First helminthological data on the Iberian adder, Vipera seoanei.

The helminth fauna present in the gut contents of Iberian adders, Vipera seoanei (Squamata: Viperidae), were characterised and analysed in respect to biological and eco-geographic factors that may affect the occurrence and diversity of helminths in this species. A total of 317 samples of preserved stomachs and intestines, covering the distributional range of V. seoanei, were examined. Similar to other Vipera species from the Iberian Peninsula, the helminth fauna was also impoverished in V. seoanei, but unlike other Vipera species from Central and East Europe, helminths were mostly found in adult vipers, and occurred in vipers located at the periphery of the species range, characterised by low elevation, high temperature and precipitation levels, and abundant pastures.

The management of endoscopic retrograde cholangio- pancreatography-related infections risk: results of an italian survey at regional level.

Background and aim: Among the Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) adverse events, an increasingly arising problem is the transmission of Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) Bacteria through duodenoscopes. The aim of this survey was to evaluate the current clinical practice of management of ERCP associated infections in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Methods: An online survey was developed including 12 questions on management of ERCP associated infections risk. The survey was proposed to all 12 endoscopy centers in Emilia Romagna that perform at least > 200 ERCPs per year. Results: 11 centers completed the survey (92%). Among all risk factors of ERCP infections, hospitalization in intensive care units, immunosuppressant therapies, and previous MDR infections have achieved a 80 % minimum of concurrence by our respondents. The majority of them did not have a formalized document in their hospital describing categories and risk factors helpful in the detection of patients undergoing ERCP with an high-level infective risk (9/11, 82%). Most centers (8/11, 72%) do not perform screening in patients at risk of ERCP infections. Post procedural monitoring is performed by 6 of 11 centers (55%). Conclusion: Our survey showed that, at least at regional level, there is a lack of procedures and protocols related to the management of patients at risk of ERCP infections.

Increased frequency of interleukin-4 and reduced frequency of interferon-γ and IL-17-producing CD4+ and CD8+ cells in scleromyxedema.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the pathogenesis of scleromyxedema, a life-threatening fibromucinosis disease with immunological dysregulation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate on T-cell phenotype, function and cytokine biology in search of new insights supporting the immunopathogenesis of the disease. METHODS: We analysed the frequency of circulating lymphocyte subsets, the T-cell maturation stage, the generation of antigen-specific T-cell lines and T-cell cytokine secretion. RESULTS: The analysis of T-cell maturation stage and the TCR spectratyping findings revealed that scleromyxedema patients showed clear immunological signs of long-lasting immune system activation and stimulation leading to a skewed T-cell repertoire. Moreover, these analyses showed that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from scleromyxedema patients have a profound deficiency (even after stimulation) relatively to the production of IFN-γ and IL17 with respect to healthy donor control cells, while they are massively skewed towards IL4 secretion after stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that a chronic Th2-skewed T-cell response against an unknown target antigen leading to abnormally high IL4 secretion, a pro-fibrotic cytokine, is a main immunological hallmark of scleromyxedema patients. These results, never reported before, may have a translational therapeutic value due to the availability of anti-IL4 agents such as dupilumab.

Plasticity of haemoglobin concentration and thermoregulation in a mountain lizard.

The plastic capability of species to cope with the new conditions created by climate change is poorly understood. This is particularly relevant for organisms restricted to high elevations because they are adapted to cold temperatures and low oxygen availability. Therefore, evaluating trait plasticity of mountain specialists is fundamental to understand their vulnerability to environmental change. We transplanted mountain lizards, Iberolacerta cyreni, 800 m downhill to evaluate the plastic response in body condition, thermoregulation traits, haemoglobin level, and haemoparasite load. Initial measurements of body mass, total haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), hematic parasite intensities, dorsal luminance, and thermoregulatory behaviour were resampled after two and four weeks of acclimation. We also tested whether an anti-parasitic drug reduced haemoparasite intensity. After only two weeks of acclimation to a lower elevation, lizards decreased 42% in [Hb], had 17% less parasite intensities, increased body condition by 25%, and raised by ~3% their mean preferred temperatures and their voluntary thermal maximum. The anti-parasitic treatment had no significant effect on the intensity of hematic parasites, but our results suggest that negative effects of haemoparasites on [Hb] are relaxed at lower elevation. The rapid plastic changes observed in thermal preferences, body condition, [Hb], and parasite intensity of I. cyreni demonstrate a potential plastic response of a mountain specialist. This may be adaptive under the climatic extremes typical of mountain habitats. However, there is uncertainty in whether the observed plasticity can also help overcome long term environmental changes.

Genetic Diversity, Population Structure, and Migration Scenarios of the Marsupial "Monito del Monte" in South-Central Chile.

In this study, we quantified the 3 pivotal genetic processes (i.e., genetic diversity, spatial genetic structuring, and migration) necessary for a better biological understanding and management of the singular "living-fossil" and near-threatened mouse opossum marsupial Dromiciops gliroides, the "Monito del Monte," in south-central Chile. We used 11 microsatellite loci to genotype 47 individuals distributed on the mainland and northern Chiloé Island. Allelic richness, observed and expected heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficient, and levels of genetic differentiation were estimated. The genetic structure was assessed based on Bayesian clustering methods. In addition, potential migration scenarios were evaluated based on a coalescent theory framework and Bayesian approach to parameter estimations. Microsatellites revealed moderate to high levels of genetic diversity across sampled localities. Moreover, such molecular markers suggested that at least 2 consistent genetic clusters could be identified along the D. gliroides distribution ("Northern" and "Southern" cluster). However, general levels of genetic differentiation observed among localities and between the 2 genetic clusters were relatively low. Migration analyses showed that the most likely routes of migration of D. gliroides occurred 1) from the Southern cluster to the Northern cluster and 2) from the Mainland to Chiloé Island. Our results could represent critical information for future conservation programs and for a recent proposal about the taxonomic status of this unique mouse opossum marsupial.

Andrographis paniculata decreases fatigue in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 12-month double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Andrographis paniculata (A. paniculata), a medicinal plant, has shown anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antifibrotic effects in animal models as well as clinical efficacy in different studies, including an anti-fatigue effect in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. In multiple sclerosis (MS), fatigue is rated as one of the most common and disabling symptoms. In the present trial, we investigated the effect of A. paniculata on relapse rate and fatigue in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients receiving interferon beta. METHODS: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial assessed the effects of 170 mg of A. paniculata dried extract tablet b.i.d. p.o. on relapse rate and fatigue using the Fatigue Severity Scores (FSS) over 12 months in RRMS patients receiving interferon. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, inflammatory parameters and radiological findings were also investigated. Twenty-five patients were enrolled, and twenty-two patients were ultimately analysed and randomised to the active or placebo group. RESULTS: Patients treated with A. paniculata showed a significant reduction in their FSS score as compared to the placebo, equivalent to a 44 % reduction at 12 months. No statistically significant differences were observed for relapse rate, EDSS or inflammatory parameters, with a trend in reducing new lesions among the A. paniculata group. One patient in the A. paniculata group presented with a mild and transient skin rash, which was alleviated with anti-histamine treatment for three weeks. CONCLUSION: A. paniculata was well tolerated in patients and no changes in clinical parameters were observed. A. paniculata significantly reduces fatigue in patients with RRMS receiving interferon beta in comparison to placebo and only interferon beta treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02280876 ; Trial registration date: 20.10.2014.

The influence of ecological and geographical context in the radiation of Neotropical sigmodontine rodents.

BACKGROUND: Much debate has focused on how transitions in life history have influenced the proliferation of some clades. Rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae (family Cricetidae) comprise one of the most diverse clades of Neotropical mammals (~400 living species in 86 genera). These rodents occupy a wide range of habitats and lifestyles so that ecological context seems relevant to understand the evolution of this group. Several changes in the landscape of South America through the Neogene might have provided vast resources and opportunity to diversify. The aim of this study was to examine whether transitions between i) lowland and montane habitats, ii) open vegetation and forest, and iii) distinct molar architectures are correlated with shifts in diversification rates and to characterize the general pattern of diversification. RESULTS: Based on a dense taxon sampling of 269 species, we recovered a new phylogeny of Sigmodontinae that is topologically consistent with those of previous studies. It indicates that the subfamily and its major lineages appeared during the Late Miocene. Analyses suggest that vegetation type and elevational range are correlated with diversification rates, but not molar architecture. Tropical lowlands accumulated more lineage diversity than other areas and also supported high speciation rates. Across the radiation the subfamily Sigmodontinae appear to have experienced a decline in diversification rate through time. We detected mixed evidence for lineage-specific diversification rate shifts (e.g., leading to the clades of Akodon, Bibimys, Calomys and Thomasomys). CONCLUSION: We report that the evolution of habitat preference (considering vegetation type and elevational range) was associated with diversification rates among sigmodontine rodents. We propose that the observed diversification slowdown might be the result of ecological or geographical constraints. Our results also highlight the influence of the tropical lowlands -which might have acted as both "a cradle and a museum of species." The tropical lowlands accumulated greater diversity than the remainder of the group's range.

Person-to-person household and nosocomial transmission of andes hantavirus, Southern Chile, 2011.

Andes hantavirus (ANDV) causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Chile and is the only hantavirus for which person-to-person transmission has been proven. We describe an outbreak of 5 human cases of ANDV infection in which symptoms developed in 2 household contacts and 2 health care workers after exposure to the index case-patient. Results of an epidemiologic investigation and sequence analysis of the virus isolates support person-to-person transmission of ANDV for the 4 secondary case-patients, including nosocomial transmission for the 2 health care workers. Health care personnel who have direct contact with ANDV case-patients or their body fluids should take precautions to prevent transmission of the virus. In addition, because the incubation period of ANDV after environmental exposure is longer than that for person-to-person exposure, all persons exposed to a confirmed ANDV case-patient or with possible environmental exposure to the virus should be monitored for 42 days for clinical symptoms.

Impact of multidisciplinary hip fracture program on timing of surgery in elderly patients.

UNLABELLED: The effect of patient characteristics and organizational and system factors on time to surgery were studied using Emilia Romagna Region database and hospital survey. The results showed that the implementation of a Hip Fracture Program significantly increased the probability of early surgery while single intervention had only slight effect INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of formal Hip Fracture Program (HFP) on timing of surgery in hip fracture older patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study based on Emilia Romagna administrative databases. Data on organizational and system factor were also obtained through a hospital survey. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the effect of covariates on early surgery, taking into account patient level, hospital level, and trust level variability. RESULTS: From 1 January to 31 December 2011, 5,520 subjects over 65 years old underwent surgical repair for hip fracture in Emilia Romagna. The mean waiting time to surgery was 3.4 ± 12.3 days, and the overall percentage of patients operated within 2 days was 52.2%. In the adjusted multilevel logistic model, significant risk factors affecting the timing of surgical intervention at patient level were age, comorbidity, day of admission, and antiplatelet or warfarin therapy while no significant single variables were found at hospital level including dedicated operation theater, hospital volume, dedicated orthogeriatric beds, and geriatrician involvement. The most significant variable was the implementation of HFP at trust level that increased three times the probability of early surgery after adjusting for confounding variables (OR 3.216, 95% CI 0.582-6.539). CONCLUSIONS: Several modifiable organizational factors may affect the proportion of patients with hip fracture undergoing early surgery. This study suggests that the development and the implementation of an evidence-based HFP at trust level are a key point of the strategy of quality of care.

Influence of storage time on pleural fluid adenosine deaminase activity.

BACKGROUND: Storing pleural fluid samples for research purposes is a common practice, but whether adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme used for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis, is stable over long periods of time is unknown. METHODS: We evaluated the stability of pleural ADA concentrations in 223 samples frozen at -800C as compared to values obtained immediately following the initial thoracentesis. Sample storage time ranged from several months to slightly more than 10 years. RESULTS: ADA activity was stable for up to 2.6 years. Afterwards, it decreased 6 to 8 U/L, enough to drop 2 (3.3%) tuberculous patients below the diagnostic ADA cutoff. CONCLUSIONS: As far as ADA enzymatic activity is concerned, pleural fluid samples are viable for extended periods of time. However, some caution in interpreting results from specimens stored for > 2.6 years is prudent.

Risk of death associated with the use of conventional vs. atypical antipsychotic medications: evaluating the use of the Emilia-Romagna Region database for pharmacoepidemiological studies.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Since 2005, a mounting base of evidence has identified that conventional antipsychotic medications are associated with an increased risk of mortality among elderly patients when compared to atypical antipsychotics. This study sought to explore the feasibility of using the Emilia-Romagna Region (RER) database for comparative safety analyses by replicating and refining risk estimates of this well-known drug safety example through meta-analysis. METHODS: We identified a cohort of 23 681 Italian RER patients (aged ≥65) who initiated treatment with a conventional or atypical antipsychotic between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2011. We compared 180-day mortality using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for risk factors for death, use of other medications and measures of health services utilization intensity, all measured before antipsychotic initiation. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies with similar methods against which to compare our results. RESULTS: Among 14 462 and 9219 patients prescribed conventional and atypical antipsychotics, respectively, we observed 2402 (16·6%) and 821 (8·9%) deaths during follow-up. Conventional antipsychotic initiators were older and generally had higher prevalence of outcome risk factors and higher baseline health service use intensity. The crude hazard ratio (HR) was 1·95 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1·80-2·11], which decreased to 1·47 (95% CI, 1·35-1·60) after full adjustment. We identified seven published studies that examined this association using similar methods. The pooled HR from these studies was 1·34 (95% CI, 1·28-1·39). Including our study, the meta-analysis yielded a summary estimate of 1·35 (95% CI, 1·31-1·40) and did not introduce any heterogeneity (I(2)  = 0%; P = 0·455). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the use of the RER database for pharmacoepidemiological studies and provide an up-to-date and pooled estimate of the magnitude of the association between mortality and conventional vs. atypical antipsychotics.

Assessing Ecogeographic Rules in Two Sigmodontine Rodents along an Elevational Gradient in Central Chile.

Bergmann's and Allen's rules are two classic ecogeographic rules concerning the physiological mechanisms employed by endotherm vertebrates for heat conservation in cold environments, which correlate with adaptive morphological changes. Thus, larger body sizes (Bergmann's rule) and shorter appendages and limbs (Allen's rule) are expected in mammals inhabiting cold environments (higher latitudes). Both rules may also apply to elevational gradients, due to the decrease in external temperature as elevation increases. In this study, we evaluated whether these patterns were true in two coexisting sigmodontine rodents across an elevational gradient in central Chile. We analyzed whether the size of the skull, body, and appendages of Abrothrix olivacea (n = 70) and Phyllotis darwini (n = 58) correlated with elevation, as predicted by these rules in a range between 154 and 2560 m. Our data revealed weak support for the Bergmann and Allen predictions. Moreover, we observed opposite patterns when expectations of Bergmann's rules were evaluated, whereas Allen's rule just fitted for ear size in both rodent species. Our results suggest that morphological changes (cranial, body, and appendage sizes) may play a minor role in the thermoregulation of these two species at high elevations, although behavioral strategies could be more critical. Other ecological and environmental variables could explain the morphological trends observed in our study. These hypotheses should be assessed in future studies to consider the relative contribution of morphology, behavior, and physiological mechanisms to the thermal adaptation of these two rodent species at high elevations.

Dating an impressive Neotropical radiation: Molecular time estimates for the Sigmodontinae (Rodentia) provide insights into its historical biogeography.

With about 400 living species and 82 genera, rodents of the subfamily Sigmodontinae comprise one of the most diverse and more broadly distributed Neotropical mammalian clades. There has been much debate on the origin of the lineage or the lineages of sigmodontines that entered South America, the timing of entrance and different aspects of further diversification within South America. The ages of divergence of the main lineages and the crown age of the subfamily were estimated by using sequences of the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein and cytochrome b genes for a dense sigmodontine and muroid sampling. Bayesian inference using three fossil calibration points and a relaxed molecular clock estimated a middle Miocene origin for Sigmodontinae (∼12Ma), with most tribes diversifying throughout the Late Miocene (6.9-9.4Ma). These estimates together results of analyses of ancestral area reconstructions suggest a distribution for the most recent common ancestor of Sigmodontinae in Central-South America and a South American distribution for the most recent common ancestor of Oryzomyalia.

Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA gene sequences of Schellackia parasites (Apicomplexa: Lankesterellidae) reveals their close relationship to the genus Eimeria.

In the present study we detected Schellackia haemoparasites infecting the blood cells of Lacerta schreiberi and Podarcis hispanica, two species of lacertid lizards from central Spain. The parasite morphometry, the presence of a refractile body, the type of infected blood cells, the kind of host species, and the lack of oocysts in the fecal samples clearly indicated these blood parasites belong to the genus Schellackia. Until now, the species of this genus have never been genetically characterized and its taxonomic position under the Lankesterellidae family is based on the lack of the exogenous oocyst stage. However, the phylogenetic analysis performed on the basis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence revealed that species of the genus Schellackia are clustered with Eimeria species isolated from a snake and an amphibian species but not with Lankesterella species. The phylogenetic analysis rejects that both genera share a recent common ancestor. Based on these results we suggest a revision of the taxonomic status of the family Lankesterellidae.

Mechanotransduction in tumor dynamics modeling.

Mechanotherapy is a groundbreaking approach to impact carcinogenesis. Cells sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, translating them into biochemical signals in a process known as mechanotransduction. The impact of stress on tumor growth has been studied in the last three decades, and many papers highlight the role of mechanics as a critical self-inducer of tumor fate at the in vitro and in vivo biological levels. Meanwhile, mathematical models attempt to determine laws to reproduce tumor dynamics. This review discusses biological mechanotransduction mechanisms and mathematical-biomechanical models together. The aim is to provide a common framework for the different approaches that have emerged in the literature from the perspective of tumor avascularity and to provide insight into emerging mechanotherapies that have attracted interest in recent years.

Differential recovery ability from infections by two blood parasite genera in males of a Mediterranean lacertid lizard after an experimental translocation.

Different blood parasites can co-infect natural populations of lizards. However, our knowledge of the host's ability to recover from them (i.e., significantly reduce parasitemia levels) is scarce. This has interest from an ecological immunology perspective. Herein, we investigate the host recovery ability in males of the lizard Psammodromus algirus infected by parasite genera Schellackia and Karyolysus. The role of lizard hosts is dissimilar in the life cycle of these two parasites, and thus different immune control of the infections is expected by the vertebrate host. As Schellackia performs both sexual and asexual reproduction cycles in lizards, we expect a better immune control by its vertebrate hosts. On the contrary, Karyolysus performs sexual reproductive cycles in vectors, hence we expect lower immune control by the lizards. We carried out a reciprocal translocation experiment during the lizards' mating season to evaluate both parasitemia and leukocyte profiles in male lizards, being one of the sampling plots close to a road with moderate traffic. These circumstances provide a combination of extrinsic (environmental stress) and intrinsic factors (reproductive vs. immune trade-offs) that may influence host's recovery ability. We recaptured 33% of the lizards, with a similar proportion in control and translocated groups. Karyolysus infected 92.3% and Schellackia 38.5% of these lizards. Hosts demonstrated ability to significantly reduce parasitemia of Schellackia but not of Karyolysus. This suggests, in line with our predictions, a differential immune relationship of lizards with these parasites, at time that supports that parasites with different phylogenetic origins should be analyzed separately in investigations of their effects on hosts. Furthermore, lizards close to the road underwent a stronger upregulation of lymphocytes and monocytes when translocated far from the road, suggesting a putative greater exposure to pathogens in the latter area.

The importance of the Andes in the evolutionary radiation of Sigmodontinae (Rodentia, Cricetidae), the most diverse group of mammals in the Neotropics.

The Andean mountains stand out for their striking species richness and endemicity that characterize many emblematic Neotropical clades distributed in or around these mountains. The radiation of the Sigmodontinae subfamily, the most diversified mammalian group in the Neotropics, has been historically related to Andean orogenesis. We aim to evaluate this interplay between geological processes and biological responses through the diversification dynamics, the biogeographical history, and the range evolution of the subfamily. For these, we built the most comprehensive phylogeny and gathered 14,836 occurrences for the subfamily. We identified one shift in the speciation rate in the genus Akodon, which suffered their Andean radiation after the arrival of non-Andean ancestors. Our biogeographic analyses show multiple dispersal paths throughout the evolution that allowed this subfamily to colonize all Neotropics. The Northern Andes and Central-Southern Andes were the most important sources of diversity. In addition, the Central-Southern Andes were the most relevant sink, receiving the highest number of lineages. The Andean region exhibited higher speciation and turnover rates than non-Andean regions. Thus, our results support the crucial role of the Andean Mountains in the Sigmodontinae radiation, acting as a "macroevolutionary cradle" and "species attractor" for several sigmodontine lineages at different times, and as a "species pump" becoming the biogeographic source of multiple widely distributed neotropical lineages. Then, complex macroevolutionary dynamics would explain these rodents' high extant Andean diversity and their wide distribution in the Neotropics.

Intrinsic resistance to selumetinib, a selective inhibitor of MEK1/2, by cAMP-dependent protein kinase A activation in human lung and colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: MEK is activated in ∼40% colorectal cancer (CRC) and 20-30% non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Selumetinib is a selective inhibitor of MEK1/2, which is currently in clinical development. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of selumetinib in vitro and in vivo in CRC and NSCLC cell lines to identify cancer cell characteristics correlating with sensitivity to MEK inhibition. RESULTS: Five NSCLC and six CRC cell lines were treated with selumetinib and classified according to the median inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values as sensitive (≤1 µM) or resistant (>1 µM). In selumetinib-sensitive cancer cell lines, selumetinib treatment induced G1 cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis and suppression of tumour growth as xenografts in immunodeficient mice. Evaluation of intracellular effector proteins and analysis of gene mutations showed no correlation with selumetinib sensitivity. Microarray gene expression profiles revealed that the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) was associated with MEK inhibitor resistance. Combined targeting of both MEK and PKA resulted in cancer cell growth inhibition of MEK inhibitor-resistant cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: This study provides molecular insights to explain resistance to an MEK inhibitor in human cancer cell lines.

Ecological and evolutionary trends of body size in Pristimantis frogs, the world's most diverse vertebrate genus.

Body size is a key organismal trait. However, the environmental and evolutionary factors that drive body size patterns at the interspecific level remain unclear. Here, we explored these relationships between phenotype-environment using neotropical frogs of Pristimantis, the world's most diverse vertebrate genus. We analyzed: (a) whether this group follows the Rensch's rule, a trend of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) to increase with size when males are the larger sex; (b) whether environmental constraints have influenced body size variation; and (c) how the rates of body size evolution have varied over time. Analyses were based on two information sources, the first one including body sizes of ~ 85% (495 species) of known species in the genus, and a second one incorporating molecular phylogenetic information for 257 species. Our results showed that all Pristimantis species exhibited marked SSD but did not follow Rensch's rule. We found that the models that best explained body size in males, females, and SSD contained environmental variations in temperature, precipitation, and elevation as predictors. In turn, body size has evolved toward an optimum, with a decelerating rate of evolution differentiated between the large Pristimantis clades.

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites and ectoparasites as biomarkers of heat stress close to roads in a Mediterranean lizard.

Differences between air and ground temperatures are expected to narrow with the advance of the season in temperate regions (aka seasonal restriction in the availability of thermal microhabitats), which may activate behavioral and physiological responses of ectotherm species adapted to temperate climates. However, according to cost-benefit models of ectotherm thermoregulation, we hypothesize that these responses may also carry some costs. We quantified seasonal shifts in thermoregulatory precision, concentration of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, and load of ectoparasites in a Mediterranean lizard, Psammodromus algirus. We also tested whether the proximity to a road, a putative source of chronic stress, can facilitate the glucocorticoid-mediated response of lizards to heat stress. As expected, differences between body and environmental temperatures narrowed during the reproductive season and lizards responded by increasing their thermoregulatory precision and the secretion of glucocorticoids, as indicated by metabolites in feces. Interestingly, lizards tended to have higher glucocorticoid concentration when captured far from the road. This might reflect either a putative impairment of the glucocorticoid-mediated response of the lizards to heat stress close to the road or the plastic capability of P. algirus to acclimate to sources of moderate chronic stress. In the latter direction, the increase of both glucocorticoid metabolites and thermoregulatory precision supported that this Mediterranean species responds to environmental thermal restrictions with adaptive behavioral and physiological mechanisms. However, this was also associated with an increase in its susceptibility to ectoparasites, which represents an added cost to the current cost-benefit models of ectotherm thermoregulation.