Analyzing and Visualizing State Sequences in R with TraMineR

This article describes the many capabilities offered by the TraMineR toolbox for categorical sequence data. It focuses more specifically on the analysis and rendering of state sequences. Addressed features include the description of sets of sequences by means of transversal aggregated views, the computation of longitudinal characteristics of individual sequences and the measure of pairwise dissimilarities. Special emphasis is put on the multiple ways of visualizing sequences. The core element of the package is the state se- quence object in which we store the set of sequences together with attributes such as the alphabet, state labels and the color palette. The functions can then easily retrieve this information to ensure presentation homogeneity across all printed and graphical displays. The article also demonstrates how TraMineRâÂÂs outcomes give access to advanced analyses such as clustering and statistical modeling of sequence data.

Economic Evaluation and Optimization of the Degree of Automation in Insurance Processes

In the context of value and customer orientation there are various requirements concerning the process – especially in insurance companies: processes are meant to be standardized, automated, and flexible. It is in question whether a fast and cheap automated processing is preferred to manual handling. For which claims and which process steps is it of economic value to have the flexibility and the competence and ability to solve problems of human operators at your disposal? Various combinations, representing different degrees of automation, are possible. The different degrees of automation for the processing of an insurance claims are compared and resulting cash flows are determined. It is essential to include all consequences that can be attributed to a single process and to consider customer reactions and restrictions to the capacity of processing. Instead of using heuristic rules to decide on automation in practice, here the decision is flexible and depends on the given situation. Viewing an aggregated number of insurance claims it is possible to deduce information about the performance of the process. The model is exemplarily illustrated with help of a part of the process for handling own damage glass claims

Analyzing and Visualizing State Sequences in R with TraMineR

This article describes the many capabilities offered by the TraMineR toolbox for categorical sequence data. It focuses more specifically on the analysis and rendering of state sequences. Addressed features include the description of sets of sequences by means of transversal aggregated views, the computation of longitudinal characteristics of individual sequences and the measure of pairwise dissimilarities. Special emphasis is put on the multiple ways of visualizing sequences. The core element of the package is the state se- quence object in which we store the set of sequences together with attributes such as the alphabet, state labels and the color palette. The functions can then easily retrieve this information to ensure presentation homogeneity across all printed and graphical displays. The article also demonstrates how TraMineR’s outcomes give access to advanced analyses such as clustering and statistical modeling of sequence data

Local Equation of State and Velocity Distributions of a Driven Granular Gas

We present event-driven simulations of a granular gas of inelastic hard disks with incomplete normal restitution in two dimensions between vibrating walls (without gravity). We measure hydrodynamic quantities such as the stress tensor, density and temperature profiles, as well as velocity distributions. Relating the local pressure to the local temperature and local density, we construct a local constitutive equation. For strong inelasticities the local constitutive relation depends on global system parameters, like the volume fraction and the aspect ratio. For moderate inelasticities the constitutive relation is approximately independent of the system parameters and can hence be regarded as a local equation of state, even though the system is highly inhomogeneous with heterogeneous temperature and density profiles arising as a consequence of the energy injection. Concerning the local velocity distributions we find that they do not scale with the square root of the local granular temperature. Moreover the high-velocity tails are different for the distribution of the x- and the y-component of the velocity, and even depend on the position in the sample, the global volume fraction, and the coefficient of restitution.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures of which Figs. 13a-f and Fig. 14 are archived as separate .gif files due to upload-size limitations. A version of the paper including all figures in better quality can be downloaded at http://www.theorie.physik.uni-goettingen.de/~herbst/download/LocEqSt.ps.gz (3.8 MB, ps.gz) or at http://www.theorie.physik.uni-goettingen.de/~herbst/download/LocEqSt.pdf (4.9 MB, pdf

Pair production in laser fields oscillating in space and time

The production of electron-positron pairs from vacuum by counterpropagating laser beams of linear polarization is calculated. In contrast to the usual approximate approach, the spatial dependence and magnetic component of the laser field are taken into account. We show that the latter strongly affects the creation process at high laser frequency: the production probability is reduced, the kinematics is fundamentally modified, the resonant Rabi-oscillation pattern is distorted and the resonance positions are shifted, multiplied and split.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Analytic calculation of the electric field of a coherent THz pulse

Accelerators can serve as sources for intense THz radiation by producing sub-ps long electron bunches, which generate synchrotron radiation coherently in the THz regime. In this paper, we present an analytic method to calculate the electric field pulse emitted by an electron bunch with arbitrary bunch shape. Our method is applied to a Gaussian bunch as well as a complex bunch profile resulting from a nonlinear beam dynamics simulation

The formation of gradients in wet deposited coatings with photocatalytically active nanoparticles

A total of 81 doped and undoped anatase nano-particles were synthesised by a precipitation/co-precipitation process followed by a hydrothermal treatment to obtain increased visible light photocatalytic activity. The screening process was performed utilising a high throughput analysis system based on the photometric monitoring of the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes (Rhodamine B, Malachite Green, Acid Blue 29). Photocatalytically active coatings were prepared with selected catalysts with high and low rankings from the screening. Degradation experiments with stearic acid could confirm the varying grades of visible light activity as seen in the screening process

A method for acoustic storage pest detection and its challenges

Insekten im Getreide sind ein Problem, nicht nur, weil sie das Getreide fressen, sondern weil sie durch Massenvermehrung mit ihrem Stoffwechsel dazu führen, dass Wärme und Feuchte und damit ein guter Lebensraum für Schimmel entsteht, der das Getreide unbrauchbar macht. So droht die Kontamination mit Mykotoxinen. Daher ist es wichtig, Insektenbefall frühzeitig zu erkennen und zu bekämpfen. Mit dem "Beetle Sound Tube" wurde ein System zur akustischen Früherkennung von Insekten in Getreide entwickelt, mit dem es möglich ist auch sehr geringen Insektenbefall akustisch zu erfassen und den Lagerhalter per E-Mail zu benachrichtigen. Das System befindet sich während der Lagerperiode dauerhaft im Getreide und überwacht das Getreide auf Insektengeräusche. Während der Entwicklung dieses akustischen Monitoringsystems ergaben sich unterschiedliche Herausforderungen bei der Analyse der sehr leisen Insektengeräusche in einer Umgebung mit vielfältigen Hintergrundgeräuschen. Auch anfallendes Datenvolumen und Analysegeschwindigkeit mussten optimiert werden, um Befall „just-in-time“ erfassen zu können. Das Akustik-Röhrensystem wurde für Silos, Flachläger und big bags entwickelt und ist damit für viele Lagerformen geeignet.Insects in grain can cause serious problems, not only because they feed on the grains. Mass reproduction also causes additional moisture and heat due to the insects' metabolism. This leads to favourable conditions for moulds, which can cause major losses and the formation of mycotoxins. It is therefore important to detect and treat an infestation at an early stage. The "Beetle Sound Tube" system was developed as an acoustic early detection system for insects in grain, which makes it possible to detect even very low levels of infestation and inform the storekeeper by e-mail. The acoustic system remains in the grain during the storage period, and permanently records insect sounds. Challenges were encountered in the development of this acoustic monitoring system, such as analysing very quiet insect sounds in a noisy agricultural environment. In addition, the amount of data collected and the speed of analysis had to be optimised to achieve just-in-time detection of insects. The acoustic tube system was developed for silos, flat stores and big bags and is therefore widely applicable