Vinod and the Patels: The Puzzle of Indian-American Partisanship

This project investigates Indian American partisanship. Why, despite several large cleavages like religion and income, do most Indian Americans identify with a single party? Building on a long tradition of studying partisanship, I posit that Indian-Americans share a group consciousness borne out of experiences of racial discrimination. This group consciousness drives Indian-Americans to identify as Democrats. First, I present several theories of party identification and evaluate their explanatory power, both theoretically and when applied to other groups, such as Jewish Americans and Asian-Americans. I then present an original theory of party identification in the Indian-American community. Next, I explore the nature of newspaper coverage on Indian-Americans by conducting a content analysis of New York Times and India Abroad articles. Finally, I use data from the 2016 CMPS to empirically test my theory. All together, this project provides a new way of considering a well-studied concept applied to an understudied group

Viral Mimicry Response Is Associated With Clinical Outcome in Pleural Mesothelioma

Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate endogenous retrovirus (ERV) expression and type I interferon (IFN) activation in human pleural mesothelioma (PM) and their association with clinical outcome. Methods The expression of ERV was determined from PM cohorts and mesothelial precursor RNA sequencing data. The expression of ERV was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Methylation of genomic DNA was assessed by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. DNA demethylation was induced in cells by demethylating agent 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) treatment. To block type I IFN signaling, the cells were treated with ruxolitinib or MAVS silencing. The expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was determined by qPCR and Western blot. Circulating ERVs were detected by qPCR. Results Long terminal repeats (LTRs) represent the most abundant transposable elements up-regulated in PM. Within the LTR, ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y, which are specifically enriched in PM, were further analyzed. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment increased the levels of ERVmap_1248 expression and induced ERVmap_1248 promoter demethylation in mesothelial cells. In addition, ERVmap_1248 promoter was more demethylated in the mesothelioma tissue compared with nontumor tissue. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment of the mesothelial cells also increased the levels of ISGs. Basal ISG expression was higher in the mesothelioma cells compared with the mesothelial cells, and it was significantly decreased by ruxolitinib treatment or MAVS silencing. Furthermore, ISG expression was higher in the tumor tissue with high expression levels of ERVmap_1248. High expression of ERVmap_1248 was associated with longer overall survival and BAP1 mutations. ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y can be detected in the PM plasma. Conclusions We provide clues for patient stratification especially for immunotherapy where best clinical responses are associated with an activated basal immune response

Heterogeneous RNA editing and influence of ADAR2 on mesothelioma chemoresistance and the tumor microenvironment

We previously observed increased levels of adenosine-deaminase-acting-on-dsRNA (Adar)-dependent RNA editing during mesothelioma development in mice exposed to asbestos. The aim of this study was to characterize and assess the role of ADAR-dependent RNA editing in mesothelioma. We found that tumors and mesothelioma primary cultures have higher ADAR-mediated RNA editing compared to mesothelial cells. Unsupervised clustering of editing in different genomic regions revealed heterogeneity between tumor samples as well as mesothelioma primary cultures. ADAR2 expression levels are higher in BRCA1-associated protein 1 wild-type tumors, with corresponding changes in RNA editing in transcripts and 3'UTR. ADAR2 knockdown and rescue models indicated a role in cell proliferation, altered cell cycle, increased sensitivity to antifolate treatment, and type-1 interferon signaling upregulation, leading to changes in the microenvironment in vivo. Our data indicate that RNA editing contributes to mesothelioma heterogeneity and highlights an important role of ADAR2 not only in growth regulation in mesothelioma but also in chemotherapy response, in addition to regulating inflammatory response downstream of sensing nucleic acid structures

RNA editing in mesothelioma: a look forward

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional process increasing transcript diversity, thereby regulating different biological processes. We recently observed that mutations resulting from RNA editing due to hydrolytic deamination of adenosine increase during the development of mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to chronic exposure to asbestos. This review gathers information from the published literature and public data mining to explore several aspects of RNA editing and their possible implications for cancer growth and therapy. We address possible links between RNA editing and particular types of mesothelioma genetic and epigenetic alterations and discuss the relevance of an edited substrate in the context of current chemotherapy or immunotherapy

Centering Racial Equity in Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Lessons and Guidance from Human Services Nonprofits

Many nonprofit organizations that provide direct human services are exploring how racial equity and inclusion (REI) and performance measurement collectively inform decision-making and strategies that affect their core mission. Human service nonprofits often hold an explicit charge to increase the well-being of people who have been disempowered, disadvantaged, and systematically oppressed. Starting from this mission orientation, organizations can benefit from guidance, outlined in this report, on operationalizing racial equity values within their measurement and evaluation work and acknowledging the systemic barriers that influence client outcomes.

Endogenous retrovirus expression activates type-I interferon signaling in an experimental mouse model of mesothelioma development

Early events in an experimental model of mesothelioma development include increased levels of editing in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We hypothesised that expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERV) contributes to dsRNA formation and type-I interferon signaling. ERV and interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) expression were significantly higher in tumor compared to non-tumor samples. 12 tumor specific ERV (“MesoERV1-12”) were identified and verified by qPCR in mouse tissues. “MesoERV1-12” expression was lower in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) compared to mesothelioma cells. “MesoERV1-12” levels were significantly increased by demethylating agent 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment and were accompanied by increased levels of dsRNA and ISGs. Basal ISGs expression was higher in mesothelioma cells compared to MEF and was significantly decreased by JAK inhibitor Ruxolitinib, by blocking Ifnar1 and by silencing Mavs. “MesoERV7” promoter was demethylated in asbestos-exposed compared to sham mice tissue as well as in mesothelioma cells and MEF upon 5-Aza-CdR treatment. These observations uncover novel aspects of asbestos-induced mesothelioma whereby ERV expression increases due to promoter demethylation and is paralleled by increased levels of dsRNA and activation of type-I IFN signaling. These features are important for early diagnosis and therapy.ISSN:0304-3835ISSN:1872-798

The Power of Instagram's Algorithm in Boosting the Visibility of Startups & Small Businesses

As the world progresses towards digitalized platforms for ease of access, social media is getting more popular amidst the younger generations, causing marketers to quickly adapt to the social networking space to be able to interact with customers. India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, with startups contributing approximately 4-5% to the nation’s gdp. The metropolitan city of bangalore serves as a hub for many up-and-coming startups and small businesses. Networking is crucial for small businesses, as word-of-mouth referrals can boost sales. Social media marketing is a cost-effective way to reach a broader audience and engage with customers. Additionally, traditional advertising channels such as billboards, flyers, and newspaper ads can still be effective in certain regions. In order to stand out in a saturated market such as ours, it is essential to strategize and create a marketing campaign that taps into the resources offered by interactive social media platforms the likes of instagram, facebook and many others. Through social media, big business can do better and small business can become better known without putting much investment on advertising. This study aims to provide insight into the seemingly vast marketing tool often underestimated by many – instagram’s algorithm

Double-Stranded RNA Structural Elements Holding the Key to Translational Regulation in Cancer: The Case of Editing in RNA-Binding Motif Protein 8A

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer associated with asbestos exposure. RNA-binding motif protein 8a (RBM8A) mRNA editing increases in mouse tissues upon asbestos exposure. The aim of this study was to further characterize the role of RBM8A in mesothelioma and the consequences of its mRNA editing. RBM8A protein expression was higher in mesothelioma compared to mesothelial cells. Silencing RBM8A changed splicing patterns in mesothelial and mesothelioma cells but drastically reduced viability only in mesothelioma cells. In the tissues of asbestos-exposed mice, editing of Rbm8a mRNA was associated with increased protein immunoreactivity, with no change in mRNA levels. Increased adenosine deaminase acting on dsRNA (ADAR)-dependent editing of Alu elements in the RBM8A 3'UTR was observed in mesothelioma cells compared to mesothelial cells. Editing stabilized protein expression. The unedited RBM8A 3'UTR had a stronger interaction with Musashi (MSI) compared to the edited form. The silencing of MSI2 in mesothelioma or overexpression of Adar2 in mesothelial cells resulted in increased RBM8A protein levels. Therefore, ADAR-dependent editing contributes to maintaining elevated RBM8A protein levels in mesothelioma by counteracting MSI2-driven downregulation. A wider implication of this mechanism for the translational control of protein expression is suggested by the editing of similarly structured Alu elements in several other transcripts

Viral Mimicry Response Is Associated With Clinical Outcome in Pleural Mesothelioma.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to investigate endogenous retrovirus (ERV) expression and type I interferon (IFN) activation in human pleural mesothelioma (PM) and their association with clinical outcome. METHODS The expression of ERV was determined from PM cohorts and mesothelial precursor RNA sequencing data. The expression of ERV was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Methylation of genomic DNA was assessed by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. DNA demethylation was induced in cells by demethylating agent 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) treatment. To block type I IFN signaling, the cells were treated with ruxolitinib or MAVS silencing. The expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was determined by qPCR and Western blot. Circulating ERVs were detected by qPCR. RESULTS Long terminal repeats (LTRs) represent the most abundant transposable elements up-regulated in PM. Within the LTR, ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y, which are specifically enriched in PM, were further analyzed. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment increased the levels of ERVmap_1248 expression and induced ERVmap_1248 promoter demethylation in mesothelial cells. In addition, ERVmap_1248 promoter was more demethylated in the mesothelioma tissue compared with nontumor tissue. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment of the mesothelial cells also increased the levels of ISGs. Basal ISG expression was higher in the mesothelioma cells compared with the mesothelial cells, and it was significantly decreased by ruxolitinib treatment or MAVS silencing. Furthermore, ISG expression was higher in the tumor tissue with high expression levels of ERVmap_1248. High expression of ERVmap_1248 was associated with longer overall survival and BAP1 mutations. ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y can be detected in the PM plasma. CONCLUSIONS We provide clues for patient stratification especially for immunotherapy where best clinical responses are associated with an activated basal immune response

Viral Mimicry Response Is Associated With Clinical Outcome in Pleural Mesothelioma

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate endogenous retrovirus (ERV) expression and type I interferon (IFN) activation in human pleural mesothelioma (PM) and their association with clinical outcome. Methods: The expression of ERV was determined from PM cohorts and mesothelial precursor RNA sequencing data. The expression of ERV was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Methylation of genomic DNA was assessed by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. DNA demethylation was induced in cells by demethylating agent 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) treatment. To block type I IFN signaling, the cells were treated with ruxolitinib or MAVS silencing. The expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) was determined by qPCR and Western blot. Circulating ERVs were detected by qPCR. Results: Long terminal repeats (LTRs) represent the most abundant transposable elements up-regulated in PM. Within the LTR, ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y, which are specifically enriched in PM, were further analyzed. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment increased the levels of ERVmap_1248 expression and induced ERVmap_1248 promoter demethylation in mesothelial cells. In addition, ERVmap_1248 promoter was more demethylated in the mesothelioma tissue compared with nontumor tissue. The 5-Aza-CdR treatment of the mesothelial cells also increased the levels of ISGs. Basal ISG expression was higher in the mesothelioma cells compared with the mesothelial cells, and it was significantly decreased by ruxolitinib treatment or MAVS silencing. Furthermore, ISG expression was higher in the tumor tissue with high expression levels of ERVmap_1248. High expression of ERVmap_1248 was associated with longer overall survival and BAP1 mutations. ERVmap_1248 and LTR7Y can be detected in the PM plasma. Conclusions: We provide clues for patient stratification especially for immunotherapy where best clinical responses are associated with an activated basal immune response.ISSN:2666-364