Neanderthal markers of the frontal bone--a conspicuous Hallstatt cranium of the burial field Dietfurt/Oberpfalz

Between the skulls from early Iron Age cemeteries of the Hallstatt period (Beilngries, Dietfurt, Schirndorf and some other localities) in the Upper Palatinate (Bavaria) the skull Dietfurt 13/1 attracted attention because of its archaic traits at the viscerocranium and because of its extraordinarily large cranial capacity (1654 cm3). Such large cranial capacities were well known from Neandertals. Therefore this skull was examined for other neandertaloid traits: It was shown that the values for the angle of inclination and the vault-angle of the frontal bone fell into the neandertaloid range. With regard to the traits of the frontal bone Dietfurt 13/1 takes a more intermediate position between Homo sapiens sapiens and the Neandertals than the frontal bone from Hahn?fersand, which is dated about 36.300 +/- 600 years B.P. (Br?uer 1980). It is discussed, whether the specific traits of the frontal bone of Dietfurt 13/1 could fall within the variability of the subfossil Homo sapiens sapiens without postulating a phase of hybridization between Neandertals and anatomically modern man. Consequently, in the compilation of prehistorical skeleton-series more attention should be given to measures of the frontal bone.     

Paleopathologic evidence for the evolution of rheumatoid arthritis.

A human skeleton recovered from a Sicilian archaeological site and dating from the Hellenistic period (330-210 B.C.) presents a pathological pattern suggesting a transition between ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis, providing evidence in support of the hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis may have recently evolved out of ankylosing spondylitis.     

Paleopathologic evidence for the evolution of rheumatoid arthritis

A human skeleton recovered from a Sicilian archaeological site and dating from the Hellenistic period (330–210 B.C. ) presents a pathological pattern suggesting a transition between ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis, providing evidence in support of the hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis may have recently evolved out of ankylosing spondylitis.     

Experimental findings concerning the effect of alcohol on fertilization]

Experiments were conducted on golden hamsters. A study was made of the effect of alcohol on the fertilization process and the early stages of embryonic development. In chronic alcoholism there occurred deviations in the early development of the embryos. A single inebriation, particularly during rut and mating, caused disturbances in the fertilization and polyspermia became greater. An experimental model for the establishment and studying the disturbances of fertilization resulting from the action not only of alcohol, but also of other substances and preparations, is suggested.     

On a conjecture concerning population growth in random environment

Discrete stochastic models are constructed and their limit diffusion processes are derived to shed light on a controversial conjecture regarding the effects of environmental variance on the asymptotic behavior of a population subject to logistic growth in random environment.Work supported in part by the National Group for Mathematical Information Sciences (GNIM) of the National Council for Research     

Antimicrobial resistance in humans,livestock and the wider environment

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans is inter-linked with AMR in other populations, especially farm animals, and in the wider environment. The relatively few bacterial species that cause disease in humans, and are the targets of antibiotic treatment, constitute a tiny subset of the overall diversity of bacteria that includes the gut microbiota and vast numbers in the soil. However, resistance can pass between these different populations; and homologous resistance genes have been found in pathogens, normal flora and soil bacteria. Farm animals are an important component of this complex system: they are exposed to enormous quantities of antibiotics (despite attempts at reduction) and act as another reservoir of resistance genes. Whole genome sequencing is revealing and beginning to quantify the two-way traffic of AMR bacteria between the farm and the clinic. Surveillance of bacterial disease, drug usage and resistance in livestock is still relatively poor, though improving, but achieving better antimicrobial stewardship on the farm is challenging: antibiotics are an integral part of industrial agriculture and there are very few alternatives. Human production and use of antibiotics either on the farm or in the clinic is but a recent addition to the natural and ancient process of antibiotic production and resistance evolution that occurs on a global scale in the soil. Viewed in this way, AMR is somewhat analogous to climate change, and that suggests that an intergovernmental panel, akin to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, could be an appropriate vehicle to actively address the problem.     

Bronze age dating of timber from the salt-mine at Hallstatt, Austria

The prehistoric salt mine of Hallstatt together with its burial ground is one of the most prominent archaeological sites in Austria, which has also given name for the “Hallstatt period” of human civilisation (800–400 BC). Due to the perfect conservation in rock salt a great number of organic materials have been found, among mostly wooden artefacts. Currently, the major archaeological focus is on the Bronze Age salt mining activities with excavations taking place at the historic Christian von Tusch-Werk, Alter Grubenoffen mine.

Chronology building started at the Dachstein plateau, in the vicinity of Hallstatt, where tree-trunks were discovered in an alpine lake (Schwarzer See) and after recovery a spruce-larch chronology was compiled that dates back to 1475 BC. In addition, at the bog Karmoos, very close to the mining place of Hallstatt, preserved trees were intensively sampled resulting in a spruce chronology reaching even 1523 BC.

Over 500 samples were taken at the Christian von Tusch-Werk, Alter Grubenoffen. They also included samples from the recently discovered world's oldest wooden staircase. The spectrum of wooden species encompassed Norway spruce, Silver fir, beech, European larch and maple. We were able to synchronize 128 samples, ending in a 282-year long floating chronology. While the staircase dated back to 1344 BC, the end year of the floating chronology dated even to 1245 BC. Tree felling dates showed clusters within the chronology, providing evidence for archaeologists to find construction phases and usage periods.

The Dachstein–Hallstatt spruce chronology currently holds 840 synchronized series, and includes samples from the lake at the Dachstein, from the Karmoos bog at Hallstatt, from the prehistoric Hallstatt salt mine, and from historical buildings, as well as living trees. The chronology covers the period between 1523 BC through 2004 AD.     

Neurohistologic and histochemical findings concerning the accessory fiber of several incapsulated receptors]

In order to clarify the role of catecholamines in encapsulated receptors, Pacinian corpuscles and the bulbs of Krause have been studied by the fluorescent method of Falck. Fluorescence, specific for catecholamines, has not been revealed in the receptors. Catecholamines do not seem to be neuromediators in stimulating sensitive nerve terminals. The regulatory role of catecholamines in the activity of the encapsulated receptors is discussed. The neurohistological method of tissue fixation in the mixture of zink-iodine -- osmic acid has revealed some additional nerve fibers (Timofeev's apparatus) in the bulbs of Krause of the cat lip and nose. In order to understand the nature of the additional fibres in the bulbs of Krause, a branch of the trigeminal nerve has been sectioned in the suborbital area. After sectioning the staining of both the main and additional fibres in the bulbs of Krause in the lip and nose has disappeared. The data obtained support the view on sensitive nature of the additional fibres (Timofeev's apparatus) in the sensitive bulbs of Krause.     

Reaction of laying hens to humans in the home or a novel environment

Tests assessing the fear of humans by measuring avoidance or approach reactions of the test animals towards humans can be useful tools in welfare assessment schemes. In this study, we wanted to compare tests assessing the reactions of laying hens towards humans in the home environment to a test performed in a novel environment. As well we investigated inter-test correlations in the home environment. We performed several tests to assess the hens’ approach and avoidance reactions towards an unfamiliar human inside the home environment of laying hens in 14 caged flocks and 10 free-range flocks. We measured the reactions of hens to a stationary person and a moving person approaching individual hens in both systems, as well as reactions to a stationary person trying to touch individual hens in non-cage systems and reactions of caged hens to a person passing by. Additionally, a standardised arena test was performed outside the home environment to compare the birds’ avoidance reactions towards an approaching human in a novel environment. In caged hens no significant correlations of tests performed inside the home environment with the arena test could be found, but there were moderate to high correlations (r_s > 0.6) with one parameter of the arena test in non-caged hens. The different tests applied inside the home environment correlated significantly and moderately to highly with each other, supporting the validity of these tests to measure fear of humans. The caged laying hens in our study reacted differently in the novel environment from the non-caged birds, indicating that the birds’ reactions towards humans in an unfamiliar environment depend on the housing system. In summary, a comparison of the level of fear of humans between flocks in different housing systems by using an arena test outside the home environment seems difficult and was not possible in the present study.