Communities of Discourse: Religious Authority and the Role of Holy Women in the Later Middle Ages
This essay considers the teachings of Angela of Foligno, Clare of Montefalco, and Margaret of Faenza, and how these pedagogical endeavors were both negatively and positively received by their male contemporaries.
Men of learning in Europe at the end of the Middle Ages
Mediaevalists prefer that we not view the Middle Ages in a static frame but rather a dynamic one. They want us to be aware of the shifts and changes that characterize the period. In "Men of Learning in Europe at the Close of the Middle Ages", Jacques Verger provides us with an important look at the evolution of social classes and an essential chapter in the study of cultural history. By the end of the Middle Ages, societal categories which were adequate for earlier periods - "those who pray, those who fight, those who work" - no longer allowed for the growing complexity of Western society. One of the key new groups which emerged was that of the learned men. Through their intellectual competency and their ability to build a social and political utility, these men came to be important figures. The fledgling modern state found them to be helpful allies and favoured their ascension among the traditional elite. Thus, they contributed not only to the advancement of knowledge, making the Renaissance period possible, but also to the reshaping of late mediaeval political structure. Combining cultural, social and political history, "Men of Learning in Europe at the Close of the Middle Ages" measures the influence acquired by certain disciplines - in particular religious, literary and legal - in the organization of European society. Anyone interested in the Middle Ages or intellectual history should enjoy this book.
Single step formation of biocompatible bimetallic alloy nanoparticles of gold and silver using isonicotinylhydrazide.
Manufacturing nanoparticles with controlled physicochemical properties using environment-friendly routes have potential to open new prospects for a variety of applications. Accordingly, several approaches have been established for manufacturing metal nanoparticles. Many of these approaches entail the use of hazardous chemicals and could be toxic to the environment, and cannot be used readily for biomedical applications. In the present work, we report a single step bio-friendly approach to formulate gold (Au), silver (Ag), and Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles with desired surface corona and composition using isonicotinylhydrazide (INH) as a reducing agent. INH also functioned as a stabilizing agent by enabling a surface corona around the nanoparticles. Remarkably, within a single step INH could also provide a handle in regulating the composition of Au and Ag in bimetallic systems without any additional chemical modification. The physicochemical and surface properties of the different nanoparticles thus obtained have been examined by analytical, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Cell cytotoxicity (release of lactate dehydrogenase), cell viability and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays confirmed that the Au, Ag, and Au-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles prepared with INH are biocompatible. Finally, the presence of organic surface corona of INH on the nanoparticles was found to impart nanozyme activity and antimycobacterial sensitivity to the nanoparticles.