La protesta política: factores motivacionales y contextos

Las manifestaciones se han convertido en una forma de participación política común en los países occidentales, siendo omnipresentes en Europa y otras partes del mundo. Numerosos trabajos han estudiado las características de los participantes y los motivos asociados a la participación en esas acciones, proporcionando un cuerpo de conocimiento importante sobre por qué unos participan y otros no. Sin embargo, se ha creado una imagen demasiado homogénea del grupo de participantes. Superando esta limitación, la tesis presenta tres estudios empíricos comparativos donde se analizan los motivos de participación en manifestantes en diversas movilizaciones que tuvieron lugar entre 2009 y 2011 en Europa, confirmando que los motivos para participar, varían en función del perfil del manifestante y del contexto de la movilización

Mechanically fractionated flour isolated from green plantains (M. cavendishii var. nanica) as a tool to increase the dietary fiber and phytochemical bioactivity of layer and sponge cakes

This article describes the effect of mechanically fractionated flours from green bananas on the nutritional, physical and sensory attributes of two types of cakes (sponge and layer). A plausible 30% replacement of banana flour in the formulation of layer cakes is demonstrated, finding only a small decline in the sensory perception. On the contrary, sponge cakes were noticeable worsened with the use of banana flours (lower specific volume, worse sensory attributes and higher hardness), which was minimized when using fine flour. Both layer and sponge cakes exhibited an enhancement of the resistant starch and dietary fiber content with the replacement of green banana flour (up to a five-fold improvement in RS performance). Moreover, sponge cakes yielded more polyphenols and antioxidant capacity with banana flours, especially with the coarse fraction. Therefore, results showed that a mechanical fractionation allowed a feasible nutritional enhancement of cakes with the use of banana flours

Combination of extrusion and cyclodextrin glucanotransferase treatment to modify wheat flours functionality

This research aims to vary functional properties of native and extruded wheat flours combining cyclodextrin glucanotransferase and extrusion treatments. The level of released cyclodextrins (CD) was assessed, besides the microstructure, crystallinity, pasting properties and starch hydrolysis of the flours. Photomicrographs of enzymatically treated flours suggested the production of fragile structures that broke easily. Enzymatic hydrolysis was significantly higher in extruded flours, as confirmed the CD levels, being predominant the γ-CD followed by α-CD, whereas very low β-CD values were obtained probably due to the formation of CD–lipid complexes, as suggested X-ray diffractometry results. Both extruded and native samples showed very low viscosity and flat pasting profile consequence of the enzyme hydrolytic activity on the starch chains. Enzymatically treated flours (native and extruded) showed higher hydrolysis rates at the early hydrolysis stage, and extruded flours exhibited higher fractal exponent h in agreement with the extended crystalline structures resulting from enzymatic treatment.This study was financially supported by Junta de Castilla y León (Spain, Project VA054A12-2) and the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain, Project Prometeo 2012/064). The authors are also grateful to Molendum Ingredients and Novozymes for supplying the raw materials. MM Martínez and A Dura would like to thank predoctoral fellowship from Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, respectively.Peer reviewe

Environmental concern priming and social acceptance of sustainable technologies: the case of decentralized wastewater treatment systems

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, the water crisis is the fourth most serious global risk to society. The apparent limitations of the hydraulic paradigm to solving this crisis are leading to a change in water management approaches. Recently, decentralized wastewater treatment systems have re-emerged as a partial solution to this problem. However, to implement these systems successfully, it is necessary not only to design this technology but also to have social support and willingness among citizens to use it. Previous studies have shown that these technologies are often perceived as being too costly, and people often do not consider the need for adopting them. However, it has also been pointed out that thinking about these technologies as a sustainable endeavor to reduce human impact on the environment can help to overcome the barriers to usage. Thus, we test whether priming environmental concerns before presenting information about decentralized wastewater treatment plants will increase acceptance of those technologies. In this study, we test whether priming environmental concerns can enhance the acceptance of decentralized wastewater treatment plants even when presenting disadvantages of the technology. In order to do so, we designed an experimental study with a sample of 287 people (85.7% women, M age=20, 28). The experimental design was 2 (priming the environmental concern vs. no priming)×2 (type of information: only advantages vs. advantages and disadvantages). The results showed that those in the environmental concern priming condition had more positive attitudes and behavioral intentions toward decentralized wastewater treatment plants than those in the control condition group. Participants who received only advantages information had a more positive perception toward the decentralized wastewater systems than in the condition, where disadvantages were present, but in the priming condition this difference was not significant. This implies that priming environmental concern helps to overcome the possible disadvantages that act as barriers to acceptanceThis project had received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under grant agreement no. 730285. The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC/GPC2016-017-GI-1456, COSOYPA, and CRETUS Strategic Partnership (AGRUP2015/02). All these programs are co-funded by FEDER (UE)S

Ripe banana flour as a source of antioxidants in layer and sponge cakes

About one-fifth of all bananas harvested become culls that are normally disposed of improperly. However, ripe banana pulp contains significant amounts of fibre and polyphenol compounds as well as a high content of simple sugars (61.06g/100g), making it suitable for sucrose replacement in bakery products. This work studied the feasibility of incorporating ripe banana flour (20 and 40% of replacement) in cake formulation. Physical, nutritional and sensory attributes of sponge and layer cakes were evaluated. The inclusion of ripe banana flour generally led to an increased batter consistency that hindered cake expansion, resulting in a slightly lower specific volume and higher hardness. This effect was minimised in layer cakes where differences in volume were only evident with the higher level of replacement. The lower volume and higher hardness contributed to the decline of the acceptability observed in the sensory test. Unlike physical attributes, the banana flour inclusion significantly improved the nutritional properties of the cakes, bringing about an enhancement in dietary fibre, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity (up to a threefold improvement in antioxidant capacity performance). Therefore, results showed that sugar replacement by ripe banana flour enhanced the nutritional properties of cakes, but attention should be paid to its inclusion level.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project AGL2014-52928-C2-2-R

Specific Jak3 Downregulation in Lymphocytes Impairs γc Cytokine Signal Transduction and Alleviates Antigen-driven Inflammation In Vivo

Jak3, one of the four members comprising the Jak family of cytosolic tyrosine kinases, has emerged as a promising target for nontoxic immunotherapies. Although a number of Jak inhibitors has already demonstrated efficacy, they suffer from secondary effects apparently associated to their pan-Jak activity. However, whether selective Jak3 inhibition would afford therapeutic efficacy remains unclear. To address this question we have investigated the immunosuppressive potential of selective Jak3 intervention in lymphocytes using RNA interference (RNAi) technology in vitro and in vivo. Using synthetic small interference RNA (siRNA) sequences we achieved successful transfections into human and mouse primary T lymphocytes. We found that Jak3 knockdown was sufficient to impair not only interleukin-2 (IL-2) and T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated cell activation in vitro, but also antigen-triggereds welling, inflammatory cell infiltration, and proinflammatory cytokine raise in vivo. Furthermore, Jak1 (which mediates gamma c cytokine signaling in conjunction with Jak3) cosilencing did not provide higher potency to the aforementioned immunosuppressant effects. Our data provides direct evidences indicating that Jak3 protein plays an important role in gamma c cytokine and antigen-mediated T cell activation and modulates Th1-mediated inflammatory disorders, all in all highlighting its potential as a target in immunosuppressive therapies

Axiological-Identitary Collective Action Model (AICAM): A new integrative perspective in the analysis of protest

Current predictive models of collective action have devoted little attention to personal values, such as morals or ideology. The present research addresses this issue by incorporating a new axiological path in a novel predictive model of collective action, named AICAM. The axiological path is formed by two constructs: ideology and moral obligation. The model has been tested for real normative participation (Study 1) and intentional non-normative participation (Study 2). The sample for Study 1 included 531 randomly selected demonstrators and non-demonstrators at the time of a protest that took place in Madrid, May 2017. Study 2 comprised 607 randomly selected participants who filled out an online questionnaire. Structural equation modelling analysis was performed in order to examine the fit and predictive power of the model. Results show that the model is a good fit in both studies. It has also been observed that the new model entails a significant addition of overall effect size when compared with alternative models, including SIMCA. The present research contributes to the literature of collective action by unearthing a new, independent path towards collective action that is nonetheless compatible with previous motives. Implications for future research are discussed, mainly stressing the need to include moral and ideological motives in the study of collective action engagement.This research was jointly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (grants for excellence projects 2015: PSI2015-66608-P) and by the Board of Culture, Education and University Regulation of the Galician Government (grant no. ED431B 2016/017). The research was also funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the European Social Fund through grants in 2016 for predoctoral contracts (BDNS: 316231) awarded to MD. The article was also co-authored within the framework of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) and supported within the framework of a subsidy by the Russian Academic Excellence Project 5-100 awarded to DGS

Psychological and Situational Variables Associated with Objective Knowledge on Water-Related Issues in a Northern Spanish City

This study brings together the level of objective knowledge on water-related issues and other variables of psychological and situational nature. A random sample of 459 participants was employed, selected proportionally based on sex and age. In this sample, knowledge on the water-related issues tended to be low, particularly related to the direct source of water in the household, the type of services involved in the management, and consumption itself. In order to understand both the relationship with knowledge on water and the relative importance of all the other factors, a regression model was formulated. The highest standardised effect was for sex, followed by occupation, political leaning, and water-related emotions. The best level of knowledge was attained if the residents were male, if they were actively employed or unemployed, if their political leaning was towards the left, and if they demonstrated greater emotional involvement with the water use. Consequently, the design of programmes would need to consider that the information flow must be greater for citizens as a whole, particularly for certain groups such as women and students. It should contribute to the realistic perception of water as a problem and to seek emotional involvementThis research was funded by VIAQUA, Gestión Integral de Aguas de Galicia, S.A.U.S