Why are people with lower levels of education less likely to participate in citizens’ initiatives?

Previous research suggests that people with lower levels of education are underrepresented in citizens’ initiatives. Drawing on new research in the Netherlands, Vivian Visser, Willem de Koster and Jeroen van der Waal show that ‘feelings of entitlement’ and a ‘taste for politics’ are crucial for understanding the non-participation of these citizens

Polyunsaturated fatty acids in various macroalgal species from north Atlantic and tropical seas

Background - In this study the efficacy of using marine macroalgae as a source for polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with the prevention of inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders, was investigated. Methods - The fatty acid (FA) composition in lipids from seven sea weed species from the North Sea (Ulva lactuca, Chondrus crispus, Laminaria hyperborea, Fucus serratus, Undaria pinnatifida, Palmaria palmata, Ascophyllum nodosum) and two from tropical seas (Caulerpa taxifolia, Sargassum natans) was determined using GCMS. Four independent replicates were taken from each seaweed species. Results - Omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), were in the concentration range of 2-14 mg/g dry matter (DM), while total lipid content ranged from 7-45 mg/g DM. The n-9 FAs of the selected seaweeds accounted for 3%-56% of total FAs, n-6 FAs for 3%-32% and n-3 FAs for 8%-63%. Red and brown seaweeds contain arachidonic (C20:4, n-6) and/or eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA, C20:5, n-3), the latter being an important "fish" FA, as major PUFAs while in green seaweeds these values are low and mainly C16 FAs were found. A unique observation is the presence of another typical "fish" fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6, n-3) at ˜ 1 mg/g DM in S. natans. The n-6: n-3 ratio is in the range of 0.05-2.75 and in most cases below 1.0. Environmental effects on lipid-bound FA composition in seaweed species are discussed. Conclusion - Marine macroalgae form a good, durable and virtually inexhaustible source for polyunsaturated fatty acids with an (n-6) FA: (n-3) FA ratio of about 1.0. This ratio is recommended by the World Health Organization to be less than 10 in order to prevent inflammatory, cardiovascular and nervous system disorders. Some marine macroalgal species, like P. palmata, contain high proportions of the "fish fatty acid" eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5, n-3), while in S. natans also docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6, n-3) was detected

Acclimation to a dynamic irradiance regime changes excessive irradiance sensitivity of Emiliania huxleyi and Thalassiosira weissflogii

Effects of fluctuating irradiance regimes on excessive photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation sensitivity were assessed for Emiliania huxleyi (Lohman) and Thalassiosira weissflogii (Grunow) Fryxell and Hasle. Cultures acclimated to low irradiance were subjected to two irradiance regimes of equal daily dose: dynamic irradiance simulating vertical mixing within the water column and constant irradiance. For each regime two irradiance levels were studied. Growth was monitored for 3 d, after which pigment composition was determined. Next, excessive PAR and UV sensitivity was measured by studying viability loss during 4-h exposure to simulated surface irradiance (SSI). Furthermore, the effects of inhibition of D1 reaction center protein turnover were investigated by incubating samples with lincomycin prior to exposure. Dynamic irradiance reduced growth rates of both species as compared to constant irradiance. Pools of light-harvesting pigments increased in dynamic irradiance, whereas the protective pigment pools decreased compared to constant irradiance. Excessive irradiance sensitivity was enhanced in cells grown in fluctuating irradiance. Furthermore, viability loss was most pronounced in UV treatments combined with lincomycin. E. huxleyi was more sensitive to excessive irradiance than T. weissflogii, which coincided with a lower ratio between protective and light-harvesting pigments in the former species. Irradiance modulation by deep vertical mixing influences growth, pigment composition, and excessive PAR and UV sensitivity within days

Neural differentiation of the human neuroblastoma cell line IMR32 induces production of a thyrotropin-releasing hormone-like peptide

The human neuroblastoma cell line IMR32 produces and secretes substantial amounts of TRH-immunoreactivity (TRH-IR) as measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA) using the nonspecific antiserum 4319. It was found that synthesis of TRH-IR is dependent on neural differentiation: under serum-free conditions these cells exhibit neural characteristics as defined by morphological and biochemical standards. After culture for 2–5 days in serum-free medium cells grew large neural processes and expressed neuron-specific markers whereas glial-specific markers were absent. TRH-IR became detectable after 4–8 days serum-free conditions. Northern blot and chromatographic analysis, however, failed to detect proTRH mRNA and authentic TRH in these cells. Moreover, TRH-IR was undetectable in the RIA using TRH-specific antiserum 8880. TRH-IR produced by differentiated cells was retained on a QAE Sephadex A-25 anion-exchange column and thus negatively charged. HPLC analysis showed coelution with the synthetic peptide pGlu-Glu-ProNH2. Study of the mechanisms regulating production of this novel peptide in these cells should further elucidate the role differentation plays in the synthesis of neuropeptides

Increased incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in women with a history of spontaneous preterm birth:A longitudinal linked national cohort study

Objective: Determine the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HD) in women with a history of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). Study design: Longitudinal linked national cohort study within the Dutch Perinatal Registry (1999–2009) on linked data among 349,291 women with a first and second singleton pregnancy in the Netherlands. Main outcome measures: The incidence of HD, small for gestational age (SGA) and placental abruption in the second pregnancy. Results: Out of 349,291 women with a singleton first pregnancy, 19,991 (5.7%) had a SPTB. The incidence of HD in the second pregnancy was 8.1% in women with a previous SPTB, as compared to 5.6% in women with a previous term birth (aOR 1.49 (CI 1.41–1.57)). Also after excluding HD, SGA and/or placental abruption in the first pregnancy, women with a history of SPTB had a higher risk of HD in their second pregnancy compared to women with a previous term birth (4.6% versus 2.7%, aOR 1.77 (CI 1.64–191)). Similarly, the incidence of SGA and placental abruption was higher in the second pregnancy in women with a history of SPTB compared to term birth in the first pregnancy. Conclusions: Women with a history of SPTB are at elevated risk of HD in the subsequent pregnancy. These results support shared pathophysiology between SPTB and HD