Health risk assessment of zinc,chromium, and nickel from cow meat consumption in an urban Nigerian population

Background:

Meat consumption is increasingly becoming a larger part of diets worldwide. However, the bioaccumulation of toxic metals from anthropogenic pollution is a potential health risk to human health.

Objective:

To measure the daily intake of zinc, chromium, and nickel from cow meat consumption and assess the possible health risks in an urban population in Nigeria.

Methods:

Dried meat samples were digested with 3 : 2HNO3 : HClO4 v/v. Zinc, chromium, and nickel concentrations were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Daily intakes of meat were obtained using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

Results:

The estimated daily intakes (EDI) (μg/person/day) ranges were: zinc (10 496–13 459), chromium (310.90–393.73), and nickel (26.72–34.87). Estimated daily intake for zinc was 15–30% of provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) and for nickel it was 8–15% of tolerable daily intake (TDI).

Conclusion:

Chromium intakes were above recommended daily intake (RDI). Target hazard quotient (THQ) for nickel and zinc were within WHO/FAO limit. There was no evidence of possible health risk to consumers with regard to zinc and nickel. However, chromium intake should be of utmost concern, while disposal of tanning waste should be checked.     

Is renal medullary carcinoma the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell disease? A multi-center Nigerian survey

IntroductionPrevious studies had enlisted renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) as the seventh nephropathy in sickle cell disease (SCD). Clinical experience has contradicted this claim and this study is targeted at refuting or supporting this assumption.ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of RMC and describe other renal complications in SCD.ResultsOf the 3,596 registered sickle patients, 2 (0.056%) had been diagnosed with RMC over a ten year period, thereby giving an estimated prevalence rate of 5.6 per 100,000. The most common renal complication reported by the attending physicians was chronic kidney disease (CKD). The frequency of routine renal screening for SCD patients varied widely between centres — most were done at diagnosis, annually or bi-annually.ConclusionThe ten year prevalence of RMC in Nigerian SCD patients was determined to be 5.6 (estimated incidence of 0.56). RMC is not more common in SCD patients and therefore cannot be regarded as a “Seventh Sickle nephropathy”. Most of the managing physicians reported that the commonest nephropathy observed in their SCD patients was chronic kidney disease.     

Screening of Cyanobacterial Peptide Toxin,Microcystins in Hyperscum Water Samples from an Inland Sub Saharan Drinking Freshwater Reservoir

A study which probed the occurrence and quantitative variations hepatotoxic microcystin in a Sub Saharan drinking freshwater reservoir was carried out between November 2014 and March 2015. Results reveal the presence of MCYST-YR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-RR, MCYST-LA and MCYST-LF variants either in cells collected directly from bloom or toxic isolates cultured under laboratory conditions. Two minor microcystin congeners (MCYST-(H₄)YR) and (D-Asp³, Dha⁷) MCYST-RR) were identified, but not quantified. Variants dominance were in the order MCYST-LR?>?MCYST-RR?>?MCYST-YR?>?MCYST-LA?>?MCYST-LF across sampling sites. Maximum and minimum concentrations of quantified MCYSTs congeners were (489.25, 50.95 µg toxin/g DW), (98.92, 9.11 µg toxin/g DW), (140.25, 12.07 µg toxin/g DW), (56.99, 6.20 µg toxin/g DW) and (50.46, 3.65 µg toxin/g DW) for MCYST-LR, MCYST-YR, MCYST-RR, MCYST-LA and MCYST-LF, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed there was a high significant difference between mean microcystin concentrations across sampling sites (p?<?0.05).     

Asymptomatic malaria parasitemia does not induce additional oxidative stress in pregnant women of South East Nigeria

ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between asymptomatic malaria parasitemia and some oxidative stress parameters in pregnant Nigerian women.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study involving 130 normal pregnant women at various trimesters, who were attending antenatal clinic at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and Kenechukwu Specialist Hospital in Enugu. A comparable group (control), made of 30 non pregnant women was also recruited. After a 24 hour dietary recall, serum levels of vitamin A, C and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by colorimetric method, while vitamin E was determined by absorptiometric method.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in age, parity, estimated calorie, vitamins A, C and E intake between the pregnant and non pregnant groups (P> 0.05). The serum level of the vitamins (umol/L) and MDA (umol/L) in control, 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively were: (1)Vitamin A: 1.6±0.36 vs 0.6±0.26 vs 0.62± 0.33 vs 0.46± 0.21 (P < 0.0001); (2) Vitamin C: 75.65±14.15 vs 62.97±24.4 vs 37.85±15.19 vs 28.94±8.52 (P<0.0001); (3) Vitamin E: 3.01± 1.32 vs 3.45±2.01 vs 9.36±2.75 vs 9.82±2.97 (P<0.0001); (4) MDA: 1.42± 0.02 vs 1.61±0.02 vs 1.79±0.02 vs 2.03±0.05 (P<0.0001). However, there were no significant changes in the serum level of the vitamins and MDA between the positive and the negative parasitemia subjects (P>0.05).ConclusionsAsymptomatic malaria parasitemia does not induce additional oxidative stress on pregnant women in Nigeria. The enormity of acute and complicated attack should be further investigated.     

Laparoscopy for the management of early-stage endometrial cancer: from experimental to standard of care

We performed a search of PUBMED and MEDLINE for articles concerning surgical management of early stage endometrial cancer from 1950 to 2011. From the articles collected we extracted data such as estimated blood loss, operating room time, complications, conversion to laparotomy, and length of hospital stay. Forty-seven relevant sources were analyzed. The patients in the laparoscopy group had less blood loss, fewer complications, longer operating room times, and a shorter length of stay. Lymph node count was similar in both groups. Although obesity is not a contraindication to laparoscopy, it does lead to a higher conversion rate. Route of surgical treatment had no impact on recurrence or survival. Robotic surgery has significant advantages over laparotomy, but advantages over laparoscopy are not as distinct. Laparoscopic hysterectomy offers several advantages over laparotomy. These advantages relate to improvements in patient care with comparable clinical outcome. After careful analysis we believe laparoscopy should be the standard of care for surgical management of early stage endometrial cancer.     

Past HBV viral load as predictor of mortality and morbidity from HCC and chronic liver disease in a prospective study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In a prospective cohort study with 11 yr of follow-up, we assessed the relationship between past hepatitis B virus (HBV) viral load and mortality. Surviving cohort members were evaluated for current liver disease. METHODS: We measured HBV viral load by real-time polymerase chain reaction on stored samples from cohort entry (1992-1993) in 2,763 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive adults. Major end points were death from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or chronic liver disease (CLD). There were 447 deaths. In the 1,683 survivors, we assessed severity of liver disease on a return visit in 2003. Viral load was divided into three categories: undetected (<1.6 x 10(3) copies/mL); low titer (<10(5) copies/mL); and high titer (> or =10(5) copies/mL). RESULTS: For HCC, there was a significant increase in mortality across viral load categories (p(trend) < 0.001). Compared to the HBV undetected category, the relative risk (RR) for HCC mortality in the low viral load group was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-5.7) and 11.2 (3.6-35.0) in the high viral load group. For CLD mortality, the RRs were 1.5 (0.2-12.1) and 15.2 (2.1-109.8), respectively (p(trend) < 0.001). The RR associated with high viral load did not change with increased follow-up time. In surviving cohort members evaluated for liver disease in 2003, there was also a significant association of viral load with disease severity. CONCLUSION: In this prospective study, viral load is associated with increased mortality from HCC and CLD in HBV-infected subjects. Viral load may be a useful prognostic tool in HBV infection, and interventions aimed at its reduction should be explored.