Geospatial Analysis of Soil Erosion Susceptibility and Causative Factors in Anambra State, South East, Nigeria

Land degradation is a function of soil erosion leading to soil loss and reduction in crop productivity as well as other socio-economic activities. The menace of soil erosion is challenging due to diverse factors including advertent and inadvertent anthropogenic activities. This study looks at soil erosion susceptibility and causative factors in Anambra State, both static and dynamic with the intent of identifying them, investigating spatial variability of soil loss, relate erodibility to soil properties and causative factors to soil erosion. Eight (8) prominent causative factors (CFs), were identified. These causative factors (CFs) were analyzed using ArcGIS 10.2. Sixty (60) soil samples were extracted randomly, analyzed, and tested. The study identified CFs such as Drainage Density, Erosion Density, Lineament Density, Slope Length, Land Surface Temperature, and Rainfall Erosivity, which contribute to Soil Erodibility (K - Factor). Land Surface Temperature, Soil Moisture Index, Rainfall Erosivity, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index contributed to the loss of 8.97 ton/ha/yr, 9.1288 ton/ha/yr, 1,1134.7 ton/ha/yr, and 0.245 ton/ha/yr respectively to erosion in Anambra State. Conclusively, the dynamic causative factors influence soil susceptibility and trigger erosion in the State.

Lack of the Lower Bound for the Shannon Entropy

Shannon entropy is a basic characteristic of communications from the energetic point of view. Despite this fact, an expression for entropy as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio is still missing. In this paper, that shortage has been corrected first. Using that expression, lower bound for entropy has been investigated. We prove that such finite nonzero bound does not exist, therefore there is no theoretical limit for reduction of the effect of noise. The proof is valid for QAM modulation of arbitrary order.

Implementation of 3D Printing Technology in the Food Industry

This project involves the implementation of 3D printing technology on designing and fabricating food holders in the food industry. Food holders are designed to hold the food packages in the filling line for food manufacturing industries that apply retort technology. Therefore, this study aims to implement the 3D printing technology in particular FDM to fabricate food holders for the food processing industry. The approach of using this technology is focused on giving more view on the capability of 3D printing technology, aiming at reducing the overall process fabrication cost and fabrication time. Hence, the fabrication cost and time between FDM and conventional machining methods were compared. This study revealed that Organic Gain food industry was able to reduce the cost and fabrication time for the food holder up to approximately 96.3% and 72% respectively. This project gives an insight into the ability of 3D printing technology in delivering the demands of the industry in producing parts as well as the adaptability of the technology to the industry in new product development. The project was carried out successfully and the 3D printed food holder has been tested and functions smoothly.

Prospects and Challenges of Chrome Tanning: Approach a Greener Technology in Leather Industry

The leather industry is one of the heavy-polluting and hazardous industries that is creating toxic and harmful effects on the environment and human health by producing waste chemicals, tannery effluents, and various pollutants. Moreover, Tanning is the required stage to convert raw skin to durable and sustainable skin but most of the chemicals, salts, organic and inorganic toxic pollutants are produced. In commercial practices, Chrome tanning is the highly employed approach that uses a large number of basic chromium salts that becomes the major source of chromium pollutant in the environment. Chromium salt is not only harmful to the environment and ecology but also harms the human body such as causing respiratory problems, infertility and birth defects, skin and lung cancer of the workers. This article has presented two alternatives eco-friendly greener approaches of chrome tanning and waste management technique to reduce the toxic effect on the environment and human health. Firstly, to get rid of these harmful effects, the possible remedy of environmental and human health problems may be considered the vegetable tanning process. Vegetable tanning uses tannins (a class of polyphenol astringent chemicals), which occur naturally in the bark and leaves of many plants. Secondly, chrome tanning associate with ultrasound having a frequency range of 20–100 kHz is commonly employed for enhancing the physical processes and for performing chemical reactions. The basic principle associated with the process is an ultrasonic cavitation in dissolved media. Ultrasound decreases the consumption of conventional water and chemicals because it can also function as a physical activator resulting reduction in environmental pollution which is a prime concern nowadays to approach greener leather technology and eco-friendly leather processing. Furthermore, the possible waste management technique of chrome tanning helps to prevent pollution and ensure eco-friendly green technology of leather processing. Therefore, vegetable tanning and chrome tanning associated with ultrasound having proper waste management will be the viable and sustainable options for the tanners in the forthcoming future.

Surface and Ground Water Pollution: Causes and Effects of Urbanization and Industrialization in South Asia

Water pollution in South Asia is an alarming issue that has immersed recently. Developing countries, particularly those in South Asia, are fast adopting industrial pollution control standards similar to those in developed countries. So both surface and groundwater are already scarce however, individuals and industries continue to pollute the already limited supply of water. On the other hand, the pollution of rivers is more severe and critical near urban stretches due to huge amounts of pollution load discharged by urban activities. Unplanned urbanization and industrialization occurring in these countries like Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, etc. may be largely responsible for this grave situation. Therefore these human activities including industrialization and urbanization contributed immensely in no small measure to the degradation and pollution of the environment which adversely has an effect on the water resources such as surface and groundwater that is a necessity for life. This paper tries to discuss basically the causes and effects of urbanization and industrialization in surface and groundwater pollution and equally to address the controlling issues and challenges in South Asia.

A Review on the Methods of Industrial Waste Water Treatment

Nowadays environmental pollution is a great threat to us. Water resources are mostly polluted by industrial wastes. Among all other pollutions, water pollution is one of the most vital pollution caused by different sources like industrial, domestic, sewage, hazardous waste, municipal waste, medical waste, manufacturing waste, etc. Public concern over the impact of wastewater has increased. There are several methods for the treatment of wastewater. Among them, techniques like coagulation, adsorption, activated sludge are prominent. The use of aerobic wastewater treatment as a reductive medium is receiving attention for its low cost of operation and low cost of maintenance. The uses of low-cost adsorbents are also effective in wastewater treatment. The aerobic wastewater is effective in degrading the contaminants. There are different electrolytic techniques as well for wastewater treatment. This paper reviews the possible techniques available for the treatment of wastewater to remove contaminants such as halogenated hydrocarbon compounds, heavy metals, dyes, pigments etc. from the wastewater.

New Solutions of Lorentz Transformation III

This work is my third part of the hypothesis which was originally based on the basic assumptions of the Lorentz transformation and has various consequences. In this first part of the hypothesis [1], I calculated a wave function from the general assumptions of the Lorentz transformation. This wave function describes the spatiotemporal deformations and I use it also in my second part of the hypothesis [2] to calculate the interference and diffraction which resulted in an equation that is not based on complex functions, as is the case with standard calculations. This equation we can examine also, for example, in the context of electron levels in an atom, because interference and diffraction are phenomena related to Young’s experiment, and the wave properties of electrons have been demonstrated.

Scientific Management of Equipment in Medical Innovation Laboratory

Aim; To solve the problem of innovation laboratory instrument management and improve laboratory management level. Method; It is necessary to do an excellent job in managing innovative laboratory equipment by improving the equipment management system, functional division management, appointment registration, and strengthening the construction of management teams to guarantee the cultivation of innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities of undergraduates. Results; The number of innovative experimental projects approved and the number of project groups that the laboratory can accept at the same time was increased significantly. The utilization rate of laboratory equipment has increased, and the vacancy rate has decreased. Conclusion; Excellent instrument management can significantly improve the efficiency of scientific research in the innovation laboratory.

Internationalization and Sustainable Operations: A Broad Investigation of China’s Manufacturing Firms with Implications for Emerging Markets

We investigate if internationalization behaviors encourage sustainable operations of China’s manufacturing firms due to their substantial impact on climate change and special governance modes, and organize a heterogeneity test to clarify what kind of internationalization behaviors can robustly influence such operations. We find that firms with abundant assets and heavy-polluting feature are more committed to sustainable operations. Getting close to international sustainability standards, international auditing standards, and international business all improve sustainable operations. Heterogeneity test further shows that compared with international standards, the positive impact of international business on sustainable operation lacks a robustness, which responds to an argument that for one country, international business acts as a double-edged sword. Overall, this paper reveals internationalization as a key indicator significantly influencing economic, ecological, and social spheres in manufacturing sectors of emerging markets, and complying with well-accepted international standards can be significantly embodied in a more optimistic sustainable operations. However, how to deal with international business in a right manner is a research highlight worthy of ongoing discussion. We focus on different types of internationalization behaviors, and this indicator can theoretically inspire future study to dialectically evaluate the role of internationalization in addressing sustainability problems in emerging markets’ pillar industries.

Mechanical Engineering in Ancient Egypt, Part 92: Tomb Inscription During the Old Kingdom

This work is based on a previously published hypothesis which proposed that the solid matter of the universe can be represented as a vibrational wave of energy propagating over an ether or matrix through a mechanism that scrambles the degree of duality in matter: x% localized (solid), y% delocalized (wave). The main purpose of this paper is to present a two-dimensional approximation of the three-dimensional structure of the shape of the energy distribution of an atomic orbital to propose a mechanism through which the orbital can be transported as a vibration from a point A to point B in the matrix. This process requires cycles or oscillations of mounting-dismounting-remounting in which what travels from point A to point B is the energy forming the orbital and not the solid matter that it can form. The atomic seven-dimensional f orbital of hydrogen-like atoms is used as a model to show an analogy to the transformations that it can be submitted to when transported over the matrix.