Orientadores: Carlos Arturo Levi D'Ancona, Paulo Augusto Neves / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T11:43:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Saade_RicardoDestro_D.pdf: 1299944 bytes, checksum: dfdd6825fd6739a18659a773638e845d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Introdução: O tratamento da infertilidade masculina tem evoluído muito nas últimas décadas. O advento de técnicas de reprodução assistida (RA) e, particularmente, a injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóides (ICSI) tornaram possível o tratamento de indivíduos até então considerados inférteis, como os casos de azoospermia obstrutiva e os de azoospermia não obstrutiva. Nestes casos, na impossibilidade de correção cirúrgica, outros procedimentos de obtenção de espermatozóides podem ser realizados como a aspiração microcirúrgica dos epidídimos (MESA), punção aspirativa percutânea dos epidídimos (PESA), aspiração testicular de espermatozóides (TESA) ou a extração testicular (TESE). Objetivos: A proposta de trabalho foi verificar a obtenção de espermatozóides viáveis em até cinco punções percutâneas do epidídimo. Analisar as alterações histológicas inflamatórias e cicatriciais, assim como a densidade de fibras de músculo liso e colágenas nos epidídimos de ratos, após punções. Material e método: O grupo piloto consistiu em quatro animais, sendo dois para estudo da anatomia e da histologia do epidídimo normal e outros dois para avaliação dos efeitos da vasectomia. A vasectomia bilateral foi realizada por meio de laparotomia infra-umbilical. Foi padronizado o lado direito para estudo e o esquerdo como controle. O grupo estudado consistiu em 50 ratos que realizaram vasectomia e foram separados em cinco grupos de I a V, contendo 10 animais cada. Os animais do grupo I foram submetidos a uma punção percutânea trans-escrotal; II a duas punções; III a três punções; IV a quatro punções; V a cinco punções. As punções dos epidídimos foram feitas após 30 dias da vasectomia, com escalpe 25G na cabeça do epidídimo. O material extraído foi suspenso em meio de cultura HTF e analisado em câmara de Makler. O intervalo entre cada punção foi de 15 dias e os animais foram sacrificados após 15 dias da última punção. Os epidídimos foram fixados em líquido de Bouin. Foram realizados estudos histológicos e estereológicos dos epidídimos puncionados. Resultados: O número médio de espermatozóides recuperados nas punções foi de: 48,78 x 106 /ml, 37,55 x 106 /ml, 26,33 x 106 /ml, 33,90 x 106 /ml e 41,34 x 106 /ml, nos grupos I a V, respectivamente. Após a análise histológica, observou-se que as variáveis infiltrado linfoplasmocitário, reação granulomatosa, fibrose e desarranjo estrutural apresentaram diferença significativa a partir da segunda punção. O efeito cumulativo das punções somente foi observado nas variáveis infiltrado linfoplasmocitário e fibrose, mostrando que existe diferença significativa entre os grupos I e II em relação aos grupos III, IV e V. No estudo estereológico, a densidade volumétrica do tecido conjuntivo foi de 21,56%, 27,60%, 35,67%, 37,56% e 38,60% no lado puncionado nos grupos I a V (p<0,05). Conclusões: No presente estudo, verificamos a obtenção de espermatozóides em todos os grupos até cinco punções. Todos os animais apresentaram alterações histológicas significativas dos epidídimos, quando comparados ao grupo controle, a partir da segunda punção, exceto na variável necrose. Somente nas variáveis infiltrado linfoplasmocitário e fibrose foram observadas efeito cumulativo das PESA. O estudo estereológico demonstrou aumento da densidade volume do tecido conjuntivo dos epidídimos provocado pelas punções / Abstract: Introduction: The treatment of male infertility had a great development in the last decades. The advent of assist reproductive techniques and specially the intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has allowed the treatment of these patients otherwise considered infertile. Patients with obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia, whose surgical reconstruction is not possible, can be submitted to retrieval spermatozoa procedures including microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). Objectives: To verify the retrieval of viable spermatozoa within up to five percutaneous epididymal sperm aspirations and to evaluate the histological and stereological modifications in the rat epididymis after the procedures. Material and Methods: The pilot group consisted of four animals, two of them were used in the study about anatomy and histology of normal epididymis. The other two were used to verify the effects of the vasectomy. These procedures were performed through infra-umbilical laparotomy. The right side was standardized for the study group and the left for control. A total of 50 Wistar rats underwent vasectomy procedures and were distributed into five groups I to V, totalizing 10 animals each. In the group I, the animals underwent to one PESA procedure, II two, III three, IV four and V five. The epididymal punctures were done with 25G scalp in the caput after 30 days of the vasectomy and consecutively after 15 days of the previous puncture. The material extracted was suspended in HTF solution culture and analyzed in a Makler chamber. The epididymis were fixed in Bouin technique. Histological and stereological analyses were performed in the punctured epididymidis. Results: The number of retrieved spermatozoa was: mean 48.78 x 106 /ml, 37.55 x 106 /ml, 26.33 x 106 /ml, 33.90 x 106 /ml e 41.34 x 106 /ml, from group I to V. The histological analyses included evaluation of infiltration of lymphocytes and plasmocytes, granulomatous reaction, fibrosis and structural disorder; these alterations presented significant differences after the second puncture. The cumulative effect was observed only within the variables: lymphocytic and plasmocytic infiltrate and fibrosis. It was found differences in the groups I and II in comparison with III, IV and V. The stereological analyzes showed significant increase in connective tissue volume 21.56%, 27.60%, 35.67%, 37.56% and 38.60% from group I through V. Conclusions: In this study, it was performed retrieval of spermatozoa in all groups up to five punctures. All the animals presented histological alterations in the epididymis after the second puncture when compared to the control group, except necrosis, and only lymphocytic and plasmocytic infiltrate and fibrosis were shown as cumulative effects within the punctures. The stereological analyses showed increase of connective tissue volume that was caused by the punctures / Doutorado / Cirurgia / Doutor em Cirurgia

Utilizando-se das técnicas de análise elementar PIXE Particle Induced X-Ray Emission) e PESA ( Proton Elastic Scattering Analysis), foi feita uma aplicação de Modelos Receptores na determinação da estrutura de fontes de aerossóis de regiões remotas no Brasil. O método PIXE foi utilizado na medida das concentrações de elementos com Z 11, em um limite de detecção de 1 ng/m3.O PESA determinou as concentrações de C, N e O na fração fina do aerossol amostrado na Amazônia. Foram realizadas amostragens em Juréia (SP), Fernando de Noronha, Arembepe (DA) , Firminópolis (G O) , Itaberai (GO) e na Amazônia. Para a coleta do aero-s sol utilizou-se Impactadores em Cascata, Amostradores de Particulado Fino e Grosso e Amostradores de Filtro Sequencial. Para a identificação de fontes dos aerossóis amostrados, foram aplicados três Modelos Receptores: o Modelo de Balanço de Massa, a Regressão Linear Múltipla Stepwise e a análise de Fatores Principais. Em geral, as concentrações elementares e gravimétricas medidas para todas as localidades foram preditas dentro dos desvios experimentais, e foram satisfatoriamente explicadas pelos modelos. Três fontes de aer0ssói.s foram discriminadas em termos quantitativos: o aerossol emitido pelo mar, o originário do solo e o relacionado à vegetação. A emissão de aerossóis pela vegetação é um resultado novo, e foi evidenciado nos três Modelos Receptores em todas as localidades amostradas. Na Amazônia e em Juréia, a floresta é a maior fonte de aerossóis, e é responsável por 60 a 80% da matéria particulada em suspensão no ar. / The PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission), and PESA (proton elastic scattering analysis) methods were used in conjunction with receptor models for source apportionment of remote aerosols in Brazil. The PIXE used in the determination of concentration for elements with Z 11, has a detection limit of about 1 ng/m3 . The concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in the fine fraction of Amazon Basin aerosols was measured by PESA. We sampled in Jureia (SP), Fernando de Noronha, Arembepe (BA ), Firminópolis (GO) , Itaberaí (GO) and Amazon Basin. For collecting the airbone particles we used cascade impactors,stacked filter units, and streaker samplers. Three receptor models were used: chemical mass balance, stepwise multiple regression analysis and principal factor analysis. The elemental and gravimetric concentrations were explained by the models within the experimental errors. Three sources of aerosol were quantitatively distinquished: marine aerosol, soil dust and aerosols related to forests. The emission of aerosols by vegetation is very clear for all the sampling sites. In Amazon Basin and Jureia it is the major source, responsible for 60 to 80% of airbornc concentrations.

Utilizando-se das técnicas de análise elementar PIXE Particle Induced X-Ray Emission) e PESA ( Proton Elastic Scattering Analysis), foi feita uma aplicação de Modelos Receptores na determinação da estrutura de fontes de aerossóis de regiões remotas no Brasil. O método PIXE foi utilizado na medida das concentrações de elementos com Z 11, em um limite de detecção de 1 ng/m3.O PESA determinou as concentrações de C, N e O na fração fina do aerossol amostrado na Amazônia. Foram realizadas amostragens em Juréia (SP), Fernando de Noronha, Arembepe (DA) , Firminópolis (G O) , Itaberai (GO) e na Amazônia. Para a coleta do aero-s sol utilizou-se Impactadores em Cascata, Amostradores de Particulado Fino e Grosso e Amostradores de Filtro Sequencial. Para a identificação de fontes dos aerossóis amostrados, foram aplicados três Modelos Receptores: o Modelo de Balanço de Massa, a Regressão Linear Múltipla Stepwise e a análise de Fatores Principais. Em geral, as concentrações elementares e gravimétricas medidas para todas as localidades foram preditas dentro dos desvios experimentais, e foram satisfatoriamente explicadas pelos modelos. Três fontes de aer0ssói.s foram discriminadas em termos quantitativos: o aerossol emitido pelo mar, o originário do solo e o relacionado à vegetação. A emissão de aerossóis pela vegetação é um resultado novo, e foi evidenciado nos três Modelos Receptores em todas as localidades amostradas. Na Amazônia e em Juréia, a floresta é a maior fonte de aerossóis, e é responsável por 60 a 80% da matéria particulada em suspensão no ar. / The PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission), and PESA (proton elastic scattering analysis) methods were used in conjunction with receptor models for source apportionment of remote aerosols in Brazil. The PIXE used in the determination of concentration for elements with Z 11, has a detection limit of about 1 ng/m3 . The concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in the fine fraction of Amazon Basin aerosols was measured by PESA. We sampled in Jureia (SP), Fernando de Noronha, Arembepe (BA ), Firminópolis (GO) , Itaberaí (GO) and Amazon Basin. For collecting the airbone particles we used cascade impactors,stacked filter units, and streaker samplers. Three receptor models were used: chemical mass balance, stepwise multiple regression analysis and principal factor analysis. The elemental and gravimetric concentrations were explained by the models within the experimental errors. Three sources of aerosol were quantitatively distinquished: marine aerosol, soil dust and aerosols related to forests. The emission of aerosols by vegetation is very clear for all the sampling sites. In Amazon Basin and Jureia it is the major source, responsible for 60 to 80% of airbornc concentrations.

Mobile money, a means of transferring payments via mobile devices, has become increasingly popular. The demand for convenient financial products or services is a crucial factor in why innovative developers want to incorporate mobile money into existing financial products/services. The goal is to provide convenient financial services that enable customers to quickly send and receive money between two mobile payment platforms. The Swedish blockchain company, Centiglobe, is searching for a system whereby payments can be made conveniently between two mobile payment platforms, specifically Alipay and M PESA. This thesis sought to develop such a system by utilizing the application programming interfaces (APIs) (provided by Alipay and M PESA) coupled with Centiglobe’s blockchain to facilitate payments between an Alipay user and an M PESA user. Solving this problem began with an initial literature study of previous work related to this topic and reading the extensive API documentation provided by Alipay and Daraja Safaricom (the developers of M PESA). Next, a flowchart was created and used as a guide throughout the development of the system. Testing the system entailed integration testing. The performance of the system was determined by measuring the execution time to make a cross system payment. A one-way transfer system was developed, as Alipay users can make a payment to M PESA users but not the reverse. The results of the integration testing shows that the system is a feasible solution. The execution time of a payment shows that it is relatively quick (~9.1 seconds); thus the performance is adequate.The conclusion is that this system is a viable solution for incorporating Alipay and M PESA as mobile payment services. Moreover, the system partially facilitates person-to-person payments between them – subject to the limitations of the Alipay API. In addition, this system provides a foundation for other inter-platform mobile payment solutions. / Mobila pengar, ett sätt att överföra betalningar via mobila enheter, har blivit alltmer populära. Efterfrågan på praktiska finansiella produkter eller tjänster är en avgörande faktor för varför innovativa utvecklare vill integrera mobila pengar i befintliga finansiella produkter / tjänster. Målet är att tillhandahålla praktiska finansiella tjänster som gör det möjligt för kunder att snabbt skicka och ta emot pengar mellan två mobila betalningsplattformar. Det svenska blockchainföretaget Centiglobe söker ett system där betalningar kan göras bekvämt mellan två mobila betalningsplattofrmar, särskilt Alipay och M-PESA. Denna avhandling försökte utveckla ett sådant system genom att använda applikationspogrammerinsgränssnitt (API) (tillhandahållet av Alipay och M-PESA) i kombination med Centiglobe’s blockchain för att underlätta betalningar mellan en Alipay-användare och en M-PESA-användare. Lösningen av detta problem började med en första litteraturstudie av tidigare arbeten relaterat till detta ämne samt en omfattande läsning av API-dokmentationen från Alipay och Daraja Safaricom (utvecklarna av M-PESA). Därefter skapades ett flödesschema och detta användes som en guide under hela utvecklingen av systemet. Testning av systemet medförde integrationstestning. Systemets prestanda bestämdes genom att mäta exekveringstiden för att göra ett tvärsystemsbetalning. Ett envägsöverföringssystem utvecklades, eftersom Alipay-användare kan göra en betalning till M-PESA-användare men inte tvärtom. Resultaten av integrationstestningen visar att systemet är en genomförbar lösning. Utbetalningstiden för en betalning visar att den är relativt snabb (~9.1 sekunder); därav en lagom prestanda. Slutsatsen är att detta system är en lönsam lösning för att integrera Alipay och M-PESA som mobila betalningstjänster. Dessutom underlättar systemet delvis personliga betalningar mellan dem – med förbehåll för begräsningarna i Alipay API. Dessutom erbjuder detta system en grund för andra mobila betalningslösningar mellan plattformarna.

This thesis will examine the adoption, usage and outcomes of a mobile money service called MPESA. Since being launched in 2007, the service has seen phenomenal growth in Kenya. Over 7.5 million users, or 34% of the adult population, have registered with M-PESA. Such growth is impressive as it has surpassed other ICTs in the country. This includes the mobile phone, which has been hailed as the fastest growing ICT in Africa. It has also surpassed the growth of mobile money in the North, where many services have been discontinued because they failed to attract a sufficient number of customers. M-PESA thus provides an interesting case of an ICT growing rapidly in the South, and “failing” in the North. In this context, the first part of the thesis examines why such rapid growth occurred. This analysis is presented from two perspectives. First, the socio-technical systems framework is used to present M-PESA as a complex system rather than an isolated application. This perspective makes clear that M-PESA grew rapidly because it had a dedicated team of system builders. These individuals took numerous strategies to enroll the elements and maintain the stability of the entire system. They further worked to engineer the social, economic, legal and political environments of the technology. Growth is also explained from the perspective of the user. The thesis makes clear that M-PESA was widely adopted because it fit into existing social practices and systems of logic. In other words, it helped users to do what they were doing before the technology was introduced. This includes money transfers back home. It also includes savings. The thesis further reveals that financial practices began to change as M-PESA became integrated into daily life. For example, users began to send money home more often. They also increased the number of their savings transactions. Such changing practices engendered a variety of consequences to daily life. This includes rising household incomes in the rural areas. It also includes new struggles over limited resources. The impacts, or wider-scale implications of usage, are also discussed. The analysis shows that a whole industry for mobile money developed as a result of M-PESA’s success. The thesis makes a contribution to knowledge in several ways. It presents a case of domestication in the South and highlights the unique factors that shape this process, from wide-scale political violence to structures of debt and obligation. It further makes the relationship between technologies and impact more clear. It shows that the technology itself does not engender the outcomes. It does, however, have a role in shaping the practices that do.

This thesis analyzes the connection of mobile phone technology to increased economic development in Kenya. Drawing on previous research, I first examine the state of development by analyzing social, political, and economic factors in Kenya in 2007/2008. I then examine the role of technology on these development factors in Kenya by focusing on the rapid rise of mobile money platform M-Pesa and the rise of decentralized banking. This thesis finds that M-Pesa’s success stems from the failure of public trust in traditional institutions, collaboration between the public, private, and nonprofit sector, initial lack of regulation to promote innovation, and heavy consumer testing to create the best product-market fit. Additionally, in comparison to other sub-Saharan countries, Kenya’s institutions have more willingly allowed for nontraditional methods of investment and aid. While none of these results are entirely conclusive, evidence suggests that the rise of mobile money and technological innovation has attributed heavily to economic development into 2018, but that social and political development factors are still restrained. Ultimately, technology is not the solution to all factors of cyclical poverty, but it can create new approaches to previously neglected development constraints.

This retrospective study compared rates of fertilization, cleavage and quality of human embryos obtained by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), with sperm from ejaculate, epididymis and testis. A total of 398 cycles of patients with some kind of male infertility were included and 3991 oocytes were inseminated. The spermatozoa from epididymis and testis were surgically obtained. Fertilization and cleavage rates with sperm from ejaculate (75% and 73%, respectively) were higher (P<0,0001) than those with sperm from the testis (59,7% e 56,8%, respectively) and from epididymis (61,9% e 59,3%). The production of viable embryos (grade I and II) was higher (P=0,0135) when the oocytes where inseminated with ejaculate sperm (89,4%) in relation to sperm from epididymis (82,9%) and testis (85,7%).The percentages of pregnancy were not different among groups (37,8% EJAC group, 27,6% EPID and 36,8% TEST group). In conclusion, sperm from ejaculate have a higher production of viable embryos. However, when sperm from the testis and epididymis are used for ICSI, the production of viable embryos is also considerable and can be seen as success in the assisted reproduction techniques. / Este estudo retrospectivo avaliou as taxas de fertilização, clivagem e qualidade de embriões humanos obtidos através da injeção intracitoplasmática (ICSI) de espermatozóides provenientes do ejaculado, epidídimo ou testículo. Foram incluídos 398 ciclos de pacientes que apresentaram algum tipo de infertilidade masculina, sendo inseminados 3991 oócitos. Os espermatozóides do epidídimo e do testículo foram recuperados cirurgicamente. As taxas de fertilização e de clivagem com espermatozóides do ejaculado (74,5% e 73%, respectivamente) foram maiores (P<0,0001) do que as do testículo (59,7% e 56,8%, respectivamente) e do epidídimo (61,9% e 59,3%). A produção de embriões viáveis (grau I e II) foi maior (P = 0,0135) quando os oócitos foram inseminados com espermatozóides do ejaculado (89,4%), em relação ao epidídimo (82,9%) e testículo (85,7%). As taxas de gestação não foram diferentes entre os grupos (37,8% no grupo EJAC, 27,6% EPID e 36,8% no grupo TEST). Em conclusão, espermatozóides do ejaculado produzem um maior número de embriões viáveis, com maiores taxas de fertilização e de clivagem. Entretanto, quando utilizados espermatozóides do epidídimo e do testículo na ICSI, a produção de embriões viáveis é considerável, obtendo êxito nas técnicas de reprodução assistida.

In urban and rural Kenya, mobile money, the use of the mobile telephone for banking has become a part of everyday life. People use mobile money to accomplish a variety of functions such as transfer money, save, and pay bills, among other uses. At the national level, the government considers mobile money important for individual and national development. Safaricom’s M-Pesa, the most popular mobile money application has received praise for enabling people in the rural areas to access financial services. This research examines the role of mobile money in the everyday lives of people in rural Kenya, especially ordinary users of M-Pesa and M-Pesa agents that facilitate these services. The findings from this research are based on a three-month period of fieldwork on M-Pesa use and facilitation in Chepkoilel, a rural community in western Kenya. Three questions guided this research: how has M-Pesa fit into people’s existing financial cultures and practices? How do people perceive M-Pesa and the role of the service in facilitating their development or financial mobility? How do M-Pesa agents perceive their role in the mobile money ecosystem? Data were collected using interviewing and observation methods. In this research, I found that M-Pesa users and M-Pesa agents utilized M-Pesa for their individual development. Notably, the M-Pesa agency business model had provided new opportunities for entrepreneurship to rural dwellers. Equally important, the application was fundamental for facilitating local-local and global-local financial flows. The ease of making financial remittances through M-Pesa had saved people the cost of transport to the banking halls in town, and made it easy for participants to forward their chama, or self-help group contributions. However, despite the speed and convenience of transactions brought by M-Pesa, there were widespread perceptions that financial management had been made difficult by the fact that money was now so fluid on M-Pesa, a contrast to the time when people used cash. At the same time, Safaricom’s introduction of M-Shwari, the digital saving platform had provided people with an alternative avenue with which to save and borrow money. Though M-Shwari fostered the privacy of financial transactions, among other perceived advantages, the application was displacing long-held collectivist financial habits by introducing individualistic financial practices. This study has also examined the intermediary work of M-Pesa agents in the mobile money ecosystem. As nodes linking Safaricom and its customers, M-Pesa agents were important actors in the system of exchange and value. Their domestication practices were critical to the integration of M-Pesa within the population. Furthermore, as informediaries, they provided socio-technical information that Safaricom used to improve the service. However, their work was often impeded by increasing cases of digital insecurity, and agents found themselves thrust in the role of the management of safety of M-Pesa transactions despite their limited financial knowledge. Finally, in unexpected ways, M-Pesa agents were engaged in the shaping of M-Pesa to suit the local social, cultural and economic remittance practices of the community they served. In the end, these actions benefited their development, the development of their clients, and Safaricom’s business. However, contrary to the prevailing perception, the study found that M-Pesa’s contribution towards financial inclusion was felt more in the informal economy rather than in the formal economy. I conclude that though M-Pesa was important for people’s development, the low-income population faced digital divide challenges in their attempts to utilize M-Pesa for their development. For instance, the relative high cost of services led to non-adoption of M-Pesa by some demographics. Non-literacy and lack of digital skills were other problems users faced.

Digital aid to increase financial inclusion in developing countries is an increasing area of interest growing together with the global expansion of mobile phone penetration. This paper analyzes technical, social and financial aspects of the possibility of digitizing Xitique, a local community-based microfinance model in rural Mozambique. The aim was to understand the technical requirements of building a GSM based application while preserving cultural importance and the native features of the Xitique savings method. Data was gathered through field studies, where technical experts and the target group, being rural women, provided extensive contributions for the thesis’ findings. The results proved substantial evidence supporting the motive of developing a Xitique application from both a social as well as economic perspective. This was supported by the expressed customer demand that, as part of the result, emanated in a prototype and sustainable Social Business Model for the Xitique application’s service / Användning av digitala hjälpmedel för att öka ekonomiska inkludering i utvecklingsländer är ett växande intresseområde som tilltar tillsammans med den globala expansionen av mobilanvändning. I denna rapport analyseras tekniska, sociala och finansiella aspekter av möjligheten att digitalisera Xitique, en lokal samhällsbaserad mikrofinansmodell på landsbygden i Moçambique. Syftet med arbetet var att förstå de tekniska kraven för en GSM-baserad applikation och hur kulturell betydelse bäst kunde bevaras genom den digitala imitationen av de existerande metoderna som används i den traditionella Xitiquen. Data samlades genom fältstudier där tekniska experter och målgruppen, kvinnor på landsbygden, gav omfattande bidrag till avhandlingens resultat. Resultatet visade att det fanns väsentliga bevis som stöder motivet att utveckla en Xitique-applikation från både ett socialt som ekonomiskt perspektiv. Detta understödjs vidare av den uttryckta efterfrågan hos kvinnorna, som en del av resultatet, ledde till en prototyp och en hållbar social affärsmodell för en Xitique-applikation.

Illaria Pescini's book provides a detailed inventory of the communal archive of San Casciano Val di Pesa, which contains documents relevant to a territory traditionally under the control of Florence and located southwest of the city. These documents contain information on both local rule and the relationship of the area with the central administrative authority in Florence. Pescini provides a historical summary of the archive and the territory related to it with particular emphasis on its institutional history.