As a social action, requesting confirmation involves presenting a proposition to be (dis)confirmed and seeking another’s (dis)confirmation of the proposition. This article provides an overview of the ...lexico-syntactic and prosodic resources used by participants to perform requests for confirmation (RfCs) and to respond to RfCs in Mandarin face-to-face interactions. Drawing on statistical results of the frequencies of a variety of linguistic resources in RfC sequences, this study shows that declaratives are the most frequently used syntactic forms for RfCs in the Mandarin data. Tags, such as
‘right?’, are also frequently used by the speaker to seek (dis)confirmation from the recipient. The RfCs in the data also exhibit one prominent prosodic pattern. That is, a larger number of RfC turns in Mandarin end with falling pitch movement with very moderate slope from mid (M) to low (L). This prosodic pattern stems from the interplay between tones and intonation in Mandarin. In the responses to RfCs, a majority of them are confirmations. Also, response tokens, such as
‘right’ and
‘en’ with falling intonation, are used highly frequently in responses to RfCs in the Mandarin data. Findings in this study afford cross-linguistic research on RfC sequences.
•Mixotrophic microalga showed better growth and stronger tolerance to high ammonium.•The synthesis of microalgal carbohydrates was inhibited by higher ammonium.•Ammonium increased microalgal lipids ...in mixotrophic cultivation.•Inhibition to the photosynthetic activity was intensified by elevated ammonium.
To enhance microalgal growth and optimize ammonium utilization, the effect of ammonium on microalgal growth, biochemical composition and photosynthetic performance were investigated by mixotrophic cultivation of microalga Spirulina platensis comparing with autotrophic cultivation. The results indicated that elevated ammonium significantly affected the microalgal growth, but the microalga in mixotrophic cultivation showed better growth and stronger tolerance to higher ammonium. The microalgal proteins were increased by increasing nitrogen concentration. The synthesis of microalgal carbohydrates was inhibited by higher ammonium, especially in mixotrophic cultivation. The addition of ammonium decreased the microalgal lipids in autotrophic cultivation but increased microalgal lipids in mixotrophic cultivation. Ammonium negatively affected the microalgal photosynthetic performance. The inhibition was intensified by elevated ammonium, inducing stronger photosystem protection mechanism, particularly in mixotrophic cultivation. The rate of ammonium inhibition to the microalgal photosystem was quick in the early stage by decreasing electron transport rate of PS II.
This paper contributes to the discussion of fuzzy boundaries by investigating negative assessments of the recipient and non-present parties that are syntactically incomplete. Particularly, it ...explores how the speaker uses syntax and bodily visual conduct to accomplish the delicate action of negatively assessing others and to solicit the recipient to collaboratively complete negative assessments. Based on an examination of approximately 5 h of everyday Mandarin face-to-face conversations, the study shows that incomplete syntax, facial expressions, and head shakes constitute multimodal practices in making negative assessments of the recipient and a non-present third party. Leaving assessments syntactically incomplete and displaying negative evaluative stance through facial expressions such as lip-pursing and eyebrow furrows and head shakes show the speaker’s orientation to the negative assessments as a delicate action. The facial expressions after incomplete syntax demonstrate that participants orient to the hesitation in the delivery of a TCU/turn-in-progress not as
problem, but rather an
problem. This study shows that the boundaries of assessment turns may be blurry, and that one assessment may be collaboratively produced by two participants, which exemplifies a specific aspect of weak cesuras and fuzzy boundaries of units and actions in interaction.
Herein, we first propose a facile strategy to synthesize Co9S8 and MoS2 nanocrystals embedded in porous carbon nanoflake arrays supported on carbon nanofibers (Co9S8-MoS2/N-CNAs@CNFs) by the ...pyrolysis of Mo-doped Zn, Co zeolitic imidazolate framework grown on carbon nanofibers and subsequent sulfuration. The electrocatalyst shows high and stable electrocatalytic performance, with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V for oxygen reduction reaction and an overpotential at 10 mA cm–2 for oxygen evolution reaction (0.34 V) and hydrogen evolution reaction (0.163 V), which outperform the metal–organic framework-derived transition metal sulfide catalysts reported so far. Furthermore, the Co9S8-MoS2@N-CNAs@CNFs are employed as an air cathode in a liquid-state and all-solid-state zinc-air battery, presenting high power densities of 222 and 96 mW cm–2, respectively. Such excellent catalytic activities are mainly owing to the unique three-dimensional structure and chemical compositions, optimal electronic conductivity, adequate surface area, and the abundance of active sites. Thus, this work provides an important method for designing other metal–organic framework-derived three-dimensional structural sulfide quantum dot multifunctional electrocatalysts for wider application in highly efficient catalysis and energy storage.
REE-rich granite regolith is a significant host for the ion-adsorption type Rare Earth Elements (REE) ore resources in South China. The issue of why and how such specific regolith was generated has ...attracted great attentions for both scientific and economic interests. To improve the understanding of critical factors that control the formation of REE-rich granite regolith, especially for those related to weathering of the S-type granite, an investigation of granite and its overlying regolith is conducted in South China's largest S-type granite terrain (Darongshan, Guangxi). The Hercynian and Indosinian granites outcrop as neighboring lithofaces, but their overlying regolith show significant differential chemical weathering. Examinations of their representative regolith profiles found that the profile from the Hercynian granite is thick and REE-rich, whereas that from the Indosinian granite is relative thin and REE-poor (12 m vs. 6 m in depth, 929 ppm vs. 226 ppm in REE concentration). Given similar climatic, topographic, and vegetative conditions, the difference between two profiles can be principally traced down to their parent granite lithology. Formation of the thick and REE-rich profile is closely associated with some specific lithological factors of its parent granite. Contrastingly, it has coarser grain size, wider microcracks, as well as higher biotite and plagioclase contents, which is expected to be more conductive to enhance water-rock interaction and drive deep weathering. Meanwhile, it contains higher initial REE concentration (342 ppm vs. 132 ppm) and, more importantly, richer REE-bearing accessory minerals (monazite, apatite and zircon), which offered dominant REE source to regolith. Especially, apatite (REE = 1549–4413 ppm) is an critical REE source mineral in supplying mobile REE to the regolith, through which REE have access to be fixed by clay minerals (mainly kaolinite and illite) and then developed ion-exchangeable form enrichment in the regolith. These evidences indicate that the granite lithology exerts a principal influence on the formation of thick and REE-rich regolith through fundamental control of chemical weathering and REE input. Moreover, this study find that, for the S-type granite particularly, the high P2O5 content (>0.08 wt%) granite seems more optimistic in generating ion-adsorption type REE ore (especially LREE) by weathering than previously thought.
•Comparative study on granite-derived regolith is conducted in South China’s largest S-type granite complex terrain.•Detailed lithological factors are delineated in controlling granite differential weathering.•Formation of REE-rich granite regolith is governed by parent rock that fundamentally controls on weathering and REE input.•Apatite is an important REE source mineral of S-type granite in generating ion-exchangeable REE enrichment in regolith.
To evaluate the current state of the environmental quality of agricultural soils in Taiyuan City, a hotspot for China＇s industrial development, the concentrations of 8 heavy metals in soils were ...investigated by means of extensive sampling in farmlands, forestlands, and grasslands in the city. Statistical analyses and spatial distribution maps were used to identify the most significant heavy metal pollutants. The mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Cr were slightly higher than their background values in Taiyuan＇s topsoil, but were lower than the maximum permissible concentrations in the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for agricultural soils. Farmland soils in Taiyuan had the highest average Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn, and Cr concentrations, but the As and Ni concentrations did not differ significantly among the farmland, forestland, and grasslands. Soil contamination by Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn, and Cr was mainly derived from farming practices, especially the use of sewage water for irrigation. In contrast, As and Ni might derive mainly from the soil parent material. The identification of heavy metal sources in agricultural soils may provide a basis for taking appropriate action to protect soil quality.
Recently, a variety of clinical trials have shown that apatinib, a small-molecule anti-angiogenic drug, exerts promising inhibitory effects on multiple solid tumors, including non-small cell lung ...cancer (NSCLC). However, the underlying molecular mechanism of apatinib on NSCLC remains unclear.
MTT, EdU, AO/EB staining, TUNEL staining, flow cytometry, colony formation assays were performed to investigate the effects of apatinib on cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and cancer stem like properties. Wound healing and transwell assays were conducted to explore the role of apatinib on migration and invasion. The regulation of apatinib on VEGFR2/STAT3/PD-L1 and ROS/Nrf2/p62 signaling were detected. Furthermore, we collected conditioned medium (CM) from A549 and H1299 cells to stimulate phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-activated THP-1 cells, and examined the effect of apatinib on PD-L1 expression in macrophages. The Jurkat T cells and NSCLC cells co-culture model was used to assess the effect of apatinib on T cells activation. Subcutaneous tumor formation models were established to evaluate the effects of apatinib in vivo. Histochemical, immunohistochemical staining and ELISA assay were used to examine the levels of signaling molecules in tumors.
We showed that apatinib inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in NSCLC cells in vitro. Apatinib induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and suppressed the expression of Cyclin D1 and CDK4. Moreover, apatinib upregulated Cleaved Caspase 3, Cleaved Caspase 9 and Bax, and downregulated Bcl-2 in NSCLC cells. The colony formation ability and the number of CD133 positive cells were significantly decreased by apatinib, suggesting that apatinib inhibited the malignant and stem-like features of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, apatinib inhibited PD-L1 and c-Myc expression by targeting VEGFR2/STAT3 signaling. Apatinib also inhibited PD-L1 expression in THP-1 derived macrophages stimulated by CM from NSCLC cells. Furthermore, apatinib pretreatment increased CD69 expression and IFN-γ secretion in stimulated Jurkat T cells co-cultured with NSCLC cells. Apatinib also promoted ROS production and inhibited Nrf2 and p62 expression, leading to the autophagic and apoptotic cell death in NSCLC. Moreover, apatinib significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo.
Our data indicated that apatinib induced autophagy and apoptosis in NSCLC via regulating VEGFR2/STAT3/PD-L1 and ROS/Nrf2/p62 signaling.
•Body movements in recipient intervening questions in Mandarin conversation.•Leaning co-occurs with recipient intervening questions.•Leaning displays disalignment.•Holding of the lean is a resource ...to mobilize response.•The body is relevant to the organization of recipient intervening Q–A sequences.
In naturally occurring conversation, the recipient not only listens to the speaker, but also actively participates in the construction and negotiation of the ongoing talk. The recipient sometimes intervenes into the speaker's turn before it is brought to a possible completion, and one practice is initiating questions related to the ongoing talk. These questions have no direct contribution to the progress of the current project, and they impede the progressivity of the speaker's turn. While most research on recipient interventions focuses on the structure and function of the intervening sequences, this study examines the body movements involved in the production of the recipient interventions. Drawing on the methodology of conversation analysis and interactional linguistics, this article explores the role of body movements in the production of recipient intervening questions in Mandarin face-to-face conversation. A recurrent pattern of body movement co-occurs with the recipient intervening questions. That is, the recipient leans toward the speaker when initiating the question and holds the leaning body until the response is provided. Leaning visually displays the recipient's orientation to his/her question as disjunctive and disaligned with the speaker's ongoing turn and activity in progress. Holding of the lean is a resource usable by the recipient to mobilize response to the intervening questions. This study shows that leaning is relevant to the organization of the recipient intervening question–answer sequences in Mandarin conversation.
Regrowth of forests is expected to be an important driver in the large uptake of anthropogenic CO2 emissions by the terrestrial biosphere. Yet estimates of carbon sink capacity in mid-high latitude ...regrowth forests still remain unclear. The Loess Plateau (LP), a key region of the Grain to Green Program (GTGP), leads in the greening of China, while China leads in the greening of the world. For the sake of global ecological sustainability and accurate global carbon sink evaluation, the detection and attribution of vegetation growth on the LP requires further research after 20 years of ecological restoration. In this study, significant continuous rises (increases of 7.45 gC·m−2·a−2, R2 = 0.9328, p < 0.01) in net primary production (NPP) have occurred in the past 20 years. Rapid growth of forest NPP and expansion of forested areas in the southeastern regions has led to vegetation restoration on the LP. Human activities contributed 64.2% to the NPP increases, while climate variations contributed 35.8%. NPP in forests and croplands was dominated by human activities, while grassland NPP was mainly influenced by climate variations on the LP. Meanwhile, a strong El Niño event exacerbated the obstruction of large-scale ecological restoration. These conclusions can provide theoretical support for carbon-cycle assessment and the evaluation of sustainable development.
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