Economics of the US - Canada Softwood Lumber Dispute: A Historical Perspective

This paper reviews the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber dispute over the past two decades by outlining the key developments and critically appraising the arguments put forward by both countries. It also presents a welfare analysis of lumber trade distortions. Given the importance of lumber trade between Canada and the United States, an expeditious resolution of this long-running trade dispute would be beneficial for both countries.antidumping and countervailing duties, lumber, trade distortions, welfare, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

SHIPBREAKING IN BANGLADESH: PERSPECTIVES FROM INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, POLITICAL ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

The international shipbreaking industry connects developed and developing countries through the spatial and temporal flow of resources, both transported by the ships and by the recycling of the ships themselves. Much of the research on this industry to date focuses on a natural science perspective, particularly related to local pollution when the ships are recycled. However, many products for the public (such as documentaries and magazine articles) focus on the workers who dismantle these ships, often with minimal protection; the appalling images of shipbreaking yard workers and their polluted surrounds have garnered immense global attention and calls for better regulations. In this dissertation, I examine how these environmental and worker rights issues can be understood through multiple disciplinary perspectives – industrial ecology (and one of its commonly used tools, Life Cycle Assessment), political ecology and environmental policy. Through an industrial ecology perspective, I examine how the social embeddedness in Bangladesh influences the flow of recycled scrap metal thorough the country. My study suggests that reciprocal and trust-based business connections provide the necessary leverage to maintain the flow of scrap resources from the Chittagong ship breaking yards on the coast to the metalsmith community in Old Dhaka. In chapter two, I use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to assess the impacts of the shipbreaking industry on local environmental conditions and worker health. The results of the LCA pose a considerable challenge to the dominant narrative of the industry as wholly negative and unredeemable. My study suggests that shipbreaking produces much less pollution and risks to human health than a similar process using virgin ore would. My results also suggest that the rerolling operations (to produce rebar) – rather than the beached ship cutting and in-yard processing – are more environmentally damaging. Among localized concerns, gas torching poses considerable health challenges to the cuttermen in the yard. In chapter three, I investigate the drivers behind the persistent negative images of shipbreaking. This dominant narrative is maintained by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and their selective focus on pollution and accidents while ignoring improvements in the industry (e.g., introducing new technologies for managing the resources). My interviews with local stakeholders suggest that there are considerable image politics among the local NGOs that divert attention away from the global drivers of these impacts. Using political ecology to frame the scalar politics involved, I found that shipbreaking constitutes a simultaneous interplay of multiple scales, and that the NGOs’ insistence on a local scale solution detracts from the sorely needed policy reforms at national and global scales. The last empirical chapter identifies regulatory gaps in the international treaties and domestic regulatory regimes. In particular, a significant gap exists in international treaties regarding the provision of a funding mechanism to assist developing countries such as Bangladesh. I recommend that adopting a viable financial mechanism – deposit-refund systems – and forming a recycling states alliance would greatly improve shipbreaking conditions globally

Distribution of plankton population in shrimp ghers of Bagherhat, Bangladesh

Analysis of plankton sample recorded a total of 5 classes’ phytoplankton viz Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Dinophyceae, and Polyhymenophorea. Total 50 phytoplankton species were identified. Among the phytoplankton 18 species belonged to Bacillariophyceae, 12 to Chlorophyceae, 8 to Cyanophyceae, 7 to Dinophyceae, and 5 to Polyhymenophorea. Bacillariophyceae was the dominant group of phytoplankton throughout the study period. Toxin producing dinoflagelates were recorded from the shrimp ghers. A total of 11 kinds of different zooplankton genera were recorded, 4 of which were belonged to Copepoda, 3 to Cladocera, 3 to Rotifera and 1 to Decapoda. Copepoda was the dominant group among the zooplankton which was followed by Rotifera and Decapoda. Temperature varied from 27°C to 32°C, transparency 24.5-29.6 cm and pH 6.7 to 9. Salinity fluctuated from 12 to 32.5‰ in both ghers. PO sub(4)-P and NO sub(3)-N ranged from 0.9 to 4.2 ppm

Solving Non-homogeneous Nested Recursions Using Trees

The solutions to certain nested recursions, such as Conolly's C(n) = C(n-C(n-1))+C(n-1-C(n-2)), with initial conditions C(1)=1, C(2)=2, have a well-established combinatorial interpretation in terms of counting leaves in an infinite binary tree. This tree-based interpretation, which has a natural generalization to a k-term nested recursion of this type, only applies to homogeneous recursions, and only solves each recursion for one set of initial conditions determined by the tree. In this paper, we extend the tree-based interpretation to solve a non-homogeneous version of the k-term recursion that includes a constant term. To do so we introduce a tree-grafting methodology that inserts copies of a finite tree into the infinite k-ary tree associated with the solution of the corresponding homogeneous k-term recursion. This technique can also be used to solve the given non-homogeneous recursion with various sets of initial conditions.Comment: 14 page

Reproductive biology, artificial propagation and larval rearing of two freshwater eels, Monopterus cuchia and Mastacembelus armatus

Studies on reproductive biology and artificial propagation including larval rearing of freshwater mud eel, Monopterus cuchia and spiny eel, Mastacembelus armatus were attempted. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) of mud eel ranged from 0.41 (August) to 5.52 (June) in males and 0.53 (August) to 7.61 (June) in females. In both cases the GSI showed a peak in June. Fecundity ranged from 228 (TL - 396 mm; W - 78g) to 5510 (TL - 865 mm; W - 630 g). In case of spiny eel, the GSI varied from 0.65 (August) to 8.30 (July) in males and 0.70 (August) to 10.46 (July) in females. GSI showed single peak in July. Fecundity ranged from 570 (TL - 240 mm; W - 30 g) to 10870 (TL - 601; W - 350g). Histology of the testes and ovaries of the eels were carried out to investigate the gonadal development stages during the reproductive months (August to November 2003). In case of male M. cuchia, the secondary primordial germ cells, primary spermatogonium, some spermatogonia A and clone of spermatogonium B in testis were observed in September. In October-males different sized lobules having spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids were observed. In the ovary of M. cuchia, polygonal shaped oocytes were seen during September. The oogonia were reduced with dense and irregular shaped during October. Numerous pycnotic cells were visible during November. In male M. armatus numerous broken lobule walls were found in testes during September. In October, abundant primary germ cells, pycnotic nests of degenerating cells, spermatogonia and spermatids were observed. In females, ovaries had distinct yolk vesicles stage and yolk granules stages in August. In September, the follicular cells of the oogonia were ruptured, shrunk forming irregular shaped in October. Oogonia were also shrunk with thin, irregular shaped structure but broken parts of the ruptured follicular cells were scattered in case of M. armatus. Experimental attempts on artificial propagation indicated that both freshwater eels were difficult to breed using inducing agents like pituitary glands (PG) of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 150 mg per kg of body weight. Same doses were used for both sexes with equal sex-ratio. In both cases, brood fish died at higher doses of injection given at 100 and 150 mg PG/kg bodyweight. However, M. cuchia breed naturally in cisterns when provided with water hyacinths and tunnel in muddy bottom. M. cuchia fed with chopped cooked fish attained a mean weight of 18.75 ± 2.3 g and cent percent survival. While in case of M. armatus best growth by weight (12.0 ± 2.48 g) and cent percent survival were achieved using chopped raw fish. Car tyre was observed as best shelter for attaining the mean weight gain 22.53 ± 2.24 g and cent percent survival of M. cuchia. While PVC pipe was found to be the best shelter for M. armatus, where it attained the mean weight of 12.73 ± 1.88 g and cent percent survival

Impact of Television Advertisements on buying pattern of Women in Dhaka City

Television advertising plays an important role on changing the consumer behavior and also provides new patterns for purchasing or using any type of goods and services. It is the most convenient way to reach the female consumers because they are more deployed by advertisement promises that the product will give them something special for satisfaction. The paper aims to assess the impact of television advertisement on purchasing decision of women for acquiring goods and services. This study is based on a survey of 460 randomly selected women from three places i.e. Dhanmondi R.A., Jhigatola, and Circular Road of Dhanmondi area in Dhaka City. The results reveal that advertisements play a vigorous role in familiarizing a new product in the family list and taking right decision during shopping. 74.3% of the respondents after watching TV advertisement want to buy the new brand introduced in the market and 66.3% are of the opinion that T.V. advertisements help them to make better choice during shopping

Interactive substrate for bone regeneration

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-68).Current methods of bone repair rely on autografts (bone from a donor site) and allografts (bone from human cadaver). However, these methods are plagued with disadvantages. There is a clear and urgent need to provide alternatives for regenerating and repairing bone. Bone is known to be one of the many connective tissues in the body that are responsive to exogenous electrical stimulation. Based on this principle, this thesis explores the potential of using an electrically conducting polymer, polypyrrole, as a substrate for bone regeneration. Optically transparent thin films of polypyrrole, with a polyanionic dopant, poly(styrenesulfonate), were synthesized electrochemically and characterized by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, UV/VIS spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and by electrical conductivity measurements. In this study, Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (BMSC), which are the progenitor cells to bone cells (osteoblasts), were used as the in vitro model system. Their viability, proliferation and differentiation capabilities were evaluated on polypyrrole, in the absence and presence of electrical stimulation. Results indicate that polypyrrole is ideally suited as a substratum for BMSC growth and differentiation. The application of an electrical stimulus through the polypyrrole substrate was found to induce the differentiation of BMSC towards an osteogenic lineage. Thus, polypyrrole, by virtue of its conductive properties, its in vitro biocompatibility and its flexibility in altering surface characteristics, has an exciting potential as a suitable interactive substrate for bone regeneration.by Nahid Rahman.S.M

Relationship between total length and mouth gap of some commercially important carp fry

The estimated regression equation for total length and mouth gape computed were Log TL = Log 0.23 + 0.663 log MG (vertically) (r = 0.960) and Log TL = Log 0.08 + 0.686 log MG (horizontally) (r = 0.949). In case of rohu average total length from 11350 mm to 23775 mm and mouth gape 805 um to 1225 um (vertically) and 700 um to 1110 um (horizontally) between the first day of mouth opening up to 15 days. The regression equation for total length and mouth gap were Log TL = Log 0.20 + 0.660 log MG (vertically) (r = 0.935) and Log TL = Log 0.02 + 0698 log MG (horizontally) ( r = 0.907). In case of silver carp average total length from 12800 ,urn to 33555 um and mouth gape 690 um to 1210 um (vertically) and 615 um to 1115 um (horizontally) between the first day of mouth opening up to 15 days. The regression equation for total length and mouth gape were Log TL = Log 0.36 + 0.596 log MG (vertically) (r = 0.936) and Log TL = Log 0.26 + 0.607 log MG (horizontally) (r = 0.891). The relationship between total length and mouth gape (vertically and horizontally) of the studied fry were found to be linear and highly significant

Size related feeding patterns and electivity indices of silver barb (Barbodes gonionotus Bleeker) from a pond, Bangladesh

The feeding patterns with respect to quality and quantity of food of silver barb, Barbodes gonionotus varied with their size and development. The results indicated that the fish in the size group I (7-25 mm TL) were fairly omnivore with particular liking for rotifera, green and blue-green algae while the size group II (25.1-44 mm TL) and III (44.1-55 mm TL) were omnivore with higher tendency of feeding on debris, aquatic plants, green algae, blue-green algae and rotifera. However, the fish of the size group IV (55.1-80 mm TL) were found to be herbivore with feeding preference for aquatic plants, green and blue-green algae. In all the size groups, debris was the most dominant food item. Feeding preference of the fish showed clear ontogenetic shift. The electivity indices revealed that the fish were selective feeder

Demographic Profile of the Customers and Their Level of Satisfaction: A Study on Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. (IBBL)

The Study investigates the customer satisfaction level exposed by different demographic group of customers. The study also identifies the relative importance assigned to different selection criteria by customers  while choosing  Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. (IBBL), which was established in 1983 and the pioneer in Islamic Banking in Bangladesh. From comprehensive analysis, the study identifies a number of key findings that might help IBBL management for formulating their future competitive strategies. Firstly, the study identifies that customers irrespective of different demographic segments (gender, marital status, age, income level, education level and religion) are mostly satisfied with IBBL. Secondly, satisfaction level of customers does not significantly vary among different demographic group as measured through chi-square test and finally, ‘compliance to Islamic shariah’ i.e. religious principles followed by ‘corporal efficiency’ as exposed by fast, efficient service and experienced management team  are the top most two bank selection criteria  as viewed by IBBL clients. Key words: Customer Satisfaction, Demographic profile, Bank Selection Criteria, Islamic Banking