#551574 by emmajane and jhodgdon: Added @see also links to variable_set(), variable_get() and variable_del() to link them together.

#515236 by brandonojc, Everett Zufelt, and zzolo: Added additional markup to theme_status_messages() to be more apparent to assistive technology users.

- Patch #537862 by Crell, Amitaibu, salvis: simplify and make more flexible the node access by converting hook_access() to hook_node_access().

#554106 by dropcube, boombatower, deekayen, and sun: Let DWTC handle HTTP location header to ensure drupal_generate_test_ua() is called. Fix for testing bot.

#552066 by quicksketch and pwolanin: Fix bug with file_save_upload() and trailing slashes (with tests).

- Patch #251792 by pwolanin, Damien Tournoud, slantview, c960657: added a locking framework for long running operations.

#517814 by jmstacey, justinrandell, pwolanin, drewish, Jody Lynn, aaron, dopry, and c960657: Converted File API to stream wrappers, for enhanced private/public file handling, and the ability to reference other storage mechanisms such as s3:// and flicker://.

#544418 by merlinofchaos, sun, drewish, quicksketch, et al: Integrate CTools AJAX framework with Drupal to extend (and replace) existing ahah framework. Everything about AJAX/AHAH is more betterer now.

- Patch #370240 by Josh Waihi, stuzza, mfb, Arancaytar: PDO should quote index names in table declarations.

- Patch #340283 by boombatower, dmitrig01 et al: abstract the simpletest broswer in its own class/object.

#370454 follow-up by chx: Enhance comments to page cache simplification patch, and add in missing settings.default.php hunk.