Caracterización del perfil citológico de la mucosa vaginal durante el ciclo estral en ovejas Santa Inês

The objective of the work was to characterize the cycle of the vaginal epithelium of sheep of the Santa Inês breed, through a cytological study. Vaginal mucosal samples were taken from 10 sexually mature ewes, from the first day of estrus and for 18 days. The samples were stained with Papanicolaou and observed under an optical microscope. Parabasal, de epintermediate, superficial intermediate, and superficial cells were recognized. The parabasal cells presented a rounded shape, little cytoplasm, and a large nucleus, they were scarce. The deep intermediate ones with rounded edges, more abundant cytoplasm, and smaller nuclei. They were observed in greater quantity than the parabasal ones. The superficial intermediate ones were the most abundant through out the study and the one swith the largest diameter. They presented a polygonal shape and a smaller nucleus. The identification of two types of intermediate cells coincides with works on dogs, cows, and alpacas, while other works describe a single type. Superficial cells were divided into two subtypes, A, with a polygonal shape and piknotic nucleus, and B, with a smaller and intensely acidophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nucleus. The latter has not been found so far in other works with sheep. Changes in cell types did not accurately reflect the phase of the estrous cycle.El objetivo de trabajo fue caracterizar el ciclo del epitelio vaginal de ovejas de raza Santa Inês, mediante estudio citológico. Se tomaron muestras de la mucosa vaginal a 10 borregas sexualmente maduras, desde el primer día de celo y por 18 días. Las muestras se colorearon con Papanicolaou y se observaron en microscopio óptico. Se reconocieron células parabasales, intermedias profundas, intermedias superficiales y superficiales. Las células parabasales presentaron forma redondeada, citoplasma escaso y núcleo grande, fueron escasas. Las intermedias profundas de bordes redondeados, citoplasma más abundante y núcleo menor. Se observaron en mayor cantidad que las parabasales. Las intermedias superficiales fueron las más abundantes en todo el estudio y las de mayor diámetro. Presentaron forma poligonal y núcleo más pequeño. La identificación de dos tipos de célula intermedia, coincide con trabajos en perras, vacas y alpacas, en tanto otros trabajos describen un solo tipo. Las células superficiales se dividieron en dos subtipos, el A, con forma poligonal y núcleo picnótico y el B, con citoplasma más pequeño e intensamente acidófilo y núcleo picnótico. Este último no se encontró hasta el momento en otros trabajos con ovejas. Las modificaciones de los tipos celulares no reflejaron de manera precisa la fase del ciclo estral

Macrophage susceptibility to infection by Ghanaian Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex lineages 4 and 5 varies with self-reported ethnicity

BackgroundThe epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) lineage 5 (L5) infections in Ghana revealed a significantly increased prevalence in Ewes compared to other self-reported ethnic groups. In that context, we sought to investigate the early phase of tuberculosis (TB) infection using ex vivo infection of macrophages derived from the blood of Ewe and Akan ethnic group volunteers with MTBC L4 and L5 strains.MethodsThe study participants consisted of 16 controls, among which self-reported Akan and Ewe ethnicity was equally represented, as well as 20 cured TB cases consisting of 11 Akans and 9 Ewes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from both healthy controls and cured TB cases. CD14+ monocytes were isolated and differentiated into monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) before infection with L4 or L5 endemic strains. The bacterial load was assessed after 2 hours (uptake) as well as 3 and 7 days post-infection.ResultsWe observed a higher capacity of MDMs from Ewes to phagocytose L4 strains (p < 0.001), translating into a higher bacillary load on day 7 (p < 0.001) compared to L5, despite the higher replication rate of L5 in Ewe MDMs (fold change: 1.4 vs. 1.2, p = 0.03) among the controls. On the contrary, within macrophages from Akans, we observed a significantly higher phagocytic uptake of L5 (p < 0.001) compared to L4, also translating into a higher load on day 7 (p = 0.04). However, the replication rate of L4 in Akan MDMs was higher than that of L5 (fold change: L4 = 1.2, L4 = 1.1, p = 0.04). Although there was no significant difference in the uptake of L4 and L5 among cured TB cases, there was a higher bacterial load of both L4 (p = 0.02) and L5 (p = 0.02) on day 7 in Ewe MDMs.ConclusionOur results suggest that host ethnicity (driven by host genetic diversity), MTBC genetic diversity, and individual TB infection history are all acting together to modulate the outcome of macrophage infections by MTBC

Domestic Water Demand During Droughts in Temperate Climates: Synthesising Evidence for an Integrated Framework

In the upcoming years, as the population is growing and ageing, as lifestyle changes create the need for more water and as fewer people live in each household, the UK water sector will have to deal with challenges in the provision of adequate water services. Unless critical action is taken, every area in the UK may face a supply-demand gap by the 2080s. Extreme weather events and variations that alter drought and flood frequency add to these pressures. However, little evidence is available about householders’ response to drought and there are few if any studies incorporating this evidence into models of demand forecasting. The present work lays the groundwork for modelling domestic water demand response under drought conditions in temperate climates. After discussing the current literature on estimating and forecasting domestic water consumption under both ‘normal’ and drought conditions, this paper identifies the limited ability of current domestic demand forecasting techniques to include the many different and evolving factors affecting domestic consumption and it stresses the need for the inclusion of inter and intra household factors as well as water use practices in future demand forecasting models

The Determinants of Residential Water Demand Empirical Evidence for a Panel of Italian Municipalities

We present empirical evidence on the determinants of residential water demand for one Italian region, Emilia-Romagna, by using municipal panel data. The estimated water demand price elasticity is negative, showing values between -0.99 and -1.33, never significantly different from one, if we consider different specifications without and with additional socio-economic factors. Income results associated to a positive elasticity, though lower than one. The role of other socio-economic territory-specific determinants is less relevant, with the exception of altitude. The relative high value of price elasticity is deemed consistent with the higher level of Regional water prices compared to the national average

Household size and residential water demand: an empirical approach

The effectiveness of pricing policies depends on the price elasticity of consumption. It is well documented that residential demand for water is influenced by heterogeneity associated with differences in the size of the household and socioeconomic characteristics. In this paper, we focus on household size. Our initial hypothesis is that users’ sensitivity to changes in price is different depending on the number of household members. To this end, we carry out an empirical estimation of urban water demand in Zaragoza (Spain) distinguishing between households with different sizes using data at the individual level. As far as we are aware, this approach to urban residential water demand is new in the literature. The analysis suggests that all households are sensitive to prices regardless of size. A more relevant finding is that small households are more sensitive to price changes

Lessons from an aborted second-generation rent control in Catalonia

This study investigates the effects of short-lived rent control regulations introduced in Catalonia in September 2020 and revoked in March 2022. Using the microdata of the largest Spanish housing advertisement portal idealista between January 2017 and May 2022, we analyze the dynamics of prices and supply for dwellings offered for rent and for sale. We also examine separately the rental and sales markets. We find that the introduction of rent control led to a reduction in rents in both controlled and uncontrolled Catalan municipalities, while quantities virtually did not react to it. The selling prices of dwellings remained unchanged, whereas their supply increased substantially. The revocation of rent control caused a strong increase in the rental and selling prices in all municipalities, no increase in the supply, with the exception of the supply of regulated dwellings for sale. In addition, using the macrodata on housing construction we find that during the rent-control period the average number of monthly dwelling starts in Catalonia declined by 6% compared to January 2019 - September 2020, while nationwide it increased by almost 12%. Thus, the effects are broadly consistent with the predictions of the economic literature on rent controls

A comparative study on the economic policy-making process of the European Union (EU) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

The Proponents aim to compare the economic policy-making process of the European Union (EU) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Determining which process is better is not the goal of the study rather, comparing both is an advantegeous way of arriving at a better understanding of the two regional trade groups with the way how their agreements are met or, their laws are passed and, what are some of the factors that affect them. The comparative approach forces the reader to stand back and look objectively at their economic policy-making process. With the presentation of the different factors, this would provide an explanation on why such laws are passed or, explain why the reason for using such process. Lastly, it may give a some sort of prediction of what the effect would be if one process is introduced to the other and, if it would be applicable

Building a virtual outcrop, extracting geological information from it, and sharing the results in Google Earth via OpenPlot and Photoscan: An example from the Khaviz Anticline (Iran)

8nonenoneTAVANI, STEFANO; P. Granado; CORRADETTI, AMERIGO; GIRUNDO, MONICA; IANNACE, ALESSANDRO; P. Arbues; J. A. Muñoz; MAZZOLI, STEFANOTavani, Stefano; P., Granado; Corradetti, Amerigo; Girundo, Monica; Iannace, Alessandro; P., Arbues; J. A., Muñoz; Mazzoli, Stefan