Spoof detection using time-delay shallow neural network and feature switching

Detecting spoofed utterances is a fundamental problem in voice-based biometrics. Spoofing can be performed either by logical accesses like speech synthesis, voice conversion or by physical accesses such as replaying the pre-recorded utterance. Inspired by the state-of-the-art \emph{x}-vector based speaker verification approach, this paper proposes a time-delay shallow neural network (TD-SNN) for spoof detection for both logical and physical access. The novelty of the proposed TD-SNN system vis-a-vis conventional DNN systems is that it can handle variable length utterances during testing. Performance of the proposed TD-SNN systems and the baseline Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) is analyzed on the ASV-spoof-2019 dataset. The performance of the systems is measured in terms of the minimum normalized tandem detection cost function (min-t-DCF). When studied with individual features, the TD-SNN system consistently outperforms the GMM system for physical access. For logical access, GMM surpasses TD-SNN systems for certain individual features. When combined with the decision-level feature switching (DLFS) paradigm, the best TD-SNN system outperforms the best baseline GMM system on evaluation data with a relative improvement of 48.03\% and 49.47\% for both logical and physical access, respectively

Ethics in Organizations: The Case of Tata Steel

The concern for ethical decision-making among the regulators, social groups and managers has substantially increased since failure of some of the prominent business organizations like Shell and Enron owing to strong social condemn of some of their business practices. This paper reviews literature to address this concern by examining and discussing significant issues of ethical decision making in organizations. Literature shows that authors have frequently used ethics, morality and values interchangeably in the context of organizational behavior. Simultaneously, the research to examine the linkage of ethical decision-making with other organizational construct is inadequate. This paper tries to fill these gaps by distinguishing ethics, morality and values in organizational context and by developing a comprehensive framework of organizational ethical decision-making and behavior in organizations. The framework identifies three groups of variables, which significantly influence the ethical decision-making and behavior of individuals in organizations: a) moral intensity, b) intrinsic factors and c) extrinsic factors. The framework is used to analyze the implementation of Code of Conduct at Tata Steel. Based on the case and literature review few propositions are suggested. They explain the linkages of these variables with ethical decision-making could guide future research in this field. The framework will also help practicing managers to concentrate on key organizational issues to sustain long-term interests of the organizations.

Report of Acoustic Test on PSLV IS.1/2L Structure

The results of acoustic conducted on PSLV IS.1/2L at Acoustic Test Facility are briefly given. It contains test set up, Instrumentation details and tables of spectral response

The need for augmenting policies in fisheries sector

India is a country with immense fishing and culture potential. The unscientific practices carried out in this sector have led it to a chaotic condition from which it is high time to get rid off. Management of the sector in an efficient way will help its1evival from the prevailing situation. Policies are steps taken with a futuristic outlook. It's a relatively new term in the fishery sector. Policies taken in the past by European nations in the sector were well organized and adoption of such models may help to cut a new fishery policy for India. Fish and fisheries - both marine and inland - are an intrinsic part ofthe livelihoods of many in developing countrie

Electrochemically Impregnated Aluminum-Stabilized α-Nickel Hydroxide Electrodes

Nickel-positive electrodes obtained by electrochemical impregnation of aluminum-substituted α-nickel hydroxide are found to deliver a reversible discharge capacity of ca. 450 mAh/g. This is much higher than the capacity of β-nickel hydroxide electrodes 200 mAh/g: this work; 225 mAh/g: Dixit et al., J. Power Sources, 63, 167 (1996) prepared under identical conditions and pasted electrodes comprising cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide 345 mAh/g: Faure et al., J. Power Sources, 36, 497 (1991). These observations suggest that the theoretical target-capacity for high-performance nickel-positive electrodes must be revised from the currently accepted value of 289 mAh/g (1e exchange) to 491 mAh/g 1.7e exchange: Corrigan and Knight, J. Electrochem. Soc., 136, 613 (1989). © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)08-044-4. All rights reserved

A model for interacting instabilities and texture dynamics of patterns

A simple model to study interacting instabilities and textures of resulting patterns for thermal convection is presented. The model consisting of twelve-mode dynamical system derived for periodic square lattice describes convective patterns in the form of stripes and patchwork quilt. The interaction between stationary zig-zag stripes and standing patchwork quilt pattern leads to spatiotemporal patterns of twisted patchwork quilt. Textures of these patterns, which depend strongly on Prandtl number, are investigated numerically using the model. The model also shows an interesting possibility of a multicritical point, where stability boundaries of four different structures meet.Comment: 4 pages including 4 figures, page width revise

Fishers in Post-harvest Fisheries Sector in India : An Assessment of Socio-economic Status

This paper presents the results of study carried out during 2009-11, to assess literacy, health and income status of fishers in India with reference to postharvest sector which covered fishers in marketing and processing. The study covered five states and one union territory, covering 11 districts reaching 548 households. About 52.19% of the respondents fell in the age group of 36-55. The average male- female ratio was 1.03 and 66.61% of the families were in the small family category of 2-4 members. It was observed that the literacy rates among fishers in post-harvest sector in different states ranged from 63.74 to 95.81%. In general, the literacy rates were comparable to the national average. Maternal and child mortality were low in the sample studied and the average birth weight of infants was 2.68 kg. The average monthly income was Rs. 7027.45 with a daily income of Rs. 234.25. About 44.70% of the households had no savings and 47.81% of households were in debt

NcPred for accurate nuclear protein prediction using n-mer statistics with various classification algorithms

Prediction of nuclear proteins is one of the major challenges in genome annotation. A method, NcPred is described, for predicting nuclear proteins with higher accuracy exploiting n-mer statistics with different classification algorithms namely Alternating Decision (AD) Tree, Best First (BF) Tree, Random Tree and Adaptive (Ada) Boost. On BaCello dataset [1], NcPred improves about 20% accuracy with Random Tree and about 10% sensitivity with Ada Boost for Animal proteins compared to existing techniques. It also increases the accuracy of Fungal protein prediction by 20% and recall by 4% with AD Tree. In case of Human protein, the accuracy is improved by about 25% and sensitivity about 10% with BF Tree. Performance analysis of NcPred clearly demonstrates its suitability over the contemporary in-silico nuclear protein classification research

A study on functional outcome following surgical fixation for lower spine injuries

Background: Cervical spine injuries are one of the common causes of serious morbidity mortality following trauma. 6% of trauma patients have spine injuries of which >50% is contributed by a cervical spine injury. The aim of the study was to determine the functional outcome following surgical fixation for sub-axial cervical spine.Methods: this prospective study involving 17 patients who were all admitted with sub-axial cervical spine injuries and amenable to intervention in our department of orthopedics and traumatology, government Theni medical college, Tamil Nadu, India in the year 2019-2020. Duration of 6 months from December 2019 to may 2020.Results: Most of the injuries presented within 24 hours of injury. Most of the patients presented with an incomplete neurological deficit. C5-C6 subluxation with disc bulge was the most common spinal injury. 5 patients were operated on more than 2 levels. The rest of the patients were operated on at 2 levels.Conclusions: We consider that the anterior decompression and fusion with a locking compression plate is a viable procedure in sub-axial cervical spine injuries