Detector and Telescope Development for ProtoEXIST and Fine Beam Measurements of Spectral Response of CZT Detectors

We outline our plan to develop ProtoEXIST, a balloon-borne prototype experiment for the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST) for the Black Hole Finder Probe. EXIST will consist of multiple wide-field hard X-ray coded-aperture telescopes. The current design of the EXIST mission employs two types of telescope systems: high energy telescopes (HETs) using CZT detectors, and low energy telescopes (LETs) using Si detectors. With ProtoEXIST, we will develop and demonstrate the technologies required for the EXIST HETs. As part of our development efforts, we also present recent laboratory measurements of the spectral response and efficiency variation of imaging CZT detectors on a fine scale (~0.5 mm). The preliminary results confirm the need for multi-pixel readouts and small inter-pixel gaps to achieve uniform spectral response and high detection efficiency across detectors.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, appears in SPIE 2005 proceedings (5898: UV, X-ray, and Gamma-ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XIV

Compartiendo espacios educativos con los ni?os y ni?as a trav?s de actividades recreativas para formar en h?bitos saludables

161 p. Recurso Electr?nico?Durante el primer proceso de nuestra carrera universitaria, se desarroll? el siguiente proceso: en el primer semestre se construy? la historia de vida, entre el segundo y el quinto se desarroll? un proceso continuo e integral mediante observaciones, permitiendo caracterizar el grupo o la poblaci?n objeto de intervenci?n en el Hogar Infantil Consota. En las observaciones se evidenci? una problem?tica relacionada con la falta de h?bitos de higiene en los ni?os y las ni?as; por lo tanto es importante promover unos adecuados h?bitos de higiene en la comunidad educativa ya que estos se constituyen en una parte indispensable del curr?culo de la educaci?n infantil. Seg?n lo planteado por Larousse, (1950) la prevenci?n es "preparaci?n, disposici?n que se toma para evitar alg?n peligro"(p. 755) Se hace necesario la formaci?n de h?bitos de higiene y generar conciencia sobre el valor y la necesidad de la salud para crear ambientes saludables. Seg?n el MEN, la Ley General de Salud, los Alimentos son determinantes en el desarrollo integral de la vida. Es claro comprender como este proyecto permiti? implementar las actividades recreativas tales como jugando al lavado de manos, collage saludable, adivinanzas creativas entre otras, para as? alcanzar buenos h?bitos saludables en la comunidad educativa, a trav?s de esto los ni?os y las ni?as asimilaron, conocieron, manifestaron, personificaron, percibieron y verbalizaron el mundo que los rodea y se apropiaron de la importancia que tienen los h?bitos saludables afrontando as? el autocuidado, integraci?n personal, los buenos h?bitos, entre otros textos que fomentaron el cuidado integral de cada ni?o y ni?a. Se concluye que los h?bitos saludables son fundamentales ya que son una herramienta educativa para la construcci?n de la higiene en los ni?os y las ni?as, fortaleciendo las condiciones salubres esenciales, para prevenir las enfermedades e infecciones. Palabras clave: higiene, prevenci?n, cuidado, infancia, educaci?nDuring the first trial of our college career, developed the following process: life history was built in the first half between the second and the fifth semester between the second and the fifth was developed a continuous and integral process by means of observations, allowing characterizing the group or population subject to intervention in the Children's garden child home. The observations showed a Problem related to the lack of hygiene in the boys and girls; it is therefore important to promote appropriate hygiene habits in the educational community since they constitute an indispensable part of the curriculum of early childhood education. According to the issues raised by Larousse, (year 1995) prevention is "preparation, provision is taken to avoid any danger"(p.755.) The formation of habits of hygiene is necessary and raises awareness of the value and the need of health to create healthy environments. According to the MEN, the General Law of health, foods are determinants in the development of life. It is clear to understand how this project allowed implementing recreational activities such as playing the washing of hands, healthy collage, and creative including riddles to achieve good habits in the community education, through this the children assimilated, met, expressed, personified, perceived and expressed the world that surrounds them and appropriated the importance having healthy habits so facing the car care, personal integration, good habits, among other texts which promoted the comprehensive care of each boy and girl. It is concluded that healthy habits are critical since they are an educational tool for the construction of the hygiene in the children, strengthening the essential healthy conditions, to prevent diseases and infections. Keywords: Hygiene, Prevention, Care, Children, Educatio

The Mycoplasma conjunctivae genome sequencing, annotation and analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The mollicute <it>Mycoplasma conjunctivae </it>is the etiological agent leading to infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in domestic sheep and wild caprinae. Although this pathogen is relatively benign for domestic animals treated by antibiotics, it can lead wild animals to blindness and death. This is a major cause of death in the protected species in the Alps (e.g., <it>Capra ibex</it>, <it>Rupicapra rupicapra</it>).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The genome was sequenced using a combined technique of GS-FLX (454) and Sanger sequencing, and annotated by an automatic pipeline that we designed using several tools interconnected via PERL scripts. The resulting annotations are stored in a MySQL database.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The annotated sequence is deposited in the EMBL database (<ext-link ext-link-type="embl" ext-link-id="FM864216">FM864216</ext-link>) and uploaded into the mollicutes database MolliGen <url>http://cbi.labri.fr/outils/molligen/</url> allowing for comparative genomics.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We show that our automatic pipeline allows for annotating a complete mycoplasma genome and present several examples of analysis in search for biological targets (e.g., pathogenic proteins).</p

Panchromatic Observations of SN 2011dh Point to a Compact Progenitor Star

We report the discovery and detailed monitoring of X-ray emission associated with the Type IIb SN 2011dh using data from the Swift and Chandra satellites, placing it among the best studied X-ray supernovae to date. We further present millimeter and radio data obtained with the SMA, CARMA, and EVLA during the first three weeks after explosion. Combining these observations with early optical photometry, we show that the panchromatic dataset is well-described by non-thermal synchrotron emission (radio/mm) with inverse Compton scattering (X-ray) of a thermal population of optical photons. In this scenario, the shock partition fractions deviate from equipartition by a factor, (e_e/e_B) ~ 30. We derive the properties of the shockwave and the circumstellar environment and find a shock velocity, v~0.1c, and a progenitor mass loss rate of ~6e-5 M_sun/yr. These properties are consistent with the sub-class of Type IIb SNe characterized by compact progenitors (Type cIIb) and dissimilar from those with extended progenitors (Type eIIb). Furthermore, we consider the early optical emission in the context of a cooling envelope model to estimate a progenitor radius of ~1e+11 cm, in line with the expectations for a Type cIIb SN. Together, these diagnostics are difficult to reconcile with the extended radius of the putative yellow supergiant progenitor star identified in archival HST observations, unless the stellar density profile is unusual. Finally, we searched for the high energy shock breakout pulse using X-ray and gamma-ray observations obtained during the purported explosion date range. Based on the compact radius of the progenitor, we estimate that the breakout pulse was detectable with current instruments but likely missed due to their limited temporal/spatial coverage. [Abridged]Comment: (27 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, final version to appear in ApJ

Identifying the winter grounds of the recently described Barbary Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus baeticatus ambiguus)

The Iberian and North African populations of reed warblers have been described recently as a separate taxon, ambiguus, forming a sister clade to the Sahelian subspecies minor of African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus. Although the breeding range of ambiguus has been identified, the migration strategy of its populations remained unknown. We deployed geolocators and sampled the innermost primary from breeding adults in Spain for stable hydrogen (d2H) analyses and also analysed stable carbon (d13C) and nitrogen (d15N) isotopes in feathers collected in two reed warbler taxa (Acrocephalus scirpaceus and Acrocephalus baeticatus ambiguus) in Morocco, to identify the moulting and wintering sites of these populations. Ring recoveries, geolocator tracks and probabilistic assignments to origin from d2H values indicate that Spanish ambiguus are likely to moult south of the Sahara and winter in West Africa, probably from Mauretania to southern Mali and Ivory Coast. Moroccan ambiguus, however, undergo post-breeding moult north of the Sahara, and possibly then migrate to West Africa. With other populations of ambiguus breeding from Algeria to Libya and probably wintering further east in the Sahelian belt, the Barbary Reed Warbler can therefore be considered a trans-Saharan migrant, with a post-breeding moult strategy that varies between populations, and probably structured according to breeding latitude

The High-Metallicity Explosion Environment of the Relativistic Supernova 2009bb

We investigate the environment of the nearby (d ~ 40Mpc) broad-lined Type Ic supernova SN 2009bb. This event was observed to produce a relativistic outflow likely powered by a central accreting compact object. While such a phenomenon was previously observed only in long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs), no LGRB was detected in association with SN 2009bb. Using an optical spectrum of the SN 2009bb explosion site, we determine a variety of ISM properties for the host environment, including metallicity, young stellar population age, and star formation rate. We compare the SN explosion site properties to observations of LGRB and broad-lined SN Ic host environments on optical emission line ratio diagnostic diagrams. Based on these analyses, we find that the SN 2009bb explosion site has a very high metallicity of ~2x solar, in agreement with other broad-lined SN Ic host environments and at odds with the low-redshift LGRB host environments and recently proposed maximum metallicity limits for relativistic explosions. We consider the implications of these findings and the impact that SN 2009bb's unusual explosive properties and environment have on our understanding of the key physical ingredient that enables some SNe to produce a relativistic outflow.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication in ApJ Letters (replaced to include missing figure

GRB 071028B, a burst behind large amounts of dust in an unabsorbed galaxy

We report on the discovery and properties of the fading afterglow and underlying host galaxy of GRB 071028B, thereby facilitating a detailed comparison between these two. Observations were performed with the Gamma-ray Burst Optical and Near-infrared Detector at the 2.2 m telescope on the La Silla Paranal Observatory in Chile. We conducted five observations from 1.9 d to 227.2 d after the trigger and obtained deep images in the g'r'i'z' and JHKs bands. Based on accurate seven-channel photometry covering the optical to near-infrared wavelength range, we derive a photometric redshift of z = 0.94 +0.05 -0.10 for the unabsorbed host galaxy of GRB 071028B. In contrast, we show that the afterglow with an intrinsic extinction of AV(SB) = (0.70 +/- 0.11) mag is moderately absorbed and requires a relatively flat extinction curve. According to the reported Swift/BAT observations, the energetics yield an isotropic energy release of E(gamma,iso.,rest) = (1.4 +2.4 -0.7) x 10^51 erg.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The Second Swift BAT Gamma-Ray Burst Catalog

We present the second Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) catalog of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which contains 476 bursts detected by the BAT between 2004 December 19 and 2009 December 21. This catalog (hereafter the BAT2 catalog) presents burst trigger time, location, 90% error radius, duration, fluence, peak flux, time-averaged spectral parameters and time-resolved spectral parameters measured by the BAT. In the correlation study of various observed parameters extracted from the BAT prompt emission data, we distinguish among long-duration GRBs (L-GRBs), short-duration GRBs (S-GRBs), and short-duration GRBs with extended emission (S-GRBs with E.E.) to investigate differences in the prompt emission properties. The fraction of L-GRBs, S-GRBs and S-GRBs with E.E. in the catalog are 89%, 8% and 2% respectively. We compare the BAT prompt emission properties with the BATSE, BeppoSAX and HETE-2 GRB samples. We also correlate the observed prompt emission properties with the redshifts for the GRBs with known redshift. The BAT T90 and T50 durations peak at 70 s and 30 s, respectively. We confirm that the spectra of the BAT S-GRBs are generally harder than those of the L-GRBs. The time-averaged spectra of the BAT S-GRBs with E.E. are similar to those of the L-GRBs. Whereas, the spectra of the initial short spikes of the S-GRBs with E.E. are similar to those of the S-GRBs. We show that the BAT GRB samples are significantly softer than the BATSE bright GRBs, and that the time-averaged Epeak of the BAT GRBs peaks at 80 keV which is significantly lower energy than those of the BATSE sample which peak at 320 keV. The time-averaged spectral properties of the BAT GRB sample are similar to those of the HETE-2 GRB samples. By time-resolved spectral analysis, we find that only 10% of the BAT observed photon indices are outside the allowed region of the synchrotron shock model.Comment: 65 pages, 33 figures, 13 tables, Accepted in ApJS, Nine machine-readable tables are available at http://swift.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/results/bat2_catalog

Experiencia con test de artrografía intraoperatoria para valorar la rotura de la sindesmosis tibioperonea

Ankle fractures frequently associate tibiofibular syndesmosis injuries, whose diagnosis allows intraoperative treatment that can prevent mid-long term complications. There are several clinical diagnostic tests and specific projections but they are difficult to interpret and standardize. The objective of the study is to evaluate a recently described intraoperative diagnostic test. We conducted the test by intraarticular contrast injection in ten patients with fractures type Weber B or C. The test was valuable in 8 cases and the result coincided with the other clinical test used. We detected a fracture in one case that had gone undetected and resulted in a change of treatment. There were no complications. Using a reproducible, cheap and safe test, we can obtain an easily interpretable image that complements the rest of clinical tests to support the surgeon in the decision to fix the sindesmosis in ankle fractures