Peripheral blood natural killer cell cytotoxicity in recurrent miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dysregulated natural killer (NK) cells have been associated with recurrent miscarriages (RM). Studies have suggested that high peripheral blood NK cell cytotoxicities (pNKCs) are associated with an increased risk of RM. The aim of this systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MAs) is to investigate the difference in pNKC between nonpregnant and pregnant women with RM and controls and determine whether pNKC is reduced by immunotherapy. We searched the PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The MAs were conducted to compare pNKCs between women with and without RM before and during pregnancy as well as pre- and post-immunotherapy. Risk of bias in nonrandomized studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analysis was performed using the Review Manager software. A total of 19 studies were included in the SR and 14 studies in the MAs. The MAs revealed higher pNKCs among nonpregnant women with RM compared to controls (MD, 7.99 95 %CI 6.40-9.58; p < 0.00001). pNKCs were also higher in pregnant women with RM than in pregnant controls (MD, 8.21 95 %CI 6.08-10.34; p < 0.00001). Women with RM showed significantly decreased pNKCs after the immunotherapy compared to before (MD, -8.20 95 %CI -10.20 - -6.19; p < 0, 00001). Additionally, there is an association between high pNKCs and the risk of pregnancy loss in women with RM. However, included studies showed substantial heterogeneities regarding the inclusion criteria of patients, techniques measuring pNKC, and types of immunotherapies. More studies are needed to evaluate the clinical efficiency of pNKCs in managing RM.

Kisspeptin as a predictor of miscarriage: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: A highly accurate serum marker for predicting viable pregnancy needs to be developed. Recent studies have demonstrated that kisspeptin is a potential biomarker for this purpose. METHODS: This systematic review evaluated the available data in the literature on the role of kisspeptin as a miscarriage biomarker. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using the following keywords: (kisspeptin) AND (miscarriage OR pregnancy loss OR spontaneous abortion OR reproductive failure). RESULTS: Seven case-control studies were selected for the systematic review. The included papers described the potential role of kisspeptin as a putative biomarker of pregnancy loss. Furthermore, two studies reported that changes in kisspeptin levels may be associated with unexplained infertility and low rates of embryo implantation in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. CONCLUSION: Kisspeptin might be used as a potential biomarker of pregnancy viability in the near future. However, studies with better evidence are needed to establish the applicability of kisspeptin as a diagnostic and prognostic tool.

The Dietary Inflammatory Index as a predictor of pregnancy outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unhealthy diets have been linked to low-grade chronic inflammation, a condition known to play a role in the pathophysiology of non-communicable diseases as well as pregnancy complications. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is a tool for evaluating the inflammatory potential of various diets. The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the current state of evidence on the use of DII as a predictor of pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women. This study was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PROSPERO, number CRD42021288966). DII was evaluated as a predictor of obstetric complications in observational studies. The search was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science. Data from eligible studies were extracted independently by two reviewers. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. A total of eight studies were eligible for the review. In a meta-analysis of continuous and categorical variables, DII was a predictor of any obstetric complications [mean difference: 0.39, 95 %CI 0.02-0.75, (p = 0.04); and odds ratio: 1.24, 95 %CI 1.11-1.40, (p = 0.0002)]. High DII was associated with pregnancy complications, particularly preeclampsia/hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and preterm birth. The DII is a tool that can assist in the food and therapeutic planning of pregnant women with obstetric risks. Well-designed clinical trials are necessary, especially studies that focus on recurrent pregnancy losses and implantation failures.

The advertisement call of Physalaemus caete Pombal amp; Madureira, 1997 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae), an endangered species endemic to Brazil's northern Atlantic Forest.

Foam-nesting frogs of the genus Physalaemus Fitzinger, 1826 have been long known for their diverse acoustic patterns (e.g., Barrio 1965; Bokermann 1966). Of the 49 species, the vocalizations of only three remain unknown to date (see Table 1 of Hepp Pombal 2020): P. caete Pombal Madureira, 1997, P. deimaticus Sazima Caramaschi, 1988, and P. insperatus Cruz, Cassini Caramaschi, 2008. Physalaemus caete is rare and narrowly distributed in Brazil's northern Atlantic Forest (Santos et al. 2016; Bernardo et al. 2017; Haddad et al. 2018), and an explosive breeder (EMS pers. obs.). For those reasons the species is classified in the endangered category of Brazil's red list of threatened species (ICMBio, 2018). Physalaemus caete was described in the late 1990s from the coastal region of the Brazilian state of Alagoas (Passo do Camaragibe) and reported for a second locality in Alagoas (Murici; Pombal Madureira 1997). Recently, the distribution was extended to a third locality (Paulista, state of Pernambuco; Santos et al. 2016). The distribution range of P. caete coincides with the "Pernambuco endemism center", a biogeographic subregion of coastal Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River (sensu Silva Casteli 2003). Here we describe the advertisement call of the Pernambuco population of P. caete and make comparisons with calls of congeners.

A new species of Paratelmatobius (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Paratelmatobiinae) from the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil.

A new species of Paratelmatobius is described from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest in the state of Paraná in southern Brazil. Adults, tadpoles, and vocalizations are described. Morphological traits and phylogenetic analysis place the new species within the P. cardosoi group. The new species can be readily distinguished from its congeners by its advertisement call being composed of two note types and comprised of a series of 2-4 notes. The new species is classified as an explosive breeder, having reproductive activity strongly associated with heavy rainfall. This discovery highlights the importance of intensifying survey efforts in the Atlantic Forest, a domain with high levels of species richness and endemism.

The vocalization of Gastrotheca fissipes (Boulenger, 1888) (Anura, Hemiphractidae) from the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil.

Gastrotheca Fitzinger, 1843 (Hemiphractidae) is composed of 70 species classified into four species groups, among which Gastrotheca fissipes (Boulenger, 1882) and G. microdiscus (Andersson, 1910) species groups are distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Castroviejo-Fisher et al. 2015; Duellman Venegas 2016). The Gastrotheca fissipes group comprises six species: G. fissipes, G. flamma Juncá Nunes, 2008, G. megacephala Izecksohn, Carvalho-e-Silva Peixoto, 2009, G. prasina Teixeira Jr. et al. 2012, G. pulchra Caramaschi Rodrigues, 2007, and G. recava Teixeira Jr. et al. 2012, and most of these species are distributed in the northern Atlantic Forest, the most threatened region of the Atlantic Forest Domain (Ribeiro et al. 2009).

Advertisement calls, intraspecific variation and species diagnosis of six Brazilian species of Elachistocleis (Anura: Microhylidae: Gastrophryninae).

We describe for the first time the advertisement calls of three Elachistocleis species (E. surumu, E. magna, E. carvalhoi) and provide additional data on the calls of three other species (E. matogrosso, E. helianneae, E. muiraquitan). Additionally, we evaluate intraspecific variation in morphology and color patterns, and comment on species diagnosis in the genus. The advertisement calls of the six species of Elachistocleis have a stereotyped temporal and spectral structure, which consists of a long sustained multipulsed note with an upsweep in frequency at its onset, followed by a constant frequency along the note. Newly collected Elachistocleis from northern and western Brazil showed intraspecific variation in morphology and coloration that had not been previously reported. Coloration was listed as a diagnostic feature in the original descriptions of the Elachistocleis species evaluated in this study, but color patterns were variable in some species and sometimes did not allow for species differentiation. Our results indicated that the three species with greater degrees of morphological similarity (E. helianneae, E. matogrosso, E. muiraquitan) differed in microtemporal and spectral traits of their calls. Moreover, pulse duration in E. helianneae was very distinct, lasting approximately twice the average pulse duration in calls of the other species studied. Therefore, pulse duration might be an informative trait when assigning specimens to E. helianneae, which is widely distributed across Amazonian lowland forests and in a region of Amazonian savanna. Our results bring novelties on species diagnosis and intraspecific variation in Elachistocleis based on acoustic evidence and morphological/color patterns, and accentuate the importance of taking into consideration multiple lines of evidence as a means for accurate species-level identification in this genus of Neotropical frogs.

The advertisement call of the Hoogmoed's harlequin toad Atelopus hoogmoedi Lescure, 1974 from northern Brazil (Anura, Bufonidae).

Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are distributed over a wide range in the Amazon Rainforest, mostly associated with streamlets in dense ombrophilous forests in lowland and sub-montane regions. Atelopus hoogmoedi Lescure, 1974a was considered as bearing full species status by Lötters et al. (2005), although until that moment this species had been assigned to a subspecies of A. pulcher (Boulenger, 1882) (Lescure 1974a, 1976) or of A. spumarius Cope, 1871 (Lescure et al. 1980; Lescure Marty 2000; Lötters et al. 2002). More recently, Noonan Gaucher (2005) subscribed to Lötters et al. (2005)'s statement that A. s. hoogmoedi should belong to a distinctive species (A. hoogmoedi), based on phylogeographic evidence. The species' range is currently restricted to the Guiana Shield of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and in adjacent regions of northern Brazil (Lötters et al. 2005).

Taxonomic circumscription of Adenomera martinezi (Bokermann, 1956) (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) with the recognition of a new cryptic taxon through a bioacoustic approach.

In this paper, we provide a taxonomic circumscription of Adenomera martinezi from its type locality (Cachimbo, southwestern State of Pará) since its description (57 years ago) based on a newly collected series of eleven adult topotypes, and through a bioacoustic approach, recognize an undescribed cryptic taxon under this nominal species, which is widely distributed in central and northern Brazil. Adenomera martinezi and Adenomera saci sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all congeners by their distinctive 4-6 symmetrically arranged rows of longitudinal dark-colored spots on dorsum. They differ from each other through advertisement call structure, pulsed in Adenomera martinezi (audibly pulsed to the human ear), and non-pulsed in Adenomera saci sp. nov. (a whistle to the human ear). The recognition of Adenomera saci sp. nov. has conservation implications. Based on our assumed distribution of A. martinezi and A denomera saci sp. nov., the IUCN conservation status of A. martinezi requires a reassessment, inasmuch as we herein reconsider this species, as far as we know, as endemic to Cachimbo, southwestern State of Pará, Brazil. The 2004 extinction risk assessment included both A. martinezi and Adenomera saci sp. nov., and the conservation status category of 'Least Concern' might only be applied to Adenomera saci sp. nov., a widely distributed and abundant species in central and northern Brazil.

A new species of Leptodactylus Fitzinger (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leptodactylinae) from montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil.

In this paper, we describe a new species of the Leptodactylusfuscus group on the basis of adult morphology and advertisement call, occurring restricted to montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northern portion of the Espinhaço Range, central State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. In addition, we re-describe the advertisement call ofL. camaquara from its type locality. Leptodactylus oreomantis sp. nov. represents the first species of the genus occurring restricted to montane rock fields of the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil, whereas the other three species of the L. fuscus group assumed to be restricted to montane field environments (L. camaquara, L. cunicularius, and L. tapiti) occur in association with mountain ranges of southeastern or central Brazil.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro (Leiuperinae: Leptodactylidae: Anura) from the Cerrado of Southeastern Brazil.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola is described from the Cerrado of southeastern Brazil. Pseudopaludicola facureae sp. nov. is diagnosed from the P. pusilla species group by the absence of either T-shaped terminal phalanges or toe tips expanded, and distinguished from almost all recognized taxa currently assigned to Pseudopaludicola (except P. canga, P. giarettai, and P. hyleaustralis) by possessing a non-pulsed advertisement call. However, the advertisement call of the new species consists of the emission of well-defined call series, whereas the advertisement call of P. giarettai is long (117-187 ms) and with an isolated emission pattern; respecting to P. canga, the new species emits very long notes series (up to 53 notes/advertisement call), compared to the short call series of P. canga (up to 9 notes/advertisement call); considering P. hyleaustralis, the new species has a shorter note duration (15-35 ms), higher note rate per minute (480-1860), and higher dominant frequency (4076-5108).

Bioacoustics reveals two new syntopic species of Adenomera Steindachner (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) in the Cerrado of central Brazil.

In this paper, we describe two syntopic species of Adenomera from the Chapada dos Veadeiros microregion, northern State of Goiás, central Brazil, recognized based on morphology, color patterns, and bioacoustics. Specimens and calls were obtained in the Municipality of Teresina de Goiás, central Brazil. Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) small size (adult male SVL 18.6-20.5 mm) and very robust body; 2) dorsum glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 3) black or very dark dorsal coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 4) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 5) presence of antebrachial tubercle; and 6) advertisement call consisting of a well-defined series of pulsed calls (7-32 calls/series) with progressive increment in amplitude in the first third of each call series when it reaches a sustained plateau. Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. is diagnosed from the other 16 congeneric species by its 1) dorsum profusely glandular/granular with no distinctive dorsal granular rows or dorsolateral folds; 2) dorsum with a marble-like and red coloration with no distinctive color patterns (e.g., dorsolateral or vertebral stripes); 3) toe tips not developed into flattened disks; 4) small size (adult male SVL 19.1-19.5 mm) and very robust body; and 5) long (148-202 ms) advertisement call composed of 16-21pulses. Both new taxa occur in syntopy, and our data allow us to differentiate them both in temporal (pulses/call) and spectral (frequency peaks) traits of their advertisement calls. Besides, dorsal coloration is distinctive, Adenomera cotuba sp. nov. has a black or very dark-colored dorsum, whereas Adenomera juikitam sp. nov. has a marble-like and red-colored dorsum, in addition to the presence (A. cotuba sp. nov.) or absence (A. juikitam sp. nov.) of antebrachial tubercle.

New bioacoustic and distributional data on Bokermannohyla sapiranga Brandão et al., 2012 (Anura: Hylidae): revisiting its diagnosis in comparison with B. pseudopseudis (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937).

In this paper, we provide new bioacoustic and distributional data on Bokermannohyla sapiranga, as well as additional comparative bioacoustic data on topotypes of B. pseudopseudis, and re-evaluate the differential diagnosis of the former species with respect to the latter. Head shapes (dorsal and lateral views) presented such variation that should not be used to differentially diagnose them as originally proposed. On the other hand, the presence of a dermal ridge along outer tarsi, and color patterns of the eyes and dorsal surface of hand/toe disks still represent diagnostic characters between both species. We also found differences in temporal (call duration; notes per call), spectral (dominant frequency; harmonics), and structural (pulsed/non-pulsed note structure) traits of their calls. Distribution of B. sapiranga is extended eastward (Paracatu), which corresponds to the first record for the State of Minas Gerais, whereas B. pseudopseudis distribution seems to be restricted to rocky montane field environments of northern Goiás State.