Behind the scenes: How RNA orchestrates the epigenetic regulation of gene expression

Non-coding DNA accounts for approximately 98.5% of the human genome. Once labeled as “junk DNA”, this portion of the genome has undergone a progressive re-evaluation and it is now clear that some of its transcriptional products, belonging to the non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are key players in cell regulatory networks. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the crucial impact of regulatory ncRNAs on mammalian gene expression. Here, we focus on the defined relationship between chromatin-interacting RNAs, particularly long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), enhancer RNA (eRNA), non-coding natural antisense transcript (ncNAT), and circular RNA (circRNA) and epigenome, a common ground where both protein and RNA species converge to regulate cellular functions. Through several examples, this review provides an overview of the variety of targets, interactors, and mechanisms involved in the RNA-mediated modulation of loci-specific epigenetic states, a fundamental evolutive strategy to orchestrate mammalian gene expression in a timely and reversible manner. We will discuss how RNA-mediated epigenetic regulation impacts development and tissue homeostasis and how its alteration contributes to the onset and progression of many different human diseases, particularly cancer

Twitter anticipates bursts of requests for Wikipedia articles

Most of the tweets that users exchange on Twitter make implicit mentions of named-entities, which in turn can be mapped to corresponding Wikipedia articles using proper Entity Linking (EL) techniques. Some of those become trending entities on Twitter due to a long-lasting or a sudden effect on the volume of tweets where they are mentioned. We argue that the set of trending entities discovered from Twitter may help predict the volume of requests for relating Wikipedia articles. To validate this claim, we apply an EL technique to extract trending entities from a large dataset of public tweets. Then, we analyze the time series derived from the hourly trending score (i.e., an index of popularity) of each entity as measured by Twitter and Wikipedia, respectively. Our results reveals that Twitter actually leads Wikipedia by one or more hours

Pathways that explain racial differences on edentulism among older adults : 2019 Brazil National Health Survey

This study aimed to evaluate the pathways that explain the association between race/skin color and edentulism in elderly Brazilians. This was a cross-sectional study using data from participants aged 60 years or older from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey, a nationally representative population-based sample. Data were obtained by a structured interview and participants were classified as edentulous if they reported having lost all natural teeth. Information on race, socioeconomic level, behavioral aspects, psychosocial aspects, and access to dental care was collected by interviewers using a questionnaire. The pathways between race/skin color and edentulism were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The final sample of the study included 22,357 participants. Most participants were white (51.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 50.3–52.6), and 36.8% (95%CI: 35.7–37.9) were edentulous. Race/skin color was indirectly associated with edentulism via enabling factors. These findings suggest that socioeconomic inequalities are key in explaining racial inequalities in edentulism among Brazilian older adults

QuickRank: a C++ Suite of Learning to Rank Algorithms

Ranking is a central task of many Information Retrieval (IR) problems, particularly challenging in the case of large-scale Web collections where it involves effectiveness requirements and effciency constraints that are not common to other ranking-based applications. This paper describes QuickRank, a C++ suite of effcient and effective Learning to Rank (LtR) algorithms that allows high-quality ranking functions to be devised from possibly huge training datasets. QuickRank is a project with a double goal: i) answering industrial need of Tiscali S.p.A. for a exible and scalable LtR solution for learning ranking models from huge training datasets; ii) providing the IR research community with a exible, extensible and effcient LtR framework to design LtR solutions and fairly compare the performance of different algorithms and ranking models. This paper presents our choices in designing QuickRank and report some preliminary use experiences.Ranking is a central task of many Information Retrieval (IR) problems, particularly challenging in the case of large-scale Web collections where it involves eectiveness requirements and eciency constraints that are not common to other ranking-based applications. This paper describes QuickRank, a C++ suite of ecient and eective Learning to Rank (LtR) algorithms that allows high-quality ranking functions to be devised from possibly huge training datasets. QuickRank is a project with a double goal: i) answering industrial need of Tiscali S.p.A. for a exible and scalable LtR solution for learning ranking models from huge training datasets; ii) providing the IR research community with a exible, extensible and ecient LtR framework to design LtR solutions and fairly compare the performance of dierent algorithms and ranking models. This paper presents our choices in designing QuickRank and report some preliminary use experiences

Pathways of socioeconomic inequalities in self-perceived oral health

Although there is a large body of evidence of the influence of social determinants on oral health, information on the mechanisms by which these determinants operate is poorly documented. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the pathways through which socioeconomic inequalities may influence self-perceived oral health (SPOH) in Brazilian adults. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health Survey (NHS) of 2019, with a representative sample of adults aged 18 to 59 years (n = 65,803). The outcome was SPOH, assessed by a global self-item. Structural equation modeling was used to test direct and indirect pathways connecting a latent variable for socioeconomic position (SEP) to SPOH via psychosocial, behavioral, and biological factors. Higher SEP was directly associated with better SPOH [standardized coefficient (SC) = 0.069; p < 0.01)] fewer depressive symptoms (SC = -0.059; p < 0.01), fewer missing teeth (SC = 0.131; p < 0.01), and more healthy behaviors (SC = 0.643; p < 0.01). Fewer depressive symptoms (SC = -0.141; p < 0.01), more healthy behaviors (SC = 0.242; p < 0.01), and fewer missing teeth (SC = 0.058; p < 0.01) were directly associated with good SPOH. Among specific indirect effects of SEP on SPOH, the behavioral pathway was the one that best explained this association (SC = 0.155). Socioeconomic inequities in SPOH are mediate by psychosocial, behavioral, and biological factors. This has implications for positioning health strategies in the social context in which people live, to facilitate healthy choices and promote good oral health

Associação entre práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde e uso de serviços odontológicos em idosos no Brasil: estudo transversal, 2019

Objective: To analyze the association between participation in integrative practices and the regular dental services use in Brazilian older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study with secondary data from the 2019 National Health Survey. All older adults aged 60 years and over were included. The outcome was the regular dental services use. Poisson regression models were used to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and their respective confidence intervals at 95% (CI95%). Results: A total of 22,728 older adults were analysed. Most were female (55.5%), self-declared white (51.3%), with incomplete primary education (47.0%); 7.0% (CI95% 6.8;7.5) used some integrative practice and 34.3% (CI95% 33.2;35.4) used the dental service regularly. Individuals who used integrative practices had a higher prevalence of dental service use even after adjusting the model (PR=1.15 – 95%CI 1.07;1.23). Conclusion: The use of integrative practices was associated with the regular use of dental services by Brazilian older adults.Objetivo: Analizar la asociación entre la participación en prácticas integradoras y el uso regular de servicios odontológicos en ancianos brasileños. Métodos: Estudio transversal con datos secundarios de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2019. Se incluyeron todos aquellos de 60 años o más. El resultado fue el uso regular de servicios odontológicos. Se utilizó regresión de Poisson para estimar razones de prevalencia (RP) crudas y ajustadas y sus respectivos intervalos de confianza del 95% (IC95%). Resultados: Se analizaron 22.728 ancianos. La mayoría eran mujeres (55,5%), blancas (51,3%), con primaria incompleta (47,0%); 7,0% (IC95% 6,8;7,5) utilizaba alguna práctica integradora y 34,3 % (IC95% 33,2 ;35.4) usaba el servicio dental regularmente. Aquellos que utilizaron prácticas integradoras tuvieron una mayor prevalencia de uso de servicios dentales incluso después de ajustar el modelo (RP=1,15 – IC95% 1,07;1,23). Conclusión: El uso de prácticas integradoras se asoció con el uso regular de servicios odontológicos en ancianos brasileños.Objetivo: Analisar a associação entre participação em práticas integrativas e uso regular de serviços odontológicos em idosos brasileiros. Métodos: Estudo transversal, com dados secundários da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde de 2019. Foram incluídos todos os idosos com 60 anos ou mais. O desfecho foi o uso regular de serviços odontológicos. Modelos de regressão de Poisson foram utilizados para estimar as razões de prevalências (RPs) brutas e ajustadas, e seus respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). Resultados: Foram analisados 22.728 idosos. A maioria era do sexo feminino (55,5%), autodeclarados brancos (51,3%), com ensino fundamental incompleto(47,0%); apenas 7,0% (IC95% 6,8;7,5) utilizaram alguma prática integrativa e 34,3% (IC95% 33,2;35,4) utilizaram o serviço odontológico de forma regular. Indivíduos que participaram de práticas integrativas apresentaram maior frequência de uso do serviço odontológico (RP=1,15 – IC95% 1,07;1,23). Conclusão: O uso de práticas integrativas foi associado ao uso regular de serviços odontológicos por idosos brasileiros

LINE-1 RNA triggers matrix formation in bone cells via a PKR-mediated inflammatory response

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic modules of viral derivation that have been co-opted to become modulators of mammalian gene expression. TEs are a major source of endogenous dsRNAs, signaling molecules able to coordinate inflammatory responses in various physiological processes. Here, we provide evidence for a positive involvement of TEs in inflammation-driven bone repair and mineralization. In newly fractured mice bone, we observed an early transient upregulation of repeats occurring concurrently with the initiation of the inflammatory stage. In human bone biopsies, analysis revealed a significant correlation between repeats expression, mechanical stress and bone mineral density. We investigated a potential link between LINE-1 (L1) expression and bone mineralization by delivering a synthetic L1 RNA to osteoporotic patient-derived mesenchymal stem cells and observed a dsRNA-triggered protein kinase (PKR)-mediated stress response that led to strongly increased mineralization. This response was associated with a strong and transient inflammation, accompanied by a global translation attenuation induced by eIF2α phosphorylation. We demonstrated that L1 transfection reshaped the secretory profile of osteoblasts, triggering a paracrine activity that stimulated the mineralization of recipient cells