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PloS One 2023Cirrhigaleus comprises a small genus of rare barbel-bearing dogfish sharks with distributions in limited regions of all oceans. Generic validity and taxonomic status of...
Untangling the systematic dilemma behind the roughskin spurdog Cirrhigaleus asper (Merrett, 1973) (Chondrichthyes: Squaliformes), with phylogeny of Squalidae and a key to Cirrhigaleus species.
Cirrhigaleus comprises a small genus of rare barbel-bearing dogfish sharks with distributions in limited regions of all oceans. Generic validity and taxonomic status of some species are upon controversies by morphological and molecular evidence that often suggest reallocation of Cirrhigaleus species into the genus Squalus. Particularly, the roughskin spurdog C. asper exhibits intermediary morphological characteristics within Squalidae that requires clarification. In the present study, a phylogenetic approach was undertaken to test the correct generic placement of C. asper using novel and revised morphological characters. We performed maximum parsimony analysis of 51 morphological characters of the internal (e.g., neurocranium, clasper cartilages, pectoral and pelvic girdles) and external anatomy applied to 13 terminal taxa. Cirrhigaleus represents a valid genus and it is supported by eight synapomorphies: high number of monospondylous vertebrae; medial nasal lobe supported by fleshy core and innervated by the buccopharyngeal branch of the facial nerve; neurocranium with greatest width across nasal capsules; one facet and one condyle in the puboischiadic bar for articulating with the basipterygium; two intermediate segments between the basipterygium of the pelvic fin and the axial cartilage of the claspers; five terminal clasper cartilages; and posterior medial process of the puboischiadic bar absent. Cirrhigaleus asper is sister-species to a small clade comprising C. barbifer and C. australis which is supported by one synapomorphy, presence of conspicuous cusplets in the dermal denticles. Cirrhigaleus barbifer, C. asper and C. australis are redescribed herein and the neotype of C. barbifer is designated. A key to Cirrhigaleus species is also given and the inner relationships within Squalus is tentatively discussed.
Topics: Animals; Dogfish; Phylogeny; Sharks; Squalus; Fishes; Blood Group Antigens; Drugs, Generic
PubMed: 36877721
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282597 -
PloS One 2016Bone abnormalities are common in theropod dinosaur skeletons, but before now no specimen was known with more than four afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and/or...
Bone abnormalities are common in theropod dinosaur skeletons, but before now no specimen was known with more than four afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and/or forelimb. Here we describe the pathology of a specimen of the theropod dinosaur Dilophosaurus wetherilli with eight afflicted bones of the pectoral girdle and forelimb. On its left side the animal has a fractured scapula and radius and large fibriscesses in the ulna and the proximal thumb phalanx. On its right side the animal has abnormal torsion of the humeral shaft, bony tumors on the radius, a truncated distal articular surface of metacarpal III, and angular deformities of the first phalanx of the third finger. Healing and remodeling indicates that the animal survived for months and possibly years after its ailments began, but its right third finger was permanently deformed and lacked the capability of flexion. The deformities of the humerus and the right third finger may be due to developmental osteodysplasia, a condition known in extant birds but unreported in non-avian dinosaurs before now.
Topics: Animals; Bone Diseases; Dinosaurs; Forelimb
PubMed: 26909701
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149140 -
ELife Nov 2019The number of precaudal vertebrae in all extant crocodylians is remarkably conservative, with nine cervicals, 15 dorsals and two sacrals, a pattern present also in their...
The number of precaudal vertebrae in all extant crocodylians is remarkably conservative, with nine cervicals, 15 dorsals and two sacrals, a pattern present also in their closest extinct relatives. The consistent vertebral count indicates a tight control of axial patterning by genes during development. Here we report on a deviation from this pattern based on an associated skeleton of the giant caimanine , a member of crown Crocodylia, and several other specimens from the Neogene of the northern neotropics. is the first crown-crocodylian to have three sacrals, two true sacral vertebrae and one non-pathological and functional dorsosacral, to articulate with the ilium (pelvis). The giant body size of this caiman relates to locomotory and postural changes. The iliosacral configuration, a more vertically oriented pectoral girdle, and low torsion of the femoral head relative to the condyles are hypothesized specializations for more upright limb orientation or weight support.
Topics: Alligators and Crocodiles; Animals; Bone and Bones; Extinction, Biological; Paleontology; Phylogeny
PubMed: 31843051
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.49972 -
PeerJ 2020Cryptoclidids are a major clade of plesiosauromorph plesiosaurians best known from the Middle-Late Jurassic, but little is known regarding their turnover into the Early...
A new plesiosaurian from the Jurassic-Cretaceous transitional interval of the Slottsmøya Member (Volgian), with insights into the cranial anatomy of cryptoclidids using computed tomography.
Cryptoclidids are a major clade of plesiosauromorph plesiosaurians best known from the Middle-Late Jurassic, but little is known regarding their turnover into the Early Cretaceous. Of the known cryptoclidid genera, most preserve only a limited amount of cranial material and of these , displays the most complete, but compressed cranium. Thus, the lack of knowledge of the cranial anatomy of this group may hinder the understanding of phylogenetic interrelationships, which are currently predominantly based on postcranial data. Here we present a nearly complete adult cryptoclidid specimen (PMO 224.248) representing a new genus and species gen et sp. nov., from the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous part of the Slottsmøya Member, of central Spitsbergen. The holotype material preserves a complete cranium, partial mandible, complete and articulated cervical, pectoral and anterior to middle dorsal series, along with the pectoral girdle and anterior humeri. High resolution microcomputed tomography reveals new data on the cranial anatomy of this cryptoclidid, including new internal features of the braincase and palate that are observed in other cryptoclidids. A phylogenetic analysis incorporating new characters reveals a novel tree topology for Cryptoclididae and particularly within the subfamily Colymbosaurinae. These results show that at least two cryptoclidid lineages were present in the Boreal Region during the latest Jurassic at middle to high latitudes.
PubMed: 32266112
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8652 -
Kardiochirurgia I Torakochirurgia... Sep 2014Superior sulcus tumors are a unique form of lung cancer. Preoperative concurrent radio- and chemotherapy improves the results of treating these lung tumors.
INTRODUCTION
Superior sulcus tumors are a unique form of lung cancer. Preoperative concurrent radio- and chemotherapy improves the results of treating these lung tumors.
AIM
The study aimed to assess the early results of a trimodality treatment for superior sulcus tumors.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Fifty-six superior sulcus tumors patients were operated on between 2006 and 2013. Data from 25 patients undergoing preoperative chemoradiotherapy were analyzed. Fifteen men and 10 women were treated (mean age: 59 years). All patients experienced pain in the pectoral girdle of the chest.
RESULTS
Nineteen patients received preoperative chemoradiotherapy consisting of 2 chemotherapy cycles with cisplatin (a different number of cycles was administered in 6 cases) and irradiation at a mean dose of 51.2 Gy (30-60 Gy) in 25 fractions (25-30 fractions). All patients underwent upper lobectomy. Twenty-two patients underwent chest wall resection, whereas 3 patients underwent extrapleural excision of the infiltrate without rib resection. Stages IIB and IIIB were diagnosed in 15 and 10 patients, respectively. In 9 samples, no neoplastic features were found, 9 showed individual neoplastic lesions, and in 7 most tumor cells were necrotized. The R1 resection was noted in 2 patients. Mean hospitalization time was 13 days. No perioperative deaths were noted.
CONCLUSIONS
The trimodality treatment for superior sulcus tumors is a safe method. Perioperative mortality and the number of complications observed among patients treated with this method are similar to those observed in one-phase surgery. In over half of the patients, chemoradiotherapy resulted in complete or nearly complete remission of the neoplasm.
PubMed: 26336433
DOI: 10.5114/kitp.2014.45675 -
Medical Physics Dec 2021Currently, calculations of proton range in proton therapy patients are based on a conversion of CT Hounsfield units of patient tissues into proton relative stopping...
PURPOSE
Currently, calculations of proton range in proton therapy patients are based on a conversion of CT Hounsfield units of patient tissues into proton relative stopping power. Uncertainties in this conversion necessitate larger proximal and distal planned target volume margins. Proton CT can potentially reduce these uncertainties by directly measuring proton stopping power. We aim to demonstrate proton CT imaging with complex porcine samples, to analyze in detail three-dimensional regions of interest, and to compare proton stopping powers directly measured by proton CT to those determined from x-ray CT scans.
METHODS
We have used a prototype proton imaging system with single proton tracking to acquire proton radiography and proton CT images of a sample of porcine pectoral girdle and ribs, and a pig's head. We also acquired close in time x-ray CT scans of the same samples and compared proton stopping power measurements from the two modalities. In the case of the pig's head, we obtained x-ray CT scans from two different scanners and compared results from high-dose and low-dose settings.
RESULTS
Comparing our reconstructed proton CT images with images derived from x-ray CT scans, we find agreement within 1% to 2% for soft tissues and discrepancies of up to 6% for compact bone. We also observed large discrepancies, up to 40%, for cavitated regions with mixed content of air, soft tissue, and bone, such as sinus cavities or tympanic bullae.
CONCLUSIONS
Our images and findings from a clinically realistic proton CT scanner demonstrate the potential for proton CT to be used for low-dose treatment planning with reduced margins.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Phantoms, Imaging; Proton Therapy; Protons; Radiography; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; Swine; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; X-Rays
PubMed: 34739140
DOI: 10.1002/mp.15334 -
PloS One 2017Our understanding of early gnathostome evolution has been hampered by a generally scant fossil record beyond the Devonian. Recent discoveries from the late Silurian...
Our understanding of early gnathostome evolution has been hampered by a generally scant fossil record beyond the Devonian. Recent discoveries from the late Silurian Xiaoxiang Fauna of Yunnan, China, have yielded significant new information, including the earliest articulated osteichthyan fossils from the Ludlow-aged Kuanti Formation. Here we describe the partial postcranium of a new primitive bony fish from the Kuanti Formation that represents the second known taxon of pre-Devonian osteichthyan revealing articulated remains. The new form, Sparalepis tingi gen. et sp. nov., displays similarities with Guiyu and Psarolepis, including a spine-bearing pectoral girdle and a placoderm-like dermal pelvic girdle, a structure only recently identified in early osteichthyans. The squamation with particularly thick rhombic scales shares an overall morphological similarity to that of Psarolepis. However, the anterior flank scales of Sparalepis possess an unusual interlocking system of ventral bulges embraced by dorsal concavities on the outer surfaces. A phylogenetic analysis resolves Sparalepis within a previously recovered cluster of stem-sarcopterygians including Guiyu, Psarolepis and Achoania. The high diversity of osteichthyans from the Ludlow of Yunnan strongly contrasts with other Silurian vertebrate assemblages, suggesting that the South China block may have been an early center of diversification for early gnathostomes, well before the advent of the Devonian "Age of Fishes".
Topics: Animals; Bone and Bones; China; Fishes; Fossils; Phylogeny
PubMed: 28273081
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170929 -
Frontiers in Zoology 2017The origin of jawed vertebrates was marked by profound reconfigurations of the skeleton and muscles of the head and by the acquisition of two sets of paired appendages....
BACKGROUND
The origin of jawed vertebrates was marked by profound reconfigurations of the skeleton and muscles of the head and by the acquisition of two sets of paired appendages. Extant cartilaginous fish retained numerous plesiomorphic characters of jawed vertebrates, which include several aspects of their musculature. Therefore, myogenic studies on sharks are essential in yielding clues on the developmental processes involved in the origin of the muscular anatomy.
RESULTS
Here we provide a detailed description of the development of specific muscular units integrating the cephalic and appendicular musculature of the shark model, In addition, we analyze the muscle development across gnathostomes by comparing the developmental onset of muscle groups in distinct taxa. Our data reveal that appendicular myogenesis occurs earlier in the pectoral than in the pelvic appendages. Additionally, the pectoral musculature includes muscles that have their primordial developmental origin in the head. This culminates in a tight muscular connection between the pectoral girdle and the cranium, which founds no parallel in the pelvic fins. Moreover, we identified a lateral to ventral pattern of formation of the cephalic muscles, that has been equally documented in osteichthyans but, in contrast with these gnathostomes, the hyoid muscles develop earlier than mandibular muscle in .
CONCLUSION
Our analyses reveal considerable differences in the formation of the pectoral and pelvic musculatures in , reinforcing the idea that head tissues have contributed to the formation of the pectoral appendages in the common ancestor of extant gnathostomes. In addition, temporal differences in the formation of some cranial muscles between chondrichthyans and osteichthyans might support the hypothesis that the similarity between the musculature of the mandibular arch and of the other pharyngeal arches represents a derived feature of jawed vertebrates.
PubMed: 28649268
DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0216-y -
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic... Jul 2020The only species currently known to inhabit the fibers of skeletal and cardiac muscles in horses are , and . We describe herein the invasion of myofibers in a horse by...
The only species currently known to inhabit the fibers of skeletal and cardiac muscles in horses are , and . We describe herein the invasion of myofibers in a horse by , a sheep-specific species with low virulence in the original host. A hunter gelding was referred to a veterinary surgeon in Newmarket (UK). The anamnestic data reported that the horse had an initial history of swelling of the right forelimb with fluid on the front of the carpus and edema spreading up the forearm. Subsequently, 2 firm lumps were found on the left pectoral muscle adjacent to the axilla of the left forelimb. Histologic examination of biopsies from the lumps revealed multifocal granulomatous eosinophilic myositis associated with intact and degenerate encysted parasites, consistent with spp. Based on amplification and DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene obtained from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks, was identified. The presence of sarcocysts in equine skeletal muscles has been considered an incidental finding, and there are only sporadic associated reports of myositis. Our finding suggests that some spp. have a wider intermediate host range than believed previously, and that of other species (not considered horse-associated) can invade the muscle fibers of equids, leading to myositis.
Topics: Animals; Horse Diseases; Horses; Male; Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle; Myositis; RNA, Protozoan; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 32687008
DOI: 10.1177/1040638720935847 -
Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007) May 2020Squamates exhibit a vast diversity of body plans, which directly determines habitat use and preference. Here the skeleton of the sand-swimmer burrower gymnophthalmid,...
Squamates exhibit a vast diversity of body plans, which directly determines habitat use and preference. Here the skeleton of the sand-swimmer burrower gymnophthalmid, Calyptommatus leiolepis, is analyzed to investigate how its peculiar fossorial locomotion affects its osteology. Calyptommatus leiolepis is a limb-reduced, short-intermediate tailed lizard. Although there are other studies on its general anatomy, we performed a detailed description of its skeleton. Using high-resolution computer tomography, each bone element within the skeleton was digitally segmented and a detailed description rendered. Anatomical features related to burrowing include the head having a shovel-like snout with a well-developed horizontal soft tissue ridge, nasal cartilages that exclude sand from the nostrils, reduced eyes covered by a brille, lack of forelimbs, extreme reduction of hind limbs, and imbricated scales among others. The genus Calyptommatus has unique features such as a triradiate jugal (with digit-like posterior projections), a reduced pectoral girdle and forelimbs, parasternal processes that interconnect the ribs, and a single digit in the hind limbs. When comparing this species with other gymnophthalmid lizards including, fossorial species, it is clear that Calyptommatus exhibits the highest number of structural modifications within the family. Despite its specialized morphology, it still retains characters that link this genus to other members of Gymnophthalmidae when included in a phylogeny based solely on phenotypic data. Anat Rec, 303:1305-1326, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Bone and Bones; Lizards; Locomotion; Osteology; Phylogeny; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 31469501
DOI: 10.1002/ar.24246