Showing papers by "Rivers State University of Science and Technology published in 2000"

Compositional, functional and storage properties of flours from raw and heat processed African breadfruit (Treculia africana Decne) seeds.

Abstract: African breadfruit (Treculia africana Decne) seeds were either boiled or roasted and then milled into flour. Chemical composition, functional properties and storage characteristics of raw and treated flours and the effect of partial proteolysis on selected functional properties of the raw flour were determined. Raw flour contained 20.1% crude protein, 2.5% total ash and 13.7% fat. Heat processing significantly (p < 0.05) improved in vitro protein digestibility, and water and fat absorption capacities but decreased bulk density, nitrogen solubility, emulsion and foaming properties, trypsin inhibitor, and phytic acid and polyphenol contents of the samples. Boiling proved more effective than roasting for improving protein digestibility, emulsion capacity and foam stability and reducing antinutritional factor levels. Partial proteolysis increased nitrogen solubility, bulk density and water and fat absorption capacities but decreased foam capacity at hydrolysis levels greater than 35%. Fatty acid and peroxide values of the samples increased during storage. Compared to raw samples, heat processed samples had significantly (p < 0.05) lower and more acceptable peroxide values and free fatty acid contents and higher and more stable water (3.0 g/g sample) and fat (2.4 g/g sample) absorption capacities.

Large elapids and arboreality: the ecology of Jameson's green mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni) in an Afrotropical forested region

Abstract: Several aspects of the ecology of Jameson’s green mamba Dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni (Traill, 1843), a large-sized arboreal elapid snake, are studied in southern Nigeria. This species 18 common and widespread in the region studied. On the basis of the analysis of both the habitats of capture of the various specimens and the results of a logistical regression model, it seems that this species inhabits a wide variety of habitats (including secondary forest patches and the plantation-forest mosaic), and that its local distribution is not influencedby the Presence of any macrohabitat parameter. Green mambas were observed both in the dry and in the wet season, without any statistical bias toward a particular season. Adult sex-ratio was a Pproximately 1 : 1. Maleswere significantly longer than females. All adult mamba dietary records involved warm-blooded prey (mainly birds), whereas young mambas fed also upon lizards and toads. Nearly all the prey eaten by adult mambas were arboreal, and thus there was no support for the recent hypothesis that adult mambas develop anorientationto forageon terrestrial rodents. Male-male combats and matings were observed in December, January, and February (dry season), and gravid females were collected in April, May, and June (wet season). Females produced 7-16 eggs (mean 10.9), and litter size was Positively correlated with maternal length.

Impact of hydrology on the Port-Harcourt-Patani-Warri road

Abstract: The paper explores the impact of hydrology on the Port-Harcourt–Patani-Warri Road. It reviews the hydrometeorological, drainage and terrain peculiarities of the area against the backdrop of the design, alignment and performance of the road. The paper ascribes the poor performance of the road to: 1. The southeast-northwest orientation of the road in a region with predominately northeast-southwest surface and subsurface flow, in which the road acts like a dam; 2. The inferior construction aggregate composition; 3. Changes in pavement condition due to interaction of local road aggregates with water.

EFFECTS of SHUCKING METHOD ON OPENING, MEAT YIELD and SELECTED QUALITY PARAMETERS of WEST AFRICAN CLAM, GALATEA PARADOXA (BORN)

Abstract: Samples (n= 100) offreshly harvested clams (Galatea paradoxa Born) from the Cross River, Nigeria, were subjected after 24 h depurations to heat treatment (steam and water at 60, 70, 80, 90, 100C) for 1-6 min to evaluate the effects of level of heat treatment on opening, meat yield, sensory properties, proximate composition, pH and electrical conductivity (EC). Observations were also made on the effects of some chemical shucking aids (NaOH, NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , NaCl) in 60C water on these parameters . Results showed that boiling water was most effective in opening the clams, with 100% shucking achieved in 1 min. Steam was least effective, requiring 6 min for 100% opening. Temperature significantly and strongly influenced meat yield (P 0.05) improved yield. NaHCO 3 , and Na 2 CO 3 , which cut time for 100% opening from 5 min to 2 min were most effective. There were slight but significant (P 0.05) between predicted and experimental values.

Reproductive Strategies and Life-history Traits of the Savi's Pine Vole, Microtus savii

Abstract: Reproductive strategies, growth rates, survival, and their correlates with life-history traits are studied in the Savi's pine vole (Microtus savii) under both natural and laboratory conditions. 119 reproductive events were monitored, 50 out of which came from wild-born females and 69 came from captive-born females. Fertility rates were nearly identical in both males and females. Mean age at first parturition of females averaged 72.6±12.1 days, and the mean time elapsed between the constitution of a given pair and the first partum was 31.5±11.5 days. The litter size of captive-bred females (2.49± 0.7; range: 1 to 4) was nearly identical to that of the free-ranging females (2.5±1.1). The newborn sex ratio did not significantly deviate from equality. Litter size was independent on season and on number of times that a given pair reproduced. Nevertheless, litter size tended to be inversely correlated with the length of the interpartum time, and was positively correlated with parental age. The size of ...

Quality attributes and storage stability of locally and mechanically extracted crude palm oils in selected communities in Rivers and Bayelsa states, Nigeria.

Abstract: The effect of different extraction methods on the quality of crude palm oil processed using traditional (local) and mechanical methods in selected areas of Rivers and Bayelsa States and their storage stability were investigated. Certain quality determining parameters such as free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), saponification value (SV), moisture, impurities and volatile matter (MIV) content were determined prior to and after storage for three months. The free fatty acids (FFA) ranged from 7 to 19 percent, peroxide value (PV) ranged from 3 mEq/kg to 6 mEq/kg and moisture, impurity and volatile matter (MIV) ranged from 0.21 to 0.64 percent for locally extracted crude palm oil samples and mechanically extracted crude palm oil samples. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the FFA of samples A and E before and after storage for 3 months. Also two of the locally extracted crude samples (A and E) stored better while one of the samples (D) showed a high level of deterioration as shown in its high levels of FFA, PV and IV values. Samples A and E resulted in a better quality of oil in terms of FFA (av. 7.25%) and PV (av. 4.5 meg/kg) when compared to the mechanically extracted one (sample C) with FFA (10.0%) and PV (5.78 mEq/kg). However, all the locally and mechanically extracted crude palm oil samples could not meet the industrial and international standard quality for crude palm with FFA (2-5%) and PV (2-3.5 mEq/kg). Among the three different storage containers used under different storage conditions, plastic containers (PC) resulted in a better storage stability of the crude palm oils in terms of FFA, SV, and IV than transparent bottles stored on shelves (TBS) and amber-colored bottles stored on the bare floor (BPF).

Metal(III) Complexes of 4-acylbis(L-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolone-5): Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies

Abstract: La(III), Y(III) and Fe(III) complexes of 4-acylbis(l-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolone-5) were synthesised and characterised spectroscopically. Y(III) and Fe(III) reacted with the ligands in the metal:lig...

Nutritional changes in Traditionally Preserved Shellfishes from the Niger-Delta, Nigeria

Abstract: Biochemical changes on shellfishes, periwinkles (Tympanotonus fuscatus), oysters (crassostrea gasar) whelk (Busycoa carium) and blue crabs (callinectes sapidns) traditionally preserved by boiling and smoke drying was studied and result compared to analysis of raw unpreserved shellfishes. Smoke dried shellfishes were found to be richer in protein (18.58% - 52.41%), dry organic matter (70.5% - 85.10%) ash content (1.02% - 30.5%) and fat content (0.72% - 3.84%) compared to the same species of unpreserved shellfishes. Carbohydrate, ash and total calorific values of the preserved shellfishes was lower. These results therefore suggest that preservation has no destructive effects on the shellfish nutritional value hence preserved shellfish could as well be good sources of nutrients and may be useful on low-fat diet components. Journal of Aquatic Sciences Volume 15, April 2000, pp. 9-11 KEY WORDS: Nutritional changes, preserved shellfishes, Niger Delta.

Ovule dichotomy per locule of the trilocular pistil in cassava, Manihot esculenta: a useful abnormality for increased seed production?

Abstract: Histologically, the cassava pistil is trilocular with a single ovule in each locule producing a maximum of three seeds in nature. Heat stress (35°/45°C, night/day temperatures), as a physical treatment was attempted to induce useful reproductive and vegetative traits in 10 F1 hybrids derived from ‘OMR 36-41’and ‘OMR 36-42’crosses, and two Asian cassava cultivars,‘Rayong 60’and ‘Rayong 1′, under greenhouse and field conditions. Cytoembryological examination of the repro- ductive organs revealed morpho-structural features of normal pistil in all clones except ‘Rayong 1’which exhibited reproductive variations under greenhouse culture. Genetically, an important variation was ovule dichotomy per locule of the trilocular pistil so that each pistil contained six instead of the usual three ovules and lacked any outer integument. These ovules possessed functional embryo sacs with varying nuclear number. A pair of the dichotomous ovules possessed two embryo sacs of apparent different megaspore mother cells. Vegetatively, F1 hybrids were dwarf (0.50m) in their phenotype and flowered 1 month earlier than the 1.5-2.0m tall cultivars under greenhouse conditions.

Promotional model: a new direction for the National Programme on Immunization (NPI) and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in Nigeria.

Abstract: The National Programme on Immunization (NPI), which was formerly known as the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) were relaunched in 1984 after the problems of vaccine supply had been corrected The aim of the NPI was to protect children against six childhood killer diseases and ORT to rehydrate the dehydrated child caused by diarrhoea In order to achieve these objectives, a Partner-in-Health strategy was set up to educate, convince and motivate mothers, pregnant women and the community to accept the programme To assess the effect of the promotional strategy, the government decided to conduct a National Immunization Coverage survey The results showed that some states were able to reach the target while some were not The survey also reported that 32% of the reason for immunization failure was due to lack of information and that 9% was lack of motivation It therefore became necessary to design a promotional model for effective and rapid implementation of the programme After an evaluation of the promotional strategy set up by the government, a pilot survey was conducted from which nine promotional elements were selected These promotional elements were regarded as sources of information and motivation Based on these, a promotional model was set up which stated that promotion depends on consumer information which in turn depends on the extent of interaction between the consumer and the promotional elements The implication of the model is the need for the formation of a Public Health Organisation with a Public Health Committee at all levels of government

Effect of Rearing Periods on the Production of Hybrid Catfish ( Clarias gariepinus x Heterobranchus longiflis ) Fingerlings

Abstract: Fingerling production of hybrid catfish (Clarias gariepinus x Heterobanchus longifilis) was investigated over three rearing periods of 3 weeks, 4 weeks and 5 weeks in fertilized earthen ponds during the rainy season. At harvest, fingerling mean weight was directly related to length of rearing period, while survival rate and production were inversely related to rearing duration. Statistical analysis showed that rearing duration was highly significant in survival rate (P 0.05). Size differentiation was observed in all the harvests. Journal of Aquatic Sciences Volume 15, April 2000, pp. 23-26 KEY WORDS: Clarias gariepinus, Heterobranchus longifilis, F1 hybrid.

Project Analysis and Management Imperatives for Development-oriented Governance: A Nigerian Experience

Abstract: Going by the electioneering promises and post-inauguration utterances of eminent personalities elected in various political offices, from the presidency to the grass roots incumbency, the hopes of our people have been raised, particularly with respect to redefining and refining their standard of living. Juxtaposed with the anticipated political compliments are complaints of empty treasuries and other unpleasantries, inherited from past administrations. Essentially, every development-oriented tier of government would have to be very thorough in conceptualising socio-economic projects. These should then be prioritised and available capital rationed effectively and efficiently to engineer them to a logical conclusion. Our novelle 4Ts model exemplifies the expediency of thinking, taking, ticking, and thanking right, and the time is now.

Health risks associated with ice cream consumption

Abstract: The health risks associated with ice cream consumption in Port Harcourt, Nigeria were studied. The microbiological and physico-chemical properties of ten different brands of ice cream products were analyzed. The total heterotrophic count and coliform estimations were carried out to determine the microbial load of any type. The results of the heterotrophic counts obtained were between 4 x 104 to 2.0 x 106 cfu/ml. Similarly the coliform estimations ofE.coli obtained were 2/100 ml to 240/100 ml.Staphylococcus spp. Micrococcus spp. Bacillus spp and enterobacter spp were also isolated. E.coli and Staphylococcus spp were frequently encountered in most of the ice cream products. The pH of the ice cream products ranged from 5.4 to 7.0. The public health implication of the presence or E.coli spp and enterotox in-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus and the use of unhygienic water in producing ice cream is stressed.