Texas A&M University

THURSDAY, Dec. 19, 2024 -- Even low levels of arsenic exposure in drinking water may increase the risk for kidney cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in Environmental Pollution . Nishat Tasnim Hasan, Dr.P.H., from Texas A&M University in College Station, and colleagues assessed the association between county-level drinking water arsenic levels and kidney cancer incidences using data from 240 counties in Texas. The analysis included 28,896 cancer cases among adults aged 20 years and older and 101,776,294 person-years from 2016 to 2020. The researchers found that when adjusting for spatial factors and covariates (e.g., demographic and socioeconomic factors and cancer risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and diabetes), there was a 6 and 22 percent higher incidence of cancer in the medium (1 to 5 ppb; relative risk, 1.06) and high arsenic (>5 ppb) group counties (relative risk, 1.22) versus low arsenic-level counties (<1 ppb), showing a dose-response relationship. When arsenic was treated as a continuous variable, the incidence increased by 4 percent for each doubling of drinking water arsenic level (relative risk, 1.04). "This suggests that even low-level arsenic exposure in drinking water may be associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer, which aligns with previous research indicating an association between this exposure and lung, bladder, and skin cancers," coauthor Taehyun Roh, Ph.D., also from Texas A&M University, said in a statement.

MONDAY, Dec. 9, 2024 -- Most Americans understand how deeply the dangerous opioid fentanyl has permeated the illicit drug market. Now, it's even infiltrated the bodies of Gulf of Mexico dolphins. Researchers at Texas A&M University report that they've detected traces of fentanyl in the blubber of 30 of 89 bottlenose dolphins living off the coast of Texas and other states adjacent to the gulf. The findings highlight the fact that "pharmaceuticals have become emerging micropollutants and are a growing global concern, as their presence has been reported in freshwater ecosystems, rivers and oceans worldwide," said study lead author Dara Orbach . She's assistant professor of marine biology at the university's Corpus Christi branch. Her team published its findings recently in the journal iScience . As Orbach explained in a university news release, the fatty blubber of dolphins is a good indicator of levels of ocean pollutants because it "can store contaminants and be sampled relatively minimally invasively in live animals." They sampled the blubber of 86 live animals swimming in locales such as Redfish Bay and the Laguna Madre in Texas, and they also looked at blubber samples taken from deceased dolphins from off the Mississippi coast. Fentanyl -- an opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine -- was detected in the tissues of 18 of the live dolphins that were biopsied, and in all of the 12 post-mortem tissues, the researchers said. The link between use by humans of fentanyl on the land and contamination of ocean waters seemed clear. For example, "We did find one dead dolphin in Baffin Bay in South Texas within one year of the largest liquid fentanyl drug bust in U.S. history in the adjacent county," Orbach said. Some form of drug was detected in 30% of all of the blubber samples retrieved, according to the study. "The Mississippi dolphins comprised 40% of our total pharmaceutical detections, which leads us to believe this is a longstanding issue in the marine environment [in that area]," Orbach said. The research also showed that concentrations of pharmaceuticals tended to be highest in marine areas where other environmental threats -- oil spills, vessel traffic and algal blooms -- were also common. The health effects on dolphins of contamination with human medications isn't yet known. The researchers pointed out that dolphins eat the much of the same marine foods as people: Shrimp and fish. “Chronic exposure to pharmaceuticals and their cumulative effects on marine mammals are not yet fully understood, yet their presence in three dolphin populations across the Gulf of Mexico underscores the need for large-scale studies to assess the extent and sources of contamination,” Orbach said. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

CARROLTON, Texas, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Syed S. Hasan, MD, MPH is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his contributions in Gastroenterology. Renowned gastroenterologist Dr. Hasan is at the forefront of local digestive health care, specializing in gastroenterology, liver diseases, and colon cancer screening. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Hasan brings unparalleled expertise and dedication to patient care. Continue Reading Syed S Hasan MD MPH Dr. Hasan holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies and Urdu Literature from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Public Health (MPH) from Texas A&M University, School of Medicine. He is board certified in gastroenterology. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Hasan has performed over 800 unassisted colonoscopies with an outstanding 49% Adenoma Detection Rate and is proficient in Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT). His exceptional medical practice has earned him intern and resident awards for excellence. Active in professional circles, Dr. Hasan is a member of esteemed medical associations including the American Medical Association and the American College of Gastroenterology. He also volunteers at the medical clinic at his local mosque, demonstrating his commitment to community health. Having done over 10,000 procedures at the Digestive Health Associates of Texas, Dr. Hasan is dedicated to providing comprehensive care to his patients. He is married to Mrs. Shames Alaesh and is a proud parent to son Abbas. Contact: Katherine Green 516-825-5634 [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED