Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RNA sequencing uncovers the key microRNAs potentially contributing to sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract This study aimed to identify miRNAs that may contribute to the pathogenesis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) by RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing). RNA was extracted from SSNHL patients and healthy volunteers, respectively. Sequencing was performed on HiSeq4000 platform. After filtering, clean reads were mapped to the human reference genome hg19. Differential expression analysis of miRNAs between the SSNHL samples and the normal samples was performed using DEseq to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs). The target genes of the DEMs were predicted using the online tool miRWalk, which were then mapped to DAVID (https://david.ncifcrf.gov/) for functional annotation based on GO database and for pathway enrichment analysis based on KEGG. Finally, a miRNA-target-protein-protein interaction (PPIs) network was constructed using the DEMs and their target genes with interaction. Differential expression analysis reveals 24 DEMs between the SSNHL group and control group. A total of 1083 target genes were predicted. GO functional annotation analysis reveals that the target genes in the top 10 terms are mainly related to the development of salivary glands, neurotransmission, dendritic development, and other processes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis reveals that the target genes were functionally enriched in pathways arachidonic acid metabolism, complement and coagulation cascades, linoleic acid metabolism, and MAPK signaling pathway. In the miRNA-target-PPI network, hsa-miR-34a/548n/15a/143/23a/210/1255a/18b/ /1180/99b had the most target genes; genes YWHAG, GSK3B, CDC42, NR3C1, LCK, UNC119, SIN3A, and NFKB2, interact with most other genes among all the predicted target genes. Hsa-miR-34a/15a/23a/210/18b/548n/143 is likely to have a role in the pathogenesis of SSNHL.
Ideology and Local Public Expenditure Priorities

Local governments prioritize spending on various types and levels of public services. Although scholars have shown that citizen preferences and institutional factors, such as economic, political, and legal arrangements, play a role in resource allocation, scholars have not systematically examined the impact of local elected officials’ own ideological preferences on service prioritization. A better understanding of the impact of personal ideology on local government resource allocation is needed as this provision of funds has implications for democratic governance and responsiveness. We develop and use a novel measure of local elected official ideology using a 2011 survey of California local elected officials to test the hypothesis that local decision-maker ideology affects attitudes on funding-specific service categories. We find evidence that local elected officials’ attitudes toward service reductions are associated with both their own individual ideology, measured on the conservative–liberal spectrum, and the ideology of their constituents.
Ubiquitylation, phosphorylation and Orc2 modulate the subcellular location of Orc1 and prevent it from inducing apoptosis

Previous studies have suggested that the activity of the mammalian origin recognition complex (ORC) is regulated by cell-cycle-dependent changes in its Orc1 subunit. Here, we show that Orc1 modifications such as mono-ubiquitylation and hyperphosphorylation that occur normally during S and G2-M phases, respectively, can cause Orc1 to accumulate in the cytoplasm. This would suppress reassembly of pre-replication complexes until mitosis is complete. In the absence of these modifications, transient expression of Orc1 rapidly induced p53-independent apoptosis, and Orc1 accumulated perinuclearly rather than uniformly throughout the nucleus. This behavior mimicked the increased concentration and perinuclear accumulation of endogenous Orc1 in apoptotic cells that arise spontaneously in proliferating cell cultures. Remarkably, expression of Orc1 in the presence of an equivalent amount of Orc2, the only ORC subunit that did not induce apoptosis, prevented induction of apoptosis and restored uniform nuclear localization of Orc1. This would promote assembly of ORC-chromatin sites, such as occurs during the transition from M to G1 phase. These results provide direct evidence in support of the regulatory role proposed for Orc1, and suggest that aberrant DNA replication during mammalian development could result in apoptosis through the appearance of `unmodified' Orc1.
Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in Shenyang, China

Abstract The authors analyzed daily mortality data in Shenyang, China, for calendar year 1992 to identify possible associations with ambient sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulates. Both total suspended particulate concentrations (mean = 430 μmlg/m3, maximum = 1,141 μmlg/m3) and sulfur dioxide concentrations (mean 197 = μmlg/m3, maximum = 659 μmlg/m3) far exceeded the World Health Organization's recommended criteria. An average of 45.5 persons died each day. The lagged moving averages of air-pollution levels, calculated as the mean of the nonmissing air-pollution levels of the concurrent and 3 preceding days, were used for all analyses. Locally weighted regression analysis, including temperature, humidity, day of week, and a time variable, showed a positive association between daily mortality and both total suspended particulates and sulfur dioxide. When the authors included total suspended particulates and sulfur dioxide separately in the model, both were highly significant predictors of daily mortality. The risk of all-cause mortality increased by an estimated 1.7% and 2.4% with a 100-μmlg/m3 concomitant increase in total suspended particulate and sulfur dioxide, respectively. When the authors analyzed mortality separately by cause of death, the association with total suspended particulates was significant for cardiovascular disease (2.1%), but not statistically significant for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (2.6%). In contrast, the association with sulfur dioxide was significant for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (7.4%), but not for cardiovascular disease (1.8%). The mortality from cancer was not associated significantly with total suspended particles or with sulfur dioxide. The correlation between sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulates was high (correlation coefficient = .66). When the authors included sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulates simultaneously in the model, the association between total suspended particulates and mortality from all causes and cardiovascular diseases remained significant. Sulfur dioxide was associated significantly with increased mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and other causes. The results of the current study reveal increased mortality associated with both total suspended particulates and sulfur dioxide.
Caspase-3 Is a Component of Fas Death-Inducing Signaling Complex in Lipid Rafts and Its Activity Is Required for Complete Caspase-8 Activation during Fas-Mediated Cell Death1

Since its discovery, caspase-8 has been placed at the apex of the proteolytic cascade triggered by death receptor (DR) cross-linking. Because of its capacity to interact with the cytoplasmic portion of DR, it has been suggested that caspase-8 acts independently of other caspases in the initiation of Fas and other DR signaling. In this study, we demonstrate that in Jurkat cells, caspase-3 cleavage is an early step during Fas-induced apoptosis. We show that caspase-3 processing into its p20 occurs rapidly after Fas cross-linking, in the absence of mitochondrial depolarization and caspase-9 activation. Moreover, caspase-3 is present in lipid rafts of untreated Jurkat cells and peripheral T lymphocytes. Caspase-3, caspase-8, and Fas-associated death domain are further recruited to lipid rafts of Jurkat cells following anti-Fas treatment. Fas immunoprecipitation reveals that caspase-3 is a component of the death-inducing signaling complex, suggesting that this cysteine protease is in close proximity to caspase-8. Furthermore, transduction of Jurkat cells with a caspase-3 dominant-negative form inhibits caspase-8 processing and results in inhibition of apoptosis, suggesting that caspase-3 activity is required for caspase-8 activation. Overall, these findings support a model whereby caspase-3 is a component of the death-inducing signaling complex located in lipid rafts, and as such, is involved in the amplification of caspase-8 activity by the mitochondrion.
Mismatch Negativity and P300 to Behaviorally Perceptible and Imperceptible Temporal Contrasts

The purpose of this study was to specify whether electrophysiological indices of behavioral discrimination of auditory duration could be demonstrated. Mismatch negativities and P300s were recorded to perceptible and imperceptible stimuli in 23 normal-hearing young adults. Behaviorally perceptible and imperceptible stimuli were demonstrated by measuring difference limens in a standard psychophysical procedure in a subset of participants (n = 8). Perceptibility was further demonstrated using a standard clinical pattern-perception test and modified-duration pattern tests created for this study. Mismatch negativities and P300s were recorded with an oddball paradigm using stimuli identical to those used in behavioral testing. All participants exhibited P300s in the perceptible contrast, while responses were absent for the imperceptible contrast. Mismatch negativities were found for 18 and 5 of 23 participants to the perceptible and imperceptible contrasts, respectively. The mismatch negativity did not correspond with behavioral discrimination and, as such, one could question its clinical feasibility. The P300 more accurately reflected behavioral discrimination performance in the current paradigm.
On Determining a Best Pulse Shape for Multiple Access Ultra-Wideband Communication Systems

Pulse design is examined for multiple access ultrawideband communication systems with consideration of the transmitter pulse-shaping and the receiver filter at the same time, subject to a transmitter power constraint. It is shown that an appropriate sinc pulse not only conforms to required spectral emission constraints, but also optimizes the signal-to-noise-plus interference ratio of the ultra-wideband system when corrupted by multiple access interference. Compared with previously proposed pulse shapes, the sinc pulse proposed here achieves better error rate performance in multiple access environments without adding any implementation complexity. The design of ideal ultrawideband pulses is clarified in terms of properties of the spectral emission mask.
Ligand-bound Thyroid Hormone Receptor Contributes to Reprogramming of Pancreatic Acinar Cells into Insulin-producing Cells*

Background: One goal of diabetic regenerative medicine is to convert mature pancreatic acinar cells into insulin-producing cells. Results: Ligand-bound thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα), which interacts with p85α, induces phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling and insulin expression. Conclusion: PI3K signaling must be activated for TRα-induced reprogramming of pancreatic acinar cells. Significance: TRα is critical for postnatal expansion of the β-cell mass. One goal of diabetic regenerative medicine is to instructively convert mature pancreatic exocrine cells into insulin-producing cells. We recently reported that ligand-bound thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα) plays a critical role in expansion of the β-cell mass during postnatal development. Here, we used an adenovirus vector that expresses TRα driven by the amylase 2 promoter (AdAmy2TRα) to induce the reprogramming of pancreatic acinar cells into insulin-producing cells. Treatment with l-3,5,3-triiodothyronine increases the association of TRα with the p85α subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), leading to the phosphorylation and activation of Akt and the expression of Pdx1, Ngn3, and MafA in purified acinar cells. Analyses performed with the lectin-associated cell lineage tracing system and the Cre/loxP-based direct cell lineage tracing system indicate that newly synthesized insulin-producing cells originate from elastase-expressing pancreatic acinar cells. Insulin-containing secretory granules were identified in these cells by electron microscopy. The inhibition of p85α expression by siRNA or the inhibition of PI3K by LY294002 prevents the expression of Pdx1, Ngn3, and MafA and the reprogramming to insulin-producing cells. In immunodeficient mice with streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia, treatment with AdAmy2TRα leads to the reprogramming of pancreatic acinar cells to insulin-producing cells in vivo. Our findings suggest that ligand-bound TRα plays a critical role in β-cell regeneration during postnatal development via activation of PI3K signaling.
ESG as a Performance Factor for Smart Beta Indexes

Although traditional financial factors, such as value, growth, and momentum, have become common practice in the construction of smart beta indexes, the question whether environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data can be used as a performance factor in a similar way is a controversial topic in the asset management community. In this article, the authors develop a methodology to extract an unbiased standalone ESG performance factor from a broad database of ESG indicators and apply this ESG factor in different smart beta type of index methodologies. The results show that this ESG factor can add financial value in portfolios and financial indexes and can be used the same way as or in addition to traditional common performance factors.
Linear Spin-Valve Bridge Sensor for Weak Magnetic Fields

Spin-valves are utilized in a variety of devices including magnetic sensors and biological detection systems. The sensing devices are characterized by three parameters: the sensing field range, sensitivity and linearity. The linear spin-valve sensing element is configured as a Wheatstone bridge. Two kinds Wheatstone bridge were investigated. First, the bridge consist of two sensing resistors and two fixed value resistors, which has no hysteresis and linearity error is less than 0.15% in the operation range of -6 Oe to 6 Oe, shows a sensitivity of 0.78 mV/VmiddotOe. Second, the linear bridge sensor consisting of four sensing resistors shows a sensitivity of 1.54 mV/VmiddotOe in the operation range of -6 Oe to 6 Oe and a linearity error less than 0.3%
Working principle and application of magnetic separation for biomedical diagnostic at high- and low-field gradients

Magnetic separation is a versatile technique used in sample preparation for diagnostic purpose. For such application, an external magnetic field is applied to drive the separation of target entity (e.g. bacteria, viruses, parasites and cancer cells) from a complex raw sample in order to ease the subsequent task(s) for disease diagnosis. This separation process not only can be achieved via the utilization of high magnetic field gradient, but also, in most cases, low magnetic field gradient with magnitude less than 100 T m−1 is equally feasible. It is the aim of this review paper to summarize the usage of both high gradient magnetic separation and low gradient magnetic separation (LGMS) techniques in this area of research. It is noteworthy that effectiveness of the magnetic separation process not only determines the outcome of a diagnosis but also directly influences its accuracy as well as sensing time involved. Therefore, understanding the factors that simultaneously influence the efficiency of both magnetic separation process and target detection is necessary. Moreover, for LGMS, there are several important considerations that should be taken into account in order to ensure its successful implementation. Hence, this review paper aims to provide an overview to relate all this crucial information by linking the magnetic separation theory to biomedical diagnostic applications.
Changing patterns of associational involvement in Europe

Increasing attention is being paid to associational participation in the last decade. On the one hand, associations are thought to promote civic attitudes and orientations (Cohen and Rogers 1992, Mansbridge 1992, Rogers and Cohen 1995). From this perspective, associations act as “schools for democracy”, and they should be promoted given their positive consequences for democracy. Starting with Putnam’s seminal work (1993a and b, 1995a and b), the “attitudinal approach” to social capital has identified associational memberships as one of the main indicators of the existence of this type of capital (Stolle and Lewis 2002). The main argument is that participation in associations has the ability to generate social trust and other norms of reciprocity that favour social cooperation. On the other hand, some authors (especially Putnam 2000) argue that overall levels of social capital are in decline. Nevertheless, the great majority of published documents that analyse the phenomenon of associational membership do so by focusing on specific countries (mainly the United States), and there are relatively few
Baltic Sea Ice Concentration Estimation Using SENTINEL-1 SAR and AMSR2 Microwave Radiometer Data

Sea ice concentration (SIC) is an important sea ice parameter for sea ice navigation, environmental research, and weather and ice forecasting. We have developed and tested a method for estimation of the Baltic Sea SIC using SENTINEL-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 passive microwave radiometer (MWR) data. Here, we present the method and results for January 2016. Ice concentration grids of Finnish Meteorological Institute daily ice charts have been used as reference data in this paper. We present a comparison of four SIC estimation methods with our reference data. In addition to the combined SAR/MWR SIC estimation method, we also compare SIC estimates produced using SAR alone and two MWR-based methods. The main target of this paper was to develop and test a high-resolution SIC estimation method suitable for operational use.
Social capital and knowledge sharing in academic research teams

The purpose of this article is to analyse the role of social capital within academic research teams and its influence on knowledge sharing. An empirical study was carried out with 87 academic research teams at a Spanish university. The results show that internal ties have a positive effect on trust. Moreover, the results also reflect that both dimensions of social capital (internal ties and trust) have a positive and significant effect on research teams’ knowledge sharing. Therefore, the findings reveal that the network’s structure has a positive influence on the quality of relationships among academic researchers that favour knowledge sharing. Points for practitioners The results provide universities’ managers with a better understanding of internal social capital in academic research teams, which has important implications for researchers’ willingness to collaborate and share knowledge. Public university managers may use strategies to improve interdependence among research team members, favouring social relations among researchers. Thus, public universities should enhance research teams with stronger ties and high levels of trust that increase knowledge sharing.
Antidepressants and sleep: a review.

PURPOSE Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms seen in both primary and psychiatric care. Sleep hypnotics and benzodiazepines are the drugs of choice for insomnia but are not appropriate for all patients. CONCLUSION The sedating tricyclics, the serotonin-2A receptor antagonist/serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, and the atypical antidepressants can improve sleep and return sleep architecture to its restorative function. The serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, with the possible exception of escitalopram, derange sleep architecture and decrease restorative sleep. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Although most antidepressants cause sedation, not all antidepressants are equal in their effects on producing restorative sleep.
Cystic Presentation of a Renal Medullary Carcinoma in a Young Woman

Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a rare tumor, originating in the epithelial papillary cells, that primarily affects young black men with sickle cell trait. We report the case of a 29-year-old Caucasian woman, who at ultrasound showed a cystic mass at the right kidney, with a vascular pattern at the level of the cystic wall. A CT-guided biopsy of the lesion was performed, revealing the presence of unspecified tumor cells. A total nephrectomy was then performed. Microscopically, a tumor resulting from the epithelial papillary cells was observed; several areas of lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates were seen at the junction between the normal kidney tissue and the tumor, and a renal medullary carcinoma was diagnosed. Six months later, the patient developed multiple pulmonary metastases and started chemotherapy with Carboplatin, Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine. The patient died after 27 months of follow-up. RMC is a tumor that usually occurs in young black men, at an average age of 25 years with extremes of 11 and 39 years. Sickle-cell disease or sickle-cell trait is often present. The longest documented survival (until now) for RMC was 16 months. The best treatment is surgery with enlarged nephrectomy. There are still no appropriate chemotherapy protocols.
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the Catchment Area and Water of the River Taff in South Wales, United Kingdom, and Its Potential Relationship to Clustering of Crohn's Disease Cases in the City of Cardiff

ABSTRACT In South Wales, United Kingdom, a populated coastal region lies beneath hill pastures grazed by livestock in which Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is endemic. The Taff is a spate river running off the hills and through the principal city of Cardiff. We sampled Taff water above Cardiff twice weekly from November 2001 to November 2002. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was detected by IS900 PCR and culture. Thirty-one of 96 daily samples (32.3%) were IS900 PCR positive, and 12 grew M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis bovine strains. Amplicon sequences from colonies were identical to the sequence with GenBank accession no. X16293 , whereas 16 of 19 sequences from river water DNA extracts had a single-nucleotide polymorphism at position 214. This is consistent with a different strain of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the river, which is unculturable by the methods we used. Parallel studies showed that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis remained culturable in lake water microcosms for 632 days and persisted to 841 days. Of four reservoirs controlling the catchment area of the Taff, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was present in surface sediments from three and in sediment cores from two, consistent with deposition over at least 50 years. Previous epidemiological research in Cardiff demonstrated a highly significant increase of Crohn's disease in 11 districts. These bordered the river except for a gap on the windward side. A topographical relief map shows that this gap is directly opposite a valley open to the prevailing southwesterly winds. This would influence the distribution of aerosols carrying M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis from the river.