Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base-Artinskian Stage (Lower Permian)

The base-Artinskian Stage GSSP is defined at 0.6 m above the base of bed 4b at the Dal’ny Tulkas section in the southern Urals of Russia (53.88847N and 056.51615E). This point corresponds to the First Appearance Datum of the conodont Sweetognathus asymmetricus, which is part of a well-defined and widely distributed lineage. Additional markers for correlation include a radioisotopic age interpolated between 290.1 and 290.5 Ma, a strontium isotopic ratio of .70767, and many additional fossils groups, particularly ammonoids and fusulines, but also including small foraminiferans, radiolarians, and palynomorphs. Finally, the boundary occurs within a transgressive succession, near, or at a maximum flooding surface in many sections, thereby forming a distinctive sequence stratigraphic signature in the field. The Artinskian Stage is the third stage of the Lower Permian or Cisuralian Series

Hyperlipoproteinemia(a) and Severe Coronary Artery Lesion Types

Diffuse atherosclerosis and calcification of the coronary arteries (CA) create serious difficulties for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of this study was to compare demographic indicators, lipids, and clinical results one year after CABG in patients with different phenotypes of coronary artery (CA) disease. In total, 390 patients hospitalized for elective CABG were included in a single-center prospective study. Demographic data, lipids (total, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides), and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations were analyzed for all patients. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) included myocardial infarction, stroke, percutaneous coronary intervention, and death from cardiac causes within one year after surgery. No significant outcome differences were found between the groups with diffuse vs. segmental lesions, nor the groups with and without calcinosis for all studied parameters except for Lp(a). Median Lp(a) concentrations were higher in the group of patients with diffuse compared to segmental lesions (28 vs. 16 mg/dL, p = 0.023) and in the group with calcinosis compared to the group without it (35 vs. 19 mg/dL, p = 0.046). Lp(a) ≥ 30 mg/dL was associated with the presence of diffuse lesions (OR = 2.18 (95% CI 1.34–3.54), p = 0.002), calcinosis (2.15 (1.15–4.02), p = 0.02), and its combination (4.30 (1.81–10.19), p = 0.0009), irrespective of other risk factors. The risk of MACE within one year after CABG was higher for patients with combined diffuse and calcified lesions vs. patients with a segmental lesion without calcinosis (relative risk = 2.38 (1.13–5.01), p = 0.02). Conclusion: Diffuse atherosclerosis and coronary calcinosis are associated with elevated Lp(a) levels, independent of other risk factors. The risk of MACE in the first year after surgery is significantly higher in patients with diffuse atherosclerosis and coronary calcinosis, which should be considered when prescribing postoperative treatment for such patients