A Multilevel Analysis of Job Characteristics, Emotion Regulation, and Teacher Well-Being: A Job Demands-Resources Model

This study integrated personal factors into the job demands-resources (JD-R) model to examine school- and individual-level predictors of teacher well-being. Survey data were gathered from 1,656 teachers from 54 schools. The results of hierarchical linear modeling indicated that the school-level emotional job demands of teaching and suppression at the individual level were positively related to teachers' anxiety and depression whereas school-level trust in colleagues and individual-level reappraisal were positively associated with enthusiasm and contentment. Positive relationship between emotional job demands and suppression was also found. These findings support the claim that reappraisal should be considered a personal resource and suppression a personal demand

Do Chinese Teachers Perform Emotional Labor Equally? Multi-Group Comparisons Across Genders, Grade Levels and Regions

The emotional aspects of teaching are important and teachers’ emotional labor, or, how teachers manage emotions at school, has been attracting more and more attention recently. Using multi-group structural equation modeling, this study investigated the measurement invariance of, and the relationships between, teachers’ emotional labor strategies and teaching satisfaction. Participants included teachers from primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and mainland China. Three sets of group comparisons have been made between female and male teachers, between primary and secondary school teachers, and between teachers in Hong Kong and mainland China. The multi-group invariance tests showed no significant subgroup differences in the measurement and structural models. Thus, there was no difference of ‘kind.’ However, some differences of ‘degree’ were observed across genders, grade levels and regions. These differences in the relationship between surface/deep acting and teaching satisfaction can be attributed to the possible influence of some cognitive factors and socio-cultural contexts. With due methodological rigor, the results of this study provide deeper understanding of teachers’ emotional labor and its relationship with teaching satisfaction

Emotional Labor in Knowledge-Based Service Relationships: The Roles of Self-Monitoring and Display Rule Perceptions

Focusing on knowledge-based service relationships, this study examined knowledge-based service workers’ (i.e., school teachers) emotional labor process and the consequential outcomes for their well-being. The study also examined the roles of two antecedents, namely, teachers’ perceptions of display rules and self-monitoring tendencies. A sample of 1,656 school teachers participated in the study. The results showed that self-monitoring generally had stronger, though maladaptive, effects than display rule perceptions on individuals’ use of emotional labor strategies (ELS) (i.e., surface acting and deep acting) and well-being (i.e., anxiety, depression, contentment, and enthusiasm). Both self-monitoring and display rule perceptions were positively related to two ELS. There were relatively stronger relationships between self-monitoring and surface acting, and between display rule perceptions and deep acting. Surface acting was positively related to anxiety and depression and negatively related to contentment and enthusiasm. Deep acting was positively related to anxiety, contentment, and enthusiasm. The examination of indirect effects showed that self-monitoring was positively related to anxiety and depression and negatively related to enthusiasm and contentment. Display rule perceptions were weakly, but positively, related to anxiety and depression. These results suggest that self-monitoring may be less beneficial than previously thought. Knowledge-based service workers’ display rule perceptions and deep acting may not necessarily be harmful to their well-being, but reflect their role identification and commitment. Theoretical contributions and practical suggestions of this study were discussed

Laser additive manufacturing of niobium silicide-based composites

Niobium silicide-based composites, in the application of gas turbine blades, promise significant efficiency improvements compared to current Ni-based alloys. The higher temperature capability would allow the engine to run at a higher temperature than that of current alloys, increasing engine efficiency. Nb-Si based composites possess a lower density, due to the presence of ceramic phases such as Nb5Si3 and/or Nb3Si. This would reduce the weight of the rotating blades. However, improvements in certain properties, such as ductility, room temperature toughness and oxidation resistance are needed. The alloy must also be cost effective to manufacture if niobium silicide systems are to reach their full potential. This study focuses on the manufacturability aspect of the powder feeding laser additive manufacturing (LAM) process to engineering Nb-Si based alloy samples. A schematic drawing of LAM system is shown in Figure 1. In LAM process, CAD models of the components are constructed and sliced layer by layer for laser multilayer cladding, which directly forms the component shapes. LAM has the advantage of forming near-net shapes without the use of expensive cores and moulds for the reactive Nb-Si melt. Fine microstructure and even chemical composition distribution with reduced macro-segregation are obtained. With the use of power feeding system, new Nb-Si based alloys are LAMed with varying Ti, Si, Cr, Al, Hf, V concentrations. Microstructures and mechanical properties of the LAMed new alloys will be presented, the relationship between mechanical property, alloy chemistry and process variable will be analyzed and the challenges in powder feeding laser additive manufacturing of Nb-Si based composites will be reported. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Nickel pyrithione induces apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia cells resistant to imatinib via both Bcr/Abl-dependent and Bcr/Abl-independent mechanisms

Abstract Background Acquired imatinib (IM) resistance is frequently characterized by Bcr-Abl mutations that affect IM binding and kinase inhibition in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Bcr-Abl-T315I mutation is the predominant mechanism of the acquired resistance to IM. Therefore, it is urgent to search for additional approaches and targeting strategies to overcome IM resistance. We recently reported that nickel pyrithione (NiPT) potently inhibits the ubiquitin proteasome system via targeting the 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinases (UCHL5 and USP14), without effecting on the 20S proteasome. In this present study, we investigated the effect of NiPT, a novel proteasomal deubiquitinase inhibitor, on cell survival or apoptosis in CML cells bearing Bcr-Abl-T315I or wild-type Bcr-Abl. Methods Cell viability was examined by MTS assay and trypan blue exclusion staining assay in KBM5, KBM5R, K562, BaF3-p210-WT, BaF3-p210-T315I cells, and CML patients’ bone marrow samples treated with NiPT. Cell apoptosis in CML cells was detected with Annexin V-FITC/PI and rhodamine-123 staining followed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry and with western blot analyses for apoptosis-associated proteins. Expression levels of Bcr-Abl in CML cells were analyzed by using western blotting and real-time PCR. The 20S proteasome peptidase activity was measured using specific fluorogenic substrate. Active-site-directed labeling of proteasomal DUBs, as well as the phosphorylation of USP14 was used for evaluating the inhibition of the DUBs activity by NiPT. Mouse xenograft models of KBM5 and KBM5R cells were analyzed, and Bcr-Abl-related proteins and protein biomarkers related to proliferation, differentiation, and adhesion in tumor tissues were detected by western blots and/or immunohistological analyses. Results NiPT induced apoptosis in CML cells and inhibited the growth of IM-resistant Bcr-Abl-T315I xenografts in nude mice. Mechanistically, NiPT induced decreases in Bcr-Abl proteins, which were associated with downregulation of Bcr-Abl transcription and with the cleavage of Bcr-Abl protein by activated caspases. NiPT-induced ubiquitin proteasome system inhibition induced caspase activation in both IM-resistant and IM-sensitive CML cells, and the caspase activation was required for NiPT-induced Bcr-Abl downregulation and apoptotic cell death. Conclusions These findings support that NiPT can overcome IM resistance through both Bcr-Abl-dependent and Bcr-Abl-independent mechanisms, providing potentially a new option for CML treatment

Teacher Efficacy and Affective Well-Being in Hong Kong: An Examination of Their Relationships and Individual Differences

Purpose —The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between dimensions of teacher efficacy and affective well-being while focusing on the roles of demographic characteristics (gender, grade level, educational background, and seniority). Design/Approach/Methods —1,115 primary and 541 secondary school teachers in Hong Kong participated in the questionnaire survey. A series of t -tests, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted. Findings —The younger teachers reported lower scores for well-being and efficacy than their senior counterparts, and the female and primary school teachers reported significantly higher levels of teacher efficacy for student engagement than their respective counterparts. Of the dimensions of affective well-being, pleasant affect was more closely related to teacher efficacy than negative affect, and the activated pleasant dimension of enthusiasm had the strongest influence. Of the three dimensions of teacher efficacy, efficacy for student engagement was most strongly associated with affective well-being. Originality/Value —The study revealed that teachers’ affective well-being is not only important in itself, but also contributes to classroom teaching. The enthusiasm and passion possessed and maintained by teachers could play important roles in enhancing their self-efficacy. Furthermore, maintaining a good affective well-being status and even a modest level of anxiety contributes to their efficacy for student engagement, a dimension on which teachers reported the least confidence. Suggestions were put forward on how to improve teacher efficacy and well-being

Work Environment Characteristics and Teacher Well-Being: The Mediation of Emotion Regulation Strategies

Based on an adjusted Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model that considers the mediation of personal resources, this study examined the relationships between two characteristics of teachers’ work environment (i.e., emotional job demands and trust in colleagues) and two indicators of teachers’ well-being (i.e., teaching satisfaction and emotional exhaustion). In particular, the study focused on how emotion regulation strategies (i.e., reappraisal and suppression) mediate these relationships. Data collected from a questionnaire survey of 1115 primary school teachers in Hong Kong was analyzed to test the hypothesized relationships. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that: (1) the emotional job demands of teaching were detrimental to teacher well-being, whereas trust in colleagues was beneficial; (2) both emotion regulation strategies mediated the relationships between both emotional job demands and trust in colleagues and teacher well-being; and (3) teachers who tend to use more reappraisal may be psychologically healthier than those tend to adopt more suppression. These findings support the applicability of the JD-R model to school settings and highlight the role of teachers’ emotion regulation in teachers’ well-being. Implications for the improvement of school environments and teachers’ well-being are identified

More Knowledge, More Satisfaction with Online Teaching? Examining the Mediation of Teacher Efficacy and Moderation of Engagement during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, university teachers need to spend time and energy getting used to the online teaching system and adapting their teaching materials to the new teaching mode. According to the social cognitive theory, teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and their work engagement, both of which can be important sources of efficacy beliefs, can be critical in conducing teachers’ self-efficacy for online teaching and in turn their well-being. Based on the data collected from 2763 university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, this study explored how TPACK and work engagement contribute to teachers’ self-efficacy for online teaching, if there is any interaction between TPACK and work engagement, and how self-efficacy mediates the relationships between TPACK and teachers’ online-teaching-related emotional exhaustion, teaching satisfaction, and their intention to use online teaching in the future. The implications for theory and practice are discussed