Assessing the Sources of Classical Arabic Compilations: The Issue of Categories and Methodologies

The complex nature of medieval Arabic compilations, with their evidence of manifold pieces and layers of diverse (older) text material, has been puzzling to many scholars of Islam. It has even caused some researchers to question the authenticity and credibility of information contained in these texts—and their value as historical sources—altogether.

An inquiry into the theoretical controversies at issue here constitutes the starting point of this article. Additionally, we will look at the categories and terms more frequently used in Western studies of the sources of Arabic compilations from about the eighth to the eleventh century Common Era (CE). The second part of the article offers an extensively annotated catalogue of categories and terms. This terminology, it is hoped, will help advance the assessment of classical Arabic compilations, for it takes the actual circumstances of the transmission of knowledge and the working techniques of compilers in medieval Islam into proper consideration. In conclusion, the paper illustrates how the proposed categories and terms are to be applied. It will become clear that the application of this kind of refined source-critical examination of individual classical Arabic texts is instrumental to a better understanding of medieval Muslim scholarship in general.     

1H NMR analysis of GHB and GBL: further findings on the interconversion and a preliminary report on the analysis of GHB in serum and urine

A 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) method for the determination of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and gamma-hydroxybutyrolactone (GBL) in human serum and urine using spiked samples has been developed. The method gives linear responses (correlation coefficients of 0.99 or greater) over the concentration range 0.01 mg/mL to 4.0 mg/mL in urine and 0.3 mg/mL to 2.0 mg/mL in serum. No sample pretreatment is required. Studies of the chemical interconversion of GBL and GHB showed hydrolysis of GBL to be rapid at pH 11.54, slower and less complete (30% hydrolysis) at pH 2.54 and slowest at pH 7.0, reaching 30% hydrolysis in about 40 days. No esterification of GHB was observed at any pH.