Research Plus Journals (RPJ)
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Enhancing Teaching and Learning at the University of Venda Utilising Digital Mobile Devices
Full text linkThe University of Venda(Univen) distributed tablets to students for facilitating and enhancing their studies. However, the provision of tablet PCs to students may not be a panacea for quality learning, especially to technological disadvantaged rural student population. The aim of study was to investigate the use of digital mobile devices for enhancing teaching and learning at the Univen. The research questions focused on determining the current level of use of mobile devices, how they can be used effectively for teaching and learning. Mixed methods approach was applied with data being solicited from a convenient sample of students, lecturers and an IT technician. The results of the study indicated that many students and lecturers are active and have higher perceptions of mobile devices usage. The results of the study are to be used to explicate and advance the integration of the mobile devices for promoting learning and teaching accomplishments. The findings clearly showed that mobile devices have a positive impact on the academic experience. The results also indicate that there is a gradual acceptance of the Learners Management Systems (Blackboard) by both academics and students. The digital mobile devices are eventually enhancing teaching and learning at Univen
Generating Building’s Operating Energy Automatically by Energy Plus and C#
Full text linkAbstract—The use phase of buildings always contributes to the largest share of life cycle energy consumption and life cycle environmental impacts. This paper selects different wall materials, provides a possible method to calculate operating energy consumption of alternative wall assemblies automatically, and suggests the influences that different layers have on operating energy. The results show that the operating energy consumption varies according to the insulating layer while the thickness of air gap has a negligible impact on the operating energy. And it can be seen that the material and thickness of insulation has a great influence in the building’s operating energy and there should be more research focusing on the method to generate life cycle energy in order to optimize the buildings performance in the architectural design
Cloud Forensics : Isolating Cloud Instance
Full text linkCloud computing has been the trending model for storing, accessing and modifying the data over the Internet in the recent years. Rising use of the cloud has generated a new concept related to the cloud which is cloud forensics. Cloud forensics can be defined as investigating for evidence over the cloud, so it can be viewed as a combination of both cloud computing and digital forensics. Many issues of applying forensics in the cloud have been addressed. Isolating the location of the incident has become an essential part of forensic process. This is done to ensure that evidence will not be modified or changed. Isolating an instant in the cloud computing has become even more challenging, due to the nature of the cloud environment. In the cloud, the same storage or virtual machine have been used by many users. Hence, the evidence is most likely will be overwritten and lost. The proposed solution in this paper is to isolate a cloud instance. This can be achieved by marking the instant that reside in the servers as "Under Investigation". To do so, cloud file system must be studied. One of the well-known file systems used in the cloud is Apache Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). Thus, in this paper the methodology used for isolating a cloud instance would be based on the HDFS architecture
Early Recognition of Alzheimer’s Disease using Brain MRI
Full text linkAbstract—Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. It represents a major public health problem. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have shown that the brains of people with (AD) shrink significantly as the disease progresses. This shrinkage appears in specific brain regions such as the hippocampus which is a small, curved formation in the brain that plays an important role in the limbic system also involved in the formation of new memories and is also associated with learning and emotions. Medical information on brain MRI is used in detecting the abnormalities in physiological structures. Structural MRI measurements can detect and follow the evolution of brain atrophy which is a marker of the disease progression; therefore, it allows diagnosis and prediction of AD. The research’s main target is the early recognition of Alzheimer’s disease automatically, which will thereby avoid deterioration of the case resulting in complete brain damage stage. Alzheimer’s disease yields visible changes in the brain structures. The aim is to recognize if the patient belongs to Alzheimer’s disease category or a normal healthy person at an early stage.
Initially, image pre-processing and features extraction techniques are applied including data reduction using Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and Cropping, then traditional classification techniques like Euclidean Distance, Chebyshev Distance, Cosine Distance, City Block Distance, and Black pixel counter, were applied on the resulting vectors for classification. Image pre-processing includes noise reduction, Gray-scale conversion and binary scale conversion were applied for the MRI images. Feature extraction techniques follow including cropping and low spatial frequency components (DCT). This paper aims to automatically recognize and detect Alzheimer’s infected brain using MRI, without the need of clinical expert. This early recognition would be helpful to postpone the disease progression and maintain it at an almost steady stage. It was concluded after collecting a dataset of 50 MRI , 25 for normal MRI and 25 for AD MRI that Chebyshev Distance classifier yielded the highest success rate in the recognition of Alzheimer’s disease with accuracy 94% compared to other classification techniques used where, Euclidean Distance is 91.6%, Cosine Distance is 86.8%, City block Distance is 89.6%, Correlation Distance is 86.4% and Black pixels counter is 90%
Acoustic and Electrical Detection to Localize And Measure the Partial Discharge in High Voltage Apparatus
Full text linkThe occurrence of the Partial Discharge (PD) inside the high voltage apparatus especially in power transformer due to some defect in its insulation system results in a catastrophic failure. Determination the magnitude and location of the PD inside the transformer is very valuable to avoid the undesired outage. In this paper, two important issues will discuss. The first issue, measuring the magnitude of the PD by the electrical detection device (The partial discharge analysis system MPD 600) that has many kits to the acquisition and analysis for detecting, recording and analyzing the PD. PD Measuring the circuit of MPD600 connected to point to plane according to IEC60270 with an optical interface by computer that have Metronix software in case of partial prediction. The second issue is determining the PD location to start the maintenance process. In order to locate the PD inside the transformer the acoustic signals that emit from the PD source were measured and therefore, the Time difference of arrival (TDOA) between these signals is estimated. A point to plan gap configuration that is mounted in the acrylic tank that contains the insulating oil is used to develop the PD point source. In addition four piezoelectric sensors are fitted on the tank walls to receive the acoustic signals. The sensors are coupled with acoustic PD detector which outputs are applied to four-channel digital oscilloscope to measure the acoustic signals. The proposed algorithm results demonstrate the ability of the algorithm to determine the PD location
Teaching E-Business Communications to Executive Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Human Resource Management (HRM) Learners and Professionals
Full text linkCommunication problems in today's business world constitute the cause for chaos, conflicts, and sometimes corruption on the behalf of employees and leaders when there is a lack in certain skills sets, ethical and logical reasoning, and overall understanding of the role and function of modern-day communications. Consequently, many communication problems can be prevented with proper standards and procedures. Many executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) and Human Resource Management (HRM) programs are now including business communications or components thereof communications and their program offerings. This paper will look at how technology has impacted communications in today's workplace, as well as how the skill sets of leaders, managers, and employees do affect the communication process. Therefore, a special emphasis will be placed on use of technology, use of electronic communications, and overall training of human capital in today's organizations. Finally, this paper will address how one university has approached the teaching of business communications with an emphasis on electronic communications in the workplac
Profitability Analysis of Fresh Tomato Retail Marketing In Some Major Markets Of Kano State, Nigeria
Full text linkSmall scale farmers in Nigeria can’t do without tomato production because of its special attributes and quick cash generation as tomato is being viewed as cash crop, despites it perishable and none storable nature. The study examined the profitability of fresh tomato retail marketing in major markets of Kano State. A total of 149 respondents were randomly selected from the four market sites selected purposively due to the high concentration of continuous retail marketing throughout the year, the market sites are; Tarauni, ‘Yan Kaba, Garin Dau and Wudil Market. Information was collected using structured questionnaire. Deconstructed marketing margin was used for the analysis, the results revealed the marketing margin to be N452.6 and –N374.5 per basket at the peak and the off season respectively. Transportation cost accounts for about 35% and 40% of the total marketing cost for on and off season respectively. The study concluded that the retail marketing of fresh tomato is generally profitable and recommends that fresh tomato retail marketers should imbibe the idea of collective purchase in order to minimize transportation cost for maximum profit, it further recommends agricultural scientists to find ways of reducing postharvest losses at all levels of marketing so as to make the price of the commodity relatively stable throughout the year to ensure sustainability in the business
Electron Beam Lithography and Plasma Etching To Fabricate Supports for Studying Nanomaterials
Full text linkThe fabrication processes of different nano- structures by electron beam lithography (EBL) and plasma dry etching are shown. The periodic circle and square patterns with different sizes were defined in the resist by EBL and then formed in the substrates by plasma etching. The holes were created with a diameter ranging from 1um to 5um and an etch depth from around 500nm to 1um. The quality and the size of fabricated patterns and their dependence on the etching time were investigated using top-down and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the structures are well-resolved in the patterns with high levels of quality and good size uniformity. The results show that the depth of the structures does not depend on their size or geometry but rather on the etch time
Experimental Investigation into Influence of Lathe Cutting Parameters on Surface Roughness for Ferrous and Non- Ferrous Alloys
Full text linkOptimization of lathe cutting parameters is very important as they form the best suitable conditions for the machining operations. For the efficient use of a CNC Lathe, a set of optimum cutting parameters (speed, feed and depth of cut) is an essential requirement. Surface Roughness, which heavily depends on these cutting parameters, is one of the most frequently used standards to define the quality of turned components. In this work, a correlative study of cutting parameters and the surface roughness for ferrous (stainless steel 304) and non–ferrous alloy (aluminum) material is carried out and presented. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) techniques are employed to investigate the influence of cutting parameters on surface roughness values. Results from contour plots are obtained to investigate the patterns of factors and the responses. The combination of optimum experimental parameters can be found by machining these ferrous and non-ferrous materials in CNC turning center and finding the least surface roughness parameters. ANOVA analysis, integrated with Design Expert© software, is used to determine effective ratios of the parameters and subsequently the relationships between input parameters and their responses relationship are established. The minimum surface roughness results in reference to spindle rpm, feed rate, and depth of cut are determined and estimation of the optimal surface roughness values (Ra) for least surface roughness are the results obtained in the study. This study presents the findings of an experimental investigation into the effect of turning parameters like cutting speed. Feed rate and depth of cut by turning ferrous (stainless steel 304) and non-ferrous material (Aluminium) in the CNC turning center and then checked the surface roughness values with Mitutoyo SJ-301 instrument. The effects of parameters and their correlation with the surface roughness and the optimal values have been analysed. These results establish a firm relationship and correlation between cutting parameters and surface roughness and in doing so, results also achieve an optimal set of machining parameters for select ferrous and non-ferrous materials
Financial Planning In Entrepreneurship Business in Nigeria: Is It So Important?
Full text linkEvery business organisation need to make the best out of their operations, regardless of their current financial position. Financial planning is not only for the wealthy business organisation, but also in life, it is for every business enterprise. An entrepreneurship business without financial planning is not without problems/challenges in the nearest future. This study seeks to capture and highlight the financial planning tools in entrepreneurship Business in Nigeria. It focused on what Entrepreneurship Business is all about ‘cum’ the nature of planning, the reason for financial planning and its concepts in Entrepreneurship Business. It spells out the importance of financial planning in business. The methodology gives a clear picture on the systematic procedures and methods employed in carrying out this study. Data are presented, analysed and interpreted with the aid of mean, standard error of proportion and Z – statistic. The study is not without findings and recommendations; the findings and recommendations are based on the study. We also suggested areas for further studies, which will be of great benefit to entrepreneurs in Nigeria cum financial homes