Estimating Basic Characteristics of Arrival Processes in Telecommunication Networks by Empirical Data

Considering the realistic teletraffic analysis in advanced telecommunication networks, the estimation of basic characteristics of arrival processes by empirical data is an important subject of current research. Using independent observations of the interarrival times between events and the mean numbers of events in intervals of fixed length, we propose methods to estimate the intensity of a nonhomogeneous arrival stream, particularly a Poisson process, and the renewal function of a renewal process. We formulate the estimation task as stochastically ill-posed problem and apply procedures for the stabilization of the estimates.     

Statisches und dynamisches Werkzeugverhalten beim Innenrundschleifen mit axial vorgespannten Werkzeugen

Zusammenfassung Die in diesem Beitrag vorgestellten theoretischen Betrachtungen zum statischen und dynamischen Werkzeugverhalten beim Innenrundschleifen langer Bohrungen nach dem ILB-Verfahren haben wichtige Hinweise für das Proze?verhalten ergeben. Durch geeignete Modellbildung kann hiermit der Einflu? unterschiedlicher Werkzeugspezifikationen sowohl auf die statische Nachgiebigkeit der Werkzeuge und damit letztendlich auf den L?ngsformfehler am Bauteil als auch auf das dynamische Verhalten, insbesondere das Auftreten kritischer Resonanzfrequenzen, vorherbestimmt werden. Die analytischen Berechnungen konnten durch praktische Untersuchungen verfiziert werden. Durchgeführte Schleifversuche haben die Eignung des ILB-Verfahrens als Alternative zur konventionellen Innenrundbearbeitung langer Bohrungen in keramischen Bauteilen best?tigt. Zukünftige Untersuchungen am IFW werden sich auch mit dem Innenrundschleifen langer Bohrungen in Bauteilen aus Hartmetall und geh?rtetem Stahl befassen. Dipl.-Ing.W. Buchholz und Dipl.-Ing.U. Wasmann, wissenschafliche Mitarbeiter des IFW.     

Kontinuierliche Reaktionsführung mit löslichen Enzymen

Continuous processes with soluble enzymes. This paper surveys the use of continuously operating enzyme-membrane reactors with enforced flow where the retention of soluble enzymes in the reaction vessel is achieved by means of an ultrafiltration membrane. This technique has been commercialized in the acylase process for the synthesis of L -amino acids on a 200 ton/year level. It is especially useful for the application of multi-enzyme systems with cofactor regeneration. The synthesis of L -tert-leucine from the corresponding α-keto acid has been achieved on a kilogram scale. Coenzymes coupled to water soluble polymers are retained in the membrane-reactor together with the enzymes. Use of suitable conditions prevents loss of enzyme and coenzyme by passage through the membrane or by deactivation. Therefore the costs of enzymes and coenzymes are no longer limitations for economic processes. In the continuously operating enzyme-membrane reactor regeneration of the coenzyme up to 600 000 times was achieved. In continuous peptide synthesis space-time yields of 25 kg/(l d) were obtained. To suppress side reactions very high catalyst concentrations are possible, yielding residence times below 4 min.     

Thermooptical compensation methods for high-power lasers

Thermally induced optical effects can be exploited to generate adaptive optical devices such as self-adjusting lenses. An adaptive lens in a resonator can be used to compensate for the thermal lens in a high-power solid-state laser rod (LR) and herewith significantly improve the beam quality and increase the output-power range of solid-state lasers. With suitable materials and an appropriate design of the compensating device, resonators with self-balancing thermal lenses can be developed. In this paper, we review the material requirements for a self-adaptive compensating element and discuss a selection of suitable materials (glasses, liquids and curing gels) and schemes to compensate for the thermal lens of a Nd:YAG LR. Finally, we present a very simple and promising design of a thermooptically self-compensated laser amplifier.     

Ferromagnetic Resonance in Ga1−x Mn x As

We report on ferromagnetic resonance measurements of Ga_1?x Mn _x As thin films with Mn contents 0.022 ≤ x ≤ 0.051. For x ≥ 0.036 and the external magnetic field normal to the thin film, we observe several resonances, which we identify as spin wave resonances. The non-quadratic mode spacing can be consistently explained by a linear gradient in the magnetic properties of the films. From the measurements, the exchange constant A can be deduced for different Mn contents x.     

Diffusion-weighted echo planar MR imaging of the neck at 3 T using integrated shimming: comparison of MR sequence techniques for reducing artifacts caused by magnetic-field inhomogeneities

Objective

Our objective was to compare available techniques reducing artifacts in echo planar imaging (EPI)-based diffusion-weighed magnetic resonance imaging MRI (DWI) of the neck at 3 Tesla caused by B0-field inhomogeneities.

Materials and methods

A cylindrical fat–water phantom was equipped with a Maxwell coil allowing for additional linear B0-field variations in z-direction. The effect of increasing strength of this superimposed gradient on image quality was observed using a standard single-shot EPI-based DWI sequence (sEPI), a zoomed single-shot EPI sequence (zEPI), a readout-segmented EPI sequence (rsEPI), and an sEPI sequence with integrated dynamic shimming (intEPI) on a 3-Tesla system. Additionally, ten volunteers were examined over the neck region using these techniques. Image quality was assessed by two radiologists. Scan durations were recorded.

Results

With increasing strength of the external gradient, marked distortions, signal loss, and failure of fat suppression were observed using sEPI, zEPI, and rsEPI. These artifacts were markedly reduced using intEPI. Significantly better in vivo image quality was also observed using intEPI compared with the other techniques. Scan time of intEPI was similar to sEPI and zEPI and shorter than rsEPI.

Conclusion

The use of integrated 2D shim and frequency adjustment for EPI-based DWI results in a significant improvement in image quality of the head/neck region at 3 Tesla. Combining integrated shimming with rsEPI or zEPI can be expected to provide additional improvements.