A single amino acid substitution in the novel H7N9 influenza A virus NS1 protein increases CPSF30 binding and virulence

Although an effective interferon antagonist in human and avian cells, the novel H7N9 influenza virus NS1 protein is defective at inhibiting CPSF30. An I106M substitution in H7N9 NS1 can restore CPSF30 binding together with the ability to block host gene expression. Furthermore, a recombinant virus expressing H7N9 NS1-I106M replicates to higher titers in vivo, and is subtly more virulent, than parental. Natural polymorphisms in H7N9 NS1 that enhance CPSF30 binding may be cause for concern

Coronavirus as the Possible Causative Agent of the 1889–1894 Pandemic

[EN] Using new and original nineteenth-century sources, we analysed the epidemiology, clinical features and virology of the 1889 pandemic, which was referred to at the time as ‘Russian flu’ or ‘Asiatic flu’. However, we rejected this identification of the disease as an ‘influenza’, which we believe to have been based on insufficient knowledge of the causative agent and instead posit that the pandemic was caused by a coronavirus. We provide a new account of the 1889–1893 pandemic, with a more detailed chronology that included at least four epidemiological waves. At the end of 1889, a new virus appeared in Europe, which could be identified as the coronavirus HCoV-OC43, causing crude death rates of 1.3 per 1000 population in St Petersburg; 2.1 per 1000 in Paris; 2.8 per 1000 in Bilbao and on the French–Spanish border; between 2.9 and 5.2 per 1000 in small towns in the Basque Country; and 5.8 deaths per 1000 in Madrid, which had the highest death rate. The clinical features of the disease differed from classical influenza pandemics in terms of the latency phase, duration, symptomatology, convalescence, immunity, age and death rates. Another factor to be considered was the neurotropic capacity of the disease. The most frequent form of the 1889 pandemic was the ‘nervous form’, with specific symptoms such as ‘heavy headache’ (céphalalgie gravative), tiredness, fever and delirium. There are strong parallels between the 1889–1894 pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic, and a better understanding of the former may therefore help us to better manage the latter.Research project: “El mapa de la desigualdad: las ciudades en la primera mitad del siglo XX.” PID2020-116797GB-I00. Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain. (AEI/FEDER, UE)

Interactive Data Exploration of Distributed Raw Files: A Systematic Mapping Study

When exploring big amounts of data without a clear target, providing an interactive experience becomes really dif cult, since this tentative inspection usually defeats any early decision on data structures or indexing strategies. This is also true in the physics domain, speci cally in high-energy physics, where the huge volume of data generated by the detectors are normally explored via C++ code using batch processing, which introduces a considerable latency. An interactive tool, when integrated into the existing data management systems, can add a great value to the usability of these platforms. Here, we intend to review the current state-of-the-art of interactive data exploration, aiming at satisfying three requirements: access to raw data les, stored in a distributed environment, and with a reasonably low latency. This paper follows the guidelines for systematic mapping studies, which is well suited for gathering and classifying available studies.We summarize the results after classifying the 242 papers that passed our inclusion criteria. While there are many proposed solutions that tackle the problem in different manners, there is little evidence available about their implementation in practice. Almost all of the solutions found by this paper cover a subset of our requirements, with only one partially satisfying the three. The solutions for data exploration abound. It is an active research area and, considering the continuous growth of data volume and variety, is only to become harder. There is a niche for research on a solution that covers our requirements, and the required building blocks are there

La autorización ambiental unificada como instrumento de prevención y control ambiental integrados en Andalucía

En 2007, la Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía creó un nuevo instrumento de prevención y control ambiental integrados: la Autorización Ambiental Unificada. Cuando ha transcurrido ya más de una década de su implantación y se ha consolidado su uso, este articulo analiza en detalle el régimen jurídico de este instrumento: su objeto y razón de ser, las actuaciones que están sometidas al mismo, el procedimiento para obtener la autorización, los criterios que utiliza la Administración autonómica para su otorgamiento y los controles administrativos que implica para la puesta en marcha y el funcionamiento de las actuaciones. El artículo dedica una atención especial a comparar la Autorización Ambiental Unificada con otro instrumento de perfil similar como es la Autorización Ambiental Integrada. También se examina con especial detalle cómo se compagina este instrumento con la aplicación de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental en el territorio andaluz y los problemas que ello plantea

Methods for estimating the size of Google Scholar

The emergence of academic search engines (mainly Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Search) that aspire to index the entirety of current academic knowledge has revived and increased interest in the size of the academic web. The main objective of this paper is to propose various methods to estimate the current size (number of indexed documents) of Google Scholar (May 2014) and to determine its validity, precision and reliability. To do this, we present, apply and discuss three empirical methods: an external estimate based on empirical studies of Google Scholar coverage, and two internal estimate methods based on direct, empty and absurd queries, respectively. The results, despite providing disparate values, place the estimated size of Google Scholar at around 160 to 165 million documents. However, all the methods show considerable limitations and uncertainties due to inconsistencies in the Google Scholar search functionalities.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures and 6 tables. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1407.623

Analysis of supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycles for a helium-cooled pebble bed blanket DEMO-like fusion power plant

Article number 112860Nuclear fusion is expected to be a clean and almost-unlimited power source in the near future. The first net power demonstration plant (DEMO) is planned to start operation in 2050. The supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton cycle is an excellent candidate for integration with a fusion power plant, such as DEMO, because of its high efficiency at intermediate temperatures and low interaction of coolant with tritium. This work analyses a set of S-CO2 Brayton cycle layouts for its integration in a DEMO-like fusion power plant, considering the specific requirements and heat availability characteristics. A framework has been developed to integrate the PROCESS code and the numerical solver EES to study the thermal and economic aspects of integrating the different S-CO2 cycle layouts. In total, 14 layouts have been studied and grouped into a more conservative (DEMO1, pulsed operation) and more advanced (DEMO2, steady-state operation) fusion reactors. The PROCESS code has been used to obtain the DEMO 2018 Baseline, which defines the available power from each heat source and their boundary conditions. This code has also been used to assess the cost of the optimal layout. Thermal storage has been added to the DEMO1 scenario to avoid standby times that could negatively affect the cycle equipment lifetime and efficiency. Besides, these boundary conditions have been extended to account for possible technical improvements by the time of its construction in the DEMO2 scenario. A sensitivity analysis of the most characteristic parameters of the cycles shows a strong dependence on the turbine inlet temperature for all layouts, which is constrained by the reactor material limits. The cycle efficiency (electric power produced before consumptions non-related to the cycle) has been selected as the figure of merit for the optimisation. The results show a 38% cycle efficiency for DEMO1 and 56% for DEMO2 scenarios. These efficiencies drop to 20% and 38% values, respectively, when the reactor and cooling loop power consumptions are considered. These values are obtained for current fusion reactor conceptual designs. The economic analysis shows the economic viability of DEMO2 scenarios.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España) FPU17/06273Horizonte 2020 (Unión Europea) 708257Horizonte 2020 (Unión Europea) 80516

First measurements of a scintillator based fast-ion loss detector near the ASDEX Upgrade divertor

A new reciprocating scintillator based fast-ion loss detector has been installed a few centimeters above the outer divertor of the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak and between two of its lower Edge Localized Modes (ELM) mitigation coils. The detector head containing the scintillator screen, Faraday cup, calibration lamp, and collimator systems are installed on a motorized reciprocating system that can adjust its position via remote control in between plasma discharges. Orbit simulations are used to optimize the detector geometry and velocity-space coverage. The scintillator image is transferred to the light acquisition systems outside of the vacuum via a lens relay (embedded in a 3D-printed titanium holder) and an in-vacuum image guide. A charge coupled device camera, for high velocity-space resolution, and an 8 × 8 channel avalanche photo diode camera, for high temporal resolution (up to 2 MHz), are used as light acquisition systems. Initial results showing velocity-space of neutral beam injection prompt losses and fast-ion losses induced by a (2, 1) neoclassical tearing mode are presented.EURATOM 63305

Social Media en la lealtad de marca en la empresa E.O.L. International E.I.R.L, Pueblo Libre, 2022

La investigación tuvo por objetivo general determinar la relación entre el Social Media y la lealtad de marca en el centro EOL International, Pueblo Libre 2022. Su metodología empleada fue de tipo aplicada, con un enfoque cuantitativo, su diseño fue no experimental con un nivel descriptivo-correlacional, como instrumento se empleó al cuestionario que fue aplicado a una muestra de 381seguidores. Como resultado se obtuvo una correlación de 0.797 lo que quiere decir que se acepta la hipótesis H1. La correlación tiene un grado positivo considerable. La significancia es de 0,000 menor a 0.05. Es por ello, que se rechaza la hipótesis nula. En conclusión, se determinó que existe una relación significativa y directa entre en la social media y la lealtad de marca el centro EOL International, por ello se debe poner más énfasis a las publicaciones en redes sociales