Neanderthal selective hunting of reindeer? The case study of Abri du Maras (south-eastern France)

Fieldwork was supported by the Regional Office of Archaeology Rhône-Alpes, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ardèche Department through several scientific programs. M.G.Chacon, F. Rivals and E. Allué research are funded by ‘CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya’. Thanks to Jean-Jacques Hublin, Annabell Reiner and Steven Steinbrenner from the Max Planck Institute (MPI-EVA) for analytical support (isotope analysis). We are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive remarks on this manuscript. The English manuscript was edited by L. Byrne, an official translator and native English speaker.Peer reviewedPostprin

L’insediamento a bifacciali di Guado San Nicola (Monteroduni, Molise, Italia)

La monografia rappresenta un compendio di lavori specialistici sul sito paleolitico di Guado San Nicola a Monteroduni (Molise, Italia), oggetto di ricerche sistematiche ed indagini interdisciplinari inaugurate nell’area a partire dal 2000 dall'Università degli Studi di Ferrara. Il sito, ascrivibile al MIS 10/11, costituisce un tassello importante nell’ambito della ricostruzione del quadro del popolamento umano della penisola italiana e dell’intero bacino del Mediterraneo, alla luce delle considerazioni crono-stratigrafiche, della ricchezza della documentazione e della presenza di elementi innovativi dal punto di vista culturale quali la padronanza del metodo Levallois e l’uso di percussori in palchi di cervo

Dating the Homo erectus bearing travertine from Kocabaş (Denizli, Turkey) at at least 1.1 Ma

Since its discovery within a travertine quarry, the fragmentary cranium of the only known Turkish Homo erectus, the Kocabaş hominid, has led to conflicting biochronological estimations. First estimated to be ~500ka old, the partial skull presents a combination of archaic and evolved features that puts it as an intermediate specimen between the Dmanisi fossils (Homo georgicus) and the Chinese Zhoukoudian skulls (Homo erectus) respectively dated to 1.8 to ~0.8Ma. Here we present a multidisciplinary study combining sedimentological, paleontological and paleoanthropological observations together with cosmogenic nuclide concentration and paleomagnetic measurements to provide an absolute chronological framework for the Upper fossiliferous Travertine unit where the Kocabaş hominid and fauna were discovered. The 26Al/10Be burial ages determined on pebbles from conglomeratic levels framing the Upper fossiliferous Travertine unit, which exhibits an inverse polarity, constrains its deposition to before the Cobb Mountain sub-chron, that is between 1.22 and ~1.5Ma. The alternative match of the normal polarity recorded above the travertine with the Jaramillo subchron (lower limit 1.07 Ma) may also be marginally compatible with cosmogenic nuclides interpretation, thus the proposed minimum age of 1.1 Ma for the end of massive travertine deposition. The actual age of the fossils is likely to be in the 1.1-1.3 Ma range. This absolute date is in close agreement with the paleoanthropological conclusions based on morphometric comparisons implying that Kocabaş hominid belongs to the Homo erectus s.l. group that includes Chinese and African fossils, and is different from Middle and Upper Pleistocene specimens. Furthermore, this date is confirmed by the large mammal assemblage, typical of the late Villafranchian. Because it attests to the antiquity of human occupation of the Anatolian Peninsula and one of the waves of settlements out of Africa, this work challenges the current knowledge of the Homo erectus dispersal over Eurasia. © 2014 The Authors

Bidirectional crosstalk between endoplasmic reticulum stress and mTOR signaling

Many cellular processes including apoptosis, autophagy, translation, energy metabolism, and inflammation are controlled by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway, also known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Although both of these signaling nodes have attracted wide attention in fundamental cell biology and drug discovery, crosstalk between the two pathways has emerged only very recently. mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) operates both upstream and downstream of ER stress signals, which can either enhance or antagonize the anabolic output of mTORC1. Upon prolonged ER stress, mTORC1 contributes to apoptotic signaling by suppressing the survival kinase Akt through feedback inhibition. Likewise, chronic ER stress obstructs activation of Akt by mTOR complex 2. This review surveys our knowledge of mTOR-ER stress intersections and highlights potential therapeutic implications

La faune de la fin du Pléistocène moyen de la décharge d’Aubais (Gard, France)

Résumé Il y a une vingtaine d’années, des dents de mammouths ont été retrouvées dans les déblais de la décharge de la commune d’Aubais (Gard, Sud-Est de la France). Des opérations de fouille de sauvetage, de tri et de tamisage ont par la suite été menées et ont permis d’identifier la présence de 19 taxons de vertébrés continentaux. Les carnivores dominent (n=10), suivis par les herbivores (n=5), les oiseaux (n=1) et les léporidés (n=2) dont les restes sont les plus abondants. Aucun reste de micromammifères n’a en revanche été retrouvé. Les observations sédimentologiques croisées aux données géologiques locales permettent d’affirmer l’homogénéité de la faune piégée dans une ancienne doline creusée dans des niveaux burdigaliens. Les restes osseux étaient à l’origine en bon état de conservation mais ont été fragmentés lors de leur extraction par des engins de terrassement (fracturation et griffures d’engins). Le type d’extraction du sédiment à l’origine de ces déblais n’a pas permis de procéder à une étude taphonomique. Les différentes études fauniques permettent de positionner chronologiquement le gisement au cours du stade isotopique 6. Aucune trace d’activités humaines et carnivores n’a été détectée et la faune de la décharge d’Aubais permet de mieux comprendre l’environnement dans lequel évoluaient les groupes humains de la région à fin du Pléistocène moyen.Abstract Twenty years ago, mammoth teeth were discovered in Aubais landfill (Gard, Southeastern France). Salvage excavations were subsequently conducted and the sediment has been sifted and screened. Therefore, 19 continental vertebrate species have been identified. Carnivores species are dominant (n=10) followed by the herbivorous (n=5), birds (n=1) and leporids (n=2) which are the most abundant. In contrast, no micromammal remains were found. The analysis of the sediments and the local geological data permit to indicate that this fauna is homogeneous and has been trapped in an oldest sinkhole opened in the Burdigalian. The faunal remains were well preserved initially but they were fragmented during their extraction by earth-moving machine (breakage, scratches). Consequently, it was not possible to study the taphonomical processes. The paleontological study allows us to chronologically relate the deposit to the marine isotopic stage 6. Although no indication of human activities has been detected, the Aubais fauna provides a better understanding of the local environment of human groups during the late Middle Pleistocene

REPRISES PLIO-PLEISTOCENES DU PALEOKARST QUERCINOIS

National audienceL'investigation du paléokarst du Sud-Quercy (France) a révélé en de nombreux points une reprise d'érosion et remblaiement superficiels de la plateforme karstique jurassique, succédant à celle plus généralisée du Paléogène. Cette reprise est marquée par la présence de fossiles, notamment de grands et petits mammifères. La note dresse un inventaire de ces localités dans leur contexte géologique et de leurs restes fossiles. Leurs âges sont distribués depuis le Pliocène supérieur jusqu'à l'Holocène et principalement dans la période du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur (de 0,5 à 0,1 Ma)