Recent GRBs observed with the 1.23m CAHA telescope and the status of its upgrade

We report on optical observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) followed up by our collaboration with the 1.23m telescope located at the Calar Alto observatory. The 1.23m telescope is an old facility, currently undergoing upgrades to enable fully autonomous response to GRB alerts. We discuss the current status of the control system upgrade of the 1.23m telescope. The upgrade is being done by the ARAE our group, based on members of IAA (Instituto de Astrofiisica de Andalucia). Currently the ARAE group is responsible to develop the BOOTES network of robotic telescopes based on the Remote Telescope System, 2nd Version (RTS2), which controls the available instruments and interacts with the EPICS database of Calar Alto. Currently the telescope can run fully autonomously or under observer supervision using RTS2. The fast reaction response mode for GRB reaction (typically with response times below 3 minutes from the GRB onset) still needs some development and testing. The telescope is usually operated in legacy interactive mode, with periods of supervised autonomous runs under RTS2. We show the preliminary results of several GRBs followed up with observer intervention during the testing phase of the 1.23m control software upgrade.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in the Special issue "Robotic Astronomy" of Advances in Astronomy. It includes two iterations with the referee

Marine diatoms change their gene expression profile when exposed to microscale turbulence under nutrient replete conditions

Diatoms are a fundamental microalgal phylum that thrives in turbulent environments. Despite several experimental and numerical studies, if and how diatoms may profit from turbulence is still an open question. One of the leading arguments is that turbulence favours nutrient uptake. Morphological features, such as the absence of flagella, the presence of a rigid exoskeleton and the micrometre size would support the possible passive but beneficial role of turbulence on diatoms. We demonstrate that in fact diatoms actively respond to turbulence in non-limiting nutrient conditions. TURBOGEN, a prototypic instrument to generate natural levels of microscale turbulence, was used to expose diatoms to the mechanical stimulus. Differential expression analyses, coupled with microscopy inspections, enabled us to study the morphological and transcriptional response of Chaetoceros decipiens to turbulence. Our target species responds to turbulence by activating energy storage pathways like fatty acid biosynthesis and by modifying its cell chain spectrum. Two other ecologically important species were examined and the occurrence of a morphological response was confirmed. These results challenge the view of phytoplankton as unsophisticated passive organisms

New views on the emission and structure of the solar transition region

The Sun is the only star that we can spatially resolve and it can be regarded as a fundamental plasma laboratory of astrophysics. The solar transition region (TR), the layer between the solar chromosphere and corona, plays an important role in solar wind origin and coronal heating. Recent high-resolution observations made by SOHO, TRACE, and Hinode indicate that the TR is highly nonuniform and magnetically structured. Through a combination of spectroscopic observations and magnetic field extrapolations, the TR magnetic structures and plasma properties have been found to be different in coronal holes and in the quiet Sun. In active regions, the TR density and temperature structures also differ in sunspots and the surrounding plage regions. Although the TR is believed to be a dynamic layer, quasi-steady flows lasting from several hours to several days are often present in the quiet Sun, coronal holes, and active regions, indicating some kind of plasma circulation/convection in the TR and corona. The emission of hydrogen Lyman lines, which originates from the lower TR, has also been intensively investigated in the recent past. Observations show clearly that the flows and dynamics in the middle and upper TR can greatly modify the Lyman line profiles.Comment: This paper has been withdrawn by the authors. This is a repetition of another record in ADS: New Astronomy Reviews, Volume 54, Issue 1-2, p. 13-3

Coirón Blanco: Avances en su domesticación y mejoramiento genético

Los pastizales naturales son el principal recurso forrajero en Patagonia. La ganadería extensiva, el avance de la desertificación y los cambios en el clima contribuyen a un aumento de la degradación de estos pastizales. Domesticar especies forrajeras nativas para llevarlas al cultivo permitirá aumentar la productividad y restaurar pastizales degradados.Estación Experimental Agropecuaria BarilocheFil: Marchelli, Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Forestal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Aldana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Recursos Naturales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Azpilicueta, Maria Marta. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Forestal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Nagahama, Nicolas. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Ugarte, Cristina Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Guidalevich, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Recursos Naturales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Angeli, Juan Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Alejandro Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Forestal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Easdale, Marcos Horacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Desarrollo Rural. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; Argentin

Coirón blanco: avances en su domesticación y mejoramiento genético

Los pastizales naturales son el principal recurso forrajero en Patagonia. La ganadería extensiva, el avance de la desertificación y los cambios en el clima contribuyen a un aumento de la degradación de estos pastizales. Domesticar especies forrajeras nativas para llevarlas al cultivo permitirá aumentar la productividad y restaurar pastizales degradados.Fil: Marchelli, Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: López, Aldana Soledad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Azpilicueta, María Marta. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Nagahama, Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Ugarte, Cristina Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Guidalevich, Veronica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Angeli, Juan Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Easdale, Marcos Horacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; Argentin

Pastizales patagónicos: avances en la domesticación del coirón blanco con fines productivos y de restauración ecosistémica

La gran heterogeneidad ambiental, la alta presión de pastoreo histórica y el cambio climático imponen fuertes presiones sobre las especies nativas de los pastizales de Patagonia. Estos pastizales están dominados por gramíneas, donde el coirón blanco (Festuca pallescens) es una especie clave por su amplia distribución natural y su destacada importancia dietaria en la cría de ganado ovino, bovino y caprino, principal actividad agropecuaria de la región. Los pastizales de esta especie están en retroceso por efectos del sobrepastoreo, situación que se está agravando en el contexto de cambio climático. La domesticación y el mejoramiento del coirón blanco permitirán incrementar la productividad de los pastizales, mitigar su degradación y promover su restauración. Presentamos aquí los primeros estudios de caracterización genética y ecofisiológica de F. pallescens así como los avances hacia el desarrollo tecnológico para su producción.EEA BarilocheFil: Marchelli, Paula. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Marchelli, Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Aldana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Aldana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Azpilicueta, Maria Marta. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Azpilicueta, Maria Marta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Nagahama, Nicolas. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Nagahama, Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Dardo Ruben. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Agencia de Extensión Rural Villa Dolores; ArgentinaFil: Caballe, Gonzalo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Caballe, Gonzalo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Guidalevich, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Guidalevich, Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Angeli, Juan Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Angeli, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Alejandro Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Alejandro Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Ugarte, Cristina Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Beider, Adriana Mariela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut; ArgentinaFil: Siffredi, Guillermo Lorenzo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Siffredi, Guillermo Lorenzo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; Argentin

Diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin in critically ill immunocompromised patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recognizing infection is crucial in immunocompromised patients with organ dysfunction. Our objective was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) in critically ill immunocompromised patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This prospective, observational study included patients with suspected sepsis. Patients were classified into one of three diagnostic groups: no infection, bacterial sepsis, and nonbacterial sepsis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We included 119 patients with a median age of 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 42-68 years). The general severity (SAPSII) and organ dysfunction (LOD) scores on day 1 were 45 (35-62.7) and 4 (2-6), respectively, and overall hospital mortality was 32.8%. Causes of immunodepression were hematological disorders (64 patients, 53.8%), HIV infection (31 patients, 26%), and solid cancers (26 patients, 21.8%). Bacterial sepsis was diagnosed in 58 patients and nonbacterial infections in nine patients (7.6%); 52 patients (43.7%) had no infection. PCT concentrations on the first ICU day were higher in the group with bacterial sepsis (4.42 [1.60-22.14] vs. 0.26 [0.09-1.26] ng/ml in patients without bacterial infection, <it>P </it>< 0.0001). PCT concentrations on day 1 that were > 0.5 ng/ml had 100% sensitivity but only 63% specificity for diagnosing bacterial sepsis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.851 (0.78-0.92). In multivariate analyses, PCT concentrations > 0.5 ng/ml on day 1 independently predicted bacterial sepsis (odds ratio, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.53-29.3; <it>P </it>= 0.0006). PCT concentrations were not significantly correlated with hospital mortality.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Despite limited specificity in critically ill immunocompromised patients, PCT concentrations may help to rule out bacterial infection.</p

Multi-band analyses of the bright GRB~230812B and the associated SN2023pel

GRB~230812B is a bright and relatively nearby ($z =0.36$) long gamma-ray burst that has generated significant interest in the community and therefore has been subsequently observed over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. We report over 80 observations in X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and sub-millimeter bands from the GRANDMA (Global Rapid Advanced Network for Multi-messenger Addicts) network of observatories and from observational partners. Adding complementary data from the literature, we then derive essential physical parameters associated with the ejecta and external properties (i.e. the geometry and environment) and compare with other analyses of this event (e.g. Srinivasaragavan et al. 2023). We spectroscopically confirm the presence of an associated supernova, SN2023pel, and we derive a photospheric expansion velocity of v $\sim$ 17$\times10^3$ km $s^{-1}$. We analyze the photometric data first using empirical fits of the flux and then with full Bayesian Inference. We again strongly establish the presence of a supernova in the data, with an absolute peak r-band magnitude $M_r = - 19.41 \pm 0.10$. We find a flux-stretching factor or relative brightness $k_{\rm SN}=1.04 \pm 0.09$ and a time-stretching factor $s_{\rm SN}=0.68 \pm 0.05$, both compared to SN1998bw. Therefore, GRB 230812B appears to have a clear long GRB-supernova association, as expected in the standard collapsar model. However, as sometimes found in the afterglow modelling of such long GRBs, our best fit model favours a very low density environment ($\log_{10}({n_{\rm ISM}/{\rm cm}^{-3}}) = -2.16^{+1.21}_{-1.30}$). We also find small values for the jet's core angle $\theta_{\rm core}={1.70^{+1.00}_{-0.71}} \ \rm{deg}$ and viewing angle. GRB 230812B/SN2023pel is one of the best characterized afterglows with a distinctive supernova bump

Genetic and environmental effects on crop development determining adaptation and yield

Slafer, Gustavo Ariel. ICREA - AGROTECNIO - Spain.Kantolic, Adriana Graciela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Appendino, María Laura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Tranquilli, Gabriela Edith. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Recursos Biológicos. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Miralles, Daniel Julio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Savin, Roxana. ICREA - AGROTECNIO - Spain.Crop development is a sequence of phenological events controlled by the genetic background and influenced by external factors, which determines changes in the morphology and/or function of organs (Landsberg, 1977). Although development is a continuous process, the ontogeny of a crop is frequently divided into discrete periods, for instance ‘vegetative’, ‘reproductive’ and ‘grain - filling’ phases (Slafer, 2012). Patterns of phenological development largely determine the adaptation of a crop to a certain range of environments. For example, genetic improvement in grain yield of wheat has been associated with shorter time from sowing to anthesis in Mediterranean environments of western Australia (Siddique et al., 1989), whereas no consistent trends in phenology were found where drought is present but not necessarily terminal, including environments of Argentina, Canada and the USA (Slafer and Andrade, 1989, 1993; Slafer et al., 1994a) (Fig. 12.1). Even in agricultural lands of the Mediterranean Basin where wheat has been grown for many centuries, breeding during the last century did not clearly change phenological patterns (Acreche et al., 2008). This chapter focuses on two major morphologically and hysiologically contrasting grain crops: wheat and soybean. For both species, we have an advanced understanding of development and physiology in general. Wheat is a determinate, long-day grass of temperate origin, which is responsive to vernalization. Soybean is a typically indeterminate (but with determinate intermediate variants), short-day grain legume of tropical origin, which is insensitive to vernalization. Comparisons with other species are used to highlight the similarities and differences. The aims of this chapter are to outline the developmental characteristics of grain crops and the links between phenology and yield, to revise the mechanisms of environmental and genetic control of development and to explore the possibilities of improving crop adaptation and yield potential through the fine-tuning of developmental patterns