Horizontal Branch Stars: The Interplay between Observations and Theory, and Insights into the Formation of the Galaxy

We review HB stars in a broad astrophysical context, including both variable and non-variable stars. A reassessment of the Oosterhoff dichotomy is presented, which provides unprecedented detail regarding its origin and systematics. We show that the Oosterhoff dichotomy and the distribution of globular clusters (GCs) in the HB morphology-metallicity plane both exclude, with high statistical significance, the possibility that the Galactic halo may have formed from the accretion of dwarf galaxies resembling present-day Milky Way satellites such as Fornax, Sagittarius, and the LMC. A rediscussion of the second-parameter problem is presented. A technique is proposed to estimate the HB types of extragalactic GCs on the basis of integrated far-UV photometry. The relationship between the absolute V magnitude of the HB at the RR Lyrae level and metallicity, as obtained on the basis of trigonometric parallax measurements for the star RR Lyrae, is also revisited, giving a distance modulus to the LMC of (m-M)_0 = 18.44+/-0.11. RR Lyrae period change rates are studied. Finally, the conductive opacities used in evolutionary calculations of low-mass stars are investigated. [ABRIDGED]Comment: 56 pages, 22 figures. Invited review, to appear in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Physics with the KLOE-2 experiment at the upgraded DAϕ\phiNE

Investigation at a $\phi$--factory can shed light on several debated issues in particle physics. We discuss: i) recent theoretical development and experimental progress in kaon physics relevant for the Standard Model tests in the flavor sector, ii) the sensitivity we can reach in probing CPT and Quantum Mechanics from time evolution of entangled kaon states, iii) the interest for improving on the present measurements of non-leptonic and radiative decays of kaons and eta/eta$^\prime$ mesons, iv) the contribution to understand the nature of light scalar mesons, and v) the opportunity to search for narrow di-lepton resonances suggested by recent models proposing a hidden dark-matter sector. We also report on the $e^+ e^-$ physics in the continuum with the measurements of (multi)hadronic cross sections and the study of gamma gamma processes.Comment: 60 pages, 41 figures; added affiliation for one of the authors; added reference to section

Serum and urinary measurements of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) in dogs

Realizaram-se mensurações sérica e urinária de fosfatase ácida prostática (PAP) e antígeno prostático específico (PSA) de 20 cães. Os testes de PAP e PSA foram feitos em um equipamento automatizado, com o uso de kits comerciais para humanos. A média de PAP sérico foi de 0,7U/l e urinário 0,U/l. As médias do PSA sérico e urinário foram 0,005ng/dL e 0,004ng/dl, respectivamente. A determinação do dois biomarcadores in vivo é uma nova opção de diagnóstico na medicina veterinária e os valores obtidos devem ser correlacionados com a lesão morfológica da próstata.Serum and urinary prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) from 20 dogs were measured. PAP and PSA tests were carried out in authomatized equipment with commercial kits used for humans. Mean PAP serum value was 0.7U/l and urinary 0.1U/l. Mean serum and urinary PSA were 0.005ng/dl and 0.004ng/dl, respectively. In vivo determination of these two biomarkers in dogs is a new form of diagnosis in veterinary medicine and these values should be correlated with the morphological lesion of the prostate gland

Insulinoma canino: relato de caso

RESUMO O insulinoma é um tumor das células β do pâncreas, que têm a função de produzir e secretar insulina e, geralmente são malignos em cães. O presente trabalho descreve o diagnóstico e o manejo terapêutico de três casos de insulinoma. Os sinais clínicos dos animais relatados variaram de acordo com a severidade e a duração da hipoglicemia. O diagnóstico presuntivo se deu através dos sinais clínicos e da dosagem de insulina sérica no momento de mais intensa hipoglicemia e, o diagnóstico definitivo foi obtido por meio de exame histopatológico nos três casos relatados. O tratamento realizado variou de acordo com a intensidade dos sinais clínicos

Canine insulinoma: case reports

<p></p><p>ABSTRACT Insulinoma is a tumor of the β cells of the pancreas, which have the function to produce and secrete insulin and are usually malignant in dogs. This paper describes the diagnosis and therapeutic management of three cases of insulinoma. The clinical signs reported animals varied according to the severity and duration of hypoglycemia. The presumptive diagnosis was based on clinical signs and serum insulin dosage at the time of hypoglycemia and more intense, the definitive diagnosis was made by histopathological examination in three of the reported cases. The treatment was varied according to the severity of clinical signs.</p><p></p

Caracterização histomorfológica da atrofia inflamatória proliferativa na próstata canina Histomorphological characterization of proliferative inflammatory atrophy in canine prostate

A atrofia inflamatória proliferativa (PIA) é uma lesão prostática pré-maligna de grande ocorrência na próstata humana e, mais recentemente, também observada em cães. Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo verificar os aspectos histomorfológicos da PIA na próstata canina. Foram utilizadas 43 próstatas de cães adultos, de várias raças e portes, e com histórico ou não de doença prostática. Os focos de PIA apresentaram epitélio displásico, formado por ácinos atróficos e com mais de uma camada de células de morfologia atípica, especialmente anisocitose, anisocariose, citoplasma reduzido, núcleo volumoso e com nucléolo evidente. As alterações epiteliais eram sempre acompanhadas de infiltrado inflamatório intersticial periacinar predominantemente linfocitário. Foi observado um índice de 65% de PIA. Destes, 39% corresponderam à PIA com infiltrado inflamatório discreto, 42% à PIA com infiltrado moderado e 19% à PIA com infiltrado acentuado. Dessa forma, foi possível caracterizar a PIA prostática canina e constatar alta ocorrência dessa alteração nos cães examinados. Considera-se de grande importância a caracterização histomorfológica da PIA em cães, já que essa lesão vem sendo estudada na próstata humana quanto ao potencial pré-maligno. Ressalta-se ainda a possibilidade de utilização da próstata do cão como modelo experimental da PIA humana, considerando a semelhança dessa afecção prostática em ambas as espécies.<br>Proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) is a premalignant prostatic change with high occurrence in human prostate and it has been recently observed in dogs. This research aimed to verify the morphologic aspects of the PIA in canine prostate. It was studied 43 glands of adult dogs of several breeds and sizes and with or without a history of prostatic disease. PIA focus was characterized by dysplastic epithelium, atrophic acini formed by several layers of cells with variable degrees of anisocytosis, anisokaryosis, reduced amount of cytoplasm and nuclei with prominent nucleoli. The epithelial changes were always accompanied by periacinar interstitial infiltrate composed of mononuclear cells, especially lymphocytes. The histomorphological evaluation showed occurrence of 65% of PIA. Out of these, 39% were PIA with discrete inflammatory infiltration, 42% PIA with moderate infiltrate and 19% PIA with marked infiltration. Thus, it was possible to characterize the PIA in the canine prostate which had high occurrence. The histomorphological characterization of canine PIA is considered of great importance because the premalignant characteristic of it have been studied in human prostate. The canine prostate can be used as an experimental model of human PIA, because the lesion is similar in both species