ZooKeys, unlocking Earth’s incredible biodiversity and building a sustainable bridge into the public domain: From “print-based” to “web-based” taxonomy, systematics, and natural history. ZooKeys Editorial Opening Paper

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=1929.Publishing taxonomic and systematics studies in the digital era faces major challenges and requires new approaches, many of which are currently stimulating spirited discussions amongst taxonomists and systematists. New amendments to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature are expected to regulate electronic publishing of new taxa and create a standard form for their registration (ZooBank). Responding to a perceived need, this editorial announces establishment of ZooKeys – a new online and print journal in zoological taxonomy and systematics, which aims to quickly respond and adapt to the newest developments in taxonomic publishing. Open Access is accepted as mandatory for ZooKeys. Th e rationale for and concept of ZooKeys is discussed in detail

Effects and safety of rituximab in systemic sclerosis: An analysis from the European Scleroderma Trial and Research (EUSTAR) group

Objectives: To assess the effects of Rituximab (RTX) on skin and lung fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) belonging to the European Scleroderma Trial and Research (EUSTAR) cohort and using a nested case-control design. Methods: Inclusion criteria were fulfilment of American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SSc, treatment with RTX and availability of follow-up data. RTX-treated patients were matched with control patients from the EUSTAR database not treated with RTX. Matching parameters for skin/lung fibrosis were the modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS), forced vital capacity (FVC), follow-up duration, scleroderma subtype, disease duration and immunosuppressive co-treatment. The primary analysis was mRSS change from baseline to follow-up in the RTX group compared with the control group. Secondary analyses included change of FVC and safety measures. Results: 63 patients treated with RTX were included in the analysis. The case-control analysis in patients with severe diffuse SSc showed that mRSS changes were larger in the RTX group versus matched controls (N=25; -24.0±5.2% vs-7.7±4.3%; p=0.03). Moreover, in RTX-treated patients, the mean mRSS was significantly reduced at follow-up compared with baseline (26.6±1.4 vs 20.3±1.8; p=0.0001). In addition, in patients with interstitial lung disease, RTX prevented significantly the further decline of FVC compared with matched controls (N=9; 0.4±4.4% vs-7.7±3.6%; p=0.02). Safety measures showed a good profile consistent with previous studies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Conclusions: The comparison of RTX treated versus untreated matched-control SSc patients from the EUSTAR cohort demonstrated improvement of skin fibrosis and prevention of worsening lung fibrosis, supporting the therapeutic concept of B cell inhibition in SSc

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Chronic erosive seropositive arthritis in a patient with chronic hepatitis C

Joint syndrome evolution was prospectively followed up in a 49-year-old woman who had serum hepatitis in 1990. When she came to a rheumatologist for the first time in 1999 she complained of occasional joint pain. She did not have joint inflammatory changes at that time but chronic hepatitis С was revealed at the examination. Hepatitis С diagnosis was confirmed by morphological and repeated virological evaluations. During antiviral treatment the pt developed symmetrical polyarthritis involving hand joints. Elevation of cryoglobuline, rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies level was revealed. During the next year polyarthritis recurred and later acquired undulatory course with periods of exacerbation and stabilization. Attempts of treatment with sulfasalazine failed due to transaminase elevation. In 2006 ulnar deviation appeared and rheumatoid factor level remained elevated. MRI showed multiple erosions of carpal bones. Considering features of joint syndrome development joint damage in this pt was regarded as arthritis associated with chronic hepatitis C

Translation of the Original Description of Vipera obtusa Dwigubsky, 1832 (Serpentes: Viperidae: Viperinae), with Designation of a Neotype

The paper includes translation of the original description of Vipera obtusa and designation of a neotype

Coupling of VAMPERS within iLOVECLIM: experiments during the LGM and Last Deglaciation

International audienc

Traditional cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in patients with systemic sclerosis

Objective. To assess frequency of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, clinical and subclinical atherosclerosis features in patients with systemic sclerosis (SS).Material and methods. 70 pts with definite diagnosis of SS ( 66 female and 4 male with mean age 46±10,8 years) were included. Control group consisted of 50 relatively healthy volunteers without systemic rheumatic diseases and Raynaud’s phenomenon, matched on sex and age. Classic risk factors of atherosclerosis were analyzed. Total coronary risk (TCR) (10-years risk of cardiovascular catastrophes development) was assessed with Framingham scale. Carotid sonographic examination with intima-media complex thickness (IMT) measurement using a 7.5 MHz frequency linear transducer was performed in 60 SS pts and 45 volunteers with Voluson 730 Expert apparatus (Austria).Results. Frequency of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and TCR was comparable in in SS pts and control. Menopause was more frequent in SS pts (p=0,005). Coronary heart disease was more frequent SS pts (13% versus 2%, p<0,05). Mean triglyceride level in SS pts was significantly higher than in the control group (p<0,001). There was a tendency to increase of IMTmax and IMT thickening in SS compared with control group. Atherosclerotic plaques were present in 10% of SS pts and were absent in control group. IMTmean and IMTmax positively correlated with age of SS pts (p<0,001; p<0,001) and TCR (p<0,001, p=0,001). IMTmean correlated with disease duration (p<0,05) and cholesterol level (p<0,05) in SS pts.Conclusion. Frequency of clinical and subclinical atherosclerosis features in SS pts was higher than in the control group but frequency of main cardiovascular risk factors did not significantly differ. It is possible that generalized SS angiopathy predisposes to vascular atherosclerosis development in SS pts