Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two sides of intensive parenting: Present and future dimensions in contemporary relations between parents and children in Spain

The objective of this article is to identify and analyse discourses in Spain on intensive parenting in the context of the changes that have taken place in relations between parents and their children in contemporary societies. To do this, the author analyses the discourses from 16 in-depth interviews carried out with parents and from 14 focus groups of 11- and 12-year-old children. The article makes a distinction between two analytical dimensions of intensive parenting: intensive parenting for the future, which refers to the growing emphasis of parents on children’s cognitive development and education, and intensive parenting for the present, which refers to supervision and protection of children in the face of unexpected events affecting their safety and well-being. The article addresses how the perception of new risks and uncertainties strongly encourages different forms of control and greater individualism as families attempt to maximize the advantages of their own members, generating increasingly inegalitarian effects.
Negative regulation of FcϵRI signaling by FcγRII costimulation in human blood basophils

Abstract Background: Signaling through the antigen receptors of human B and T cells and the high-affinity IgE receptor FcϵRI of rodent mast cells is decreased by cross-linking these receptors to the low-affinity IgG receptor FcγRII. The inhibition is thought to involve the tyrosine phosphorylation of immunoreceptor tyrosine–based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) in the FcγRIIB cytoplasmic tail, creating binding sites for SH2-containing protein (Src homology domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 and 2 [SHP-1, SHP-2]) and/or lipid (SH2 domain-containing polyphosphatidyl-inositol 5-phosphatase) phosphatases that oppose activating signals from the costimulated antigen receptors. Objective: In human basophils and mast cells FcϵRI signaling generates mediators and cytokines responsible for allergic inflammation. We proposed to determine whether FcϵRI signaling is inhibited by FcγRII costimulation in human basophils and to explore the underlying mechanism as an approach to improving the treatment of allergic inflammation. Methods: FcγR expression on human basophils was examined using flow cytometry and RT-PCR analysis. FcγRII/FcϵRI costimulation was typically accomplished by priming cells with anti-dinitrophenol (DNP) IgE and anti-DNP IgG and stimulating with DNP-BSA. Phosphatases were identified by Western blotting, and their partitioning between membrane and cytosol was determined by cell fractionation. Biotinylated synthetic peptides and phosphopeptides corresponding to the FcγRIIB ITIM sequence were used for adsorption assays. Results: We report that peripheral blood basophils express FcγRII (in both the ITIM-containing FcγRIIB and the immunoreceptor tyrosine–based activation motif–containing FcγRIIA forms) and that costimulating FcγRII and FcϵRI inhibits basophil FcϵRI-mediated histamine release, IL-4 production, and Ca 2+ mobilization. The inhibition of basophil FcϵRI signaling by FcγRII/FcϵRI costimulation is linked to a significant decrease in Syk tyrosine phosphorylation. Human basophils express all 3 SH2-containing phosphatases. Conclusions: Evidence that FcγRII/FcϵRI costimulation induces SHP-1 translocation from the cytosolic to membrane fractions of basophils and that biotinylated synthetic peptides corresponding to the phosphorylated FcγRIIB ITIM sequence specifically recruit SHP-1 from basophil lysates particularly implicates this protein phosphatase in the negative regulation of FcϵRI signaling by costimulated FcγRII. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:337-48.)
Astacopsis gouldi Clark: habitat characteristics and relative abundance of juveniles

A survey of juvenile Astacopsis gouldi was conducted in streams in northern Tasmania. Differences in catch per unit distance (CPUD) and catch per unit area (CPUA) of juvenile A. gouldi between stream classes (as defined in the Tasmanian Forest Practices Code) were examined, as well as relationships between CPUD, CPUA and habitat variables. Use of Class 4 streams (catchment area 100 ha) in the stream systems studied, with A. gouldi occurring in only very low densities in Class 4 streams. Streams of 50–200 ha catchment area (stream Classes 2 to 3) and potentially those with significant and sustained groundwater input were found to be important for A. gouldi. Streams with less than 2% area of substrate as silt, high proportions of moss cover, moderate to high proportions (10–30%) of substrate as boulders, and channel slopes of less than 15% were associated with higher densities of juvenile A. gouldi. Meso-habitat features favoured by juvenile A. gouldi included large rocks or logs that overlie coarser substrates and/or which had a distinct cavity underneath. These characteristics of optimal habitat can be used to identify sections of stream drainage that may require local or upstream protection measures for juvenile A. gouldi.
Effect of Sowing Date and Cutting Stage on Yield and Quality of Irrigated Barley and Triticale Used for Forage and Grain

The influence of cutting stage on forage and grain yield and quality has been studied in three barley and one triticale varieties, using two sowing dates in each of two sites. When cut at the first detectable node stage (C.31), forage yield was almost double the yield at the pseudo-stem erect stage (C.30). Barley yielded more forage than triticale at both cutting stages. Both species had similar forage protein content, but forage fibre content was greater in barley than in triticale. Cutting at stage 30 reduced grain yield by about 11 % and at stage 31 by nearly 35 %. Barley and triticale had similar grain yield. Grain protein content was not affected by forage removal, but was significantly greater in triticale than in barley. The later the stage of cutting, the greater was the delay in heading date. Triticale was more responsive to environmental conditions than barley.
Thermal stability of human α‐crystallins sensed by amide hydrogen exchange

The α‐crystallins, αA and αB, are major lens structural proteins with chaperone‐like activity and sequence homology to small heat‐shock proteins. As yet, their crystal structures have not been determined because of the large size and heterogeneity of the assemblies they form in solution. Because α‐crystallin chaperone activity increases with temperature, understanding structural changes of α‐crystallin as it is heated may help elucidate the mechanism of chaperone activity. Although a variety of techniques have been used to probe changes in heat‐stressed α‐crystallin, the results have not yet yielded a clear understanding of chaperone activity. We report examination of native assemblies of human lens α‐crystallin using hydrogen/deuterium exchange in conjunction with enzymatic digestion and analysis by mass spectrometry. This technique has the advantage of sensing structural changes along much of the protein backbone and being able to detect changes specific to αA and αB in the native assembly. The reactivity of the amide linkages to hydrogen/deuterium exchange was determined for 92% of the sequence of αA and 99% of αB. The behavior of αA and αB is remarkably similar. At low temperatures, there are regions at the beginning of the α‐crystallin domains in both αA and αB that have high protection to isotope exchange, whereas the C termini offer little protection. The N terminus of αA also has low protection. With increasing temperatures, both proteins show gradual unfolding. The maximum percent change in exposure with increasing temperatures was found in αA 72–75 and αB 76–79, two regions considered critical for chaperone activity.
Reinterpreting nineteenth-century accounts of whales battling ‘sea serpents’ as an illation of early entanglement in pre-plastic fishing gear or maritime debris

Entanglement of whales in active fishing gear and abandoned maritime debris is recognized to be a serious problem in contemporary marine conservation biology, one that is commonly believed to have its origin with the introduction of non-degrading plastic in the mid-twentieth century. As many sightings of purported sea serpents are now acknowledged to have been due to misidentified cetaceans, this anecdotal literature can provide a valuable resource for extending inferences about whale biology backward in time. This article examines this corpus of evidence to suggest that what have been mistakenly believed to have been sea serpents, sighted in both pre- and post-plastic time periods, were in fact sometimes entangled whales. Furthermore, and in particular, what were once a popular staple of nineteenth-century maritime lore – recountings of whales locked in mortal combat with sea serpents – are posited to be the earliest recorded observations existing of large cetaceans entangled in anthropogenic equipment or litter.
Novel aspects of TGFβ in human CD4 + T cell biology

I 1 Summary During this thesis, several novel aspects of TGFβ in human CD4 + T cell biology were investigated. First, we were interested, which factors control the resting state of CD4 + T cells. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of serum-deprived CD4 + T cells revealed TGFβ to be the most prominent factor controlling the homeostasis of CD4 + T cells. Furthermore, we could show that TGFβ is especially important for the control of CD4 + T cell homeostasis in the presence of low-level T cell stimulating signals. The finding that TGFβ is constantly signaling in human CD4 + T cells formed the basis for the investigation of the transcriptional changes in CD4 + T cells in response to clinical drug-mediated blockade of TGFβ signaling. This analysis in combination with validation experiments resulted in the identification of three novel biomarker genes, which can be used to monitor the effectiveness of clinical drugs targeting TGFβ signaling. Furthermore, we investigated the suppressive mechanisms of TGFβ and Treg cells. We were able to demonstrate that the inhibitory potential of TGFβ on human CD4 + T cells is independent of Treg cells. In contrast, Treg cell-mediated inhibition of CD4 + T cells is partially dependent on TGFβ. In addition, we investigated the influence of TGFβ on the induction of 'induced' human Treg cells derived from naïve T cells. In contrast to the murine system, we could induce suppressive FOXP3 + Treg cells via T cell activation ('activation-induced' Treg cells), independent of the presence of TGFβ. The transcriptional profile of these 'activation-induced' Treg cells was related to natural Treg cells, when addressing the Treg-specific genes. In contrast to mere T cell activation, the addition of TGFβ in the process of Treg cell induction ('TGFβ-induced' Treg cells) led to changes in the expression of several transcription factors in comparison to activation-induced Treg cells. One gene downregulated in natural as well as TGFβ-induced Treg cells but not in activation-induced Treg cells was the chromatin organizer SATB1. Therefore, regulation of this gene was investigated in more detail. T cell activation as well as TGFβ were identified to be implicated in the regulation of SATB1. Taken together, during this thesis several new aspects of TGFβ in the control of human CD4 + T cells homeostasis were demonstrated. This data formed the basis to develop biomarkers for clinical therapies targeting the TGFβ signaling pathway. Moreover, some implications of TGFβ on the …
Spatial patterns of invertebrate species richness in a river: the relationship between riffles and microhabitats

This study describes the pattern of invertebrate species richness in a river reach with large differences in habitat complexity at two, hierarchically nested, spatial scales. The aim was to determine whether the mass effect was likely to be increasing invertebrate species richness in epilithic microhabitats in this river. The mass effect is the process by which the species richness of a patch is increased when it acts as a ‘sink’ for species generated by ‘source’ patches. Microhabitat patch types in Mountain River, Tasmania, were distinguished on the basis of physical structure and orientation on the river bed. They were nested within two types of riffle with contrasting structural complexity: bedrock and boulder-cobble riffles. It was hypothesized that microhabitats with high species richness would act as source patches, contributing species to other microhabitats (sinks) and thereby increasing their species richness. Microhabitat sampling was carried out in four consecutive seasons and rarefaction was used to estimate riffle-scale species richness. Analysis of variance ( ANOVA) was used to compare the identical microhabitats present in the contrasting riffle types, to detect evidence of the mass effect in either riffle type. The more structurally complex boulder-cobble riffles had higher species richness than did bedrock riffles. Amongst the microhabitats, the spaces beneath the cobbles had the most species. Microhabitats accounted for a higher percentage of the variation in species richness than did differences between riffles of the same type. No evidence was found for the operation of the mass effect in either riffle type. The majority of species found only in boulder-cobble riffles were unique to the beneath-cobble microhabitat and appeared to be unable to colonize other microhabitats, even as transients. In Mountain River, small-scale habitat characteristics appeared to be more important than larger-scale effects in determining microhabitat species richness.
Screening Eucalyptus clones for salt tolerance

Agroforestry plantations offer environmentally acceptable strategies for the reuse of saline drainage waters. Tree species suitable for use in such systems must be selected for survival and sustained growth under highly saline conditions. In this screening trial, four clones of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. (4543, 4544, 4573, and 4590) and one clone of E. rudis Endl. (4501) were grown in greenhouse sand cultures irrigated with sodium sulfate-dominated waters. Solution compositions were prepared to simulate saline drainage waters typically found in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Electrical conductivities of the solutions ranged from 2 to 28 dS.m -1 . Treatments were replicated three times. All plants survived and were harvested after 7 weeks under saline treatment. Plant height was measured weekly and shoot biomass was determined at final harvest. The salinity levels that resulted in a 50% reduction in biomass production (C 50 ) were 16.4 (4573), 17.1 (4543), 17.7 (4544), 29.0 (4590), and 30.0 dS.m -1 (4501). Over the range of salinities from 4 to 20 dS.m -1 , clones 4501, 4590, and 4573 generally maintained higher relative growth rates (RGR) than did clones 4544 and 4543. However, at the highest salinity, RGRs of clones 4501, 4544, and 4573 were significantly greater than those of clones 4543 and 4590. Assessed on the basis of biomass production, clones 4501 (E. rudis) and 4590 (E. camaldulensis) showed exceptional potential for use in agroforestry systems where the saline drainage waters are sodium sulfate-dominated.
Common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis) interference in corn

Abstract Knowing the interference potential of common waterhemp in corn could be beneficial in planning waterhemp management strategies. In 2000, 2001, and 2002, field studies were conducted to examine both early- and late-season common waterhemp interference in corn. Early-season interference was determined by removing common waterhemp at the VE (vegetative emergence), V4 (four visible leaf collars), V6, V8, V10, V12, and V14 growth stages of corn for the entire season, and late-season interference was determined by allowing common waterhemp to emerge and compete from the VE, V4, V6, V8, V10, V12, and V14 corn growth stages. The interference potential of common waterhemp varied between the year 2000 and the combined years of 2001–2002. This is probably due to differences in precipitation in May and June in these two environments (297 mm in 2000 compared with 198 mm in 2001–2002). An excess of 590 g m−2 of dry matter and 13,000 and 1,200 seeds per female plant were produced when common waterhemp emerged at V4 and V6 corn, respectively, the 2 yr that corn was drought stressed. When corn was not moisture stressed, common waterhemp that emerged at V4 and V6 corn produced less than 220 g m−2 and less than 500 seeds per female plant. Season-long common waterhemp interference reduced corn yield 74% in 2 yr of the study and 11% in the third. Early-season common waterhemp interference began at V6 corn, with a 4 and 23% yield loss in 2000 and 2001–2002, respectively. Common waterhemp interference from late-season emergence reduced corn yield when emergence occurred before the V8 corn growth stage. Taking into account early- and late-season common waterhemp interference. the critical common waterhemp–free period was around the V6 corn stage to optimize corn yield. Nomenclature: Common waterhemp, Amaranthus rudis Sauer AMATA; corn, Zea mays L.
Calcium oxalate and sulphate‐containing structures on the thallial surface of the lichen Ramalina lacera: response to polluted air and simulated acid rain

The formation of calcium-containing structures on the thallial surface of the lichen Ramalina lacera (With.) J.R. Laund. in response to air pollution and to simulated acid rain, was studied in in situ and transplanted thalli. In situ thalli were collected from an unpolluted site and transplanted to heavily polluted and less polluted sites for a 10 month period. Additional thalli were treated either with double distilled water or with simulated acid rain. Scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectrometry revealed that thallial surfaces of in situ R. lacera samples collected in unpolluted sites were covered with two kinds of calcium oxalate crystals: whewellite and weddellite. These aggregates of calcium oxalate crystals appear to disintegrate and provide a crystal layer on the thallial surface. Infrared spectroscopy of powder scraped from thallial surfaces of transplants, retrieved from non-polluted sites, showed the presence of whewellite and weddellite, whereas powders obtained from thalli retrieved from polluted sites contained whewellite, weddellite and gypsum. It is suggested that a certain fraction of the gypsum detected in crater-like structures in transplants from polluted sites and in thalli treated with simulated acid rain is endogenous and should be considered a biomineral.
Quantum efficiency of phytoplankton photochemistry measured continuously across gradients of nutrients and biomass in Lake Erie (Canada and USA) is strongly regulated by light but not by nutrient deficiency

Unattended sensor networks are a cost-effective strategy to enhance the resolution of environmental datasets and are required to understand how large aquatic ecosystems respond to complex stressors (e.g., climate change). We made unattended and continuous measurements of the quantum yield of photosystem II (ϕPSII ) photochemistry in the surface mixed layer of Lake Erie during three lake-wide cruises to observe how phytoplankton physiology varied across nutrient and taxonomic gradients. Three prominent diel ϕPSII patterns were noted. The diel maximum consistently occurred at sunrise or sunset, nocturnal measurements were consistently lower than diel maxima, and daytime values were strongly diminished by nonphotochemical quenching. The diurnal pattern was modeled as a function of irradiance to a mean accuracy of 0.03 to 0.04. Contrary to previously published reports in Lake Erie, ϕPSII was largely insensitive to indices of nutrient deficiency through space and time. This finding was consistent with much rec.
New Species of Anaplecta BURMEISTER, 1838 (Blattaria) from Chiapas Amber, Mexico

Order Blattaria (cockroaches) originated in Late Carboniferous (Brongniart 1885, Zhang et al. 2012) and during its evolution adapted to various environments gaining diverse morphological adaptations including diversification of orders Mantodea (mantises) and Isoptera (termites) during Late Jurrasic/Early Cretaceous (Vrsanský 2002, Vrsanský & Aristov 2014). Generic composition of fossil cockroaches of Cenozoic era is considered modern since with two exceptions (Anisyutkin & Grohn 2012, Vrsanský & Labandeira 2015) it is identical with the generic composition of living species. A new species of genus Anaplecta from Simojovel amber (Mexico: Chiapas), represented by single specimen, is reported herein, coming from Mazantic Shale, stratigraphically positioned right above the Oligocene/Miocene boundary at 23 Ma (Vega et al. 2009). Cockroach, less than 5 mm long, is characterised by slender body, prolonged mouthparts bearing long palpomeres with distinct flattened triangular terminal palpomere, large eyes, and long slender legs with distinctly long tibial spines. Some legand palp segments differ in dimensions on left side and right side of the body, indicating slight dextro-sinistral asymmetry (visualisation includes the first partial visual 3D extraction ). In contrast to Supella miocenica Vrsanský et al. 2011, but in concordance with other Cenozoic amber species, the present cockroach does not show any significantly primitive characters. The genus Anaplecta is cosmopolitan and 10 species live also in Mexico including Chiapas today. The new species is only the second (Vrsanský et al 2011; Ischnoptera Burmeister, 1838 reported by Solorzano-Kraemer 2007) cockroach described from this amber. In addition to indigenous genera mentioned above and those characteristic for America, the present found is the first Cenozoic American occurrence of a living cosmopolitan genus. Supella Shelford, 1911, although known from the Chiapas amber apparently went extinct in Americas and today it is still present in other continents.
Characterization and content of total soluble protein and amino acids of traditional common bean cultivars collected in Parana state, Brazil

Twenty-five traditional landrace cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Parana State, Brazil, representing five commercial seed classes, Carioca, Preto, Navy, Rosinha and Manteigao, were analyzed for total soluble protein and amino acid contents. Total soluble protein content ranged from 11.5 to 36% and the total soluble amino acids ranged from 1163 to 2120 µmol . g -1 . When total protein was separated by gel electrophoresis, bands corresponding to molecular weights of 249 and 264 bp (S phaseolin type) were observed for 17 cultivars. In the case of T phaseolin, three bands (246 to 300 bp) were detected for eight cultivars. Results demonstrated that among the 25 cultivars tested, eight showed T phaseolin (Andean) and 17 S phaseolin type (Mesoamerican). Data from this study would suggest that genetic variability observed in total protein and soluble amino acid contents in the 25 traditional bean cultivars from Brazil may be used to enhance protein content of future common bean cultivars. These common bean cultivars also possess genes that could be useful in breeding programs to enhance resistance to Andean and Mesoamerican races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum.
MICROMORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE SEEDS IN BULGARIAN REPRESENTATIVES OF GENUS PHELIPANCHE (POMEL) SOJAK (OROBANCHACEAE)

Seeds of six species of genus Phelipanche (Pomel) Sojak in Bulgaria as Ph. arenaria (Borkh.) Pomel, Ph. purpurea (Jacq.) Sojak, Ph. mutelii (Shultz) Pomel, Ph. ramosa (L.) Pomel, Ph. nana (Reut.) Sojak and Ph. oxyloba (Reut.) Sojak are investigated. Internal and external volumes of the seeds are calculated on the basis of measured seed parameters. The ornamentation of the internal tangential cell walls of the testa is described. Analytical key by the seed morphology is compiled.