Failure of a control strategy for a hybrid air-conditioning and wind catchers/towers system at Bluewater shopping malls in Kent

Purpose – To evaluate the control strategy for a hybrid natural ventilation wind catchers and air-conditioning system and to assess the contribution of wind catchers to indoor air environments and energy savings if any. Design/methodology/approach – Most of the modeling techniques for assessing wind catchers performance are theoretical. Post-occupancy evaluation studies of buildings will provide an insight into the operation of these building components and help to inform facilities managers. A case study for POE was presented in this paper. Findings – The monitoring of the summer and winter month operations showed that the indoor air quality parameters were kept within the design target range. The design control strategy failed to record data regarding the operation, opening time and position of wind catchers system. Though the implemented control strategy was working effectively in monitoring the operation of mechanical ventilation systems, i.e. AHU, did not integrate the wind catchers with the mechanical ventilation system. Research limitations/implications – Owing to short-falls in the control strategy implemented in this project, it was found difficult to quantify and verify the contribution of the wind catchers to the internal conditions and, hence, energy savings. Practical implications – Controlling the operation of the wind catchers via the AHU will lead to isolation of the wind catchers in the event of malfunctioning of the AHU. Wind catchers will contribute to the ventilation of space, particularly in the summer months. Originality/value – This paper demonstrates the value of POE as indispensable tool for FM professionals. It further provides insight into the application of natural ventilation systems in building for healthier indoor environments at lower energy cost. The design of the control strategy for natural ventilation and air-conditioning should be considered at the design stage involving the FM personnel.

Educational value of different types of exhibits in an interactive science and technology center

This study analyzes the short-term consequences of visitors' use of different types of exhibits (i.e., "exemplars of phenomena" and "analogy based") together with the factors affecting visitors' understanding of and their evaluation of the use of such exhibits. One hundred and twenty five visitors (either alone or in groups) were observed during their interaction and interviewed immediately afterwards. Findings suggest that the type of exhibit constrains the nature of the understanding achieved. The use of analogical reasoning may lead to an intended causal explanation of an exhibit that is an exemplar of a phenomenon, but visitors often express misconceptions as a consequence of using this type of exhibit. Analogy-based exhibits are often not used as intended by the designer. This may be because visitors do not access the source domain intended; are unaware of the use of analogy per se (in particular, when the exhibit is of the subtype "only showing similarities between relationships"); only acquire fragmentary knowledge about the target; or fail to use analogical reasoning of which they were capable. Furthermore, exhibits related to everyday world situations are recognized to have an immediate educative value for visitors. Suggestions for enhancing the educative value of exhibits are proposed.

Isolation of culturable yeasts from market wines and evaluation of the 5 center dot 8S-ITS rDNA sequence analysis for identification purposes

Aims: To test the possibility that wines available in the marketplace may contain culturable yeasts and to evaluate the 5.8S-ITS rDNA sequence analysis as adequate means for the identification of isolates. Methods and Results: As a case study, typical Greek wines were surveyed. Sequence analysis of the 5.8S-ITS rDNA was tested for its robustness in species or strain identification. Sixteen isolates could be assigned into the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rhodotorula pinicola, whereas four isolates could not be safely identified. B. bruxellensis was the dominant species present in house wines, while non-Saccharomyces sp. were viable in aged wines of high alcohol content. Conclusions: Yeast population depends on postfermentation procedures or storage conditions. Although 5.8S-ITS rDNA sequence analysis is generally a rapid method to identify wine yeast isolates at the species level, or even below that, it may not be sufficient for some genera. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report to show that commercial wines may possess diverse and potentially harmful yeast populations. The knowledge of yeasts able to reside in this niche environment is essential towards integrated quality assurance programmes. For selected species, the 5.8S-ITS rDNA sequence analysis is a rapid and accurate means.

Genistein reverses changes of the proteome induced by oxidized-LDL in EA center dot hy 926 human endothelial cells

Endothelial cells are primary targets for pro-atherosclerotic stressors such as oxidized LDL (ox-LDL). The isoflavone genistein, on the other hand, is suggested to prevent a variety of processes underlying atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. By analyzing the proteome of EA(.)hy 926 endothelial cells, here we show, that genistein reverses the ox-LDL-induced changes of the steady-state levels of several proteins involved in atherosclerosis. These alterations caused by genistein are functionally linked to the inhibition of ox-LDL induced apoptosis.

Crystal structures of [PhLi center dot(-)-sparteine](2), [PhOLi center dot(-)-sparteine](2), and the mixed aggregate [PhLi center dot PhOLi center dot 2(-)-sparteine]

Crystal structure determination of adducts of sparteine and PhLi, (-)-sparteine and PhOLi and of sparteine and PhLi/PhOLi reveal a four-membered ring with two lithium centers, each capped by a (-)-sparteine ligand, as central motif of all structure. Quantum-chemical calculations show that the mixed aggregate [PhLi center dot PhOLi center dot 2(-)-sparteine] is energetically more favorable than the model system {1/2[PhLi center dot(-)-sparteine](2) + 1/2[PhOLi center dot(-)-sparteine](2)}.

The dynamics of threat, fear and intentionality in the conduct disorders: longitudinal findings in the children of women with post-natal depression

This paper considers how environmental threat may contribute to the child's use of avoidant strategies to regulate negative emotions, and how this may interact with high emotional reactivity to create vulnerability to conduct disorder symptoms. We report a study based on the hypothesis that interpreting others' behaviours in terms of their motives and emotions - using the intentional stance - promotes effective social action, but may lead to fear in threatful situations, and that inhibiting the intentional stance may reduce fear but promote conduct disorder symptoms. We assessed 5-year-olds' use of the intentional stance with an intentionality scale, contrasting high and low threat doll play scenarios. In a sample of 47 children of mothers with post-natal depression ( PND) and 35 controls, children rated as securely attached with their mothers at the age of 18 months were better able to preserve the intentional stance than insecure children in high threat scenarios, but not in low threat scenarios. Girls had higher intentionality scores than boys across all scenarios. Only intentionality in the high threat scenario was associated with teacher-rated conduct disorder symptoms, and only in the children of women with PND. Intentionality mediated the associations between attachment security and gender and conduct disorder symptoms in the PND group.

Learning and natal host influence host preference, handling time and sex allocation behaviour in a pupal parasitoid

The host choice and sex allocation decisions of a foraging female parasitoid will have an enormous influence on the life-history characteristics of her offspring. The pteromalid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae is a generalist idiobiont pupal parasitoid of many species of cyclorrhaphous Diptera. Wasps reared in Musca domestica were larger, had higher attack rates and greater male mating success than those reared in Drosophila melanogaster. In no-choice situations, naive female R vindemiae took significantly less time to accept hosts conspecific with their natal host. Parasitoids that emerged from M. domestica pupae spent similar amounts of time ovipositing in both D. melanogaster and M. domestica. Those parasitoids that had emerged from D. melanogaster spent significantly longer attacking M. domestica pupae. The host choice behaviour of female P. vindemiae was influenced by an interaction between natal host and experience. Female R vindemiae reared in M. domestica only showed a preference among hosts when allowed to gain experience attacking M. domestica, preferentially attacking that species. Similarly, female parasitoids reared on D. melanogaster only showed a preference among hosts when allowed to gain experience attacking D. melanogaster, again preferentially attacking that species. Wasp natal host also influenced sex allocation behaviour. While wasps from both hosts oviposited more females in the larger host, M. domestica, wasps that emerged from M. domestica had significantly more male-biased offspring sex ratios. These results indicate the importance of learning and natal host size in determining R vindemiae attack rates. mating success, host preference and sex allocation behaviour, all critical components of parasitoid fitness.

Cardiac Na+/H+ exchanger during post-natal development in the rat: Changes in mRNA expression and sarcolemmal activity

We examined Na+–H+exchanger isoform 1 (NHE-1) mRNA expression in ventricular myocardium and its correlation with sarcolemmal NHE activity in isolated ventricular myocytes, during postnatal development in the rat. The expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA did not change in ventricular myocardium between 2 and 42 days after birth. Therefore, at seven time points within that age range, GAPDH expression was used to normalize NHE-1 mRNA levels, as determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. There was a progressive five-fold reduction in NHE-1 mRNA expression in ventricular myocardium from 2 days to 42 days of age. As an index of NHE activity, acid efflux rates (JH) were determined in single neonatal (2–4-day-old) and adult (42-day-old) ventricular myocytes (n=16/group) loaded with the pH fluoroprobe carboxy-seminaphthorhodafluor-1. In HEPES-buffered medium, basal intracellular pH (pHi) was similar at 7.28±0.02 in neonatal and 7.31±0.02 in adult myocytes, but intrinsic buffering power was lower in the former age group. The rate at which pHirecovered from a similar acid load was significantly greater in neonatal than in adult myocytes (0.36±0.07v0.16±0.02 pH units/min at pHi=6.8). This was reflected by a significantly greaterJH(22±4v9±1 pmol/cm2/s at pHi=6.8), indicating greater sarcolemmal NHE activity in neonatal myocytes. The concomitant reductions in tissue NHE-1 mRNA expression and sarcolemmal NHE activity suggest that myocardial NHE-1 is subject to regulation at the mRNA level during postnatal development.

Computer simulations of structures, energetics and dynamics of myoglobin center dot center dot center dot ligand complexes

Myoglobin has been studied in considerable detail using different experimental and computational techniques over the past decades. Recent developments in time-resolved spectroscopy have provided experimental data amenable to detailed atomistic simulations. The main theme of the present review are results on the structures, energetics and dynamics of ligands ( CO, NO) interacting with myoglobin from computer simulations. Modern computational methods including free energy simulations, mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations, and reactive molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into the dynamics of ligand dynamics in confined spaces complementary to experiment. Application of these methods to calculate and understand experimental observations for myoglobin interacting with CO and NO are presented and discussed.

The management of positive inter-store externalities in shopping centres: some empirical evidence

In enclosed shopping centres, stores benefit from the positive externalities of other stores in the centre. Some stores provide greater benefits to their neighbours than others – for example anchor tenants and brand leading stores. In managing shopping centres, these positive externalities might be captured through rental variations. This paper explores the determinants of rent – including externalities – for UK regional shopping centres. Two linked databases were utilised in the research. One contains characteristics of 148 shopping centres; the other has some 1,930 individual tenant records including rent level. These data were analysed to provide information on the characteristics of centres and retailers that help determine rent. Factors influencing tenant rents include market potential factors derived from urban and regional economic theory and shopping centre characteristics identified in prior retail research. The model also includes variables that proxy for the interaction between tenants and the impact of positive in-centre externalities. We find that store size is significantly and negatively related to tenant with both anchor and other larger tenants, perhaps as a result of the positive effects generated by their presence, paying relatively lower rents while smaller stores, benefiting from the generation of demand, pay relatively higher rents. Brand leader tenants pay lower rents than other tenants within individual retail categories.