Pre-service teachers' perceptions of technological pedagogical content knowledge in mainland China: A survey of teachers of Chinese as a second language.

There is an urgent need to address the critical demand for qualified Chinese language teachers against the background of China's seeking greater Sino-foreign cultural and educational cooperation. The literature on integrating technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in language teaching has been increasing in the last few years. However, most of these studies focus on English language teachers. The objective of this study was to examine pre-service teachers' understanding of TPACK for teaching Chinese as a second language (TCSL). This study investigated the TPACK factor structure of 286 pre-service TCSL teachers via exploratory factor analysis, which yielded a six-factor structure. The results revealed that the teachers could not distinguish the boundaries between technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and technological content knowledge (TCK); and TPK and synthesized TPACK. Further, confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling substantiated the validity and reliability of the adapted 32-item TCSL-TPACK survey instrument. The study also found that the teachers were slightly satisfied with their overall TPACK but were least confident of their technological knowledge (TK), and the more experienced teachers exhibited higher confidence in all six factors. These findings not only remind educators and policymakers of the need to revise current teacher training programs but also persuade TCSL student teachers to explore methods that can help integrate technology into lesson designs.

Protein post-translational modifications after spinal cord injury.

Deficits in intrinsic neuronal capacities in the spinal cord, a lack of growth support, and suppression of axonal outgrowth by inhibitory molecules mean that spinal cord injury almost always has devastating consequences. As such, one of the primary targets for the treatment of spinal cord injury is to develop strategies to antagonize extrinsic or intrinsic axonal growth-inhibitory factors or enhance the factors that support axonal growth. Among these factors, a series of individual protein level disorders have been identified during the generation of axons following spinal cord injury. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have indicated that post-translational modifications of these proteins have important implications for axonal growth. Some researchers have discovered a variety of post-translational modifications after spinal cord injury, such as tyrosination, acetylation, and phosphorylation. In this review, we reviewed the post-translational modifications for axonal growth, functional recovery, and neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury, a better understanding of which may elucidate the dynamic change of spinal cord injury-related molecules and facilitate the development of a new therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury.

[Quantum chemistry study on fluorescence spectra of three aromatic hydrocarbons].

In the present paper, the fluorescence spectra of three common pesticides, isoprocarb, metolcarb and pirimicarb, were theoretically studied. The geometries of these compounds were fully optimized by density function theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-31+G level. The three compounds under study were confirmed as true minima on the potential energy surface in the presence of only real frequencies by the vibrational analysis. The fluorescence spectra were calculated by configuration interaction (CI) method with PCM model, and the results match with the experimental values. The results of calculation suggest that the three compounds with planar structures are hyperconjugation systems. By the addition of the donor-electron groups, the wavelengths of the fluorescence spectra increased, and the frequencies underwent red-shift. In addition, the substitute alkyl has no more influence on the fluorescence spectra, but the addition of amido groups has more influence on the fluorescence spectra.

[Quantum chemistry study on fluorescence spectra of six coumarin dyes].

A theoretical study on fluorescence spectra of six coumarin dyes is given in the present paper. Their geometric configurations were optimized by semi-empirical method AM1. For all optimal configurations, there is no imaginary frequency in vibrational analysis. On this basis, the electronic spectra were calculated by CIS method. All the calculated results are basically consistent with experimental values.

A proteomic-based investigation of potential copper-responsive biomarkers: Proteins, conceptual networks, and metabolic pathways featuring Penicillium janthinellum from a heavy metal-polluted ecological niche.

Filamentous fungi-copper (Cu) interactions are very important in the formation of natural ecosystems and the bioremediation of heavy metal pollution. However, important issues at the proteome level remain unclear. We compared six proteomes from Cu-resistant wild-type (WT) Penicillium janthinellum strain GXCR and a Cu-sensitive mutant (EC-6) under 0, 0.5, and 3 mmol/L Cu treatments using iTRAQ. A total of 495 known proteins were identified, and the following conclusions were drawn from the results: Cu tolerance depends on ATP generation and supply, which is relevant to glycolysis pathway activity; oxidative phosphorylation, the TCA cycle, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and metabolism are also affected by Cu; high Cu sensitivity is primarily due to an ATP energy deficit; among ATP generation pathways, Cu-sensitive and Cu-insensitive metabolic steps exist; gluconeogenesis pathway is crucial to the survival of fungi in Cu-containing and sugar-scarce environments; fungi change their proteomes via two routes (from ATP, ATP-dependent RNA helicases (ADRHs), and ribosome biogenesis to proteasomes and from ATP, ADRHs to spliceosomes and/or stress-adapted RNA degradosomes) to cope with changes in Cu concentrations; and unique routes exist through which fungi respond to high environmental Cu. Further, a general diagram of Cu-responsive paths and a model theory of high Cu are proposed at the proteome level. Our work not only provides the potential protein biomarkers that indicate Cu pollution and targets metabolic steps for engineering Cu-tolerant fungi during bioremediation but also presents clues for further insight into the heavy metal tolerance mechanisms of other eukaryotes.

Paths and determinants for Penicillium janthinellum to resist low and high copper.

Copper (Cu) tolerance was well understood in fungi yeasts but not in filamentous fungi. Filamentous fungi are eukaryotes but unlike eukaryotic fungi yeasts, which are a collection of various fungi that are maybe classified into different taxa but all characterized by growth as filamentous hyphae cells and with a complex morphology. The current knowledge of Cu resistance of filamentous fungi is still fragmental and therefore needs to be bridged. In this study, we characterized Cu resistance of Penicillium janthinellum strain GXCR and its Cu-resistance-decreasing mutants (EC-6 and UC-8), and conducted sequencing of a total of 6 transcriptomes from wild-type GXCR and mutant EC-6 grown under control and external Cu. Taken all the results together, Cu effects on the basal metabolism were directed to solute transport by two superfamilies of solute carrier and major facilitator, the buffering free CoA and Acyl-CoA pool in the peroxisome, F-type H(+)-transporting ATPases-based ATP production, V-type H(+)-transporting ATPases-based transmembrane transport, protein degradation, and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs. Roles of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in resistance to low and high Cu were defined. The backbone paths, signaling systems, and determinants that involve resistance of filamentous fungi to high Cu were determined, discussed and outlined in a model.

[The correlation between the level of serum VEGF and bFGF with metastasis and prognosis of osteosarcoma].

AIM: To investigate the correlation between the level of serum VEGF and bFGF with metastasis and re- currence of osteosarcoma. METHODS: 52 patients with osteosarcoma and 60 healthy people as control group were selected. The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF were determined with ELISA before and after operation. RESULTS: The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF before operation were significantly higher than that in control group ( P < 0.01). The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF after operation descreased significantly but were significantly higher than that in control group(P<0. 01). The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF before operation were positively related to the size of primarily tumor, Enneking type and tumor differentiation(P<0.05). The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF before and after operation were different significantly between recurrence and metastasis positive group with recurrence and metastasis negative group ( P < 0. 01). The Cox proportional hazards model showed that the serum contents of VEGF and bFGF before and after operation were an independent factor of the recurrence and metastasis for osteosar- coma patients after operative ( P <0. 01). CONCLUSION: The serum contents of VEGF and bFGF before and after operation can offer valuable assessments in evaluation of progression and metastasis prognosis.

[Efficacy and prognosis analysis in 188 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia of China].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the therapeutic effect and the influencing factors of event-free survival (EFS) of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University. METHODS: All the patients adopted chemotherapy according to therapeutic guideline revised by the Subspecialty Group of Hematology, The Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association for the second-time in 1998 (the Rongcheng ALL-98 Protocol). Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rates of 188 patients who received therapy with good compliance. The differences of EFS between groups were assessed by Log-rank test. The independent influencing factors on EFS were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: After receiving inductive treatment, 354 of 374 (93.6%) patients demonstrated a complete remission; 188 patients who received complete courses of treatment with good compliance showed (68.1 +/- 5.6)% five-year EFS. Meanwhile, the five-year EFS in standard-risk (SR) group and high-risk (HR) group were (75.2 +/- 6.0)% and (47.6 +/- 11.6)%, respectively. The total relapse rate was 10.6% and the median time to relapse was 13 months. Twenty-nine of 188 patients (15.4%) were dead, and 13 patients (7.0%) died from treatment-related complications. Independent adverse prognostic factors included risk grouping, t (9; 22)/bcr-abl gene and leukocyte count. CONCLUSIONS: The total EFS of childhood ALL patients treated with Rongcheng ALL-98 Protocol in two hospitals was close to 70%. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate risk factors and consider the grouping in more detail to reduce the treatment-related mortality and to increase the compliance of treatment which can ultimately improve the EFS.