Rate Optimal design of a Wireless Backhaul Network using TV White Space

The penetration of wireless broadband services in remote areas has primarily been limited due to the lack of economic incentives that service providers encounter in sparsely populated areas. Besides, wireless backhaul links like satellite and microwave are either expensive or require strict line of sight communication making them unattractive. TV white space channels with their desirable radio propagation characteristics can provide an excellent alternative for engineering backhaul networks in areas that lack abundant infrastructure. Specifically, TV white space channels can provide "free wireless backhaul pipes" to transport aggregated traffic from broadband sources to fiber access points. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of multi-hop wireless backhaul in the available white space channels by using noncontiguous Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (NC-OFDMA) transmissions between fixed backhaul towers. Specifically, we consider joint power control, scheduling and routing strategies to maximize the minimum rate across broadband towers in the network. Depending on the population density and traffic demands of the location under consideration, we discuss the suitable choice of cell size for the backhaul network. Using the example of available TV white space channels in Wichita, Kansas (a small city located in central USA), we provide illustrative numerical examples for designing such wireless backhaul network

BIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF FLOODPLAINS: FARMING VERSUS FISHING IN BANGLADESH

This paper explores the linkages of environment and economic development in the floodplain of large rivers. There is considerable evidence that even the most vital floodplains in the world are not being managed efficiently and both economic and ecological factors need to be considered for effective management. Floodplain management policies in Bangladesh emphasize structural changes to enhance agricultural production. However, these structural changes reduce fisheries production, where the fishery is an important natural resource sector and a source of subsistence for the rural poor. We develop a model where net returns to agriculture and fisheries are jointly maximized taking into account the effect of flooding depth and timing on production. Results for a region in Bangladesh show that optimal production in a natural floodplain yields higher net returns compared to a floodplain modified by flood control structures. This finding has important implications for management policies -- neglecting the bio-economic relationship between fisheries and land use may significantly affect the long-run economic role of a river floodplain, particularly in a poor country.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Field Induced Magnetic Ordering and Single-ion Anisotropy in the Quasi-1D Haldane Chain Compound SrNi2V2O8: A Single Crystal investigation

Field-induced magnetic ordering in the Haldane chain compound SrNi$_{2}$V$_{2}$O$_{8}$ and effect of anisotropy have been investigated using single crystals. Static susceptibility, inelastic neutron scattering, high-field magnetization, and low temperature heat-capacity studies confirm a non-magnetic spin-singlet ground state and a gap between the singlet ground state and triplet excited states. The intra-chain exchange interaction is estimated to be $J \sim 8.9{\pm}$0.1 meV. Splitting of the dispersions into two modes with minimum energies 1.57 and 2.58 meV confirms the existence of single-ion anisotropy $D(S^z){^2}$. The value of {\it D} is estimated to be $-0.51{\pm}0.01$ meV and the easy axis is found to be along the crystallographic {\it c}-axis. Field-induced magnetic ordering has been found with two critical fields [$\mu_0H_c^{\perp c} = 12.0{\pm}$0.2 T and $\mu_0H_c^{\parallel c} = 20.8{\pm}$0.5 T at 4.2 K]. Field-induced three-dimensional magnetic ordering above the critical fields is evident from the heat-capacity, susceptibility, and high-field magnetization study. The Phase diagram in the {\it H-T} plane has been obtained from the high-field magnetization. The observed results are discussed in the light of theoretical predictions as well as earlier experimental reports on Haldane chain compounds

Molecular Control of Fruit Ripening and Sensory Quality of Charentais Melon

Traditional Charentais melons have a typical climacteric behavior with ethylene playing a major role in the regulation of the ripening process. Genetic studies using climacteric and non-climacteric types of Cucumis melo demonstrated that the climacteric character is dominant and conferred by 2 duplicated loci only which are of great importance for the regulation of storability and sensory quality. Commercial varieties of Charentais melon with long shelf-life have been generated, some of them by crossing with a non-ripening Charentais genotype (Vauclusien). The introduction of the long shelf-life character resulted in undesirable loss of aroma volatiles production. The inhibition of ethylene synthesis by knocking-down ACC oxidase gene expression has been achieved in Charentais melon. It results is a strong inhibition of the synthesis of aroma volatiles while the accumulation of sugars is not affected or is even improved and the softening of the flesh is strongly affected but not abolished. It was also demonstrated that ethylene-inhibited fruit exhibited better resistance to chilling injury. Due to the importance of aroma volatiles in sensory quality and to the strong negative correlation between aroma production and ethylene synthesis, we have developed a research program aimed at isolating genes involved in the synthesis of volatile esters, compounds that are essential for the flavor of Cantaloupe melons. We report here on the recent advances in the field with special emphasis on the characterization of two families of genes encoding aldehyde reductases and alcohol acyl transferases

Effect of tillage and residue retention on maize productivity

In Bangladesh, maize is generally sown after extensive tilth and minimum residue retention. Conservation agriculture (CA) systems reduce the input costs, machinery use, CO2 emissions; and improve soil health (Raper et al., 1994). Crop residues are known to affect soil physical properties (Hulugalle et al., 1986), availability of nutrients (Wade and Sanchez, 1983; Asghar et al., 2006) and soil biological activity (Tian et al., 1993). Crop residue retention has been suggested to improve overall soil fertility and to support sustainable crop production. Crop residue retention under no tillage system reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter (SOM), and reduce requirement of labour and fuel under cereal grain and row crop culture (Salinas-Garcia et al., 1997). Kumar and Goh (2000) reported that incorporation of crop residues is essential for sustaining soil productivity through replenishing SOM that not only a key indicator of soil quality, but it also supplies essential nutrients upon mineralization (N, P, and S) and improves soil physical, chemical, and biological properties (Kumar et al., 2001). In our country, the crop residue is used mostly for cattle feed (Saadullah et al., 1991), fuel for stove and some cases burning. It is essential to estimate the amount of crop residue that should be retained in field to get the benefits. Therefore, the present research investigated to find out the minimum tillage with residue retention could be an effective element for maize production

Average spectral properties of galactic X-ray binaries with 3 years of MAXI data

The energy spectra of X-ray binaries (XRBs) have been investigated during the last few decades with many observatories in different energy bands and with different energy resolutions. However, these studies are carried out in selected states of XRBs like during outbursts, transitions, quiescent states, and are always done in limited time windows of pointed observations. It is now possible to investigate the long term averaged spectra of a large number of X-ray binaries with the all sky monitor MAXI, which also has a broad energy band. Here we present the average spectral behaviour of a few representative XRBs. The long term averaged spectrum of Cyg X-1 is described by a sum of two power-laws having $\Gamma_{1}$ ~ 2.8 and $\Gamma_{2}$ ~ 1.2, along with a multi color disk blackbody having an inner disk temperature of 0.5 keV, GX 301-2 is described by a power-law with a high energy cut-off at $E_{c}$ ~ 15 keV and a blackbody component at 0.2 keV and that of Aql X-1 is described by a multi color disk blackbody at 2 keV and a power-law of $\Gamma$ ~ 2.2. We have also constructed the combined X-ray spectrum of the X-ray binaries in the Milky Way, which can be compared to the XRBs spectra of other galaxies observed with Chandra and XMM-Newton. These measurements are also relevant to investigate the X-ray interaction with the ISM and its contribution to the ionising X-ray background in the early universe.Comment: To be published in ASI Conference Series on "Recent Trends in the Study of Compact Objects: Theory and Observation