Global shifts, theoretical shifts: changing geographies of religion

10.1177/0309132510362602Progress in Human Geography346755-77

A Bio-Catalytic Approach to Aliphatic Ketones

Depleting oil reserves and growing environmental concerns have necessitated the development of sustainable processes to fuels and chemicals. Here we have developed a general metabolic platform in E. coli to biosynthesize carboxylic acids. By engineering selectivity of 2-ketoacid decarboxylases and screening for promiscuous aldehyde dehydrogenases, synthetic pathways were constructed to produce both C5 and C6 acids. In particular, the production of isovaleric acid reached 32 g/L (0.22 g/g glucose yield), which is 58% of the theoretical yield. Furthermore, we have developed solid base catalysts to efficiently ketonize the bio-derived carboxylic acids such as isovaleric acid and isocaproic acid into high volume industrial ketones: methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK, yield 84%), diisobutyl ketone (DIBK, yield 66%) and methyl isoamyl ketone (MIAK, yield 81%). This hybrid “Bio-Catalytic conversion” approach provides a general strategy to manufacture aliphatic ketones, and represents an alternate route to expanding the repertoire of renewable chemicals

Globalization and state capacity in Asia

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E-government in China

The article analyses e-government progress in China. It provides a brief overview of benchmarking studies and their evaluation of China, plus a contextual analysis of e-government initiatives in China and of the changing official position witnessed in the past two decades. It then takes stock of e-government in China in the first quarter of 2004. On this basis, it considers the significance of contemporary e-government activity for Chinese governance. The argument is that e-government is currently having no more than a limited impact on the Chinese public sector. However, there are strong grounds for optimism about future development. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Revisiting the golden era of MacLehose and the dynamics of social reforms

The International Conference on Center and Metropolis, Autonomy of Hong Kong in Comparative and Historical Perspective, City University of Hong kong, Hong Kong, 15 January 2010