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Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is one of the most common pediatric conditions. The current gold-standard treatment for children under six months of age with a reducible hip is bracing, but the orthopedic literature features several splint options, and each one has many advantages and disadvantages. The aim of this review is to analyze the available literature to document the up-to-date evidence on DDH conservative treatment. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed and Science Direct databases was performed by two independent authors (C.d.C. and A.V.) using the keywords “developmental dysplasia hip”, “brace”, “harness”, “splint”, “abduction brace” to evaluate studies of any level of evidence that reported clinical or preclinical results and dealt with conservative DDH treatment. The result of every stage was reviewed and approved by the senior investigators (V.P. and G.T.). Results: A total of 1411 articles were found. After the exclusion of duplicates, 367 articles were selected. At the end of the first screening, following the previously described selection criteria, we selected 29 articles eligible for full text reading. The included articles mainly focus on the Pavlik harness, Frejka, and Tubingen among the dynamic splint applications as well as the rhino-style brace, Ilfeld and generic abduction brace among the static splint applications. The main findings of the included articles were summarized. Conclusions: Dynamic splinting for DDH represents a valid therapeutic option in cases of instability and dislocation, especially if applied within 4–5 months of life. Dynamic splinting has a low contraindication. Static bracing is an effective option too, but only for stable hips or residual acetabular dysplasia.

– Far from having lost centrality, the manual is still one of the most important teaching tools today. The aim of this article is not only to understand if and how much teachers use the manual, but also the criteria by which they choose the textbooks, as well as the ability to distance themselves from it to build their own course independently. If competency-based teaching on the one hand, and the presence of students with a multiple cultural background on the other, called for a renewal of teaching practices, how have these changes been received and implemented by teachers in the classroom? How did this affect the choice and use of textbooks? Through a case study - the teachers of the secondary school of the municipality of Genoa - we will try to understand these factors, taking into account training as an essential instrument not only for the acquisition of intercultural skills, but also for a critical choice and use of textbooks. Riassunto – Lungi dall’aver perso di centralità, il manuale è ancora oggi uno degli strumenti didattici più importanti. Obiettivo del presente articolo è non solo di comprendere se e quanto gli insegnanti utilizzino il manuale, ma anche i criteri in base ai quali essi scelgono i libri di testo, nonché la capacità di distanziarsene per costruire il proprio corso in modo autonomo. Se la didattica per competenze da un lato, e la presenza di studenti con un background culturale plurimo dall’altro, ha chiesto un rinnovamento delle pratiche di insegnamento, come tali cambiamenti sono stati recepiti e messi in atto dagli insegnanti in classe? In che modo ciò ha condizionato la scelta e l’uso dei libri di testo? Attraverso un case study – gli insegnanti della scuola secondaria del comune di Genova – si tenterà di comprendere tali fattori, tenendo conto della formazione quale strumento imprescindibile non solo per l’acquisizione di competenze interculturali, ma anche per una scelta e un uso critico dei libri di testo. Keywords – textbooks, teaching practices, intercultural skills, teacher training, teaching tools Parole chiave – manuali, pratiche di insegnamento, competenze interculturali, formazione degli insegnanti, strumenti didattici, Annali online della Didattica e della Formazione Docente, Vol 12, N° 20 (2020): Corpi e Politica. Generi, formazione, trasformazione della società

O presente trabalho irá analisar uma proposta artístico-pedagógica acerca do Teatro Lambe-Lambe que, grosso modo, trata-se de espetáculos teatrais de curta duração que ocorrem dentro uma pequena caixa e são assistidos por um ou dois espectadores por vez, propiciando um encontro intimista entre obra e público. Recebe o nome de Teatro Lambe-Lambe por ter sido inspirado nas caixas de fotografia lambe-lambe, muito comuns no decorrer do século XX. O texto expõe um breve panorama acerca da história desta linguagem e propõe uma possível metodologia para o desenvolvimento de trabalhos pedagógicos que buscam utilizar tal linguagem no âmbito escolar.

L’analisi delle icone femminili, quale fattore di decostruzione dell’immaginario relativo al genere, così come è stato edificato e declinato dalle diverse culture, rappresenta l’oggetto del presente articolo. Attraverso un viaggio nell’immaginario tra Oriente e Occidente, si tenterà di individuare i modelli educativi femminili nelle culture, deducibili dallo studio di alcune icone significative. Barbie, Sharazade, Alyssa non sono solo personaggi di storie, miti, leggende o oggetti ludici, ma veicolano, tramite la loro stessa “specificità”, un modello da seguire, indicando a bambine e adolescenti – ma anche al corrispettivo maschile – la propria appartenenza non solo di genere, ma anche culturale. Qual è la specificità di tale appartenenza? Che cosa emerge dal confronto tra tali icone e modelli? L’immaginario insito nelle icone femminili rivela una “questione identitaria” che ci permette di cogliere il significato profondo dell’appartenenza di genere, quale prodotto della propria cultura, significato che possiamo comprendere appieno solo attraverso il confronto con l’alterità., Ricerche di Pedagogia e Didattica. Journal of Theories and Research in Education, Vol 15, No 1 (2020)

La plupart des pays qui ont fait le choix de la democratie, initient des programmes d’education a la citoyennete au sein des ecoles (Nussbaum, 2006 ; Audigier, Tutiaux-Guillon, 2008). Pour autant, on remarque que le contenu et la mise en place des programmes varient d’un etat a l’autre, en raison de l’histoire et du contexte culturel national qui tendent a privilegier une approche patrimoniale (Barthes, Lange, Tutiaux-Guillon, 2017), determinant en partie la politique menee en matiere d’education et orientant la forme scolaire et les choix curriculaires (Banks, 2006). La France a ainsi developpe une forme scolaire fortement arrimee a un ensemble de savoirs formels, encyclopediques, consideres comme emancipateurs (Pena-Ruiz, 2005). Le systeme scolaire francais est en effet fonde sur un projet republicain (Prost, 2002) qui produit une conception particuliere de la citoyennete, principalement axee sur l’acquisition de contenus theoriques et le respect des valeurs liees a ce projet (Audigier, 1999 ; Raveaud, 2006). L’Angleterre connait une realite assez differente dans la mesure ou, en tant qu’entite du Royaume-Uni, son projet politique se dessine de facon complexe et consiste plutot en une tentative d’union des divergences (Andrews, Mycock, 2007). A partir de la, la notion de citoyennete se definit moins en termes d’identite qu’en reference a un bien commun co-construit qu’il s’agit de preserver voire d’enrichir (Kerr, 1999 ; Beck, 2012). Cela s’est longtemps traduit par une education a la citoyennete qui se voulait participative, inclusive et respectueuse de la diversite (Osler, 2006). Au-dela de ces referents culturels tout a fait significatifs, lorsque l’on porte tout particulierement l’attention sur la mise en pratique des orientations politiques et des grands principes qui regissent la citoyennete scolaire dans ces deux pays, on se rend compte a l’evidence que tous deux font face a des difficultes assez similaires. La mise en pratique de la citoyennete tend effectivement a se reduire a un ensemble de savoirs plus ou moins construits et formalises, laissant assez peu de place a un exercice participatif de ces savoirs. La France, malgre des initiatives somme toute marginales de developpement d’actions novatrices et participatives qui mobilisent veritablement les eleves, sous la forme d’experimentations (Reuter et al., 2013) ou de methodes se referant aux pedagogies nouvelles (Gutierrez, Besse, Prost, 2012), s’est constamment mefiee des formes d’expression accordees aux jeunes scolarises, de peur de mettre a mal l’autorite des adultes et de consacrer trop de temps a des activites considerees comme secondaires (Condette, 2015a, 2017). L’Angleterre, qui avait longtemps reussi a allier fonctions cognitive et affective favorisant a la fois les apprentissages academiques et le developpement personnel (Osborn, 2009), ne parviendrait pas a atteindre les objectifs fixes en matiere de participation des eleves pour des motifs principalement financiers (Osler, Starkey, 2009) ou encore pour des questions liees a un agenda politique qui, voulant repondre avec celerite aux urgences societales, attend systematiquement de l’ecole qu’elle traduise en actes des attentes certes pressantes mais complexes (comme le besoin de securite) et qu’elle procede a des reajustements educatifs adaptes aux circonstances (Starkey, 2018). Dans cette perspective, et malgre les specificites enoncees qui nous offrent des approches contrastees, l’education a la citoyennete temoignerait finalement d’une assez grande convergence dans la representation vehiculee et l’utilisation qui en est faite, tout a la fois requise et rehaussee en cas de difficulte non solutionnee ou d’evenement exceptionnel, puis secondarisee lorsque les savoirs dits fondamentaux sont de nouveau mis au premier plan pour permettre au pays de garder toute sa place dans la competition scolaire internationale et la recherche accrue de performances (Dulude, Dupriez, 2014). Mais qu’en est-il reellement de la mise en œuvre de la citoyennete et plus precisement de la democratie scolaire ? Pour repondre a cette question, nous avons entrepris, durant deux ans, une recherche qualitative dans quatre etablissements scolaires secondaires du nord de la France et du sud de l’Angleterre. Il nous a semble particulierement interessant d’etudier comment se concretise l’exercice de la citoyennete en milieu scolaire dans deux contextes nationaux differents, mais proches geographiquement ou les echanges linguistiques et les mobilites etudiantes sont nombreux. Nous avons pour cela mobilise une methodologie originale basee sur la participation effective des eleves a la demarche de recherche, tant dans le recueil des donnees que dans l’interpretation des resultats. Ainsi, apres une etude des principaux elements qui caracterisent la citoyennete dans les systemes scolaires francais et anglais, nous examinerons la maniere dont celle-ci est appliquee, et comment elle est apprehendee par les eleves : quelles sont les offres de participation dites citoyennes proposees par l’institution et comment sont-elles recues par les eleves ?

AG About Gender - Rivista internazionale di studi di genere, V. 9, N. 17 (2020): Cibo e genere. Rappresentazioni, pratiche, gerarchie

Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) biomass is an emerging alternative protein source, yet research of PNSB as added-value protein ingredient is limited. This research aimed to study the use of PNSB as protein source for shrimp and investigate the shrimps tolerance against Vibrio and ammonia stress. A 28-day shrimp feeding trial was performed with Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Rhodobacter capsulatus and a mixed PNSB culture. PNSB contained in feed (5-10% protein substitution) resulted in 5-26% higher individual weights, better feed conversions ratios (1.2-1.7) compared to commercial feed (1.7) and tolerance against ammonia. In parallel, the effect of PNSB on the growth of Vibrio pathogens was tested in vitro. The species Rps. palustris, Rb. capsulatus, Rb. sphaeroides, Rhodospirillum rubrum and Afifella marina suppressed the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus TW01 and V. campbellii LMG 21363. Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of PNSB as nutritious feed ingredient for shrimp. This can contribute to circular economy, as PNSB enable resource recovery from wastewater. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=76 SRC="FIGDIR/small/964007v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (20K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1521b78org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1896709org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1cb900borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15dfe98_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG Graphical abstract C_FIG HighlightsO_LIPurple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) enhance the growth performance of shrimp C_LIO_LIPNSB-fed shrimp has better feed conversion ratio, growth rate and weight gain C_LIO_LIShrimp fed with Rhodopseudomonas are more resistance against ammonia stress C_LIO_LIFreeze-dried and live PNSB inhibit Vibrio pathogens in vitro C_LI

BACKGROUND: The hemi-hamate arthroplasty (HHA) can restore joint congruity and stability in chronic fracture-dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ). Purpose of this study was to compare the width of the distal hamate articular surface (DHAS) to the width of the base of the middle phalanges (P2) of the fingers. We hypothesized the dimensions of the width of the DHAS would be similar to those of P2, leaving a small amount of residual DHAS width after autograft harvest. METHODS: Fifty-nine CT scans of the hand without any bony pathology were evaluated. Three observers measured the following parameters and compared: (a) Width of the DHAS in the axial and coronal planes; (b) Width of the P2 articular bases of all four fingers; (c) Maximum capitate length (MaxCap) in the coronal plane. RESULTS: The residual DHAS on the coronal plane after graft harvest (bone remaining on the radial and ulnar aspects each, not accounting for saw blade or osteotomy width thickness) among all patients was 1.3, 0.9, 1.4, and 2.4 mm for the index, long, ring and small fingers respectively. There was a strong correlation between DHAS and MaxCap r=0.76. CONCLUSION: There is likely to be a very small amount of residual hamate articular surface width left after the graft is harvested if the entire base of P2 is reconstructed.

BACKGROUND: Opioid usage has increased in recent years. The purpose of this study is to assess post-operative opioid, sedative, and benzodiazepine usage in a Medicare population. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing elbow, wrist, and hand surgery by hand surgeons at one academic outpatient surgical center were prospectively enrolled. Patients were excluded if they were minors or if they underwent more than one surgical procedure during the study period. There were 269 patients enrolled, and this group was divided by insurance type into younger commercial insurance (CI) and older Medicare (MC) groups. The Pennsylvania Physician Drug Monitoring Program website was used to document all prescriptions of controlled substances filled six months prior to and after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: The mean age in the CI group was 45.8 years (range: 16-88) and 69.2 years (range: 43-91) in the MC group. Postoperatively, the CI patients filled significantly less opioid prescriptions than the MC group, 1.10 vs. 1.79. Patients in the CI group were given an average of 0.3 benzodiazepine prescriptions before surgery and 0.2 after surgery. Patients in the MC group were given 0.6 prescriptions before and 0.5 prescriptions of benzodiazepines after surgery. The CI group was given an average of 0.1 sedative/hypnotic prescriptions before surgery and 0.1 after surgery. The MC group was given 0.7 prescriptions before and 0.4 prescriptions of sedative/hypnotics after surgery. There were 0.17 prescriptions per patient in the CI group and 0.75 per patient in the MC group (P

The development of purely organic materials showing multicolor fluorescent and phosphorescent behaviour represents a formidable challenge in view of practical applications. Herein the rich photophyisical behaviour of 3-(pyridin-2-yl)triimidazotriazine (TT-Py) organic molecule, comprising excitation-dependent fluorescence and phosphorescence under ambient conditions in both blended film and crystalline phase, is investigated by means of steady state, time resolved and ultrafast spectroscopies and interpreted on the basis of X-ray diffraction studies and DFT/TDDFT calculations. In particular, by proper excitation wavelength, dual fluorescence and dual phosphorescence of molecular origin can be observed together with low energy phosphorescences resulting from aggregate species. It is demonstrated that the multiple emission property is originated by the copresence, in the investigated system, of an extended polycyclic nitrogen-rich moiety (TT), strongly rigidified by ?-? stacking interactions and short C-H···N hydrogen bonds, and a fragment (Py) featuring partial conformational freedom.

In the complex scenario of Plio–Pleistocene mammalian faunal turnovers, recent research on canids has revealed an increasingly higher number of species than previously thought. In this framework, Georgia had a key role in the biogeographic dispersion of fauna from/to Asia, Africa, and Europe. Historically attributed to Canis etruscus, the rich Canis material recovered from Dmanisi possesses certain peculiar cranial and dentognathic features, which cannot be regarded only as intraspecific variability. We revealed closer similarities between the Dmanisi wolf and the younger European Canis mosbachensis, rather than with other Early Pleistocene canids as C. etruscus and Canis arnensis. The discovery of a Canis borjgali sp. nov. in Dmanisi, with characteristics close to those of C. mosbachensis, changes radically the idea of Canis lupus evolution as it is conveyed today, invalidating the paradigm C. etruscus–C. mosbachensis–C. lupus lineage. Furthermore, the geographic position of Dmanisi in the Caucasian area offers interesting insights regarding the Asian canids and their dispersion into Europe and Africa, an aspect still poorly investigated. The exquisite state of preservation of the fossil from Dmanisi combined with novel 3D visualization and a digital imaging technique gives us the opportunity to increase the outreach of the research thanks to user-friendly and free tools. Here, for the first time, we employed augmented reality on a few specimens of C. borjgali sp. nov. through a simple web app. The extraordinary chance offered by these technologies has yet to be implemented in scientific research and dissemination, particularly in paleontology.

Additional file 1: Figure S1. OTUs distribution in the control-diseased dataset for the most representative phyla. a) OTUs distribution for Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. b) OTUs distribution for Cyanobacteria. Figure S2. OTUs distribution in the control-diseased dataset for the significant families. a) OTUs distribution for Gastranaerophilales; D_4__uncultured bacterium and Clostridiaceae 1. b) OTUs distribution for Clostridiales; Ambiguous_taxa and Clostridiales;D_4__Family XI. Figure S3. Gut bacterial families and genera characteristics at baseline. a) Relative abundance of microbial groups at family level in the control group (C) and diseased group (D); families with a relative abundance less than 0.002 are omitted for the sake of clarity. b) Relative abundance of microbial groups at genus level in the control group (C) and diseased group (D); genera with a relative abundance less than 0.003 are omitted for the sake of clarity. Figure S4. Fecal yeast qPCR counts during the intervention. The graphic was conceived as mean plot reporting also the standard errors. Figure S5. OTUs distribution in ALS patient’s dataset for significant families. a) OTUs distribution for Bacteroidales; other among the ALS patients grouped for different timepoints and not considering the type of treatment. b) OTUs distribution for Baceroidaceae and Rikenellaceae among ALS patients considering the time and the different treatments (Group A and Group B). Table S1. Absolute abundance expressed as means of the number of OTUs for phyla and families that were significantly different between control (C) and diseased subjects (D) at the baseline. Table S2. Absolute abundance expressed as means of the number of OTUs for phyla and families that were significantly different among ALS patients during the study. “Pcorr” corresponds to the adjusted P-value for the comparisons performed. Table S3. DNA concentration and mean counts of the analyzed microbial groups by qPCR in stool samples of ALS patients during the intervention. Table S4. Relative abundance of the main families for each group of subjects during the intervention.

Novel fumaramides exhibit room-temperature phosphorescence in the solid state once molecular design and positioning of the carbonyl and bromine atoms allow for the formation of strong intermolecular halogen bonding interactions. The extremely long phosphorescence lifetimes at room temperature are promising for solid state applications as organic phosphors.

We undertake a comparative mammalian zoogeographic analysis with the aim of revealing the extent to which the Dmanisi Early Pleistocene large mammal assemblage resembles, at the genus level, African, Arabian, and Eurasian localities of similar age. The inclusion of Old World Pliocene and Pleistocene mammalian faunas provides us with insights into the provincial origins of specific mammalian taxa and permits us to assess the relative affiliation of the Dmanisi mammalian faunas to other faunas in the Old World. Our analysis also allows us to consider hypotheses about the timing and direction of zoogeographic connections between western Eurasia and Africa during the Early Pleistocene. We utilize multiple zoogeographic analytical tools as a cross-comparison of Dmanisi with 42 other Eurasian and African mammalian-bearing localities between 2.7 and 0.7 Ma. Overall, we find that Dmanisi compares most closely with a subgroup of Greek, Italian, and Spanish localities that are slightly younger than Dmanisi itself. This could suggest a progressive dispersal from East to West of the large mammal communities during the late Early Pleistocene and the first occurrence at Dmanisi, and then later in Western Europe, of some taxa such as Stephanorhinus ex gr. etruscus-hundsheimensis, Equus altidens, Bison georgicus, Soergelia minor, Megantereon whitei, Canis borjgali, Canis (Xenocyon) lycaonoides. Dmanisi's habitats included drier areas, probably of open wooded savannah and grassland and by mountainous to semiarid rocky terrain. There is evidence that Dmanisi records short intervals of increased aridity in the middle part of the succession contemporaneous with the occurrence of Homo.

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya The carnivore guild of the Early Pleistocene site of Dmanisi is among the most diverse of the Early Pleistocene of the entire Old World. It includes 14 carnivoran taxa: Homotherium latidens, Megantereon whitei, Panthera onca georgica, Acinonyx pardinensis, Lynx issiodorensis; Pachycrocuta brevirostris; Canis (Xenocyon) lycaonoides, Canis borjgali, Vulpes alopecoides; Ursus etruscus; Lutra sp., Martes sp., Meles sp., and Pannonictis sp. The analysis of this rich carnivore guild was carried out under different methodological approaches to compare the assemblage with other chronological coeval European, Asian, and African sites from a paleobiological perspective. To achieve the goal, we used a permutational hierarchical method called boostrapping cluster analysis based on taxonomic absence/presence matrices (at both generic and specific level) and on ecological matrices (considering dietary preferences/hunting strategies of each carnivoran) and carried out Mantels tests assessing magnitude of time, space, ecology, and taxonomy as source of difference between guilds. Our results suggest a close similarity among the Dmanisi carnivore assemblage and other guilds recorded from European late Villafranchian sites such as Pirro Nord, Venta Micena, and Apollonia 1 and, in a lesser extent, to European Epivillafranchian sites as Vallonnet, Untermassfeld, or the Vallparadís Section. Early to Middle Pleistocene Asian carnivore assemblages display several similarities with the Dmanisi guild mainly in the record and diversity of felid and the canid ecomorphotypes. Eastern African sites such as Olduvai and Omo, as well as South African sites, display a lower similarity with the studied sample, basically for the most diverse hyenid taphocoenoses. To sum up, the present study suggests a close similarity between the Dmanisi carnivore guild and other European Late Early Pleistocene assemblages without close parallels with African or Asian assemblages.

Vogliamo portarle una riflessione sul ruolo dell’ecografia nel setting pre-ospedaliero in relazione al ruolo che la stessa può avere per l’infermiere di emergenza territoriale, nuovo ed importante campo d’applicazione e di sviluppo per la pratica assistenziale. È bene ricordare che stiamo parlando di una metodica il cui approccio risulta essere non invasivo, ripetibile e di basso costo. Qual è, o meglio quale sarà, il ruolo dell’ecografia nel pre-ospedaliero per l’infermiere del sistema di emergenza territoriale?

Background: The purpose of this study was to report outcomes in patients with nonstyloid distal ulna fractures treated in conjunction with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of distal radius fractures. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who had undergone ORIF of a distal radius fracture over a 5-year period at a single institution was performed. Radiographic review was performed to identify patients with a concomitant fracture of the distal ulna. Radiographs were examined to determine whether and how the distal ulna fracture was stabilized and to assess healing of the distal ulna. Range of motion (ROM) was determined by review of the patients’ charts. All skeletally mature patients with distal ulna fractures (not including isolated styloid fractures) undergoing surgical fixation of the distal radius fracture were included. Patients were excluded if follow-up was inadequate. There were 172 fractures of the distal ulna meeting the inclusion criteria. Seven patients were excluded. There were 91 patients treated without ulna fixation (ulna-no) and 74 patients treated with ulna fixation (ulna-yes). Results: Seventy-two (97%) of the ulna-yes patients healed. All patients in the ulna-no group healed. The only significant difference in ROM was in pronation, although the magnitude of this difference was relatively small. Conclusions: Fractures of the distal ulna have high rates of healing and result in equivalent motion regardless of whether the distal ulna is treated operatively. Routine surgical fixation of concomitant distal ulna fractures during distal radius ORIF does not appear to be necessary.

The aims of this research was to reconstruct the ways in which both history and geography secondary schools manuals represent the other, specifically those embodied by the Arab-Muslim world in specific regard to Italian textbooks; and Tunisian textbooks in regards to the Europe-occident. A cross examination offered the researcher an opportunity to perform a comparative analysis between the two chosen countries, in order to understand both the convergences and divergences in imagery of otherness conveyed through the textbooks. The following questions were asked: On what factors and elements has the narration and construction of itself been founded? How have the countless exchanges, meetings, clashes, dialogues and knowledge been elaborated contemporaneously? Which identity view has been chosen? What is the role that covers the ‘otherness’ in the representation of itself? This research will try to understand whether ethnocentrism is a possible ideological drift that belongs to both countries or not; without aspiring to explanations or improper generalisations. Identical choices are always culturally and historically located, and are clearly reflected in textbooks. Such textbooks are offered as sources that, if duly interrogated, can reveal multiple clues as to the identity choices, memberships, closures and narratives of themselves and others.

The insular environment of Sardinia is renowned for its extensive palaeontological Palaeogene record, extending from the Eocene until recent times. In Sardinia, one of the most important localities for Quaternary faunas is the fillings of the karst fissures of the Monte Tuttavista site complex, which contain an impressive amount of fossil remains of around 70 vertebrate taxa. Several studies that have examined the network of the karst fissure cavities and their fossils have revealed some issues regarding the biochronological ordering, as well as some peculiarities in the recovered faunal associations (such as the presence of several carnivores). In this study, we analysed the record of the two large mustelids from this site, the genera Pannonictis and Enhydrictis. Our analyses point out several singular morphological and morphometric features of these taxa that suggest their attribution to two new species, Pannonictis baroniensis nov. sp. and Enhydrictis praegalictoides nov. sp. The proportions and the robust morphologies of P. baroniensis resemble those of other European taxa, such as P. pliocaenica, although other dentognatic and cranial features exclude a conspecific identity with previously known taxa. Conversely, E. praegalictoides represents the earliest member of the genus and shows a mixed pattern of derived features that are shared with the peculiar E. galictoides recovered from other Middle-Late Pleistocene Sardinian localities, as well as other more primitive characteristics that do not occur in this endemic mustelid. Considering the controversial debate regarding the evolutionary history of the tribe Galictini, the record of these new endemic species expands our knowledge of the systematics and the biogeography of the galictines and enriches the diversity of the tribe during the Early and Middle Pleistocene.

A number of recent genetic and systematic reviews have changed our knowledge of the taxonomy of Mustelidae. In particular, the subfamily Galictinae Reig, 1956 has been recently grouped in the subfamily Ictonychinae Pocock, 1921. Among the Eurasian fossil taxa of this subfamily, the first to be described were Enhydrictis Major, 1901 and Pannonictis Kormos, 1931. The latter genus is well characterised from the Plio-Pleistocene deposits of central and southern Europe, whereas Enhydrictis is an endemic and enigmatic form, recovered from late Pleistocene localities of Sardinia. Other recent studies have revealed a more palaeodiverse and complex taxonomic scenario than was previously thought. Based on various evidence, this review proposes a reinterpretation of the material of the galictini from early Pleistocene sites such as St. Vallier and Olivola, historically named “Mustela” ardea Gervais, 1848–1852, and its attribution to Martellictis gen. nov. The definition of Martellictis ardea reveals a more complex systematic panorama of western Eurasian Ictonychinae, and at the same time, this re-ascription stresses the importance of understanding the possible origin of the different morphological adaptations (such as those of Enhydrictis) and clarifying the phylogenetic relationships among these taxa.

Purely organic materials showing solid state room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are attracting an ever growing interest due to their low toxicity, cost and environmental load compared to their organometallic counterparts. In addition, specific features potentially associated with organic phosphorescent materials, such as long afterglow lifetimes, have opened the way to new possible applications including low-cost anti-counterfeiting technologies, temperature monitoring, sensing and bio-imaging. RTP of organic molecules is reviewed here for the cases where intermolecular interactions among molecules of one type only are involved. In particular, the selection is focused on papers dealing with self-interactions of halogen bonding (XB) and p-p type. After recalling a few basic concepts underlying emission phenomena, a selection of examples where XB and p-p interactions are involved, separately or in conjunction, is reported. In the cases where different interpretations have been given for the same class of molecules, we have gathered and discussed the different suggested mechanisms.