IntroductionDiabetic foot ulcer (DFU), a chronic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with DM in Nigeria (1). It is the second leading cause of diabetes-related deaths, accounting for 24% of all diabetes mortalities in the country (2). DFU is associated with oxidative stress (OS), which arises in cells and tissues from excessive generation of free radicals in the presence of a decreased antioxidant defense system (3,4). The body's antioxidant defense is achieved through interaction between the nonenzymatic antioxidant micronutrients and the enzymatic antioxidants containing several metalloenzymes as components (5).Micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are required by the body in small quantities for specific functions (6). They are essential in the prevention of deficiency diseases, regulation of metabolism and gene expression, deterrence of the development and progression of many chronic diseases, and the maintenance of good health (6,7). The vitamins, acting as direct antioxidants ( 7), neutralize and scavenge free radicals (3), while the minerals regulate enzyme activities (6) by serving as cofactors for antioxidant enzymes: selenium (Se) for glutathione peroxidase (GPx), iron for catalase, and copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or manganese (Mn) for superoxide dismutase (5,7). Therefore, protective and scavenging effects are exerted on living systems by these micronutrients (8). Indeed, micronutrients have been considered as potential preventive and treatment agents for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and for common complications of diabetes (9).It has been demonstrated that persistently uncontrolled hyperglycemia can cause significant changes in the levels of micronutrients (9), and its deficiency state may lead to an increase in the production of free radicals (10).Background/aim: Micronutrients are indispensable in the prevention of diseases and maintenance of good health. Their deficiencies have been implicated in several diseases associated with oxidative stress (OS). This study aimed at investigating the levels of some vitamins and minerals in association with OS markers in diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Materials and methods:Seventy DFU patients and 50 apparently healthy volunteers (controls) were recruited for the study. Blood samples of 10 mL were collected after a 10-h overnight fast from each participant after obtaining their consent. Levels of oxidative stress biomarkers such as lipid peroxide (LPO), 8-hydroxyl-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, copper, selenium, and zinc were determined.Results: Significant increases in the levels of LPO and 8-OHdG and GPx activity were found in DFU patients compared to controls (P < 0.001). Significant decreases in vitamin C (P = 0.003), selenium, vitamin E, and TAS concentrations were detected between DFU patients and controls (P < 0.00...

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Breast cancer is broadly sub-divided into hormone responsive and non-hormone responsive subtypes. Estradiol has been associated with hormone responsive breast cancers. There is, however, a paucity of information on the role of sex hormones, gonadotropins, and thyroid hormone in non-hormone responsive breast cancer. This study aimed to determine differences in the serum levels of sex hormones, gonadotropins, thyroid hormones, and endocrine disruptors (lead, cadmium, and arsenic) in Nigerian women with hormone responsive and non-hormone responsive breast cancers. Seventy-nine non-pregnant women aged 28–80 years with histologically confirmed breast cancer were recruited, pre-therapy, into this cross-sectional study. They comprised 52 premenopausal women and 27 postmenopausal women recruited from the Surgical Oncology Clinic of the Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, Ibadan. Comparison of biochemical parameters were based on the positivity (+) and negativity (−) of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epithelial receptor-2 (HER-2). Estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Serum lead, cadmium and arsenic were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Expression of ER, PR and HER2 were determined using immunohistochemistry. Data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney U-test and multiple regression, with p < 0.05 considered as being statistically significant. Estradiol and progesterone were significantly higher in breast cancer participants with ER− and PR− compared with those with ER+ and PR+ breast cancer (p < 0.05). Follicle stimulating hormone and LH levels were significantly higher in participants with ER+ and PR+ breast cancer compared with participants with ER− and PR− breast cancer (p < 0.05). Arsenic was inversely related with TSH in premenopausal participants with ER− and PR− (β = −0.305; β = −0.304, respectively). Sex hormones and gonadotropins appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of triple negative and luminal breast cancer, respectively.

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Background: In the continuous search for accessible, reliable and sensitive biomarkers for early detection of environmental lead exposure, authors determined the interaction between blood lead level (BLL), the conventional marker of lead exposure, and the indices of calcium and bone metabolism in children.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 309 apparently healthy children from eight public primary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria who were classified as Elevated BLL (EBLL) and control based on standard cut-off for childhood BLL. BLL, serum Ca (tCa), phosphate, magnesium (Mg), 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urinary calcium (uCa) and urinary deoxypyridinoline (uDPD) were determined using AAS, HPLC and ELISA as appropriate. Bone-specific ALP (B-ALP) and ionized calcium (iCa) were calculated using standard formulae. Data analyses involved Student’s t-test, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: BLL and 25-OH-Vitamin D levels were increased in EBLL (0.4±0.1 µmol/L and 60.1±10.7 mmol/L) compared with control (0.2±0.0 µmol/L and 55.1±14.3 mmol/L) p <0.05. No significant differences existed in the levels of ALP, B-ALP, uCa, uDPD, tCa, iCa, phosphate and Mg in both groups (p>0.05). BLL had significant positive correlation with uCa (r=0.176, p=0.002) (p<0.05) but no significant correlation with uDPD, ALP, B-ALP, tCa, iCa, phosphate, Mg and 25-OH-Vitamin D (p>0.05). BLL could be accounted for by uCa by applying the equation, BLL=0.329+0.324uCa.Conclusions: Urinary calcium could be a promising predictive biomarker for early recognition of significant environmental lead exposure in children.

The volume of electronic waste (e-waste) received in Nigeria is reportedly on the increase and the effects on environmental health are yet to be fully ascertained. This study aimed to investigate haematological indices, lead and serum iron levels in workers occupationally exposed to electronic wastes in South-South, Nigeria. In this pilot study, 104 participants were enrolled from Benin City, South-South Nigeria; consisting of 63 E-waste Workers (EW) sex-and aged-matched with 41 Unexposed Participants (Control). Blood levels (5 mL) of the metals (lead and iron) were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry while the haematological parameters [white blood cells (WBC), Lymphocytes ( LY); monocytes (MO), granulocytes(GR), red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (Hgb), haematocrit (HCT), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and platelets (PLT)] were determined using standard methods. Results obtained from this study show a significantly low serum iron (11.5 ± 2.14 µg/dL) in the EW compared with Control (168.9 ± 2.39 µg/dL); while blood lead level in EW (1.07±0.02 µg/dL) was significantly elevated compared with Control (0.72 ± 0.12). Total WBC and RBC, HCT, MO and MCV were all significantly elevated in EW compared with Control while LY and PLT in the EW were significantly decreased compared with Control. This study concludes that chronic occupational e-waste exposure may increase blood lead level, lower serum iron status and may have adversely altered some important haematological parameters in the studied population.

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.

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