The relationship between IR, optical, and UV extinction

An analysis is presented for the variability of absolute IR, optical, and UV extinction, A(sub lambda), derived through the ratio of total-to-selective extinction, R, for 31 lines of sight for which reliable UV extinction parameters were derived. These data sample a wide range of environments and are characterized by 2.5 is less than or equal to R is less than or equal to 6.0. It was found that there is a strong linear dependence between extinction expressed as A(sub lambda)/A(sub V) and 1/R for 1.25 micron is less than or equal to lambda is less than or equal to 0.12 micron. Differences in the general shape of extinction curves are largely due to variations in shape of optical/near-UV extinction corresponding to changes in R, with A(sub lambda)/A(sub V) decreasing for increasing R. From a least-squares fit of the observed R-dependence as a function of wavelength for 0.8/micron is less than or greater than 1/lambda is less than or equal to 8.3/micron, an analytic expression was generated from which IR, optical, and UV extinction curves of the form A(sub lambda)/A(sub V) can be reproduced with reasonable accuracy from a knowledge of R. It was also found that the absolute bump strength normalized to A(sub V) shows a general decrease with increasing R, suggesting that some fraction of bump grains may be selectively incorporated into coagulated grains. Finally, it was found that absolute extinction normalized by suitably chosen color indices results in a minimization of the R-dependence of portions of the UV curve, allowing A(sub lambda) to be estimated for these wavelengths independent of R

Roadmap on the theoretical work of BinaMIcS

We review the different theoretical challenges concerning magnetism in interacting binary or multiple stars that will be studied in the BinaMIcS (Binarity and Magnetic Interactions in various classes of Stars) project during the corresponding spectropolarimetric Large Programs at CFHT and TBL. We describe how completely new and innovative topics will be studied with BinaMIcS such as the complex interactions between tidal flows and stellar magnetic fields, the MHD star-star interactions, and the role of stellar magnetism in stellar formation and vice versa. This will strongly modify our vision of the evolution of interacting binary and multiple stars.Comment: 2 pages, proceeding of IAUS 302 Magnetic fields throughout stellar evolution, correct list of author

The Warm Ionized Medium in the Milky Way and Other Galaxies

Observations of the "Warm Ionized Medium" (or, equivalently, the "Diffuse Ionized Gas") of the local ISM, the Perseus arm in the Milky Way, and also in several other galaxies show strong [NII]6563 (~H-alpha in some cases) and [SII]6717/[NII]6583 = 0.6 - 0.7 in all locations and objects. Other line ratios (e.g., [O III]5007/H-beta) vary considerably. Simple photoionization models reproduce the observed spectra, providing extra heating beyond that supplied by photoionization is assumed (Reynolds, Haffner, & Tufte 1999). With observed gas-phase abundances (not solar), the line ratios in the local arm at b = 0 deg are fitted with no extra heating and (S/H) = 13 ppm (solar is 20 ppm). Local gas observed at b = -35 deg requires extra heating of about gamma = 0.75, where gamma is the extra heating in units of 10^{-25} erg H^{-1} s^{-1}. In the Perseus arm, there are similar results, with a domposition consistent with the Galactic abundance gradient. The requirements for NGC 891 are similar to the Perseus arm: little or no extra heating at |z| = 1 kpc and gamma 3 at 2 kpc. In NGC 891 there is also an increase of 5007/H-alpha with |z| that can only come about if most of the ionizing radiation is supplied by stars with T~50000 K. Either their radiation must propagate from the plane to high |z| through very little intervening matter, or else the stars are located at high |z|. The total power requirement of the extra heating is <15% of the photoionization power. [O~II]3727/H-beta can serve as a useful diagnostic of extra heating, but [S~III] 9065,9531/H-alpha is not useful in this regard.Comment: 32 pages, including 2 figures. To appear in November 20 Ap

A model of rotating convection in stellar and planetary interiors: II -- gravito-inertial wave generation

Gravito-inertial waves are excited at the interface of convective and radiative regions and by the Reynolds stresses in the bulk of the convection zones of rotating stars and planets. Such waves have notable asteroseismic signatures in the frequency spectra of rotating stars, particularly among rapidly rotating early-type stars, which provides a means of probing their internal structure and dynamics. They can also transport angular momentum, chemical species, and energy from the excitation region to where they dissipate in radiative regions. To estimate the excitation and convective parameter dependence of the amplitude of those waves, a monomodal model for stellar and planetary convection as described in Paper I is employed, which provides the magnitude of the rms convective velocity as a function of rotation rate. With this convection model, two channels for wave driving are considered: excitation at a boundary between convectively stable and unstable regions and excitation due to Reynolds-stresses. Parameter regimes are found where the sub-inertial waves may carry a significant energy flux, depending upon the convective Rossby number, the interface stiffness, and the wave frequency. The super-inertial waves can also be enhanced, but only for convective Rossby numbers near unity. Interfacially excited waves have a peak energy flux near the lower cutoff frequency when the convective Rossby number of the flows that excite them are below a critical Rossby number that depends upon the stiffness of the interface, whereas that flux decreases when the convective Rossby number is larger than this critical Rossby number.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, accepted in Ap

Integration of AI into Customer Service: A Taxonomy to Inform Design Decisions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly deployed in customer service for various service delivery tasks. Research and practice alike have extensively dealt with the use, benefits, and effects of AI solutions in customer service contexts. Nevertheless, knowledge on AI integration is dispersed and unsystematized. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a taxonomy to inform design decisions for the integration of AI into customer service with five meta-dimensions, 12 dimensions, and 32 characteristics. Through a rigorous and systematic development process comprising multiple iterations and evaluation episodes, state-of-the-art AI solutions from practice and the current state of knowledge from research were systematized to classify AI use cases. Thus, we contribute with systemized design knowledge to, both, the theoretical knowledge base as well as to practice for application. Eventually, we disclose future research avenues addressing certain meta-dimensions as well as the extension of the taxonomy itself

Comparative copro-diagnosis of Echinococcus multilocularis in experimentally infected foxes

Faecal samples from 15 foxes experimentally infected with Echinococcus multilocularis were examined until 90days post-infection (dpi) by microscopical identification of eggs isolated by flotation/sieving, by coproantigen-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA, respectively, isolated directly from the faecal samples (copro-DNA PCR) and from the eggs obtained by the flotation/sieving procedure (egg-DNA PCR). Based on egg counts, three periods of the infection were defined: pre-patent (2-29dpi), high patent (30-70dpi) and low patent periods (71-90dpi). Whereas all methods were highly sensitive with samples from the high patent period, cELISA was the most sensitive to detect pre-patent infections (63%). Samples from the low patent infections were positive in 77% by microscopy and in 80% by egg-DNA PCR, being significantly more sensitive than cELISA and copro-DNA PCR. The isolation of eggs from the faecal material proved to be more sensitive by the flotation/sieving procedure as compared to the classical concentration McMaster techniqu

Evaluation of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry for the identification of ceratopogonid and culicid larvae

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was evaluated for the rapid identification of ceratopogonid larvae. Optimal sample preparation as evaluated with laboratory-reared biting midges Culicoides nubeculosus was the homogenization of gut-less larvae in 10% formic acid, and analysis of 0·2mg/ml crude protein homogenate mixed with SA matrix at a ratio of 1:1·5. Using 5 larvae each of 4 ceratopogonid species (C. nubeculosus, C. obsoletus, C. decor, and Dasyhelea sp.) and of 2 culicid species (Aedes aegypti, Ae. japonicus), biomarker mass sets between 27 and 33 masses were determined. In a validation study, 67 larvae belonging to the target species were correctly identified by automated database-based identification (91%) or manual full comparison (9%). Four specimens of non-target species did not yield identification. As anticipated for holometabolous insects, the biomarker mass sets of adults cannot be used for the identification of larvae, and vice versa, because they share only very few similar masses as shown for C. nubeculosus, C. obsoletus, and Ae. japonicus. Thus, protein profiling by MALDI-TOF as a quick, inexpensive and accurate alternative tool is applicable to identify insect larvae of vector species collected in the fiel