Rivers State University of Science and Technology

About: Rivers State University of Science and Technology is a education organization based out in Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Threatened species. The organization has 1826 authors who have published 1833 publications receiving 15183 citations.

Seroprevalence of HIV and frequencies of haemoglobin genotypes, ABO and Rh blood groups, among premarital couples in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract: BackgroundPremarital screening is fast gaining ground as a prerequisite for the solemnisation of holy matrimony by many faith-based organisations in Nigeria, yet there is scanty literature on the subject.MethodsFifty (50) premarital heterosexual couples (50 males and 50 females) were screened for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), haemoglobin genotypes, and ABO and Rh blood groups using standard laboratory procedures.ResultsThe prevalence of HIV in this study was found to be 2.0%. The frequencies of the haemoglobin genotypes were as follows: HbAA (72%), HbAS (26%) and HbAC (2.0%), while that of ABO and Rh blood groups were: group A (22%), B (14%), AB (0%), 0 (64%), Rh ‘D’ positive (96%) and Rh ‘D’ negative (4.0%). The distribution of these variables between the sexes was statistically significant (x2 = 21.630, p< 0.01). The frequencies of the haemoglobin genotype combinations of the intending couples were as follows: HbAA/AA (52%), AA/AS (36%), AA/AC (4.0%) and AS/AS (8.0%). This ...

Domestic waste levels and an assessment of their current management strategies in Yenogoa Metropolis

Abstract: The quantities and types of domestic solid wastes were determined for the purposes of planning and effective management of wastes in the Yenagoa metropolis. The current status of waste management in the metropolis was also assessed to identify the problems and prospects for effective waste management. The study shows that with a per capita daily waste production of 0. 189±0.039 kg, an average of about 28, 350 kg of waste are produced daily in Yenagoa metropolis. About 83% of the wastes produced were food wastes made up mainly of yam and plantain peelings. As regards current status of waste management, the study observed that, there was no equipment available for the management of domestic solid waste and no final dumping site for sanitary disposal of wastes was available. The major problems militating against the effective management of wastes were the lack of awareness on the part of the citizenry of the importance of proper waste disposal; the non-availability of collection points and the lack of political will of the relevant ity to meet the demands of proper waste management. Keywords: Domestic waste levels, management, Yenagoa [Global Jnl Environ Sci Vol.1(1) 2002: 15-20]

Does interspecific competition with a stronger competitor explain the rarity of an endangered snake on a Mediterranean island

Abstract: Interspecific competition has been demonstrated to be an important shaping force for snake communities worldwide, but relatively few studies have investigated its occurrence and extent with island assemblages of snakes. In Sardinia (Mediterranean Sea), two species of whip snakes (Colubridae) co-occur, one of them being abundant and widespread (Hierophis viridiflavus) and the other being localized and critically endangered (Hemorrhois hippocrepis). A previous hypothesis suggested that the latter species would be confined to suboptimal habitats by the former species, which is a stronger competitor for food. As a consequence, He. hippocrepis would not only be rare but would also be smaller in body size in Sardinia than in other regions of its range where Hi. viridiflavus does not occur. In 1999–2010, we studied habitat selection, food habits, and body sizes of these two snakes in sympatric populations, applying a suite of statistical tools including null models and Monte Carlo simulations. We observed that dietary habits were different between species (compared to Hi. viridiflavus, He. hippocrepis more frequently preyed upon rodents and less frequently on lizards, and within rodent prey, more frequently upon Rattus and less frequently upon Mus), but not in a way compatible with competitively induced trophic niche partitioning. The two species were similar in terms of prey size and predator-size–prey-size relationships. They also differed in habitat selection (maquis was the preferred habitat for both, but Hi. viridiflavus was found significantly more often than He. hippocrepis in grasslands, cultivations, and artificial pinewoods) but again in a non-competitively directed way. In addition, there was no evidence for the hypothesis that He. hippocrepis was confined to suboptimal habitats. Body sizes were similar between species (with males being significantly larger than females), and Sardinian He. hippocrepis were not smaller than conspecifics inhabiting regions without Hi. viridiflavus. Overall, our study showed that the two species differed in some aspects of their ecology, but these differences could not be due to competitive interactions. The conservation implications of these results are also discussed.