Formation of Trifluoroacetylated Ephedrine During the Analysis of a Pseudoephedrine-Formaldehyde Adduct by TFAA Derivatization Followed by GC-MS

Abstract:  (+)-Pseudoephedrine reacts with formaldehyde to form (4 S ,5 S )-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyloxazolidine. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis after the reaction of this oxazolidine with excess trifluoroacetic acid anhydride (TFAA) shows predominantly N , O- bis(trifluoroacetyl)pseudoephedrine with some of the monotrifluoroacetylated derivative. In addition, variable amounts of N , O- bis(trifluoroacetyl)ephedrine were detected by GC-MS. N , O- bis(trifluoroacetyl)ephedrine was not detected upon trifluoroacetylation of the source (+)-pseudoephedrine, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the (4 S ,5 S )-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyloxazolidine showed no evidence of the (4 R ,5 S ) isomer. This suggests that the N ,O-bis(trifluoroacetyl)ephedrine is formed by epimerization during the TFAA derivatization and GC-MS analysis of the pseudoephedrine-formaldehyde adduct.     

A structural equation modeling analysis of marital bullying scale

Bullying has received increasing research interest, whether bullying among students in schools and universities, or bullying among employees. There is still no accordance regarding to bullying between the couple. This study aimed to investigate the construct validity and psychometric properties of the marital bullying scale with advanced statistical procedure, structural equation modeling, and exploratory factor analysis. The researchers prepared the marriage bullying scale consisting of 25 self‐report items and applied it in a random sample consisting of (760) married individual, and then, the researchers extracted the psychometric characteristics of this scale. The finding indicated that the scale has psychometric properties with a high validity and reliability. In order to ensure the validity of the structure of this scale, the researchers developed a measurement model for marital bullying. The results of the exploratory factor analysis pointed to the saturation of the items of the scale (25) on five factors and accounted for 80.815% of the total variance of the scale. The first factor was verbal bullying that accounted for 37.658%, the second factor was physical bullying that accounted for 16. 249 %, the third factor was psychological bullying that accounted for 12.850 %, the fourth factor was social bullying that accounted for 8.584 %, and the fifth factor was family bullying that accounted for (5.475 %) of the total variance of marital bullying. And then by using confirmatory factor analysis, results showed that the structure of the proposed measurement model of marital bullying has good fitness with the data collected from the sample of the study, which enhances confidence in the ability of the scale to assess marital bullying. The findings shed new light on the underlying theory behind marital bullying and proved the usefulness of structural equation modeling framework in scale development.     

The impact of foreign direct investment on the growth of the tourism sector in Jordan (1980–2016)

The study aimed at measuring and analyzing the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the growth of the Jordanian tourism sector during the period 1980–2016. In order to test the stationarity of the variables of the study model, the augmented Dickey–Fuller and the Philips Perron tests were applied. The results showed that the variables were not stationary at their levels, but they become so when taking the first difference with the intercept. The study also found a positive long‐run relationship between the ratio of FDI to gross domestic product (GDP) and the ratio of tourism revenues to GDP according to the cointegration test used, which was the Granger causality test. The test showed a one‐way causal relationship between the ratio of FDI to GDP and the ratio of tourism revenue to GDP. According to the estimation results, the error correction model showed that there is a positive impact of FDI on the growth of the tourism sector. Based on the results reached, the study recommended the need to pay attention to the tourism sector, enhance its role in economic development, and work to provide an optimal investment environment by providing all necessary means for and assistance in establishing such investments. All obstacles that limit the flow of the FDI in the Jordanian tourism sector should be removed.     

Employee Readiness for Change in Public Higher Education Institutions: Examining the Joint Effect of Leadership Behavior and Emotional Intelligence

This study aimed to examine the effects of leadership behavior and emotional intelligence (EI) on readiness for change and to investigate the moderating effects of organizational commitment on the relationship among leadership behavior, EI, and readiness to change. Data was collected using surveys and Partial least squares structural equations modeling (PLS SEM) was employed. The findings of the study indicated that leadership behavior and EI have significant effects on employees’ readiness for change. More importantly, it confirmed the moderating effect of organizational commitment. This study provides an empirical explanation of the joint effect of some crucial change management determinants.     

Collateral Damage: The Impact of Mortgage Debt on U.S. Savings

This article contributes to the literature on saving by empirically investigating the determinants of the saving rate in the United States, with a special focus on the role of mortgage debt. Using data from 1987 to 2013, we find that mortgage payments have a substantial negative impact on both personal and private saving rates in the United States. An increase of 10 percentage points in mortgage payments leads to a 9.1-percentage-point drop in the personal saving rate and a 12.4-percentage-point drop in the private saving rate. In addition, including mortgage debt as an explanatory variable leads to significant changes in the impact of other variables, which further reinforces our claim that mortgage debt is important for the analysis of the saving rate. Comparing mortgage payments with nonmortgage consumer debt payments, we find that mortgage payments have a larger impact on the private saving rate whereas nonmortgage consumer debt payments have a larger impact on the personal saving rate. We also find a partial but robust crowding-out effect of public saving rate on the two saving rates. Our results have implications for monetary policy and government policies that encourage mortgage borrowing.     

Variants of transparency: an analysis of the English Local Government Transparency Code 2015

Transparency policies and initiatives at the local level have expanded around the world but our academic understanding is still limited. Few studies have systematically analysed transparency practices at the local government level. This paper develops an analytical framework to examine local government transparency practices based on the literature. The framework is used to analyse the English Local Government Transparency Code 2015. The study shows that the Code delivers openness to a partial extent but has not yet met all criteria for transparent practices. The findings could contribute to the development and improvement of transparency practices at local governments.     

Book reviews: Central Asia

The Suez Canal in World Affairs. By Hugh J. Schonfield. Constellation Books. Pp. 174, illustrated. 15s.

Crusader Castles. By Robin Fedden. A brief study of the Military Architecture of the Crusades. London : Art and Technics. 1950. Pp. 96. 15s.

Mamluk Costume. By L. A. Mayer. Geneva : Albert Kundig. Pp. 120 with 20 Plates. 1952.

An English‐Turkish Dictionary. By Fahir Iz and H. C. Hony. Clarendon Press. Pp. xii+510. 1952. 42s.

Sultan's Pleasure, and Other Turkish Recipes. By Robin Howe and Pauline Espir. P. Garnett. Pp. 152. 1952. 10s. 6d.

Omar Khayyam. A New Version based upon Recent Discoveries. By Professor Arthur J. Arberry. John Murray. Pp. 159. 15s.

Avicenna : Scientist and Philosopher. Ed. by G. M. Wickens. Luzac and Co. Pp. 128. 1952. 15s.

Afghanistan. Crocevia dell’ Asia. Antonio Vallardi Editore. Second Edition.

Secret Tibet. By Fosco Maraini, translated by Eric Mosbacker and with an introductory letter by Bernard Berensen. 60 illustrations from photographs by the author. Hutchinson. Pp. 251. 1952. 30s.

Hong Kong. By Harold Ingrams. Stationery Office. Pp. xii +307 and Map. 1952–27s. 6d.

Windows for the Crown Prince. By Elizabeth Gray Vining.

Konmara Pia Zat. By U Pok Ni. Vol. I : Introduction and Translation. By Hla Pe. Luzac. 6? × 9 3/4?. Pp. viii + 162. 37s. 6d.

Ceylon. By Sydney D. Bailey. Hutchinson's University Library. Pp. 168. 1952. 8s. 6d.

Outlines of Muhammadan Law. By Asaf A. A. Fyzee. Oxford University Press. Pp. xvi+443. 1949. Rs. 16.     

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN IRAQI KURDISTAN: PARTY RIVALRIES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) possesses many of the traditional hallmarks of political authority and society, such as state institutions (an Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary), political parties, civil society, elections, and local government. Nevertheless, for the past twenty-five years, it has failed to create a unified political system that adheres to a mutually accepted form of government. Political division, in particular, a rivalry between the main parties, has proved to be a real impediment to the political development and stability of the Region.

This article argues that there is a relationship between the nature and structure of the political parties, which reflects interests' political views of party leaders, and the political systems that have been proposed as solutions to a lack of political stability in Iraqi Kurdistan. Specifically, it argues that the individual character of the main parties, the PUK and the KDP above all, explains why they favour one system of government over the one advanced by their rival and is the core political dispute in Iraqi Kurdistan currently. Finally, the article concludes by identifying prospective systems of government available the KRI and the potential consequences of each.