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The increase of brain dimensions and complexity has characterized the evolution of the genus Homo. According to the available fossil and genetic evidence, a crucial stage came before the divergence of Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens, during the Middle Pleistocene. We consider a specimen of about 400 ka, whose phenotype is at the roots of this divergence: Ceprano calvarium (Italy). Here, we show a derived cerebrovascular organization with a mosaic of modern human and primitive features characteristics. Computed microtomography shows vascular variation and ontogenetic defects associated with ventricular and lymphatic involvement while phylogenetic analyzes highlight a dysregulation of the Tet1 gene that shows an accelerated mutation rate between 1.2 Ma and 466 ka, in contrast with the expected neutral evolution of the human genome. These results shed light on the dynamics of cranio-cerebral growth during the encephalization process and on the cerebral vascular and lymphatic system involved in this process. The results of this study could have implications for the research of many of the diseases of the central nervous system that have become predominant in an increasingly structured and long-lived brain system such as that of modern Homo sapiens. One-Sentence Summary: Genetic mutation, anatomical variations and glymphatic system in the process of encephalization towards Homo sapiens.

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya A vast diversity of catarrhines primates has been uncovered in the Middle to Late Miocene (12.5-9.6 Ma) of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (northeastern Spain), including several hominid species (Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, Anoiapithecus brevirostris, Dryopithecus fontani, Hispanopithecus laietanus, and Hispanopithecus crusafonti) plus some remains attributed to 'Sivapithecus' occidentalis (of uncertain taxonomic validity). However, Pierolapithecus and Anoiapithecus have also been considered junior synonyms of Dryopithecus by some authors, which entail a lower generic diversity and an inflated intrageneric variation of the latter genus. Since the distinction of these taxa partly relies on dental features, the detailed and quantitative analysis of tooth shape might help disentangling the taxonomic diversity of these Miocene hominids. Using diffeomorphic surface matching and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics, we investigate the enamel-dentine junction shape (which is a reliable taxonomic proxy) of these Miocene hominids, with the aim of investigating their degree of intra- and intergeneric variation compared with that of extant great ape genera. We conducted statistical analyses, including between-group principal component analyses, canonical variate analyses, and permutation tests, to investigate whether the individual and combined (i.e., Dryopithecus s.l.) variation of the extinct genera exceeds that of the extant great apes. Our results indicate that Pierolapithecus, Anoiapithecus, Dryopithecus, and Hispanopithecus show morphological differences of enamel-dentine junction shape relative to the extant great apes that are consistent with their attribution to different genera. Specifically, the variation displayed by the Middle Miocene taxa combined exceeds that of extant great ape genera, thus undermining the single-genus hypothesis. 'Sivapithecus' occidentalis specimens fall close to Dryopithecus but in the absence of well-preserved comparable teeth for Pierolapithecus and Anoiapithecus, their taxonomic attribution remains uncertain. Among the Hispanopithecus sample, IPS1802 from Can Llobateres stands out and might either be an outlier in terms of morphology, or represent another dryopithecine taxon.

Depositional and erosional processes, subsidence and sea-level changes have strongly modified the coastal landscape of northern Adriatic lagoons. Such rapid transformations have induced significant consequences on human settlements and, thus, on the archaeological visibility of the area, still largely unexplored. We present here six metal swords fortuitously retrieved by fishermen over the last decades in front of the barrier islands of Marano Lagoon (north-eastern Italy). Multi-analytical analyses carried out on the artefacts (X-ray radiography and computed micro-tomography, radiocarbon dating and typo-chronology) combined with the study of the coastal paleo-environment (mainly based on historical cartography and remote sensing) allowed the items' main features to be defined, and highlighted both the historical importance of the area and the significant morphological changes that have occurred there over the last millennium. Data presented indicate that Marano Lagoon was a major hub in the northern Adriatic in the Late Middle Ages, during the crucial period of the Crusades, and in Early Modern times, connecting inland Europe with the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, the research highlights the onset of coastal erosion that occurred in the last century after a phase of relatively geomorphic stability, possibly deriving from the intensification of human impact and climate change.

Patients suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF) and severe aortic stenosis thus undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have a worse prognosis than those in sinus rhythm. One of the reasons of this is related to the augmented bleeding risk associated with oral anticoagulation (OAC). Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) represents a therapeutic choice to avoid this drug intake and to reduce this kind of adverse outcome. So, a combined procedure of TAVI and LAAO could be an option for TAVI candidates with AF to omit the need for OAC. The clinical case concerns an 85-year-old man with hypertension and dyslipidemia with a history of recent syncope and permanent atrial fibrillation in therapy with antithrombotic drug. Brain MRI performed during hospitalization showed numerous hemosiderin deposits with microhemorrhagic foci thus contraindicating oral anticoagulation. Severe aortic stenosis has also been found to the transthoracic echocardiogram with a mean gradient of 35 mmHg and confirmed by transesophageal echocardiogram with a planimetric area of 0.8 sq.cm. Furthermore, given the finding of significative left circumflex artery disease, after Heart Team discussion and the execution of CT scan that demonstrated the feasibility of transcatheter approach, it was decided to perform in a single session percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) plus TAVI plus left atrial appendage closure (LAAO). This kind of approach allowed a quick recovery to the patient after a short period of hospitalization. After six months from interventional procedure his NYHA (New York Heart Association Functional Classification) status improved abutting on I/II class. As described above, it can be deduced that combined approach (TAVI+LAAO) is feasible for certain kind of patients thus avoiding surgical approach and long hospitalization. Furthermore, multimodality imaging is of critical importance to plan a complex procedure and an accurate step-by-step pre-procedural strategical planning is the key for procedural success.

Background Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury (CI-AKI) is a complication of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) associated with high morbidity and mortality and higher incidence is in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Recently several randomized controlled trials have shown a clear benefit of new anti-diabetic drugs (GLP-1 analogues, DPP-4 inhibitors and SGLT-2 inhibitors) in the prevention of kidney damage but no study has evaluated their possible role in the prevention of CI-AKI in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods The study enrolled 408 patients undergoing PCI and divided them into three groups: 136 with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with new-antidiabetic drugs, 136 with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with standard-antidiabetic therapy, and 136 non-diabetic patients. Patients were evaluated for serum creatinine (measured at the time of hospitalization, 24-hour and 48-hour post-PCI), glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation before and after the procedure, and markers of myocardial damage at the admission and 24 hours after PCI. CI-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine levels ≥ 0.3 mg / dL (26.5 μmol / L) or greater than 25% of the base value, occurred 24-48 hours after administration of the contrast medium. Results It was observed a significant increase in delta creatinine between pre and post PCI in the group treated with standard-antidiabetic therapy (0.91 ± 0.22 mg / dL vs 0.94 ± 0.23 mg / dL, p= 0.008), but not in the group treated with new-antidiabetic drugs that showed a delta creatinine close to zero (1.01 ± 0.33 mg / dL vs 1.01 ± 0.35 mg / dL, p = 0.945), similar to that observed in non-diabetic patients (1.01 ± 0.30 mg / dL vs 0.99 ± 0.31 mg / dL, p = 0.020). The patients treated with SGLT-2 inhibitors presented pre-PCI mean creatinine levels significantly lower (0.83 ± 0.16 mg / dL) than those treated with DPP-4 inhibitors (1.04 ± 0.34 mg / dL) and GLP-1 analogues (1.05 ± 0.39 mg / dL), (p for trend = 0.009). However, the creatinine delta between the pharmacological classes was similar (p = 0.881). The incidence of CI-AKI, defined as an increase ​​of serum creatinine 24-48 hours after contrast medium administration ≥ 25%, was 9.6% in patients treated with standard-antidiabetic therapy, 4.4% in patients treated with new-antidiabetic drugs and 3.7% in non-diabetic patients (p for trend = 0.080). The incidence of CI-AKI, defined as an increase of serum creatinine 24-48 hours after contrast medium administration ≥0.3 mg / dL, was 5.1% in the standard-antidiabetic therapy group, 3.8% in the new-antidiabetic drugs group and 2.9% in the non-diabetic patients (p for trend = 0.911). Conclusions The study demonstrated in diabetic patients undergoing PCI and in treatment with new anti-diabetic drugs (GLP-1 analogues, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT-2 inhibitors) a reduced incidence of CI-AKI compared to diabetic patients in treatment with traditional antidiabetic drugs (metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, insulin) and a similar incidence of CI-AKI compared to non-diabetic patients. The results of this study underline a possible protective role of new anti-diabetic drugs for the prevention of CI-AKI.

The reconstruction of the original morphology of bones and teeth after sampling for physicochemical (e.g., radiocarbon and uranium series dating, stable isotope analysis, paleohistology, trace element analysis) and biomolecular analyses (e.g., ancient DNA, paleoproteomics) is appropriate in many contexts and compulsory when dealing with fossil human remains. The reconstruction protocols available to date are mostly based on manual re-integration of removed portions and can lead to an imprecise recovery of the original morphology. In this work, to restore the original external morphology of sampled teeth we used computed microtomography (microCT), reverse engineering (RE), computer-aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RP) techniques to fabricate customized missing parts. The protocol was tested by performing the reconstruction of two Upper Palaeolithic human teeth from the archaeological excavations of Roccia San Sebastiano (Mondragone, Caserta, southern Italy) and Riparo I of Grotte Verdi di Pradis (Clauzetto, Pordenone, north-eastern Italy) (RSS2 and Pradis 1, respectively), which were sampled for physicochemical and biomolecular analyses. It involved a composite procedure consisting in: a) the microCT scanning of the original specimens; b) sampling; c) the microCT scanning of the specimens after sampling; d) the reconstruction of the digital 3D surfaces of the specimens before and after sampling; e) the creation of digital models of the missing/sampled portions by subtracting the 3D images of the preserved portions (after the sampling) from the images of the intact specimens (before the sampling) by using reverse engineering techniques; f) the prototyping of the missing/sampled portions to be integrated; g) the painting and application of the prototypes through the use of compatible and reversible adhesives. By following the proposed protocol, in addition to the fabrication of a physical element which is faithful to the original, it was possible to obtain a remarkable correspondence between the contact surfaces of the two portions (the original and the reconstructed one) without having to resort to any manipulation/adaptation of either element., This project was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Grant Agreement no. 724046–SUCCESS awarded to S.B.)

Many anthropological studies have examined the functional implications of enamel thickness in human dental crowns. Despite limitations, Enamel thickness (ET) values are still used to infer taxonomic attribution in the genus Homo, and to identify mechanisms of functional adaptation against macrowear. However, only a few studies have tried to describe the possible relationship between ET and dental wear patterns in permanent lower first molars (M1) aiming to observe whether an adaptive response to the environmental and cultural context is detectable. The present work aims to investigate a possible signal of ET adaptive response in M1 (wear stage 3 ; Molnar, 1971) belonging to individuals who lived between the Neolithic (early 6th millennium BCE) and the Bronze Age (second half of the 2nd millennium BCE) in Croatia to identify any signal of change in dental tissue proportions based on archaeologically documented shifts in population structure and subsistence strategies. In order to do so, we explored 3D Average Enamel Thickness (AET) of the entire crown and wear pattern distribution among individuals and across chronological groups. We then described a new method called “Enamel Thickness per Masticatory Phases” (ETMP) involving the creation of virtual sections cutting enamel and coronal dentine in three parts based on masticatory phases, and explored the distribution of 3D AET accordingly. Finally, we performed geometric morphometric analysis on dental crown to ascertain possible morphological differences between Neolithic, Eneolithic, and Bronze Age groups. Results show that Bronze Age individuals differ from previous groups due to 1) higher values of ET in both the entire crown and specifically in the buccal area, 2) to an extensive wear pattern localized on the buccal side, and 3) to the distal extension of the hypoconid together with an extended mesio-distal shape of the crown. These patterns may represent an adaptive response of dental tissue to varying functional demands (e.g. archaeologically documented dietary shift). The study of ETMP therefore offers a more nuanced method, in addition to morphology and macrowear analysis, to document biocultural processes of change over time in archaeological populations through dental tissues.

Filling a polymer with halloysite nanotubes is considered a promising strategy to generate nanocomposites with tailored physicochemical properties. We have focused our attention on pluronic block copolymer/halloysite nanocomposites prepared by melt blending. The effect of composition on thermal stability and polymer crystallinity was investigated by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Electron microscopy was used to monitor the nanoparticle distribution in the polymeric matrix. The pluronic thermal stability is reduced by the clay nanoparticles. Concerning the polymer crystallinity, it is slightly decreased even if the melting temperature is lowered by halloysite. Furthermore, waterlogged archeological wood samples are consolidated using the nanotubes/pluronic nanocomposite, and the penetration of the nanocomposites into the lignin channels is confirmed by measurements based on X-ray computed microtomography.

Objectives The study of the development of human bipedalism can provide a unique perspective on the evolution of morphology and behavior across species. To generate new knowledge of these mechanisms, we analyze changes in both internal and external morphology of the growing human talus in a sample of modern human juveniles using an innovative approach. Materials and Methods The sample consists of high-resolution microCT scans of 70 modern juvenile tali, aged between 8 postnatal weeks and 10 years old, from a broad chronological range from Middle/Late Neolithic, that is, between 4800 and 4500 BCE, to the 20th century. We applied geometric morphometric and whole-bone trabecular analysis (bone volume fraction, degree of anisotropy, trabecular number, thickness, and spacing) to all specimens to identify changes in the external and internal morphology during growth. Morphometric maps were also generated. Results During the first year of life, the talus has an immature and globular shape, with a dense, compact, and rather isotropic trabecular architecture, with numerous trabeculae packed closely together. This pattern changes while children acquire a more mature gait, and the talus tends to have a lower bone volume fraction, a higher anisotropy, and a more mature shape. Discussion The changes in talar internal and external morphologies reflect the different loading patterns experienced during growth, gradually shifting from an “unspecialized” morphology to a more complex one, following the development of bipedal gait. Our research shows that talar plasticity, even though genetically driven, may show mechanical influences and contribute to tracking the main locomotor milestones.

Synopsis The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are widely variable and may involve several districts. Although the clinical course is mostly characterized by respiratory involvement, up to 30% of hospitalized patients have evidence of myocardial injury due to acute coronary syndrome, cardiac arrhythmias, myocarditis, and cardiogenic shock. In particular, myocarditis is a well-recognized severe complication of COVID-19 and is associated with fulminant cardiogenic shock and sudden cardiac death. The pathophysiology of cardiac injury remains poorly understood and the management and outcomes of myocarditis are not yet clarified. Our aim is to present a comprehensive review about COVID-19 related myocarditis, including clinical characteristics, diagnostic workup, and management.

Objective: The development of bipedalism is a very complex activity that contributes to shaping the anatomy of the foot. The talus, which starts ossifying in utero, may account for the developing stages from the late gestational phase onwards. Here, we explore the early development of the talus in both its internal and external morphology to broaden the knowledge of the anatomical changes that occur during early development.Materials and Methods: The sample consists of high-resolution microCT scans of 28 modern juvenile tali (from 36 prenatal weeks to 2 years), from a broad chronological range from the Late Roman period to the 20th century. We applied geometric morphometric and whole-bone trabecular analysis to investigate the early talar morphological changes.Results: In the youngest group (

The behaviour of the iconic ichnogenus Chondrites is re-evaluated based on review of existing literature and analysis of novel data (macroscopic, thin section and ESEM-EDX observations; CT-scans and resin peels of modern analogues; computer-controlled serial grinding; morphometric analysis and theoretical morphology). The bedding plane expression of Chondrites is well-constrained by morphometry: (1) the angle of dichotomy formed by a pair of adjacent branches is typically between 30° and 56° (interquartile range; mean: 47°); (2) branching order is between 1 and 9; (3) branches are, on average, nine times longer than wide. In the third dimension, downward branching is dominant but bundled shafts and upward branching may be present. The size of Chondrites increased markedly from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous, suggesting that the tracemakers became larger and larger. Microfabric analysis of Chondrites shows active fill or, alternatively, passive fill of empty tunnels by currents or clay percolation, a new mechanism proposed herein. The tracemakers built Chondrites to obtain food: (1) vermiform deposit feeders produced Chondrites for searching for food in the sediment (fodinichnion); (2) asymbiotic bivalves built Chondrites for cultivating and directly ingesting bacteria (agrichnion); (3) chemosymbiotic bivalves produced Chondrites to provide symbionts with chemical agents. Chondrites was modified through the life of the tracemaker or it represented a part of the producer’s lifespan. Chondrites — and its modern tracemaker(s) — is associated with a range of marine settings, including well-oxygenated, dysoxic and space-limited (nucleocave) environments. As such, Chondrites is regarded as an extremotolerant ichnotaxon.

Before the end of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ∼16.5 ka ago) set in motion major shifts in human culture and population structure, a consistent change in lithic technology, material culture, settlement pattern, and adaptive strategies is recorded in Southern Europe at ∼18–17 ka ago. In this time frame, the landscape of Northeastern Italy changed considerably, and the retreat of glaciers allowed hunter-gatherers to gradually recolonize the Alps. Change within this renewed cultural frame (i.e., during the Late Epigravettian phase) is currently associated with migrations favored by warmer climate linked to the Bølling-Allerød onset (14.7 ka ago), which replaced earlier genetic lineages with ancestry found in an individual who lived ∼14 ka ago at Riparo Villabruna, Italy, and shared among different contexts (Villabruna Cluster). Nevertheless, these dynamics and their chronology are still far from being disentangled due to fragmentary evidence for long-distance interactions across Europe. Here, we generate new genomic data from a human mandible uncovered at Riparo Tagliente (Veneto, Italy), which we directly dated to 16,980–16,510 cal BP (2σ). This individual, affected by focal osseous dysplasia, is genetically affine to the Villabruna Cluster. Our results therefore backdate by at least 3 ka the diffusion in Southern Europe of a genetic component linked to Balkan/Anatolian refugia, previously believed to have spread during the later Bølling/Allerød event. In light of the new genetic evidence, this population replacement chronologically coincides with the very emergence of major cultural transitions in Southern and Western Europe., The research was supported by the European Union through the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement no. 724046 – Success awarded to S.B., http://www.erc-success.eu; grant agreement no. 803147 Resolution awarded to S.T., https://site.unibo.it/resolution-erc/en) as well as through the European Regional Development Fund (project no. 2014–2020.4.01.16–0030 to C.L.S. and T.S.) and projects no. 2014-2020.4.01.16-0024 and MOBTT53 (L.P.), by the Estonian Research Council personal research grant (PRG243; C.L.S.), and by UniPd PRID 2019 (L.P.).

The hard X-ray source 2PBC J0658.0-1746 was proposed as an eclipsing magnetic cataclysmic variable of the polar type, based on optical follow-ups. We present the first spectral and timing analysis at X-ray energies with XMM-Newton, complemented with archival X-ray, optical, IR photometry and spectroscopy. The X-ray emission shows bright and faint phases and total eclipses recurring every 2.38 h, consistent with optical properties. This firmly identifies 2PBC J0658.0-1746 as an eclipsing polar, the second hard X-ray selected in the orbital period gap. The X-ray orbital modulation changes from cycle-to-cycle and the X-ray flux is strongly variable over the years, implying a non-stationary mass accretion rate both on short and long timescales. The X-ray eclipses allow to refine the orbital ephemeris with period 0.09913398(4) d, and to constrain the binary inclination $79^{\rm\,o}\lesssim i \lesssim 90^{\rm\,o}$ and the mass ratio 0.18$\rm, Comment: Accepted for publication on MNRAS, 11 Pages, 8 Figures, 4 tables

Optical and X-ray observations suggested that the 9.38 h binary, SWIFT J0746.3- 1608 could be a Cataclysmic Variable of the magnetic or nova-like type, or a low mass X-ray binary. Its optical, UV, and X-ray light curves are strongly variable over years. We report on a recent XMM-Newton observation (28 April 2018), when the source had recovered from a deep low state that likely begun mid-late 2011. We detect for the first time a signal at about 38 min that we interpret as the rotation of the accreting white dwarf primary. Its amplitude decreases with increasing energy, indicating localised photoelectric absorption from cold material. The X-ray spectrum shows optically thin thermal emission with excess at the iron complex, absorbed by a dense medium partially covering the X-ray source. Based on these features, we propose that SWIFT J0746.3-1608 is a magnetic CV of the Intermediate Polar (IP) type. The long-term light curves at different wavelengths show high and low states, a rare phenomenon in the IP subclass and observed so far in only three other systems. The long orbital period, the peculiar long term variability, and its proposed magnetic nature, makes SWIFT J0746.3-1608 an interesting evolutionary test case., Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 6 figures, 1 table

La possibilità che il sale avesse avuto un ruolo importante nelle dinamiche insediative del Carso e dell’Istria (Adriatico nord-orientale) fin dalla tarda preistoria è stata ipotizzata principalmente in base a indicatori indiretti, e non è stata validata finora da interventi di campo mirati. Indicatori indiretti quali l’accertato uso pastorale di parecchie grotte carsiche (pastorizia e sale sono legati dalla necessità di integrare l’alimentazione delle greggi di caprovini); la presenza di un numero alto di oggetti “esotici” in molti siti (oggetti dati / ricevuti in cambio di bestiame e sale?); dati etno-storici: presenza di impianti produttivi / saline sicuramente da epoca romana fino al secolo scorso lungo tutto il litorale (in Istria una salina è tuttora attiva). In età protostorica, alcuni materiali ceramici rinvenuti nel sito lungo costa di Stramare di Muggia e nel castelliere di Elleri sarebbero interpretabili come briquetage, e dunque costituirebbero prove dirette della produzione di sale. Nella letteratura specialistica sul sale sono considerati validi sia gli indicatori diretti sia quelli indiretti: nondimeno, la loro tipologia e l’uso esclusivo piuttosto che integrato degli stessi potrebbero costituire tema di discussione teorico-metodologica. L’individuazione di analisi archeometriche (lato sensu) tali da confermare la presenza / produzione di sale in ambienti idonei anche dal punto di vista geo-ambientale è un altro tema di possibile approfondimento, così come quello della dimensione diacronica del fenomeno sale, evidente dall’importanza che hanno in moltissimi casi i dati etno-storici.

Recent investigations at Grociana piccola, a site in northeastern Italy consisting of two sub-rectangular fortifications, offer the rare opportunity to investigate Early Roman military architecture outside the Iberian peninsula. Excavations have revealed an inner rubble masonry rampart dated to the 2nd c. BCE by associated pottery, mainly amphora remains. This date suggests that the fortification was in use during the first Roman conquest and/or later campaigns of the 2nd c. BCE, providing one of the earliest and smallest examples of a military fort. The fort's ramparts were built using the same building technique as much larger 2nd-c. BCE military camps. Another trench uncovered the northeastern corner of the outer rampart and a probable tower or artillery platform which can be connected to a temporary camp built during the mid-1st c. BCE.

We present the investigation of two rather ephemeral archaeological sites located in the municipality of Oprtalj/Portole (Croatian Istria) by means of integrated archaeological, geophysical and remote sensing techniques. The results obtained confirm the first interpretation of these contexts, a protohistoric burial mound and a small hillfort, respectively. We further obtained detailed information about both deposits through 2D and 3D remote sensing and geophysical studies that produced maps, volumes, profiles and cross-sections. At the first site, the volume reconstruction of both the inner stone core and the superimposed earth of the putative stone mound also allowed us to estimate the labour necessary to erect the structure. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the integrated approach can be valuable not only to acquire novel data about the archaeological deposits but also to calibrate future investigations and to plan effective measures for heritage management, monitoring and valorization.

International audience; Extensive fieldwork at Abocador de Can Mata (north-east Iberian Peninsula) has uncovered a previously unsuspected diversity of catarrhine primates in the middle Miocene (12.5-11.6 Ma) of Europe. However, the distinction of the great ape genera Pierolapithecus and Anoiapithecus from Dryopithecus (supported by craniodental differences) has been disputed by some authors. Here we revisit the diversity of great apes (dryopithecines) from the Iberian Miocene based on molar 3D endostructural morphology (relative enamel thickness, enamel distribution, and enamel-dentine junction (EDJ)). Using microtomography, we inspected an extensive sample of 49 hominoid molars representing at least five species from 12 localities. 2D and 3D relative enamel thickness values indicate that Dryopithecus and 'Sivapithecus' occidentalis (species inquirenda) display the thinnest and thickest enamel, respectively, while the remaining taxa (Hispanopithecus, Anoiapithecus, Pierolapithecus) show intermediate values. Upper molar enamel distribution maps exhibit a similar pattern in P. catalaunicus, A. brevirostris, D. fontani, H. laietanus and H. crusafonti whereas for the lower molars they reveal differences between H. laietanus and H. crusafonti. Lower molar enamel distribution and EDJ morphology of 'S.' occidentalis support the distinction of this species but do not resolve whether it is a junior synonym of Anoiapithecus brevirostris or Pierolapithecus catalaunicus. Overall our results support the distinction of middle Miocene dryopithecins from late Miocene hispanopithecins, the distinction of Pierolapithecus and Anoiapithecus from Dryopithecus among the former, and the distinct species status of H. crusafonti compared to H. laietanus among the latter. Our results highlight the potential of inner tooth morphology for hominoid alpha-taxonomy.

During the mid-3rd millennium BC central Slovenia, north-eastern Italy and the eastern Adriatic coast developed similar cultural traditions in pottery production which have been ascribed to the so-called Ljubljana culture. Among the investigated sites of this period, the Deschmann’s pile dwellings near Ig, in the Ljubljansko barje in central Slovenia, in their younger phase of existence (c. 2600-2400 B.C.), are probably the most famous. As many scholars already pointed out, numerous finds attributed to the Ljubljana culture suggest a potential interaction between this culture and the Bell Beaker one: among them, ceramic vessels with a specific ornamentation technique (the so-called barbed-wire decoration), flint daggers, boar’s tusks, metal daggers and awls, and so on. Nevertheless, a small pear-shaped vessel from the Deschmann’s pile dwellings, decorated with a linear band incised motif reminiscent of the Bell Beaker metope decoration, is the only artefact of this type known from central Slovenia. Despite its similarity with the typical beakers of the Bell Beaker culture, no precise typological analogies have been found in the literature. For these reasons, technological and chemical analysis have been carried out on it and comparative pottery materials attributed to the Ljubljana Culture with the purpose to understand if such beaker was locally produced or imported to central Slovenia. Since thefinds from the Deschmann’s pile dwellings cannot be sampled for destructive analysis, we have adopted a non-destructive approach combining X-ray Computed Microtomography (microCT) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) to explore their average structural and compositional (elemental) features, respectively. The results obtained so far will be presented at the Conference.

The Mompaderno cranium was found in 1883 at Baderna/Mompaderno in Croatian Istria. It was suspected to date from the Mesolithic or Neolithic period, but radiocarbon analyses, performed by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) on collagen extracted from two teeth, have provided an age range of 2,202– 1928 cal. BC, which corresponds to the Early Bronze Age in the investigated region. Macroscopic observations and X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) of the cranium have shown antemortem sharp force trauma on the frontal bones, probably caused by a bronze axe, and a related osteomyelitis likely caused by an infection of the wound. The study has also revealed a previous depressed fracture and an osteolytic area interpreted as intradiploic meningioma. Results provide rare and earliest evidence of interpersonal violence in the northern Adriatic region

We report on simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of the radio-emitting magnetar 1E1547.0-5408 on 2009 January 25 and February 3, with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope and the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. The magnetar was observed in a period of intense X-ray bursting activity and enhanced X-ray emission. We report here on the detection of two radio bursts from 1E1547.0-5408, reminiscent of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). One of the radio bursts was anticipated by ~1s (about half a rotation period of the pulsar) by a bright SGR-like X-ray burst, resulting in a F_radio/F_X ~ 10^-9. Radio pulsations were not detected during the observation showing the FRB-like radio bursts, while they were detected in the previous radio observation. We also found that the two radio bursts are neither aligned with the latter radio pulsations nor with the peak of the X-ray pulse profile (phase shift of ~0.2). Comparing the luminosity of these FRB-like bursts and those reported from SGR1935+2154, we find that the wide range in radio efficiency and/or luminosity of magnetar bursts in the Galaxy may bridge the gap between "ordinary" pulsar radio bursts and the extragalactic FRB phenomenon., Accepted for publication in ApJ. 9 pages, 3 figures

Quite rare pottery shards showing a paste rich in black sand particles, possibly igneous minerals, have been discovered in late Republican Roman sites of Trieste area (NE Italy) and SW Slovenia in the Caput Adriae. Most of them belong to late Greco-Italic and Dressel 1 amphora types, in use from the end of the 3rd and the beginning of 1st centuries BC. Following a methodological procedure based on the analysis of igneous temper, proved to be particularly effective by several scholars, numerous minerals have been extracted from the surface of 16 pottery shards, without causing any visible damage to them. Microprobe analysis has allowed the identification of igneous minerals (olivine, clinopyroxene, feldspar and garnet), most likely originating from the Roman or Campanian magmatic provinces. The chemistry of garnets, indicated in the past as a possible tracer of ancient commerce but no longer used in the last decades to study Italian late Republican pottery, has proved to be a promising tool to distinguish among the two magmatic provinces. According to our study, most of the investigated garnets-bearing samples would originate from Somma-Vesuvius while some of them from Latium., Periodico di Mineralogia, Vol. 90 No. 1 (2021)