Search Results (121)

This study investigated the impact of conventional chlorhexidine (CHX) and anti-discoloration system (ADS)-containing CHX mouthrinses on the color stability of diverse dental polymers, both alone and in combination with coffee. Specimens (n = 180) were prepared from a nanohybrid composite (Charisma Diamond; Kulzer GmbH, Hanau, Germany), a monochromatic composite (Vittra Unique APS; FGM Dental Group, Joinville, Brazil), and a dual-cure alkasite (Cention Forte; Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein). Following a 14-day cycle of mouthrinse immersion (2 min/daily) and coffee exposure (15 min/daily at 85 °C), color changes (ΔE₀₀) were analyzed using the CIEDE2000 system. All materials exhibited significant discoloration across all protocols (p < 0.001). Cention Forte showed the highest susceptibility to staining, particularly in the CHX + coffee group (ΔE₀₀ = 21.10), while Charisma Diamond remained the most stable (0.95–8.60). Conventional CHX (Kloroben; Drogsan Pharmaceuticals, Ankara, Turkey) induced significantly higher staining than ADS-CHX (Curasept ADS; Curasept S.p.A., Saronno, Italy) across all materials (p < 0.05). Notably, ADS technology significantly inhibited coffee-induced pigmentation in Cention Forte (p = 0.003) and Charisma Diamond (p = 0.046), effectively reducing the synergistic staining layer. In conclusion, while coffee consumption dramatically increases discoloration following CHX use, ADS technology serves as a protective barrier, reducing pigment adhesion. For patients with high dietary pigment intake, ADS-containing mouthrinses offer a significant clinical advantage in preserving the aesthetic longevity of polymeric restorations. Full article

This preliminary iconological inquiry aims to show that the Machiavellian image of the centaur Chiron—which was to enjoy extraordinary fortune in Western political thought—must be situated within Medicean ideology, where it had already assumed a highly significant role as early as the time of Cosimo the Elder. The figure of the centaur governed by Pallas—armed yet pacific Wisdom, whose very epithet alludes to the palle of the Medici coat of arms—may be taken to encapsulate the characteristic Renaissance impulse to recast the classical in Christian terms, an impulse that reached its apex in the ideological glorification of the Medici family as rulers of a new Athens coextensive with the new messianic Jerusalem. It was only with the elevation to the papacy of Lorenzo the Magnificent’s son, however, that the centaur acquired its fullest duplicity and symbolic potency—openly invoked in The Prince and displayed on the frontispiece of the first printed edition of La Mandragola. The paradigmatic twofold prince—at once humane, devout, and merciful, yet also libidinous, deceitful, and violent—is none other than Leo X: the pontiff in whom sacral and temporal power, Roman libido dominandi and Christian redemptive charisma, coexist in a dialectical tension, ceaselessly hybridizing one another. It is through the mediation of this papal centaur that the prince is secularized. Full article

Across modern Asia and many other regions, artificial intelligence is transforming religious life in diverse and profound ways. Robot priests chant sutras at Japanese Buddhist temples, AI-powered apps offer personalised coaching in Quranic recitation to millions of Muslims, and bereaved families consult algorithm-generated avatars of the deceased in China. They are neither merely tools for instrumental use nor channels for transmitting pre-existing religious authority. Instead, they create new forms of religious content, new types of spiritual encounters for religious users, and new structures of authority. This paper argues that understanding these phenomena requires theoretical innovation beyond simply applying existing concepts to new domains. Drawing on Actor–Network Theory, algorithmic culture studies, and scholarship on Asian religious traditions, the paper proposes the theoretical framework of generative charisma, theorising how AI systems gain religious authority through three interconnected mechanisms: captivation by generation, intimacy trust through personalisation, and oscillating enchantment. It also highlights accountability as a structural issue that needs critical discussion regarding governance. The paper demonstrates the framework’s usefulness by examining AI recitation coaching in Islamic practice and AI grief avatars in Chinese Buddhist mourning, showing its relevance across different religious traditions and technological forms. Full article

Contemporary political crises have exposed the limitations of traditional political marketing instruments for building and sustaining legitimacy, particularly in contexts of widespread citizen rejection and low emotional identification with political leaders. Within platform-mediated communication environments—especially digitally mediated ecosystems such as TikTok—this article argues that a new mechanism has emerged: affective transfer as a form of mediated affective circulation. This mechanism operates when positive affect is not generated by political leaders themselves but by external, non-institutional mediators, and subsequently circulated and reinforced through platform logics of visibility, virality, and engagement. Adopting a qualitative and interpretive case study approach, the article examines how the circulation of a non-institutional humorous performance on TikTok may have contributed to processes of public acceptance for a sitting president in a context of acute institutional crisis. The findings suggest that the repeated circulation of such content stabilises recognizable affective codes and enables their symbolic association with presidential leadership, potentially facilitating indirect forms of legitimation without direct affective production by the leader. The article contributes by (1) conceptualizing affective transfer as a distinct interpretive mechanism within platformed communication environments; (2) differentiating it from charisma, populism, and traditional persuasion; and (3) demonstrating its implications for rethinking political legitimacy as a process that may be shaped by distributed affect within digitally mediated environments. Full article

The transformation of religious authority in the digital age is shaped by the interactions between human actors, digital media and algorithmic systems. This study uses digital ethnography to examine how religious authority is constructed and negotiated on digital platforms used by Muslims in Indonesia and globally. This study focuses on seven authoritative figures in the digital Islamic landscape, representing different spectra of authority, from traditional pesantren in Indonesia to transnational apologetics and urban liberalism. The findings reveal patterns of authority delegation in which digital platforms replace human roles in da’wah and Islamic institutions. Religious authority is formed through articulative work that connects the Sunnah, intermediaries (religious scholars), and congregations. Public search data show that digital spaces function as a medium of distribution, where religious authority is shaped by audience responses, message repetition, symbolic affiliation, and the dynamics of debate. This study highlights the role of algorithmic culture and authority representation aesthetics in mediating religious authority in the digital age. Algorithms shape exposure and reach audiences, and representational aesthetics are crucial for disseminating religious content. The study concludes that clerical authority in the digital era results from technocultural mediation, in which the cleric becomes both a figure and representation calculated by machines and validated by the audience’s participation. Full article

Background: The aim of this in vitro study is to comparatively evaluate the effects of toothpaste formulations containing and not containing vitamin C on the surface roughness and microhardness of different composite resin materials. Methods: Four different toothpastes (Sensodyne, Colgate, Klorhex, Dentiste) and three composite resin materials (Arabesk—microhybrid, Charisma Smart—nanohybrid, Estelite Sigma Quick—supra-nano filled) were used in the study. Composite discs measuring 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness were prepared and subjected to brushing simulations equivalent to 1 month (150 s) and 3 months (450 s). Surface roughness was measured using a mechanical profilometer, and microhardness was evaluated with a Vickers hardness tester. Surface morphology was further examined in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). For statistical analyses, one-way ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Friedman test were employed, with the significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Brushing procedures resulted in statistically significant changes in the surface roughness (ΔRa) and microhardness of the composites across all toothpaste groups (p < 0.05). The increase in surface roughness varied depending on the composite type, with the highest increase observed in the ESQ composite. In the ESQ composite, higher ΔRa values were obtained, particularly in the Dentiste (≈1.70 µm) and Colgate (≈1.52 µm) groups. Microhardness results, however, differed depending on the composite and toothpaste type. While a general trend toward increased microhardness was observed, a significant decrease in microhardness was detected in the Colgate and Dentiste groups of the ESQ composite (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the addition of vitamin C to toothpaste formulations increases the surface roughness of restorative materials and results in significant changes in their microhardness properties. These findings highlight the importance of considering the type of toothpaste used by patients in clinical practice, particularly in terms of restorative material selection and the long-term preservation of surface integrity. Full article

The Gonzaga family promoted, in the early seventeenth century, a visual and devotional program aimed at positioning Blessed Luigi Gonzaga as both a spiritual standard-bearer and a political instrument of their dynasty. A comparative analysis of prints, paintings, and liturgical objects from this period has made it possible to reconstruct the iconographic model that shaped subsequent representations of the young religious. The consolidation of the prototype of his likeness was facilitated by his family circle and enabled the dissemination of his charisma and virtues among the nobility and the Society of Jesus across the territories of the Spanish monarchy and the states of the Italian peninsula. This strategy sought to secure the preeminence of the House of Gonzaga through the canonization of a “family saint,” emulating the practices of other Italian dynasties. The article highlights the pressures exerted by the beatus’s relatives on the Jesuits and the papal court in their efforts to accelerate his canonization. The manuscript and printed sources cited underscore that the principal promoters of Luigi’s sanctity were his brother and sister-in-law, Francesco Gonzaga and Bibiana von Pernstein, although their early deaths curtailed broader dissemination initiatives. The couple, together with other members of the Gonzaga–Tana family, relied on narrative, visual propaganda, and political ambition to hasten the canonization of Blessed Luigi—an event that, nonetheless, would be delayed until 1726. In parallel, the circulation of, and devotion to, the earliest images depicting the Jesuit novice’s likeness brings to light the significant role of female agency in the diffusion of his cult. Full article

Most primitive religions originated from the devout worship of celestial deities, earthly spirits, and ghosts. In oracle bone inscriptions, rituals related to praying for rain, temple worship, river deity worship, and the worship of great deities were referred to as “fang” 方 or “yi fang” 以方. The Supreme God was the paramount deity of the Yin Shang Dynasty people; by the early Zhou Dynasty, the Supreme God and ancestral spirits began to merge. The hexagram of Contemplation 觀卦 (guan gua) establishes instruction through the concept of “contemplation” fully presenting the entire process of shamans, sorcerers, or ritual hosts participating in temple sacrifices, and completing the hand-washing ritual 盥 (guan) and the sacrifice-offering ritual 薦 (jian). It emphasizes the sincere communication between humans and Heaven. When a monarch performs the guan ritual, he embodies inner “sincerity and clarity” 誠明 (chengming); in response, the celestial deities will “show trust” 有孚 (youfu). Thus, it can be verified that deities exist in Heaven, and an interactive, responsive relationship is formed between Heaven and humans. The nine in the fifth place (the dominant line) possesses great inspiring power. The two fundamental dimensions for interpreting the hexagram structure are “the great view is above” 大觀在上 (da guan zai shang) and “[t]hose below look toward him and are transformed” 下觀而化 (xia guan er hua). These dimensions not only highlight the infinite transcendence, charisma, and appeal of the worshipped deities but also underscore humans’ profound reverence and faith in deities and the absolute existence. Sages 聖人 (sheng ren), as intermediaries between humans and deities, established religion for the sake of human life but did not regard themselves as religious leaders. However, from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Spring and Autumn period, a transition occurred in the spiritual life of the Chinese people: from shamanism to ritual propriety 禮 (li), and from theistic culture to humanistic culture. This transition laid the fundamental direction for the development and evolution of Chinese culture over the following 2500 years. Confucius attempted to replace or eliminate the shamanistic elements in early Confucians with personalized moral experience and ethical consciousness. Full article

This article examines how the role of digital platforms is reshaping political communication and consensus-building in contemporary societies. It questions how algorithmic architectures are transforming the relationship between leadership, audiences, and power. Drawing on an empirical analysis of online interaction data, the study analyses Donald Trump’s political communication during the August 2025 summit with Putin in Alaska, presenting it as a paradigmatic example of networked leadership. The study focuses on the dynamics of mobilisation, polarisation, and identity construction within digital ecologies. The findings show that the leader’s centrality derives not only from traditional party structures, but also from the ability to coordinate heterogeneous communication flows as well as activate processes of affective and symbolic resonance. The article proposes a theoretical model that conceptualises Trump’s audience as a cognitive and emotional power device, highlighting the convergence of post-organisational populism, algorithmic mediatisation, and communicative governance. This leadership expresses forms of “algorithmic charisma” that redefine the modalities of political legitimacy. Methodologically, the study highlights the value of data-driven interpretive approaches, while also addressing their limitations related to algorithmic transparency and replicability. In conclusion, the article offers a critical reflection on emerging ecologies of consensus and the democratic implications of the ongoing “platformisation” of the public sphere. Full article

This article examines how the early Pentecostal movement in Kerala created a liminal space for Dalits and women—groups historically marginalized by caste and patriarchy—to exercise spiritual agency and contest social hierarchies. Grounded in a Spirit-centered theology that emphasized charismatic openness and the democratization of spiritual gifts, early Pentecostalism disrupted conventional modes of authority and belonging. Drawing on Victor Turner’s theory of liminality, this study interprets this early period as a threshold moment wherein new forms of identity and communal life briefly emerged. While Pentecostalism offered a radically inclusive grammar of participation, its emancipatory potential was ultimately constrained by institutionalization and the reassertion of social norms. Nonetheless, within this fragile and contested space, Dalits and women found opportunities for voice, leadership, and embodied transformation rarely available in other ecclesial traditions. By recovering the theological and historical significance of this liminal journey, this article contributes to broader conversations on decolonial ecclesiology, Spirit-led resistance, and the ongoing tension between charisma and structure in Pentecostal movements. Full article

In recent years, despite the continuous improvement of China’s construction safety management systems and the adoption of advanced technologies, safety accidents remain frequent. This shift highlights the growing importance of human factors in construction safety. As the main labor force, the new generation of construction workers differs significantly from previous generations in values and motivation, reducing the effectiveness of traditional safety management models. This study investigates the direct effect of transformational leadership on the safety behavior of new-generation construction workers. Using survey data collected from construction enterprises in Guangdong Province, China, and applying structural equation modeling (SEM), the results reveal that transformational leadership has a significant positive impact on safety behavior. All four dimensions—idealized influence, inspirational motivation, idealized influence (charisma) and individualized consideration—positively influence both safety compliance and participation, with inspirational motivation exerting the strongest effect (β = 0.509 for compliance; β = 0.446 for participation). These findings indicate that leaders who articulate a compelling shared vision can effectively internalize safety norms and motivate proactive safety participation. This study enriches theoretical understanding of safety leadership mechanisms and provides practical guidance for construction enterprises to enhance safety performance through cultivating transformational leadership among managers. Full article

This study examines the phenomenon of “foolishness for Christ” as reflected in the contemporary Orthodox figure of Elder Gerontius of Tismana. Starting with a general review of the diverse phenomena of divine madness present in various world religions, we then move onto the Orthodox Christian tradition, where such apparent eccentric behavior is interpreted as an expression of deep asceticism and spiritual insight. Based primarily on memorial and testimonial sources (oral accounts, written recollections, and biographical notes), the research employs a hermeneutical and phenomenological approach to interpret how such figures are perceived within ecclesial life. Using Christos Yannaras’ theological criteria for discerning authentic “holy folly”, our paper argues that Elder Gerontius convincingly fits this ascetic paradigm. The study further suggests that the presence of such charismatic and unconventional figures may signal a form of spiritual renewal within contemporary Orthodoxy, revealing the dynamic interplay between prophetic charisma and institutional order in the life of the Church. Full article

Insufficient investment in wildlife that lacks strong aesthetic or emotional appeal to humans poses a significant obstacle to achieving broader conservation goals. Species that are not considered charismatic are nonetheless vital to ecosystems and deserve attention from conservationists, researchers, and the public. However, effective strategies for bridging the gap between these species and traditionally charismatic ones remain underexplored. Our exploratory study introduced the concept of charisma orientations to examine their influence on pro-bird behaviors, such as following guidelines, reporting disturbances, and participating in community advocacy. We identified six relational and socially negotiated orientations—ecological importance, intrinsic right to exist, protection support, affective meaning, and perceived decline—that together represent key perspectives through which waterbirds are understood. A survey of 615 Texas coastal recreationists revealed that relying solely on positive charisma diminishes the appeal of waterbirds for participants. The species likeability frame was relevant only in the context of reporting disturbances, while a moral policy stance (the belief that waterbirds need protection) was significant in predicting advocacy. Younger males and individuals who felt current regulations were adequate were less likely to engage in waterbird conservation behaviors. Our findings suggest that examining the intersection of contested charismatic species and various charisma orientations can uncover subtle nuances often overlooked due to an overemphasis on positive charisma and emotional resonance, which may only partially apply or not apply at all. Full article

Moving beyond the debate on cultural continuity, this article investigates the micro-mechanisms by which charismatic experiences are produced and authenticated in a True Jesus Church (TJC) community in Southern Fujian. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2022 and 2024, the study proposes the concept of “making testimonies” to trace the social production of charisma. The analysis identifies three consecutive stages in this mechanism: (1) in everyday interaction, pastoral rhetorical prompting anchors believers’ scattered sensory experiences to church-recognized experiential types; (2) in ritual settings, complex life histories are disciplined into standardized narratives of “grace and conversion” to align with communal identity; and (3) through mediatization, oral accounts are verified, edited, and fixed into an authoritative archive of collective memory. The study argues that these practices are not expressions of “indigenization” but are strategically employed to construct an authenticity that validates the TJC’s theological claim as the “exclusive church of salvation.” By revealing how modern organizational power and media technologies configure the local “landscape of the Spirit,” this research offers a dynamic, practice-oriented framework for understanding Chinese Christianity. Full article

Bacterial biofilms pose significant challenges in clinical, industrial, and environmental settings due to their inherent resistance to antimicrobial agents and host immune responses. Encased within a self-produced extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, these structured microbial communities demonstrate exceptional resilience, resisting conventional antimicrobial treatments and adapting to, as well as recovering from, environmental and therapeutic stresses, necessitating the development of novel anti-biofilm strategies. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of biofilm formation, resistance mechanisms, and current and emerging approaches for controlling biofilms, with a primary focus on advancements made over the last decade. Chemical, physical, and biological strategies, including enzymatic degradation, natural compounds, chelating agents, nanoparticles, photodynamic therapy, and probiotics, have demonstrated promising antibiofilm activity. Additionally, combination therapies and targeted drug delivery systems have emerged as viable solutions to enhance the eradication of biofilms. Despite these advancements, challenges such as cytotoxicity, bacterial adaptation, and clinical applicability remain. Addressing these hurdles requires interdisciplinary research to refine existing strategies and develop innovative solutions for effective biofilm management. Full article