Linear Pathway Research Articles

International policy borrowing and the case of Japanese Lesson Study: culture and its impact on implementation and adaptation

ABSTRACT Japanese Lesson Study (JLS) is a professional development method, involving teachers collaboratively planning lessons, observing their enactment, then discussing observations of teaching and learning. This paper explores translation of JLS internationally, seeking to understand how and why it is adapted and how an understanding of national culture and implementation paradigms might support translation. We begin by examining evidence on adaptation and challenges of JLS implementation internationally, finding both deviation from the seven components of JLS, and qualitative evidence of perceived challenges to successful implementation. Further we explore two bodies of the literature explaining how and why such adaptations occur. First, implementation science reveals that full fidelity appears not to be amenable to the complexity of education innovations like LS, but that adaptation is fraught with challenges, with no linear pathway. Secondly, Hofstede’s and colleagues’ dimensions of culture enable us to hypothesise about how Japan’s culture might have framed development of JLS, and to predict possible challenges when translated into a host nation. Finally, we hypothesize as to the relationship between adoption of either fidelity or adaptation implementation paradigms, and identified differences between Japan and the host nation’s national culture, suggesting avenues for further research which may serve to test hypotheses empirically.

Healthcare professionals\u2019 practice and interactions in older peoples\u2019 cross-sectoral clinical care trajectories when acutely hospitalized - a qualitative observation study

BackgroundHealthcare services have become more complex, globally and nationally. Denmark is renowned for an advanced and robust healthcare system, aiming at a less fragmented structure. However, challenges within the coordination of care remain. Comprehensive restructures based on marketization and efficiency, e.g. New Public Management (NPM) strategies has gained momentum in Denmark including. Simultaneously, changes to healthcare professionals’ identities have affected the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals, and patient involvement in decision-making was acknowledged as a quality- and safety measure. An understanding of a less linear patient pathway can give rise to conflict in the care practice. Social scientists, including Jürgen Habermas, have highlighted the importance of communication, particularly when shared decision-making models were introduced. Healthcare professionals must simultaneously deliver highly effective services and practice person-centered care. Co-morbidities of older people further complicate healthcare professionals’ practice.AimThis study aimed to explore and analyse how healthcare professionals’ interactions and practice influence older peoples’ clinical care trajectory when admitted to an emergency department (ED) and the challenges that emerged.MethodsThis qualitative study arises from a hermeneutical stand within the interpretative paradigm.Focusing on the healthcare professionals’ interactions and practice we followed the clinical care trajectories of seven older people (aged > 65, receiving daily homecare) acutely hospitalized to the ED. Participant observations were combined with interviews with healthcare professionals involved in the clinical care trajectory. We followed-up with the older person by phone call until four weeks after discharge. The study followed the code of conduct for research integrity and is reported in accordance with the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guidelines.ResultsThe analysis revealed four themes: 1)“The end justifies the means – ‘I know what is best for you’”, 2)“Basic needs of care overruled by system effectiveness”, 3)“Treatment as a bargain”, and 4)“Healthcare professionals as solo detectives”.ConclusionDissonance between system logics and the goal of person-centered care disturb the healthcare practice and service culture negatively affecting the clinical care trajectory. A practice culture embracing better communication and more person-centered care should be enhanced to improve the quality of care in cross-sectoral trajectories.

Making open educational resource videos on sustainable development: students’ attitudes, rationales, and approaches

ABSTRACT Aim and background The aim of this study was to investigate students’ attitudes, rationales, and approaches to making open educational resource (OER) videos (a form of OERs) on sustainable development (SD) in order to identify students’ competencies and effective pedagogical designs. Method Students registering for a teacher training course were invited to design and create pedagogies, make OER videos, and share the videos on YouTube on five SD topics: sustainable lifestyle, campus, community, enterprise, and earth development. The students provided their weekly journals and a final reflection on the whole process of making the OER videos on SD. This study used qualitative data analysis and text mining methodologies to analyse students’ process data of making OER videos on SD. Results and discussion The analysis results revealed that making OER videos on SD needed students’ ideational, inquiry, societal, and disciplinary competencies. Inferred pedagogical suggestions for practitioners to support students in making digital products on SD are to follow a linear pathway from ideational creation, inquiry process, societal transformation, to transdisciplinary reflection.

Research Progress on the Mechanism of the Acupuncture Regulating Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Network System.

As one of the conventional treatment methods, acupuncture is an indispensable component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently, acupuncture has been partly accepted throughout the world, but the mechanism of acupuncture is still unclear. Since the theory of the neuro-endocrine-immune network was put forward, new insights have been brought into the understanding of the mechanism of acupuncture. Studies have proven that acupuncture is a mechanical stimulus that can activate local cell functions and neuroreceptors. It also regulates the release of related biomolecules (peptide hormones, lipid hormones, neuromodulators and neurotransmitters, and other small and large biomolecules) in the microenvironment, where they can affect each other and further activate the neuroendocrine-immune network to achieve holistic regulation. Recently, growing efforts have been made in the research on the mechanism of acupuncture. Some researchers have transitioned from studying the mechanism of acupuncture as a single linear pathway to using systems approaches, including metabolomics, genomics, proteomics and biological pathway analysis. This review summarizes the research progress on the neuro-endocrine-immune network related mechanism of acupuncture and discusses its current challenges and future directions.

Low percolation conductive graphite flakes-filled poly(urethane-imide) composites with high thermal stability via imidization self-foaming structure

In the study, the conductive graphite flakes filled poly(urethane-imide) composites (PUI/GFs) with high performance were constructed by the thermal imidization self-foaming reaction. It was found that the foaming action could promote the redistribution of GFs during curing process and the formation of stable linear conductive pathways. The percolation threshold of PUI/GFs composites was lowered from 1.26 wt% (2000 mesh GFs) or 0.86 wt% (1000 mesh GFs) to 0.79 wt% (500 mesh GFs), which were relatively low percolation thresholds for polymer/GFs composites so far. When the content of 500 mesh GFs was 4.0 wt%, the electrical conductivity of the composite was as high as 3.96 × 10−1 S/m. Also, a poly(urethane-imide) (PUI) matrix with excellent thermal stability (Td10%: 334.97 °C) and mechanical properties (elongation at break: 324.52%, tensile strength: 15.88 MPa) was obtained by introducing the rigid aromatic heterocycle into the polyurethane (PU) hard segments. Moreover, the zero temperature coefficient of resistivity for the composites was observed at the temperature range from 30 °C to 200 °C. Consequently, PUI/GFs composites may provide the novel strategy for considerable conductive materials with high thermal stability in electrical conductivity.

HEME Degradation Enzyme Biliverdin IXb Reductase Is Required for Stem Cell Glutamine Metabolism

Bioenergetic requirements of pluripotent stem cells (PSC) vary with lineage fate, and cellular adaptations rely largely on substrate availability and mitochondrial function to balance TCA-derived anabolic and redox-regulated antioxidant functions. Heme (protoporphyrin IX complexed with iron) serves as an indispensable co-factor for all aerobic cells, and its cytotoxicity is minimized by a two-step catabolic reaction that generates biliverdin (BV) and bilirubin (BR) tetrapyrroles, the penultimate step regulated by two non-redundant biliverdin reductases (IXa, BLVRA and IXb, BLVRB) retaining isomeric specificity and NAD(P)H-dependent redox coupling linked to BR antioxidant function. Thus, heme biosynthesis (initiated by the condensation of glycine and succinyl CoA) can be considered a linear pathway that utilizes cataplerotic TCA-derived carbon (derived from glucose and glutamine) linked to the heme degradation pathway and bilirubin excretion. Given the overlapping glucose/glutamine requirements in both heme synthesis and PSC bioenergetics, we studied consequences of dysregulated heme metabolism by targeted BLVRB disruption in iPSCs derived from human umbilical cord CD34+ hematopoietic cells. Compared to control iPSCs, BLVRB-deficient iPSCs had no reciprocal BLVRA induction, no alterations in heme oxygenase expression, and no differences in isomeric BV accumulation, although phenotypically defective in antioxidant handling with exaggerated apoptotic cell death. To better delineate metabolic pathway perturbations causally implicated in BLVRB- deficient antioxidant function and cell viability, we generated gene/metabolite clusters and an extended network plot formulated on RNASeq data coupled with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric-based targeted metabolomics profiling of 290 intracellular metabolites. Metabolic enrichment with topological pathway analysis identified a limited number of defective pathways involving purine/pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis, redox homeostasis (pentose phosphate pathway, PPP) and TCA cycle intermediates (a-ketoglutarate, fumarate, and malate). Mitochondrial staining using TMRE as a functional and quantifiable marker of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DYm) identified no defect across the genotypes, although BLVRB -deficient iPSCs demonstrated defective basal and maximal oxygen consumption rates (OCR) restricted to glutamine (but not glucose) utilization. Metabolic flux quantification using [U6-13C] glucose revealed high-level and comparable (>97%) fractional labeling of 13C lactate across the genotypes, consistent with an active glycolytic metabolism that was comparable between control and BLVRB-/- iPSCs. In contrast, isotopic tracing using [U-13C5] glutamine demonstrated statistically-diminished glutamate-derived aKG accumulation (along with downstream TCA metabolites fumarate and malate isotopomers), results confirming rewired glutamine TCA entry, and reliance on glucose as a preferred substrate. Since the parallel PPP pathway utilizes glycolysis as the preferred substrate for generating both reducing equivalents (NADPH) and essential nucleotide component ribose-5-phosphate, we characterized three-dimensional embryoid body (EB) formation in the presence of the PPP pathway inhibitor 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN), establishing statistically-decreased EB size (p<0.001) compared to control iPSCs. These data place heme catabolism in a crucial pathway of glutamine-regulated bioenergetic metabolism, and also suggest in principle that BLVRB inhibition represents an alternative strategy for modulating cellular glutamine utilization, a key substrate for cancer and hematopoietic metabolism. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hearing and Listening: Bridging the Leadership Divide between School Connectedness and Students’ Lived Realities

The purpose of this research was to examine the disconnect between urban school expectations and actual lived realities of marginalized students. Taking into consideration the conversation surrounding the definitions of urban education, and the importance of school connectedness with youth, we chose to focus on the lives of five former high students navigating their education. Our qualitative study found that the students’ lives presented challenges to linear pathways to school success. Drawing from the student’s stories, recommendations are proposed to disrupt the deficit definition of urban education and educational leaders initiate critical school connections to students lived realities.

Implementation of path analysis and piecewise structural equation modelling to improve the interpretation of key performance indicators in team sports: An example in professional rugby union

ABSTRACT Analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs) in team sports has frequently involved multiple univariate analyses and modelling of direct associations between each KPI and match outcomes. This study aimed to show a more appropriate framework and modelling process to establish causal plausibility for future confirmatory studies. A cross-sectional design was adopted, using 337 team-match observations of Australian Super Rugby performances. A tentative model was developed in consultation with a domain expert (national analyst) and analysed using piecewise structural equation modelling. Model fit was assessed using Fisher’s C and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Hypothesised relationships were modelled using linear mixed effects models and unmodelled pathways were investigated using tests of directed separation. The model was an acceptable fit overall, and adjustments were identified in collaboration with the national head analyst, improving the AIC from 127.15 to 120.77 (Fisher’s C = 66.78; p = 0.382). Modelling the hierarchical data structure and developing models that contain more logical hypothesised associations (in consultation with domain experts) is a more useful and important step to analyse and interpret effects of KPIs on team performance. This analysis provides support to the plausibility of the causal structure and generation of new and more precise hypotheses.

Mechanisms driving chromosomal translocations: lost in time and space.

Translocations arise when an end of one chromosome break is mistakenly joined to an end from a different chromosome break. Since translocations can lead to developmental disease and cancer, it is important to understand the mechanisms leading these chromosome rearrangements. We review how characteristics of the sources and the cellular responses to chromosome breaks contribute to the accumulation of multiple chromosome breaks at the same moment in time. We also discuss the important role for chromosome break location; how translocation potential is impacted by the location of chromosome breaks both within chromatin and within the nucleus, as well as the effect of altered mobility of chromosome breaks. A common theme in work addressing both temporal and spatial contributions to translocation is that there is no shortage of examples of factors that promote translocation in one context, but have no impact or the opposite impact in another. Accordingly, a clear message for future work on translocation mechanism is that unlike normal DNA metabolic pathways, it isn’t easily modeled as a simple, linear pathway that is uniformly followed regardless of differing cellular contexts.

Leader-parent relationships in the early childhood education context: An exploration of testimonial and epistemic justice

Countries around the world have increased their focus on high quality early childhood programing. Recognizing the importance of parental and community engagement as a lever for improving child development and learning outcomes, and as a means of addressing social justice challenges, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2018) has emphasized the need for more research on the complex dynamics between structure, process, learning, and development. Such research should consider the impacts of the dominant neo-managerial paradigm and its overemphasis on clearly defined linear cause and effect pathways between structure and student learning, which underrepresents the reciprocal role that parents, the community and the students themselves play in shaping the learning setting (Myran &amp; Sutherland, 2019a). Students’ and families’ senses of belonging to the community of knowers have major implications for their motivation, sense of ownership and buy-in (Davis, 2006; Goodenow &amp; Grady, 1993). This study explored the lived experiences of parents/guardians of young children with the leadership of their children’s early childhood education program and how these individual and social interactions shaped parents’ epistemic agency, and their access to rhetorical spaces that recognized them as credible knowers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 parents whose children attended publicly funded pre-school programs. Findings revealed limited communication with leadership and difficulty developing positive relationships. Moreover, these challenges limited their access to rhetorical spaces to be heard and recognized as credible knowers. This study offers one small window into the OECD’s (2018) call for more research on the dynamics between structure, process, learning and development, and the importance of the quality of parental and community engagement as a lever for enhancing healthy child development and learning, and as a means of more effectively addressing ongoing social justice challenges.

Circularity as Alterity? Untangling Circuits of Value in the Social Enterprise–Led Local Development of the Circular Economy

In recent years, the circular economy (CE) paradigm has emerged as a mainstream policy discourse having the potential to disrupt linear economic development pathways by extracting and retaining the maximum value from existing resources through their recirculation. Highlighting the diverse circuits of value implicated in local CE development, this article considers how the ecological (material) and extraeconomic (social) premises of CE thinking can be harnessed through mission-driven social enterprises (SEs). Using a case study of a SE project in Graz, Austria, which is engaged in CE activities across the textile, interior design/wood, and food sectors, it proposes a novel heuristic framework for examining the role of circuits of value in constructing alternative circular narratives and local circular economic development trajectories. In doing so, this framework positions SE as an entity entangled in a complex web of interconnected material and social relations and practices that occur across coexisting mainstream and alternative economic spaces of production, exchange, and consumption. By aligning the CE concept with circuits of value, the article further shows the importance of mapping and conceptualizing value flows and feedback loops associated with the local development of the CE in a given spatial and temporal context.

Why we stopped using the term 'aftercare'.

The words we choose to describe alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatments and interventions reveal assumptions about how we understand AOD use. Moreover, they have important implications for how the treatment is imagined, implemented and funded. Service provision which follows engagement in an intensive (usually residential) program is often called 'aftercare' in the international AOD field. In this commentary, we argue that the term 'aftercare' fails to articulate the nature of ongoing care required by people who are managing AOD use. We maintain that 'aftercare' positions post-residential care as being less important than other treatment modalities, rather than as integral to a continuum of care. It is a term that implies that care should be acute, like much treatment delivered through a medical model, and assumes that people follow linear pathways in managing their AOD use. Assumptions embedded in the term 'aftercare' such as these may disincline governments from funding ongoing services for people exiting intensive programs. Alternative terms including 'continuing coordinated care' more aptly signal the integrated and ongoing service provision that should be available to support people in sustaining changes initiated through other AOD interventions.

Methylhydrazinium]2PbBr4, a Ferroelectric Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskite with Multiple Nonlinear Optical Outputs

An expansive library of structurally complex two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) lead halide perovskites has emerged over the past decade, finding applications in various aspects of photon management: photovoltaics, photodetection, light emission, and nonlinear optics. Needless to say, the highest degree of structural plasticity enjoys the former group, offering a rich playground for modifications of relevant optoelectronic parameters such as exciton energy. Structural tailorability is reflected in the ease of modification of the chemistry of the organic layers residing between inorganic slabs. In this vein, we show that the introduction of methylhydrazinium cation (MHy+, CH3NH2NH2+) into 2D perovskite gives a material with a record low separation of the inorganic layers (8.91 Å at 300 K). Optical studies showed that MHy2PbBr4 features the most red-shifted excitonic absorption among all known A2PbBr4 compounds as well as a small exciton binding energy of 99.9 meV. MHy2PbBr4 crystallizes in polar Pmn21 symmetry at room emperature (phase III) and at 351 K undergoes a phase transition to modulated Pmnm phase (II) followed by another phase transition at 371 K to Pmnm phase (I). The ferroelectric property of room-temperature phase III is inferred from switching of the pyrocurrent, dielectric measurements, and optical birefringence results. MHy2PbBr4 exhibits multiple nonlinear optical phenomena such as second-harmonic generation, third-harmonic generation, two-photon excited luminescence, and multiphoton excited luminescence. Analysis of MHy2PbBr4 single-crystal luminescence spectra obtained through linear and nonlinear optical excitation pathways indicates that free exciton emission is readily probed by the ultraviolet excitation, whereas crumpled exciton emission is detected under two- and multiphoton excitation conditions. Overall, our results demonstrate that incorporation of MHy+ into the organic layer is an emergent strategy for obtaining a 2D perovskite with polar character and multifunctional properties.

In Vivo Visualization of the Pericardium Meridian with Fluorescent Dyes.

The anatomical basis of acupuncture meridians continues to be enigmatic. Although much attention has been placed on potential correlations with inter/intramuscular fascia or lower electrical impedance, animal studies performed in the past 40 years have shown that tracer dyes—specifically Tc-99m pertechnetate—injected at strategic skin points generate linear migrations closely aligning with acupuncture meridians. To evaluate whether this phenomenon is also observable in humans, we injected two fluorescent dyes—fluorescein sodium and indocyanine green (ICG)—into the dermal layer both at acupuncture points (PC5, PC6, and PC7) and a nonacupoint control. Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Of the 19 trials of fluorescein injected at PC6, 15 (79%) were associated with slow diffusion of the dye proximally along a path matching closely with the pericardium meridian. Furthermore, the dye emerged and coalesced proximally at exactly acupoint PC3. Injections of ICG at the acupoints PC5, PC6, or PC7 showed a similar trajectory close to the injection site but diverged when migrating proximally, failing converge on acupoint PC3. Injections of either dye at an adjacent PC6-control did not generate any notable linear pathway. Both ultrasound imaging and vein-locating device did not reveal any corresponding vessels (arterial or venous) at the visualized tracer pathway but did demonstrate correlations with intermuscular fascia.

Enhancing food security and environmental sustainability: A critical review of food loss and waste management

Food loss and waste (FLW) occurs at each and every stage of the food supply chain. The current linear model of FLW management (incineration and landfill) creates a linear path of nutrients utilization, which threatens food security and environmental sustainability in the long run. Circular economy model has been proposed as an efficient strategy to reduce and recycle FLW. Although many literature reviews were conducted to realize the transition from linear model to circular economy, a more focused and rigorous assessment of FLW reduction and recycling is currently not available. A lot of work remains in order to translate this “circular model” into an actionable plan. By reviewing the recent progress in the FLW management in the literature, this paper highlights their pros and cons to provide a deep and comprehensive understanding about the “circular model”. This review can provide a deeper analysis of “circular” solutions to existing linear pathways, which play an important role in enhancing food security and environmental sustainability in future. • The circular model and linear model of food loss and waste management are elucidated. • The pros and cons of food loss and waste reduction and recycling are highlighted. • The relationship of food loss and waste management with food security and environmental sustainability are discussed.

The linear ubiquitin E3 ligase-Relish pathway is involved in the regulation of proteostasis in Drosophila muscle during aging

Linear ubiquitination is an atypic ubiquitination process that directly connects the N- and C-termini of ubiquitin and is catalyzed by HOIL-1-interacting protein (HOIP). It is involved in the immune response or apoptosis by activating the nuclear factor-κB pathway and is associated with polyglucosan body myopathy 1, an autosomal recessive disorder with progressive muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy. However, little is currently known regarding the function of linear ubiquitination in muscles. Here, we investigated the role of linear ubiquitin E3 ligase (LUBEL), a DrosophilaHOIP ortholog, in the development and aging of muscles. The muscles of the flies with down-regulation of LUBEL or its downstream factors, kenny and Relish, developed normally, and there were no obvious abnormalities in function in young flies. However, the locomotor activity of the LUBEL RNAi flies was reduced compared to age-matched control, while LUBEL RNAi did not affect the increased mitochondrial fusion or myofiber disorganization during aging. Interestingly, the accumulation of polyubiquitinated protein aggregation during aging decreased in muscles by silencing LUBEL, kenny, or Relish. Meanwhile, the levels of autophagy and global translation, which are implicated in the maintenance of proteostasis, did not change due to LUBEL down-regulation. In conclusion, we propose a new role of linear ubiquitination in proteostasis in the muscle aging.

Photosynthetic apparatus efficiency, phenolic acid profiling and pattern of chosen phytohormones in pseudometallophyte Alyssum montanum

The present study investigated the response of non-metallicolous (NM) and metallicolous (M) Alyssum montanum shoots cultured in vitro on a medium supplemented simultaneously with heavy metals (HMs) to identify mechanisms involved in alleviating metal-induced damage. Plant status in respect to photosynthetic apparatus efficiency was determined and linked with changes in biochemical composition of shoots, namely phenolic acids’ and stress-related phytohormones. Results showed the considerable inter-ecotype differences in (1) the photosynthetic pigments’ amount, (2) the functioning of membrane electron transporters as well as (3) the linear and alternative electron transport pathways, whose lower values were reported in NM than in M HM-treated culture. Photosynthetic apparatus protection in M specimens was assured by the activation of cinnamic acid synthesis (by phenylalanine ammonia lyase) and its further transformations to benzoic acid derivatives with high ability to counteract oxidative stress, that was accompanied by the overexpression of jasmonic acid stimulating antioxidant machinery. In turn, detrimental HM effects on NM shoots could result from the diminution of most phenolics’ accumulation, and only the content of coumarate (produced by bifunctional phenylalanine/tyrosine ammonia lyase) and rosmarinic acid increased. All these together with an enhanced concentration of abscisic acid might suggest that NM strategy to cope with HMs is based mostly on a restriction of metal movement with transpiration flow and their limited distribution in leaves. Summarizing, our findings for the first time point out the physiological and metabolic adaptation of pseudometallophyte A. montanum to adverse conditions.

Finding branched pathways in metabolic network via atom group tracking.

Finding non-standard or new metabolic pathways has important applications in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology and the analysis and reconstruction of metabolic networks. Branched metabolic pathways dominate in metabolic networks and depict a more comprehensive picture of metabolism compared to linear pathways. Although progress has been developed to find branched metabolic pathways, few efforts have been made in identifying branched metabolic pathways via atom group tracking. In this paper, we present a pathfinding method called BPFinder for finding branched metabolic pathways by atom group tracking, which aims to guide the synthetic design of metabolic pathways. BPFinder enumerates linear metabolic pathways by tracking the movements of atom groups in metabolic network and merges the linear atom group conserving pathways into branched pathways. Two merging rules based on the structure of conserved atom groups are proposed to accurately merge the branched compounds of linear pathways to identify branched pathways. Furthermore, the integrated information of compound similarity, thermodynamic feasibility and conserved atom groups is also used to rank the pathfinding results for feasible branched pathways. Experimental results show that BPFinder is more capable of recovering known branched metabolic pathways as compared to other existing methods, and is able to return biologically relevant branched pathways and discover alternative branched pathways of biochemical interest. The online server of BPFinder is available at http://114.215.129.245:8080/atomic/. The program, source code and data can be downloaded from https://github.com/hyr0771/BPFinder.

Assessing the genetic impact of Enterococcus faecalis infection on gastric cell line MKN74

PurposeEnterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is an important commensal microbiota member of the human gastrointestinal tract. It has been shown in many studies that infection rates with E. faecalis in gastric cancer significantly increase. It has been scientifically proven that some infections develop during the progression of cancer, but it is still unclear whether this infection factor is beneficial (reduction in metastasis) or harmful (increase in proliferation, invasion, stem cell-like phenotype) of the host. These opposed data can significantly contribute to the understanding of cancer progress when analyzed in detail.MethodsThe gene expression data were retrieved from Array Express (E-MEXP-3496). Variance, t test and linear regression analysis, hierarchical clustering, network, and pathway analysis were performed.ResultsIn this study, we identified altered genes involved in E. faecalis infection in the gastric cell line MKN74 and the relevant pathways to understand whether the infection slows down cancer progression. Twelve genes corresponding 15 probe sets were downregulated following the live infection of gastric cancer cells with E. faecalis. We identified a network between these genes and pathways they belong to. Pathway analysis showed that these genes are mostly associated with cancer cell proliferation.ConclusionNDC80, NCAPG, CENPA, KIF23, BUB1B, BUB1, CASC5, KIF2C, CENPF, SPC25, SMC4, and KIF20A genes were found to be associated with gastric cancer pathogenesis. Almost all of these genes are effective in the proliferation of cancer cells, especially during the infection process. Therefore, it is hypothesized that downregulation of these genes may affect gastric cancer pathogenesis by reducing cell proliferation. And, it is predicted that E. faecalis infection may be an important factor for gastric cancer.

Late Quaternary sea level, isostatic response, and sediment dispersal along the Queen Charlotte fault

Abstract The active Pacific margin of the Haida Gwaii and southeast Alaska has been subject to vigorous storm activity, dramatic sea-level change, and active tectonism since glacial times. Glaciation was minimal along the western shelf margin, except for large ice streams that formed glacial valleys to the shelf break between the major islands of southeast Alaska and Haida Gwaii. Upon deglaciation, sediment discharge was extensive, but it terminated quickly due to rapid glacial retreat and sea-level lowering with the development of a glacio-isostatic forebulge, coupled with eustatic lowering. Glacial sedimentation offshore ended soon after 15.0 ka. The shelf became emergent, with sea level lowering by, and possibly greater than, 175 m. The rapid transgression that followed began sometime before 12.7 ka off Haida Gwaii and 12.0 ka off southeast Alaska, and with the extreme wave-dominated environment, the unconsolidated sediment that was left on the shelf was effectively removed. Temperate carbonate sands make up the few sediment deposits presently found on the shelf. The Queen Charlotte fault, which lies just below the shelf break for most of its length, was extensively gullied during this short period of significant sediment discharge, when sediment was transported though the glacial valleys and across the narrow shelf through fluvial and submarine channels and was deposited offshore as sea level dropped. The Queen Charlotte fault became the western terminus of the glacio-isostatic forebulge, with the fault acting as a hinged flap taking up the uplift and collapse along the fault of 70+ m. This may have resulted in the development of the distinctive fault valley that presently acts as a very linear channel pathway for sediment throughout the fault system.