An increasing number of studies have estimated monetary diet cost using various dietary assessment methods, based on databases on retail food prices, for investigating its association with dietary intake and health outcomes. However, information regarding the comparability of monetary diet cost across dietary assessment methods is absolutely lacking. This study compared monetary cost of dietary energy estimated from weighed dietary records (DRs) with that estimated from a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ). The subjects were 92 Japanese women aged 31-69 years and 92 Japanese men aged 32-76 years. The DHQ (assessing diet during the preceding month) and 4-day DRs (one weekend day and three weekdays) were completed in each season over a 1-year period (DHQs1-4 and DRs1-4, respectively). An additional DHQ was completed at one year after completing DHQ1 (DHQ5). Monetary cost of dietary energy (Japanese yen/4184 kJ) was calculated using food intake information derived from each dietary assessment method, based on retail food prices. Pearson correlation between the mean of DRs1-4 and mean of DHQs1-4 was 0.64 for women and 0.69 for men. Pearson correlation between the mean of DRs1-4 and DHQ1 was 0.60 for women and 0.52 for men, while intraclass correlation between DHQ1 and DHQ5 was 0.64 for women and 0.51 for men. These data indicate reasonable comparability of monetary cost of dietary energy across DR and a DHQ as well as usefulness of a single administration of the DHQ for estimating monetary cost of dietary energy.

Data from a large, multi-state surveillance system on acute chemical releases were analyzed to describe the type of events that are potentially affecting vulnerable populations (children, elderly and hospitalized patients) in order to better prevent and plan for these types of incidents in the future. During 2003-2005, there were 231 events where vulnerable populations were within ¼ mile of the event and the area of impact was greater than 200 feet from the facility/point of release. Most events occurred on a weekday during times when day care centers or schools were likely to be in session. Equipment failure and human error caused a majority of the releases. Agencies involved in preparing for and responding to chemical emergencies should work with hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, and schools to develop policies and procedures for initiating appropriate protective measures and managing the medical needs of patients. Chemical emergency response drills should involve the entire community to protect those that may be more susceptible to harm.

Immigrants comprise vulnerable populations that are frequently exposed to a multitude of environmental and occupational hazards. The historical context behind state and federal legislation has helped to foster an environment that is particularly hostile toward caring for immigrant health. Current hazards include toxic exposures, air and noise pollution, motor vehicle accidents, crowded living and work environments with inadequate ventilation, poor sanitation, mechanical injury, among many others. Immigrants lack the appropriate training, materials, health care access, and other resources to reduce their exposure to preventable environmental and occupational health risks. This dilemma is exacerbated by current anti-immigrant sentiments, miscommunication between native and immigrant populations, and legislation denying immigrants access to publicly funded medical care. Given that current health policy has failed to address immigrant health appropriately and political impetus is lacking, efforts should also focus on alternative solutions, including organized labor. Labor unions that serve to educate workers, survey work environments, and defend worker rights will greatly alleviate and prevent the burden of disease incurred by immigrants. The nation's health will benefit from improved regulation of living and workplace environments to improve the health of immigrants, regardless of legal status.

QSAR/QSTR modelling constitutes an attractive approach to preliminary assessment of the impact on environmental health by a primary pollutant and the suite of transformation products that may be persistent in and toxic to the environment. The present paper studies the impact on environmental health by residuals of the rocket fuel 1,1-dimethyl hydrazine (heptyl) and its transformation products. The transformation products, comprising a variety of nitrogen containing compounds are suggested all to possess a significant migration potential. In all cases the compounds were found being rapidly biodegradable. However, unexpected low microbial activity may cause significant changes. None of the studied compounds appear to be bioaccumulating.

Apart from substances with an intact hydrazine structure or hydrazone structure the transformation products in general display rather low environmental toxicities. Thus, it is concluded that apparently further attention should be given to tri- and tetramethyl hydrazine and 1-formyl 2,2-dimethyl hydrazine as well as to the hydrazones of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde as these five compounds may contribute to the overall environmental toxicity of residual rocket fuel and its transformation products.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a social burden. However, being able to predict AMI could lead to prevention. A previous study showed only the relation between the lunar phase and the occurrence of AMI, but the period it takes for the moon to orbit around the earth and the period of the lunar phase differ. This study investigated the effect of the gravitation of the moon on AMI. Data was comprised of 1369 consecutive patients with first AMI at 5 hospitals from October, 1984 to December, 1997. The universal gravitation of the moon was calculated and compared to the earth onset time of AMI. Universal gravitation of the moon was derived by G*m/d² (G: universal gravitation constant, m: the mass of the moon, d: the distance between the center of the moon and the center of the earth). The relationship between m/d² and the cases of AMI was determined. There was an increase in cases, when there is a distance of more than 399864 km from the center of the earth to the center of the moon. The gravitation of more than 399864 km was determined to be weaker gravitation. It is confirmed that the number of AMI patients significantly increases at weaker gravitation periods in this multicenter trial. In conclusion, these results suggest that the gravitation of the moon may have an influence on the occurrence of AMI.