Maternal care in Gargaphia decoris (Heteroptera, Tingidae), with comments on this behavior within the genus and family

Maternal care in Gargaphia decoris is described for the first time. A video is presented as supplementary material. The knowledge on such trait within Tingidae is summarized. The behavior within the family is discussed, and the potential as a source of phylogenetic characters for further analyses is stressed.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, June 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, July 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

International Union of Pharmacology. XXXV. The glucagon receptor family.

Peptide hormones within the secretin-glucagon family are expressed in endocrine cells of the pancreas and gastrointestinal epithelium and in specialized neurons in the brain, and subserve multiple biological functions, including regulation of growth, nutrient intake, and transit within the gut, and digestion, energy absorption, and energy assimilation. Glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1, glucagon-like peptide-2, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, growth hormone-releasing hormone and secretin are structurally related peptides that exert their actions through unique members of a structurally related G protein-coupled receptor class 2 family. This review discusses advances in our understanding of how these peptides exert their biological activities, with a focus on the biological actions and structural features of the cognate receptors. The receptors have been named after their parent and only physiologically relevant ligand, in line with the recommendations of the International Union of Pharmacology Committee on Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification (NC-IUPHAR).

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, August 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

How do thyroid hormone receptors bind to structurally diverse response elements?

Three classes of thyroid hormone response elements have been described. They are composed of two half-sites arranged either as a palindromic, a direct repeat or as an inverted palindromic array. Receptor homodimers as well as heterodimers can bind to all three types of response element. While the ligand binding domain of the receptors provides the major dimerization surface, asymmetric contacts between the DNA binding domains are necessary for binding to a direct repeat. Moreover, some recent findings suggest that in TR, compared to RXR, the ligand binding domain has a 180 degrees rotation with respect to the DNA binding domain. This feature could explain the preferential binding of the RXR-TR heterodimer to the direct repeat response element, in which RXR exclusively binds the 5' half-site, and of the TR homodimer to the inverted palindrome response element.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, September 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

A phylogenetic study of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase multigene family in Poaceae: understanding the molecular changes linked to C4 photosynthesis evolution

Phylogenetic reconstructions have supported several independent appearances of C₄ photosynthesis within grasses (Poaceae). These recurrent appearances appear to contradict the large number of biochemical and morphological changes required to change from C₃ to C₄, a paradox that leads to questions about the genetic changes underlying C₄ evolution. In this study, we analysed sequences encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylases (PEPCs) in grasses in order to gain insights into the origin of the ppc-C₄ gene, which encodes a key enzyme in the C₄ pathway. We screened databanks for PEPC genes or cDNAs in grasses. A coding sequence of 1130 base pairs was used to build phylogenetic trees that supported the existence of four distinct PEPC gene lineages. Ppc-C₄ present in all C₄ grasses was also found in two C₃ species. The ppc-C₄ clade was congruent with the species tree, suggesting orthologous evolution. This result would imply that ppc-C₄ appeared without any duplication event. Nevertheless, caution is needed since the sampling of our study is still far from comprehensive. Further investigation with an increased sampling is recommended to elucidate the evolutionary changes underlying ppc-C₄ gene evolution in grasses.

Cohesion, satisfaction with family bonds, and emotional well-being in families with adolescents

The present paper investigated whether higher cohesion and satisfaction with family bonds were associated with the daily experience of emotional well-being in varying social circumstances. Using a sample of school-age adolescents (N = 95) and both their parents, data were gathered daily over 1 week using a diary approach in addition to self-report instruments. Multilevel analyses revealed higher cohesion to be associated with well-being in fathers and adolescents, but not in mothers. Parents also reported higher well-being when with friends or colleagues than when alone. Moreover, fathers who scored higher on cohesion reported higher well-being when with family members than when alone, whereas adolescents who scored higher on satisfaction with bonds reported lower well-being when with peers or siblings than when alone.

Novel role of a family of major facilitator transporters in biofilm development and virulence of Candida albicans.

The QDR (quinidine drug resistance) family of genes encodes transporters belonging to the MFS (major facilitator superfamily) of proteins. We show that QDR transporters, which are localized to the plasma membrane, do not play a role in drug transport. Hence, null mutants of QDR1, QDR2 and QDR3 display no alterations in susceptibility to azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, polyamines or quinolines, or to cell wall inhibitors and many other stresses. However, the deletion of QDR genes, individually or collectively, led to defects in biofilm architecture and thickness. Interestingly, QDR-lacking strains also displayed attenuated virulence, but the strongest effect was observed with qdr2∆, qdr3∆ and in qdr1/2/3∆ strains. Notably, the attenuated virulence and biofilm defects could be reversed upon reintegration of QDR genes. Transcripts profiling confirmed differential expression of many biofilm and virulence-related genes in the deletion strains as compared with wild-type Candida albicans cells. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis of QDR-deletion mutants suggests massive remodelling of lipids, which may affect cell signalling, leading to the defect in biofilm development and attenuation of virulence. In summary, the results of the present study show that QDR paralogues encoding MFS antiporters do not display conserved functional linkage as drug transporters and perform functions that significantly affect the virulence of C. albicans.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, October 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

Bringing Funds of Family Knowledge to school. The Living Morocco Project (“برغملا شيعلا”)

The purpose of the study, grounded in sociocultural theory, is to describe the funds of knowledge of a Moroccan family living in Catalonia (Spain) in order to document how teachers can use these funds of knowledge to make direct links between students' lives and classroom teaching. The funds of knowledge approach is based on a simple premise: regardless of any socio-economical and sociocultural "deficit" that people may or may not have all families accumulate bodies of beliefs, ideas, skills and abilities based on their experiences (in areas such as their occupation or their religion). The challenge consists in connecting these bodies of educational resources with teaching practice in order to connect the curriculum with students' lives. In doing so, qualitative research can be carried out using several techniques such as self portraits, self-definition tasks, assessment of family artefacts, documenting routines through photographs, or the analysis of a person's significant circle. The results in terms of teaching practices illustrate the variety of ways teachers can make connections between home and school in ways that assist learners in their academic development. In this article, we propose using the term funds of identity to complement the concept of funds of knowledge

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, November 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program