The known millipede fauna of Ethiopia is reviewed, and its provisional checklist currently contains fewer than 40 species. A new monotypic genus of Spirostreptidae is described from an evergreen tropical forest in Oromiya State, Ethiopia: Altisternostreptusgen. nov., with A. harennasp. nov. as the type species. The new genus differs from other genera of Spirostreptidae/Perustreptinae/Perustreptini primarily by: (1) the remarkably high and narrow gonopod sternum, coupled with the combination of the body ring pleura meeting and fusing in the midline behind the second pair of legs of each ring; (2) the gonopod coxal metaplica showing both a prominent mesal (map) and a smaller lateral (lap) process apically, lap being remarkably unciform and directed apicad; (3) the gonopod telopodite very long and slender, devoid of an antetorsal process or spine, but at about 1/3 of its exposed part markedly torsate through 360° and then coiled into a complete and tight circle; (4) the post-torsal part of the telopodite very simple, subflagelliform, with no side branches apart from a small post-torsal fold (ptf) that tightly envelopes the telopodite at about its midway and distal to the twist on the caudal face; and (5) the efferent canal (= seminal groove) in the gonopod telopodite unbranched, terminating on a simple, barely bifid and only slightly sigmoid tip.

Scaly-tailed squirrels, the most poorly known group of gliding mammals, hold the record for variety of remarkable integument peculiarities. One of the most striking of these features is the scales on the tail, which apparently allow them to reduce energy costs when positioning themselves on a tree trunk. No less interesting is a peculiar spur that supports the flying membrane: the unciform element ('spur'). Despite the peculiarity of such elements, their nature has not yet been studied. Using anatomical, histological methods and scanning electron microscopy we studied the structure of the skin and its derivatives in five of the six species from both genera of extant gliding scaly-tailed squirrels (Anomaluridae, Rodentia): Idiurus macrotis, Idiurus zenkeri, Anomalurus beecrofti, Anomalurus pusillus and Anomalurus derbianus. In addition to the common mammalian skin structures, such as hair, vibrissae, sebaceous glands, meibomian glands of eyelids and eccrine sweat glands of the palmar and plantar pads, these animals have unique species-specific skin derivatives (the tail scaly organ and its specific glands, vibrissae of the withers, patagium and its hair brush) that play a significant role in their adaptation to gliding and to their environment in general. The structure of the elbow spur is also described and hypotheses on its evolutionary origin from the tendon of the triceps muscle are presented.

Nasal polyp (NP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal cavity and sinuses. Although some authors have suggested that NP is related to inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-5, IL-8, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-17, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of NP remain obscure. This study investigated the expression and distribution of IL-17 and syndecan-1 in NP, and explored the roles of these two molecules in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (Eos CRSwNP) and non-Eos CRSwNP. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of IL-17 and syndecan-1 in samples [NP, unciform process (UP) from patients with CRS, and middle turbinate (MT) from healthy controls undergoing pituitary tumor surgery]. The results showed that the expression levels of IL-17 and syndecan-1 were upregulated in both NP and UP tissues, but both factors were higher in NP tissues than in UP tissues. There was no significant difference in IL-17 levels between the Eos CRSwNP and non-Eos CRSwNP samples, and syndecan-1 levels were increased in the non-Eos CRSwNP tissues as compared with those in Eos CRSwNP tissues. In all of the groups, there was a close correlation between the expression of IL-17 and syndecan-1 in nasal mucosa epithelial cells, glandular epithelial cells, and inflammatory cells, suggesting that IL-17 and syndecan-1 may play a role, and interact with each other, in the pathogenesis of non-Eos CRSwNP.

The macroscopic characteristics, tissue, caterpillar body wall and powder of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis in different batch numbers were observed and researched by the macroscopic and microscopic identification methods. The result shows that the morphology, size, abdominal annulations of caterpillar, etc. of 0. xuefengensis are the macroscopic identification characteristics, the caterpillar body surface mycelium, body wall sculpture and crochets on abdominal legs are the microscopic identification characteristics. These characters are stable and regular discriminant features, which are proved to be the identification basis of O. xuefengensis. In addition, The characters such as crochets on abdominal legs arrange in two parallel ellipse rings, the inner crochets are long strip, and the external toes are unciform, are specific.

A list is provided for the species of Ectinorus sensu stricto from Chile. Ectinorus (Ectinorus) insignis n. sp. is described from Chile: this species is characterized by the male genitalia. In the subgenus Ectinorus, the authors report the presence in Chile of E. pilosus Beaucournu & Carmen Castro, 2002 described from Argentina and E. simonsi (Rothschild, 1904) described from Bolivia but also known from Peru. A female neallotype is designated for E. ineptus Johnson, 1957. "Unciform sclerotization" is noted and illustrated for the first time, in all Malacopsylloidea, and a list is given for all studied species.

Among the ecomorphologically diverse Octodontoidea rodents, fossorial habits are prevalent in Ctenomyidae and Octodontidae and occur in some members of Echimyidae. To detect traits linked to scratch-digging, we analyzed morpho-structural variation in the carpus and metacarpus of 27 species of extinct and living octodontoids with epigean, fossorial and subterranean habits. Within a context of relative morphological uniformity, we detected the following specialized traits in the burrowing Clyomys (Echimyidae), Spalacopus (Octodontidae), Ctenomys and †Eucelophorus (Ctenomyidae): broad shortened carpus, robust metacarpals, markedly broad and short metacarpal V, and predominance of ray III (mesaxony, incipient in Spalacopus). In addition, the specialized subterranean Ctenomys presented an enlarged scapholunar in extensive contact with the unciform, and with a complex-shaped proximal articular surface. These features are interpreted as responses to mechanical requirements of scratch-digging, providing greater carpal rigidity and resistance to direct forces exerted during the digging stroke. In Ctenomys, the radius-scapholunar joint restricts movement at wrist level. The phylogenetic distribution of traits shows that the most derived carpal and metacarpal morphologies occur among subterranean octodontoids, also possessing important craniodental adaptations, and supports the hypothesis that the acquisition of digging specializations would have been linked to increasing burrowing frequency in some lineages. Nevertheless, octodontoids with less morphological specializations have metacarpal modifications advantageous for digging, suggesting that scratch-digging specialization preceded the acquisition of tooth-digging traits, in agreement with the general claim that scratch-digging is the primary digging strategy in burrowing mammals.

We have examined and treated 14 patients suffering from recurrent bacterial sinusitis (RBS) in abnormal unciform process (UP). The duration of the disease was 1 to 3 years, mean 1.9 years. The patients had UP hypoplasia (n=7), UP perforation (n=4), defects due to endonasal surgical intervention (n=3). We made surgical remodeling of the UP by two original techniques. After follow-up for 1-1.5 years the results of the treatment in patients with recurrent bacterial maxillary ethmoiditis were satisfactory in 12 (85.7%) patients and unsatisfactory in 2 (14.3%) patients.