Speciation in savanna birds in South America: The case of the Least Nighthawk Chordeiles pusillus (Aves: Caprimulgidae) in and out of the Amazon.

The Least Nighthawk Chordeiles pusillus is widespread wherever there are savannas in the South American tropics, often in isolated patches, such as white-sands savannas in the Amazon rainforest realm. Here, we investigate genetic relationships between populations of the Least Nighthawk to understand historical processes leading to its diversification and to determine dispersal routes between northern and southern savannas by way of three hypothesized dispersal corridors by comparing samples from white-sand savannas to samples from other savannas outside of the Amazon rainforest region. We use 32 mtDNA samples from the range of C. pusillus to infer a dated phylogeny. In a subset of 17 samples, we use shotgun sequences to infer a distance-based phylogeny and to estimate individual admixture proportions. We calculate gene flow and shared alleles between white-sand and non-Amazonian populations using the ABBA-BABA test (D statistics), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to examine genetic structure within and between lineages. Finally, we use species distribution modelling (SDM) of conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), currently, and in the future (2050-2080) to predict potential species occurrence under a climate change scenario. Two main clades (estimated to have diverged around 1.07 million years ago) were recovered with mtDNA sequences and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) and were supported by NGSadmix and PCA: one in the Amazon basin white-sand savannas, the other in the non-Amazonian savannas. Possible allele sharing between these clades was indicated by the D-statistics between northern non-Amazonian populations and the white-sand savanna population, but this was not corroborated by the admixture analyses. Dispersal among northern non-Amazonian populations may have occurred in a dry corridor between the Guianan and the Brazilian Shield, which has since moved eastward. Our data suggest that the lineages separated well before the Last Glacial Maximum, consequently dispersal could have happened at any earlier time during similar climatic conditions. Subsequently, non-Amazonian lineages became more divergent among themselves, possibly connecting and dispersing across the mouth of the Amazon River across Marajó island during favourable climatic conditions in the Pleistocene.

A global map of species at risk of extinction due to natural hazards.

An often-overlooked question of the biodiversity crisis is how natural hazards contribute to species extinction risk. To address this issue, we explored how four natural hazards, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, overlapped with the distribution ranges of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles that have either narrow distributions or populations with few mature individuals. To assess which species are at risk from these natural hazards, we combined the frequency and magnitude of each natural hazard to estimate their impact. We considered species at risk if they overlapped with regions where any of the four natural hazards historically occurred (n = 3,722). Those species with at least a quarter of their range subjected to a high relative impact were considered at high risk (n = 2,001) of extinction due to natural hazards. In total, 834 reptiles, 617 amphibians, 302 birds, and 248 mammals were at high risk and they were mainly distributed on islands and in the tropics. Hurricanes (n = 983) and earthquakes (n = 868) affected most species, while tsunamis (n = 272), and volcanoes (n = 171) affected considerably fewer. The region with the highest number of species at high risk was the Pacific Ring of Fire, especially due to volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis, while hurricane-related high-risk species were concentrated in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and northwestern Pacific Ocean. Our study provides important information regarding the species at risk due to natural hazards and can help guide conservation attention and efforts to safeguard their survival.

Update of the guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by the Mexican College of Rheumatology 2023.

OBJECTIVE: To develop updated guidelines for the pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A group of experts representative of different geographical regions and various medical services catering to the Mexican population with RA was formed. Questions based on Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) were developed, deemed clinically relevant. These questions were answered based on the results of a recent systematic literature review (SLR), and the evidence's validity was assessed using the GRADE system, considered a standard for these purposes. Subsequently, the expert group reached consensus on the direction and strength of recommendations through a multi-stage voting process. RESULTS: The updated guidelines for RA treatment stratify various therapeutic options, including different classes of DMARDs (conventional, biologicals, and JAK inhibitors), as well as NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, and analgesics. By consensus, it establishes the use of these in different subpopulations of interest among RA patients and addresses aspects related to vaccination, COVID-19, surgery, pregnancy and lactation, and others. CONCLUSIONS: This update of the Mexican guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of RA provides reference points for evidence-based decision-making, recommending patient participation in joint decision-making to achieve the greatest benefit for our patients. It also establishes recommendations for managing a variety of relevant conditions affecting our patients.

Factors Associated With Mortality in Patients With Immune-Mediated Rheumatic Diseases and COVID-19 From Latin America: Data From Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To describe characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in patients with rheumatic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) from Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, and to assess factors associated with mortality in this population. METHODS: Data from 3 national registries, SAR-COVID (Argentina), CMR-COVID (Mexico), and ReumaCoV-Brasil (Brazil), were combined. Adult patients with IMIDs and SARS-CoV-2 infection were recruited. Sociodemographic data, comorbidities, IMID clinical characteristics and treatment, and SARS-CoV-2 infection presentation and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 4827 individuals were included: 2542 (52.7%) from SAR-COVID, 1167 (24.2%) from CMR-COVID, and 1118 (23.1%) from ReumaCoV-Brasil. Overall, 82.1% were female with a mean age of 49.7 (SD, 14.3) years; 22.7% of the patients were hospitalized, and 5.3% died because of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Argentina and Brazil had both 4% of mortality and Mexico 9.4%. In the multivariable analysis, older age (≥60 years; odds ratio [OR], 7.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6-12.4), male sex (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1), living in Mexico (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.0-4.4), comorbidity count (1 comorbidity: OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.1), diagnosis of connective tissue disease or vasculitis (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.4), and other diseases (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6-4.1) compared with inflammatory joint disease, high disease activity (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 2.5-7.0), and treatment with glucocorticoids (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.4-2.5) or rituximab (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 2.7-6.6) were associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in patients with IMIDs was particularly high in Mexicans. Ethnic, environmental, societal factors, and different COVID-19 mitigation measures adopted have probably influenced these results.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Belonging to Novel Sequence Types ST473 and ST474 in Wild Birds Inhabiting the Brazilian Amazonia.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic human pathogen associated with nosocomial and community-acquired infections. We have conducted a microbiological and genomic surveillance study of broad-spectrum cephalosporin- and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria colonizing wild birds inhabiting the Brazilian Amazonia. Strikingly, two S. maltophilia strains (SM79 and SM115) were identified in Plain-throated antwren (Isleria hauxwelli) passerines affected by Amazonian fragmentation and degradation. Noteworthy, SM79 and SM115 strains belonged to new sequence types (STs) ST474 and ST473, respectively, displaying resistance to broad-spectrum ß-lactams, aminoglycosides and/or fluoroquinolones. In this regard, resistome analysis confirmed efflux pumps (smeABC, smeDEF, emrAB-tolC and macB), blaL1 and blaL2, aph(3')-IIc and aac(6')-Iak, and Smqnr resistance genes. Comparative phylogenomic analysis with publicly available S. maltophilia genomes clustered ST473 and ST474 with human strains, whereas the ST474 was also grouped with S. maltophilia strains isolated from water and poultry samples. In summary, we report two novel sequence types of S. maltophilia colonizing wild Amazonian birds. The presence of opportunistic multidrug-resistant pathogens in wild birds, from remotes areas, could represent an ecological problem since these animals could easily promote long-distance dispersal of medically important antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Therefore, while our results could provide a baseline for future epidemiological genomic studies, considering the limited information regarding S. maltophilia circulating among wild animals, additional studies are necessary to evaluate the clinical impact and degree of pathogenicity of this human opportunistic pathogen in wild birds.

Amazonian colonization from the Atlantic Forest: New perspectives on the connections of South American tropical forests.

An open and dry vegetation belt separates Amazonia (AM) and the Atlantic Forest (AF). Evidence from palaeoclimatic and phylogenetic studies suggests past connections between these forests during cycles of increased humidity through the formation of forest corridors. The distinctive northern AF avifauna is known to have affinities both with AM and the southern AF. Still, the extent of how these two regions contributed to the assemblage of this avifauna remains poorly understood. Using historical demographic analyses and comparative phylogeography based on sub-genomic genetic sampling, we assessed how past connections between AM and AF led to shared vicariance and colonization events in four avian AF endemic taxa. Our results supported the occurrence of humid forest corridors promoting the contact between AF and AM populations and suggested two vicariant events and two colonization events from AF to AM. Population divergences were mostly non-synchronous and occurred multiple times during the Pleistocene. Historical gene flow was prevalent across study groups, supporting migration flows after the initial separation between AM and AF - a pattern previously unknown in birds between these regions. Idiosyncratic histories and divergent demographic syndromes suggest that organisms' responses to climate-driven habitat shifts broadly depend on their ecological attributes. This study strengthened our knowledge of past connections between AM and AF and provided demographic scenarios amenable for testing in other groups of co-distributed organisms.

Influence of anti-carbamylated protein antibodies on disease activity and joint erosions in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

Anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies are promising biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although their significance in seronegative disease (SNRA) remains uncertain. To assess the influence of anti-CarP antibodies on disease activity and erosive joint damage in SNRA patients. In RA patients, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, and anti-CarP antibodies were measured. Disease activity was assessed using DAS28-CRP and SDAI indices, while musculoskeletal ultrasound identified bone erosions. A total of 77 patients were enrolled, comprising 49 with seropositive RA (SPRA) and 28 with SNRA. Notably, 28% of SPRA and 10% of SNRA patients were positive to anti-CarP antibodies. Anti-CarP-positive patients exhibited elevated C-reactive protein (median 10.6, interquartile range 4.6-20.0 vs. 3.4, 1.7-9.9 mg/L; p = 0.005), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (34, 19-46 vs. 16, 7-25 mm/h; p = 0.002), DAS28-CRP (3.2, 2.6-4.2 vs. 2.6, 1.9-3.5; p = 0.048), and SDAI (19.9, 6.3-32.1 vs. 10.9, 5.5-18.1; p = 0.034) indices. Multivariate analysis revealed RF positivity as the sole predictor for anti-CarP antibodies (odds ratio [OR] = 5.9). Musculoskeletal ultrasound revealed bone erosions in 36% of RA patients; 35% among anti-CarP-negative patients and 40% among anti-CarP-positive patients. Notably, RF presence (OR = 44.3) and DAS28-CRP index (OR = 2.4) emerged as predictors of musculoskeletal ultrasound-confirmed erosive joint disease. Anti-CarP antibodies are detected at similar frequencies among both SPRA and SNRA patients. While associated with increased disease activity, these antibodies did not correlate with increased erosive joint damage.

Spatiotemporal dynamics reveals forest rejuvenation, fragmentation, and edge effects in an Atlantic Forest hotspot, the Pernambuco Endemism Center, northeastern Brazil.

Large forested tracts are increasingly rare in the tropics, where conservation managers are often presented with the challenge of preserving biodiversity in small and isolated fragments. The Atlantic Forest is one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, jeopardized by habitat loss and fragmentation. The Pernambuco Endemism Center (PEC) is the most degraded of the Atlantic Forest regions and because of the dramatic levels of deforestation, fragmentation, and ongoing species losses, studies on the distribution and configuration of the PEC's forest cover are necessary. However, across dynamic tropical landscapes, investigating changes over time is essential because it may reveal trends in forest quality attributes. Here, we used Google Earth Engine to assess land use and land cover data from MapBiomas ranging from 1985 to 2020 to calculate current landscape metrics and to reveal for the first time the spatiotemporal dynamics of the PEC's forests. We identified a forest cover area that ranged from 571,661 ha in 1985 to 539,877 ha in 2020, and about 90% of the fragments were smaller than 10 ha. The average fragment size was about 11 ha, and only four fragments had more than 5,000 ha. Deforestation was mostly concentrated in northern Alagoas, southern Pernambuco, and non-coastal Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. On average, borders represented 53.6% of the forests from 1985 to 2020, and younger forests covered 52.3% of the area in 2017, revealing a vegetation rejuvenation process 2.5 times higher than in total Atlantic Forest. In 2017, older forest cores in fragments larger than 1000 ha (i.e., higher-quality habitats) represented only 12% of the remaining forests. We recommend that the amount of forest cover alone may poorly assist conservation managers, and our results indicate that ensuring legal protection and increasing surveillance of the PEC's few last higher-quality habitats is urgently needed.

The value of inquiring patients about local discomfort during blood pressure measurement for fibromyalgia detection. A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia overlaps and/or mimics other rheumatic diseases and may be a confounding factor in the clinimetric assessment of these illnesses. Allodynia is a distinctive fibromyalgia feature that can be elicited during routine blood pressure measurement. For epidemiological purposes fibromyalgia can be diagnosed using the 2016 Wolfe et al. criteria questionnaire. No physical examination is required. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of a straightforward question formulated during routine blood pressure measurement for fibromyalgia detection in a rheumatology outpatient clinic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All adult patients attending our Rheumatology outpatient clinic were invited to participate. While awaiting their medical consultation, they filled-out the 2016 Wolfe et al. FM diagnostic criteria questionnaire. During the ensuing routine physical examination, the physician advanced the following guideline: "I am going to take your blood pressure; tell me if the cuff's pressure causes pain". Then, blood pressure cuff was inflated to 170 mm/Hg. Sphygmomanometry induced allodynia was defined as any local discomfort caused by blood pressure measurement. If a patient voiced any uneasiness, a follow-up dichotomic question was formulated "did it hurt much or little". Sphygmomanometry-induced allodynia was correlated with the presence of fibromyalgia according to the 2016 Wolfe diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-one patients were included in the study; most of them (84%) were female. The female cohort displayed the following features: Twenty five percent had fibromyalgia. Twenty seven percent had sphygmomanometry-induced allodynia. In women, sphygmomanometry-evoked allodynia had 63% sensitivity and 84% specificity for fibromyalgia diagnosis. The area under curve was 0.751. Moreover, having "much" local pain elicitation during blood pressure testing had 23% sensitivity and 96% specificity for fibromyalgia diagnosis. Men behaved differently; 15% fulfilled the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria, but only 2% had sphygmomanometry induced allodynia. CONCLUSIONS: Inquiring female patients about local discomfort during routine blood pressure measurement is a simple and efficient procedure for fibromyalgia detection. This undemanding approach could be implemented in all clinical settings. There is marked sexual dimorphism in the link between sphygmomanometry-induced allodynia and fibromyalgia diagnosis. The presence of fibromyalgia is almost certain in those individuals having substantial pain elicitation during blood pressure measurement.

Senescent CD4+CD28null cells are increased in chronic hyperuricemia, show aberrant effector phenotypes, and are reversed after allopurinol therapy: a proof-of-concept pilot study.

To characterize CD4+CD28null cells in chronic hyperuricemia and investigate whether allopurinol could restore CD28 expression and the balance of T helper phenotypes. Asymptomatic individuals with chronic hyperuricemia and ultrasonographic findings evocative of urate deposition in the joints. Age- and gender-matched normouricemic individuals were also studied. Oral allopurinol at 150 mg/day for 4 weeks, followed by 300 mg/day through week 12. Color-flow cytometry on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with antibodies against CD4, CD28, T-bet (Th1), GATA-3 (Th2), and RORγt (Th17). Six patients (five men, median age of 53 years) and seven controls were studied. At baseline, hyperuricemic patients had more CD4+CD28null/CD4+ cells than normouricemic subjects (36.8% vs. 6.1%; p = 0.001), with a predominance of T-bet+ cells (98.5% vs. 6.6%; p = 0.001) and few RORγt+ cells (0.7% vs. 89.4%; p = 0.014). In hyperuricemic patients, the number of CD4+ cells/10,000 PBMC was similar before and after allopurinol (3378 vs. 3954; p = 0.843). Conversely, CD4+CD28null cells decreased from 36.8% (23.0-43.7) to 15.8% (4.7-28.1; p = 0.031). CD4+CD28nullT-bet+ cells decreased from 98.5% (95.0-99.4) to 88.3% (75.2-98.9; p = 0.062), CD4+CD28nullGATA-3+ cells increased from 0% (0-4.0) to 2.8% (0.1-15.6; p = 0.156), and CD4+CD28nullRORγt+ cells increased from 0.7% (0.4-7.0) to 4.5% (1.3-28.1; p = 0.031). The CD4+CD28null cell subset is abnormally expanded in chronic hyperuricemia, despite the absence of overt urate-related disease. Allopurinol may partially restore CD28 expression on CD4+ cells while enhancing the homeostatic balance of T helper phenotypes. ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04012294.

Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are associated with aberrant inflammatory circuits in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are markers for several systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). OBJECTIVE: To assess whether anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are related to abnormalities in inflammatory circuits. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of consecutive outpatients with SARD. Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies and serum amyloid A protein were measured by ELISA; panels for 18 cytokines and nine chemokines were analyzed on a Luminex reading platform, while high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and complement were measured by nephelometry. RESULTS: Among 167 included patients, 143 had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 16 had primary Sjögren's syndrome and eight had systemic sclerosis; 41 (24%) were positive for anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies. Patients with anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies had higher serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, GM-CSF, IL-21, IL-22, hs-CRP and chemokines CCL4, CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL12, but lower levels of complement C4. Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibody titers were positively correlated with IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-21, IL-22, CXCL10, and hs-CRP, and negatively with complements C3 and C4. When only SLE patients were included, no association was identified between anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies and disease activity or organ-specific involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are associated with aberrant cytokine circuits and elevated levels of angiogenic molecules and neutrophil and monocyte chemoattractants, which suggests an active role for these antibodies in SARD.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 son marcadores de varias enfermedades reumáticas autoinmunes sistémicas (ERAS). OBJETIVO: Evaluar si los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 están relacionados con anomalías en los circuitos inflamatorios. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal de pacientes consecutivos y ambulatorios con ERAS. Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 y la proteína amiloide sérica se midieron mediante ELISA; los paneles para 18 citocinas y nueve quimiocinas se analizaron en una plataforma de lectura Luminex; la proteína C reactiva (hs-CRP) y el complemento se midieron mediante nefelometría. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 167 pacientes, 143 con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES), 16 con síndrome de Sjögren primario y ocho con esclerosis sistémica; 41 fueron positivos para anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 (24 %). Los pacientes con anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 tuvieron niveles séricos más altos de IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, GM-CSF, IL-21, IL-22, hs-CRP y quimiocinas CCL4, CXCL8, CXCL10 y CXCL12; y más bajos de complemento C4. Los títulos de anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 correlacionaron positivamente con IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-21, IL-22, CXCL10 y hs-CRP; y negativamente con complemento C3 y C4. Al incluir solo LES, no se identificó asociación entre los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 y la actividad de la enfermedad o la afectación específica de órganos. CONCLUSIONES: Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 se asocian a circuitos aberrantes de citocinas y niveles elevados de moléculas angiogénicas y quimioatrayentes de neutrófilos y monocitos, lo que sugiere un papel activo de esos anticuerpos en las ERAS.

Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 están asociados a circuitos inflamatorios aberrantes en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas autoinmunes sistémicas / Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are associated with aberrant inflammatory circuits in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Resumen Introducción: Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 son marcadores de varias enfermedades reumáticas autoinmunes sistémicas (ERAS). Objetivo: Evaluar si los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 están relacionados con anomalías en los circuitos inflamatorios. Métodos: Estudio transversal de pacientes consecutivos y ambulatorios con ERAS. Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 y la proteína amiloide sérica se midieron mediante ELISA; los paneles para 18 citocinas y nueve quimiocinas se analizaron en una plataforma de lectura Luminex; la proteína C reactiva (hs-CRP) y el complemento se midieron mediante nefelometría. Resultados: Se incluyeron 167 pacientes, 143 con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES), 16 con síndrome de Sjögren primario y ocho con esclerosis sistémica; 41 fueron positivos para anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 (24 %). Los pacientes con anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 tuvieron niveles séricos más altos de IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, GM-CSF, IL-21, IL-22, hs-CRP y quimiocinas CCL4, CXCL8, CXCL10 y CXCL12; y más bajos de complemento C4. Los títulos de anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 correlacionaron positivamente con IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-21, IL-22, CXCL10 y hs-CRP; y negativamente con complemento C3 y C4. Al incluir solo LES, no se identificó asociación entre los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 y la actividad de la enfermedad o la afectación específica de órganos. Conclusiones: Los anticuerpos anti-Ro52/TRIM21 se asocian a circuitos aberrantes de citocinas y niveles elevados de moléculas angiogénicas y quimioatrayentes de neutrófilos y monocitos, lo que sugiere un papel activo de esos anticuerpos en las ERAS.

Abstract Introduction: Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are markers for several systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). Objective: To assess whether anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are related to abnormalities in inflammatory circuits. Methods: Cross-sectional study of consecutive outpatients with SARD. Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies and serum amyloid A protein were measured by ELISA; panels for 18 cytokines and nine chemokines were analyzed on a Luminex reading platform, while high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and complement were measured by nephelometry. Results: Among 167 included patients, 143 had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 16 had primary Sjögren's syndrome and eight had systemic sclerosis; 41 (24%) were positive for anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies. Patients with anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies had higher serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, GM-CSF, IL-21, IL-22, hs-CRP and chemokines CCL4, CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL12, but lower levels of complement C4. Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibody titers were positively correlated with IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-21, IL-22, CXCL10, and hs-CRP, and negatively with complement C3 and C4. When only SLE patients were included, no association was identified between anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies and disease activity or organ-specific involvement. Conclusions: Anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies are associated with aberrant cytokine circuits and elevated levels of angiogenic molecules and neutrophil and monocyte chemoattractants, which suggests an active role for these antibodies in SARD.

New records of chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) parasites of Brazilian Anhimidae, Threskiornithidae, and Aramidae (Aves)

We present records of chewing lice collected from bird skins of the families Anhimidae, Threskiornithidae, and Aramidae deposited at the Museum of Zoology of University of São Paulo (MZUSP). Twenty-one chewing lice species from the suborders Amblycera and Ischnocera were identified, seven of which are new records for Brazil. These species belong to the genera Ardeicola (1), Colpocephalum (3), Ibidoecus (1), and Plegadiphilus (2). Furthermore, ten species were recorded from new localities in Brazil, and Colpocephalum cayennensisPrice & Emerson, 1967 is for the first time recorded with precise locality in the country. Lastly, the bird host subspecies Phimosus infuscatus nudifrons (Spix, 1825) (Threskiornithidae) was for the first time found to harbor lice species.

Studies of Brazilian birds along altitudinal gradients: a critical review

Brazil is home to many mountain ranges which harbor diverse avifauna. However, studies on the altitudinal distribution of Brazilian birds are still few and many have never been published, hampering both the dissemination of basic information and conservation actions. Here we present a critical review of ornithological studies undertaken in Brazilian mountain ranges, and propose a classification of geographic scope, altitudinal gradient, and methodology. Since 1922, 184 ornithological studies included altitude in some way in Brazil, encompassing a variety of research topics and species. About a quarter of these studies were never published in peer-reviewed journals, and 39% do not provide basic data on elevation nor link the bird species with sampling plots, thus limiting their applicability. The majority of studies are concentrated (83%) in southern and southeastern Brazil, especially in the Serra do Mar range, and so most data are associated with the Atlantic Forest. Gaps remain in other regions, such as Amazonia (Pantepui region). Most studies either did not sample the entire elevation gradient, were not standardized, lacked explicit hypothesis, or did not account for a seasonal sampling embracing the four seasons of the year, so interpretation of the observed patterns remains difficult. With this compilation, we organize the available information and point to future altitudinal research on birds, in addition to highlighting the importance of preserving habitats along altitudinal gradients in the mountainous regions in Brazil.(AU)

Seasonal altitudinal movements of birds in Brazil: a review

Birds' seasonal altitudinal movements in Brazil are poorly understood. The main source of information and has fostered interest since the 1980s. However, most of the available information is anecdotal, sources are repeatedly cited, and the information provided is quite superficial and speculative. Through bibliographic searches, we found 107 studies, 83 (77%) of which we consider valid, and only 63 (59%) were peer-reviewed. Most studies were carried out in southern and southeastern Brazil. Only 11 studies explicitly addressed seasonal altitudinal movements. Surprisingly, none of the studies simultaneously comprised a full year of study, standardized sampling methods, and encompassed the entire altitudinal range through which the birds might have moved. As a consequence, the quality of the data is questionable, and the expression "altitudinal migration" is unlikely to be accurate and has never been unequivocally demonstrated for birds in Brazil. Mention of "altitudinal migration" was found for 68 bird species, but these must be more clearly defined and appropriately tested.(AU)

Studies of Brazilian birds along altitudinal gradients: a critical review

Brazil is home to many mountain ranges which harbor diverse avifauna. However, studies on the altitudinal distribution of Brazilian birds are still few and many have never been published, hampering both the dissemination of basic information and conservation actions. Here we present a critical review of ornithological studies undertaken in Brazilian mountain ranges, and propose a classification of geographic scope, altitudinal gradient, and methodology. Since 1922, 184 ornithological studies included altitude in some way in Brazil, encompassing a variety of research topics and species. About a quarter of these studies were never published in peer-reviewed journals, and 39% do not provide basic data on elevation nor link the bird species with sampling plots, thus limiting their applicability. The majority of studies are concentrated (83%) in southern and southeastern Brazil, especially in the Serra do Mar range, and so most data are associated with the Atlantic Forest. Gaps remain in other regions, such as Amazonia (Pantepui region). Most studies either did not sample the entire elevation gradient, were not standardized, lacked explicit hypothesis, or did not account for a seasonal sampling embracing the four seasons of the year, so interpretation of the observed patterns remains difficult. With this compilation, we organize the available information and point to future altitudinal research on birds, in addition to highlighting the importance of preserving habitats along altitudinal gradients in the mountainous regions in Brazil.(AU)

Rainy cycles in South America as a driver for the breeding of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) and the Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex) (Aves, Charadriiformes)

The Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) and the Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex) are two migratory waterbirds that breed simultaneously on many river beaches in South America. Both are polytypic taxa with little information about the distribution and nonbreeding ("wintering") areas. Based on data from the literature, citizen science websites, fieldwork, and specimens housed in natural history museums, we revised the distribution of some of the main breeding colonies in South America, comparing it with continental rainy cycles to identify generalities about the role of precipitation seasonality on the defining intratropical migration routes of these species. Our data suggest that the seasonal precipitation cycle of South America directly influences the reproductive timing and distribution of both species, which is largely circumscribed by South America's rivers. After breeding on sandy beaches during the dry season, both species disperse in small groups or even individually ­ not in large flocks as seen in breeding areas ­ making it difficult to find general migration patterns during the rainy season. Nonetheless, individuals of both species tend to follow the course of the largest rivers of the continent and even alternative routes to disperse into several areas throughout South America during the nonbreeding season.(AU)

Cardiovascular risk in the postnatal life of children born to women with systemic lupus erythematous / Riesgo cardiovascular en la vida posnatal de hijos de mujeres con lupus eritematoso sistémico

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with clinical manifestations in multiple organs, primarily striking women of reproductive age. Women with SLE can became pregnant such as any other healthy woman and carrier their pregnancy to term due to the improvement of health systems, but their specific inflammatory conditions could affect the microenvironment in which the fetus grows, and influence the development of placenta and the fetal heart. Until now, there is very little evidence of any increased risk of postnatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the apparently healthy children from women with SLE, but it is this great variability in the effects of lupus on pregnant products is related to.

Resumen El lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) es una enfermedad autoinmune que presenta diversas manifestaciones clínicas en múltiples órganos, y afecta principalmente a mujeres en edad reproductiva. Las mujeres con LES se pueden embarazar y llevar a término su embarazo, sin embargo, las condiciones inflamatorias específicas de la madre pueden modificar el microambiente en el que el embrión y el feto se desarrollan y afectar la formación y desarrollo de la placenta y el corazón fetal. Hasta ahora hay muy poca evidencia de que haya un mayor riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) en hijos aparentemente sanos de madres con LES, a pesar de que se sabe que hay un mayor riesgo de alteraciones cognitivas y neuronales, así como de desarrollar enfermedades autoinmunes en esos niños. El objetivo de esta revisión fue realizar una búsqueda bibliografía cruzando palabras clave acerca la enfermedad cardiovascular en hijos sanos de mujeres con LES. La evidencia mostró que la autoinmunidad materna puede favorecer la predisposición para el desarrollo de ECV en sus hijos, por medio de la modificación de señales que alteran el microambiente durante la gestación, lo que puede afectar la respuesta inmunitaria y cambios epigenéticos durante la vida posnatal.

Systematics of Thraupis (Aves, Passeriformes) reveals an extensive hybrid zone between T. episcopus (Blue-gray Tanager) and T. sayaca (Sayaca Tanager).

The Neotropical avian genus Thraupis (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) currently comprises seven species that are widespread and abundant throughout their ranges. However, no phylogenetic hypothesis with comprehensive intraspecific sampling is available for the group and, therefore, currently accepted species limits remain untested. We obtained sequence data for two mitochondrial (ND2, cyt-b) and three non-coding nuclear (TGFB2, MUSK, and ßF5) markers from 118 vouchered museum specimens. We conducted population structure and coalescent-based species-tree analyses using a molecular clock calibration. We integrated these results with morphometric and coloration analyses of 1,003 museum specimens to assess species limits within Thraupis. Our results confirm that Thraupis is a monophyletic group and support its origin in the late Miocene and subsequent diversification during the Pleistocene. However, we found conflicts with previous phylogenies. We recovered Thraupis glaucocolpa to be sister to all other species in the genus, and T. cyanoptera to the remaining five species. Our phylogenetic trees and population structure analyses uncovered phylogeographic structure within Thraupis episcopus that is congruent with geographic patterns of phenotypic variation and distributions of some named taxa. The first genetic and phenotypic cluster in T. episcopus occurs east of the Andes and is diagnosed by the white patch on the lesser and median wing coverts, whereas the second group has a blue patch on the wing and distributes to the west of Colombia's eastern Andes. Finally, we present evidence of hybridization and ongoing gene flow between several taxa at different taxonomic levels and discuss its taxonomic implications.