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Remains of Garrigatitan meridionalis nov. gen. et sp. were found in two bonebeds of sequence 2 from the upper Campanian site of Velaux-La Bastide Neuve (Aix-en-Provence Basin, Bouches du Rhône department). The vertebrate assemblage is dominated by dinosaurs, including the titanosaur Atsinganosaurus velauciensis. Garrigatitan meridionalis presents three diagnostic characters: hourglass-shaped humeri (proximal and distal thirds of almost the same transversal width) in anterior and posterior views, ilium with a broad rounded hollow slightly posterior to the base of the pubic peduncle, proximolateral margin of the femur only slightly medially deflected. Garrigatitan was a small to medium-sized sauropod (sub/adult individuals between 4–6 metres and 2–2.5 tonnes), showing anatomical differences with Atsinganosaurus, and with the other Late Cretaceous Ibero-Armorican titanosaurs. Large titanosaurian specimens found at Velaux-La Bastide Neuve could belong to adult Garrigatitan individuals reaching a body length of at least 12 metres. Histological analysis of long bones shows features similar to other Late Cretaceous European titanosaurs, indicating that all individuals had reached skeletal maturity (presence of an EFS, heavy remodelling HOS 12 to 14). The new taxon is recovered within the clade Lirainosaurinae. Garrigatitan meridionalis increases the diversity of Late Cretaceous titanosaurs within the Ibero-Armorican Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Prospective study.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the changes in rib cage deformity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by comparing the preoperative and postoperative three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction images using simultaneous biplanar radiographic scanning technique (EOS) (EOS Imaging, Paris, France).Summary Of Background Data: EOS data are limited for the analyses of preoperative and postoperative rib cage deformity.Methods: A total of 67 Lenke type 1 or 2 AIS patients who underwent surgery (59 females and 8 males) were enrolled in this study. The mean patient age was 14.4 years (range: 11-17 yr). In all patients, posterior corrective fusion was performed with a rod rotation maneuver based on segmental pedicle fixation. Spinal parameters (scoliosis and kyphosis) and rib cage parameters (max thickness, thoracic index (TI), rib hump (RH), surface spinal penetration index (sSPI), end thoracic hump ratio, vertebra-sternum angle, rib vertebral angle difference at the apex, and vertebral lateral decentering), were measured. 3D images were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 2-year follow-up.Results: Both main thoracic (MT) and proximal thoracic scoliosis were significantly corrected (51° to 15°, 30° to 17°, P < 0.0001). The rotation of MT apical vertebrae was also significantly corrected (12° to 5°, P < 0.0001). Thoracic kyphosis (T4-T12) significantly increased (13° to 18°, P < 0.0001). Besides, max thickness, TI, and RH demonstrated significant differences between preoperative and postoperative images (P < 0.01). T8-10 sSPI and end thoracic hump ratio decreased significantly postoperatively (P < 0.05). Although surgery significantly decreased vertebra-sternum angle (P < 0.0001), no significant difference was observed between the preoperative and postoperative rib vertebral angle difference (P = 0.32). Following the surgery, vertebral lateral decentering and rib cage volume were significantly increased (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: 3D reconstruction of the rib cage using biplanar standing stereoradiography is useful to evaluate preoperative and postoperative rib cage deformity in patients with AIS.Level of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study reports the anthropological analysis of bones remains discovered on Riou Island (Marseille, France) and the story of two World War II fighter pilots. The discovery of bones on "The Fountain of the Greeks" square on Riou Island occurred in the 1960's and a first anthropological study described a 35-year-old man, about 1.77 m tall, buried since an estimated period between the 13th and 16th centuries. The case was "closed" and the bones were considered as isolated archaeological remains. Few years later, near the coasts of Riou Island, parts of two planes were discovered. One was from of a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 of the Luftwaffe piloted by Prince Alexis fürst zu Bentheim und Steinfurt, and the other from a French P-38 Lightning F-5 B piloted by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Therefore, the identification of the skeletal remains mentioned above was then thought to be perhaps one of the two World War II pilots. In this particular context we performed forensic and molecular biology analyses to resolve this identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Greulich and Pyle (GP) atlas is one of the most frequently used methods of bone age (BA) estimation. Our aim is to assess its accuracy and to calculate the prediction intervals at 95% for forensic use.Methods: The study was conducted on a multi-ethnic sample of 2614 individuals (1423 boys and 1191 girls) referred to the university hospital of Marseille (France) for simple injuries. Hand radiographs were analysed using the GP atlas. Reliability of GP atlas and agreement between BA and chronological age (CA) were assessed and prediction intervals at 95% were calculated.Results: The repeatability was excellent and the reproducibility was good. Pearson's linear correlation coefficient between CA and BA was 0.983. The mean difference between BA and CA was -0.18 years (boys) and 0.06 years (girls). The prediction interval at 95% for CA was given for each GP category and ranged between 1.2 and more than 4.5 years.Conclusion: The GP atlas is a reproducible and repeatable method that is still accurate for the present population, with a high correlation between BA and CA. The prediction intervals at 95% are wide, reflecting individual variability, and should be known when the method is used in forensic cases.Key Points: • The GP atlas is still accurate at the present time. • There is a high correlation between bone age and chronological age. • Individual variability must be known when GP is used in forensic cases. • Prediction intervals (95%) are large; around 4 years after 10 year olds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic age estimation of living individuals has become increasingly important in forensic practice with the constant increase of migration movements to developed countries. The method of Greulich and Pyle is one of the most frequently used methods for age determination. The aim of our study was to verify the reliability of this method on a French contemporary population. We retrospectively analyzed 190 frontal hand and wrist radiographs of living subjects aged between 10 and 19 years (100 males and 90 females) performed in the Radiology Department of the University Hospital of Tours. These radiographs were compared with the Greulich and Pyle atlas to determine the skeletal age (SA) and to compare it to the chronological age (CA). We calculated the coefficient of correlation and the coefficient of determination for each sex group. The SA of our subjects was also inserted in the graphs provided by Greulich and Pyle in their atlas. Intra- and inter-observer variabilities were good, demonstrating the reproducibility and repeatability of the method. The correlation coefficients were high (0.98 for males and 0.93 for females) and comparable with published data. The mean difference between CA and SA was −2.29 months for males and −6.44 months for females, showing an overestimation of CA for both sexes. No statistical difference was found between CA and SA for both male and female samples. We concluded that the method of Greulich and Pyle can be used on a contemporary French population but not without caution because of a tendency for this method to overestimate age. A fully developed hand and wrist does not allow to state that the 18th year of life is completed beyond a reasonable doubt. We recommend using it in association with other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on the analysis of three human cranial fragments from a Mousterian context at the site of La Quina (France), which show anthropogenic surface modifications. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses, including SEM observation, demonstrate that the modifications visible on one of these fragments are similar to those produced on bone fragments used experimentally to retouch flakes. The microscopic analysis also identified ancient scraping marks, possibly resulting from the cleaning of the skull prior to its breakage and utilisation of a resulting fragment as a tool. The traces of utilisation and the dimensions of this object are compared to those on a sample of 67 bone retouchers found in the same excavation area and layer. Results show that the tool size, as well as the dimensions and location of the utilised area, fall well within the range of variation observed on faunal shaft fragments from La Quina that were used as retouchers. This skull fragment represents the earliest known use of human bone as a raw material and the first reported use of human bone for this purpose by hominins other than modern humans. The two other skull fragments, which probably come from the same individual, also bear anthropogenic surface modifications in the form of percussion, cut, and scraping marks. The deliberate versus unintentional hypotheses for the unusual choice of the bone are presented in light of contextual information, modifications identified on the two skull fragments not used as tools, and data on bone retouchers from the same layer, the same site, and other Mousterian sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to investigate injury according to biological maturity in elite under-14 youth football players based at the National Football Institute, France. Over 10 seasons, injury incidence, severity and distribution were compared in 233 players classed according to individual biological maturity determined by skeletal age into three cohorts as early, normal and late maturers. A non-significant higher injury incidence was found in early and normal maturers compared with late maturers. In contrast, the latter group sustained a significantly higher incidence of major injuries compared with early maturers (0.3 vs 0.6 vs 0.9, P=0.039). A significantly higher incidence of osteochrondoses was reported in normal and late maturers (0.3 vs 0.7 vs 0.9, P=0.014), whereas tendinopathy incidence was greater in early and normal maturers (0.06 vs 0.08 vs 0.02, P=0.033). Early maturers incurred the highest incidence of groin strains and re-injuries ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between groups in the seasonal disposition of injury. Biological maturity status did not significantly affect overall injury incidence in elite French youth football players, although there were differences between maturity groups when patterns of injury location, type, severity and re-injury were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Suchey-Brooks method is commonly used for pubic symphyseal aging in forensic cases. However, inter-population variability is a problem affected by several factors such as geographical location and secular trends. The aim of our study was to test the reliability of the Suchey-Brooks method on a virtual sample of contemporary French males. We carried out a retrospective study of 680 pubic symphysis from adult males undergoing clinical Multislice Computed Tomography in two hospitals between January 2013 and July 2014 (Toulouse and Tours, France). The reliability of the Suchey-Brooks method was tested by the calculation of inaccuracy and bias between real and estimated ages, and the mean age for each stage and the mean stage for each 10-years age interval were compared. The degree of inaccuracy and bias increased with age and inaccuracy exceeded 20 years for individuals over 65 years of age. The results are consistent with an overestimation of the real age for stages I and II and an underestimation of the real age for stages IV, V and VI. Furthermore, the mean stages of the reference sample were significantly lower for the 14-25 age group and significantly higher for individuals over 35 years old. Age estimation is potentially limited by differential inter-population error rates between geographical locations. Furthermore, the effects of secular trends are also supported by research in European countries showing a reduction in the age of attainment of indicators of biological maturity during the past few decades. The results suggest that the Suchey-Brooks method should be used with caution in France. Our study supports previous findings and in the future, the Suchey-Brooks method could benefit from re-evaluation of the aging standards by the establishment of new virtual reference samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]