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With the increase in infertility cases recorded over the last 20 years, there is a considerable demand for assisted reproductive treatments (ART). However, there is significant variation in the availability of such treatments across different countries. Legislation on assisted reproduction is influenced by various cultural expressions, making it seemingly impossible to create a single representation adaptable to different contexts. This work investigates the cultural representations of ART in Italy and Spain. We collected 1,735 articles from two Italian and Spanish newspapers, with all the articles containing the respective translation of ART from 2013 to 2022. The two corpora were analyzed using the Emotional Text Mining (ETM) methodology. The analysis produced 3 clusters in the Italian corpus and 5 clusters in the Spanish corpus. From the Italian results, a view of ART emerged that is linked to ethical limitations and the ideal of the traditional family. In contrast, the Spanish results depict ART in terms of community, rights, public health, and birth seen in itself. In conclusion, this study highlights the strong differences between Italian and Spanish cultures regarding ART. The results could be used to improve clinical practices and legislation surrounding ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion is an important aspect in Pacific cultures and may influence how Pasifika students learn anatomy. Traditional constructs in Pacific cultures, such as tapu (forbidden/taboo) and sacred relationships, and/or Christian values are where spirituality is most commonly perceived among Pacific people. Although Pacific people are not homogenous, tapu is a concept that permeates all of Pacific cultures. Understanding the significance of tapu in Pacific communities will help govern relationships and interactions between male and female students/educators, as well as between the dead (e.g., body donors) and the living (e.g., students/educators). In Pacific communities, breaching tapu can lead to serious repercussions, thus strict adherence to cultural practices is important. Institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand, however, are governed by Western processes and values which are often incompatible with Pasifika worldviews and values. Pacific values, including in education, are holistic in understanding and action, and considers not only the physical but the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects. The lack of cultural competency and responsiveness from universities continues to be a barrier for Pasifika learners. Supportive action from educators requires appreciation and understanding of Pacific values and practices. Throughout this article, we discuss Pacific perspectives on how religiosity plays a role in anatomy learning for Pasifika students. Key topics discussed here include the Bible, tapu (sacred/taboo), tulou (permission/excuse), vā tapu'ia (sacred relationship), nudity, organ donation, and perspectives on working with deceased human bodies. Given the increasing number of Pasifika students enrolled in universities across Aotearoa New Zealand, education institutions should be more culturally‐responsive to Pasifika students' needs to enhance their academic success in anatomy education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the increasing population density of copepods in culture tanks contributes to establish their stable cultures at high productions for aquaculture industry, which are preferred live feeds for fish larvae. In the present study, the semibenthic copepod Pseudodiaptomus nihonkaiensis were used as target species. This genus is often found from brackish water and its tolerance to a wide range of salinity and water quality has attracted attention as a potential commercial live feed for aquaculture. Population growth and egg production in the semi-benthic copepod P. nihonkaiensis are investigated. Copepods were cultured in tanks without mesh, with mesh lining tank walls, and with 2, 4 or 8 mesh partitions in each tank to identify the effect of substratum surface area on copepod population density. Linear regression revealed peaks in nauplius, copepodite, adult and total densities, and the cumulative number of eggs for all sampling events to correlate positively with substratum surface area (p<0.01). Greater substratum area within a culture tank may improve egg production by increasing habitat for ovigerous females. The simple installation of inexpensive artificial substrata in existing copepod culture tanks might improve the feasibility of using copepods as a live food in commercial-scale aquaculture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest a positive association between self-efficacy and subjective well-being. However, these investigations depend on the dichotomy between East Asian and Western cultures, often without directly examining the influence of cultural orientation. This raises questions: How do the psychological benefits of adolescent self-efficacy vary across countries, and to what extent does this variance relate to countries' cultural orientations? To address these questions, the current study analyzed a sample of 15-year-old students across 66 countries (N = 427,584) drawn from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data. As expected, we found that higher self-efficacy was related to better life satisfaction among adolescents in every country studied. Notably, the beneficial role of self-efficacy varies based on cultural context: The relationship between self-efficacy and adolescent life satisfaction is stronger in individualistic than collectivistic countries. These findings suggest that cultural environment is important for understanding adolescent social-psychological well-being and potentially offer broader implications for global mental health initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of environmental ethics to a mere application of a priori principles has brought the discipline to failure, according to Næss. The broad moralization in the context of environmental policies, moreover, has caused the loss of a genuine interest in the common home. In this sense, in order to recover and refound an environmental philosophy tout court, for Næss it is necessary to start again from a new epistemology, linked to a deep ontology. The focal point of this new ontology is the recovery of our spontaneous experiences in nature, which reveal that our relationships to nature are deeper than the ones explained by hard sciences. These experiences can be expressed through different cultural forms, which have, for Næss, a value in themselves. Hence arises the ethical imperative to preserve such cultures and to rethink new imaginaries that go beyond the main trends in Environmental Ethics. This paper attempts to show these connections (epistemological, ontological, and ethical) in Arne Næss's ecosophy, which is configured as "something more" than an Environmental Ethics paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of religion have predominantly focused on personal religious identities and experiences, while the broader context of religious worldviews remains understudied. Across two quantitative studies, we showed the incremental predictive power of religious worldview and its mechanism among young adults in two societies—the USA (N = 179) and Hong Kong (N = 164). The mediation mechanism with social connectedness was further inferred from a 12-month study among Hong Kong Chinese (N = 133). This research has laid important groundwork for a deeper understanding of how religion shapes our perception of the world and its impact on our well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kongu country was known to the ancient people of Tamil Nadu as a separate territorial entity. It played an essential role in the context of its relationship with the neighbouring regions. The Saiva Saints like Thirunavukkarasar, Tiruganasambandar and Sundaramurti Nayanar highlighted the seven Saiva temples in the Kongu region. Their hymns are based on a poetic composition called Devaram. The study of inscriptions from these seven Saiva temples can be corroborated with literary evidence, which gives a graphic description of the region, the social condition, numerous customs, and traditions. Tamil land was divided into five central territorial divisions: Chera Nadu, Chola Nadu, Pandya Nadu, Thondai Nadu, and Kongu Nadu. Tolkappiyam mentions the three divisions of Kongunadu, Cheetham, panic, and malanadu, while purananuru refers to Kongunadu as a separate division. These sources confirm that the kongunadu had flourished separately for several centuries. This paper aims to trace the spread of Saivism and Lord Shiva Worship in the Kongu country from a historical perspective. The Kongu country enjoyed a premier position in the history of Saivism due to the fact that the people of the country and the ruler had extended their patronage to the Saiva religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of a phytoplankton and biotoxin monitoring program implemented since 2008 in marine coastal waters of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina), a gymnodinioid, photosynthetic dinoflagellate was isolated from a sample collected in Santa Teresita, establishing the strain LPCc007. The strain was identified as belonging to the psammophilic genus Togula by light microscopy based on the following distinctive characters: morphology of the cell dorso-ventrally flattened, and course of the cingulum, highly asymmetric, descending, with its ends displaced by about one to two thirds of the total length of the cell and joined by an oblique intercingular groove. The comparative morphological analysis between the motile vegetative cells of the isolated strain and the three species of the genus described to date, did not reveal significant differences that would allow it to be determined at a specific level. Instead, the pattern of development of longitudinal grooves on the hypocone of cells about to undergo mitosis observed in strain LPCc007, perfectly agrees with that described for T. jolla as a differential character. The morphological identification was consistent with LSU rDNA (D1-D2) based phylogeny that showed the sequence aggregation in the T. jolla clade. This is the first report of the genus Togula and the species T. jolla from Argentina and the South-West Atlantic Ocean coastal waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a low-cost, open-source turbidimeter, the 'Erlenmeter', designed to monitor the growth of microorganisms in batch cultures. It is easy to build, based exclusively on inexpensive off-the-shelf electronic components and 3D-printed parts. The Erlenmeter allows measuring the optical density of cultures on standard Erlenmeyer flasks without the need to open the flasks to collect aliquots, ensuring speed, minimal use of consumables, and elimination of the risk of contamination. These features make it particularly well-suited not just for routine research assays but also for experimental teaching. Here we illustrate the use of the Erlenmeter turbidimeter to record the growth of the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum, of the bacterium Escherichia coli, and of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, model organisms that are widely used in research and teaching. The Erlenmeter allows a detailed characterization of the growth curves of all organisms, confirming its usefulness for studying microbial populations dynamics both for research purposes and in classroom settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article explores the existing dynamics between languages and identities in a changing multilingual indigenous context in Nunavik. Although immersed in Inuit culture throughout their lives, many Inuit today do not understand or speak their ancestral language, Inuktitut. This ethno-sociolinguistic study (Blanchet, 2012) exposes Inuit cultural and linguistic experiences which revealed that by actively participating in their Inuit way of life, young and old alike learn to live their "inukness" (Qilavaaq, 2012), the Inuit way to say, act, think and live. An identity cultivated through the myriad practices that make up the Inuit oral tradition. I examine the emerging representations of Inuit participants through the way they expressed their experiences in their ancestral culture. Culture which, today, is undergoing significant sociolinguistic changes (Weinreich, 1953; Thomason & Kaufman, 1988; Wendel & Heinrich, 2012; McCarty & Nicholas, 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use a strengths-based approach to explore the ways that walking and cycling are practised and promoted in Māngere and Ōtara, two ethnically diverse, lower-income suburbs of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Using practice theory and positioning our research within a growing body of work on marginalised mobility cultures and the 'human infrastructure' of active transport, we find that family-centred, inclusive events; holistic promotion models; and strong volunteering and skills sharing networks are foundations of active mobility in South Auckland. Amongst the barriers to participation that were reported in our study, threats to safety stand out: They include road safety, concerns about personal security and stray dogs. Dealing with these threats requires advanced skills or 'competences' to sustain walking and cycling – particularly amongst women. We highlight the ways that infrastructural investment and community funding processes may help to overcome barriers and enable these communities to 'roll together'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe lower extremity wounds have an increased risk of complications and limb loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the microbiological profile and antibiotic resistance of wounds in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out at a public hospital including 111 patients with moderate to severe wound infections. Tissue samples were collected during a surgical procedure. One hundred and four patients (94%) had positive cultures and 88 (79%) had a Gram-negative microorganism. Among the 185 cultured microorganisms, 133 (72%) were Gram-negative species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23 cases) was the most isolated Gram-negative species, and Enterococcus faecalis (26 cases) was the most prevalent Gram-positive species. Among 185 isolated species, 45 (24%) were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers, 23 (12%) were carbapenem-resistant, and 5 (3%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Findings revealed that there was no significant difference in the microbiological profile and antibiotic resistance among patients with lower extremity wounds whether they were diabetic or nondiabetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kombucha is a two-stage fermented sweetened tea beverage that uses yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to convert sugars into ethanol and lactate and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) to oxidize ethanol to acetate. Its popularity as a beverage grew from claims of health benefits derived from this vibrant microbial bioconversion. While recent studies have shed light on the diversity of cultures in Kombucha fermentation, there is limited information on the diversity, and especially viability, of cultures in retail beverages that advertise the presence of Kombucha and probiotic cultures. In this study, 12 Kombucha beverages produced by different manufacturers throughout the US were purchased and microbially characterized. Eight of the beverages contained viable Kombucha cultures, while 3 of the remaining 4 had viable Bacillus cultures as added probiotics. Amplicon profiling revealed that all contained Kombucha yeast and bacteria cells. The dominant yeasts detected were Lachancea cidri (10/12), Brettanomyces (9/12), Malassezia (6/12), and Saccharomyces (5/12). Dominant LAB included Liquorilactobacillus and Oenococcus oeni, and AAB were Komagataeibacter, Gluconobacter, and Acetobacter. One beverage had a significant amount of Zymomonas mobilis, an ethanol-producing bacterium from Agave cactus. While Kombucha beverages differ in the types and viability of cultures, all except one beverage contained detectable viable cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in infertility cases recorded over the last 20 years, there is a considerable demand for assisted reproductive treatments (ART). However, there is significant variation in the availability of such treatments across different countries. Legislation on assisted reproduction is influenced by various cultural expressions, making it seemingly impossible to create a single representation adaptable to different contexts. This work investigates the cultural representations of ART in Italy and Spain. We collected 1,735 articles from two Italian and Spanish newspapers, with all the articles containing the respective translation of ART from 2013 to 2022. The two corpora were analyzed using the Emotional Text Mining (ETM) methodology. The analysis produced 3 clusters in the Italian corpus and 5 clusters in the Spanish corpus. From the Italian results, a view of ART emerged that is linked to ethical limitations and the ideal of the traditional family. In contrast, the Spanish results depict ART in terms of community, rights, public health, and birth seen in itself. In conclusion, this study highlights the strong differences between Italian and Spanish cultures regarding ART. The results could be used to improve clinical practices and legislation surrounding ART.

Abstract Background Cultural factors influence attitudes toward death, and gender disparities are evident. Prior studies show that medical students have limited knowledge about death and are uncomfortable with it. Moreover, there is limited research that has examined factors that influence medical students’ knowledge and attitudes toward death. Objectives The objectives of the study were to compare cultural and gender differences in relation to knowledge and attitudes toward loss and grief and to screen for complicated grief among medical students at the Arabian Gulf University and the University of Toronto. Methods A cross-sectional study was disseminated to medical students at both universities in 2022. The variables in the survey included four parts: demographic characteristics of the participants, religious observance, history of encountering loss of a loved one, grief following loss, attitude toward death, and learning about how to deal with grief and death during medical school. The brief grief questionnaire and the death attitude profile-revised scales were used. Results The study sample consisted of 168 medical students, with 74.1% being female. Complicated grief scores were higher among Arabian Gulf University students (3.87 ± 2.39) than among University of Toronto students (2.00 ± 1.93) and were higher for participants with a higher degree of religious observance in both schools (p

Background Cultural factors influence attitudes toward death, and gender disparities are evident. Prior studies show that medical students have limited knowledge about death and are uncomfortable with it. Moreover, there is limited research that has examined factors that influence medical students’ knowledge and attitudes toward death. Objectives The objectives of the study were to compare cultural and gender differences in relation to knowledge and attitudes toward loss and grief and to screen for complicated grief among medical students at the Arabian Gulf University and the University of Toronto. Methods A cross-sectional study was disseminated to medical students at both universities in 2022. The variables in the survey included four parts: demographic characteristics of the participants, religious observance, history of encountering loss of a loved one, grief following loss, attitude toward death, and learning about how to deal with grief and death during medical school. The brief grief questionnaire and the death attitude profile-revised scales were used. Results The study sample consisted of 168 medical students, with 74.1% being female. Complicated grief scores were higher among Arabian Gulf University students (3.87±2.39) than among University of Toronto students (2.00±1.93) and were higher for participants with a higher degree of religious observance in both schools (p<0.05). Death avoidance (p=0.003), approach acceptance (p<0.001), and escape acceptance (p=0.038) domains were significantly higher among Arabian Gulf University students than among University of Toronto students. Almost threequarters of University of Toronto students reported not being taught about grief, compared to 54% of Arabian Gulf University students. Conclusions Arabian Gulf University medical students scored higher on complicated grief, most likely due to cultural and religious factors. Females at both institutions as well as those who indicated a higher level of religious observance reported higher scores of complicated grief. The study highlights how cultural and religious beliefs influence medical students’ attitudes toward death and bereavement. It provides valuable insight into the knowledge and attitudes of medical students toward loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literary texts are used by theorists to examine and explore the social beliefs and assumptions embedded in societies. The notion of the representative nature of literary texts provides interesting insights into the milieu and culture of the societies from which they emerge. This article examines the representation of values and assumptions in the literary texts of two distinctly diverse societies: Greece and India. The textual analysis of the Greek play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and "The Mother Who Married Her Own Son," an Indian folktale by A. K. Ramanujan, focuses on the representation of faith in divine intervention, orientation to human relationship in different cultures related to the concept of destiny, and the importance of structures as values in the texts. These representations are analyzed using Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's theory of value orientation and Geert Hofstede's theory of cultural dimensions. The article attempts to map these cultural communication theories to the literary representations in the texts and deduces inferences on the validity of cultural representations. The notions of being and becoming as human activity and the idea of uncertainty avoidance as a societal norm are explored in the representations within the literary texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a low-cost, open-source turbidimeter, the ‘Erlenmeter’, designed to monitor the growth of microorganisms in batch cultures. It is easy to build, based exclusively on inexpensive off-the-shelf electronic components and 3D-printed parts. The Erlenmeter allows measuring the optical density of cultures on standard Erlenmeyer flasks without the need to open the flasks to collect aliquots, ensuring speed, minimal use of consumables, and elimination of the risk of contamination. These features make it particularly well-suited not just for routine research assays but also for experimental teaching. Here we illustrate the use of the Erlenmeter turbidimeter to record the growth of the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum, of the bacterium Escherichia coli, and of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, model organisms that are widely used in research and teaching. The Erlenmeter allows a detailed characterization of the growth curves of all organisms, confirming its usefulness for studying microbial populations dynamics both for research purposes and in classroom settings.

This article addresses the pressing issue of perceiving other cultures and nationalities in the context of globalization and internet communications. The authors focus on a webometric study, employing data analysis methods for grouping and investigating markers that reflect the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of models representing the Other in the digital space. The study aims to identify current trends and reactions of internet users to the diversity of alimentary preferences of various ethnic groups, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the dynamics of public opinion and stereotypes. The research extensively analyzes how perceptions of cultural alimentary features and traditions of different peoples are formed and transformed in the modern information space. It notes the significant influence of search queries and virtual interactions on the formation and alteration of the images of the Other in public consciousness. The authors discuss the implications of these trends for intercultural interaction and present conclusions that can be applied in further research related to the cultural and social aspects of perceiving ethnic groups. The findings of the study will be of interest not only to specialists in the field of intercultural communication, but also to a wider audience seeking to better understand the dynamics of how different cultures are perceived in today's information society.

Cutibacterium acnes remains the most commonly detected organism in shoulder arthroplasty. C acnes infection is thought to occur during shoulder arthroplasty through contamination of the surgical field with C acnes from the incised dermis. The purpose of this study was to examine whether using electrocautery for making skin incisions would decrease C acnes culture rates at the incised dermis compared to using scalpels during shoulder arthroplasty. Patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty were randomized into 2 groups, electrocautery vs. scalpel incision group. All patients received a standard preoperative antiseptic preparation including chlorhexidine gluconate showers, intravenous antibiotic administration, and topical application of hydrogen peroxide, povidone iodine, isopropyl alcohol, and DuraPrep. Cultures were obtained from the incised dermal edge immediately after skin incision and later from surgeon's gloves and forceps immediately prior to humeral component implantation. The primary outcome was positive C acnes culture rates compared between the groups. A total of 64 patients (32 in each group) were enrolled. There were 24 males in each group. Regarding dermis cultures, 10 patients (31%) in the scalpel group were positive with 8 of them positive for C acnes , whereas no patients in the electrocautery group were positive (P <.001). Regarding glove cultures, the electrocautery group had 8 patients positive C acnes , while the scalpel group had 8 (P =.777). Regarding forceps cultures, the electrocautery group had 4 patients positive for C acnes , and the scalpel group had 6 (P =.491). All positive cultures were exclusively from male patients. There were no wound complications or infection in the electrocautery group while the scalpel group had 1 acute postoperative infection. Making skin incisions using electrocautery resulted in 0 C acnes culture at the incised dermis, suggesting its potential effect against C acnes. However, despite this initial antibacterial effect, C acnes still appeared on surgeon's gloves and forceps during surgery of male patients. All positive cultures were from male patients, suggesting that the source of C acnes was specifically related to the male body. While the study hypothesis was supported by the results, the present study also raises new questions and calls for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common among primary school children and can be influenced by various factors, including hygiene practices and sanitation facilities in schools. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of UTIs among primary school children and evaluate the sanitation facilities and hygiene practices in selected schools. Material and Methods: A total of 250 primary school children were assessed for UTIs using a sequential diagnostic approach, including dipstick tests, microscopic examinations, and cultures. Additionally, sanitation facilities and hygiene practices across 250 schools were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Results: Among the children, 80% showed positive results in dipstick tests, with 33% confirmed as UTIs through cultures. Escherichia coli (E. coli) were the most prevalent bacteria, detected in 40% of the subjects. In terms of sanitation, 92% of schools ensured clean toilets, and 98% provided separate facilities for boys and girls. Handwashing education programs were present in 84% of the schools. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of layered diagnostic approaches for accurate UTI detection in children. The high prevalence of UTIs, despite commendable sanitation facilities and hygiene practices in schools, suggests the need for more vigilant monitoring and comprehensive health education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient expectations in cosmetic dermatology exhibit significant variations across countries, cultures, and ethnicities, thereby reflecting individual desires, concerns, and goals. While some individuals seek aesthetic enhancements, others prioritize addressing specific skin conditions within the context of beauty norms in their respective countries. The provision of personalized and culturally sensitive care plays a crucial role in meeting these diverse expectations. Skin characteristics and concerns differ among ethnicities, influencing treatment preferences. For instance, individuals with darker skin tones may prioritize the treatment of pigmentation disorders, whereas those with lighter skin tones may focus on achieving a fair complexion. Furthermore, differences in facial anatomy among various ethnicities necessitate tailored treatment approaches. This commentary aims to contribute to the effective understanding and management of patient expectations, ultimately leading to satisfactory outcomes. Additional research and regional studies are required to further deepen our understanding of patient expectations in cosmetic dermatology and enable the delivery of improved and culturally appropriate care on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ophiocordyceps gracilis, a type of edible and medicinal fungus, exhibits multiple health‐promoting effects. Due to the scarcity of natural O. gracilis, artificial cultures have been developed as its substitutes. However, lacking comprehension of the metabolite composition of cultures limits its utilisation. Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the nutritional and medicinal value of four cultures of O. gracilis by analysing their metabolite composition. In addition, metabolic pathways in mycelia and fruiting bodies were analysed to explore fruiting body formation mechanism at metabolic level. Method: The mycelia, fermentation broth, spore powder and fruiting bodies of O. gracilis were cultivated in this study. Their metabolite composition was compared using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Results: Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA) showed that the four cultures have noticeable differences in metabolite composition. A total of 612 metabolites were identified, among which 159 metabolites showed significant differences, and these differential metabolites were classified into 13 categories. The metabolites in the fruiting bodies were the most abundant compared with other cultures. However, each culture had its own advantages and significantly accumulates some active metabolites respectively. Pearson's correlation analysed the mutual relationship among metabolites. In addition, seven metabolic pathways were closely related to fruiting body formation, such as "Biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites", "amino acids metabolism", "tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle". Conclusion: This study offered a reference to mycelia, fermentation broth, spore powder and fruiting bodies of O. gracilis as health‐promoting functional foods and medicine. Ophiocordyceps gracilis is a precious edible and medicinal fungus. The metabolites composition of mycelia, fermentation broth, spore powder, and fruiting bodies of O. gracilis were compared. There were 159 differential metabolites, each culture had its own advantages and significantly accumulated some active metabolites respectively. Additionally, the relationship between metabolites and the formation mechanism of the fruiting bodies were preliminarily investigated. This study provides a reference to cultures of O. gracilis as health‐promoting functional foods and medicine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business education is still driven by individualistic cultures (the ‘I’), which provides the sociocultural container for what education is and can be. Paradoxically, the pandemic’s drive towards online collaborative working is a stark reminder of alternatives (the ‘we’). This thought piece calls for a deeper re-examination and emphasis on the ‘we’ as a basis for educational development.

This research aims to examine the positive impact of local wisdom on environmental sustainability and tourism development. In this study, a qualitative approach was conducted through observations and interviews. This research has conducted the analysis using a descriptive ethnographic approach to reveal the meaning behind the local wisdom. The results show that being part of the UNESCO Global Geopark has special meaning for Gunung Sewu in Java, Indonesia. Geoparks are concerned with conserving and developing geological diversity and aiming to develop and conserve the cultures within them. Pitu village preserves local wisdom, one of which is the seven-family restriction. Local wisdom in this village is closely related to limited natural conditions. Kampung Pitu is located at the top of Mount Nglanggeran, and no more than seven families can live here because they have taboos or rules from the past. All the local wisdom carried out by the people of Kampung Pitu was based on preserving nature and the entire community's safety. The preservation of heritage will provide uniqueness and attract tourists on its own

In African society today, ubuntu as a notion of African humanism has been, and still is, subject to critical discussion. In African literature, philosophy, ethics, anthropology and theology, ubuntu plays a vast role and scholars in Africa and globally find the notion highly debated. The concept of identity development on the African continent has been written about broadly. This article unpacks the ubuntu philosophies of Augustine Shutte, Kwame Gyekye and John Mbiti. The views of these scholars will be contrasted to critically engage the conceivable commonalities for identity development through cultures. The question addressed herein is: What are the similarities and dissimilarities of ubuntu as a cornerstone for identity development in modern Africa? This article also examines the divergent definition and historical development of ubuntu culture, ubuntu philosophy of identity development, environmental development and various thinkers’ understanding of this African worldview in current Africa and further afield. Contribution: This research contributes to African theological ethics of the new landscape identity and explores the ubuntu worldviews as a developmental process of identities across cultures. Since identity development across cultures is highly dynamic, the hermeneutical interpretation of the principles of ubuntu is crucial.

ABSTRACT: This article is a description of current situation of the teaching of mother tongue and cultures. We want to show the inadequacies of language teaching in school. Certainly in the experimentation phase but with major shortcomings whish, in our opinion, will not yield much for the definite integration into school curriculum if we do not overcome the problems of documentation, of the type of teaching training planned. For these experiments, and in order to know the type which could be considered better and adequate in order to obtain good result for a decision making which will allow them to be more definite than experimental. RÉSUMÉ : Cet article est une description de la situation actuelle des enseignements des langues et cultures nationales. A travers son titre Langues et cultures nationales : immaturité pédagogique ou manque d’orientation didactique ? Nous voulons montrer les insuffisances de l’enseignement des langues dans les établissements scolaires. Certes en phase d’expérimentation mais avec des grosses lacunes qui à notre sens ne vont pas donner grandes choses pour l’insertion définitive dans le cursus scolaire si l’on ne palie pas aux problèmes de la documentation, du type de formation des enseignants prévus pour ces expérimentations pour ainsi savoir le type d’expérimentation qui pourra être considéré meilleur et adéquat afin de permettre d’obtenir de bons résultats en vue d’une prise de décision qui les permettront d’être plus définitives qu’expérimentales.

The article presents the results of a survey aimed at tracking the attitudes of users of “youth center” type of institutions in Bulgaria, regarding the implementation of youth activities and trainings promoting the development of inclusive policies, cultures and practices. The research methodology is based on the conceptual framework of the “Inclusion Index – Development of Learning and Participation in Schools”. The survey covered 150 users of youth activities and training. Analysis of the research data shows that 'youth center' type institutions promote the development of inclusive policies, cultures and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sense of community plays an important role in promoting sustainable behaviors and values. Therefore, when measuring sense of community, it is important to ensure that such measurement instruments have excellent psychometric properties. In this study, we start from the model that sense of community is related to a person's perception of his or her relationship with a community, particularly in terms of need fulfillment, sense of connectedness and emotional connection, and perceived impact on the community. The Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) is an 8-item self-report scale designed specifically for the assessment of individuals' relation with their neighborhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the factor structure and reliability of a new Slovenian version. A sample of 502 adults from Slovenia completed the scale. The data did not support the original hierarchical four-factor model. On the other hand, a one-factor model with autoregressive effects on the unique factors fitted well. The reliability of the sum score was excellent, while only two out of the four subscales had acceptable reliability. The results support the use of the Slovenian version of the BSCS as a unidimensional scale and allow the use of this measure in research on sense of community and possibly as a rigorous measure in further studies of sustainable development in different cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigments are powerful indicators for chemotaxonomy and remote sensing studies, which are the approaches used for cyanobacterial bloom monitoring. Cyanobacterial pigments include high concentrations of phycobilins and diverse carotenoids. Filamentous nitrogen-fixing species (Nostocales) are frequent in cyanobacterial blooms of warm climate lakes, and more information about pigments can be useful for improving management. We analyzed the carotenoid ratios to chlorophyll a of nine subtropical cyanobacterial strains (orders: Synechococcales, Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales), for some of which we also characterized the in vivo absorption spectra (aph). The main carotenoids were β,β-carotene, echinenone, hydroxy-echinenone-like, zeaxanthin and myxoxanthophyll (including aphanizophyll and unknown myxoxanthophyll-like myxol-glycoside carotenoids); however, proportions diverged greatly between orders, a trend also observed for the aph. Zeaxanthin ratios were highest in the picocyanobacterium. Nostocales species were rich in myxoxanthophyll and echinenone, with low zeaxanthin signals. We identified four pigment assemblages differentiating the strains according to their phylogenetic orders, information that needs to be considered for tracking cyanobacterial groups, particularly Nostocales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]