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.     

Lithostratigraphie et biostratigraphie des formations paléocènes et éocènes entre Bayonne et Pau (SW France)

The lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Paleocene and Eocene formations have been reconsidered on the basis of 18 dated boreholes that intersect the Basque Country, Peyrehorade, Sainte-Suzanne and Sauvelade allochthonous tectonic units, as well as the autochthonous units of the Pey-Saint-Lon anticline, the Arzacq Basin and the North Pyrenean Trough. Correlation of the formations identified in the boreholes and at outcrop has made it possible to outline the sedimentary evolution of this region during the Early Paleogene and to date the various stages of Pyrenean compression on the basis of sedimentary gaps and syntectonic detrital input. The Lasseube Formation is present over the entire study area. Sedimentation becomes differentiated during the Late Selandian-Early Ypresian period. In the North Pyrenean Trough and in the Peyrehorade, Sainte-Suzanne and Sauvelade units, the detrital-clayey Pont-Labau Formation is well developed and all its members are represented (Guillempau, Latapy, Néez, Libaros and Artigueloutan; zones upper P 3b-P 6b; upper NP 5-NP 11). A sedimentary gap showing erosion, and involving zones upper P 3b-upper P 4a and upper NP 5-NP 7, characterises the Basque units, the Pey-Saint-Lon anticline and the western part of the Arzacq Basin. Sedimentation recommences in zone P 8 with middle-bathyal deposits of the Cassoua Member and then continues with the Artigueloutan Member (transition facies towards the Louts Formation) or limestone resembling that of the Meilhan Formation. The Gan Formation shows an east-west polarity. In the east, between the Sainte-Suzanne Unit and the North Pyrenean Trough, the formation is argillaceous with a dominant neritic character, apart from a circalittoral to epibathyal passage in its lower part (zone P 7) containing numerous planktonic foraminifera. The formation is of a detrital and carbonate nature in the west (Sainte-Marie-de-Gosse 1). The bathyal Donzacq Formation appears to transgress a previously deformed surface. Two domains existed during the Lutetian: a continental to neritic domain in the south and a bathyal domain in the north (the Saint-Geours-d'Auribat and Miretrain formations) separated by a variably thick transition zone that is affected by thrust fronts. Two new formations - the Orthez and Sorde-l'Abbaye formations - are proposed, and the Marly limestone formation of Saint-Barthélémy (Douvillé, 1905) is redefined. The Orthez Formation (Sauvelade Unit) is composed of marl and continental conglomerate with neritic carbonate interbedding and belongs to the sub-zones NP 15a and b. The Sorde-l'Abbaye Formation (Peyrehorade Unit and the Basque units p. p.) is composed of neritic carbonate sediments (Lutetian-Priabonian). The Saint-Barthélémy Formation is made up of syntectonic conglomerate, turbiditic limestone and pelagic marl in the central part of the Basque units (NP 15a-NP 16). The Bartonian and Priabonian stages are characterised by carbonate sediments in the Arzacq Basin (Siest Formation). Its base is diachronous: Upper Lutetian (zone SB 16) in the east and Late Bartonian grading to Priabonian in the west (zones SB 17/18 and SB 19). The sediments are argillaceous (Côte des Basques Formation) along the Atlantic coast, in the central part of the Basque units and in the Bayonne-Cauneille syncline. Major thickness variations reflect tectonic phases at the top of the Lasseube Formation in the north (erosion pre NP 8), the Néez Member (NP 7/NP 8 boundary), the Artigueloutan Member (NP 11/NP 12 boundary), and the Gan Formation (P 8/P 9 boundary). The syntectonic conglomerate and breccia indicate the development of thrust fronts in the Libaros Member (NP 8), at the base of the Pillardou and Artigueloutan members (NP 9b, c-NP 10), in the Saint-Geours-d'Auribat Formation (NP 14b) and in the Orthez and Saint-Barthélémy formations (between zones NP 15a and NP 16).     

Ostracodes et stratigraphie du néogène et du quaternaire méditerranéens

A stratigraphical chart of marine ostracoda from Lower Miocene to Recent is established. Selected species (approximatively 220) are those morphologicaly well characterized and known from different parts of the Mediterranean area. It appears that: • lower Miocene ostracodes are still poorly known; • specific diversity is high during the Tortonian and the Lower Messinian before the complete disappearance of marine Mediterranean species during the Upper Messinian évaporitic episodes; • during the early Pliocene, about half of the Upper Miocene marine species are reintroduced with the Atlantic waters; other species migrate for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea by the same way; • at the end of the Pliocene or at the beginning of the Pleistocene several species known in Mediterranean since the Middle Miocene or before, such as Cytherella sp. gr. transversa and Ruggieria tetraptera, as well some “nordic guests” such as Hemicythere villosa and Cythere lutea, appear. This work is an opportunity to confirme a Late Miocene age for the Neogene of Skyros (Aegean Sea), to assign the “Upper Pliocene” of Terquem to the Lower Pleistocene and to refute the existence of a pliocene psychrosphere.     

Évolution et transformation des industries lithiques taillées et polies durant le Chalcolithique et l’Âge du Bronze en Corse

Lithic industries in Corsica have been subject to important modifications during the 3rd and 2nd millennium cal. BC. Polished tools changed almost totally during that period, the majority of all lithic tools disappeared. The development of metallurgy is probably the main reason for these changes; they show the new place of lithic productions in the activities of the different communities within the island.     

Espaces de réclusion et de rassemblement et expression graphique au Néolithique

Space is an inescapable data to analyse the schematic graphic expression in the Neolithic age and the practices, which are linked with it. A sign has meaning according to its place on the wall, in the shelter and in the area of decorated sites. We suppose that these painted shelters, and widely, the space where they are included, are visited during transition rites. Some of these sites have probably been used for persons in cloistered status. Others shelters are more areas for the gathering of an important group of men. We think that cloistering and gathering are adaptable with the diversity of environment. The Van Gennep's explanation of transition rites in three parts and the spatial analysis allow us to explain the transition and transformation of men on the decorated sites.     

TEP/TDM et cancer pulmonaire : indications et perspectives

Lung cancer is a major public health problem that generates a large number of imaging and acts for diagnostic procedures. The last decade saw the development of positron emission tomography coupled to the scanner (PET/CT), which has significantly improved the staging and allowed to obtain better accuracy in the initial staging. It may change the management of a patient thanks to a better characterization of the initial situation. Several series have to assess performance, often higher than that of CT and there are several recommendations specifying the place of this examination in the management of lung cancer. It also seems to become a complementary tool to the radiotherapist for delineation of volumes to be irradiated using functional information of the tumor. The concept of biological target volume (BTV) has been introduced. There are more perspectives for diagnostic, therapeutic evaluation and prognosis with the study of new tracers, including those of hypoxia and cell proliferation.     

Perturbateurs endocriniens et écosystèmes

Hormonal imbalances, sexual changes and unusual behaviours are observed in wildlife. Some chemicals are implicated as endocrine disruptors (EDCs). Their dispersal into ecosphere allows them to reach biotopes isolated of emission sources and they accumulate in organisms and they cause alterations in biological functions (reprotoxicity, immunotoxicity, etc.). Beyond the individual, the community equilibrium is endangered with a potential impact on biodiversity. The organohalogen substances are historically concerned. Despite the prohibition of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs, they persist in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. But the “emerging substances” are also dangerous. Numerous examples of endocrine disruption in animal communities are described. The imposex in female of marine gastropods related to tributyltin (TBT) is one of the earliest known events. The feminization of fish in the estuary of the Seine, the hermaphroditism of some amphibians and the strange behaviour of birds, are famous facts. The cumulative effects are of concern to wild populations. These are mix of pollutants or the concomitancy of other global changes, the decline of polar bears or seals from the Baltic Sea proves it. In conclusion, endocrine disruption jeopardizes all natural biological systems and contributes in loss of biological diversity by reducing the number of sensitive species and making them vulnerable, considering the global extinction risk.     

Hommes et environnements au Paléolithique supérieur en Ukraine continentale et en Crimée : introduction

Research, conducted under the ANR project “Mammouths”, on “the end of the mammoth steppe: Man/Environment relationship during late Pleniglacial in Eastern Europe”, is the subject of several contributions, a part of them is published in this volume, under the heading “Humans and environments during Upper Paleolithic in mainland Ukraine and Crimea”, in the French journal L’anthropologie.     

Pigments et salinité chez Porphyridium

Pigments and salinity in Porphyridium.—An opal glass light transmission method is used for estimating the proportions of pigments in Porphyridium sp. Lewin, grown in artificial media. The cells show an Increase in chlorophyll/B–phycoerythrin ratio in media twice or thrice as saline as sea water, Chlrophyll/carotenoïds ratio is low in media the salinity of which is either low or high. In the case of phycoerythrins, light–absorption ratio at 500 nm and 545 nm vary also with the salinity. Une méthode de mesure par transmission de lumière á travers des lames opalines est utilisée pour évaluer les proportions de pigments chez Porphyridium sp. Lewin cultivé milieux artificiels. Les cellules montrent une augmentation du rapport chlorophylle/B.-phycoérythrine dans les milieux deux outrois fois plus salés que l'eau de mer. Le rapport chlorophylle/carotenoïdesest faible dans les milieux dont la salinityé est soit faible soit élevée. Dans le cas des phycoérythrines, le rapport des absorptions de lumière à 500 nm et 545 nm varie aussi avec la salinityé.     

Élastographie et cancers thyroïdiens : certitudes et perspectives

Thyroid nodule is very frequent. On the other hand, thyroid cancer is rare and the prognosis is very good. The efficiency of specialized ultrasound examination associate with fine-needle cytology is well known but some problems remain. In some cases, the value of the technique is at fault (multinodular goiter and indeterminate cytology). Strain elastography with quantification is a well-tested technique. ShearWave elastography gives us the real value of stiffness of the nodule. Is it efficient in the delicate diagnoses? Lymph-nodes elastography will probably help us in the follow-up of thyroid cancers after initial treatment.     

Données paléobiologiques et paléobiogéographiques sur quelques Strophochonetinae du Dévonien d'Espagne et du Massif Armoricain

The lack of hinge spines on the left side of the ventral valve in Chonetacea is demonstrated here for the first time. This morphological peculiarity has a special bearing on the evolutionary trends of the Strophochonetinae. The existence of several species of Chonetacea, both in the Armorican Massif, the Cantabrian Mountains, and Aragon, is a new fact which confirms very close relations between these three areas during Lower Devonian times.     

Stratégie de débitage et mode de façonnage des industries du Paléolithique inférieur en Chine et en Europe entre 1 Ma et 400 000 ans: Ressemblances et différences de la culture de l’homme de Yunxian et Acheuléen européen

These stone tools from Yunxian with other Lower Paleolithic sites in South China, for example, the site Lantian (Shanxi, China) and the site Bose (Guangxi, China), indicates that there are many common characteristics among these industries. There are choppers, chopping-tools, picks, hand-axes, cleavers and scrapers. Long ago we thought that there are not hand-axes in China. In fact, there are lots of hand-axes in China and these hand-axes existed more earlier than those in Europe. The hand-axe appeared in China before 800,000 years old and it barely arrived in Europe before 600,000 years old. The quaternary deposits of the site of Yunxian Hominid (Hubei, China) are at least dated to 800,000 years old. A large quantity of lower Paleolithic material was discovered. The types of the tools are choppers, picks, scrapers, hand-axes and cleavers. The pebbles tools make up the majority of the implements. Small flake tools are relatively rare. The lithic industries comparison of the two regions has help us to know the cultural evolution in China and Europe.     

Biostratigraphie,paléoécologie et zones d’acmé des foraminifères planctoniques au passage Crétacé-Paléogène dans la Téthys (Tunisie et Espagne) et l’Atlantique (France)

Biostratigraphical high-resolution analyses and quantitative data confirm that deposition is continuous across the K-Pg transition in several sections in Tunisia (El Kef, stratotype section) and Spain (Agost and Caravaca sections) located in the Tethyan realm and the Bidart sections in the Atlantic realm, without any relevant hiatus. The Upper Maastrichtian assemblages of planktic foraminifera from these sections are largely dominated by small biserial heterohelicids. They are associated to common species having planispiral test (i.e. globigerinelloids), trochospiral test (i.e. hedbergellids, rugoglobigerinids globotruncanids), to rare triserial heterohelicids (i.e. guembelitriids) and trochospiral species showing tubulospines (i.e. schackoinids). Stratigraphical ranges of these diverse taxa through the late Maastrichtian in the Tethyan and Atlantic realms show very few changes in the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and most of the species are present in the Abathomphalus mayaroensis biozone. By our high-resolution sampling and the intensive research for the A. mayaroensis index species in the uppermost Maastrichtian samples, we confirm that this species is omnipresent up to the top of the Maastrichtian. Therefore, A. mayaroensis is present in almost all samples which are late Maastrichtian in age, but this species became very scarce in the uppermost Maastrichtian samples. This scarceness could be due to a climate cooling. A sharp decrease in relative abundance of the deep dwellers species, like as Abathomphalus intermedius and A. mayaroensis as well as in other keeled globotruncanids is observed at the studied sections from the Tethyan realm (indicative of low latitude) across the latest Maastrichtian. At the K/Pg boundary, all the globotruncanids disappeared. They are considered specialists living in tropical-subtropical deep seawater habitat. At this boundary, large and ornate heterohelicids also disappeared. Therefore, all the studied sections show that about 90 % of the Maastrichtian species became extinct according to a catastrophic mass extinction pattern. Only about 10 % crossed the K/Pg boundary and survived during the earliest Danian. The minor difference in the number of disappeared taxa is related to their latitude location or environment paleodepth. The changes in the species relative abundance, observed in the successive planktic foraminiferal assemblages, make it possible to recognize the Acme-stage 0 typical of the upper Maastrichtian interval. It is characterized by the highest species richness of Globotruncanids and heterohelicids specialists of tropical to subtropical marine conditions, the Acme-stage 1 typical of the Guembelitria cretacea Zone, and in particular of the Hedbergella holmdelensis Subzone dominated by “opportunists” species belonging to Guembelitria, the Acme-stage 2 which corresponds to the Pv. eugubina Zone dominated mainly by specimens belonging to Palaeoglobigerina and Parvularugoglobigerina and the Acme-stage 3 which characterizes mainly the Ps. pseudobulloides Zone dominated by biserial species belonging to Chiloguembelina and Woodringina.     

Relations entre production et localisation de mycosporine et morphogenèses reproductrices chez le Pyrénomycète Gnomonia leptostyla

Relations between production and localisation of mycosporin and reproductive morphogenesis in the Pyrenomycete Gnomonia leptostyla.
The production of mycosporin (P310) has been analysed in Gnomonia leptostyla (FT.) Ces. et de Not. during mycelial growth and reproductive morphogenesis (macroconidiogenesis, microconidiogenesis and differentiation of perithecia). Conidiogenesis is induced in illuminated cultures while darkness promotes perithecial development. At 20°C, the cultures produce either macroconidia or perithecia with abortive sporophyte. Microconidia differentiation and perithecia maturation require low temperature (10°C). Mycosporin is, at all times, present in the thallus. However, the concentration of mycosporin in highest in the conidiogenous thallus, intermediate in the perithecial thallus. and lowest in the vegetative mycelium. In the conidiogenous thallus, macroconidia and microconidia are both sites of mycosporin accumulation. On the contrary, in the perithecial thallus, mycosporin levels are not higher in perithecia than in mycelia, even during their maturation period. The quantitative variations of mycosporin during the thallus development and its accumulation inside conidia suggest translocation from sites of synthesis towards reproductive cells.