ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and cardiovascular disease risk factors in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients attending the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. A hospital-based cross-sectional design was employed, enrolling 70 confirmed T2DM patients and 70 age-matched control participants. Biochemical assessment included serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] by ELISA, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) by glucose oxidase method, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) by chromatographic method, full lipid profile, and albumin-adjusted calcium. Statistical analyses comprised independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression. T2DM patients had markedly lower mean vitamin D levels (19.8±9.2 vs 26.4±10.1 ng/mL, p<0.001), with deficiency (<20 ng/mL) prevalent in 62.9% versus 31.4% of controls. Vitamin D deficiency conferred 2.68-fold higher odds of T2DM after full adjustment (95% CI: 1.08–6.65, p=0.033). Among T2DM patients, significant inverse correlations were established between vitamin D and FPG (r = −0.396, p<0.001), HbA1c (r = −0.361, p=0.002), BMI (r = −0.324, p=0.006), total cholesterol (r = −0.301, p=0.011), LDL-C (r = −0.284, p=0.016), and triglycerides (r = −0.257, p=0.032), while positive correlations were found with HDL-C (r = 0.245, p=0.041) and albumin-adjusted calcium (r = 0.312, p=0.008); none of these correlations were significant in controls. These findings demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency is significantly and independently associated with adverse cardiovascular risk factor profiles in T2DM patients, supporting routine vitamin D screening in this population and highlighting the need for further longitudinal and interventional research.

ABSTRACT
Urban transportation systems are major sources of environmental contamination, generating complex mixtures of airborne particles, heavy metals, and organic pollutants that accumulate along roadways and in surrounding areas. These pollutants originate primarily from vehicular emissions, mechanical wear of vehicle components, and atmospheric deposition associated with urban industrial activities. Occupational groups working directly in these environments may therefore experience greater exposure to environmental contaminants than the general population. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model of the biological effects of environmental contaminants and health risks in street cleaners and road workers based on a detailed review of the existing literature. The results for occupational health outcomes show that exposure to particulate matter generated by sweeping and waste collection is an important determinant of respiratory risk among sanitation workers. Environmental monitoring studies have demonstrated elevated airborne particulate concentrations during manual sweeping operations, particularly under dry conditions when accumulated road dust is easily re-suspended into the breathing zone of workers. Furthermore, repeated exposure to these airborne particles may therefore contribute to chronic respiratory irritation and the development of respiratory disorders among street cleaners. Cardiopulmonary health effects have also been reported in association with exposure to particulate air pollution, while epidemiological and toxicological studies have demonstrated that inhalation of fine and ultrafine particulate matter can trigger systemic inflammatory responses and oxidative stress that extend beyond the respiratory tract. These biological responses may contribute to alterations in vascular function, increased blood pressure, and disturbances in autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system. Street cleaners and road maintenance workers experience re

ABSTRACT
This study examined the anthropometric characteristics of the Palmaris Longus tendon and Radial Fossa among adult males and females of the Ogoni ethnic group. A total of 305 participants were assessed using standard clinical tests and anthropometric measurements. Results showed that 88.2% of participants had a visible Palmaris Longus tendon, while 11.8% did not. The Radial Fossa was shallow in 47.2% and deep in 52.8% of participants. There was no significant difference between males and females or among different age groups regarding tendon presence or fossa depth. Body weight did not influence these anatomical features. A strong positive correlation was found between radial fossa depth and length (r = 0.924, p < 0.001). These findings provide valuable baseline data for clinical anatomy, reconstructive surgery, and anthropological studies in the Ogoni population.

ABSTRACT
Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a lifelong condition; it has been recognised as a procoagulant state in which micro thrombi have influenced the evolution of many complications. Elevated homocysteine is linked to increased risk of vaso-occlusion crisis and hyperhaemolytic crisis. This was a cross sectional study conducted in adult with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in steady state in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna Nigeria. Aim: To determine serum homocysteine levels in adult SCA patients in steady state and compare with those with HbAA phenotypes. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional case control study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Zaria, Nigeria among adult HbSS patients in steady state from January to May 2023. A total of 60 participants were enrolled, 30 subjects diagnosed with SCA and 30 HbAA controls. Serum homocysteine of all participants was performed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and comparison made between the subjects and controls. The Statistical Package for Social Science software (SPSS) version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Results: The mean value for homocysteine in the HbSS group was 9.72 ±0.96 µmol/L whilst that of the HbAA was 6.19 ±0.88 µmol/L. All the thirty (100%) SCA patients had homocysteine levels between 5-15 µmol/L whilst twenty-seven (90%) out of thirty participants in the HbAA group had homocysteine between 5-15 µmol/L. Three (10%) out of thirty in the HbAA group had homocysteine levels < 5 µmol/L. There was a statistically significant difference between the means of the two groups with p value of < 0.0001. Conclusion: This study demonstrated higher mean serum homocysteine levels among the HbSS participants in comparison with the controls (HbAA).

ABSTRACT
Since ancient times, like the coconut plant of which all the portions of the tree are useful, people in India have been using bamboo tree in its entirety. I distinctly remember eating ‘Henua’ & ‘Kardi’ (the dried & fresh bamboo shoots as called in western part of Odisha, a state in eastern part of India) since childhood as part of my regular diet. Currently, nutritional science term bamboo as a super food. Bamboo shoots, leaves, seeds have been found to be rich in amino acids & this ascribes to the lead author’s better health conditions currently in the fag-end of the fifth decade of his life. Bamboo is actually grass & needs lots of water to grow. That’s why it grows abundantly in the North Eastern part of India. Furnitures, household items, ethanol production, use in agricultural fencing, making huts, cleaning drains, setting the electric wires in order, a tool to reach higher places for painting, glass washing are some of the parts of the endless lists for which bamboo is used. The article links bamboo with Homoeopathy of AYUSH as Homoeopathy has a broad spectrum medicine prepared from bamboo. Thus, the multi dimensional value of bamboo adds one therapeutic aspect through its multi faceted use.

ABSTRACT
Background: Nature has endowed snakes with a formidable chemical known as venom, honed over millions of years of evolution. Snakes utilise venom to immobilise their prey and to flourish in their natural habitat. Venom is acknowledged as a highly poisonous mixture of many chemicals, such as carbohydrates, nucleosides, amino acids, lipids, proteins, and peptides. They include neurotoxic, cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, myotoxic, and various enzymatic effects. In India, the root of Aristolochia indica (A. indica) is employed for malarial fevers; the juice derived from the leaves of the plant is claimed to operate as a specific antidote for cobra venom. Purpose: The current work scientifically validates the ethnobotanical properties of A.indica root bioactive against snake venom poisoning by a pharmacoinformatic strategy targeting venom inflammasomes PLA2. Method: The purpose of the current study was to assess the efficiency of bioactive found in A. indica root for their inhibitory potential against phospholipase 2 (PLA2) enzyme to elicit the anti-venom potency. The Auto Dock software used a grid-based docking algorithm to determine the bond. Result: A. indica root found to be effective anticonvulsant agent and effectively binds to be target protein PLA2 with binding energy of -5.53,-8.57 & -6.28 kcal/mol for aristolochic acid, aristolochene & ishwarol respectively. Conclusion: The outcome of findings revealed that terpenoid derivatives showed potent inhibitory effect on PLA2 enzyme which reflects the efficacy of A. indica root as potent anti-venom agent

ABSTRACT
Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a disabling psychiatric condition increasingly linked to metabolic and inflammatory disturbances. Alterations in serum calcium and albumin may contribute to neurobiological mechanisms underlying depression. Objective: To assess and compare serum total calcium and albumin levels between patients with Major Depressive Disorder and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional case–control study was conducted at a tertiary psychiatric facility in Maiduguri, Nigeria, from January to June 2025. A total of 120 outpatients diagnosed with MDD using DSM-5 criteria and 120 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Serum total calcium was measured using the Arsenazo III method, while albumin was determined using the bromocresol green assay. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied. Results: Mean serum calcium (8.4 ± 0.6 vs. 9.2 ± 0.5 mg/dL) and albumin (3.6 ± 0.4 vs. 4.2 ± 0.3 g/dL) levels were significantly lower in MDD patients compared with controls (p < 0.001). Increasing serum calcium and albumin concentrations were independently associated with reduced odds of MDD. Conclusion: Lower serum calcium and albumin levels are significantly associated with Major Depressive Disorder, suggesting their relevance in depression pathophysiology.