in the latest reports from the Ukraine and Norway is not observed among the Argentine strains, an amino acid change in the area (S206T) surrounding the HA receptor binding domain was observed, the same previously established worldwide. (ES) Mientras que la tasa de letalidad (CFR) para (H1N1)pdm en todo el mundo era del 0.4%, en la Argentina la mortalidad observada fue de 4.5%. La secuenciación del genoma completo de 26 cepas de virus argentinos de influenza A (H1N1)pdm de casos leves y graves y de 8 cepas secuenciadas parcialmente no mostró evidencia de que la elevada tasa de letalidad se pueda atribuir directamente a cambios en el virus. No se encontraron hallazgos de recombinación, de mutaciones asociadas con la resistencia a los medicamentos antivirales ni de variaciones genéticas que puedan contribuir a la virulencia observada. Si bien la mutación D225G asociada con la gravedad, comunicada en informes procedentes de Ucrania y Noruega, no se ha encontrado en las cepas argentinas estudiadas, se ha observado un cambio aminoacídico en la región (S206T) en torno al dominio del sitio de unión al receptor en la HA, el mismo hallado en cepas distribuidas alrededor del mundo

Numerical studies to determine spatial deviations of a workpiece that occur when machining on CNC machines

The article discusses the problem of increasing the accuracy of machining workpieces on machines with computer numerical control. Within the framework of the problem identified, the role of the finite element method for solving it is considered. Moreover, numerical simulation is primarily used for receiving estimates of operational and technological characteristics of the developed product, and in the present work we propose to use a method of the finite element analysis as a tool for ensuring the accuracy of shaping the surface of a workpiece in process systems for determining the deformation of the workpiece under the action of cutting forces and transformation of its geometric shape prior to direct machining based on identified deviations. That is, the possibility of applying the finite element method in the development of control programs for details such as bodies of revolution is considered