Department of History

Ashoka University is a private university located in Sonipat, Haryana, India, focusing on liberal arts and sciences. It was established in 2014.&nbsp;It is guided by an academic council of academics and scholars from around the world. The council sets the university&#39;s academic standard, advising on matters of curriculum, faculty hiring and research.&nbsp;

Ashoka University offers a full-time 3 (+ 1) year undergraduate programme. The University comprises of&nbsp;2500 plus students, with a mix of both national and international students.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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Ashoka University

In a three-sector closed economy where housing land is accumulated for the construction of houses, we depict significant effects of housing and land market on sectoral growth. We assume agriculture is the most intensive in the use of land, followed by manufacturing and then services. In the long run, land intensity differences in conjunction with labor growth contribute to sectoral growth gaps. In the short run, due to housing land accumulation, the economy transitions along a non-monotonic convergent path to the steady state. Using the US data, we quantify that land accounts for about one-tenth of long-run and short-run sectoral output growth gaps. We also incorporate sector-specific land-use restrictions to show that, despite these regulations, land and housing have qualitative effects on non-balanced growth. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.

Department of Economics

Journal of Macroeconomics

Land and housing: The twin forces of non-balanced growth

To deliver the full science potential of the square kilometer array (SKA) telescope, several SKA regional centres (SRCs) will be required to be constructed in different SKA member countries around the world. These SRCs will provide high performance compute and storage, for the generation, of advanced science data products from the basic data streams generated by the SKA science data handling and processing system, critically necessary to the success of the key science projects to be carried out by the SKA user community. They will also provide support to astronomers to enable them to carry out analysis on very large SKA datasets. Construction of such large data centre is a technical challenge for all SKA member nations. In such a situation, each country plans to construct a smaller SRC over the next few years (2022 onwards), known as a proto-SRC. In India, we propose to construct a proto-SRC, which will be used for the analysis of data from SKA pathfinders and precursors with strong Indian involvement, such as uGMRT, Meerkat and MWA. We describe our thinking on some aspects of the the storage, compute and network of the proto-SRC and how it will be used for data analysis as well as for carrying out various simulations related to SKA key science projects led by Indian astronomers. We also present our thoughts on how the proto-SRC plans to evaluate emerging hardware and software technologies and to also begin software development in areas of relevance to SKA data processing and analysis, such as algorithm implementation, pipeline development and data visualisation software. © 2023, Indian Academy of Sciences.

World University root node

Department of Physics

Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy

Plans for building a prototype SKA regional centre in India

The study of ethnic identity has received considerable attention in the field of psychology. However, the literature draws primarily from WEIRD populations and conflates race and ethnicity. Ethnic identity remains understudied in multi-ethnic and diverse contexts like India, where language is often used as a marker of ethnicity. This study conceptualised ethnicity on the basis of language and assessed the psychometric properties of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised, in a multi-ethnic sample of young adults in Karnataka, India. The reliability, convergent validity (self-esteem, optimism, familial ethnic socialisation, national identity), concurrent validity (EIS-B) and factor structure of the measure were assessed. Additionally, differences in ethnic identity were examined between the majority and minority ethnic groups. The study provides support for the convergent and concurrent validity of the measure and confirms the correlated two-factor structure of exploration and commitment. Our results also showed that ethnic identity was more significant among majority group members, contradicting previous literature and highlighting the cultural significance of language as ethnicity. The study adds to the literature on the MEIM-R highlighting the applicability of this measure to multicultural settings with multiple definitions of ethnicity. © 2023, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to National Academy of Psychology (NAOP) India.

Department of Psychology

Psychological Studies

Language as Ethnicity: Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the MEIM-R in a Multi-ethnic Population in India

This study analyzes the time-varying nature and determinants of comovements in US housing prices using state and metropolitan statistical area (MSA) data. We employ dynamic factor models with time-varying loadings and stochastic volatility (DFM-TV-SV) to estimate the national, regional, and state factors. The time-varying factor loadings and stochastic volatility features enrich the dynamic factor model structures and are an effective tool to examine the comovements in housing prices. We find that the national factor is the dominant factor in explaining the movement of housing prices. The national factor accounts for 79% of the variation in state-level housing prices on average, with the greatest magnitude occurring during the housing boom and bust periods in many regions and states. We also find that the factors and synchronization effects are time-varying and heterogeneous across regions. The state-level housing prices contain higher national housing factor components in states with more diverse economies, higher wages and house prices, and lower unemployment rates. These findings shed light on the effectiveness of residential real estate diversification across the United States and the potential for elevated national housing risk amid economic downturns due to increased national housing price integration. © 2023 American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

Real Estate Economics

Nature of comovements in US state and MSA housing prices

Recent synthesis of sp-hybridized cyclo[18]carbon allotrope has attracted immense curiosity. Since then, a generous amount of theoretical studies concerning aromaticity, adsorption, and spectra of the molecule have been performed. However, very few stuides have been carried out concerning its reactivities and catalytic behaviour. In this article, a DFT-based inquisition has been reported regarding the reactivity of Si substituted cyclo[18]carbon molecule towards molecular N2. Results show that the Si substituted derivative is effective in producing adducts with molecular nitrogen. Charge calculations and IRC trapping methods indicate that only the Si center of C17Si and its (HOMO-1) level participate in N2 addition. The N-adduct so formed, is then found to spontaneously react with molecular H2. The addition of two H2 molecules to the activated nitrogen molecule to give respective amine derivatives have also been studied. The successful generation of the precursor of NH3 by C17Si lays a clear emphasis on its potentiality. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Department of Chemistry

ChemPhysChem

Activation and Conversion of Molecular Nitrogen to the Precursor of Ammonia on Silicon Substituted Cyclo[18]Carbon: a DFT Design

Organic molecules with an active dipole moment have a natural propensity to align in an antiparallel fashion in the solid state, resulting in zero macroscopic polarization. This primary limitation makes the material unresponsive to switching with electric fields, mechanical forces, and to intense laser light. A single-component organic material that bestows macroscopic dipole-driven electro-mechanical and optical functions, e.g., piezoelectric, ferroelectric and nonlinear optical (NLO) activity, is unprecedented due to the design challenges imparted by crystal symmetry and dipole orientations. Herein we report a crystalline organic material that self-assembles with a polar order (P1), and is endowed with a high piezoelectric coefficient (d33-47 pm V−1), as well as ferroelectric and Debye-type relaxor properties. In addition, it shows second harmonic generation (SHG) activity, which is more than five times that of the benchmark potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM) images validated electro-mechanical deformations. Piezoresponse force spectroscopy (PFS) studies confirmed a signature butterfly-like amplitude and a phase loop. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a folded supramolecular π-system that manifests unidirectionally oriented dipoles and exhibits piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, and has excellent ability to generate second harmonic light. These findings can herald new design possibilities based on folded architectures to explore opto-, electro- and mechano-responsive multifaceted functions. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Chemical Science

A folded p-system with supramolecularly oriented dipoles: single-component piezoelectric relaxor with NLO activity

This study reports high gravity fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (FB-SSF) of sequentially pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) for enhanced bioethanol by employing multiple inhibitor tolerant Kluyveromyces marxianus JKH5 C60. FB-SSF with intermittent feeding of SCB (total 20 % solid loading) and enzyme (total dose of 20 FPU/g) at 6 and 12 h resulted in superior bioethanol production at 42 °C. Under optimized lab-scale FB-SSF, the maximum ethanol titer, efficiency and productivities were 73.4 ± 1.2 g/L, 78 % and 3.0 g/L/h, respectively, after 72 h in presence of inhibitors (acetic acid, furfural, and vanillin at 3, 1, and 1 g/L, respectively). Furthermore, pentose rich dilute acid hydrolysate of SCB was subjected to fermentation by Pichia stipitis NCIM 3499, resulting in ethanol titer of 6.8 g/L. Overall ethanol yield during the developed process was 260.1 g/kg native SCB, which proves industrial potential of the developed bioethanol conversion process. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Other Publications

Bioresource Technology

Enhanced cellulosic ethanol production via fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of sequential dilute acid-alkali pretreated sugarcane bagasse

This paper presents the cost-effectiveness of a WHO-recommended harm-reduction programme implemented among a cohort of persons who inject drugs in Delhi, India. We estimate the number of infections averted using Bernoulli process model and calculate cost-effectiveness ratio as the total programme cost per infection averted. The intervention averted 996 HIV infections over 36 months, with a cost-effectiveness ratio of INR 24,763 (US$ 476) per infection averted per year. The first phase, when HIV testing and counselling were initiated, was more cost-effective than the second phase when full intervention package, including needle-syringe exchange, condom distribution, harm-reduction education, etc., was implemented. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Journal of Development Effectiveness

Infections averted by a comprehensive HIV prevention intervention and its cost-effectiveness: a prospective cohort study of persons who inject drugs in Delhi, India

Increased demand for novel, highly effective vaccination strategies necessitates a better understanding of long-lived memory CD8 T cell differentiation. To achieve this understanding, we used the mouse model of acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection. We reexamined classical memory CD8 T cell subsets and performed in-depth, longitudinal analysis of their phenotype, transcriptional programming, and anatomic location within the spleen. All analyses were performed at multiple time points from 8 days to 1 year postinfection. Memory subsets are conventionally defined by their expression of KLRG1 and IL-7Ra, as follows: KLRG11IL-7Ra2 terminal effectors (TEs) and KLRG12IL-7Ra1 memory precursors (MPs). But we also characterized a third KLRG11IL-7Ra1 subset which we refer to as KLRG11 MPs. In these analyses, we defined a comprehensive memory phenotype that is associated with higher levels of CD28 expression. We also demonstrated that MPs, KLRG11 MPs, and TEs have distinct localization programs within the spleen. We found that MPs became preferentially enriched in the white pulp as early as 1 to 2 weeks postinfection, and their predominance in the white pulp was maintained throughout the course of a year. On the other hand, KLRG11 MPs and TEs localized to the red pulp just as early, and they consistently localized to the red pulp thereafter. These findings indicate that location may be crucial for memory formation and that white pulp-derived signals may contribute to long-term memory survival. Achieving robust memory responses following vaccination may require more deliberate consideration of which memory phenotypes are induced, as well as where they traffic, as these factors could impact their longevity. IMPORTANCE CD8 T cells play a critical role in viral immunity and it is important to understand how memory cells are formed and what processes lead to their long-term maintenance. Here, we use a mouse model of acute infection to perform an in-depth, longitudinal analysis of memory CD8 T cell differentiation, examining the phenotype and location of memory cells out to 1 year postinfection. Copyright © 2022 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Department of Biology

Journal of Virology

Longitudinal Analysis of the Phenotype, Transcriptional Profile, and Anatomic Location of Memory CD8 T Cell Subsets after Acute Viral Infection

We construct superconformal invariants in superspace which are used to build 3-point correlators of spinning operators in general N=2 superconformal field theories in three dimensions. Our systematic analysis includes various relations between these invariants and provides a minimal set of parity-even and parity-odd invariants which is further used to construct general 3-point functions in any 3d N=2 SCFT. For conserved (super)currents, we explicitly compute various 3-point functions using Wick contractions in the free field case, and express them in terms of the constructed parity-even invariants. We give evidence through examples for the claim that the 3-point function of conserved currents generally comprises of two parts – a parity-even piece coming from the free theory, and a parity-odd piece.