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

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

Effect of Diapir Growth on Synkinematic Deepwater Sedimentation: The Bakio Diapir (Basque-Cantabrian Basin, Northern Spain)

The Bakio Diapir (Basque-Cantabrian Basin) is an outcropping salt structure flanked by turbidites. Its structural and sedimentological features make it an interesting exposed analog for deepwater plays in the Gulf of Mexico and other passive margins. The studied dataset includes hundreds of stations with structural data, stratigraphic sections, and a detailed geological map. The data were acquired by conventional field techniques, combined with more innovative ones, such as mapping on photorealistic digital terrain models, analysis of airborne LIDAR data, and multiview 3D reconstruction. Surface data have been complemented by subsurface 2D seismic data. The Bakio Diapir is a NNE-elongated salt structure developed during Lower Cretaceous rifting related to the Bay of Biscay opening and was subsequently reactivated during the Pyrenean contractional deformation (Upper Cretaceous-Miocene). The diapir (comprising Upper Triassic evaporites, mudstones and basic subvolcanic rocks) is flanked by synkinematic deepwater strata showing growth geometries characteristic of tapered composite halokinetic sequences. The deposits are made up of a lower carbonate unit and an upper siliciclastic unit bounded by a sharp contact, a facies change thought to be related to regional basin-scale processes. A comparison of the two exposed flanks of the diapir reveals remarkable differences in terms of dominant facies and trends. In the SE, the carbonate unit is fining-upwards and is dominated by a limestone-breccia facies, whereas in the NW it exhibits an overall coarsening-upwards trend dominated by a fine-grained facies. The siliciclastic unit is coarsening-upwards in the SE and fining-upwards in the NW. It is coarser-grained and more erosional in the NW than in the SE, with erosional channels and abundant debrites in the NW and deposits from unconfined flows and shallow channels in the SE. The observed differences in near-diapir facies on either flank are probably related to differences in salt deformation. Factors that may have contributed include: variable thickness of the diapir roof; the height and width of topographic relief over the two diapir flanks; the dip of the salt-sediment interface (outwardly dipping or flaring); and the amount and rate of deep salt evacuation beneath the two minibasins