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6 (the final challenge)

Well inevitably all comes to an end and although there is much to say, I think that with this release may close temporarily this year about the phenomenon of epidemic influenza. I want to thank Vincent Riacanello Columbia University who kindly allowed to use images to illustrate this blog entry, and for his comments and information. Javier Cruz also Unit of Scientific Journalism and Laura Vargas Parada UNAM School of Medicine, UNAM, for their insightful comments and exchange of information and data sources. Francisco Ibarra also the Institute for Legal Research of UNAM for making me notice many of the political and economic implications related to this epidemic, several of which more scared than any mutant virus. Finally Nidia Aréchiga the Virology Laboratory of CMN Siglo XXI and Karen Ramirez de la Michoacana for making me laugh his wit and intelligent occurrences

1 What is a virus?. Good question, I should probably start there. Viruses are biological entities formed by a protective structure called a capsid, usually made of proteins surrounding genetic material of any kind, either DNA or RNA. As in the strict sense is not a regular cell are not considered living organisms. The unique quality of living they have is their ability to reproduce which can only take place inside a cell. Used throughout the system to infect the cell to reproduce. This usually results in the death of infected cells. Viruses are extremely small, hundreds of them may affect a single cell becomes a factory of new viruses that infect many other cell. For example, in the case of AIDS the HIV virus uses the cells of the immune system to reproduce causing death and leaving it at the mercy of any illness the whole organism.

2 How is the influenza virus?. It is a spherical virus with a series of anchored proteins in a lipid layer. Both foreign proteins as this double layer of lipids form the capsid that surrounds the virus's genetic material found in the "instructions" for virus replication.

3 How is the hereditary material of the virus? This virus has the genetic material RNA that differs in structure and composition of DNA. The single-stranded RNA is not double as DNA. Instead of being formed by adenine, guanine and thymine Cytokine latter is replaced by Uracil. The RNA of influenza virus is not found as a continuous strand, if not in several segments. In particular, we recognize eight segments, each of which relates directly to one or two proteins.

3 Why is called H1N1? These letters are used to refer to several influenza virus, its name comes from two types of surface proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase , which have roles in entry into the cell and affect the output of the Cell. The number indicates the range of protein, which also relates to the type of species that infects (human, ducks, chickens, pigs, etc.). Some types infect more than one species and one species may be affected by more than one type of influenza.

4 How to enter cells it infects? As the virus that requires all the "machinery" cell to reproduce. This entire process is called infectious cycle or viral replication cycle. It is divided into steps to make it easier to understand. Thus we have the virus must adhere to the cell, making the RNA from which this is used to produce proteins of the virus, make more copies of RNA and finally assemble the virus and remove them from the cell. On the surface of the cell there are proteins that seem to infect antennas and at the end of which is a speck of sugar. One of them, the last is the sialic acid that attaches to the H protein of the virus. Is similar a key and a lock. Once the H recognizes the sialic acid can cause the virus from its RNA. Antivirals are focused on preventing the fusion between the virus and the cell or the output of the viral particles.

5 How were combined genetic characteristics? The viruses are usually specific to one type of organism, but as said sometimes can infect more than one species, or simply can be found viral particles in the same body. The reason that this variety has recognized RNA fragments in strains that infect other species, including birds, is that were mixed in an intermediate body, the opinion the pig. Avian influenza virus probably infected with a pig, in turn infected their own strain of swine influenza and human influenza viruses. Imagine a cell with viral particles of the three types of virus, all very similar. It's like having three distinct parts cars designed on the same platform. It is possible to assemble a car with features of the original three. The result in this case was a small SUV, but could be a tank.

6 And no, that does not increase the chances of a little pig with wings.

Arnoldo Krauze says the only people killed were in Mexico shows the shortcomings of the infra structure that increases the time health care. However, the infrastructure also includes the intellectual part of the population, as it affects blindly believe the most outlandish mad and distrustful of any technical information. So I think that this epidemic is an opportunity to get on this wave and fight for two things: to ban forever the use of tie and to see the importance of science in society, not only in to research but as part of the daily life of citizens. Perhaps the fact that election season is help raise science to the party platforms. Not only that, recognize the importance of those who work and research, theorize, teach, analyze. This time it went pretty well, despite the shortcomings. Why? Part of the answer lies in science, those who make it in labs, who applied in the field, making some policy decisions. Where have things gone right is where the element failed, discrimination, lack of hygiene, partisan pettiness, stupidity economic and conspiracy theories.

Now we are back to normal, full of bullets , decapitated, Noronha, Master ... it is important to remember that this morning the Korean ambassador in Mexico So Jae Myong said, " influenza should not divide the world should unite instead through science and solidarity. "

Still mutating? And please do not, especially if you are a virus.