The suspicion of mediastinal alterations, always includes in its initial study, the chest radiography. The identification of mediastinal alterations in the X-ray is a priority. The knowledge of the mediastinal references and the identification of their alterations allows the suspicion of a pathology specific to each of the mediastinal spaces. When the semiology of mediastinal lesions, their location and the three most frequent pathologies are taken into account, the possibility of having an etiological diagnosis increases^[1]. This is a review article based on a detailed literature search, in which radiological mediastinal references are studied, with emphasis on the epidemiological data of each one of them.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is considered a bicondylar diarthrosis type joint. Imaging evaluation is a fundamental part of its assessment, which should include both bony and soft tissue characteristics and the relationship between them. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) represents the gold standard for the study of soft tissues; however, up to now, its main application continues to be the visualization of the articular disc. For this reason, the present article aimed to point out the information available in the literature regarding the visualization of the joint capsule in MRI and to evaluate it as an independent structure.

Polymers obtained from renewable sources are gaining popularity over their petroleum based counter parts in recent years due to their capability to address the environmental pollution related concerns emanating from the widespread usage of synthetic polymers. Even though the polymers from renewable sources are attractive in an environmental point of view, some of the property limitations and the high cost of these materials pose limitations for their extensive commercial applications. These aspects opened the door for a large chunk of research activities in development of polyblends and composites containing polymers from renewable sources as one of the components. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most discussed and commercialized polymer originated from renewable resources. Even though it has many useful properties, certain disadvantages like high brittleness, low impact resistance etc. limit the wide spread commercialization of PLA. In this review article, the recent research activities which are aimed to fill this gap by various modifications of PLA are discussed with special emphasis on the latest research advancements in the field of biodegradable and non biodegradable systems containing PLA.

Lead halide perovskites are the new rising generation of semiconductor materials due to their unique optical and electrical properties. The investigation of the interaction of halide perovskites and light is a key issue not only for understanding their photophysics but also for practical applications. Hence, tremendous efforts have been devoted to this topic and brunch into two: (i) decomposition of the halide perovskites thin films under light illumination; and (ii) influence of light soaking on their photoluminescence (PL) properties. In this review, we for the first time thoroughly compare the illumination conditions and the sample environment to correlate the PL changes and decomposition of perovskite under light illumination. In the case of vacuum and dry nitrogen, PL of the halide perovskite (MAPbI_3–xCl_x, MAPbBr_3–xCl_x, MAPbI₃) thin films decreases due to the defects induced by light illumination, and under high excitations, the thin film even decomposes. In the presence of oxygen or moisture, light induces the PL enhancement of halide perovskite (MAPbI₃) thin films at low light illumination, while increasing the excitation, which causes the PL to quench and perovskite thin film to decompose. In the case of mixed halide perovskite ((MA)Pb(Br_xI_1-x)₃) light induces reversible segregation of Br domains and I domains. 

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are mostly presented as a means to introduce efficient procurement methods and better value for money to taxpayers. However, the complexity of the PPP mechanism, their lack of transparency, accounting rules and implicit liabilities make it often impossible to perceive the amount of public expenditure involved and the long-run impact on taxpayers, providing room for fiscal illusion, i.e., the illusion that PPPs are much less expensive than traditional public investments. This psaper, thanks to a systematic review of the literature on the EU countries experience, tries to unveil the sources of this illusion by looking at the reasons behind the PPPs’ choice, their real costs, and the sources of fiscal risks. The literature suggests that PPPs are more costly than public funding, especially when contingent liabilities are not taken into account, and are employed as mechanisms to circumvent budgetary restrictions and to spend off-balance. The paper concludes that the public sector should share more risks with private sectors by reducing the amount of guarantees, and should prevent governments from operating through a sleight of hand that deflects attention away from off-balance financing, by applying a neutral fiscal recording system.