We have examined the carotenoid contents of several dark green vegetables found to be associated with a lower risk of various epithelial cancers in our epidemiological study and animal study. Samples of these vegetabl...We have examined the carotenoid contents of several dark green vegetables found to be associated with a lower risk of various epithelial cancers in our epidemiological study and animal study. Samples of these vegetables were quantitatively examined by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a C-18 reversed-phase column for individual carotenoid content. Pure reference compounds (alpha-carotene, beta-carotent, lycopene, canthaxanthin, and lutein) and internal standard (beta-Apo-8'-carotenal) were employed to quantify xanthophylls and carotenes in these vegetables. The results indicated that fresh, dark-green, leafy vegetables were high in beta-carotene (0.94-9.36 mg/100 g) and oxygenated carotenoids or xanthophylls, primarily lutein (0.94-7.39 mg/100 g),whereas lycopene and alpha-carotene were not prominent and canthaxanthin was non existent in these vegetables. These analyses suggest that consumption of carotenoids such as lutein in addition to beta-carotene may be associated with a lower risk of cancers展开更多
In response to the increased frequency of flood events in recent years, it has become crucial to enhance preparedness and anticipation through precise flood risk assessments. To this end, this study aims to produce up...In response to the increased frequency of flood events in recent years, it has become crucial to enhance preparedness and anticipation through precise flood risk assessments. To this end, this study aims to produce updated and precise flood risk maps for the Lower Valley of Ouémé River Basin, located in the South of Benin. The methodology used consisted of a combination of geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis, including Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods to define and quantify criteria for flood risk assessment. Seven hydro-geomorphological indicators (elevation, rainfall, slope, distance from rivers, flow accumulation, soil type, and drainage density), four socio-economic vulnerability indicators (female population density, literacy rate, poverty index, and road network density), and two exposure indicators (population density and land use) were integrated to generate risk maps. The results indicate that approximately 21.5% of the Lower Valley is under high and very high flood risk, mainly in the south between Dangbo, So-Ava, and Aguégués. The study findings align with the historical flood pattern in the region, which confirms the suitability of the used method. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive approach, the incorporation of AHP for weighting factors, and the use of remote sensing data, GIS technology, and spatial analysis techniques which adds precision to the mapping process. This work advances the scientific understanding of flood risk assessment and offers practical insights and solutions for flood-prone regions. The detailed flood risk indicator maps obtained stand out from previous studies and provide valuable information for effective flood risk management and mitigation efforts in the Lower Valley of Ouémé.展开更多
Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the ...Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk factors for the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with diabetic foot syndrome.展开更多
The study assessed the levels of some toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) with their potential ecological and human health risks in water, African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), Tilapia (Oreochromis spilur...The study assessed the levels of some toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) with their potential ecological and human health risks in water, African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), Tilapia (Oreochromis spilurus niger) and sediment samples from the Lower Usuma dam FCT, Nigeria during two major seasons in a year (rainy and dry seasons). Toxic metal concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) and Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry (for As and Hg), and the results obtained were compared with national and international standards. The ecological and human health risk indices of the toxic metals present in the samples from the Dam were evaluated and interpreted. Tilapia from the dam posed the highest but medium ecological and human health risk due to Pb concentration of up to 7.11 mg/kg;ecological risk index of 35.55 and hazard quotient of 50.78. Overall ecological and human health risks were low due to the low concentrations of other toxic metals determined. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Zn concentrations were all below WHO limits in the LUD water;Ni and Pb were above limits in the African Catfish and Tilapia samples. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences accepted at p ≤ 0.05. There was no statistical difference in the concentrations of toxic metals in water but there was significant difference between the concentrations of toxic metals in the fish and sediment samples. Correlation was found to exist between toxic metals in the water, fish and sediment analyzed from the dam. The ecological and human health risks of toxic metals in Lower Usuma dam require regular checks and monitoring hence, it was recommended by the researcher, that this and similar research work be carried out annually by NESREA and also, as research work by other students of Environmental and Analytical chemistry.展开更多
Based on the analysis of hanging rivers' actuality in the lower Yellow River and researches related to the evaluation of dike breach risks,it is put forward that the influencing factors of dike beach risks in the ...Based on the analysis of hanging rivers' actuality in the lower Yellow River and researches related to the evaluation of dike breach risks,it is put forward that the influencing factors of dike beach risks in the lower Yellow River should involve four aspects,the flow and sediment movement,the regional crustal stability,the variation of river regime and the stability of river dikes.With this,the evaluation indexes system of dike breach risks is established,and with the support of geographic information systems technology,the model of multi-hierarchical fuzzy comprehensive judgment is applied to estimate the dike beach risks of the hanging rivers in the lower Yellow River under different flood conditions.The evaluation results of dike breach risks show the following distributing regularities of dike breach risks in the lower Yellow River:(1) Dike breach risks increase with the increase of the flood.(2) Dike breach risks decrease with the changes of river patterns along the channel.(3) There are great risks of dike breach in the wandering reaches,and it is relatively higher in the south bank than in the north in wandering reaches.(4) There is a higher dike breach risk in the north bank than in the south in winding reaches.Simultaneously,the evaluation results manifest that the evaluation indexes system established from the flow and sediment movement,the regional crustal stability,the variation of river regime and the stability of river dikes can represent the actual situation of the lower Yellow River more comprehensively.The application of multihierarchical fuzzy comprehensive judgment can preferably resolve the problem of hanging river dike breach,which has numerous influencing factors and complicated functionary mechanisms.The applications of geographic information systems technology with powerful spatial analysis functions make dike beach risks quantificationally displayed in different spatial positions,and reflect the differences of dike beach risks in different spatial positions of the channel in the lower Yellow River.展开更多
We explored and studied rainstorm disaster impact grade. Firstly,we selected average precipitation,precipitation intensity,coverage and duration during rainstorm process,and economic losses,the number of deaths and to...We explored and studied rainstorm disaster impact grade. Firstly,we selected average precipitation,precipitation intensity,coverage and duration during rainstorm process,and economic losses,the number of deaths and total casualties in rainstorm disaster situation as the pre-assessment indexes of rainstorm process impact grade along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. Then,normalized and dimensionless processing of each index was conducted. By using gray correlation method,we established rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster impact grade. At last,we conducted regression analysis of relevancy degree between rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster situation grade,and established a linear relationship between the two,thereby getting a rainstorm disaster pre-assessment method. On this basis,using rainstorm hazard factors in independent sample,we carried out pre-assessment test of disaster impact grade. The results show that this pre-assessment method is quick and easy,and the effect is better.展开更多
文摘We have examined the carotenoid contents of several dark green vegetables found to be associated with a lower risk of various epithelial cancers in our epidemiological study and animal study. Samples of these vegetables were quantitatively examined by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a C-18 reversed-phase column for individual carotenoid content. Pure reference compounds (alpha-carotene, beta-carotent, lycopene, canthaxanthin, and lutein) and internal standard (beta-Apo-8'-carotenal) were employed to quantify xanthophylls and carotenes in these vegetables. The results indicated that fresh, dark-green, leafy vegetables were high in beta-carotene (0.94-9.36 mg/100 g) and oxygenated carotenoids or xanthophylls, primarily lutein (0.94-7.39 mg/100 g),whereas lycopene and alpha-carotene were not prominent and canthaxanthin was non existent in these vegetables. These analyses suggest that consumption of carotenoids such as lutein in addition to beta-carotene may be associated with a lower risk of cancers
文摘In response to the increased frequency of flood events in recent years, it has become crucial to enhance preparedness and anticipation through precise flood risk assessments. To this end, this study aims to produce updated and precise flood risk maps for the Lower Valley of Ouémé River Basin, located in the South of Benin. The methodology used consisted of a combination of geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis, including Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods to define and quantify criteria for flood risk assessment. Seven hydro-geomorphological indicators (elevation, rainfall, slope, distance from rivers, flow accumulation, soil type, and drainage density), four socio-economic vulnerability indicators (female population density, literacy rate, poverty index, and road network density), and two exposure indicators (population density and land use) were integrated to generate risk maps. The results indicate that approximately 21.5% of the Lower Valley is under high and very high flood risk, mainly in the south between Dangbo, So-Ava, and Aguégués. The study findings align with the historical flood pattern in the region, which confirms the suitability of the used method. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive approach, the incorporation of AHP for weighting factors, and the use of remote sensing data, GIS technology, and spatial analysis techniques which adds precision to the mapping process. This work advances the scientific understanding of flood risk assessment and offers practical insights and solutions for flood-prone regions. The detailed flood risk indicator maps obtained stand out from previous studies and provide valuable information for effective flood risk management and mitigation efforts in the Lower Valley of Ouémé.
文摘Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk factors for the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with diabetic foot syndrome.
文摘The study assessed the levels of some toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) with their potential ecological and human health risks in water, African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), Tilapia (Oreochromis spilurus niger) and sediment samples from the Lower Usuma dam FCT, Nigeria during two major seasons in a year (rainy and dry seasons). Toxic metal concentrations were determined using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) and Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry (for As and Hg), and the results obtained were compared with national and international standards. The ecological and human health risk indices of the toxic metals present in the samples from the Dam were evaluated and interpreted. Tilapia from the dam posed the highest but medium ecological and human health risk due to Pb concentration of up to 7.11 mg/kg;ecological risk index of 35.55 and hazard quotient of 50.78. Overall ecological and human health risks were low due to the low concentrations of other toxic metals determined. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Zn concentrations were all below WHO limits in the LUD water;Ni and Pb were above limits in the African Catfish and Tilapia samples. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences accepted at p ≤ 0.05. There was no statistical difference in the concentrations of toxic metals in water but there was significant difference between the concentrations of toxic metals in the fish and sediment samples. Correlation was found to exist between toxic metals in the water, fish and sediment analyzed from the dam. The ecological and human health risks of toxic metals in Lower Usuma dam require regular checks and monitoring hence, it was recommended by the researcher, that this and similar research work be carried out annually by NESREA and also, as research work by other students of Environmental and Analytical chemistry.
基金The State Science Research Plan (Grant no.96-920-09-01)
文摘Based on the analysis of hanging rivers' actuality in the lower Yellow River and researches related to the evaluation of dike breach risks,it is put forward that the influencing factors of dike beach risks in the lower Yellow River should involve four aspects,the flow and sediment movement,the regional crustal stability,the variation of river regime and the stability of river dikes.With this,the evaluation indexes system of dike breach risks is established,and with the support of geographic information systems technology,the model of multi-hierarchical fuzzy comprehensive judgment is applied to estimate the dike beach risks of the hanging rivers in the lower Yellow River under different flood conditions.The evaluation results of dike breach risks show the following distributing regularities of dike breach risks in the lower Yellow River:(1) Dike breach risks increase with the increase of the flood.(2) Dike breach risks decrease with the changes of river patterns along the channel.(3) There are great risks of dike breach in the wandering reaches,and it is relatively higher in the south bank than in the north in wandering reaches.(4) There is a higher dike breach risk in the north bank than in the south in winding reaches.Simultaneously,the evaluation results manifest that the evaluation indexes system established from the flow and sediment movement,the regional crustal stability,the variation of river regime and the stability of river dikes can represent the actual situation of the lower Yellow River more comprehensively.The application of multihierarchical fuzzy comprehensive judgment can preferably resolve the problem of hanging river dike breach,which has numerous influencing factors and complicated functionary mechanisms.The applications of geographic information systems technology with powerful spatial analysis functions make dike beach risks quantificationally displayed in different spatial positions,and reflect the differences of dike beach risks in different spatial positions of the channel in the lower Yellow River.
基金Supported by Forecaster Special Item of China Meteorological Administration(CMAYBY2014-011)
文摘We explored and studied rainstorm disaster impact grade. Firstly,we selected average precipitation,precipitation intensity,coverage and duration during rainstorm process,and economic losses,the number of deaths and total casualties in rainstorm disaster situation as the pre-assessment indexes of rainstorm process impact grade along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. Then,normalized and dimensionless processing of each index was conducted. By using gray correlation method,we established rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster impact grade. At last,we conducted regression analysis of relevancy degree between rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster situation grade,and established a linear relationship between the two,thereby getting a rainstorm disaster pre-assessment method. On this basis,using rainstorm hazard factors in independent sample,we carried out pre-assessment test of disaster impact grade. The results show that this pre-assessment method is quick and easy,and the effect is better.