SUMMARYSindbis virus maturation is inhibited by low NaCI medium in chick embryo cells and in one strain of BHK cells, but not in another strain of BHK cells which has a different passage history. The plasma membrane of the cells in which Sindbis virus maturation is resistant to low NaCl medium has a higher ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid than the other cells. Cholesterol-containing liposomes, but not cholesterol-free liposomes, can release Sindbis virus from low NaCl-inhibited cells. These results suggest that low NaCl medium may block Sindbis virus maturation by a mechanism which is influenced by the ratio of plasma membrane cholesterol to phospholipid.

-The objective of this paper is to investigate the possibilities to assess (energy absorbing) Front Underrun Protection (FUP) devices with respect to injuries of the car occupant without using a car and dummy in the test procedure. A large number of different crash configurations are simulated to search for a clear relationship between injury and vehicle criteria. Secondly, a representative structure that can replace a car was found. The simulation results show a correlation between injury levels given by the HARM and the accident severity, given by the ASI value. Furthermore, the simulation results show that energy absorption in the FUP lowers the ASI level for all crash scenarios which consequently results in lower injury levels. The main conclusion is that it is possible to assess the eaFUP performance based on vehicle acceleration signals (nondummy signals). A component test procedure for assessing eaFUP can be developed based on these simulation results. For a future test procedure a combination of experimental and virtual testing is proposed. With virtual testing the behaviour of the eaFUP in different crash scenarios can be evaluated.

No abstract