Decomposability in queues with background states

A symmetric queue is known to have a nice property, the so-called insensitivity. In this paper, we generalize this for a single node queue with Poisson arrivals and background state, which changes at completion instants of lifetimes as well as at the arrival and departure instants. We study this problem by using the decomposability property of the joint stationary distribution of the queue length and supplementary variables, which implies the insensitivity. We formulate a Markov process representing the state of the queue as an RGSMP (reallocatable generalized semi-Markov process), and give necessary and sufficient conditions for the decomposability. We then establish general criteria to be sufficient for the queue to possess the property. Various symmetric-like queues with background states, including continuous time versions of moving server queues, are shown to have the decomposability.This author is partially supported by NEC C&C Laboratories.     

Structure-reversibility and departure functions of queueing networks with batch movements and state dependent routing

We consider characterizations of departure functions in Markovian queueing networks with batch movements and state-dependent routing in discrete-time and in continuous-time. For this purpose, the notion of structure-reversibility is introduced, which means that the time-reversed dynamics of a queueing network corresponds with the same type of queueing network. The notion is useful to derive a traffic equation. We also introduce a multi-source model, which means that there are different types of outside sources, to capture a wider range of applications. Characterizations of the departure functions are obtained for any routing mechanism of customers satisfying a recurrent condition. These results give a unified view to queueing network models with linear traffic equations. Furthermore, they enable us to consider new examples as well as show limited usages of this kind of queueing networks. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Copper(II) chloride as a new,efficient additive suppressing racemization in peptide synthesis by the carbodiimide method

Copper(II) chloride was found to be an extremely efficient additive suppressing racemization in the carbodiimide mediated couplings.     

18O-tracer study on the rearrangement of carbonyl oxide intermediates to esters

A tracer study for the rearrangement of carbonyl oxides to esters using doubly-labeled oxygen lead to a conclusion that carbonyl oxides do not isomerize directly to dioxyranes and the rearrangement to esters proceeds via a cyclic tetroxide.     

Rings-on-a-string chain structure in DNA

Using fluorescence microscopy (FM), which permits the observation of single molecules, we found that a pearling structure is generated on a single long DNA molecule upon the addition of a gemini (dimeric) surfactant. This pearling structure was further investigated by performing atomic force microscopy measurements on the same DNA molecules as observed by FM. These observations revealed that the pearling structure is composed of many rings that are interconnected by elongated coil parts along a single DNA molecule, i.e., rings-on-a-string structure. The mechanism of the formation of such an intrachain segregated structure in terms of microphase separation on a single polyelectrolyte chain is discussed.     

Suppression of MeIQ-induced SOS response by allylbenzenes from Asiasarum heterotropoides in the Salmonella typhimurium OY1001/1A2 umu test

Three allylbenzenes from Asiasarum heterotropoides, methyleugenol (1), elemicin (2) and gamma-asaron (3) showed suppressive effects on umu gene expression of the SOS response in the Salmonella typhimurium OY1001/1A2 umu test against the mutagen 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f ]quinoline (MeIQ). Gene expression was suppressed 70.0, 75.9 and 81.7% at a concentration of 0.4 mM, respectively. The ID50 values (50% inhibition dose) of these compounds were 0.125, 0.098 and 0.059 mM, respectively. On the other hand, compounds 1-3 showed weak suppressive effects of the SOS-inducing activity on activated MeIQ.     

Link polynomials derived from magnetic graphs

We introduce a graph diagram which can be regarded as a generalized link diagram. By using it, we construct two polynomial invariants for knots and links which are distinct from both the HOMFLY and the Kauffman polynomials. We show some features of the polynomials including relationships with the HOMFLY and the Kauffman polynomials.