Evaluation of effect of pig production to the Environment in Enugu State, Nigeria.

The research was aimed at accessing the effect of pig production  to the environmental effect  in Enugu State, Nigeria. A total of sixty (60) farmers were selected using purposive and multi stage random sampling techniques. Structured questionnaire and oral interview were used to collect information on the objectives of the study. Percentages responses, probit analysis, multinomial logit models and factor analysis were used to capture the objectives of the study.. The results showed that most of the respondents were aged, educated, had large household size and member of organizations. The effect of pig production on the environment were odour, noise, flies, dust, mosquitoes and rodents. The pig management technologies adopted by the farmers were proper housing, proper manure disposal; precision feed management and proper disposal of animal carcass         . The waste disposal methods employed by pig farmers were open lagoons, dumping in the farm, heap waste and burn and store in bag. The result of probit analysis of technologies adoption showed that  in all the variables considered, only the coefficients of age, extension services, membership of organization and off – farm income activities that were positive. As well, the analysis of the choice of adopting of the management technologies against environmental hazards using multinomial logit regression, showed that only rearing experience and extension services  were positive .Finally, poor access to credit, poor housing, extension services, disease problem, drug, high costs of labour and location of veterinary posts in the urban area were the major challenges faced by farmers in the study area. There is need to ensure farmers’ access to credit, extension services, membership of organization and off farm income activitiesKey words:  Effect, PigProduction, Probit model, Environment, Multinomial logit  Enug

Impulsive phase transport

The transport of nonthermal electrons is explored. The thick-target electron beam model, in which electrons are presumed to be accelerated in the corona and typically thermalized primarily in the chromosphere and photosphere, is supported by observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. At the highest energies, the anisotropy of gamma-ray emission above 10 MeV clearly indicates that these photons are emitted by anisotropically-directed particles. The timing of this high-energy gamma-radiation with respect to lower-energy hard X-radiation implies that the energetic particles have short life-times. For collisional energy loss, this means that they are stopped in the chromosphere or below. Stereoscopic (two-spacecraft) observations at hard X-ray energies (up to 350 keV) imply that these lower-energy (but certainly nonthermal) electrons are also stopped deep in the chromosphere. Hard X-ray images show that, in spatially resolved flares whose radiation consists of impulsive bursts, the impulsive phase starts with X-radiation that comes mostly from the foot-points of coronal loops whose coronal component is outlined by microwaves

Assessing the effects of no-take zones in a marine protected area spanning two ecoregions and rock substrate types

This study assessed the effectiveness of no-take areas in the Table Mountain National Park MPA in protecting the biodiversity of intertidal rocky shores from impacts of harvesting. Surveys were conducted in areas of controlled harvesting and in no-take areas to compare the densities and sizes of exploited species and the community composition between shores experiencing these two levels of protection, in two ecoregions and on two types of rock substrate. Clear patterns emerged. Firstly, no-take areas had significantly greater densities of the exploited limpets Cymbula granatina, C. oculus and Scutellastra argenvillei, particularly on sandstone shores, relative to their abundance in harvested areas. Conversely, densities of the rarely harvested limpets S. cochlear, S. longicosta and S. granularis did not differ in any manner consistent with protection levels. Secondly, C. granatina and S. argenvillei were significantly larger in no-take areas, although C. oculus displayed the opposite pattern. None of the rarely harvested limpets showed consistent differences in sizes between protection levels. Thirdly, community composition differed between protection levels, particularly on sandstone shores and in the lower intertidal zones where limpets are common. No-take areas were distinguished by greater abundances of harvested limpets and mussels, while harvested areas were dominated by ephemeral and corticated algae, which flourished under reduced grazing pressure by limpets. Our study provides congruent evidence that no-take areas within this MPA are effective in maintaining a natural rocky-shore community composition, and natural densities and size structures of exploited species, testifying to the management success of no-take areas in the Table Mountain National Park, especially on sandstone shores of the Southern Benguela, where densities of harvested species are high, and harvesting is concentrated

Spectroscopic studies of nanostructures of negatively charged free base porphyrin and positively charged tin porphyrins

Spectroscopic studies were carried out on the homoaggregates of negatively charged free base meso-tetraphenylsulfonated porphyrin ([H2TPPS4]4−) and heteroaggregates of a mixture of protonated ([H4TPPS4]2−) and tin meso-tetra (N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin ([SnTMPyP]4+). The spectroscopic studies were done to determine the optimal conditions required for the fabrication of porphyrin nanorods by ionic self assembly of two oppositely charged porphyrins. In addition, the various spectral changes of [H4TPPS4]2− with concurrent change in pH and concentration are also investigated. In acid media at pH more than 3, and at concentrations less than 1 × 10−5 M, [H4TPPS4]2− molecules form J aggregates. A mixture of [H4TPPS4]2− and [SnTMPyP]4+ forms heteroaggregates of the J type in acid media. At pH’s 2 to 3, the optimum ratio for the formation of J aggregates is 3:1 and for pH 1, the optimum ratio is 2:1. Transmission electron microscope images of the nanostructures formed show that they are of cylindrical shape

A Barrel‐Shaped Metal‐Organic Blue‐Box Analog with Photo‐/Redox‐Switchable Behavior

International audienceDonor acceptor interactions are ubiquitous in the design and understanding of host-guest complexes. Despite their non-covalent nature, they can readily dictate the self-assembly of complex architectures. Here, we present a photo-/redox-switchable metal-organic nanocapsule, assembled using lanthanide ions and viologen building blocks, that relies on such donor-acceptor interactions. We highlight the potential of this unique barrel-shaped structure for the encapsulation of suitable electron donors, akin to the well-investigated "blue-box" macrocycles. The light-triggered reduction of the viologen units has been investigated by single-crystal-to-single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments, complemented by magnetic, optical and solid-state electrochemical characterizations. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to suggest the most likely electron donor in the light-triggered reduction of the viologen-based ligand

Electrostatic self-assembly of quaternized 2,(3)-tetra (oxo-pyridine) phthalocyaninato chloroindium (III) with a series of tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines

The self-assembly of oppositely charged phthalocyanines, fabricated using quaternized 2,(3)-tetra(oxo-pyridine) phthalocyaninato chloroindium (III) (QInPyPc) as the positively charge molecule and a series of tetrasulfonate phthalocyanine (MTSPc), M = 2H, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni as negatively charged molecules are reported. The self-assembly results in the formation of heteroaggregates. The metallated sulfonated phthalocyanines form nanorod and nanoleaf shaped structures as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The UV–Vis spectra showed blue shifted Q bands, suggesting that these structures were in a face-to-face arrangement. The Raman spectra of the heteroaggregates showed shifting compared to the spectra of the precursors

Feeding efficiency gains can increase the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of the Tanzanian dairy sector.

We use an attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) and simulation modelling to assess the effect of improved feeding practices and increased yields of feed crops on milk productivity and GHG emissions from the dairy sector of Tanzania’s southern highlands region. We calculated direct non-CO2 emissions from dairy production and the CO2 emissions resulting from the demand for croplands and grasslands using a land footprint indicator. Baseline GHG emissions intensities ranged between 19.8 and 27.8 and 5.8–5.9 kg CO2eq kg−1 fat and protein corrected milk for the Traditional (local cattle) and Modern (improved cattle) sectors. Land use change contributed 45.8–65.8% of the total carbon footprint of dairy. Better feeding increased milk yields by up to 60.1% and reduced emissions intensities by up to 52.4 and 38.0% for the Traditional and Modern sectors, respectively. Avoided land use change was the predominant cause of reductions in GHG emissions under all the scenarios. Reducing yield gaps of concentrate feed crops lowered emissions further by 11.4–34.9% despite increasing N2O and CO2 emissions from soils management and input use. This study demonstrates that feed intensification has potential to increase LUC emissions from dairy production, but that fertilizer-dependent yield gains can offset this increase in emissions through avoided emissions from land use change

Porphyrin nanorods modified glassy carbon electrode for the electrocatalysis of dioxygen, methanol and hydrazine

Porphyrin nanorods (PNR) were prepared by ionic self-assembly of two oppositely charged porphyrin molecules consisting of free base meso-tetraphenylsulfonate porphyrin (H4TPPS42−) and meso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin (MTMePyP4+M=Sn, Mn, In, Co). These consist of H4TPPS42−SnTMePyP4+, H4TPPS42−CoTMePyP4+, H4TPPS42−InTMePyP4+ and H4TPPS42−MnTMePyP4+ porphyrin nanorods. The absorption spectra and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images of these structures were obtained. These porphyrin nanostructures were used to modify a glassy carbon electrode for the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen, and the oxidation of hydrazine and methanol at low pH. The cyclic voltammogram of PNR-modified GCE in pH 2 buffer solution has five irreversible processes, two distinct reduction processes and three oxidation processes. The porphyrin nanorods modified GCE produce good responses especially towards oxygen reduction at −0.50 V vs. Ag|AgCl (3 M KCl). The process of electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol using PNR-modified GCE begins at 0.71 V vs. Ag|AgCl (3 M KCl). The electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine began at around 0.36 V on H4TPPS42−SnTMePyP4+ modified GCE. The GCE modified with H4TPPS42−CoTMePyP4+ H4TPPS42−InTMePyP4+ and H4TPPS42−MnTMePyP4+ porphyrin nanorods began oxidizing hydrazine at 0.54 V, 0.59 V and 0.56 V, respectively

Suzaku reveals X-ray continuum piercing the nuclear absorber in Markarian 231

We report the results from a 2011 Suzaku observation of the nearby low-ionization BAL quasar/ULIRG Markarian 231. These data reveal that the X-ray spectrum has undergone a large variation from the 2001 XMM-Newton and BeppoSAX observations. We interpret this finding according to a scenario whereby the X-ray continuum source is obscured by a two-component partial-covering absorber with NH ~10^22 and ~10^24 cm^-2, respectively. The observed spectral change is mostly explained by a progressive appearance of the primary continuum at <10 keV due to the decrease of the covering fraction of the denser absorption component. The properties of the X-ray obscuration in Mrk 231 match well with those of the X-ray shielding gas predicted by the theoretical models for an efficient radiatively-driven acceleration of the BAL wind. In particular, the X-ray absorber might be located at the extreme base of the outflow. We measure a 2-10 keV luminosity of L(2-10) = 3.3 x 10^43 erg s^-1 for the 2011 data set, i.e. an increase of 30% with respect to the 2001 value.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA