Consolidation par Y-epratuzumab en fractionné dans le lymphome B diffus à grandes cellules : résultats préliminaires d’une étude de phase II

Purpose

A multicenter, non-randomized, on-going phase II study, promoted by the GOELAMS aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fractionated administration of ⁹⁰Y-epratuzumab (two injections 7 days apart) in consolidation therapy for patients older than 60 years with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and large tumor mass who presented a complete response (CR), unconfirmed CR (uCR) or partial response (PR) after induction therapy with six courses of R-CHOP14. We report the preliminary results on 41 of the 75 enrolled patients.

Patients and method

Toxicity was evaluated according to NCI-CTC version 3. The CR and uCR rate and the rate of conversion of PR to CR/uCR 6 weeks after injections of ⁹⁰Y-epratuzumab were evaluated using IWRC criteria.

Results

Thirty-three patients received two injections of ⁹⁰Y-epratuzumab. The toxicity of ⁹⁰Y-epratuzumab was mainly hematologic, characterized by neutropenia grade 3/4 in 81.8% of patients and thrombocytopenia grade 3/4 in 78.8% of patients, reversible. Two patients (6.1%) had grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicity. Six weeks after injection of ⁹⁰Y-epratuzumab, 40.0% of patients improved their response and the rate of CR/RCu was 83.9%.

Conclusion

These preliminary results show significant toxicity, but mainly hematologic, expected in consolidation. The response rate is encouraging and needs to be confirmed by sufficient number of inclusions and follow-up.     

Retourner à Moulin Quignon

In March 1863, Jacques Boucher de Perthes found in the alluvia of Moulin Quignon (Abbeville, France) a human jaw in association with lithic artifacts and fossil bones of mammals. Quickly challenged, this discovery will appear as a fraud whose prehistorian was the victim. Since that time, the collection and the Moulin Quignon site are synonymous with an archaeological forgery. Forgotten for almost 150 years, these collections became in 2012 a research topic in the context of a program devoted to oldest settlements and Acheulean. The objective was to identify and study the whole 1863–1864 documentation set (human remains, artifacts, sediments, fauna bones, malacological remains, archives, papers, site) to allow further analysis of the whole subject.     

Évolution de la préhension chez les primates humains et non humains : la précision et l'utilisation d'outils revisitées

The term “precision”, involving the contact between the tips of thumb and the index is generally attributed to humans, tool use and associated with morphological criteria. Identified in fossils, those criteria are used to assert that they manipulated tools. Observations of 69 individuals belonging to Catarrhines and Platyrrhines allowed us to quantify surfaces of fingers used during simple tasks of grasping both small and large objects, as well as during complex tasks of proto-tool and tool use. We concluded that precision grasping is not peculiar to humans and that it is not systematically linked to tool use. These results allowed us to discuss morphological traits used till now to deduce precision and tool use from the fossils. Besides, our analyses let appear a recurrent proximity between the capuchins and the humans, species distant in a phylogenetic point of view, suggesting the possible existence of functions and close behaviours in spite of great genetic distinctions.     

L’étude des conditions d’habitabilité des établissements préhistoriques : à propos des amas coquilliers mésolithiques de la région cantabrique occidentale (Nord de l’Espagne)

We show the methodology we followed in order to reliably estimate a factor that, to our judgement, is fundamental for the assessment of the characteristics of a prehistoric settlement: the conditions of exposure to the sun. This methodology is applied to the study of Mesolithic shell middens in the North of Spain, with the aim to introduce a new kind of information in the debate about the meaning of shell middens. Throughout this century, different ways to understand the behaviour these remains conceal have been proposed. Our thesis with regard to it, presented in this paper, is based on the observation of a series of variables, among which we can find the exposure to the sun the settlements undergo. We therefore show in the last part of the paper, how to join the information from the proposed analysis with the other data subsequent from the study of other variables such as the environmental conditions prevailing during the period of formation of the sites; the situation of the settlements; the location of the remains in the caves; the entity of the occupations; and the energy spent on the transportation of the aquatic resources from the coast towards the places where their rests are found nowadays. In short, we propound a methodology for the study of one of the variables that falls upon the habitability of a prehistoric settlement and we point out the contribution that the incorporation of an analysis of this kind means for the research of Mesolithic shell middens in the North of Spain.     

L'expression schématique en Aragon présentation et recherches récentes

The shelters of the Aragon containing paintings are gathered together in two areas: one around the río Martin valley to the north of Teruel and one in the Sierra de Guara at the east of Huesca. In every case they coexist with sites containing Levantine paintings but the proportions between the two types of expression are variable. We suppose that this association or even competition, of these two different iconographies is related to the differences of Neolithic economies establishment in each region. Punctual excavations underside the schematic figures give for them different dating throughout the Neolithic period. It seems probant that shelters with schematic paintings were chosen among a multitude of potential sites following four particular conditions: their dominant position, their southern orientation, the orange colour of the cliff walls and the humidity of the place. Lastly, the detailed study of the ornated sites at the confluence of the Vero and the Choca valley reveals the existence of the groups of richly shelters and, on the over hand, the existence of isolated ones with a most soker decoration. Or, a good knowledge of the field shows that the first ones cannot be accessible if we do not pass by the second ones. Consequently, we propose the existence of a precise approaching paths allowing precise the arrival to the groups of richly decorated sites. The studied area would thus represent a structured sanctuary served by an access way that was marked out deliberately.     

Mégalithes et sociétés préhistoriques : concepts et terminologie

The restitution of the megalith’s technical manufacture, whith their assemblies lines and their sequences, enlarges the coast of the sens incluse in each Corsican monoliths. From the megalithics sites of Poghjaredda of Monte Rotondu (Sotta), Ciutulaghja (Appietu), and Presa (Altaghjè), some specifics activities area (pastoralism for example) or activities structured in the space (villages and tombs of middle Neolithic) interest this study. The contributions of many sciences permit to give an economic and social dimension to the choice of megalithics sites. Then, those choices are an aspect of the Neolithic process in Corsica, making part of sculpture and architecture. This study is conclued by a consideration on the actual worked stones’ terminology.     

Modes de sélection et contraintes en Europe centrale prénéanderthalienne

The Microlithic industries of lower Palaeolithic central Europe have been speculated to be a result of raw material availability and therefore natural constraints. However, on some sites such as Bilzingsleben and Vertessz?ll?s, raw material constraints do not apply. Clearly here has been a positive selection for small-scale tools that must have different explanations. The seemingly stable pattern of forms unrelated to raw material properties, leads to the inference that early hominin societies possessed and transmitted over generations, a defined set of behavioural norms. The paper argues that patterns of choice can be isolated within lower Palaeolithic stone tool assemblages that are distinct from patterns of ecological restraint.     

Le genre Nucleolites (Echinoidea, Cassiduloidea) du Bajocien à l'Oxfordien dans le Bassin de Paris : apport des données architecturales à la systématique et à la phylogénie

The classification of the Paris basin Bajocian-Oxfordian species of the genus Nucleolites is revised. A classic point of view, until now used by authors and mainly based on the general morphology of the test, is first developed. Then, this last is modified with new architectural data, which refer to the extraxial-axial theory concerning the structure of the apical system as well as the presence of supplementary and catenal plates. These architectural data are first used facing the general morphology of the test. Such approach leads to a new point of view for the classification of the species of the genus Nucleolites. The systematics is particularly significantly simplified. The deduced and proposed phylogenetic hypothesis shows that the genus Nucleolites is composed of two parallel lineages as soon as the beginning of the genus in the Bajocian: a group with a so-called “primitive” architecture, and a group with an “advanced” one. On and after the Late Callovian, the species with a primitive organisation give birth to advanced species, which continue in younger time. In this way, the genus Nucleolites may be paraphyletic since the Late Callovian onward.     

Apports du site de Montclus (Gard) à l’origine et à la filiation du Montclusien (Mésolithique)

The Baume of Montclus is located in the Cèze valley (Gard). This site gave its name to a prehistoric tool-age, the Montclusian, which parted from the Sauveterrian. Middle and Upper Montclusian are present in Montclus, unlike the Lower Montclusian. The Montclusian industry, which starts here in about 8000 BP, includes a very high proportion of hypermicrolithes. It is followed by a Castelnovian industry from around 7000 BP. This one features very different Montclusian, showing thus a break. The Castelnovian survives in Montclus while the Cardial is already settled in Châteauneuf-les-Martigues and sites around the Ardèche river. After these Montclusian levels appear Cardial and Chassean layers. Neolithisation has been very gradual here, affecting tools first before the arrival of ceramic, around 6500 BP. What is the origin of Montclusian? And what could have become? Its origin might be further west with the Causses and Languedoc, where levels are rather similar. The Sauveterrian origin has long been established. But research shows a great diversity among the Sauveterrian originated industries. What the Montclusian was going to become is to discovered from the Lower Montclusian, quite original, and which should be found in other site. Montclusian might be on the geographic and cultural boderline of 2 districts: one being located west of the Rhône river, influenced by Sauveterrian, and which gave birth to Montclusian, the other east of the Rhône river bears witness to Castelnovian.