Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The HOSTS Survey—Exozodiacal Dust Measurements for 30 Stars

The Hunt for Observable Signatures of Terrestrial Systems survey searches for dust near the habitable zones (HZs) around nearby, bright main-sequence stars. We use nulling interferometry in the N band to suppress the bright stellar light and to probe for low levels of HZ dust around the 30 stars observed so far. Our overall detection rate is 18%, including four new detections, among which are the first three around Sun-like stars and the first two around stars without any previously known circumstellar dust. The inferred occurrence rates are comparable for early-type and Sun-like stars, but decrease from % for stars with previously detected cold dust to % for stars without such excess, confirming earlier results at higher sensitivity. For completed observations on individual stars, our sensitivity is five to ten times better than previous results. Assuming a lognormal excess luminosity function, we put upper limits on the median HZ dust level of 13 zodis (95% confidence) for a sample of stars without cold dust and of 26 zodis when focusing on Sun-like stars without cold dust. However, our data suggest that a more complex luminosity function may be more appropriate. For stars without detectable Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) excess, our upper limits are almost reduced by a factor of two, demonstrating the strength of LBTI target vetting for future exo-Earth imaging missions. Our statistics are limited so far, and extending the survey is critical to informing the design of future exo-Earth imaging surveys.
Review of Turn around Point Long Period Fiber Gratings

Long period fiber gratings are emerging as a potential candidate in the list of surrounding refractive index optical fiber sensors. Their sensitivity can be enhanced greatly if the grating period, fiber dimensions and surrounding refractive index are optimized in a way to operate at a point called turn around point on phase matching curves of these gratings. Turn around point LPFGs are well known for their ultrahigh sensitivity to external parameters. Potential of operating LPFG at or near turn around point has been investigated by many researchers in various applications including physical parameter sensing, adulteration detection, radiation dose, etc. Since TAP LPFGs are in investigation phase therefore a lot of rigorous & efficient work in finding techniques for optimizing their potential as sensor in chemical, biochemical, structural health monitoring is still to be carried out. A brief review of work carried out in this domain till now is presented here and key findings from literature review are highlighted.
Unusual nonterrestrial l‐proteinogenic amino acid excesses in the Tagish Lake meteorite

Abstract– The distribution and isotopic and enantiomeric compositions of amino acids found in three distinct fragments of the Tagish Lake C2‐type carbonaceous chondrite were investigated via liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and gas chromatography isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Large l‐enantiomeric excesses (lee ∼ 43–59%) of the α‐hydrogen aspartic and glutamic amino acids were measured in Tagish Lake, whereas alanine, another α‐hydrogen protein amino acid, was found to be nearly racemic (d ≈ l) using both techniques. Carbon isotope measurements of d‐ and l‐aspartic acid and d‐ and l‐alanine in Tagish Lake fall well outside of the terrestrial range and indicate that the measured aspartic acid enantioenrichment is indigenous to the meteorite. Alternate explanations for the l‐excesses of aspartic acid such as interference from other compounds present in the sample, analytical biases, or terrestrial amino acid contamination were investigated and rejected. These results can be explained by differences in the solid–solution phase behavior of aspartic acid, which can form conglomerate enantiopure solids during crystallization, and alanine, which can only form racemic crystals. Amplification of a small initial l‐enantiomer excess during aqueous alteration on the meteorite parent body could have led to the large l‐enrichments observed for aspartic acid and other conglomerate amino acids in Tagish Lake. The detection of nonterrestrial l‐proteinogenic amino acid excesses in the Tagish Lake meteorite provides support for the hypothesis that significant enantiomeric enrichments for some amino acids could form by abiotic processes prior to the emergence of life.
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY ANALYSIS IN IMPROVING THE ROOMS IN ZODIAK HOTEL KEBON KAWUNG

This research aims to analyze the appropriate promotional strategies in increasing the occupancy of the Zodiak Kebon Kawung Hotel Bandung. 15 respondents were taken as a sample of research using purposive sampling from employees of executive sales and executive e-commerce at Zodiak Kebon Kawung Hotel. The analysis used is a SWOT analysis consisting of internal factor analysis factor (IFAS) matrix, external factor analysis summary (EFAS) matrix, external-internal matrix (IE), cartesian diagram and SWOT matrix. These are the position of growth strategy with IFAS score = 2.21, EFAS = 2.50, dan SWOT Matrix; 1) SO strategy ie accessibility of adequate means of transportation, modern hotels; 2) ST strategy that is not expensive and supported by security; 3) WO Strategy that is to improve human resources, facilities and infrastructure of water and sewage treatment, improvement of in-room facilities; 4) WT strategy is to avoid the transfer of educated and experienced personnel.
Taxonomic Methods: Morphology

The morphology of fishes historically has been the primary source of information for taxonomic and evolutionary studies. Despite the value and availability of genetic, physiological, behavioral, and ecological data for such studies, systematic ichthyologists continue to depend heavily on morphology for taxonomic characters. Species have characteristic shapes, sizes, pigmentation patterns, disposition of fins, and other external features that aid in recognition, identification, and classification. In addition, there are important characters that can be examined by dissection or other means of internal examination. This chapter presents descriptions of important morphological characters and methods of studying them. Our descriptions are representative of most fish groups. Hagfishes (Myxiniformes) and lampreys (Petromyzontiformes), however, lack such amenities as jaws and paired fins and are not considered to be true fishes. Thus most of the characters described in this chapter are not appropriate for their taxonomy. For a morphological review oflampreys, see Hubbs and Potter (1971); for hagfishes, see Hardisty (1979).
Tamarind kernel gum: An upcoming natural polysaccharide

Polymers are complex carbohydrates having good mechanical properties for application as fiber, films, adhesives, rheology modifiers, hydrogels, emulsifiers, and drug delivery agents. Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) is a glucosaminoglycan derivative extracted from the kernel of seeds of Tamarindus indica Linn. , Family Leguminosae. A polymer consists of cellulose-type spine that carries xylose and galactoxylose substituents. It can be used as a binder in tablets, as a mucoadhesive for buccal or sublingual delivery of drugs, in gastro-intestinal targeting as a bioadhesive tablet, and for ocular delivery of drugs for achieving zero-order controlled release. They also act as a carrier for delivery of certain drugs. TSP future perspective is wide application as a promising polymer in pharmaceutical industry as a novel carrier of drugs in various bioadhesive and other sustained release formulations.
SEMGD: S CORING E NGINE FOR M ULTIPLAYER G AME D ESIGN

Online multiplayer educational games can be designed to support collaboration and assess different cognitive and social abilities among students. The educational games can capture student responses or actions, both shared and unshared, within the game environment and from extrinsic resources. This paper describes the design and integration method of scoring engine to process the log stream data generated by multiplayer games, which have been developed as part of the ATC21S™ research study by the University of Melbourne. Scoring engine, which sits at the heart of the multiplayer gaming architecture, consists of a significant number of scoring algorithms to process the log data generated by the students’ responses when they participated in the games. Scoring algorithms are coded to search the log files for particular data event sequences. Each of these algorithms take process stream data (produced by the events of the participants in different tasks) as input and produces relevant output defined by the rule and methods for the corresponding algorithm. The scoring process ensures the reporting engine feeds out individual student results for teachers to use in their classroom teaching. The multiplayer component of the games a remaintained with the use of the AJAX and Web Socket application which allowed the communication protocol between the client and server to be established. HTML5 has been used in preference to other available technologies in creating the games to provide a consistent experience for students across all browsers, platforms, and devices. In addition, canvas has been used to create all animations and game objects .
EyeSpot: Leveraging Gaze to Protect Private Text Content on Mobile Devices from Shoulder Surfing

As mobile devices allow access to an increasing amount of private data, using them in public can potentially leak sensitive information through shoulder surfing. This includes personal private data (e.g., in chat conversations) and business-related content (e.g., in emails). Leaking the former might infringe on users’ privacy, while leaking the latter is considered a breach of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation as of May 2018. This creates a need for systems that protect sensitive data in public. We introduce EyeSpot, a technique that displays content through a spot that follows the user’s gaze while hiding the rest of the screen from an observer’s view through overlaid masks. We explore different configurations for EyeSpot in a user study in terms of users’ reading speed, text comprehension, and perceived workload. While our system is a proof of concept, we identify crystallized masks as a promising design candidate for further evaluation with regard to the security of the system in a shoulder surfing scenario.
Perianth Biology in the Basal Grade of Extant Angiosperms

Perianth structure and behavior were studied comparatively in representatives of all families of the basalmost extant angiosperms (ANITA grade plus Chloranthaceae). In addition, data from the literature were reviewed. Tepal aestivation is spiral imbricate in Amborella and Austrobaileyales, with broadly overlapping flanks; aestivation is mainly contort within each of the two tepal whorls in Cabomba (but open within each whorl and imbricate only between whorls in Brasenia) and is whorled imbricate in Nymphaeaceae. Tepals are absent in Hydatellaceae, Chloranthaceae (other than Hedyosmum), and Ceratophyllaceae. In two genera of Nymphaeales (Cabomba and Nuphar), nectaries are present on inner tepals. Tepals are caducous during or at the end of anthesis in Austrobaileyales. Preformations of the tepal abscission zone in flowers with caducous tepals include a narrow tepal base, constriction as seen in median longitudinal sections, and small‐celled tissue. In contrast, the perianth organs of Amborella, Nymphaeales, and Chloranthaceae are not caducous and are associated with a broad tepal base without indentation and often without small‐celled tissue. Only in the latter groups are there genera with basally united tepals (Amborella, Cabomba, and Hedyosmum).
A Geometrical Approach for the Automatic Detection of Liquid Surfaces in 3 D Computed Tomography Baggage Imagery

This study presents a novel method for liquid detection within 3D Computed Tomography (CT) baggage inspection imagery. Liquid detection within airport security is currently of significant interest due to security threats associated with liquid explosives. In this paper we propose a robust technique based on the automatic identification of universal geometric properties of liquids within 3D space. The proposed approach is based on two stages of geometric fitting. Firstly, we identify the 3D plane which fits to the horizontally oriented surface of the liquid recognizing the universal self-leveling property of liquids in any given container. Secondly we conduct 2D shape analysis to highlight the shape of the liquid surface at a given level within the container using a least squares elliptical fitting approach. The proposed approach relies on the fact that occurrences of such perfectly aligned horizontal planes within a 3D CT security baggage scan are generally unlikely. Occurrences of such instance are thus indicative of liquid presence. Our results, over an extended set of complex test examples, confirm a liquid detection rate of 85%-98% with a moderate processing time. Furthermore as this proposed approach is based purely on the geometric properties of liquids and robust geometrical shape detection, this methodology is intrinsic to the 3D nature of the resulting CT data and not dependent on any exemplar training imagery.
Hydrothermal Preparation of Silver Doping Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Study the Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity

In this study, we report the prepared of ZnO nanoparticles and Ag doped ZnO nanostructure via a hydrothermal process. The obtained nanostructures were characterized using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and UV/Visible spectrophotometer. The XRD results showed the wurtzite hexagonal structure of the ZnO Nanoparticles. Furthermore, the morphology of ZnO and Ag-ZnO nanostructures was obtained from SEM and AFM.The photocatalytic degradation of Cibacron Brilliant Yellow 3G-P (CB) dye was studied in presence of visible light using Ag-ZnO nanostructures as a photocatalyst.There are numerous factors which has an effect on the efficiency color removal of this process. Hence a study was conducted on the effect of several parameters on Ag-ZnO like amount of catalyst, CB dye concentration and pH of solution. Results showed Ag doping ZnO with 3% loading shows photocatalytic removal about 65% after 120 min. which influenced superior photocatalytic activity than pure ZnO. Keyword: Hydrothermal, Nanoparticles, Characterization, Photocatalytic.
Removal of Paraquat and Linuron from Water by Continuous Flow Adsorption/ Ultrafiltration Membrane Processes

Summary: The magnetic activated carbon (MAC) was prepared, characterized and compared with powdered activated carbon (PAC) for its adsorptive parameters. Both adsorbents were then used in combination ultrafiltration (UF) membrane as pretreatment for the removal of paraquat and linuron from water. The comparison of membrane parameters like percent retention, permeate flux and backwash times for PAC/UF and MAC/UF hybrid processes showed that percent retention of paraquat and linuron was high for PAC due to its high surface area. However due to cake formation over membrane surface the decline permeate fluxes and long backwash times for PAC were observed. PAC also caused blackening of pipes and flow meter. MAC (an iron oxide and PAC composite) was removed from slurry through magnet thus no cake formation and secondary problems observed for PAC was not encountered. Also the backwash times were minimum for MAC/UF process.
ATLAS (Automated Tone Level Annotation System): A tonologist's and documentarian's toolkit

This paper describes a novel computational toolkit for tonal analysis: ATLAS (Automated Tone Level Annotation System). Tone remains a challenge in many language documentation projects, and far too often still, one comes across descriptive and theoretical treatments of tone languages in which tone marking is entirely absent or of questionable accuracy. ATLAS takes as its input a WAV file and TextGrid delimiting tone-bearing segments and outputs normalized pitch level annotations intermediate between raw f0 and phonemic categories. These “tone level” annotations represent a discrete numerical version of the dashes often used as a broad phonetic transcription of tone. The number of levels can be set by the researcher, and a number of raw phonetic measures are also outputted by the tool. ATLAS is designed to be used by anyone regardless of experience with tone or computational methods, thus promoting the inclusion of objective, replicable pitch data in documentary, descriptive, or theoretical materials on tone languages. We also show the utility of ATLAS’s broad phonetic annotations in understanding the surface realization of already determined phonemic categories and in making hypotheses about unanalyzed tone systems
ME OR NOT ME AS SOURCE OF INGROUP FAVORITISM AND OUTGROUP DEROGATION: A CONNECTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

This article proposes an extension of the connectionist analysis of group biases by Van Rooy et al. (2003) to provide a more parsimonious account for ingroup favoritism as caused by self-anchoring (i.e., projecting features of the self in defining the ingroup) and to test the novel hypothesis that outgroup derogation is caused by self-competition (i.e., using opposite features of the self for defining the outgroup). Moreover, our connectionist account predicts that these two effects are more pronounced under conditions of self-priming that render characteristics of the self more accessible. Two experiments using minimal groups demonstrate (a) that ingroup favoritism is due to self-anchoring or the projection of self features in the ingroup, (b) that outgroup derogation is a direct consequence of self-competition (i.e., contrasting away from the self) rather than of contrasting away from the ingroup, (c) that self-priming (by making self-evaluations first) leads to more pronounced evaluation of the self, and to more contrastive evaluation of the ingroup and outgroup. A connectionist simulation in which these predictions are simulated shows a large overlap with the experimental data, supporting our connectionist perspective. The discussion centers on other predictions based on a connectionist approach of group categorization.
16 Hypocretin / Orexin and Motor Function

As the literature on hypocretin/orexin has grown, so has the list of functions attributed to this system. Recent papers have routinely listed sleep and arousal control, blood pressure regulation, feeding, motor control, and others as functions for the hypocretin system (1-4). The question I address here is whether such an inclusive listing is an appropriate acknowledgement of the complexity and subtlety of hypocretin's function or whether a simpler relationship may underlie the multiple correlations that have been seen. Some neuronal cell groups have well-understood functions. Although motor neurons can be fairly described as being correlated with many different behaviors (e.g., food consumption, arousal, blood pressure elevation, and so on), the most accurate formulation is that they cause muscular contraction and that this is utilized in multiple functions. The same sort of argument can be applied to neurons in sensory pathways. However "interneurons" in integrative regions such as the hypocretin neurons of the hypothalamus cannot be so easily understood because their anatomy alone does not explain their function, and the relevant physiological and behavioral parameters are often unknown. In the case of the hypocretin system, the dynamics of its behavioral physiology are just beginning to be understood. What we now know about the behavioral physiology of hypocretin neurons suggests that they function to support certain kinds of motivated motor activity (5). According to this hypothesis, they facilitate muscle contraction and simultaneously activate brain arousal sys tems so as to allow appropriate perceptual processing of signals generated by movement. Many of the correlations with other behaviors can be best understood as a consequence of this relationship.
PaPaRa 2 . 0 : A Vectorized Algorithm for Probabilistic Phylogeny-Aware Alignment Extension

We present a significantly improved version of our phylogenyaware alignment extension algorithm PaPaRa for aligning short sequence reads with respect to a given multiple sequence alignment and a corresponding phylogenetic reference tree. This procedure constitutes a pre-processing step for computing the distribution of short sequence reads on a given reference phylogeny and full-length sequence alignment using maximum likelihood-based phylogenetic placement methods such as EPA or pplacer. Our algorithm now deploys a novel probabilistic method to more accurately extract, model, and use the indel (insertion/deletion) pattern induced by the multiple reference alignment and corresponding phylogeny. This new approach improves the accuracy of subsequent phylogenetic placements by a factor of two. Also, placement accuracy is now consistently better than for alignments obtained with phylogeny-agnostic methods such as HMMALIGN. Moreover, we obtained up to 15-fold run time improvements by deploying SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) vector intrinsics to accelerate the alignment kernel.
Performance Analysis of Software Defined Networks in LTE-A

The ever increasing trend in mobile data traffic requires smarter ways to manage mobile networks. The goal of this work is to analyse how Software Defined Networking technology can improve network performance in LTE-A, by taking advantage of the separation between the control and data planes. This work consists of a study concerning the impact of CRAN and virtualisation techniques in an operator’s network in a near future, namely in terms of the necessary number of storage and processing nodes and the links in between, taking into account increasingly demanding latency and capacity constraints. A model was implemented that takes as an input the positioning of cell sites available countrywide and computes the number and a possible placement of processing nodes for a given maximum latency criterion – an estimate of the number of required blade servers in each node is also computed. Finally, an estimate for the end-to-end delay from Portugal to other regions in the world is made, using typical values for the various delay contributions. Results show that between 56 and 273 BBU (Baseband processing Units) pools are required to cover the whole country, depending on the fronthaul delay restriction. It is also verified that a single core node can support all BBU pools. A difference of more than 250 ms was found for a server located in Japan in comparison with one in Germany KeywordsLTE-Advanced, Virtualisation, SDN, C-RAN, NSC, Delay