Misconceptions of genetics concepts among pre-service teachers

Students’ misconceptions are often deeply rooted and instruction-resistant obstacles to the acquizition of scientific concepts and remain even after instruction. A large number of prior studies reported that primary and secondary school students have many conceptional problems concerning cell biology and genetics. The study was set out to determine misconceptions held by pre-service teachers about genetics of Science and Technology Education Department at the Faculty of Education in Lagos State University. A sample of 120 pre-service biology teachers in their second and third year was purposively selected. Multiple-choice Genetic Concept Test (MGCT) and Pre-service Teachers’ Genetics Misconceptions Checklist (PTMC) were administered to obtain information about pre-service teachers’ understanding level of genetics. Results revealed that 75.1% on the average of pre-service teachers had misconceptions about genetics concepts. This percentage of pre-service teachers who have misconceptions could have been due to wrong understanding of the teachers to the concepts of genetics. Findings further showed that about 83.4% on the average of pre-service teachers attributed the misconceptions about genetics to challenges in genetics textbooks, instructional methods in teaching genetics, lecturers' English language skills, pre-service teachers' cultural beliefs and practices, nature of laboratories and abstractness of genetics. Science education and science teachers should take priority for the supplying of scientific literacy which is required for making informed decision about genetic related controversial issues imposed by daily life.KEYWORDS: Genetics, Misconceptions, Pre-Service Teachers, Mendelian Inheritance, concept

Assessment of Risks and Uncertainties in Poultry Farming in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the risks and uncertainties encountered by poultry farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study describes the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, identify the risks and uncertainties encountered by the farmers, determines the level of severity of the risks and uncertainties, and identifies the coping strategies employed by the farmers. Primary data obtained from 99 registered poultry farmers selected through multistage sampling technique were used for the study. These were complemented with data from published and grey literature. Descriptive statistics and 3-point Likert scale were used to analyze the data. The study shows that poultry farming in the study area is practiced mainly by young, small-scale farmers, who are married, with high level of formal education but had little access to extension services. The major sources of risks encountered by the farmers were severe weather fluctuation, lack of veterinary services, disease outbreak, transportation problems, parasites and severe price fluctuation of birds. The study further revealed that the severe risks encountered by the farmers were disease outbreak, poor parent stock, accumulation of dung, severe weather fluctuation, lack of veterinary services and transportation problems. The study therefore calls for improved extension services, good transportation facilities, adequate veterinary services, market information by government and relevant stakeholders as well as formation of cooperative socities by the farmers

Evidence of Heavy Metals Distribution in Placenta in Association with Residual Levels in Some Dams’ Organs from Bodija abattoir, Oyo State, Nigeria

Heavy metals have been known to be causing serious detrimental effect on the health of livestock and human populace in general. However, little study had been carried out on the ability of heavy metal to cross placental barrier, which has already been bio-accumulated in the dam. Therefore, this study aimed at showing the evidence of placental barrier crossing by selected heavy metals. The study was carried out in Bodija abattoir, Ibadan, Oyo-state, Nigeria, located on latitude 70020N, longitude 3005E. A cross-sectional study design was adopted and lasted for 6 weeks. Samples were collected from kidney cortices, apical lobe of dam’s liver and a portion of fetal placenta. 12 sample each from liver, kidney and the placenta which were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Results were subjected to descriptive statistics, t-test and correlation using SPSS17.0 package.From this study cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) residues were not found in the samples, while chromium (Cr) was found in all the samples (100% prevalence) and the total prevalence for the heavy metals in the study was 33.4%. The mean chromium (Cr) residual values in placenta, kidney and liver were 0.89±0.66mg/kg, 1.32±0.94mg/kg and 1.00±0.87 mg/kg respectively. The correlation between chromium (Cr) in the dam’s kidney and placenta was 0.3, while for the dam’s liver and placenta was 0.6.  In comparison with permissible limit, the residual level in kidney 1.32±0.94, liver 1.00±0.87 and placenta 0.89±0.66, were within the permissible limit. The study revealed that chromium (Cr) residue was a major challenge in the organs sampled. Liver of the dam had the highest level of bioaccumulation and stronger correlation in the distribution to the placenta. It is therefore recommended that attention should be paid on the disposal of chromium (Cr) residues on the grazing floor where the bulk of the residues were from. Keywords: Heavy metals, Liver, Kidney, Placenta and cattle

Small Ruminant Farmers' Perception of Climate Change in Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria

This study examined the small ruminant farmers’ perception of climate change in Moro Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State, Nigeria. About 120 small ruminant farmers were selected for the study. Analyticall tools such as descriptive (frequency count, percentage, mean score) and inferential [Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC)] statistics were used to analyse the data. The result revealed that about 57.5% of the respondents were male, average age of 38.3years, income of N56633.33, and household size of about 5 persons. The average number of goat and sheep was 10 and 5 respectively. About 52% of the respondents utilized extensive system of rearing and 60.8% had access to extension services. About 77.5% of the respondents indicated Ministry of Agriculture as their main source of information on small ruminant production. The result revealed that planting of trees/erecting cover to serve as shades to reduce heat stress (90.8%) was the most frequently used adaptation strategies to climate change. About 59.2% of the respondents have high level/status of use of adaptation strategies. The highest ranked perception statement was increase in temperature (4.48), while disease outbreak and high mortality (2.78) ranked highest as factor affecting small ruminant production. It is therefore recommended that there should be provision of information on the adaptation strategies as climate change is now a reality that is not going away and provision of veterinary services to reduce disease outbreak

Competing Risk Modelling using Cumulative Incidence Function: Application to Recurrent Bladder Cancer Data

In this study, the effects of some clinical variables on the survival times of patients with bladder cancer were examined. The effects of these variables on sub-distribution of the failure types were determined using the proportional sub-distribution hazards regression model described in Fine and Gray (1999). Published dataset on 294 bladder cancer patients with four clinical outcomes were analyzed using Cumulative Incidence Function approach. The four outcomes included 184 (64%) patients that experienced recurrence of bladder cancer after receiving chemotherapy treatments. Two patients died of bladder cancer while 27 patients died of other causes and the remaining 76 patients did not experienced any of these three outcomes, and as a result, were considered censored. Among the covariates considered, only the patients’ initial number of tumors and initial size of tumor were incorporated into our analysis due to high proportion of missing observations in others. Results from this work showed that, patients with tumour recurrence have highest risk of dying than those from other causes. Further results showed that, the number of tumor was positively associated with the recurrence of cancer of the bladder. However, the size of the tumor did not demonstrate a significant effect on the patients’ survival time. It can therefore, be concluded that patients with tumor recurrence have low probability of survival from bladder cancer than patients that experienced other events. Above all, number, but not size of tumor could adversely affect the survival time of bladder cancer patients, especially those with tumor recurrence after bladder cancer treatment

SARS-CoV-2 positivity in offspring and timing of mother-to-child transmission: living systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES: To assess the rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in babies born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the timing of mother-to-child transmission and perinatal outcomes, and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 status in offspring. DESIGN: Living systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Major databases between 1 December 2019 and 3 August 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Cohort studies of pregnant and recently pregnant women (including after abortion or miscarriage) who sought hospital care for any reason and had a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and also provided data on offspring SARS-CoV-2 status and risk factors for positivity. Case series and case reports were also included to assess the timing and likelihood of mother-to-child transmission in SARS-CoV-2 positive babies. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. A random effects model was used to synthesise data for rates, with associations reported using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Narrative syntheses were performed when meta-analysis was inappropriate. The World Health Organization classification was used to categorise the timing of mother-to-child transmission (in utero, intrapartum, early postnatal). RESULTS: 472 studies (206 cohort studies, 266 case series and case reports; 28 952 mothers, 18 237 babies) were included. Overall, 1.8% (95% confidence interval 1.2% to 2.5%; 140 studies) of the 14 271 babies born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection tested positive for the virus with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Of the 592 SARS-CoV-2 positive babies with data on the timing of exposure and type and timing of tests, 14 had confirmed mother-to-child transmission: seven in utero (448 assessed), two intrapartum (18 assessed), and five during the early postnatal period (70 assessed). Of the 800 SARS-CoV-2 positive babies with outcome data, 20 were stillbirths, 23 were neonatal deaths, and eight were early pregnancy losses; 749 babies were alive at the end of follow-up. Severe maternal covid-19 (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 4.4), maternal death (14.1, 4.1 to 48.0), maternal admission to an intensive care unit (3.5, 1.7 to 6.9), and maternal postnatal infection (5.0, 1.2 to 20.1) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity in offspring. Positivity rates using RT-PCR varied between regions, ranging from 0.1% (95% confidence interval 0.0% to 0.3%) in studies from North America to 5.7% (3.2% to 8.7%) in studies from Latin America and the Caribbean. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were found to be low in babies born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Evidence suggests confirmed vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2, although this is likely to be rare. Severity of maternal covid-19 appears to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity in offspring. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020178076. READERS' NOTE: This article is a living systematic review that will be updated to reflect emerging evidence. Updates may occur for up to two years from the date of original publication