From an unpromising start as 'the basket-case' to present day plaudits for its human development achievements, Bangladesh plays an ideological role in the contemporary world order, offering proof that the neo-liberal development model works under the most testing conditions. How were such rapid gains possible in a context of chronically weak governance? The Aid Lab subjects this so-called 'Bangladesh paradox' to close scrutiny, evaluating public policies and their outcomes for poverty and development since Bangladesh's independence in 1971. Countering received wisdom that its gains owe to an early shift to market-oriented economic reform, it argues that a binding political settlement, a social contract to protect against the crises of subsistence and survival, united the elite, the masses, and their aid donors in the wake of the devastating famine of 1974. This laid resilient foundations for human development, fostering a focus on the poorest and most precarious, and in particular on the concerns of women. In chapters examining the environmental, political and socioeconomic crisis of the 1970s, the book shows how the lessons of the famine led to a robustly pro-poor growth and social policy agenda, empowering the Bangladeshi state and its non-governmental organizations to protect and enable its population to thrive in its engagements in the global economy. Now a middle-income country, Bangladesh's role as the world's laboratory for aided development has generated lessons well beyond its borders, and Bangladesh continues to carve a pioneering pathway through the risks of global economic integration and climate change.

Multi-Criteria Decision-Making for Renewable Energy: Methods, Applications, and Challenges brings together the latest fuzzy and soft computing methods, models, and algorithms as applied to the field of renewable energy and supported by specific application examples and case studies. The book begins by approaching renewable energy sources, challenges and factors that affect their development, as well as green renewable energy sites and the utilization of fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques in these broad contexts, as well as utilization in addressing the various environmental, economic, and social barriers to ensuring the sustainability of energy resources. Detailed chapters focus on the application of multi-criteria decision-making methods for planning, modeling and prioritization in specific areas of renewable energy, including solar energy, wind farms, solar-powered hydrogen production plants, biofuel production, energy storage, hydropower, and marine energy. Finally, future opportunities and research directions are explored.

Value-Addition in Beverages through Enzyme Technology covers the potential impact of new enzymes and enzyme technology on the beverages sector. The book brings together novel sources and technologies regarding all aspects of enzymes for value addition in beverage production and processing. Sections primarily focus on alcoholic (e.g., beer, wine, cider, and distilled spirits) and non-alcoholic beverages (e.g., fruit juices, milk-based, tea, coffee, ready to drink and functional foods), but also cover innovative enzyme technologies to keep endogenous enzymes under control. It is essential reading for researchers and scientists, including food and beverage biotechnologists and students studying enzyme biotechnology and food-related courses. This book will comprise updated research from various independent scientists from around the world who are working on value-addition and production of beverage products using enzyme technology.

Power System Frequency Control: Modeling and Advances evaluates the control schemata, secondary controllers, stability improvement methods, optimization considerations, microgrids, multi-microgrids, and real-time validation required to model and analyze the dynamic behavior of frequency in power systems. Chapters review a range of advanced modeling and analytical considerations for single to multi-area networks using traditional and hybrid sources, including renewable sources, FACT devices and storage. The work also considers broad aspects of upstream and downstream control mechanisms which enable novel solutions in the area of automatic generation control in power system networks. Highly recommended for power system engineers, researchers and practitioners with interests in load frequency control, automatic generation control, linearized models of isolated microgrid, and multi-microgrid, and hybrid LFC scheme, this book is an ideal resource on the topics discussed.

Silicon and Nano-silicon in Environmental Stress Management and Crop Quality Improvement: Progress and Prospects provides a comprehensive overview of the latest understanding of the physiological, biochemical and molecular basis of silicon- and nano-silicon-mediated environmental stress tolerance and crop quality improvements in plants. The book not only covers silicon-induced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in crops but is also the first to include nano-silicon-mediated approaches to environmental stress tolerance in crops. As nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent tool for enhancing agricultural productivity, and with the production and applications of nanoparticles (NPs) greatly increasing in many industries, this book is a welcomed resource.

Deep Reinforcement Learning for Wireless Communications and Networking Comprehensive guide to Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) as applied to wireless communication systems Deep Reinforcement Learning for Wireless Communications and Networking presents an overview of the development of DRL while providing fundamental knowledge about theories, formulation, design, learning models, algorithms and implementation of DRL together with a particular case study to practice. The book also covers diverse applications of DRL to address various problems in wireless networks, such as caching, offloading, resource sharing, and security. The authors discuss open issues by introducing some advanced DRL approaches to address emerging issues in wireless communications and networking. Covering new advanced models of DRL, e.g., deep dueling architecture and generative adversarial networks, as well as emerging problems considered in wireless networks, e.g., ambient backscatter communication, intelligent reflecting surfaces and edge intelligence, this is the first comprehensive book studying applications of DRL for wireless networks that presents the state-of-the-art research in architecture, protocol, and application design. Deep Reinforcement Learning for Wireless Communications and Networking covers specific topics such as: Deep reinforcement learning models, covering deep learning, deep reinforcement learning, and models of deep reinforcement learning Physical layer applications covering signal detection, decoding, and beamforming, power and rate control, and physical-layer security Medium access control (MAC) layer applications, covering resource allocation, channel access, and user/cell association Network layer applications, covering traffic routing, network classification, and network slicing With comprehensive coverage of an exciting and noteworthy new technology, Deep Reinforcement Learning for Wireless Communications and Networking is an essential learning resource for researchers and communications engineers, along with developers and entrepreneurs in autonomous systems, who wish to harness this technology in practical applications.

Photonics, a volume in the Interface Transmission Tutorial Book series, describes the science of photonic transmission properties of the interfaces of composite materials systems and devices. The book's authors review the general analysis methods of interface transmission, give many examples, and apply these methods to photonic applications. Applications discussed include photonic crystals, materials, devices and circuits.

Sustainable Oil and Gas Development Series: Drilling Engineering delivers research materials and emerging technologies that conform sustainability drilling criteria. Starting with ideal zero-waste solutions in drilling and long-term advantages, the reference discusses the sustainability approach through the use of non-linear solutions and works its way through the most conventional practices and procedures used today. Step-by-step formulations and examples are provided to demonstrate how to look at conventional practices versus sustainable approaches with eventually diverging towards a more sustainable alternative. Emerging technologies are covered and detailed sustainability analysis is included. Economic considerations, analysis, and long-term consequences, focusing on risk management round out the with conclusions and a extensive glossary. Sustainable Oil and Gas Development Series: Drilling Engineering gives today's petroleum and drilling engineers a guide how to analyze and evaluate their operations in a more environmentally-driven way.

This is the first full-length book to provide an introduction to badhai performances throughout South Asia, examining their characteristics and relationships to differing contexts in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Badhai's repertoires of songs, dances, prayers, and comic repartee are performed by socially marginalised hijra, khwaja sira, and trans communities. They commemorate weddings, births and other celebratory heteronormative events. The form is improvisational and responds to particular contexts, but also moves across borders, including those of nation, religion, genre, and identity. This collaboratively authored book draws from anthropology, theatre and performance studies, music and sound studies, ethnomusicology, queer and transgender studies, and sustained ethnographic fieldwork to examine badhai's place-based dynamics, transcultural features, and communications across the hijrascape. This vital study explores the form's changing status and analyses these performances' layered, scalar, and sensorial practices, to extend ways of understanding hijra-khwaja sira-trans performance.

Comprehensive resource detailing the molecular mechanisms underlying heavy metal toxicity and tolerance in plants Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants provides a comprehensive overview of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of heavy metal tolerance and functional omics that allow for a deeper understanding of using heavy metal tolerance for deliberate manipulation of plants. Through the authors’ unique approach, the text enables researchers to develop strategies to enhance metal toxicity and deficiency tolerance as well as crop productivity under stressful conditions, in order to better utilize natural resources to ensure future food security. The text presents the basic knowledge of plant heavy metal/metalloid tolerance using modern approaches, including omics, nanotechnology, and genetic manipulation, and covers molecular breeding, genetic engineering, and approaches for high yield and quality under metal toxicity or deficiency stress conditions. With a collection of 26 chapters contributed by the leading experts in the fields surrounding heavy metal and metalloids toxicity and tolerance in crop plants, Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants includes further information on: Advanced techniques in omics research in relation to heavy metals/metalloids toxicity and tolerance Heavy metals/metalloids in food crops and their implications for human health Molecular mechanisms of heavy metals/metalloids toxicity and tolerance in plants Molecular breeding approaches for reducing heavy metals load in the edible plant parts Hormonal regulation of heavy metals toxicity and tolerance Applications of nanotechnology for improving heavy metals stress tolerance Genetic engineering for heavy metals/metalloids stress tolerance in plants With comprehensive coverage of the subject, Heavy Metal Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants is an essential reference for researchers working on developing plants tolerant to metals/metalloids stress and effective strategies for reducing the risk of health hazards.

Though conflicts continue to arise over land use and land cover changes, the conversion of forest land to cropland or other land uses such as housing and urban development have been on the rise in recent years. Decisions regarding land use and land cover influence climate change as well as various natural processes. While proper changes can minimize the effects and speed of climatic changes, the continued adverse changes may be accelerating the deterioration of the world's condition. Examining International Land Use Policies, Changes, and Conflicts presents the latest research on the present status of land use and land cover changes throughout the world in order to determine appropriate land use policies that can protect earth's present and future condition. The findings of the studies investigate the conflicts behind the land tenure and land uses in different countries of the world and examines existing policies and the reasons behind changes in them. Ultimately, the book provides readers with knowledge on how land can be managed in a sustained manner, how landscape models are helpful for predicting and determining future land uses, how land can be managed with the best architectural measures, and how urban forestry is helpful for better environmental management and adapting or mitigating climate change effects. Land users, agriculturalists, urban planners, policymakers, government officials, researchers, academicians, and students looking to improve their understanding of this topic for better use of land in the future will find this book to be an asset to their current research.

Fundamentals of Heat Exchangers: Selection, Design, Construction, and Operation details the design and construction of heat exchangers in both research and industry contexts. This book is split into three parts, firstly outlining the fundamental properties of various types of heat exchangers and the critical decisions surrounding material selection, manufacturing methods, and cleaning options. Other sections provide a comprehensive grounding in the theory and analysis of heat exchangers, guiding the reader through thermal design. Finally, the book shows how to apply industrial codes to this process with detailed demonstrations, designing a shell-and-tube exchanger compliant with important but complex code ASME, Sec. VIII, Div.1. Taking into account the real-world considerations of heat-exchanger design, this book takes a reader from fundamental principles to the mechanical design of heat exchangers for industry or research.

Magnonics: Interface Transmission Tutorial Book Series provides up-to-date and concise summaries of the present knowledge of interface transmission science. The series' volumes foster the exchange of ideas among scientists interested in different aspects of interface transmission, with each release designed as a text, a reference, and a source. The series serves as an introduction to advanced graduate students, researchers and scientists with little acquaintance with the subject, and is also useful in keeping specialists informed about general progress in the field. A detailed description of mathematical languages is provided in an appendix, enabling readers to find composite system linear transmission properties. All scientists who contribute to these volume have worked in interface transmission in composite systems over many years, providing a thorough and comprehensive understanding of magnonics.

The contribution of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is acknowledged as an influential engine to economic growth. However, the biggest challenge faced by these SMEs is the lack of competitive service offerings for their target customers due to unstandardized products and a lack of consumer engagement and strategies. Service Marketing Strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an essential reference source that provides guidelines on how SMEs can achieve sustainability through positive marketing outcomes and effective customer services. Featuring research on the assessment of SMEs' customer service expectation, listening to customers through qualitative research, service quality model and its marketing implications, integrated marketing communications for SME environments, effective service encounters, and relationship developing strategies for SMEs, this publication provides new models for managers, industry professionals, academicians, and researchers.

Human Activity and Behavior Analysis relates to the field of vision and sensor-based human action or activity and behavior analysis and recognition. The book includes a series of methodologies, surveys, relevant datasets, challenging applications, ideas, and future prospects. The book discusses topics such as action recognition, action understanding, gait analysis, gesture recognition, behavior analysis, emotion and affective computing, and related areas. The book has been divided into two volumes. Volume 1 focuses on relevant activities in three main subject areas: Healthcare and Emotion, Mental Health, and Nurse Care Records. Volume 2 focuses on two main subject areas: Movement and Sensors, and Sports Activity Analysis. The editors are experts in these arenas and the contributing authors are drawn from high-impact research groups around the world. This book will be of great interest to academics, students, and professionals working and researching in the field of human activity and behavior analysis.

Health and nutrition have become global focal points as the population continues to grow exponentially. While providing food for the global population is crucial, it is also necessary to provide options that are nutritious in order to promote healthier lifestyles around the world. Exploring the Nutrition and Health Benefits of Functional Foods provides a comprehensive overview of how dietary nutrition can impact people's lives, prevent disease, and maintain an overall healthier lifestyle. Highlighting theoretical and practical attributes of different functional foods and how they are utilized globally, this book is an essential reference for researchers, academics, students, policy makers, government officials, and technology developers.

Legal Aspects of the New International Economic Order draws together the results of discussions from the 58th Conference of the International law Association held in Manila in September 1978. Many there, including a number of contributors to this insightful book, felt that proposals for the establishment of a new international economic order bristled with complex legal issues, which merited the serious attention of lawyers. Moved by the conviction that these proposals aimed at restructuring international economic relations and effective a global redistribution of wealth and power, presented a challenge to legal creativity, the Conference adopted a resolution urging the International Law Association to undertake a study of the Legal Aspects of a New International Economic Order. Legal Aspects of the New International Economic Order draws together the papers that came from that study, to offer a fascinating and powerful examination of the legal challenges thrown up by the establishment of this new order.

Over the past few decades, there has been unprecedented progress in the design of versatile biopolymer-based nanoplatforms for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, particularly due to their attractive traits, including excellent biocompatibility, outstanding biodegradability, low immunogenicity, and facile chemical modifiability. Biopolymer-Based Nanomaterials in Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications serves as a clear and detailed body of information on the synthesis and characterization of biopolymer-based materials in nanomedicine. This book describes various nanomaterials consisting of biopolymers including polysaccharides (i.e., derived from plants, animals, bacteria, algae, and fungi) and polypeptides in terms of their structures, synthetic protocols, and characterization and uses as therapeutic drugs and gene delivery carriers and in other biomedical fields. The chapters of this book, which are contributed by internationally renowned scholars working in the arena of biopolymer-based nanomaterials, would offer a wide vision on the potential future applications of these nanomaterials in the delivery and targeting of bioactive molecules of pharmaceutical interests and in tissue engineering, biosensing, bioimaging, and diagnostic purposes. The state-of-the-art information presented in the book would also encourage young investigators and researchers to further bring cutting-edge developments in the field of nanomedicine in the near future.

Plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles (PEVs) have the potential to provide substantial storage to a city's grid, a key component in mitigating intermittency issues of power sources. But the batteries of these vehicles also need to be charged at times when their users need them. Thus, V2G (vehicle-to-grid) is becoming an important issue in the future grid. An integrated treatment of this system, from power generation, monitoring, storage in stationary and PEV batteries to control is a complex task. This book explores the connection between the stationary grid and PEV power storage. Topics covered include: the impact of PEVs and V2G on smart grid and renewable energy systems; distributed energy resource with PEV battery energy storage in the smart grid; power conversion technology in smart grid and PEVs; power control and monitoring of smart grid with PEVs; PEV charging technologies and V2G on distributed energy resources and utility interfaces; economic, social and environmental dimensions of PEVs in the smart grid. This book will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in electric vehicles and smart grid technologies, and policy-makers and planners developing smart grid infrastructure and sustainable transport initiatives.

Plant Micronutrient Use Efficiency: Molecular and Genomic Perspectives in Crop Plants presents information on the complex mechanisms regulating micronutrient use efficiency in plants. Understanding this science is essential for the development of new varieties of crop plants that are more resilient to micronutrient stress, as well as plants with increased bioavailable concentrations of essential micronutrients. This book explores the discovery of novel genes and key metabolic pathways associated with micronutrient use efficiency in plants, gives an analyses of the gene expression patterns in plants in response to low and/or high nutrient levels, and investigates the potential functions of these genes and their products. Strategies to enhance micronutrient use efficiency and stress tolerance, to develop bio-fortified crop, and to improve the sustainable utilization of natural resources are critically evaluated. The book contains both fundamental and advanced information as well as critical commentaries that are useful for those involved in the various fields that make up the plant sciences.

Abiotic stress adversely affects crop production worldwide, decreasing average yields for most of the crops to 50%. Among various abiotic stresses affecting agricultural production, drought stress is considered to be the main source of yield reduction around the globe. Due to an increasing world population, drought stress will lead to a serious food shortage by 2050. The situation may become worse due to predicated global climate change that may multiply the frequency and duration and severity of such abiotic stresses. Hence, there is an urgent need to improve our understanding on complex mechanisms of drought stress tolerance and to develop modern varieties that are more resilient to drought stress. Identification of the potential novel genes responsible for drought tolerance in crop plants will contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of crop responses to drought stress. The discovery of novel genes, the analysis of their expression patterns in response to drought stress, and the determination of their potential functions in drought stress adaptation will provide the basis of effective engineering strategies to enhance crop drought stress tolerance. Although the in-depth water stress tolerance mechanisms is still unclear, it can be to some extent explained on the basis of ion homeostasis mediated by stress adaptation effectors, toxic radical scavenging, osmolyte biosynthesis, water transport, and long distance signaling response coordination. Importantly, complete elucidation of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms for drought stress, perception, transduction, and tolerance is still a challenge to the plant biologists. The findings presented in volume 1 call attention to the physiological and biochemical modalities of drought stress that influence crop productivity, whereas volume 2 summarizes our current understanding on the molecular and genetic mechanisms of drought stress resistance in plants.