Abstract To better understand the dispersion strategies of Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae, Triatominae), we evaluated the spatial effect of infested peridomicile and density vegetation cover in a historically endemic area for Chagas disease. The study was conducted in rural houses of the northwest of Córdoba province, Argentine, during 2012-2013. Active search of triatomines were made in domicile and peridomicile habitats. To characterize vegetation coverage, a thematic map was obtained considering five types of vegetation cover (closed/open forest, closed/open shrubland and cultural land). From each house we extracted the area of vegetation coverage, housing density and infested peridomiciles density. We used generalized linear models to evaluate the effect of these variables on the occurrence of infested peridomicile. According to our results, the probability of a peridomicile to be infested increases by 1.34 (95%CI [0.98; 1.90]) times more when peridomicile structures are in environments with higher housing density and by 1.25 (95%CI [0.84; 1.88]) more times when houses are surrounded by open shrublands. Among the multiple ecological determinants of peridomestic infestation, the influence of vegetation cover has been poorly studied. In this study we discussed the effect of the vegetation as a potential modulator of the dispersion strategies of T. infestans.

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been isolated from the endometrium of humans, mice, cows, pigs and ewes. Typically, these cells are detected in the deep regions of the endometrium, closer to the union with the myometrium. MSCs possess characteristics such as clonogenicity and multipotentiality since they can differentiate in vitro into adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages. These cells can be induced to differentiate in vitro not only into the mesodermal lineage but also into the endodermal and ectodermal lineages. Therefore, MSCs show a great regenerative capacity for various organs and tissues, including the endometrium. Some advantages of endometrial MSCs compared with other MSC sources are their immune modulating activity, their ease of obtainment, and the amount of sample that may be collected. The study of endometrial MSCs in domestic animals is a new and promising field because increasing our understanding of the physiology and biology of these cells may lead to a better understanding of the physiopathology of reproductive diseases, and the development of treatment methods for infertility problems. In other veterinary medicine fields, MSCs can be used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cardiac affections, musculoskeletal and articular lesions, muscle degeneration, type 1 diabetes, urinary tract diseases, neurodegenerative processes and tumours. Finally, MSCs are also an important clinical tool for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The aim of this review is to present an updated outlook of the knowledge regarding endometrial MSCs and their possible applications in veterinary medicine.