Language choice of the Foochows in Sarawak, Malaysia

This paper investigates the factors affecting the language choices of the Chinese Foochows of Sarawak, focusing in particular on how the use of the Foochow dialect vis-a`-vis English and other languages might potentially result in a shift in language allegiance away from Foochow. In the context of Sarawak, the Foochows are a substantial, cohesive and homogeneous Chinese ethnic group with a distinctive language and ethnic identity. One would predict that they would engage in extensive language maintenance behaviour. Instead, Foochows living in non-Foochow dominant areas do not seem to have sufficient attachment to the language to transmit it to the next generation. Is this because the Foochows consider that accommodating to communicative norms is more important than preserving their native language as an inherent symbol of their ethnic identity? Or is it the result of the Foochows’ insecurity about the prestige of the dialect and the status of the Foochow people? These issues of accommodation and language allegiance are discussed, based on interview and questionnaire data from 11 Foochow participants. This data set is part of a larger study on the language use of different ethnic groups in multilingual organisational settings in Sarawak

Improvement of cross-linking and stability on cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA)-xylanase by protein surface engineering

Cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) is a well-known enzyme immobilization technique that is efficient and cost-effective. In this study, we proposed a combination of the surface modification of an enzyme and CLEA to increase the number of free amino groups. Site-directed mutagenesis was applied to selected residues of xylanase from Aspergillus fumigatus RT-1 and the xylanase was subsequently cross-linked using glutaraldehyde. Surface analysis of the xylanase revealed that 9 residues were exposed to the environment and only 3 were lysines. Thus, four additional lysines were substituted for residues opposite of the catalytic region. After optimizing the CLEA parameters, a stable cross-linked mutant xylanase with the addition of BSA (mXyn-CLEA-BSA) was obtained where the enzyme was 1.09-fold, 1.35-fold and 1.77-fold more stable than the cross-linked recombinant xylanase with the addition of BSA (rXyn-CLEA-BSA), without the addition of BSA (rXyn-CLEA) and free enzyme (rXyn), respectively. In terms of reusability, rXyn-CLEA can be used up to 5 cycles, rXyn-CLEA-BSA and mXyn-CLEA up to 7 cycles and mXyn-CLEA-BSA up to 8 cycles until the total activity is lost. The increase in stability and reusability using this approach provides a promising biocatalyst that can be further utilized in the production of prebiotics in the biomass industry