MIGRATING BUSINESS SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS INTO THE CLOUD

Cloud computing has attracted a lot of hyperbole since it became a trendy topic for IT managers to talk about. Companiesfrequently trumpet their cloud enabled services but rarely give up details on precisely how they achieved this or how muchof their infrastructure has been fully migrated. Security and reliability of cloud services are often raised as concerns. Byunderstanding the basics of cloud computing and knowing how to assess important factors such as security and theidentification of systems that are suitable for migration, it becomes much easier to design and implement a cloud strategy.This paper provides the essential facts about the cloud computing, list some factors to prepare for when adopting cloudcomputing, consideration for managers migrating their services and applications into the cloud. It also discussed the meritsof going into the cloud.Keywords: Cloud Computing, Public Cloud, Service as a Service, Application Migration, Decision Makin

Development and Exploration of Controlled Automated Scissors Car Jack for Vehicle Maintenance

The scissors jack is a commonly used mechanical device for vehicle maintenance and other applications. However, its operation requires significant energy input, posing challenges and complexities, particularly for certain demographics. In response, this paper presents a novel approach to automate the scissors car jack, integrating it with an Android application to enhance energy efficiency, ease of operation, and safety. The motorized lifting system incorporates a car wiper DC motor with an internal gearing system to drive the lead screw of the scissors jack, enabling smooth upward and downward motions. An electrical circuit, comprising a microcontroller, voltage regulator crystal oscillator, diode, resistor, transistor, relay, and Bluetooth module was designed to power the motor through the vehicle's 12V cigarette port and control its rotational direction. Furthermore, an Android application, developed using the MIT App Inventor, serves as a remote control for the DC motor. Through this research, significant advancements in energy efficiency and operational convenience are achieved, while also ensuring enhanced safety during vehicle maintenance. The integration of the scissors jack with an Android application allows users to remotely control the lifting process, providing a more user-friendly and intuitive experience. The findings contribute to the fields of automotive technology, automation, and mechanical systems by offering an innovative solution for efficient and safe vehicle maintenance. In conclusion, this paper presents an automated scissors car jack system integrated with an Android application, showcasing improved energy efficiency, ease of use, and safety. The research findings provide valuable insights for practitioners and researchers alike, advancing knowledge and practice in the field of automotive maintenance and automation

A Comparison of the Semi Analytical and Numerical Method in Solving the Problem of Magnetohydrodynamics Flow of a Third Grade Fluid between Two Parallel Plates

The main purpose of this study is to compare a semi-analytical method and numerical method namely the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and finite difference method (FDM) respectively. These methods were employed for solving the nonlinear problem of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) couette flow of third-grade fluid between the two parallel plates. The comparison was made between a solution of HPM and FDM against a solution obtained from regular perturbation and the results are tabulated. From a computational viewpoint, it is revealed that the HPM is more reliable and efficient than FDM. Also, the results show that the FDM requires slightly more computational effort than the HPM, although the HPM yields more accurate results than the FDM. &nbsp

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF TROPICAL BIOFUELLED FISH SMOKING STRUCTURES

Environmental and hygienic concerns associated with traditional fish smoking structures restrict the sale and consumption of smoked products to local markets. This study evaluated the performance of three(improved kiln oven (IKO), mud-type ovens (MTO) and extended drum ovens (EDO)) locally available Biofuelledfish smoking structures and proposed modifications to improve product quality.Three groups of prepared freshwater catfish (Clarias gariepinus) with average live weights of 1.93 kg±46 g, 1.92 kg±50 g and 1.86 kg±50 g was used as test samples. Smoking profiles, final moisture content (FMC), smoking time, smoking temperatures, percentage weight loss (WL) and organoleptic evaluation (ORE) were the performance indicators used during evaluatio

Comparative Analysis of Monetary Policy Shocks and Exchange Rate Fluctuations in Nigeria and South Africa

The study examined a comparative analysis of monetary policy shocks and exchange rate fluctuations based on evidence from the two largest economies in Africa (Nigeria and South Africa) – from 1985 to 2015. Data were derived from various sources which include the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Banks reports and the World Bank database. Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Analysis was used as the estimation technique. The results indicated that the foreign interest rate in South Africa had higher variations in the short-run. While in the long-run, foreign interest rate has higher percentage variations to exchange rate. In Nigeria the world oil price has the higher influence on exchange rate both in the short-run and longrun periods. Based on these results, the study then recommended that the monetary authorities and policymakers in both countries encourage external currency inflows into the economy. &nbsp

Investigation of the Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Welded API X70 Pipeline Steel

The mechanical properties of pipelines particularly those in marine environments are influenced by corrosion activity of seawater throughout their service lives. The degree to which these properties are influenced in seawater compared to those exposed to air needs to be better understood. In this study, the chemical composition of API X70 pipeline steel plate, microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded joints of same steel plates exposed to ambient air and seawater respectively were investigated. It was found that the base metal consisted of manganese (0.51wt% Mn), low carbon content (0.051 wt% C) and small quantities of alloying elements such as vanadium (0.021wt% V), molybdenum (0.118 wt% Mo), chromium (0.240 wt% Cr), copper (0.002 wt% Cu), and a carbon equivalent (CE IIW) of 0.38. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed that the microstructure of base metal sample has large grains formed in packets which have certain crystallographic orientation but contain submicron grains arranged in a chaotic interlocking manner. The tensile tests performed using a UNITED type universal testing machine confirmed that the yield strength of the base metal was 573.045MPa which conforms to API standard for X70 steel pipe. The manual metal arc (MMA) welding technique was applied to produce the welded joints.  For the welded joints exposed to ambient air at room temperature, the yield strength was 680.624MPa while the compressive strength was 1500.2MPa, and the impact energy at -10°C was 112.68J. Air tests referred to tests conducted in the laboratory at room temperature. For the welded joints exposed to seawater for 12 weeks, the yield strength was 609.154MPa while the compressive strength was 1219.34MPa, and the impact energy at -10°C was 61.48J. The above results for air and seawater exposures were used to determine the environmental reduction factors of the two environments.  Hardness tests conducted using Vickers hardness tester revealed variations in hardness across the base metal, the HAZ and the weld, with the weld having the highest average Vicker’s hardness value (223.8HV) followed by the base metal (217.3HV) and the HAZ had the least (214.5HV

Cotton Seed Bio-Based Metal Working Fluid for Sustainable Machining Operation

This work investigated the viability of cottonseed oil as bio-based oil as a contribution to meeting the challenges of developing green industrial materials that are environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives for use as metal cutting fluid, as many of the conventional metal working fluids were established to be harmful and hazardous both to the environment and health of the operator. The tests revealed that the metal working fluid properties of cottonseed oil were: pH-value, 4.37; viscosity, 33.85 mm2/s at 40 ºC, and 7.89 mm2/s at 100 ºC; density, 0.911 g/cm3; and a flash point of 263 ºC. This result shows that some of these properties compare favourably with those of the conventional mineral oil. It was concluded that at the lower temperature of 40°C the oil is still viscous enough and therefore is suitable for lower temperature operation such as low speed cutting, smaller depth of cut etc., while at a higher temperature of 100°C, the oil becomes less viscous and is thus not viable for higher temperature machining operations such as high-speed cutting operation and larger depths of cut; the density shows that cottonseed oil has high lubricity; the oil is acidic in nature and therefore would require addition of anticorrosive agents to function as a metal working fluid; and that the flash point of the oil is higher than that of the conventional mineral metal working fluid and so can be adjudged to be a very good candidate for the production of bio-based metal working fluid. The analysis indicated that the cottonseed oil, if significantly improved with the use of additives and chemically modified seeds, can be one of the potential candidates to substitute the conventional mineral oil in machining industry

DEVELOPMENT OF A MANUALLY OPERATED CASSAVA HARVESTER USING HYDRAULIC MEDIUM

Cassava harvesting in Nigeria is still a major challenge to many small scale farmers who utilize basic tools and implements in its cultivation. Manual cassava harvesting is difficult and full of drudgery especially during the dry seasons when the soil moisture content is low. The mechanized alternatives are way beyond the reach of resource poor farmers. This research study developed a low cost manually powered harvesting device using a hydraulic ram and plunger system. The major components of the harvester include the base frame, the support stand, lifting arm, lifting medium and the clamp. Some of the design considerations include ease of reproducibility and ability to lift the cassava with minimal damage. The hydraulic power source capable of lifting 5ton of weight was adopted with a human effort of 50N (5 kg). Preliminary evaluation of the device on 20 stands of randomly selected mature cassava stands at 63% soil moisture content recorded a minimum time of 13 seconds and a maximum time of 35 seconds respectively while there was no damage recorded on the tubers and stem girth during the harvsesting procedure as the gradually applied load enusred minimal disturbance was casued to the soil&nbsp

Adoption of Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) Among Smallholder Rice Farmers in Nigeria Agricultural Transformation Agenda

This study assessed the adoption rate and identified factors influencing adoption of rice technologies among participants of Agricultural Transformation Agenda across the targeted implementation zones of Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting eighty respondents for the study. The data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Tobit regression model were employed in the analysis of data. The study revealed that majority of farmers participating in Agricultural Transformation Agenda Project (ATASP-1) are youths and still in their active age as indicated by the average age of 42 years. About 62% have secondary and tertiary education. On the gender distribution of the people engaged in ATASP-1 project, it was revealed that about 92% were male while only 8% were female. Substantial numbers of technologies were disseminated on rice being promoted under ATASP-1 project and the adoption rate of these technologies was very high. More than three-quarter of the respondents have adopted technologies introduced to them. Adoption of rice technologies among participating farmers is largely depends on socioeconomic characteristics of farmers such as age, education and gender of the respondents. The study recommends that there should be continuous training of farmers on the importance of these technologies as well as techniques behind their utilization to ensure continuous usage of the adopted technologies. Women should be encouraged to participate more in the project and to take up farming as a business. Also, adequate attention should be given to farmers socioeconomic characteristics as these are the determinants of technology adoption. Keywords: Adoption, GAP, Rice Farmers, Agricultural Transformation Agenda DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-15-02 Publication date: August 31st 201

Measurement of Technical Efficiency of Irrigated and Rainfed Onion Farms in Kano State of Nigeria

This study estimated technical efficiency of irrigated and rain-fed onion production in Kano State of Nigeria, and was carried out in six selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 217 onion farmers involved in both irrigated and Rain-fed production systems. The study made use of primary data, collected through structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier model were used to analyse the data. Generally, young literate married men with 5 household size and14 years of farming experience were involved in onion farming. The Maximum Likelihood Estimate (MLE) for production frontier shows that the variable inputs (farm size, hired and family labour, seeds and fertilizers) have positive coefficients and were significant at 5% level. This implied positive effect on onion yields under both production systems, while agro-chemical was negative under rain-fed. The mean technical efficiency was higher for irrigated onion farmers than rain-fed farmers indicating that onion production was technically more efficient under irrigation system of production than rain-fed system of production. Educations, experience, membership of cooperative, access to credit are socio-economic variables that reduce technical inefficiency in both systems of production. The following recommendations were made; contract farming, introduction of hybrid seeds, formation of cooperative societies and private partnership participation with government should be encouraged to boost irrigated onion production not only for home and local industry but also for export to other countries of the world. Keywords: Technical efficiency, irrigated, rain-fed, onion production DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/54-02 Publication date: April 30th 201