X-ray constraints on the fraction of obscured AGN at high accretion luminosities

The wide-area XMM-XXL X-ray survey is used to explore the fraction of obscured AGN at high accretion luminosities, $L_X (\rm 2-10 \, keV) > 10^{44} \, erg \,s ^{-1}$, and out to redshift $z\approx1.5$. The sample covers an area of about $\rm14\,deg^2$ and provides constraints on the space density of powerful AGN over a wide range of neutral hydrogen column densities extending beyond the Compton-thick limit, $\rm N_H\approx10^{24}\,cm^{-2}$. The fraction of obscured Compton-thin ($\rm N_H=10^{22}-10^{24}\,cm^{-2}$) AGN is estimated to be $\approx0.35$ for luminosities $L_X(\rm 2-10\,keV)>10^{44}\,erg\,s^{-1}$ independent of redshift. For less luminous sources the fraction of obscured Compton-thin AGN increases from $0.45\pm0.10$ at $z=0.25$ to $0.75\pm0.05$ at $z=1.25$. Studies that select AGN in the infrared via template fits to the observed Spectral Energy Distribution of extragalactic sources estimate space densities at high accretion luminosities consistent with the XMM-XXL constraints. There is no evidence for a large population of AGN (e.g. heavily obscured) identified in the infrared and missed at X-ray wavelengths. We further explore the mid-infrared colours of XMM-XXL AGN as a function of accretion luminosity, column density and redshift. The fraction of XMM-XXL sources that lie within the mid-infrared colour wedges defined in the literature to select AGN is primarily a function of redshift. This fraction increases from about 20-30% at z=0.25 to about 50-70% at $z=1.5$.Comment: MNRAS accepte

Telephone speech enhancement for the hearing impaired

This thesis report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis report.Includes bibliographical references (page 48).Bony TasnimC. Z. MurshedB. Computer Science and Engineerin

A Systematic Literature Review on Requirements Engineering Practices and Challenges in Open-Source Projects

Open-source software (OSS) development has become increasingly influential in the software industry, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among developers and users. Along with rapidly evolving OSS projects, this paper explores requirements engineering (RE) practices and challenges through a systematic literature review (SLR). Synthesizing data from 43 selected papers, the study reports practices, techniques, and methods that assist RE activities in OSS projects, and also addresses challenges faced by practitioners and the potential solutions. The results of the literature review indicate a growing interest in using machine learning and statistical methods to assist RE activities, focusing on automated requirements identification and analysis using information from project discussion forums, issue reports, and other online resources. The findings also highlight the importance of community involvement, with many studies examining developers’ interaction patterns, expertise levels, and influence on projects. These findings provide valuable insights for OSS project managers and researchers, offering guidance on effectively handling requirements in OSS projects.Peer reviewe

Depressive symptoms associated with COVID-19 preventive practice measures, daily activities in home quarantine and suicidal behaviors: findings from a large-scale online survey in Bangladesh

Background: The world is facing a public health emergency situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological wellbeing among individuals worldwide has been negatively affected by the pandemic especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh. The present study aimed to assess the estimate of depressive symptoms and investigated its associations with COVID-19 preventive practice measures, daily activities in home quarantine, and suicidal behaviors in a large-scale Bangladeshi online survey. Methods: An online-based cross-sectional survey was widely distributed to Bangladeshi citizens. A total of 13,654 participants (61.0% male; mean age = 24.0 years [SD = 6.0]; age range 18–65 years) completed the survey between May and June (2020). The survey included socio-demographics and COVID-19-related questions, along with lifestyle, suicidal, and psychometric measures. Hierarchical regression was performed to determine significant associations between depression and examined variables. Results: The estimate of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic was 43.5%. Based on hierarchical regression analysis, depression was significantly associated with not engaging in COVID-19 preventive measures, daily activities in home quarantine (e.g., playing videogames), and suicidal behaviors. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms appeared to be high during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. To fight against the pandemic, mental health issues as well as physical health issues need to be taken into consideration

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e. a controlling message) compared to no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly-internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared to the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly-internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing: Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Empowerment and Microfinance: A socioeconomic study of female garment workers in Dhaka City

This paper is an endeavor to depict the reasons for migration and involving with garments industry, adequacy, sources and utilization of credit, and empowerment of the female garments workers in a selected area of Dhaka City. Primary data were collected from 60 respondents in two categories such as: 30 helpers and 30 operators, randomly. Descriptive statistics such as percentage and arithmetic mean were applied to analyze the data and to describe socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents. Poverty, search for job and husbands’ work in Dhaka, financial help to family, secure more income and assure basic needs were the main reasons for involving with garments industry. Average amount applied for loan was Tk. 5650.00 and average amount of loan received was Tk. 4450.00 which was 78.23% of total applied amount in the category of ‘Helper’. On the other hand, average amount applied for loan was Tk. 10540.00 and average amount of loan received was Tk. 7670.00 which was 72.77% of total applied amount in the category of ‘Operator’. About 94% respondents (Helper) keep their earnings and spend independently; this figure was about 97% for operator. Level of income, human and social capital improved in both helper and operator categories but savings decreased 66.67% and 40% respectively. In the areas of decision making like food selection, treatment, visit to relatives, family planning all the cases vastly improved. This study recommended measures for improving the prevailing microfinance facilities, to a great extent, to achieve female workers’ empowerment and satisfaction at the maximum leve