The fall and rise of the British mall

Of all modern building types, the shopping mall has perhaps been the most prone to sensationalist statement. However, despite much that has been written about them, it appears that architectural theory and criticism have had little success in penetrating beneath the surface of this phenomena, and, as such, the mall has over the course of its fifty year life-span remained in a stasis of non-evolution. The purpose of this study is to attempt to imbue architecture with a critical tool that is capable of breaking this stasis. Unlike many building typologies that we take for granted in modern society, whose evolution has taken place over the course of centuries and even millennia of trial and error experimentation, the shopping mall's life-span has been comparatively brief. Surely we now need to break this stasis and subject the shopping mall to the same trial and error experimentation through critical practice that has allowed other building typologies to successfully evolve. Implicit within the current manifestation of the shopping mall, is the potential for the realisation of a highly complex social organism, a potential which sadly is suppressed by the bludgeoning regime of programmatic violence that the present typological mani festation of the mall implements to ensure the maintenance of the experiential values that are so key to its success. This study, by recourse to direct analysis of precedent, is directed at a questioning of the validity of these values and an analysis of the mechanisms of consumption behind them, unravelling these levels of experiential myth in order that a more accurate and productive understanding of the existential nature of the inhabitation of the shopping mall may be achieved.     

Cues used by raters in the rating of temperament requirements of jobs.

Could word and phrase cues in job definitions be standardized to achieve homogeneous concepts and interrater agreement in the ratings of so-called "temperament" requirements of jobs? There were 3 stages in this series of studies: (a) A review of the literature yielded 14 traits arranged in 7 bipolar pairs and defined for use in the ratings. 50 jobs were rated by 7 raters according to these definitions. (b) Inexperienced and experienced analysts applied the rating devices. (c) The 12 revised trait definitions were applied to the rating of the 2nd sample of 50 jobs. 10 raters participated. Much improved rater agreement and reliability resulted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immune recognition of viral antigens

The response exhibited by the immune system to viral and other foreign antigens consists of antibody-mediated and T cell-mediated immunity. Structural and molecular biological studies have shown that the antibody response is tailored to provide exquisite specificity by generating binding pockets that are complementary in shape as well as in charge to the antigen. On the other hand, the cellular response uses T-cell receptors (TCRs) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Structural information on the TCRs is not yet available, but the crystal structures of several MHC class I molecules have shown how one MHC molecule can bind many different peptide sequences that share only the common anchor residue positions that determine allele specificity. MHC class I interactions with the peptide backbone at the N and C termini explain the high specificity of the binding groove for peptide ligands and suggest a universal mode of recognition for peptides to MHC class I molecules. Peptide-MHC class II interactions are less well understood, although recent structural work has shown important differences in the binding clefts of MHC class I and II that lead to longer peptides being bound to class II molecules. Detailed analysis at the molecular level has indicated that conformational changes in both antibodies and MHC molecules occur upon antigen binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Impact of geochemical stressors on shallow groundwater quality

Groundwater monitoring wells (about 70 wells) were extensively installed in 28 sites surrounding Lake Texoma, located on the border of Oklahoma and Texas, to assess the impact of geochemical stressors to shallow groundwater quality. The monitoring wells were classified into three groups (residential area, agricultural area, and oil field area) depending on their land uses. During a 2-year period from 1999 to 2001 the monitoring wells were sampled every 3 months on a seasonal basis. Water quality assay consisted of 25 parameters including field parameters, nutrients, major ions, and trace elements. Occurrence and level of inorganics in groundwater samples were related to the land use and temporal change. Groundwater of the agricultural area showed lower levels of ferrous iron and nitrate than the residential area. The summer season data revealed more distinct differences in inorganic profiles of the two land use groundwater samples. There is a possible trend that nitrate concentrations in groundwater increased as the proportions of cultivated area increased. Water-soluble ferrous iron occurred primarily in water samples with a low dissolved oxygen concentration and/or a negative redox potential. The presence of brine waste in shallow groundwater was detected by chloride and conductivity in oil field area. Dissolved trace metals and volatile organic carbons were not in a form of concentration to be stressors. This study showed that the quality of shallow ground water could be related to regional geochemical stressors surrounding the lake.     

Biomaterials as Tools to Decode Immunity

The immune system has remarkable capabilities to combat disease with exquisite selectivity. This feature has enabled vaccines that provide protection for decades and, more recently, advances in immunotherapies that can cure some cancers. Greater control over how immune signals are presented, delivered, and processed will help drive even more powerful options that are also safe. Such advances will be underpinned by new tools that probe how immune signals are integrated by immune cells and tissues. Biomaterials are valuable resources to support this goal, offering robust, tunable properties. The growing role of biomaterials as tools to dissect immune function in fundamental and translational contexts is highlighted. These technologies can serve as tools to understand the immune system across molecular, cellular, and tissue length scales. A common theme is exploiting biomaterial features to rationally direct how specific immune cells or organs encounter a signal. This precision strategy, enabled by distinct material properties, allows isolation of immunological parameters or processes in a way that is challenging with conventional approaches. The utility of these capabilities is demonstrated through examples in vaccines for infectious disease and cancer immunotherapy, as well as settings of immune regulation that include autoimmunity and transplantation.     

Fringing in tubular permanent-magnet machines: Part I. Magnetic field distribution, flux linkage, and thrust force

This paper extends an analysis developed for tubular permanent-magnet machines to account for the effect of fringing associated with the finite length of the ferromagnetic armature core. The magnetic field distribution, established by using an analytical technique formulated in the cylindrical coordinate system, provides an accurate means of evaluating the effect of the fringing flux on the thrust force and the back-electromotive force. Finite-element calculations confirm the analytically derived results. In Part II of the paper, the analysis is used to predict the cogging force that results from end effects and to facilitate minimization of the force.     

Comparative effects of felodipine ER, amlodipine and nifedipine GITS on 24 h blood pressure control and trough to peak ratios in mild to moderate ambulatory hypertension: a forced titration study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 24 h antihypertensive efficacy and duration of action of felodipine extended release (ER) in comparison with two other long acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, amlodipine and nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS), in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension substantiated by ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. DESIGN: Randomized, forced titration, parallel group study. Clinic BP was measured at every patient's visit, and 24 h ambulatory BP was monitored at baseline and at the end of each dose-titration period. SETTING: Single centre: hypertension research unit in Quebec City, Quebec. PATIENTS: There were 89 patients enrolled into the study. Eighty-four eligible patients were randomized, and 83 completed the study and were included in the final efficacy analysis. INTERVENTIONS: Following a two-to four-week washout period (baseline), patients were randomly allocated to receive felodipine ER 5 mg, amlodipine 5 mg or nifedipine GITS 30 mg for four weeks (low dose). All study patients had their daily dose doubled to felodipine ER 10 mg, amlodipine 10 mg or nifedipine GITS 60 mg for a further four weeks (high dose). MAIN RESULTS: Significant (P < 0.001) and similar changes from baseline in clinic BP were observed in all treatment groups for low and high doses. Ambulatory BP profiles showed comparable blood pressure reductions with felodipine ER and amlodipine, and a trend towards a lesser reduction with nifedipine GITS during 24 h, daytime and night-time periods. BP loads were similarly reduced with the three treatments. Trough to peak ratios (T:Ps) were calculated from 24 h ambulatory BP curves according to two different approaches: for diastolic and systolic BP, respectively, the global approach produced T:Ps of 0.49 and 0.50 with felodipine ER 5 mg; 0.50 and 0.34 with felodipine ER 10 mg; 0.70 and 0.60 with amlodipine 5 mg; 0.88 and 0.82 with amlodipine 10 mg; 0.65 and 0.55 with nifedipine GITS 30 mg; 0.68 and 0.53 with nifedipine GITS 60 mg. T:Ps in the individual approach were 0.07 and 0.10 with felodipine ER 5 mg; 0.23 and 0.31 with felodipine ER 10 mg; 0.22 and 0.31 with amlodipine 5 mg; 0.45 and 0.58 with amlodipine 10 mg; 0.27 and 0.31 with nifedipine GITS 30 mg; and 0.24 and 0.40 with nifedipine GITS 60 mg. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence in this study of a difference among felodipine ER, amlodipine and nifedipine GITS in lowering ambulatory or clinic BP. Treatment based on ambulatory BP may be preferable to treatment guided by T:Ps because ambulatory BP is firmly established as a predictor of cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, there is no consensus on how to calculate T:Ps, and different methods of calculation may give divergent results.     

Identification of a hereditary pancreatitis mutation in four West Virginia families

Hereditary pancreatitis (HP) is the second most common cause of chronic childhood pancreatitis in the United States. Mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene on chromosome 7 are known to cause HP. We identified four families in West Virginia with symptoms consistent with HP. To determine whether members of these families had defects in the trypsinogen gene, we tested for linkage between the HP gene and simple tandem repeat markers on chromosome 7q and screened for a specific mutation in the cationic trypsinogen gene. Two-point linkage analysis indicated that the disease gene is closely linked to three 7q markers (D7S661, D7S2511, and D7S1805). Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis showed that all clinically affected members and nonpenetrant carriers from the four families carried a G to A mutation in the third exon of the trypsinogen gene. These findings indicate that this mutation is the cause of HP in the families in our study. The observation that most individuals who carry the mutation have symptoms of HP is consistent with the high but incomplete penetrance of the trait. The presence of a single mutation and a common linked haplotype indicates that the defective allele arose in an ancestor common to all four families.     

Transformer design in the undergraduate power engineeringlaboratory

A power engineering laboratory experiment on transformer design is described. In the experiment the student design, builds, and tests a single-phase transformer to specifications provided by the instructor. From initial test results, the transformer is redesigned, and the new design is tested. Standard open and short-circuit tests are then performed to develop a circuit model for the transformer. The model is then used to predict the transformer's operation, and the predictions are compared with the values measured in the laboratory     

A study of dispersed photovoltaic generation on the PSO system

Results of a study on dispersed photovoltaic (PV) generation on the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) system with simulated dispersed PV generation are presented. It is found that, with high penetrations of PV, as insolation changes, significant variations in power flows occur on transmission and subtransmission lines that may require changes in system protection and voltage control practices