Calcutta Botanic Garden and the colonial re-ordering of the Indian environment

This article examines three hand-painted colour maps that accompanied the annual report of the Calcutta Botanic Garden for 1846 to illustrate how the Garden’s layout, uses and functions had changed over the previous 30 years. The evolution of the Calcutta Botanic Garden in the first half of the nineteenth-century reflects a wider shift in attitudes regarding the relationship between science, empire and the natural world. On a more human level the maps result from, and illustrate, the development of a vicious personal feud between the two eminent colonial botanists charged with superintending the garden in the 1840s

Identifikacija kemijskih spojeva u listovima biljke Leea indica

Twenty-three known chemical compounds were identified in the leaves of Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (Leeaceae) by GC-MS analysis, spectroscopic techniques and co-TLC with authentic samples. The identified compounds include eleven hydrocarbons, phthalic acid, palmitic acid, 1-eicosanol, solanesol, farnesol, three phthalic acid esters, gallic acid, lupeol, β-sitosterol and ursolic acid. Gallic acid was isolated as n-butylgallate and identified by co-TLC. This seems to be the first report of the presence of gallic acid in the leaves of L. indica.U listovima biljke Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (Leeaceae) identificirano je 23 sastojka koristeći GC-MS analizu, spektroskopske metode i TLC. Među identificiranim spojevima su 11 ugljikovodika, ftalna i palmitinska kiselina, 1-eikozanol, solanesol, farnesol, tri estera ftalne kiseline, galna kiselina, lupeol, β-sitosterol i urson. Galna kiselina je izolirana kao n-butilgalat i identificirana pomoću TLC. Čini se da je ovo prvo izvješće o prisutnosti galne kiseline u listovima L. indica

The value of PET, CT and in-line PET/CT in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours: long-term outcome of treatment with imatinib mesylate

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract that are unresponsive to standard sarcoma chemotherapy. Imaging of GIST patients is done with structural and functional methods such as contrast-enhanced helical computed tomography (ceCT) and positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic power of PET and ceCT and to evaluate the clinical role of PET/CT imaging. Methods: All patients with GIST undergoing PET or PET/CT examinations were prospectively included in this study, and the median overall survival, time to progression and treatment duration were documented. The prognostic significance of PET and ceCT criteria of treatment response was assessed and PET/CT was compared with PET and ceCT imaging. Data for 34 patients (19 male, 15 female, 21-76 years) undergoing PET or PET/CT for staging or restaging were analysed. Results: In 28 patients, PET/CT and ceCT were available after introduction of treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland). Patients without FDG uptake after the start of treatment had a better prognosis than patients with residual activity. In contrast, ceCT criteria provided insufficient prognostic power. However, more lesions were found on ceCT images than on PET images, and FDG uptake was sometimes very variable. PET/CT delineated active lesions better than did the combination of PET and ceCT imaging. Conclusion: Both PET and PET/CT provide important prognostic information and have an impact on clinical decision-making in GIST patients. PET/CT precisely delineates lesions and thus allows for the correct planning of surgical intervention

Steam sauna and mother roasting in Lao PDR: practices and chemical constituents of essential oils of plant species used in postpartum recovery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fundamental in traditional postpartum recovery in Lao PDR is the use of hotbeds, mother roasting, steam sauna and steam baths. During these treatments medicinal plants play a crucial role, but little has been published about how the treatments are carried out precisely, which species are used, the medicinal properties of these species, and the medicinal efficacy of their chemical constituents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty-five interviews, in 15 rural villages, with women of 4 different ethnic groups were conducted to survey confinement rituals, and postpartum plant use and salience. Essential oils from the main species used were extracted using steam distillation and the main chemical constituents characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 10 different species were used by three or more of the ethnic groups included in this study. All species were used in steam sauna and bath, but only 3 species were used in hotbed and mother roasting. Essential oils of <it>Amomum villosum, Amomum microcarpum </it>and <it>Blumea balsamifera </it>were found to contain significant amounts of the following terpenes: β-pinene, camphor, bornyl acetate, borneol, linalool, D-limonene, fenchone, terpinen-4-ol and α-terpinene.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Many of these terpenes have documented antimicrobial and analgesic properties, and some have also synergistic interactions with other terpenes. The mode of application in hotbed and mother roasting differs from the documented mechanisms of action of these terpenes. Plants in these two practices are likely to serve mainly hygienic purposes, by segregating the mother from infection sources such as beds, mats, stools, cloth and towels. Steam sauna medicinal plant use through inhalation of essential oils vapors can possibly have medicinal efficacy, but is unlikely to alleviate the ailments commonly encountered during postpartum convalescence. Steam sauna medicinal plant use through dermal condensation of essential oils, and steam bath cleansing of the perineal area is possibly a pragmatic use of the reported medicinal plants, as terpene constituents have documented antimicrobial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.</p

Iridoids and Anthraquinones from the Malaysian Medicinal Plant, Saprosma scortechinii (Rubiaceae)

A further investigation of the leaves and stems of Saprosma scortechinii afforded 13 compounds, of which 10 are new compounds. These were elucidated as the bis-iridoid glucosides, saprosmosides G (1) and H (2), the iridoid glucoside, 6-O-epi-acetylscandoside (3), and the anthraquinones, 1-methoxy-3-hydroxy-2-carbomethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone (4), 1-methoxy-3-hydroxy-2-carbomethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone 3-O-β-primeveroside (5), 1,3-dihydroxy-2-carbomethoxy-9,10-anthraquinone 3-O-β-primeveroside (6), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methoxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone (7), 1-methoxy-3,6-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone (8), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone 3-O-β-primeveroside (9), and 3,6-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone (10). Structure assignments for all compounds were established by means of mass and NMR spectroscopies, chemical methods, and comparison with published data. The new anthraquinones were derivatives of munjistin and lucidin

Les origines et la diversité des races cultivées de Sorgho.

Burkill I. H. Les origines et la diversité des races cultivées de Sorgho. In: Revue de botanique appliquée et d'agriculture coloniale, 17ᵉ année, bulletin n°191, juillet 1937. pp. 485-495

As group names within the species

14 p.El registro detallado que Colón mantuvo en su primera travesía del Atlántico era un precioso documento, y el amplio resumen que Las Casas conserva no es más que una pobre compensación por su desaparición. Conjeturalmente el resumen se realizó sobre 1530; de Las Casas tenían necesidad de que desde los tiempos cuando él comenzó a escribir su historia de la conquista de las Indias Españolas. Eso fue en 1527, y tuvo la oportunidad de acceso a la misma en el original cuando estaba en España en 1530. Columbus hijo Fernando, testificó en su Vida de su padre a su detalle. Navarrete resume en el primer volumen impreso de sus Colección de Los Viajes (1825). El resumen contiene referencias a la batata (Ipomoea batatas L.) que, tomada en serie espectáculo, asignatura a la reserva de que Las Casas no omitir otras, las etapas por las que Colón llegó a su primer conocimiento de este gran comestible de la nueva Mundial. Columbus primera vista de que estaba en la costa de Cuba; y se escribió el 04 de noviembre 1492, que los campos allí celebraron una abundancia de ñame se asemejan a las zanahorias, que posee el sabor de las castañas (Tienen Llenas de niames Que Son Como zanahorias Que Tiene sabor de castañas). Desde diversas otras referencias Esta comparación a una zanahoria debe ser interpretada como una referencia a su forma y no a su color

A Spiny Yam from Sumatra

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