CONCENTRATION AND POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH DIETARY INTAKE OF SMOKED FISH FROM LAGOS LAGOON

This study assessed the concentration and potential health risk associated with dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smoked fish products from four fishing communities along Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Sixty smoked fish samples obtained from two fish species (Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and Elops lacerta) which were processed individually with three firewood (Cola nitida, Funtumia elastica and Alchornea cordifolia) were collected from fish processors between October and December, 2018. Samples were subjected to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and human health risk model analysis. The PAH congeners varied in smoked fish while Pyrene was the most dominant congener in all the fish samples, accounting for more than 70% of the total PAHs. The highest total PAHs levels (2431.85 mg kg-1) was observed in E. lacerta smoked with C. nitida. The Dietary Daily Intake (DDI) values for total and carcinogenic PAHs were higher in E. lacerta smoked with C. nitida and C. nigrodigitatus smoked with A. cordifolia, respectively. Carcinogenic Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) values were lower than the estimated Screening Value (SV) of 12.83 indicating low risk of developing cancer through consumption of assessed smoked fish products. Excess Cancer Risk estimated exceeded the permissible limit (1.0x10−6) set by USEPA. Positive correlations (P<0.01) existed between TEQ and total PAHs, noncarcinogenic PAHs, PAH4, and DDI. This study provides insights into the variation in PAHs level and appropriateness of different fuelwood for smoking similar or dissimilar fish species

Assessment of Landfill-emitted Gaseous Pollutants and Particulate Matters in Alimosho Local Government of Lagos state, Nigeria

Information on landfill-emitted pollutants in Nigeria cities has consequently become a priority. This study was designed to assess the air quality of landfill sites and the nearby communities in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos state, Nigeria. Five public landfills in use since about thirty years ago were chosen for this study. A lightly populated area, free from other sources of air pollution served as control. Target points for the study were the centre of landfill (CLF), 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF, and a radius of 100M away from landfill. Levels of selected gaseous pollutants (NO2, O3, H2S and CO) and particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10) were determined in the landfill environments and control (unpolluted area), using Aeroqual Series 500 with sensors for NO2, O3, H2S, CO, PM2.5 and PM10. The result showed that levels of H2S were significantly (p<0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF and 100M from CLF compared with unpolluted area. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference when the level of H2S in 100M radius was compared with the unpolluted area. Levels of CO were significantly (p<0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with unpolluted area. The levels of O3 were significantly (p<0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with unpolluted area. Levels of VOC were significantly (p<0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with unpolluted area. The levels of NO2 were significantly (p<0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with the unpolluted area. The levels of PM2.5 increased significantly (p<0.001) at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with the unpolluted area. The levels of PM10 were also significantly (p< 0.001) higher at the CLF, 50M from CLF, 100M from CLF and 100M radius compared with the unpolluted area. In conclusion, communities close to landfills may be polluted with toxic gases and particulate matters. Further investigation is needed to validate the safe distance of residential areas from landfills to avert the risks of toxicity associated with gaseous pollutants

The effects of whole‐body vibration amplitude on glucose metabolism, inflammation, and skeletal muscle oxygenation

Whole‐body vibration (WBV) is an exercise mimetic that elicits beneficial metabolic effects. This study aims to investigate the effects of WBV amplitude on metabolic, inflammatory, and muscle oxygenation responses. Forty women and men were assigned to a high (HI; n = 20, Age: 31 ± 6 y) or a low‐amplitude group (LO; n = 20, Age: 33 ± 6 y). Participants engaged in 10 cycles of WBV [1 cycle =1 min of vibration followed by 30 s of rest], while gastrocnemius muscle oxygen consumption (mVO(2)) was assessed using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Blood samples were collected PRE, POST, 1H, 3Hs, and 24H post‐WBV and analyzed for insulin, glucose, and IL‐6. In the LO group, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistant (HOMA‐IR) at 3 h (0.7 ± 0.2) was significantly lower compared to PRE (1.1 ± 0.2; p = 0.018), POST (1.3 ± 0.3; p = 0.045), 1H (1.3 ± 0.3; p = 0.010), and 24H (1.4 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). In addition, at 24H, HOMA‐IR was significantly lower in the LO when compared to the HI group (LO: 1.4 ± 0.2 vs. HI: 2.2 ± 0.4; p = 0.030). mVO(2) was higher (p = 0.003) in the LO (0.93 ± 0.29 ml/min/100 ml) when compared to the HI group (0.63 ± 0.28 ml/min/100 ml). IL‐6 at 3H (LO: 13.2 ± 2.7 vs. HI: 19.6 ± 4.0 pg·ml(−1); p = 0.045) and 24H (LO: 4.2 ± 1.1 vs. HI: 12.5 ± 3.1 pg·ml(−1); p = 0.016) was greater in the HI compared to the LO group. These findings indicate that low‐amplitude WBV provides greater metabolic benefits compared to high‐amplitude WBV

Endothelin‐1 response to whole‐body vibration in obese and normal weight individuals

Upregulation of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is the hallmark of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The purpose of the present study was to assess the ET‐1 response to an acute bout of whole‐body vibration (WBV) in humans and to determine the role of adiposity. Twenty‐two participants volunteered for the study; they were grouped into overweight/obese [(OW/OB): n = 11, Age: 33 ± 4 years, Body mass index (BMI): 35 ± 10 kg/m(2)] or normal weight [(NW): n = 11, Age: 28 ± 7 years, BMI: 21 ± 2 kg/m(2)]. Participants engaged in 10 cycles of WBV exercise (1 cycle = 1 min WBV followed by 30 s of rest). Blood samples were analyzed for ET‐1 pre‐WBV (PRE), immediately post (POST), 1 h (1H), 3 h (3H), and 24 h (24H) post‐WBV. There was a significant time main effect of WBV on circulating ET‐1 (F = 12.5, p < 0.001); however, the ET‐1 response was similar (F = 0.180, p = 0.677) between groups. Specifically, compared to PRE, a significant increase in ET‐1 was observed at 1H (p = 0.017) and 3H (p = 0.025). In addition, concentrations of ET‐1 were significantly lower at 24H compared to PRE (p = 0.019), 1H (p < 0.001), and 3H (p < 0.001). Maximal oxygen uptake during WBV was similar between the two groups. Acute WBV resulted in an initial rise in ET‐1, followed by a significantly lower ET‐1 at 24H in both groups. Findings support the utility of routine WBV exercise to elicit a decrease in ET‐1 and improve CVD risk, similar to what has been reported with traditional modes of exercise

Effects of occurrence data density on conservation prioritization strategies

Place-prioritization analyses are a means by which researchers can translate information on the geographic distributions of species into quantitative prioritizations of areas for biodiversity conservation action. Although several robust algorithms are now available to support this sort of analysis, their vulnerability to biases deriving from incomplete and imbalanced distributional information is not well understood. In this contribution, we took a well-sampled group (i.e., Icteridae or New World blackbirds) in an intensively sampled region (the contiguous continental United States), and developed a set of pseudo-experimental manipulations of occurrence data density—in effect, we created situations in which data density was reduced 10- or 100-fold, and situations in which data density varied 100-fold from region to region. The effects were marked: priority areas for conservation shifted, appeared, and disappeared as a function of our manipulations. That is, differences in density of data can affect the position and complexity of areas of high conservation priority that are identified using distributional areas of species derived from ecological niche modeling. The effects of data density on prioritizations become more diffuse when considerations of existing protected areas and costs related to human intervention are taken into account, but changes are still manifested. Appropriate considerations of sampling density when constructing ecological niche models to identify distributional areas of species are key to preventing artifactual biases from entering into and affecting results of analyses of conservation priority

Awareness and practice of emergency contraception at a private university in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The pursuit of formal education now causes many people in developing countries to marry later in life, thereby leading to increased premarital sex and unintended pregnancies. Efforts have been made to characterize awareness and use of emergency contraception (EC) among undergraduate students in public universities in Nigeria; however, it is not known if students in private tertiary institutions adopt different practices or if having an affluent family background plays a role. This pilot study therefore aimed to assess the awareness and use of EC among students at a private Nigerian university toward assisting education planners in developing strategies in improving students' reproductive well-being. RESULTS: Out of 94 female students, 42 (44.7%) had sexual experience, but only 32 (34.0%) were currently sexually active. Six students (6.4%) had had unwanted pregnancies, of which all but one were terminated. Fifty-seven respondents (60.6%) were aware of EC, though only 10 (10.6%) ever practiced it. The greatest source of EC information was from health workers and peers; the lowest source was family or relatives. Most respondents desired orientation and availability of EC on campus. EC awareness among the students was predicted by upper social class background (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-7.45) and upbringing in the Federal Capital Territory (adjusted OR, 4.45; 95% CI, 1.56-14.22). CONCLUSIONS: Though awareness of EC was higher among the private university students in this study than at most public universities, there was no difference in EC usage. A high pregnancy termination rate was observed; dilatation and curettage were mainly adopted. In Nigeria, youth-friendly reproductive health information and access should not be limited to government-owned tertiary institutions but also extended to private ones

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

SATB2 and MDM2 Immunoexpression and Diagnostic Role in Primary Osteosarcomas of the Jaw

Primary osteosarcomas of the jaw (OSJ) are rare, accounting for 6% of all osteosarcomas. This study aims to determine the value of SATB2 and MDM2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in differentiating OSJ from other jawbone mimickers, such as benign fibro-osseous lesions (BFOLs) of the jaw or Ewing sarcoma of the jaw. Certain subsets of osteosarcoma harbor a supernumerary ring and/or giant marker chromosomes with amplification of the 12q13–15 region, including the murine double-minute type 2 (MDM2) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) genes. Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) is an immunophenotypic marker for osteoblastic differentiation. Cases of OSJ, BFOLs (ossifying fibroma and fibrous dysplasia) of the jaw, and Ewing sarcoma of the jaw were retrieved from the Departments of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University and Lagos State University College of Medicine, Nigeria. All OSJ retrieved showed histologic features of high-grade osteosarcoma. IHC for SATB2 (clone EP281) and MDM2 (clone IF2), as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for MDM2 amplification, were performed on all cases. SATB2 was expressed in a strong intensity and diffuse staining pattern in all cases (11 OSJ, including a small-cell variant, 7 ossifying fibromas, and 5 fibrous dysplasias) except in Ewing sarcoma, where it was negative in neoplastic cells. MDM2 was expressed in a weak to moderate intensity and scattered focal to limited diffuse staining pattern in 27% (3/11) of cases of OSJ and negative in all BFOLs and the Ewing sarcoma. MDM2 amplification was negative by FISH in interpretable cases. In conclusion, the three cases of high-grade OSJs that expressed MDM2 may have undergone transformation from a low-grade osteosarcoma (LGOS). SATB2 is not a dependable diagnostic marker to differentiate OSJ from BFOLs of the jaw; however, it could serve as a valuable diagnostic marker in differentiating the small-cell variant of OSJ from Ewing sarcoma of the jaw, while MDM2 may be a useful diagnostic marker in differentiating OSJ from BFOLs of the jaw, especially in the case of an LGOS or high-grade transformed osteosarcoma

Molecular epidemiology of community-acquired invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella among children aged 2 29 months in rural Gambia and discovery of a new serovar, Salmonella enterica Dingiri.

Sixty-two invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolates from children aged 2-29 months in rural Gambia were examined for serovar prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility, and characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of seven genes, aroC, dnaN, hemD, hisD, purE, sucA and thrA. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was the most common serovar (80.6 %), followed by S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (8.0 %). Thirty-three per cent of the isolates were resistant to all eight antimicrobials tested, including ampicillin (74.2 %), cotrimoxazole (64.5 %) and tetracycline (63 %). A total of 40.3 % of the NTS cases had an initial clinical diagnosis of malaria, whilst 27.3 % had a diagnosis of clinical pneumonia and 18 % had a diagnosis of septicaemia. MLST of NTS resulted in ten different sequence types (STs), of which five were novel, representing five different NTS serovars. In general, STs were restricted to the same serovar. One type (ST11) encompassed 80.6 % of the NTSs. A new NTS serovar named S. enterica serovar Dingiri was discovered. S. Dingiri was isolated from a 6-month-old male with an initial clinical diagnosis of malaria but a final clinical diagnosis of anaemia and septicaemia. S. Dingiri, which possesses an antigenic formula of 17:z:1,6, was sensitive to ampicillin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline but resistant to gentamicin, and was ST338