Demonstration of the third antigenically distinct outer membrane lipoprotein (OmlA) in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 7

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle in endometriosis and adenomyosis. DESIGN: Immunohistochemical identification of endothelial nitric oxide in endometrial tissues using the monoclonal antibody. SETTING: Department of obstetrics and gynecology in a university hospital. PATIENT(S): The subjects were divided into three groups: 35 patients with endometriosis, 33 patients with adenomyosis proven histologically, and 46 fertile controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Semiquantitative immunostaining (evaluation nomogram) score in endometrial cells. RESULT(S): The analyses revealed phase-dependent changes in the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the surface and glandular epithelia during the menstrual cycle in the fertile controls. The expression was weakest in the early proliferative phase, gradually increased, was most marked in the midsecretory phase, and decreased thereafter. In contrast, stromal cells did not change throughout the cycle. Contrary to expectations, the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in endometriosis and adenomyosis was persistently greater than the control levels throughout the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSION(S): This study has shown that endothelial nitric oxide synthase is changed in a phase-dependent manner during the menstrual cycle. The exaggerated expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the endometrium throughout the cycle suggests some pathologic role in endometriosis and adenomyosis.     

Performance/Reliability Measures for Fault-Tolerant Computing Systems

Some fault-tolerant computing systems are discussed and existing reliability measures are explained. Some performance/reliability measures are introduced. Several systems are compared by using numerical examples with the new measures.     

s-Shaped Software Reliability Growth Models and Their Applications

The s-shaped growth curves of detected software errors can be observed in software testing. The delayed s-shaped and inflection s-shaped software reliability growth models based on a nonhomogeneous Poisson process are discussed. The software reliability growth types of the models are investigated in terms of the error detection rate per error. In addition, a viable method for the software quality assessment, which integrates the capture-recapture method and the models above, is discussed, and its application to actual test data is illustrated.     

Estimation method of frequency bias using normal operating data

A technique of calculating the frequency bias of an electric power system from frequency fluctuation data and total output power is described. An evaluation method for testing the calculations by the new method is developed. The results are in good agreement with estimates based on generator speed regulation but the method gives an excessively high figure for the load frequency bias.     

Reliability Analysis of a Two-Unit Standby-Redundant System with Preventive Maintenance

We consider a standby-redundant model of two units, where we assume that one unit is operative and the other unit is in standby at time t = 0. If the operative unit fails, a unit in standby is put into preventive maintenance policy of the operative unit to maintain our the preventive maintenance policy of the operative unit to maintain our system with high reliability. Our concern for the system is the time to the first system-down. The Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the time distribution to the first system-down and the mean time to the first system-down are derived by applying the relationship between Markov renewal processes and signal flow graph. Further, the behavior after the system-down is investigated by using the results of Markov renewal processes. Finally, numerical examples are presented for the k-Erlang failure time distributions. The optimal preventive maintenance time is discussed.     

Optimum Ordering Policies with Lead Time for an Operating Unit in Preventive Maintenance

An ordering policy allows a spare, delivered after a constant lead time, to be put into inventory. Under certain conditions there exists a finite and unique ordering policy maximizing the cost effectiveness, which balances the system effectiveness and the cost and is defined as [s-availability]/[s-expected cost rate].     

Combining Drift and Catastrophic Failure Modes

A failure model with degradation and catastrophic modes is briefly discussed and some general equations are shown.     

On a Two-Unit Standby-Redundant System with Imperfect Switchover

A standby-redundant repairable system having only two units and an imperfect switchover is considered. The Lapace-Stieltjes transform of the distribution of the time to first system faflure (TFSF) and the mean TFSF are derived. Numerical comparisons of the mean TFSF with both perfect and imperfect switching are made. All time distributions, except repair of the main units, are exponential.