Levels of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals in the blood of electronic waste scavengers in Nigeria

Background - Electronic waste (e-waste) contains both valuable and hazardous materials. E-waste scavengers specialize in the collection and crude recycling of waste electronics to retrieve valuable metals, which are then sold. These activities provide an income for scavengers, but also expose them to toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and copper (Cu). Objectives - The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn)) in the blood levels of e-waste scavengers at Jakande dumpsite, Alaba International Market, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods - Material and data were collected by empirical survey with the use of a questionnaire to obtain information from e-waste scavengers. Blood samples of the scavengers in the present study (30 adult males exposed to recycling processes) were collected and concentrations of heavy metals were determined through acid digestion and the use of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AGILENT 55B AA, 2010). Results - The geometric means of blood levels of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn were 11.0, 33.85, 126.15 and 19.38 µg / dL, respectively. High concentrations of Pb and Mn (11.0 and 19.38 µg / dL) were found in the blood samples, while Zn and Cu (126.15 and 33.85 µg / dL) showed low concentrations. The maximum blood level of lead (BPb) (24.0 µg / dL) was extremely high compared to the maximum BPb of occupationally exposed males. Statistical analysis of the questionnaires showed that all of the respondents were male, and more than half (56.7%) were between 21-30 years of age and had been involved in recycling of e-waste for 1-5 years. The results showed that 83% of the respondents were aware that hazardous fractions in e-waste require special treatment, while 76.7% were aware of the possible negative impact on their health. Conclusions - Lack of education, poverty and lack of effective enforcement of e-waste management and regulations are the major contributors to the current situation and thus scavengers carry on with their activities unhindered. The authors recommend the use of protective clothing, sensitization visits and awareness campaigns on the safe disposal of hazardous components

Chromosomal studies of the African dotted catfish Parauchenoglanis monkei (Keilhack 1910)

The chromosomal data within the genus Parauchenoglanis is scarce. The two main species of the genus identified in Nigeria are P. buttikoferi and P. monkei. The chromosome of P. monkei was assessed in this study to provide information on the diploid number and karyotype. Samples (n=40) were collected in Opa River, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The chromosomes of the specimen were extracted using the Giemsa staining technique. The mitotic chromosome spread has a diploid chromosome number of 2n=50. The autosomal fundamental number was 55, while the karyotype formula was 2n=2M+ 8m+40T. The diploid chromosome number of 50 obtained for P. monkei is within the range for catfishes

Retinoblastoma - a clinico - pathological study in Ilorin, Nigeria

Retinoblastoma is the commonest childhood primary malignant intraocular neoplasm that is often characterized by spontaneous regression. They display photoreceptor differentiation. This study provides the clinical presentations and histological profiles of retinoblastoma in Ilorin, Kwara – State, in the North Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. A retrospective study of clinically and histologically verified retinoblastoma at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara – State, Nigeria from January 1989 to December 2000 was undertaken. The clinical and histological features were analyzed using the patient\'s case folder and surgical pathology records. There were 20 patients, 9 males and 11 females (M:F ratio 1: 1.2), age range from 5 1/2 months to 6 years with 23 eyeball tumours histologically confirmed retinoblastoma during the study period. Proptosis with chemosis was the most common clinical presentation (84.6%). Bilaterality was 15% in this study. Enucleation and Exenteration combined with chemotherapy were offered to 15 (75%) and 5 (25%) patients respectively. A poorly differentiated type with extensive areas of tumour necrosis was the commonest histological pattern. Thirteen (65%) of the patients died before completing the course of chemotherapy. African Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 13 (1-2) 2008: pp. 117-12

Genetic diversity of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus section Nigri, using RAPD and VCG techniques

This study evaluates the genetic diversity of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus section Nigri using RAPD and VCG techniques. Results obtained revealed OPX 07 as the most informative of the tested RAPD markers generating 12 polymorphic bands while the least bands were generated by OPR 19. Of the 40 Aspergillus section Nigri (20 each of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius), 22 VCGs and 27 RAPD haplotypes were delineated. The two techniques demonstrated similar resolution except in few cases where the RAPD technique further sub divided some VCGs into simpler haplotypes. The average percentage of variable VCG and RAPD reactions were 25 and 50% in that order of sequence while 75 and 50% of the isolates were resolved as same isolates by these techniques respectively. It was also found that the Simpson index of genetic diversity approached one for the isolates from the four geopolitical zones of Ogun State, Nigeria with the mean genetic diversity within isolates (GL) contributing significantly approximately 89% of the total diversity observed within the isolates (F=22.23, p<0.05). The remaining 11% of variation could only be allotted to diversity among isolates (GS). On the whole, the total genetic diversity (HT) was found to be approximately 48%. In conclusion, RAPD markers provided better resolution than the classical VCG typing technique.Keywords; Genetic Diversity, Ochratoxigenic Aspergillus, RAPD and VC

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES

No doubt that the issue of Global climate change has been one ofthe greatest environmental problems whose effects cannot be denied in diverse countries and the world at large. The avert effect from this issue has led tq several local, regional and international conferences which have culminated in several protocols, and international legal frameworks formulated (Ranging from The Rio Earth Summit, Kyoto Protocol, and Copenhagen Conference among others) to tackle this issue. Yet Global climate change remains a global concern and a major threat to human security. The study examines the responses to Global Climate Change and the factors limiting the effectiveness and efficiency of the response. This paper adopted the descriptive historical approach and relied solely on secondary sources for data collection. This paper found among others that there are gaps between policy formulation and policy implementation, the major debacle to the effectiveness of the policies is the proliferation of Multilateral Environment Agreement (MEA), overlapping interest between market and nature and lack of gender sensitivity of the responses. Based on the findings, we recommend the need for the feminization of climate change response and more effort towards implementatio

Breast cancer receptor status assessment and clinicopathological association in Nigerian women: A retrospective analysis

Background: Breast cancer markers are becoming increasingly important in breast cancer research due to their impact on prognosis, treatment and survival. The present retrospective study was carried out to quantify the proportion of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epithelial receptor 2 (HER2) expressions and their association with tumour grade, age, and tumour size in breast cancer patients in Nigeria. Materials and methods: The paraffin embedded tissue sections were analysed for breast cancer markers using monoclonal antibody SP1 for ER and SP2 for PR and polyclonal antibody ErbB2 for HER2. Results: A total of 286 breast cancer paraffin wax tissue sections were analysed for ER, PR and HER2 expression. Of all the tissue samples examined, 20 (7%) were ER-positive, 6 (2.1%) were PR-positive, 11 (3.8%) were HER2-positive whereas 248 (87%) were triple-negative breast carcinoma. ER- and PR-positivity was associated with early grade I and II tumours (P 50mm (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: A small proportion of Nigerian women with breast cancer are ER/PR-positive which are associated with less aggressive, better prognosis and benefit from endocrine therapy. An even smaller proportion of patients with aggressive tumors were HER2-posivite but responsive to Herceptin treatment. Unfortunately, a very high proportion of cases were triple-negative which is associated with very aggressive tumours and no targeted treatment, which may explain the high mortality rates from breast cancer in Nigeri

Nutritional evaluation and consumer preference of legume fortified maize-meal porridge

Open Access JournalMaize-meal porridge is commonly consumed meal for the adults as breakfast food and for the children as complementary food. Food-to-food fortification was employed in order to improve the protein content of maize-meal porridge using soy flour and local groundnut paste. The study was aimed at evaluating the nutritional properties and consumer preference of the attributes of the unfortified porridge, legume-fortified porridge, and powdered milk-fortified porridge. The influence of consumers’ knowledge of the type of fortificant added to the porridge was also investigated. Soy-fortified porridges provide comparable ash, crude fibre and fat contents to powdered milk- fortified porridge but with higher protein than powdered milk-fortified porridge. Soy flour raised the protein and ash content of the porridge by 90% and 63% respectively, the groundnut paste raised the protein and ash content by 88% and 41% and the powdered milk by 87% and 65% respectively. The unfortified porridge was the least preferred while the milk-fortified porridge was the most preferred. There was no significant difference between preference for some of the attributes of the groundnut paste fortified-porridge and the soy flour-fortified. There was no significant difference between consumption intent for the soy flour and groundnut paste -fortified porridge. Soy-fortified porridges provide comparable ash, crude fibre and fat contents to powdered milk- fortified porridge but with higher protein than powdered milk-fortified porridge. Soy-flour has shown to be a good substitute for powdered milk as a protein-fortificant for porridge and soy-fortified porridge could be a possible means of alleviating Protein-energy malnutrition among low income populations

Seed Metrics for Genetic and Shape Determinations in African Yam Bean [Fabaceae] (Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochst. Ex. A. Rich.) Harms

The metric measures on seeds, their correlation and relationship are important for systematic breeding for seed yield and shape determination. Variations among eighty genotypes of African yam bean (AYB) for six metric seed characters (seed length, width and thickness and their ratios) were evaluated in this study. Paired comparison among the six characters revealed very high significance (P < 0.001), approving the six traits as unique parameters for evaluating AYB. They equally exhibited high and substantial genetic variance: the genotypic proportion of the total variation ranged between 90 and 97%, broad sense heritability (81 - 94%) and genetic advances (14 - 31%). Seed length and width had the highest joint inheritance of 99.04%, the least, 4.32% was between width and WT as depicted by coheritability. Positive and significant (P < 0.05) phenotypic and/or genotypic correlation existed between seed width and thickness, the three ratios and seed length with the ratios except WT. Non-significant negative correlation existed between seed thickness with LT and WT. There were very reliable and highly significant linear relationships between the seed traits except for length and width whose relationship was non-linear. Breeding concentration on any of these traits may simultaneously influence the others. The seed shape indices were the metric ratios and the flatness index; they described the common shapes of AYB seeds as: round/spherical, oval/ellipsoidal, oblong and rhomboi