[Use of the Purdue Non-verbal Test in a group of candidates for a driving license]. / Primjena Purdue neverbalnog testa u izboru kandidata za vozace.

The Purdue nonverbal test (PNT) was used to analyze intellectual abilities of 500 candidates for a driving license. The candidates were divided in five age groups of 100 subjects in each: 16-19, 20-24, 25-39, 40-54, and over 54. The distribution of result differs greatly from the normal distribution (P < 0.01) for all age groups of candidates. The distribution of the results of the candidates over 54 is positively asymmetric, while the distribution of the results of all other age groups is negatively asymmetric. These results suggest that the PNT is poor in discrimination. The percentage of candidates categorized according to the PNT as "capable for handling a motor vehicle" was higher than expected, while the percentage of candidates categorized as of "limited capability" was below expectations. According to these criteria, no candidate was found "incapable", which is in sharp nonconformity with the expected 5 per cent (5%). The above results indicate that the screening of candidates according to the criteria of intellectual ability is inadequate because of inadequate criteria, especially those which are supposed to determine borderline and lower intellectual ability. The results of the research show that admission of candidates whose intellectual ability borders or is below intellectual insufficiency parameters renders inadequate the prevention of risks in traffic. The risk in traffic is expected to increases with every single driving license issued to a person whose intellectual ability is inadequate for safe driving.

[Characteristics of paper dust extract in vitro]. / Karakteriziranje ekstrakta prasine papira in vitro.

The effects of recycling paper dust extract on isolated nonsensitized guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle were studied in vitro. Dust extract was prepared as a 1:10 w/v aqueous solution. Dose related contractions of guinea pig tracheal rings were elicited with paper dust extract. Pharmacologic studies were performed with atropine (10(-6) M), indomethacine (10(-6) M), pyrilamine (10(-6) M), Ly 171883 (10(-5) M), NDGA (10(-5) M) and TMB8 (10(-5) M). The effects of extract were almost totally inhibited by the anticholinergic agent atropine, suggesting that a principal pathway mediating this response may involve the parasympathetic nervous system. The intracellular calcium blocking agent TMB8 also induced a reduction of the contractile response to paper dust extract, which is consistent with intracellular calcium's well established role in smooth muscle constriction. We suggest that paper dust extract causes dose related airway smooth muscle constriction, possibly associated with the release of cholinergic as well as other mediators. The constrictor effect does not require tissue presensitization.

[Normal values of the ventilatory lung function for farmers in North Croatia]. / Normalne vrijednosti ventilacijske funkcije pluca poljoprivrednih radnika u sjevernoj Hrvatskoj .

The ventilatory capacity was studied in a group of 1693 healthy farmers (1385 men and 308 women) in North Croatia. The measurement was performed on spirometer Pneumoscreen (Jaeger). In all subjects maximum expiratory flow volume curves (MEFV) were registered on which forced vital capacity (FVC), one second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and flow rates 50% and the last 25% of the vital capacity (FEF50, FEF25) were read. On the basis of the results of multiple linear regressions, the equations of normal ventilatory capacity values separately in women and men, smokers and nonsmokers are calculated. Nomograms for ventilatory capacity tests are constructed separetly for men and women.