In eastern New England, high concentrations (greater than 10 microg/L) of arsenic occur in groundwater. Privately supplied drinking water from bedrock aquifers often has arsenic concentrations at levels of concern to human health, whereas drinking water from unconsolidated aquifers is least affected by arsenic contamination. Water from wells in metasedimentary bedrock units, primarily in Maine and New Hampshire, has the highest arsenic concentrations-nearly 30% of wells in these aquifers produce water with arsenic concentrations greater than 10 microg/L. Arsenic was also found at concentrations of 3-40 mg/kg in whole rock samples in these formations, suggesting a possible geologic source. Arsenic is most common in groundwater with high pH. High pH is related to groundwater age and possibly the presence of calcite in bedrock. Ion exchange in areas formerly inundated by seawater also may increase pH. Wells sampled twice during periods of 1-10 months have similar arsenic concentrations (slope = 0.89; r-squared = 0.97). On the basis of water-use information for the aquifers studied, about 103,000 people with private wells could have water supplies with arsenic at levels of concern (greater than 10 microg/L) for human health.

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ObJEctIVE: Polymorphisms (sNP) in the glucocorticoid receptor (Gr) gene can alter sensitivity to glucocorticoids. Previous studies of the N363s and BclI sNP in the Gr gene have shown a metabolic syndrome phenotype in mostly non-African populations. the obesity phenotype of African Americans (AA) seems to be more severe than that of caucasians. DEsIGN: We aimed to assess the prevalence of N363s and BclI in obese and non-obese caucasian (n=26) and African (n=23) Mississippians (age: 23-63 years) to investigate associations with body composition (body mass index/bMI, waist-to-hip ratio), metabolic parameters (salivary cortisol, fasting glucose and insulin, hemoglobin A1c, fructosamine, HOMA-Ir index), and psychological stress perception (blood pressure/bP, perceived stress scale/Pss). rEsULts: All subjects were homozygous for wildtype N363N. BclI polymorphism genotype frequencies among the 23 AA were: homozygous cc (57%), GG (4%), and heterozygous cG (39%), and among the 26 white women: homozygous cc (35%), GG (19%), and heterozygous cG (46%). Linear and logistic regression analyses including a parsimonious model identified bMI as a statistically significant parameter between the two ethnic groups (bMI was 3.13 kg/m 2 higher in AA). Within the AA group, bMI, waist-to-hip ratio, log (HOMA-Ir), Pss scores, bP, and hyperlipidemia showed no statistically significant relationships for the BclI polymorphism. Pss scores were 15.2 for AA vs. 14.7 for white women (normal mean: 14.7 vs. 12.8). cONcLUsION: black Mississippians HORMONES 2012, 11(2):166-177