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PubMed1996

[The Royal Chemistry Laboratory (1694-1700)].

One of the most interesting events of the trasformation of science in Spain toward the end of the XVII century was the foundation of the Royal Chemistry Laboratory. This institution, brillantly promoted by the physician Dionisio de Cardona, was condemned to failure from the very beginning, due to the opposition of the Protomedicato and the royal apothecaries in the service of King Charles II. The period studied here, between 1693 and 1700, comprises two different phases: an initial stage (1693-1697) characterized by the struggle between novatores and traditionalists, which ended in triumph for the latter; and a second stage (1697-1700) completely separate from the initial measures, in which the influence of alchemy was marked. This stage can be considered compatible with the series of spells and superstitions that characterized the court of Charles II.

Alchemy↗
PubMed1997

[On iatrochemistry, one of its prominent supporters, Otto Tachen, and his principal work].

A survey is given of the transition in the 1600-years from superstition, humoral pathology, astrology, alchemy to spagyric medicine - the Paracelsian revolutionary new medicine: iatrochemistry. A number of persons are mentioned who participated in the proces where the old mingled with the new. The efforts of developping a chemistry necessary for iatrochemistry resulted in a great interest in tectbooks and courses in chemistry as well as spagyric pharmacopoeas. The most important persons in this work are mentioned aming whom a rather unknown-but nevertheless significant physician, Otto Tachen, is particularly described. His work and writings are mentioned and commented-especially his main work: "Antiwuissimae Hippocratiocae medicinae clavis". The provenance of my copy of thes book is related. Tho persons with relation to Denmark are met with: the count Christian Albert of Gottorp and Helwig Bieterich that in a periode the doctor of the crownprince of Denmark (the som of Christian IV).

Alchemy↗
PubMed2001

[Corpus Hermeticum in history].

The originator and founder of hermetism was the mythical Hermes Trismegistos, a deity of the syncretic Hellenistic religion that came into being through the identification of the Greek god Hermes with the Egyptian god Thot. In later Hellenistsic times various hermetic writers considered Hermes Trismegistos to have been a historical personage, a king, prophet and philosopher (physician), as well as author of many widely disseminated writings that made up the so-called Corpus Hermeticum (eighteen separate treatises from the 2nd-4th centuries AD) and the so-called Emerald Table (Tabula Smaragdina). The Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of treatises of a philosophical, religious, theological as well as theosophical nature. The collection played an important role in the development of the philosophy of alchemy and hermetism, and formed the basis for an alchemist philosophy of nature. There are currently two views among scholars on the origins of hermetism. According to one, hermetism derived directly from Egypt, while according to the other it orginated in Greece. In the years 1945-46 a number of hermetic texts forming part of the now famous gnostic "library" were discovered in Nag-Hammadi (Chenosboskion) in Upper Egypt. The Coptic texts from Nag-Hammadi date from the middle of the 4th century AD, and according to experts are translations from the Greek. Some authors (R. Reitzenstein and T. Zieliński) have suggested that along with the appearance in Egypt of the Hermetic Books, attributed to Hermes Trismegistos, there also appeared a new god in Egypt, Poimandres, and a new religion was established, hermetism, which competed for influence with Christianity. The present article discusses the main of the hermetic treatises, including Poimandres, which contains an account of the creation of the world. The article also discusses the reasons for the decline of hermetism as a religion and stresses that in spite of this decline the doctrine managed to survive in the form of alchemic hermetism, which played an important role in the culture of the Renaissance. The article also cites the voluminous work by W. Scott and A. S. Ferguson (1924-1936), and A. D. Nock and A. -J. Festugiére (1945-1964), which contains contemporary, English and French, commentaries on and translations of the Corpus Hermeticum texts.

Alchemy↗
PubMed1993

[Picture of Paracelsus, the physician--and we today].

This article features the question whether Paracelsus and his dark, sometimes contradictory doctrine still includes some messages for modern physician. The lonely, pugnacious fighter from Central Switzerland remains today 'confused between favour and hatred from the parties'. Some contradictory examples shall outline controversies lasting for centuries. Subsequently Paracelsus' picture of nature, man and medicine is outlined, particular his meaning of nature and work of a good physician, but also his furious often unjustified overwhelming criticism about those physicians who went astray "in the labyrinthus medicorum". Sheep-physicians and wolf-physicians are confronted mercilessly and in a black and white scheme by this Lutherus medicorum. This likewise strange as well as also fascinating picture of a physician by this man of Hohenheim does not imply a clearly conceived temple inviting for an easy academic stroll. The sketch of a temple, however, serves as a symbol for the paracelsic science of healing: Philosophy, astronomy and alchemy are the three columns for the physician. These three columns are founded on virtue, the ethos of the physician. Religion the love for god, serves as a celestial roof. Finally the author expresses his opinion, that even today 500 years later, a modern, scientifically educated physician may profit from the philosophic and ethic principles of Paracelsus, who himself was a contemporary of a time of change like we are in our days.

Alchemy↗
PubMed2000

Synthesis and analgesic activity of some side-chain modified anpirtoline derivatives.

New derivatives of anpirtoline and deazaanpirtoline modified in the side chain have been synthesized. The series includes compounds 3 with side-chains containing piperidine or pyrrolidine rings, compounds 4 containing 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane moiety, and compounds 5 having piperazine ring in their side-chains. Their receptor binding profiles (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B) and analgesic activity (hot plate, acetic acid induced writhing) have been studied. Optimized structures (PM3-MOPAC, Alchemy 2000, Tripos Inc.) of the synthesized compounds 3-5 were compared with that of anpirtoline.

Analgesics↗
PubMed2000

Synthesis, analgesic activity, and binding properties of some epibatidine analogs with a tropine skeleton.

A series of epibatidine analogs and their positional isomers bearing an 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane moiety is described. Also some of their simplified analogs bearing a 3-piperidine moiety are reported. Their receptor binding profiles (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, M1, M2, neuronal nicotinic receptor) and analgesic activity (hot plate, acetic acid induced writhing) have been studied. Some of the compounds, especially those containing an 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene moiety possess high afinity for the nicotinic cholinergic receptor. The most analgesically active compounds are also highly toxic. Optimized structures (PM3-MOPAC, Alchemy 2000, Tripos Inc.) of compounds 1-9 were compared with that of epibatidine.

Analgesics, Non-Narcotic↗
PubMed2006

Turning junk into gold: domestication of transposable elements and the creation of new genes in eukaryotes.

Autonomous transposable elements, generally considered as junk and selfish, encode transposition proteins that can bind, copy, break, join or degrade nucleic acids as well as process or interact with other proteins. Such a repertoire of activities might be of interest for the host cell. There is indeed substantial evidence that mobile DNA can serve as a dynamic reservoir for new cellular functions. Transposable element genes encoding transposase, integrase, reverse transcriptase as well as structural and envelope proteins have been repeatedly recruited by their host during evolution in most eukaryotic lineages. Such domesticated sequences protect us against infections, are necessary for our reproduction, allow the replication of our chromosomes and control cell proliferation and death; others are essential for plant development. Many new candidates for domesticated sequences have been revealed by sequencing projects. Their functional analysis will uncover new aspects of evolutionary alchemy, the turning of junk into gold within genomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Reflection high resolution analytical electron microscopy: a technique for studying crystal surfaces.

Reflection electron microscopy (REM), reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy (REELS), and energy dispersion x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) have been comprehensively used as a technique, termed reflection high resolution analytical electron microscopy (RHRAEM), for studying the structures of the bulk crystal GaAs (110) surfaces by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The simultaneous observations of surface topography imaging, the surface diffraction mechanism with RHEED, surface atomic inner-shell excitations with REELS, and surface chemical compositions with EDX provide a systematic description of the atomic structure and chemical structure of the surface. The surface channelling effect has been observed in GaAs (110) with REELS, which may provide a basis for localizing surface foreign atoms with ALCHEMI. The theoretically predicted surface-resonance wave has been observed directly in the RHEED pattern; the surface-captured Bragg reflection wave have been identified. It is shown that surface chemical compositions can be determined by analyzing the EDX spectra obtained in the REM case. Finally, the surface monolayer resonance characteristic of the RHRAEM has been confirmed by calculations with dynamical RHEED theory.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1977

The cosmological and performative significance of a Thai cult of healing through meditation.

A cult of healing through meditation that was observed in Bangkok, Thailand in 1974 is described, and the cult is interpreted in terms of two axes, the cosmological and the performative, and the dialectical, reciprocal and complementary relations between them. The various ramifications of the cosmology are discussed--the categorization of the cosmos itself as a hierarchical scheme, the relations between man and non-human forms of existence, the ideas concerning power and its manner of acquisition and use, the relation between power and restraint, etc. The epistemological basis of the cult, which attempts cure through meditation, and the features of the ritual as they contribute to its performative efficacy are highlighted. The essay concludes by suggesting that there is a single scheme (episteme) underlying religious ideas and applications of knowledge such as meditation, medicine, alchemy, and astrology.

Cultural Characteristics↗
PubMed2004

Quantitative structure-retention and retention-activity relationships of some 1,3-oxazolidine systems by RP-HPTLC and PCA.

A quantitative structure-retention and retention-activity relationships investigations were performed on the lipophilicities of some 1,3-oxazolidine systems as estimated by RP-HPTLC retention parameters. The classical R(Mo) values were compared with the factors scores obtained by principal component analysis based also onto the TLC retention data. The lipophilicities (R(Mo) and factor scores) were correlated with the theoretical molecular descriptors of 1,3-oxazolidine derivatives providing by the ALCHEMY 2000 software package. The reliability of the factor scores values as lipophilic indices are shown by their significant correlation with the classical R(Mo) values and other molecular descriptors. In addition, the "lipophilicity chart" described by the first two components, and/or the "lipophilicity space" described by the first three components have the effect of separating compounds from each other most effectively from the congeneric (similarity) aspect point of view. Finally, these findings support the idea that the chromatographic process of the investigated compounds in this paper and consequently their partitioning over a bio-membrane are controlled mainly by lipophilicity.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2005

Electron channeling X-ray microanalysis for partially filled skutterudite structure.

Occupancy of Ce atoms on voids and coordinates of Sb atoms in a partially filled skutterudite CeFe6Ni2Sb24 were determined by the method for atomic location by channeling enhanced microanalysis (ALCHEMI), where characteristic X-ray intensities were measured and calculated at various electron incidence directions in a transmission electron microscope. The calculation was based on dynamical electron diffraction and inelastic scattering theories. The calculated intensities were significantly dependent on the occupation probability of Ce atoms on voids, the coordinates of Sb atoms and the sample thickness. Using the Levenberg-Marquardt least squares method, the occupation probability of Ce atoms and the coordinates of Sb atoms were 0.33 and 0 0.336 0.147, respectively.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Fractionation and determination of aluminum and iron in soil water samples using SPE cartridges and ICP-AES.

The use of commercially available solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges for the fractionation of Al and Fe in soil water is described. The quantitative determination was done by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Different types of SPE cartridges, based on cation exchange, anion exchange, and chelation were studied. To avoid pH changes, the SPE cartridge should be conditioned with a buffer that has a pH close to that of the sample. Both strong cation exchange (SCX) and chelation were found to work well, whereas low recovery was observed for Al when anion exchange was used. For Fe, the sum of the anionic and cationic fractions that passed through the cartridges was nearly 100%. The results obtained for Al for 23 soil water samples using a SPE/SCX cartridge and ICP-AES were compared with equilibrium calculations using the program ALCHEMI and also with a fractionation method that was based on separation on a manually prepared SCX column and detection by molecular spectrophotometry, after complexation with pyrocatechol violet (SCX-PCV method). The SPE/SCX-ICP-AES results for the labile Al fraction (Al bound to the SCX cartridge) showed an acceptable correlation with the results obtained by the equilibrium calculations, except for the samples with the highest DOC concentrations, whereas the values obtained for labile Al by the more traditional SCX-PCV method were much lower. We recommend that the SPE/SCX-ICP-AES procedure described in this work be selected for the fractionation of Al and Fe species in soil and freshwater samples.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1999

Genetic aspects of population policy.

Every science begins in folklore and matures as it reacts against dogma and myth. Astronomy developed in the Neolithic, but it did not outgrow astrology until the sixteenth century. Chemistry discarded alchemy at about the same time. On the contrary, the short history of genetics has been concurrent with the pseudo-science of eugenics, which, at times, has been widely accepted and incorporated in population policy and directive genetic counselling, with rare opposition by geneticists. Societal pressures are likely to increase with the power of genetic technology, the fear it generates and the perception that population growth threatens human welfare. Without a pertinent ethical code, geneticists are vulnerable to both temptation and opprobrium. The intrusion of eugenics into genetic counselling has been a recent source of concern to societies and congresses of genetics. This review traces the causes of this concern and the manner of its expression in the absence of an international voice for genetics that could address ethical and other common interests.

Eugenics↗
PubMed1999

Jung and the Kabbalah.

Jung's use of Kabbalistic symbols and ideas as well as his personal Kabbalistic vision are critically examined. It is argued that as great as Jung's acknowledged affinity is to the Kabbalah, his unacknowledged relationship was even greater. Jung has been accused of being a contemporary Gnostic; however, the interpretations Jung placed on Gnosticism and the texts Jung referred to on alchemy were profoundly Kabbalistic, so much so that one would be more justified in calling the Jung of the Mysterium Coniunctionis and other late works a Kabbalist in contemporary guise. Although Jung, at least during the 1930s, appears to have had powerful motives that limited his receptivity to Jewish ideas, his highly ambivalent and at times reproachable attitude toward Judaism should not prevent one from appreciating the affinities between Jungian psychology and Jewish mystical thought.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed2003

Recent advances in the discovery and delivery of vaccine adjuvants.

Adjuvant design has historically had a touch of alchemy at its heart due to its reliance on the complex biology of innate immune activation. However, a new mechanistic understanding of innate immunity, combined with new adjuvant and delivery platforms for exploiting this knowledge, has led to significant advances recently. Although many challenges remain, the field is moving rapidly and the proper tools and methodologies are in place for the use of traditional drug discovery engines in guiding the development of vaccine adjuvants. In this review, we outline the current trends in immune potentiator, delivery system and adjuvant design that will shape the vaccines of the future.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2000

Comparison study of five analytical methods for the fractionation and subsequent determination of aluminium in natural water samples.

Five methods for aluminium fractionation used in different laboratories in Norway and Finland were compared using six control, 75 soil water and 10 lake water samples. Different fractionation principles [cation exchange, formation of the Pyrocatechol Violet (PCV) or quinolin-8-ol (oxine) complex], types of cation exchanger [Amberlite (Na/H) or Bond Elut (H)], reaction time (from 2.3 s), flow systems (flow injection analysis or segmented flow) and determination principles (molecular absorption spectrometry or ICP-AES) were tested. Determination of the 'labile' fraction was strongly dependent on the method used and the largest differences were observed between the ICP-AES method with cation exchange (Bond Elut H form) and the 'quickly reacting' method (oxine, 2.3 s). Different flow systems, both using cation exchange and determination of the PCV complex but with different reaction times and an extra acidification step, resulted in large differences in the 'reactive' and 'non-labile' fractions determined. However, the determination of the labile fraction gave similar results with both these methods. The two different types of cation exchanger used (with and without pH buffering and with different counter ions) in the ICP-AES methods resulted in differences, mainly because of a smaller 'non-labile' fraction in the non-buffered system. The two flow injection systems (oxine and PCV complexation) showed common trends, which may be connected with the short reaction times used. Comparison with theoretical equilibrium calculations using the model ALCHEMI suggested that the best correlation for the determination of the 'labile' fraction were obtained with the ICP-AES method with an Amberlite column.

Aluminum↗
PubMed2000

The twilight of "medicine" and the dawn of "health care": reflections on bioethics at the turn of the millennium.

The traditional paradigm of medicine assumes that health is a natural given depending on a body's intrinsic teleology, and that medicine aims at restoring or preserving health, making a physician only an "assistant to nature." I argue that nowadays this paradigm is becoming obsolete, because the concept of health is no longer a "natural given" and interventions on the human body attempt not only to help nature's teleology, but also to change it whenever doing so can satisfy human needs and wants. We should abandon the term "medicine" and adopt the term "health care" to mark such an epoch-making transition, analogous to that marking the passage from "alchemy" to "chemistry."

Bioethics↗
PubMed2002

Lorenz Oken and Naturphilosophie in Jena, Paris and London.

Although Lorenz Oken is a classic example of Naturphilosophie as applied to biology, his views have been imperfectly understood. He is best viewed as a follower of Schelling who consistently attempted to apply Schelling's ideas to biological data. His version of Naturphilosophic, however, was strongly influenced by older pseudoscience traditions, especially alchemy and numerology as they had been presented by Robert Fludd, whose works were current in Jena and available to him. According to those influences, parts of Oken's philosophical conception were communicable even in a non-idealistic scientific culture, for example in Paris, where Oken met Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Geoffroy however was embedded in a French intellectual tradition, and the correspondence between his views and those of Oken was only superficial. The English anatomist Richard Owen attempted to incorporate the views of Oken and Geoffroy within his own, idiosyncratic system. Although Darwin knew of Oken's ideas, it was Geoffroy who really affected his evolutionary biology, and any influence of Oken must have been attenuated to the point of triviality.

Biology↗