A new species of Svistella Gorochov, 1987 from Xizang, China (Orthoptera, Trigonidiidae, Trigonidiinae).

The genus Svistella Gorochov, 1987 includes 10 species from Asia, with nine documented in China. In this study, a new species, Svistellayayun He, sp. nov., is described from Xizang, China. Morphologically, it resembles S.rufonotata (Chopard, 1932) but can be distinguished by a smaller inner tympanum, dark-brown setae on the 5th segment of the maxillary palp, and a rounded apex on the ectoparamere. To validate our morphological inferences and support the description of S.yayunsp. nov. as a new species, we performed a PCA based on bioacoustics parameters and molecular analysis. All Svistella species documented in China are distinguished by integrating their songs and DNA barcoding.

Are the recently described fossil Mole Crickets of Myanmar amber real gryllotalpids? (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae & Gryllidae).

We report five new Myanmar amber specimens attributable to "Mole Cricket" †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb., hitherto regarded as a Mole Cricket (Orthoptera: Grylloptalpidae). The new material includes two adult males, two adult females, and one nymph. The specimens are redescribed, and additional new characters are provided for their delimitation and corresponding species identification. We carry out a comparison between these new specimens with other taxa of mole crickets from Myanmar amber and extant true crickets. The result indicates that some species merely represent different nymphal development stages or adults of †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb., however, they were misidentified as different species. We also treated genera †Tresdigitus n. syn. and †Chunxiania n. syn. as synonyms of genus †Pherodactylus Poinar, Su & Brown, 2020, and treat †Tresdigitus gracilis Jiang, Xu, Jarzembowski & Xiao, 2022 n. syn. and †Chunxiania fania n. syn. as synonyms of †Pherodactylus rectanguli n. comb. †Burmagryllotalpa longa is valid, because its shape of the pronotum curved without lateral carinae. The morphological convergences and specializations of subterranean dwelling species are discussed. The robust fore tibia and long apical spurs of †P. micromorphus, †P. rectanguli n. comb. and †B. longa are insufficient evidence for an assignment to the family Gryllotalpidae. Instead, we suggest place them into the subfamily Gryllinae (Gryllidae), tribe Sclerogryllini, and group them into their own subtribe Pherodactylina n. subtr.. A key to the identification of recent and fossil Sclerogryllini is also provided. Their taxonomy and morphology are discussed.

A new species of whip spider, Sarax sinensis sp. nov., from Fujian, China (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae).

To date, only two whip spider species have been recorded in China. We describe a new species, Sarax sinensis sp. nov., from Fujian, China. This species is morphologically similar to S. ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959), S. israelensis (Miranda et al., 2016), and S. seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898), but can be distinguished by the combination of the following characters: 35 segments in leg I tarsus, eight teeth on cheliceral claw, and four dorsal and ventral spines respectively on pedipalp femur. To examine the evolutionary history of S. sinensis sp. nov., we sequenced 12S, 16S, and COI gene regions of our specimens and inferred its phylogenetic position. The inferred phylogenetic trees placed the new species within Sarax, with its closest relative being distributed across the western Asia. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov., a new species of Tiger Gecko from Guangdong, China (Squamata: Eublepharidae).

A new species of Tiger Gecko in the genus Goniurosaurus is described from Guangdong, China. This new species, Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov. is the fifth species of Goniurosaurus found in karst topography of Guangdong. It is distinguished morphologically from congeners in this region by the combination of thirteen precloacal pores in male; dorsal ground color of head, body, and limbs in adults yellow; and iris orange. To validate our morphological inferences and support the description of Goniurosaurus wangshu sp. nov. as a new species, we sequenced 16S, CMOS, cytb, and RAG1 gene regions and performed molecular phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic analysis places the new species within the G. yingdeensis group and highlights the evolutionary distinction between this new species and other described congeners.

A new species of whip spider, Weygoldtia hainanensis sp. nov., from Hainan, China (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae).

To date, only one species of whip spider has been recorded in China. Here, we describe a new species, Weygoldtia hainanensis sp. nov., from Hainan, China. The new species is morphologically similar to W. davidovi (Fage, 1946) and W. consonensis Miranda et al. 2021, but can be distinguished with a combination of the following characters: 26 segments in tibia I, 6-7 teeth on chelicerae, distitibia IV trichobothria sc and sf series each with 10-11 trichobothria. To validate our morphological inferences and support the erection of W. hainanensis sp. nov. as a new species, we sequenced the COI gene region for two individuals and performed molecular phylogenetic analyses. The inferred phylogenetic trees placed the new species within Weygoldtia and highlighted the evolutionary distinction between W. hainanensis sp. nov. and currently described whip spiders. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

[Application of Gemstone Spectrum Imaging for anterior spinal artery in patients with cervical spinal injury].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the value of Gemstone Spectrum Imaging (GSI) CT anterior spinal artery angiography in the patients with cervical spinal cord injury, and to evaluate the correlation between the change of the blood flow of the anterior spinal artery and the postoperative recovery of nerve function. METHODS: From January 2014 to June 2016, thirty patients who underwent cervical open door laminoplasty for spinal cord injury were retrospective analyzed and included 21 males and 9 females with an average age of (46.4±9.7) years old ranging from 33 to 59 years. Within 2 weeks after injury, open door laminoplasty was performed through cervical posterior approach. Among them, there were 8 cases of 3 segments of open door decompression, 18 cases of 4 segments, 4 cases of 5 segments. GSI CT were performed at 3 days before operation and 5 days after operation. The anterior spinal artery was reconstructed and evaluated the improvement of blood flow after operation. The cervical JOA score was calculated at 1 day before operation, 5 days after operation and 1, 6 and 12 months after operation, and the JOA score improvement rate of the corresponding follow-up points was calculated. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 12 to 30 months with an average of (17.4±7.6) months. The iodine content ratio (ASA/VA) of the anterior spinal artery before and after operation was 0.75±0.20 and 0.89±0.02 respectively, the postoperative improvement was significantly higher than that before operation(P<0.01). The average ASA/VA improvement rate was(21.05±12.45)% after operation. There was a positive linear correlation between the improvement of blood flow and the improvement of JOA score at 1, 6 and 12 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS: GSI CT anterior spinal artery angiography is safe and feasible, the imaging is satisfactory, it can quantitatively evaluated the blood flow of the anterior spinal artery. There was a positive linear correlation between the improvement of blood flow in anterior spinal artery and the recovery of neurological function. Early postoperative improvement of blood flow in the anterior spinal artery can be used as a reference index for predicting the recovery of neurological function in patients.

Polarized Distribution of Active Myosin II Regulates Directional Migration of Cultured Olfactory Ensheathing Cells.

Migration of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) is critical for development of olfactory system and essential for neural regeneration after OEC transplantation into nerve injury site. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of directional migration of OECs remain unclear. In this study, we found that in migrating OECs, phosphorylated myosin light chain (p-MLC, active myosin II) displayed a polarized distribution, with the leading front exhibiting higher than soma and trailing process. Over-expression of GFP-MLC significantly reduced OEC migration. Moreover, decreasing this front-to-rear difference of myosin II activity by the frontal application of a ML-7 (myosin II inhibitors) gradient induced the collapse of leading front and reversed soma translocation of OECs, whereas, increasing this front-to-rear difference of myosin II activity by the rear application of a ML-7 or BDM gradient or the frontal application of a Caly (myosin II activator) gradient accelerated the soma translocation of OECs. Finally, myosin II as a downstream signaling of repulsive factor Slit-2 mediated the reversal of soma translocation induced by Slit-2. Taken together, these results suggest that the polarized distribution of active myosin II regulates the directional migration of OECs during spontaneous migration or upon to extracellular stimulation such as Slit-2.