Secured Audio Signal Transmission in 5G Compatible mmWave Massive MIMO FBMC System with Implementation of Audio-to-image Transformation Aided Encryption Scheme

In this paper, we have made comprehensive study for the performance evaluation of mmWave massive MIMO FBMC wireless communication system. The 165F2;56 large MIMO antenna configured simulated system under investigation incorporates three modern channel coding (Turbo, LDPC and (3, 2) SPC, higher order digital modulation (256-QAM)) and various signal detection (Q-Less QR, Lattice Reduction(LR) based Zero-forcing(ZF), Lattice Reduction (LR) based ZF-SIC and Complex-valued LLL(CLLL) algorithm implemented ZF-SIC) schemes. An audio to image conversion aided chaos-based physical layer security scheme has also been implemented in such study. On considering transmission of encrypted audio signal in a hostile fading channel, it is noticeable from MATLAB based simulation study that the LDPC Channel encoded system is very much robust and effective in retrieving color image under utilization of Lattice Reduction(LR) based ZF-SIC signal detection and 16- QAM digital modulation techniques

Impact of Off-Season Summer Tomato Cultivation on Income and Food Security of the Growers

Vegetable production can help farmers to generate income, which will eventually alleviate poverty and malnutrition. Tomato is one of the most important vegetables in Bangladesh. But tomato production is extremely sensitive to hot and wet growing conditions. Thus, few varieties of off-season summer tomato have been developed and disseminated. Keeping these factors in consideration, this chapter was designed to delineate the impacts of summer tomato adoption on the income and food security status of the growers in a region of Bangladesh. Findings indicated that off-season tomato growers received significantly higher income. Consumption expenditure and food security status of the off-season tomato growers were significantly higher than non-growers. The chapter also includes policy implications for further development of the technology

Selección de cepa de Bacillus Spp probiótica autóctona con mayor actividad enzimática

El presente estudio se enfocó en la determinación de actividad enzimática de cepas de Bacillus spp autóctonas (XSCD-9, xsc-9, X2-10) previamente estudiadas, estas cepas fueron procesadas mediante técnicas de laboratorio para esto se realizaron pruebas probióticas de halos de hidrólisis, unidades de Anson, a si como también la determinación de un medio de cultivo industrial económico y efectivo para la optima reproducción y producción de enzimas proteolíticas de los microorganismos candidatos, en donde resulto como mayor productora de enzimas proteolíticas con 17.5336 UA y 30 mm de halo de hidrólisis, fue la cepa X2-10 que corresponde a un Bacillus cereus según su secuenciación, con la composición de la corrida #3 (Melaza: 75 g/1, Levadura torula: 50 g/1, Calcio: 1.5 g/1, Temperatura: 39°C.) la cual fue evaluada atreves del método estadístico coeficiente de variación, presentando el porcentaje más bajo de las 3 cepas candidatas estudiadas

Adoption and Impacts of Integrated Pest Management in Bangladesh: Evidence from Smallholder Bitter Gourd Growers

Determinants of integrated pest management (IPM) adoption, productivity and efficiency of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) growers in Bangladesh were jointly measured using propensity score matching (PSM), sample selection stochastic frontier production function (SFPF) and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) techniques. The significant value (P < 0.05) of the selectivity variable (ρ(w,v)) coefficient justifies the use of the sample selection SFPF. The decision to adopt IPM was positively influenced by the training and other farmers’ decisions to adopt. Mean technical efficiency (MTE) was found to be significantly higher for adopters (0.59) compared to non-adopters (0.40). The MTE analysis suggests that arranging more training sessions and making farmers more familiar with the IPM practices would improve the technical efficiency of the growers. Adoption of IPM practices significantly reduced the number pesticide applications, which imply environmental benefits from their adoption

Adoption and Impacts of Integrated Pest Management in Bangladesh: Evidence from Smallholder Bitter Gourd Growers

Determinants of integrated pest management (IPM) adoption, productivity and efficiency of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) growers in Bangladesh were jointly measured using propensity score matching (PSM), sample selection stochastic frontier production function (SFPF) and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) techniques. The significant value (P < 0.05) of the selectivity variable (ρ(w,v)) coefficient justifies the use of the sample selection SFPF. The decision to adopt IPM was positively influenced by the training and other farmers’ decisions to adopt. Mean technical efficiency (MTE) was found to be significantly higher for adopters (0.59) compared to non-adopters (0.40). The MTE analysis suggests that arranging more training sessions and making farmers more familiar with the IPM practices would improve the technical efficiency of the growers. Adoption of IPM practices significantly reduced the number pesticide applications, which imply environmental benefits from their adoption

Increasing Boro rice productivity through credit: Evidence from Bangladesh

Rice productivity needs to be increased to feed Bangladesh's growing population. Productivity can be increased by adopting improved varieties and management practices, which require additional capital inputs. In this article, we aim to estimate the effect of formal and semiformal credit on rice productivity in Bangladesh. We surveyed 500 rice farmers to achieve these objectives. We used descriptive statistics, propensity score matching and Heckman's endogenous treatment effect model to analyse the data. The findings indicate that literacy, television ownership and training positively influenced access to formal credit. In general, credit recipients achieved higher productivity than did non-recipients. In the situation of credit source-specific effect, we found mixed results. Given the estimated difference of 438 kg/ha to 495 kg/ha, the results indicated that formal credit recipients had significantly higher productivity than did formal credit non-recipients. In contrast, endogenous treatment effect model results suggested that both formal and semiformal sources of credit had a significant effect on rice productivity. Increased agricultural loan disbursement through formal and semiformal credit institutions is strongly advocated. Farmers' decision-making abilities regarding the most effective source of credit can be improved through training in financial literacy. The central bank of Bangladesh, along with the credit regulatory authorities of non-governmental organisations, can implement appropriate agricultural credit programmes for farmers

Mothers’ dietary diversity and associated factors in megacity Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mothers in developing countries are nutritionally vulnerable due to an undiversified diet. Dietary diversity and healthy dietary patterns of mothers are necessary for the health and nutrition of both the mother and the child. Keeping these in mind, the study was designed to investigate the determinants of mothers' dietary diversity in the capital city (Dhaka) of Bangladesh. A total 613 mothers who had at least one child aged 6–59 months were surveyed in 2020. Dietary diversity (DD) was measured by 24 h recall period following the established guidelines. To explore the determinants of dietary diversity, a log linear regression model was employed. The findings revealed that the overall DD of mothers was low, with less than 15% of respondents consuming more than 5 of the 9 food groups. The study found that if a mother receives one more year of formal education, her DD, on average, would increase by 0.70%. Receiving antenatal care (ANC) for four or more times during pregnancy increases DD by 5.13% compared to mothers who receive ANC less than four times. The findings also showed that mothers with access to assets have 10.18% higher DD than mothers without access to assets. On the other hand, mothers' employment status was negatively associated with DD. Redistributing the household workload between mother and other household members can play a critical role in increasing mothers’ DD. Providing care facilities and counseling to mothers about the nutritional value of consuming different food groups can substantially improve the situation

Determinants and Impact of Solar Irrigation Facility (SIF) Adoption: A Case Study in Northern Bangladesh

Insufficient rainfall in the dry season and scarcity of surface water has resulted in firms’ reliance on groundwater for agriculture in the northern part of Bangladesh. Most irrigation systems in the country are diesel or electric, which raises the cost and demand for energy and pollutes the environment. Utilizing the abundant sunshine and disseminating solar-based irrigation systems is expected to be a fittingly rewarding experience for irrigation purposes. Therefore, this study identifies the factors influencing the adoption of solar irrigation facilities (SIFs) and the impacts of their adoption on irrigation cost, return on investment (ROI), and production costs, using survey data collected from 405 rice farmers of Dinajpur district. The study employed three treatment effect estimators, namely inverse probability weighting (IPW), regression adjustment (RA), and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), to address the potential selection bias issue. The results revealed that farming experience, knowledge, environmental awareness, soil fertility, and irrigation machinery ownership significantly influenced adoption decisions. The treatment effect model result indicated that farmers who adopted this method could minimize irrigation costs by 1.88 to 2.22%, obtain 4.48 to 8.16% higher ROI, and reduce total production cost by 0.06 to 0.98% compared to non-adopters. Our findings suggested that policy interventions targeting scaling up SIFs should consider focusing on government and stakeholders’ greater attention on designing more appropriate schemes through experimentation and multiple iterations

Economic viability of releasing Bt cotton in Bangladesh: An early insight

Insect resistant genetically modified Bt cotton (containing a gene of Bacillus thuringiensis) has substantial potentiality of mounting cotton productivity. This study unveils an early insight on the economic viability of Bt cotton in Bangladesh. A total of 248 traditional cotton farmers and 8 Bt cotton experimental fields were surveyed in April 2022 for achieving the objectives. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings showed that the cost of Bt cotton production was slightly higher than that of conventional cotton. However, Bt cotton yielded a productivity increase of 0.81 t/ha. The cultivation of Bt cotton resulted in a higher net return (USD 2436/ha) compared to conventional cotton (USD 1624/ha). The results further indicated that the use of insecticides and pesticides in Bt cotton was significantly lower compared to traditional cotton, thereby contributing to the preservation of the natural environment. Overall, cultivation of Bt cotton is economically viable and may generate environmental benefits. Steps are warranted to disseminate and expand its cultivation