bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and Viability of Microencapsulated Human Islets Transplanted Into Diabetic Humans
Authors: Tuch Bernard E. , Keogh Gregory W. , Williams Lindy J. , Wu Wei , Foster Jayne L. , Vaithilingam Vijayganapathy , Philips Robert
Published: June 2009

OBJECTIVE

Transplantation of insulin-producing cells placed inside microcapsules is being trialled to overcome the need for immunosuppressive therapy.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Four type 1 diabetic patients with no detectable C-peptide received an intraperitoneal infusion of islets inside microcapsules of barium alginate (mean 178,200 islet equivalents on each of eight occasions).

RESULTS

C-peptide was detected on day 1 post-transplantation, and blood glucose levels and insulin requirements decreased. C-peptide was undetectable by 1–4 weeks. In a multi-islet recipient, C-peptide was detected at 6 weeks after the third infusion and remains detectable at 2.5 years. Neither insulin requirements nor glycemic control was affected. Capsules recovered at 16 months were surrounded by fibrous tissue and contained necrotic islets. No major side effects or infection occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

While allografting of encapsulated human islets is safe, efficacy of the cells needs to improve for the therapy to make an impact on the clinical scene.
Biological evaluation of 10-(diphenylmethylene)- 4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5-dione derivatives
Authors: Stefańska Joanna , Bielenica Anna , Struga Marta , Tyski Stafan , Kossakowski Jerzy , Loddo Roberta , Ibba Cristina , Collu David , Marongiu Esther , Colla Paolo
Published: June 2009

Antibacterial and antifungal activity of 10-(diphenylmethylene)-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5-dione derivatives were examined by the disc-diffusion method (growth inhibition zone diameter in agar medium). The MIC’s for the most active agents were determined. Title compounds were also evaluated in vitro against representatives of different virus classes. Most of the tested compounds exhibit activity against CVB-2 virus.
Effects of γ-irradiation on antioxidant activity in soybean seeds
Authors: Štajner Dubravka , Popović Boris , Taški Ksenija
Published: June 2009

There are some reports that low doses of γ-irradiation could induce antioxidant activities in plant material, including soybean. Irradiation, required for the inactivation of some pathogens and induction of mutations, may have adverse effects on sensorial, nutritional and antioxidant qualities. The effects of different γ-irradiation doses (100–200 Gy) on antioxidant properties of soybean seeds was investigated. In this study, we report the results obtained by analysis of antioxidant enzyme activities, reduced glutathione, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyl (HO−) radical quantities, soluble protein content, and total antioxidant activity in irradiated soybean seeds. Antioxidant enzyme activities were affected due to high irradiation intensity. Significant changes of total antioxidant activity and MDA and HO.quantities were observed only under the highest irradiation dose, with a 15.7% reduction in total antioxidant activity, MDA quantity increase of 21.6%, and HO− radical quantity increase of 79.3% compared to the non-irradiated control. The total soluble protein content increased slightly.
Caught in the Crossfire: Forest-Dependent Poor People in Nepal
Authors: Paudel Krishna Prasad , Kattel Balkrishna
Published: June 2009

This paper examines the impact of armed conflict on the lives of the forest-dependent poor in Nepal. Based on a survey study carried out in four districts among forest-dependent poor and their service providers, the findings show that the armed conflict is severely affecting the lives and living conditions of the poor. The lack of food, drinking water, education, health care and employment opportunities has made them more vulnerable. The conflict has contributed on the disruption of social security, communal bonds, friendship and brotherhoods, trust and local hospitalities and it has planted frustration in these populations. Optimism of the poor is waning. However, they still want to see peace restored.Priority Problems of Forest Dependent Poor People in conflict situation in Nepal Keywords: forest-dependent poor, poverty, insurgency, poor doi: 10.3126/jfl.v5i1.1975 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 5(1) February, 2006 pp.14-21
The Livelihood Improvement Process: An Inclusive and Pro-Poor Approach to Community Forestry – Experiences from Kabhrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok Districts of Nepal
Authors: Joshi Murari , Dhakal Lokendra , Paudel Gopi , Shrestha Raghu , Paudel Arun , Chand Padam Bahadur , Timsina Netra Prasad
Published: June 2009

Reducing poverty through equitable and sustainable community-based natural resource management, particularly through programmes that accord attention to the issue of social inclusion, is the major objective of development projects related to natural resource management. At the local level, many innovations have been developed and are being put in place to enhance the pro-poor approaches, which specifically focus on the issues of livelihoods and inclusion. Livelihood Improvement Process (LIP) is one of the innovations arising to address this end. This paper presents the concept, process of implementation, and impacts of the LIP, as well as the opportunities and challenges it faces based on the experiences gained in Kabhrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok districts of Nepal. It concludes that the LIP can be an appropriate tool for reaching the poor, as it helps to sensitise and inform all actors about the need of pro-poor and inclusive development process. Key Words: community forestry, livelihood improvement process, social inclusion, governance doi: 10.3126/jfl.v5i1.1980 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 5(1) February, 2006 pp.46-52
Propensity of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines During Early Stage of Lineage Specification Controls Their Terminal Differentiation into Mature Cell Types
Authors: Pal Rajarshi , Totey Swapnil , Mamidi Murali Krishna , Bhat Vijay S. , Totey Satish
Published: June 2009

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are able to stably maintain their characteristics for an unlimited period; nevertheless, substantial differences among cell lines in gene and protein expression not manifested during the undifferentiated state may appear when cells differentiate. It is widely accepted that developing an efficient protocol to control the differentiation of hESCs will enable us to produce adequate numbers of desired cell types with relative ease for diverse applications ranging from basic research to cell therapy and drug screening. Hence of late, there has been considerable interest in understanding whether and how hESC lines are equivalent or different to each other in their in vitro developmental tendencies. In this study, we compared the developmental competences of two hESC lines (HUES-9 and HUES-7) at molecular, cellular and functional levels, upon spontaneous differentiation without any added inducing agents. Both cell lines generated the three embryonic germ layers, extra-embryonic tissues and primordial germ cells during embryoid body (EB) formation. However HUES-9 showed a stronger propensity towards formation of neuroectodermal lineages, whereas HUES-7 differentiated preferentially into mesoderm and endoderm. Upon further differentiation, HUES-9 generated largely neural cells (neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and gangliosides) whereas HUES-7 formed mesendodermal derivatives, including cardiomyocytes, skeletal myocytes, endothelial cells, hepatocytes and pancreatic cells. Overall, our findings endorse the hypothesis that independently-derived hESCs biologically differ among themselves, thereby displaying varying differentiation propensity. These subtle differences not only highlight the importance of screening and deriving lines for lineage-specific differentiation but also indicate that individual lines may possess a repertoire of capabilities that is unique.
Dysregulation of T-Cell Development in Adrenal Glucocorticoid-Deprived Rats
Authors: Stojić-Vukanić Zorica , Rauški Aleksandra , Kosec Duško , Radojević Katarina , Pilipović Ivan , Leposavić Gordana
Published: June 2009

A number of different experimental approaches have been used to elucidate the impact of basal levels of adrenal gland-derived glucocorticoids (GCs) on T cell development, and thereby T cell-mediated immune responses. However, the relevance of the adrenal GCs to T cell development is still far from clear. This study was undertaken to explore the relevance of basal levels of GCs to T cell differentiation/maturation. Eight days post-adrenalectomy in adult male rats the thymocyte yield, apoptotic and proliferative rate and the relationship amongst major thymocyte subsets, as defined by TCRαβ/CD4/CD8 expression, were examined using flow cytometry. Adrenal GC deprivation decreased thymocyte apoptosis and altered the kinetics of T cell differentiation/maturation. In the adrenalectomized rats there was increased thymic hypercellularity and an over-representation of the CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) TCRαβlowcells entering selection, as well as increased numbers of their DP TCRαβ−immediate precursors. These changes were accompanied with under-representation of the postselected DP TCRαβhighand the most mature CD4−CD8+ and, particularly, CD4+CD8− single positive (SP) TCRαβhighcells. This data suggests that withdrawal of adrenal GCs produces alterations in the thymocyte selection processes, possibly affecting the diversity of functional T cell repertoire and generation of potentially self-reactive cells as indicated by the reduced proportion and number of CD4−CD8− double negative TCRαβhighcells. In addition, it indicates that GCs influence the post-selection maturation of thymocytes and plays a regulatory role in controlling the ratio of mature CD4+CD8−/CD4−CD8+ SP TCRαβhighcells.
Coronavirus Diversity, Phylogeny and Interspecies Jumping
Authors: Woo Patrick C. Y. , Lau Susanna K. P. , Huang Yi , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: June 2009

The SARS epidemic has boosted interest in research on coronavirus biodiversity and genomics. Before 2003, there were only 10 coronaviruses with complete genomes available. After the SARS epidemic, up to December 2008, there was an addition of 16 coronaviruses with complete genomes sequenced. These include two human coronaviruses (human coronavirus NL63 and human coronavirus HKU1), 10 other mammalian coronaviruses [bat SARS coronavirus, bat coronavirus (bat-CoV) HKU2, bat-CoV HKU4, bat-CoV HKU5, bat-CoV HKU8, bat-CoV HKU9, bat-CoV 512/2005, bat-CoV 1A, equine coronavirus, and beluga whale coronavirus] and four avian coronaviruses (turkey coronavirus, bulbul coronavirus HKU11, thrush coronavirus HKU12, and munia coronavirus HKU13). Two novel subgroups in group 2 coronavirus (groups 2c and 2d) and two novel subgroups in group 3 coronavirus (groups 3b and 3c) have been proposed. The diversity of coronaviruses is a result of the infidelity of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, high frequency of homologous RNA recombination, and the large genomes of coronaviruses. Among all hosts, the diversity of coronaviruses is most evidenced in bats and birds, which may be a result of their species diversity, ability to fly, environmental pressures, and habits of roosting and flocking. The present evidence supports that bat coronaviruses are the gene pools of group 1 and 2 coronaviruses, whereas bird coronaviruses are the gene pools of group 3 coronaviruses. With the increasing number of coronaviruses, more and more closely related coronaviruses from distantly related animals have been observed, which were results of recent interspecies jumping and may be the cause of disastrous outbreaks of zoonotic diseases.
Relationship Between Changes in Brain MRI and 1H-MRS, Severity of Chronic Liver Damage, and Recovery After Liver Transplantation
Authors: Long Li-Ling , Li Xiang-Rong , Huang Zhong-Kui , Jiang Yue-Ming , Fu Sherleen X. , Zheng Wei
Published: June 2009

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) have been used in clinics for diagnosis of chronic liver diseases. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between MRI/MRS outcomes and the severity of liver damage. Of 50 patients examined, the MRI signal intensity in the globus pallidus as determined by pallidus index (PI) increased as the disease severity (scored by Child Pugh ranking) worsened ( r = 0.353, P < 0.05). The changes in PI values were also linearly associated with Mn concentrations in whole blood (MnB) ( r = 0.814, P < 0.01). MRS analysis of four major brain metabolites (i.e., Cho, mI, Glx, and NAA) revealed that the ratios of Cho/Cr and mI/Cr in cirrhosis and CHE patients were significantly decreased in comparison to controls ( P < 0.05), whereas the ratio of Glx/Cr was significantly increased ( P < 0.05). The Child Pugh scores significantly correlated with mI/Cr (−0.484, P < 0.01) and Glx (0.369, P < 0.05), as well as MnB (0.368, P < 0.05), but not with other brain metabolites. Three patients who received a liver transplant experienced normalization of brain metabolites within 3 months of post-transplantation; the MR imaging of Mn in the globus pallidus completely disappeared 5 months after the surgery. Taken together, this clinical study, which combined MRI/MRS analysis, autopsy exam and liver transplant, clearly demonstrates that liver injury-induced brain Mn accumulation can reversibly alter the homeostasis of brain metabolites Cho, mI and Glx. Our data further suggest that liver transplantation can restore normal brain Mn levels.
Sources of backscatter at 5.3 GHz from a superimposed ice and firn area revealed by multi-frequency GPR and cores
Authors: Langley Kirsty , Lacroix Pascal , Hamran Svein-Erik , Brandt Ola
Published: June 2009

We investigate the major sources of backscatter at 5.3 GHz, within the superimposed ice and firn areas of a polythermal glacier. Two ground-penetrating radar systems, an 800 MHz impulse system and a polarimetric 5.3 GHz frequency-modulated continuous-wave system, are used to acquire along-glacier profiles in the accumulation area of Kongsvegen, Svalbard. The 800 MHz response is used to map reflection horizons in the glacier. Using cores from the superimposed ice and firn areas, the causes of these reflection horizons, in terms of snow, firn and ice layers, are investigated. Superimposing the reflection horizons on the co-polarized and cross-polarized 5.3 GHz profile, we are able to determine how the 5.3 GHz frequency responds to the different media. Scattering at rough interfaces and volume scattering occur in the superimposed ice area and are apparently caused by air-bubble number, size and distribution. In the firn the strongest return originates from below the previous summer surface, consistent with previous findings. At approximately the same depth, strong incoherent scattering begins. The rapid decrease in coherent reflections indicates the significance of scattering in the firn.
Evidence of past fluctuations on Stancomb-Wills Ice Tongue, Antarctica, preserved by relict flow stripes
Authors: Wuite J. , Jezek K.C.
Published: June 2009

This paper presents a newly derived velocity field of the Brunt Ice Shelf and Stancomb-Wills Ice Tongue in East Antarctica. Velocity is derived using automated feature-tracking techniques on RADARSAT-1 imagery from the 1997 Antarctic Mapping Mission-1 (AMM-1) and 2000 Modified Antarctic Mapping Mission (MAMM). We measure velocities up to 1350 m a−1 at the ice front. Closer investigation of the velocity field and radar images reveals an obvious divergence of contemporary flowlines from relict flow stripes along a portion of Stancomb-Wills Ice Tongue. Analysis of relict flow stripes can reveal glacial events in the past. Assuming relatively steady flow since the event occurred, we utilize the current velocity field to reconstruct former stripe configuration. We believe the flowline deviation points to a change in dynamics that occurred approximately 140 years ago, perhaps due to thinning and an associated shift in grounding-line position. This seems to be supported by historic observations and bottom topography data.
Airborne and spaceborne DEM- and laser altimetry-derived surface elevation and volume changes of the Bering Glacier system, Alaska, USA, and Yukon, Canada, 1972–2006
Authors: Muskett Reginald R. , Lingle Craig S. , Sauber Jeanne M. , Post Austin S. , Tangborn Wendell V. , Rabus Bernhard T. , Echelmeyer Keith A.
Published: June 2009

Using airborne and spaceborne high-resolution digital elevation models and laser altimetry, we present estimates of interannual and multi-decadal surface elevation changes on the Bering Glacier system, Alaska, USA, and Yukon, Canada, from 1972 to 2006. We find: (1) the rate of lowering during 1972–95 was 0.9 ± 0.1 m a−1; (2) this rate accelerated to 3.0 ± 0.7 m a−1 during 1995–2000; and (3) during 2000–03 the lowering rate was 1.5 ± 0.4 m a−1. From 1972 to 2003, 70% of the area of the system experienced a volume loss of 191 ± 17 km3, which was an area-average surface elevation lowering of 1.7 ± 0.2 m a−1. From November 2004 to November 2006, surface elevations across Bering Glacier, from McIntosh Peak on the south to Waxell Ridge on the north, rose as much as 53 m. Up-glacier on Bagley Ice Valley about 10 km east of Juniper Island nunatak, surface elevations lowered as much as 28 m from October 2003 to October 2006. NASA Terra/MODIS observations from May to September 2006 indicated muddy outburst floods from the Bering terminus into Vitus Lake. This suggests basal–englacial hydrologic storage changes were a contributing factor in the surface elevation changes in the fall of 2006.
Synchronous acceleration of ice loss and glacial erosion, Glaciar Marinelli, Chilean Tierra del Fuego
Authors: Koppes Michèle , Hallet Bernard , Anderson John
Published: June 2009

To contribute to the understanding of the influence of climate on glacial erosion and on orogenic processes, we report contemporary glacial erosion rates from a calving glacier in the Southern Andes and elucidate the influence of ice dynamics on erosion. Using seismic profiles of sediments collected in a proglacial fjord and a documented history of retreat, we determine the time-varying sediment flux of Glaciar Marinelli as a measure of basin-wide erosion rates, and compare these rates with the annual ice budget reconstructed using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis climate data from 1950 to 2005. The rate of erosion of the largest tidewater glacier in Tierra del Fuego averaged 39 ± 16 mm a−1 during the latter half of the 20th century, with an annual maximum approaching 130 mm a−1 following a decade of rapid retreat. A strong correlation emerges between the variable rate of ice delivery to the terminus and the erosion rate, providing quantitative insight into the relationship between ice fluxes and glacial erosion rates. For Glaciar Marinelli, as for other calving glaciers for which suitable data exist, the marked retreat and thinning over the past 50 years have resulted in a period of accelerated basal sliding and unusually rapid erosion.
Assessing the transferability and robustness of an enhanced temperature-index glacier-melt model
Authors: Carenzo Marco , Pellicciotti Francesca , Rimkus Stefan , Burlando Paolo
Published: June 2009

We investigate the transferability of an enhanced temperature-index melt model that was developed and tested on Haut Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland, in the 2001 season. The model’s empirical parameters (temperature factor, TF, and shortwave radiation factor, SRF) are recalibrated for: (1) other locations on Haut Glacier d’Arolla; (2) subperiods of distinct meteorological conditions; (3) different years on Haut Glacier d’Arolla; and (4) other glaciers in different years. The model parameters are optimized against simulations of an energy-balance model validated against ablation observations. Results are compared with those obtained with the original parameters. The model works very well when applied to other sites, seasons and glaciers, with the exception of overcast conditions. Differences are due to underestimation of high melt rates. The parameter values are associated with the prevailing energy-balance conditions, showing that high SRF are obtained on clear-sky days, whereas higher TF are typical of locations where glacier winds prevail and turbulent fluxes are high. We also provide a range of parameters clearly associated with the site’s location and its meteorological characteristics that could help to assign parameter values to sites where few data are available.
Solar radiation, cloudiness and longwave radiation over low-latitude glaciers: implications for mass-balance modelling
Authors: Mölg Thomas , Cullen Nicolas J. , Kaser Georg
Published: June 2009

Broadband radiation schemes (parameterizations) are commonly used tools in glacier mass-balance modelling, but their performance at high altitude in the tropics has not been evaluated in detail. Here we take advantage of a high-quality 2 year record of global radiation (G ) and incoming longwave radiation (L ↓) measured on Kersten Glacier, Kilimanjaro, East Africa, at 5873 m a.s.l., to optimize parameterizations of G and L ↓. We show that the two radiation terms can be related by an effective cloud-cover fraction neff , so G or L ↓ can be modelled based on neff derived from measured L ↓ or G, respectively. At neff = 1, G is reduced to 35% of clear-sky G, and L ↓ increases by 45–65% (depending on altitude) relative to clear-sky L ↓. Validation for a 1 year dataset of G and L ↓ obtained at 4850 m on Glaciar Artesonraju, Peruvian Andes, yields a satisfactory performance of the radiation scheme. Whether this performance is acceptable for mass-balance studies of tropical glaciers is explored by applying the data from Glaciar Artesonraju to a physically based mass-balance model, which requires, among others, G and L ↓ as forcing variables. Uncertainties in modelled mass balance introduced by the radiation parameterizations do not exceed those that can be caused by errors in the radiation measurements. Hence, this paper provides a tool for inclusion in spatially distributed mass-balance modelling of tropical glaciers and/or extension of radiation data when only G or L ↓ is measured.
Deformation of the Batestown till of the Lake Michigan lobe, Laurentide ice sheet
Authors: Thomason Jason F. , Iverson Neal R.
Published: June 2009

Deep, pervasive shear deformation of the bed to high strains (>100) may have been primarily responsible for flow and sediment transport of the Lake Michigan lobe of the Laurentide ice sheet. To test this hypothesis, we sampled at 0.2 m increments a basal till from one advance of the lobe (Batestown till) along vertical profiles and measured fabrics due to both anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and sand-grain preferred orientation. Unlike past fabric studies, interpretations were guided by results of laboratory experiments in which this till was deformed in simple shear to high strains. Fabric strengths indicate that more than half of the till sampled has a <5% probability of having been sheared to moderate strains (7–30). Secular changes in fabric azimuth over the thickness of the till, probably due to changing ice-flow direction as the lobe receded, indicate that the bed accreted with time and that the depth of deformation of the bed did not exceed a few decimeters. Orientations of principal magnetic susceptibilities show that the state of strain was commonly complex, deviating from bed-parallel simple shear. Deformation is inferred to have been focused in shallow, temporally variable patches during till deposition from ice.
Derivation of melt factors from glacier mass-balance records in western Canada
Authors: Shea Joseph M. , Dan Moore R. , Stahl Kerstin
Published: June 2009

Melt factors for snow (ks) and ice (ki) were derived from specific mass-balance data and regionally interpolated daily air-temperature series at nine glaciers in the western Cordillera of Canada. Fitted ks and ki were relatively consistent across the region, with mean values (standard deviations) of 3.04 (0.38) and 4.59 (0.59) mm d−1 °C−1, respectively. The interannual variability of melt factors was investigated for two long-term datasets. Calculated annually, snow- and ice-melt factors were relatively stable from year to year; standard deviations for snowmelt factors were 0.48 (17%) and 0.42 (18%) at Peyto and Place Glaciers, respectively, while standard deviations of ice-melt factors were 1.17 (25%) and 0.81 (14%). While fitted values of ks are comparable to those presented in previous observational and modeling studies, fitted ki are substantially and consistently lower across the region. Fitted melt factors were sensitive to the choice of lapse rate used in the air-temperature interpolation. Melt factors fitted to mass-balance data from a single site (Place Glacier) provided reasonable summer balance predictions at most other sites representing both maritime and continental climates, although there was a tendency for under-prediction at several sites. The combination of regionally interpolated air temperatures and a degree-day model appears capable of generating first-order estimates of regional summer balance, which can provide a benchmark against which to judge the predictive ability of more complex (e.g. energy balance) models applied at a regional scale. Mass-balance sensitivity analyses indicate that a temperature increase of 1 K will increase summer ablation in the region by 0.51 m w.e. a−1 on average.
Meridianiite detected in ice
Authors: Elif Genceli F. , Horikawa Shinichirou , Iizuka Yoshinori , Sakurai Toshimitsu , Hondoh Takeo , Kawamura Toshiyuki , Witkamp Geert-Jan
Published: June 2009

Inclusions affect the behavior of ice, and their characteristics help us understand the formation history of the ice. Recently, a low-temperature magnesium sulfate salt was discovered. This paper describes this naturally occurring MgSO4·11H2O mineral, meridianiite, derived from salt inclusions in sea ice of Lake Saroma, Japan and in Antarctic continental core ice. Its occurrence is confirmed by using micro-Raman spectroscopy to compare Raman spectra of synthetic MgSO4·11H2O with those of the inclusions.
Recent changes on Greenland outlet glaciers
Authors: Thomas R. , Frederick E. , Krabill W. , Manizade S. , Martin C.
Published: June 2009

Aircraft laser-altimeter surveys during the 1990s showed near-coastal parts of the Greenland ice sheet to be thinning; despite slow thickening at higher elevations, the ice sheet lost mass to the ocean. Many outlet glaciers thinned more rapidly than could be explained by increased melting during the recent warmer summers, indicating dynamic imbalance between glacier velocity and upstream snow accumulation. Results from more recent surveys, presented here, show that thinning rates have increased in most coastal regions. For almost half of the surveys, these increases might have resulted from increases in summer melting, but rapid thinning on others is indicative of dynamic changes that increased with time. In particular, thinning rates on the three fastest glaciers increased to tens of m a−1 after 2000, and other observations show an approximate doubling in their velocities. The deep beds of these glaciers appear to have a strong influence on rates of grounding-line retreat and thickness change, with periods of glacier acceleration and rapid thinning initiated by flotation and break-up of lightly grounded glacier snouts or break-up of floating ice tongues. Near-simultaneous thinning of these widely separated glaciers suggests that warming of deeper ocean waters might be a common cause. Nearby glaciers without deep beds are thinning far more slowly, suggesting that basal lubrication as a result of increased surface melting has only a marginal impact on Greenland outlet-glacier acceleration
Primary, secondary and tertiary creep of ice modelled as a viscoelastic fluid
Authors: Morland L. W.
Published: June 2009

As an ice sheet evolves, there are ice elements near the surface only recently subjected to stress following deposition, and others that have been subjected to stress over many ranges of time. The constant stress and constant strain-rate responses of ice in uniaxial compressive stress exhibit non-viscous behaviour, that is, the strain rate is not fixed by the stress (and conversely) but both vary with time. At constant stress the initial primary strain rate decreases with time to a minimum, described as secondary creep. It then increases and approaches an asymptotic limit, described as tertiary creep. Analogously, at constant strain rate the initial stress increases to a maximum then decreases to an asymptotic limit. These responses are used to construct a simple viscoelastic fluid constitutive law of differential type. Such a time-dependent law, with timescales changing widely with temperature, can be expected to yield a flow field in an ice sheet that is very different from that obtained from the viscous law. Only comparison solutions for both constitutive laws can determine the differences and significance of the non-viscous behaviour, and the simple law constructed would be a candidate for such comparisons.
Raman spectra of plate-like inclusions in the EPICA-DML (Antarctica) ice core
Authors: Nedelcu Aneta F. , Faria Sérgio H. , Kuhs Werner F.
Published: June 2009

A number of scientists have already warned against the risks of interpreting paleoclimate records without an adequate understanding of the diffusion of relevant chemical traces in deep ice cores (Gow, 1971; Ikeda and others, 1999; Bender, 2002; Faria and others, in press, and references therein). Particularly critical is the formation – either prior to drilling or during ice-core storage – of micro-inclusions such as solid inclusions, microscopic bubbles and plate-like inclusions (PLIs).
115 year ice-core data from Akademii Nauk ice cap, Severnaya Zemlya: high-resolution record of Eurasian Arctic climate change
Authors: Opel Thomas , Fritzsche Diedrich , Meyer Hanno , Schütt Rainer , Weiler Karin , Ruth Urs , Wilhelms Frank , Fischer Hubertus
Published: June 2009

From 1999 to 2001 a 724 m deep ice core was drilled on Akademii Nauk ice cap, Severnaya Zemlya, to gain high-resolution proxy data from the central Russian Arctic. Despite strong summertime meltwater percolation, this ice core provides valuable information on the regional climate and environmental history. We present data of stable water isotopes, melt-layer content and major ions from the uppermost 57 m of this core, covering the period 1883–1998. Dating was achieved by counting seasonal isotopic cycles and using reference horizons. Multi-annual δ18O values reflect Eurasian sub-Arctic and Arctic surface air-temperature variations. We found strong correlations to instrumental temperature data from some stations (e.g. r = 0.62 for Vardø, northern Norway). The δ18O values show pronounced 20th-century temperature changes, with a strong rise about 1920 and the absolute temperature maximum in the 1930s. A recent decrease in the deuterium-excess time series indicates an increasing role of the Kara Sea as a regional moisture source. From the multi-annual ion variations we deduced decreasing sea-salt aerosol trends in the 20th century, as reflected by sodium and chloride, whereas sulphate and nitrate are strongly affected by anthropogenic pollution.
E-Commerce & E-Payments: Islamic Perspective
Authors: Islam Md Monirul
Published: June 2009

Now a days e-commerce and e-payments plays a great role to enhance business policies as well as our life style. I have studied both conventional and Islamic perspective of e-commerce and e-payments procedures. In Islam pay in advance is allowed with certain conditions. So I proposed a method of e-commerce and e-payments which is permissible by Islamic shariah. Muslims also can take the advantages of those modern policies if we can adjust the procedures with the teachings of Islam.Doi: IIUC Studies Vol.2 2004Â
Fra Lippo Lippi: Browning's Reflections on Life and Art
Authors: Anis Rehnuma Bint
Published: June 2009

The state of intellectual curiosity in the twenty first century is that there is no publicly accepted moral and emotional Truth, there are only perspectives towards it - those partial meanings which individuals may get a glimpse of at particular moments but which, formulated as ideas for other moments and people, become problematical. The empiricism in Robert Browning's dramatic monologue, âFra Lippo Lippi', as demonstrated by its disequilibrium between sympathy and judgement, is a sign that it imitates not life but a particular perspective towards life, somebody's experience of it. Robert Browning gives us his own version of Truth, about life and art, as he saw it, in one of his most delightful and revealing monologures, âFra Lippo Lippi'. We find in Browning's poetry what our age most needs, faith which is adequate and consistent with our intellectual culture and which indicates the direction in which we must look for the religion of the future. This paper explores the purpose of life on this earth in the light of Browning's reflections on life and art in âFra Lippo Lippi'. Doi: IIUC Studies Vol.2 2004
Editor's Note for Vol.3
Authors: Rafique Abu Bakr
Published: June 2009

IIUC Studies, Vol.3 2006
The need of Uniform Islamic Constitution for the Muslim Ummah: A study of Islamic provisions on the Constitution of selected countries
Authors: Khan Md Abdul Awal
Published: June 2009

Islam is a complete code of life as stated in the holy Quran (3:19), which is the prime source of Islamic Constitution. Al-Quran, therefore, regulates the life of a human being and Constitution for the Muslim Ummah to govern their country. Hazrat Muhammad (sm) taught the Muslims to maintain, preserve, consolidate and to strengthen fraternal relations and unity among Muslims which was extended to the Khulafa-e-Rashedin regime and then Abbasid and Osmania Khilafat. At that time Muslim states were governed according to the provisions of Al-Quran and Sunnah. But at present, the Muslim Countries have departed from the Al-Quran and Sunnah. Muslims Ummah lost its central power with the end of Osmania Khilafat. Later many Muslim territory became independent one after another but they imposed more importance on geographical position, language, culture and history rather than Islam. They included in their Constitution secular, socialist, capitalist ideology and they touched some Islamic provisions in their Constitution just to give it Islamic colour. Many Muslim states have enacted many anti-Islamic provisions in their Constitution too. This article is aimed at finding and highlighting such provisions and to make a comparison among selected Constitutions of Muslim states. This article also suggests the Muslim states to enact uniform Constitution for the Muslim Ummah.   doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2665   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 63-72)
Management Historians in the 1990s: A Review of Their Lives & Prime Contributions
Authors: Huda SSM Sadrul , Sobhani Farid Ahammad , Zubayer Mahmud
Published: June 2009

The Management History Division (MHD) of the Academy of Management, NY records critical and scholarly discussion, refection and research in the arena of management history. It supports the development of historically informed analyses and explorations of management practices and of management philosophy and thought. The authors aim at focusing on three key members of MHD i.e. Charles Deck Wrege, James C. Worthy, and Alfred A Bolton who have contributed a lot in the field of management history during 1990s. Each of them has significant contribution to the area of management history and each has proved himself a teacher and intellectual leader in matters of fundamental concern to management history. Keywords: Academy of Management, Management History Division, Management Historian, Charles Deck Wrege, James C. Worthy, and Alfred A. Bolton.   doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2666   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 73-82)
Drama and expansion in Arabic literature
Authors: Sirajuddin D Mohammed
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2672   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 23-34)
Opinions of Orientalist in connection with 'OHI' - An analytical study
Authors: Rashid Mohammad Zahid
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2678   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 104-114)
Islamic call to peace
Authors: Jalal Muhammad Shah
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2680   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 123-132)
Principles of presentation of contents and classification for Shariah Studies Syllabus
Authors: Jain Ibrahim Mohammed
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2682   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 145-154)
Translation - A Civilizational Need
Authors: Islam AZM Qutubul
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2685   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 185-198)
Review of the Great Book 'AA Lamul Fuqaha Wal Muhaddeseen'
Authors: Rahman M Shafique
Published: June 2009

The full text of this article is in Arabic - see PDF below. doi: 10.3329/iiucs.v3i0.2686   IIUC STUDIES Vol. - 3, December 2006 (p 199-202)
Early Ideas in Underground Coal Gasification and Their Evolution
Authors: Klimenko Alexander  Y.
Published: June 2009

This article follows the development of early UCG (underground coal gasification) ideas. Historical facts are discussed mainly from the technological perspective and early experiments in UCG are analyzed. Our search for the first successful UCG experiment brings to light a new finding, which was commonly overlooked in previous reviews. We also outline the key role that engineer and inventor A. G. Betts played in introducing technologies utilizing unmined coal; his original ideas are visible in the first successful UCG experiments and in modern UCG technology.
Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: A Review
Authors: Caputo Fabio , Vignoli Teo , Maremmani Icro , Bernardi Mauro , Zoli Giorgio
Published: June 2009

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid structurally similar to the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid. Clinical trials have demonstrated that 50-100 mg/kg of GHB fractioned into three or six daily doses is able to suppress alcohol withdrawal symptoms and facilitates the maintenance of abstinence from alcohol. These studies have also shown that GHB craving episodes are a very limited phenomenon (about 10-15%). Thus, physicians with access should consider the clinical efficacy of GHB as a valid pharmacological tool for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
A New Cadinane Sesquiterpene from the Marine Brown Alga Dictyopteris divaricata
Authors: Wen Wei , Li Fang , Ji Nai-Yun , Li Xiao-Ming , Cui Chuan-Ming , Li Xiao-Dong , Zhang Li-Na , Xue Qin-Zhao , Wang Bin-Gui
Published: June 2009

A sample of the marine brown alga D. divaricata collected off the coast of Yantai (P.R. China) was dried, powdered, and extracted with the mixture of CHCl3 and MeOH (1:1, v/v). By a combination of silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative TLC, a new cadinane sesquiterpene 1,4-epoxymuurolan-5β-ol (1) was isolated from this species. Its structure was established by detailed MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis, as well as comparison with literature data.
Synthesis of Symmetrical and Non-symmetrical Diimines from Dimedone
Authors: Saeed Bahjat  A. , Musad Ibrahim  A.
Published: June 2009

Symmetrical and non-symmetrical diimines derived from dimedone were synthesized by the reaction of their corresponding enaminothiones with primary amines. The synthesized compounds were characterized using micro analytical data and NMR spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations by B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory show that the enolic form is the most stable within the possible tautomeric forms of the compounds.
Ionic Liquids in Tribology
Authors: Minami Ichiro
Published: June 2009

Current research on room-temperature ionic liquids as lubricants is described. Ionic liquids possess excellent properties such as non-volatility, non-flammability, and thermo-oxidative stability. The potential use of ionic liquids as lubricants was first proposed in 2001 and approximately 70 articles pertaining to fundamental research on ionic liquids have been published through May 2009. A large majority of the cations examined in this area are derived from 1,3-dialkylimidazolium, with a higher alkyl group on the imidazolium cation being beneficial for good lubrication, while it reduces the thermo-oxidative stability. Hydrophobic anions provide both good lubricity and significant thermo-oxidative stability. The anions decompose through a tribochemical reaction to generate metal fluoride on the rubbed surface. Additive technology to improve lubricity is also explained. An introduction to tribology as an interdisciplinary field of lubrication is also provided.
Metal Oxides and Ion-Exchanging Surfaces as pH Sensors in Liquids: State-of-the-Art and Outlook
Authors: Kurzweil Peter
Published: June 2009

Novel applications of online pH determinations at temperatures from -35 °C to 130 °C in technical and biological media, which are all but ideal aqueous solutions, require new approaches to pH monitoring. The glass electrode, introduced nearly hundred years ago, and chemical sensors based on field effect transistors (ISFET) show specific drawbacks with respect to handling and long-time stability. Proton sensitive metal oxides seem to be a promising and alternative to the state-of-the-art measuring methods, and might overcome some problems of classical hydrogen electrodes and reference electrodes.
Inter-organizational information systems in meat chains: the linkage between supply chain organization and system requirements
Authors: Bahlmann Jan , Spiller Achim
Published: June 2009

The German meat sector is faced with increasing cost pressures and a high demand for quality and safety. Both issues require powerful and holistic IT solutions in order to achieve knowledge transfer, process alignment and transparent information flows across the supply chain. In recent years, new Inter-Organizational Information Systems (IOS) were developed for the red meat industry. However, the acceptance of IOS at the farm level is still relatively low. Since there is hardly any relevant literature on IOS in the meat sector, this study contributes to the general research on IOS, the status quo of data flows in the pork supply chain as well as a systematization and evaluation of the most relevant existing internet based IOS. Furthermore, special needs for IOS on the spot market which is the dominating organizational form in the German pork sector are defined and contrasted against the current supply of systems. It was found that none of the existing IT solutions adequately meet the requirements which are important in complex spot market relationships. Consequently, we recommend a higher consideration of supply chain organization in IOS research and development.
La ciencia como institución social: clásicos y modernos institucionalismos en la sociología de la ciencia
Authors: Fernández Esquinas Manuel , Torres Albero Cristóbal
Published: June 2009

El artículo se refiere a los estudios sociales que han tratado a la ciencia como institución social. Para ello recurre a los marcos de análisis de la sociología institucional, tanto en su versión clásica como en el llamado nuevo institucionalismo sociológico. Con este bagaje se pasa revista a la discusión que en la sociología de la ciencia se ha producido sobre el conjunto de reglas, valores, pautas de comportamiento y rasgos organizativos que caracterizan a la ciencia como actividad social. En el análisis de la perspectiva clásica se establecen los límites del esquema normativo de los CUDEOS establecido por Robert Merton y se le despoja del sobrepeso funcionalista. La aproximación a las corrientes actuales del institucionalismo no sólo consigue una nueva reinterpretación de la estructura normativa de la ciencia, sino que también permite integrar en el análisis la nueva configuración de la I+D que se deriva de la influencia del entorno y de la dinámica de cambio intrínseco de la institución científica en las sociedades contemporáneas avanzadas. El corolario que se alcanza apunta la existencia en estos momentos de un “giro institucional” en la sociología de la ciencia que sustituye al “giro cognitivo” que se produjo en las dos últimas décadas del siglo pasado.
El constructivismo social en la ciencia y la tecnología: las consecuencias no previstas de la ambivalencia epistemológica
Authors: Fernández Zubieta Ana
Published: June 2009

El artículo presenta las principales corrientes y aportaciones del constructivismo social en la ciencia y la tecnología. Reconoce su contribución al ofrecer una imagen de la ciencia como una empresa colectiva y reivindicar una mayor flexibilidad de las interpretaciones y evidencias científico-tecnológicas. Para ello, señala que lo que caracteriza a estas corrientes es un ateísmo o agnosticismo epistemológico. Indica que, paradójicamente, para aprovechar las aportaciones del constructivismo a la ciencia, y también a la ciencia social, es necesario adoptar un compromiso epistemológico que conlleva implicarse en un proceso en el que es preciso ofrecer criterios con los que sea posible reconocer qué evidencia es más robusta o qué métodos y teorías resultan más potentes.
¿Más allá de la ciencia académica?: modo 2, ciencia posnormal y ciencia posacadémica
Authors: Jiménez-Buedo María , Ramos Vielba Irene
Published: June 2009

El artículo realiza una revisión de tres perspectivas que intentan describir los cambios producidos en la segunda mitad del siglo XX en la investigación científica y tecnológica. Los tres enfoques analizados –“Modo 2”, “ciencia posacadémica” y “ciencia posnormal”– asocian estas transformaciones a una mayor permeabilidad de la ciencia hacia los intereses y preferencias de los principales actores sociales. Estos enfoques han tenido un gran impacto, no sólo en la literatura especializada, sino también en la retórica de los hacedores de las políticas de I+D en los últimos años. En este trabajo se aborda un análisis conjunto de sus aportaciones más destacables y sus principales rasgos con el fin de realizar un balance crítico.
La perspectiva del sistema nacional/regional de innovación: balance y recepción en España
Authors: Olazaran Mikel , Otero Beatriz
Published: June 2009

En este artículo se analiza el origen y desarrollo del concepto de sistema de innovación, así como su recepción en España. En primer lugar, se examinan las bases conceptuales de la perspectiva del “sistema nacional de innovación” (SNI). A continuación, se analiza la aplicación que se ha hecho de una de las variantes con mayor desarrollo: el “sistema regional de innovación” (SRI). Se dedica una especial atención a la problemática de la innovación en las pymes. Por último, a través de una encuesta realizada entre autores con publicaciones en este campo, se estudia la recepción y aplicación del concepto del SNI/SRI en España.
Prospectiva y cambio social: ¿cómo orientar las políticas de I+D en las sociedades tecnológicas avanzadas?
Authors: López Peláez Antonio
Published: June 2009

El análisis del futuro, y la toma de decisiones en función de las tendencias de cambio tecnológico y social detectables en el presente, se han convertido en una herramienta básica en la política científico-tecnológica de las sociedades contemporáneas. El desarrollo tecnológico no se improvisa: las tecnologías tienen un largo período de gestación, y las políticas públicas sobre la ciencia y la tecnología deben establecer pautas de financiación que hacen posible desarrollar unas trayectorias tecnológicas consideradas estratégicas. A la vez, los avances tecnológicos generan riesgos de diverso tipo, y los ciudadanos, en sociedades democráticas avanzadas, reclaman participar en el diseño de la política científico-tecnológica, tanto a través de sus legítimos representantes políticos, como a través de su propio comportamiento como consumidores. En este artículo, se analizan las dimensiones básicas de los denominados Future Studies, las aportaciones más destacables, y la situación actual de las investigaciones prospectivas en España y la Unión Europea.