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A través del estudio del itinerario de Marcos Juan Jaqueto, este artículo pretende centrarse en la vida de un comerciante de clase media en los confines de la Nueva España. La compañía mercantil de cacao del veneciano Marcos Juan Jaqueto, fallecido en Tabasco en 1603, nos informa sobre su clientela novohispana, las formas de préstamo y la forma de atesorar la riqueza acumulada. La información sobre el comercio temprano de cacao y plata a finales del siglo XVI es, por lo tanto, valiosa. Más elocuentemente, las cuentas de su empresa en el momento del inventario después de su muerte atestiguan las redes de comercio entre el Viejo Mundo y América, los circuitos económicos entre el Mediterráneo, el Atlántico y la costa del Pacífico. Por último, el testamento que se ha conservado da una idea de este cómputo final de la vida después de la muerte, en el que la salvación se descifra mediante la fundación de una capilla en Tlaxcala para la paz de su alma y la de sus difuntos.

La distribución y el consumo de chocolate invadieron, como una «fiebre» persistente, la cultura material y las prácticas alimenticias en el Setecientos. Las viviendas castellanas se dotaron, de manera creciente, de chocolateras y mancerinas, en las cuales verter el ansiado y nutritivo chocolate. El cacao llegaba, con más o menos prodigalidad, a las lonjas y tiendas de las ciudades y a las alacenas y despensas de las viviendas. Los clérigos no fueron ajenos a ese proceso e incluso protagonizaron una problemática colectiva, la del Cabildo catedralicio, con el objetivo manifiesto –preñado en muchas ocasiones de ansiedad y de tirantez con la empresa suministradora y con las autoridades municipales y estatales– de conseguir una logística sostenible de la materia prima, el cacao, para sus hogares.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether perceived stress in the workplace can be a risk factor able to change the blood counts in a group of male and female outdoor workers of the Municipal Police. The study examines possible relations among the levels of stress, as inferred from the scores of the questionnaire, blood counts and voluptuary habits., Methods: We evaluated a final sample of 486 subjects (345 males and 141 females). During the medical examination was performed for each subject: a) the administration of the questionnaire to assess the perception of work-related stress, b) the collection of clinical.anamnestic information related to the consumption of coffee, chocolate, alchool and smoking habit, c) the taking of a venous blood sample. All workers included in the study were divided into three groups on the basis of the scores of the questionnaire., Results: About 61% of workers showed a moderate or severe stress condition, with a statistically significant prevalence (p<0.05) of female workers and younger subjects. The increase of perceived stress coincided with a significant decrease (p <0.05) of the mean levels of white blood cells and with a significant increase (p <0.05) of the consumption of coffee, chocolate and smoking habit. There was no statistically significant differences for alcohol consumption., Conclusions: The results show that the stress induces a reduction of the white blood cells, an increase of coffee and chocolate consumption and of smoking.

Objective: Chocolate consumption has long been associated with enjoyment and pleasure. Popular claims confer on chocolate the properties of being a stimulant, relaxant, euphoriant, aphrodisiac, tonic and antidepressant. The aim of our study was to validate and to verify the reliability of the Italian version of the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ) which evaluates different dimensions of chocolate craving experience., Methods: The Italian version of ACQ was administered to a sample consisting of 1609 adults, recruited among students of the University of L'Aquila and general population. The subjects also completed the Stress-Related Vulnerability Scale (SVS), which assesses the level of stress and social support received., Results: This study showed a good degree of stability and internal consistency of the two-factor model, respectively represented by craving and sense of guilt, in comparison to previous ones. The scoring for both factors resulted greater in women than in men. Subjects of younger age and with lower Body Mass Index (BMI) achieved higher scores in relation to the craving dimension, while a positive correlation was observed between age and sense of guilt. Finally the total scoring at SVS and its subscales resulted significantly interrelated with the two factors., Conclusions: Our study confirms the validity and the reliability of the Italian version of the two-factors based ACQ scale and strongly underlines the association between perceived stress and dysfunctional approach to chocolate consumption.

Even though the reduction of caries-incidence in developed countries, its increasing has been observed nowadays. The use of a vaccine was object of many researches, going under modifications and evaluations during years. Wallace and McCollum showed the chance to induce experimental cavities, while Clarke and McIntosh were the first underlining the roll of S. mutans and Lactobacilli as efforts of the pathology. Williams was the first working with humans and Zinner and Fitzgerald continued. So since Bowen the research tried to build a vaccine made of single bacterial molecules with antigenic power. We can count about a large number of targets, like: the Ag I/II, the glucosyltransferase enzyme (GTF), the glucan-binding-protein (GBP), the destranase, the fruttosyltransferase and the glucans. Among the substances used to obtain a vaccine cacao revealed its capacity against bacteria able to develop cavities, thanks to its cariostatic and anti-glucosyltransferase activity due to polyphenols, that we can find in green tea too. It's also interesting a technique that gives passive antibodies like cow's milk, but in particular the one of a monoclonal antibody made with biotechnology of plants: the Guy's 13. It does not show substantial differences in comparison with the human Ig and it's able to prevent the installation of micro-organism and to reduce cavities in adult patients already infected. For the setting-up of a vaccine, however, only studies, comparison and research will be able to show precise instruments of defence.