Genetic parameters of characters associated with the uniformity of fibre diameter in alpacas Huacaya in Puno, Peru

El objetivo del presente estudio fue estimar los parámetros genéticos (heredabilidad y correlaciones genéticas) para caracteres asociados a la uniformidad del diámetro de fibra en el vellón de alpacas tuis del fundo Mallkini (Puno, Perú). Se utilizaron muestras de las zonas corporales de muslo, costillar medio y paleta de 1127 animales a la primera esquila (573 machos y 554 hembras) nacidos en 2015 y 2016. Las muestras fueron analizadas bajo la norma IWTO-12 del equipo Sirolan Laserscan. El archivo de pedigrí contaba con 10 481 alpacas dando un coeficiente de consanguinidad de 0.16%. Los parámetros genéticos se estimaron mediante los softwares ASReml y Pedigree Viewer. Los caracteres evaluados fueron el diámetro de fibra (DF) y su desviación estándar (DE), coeficiente de variación (CV) y factor de confort (FC). El análisis genético se realizó utilizando un modelo animal multivariado, que incluye el efecto genético aditivo del animal como efecto aleatorio; año de esquila, punta y sexo como efectos fijos, y edad de esquila como covariable lineal. Las heredabilidades para todas las características por zona fueron moderadas (0.12 a 0.38) y para las zonas en conjunto resultaron también moderadas, excepto para el coeficiente de variación (0.17 a 0.43). La correlación genética entre el diámetro de fibra y la desviación estándar mostró un valor elevado y positivo (0.80), mientras que para el factor de confort fue alto y negativo (-0.93) y para el coeficiente de variación fue negativo y bajo (-0.06). En conclusión, existe un alto grado de correlación genética entre el diámetro de fibra (DF) y su desviación estándar (DE), de modo que seleccionando por ambos caracteres se lograría reducir la variabilidad de finura en los vellones. Los caracteres evaluados fueron el diámetro de fibra (DF) y su desviación estándar (DE), coeficiente de variación (CV) y factor de confort (FC). El análisis genético se realizó utilizando un modelo animal multivariado, que incluye el efecto genético aditivo del animal como efecto aleatorio; año de esquila, punta y sexo como efectos fijos; y, edad de esquila como covariable lineal. Las heredabilidades para todas las características por zona fueron moderadas (0,12 a 0,38) y para las zonas en conjunto resultaron también moderadas, excepto para el coeficiente de variación (0.17 a 0.43). La correlación genética entre el diámetro de fibra y la desviación estándar, mostró un valor elevado y positivo (0.80), que no fue el caso para el factor de confort, que tuvo una correlación negativa y alta (-0.93), y con el coeficiente de variación que alcanzo su valor negativo y bajo (-0.06). En concreto, existe un alto grado de correlación genética entre el diámetro de fibra (DF)  y su desviación estándar (DE); por lo cual, seleccionando por ambos caracteres lograría  reducir la variabilidad de finura en los vellones, y de esta manera poder implementar programas en mejoramiento genético de alpacas. Palabras claves: Alpaca, parámetros genéticos, diámetro de fibra, ASReml.The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters (heritability and genetic correlations) for characters associated with the uniformity of fibre diameter in fleece of young (tuis) alpacas of the Mallkini farm (Puno, Peru). Samples were taken from the thigh, mid-rib and shoulder of 1127 animals at the first shearing (573 males and 554 females) born in 2015 and 2016. The samples were analysed under the IWTO-12 standard of the Sirolan Laserscan equipment. The pedigree file had 10 481 alpacas giving a coefficient of inbreeding of 0.16%. The genetic parameters were estimated using ASReml and Pedigree Viewer software. The characters evaluated were the fibre diameter and its standard deviation, coefficient of variation and comfort factor. The genetic analysis was carried out using a multivariate animal model, which includes the additive genetic effect of the animal as a random effect; year of shearing, group/category and sex as fixed effects, and age of shearing as a linear covariable. The heritability for all the characteristics by body area was moderate (0.12 to 0.38) and for the mean of the three body areas was also moderate, except for the coefficient of variation (0.17 to 0.43). The genetic correlation between the fibre diameter and the standard deviation showed a high and positive value (0.80), while for the comfort factor it had a high and negative correlation (-0.93) and for the coefficient of variation was negative and low (-0.06). In conclusion, there is a high degree of genetic correlation between the fibre diameter and its standard deviation, so that selecting for both characters would reduce the variability of fineness in the fleeces

Cloning and constitutive expression of Deschampsia antarctica Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase in Pichia pastoris

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Deschampsia antarctica </it>shows tolerance to extreme environmental factors such as low temperature, high light intensity and an increasing UV radiation as result of the Antarctic ozone layer thinning. It is very likely that the survival of this species is due to the expression of genes that enable it to tolerate high levels of oxidative stress. On that account, we planned to clone the <it>D. antarctica </it>Cu/ZnSOD gene into <it>Pichia pastoris </it>and to characterize the heterologous protein.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The Copper/Zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) gene, <it>SOD </it>gene, was isolated from a <it>D. antarctica </it>by cDNA library screening. This <it>SOD </it>gene was cloned in the expression vector pGAPZαA and successfully integrated into the genome of the yeast <it>P. pastoris </it>SMD1168H. A constitutive expression system for the expression of the recombinant SOD protein was used. The recombinant protein was secreted into the YPD culture medium as a glycosylated protein with a 32 mg/l expression yield. The purified recombinant protein possesses a specific activity of 440 U/mg.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>D. antarctica </it>Cu/ZnSOD recombinant protein was expressed in a constitutive system, and purified in a single step by means of an affinity column. The recombinant SOD was secreted to the culture medium as a glycoprotein, corresponding to approximately 13% of the total secreted protein. The recombinant protein Cu/ZnSOD maintains 60% of its activity after incubation at 40°C for 30 minutes and it is stable (80% of activity) between -20°C and 20°C. The recombinant SOD described in this study can be used in various biotechnological applications.</p

Intercambiador de calor con aporte de energía solar para aplicaciones educativas en Ingeniería Química

Este proyecto pretende realizar un sistema intercambiador de calor didáctico para su aplicación a las materias de 3º y 4 º año de Ingeniería Química de la Universidad, que a su vez muestre procesos relativos al aprovechamiento solar térmico para la materia optativa Energías Renovables de dicha carrera. Se busca que el conocimiento generado redunde en la mejora de las prácticas docentes para los alumnos de las carreras de Ingeniería Química e Ingeniería en Recursos Naturales Renovables. Se pretende de esta manera implementar una estación portátil diseñada a los efectos de que los alumnos puedan llevar adelante actividades prácticas que tiendan a optimizar sus aprendizajes en conceptos relacionados a intercambio de calor en procesos y a la energía solar térmica.This work seeks the construction of an educational heat exchanger to be applied in 3º and 4º year courses of Chemical Engineering from the University, applying aspects of solar thermal energy which are in turn related to courses of optional Renewable Energy courses of the same career. It is hoped that the acquired knowledge will allow for better practical activities for students of both Chemical and Renewable Natural Resources Engineering. The heat exchanger is designed to be portable, so as to allow for different configurations and activities relating to heat exchange in chemical process and solar thermal engineering.Tema´10: Educación y capacitación en energías renovables y uso racional de la energía.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Intercambiador de calor con aporte de energía solar para aplicaciones educativas en Ingeniería Química

Este proyecto pretende realizar un sistema intercambiador de calor didáctico para su aplicación a las materias de 3º y 4 º año de Ingeniería Química de la Universidad, que a su vez muestre procesos relativos al aprovechamiento solar térmico para la materia optativa Energías Renovables de dicha carrera. Se busca que el conocimiento generado redunde en la mejora de las prácticas docentes para los alumnos de las carreras de Ingeniería Química e Ingeniería en Recursos Naturales Renovables. Se pretende de esta manera implementar una estación portátil diseñada a los efectos de que los alumnos puedan llevar adelante actividades prácticas que tiendan a optimizar sus aprendizajes en conceptos relacionados a intercambio de calor en procesos y a la energía solar térmica.This work seeks the construction of an educational heat exchanger to be applied in 3º and 4º year courses of Chemical Engineering from the University, applying aspects of solar thermal energy which are in turn related to courses of optional Renewable Energy courses of the same career. It is hoped that the acquired knowledge will allow for better practical activities for students of both Chemical and Renewable Natural Resources Engineering. The heat exchanger is designed to be portable, so as to allow for different configurations and activities relating to heat exchange in chemical process and solar thermal engineering.Tema´10: Educación y capacitación en energías renovables y uso racional de la energía.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

SN 2023emq: a flash-ionised Ibn supernova with possible CIII emissio

SN 2023emq is a fast-evolving transient initially classified as a rare Type Icn supernova (SN), interacting with a H- and He-free circumstellar medium (CSM) around maximum light. Subsequent spectroscopy revealed the unambiguous emergence of narrow He lines, confidently placing SN 2023emq in the more common Type Ibn class. Photometrically SN 2023emq has several uncommon properties regardless of its class, including its extreme initial decay (faster than > 90% of Ibn/Icn SNe) and sharp transition in the decline rate from 0.20 mag/d to 0.07 mag/d at +20 d. The bolometric light curve can be modelled as CSM interaction with 0.32M_Sun of ejecta and 0.12M_Sun of CSM, with 0.006M_Sun of nickel, as expected of fast interacting SNe. Furthermore, broad-band polarimetry at +8.7 days (P = 0.55 +/- 0.30%) is consistent with spherical symmetry. A discovery of a transitional Icn/Ibn SN would be unprecedented and would give valuable insights into the nature of mass loss suffered by the progenitor just before death, but we favour an interpretation that SN 2023emq is a type Ibn SN that exhibited flash-ionised features in the earliest spectrum, as the features are not an exact match with other SNe Icn to date. However, the feature at 5700{\AA}, in the region of C III and N II emission, is significantly stronger in SN 2023emq than in the few other flash-ionised Type Ibn SNe, and if it is related to C III, it possibly implies a continuum of properties between the two classes.Comment: Accepted to ApJL on 22/11/202

SN 2017gci: a nearby Type I Superluminous Supernova with a bumpy tail

We thank the anonymous referee for the very useful comments, which contributed to improve the manuscript. AF is partially supported by the PRIN-INAF 2017 with the project Towards the SKA and CTA era: discovery, localisation, and physics of transients sources (P.I. M. Giroletti). These observations made use of the LCO network. DAH, CP, DH, and JB are supported by NSF Grant AST1911225 and NASA Grant 80NSSC19k1639. TMB was funded by the CONICYT PFCHA/DOCTORADOBECAS CHILE/201772180113. MG is supported by the Polish NCN MAESTRO grant 2014/14/A/ST9/00121. TWC acknowledges the funding provided by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the EU Funding under Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 842471, and Thomas Kruhler for reducing X-Shooter spectrum. LG was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 839090. This work has been partially supported by the Spanish grant PGC2018-095317-B-C21 within the European Funds for Regional Development (FEDER). CPG acknowledges support from EU/FP7ERC grant no. [615929]. GL was supported by a research grant (19054) from VILLUM FONDEN. MN is supported by a Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellowship. RL is supported by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship within the Horizon 2020 European Union (EU) Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017-794467). GT acknowledges partial support by the National Science Foundation under Award No. AST-1909796. Research by SV is supported by NSF grants AST-1813176 and AST-2008108. Some of the observations reported here were obtained at the MMT Observatory, a joint facility of the University of Arizona and the Smithsonian Institution under program 2018A-UAO-G16 (PI Terreran). Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under program NW440 (PI Fong). The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. The authors wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the indigenous Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain. W. M. Keck Observatory and MMT Observatory accesswas supported by Northwestern University and the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA). Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programmes 199.D-0143, 0100.D-0751(B), 0101.D-0199(B), 099.A-9025(A), 0100.A-9099(A)099.A-9099 and 0100.A-9099. This work makes use of observations from the LCO network. Part of the funding for GROND (both hardware as well as personnel) was generously granted from the Leibniz-Prize to Prof. G. Hasinger (DFG grant HA 1850/28-1). The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys (PS1) have been made possible through contributions of the Institute for Astronomy, the University of Hawaii, the Pan-STARRS Project Office, the Max-Planck Society and its participating institutes, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, The Johns Hopkins University, Durham University, the University of Edinburgh, Queen's University Belfast, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Incorporated, the National Central University of Taiwan, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Grants No.s NNX08AR22G, NNX12AR65G, and NNX14AM74G, the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-1238877, the University of Maryland, Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE), the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Gordon and Betty Moore foundation. TheATLAS surveys are funded through NASA grants NNX12AR55G. This work has made use of data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium).Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement. This research made use of TARDIS, a community-developed software package for spectral synthesis in supernovae (Kerzendorf & Sim 2014). The development of TARDIS received support from the Google Summer of Code initiative and from ESA's Summer of Code in Space program. TARDIS makes extensive use of Astropy and PyNE.This article has been accepted for publication in MNRAS published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical SocietyWe present and discuss the optical spectrophotometric observations of the nearby (z = 0.087) Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN I) SN 2017gci, whose peak K-corrected absolute magnitude reaches M-g = -21.5 mag. Its photometric and spectroscopic evolution includes features of both slow- and of fast-evolving SLSN I, thus favoring a continuum distribution between the two SLSN-I subclasses. In particular, similarly to other SLSNe I, the multiband light curves (LCs) of SN 2017gci show two re-brightenings at about 103 and 142 d after the maximum light. Interestingly, this broadly agrees with a broad emission feature emerging around 6520 angstrom after similar to 51 d from the maximum light, which is followed by a sharp knee in the LC. If we interpret this feature as H alpha, this could support the fact that the bumps are the signature of late interactions of the ejecta with a (hydrogen-rich) circumstellar material. Then we fitted magnetar- and CSM-interaction-powered synthetic LCs on to the bolometric one of SN 2017gci. In the magnetar case, the fit suggests a polar magnetic field B-p similar or equal to 6 x 10(14) G, an initial period of the magnetar P-initial similar or equal to 2.8 ms, an ejecta mass M-ejecta similar or equal to 9M(circle dot) and an ejecta opacity kappa similar or equal to 0.08 cm(2) g(-1). A CSM-interaction scenario would imply a CSM mass similar or equal to 5 M-circle dot and an ejecta mass similar or equal to 12M(circle dot). Finally, the nebular spectrum of phase + 187 d was modeled, deriving a mass of similar or equal to 10 M-circle dot for the ejecta. Our models suggest that either a magnetar or CSM interaction might be the power sources for SN 2017gci and that its progenitor was a massive (40 M-circle dot) star.PRIN-INAF 2017National Science Foundation (NSF) AST1911225 AST-1813176 AST-2008108CONICYT PFCHA/DOCTORADOBECAS CHILE/2017 72180113Polish NCN MAESTRO 2014/14/A/ST9/00121Alexander von Humboldt FoundationEuropean Commission 842471European Commission 839090European Commission PGC2018-095317-B-C21VILLUM FONDEN 19054Royal Astronomical Society Research FellowshipMarie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship within the Horizon 2020 European Union (EU) Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020-MSCA-IF-2017-794467National Science Foundation (NSF) AST-1909796 AST-1238877University of Arizona 2018A-UAO-G16Smithsonian Institution 2018A-UAO-G16National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NW440 NNX08AR22G NNX12AR65G NNX14AM74GW.M. Keck FoundationNorthwestern UniversityCenter for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA)European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere 199.D-0143 0100.D-0751(B) 0101.D-0199(B) 099.A-9025(A) 0100.A-9099(A)099.A-9099 0100.A-9099German Research Foundation (DFG)European Commission HA 1850/28-1National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NNX12AR55G 80NSSC19k1639Google Summer of Code initiativeESA's Summer of Code in Space programEuropean Commission 61592

Transitional events in the spectrophotometric regime between stripped envelope and superluminous supernovae

KM, MRM, and SJP are supported by H2020 ERC grant no. 758638. LG acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 839090, and from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) under the 2019 Ramon y Cajal programme RYC2019-027683. TMB ´ was funded by the CONICYT PFCHA / DOCTORADOBECAS CHILE/2017-72180113. MG is supported by the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101004719. SGG acknowledges support by FCT under Project CRISP PTDC/FIS-AST-31546/2017. MN is supported by a Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellowship and H2020 ERC grant no. 948381. T-WC acknowledges the EU Funding under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant H2020-MSCA-IF-2018-842471. The LT is operated on the island of La Palma by Liverpool John Moores University in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias with financial support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile, as part of ePESSTO+ (the advanced Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey for Transient Objects Survey). ePESSTO+ observations were obtained under ESO programme ID 1103.D-0328 (PI: Inserra). The WHT is operated on the island of La Palma by the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrof´ısica de Canarias. SJP thanks GPL for many insightful discussions at the bar over the last few years.The division between stripped-envelope supernovae (SE-SNe) and superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) is not well-defined in either photometric or spectroscopic space. While a sharp luminosity threshold has been suggested, there remains an increasing number of transitional objects that reach this threshold without the spectroscopic signatures common to SLSNe. In this work, we present data and analysis on four SNe transitional between SE-SNe and SLSNe; the He-poor SNe 2019dwa and 2019cri, and the He-rich SNe 2019hge and 2019unb. Each object displays long-lived and variable photometric evolution with luminosities around the SLSN threshold of Mr < -19.8 mag. Spectroscopically however, these objects are similar to SE-SNe, with line velocities lower than either SE-SNe and SLSNe, and thus represent an interesting case of rare transitional events.H2020 ERC grant no. 758638European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 839090Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) under the 2019 Ramon y Cajal programme RYC2019-027683CONICYT PFCHA / DOCTORADOBECAS CHILE/2017-72180113EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101004719FCT under Project CRISP PTDC/FIS-AST-31546/2017Royal Astronomical Society Research FellowshipH2020 ERC grant no. 948381UK Science and Technology Facilities CouncilESO programme ID 1103.D-0328 (PI: Inserra

Transitional events in the spectrophotometric regime between stripped envelope and superluminous supernovae

The division between stripped-envelope supernovae (SE-SNe) and superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) is not well-defined in either photometric or spectroscopic space. While a sharp luminosity threshold has been suggested, there remains an increasing number of transitional objects that reach this threshold without the spectroscopic signatures common to SLSNe. In this work, we present data and analysis on four SNe transitional between SE-SNe and SLSNe; the He-poor SNe 2019dwa and 2019cri, and the He-rich SNe 2019hge and 2019unb. Each object displays long-lived and variable photometric evolution with luminosities around the SLSN threshold of Mr < -19.8 mag. Spectroscopically however, these objects are similar to SE-SNe, with line velocities lower than either SE-SNe and SLSNe, and thus represent an interesting case of rare transitional events.KM, MRM, and SJP are supported by H2020 ERC grant no. 758638. LG acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 839090, and from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) under the 2019 Ramón y Cajal programme RYC2019-027683. TMB was funded by the CONICYT PFCHA / DOCTORADOBECAS CHILE/2017-72180113. MG is supported by the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101004719. SGG acknowledges support by FCT under Project CRISP PTDC/FIS-AST-31546/2017. MN is supported by a Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellowship and H2020 ERC grant no. 948381. T-WC acknowledges the EU Funding under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant H2020-MSCA-IF-2018-842471. The LT is operated on the island of La Palma by Liverpool John Moores University in the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias with financial support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council

Photometry and spectroscopy of the Type Icn supernova 2021ckj: The diverse properties of the ejecta and circumstellar matter of Type Icn SNe

We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of the Type Icn supernova (SN) 2021ckj. Spectral modeling of SN 2021ckj reveals that its composition is dominated by oxygen, carbon and iron group elements, and the photospheric velocity at peak is ~10000 km/s. From the light curve (LC) modeling applied to SNe 2021ckj, 2019hgp, and 2021csp, we find that the ejecta and CSM properties of Type Icn SNe are diverse. SNe 2021ckj and 2021csp likely have two ejecta components (an aspherical high-energy component and a spherical standard-energy component) with a roughly spherical CSM, while SN 2019hgp can be explained by a spherical ejecta-CSM interaction alone. The ejecta of SNe 2021ckj and 2021csp have larger energy per ejecta mass than the ejecta of SN 2019hgp. The density distribution of the CSM is similar in these three SNe, and is comparable to those of Type Ibn SNe. This may imply that the mass-loss mechanism is common between Type Icn (and also Type Ibn) SNe. The CSM masses of SN 2021ckj and SN 2021csp are higher than that of SN 2019hgp, although all these values are within the diversity seen in Type Ibn SNe. The early spectrum of SN 2021ckj shows narrow emission lines from C II and C III, without a clear absorption component, in contrast with that observed in SN 2021csp. The similarity of the emission components of these lines implies that the emitting regions of SNe 2021ckj and 2021csp have similar ionization states, and thus suggests that they have similar properties of the ejecta and CSM, which is inferred also from the LC modeling. Taking into account the difference in the strength of the absorption features, this heterogeneity may be attributed to viewing angle effects in otherwise common aspherical ejecta.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&

SN 2020zbf: A fast-rising hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova with strong carbon lines

SN 2020zbf is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova at $z = 0.1947$ that shows conspicuous C II features at early times, in contrast to the majority of H-poor SLSNe. Its peak magnitude is $M_{\rm g}$ = $-21.2$ mag and its rise time ($\lesssim 24$ days from first light) place SN 2020zbf among the fastest rising SLSNe-I. Spectra taken from ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared wavelengths are used for the identification of spectral features. We pay particular attention to the C II lines as they present distinctive characteristics when compared to other events. We also analyze UV and optical photometric data, and model the light curves considering three different powering mechanisms: radioactive decay of Ni, magnetar spin-down and circumstellar material interaction (CSM). The spectra of SN 2020zbf match well with the model spectra of a C-rich low-mass magnetar model. This is consistent with our light curve modelling which supports a magnetar-powered explosion with a $M_{\rm ej}$ = 1.5 $M_\odot$. However, we cannot discard the CSM-interaction model as it also may reproduce the observed features. The interaction with H-poor, carbon-oxygen CSM near peak could explain the presence of C II emission lines. A short plateau in the light curve, around 30 - 40 days after peak, in combination with the presence of an emission line at 6580 \r{A} can also be interpreted as late interaction with an extended H-rich CSM. Both the magnetar and CSM interaction models of SN 2020zbf indicate that the progenitor mass at the time of explosion is between 2 - 5 $M_\odot$. Modelling the spectral energy distribution of the host reveals a host mass of 10$^{8.7}$ $M_\odot$, a star-formation rate of 0.24$^{+0.41}_{-0.12}$ $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and a metallicity of $\sim$ 0.4 $Z_\odot$.Comment: 26 pages, 22 figures, submitted to A&