PADRONIZAÇÃO DA CITOLOGIA DE IMPRESSÃO DA SUPERFÍCIE OCULAR CANINA

Técnica de exame de citologia de impressão foi padronizada em olhos de cães sem alterações oculares. Foram realizados exames de citologia de impressão do epitélio corneano, conjuntival e tarsal em 30 olhos de 21 animais de raças e idades variadas. As amostras foram colhidas de cães atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da FMVZ-USP entre fevereiro e julho de 2003, sendo coradas e avaliadas no Laboratório de Doenças Externas Oculares da UNIFESP. A colheita foi bem tolerada pelos cães e o papel filtro utilizado removeu células em quantidade e morfologia adequadas para estudo citológico. Foi observado em 100% dos casos que o epitélio da conjuntiva bulbar canina apresenta aspecto metaplasia-like, com ausência de células caliciformes. Estas só foram encontradas na conjuntiva tarsal em 21,4% das amostras avaliadas dessa região. A citologia de impressão é um método factível para avaliação da superfície ocular em cães. Entretanto, a celularidade das amostras obtidas do tarso mostrou-se inadequada. Além disso, a pesquisa da densidade de células caliciformes em áreas bulbares, embora usada em seres humanos, pode não servir como indicador de alteração da superfície ocular para a espécie canina. Standardization of canine ocular surface impression cytology Abstract Impression cytology technique in dog eyes without ocular disease was standardized. Impression cytology was performed in corneal, conjunctival and tarsal epithelium in 30 eyes of 21 animals with different races and ages. Samples were obtained from dogs attended in FMVZ-USP Veterinary Hospital between February to July 2003, being stained and evaluated at UNIFESP´s External Eye Disease Laboratory. Sampling was well tolerated by dogs and the filter paper used removed cells with adequate morphology and quantity for cytologyc evaluation. In all cases canine bulbar conjunctival epithelium showed metaplasia-like features without goblet cells. Impression cytology is a feasible method for ocular surface evaluation in dogs. However, celularity was considered inadequated in samples obtained from tarsal conjunctiva. Furthermore, seeking goblet cell density in bulbar areas, although used in human beings, may not be used as an ocular surface disease indicator in canine species

SNO+: predictions from standard solar models and spin flavour precession

Time variability of the solar neutrino flux especially in the low and intermediate energy sector remains an open question and, if it exists, it is likely to be originated from the magnetic moment transition from active to light sterile neutrinos at times of intense solar activity and magnetic field. We examine the prospects for the SNO+ experiment to address this important issue and to distinguish between the two classes of solar models which are currently identified as corresponding to a high (SSM I) and a low (SSM II) heavy element abundance. We also evaluate the predictions from these two models for the Chlorine experiment event rate in the standard LMA and LMA+Spin Flavour Precession (SFP) scenarios. It is found that after three years of SNO+ data taking, the pep flux measurement will be able to discriminate between the standard LMA and LMA+SFP scenarios, independently of which is the correct solar model. If the LMA rate is measured, SFP with $B_0 \sim 280kG$ for the resonant $\Delta m^2_{01}$ can be excluded at more than $4\sigma$. A low rate would signal new physics, excluding all the 90% allowed range of the standard LMA solution at 3$\sigma$, and a time variability would be a strong signature of the SFP model. The CNO fluxes are the ones for which the two SSM predictions exhibit the largest differences, so their measurement at SNO+ will be important to favour one or the other. The distinction will be clearer after LMA or SFP are confirmed with pep, but still, a CNO measurement at the level of SSM I/LMA will disfavour SSM II at about $3 \sigma$. We conclude that consistency between future pep and CNO flux measurements at SNO+ and Chlorine would either favour an LMA+SFP scenario or favour SSM II over SSM I.Comment: 20 pages. Sections 1 and 2 extended, section 4.4 added, references added and updated. Final version to be published in JHE

Technical summary

Human interference with the climate system is occurring. Climate change poses risks for human and natural systems. The assessment of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (WGII AR5) evaluates how patterns of risks and potential benefits are shifting due to climate change and how risks can be reduced through mitigation and adaptation. It recognizes that risks of climate change will vary across regions and populations, through space and time, dependent on myriad factors including the extent of mitigation and adaptation