Intoxicação experimental por Ipomoea asarifolia (salsa) em caprinos: achados clínicos, hematológicos e anátomo-patológicos.

Neste estudo foram descritas as funções vitais, os sintomas clínicos, os valores do hemograma e as alterações anátomo-patológicas em caprinos intoxicados experimentalmente pela Ipomoea asarifolia (salsa). Foram utilizados 14 caprinos, sem raça definida (SRD), com idade variando entre 09 e 10 meses dispostos em 3 grupos experimentais. Os grupo I e II foram constituído por 5 animais e o grupo III por 4 animais. Os animais do grupo I receberam a I. asarifolia na quantidade de 0,5% de matéria seca por quilo de peso vivo, diariamente, até a morte. Os do grupo II receberam a mesma quantidade da planta, porém até o 5º dia após o aparecimento dos primeiros sintomas de intoxicação. Os do grupo III serviram como controle e receberam capim elefante (Pennisetum purpureum) na quantidade de 0,5% de matéria seca por quilo de peso vivo. Os sinais clínicos de intoxicação foram observados 24 horas após a administração da I. asarifolia caracterizando-se por balanço lateral da cabeça, tremores musculares, perda do equilíbrio, sonolência, excita ção, ranger dos dentes, gemido, decúbito lateral e prostração. Todos os animais do grupo I morreram intoxicados e, do grupo II, apenas dois animais vieram a óbito. Três animais do grupo II recuperaram-se gradativamente e no 24º dia do experimento não apresentaram sintomas clínicos nem seqüelas. Com base nos achados clínicos, hematológicos e anátomo-patológicos conclui-se que: a I. asarifolia é uma planta tóxica para caprinos e que os sintomas são progressivos e dependem da administração contínua da planta. Clinical symptoms, haematological and pathological disorders in goats intoxicated experimentally with Ipomoea asarifolia (salsa). Abstract - The Ipomoea asariffoilia is a native plant in Northeast of Brazil which goats eat during dry period and lacking of food. In this paper, it described the clinical symptoms, haematological and pathological disorders and vital functions in goats intoxicated experimentally with I. asarifolia. Fourteen animals with age between 9-10 months, breeding SRD was utilized and separated into 3 groups. In group I and II contained 5 animals each and group III (control) 4 animals. In group I goats received 0.5% of I. asarifolia dry material (live weight/kilogram) each day until death. In group II was given the same quantity for 5 days after appearance of intoxication symptoms. In control group, the animals received elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum). The clinical symptoms observed after 24 hours were head swing to side, muscle tremble, loss of equilibrium, excitation, groan, decubit lateral and prostation. All the goats in group I died with intoxicated symptoms and group II only 2 animals. Three goats that survived were recuperated by day 24. It concluded that an I. asarifolia is a toxic plant for goats with progressive symptoms when there is a continuous administration of that plant

Discovery of three z>6.5 quasars in the VISTA Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) survey

Studying quasars at the highest redshifts can constrain models of galaxy and black hole formation, and it also probes the intergalactic medium in the early universe. Optical surveys have to date discovered more than 60 quasars up to z~6.4, a limit set by the use of the z-band and CCD detectors. Only one z>6.4 quasar has been discovered, namely the z=7.08 quasar ULAS J1120+0641, using near-infrared imaging. Here we report the discovery of three new z>6.4 quasars in 332 square degrees of the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) survey, thus extending the number from 1 to 4. The newly discovered quasars have redshifts of z=6.60, 6.75, and 6.89. The absolute magnitudes are between -26.0 and -25.5, 0.6-1.1 mag fainter than ULAS J1120+0641. Near-infrared spectroscopy revealed the MgII emission line in all three objects. The quasars are powered by black holes with masses of ~(1-2)x10^9 M_sun. In our probed redshift range of 6.44<z<7.44 we can set a lower limit on the space density of supermassive black holes of \rho(M_BH>10^9 M_sun) > 1.1x10^(-9) Mpc^(-3). The discovery of three quasars in our survey area is consistent with the z=6 quasar luminosity function when extrapolated to z~7. We do not find evidence for a steeper decline in the space density of quasars with increasing redshift from z=6 to z=7.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures. Published in Ap

Investigation of thin n-in-p planar pixel modules for the ATLAS upgrade

In view of the High Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), planned to start around 2023-2025, the ATLAS experiment will undergo a replacement of the Inner Detector. A higher luminosity will imply higher irradiation levels and hence will demand more ra- diation hardness especially in the inner layers of the pixel system. The n-in-p silicon technology is a promising candidate to instrument this region, also thanks to its cost-effectiveness because it only requires a single sided processing in contrast to the n-in-n pixel technology presently employed in the LHC experiments. In addition, thin sensors were found to ensure radiation hardness at high fluences. An overview is given of recent results obtained with not irradiated and irradiated n-in-p planar pixel modules. The focus will be on n-in-p planar pixel sensors with an active thickness of 100 and 150 um recently produced at ADVACAM. To maximize the active area of the sensors, slim and active edges are implemented. The performance of these modules is investigated at beam tests and the results on edge efficiency will be shown

Radiative heat transfer between two dielectric nanogratings in the scattering approach

We present a theoretical study of radiative heat transfer between dielectric nanogratings in the scattering approach. As a comparision with these exact results, we also evaluate the domain of validity of Derjaguin's Proximity Approximation (PA). We consider a system of two corrugated silica plates with various grating geometries, separation distances, and lateral displacement of the plates with respect to one another. Numerical computations show that while the PA is a good approximation for aligned gratings, it cannot be used when the gratings are laterally displaced. We illustrate this by a thermal modulator device for nanosystems based on such a displacement

The Brown-dwarf Atmosphere Monitoring (BAM) Project II: Multi-epoch monitoring of extremely cool brown dwarfs

With the discovery of Y dwarfs by the WISE mission, the population of field brown dwarfs now extends to objects with temperatures comparable to those of Solar System planets. To investigate the atmospheres of these newly identified brown dwarfs, we have conducted a pilot study monitoring an initial sample of three late T-dwarfs (T6.5, T8 and T8.5) and one Y-dwarf (Y0) for infrared photometric variability at multiple epochs. With J-band imaging, each target was observed for a period of 1.0h to 4.5h per epoch, which covers a significant fraction of the expected rotational period. These measurements represent the first photometric monitoring for these targets. For three of the four targets (2M1047, Ross 458C and WISE0458), multi-epoch monitoring was performed, with the time span between epochs ranging from a few hours to ~2 years. During the first epoch, the T8.5 target WISE0458 exhibited variations with a remarkable min-to-max amplitude of 13%, while the second epoch light curve taken ~2 years later did not note any variability to a 3% upper limit. With an effective temperature of ~600 K, WISE0458 is the coldest variable brown dwarf published to-date, and combined with its high and variable amplitude makes it a fascinating target for detailed follow-up. The three remaining targets showed no significant variations, with a photometric precision between 0.8% and 20.0%, depending on the target brightness. Combining the new results with previous multi-epoch observations of brown dwarfs with spectral types of T5 or later, the currently identified variables have locations on the colour-colour diagram better matched by theoretical models incorporating cloud opacities rather than cloud-free atmospheres. This preliminary result requires further study to determine if there is a definitive link between variability among late-T dwarfs and their location on the colour-colour diagram.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA