Breaking the Law: Is It Correct to Use the Converse Bergmann Rule in Ceroglossus chilensis? An Overview Using Geometric Morphometrics.

The converse Bergmann's rule is a pattern of body size variation observed in many ectothermic organisms that contradicts the classic Bergmann's rule and suggests that individuals inhabiting warmer climates tend to exhibit larger body sizes compared to those inhabiting colder environments. Due to the thermoregulatory nature of Bergmann's rule, its application among ectotherms might prove to be more complicated, given that these organisms obtain heat by absorbing it from their habitat. The existence of this inverse pattern therefore challenges the prevailing notion that larger body size is universally advantageous in colder climates. Ceroglossus chilensis is a native Chilean beetle that has the largest latitudinal range of any species in the genus, from 34.3° S to 47.8° S. Within Chile, it continuously inhabits regions extending from Maule to Aysen, thriving on both native and non-native forest species. Beyond their remarkable color variation, populations of C. chilensis show minimal morphological disparity, noticeable only through advanced morphological techniques (geometric morphometrics). Based on both (1) the "temperature-size rule", which suggests that body size decreases with increasing temperature, and (2) the reduced resource availability in high-latitude environments that may lead to smaller body sizes, we predict that C. chilensis populations will follow the converse Bergmann's rule. Our results show a clear converse pattern to the normal Bergmann rule, where smaller centroid sizes were found to be measured in the specimens inhabiting the southern areas of Chile. Understanding the prevalence of the converse Bergmann's rule for ectotherm animals and how often this rule is broken is of utmost importance to understand the underlying mechanisms allowing organisms to adapt to different environments and the selective pressures they face.

Geographic variation in the matching between call characteristics and tympanic sensitivity in the Weeping lizard.

Effective communication requires a match among signal characteristics, environmental conditions, and receptor tuning and decoding. The degree of matching, however, can vary, among others due to different selective pressures affecting the communication components. For evolutionary novelties, strong selective pressures are likely to act upon the signal and receptor to promote a tight match among them. We test this prediction by exploring the coupling between the acoustic signals and auditory sensitivity in Liolaemus chiliensis, the Weeping lizard, the only one of more than 285 Liolaemus species that vocalizes. Individuals emit distress calls that convey information of predation risk to conspecifics, which may respond with antipredator behaviors upon hearing calls. Specifically, we explored the match between spectral characteristics of the distress calls and the tympanic sensitivities of two populations separated by more than 700 km, for which previous data suggested variation in their distress calls. We found that populations differed in signal and receptor characteristics and that this signal variation was explained by population differences in body size. No precise match occurred between the communication components studied, and populations differed in the degree of such correspondence. We suggest that this difference in matching between populations relates to evolutionary processes affecting the Weeping lizard distress calls.

Persistence and size of seasonal populations on a consumer-resource relationship depends on the allocation strategy toward life-history functions.

The long-term ecological dynamics of a population inhabiting a seasonal environment is analyzed using a semi-discrete or impulsive system to represent the consumer-resource interaction. The resource corresponds to an incoming energy flow for consumers that is allocated to reproduction as well as to maintenance in each non-reproductive season. The energy invested in these life-history functions is used in reproductive events, determining the size of the offspring in each reproductive season. Two long-term dynamic patterns are found, resulting in either the persistence or the extinction of the population of consumers. In addition, our model indicates that only one energy allocation strategy provides an optimal combination between individual consumption and long-term population size. The current study contributes to the understanding of how the individual-level and the population-level are interrelated, exhibiting the importance of incorporating phenotypic traits in population dynamics.

Carcinoma pavimentoso primario del endometrio: una entidad de muy difícil diagnóstico / Primary endometrial squamous cell carcinoma: an entity of very difficult diagnosis

Se presenta un caso de mujer postmenopáusica, goajira, sin criterios de riesgo para adenocarcinoma del endometrio, que mediante el legrado uterino por aspiración de piometra se diagnosticó un carcinoma pavimentoso primitivo epitelial del endometrio (CPPEE), por llenar algunos criterios: no invasión al cuello, ni extensión de uno cervical al endometrio, ni la presencia de queratinización de la superficie endometrial y/o puentes intercelulares. No hubo evidencia de presencia de virus de papiloma humano (VPH). Después de la histerectomía se encontró que sí existía un tumor endometrial grado III, estadio IB. compuesto por elementos glandulares y tejido escamoso en ciertas áreas. Tampoco existían criterios para un diagnóstico de ictiosis uterina, infiltrante, sin componente velloso, Hubo confusión en el diagnóstico inicial. La rareza del CPPEE, menos de 100 casos reportados en el mundo, condujo al análisis con varios patólogos. Se concluye que para obtener el diagnóstico correcto, deben llenarse los criterios de Flumman y de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, excluir infección del tracto genital por VPH, los estudios de inmunohistoquímica deben ser positivos para queratinas y carecer de receptores para estrógenos y progesterona. El legrado o la biopsia no son confiables para el diagnóstico. Además de la evaluación histológica y del estadio clínico, el estudio de toda la pieza quirúrgica es fundamental para emitir pronóstico(AU)

A goajira menopausal woman, with no risk criteria for endometrial adenocarcinoma, was diagnosed through uterine curettage by aspiration of pyometra as primary squamous carcinoma of the endometrium (CPPEE) to meet following criteria: no invasion of the cervix, no extension of the cervical to the endometrium, absence of keratinization of the endometrial surface and intercellular bridges. There was no evidence of human papillomavirus. After the hysterectomy, there was an endometrial tumor composed of glandular elements and squamous tissue in areas, without filling the elements for diagnosis of ichthyosis uteri, infiltrating, without vellous component, grade III and stage IB. There was confusion in the initial diagnosis. The rarity of the CPPEE, less than 100 cases in the world, led to the analysis with several pathologists. It is concluded that in order to obtain the correct diagnosis, it must meet the criteria of Flumman and WHO, exclude infection of the genital tract by HPV, immunohistochemical studies must be positive for keratins and lack estrogen and progesterone receptors. The curettage or the biopsy are not reliable and the study of the whole surgical part is fundamental. In order to establish a prognosis, an accurate diagnosis must be made(AU)

The acoustic adaptation hypothesis in a widely distributed South American frog: Southernmost signals propagate better.

Animal communication occurs in environments that affect the properties of signals as they propagate from senders to receivers. We studied the geographic variation of the advertisement calls of male Pleurodema thaul individuals from eight localities in Chile. Furthermore, by means of signal propagation experiments, we tested the hypothesis that local calls are better transmitted and less degraded than foreign calls (i.e. acoustic adaptation hypothesis). Overall, the advertisement calls varied greatly along the distribution of P. thaul in Chile, and it was possible to discriminate localities grouped into northern, central and southern stocks. Propagation distance affected signal amplitude and spectral degradation in all localities, but temporal degradation was only affected by propagation distance in one out of seven localities. Call origin affected signal amplitude in five out of seven localities and affected spectral and temporal degradation in six out of seven localities. In addition, in northern localities, local calls degraded more than foreign calls, and in southern localities the opposite was observed. The lack of a strict optimal relationship between signal characteristics and environment indicates partial concordance with the acoustic adaptation hypothesis. Inter-population differences in selectivity for call patterns may compensate for such environmental constraints on acoustic communication.

Individual and sex distinctiveness in bark calls of domestic chinchillas elicited in a distress context.

Animals obtain information about their social environment by means of communication signals, which provide relevant subtle cues for individual recognition. An important requisite for this process is the existence of larger between- than within-emitter signal variation. Acoustic signals are complex traits susceptible of variation in their spectral and temporal components, implying that signal distinctiveness can result from differences in single or various acoustic components. In this study, domestic chinchillas were induced to vocalize in a distress context to describe the acoustic characteristics of the bark calls, and to determine features that denote the potential value of this vocalization for individual and/or sexual recognition. The results demonstrate that the variation in spectral and temporal components of the bark calls of chinchillas elicited under a distress context is larger between than within individuals, suggesting the potential of these signals for distinctiveness between individual signalers, although the potential of this call type for sex distinctiveness is quite limited. These results combined with previous studies on auditory capabilities of chinchillas contribute to position this rodent as a valuable model species for studying auditory-vocal interactions.

Lack of phonotactic preferences of female frogs and its consequences for signal evolution.

Sexual selection is one of the main evolutionary forces that drive signal evolution. In previous studies, we have found out that males of Pleurodema thaul, a frog with an extensive latitudinal distribution in Chile, emits advertisement calls that show remarkable variation among populations. In addition, this variation is related to intense inter-male acoustic competition (intra-sexual selection) occurring within each population. However, the extent to which female preferences contribute to the signal divergence observed is unclear. To study the responsiveness of females in each population, we stimulated females with synthetic calls designed with the acoustic structure of their own population and subsequently responsive females were subjected to a two-choice experiment, where they were stimulated with synthetic calls of their own population versus a call of a foreign population. Females do not show phonotactic preferences for calls of their own or foreign populations as measured with both linear and circular variables. The lack of phonotactic preferences suggests an absence of participation of inter-sexual selection processes in the divergence of the acoustic signals of P. thaul, highlighting the importance of intra-sexual selection for the evolution of these signals. These results concur with studies in other vertebrates emphasizing the relevance of interactions among males for the evolution of acoustic communication systems.

Útero unicorne

Objetivos: Reportar 7 pacientes entre 20-31 años que acudieron a las consultas de ginecología del Hospital Chiquinquirá de Maracaibo y Policlínca Maracaibo en un período de 21 años a quienes se les diagnosticó útero unicorne en una época donde los métodos diagnósticos morfológicos adecuados apenas se iniciaban. Métodos: Análisis retrospectivo de historias clínicas, métodos diagnósticos: ecografía, histerosalpingografía, urografía por eliminación y laparoscopia. Resultados: La mayoría consultó por deseos de embarazo, pérdida recurrente de la gestación, dolor pélvico y trastornos menstruales. Sospecha diagnóstica con ecografía se logró en 2 casos y la histerosalpingografía fue básica para el diagnóstico; pero la laparoscopia hizo el diagnóstico definitivo de la presencia de cuernos rudimentarios en 2 de las 7 pacientes en las que se realizó. Dos de 4 mujeres que deseaban embarazo lo lograron al corregir la anovulación o los defectos luteales, con partos a término normales. Conclusión: Para obtener el diagnóstico exacto y clasificar el tipo de malformación en casos de útero unicorne, es necesario la utilización de todos los métodos para diagnósticos morfológicos incluyendo la laparoscopia, para observar la presencia de un útero rudimentario funcionante comunicante o no, porque dan sintomatología dolorosa y ser asiento de embarazos ectópicos. La ecografía y urografía por eliminación son métodos eficaces para diagnosticar malformaciones o agenesia renal. Recomendamos ampliar la clasificación FIGO 1988 del útero unicorne por la aparición de variedades anatómicas no incluidas en ella.

Objectives: To report 7 patients attending gynecology consultations at the Hospital Chiquinquira in Maracaibo and Policlínca Maracaibo over a period of 21 years who were diagnosed unicorn uterus at a time when adequate diagnostic morphological methods just began. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records, diagnostic tests: Ultrasound, hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy and urography. Results: Most consulted for desires pregnancy, recurrent pregnancy loss, pelvic pain and menstrual disorders. Ultrasound diagnostic suspicion was achieved in 2 cases and hysterosalpingography was central to the diagnosis; but laparoscopy made the definitive diagnosis of the presence of rudimentary horns in 2 of the 7 patients in which it was performed. Two of 4 women wishing pregnancies they succeeded after correcting anovulation or luteal defects, with normal term deliveries. Conclusions: For accurate diagnosis and classify the type of malformation cases of unicorn uterus, there are use all methods including morphological diagnostic. Laparoscopy is necessary to observe the presence of communicating functioning rudimentary uterus or not communicating, because they give painfully symptoms and ectopic pregnancies. Ultrasonography and urography are effective to diagnostic methofs for renal malformations of agenesis. We recommend expanding the FIGO classification (1988) of the unicorn uterus by the appearance of anatomical varieties not included in it.

Geographic variation in acoustic communication in anurans and its neuroethological implications.

Geographic variation of traits may represent the first step for evolutionary divergence potentially leading to speciation. Signals are behavioral traits of particular interest for the study of variation at a geographic scale. The anuran acoustic communication system represents an excellent model for studies of this kind, because their vocalizations play a main role in reproduction and the extant variation in this system may determine the evolution of this group. This review is committed to studies on geographic variation of acoustic communication systems in anurans, focusing on temporal and spectral characteristics of signals, environmental constraints affecting them and sound producing and receiving organs. In addition to the review of the literature on these topics, I highlight the deficit of investigation in some areas and propose alternative directions to overcome these drawbacks. Further, I propose the four-eyed frog, Pleurodema thaul, as an excellent model system to study geographic variation using a wide spectrum of approaches.

Diverticulitis perforada en seis mujeres posmenopáusicas / Perforated diverticulitis six postmenopausal women

Objetivo: Comunicar la perforación diverticular del colon ocurrida en 6 mujeres menopáusicas en una consulta privada de ginecología durante el período de 1980 a 2005 en la Policlínica Maracaibo, Maracaibo. Venezuela. Casos clínicos. Seis mujeres posmenopáusicas con antecedentes de cirugía previa abdominal que acudieron por dolor pélvico, secreción vaginal y signos inflamatorios a quienes se les realizó el diagnóstico de enfermedad diverticular del colon perforada. No hubo obstrucción o hemorragias, pero sí la formación de abscesos y fistulas. Resultados: De las 6 pacientes, 5 que recibieron tratamiento médico, quirúrgico o combinados, evolucionaron satisfactoriamente. En una se desconoce el curso de la enfermedad. Conclusión: La enfermedad diverticular del colon, sintomática o asintomática (diverticulosis) y sus formas de complicaciones (diverticulitis, hemorragia, absceso, perforación, plastrón) son frecuentes en la mujer que envejece y no parece existir relación con el déficit estrogénico que acompaña a la menopáusica, del momento de su aparición o del uso de terapia de reemplazo hormonal; sin embargo, en esta serie todas tenían antecedentes de cirugía previa y adherencias que pudieran haber facilitado la perforación intestinal. El diagnóstico a menudo es clínico, radiológico o endoscópico. El tratamiento inicial es medicamentoso pero a menudo puede llegar a ser quirúrgico, realizándose colectomía parcial en su mayoría.

Objective: To report the diverticular perforation of the colon in 6 menopausal women in a private gynecology clinic for a period of 1980 to 2005 in the Policlinica Maracaibo, Maracaibo. Venezuela. Clinical cases. Six postmenopausal women with a history of prior abdominal surgery who have had pelvic pain, vaginal discharge and signs of abdomino-pelvic inflammation who underwent diagnosis of perforated diverticular disease of the colon. There was no obstruction or bleeding, but the formation of abscesses and fistulas . Results: Of the 6 patients, 5 were receiving medical, surgical or combined treatment evolved satisfactorily. In a patient the course of the disease is unknown. Conclusion: Diverticular disease of the colon in asintomatic or sintomatic forms (diverticulosis) and it´s complications (diverticulitis, bleeding, abscess, perforation and plastron) are common in aging women and no relationships with estrogen deficiency accompanying menopause, the time of onset or the use of hormone replacement therapy, but in this series all had previous surgery and adhesions that may have facilitated the intestinal perforation. The diagnosis is often clinical, radiological and endoscopic. The initial treatment is medical, but often should be surgical: partial colectomy performed mostly.

Divergence of acoustic signals in a widely distributed frog: relevance of inter-male interactions.

Divergence of acoustic signals in a geographic scale results from diverse evolutionary forces acting in parallel and affecting directly inter-male vocal interactions among disjunct populations. Pleurodema thaul is a frog having an extensive latitudinal distribution in Chile along which males' advertisement calls exhibit an important variation. Using the playback paradigm we studied the evoked vocal responses of males of three populations of P. thaul in Chile, from northern, central and southern distribution. In each population, males were stimulated with standard synthetic calls having the acoustic structure of local and foreign populations. Males of both northern and central populations displayed strong vocal responses when were confronted with the synthetic call of their own populations, giving weaker responses to the call of the southern population. The southern population gave stronger responses to calls of the northern population than to the local call. Furthermore, males in all populations were stimulated with synthetic calls for which the dominant frequency, pulse rate and modulation depth were varied parametrically. Individuals from the northern and central populations gave lower responses to a synthetic call devoid of amplitude modulation relative to stimuli containing modulation depths between 30-100%, whereas the southern population responded similarly to all stimuli in this series. Geographic variation in the evoked vocal responses of males of P. thaul underlines the importance of inter-male interactions in driving the divergence of the acoustic traits and contributes evidence for a role of intra-sexual selection in the evolution of the sound communication system of this anuran.

Estudio comparativo entre las características citológicas de los epitelios nasal, faríngeo y vaginal en mujeres adultas jóvenes / Comparative study of cytological characteristics of the nasal, pharygeal and vaginal epithelium in young adult women

Determinar y comparar las características citológicas de los epitelios nasal, faríngeo y vaginal en mujeres adultas jóvenes. Estudio prospectivo y transversal de 35 mujeres no embarazadas, entre 18 y 35 años de edad, durante el período comprendido entre el 01 de enero al 01 de julio de 2004; que ingirieron o no anticonceptivos orales y a quienes se les estudiaron las citologías de los epitelios vaginal, faríngeo y nasal, según el porcentaje de índice de maduración de células exfoliadas y la cuantificación sérica de estrógeno y progesterona. En el Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología Hospital Chiquinquirá de Maracaibo, Estado Zulia. Se determinó que no existe diferencia significativa entre la celularidad de los epitelios estudiados. Se estableció que existe buena correlación entre las células superficiales e intermedias de los frotis de vagina, faringe y nariz durante las fases del ciclo menstrual, en todas las mujeres, aun en las que recibieron píldoras anticonceptivas. Los niveles de estrógenos y progesterona tuvieron concordancia con las fases del ciclo, con el porcentaje y tipo de células exfoliadas. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que los epitelios nasales y faríngeos responden al influjo de hormonas ováricas similarmente como ocurre en la vagina y que estos métodos pueden ser aplicados en condiciones de difícil acceso a laboratorios hormonales o en pacientes vírgenes o con atresia/agenesia vaginal y niñas

To determine and compare the cytological characteristics of nasal, pharyngeal and vaginal epitheliums in young adult women. A prospective and transversal study of 35 non pregnant women of 18 to 35 years old during the period January 1, 2004 - November 2004; some on contraceptives pills, were studied by analysis of smear of nasal, pharyngeal and vaginal trough maturation index of exfoliated cells and serum level of estrogen and progesterone. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Chiquinquira, Maracaibo, Estado Zulia. Venezuela. It was established that exists a good correlation between the superficial and intermediate cells in the different phases of the menstrual cycle and those who received oral contraceptives and the group that did not. Is established that there are correlation between the cells when compared vaginal-pharynx and vaginal-nose, in both groups. The serum levels of estrogen and progesterone were accorded to the cycle phases and with the percentage of cells in both, medicated and non medicated patients. Ours results demonstrate that the nasal and pharyngeal epitheliums respond to ovarian hormones, similar to what occurs in the vagina. It is recommended to use this method in those patients where it is need to investigate the endocrine status and where it is difficult to reach the vagina: nubile girls, vaginal agenesis, imperforate hymen; or where there is not a endocrine laboratory near

Correspondence between evoked vocal responses and auditory thresholds in Pleurodema thaul (Amphibia; Leptodactylidae).

Thresholds for evoked vocal responses and thresholds of multiunit midbrain auditory responses to pure tones and synthetic calls were investigated in males of Pleurodema thaul, as behavioral thresholds well above auditory sensitivity have been reported for other anurans. Thresholds for evoked vocal responses to synthetic advertisement calls played back at increasing intensity averaged 43 dB RMS SPL (range 31-52 dB RMS SPL), measured at the subjects' position. Number of pulses increased with stimulus intensities, reaching a plateau at about 18-39 dB above threshold and decreased at higher intensities. Latency to call followed inverse trends relative to number of pulses. Neural audiograms yielded an average best threshold in the high frequency range of 46.6 dB RMS SPL (range 41-51 dB RMS SPL) and a center frequency of 1.9 kHz (range 1.7-2.6 kHz). Auditory thresholds for a synthetic call having a carrier frequency of 2.1 kHz averaged 44 dB RMS SPL (range 39-47 dB RMS SPL). The similarity between thresholds for advertisement calling and auditory thresholds for the advertisement call indicates that male P. thaul use the full extent of their auditory sensitivity in acoustic interactions, likely an evolutionary adaptation allowing chorusing activity in low-density aggregations.

Determinación de prolactina y tirotrofina en una grupo heterógeno de pacientes / Prolactine and athyrotrophine determinations in a heterogenic group of patients

Conocer las consecuencias de prolactina y tirotrofina en el suero y líquido cefalorraquídeo en un grupo heterogéneo de pacientes. Cincuenta y un pacientes de ambos sexos, diferentes edades, sin patología endocrina aparente fueron sometidos a punción lumbar por patología existente. Diecisiete hombres, 17 mujeres no embarazadas y 17 embarazadas a término. Para las determinaciones hormonales se utilizó el método de electroquimioluminescencia, procesadas en un Analizador tipo Elecys 1010/2010. Los resultados fueron analizados estadísticamente mediante ANOVA y coeficientes de correlación(r). Departamento de Reproducción Humana del Hospital Chiquinquirá de Maracaibo y de Medicina Nuclear del Hospital Clínico Maracaibo. Se demostró la presencia d prolactina y tirotrofina en líquido cefalorraquídeo en todos los pacientes. Hubo correlación entre los valores de tirotrofina y prolactina en líquido cefalorraquídeo en hombres (r)= 0,63 y en mujeres embarazadas (r)= 0,95. También hubon correlación entre las concentraciones de prolactina y tirotrofina en líquido cefalorraquídeo en mujeres embarazadas. Existen muy bajas concentraciones y prolactina y tirotrofina en líquido cefalorraquídeo en todos los pacientes estudiados. Las concentraciones más altas de prolactina se obtuvieron en mujeres embarazadas, tanto en el suero como en el líquido cefalorraquídeo. En este grupo las concentraciones de ambas hosmonas no fueron equivalentes a las suministradas al laboratorio. Para cada hormona, hubo correlación entre sus valores en plasma y en cefalorraquídeo, lo que sugiere un mecanismo de trasudación