The intermediate age open cluster NGC 2660

We present CCD UBVI photometry of the intermediate old open cluster NGC2660, covering from the red giants region to about seven magnitudes below the main sequence turn-off. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method, we estimate in a self-consistent way values for distance modulus ((m-M)0 ~= 12.2), reddening (E(B-V) ~= 0.40), metallicity ([Fe/H] about solar), and age (age ~ 1 Gyr). A 30% population of binary stars turns out to be probably present.Comment: 12 pages, 8 (encapsulated) figures, to be published on MNRA

Discovery of a 0.42-s pulsar in the ultraluminous X-ray source NGC 7793 P13

NGC 7793 P13 is a variable (luminosity range ~100) ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) proposed to host a stellar-mass black hole of less than 15 M$_{\odot}$ in a binary system with orbital period of 64 d and a 18-23 M$_{\odot}$ B9Ia companion. Within the EXTraS project we discovered pulsations at a period of ~0.42 s in two XMM-Newton observations of NGC 7793 P13, during which the source was detected at $L_{\mathrm{X}}\sim2.1\times10^{39}$ and $5\times10^{39}$ erg s$^{-1}$ (0.3-10 keV band). These findings unambiguously demonstrate that the compact object in NGC 7793 P13 is a neutron star accreting at super-Eddington rates. While standard accretion models face difficulties accounting for the pulsar X-ray luminosity, the presence of a multipolar magnetic field with $B$ ~ few $\times$ 10$^{13}$ G close to the base of the accretion column appears to be in agreement with the properties of the system.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables; Version accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Cage-Site Distribution, Behavior, and Physiology During a Newfoundland Heat Wave

Background: Climate change is leading to increased water temperatures and reduced oxygen levels at sea-cage sites, and this is a challenge that the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry must adapt to it if it needs to grow sustainably. However, to do this, the industry must better understand how sea-cage conditions influence the physiology and behavior of the fish. Method: We fitted ~2.5 kg Atlantic salmon on the south coast of Newfoundland with Star-Oddi milli-HRT ACT and Milli-TD data loggers (data storage tags, DSTs) in the summer of 2019 that allowed us to simultaneously record the fish's 3D acceleration (i.e., activity/behavior), electrocardiograms (and thus, heart rate and heart rate variability), depth, and temperature from early July to mid-October. Results: Over the course of the summer/fall, surface water temperatures went from ~10–12 to 18–19.5°C, and then fell to 8°C. The data provide valuable information on how cage-site conditions affected the salmon and their determining factors. For example, although the fish typically selected a temperature of 14–18°C when available (i.e., this is their preferred temperature in culture), and thus were found deeper in the cage as surface water temperatures peaked, they continued to use the full range of depths available during the warmest part of the summer. The depth occupied by the fish and heart rate were greater during the day, but the latter effect was not temperature-related. Finally, while the fish generally swam at 0.4–1.0 body lengths per second (25–60 cm s−1), their activity and the proportion of time spent using non-steady swimming (i.e., burst-and-coast swimming) increased when feeding was stopped at high temperatures. Conclusion: Data storage tags that record multiple parameters are an effective tool to understand how cage-site conditions and management influence salmon (fish) behavior, physiology, and welfare in culture, and can even be used to provide fine-scale mapping of environmental conditions. The data collected here, and that in recent publications, strongly suggest that pathogen (biotic) challenges in combination with high temperatures, not high temperatures + moderate hypoxia (~70% air saturation) by themselves, are the biggest climate-related challenge facing the salmon aquaculture industry outside of Tasmania

Does hydrostatic pressure influence lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) heart rate and its response to environmental challenges?

Studies on the effects of environmental changes with increasing depth (e.g. temperature and oxygen level) on fish physiology rarely consider how hydrostatic pressure might influence the observed responses. In this study, lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus, 200–400 g), which can exhibit vertical migrations of over 100 m daily and can be found at depths of 500 m or more, were implanted with Star-Oddi micro-HRT loggers. Then, their heart rate (fH) was measured in a pressure chamber when exposed to the following: (i) increasing pressure (up to 80 bar; 800 m in depth) at 10°C or (ii) increasing temperature (12–20°C), decreasing temperature (12 to 4°C) or decreasing oxygen levels (101–55% air saturation at 12°C) in the absence or presence of 80 bar of pressure. Additionally, we determined their fH response to chasing and to increasing temperature (to 22°C) at atmospheric pressure. Pressure-induced increases in fH (e.g. from 48 to 61 bpm at 12°C) were associated with hyperactivity. The magnitude of the rise in fH with temperature was greater in pressure-exposed vs. control fish (i.e. by ~30 bpm vs. 45 bpm between 5°C and 20°C). However, the relative increase (i.e. slope of the relationship) was not different between groups. In contrast, 80 bar of pressure eliminated the small (5 bpm) increase in fH when control fish were exposed to hypoxia. Exhaustive exercise and increasing temperature to 22°C resulted in a maximum fH of 77 and 81 bpm, respectively. Our research shows that pressure influences the fH response to environmental challenges and provides the first evidence that lumpfish have a limited capacity to increase fH

Trumpler 20 - an old and rich open cluster

We show that the open cluster Trumpler 20, contrary to the earlier findings, is actually an old Galactic open cluster. New CCD photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy are used to derive the main parameters of this cluster. At [Fe/H]=-0.11 for a single red giant star, the metallicity is slightly subsolar. The best fit to the color-magnitude diagrams is achieved using a 1.3 Gyr isochrone with convective overshoot. The cluster appears to have a significant reddening at E(B-V)=0.46 (for B0 spectral type), although for red giants this high reddening yields the color temperature exceeding the spectroscopic T_eff by about 200 K. Trumpler 20 is a very rich open cluster, containing at least 700 members brighter than M_V=+4. It may extend over the field-of-view available in our study at 20'x20'.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in MNRA

Building mutual trust: a framework project for implementing EU common standards in legal interpreting and translation

This edited volume addresses the establishment of core competencies for legal interpreters and translators(LITs) in the European common area, guides to core interpreter training curricula, the training of interpreter trainers, guidance for judicial professionals on working through legal interpreters and an extensive training materials resource bank

Circadian clock genes, ovarian development and diapause

Insects, like most organisms, have an internal circadian clock that oscillates with a daily rhythmicity, and a timing mechanism that mediates seasonal events, including diapause. In research published in BMC Biology, Ikeno et al. show that downregulation of the circadian clock genes period and cycle affects expression of ovarian diapause in the insect Riptortus pedestris. They interpret these important results as support for Erwin Bünning's (1936) hypothesis that the circadian clock constitutes the basis of photoperiodism. However, their observations could also be the result of pleiotropic effects of the individual clock genes

The transcriptomic responses of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to high temperature stress alone, and in combination with moderate hypoxia

Background Increases in ocean temperatures and in the frequency and severity of hypoxic events are expected with climate change, and may become a challenge for cultured Atlantic salmon and negatively affect their growth, immunology and welfare. Thus, we examined how an incremental temperature increase alone (Warm & Normoxic-WN: 12 → 20 °C; 1 °C week− 1), and in combination with moderate hypoxia (Warm & Hypoxic-WH: ~ 70% air saturation), impacted the salmon’s hepatic transcriptome expr\ession compared to control fish (CT: 12 °C, normoxic) using 44 K microarrays and qPCR. Results Overall, we identified 2894 differentially expressed probes (DEPs, FDR < 5%), that included 1111 shared DEPs, while 789 and 994 DEPs were specific to WN and WH fish, respectively. Pathway analysis indicated that the cellular mechanisms affected by the two experimental conditions were quite similar, with up-regulated genes functionally associated with the heat shock response, ER-stress, apoptosis and immune defence, while genes connected with general metabolic processes, proteolysis and oxidation-reduction were largely suppressed. The qPCR assessment of 41 microarray-identified genes validated that the heat shock response (hsp90aa1, serpinh1), apoptosis (casp8, jund, jak2) and immune responses (apod, c1ql2, epx) were up-regulated in WN and WH fish, while oxidative stress and hypoxia sensitive genes were down-regulated (cirbp, cyp1a1, egln2, gstt1, hif1α, prdx6, rraga, ucp2). However, the additional challenge of hypoxia resulted in more pronounced effects on heat shock and immune-related processes, including a stronger influence on the expression of 14 immune-related genes. Finally, robust correlations between the transcription of 19 genes and several phenotypic traits in WH fish suggest that changes in gene expression were related to impaired physiological and growth performance. Conclusion Increasing temperature to 20 °C alone, and in combination with hypoxia, resulted in the differential expression of genes involved in similar pathways in Atlantic salmon. However, the expression responses of heat shock and immune-relevant genes in fish exposed to 20 °C and hypoxia were more affected, and strongly related to phenotypic characteristics (e.g., growth). This study provides valuable information on how these two environmental challenges affect the expression of stress-, metabolic- and immune-related genes and pathways, and identifies potential biomarker genes for improving our understanding of fish health and welfare

Pismis 2, a poorly studied, intermediate age open cluster

We present CCD BVI photometry of the intermediate age open cluster Pismis 2, covering from the brighter red giants to about 5 magnitudes below the main sequence turn-off. The cluster is heavily reddened and is possibly affected by a differential reddening of Delta E(B-V) ~= 0.04-0.06. Using the synthetic Colour - Magnitude Diagram method, we estimate in a self-consistent way distance modulus, (n-M)0 ~= 12.5-12.7, and age ~= 1.1-1.2 Gyr. The cluster probably contains a significant fraction of binary systems. The metallicity is most likely solar and the reddening E(B-V) ranges between 1.26 and 1.32 depending on the cluster region.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Potential conservation of circadian clock proteins in the phylum Nematoda as revealed by bioinformatic searches

Although several circadian rhythms have been described in C. elegans, its molecular clock remains elusive. In this work we employed a novel bioinformatic approach, applying probabilistic methodologies, to search for circadian clock proteins of several of the best studied circadian model organisms of different taxa (Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, Neurospora crassa, Arabidopsis thaliana and Synechoccocus elongatus) in the proteomes of C. elegans and other members of the phylum Nematoda. With this approach we found that the Nematoda contain proteins most related to the core and accessory proteins of the insect and mammalian clocks, which provide new insights into the nematode clock and the evolution of the circadian system.Fil: Romanowski, Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; ArgentinaFil: Garavaglia, Matías Javier. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Ing.genética y Biolog.molecular y Celular. Area Virus de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Goya, María Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ghiringhelli, Pablo Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Ing.genética y Biolog.molecular y Celular. Area Virus de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Golombek, Diego Andres. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin