Quality Management System In Construction

This paper describes the Quality Management System (QMS) concept and its application in the construction industry. A misunderstanding among the construction players on the QMS concept has become the stumbling block for its successful implementation

Fuzzy-PID controller on ANFIS, NN-NARX and NN-NAR system identification models for cylinder vortex induced vibration

In this paper, Fuzzy-PID controller on nonlinear system identification models for cylinder due to vortex induced vibration (VIV) has been presented well. Nonlinear system identification models generated after extracting the input-output data from previous paper. The nonlinear model consisted into three methods: Neural Network (NN-NARX) based on the Nonlinear Auto-Regressive with External (Exogenous) Input, Neural Network (NN-NAR) based on the Nonlinear Auto-Regressive and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The work has been divided into two main parts: generating the system identification models to predict the system dynamic behavior and using Fuzzy-PID controller to suppress the cylinder vibration arising from the vortices. For system identification models, the best representation for NAR and NARX models has been chosen depend on two variables which are Number of hidden neurons (NE) and number of delay (ND) then using mean Square Error (MSE) to find the best model. Whereas, calculating the lowest MSE when the ND equal to 2 and the value of NE ranging 1-11 then fixing NE which is giving the lowest MSE and calculating it when the ND ranging 1-11. While, for ANFIS model the process consisted of find the lowest MSE at particular number of membership function (MF) with two inputs and generalized bell shape as a type of MF. For the second part, Fuzzy-PID used to attenuate the effect of vortices on the cylinder on the best representation for all methods. However, the consequences presented that the lowest MSE of NAR model equal 2.8452×10-9 when the NE = 6 and ND = 4. While the best model of the NARX method recorded MSE = 1.2714×10-9 at NE and ND equal to 8 and 2 respectively. Also, the lowest MES for ANFIS model recorded 2.5635×10-13 when the MF equal to 2 for input and output. From another hand, Fuzzy-PID controller has been succeeded to reduce the vortex induced vibration on cylinder for all models but particularly on ANFIS model

CORRUPTION AND ELECTORAL PROCESS IN NIGERIA: EXAMINING THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION

Corruption is one of the socioeconomic malaises that bedeviled the Nigerian State for many decades which virtually eroded all aspects of good governance and effective service delivery to the populace. It has affected democratic governance particularly electoral process with vote buying, bribing of electoral body officials and manipulation of the entire process. This paper investigated how corruption affected the process and outcome of the 2015 General Elections. The methodology adopted is qualitative case study of data collection and analysis where some agencies and stakeholders that are related to the area of study were selected for interview including INEC, EFCC, politicians, party stakeholders, academicians and members of the general public through focus group discussion. The paper discovered that, the entire process of 2015 General Elections was affected by corruption and corrupt practices in terms of using public treasury for campaign activities by politicians from the two major parties; APC and PDP in their campaign and other electoral activities comprising of vote buying, excessive media campaign, spending above limit and bribing of INEC officials. The paper recommends that, for corruption to be eschewed in the electoral process, the INEC should be allowed a free hand in running the elections and the EFCC should be involved in screening contestants for political office and violaters of electoral laws should be banned from active politics permanently. The paper contributed to the existing knowledge by presenting an area that has not been given adequate attention particularly in the methodology of research of this nature

Study the effect of volume fraction concentration and particles materials on thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of nanofluids.

Nanofluids, a mixture of nanoparticles and fluids, have exceptional potential to improve their effective thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, aluminum and aluminum oxide nanofluids with five different volume fractions of nanoparticle suspensions in different base fluids, i.e., distilled water, ethylene glycol (EG), and ethanol were prepared by mixing nanopowder and base fluids. Sonication with high-powered pulses was used to ensure the dispersion of nanoparticles in good uniformity in the base fluids. The hot wire-laser beam displacement technique was used to measure thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the prepared nanofluids. The effects of the volume fraction concentration and particle materials on the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of nanofluids were determined. The results showed that the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity increased linearly with increasing volume fraction concentration of nanoparticles in the respective base fluids. In addition, the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity increased faster in the Al2O3 nanofluids than in all the three base fluids

A Rehabilitation Gaming System for Cognitive Deficiencies: Design and Usability Evaluation

Patients with Acquired Brain Injuries or ABI experience various cognitive deficiencies that adversely impact their daily lives, as their ability to perform everyday activities, becomes severely limited. These patients would benefit more from engaging in unconventional cognitive rehabilitation, specifically rehabilitation using Serious Games. However, it is difficult to categorize cognitive disabilities due to their heterogeneity; therefore individualized rehabilitation interventions are required. It is also challenging to design games for cognitive rehabilitation, as the complexity and production cost for these games are usually very high. There is an abundance of recent studies on cognitive rehabilitation, particularly game-based interventions. However, some studies explain how to design games that are enjoyable and usable for patients with cognitive disabilities. Hence, this study addresses this issue with a proposed framework for therapeutic game developers targeting patients with cognitive deficiencies. To this end, a prototype Rehabilitation Gaming System (RGS) was developed and evaluated by therapists. A 7-point Likert scale usability questionnaire was used and the mean scores for layout/design (5.94), ease of use (5.40), easy to learn (5.76), usefulness (5.96) and satisfaction (6.1) indicate that RGS has good usability. Therapists are willing to use RGS for rehabilitation purposes. Practitioners, game developers, and patients in the healthcare field will be able to use the proposed framework as a guide and tool for designing and implementing games targeted for cognitive rehabilitation.

A survey on SQL injection prevention methods

Database plays a very important role in everyone’s life including the organizations since everything today is connected via Internet and to manage so many data. There is a need of database which helps organizations to organize, sort and manage the data and to ensure that the data which a user is receiving and sending through the mean of database is secure since the database stores almost everything such as Banking details which includes user id, Password and so. Thus, it means that the data are really valuable and confidential to us and therefore security really matters for database. SQL Injection Attacks on the database are becoming common in this era where the hackers are trying to steal the valuable data of an individual through the mean of SQL Injection Attack by using malicious query on the application. This application reveals the individual data by an efficient and the best SQL Injection Prevention technique is required in order to protect the individual data from being stolen by the hackers. Therefore, this paper will be focusing on reviewing different types of SQL Injection prevention methods and SQL injection types. The initial finding of this paper can make comparison of different types of SQL Injection Prevention methods which will enable the Database Administrator to choose the best and the efficient SQL Injection Prevention Method for their organization. Consequently, Preventing of SQL Injection Attack from happening which would ultimately result in no data loss of an user

Design Science Paradigm in the Development of Serious Game for Cognitive Rehabilitation

The use of serious games in cognitive rehabilitation would be invaluable to the rehabilitation process and provide advantages that may not be available in conventional rehabilitation. Although many recent game-based interventions for cognitive rehabilitation have been reported in the literature, not much knowledge is available on the best approach to develop usable games for individuals with cognitive disabilities. Therefore, Design Science approach was adopted to find a solution to this problem. This paper explores an existing Design Science framework and methodology, which are then combined and reduced into one single framework. This paper further examines how this framework can be used as a means to develop an artefact that can be used as a guideline in developing serious games for cognitive rehabilitation. The Design Science paradigm works well for the development of serious game for cognitive rehabilitation. This paper concludes with a discussion of the research contributions

Effect of fractional crystallyzation on composition and thermal behavior of coconut oil

This study was aimed to fractionate coconut oil into its high- and low-melting fractions and determine the compositional and thermal property changes. A sample of coconut oil was dissolved in acetone, and allowed to crystallize isothermally at a desired temperature to separate into the low- and high-melting components. The isolated fractions were compared to the original sample with respect to fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions as well as thermal behavior. There were considerable deviations in the fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions of the two components with respect to those of the original sample. As a consequence, the overall melting behaviors of the two components differed considerably from that of the original sample. In the high-melting fraction, the onset and endset were shifted toward the higher temperature region with a concurrent reduction in its melting range, and vice-versa, the onset and endset of the low-melting fraction had shifted toward the low-temperature region with an increase in its melting range. The reduction of the melting range of the high-melting fraction could make it a specialty fat for applications in confectionery

A review on medicinal properties of saffron toward major diseases

The stigma of Crocus sativus, known as saffron, is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The bioactive components in saffron, picrocrocin, crocin, and safranal, have demonstrated a wide range of uses and capabilities in the medical field. This review is focused on the potential therapeutic applications of saffron on diabetes mellitus (DM), antitumor, anticancer, anti-depressant, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), erectile dysfunction and antibacterial effects