Assessment of public awareness, attitudes toward and acceptance of genetically modified foods in the city of Kaduna, Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria

Food is an essential component of daily life, and hence an important topic for many consumers. Genetic modification technology involves the alteration of the genetic machinery of an organism and the application of this technology to food production holds a great promise to overcome global food insufficiency. This study investigates public awareness, knowledge and attitude as well as acceptance of genetically modified foods among consumers in Kaduna City, Northern Nigeria. Questionnaire which was structured to cover three main themes: demographic information, attitudes towards Genetically Modified (GM) foods and knowledge of Genetic technology, was administered to 220 participants. Our findings show that 86% of the respondents in our study are aware of GM foods indicating a high level of awareness; however, the level of knowledge for most of the respondents was rated average. The findings also showed that 70.9% and 81.6% of respondents possessing Bachelors and postgraduate degrees respectively accept that GM technology will improve our standard of living and were more likely to accept GM foods. Awareness, level of education and knowledge of Genetic technology was shown to be important for acceptability of GM foods. In addition most respondents expressed their trust on Scientists and Religious leaders to decide on GM foods and also indicated their source of information on GM foods as the public media, social media and lectures. Therefore it is imperative that those responsible for disseminating scientific knowledge on GM foods and technology at public gatherings or through public media sources be properly educated to enable consumers make informed decision on GM foods.Keywords: Genetic technology, Public awareness, Attitude, GM Foods, Kadun

Determination of gestational age through trans-abdominal scan of placentome diameter in Nigerian breed of sheep and goats

The usefulness of placentome diameter measurement for the determination of gestational age in Nigerian breed of sheep and goats was investigated in two experiments. In the first experiment, cross-sectional design was used and placentome diameters were measured in 18 Yankasa/Uda crossbred ewes and 20 Sahel does using trans-abdominal probe. A tentative estimate of gestation age was made using placentome diameter and gestation age correlates from a previous study. Subsequently, the date of parturition was recorded for each animal and the actual conception date was calculated retrospectively using a previously described 148-day gestation table for ewes and does. In the second experiment, a prospective cohort design was used on 6 goats, from end of second trimester until parturition. The date of conception was then retrospectively calculated. It was found that the estimated and actual gestation ages in both sheep and goats were not significantly different (P>0.05). The correlation coefficient (r²) between the placentome diameter and gestation age was 0.84 (P= 0.0001), for sheep and 0.90 (P= 0.0001) for goats suggesting a significant high positive correlation between placentome diameter and gestational age. The regression equation was y + 2.809x + 7.555 and y = 2.930x + 9.611 for sheep and goats, respectively. However, the placentome diameters monitored until parturition were not significantly different (P>0.05) between the weeks and not significantly correlated with gestational age. It was concluded that placentome diameter is useful to estimate gestational age at mid gestation and not within the last third of pregnancy.Keywords: Gestational age, Goat, Placentome diameter, Sheep, Ultrasonograph

Lithostratigraphy and geochemical characterization of limestone deposits around Kushimaga Area in Yobe Of North-Eastern Nigeria

This study presents detailed petrographic and chemical compositional characteristic of limestone deposits for possible industrial uses and specifications. The study area falls within the Gongola basin, North-eastern Nigeria. Core limestone samples were collected from four boreholes at the depth of approximately 25 metres each in Kushimaga area around Gulani in Yobe state; north-eastern Nigeria. Lithological units were observed in the following sequence; topsoil and clay with an average thickness of 1.513m, limestone 5.553m, shale 7.853m respectively. Eleven limestone samples were selected from the boreholes for petrography and chemical analysis (Fluorescence Spectroscopy analysis). From the petrograhic studies the limestone samples are composed (visual estimate) of over 95% calcite, trace amounts of colourless already recrystallized fossil of planktonic forams and mollusc, weakly deformed greenish grains of glauconite about 0.2 to 0.3 mm in grain size, traces of opaque, isotropic, high relief iron oxide minerals with 0.03 to 0.5 mm grains sizes are present disseminated in the form of limonite. Traces of quartz and feldspar grains of silt size class were also noted in thin sections. With less than 10% grains the samples are classified as mudstone. The results of chemical analyses of limestone shows a range values of SiO2, 10.05wt% to 32.00wt% , CaO, 21.00wt% to 53.99wt%, MgO, 0.35wt% to 1.00wt%, Al2O3, 2.15wt% to 12.69wt%, Fe2O3, 1.28wt% to 4.90wt%, Na2O, 0.002wt% to 0.18wt%, K2O, 0.9wt% to 1.96wt%, TiO2, 0.21wt% to 1.00wt%, P2O5, 0.17wt% to 0.69wt%, MnO, 0.21wt% to 0.55wt%, loss on ignition, 21.98% to 36.87%, while the result of chemical classification of the limestone show a range of Ca/Mg, 23.33% to 125.68% and Mg/Ca, 0.00% to 0.04% of the Kushimaga limestone. However, the limestone beds of the research area were compared with other standard chemical industrial specifications. The study revealed that the limestone around Kushimaga area satisfies the chemical factors for Portland cement production but falls below the standard chemical specifications for other industrial uses; glass, sugar and Paint pigments and filler productions.Keywords: Argillaceous, bivariant, core, lithology, petrography and stratigraph