Impacts of Work Environment on Health Status of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps Members in Ogun State. Nigeria

Background: Traffic Compliance and Enforcement (TRACE) Corps members in Nigeria are occupationally exposed to lots of environmental pollutants due to essential services that they render in the transport industry. Exposure to environmental pollutants has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Information about biochemical end points of CVD in Traffic Compliance and Enforcement (TRACE) Corps members who are occupationally exposed to environmental pollutants is lacking. This study therefore investigated the effects of these environmental pollutants on some indices of CVD. Methods: Before enrollment in the study, all subjects, including controls, were informed about the objectives and requirements of the study, as well as the risks and discomfort that might be involved in participating in the study. After this exercise, a total of 234 subjects consented to participate in the study. TRACE (n=195) in various zones in Ogun State. Staff and students at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) served as control subjects (n=39). A careful history of their dietary habits and job experience, as well as a detailed history of their occupational habit, was taken. Anthropometric and clinical parameters were assessed using standard methods while biochemical indices of CVD were determined spectrophotometrically using commercial diagnostic kits. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan test was used to analyze the results with p\u3c0.05 considered significant. The relationships between plasma lipids and the anthropometric parameters were also analyzed using Pearson correlations. Results: Results showed that the systolic blood pressure in both male and female TRACE subjects were significantly higher than the control subjects. The diastolic blood pressure remained the same in both the control and TRACE subjects. The pulse in the TRACE male subject was significantly lower than the control subject. The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and hip circumference of the TRACE female were significantly higher than the control subjects. The umbilical cord circumference of the TRACE male and female subjects were significantly higher than their control counterpart. Plasma Cholesterol in TRACE male was higher than the control male while the plasma cholesterol was lower in TRACE female compared to the control female. Plasma triacylglycerol and phospholipid remain the same in all subjects. HDL cholesterol in the TRACE subjects were 65% and 71% of the control male and control female respectively. Plasma arylesterase in TRACE male and female subjects were both 1.39 times lower than their control counterparts. There was also a significant positive correlation between the plasma cholesterol and weight (r = 0.130; p = 0.047), plasma cholesterol and BMI (r = 0.157; p = 0.021), Plasma triacylglycerol and Pulse (r = 0.130; p = 0.048). The average traffic density was 37 vehicles/min in the sampled TRACE zones. Conclusion: Findings such as increase in systolic blood pressure, anthropometric parameters and lower HDL cholesterol, plasma arylesterase in the TRACE subjects compared to the control from this study indicates that environmental pollutant exposure may disrupt lipid homeostasis and predisposes the TRACE subjects to development of CVD

Vitamins C and E attenuate lipid dystrophy in tissues of rats administered aluminium

To investigate the effects of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) in the deviation of tissue lipid profiles and ways to reduce its effect using antioxidant vitamins C and E, thirty-six male albino rats (120-150g) were divided into six groups with six rats each. Group (1) received normal saline and served as control, Group (2) was administered with AlCl3 (20mg/kg body weight b.wt)), Group (3) was administered with vitamin C (200mg/kg b.wt), Group (4) was administered with vitamin E (200mg/kg b.wt), Groups (5) and (6) were administered aluminium (20mg/kg b.wt) along with vitamins C and E (200mg/kg b.wt) respectively. At the end of the experiment, blood samples and organs (liver, testis, heart, kidney and brain) were harvested and used for lipid profile determination. The results showed that oral administration of aluminum significantly (p<0.05) increased cholesterol level in plasma and VLDL+LDL and significantly decreased in erythrocyte, HDL and testis. Cholesterogenesis was induced in the brain, liver, kidney and heart. Plasma and VLDL+LDL triglyceride were significantly (p<0.05) increased while erythrocyte and brain triglyceride were significantly decreased. Plasma, VLDL+LDL and brain phospholipid levels were significantly (p<0.05) decreased and that of erythrocyte significantly increased. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in rats supplemented with vitamin C and vitamin E compared with control. The vitamins significantly attenuated the affected lipid levels in the tissues affected. It was concluded that administration of vitamin C and vitamin E supplements may be used as therapies against the effects of Aluminium exposure on lipids.Keywords: Aluminium exposure, lipid dystrophy, vitamin C, vitamin E, tissue

EFFECT OF DEWATERING METHOD ON SELECTED PROPERTIES OF GARI

Two of the most important steps in the ‘gari’ production process are the fermentation and dewatering steps during which the highest cyanide reduction occurs. ‘Gari’ samples were produced by dewatering the cassava mash during fermentation and after fermentation.  The samples were analyzed for their proximate composition, cyanide content and functional properties. The moisture content, bulk density and cyanide were higher than that of the dewatering during fermentation method. Recorded functional properties suggest that the sample from dewatering after fermentation will take a longer time to cook and that the paste obtained from cooked ‘gari’ samples from the dewatering during fermentation method is firmer

EFFECT OF DRYING METHOD ON SELECTED PROPERTIES OF CASSAVA FLOUR (LAFUN)

Fermented cassava flour (lafun) is one of the products obtained from cassava processing. Traditionally, sun-drying is one of its main processing steps, but it is ineffective for large-scale production. The effect of flour needs to investigated. Sun-drying, solar drying and cabinet drying methods were used to produce fermented cassava flour. The sample were analyzed for their proximate composition, cyanide content, physico-chemical and functional properties. The moisture, bulk density and amylase contents of the sun-dried samples were higher while its protein and cyanide contents were lower than that of the other methods. Recorded functional properties of the fermented flour suggest that sun-dried samples cook faster than others and that the paste obtained from cooked sun-dried sample is firmer. However, values obtained from analysis of the different fermented cassava flours after drying were significantly different (P <=0.05)

Ferulic acid interventions ameliorate NDEA-CCl4-induced hepatocellular carcinoma via Nrf2 and p53 upregulation and Akt/PKB-NF-κB-TNF-α pathway downregulation in male Wistar rats

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a prevalent form of liver cancer that is life threatening. Many chemically synthesized anti-cancer drugs have various degrees of side effects. Hence, this study investigated the effect of FEAC interventions on NDEA-CCl4-induced HCAR in male Wistar rats. HCAR was induced by intraperitoneal administration of 200 mg/kg of NDEA and 0.5 mL/kg CCl4 (as a promoter of HCAR). Following the induction of HCAR, rats were treated differently with two different doses (25 and 50 mg/kg) of FEAC. HCAR induction was confirmed by the significant elevation of serum levels of ALT, AST, and α-FP. Also elevated significantly were liver levels of Akt/PKB, NF-κB, TNF-α, MDA, GSH, and activities of GST, SOD, and CAT, while levels of liver p53 and Nrf2 were significantly lowered compared with normal rats. Treatment interventions with both 25 and 50 mg/kg of FEAC against the DEN-CCl4-induced HCAR gave comparable effects, marked by a significant reduction in the levels of serum ALT, AST and α-FP, as well as liver levels of MDA, GSH, Akt/PKB, NF-κB, TNF-α, GST, SOD, and CAT, while levels of liver p53 and Nrf2 were significantly elevated compared with normal rats. Put together and judging by the outcomes of this study, FEAC being a potent antioxidant may also be potent against chemical-induced HCAR via upregulation of p53 and Nrf2, as well as downregulation of the Akt/PKB-NF-κB pathway in rats