Reconstructing Geometric Structures from Combinatorial and Metric Information

In this dissertation, we address three reconstruction problems. First, we address the problem of reconstructing a Delaunay triangulation from a maximal planar graph. A maximal planar graph G is Delaunay realizable if there exists a realization of G as a Delaunay triangulation on the plane. Several classes of graphs with particular graph-theoretic properties are known to be Delaunay realizable. One such class of graphs is outerplanar graph. In this dissertation, we present a new proof that an outerplanar graph is Delaunay realizable. Given a convex polyhedron P and a point s on the surface (the source), the ridge tree or cut locus is a collection of points with multiple shortest paths from s on the surface of P. If we compute the shortest paths from s to all polyhedral vertices of P and cut the surface along these paths, we obtain a planar polygon called the shortest path star (sp-star) unfolding. It is known that for any convex polyhedron and a source point, the ridge tree is contained in the sp-star unfolding polygon [8]. Given a combinatorial structure of a ridge tree, we show how to construct the ridge tree and the sp-star unfolding in which it lies. In this process, we address several problems concerning the existence of sp-star unfoldings on specified source point sets. Finally, we introduce and study a new variant of the sp-star unfolding called (geodesic) star unfolding. In this unfolding, we cut the surface of the convex polyhedron along a set of non-crossing geodesics (not-necessarily the shortest). We study its properties and address its realization problem. Finally, we consider the following problem: given a geodesic star unfolding of some convex polyhedron and a source point, how can we derive the sp-star unfolding of the same polyhedron and the source point? We introduce a new algorithmic operation and perform experiments using that operation on a large number of geodesic star unfolding polygons. Experimental data provides strong evidence that the successive applications of this operation on geodesic star unfoldings will lead us to the sp-star unfolding

Challenges and Adaptation Strategies of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education in Bangladesh

Education is a fundamental human right to which every human should have access. However, in Bangladesh, people with disabilities continue to be denied access to education in a variety of ways; even with the widespread expansion of higher education, they have limited access to it. Also, those who have crossed various barriers and got admission to different higher education institutions face various challenges, including infrastructural barriers and other academic and administrative problems that affect their chances of growing up as average students. Considering this aspect, this article is intended to determine the challenges faced by students with disabilities and their adaptation strategies in higher education in Bangladesh. It applied a mixed-method approach in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected from four leading public universities in Bangladesh. The results indicate that students with disabilities still face a variety of challenges on their campuses. However, to overcome these challenges, they apply adaptive strategies such as using assistive devices, bilingual books, and the help of friends, which are not favorable enough for them to cope with the situation and continue their studies

R&D Investment and Capital Markets: Evidence from Emerging Markets

This thesis deals with the firm-, macro-and institutional-level determinants of research and development (R&D) investment, assessing the impact of R&D spending on firm performance and the financing of R&D investment in emerging markets. The recent financial crisis has had adverse effects worldwide. This study finds that the financial crisis had a significant negative impact on firms’ R&D investment in emerging markets. It also finds that the R&D investments of both local firms and multinational enterprises (MNEs) were affected, and that the latter was affected 1.63 times more than the former. However, when the firms were split between innovative and non-innovative, it was observed that innovative firms continued to invest in R&D during the recession, while non-innovative firms cut down their R&D investment. In addition, it is found that, during a financial crisis, the firm-level determinants of R&D are firm age, firm size, export orientation, debt ratio and foreign ownership. This implies that the assumptions of the resource based view (RBV) hold true, even during a financial crisis. The results suggest that affected and less-/unaffected countries’ R&D determinants behave differently during a financial crisis. They also show that the probability of a decrease in R&D investment in affected countries is 60 percent higher than in less-/unaffected countries. Similarly to firm-level factors, macroeconomic factors also influence R&D expenditure. GDP growth, exports, trade openness, patents and financial crisis are the main macroeconomic determinants of a country’s R&D expenditure. Moreover, analysis suggests that macroeconomic determinants of R&D investment behave differently in advanced and emerging countries, owing to their different nature and purpose, and the countries’ levels of economic development. In addition to firm and macroeconomic factors, the institutional environment plays an important role in R&D investment in emerging countries. The results show that government effectiveness and rule of law have significant positive impacts, while corruption and political instability have significant negative impacts on R&D investment in emerging countries. However, opponents of country-level factors have claimed that these factors influence the innovative activities and firm performance of emerging countries indirectly. This study finds that investor protection (safeguards) tends to have a greater moderating effect on the relationship between R&D and firm performance than country-level governance (systems). The results indicate that safeguards promote firm-level innovation in emerging markets, while systems are substituted by firm-level corporate governance in emerging countries. Moreover, in the case of risky and uncertain investments such as R&D, investors seek protection from possible losses. It is also observed that R&D financing behaves differently according to different levels of multi-nationality and financial systems. Local firms do not use external funding, while MNEs use both internal and external funding for R&D investments due to the availability of organisational slack. A country’s financial systems may restrict firms from choosing particular sources of finance. Firms within bank-based systems tend to rely on external funding and firms within market-based systems depend more on internal funding for R&D investment. The results indicate that market-based firms follow pecking order theory. Secondary data for the analysis were collected from various sources, including DataStream, annual financial reports, LexisNexis, the World Bank’s Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators and Protecting Minority Shareholder data, and the International Country Risk Guide database. Both static and dynamic panel data techniques, including generalised methods of moment (GMM) estimation, were used for the analysis. Dynamic GMM panel estimation was used to control for endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity, and to provide efficient and consistent estimation even in the presence of heteroscedasticity. The study also adopted an instrumental variable (IV) approach with OLS and Granger causality tests for the analysis. This study will be helpful to various stakeholders, including investors and managers, lenders and policy makers in emerging markets

Child labor in the Era of Sustainable Development: insights from Jhenaidah City of Bangladesh

The existence of child labor in developing countries like Bangladesh is undoubtedly a serious problem in the era of sustainable development. Undoubtedly to abolish child labor from all level is not so easy. The current study was intended to assess the livelihoods pattern and causes of being involved as child labor in Jhenaidah city-Bangladesh and to find out the ways in which child labor can be diminished gradually. This study was exploratory in nature where convenience sampling was adapted, seventy-five children aged less than 18 years were interviewed with an interview schedule. The extent and prevalence of child labour in a country are being considered as a significant indicator of how far-off that country stays away from the overall sustainable development. The results of this study demonstrate that the majority (17/22.67%) children engaged in performing work in shops or hotels. The X2 (p\u3c0.5) results elucidate that there exists gender difference in child abuse and harassment. The rate of physical and mental abuse and torture was higher in male children, in contrast, the prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse by slung was significantly higher in female children. The working hours as an average above 7 hours or more, and per day wage of children in Jhenaidah found just above 1.4$ (120 BDT). The principal component analysis indicates that lack of parental employment facilities which has directly related to poverty found as the foremost reasons for a child to make involvement as labour before completing age 18, this result is not only applicable for Jhenaidah but also possibly applicable for all developing countries. Besides, father’s education and death of mother were the important indicators of being child laborer. The ways of eliminating child labour are not so easy task because the problem has been indissolubly embedded in our society for long. Hence, it requires moral, political will and commitment from all people in the society for ending and eradicating child labour. Alongside all these, international organizations must make sure their robust participation in enhancing this process

Institutional Arrangements for the Blue Economy: Marine Spatial Planning a Way Forward

Blue Economy is one of the important aspects of Sustainable Ocean Governance as it refers to sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and improved livelihood by maintaining healthy marine ecosystem. In order to achieve sustainable ocean governance, it is important to implement the contemporary and newly developed principles and concepts including Blue Economy and Ecosystem based management (EBM). As an implementation toll for sustainable ocean governance, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) can play an important role to achieve the objectives of Blue Economy. Due to various reasons, the current institutional arrangements for sustainable ocean govern as well as exploring the concept of Blue Economy is at a very rudimentary stage in Bangladesh. The objective of this section is to analyze the significance of Blue Economy in achieving sustainable ocean governance through institutional framework. In this respect, relationship between MSP and Blue Economy is examined in the paper. This section is concluded with some recommendations to improve the institutional framework to achieve the objectives of Blue Economy in Bangladesh

Long-term fertilization effect on yield and land productivity of rice-wheat cropping system of Bangladesh

A factorial study was carried out at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University to determine the effect of long term fertilization on yield performance of T. aman rice and wheat. The experimental plot received different organic manures for the last 26 years (1988-2014). The organic manure cowdung, compost, green manure and rice straw were applied at the rate of 25, 25, 7.5 and 1.5 t ha-1, respectively in a yearly sequence. Three levels of nitrogen viz., 0, 75 and 100 kg ha-1for rice and 0, 80 and 120 kg ha-1 for wheat were applied. Application of nitrogen fertilizer along with organic manure significantly increased yield of rice and wheat .The highest rice grain yield was found in 2014 under the N75 and no manure treatment, which was 6.48 t ha-1 whereas grain yield of wheat was found maximum in 2008 from the interaction of N120 and rice straw application where yield was recorded 5.25 t ha-1. In rice-wheat cropping sequence, the plots that received no nitrogen, LPI value was less than 2 (0.80) in the observed years. When the plots were treated with nitrogen fertilizer showed LPI values > 2 in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013, which indicates the trend of higher productivity of land due to long term fertilization. The maximum sustainable yield index was found in rice (0.69)> wheat (0.40) with 100 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1 N treatment respectively.  So, Long term fertilization strategy can be effective way to improve the yield, land productivity and sustainable yield index of rice and wheat through rescheduling the rates of organic and inorganic fertilizers that ensure balanced supply of plant nutrients