Effect of magnetic treatment of water on chemical properties of water and sodium adsorption ratio

This study assessed effect of magnetic treatment of water on chemical properties of water, sodium adsorption ratio, electrical conductivity (EC) of the water and the lifespan of the magnetic effect on water. Magnetic flux densities used for treating the water were 124, 319, 443 and 719 gauss. All the cations (Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Cadmium and Lead) were determined using the Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater by American Public Health Association (APHA, 2005). The mean values of concentration of calcium for magnetically treated water (MTW) for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th days after the treatment were 3.197, 3.166, 3.136 and 3.104 mg/L while for non–magnetically treated water (NMTW) were 3.130, 3.095, 3.055 and 3.020 mg/L, respectively. The mean values of nitrate from MTW were 43.07, 43.04. 42.71 and 42.56 mg/L while for NMTW were 42.73, 42.57, 42.00 41.81 mg/L, respectively. The mean value of sulphate from MTW on the first day was 50.06 mg/L while that of NMTW was 47.80 mg/L. The mean values of SAR with MTW for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th days after the treatment were 9.715, 0.710, 9.769 and 9.717 dS/m while the corresponding values of SAR for NMTW were 9.877, 9.806, 9.94 and 9.976 dS/m. All the values of SAR for NMTW were higher than the values of SAR for MTW. The values of EC were also higher for NMTW than that of MTW. MTW is better for irrigating soil than NMTW that could cause soil salinity.Keywords: Irrigation water quality, magnetic treatment of water, sodium adsorption rati

Does Psychological Ownership of Knowledge Matter? Servant Leadership and Knowledge Hiding in Organizations: AProposed Framework

Knowledge hiding can have many adverse effects on organizational development, and it is consequently important to look at its various causes, and also the impact such activities haveon targets, perpetrators, and organizations as a whole. Various studies investigate the effects of knowledge hiding on organizations, and the employees surveyed in these studies have identified some of the possible drivers of knowledge hiding to be: a lack of employee trust; poor employee incentives; employee retaliation; employee insecurity; the intentional withholding of knowledge; the workplace environment; a craving for competitive advantage over fellow staff members; and also, feelings of psychological ownership. This paper investigates the influence of servant leadership on knowledge hiding, and proposes a mediating variable: that of the influence of psychological ownership of knowledge on the relationship between servant leadership and knowledge hiding attitudes in staff within organizations. A model is therefore proposed to achieve this, since it could be argued that increased servant leadership, through the psychological ownership of knowledge, can have a positive effect on staff attitudes towards knowledge hiding, and can also be used to encourage them to share knowledge to improve their overall performances, and the competitive advantages of organizations. The proposed model can also be used to assist managers in developing strategies for motivating staff to become more committed to the visions of organizations, in order to improve the performances of both themselves and their organizations overall.&nbsp

Integrated Supply Chain Management in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Manufacturing Industry: A Review

A move towards integrated supply chain management (ISCM) in the various manufacturing industries, with the integration of the different associated processes involved, is gaining prominence as a tool for achieving competitive advantage over rival companies. Various studies have been carried out on ISCM globally, with possible problems affecting competitiveness and effective customer service identified as nonintegration, ranging from internal processes to suppliers. This paper reviewed literature on the application of ISCM in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Manufacturing industry in Nigeria. This involved collecting, sorting, grouping and analysing of available papers to identify strengths and weaknesses and suggest the direction for future research. The review shows that, although some research has been conducted onISCM in the manufacturing industry, little has been done in the FMCG manufacturing industry globally, and in particular, ISCM is still in the initial stages of adoption in Nigeria. The aim of this review is to unearth the extent of application and implementation of ISCM in the FMCG industry in Nigeria, and advise on the status of ISCM and problems confronting its implementation and use. This paper posits that, based on the reviewed literature, there is a need for the FMCG manufacturing industry in Nigeria to implement ISCM, considering its importance as iterated by both academics and business managers. This review was carried out focusing on literature relating to ISCM in the FMCG Manufacturing industry and does not cover the entire manufacturing industry. &nbsp

Green Entrepreneurship: Why now and what next? Sub Theme: Entrepreneurship and sustainability

The increased quest to utilize resources efficiently, in a manner that will have minimal impact on the environment and thereby improve sustainability, has led to the sustained relevance of green entrepreneurship in both developed and developing countries the world over, including Nigeria.The issue of global warming and the destruction of aquatic live and natural inhabitants, water pollution, as well as increased loss of diversity, have imposed much pressure on policy-makers globally, thus propelling them to advocate for a more sustainable production and consumption pattern and innovative technologies by entrepreneurs.Questions pertaining to environmental degradation, economic improvement and growth, carbon footprint reduction, along with pollution control and waste management, remain mostly unanswered or addressed, in the case of Nigeria. Closer examination of development, economic growth, non-compliance to policy or poor policy, and corrupt practices by environmental and other government official has become critical. Inadequate infrastructure should also be queried, along with an unconducive business environment, unreliable institutions and regulations, and unfriendly consumption of natural resources, in addition to a lack of access to finance, and many others. There is an urgent need to address these challenges faced by society, due to unethical and non-compliance with environmental sustainability by business operators, specifically entrepreneurs, in order to foster green initiatives that can assist in stemming the tide of this environmental degradation.This paper examines the concept of green entrepreneurship and provides guidelines for environmental sustainability through improved decision-making by government and other relevant stakeholders, while encouraging entrepreneurs to incorporate green initiatives into their overall strategy and entrepreneurial practices. The increased quest to utilize resources efficiently, in a manner that will have minimal impact on the environment and thereby improve sustainability, has led to the sustained relevance of green entrepreneurship in both developed and developing countries the world over, including Nigeria.The issue of global warming and the destruction of aquatic live and natural inhabitants, water pollution, as well as increased loss of diversity, have imposed much pressure on policy-makers globally, thus propelling them to advocate for a more sustainable production and consumption pattern and innovative technologies by entrepreneurs.Questions pertaining to environmental degradation, economic improvement and growth, carbon footprint reduction, along with pollution control and waste management, remain mostly unanswered or addressed, in the case of Nigeria. Closer examination of development, economic growth, non-compliance to policy or poor policy, and corrupt practices by environmental and other government official has become critical. Inadequate infrastructure should also be queried, along with an unconducive business environment, unreliable institutions and regulations, and unfriendly consumption of natural resources, in addition to a lack of access to finance, and many others.    15 There is an urgent need to address these challenges faced by society, due to unethical and non-compliance with environmental sustainability by business operators, specifically entrepreneurs, in order to foster green initiatives that can assist in stemming the tide of this environmental degradation.This paper examines the concept of green entrepreneurship and provides guidelines for environmental sustainability through improved decision-making by government and other relevant stakeholders, while encouraging entrepreneurs to incorporate green initiatives into their overall strategy and entrepreneurial practices

Yield and water use efficiency of Amaranthus cruentus grown under sms-based irrigation system

The study was carried out to evaluate water use efficiency and yield of Amaranthus cruentus grown under soil moisture sensor-based (SMS-based) irrigation system. SMS-based irrigation controller was designed to automate irrigation events based on 100 %, 75 % and 50 % field capacity (FC) for the growth of Amaranthus cruentus. The findings of the study revealed that the SMS-based irrigation based on 50 % FC saved 57.17 % irrigation water, 75 % FC saved 43 % while 100 % FC saved 25.33 % irrigation water. Water use efficiency (WUE) ranged from 1.39 – 2.43 for WUE based on fresh weight while WUE based on dry weight ranged from 0.22- 0.4. SMS-based on 50 % FC had the highest WUE of 2.43 while manual irrigation had the lowest WUE of 1.39 based on vegetable fresh weight. The total fresh weight and shoot fresh weight ranged from 62.47g – 84.16 g and 52.22 - 66.92 g respectively. Total dry weight and shoot dry weight ranged from 9.13 - 13.30 g and 7.58 - 11.28 g respectively. SMS-based irrigation based on 100% FC had the highest total and shoot fresh yield while SMS-based irrigation based on 75 % FC had the highest total dry and shoot dry weight. Generally, the yield of Amaranthus cruentus were statistically similar for all the treatments. The relationship of total fresh weight and shoot fresh weight and number of leaves with WUE and volume of irrigation water were statistically significant p≤0.05 while that of total dry weight, shoot dry weight and plant height with WUE and volume of irrigation water were not statistically significant at p≥0.05. SMS-based irrigation had higher irrigation water use efficiency more than manual irrigation which resulted to irrigation water saving compared to the manual irrigation without reducing the yield of Amaranthus cruentus.Keywords: Soil Moisture, Water Use Efficiency, Amaranthus, Fresh weight, Plant heigh

Effects of magnetically treated water on germination and growth of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum: Variety uc82b) under poor soil fertility and deficit irrigation

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of magnetically treated water on the survival of tomato plant after germination and growth of the tomato plant under deficit irrigation and poor soil fertility. The soil used in this study was sieved through 2 mm sieve to have a uniform soil particle sizes and to remove some organic matter that was yet to decompose. Water from the University of Ilorin dam was used for irrigating the tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum: variety UC82B) plant. The water was allowed to pass through magnetic treatment pipe for duration of 113 s. The mean magnetic flux density used was 719 gauss (G) measured inside the pipe. The treatments (T1 to T5) were 100 %, 80 %, 60 %, 50 % and 40 % of the water requirement by tomato and each treatment was replicated 5 times. Experimental layout used in this study was a completely randomized design (CRD) with a control experiment set up adjacent to it in the same transparent garden shed. The results showed that tomato plant irrigated with magnetically-treated water exhibited resistance to water stress, poor soil fertility and fungal attack with 52 % surviving after germination while only 24 % of tomato plants survived after irrigation with non–magnetically treated water. The heights of tomato plants using the treated water with T1 to T5 were 548 mm, 381 mm, 342 mm, 301 mm and 286 mm, respectively while those of untreated water were 512 mm, 365 mm, 326 mm, 298 mm and 264 mm, respectively.Keywords: irrigation, magnetically treated water, magnetic water, tomat

Developing Design Storm Hydrographs for Small Tropical Catchments with Limited Data

Hydrographs are vital tools in the design and construction of water-control structures in urban and rural systems. The purpose of this study was to explore the development of design storm hydrographs for the small tropical catchment with limited data. In this study, Clark’s Unit Hydrograph method was used to develop synthetic hydrographs for the University of Ilorin Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering field plot. This method was selected for evaluation because the field plot has very limited stream flow data. Kunrun stream, which is the discharge outlet for the watershed, has no gauge stations. Clark's method was evaluated in this study for peak discharge and storm hydrograph analysis of the field plot. The total area of the field plot measures 18.4 ha and is characterized according to its land use: pasture range land (34%), cultivated land (49%), wood or forest land (9%) and 'dirt' (8%). The three necessary inputs needed for the development of the synthetic hydrograph using Clark’s method are: time of concentration, a storage coefficient, and a time-area histogram. The  time of concentration was estimated using the Natural Resources Conservation Service method (NRCS) with the lag time determined from Snyder’s equation. The storage coefficient was estimated at 0.75 hr while the time of concentration was 1.98 hr. Convolution procedures were used in determining the storm hydrograph from the unit hydrograph. Runoff volume and peak discharge from the unit hydrograph were estimated to be 2.4 x 104 m3 and 1.02 m3/s, respectively. According to the 24hour, 100year storm hydrograph, the runoff volume was 5.23 x 104 m3 while the peak discharge was 2.15 m3/s. It was found that Clark's Unit Hydrograph Method was very suitable in the development of design storm hydrograph for small tropical catchment with limited data.Keywords: Clark’s unit hydrograph, Storm hydrograph, Peak discharge,  ungauged watershed

Erosional Drainage Network: Development and Analysis Under Simulated Rainfall

Agricultural Engineerin

Women, HIV and AIDS : perceptions of the female condom among students on UKZN Howard College campus.

M. Soc. Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.Unprotected heterosexual intercourse is the major cause of the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); however people still engage in unsafe sexual practices. Much research has therefore focused on preventive approaches and barrier methods to combat HIV and AIDS. Global HIV and AIDS statistics show that women are worst affected, leading researchers and non-governmental organizations to design interventions and programs to prevent HIV infection among women. Female condoms, also known as femidom, are effective and safe in preventing HIV if used consistently. The cost of the first generation female condom, FC1 led to slow uptake, resulting in the production of the more cost-effective second generation female condom, FC2. However, studies show that the FC2 is underutilized for a number of reasons beyond cost, including availability, reduced sexual pleasure, gender inequality and culture. There is a paucity of literature on perceptions of the female condom (Callender, 2012). This study sought to address this gap by accessing perceptions of the female condom among students on the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)’s Howard College campus. This research study adopted an interpretive paradigm and employed mixed methods of research, both quantitative and qualitative. The population/participants were drawn from male and female students at UKZN who reside in two residences on the Howard College campus, namely, John Bews and Pius Langa. A non-probability snow ball sampling method was used to select a sample frame of 124 students comprising both female and male students. Questionnaires and focus group were used to gather data; a total of 100 questionnaires were administered and a focus group was conducted with eight participants in three separate sessions. The qualitative data gathered were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), which generated simple frequencies and percentages. The quantitative data was transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis with the help of the NVivo10 qualitative data analysis package. Thematic analysis developed by Braun & Clarke (2006) was employed to create categories and emerging themes that were derived from the coding process. Paulo Freire’s participatory development paradigm and the empowerment theory provided the conceptual framework within which the research is located. This enabled an exploration of how participatory approaches like focus group discussions create opportunities for participation. Kieffer’s (1984) four stages of empowerment guided the data analysis within the framework of empowerment theory. The study found that male students are more supportive of female condoms than female students. It also revealed that female students do not feel empowered by female condoms; this is as due to inadequate information and insufficient promotion of female condoms. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the most common source of information about female condoms among students was friends, followed by the clinic. Media and billboards had minimal effect in providing information and awareness on the female condom. Students feel that culture does not influence condom (male or female) use; this could suggest a positive future for femidom use in South Africa

Understanding Developers Privacy Concerns Through Reddit Thread Analysis

With the growing global emphasis on regulating the protection of personal information and increasing user expectation of the same, developing with privacy in mind is becoming ever more important. In this paper, we study the concerns, questions, and solutions developers discuss on Reddit forums to enhance our understanding of their perceptions and challenges while developing applications in the current privacy-focused world. We perform various forms of Natural Language Processing (NLP) on 437,317 threads from subreddits such as r/webdev, r/androiddev, and r/iOSProgramming to identify both common points of discussion and how these points change over time as new regulations are passed around the globe. Our results show that there are common trends in privacy topics among the different subreddits while the frequency of those topics differs between web and mobile applications