[Earthquakes--a historical review, environmental and health effects, and health care measures].

Earthquakes are natural disasters that can occur at any time, regardless of the location. Their frequency is higher in the Circum-Pacific and Mediterranean/Trans-Asian seismic belt. A number of sophisticated methods define their magnitude using the Richter scale and intensity using the Mercani-Cancani-Sieberg scale.

[Dance as a risk factor for injuries and development of occupational diseases].

Injuries and diseases can significantly affect the creativity and artistic performance. The link between working conditions and artistic performance had been recognised as early as the medieval age. Physically demanding performance arts such as dance can sometimes result in injuries, illnesses, inability to perform, and even end artist's career.

Respiratory symptoms in fish processing workers on the Adriatic coast of Croatia.

This article describes respiratory symptoms and lung function in 98 fish processing female workers employed in a fish processing plant located on the Croatian Adriatic coast and 95 matching controls. The study included chronic and acute respiratory symptoms which developed during the shifts. Lung function measurements included forced vital capacity (FVC), one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV(1)) and maximal expiratory rates at 50 % and the last 25 % (FEF(50), FEF(25)).

Known symptoms and diseases of a number of classical European composers during 17th and 20th century in relation with their artistic musical expressions.

Medical history and relationship to the medical conditions as well as to the music creativity and productivity of some of the classical European composers have been described. In this review article we analyzed their illnesses as well as association between physical or mental diseases and their creativity and adaptability to disease. Some classical composers suffered from organic diseases, while others complained of mental disturbances.

Response to oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) extract by sensitized and nonsensitized guinea pig trachea.

Occupational exposure to oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) has been associated with obstructive lung disease. Previously, we studied an extract of oyster mushroom (OME) and determined that it causes dose-dependent contractions of nonsensitized guinea pig trachea (GPT). We extend these studies to the investigation of sensitized tissue.