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Abstract. Introduction:. Chronic pain is associated with single cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs). Less is known about the association of chronic pain with the co-occurrence of multiple CMDs, known as cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM). Objectives:. This study aims to examine the association between chronic pain and incidence of CMM and if it existed, to what extent chronic pain relates to the progression of specific CMD-related multimorbidity (MM). Methods:. We pooled individual-level data of 59,134 participants from 4 cohort studies across 18 countries between 2010 and 2020. Participants aged 45 years or older, free of CMDs (diabetes, heart diseases, and stroke), and with self-reported chronic pain status at baseline were included. Multinomial logistic regression was performed on the association of chronic pain with incident CMM and the progression of specific CMD-related MM. Results:. One-third (21,204) of participants reported chronic pain at baseline. After 8 to 9 years, 1344 (2.3%) developed CMM. Chronic pain was associated with the onset of each CMD (odds ratio [OR] range 1.12–1.37) and CMM combinations (OR range 1.57–2.09). It is also linked with the increased odds of more CMDs (1, 2, and 3) during the follow-up. For example, OR increased from 1.31 for individuals with one CMD, to 1.57 for those with 2 CMDs, to 2.09 for those with 3 CMDs. Chronic pain was also associated with developing all CMD-related MM (OR range 1.26–1.88). Compared with those with diabetes only, participants with chronic pain were more likely to progress to diabetes and heart diseases, as well as diabetes, heart diseases, and stroke. Conclusion:. Chronic pain is associated with incidence and progression of CMM, whose management should be considered in primary and secondary prevention of CMM among middle-aged and older populations.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a metastrongyloid nematode and the etiologic agent of angiostrongyliasis, a disease characterized by eosinophilic meningitis. This emerging zoonotic parasite has undergone great expansion, including in some regions of Europe and America. In the Canary Islands, the parasite was first discovered parasitizing Rattus rattus on the island of Tenerife in 2010. To date, the distribution of this parasite in the Canary Islands has been restricted to the northern zone and the main cities of Tenerife. Using molecular tools for the sentinel species present in the Canary Islands, this study confirmed the presence of the nematode on two other islands in the Canary Archipelago: La Gomera and Gran Canaria. Furthermore, this emerging parasite was detected, besides in the common definitive host R. rattus, in wild Mus musculus and Felis catus and in four terrestrial gastropod species, Limacus flavus, Milax gagates, Insulivitrina emmersoni, and Insulivitrina oromii, two of them endemic to La Gomera, for the first time, increasing the number of non-definitive host species. This study reinforces the expansion character of A. cantonensis and highlights the importance of knowledge about sentinel species for identifying new transmission locations that help prevent and control the transmission of the parasite and, thus, prevent public health problems.

Lungworms are a major cause of feline respiratory disease, frequently underdiagnosed due to its presentation of symptoms being similar to that of other feline respiratory pathologies. Epidemiological data about these nematodes are scarce in the Canary Islands (Spain). Given the veterinary importance of these parasites, the aim of the present study was to improve the current epidemiological knowledge of the lungworm species that could be affecting feral cats in this archipelago. A total of 29 feral cats from La Gomera were analyzed. The respiratory tract of each animal was inspected and the nematodes obtained were identified by morphological keys and molecular techniques. Metastrongylids were detected to be widely distributed throughout the island with a prevalence of 55.2% (16/29). The species Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi were identified. Also, coinfections with A. chabaudi and O. rostratus were detected in two animals. The present study shows a high diversity of lungworms in feral cats in La Gomera, with the first report of A. chabaudi and T. brevior for the Canary Archipelago and the first citation of A. chabaudi in cats for Spain. The wide distribution and high prevalence found in this study indicate a high risk of exposure to pulmonary infections in cats.

This study comprehensively analyzes type I X-ray bursts observed by Swift/BAT from 2005 to April 2024 to search for X-ray burst oscillations (XBOs) in neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries. XBOs, periodic signals detected within type I X-ray bursts, typically range from 11 to 620 Hz and are often observed in the soft X-ray data of these bursts. Using the high-sensitivity and precise timing capabilities of the Swift/BAT, we found 50 type I X-ray bursts from 37 neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries. We conducted a detailed timing analysis of these bursts. For sources with known burst oscillation frequencies, our findings largely corroborate previous studies. However, many sources displayed low confidence levels in the oscillation signals, with [sub [sup Z 1 2]] values between 10 and 20. For sources without known oscillation/spin frequencies, we utilized FFT analysis to search for signals across a broad frequency range. This approach revealed potential oscillation signals, with several bursts showing significance levels exceeding 3σ, including those from MAXI J1421-613, XTE J1701-407, XMM J174457-2850.3, Swift J1734.5-3027, IGR J17473-2721, Swift J174805.3-244637, Swift J181723.1-164300, and X 1832-330. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are produced by the collapse of some very massive stars, that emit ultra-relativistic jets. When the jets collide with the interstellar medium they decelerate and generate the so-called afterglow emission, which has been observed to be polarised. Aims. We study the polarimetric evolution of the GRB 210610B afterglow, at z = 1.1341. This allows us to evaluate the role of geometric and/or magnetic mechanisms in the GRB afterglow polarisation. Methods. We observed GRB 210610B using imaging polarimetry with CAFOS on the 2.2 m Calar Alto Telescope and FORS2 on the 4 × 8.1 m Very Large Telescope. Complementary optical spectroscopy was obtained with OSIRIS on the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias. We studied the GRB light-curve from X-rays to the optical bands and the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). This allowed us to strongly constrain the line-of-sight extinction. Finally, we studied the GRB host galaxy using optical to NIR data to fit the SED and derive its integrated properties. Results. GRB 210610B had a bright afterglow with a negligible line-of-sight extinction. Polarimetry was obtained at three epochs: during an early plateau phase, at the time when the light curve breaks, and after the light curve steepened. We observe an initial polarisation of ∼4% that goes to zero at the time of the break, and it then again increases to ∼2%, with a change in the position angle of 54 ± 9 deg. The spectrum shows features with very low equivalent widths. This indicate a small amount of material in the line of sight within the host. Conclusions. The lack of dust and the low amount of material in the line of sight to GRB 210610B allowed us to study the intrinsic polarisation of the GRB optical afterglow. The GRB polarisation signals are consistent with ordered magnetic fields in refreshed shock or/and hydrodynamics-scale turbulent fields in the forward shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. are microsporidia with zoonotic potential that have been identified in humans, as well as in a large group of wild and domestic animals. Several wildlife species have been studied as reservoirs of zoonotic microsporidia in mainland Spain, including the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Due to a lack of data on microsporidia infection in wildlife on the Canary Islands, the aim of this work was to analyze the prevalence and identify the species of microsporidia in rabbits in Tenerife. Between 2015 and 2017, a total of 50 fecal samples were collected from rabbits in eight municipalities of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Seven of the fifty samples (14%) were amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and the partial sequence of the 5.8S rRNA gene. Sanger sequencing reveals the presence of Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype I in two samples (4%), and undescribed microsporidia species in five samples (10%). This study constitutes the first molecular detection and genotyping of E. cuniculi in rabbits in Spain.

At optical/ultraviolet energies, blazars display an underlying thermal (unpolarized) contribution from the accretion disc, torus, and line-emitting regions, diluting the polarized emission from the jet-component. Optical polarimetry can be used to disentangle the thermal and non-thermal components, and place constraints on the particle populations and acceleration mechanisms responsible for the non-thermal emission. We present the results of a linear optical spectropolarimetric observing campaign of 18 blazars (six BL Lac-type objects and 12 flat-spectrum radio quasars) undertaken with the Southern African Large Telescope between 2016 and 2022. This was done to observe these systems during flaring states, as well as long-term monitoring of PKS1510-089, AP Lib, and PKS 1034-293. The observations traced the frequency dependence of the degree and angle of polarization, as well as changes in the spectral line strengths. We investigated possible correlations between the polarization and other observed characteristics for the sources. While an indication of correlation was found between the frequency dependence and the average level of polarization for some sources, a correlation was not found for the population as a whole. These results highlight that continuous observations and in-depth modelling of polarization and its frequency dependence is required to obtain a more holistic view of TeV blazars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to perform the molecular identification of Anisakis larvae in commercial fish from the coast of the Canary Islands and to provide data on their infection level for the host and the species of this nematode parasite that we could find in several species of commercial interest in the Canary Archipelago. Fish specimens (n = 172) from the Canary coasts were examined for parasites. In total, 495 larvae were identified; PCR was carried out for the entire ITS rDNA and cox2 mtDNA region, obtaining sixteen sequences for the entire ITS rDNA region and fifteen for the cox2 mtDNA, this being the first contribution of nucleotide sequences of Anisakis species of fish caught from the Canary Islands. An overall prevalence of 25% was obtained in the fish analyzed, and five species of Anisakis were identified, these being Anisakis simplex (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis physeteris, Anisakis nascettii and Anisakis typica and the hybrid Anisakis simplex x Anisakis pegreffii. The results obtained in this study have relevance for public health, since the pathology will depend on the species of Anisakis, so it is important to know the health status of fish in the waters of the Canary Islands to assure a safer consumption and take adequate measures, in addition to the provision of epidemiological data.

Studies of Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) properties, such as duration and spectral hardness, have found evidence for additional classes, beyond the short/hard and long/soft prototypes, using model-dependent methods. In this paper, a model-independent approach was used to analyse the gamma-ray light curves of large samples of GRBs detected by BATSE, Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM. All the features were extracted from the GRB time profiles in four energy bands using the Stationary Wavelet Transform and Principal Component Analysis. t-distributed Stochastic Neighbourhood Embedding (t-SNE) visualisation of the features revealed two distinct groups of Swift/BAT bursts using the T100 interval with 64 ms resolution data. When the same analysis was applied to 4 ms resolution data, two groups were seen to emerge within the first second (T1) post-trigger. These two groups primarily consisted of short/hard (Group 1) and long/soft (Group 2) bursts, and were 95% consistent with the groups identified using the T100 64 ms resolution data. Kilonova candidates, arising from compact object mergers, were found to belong to Group 1, while those events with associated supernovae fell into Group 2. Differences in cumulative counts between the two groups in the first second, and in the minimum variability timescale, identifiable only with the 4 ms resolution data, may account for this result. Short GRBs have particular significance for multi-messenger science as a distinctive EM signature of a binary merger, which may be discovered by its gravitational wave emissions. Incorporating the T1 interval into classification algorithms may support the rapid classification of GRBs, allowing for an improved prioritisation of targets for follow-up observations.

Studies of Gamma-ray Burst (GRB) properties, such as duration and spectral hardness, have found evidence for additional classes beyond the short-hard (merger) and long-soft (collapsar) prototypes. Several clustering analyses of the duration-hardness plane identified a third, intermediate duration, class. In this work, Gaussian Mixture Model-based (GMM) clustering is applied to the Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM samples of GRBs. The results obtained by the hierarchical combination of Gaussian components (or clusters) based on an entropy criterion are presented. This method counteracts possible overfitting arising from the application of Gaussian models to non-Gaussian underlying data. While the initial GMM clustering of the hardness-duration plane identifies three components (short/intermediate/long) for the Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM samples, only two components (short/long) remain once the entropy criterion is applied. The analysis presented here suggests that the intermediate duration class may be the result of overfitting, rather than evidence of a distinct underlying population.

Atelerix algirus is an invasive species in the Canary Islands (Spain). There are few studies about the zoonotic pathogens this species could be hosting; therefore, this study was focused on analyzing causative agents of diarrhea in humans in feces from hedgehogs. A total of 45 fecal samples obtained in Tenerife (Canary Islands) were analyzed in this study using Biofire FilmArray gastrointestinal panel with an integrated Biofire FilmArray system. Forty-two (93.33%) of the samples presented at least one of the pathogens detected by the panel. The prevalence of four bacteria stands out as for enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (71.11%), Salmonella (66.67%), Clostridioides difficile (33.33%), and Campylobacter sp. (22.22%), all of which were widely distributed along Tenerife. Besides, other pathogens were found, Cryptosporidium sp. and enterotoxigenic E. coli lt/st in 6.66% of the animals, Shigella/enteroinvasive E. coli in 4.44%, and Norovirus GI/GII, Plesiomonas shigelloides, and Vibrio sp. in 2.22%. Of the hedgehogs, 26.66% were hosting just one pathogen, and the others showed coinfection: 24.44% hosted two, 31.11% hosted three, and 11.11% hosted four or more. The close contact with hedgehogs may imply the transmission of not only one causative agent of diarrhea but also multiple agents, since coinfection is highly prevalent. The lack of management measurements for this animal in the Canary Islands, the common habit of adopting hedgehogs from wildlife without veterinary control, and the fact that most of the hedgehogs studied belonged to highly populated areas imply a high risk of transmission of pathogens to humans.

The compact, standardised form factor of CubeSats allows for the use of commercial off-the-shelf components, reducing traditional barriers to entry, such as cost and development time. More than 1500 of these small spacecraft have been launched in the past 20 years, with improving capabilities that enable a wide range of mission profiles. The Educational Irish Research Satellite, EIRSAT-1, is a CubeSat being developed by a student-led team with goals that span education, technology demonstration and science. A comprehensive mission test plan, in which in-flight conditions are simulated, has been developed for EIRSAT-1 and implemented using an engineering qualification model of the spacecraft. In addition to verifying 41 mission requirements, the successful execution of the mission test plan established that the full satellite system can perform the intended mission. Mission testing also proved to be an invaluable tool to prepare for launch and operations, providing the team with a more complete understanding of the satellite’s expected on-orbit behaviour. This work presents a detailed description of the mission test planning process and implementation, as well as key results and lessons learned. In doing so, this work aims to improve the on-orbit reliability of CubeSats by disseminating resources and good practice around mission testing.

The Educational Irish Research Satellite (EIRSAT-1) is a 2U CubeSat developed at University College Dublin. The project aims to build, test, launch, and operate Ireland’s first satellite and to perform in-orbit demonstrations of three novel payloads developed in-house. To reduce risk within the mission, the project employs a prototype model philosophy in which two models of the spacecraft exist: an engineering qualification model (EQM) and a flight model (FM). This paper presents the verification approach of the functional tests implemented for the EIRSAT-1 project. The activities of the FlatSat and system level full functional tests of the EQM are presented and the results obtained during the test campaigns are discussed. Four test anomalies were encountered during the full functional test campaign resulting in two minor redesigns, and subsequent reassembly, of the CubeSat. The functional test campaigns highlighted the importance of FlatSat level testing of CubeSats to ensure compatibility of all subsystems prior to assembly and of thorough documentation to diagnose any unexpected behaviour of the hardware efficiently. The functional verification of the EQM proved that the system conformed to its design, verifying 57 mission requirements, and is a crucial step towards the development of the EIRSAT-1 FM.

Context. GRB 220627A is a rare burst with two distinct γ-ray emission episodes separated by almost 1000 s that triggered the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor twice. High-energy GeV emission was detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope coincident with the first emission episode but not the second. The discovery of the optical afterglow with MeerLICHT led to MUSE observations which secured the burst redshift to z = 3.08, making this the most distant ultra-long gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected to date. Aims. The progenitors of some ultra-long GRBs have been suggested in the literature to be different to those of normal long GRBs. Our aim is to determine whether the afterglow and host properties of GRB 220627A agree with this interpretation. Methods. We performed empirical and theoretical modelling of the afterglow data within the external forward shock framework, and determined the metallicity of the GRB environment through modelling the absorption lines in the MUSE spectrum. Results. Our optical data show evidence for a jet break in the light curve at ∼1.2 days, while our theoretical modelling shows a preference for a homogeneous circumburst medium. Our forward shock parameters are typical for the wider GRB population, and we find that the environment of the burst is characterised by a sub-solar metallicity. Conclusions. Our observations and modelling of GRB 220627A do not suggest that a different progenitor compared to the progenitor of normal long GRBs is required. We find that more observations of ultra-long GRBs are needed to determine if they form a separate population with distinct prompt and afterglow features, and possibly distinct progenitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lung parasitosis in cats can be asymptomatic or produce a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe and potentially life-threatening. In Europe, lungworms have been studied mainly in domestic cats and European wildcats. However, studies on cats in Spain are scarce, especially in the Canary Islands, where Aelurostrongylus abstrusus has been the only lungworm species documented to date in feral cats. The present study was conducted in order to provide new epidemiological data on lungworm infections in feral cats in the Canary Archipelago. More than half of the cats analyzed in this study presented pulmonary nematodes, identifying a total of four metastrongylid species, namely A. abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi. Veterinary practitioners should consider these parasites as possible causes of respiratory pathologies in cats in the Canary Islands. In addition, control measures should be carried out to prevent the transmission of these respiratory parasites. Lungworms are a major cause of feline respiratory disease, frequently underdiagnosed due to its presentation of symptoms being similar to that of other feline respiratory pathologies. Epidemiological data about these nematodes are scarce in the Canary Islands (Spain). Given the veterinary importance of these parasites, the aim of the present study was to improve the current epidemiological knowledge of the lungworm species that could be affecting feral cats in this archipelago. A total of 29 feral cats from La Gomera were analyzed. The respiratory tract of each animal was inspected and the nematodes obtained were identified by morphological keys and molecular techniques. Metastrongylids were detected to be widely distributed throughout the island with a prevalence of 55.2% (16/29). The species Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi were identified. Also, coinfections with A. chabaudi and O. rostratus were detected in two animals. The present study shows a high diversity of lungworms in feral cats in La Gomera, with the first report of A. chabaudi and T. brevior for the Canary Archipelago and the first citation of A. chabaudi in cats for Spain. The wide distribution and high prevalence found in this study indicate a high risk of exposure to pulmonary infections in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is the world's leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. It is an emerging zoonotic parasite endemic to Asia and the Pacific Islands that has spread to all continents except Antarctica. In the Canary Islands, its presence was first detected in 2010 on the island of Tenerife. Numerous studies demonstrated the high capacity of A. cantonensis to colonize new areas, especially its ability to parasitize a wide range of animals. Due to the similarity of the ecosystems that we can find between the islands that make up the Canary Archipelago and the great diversity of species of both vertebrates and terrestrial gastropods, the objective of this study was to analyze several species as possible hosts of A. cantonensis on other islands in the Canary Islands, with the use of molecular tools. The present study confirmed the presence of A. cantonensis in two mammalian species, Mus musculus and Felis catus, and in four terrestrial gastropod species, Limacus flavus, Milax gagates, Insulivitrina emmersoni, and Insulivitrina oromii. The presence of A. cantonensis implies a possible risk to humans and other animals, which justifies the need for control measures to control the possible risk of infection and, thus, prevent public health and veterinary problems. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a metastrongyloid nematode and the etiologic agent of angiostrongyliasis, a disease characterized by eosinophilic meningitis. This emerging zoonotic parasite has undergone great expansion, including in some regions of Europe and America. In the Canary Islands, the parasite was first discovered parasitizing Rattus rattus on the island of Tenerife in 2010. To date, the distribution of this parasite in the Canary Islands has been restricted to the northern zone and the main cities of Tenerife. Using molecular tools for the sentinel species present in the Canary Islands, this study confirmed the presence of the nematode on two other islands in the Canary Archipelago: La Gomera and Gran Canaria. Furthermore, this emerging parasite was detected, besides in the common definitive host R. rattus, in wild Mus musculus and Felis catus and in four terrestrial gastropod species, Limacus flavus, Milax gagates, Insulivitrina emmersoni, and Insulivitrina oromii, two of them endemic to La Gomera, for the first time, increasing the number of non-definitive host species. This study reinforces the expansion character of A. cantonensis and highlights the importance of knowledge about sentinel species for identifying new transmission locations that help prevent and control the transmission of the parasite and, thus, prevent public health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: evaluar la asociación entre el estado nutricional antropométrico materno durante su tercer trimestre de gravidez con el estado nutricional antropométrico del neonato. Método: Se evaluaron 98 binomios madre-recién nacido atendidos en el Hospital Público Universitario de Caracas y en el Hospital Privado de Clínicas Caracas, Venezuela. Las variables maternas fueron: peso pregestacional, peso gestacional, talla, circunferencia media del brazo (CMB), circunferencia de pantorrilla y pliegue del tríceps y se construyeron los indicadores antropométricos: índice de masa corporal pregestacional (IMCpg) y gestacional (IMCg), así como indicadores de composición corporal: área grasa (AG) y muscular del brazo (AM). En el recién nacido, se evaluó: peso, talla, índice ponderal (IP), y evaluación clínica del estado nutricional del neonato (ECEN). Resultados: El IMCg mostró una de las mejores correlaciones y con significancia estadística con el IP del neonato (r=0,22) observando este mismo resultado la CMB materno con el IP (r=0,21) y el puntaje de ECEN (r=0,22). En cuanto a los indicadores de composición corporal materno, únicamente se encontró correlación positiva y estadísticamente significativas entre el AM y el puntaje ECEN (r = 0,24) y el AG con el IP (r = 0,20). Conclusión: La CMB materna podría constituir una variable indicativa del estado nutricional del neonato y se recomienda la incorporación temprana en el monitoreo rutinario del control prenatal.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between the anthropometric nutritional state of the pregnant women during his third trimester of pregnancy with the anthropometric state nutritional of the product of the gestation, who carried out their prenatal control in the University Hospital of Caracas and the Hospital of Caracas Clinics. The evaluated variables were: pregestacional weight, gestacional weight, chart, average circumference of the arm and fold of tríceps; the anthropometric indicators were constructed: index of corporal mass (IMC) pregestacional and gestacional and of corporal composition such as greasy and muscular area of the arm. In new born, one evaluated the weight and the stature and so the ponderal index was constructed (IP), as well as the clinical evaluation of the nutritional state of the neoborn one (ECEN). Statistical Package SPSS 13,0 for Windows, calculating statistical descriptive basic and coefficient of correlation of Pearson was used (p 0.05). The results indicate that when considering the associations between the maternal variables and anthropometric indicators with the neonatal ones is to a great extent positive correlation, of this form, cases as the average circumference of arm (CMB) maternal were statistically significant with the ponderal index and puntaje ECEN, indicating that the maternal CMB is constituted like an indicative variable of the nutritional state of the neoborn one. The early incorporation in the routine monitoring of the prenatal control, the anthropometric valuation with effective simple variables of low cost is recommended and, being able to detect nutritional alterations in which it is found opportunely to prevent adverse results in the neoborn one.

Simple Summary: Microsporidia are a group of fungal-related pathogens widely distributed in the environment, with some species having a negative impact on animals and public health. The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is considered the natural host of Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a microsporidian pathogen of mammals, including humans. The infection caused by E. cuniculi, encephalitozoonosis, ranges from asymptomatic to severe lesions in rabbits, with clinical signs involving the central nervous system, kidney, and eye being the most common. The majority of reported cases have been in domestic rabbits, while cases in wild rabbits are uncommon. Due to the lack of data on microsporidia in the Canary Islands, the aim of this work was to analyze the prevalence and identity of microsporidia in fecal samples from rabbits in Tenerife. Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. are microsporidia with zoonotic potential that have been identified in humans, as well as in a large group of wild and domestic animals. Several wildlife species have been studied as reservoirs of zoonotic microsporidia in mainland Spain, including the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Due to a lack of data on microsporidia infection in wildlife on the Canary Islands, the aim of this work was to analyze the prevalence and identify the species of microsporidia in rabbits in Tenerife. Between 2015 and 2017, a total of 50 fecal samples were collected from rabbits in eight municipalities of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Seven of the fifty samples (14%) were amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and the partial sequence of the 5.8S rRNA gene. Sanger sequencing reveals the presence of Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype I in two samples (4%), and undescribed microsporidia species in five samples (10%). This study constitutes the first molecular detection and genotyping of E. cuniculi in rabbits in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Anisakidae is a family in the phylum Nematode, which is probably the most prevalent family of parasites found in marine mammals. These nematodes are colonizers of the digestive system of marine vertebrates that use different crustaceans and fish species as intermediate or paratenic hosts and humans as accidental hosts. Human anisakidosis, an infection caused by some species of the family Anisakidae, occurs when shellfish, particularly fish, contaminated with the infectious stage (third-stage larvae [L3]) of this parasite are consumed raw or undercooked. Data on the species of Anisakis found in fish in the waters of the Canary Islands and epidemiological data in general from this archipelago on this parasitic nematode are scarce, so the aim of this study was to provide these data on fish with an interest in consumption in the Canary Archipelago. Five species of Anisakis were identified, of which two have health relevance to humans. These findings are valuable for the safe consumption of fish by the population and for the knowledge of health authorities when it comes to a better diagnosis in hospitals and for future epidemiological and biomedical research. The study aimed to perform the molecular identification of Anisakis larvae in commercial fish from the coast of the Canary Islands and to provide data on their infection level for the host and the species of this nematode parasite that we could find in several species of commercial interest in the Canary Archipelago. Fish specimens (n = 172) from the Canary coasts were examined for parasites. In total, 495 larvae were identified; PCR was carried out for the entire ITS rDNA and cox2 mtDNA region, obtaining sixteen sequences for the entire ITS rDNA region and fifteen for the cox2 mtDNA, this being the first contribution of nucleotide sequences of Anisakis species of fish caught from the Canary Islands. An overall prevalence of 25% was obtained in the fish analyzed, and five species of Anisakis were identified, these being Anisakis simplex (s.s.), Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis physeteris, Anisakis nascettii and Anisakis typica and the hybrid Anisakis simplex x Anisakis pegreffii. The results obtained in this study have relevance for public health, since the pathology will depend on the species of Anisakis, so it is important to know the health status of fish in the waters of the Canary Islands to assure a safer consumption and take adequate measures, in addition to the provision of epidemiological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of Gamma-ray Burst (GRB) properties, such as duration and spectral hardness, have found evidence for additional classes beyond the short-hard (merger) and long-soft (collapsar) prototypes. Several clustering analyses of the duration-hardness plane identified a third, intermediate duration, class. In this work, Gaussian Mixture Model-based (GMM) clustering is applied to the Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM samples of GRBs. The results obtained by the hierarchical combination of Gaussian components (or clusters) based on an entropy criterion are presented. This method counteracts possible overfitting arising from the application of Gaussian models to non-Gaussian underlying data. While the initial GMM clustering of the hardness-duration plane identifies three components (short/intermediate/long) for the Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM samples, only two components (short/long) remain once the entropy criterion is applied. The analysis presented here suggests that the intermediate duration class may be the result of overfitting, rather than evidence of a distinct underlying population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) properties, such as duration and spectral hardness, have found evidence for additional classes, beyond the short/hard and long/soft prototypes, using model-dependent methods. In this paper, a model-independent approach was used to analyse the gamma-ray light curves of large samples of GRBs detected by BATSE, Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM. All the features were extracted from the GRB time profiles in four energy bands using the Stationary Wavelet Transform and Principal Component Analysis. t-distributed Stochastic Neighbourhood Embedding (t-SNE) visualisation of the features revealed two distinct groups of Swift/BAT bursts using the T100 interval with 64 ms resolution data. When the same analysis was applied to 4 ms resolution data, two groups were seen to emerge within the first second (T1) post-trigger. These two groups primarily consisted of short/hard (Group 1) and long/soft (Group 2) bursts, and were 95% consistent with the groups identified using the T100 64 ms resolution data. Kilonova candidates, arising from compact object mergers, were found to belong to Group 1, while those events with associated supernovae fell into Group 2. Differences in cumulative counts between the two groups in the first second, and in the minimum variability timescale, identifiable only with the 4 ms resolution data, may account for this result. Short GRBs have particular significance for multi-messenger science as a distinctive EM signature of a binary merger, which may be discovered by its gravitational wave emissions. Incorporating the T1 interval into classification algorithms may support the rapid classification of GRBs, allowing for an improved prioritisation of targets for follow-up observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results from a high-cadence, multiwavelength observation campaign of AT 2016jbu (aka Gaia16cfr), an interacting transient. This data set complements the current literature by adding higher cadence as well as extended coverage of the light-curve evolution and late-time spectroscopic evolution. Photometric coverage reveals that AT 2016jbu underwent significant photometric variability followed by two luminous events, the latter of which reached an absolute magnitude of MV ∼ −18.5 mag. This is similar to the transient SN 2009ip whose nature is still debated. Spectra are dominated by narrow emission lines and show a blue continuum during the peak of the second event. AT 2016jbu shows signatures of a complex, non-homogeneous circumstellar material (CSM). We see slowly evolving asymmetric hydrogen line profiles, with velocities of 500 km s−1 seen in narrow emission features from a slow-moving CSM, and up to 10 000 km s−1 seen in broad absorption from some high-velocity material. Late-time spectra (∼+1 yr) show a lack of forbidden emission lines expected from a core-collapse supernova and are dominated by strong emission from H, He  i , and Ca  ii. Strong asymmetric emission features, a bumpy light curve, and continually evolving spectra suggest an inhibit nebular phase. We compare the evolution of H α among SN 2009ip-like transients and find possible evidence for orientation angle effects. The light-curve evolution of AT 2016jbu suggests similar, but not identical, circumstellar environments to other SN 2009ip-like transients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the bolometric light curve, identification and analysis of the progenitor candidate, and preliminary modelling of AT 2016jbu (Gaia16cfr). We find a progenitor consistent with a ∼ 22–25 M⊙ yellow hypergiant surrounded by a dusty circumstellar shell, in agreement with what has been previously reported. We see evidence for significant photometric variability in the progenitor, as well as strong H α emission consistent with pre-existing circumstellar material. The age of the environment, as well as the resolved stellar population surrounding AT 2016jbu, supports a progenitor age of >10 Myr, consistent with a progenitor mass of ∼22 M⊙. A joint analysis of the velocity evolution of AT 2016jbu and the photospheric radius inferred from the bolometric light curve shows the transient is consistent with two successive outbursts/explosions. The first outburst ejected material with velocity ∼650 km s−1, while the second, more energetic event ejected material at ∼4500 km s−1. Whether the latter is the core collapse of the progenitor remains uncertain. We place a limit on the ejected 56Ni mass of <0.016 M⊙. Using the Binary Population And Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) code, we explore a wide range of possible progenitor systems and find that the majority of these are in binaries, some of which are undergoing mass transfer or common-envelope evolution immediately prior to explosion. Finally, we use the SuperNova Explosion Code (SNEC) to demonstrate that the low-energy explosions within some of these binary systems, together with sufficient circumstellar material, can reproduce the overall morphology of the light curve of AT 2016jbu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]