bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finanza e fiscalità nella prima metà del Trecento
Authors: Mainoni Patrizia
Published: July 2022

Il rapporto fra le trasformazioni fiscali da fine Duecento alla metà del Trecento e il trend dell’economia lombarda si basa sull’interferenza fra l’evoluzione amministrativa e finanziaria e la politica fiscale dei Visconti nella città di Milano e nello stato in via di formazione. L’affermazione degli appalti, coincidente con l’imposizione della gabella del sale come obbligo di acquisto, sembra accompagnare la scomparsa dei religiosi dalle amministrazioni comunali. L’onere del sale divenne un’imposta diretta ordinaria. Le difficoltà dei primi decenni del Trecento si tradussero in una gravosa pressione fiscale, in cui le taglie, la gabella del sale e la tassazione mercantile svolsero il ruolo predominante. Per quanto riguarda i traffici, durante le signorie di Azzone, Luchino e Giovanni Visconti venne messo in atto un enorme sforzo normativo per incanalare i commerci attraverso l’Italia settentrionale in direzione della capitale, con l’introduzione di una fitta rete di passi doganali entro il distretto, in modo da costringere al pagamento dei dazi i manufatti del contado e assicurare a Milano la centralità commerciale.
Le campagne lombarde nel primo Trecento
Authors: Bertoni Laura
Published: July 2022

Le campagne lombarde del primo Trecento sono state spesso considerate in passato come un caso «eccezionale» rispetto al panorama europeo, impegnate in una lunga «transizione» verso i modelli di sviluppo quattrocenteschi e poco toccate dalla cosiddetta «crisi del Trecento». Le ricerche sul tema si sono scontrate però con una complessiva scarsità di fonti archivistiche, con la loro difforme distribuzione e con la grande varietà di paesaggi presenti nel territorio lombardo che hanno impedito ogni tentativo di generalizzazione. Il presente lavoro vuole riaprire la riflessione su questo tema, a partire da quei fattori che sono stati individuati come punti chiave nel permettere il «decollo» delle campagne lombarde. Presi nel loro insieme questi elementi hanno marcato una discontinuità con la situazione del secolo precedente, tuttavia la loro affermazione non fu né omogenea, né generalizzata e i progressi fatti registrare non furono esenti da difetti o da momenti di disequilibrio o di vera e propria crisi.
I villaggi abbandonati in Lombardia nella prima metà del Trecento
Authors: Rao Riccardo
Published: July 2022

Il contributo prende in esame la dinamica trecentesca di abbandono di villaggi in Lombardia, a partire dal modo in cui i fenomeni di diserzione sono classificati dalle fonti. Gli abbandoni appaiono numerosi, sin da prima della peste nera, ma con una distribuzione molto diseguale: risultano infatti più consistenti nelle aree di pianura meno popolate, assai meno frequenti in area prealpina e presso i centri urbani più vitali, a partire da Milano.
Conclusione
Authors: Grillo Paolo
Published: July 2022

Sulla base delle ricerche raccolte nel volume, gli autori concludono che non si può parlare di una «crisi del primo Trecento» in Lombardia. Vi furono delle difficoltà, soprattutto per i gruppi sociali inferiori, come i contadini indebitati e impoveriti e i lavoratori delle città, esposti alle carestie. Questo però non intaccò una struttura produttiva agricola e manifatturiera solida e in espansione, favorita dalla stabilità politica del primo dominio visconteo, almeno fino alla disastrosa peste del 1361.
L’applicazione del principio di aequitas nella prassi giudiziaria dei mercanti (xiv-xv sec.)
Authors: Macino Francesca
Published: July 2022

Il mos mercatorum costituisce un paradigma della dialettica fra prassi, norma e dottrina: la prassi ispira la norma tipica del diritto dei mercanti, gli statuti corporativi, e viene poi da essa modellata e regolata; la dottrina riconduce entrambe nell’alveo del diritto giustinianeo, utilizzando l’ampia categoria dell’aequitas nella sua funzione di strumento di deroga allo ius civile. La sede di azione dell’aequitas è il momento processuale: esso deve essere indagato attraverso le fonti del diritto dei mercanti, le riflessioni e definizioni della dottrina, le applicazioni nella prassi giudiziaria, che determinano nel tempo la formazione di una giurisprudenza mercantile. La relazione si concentra sulla ricognizione di serie processuali fra XIV e XV secolo, allo scopo di verificare il funzionamento dell’applicazione del principio di aequitas nella concretezza della prassi giudiziaria.
The mos mercatorum may be considered a most significant instance of the relationship between practice, written law and legal science: merchants’ custom inspires their typical written law, the statutes, which in turn give it shape; the legal science strives to put both custom and statute in the frame of Roman law, mostly using the category of aequitas in order to justify exceptions to ius civile. Trial is the moment in which the reference to aequitas principally takes place, therefore it must be followed in the sources of merchants’ law, in the considerations and definitions of legal science, in the application of judicial practice, all of which create in time a commercial jurisprudence. This paper is focused on a recognition of judicial records in the second half of the XIVth century, in order to understand the actual effectiveness of the reference to aequitas in judicial practice.
Un quaderno di lettere dell’azienda Cambini di Firenze
Authors: D’Arienzo Luisa
Published: July 2022

Il contributo analizza un Quaderno di lettere dell’azienda mercantile-bancaria dei Cambini, attiva a Firenze nel periodo 1444-1481, anno del suo fallimento. Nel ricco archivio dell’azienda, conservato presso l’Ospedale degli Innocenti di Firenze, sono presenti, con qualche lacuna, circa 80 registri contabili di varia natura; fra essi è stato esaminato un quaderno di lettere, unico nella sua tipologia, relativo al biennio 1 gennaio 1476- 31 dicembre 1477, realizzato da Francesco e Bernardo di Niccolò Cambini. Il Quaderno riporta nella prima parte le tratte e rimesse, nella seconda le lettere inviate dall’azienda ai numerosi corrispondenti. Dopo l’esame degli aspetti codicologici del libro, lo studio approfondisce la tipologia dei documenti e le formule che li contraddistinguono, anche in relazione ai rimandi interni agli altri libri dell’azienda. Vengono presentate tre tabelle con gli elenchi dei corrispondenti dell’azienda e delle piazze italiane ed europee dove operavano, ed ancora l’elenco delle tratte e rimesse e delle lettere inviate dai Cambini. Si allega una carta europea con la distribuzione geografica nel Mediterraneo e in Atlantico dei corrispondenti del banco.
This contribution analyzes a book of letters from the business-banking concern owned by the Cambini, active in Florence in the 1444-1481 period, year of its bankrupt. The rich archive, kept at Florence’s Hospital of Innocenti, holds, with some missing portions, about 80 accounting books on miscellaneous subjects. Among them, it was analyzed a handbook of letters, unique for its kind, relating to the two years January 1, 1476 to December 31, 1477, executed by Francesco and Bernardo di Niccolò Cambini. In the first section of the Handbook are reported withdrawals and deposits, whereas the second reports the letters sent by the company to its numerous correspondents. After a review of the codicological aspects of the book, the study examines the nature of the documents and the formulas characterizing them, also in relation to the company’s internal references in other books. Three tables, reporting the list of the company’s correspondents and the name of Italian and the European squares where they operated, is also reported, as well as a list of deposits and withdrawals jointly with the letters sent by the Cambini. It is attached a map displaying the geographical distribution in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic of the bank’s correspondents.
The lettres de foire of Ypres (second half XIIIth century)
Authors: De Hemptinne Thérèse , Howell Martha
Published: July 2022

The Flemish city of Ypres left a collection of credit records from the second half of the XIIIth century that is considerably richer than any from the north of Europe before the later XVth century, even the XVIth. One of the most important of the industrial and commercial powerhouses of the late medieval southern Low Countries, Ypres was renowned as producer of high-quality drapery and as the site of one of the five Flemish fairs linked to those of Champagne. Although Ypres was completely destroyed during WW I, the substance of more than 7,000 of the original records (all in the form of chirographs) are available to us, either in transcription or as summaries compiled before the war. Most treat loans taken by Yprois either from foreign creditors or from fellow citizens, thus providing a precious window into the socioeconomic structure of the city – and by implication that of similar cities of the day – as well as a fuller understanding of the diplomatic procedures used to register and secure debt in that heavily urbanized region.
La ville flamande d’Ypres a laissé une collection de lettres de crédit de la deuxième moitié du XIIIe siècle considérablement plus riche que toute autre ville du nord de l’Europe avant la fin du XVe et même du XVIe siècle. Un des plus importants centres industriels et commerciaux des anciens Pays-Bas au bas Moyen Âge, Ypres était renommée pour sa production de draps de haute qualité et comme l’endroit où se tenait une des cinq foires de Flandre, liées avec celles de Champagne. Même si Ypres fut presque totalement détruite durant la première guerre mondiale, le contenu de plus de 7 000 de ces lettres (toutes des chirographes) nous est connu, soit grâce à des transcriptions soit par des résumés compilés avant la guerre. La plupart ont pour objet des emprunts contractés par des habitants d’Ypres envers des créditeurs étrangers ou envers des concitoyens. Ces lettres nous procurent donc une précieuse ouverture sur les structures socio-économiques de cette ville – et par extension sur celles de villes similaires de l’époque – ainsi qu’une meilleure compréhension des procédures diplomatiques utilisées pour enregistrer et garantir les dettes dans cette région fortement urbanisée.
« A no grant besoing, en boine mounoie et bien contee »
Authors: De Paermentier Els
Published: July 2022

Throughout the XIIIth century, the countesses of Flanders Joan (1212- 1244) and her sister Margaret of Constantinople (1244-1278) had to rely on ad hoc loans in order to cover their expenses caused by political, economic or military decisions. Such ad hoc credits were granted by the Flemish towns and by the countesses liege lords, the French king and English king (money fief), but also by « foreign » partners. Among these « external » financiers, not only Northern Italian merchants (Lombards) but also several members of the bourgeoisie of Arras played a significant role. For the latter group, several letters of obligation and quittances reporting on the financial transactions between the countesses of Flanders and the Arras families Crespin, Louchart, Wago and le Brogne have survived. So far, the well-documented case of Arras loans has mainly been analyzed for its content. However, studying the diplomatic and material features of these records might lead to additional conclusions on how these financial transactions were prepared, performed, recorded and finalized. By bridging the gaps between « content » and « form », separate documents and compiled records, and making use of different methodological approaches, this contribution will offer a more in-depth view of the usurarios de Attrebato in XIIIth century Flanders, and more particularly of their role and representation in the financial comital administration.
Au cours du XIIIe siècle, les comtesses de Flandre Jeanne (1212-1244) et sa sœur Marguerite de Constantinople (1244-1278) ont dû faire appel, à maintes reprises, à des crédits externes ad hoc pour financer leurs dépenses causées par des décisions politiques, économiques et militaires. De tels crédits ont été accordés par les villes de Flandre et les suzerains des comtesses, les rois de France et d’Angleterre (ce dernier en procurant un fief de bourse), mais aussi par des partenaires étrangers. Parmi ces créditeurs extérieurs, des marchands italiens du Nord (Lombards), ainsi que plusieurs membres de la bourgeoisie arrageoise, ont joué un rôle prépondérant. Quant à ce dernier groupe, un grand nombre de lettres obligatoires et de quittances sont préservées, et nous rendent compte des transactions financières entre les comtesses de Flandre et les familles arrageoises des Crespin, des Louchart, des Wagon et des Le Brogne. Jusqu’à présent, le cas des financiers d’Arras, lequel est richement documenté, a été étudié principalement du point de vue du contenu des documents. Cependant, analyser leurs caractéristiques diplomatiques et matérielles peut également aider à mieux comprendre la manière dont ces opérations de prêts ont été préparées, présentées, enregistrées et finalisées. En comblant le fossé qui sépare le contenu de la forme des documents, et en utilisant différentes approches méthodologiques, cette contribution s’attache à donner une vue plus générale sur les usurarios de Attrebato actifs en Flandre au XIIIe siècle, en particulier sur leur rôle et représentation dans l’administration financière comtale.
Zur Überlieferung hansischer Geschäftsquellen
Authors: Mersiowsky Mark
Published: July 2022

Kaufleute aus dem Hansebereich benutzten schon lange vor der Hanse schriftliche Instrumente zum Informationsaustausch und zur Beschreibung von Waren wie zur Abrechnung. Während des Mittelalters bestimmende Form kaufmännischen Wirtschaftens erfordert mehr Organisation, neue rechtliche Instrumente und damit neue Dimensionen des Schriftgebrauchs. Im Spätmittelalter übernahmen die Stadträte Funktionen der Hansen: insgesamt weisen die Hansestädte die üblichen Formen städtischer urkundlicher Schriftlichkeit. Hansische Kaufleute nutzten die lokalen Formen urkundlicher Dokumentation für ihre Belange. Das wichtigste Dokument der internen Schriftproduktion hansischer Kaufleute waren die Handlungsbücher, die nicht nur Großkaufleute, sondern auch kleine Krämer nach ähnlichem Standard führten.
Die Neufunde dokumentieren die Verbreitung der einfachen Techniken kaufmännischer Buchführung nicht nur bei den großen Kaufleuten im Fernverkehr, sondern auch im örtlichen Detailhandel und erweitern unser Spektrum erhaltener Quellen.
Long before the establishment of the Hansa, merchants in the Hanseatic area adopted written records to exchange information and to describe and count goods. During the Middle Ages, a new commercial economy required a more efficient organization, new legal tools which led to a change of dimensions in the use of writing. At the end of the Middle Ages, municipal governments assumed the role of the Hansa: generally, in the Hanseatic cities, the ordinary forms of urban written records were favoured. Hansa merchants used local forms of written documentation for their needs. The most important record of their internal production were the ledgers, which were drawn up according with the same standards, whether they belonged to large merchants or small grocers. The latest archival discoveries document the spreading of simple business accounting techniques, not only for international traders, but also for local traders, expanding the spectrum of retained sources.
Handel und Schriftkultur in den böhmischen Ländern IM Spätmittelalter und in der frühen Neuzeit
Authors: Bláhová Marie
Published: July 2022

Die Autorin befasst sich mit Schriftstücken, die mit dem Handel mit landwirtschaftlichen und handwerkschaftlichen Produkten und mit Rohstoffen in den Böhmischen Ländern im späten Mittelalter und in der frühen Neuzeit zusammenhängen.
Die Ergebnisse der Analyse limitiert die konkrete Erhaltung der Quellen, weil in einem viel umfangreicheren Maß normative Quellen erhalten wurden, also Schriftstücke mit einer langfristigen –« unbegrenzten »– Gültigkeit, als Schriftstücke, die direkt in dem geschäftlichen Verkehr, deren Gültigkeit in der Regel nach dem Abschluss der Transaktion endete.
In die erste Gruppe der Schriftstücke gehören vor allem Zollordnungen und Privilegien, die zur Unterstützung des Handels herausgegeben wurden, Handelsordnungen und Stauten. Die konkrete Handelstätigkeit beweisen vor allem Schuldscheine, die von dem 13. Jahrhundert belegt sind, von dem 14. Jahrhundert Stadtbücher. Ab der zweiten Hälfte des 14. Jahrhundert kommen schon Belege von der Benutzung der privaten Kaufmannsbücher vor. Erst zu Ende des Mittelalters wurde die Verwendung der Quittungen und Obligationen (Schuldverschreibungen) belegt. Wechsel wurden erst ab Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts bekannt, aber ihre Benutzung war nicht sehr verbreitet.
The Author concentrates on the written documents related to the trade in agriculture and craft products and in raw materials in the Czech Lands in the late Middle Ages and in the early modern period. The results of the analysis are limited by the extant sources because the normative sources, i.e. written documents with long-term – « unlimited » – validity, survived in greater extent than those written documents used directly in the traffic, whose validity generally expired after the transaction was finished.
The first group of documents includes mainly customs orders and privileges issued to boost the trade, trading orders and statutes. The specific trading activities can be found predominantly in the promissory notes documented from the XIIIth century, and the municipal books from the XIVth century. From the second half of the XIVth century, the proves of private merchant books usage are available. The usage of receipts and bonds is documented only at the end of the Middle Ages. The promissory notes have been known in the Czech Lands only at the end of the XVth century, but their usage wasn’t widely spread.
Lettere e documenti di mercanti nel Portogallo del cinquecento
Authors: Helena Da Cruz Coelho Maria , António Gomes Saul
Published: July 2022

Dall’arrivo di Vasco da Gama in India, nel 1498, il Portogallo si trasformò in una vera e propria piattaforma del commercio mondiale, che attirava gli interessi di numerosi mercanti e banchieri internazionali e rendeva dinamici i mercati economici interni. Nell’archivio reale portoghese si trovano molte tracce documentarie che illustrano il mondo della scrittura di commercianti e mercanti, di banchieri e prestatori di denaro, i quali intrattenevano strette relazioni con la Corona. Troviamo, così, documentazione dalle tipologie formali diversificate e provenienti dalle botteghe dei mercanti o dei notai di cui questi si servivano: dalle missive e corrispondenza varia, ai contratti tra mercanti, alle richieste e concessioni di regalìe da parte dei commercianti, alle procure e alle deleghe fino alle numerose ricevute e quietanze di pagamenti effettuati. La stessa cancelleria regia, a sua volta, incorporò nelle sue pratiche modelli di produzione documentaria di tipica matrice contabile e commerciale, con la moltiplicazione di bilanci e di libri giornale, con la registrazione delle spese e delle entrate, di cambiali o di ordini di acquisto di prodotti commerciali.
Ever since Vasco da Gama arrived to India, in 1498, Portugal has shaped itself into a platform for world commerce – one that attracted mercantile and banking interests and invigorated internal markets. From the Portuguese royal archives, documents bring light to many merchant and businessman, and banker and lender writings – involved in crown affairs and personal deals. Thus, we come across documentation originating from merchant’s writing desks, or the notaries they recurred to. Such communications assumed different diplomatic typologies such as missives and general correspondence, contract letters between merchants, privilege concession requests, procurator affairs and power delegations, receipts and collected payment quittance. The very royal chancellery incorporated frameworks to produce accounting and commercial documents into its practices. This gave way to the multiplication of budgets, accounting books, payment orders and purchasing orders for commercial products.
El comercio marítimo en la costa asturiana y su reflejo en los documentos
Authors: Sanz Fuentes Maria Josefa
Published: July 2022

La villa de Avilés, en la costa norte de la península ibérica, mantuvo una gran actividad comercial tanto marítima, con puertos de las costas francesa, portuguesa y andaluza, como terrestre, a través de los puertos de montaña que la comunicaban con el resto del país. Ese comercio se vio reflejado en una abundante documentación, entre la que destacan las cartas de fletamiento y las cartas de compañía para el comercio marítimo, y ya en general, para todo tipo de comercio, cartas de obligación y de pago, cartas de poder para vender o comprar, arrendamientos de lonjas y contratos de recuas para el transporte de mercancías. También se encuentran reflejadas las relaciones humanas entre las familias de comerciantes en contratos matrimoniales y testamentos.
The town of Avilés, located on the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, has developed for centuries an intense commercial activity. It was linked by sea with french, portuguese and andalusian ports; by land, the goods were distributed to the south by the mountain ports. This trade is reflected in a variety of charters that are the object of this paper: some of them are specific to maritime trade, while others are generic to all types of trade. Family ties in traders as reflected in marriage contracts and wills are also considered.
On-Board Wide Broad Bandwidth Switching Linear and Planar Antenna Arrays for Industrial Use in an Era of Industrial Revolution
Authors: Razzak Atteeq , Rahim Tehseen , Razzak Azeem
Published: July 2022

The paper outlines the analysis of horn antenna and arrays of microstrip antenna for onboard high data rate transmission in the X-Band ( 10 Ghz). The antenna arrays consists of eight equispaced linear array elements with beam formation and gain of 20 dB. In satellite communication, we require the transmission of waves which are circularly polarized. This is achieved by placing helical antenna elements, which has the advantage that the antenna is broadband and transmission is circularly polarized. This paper also considers method of feeding the linear array, where only a first few elements produce radiation and the pattern is highly distorted. Linear array feed from both ends will produce uniform excitation so that the entire array is excited, with low distortion of pattern.
Developing an E-Planning System Compatible With Smart City Design Principles
Authors: Altinkilit Tugce , Aydogan Muhammed
Published: July 2022

The concept of smart cities has become increasingly popular as a new urban planning perspective. However, different levels of accessibility to these new technologies due to socio-economic disparities in the society proves this approach to be an important research subject for the urban planning of future cities. The main objective of this study is to evaluate smart-governance potential of residents who live in different urban areas and have different technological skills in order to participate in city planning equally. The main methodology of this study is to map and spatially analyse the use of online municipality services in urban areas with different socio-economic characteristics in İzmir/Bayraklı district. For this purpose, a spatial database via GIS was built including the location of residents who use the online ‘e-service’ section of the municipality’s official website and digital analysis maps was produced.
Seeking Cities of the Future
Authors: Iavarone A.Hilal
Published: July 2022

The present paper proposes a reading through the techno-city visions as an attempt to jump into the timeline. The paper examines the experimental architectural works dreaming of the cities of the future in the context of being visionary. The paper interprets the techno-city design example sets within two headings: “Future city dreams” and “Future city dystopias”. The positive atmosphere of technological developments, covering the years the 1960s-1980s, creates future city dreams. Future city dystopias are visible in science fiction and architectural representations, especially after the 1990s, supported by computer technologies and increasing uncertainty. The techno-city visions discussed in the series, it is aimed to make visible the potential and expansions of the act of imagining and designing the future. Finally, it is aimed to put forward a discussion on the question of what the present "visions of city of the future" are. This text aims to understand the channels through which visionary techno-city projects are fed, their meanings, and the expansions they create.
Advancement of Agri-Trading Systems Towards Improving Farmers' Economic Situations in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Mohammad Fahim , Hasan Mohammad Mahmudul , Khatun Sheikh Aysha
Published: July 2022

The Agri-Trading system and farmer's economic situation in Bangladesh are two major factors work as a catalyst and inhibitor in the process of countries development growth. The objective of this research is to identify factors responsible for the flaws of Agri-trading system in Bangladesh including farmer’s financial cruxes and recommend improvements. Based on the results, it can be seen that farmers are mainly dependent on the traditional Agri-trading system dominated by a group of intermediaries where the lion’s share of the profit is consumed by them. Due to not having proper ICT skills and knowledge about digital marketing farmers are bounded to trade in traditional Agri-trading systems without getting their fair price. To bring the progression in farmer’s economic situation, first, the farmers have to be educated with ICT skills to adopt a digital Agri-Trading system. Secondly, intermediaries free direct trading communication between farmers and consumers must be established.
An Insight Into the Implementation of Integrated Reporting Practices in an Emerging Economy
Authors: Alabi Abdulkadri Toyin
Published: July 2022

Integrated reporting is a modern kind of corporate reporting designed for businesses. The main goal of this study is to examine the degree to which listed corporations in Nigeria have been able to implement the framework's integrated reporting principles and practices. Due of a lack of data on the implementation of integrated reporting from reporting entities, a documentary mixed with descriptive research technique was used. The purposive random sampling approach was used to determine sample size, utilizing eleven (11) Nigerian listed companies from each sector. The result of the tested hypothesis yielded F-value of 0.632 (P-value = 0.088; which is insignificant being greater than the 0.05 threshold), as such, the null hypothesis was accepted. This signifies no substantial evidence of integrated reporting implementation practices among Nigerian listed firms. This finding might be attributed to the recent nature of integrated reporting disclosures as well as a lack of a regulatory framework in Nigeria to motivate it.
Addressing Waste Management in Fresh Markets in Thailand
Authors: Thongplew Natapol , Kotlakome Ratchawut , Suttipanta Nitima
Published: July 2022

Fresh markets or wet markets function as important places for exchanging food stuffs and meeting of local people in many emerging economies. Through many activities in fresh markets, solid waste is substantially generated and becomes a main environmental issue. In Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, solid waste in fresh markets emerges as an environmental issue with potentials to be improved. Selecting two fresh markets with different ownerships in Ubon Ratchathani, the concepts of waste hierarchy and triad-network model were applied to study and compare ways to improve solid waste management systems. Through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, this research reveals that solid waste managements of the two markets are centrally organized by the owners with the emphasis on tidiness with little involvements from other actors. To improve waste managements, moving beyond legal requirements and engaging relevant actors are essential. It is also found that different ownership (public vs. private) affects how fresh markets can organize improvement strategies.
Banana leaf anatomy characteristics related to ploidy levels
Authors: Madail Rafael Hansen , Pio Leila Aparecida Sales , Rezende Renata Alves Lara Silva , Pasqual Moacir , Silva Sebastião de Oliveira e
Published: July 2022

Many important crops have cultivars with different ploidy and provide a diverse choice of materials for breeding programs. Therefore, it is essential to accurately assess the ploidy of all breeding materials. Increased DNA content is known to have various effects on external and internal morphology, an effect known as the “nucleotypic effect”. Thus, anatomical assessment can be used as a tool for determining ploidy in plants, making the chromosome counting technique or flow cytometry unnecessary. This study aimed to evaluate the leaf anatomical characteristics of banana cultivars and understand the relationship between these features and ploidy levels. Thirteen accessions were evaluated, including diploid, triploid, and tetraploid genotypes, and cultivars, resulting from in vitro propagation after 90 days of acclimatization. Five fully expanded young leaves were collected from each cultivar, fixed in FAA70 (formaldehyde–acetic acid–ethanol) and preserved in 70% alcohol. Transverse and paradermal sections of the abaxial and adaxial regions were taken, and variables such as size and stomatal density, leaf thickness in the midrib and fourth vascular bundle region, and thickness of the epidermis, hypodermis, and parenchyma were measured. Results for leaf thickness, stomatal size, and density proved to be appropriate parameters for characterizing banana ploidy levels.
Genotype × environment interaction for the agronomic performance of high β-carotene sweetpotato
Authors: Otoboni Maria Eduarda Facioli , Oliveira Darllan Junior Luiz Santos Ferreira de , Pavan Bruno Ettore , Andrade Maria Isabel , Vargas Pablo Forlan
Published: July 2022

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an important tuber vegetable for human health worldwide owing to its nutritional value and productivity. Consumption of orange-fleshed sweetpotato is beneficial to combat vitamin A deficiency in the world, including Brazil, as these tubers are rich in β-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. The genotype × environment interaction is one of the greatest challenges in plant breeding, specifically in the selection and approval of cultivars. In this context, adaptability and stability analyses are warranted to evaluate the performance of various genotypes in terms of general or specific adaptations to certain environments and to identify genotypes responsive to environmental variations. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the genotype × environment interaction as well as to estimate the adaptability and stability of sweetpotato genotypes for identifying and selecting promising candidates for breeding. The experiments were performed in four environments: Vera Cruz in São Paulo, Selvíria in Mato Grosso do Sul, and one organic and another intercropped production system in Sete Barras in São Paulo. A randomized block design with two replicates was adopted. A total of 265 genotypes were tested, and the orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivar ‘Beauregard’ was used as the control. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model was used to study environmental stratification, adaptability, and stability. The genotype × environment interaction was evident in all environments. The genotypes CERAT21-13 (marketable root yield, 22.30 t ha-1 in the four environments), CERAT29-26 (27.74 t ha-1), and CERAT52-22 (20.24 t ha-1) were the most adapted in general to the four environments. CERAT25-23, CERAT29-23, and CERAT29-26 were the most adapted to the environment in Vera Cruz; CERAT29-26, CERAT34-14, and CERAT56-32 to the environment in Selvíria; and CERAT31-10, CERAT35-19, and CERAT52-22 to the two environments in Sete Barras.
Gene expression analysis associated with tissue-specific promoters in Musa spp.
Authors: Livramento Kalynka Gabriella do , Freitas Natália Chagas , Trindade Luciene de Oliveira Ribeiro , Teixeira Luiz Gustavo da Silva , Paiva Luciano Vilela , Bordallo Patrícia do Nascimento , Diniz Leandro Eugenio Cardamone
Published: July 2022

The study of promoters has become essential to elucidate genetic regulation and allow new genetic transformation strategies through plant biotechnology. The challenge is to discover and validate promoters that can regulate gene transcription spatially and/or temporally. The goal of this work was to validate genes associated with tissue-specific promoters of bananas obtained from in silico sequences and selected from the DATAMusa databank. Gene expression was quantified using RT-qPCR from different tissues: leaves, flowers, roots, unripe pulp, ripe pulp, unripe peels, and ripe peels of two different genetic groups: Prata-Anã (PA; group AAB) and Grand Naine (GN; group AAA). After the analysis of the expression of genes associated with the promoters, normalization was performed with the most stable reference genes (TUB and L2) selected using the RefFinder tool. It was determined that five genes were specific or expressed to a greater extent in some tissues than others. The EMB-23 gene was highly expressed in ripe pulp and flowers of GN, EMB-26 in the ripe pulp of GN, EMB-27 in flowers of GN, EMB-28 in roots of PA and ripe pulp and roots of GN, and EMB-31 in roots and flowers of GN and PA, and unripe pulp of GN. The in silico analysis was efficient in the identification of spatial/time-specific genes, thereby decreasing analysis time and cost, making future genetic transformation studies focusing on the application of these tissue-specific promoters possible.
Combined high-voltage pulsed radiofrequency and ozone therapy versus ozone therapy alone in treating postherpetic neuralgia
Authors: Zhang Jian-Feng , Williams John P. , Zhao Qian-Nan , Liu Hui , An Jian-Xiong
Published: July 2022

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a devastating disease with extraordinarily poor treatment outcomes. Both pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and ozone have good effects on the treatment of the disease. However, whether PRF and ozone have a synergistic effect on PHN remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the therapeutic effects of ozone alone and in combination with PRF in the treatment of PHN. Ninety-one patients with PHN were assigned into two groups: PRF combined with ozone (PRF + ozone group, n = 44) and ozone therapy alone (ozone group, n = 47). In PRF + ozone group, the high-voltage, long-duration PRF was applied to the target dorsal root ganglions. Then ozonated water (11.5 µg/mL) was injected through the inner cannula. In the ozone group, all other processes were the same as those in the PRF + ozone group apart from the electrical stimulation. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by visual analog scale and tactile sensation at pre-treatment and post-treatment 3, 6, and 12 months. Compared with pre-treatment data, the visual analog scale score was significantly decreased in both groups after treatment. Compared with the ozone group, the visual analog scale score was significantly decreased in the PRF + ozone group at 3, 6, and 12 months. Similarly, the tactile sensation was also significantly decreased at post-treatment when compared to pre-treatment. However, there were no statistical differences between the two groups. Regression analysis results showed that the history of diabetes mellitus and age had significant negative and positive effects, respectively, on the treatment results. To conclude, the administration of PRF + ozone and ozone therapy alone could both improve pain symptoms. Moreover, treatment effects and total efficacy rates tended to be higher for the combination of PRF and ozone than ozone alone. This conclusion was especially true for long-term therapeutic effects.
The Bronze Acupuncture Model Produced by Emperor Qianlong's Order in 1744 A.D.
Authors: Qin Hong
Published: July 2022

The bronze acupuncture model was produced by Emperor Qianlong's order in 1744 A.D. It has been 274 years since then, and this model has always been well kept and handed down with a full record. It is of great traditional medical and cultural value, regarded as the treasure of Shanghai Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine due to its rareness and intactness both at home and abroad.
Spread of Traditional Chinese Medicine to the West and the Development of Sinology: A Case Study Based on the Translation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Literature by German Doctor Gottlieb Olpp
Authors: Yuan Wei-Man
Published: July 2022

German doctor Gottlieb Olpp played an important role in Sino-German medical exchanges during the late Qing dynasty. During his stay in China for more than 9 years, he wrote a large number of texts related to local Chinese medical and hygienic conditions. In these works, he introduced traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its situation at that time but also translated TCM literature. His translations and his achievements facilitated the development of sinology in Germany. Not only was he responsible for the development of the method used by German sinologists in translating TCM literature, but also his work gave an impetus to the combination of academic goals and current considerations in sinology studies. In this way, the study of TCM is the internal force driving the development of sinology.
Decoding an Old 1907 Prescription of Dr. Ing Hay (“Doc Hay”): One of the Earliest Chinese Medicine Doctors in the United States
Authors: Fan Arthur Yin , Jin Louis Lei , Huang Boling , Yu Mingxia , Zhao Xiaoyin , Alemi Sarah Faggert
Published: July 2022

Objectives:

Chinese medicine doctors have practiced in the United States since April of 1854, the world's first Chinese medicine doctor's memorial is Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day, Oregon, U.S., to commemorate Dr. Ing Hay (”Doc Hay” 伍于念) and his business partner Lung On (梁光荣). There were few studies to explore Doc Hay's real practice and prescription, while most of papers focused on Doc Hay's legend life. This paper aims to analyze and interpret one of the intriguing herbal prescriptions that Doc Hay had hand-written.

Materials and Methods:

Dr. Arthur Yin Fan made an academic travel to Kam Wah Chung museum on August 5, 2018 and examined the books and hand-written prescriptions of Doc Hay, which were not exhibited to the public at that time. This paper analyzes and interprets one of herbal prescriptions that Doc Hay had hand-written in 1907. Interpretation process included four steps: (1): Transform Doc Hay's hand-written prescription (with original herb names) to standard herb names in Chinese. (2): Induct and rearrange the herb name into groups based on herb property characteristics and then translate them into both PinYin names and English names. Analyzation of the prescription may include in what classic formula (s) routinely introduced in Chinese medicine textbooks. (3): Analyze the herbal action for each group and potential symptoms or conditions the patient may have had. An analysis of classic formula (s) used in the prescription may represent what clinical condition was being treated at that time. (4): Combine the analysis to give a comprehensive picture of the patient.

Results:

The prescription consists of 67 herbs, total 934.6 grams, and including Yin Qiao Powder (银翘散), Sang Ju Decoction (桑菊饮), Zhi Sou Powder (止嗽散), Qing Ying Decoction (清营汤), Xi Jiao Di Huang Decoction (犀角地黄汤), Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤) and Chai Hu Shu Gan Powder (柴胡疏肝散). Speculation indicated that the prescription was for a patient who had obvious pulmonary infection accompanied by severe cough, and probably had prolonged pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) also with acute respiratory infection caused by other bacteria or viruses. Based on the analysis of composition of this prescription, it can be used for the treatment of epidemic diseases.

Conclusion:

The majority of herbs used in this prescription are commonly included in the herbal medicines in China used to effectively counter severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 and currently COVID-19, it might be Doc Hay's basic formula for patients with “Spanish Flu” during the 1918-1920 pandemic.
Boym and Rémusat: Communication of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Rise of Western Sinology
Authors: Zhang Xi-Ping
Published: July 2022

This article provides an introduction to Michel Boym (1612–1659) and Jean Pierre Abel Rémusat (1788–1832) and examines the research on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) conducted by the two prominent sinologists. This work points out that Michel Boym introduced TCM to the West and Rémusat was the first to write a doctoral thesis on TCM. A historical overview of the translation, communication and impact of TCM in Europe at that time reveals that this communication of TCM to the West played a significant role in the rise of the study of Sinology in Europe.
Homeopathic Medicine Versus Traditional Chinese Medicine: An Analytical Overview
Authors: Elahee Sheikh Faruque , Mao Huijuan , Zohra Fatema , Faruque Sheikh Muhammad Bin , Shen Xueyong
Published: July 2022

Conventional homeopathy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are two popular alternative systems of medicine, which are practiced also in many countries outsidethe countries of origin. Homeopathy originated in Germany in the 19th century and spread throughout the world in spite of antagonism by theorthodox practitioners. It is a holistic medicine based on the principles of treatment where the remedy and the disease have similar symptoms,applies a single potentized medicine at a time, in minimum dose. TCM, also a holistic medicine originating in ancient China about 3000 years ago, has been developed and practiced through centuries till today as one of the most popular alternative medicines in the world. Both the systems ofmedicine have many differences in theories, principles and practices, but they have some important aspects in common. Both are holistic in approach,treating the whole patient, not the affected organs only; focusing on stimulating the intrinsic life principle to bring order, and on homeostasis and balance in the organism. In therapeutics, they may advantageously be applied as adjuvant to each other, producing synergistic effects.
The Silk Road and Sources of Chinese Medicine Expansion: Part 1 – Materia Medica
Authors: Bradley Sean
Published: July 2022

The Silk Road stretched over land and across seas connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia. The trade of medicine along these routes has had profound impacts on the populations and traditions they have come into contact with. Chinese Medicine is no exception as it has taken numerous nonnative products and incorporated them into the unique philosophical construct of systematic correspondences that govern its practice. By looking at the four categories of primary source materials and studying the history of medical exchange along the Silk Road, we can determine how and where this information is used in Chinese Medicine. The Materia Medica (ben cao 本草) texts are the first source of information for this study that will explore multiple sources to better understand the development of Chinese Medicine in relation to the rest of the world.
Characterisation of freeze-dried powdered aqueous slurry of Pennisetum Glaucum (Poaceae) grains and its galactogogue properties in an animal model
Authors: Arogundade T. A. , Okunlola A. , Ajala T.O. , Aina O.O.
Published: July 2022

Background: Pearl millets (Pennisetum glaucum) are important but underutilized crops found in tropical and semi-arid regions of the world, including Northern Nigeria. A survey report of women in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, revealed that milk obtained from grains of Pearl millet have been utilized to enhance lactation, even in cases of adoptive nursing.Objectives: The aim of this study is to prepare aqueous slurry of Pearl millet grains, freeze-dry into powders, characterize and then evaluate the powders for galactogogue activity in female Wistar rats, in comparison to domperidone, a dopamine antagonist used as a lactogenic agent.Methods: The aqueous slurry of millets was freeze-dried and characterized for morphology, crystallinity (Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy, FTIR and X-ray diffraction analysis, XRD), viscosity, flow and compaction properties. Animal studies were carried out to evaluate the galactogogue effect and histopathological examination was done on the 15th day of parturition. Toxicological testing to determine the LD50 was performed using Lorke’s method.Results: The morphology, FTIR and XRD spectra confirmed the disruption of the granules when freeze-dried. Freeze-drying improved flow and showed good compactibility, indicating potential for formulating the powders into tablets. Weight gain and histopathological examination revealed improved milk secretion and milk emptying in rats. The LD50 showed that the highest dose of 6000μg/kg gave no mortality.Conclusion: The freeze-dried powders of Pearl millet slurry were free flowing, capable of compaction and produced increased secretion and emptying of milk in Wistar rats, showing potential as a galactogogue for use in humans and the dairy industry.
Phytosynthesis, antimicrobial and catalytic activities of silver nanoparticles derived using leaf and stem extracts of Indigofera macrophylla
Authors: Thomas O.E. , Adegoke O.A. , Adeniyi E.M. , Oliver C.G.
Published: July 2022

Background: The phytosynthesis of metal nanoparticles is a promising green alternative to traditional chemical approaches.Objective: The aim of this study was to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antimicrobial and biocatalytic activities using aqueous leaf and stem extracts of Indigofera macrophylla.Methods: Critical reaction variables for the biosynthesis of AgNPs were optimized using UV-vis spectroscopy before the biosynthesised AgNPs were characterized using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The biological activities of the biogenic nanoparticles were then investigated with particular focus on their antimicrobial activity and biocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of methylene blue.Results: The surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized using aqueous extracts of leaf (LE-AgNPs) and stem (SE-AgNPs) of I. macrophylla occurred at 430 and 426 nm respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images of the nanoparticles showed highly aggregated polymorphs with mostly spherical shape. The particle sizes of LE-AgNPs and SE-AgNPs as determined by Transmission electron microscopy were 48.61±8.60 and 18.09±4.13 nm respectively with Energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirming characteristic absorption band at 3 KeV. In susceptibility assays, LE-AgNPs showed dose-dependent zones of inhibition against Escherichia coli (18 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20 mm) while SE-AgNP was only active against Staphylococcus aureus (10 mm). Both LE-AgNPs and SE-AgNPs showed good biocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of methylene blue with rate constants of 0.0204 and 0.0182 min-1 respectively.Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles with antimicrobial and catalytic activities have been biosynthesized using the aqueous extract of Indigofera macrophylla.