Climate change can disproportionately reduce habitats of stream fishes with restricted ranges in southern South America.

Freshwater fishes are among the most threatened taxa worldwide owing to changes in land use, species introductions, and climate change. Although more than half of the freshwater fishes in the Chilean Mediterranean ecoregion are considered vulnerable or endangered, still little is known about their biogeography. Fishes of the family Perciliidae are endemic of this region and ideal cases to study potential implications of global warming given their endangered conservation status, small size, restricted range, and limited dispersal capacity in fragmented habitats. Here, we model the spatial distribution of habitats for Percilia irwini and P. gillissi under current (1970-2000) and future (2050-2080) climatic scenarios (SSP245, SSP585). We implement maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models adapted for stream networks using high-resolution datasets of selected geophysical and climatic variables. At present, both species inhabit relatively low-quality habitats. In the future (SSP585), suitable habitats for P. irwini are predicted to be reduced drastically (99%) with potential local extirpations in its northern range. Similarly, up to 62% of suitable habitats for P. gillissi would also be reduced in the future. Our study provides insights about assessing future threats and vulnerability of endemic, endangered, range-restricted, and small-bodied freshwater species in this region and elsewhere.

Immunomodulation of Chiclero's ulcer. Role of eosinophils, T cells, tumour necrosis factor and interleukin-2.

The progression of cutaneous leishmaniasis is controlled largely by cell-mediated immunity. Two subpopulations of CD4+ T cells exist that control healing or immunopathology of murine and, perhaps, human leishmaniasis. To better understand the immunological pathways controlling outcome of the human disease, we analysed the pattern of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-2 (IL-2), both of which were present in the sera of humans with active or healed chiclero's ulcer, in relation to the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses and leucocyte counts in peripheral blood. Increased serum levels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha were apparent only in individuals with active lesions. All individuals with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis developed a strong DTH. The number of T cells was lower in the blood of diseased individuals and the CD4/CD8 ratio was reduced (from 1.5 to 1.0) when compared with the control group. However, diseased and recently cured individuals developed eosinophilia. We conclude that important alterations of the immune response exists in humans suffering from this normally self-healing infection.

[Transvaginal ultrasonography in 27 confirmed cases of ectopic pregnancy]. / Hallazgos a la ultrasonografía transvaginal en 27 casos comprobados de embarazo ectópico.

Twenty seven patients having Ectopic Pregnancies were studied prospectively with transvaginal sonography. Ten of them were treated surgically, thirteen with injection of methotrexate and four with expectant management. Ultrasound images were well correlated with clinics, surgical findings and pathology. We believe that the ultrasound image known as "tubal ring" is highly suggesting of early ectopic pregnancy. Since early detection is associated with conservative surgery, expectant management or treatment with methotrexate, and consequently to a better reproductive future, we consider that transvaginal sonography is a reliable method that must be added to traditional ones, in the ectopic pregnancy management.

[The significance of meconium in the intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy]. / Significado del meconio en la colestasia intrahepática del embarazo.

1. We studied 202 pregnant women who were porter of pregnancy intrahepatic cholestasis (CIE). They were attended at the High Risk Fetus Unity (FAR) at the Hospital Salvador Maternity. They were compared with a control group that was composed by 404 patients with normal pregnancy. 2. The patients with CIE presented three times more risk of having a newborn infant of preterm than the other group (p < 0.01) omitting the cesarean factor. 3. The patients with CIE but without an associated pathology, also didn't present a greater risk of having a newborn infant of below weight (< 2,500 g) neither a newborn infant with Apgar 1' > 7, at any gestational age and any way of delivery, than the control group. 4. The risk of having meconium is three times greater in the patients with CIE. This risk increases (Odds ratio = 4.87 with p < 0.01) when they present an associated pathology. 5. Analyzing separately the group of patients with CIE and meconium and comparing with the control group, we didn't find any difference between both groups in relation with the risk of below weight (< 2,500 g), Apgar 1' < 7 and strangely preterm delivery. 6. The presence of meconium in patients with CIE and without an associated pathology, disposing adequate monitoring of pregnancy and delivery, is postulate that it isn't in relation with bad new born infant prognostic.