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The peoples in Cotonou give themselves to sorting and recycling activities of scrap metal for lack of financial means. The uncontrolled use of this scrap metal has effects on the health of users (waste pickers, sorters, recyclers …). It was to assess the radiological quality and the degrees of dangerousness of this scrap metal waste that we conducted a study on the urban scrap storage site in Cotonou. Thus, this study is a contribution to improving the health of scrap metal collectors, sorters and recyclers in Cotonou. To achieve this objective, measurements of the dose rates of ionizing radiation from scrap metal were measured using a radiation survey meter. Measurements are made on contact and from a distance. In addition, analyzes of the waste of the powder samples by gamma spectrometry were also carried out. It emerges from this study that the quantities of ionizing radiation doses vary ranging from 7.14 msv for simple copper to 7.17 msv for iron per year. Thus the quantities of ionizing radiation doses increase with burnt copper 22 msv per year and stainless steel 53 msv per year. These doses are significantly higher than the standard of the dose threshold accepted by the IAEA, which is 100 msv over 5 years for workers or on average 20 msv on contact. Ionizing radiation emitted by scrap metal, engine batteries and battery cells cannot be detected by our survey meter beyond 95 cm. In the case of powder waste, it appears that the powder waste contains radionuclides such as K40, Pb 214 and Ra 226, which give off variable energies and exhibit various activities. These effective doses being clearly above the thresholds accepted by the IAEA confirms the fact that scrap metal is dangerous to the health of workers.

The ease of prescribing radiological examinations has prompted an expansion in radiological procedures and, consequently, an increase of occupational dose to medical imaging workers. However, little is known about radiation exposure in the workplace of medical radiology professionals in many countries, and in Benin particularly. The purpose of this study was to assess ambient radiation doses in diagnostic X-ray medical facilities in Benin and to observe whether exposure levels are below reference levels. A total of 72 public and private medical imaging centres participated in a cross-sectional study carried out from June 2019 to February 2020 in Benin. These centres had 59 X-ray, four chest and six computed tomography (CT) scan rooms. A calibrated radiameter able to measure short, pulsed or continuous X fields and gamma/beta (50 nSv to 10 Sv) was used to measure exposure levels in these functional rooms. Scattered X-ray doses and exposure time from radiological examinations both behind the lead glass of the control area to assess the levels of exposure of professionals and outside of the examination room to evaluate the level of exposure of the public (including non-exposed workers) have been provided. Equivalent doses estimated per hour were compared with the reference levels of 7.50 and 0.05 µSv per hour for workers and the public, respectively. At the control area, the mean/median (min-max) equivalent doses were 0.09/0.07 (0.00–0.21), 2.39/0.13 (0.00–75.67), and 228.39/28.65 (0.39–869.75) µSv per hour for the chest, X-ray, and CT-scan rooms, respectively. Among 69 examination rooms, 13.04% of the equivalent dose estimated in the workplace behind the lead glass was greater than 7.50 µSv per hour; 65 out of 69 examination rooms showed that 40.00% of the equivalent dose estimated behind the doors was greater than 0.05 µSv per hour. These results demonstrated that current controls, including leaded glass separating the control panel and leaded doors between the examination room and the corridor, are inadequate to limit radiation exposures. The controls must be upgraded and a dosimetry program should be implemented to monitor exposures of employees, patients, and visitors.

The aim of this study was to characterize polyphenolic compounds, antifungal and antioxidant activities of polyfloral honey collected from three different phytogeographical zones in Benin duing dry and rainy seasons. Spectrophotometrically at 517 nm, DPPH scavenging activity of tested samples was measured, while antifungal activity, total polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins were evaluted by Dohou, Singleton and Zhishen methods, and a slightly modified method of Sun, respectively. Results revealed that only season has significant influence (P

International audience; Moringa oleifera is a plant whose fruits, roots and leaves have been advocated for traditional medicinal uses. The physico-chemical analysis shows that, Moringa contains more dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than saturated fatty acids (SFA). The consumption of an experimental diet enriched with Moringa oleifera extracts lowered blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), but not in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats as compared to rats fed an unsupplemented control diet. Anti-CD3-stimulated T-cell proliferation was diminished in both strains of rats fed the Moringa oleifera. The experimental diet lowered secretion of interleukin-2 in SHR, but not in WKY rats compared with rats fed the control diet. Studies of platelets from patients with primary hypertension and from SHR support the notion that the concentration of intracellular free calcium [Ca(2+)]i is modified in both clinical and experimental hypertension. We observed that the basal, [Ca(2+)]i was lower in T cells of SHR than in those of WKY rats fed the control diet. Feeding the diet with Moringa oleifera extracts to WKY rats did not alter basal [Ca(2+)]i in T cells but increased basal [Ca(2+)]i in SHR. Our study clearly demonstrated that Moringa oleifera exerts antihypertensive effects by inhibiting the secretion of IL-2 and modulates T-cell calcium signaling in hypertensive rats.

Iodine is reported to be one of the main trace mineral constituting thyroid hormones. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between urinary iodine concentration status and dysfunctional parameters of the thyroid gland of schoolchildren in central Benin. In our study we selected 108 schoolchildren to whom we performed T3, T4, TSH, iodine and thyroid volume tests. The determination of the morning urinary iodine (iodine) in Djidja schoolchildren gave satisfactory results to 72% thus declaring our study area as a zone of non-iodine dietary deficiency. The hormone assay results are favorable at a rate of 92% and corresponds to hypothyroidism. In fact, TSH are high in 85% of the study population, T3 are in their case low in 93% of our study population and finally T4 are lower in the 100% of individuals in the study population. But these results are not in agreement with the iodine obtained. Indeed, in the study environment, the population is forced to drink some water rich in fluoride. Fluorine is an iodine antagonist that it can easily substitute, disrupting the production of T3, T4 and TSH hormones. To end, the calculated thyroid echography volumes are for the most part normal volumes with a rate of 45.37 for boys and 35.19 for girls.