Applications of the Sojourn - Time Problem to Reliability
The sojourn-time problem of Takáes can be applied to reliability theory. This note reviews Takács' results and applies them to redundant systems, cumulative damage, and a system under non-homogeneous operating conditions.
Some aspects of damage models
Abstract Four stochastic failure models are proposed and their characteristics are discussed. It is considered that an item is subject to shocks. It is assumed that an interval of the time between successive shocks is a random variable and an amount of damage produced by a shock is also a random variable. Of our concern is the total amount of damage in which an amount of damage is additive except Model 4. Then of our interest are the following; (i) the distribution of the total amount of damage at time t , (ii) the mean total amount of damage at time t , (iii) the distribution of the time to failure of an item, where we assume that failure of an item occurs if the total amount of damage exceeds a threshold level, (iv) the mean time to failure of an item, and (v) the failure rate. This paper derives such quantities above for each model. It also shows an example with all exponential assumptions for each model.
The bradykinin B1 receptor and the central regulation of blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats
We evaluated if the brain bradykinin (BK) B1 receptor is involved in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) in conscious rats. Basal mean BP and HR were 115±2 and 165±3 mmHg and 345±10 and 410±14 beats min−1 in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), respectively. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 1 nmol B1 receptor agonist Lys‐desArg9‐BK significantly increased the BP of WKY and SHR by 7±1 and 19±2 mmHg, respectively. One nmol Sar[D‐Phe8]‐desArg9‐BK, a kininase‐resistant B1 agonist, increased the BP of WKY and SHR by 19±2 and 17±2 mmHg, respectively and reduced HR in both strains. I.c.v. injection of 0.01 nmol B1 antagonists, LysLeu8‐desArg9‐BK or AcLys[D‐βNal7,Ile8]‐desArg9‐BK (R715), significantly decreased mean BP in SHR (by 9±2 mmHg the former and 14±3 mmHg the latter compound), but not in WKY. In SHR, the BP response to R715 was associated to tachycardia. I.c.v. Captopril, a kininase inhibitor, increased the BP of SHR, this response being partially prevented by i.c.v. R715 and reversed into a vasodepressor effect by R715 in combination with the B2 antagonist Icatibant. I.c.v. antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) targeted to the B1 receptor mRNA decreased BP in SHR, but not in WKY. HR was not altered in either strain. Distribution of fluorescein‐conjugated ODNs was detected in brain areas surrounding cerebral ventricles. Our results indicate that the brain B1 receptor participates in the regulation of BP. Activation of the B1 receptor by kinin metabolites could participate in the pathogenesis of hypertension in SHR.