Epidemiology of Mpox Outbreaks and Implications for Surveillance in Imo State, Nigeria

Mpox disease is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days while symptoms and signs may persist for 2 to 5 weeks. Although, the clinical features are usually less severe when compared to the deadly smallpox, the disease can be fatal with case fatality rate between 1% and 10%. In Imo State, Nigeria, there has been a changing epidemiology of the disease in the last 6 years and the frequency and geographic distribution of cases have progressively increased. This study aims to conduct a review of the disease epidemiology between 2017 and 2023 and implications for surveillance in Imo State. Surveillance data from the Surveillance Outbreak Response and Management System (SORMAS) was extracted between January 2017 and December 2023 across the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Imo State. A line list of 231 suspected cases was downloaded into an excel template and analyzed using SPSS® version 20 software. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and associations were tested using Fischer’s exact at 0.05 level of significance. Of the 231 suspected cases, 57.1% (132) were males, 42.9% (99) were females and the modal age group was between the ages of 0 - 4 (32.5%). Eight (8) LGAs (districts) accounted for 71% (n = 164) of all the suspected cases. 21.2% (49) were confirmed positive, 27 males (55.1%) and 22 females (44.9%) (p > 0.05). Modal age group was 20 - 24 (22.4%, n = 11), 18% (9) were children under 14 years, p > 0.05. Case fatality rate was 8% (n = 4). There was no significant association between mortality and age group. Five (5) LGAs accounted for about 60% (29) of all confirmed cases. These LGAs contribute only 20% to the total population in the State. Only 5.6% and 4% of suspected and confirmed cases, respectively, had knowledge of contact with an infectious source. The study described the epidemiology of Mpox outbreaks between 2017 and 2023 and the findings have significant implications on detection and outbreak response activities.

Gender-and Age-Group Specific Association of Persistent Organic Pollutants(POPs)Exposure with Diabetes Mellitus:Korean National Environmental Health Survey(KoNEHS)2015−2017

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants(POPs)has been reported as a potential risk factor for diabetes in adults.However,effect modifications by sex and age,especially among Asian populations,have seldom been investigated.In the present study,we assessed associations of major POPs exposure including organochlorine pesticides(OCPs),polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs),and polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs),with diabetes in Korean adults(n=1,295),a subset of the Korean National Environmental Health Survey(KoNEHS)Cycle 3(2015−2017).In the adult population,serum levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes(DDTs)and PCB167 showed an increased odds ratio(OR)for diabetes.When stratified by gender,associations became stronger and more consistent in women:In women,serum levels of OCPs including p,p′-DDT,p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene(p,p′-DDE),andΣOCPs and mono-ortho PCBs,such as PCB118 and PCB157,were significantly associated with diabetes.In the male participants,however,no significant positive associations were detected.When stratified by a cutoff age of 50 years,most studied POPs except PBDEs,i.e.,p,p′-DDT,p,p′-DDE,PCB118,PCB157,PCB167,PCB138,and PCB153,showed significant associations with diabetes,in the older adults.In the younger group,however,no measured POPs showed a significant positive association.Effects of endogenous sex hormones or interaction of POPs on aryl hydrocarbon receptors may partly explain the observed differences by gender and age,although further experimental confirmations should follow.Our findings show that POPs exposure at the current levels is associated with diabetes among general Korean adults,and such associations could be modified by gender and age.

Health and Safety Challenges, and Perceptions of Private Sector Waste Operators in Lagos, Nigeria

This study assessed the knowledge, and perceptions on safety measure practices and challenges of private sector participation (PSP) operators on solid waste management in Lagos State, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study and utilized interviewer administered questionnaire. The study employed purposive sampling among 256 PSP operators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment and multiple regression analysis correlation at 5% level of significance. Respondents’ age was 35.7 ± 4.2 years, and included 78.5% male. About 55.9% of the respondents spent up to 5 years in the waste management operations. Some 44.9% had at least completed secondary school education. A good knowledge of waste management was exhibited by 68.4% of the respondents. The respondents who had spent 16 years and above in waste management operations were more knowledgeable (8.0 ± 2.1) compared to those who had spent lesser time

Exposure to Emissions from Kerosene Cooking Stoves and the Pulmonary Health Status of Women in Olorunda Community, Ibadan, Nigeria

Exposure to high PM10 by women and children for hours on a daily basis in poor ventilated kitchen may lead to respiratory morbidity among this vulnerable group. In Nigeria, data on the levels of air pollutants associated with kerosene stove combustion are very scarce. Like-wise little had been documented on the pulmonary health of women exposed to kerosene stove emission. This study was carried out to measure the levels of kerosene combustion emissions within kitchen environments and also assess the pulmonary function status of the exposed women at baseline. Particulate matter (PM10) and gaseous emissions (GE) were measured in six purposively selected clusters of regular kerosene stove users (KSU) using gravimetric sampler and gas monitors, respectively and their values compared with WHO guideline limits. 167 randomly selected KSU were surveyed to elicit their socio demographic features. A spirometer was used to assess the lung function status (FEV1) of 72 KSU in six neighbourhood kitchen clusters. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and Pearson’s correlation tests. Respondents’ mean age was 38 + 12.9 years. Mean duration of exposure to GE was 18.9 + 9.8 years. Mean PM10 was 248.1 + 14.1 μg/m3 and ten folds higher than WHO guideline limit of 25 μg/m3. Mean GE in ppm were: CO (0.00), CO2 (200.1 + 12.4), SO2 (0.01 + 0.00) and NO2 (0.00). Mean FEV1 among KSU was 2.0 + 0.5 litres which was significantly lower than the mean predicted value of 2.7 ± 0.5 litres. There was a negative correlation between PM10 and FEV1 (r = -0.7539, p > 0.05). Safer cooking methods and practices to obviate health hazards are advocated.

Recent trends in bone metastasis treatments:A historical comparison using the new Katagiri score system

BACKGROUND Bone metastasis has various negative impacts.Activities of daily living(ADL)and quality of life(QOL)can be significantly decreased,survival may be impacted,and medical expenses may increase.It is estimated that at least 5%cancer patients might be suffering from bone metastases.In 2016,we published the Comprehensive Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bone Metastasis.Since then,the therapeutic outcomes for patients have gradually improved.As life expectancy is a major determinant of surgical intervention,the strategy should be modified if the prolongation of survival is to be achieved.AIM To monitor how bone metastasis treatment has changed before and after launch of our guidelines for bone metastasis.METHODS For advanced cancer patients with bone metastasis who visited the Department of Clinical Oncology at Akita University hospital between 2012 and 2023,parameters including the site and number of bone metastases,laboratory data,and survival time,were extracted from electronic medical records and the Katagiri score was calculated.The association with survival was determined for each factor.RESULTS Data from 136 patients were obtained.The 1-year survival rate for the poor prognosis group with a higher Katagiri score was 20.0%in this study,which was 6%and an apparent improvement from 2014 when the scoring system was developed.Other factors significantly affecting survival included five or more bone metastases than less(P=0.0080),and treatment with chemotherapy(P<0.001),bone modifying agents(P=0.0175)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(P=0.0128).In recent years,advances in various treatment methods have extended the survival period for patients with advanced cancer.It is necessary not only to simply extend survival time,but also to maintain ADL and improve QOL.CONCLUSION Various therapeutic interventions including surgical approach for bone metastasis,which is a disorder of locomotor organs,are increasingly required.Guidelines and scoring system for prognosis need to be revised promptly.

Comprehensive evaluation framework for intervention on health effects of ambient temperature

Despite the existence of many interventions to mitigate or adapt to the health effects of climate change,their effectiveness remains unclear.Here,we introduce the Comprehensive Evaluation Framework for Intervention on Health Effects of Ambient Temperature to evaluate study designs and effects of intervention studies.The framework comprises three types of interventions:proactive,indirect,and direct,and four categories of indicators:classification,methods,scope,and effects.We trialed the framework by an evaluation of existing intervention studies.The evaluation revealed that each intervention has its own applicable characteristics in terms of effectiveness,feasibility,and generalizability scores.We expanded the framework's potential by offering a list of intervention recommendations in different scenarios.Future applications are then explored to establish models of the relationship between study designs and intervention effects,facilitating effective interventions to address the health effects of ambient temperature under climate change.

A census tract-level assessment of social determinants of health,traffic exposure,and asthma exacerbations in New York State's Medicaid Population(2005–2015)

This study aims to evaluate the association between social determinants,environmental exposure metrics,and the risk of asthma emergency department(ED)visits in the New York State(NYS)Medicaid population using smallarea analysis.Traffic densities for each census tract in NYS were calculated using the length of road segments within each tract and total area of the tract to produce a measure of average number of vehicles per square meter per day.Data on social determinants of health including internal and external environments and other demographic factors were obtained from various sources.Poisson regression analyses were conducted to identify significant factors associated with asthma ED visits in Medicaid claim and encounter data for years 2005–2015.High traffic density in NYS excluding New York City(NYC)correlated with increased risk of asthma ED visits(RR 1.69;95%CI:1.42,2.00),mitigated by adjusting for environmental and social determinants(RR 1.00;95%CI:0.85,1.19).Similar trends were observed in NYC only(RR 1.19;95%CI:1.00,1.41),with the adjusted risk remaining elevated(RR 1.14;95%CI:0.98,1.33)albeit not statistically significant.Living in census tracts with high concentrated disadvantage index,high proportions of minorities,and less green space predicted higher asthma ED visits.We mapped predicted rates and model residuals to identify areas of high risk.Our results support previous findings that environmental and social risk factors in poor and urban areas contribute to asthma exacerbations in the NYS Medicaid population,even if they may not necessarily contribute to its development.

Circulating microRNA expression and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents with severe obesity

BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is one of the most common chronic liver diseases in children and adolescents.NAFLD ranges in severity from isolated hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),wherein hepatocellular inflammation and/or fibrosis coexist with steatosis.Circulating microRNA(miRNA)levels have been suggested to be altered in NAFLD,but the extent to which miRNA are related to NAFLD features remains unknown.This analysis tested the hypothesis that plasma miRNAs are significantly associated with histological features of NAFLD in adolescents.AIM To investigate the relationship between plasma miRNA expression and NAFLD features among adolescents with NAFLD.METHODS This study included 81 adolescents diagnosed with NAFLD and 54 adolescents without NAFLD from the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study.Intra-operative core liver biopsies were collected from participants and used to characterize histological features of NAFLD.Plasma samples were collected during surgery for miRNA profiling.A total of 843 plasma miRNAs were profiled using the HTG EdgeSeq platform.We examined associations of plasma miRNAs and NAFLD features using logistic regression after adjusting for age,sex,race,and other key covariates.Ingenuity Pathways Analysis was used to identify biological functions of miRNAs that were associated with multiple histological features of NAFLD.RESULTS We identified 16 upregulated plasma miRNAs,including miR-193a-5p and miR-193b-5p,and 22 downregulated plasma miRNAs,including miR-1282 and miR-6734-5p,in adolescents with NAFLD.Moreover,52,16,15,and 9 plasma miRNAs were associated with NASH,fibrosis,ballooning degeneration,and lobular inflammation,respectively.Collectively,16 miRNAs were associated with two or more histological features of NAFLD.Among those miRNAs,miR-411-5p was downregulated in NASH,ballooning,and fibrosis,while miR-122-5p,miR-1343-5p,miR-193a-5p,miR-193b-5p,and miR-7845-5p were consistently and positively associated with all histological features of NAFLD.Pathway analysis revealed that most common pathways of miRNAs associated with multiple NAFLD features have been associated with tumor progression,while we also identified linkages between miR-122-5p and hepatitis C virus and between miR-199b-5p and chronic hepatitis B.CONCLUSION Plasma miRNAs were associated with NAFLD features in adolescent with severe obesity.Larger studies with more heterogeneous NAFLD phenotypes are needed to evaluate miRNAs as potential biomarkers of NAFLD.

Novel interactions of mitochondria and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species in alcohol mediated liver disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is known to be a contributing factor to a number of diseases including chronic alcohol induced liver injury. While there is a detailed understanding of the metabolic pathways and proteins of the liver mitochondrion, little is known regarding how changes in the mitochondrial proteome may contribute to the development of hepatic pathologies. Emerging evidence indicates that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species disrupt mitochondrial function through post-translational modifications to the mitochondrial proteome. Indeed, various new affinity labeling reagents are available to test the hypothesis that post-translational modification of proteins by reactive species contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction and alcoholic fatty liver disease. Specialized proteomic techniques are also now available, which allow for identification of defects in the assembly of multi-protein complexes in mitochondria and the resolution of the highly hydrophobic proteins of the inner membrane. In this review knowledge gained from the study of changes to the mitochondrial proteome in alcoholic hepatotoxicity will be described and placed into a mechanistic framework to increase understanding of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in liver disease.

Does the root to shoot ratio show a hormetic response to stress? An ecological and environmental perspective

Root/shoot(R/S)ratio is an important index for assessing plant health,and has received increased attention in the last decades as a sensitive indicator of plant stress induced by chemical or physical agents.The R/S ratio has been discussed in the context of ecological theory and its potential importance in ecological succession,where species follow different strategies for above-ground growth for light or below-ground competition for water and nutrients.We present evidence showing the R/S ratio follows a biphasic dose–response relationship under stress,typical of hormesis.The R/S ratio in response to stress has been widely compared among species and ecological succession classes.It is constrained by a variety of factors such as ontogeny.Furthermore,the current literature lacks dose-response studies incorporating the full dose–response continuum,hence limiting scientific understanding and possible valuable application.The data presented provide an important perspective for new-generation studies that can advance current ecological understanding and improve carbon storage estimates by R/S ratio considerations.Hormetic response of the R/S ratio can have an important role in forestry for producing seedlings with desired characteristics to achieve maximum health/productivity and resilience under plantation conditions.

Chemopreventive effect of oltipraz on AFB_1-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in tree shrew model

INTRODUCTIONHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of themajor cancers in the world with a mortality of morethan 250 000 cases yearly.More than 137 000 casesof HCC were diagnosed each year in China,whichacount approximately for more than 40 percent ofthe total number in the world.HCC has become thesecond major cause of death for cancer in

Heme:a versatile signaling molecule controlling the activities of diverse regulators ranging from transcription factors to MAP kinases

Heme （iron protoporphyrin IX） is an essential molecule for numerous living organisms. Not only does it serve as a prosthetic group in enzymes, it also acts as a signaling molecule that controls diverse molecular and cellular processes ranging from signal transduction to protein complex assembly. Deficient heme synthesis or function impacts the hematopoietic, hepatic and nervous systems in humans. Recent studies have revealed a series ofheme-regulated transcription factors and signal transducers including Hap 1, a heme-activated transcription factor that mediates the effects of oxygen on gene transcription in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Bachl, a transcriptional repressor that is negatively regulated by heme in mammalian cells; IRR, an iron regulatory protein that mediates the iron-dependant regulation of heme synthesis in the bacterium Bradyrhizobiumjaponicum; and heme-regulated inhibitor, an eucaryotic initiation factor 2α kinase that coordinates protein synthesis with heme availability in reticulocytes. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about how heme controls the activity of these transcriptional regulators and signal transducers, and discuss diseases associated with defective heme synthesis, degradation and function.

Association between polymorphisms of APE1 and OGG1 and risk of colorectal cancer in Taiwan

AIM: To evaluate the effects of OGG1(Ser326Cys, 11657A/G, and Arg154His) and APE1(Asp148Glu, and T-656G) polymorphisms on colorectal cancer(CRC) risk.METHODS: We enrolled 727 cases newly diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma and 736 age- and sex-matched healthy controls from a medical center in Taiwan. Genomic DNA isolated from the buffy coat was used for genotyping through polymerase chain reaction. Unconditional logistic regressions were used for calculating ORs and 95%CIs to determine the association between the genetic polymorphisms and CRC risk. Haplotype frequencies were estimated using PHASE software. Moreover, stratification analyses onthe basis of sex, age at diagnosis, and tumor subsite and stage were performed.RESULTS: The CRC risk was higher in patients with the OGG1 326Ser/Cys + Cys/Cys genotype(OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.03-1.85, P = 0.030), particularly high in patients with stage Ⅲ + Ⅳ cancer(OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.03-2.13) compared with patients with the Ser/Ser genotype. In addition, OGG1 11657 G allele carriers had a 41% reduced CRC risk among stage 0-Ⅱ patients(OR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.35-0.98). The CRC risk was significantly higher among females with the APE1 Glu allele(OR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.02-1.96). The APE1 148Glu/-656 G haplotype was also associated with a significant CRC risk in females(OR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.03-1.78).CONCLUSION: OGG1 and APE1 polymorphisms are associated with stage- and sex-specific risk of CRC in the Taiwan Residents population.

Lifestyle factors and long-term survival of gastric cancer patients:A large bidirectional cohort study from China

BACKGROUND Lifestyle factors such as body mass index(BMI),alcohol drinking,and cigarette smoking,are likely to impact the prognosis of gastric cancer,but the evidence has been inconsistent.AIM To investigate the association of lifestyle factors and long-term prognosis of gastric cancer patients in the China National Cancer Center.METHODS Patients with gastric cancer were identified from the China National Cancer Center Gastric Cancer Database 1998-2018.Survival analysis was performed via Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models.RESULTS In this study,we reviewed 18441 cases of gastric cancer.Individuals who were overweight or obese were associated with a positive smoking and drinking history(P=0.002 and P<0.001,respectively).Current smokers were more likely to be current alcohol drinkers(61.3%vs 10.1%vs 43.2%for current,never,and former smokers,respectively,P<0.001).Multivariable results indicated that BMI at diagnosis had no significant effect on prognosis.In gastrectomy patients,factors independently associated with poor survival included older age(HR=1.20,95%CI:1.05-1.38,P=0.001),any weight loss(P<0.001),smoking history of more than 30 years(HR=1.14,95%CI:1.04-1.24,P=0.004),and increasing pTNM stage(P<0.001).CONCLUSION In conclusion,our results contribute to a better understanding of lifestyle factors on the overall burden of gastric cancer and long-term prognosis.In these patients,weight loss(both in the 0 to 10%and>10%groups)but not BMI at diagnosis was related to survival outcomes.With regard to other factors,smoking history of more than 30 years conferred a worse prognosis only in patients who underwent gastrectomy.Extensive efforts are needed to elucidate mechanisms targeting the complex effects of lifestyle factors.

Bioengineering models of female reproduction

The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries,the female gonads,and the reproductive tract organs of the fallopian tubes,uterus,cervix,and vagina.It functions to provide hormonal support and anatomical structure for the production of new offspring.A number of endogenous and exogenous factors can impact female reproductive health and fertility,including genetic vulnerability,medications,environmental exposures,age,nutrition,and diseases.To date,due to the ethical concerns of using human subjects in biomedical research,the majority of studies use in vivo animal models and 2D cell/tissue culture models to study female reproduction.However,the complexity and species difference of the female reproductive system in humans make it difficult to compare to those of animals.Moreover,the monolayered cells cultured on flat plastics or glass lose their 3D architecture as well as the physical and/or biochemical contacts with other cells in vivo.Further,all reproductive organs do not work alone but interconnect with each other and also with non-reproductive organs to support female reproductive,endocrine,and systemic health.These facts suggest that there is an urgent and unmet need to develop representative,effective,and efficient in vitro models for studying human female reproduction.The prodigious advancements of bioengineering(e.g.,biomaterials,3D printing,and organ-on-a-chip)allow us to study female reproduction in an entirely new way.Here,we review recent advances that use bioengineering methods to study female reproduction,including the bioengineering models of the ovary,fallopian tube,uterus,embryo implantation,placenta,and reproductive disease.

Metal Exposure and Risk of Diabetes and Prediabetes among Chinese Occupational Workers

Objective To study the association between metal exposure and risk of diabetes and prediabetes among Chinese workers exposed to metals.Methods We used data obtained from the baseline survey of the Jinchang Cohort Study of workers in Jinchang Industry,the largest nickel production company in China.A total of 42,122 workers ≥20 years of age were included in the study.A standardized,structured questionnaire was used to collect epidemiological information.Physical examinations and laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the health status of the participants and to measure various biomarkers including blood sugar,lipids,and urinary metal concentrations.Logistic regression was used to study the association between occupational groups categorized according to the measured metal levels(office workers,low-level;mining/production workers,mid-level;and smelting/refining workers,high-level)and risk of diabetes and prediabetes.Results The overall prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 7.5% and 16.8%,respectively.The adjusted odds ratios for diabetes among mining/production workers and smelting/refining workers compared to office workers were 1.5(95% CI:1.3,1.7)and 3.8(95% CI:3.4,4.3),respectively.No association was observed between these occupational groups and prediabetes in this study.Conclusion Occupations associated with higher levels of metal exposure were associated with an increased risk of diabetes in this cohort.More studies are needed to confirm this observed association.

Interaction models of CYP1A1, GSTMl polymorphisms and tobacco smoking in intestinal gastric cancer

AIM： To explore the interaction models of the cytochrome P-450 （CYP） 1A1 Valvariant and glutathione S-transferase （GST） M1 null polymorphisms with tobacco smoking in the occurrence of intestinal gastric cancer. METHODS： A community-based case-control study was conducted in Yangzhong. Subjects included 114 intestinal types of gastric cancer with endoscopic and pathological diagnosis during January 1997 and December 1998, and 693 controls selected from their spouse, siblings or siblingsin-law who had no history of digestive system cancer. Logistic regression was used to estimate the interaction models. RESULTS： The frequency of the CYPIA1 Valvariant allele in cases did not differ from that in controls. The OR of GSTM1 null genotype was 2.0 （95% confidence interval [95%CI]： 1.2-3.1, P〈0.01）. It showed a significant type 2 form of interaction model when both CYPIA1 Valvariant allele and former tobacco smoking existed （i.e., among the multiplicative effects, the disease risk is increased by the tobacco exposure alone but not by the CYPIA1 variant alone）. The interaction index y was 2.8, and OReg （95%CI） was 5.0 （1.9-13.4）. GSTM1 null genctype and former tobacco smoking were significant in a type 4 interaction model （i.e., the disease risk is increased by GSTM1 null genotype or tobacco exposure alone among the multiplicative effects）. The interaction index y and OReg （95%CI） were 3.4 and 8.4 （3.4-20.9）, respectively.CONCLUSION： Different interaction models of CYPIA1 Valvariant allele and GSTM1 null genotype with tobacco smoking will contribute to understanding carcinogenic mechanism, but there is a need to further investigate in larger scale studies.

Exposure of children to heavy metals from artisanal gold mining in Nigeria:evidences from bio-monitoring of hairs and nails

In recent times,there had been reported cases of Pb poisoning in Anka gold mining area,Northwest Nigeria.Therefore,this study was carried out to determine the extent of bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the hairs and nails of children in the area.Forty samples(twenty nails and twenty hairs)samples were collected from ten boys and ten girls of ages 5–9 residing in the area.To ascertain the sources of heavy metals in children,15 soils samples,15 groundwater samples,5 samples of mine tailings,and 5 plants samples were collected.Hair and nails of the subjects were collected using internationally acceptable techniques.All samples were kept in uncontaminated ziplock bags prior to laboratory preparation and analysis.The samples were cleaned using nonionic detergent(triton X-100)and deionized water.The hairs and nails were digested with 10 mL of 6:1 mixture of nitric acid and perchloric acid.The soils,mine tailings,and plants were air-dried at room temperature,sieved,and chemically digested using the aqua regia method.The concentrations of metals in all the samples were determined using highperformance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry.Statistical analysis was employed to unravel potential sources of metals in the media.Results showed that heavy metals in children of the area are above results from similar studies and pathological ranges for heavy metals in hairs and nails.Also,heavy metals in environmental media are above the recommended standards.Multivariate analysis showed that the metals are mainly from mining and other anthropogenic sources.Results of correlation between heavy metals in hairs and nails with those in geological samples revealed that heavy metal that bioaccumulates in the children of this area are mostly from contaminated environmental media.It is recommended that complete remediation and effective health education be carried out in the area.

Statistical and Geospatial Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Megacity of Karachi

Inserting Groundwater quality variability and sources potentially contributing to aquifer recharge was evaluated in metropolitan Karachi. Selected sampling sites were characterized by large waste dumping sites, industrial zones, and the presence of open streams receiving heavy loads of industrial and domestic wastes. Levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), bromide (Br-), nitrate-N (NO-3-N), sulfate (SO2-4), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and ammonium (NH+4) were determined and compared with the WHO permissible limits. Concentrations of the measured ions were in the order of Cl- > Na+ > SO2-4 > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > NO-3-N > K+ > F- > Br-. EC values were above the WHO guidelines, representing the presence of high ionic concentration in the groundwater. The health risk index (HRI) for indicated that inhabitants of Karachi are at risk of high exposure. Ingestion of high concentrations of NO-3-N in water can cause methemoglobinemia and birth defects. Results of multivariate statistical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and geographic information system (GIS) map analysis revealed that human activities are leading to adverse effects on the existing groundwater quality in Karachi.

Impact of Sand Mining and Sea Reclamation on the Environment and Socioeconomic Activities of Ikate and Ilubirin Coastal Low Income Communities in Lagos Metropolis, Southwestern Nigeria

Land reclamation is gradually posing negative impact on man due to unplanned urbanization. A study was carried out on impact of land reclamation through sand mining of coastal communities in Ikate and Ilubirin in Lagos, Nigeria. Ten waters (8 surface and 2 groundwater sources), 10 soil samples and air were collected and taken for analysis. Results of water revealed concentrations lower than WHO (2017) and SON (2007) standards. Soil/sediment with average crustal value revealed Pb and Cd above standard values, which is attributed to anthropogenic influence on soils. Quality of air in the study was mainly particulate matter arising from the sea and reclaimed land in the surroundings of the environment with the highest Total Suspended Particulate of 0.8 mg/m3 in sulfur dioxide. This explains corrosion found on the roofs of the communities. Therefore, in the development planning adequate precautions should be put in place to avert environmental degradation.