Indian Institute of Science Bangalore

Purpose The Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) technology uses automated speech processing (ASP) algorithms to estimate counts such as total adult words and child vocalizations, which helps understand children's early language environment. This ASP has been validated in North American English and other languages in predominantly monolingual contexts but not in a multilingual context like India. Thus, the current study aims to validate the classification accuracy of the LENA algorithm specifically focusing on speaker recognition of adult segments (AdS) and child segments (ChS) in a sample of bi/multilingual families from India. Method Thirty neurotypical children between 6 and 24 months ( M = 12.89, SD = 4.95) were recruited. Participants were growing up in bi/multilingual environment hearing a combination of Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, and/or English. Daylong audio recordings were collected using LENA and processed using the ASP to automatically detect segments across speaker categories. Two human annotators manually annotated ~900 min (37,431 segments across speaker categories). Performance accuracy (recall and precision) was calculated for AdS and ChS. Results The recall and precision for AdS were 0.62 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.61, 0.63]) and 0.83 (95% CI [0.8, 0.83]), respectively. This indicated that 62% of the segments identified as AdS by the human annotator were also identified as AdS by the LENA ASP algorithm and 83% of the segments labeled by the LENA ASP as AdS were also labeled by the human annotator as AdS. Similarly, the recall and precision for ChS were 0.65 (95% CI [0.64, 0.66]) and 0.55 (95% CI [0.54, 0.56]), respectively. Conclusions This study documents the performance of the ASP in correctly classifying speakers as adult or child in a sample of families from India, indicating recall and precision that is relatively low. This study lays the groundwork for future investigations aiming to refine the algorithm models, potentially facilitating more accurate performance in bi/multilingual societies like India. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27910710

The synchrony of inter-basin flooding is often overlooked as the risks are measured at individual basins. The study finds strong connections of floods across space beyond the individual river basin boundaries in Peninsular India. Further, the study introduces a clustering algorithm using the combination of F-madogram and Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM), specifically suitable for extremes. Popular algorithms like the k-means algorithm identify clusters based on minimizing the variance within each cluster. This concept makes them ideal for applications concerned with finding patterns with respect to mean behaviors; whereas their suitability in the context of extremes is questionable. We conclude that the regional and temporal variations in spatial flood dependencies must be considered for accurate regional flood hazard risk assessment.

Transitioning towards a carbon‐free economy is the current global need of the hour. The transportation sector is one of the major contributors of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere disturbing the delicate balance on the Earth, leading to global warming. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising alternative energy carrier capable of replacing fossil fuels, with advancements in systems facilitating its storage and long‐distance transport. In this context, the concept of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) is taking the lead, offering a plausible solution because of its compatibility with the existing gasoline infrastructure, while eliminating the challenges associated with the conventional hydrogen storage methods. Key LOHC systems, such as methylcyclohexane/toluene and H‐18‐dibenzyltoluene/dibenzyltoluene (H‐18‐DBT/DBT), have been extensively researched for large‐scale applications. However, challenges persist, particularly concerning the endothermic nature of the reactions involved. In this regard, of particular interest are the multifunctional heterogeneous catalysts supported on a single support, offering cost‐effective and energy‐efficient solutions to circumvent issues related to the endothermicity of the reactions. In this review, solid heterogeneous catalysts that have been developed and investigated for reversible dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions have been presented. These catalysts include monometallic, bimetallic, and pincer complexes supported on materials designed for efficient hydrogen uptake and release.

Copper alloys are at the forefront of alloy innovation, as they possess outstanding strength and unparalleled electrical conductivity. This papers sequentially reviews current strategic approaches that have successfully balanced the attainment of both strength and conductivity in copper alloys in the Cu–Fe–Si system. These approaches involve fine-tuning the composition and utilizing hierarchical multi-scale microstructural templates. This work provides a comprehensive assessment of the important developmental stages of high-strength conductive copper alloys in the Cu–Fe–Si system. This study emphasizes the relationship between composition, microstructure, and mechanical and electrical properties by implementing a cost-effective rapid casting method with alloying procedures and conducting extensive electron microscopy for microstructural characterization. The full research yields valuable insights that may be used to optimize copper alloys for a wide range of applications that demand both strength and conductivity. Furthermore, the present study additionally enhances our understanding of the phase transformation events in the alloy system by including novel microstructural observations. The current paper also presents novel findings about sustainable performance and real-time engineering applications, specifically in connection to creep qualities and their link with microstructure. This paper explores the complex relationship between the composition of alloys and the process of refining their structure. The knowledge acquired provides a foundation for creating customized alloys that are well-positioned to suit the changing requirements of various industries, including aerospace and electronics.

Topological polar soliton such as skyrmions, merons, vortices, flux closures represent topologically nontrivial structures with their stability governed by specific boundary conditions. These polar solitons can be utilized in enhancing memory density and reducing energy consumption in nanoelectronic devices. Flux closure domains exhibit high density and thermal stability, with a strain gradient as large as ≈10⁶ m⁻¹ at the core, which is tunable by adjusting the materials thickness, periodicity. The practical utilization of topological structures like flux closure in advanced applications requires the ability to manipulate them using external stimuli and ensuring their stability under thermal excitation. In this study, piezo‐force microscopy is employed to investigate the manipulation of flux closure nano‐domains through external electric field and temperature to observe their evolution. The findings demonstrate that the application of electric field can create or annihilate these nano‐domains and modify their density. Temperature variations significantly affect the density of flux closure domains, domain walls, correlating with enhanced capacitance of the system. This is crucial for improving the memory density of storage devices. Thus, by adjusting the density of these domains, it is possible to tailor the functional properties of nanoelectronic devices, such as capacitance and electromechanical response, enabling advanced application.

Bulletproofs (Bünz et al., in: 2018 IEEE symposium on security and privacy, IEEE Computer Society Press, pp 315–334, 2018) are a celebrated ZK proof system that allows for short and efficient proofs, and have been implemented and deployed in several real-world systems. In practice, they are most often implemented in their non-interactive version obtained using the Fiat–Shamir transform. A security proof for this setting is necessary for ruling out malleability attacks. These attacks can lead to very severe vulnerabilities, as they allow an adversary to forge proofs re-using or modifying parts of the proofs provided by the honest parties. An earlier version of this work (Ganesh et al., in: EUROCRYPT 2022, Part II. LNCS, vol 13276, Springer, Cham, pp 397–426, 2022) provided evidence for non-malleability of Fiat–Shamir Bulletproofs. This was done by proving simulation-extractability, which implies non-malleability, in the algebraic group model. In this work, we generalize the former result and prove simulation-extractability in the programmable random oracle model, removing the need for the algebraic group model. Along the way, we establish a generic chain of reductions for Fiat–Shamir-transformed multi-round public-coin proofs to be simulation-extractable in the (programmable) random oracle model, which may be of independent interest.

The present study provides an in-depth investigation of the exfoliation of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) using high-energy ball milling and the subsequent development of aluminum‒molybdenum disulfide (Al–MoS2) nanocomposites via a powder metallurgy (PM) route. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the commercially available bulk MoS2 did not develop new phases after intense ball milling for up to 30 h. The effects of ball milling on the thermal stability and morphological changes in MoS2 powder have also been reported. The milling action caused a shift in the band gap of MoS2, from 1.2 to 1.44 eV due to quantum confinement phenomena confirmed by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The impacts of ball milling on the specific surface area and mean pore diameter of MoS2 were determined by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis technique. Additionally, the investigation through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy verifies the presence of functional groups, such as hydroxyl (O–H), alkane (C–H), and ether (C–O), on the MoS2 surface. The milling resulted in a significant reduction in particle size from an initial mean size of 1.2 µm–480 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the exfoliated MoS2 revealed a thin, cracked, and flake-like morphology. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the high-energy ball milling resulted in few-layered MoS2 nanoplatelets after 30 h of ball milling. Subsequently, the investigation extended its focus to the development of Al–MoS2 nanocomposites using the PM route, incorporating MoS2 into the Al matrix at different weight percentages (1, 2, 3, and 5 wt.%). Al-5 wt.% MoS2 nanocomposite showed the highest relative density of 93.09 %, the maximum hardness of 743.6 MPa, and the best wear performance among all the Al–MoS2 nanocomposites. The hardness of Al-5 wt.% MoS2 nanocomposite was 109.11 % higher than that of the pure Al sample developed similarly. A maximum compressive strength (σ max) of 494.67 MPa was observed in Al-5 wt.% MoS2 nanocomposite, which was 1.84 times the value of σ max obtained from sintered pure Al sample.

There are a number of books related to Shock Wave Propagation in Solids. Over the past 4 or 5 decades, the articles in the bound proceedings of “Shock Compression of Condensed Matter” provide state-of-the-art concepts and fundamental understanding of the shock response of a wide range of materials.

A profound grasp of continuum mechanics is essential for comprehending the mechanics of brittle materials under multi-axial loading conditions. This chapter provides a concise overview of solid mechanics necessary to understand the material presented in subsequent chapters, avoiding an in-depth exploration of solid mechanics topics.

In 1971, Hockey [1] reported direct evidence of plastic deformations in both single and polycrystalline alumina ceramic due to microindentation at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies revealed high densities of dislocations and mechanical twinning at the surface of the indented specimens. Shockey et al. [2] observed evidence of networks (or systems) of micro-cracking in laterally confined ceramic targets recovered from ballistic impact. Merala et al. [3] conducted micro-structural investigations to evaluate microdefects in three different ceramics under extremely high pressures, reporting the nucleation of a significant amount of dislocations, micropores, and micro-cracking in the shocked samples.

Antibody therapy for HIV-1 infection exerts two broad effects: a drug-like, antiviral effect, which rapidly lowers the viral load, and a vaccinal effect, which may control the viral load long-term by improving the immune response. Here, we elucidate a trade-off between these two effects as they pertain to the humoral response, which may compromise antibody therapy aimed at eliciting long-term HIV-1 remission. We developed a multi-scale computational model that combined within-host viral dynamics and stochastic simulations of the germinal centre (GC) reaction, enabling simultaneous quantification of the antiviral and vaccinal effects of antibody therapy. The model predicted that increasing antibody dosage or antibody–antigen affinity increased immune complex formation and enhanced GC output. Beyond a point, however, a strong antiviral effect reduced antigen levels substantially, extinguishing GCs and limiting the humoral response. We found signatures of this trade-off in clinical studies. Accounting for the trade-off could be important in optimizing antibody therapy for HIV-1 remission.

The first-row transition metals and their oxides have garnered immense interest from academic as well as technological perspectives. Transition metals and their oxide are of particular interest because these elements support multiple oxidation states. As a result, the physiochemical properties of the transition metals are quite different from the main group element. They have found applications in diverse fields, such as supercapacitors, sensors, solar cells, catalysts and photocatalytic applications. In this work, the synthesis of transition metals (M = Co, Ni, Mn) and their oxides following a simple one-pot thermal decomposition route has been explored. Changing reaction parameters allows for the preparation of nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes. The preparative scheme can be adapted for the large-scale synthesis of monodispersed transition metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, making the procedure attractive for possible industrial applications for these materials.

Ferrites can be considered as special cases of magnetite where Fe2+ cations are replaced with other divalent metal cations. The synthetic protocols for the production of ferrite nanoparticles also bear striking similarities to the preparation of magnetite. Synthetic methods followed for the preparation of the ferrite nanoparticles are known to alter magnetic, catalytic, and optoelectronic properties drastically. Thus, optimizing the synthetic protocol for the fine-tuning of dimension and morphology-dependent properties is of primary importance. In this work, the use of simple metal nitrate salts as precursor materials for the preparation of ferrite nanoparticles is described. The alcoholic hydrolysis of the metal nitrates in isopropanol produces corresponding hydroxides, which, in addition to oleic acid, result in metal-oleate complexes. Thermal decomposition of the precursor oleate complex produces highly monodispersed ferrite nanoparticles.

Recent studies have shown that, in human cancer cells, the tetrameric Shieldin complex (comprising REV7, SHLD1, SHLD2, and SHLD3) facilitates non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) while blocking homologous recombination (HR). Surprisingly, several eukaryotic species lack SHLD1, SHLD2, and SHLD3 orthologs, suggesting that Rev7 may leverage an alternative mechanism to regulate the double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway choice. Exploring this hypothesis, we discovered that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rev7 physically interacts with the Mre11–Rad50–Xrs2 (MRX) subunits, impedes G-quadruplex DNA synergized HU-induced toxicity, and facilitates NHEJ, while antagonizing HR. Notably, we reveal that a 42-amino acid C-terminal fragment of Rev7 binds to the subunits of MRX complex, protects rev7∆ cells from G-quadruplex DNA-HU-induced toxicity, and promotes NHEJ by blocking HR. By comparison, the N-terminal HORMA domain, a conserved protein–protein interaction module, was dispensable. We further show that the full-length Rev7 impedes Mre11 nuclease and Rad50’s ATPase activities without affecting the latter’s ATP-binding ability. Combined, these results provide unanticipated insights into the functional interaction between the MRX subunits and Rev7 and highlight a previously unrecognized mechanism by which Rev7 facilitates DSB repair via NHEJ, and attenuation of HR, by blocking Mre11 nuclease and Rad50’s ATPase activities in S. cerevisiae .

We report a detailed study on the composition (x) dependence of structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical studies of nickel chromate spinel (NiCr2O4) at various levels of Mn substitution at B sites. No significant structural distortion from cubic symmetry Fd-3m was noticed for all the compositions in the range 0 ⩽ x⩽ 1 of Ni(Cr1−xMnx)2O4. However, there is significant alteration in the bond angles ∠B–O–B (90.51°-93.86°) and ∠A–O–B (122.48°–124.90°) (both of which follow completely opposite trend with increasing x) and bond lengths A–O (1.82–1.94 Å) and B–O (2.02–2.08 Å). The corresponding lattice parameter (a) follows Vegard’s law (8.32 ± 0.001 Å ⩽ a ⩽ 8.45 ± 0.001Å). The electronic structure determined from the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the divalent nature of Ni (with spin–orbit splitting energy Δ ∼ 17.62 eV). While the Cr and Mn are stable with trivalent electronic states having Δ =8 and 11.7 eV, respectively. These results are in consonance with the cationic distribution (Ni)A[(Cr1−xMnx)2]BO4 obtained from the Rietveld refinement analysis. Interestingly, the current series shows a direct bandgap (EG) semiconducting nature in which EG varies from 1.16 to 2.40 eV within the range of x = 0.85–0. Such variation of EG (x) is consistent with the compositional variation of the crystal structure data with anomalous change between x = 0.25 and 0.6. Beyond this range, the Eg mode (140 cm⁻¹) in Raman spectra arising from Mn–O octahedral decreases continuously and vanishes at higher Mn concentrations. Our analysis shows that all the investigated compounds show long-range ferrimagnetic ordering below the Néel temperature, TFN due to the unequal magnetic moments of the cations. However, both the ordering temperature TFN and saturation magnetization (MS) increases progressively from 73.3 K (1500 emu mol⁻¹) to 116 K (3600 emu mol⁻¹) with increasing the Mn content from 0 to 1, yet the maximum anisotropy (HK~4.5 kOe, K1~2.5 × 10⁴ erg cc⁻¹) shows an opposite trend with x. Such variation is ascribed to the altered magnetic superexchange interactions between the cations located at A and B sites following the trend JBB > JAB > JAA, (JBB/kB =13.36 K).