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Background: Lead, a prime environmental toxicant and multi-organ poison, exerts its toxicity through interaction with essential metals and the generation of free radicals. Aim and Objectives: To explore and elucidate possible interaction dynamics between lead and the antioxidant-defence status in apparently healthy children with Elevated Blood Lead Level (EBLL) in Ibadan, South-West, Nigeria. Material and Methods: Three-hundred-and-nine apparently healthy, public primary school children were grouped into 169 children with EBLL (BLL > 5µg/dL) and 140 control (BLL= 5µg/dL). Blood lead (Pb), plasma enzymatic antioxidants [Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) activities], antioxidant metals [Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se)], and oxidative stress parameters [Total Antioxidant Potential (TAP), Total Plasma Peroxide (TPP) and Oxidative Stress Index (OSI)] were determined. Results: Levels of Pb, Zn, Se, TPP and OSI increased while SOD, GPx and TAP decreased in children with EBLL compared with control (p<0.05). No difference was observed in Cu levels between the two groups (p > 0.05). Lead associated positively with Se, TPP and OSI (p<0.05), negatively with TAP, SOD and GPx (p<0.05) but showed no association with Zn and Cu (p>0.05). Conclusion: There was impaired antioxidant-defence status in children with EBLLs which may predispose them to chronic diseases if unresolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to measure the level of awareness, specific knowledge, perception and screening behavior of prostate cancer among males in a rural community of the Ikenne local government area of south-western Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional design utilizing a pre-tested 36-item questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.62) to collect information about knowledge regarding prostate cancer, perceived susceptibility and seriousness, perceived benefits of screening and screening behavior among men in a rural community in south-western Nigeria. Three hundred and ninety eight participants were enrolled for the study by systematic random selection of men in the community of the Ikenne local government area. Results indicated that the mean age of participants was 44.24 (standard error of mean (SEM) 0.47) years. Knowledge about prostate cancer as an important disease in men measured on a 12-point scale recorded a mean score of 4.97 (SEM 0.15) and perception of prostate cancer considered in three sub-domains of susceptibility, seriousness and benefit, measured on a 30-point scale, similarly recorded a mean score of 17.65 (SEM 0.18); while screening behavior, measured on a 11-point scale, showed that participants in the study recorded a mean scored of 2.40 (SEM 0.071). Furthermore, 156 (39.2%) of the respondents reported having heard about prostate cancer while 377 (94.7%) had heard of breast cancer as a condition affecting women. The findings suggest that level of awareness about prostate cancer among men in this study was low while their level of perception was just above average and screening behavior was very low. Again, perception variables positively and significantly correlated with screening behaviour among the participants. We conclude that in order to stimulate regular screening among men, there should be an aggressive health promotion intervention designed to increase awareness and to correct impressions about prostate cancer in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]