Tchernobyl : le vrai, le probable et le faux

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami drew attention worldwide to nuclear power plant accidents and associated health risks. Since Chernobyl 25 years ago, several studies were published and we now have precise information concerning the long-term health of the population living near nuclear power plants and also in different European countries. The authors hope to bring some answers to the key questions from the public concerning radioactive units used and their significance, the evaluation of the number of radio-induced cancers within the different countries of Europe, other eventual health effects and the problem of possible congenital anomalies. Finally, French public perception on nuclear risk is examined and the feedback of the Japanese experience is evoked.     

Les récentes découvertes à Baerya dans le district de Bijie, au nord de la province de Guizhou (Chine)

Fauna associated with stone artifacts have recently been uncovered, in the course of a survey from a cave site named Baerya, town land of Bijie, Guizhou province. The first observations suggest a human occupation. In the absence of chrono-stratigraphic data, it is not possible to assess the age of the site. Nevertheless the presence of lower Pleistocene fauna suggests a very ancient age for this human occupation. Further field research will be necessary to determinate the age and nature of the site.     

Les kystes de dinoflagellés du Crétacé moyen de la marge atlantique brésilienne, le bassin de Santos

Organic dinoflagellate cysts are studied from the sedimentary sequence of hole 1-SPS-14A, drilled during oil exploration in the Santos Basin, Brazilian continental margin. The Ariri and Florianópolis Formations (Transitional sequence) do not contain any dinocysts. The oldest found dinocysts occur at the base of the Drift sequence in sediments, within platform carbonates of the Guarujá Formation. Continuous sea-level rise throughout the late Albian and Cenomanian submerged the carbonate platform with the terrigenous input of the Itanhaém Formation. The transgressive phase reached its peak during the Cenomanian/Turonian transition. Pelites were deposited during oceanic anoxic event (OAE-2), consisting the lower part of the Itajaí-Açu Formation. Normal oceanic conditions re-established in the late Turonian. The Brazilian dinocyst assemblage has tethyan affinities. Some species (i.e., Dinopterygium cladoides, Litosphaeridium arundum, Odontochitina rhakodes and Systematophora cretacea) suggest a middle Albian age for the carbonate platform of the Guarujá Formation. The lower part of the Guarujá Formation was not dated by other microfossils. An uppermost Albian or lower Cenomanian age is suggested for the base of the Itanhaém Formation on the basis of species Palaeohystrichophora infusorioides and Ovoidinium verrucosum. The Cenomanian-Turonian boundary cannot be characterized by dinocysts. Species Atopodinium iuvene, which is known from Turonian sediments in Europe, was found at the top of the Itajaí-Açu Formation. The observed dinocyst bioevents (i.e., last occurrence) are correlated with known foraminiferal, nannofossil and other palynological bioevents. The diversity of the assemblages remains constant throughout the various palaeoenvironments as these are reflected by the Guarujá and Itajaí-Açu Formations, but relative abundances of taxa are variable. Genera Coronifera, Florentinia, Ovoidinium, Spiniferites and Trichodinium are abundant in the carbonate platform assemblages (Guarujá Formation). Genera Cribroperidinium and Cyclonephelium are abundant in detrital sediments (Itajaí-Açu Formation). Only one species (Subtilisphaera guarujaensis n. sp.) is restricted to the carbonate platform environment.     

Un premier jalon gravettien dans les Pyrénées-Orientales : le Jas-d’en-Biel-1

The open air site of Jas-d’en-Biel-1 (Tautavel, Pyrénées-Orientales) is the first trace of Gravettian presence in the extreme east zone of the Northern-Pyrenees Piedmont. The lithic series made up of surface finds indicates that this occupation could belong to a rather recent phase of southern-French Gravettian.     

Stratégies techniques dans le Paléolithique Moyen du sud-est des Pyrénées

In this article, the lithic reduction systems from Middle Paleolithic levels at Roca dels Bous and Tragó are presented. These two sites are located in the South-eastern Pyrenees in Catalunya (Spain) and yield Mousterian levels which are attributed to MIS 3 and MIS 5. At the two studied sites, there is coexistence between expedient knapping systems and more complex techniques such as the Levallois method. Furthermore, cores are heavily exhausted, showing a pattern that cannot be explained by the absence or scarcity of raw material. This technical pattern can be traced across several Mousterian assemblages in the South-eastern Pyrenees, suggesting technocognitive continuity in the Middle Palaeolithic during the Upper Pleistocene, in which changes in lithic reduction patterns are not evident. In this paper, the implications of such observations are contextualized within the general discussion on the behaviour of the South-eastern Pyrenees Neanderthals.     

Mise en évidence d’une flore oxfordienne dans le Sud-Est de la Tunisie : intérêts stratigraphique et paléoécologique

The Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous series encountered in South-East Tunisia, formely considered globally as Purbecko-Wealdian in age, has the most complete palaeobotanical record of all North-Gondwana. Thanks to the stratigraphical results of the last years and to new field researches, it was possible, for the first time, to evidence an Oxfordian flora at the base of this series (Bir Miteur Formation). This flora, constituted of impressions and axes of Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms, is encountered within different types of plant-bearing levels. The study of deposit facies and sequential analysis of this Oxfordian formation allowed the identification of corresponding sedimentary environments and to infer their palaeoecological meaning. The discovery of exceptional specimens provided new informations about the general morpho-anatomy of Alstaettia, a very peculiar tree fern of a now extinct type. This Oxfordian flora is an interesting key-point in the evolution of North-Gondwanian flora at the Jurassic/Cretaceous transition.     

La stratigraphie et le Paléolithique du complexe saalien dans la région de la Saale et de l’Elbe

Some sediment sequences were known in the Elbe-Saale region. They enable a subdivision of the Saale complex, that is from Neumark Nord (Geisel valley), from Weimar-Ehringsdorf and Bad Kösen-Lengefeld (Saale valley). According to it, there are two interglacials between the Saalian groundmoraine (s.str.) and the Eemian. They are characterized by a strong subcontinental climatic influence, which could not be observed in the other interglacials of the Elbe-Saale region. The interglacials are connected with find horizons from the Middle Palaeolithic. They are concisely described here with their inventories.     

Cancer de prostate métastatique résistant à la castration : le point de vue de l’oncologue médical

Most of patient suffering from a prostate cancer will develop a castration resistance. In this common and clinically challenging situation, chemotherapy was not considered very useful until mid 2000s. Docetaxel is now recognized as a standard of care, improving overall survival and quality of life. However, new drugs are needed. Two compounds (cabazitaxel and abiraterone) are now underway to official registration and an autologous vaccin strategy (Sipuleucel) demonstrated a benefit in survival. Based on a greater knowledge of biology, many other agents are currently under development, such as new specific peripheral anti-androgens, anti-angiogenic therapies, or proteasome inhibitors. All these new drugs are promising and may provide more efficient therapies against this incurable disease in the near future.     

Ribosomal RNA genes of Trypanosoma brucei: mapping the regions specifying the six small ribosomal RNAs

There are six small ribosomal RNAs in trypanosome ribosomes. sRNA3 and sRNA5 of Trypanosoma brucei brucei have been partially sequenced. Sequence homologies indicate that sRNA3 is 5.8S RNA and sRNA5 is 5S RNA of T. b. brucei. The regions specifying these two, and the remaining four small RNAs, have been identified within clones of rRNA genes and in the genome. Five of the small RNAs, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, hybridise exclusively within the major rRNA gene repeat. A map of the regions specifying these small RNAs is presented. sRNA3 (5.8S RNA) hybridises to a region corresponding to the transcribed spacer of other eukaryotes. sRNA1 hybridises to a region between sequences specifying the two large subunit RNA molecules of 2.3 kb and 1.8 kb. Sequences specifying sRNAs 2 and 4 are present near the sequence specifying sRNA1, while sRNA6 appears to be specified 3' to the sequence specifying the 1.8-kb RNA sequence. In addition regions of secondary hybridisation for small RNAs 2, 3, 4 and 6 have also been identified. Though sRNA5 (5S RNA) hybridises within the major rRNA repeat, a separate 5S RNA gene repeat with unit size of 760 bp is also present. It is 10 to 20 times more abundant than the major rRNA gene repeat.     

Zaozer'e, un nouveau site du Paléolithique supérieur ancien dans le nord-est de l'Europe. Rapport préliminaire

This paper presents preliminary archaeological and chronostratigraphical data obtained during pilot excavations of one of the northernmost European Early Upper Palaeolithic sites, Zaozer'e, situated on the western slope of the Middle Urals.     

Néandertal et le feu au Paléolithique moyen ancien. Tour d’horizon des traces de son utilisation dans le Nord de la France

This article aims at drawing up balance sheet of remains of fire use by the first Neanderthals of Northern France, during the second part of the Saalian (MIS 8 to 6). This overview reminds us the rarity of fire testimonies during Early Middle Palaeolithic (300–130 ky BP) on the scale of North-Western Europe. For Northern France, only the sites of Biache-Saint-Vaast and Therdonne present remains of combustion. At Biache-Saint-Vaast, it is not less than six levels, which present clues of combustion: burnt flint and faunal remains and sometimes charcoals. At Therdonne, besides burnt numerous flint and some rare faunal remains were brought to light during the excavation of level N3 several rich zones in organic residues and micro-charcoals. All the datas collected concerning the clues of combustion at Biache-Saint-Vaast and Therdonne is compiled, analyzed and interpreted. This approach permits to establish the fire use or its absence in saalian occupations of Neanderthals of Northern France and to discuss modalities of its use, particularly at Therdonne. To conclude, fire status and its implications in first Neanderthals occupations are briefly discussed.     

Nouvelles données sur le genre Imerites Rouchadzé, 1933 (Ammonitida,Ancyloceratina) ; réponses et précisions apportées au travail de Bert,Delanoy et Canut, 2009

This work is mainly an answer to the work of Bert, Delanoy and Canut, on the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, and we add also some points to the knowledge of this genus. An answer is given for the implication of one of the authors (J.V.) of this present work, about the origin of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, and some significant bibliographic references, not named in the 2009 work, are specified and placed in their context. The characteristics of the ornamental stage “Pseudoshasticrioceras” mainly defined by an oval and compressed section of the whorls and by regular ventrolateral clavi, well marked, which frame the venter in a typical way (Bert et al., p. 181), don’t allow to affirm the presence of this stage during the ontogeny of all species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé, contrary to what Bert, Delanoy and Canut (p. 30, 31) wrote. The type-species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé is made clear by the application of the rules of the I.C.Z.N. code. The article 23, with the paragraph 23.1 of the I.C.Z.N. code, imply the senior synonymy of Imerites cristatus (Orbigny) on Imerites giraudi (Kilian), even if the Kilian's species is still the type species of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé. The taxinomical validity of the species Imerites cristatus (Orbigny) is confirmed. Its morphological variability is clarified by the distinction of four referential morphotypes, Cristatus, Giraudi, Favrei and Raricostatum. Consequently, the assumption of a shape-dimensional dimorphism into the populations of the genus Imerites Rouchadzé is rejected, awaiting irrefutable proof. A new species, Imerites stephaniae sp. nov., is described. It was collected in the Gerhardtia sartousiana Zone, in the uppermost part of the Gerhardtia provincialis Subzone, and it is a probable ancestor of the cogeneric species of the Imerites giraudi Zone.     

Métastase rénale d’un carcinome vésiculaire de la thyroïde révélée par le balayage du corps entier à l’iode 131

Distant metastasis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma generally affect lung and/or bone tissue. Renal metastasis from thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. We report a case of renal metastasis from a follicular thyroid carcinoma in a 55-year-old man, occuring 11 years after total thyroidectomy, fortuitously discovered on a whole body scan carried out after 131-iodine therapy for neck recurrence of disease. Salient features of our clinical case are the fortuitous mode of discovery the unilateral localization of metastases and especially the long time interval which separates its detection from that of the primitive tumour. This case report exemplifies the useful role of the whole body scan carried out after 131-iodine therapy better adapted to reveal often undetectable occult metastases with low dose, but also to ensure a regular and protracted follow-up of patients treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.