Sturgeons (Acipenseridae) from the Late Miocene of Ukraine, with a discussion of materials associated with Widhalm’s (1886) nomen nudum, †Acipenser euhuso

The fossil record of the family Acipenseridae (sturgeons) extends to the Late Cretaceous (c. 85 MY), with a ghost lineage extending to approximately 120 MY when the first members of the family Polyodontidae are known. Much of the fossil record of Acipenseridae is formed by isolated and fragmentary dermal bones, which bear characteristic surface ornamentation. In this paper, we report on a collection of fossil sturgeons from the Upper Miocene deposits of southern Ukraine. These specimens include those used by Widhalm to establish †Acipenser euhuso, which is a nomen nudum. While we do not establish a new taxon for these specimens, the morphological variation of those elements that are preserved does suggest the presence of several species represented in this fauna.

Preparation and Synthetic Applicability of Novel Imidazole-Containing Cyclic Iodonium Salts

<p>The novel approach to the preparation of imidazole-substituted cyclic iodonium salts has been developed via oxidative cyclization of 1-phenyl-5-iodoimidazole using cheap and available Oxone^®/H₂SO₄ oxidative system. The structure of newly prepared compounds has been proved by X-ray monocrystal diffractometry revealing the characteristic surface features for cyclic iodonium salts. The prepared compounds demonstrated the high reactivity in the heterocyclization reactions with elemental sulfur affording benzo[5,1-<i>b</i>]imidazothiazoles with good yields.</p>

Preparation and Synthetic Applicability of Novel Imidazole-Containing Cyclic Iodonium Salts

<p>The novel approach to the preparation of imidazole-substituted cyclic iodonium salts has been developed via oxidative cyclization of 1-phenyl-5-iodoimidazole using cheap and available Oxone^®/H₂SO₄ oxidative system. The structure of newly prepared compounds has been proved by X-ray monocrystal diffractometry revealing the characteristic surface features for cyclic iodonium salts. The prepared compounds demonstrated the high reactivity in the heterocyclization reactions with elemental sulfur affording benzo[5,1-<i>b</i>]imidazothiazoles with good yields.</p>

Benign Umbilical Tumors Resembling Sister Mary Joseph Nodule

Background: When physicians see an umbilical nodule, most of them instinctively recall the Sister Mary Joseph nodule. Therefore, dermatologists need to recognize umbilical dermatoses that can be mistaken for the Sister Mary Joseph nodules. This study aimed to describe the different kinds of benign umbilical tumors as well as elucidate the factors that can be used to distinguish the Sister Mary Joseph nodule from these tumors. Methods: The “benign umbilical tumor” group included 19 patients, whereas the “Sister Mary Joseph nodule” group comprised 30 patients (2 from our department, 28 from PubMed search). We compared the clinical and dermoscopic findings between 2 groups. Results: In the “benign umbilical tumor” group, the most common diagnosis was dermatofibroma (5/19), followed by keloid (3/19), and soft fibroma (3/19). These tumors had various colors (red, brown to black, and flesh colored) and exhibit characteristic surface changes (eg, verrucous changes in epidermal nevi and verrucae). Conversely, most Sister Mary Joseph nodules have an erythematous color, oozing or ulceration on the surface, and nearby satellite lesions. Furthermore, the dermoscopic findings of Sister Mary Joseph nodules showed a polymorphous vascular pattern and a white or milky-red, amorphous area. Benign lesions showed different dermoscopic patterns: pigment networks with white areas (dermatofibromas), thrombosed capillaries (verrucae), and the “pore sign” (epidermal cysts). Conclusions: Various cutaneous tumors can be mistaken for the Sister Mary Joseph nodule when they develop on the umbilicus; the clinical and dermoscopic differences found in this study may be useful for establishing a differential diagnosis.

A deformation-dependent soil-water characteristic surface model considering hysteresis

The soil-water characteristic surface model plays an essential part in predicting the hydraulic behaviour of unsaturated soils. Based on the theory of plasticity bounding surface, this paper presents a three-dimensional soil-water characteristic surface model considering the effects of deformation and hysteresis. Suction and void ratio are adopted as independent variables, while the degree of saturation is adopted as a dependent variable. A new mapping rule is used where the distance between the current position and its image point can be calculated as a difference in the degree of saturation axis. The model is verified by comparing with drying-wetting tests on bentonite/kaolin mix and pearl clay. The efficiency of the proposed model is proven by validation tests.