Heavy metals contamination of seafood from the crude oil-impacted Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims at computing the pooled mean estimate (PME) and health risks of heavy metals in seafood obtained from the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (NDRN), using data from existing literatures. Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched to retrieve articles that investigated the heavy metal contents of edible seafood from the NDRN. Search hits were screened against predetermined criteria following which relevant data were extracted from eligible articles. The PME for each metal was computed by performing a maximum likelihood random effect model meta-analysis using the R Studio Software. Outcome from the meta-analysis involving 58 studies and a total of 2983 seafood samples revealed the following PMEs (mg/kg dry wt seafood) for the investigated heavy metals: As (0.777), Cd (0.985), Co (4.039), Cr (2.26), Cu (11.45), Fe (143.39), Hg (0.0058), Mn (13.56), Ni (5.26), Pb (4.35), and Zn (29.32). The health risk assessment suggests that seafood from this region poses considerable carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to human consumers. Our finding calls for urgent actions aimed at identifying and eliminating point sources of heavy metals pollution of the NDRN marine environment. Inhabitants of NDRN are encouraged to reduce seafood consumption while diversifying their protein sources to include non-seafood options.

[Characterization of the problem of the therapeutic use of Cannabis Oil in Córdoba, Argentina]. / Caracterización de la problemática del uso terapéutico del Aceite de Cannabis en Córdoba, Argentina.

Introduction: The therapeutic use of the "cannabis" oil is a social problem that puts legal, health, scientific and cultural aspects under stress. Difficulty in access generates an emptiness exploited by the illegal market, to which patients and relatives resort to improve their health and quality of life. These oils, with unknown chemical composition, are used without therapeutic follow-up. An interdisciplinary team from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC) started the study of this problem with the aim of characterizing the socio-therapeutic use of "cannabis" oil in Córdoba and establishing a relationship with the real content of cannabinoids. Methodology: Observational-descriptive and cross-sectional study approved by the Comité Institucional de Ética de las Investigaciones en Salud, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas from UNC (CIEIS-HNC-UNC): interviews with patients/caregivers of legal age who used the "cannabis" oil (year 2019). Experimental study: analysis of oil samples obtained from interviewees to determine their cannabinoid content, specifically delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), by High Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis (HPLC). Results: thirty-seven interviews were conducted, and 48 samples were analysed. The 73% were adults and older adults. The 92% started using the oil without prescription or medical suggestion, mainly due to the lack of effectiveness of other therapies (54%) and in the search for therapeutic alternatives (33%). The 84% perceived it to be effective (moderate to highly effective), and 78% reported no adverse events. Main uses: refractory epilepsy 27% and arthritis/arthrosis 24%. Fifteen percent of the samples showed no quantifiable content of CBD and THC, and 67% had only THC. The quantifiable content of cannabinoids was very low. Conclusions: This work allowed carrying out a preliminary information-gathering on several aspects (social and therapeutic) about the use of "cannabis" oil in Córdoba, and to analyze the chemical quality of the oils consumed. An important finding was the discrepancy between the effectiveness perceived by users and the low cannabinoid content detected.

Introducción: El uso terapéutico del aceite de "cannabis" es una problemática social que pone en tensión aspectos legales, sanitarios, científicos y culturales. La dificultad en el acceso genera un vacío aprovechado por el mercado ilegal, al que recurren pacientes y familiares para mejorar su salud y calidad de vida. Estos aceites, de composición química desconocida, se emplean sin un seguimiento terapéutico. Un equipo interdisciplinario de la UNC se involucró en esta problemática con el objetivo de aportar elementos para su caracterización en nuestro medio. Metodología: Estudio observacional-descriptivo y transversal (aprobado por el CIEIS-HNC-UNC): entrevistas a pacientes/cuidadores mayores de edad que usaban el aceite (2019). Estudio experimental: análisis de muestras de aceites de los entrevistados para determinar su contenido de cannabinoides (THC y CBD), mediante HPLC. Resultados: Se realizaron 37 entrevistas y analizaron 48 muestras. El 73% fueron adultos y adultos-mayores. El 79% empiezan a usar el aceite por recomendación de parientes/amigos o por iniciativa propia, principalmente por falta de efectividad de otras terapias (54%) y por búsqueda de alternativas (33%). El 84% lo percibe efectivo (moderado-muy efectivo) y el 78% no manifestó eventos adversos. Usos principales: epilepsia refractaria 27% y artritis/artrosis 24%. El 15% de las muestras no presentaron contenidos cuantificables de CBD y THC, y el 67% presentó THC sin CBD. El contenido de cannabinoides cuantificables fue muy bajo. Conclusiones: Se obtuvo una aproximación sobre el uso terapéutico del aceite de "cannabis" en Córdoba y su calidad. Se observó discrepancia entre la efectividad percibida y el bajo contenido de cannabinoides detectados.

Evaluation of Serum Interleukin 6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha, and Interferon-Gamma Levels in Relation to Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure in HIV Seropositive Pregnant Women Coinfected with Malaria.

Malaria and HIV are leading causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Both diseases are highly endemic and have a wide geographic overlap with severe impact on pregnancy. This was a case-control study designed to evaluate the levels of interleukin -6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and their relationship with some anthropometric indices such as body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure in HIV-malaria coinfected women attending antenatal clinic at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria. 122 pregnant women and 30 nonpregnant women (control) aged between 18 and 42 years were recruited for the study. Screening of HIV antibodies was done using a national algorithm. Peripheral malaria was determined using rapid detection and the Giemsa stain technique. Cytokines were assayed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. HIV-malaria coinfected pregnant women showed significantly higher levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and blood pressure with reduced BMI value compared with HIV seronegative pregnant and nonpregnant control participants (p ≤ 0.001, respectively). The findings indicated significant cytokine imbalance which suggests an active inflammatory process and reduced cellular immunity. The increased BMI and blood pressure level observed indicate overweight and possible hypertension which could subsequently lead to preeclampsia and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

New hydrogel obtained from a novel dendritic monomer as a promising candidate for biomedical applications.

Acid functional hydrogels are a type of materials with many advantages. Over the last years, increasing attention for the synthesis of dendronized polymers has been drawn due to their unique properties of high multivalence in the same surface as compared with conventional polymers. In this study, we report the preparation of novel acid dendronized hydrogels using a dendritic monomer obtained from Behera's amine. The swelling and rheological performance, the non-toxicity over fibroblast cells and the drug encapsulation capacity of the novel hydrogels suggests that the new materials can achieve great potential as carrier for drug delivery and other potential biomedical applications.