Development Of A Multi-Channel Personal Computer (Pc) Based Data Logger

PC (Personal Computer) based instrumentation is getting more attention because of three technological enhancements; increasing reliability of PCs, steadily decreasing cost of hard drive space on PCs and PC-based measurement hardware that could meet or exceed measurement capabilities of stand-alone data loggers. This paper discusses the development of a circuitry that is capable of acquiring data from sixteen different sources external to the computer. The circuitry was connected to a personal computer through the printer's port, and the acquisition time interval of the circuitry was variable with a minimum of one minute. The complete activity of the circuitry was controlled by software written in visual basic 6.0. The circuitry was used to monitor atmospheric temperature and relative humidity. The sets of data obtained were found to be accurate and reliable, with the exact time and date of acquisition automatically recorded. This design revealed almost 50% cut in the cost of using this technology when compared with the cost of importing a data logger of comparable feature.Journal of Science & Technology (Ghana) Vol. 27 (3) 2007: pp. 122-13

Marketing System of Non-Timber Forest Products:-The Case of Palmyra Palm in North-Eastern Nigeria

This study investigated the marketing system of Palmyra Palm products in North-eastern Nigeria to; identify its marketable products, channels of distribution and roles of market participants, and also assess its marketing facilities in North-eastern Nigeria. Data were generated through market surveys and interviews on 203 respondents selected randomly from Adamawa, Bauchi and Yobe markets. The generated data were analysed using descriptive statistics where appropriate. Marketing system focusing market organization was analyzed qualitatively by observing the marketing channels, roles of market participants and marketing facilities. The results revealed that exchange and ownership of title to products occurred at the local markets (54.0%), farmers' homes (37.7%), and farmers' farms (6.2%), and inter-states' markets (2.1%). The marketing channel of Palmyra palm was highly decentralised and thus the marketing system was expected to be operationally efficient. However, because of poor road network, high transportation cost and poor marketing facilities, the marketing system was adjudged operationally inefficient. Market participants introduced flaws in the marketing system; farm-gate middlemen dominated marketing operations, commissioned buying agents over-depended on wholesalers for capital, and there was collusion in price determination. Marketing facilities namely market places, storage, processing, transportation and packaging were crude and inadequate, while credit facilities were virtually absent. To address these inadequacies, the study recommended provision of improved marketing facilities and communication gadgets, formation of consumer co-operative organizations to check the excesses of the middlemen in the market and more research into the marketing of Non-timber forest resources.&#160

Utilization trend of wood species utilized in furniture industry in selected cities in Nigeria

The utilization trend of four commonly used wood species and two lesser used wood species that are used for furniture making was examined. The wood species are Mansonia altissima (Mansonia), Khaya ivorensis (Khaya), Cordia millenii (Cordia) and Tectona grandis (Teak) as commonly used wood species; Aningeria robusta (Aningeria) and Gmelina arborea (Gmelina) as lesser used wood species. 154 small-scale furniture factories (SSFF), 28 medium-scale furniture factories (MSFF) and 11 large-scale furniture factories (LSFF) selected through stratified random sampling procedure in Lagos, Ibadan and Benin cities were considered for the study. The quantity (cubic meter) of the six wood species used in making interior furniture such as chair, table, bed cabinet, shelf, wardrobe cupboard and settee from 2001 to 2006 was obtained through a structured questionnaire. The study revealed that in SSFF, the utilization of Khaya, Cordia, Aningeria and Gmelina had been on the increase from year 2001 to 2006 while the trend for Mansonia and Teak did not follow a definite pattern. For MSFF, the trend showed that utilization of Khaya and Cordia increased from 2001 to 2004 and thereafter declined while that of Mansonia and Teak did not follow a definite trend for the 6 years considered for the study. However, Aningeria and Gmelina increased yearly from 2001 to 2006. For LSFF, no definite trend was observed in the utilization of Mansonia, Khaya, Cordia and Teak while Aningeria and Gmelina also increased yearly for the 6 years. The trend for the total wood utilization by the SSFF, MSFF and LSFF showed that Khaya was mostly used by the three scales of furniture industry, followed by Cordia while the utilization of Teak by the three scales of furniture industry was low for the six years of study. There is urgent need for a massive plantation establishment of Teak and Gmelina

Effects of teak canopy cover and npk fertilizer application on growth of ginger in agroforestry trial, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Non-timber forest products issues are of global interest due to their importance among rural and urban dwellers for income, healthcare and food security. This study investigates the effects of Tectona grandis canopy cover and NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) fertilizer (15:15:15) application on growth parameters of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) in Ile-Ife, south-western Nigeria. Twelve replicates of ginger plots (6m²each) were laid in a completely randomised block design within and outside Teak plantations. Six replicates were treated with NPK (15:15:15) in a split dose at two and 6 weeks old, while others serve as control. Growth indices such as foliage, tiller numbers, and plant height per plot were obtained for two cropping seasons. Data obtained were analysed using ANOVA and descriptive statistics. Tiller formation in ginger was significantly inhibited by Teak canopy with or without NPK fertilizer (0.000 and 0.033, ρ ≤ 0.05). Ginger heights were not significantly different within Teak plantation with or without NPK (0.647); however, there were significant differences between heights of ginger grown within and outside Teak plantations, (0.000 and 0.011, ρ ≤ 0.05). Foliage production in ginger was higher outside teak plantation, (0.000 and 0.007, ρ ≤ 0.05), while NPK also enhanced foliage production in ginger significantly, (0.000, ρ ≤ 0.05). The study concluded that incorporation of Ginger in plantations such as Teak and other fast growing indigenous species can enhance plantation benefits in terms of biomass yield. Further research in this area is recommended in agroforestry systems.Keywords: Ginger, Teak canopy, tiller formation, leaf production, agroforestry

Trade on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) between South West Cameroon and Nigeria

The study assessed the Non–Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) of the Ejagham Forest Reserve and its Adjoining Forest in general and those traded between Cameroon and Nigeria in particular. This was carried out within a period of ten months, December - April 2006 (for the dry season) and June - October 2007 (for the wet season). The line transects questionnaires, and a selection of some Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools were used for the collection of data while the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. The study identified about 36 NTFPs species in the area that are sourced by local people for local and external trade and household consumption. From the list of 36, Irvingia, Gnetum, Carpolobia, Masularia, and Ricinodendron species were identified as the five tradable NTFPs of the study area involved in Trans-boundary trade between Cameroon and Nigeria. These NTFPs were observed to be sourced from the primary and secondary forests, fallow and farm lands. The collection, harvesting and gathering methods for these NTFPs were observed to be traditional and associated with resource degradation.Keywords: NTFPs, Trade, Trans-boundary, Ejagham, Forest Reserve

PID controller for microsatellite yaw-axis attitude control system using ITAE method

The need for effective design of satellite attitude control (SAC) subsystem for a microsatellite is imperative in order to guarantee both the quality and reliability of the data acquisition. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller was proposed in this study because of its numerous advantages. The performance of PID controller can be greatly improved by adopting an integral time absolute error (ITAE) robust controller design approach. Since the system to be controlled is of the 4th order, it was approximated by its 2nd order version and then used for the controller design. Both the reduced and higher-order pre-filter transfer functions were designed and tested, in order to improve the system performance. As revealed by the results, three out of the four designed systems satisfy the design specifications; and the PD-controlled system without pre-filter transfer function was recommended out of the three systems due to its structural simplicity, which eventually enhances its digital implementation

Activated Charcoal—A Potential Material in Glucoamylase Recovery

The potential of activated charcoal in the purification of fungal glucoamylase was investigated. Various concentrations of activated charcoal (1–4% w/v) were used to concentrate crude glucoamylase from Rhizopus oligosporus at different temperature values (30–50°C). Effects of pH (3.0–6.0) and contact time (0–60 min) on enzyme purification were also monitored. Activated charcoal (3% w/v) gave a 16-fold purification in a single-step purification at 50°C for 20 min and pH 5.5. The result of SDS-PAGE analysis of purified glucoamylase showed two major protein bands with corresponding molecular weight of 36 kDa and 50 kDa. The method is inexpensive, rapid, and simple which could facilitate downstream processing of industrial enzyme

Cocoa farming households’ vulnerability to climate variability in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Rural livelihoods in south western Nigeria are at risk to climate variability on the short run and climate change on the long run. This subjects agro ecological niches to high sensitivity and exposure thus reducing the adaptive capacity. Vulnerability results and the cocoa farming households, the major contributors to the Nigerian non-oil foreign exchange earnings are not exempted. This paper therefore attempts to assess the degree of vulnerability of cocoa farmers in Ekiti State to climate variability hazards using the Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Approach (IVAA). Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 cocoa farmers from whom data were generated for this study. Data were processed using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA).The result indicated that Cocoa farmers in Ekiti North, Ekiti South and Ekiti Central Agro Ecological Zones (AEZs) had the vulnerability index of -0.05, -0.76 and 0.82. This implies the first two zones are more relatively vulnerable as compared to the Ekiti Central AEZ. This is attributable to the higher exposure, sensitivity and the lower adaptive capacity in the Ekiti North and South AEZs in relation to the Central. The relative low level development and poor adaptive capacity in terms of access to basic infrastructure, technology, institutions and pervading poverty in the first two AEZs can be held accountable for this. All efforts should be in put in place by all relevant agencies to promote integrated rural development that enhances investment in infrastructure and alleviation of poverty. National regulations that restrict anthropogenic activities inimical to climate variability should be put in place. Efforts should equally be made by our national government to endorse and key-in to international treaties and protocols that control climate variability and change

Computational Dynamics of Anti-Corrosion Performance of Laser Alloyed Metallic Materials

Laser surface alloying (LSA) is a material processing technique that utilizes the high power density available from defocused laser beam to melt both reinforcement powders and a part of the underlying substrate. Because melting occurs solitary at the surface, large temperature gradients exist across the boundary between the underlying solid substrate and the melted surface region, which results in rapid self-quenching and resolidifications. Reinforcement powders are deposited in the molten pool of the substrate to produce corrosion-resistant coatings. These processes influence the structure and properties of the alloyed region. A 3D mathematical model is developed to obtain insights on the behavior of laser melted pools subjected to various process parameters. It is expected that the melt pool flow, thermal and solidification characteristics will have a profound effect on the microstructure of the solidified region