Cultural Studies Research Articles

Ghãtu: Femininity and Indigenous Aesthetics

Ghãtu is a cultural capital that explores the esteem of femininity and Indigenous aesthetics. Despite its aesthetic value, the main theme is sati custom, the over-exploitation of females. This tribal festival does not only belong to Gurung or Magar. Its horizon is up to Tamang, Dura, Darai, Baram and Aryal Kshetri in central and mid-western Nepal. All of them observe with almost similar methods and rituals. Except for Aryal Kshetri, other Indigenous groups claim that it is their hereditical cultural activity. The slow-motion meditative trance dance and melodious verses of songs represent the aesthetic beauty of Nepali folk music and folklore. The study concerns why ethnic groups adopted Ghãtu and the significance of implications of this cultural activity. The ethnic groups adopted it for its zeal for music. The study's implication is to internalize this folk dance as a source of social integration, human relations, teamwork, music and folk literature, and a goldmine of cultural studies research works. Now, Ghãtu is a common cultural capital and a central stone of indigenous aesthetics and cultural studies. This study aims to project how this cultural activity represents a common cultural heritage like the Chhath festival. The findings of the study show that maintaining integral human relations is impossible until or unless society respects femininity and cultural values. So, culture, language, rites and rituals, and dresses are common, if the mass accepts it. Gender discrimination is another focal point, and there has not been research on how Ghãtu has been the archive and cultural heritage. The study employs document analysis and feminist theories.

Literary and Cultural Disability Studies: British and Continental Perspectives, 2–4 November 2023, University of Fribourg

Literary and Cultural Disability Studies: British and Continental Perspectives, 2–4 November 2023, University of Fribourg

Targeted Cancer Therapy-on-A-Chip.

Targeted cancer therapy (TCT) is gaining increased interest because it reduces the risks of adverse side effects by specifically treating tumor cells. TCT testing has traditionally been performed using two-dimensional (2D) cell culture and animal studies. Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) platforms have been developed to recapitulate cancer in vitro, as cancer-on-a-chip (CoC), and used for chemotherapeutics development and testing. This review explores the use of CoCs to both develop and test TCTs, with a focus on three main aspects, the use of CoCs to identify target biomarkers for TCT development, the use of CoCs to test free, un-encapsulated TCTs, and the use of CoCs to test encapsulated TCTs. Despite current challenges such as system scaling, and testing externally triggered TCTs, TCToC shows a promising future to serve as a supportive, pre-clinical platform to expedite TCT development and bench-to-bedside translation.

Childhoods, Cultures, and Critical Qualitative Inquiry: Researching the Political and Life Worlds of Children

The purpose of this special issue is to present work that moves beyond the dominant logic of childhoods as imposed on those who are younger, and instead, to demonstrate how critical empirical qualitative investigations that honor, as well as answer, the complex political and life worlds of children in the present and the past offer a way forward; a path that supports communities and the public institutions important to them so that all children can thrive and become the persons they want to be. To do so, these articles draw on different theoretical and methodological critical orientations and traditions to broadly consider the ways in which cultural studies rooted in critical qualitative research can generate knowledges that expand conceptualizations of/for multiple worlds of children/childhood. In doing so, these pieces examine the contemporary, multiple, and immanent cultural worlds and life conditions of children and notions of childhood—both past and present. Such work speaks to the complex, and often unjust, worlds of children and childhoods, and in doing so, the authors propose and illuminate discourse, policy, and relationship changes and actions required to address the complex pressing needs faced by children across a range of communities and/or public institutions.

Study of Bacterial Culture on Zirconia and Alumina Surfaces Through Laser Surface Treatment

Study of Bacterial Culture on Zirconia and Alumina Surfaces Through Laser Surface Treatment

Uncovering the uncoverers: identity, performativity and representation in counter-disinformation discourse

ABSTRACT Treating counter-disinformation activities as a discursive practice producing knowledge in specific cultural and historical contexts, this article brings a vital cultural studies perspective to an incipient Critical Disinformation Studies agenda. At the same time, it cautions against inadvertently aligning that agenda with the ‘bad faith’, right-wing populist critique of counter-disinformation practices, acknowledging their genuine potential to enhance democratic culture. It proceeds by interrogating the communicative strategies informing the proliferating Western counter-disinformation initiatives which have mushroomed in response to what is widely perceived to be one of democracy’s most potent threats, and which border on a ‘moral panic’ serving to conceal key ideological tensions. Grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis methods, a close reading of mission statements and related materials from the websites of four leading counter-disinformation units demonstrates how these texts interweave three functions – identity construction, performativity, and representation – to generate the overarching ‘discursive formation’ or ‘articulation’ constituting counter-disinformation as modern liberal democracy’s core, but also exposing its fault lines. Specifically, it shows that a failure to reconcile competing accounts of truth (as scientific rationality and normative value) indexes deeper contradictions pitting the liberal emphasis on individual freedom and capitalist efficiency against the democratic prioritizing of popular power, dispassionate observation against civic participation, and the promotion of transparency against the creeping power of surveillance. It concludes that the absolutist epistemology – a vestige of disinformation’s Cold War conceptual origins – designed to cover over these paradoxes masks the complex roles played by truth and deception in politics, thereby hindering the emergence of alternative, oppositional forms of knowledge capable of embracing truth in its radical contingency and plurality and facilitating democratic renewal.

Catholic Schools in the Marketplace: Changing and Enduring Religious Identities

ABSTRACT Despite controversies surrounding faith-based schooling, religious schools continue to play a prominent role in numerous education systems. Nonetheless, empirical research on nonstate religious schools operating in a market context remains limited and fragmented. On the one hand, while religious and cultural studies investigate the evolution of religious education (RE), they tend to focus on state schools while overlooking the impact of market forces. On the other hand, research on education markets often treats religious private schools as a uniform category with a fixed identity. This study aims to bridge this gap by delving into the responses of religious private schools to competitive pressures, focusing on how these schools negotiate their religious identities in a market context. With this objective, the paper presents a case study of Catholic school networks in Catalonia, Spain. We identify three different approaches to RE and religious identity developed by these school networks—confessional, culture-centric and value-centric. The triggering factors and enabling conditions behind these approaches are examined in detail. The study concludes by discussing the relevance of these findings for ongoing debates around the public funding of faith-based schools and the tensions posed by such policies in terms of social cohesion, educational pluralism, and equity.

Development of a composite using calcined bone powder and silane cross-linked alginate as bone substitute material.

Calcined bone is an attractive natural material for use as a bone substitute because of its cost-effectiveness and high biocompatibility, which are comparable to that of synthetic hydroxyapatite. However, the calcination process has significantly weakened the mechanical properties. In this study, a composite of calcined bovine bone powder reinforced with silane cross-linked alginate was prepared to assess its biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and mechanical compatibility as a bone substitute material. Culture studies with osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) showed no cytotoxicity toward the composite and exhibited general cell proliferative properties in its presence. In contrast, the composite reduced the alkaline phosphatase activity of osteoblasts but led to significant noncellular apatite deposition on the surface. In addition, quasi-static compression tests of the composite revealed mechanical properties comparable to those of human cancellous bone. The mechanical properties remained stable under wet conditions and did not deteriorate significantly even after 2 weeks of immersion in simulated body fluid at 37°C. The results show that this composite, composed of calcined bone powder and silane cross-linked alginate, is a promising bone substitute material with biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, and mechanical compatibility.

Individualism and bank financial structure similarity

We use a sample of 75 countries to conduct the first international study of national culture on bank financial structure similarity. We construct a novel and comprehensive measure of bank financial structure similarity using banks’ financial statement data. Our empirical results show that individualism is robustly and positively associated with bank financial structure similarity, holding bank-pair levels, bank levels, and country levels equal. We find that other cultural dimensions, such as power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and long-term orientation, have little effect on similarity. Our work also shows that financial structure similarity is correlated with higher bank risk.

Huma BetHuma Betang-Based Resolution of Mining Land Conflictsang Based Mining Land Conflict Resolution

This study aimed to explore local wisdom treasures related to the study of legal culture which was not widely known by the public. This study used a mix of anthropological and juridical philosophical methods. It used the socio-legal study approach conducted through direct exploration and structured interviews. Results showed that Dayak Bakumpai indigenous people highly uphold the inclusive cultural principles contained in the Huma Betang philosophies. One of the philosophies was the resolution of mining land conflicts, influenced by the culture’s positive values. This value was adopted from an inclusive culture in the Belom Bahadat values that are upheld by the Bakumpai Dayak community. Meanwhile, conflict resolution was carried out through "Bahandep Bahapakat Rakat", which is a practice of helping each other in deliberations. This is so that the headman or local traditional leader can help people return to harmony.

Nano-enabled thermo-responsive local delivery of tamoxifen and carvacrol for enhanced anticancer action

Tamoxifen (TMX) is widely employed in the treatment of breast cancer. However, owing to its poor solubility (BCS class II drug), rapid first-pass metabolism and free radical generation leading to hepatotoxicity, a better drug delivery platform is required. A sufficient concentration of TMX must be achieved while avoiding harm to healthy cells in the target for effective therapy. Carvacrol (CV), a natural monoterpene, has reported antitumor activity and cell growth inhibition effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In the current study, TMX and CVR-loaded nano-emulsion was prepared and incorporated into thermosensitive poloxamer gel to achieve enhanced anticancer action locally. Box-Behnken Design was employed to extensively optimize the prepared formulation wherein the droplet size obtained was 97.53 ± 1.80 nm and PDI was 0.195 ± 0.0026. The developed thermogel was characterized for gelation temperature, rheology, hemolysis and drug release. The gelation and higher viscosity were attended closer to body temperature (37 ± 0.5 °C), and showed retarded drug release (∼60 % after 5 days). The developed thermogel showed 16.02 % hemolysis as compared to 71.89 % from free TMX. Further, In-vitro cell culture studies of the developed formulation revealed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity and almost 6-fold higher cellular internalization. In addition, dose-dependent lowering of mitochondrial membrane potential and 5.9-fold higher ROS production by TMX-CVR-NE was observed. Therefore, an in-situ thermo-gel depot of TMX and CVR imparted an attractive way for the controlled delivery and enhanced local activity of TMX in breast cancer.

Mooting the Concept of “Hierarchical Analysis” in the Context of a Cultural Taxonomy: A Concept with Widespread Implications for Social Sciences Research

We begin this paper by attempting to define what the oft-used term “culture” means and probing its various elements, dimensions, and attributes as well. We also then describe what is meant by cultural change, and investigate the various types of commonly and less commonly observed types of cultural change along with the schools canonically associated with the study of culture and cultural change in social and cultural anthropology. We also then proceed to review the core concepts associated and allied with our symbiotic approach to sociocultural change along with the related concepts of mind-orientations, cultural orientations, mindspace, thought worlds, and world views. The core theme and central component of this paper if of course the concept of a cultural taxonomy, the essentials of which we reproduce here, by referencing both our earlier work, and other pre-existing concepts in the field. We of course, then present our proposals namely “Hierarchical analysis” in the context of a cultural taxonomy which is the objective of this paper, and differentiate with from the differentials other ‘Modes of Internal Spread’ of Cultural Elements, a concept that we had mooted earlier. The core downstream uses and objectives of this approach are also discussed in such a way that readers will be able to note the merits of this approach.

Potential protumor function of CD74 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

CD74 is a transmembrane protein that functions as a specialized chaperone of HLA class II and CD74 in tumor cells was suggested to be involved in cell proliferation in several kinds of malignant tumors. CD74 is also known to be expressed in macrophages, therefore, we investigated the CD74 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Immunohistochemistry of CD74 indicated that CD74 was expressed not only in cancer cells but also macrophages. CD74 was detected in surface membrane and cytoplasm of cancer cells in 92 of 94 cases (98%) and of 87 of 94 cases (93%). CD74 was expressed both in cancer cells and TAMs in 86 of 94 cases (91%). In vitro studies using cancer cell lines and monocyte-derived macrophages stimulated by anti-CD74 antibodies showed that CD74 signal accelerated cancer cell proliferation and macrophage activation. However, macrophage activation via CD74 signal did not influence macrophage-mediated cancer cell growth. RNA-sequence of macrophages stimulated by anti-CD74 antibodies indicated that CD74 signal was associated to inflammatory responses in macrophages. In conclusion, we examined the expression and functional significance of CD74 in ccRCC using tissue specimens and cell culture studies. The function of CD74 was suggested to be different in cancer cells and in macrophages, and further studies are necessary to clarify the functional significance of CD74 in ccRCC.

Azerbaijani TV Viewers' Practices of Watching Turkish Television Programs In The Context of Cultural Studies: Turkish Culture And Tourism

The aim of present study is to explore the reception processes of Azerbaijani viewers’ of television channels broadcasting from Turkey within the framework of Cultural Studies pertaining to Turkish culture and tourism. Employing the audience-centered reception approach within the tradition of Cultural Studies, this study examines the reception patterns exhibited by participants residing in diverse cities in Azerbaijan who watch Turkish television programs. Four separate focus group interviews involving a total of 36 participants were conducted to investigate the dominant, negotiated, and oppositional styles of perception prevalent in audience reception research, thereby gathering data on the interpretive practices and reception behaviors of Azerbaijani viewers regarding the content they consume. The findings were thematically synthesized to elucidate the viewers’ reception styles. Consequently, the research indicates that diverse television content is interpreted by the audience through various reception frameworks concerning Turkish culture and tourism incentives. It was observed that Azerbaijani viewers, watch a broad spectrum of Turkish television programs, engage in understanding Turkish culture, with the majority of participants demonstrating a propensity towards dominant interpretations.

Turning into a Potted Plant: A Plant Studies' Approach to Han Kang's Short Story "The Fruit of My Woman"

Plant studies, a recent branch of cultural studies, is taking a new look at the ontological status of plants and, implicitly and explicitly, redefining the status of the human in the larger web of life. Scientists have discovered that plants are not merely passive objects, but active agents with amazing capabilities: they are mobile and intentional, capable to make intelligent choices, to communicate with each other and with their environment, they are a "who and not only a what" (Michael Marder). This essay takes a look at these major claims of plant studies and argues that using anthropomorphic terms for the newly discovered capabilities of plants is a philosophical choice with serious consequences for our understanding not only of the vegetal world, but also of our position within it. It allows us to step beyond our hierarchical and zoocentric attitude and understand ourselves as part of the larger web of relations. The essay then demonstrates the role of plant studies for literary studies by interpreting Han Kang's short story "The Fruit of My Woman."

Oral inhalation of dacomitinib nanocarriers as a therapeutic strategy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Development of an inhalable nanoformulation of dacomitinib (DMB) encapsulated in poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs) to improve solubility, facilitate direct lung delivery and overcome the systemic adverse effects. Methods: DMB-loaded poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) NPs were prepared using solvent evaporation and characterized for particle size, polydispersity index and zeta-potential. The NPs were evaluated for invitro drug release, aerosolization performance and in vitro efficacy studies. Results: The NPs showed excellent particle characteristics and displayed a cumulative release of ∼40% in 5days. The NPs demonstrated a mass median aerodynamic diameter of ∼3 μm and fine particle fraction of ∼80%. Further, in vitro cell culture studies showed improved cytotoxic potential of DMB-loaded NPs compared with free drug. Conclusion: The study underscores the potential of DMB-loaded NPs as a viable approach for non-small cell lung cancer treatment.

In-hospital post-operative fever after posterior spinal fusion for neuromuscular scoliosis in non-ambulatory cerebral palsy patients: is there value for clinical workup for an isolated fever?

Children with neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) resultant to cerebral palsy (CP) are at a heightened risk for complications following surgical treatment. These children have a reported 22-64% rate of post-operative fever development, and additional fever workup has been shown to have limited clinical utility. However, this has yet to be investigated in the setting of an accelerated discharge (AD) pathway. A retrospective review of children with non-ambulatory CP treated at 2 centers with posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for NMS was performed. One institution uses a standardized AD post-operative pathway for NMS patients, whereas the second institution had no standard pathway. A post-operative fever was defined as temperature > 38.5°C. Target outcome variables included the development of a fever as well as re-admission within 90days of surgery. A total of 122 non-ambulatory children were identified (82% GMFCS V, mean 14.3 ± 3.4years at surgery). A post-operative fever was documented in 75.4% of patients (N = 92) and all additional culture studies reported negative results. Children admitted to the PICU were more likely to undergo a fever workup (P < 0.001) and more likely to receive additional or extended antibiotic therapy (P < 0.001). Children treated at the AD pathway had a significantly lower rate of PICU admission (P < 0.001). Post-operative PICU admission was associated with a post-operative fever (49.5% vs 25%, P = 0.03). Non-ambulatory CP children with NMS undergoing PSF have a 75.4% rate of developing early post-operative fevers. Reflexive fever work-ups provided limited clinical utility while increasing the hospital length of stay and potentially exposing patients to antibiotic-related complications.

Transnational socialist encounters in the Second Socialist World: the case of the Chilean Museum of Solidarity

ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to analyze from an interdisciplinary perspective, that uses transnational and cross-regional cultural studies of the Second Socialist World, the unique example of the Chilean Museum of Solidarity in the context of its relations with the socialist countries in Eastern Europe during the 1970s. The originality of this case study is that it has not been previously analyzed and it helps explain the threads uniting countries of the Second Socialist World and the role of cultural relations as they were established during the Cold War between socialist countries in the south and the east. As a methodology, this article uses a qualitative “small number” approach to analyze cultural relationships between socialist countries. The conclusions show that, for some countries, such as Romania, cultural relations were important in establishing an autonomous policy from Moscow, such as that of Nicolae Ceausescu, but the type of artistic exchanges promoted witnessed an aesthetic paradox, supporting a depoliticized version of art. Moreover, the path-dependency argument for cultural relationships between socialist countries is partially verified.

PHILOSOPHICAL-PEDAGOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE EDUCATIONAL-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM ‘CULTURAL STUDIES: CULTURAL PROCESS MANAGEMENT’

The relevance is due to the socio-cultural and civilizational importance of training specialists in the field of cultural process management. The purpose of the work is the articulation of the philosophical-anthropological, teleological-causal, organizational-praxeological foundations of the educational-professional program “Cultural Studies: Cultural Process Management”. It is proved that the philosophical and anthropological basis contains a syncretic image of a person, which arises at the intersection of three images – a person who is capable for symbolic activity, producing different forms – science, art, literature, philosophy, religion etc. (homo symbolicum), a person who is able to perform mediating functions (homo mediator), as well as a person who knows how to manage complex cultural processes through the search for a common measure of interaction (homo moderator) like Pericles, Cosimo di Giovanni de’ Medici, Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet etc. It is realized that the teleological-causal foundation contains, on the one hand, the complementarity of the transcendent (wisdom, goodwill, beauty, justice etc.) and immanent (specific socio-cultural projects) goals of culture, and on the other hand, a set of causal mechanisms for their achievement and compliance. It is realized that the relationship between the goal and the means is such that the more complex the goal, the stronger the role of the means, and because of this, it has a singular character, that is, it is determined in each individual case. It is established that the organizational and praxeological foundation underpins it in the context of interdisciplinarity, which corresponds to the current – synergetic – state of existence and development of scientific knowledge with the inherent processes of nonlinearity, stochasticity, probability, randomness.

Physical performance and plasma metabolic profile as potential prognostic factors in metastatic lung cancer patients.

Low physical performance is associated with higher mortality rate in multiple pathological conditions. Here, we aimed to determine whether body composition and physical performance could be prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Moreover, we performed an exploratory approach to determine whether plasma samples from NSCLC patients could directly affect metabolic and structural phenotypes in primary muscle cells. This prospective cohort study included 55 metastatic NSCLC patients and seven age-matched control subjects. Assessments included physical performance, body composition, quality of life and overall survival rate. Plasma samples from a sub cohort of 18 patients were collected for exploratory studies in cell culture and metabolomic analysis. We observed a higher survival rate in NSCLC patients with high performance in the timed up-and-go (+320%; p = .007), sit-to-stand (+256%; p = .01) and six-minute walking (+323%; p = .002) tests when compared to NSCLC patients with low physical performance. There was no significant association for similar analysis with body composition measurements (p > .05). Primary human myotubes incubated with plasma from NSCLC patients with low physical performance had impaired oxygen consumption rate (-54.2%; p < .0001) and cell proliferation (-44.9%; p = .007). An unbiased metabolomic analysis revealed a list of specific metabolites differentially expressed in the plasma of NSCLC patients with low physical performance. These novel findings indicate that physical performance is a prognostic factor for overall survival in NSCLC patients and provide novel insights into circulating factors that could impair skeletal muscle metabolism.