The first use of olives in Africa around 100,000 years ago.

The olive tree was an iconic plant for most of the past Mediterranean civilizations, for which it had important economic value. Here we report the earliest use of fruits and wood from olive trees in Africa so far, around 100,000 years ago. These findings suggest the presence of olive trees on the Atlantic coast of Morocco during most of the last glacial period, and the use of olives by the early Homo sapiens for fuel management and most probably for consumption.

Shade-induced reduction of stem nonstructural carbohydrates increases xylem vulnerability to embolism and impedes hydraulic recovery in Populus nigra.

Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) have been suggested to affect xylem transport under fluctuating water availability, but conclusive evidence is still lacking. We tested the effect of shade-induced NSC depletion on xylem vulnerability to embolism and hydraulic recovery on Populus nigra saplings. Vulnerability was assessed in light-exposed (L) and shaded (S) plants with the hydraulic method, and in vivo with the optical method and X-ray micro-computed tomography.

Is fighting against COVID-19 enough?

Tools of empirical epidemiology have been and are indispensable to focus political power on blocking the spreading of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by stopping transmission. The present paper is a comment on E. Gibney's article 'Whose coronavirus strategy worked best?' ( 2020;581:15-6).

Holocene vegetation history and human impact in the eastern Italian Alps: a multi-proxy study on the Coltrondo peat bog, Comelico Superiore, Italy.

The present study aims to reconstruct vegetation development, climate changes and human impact using an ombrotrophic peat core from the Coltrondo bog in the eastern Italian Alps. Evidence from pollen, micro-charcoal, major and trace elements, and lead isotopes from this 7,900 years old peat deposit has been combined, and several climatic oscillations and phases of human impact detected. In particular, human presence was recorded in this area of the Alps from about 650 cal bc, with periods of increased activity at the end of the Middle Ages and also at the end of the 19th century, as evidenced by both human-related pollen and the increase in micro-charcoal particles.

Seventy-five mosses and liverworts found frozen with the late Neolithic Tyrolean Iceman: Origins, taphonomy and the Iceman's last journey.

The Iceman site is unique in the bryology of the Quaternary. Only 21 bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) grow now in the immediate vicinity of the 5,300 year old Iceman discovery site at 3,210m above sea level in the Ötztal Alps, Italy. By contrast 75 or more species including at least ten liverworts were recovered as subfossils frozen in, on and around the Iceman from before, at and after his time.

[Adaptation to dosed hypoxia-hyperoxia as a factor in improving the quality of life of elderly patients with cardiac pathology.].

In order to substantiate new approaches to maintain the quality of life of elderly patients with cardiac pathology, the current study is made to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of technology, based on the principles of adaptive medicine, the method of interval hypoxic-hyperoxic training (IHHT). It was proved the use of IHHT technology in elderly people with HIBS in the prescribed regime leads to a substantial increase in the subjective perception of the quality of life, their psycho-emotional status, the number of attacks of angina pectoris, which was accompanied by an increase in the level of physical working capacity, exercise tolerance, normalization of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Treatments by interval hypoxic-hyperoxic training are well tolerated, do not cause side effects; when developing optimal individualized regimens' principles IHHT can be used in the complex rehabilitation of elderly patients with cardiac and co-morbid pathology.

Robustness of xylem properties in conifers: analyses of tracheid and pit dimensions along elevational transects.

In alpine regions, tree hydraulics are limited by low temperatures that restrict xylem growth and induce winter frost drought and freezing stress. While several studies have dealt with functional limitations, data on elevational changes in functionally relevant xylem anatomical parameters are still scarce. In wood cores of Pinus cembra L.

[Adaptation to intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia improves cognitive performance and exercise tolerance in elderly].

For improvements in exercise tolerance and cognitive function in geriatric patients Multimodal training programs (MTP) are used as combination of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and cardiovascular training. Intermittent Hypoxic-Hyperoxic Training (IHHT), a modified type of intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) is proposed to be included in MTP to elicit more pronounced beneficial effects in exercise tolerance and cognitive functions of geriatric patients likely by an additional pathway than a single MTP. Thirty four patients of the Geriatric Day Clinic aged between 64 and 92 years participated in the placebo controlled clinical trial.

Tree water status and growth of saplings and mature Norway spruce (Picea abies) at a dry distribution limit.

We evaluated the size effect on stem water status and growth in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) occurring at the edge of its natural range in a dry inner Alpine environment (750 m asl, Tyrol, Austria).

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.): allergenicity and molecular characterization of pollen after plant exposure to elevated NO2.

Ragweed pollen is the main cause of allergenic diseases in Northern America, and the weed has become a spreading neophyte in Europe. Climate change and air pollution are speculated to affect the allergenic potential of pollen. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of NO2 , a major air pollutant, under controlled conditions, on the allergenicity of ragweed pollen.

Radial stem growth in response to microclimate and soil moisture in a drought-prone mixed coniferous forest at an inner Alpine site.

Dendroclimatological studies in a dry inner Alpine environment (750 m a.s.l.

Environmental effects on stem water deficit in co-occurring conifers exposed to soil dryness.

We monitored dynamics of stem water deficit (ΔW) and needle water potential (Ψ) during two consecutive growing seasons (2011 and 2012) in a dry inner Alpine environment (750 m above sea level, Tyrol, Austria), where Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies and Larix decidua form mixed stands. ΔW was extracted from stem circumference variations, which were continuously recorded by electronic band dendrometers (six trees per species) and correlations with environmental variables were performed. Results revealed that (i) ΔW reached highest and lowest values in P.

Effects of environmental conditions on onset of xylem growth in Pinus sylvestris under drought.

We determined the influence of environmental factors (air and soil temperature, precipitation, photoperiod) on onset of xylem growth in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) within a dry inner Alpine valley (750 m a.s.

Cell morphology, ultrastructure, and calcification pattern of Oocardium stratum, a peculiar lotic desmid.

Cell morphology and ultrastructure of the desmid Oocardium stratum and its habitat conditions in two limestone-precipitating spring habitats in the Alps were studied. In spite of specific cell geometry, we found ultrastructural features (nucleus with nucleolus, Golgi apparatus, chloroplast structure, lipid bodies, cell wall texture) closely related to other desmids. The type of the mucilage pore apparatus perforating in high densities extended areas of the cell wall of Oocardium is of the Cosmarium type.

Long-term changes in tree-ring - climate relationships at Mt. Patscherkofel (Tyrol, Austria) since the mid 1980s.

Although growth limitation of trees at Alpine and high-latitude timberlines by prevailing summer temperature is well established, loss of thermal response of radial tree growth during last decades has repeatedly been addressed. We examined long-term variability of climate-growth relationships in ring width chronologies of Stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) by means of moving response functions (MRF).

I.M. Sechenov (1829 - 1905) and the scientific self-understanding for medical sciences.

There is no discussion about the historic relevance of I. Sechenov for physiology and neurosciences as the "father of Russian modern physiology". But he is relevant for modern natural science too because of his basic epistemological and ontological work.

Radial growth of Pinus sylvestris growing on alluvial terraces is sensitive to water-level fluctuations.

Along the Alpine river Lech (Tyrol, Austria), poorly grown Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands dominate on dry alluvial terraces, which are made up of coarse calcareous gravel. Here we evaluated the impact of environmental factors, such as precipitation, temperature and water table, on annual variability of radial growth. Tree-ring chronologies from six stands comprising different age classes were developed by extracting two core samples from more than 15 trees per plot.

Ambient neighbourhood noise and children's mental health.

Objectives: To investigate the relation between typical ambient noise levels (highway, rail, road) and multiple mental health indices of school children considering psychosocial and biological risk factors as potential moderators.

Methods: With a two stage design strategy (representative sample and extreme sample) two cross sectional samples (n=1280; n=123) of primary school children (age 8-11) were studied. Individual exposure to noise at home was linked with two indices of mental health (self reporting by the child on a standard scale and rating by the teacher of classroom adjustment on a standard scale).

Community noise exposure and stress in children.

Although accumulating evidence over the past two decades points towards noise as an ambient stressor for children, all of the data emanate from studies in high-intensity, noise impact zones around airports or major roads. Extremely little is known about the nonauditory consequences of typical, day-to-day noise exposure among young children. The present study examined multimethodological indices of stress among children living under 50 dB or above 60 dB (A-weighted, day-night average sound levels) in small towns and villages in Austria.

The principle of toxicopy and its integration into the administrative proceedings in Austria.

Toxicopy can be understood as an analogon to placebo but within any setting. Placebo is state-of-the-art since decades with relevant consequences: Only those effects may be considered as being pharmacon-specific, that go beyond non-pharmacological ("Placebo") effects. Placebo--theory is a limitation for the applicability of Morgans Canon (4), which is/was accepted within medicine like an axiom: When searching for the causes of disease physiological causes need to be ruled out, before other especially psychological etiologies can be taken into consideration.

Perceived traffic air pollution, associated behavior and health in an alpine area.

The relationship of traffic air pollution, perception of exhaust fumes/soot and behavioral impact or symptoms/illnesses was investigated in two surveys (adults: aged 25-65, N = 1989, 62% participation; children: aged 8-12, N = 796, 85% participation) in 13 small alpine communities (Tyrol/Austria) by means of questionnaire responses and air pollution measurements. Although pollutant levels complied with current WHO guidelines, adult respondents felt annoyed by odourous traffic fumes (39.7%) or visible dust/soot (26.

Work noise annoyance and blood pressure: combined effects with stressful working conditions.

In a community-based cross-sectional study (n = 174, 68% participation), we examined the effect on blood pressure of occupational noise annoyance and its combined effect with social support at work, nightshift work, and work satisfaction. In a multivariate analysis the effect of noise annoyance alone (mean difference, 95% CI) was 2.1 (-3.

[On the integral determination of the fluoride immission by means of the lead dioxid cylinder method (author's transl)].

The observation that PbO2 absorbs besides SO2 other, gaseous pollutants such as HF suggested to extend the lead dioxid cylinder method by means of the fluoride electrode on the determination of the fluoride immission. The results of 656 measurements were used to establish "fluoride-maps" of the federal countries Salzburg and Kärnten.

[The determination of resort and stress-areas by air pollution 2. communication: the evaluation of air pollution in spreadout areas, classification into stress-categories (authors transl)].

To qualify the air pollution by SO2 and particulate matter in wide spreaded areas a method for complex terrain was used in the Austrian Alps. The working model which was chosen is described in report 1. It is possible to classify the investigated area according to stress-categories by adjusting the data.

[The determination of resort and stress-areas by air pollution 1. Communication: health effects, methods, emission inventories (author's transl)].

The Alps and other mountainous areas are air-hygene problem zones: By distadvantageous geographical and meteorological conditions relativ small emissions can be the reason of high concentration of air pollutants in the ambient air. Therefore the separation of different stress zones by the air quality is an important data for land use planning with regards on health. Different methods which are internationally usual can not be used in mountainous areas (e.