When equity matters for marital stability: Comparing German and U.S. couples

none3siComparing West Germany and the U.S., we analyze the association between equity—in terms of the relative gender division of paid and unpaid work hours—and the risk of marriage dissolution. Our aim is to identify under what conditions equity influences couple stability. We apply event-history analysis to marriage histories using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel for West Germany and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics for the U.S. for the period 1986–2009/10. For the U.S., we find that deviation from equity is particularly destabilizing when the wife underbenefits, especially when both partners’ paid work hours are similar. In West Germany, equity is less salient. Instead, we find that the male breadwinner model remains the single most stable couple arrangement.mixedBellani D.; Esping Andersen G.; Pessin L.Bellani D.; Esping Andersen G.; Pessin L

Lipid raft microdomain compartalization of TC10 is required for insulin signalling and Glut4 Translocation

Recent studies indicate that insulin stimulation of glucose transporter (GLUT)4 translocation requires at least two distinct insulin receptor-mediated signals: one leading to the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI-3) kinase and the other to the activation of the small GTP binding protein TC10. We now demonstrate that TC10 is processed through the secretory membrane trafficking system and localizes to caveolin-enriched lipid raft microdomains. Although insulin activated the wild-type TC10 protein and a TC10/H-Ras chimera that were targeted to lipid raft microdomains, it was unable to activate a TC10/K-Ras chimera that was directed to the nonlipid raft domains. Similarly, only the lipid raft-localized TC10/ H-Ras chimera inhibited GLUT4 translocation, whereas the TC10/K-Ras chimera showed no significant inhibitory activity. Furthermore, disruption of lipid raft microdomains by expression of a dominant-interfering caveolin 3 mutant (Cav3/DGV) inhibited the insulin stimulation of GLUT4 translocation and TC10 lipid raft localization and activation without affecting PI-3 kinase signaling. These data demonstrate that the insulin stimulation of GLUT4 translocation in adipocytes requires the spatial separation and distinct compartmentalization of the PI-3 kinase and TC10 signaling pathways

Insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation requires the CAP-dependent activation of TC10

The stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin in muscle and adipose tissue requires translocation of the GLUT4 glucose transporter protein from intracellular storage sites to the cell surface(1-6). Although the cellular dynamics of GLUT4 vesicle trafficking are well described, the signalling pathways that link the insulin receptor to GLUT4 translocation remain poorly understood. Activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K) is required for this trafficking event, but it is not sufficient to produce GLUT4 translocation(7). We previously described a pathway involving the insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl, which is recruited to the insulin receptor by the adapter protein CAP(8,9). On phosphorylation, Cbl is translocated to lipid rafts. Blocking this step completely inhibits the stimulation of GLUT4 translocation by insulin(10). Here we show that phosphorylated Cbl recruits the CrkII-C3G complex to lipid rafts, where C3G specifically activates the small GTP-binding protein TC10. This process is independent of PI(3)K, but requires the translocation of Cbl, Crk and C3G to the lipid raft. The activation of TC10 is essential for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and GLUT4 translocation. The TC10 pathway functions in parallel with PI(3)K to stimulate fully GLUT4 translocation in response to insulin.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62864/1/410944a0.pd

Flight distance and homing ability of Melipona fasciculata assessed by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).

IUSSI 2018

Radiofrequency identification (RFID) reveals long-distance flight and homing abilities of the stingless bee Melipona fasciculata.

Determining bee flight capacity is crucial for developing management strategies for bee conservation and/or crop pollination and purposes. In this study, we determined the flight distance of the stingless bee Melipona fasciculata using the radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology. For this, we conducted two translocation experiments using workers equipped with RFID microsensors: (1) release of bees at seven distances between 100 and 3000 m from experimental colonies in Belém, Brazil, and (2) at six distances between 1500 and 10,000 m at Carajás National Forest Reserve. Return rates of workers were negatively correlated to release distance, with typical flight distances of 2 km, but a maximum homing distance of 10 km. Use of RFID tags revealed how past experiments may have greatly underestimated homing abilities of stingless bees

Photoswitchable diacylglycerols enable optical control of protein kinase C.

Increased levels of the second messenger lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) induce downstream signaling events including the translocation of C1-domain-containing proteins toward the plasma membrane. Here, we introduce three light-sensitive DAGs, termed PhoDAGs, which feature a photoswitchable acyl chain. The PhoDAGs are inactive in the dark and promote the translocation of proteins that feature C1 domains toward the plasma membrane upon a flash of UV-A light. This effect is quickly reversed after the termination of photostimulation or by irradiation with blue light, permitting the generation of oscillation patterns. Both protein kinase C and Munc13 can thus be put under optical control. PhoDAGs control vesicle release in excitable cells, such as mouse pancreatic islets and hippocampal neurons, and modulate synaptic transmission in Caenorhabditis elegans. As such, the PhoDAGs afford an unprecedented degree of spatiotemporal control and are broadly applicable tools to study DAG signaling