Rivers State University

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine why certain soil test methods fail to indicate the actual lime requirement in many Ohio soils. Samples of 14 soils from various areas of the State were collected for study. The soils were incubated with various rates of applied CaCO 3 to determine actual lime requirement of each soil. Attempts were made to find laboratory methods that would accurately indicate the lime requirement of each. For these soils the Woodruff method had indicated only about half the amount of the actual lime requirement. The Mehlich triethanolamine method indicated accurately the amount of lime required for the unlimed acid soils. However, this method indicated too high a lime requirement on soils partially limed. Subtraction of the acidity measured above pH 6.8 by the triethanolamine method and then addition of the extractable Al, gave a very good indication of lime needs on all soils not limed above neutrality regardless of lime additions. Addition of extractable Al to total bases and triethanolamine‐measured acidity to pH 6.8 gave nearly constant cation‐exchange capacities of soils regardless of lime additions. These studies have led to development of an improved soil test buffer method for rapid routine laboratory analyses. It appears to be adequate for indicating lime needs of soils regardless of extractable (soluble) Al present.

In a retrospective review of hospital records of 40 human monkeypox cases from Nigeria, the majority developed fever and self-limiting vesiculopustular skin eruptions. Five deaths were reported. Compared to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative cases, HIV type 1-coinfected cases had more prolonged illness, larger lesions, and higher rates of both secondary bacterial skin infections and genital ulcers.

Abstract Nanoparticles have been speculated as good in-situ agents for solving reservoir engineering problems. Some selected types of nanoparticles that are likely to be used include oxides of Aluminium, Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, Zirconium, Nickel, Tin and Silicon. It is therefore imperative to find out the effect of these nanoparticle oxides on oil recovery since this is the primary objective of the oil industry. These nanoparticles were used to conduct EOR experiments under surface conditions. Distilled water, brine, ethanol and diesel were used as the dispersing media for the nanoparticles. Two sets of experiments were conducted. The first involved displacing the injected oil with the nanofluids. In the second case, the sands were soaked in nanofluids for 60 days before oil was injected into the system and displaced with low salinity brine. Generally, using nanofluids to displace injected oil produced a better result. Results obtained from the experiments indicate that Aluminium oxide and Silicon oxide are good agents for EOR. Aluminium oxide nanoparticle is good for oil recovery when used with distilled water and brine as dispersing agents. For the use of ethanol, Silane treated Silicon oxide gave the highest recovery in all the conducted experiments while hydrophobic Silicon oxide in ethanol also yielded good results. Aluminium oxide reduces oil viscosity while Silicon oxide changes rock wettability in addition to reduction of interfacial tension between oil and water caused by the presence of ethanol. For the use of diesel as a nanoparticle dispersing fluid, because diesel and crude oil are miscible, the actual crude oil recovery cannot be determined but the overall result with Aluminium, Nickel and Iron oxides appears good. Magnesium oxide and Zinc oxide dispersed in distilled water and brine cause permeability problems. Generally, distilled water lowers oil recovery. This emphasizes the significant role a fluid plays as a nanoparticle dispersing agent in the formation because it can contribute positively or negatively in oil recovery apart from the effect of the nanoparticles.

Long-term studies have revealed population declines in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. In birds, and particularly amphibians, these declines are a global phenomenon whose causes are often unclear. Among reptiles, snakes are top predators and therefore a decline in their numbers may have serious consequences for the functioning of many ecosystems. Our results show that, of 17 snake populations (eight species) from the UK, France, Italy, Nigeria and Australia, 11 have declined sharply over the same relatively short period of time with five remaining stable and one showing signs of a marginal increase. Although the causes of these declines are currently unknown, we suspect that they are multi-faceted (such as habitat quality deterioration, prey availability), and with a common cause, e.g. global climate change, at their root.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of competitive advantage in the relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance in Uganda's microfinance institutions. The major aim is to establish the role of competitive advantage in the relationship between intellectual capital and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts MedGraph program (Excel version), Sobel tests and the Kenny and Boran approach to test for mediation effects. Findings Competitive advantage is a significant mediator in the association between intellectual capital and financial performance and boosts the relationship between the two by 22.4 percent in Ugandan microfinance institutions. Further findings confirmed a partial type of mediation between the intellectual capital, competitive advantage and financial performance. Research limitations/implications Only a single research methodological approach was employed and future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross‐sectional. Future research should be undertaken to examine the mediation effects studied in this paper across time. Practical implications In order to have a meaningful interpretation of the results of the relationships between study variables, it is always vital to assess the role of the third variable (competitive advantage) in the relationship. This enables practitioners and scholars to comprehend and make legitimate decisions and conclusions that can foster business growth. Originality/value This is the first study that focuses on testing the mediating effect of competitive advantage on the relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance in Ugandan microfinance institutions.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed lead, cadmium, and nickel level in food crops, fruits and soil samples from Ohaji and Umuagwo and Owerri in South Eastern Nigeria and estimated the potential health risks of metals. Samples were washed, oven-dried at 70-80°C for 24 h and powdered. Samples were digested with perchloric acid and nitric acid. Metals were analysed with Unicam Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. RESULT: The concentration of Pb, Cd, and Ni in Ohaji exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations for agricultural soil as recommended by EU. Lead, Cd, and Ni in the food crops were highest in Oryza sativa, Glycine max, and Pentabacta microfila respectively. Highest levels of Pb, Cd, and Ni, in fruits were detected in Canarium schweinfurthii, Citrus reticulata, Ananas comosus respectively. The true lead and cadmium intake for the rice based meal were 3.53 and 0.034 g/kg respectively. Whereas the true intake of lead and cadmium for the cassava based meal were 19.42 and 0.049 g/kg respectively. CONCLUSION: Local food stuff commonly available in South Eastern Nigeria villages may contribute to the body burden of heavy metal. This is of public health importance.

ABSTRACT The functional properties, gelation, water and oil absorption, emulsification, foaming and protein solubility of raw and heat processed cowpea flour were determined. The effects of pH and NaCl concentration on some of these functional properties were also investigated. Protein solubility vs pH profile showed minimal solubility at pH 4. Water and oil absorption capacities of raw flour were 2.4 g/g and 2.9 g/g, respectively, while heat processed flour gave 3.6 g/g and 3.2 g/g, respectively. Addition of NaCl up to 0.4% improved the emulsification capacity of raw flour while a decrease was observed in the heat processed flour after 0.2%. Least gelation concentration of raw flour was found to be 16% and heat processed flour, 18%.

Bioremediation of hydrocarbon pollutants is advantageous owing to the cost-effectiveness of the technology and the ubiquity of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms in the soil. Soil microbial diversity is affected by hydrocarbon perturbation, thus selective enrichment of hydrocarbon utilizers occurs. Hydrocarbons interact with the soil matrix and soil microorganisms determining the fate of the contaminants relative to their chemical nature and microbial degradative capabilities, respectively. Provided the polluted soil has requisite values for environmental factors that influence microbial activities and there are no inhibitors of microbial metabolism, there is a good chance that there will be a viable and active population of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms in the soil. Microbial methods for monitoring bioremediation of hydrocarbons include chemical, biochemical and microbiological molecular indices that measure rates of microbial activities to show that in the end the target goal of pollutant reduction to a safe and permissible level has been achieved. Enumeration and characterization of hydrocarbon degraders, use of micro titer plate-based most probable number technique, community level physiological profiling, phospholipid fatty acid analysis, 16S rRNA- and other nucleic acid-based molecular fingerprinting techniques, metagenomics, microarray analysis, respirometry and gas chromatography are some of the methods employed in bio-monitoring of hydrocarbon remediation as presented in this review.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the interaction effect of intellectual capital elements and how they fuse to affect financial performance in microfinance institutions. The major purpose is to explore the appropriate blend or mix of intellectual capital elements that explains the source of value creation – hence performance – in microfinance institutions. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts the ModGraph program (Excel version) along with the Kenny and Boran approach to test conditional hypotheses. Findings The magnitude effect of human capital on performance depends on any of structural or relational capital; hence the assumption of nonadditivity is met. However, no significant interaction effects were established between relational and structural capital. Research limitations/implications Only a single research methodological approach was employed and future research through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross‐sectional – future research should be undertaken to examine the multiplicative effects studied in this paper across time Practical implications In order to boost the wealth of microfinance institutions in Uganda, managers should always endeavor to find a viable intellectual capital mix or blend that can add value to the firm. Originality/value This is the first study that focuses on testing the interactive effects of intellectual capital elements on financial performance in Ugandan microfinance institutions.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century.

Abstract Complacency is almost archaic in the knowledge economy, because firms are overwhelmingly confronted with diverse expectations from better informed stakeholders, who pressure on societal issues amid shareholders’ calls for greater financial security. Similarly, there is a growing call for corporations to redefine their responsibilities to stakeholders, and to integrate socio-economic and environmental concerns into business processes and strategies in order to transparently impact on societies. In a bid to support mutually beneficial relationships, this paper shows how stakeholder theory proactively moderates the strength of CSR in social interactions, environmental protection, and sustainable development. It proposes a four-stage stakeholder dialogue ladder which attempts to synergize CSR, stakeholder and stakeholder theory based on the stages as defined by the firm’s extent of development, and her regularity and intensity of interaction with stakeholders. The paper argues that subject to the problem to solve, the languages of CSR and stakeholder theory are useful and that, the dichotomies of covering wrongdoing and creating falsehoods could be addressed when firms adopt stakeholder dialogue and collaboration that aid friendly CSR programmes. Thus, the relationship turns that of dyadic partnership, because corporations follow issue or purpose-based CSR programmes that create values that trickle to interdependent stakeholders. In sum, corporations need to continually get committed to environmentally-sensitive CSR since there is a strong relationship between CSR activities, stakeholders and actual performance.

Background: The anxiety caused by the emergence of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) globally has made many Nigerians resort to self-medication for purported protection against the disease, amid fear of contracting it from health workers and hospital environments. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the knowledge level, causes, prevalence, and determinants of self-medication practices for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19 in Nigeria. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and July 2020 among the Nigerian population, using a self-reported questionnaire. Statistical analysis of descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses was done using STATA 15. Results: A total of 461 respondents participated in the survey. Almost all the respondents had sufficient knowledge about self-medication (96.7%). The overall prevalence of self-medication for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 was 41%. The contributing factors were fear of stigmatization or discrimination (79.5%), fear of being quarantine (77.3%), and fear of infection or contact with a suspected person (76.3%). The proximal reasons for self-medication were emergency illness (49.1%), delays in receiving hospital services (28.1%), distance to the health facility (23%), and proximity of the pharmacy (21%). The most commonly used drugs for self-medication were vitamin C and multivitamin (51.8%) and antimalarials (24.9%). These drugs were bought mainly from pharmacies (73.9%). From the multivariable logistic regression model, males (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.07–0.54), and sufficient knowledge on SM (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.19–0.77) were significantly associated with self-medication. Conclusion: The key finding of this study was the use of different over-the-counter medications for the prevention (mainly vitamin C and multivitamins) and treatment (antibiotics/antimicrobial) of perceived COVID-19 infection by Nigerians with mainly tertiary education. This is despite their high knowledge and risk associated with self-medication. We suggest that medication outlets, media and community should be engaged to support the rational use of medication.

Abstract The proximate composition and functional properties of raw, germinated and fermented full‐fat fluted pumpkin ( Telfairia occidentalis Hook) flour were studied. Functional properties evaluated by laboratory studies were nitrogen solubility, water and fat absorption, bulk density, foam capacity and stability. Germination increased the crude protein, ash, crude fibre, iron and total phosphorus but decreased the carbohydrate and fat contents. Nitrogen solubility was pH dependent with a minimum at pH 4.0 and a maximum at pH 10.0 for the raw flour. Maximum nitrogen solubility (70%) was recorded for germinated flour, which also showed excellent fat absorption properties. Raw flour was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) in water absorption capacity than the processed flours. Germination and fermentation diminished bulk density, foam capacity and stability of fluted pumpkin flour. Raw full‐fat fluted pumpkin flour showed comparatively better water and fat absorption properties than raw full‐fat soya flour. Hence it may prove to have useful applications in fabricated foods such as bakery products and ground meat formulations.

As a resource, allogenic blood has never been more in demand than it is today. Escalating elective surgery, shortages arising from a fall in supply, a lack of national blood transfusion services, policies, appropriate infrastructure, trained personnel, and financial resources to support the running of a voluntary nonremunerated donor transfusion service, and old and emerging threats of transfusion-transmitted infection, have all conspired to ensure that allogenic blood remains very much a vital but limited asset to healthcare delivery particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is further aggravated by the predominance of family replacement and commercially remunerated blood donors, rather than regular benevolent, nonremunerated donors who give blood out of altruism. The demand for blood transfusion is high in Sub-Saharan Africa because of the high prevalence of anemia especially due to malaria and pregnancy-related complications. All stakeholders in blood transfusion have a significant challenge to apply the best available evidenced-based medical practices to the world-class management of this precious product in a bid to using blood more appropriately. Physicians in Sub-Saharan Africa must always keep in mind that the first and foremost strategy to avoid transfusion of allogenic blood is their thorough understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in anemia and coagulopathy, and their thoughtful adherence to the evidenced-based good practices used in the developed world in a bid to potentially reduce the likelihood of allogenic blood transfusion in many patient groups. There is an urgent need to develop innovative ways to recruit and retain voluntary low-risk blood donors. Concerns about adverse effects of allogenic blood transfusion should prompt a review of transfusion practices and justify the need to search for transfusion alternatives to decrease or avoid the use of allogenic blood. These strategies should include the correction of anemia using pharmacological measures (use of antifibrinolytics to prevent bleeding and the use of erythropoietin and oral and intravenous iron to treat anemia) use of nonpharmacologic measures (preoperative autologous blood transfusion, perioperative red blood cell salvage and normothermia to reduce blood loss in surgical patients). All these strategies will help optimize the use of the limited blood stocks.

Soils are polluted by both organic and inorganic substances. Plants growing in polluted soils suffer damages such as leaf rolls, chlorosis, growth inhibition, root tips browning, and death of plant. Soil pollutants such as hydrocarbon and heavy metals are absorbed by crops and such ends up being consumed by human posing health risk like cancer and respiratory abnormally. Conventional methods of remediation such as chemical and physical methods are very expensive and not sustainable. Excavation, which is a type of physical method, merely shifts the pollutant from one site to another. Bioremediation is a biological method of reclaiming polluted soils. Bioremediation is less expensive and more sustainable and safer when compared to the conventional methods of reclamation of polluted environment. This biological method of remediation is an extremely attractive, important, and productive alternative for cleaning, debugging, managing, and rehabilitating and consequently ameliorating contaminated environments via judicious utilization of microbial activities. The rate, at which the waste substances are degraded, is usually dictated by competitiveness among biological agents, sub-optimal supply of essential nutrients, unconducive abiotic conditions (in forms of temperature, aeration, pH, and moisture), and constrained pollutant’s bioavailability. Bioremediation is often effective only under conducive environmental conditions favorable for microbial growth and development. It has been successfully used at various parts of the world. Based on the significance of bioremediation in enhancing the reclamation of polluted environments by decontaminating and degrading heavy metals and xenobiotics, more focused researches would be needed so as to improve contaminated environments in much safer ways and conditions through bioremediation techniques. This research discussed the various types and methods of bioremediation. The mechanisms of actions and strategies of microorganisms in bioremediation were well expatiated. The interaction between bioremediators and the mineral particles in the soil environment was explained.

A recent identification of the two-component aggregation pheromone of the invasive stink bug species, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), in association with a synergist, has greatly improved the ability to accurately monitor the seasonal abundance and distribution of this destructive pest. We evaluated the attraction of H. halys to black pyramid traps baited with lures containing the pheromone alone, the synergist methyl (2E,4E,6Z)-decatrienoate (MDT) alone, and the two lures in combination. Traps were deployed around areas of agricultural production including fruit orchards, vegetables, ornamentals, or row crops in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia from mid-April to mid-October, 2012 and 2013. We confirmed that H. halys adults and nymphs are attracted to the aggregation pheromone season long, but that attraction is significantly increased with the addition of the synergist MDT. H. halys adults were detected in April with peak captures of overwintering adults in mid- to late May. The largest adult captures were late in the summer, typically in early September. Nymphal captures began in late May and continued season long. Total captures declined rapidly in autumn and ceased by mid-October. Captures were greatest at locations in the Eastern Inland region, followed by those in the Eastern Coastal Plain and Pacific Northwest. Importantly, regardless of location in the United States, all mobile life stages of H. halys consistently responded to the combination of H. halys aggregation pheromone and the synergist throughout the entire season, suggesting that these stimuli will be useful tools to monitor for H. halys in managed systems.

As the global population continues to expand, the demand for broiler chicken production to supply safe and high-quality meat is increasing. To meet this ever-growing demand, broiler chickens with enhanced growth performance are being developed, but they often face challenges related to oxidative stress, which can adversely affect gut health. Phytobiotics, which are plant-derived feed additives known for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, immune-modulating, and growth-promoting properties, have emerged as promising natural alternatives to synthetic antibiotics. This review consolidates recent advancements in the use of phytobiotics-derived products from leaves, roots, seeds, flowers, and their extracts in broiler diets reared under standard experimental conditions, without the introduction of stressors. The focus is on elucidating the key mechanisms through which phytobiotics improve gut health, including their effects on gut morphology, integrity, microflora composition, antioxidant capacity, and immune function. The review highlights the potential of phytobiotics to revolutionize broiler nutrition by acting as natural enhancers of gut health. Research findings reveal that phytobiotics significantly improve intestinal health, and boost growth performance, offering a sustainable approach to managing to gut dysfunction. These findings indicate a potential shift in how gut-health related challenges in broilers can be addressed, moving towards natural phytobiotic therapy. However, several challenges persist. Optimizing the dosage of phytobiotics, ensuring consistent performance, and overcoming the limitations related to their extraction and application are key areas requiring further investigation. The review emphasizes the importance of continued research to refine phytobiotic formulations, explore synergistic effects, and incorporate advanced technologies such as AI-driven methods and precision nutrition to tailor feeding strategies more effectively. Additionally, the development of innovative delivery systems, such as nanoencapsulation, is suggested as a way to enhance the effectiveness and reliability of phytobiotics. By highlighting the potential of phytobiotics to revolutionize broiler nutrition, this review supports the poultry industry's shift towards antibiotic-free and sustainable dietary solutions, offering new perspectives on the future of broiler chicken production.

The influence of sex, source (pond and wild) acclimation and health status on some blood parameters of C. gariepinus was studied.  There were no significant differences between the blood parameters  (haemoglobin (Ht), packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), red blood cells (RBC), RBC indices ( MCHC;, MCH: and MCV), white blood cells (WBC) and differential counts (neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils and eosinophils) of the males and females among the apparently healthy and sick group of fish under  sex, source and acclimation.  Differences in blood parameters in fish before and after acclimation were noted in the WBC (p<0.001), neutrophils (p<0.001) and lymphocytes (p<0.001).  Interactions between sex, acclimation and health status did not significantly influence all the parameters studied; however, various degrees of significant differences were produced by the interactions of health status and source of fish in the WBC (p<0.05), neutrophils (p<0.001), lymphocytes (p<0.001) and monocytes (p<0.05).  Pooled data for males and females, apparently healthy and sick fish, respectively, showed there were significant differences between the WBC, neutrophils and lymphocytes of males and females under acclimation as well as monocytes of apparently healthy and sick fish under source and neutrophils of the same under acclimation.  Results from this study suggest that sex, source of fish, and period of acclimation have some degrees of influence on the blood parameters of C. gariepinus and hence the need to reckon with them when reporting haematological parameters of this fish species.   Key words: Sex, source, acclimation, Clarias gariepinus, haematology.

Comparative studies of mortality in the wild are necessary to understand the evolution of aging; yet, ectothermic tetrapods are underrepresented in this comparative landscape, despite their suitability for testing evolutionary hypotheses. We present a study of aging rates and longevity across wild tetrapod ectotherms, using data from 107 populations (77 species) of nonavian reptiles and amphibians. We test hypotheses of how thermoregulatory mode, environmental temperature, protective phenotypes, and pace of life history contribute to demographic aging. Controlling for phylogeny and body size, ectotherms display a higher diversity of aging rates compared with endotherms and include phylogenetically widespread evidence of negligible aging. Protective phenotypes and life-history strategies further explain macroevolutionary patterns of aging. Analyzing ectothermic tetrapods in a comparative context enhances our understanding of the evolution of aging.

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the mediation role of innovation between creative climate and organisational resilience. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a cross-sectional design to collect data about the study variables from parastatal managers using self-administered questionnaires. Hierarchical regression and Medigraph were used to test hypotheses. Findings – Creative climate has a significant association with innovation and organisational resilience. Innovation partially mediates the effect of creative climate on organisational resilience. Research limitations/implications – The sample size was small involving only parastatals. The results may be different in an expanded public sector. The study was cross-sectional that is limited in examining long-term effects of creative climate and innovation on organisational resilience. Therefore, a longitudinal study design is proposed for future research. Practical implications – Managers in parastatals need to provide a conducive creative climate that promotes innovations for organisational resilience. Originality/value – The study provides empirical evidence on the mediation role of innovation in the relationship between creative climate and organisational resilience in a public sector. The evidence shows the contribution of innovation in striving for organisational resilience based on the creative climate.