Issues in Managing Information Technology

This paper describes three case studies which investigated issues relating to the implementation and management of advanced information technology. The benefits derived from information technology were found to vary from one organization to another. These studies provide further evidence to support earlier research findings that senior management has an important role to play in the effective exploitation of information technology, and that the investment approach taken by an organization has a significant effect on the development of computer-based information systems. The effectiveness of a system depends not only on applying the appropriate technology, but also on how successfully technical and behavioural issues are resolved.     

Rapid DNA hybridization analysis using a PDMS microfluidic sensor and a molecular beacon.

A rapid DNA analysis has been developed based on a fluorescence intensity change of a molecular beacon in a PDMS microfluidic channel. Recently, we reported a new analytical method of DNA hybridization involving a PDMS microfluidic sensor using fluorescence energy transfer (FRET). However, there are some limitations in its application to real DNA samples because the target DNA must be labelled with a suitable fluorescent dye. To resolve this problem, we have developed a new DNA microfluidic sensor using a molecular beacon. By monitoring the change in the restored fluorescence intensity along the channel length, it is possible to rapidly detect any hybridization of the molecular beacon to the target DNA. In this case, the target DNA does not need to be labelled. Our experimental results demonstrate that this microfluidic sensor using a molecular beacon is a promising diagnostic tool for rapid DNA hybridization analysis.     

A note on the angular distribution of the characteristic surface loss intensity of electrons with non-normal incidence to the foils

By using a quantized theory of non-radiative surface plasmon in a semi-infinite electron gas, where retardation is taken into account, the differential surface loss intensity of electrons in a metal foil is calculated for the case of non-normal incidence of electron to the metal surface. The result shows that the differential surface loss intensity neither has a zero at θ = 0 for the case of normal incidence nor has a zero at a forward direction (θ ≠ 0, φ = 0) for the case of non-normal incidence, whose existences were predicted by electrostatic theories, but diverges as 1/θ at θ = 0 for both cases. It is also shown that, when the angle of incidence is greater than a certain critical value, there is a region of direction to which incident electrons can be scattered by exciting any one of surface plasmons with three different wave vectors.     

A discontinuous Galerkin method for the Cahn-Hilliard equation

The Cahn-Hilliard equation is modeled to describe the dynamics of phase separation in glass and polymer systems. A priori error estimates for the Cahn-Hilliard equation have been studied by the authors. In order to control accuracy of approximate solutions, a posteriori error estimation of the Cahn-Hilliard equation is obtained by discontinuous Galerkin method.     

Singlewall carbon nanotubes covered with polystyrene nanoparticles by in‐situ miniemulsion polymerization

This work is to make carbon nanotubes dispersible in both water and organic solvents without oxidation and cutting nanotube threads. Polystyrene‐singlewall carbon nanotube (PS‐SWNT) composites were prepared with three different methods: miniemulsion polymerization, conventional emulsion polymerization, and mixing SWNT with PS latex. The two factors, crosslinking and surface coverage of PS are important factors for the mechanical and electrical properties, including dispersion states of SWNT in various solvents. The PS‐SWNT composite prepared via a conventional emulsion polymerization showed SWNT bundles entirely covered with PS, whereas the PS‐SWNT composite prepared via a miniemulsion polymerization showed SWNT partially covered with crosslinked PS nanoparticles. The method of mixing SWNTs with PS latex did not show the well dispersed state of carbon nanotubes because PS was not crosslinked and was dissolved in a solvent, and nanotubes separated from PS precipitated. So the PS nanoparticle‐SWNT composite had lower electrical resistance, and higher mechanical strength than the other composites made by the latter two methods. As the amount of SWNT increases, the bare surface area of SWNT increases and the electrical conductivity increases in the composite made by the miniemulsion polymerization. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 573–584, 2006     

An evaluation of exogenous application of protoporphyrin IX and its dimethyl ester as a photodynamic diagnostic agent in poorly differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma

5-Aminolevulinic acid and its esterified analogues have been under much investigation to enhance the endogenous production of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. However, in this work, we studied the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of exogenously administered PpIX and its esterified analogue, PpIX dimethyl ester (PME), in poorly differentiated human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC/CNE-2) as a photodynamic diagnostic (PDD) agent. NPC/CNE-2 at its earliest time, 1 h after incubation with PME in in vitro studies, has exhibited 64% (P <0.01) higher tumor to normal cell (T/N) fluorescence ratio than with PpIX. In an in vivo mouse xenograft model, comparable photosensitizer concentration in tumor after intravenous administration was observed at 1-3 h time points, but at 9 h, PME had 31% (P=0.05) greater concentration in tumor compared with PpIX. In addition, by constituting PME and PpIX in different topical gel composites, of which, PME gel composition of 8:2 Plasdone and Gantrez resulted in the highest T/N ratio at 6 h after application (34%; P <0.05) in comparison with other gel composites. Evaluation of PME and PpIX constituted in the delivery vehicles investigated showed comparable selectivity for tumor at 1-3 h, thus neither photosensitizer is more efficient than the other for PDD at the early time points; however, beyond 6 h, PME had higher selectivity for tumor compared with PpIX. Thus, further investigation is warranted to improve the drug delivery vehicle for greater tumor selectivity at a shorter incubation time.     

Macrodasine A, a novel macroline derivative incorporating fused spirocyclic tetrahydrofuran rings containing a spiroacetal moiety

A novel indole alkaloid, viz., macrodasine A, incorporating fused spirocyclic tetrahydrofuran rings onto a macroline-like moiety, was obtained from a Malayan Alstonia species. The structure, which is also notable for the presence of an unprecedented spiroacetal moiety in an indole alkaloid, was established by spectroscopic analysis.     

Extremal k *-Cycle Resonant Hexagonal Chains

Denote by ^* _n the set of all k ^*-cycle resonant hexagonal chains with n hexagons. For any B _n ^* _n , let m(B _n ) and i(B _n ) be the numbers of matchings (=the Hosoya index) and the number of independent sets (=the Merrifield–Simmons index) of B _n , respectively. In this paper, we give a characterization of the k ^*-cycle resonant hexagonal chains, and show that for any B _n ^* _n , m(H _n )m(B _n ) and i(H _n )i(B _n ), where H _n is the helicene chain. Moreover, equalities hold only if B _n =H _n .     

An improved scheme for the identification of antigens recognized by specific antibodies in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting

This paper describes an improved scheme for the identification of antigens in crude extracts recognized by specific antibodies when analyzed by a combination of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. First, protein components in gels are electrophoretically transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane which does not shrink or change dimensions in organic solvents. The efficiency of transfer and the localization of sample proteins on the membrane are checked and recorded by staining the blotting membrane with Fast Green FCF and recording the profile on a transparency. After blocking and the immunoassay, the results are recorded by photography. The sites of immune reaction are marked and the same membrane is restained briefly with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250 for the protein profile. Thus antigens in complex mixtures, recognized by antibodies of interest, can easily be identified from the restained membrane. If the whole protein profile is not well demonstrated, when used in combination with the profile recorded on the transparency, spots appearing on the restained membrane can still be used as useful landmarks in the final unequivocal antigenic identification. This improved scheme circumvents problems arising from membrane shrinkage and difficulties in accurately matching immunoreactive spots by conventional procedures and thus provides an accurate, simple and fast approach in the identification of antigens after immunoblotting.