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Almost every year, the north-western part of Bangladesh faces acute flash floods causing property damage and loss of livelihood. The 2017 flood severely affected Lalmonirhat District, where in 2019 several organizations provided cash incentives as an aid to recovery of livelihoods and empowerment of women. This study explores the use of cash-based intervention (CBI) for livelihood restoration and empowerment of women. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed using a questionnaire survey, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Due to COVID-19, a follow-up phone survey was conducted in July 2020, revealing that CBI led to diversified income sources. The average inflation-adjusted income for beneficiaries was BDT17442 per month. About 52% of respondents believed CBI was highly effective, while 44% found CBI moderately helpful. In only 2% of cases was it fruitless due to the death of cattle. The daily income increased by BDT83-227 for Cluster-A (50% of respondents), BDT228-371 for Cluster-B (42% of respondents), and BDT372-517 for Cluster-C (8% of respondents). Among other occupations, livestock rearing made a significant profit, specifically for those who received minimal monetary CBI support. Following CBI and training, 100% of female respondents opined that males and females should have equal rights. About 93% of female respondents found improvement in self-confidence, self-esteem, and decision-making capacity attributable to participation in training and meetings to which they did not have access previously. About 93% of females felt that after empowerment training, they were able to reduce incidents of domestic violence. They enjoyed greater freedom in household and social decisions, greater independence in income, and improved equality in attitudes. CBI could be implemented on a large scale in disaster-affected communities to recover livelihoods, increase income sources, engage women in the workforce, and empower women. • Cash based intervention (CBI) effectively creates disaster-resilient livelihood by involving diversified sources of income for 98% of respondents. • CBI facilitated training improves "awareness of women rights" of 100% of female respondents. • CBI engaged women in earning activities that secured their self-esteem in families and public domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Johari–Goldstein(or JG) relaxation of rigid molecular solute acetone in various glass forming solvents was studied, and compared with the relaxation of acetone molecules occurring in the cages of acetone clathrate hydrate. The activation energy (ΔE β ) of the JG-process for the solute increases with a decrease in the size of the cage of the host (solvent) matrix, and increase in interaction of the solute molecules with the solvent. We have also studied the sub-T g relaxation(s) due to some flexible molecular solutes, viz. some esters of phthalic acid. These solutes in isopropylbenzene matrix exhibit only one sub-T g relaxation, whereas in o-terphenyl matrix exhibit an additional sub-T g process which may be identified with JG type of relaxation. This observation lead us to the conclusion that the β-process observed in the glassy states of these pure solutes is predominantly intramolecular in nature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have critically examined the various relaxation processes occurring in poly(cyclohexylmethacrylate) using dielectric spectroscopy. In addition to the α- and γ-processes found earlier by other workers, we have detected a secondary (β-)process in the temperature range of 293–353K with an activation energy of about 73±5kJ/mol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]