CCA News & Information Articles

Arsenic exposure may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. 02-15-2009 To the Editor: Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, manifested by cognitive and memory deficits that impair daily activities and cause a variety of psychiatric and behavioral disturbances.1 Many risk factors have been proposed, which, due to some cellular and subcellular mechanisms, finally lead to brain nerve apoptosis. $1 million goes to Edmonton cancer researchers 05-01-2008 Edmonton scientists are receiving over $1 million towards cancer research from the Canadian Cancer Society. Dr. X. Chris Le, a researcher at the University of Alberta, will receive $442,712 over four years to help understand how arsenic interacts with cancer-causing agents. Arsenic, cancer, and thoughtless policy 06-01-2003 Abstract: The current drinking water contaminant standard for arsenic is 50 ug/L, as an upper bound. There is no lower bound for the standard. In an analysis of three epidemiology studies, the author demonstrates a significant cancer incidence trough for arsenic near 50 ug/L. Allowing, and even requiring, a much lower arsenic standard is not a desirable health outcome Arsenic in groundwater in Bangladesh: A geostatistical and epidemiological framework for evaluating health effects and potential remedies 06-01-2003 Abstract: This paper examines the health crisis in Bangladesh due to dissolved arsenic in groundwater. First, we use geostatistical methods to construct a map of arsenic concentrations that divides Bangladesh into regions and estimate vertical concentration trends in these regions. Variability in human metabolism of arsenic. 06-01-2003 Abstract: Estimating the nature and extent of human cancer risks due to arsenic (As) in drinking water is currently of great concern, since millions of persons worldwide are exposed to arsenic, primarily through natural enrichment of drinking water drawn from deep wells. The prevalence of subjective symptoms after exposure to arsenic in drinking water in Inner Mongolia, China. 07-13-2003 Guo X, Fujino Y, Chai J, Wu K, Xia Y, Li Y, Lv J, Sun Z, Yoshimura T. Inner Mongolia Center for Endemic Disease Control and Research. BACKGROUND: In Inner Mongolia, China, more than 300,000 people are chronically exposed to arsenic via their drinking water. We have previously reported that the prevalence of arsenical dermatosis was as high as 40% in the Hetao Plain area. However, the association between exposure to arsenic in drinking water and adverse health effects has not been fully examined. Children Playing With Poison: Arsenic Exposure From CCA-treated Wood 04-24-2008 Children Playing With Poison: Arsenic Exposure From CCA-treated Wood 04/14/2008 Deborah L. Baptist,RN, BSN; Nan S Leslie, PhD,RN,WHNP Journal for Nurse Practitioners http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/570852?src=mp&spon=42&uac=35893ER Children Playing With Poison: Arsenic Exposure From CCA-treated Wood Deborah L. Baptist,RN, BSN; Nan S Leslie, PhD,RN,WHNP Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2008;4(1):48-53. ©2008 Elsevier Science, Inc. Posted 04/14/2008 Abstract and Introduction Abstract The world of children can involve exposure to many hazards, including toxic chemicals found in the environment. Arsenic is one of those chemicals. Sources of such exposure include food, soil, water, and air. However, touching chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wooden structures or the soil surrounding them and then putting a finger in the mouth can raise a child's risk of arsenic poisoning. Nurse practitioners who provide routine care for children are in a position to assess their young patients for arsenic exposure and to initiate prevention strategies to protect children from exposure to this toxin. If the nurse practitioner suspects arsenic exposure or poisoning, she or he should contact the National Poison Control Directory or consult the web page for state-by-state poison control centers to determine a plan for treatment or referral. Introduction The complete article can be found by registering at the link for a free account. Take care and please keep safe. deborah Prevalence of Chronic Diseases in Adults Exposed to Arsenic-Contaminated Drinking Water 04-23-2008 Case studies of the impact of understanding bioavailability: arsenic. 09-01-2003 Arsenic is a metalloid that occurs in virtually all environmental matrices. The inorganic forms of arsenic occurring as As(III) and As(V) are toxic and may pose a health risk to human populati A study on arsenical dermatosis in rural community of West Bengal 01-01-2004 The spatial distribution of chronic arsenicosis due to consumption of arsenic contaminated tube well water in different districts of West Bengal was gradually unfolding since 1983. Arsenical dermatosis was found to be the commonest and earliest manifestation of chronic arsenic toxicity. This study was conduct in Baruipur block of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Arsenic exposure exacerbates atherosclerotic plaque formation and increases nitrotyrosine and leukotriene biosynthesis 11-15-2004 Abstract: A correlation between arsenic and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been established through epidemiological studies, although the mechanisms are unknown. Arsenic contamination of groundwater and its health impact on residents in a village in West Bengal, India 01-01-2005 Abstract: An in-depth study was carried out in Rajapur, an arsenic-affected village in West Bengal, India, to determine the degree of groundwater contamination with arsenic and the impact of this contamination on residents. Arsenic-induced micronuclei formation in Mammalian cells and its counteraction by tea 03-07-2005 The results showed that both green tea and black tea extracts have equal potential in modulating the arsenic-induced genotoxicity. This effect was perhaps induced by the constituent polyphenols present in green and black tea. In addition, the repair activity of the damaged cells was enhanced when treated with these tea extracts and their polyphenols. Thus, tea and its polyphenols may have a promising role in counteracting the devastating effects of arsenic. Arsenicosis in Bangladesh: prevalence and socio-economic correlates 11-20-2004 The potential effects of arsenic-contaminated drinking water on health are of concern, but our understanding of the risk factors of arsenicosis remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence of and socio-economic differentials in arsenic-associated skin lesions in a rural community in Bangladesh. Data were collected from a village where the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee has operated a health surveillance system and a community-based arsenic mitigation project since 1999. UO's molecular 'claws' trap arsenic atoms 11-16-2004 Discovery could eventually lead to improved treatments for arsenic poisoning EUGENE, Ore.--Chemists at the University of Oregon have hit upon a way to build a molecular "claw" that grabs onto arsenic and sequesters it. The discovery is published in the Nov. 5 issue of Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a premier journal in the field of chemistry Mechanisms of Cell Death Induced by Cadmium and Arsenic 01-01-2004 Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) are known toxic metals in humans. As trioxide (As203) has been recently used as a mitochondria-targeting drug in acute promyelocytic leukemia. Arsenic exposure and human papillomavirus response in non-melanoma 07-03-2004 Abstract: We assessed the relationships between chronic arsenic (As) exposure, human papilloma virus (HPV) contact and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) by means of a dermatology clinic-based case- control study (42 cases and 48 controls) in Region Lagunera, Mexico, where chronic As poisoning is endemic Effect of thioarsenite formation on arsenic(III) toxicity 11-15-2004 Therefore, it is of interest to examine the effect of dithioarsenite formation on As(III) toxicity. The Microtox acute toxicity test was used for this purpose. Tests performed on solutions with varying S:As ratios indicate that As(III) toxicity is a function of the uncomplexed As(III) concentration rather than the total As(III) concentration Arsenic induced free radical toxicity in brain of mice 05-01-2004 : The present study was designed to investigate the in vivo effects of oral administration of arsenic trioxide (As2O3; 0.5 and 1 mg/kg body weight/day for 45 days) on cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum in male mice, Mus musculus Arsenic on the hands of children after playing in playgrounds. 10-01-2004 - pub med Hi Everybody, Upon reading this study I was a little startled to say the least. My concern is not for the amount of arsenic only on the children’s hands when they have been placing on cca structures. I would like to know how many times they touched their eyes, nose and mouth and actually ingested arsenic. I would like to see how much arsenic was on their hands from the original contact, remove them and test again and see how much was there later and how much had been absorbed. I would like to know if all forms of arsenic were being identified as trivalent is far more trans-dermal than pentavalent arsenic. I would like to know if any factors were present that might cause the children to breath in arsenic. Like sand grating from shoes on the wood or acid rain causing off-gassing or even perhaps mold doing the same. Have their clothes and shoes been checked? Are they carrying it home? But actually folks I would not test a real child at all with arsenic. I think we know better than that. If we want to test children, how about we make toe nail testing a part of a yearly physical examine and see which children have the higher arsenic tests and why. Then let’s not stop there. How about we also test them for lead and other heavy metals and start preventing some problems and finding the sources of our children’s health problems. But let’s play fair and not run tests we know won’t show the real problem, like blood arsenic tests. Take care everybody and please keep safe. Deborah Increasing concerns over the use of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) in playground structures arise from potential exposure to arsenic of children playing in these playgrounds. Arsenic exposure and human papillomavirus response in non-melanoma skin cancer Mexican patients: a pilot study. 08-01-2004 HPV infection could constitute an additional risk factor for NMSC development in humans chronically exposed to As. However, further studies with additional populations are needed Arsenic and urinary bladder cell proliferation 08-01-2004 Abstract: Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that a close association exists between the elevated levels of arsenic in drinking water and the incidence of certain cancers, including transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder. Arsenic and atherosclerosis 08-01-2004 Abstract: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a correlation between environmental or occupational arsenic exposure and a risk of vascular diseases related to atherosclerosis. Role of oxidative damage in the genotoxicity of arsenic 09-01-2004 In this review, evidence is presented that when assayed using model systems in which both intragenic and multilocus mutations can readily be detected, arsenic is, indeed, found to be a strong, dose-dependent mutagen which induces mostly multilocus deletions. The role of active arsenic species produced by metabolic reduction of dimethylarsinic acid in genotoxicity and tumorigenesis 08-01-2004 In the present paper, we examined trivalent dimethylated arsenic and its further metabolites for their chemical properties and biological behavior such as genotoxicity and tumorigenicity. A review of the enzymology of arsenic metabolism and a new potentiarole of hydrogen peroxide in the detoxication of the trivalent arsenic species 08-01-2004 Abstract: This laboratory has studied the enzymology involved in the biotransformation of inorganic arsenic to dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III)) and in human studies established that monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III)) and DMA(III) appear in urine of people chronically exposed to arsenic. The accumulation and toxicity of methylated arsenicals in endothelial cells 08-01-2004 Abstract: Excess intake of arsenic is known to cause vascular diseases as well as skin lesions and cancer in humans. Inhibition of insulin-dependent glucose arsenicals: possible mechanism of arsenic-induced diabetes.uptake by trivalent 08-01-2004 . Abstract: Chronic exposures to inorganic arsenic (iAs) have been associated with increased incidence of noninsulin (type-2)-dependent diabetes mellitus. Evaluation of DNA damage in patients with arsenic poisoning: uri8-hydroxydeoxyguaninenary 08-01-2004 Abstract: The relationship between arsenic exposure and DNA damage in patients with acute or chronic arsenic poisoning was analyzed. Animal models for arsenic carcinogenesis: inorganitransplacental carcinogen in micec arsenic is a 08-01-2004 Abstract: Inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen causing tumors of the skin, urinary bladder, lung, liver, kidney, and possibly other organs. However, the animal models for inorganic arsenic carcinogenesis have been limited and development has been problematic. Chronic inorganic arsenic exposure induces hepatic global anindividual gene hypomethylation: implications for arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis 05-09-2004 Abstract: Inorganic arsenic is a human carcinogen that can target the liver, but its carcinogenic mechanisms are still unknown. Global DNA hypomethylation occurs during arsenic-induced malignant transformation in rodent liver cells. Oxidative stress and apoptosis in metal ion-induced carcinogenesis 09-01-2004 Abstract: Epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to certain metals causes carcinogenesis. Arsenic-induced alterations in the contact hypersensitivity response 08-01-2004 Abstract: Previous studies in our laboratory indicate that arsenic alters secretion of growth promoting and inflammatory cytokines in the skin that can regulate the migration and maturation of Langerhans cells (LC) during allergic contact dermatitis. Developmental Atrazine Exposure Suppresses Immune Function in Male, but not Female Sprague-Dawley Rats 09-26-2003 - Toxicological Sciences Andrew A. Rooney, Raymond A. Matulka, and Robert W. Luebke Toxicol. Sci. 2003 76: 366-375. Arsenic and Benzo[a]pyrene Differentially Alter the Capacity for Differentiation and Growth Properties of Primary Human Epidermal Keratinocytes 09-11-2003 - Toxicol. Sci D. S. Perez, L. Armstrong-Lea, M. H. Fox, R. S. H. Yang, and J. A. Campain Toxicol. Sci. 2003 76: 280-290. Arsenic Stimulates Angiogenesis and Tumorigenesis In Vivo 09-11-2003 - Toxicological Sciences Nicole V. Soucy, Michael A. Ihnat, Chandrashekhar D. Kamat, Linda Hess, Mark J. Post, Linda R. Klei, Callie Clark, and Aaron Barchowsky Significant tumor growth and lung metastasis was seen in all animals, with the largest tumors occurring in animals treated with lower doses of As(III). These studies support the hypothesis and indicate that induction of angiogenesis, enhanced tumor growth, and metastasis are potential dose-dependent toxic side effects of arsenic therapies. Oxidative stress by inorganic arsenic: modulation by thyroid hormones in rat pub med Arsenic toxicity is attributed mainly to lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. We therefore studied the modulatory effects of thyroid hormones on arsenic toxicity in rat on lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Porphyrin profiles in blood and urine as a biomarker for exposure to various arsenic species. A sensitive method using HPLC with fluorescence detection has been established for the measurement of porphyrins in biological materials Hematopoietic effects in mice exposed to arsine gas. this study looks at the effects of arsine on mice. Arsine can be produced by a chemical reaction caused when cetain metals such as zinc and alumium react with cca wood or molds etc. burning cca wood produces arsine Arsenic-induced congenital malformations in genetically susceptible folate binding protein-2 knockout mice pub med In conclusion, the data suggest that impaired folate transport in the developing mouse embryo increases the risk for developmental defects following in utero exposure to sodium arsenate and that these differences are not due to differences in metabolism of arsenic. c)2001 Elsevier Science. ARSENIC EXPOSURE: A SILENT THREAT TO HEALTHY HEART FUNCTION? 07-05-2002 - www.gsdl.com/news/connections/ WORK EXPOSURE INCREASES RISK OF DEATH FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Arsenic poses stroke risk 07-05-2002 - http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1892000/1892540.stm Scientists say they have identified a link between long-term exposure to arsenic and the accelerated development of atherosclerosis or progressive narrowing and hardening of the arteries leading to the brain Arsenic and Mental Illness 07-06-2002 - www.nimh.nih.gov/ncdeu/abstracts2001/ncdeu41_authors.cfm?Letter=A Suspected Psychosis Associated with Chronic Arsenic Poisoning Another Toxic Back Road To Heart Disease 07-06-2002 - www.gsdl.com/news/connections/vol1/conn19980826.html Recently, researchers forged another interesting link in human physiology by establishing a significant correlation between exposure to drinking water contaminated by arsenic and the subsequent development of diabetes mellitus. Altered activity of heme biosynthesis pathway enzymes in individuals chronically exposed to arsenic in Mexico pub med Our objective was to evaluate the activities of some enzymes of the heme biosynthesis pathway and their relationship with the profile of urinary porphyrin excretion in individuals exposed chronically to arsenic (As) via drinking water in Region Lagunera, Mexico Arsenic Exposure Accelerates Atherogenesis in Apolipoprotein E-/- Mice Simeonova PP, Hulderman T, Harki D, and Luster MI. 2003. Arsenic Exposure Accelerates Atherogenesis in Apolipoprotein E-/- Mice Environ Health Perspect: doi:10.1289/ehp.6332. [Online 19 August 2003] Hepatic damage caused by chronic arsenic toxicity in experimental animals. OBJECTIVE: Noncirrhotic fibrosis of the liver is common in subjects chronically consuming ground water geologically contaminated with arsenic, but the mechanism of the hepatic fibrosis is not known. Arsenic and liver disease. The hepatotoxic action of arsenic, when used as a therapeutic agent, has long been recognised Toxicologic causes of acute abdominal disorders. A variety of drugs and toxins can produce severe abdominal pain and, in some cases, a surgical abdomen. Glutathione plays different roles in the induction of the cytotoxic effects of inorganic and organic arsenic compounds in cultured BALB/c 3T3 cells. The cytotoxicity of arsenic compounds towards BALB/c 3T3 cells in culture was investigated, together with the role of glutathione (GSH) in the induction of the cytotoxic effects. Toxic metals and antioxidants: Part II. The role of antioxidants in arsenic and 04-08-2003 Patrick L. 1984 graduate, Bastyr University; associate editor, Alternative Medicine Review; private practice, Tucson, Arizona, 1984-2002. Correspondence address: 21415 Hwy 140, Hesperus, CO 81326 Email: lpatrick@frontier.net Inorganic and methylated arsenic compounds induce cell death in murine macrophages via different mechanisms. pub med We demonstrate in this study the cytotoxic effects of inorganic arsenicals, arsenite and arsenate, and organic arsenic compounds, monomethylarsonic acid (MAA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), and trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO), which are metabolites of inorganic arsenicals in human bodies, using murine macrophages in vitro Possible role of dimethylarsinous acid in dimethylarsinic acid-induced urothelial toxicity and regeneration in the rat. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)) is carcinogenic to the rat urinary bladder when administered at high doses in the diet or drinking water Methylation of inorganic arsenic in different mammilan species and population groups pub med Thousands of people in different parts of the world are exposed to arsenic via drinking water or contaminated soil or food. The high general toxic of arsenic has been known for centuries, and research during the last decades has shown that arsenic is a potent human carcinogen. However, most experimental cancer studies have failed to demonstrate carcinogenicity in experimental animals, indicating marked variation in sensitivity towards arsenic toxicity between species. Promoting effects of monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid and trimethylarsine oxide on induction of rat liver preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form positive foci: a possible reactive oxygen species mechanism. pub med Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) is a major metabolite of inorganic arsenicals, which are epidemiologically significant chemicals in relation to liver cancer in mammals Urinary excretion of arsenic metabolites after long-term oral administration of various arsenic compounds to rats. pub med Our findings indicate that long-term exposure to As(III), MMA, or DMA decreases the proportion of TMAO elimination in urine and increases that of DMA, M-1, and M-2, and that further methylation to TMAO to TeMA does occur to a slight extent following long-term exposure to arsenical compounds in rats Arsenic metabolites in human urine after ingestion of an arsenosugar. pub med CONCLUSIONS: Arsenosugars are biotransformed by humans to at least 12 arsenic metabolites, the toxicologies of which are currently unknown. A genetic component to arsenic susceptibility 07-06-2002 - www.niehs.nih.gov/centers/pilot/cin-pp.htm Induction of chromosomal aberrations in cultured human fibroblasts by inorganic and organic arsenic compounds and the different roles of glutathione in such induction. 07-23-2003 These results suggest that GSH might play a role in protecting cells against the clastogenic effects of arsenite, arsenate and MAA. GSH might be involved in the expression of clastogenic actions of DMAA. Arsenous anhydride poisoning. Peripheral neuropathy and changes in cognitive functions The authors report the evolution over an 11 months period of a case of subacute intoxication with arsenic in a 30 years old woman. Porphyrins as early biomarkers for arsenic exposure in animals and humans A positive correlation between the urinary arsenic levels and porphyrin concentrations demonstrated the effect of arsenic on haem biosynthesis. Significant alteration in the porphyrin excretion profiles of the younger age (<20 y) arsenic exposed group suggested that porphyrins could be used as early warning biomarkers for chronic exposure to arsenic. Bovine arsenic toxicosis from ingestion of ashed copper-chrome-arsenate treated timber. 06-26-2003 Investigations of the mechanisms of arsenic-induced carcinogenesis in a yeast model system 07-06-2002 - www.niehs.nih.gov/centers/pilot/cin-pp.htm The carcinogenicity of chronic arsenic poisoning has been firmly established, however the mechanism by which arsenic induces cancer is unclear. Arsenic and Thyroid Disease 07-06-2002 - www.ithyroid.com/arsenic.htm These results, however, clearly demonstrate that the generation of free radicals within minutes of arsenic exposure can lead to gene mutations and death of the cell, the authors conclude, and that antioxidants can block those effects. Subject Mechanisms of Action of Arsenic Trioxide1 07-29-2002 A link to an abstract on an article at Cancer Research. They are working with the idea that arsenic causes cellular changes and using that to attack cancer cells. The same mechanisms that cause arsenic to destroy our good cells or alter them is being used to try and kill off cancer cells. Molecular remission with arsenic trioxide in patients with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia. 10-01-2004 Abstract: Thirty six APML patients achieving hematological remission with As2O3 were serially monitored using RT-PCR. Evaluation of micronucleus induction in a Chilean population environmentally exposed to arsenic. 10-14-2004 Abstract: In the present study we have evaluated whether or not environmental exposure to arsenic in ground drinking-water results in a significant increase in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Urinary arsenic speciation and porphyrins in C57Bl/6J mice chronically exposed to low doses of sodium arsenate. 12-01-2004 Our results confirm that urinary arsenic is a useful biomarker for internal dose. The alteration of porphyrin profile suggests that arsenic can affect the heme metabolism and this may occur prior to the onset of arsenic induced carcinogenesis. Arsenite induces prominent mitotic arrest via inhibition of G2 checkpoint activation in CGL-2 cells. 10-07-2004 In this study, we showed that arsenite could induce prominent mitotic arrest in CGL-2 cells and demonstrated the presence of damaged DNA in arsenite-arrested mitotic cells. Oxidative activation of the human carcinogen chromate by arsenite: 12-01-2004 Abstract: Human exposure to toxic metals and metalloids in the environment seldom occurs from a single pure compound. Most environmental exposure profiles are heterogeneous with co-exposure occurring coincident with multiple toxic metal species Spatial dependency of Buruli ulcer prevalence on arsenic-enriched ...... 10-19-2004 CONCLUSION: The results suggest that arsenic in the environment may play a contributory role in MU infection. according to Blakiston’s Gould Medical Dictionary Fourth Edition Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU),the causitive agent of a chronic or subacute ulceration of the skin and subcutaneous tissue on the upper or lower extremity Toenail Arsenic Content and Cutaneous Melanoma in Iowa. 10-19-2004 Abstract: Cutaneous melanoma has the lowest survival rate of all forms of skin cancer. There has been little research investigating the link between arsenic and cutaneous melanoma, although arsenic has been associated with increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Arsenic exposure and human papillomavirus response in non-melanoma skin cancer Mexican patients: a pilot study. 08-01-2004 HPV infection could constitute an additional risk factor for NMSC development in humans chronically exposed to As. However, further studies with additional populations are needed [The reliability of conclusions based on hair mineral analysis in individual diagnostic] 09-01-2004 Effects of protein deficient diets on the developmental toxicity of inorganic arsenic in mice 06-01-2004 Arsenic methylation may be a detoxificationstep, and diets deficient in protein are a poor source of methyldonors and may possibly result in impaired arsenic methylation. Arsenic-induced congenital malformations in genetically susceptible folate binding protein-2 knockout mice 07-03-2003 - pub med In conclusion, the data suggest that impaired folate transport in the developing mouse embryo increases the risk for developmental defects following in utero exposure to sodium arsenate and that these differences are not due to differences in metabolism of arsenic. c)2001 Elsevier Science. Methylation of inorganic arsenic in different mammilan species and population groups pub med Thousands of people in different parts of the world are exposed to arsenic via drinking water or contaminated soil or food. The high general toxic of arsenic has been known for centuries, and research during the last decades has shown that arsenic is a potent human carcinogen. However, most experimental cancer studies have failed to demonstrate carcinogenicity in experimental animals, indicating marked variation in sensitivity towards arsenic toxicity between species. Environmental biochemistry of arsenic. Microorganisms are involved in the redistribution and global cycling of arsenic. Arsenic can accumulate and can be subject to various biotransformations including reduction, oxidation, and methylation Arsenic metabolism in seaweed-eating sheep from Northern Scotland. 07-03-2003 - pub med Canadian Cancer Society awards more than $1 million to Alberta researchers 05-01-2008 The Canadian Cancer Society is awarding more than $1 million to cancer research projects in Alberta this year. Two new grants have been awarded to researchers based in Edmonton for projects that include the investigation of the carcinogenic effects of arsenic. "There is a recognized link between exposure to high levels of arsenic and cancer," says Dr. Chris Le, a professor and researcher based at the University of Alberta. "We're trying to understand how arsenic causes cancers. This information will help determine other risk factors and potential health risk from exposure to low levels of arsenic." Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral and affects approximately 100 million people around the world, particularly where contaminated ground water is an issue. Arsenic linked to cardiovascular disease at EPA-regulated drinking water standards 11-13-2008 When mice are exposed to arsenic at federally-approved levels for drinking water, pores in liver blood vessels close, potentially leading to cardiovascular disease, say University of Pittsburgh researchers in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, available online Nov. 13. The study, while preliminary, also reveals how an enzyme linked to hypertension and atherosclerosis alters cells, and may call into question current Environmental Protection Agency standards that are based solely on risks for cancer. Arsenic Exposure May Be a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease 02-14-2009 To the Editor: Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, manifested by cognitive and memory deficits that impair daily activities and cause a variety of psychiatric and behavioral disturbances.1 Many risk factors have been proposed, which, due to some cellular and subcellular mechanisms, finally lead to brain nerve apoptosis.