Cultural Studies Research Articles

Gendered keywords as entry points: the construction and evolution of nüpin and nüxing-xiang in Chinese Internet literature

ABSTRACT China’s Internet literature (CIL) epitomises one of the most vibrant platformised cultural sectors in China and is characterised by a distinct gender demarcation. This paper critically revisits the history of its gendered development by identifying nüpin (women’s channel) and nüxing-xiang (women-oriented) as keywords in China’s cultural sphere. Drawing from platform studies and cultural studies, the study examines the power dynamics underpinning the construction and evolution of nüpin and nüxing-xiang, and the implications for their normalisation. My research finds that nüpin is established on patriarchal assumptions that prescriptively confine women’s literature to certain genres as a point of difference for market competition. Additionally, while nüxing-xiang started as a community identity, it later became incorporated into the nüpin effect through the increasing convergence of CIL and multimedia sectors. By unveiling how individual platforms, users, market forces, gender norms, and power relations intersect to shape the trajectories of these keywords, this article lays the groundwork for interventions to challenge the prevailing gendered binarity in CIL.

Perceptions on the Ethical and Legal Principles that Influence Global Brain Data Governance

Advances in neuroscience and other disciplines are producing large-scale brain data consisting of datasets from multiple organisms, disciplines, and jurisdictions in different formats. However, due to the lack of an international data governance framework brain data is currently being produced under various contextual ethical and legal principles which may influence key stakeholders involved in the generation, collection, processing and sharing of brain data thereby raising ethical and legal challenges. In addition, despite the demand for a brain data governance framework that accounts for culture, there is a gap in empirical research and actions to understand how key stakeholders around the world view these issues using neuroscientists who are affected by these ethical and legal principles. Therefore, using the research question how do ethical and legal principles influence data governance in neuroscience? we attempt to understand the perceptions of key actors on the principles, issues and concerns that can arise from brain data research. We carried out interviews with 21 leading international neuroscientists. The analytical insights revealed key ethical and legal principles, areas of convergence, visibility, and the contextual issues and concerns that arise in brain data research around these principles. These issues and concerns circulate around intimately connected areas which include ethics, human rights, regulations, policies and guidelines, and participatory governance. Also, key contextual insights around animal research and ethics were identified. The research identifies key principles, issues, and concerns that need to be addressed in advancing the development of a framework for global brain data governance. By presenting contextual insights from neuroscientists across regions, the study contributes to informing discussions and shaping policies aimed at promoting responsible and ethical practices in brain data research. The research answers the call for a cross cultural study of global brain data governance and the results of the study will assist in understanding the issues and concerns that arise in brain data governance.

The influencer in the age of climate change: the authentic role model for sustainability

ABSTRACT In the age of climate change, the Instagram influencer is still a popular role model for ways to navigate the modern world, and they present us with their visual practices of self-presentation as well as their activism, lifestyle, and business model. However, conspicuous consumption – once a hallmark of success – is now being challenged, and perhaps a paradigm shift is building with the new breed of climate influencers with engaged expertise and ethical vigilance. The aim of this paper is first to identify climate celebrities and then to focus specifically on macro influencers, such as activists or actors, and on micro-influencers, such as entrepreneurs. The article examines how they communicate climate change applying different strategies on Instagram while remaining authentic, using concepts from research on social media within studies of celebrity culture and in climate celebrity communication Second, we demonstrate a shift taking place in the way climate change is communicated: from traditional legacy-media advocacy by celebrities to activists and entrepreneurs performing sustainable everyday practices on social media. This work will contribute directly to how we analyse both the macro and micro-climate influencer as a role model in the age of climate change, providing solutions for coping, engaging and taking action.

Chemoreactome screening of aquacobalamin and heptamethyl ester of cyanoaquacobyrinic acid cytotoxic effects on tumor cells with experimental confirmation on BT-474 and A549 cell

Background. The search for an effective and safe pharmacotherapy for tumor diseases includes the evaluation of the action of candidate molecules on various types of tumor cells. Vitamin B12 and its derivatives are promising molecules whose properties can be controlled through chemical modifications.Objective: conducting in silico chemoreactom screening and in vitro experimental study of aquacobalamin and heptamethyl ester of cyanoaquacobyrinic acid (HECСA).Material and methods. Chemoreactome screening was carried out on the basis of a problem-oriented theory of chemograph isomorphism analysis, which is an extension of the algebraic approach to machine learning and recognition problems. Trainable algorithms for calculating chemical distances between molecules were used, on the basis of which the values of half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were calculated. Screening was carried out for 470 cultures of human tumor cells, including SNB19 (astrocytoma), HCT116 (colon cancer), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), BT-474 (breast duct carcinoma), and A549 (lung carcinoma) cell lines. Dicyanocobyric acid heptamethyl ester ((CN)2Cby(OCH3)7) was obtained by boiling a solution of vitamin B12 in methanol with sulfuric acid (1.0 M) for 4 days. HECСA ((CN)(H2O)Cby(OCH3)7) was obtained by vacuum drying an aqueous solution of (CN)2Cby(OCH3)7 (pH 4.0 and 25 °С). The ester structure and purity were confirmed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance data, elemental analysis, and MALDI-ToF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight) mass spectroscopy. Experimental studies of tumor cell cultures were carried out using the MTT testwith aquacobalamin and HECСA on cell lines of immortalized (telomerized) fibroblasts (Fb-hTERT), lung carcinoma (A549), and breast duct cancer (BT-474).Results. Chemoreactome screening of the effects of molecules on tumor cells made it possible to obtain estimates of cell growth IC50 for 470 tumor cell lines. Depending on cell line and vitamin B12 derivative molecule, IC50 values varied in a fairly wide range: from 15 to 2000 nM. In vitro studies on cultures of two human tumor cell lines (BT-474 and A549) and telomerized Fb-hTERT fibroblasts confirmed the cytotoxic effect of aquacobalamin and its hydrophobic derivative HECСA. It was shown that aquacobalamin had weak cytotoxic properties in the concentration range of 3.125–200 µg/l (IC50 > 200 nM), and HECСA significantly reduces the survival of BT-474 and A549 tumor cell lines at high concentrations (100–200 µg/l, IC50 about 100 nM).Conclusion. Correspondence was shown between the results of in silico chemoreactome screening and in vitro cell culture studies: IC50 values for HECСA were significantly lower than for aquacobalamin, and the conversion factor from chemoreactome estimates to experimental ones was almost the same (2.64 for BT-474, and 2.63 for A549). The results of chemoreactome screening for other tumor cell lines can be used to plan further cell experiments with vitamin B12 derivatives.

Queer print culture and German studies

Queer print culture and German studies

Stars, Anti-Stars, Anti-Star-Stars

The phenomenon of stars and celebrities in media cultures – and especially in popular music cultures – seems to be omnipresent. At the same time, there is an astounding lack of analysis and research on these media personalities and personas, and international celebrity studies only recently a developing new field. Similarly, these kinds of observations are still very rare especially in German sociology as well as communication, media, culture and popular music studies. In this article, I therefore want to concentrate on the foundations of studying stars and celebrities within the attention economies by undertaking a theoretical transmedia-cultural framing of media personas and suggesting a typology. This ensuing typology of stars, anti-stars, and anti-star stars – especially within popular music cultures – demonstrates how stars and celebrities and their quantities and qualities of success and peer-group specific values coming form programs of (media and music) culture can serve as persona-seismographs of socio-cultural change between tradition and innovation.

Adipose Stem Cell Response to Borophosphate Bioactive Glass

Silicate and borate bioactive glasses have been reported to create alkaline conditions by rapidly releasing ions when reacting in aqueous solution. At certain levels, this alkaline solution can negatively affect cell viability. Adding phosphate ions to the glass composition can control the degradation rate of bioactive glasses and create a neutral pH environment. This study evaluated a series of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) with nominal molar compositions 16Na2O-24CaO-xB2O3-(60-x)P2O5, where x = 0, 40, or 60. The phosphate (X0) glass (PBG) produced an acidic solution when dissolved in water; the borate (X60) glass (BBG) produced an alkaline solution, and the BPBG glass produced a pH-neutral solution. These three glasses were evaluated using adipose stem cells (ASCs), a cell population known for their therapeutic abilities. The effects of each glass on the pH of cell culture, ions released during degradation, and on ASC functions, including viability, migration, angiogenic ability, differentiation, and protein secretions, were evaluated. The X40 BPBG created a physiologically neutral pH in cell culture media after 24 h. The X0 phosphate glass promoted ASC migration, while the highly alkaline X60 borate increased the angiogenic ability of ASCs. These results indicate that BPBG can be used safely in cell culture studies and customized for specific biomedical applications.

Reinventing shake flask fermentation: The breathable flask.

Cultivating cells in shake flasks is a routine operation that is largely unchanged since its inception. A glass or plastic Erlenmeyer vessel with the primary gas exchange taking place across various porous plugs is used with media volumes typically ranging from 100 mL to 2 L. Oxygen limitation and carbon dioxide accumulation in the vessel is a major concern for studies involving shake flask cultures. In this study, we enhance mass transfer in a conventional shake flask by replacing the body wall with a permeable membrane. Naturally occurring concentration gradient across the permeable membrane walls facilitates the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the flask and the external environment. The modified flask called the breathable flask, has shown a 40% improvement in mass transfer coefficient (kLa) determined using the static diffusion method. The prokaryotic cell culture studies performed with Escherichiacolishowed an improvement of 28%-66% in biomass and 41%-56% in recombinant product yield. The eukaryotic cell culture study performed with Pichia pastoris expressing proinsulin exhibited a 40% improvement in biomass and 115% improvement in protein yield. The study demonstrates a novel approach to addressing the mass transfer limitations in conventional shake flask cultures. The proposed flask amplifies its value by providing a membrane-diffusion-based sensing platform for the integration of low-cost, noninvasive sensing capabilities for real-time monitoring of critical cell culture parameters like dissolved oxygenand dissolved carbon dioxide.

Summer (Somewhere) in the City

This (found) poem in three acts creates a conversation between Stuart Hall and Danez Smith, situated in the larger context of the long struggle for Black livingness. First comes the warning, descriptions of the violent now; HERE. Act II is a re-reading or re-writing of the secret codes of slavery and anti-Black violence, a play and exchange between realities and imaginaries, the tensions in Black social life; WHERE. The closing act insists that we dream of something different, a nod to a life Stuart Hall tried to write into existence, a life that his work is still writing; SOMEWHERE. By putting Stuart Hall in posthumous conversation with Danez Smith, I perform the kind of imaginary geographic maneuvering that characterizes Hall’s study, expanding the transatlantic and cross-generational capacity of cultural studies. Such a study, in a world where the African diaspora has been made commodity, is critical to the making of a world where Black(s) live(s) (matter).

A step-by-step method for cultural annotation by LLMs

A step-by-step method for cultural annotation by LLMs

Parallel Narratives: Trauma, Relationality, and Dissociation in Psychoanalysis and Realist Fiction

The reciprocal relationship between cultural trauma studies and psychoanalytic discourse on the one hand, and trauma studies and fictional representations of trauma on the other, has been commented on by scholars within the field of literary studies. What connects the representation of trauma in cultural trauma theory, trauma fiction, and psychoanalysis is that it is regarded as something that overwhelms an individual’s capacities for processing and functioning. However, while cultural trauma theory has come under scrutiny for prioritizing too narrow a view of trauma and its representations, the considerable critiques of and revisions to Freud’s theories, developed in the 1980/90s, have been mostly ignored by cultural trauma theorists. In this interdisciplinary article, we draw on relational psychoanalytic perspectives to demonstrate how relational revisions to psychoanalytic theory and techniques, as well as views on dissociation, can offer new perspectives for approaching literary works of fiction, such as the realist novel, which engage with the subject of trauma outside of established trauma conventions. We demonstrate that trauma novels by Lisa Appignanesi and Aminatta Forna parallel these revisions to psychoanalytic theory and techniques, allowing for a more pluralistic and nuanced representation of responses to trauma and suffering.

Design and in vitro evaluation of curcumin-loaded PLGA nanoparticle embedded sodium alginate/gelatin 3D printed scaffolds for Alzheimer's disease

BackgroundTargeted nanoparticles (NPs) are aimed at improving clinical outcomes by enhancing the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). MethodsCurcumin (CUR)-loaded poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) NPs (CNPs) were produced to demonstrate a prolonged release and successfully embedded into 3D printed sodium alginate (SA)/gelatin (GEL) scaffolds that can dissolve rapidly sublingually. Characterization and in vitro activity of the NPs and scaffolds were evaluated. ResultsBased on the in vitro drug release studies, 99.6 % of the encapsulated CUR was released in a controlled manner within 18 days for the CNPs. In vitro cell culture studies showed that all samples exhibited cell viability above 84.2 % and no significant cytotoxic effect on SH-SY5Y cells. The samples were analyzed through 2 different pathways by PCR analysis. Real-time PCR results indicated that CNP and CNP-embedded SA/GEL scaffolds (CNPSGS) may show neuroprotective effects by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The gene expression level of β-catenin slightly increased compared to the gene expression levels of other proteins and enzymes with these treatments. However, the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway was regulated at the same time because of the crosstalk between these 2 pathways. ConclusionCNPSGS might be an effective therapeutic alternative for AD treatment.

Book Review: [R]evolusi Sastra di Era Komunikasi Digital: Perspektif Historis dan Teoretis

The digital era is a time when almost all areas of life have been assisted by digital technology. It is also interpreted as the emergence of digital technology, which replaces technologies previously used by humans, such as mechanics and electronics analogy. There has been a profusion of digital businesses under the tremendous effect of the internet and digital technology, including cloud computing, virtual reality, mobile devices, and IoTs. The digital age has profound implications for society and the economy since technology is more knowledge-based. In (R)evolusi Sastra di Era Komunikasi Digital: Perspektif Historis dan Teoretis, Ida Rochani Adi, the author, captures the lament of a scientific discipline facing the dilemma of technological change. From a theoretical and historical perspective, this book offers a framework for responding to developments in the digital world of literature, which causes the dynamic understanding of literary works depending on the angle from which the literary work is interpreted. Not only explaining views, thoughts, and theories that have previously developed regarding literary works and criticism, social sciences, humanities, cultural studies, and media, but this book also offers thought, reflection, and development of literary works' ideas in the digital world’s frenetic development.

The promise and perils of coworking in residential areas: a systematic review of health and community impacts

PurposeThis study aims to explore the manifold implications – health, environmental and economic – of integrating coworking spaces (CSs) into residential settings. The research emphasizes the health-related potential and connected benefits of situating these contemporary spaces of work in retrofitted buildings.Design/methodology/approachThe research highlights the potential of retrofitted buildings – owing to their urban locations, existing infrastructure, and available space – to accommodate CSs. Employing the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology, the paper systematically reviews literature from 2010 to 2021. It investigates the influence of residential CSs on health, community cohesion and environmental sustainability.FindingsThe results indicate that integrating CSs within residential areas can significantly enhance user wellbeing, create a healthier residential environment and positively impact the broader community. Retrofitted buildings emerge as optimal venues for CSs due to their urban positioning and potential to contribute to users' physical, mental and social health. However, the strategic (re)use of retrofitted buildings is crucial, alongside planning to address potential downsides like gentrification.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on a literature review and may not fully capture the specificities of certain regional or local conditions that could affect the health benefits associated with CSs. In addition to that, the study primarily references European-centric research between 2010 and 2021, indicating a need for more diverse geographic and cultural studies. Further empirical studies are needed to validate the findings behind the following study.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can guide urban planners, policymakers and architects in assessing the feasibility of converting residential buildings into CSs and planning relevant activities. They can leverage the potential health benefits to promote CSs and encourage healthier lifestyle practices in residential communities.Social implicationsIntroducing CSs in residential areas can lead to reduced commuting stress, opportunities for physical activities and social interactions, and healthier lifestyle practices. These benefits can enhance the overall well-being of individuals and communities, fostering a stronger social fabric in urban settings.Originality/valueThis research is novel in examining the health benefits associated with CSs in residential areas and the role of retrofitted buildings in promoting such advantages.

Michel Serres’s Sensorial Philosophy and the Importance of Skin in Francis Bacon’s Nudes

Prompted by the exhibition Francis Bacon: Man and Beast (January–April 2022), this article takes a cultural studies and historical poetics approach to the significance of skin in Bacon’s nudes. Drawing upon Michel Serres’s philosophy and the work of prominent figures within skin studies, this article argues that Bacon’s paintings intuitively embody the significance of skin as a dynamic site/sight of sensory, lived, experience shaped by socio-historical context. Bacon’s nudes are considered in relation to the dermalogical turn; the topological body; Didier Anzieu’s skin ego and skin as our ‘deepest surface’; and the importance of movement in Bacon’s imagery, which correlates with Serres’s notion that learning occurs through bodily motion. Serres recognises that cultural works – including painting and other creative practices – can convey complex multiplicities of knowledge synthesised into new and distinct forms.

EKSPLORASI MINAT BACA RENDAH MASYARAKAT INDONESIA: PERSPEKTIF MULTIDISIPLIN

This research explores the multidimensional factors contributing to this phenomenon. Drawing upon insights from various disciplines including psychology, sociology, education, and cultural studies, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue. Key findings indicate that individual factors such as reading habits, motivation, and cognitive development significantly influence reading interest. Moreover, social influences, including family, peer groups, and the education system, play a crucial role in shaping individuals' reading behaviors. External factors such as access to quality reading materials, economic challenges, and the pervasive influence of digital media further contribute to the low reading interest observed. Challenges in addressing low reading interest in Indonesia are multifaceted, requiring holistic and evidence-based interventions. Strategies to improve reading interest should involve collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, communities, and the private sector. Concrete steps such as enhancing access to reading materials, promoting literacy culture at home and in schools, and developing balanced media literacy programs are essential in tackling the issue effectively

Design of a public science communication strategy on cultural heritageand local art in the center of the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina)

The communication of cultural heritage studies does not always constitute a central action of research projects. Therefore, the objective of this work is to present the design of a public science communication strategy on cultural heritage and local art in the district of Olavarría (Argentina). The proposal arises from the making of a documentary and its low visibility and exchange with the public. To achieve this, methodologically it is proposed to work from communication planning based on contextual models and citizen participation. The main result is the development of a communication strategy, based on transmedia formats and focused on the local educational sector. It concludes on the importance of articulating cultural heritage research with social sectors that are susceptible to becoming aware of their environment and that have a high potential to get involved in its protection and safeguarding.

DISINTEGRATION AS ONE OF THE REFLEXES OF CULTURE TO SUSTAIN ITS EXISTENCE

Culture, which encompasses everything produced by humanity, is one of the most extensively researched subjects. Various disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, sociology, and ethnology all focus on culture, but they conduct studies by addressing it from different perspectives. A discipline relatively newer than others that focuses on culture is folklore studies. This rapidly developing discipline since its establishment in 1846 to present has made significant contributions to cultural studies, both in terms of the breadth of its research scope and the abundance of the theories and methods it employs. Folklore science, which examines a wide range of topics from oral cultural products to tangible and intangible cultural heritage, provides very important information to local and international authorities for a better understanding and survival of culture. In this study, the disintegration 2 function of culture is analyzed from a folkloric perspective. Just as cells form organs and organs constitute the human body, culture is formed by the combination of small building blocks such as motifs, cults, symbols, and behaviors. These building blocks constitute cultural elements, and the combination of cultural elements constitutes the culture of a nation. In situations like the weakening of tradition, forgetting/make forgotten in oral culture, loss of function, and cultural interactions. The building blocks that constitute cultural elements, such as motifs, symbols, and cults, detach from the whole and enter into another part and continue to preserve the old cultural element alive in the new cultural structure. Thus, culture does not cease to exist; it can continuously renew itself and ensures cultural continuity by engaging in new cultural productions. There is strong data that this situation will continue in the future. This situation identified in the study was examined together with its causes, and the application of this function on cultural elements was termed “Disintegration 1 Theory”

Hate-sharing: A case study of its prevalence and impact on Gab

This article brings frameworks from literary and cultural studies and methods from network science to bear on a central topic in political communication research: polarization. Recent studies have called into question the argument that digital “echo chambers” exacerbate polarization by preventing members from encountering a diversity of information and opinions. Using Gab, a far-right social media platform, as a case study, we offer further evidence that even members of highly polarized publics do engage in “cross-cutting.” However, we develop a distinct concept of hate-sharing, or sharing content for the purpose of disagreeing with or denigrating it. We show that hate-sharing is common on Gab. Moreover, it is associated with stronger community structure than other kinds of sharing and appears to confer substantially greater influence on those who engage in it. We interpret these findings as evidence that social networks incentivize the production of networked outrage—where “hating on” linked content merges with hate.

Terpenes and polyketides from the marine‐derived fungus Penicillium sp. OPR23‐FS02 with cytotoxic and antimicrobial effects

AbstractChemical study of the fermentation culture of the marine‐derived fungal strain Penicillium sp. OPR23‐FS02 led to isolation of ten secondary metabolites, including two terpenes, purpuride (1) and penioxalicin (2) and eight polyketides, trans‐3,4‐dihydro‐3,4,8‐trihydroxynaphthalen‐1(2H)‐one (3), chloromonilinic acid B (4), chrysophanol (5), emodin (6), ω‐hydroxyemodin (7), questin (8), endocrocin (9), and ergochrome F (10). Their structures were elucidated by analyzing their NMR and HRESI mass spectra and comparing with the literature data. Compound 9 was weakly cytotoxic against HepG2 cell line, with an IC50 value of 89.86 ± 2.63 µm. Compounds 4 and 10 showed antimicrobial effect against Enterococcus faecalis whereas 6 inhibited Bacillus cereus growth, with the same MIC values of 64 µm.