Abstract: Freight delivery modelling has made significant progress in the past few decades. In this study we propose to use an aggregate multi-step approach to gain a better understanding of the tour-based trips of light commercial vehicles in Sydney, Australia. The paper identifies differences in destination choice-making given by the number of stop and the stop count of the trip, defined by the total number of stops in the tour-based trip. The findings suggest that estimating a separate model for each number of stops and stop count provides a better understanding on how desti-nation choices are made. Different scenarios were simulated to show how the probability of choosing a certain destination depending on the number of stop and stop count changes due to variations in travel time and distance. Results show that light commercial vehicles are more sensitive to the generalised cost (defined by travel time and distance) in the first stop, and the sensitivity decreases as the trip is completed.

Abstract: Human performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), frequently used in sport competitions, are strictly prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Biological samples collected from ath-letes and regular patients are continuously tested regarding the identification and/or quantification of the banned substances. Current work is focused on the application of a new analytical method, molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs), to detect and determine concentrations of certain prohibited drugs, such as B-blockers, in water and human urine samples. These medications are used in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions, negative effects of adrenaline (helping to relief stress), and hypertension (slowing down the pulse and softening the arteries). They can also significantly increase muscle relaxation and improve heart efficiency. The new method of the detection and quantification of B-blockers is based on synthesis, characterization, and implementation of nanoMIPs (so-called plastic antibodies). It offers numerous advantages over the traditional methods, including high binding capacity, affinity, and selectivity for target molecules. Additionally, the whole process is less complicated, cheaper, and better controlled. The size and shape of the nanoMIPs is evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The affinity and selectivity of the nanoparticles are investigated by competitive pseudo enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (pseudo-ELISA) similar to common immunoassays employing natural antibodies. To provide reliable results towards either doping detection or therapeutic monitoring using the minimal invasive method, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of these drugs is performed in water and human urine samples. It is demonstrated that the assay can detect B-blockers in water within the linear range 1 nmolmiddotL(-1)-1 mmolmiddotL(-1) for atenolol with the detection limit 50.6 ng mL(-1), and the linear range 1 mmolmiddotL(-1)-10 mmolmiddotL(-1) for labetalol with the detection limit of 90.5 ngmiddotmL(-1). In human urine samples, the linear range is recorded in the concentration range 0.1 mmolmiddotL(-1)-10 nmolmiddotL(-1) for atenolol and 1 mmolmiddotL(-1)-10 nmolmiddotL(-1) for labetalol with a detection limit of 61.0 ngmiddotmL(-1)for atenolol and 99.4 ngmiddotmL(-1) for labetalol.

Abstract: Warm Jupiters-defined here as planets larger than 6 Earth radii with orbital periods of 8-200 days-are a key missing piece in our understanding of how planetary systems form and evolve. It is currently debated whether Warm Jupiters form in situ, undergo disk or high-eccentricity tidal migration, or have a mixture of origin channels. These different classes of origin channels lead to different expectations for Warm Jupiters' properties, which are currently difficult to evaluate due to the small sample size. We take advantage of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) survey and systematically search for Warm Jupiter candidates around main-sequence host stars brighter than the TESS-band magnitude of 12 in the full-frame images in Year 1 of the TESS Prime Mission data. We introduce a catalog of 55 Warm Jupiter candidates, including 19 candidates that were not originally released as TESS objects of interest by the TESS team. We fit their TESS light curves, characterize their eccentricities and transit-timing variations, and prioritize a list for ground-based follow-up and TESS Extended Mission observations. Using hierarchical Bayesian modeling, we find the preliminary eccentricity distributions of our Warm-Jupiter-candidate catalog using a beta distribution, a Rayleigh distribution, and a two-component Gaussian distribution as the functional forms of the eccentricity distribution. Additional follow-up observations will be required to clean the sample of false positives for a full statistical study, derive the orbital solutions to break the eccentricity degeneracy, and provide mass measurements.

Abstract: We report the discovery of TOI-4562b (TIC-349576261), a Jovian planet orbiting a young F7V-type star, younger than the Praesepe/Hyades clusters (< 700 Myr). This planet stands out because of its unusually long orbital period for transiting planets with known masses (Porb = 225.11781(- 0.00022) (+0.00025 )days) and because it has a substantial eccentricity (e = 0.76(- 0.02) (+0.02)). The location of TOI-4562 near the southern continuous viewing zone of TESS allowed observations throughout 25 sectors, enabling an unambiguous period measurement from TESS alone. Alongside the four available TESS transits, we performed follow-up photometry using the South African Astronomical Observatory node of the Las Cumbres Observatory and spectroscopy with the CHIRON spectrograph on the 1.5 m SMARTS telescope. We measure a radius of 1.118 (+0.013) (-0.014) R(J )and a mass of 2.30(-0.47)(+0.48)M(J) for TOI-4562b. The radius of the planet is consistent with contraction models describing the early evolution of the size of giant planets. We detect tentative transit timing variations at the similar to 20 minutes level from five transit events, favoring the presence of a companion that could explain the dynamical history of this system if confirmed by future follow-up observations. With its current orbital configuration, tidal timescales are too long for TOI-4562b to become a hot Jupiter via high eccentricity migration though it is not excluded that interactions with the possible companion could modify TOI4562b's eccentricity and trigger circularization. The characterization of more such young systems is essential to set constraints on models describing giant-planet evolution.

Abstract: It is shown that a subluminal electromagnetic plasma wave, propagating in phase with a background subluminal gravitational wave in a dispersive medium, can undergo parametric amplification. For these phenomena to occur, the dispersive characteristics of the two waves must properly match. The response frequencies of the two waves (medium dependent) must lie within a definite and restrictive range. The combined dynamics is represented by a Whitaker-Hill equation, the quintessential model for parametric instabilities. The exponential growth of the electromagnetic wave is displayed at the resonance; the plasma wave grows at the expense of the background gravitational wave. Different physical scenarios, where the phenomenon can be possible, are discussed.

Abstract: It is the most appropriate time to characterize the Earth-like exoplanets in order to detect biosignature beyond the Earth because such exoplanets will be the prime targets of big-budget missions like JWST, Roman Space Telescope, HabEx, LUVOIR, Thirty Meter Telescope, Extremely Large Telescope, etc. We provide models for the transmission spectra of Earth-like exoplanets by incorporating the effects of multiple scattering. For this purpose we numerically solve the full multiple-scattering radiative transfer equations instead of using Beer-Bouguer-Lambert's law, which does not include the diffuse radiation due to scattering. Our models demonstrate that the effect of this diffuse transmission radiation can be observationally significant, especially in the presence of clouds. We also calculate the reflection spectra and polarization phase curves of Earth-like exoplanets by considering both cloud-free and cloudy atmospheres. We solve the 3D vector radiative transfer equations numerically and calculate the phase curves of albedo and disk-integrated polarization by using appropriate scattering phase matrices and integrating the local Stokes vectors over the illuminated part of the disks along the line of sight. We present the effects of the globally averaged surface albedo on the reflection spectra and phase curves as the surface features of such planets are known to significantly dictate the nature of these observational quantities. Synergic observations of the spectra and phase curves will certainly prove to be useful in extracting more information and reducing the degeneracy among the estimated parameters of terrestrial exoplanets. Thus, our models will play a pivotal role in driving future observations.

Abstract: Hot Jupiters-short-period giant planets-were the first extrasolar planets to be discovered, but many questions about their origin remain. NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an all-sky search for transiting planets, presents an opportunity to address these questions by constructing a uniform sample of hot Jupiters for demographic study through new detections and unifying the work of previous ground-based transit surveys. As the first results of an effort to build this large sample of planets, we report here the discovery of 10 new hot Jupiters (TOI-2193A b, TOI-2207b, TOI-2236b, TOI-2421b, TOI-2567b, TOI-2570b, TOI-3331b, TOI-3540A b, TOI-3693b, TOI-4137b). All of the planets were identified as planet candidates based on periodic flux dips observed by TESS, and were subsequently confirmed using ground-based time-series photometry, high-angular-resolution imaging, and high-resolution spectroscopy coordinated with the TESS Follow-up Observing Program. The 10 newly discovered planets orbit relatively bright F and G stars (G < 12.5, T (eff) between 4800 and 6200 K). The planets' orbital periods range from 2 to 10 days, and their masses range from 0.2 to 2.2 Jupiter masses. TOI-2421b is notable for being a Saturn-mass planet and TOI-2567b for being a “sub-Saturn,” with masses of 0.322 +/- 0.073 and 0.195 +/- 0.030 Jupiter masses, respectively. We also measured a detectably eccentric orbit (e = 0.17 +/- 0.05) for TOI-2207b, a planet on an 8 day orbit, while placing an upper limit of e < 0.052 for TOI-3693b, which has a 9 day orbital period. The 10 planets described here represent an important step toward using TESS to create a large and statistically useful sample of hot Jupiters.