The aim of the study was to identify fungal spores, in particular plant pathogenic fungi, occurring in the air in selected mountain ranges. The results revealed not only the array of fungal species migrating with air currents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia but also how the season of the year affects the distribution of spores. Such studies may lay a foundation for future aeromycological monitoring, in accordance with the requirements for integrated plant protection. Aeromycological research was carried out between 2013 and 2016 at 3-month intervals in mountainous areas along the southern borders of Poland: the Bieszczady, the Pieniny, the Giant Mountains (Karkonosze) and the Babia Góra Massif. The research relied on impact method employing Air Ideal 3P sampler, which, by drawing in atmospheric air, also collects fungal spores. Regardless of altitudinal zonation, the changing weather conditions appeared to be the main reason for the variations in the number of the fungal spores under study in those years.

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BACKGROUND: There seems to be a discrepancy between the available heat stress guidelines and the actual risk of heat-related illness among professional beach volleyball players competing under hot and humid conditions.
OBJECTIVE: To monitor heat stress and record cases of heat-related medical forfeits on the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.
METHODS: The FIVB Heat Stress Monitoring Protocol covered events on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour and FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons (51 events, most of these double gender). The protocol consisted of (1) measuring the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) on centre court prior to the start of every match, and (2) recording any heat-related medical forfeits during the tournament.
RESULTS: Data were collected during 48 of 51 events. There were nine events where the peak WBGT exceeded the US Navy Black flag conditions of >32.3°C and an additional two events where the peak WBGT exceeded 31°C, (meeting Red flag conditions.) In two events, the average WBGT equalled at least 31°C. One case of a medical forfeit related to heat stress was recorded over the 3-year surveillance period: an athlete whose fluid balance was compromised from a 3-day bout of acute gastroenteritis.
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of significant heat illness among athletes competing on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour appears to be quite low, even though weather conditions frequently result in a WBGT index >32°C. Currently available guidelines appear to be inadequate to fully assess the risk of heat stress and too conservative to inform safety decisions in professional beach volleyball.

Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic disease which, if not properly controlled, can limit the patient\'s activities and lifestyle. In recent decades, owing to the diffusion of educational materials, the application of clinical guidelines and, most importantly, the availability of effective pharmacological treatment, most patients with asthma are now able to lead normal lives. Significant social changes have also taken place during the same period, including more widespread pursuit of sporting activities and tourism. As a result of these changes, individuals with asthma can now participate in certain activities that were inconceivable for these patients only a few years ago, including winter sports, underwater activities, air flight, and travel to remote places with unusual environmental conditions (deserts, high mountain environments, and tropical regions). In spite of the publication of several studies on this subject, our understanding of the effects of these situations on patients with asthma is still limited. The Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has decided to publish these recommendations based on the available evidence and expert opinion in order to provide information on this topic to both doctors and patients and to avert potentially dangerous situations that could endanger the lives of these patients.

BACKGROUND: There is scant guidance in the literature on the most appropriate Australian measures of, and thresholds for, extreme heat regarding giving advice on safe sports participation in hot weather. The purpose of this paper is to present a process for investigating two common measures of heat (air temperature, wet bulb globe temperature (WGBT)) in one state in Australia (South Australia), regarding their usefulness in making decisions regarding sports participation in the heat.
METHODS: Commonly reported measures and thresholds of extreme heat were identified from a systematic review of guidelines regarding sports participation in hot weather. Dry air temperature (threshold of 35 degrees C), and WBGT index (threshold of 28 degrees C) were highlighted. Repeated daily measures of dry air temperature by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and WBGT index from 12 meteorological recording sites in South Australia (SA) for four consecutive summer periods (2000-2004) were analysed using these thresholds to investigate the prevalence of extremely hot temperatures in SA during these periods. The extremely hot hours-per-day data were standardised using a denominator of per-day-month across the 12 SA recording regions.
RESULTS: Across the four summer seasons of data in SA, there were similar standardised numbers of hours-per-day of extremely hot dry air temperature and WBGT index. There was a high correlation between these hours of hot weather measures, highlighting the congruence between hot air and humidity measures. Three distinct regional site groupings were identified, in which there was a different prevalence of extremely hot weather conditions.
CONCLUSIONS: In SA, dry air temperature is an appropriate and robust measure of extreme heat related to sports participation, this measure providing as much information as WBGT in identifying extremely hot periods of weather. Dry air temperature can be readily measured by sports participants or officials irrespective of the geographical location in SA. Three SA regions demonstrated distinct differences in prevalence of extremely hot conditions, suggesting the need for site-specific interpretation of heat participation guidelines to ensure sports safety in hot weather. Other states in Australia could use the approach outlined in this paper to identify the most appropriate measure of extreme heat relevant to local conditions, and to assist in interpreting heat limit guidelines in a local context.

OBJECTIVE: To review and evaluate the evidence for the widespread view that signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are influenced, or even caused, by the weather.
METHODS: A literature search from 1985 to April 2003 was performed using the PubMed database of the US National Library of Medicine. Additional relevant articles were identified from the bibliographies, and from our own archives. Methods and findings of the studies were critically reviewed.
RESULTS: Only temperature and humidity appear to have clear influences on the symptoms of RA, although the reported findings do not agree. In many cases, the apparent controversies can be explained by the intimate relationship between temperature and humidity, and by taking local circumstances into account. The differences in the methods applied in studies on effects of weather on RA strongly hampered our evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS: RA variables are positively correlated with the humidity of the microclimate at the patient\'s skin. High outdoor relative humidity is unfavorable, but has less influence when there are few barriers for water vapor, like clothes, and when air conditioning is used. High temperature is unfavorable since it increases absolute humidity, but beneficial as well, since it reduces the presence of barriers, and stimulates the use of air conditioning. The classic opinion, \"Cold and wet is bad, warm and dry is good for RA patients,\" seems to be true only as far as humidity is concerned.

A written document was developed to clarify the District\'s adult mosquito-management tactics to other interested individuals and agencies. The program described consists of 7 discrete components: 1) initiation criteria, 2) treatment area delineation, 3) agricultural and land-use practices, 4) meteorological conditions, 5) continuance criteria, 6) termination criteria, and 7) factors influencing implementation. The guidelines were adopted as policy by the District\'s Board of Trustees in 1998 and have been implemented in each of the last 5 years. The adult mosquito population is monitored with 6 Mosquito Magnets traps strategically located in the rice culture areas. Samples are collected daily and laboratory technicians notify the Adulticide/Airplane Coordinator of collection results before 1:00 p.m.

When a snowstorm not only paralyzes a community but also isolates its hospital or hospitals, contingency plans and procedures ensure the effective administration and operation of a health care facility during the emergency. In retrospect, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, has developed specific policies, procedures, and mechanisms to identify and deal with logistical and organizational problems that MGH experienced during the 1978 blizzard.