The Negotiation and Development of Writing Teacher Identities in Elementary Education

Identity development in writing is a unique process. While many studies have explored the process of developing a professional identity among future teachers, few studies have investigated how teacher candidates develop a writing teacher’s identity. This study explores the development and negotiation of writing teacher identity among 21 pre-service multiple-subject teacher candidates at a large public institution in California. More specifically, the study examines the students’ journeys as they transformed from students of writing in a university methods course to student teachers of writing in a local school district. Our findings indicate that the use of a sociocultural-based approach to teaching writing in a university method’s course conflicted with the use of a skills-based mandated curriculum used in local districts. Nonetheless, within this space of conflict, teacher candidates began to determine how to merge the two approaches, understand potential limitations and develop a pedagogical toolbox thus, renegotiating their identities as future writing teachers. We provide recommendations that teacher educators may use to assist teacher candidates and developing effective writing pedagogy while utilizing a mandated curriculum

The Negotiation and Development of Writing Teacher Identities in Elementary Education

Identity development in writing is a unique process. While many studies have explored the process of developing a professional identity among future teachers, few studies have investigated how teacher candidates develop a writing teacher’s identity. This study explores the development and negotiation of writing teacher identity among 21 pre-service multiple-subject teacher candidates at a large public institution in California. More specifically, the study examines the students’ journeys as they transformed from students of writing in a university methods course to student teachers of writing in a local school district. Our findings indicate that the use of a sociocultural-based approach to teaching writing in a university method’s course conflicted with the use of a skills-based mandated curriculum used in local districts. Nonetheless, within this space of conflict, teacher candidates began to determine how to merge the two approaches, understand potential limitations and develop a pedagogical toolbox thus, renegotiating their identities as future writing teachers. We provide recommendations that teacher educators may use to assist teacher candidates and developing effective writing pedagogy while utilizing a mandated curriculum

Effects of O2, H2, and N2 gases on the field emission properties of diamond-coated microtips

This article discusses the effects of O2, H2, and N2 gases on the field emission properties of diamond-coated microtips

Effects of O2, Ar, and H2 gases on the field-emission properties of single-walled and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this article, the authors compare the effects of O2, Ar, and H2 gases on the field-emission (FE) properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)

Immunological selection of variant mouse lymphoid cells with altered glucocorticoid responsiveness.

We have devised an immunological procedure to separate cells on the basis of expression of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) gene products. Plastic petri dishes coated with specific antibodies against MMTV proteins bind cells with an efficiency that correlates with the level of MMTV gene expression. Glucocorticoid-sensitive mouse thymoma cell line W7 was infected with MMTV. Clones from the infected population retain the relatively slow cytolytic glucocorticoid response and, in addition, exhibit a rapid induction of MMTV-specific RNA and proteins. By combining our immunological selection with the selection for resistance to hormone-mediated cytolysis, we have isolated variant cells which are resistant to the cytotoxic effect of glucocorticoids but which retain the induction of viral gene products and must therefore have a functional glucocorticoid receptor protein

Effects of Cs deposition on the field-emission properties of single-walled carbon-nanotube bundles

This article discusses the effects of Cs deposition on the field-emission properties of single-walled carbon-nanotube bundles

Downstream signaling mechanism of the C-terminal activation domain of transcriptional coactivator CoCoA

The coiled-coil coactivator (CoCoA) is a transcriptional coactivator for nuclear receptors and enhances nuclear receptor function by the interaction with the bHLH-PAS domain (AD3) of p160 coactivators. The C-terminal activation domain (AD) of CoCoA possesses strong transactivation activity and is required for the coactivator function of CoCoA with nuclear receptors. To understand how CoCoA AD transmits its activating signal to the transcription machinery, we defined specific subregions, amino acid motifs and protein binding partners involved in the function of CoCoA AD. The minimal transcriptional AD was mapped to approximately 91 C-terminal amino acids and consists of acidic, serine/proline-rich and phenylalanine-rich subdomains. Transcriptional activation by the CoCoA AD was p300-dependent, and p300 interacted physically and functionally with CoCoA AD and was recruited to a promoter by the interaction with CoCoA AD. The FYDVASAF motif in the CoCoA AD was critical for the transcriptional activity of CoCoA AD, the interaction of CoCoA with p300, the coactivator function of CoCoA for estrogen receptor α and GRIP1 and the transcriptional synergy among coactivators GRIP1, CARM1, p300 and CoCoA. Taken together these data extend our understanding of the mechanism of downstream signaling by the essential C-terminal AD of the nuclear receptor coactivator CoCoA; they indicate that p300 is a functionally important interaction partner of CoCoA AD and that their interaction potentiates transcriptional activation by the p160 coactivator complex

Parallel Lineage-Tracing Studies Establish Fibroblasts as the Prevailing In Vivo Adipocyte Progenitor.

Summary: Despite decades of studies suggesting that the in vivo adipocyte progenitor resides within the vascular niche, the exact nature of this progenitor remains controversial because distinct studies have attributed adipogenic properties to multiple vascular cell types. Using Cre recombinases labeling distinct vascular lineages, we conduct parallel lineage tracing experiments to assess their degree of contribution to de novo adipogenesis. Although we detect occasional adipocytes that were lineage traced by endothelial or mural recombinases, these are rare events. On the other hand, platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα)-expressing adventitial or capsular fibroblasts make a significant contribution to adipocytes in all depots and experimental settings tested. Our data also suggest that fibroblasts transition to an intermediate beige adipocyte phenotype prior to differentiating to a mature white adipocyte. These observations, together with histological analyses revealing that adipose tissue fibroblasts express the mural cell marker PDGFRβ, harmonize a highly controversial field with implications for multiple human diseases, including the pandemic of obesity. : Cattaneo et al. used genetic fate mapping in murine models to test the adipogenic potential of distinct cell types of the vascular wall. These parallel lineage-tracing experiments reveal that fibroblasts are the sole vascular cell type with significant adipocyte progenitor activity, giving rise to brown, beige, and white adipocytes. Keywords: adipogenesis, obesity, vascular wall, lineage tracing, endothelium, mural cells, fibroblast

Atomic resolution ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy of epitaxial diamond (100) films

Article discussing research on atomic resolution ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy of epitaxial diamond (100) films