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.

Evaluation of Antidiabetic Potentials of Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf., Leaf Extracts in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study therefore was to evaluate the antidiabetic potentials of Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf., Leaf extrcts in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats. Study Design: The study is an experimental case-controlled study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Biochemistry Research Laboratory, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, between June 2018-April 2019. Methodology: A total of 65 male albino rats that weighed between 150g to 200g were used for this research study. Three different extracted solvents; aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic leaves extracts were administered to different groups of the rats. The male albino rats for this study were induced with a single dose of 40mg/kg b.wt, intraperitoneally of streptozotocin in 0.1M of citrate buffer, pH 4.5. The diabetic male rats were those whose fasting blood glucose (FBG) was from 250 mg/dl or 13 mmol/L and above. Results: The results showed that there were significant decreases (p<0.05) in, FBG, increased insulin and increased C-peptide and increased HOMA-IR concentration of induced diabetic male Original Research Article Joshua et al.; JOCAMR, 11(1): 23-32, 2020; Article no.JOCAMR.60972 24 rats treated orally with 400 mg/kg of MMLS., when compared with the values of the diabetic male rats in treated orally with 200 mg/kg of MMLS., and non-significant decrease(p<0.05) in FBG, HOMA-IR increased insulin, increased C-peptide concentrations in the diabetic male rats treated orally for 30 days with 400 mg/kg in dose of methanolic leaves extracts of MMLS., in the group treated with 400 mg/kg methanol, when compared to the concentration of diabetic male in treated orally for 30 days with 200 mg/kg of methanolic leaves extracts of MMLS. Compared likewise with that treated with 100mg/kg of metformin standard drug. There were also significant decrease (p<0.05) in FBG, HOMA-IR, C-peptide and increased insulin concentrations in diabetic male rats treated with 200 mg/kg in dose of ethanolic and methanolic leaves extracts of MMLS., when compared with the values in the diabetic male rats treated orally with 400 mg/kg in dose of ethanolic and methanolic leaves extracts of MMLS., compared with values of diabetic male rats treated orally with 100mg/kg in dose of metformin standard drugs compared with the controls. Conclusion: From the findings of this study, we conclude that streptozotocin increased FBG levels, while the Methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Morus mesozygia Linn. S improved FBG, C-peptide, insulin and HOMA levels in a dose-dependent manner, with the methanolic extract having the best ameliorative effect, probably due to its more phytochemical composition.

Quality Indicator Measures as It Affects Turnaround Time (TAT) in A Molecular Laboratory in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Abstract: Background: Turnaround Time (TAT) is an important Quality Indicator in the medical laboratory. The Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory was enrolled in the process of World Health Organisation (WHO) - Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) accreditation by FHi360 in preparation for the ISO 15189 accreditation in 2016. One of the services rendered in the laboratory is Early Infant Diagnosis (EID)/Dried Blood Spots (DBS) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) exposed infants. Clinicians depend on these results to determine the next step for the management of HIV exposed Infants. This study is aimed at assessing the rate of sample rejection (SR), determine the effect of specific intervention on this rate and the effect of SR on TAT. Method: It involves the assessment of samples delivered to the RSUTH PCR Laboratory from January 2019 to March 2020. A baseline rate of sample rejection was established from January to July 2019. Interventional measures were put in place such as introducing the national algorithm for rejection and acceptance of samples, training was also done for EID sample collectors and a final assessment of changes in the rate of sample rejection was determined at the final period of January to March 2020.Results: During the baseline period, sample rejection rate started at 5% in February and went back to 0% in March. In April however, the rate of rejection increased to 9%. There was a decline in rejection rate to 5% and 7% in May and June respectively. A sudden spike in rejection occurred in July at a rate of 19%. The major reasons for sample rejection were DBS cards with insufficient blood spots, DBS cards with clots present in spots, DBS cards that have serum rings and grossly haemolysed DBS. After baseline data was collected and interventions put in place. Sample rejection rate drastically reduced to 1%, 0% and 0% respectively from January to March which is way below the maximum threshold of 2% as advocated by WHO. At baseline EID, TAT was longer than a month, however; with SR, the TAT increased to about seven weeks. The final assessment in March from this study showed a significant reduction in sample rejection to 0%.Conclusion and recommendations: This study has shown that quality improvement is achievable if interventional tools are utilized promptly. This will result in shorter TAT; fewer samples rejected and therefore prompt treatment of exposed infants thus reducing morbidity and mortality due to HIV.

Using Difference Factor Thermodynamics Models in Hydrate Formation Prediction During Surface Production Well Testing

Abstract: All oil fields under water-drive, including gas-cap and depletion reservoirs may produce some water along with oil. This co-production of water causes an additional set of challenges: corrosion, scale/salts deposition, disposal of the water itself, and gas-hydrate formation. Hydrates are ice-like solids that form when free water and natural gas combine at high pressure and low temperature. This can exist in gas and gas/condensate wells, as well as in oil wells. Hydrate formationis a very serious challenge and can result in a huge loss especially during production. It's also one of the major challenges encountered during surface production well testing and it is controlled by several factors which include thermodynamics and kinetics of the system. This study presents a thermodynamic model under operating field conditions, which centers on changes in the Langmuir constant of the guest molecule(s) which is an important parameter in the hydrate formation process. In this study, real-time production data acquisition system was used to acquire surface production well testing data such as pressure, temperature, and choke size, from a hydrate well. The acquired real-time data were used to determine the effect of the variation in choke size on Langmuir constant and therefore on hydrate formation. Evaluating the Langmuir constant for large cavity under field conditions using a generalized correlation, the Difference Factor method was developed and expanded to incorporate the choke sizes variation. The correlation shows that Langmuir constant (decreases) is inversely proportional to the choke size (increases) causing a decrease in the rate of hydrate formation. Due to an increase in choke size, Langmuir constant approaches zero, therefore the product of fugacity and Langmuir constant which is the driving force for hydrate formation approaches zero, leading to zero hydrate formation.

Chemical Control of Natural Gas Hydrate

Abstract: The study investigates chemical control of hydrates in pipeline by the application of different chemical substances such as methanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol. Aspen Hysys simulator was used to determine hydrate formation temperature based on gas field composition and operating pressure by using Peng-Robinson equation. Similar simulations were carried out with the injection of chemical inhibitors such as methanol, ethylene glycol, diethylne glycol and triethylene glycol. The chemical inhibitors prevents hydrate formation by reducing hydrate formation temperature, thereby mitigating against hydrate formation and ensuring constant flow and production of fluid with methanol been the most effective chemical inhibitor based on the hydrate formation temperature reduction trends and analysis.

CATANOVA Analysis of Knowledge and Control Practices of Hepatitis B Virus Infection amongst Tertiary University Students

Abstract: Frequency data, having no underlying metric, are frequently encountered in real-life situations. The analysis of such data is usually difficult as nominal data are inherently less informative than quantitative data and decisions are taken erroneously using such results. The objective of the research was to study the significant effect of gender, faculties and interaction using categorical data in a two-way cross classification. Materials and Methods. The study applied a cross sectional study with a total sample size of 434. Multistage sampling was adopted. Categorical analysis of variance (CATANOVA) technique was used for analysis. This is suitable as it uses a two-way ANOVA with quantal responses as equivalent of a three-way contingency table in which one of the classifications is treated as responses to the other two. The study considered frequency data involving response scores of students using a scale of good, fair and poor. Results. Numerical results revealed poor level of student’s knowledge and control practices of hepatitis B virus infection. And it is significantly (p>0.05) the same in the study Universities. Moreover, gender and faculties, as well as interaction have no significant (p>0.05) effect on student’s knowledge and control practices of hepatitis B virus infection.