Radius of curvature measurements and wood diameter: a comparison of different image analysis techniques

article in press in British Archaeological ReportThe study of wood diameter is needed for the understanding of wood supply management. This type of approach, which was launched in the 1990s, has improved considerably as radius of curvature measurement has gained in precision through the introduction of new equipment: stereomicroscope equipped with a camera, and image analysis software. This paper focuses on the first step of the wood diameter study: radius of curvature measurement. This measurement is unusable as it stands, but the data set can be integrated into models to provide better information on wood diameter. In addition to the circle tool technique based on tree-ring curvature, three new techniques are presented here, based on wood rays: Thales' theorem, trigonometry in a right-angled triangle, and trigonometry in an isosceles triangle. This study compares results on perfectly graduated targets and on wood samples for four radii of curvature measurement techniques, to assess their reliability and limits. Three parameters are examined: angle between two wood rays, distance between two wood rays, and radius of curvature

Charcoal analysis and wood diameter: inductive and deductive methodological approaches for the study of firewood collecting practices

International audienc

Forest Cover Changes and Trajectories in an ancient Mining area of the Pyrenees from the Antiquity to the 19th c

International audienceThis study is a part of the project FODYNA which is focused on an ancient mining area of the Pyrenees, located in the Couserans

L’exploitation médiévale du plomb argentifère sur le mont Lozère

Avec près de quatre vingt sites à scories de plomb argentifère (vestiges d’anciens ateliers de réduction du minerai) et plus de 230 charbonnières associées (produisant le combustible nécessaire à la réduction), datés du Moyen Âge central et du bas Moyen Âge, le massif du mont Lozère présente un intérêt scientifique exceptionnel. Après une synthèse taphonomique et une discussion sur la représentativité spatiale du corpus disponible, l’analyse archéologique et géographique conduite à trois niveaux scalaires différents plaide pour une organisation territoriale contrôlée par l’alimentation des bas fourneaux en combustible.With nearly 80 sites with argentiferous lead slag (remains of ancient ore reduction workshops) and more than 230 related charcoal-making sites (producing the fuel needed for smelting), dating back to the central Middles Ages and late Middle Ages, the Mont Lozère massif is of exceptional scientific interest. Following a taphonomical summary and a discussion of the representative spatial character of the corpus available, the archaeological and geographical analysis carried out at the three different scale levels, speaks in favour of a territorial organisation controlled by the fuelling of the furnaces

Biomarkers and overall survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with TGF-βRI inhibitor galunisertib.

BackgroundTransforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling is involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We followed changes in biomarkers during treatment of patients with HCC with the TGF-βRI/ALK5 inhibitor galunisertib.MethodsThis phase 2 study (NCT01246986) enrolled second-line patients with advanced HCC into one of two cohorts of baseline serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP): Part A (AFP ≥1.5x ULN) or Part B (AFP <1.5x ULN). Baseline and postbaseline levels of AFP, TGF-β1, E-cadherin, selected miRNAs, and other plasma proteins were monitored.ResultsThe study enrolled 149 patients (Part A, 109; Part B, 40). Median OS was 7.3 months in Part A and 16.8 months in Part B. Baseline AFP, TGF-β1, E-cadherin, and an additional 16 plasma proteins (such as M-CSF, IL-6, ErbB3, ANG-2, neuropilin-1, MIP-3 alpha, KIM-1, uPA, IL-8, TIMP-1, ICAM-1, Apo A-1, CA-125, osteopontin, tetranectin, and IGFBP-1) were found to correlate with OS. In addition, a range of miRs were found to be associated with OS. In AFP responders (21% of patients in Part A with decrease of >20% from baseline) versus non-responders, median OS was 21.5 months versus 6.8 months (p = 0.0015). In TGF-β1 responders (51% of all patients) versus non-responders, median OS was 11.2 months versus 5.3 months (p = 0.0036).ConclusionsConsistent with previous findings, both baseline levels and changes from baseline of circulating AFP and TGF-β1 function as prognostic indicators of survival. Future trials are needed to confirm and extend these results