XV. Yeast sequencing reports. Isolation and DNA sequence of the STE13 gene encoding dipeptidyl aminopeptidase

We have isolated a mutant which exhibits partial constitutivity for a -specific gene expression in α cells. The wild-type gene was cloned and demonstrated to be allelic to the STE13 gene, which encodes the dipeptidyl aminopeptidase involved in processing of the α-factor prepropheromone. Thus, the mating defect of the ste13 mutations in α cells may result both from the production of incompletely processed α-factor and from the increased expression of a -specific genes. The STE13 open reading frame of 931 amino acids contains a putative membrane-spanning segment near its amino terminus and is 31% identical to a second yeast dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (DAP2). A null mutant of STE13 has been constructed: it is viable and sporulation-proficient. The sequence has been deposited in the GenBank data library under Accession Number L21944.     

Multichannel, Single Tral Event Related Potential Classification

We report on the effect of electrode placement and number of electrodes on the classification of single trial event related potentials (ERP's). The subjects read propositions relating fictitious people and their occupations while ERP's were recorded. The subjects decided if the proposition was correct or incorrect and responded as per instructions. The single trial, multichannel ERP data were classified using various methods, e. g., hold-out, leave-one-out, resubstitution. Several other factors were examined to determine their effect on ERP classification, including taking a majority vote among channels, using the single best channel, and averaging the data across channels for a single ERP. The results from other experiments are compared to those presented here.     

Collaboration in humanitarian supply chains: an organisational culture framework

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that institutional logics and, more specifically, organisational culture can have on humanitarian supply chain (HSC) collaboration. A framework was developed that explicates buyer–supplier collaboration in a humanitarian setting. Twenty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with buyers and suppliers. The data indicated that in a HSC, collaborative outcomes, such as new product development, inventory management, and product/service delivery, are influenced by the buyers’ and suppliers’ organisational cultures. Based on suppliers’ characteristics, they can be classified as humanitarian suppliers, commercial suppliers, and humanitarian and commercial suppliers. These groups have distinct organisational cultures. An unexpected finding is that suppliers that serve commercial buyers primarily claim to have encountered no issues in supply chain collaboration with humanitarian buyers, although they have different types of organisational cultures. The factors that lead to successful collaboration are identified as trust, commitment, information sharing and mutual respect. Simultaneously, dominant institutional logics are observed in the dyadic relationship.     

Summoning earth and fire: The energy development implications of Grameen Shakti (GS) in Bangladesh

Since its establishment in 1996, the nonprofit company Grameen Shakti (GS) has installed almost half a million solar home systems (SHS), 132,000 cookstoves, and 13,300 biogas plants among 3.1 million beneficiaries. They plan to ramp up their expansion so that by 2015, more than 1.5 million SHS are in place along with 100,000 biogas units and 5 million improved cookstoves. This article describes GS’s current activities, the contours of its programs, and likely reasons for its success. It also explores the remaining challenges facing GS and distils common lessons for other energy development assistance projects and programs around the world. After detailing research methods consisting primarily of research interviews and site visits, the article briefly explores the history of GS and summarizes its three most prominent programs. The article then identifies six distinct benefits to their programs—expansion of energy access, less deforestation and fewer greenhouse gas emissions, price savings, direct employment and income generation, improved public health, and better technology—before discussing challenges related to staff retention and organizational growth, living standards, technical obstacles, affordability, tension with other energy programs, political constraints, and awareness and cultural values.     

Evaluating energy security performance from 1990 to 2010 for eighteen countries

This study provides an index for evaluating national energy security policies and performance among the United States, European Union, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the ten countries comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Drawn from research interviews, a survey instrument, and a focused workshop, the article first argues that energy security ought to be comprised of five dimensions related to availability, affordability, technology development, sustainability, and regulation. The article then breaks these dimensions down into 20 components and correlates them with 20 metrics that constitute a comprehensive energy security index. We find that the top three performers of our index for all data points and times are Japan, Brunei, and the United States and the worst performers Vietnam, India, and Myanmar. Malaysia, Australia, and Brunei saw their energy security improve the most from 1990 to 2010 whereas Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar saw it decline the most. The article concludes by calling for more research on various aspects of our index and its results.     

On Harmonious Relationships with Public Schools.

Comments on the article "The school as a psychological laboratory," by F. A. Mullen (see record 1960-02417-001), which discussed public schools as settings for practicum experiences and internships. The current author outlines the skills necessary to gaining the cooperation of school systems in order to advance our meager knowledge of the learning process and its relationship to personality development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ultrasonic mixing in microfluidic channels using integrated transducers

This paper presents a microfluidic mixer that uses acoustic stirring created by ultrasonic waves. The ultrasound is introduced into the channel by integrated piezoelectric transducers. The transducers are made of a zinc oxide thin film, which is deposited on the bottom surface of a quartz substrate. The poly(dimethylsiloxane) channel is aligned to the transducers on the top surface of the substrate. The transducers are designed for operation around 450 MHz. The main mechanism of the mixing is the acoustic stirring of the fluid perpendicular to the flow direction. The radiation pressure that is generated by the transducer causes the stirring inside the microfluidic channel. The performance of the mixer is characterized by mixing phenolphthalein solution and sodium hydroxide dissolved in ethyl alcohol. Flow rates on the order of 1-100 microL/min are used. The transducers are driven by 1.2 V(rms) sinusoidal voltages at 450 MHz.