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Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) associated with supernovae (SNe) are believed to originate from massive star core-collapse events, whereas short-duration GRBs that are related to compact star mergers are expected to be accompanied by kilonovae. GRB 211227A, which lasted about 84 s, had an initial short/hard spike followed by a series of soft gamma-ray extended emission at redshift z = 0.228. We performed follow-up observations of the optical emission using BOOTES, LCOGT, and the Lijiang 2.4 m telescope, but we detected no associated supernova signature, even down to very stringent limits at such a low redshift. We observed the host galaxy within a large error circle and roughly estimated the physical offset of GRB 211227A as 20.47 ± 14.47 kpc from the galaxy center. These properties are similar to those of GRB 060614, and suggest that the progenitor of GRB 211227A is not favored to be associated with the death of massive stars. Hence, we propose that GRB 211227A originates from a compact star merger. Calculating pseudo-kilonova emission for this case by adopting the typical parameters, we find that any associated pseudo-kilonova is too faint to be detected. If this is the case, it explains naturally the characteristics of the prompt emission, the lack of SN and kilonova emission, and the large physical offset from the galaxy center.

We present a detailed prompt emission and early optical afterglow analysis of the two very-high-energy (VHE) detected bursts GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C, and their comparison with a subset of similar bursts. Time-resolved spectral analysis of multistructured GRB 201216C using the Bayesian binning algorithm revealed that during the entire duration of the burst, the low-energy spectral index (α pt) remained below the limit of the synchrotron line of death. However, statistically some of the bins supported the additional thermal component. Additionally, the evolution of spectral parameters showed that both the peak energy (E p) and α pt tracked the flux. These results were further strengthened using the values of the physical parameters obtained by synchrotron modeling of the data. Our earliest optical observations of both bursts using the F/Photometric Robotic Atmospheric Monitor Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos and Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System robotic telescopes displayed a smooth bump in their early optical light curves, consistent with the onset of the afterglow due to synchrotron emission from an external forward shock. Using the observed optical peak, we constrained the initial bulk Lorentz factors of GRB 201015A and GRB 201216C to Γ0 = 204 and Γ0 = 310, respectively. The present early optical observations are the earliest known observations constraining outflow parameters and our analysis indicate that VHE detected bursts could have a diverse range of observed luminosity within the detectable redshift range of present VHE facilities.

Magnetic cataclysmic variables provide a natural laboratory for studying how accretion interacts with compact-object magnetospheres and generates stochastic variability. We present an optical variability study of the intermediate-polar candidate EP240309a, an Einstein Probe X-ray transient, using BOOTES photometry, high-cadence TESS light curves, and a Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR)/Goodman optical spectrum. Previous studies found a white-dwarf spin period of 3.97 minutes (Pspin ≃ 238 s) and an orbital period of Porb = 3.7614(4) hr. Power spectral densities from the BOOTES data are consistent with single power laws with slopes α ≃ 1.2–1.8, with no statistically significant evidence for a bend across the sampled frequency range. Using red-noise simulations and injection–recovery tests, we place one-sided constraints on any putative break frequency, which translate, under standard dynamical identifications, into an upper limit on the magnetospheric radius of Rm ≲ few × 1010 cm for MWD = 0.8 M⊙. In the TESS data, we detect a linear rms–flux relation on hour timescales in three high-cadence sectors, while two other sectors do not show a robust detection, indicating epoch-dependent rms–flux behavior. The SOAR spectrum shows Balmer and He ii emission lines with FWHM ≈ 1000–1600 km s−1; under a Keplerian interpretation, these imply characteristic radii of r ≈ (0.9–3.4) × 1010 cm, broadly comparable to the timing-based constraints. Overall, the data provide conservative, order-of-magnitude radius constraints consistent with accretion onto a magnetic white dwarf, but they do not establish the detailed accretion geometry or exclude stream-fed or mixed accretion scenarios.

Optical follow-up observations of optical afterglows of gamma-ray bursts are crucial to probe the geometry of outflows, emission mechanisms, energetics and burst environments. We performed the follow-up observations of GRB 210205A and ZTF21aaeyldq (AT2021any) using the 3.6m Devasthal optical telescope (DOT) around one day after the burst to deeper limits due to the longitudinal advantage of the place. This paper presents our analysis of the two objects using data from other collaborative facilities, i.e., 2.2m Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory (CAHA) and other archival data. Our analysis suggests that GRB 210205A is a potential dark burst once compared with the X-ray afterglow data. Also, comparing results with other known and well-studied dark GRBs samples indicate that the reason for the optical darkness of GRB 210205A could either be intrinsic faintness or a high redshift event. Based on our analysis, we also found that ZTF21aaeyldq is the third known orphan afterglow with a measured redshift except for ZTF20aajnksq (AT2020blt) and ZTF19abvizsw (AT2019pim). The multiwavelength afterglow modeling of ZTF21aaeyldq using the afterglowpy package demands a forward shock model for an ISM-like ambient medium with a rather wider jet opening angle. We determine circumburst density of n0=0.87 cm -3 , kinetic energy Ek=3.80×1052 erg and the afterglow modeling also indicates that ZTF21aaeyldq is observed on-axis ( θobs<θcore ) and a gamma-ray counterpart was missed by GRBs satellites. Our results emphasize that the 3.6m DOT has a unique capability for deep follow-up observations of similar and other new transients for deeper observations as a part of time-domain astronomy in the future.

Measuring health-related quality of life (QoL) after surgery is essential for decision making by patients, surgeons, and payers. The aim of this consensus conference was twofold. First, it was to determine for which diseases endoscopic surgery results in better postoperative QoL than open surgery. Second, it was to recommend QoL instruments for clinical research. An expert panel selected 12 conditions in which QoL and endoscopic surgery are important. For each condition, studies comparing endoscopic and open surgery in terms of QoL were identified. The expert panel reached consensus on the relative benefits of endoscopic surgery and recommended generic and disease-specific QoL instruments for use in clinical research. Randomized trials indicate that QoL improves earlier after endoscopic than open surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cholecystolithiasis, colorectal cancer, inguinal hernia, obesity (gastric bypass), and uterine disorders that require hysterectomy. For spleen, prostate, malignant kidney, benign colorectal, and benign non-GERD esophageal diseases, evidence from nonrandomized trials supports the use of laparoscopic surgery. However, many studies failed to collect long-term results, used nonvalidated questionnaires, or measured QoL components only incompletely. The following QoL instruments can be recommended: for benign esophageal and gallbladder disease, the GIQLI or the QOLRAD together with SF-36 or the PGWB; for obesity surgery, the IWQOL-Lite with the SF-36; for colorectal cancer, the FACT-C or the EORTC QLQ-C30/CR38; for inguinal and renal surgery, the VAS for pain with the SF-36 (or the EORTC QLQ-C30 in case of malignancy); and after hysterectomy, the SF-36 together with an evaluation of urinary and sexual function. Laparoscopic surgery provides better postoperative QoL in many clinical situations. Researchers would improve the quality of future studies by using validated QoL instruments such as those recommended here.

The relationship between epilepsy and the presence of visceral larva migrans caused by Toxocara canis in Mexican children remains uncertain; however, this relationship needs to be elucidated because these parasite larvae can invade the human central nervous system. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the frequency and specificity of anti- T. canis antibodies in the sera of children with epilepsy to determine the relationship between this parasite and epilepsy. The sera samples of 214 children were examined: 111 children diagnosed with epilepsy and 103 clinically healthy children without neurological disorders. In the sera of each group, the presence and specificity of anti- T. canis and anti- Ascaris lumbricoides antibodies, as well as the cross-reactivity between them, were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting analysis. Among the children with epilepsy, 25.2% exhibited seropositivity to T. canis . Cross-reactivity against the A. lumbricoides antigen was present in 46.8% of the children with epilepsy, whereas 11.7% of the children with epilepsy and anti- T. canis antibodies did not exhibit cross-reactivity against this antigen. The Western blotting analysis of the sera from the children with epilepsy demonstrated the presence of T. canis proteins, with molecular weights of 24, 35, 55, 70, 120 and 210 kDa, and A lumbricoides proteins with molecular weights of 70, 80 and 110 kDa. Our results revealed the presence of anti- T. canis antibodies in the children with epilepsy; furthermore, cross-reactivity tests with A. lumbricoides showed the importance of the presence of anti- T. canis antibodies in revealing the relationship between this parasite and epilepsy in children.

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe risks of polypharmacy can be far greater than the benefits, especially in the elderly. Comorbidity makes polypharmacy very prevalent in this population; thus, increasing the occurrence of adverse effects. To solve this problem, the most common strategy is to use lists of potentially inappropriate medications. However, this strategy is time consuming. MethodsIn order to minimize the expenditure of time, our group devised a pilot computer tool (Polimedication) that automatically processes lists of medication providing the corresponding Screening Tool of Older Persons’ potentially inappropriate Prescriptions alerts and facilitating standardized reports. The drug lists for 115 residents in Santa Marta Nursing Home (Fundación San Rosendo, Ourense, Spain) were processed. ResultsThe program detected 10.04 alerts/patient, of which 74.29% were not repeated. After reviewing these alerts, 12.12% of the total (1.30 alerts/patient) were considered relevant. The largest number of alerts (41.48%) involved neuroleptic drugs. Finally, the patient's family physician or psychiatrist accepted the alert and made medication changes in 62.86% of the relevant alerts. The largest number of changes (38.64%) also involved neuroleptic drugs. The mean time spent in the generation and review of the warnings was 6.26 minute/patient. Total changes represented a saving of 32.77 € per resident/year in medication. ConclusionsThe application of Polimedication tool detected a high proportion of potentially inappropriate prescriptions in institutionalized elderly patients. The use of the computerized tool achieved significant savings in pharmaceutical expenditure, as well as a reduction in the time taken for medication review.

L-line route to black holes The emission line arising from a transition of an electron from the iron K shell to the ground state (the K line) is prominent in the reflection spectrum of the hard X-ray continuum irradiating dense accreting matter around a black hole. The corresponding iron L-line emission should be detectable when iron abundance is high. That's the theory, and now broad iron L-line emission has been observed, together with the broad K line in the narrow-line Seyfert galaxy 1H0707. There is a reverberation lag of about 30 s between the direct X-ray continuum and its reflection from matter falling into the hole, a timescale comparable to the light-crossing time of the innermost radii around a supermassive black hole. This discovery opens a window on events close to the black hole event horizon in these objects. Emission arising from a transition of an electron from the iron K shell to the ground state (the K line) is prominent in the reflection spectrum created by the hard X-ray continuum irradiating the dense accreting matter around a black hole. Here the presence of both iron K and L emission is reported in the spectrum of the active galaxy 1H 0707-495. There is a 'reverberation lag' with a timescale comparable to the light-crossing time of the innermost radii around a supermassive black hole. Since the 1995 discovery of the broad iron K-line emission from the Seyfert galaxy MCG–6-30-15 (ref. 1 ), broad iron K lines have been found in emission from several other Seyfert galaxies 2 , from accreting stellar-mass black holes 3 and even from accreting neutron stars 4 . The iron K line is prominent in the reflection spectrum 5 , 6 created by the hard-X-ray continuum irradiating dense accreting matter. Relativistic distortion 7 of the line makes it sensitive to the strong gravity and spin of the black hole 8 . The accompanying iron L-line emission should be detectable when the iron abundance is high. Here we report the presence of both iron K and iron L emission in the spectrum of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 9 1H 0707-495. The bright iron L emission has enabled us to detect a reverberation lag of about 30 s between the direct X-ray continuum and its reflection from matter falling into the black hole. The observed reverberation timescale is comparable to the light-crossing time of the innermost radii around a supermassive black hole. The combination of spectral and timing data on 1H 0707-495 provides strong evidence that we are witnessing emission from matter within a gravitational radius, or a fraction of a light minute, from the event horizon of a rapidly spinning, massive black hole.