A basal eucryptodiran turtle 'Sinemys' efremovi [-Waguia efremovi] from the Early Cretaceous of China

A reexamination of the type material (two specimens considered for a long time lost) of the poorly known turtle “Sinemys” efremovi Khosatzky, 1996 from the Early Cretaceous Tugulu Group of northwest China, allows us to present new observations, images, and taxonomic conclusions about these important specimens. We conclude that: (1) “S.” efremovi is referrable to the basal eucryptodire genus Wuguia Matzke, Maisch, Pfretzschner, Sun, and Stöhr, 2004 based on a small size (up to 150 mm in shell length), absence of the nuchal emargination, presence of additional ossifications in the suprapygal region of the carapace and similar plastral proportions with relatively long bridges (35−45% of the plastron width), and a narrow and elongated posterior lobe; (2) “S.” efremovi is a senior subjective synonym of Dracochelys wimani Maisch, Matzke, and Sun, 2003, another species recently described from the Tugulu Group. As construed here, Wuguia includes two species: W. efremovi (Khosatzky, 1996) and W. hutubeiensis Matzke, Maisch, Pfretzschner, Sun, and Stöhr, 2004. New diagnoses for these taxa are given

New data on lindholmemydid turtle Lintholmemys from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia

Reinvestigation of a fragmentary lindholmemydid turtle from a Mongolian locality Sheeregeen Gashoon (late Turonian-Santonian) suggested reassignment to Lindholmemys martinsoni Ckhikvadze, 1975. This restricts the stratigraphic range of the genus Mongolemys, to which the specimen was originally assigned. Additionally, new morphologica1 data on L. martinsoni have been gathered and are presented in this paper. The Lindholmemydidae are considered here as a paraphyletic group uniting primitive testudinoids (all of which are known from Cretaceous to Paleocene of Asia). Their shell morphology is characterized by well developed plastral buttresses, which contact costal bones (synapomorphy of testudinoids, see Gaffney & Meylan 1988) and by complete (uninterrupted) row of inframarginal scutes (primitive character)

The description and phylogenetic position of a new nanhsiungchelyid turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia

This paper describes a new nanhsiungchelyid turtle, Kharakhutulia kalandadzei gen. et sp. nov., based on two partial shells and additional shell fragments from the lower part of the Bainshire Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian–lower Turonian) of the Khara Khutul locality of Eastern Mongolia. Our phylogenetic analysis places Kharakhutulia kalandadzei as the most basal member of the Nanhsiungchelyidae and suggests new relationships within this group. Previously reported nanhsiungchelyid specimens from the Khara Khutul are reassigned to Nanhsiungchelyidae indet. and Hanbogdemyssp. indet. Thus the Khara Khutul includes at least two valid taxa of nanhsiungchelyids. Our analysis of the nanhsiungchelyid record in Asia shows that other localities have only a single representative of this clade, making Khara Khutul a unique site. The basal phylogenetic position of Kharakhutulia kalandadzei emphasizes the importance of the study of this and other Cenomanian–Turonian localities of Asia to better understand the basal diversification of the Nanhsiungchelyidae

ПРЕДИКТОРЫ ЦЕРЕБРОВАСКУЛЯРНЫХ НАРУШЕНИЙ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ ПОСЛЕ ОПЕРАЦИИ КОРОНАРНОГО ШУНТИРОВАНИЯ

Background: At present, coronary bypass graft (CABG) that was first introduced more than 45 years ago, is one of the most common types of surgeries in the world. Despite progress and improvements in myocardial revascularization techniques and methods aimed at higher safety of the intervention, postoperative cerebrovascular complications continue to be one of the most common problems.Aim: To identify predictors of perioperative stroke in patients undergoing CABG.Materials and methods: From January 2013 to December 2014, 2823 isolated CABG procedures have been done.Results: All-cause in-hospital mortality after isolated CABG was 1.2% (n = 36). Perioperative strokes were diagnosed in 32 (1.1%) of patients. For subsequent analysis, we divided all patients into two groups. Group A included 32 patients who had a stroke in their postoperative period, group B comprised 2791 patients without severe cerebrovascular disorders. There were more female patients in group A, compared to group B (13/32 [40.6%] vs. 543/2791 [19.5%], respectively (р 0.01)), more elderly patients (21 [65.6%] vs. 1251 [44.8%] (р 0,05) above 60 years of age, and 9 [28.1%] vs. 348 [12.5%] (р 0.05) above 70 years, respectively). In group B, the number of patients with atrial fibrillation was 244 (8.7%) vs. 7 (21.9%) in group A, the difference being statistically significant at р 0.01. Among those with stroke, diabetes was found in 12 (37.5%) of patients, among those who did not have a stroke, in 212 (7.6%) (p 0.01). Significant differences were found between numbers of patients with atherosclerosis of brachyocephalic arteries (17 [53.1%] in group A vs. 624 [22.4%] in group B, p 0.01) and atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries (16 [50%] vs. 715 [25.6%] (p 0.01), respectively.Conclusion: The most significant prognostic factors affecting the risk of perioperative stroke are concomitant atherosclerosis of brachyocephalic arteries, of lower limb arteries, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, as well as older age. Severe cerebrovascular events were significantly more frequent in females.Актуальность. Сегодня коронарное шунтирование, история которого насчитывает более 45 лет, одна из самых часто выполняемых операций в мире. Несмотря на развитие и совершенствование техники реваскуляризации миокарда и методик, направленных на повышение безопасности вмешательства, постоперационные цереброваскулярные осложнения продолжают оставаться одной из наиболее часто встречающихся проблем.Цель – выявление предикторов периоперационного инсульта у пациентов при аортокоронарном шунтировании (АКШ).Материал и методы. За период с января 2013 по декабрь 2014 г. было выполнено 2823 операции изолированного АКШ.Результаты. Общая госпитальная летальность при изолированном АКШ составила 1,2% (n = 36). Периоперационное острое нарушение мозгового кровообращения (ОНМК) выявлено у 32 (1,1%) пациентов. Для анализа мы разделили пациентов на 2 группы. Группу А составили 32 пациента, у которых было диагностировано ОНМК в послеоперационном периоде, группу Б – 2791 пациент без грубых цереброваскулярных нарушений. Обнаружено, что в группе А по сравнению с группой Б была больше доля пациентов женского пола – 13 из 32 (40,6%) и 543 из 2791 (19,5%) соответственно (р 0,01), больше доля пациентов пожилого возраста: 21 (65,6%) и 1251 (44,8%) (р 0,05) старше 60 лет, 9 (28,1%) и 348 (12,5%) (р 0,05) старше 70 лет соответственно. В группе Б количество пациентов с нарушением ритма по типу фибрилляции предсердий составило 244 (8,7%), в группе А – 7 (21,9%), различие достигло уровня статистической значимости (р 0,01). В группе с ОНМК сахарный диабет выявлен у 12 (37,5%) пациентов, в группе без ОНМК – у 212 (7,6%) (p 0,01). Значимые различия получены и в отношении количества пациентов с атеросклерозом брахиоцефальных артерий – 17 (53,1%) в группе А и 624 (22,4%) в группе Б (p 0,01); с атеросклерозом артерий нижних конечностей – 16 (50%) и 715 (25,6%) (p 0,01) соответственно.Заключение. Наиболее значимыми прогностическими факторами, влияющими на риск возникновения периоперационного инсульта, оказались сопутствующий атеросклероз брахиоцефальных артерий, артерий нижних конечностей, наличие у пациента фибрилляции предсердий, сахарного диабета, а также пожилой возраст. Намного чаще грубые цереброваскулярные нарушения развивались у женщин

A new, nearly complete stem turtle from the Jurassic of South America with implications for turtle evolution

Turtles have been known since the Upper Triassic (210 Myr old); however, fossils recording the first steps of turtle evolution are scarce and often fragmentary. As a consequence, one of the main questions is whether living turtles (Testudines) originated during the Late Triassic (210 Myr old) or during the Middle to Late Jurassic (ca 160 Myr old). The discovery of the new fossil turtle, Condorchelys antiqua gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle to Upper Jurassic (ca 160–146 Myr old) of South America (Patagonia, Argentina), presented here sheds new light on early turtle evolution. An updated cladistic analysis of turtles shows that C. antiqua and other fossil turtles are not crown turtles, but stem turtles. This cladistic analysis also shows that stem turtles were more diverse than previously thought, and that until the Middle to Upper Jurassic there were turtles without the modern jaw closure mechanism

Bone histology of the Middle jurassic turtle shell remains from Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England

The Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) turtle material from the Mammal Bed at Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England, has recently been tentatively referred to the Pleurosternidae, although the known synapomorphies of this clade were absent from the specimens. Here we present new evidence from shell bone histology that corroborates reports of pleurosternids at Kirtlington and further reveal that two different histomorphs (= two different taxa) are present in this locality. The first histomorph presents the distinctive histological structure of pleurosternids, which is described herein for the first time: the external cortical bone layers are differentiated into an inner zone of coarse, irregularly interwoven structural fibre bundles and an outer fine-fibred zone. The second histomorph has a more plesiomorphic structure and can only be assigned to Cryptodira indet. A morphological reassessment of the Kirtlington material fails to recognize two different taxa and shows that only sparse evidence supports the presence of pleurosternids in this locality. Shell bone histology thus appears as a powerful tool to study poorly preserved specimens and may in some case (like with pleurosternids) help resolve phylogenetic relationships. According to our results, the stratigraphic appearance of the Pleurosternidae is adjusted from the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) to the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic), which significantly reduces the ghost lineage of Paracryptodir