Middle Miocene deposits at the Dubravica locality in SW Medvednica Mt. (N Croatia) contain various marine fossils, including one tooth of the surgeonfish (Acanthuridae). This is the first such record ...in Croatia and the second in the wider region, besides the Vienna Basin. The appearance of surgeonfishes in the Paratethys coincides with the Miocene thermal maximum. Their distribution was probably controlled by available reef habitat and their palaeobiogeography and migration routes are yet to be studied.
Fossiliferous Middle Miocene deposits from the surroundings of Marija Bistrica (north-east of Zagreb) transgressively overly older pre-Cenozoic bedrocks. Fossils from shallow marine environments are ...in most cases preserved as bioclasts, while deep marine calcareous oozes characterize the pelagic marls. The age of the transgressive sequence is estimated on the basis of planktic biota from marls (foraminifera, nannoplankton and pteropods) as the Badenian NN5 Nannozone. The following palaeoenvironments can be distinguished or presumed on the basis of biota and sedimentary features: (1) beach characterized by polymictic conglomerates with rhodolith-rich carbonate matrix; (2) oyster banks, recognized from secondarily found oyster clusters; (3) lagoons marked with compact bioclastic deposits and rhodolith-halimeda assemblage; (4) patch-reefs recognized from the surrounding bioclastic deposits; (5) shallow subtidal mäerl beds preserved as loose bioclastic deposits and (6) distal slope argillaceous marls with pelagic biota. Palaeoenvironmental analyses indicate rapid drowning, most probably corresponding to the transgression during the Middle Badenian TB 2.4 3rd order transgressive-regressive sequence.
During the early stages of the Middle Miocene transgression marine biota invaded the newly formed Paratethys Sea. Reefs and reef-like structures particularly flourished with life, supported by the ...favourable climate conditions. Miocene biogene buildups show a variety of fossil assemblages and lithologic features. The main reef-builders were bryozoans, coralline algae, corals, oysters, vermetids, sponges and serpulids. Water turbidity and depth were major ecological factors controlling the reef biota. Lithofacies types at the studied localities in Northern Croatia show significant similarity with the Upper Langhian (Middle Badenian) of the Leitha Mountains in Austria, but can also be well compared with Miocene to recent reef structures in the Mediterranean. The Miocene reef-like buildups exhibit different porosity rates and other lithological characteristics.
Uz cestu Marija Bistrica - Adamovec, nedaleko od raskrižja prema Lazu, može se na izdancima pratiti slijed srednjomiocenskih naslaga. U bazi slijeda vide se polimiktni, klastpotporni do ...matrikspotporni konglomerati. Valutice uglavnom odgovaraju sastavu okolnih stijena, a vezivo predstavlja koralinacejski bioklastični vekston. Sekundarni nalazi velikih oštriga upućuju na moguća ostrižišta, vjerojatno nedaleko od riječnoga ušća. U zaštićenim lagunama stvarali su se rodoliti malih dimenzija, živjele su halimede i nježni, razgranjeni mahovnjaci i puževi. U oligotrofnim uvjetima alge su učestalije od mahovnjaka. Zbog isparavanja povećana je koncentracija i kristalizacija kalcijeva karbonata, koji je cementirao bioklaste. Oko nekih su bioklasta vidljive kortoidne ovojnice, a sediment je tipa grejnston. Rodolitno-briozojske biokonstrukcije nastajale su najviše u plitkoj potplimnoj zoni, najvjerojatnije na dubinama od 20 do 30 m. Mjestimice su izgrađivale barijere između laguna i otvorenoga mora. One se nisu uspjele sačuvati in situ, već kao fragmenti u bioklastičnim taložinama padine. Na strmijim padinama pokazuju mikrostrukturu floutstona. Sadržavaju velike briozojske kolonije i bioerodirane solitarne koralje, kakvi su mogli živjeti u nešto dubljemu okolišu, vjerojatno između 30 i 75 m, uz nešto veću količinu nutrijenata. U vrhu slijeda, samo desetak metara iznad konglomerata, leže lapori s pučinskim organizmima (kalcitičnim nanoplanktonom, planktonskim i malim bentičkim foraminiferama i planktonskim puževima, pteropodima), kakvi su obično taloženi na distalnim padinama. Morska je razina brzo rasla, što je dovelo do naglih promjena u istraženome taložnom prostoru. Planktonski organizmi iz lapora upućuju na NN5 nanoplanktonsku zonu srednjega badena, pa se tonjenje rampe može povezati s početkom transgresivno-regresivnoga ciklusa TB 2.4.
Tijekom početne faze srednjomiocenske transgresije marinski organizmi naselili su novonastalo more Paratethys. Zahvaljujući pogodnim klimatskim i okolišnim uvjetima život je bio posebno raznolik na ...grebenima i grebenolikim strukturama. Miocenske biogene tvorevine na raznim lokalitetima u području sjeverne Hrvatske pokazuju raznolikost fosilnih zajednica i litoloških osobina. Glavni grebenotvorci bili su mahovnjaci, koralinacejske alge, kamenice, vermetidi, spužve i serpulidi. Glavni ekološki faktori koji su kontrolirali grebensku biotu bili su donos čestica i hraniva s kopna i iz dubina vode. Tipovi litofacijesa pokazuju veliku sličnost s gornjolangijskim (srednji baden) gorjem Leitha u Austriji, a mogu se usporediti i s miocenskim i recentnim grebenskim strukturama u Mediteranu. Razne vrste miocenskih grebenolikih tvorevina pokazuju različitu šupljikavost i druge petrofizičke osobine.
Koraligenske biokonstrukcije danas nastaju kao konkrecije u slabo osvijetljenim uvjetima, pogodnim scijafilnim algama, u vodi relativno hladne, ali stalne temperature, jednoličnoga saliniteta i niske energije. Nastaju na stjenovitoj podlozi i na pokretnoj podlozi u donjoj litoralnoj zoni i katkad na obalnome detritusu. Rast im započinje nastankom rodolita unutar pijeska i šljunka (platformske koraligenske zajednice). Aktualistički princip pomaže nam razumjeti ranu pojavu koraligenskih tvorevina na početku srednjomiocenske transgresije. Početna rodolitna faza rezultira slabo vezanim bioklastičnim naslagama. Dijagenetski procesi dodatno povećavaju njihovu šupljikavost, uslijed otapanja aragonitnih bioklasta. To je otapanje agresivno u vrlo plitkim staništima i povećava se s dubinom. Promjenjiva šupljikavost koraligenskih tvorevina istraživana je tijekom terenskoga rada na području Medvednice. Uzorci stijena s velikim rodolitima već na prvi pogled pokazuju najveću šupljikavost, dok su briozojsko-koralinacejski frejmstoni najkompaktniji. Time se otvara prostor za daljnja istraživanja ovih zanimljivih naslaga.
Introduction/objectives
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for evaluation of changes in juvenile spondyloarthropathies (JSpA). To our knowledge, there is no previous prospective study ...analysing early changes on axial MRI. The objective is to investigate incidence of reparable changes on axial MRI in patients with established JSpA, lasting for less than 6 months.
Materials and methods
The pilot study included 27 patients with confirmed diagnosis of JSpA examined within 2 years. Prior to imaging, basic demographic and laboratory data and HLA-B27 were collected. Patients filled out a visual analogue scale for pain and a childhood health assessment questionnaire. A paediatric rheumatologist and a paediatric physiatrist examined patients and measured indices of flexion, extension and sagittal flexibility. Contrast-enhanced axial MRI examination and cervical x-ray were performed. Three experienced paediatric radiologists independently reviewed x-ray and MRI images of all patients.
Results
There was no significant correlation between early changes detected on MRI and other parameters. The study revealed early changes of the cervical spine to be the most common finding. More patients had positive cervical MRI than positive sacroiliac joint (SIJ) MRI. Cervical x-ray and MRI were equally useful for diagnosis regardless of other parameters.
Conclusion
Study showed new information on axial involvement, striking cervical spine as the most involved part. The biggest study limitation is the small number of patients. Establishing early JSpA diagnosis is of utmost importance, especially in the light of novel therapy introduced in every day practice. It seems that cervical spine involvement is more represented than previously described in literature, especially in comparison with SIJ.
Key Points
• Contrast-enhanced MRI is considered the gold standard for detection early changes in JSpA.
• Standardization of diagnostic criteria and better classification of changes using the unique scoring system for children are necessary.
• It seems that cervical spine involvement is more represented than previously described in the literature, especially in comparison with SIJ involvement.
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