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.

A Review of the Mono- and Bispecific Genera of Turtles and Tortoises Worldwide, with an Assessment of the Island Endemics: Implications for Conservation

Abstract: Mono- and bispecific genera are noteworthy compared with multispecies genera because they either may be evolutionarily older or would represent not-yet-diversified young lineages, and being in some cases endemic to specific islands and archipelagoes, they also are of conservation concern. Here, the distribution patterns of the mono- and bispecific genera of freshwater turtles and tortoises and the distribution patterns of island endemics are analyzed, using a database provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. The mean number of species per genus varied significantly across biogeographic regions. Twenty-eight genera are monospecific, and 18 are bispecific, accounting for 48.9% of the total genera of tortoises and freshwater turtles worldwide. The Oriental region housed the highest fraction of these genera, followed by the Neotropical and Afrotropical regions. More than 11% of the total number of chelonian species (n = 356) were island endemics, with most species being Neotropical. The majority of the endemic island species occurred in the Galapagos Islands and in Papua New Guinea. The endemism index varied remarkably among the various islands/archipelagoes, with the Philippines being the center of endemism with the minor value of the index and the Galapagos being that with the highest value of the index. Island size was correlated neither with the number of endemic species per island nor with the endemism index of each island, but it was significantly correlated with the total number of species (once the Galapagos were removed from analyses as an outlier). Species belonging to mono- and bispecific genera, as well as island endemic species, were more threatened (as a percentage; in all cases > 65%) than the overall percentage of threatened taxa in freshwater turtles and tortoises worldwide (50.3%).

A New Hope for African Women

Abstract: There can be no doubt today that the human rights of women and of the girl-child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. However, for long African women have been suffering several human rights abuses, both in the private and public spheres. For instance, denial of inheritance rights and exclusion from participation in the governance of their countries. Remarkably, this is so despite the existence of several international instruments on the rights of women, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), of which most African countries are States Parties. This was the situation when the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women was adopted recently at Maputo, Mozambique. This article seeks to provide an overview of this important Protocol, and to show the new hope it holds for African women.

Evaluation of Changes in Haematological Parameters of Sickle Cell Anaemia Subjects in Rivers and Bayelsa States

Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in some haematological parameters in sickle cell anaemia subjects in Rivers State. Study Design: This study is a cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State, and the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, between the months of February and August, 2020. Methodology: A total of four hundred and fifty (450) subjects with age range of 1-50 years were randomly selected. There are about 200 registered patients (adults and children alike) at the sickle cell clinics of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, with an average of 4 new patients per month. The sample size was obtained using a prevalence of sickle cell anaemia of 2% and the sample size was calculated using Cochran sample size formula. Five milliliters (5ml) of venous blood sample was withdrawn from the peripheral vein in the upper limb of subjects using a standard venipuncture technique. The sample was rocked gently to mix and kept at room temperature and the haematological parameters were analyzed within 4 hours of samples collection. The haematological parameters: total white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), Haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Haematocrit, mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red cell distribution width (RDW-CV), Platelet count (PLT), MPV, Neutrophils, Lymphocyte, Monocyte, Eosinophils, and Basophils) were analyzed using Mindray BC-6800 auto Haematology analyzer system. Data management and statistical analyses were conducted using Statistical Analyses System SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA) and p values less than .05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The results showed the mean comparison of haematological parameters in sickle cell anaemia and control subjects. The mean comparison of Haemoglobin F was significantly reduced statistically (p<.05) in vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) condition than steady state compared with the control group. There was increase trend of haematological parameters showing statistically significant difference across the subject conditions compared with the control. There were exceptions in few cases especially in lymphocytes which was not significant (p>.05) in the steady state and vaso-occlusive crisis compared with the control. Similarly, Neutrophils was not significant (p>.05) in the steady state and vaso-occlusive crisis compared with the control. Furthermore, Basophils was more significant (p<.05) in the steady state than in the vaso-occlusive crisis and control groups. Similarly, absolute eosinophil was less significant statistically (p<.05) in the steady state and vaso-occlusive crisis than in the control group. Conclusion: This study has shown that there are changes in haemtological parameters between SCA subjects and control subjects and the VOC and steady state sickle cell anaemia (SCA) subjects.

Effect of Shelling Methods on the Shelling Efficiency, Product Quality, Functional and Sensory Properties of Melon (Egusi) Seeds sold in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract: Local Aba made melon shelling machine type I (sample B) and improved Aba made melon shelling machine type 2 (sample C) were used to shell melon seeds and compared with hand shelling method (sample A). The shelling efficiency, quality of shelled melon seeds, functional properties of the seed flours and sensory properties of egusi soups prepared from the melon seeds were determined. The results revealed that sample A gave the highest shelling efficiency of 92.25%, followed by sample C (90.42%) and the least was sample B (80.85%). For the quality of shelled melon seeds, sample A gave the highest score of 95.88%, following by sample C (94.46%) while sample B gave the least score of 79.84%. There was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in the proximate composition of the melon seeds obtained from the three shelling methods (samples A, B and C). There were no significant difference (P>0.05) in all the selected functional properties between samples A and C while sample B had significantly lower values in all the functional properties that were studied. The mean scores for overall acceptability of egusi soup prepared from the shelled melon seeds were; samples A (7.95), sample B (6.02) and sample C (7.72). Functional and sensory properties of the melon seeds shelled by the improved Aba made melon shelling machine type 2 compared favourably with the hand shelled melon seeds. Hence, it can be recommended for commercial operations to meet the demands of industrial and commercial markets.

Predicting Voltage Stability Indices of Nigerian 330kV 30 Bus Power Network Using an Auditory Machine Intelligence Technique

Abstract: In this paper, a novel approach for predicting voltage collapse point based on a quadratic line voltage stability index (q-LVSI) and an auditory machine intelligence technique called the AMI is presented. The technique is applied to some buses of the Nigerian 330kV-30bus power network. In order to validate the proposed technique, a comparison is made with the Group Method of Data Handling for time series (GMDH time-series ) which is a state-of-the-art polynomial function fitting neural network based on inductive learning and self-organization. The results of simulation studies show that the AMI technique is competitive with the GMDH time-series technique for a number of experimental simulation runs.