Sites In France Research Articles

Regorafenib (REG) combined with irinotecan (IRI) versus IRI alone as second-line treatment in patients with metastatic gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinomas (mGA): A randomized phase II trial (PRODIGE 58 – UCGI 35 – REGIRI).

387 Background: Several options have been evaluated as 2nd line treatment in mGA after failure of 1st line platinum based chemotherapy including taxanes and IRI as monotherapies or paclitaxel combined with ramucirumab but with a limited efficacy. REG monotherapy showed promising efficacy as 2nd or 3rd line treatment in mGA (Pavlakis N et al, J Clin Oncol. 2016). Methods: This comparative phase 2 multicenter randomized study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of REG + IRI (REGIRI) vs IRI alone as 2nd line treatment in MGA patients (pts). Key eligibility criteria were histologically proven mGA (gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) tumor Siewert II and III), fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based first-line chemotherapy and ECOG PS ≤1. Pts received IRI 180 mg/m2 IV on D1 and D15. In REGIRI arm REG 160 mg/day was added on D2-D8 and D16-D22 every 28 days. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). A total of 122 events (154 pts) were required based on an assumption of 4-month (mo) gain in median OS (from 6 to 10 mo, HR=0.60), with a preplanned interim analysis of safety after 38 pts and efficacy after 40 OS events. Genotyping of cyclin-D1 was performed to evaluate the impact of treatment efficacy. Results: A total of 89 patients (REGIRI, n=44; IRI, n=45) with median age of 62 (range: 28-82) years and a mGA (67.4% with GEJ, 22.8% HER2+) were included out of the 154 initially planned by 21 sites in France. Study was prematurely stopped after interim analysis for unfavourable efficacy/toxicity ratio. With a median follow-up of 19.4 mo, 79 OS events were observed and median OS was 6.3 mo (95%CI[5.2-7.1]) with REGIRI vs 8.2 mo (95%CI[5.2-9.7]) with IRI (HR=1.11 CI95%[0.70-1.74], p=0.66). Median PFS was 2.2 mo vs 1.9 mo (NS) with REGIRI and IRI, respectively. Objective response rate was 15.9% and 13.3% respectively. Disease control rate was 45.5% and 33.3%. AEs grade ≥ 3 related to treatment were reported in 52.3% of pts in REGIRI arm vs 23.3% in IRI arm with 4 toxic deaths (diarrhea, sepsis and thromboembolic events) vs 1 (primary tumour perforation), respectively. The main severe toxicities were diarrhea: 18.2% vs 7% and febrile neutropenia: 8.2% vs 0%. Genotyping of cyclin D1 was performed on 72 pts: 19 presented A/A genotype, 38 A/G and 15 G/G. There were no differences in terms of OS according to genotyping. Conclusions: PRODIGE58/REGIRI trial was prematurely stopped after the interim analysis due to high toxicities reported in REGIRI arm with negative results on its primary endpoint. Further ancillary analysis are expected to identify toxicity risk factors and pts subgroups benefit with this combination. Clinical trial information: NCT03722108 .

Slope and equilibrium: A parsimonious and flexible approach to model microclimate

Abstract Most statistical models of microclimate focus on the difference or ‘offset’ between standardized air temperatures (macroclimate) and those of a specific habitat such as forest understorey, grassland or under a log. However, these offsets can fluctuate from positive to negative over a single day such that common practice consists in aggregating data into daily mean, minimum and maximum before modelling monthly offsets for each summary statistic. Here, we propose a more parsimonious and flexible approach relying on just two parameters: the slope and equilibrium. The slope captures the linear relationship between microclimate and macroclimate, while the equilibrium is the point at which microclimate equals macroclimate. Although applicable to other habitats, we demonstrate the relevance of our method by focusing on forest understoreys. We installed temperature sensors at 1‐m height inside forest stands and in nearby open grasslands equipped with standardized weather stations, across 13 sites in France spanning a wide climatic gradient. From a year of hourly temperatures and for each sensor, we established relationships between microclimate and macroclimate temperatures using two linear mixed‐effects models, during the leaf‐on (May–November) and leaf‐off period (December–April). We extracted the monthly equilibrium and slope for each sensor, and used another set of linear mixed‐effects models to investigate their main determinants. The slope was chiefly determined by stand structure variables interacting with the leaf‐on/leaf‐off period: stand type (conifer vs broadleaf); shade‐casting ability; stand age; dominant height; stem density; and cover of the upper and lower shrub layer. In contrast, forest structure had no explanatory power on the equilibrium. We found the equilibrium to be positively related to mean macroclimate temperature, interacting with the open/forest habitat. The method introduced here overcomes several shortcomings of modelling microclimate offsets. By demonstrating that the slope and equilibrium vary in predictable ways, we have established a general linkage between microclimate and macroclimate temperatures that can be applied to any location or time if we know the mean macroclimate temperature (equilibrium) and buffering or amplifying capacity of the habitat (slope). We also warn about methodological biases due to the reference used for macroclimate.

Isatuximab Plus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone in Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple Myeloma in Real-Life Context in France: IMAGE Subgroup Analysis Based on Prior Lines of Therapy and Refractory Status

Introduction: Isatuximab (Isa) plus pomalidomide (P) and dexamethasone (d; Isa-Pd) is approved in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have received ≥2 prior therapies, based on the Phase 3 ICARIA-MM study (NCT02990338). Prior to Isa-Pd regulatory approval, Isa was available in France under early access programs (EAPs). In the non-interventional, retrospective IMAGE study, we analyzed the progression-free survival (PFS) and safety among French pts with RRMM treated with Isa-Pd under the EAPs. Here, we report results from the interim subgroup analysis of the IMAGE study based on prior lines of therapy (LOT) and refractory status. Methods: The IMAGE study was conducted based on medical records of adult patients with RRMM who received ≥1 dose of Isa under the EAPs. The analysis of effectiveness endpoints was restricted to patients with ≥1 year of follow-up after Isa initiation. PFS was defined as the time from start of Isa-Pd to date of disease progression or death. Refractoriness was defined per IMWG criteria. Adverse events (AEs) were not graded for severity. Verbatim terms for AEs were coded using the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. Results: Across 62 study sites in France, 299 patients who had received ≥1 Isa dose under the EAPs from 29 Jul 2019 -1 Sep 2020 were included in the safety population; the effectiveness population included 294 pts who met all inclusion/exclusion criteria. In contrast to ICARIA-MM, the IMAGE study included daratumumab-refractory patients and patients who had received only 1 prior LOT. In the effectiveness population, 10.2%, 49.0%, 40.8% received 1, 2, and ≥3 prior LOT, respectively; 96.3% had lenalidomide; 26.5% had daratumumab; 73.1% were lenalidomide-refractory; and 19.1% were daratumumab-refractory. At a median follow-up of 14.2 months (mo), median PFS (mPFS) of the overall effectiveness population was 12.4 (95% CI 9.0-15.0) mo (Table) with a median 2 prior LOT; this is similar to that reported for daratumumab plus Pd (12.4 mo) in the APOLLO study and for Isa-Pd (11.1 mo) in the ICARIA-MM study, where patients received a median of 2 and 3 prior LOT, respectively. Median PFS was not reached (NR; 95% CI 9.6-NR), 13.6 (95% CI 10.2-NR), and 7.6 (95% CI 4.4-11.8) mo among patients with 1, 2, and ≥3 prior LOT, respectively; 9.0 (95% CI 6.4-12.4) mo in lenalidomide-refractory subgroup; and 10.6 (95% CI 6.8-15.0) mo in lenalidomide-refractory at last prior LOT (Table). Within the lenalidomide-refractory subgroup, mPFS (95% CI) was NR (6.8-NR), 10.6 (6.8-NR), and 5.0 (3.2-7.8) mo with 1, 2, and ≥3 prior LOT, respectively. Among daratumumab-naïve patients, median PFS (95% CI) was 16.6 (13.2-NR) mo. Patients exposed to daratumumab had a median washout period of 6.5 mo between last daratumumab injection and Isa initiation. Patients exposed and refractory to daratumumab had a mPFS of 3.0 (2.4-4.8) mo with a median washout period of 4.0 mo, while patients who were exposed to daratumumab but were not refractory had a mPFS of 8.4 (95% CI 2.8-NR) mo and a median washout period of 9.5 mo. At least 1 AE was reported in 8 (26.7%), 38 (26.4%), and 33 (26.4%) patients in 1, 2, and ≥3 prior LOT subgroups; 60 (27.5%) in lenalidomide-refractory subgroup; and 43 (30.7%) in lenalidomide-refractory at last prior LOT subgroup. AEs led to permanent Isa discontinuation in 3 (2.1%) patients with 2 prior LOT, 1 (0.8%) patient with ≥3 prior LOT, 4 (1.8%) patients in lenalidomide-refractory subgroup, and 3 (2.1%) patients in lenalidomide-refractory at last prior LOT subgroup. Conclusions: In this subgroup analysis of the IMAGE study based on prior LOT and refractory status, Isa-Pd demonstrated meaningful mPFS with a manageable safety profile at first and second relapse and in the difficult-to-treat lenalidomide-refractory subgroups. Importantly, a high mPFS of 16.6 mo was reported for daratumumab-naïve patients. In the APOLLO and ICARIA-MM trials investigating daratumumab plus Pd and Isa-Pd in a daratumumab-naïve population, mPFS was 12.4 and 11.1 mo respectively. The IMAGE study shows daratumumab-refractory patients do not respond well to Isa-Pd. However, as PFS outcomes were favorable in patients who were exposed to but not daratumumab-refractory, anti-CD38 antibody sequencing in successive therapies may be a good alternative in real-world practice when patients may be exposed to daratumumab but not refractory. Funding: Sanofi. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Fungal necromass presents a high potential for Mercury immobilization in soil

Past industrial activities have generated many contaminated lands from which Mercury (Hg) escapes, primarily by volatilization. Current phytomanagement techniques aim to limit Hg dispersion by increasing its stabilization in soil. Although soil fungi represent a source of Hg emission associated with biovolatilization mechanisms, there is limited knowledge about how dead fungal residues (i.e., fungal necromass) interact with soil Hg. This study determined the Hg biosorption potential of fungal necromass and the chemical drivers of passive Hg binding with dead mycelia. Fungal necromass was incubated under field conditions with contrasting chemical properties at a well-characterized Hg phytomanagement experimental site in France. After four months of incubation in soil, fungal residues passively accumulated substantial quantities of Hg in their recalcitrant fractions ranging from 400 to 4500 μg Hg/kg. In addition, infrared spectroscopy revealed that lipid compounds explained the amount of Hg biosorption to fungal necromass. Based on these findings, we propose that fungal necromass is likely an important factor in Hg immobilization in soil.

Drilling Overdeepened Alpine Valleys (ICDP-DOVE): quantifying the age, extent, and environmental impact of Alpine glaciations

Abstract. The sedimentary infill of glacially overdeepened valleys (i.e., structures eroded below the fluvial base level) is an excellent but yet underexplored archive with regard to the age, extent, and nature of past glaciations. The ICDP project DOVE (Drilling Overdeepened Alpine Valleys) Phase 1 investigates a series of drill cores from glacially overdeepened troughs at several locations along the northern front of the Alps. All sites will be investigated with regard to several aspects of environmental dynamics during the Quaternary, with focus on the glaciation, vegetation, and landscape history. Geophysical methods (e.g., seismic surveys), for example, will explore the geometry of overdeepened structures to better understand the process of overdeepening. Sedimentological analyses combined with downhole logging, analysis of biological remains, and state-of-the-art geochronological methods, will enable us to reconstruct the erosion and sedimentation history of the overdeepened troughs. This approach is expected to yield significant novel data quantifying the extent and timing of Middle and Late Pleistocene glaciations of the Alps. In a first phase, two sites were drilled in late 2021 into filled overdeepenings below the paleolobe of the Rhine Glacier, and both recovered a trough filling composed of multiphase glacial sequences. Fully cored Hole 5068_1_C reached a depth of 165 m and recovered 10 m molasse bedrock at the base. This hole will be used together with two flush holes (5068_1_A, 5068_1_B) for further geophysical cross-well experiments. Site 5068_2 reached a depth of 255 m and bottomed out near the soft rock–bedrock contact. These two sites are complemented by three legacy drill sites that previously recovered filled overdeepenings below the more eastern Alpine Isar-Loisach, Salzach, and Traun paleoglacier lobes (5068_3, 5068_4, 5068_5). All analysis and interpretations of this DOVE Phase 1 will eventually lay the ground for an upcoming Phase 2 that will complete the pan-Alpine approach. This follow-up phase will investigate overdeepenings formerly occupied by paleoglacier lobes from the western and southern Alpine margins through drilling sites in France, Italy, and Slovenia. Available geological information and infrastructure make the Alps an ideal area to study overdeepened structures; however, the expected results of this study will not be restricted to the Alps. Such features are also known from other formerly glaciated mountain ranges, which are less studied than the Alps and more problematic with regards to drilling logistics. The results of this study will serve as textbook concepts to understand a full range of geological processes relevant to formerly glaciated areas all over our planet.

Facteurs de risques professionnels des cancers broncho-pulmonaires, données épidémiologiques, repérage des expositions et enjeux médico-sociaux : l’amiante comme paradigme

Lung cancer is the most common occupational-related cancer location, although tobacco smoking is its primary risk factor. Many occupational carcinogens or exposure situations are identified as definite carcinogens with an excess of lung cancers in humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A recent study reported a 14.6% attributable risk fraction to work for this cancer site in France, which would amount to more than 5,900 annual cases. Asbestos is the most common occupational risk factor involved in lung cancer, with an estimated 9.3% attributable fraction in humans, or 2,715 cases in France. However, at the same time, less than 1100 cases of lung cancer per year are compensated annually as an occupational disease under the general social insurance system. It is therefore essential to identify the nuisances and occupational exposure situations involved in the lung cancer, in order to put in place effective prevention strategies and close monitoring of potentially exposed employees. Finally, for a patient presenting with lung cancer, the identification of a relationship with his professional activity must be systematically sought, in order to allow him to take possible medicallegal steps for compensation of his disease, or additional request to the Compensation Fund for Asbestos Victims (FIVA) and to request a possible early termination of activity for asbestos exposure situations.1877-1203/© 2022 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Coupling spectral and Finite Element methods for 3D physic-based seismic analysis from fault to structure: Application to the Cadarache site in France

This paper presents the application of a coupling strategy between the Spectral (SEM) and Finite Element (FEM) Methods to solve the soil-structure interaction (SSI) problem. The SEM-FEM coupling benefits from the mesh refinement capabilities of the FEM in modeling the structure and the near soil, with the realism of the SEM for regional scale earthquake simulations from the fault to the site. To this end, the Domain Reduction Method (DRM) introduced by (Bielak et al., 2003) is herein employed. The DRM formulation solves the problem of multi-scale earthquake simulations by subdividing the fault-to-structure problem into two simpler ones, namely: problem I- containing the structure and (hereafter solved using the FEM) and problem II- containing the fault, the regional geological and surface topography, the sedimentary basin (hereafter solved using the SEM). In this work, the coupling between the FEM code CAST3M and the SEM code SEM3D is presented, verified and compared to conventional one-dimensional (1D) deconvolution methods for SSI analysis. A seismic simulation is performed, considering a simplified virtual nuclear reactor building, artificially positioned on the Cadarache site in South-Eastern France. The applicability of the SEM3D-CAST3M coupling is demonstrated, for SSI analysis in linear elastic regime and with a 50 % reduction of the model dimensions. Moreover, the coupling captures the amplified response for the nuclear structure due to the 3D spatially variable input field and to the resulting surface wave propagation in the SEM-FEM SSI analysis.

Smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Intervention for secondary prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviour: protocol for the SmartCrisis V.2.0 randomised clinical trial

IntroductionSuicide is one of the leading public health issues worldwide. Mobile health can help us to combat suicide through monitoring and treatment. The SmartCrisis V.2.0 randomised clinical trial aims to...

1364MO Preliminary phase II results of the CYPIDES study of ODM-208 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate (mCRPC) cancer patients

ODM-208 is a first in class, oral, non-steroidal, and selective inhibitor of CYP11A1, the first and rate-limiting enzyme of steroid biosynthesis. ODM-208 suppresses the production of all steroid hormones and precursors that may activate the androgen receptor (AR) signalling pathway. This is particularly relevant in patients with AR ligand binding domain (LBD) activating somatic point mutations, a mechanism of resistance to hormone-based therapies in mCRPC. We report the first results of the phase 2 expansion of the CYPIDES trial. ODM-208 5mg BID (with dexamethasone and fludrocortisone) was evaluated in an open-label expansion cohort in patients with progressing mCRPC who had previously received ≥1 line of 2nd generation AR pathway inhibitor and ≥1 line of taxane-based chemotherapy. All patients had a pre-specified activating AR LBD mutation by pre-screening of cell-free DNA (Guardant 360). Study objectives were safety and preliminary efficacy assessed by PSA and RECIST response and standard safety measures. ODM-208 treatment was continued until subsequent disease progression. The study was conducted at 18 sites in France, Finland, UK and USA. 81 of 390 (20.8%) pre-screened patients had a pre-specified AR LBD mutation, of which 45 patients (median age 68 yrs) were enrolled and initiated ODM-208 treatment (43 at data cut-off 17 March 2022). 51% patients had previously received both abiraterone and enzalutamide, and 65% patients both docetaxel and cabazitaxel. Based on the emerging data ODM-208 profoundly suppressed androgen synthesis resulting in >50% best PSA reduction in more than 50% patients and at least 4 RECIST partial responses in 17 evaluable patients (data immature). ODM-208 has been well-tolerated with a much lower rate of hospitalisation for adrenal insufficiency than in phase 1 with typically higher doses (2.3% vs. 33% to date). Efficacy and safety data will be presented for the complete cohort with at least 5 months follow-up for all patients. Administration of ODM-208 to heavily pre-treated mCRPC patients with AR LBD mutation was highly effective in blocking the production of steroid hormones and showed promising antitumor activity. NCT03436485.

New evidence of Neandertal butchery traditions through the marrow extraction in southwestern Europe (MIS 5-3).

Long bone breakage for bone marrow recovery is a commonly observed practice in Middle Palaeolithic contexts, regardless of the climatic conditions. While lithic technology is largely used to define cultural patterns in human groups, despite dedicating research by zooarchaeologists, for now butchering techniques rarely allowed the identification of clear traditions, notably for ancient Palaeolithic periods. In this paper, we test the hypothesis of butchery traditions among Neandertal groupsusing the bone assemblages from three sites in southwestern Europe. These sites are located in southeastern France and northern Italy and are dated to the Late Middle Palaeolithic: Abri du Maras (Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS) 4-3, Ardèche), Saint-Marcel (MIS 3, Ardèche), and Riparo Tagliente (MIS 4-3, Verona). The detection of culturally-induced patterns of bone breakage involves differentiating them from intuitively generated patterns. To tackle this issue, we used a zooarchaeological approach focusing on the percussion marks produced during the bone breakage process. Statistical analyses as the chi-square test of independence were employed to verify if percussion mark locations were randomly distributed, and if these distributions were different from the intuitive ones. For femurs and humeri, our results demonstrate that Neandertal groups occupying the Abri du Maras (levels 4.1 and 4.2) and the Saint-Marcel Cave (levels g and h) sites in France applied butchery traditions to recover yellow marrow. However, the traditions developed at each site were different. On the contrary, in Riparo Tagliente, in Italy, several groups or individuals of a same group did not share the same butchery traditions over time. Regarding the Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel Cave assemblages, our research demonstrates that Neandertal groups applied intense standardized bone breakage, far from the intuitive practice observed experimentally and related to bone density and/or skeletal morphology. These standardized patterns, which are systematic and counter-intuitive, can be interpreted as culturally induced for the Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel Cave. The diversity of Neandertal traditions should be considered by taking into account the butchery, in particular the practice of bone marrow extraction, and not only technological behaviours and types of tool kits.

Nine-year trends of PM10 sources and oxidative potential in a rural background site in France

Abstract. Long-term monitoring at sites with relatively low particulate pollution could provide an opportunity to identify changes in pollutant concentration and potential effects of current air quality policies. In this study, 9-year sampling of PM10 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter below 10 µm) was performed in a rural background site in France (Observatoire Pérenne de l'Environnement or OPE) from 28 February 2012 to 22 December 2020. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) method was used to apportion sources of PM10 based on quantified chemical constituents and specific chemical tracers analysed on collected filters. Oxidative potential (OP), an emerging health metric that measures PM capability to potentially cause anti-oxidant imbalance in the lung, was also measured using two acellular assays: dithiothreitol (DTT) and ascorbic acid (AA). The sources of OP were also estimated using multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. In terms of mass contribution, the dominant sources are secondary aerosols (nitrate- and sulfate-rich) associated with long-range transport (LRT). However, in terms of OP contributions, the main drivers are traffic, mineral dust, and biomass burning factors. There is also some OP contribution apportioned to the sulfate- and nitrate-rich sources influenced by processes and ageing during LRT that could have encouraged mixing with other anthropogenic sources. The study indicates much lower OP values than in urban areas. A substantial decrease (58 % reduction from the year 2012 to 2020) in the mass contributions from the traffic factor was found, even though this is not clearly reflected in its OP contribution. Nevertheless, the findings in this long-term study at the OPE site could indicate effectiveness of implemented emission control policies, as also seen in other long-term studies conducted in Europe, mainly for urban areas.

A case study of heat recovery: a heat pump in an industrial site

Greenhouse gases cause global warming of the earth. Carbon dioxide is one of those gases. There are different sources of carbon emission such as industrial activities and deforestation. The application of energy efficiency in industrial environment is one lever to reduce carbon emissions. "Waste" heat represents a significant energy saving potential for industrial companies. Thanks to recovery technologies, waste heat resulting from a process that is not used by it can be recovered for other uses within the same plant or outside. In addition to the economic interest, the recovery of fatal heat is very virtuous from an ecological point of view if the recovered energy avoids the consumption of fossil fuel. It thus improves the carbon footprint of an industrial installation. This article is a case study in an industrial pharmaceutical site in France and explains how a heat pump has been implemented. All the steps of the methodology are detailed: deep analysis of waste heat from the site, calculation and measurement of the reuse potential and research of the most suitable technology to carry out this recovery. This study has permits to reduce by 1/3 site’s carbon emissions.

Feeding ecology of the last European colobine monkey, Dolichopithecus ruscinensis

Currently, very little is known about the ecology of extinct Eurasian cercopithecids. Dietary information is crucial in understanding the ecological adaptations and diversity of extinct cercopithecids and the evolution of this family. For example, the colobine genus Dolichopithecus is represented by multiple large-bodied species that inhabited Eurasia during the Pliocene-Early Pleistocene. The available evidence, though limited, suggests semiterrestrial locomotion, which contrasts with most extant African and Asian colobines that exhibit morphological and physiological adaptations for arboreality and folivory. These differences raise questions regarding the dietary specialization of early colobine taxa and how/if that influenced their dispersion out of Africa and into Eurasia. To further our understanding of the ecology of Plio-Pleistocene cercopithecids, we characterized the dental capabilities and potential dietary adaptations of Dolichopithecus ruscinensis through dental topographic and enamel thickness analyses on an M1 from the locality of Serrat d'en Vacquer, Perpignan (France). We also assessed the feeding behavior of D. ruscinensis through dental microwear texture analysis on a broad sample of fossil molars from fossil sites in France, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania. Dental topographic and enamel thickness analyses suggest that D. ruscinensis could efficiently process a wide range of foods. Results of the dental microwear texture analysis suggest that its diet ranged from folivory to the consumption of more mechanically challenging foods. Collectively, this suggests a more opportunistic feeding behavior for Dolichopithecus than characteristic of most extant colobines.

The unique laurel-leaf points of Volgu document long-distance transport of raw materials in the Solutrean

The Upper Palaeolithic Solutrean culture that coincided with the last glacial maximum has become famous for documenting an increasing investment of time and effort in the production of tools. However, Solutrean lithic assemblages predominantly document local procurement of flint and only in rare cases, stones were transported over distances above 100 km. The perhaps most remarkable Solutrean artefacts are the large bifacial laurel-leaf points of Volgu. Some studies on the points suggested long-distance transport, proposing multiple raw material locations in the > 170 km distant Paris Basin. These findings were not based on physical or chemical measurements but rather on evaluations of macro- and microscopically visible features at the surface of the flint. In this study, we aim to verify previously made propositions on the Volgu points’ origin with an archaeometric technique. For this, we apply reflectance infrared spectroscopy, a method that relies on identifying differences in the crystallographic properties of flint. We compare eight of the Volgu laurel-leaf points with five regions of Upper Cretaceous flint deposits in France and Belgium. We found that the Volgu points’ flint is most similar to flint from the south-eastern Paris Basin in terms of its crystallography (identifying a region between 170 and 250 km from Volgu). Our findings provide a reproducible line of evidence for the long-distance procurement of flint to produce exceptional artefacts in the Solutrean. Our study is the first application of this method to flint sourcing in a European context. It has therefore also implications for future provenance studies on other archaeological sites in France.

Induced Polarization as a Tool to Assess Mineral Deposits: A Review

Disseminated ores in porous or fractured media can be polarized under the application of an external low-frequency electrical field. This polarization is characterized by a dimensionless property that is called the “chargeability”. Induced polarization is a nonintrusive geophysical sensing technique that be used in the field to image both the electrical conductivity and the chargeability of porous rocks together with a characteristic relaxation time. A petrophysical model of the induced polarization of metallic ores immersed in a porous conductive and polarizable material is reviewed, and its predictions are compared to a large dataset of experimental data. The model shows that the chargeability of the material is linearly dependent on the volume fraction of the ore and the chargeability of the background material, which can, in turn, be related to the conductivity of the pore water and the cation exchange capacity of the clay fraction. The relaxation time depends on the grain sizes of the ores and on the conductivity of the background material, which is close to the conductivity of the porous rock itself. Five applications of the induced-polarization method to ore and metallic bodies are discussed in order to show the usefulness of this technique. These applications include: (i) A sandbox experiment, in which cubes of pyrite are located in a specific area of the tank; (ii) The tomography of an iron slag at an archeological site in France; (iii) A study of partially frozen graphitic schists in the French Alps; (iv) The detection of a metallic tank through the tomography of the relaxation times; and (v) The detection and localization of a deep ore body that is associated with a tectonic fault. We also discuss the possibility of combining self-potential and induced-polarization tomography to better characterize ore bodies below the seafloor.

A business model innovation methodology for implementing digital interpretation experiences in European cultural heritage attractions

ABSTRACT The paper proposes a business model innovation (BMI) methodology for cultural heritage (CH) sites that are implementing digital technology in their visitor journey. Technologies such as virtual and augmented reality are increasingly popular in the cultural and heritage tourism sector, offering providers new tools to present and curate heritage content, and visitors new modes to interpret and engage with a site’s features. Despite its popularity, few studies have focused on the organisational changes that take place as digital technologies are implemented, that is, changes in the way heritage sites propose, co-create, and capture value from the innovation. As such, the paper investigates the process of innovation in the business model of heritage sites, namely in terms of value proposition, storytelling, mediation tools, service delivery, and value capture. Based on the study of 12 CH sites in France and the United Kingdom, the main components and stages of innovation are discussed, alongside issues and implications. In doing so, existent BMI frameworks are extended to detail innovation processes driven by new digital interpretation. Furthermore, the paper offers a practical methodology to assist heritage site managers in assessing and guiding organisational innovation while undergoing digital innovation. Avenues for further research are identified.

Toxocara cati and Toxoplasma gondii in French Birds of Prey.

Parasites have developed many strategies to ensure their development, multiplication, and dissemination, including the use of reservoir hosts that are often nondomesticated species. Despite drastic reductions in their populations, wild birds remain widespread worldwide and could constitute some of these reservoirs. We focused on the identification of wild bird species harboring parasite stages in their muscles. Breast muscles of 327 birds of 27 different species were collected at three different sites in France. After artificial digestion, isolated nematode larvae were identified by PCR sequencing or restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Toxocara cati was identified mainly in birds of prey. The presence of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies was investigated by modified agglutination test on muscle fluids. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in 65 out of 166 samples from various bird species. Avifauna, particularly birds of prey, could help on the surveillance of parasite circulation and play a role as sentinel species.

Thrombectomy in basilar artery occlusions: impact of number of passes and futile reperfusion

BackgroundThe number of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) passes is strongly associated with angiographic reperfusion as well as clinical outcomes in patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke. However, these associations have not...

Reduction of Carbon Emissions of HVAC Systems: A Case Study of a Pharmaceutical Site in France

Reduction of Carbon Emissions of HVAC Systems: A Case Study of a Pharmaceutical Site in France

The Secrets in our Teeth

Your dentist can tell a lot about your health and daily habits just by looking at your teeth. But did you know that archaeological scientists have discovered that there is a lot more information hidden in teeth? We can study the chemical composition of teeth and can find out what types of food a person ate, and even where that food was growing. When we find teeth in archaeological sites, a method called isotope analysis can be used to reconstruct the movements and diets of people, even when no written records are available. In this article, we will discuss what our teeth are made of and how isotope analysis can be used to learn more about ancient people. We will then look at an archaeological site in France, where children discovered bones and teeth on the playground behind their kindergarten.