The Realities of CASE

To help manage a large and increasingly complex backlog of systems development projects, more IS departments are turning to computer-aided software engineering (CASE) as their solution. However, this technology has certain barriers to its easy implementation, as shown by the response to a recent Deloitte & Touche survey that addressed (among other things) CASE use in organizations. This article discusses some of the problems of CASE implementation these organizations encountered as well as ways IS departments can overcome these barriers and effectively integrate CASE.     

Nano and Microtechnologies for the Study of Magnetotactic Bacteria

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) naturally synthesize magnetic nanoparticles that are wrapped in lipid membranes. These membrane‐bound particles, which are known as magnetosomes, are characterized by their narrow size distribution, high colloidal stability, and homogenous magnetic properties. These characteristics of magnetosomes confer them with significant value as materials for biomedical and industrial applications. MTB are also a model system to study key biological questions relating to formation of bacterial organelles, metal homeostasis, biomineralization, and magnetoaerotaxis. The similar size scale of nano and microfluidic systems to MTB and ease of coupling to local magnetic fields make them especially useful to study and analyze MTB. In this Review, a summary of nano‐ and microtechnologies that are developed for purposes such as MTB sorting, genetic engineering, and motility assays is provided. The use of existing platforms that can be adapted for large‐scale MTB processing including microfluidic bioreactors is also described. As this is a relatively new field, future synergistic research directions coupling MTB, and nano‐ and microfluidics are also suggested. It is hoped that this Review could start to bridge scientific communities and jump‐start new ideas in MTB research that can be made possible with nano‐ and microfluidic technologies.     

Langmiur–Blodgett studies of silicon(IV) phthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyoxide) and its optical properties

Although much solution-based research has been carried out on silicon phthalacyanines, little work has been done on Si Pc LB films. In order to attempt studies on thin films, ultrathin Langmuir–Blodgett films of silicon(IV) phthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyoxide), C₆₈H₉₄N₈O₂Si₃ have been studied and characterised. Whilst silicon(IV) phthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyoxide) is not a traditional LB film forming material, it can be made conducive to deposition by mixing with ideal film forming materials such as calixarenes. Surface pressure–area isotherms revealed an area per molecule of around 7.5 Å² which indicates that the silicon(IV) phthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyoxide) forms multi-lamella stacks. Thermal optical polarised spectroscopy revealed the formation of brightly coloured mesophases in films. DSC showed the presence of an irreversible A phase and a reversible T phase.     

The Phosphoinositide 3‐Kinase Signaling Pathway is Involved in the Control of Modified Low‐Density Lipoprotein Uptake by Human Macrophages

The transformation of macrophages into lipid‐loaded foam cells is a critical early event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Both receptor‐mediated uptake of modified LDL, mediated primarily by scavenger receptors‐A (SR‐A) and CD36 along with other proteins such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and macropinocytosis contribute to macrophage foam cell formation. The signaling pathways that are involved in the control of foam cell formation are not fully understood. In this study, we have investigated the role of phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) in relation to foam cell formation in human macrophages. The pan PI3K inhibitor LY294002 attenuated the uptake of modified LDL and macropinocytosis, as measured by Lucifer Yellow uptake, by human macrophages. In addition, the expression of SR‐A, CD36 and LPL was attenuated by LY294002. The use of isoform‐selective PI3K inhibitors showed that PI3K‐β, ‐γ and ‐δ were all required for the expression of SR‐A and CD36 whereas only PI3K‐γ was necessary in the case of LPL. These studies reveal a pivotal role of PI3K in the control of macrophage foam cell formation and provide further evidence for their potential as therapeutic target against atherosclerosis.     

The Realities of CASE

To help manage a large and increasingly complex backlog of systems development projects, more IS departments are turning to computer-aided software engineering (CASE) as their solution. However, this technology has certain barriers to its easy implementation, as shown by the response to a recent Deloitte & Touche survey that addressed (among other things) CASE use in organizations. This article discusses some of the problems of CASE implementation these organizations encountered as well as ways IS departments can overcome these barriers and effectively integrate CASE.     

Four heads are better than one: Combining face composites yields improvements in face likeness.

Four participants constructed face composites, of familiar and unfamiliar targets, using Pro-Fit, with reference images present or from memory. The "mean" of all 4 composites, created by morphing (4-morph) was rated as a better likeness than individual composites on average and was as good as the best individual likeness. When participants attempted to identify targets from line-ups, 4-morphs again performed as well as the best individual composite. In a second experiment, participants familiar with target women attempted to identify composites, and the trend showed better recognition from multiple composites, whether combined or shown together. In a line-up task with unfamiliar participants, 4-morphs produced most correct choices and fewest false positives from target-absent or target-present arrays. These results have practical implications for the way evidence from different witnesses is used in police investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Searching for the structure of coping: A review and critique of category systems for classifying ways of coping.

From analyzing 100 assessments of coping, the authors critiqued strategies and identified best practices for constructing category systems. From current systems, a list of 400 ways of coping was compiled. For constructing lower order categories, the authors concluded that confirmatory factor analysis should replace the 2 most common strategies (exploratory factor analysis and rational sorting). For higher order categories, they recommend that the 3 most common distinctions (problem- vs. emotion-focused, approach vs. avoidance, and cognitive vs. behavioral) no longer be used. Instead, the authors recommend hierarchical systems of action types (e.g., proximity seeking, accommodation). From analysis of 6 such systems, 13 potential core families of coping were identified. Future steps involve deciding how to organize these families, using their functional homogeneity and distinctiveness, and especially their links to adaptive processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Atmospheric flows of semi-volatile organic pollutants to the Great Lakes estimated by the United States' Integrated Atmospheric Deposition and Canada's Great Lakes Basin Monitoring and Surveillance Networks

We calculated the wet and dry deposition, vapor absorption, and volatilization flows (in kg/yr) of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), nine organochlorine pesticides, and two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into and out of the Great Lakes during 2010–2015 (inclusive). Particle, vapor, and precipitation concentrations from five rural and remote stations (one site on each lake) and two urban sites, operated by the United States and Canada, were used for the flow calculations. Output from the water to the air was the most important process for PCBs, chlordanes, and p,p′-DDE. The flows of endosulfan, p,p′-DDT, and phenanthrene were dominated by vapor absorption from the air to the water. The flow of benzo[a]pyrene was controlled by wet and dry deposition to the water. The flows of the hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) into and out of the lakes were about equal, indicating air-water equilibrium for these compounds. Among the lakes, Lakes Superior and Erie had the highest input and output flows. The input and output flows for the five lakes were decreasing with halving times of 1–10 years and 10–40 years, respectively. Most chemicals had seasonal variations in their flows, with maximum inputs in the summer and maximum outputs in the fall. The flows of PCBs and PAHs into Lakes Michigan and Erie were associated with Chicago and Cleveland, respectively. Combining our data with previous data over the period 1992–2015, we estimated that the input flows of most of these chemicals have significantly decreased, but the output flows do not show consistent trends.     

Evanescent wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy: a platform for the study of supported lipid bilayers

Evanescent wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) is advocated as an approach for monitoring the formation of supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) on quartz substrates in situ and for the quantitative study of fast molecular adsorption kinetics at the resulting modified biomimetic surface. This approach is illustrated using SLBs of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP). Complementary atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) measurements confirm the formation of bilayers on quartz. The subsequent interaction of the porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphine-p,p',p',p'-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium hydrate (TPPS) with the cationic bilayer-modified silica surface has been studied using EW-CRDS combined with an impinging-jet to deliver analyte to the surface in a well-defined manner. The adsorption of TPPS to the bilayer was kinetically controlled and the adsorption rate constant was found to be 1.7 (±0.6) × 10(-4) cm s(-1) from finite element modeling of the jet hydrodynamics and associated convective-diffusion equation, coupled to a first-order surface process describing adsorption. These proof-of-concept studies provide a platform for the investigation of molecular processes at biomembranes using EW-CRDS for chemical species showing optical absorbance in the visible and ultraviolet range.