Two Princeton University studies are opening important new windows into understanding an untreatable group of common genetic disorders known as RASopathies that affect approximately one child out of 1,000 and are characterized by distinct facial features, developmental delays, cognitive impairment and heart problems. The findings could help point the way toward personalized precision therapies for these conditions.

HELENA (April 23, 2020) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 Deputy Regional Administrator Deb Thomas recognized students and staff from Capital High School in Helena for winning the ‘See a Bloom, Give It Room’ High School Video Challenge.

Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DENVER (April 30, 2020) —  Tomorrow, in celebration of Asthma Awareness Month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will honor two outstanding asthma care programs, the Children’s Hospital Colorado Breathing Institute in Aurora, Colorado and the University of Texas Health Sc

WASHINGTON (April 30, 2020) — Tomorrow, in celebration of Asthma Awareness Month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will honor two outstanding asthma care programs, the Children’s Hospital Colorado Breathing Institute in Aurora, Colorado and the Univers

“A mother has no age,” the rabbi said as a masked handful of us buried my grandma in Queens last week. The next day, my friend lost her mom to COVID-19 after a weeks-long battle with the illness.

He's still giving the money back though.

He's still giving the money back though.

The McFarland-Tessitore MNF experiment is over after two years.

He's still giving the money back though.

There was certainly was stress in the air when health and economic consqeuences of COVID-19 bore down on Brooklyn and the rest of America. But as these pressures grew, constructive hearts and minds prevailed at the BKLYN Commons (BKC) shared workspace operation at 495 Flatbush Ave., in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens area, which creatively and passionately morphed to adapt to the new normal.

The Ride of Your Life is raising money for the construction of a new bike park in Yellowknife.
( Photos: 15, Comments: 7 )

Morrisons has taken the precautionary step of recalling Market Street Living Herbs because the products might contain Listeria monocytogenes.

From Notre Dame to the Monon Bell. We rank Indiana's top 50 college football games in 2018.

Demonstrators describe an arrest and pepper ball use by IMPD during a protest over the death of Dreasjon Reed near 62nd Street and Michigan Road.

Long-time Slashdot reader blackbearnh writes: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has made Personal Protective Equipment worth it's weight in gold, Makers have been trying to help bridge the gap. While sewn masks have been the most common solution, the 3D printing community has been pitching in as well. The Montana Mask has been one of the most popular designs... Thursday, the group Make the Masks announced that the design files and STLs to print the mask have been released under the GNU General Public License v3, allowing anyone to print, sell, remix or improve the design, as long as they conform to the license. Importantly, the GPLv3 includes an international non-exclusive patent grant, meaning that even if the inventors decide to apply for a patent, it will not restrict anyone from using the design.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is the latest organization to weigh in on the Co-op Refinery labour dispute, saying demonstrations at Co-op facilities could negatively affect farmer’s seeding.

Perhaps you've read somewhere or other that there are over 3,000 traditional Peruvian festivals held throughout the year? It's a popular claim that pops up time and again in guidebooks and on websites, and though we ourselves haven't verified the number, it certainly wouldn't surprise us! Peru is a country that holds onto its traditions while increasingly embracing innovation as well, a perfect storm for festivals and fiestas of all types to flourish and to grow.

If you're planning to visit Peru, you might find yourself intrigued by the prospect of observing, or even participating in, one of these many different Peruvian festivals. If that's the case, you're in luck--we've taken the liberty to compile a list of some of our favorite Peruvian festivals, including one for each month of the year in hopes that you'll find something that corresponds with the dates of your trip. Keep in mind that this is very much just the tip of the iceberg--all of these Peruvian festivals are fantastic, but there are many more that we've had to leave out simply due to the nature of our list. If we haven't included any options that work out with your travel itinerary, don't fret--get to researching and we're sure you'll find the festival for you.

So without further ado, let's get to it! Here is our list of twelve awesome Peruvian festivals, one for each month of the year:

1. January--Trujillo Marinera Festival

Trujillo, a coastal city in northern Peru, is the traditional home of the marinera, an elegant couple's dance making use of handkerchiefs as props. Since 1986 it's been the official national capital of this dance, a status celebrated annually in a month-long marinera festival held throughout the city! The Festival de Marinera, as it's known in Spanish, features dance competitions, parades, and even exhibitions of the Peruvian Paso, a breed of horse also recognized as part of the cultural patrimony of the Trujillo region. One of our favorite Peruvian festivals, this one is a can't miss if you find yourself in the area during January.

2. February--Fiesta de la Candelaria

The Fiesta de la Candelaria is not only the largest and most famous festival in Peru, but also one of the largest in South America as a whole--in fact, throughout the continent, it's only dwarfed by the world-famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and the Carnaval de Ouro in Bolivia. The first of many religious Peruvian festivals on our list, the Fiesta de la Candelaria celebrates the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the town of Puno where the festivities are held. Music and dance are at the core of this festival, all of it performed by elaborately-costumed participants numbering well over 40,000. An incredible two week-long synthesis of indigenous and Catholic traditions, this is one of the most iconic Peruvian festivals.

3. March--Festival Internacional de la Vendimia

Depending upon where Easter falls during a given year, the month of March can either be very busy or very quiet as far as major Peruvian festivals are concerned. That said, we figured we may as well take a break from the religious festivals to focus on something else with a different sort of appeal--wine! The Ica Region of Peru is famous for a number of things, the Nazca Lines and the desert oasis of La Huacachina among them, but those in-the-know also recognize it as the finest wine-producing region in the country. This role has been celebrated annually in March since the 1950s during the Festival Internacional de la Vendimia, or the International Harvest Festival, in which a queen is famously chosen to ceremoniously stomp the first grapes of the season.

 4. April--Festividad del Señor del los Temblores del Cusco

El Señor de los Temblores, or the Lord of the Earthquakes, is the patron saint of Cusco and the celebratory focus of this major Holy Week celebration. The story goes that during an earthquake here in 1650, a canvas image of Jesus Christ was held to the sky as prayers were offered, causing the tremors to subside and saving the town from ruin. Since then, this statue commemorating the original image has become the focal point of an important annual celebration. Each Easter Monday at 7 PM, the statue is removed from Cusco's cathedral and paraded throughout the city. Amazingly, it's said that the statue was not originally black, but rather that its color is due to years of exposure to smoke from incense during religious ceremonies.

5. May--Fiesta de las Cruces

First of all, let's be clear: the Fiesta de las Cruces, or the Festival of the Crosses, is not a uniquely Peruvian celebration. However, the way the Peruvians celebrate it does make it one of the most important Peruvian festivals. You see, the Festival of the Crosses is not held in just one spot in the country. Rather, the festival is celebrated in towns and cities throughout Peru, each putting their own unique spin on things. Though the name may conjure up solemn images, don't worry--festivals throughout the Peruvian highlands include music, dancing, and even events such as bullfighting as part of the celebrations.

6. June--Inti Raymi

Inti Raymi, the ancient Inca Festival of the Sun, is one of the most traditional Peruvian festivals on our list, indigenous in design and untouched by Catholic tradition. Held annually on June 24th, Inti Raymi is meant to celebrate the Winter Solstice--remember that we're in the Southern Hemisphere here! Banned by the Spanish and the Catholic Church after 1535, the modern incarnation of the celebration began in 1944 based on the few historical records of the festivities that managed to survive. Since then it has grown in size and scope, and though sometimes derided as tourist pageantry by detractors, its historical and cultural significance definitely make it worth checking out among the many Peruvian festivals.

7. July--Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen

Another fine example of traditional Andean culture blended with Catholicism, the Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen is held annually around the 16th of July in the relatively small town of Paucartambo, some four hours outside of Cusco. This three or four day festival is nominally religious but also one of the biggest and wildest parties in Peru, drawing visitors from all over the country, many of whom pass the nights sleeping under the stars as there's simply not enough space in town! If you know what you're looking for, you'll actually notice some serious Peruvian history depicted in the festival's songs, costumes, and dance--for example, black-masked dancers represent African slaves imported to work the silver mines here during the colonial era.

8. August--Día de Santa Rosa de Lima

Santa Rosa de Lima was the first native-born American saint canonized by the Catholic Church, and her legacy is celebrated throughout the world. However, it should come as no surprise that the grandest festivities take place in her home country of Peru. On August 30th, the anniversary of her death, celebrations and memorials take place throughout the country, the most famous being in Santa Rosa de Quives just outside of the capital city itself.

9. September--Mistura Culinary Festival

As you should know by now, Peruvian cuisine is some of the world's best and Lima in particular features what is probably South America's most impressive culinary scene. And as if the food wasn't enticing enough year round, the prospect of eating your way through Peru becomes even more appealing each September when the Mistura Culinary Festival rolls around. Featuring over 200 restaurants and bars not to mention plenty of outdoor vendors and food carts, well over half a million visitors stop by to enjoy the festival's offerings over the course of some ten days in mid-September. Though certainly not one of the most traditional Peruvian festivals on our list, this is without a doubt the most delicious.

10. October--Procesión del Señor de los Milagros

The story might sound a bit familiar--an 18th Century earthquake destroyed a good part of town leaving only this iconic image of Jesus Christ standing. This was considered a miracle, the image became even more venerated, and with time the celebration of its feast day became the largest religious celebration in Peru featuring one of the longest processions of any religious gathering in the world. If you're just looking to have fun, this one probably isn't for you--however, this considerably more solemn celebration is one of the most important Peruvian festivals and we couldn't leave it off our list.

11. November--Puno Week

Perhaps the name Puno rings a bell? If so, you've got a good memory--this is the same city where our February festival choice of the Fiesta de la Candelaria took place! Puno Week takes place during the beginning of November and centers around November 5th, also known as Puno Day. The purpose of Puno Day, and by extension Puno Week, is to celebrate the legendary birth of one Manco Cápac, said to be the first Inca. This involves a very interesting reenactment of his arrival on the shores of Lake Titicaca bordering the city--and it's also just a great excuse to party the whole week long.

12. December--Santuranticuy

As we wind down our list, a few things should by now be obvious: the first is that Peruvians love their festivals, and the second is that many of these Peruvian festivals feature religious--and here that means Catholic--themes. The final entry on our list is of course no exception--Santuranticuy is held exclusively in the city of Cusco each year on Christmas Eve, December 24th, and is essentially a massive outdoor marketplace set up to celebrate the holiday. The festival's name, which means "sale of saints," is quite appropriate, as the primary draw here are dolls, sculptures, and figurines used to decorate the nacimientos, or Catholic nativity scenes, found in many Peruvian homes during the Christmas season. However, even if you aren't religious, you're sure to find something of interest at this most shopper-friendly of Peruvian festivals.

As tests increase on the Island of Montreal, the city announced Saturday that 33 more people have died and 420 new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Canadian Felicia (Feenom) Spencer's on-again off-again title challenge against UFC featherweight champion Amanda (Lioness) Nunes has been confirmed for UFC 250.

Residents of Quebec’s regions want Montrealers to stay away, considering the city has the highest concentration of COVID-19 infections in Canada.

Deaths and hospitalizations related to COVID-19 could increase dramatically in Montreal if social distancing measures are lifted, according to a new study.

Filed under: Asia, Thailand

Not only are tourists still coming, but they've been arriving in increasing numbers in recent years, according to government data.

Continue reading Demonstrations in Thailand? No Problem, Travelers Say.

Demonstrations in Thailand? No Problem, Travelers Say. originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 02 Dec 2013 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A bodyguard of Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi has been arrested with four others by the Green Scorpions for illegal hunting on a private farm outside East London, as well as for breaking Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

While the phased-in reopening of schools in South Africa in the midst of Covid-19 remains provisional and sensitive, the Western Cape Education Department has advised principals and school management teams to wait a few more days before returning.

Messages to mothers and words of support were front and centre as Edmontonians cruised by MacTaggart Place retirement residence on Saturday afternoon.

Several local food trucks held a pop-up drive-thru at the Southgate Mall parking lot on Saturday.

Soon after CTV News Edmonton aired a story about a local wood carver who had one of his carvings stolen, he got a knock on his door.

It seemed like such a great idea at the time. You wanted to put together a video for a loved one, including all their family and friends singing their praises, making their life look as epic as a Hollywood production.

Oh, it was a Hollywood production, all right. Contributors showed up late and sent weird file formats, editing took forever, the music wasn’t right...and on it went. Before you know it, a simple tribute video you thought might take an hour or two consumed multiple nights and had you cursing the day you ever thought of the idea.

Video montages take work. But by enlisting Tribute to help you assemble your message of love, It’s all a lot more manageable.

In fact, the Tribute process is so easy that you probably won’t have to do more than a few minutes of work to produce a high-quality tribute video that brings tears of joy. No, seriously...Tribute swears 80 percent of their videos elicit actual tears of joy. Of course, there’s no way of knowing their metrics for judging the results of their 500,000 Tribute videos so far...but if they’re close, your odds for an emotional testament to your subject are pretty darn high.

With Tribute, you just enter the emails for all the people you’d like to contribute to the video. Tribute emails your participants, explains the project, and guides your subjects through how to shoot and submit their segment for the finished video.

Once all your videos are in, Tribute will compile all your clips into a touching, polished montage. Read the rest

Canadians working aboard two cruise ships who weren't allowed to come to shore because of concerns about COVID-19 are finally able to return home.

The following article, Rep. Ilhan Omar Asks For Contributions To Her Campaign To Help MN Food Bank…Food Bank Director Says Omar Has Nothing To Do With Project: “I have no idea where this money is going”, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

Ilhan Omar is a lot of things. First, and foremost, she’s deceitful. David Steinberg of PJ Media was one of the first investigative journalists to break the story about the anti-Semitic, freshman lawmaker’s marriage to her immigrant brother while she was still married to her first husband, who she has since divorced after having an […]

Continue reading: Rep. Ilhan Omar Asks For Contributions To Her Campaign To Help MN Food Bank…Food Bank Director Says Omar Has Nothing To Do With Project: “I have no idea where this money is going” ...

China's National Health Commission reported 14 new confirmed coronavirus cases on May 9, the highest number since April 28, including the first for more than a month in the city of Wuhan where the outbreak was first detected late last year. While China had officially designated all areas of the country as low-risk last Thursday, the new cases according to data published on Sunday represent a jump from the single case reported for the day before. The new Wuhan case, the first reported in the epicentre of China's outbreak since April 3, was previously asymptomatic, according to the health commission.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Saturday for caution and expressed concern about loosening lockdown measures in Montreal, the epicenter of Canada's coronavirus outbreak. While several Canadian provinces, including Quebec, are preparing reopening measures and a gradual revival of their economies, Trudeau stressed prudence and said that the country is not yet out of danger. Quebec is the worst-hit province in Canada, with more than half of both the country's 67,000 cases of coronavirus and 4,700 deaths.

Antibodies are widely used as cancer therapeutics, but their current use is limited by the low number of antigens restricted to cancer cells. A receptor tyrosine kinase, receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2), is normally expressed only during embryogenesis and is tightly down-regulated in postnatal healthy tissues. However, it is up-regulated in a diverse set of hematologic and solid malignancies, thus ROR2 represents a candidate antigen for antibody-based cancer therapy. Here we describe the affinity maturation and humanization of a rabbit mAb that binds human and mouse ROR2 but not human ROR1 or other human cell-surface antigens. Co-crystallization of the parental rabbit mAb in complex with the human ROR2 kringle domain (hROR2-Kr) guided affinity maturation by heavy-chain complementarity-determining region 3 (HCDR3)-focused mutagenesis and selection. The affinity-matured rabbit mAb was then humanized by complementarity-determining region (CDR) grafting and framework fine tuning and again co-crystallized with hROR2-Kr. We show that the affinity-matured and humanized mAb retains strong affinity and specificity to ROR2 and, following conversion to a T cell–engaging bispecific antibody, has potent cytotoxicity toward ROR2-expressing cells. We anticipate that this humanized affinity-matured mAb will find application for antibody-based cancer therapy of ROR2-expressing neoplasms.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App) is the etiological agent of acute porcine pneumonia and responsible for severe economic losses worldwide. The capsule polymer of App serotype 1 (App1) consists of [4)-GlcNAc-β(1,6)-Gal-α-1-(PO4-] repeating units that are O-acetylated at O-6 of the GlcNAc. It is a major virulence factor and was used in previous studies in the successful generation of an experimental glycoconjugate vaccine. However, the application of glycoconjugate vaccines in the animal health sector is limited, presumably because of the high costs associated with harvesting the polymer from pathogen culture. Consequently, here we exploited the capsule polymerase Cps1B of App1 as an in vitro synthesis tool and an alternative for capsule polymer provision. Cps1B consists of two catalytic domains, as well as a domain rich in tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). We compared the elongation mechanism of Cps1B with that of a ΔTPR truncation (Cps1B-ΔTPR). Interestingly, the product profiles displayed by Cps1B suggested processive elongation of the nascent polymer, whereas Cps1B-ΔTPR appeared to work in a more distributive manner. The dispersity of the synthesized products could be reduced by generating single-action transferases and immobilizing them on individual columns, separating the two catalytic activities. Furthermore, we identified the O-acetyltransferase Cps1D of App1 and used it to modify the polymers produced by Cps1B. Two-dimensional NMR analyses of the products revealed O-acetylation levels identical to those of polymer harvested from App1 culture supernatants. In conclusion, we have established a protocol for the pathogen-free in vitro synthesis of tailored, nature-identical App1 capsule polymers.

This report focuses on the development of children of Black immigrants in the United States, comparing against the outcomes for their peers in native-born and other immigrant families. It also compares these U.S. children to those in the United Kingdom, where there is a large Black immigrant population but a notably different policy context of reception.

Using a nationally representative U.S. birth-cohort study, this report examines levels of school readiness among young children by race/ethnicity and nativity. The authors identify the contextual factors — such as family circumstances, parenting practices, and enrollment in center-based child care — that encourage early school success.

ADVISORY COLUMN: SMALL BUSINESS On Thursday, May 7, the RJR/GLEANER Communications group staged a virtual town hall meeting on Television Jamaica titled “COVID-19...

This report analyzes the labor market integration of newcomers to Germany, who tend to have different national origins and higher levels of education than earlier waves of migrants. These new immigrants have had varying levels of success in finding employment and transitioning into higher-skilled jobs.

Testimony of Marc R. Rosenblum, Deputy Director, U.S. Immigration Program, before the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency.

Testimony of Marc Rosenblum before the Senate Judiciary Committee for the December 2, 2015 hearing on priorities for immigration enforcement and the use of prosecutorial discretion. 

The leaky roof on the Edmonton police campus facility needs to be replaced, adding $8 million to an already delayed and over-budget project, according to a report headed before city councillors on Monday. 

Correctional Service of Canada says an inmate, who escaped from an Edmonton facility in 2018, was arrested by police in Saskatoon on Saturday morning.

There has been a surge in demand for spots in most regions as businesses reopen and parents go back to work. Daycare operators need to figure out how to shuffle around the children of essential workers. 

After flip-flops, IndiGo clarifies pay cut for senior employees will be for entire 2020-21  MoneycontrolCovid-19: IndiGo's senior employees to face pay cut up to 25% for entire FY21  LivemintAfter Flip-Flops, IndiGo Announces Pay Cu...

The tandem of Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland won't return to ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast booth, according to media reporter Richard Deitsch of The Athletic.