Individual Cultures Research Articles

Individually Cultured Bovine Zygotes Successfully Develop to the Blastocyst Stage in an Extremely Confined Environment

The possibility of detecting the developmental competence of individually cultured embryos through analysis of spent media is a major current trend in an ART setting. However, individual embryo culture is detrimental compared with high-density group culture due to the reduced concentration of putative embryotropins. The main aim of this study was to identify an individual culture system that is not detrimental over high-density group culture in the bovine model. Blastocyst rates and competence were investigated in a conventional (GC) group, semi-confined group (MG), and individual culture (MS) in a commercial microwell device. Main findings showed that: (1) individual embryos can be continuously cultured for 7 days in ~70 nL microwells (MS) without detrimental effects compared with the GC and MG; (2) MS and MG blastocysts had a reduced number of TUNEL-positive cells compared to GC blastocysts; (3) though blastocyst mean cell numbers, mitochondrial activity, and lipid content were not different among the three culture conditions, MS blastocysts had a higher frequency of small-sized lipid droplets and a reduced mean droplet diameter compared with GC and MG blastocysts. Overall, findings open the way to optimize the development and competence of single embryos in an ART setting.

Examining health apps and wearable use in improving physical and mental well-being across U.S., China, and Singapore

Health apps and wearables are touted to improve physical health and mental well-being. However, it is unclear from existing research the extent to which these health technologies are efficacious in improving physical and mental well-being at a population level, particularly for the underserved groups from the perspective of health equity and social determinants. Also, it is unclear if the relationship between health apps and wearables use and physical and mental well-being differs across individualistic, collectivistic, and a mix of individual–collectivistic cultures. A large-scale online survey was conducted in the U.S. (individualist culture), China (collectivist culture), and Singapore (mix of individual–collectivist culture) using quota sampling after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB-2021-262) of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. There was a total of 1004 respondents from the U.S., 1072 from China, and 1017 from Singapore. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and negative binomial regression. The study found that income consistently had the strongest relationship with physical and mental well-being measures in all three countries, while the use of health apps and wearables only had a moderate association with psychological well-being only in the US. Health apps and wearables were associated with the number of times people spent exercising and some mental health outcomes in China and Singapore, but they were only positively associated with psychological well-being in the US. The study emphasizes the importance of considering the social determinants, social–cultural context of the population, and the facilitating conditions for the effective use of digital health technologies. The study suggests that the combined use of both health apps and wearables is most strongly associated with better physical and mental health, though this association is less pronounced when individuals use only apps or wearables.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this": a qualitative investigation of surgeon burnout and opportunities for organization-level improvement.

Burnout is a pressing issue within surgical environments, bearing considerable consequences for both patients and surgeons alike. Given its prevalence and the unique contextual factors within academic surgical departments, it is critical that efforts are dedicated to understanding this issue. Moreover, active involvement of surgeons in these investigations is critical to ensure viability and uptake of potential strategies in their local setting. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore surgeons' experiences with burnout and identify strategies to mitigate its drivers at the level of the organization. A qualitative case study was conducted by recruiting surgeons for participation in a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews. Data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which was informed by the Areas of Worklife Model. Overall, 28 unique surgeons participated in this study; 11 surgeons participated in interviews and 22 provided responses through the survey. Significant contributors to burnout identified included difficulties providing adequate care to patients due to limited resources and time available in academic medical centers and the moral injury associated with these challenges. The inequitable remuneration associated with education, administration, and leadership roles as a result of the Fee-For-Service model, as well as issues of gender inequity and the individualistic culture prevalent in surgical specialties were also described as contributing factors. Participants suggested increasing engagement between hospital leadership and staff to ensure surgeons are able to access resources to care for their patients, reforming payment plans and workplace polities to address issues of inequity, and improving workplace social dynamics as strategies for addressing burnout. The high prevalence and negative sequalae of burnout in surgery necessitates the formation of targeted interventions to address this issue. A collaborative approach to developing interventions to improve burnout among surgeons may lead to feasible and sustainable solutions.

Chief Executive Officer's national culture and bank risk‐taking behavior: International evidence

AbstractThis paper examines the effect of the national culture of the chief executive officers (CEOs) on their risk‐taking behavior in managing the banks, leading to banks' instability using a sample of 805 CEOs for 517 commercial banks in 33 countries from 2011 to 2017. Our empirical results confirm that bank risk‐taking behavior is negatively associated with the national culture of the CEOs who score high on the individualistic culture dimension. We also find that bank risk is likely to increase under the management of CEOs coming from high power distance countries. These results have largely remained unchanged across different settings.

Opposing effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma and neuroendocrine tumor cell lines and individual patient-derived primary cultures

Opposing effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma and neuroendocrine tumor cell lines and individual patient-derived primary cultures

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Perceived Stress in South Korean Twins.

Researchers have proposed that culture significantly influences perceived stress (PS). To date, however, twin studies on PS have been conducted mostly in western, individualistic cultures, which demonstrate that PS due to controllable (personal) life events is more heritable than PS due to uncontrollable (network) life events. This study aimed to investigate genetic and environmental influences on PS in South Korean twins. South Korea practices a dominant collectivist culture. In total, 1372 twin individuals (mean age = 22.4 ± 2.5 years) completed an online survey on PS, which consisted of the scales, Friendship, Academic Stress, Future Career, Family Conflicts, and Family Financial Difficulties (FFD). Friendship, Academic Stress, and Future Career can be considered PS due to personal life events, and Family Conflict and FFD, PS due to network life events. The general sex-limitation model-fitting analysis revealed the absence of qualitative or quantitative sex differences in genetic and environmental influences. Specifically, additive genetic influences were predominant for Friendship (63%), Academic Stress (67%), and Future Career (57%) for both sexes, with the remaining variance attributable to nonshared environmental influences. In contrast, shared environmental influences were largest for Family Conflict (47% for both genders) and FFD (64% for males, 63% for females) with no significant genetic effects. Despite known cultural differences in the means and variances of PS, South Korean twins exhibited significant genetic effects in PS due to personal life events and large shared environmental effects in PS due to network life events, which is similar to western samples.

National wealth, cultural moderators and pollution mortality: a panel analysis of 170 countries

Global concerns have arisen due to pollution-related mortality, and scholars studying the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) have explored the impact of economic growth on carbon emissions, yielding conflicting findings. Considering these opposing perspectives on whether wealth exacerbates or mitigates the negative consequences of environmental pollution, we aim to assess the influence of economic growth on pollution-related mortality and investigate whether national culture moderates its impact. To gain insights into the effects of economic growth on pollution-related mortality, we utilized panel data covering 170 countries over a span of 23 years (1996–2017). Initially, we examined the relationship between GDP per capita and pollution-related mortality, finding support for the theory of a curvilinear correlation but not for the concept of a bell-shaped curve. Upon introducing cultural moderators, the curve shifts in different directions along various dimensions. High power distance and masculinity cultures are associated with increased pollution-related mortality, whereas individualist and long-term orientation cultures are linked to reduced pollution-related mortality. The directions of these moderators align with both linear and nonlinear analyses, except for uncertainty avoidance. This study makes significant contributions to the critical issue of pollution-related mortality, extending beyond traditional sustainability analyses. Additionally, it provides a robust examination of the intertwining of economic wealth and culture, challenging the dominance of either type of logic. Lastly, our study draws attention to policy-driven solutions.

Narrative review: what constitutes contemporary, high-quality end-of-life care and can lessons be learned from medieval history?

In modern Britain, palliative and end-of-life care is governed by quality standards and guidance, which should consider spiritual and psychological needs. However, there are significant gaps in provision of services which was highlighted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic where many individuals and families suffered profound spiritual and existential distress. Significant gaps remain in the provision of services to support patients with spiritual and psychological needs which can affect the management of physical symptoms. During the medieval period in Western Europe, it was important to prepare well for death throughout life. It has been suggested that lessons may be learned from medieval preparations for death which might benefit those approaching end-of-life in contemporary society. It is therefore timely to consider medieval attitudes to death and reflect on how these might inform modern end-of-life care. The objective of this review is to synthesise literature addressing modern end-of-life care in the UK and contrast this with literature on preparations for death during the medieval period in Western Europe. Our aim is to determine whether there is wisdom to be gained from history which could inform our approaches to end-of-life care today. Using online databases and broad keyword searches along with experts in the field of medieval history, we identified literature and translations of texts with a focus on preparations for death during both periods. These were narratively synthesised and discussed. A key finding is that the medieval attitude to death was as an integral part of life, whereas in modern society death is not usually considered until the situation arises. The review highlights a need for a better understanding of the individuality of spiritual and existential needs during end-of-life care in modern society, which will vary according to individual choice, culture, societal group, religion, and belief. The lessons we can learn from our medieval counterparts include the need for lifelong and individual preparations for the end of life, with emphasis on spiritual needs. Alongside palliative interventions, we need to take time to appreciate what gives individuals spiritual support and provide the resources to facilitate this.

Investigation of Cultural Identity of Students Who Study Japanese Language at British Universities Between 2012-2023

In Japanese language classrooms, students have become more globalised in terms of the students’ educational and life experience background. Teaching pedagogies which have been used before globalisation may not be appropriate and effective to students after globalisation. The aim of this study is to investigate any cultural identity characteristics of students who studied Japanese at two British universities in the South of England between 2012 and 2023. The significance of this study is to investigate how students’ individualist or collectivist cultural background may affect students’ cultural identity. Participants were a total of 22 students who studied Japanese language through an Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP). The majority of these students have studied Japanese for a minimum of one year up to three years. The data was collected between 2012/13 and 2022/23 academic year from two British universities. The research design to investigate students’ cultural identity characteristics was a mixed method, using variables such as hometown, languages they speak, their values and their first name. Students’ nationality, where they were born and where they were educated were also taken into consideration to analyse the data. The key finding of students’ characteristic was that students’ identification was closely related to their sense of belonging in the results of students’ hometown, languages they speak, their values and their first name, which is in line with other previous research results in the literature. Other findings included that some of the students found it difficult to determine their hometown, that the majority of students were multilingual who have experience in several language learning, that students’ values were often influenced by their parents’ individualist or collectivist cultural values, and that students’ first names often showed the students’ identification and sense of belonging. Taking into consideration of individualist or collectivist culture, recommendations discuss on how the language teaching practitioners may be able to support the sense of belonging of the current students who have diverse educational and life background.

The Influence of person-organization Fit, Psychological Climate, and Work Stress on the Performance of Employees of the Public Works Department Bina Marga in East Java Province

This research investigates the complex dynamics of the Highways Public Works Department in East Java Province, exploring the multifaceted influence of Person-Organization Fit (POF), Psychological Climate, and Job Stress on employee performance. Person-Organization Fit, which reflects the alignment between individual values and organizational culture, is examined for its role in shaping employee effectiveness. This study assesses how the Psychological Climate in the workplace, which includes factors such as organizational culture and leadership style, contributes to employee well-being and performance. Additionally, the impact of Job Stress on employees in this particular public service context is also investigated. By analyzing these factors comprehensively, this research aims to provide actionable insights for organizational development and management strategy. This study uses a quantitative approach. The population in this study was all employees of the East Java Bina Marga DPU, totaling 667 people. The data collection method used in this research is by using a questionnaire. The data that has been collected is then tested using multiple linear regression analysis. These findings are expected to guide interventions that improve employee performance, job satisfaction, and overall organizational effectiveness. Because the Public Works Department plays an important role in infrastructure development, understanding and optimizing the factors that influence employee performance is important to ensure the successful implementation of public projects and services in East Java Province. This study contributes valuable knowledge at the intersection of organizational psychology and public administration, addressing practical implications for fostering conducive work environments and maximizing employee contributions. This research can be used as a basis for developing new theories or enriching existing theories regarding the influence of person-organization fit, psychological climate, and work stress on employee performance.

Feeling adequately heard by Adults, perceived safety and Children’s life Satisfaction: A multinational comparison of individualist and collectivist cultures across 18 countries

Feeling adequately heard by adults is a crucial factor in children's life satisfaction. Despite this, few studies have explored the underlying processes from an international perspective. The current study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of perceived safety and the moderating effect of collectivism. Using data from 22,688 children in 18 countries, the study found a positive association between being adequately heard by adults and children's life satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationship was mediated by perceived safety. The study also revealed that the impact of being adequately heard by adults on perceived safety and children's life satisfaction was moderated by collectivism. The findings of this study have significant theoretical and practical implications for improving children's life satisfaction.

Academics’ professional identity: Conflicting personal values of academics and institutional culture

Higher education is driven by the objective of establishing an educational setting in which academics and students collaboratively construct and convey scientific knowledge and values that can be utilised in the future. Academics' professional identity focuses on their professional interests, values, and commitments to important work duties. Consequently, academics' professional identity may encounter obstacles when faced with conflicting misalignment between their values and university culture. This paper utilises a qualitative case study with an interpretive paradigm to investigate how academic identity is constructed through the conflicts that arise from the discrepancy between individual values and institutional culture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine academics purposively selected from an English-speaking university in Cameroon to gain insight into the phenomenon. The gathered data were coded and analysed thematically. The findings reveal the existence of conflict between academics' personal values and institutional culture in the study context. It was found that there is a lack of integrity and ethics within the academic environment, particularly regarding financial transactions and the exploitation of educational practices by some leaders, academic staff, and students. Additionally, issues such as insufficient remuneration, delayed payment, and fear of physical and professional reprisal within the university impact academics' professional identity and self-worth. To address these challenges, it is crucial to tackle delayed wages, foster a supportive environment, align academic values with university beliefs, and promote political neutrality in the study context.

The interplay of culture, religion and luxury consumption: a cross-national investigation

PurposeThis study aims to examine differences in the perceived value of luxury as drivers of luxury purchase intentions between individualist and collectivist cultures (at a country level) and consumers of Muslim versus Christian religious backgrounds. Moreover, this study investigates how consumers’ acculturation to the global consumer culture (AGCC) impacts their perceived luxury values.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted two online survey studies. The first study compares Muslim consumers in Kuwait versus Muslims consumers in the UK. The second study compares the UK Muslim sample to a UK Christian sample. The authors collected data from 600 and 601 respondents, respectively. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used to test this study’s research hypotheses.FindingsThe perceived personal values of luxury primarily drive consumers’ luxury purchase intentions. The hedonic value of luxury impacts luxury purchase intentions significantly more for Muslims in the UK than in Kuwait. No significant differences were observed between religions. Consumers’ AGCC exerts a positive impact on all included perceived luxury values and more strongly impacts perceived uniqueness for Muslims than for Christians.Originality/valueThe paper builds on an integrative luxury values framework to examine the impact of luxury values on consumers’ purchasing intentions by studying the moderating effect of culture and religion on these relationships. The study is partly set in Kuwait, an understudied country, and investigates a Muslim minority in the UK.

The Effect of Culture and Social-Cognitive Characteristics on App Preference and Willingness to Use a Fitness App

Fitness apps are persuasive tools developed to motivate physical activity. Despite their popularity, there is little work on how social-cognitive characteristics such as culture, household size, physical activity level, perceived self-efficacy and social support influence users’ willingness to use them and preference (personal vs. social). Knowing these relationships can help developers tailor fitness apps to different socio-cultural groups. Hence, we conducted two studies to address the research gap. In the first study (n = 194) aimed at recruiting participants for the second study, we asked participants about their app preference (personal vs. social), physical activity level and key demographic variables. In the second study (n = 49), we asked participants about their social-cognitive beliefs about exercise and their willingness to use a fitness app (presented as a screenshot). The results of the first study showed that, in the collectivist group (Nigerians), people in large households were more likely to be active and use the social version of a fitness app than those in small households. However, in the individualist group (Canadians/Americans), neither the preference for the social or personal version of a fitness app nor the physical activity level depended on the household size. Moreover, in the second study, in the individualist model, perceived self-efficacy and perceived self-regulation have a significant total effect on willingness to use a fitness app. However, in the collectivist model, perceived social support and outcome expectation have a significant total effect on the target construct. Finally, we found that females in individualist cultures had higher overall social-cognitive beliefs about exercise than males in individualist cultures and females in collectivist cultures. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Bacteria from the skin of amphibians promote growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum by modifying hormone-related transcriptome response

Plants and microorganisms establish beneficial associations that can improve their development and growth. Recently, it has been demonstrated that bacteria isolated from the skin of amphibians can contribute to plant growth and defense. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the beneficial effect for the host are still unclear. In this work, we explored whether bacteria isolated from three tropical frogs species can contribute to plant growth. After a wide screening, we identified three bacterial strains with high biostimulant potential, capable of modifying the root structure of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. In addition, applying individual bacterial cultures to Solanum lycopersicum plants induced an increase in their growth. To understand the effect that these microorganisms have over the host plant, we analysed the transcriptomic profile of A. thaliana during the interaction with the C32I bacterium, demonstrating that the presence of the bacteria elicits a transcriptional response associated to plant hormone biosynthesis. Our results show that amphibian skin bacteria can function as biostimulants to improve agricultural crops growth and development by modifying the plant transcriptomic responses.

Saint Joseph, the Turks, and the Jews: The Path to Antisemitism of Josef Deckert, Priest in Vienna, 1869–1901

Abstract This article studies the development of antisemitism in Austria in the late nineteenth century through the example of Josef Deckert. The priest is depicted in historiography as one of the most prominent anti-Jewish agitators of that period, but his path to antisemitism has not been explored. This research indicates that Deckert's adoption of antisemitic ideology happened abruptly and was not guided by ecclesiastical or lay authorities. The article, therefore, invites us to look more at individual actors and local cultures and less on strategies from above when studying the spread of populist movements. At the same time, the analysis draws attention to two aspects that have been studied little in connection to the diffusion of antisemitism in the modern period, the cult of Saint Joseph and the remembrance of the Turkish siege of Vienna. Deckert was deeply devoted to Saint Joseph and invoked the patron saint of the Habsburg monarchy, not only as protector of Catholic Austria at the time of the Ottoman wars, but as patron of the workers and defender against the contemporary Austrian Jews.

Ethics and rule breaking in a vulnerable society: some challenges

Scientific and procedural rationality becomes compatible with subjectivism, increasing the modern ethical void. In this work I will show how that void impact in disruptive behavior. First, I shortly describe the general problem of our moral culture making dialogue one of the most important contemporary moral philosophers, Enmanuel Levinas and the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, who has made the main critical contribution to the moral culture. Second, I will make some observations in the sphere of art, where it is specially notorious how the crisis of ethics due to the evolution of the culture of individualism affects to the behavior erasing limits -v.g. Proof-Of-Authority-, extending the beliefs that all is possible, that anyone can do anything, everything can happen, and, so that, rules and forecast are perceived more relatives that never. In a third step, I will focus the attention on the multidisciplinary field of Criminology -rule breaking, deviance-, because it is the main place where can be proof the failure of norms which lead society to both, problems for coexistence, and ability to predict insecurity. The formulas invented by social scientist to understand “normal” as well “deviant” behaviour, seems to fail more than ever. That should make us consider two kinds of challenges. How can we reinforce the ethical side of the norms under a cultural environment secularized and liquid, and physically threatened? How can we manage the self-criticism in social sciences so that we not all in the pessimism apparently propitiated by Cancel Culture?

Breaking Borders, Bridging Fields: Unveiling the Transculturality of Anti‐Asian Racism in a Global Context

Despite the recent surge in scholarly attention to anti‐Asian racism, what is largely missing in this growing body of literature is a bridge connecting studies on this subject to the broader field of race and ethnicity studies. In this special issue, we propose to use the concept of transculturality, which is defined as the process of cultural interaction, interpenetration, and hybridization that transcends the traditional borders of individual cultures, to establish this connection. In this introductory article, we first critically review the concepts of culture, interculturality, and multiculturality in the studies of race and ethnicity. Upon this review, we explain how transculturality advances the knowledge of racial and ethnic identity, ideas, and practices. This introduction concludes with an overview of each contribution, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of this complex and multifaceted issue. Collectively, this special issue aims to not only provide theoretical and empirical insights into the transculturality of anti‐Asian racism but also build a bridge between the studies of the Asian diaspora and the general research on race and ethnicity.

Eating experiences in people living with dementia: A concept analysis using Rodgers's methodology.

To analyse the concept of eating experiences in people living with dementia. Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was used as a framework for the paper. The literature was searched using electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, CINHAL, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Embase and Elsevier databases. These databases cover a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to nursing, medicine and occupational therapy. The relevant literature published from 1989 to April 2023 was thoroughly examined. Any quantitative or qualitative studies published in English focused on eating or dining experiences in people with dementia were included. Rodgers' evolutionary method for concept analysis was used. The attributes, antecedents, consequences and case examples of the concept were identified. Twenty-two articles met the inclusion criteria, identifying key attributes of self-connection, the special journey of life and self-interpretation. Antecedents, as framed by the socio-ecological model, were categorized to represent intrapersonal (personal preferences, individual culture, mealtime routines), interpersonal (social interaction) and environmental (dining room environment, policies) factors. Consequences were divided into external (nutritional health, physical health and quality of life) and internal (personhood, autonomy and independence, dignity and feeling valued and mental well-being) domains. A theoretical definition and conceptual model of eating experiences in people living with dementia was developed. The identified attributes, antecedents and consequences can be utilized in nursing education, research and intervention approaches. This article allows nurses and other healthcare professionals to better understand people living with dementia through the relationship between eating and interpersonal, intrapersonal and environmental aspects to develop personalized interventions and care strategies to achieve an optimal quality of life. Not applicable.

Depictions of social workers and other caring professionals on television

Summary Social workers, alongside many professionals in “caring” domains, often feel they are poorly represented in television dramas. This study draws on a 172-million-word database to consider how social workers and seven other professional groups (cop, doctor, nanny, nurse, priest, teacher, and therapist) are portrayed in English-medium TV programs in the period 2010–2017. IMDb plot summaries are analyzed, and 200 examples per profession (n = 1,600) are classified as negative, positive, or neutral. Employing the methodology of corpus linguistics, the study contrasts with previous research as the focus is on the language surrounding mentions of professionals rather than on visual depictions or characters’ actions. Findings The study evidences the prevalence of negative societal discourses around social workers as either judgmental bureaucrats or uncaring “childcatchers,” contextualizing the findings through comparison with other professionals. The analysis also suggests that social work characters on TV—in common with those from other female-dominated professions such as nanny or nurse—are frequently referred to in terms of their sexual availability or physical appearance. Applications Findings will have practical relevance for those interested in the recruitment, job satisfaction, and retention of practitioners, and in reducing the stigmatization of social workers and their clients. The innovative methodology employed in the study offers particular insights for social work researchers and also scriptwriters. The study evidences the ongoing need to support media professionals and the general public to better understand the challenges facing the profession and thereby reduce the tendency toward a culture of blaming individuals for society's failings.