Bile acids (BAs) have been established as ubiquitous regulatory molecules implicated in a large variety of healthy and pathological processes. However, the scope of BA heterogeneity is often underrepresented in current literature. This is due in part to inadequate detection methods, which fail to distinguish the individual constituents of the BA pool. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to develop a method that would allow the simultaneous analysis of specific C24 BA species, and to apply that method to biological systems of interest. Herein, we describe the generation and validation of an LC-MS/MS assay for quantification of numerous BAs in a variety of cell systems and relevant biofluids and tissue. These studies included the first baseline level assessment for planar BAs, including allocholic acid, in cell lines, biofluids, and tissue in a nonhuman primate (NHP) laboratory animal, Macaca mulatta, in healthy conditions. These results indicate that immortalized cell lines make poor models for the study of BA synthesis and metabolism, whereas human primary hepatocytes represent a promising alternative model system. We also characterized the BA pool of M. mulatta in detail. Our results support the use of NHP models for the study of BA metabolism and pathology in lieu of murine models. Moreover, the method developed here can be applied to the study of common and planar C24 BA species in other systems.

The histidine kinase Hik33 plays important roles in mediating cyanobacterial response to divergent types of abiotic stresses including cold, salt, high light (HL), and osmotic stresses. However, how these functions are regulated by Hik33 remains to be addressed. Using a hik33-deficient strain (hik33) of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis) and quantitative proteomics, we found that Hik33 depletion induces differential protein expression highly similar to that induced by divergent types of stresses. This typically includes downregulation of proteins in photosynthesis and carbon assimilation that are necessary for cell propagation, and upregulation of heat shock proteins, chaperons, and proteases that are important for cell survival. This observation indicates that depletion of Hik33 alone mimics divergent types of abiotic stresses, and that Hik33 could be important for preventing abnormal stress response in the normal condition. Moreover, we found the majority of proteins of plasmid origin were significantly upregulated in hik33, though their biological significance remains to be addressed. Together, the systematically characterized Hik33-regulated cyanobacterial proteome, which is largely involved in stress responses, builds the molecular basis for Hik33 as a general regulator of stress responses.

Drones and the European Union: Prospects for a Common Future Research paper sysadmin 30 January 2018

The debate over the use of drones is an opportunity for states to identify elements of military practice that their publics find uncomfortable or troubling, and to explain these areas of military operations in context.

Summary

• The debate over the use of drones is an opportunity for states to identify elements of military practice that their publics find uncomfortable or troubling, and to explain these areas of military operations in context.
• Countries would benefit from working together to identify accountability gaps arising from fundamental elements of military cooperation, including the role of intelligence transfers in joint operations, and the distribution of responsibility for lethal actions in the context of coalition operations.
• Transparency in investigation procedures, as well as devoting sufficient resources towards ensuring that mistakes are identified, will improve the perception of drone use among domestic audiences.
• Identifying and communicating common standards and practices of mitigating complicity should be a priority for countries to ensure that they do not unwittingly become complicit in unlawful lethal operations.
• Although operational safety may hinder the ability of states to be completely transparent, understanding among the general public could be improved through the communication of policies and procedures regarding non-lethal assistance to partner states conducting lethal operations, both inside and outside the context of an armed conflict.

The Commonwealth reimagined 8 November 2022 — 6:00PM TO 7:00PM Anonymous (not verified) 18 October 2022 Chatham House and Online

Ghana’s minister of foreign Affairs, the Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, discusses her vision for a modern Commonwealth and how it can evolve and match demands from its members.

The death of HM Queen Elizabeth II has focused attention on the future of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is an expanding voluntary organization of 56 independent countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific.

Its appeal is increasingly beyond the circle of former British colonies – ex-French colonies Togo and Gabon officially joined in October 2022 and the ex-Portuguese colony, Angola, has applied. The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, is its main intergovernmental agency, which coordinates and carries out much of the Commonwealth’s work, supported by a network of more than 80 organizations.

King Charles III now heads the Commonwealth, which is focused on shared goals of prosperity, democracy and peace. However, the future of the Commonwealth and its purpose are unclear, and the organization needs to develop a sharper agenda on what its international contribution can be across its 56 state members and their peoples.

The minister discusses key questions including:

• What should a modern Commonwealth look like and how can it best operate?

• How can the organization impact policies and actions at a country level?

• What role will young people play in the future of the Commonwealth?

• How can the organization harness collective resources and technology to tackle major global issues such as climate change?

• Can the issue of mobility and immigration among member states be managed?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined commonly used oral phenylephrine is "not effective" and has proposed its removal from over-the-counter nasal decongestants.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined commonly used oral phenylephrine is "not effective" and has proposed its removal from over-the-counter nasal decongestants.

North Dakota lawmakers fended off an effort to ensure that the state's new standards, and any tests that might be used with them, won't mirror the common core.

Board members didn't act on a resolution to revoke Alabama's version of the Common Core State Standards.

The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, or ConnCAN, has profiled five successful early childhood education programs in other states for ideas to help programs in Connecticut.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis is renewing a political trend that had fallen dormant: calling for the end of the use of the shared standards.

Florida's governor declares a standards overhaul would "remove all vestiges" of the common core. But it remains unclear how much is really changing under the Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking.

The state's board voted not to open the Common Core to revision, but its commissioner still plans to review them informally, with an eye to future changes.

The Manchester district in the Granite State has worked to develop its own content standards. How do they differ from the common core?

Recently, more than 70 Scandinavians gathered to commemorate 40+ years of the OM Ships ministry.

A local Chinese mother teaches Cantonese to three Pakistani mothers before they all watch the film 'Magdalena: Released from Shame' together.

Penn State Laureate Michele Dunleavy, professor of dance at the University Park campus, will visit Penn State Altoona, Beaver, Shenango and Behrend the week of Sept. 16 for class visits, performances and workshops. It will be the first leg of her tour across the commonwealth during the 2024–25 academic year.

Penn State announced the recipients of the inaugural Commonwealth Campus Undergraduate Community-Engaged Research Awards, a new program designed for faculty who specifically support undergraduate student participation in research that aims to improve community well-being.

Faculty and staff from Penn State Lehigh Valley were among the slate of presenters and panelists at the annual Commonwealth Connections Instructor Days, a virtual event whose goal is to share strategies and tools for success in teaching.

Penn State Greater Allegheny’s fourth annual All Campus Day introduced the "Growing Older" common intellectual experience, aimed at exploring and understanding the complexities of aging, especially in a region with a significant senior population.

The PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments have evolved since they were launched in 2015. Here's a guide to understanding them now.

As the two big groups of states craft common-assessment systems, experts warn that the smallest details could undermine their work.

Five Penn State Commonwealth Campus leaders will be retiring from the University in the coming weeks and months, Penn State Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses and Executive Chancellor Margo DelliCarpini has announced.

At seven of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses, campus gardens and farms help to connect students with nature. Programs aimed at sustainable food practices and mental well-being help to create an environment for growth and joy within the community. 

At seven of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses, campus gardens and farms help to connect students with nature. Programs aimed at sustainable food practices and mental well-being help to create an environment for growth and joy within the community. 

Students who meet transfer requirements at Lehigh Carbon Community College are guaranteed admission to Penn State Hazleton, Lehigh Valley, Schuylkill and Wilkes-Barre.

Vegetable or fruit? You'll be amazed to know which vegetables are technically fruits.

PHILADEPHIA — The Attorneys General of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania reiterated their support for common sense gun safety laws today as attorneys for the States of Delaware and New Jersey delivered oral arguments defending landmark gun safety legislation. In Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association v. Delaware Department of Safety & Homeland Security, currently before the […]

Russia is pursuing, during these contemporary times, a new form of economic architecture, non-hegemonic policies and simultaneously portraying its first-class military power in the world. Russia’s development paradigm is distinctively different and largely oriented towards Global South. While Russia stands against Western hegemony and dominance, and against NATO, Israel maintains a complex relationship between the […]

New research is revealing that common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with important implications for tackling political polarisation and the future of AI

New research is revealing that common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with important implications for tackling political polarisation and the future of AI

Title: 2 Common Blood Pressure Meds Fare Equally in Preventing Heart Woes
Category: Health News
Created: 8/27/2012 6:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Brain Bleeds More Common in Smokers, Research Shows
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2012 10:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Title: Prescription Sleep Aids a Common Choice for American Insomnia
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2013 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2013 12:00:00 AM

Title: Food Allergies More Common Among Inner City Kids, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 8/22/2014 12:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: 'Sleep Drunkenness' Is Common and Linked to Other Behavior Issues
Category: Health News
Created: 8/25/2014 4:35:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: 'Doctor-Shopping' for Painkillers Common After Broken-Bone Surgery, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2014 9:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: Breast-Feeding May Pass Common Chemical to Baby, Study Shows
Category: Health News
Created: 8/21/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2015 12:00:00 AM

Title: Undiagnosed Heart Condition 'AFib' May Be Common, Study Suggests
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2017 12:00:00 AM

Title: Common Treatment for Early Prostate Cancer May Carry Heart Risk
Category: Health News
Created: 8/25/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2017 12:00:00 AM

Title: Common Painkillers May Boost Blood Pressure in Arthritis Patients
Category: Health News
Created: 8/30/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM

Title: For Seniors, 'Silent Strokes' Are Common Post-Surgery Threat: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Running Red Lights a Deadly Practice That's Becoming More Common
Category: Health News
Created: 8/29/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/29/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Common Diabetes Drug May Contain Traces of Carcinogen
Category: Health News
Created: 8/12/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/12/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: 'News Addiction' Is Common and Can Harm Your Mental Health
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: Heat Waves That Threaten Lives Will Be Common by 2100
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2022 12:00:00 AM

Title: The 8 Most Common Food Allergies
Category: Health and Living
Created: 7/13/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/13/2022 12:00:00 AM

PWAS (proteome-wide association study) is an innovative genetic association approach that complements widely used methods like GWAS (genome-wide association study). The PWAS approach involves consecutive phases. Initially, machine learning modeling and probabilistic considerations quantify the impact of genetic variants on protein-coding genes’ biochemical functions. Secondly, for each individual, aggregating the variants per gene determines a gene-damaging score. Finally, standard statistical tests are activated in the case-control setting to yield statistically significant genes per phenotype. The PWAS Hub offers a user-friendly interface for an in-depth exploration of gene–disease associations from the UK Biobank (UKB). Results from PWAS cover 99 common diseases and conditions, each with over 10,000 diagnosed individuals per phenotype. Users can explore genes associated with these diseases, with separate analyses conducted for males and females. For each phenotype, the analyses account for sex-based genetic effects, inheritance modes (dominant and recessive), and the pleiotropic nature of associated genes. The PWAS Hub showcases its usefulness for asthma by navigating through proteomic-genetic analyses. Inspecting PWAS asthma-listed genes (a total of 27) provide insights into the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Comparison of PWAS-statistically significant genes for common diseases to the Open Targets benchmark shows partial but significant overlap in gene associations for most phenotypes. Graphical tools facilitate comparing genetic effects between PWAS and coding GWAS results, aiding in understanding the sex-specific genetic impact on common diseases. This adaptable platform is attractive to clinicians, researchers, and individuals interested in delving into gene–disease associations and sex-specific genetic effects.

Visible particle is an important issue in the biopharmaceutical industry, and it may occur across all the stages in the life cycle of biologics. Upon the occurrence of visible particles, it is often necessary to conduct chemical identification and root cause analysis to safeguard the safety and efficacy of the biotherapeutic products. In this article, we present a number of typical particles and relevant root cause analysis in the categories of extrinsic, intrinsic, and inherent particles that are commonly encountered in the biopharma industry. In particular, the optical images of particles obtained both in situ and after isolation are provided, along with spectral and elemental information. The particle identification was carried out with multiple microscopic and microspectroscopic techniques, including stereo optical microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared microscopy, confocal Raman microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Both commercial and in-house spectral databases were used for comparison and identification. In addition to particle identification, we placed significant efforts on the root cause analysis of the addressed particles with the intention to provide a relatively whole picture of the particle-related issues and practical references to particle mitigation for our peers in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The potential for more than one distinct hematolymphoid neoplasm to arise from a common mutated stem or precursor cell has been proposed based on findings in primary human malignancies. Particularly, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), which shares a somatic mutation profile in common with other hematopoietic malignancies, has been reported to occur alongside myeloid neoplasms or clonal B-cell proliferations, with identical mutations occurring in more than one cell lineage. Here we report such a case of an elderly woman who was diagnosed over a period of 8 years with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, polycythemia vera, and AITL, each harboring identical somatic mutations in multiple genes. Overall, at least five identical nucleotide mutations were shared across multiple specimens, with two identical mutations co-occurring at variable variant allele frequencies in all three specimen types. These findings lend credence to the theory that a common mutated stem cell could give rise to multiple neoplasms through parallel hematopoietic differentiation pathways.