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.

Social responsibility performance of educational institutions of higher learning in nigeria

Abstract: Over the years, society has witnessed an unprecedented neglect in the area of corporate social responsibility; this situation has diversely been greeted with several conflicts between host communities and the guest enterprises resulting in kidnapping, hostage takings, total shutdown of company facilities and eventual financial losses. In this paper, we examined the social responsibility performance of higher educational institutions in Nigeria. Four research questions were asked to produce the findings that: (1) host communities rate the institutions moderate in their social responsibility performance,(2) the most acknowledged social responsibility of the institutions by the communities is the offer of concessionary admission to indigenes of host communities, (3) host communities expect special employment opportunities from the institutions and (4) that the level of satisfaction of the communities regarding social responsibility of the institutions is very low. The paper concludes that higher institutions should boost their relationship with host communities through increased response to social issues.

Evaluation of the Phytochemistry of Aqueous, Ethanolic and Methanolic Extracts of Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf., Twig

Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study was to phytochemically analyze the aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic twig extracts of the species Morus mesozygia Linn. Stapf. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Plant Anatomy and Physiology Research Laboratory, University of Port Harcourt, between July, 2018 and November, 2018. Methodology: Morus mesozygia linn twigs were collected and washed with distilled water, air dried for seven days and milled into fine powder. Maceration method was used to extract the powdered twig into a brownish paste using three different solvents; distilled water, ethanol and methanol. The different plant extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, tannins and anthraquinones. Quantitative phytochemical analysis was done using a Gas chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy machine. Results: The results of this study showed that the powdered Morus mesozygia linn twigs contained flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates, alkaloids, tannins, but not anthraquinones. The methanolic and aqueous twig extracts contained high amounts of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, carbohydrates and tannins, while the ethanolic extract also contained high amounts of the aforementioned phytochemicals in the same proportion, but had saponins in moderate amounts. It also showed that the methanolic twig extract had more carbohydrate than the other two extracts. The result of the GC-MS analysis showed that the three extracts contained complex compounds in varying amounts. Conclusion: The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses test results of Morus mesozygia Linn Stapf. revealed the presence of the substances like alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, oils, phenolic compounds, tannins and some complex compounds discovered using GC-MS technique, in their varying concentrations for the three different extracts.

Investigation of Effects of Ecological Factors on the Establishment of Azotobacter in the Rhizosphere of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Abstract: Aim: The present study investigates the effect of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (phosphobacteria (PB) and activity of soil bacteriostasis on the development of Azotobacter in Thymus vulgaris rhizosphere. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Kenule Beeson Polytechnic botanical garden and at the Science Laboratory Department of the institution for a period of 7months (from March 2018September 2018). Methods: The impact of phytohormones produced by phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in vitro and in the rhizosphere of T. vulgaris was used to assay for Azotobacter colonization. Bacteriostasis activity of the soil was determined by comparing the number of Azotobacter microcolonies on discs incubated over soil with respect to those on the controls. Results: Decisive stimulation of Azotobacter population and establishment was observed in Thymus vulgaris rhizosphere when inoculated with phosphobacteria than when inoculated alone as reflected in 5% (0.05) least significant difference. Azotobacter was susceptible to the bacteriostatic Original Research Article Ngerebara and Amadi; SAJRM, 8(1): 22-27, 2020; Article no.SAJRM.62003 23 factors in potted soils inoculated with it and without (Azotobacter). The increase in susceptibility of this rhizospheric bacteria was time dependent and reached a maximum and thereafter remained almost constant. However, this was overcome by the addition of NPK fertilizer to the plant at some critical stage of the assay. Conclusion: The Presence of nitrogen fixing bacteria (NFB) in vegetation could play significant role in the sustainability and improvement of plant growth and yield. Soil bacteriostasis can also be an important factor that limits the survival and development of NFB.

Strength evaluation of rocks in Amata-Lekwesi, Eastern Nigeria using diamond coring bit penetration rate

Abstract: Basic igneous rocks within Amata-Lekwesi Area in Eastern Nigeria is believed to have intruded the Cretaceous Eze Aku and Asu River group shales in dyke-like and dome-like structures in different parts of the region. This study classifies the rock strength in Amata-Lekwesi area based on in-situ properties. Eleven holes were drilled to a depth ranging from 15-25 meters and were probed over an area of 81,750m2 using Slanzi Diamond rotary rig. Each drill hole was cored continuously and samples retrieved at every 1.50m interval. Coring covers both the host country rock (shale and shaley carbonate) and the intrusive (where both are encountered in the same hole). Specific energy of the cored materials was determined using a standard thrust (F) and torque (T) on the rotary drill. Rock strength evaluation was therefore made based on the drill penetration rate (µ), total percentage recovery (TPR), and the rock quality designation (RQD). The results so obtained compared favourably with uniaxial compressive strength for similar rock types elsewhere.