Monkeypox in an immunocompromised patient with underlying human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis infections in Southern Florida of the United States: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The orthopoxvirus causes the rare disease monkeypox, and underlying immune deficiencies might lead to worse outcomes. In this report, we described a rare case of monkeypox with an underlying immune deficiency caused by human immunodeficiency virus infection which was combined with syphilis. This report discusses differences in the initial clinical presentation and clinical course compared to typical monkeypox cases. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 32-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus infection who was admitted to a hospital in Southern Florida. The patient presented to the emergency department with shortness of breath, fever, cough and left-sided chest wall pain. Physical examination revealed a pustular skin rash, consisting of generalised exanthema with small white and red papules. Upon arrival, he was found to be in sepsis with lactic acidosis. Chest radiography showed left-sided pneumothorax and minimal atelectasis in the left mid-lung, with a small pleural effusion at the left lung base. An infectious disease specialist raised the possibility of monkeypox, and the lesion sample tested positive for monkeypox deoxyribonucleic acid. In this case, the possible diagnosis of skin lesions varied because the patient tested positive for syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus. For that reason, the differential diagnosis of monkeypox infection is prolonged owing to its initial atypical clinical features. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with underlying immune deficiency who have human immunodeficiency virus infection and syphilis can present with atypical clinical features and delay proper diagnosis, which can increase the risk of spreading monkeypox in hospitals. Thus, patients with rash and risky sexual behaviour should be screened for monkeypox or other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, and a readily available, rapid, and accurate test is necessary to stop the spread of the disease.

Fetal Complications in COVID-19 Infected Pregnant Woman: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Pregnancy is an immunocompromised state and, for this reason, a pregnant woman is at a higher risk of getting infected as compared with a healthy individual. There is limited data available regarding the impact of COVD-19 on pregnancy; however, the case of miscarriage due to placental infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in second trimester has already been reported. Methods We searched for all published articles in PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, Scopus, and Embase. The literature search produced 167 relevant publications; 67 manuscripts were further excluded because they did not satisfy our inclusion criteria. Out of the remaining 100 articles, 78 were excluded after full text screening. Therefore, a total of 22 articles were eligible for review in our study. Results Overall, these 22 studies included a total of 7,034 participants: 2,689 (38.23%) SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women, of which 2,578 (95.87%) were laboratory confirmed and 111 (4.13%) were clinically diagnosed. Among the positive patients, there were 174 (6.47%) cases of abortion, of them 168 (96.55%) were spontaneous abortions and 6 (3.45%) were missed. Most patients either reported mild symptoms of fever, cough, fatigue, and anosmia or they presented asymptomatic. Conclusion Additional investigation and rigorous research are warranted to confirm placental pathology mechanisms concerning COVID-19 to protect maternal and fetal health.

Phylogenomics and population genomics of SARS-CoV-2 in Mexico during the pre-vaccination stage reveals variants of interest B.1.1.28.4 and B.1.1.222 or B.1.1.519 and the nucleocapsid mutation S194L associated with symptoms.

Understanding the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in various regions of the world during the Covid-19 pandemic is essential to help mitigate the effects of this devastating disease. We describe the phylogenomic and population genetic patterns of the virus in Mexico during the pre-vaccination stage, including asymptomatic carriers. A real-time quantitative PCR screening and phylogenomic reconstructions directed at sequence/structure analysis of the spike glycoprotein revealed mutation of concern E484K in genomes from central Mexico, in addition to the nationwide prevalence of the imported variant 20C/S:452R (B.1.427/9). Overall, the detected variants in Mexico show spike protein mutations in the N-terminal domain (i.e. R190M), in the receptor-binding motif (i.e. T478K, E484K), within the S1-S2 subdomains (i.e. P681R/H, T732A), and at the basis of the protein, V1176F, raising concerns about the lack of phenotypic and clinical data available for the variants of interest we postulate: 20B/478K.V1 (B.1.1.222 or B.1.1.519) and 20B/P.4 (B.1.1.28.4). Moreover, the population patterns of single nucleotide variants from symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers obtained with a self-sampling scheme confirmed the presence of several fixed variants, and differences in allelic frequencies among localities. We identified the mutation N:S194L of the nucleocapsid protein associated with symptomatic patients. Phylogenetically, this mutation is frequent in Mexican sub-clades. Our results highlight the dual and complementary role of spike and nucleocapsid proteins in adaptive evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to their hosts and provide a baseline for specific follow-up of mutations of concern during the vaccination stage.

SARS-CoV-2 effect on male infertility and its possible pathophysiological mechanisms.

First case of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. As of now, May 2021, a total of 164,189,004 people were infected, and 3,401,990 deaths have occurred caused by SARS-CoV-2. As SARS-CoV-2 virus cell entry mainly depends on the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins, the presence of high expression levels of both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in testes highlights the possible vulnerability of men to the virus. Other RNA viruses frequently induce orchitis and result in male infertility. This review evaluates the decline in male fertility and a total of 48 original articles were included for the analysis. We investigated the effects of COVID-19 on male reproductive health and male fertility.  There is a strong association between the high number of ACE2 receptors in the testes and the COVID-19 viral loads. SARS-CoV-2 infection negatively affects the male reproductive tract. Human biological tissues, including body fluids and excretions, tissues, and organs showed positive results tests for SARS-CoV-2. A disruption in the balance of male reproductive system hormones is also observed. Male gonads may be potentially vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting caution to follow-up and evaluate infected men that have plans to conceive. Further studies are required to determine if this impairment is temporary or permanent, elucidate SARS-CoV-2's entrance strategies into the testis and how it can affect the semen quality and quantity. We recommend a post-infection follow-up, especially in male patients of reproductive age already having fertility issues.

Clinical Outcomes of Older Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Older kidney transplant recipients (OKTR) are vulnerable to infections and AKI, often prompting hospitalization. This study elucidates etiology of hospitalizations, AKI, and outcomes in OKTR. METHODS: Retrospective study of 500 patients age ≥ 60, who underwent kidney transplantation from 2005-2015. Demographic, transplant, and outcomes data were collected. RESULTS: OKTR had mean age 66 years; 59% males and 50% African Americans. 62% had at least one hospitalization post-transplant. Predictors of hospitalization were DGF, DM, panel reactive antibodies (PRA), dialysis duration. Hospitalization was mostly due to infection and surgical complications. Average length of stay was 6.4 days. OKTR with at least one hospitalization had 84% higher risk for graft loss (p=0.001). 56% of older kidney transplant recipients had at least one AKI episode post-transplant. Predictors of AKI included DGF, older, African American donor, and tacrolimus variability. The most common etiologies for AKI were infection, dehydration, and GI complications. OKTR with at least one AKI episode had 2.6-fold higher risk for graft loss (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Post-transplant hospitalization and AKI in OKTR significantly impact graft survival. Addressing comorbidities and risks in the pre-transplant and outpatient setting may help alleviate burden of hospitalization and risk of AKI in OKTR and improve graft outcomes.

The role of hydrophobicity in supramolecular polymer/surfactant catalysts: An understandable model for enzymatic catalysis.

Enzymes are highly significant catalysts, essential to biological systems, and a source of inspiration for the design of artificial enzymes. Although many models have been developed describing enzymatic catalysis, a deeper understanding of these biocatalysts remains a major challenge. Herein we detail the formation, characterization, performance, and catalytic mechanisms of a series of bio-inspired supramolecular polymer/surfactant complexes acting as artificial enzymes. The supramolecular complexes were characterized and exhibited exceptional catalytic efficiency for the dephosphorylation of an activated phosphate diester, the reaction rate being highly responsive to: (a) pH, (b) surfactant concentration, and (c) the length of the hydrophobic chain of the surfactant. Under optimal conditions (at pH > 8 for the more hydrophobic systems and at pre-micellar concentrations), enzyme-like rate enhancements of up to 6.0 × 109-fold over the rate of the spontaneous hydrolysis reaction in water were verified. The catalytic performance is a consequence of synergy between the hydrophobicity of the aggregates and the catalytic functionalities of the polymer and the catalytic mechanism is modulated by the nature of the hydrophobic pockets of these catalysts, changing from a general base mechanism to a nucleophilic mechanism as the hydrophobicity increases. Taken as a whole, the present results provide fundamental insights, through an understandable model, which are highly relevant to the design of novel bioinspired enzyme surrogates with multifunctional potentialities for future practical applications.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids and COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review.

The rapid international spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a global health emergency in 2020. It has affected over 52 million people and led to over 1.29 million deaths worldwide, as of November 13th, 2020. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 present with symptoms ranging from none to severe and include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, anosmia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Severe complications are largely due to overdrive of the host immune system leading to "cytokine storm". This results in disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. Due to its highly infectious nature and concerning mortality rate, every effort has been focused on prevention and creating new medications or repurposing old treatment options to ameliorate the suffering of COVID-19 patients including the immune dysregulation. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be incorporated throughout the body into the bi-phospholipid layer of the cell membrane leading to the production of less pro-inflammatory mediators compared to other fatty acids that are more prevalent in the Western diet. In this article, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, including their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and possible antiviral effects have been discussed.

The advertisement call of Proceratophrys redacta (Anura, Odontophrynidae).

The genus Proceratophrys Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920, frogs from the family Odontophrynidae Lynch, currently contains 41 nominal species with poorly resolved phylogenetic relationships (Frost 2019; Mângia et al. 2018). Molecular data from 15 and 18 Proceratophrys species support the monophyletic hypothesis of the genus (Teixeira-Jr et al. 2012; Dias et al. 2013; respectively) but do not fully resolve the phylogenetic relationship among the species. Currently, there are advertisement call parameters provided for 31 species of Proceratophrys in the literature (Ferreira et al. 2016; Andrade et al. 2018; Mângia et al. 2018; Nascimento et al. 2019). The Proceratophrys advertisement call is composed of pulsed notes, amplitude modulation, short to medium duration calls (0.05-4 s) and only one note in almost all species (see Nascimento et al. 2019 for details). Considering the importance of bioacoustics for taxonomy (Köhler et al. 2017), further descriptions of advertisement calls for the genus could also improve our understanding of the species' relationships.

Quantification of EGFR family in canine mammary ductal carcinomas in situ: implications on the histological graduation.

The epithelial growth factor receptors are transmembrane proteins with an important role in the neoplastic progression of tumors, and in this context, DCIS is an important phase in the progression of canine mammary tumors. Studies on the molecular profile and its relationship to a progression of canine mammary tumors are important to improve the treatment of patients and for a better understanding of canine mammary carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine, by immunohistochemistry, the relation between the expression of EGFR, ErbB-2, ErbB-3, and ErbB-4 in 52 canine mammary gland DCIS with high and low histological grade. A positive correlation between histological grade and expression of membrane ErbB-2 and cytoplasmic ErbB-4 was observed. Increased ErbB-4 membrane expression was correlated with increased ErbB-3 expression in low and high-grade DCIS. Our data suggest that increased expression of ErbB-2 and ErbB-4 may be related to more aggressive DCIS and probabily involved with canine mammary neoplastic progression.

Clinical significance of neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios in bipolar patients: An 18-month prospective study.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have recently been investigated as inexpensive and reproducible markers of systemic inflammation in many diseases. However, few studies evaluate clinical and prognostic value of NLR and PLR in psychiatric patients. The objective of this study is to investigate the clinical repercussions of NLR and PLR in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). An 18-month prospective study followed up eighty euthymic BD outpatients. Baseline data included an interviewer-administered questionnaire, behavioral scales and a blood count to calculate NLR and PLR. The occurrence of mood episodes and hospitalizations was assessed monthly for 18 months. Higher NLR and PRL were associated with more anxious symptoms and poorer functioning. BD patients with Night Eating Syndrome (NES) had higher PLR and tended to higher NLR. No association with other sleep parameters was evidenced. Higher NLR and PRL were also associated with more episodes and hospitalizations after 18 months. However, only higher baseline NLR was related to more (hypo)mania episodes. NLR and PLR are important prognostic factor for BD. This study suggested the importance of a simple blood count, an inexpensive and reproducible exam, in evaluating the course of the BD. Further studies must be performed to confirm these results.

Real wave propagation in the isotropic-relaxed micromorphic model.

For the recently introduced isotropic-relaxed micromorphic generalized continuum model, we show that, under the assumption of positive-definite energy, planar harmonic waves have real velocity. We also obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for real wave velocity which is weaker than the positive definiteness of the energy. Connections to isotropic linear elasticity and micropolar elasticity are established. Notably, we show that strong ellipticity does not imply real wave velocity in micropolar elasticity, whereas it does in isotropic linear elasticity.

Chronotype and circadian rhythm in bipolar disorder: A systematic review.

Despite a complex relationship between mood, sleep and rhythm, the impact of circadian disruptions on bipolar disorder (BD) has not been clarified. The purpose of this systematic review was to define current evidence regarding chronotype and circadian rhythm patterns in BD patients. 42 studies were included, involving 3432 BD patients. Disruption of the biological rhythm was identified, even in drug-naïve BD patients and independently of mood status. Daily profiles of melatonin levels and cortisol indicated a delayed phase. Depression was more frequently associated with circadian alterations than euthymia. Few studies evaluated mania, demonstrating irregular rhythms. Evening type was more common in BD adults. Studies about the influence of chronotype on depressive symptoms showed conflicting results. Only one investigation observed the influences of chronotype in mania, revealing no significant association. Effects of psychoeducation and lithium on rhythm in BD patients were poorly studied, demonstrating no improvement of rhythm parameters. Studies about genetics are incipient. In conclusion, disruption in circadian rhythm and eveningness are common in BD. Prospective research evaluating the impact of circadian disruption on mood symptoms, metabolism, seasonality, the influence of age and the effects of mood stabilizers are needed.

Composition and diversity of anurans in the Restinga of the Conde municipality, northern coast of the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil / Composição e diversidade de anuros na Restinga do município de Conde, litoral norte do estado da Bahia, nordeste do Brasil

Abstract The Conde municipality is located in the northern coast of the state of Bahia (NC), northeastern Brazil, and is part of the Atlantic Tropical domain. The anuran fauna of the northern portion of the NC is still poorly known if compared to the southern portion. The Restinga is one of the predominant environments of the coastal plains of the NC and it is characterized essentially by presenting sandy soil covered by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. The objective of this study was to determine the anuran species composition and diversity for the Restinga of the Conde municipality. Sampling was carried out at night by active search over four periods of five consecutive days each, two over the 'main rainy season' and two in a 'lesser rainy season', using 14 sample units (SUs) and five extra sample plots (EPs). We calculated dominance and species diversity using the Berger-Parker and Shannon-Wiener H' indices, respectively. We used accumulation curves and the Jackknife 1 estimator to estimate anuran species richness, considering only the data obtained from the SUs. We recorded 713 anuran specimens distributed within 33 species, 13 genera and five families (Bufonidae, Craugastoridae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae and Microhylidae). The Hylidae and Leptodactylidae families had the highest species richness. Considering only the SUs (Jackknife 1 estimator in brackets), we recorded 28 species in the study area (33.9 ± 2.3), 13 in Shrubby Vegetation Zones - SVZ (20.8 ± 2.9) and 25 in Freshwater Wetland Zones - FWZ (28.9 ± 1.9). The abundance and species diversity of the FWZ (n = 638 specimens; H'= 2.4) were higher than those recorded for the SVZ (n = 52 specimens; H' = 1.9). The SVZ and FWZ showed distinct dominant species, wherein Pristimantis paulodutrai was the dominant species in SVZ and Scinax fuscomarginatus in FWZ. The Restinga of the Conde municipality stands out as the one with the highest anuran species richness already recorded considering only SVZ and FWZ. Moreover, its anuran species composition represented 55% of the anuran species known for the NC and included taxa common to three different morphoclimatic domains (Tropical Atlantic, Cerrado and Caatinga).

Resumo O município de Conde situa-se no litoral norte do estado da Bahia (LN), nordeste do Brasil, e está inserido no domínio Tropical Atlântico. A fauna de anuros da porção setentrional do LN ainda é pouco conhecida se comparada à porção sul. A Restinga é um dos ambientes predominantes das planícies costeiras do LN, sendo caracterizada essencialmente por apresentar solo arenoso e vegetação herbácea e arbustiva. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a composição e a diversidade de espécies de anuros da Restinga do município de Conde. A amostragem foi realizada por procura ativa noturna, durante quatro períodos de cinco dias consecutivos cada, dois na estação 'mais chuvosa' e dois em estação 'menos chuvosa', utilizando-se 14 unidades amostrais (UAs) e cinco pontos amostrais extras (PEs). Calculamos a dominância e a diversidade de espécies utilizando os índices de Berger-Parker e de Shannon-Wiener-H'. Utilizamos curvas de acumulação de espécies e o estimador Jackknife 1 para estimar a riqueza de espécies de anuros, considerando-se somente os dados obtidos nas UAs. Registramos 713 espécimes de anuros distribuídos em 33 espécies, 13 gêneros e cinco famílias (Bufonidae, Craugastoridae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae e Microhylidae). As famílias Hylidae e Leptodactylidae apresentaram as maiores riquezas de espécies. Considerando-se somente UAs (estimador Jackknife 1 entre parêntesis) foram registradas 28 espécies na área de estudo (33,9 ± 2,3), 13 nas zonas de moitas (20,8 ± 2,9) e 25 nas zonas úmidas (28,9 ± 1,9). A abundância e a diversidade de espécies para as zonas úmidas (n = 638 espécimes; H' = 2,4) foram superiores às registradas para as zonas de moitas (n = 52 espécimes; H' = 1,9). As zonas de moitas e úmidas exibiram espécies dominantes distintas, sendo Pristimantis paulodutrai a espécie dominante para as zonas de moitas e Scinax fuscomarginatus para as zonas úmidas. A Restinga do município de Conde desponta como aquela de maior riqueza de espécies de anuros já registrada considerando-se somente zonas de moitas e zonas úmidas. Além disso, sua composição de espécies de anuros representou 55% do total de espécies de anuros conhecidas para o LN e incluiu táxons comuns a três diferentes domínios morfoclimáticos (Tropical Atlântico, Cerrado e Caatinga).

Posicionamentos de homens em uma relação de coabitação / Men’s positioning in cohabiting relationship

As transformações culturais, sociais e econômicas contemporâneas se refletem nas relações conjugais, em suas representações e práticas. Conseqüentemente, grande parte das expectativas e demandas dirigidas aos parceiros nas relações conjugais também mudaram. Este estudo de casos, baseado nas teorias de González Rey e da Rede de Significações, teve como objetivo compreender o discurso de quatro homens (25-40 anos)que coabitam com suas parceiras sobre as posições que ocupam e que lhes são atribuídas na relação conjugal. A análise de conteúdo das entrevistas realizadas mostrou que todos consideraram que cabe ao homem, na relação conjugal, ser o provedor. É permitido à mulher trabalhar, mas a contribuição financeira masculina deve ser decisiva. A representação do homem como provedor continua fortemente associada à subjetividade masculina, provavelmente pelo poder que concede aos homens na relação. A coabitação significa o aprofundamento da relação, sem a solidez do casamento. É um espaço de experimentação. (AU)

Nowadays, cultural, social and economical changes are reflected in conjugal relationships, in their practices, and representations. Consequently, a significant part ofthe expectations and demands directed to the partners involved in those conjugal relations have also changed. The purpose of this case study, based on Gonzalez Rey’s and Network of Meanings theories, was to understand the discourse of four men (25-40 years old), who cohabit with their partners, about the positions they occupy and the ones assigned to them in the relationship. The content analysis of the interviews showed that the participants considered that it is the man’s role to be the provider. Women are allowed to work. However, men’s financial contribution has to be decisive. Man’s representation as the provider is still strongly related to his subjectivity, possibly because of the power granted to him by this position. As to cohabitation, it means the intensification of a relationship without the solidity of marriage. It is, initially, a time for experimentation. (AU)

Posicionamentos de homens em uma relação de coabitação / Men's positioning in cohabiting relationship

As transformações culturais, sociais e econômicas contemporâneas se refletem nas relações conjugais, em suas representações e práticas. Conseqüentemente, grande parte das expectativas e demandas dirigidas aos parceiros nas relações conjugais também mudaram. Este estudo de casos, baseado nas teorias de González Rey e da Rede de Significações, teve como objetivo compreender o discurso de quatro homens (25-40 anos) que coabitam com suas parceiras sobre as posições que ocupam e que lhes são atribuídas na relação conjugal. A análise de conteúdo das entrevistas realizadas mostrou que todos consideraram que cabe ao homem, na relação conjugal, ser o provedor. É permitido à mulher trabalhar, mas a contribuição financeira masculina deve ser decisiva. A representação do homem como provedor continua fortemente associada à subjetividade masculina, provavelmente pelo poder que concede aos homens na relação. A coabitação significa o aprofundamento da relação, sem a solidez do casamento. É um espaço de experimentação.(AU)

Nowadays, cultural, social and economical changes are reflected in conjugal relationships, in their practices, and representations. Consequently, a significant part of the expectations and demands directed to the partners involved in those conjugal relations have also changed. The purpose of this case study, based on Gonzalez Rey's and Network of Meanings theories, was to understand the discourse of four men (25-40 years old), who cohabit with their partners, about the positions they occupy and the ones assigned to them in the relationship. The content analysis of the interviews showed that the participants considered that it is the man's role to be the provider. Women are allowed to work. However, men's financial contribution has to be decisive. Man's representation as the provider is still strongly related to his subjectivity, possibly because of the power granted to him by this position. As to cohabitation, it means the intensification of a relationship without the solidity of marriage. It is, initially, a time for experimentation.(AU)

The tadpole of Scinax melanodactylus (Lourenço, Luna & Pombal Jr, 2014) (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae).

Scinax melanodactylus is a small treefrog distributed within the Tropical Atlantic morphoclimatic domain (see Ab'Sáber 1977 for South American morphoclimatic domains), from northern Espírito Santo state to Sergipe state in Brazil (Lourenço et al. 2014). The species is usually found inhabiting herbaceous and shrubby xerophytic vegetation (e.g. terrestrial tank-bromeliads) from sandy plains of beach ridges known in Brazil as Restingas (see Rocha et al. 2007 for a Restinga definition), and also the edge of forest areas with temporary ponds and/or permanent lakes and streams near these environments (Bastazini et al. 2007, as Scinax agilis; Lourenço et al. 2014). Scinax melanodactylus is currently placed in the S. catharinae species group (Lourenço et al. 2014), which in turn is included in the S. catharinae clade (sensu Faivovich et al. 2005). The S. catharinae clade is currently comprised of 46 species, 33 placed in the catharinae group and 13 in the perpusillus group (Faivovich et al. 2010, Silva & Alves-da-Silva 2011, Lourenço et al. 2014, Frost 2015). From these, 32 species have tadpoles with external morphology and oral disc formerly described. Here, we describe the external morphology, oral disc and color patterns of the previously unknown tadpole of S. melanodactylus.

The tadpole of Dendropsophus branneri (Cochran, 1948) (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae).

Dendropsophus branneri is a small treefrog largely distributed throughout the Tropical Atlantic and Caatinga morphoclimatic domains (see Ab'Sáber 1977 for morphoclimatic domains), from northeastern to southeastern Brazil [Lutz 1973, Frost 2014; see Zina et al. 2014 for taxonomic comments on D. minusculus (Rivero, 1971) and D. branneri]. This species is currently placed in the D. microcephalus species group according to Bastos & Pombal (1996) and Faivovich et al. (2005). The D. microcephalus group comprises 36 species (Frost 2014), 14 of which have known tadpoles. Here, we describe the external morphology and color patterns of the previously unknown tadpole of D. branneri.

Advertisement call of Dendropsophus studerae (Carvalho-e-Silva, Carvalho-e-Silva and Izecksohn, 2003) (Anura: Hylidae), with new record and geographic distribution extension.

The treefrog genus Dendropsophus Fitzinger comprises 95 species, with geographic distribution from northern Argentina and Uruguay north through tropical South and Central America to tropical southern Mexico (Frost 2014). Dendropsophus studerae was included in the D. microcephalus clade by Faivovich et al. (2005), which currently consists of 39 species (Frost 2014). The species that most resembles D. studerae is D. bipunctatus (Spix), as already stated in the original description of the former (Carvalho-e-Silva et al. 2003). Thus far, Dendropsophus studerae was only known from its type locality, in the municipality of Quebrangulo (09º19'08"S, 36º28'16"W), State of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. The original description of the species also included data on its eggs, tadpole (oral disc and external morphology) and some natural history information of adults and larvae, but its advertisement call remains undescribed. 

Caracterização morfológica e imuno-histoquímica de lesões em casos de aborto bovino bacteriano e viral no sul de Minas Gerais / Morphological and immunohistochemical characterization of the lesions in cases of bacterial and viral bovine abortion in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil

O presente estudo avaliou a participação de agentes bacterianos e virais em abortos em bovinos de propriedades rurais do sul de Minas Gerais. Foi realizada análise histopatológica e imuno-histoquímica dos casos de aborto recebidos pelo Setor de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Lavras no período de 1999 a 2013. De 60 fetos analisados, em 30 (50%) foram observadas lesões microscópicas. Destes, oito apresentavam lesões compatíveis com infecção por agentes bacterianos e três apresentaram lesões sugestivas de agentes virais. Dos abortos bacterianos, um feto tinha lesões compatíveis com leptospirose, caracterizadas por icterícia e colestase, nefrite intersticial linfoplasmocítica e nefrose tubular. Sete fetos apresentaram pneumonia ou broncopneumonia purulenta; num deles havia também pleurite e peritonite fibrinosas; e em dois desses fetos houve imunomarcação para Brucella abortus. Dos três fetos com lesões sugestivas de aborto viral ocorreu imunomarcação anti-Herpesvírus bovino em um. Os resultados demonstram a ocorrência de abortos de origem bacteriana e viral na Região do estudo e que medidas profiláticas devem ser adotadas nas propriedades. O trabalho demonstra também que a imuno-histoquímica (IHQ); associada à histopatologia; é uma ferramenta útil e viável para o diagnóstico, especialmente quando provas microbiológicas e/ou sorológicas não estão disponíveis.

The paper evaluates the participation of bacterial and viral agents in bovine abortions in farms of southern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis was performed in aborted fetuses of cattle received by the Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, from 1999 to 2013. From 60 fetuses studied, 30 (50%) had microscopic lesions. From these, eight had lesions consistent with bacterial agents and three had lesions suggestive of viral agents. In the bacterial abortions, one fetus presented lesions compatible with leptospirosis, characterized by jaundice, cholestasis, lymphoplasmacytic intersticial nephritis, and tubular nephrosis. Seven fetuses had purulent pneumonia or bronchopneumonia and one of them had also fibrinous pleuritis and peritonitis; two of them presented positive immunostaining for Brucella abortus. One of the three fetuses with lesions of viral infection revealed positive imunostaining for bovine herpesvirus. The results showed that abortions of bacterial and viral origin occur in the Region of this study and prophylactic measures should be adopted on the farms. This study also demonstrates that immunohistochemistry associated with histopathology is a useful and viable tool for the diagnosis, especially when microbiological and/or serological tests are not available.