Color Image Segmentation using Automated K-Means clustering with RGB and HSV Color Spaces

Segmentation implies the division of an image into different objects or connected regions that do not overlap Though extensive research has been done in creating many different approaches and algorithms for image segmentation however it is still not very clear to assess whether one algorithm produces more accurate segmentations than another whether it be for a particular image or set of images or more generally for a whole class of images 7 A reliable and accurate segmentation of an image is in general very difficult to achieve by purely automatic means Present researches on image segmentation using clustering algorithms reveals that K-means clustering algorithm so far produces best results but some improvements can be made to improve the results The biggest disadvantage of our heavy usage of k-means clustering is that it means we would have to think of a k each time which really doesn t make too much sense because we would like to algorithm to solve this on his own Therefore we tried to find the K automatically and so create segmentation without any human giving hints to the algorithm So we tried to make the process automatic In this paper the combined segmentation of RGB and HSV color spaces give more accurate segmentation result compared to segmentation of single color space For keeping the k parameter as small as possible we had to keep different intensity levels of the same color on the same segment to estimate the right k automatically for the algorith

Eco-friendly Entrepreneurship to Promote Plastic Alternatives

Plastic production has become a global concern, including in Bangladesh. Among all types of plastic products, single-use plastic is considered treacherous and the most responsible for damaging the natural environment. To replace plastics on a daily usage basis, the entrepreneurs of Bangladesh have reiterated some initiatives to manufacture and promote plastic alternatives. This study aims to assess the market potential, existing challenges, and users’/customers’ perceptions of the plastic alternative industry in Bangladesh. Key informant interviews (KIIs) with structured questionnaires were conducted among 15 plastic alternative entrepreneurs and 30 customers through online platforms. The framework analysis method was used to analyse and interpret the collected data. Despite highlighting some challenges, plastic alternative entrepreneurs contribute significantly to replacing plastic products, and the market potential is quite promising for this industry. Moreover, this study portrays an efficacious inclination of consumer behaviours towards using plastic alternatives. By following the concept of the green economy, the entrepreneurs of the plastic alternative industry in Bangladesh are gradually able to replace plastic products and contribute toward building a sustainable city

Stigma and its associated factors among patients with COVID-19 in Dhaka City: evidence from a cross-sectional investigation

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a significant disease pandemic. Dhaka City alone has contributed about one-third to the total COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh. Globally, patients with infectious diseases, including COVID-19, experience stigma. There was no quantitative estimate of stigma experienced by patients with COVID-19 in the country. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of stigma and its associated factors among patients with COVID-19 in Dhaka. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 respondents aged 18 years or older who had been hospitalized or had stayed at home and were tested negative 15 days to 6 months before the day of data collection. Data collection was done through in-person and telephone interviews using a semi-structured survey questionnaire. A 15-item COVID-19-related stigma scale questionnaire was used to assess stigma. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of stigma. Results: More than half (53.1%) of the respondents experienced stigma when they were COVID-19 positive. Females were at a 3.24 times higher risk of experiencing stigma than their male counterparts. Respondents from the 60+ age group and 40–59 age group were 63.0% and 48.0% less likely to experience stigma than those from the 18–39 age group. Non-hospitalised patients had 1.67 times higher odds of facing stigma than those hospitalised. Conclusions: This study reported a high prevalence of stigma among the patients with COVID-19 in Dhaka City. The current evidence base of stigma experience among patients with COVID-19 offers a solid foundation for creating effective strategies and policies and designing appropriate interventions to counter stigma, which will improve the psychological well-being of patients with COVID-19 in Bangladesh

Inventory management systems of small and medium enterprises in Bangladesh

Purpose – Inventory is a crucial part of a systematic supply chain of a business. Small firms mostly neglect inventory management (IM) by accumulating excessive inventory for a time. The study aims to examine the IM practices of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach – The study applied a qualitative case study design. Data were collected from ten SME owners in Bangladesh. The study employed a purposive sampling technique to collect data. This study used semi-structured interviews to generate data. The NVivo software was used to analyze the data. Findings – The findings show that most SME business owners collect raw materials from the local market. Along with the local sources, they collect raw materials from international markets. Some SME entrepreneurs collect raw materials throughout the country as they dealt with recycled products. Frequently, they used digital technologies and online media to manage raw materials. SME owners could not buy many raw materials due to financial crisis, wastage, and damage, leading to a ratio of 10–15% losses. Research limitations/implications – This research contributes greatly to the government, SME Foundation, and trade associations concerning the SME IM system. The study recommends the government should reduce the tax rate on importing SME raw materials and inventories and exporting SME products. Originality/value – This is the first study that focuses on the IM systems of SMEs in Bangladesh

Application of an Efficient Genetic Algorithm for Solving n×m Flow Shop Scheduling Problem Comparing it with Branch and Bound Algorithm and Tabu Search Algorithm

Emergence of advance manufacturing systems such as CAD/CAM, FMS and CIM etc. has increased the importance of the flow shop scheduling. Flow shop scheduling problem is considered NP-hard for m machines and n jobs. In this paper, we develop an efficient genetic algorithm (EGA) for solving n flow shop scheduling problem with makespan as the criterion. The objective of this proposed EGA is to obtain a sequence of jobs and the minimization of the total completion time and waiting time. For finding optimal solution, this EGA is very effective. In large scale problems, the result of the proposed algorithm shows that the efficient genetic algorithm gives high performance comparing with Branch and Bound algorithm and Tabu search algorithm

Optimization of enzymatic pretreatment process for enhanced biogas production from palm oil mill effluent

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of palm oil mill effluent (POME) for biogas production by four step processes such as hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis in which hydrolysis is pondered as a rate limiting step. To achieve high yield of biogas in the AD, enzymatic hydrolysis as the pretreatment method was applied to overcome the current limitation of the existing plants. Therefore, an optimization study was carried out to evaluate AD performance for biogas production. Among the parameters, three factors i.e. cellulase enzyme dose, pH and total suspended solids (TSS) were studied by the face-centered central composite design (FCCCD) under the response surface methodology (RSM) based on lipase pre-treated POME. The results showed that the maximum of 835 ml biogas was obtained with 85% COD removal from 50 ml of POME substrate after 10 days of operation while 290 ml biogas produced from control (without pretreatment). The optimum process conditions were at pH 5 and TSS of 1.5% and enzyme loading 200 CMC/ml. High coefficient of R2 value of 0.994 indicated the satisfactory fit of the model

Checklist of Zooplankton of the Halda River, Chattogram, Bangladesh

The River Halda is one of the important natural breeding grounds of Indian major carp (Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Gibelion catla, Cirrhinus mrigala) in Bangladesh for its unique physicochemical and biological properties of water. The productivity of the Halda ecosystem mainly depends on the plankton diversity. Zooplankton directly affects the productivity of the Halda River ecosystem. Research work was conducted for the two years extending from January 2017 to December 2018 to identify the zooplankton community of the Halda River. A total of 71 species of zooplankton under 37 genera belonging to 9 groups were identified. The dominant group of zooplankton was 44 species of Rotifers (61.98 %) followed by 12 species of Copepods (12.68 %), 5 species of Cladocerans (7.05 %), 3 species of Protozoans (4.22 %), 2 species of Mollusks larvae (2.82 %), 2 species of Insects (2.82 %), 1 species of Cnidarian (1.41 %), 1 species of Nematode (1.41 %) and 1 species of Ostracod (1.41 %). Therefore, the water body of the Halda is eutrophic in its nature

Optimization of enzymatic pretreatment process for enhanced biogas production from palm oil mill effluent

Through anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic waste, biogas is being currently produced. By the aid of different type of microbes through four sequential processes, AD is executed by the hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. To achieve efficient production of biogas, nutrients and suitable process conditions for micobes are two main prerequisite. Microbes cannot consume complex substances as their food and energy at the beginning of the growth. During hydrolysis, complex compounds (polymers) are converted into simple monomers so that microbes can take the monomers as their food and energy easily. Hydrolysis is the slow process of AD. Enzyme application is one of the efficient and environmentally friendly techniques as enzyme increases the rate of conversion in hydrolysis with minimum pollution. In this study, three parameters influencing biogas production were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) based on face-centered central composite design (FCCCD). In statistical optimization maximum 835 ml biogas with 85% COD removal was observed from 50 ml of POME after 10 days of operation

Effect of core material draft ratio and denier on core spun yarn and denim fabric properties pre and post washing

Core-spun yarn (CSY) is utilized for better fabric characteristics like stretchability, durability, and comfortability. The study aims to investigate the influence of spandex drafts of core-spun yarn on denim fabric characteristics before and after washing treatment. Two types of denim fabrics were produced from two types of core-spun yarn, namely 16 + 40D, and 16 + 70D by applying 2.8, 3.0, 3.20 spandex drafts for 16 + 40D, and 3.40, 3.50, 3.60 spandex drafts for 16 + 70D. Prepared denim fabrics were desized, and acid-washed and the properties of denim fabric before and after washing were investigated as a function of spandex drafts and deniers. Accurate count, twist, and better elongation percentage were observed at 2.80 draft for 16 + 40D CSY and 3.4 draft for 16 + 70D CSY, but a higher imperfection index (IPI) value was obtained on those drafts. The strength of the denim fabric prepared with 16 + 40D CSY and 16 + 70D CSY were higher at 2.8 and 3.6 drafts, respectively. Higher shrinkage (%), ends per inch (EPI), and fabric weight of denim fabric was obtained after washing compared to before washing. The width of both fabrics decreased when the fabric was washed. Exploring various drafts of core material and their correlations with yarn and fabric properties provides valuable insights for textile manufacturers seeking to produce denim fabrics with optimum quality