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Background and purpose: A dose‐dependent association between the use of cyproterone acetate (CPA) and intracranial meningioma has been identified but data for other potent progestogens are scarce. The association was assessed between intracranial meningioma surgery and exposure to three potent progestogens: CPA (≥25 mg/day), nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC) (3.75–5 mg/day) and chlormadinone acetate (CMA) (2–10 mg/day). Methods: In this nationwide population‐based case–control study, cases underwent surgery for intracranial meningioma in France from 2009 to 2018. They were matched to five control subjects for sex, year of birth and area of residence. Progestogen exposure was defined as progestogen use within the year before surgery for cases or the same date for their controls. Results: In total, 25,216 cases were included (75% women, median age 58 years). Progestogen exposure was noted for 9.9% of cases (2497/25,216) and 1.9% (2382/126,080) of controls, with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.3–7.1). The OR was 1.2 (1.0–1.4) for short‐term use (<1 year) and 9.5 (8.8–10.2) for prolonged use. A strong association was identified for prolonged use of CPA (OR = 22.7, 95% CI 19.5–26.4), NOMAC (OR = 6.5, 95% CI 5.8–7.2) and CMA (OR = 4.7, 95% CI 4.5–5.3). Progestogen exposure increased the risk of meningioma for all histological grades and anatomical sites, particularly for the anterior and middle skull base: OR = 35.7 (95% CI 26.5–48.2) and 23.9 (95% CI 17.8–32.2) for CPA. The estimated number of attributable cases was 2124 (95% CI 2028–2220) (212/year). Conclusion: A strong association between prolonged exposure to potent progestogens and surgery for meningioma was observed. The risk increased from CMA to NOMAC to CPA. Individuals should be informed of this risk. This study highlights a strong association between prolonged use of nomegestrol and chlormadinone acetate (two potent progestogens) and intracranial meningioma, although weaker than that of cyproterone acetate. The estimated number of cases was higher than 2000 in France over 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous techniques for closure of the anterior skull base in cancer patients have a high success rate but management of failure is poorly documented. To standardize the post-operative follow-up after reconstruction surgery of the anterior skull base after removal for sinonasal carcinoma. Retrospective review of failure of anterior skull base reconstruction between 2005 and 2018 in a multicenter setting. Twenty four patients were included. Reconstruction failure was detected by a cerebrospinal (CSF) leak in 79.2%, by an infectious complication without CSF leak (i.e. meningitis) in 12.5%, and in 8.3% by extensive pneumocephalus. Failure was observed during the first week after surgery in 75% of patients, in the second week in 21%, and in 4% after day 15. The delay in discovery of the failure was associated with multilayer reconstruction (p=.03). Failure was treated surgically in 54% of the patients and medically in 46%, with a similar success rate (85 vs. 100%). After carcinologic resection of the anterior skull base, monitoring should be systematic during the first postoperative week. Surgical management of failure is not always necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes an unparalleled sample of isolated fossil auditory ossicles of cainotheriid artiodactyls from the Paleogene karstic infillings of Dams (Tarn‐et‐Garonne, Quercy, France). This collection comprises a total of 18 mallei, 28 incudes and three stapedes. It allows the documentation of both intra‐ and interspecific variability of ossicular morphology within Cainotheriidae. We show that despite considerable intraspecific variability, the malleus, the incus and the stapes appear to be taxonomically informative at the Cainotheriidae scale. This work further provides the first description of a reconstructed ossicular chain of a terrestrial Paleogene artiodactyl species, found in a basicranium of the late Oligocene cainotheriine Caenomeryx filholi (Pech Desse locality). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postoperative radiation therapy (poRT) of intracranial/skull base chondrosarcomas (CHSs) is standard treatment. However, consensus is lacking for poRT in extracranial CHS (eCHS) owing to their easier resectability and intrinsic radioresistance. We assessed the practice and efficacy of poRT in eCHS.Methods and Materials: This multicentric retrospective study of the French Sarcoma Group/Rare Cancer Network included patients with eCHS who were operated on between 1985 and 2015. Inverse propensity score weighting (IPTW) was used to minimize poRT allocation biases.Results: Of 182 patients, 60.4% had bone and 39.6% had soft-tissue eCHS. eCHS were of conventional (31.9%), myxoid (28.6%; 41 extraskeletal, 11 skeletal), mesenchymal (9.9%), or other subtypes. En-bloc surgery with complete resection was performed in 52.6% and poRT in 36.8% of patients (median dose, 54 Gy). Irradiated patients had unfavorable initial characteristics, with higher grade and incomplete resection. Median follow-up time was 61 months. Five-year incidence of local relapse was 10% with poRT versus 21.6% without (P = .050). Using the IPTW method, poRT reduced the local relapse risk (hazard ratio, 0.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.52; P < .001). Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 71.8% with poRT and 64.2% without (P = .680). Using the IPTW method, poRT improved DFS (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.85; P = .010). The benefit of poRT on local relapse and DFS was confirmed after exclusion of the extraskeletal subtype. There was no difference in overall survival. Prognostic factors of poorer DFS in multivariate analysis were deeper location, higher grade, incomplete resection, and no poRT.Conclusions: poRT should be offered in patients with eCHS and high-grade or incomplete resection, regardless of the histologic subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats are among the most recognizable, numerous, and widespread of all mammals. But much of their fossil record is missing, and bat origins remain poorly understood, as do the relationships of early to modern bats. Here, we describe a new early Eocene bat that helps bridge the gap between archaic stem bats and the hyperdiverse modern bat radiation of more than 1,460 living species. Recovered from ∼50 million-year-old cave sediments in the Quercy Phosphorites of southwestern France, Vielasia sigei 's remains include a near-complete, three-dimensionally preserved skull—the oldest uncrushed bat cranium yet found. Phylogenetic analyses of a 2,665 craniodental character matrix, with and without 36.8 kb of DNA sequence data, place Vielasia outside modern bats, with total evidence tip-dating placing it sister to the crown clade. Vielasia retains the archaic dentition and skeletal features typical of early Eocene bats, but its inner ear shows specializations found in modern echolocating bats. These features, which include a petrosal only loosely attached to the basicranium, an expanded cochlea representing ∼25% basicranial width, and a long basilar membrane, collectively suggest that the kind of laryngeal echolocation used by most modern bats predates the crown radiation. At least 23 individuals of V. sigei are preserved together in a limestone cave deposit, indicating that cave roosting behavior had evolved in bats by the end of the early Eocene; this period saw the beginning of significant global climate cooling that may have been an evolutionary driver for bats to first congregate in caves. [Display omitted] • A new bat species is described from a 50-million-year-old cave deposit in France • Its well-preserved fossils include the oldest uncrushed skull of a bat yet known • This stem bat appears to have been capable of advanced (laryngeal) echolocation • The fossils suggest that advanced echolocation predates the crown bat radiation When and how echolocation first evolved in bats is contentious. Hand et al. report on an uncrushed, 50-million-year-old bat skull that provides significant new data to inform the debate. Measurements of the inner ear of the French stem bat Vielasia suggest that advanced (laryngeal) echolocation may have evolved before the crown bat radiation. [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]

Abstract: We have undertaken a clinical ground study of proton-induced light flashes (phosphenes). Patients treated at the Institut Curie – Centre de Protonthérapie in Orsay, France, received radiation therapy to cure ocular and skull-base cancers. Sixty percent of the patients treated for choroidal melanomas using 73MeV protons report anomalous phosphenes. Delivering a radiation dose on the retina only is not sufficient to trigger the light flash. The present study may be the first indication of phosphenes triggered by protons of few tens of MeV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article describes a study which evaluated the cranial base growth in different facial types and classes among 300 Brazilian Caucasian patients, presented at the 6th International Orthodontic Congress held in Paris, France. Methods applied in the study were cephalometric tracing, linear measurements and Ricketts-Faltin and Schwarz-Faltin analyses. The results showed no significant differences in all classes of faces while proversion increased significantly less than neutroversion in each type.

The article discusses a lecture by William R. Proffit and L. Cevidanes about condylar remodeling after orthognathic surgery at the 6th International Orthodontic Congress held in Paris, France. Mandibular condylar remodeling is deemed important to reposition the mandible. The lecturers recommended the use of cranial base superimposition and the color-coded method of presenting changes to show condylar changes after surgery.

The article discusses a presentation by Marie-Josèphe Deshayes at the 6th International Orthodontic Congress held in Paris, France about cranial landmarks that express facial development of children under 6 years of age. The strategy for showing the importance of understanding the forces of the cranial base that drive facial growth is to draw cephalometrics on high-resolution digital x-rays from a set of these children. The strategy also aims to apply a new three-dimensional cranial analysis based on the tracking of the cranial contour.