From impulses to maladaptive actions: the insula is a neurobiological gate for the development of compulsive behavior.

Impulsivity is an endophenotype of vulnerability for compulsive behaviors. However, the neural mechanisms whereby impulsivity facilitates the development of compulsive disorders, such as addiction or obsessive compulsive disorder, remain unknown. We first investigated, in rats, anatomical and functional correlates of impulsivity in the anterior insular (AI) cortex by measuring both the thickness of, and cellular plasticity markers in, the AI with magnetic resonance imaging and in situ hybridization of the immediate early gene zif268, respectively. We then investigated the influence of bilateral AI cortex lesions on the high impulsivity trait, as measured in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), and the associated propensity to develop compulsivity as measured by high drinking levels in a schedule-induced polydipsia procedure (SIP). We demonstrate that the AI cortex causally contributes to individual vulnerability to impulsive-compulsive behavior in rats. Motor impulsivity, as measured by premature responses in the 5-CSRTT, was shown to correlate with the thinness of the anterior region of the insular cortex, in which highly impulsive (HI) rats expressed lower zif268 mRNA levels. Lesions of AI reduced impulsive behavior in HI rats, which were also highly susceptible to develop compulsive behavior as measured in a SIP procedure. AI lesions also attenuated both the development and the expression of SIP. This study thus identifies the AI as a novel neural substrate of maladaptive impulse control mechanisms that may facilitate the development of compulsive disorders.This research was carried-out within the Department of Psychology and the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Cambridge as well as the INSERM AVENIR team Psychobiology of Compulsive Disorders of the University of Poitiers. It was supported by an INSERM AVENIR grant and a FYSSEN foundation grant to DB. MLD was supported by a PhD fellowship from the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) and ABR was supported by a post-doctoral fellowship from the INSERM. BJE was supported by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council (MRC) Grant 9536855.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Publishing Group via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mp.2015.14

Across the Gap: Geochronological and Sedimentological Analyses from the Late Pleistocene-Holocene Sequence of Goda Buticha, Southeastern Ethiopia

Goda Buticha is a cave site near Dire Dawa in southeastern Ethiopia that contains an archaeological sequence sampling the late Pleistocene and Holocene of the region. The sedimentary sequence displays complex cultural, chronological and sedimentological histories that seem incongruent with one another. A first set of radiocarbon ages suggested a long sedimentological gap from the end of Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3 to the mid-Holocene. Macroscopic observations suggest that the main sedimentological change does not coincide with the chronostratigraphic hiatus. The cultural sequence shows technological continuity with a late persistence of artifacts that are usually attributed to the Middle Stone Age into the younger parts of the stratigraphic sequence, yet become increasingly associated with lithic artifacts typically related to the Later Stone Age. While not a unique case, this combination of features is unusual in the Horn of Africa. In order to evaluate the possible implications of these observations, sedimentological analyses combined with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) were conducted. The OSL data now extend the radiocarbon chronology up to 63 ± 7 ka; they also confirm the existence of the chronological gap between 24.8 ± 2.6 ka and 7.5 ± 0.3 ka. The sedimentological analyses suggest that the origin and mode of deposition were largely similar throughout the whole sequence, although the anthropic and faunal activities increased in the younger levels. Regional climatic records are used to support the sedimentological observations and interpretations. We discuss the implications of the sedimentological and dating analyses for understanding cultural processes in the region.This research benefited from funding of the National Geographic Society (http:// nationalgeographic.org/), grants # 8110-06 and 8510-08 (ZA), of the Wenner-Gren Foundation (http://www.wennergren.org/), grant # ICRG e 102, (ZA and DP), of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (http://new.huji.ac.il/en) (EH), of the French National Research Agency (http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr), projects # ANR-09- JCJC-0123-01 (CT), # ANR-14-CE31-0023-03, and # ANR-10-LABX-52, of the Regional Priority Program « Heritage, Resources, Governance » (HEREGO, coordinated by the Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement) (DP), the Doctoral School of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris (France) and UMR CNRS 7194 (AL), the Smithsonian NMNH small grants, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SklodowskaCurie grant (https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/ horizon2020/en/h2020-section/marie-sklodowskacurie-actions), agreement #655459. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Across the Gap: Geochronological and Sedimentological Analyses from the Late Pleistocene-Holocene Sequence of Goda Buticha, Southeastern Ethiopia

Goda Buticha is a cave site near Dire Dawa in southeastern Ethiopia that contains an archaeological sequence sampling the late Pleistocene and Holocene of the region. The sedimentary sequence displays complex cultural, chronological and sedimentological histories that seem incongruent with one another. A first set of radiocarbon ages suggested a long sedimentological gap from the end of Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3 to the mid-Holocene. Macroscopic observations suggest that the main sedimentological change does not coincide with the chronostratigraphic hiatus. The cultural sequence shows technological continuity with a late persistence of artifacts that are usually attributed to the Middle Stone Age into the younger parts of the stratigraphic sequence, yet become increasingly associated with lithic artifacts typically related to the Later Stone Age. While not a unique case, this combination of features is unusual in the Horn of Africa. In order to evaluate the possible implications of these observations, sedimentological analyses combined with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) were conducted. The OSL data now extend the radiocarbon chronology up to 63 ± 7 ka; they also confirm the existence of the chronological gap between 24.8 ± 2.6 ka and 7.5 ± 0.3 ka. The sedimentological analyses suggest that the origin and mode of deposition were largely similar throughout the whole sequence, although the anthropic and faunal activities increased in the younger levels. Regional climatic records are used to support the sedimentological observations and interpretations. We discuss the implications of the sedimentological and dating analyses for understanding cultural processes in the region.This research benefited from funding of the National Geographic Society (http:// nationalgeographic.org/), grants # 8110-06 and 8510-08 (ZA), of the Wenner-Gren Foundation (http://www.wennergren.org/), grant # ICRG e 102, (ZA and DP), of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (http://new.huji.ac.il/en) (EH), of the French National Research Agency (http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr), projects # ANR-09- JCJC-0123-01 (CT), # ANR-14-CE31-0023-03, and # ANR-10-LABX-52, of the Regional Priority Program « Heritage, Resources, Governance » (HEREGO, coordinated by the Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement) (DP), the Doctoral School of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris (France) and UMR CNRS 7194 (AL), the Smithsonian NMNH small grants, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SklodowskaCurie grant (https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/ horizon2020/en/h2020-section/marie-sklodowskacurie-actions), agreement #655459. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Direct dating of a Neolithic burial in the Laang Spean cave (Battambang Province, Cambodia) : first regional chrono-cultural implications

If, because of recent geo-political events which took place in Cambodia, the remarkable discovery made at the end of the 19th century on the banks of Lake Tonle Sap of the Neolithic site of Samrong Sen has fallen from current public knowledge, Neolithic sites situated in caves remain the least-well documented of sites throughout the whole of South-East Asia. The discovery of a Neolithic burial in a cave dating from 3310 BP is the significant result of recent prehistoric excavations commenced in 2009. This discovery provides us with an original chronological, cultural landmark for South-East Asia, at the beginning of the Ages of Metal. An in-depth description of this grave allows us to envisage preliminary regional comparisons, thereby permitting a broader taking into consideration of the evolution of funereal practices in this part of the world

Hydrodynamic characterization of the exopolysaccharide from the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica GR02: A comparison with xanthan

A bacterial exopolysaccharide from Aphanothece halophytica GR02 (AH-EPS) solubilized in buffered 1 M guanidine hydrochloride, GuHCl was studied using capillary viscometry, double gap viscometry, sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium using analytical ultracentrifugation. Results from capillary viscometry indicate that the exopolysaccharide is xanthan-like in its shear thinning properties. This was confirmed by double gap viscometry. Sedimentation velocity (distribution of apparent sedimentation coefficients) confirmed that the AH-EPS solution was reasonably homogeneous and a hyper-sharp boundary indicated that AH-EPS is a rigid/extra-rigid rod type polysaccharide. Sedimentation equilibrium confirmed the high molecular weight indicated by viscosity measurements. In order to ascertain whether the solution physical properties of AH-EPS are xanthan-like under the conditions studied, all the above experiments were repeated on a similarly treated xanthan solution in the same solvent. Results indicate that AH-EPS is indeed xanthan-like in its physical properties at least in the system studied. Xanthan properties in GuHCl do not appear too different from those studied in more traditional solvents

Le site du Ranc-Pointu no. 2 à Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche : Une occupation du Paléolithique moyen ancien dans le Sud-Est de la France = The site of Ranc-Pointu No. 2 at Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche: An early Middle Palaeolithic occupation in southeastern France?

International audienc

Les premiers Hommes anatomiquement modernes du sud-est de l’Europe: apport du site de Buran-Kaya III (Crimée)

International audienc

Impossible Neanderthals ? making strings, throwing projectiles and catching small game during Marine Isotope Stage 4 (Abri du Maras, France)

International audienceImpossible Neanderthals ? making strings, throwing projectiles and catching small game during Marine Isotope Stage 4 (Abri du Maras, France

Les premiers hommes anatomiquement modernes du Sud-Est de l’Europe. Apport du site de Buran-Kaya III (Crimée)

International audienceThe arrival of modern humans into Europe, their dispersal and their potential interactions with Neanderthals are still in debate. Whereas the first appearance of anatomically modern humans in Western Europe seems to be well understood, the situation is quite different for Eastern Europe, where data are more scarce. The Buran-Kaya III site in Crimea is of key importance to understand the colonization of Europe by anatomically modern humans and their potential contemporaneity with the last Neanderthal occupations. The new radiocarbon dated sequence shows that no Neanderthal settlement existed after 39 ka cal BP and casts doubt on the survival, as previously proposed, of Neanderthal refuge zones in Crimea 28 ka BP ago (34-32 ka cal BP). The human remains from Buran-Kaya III, directly dated to 32450 +250/-230 BP (layer 6-2) and 31900+/-220 BP (layer 6-1) (37.1-35.7 ka cal BP and 36.3-35.2 cal BP respectively), represent some of the oldest evidence of anatomically modern humans in Europe in a unique welldocumented archaeological context (Gravettian). Furthermore, the specimens from layer 6-1 represent the oldest Upper Palaeolithic modern humans from Eastern Europe with evidence of post-mortem treatment of the dead.L’arrivée des premières populations d’hommes anatomiquement modernes en Europe et leurs interactions avec les Néandertaliens font l’objet de nombreux débats. Si cette histoire semble bien comprise en Europe occidentale, il en est différemment en Europe orientale où la documentation est plus parcellaire. Le site de Buran-Kaya III, en Crimée, apparaît comme un site majeur grâce à l’apport de nouvelles données chronologiques relatives aux dernières occupations néandertaliennes, et à la présence de restes attribués aux hommes anatomiquement modernes directement datés à 32450 +250/-230 BP (niveau 6-2) et 31900+/-220 BP (niveau 6-1) (37,1-35,7 ka cal BP and 36,3-35,2 ka cal BP respectivement). Les nouvelles datations radiocarbones montrent que les populations néandertaliennes n’étaient plus présentes en Crimée après 39 ka cal BP et remettent en question l’existence, qui était proposée jusqu’à alors, d’une zone refuge pour ces populations en Crimée il y a 28 ka BP (34-32 ka cal BP). Par ailleurs, les restes humains de Buran-Kaya III sont parmi les plus anciens hommes anatomiquement modernes d’Europe orientale et, fait exceptionnel, dans un contexte culturel bien documenté (techno-complexe gravettien). Les individus de la couche 6-1 sont, en outre, les plus anciens hommes modernes du Paléolithique supérieur d’Europe orientale à témoigner d’un traitement post-mortem complexe des défunts