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The article reports on solar energy technologies. Among the natural processes driven by the solar energy are warmth, light, clean air and water, and organic materials. Thus, human's use of solar energy to reduce his dependence on fossil fuels, as well as an alternative energy supply for the long term is suggested. Furthermore, it discussed the other possible energy resources aside from natural gas and petroleum that is helpful in case of shortage in energy supply including controlled thermonuclear fusion, coal, and nuclear fission.

The article reports on nuclear power growth and energy waste in the United States as projected by the Energy Research and Development Administration(ERDA). It examines the intensive electrification scenarios on which ERDA projections on U. S. nuclear power growth are based revealing that the high projection from ERDA of the future electric energy growth pushes the country toward plutonium economy. It states that the use of electric resistance heating as a major industrial process heat source is just one of the wasteful and uneconomic use of electricity resulted from the shift toward all electric economy. INSET: Energy Wastes in the COAT Scenario.

The article presents an assessment of the plutonium recycling economy. Fission researches show that there is an abundant source of uranium-238 which can be use for the process but despite of the potential of plutonium economy to be an inexhaustible energy resource, risks, particularly its use in the development of nuclear weapons should still be considered. It suggests considering first an alternative fission power development such as a solar-based non-fission power or fusion energy before proceeding with the plutonium recycling economy while an appropriate assessment of alternatives is encourage before pursuing a large scale commercial plutonium recycling.

The article illustrates the notion that fuel conservation can radically change the energy supply situation. Energy consumption associated with any activity or process is obtained by multiplying the demand for a product and the specific energy. A concept which illustrates how inefficient most energy consuming processes are and which can be used to point up the possibilities for efficiency improvements need to be introduced. Two examples are illustrated to show the efficiency concepts commonly used are entirely inadequate indicators of the potential for fuel savings. The principal results of research carried out for the Energy Policy Project of the Ford Foundation and an energy conservation study by the American Physical Society are highlighted.

The article presents a discussion of the prospects for photosynthetic energy. Photosynthesis is a solar conversion process which offers a renewable resource in convenient forms to replace diminishing supplies of oil and gas. It is possible to keep adverse environmental impacts to relatively low levels with a properly designed photosynthetic conversion system. Moreover, plant biomass can be used as fuel in several different forms. It is said that photosynthetic energy for developing nations should be prioritized for research and development.

The article explores some of the basic characteristics of alternative solar conversion systems in order to demonstrate the inherent relative promise and limitations of different systems. Solar energy supplies only about 4% of the energy consumed in the U.S. The sun's use in photosynthesis and in the evaporation of seawater to provide rain and the immensity of the solar energy resource are offered. The article also discusses the design of solar storage systems, the possibility of low cost space heating, and the approaches to wind power.

This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of female shoppers influenced to try new grocery products by sales promotions coupons. The findings indicate that this consumer group represents a sizable market segment with many unique characteristics. Knowledge of the unique demographic and psychographic characteristics of this segment should facilitate development of promotional strategies to elicit early trial of new products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network television and consumer magazines were compared with trade publications for cost efficiency in delivering individuals who influence organizational purchase decisions of $1,000 or more. Consumer magazines were found to deliver the total organizational buyer segment and various subsegments classified by industry and product category of the purchase more efficiently than the trade magazines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Thorium Cycles and Proliferation," by Frank von Hippel and Robert H. Williams published in the February 1979 issue of the periodical.

Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of Multiple Identification Theory (MIT) in changing the attitudes and behaviors of participants in simulations. However, these studies did not employ control groups, and their evidence of real-life behavioral change was self-reported. The present investigation attempts to improve upon previous MIT research in these areas. Participants either played an MIT game about international conflict twice (full MIT treatment) or watched a documentary and played the game once (control/half MIT treatment). Their attitudes and behaviors regarding conflict were measured before, during, and after the experimental sessions. Statistical tests reveal that the attitudes and behaviors of full MIT treatment participants became significantly more cooperative than those of control/half MIT treatment participants. The authors discuss the implications of this research for attitude change in simulation and for international relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two-component systems (TCSs) are modular and diverse signalling pathways, involving a stimulusresponsive transfer of phosphoryl groups from transmitter to partner receiver domains. TCS gene and domain organisation are both potentially informative regarding biological function, interaction partnerships and molecular mechanisms. However, there is currently little understanding of the relationships between domain architecture, gene organisation and TCS pathway structure. Results: Here we classify the gene and domain organisation of TCS gene loci from 1405 prokaryotic replicons (>40,000 TCS proteins). We find that 200 bp is the most appropriate distance cut-off for defining whether two TCS genes are functionally linked. More than 90% of all TCS gene loci encode just one or two transmitter and/or receiver domains, however numerous other geometries exist, often with large numbers of encoded TCS domains. Such information provides insights into the distribution of TCS domains between genes, and within genes. As expected, the organisation of TCS genes and domains is affected by phylogeny, and plasmid-encoded TCS exhibit differences in organisation from their chromosomally-encoded counterparts. Conclusions: We provide here an overview of the genomic and genetic organisation of TCS domains, as a resource for further research. We also propose novel metrics that build upon TCS gene/domain organisation data and allow comparisons between genomic complements of TCSs. In particular, 'percentage orphaned TCS genes' (or 'Dissemination') and 'percentage of complex loci' (or 'Sophistication') appear to be useful discriminators, and to reflect mechanistic aspects of TCS organisation not captured by existing metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical that plays an important role in modulating platelet adhesion and aggregation. Platelets are a source of vascular NO, but since erythrocytes avidly scavenge NO, the functional significance of platelet-derived NO is not clear. Our purpose was to determine if NO from platelets affects platelet thrombus formation in the presence of anticoagulated whole blood in an in vitro parallel plate flow system. We studied platelet adhesion and aggregation on a collagen type III surface in the presence of physiologically relevant fluid mechanical shear stress. We found that certain receptor mediated agonists (insulin and isoproterenol) caused a concentration dependent reduction in thrombus formation at a shear rate of 1000 s-1. This effect was mediated by NO since it was abolished in the presence of the NO inhibitor L-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME). As expected, at venous levels of shear rate (100 s-1) neither of the agonists had any effect on thrombus formation since platelet adhesion does not depend on activation at these low levels of shear. Interestingly, at a shear rate of 2000 s-1 the addition of L-NAME caused an increase in platelet coverage suggesting that shear, by itself, induces NO production by platelets. This is the first demonstration of shear stress causing platelets to produce an inhibitor of platelet activation. These results demonstrate that the development of a platelet thrombus is regulated in a complex way and that platelets produce functionally significant amounts of NO even in the presence of whole blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the fuel cell, an energy conversion device that is a candidate to replace the internal combustion engine in cars. How fuel cells work; Information on its discovery; Benefits from fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV); Costs.

Addresses the relationship between motivation and store loyalty by accomplishing several objectives. Relationship of motivations for store patronage and loyalty levels; Group grocery customer typology; Implications for food retailers.

As development and environmental goals become increasingly inte grated in international discourse, practical efforts to generate economic and environmental benefits simultaneously deserve increased attention. The electricity scenario for China presented here suggests thatan expansion of the power sector in China consistent with achieving a high living standard could be brought about over the next half century in ways that offer major environmental benefits, including no increase in CO, emissions from the power sector, at competitive costs. Accomplishing this goal requires that the following six elements be integrated: efficient electricity end-use, hydroelectric power, nuclear power, efficient gas turbine technologies fired with naturalgas, use ofcoal-derived hydrogen in fuel cells,and biomass-integrated gasifier/gas turbine technologies. While modern technology is emphasized, the scenario involves only systems that could be commercialized in the 1990s-no long-term technological possibilities are taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents information pertaining to a novel strategy used for the development of wind power relating to large-scale (multi-GW) wind farms in China. Comparison of the value of baseload wind power to electric utility to that of intermittent wind power; Illustration of the prospective costs for the approach to develop wind power; What China's environment policy has generated.