The microbiome: a contributor to health and disease.

As the 21st century unfolds there is substantial evidence that biological research is experiencing extraordinary scientific and technological advances. Prominent among these advances are the completion of the Human Genome Project, which laid the foundation for the second advance, the Human Microbiome Project. Emerging from these advances are two overarching conclusions: a) genomics is no longer the sole domain of the geneticist, and b) we each are hosts to trillions of microorganisms.

The relevance of occupational medicine to primary care in the 21st century.

The relatively infrequent incidence of dramatic outbreaks of occupational disease, as occurred in the past, along with economic downturns, have lowered the medical altitude of the workplace as a risk factor for or determinant of disease and disability. However, in 2007 alone, there were more than 4 million nonfatal occupational illnesses in the United States. Equally relevant is the explosion in 2010 at a coal mine in West Virginia that left 29 workers dead.

Medical education in the 21st century.

This commentary is a reaction of medical educators and health practitioners to the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation's recently released report, Revisiting the Medical School Mission at a Time of Expansion. The report is a fresh assessment of what more medical schools must do to prepare students for 21st century challenges and opportunities to improve the health status of the population including underserved groups.

Environmental influences on cardiovascular health.

A growing body of evidence indicates that the respiratory system is not the only target organ that may be injured by the inhalation of airborne particulate matter. Increased attention is now focused on research showing a link between particulate matter air pollution and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, raising complex questions about the mechanism by which dirty air affects the heart. At the same time, the population at risk of cardiovascular continues to grow, including the obese, overweight, hypertensive and senior citizens.

The need for diversity in the environmental health workforce.

Epidemiologic evidence makes clear that the likelihood of exposure to environmental contaminants increases in most poor and underserved communities. Despite progress in reducing a number of environmental risk factors for disease, serious environmental problems persist, and those remaining problems are highly complex. Their solution requires meaningful community engagement as well as a diverse environmental health workforce.

Katrina perspectives.

This commentary draws attention to a number of factors that may have converged, and in the process, exacerbated the effects of hurricane Katrina on the health and wellbeing of the people of New Orleans.

Nanotechnology and nanomedicine: a primer.

Nanosciences and nanotechnology are transforming a wide array of products and services that have the potential to enhance the practice of medicine and improve public health. But there are a number of health, safety and environmental issues to be addressed. This review summarizes some basic facts about nanotechnology and cites examples of its application to medicine and public health.

Workshop on global health trends for health professional education.

Global finance, trade, communication, media, politics, and the cultivation of overseas relationships to advance U.S. interests are among the forces that have engendered what we now know as globalization, a historical development towards worldwide interconnectedness.

Pediatric environmental health.

The links between environmental agents, environmental conditions, and disease and disability among children are receiving increasing attention. Evidence abounds that children are more susceptible than adults to the damaging effects of environmental agents and conditions. This evidence is illuminated by the much-publicized and expanding research agenda on the prevention, recognition, diagnosis and treatment of environmentally related disease in the pediatric population.

The changing landscape for the elimination of racial/ethnic health status disparities.

The elimination of racial/ethnic health status disparities is a compelling national health objective. It was etched in sharp relief by the 1985 report of the U.S.

Environmental factors associated with asthma.

Asthma, a disease of attacks and remission, continues to account for substantial morbidity and direct economic costs. Numerous studies--epidemiologic, toxicologic and clinical--present evidence for a broad spectrum of environmental risk factors associated with asthma. This review summarizes current thinking on a subset of these factors.

Current concepts: organophosphate toxicity.

Recent cases of nosocomial poisoning associated with the treatment of patients contaminated with organophosphate (OP) insecticides and the increasing potential for exposure to these chemicals elevate into sharper focus the continuing clinical and public health problem of pesticide poisoning. Despite a number of reports on the multiple aspects of OPs insecticides and their health effects, the general public and health services professionals, broadly defined, remain confused and misinformed about this class of chemicals. In this article we examine sources of exposure and current knowledge of health effects of OPs.

Environmental factors influencing public health and medicine: policy implications.

Environmental health threats are increasing throughout the United States, particularly in low-income populations and in communities of color. Environmental science researchers are investigating plausible associations between the environment and human health. As a result, the role and responsibility of the primary care physicians and other health care providers are changing.

Lead Content of Milk and Infant Formula.

A survey to determine the lead content of early-infant food sources was conducted in the District of Columbia, Samples were collected from various lots of national brands of infant formula and evaporated milk, cartons of nonfat dry milk, containers of homogenized cow's milk and human milk from volunteer mothers, Data indicate that the concentration of lead in infant formula, evaporated milk and nonfat dry milk exceeds that in fresh cow's milk and human milk.

Accuracy of Menus in Foodservice Establishments.

Safety, nutritional quality and honest representation are primary expectations of consumers with respect to their food supply. While food safety and nutrition have received much attention by public health agencies, the honest representation of food has not been among the priorities of food sanitation programs of local governments. This report summarizes findings of a survey of food representation in public eating establishments in the District of Columbia.