Data_Sheet_1_Novice Chinese as a foreign language teachers’ identity construction in primary schools in New Zealand from positioning and affordance perspectives.doc

While there has been an increase in research on Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) teachers’ identity worldwide, limited attention has been drawn to CFL teachers’ positioning and affordances to interpret their identity construction in an overseas context. To fill the gap, this study investigated seven novice CFL teachers’ identity construction as Chinese language teachers in primary schools in New Zealand from positioning and affordance perspectives. Retrospective semi-structured interviews were adopted to understand how the novice CFL teachers were positioned, how they positioned themselves, and what affordances they perceived to be influential to their Chinese language teacher identity construction. The findings showed that the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction was subject to the social, institutional, and individual levels of being positioned, self-positioning, and affordances. Specifically, (1) consistent self-positioning at the social, institutional, and individual levels could largely determine the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction; (2) inconsistency of identities between being positioned and self-positioning at the social, institutional, and individual levels might weaken the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction; (3) affordances as opportunities at the social, institutional, and individual levels could strengthen the novice CFL teachers’ identity construction, whereas affordances as challenges could not. The study concluded with implications and limitations to inform future research.</p

Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4)-ATF3-C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP) Cascade Shows an Essential Role in the ER Stress-Induced Sensitization of Tetrachlorobenzoquinone-Challenged PC12 Cells to ROS-Mediated Apoptosis via Death Receptor 5 (DR5) Signaling

Tetrachlorobenzoquinone (TCBQ) is a downstream metabolite of pentachlorophenol (PCP). Previously, we demonstrated that TCBQ caused cytotoxicity due to mitochondrial-related apoptosis. Here, we confirmed the upregulation of death receptor 5 (DR5) followed by the construction of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). We also detected the activation of the caspase cascade, which was correlated with TCBQ-induced apoptotic cell death in PC12 cells. The upregulation of DR5 included transcriptional activation and <i>de novo</i> protein synthesis in response to TCBQ. We also identified the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as a new target for the TCBQ challenge in PC12 cells. The protein kinase R-like ER kinase/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (PERK/eIF2α)-mediated activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-ATF3-C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) signaling pathway contributed to the process of TCBQ-induced ER stress. Blocking ATF4, ATF3, or CHOP signaling by gene silencing technology resulted in decreased cell apoptosis after exposure to TCBQ. Finally, NAC ameliorated TCBQ-induced apoptosis and ER stress, which illustrated that TCBQ-induced apoptosis is somehow ROS-dependent. In summary, this study provided important mechanistic insight into how TCBQ utilizes ER stress-related signaling to exhibit pro-apoptotic activity in PC12 cells

Effect of Subcellular Translocation of Protein Disulfide Isomerase on Tetrachlorobenzoquinone-Induced Signaling Shift from Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Apoptosis

Our previous studies illustrated tetrachlorobenzoquinone (TCBQ)-caused toxicities in neuron-like cells which imply its association with neurodegenerative disorders. Although it is known that TCBQ induces oxidative damage that in turn results in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis, it is unclear how TCBQ triggers the signaling switch from pro-survival (to restore cellular homeostasis) to pro-death (trigger apoptosis). Protein disulfide isomerase family proteins (PDIs) regulate the progress of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. We tested the hypothesis that subcellular translocation of PDIs implicates the survival/death signaling switch by inducing mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). The rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells were exposed to TCBQ, and the concentration-dependent ER stress was observed upon TCBQ treatment, as indicated by the increase in inositol-requiring kinase/endonuclease 1α (IRE1α) phosphorylation, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression, X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) splicing, and caspase 12 activation. Interestingly, pharmacological (or siRNA) abrogation of PDIA1/PDIA3 aggravated the loss of cell viability induced by the relatively low concentration (10 μM) of TCBQ. However, inhibition of PDIA1/PDIA3 rescued the high concentration (20 μM) of TCBQ-induced cell death. Further mechanistic study illustrated that PDIs initially acted to restore cellular homeostasis to pro-survival but that the constant ER stress promoted the signaling switch to pro-apoptotis by the release of PDIA1/PDIA3 from the ER lumen to induce Bak-dependent MOMP. Our findings suggested that subcellular translocation of PDIs determined the “life or death” fate of PC12 cells to TCBQ-induced oxidative insult

Additional file 1 of Multi-omics analysis reveals overactive inflammation and dysregulated metabolism in severe community-acquired pneumonia patients

Supplementary Material 1: Table S1.1. Additional characteristics of NS-CAP patients, Related to Figure 1. Table S1.2. Additional characteristics of S-CAP patients, Related to Figure 1. Table S1.3. Additional characteristics of DCs, Related to Figure 1. Table S1.4. Additional characteristics of HCs, Related to Figure

Influence of the Surface Structure of Graphene Oxide on the Adsorption of Aromatic Organic Compounds from Water

In this work, graphene oxide (GO) has been employed as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of three aromatic organic compounds (AOCs), namely, aniline, nitrobenzene, and chlorobenzene, from water under various initial AOC concentrations and pH levels. Based on the characteristics of surface structures of GO, a simple semiquantitative model has been provided to describe the intrinsic adsorption behavior of GO to AOCs. Accordingly, the adsorption mechanism has been discussed in detail at molecular levels. The contribution coefficients derived from the proposed model indicate that the most preferential interactions between GO and AOCs are hydrophobic interactions (π–π stacking and hydrophobic effect) that occur on graphitic zones of GO (unoxidized region). In the oxidized region, there also exist the hydrophobic interactions on sp² clusters, although they may be hindered by surrounding sp³ zones which are the most unfavorable and are only accessible to AOCs through hydrogen bonding or electrostatic effects. More interestingly, aniline exhibits the highest contribution coefficients in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic zones of GO among the three measured AOCs due to its good water solubility and facile formation of hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, the analytical results of the adsorption isotherms are also fully consistent with those from the proposed model

Characterization of Nicotine Catabolism through a Novel Pyrrolidine Pathway in <i>Pseudomonas</i> sp. S‑1

Nicotine is a major toxic alkaloid in wastes generated from tobacco production and cigarette manufacturing. In the present work, a nicotine-degrading bacterial strain was isolated from tobacco powdery waste. The isolate was identified as <i>Pseudomonas</i> sp. S-1 based on morphology, physiology, and 16S rRNA gene sequence. Suitable conditions of isolate S-1 for nicotine degradation were pH 7.0 and 30 °C. Catabolic intermediates of nicotine were isolated with preparative-HPLC and characterized with LC-HRMS and NMR. The catabolic pathways of nicotine were involved in dehydrogenation, oxidation, hydrolysis, and hydroxylation. Interestingly, nicotine catabolism in strain S-1 undergoes a new pyrrolidine pathway that differs from the other three catabolic pathways in bacterial species. This work sheds light on catabolic diversity of nicotine and heteroaromatics

Rapid Biodegradation of the Herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid by Cupriavidus gilardii T‑1

Phytotoxicity and environmental pollution of residual herbicides have caused much public concern during the past several decades. An indigenous bacterial strain capable of degrading 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), designated T-1, was isolated from soybean field soil and identified as Cupriavidus gilardii. Strain T-1 degraded 2,4-D 3.39 times more rapidly than the model strain Cupriavidus necator JMP134. T-1 could also efficiently degrade 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), MCPA isooctyl ester, and 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)­propionic acid (2,4-DP). Suitable conditions for 2,4-D degradation were pH 7.0–9.0, 37–42 °C, and 4.0 mL of inoculums. Degradation of 2,4-D was concentration-dependent. 2,4-D was degraded to 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by cleavage of the ether bond and then to 3,5-dichlorocatechol (3,5-DCC) via hydroxylation, followed by ortho-cleavage to <i>cis</i>-2-dichlorodiene lactone (CDL). The metabolites 2,4-DCP or 3,5-DCC at 10 mg L^–1 were completely degraded within 16 h. Fast degradation of 2,4-D and its analogues highlights the potential for use of <i>C. gilardii</i> T-1 in bioremediation of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides

Chiral Transformation: From Single Nanowire to Double Helix

We report a new type of water-soluble ultrathin Au–Ag alloy nanowire (NW), which exhibits unprecedented behavior in a colloidal solution. Upon growth of a thin metal (Pd, Pt, or Au) layer, the NW winds around itself to give a metallic double helix. We propose that the winding originates from the chirality within the as-synthesized Au–Ag NWs, which were induced to untwist upon metal deposition

Serum Antioxidant Parameters are Significantly Increased in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus after Consumption of Chinese Propolis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Based on Fasting Serum Glucose Level

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Primer sequences of the microsatellite markers used in linkage mapping.

<p>Primer sequences of the microsatellite markers used in linkage mapping.</p