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Background: The prevalence of recreational cannabis use among adolescents is a growing public health concern due to its link to short- and long-term adverse effects on adolescents' wellbeing, physical health, mental health, and interpersonal behaviors. Method: Five databases were searched from inception to March 17, 2023, for exposure (nicotine product, alcohol) and outcome (recreational cannabis) in adolescents (persons aged 10–19 years). The studies were screened independently by two reviewers, and the quality of the studies was assessed with Newcastle Ottawa and AXIS tool. PRISMA guidelines were employed in this review. Result: Twenty-one (21) studies involving 2,778,406 adolescents were included in the appraisal and heterogeneity was found among these studies. Ascertainment bias was commonly detected in thirteen (13) of the included studies. Among the substances examined as potential exposures, nicotine-product use emerged as a significant factor associated with future cannabis use among adolescents, particularly in mid-adolescence and in places where recreational cannabis use has been legalized. Conclusion: Current evidence suggests an association between nicotine-product use and subsequent recreational cannabis use among adolescents. However, further research is needed to establish causality between exposure to nicotine substances and the use of recreational cannabis within this age demographic. Additionally, there is a need for the development of prevention programs and targeted policies that continuously inform and update this vulnerable sub-population about the risks associated with cannabis use for leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct discharge of abattoir effluents into water bodies contributes to problem of water pollution. This study assessed the impact of Kara Abattoir effluents on Ogun River in Nigeria using standard methods to measure the physiological characteristics and heavy metal levels. The results made it evident that most of the chemical parameters in this study exceeded the accepted standards; phosphate was seen to range between 0.34-109mg/l with a mean value of 27.62mg/l. All the twelve heavy metals observed in the water samples were within acceptable limits. The most alarming result observed is the presence of a "too many to count" range of microbial load and faecal coliform which can be attributable to a major cause of diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and other threat to human health. Ogun River serves as habitat to some organisms; and is also used for domestic activities by nearby communities; hence, urgent policy implementation is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the heavy metals concentration and proximate composition of five different fruits collected in triplicates from five different markets in five local government areas of Lagos state in Nigeria and extracted using Double Acid Extraction Method. Heavy metals concentration was performed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and proximate composition was determined by Association of Official Analytical Chemistry (AOAC) method. Results showed that the highest level of lead was found in carrot (0.18 ± 0.7) while pineapple (0.10 ± 0.0) had the lowest level of lead. The fruits in this study may have been polluted with lead through pollutants in irrigation water, farm soil or due to pollution from the highway traffic. Chromium, Cadmium and Copper was observed to be low in all the fruits analyzed, which is still within the safe limit set by FAO/WHO. Zinc had the highest concentration (3.99 ± 0.8) in water melon; proximate analysis indicated significant variability in the constituents contained in the fruits studied (moisture content, carbohydrate and crude fat in descending order). The highest moisture content was found in watermelon (91.3%) and the highest crude protein in carrot (1.138%). The concentrations of the toxic heavy metals are within the tolerable limits of some regulatory authorities. However, there is need for continuous monitoring of heavy metals and proximate analysis in fruits because, fruits are the main sources of food supplements for humans in many parts of the world and are considered as bio-indicators of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation of the plant diversity of Idanre Hill was carried out using quadrant sampling technique and an extensive assessment of plant species found along different gradients namely, mountain top, midpoint and foothill. Quadrat size of 10m² was randomly placed in 10 points on each elevation, followed by qualitative and quantitative vegetation description. Life form classifications were carried out and the conservation status of the species was evaluated using the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list v. 2016-2. A total of 50 taxa belonging to 49 genera and 36 families were encountered during the study. The dominant genus was Citrus represented with 2 species while the dominant family was Asteraceae represented with 5 species and according to the life form was a herb as it covers 34% of the entire taxa encountered. On the mountain top, a total of 25 species belonging to 25 genera and 18 families were recorded while a total of 28 species belonging to 28 genera and 23 families on the midpoint, and total of 45 species belonging to 43 genera and 33 families were recorded at the foothill. The study revealed that the foot-hill had the highest number of species (45), genera (43) and family. Diversity index revealed the highest diversity of species in the foothill with Margalef Shannon wiener and Simpson's index values of 9.025, 3.426 and 0.9538 respectively while the mountain top vegetation had the highest dominance and evenness value of 0.0537 and 0.8427 respectively. This study explored the effects of elevation and elevation topography on plant species diversity and also studied the contribution of each of the different mechanisms that determine the structure of vegetation and plant diversity on hills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at assessing and providing management options for tree species growing on Akoka Campus of University of Lagos, Southern-Western Nigeria by collecting data from four (4) randomly selected 50m x 50m plots in the study area. The assessment was carried out through extensive field survey with the inventory of all tree species, including their mean diameters at breast height (DBH), heights (H). A total of 67 woody tree species within 27 families were represented in the study area. The family Fabaceae had the highest frequency (14 species) representing 20.59% of total species enumerated in all the plots followed by Moraceae which consists of 7 species (10.29%). The result revealed high values for tree species diversity and also provided necessary information such as tree height and diameter at breast height, which will be used in proper management and maintenance of the tree species numbered; hence, proper management and sustainability of the tree species can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indoor air quality of four Local Government Areas of Lagos State, Nigeria (Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, and Apapa) were monitored in this study. Six sample locations in each of the selected Local Government Areas were assessed for Particulate Matter (PM25 and PM10), Temperature, Relative Humidity, Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S), Noise level, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Nitrogen Dioxide (N02), Sulphur Dioxide (S02), and Ammonia (NH3); by using handheld testers which were verified before use for quality assurance. Results across the four Local Government Areas show that the levels of PM2,s (4-37g/m3), PM10 (7-77 ßg/m3), relative humidity (63-99%), noise level (41.8-81.8dBA), CO (001-138ppm), VOCs (-2 to 12ppm), S02 (0.0-0.6ppm) exceeded the regulatory limits of various organizations including WHO, NAAOS, OSHA. Furthermore, results obtained show that two sample points in Ikeja Local Government Area had CO value that is significantly higher than the regulatory limits (P<0.001,0.01,0.05) with values of 138 and 122ppm as against the permissible standard of llppm on an 8-hour exposure. Eti-Osa also had a very significant concentration of P M 2.5 (,37ng/m3) and S02 (0.6ppm) in two of its sampling points respectively which exceeded the acceptable NAAOS limits of 15 Hg/m3 and 0.38ppm respectively. It is evident from the results obtained in the study that there are dangers posed by poor indoor air we are exposed to on daily basis and as such, public awareness is pertinent; because we spend more time indoor than outdoor. The evidence therefore suggests that; with the introduction of the monitoring of indoor ambient air parameters, would be an accompanied reduction in air pollution related health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review was to scope the current evidence base related to three exposure assessment concepts: frequency, intensity, and duration (latency) for cleaning and disinfection exposures in healthcare and subsequent work-related asthma risks. A search strategy was developed addressing intersections of four main concepts: (1) work-related asthma; (2) occupation (healthcare workers/nurses); (3) cleaning and disinfection; and (4) exposure. Three databases were searched: Embase, PubMed, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database. Data were extracted related to three main components of risk assessment: (1) exposure frequency, (2) exposure intensity, and (3) exposure duration. Latency data were analyzed using an exponential distribution fit, and extracted concentration data were compared to occupational exposure limits. The final number of included sources from which data were extracted was 133. Latency periods for occupational asthma were exponentially distributed, with a mean waiting time (1/λ) of 4.55 years. No extracted concentration data were above OELs except for some formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde concentrations. Data from included sources also indicated some evidence for a dose-response relationship regarding increased frequency yielding increased risk, but this relationship is unclear due to potential confounders (differences in role/task and associated exposure) and the healthy worker effect. Data priority needs to include linking concentration data to health outcomes, as most current literature does not include both types of measurements in a single study, leading to uncertainty in dose-response relationships.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an ongoing public health concern that is rapidly evolving and has impacted individuals and communities differently. We analyzed deidentified survey datasets to evaluate the perceptions, experiences, and impacts of COVID-19 among Arizona residents. The survey included 1,472 eligible Spanish-speaking participants in Southern (Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Yuma County) and Central Arizona (Maricopa County). Eighteen questions which included participants' health and socio-economic status, source of information on COVID-19, preventive measures, the impact of COVID-19 on household income, and vaccination status were administered to the survey respondents. The analyzed data showed an unequal proportion of the reported source of COVID-19 information between Southern and Central Arizona participants. More male respondents ( n = 833, 57%) participated in the study than did the female respondents ( n = 638, 43%). Of the 1,472 total participants in both regions, 1,011 (68.7%) participants represented Southern Arizona while 461 (31.3%) participants represented Central Arizona. Of the 461 participants in Central Arizona, the majority reported television (56%) and social media (20%) as their primary source of information. Whereas, of the 1,011 participants in Southern Arizona, the majority reported social media (37%) and television (32%) as their major source of information on COVID-19. Overall, 82% of the participants were vaccinated, with a statistically significant difference between the proportion of vaccinated individuals in the Southern and Central Arizona (chi-square p -value of 0.00139). More individuals in Southern Arizona participated in the survey than in Central Arizona across both genders, with 58% of women reporting loss of jobs due to COVID-19. This study demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly had a more socio-economic impact on women than men, particularly Hispanic women in this subset., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fingesi, Chung Yon, Soto and Rosales.)