Pittsburgh and Vicinity, Pennsylvania, 1962 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic, topographic paper map entitled: Pittsburgh and vicinity, Pennsylvania, mapped, edited, and published by the Geological Survey. It was published by The Survey in 1962. Scale 1:24,000. Compiled from 1:24,000-scale maps of New Kensington West, Glenshaw, Emsworth, Ambridge, Oakdale, Pittsburgh West, Pittsburgh East, Braddock McKeesport, Glassport, Bridgeville, and Canonsburg 1960 7.5 minute quadrangles. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Pennsylvania South State Plane NAD 1927 coordinate projection (in Feet) (Fipszone 3702). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This is a typical topographic map portraying both natural and manmade features. It shows and names works of nature, such as mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, vegetation, etc. It also identify the principal works of humans, such as roads, railroads, boundaries, transmission lines, major buildings, etc. Relief is shown with spot heights and standard contour intervals of 20 feet. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from The Harvard Map Collection as part of the Imaging the Urban Environment project. Maps selected for this project represent major urban areas and cities of the world, at various time periods. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features at a large scale. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes.

Risālat al-Surūr fī ḥaqq wālidayhi ʻalayhi al-salām : manuscript, 1737

Title from f. 1r.

The travels of Macarius, patriarch of Antioch:

An incomplete translation; does not contain the history of the Antioch patriarchs. cf. Russian Brockhaus.

Zeh ketav yadi.

Responsa and commentaries on the Shulhan ʻarukh.

Puteshestvīi͡a antiokhīĭskago patrīarkha Makarīi͡a /

Includes index.

Qānūnchah fī al-ṭibb, [880, i.e. 1475 or 1476].

Fine copy of al-Jaghmīnī's (d.1344) Qānūnchah, a compendium on medicine and an extract from Ibn Sīnā’s Qānūn. Brockelmann treats this author as distinct from an astronomer of the same name who died in 1221.

Puteshestvīe antīokhīĭskago patrīarkha Makarīi͡a v Rossīi͡u v polovini͡e XVII vi͡eka /

vyp.1. Ot Aleppo do zemli kazakov -- vyp.2. Ot Dni͡estra do Moskvy -- vyp. 4. Moskva, Novgorod i putʹ ot Moskvy do Dni͡estra -- vyp. 5. Obratnyĭ putʹ. Moldavīi͡ia i Valakhīi͡a. Malai͡a Azīi͡a i Sirīi͡a. Rezulʹtaty puteshestvīi͡a.

PEG-based solid dispersions enhanced the solubility and dissolution of eprosartan mesylate in-vitro

Abstract - This study investigates the effect of solid dispersions prepared from of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 and 6000 Da alone or combined with the non-ionic surfactant Tween 80 on the solubility and dissolution rate of a poorly soluble drug eprosartan mesylate (ESM) in attempt to improve its bioavailability following its oral administration.

INTRODUCTION

ESM is a potent anti-hypertension [1]. It has low water solubility and is classified as a Class II drug as per the Biopharmaceutical Classification Systems (BCS) leading to low and variable oral bioavailability (approximately 13%). [2]. Thus, improving ESM solubility and/or dissolution rate would eventually improve the drug bioavailability. Solid dispersion is widely used technique to improve the water solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs employing various biocompatible polymers. In this study, we aimed to enhance the solubility and dissolution of EMS employing solid dispersion (SD) formulated from two grades of poly ethylene glycol (PEG) polymers (i.e. PEG 3350 & PEG 6000 Da) either individually or in combination with Tween 80.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ESM SDs were prepared by solvent evaporation method using either PEG 3350 or PEG 6000 at various (drug: polymer, w/w) ratios 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5 alone or combined with Tween 80 added at fixed percentage of 0.1 of drug by weight?. Physical mixtures (PMs) of drug and carriers were also prepared at same ratios. Drug solid dispersions and physical mixtures were characterized in terms of drug content, drug dissolution using dissolution apparatus USP II and assayed using HPLC method. Drug dissolution enhancement ratio (ER %) from SD in comparison to the plain drug was calculated. Drug-polymer interactions were evaluated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and FT-IR.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The in vitro solubility and dissolution studies showed SDs prepared using both polymers produced a remarkable improvement (p<0.05) in comparison to the plain drug which reached around 32% (Fig. 1). The dissolution enhancement ratio was polymer type and concentration-dependent. Adding Tween 80 to the SD did not show further dissolution enhancement but reduced the required amount of the polymer to get the same dissolution enhancement. The DSC and FT-IR studies indicated that using SD resulted in transformation of drug from crystalline to amorphous form.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that SDs prepared by using both polymers i.e. PEG 3350 and PEG 6000 improved the in-vitro solubility and dissolution of ESM remarkably which may result in improving the drug bioavailability in vivo.

Acknowledgments

This work is a part of MSc thesis of O.M. Ali at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Aleppo University, Syria.

REFERENCES

[1] Ruilope L, Jager B: Eprosartan for the treatment of hypertension. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2003; 4(1):107-14

[2] Tenero D, Martin D, Wilson B, Jushchyshyn J, Boike S, Lundberg, D, et al. Pharmacokinetics of intravenously and orally administered Eprosartan in healthy males: absolute bioavailability and effect of food. Biopharm Drug Dispos 1998; 19(6): 351- 6.

Available water modifications by topsoil treatments under mediterranean semiarid conditions: afforestation plan

During dry periods in the Mediterranean area, the lack of water entering the soil matrix reduces organic contribu- tions to the soil. These processes lead to reduced soil fertility and soil vegetation recovery which creates a positive feedback process that can lead to desertification. Restoration of native vegetation is the most effective way to regenerate soil health, and control runoff and sediment yield. In Mediterranean areas, after a forestry proposal, it is highly common to register a significant number of losses for the saplings that have been introduced due to the lack of rainfall. When no vegetation is established, organic amendments can be used to rapidly protect the soil surface against the erosive forces of rain and runoff. In this study we investigated the hydrological effects of five soil treatments in relation to the temporal vari- ability of the available water for plants. Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching; mulch with chipped branches of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.); TerraCotten hydroabsobent polymers; sewage sludge; sheep manure and control. Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixed with the soil at the rate 10 Mg ha-1. In control plots, during June, July, August and September, soils were registered below the wilting point, and therefore, in the area of water unusable by plants. These months were coinciding with the summer mediter- ranean drought. This fact justifies the high mortality found on plants after the seeding plan. Similarly, soils have never exceeded the field capacity value measured for control plots. Conversely, in the straw and pinus mulch, soils were above the wilting point during a longer time than in control plots. Thus, the soil moisture only has stayed below the 4.2 pF suction in July, July and August. Regarding the amount of water available was also higher, especially in the months of December, January and February. However, the field capacity value measured has not showed any differences regarding the control. For these treatments, the survival sapling rates measured were the highest. Sludge, manure and polymers showed a moisture retention capacity slightly more limited than straw and pinus mulch. Likewise, it has been found that the area of usable water by plants was also lower, especially during the months of January and February. This situation is especially sharpened in plots amended with manure. In this treatment, the upper part of the soil profile was below the wilting point for six months a year (from April to August). For this treatment, the survival sapling rates measured were the lowest. In conclusion, from a land management standpoint, the pinus and straw mulch treatments have been shown as effective methods reducing water stress for plants. In this research, mulching has been proved as a significant method to reduce the mortality sapling rates during the mediterranean summer drought.

The influence of organic amendments on soil aggregate stability from semiarid sites

Restoring the native vegetation is the most effective way to regenerate soil health. Under these conditions, vegetation cover in areas having degraded soils may be better sustained if the soil is amended with an external source of organic matter. The addition of organic materials to soils also increases infiltration rates and reduces erosion rates; these factors contribute to an available water increment and a successful and sustainable land management. The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of various organic amendments on the aggregate stability of soils in afforested plots. An experimental paired-plot layout was established in southern of Spain (homogeneous slope gradient: 7.5%; aspect: N170). Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching; mulch with chipped branches of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.); TerraCotten hydroabsobent polymers; sewage sludge; sheep manure and control. Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixed with the soil at the rate 10 Mg ha-1. The vegetation was planted in a grid pattern with 0.5 m between plants in each plot. During the afforestation process the soil was tilled to 25 cm depth from the surface. Soil from the afforested plots was sampled in: i) 6 months post-afforestation; ii) 12 months post-afforestation; iii) 18 months post-afforestation; and iv) 24 months post-afforestation. The sampling strategy for each plot involved collection of 4 disturbed soil samples taken from the surface (0–10 cm depth). The stability of aggregates was measured by wet-sieving. Regarding to soil aggregate stability, the percentage of stable aggregates has increased slightly in all the treatments in relation to control. Specifically, the differences were recorded in the fraction of macroaggregates (≥ 0.250 mm). The largest increases have been associated with straw mulch, pinus mulch and sludge. Similar results have been registered for the soil organic carbon content. Independent of the soil management, after six months, no significant differences in microaggregates were found regarding to the control plots. These results showed an increase in the stability of the macroaggregates when soil is amended with sludge, pinus mulch and straw much. This fact has been due to an increase in the number cementing agents due to: (i) the application of pinus, straw and sludge had resulted in the release of carbohydrates to the soil; and thus (ii) it has favored the development of a protective vegetation cover, which has increased the number of roots in the soil and the organic contribution to it.

Available water modifications by topsoil treatments under mediterranean semiarid conditions: afforestation plan

During dry periods in the Mediterranean area, the lack of water entering the soil matrix reduces organic contribu- tions to the soil. These processes lead to reduced soil fertility and soil vegetation recovery which creates a positive feedback process that can lead to desertification. Restoration of native vegetation is the most effective way to regenerate soil health, and control runoff and sediment yield. In Mediterranean areas, after a forestry proposal, it is highly common to register a significant number of losses for the saplings that have been introduced due to the lack of rainfall. When no vegetation is established, organic amendments can be used to rapidly protect the soil surface against the erosive forces of rain and runoff. In this study we investigated the hydrological effects of five soil treatments in relation to the temporal vari- ability of the available water for plants. Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching; mulch with chipped branches of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.); TerraCotten hydroabsobent polymers; sewage sludge; sheep manure and control. Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixed with the soil at the rate 10 Mg ha-1. In control plots, during June, July, August and September, soils were registered below the wilting point, and therefore, in the area of water unusable by plants. These months were coinciding with the summer mediter- ranean drought. This fact justifies the high mortality found on plants after the seeding plan. Similarly, soils have never exceeded the field capacity value measured for control plots. Conversely, in the straw and pinus mulch, soils were above the wilting point during a longer time than in control plots. Thus, the soil moisture only has stayed below the 4.2 pF suction in July, July and August. Regarding the amount of water available was also higher, especially in the months of December, January and February. However, the field capacity value measured has not showed any differences regarding the control. For these treatments, the survival sapling rates measured were the highest. Sludge, manure and polymers showed a moisture retention capacity slightly more limited than straw and pinus mulch. Likewise, it has been found that the area of usable water by plants was also lower, especially during the months of January and February. This situation is especially sharpened in plots amended with manure. In this treatment, the upper part of the soil profile was below the wilting point for six months a year (from April to August). For this treatment, the survival sapling rates measured were the lowest. In conclusion, from a land management standpoint, the pinus and straw mulch treatments have been shown as effective methods reducing water stress for plants. In this research, mulching has been proved as a significant method to reduce the mortality sapling rates during the mediterranean summer drought.

Effect of organic amendments on the afforestation performance of plant species on degraded semiarid conditions

Vegetation plays a fundamental role in soil conservation, so it is common to consider an increase in vegetation cover as one of the techniques to mitigate the effects of desertification in Mediterranean forest environments. There are two factors limiting the establishment and growth of seedlings in dry environments: (i) an excessive radiation and, (ii) the limited availability of water during the summer drought. During an afforestation plan, soil preparation is always necessary to reduce sapling mortality. The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of various organic amendments on soil according to chemical and hydrological properties, and to assess the effects of these parameters on an afforestal proposal under Mediterranean climate conditions. Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching (SM); mulch with chipped branches of Aleppo Pine (PM); TerraCotten hydroabsobent polymers (HP); sewage sludge (RU); sheep manure (SH) and control (C). Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixed with the soil at the rate 10 Mg ha -1 . Under bare soil conditions (C), most of mortalities occurred during the summer period of the first year. A substantial positive effect of SM, PM and HP on the survival rates have been clearly observed. Conversely, when the soil was amended with SH, the survival rate quickly decreased or remained more or less constant regarding to C. In this study, the lack of differences on chemical properties indicates that there may exist other reasons to justify the differences that were found in the pattern of vegetation. However, regarding to the hydrological properties some differences have been found. In C, soils were registered below the wilting point during 4 months a year, and therefore, in the area of water unusable by plants. These months were coinciding with the summer Mediterranean drought and can justify the high mortality found on plants. Conversely, in SM, PM and HP, soil moisture remained below the wilting point less period than C and, the plant available water was also higher. In these treatments, the survival sapling rates measured were the highest. SH showed water holding capacity slightly more limited than C. For this treatment, the survival sapling rates measured were the lowest. In conclusion, from a land management standpoint, the PM, SM and HP have been proved as a significant method to reduce sapling mortality rates during the Mediterranean summer drought.