New taxa of Neotropical Geophilomorpha (Chilopoda)

A new family (Macronicophilidae) is establishedflor Macronicophilus Silvestri, 1909, currently placed in Geophilidae. Seven new species of Neotropical Geophilomorpha are described: Ityphilus saucius n.sp. and I. sensibilis n.sp. (Ballophilidae), Hyphydrophilus projectus n.sp. and Ribautia onycophaena n.sp. (Geophilidae), Macronicophilus abbreviatus n.sp., M. unguiseta n.sp. and M. venezolanus n.sp. (Macronicophilidae). The hitherto unknown male of Schendylops marchantariae (PEREIRA, MINELLI & BARBIERI, 1995) is described and two species (Pectiniunguis geayi (BRÖLEMANN & RIBAUT, 1911) and ltyphilus calinus CHAMBERLIN, 1957 are redescribed from the type and new material. A key to the species of Macronicophilus is provided

Genetic factors in antiphospholipid syndrome: Preliminary experience with whole exome sequencing

As in many autoimmune diseases, the pathogenesis of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is the result of a complex interplay between predisposing genes and triggering environmental factors, leading to a loss of self-tolerance and immune-mediated tissue damage. While the first genetic studies in APS focused primarily on the human leukocytes antigen system (HLA) region, more recent data highlighted the role of other genes in APS susceptibility, including those involved in the immune response and in the hemostatic process. In order to join this intriguing debate, we analyzed the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from the whole exome sequencing (WES) of two siblings affected by APS and compared our findings with the available literature. We identified genes encoding proteins involved in the hemostatic process, the immune response, and the phospholipid metabolism (PLA2G6, HSPG2, BCL3, ZFAT, ATP2B2, CRTC3, and ADCY3) of potential interest when debating the pathogenesis of the syndrome. The study of the selected SNPs in a larger cohort of APS patients and the integration of WES results with the network-based approaches will help decipher the genetic risk factors involved in the diverse clinical features of APS

Myriapoda at "Reserva Ducke", Central Amazonia/Brazil

Myriapoda contains the four recent classes Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Pauropoda and Symphyla. In total, 159 families, 2166 genera and >15162 species are known world-wide. Twenty-nine families, >93 genera and >401 described species occur in Amazonia. One-fifth of the families presently known in the myriapods are represented in Amazonia. About 3% of all described species live, and at least 9% of the species estimated to exist world-wide in Myriapoda are assumed to live in Amazonia. From the forest reserve 'Reserva Ducke' near Manaus, 22 families, 38 genera and 73 described species are known at present. The Chilopoda represent 5 families, 9 genera, 23 species and one undescribed morphospecies, the Diplopoda 13 families, 18 described genera, 14 species and 19 undescribed morphospecies, the Pauropoda 2 families, 7 genera, 31 species, and the Sympyla 2 families, 4 genera and 5 species. All names are liste