Mid-20th Century Research Articles

Photo George, in Douala: One of the Earliest Photo Studios in Cameroon

The study of one of Cameroon’s first permanent photo studios, Photo George in Douala, reveals a story of migration, social mobility, intellectual ambition, and a special ability to adapt to a challenging economic, political and social situation. Tracing the studio founder’s family history back to the mid-19th century and considering Freetown’s multicultural Krio society with its longstanding interactions with photographic practices, not only tell how George E. Goethe turned his father’s intellectual and academic ambitions into a pursuit of visual perfection but more generally allow a glimpse into how photography as a profession spread along the West African coast.

Basal implants and their importance in clinical Dentistry: Literature review

Background: Basal implants, also known as cortical implants, have a history dating back to the mid-20th century. Although they are not as well known or widely used as conventional dental implants, they have been gaining relevance in dentistry in recent years due to their effectiveness in specific clinical situations. Objective: evaluate clinical effectiveness, analyze their indications, contraindications, examine complications and success rate. Methods: the research was structured based on a search tree (PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus), with keywords such as: Basal Implant. The languages: English, Portuguese and Spanish were used as limiters; open access articles, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, randomized clinical trials, case reports. We established a secondary selection based on the title and summary of the articles according to the objective of the study.Results: The initial search showed 3,099 studies whose title was related to the search patterns, of which 3,029 articles were excluded based on their title and abstract, thus resulting in 70 potentially relevant articles. After reading, 21 articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded: repeated. In this way, 49 articles were finally selected to carry out this review. Conclusions: Dental implants offer significant benefits in oral functionality, facial aesthetics, self-esteem and long-term health. However, there are important considerations that encompass postoperative care, costs, insurance coverage, and access to these treatments.

Muslims of Tobolsk Province in Second Half of 19th Century: Marriage Dynamics

This study presents an analysis of the content of handwritten records from Muslim metric books of the mid-19th century at the Komarovskaya Yurt Mosque in Tobolsk Province. The analysis focuses on the second part, which includes information on marriages and divorces. Building upon previous research analyzing birth data from the first part of mosque records, this work introduces, for the first time, data on marriages and divorces of residents of Western Siberia belonging to a single ethnic group: the mosque’s parishioners were Bukharans — migrants from Central Asia. A total of 116 marriage records and six divorce records were analyzed. The statistics suggest that the institution of marriage was stable. The study reveals the ages of those getting married, marriage conditions, dowry amounts paid, reasons for divorce, and polygamy practices. It is proven that despite the lack of surnames among the Tatar population in the 19th century, recording the names of marrying individuals, their fathers, witnesses, and social status in mosque records allows for the identification of each individual. Interfaith marriage contacts were not recorded during the analyzed period. The relevance of this research lies in providing new insights into Muslim marriage customs and social processes in a specific territory during the specified period.

Spatio-temporal Trends and Patterns of Synthetic Fertility Index Across African Countries: A Comprehensive Analysis from 1950 to 2023

This paper examines the spatiotemporal trends and patterns of the Synthetic Fertility Index (SFI) in African countries from 1950 to 2023. The study used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program and Atlasocio.com to analyse the evolution of fertility rates in Africa. The findings reveal a significant decline in fertility rates over the past decades, with many countries experiencing a shift from high SFI exceeding 6 children per woman in the mid-20th century to levels below 3 children per woman by 2023. However, regional disparities persist, with North African countries and South Africa consistently demonstrating lower SFIs compared to their counterparts in West Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing persistent regional disparities in fertility rates through targeted policies and interventions aimed at improving access to education and healthcare, promoting gender equality, and addressing cultural norms and practices that perpetuate high fertility rates. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the demographic transition taking place in Africa and highlights the need for continued research and policy action to promote socio-economic development in the continent

Edinburgh's Indian Botanical Connections and Collections

A survey is given of the many botanical links between Edinburgh and India from the mid 18th century to the start of the 20th century Attention is drawn to the important contributions made to various aspects of Indian botany by Edinburgh-trained surgeons, botanists, gardeners; also administrators and military men; there are brief life-histones of a selection of those with Edinburgh connections of one kmd or another. The importance of the rich Indian coHeetions at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh is stressed: both herbarium and bbrary-archivat resources. The second part of the paper gives an alphabetical list of all the collectors of Indian specimens, phanerogams and cryptogams, who are known to be represented in the Edinburgh herbarium.

An Outline of the History of Korea in <i>The Primer for Children</i>

In traditional Korea, The Primer for Children (Dongmong seonseup 童蒙先習) was a basic textbook studied in Confucian schools. It introduced students to the basics of Confucian ethics and to the main events of the history of China and Korea. The text is composed in literary Chinese and marked with Korean auxiliary verbs and affixes written in Chinese characters using the gugyeol method. The Korean Collection of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg) includes a xylographic edition of this textbook (C 64), which was printed in the year gyechuk 癸丑 (1793 or 1853) and entered the funds of the IOM, RAS, as part of the collection of Academician M.F. Brosset (1802–1880). The paper contains the first partial Russian translation of this textbook presenting the outline of the history of Korea from ancient times to the mid-16th century. The translation is accompanied with a commentary and a brief preface.

Sacred Resurgence: Revitalizing Buddhist Temples in Modern China

This paper examines the construction and maintenance of Chinese Han Buddhist temples in modern China against the backdrop of societal transformation. Initially, it analyzes the profound impact of social changes since the mid-19th century on Buddhist monasteries, including political turmoil, economic development, and urbanization. Furthermore, the paper explores how temples were reconstructed and revitalized within this historical context, highlighting the monastic community’s unwavering commitment to protecting the Dharma and ensuring its enduring presence. Additionally, this paper also explores the role of charismatic monks in enhancing the sanctity of temples and the influence of Buddhist institutional frameworks on the dynamics of state and society. The study employs a multifaceted analysis to understand the complex interplay between temple construction, economic development, and the cultural heritage of Buddhism in China.

The Seven Sleepers Tradition (Ashab-ı Kehf) in Afşin, Tarsus and Lice: Comparative Analysis of their Intangible Heritage

The present article analyses the Ashab al-Kahf tale and sites in Turkey and my analyses intersects the diciplines of the History of Religions and Religious Anthropology. The tale is a shared hagiographic tradition amongst Christians and Muslims which is widespread in many countries. The primordial Christian tale of Seven Sleepers which arose in the mid 5th century CE Asia Minor, flowed later into Islamic religion (Koran, sura al-Kahf: 9-26) but with some relevant differences. It is based on a historical episode occurred in the city of Ephesus during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius (mid 3rd century CE). Seven young Ephesians refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods according to the Decian edict, because of their Christian faith. To avoid the persecution, they escaped in a cave on the mountain Penayir Daghi. According to the Christian tale about two hundred years later God resuscitated them during the kingdom of Teodosius II. This miracle confirms the doctrine of the resurrection and the victory of monotheism upon idolatry. Beyond the Ephesian site which pertains to the Christian lore, we find three other existent caves concerning Ashab al- Kahf, the Islamic tale in Turkey. The ziyaret (visits) to Tarsus, Afşin and Lice caves highlight the Turkish Muslims’ popular religiosity since the Eshab i-Kehf sites encompass a variety of devotional rituals and traditions. Keywords: Seven Sleepers, Ashab al-Kahf, Sura XVIII, Afşin, Tarsus, Lice Caves.

Pottery kiln from the second half of the 13th century in Žďár nad Sázavou – Staré Město (Czech Republic)

This study investigates a medieval pottery kiln and its fill excavated at a 13th-century settlement site near the Žďár Cistercian monastery. The short 30–40 year lifespan of the settlement provides valuable insight into how pottery was made and appeared in a chronologically specified timeframe of the mid-13th century. The kiln was a single-chamber type, either with an open-topped or domed superstructure with a very narrow stoking channel in terms of height. Technological analysis of the pottery inside the kiln points to consistent production techniques utilising a combination of coiling and early rotational devices with rapid firing practices. The interpretation of the forming technique is backed by 3D scanning, which quantifies the wall thickness variability over various vessel body parts. Cross-analysis with settlement finds shows a uniform ceramic morphology and technological nuances, with petrographic data suggesting both local and external material influences. The study enhances the understanding of the socio-economic dynamics during medieval colonisation based on the case of the Žďár region and provides a benchmark for regional ceramic research.

State of conservation of an industrial brick masonry chimney: a case-study in Montijo, Portugal

AbstractIndustrial masonry chimneys became widespread in the mid-19th century and were eventually integrated into urban landscapes, gaining significance as symbolic historical remnants of local industries. This poses new challenges, particularly concerning the safety of populations and goods, as well as the preservation of the now-historical structures. In this article, we assess the conservation status of the 45-meter-high chimney of the former cork processing factory Mundet, located in Montijo, Portugal. The study involved a structural survey conducted using height access equipment, along with an investigation to diagnose moisture and salt decay at the base of the chimney. The later included measuring current and hygroscopic moisture distributions, as well as XRD characterization of brick and mortar samples. At the chimney’s base, salt crystallization causes efflorescence and erosion leading to masonry disintegration. This is associated with rising damp and the presence of sodium sulfate in the brick and sodium chloride in the mortar. In the shaft, mortar erosion becomes more pronounced as we ascend. At the crown, extensive mortar erosion and limited compression have caused the NE-facing half to disappear, while the rest is at risk of imminent collapse. Damage mitigation measures to address this situation are proposed.

ВЛАСТИВОСТІ АРХІТЕКТУРНО-МІСТОБУДІВНОГО ТВОРЕННЯ СЕРЕДМІСТЬ У ОДНОЙМЕННИХ МІСТАХ ДЕРАЖНЕ І ДЕРАЖНЯ

The properties of the downtown architectural and town-planning creation in the historical cities of Derazhne and Derazhnya are considered. It has been found that in Derazhne the castle was located in the southern part of today's village, on a wedge ledge formed at the place where the stream flows into the Horyn River. The downtown stood northeast of the castle. Its territory had features of a regular rectangle, and the gates were located on the western and northern sides. Unfortunately, today it is difficult to determine the location of the wooden Roman Catholic church in the downtown, instead, the brick church of the beginning of the 19th century was built on the territory of the castle. It was established that the castle in Deraznya was rectangular in plan with two corner roundels located in the southern and northern corners of the western side. The indistinct fragments of the downtown ramparts preserved to this day, the configuration of the streets and the graphic image of the urban defense complex of Deraznya on the map of the mid-17th century by the military engineer Guiyaume Levasseur de Beauplan indicate that the northern and eastern parts of the fortifications of the city center had bastion-like protrusions, and the northeastern corner had a special fortification purpose . Rynok Square was located in the center of the downtown. A wooden church stood in its northeastern corner, and a brick Roman Catholic church in the southeastern corner. Relying on the determined properties of architectural and town-planning creation in the downtown of Derazhnye and Derazhnya settlements, we can record their equivalent historical and cultural value. The development vector of their cities was identical, but the architectural image was individual. The spatial composition of the connection between the castle and the city center, the abundance of temples and the fortification system differed. Instead, the street network in Derazne and Derazne was ordered, calculated and synchronized with two entrance gates. The current state of the downtown is unsatisfactory. In Derazhnya, Khmelnytskyi region, the street network, quarters with several houses of the 19th century, and castle ramparts have been partially preserved. The downtown of Derazne, Rivne Oblast, has preserved parts of historic streets, completely lost quarters, and faint traces of the castle. In both settlements, uncontrolled green spaces hinder the spatial perception of the historical center. Therefore, recommendations have been formulated for the return of service functions to the downtowns, their unification with the rest of the settlement territories, saturating them with new functions, and the reproduction of the traditional historical and urban landscape.

Shipwrecked: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Blockade-Running and the Slave Trade

Historian Jonathan W. White tells the riveting story of Appleton Oaksmith, a swashbuckling sea captain whose life intersected with some of the most important moments, movements, and individuals of the mid-19th century, from the California Gold Rush, filibustering schemes in Nicaragua, Cuban liberation, and the Civil War and Reconstruction. Most importantly, the book depicts the extraordinary lengths the Lincoln Administration went to destroy the illegal trans-Atlantic slave trade. Using Oaksmith’s case as a lens, White takes readers into the murky underworld of New York City, where federal marshals plied the docks in lower Manhattan in search of evidence of slave trading.

Canary in a Coal Mine: Infant Mortality and Tradeoffs Associated with Mid-20th Century Air Pollution

Abstract This paper examines the health tradeoffs associated with the historical expansion in coal-fired electricity generation in the United States. We combine newly digitized data on all major coal-fired power plants for the period 1938–1962 with two complementary difference-in-differences strategies. Coal-fired plants imposed large negative health externalities that were partially offset by the benefits of local electricity generation. The health impacts varied widely according to initial electricity access and evolved as the stock of generating capacity expanded over the sample period. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for both current and future payoffs when designing environmental regulation.

Studying long term relationship between carbon Emissions, Soil, and climate Change: Insights from a global Earth modeling Framework

The persistent increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, notably carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), since the mid-20th century has been a key driver of significant climate alterations. This study investigates the complex feedback mechanisms that both influence and are influenced by global climate dynamics, soil processes, and GHG emissions. Our statistical approach incorporates correlation measures, highlighting the limitations of such analyses, namely their inability to confirm causality, sensitivity to outliers, and the exclusive capture of linear relationships. Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models reveal spatial variations in the relationship between environmental factors and GHGs, while Path Analysis aids in delineating direct and indirect influences among variables. The research pinpoints significant spatial heterogeneity in the impacts of economic and environmental factors on GHGs, underscoring the necessity of localized strategies for climate change mitigation and sustainable land management. This study also identifies potential threats to agricultural productivity due to soil degradation, which hinder climate adaptation efforts. Our findings advocate for a concerted global response to reduce GHG emissions and address the challenges posed by the interplay of climate change, soil dynamics, and GHG emissions.

Gullying and landscape evolution: Lavaka in Lac Alaotra, Madagascar shed light on rates of change and non-anthropogenic controls.

Gully evolution remains poorly understood, largely because multidecadal analysis is lacking. Large gullies (called lavaka) that pepper Madagascar's highlands are generally attributed to human impact; but longitudinal data are few, and anthropogenic causation is inferred not verified. We focus on Lac Alaotra, Madagascar's largest lake and wetland, its major rice-growing region, and an ecological hotspot surrounded by fault-controlled steep hills with abundant lavaka. Analysis of historical aerial photographs and recent orthoimagery reveals that the proportion of highly active lavaka has decreased since mid-20th century. At the same time, human population, farming intensity, and livestock density have increased exponentially. This suggests that background factors, including seismicity, are primary drivers of lavaka formation. Although human activities may contribute to erosion overall, land management policies that overemphasize human causation of gullying and neglect background forcing factors (in Madagascar and elsewhere) are unlikely to be effective in erosion mitigation.

Climate of the Pyrenees: Extremes indices and long-term trends

We utilized an extensive, multisource, cross-border dataset of daily meteorological observations from over 1500 stations in the Pyrenees, spanning from the mid-20th century to 2020, to examine the spatial and temporal climate patterns. Our focus was on 17 indices related to extreme precipitation and temperature events across the mountain range. The original data underwent rigorous quality control and homogenization processes, employing a comprehensive workflow that included spatial modeling based on environmental predictors. This process yielded two main outcomes: 1) a high-resolution gridded dataset (1 km2) of daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature from 1981 to 2020, allowing for a detailed analysis of spatial variations; and 2) an evaluation of long-term annual and seasonal trends from 1959 to 2020, using selection of high-quality data series that were homogenized to preserve their temporal structure and coherence. The findings revealed a clear elevation-related pattern in temperature indices (with the exception of tropical nights, which were predominantly observed on the Mediterranean side) and a distinct north-south latitudinal disparity in precipitation, turning longitudinal when focusing on extreme precipitation events. Overall, there was a notable and significant warming trend of 0.2 to 0.4 °C per decade, and a non-significant change of precipitation, with the exception of the southern and Mediterranean regions, where there was a notable decrease, approximately −3 % per decade, observed on an annual basis.

Constitutions of the Chapter of Samogitian Cathedral: Letter, Spirit, Life

The aim of the paper is to examine implementation of the laws of the cathedral chapter of the diocese of Samogitia according to the acts of the general sessions of the chapter (for the period from 1613 to 1913). The corpus of the constitutions, or statutes of the chapter was created in 1561–62 by the famous mid-16th century Lithuanian lawyers, Canon Pedro Ruiz de Moros (Petrus Roysius) and Bishop Joannes Domanowski. Despite the fact that already in 1637 Bishop Georgius Tyszkiewicz added some new constitutions (published in the annex of the paper), and there were subsequent attempts to ‘modernize’ the old corpus of the constitutions in the late 18th – early 19th century, the Roysian statutes retained their validity and exceptional authority in the life of the Samogitian cathedral chapter as long as 1925 when the old statutes were fundamentally revised.The constitutions predominantly influenced decisions of the chapter via hearing and memory. Due to the limited copies of the text which had to be not too much multiplicated in order to preserve secrecy, majority of canons were aware of the contents of the constitutions from reading aloud (usually, in fragments than in extenso) during the general sessions of the chapter. Perhaps this could explain occasional cases of erroneous allusion to the text of the constitutions in the decisions of the chapter. In some other cases, aspiration to ground the decisions of the chapter with solid arguments could inspire canons to invoke hardly definable ‘spirit’ (mens) of the constitutions. However, usually the constitutions were quoted correctly; the cases of clear reference to specific articles of the constitutions found in the acts of the general sesssions of the chapter are listed and described in the final part of the paper.

Madness and Resistance under the Flashback and Juxtaposition—Spatial Narration in The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar, the only novel by American poet and writer Sylvia Plath, vividly portrays the marginalized experience of American women in the mid-20th century and depicts the struggles of female intellectuals in constructing their own identities.This paper, by using the concepts of flashback and juxtaposition in spatial narration theory, explores three key aspects: the physical spatial changes in the whole story, the interplay between psychological and physical spaces under flashbacks and juxtaposition, and the protagonist Esther’s resistance against the male-dominated society and her awakening of female consciousness in the bell jar. It analyzes how Esther’s psychological space evolves within the ever-shifting physical spaces, leading to her feelings of helplessness, despair, and madness. Furthermore, it examines how through her rebellious madness, Esther achieves her awakening of female consciousness, constructs her own identity as a female intellectual, and raises her voice in a male-dominated society oppressive at the time.

A Roof over Your Head Roofing of Rural Dwellings and Outbuildings in the Karst (Mid-18th Century)

The contribution addresses the long-standing question of the roof covering materials for rural buildings in the Karst region and the chronology of the prevalence and replacement of straw, slates, and bent tiles from the 16th to the 19th century. The article first outlines the interpretative and chronological uncertainty of the existing literature. Next, it presents the early modern written testimonies and iconography of towns and villages in the Slovenian Littoral, demonstrating their partial discrepancy with the existing interpretations and the ambiguity of the relevant depictions. The central part of the article analyses the original archival data from real estate transactions between peasants, which contain information on the type and value of roof coverings on 27 residential and 13 outbuildings in 15 localities in the Karst region in the middle of the 18th century. Most of these houses were covered with slates, while most outbuildings were thatched, except for the Goriška-Vipava area, where bent tiles prevailed. These results provide a reliable timeline foundation for further research.

Cracow Bishop Piotr Tylicki and Monastic Orders in His Diocese (1607-1616)

The end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century were characterised in the Cracow diocese by intensive involvement in carrying out a reform introduced by the Council of Trent. The second bishop in the 17th century in Cracow was Piotr Tylicki, who was an ordinary of this diocese in the years 1607-1616. The Holy See appointed him as a special inspector of monastic orders in the diocese of Cracow. Bishop Tylicki was genuinely involved in the revival of monastic life in accordance with the rules of the Tridentinum. He visited the monasteries himself or through appointed envoys. Despite the lack of a number of sources referring to these inspections, it should be assumed that they were made in all major monasteries of the diocese. It does not mean that each inspection resulted in an increase in observance of monastic life in a given monastery or convent. It is doubtless, however, that bishop Tylicki had a great share in the reception of the Council of Trent by monastic orders in the Cracow diocese and elsewhere in Poland. The results of this activity were made visible only later. In mid 17th century the number of vocations increased considerably. One can assume that this increase in the number of candidates to monastic orders was also a result of a decade of Piotr Tylicki’s creative work in reforming and perfecting monastic life observance in convents and monasteries in the Cracow diocese area.