Simulation of throughput from remote batch entry terminals

Operation of the remote batch terminals connected to an IBM 370/158 computer system at a large mid-western firm is simulated using GPSS language. The performance of the computer system was simulated to determine the impact of changes to be imposed on the system. The model parameters of remote printer speed and core storage capacity were altered during the course of the simulation. These variables were selected for their flexibility in relationship to the total network and the relative ease of implementing such changes. It is found that implementing higher speed printers and increased computer core storage capacity can decrease printer and core storage utilizations and the average service rate drastically.     

Wide-load-range resonant converter supplying the SAE J-1773electric vehicle inductive charging interface

The recommended practice for electric vehicle battery charging using inductive coupling (SAE J-1773), published in January 1995 by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., outlines values and tolerances for critical vehicle inlet parameters which must be considered when selecting a coupler driving topology. The inductive coupling vehicle inlet contains a significant discrete capacitive component in addition to low magnetizing and high leakage inductances. Driving the vehicle interface with a variable-frequency series-resonant power converter results in a four-element topology with many desirable features: unity transformer turns ratio; buck/boost voltage gain; current-source operation; monotonic power transfer characteristic over a wide load range; throttling capability down to no load; high-frequency operation; narrow modulation frequency range; use of zero-voltage-switched MOSFETs with slow integral diodes; high efficiency; inherent short-circuit protection; soft recovery of output rectifiers; and secondary dν/dt control and current waveshaping for the cable, coupler and vehicle inlet, resulting in enhanced electromagnetic compatibility. In this paper, characteristics of the topology are derived and analyzed using two methods. Firstly, the fundamental mode AC sine-wave approximation is extended to battery loads and provides a simple, yet insightful, analysis of the topology. A second method of analysis is based on the more accurate, but complex, time-based modal approach. Finally, typical experimental results verify the analysis of the topology presented in the paper     

Firmness and colour of the fruit of some tomato cultivars from various sources during storage

The firmness of fruit of tomato cultivars Sonato, Grenadier, Adagio, Extase and Exquise obtained from growers was significantly different at time of harvest and after storage for 7 and 14 days at 19-23°C. However, all fruit had firmness values above 1000 g force on day 7 and above 700 g force on day 14, which are postulated minima for sale of fruit at retail level and use in the home respectively. There is no evidence to downgrade fruit of Sonato from a firmness point of view. Variation in fruit firmness within a sample was considerable for most cultivars on each testing date, and coefficients of variation were calculated to quantify this. Correlation coefficients between Hunter a/b ratio and firmness for the different cultivars ranged from -0.91 to -0.97. Regression lines relating a/b ratios to firmness fell into two groups. Firmness tests on samples of tomato fruit purchased from retailers suggested that all samples were adequately firm and had a firmness shelf-life of at least 7 days.     

Physical and functional interactions between the herpes simplex virus UL15 and UL28 DNA cleavage and packaging proteins

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA is cleaved from concatemers and packaged into capsids in infected cell nuclei. This process requires seven viral proteins, including UL15 and UL28. UL15 expressed alone displays a nuclear localization, while UL28 remains cytoplasmic. Coexpression with UL15 enables UL28 to enter nuclei, suggesting an interaction between the two proteins. Additionally, UL28 copurified with UL15 from HSV-infected cells after ion-exchange and DNA affinity chromatography, and the complex sedimented as a 1:1 heterodimer upon sucrose gradient centrifugation. These findings are evidence of a physical interaction of UL15 and UL28 and a functional role for UL15 in directing UL28 to the nucleus.     

Suppression of tumorigenicity of rat liver epithelial tumor cell lines by a putative human 11p11.2-p12 liver tumor suppressor locus

We have previously identified and mapped a locus within human chromosome 11p11.2-p12 that suppresses the tumorigenic potential of a rat liver tumor cell line (termed GN6TF) which contains well defined chromosomal aberrations involving rat chromosomes 1, 4, 7, and 10. In the present study, we investigated the potential of this human 11p11.2-p12 liver tumor suppressor locus to suppress the tumorigenic potential of two other rat liver tumor cell lines (GN3TG and GP10TA) following microcell-mediated introduction of human chromosome 11. These tumor cell lines are aneuploid and contain chromosomal abnormalities that are similar to the GN6TF tumor line. The tumorigenic potential and other phenotypic characteristics of GN3TG-11neo and GP10TA-11neo microcell hybrid (MCH) cell lines were variable, and dependent upon the status of the introduced human chromosome 11. MCH cell lines that retained the region of 11p11. 2-p12 delineated by microsatellite markers D11S1385 and D11S903 exhibited suppression of tumorigenicity in vivo (decrease in tumorigenicity and/or elongation of latency), whereas, the tumorigenic potential of one MCH line that lacked markers in this region of human 11p11.2-p12, but retained flanking markers, was not changed from that of the parental tumor cell line. The chromosomal interval between microsatellite markers D11S1385 and D11S903 encompasses the previously localized minimal liver tumor suppressor region, suggesting that a common locus is responsible for tumor suppression among the rat liver tumor cell lines examined. The results of the present study have verified the presence of a liver tumor suppressor locus within human 11p11.2-p12, and have identified a substantial number of microsatellite markers that are closely linked to this tumor suppressor region. These chromosomal markers will facilitate positional cloning of candidate genes from this region, and may prove useful for determining the involvement of this locus in the pathogenesis of human liver cancer.     

TCR-independent pathways mediate the effects of antigen dose and altered peptide ligands on Th cell polarization

We examined the role of the peptide/MHC ligand in CD4+ T cell differentiation into Th1 or Th2 cells using a TCR alphabeta transgenic mouse specific for hemoglobin (Hb)(64-76)/I-Ek. We identified two altered peptide ligands of Hb(64-76) that retain strong agonist activity but, at a given dose, induce cytokine patterns distinct from the Hb(64-76) peptide. The ability of these peptides to produce distinct cytokine patterns at identical doses is not due to an intrinsic qualitative property. Each peptide can induce Th2 cytokines at low concentrations and Th1 cytokines at high concentrations and has a unique range of concentrations at which these distinct effects occur. The pattern of cytokines produced from limiting dilution of naive T cells demonstrated that the potential to develop an individual Th1 or Th2 cell is stochastic, independent of Ag dose. We propose that the basis for the observed effects on the Th1/Th2 balance shown by the altered peptide ligands and the amount of Ag dose involves the modification of soluble factors in bulk cultures that are the driving force that polarize the population to either a Th1 or Th2 phenotype.     

Unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia: a decision analysis

BACKGROUND: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is an indolent but ultimately fatal disease. Because the natural history of CML varies and quality of life with CML may be excellent until shortly before death, deciding whether and when to pursue unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation is often difficult. OBJECTIVE: To compare early transplantation, delayed transplantation, and no transplantation for patients with chronic-phase CML on the basis of discounted, quality-adjusted life expectancy. DESIGN: A markov model comparing different strategies was constructed. This model considers patient age, quality of life, risk aversion, and the competing risks for CML progression and transplant toxicity. SETTING: Therapeutic decision at the time of diagnosis of CML. PATIENTS: The base case is a 35-year-old patient with intermediate-prognosis CML. Younger and older patients with better and worse prognoses are also evaluated. INTERVENTION: Early transplantation, delayed transplantation, and no transplantation. MEASUREMENTS: Quality-adjusted, discounted life expectancy. RESULTS: For patients with newly diagnosed CML, transplantation within the first year provides the greatest quality-adjusted expected survival, although this benefit decreases with increasing patient age. For a 35-year-old patient with intermediate-prognosis CML, transplantation within the first year results in 53 more discounted, quality-adjusted years of life expectancy than does no transplantation. This finding is robust even with varying baseline assumptions. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the use of early unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation for most patients with CML.     

Flocking hip joint endoprosthesis

The author indicates the similarity of a human tooth and an endoprosthesis in their action, which is the basis for developing a procedure of endoprosthesis and designing an endoprosthesis with dumping elements. The procedure has been developed during a long-term surgical experiment by examining the results by the following techniques: X-ray, bed testing, light and scanning electron microscope. Experimental results are convincing. For coating the prostheses, polytetrafluoroethylene velour is used in the experiment, but cauflene, the material of the same kind polytetrafluoroethylene, is employed in the clinical setting. The experiments yielded two inventions patented in the Russian Federation. This direction in their development seems to be fruitful in preventing the aseptic endoprosthetic instability that is the most common and severe complication after endoprosthesis and requires most frequently resurgery.