Materials aspects of integrated high-Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer fabrication

An integrated high Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer is being developed. It has in total 10 layers of five different materials. Various materials aspects of the fabrication process will be discussed, especially the smoothness of the films and the techniques to obtain smooth edges. Cross-overs and superconducting window contacts were fabricated. The critical temperature of the window-contact is 84K (jc(77K)=2·105 A/cm2) and the resistivity of the insulating SrTiO3 layer in the cross-over is 6·105 Ωcm at 77K. The complete coil often shows a small resistive component down to about 50K. Ramp type and bi-epitaxial grain boundary dc-SQUIDs show voltage modulation up to 65K and 79K, respectively. Efforts to fabricate an integrated high Tc dc-SQUID magnetometer will be discussed

Review of lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in Cetacea from South America. Scientific Committee document SC/60/DW13, International Whaling Commission, June 2008, Santiago, Chile

Caused by a yeast-like organism known as Lacazia loboi, Lobomycosis (or lacaziosis) naturally affects humans, common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) inhabiting coastal waters from southern Brazil to Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast of Florida, as well as botos-cinza (Sotalia guianensis). These species are usually found in coastal waters, subject to runoff provided by large rivers and a considerable burden of associated contaminants. Histological and morphological studies demonstrated that the etiological agent of L. loboi infecting humans is different from the one found to infected dolphins. Moreover, it likely that dolphin-human infections do not occur although infected bottlenose dolphins were from populations engaged in cooperative fishing that involve a relative small number of dolphins and humans. The records of Lobomycosis and Lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) in Tramandaí estuary (29o58´S), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, represent the southernmost distribution of L. loboi. On the other hand, the northernmost distribution of this disease is reported in the southern portion of Indian River Lagoon (27°25´N), Florida, USA. LLD seems to be more widespread, infecting both toothed small cetaceans and baleen whales, from the tropical Atlantic to the Pacific. Future studies should evaluate the association with impaired immune function in affected dolphins and the emergency of Lobomycosis. It may be associated with an immunosuppressive factor of environmental origin, such as exposure to pesticides or other agricultural or industrial contaminants, introduced through runoff or point sources of pollution, altering conditions to favour disease emergence. Lobomycosis should be assigned as neglected tropical disease, as should be the case of LLD, if future investigations indicate their connection as an emerging pathogen, its pathogenicity and environment requirements

Efects of essential oils as growth promoters on performance of weaned pigs

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of antibiotic and essential oils on diets digestibility and performance in weaned pigs. Sixty weaned pigs (in performance trial) and twelve piglets (in digestibility trial), in a randomized block design, were used to compare five treatments: T1: control - basal diet; T2: basal diet + antibiotic (0,2%); T3, T4 e T5: basal diet + 0,02; 0,04 e 0,06% essential oil (TH), respectively, with four replications and three pigs per experimental unit (performance) and one pig per experimental unit (digestibility). The Tecnaroma Herbal (TH) is a commercial product consisted of mixture of seven types of essential oils (anise, star anise, thyme, oregano, garlic, eucalyptus and ginepro). The highest level of TH (T5) improved the performance of animals. Two highest levels of essentials oils increased dietary digestibility compared to control and antibiotic treatments. The results of this study suggest that the product TH can be used, with great chances of success, as an additive alternate to antimicrobial agents as growth promoters for piglets.Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de antibiótico e óleos essenciais sobre a digestibilidade das rações e desempenho de leitões recém-desmamados. Foram realizados dois experimentos, utilizando o delineamento em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos (T1: controle - ração basal; T2: basal + antibiótico (0,2%); T3, T4 e T5: basal + 0,02; 0,04 e 0,06% de Tecnaroma Herbal (TH), respectivamente), quatro repetições e três animais por unidade experimental (desempenho) e um animal por unidade experimental (digestibilidade). O desempenho foi determinado com 60 leitões e a digestibilidade utilizando 20 leitões. O TH é um produto comercial constituído por sete tipos de óleos essenciais (aniz, aniz estrelado, tomilho, orégano, alho, eucalipto (globulus e citriodora) e ginepro. O maior nível de inclusão do TH (T5) foi o que proporcionou os melhores resultados de desempenho. Os animais do tratamento controle foram os que apresentaram os piores resultados. Os tratamentos contendo os dois maiores níveis de inclusão dos óleos essenciais determinaram maior digestibilidade dos contituintes da ração. Os resultados encontrados nesta pesquisa sugerem que o produto TH pode, com grandes chances de sucesso, ser utilizado como aditivo alternativo aos agentes antimicrobianos como promotores do crescimento de leitões