Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 CountriespublishedVersio

Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed

Gender gap in parental leave intentions: Evidence from 37 countries

This is the final version. Available from Wiley via the DOI in this record. Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.SSHRC Insight Development GrantSSHRC Insight GrantEconomic and Social Research CouncilState Research AgencyGuangdong 13th-five Philosophy and Social Science Planning ProjectNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaSwiss National Science FoundationSwiss National Science FoundationCenter for Social Conflict and Cohesion StudiesCenter for Intercultural and Indigenous ResearchSSHRC Postdoctoral FellowshipSlovak Research and Development AgencySwiss National Science FoundationCanada Research ChairsSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of CanadaOntario Ministry of Research and InnovationHSE University, RFFaculty of Arts, Masaryk Universit

Identificación de proteínas fosforiladas en células B mediante Pro-Q Diamond y espectrometría de masas

38 páginas, 8 figuras, 9 tablas. Tesina de máster "Investigación y avances en Inmunología molecular y celular". Línea de investigación: Mecanismos de señalización intracelular y apoptosis.La fosforilación de las proteínas en residuos de serina, treonina o tirosina es una modificación post-transduccional dinámica y reversible, y representa un mecanismo clave para la regulación de la estructura y de la función de las mismas, y juega un papel clave en la regulación de las vías de señalización. Se estima que hasta el 50% de todas las proteínas pueden ser modificables por la acción de proteínas quinasas y fosfatasas. El estudio del fosfoproteoma se ha podido llevar a cabo debido al desarrollo de nuevas técnicas, como la espectrometría de masas y la bioinformática. Sin embargo, hoy en día sigue habiendo limitaciones metodológicas para el estudio del fosfoproteoma y la identificación de proteínas fosforiladas y de los sitios de fosforilación sigue siendo un reto en proteómica. Estudios de las fosfoproteínas han contado con la utilización de anticuerpos específicos frente a aminoácidos fosforilados; como serina, treonina y tirosina. Pero una limitación es la disponibilidad y la especificidad de los mismos. También se han utilizado los métodos de selección de proteínas fosforiladas. La limitación de estos métodos es que hay un porcentaje de pérdida de proteínas fosforiladas durante el procedimiento de selección [1]. En esta tesis de master el objetivo es identificar proteínas fosforiladas en líneas celulares de linfocitos B humanos estimulados con PMA más Ionomicina. Se ha realizado el estudio utilizando dos abordajes: un abordaje ha consistido en la utilización de un teñidor fluorescente llamado Pro-Q Diamond que tiñe de forma selectiva fosfoproteínas en geles de poliacrilamida. Esta tinción fluorescente permite la detección de grupos fosfatos en serina, treonina y tirosina. Para la identificación posterior de las proteínas fosforiladas candidatas, se ha utilizado otra segunda tinción fluorescente que se une en este caso a todas las proteínas llamada SYPRO ruby. En el gel, el análisis comparativo de las imágenes obtenidas por Pro-Q Diamond con respecto a SYPRO ruby, nos permite la localización de proteínas fosforiladas en el gel. Esta fase se complementó con la extracción de las proteínas seleccionadas del gel, para su digestión con tripsina y su identificación mediante huella peptídica por espectrometría de masas (MALDI-TOFF). El segundo abordaje ha consistido en la utilización de anticuerpos específicos que reconocen residuos fosforilados en serina, treonina o tirosina. Estas dos aproximaciones experimentales nos ha permitido la identificación de diversas proteínas fosforiladas con implicaciones funcionales.Trabajo financiado en parte por la Comisión Europea en colaboración con: Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FIS: (ISCIII-FIS) FIS06/1502 (M.Z.); CSIC (PI-200820I216) (M.Z.); Junta de Andalucía (JA), Consejerías Innovación Ciencia y Empresa y Educación y Ciencia (CVI 226); CVI 908/2006 y PC08-CTS-04046 (J. S. y M.Z.); MEC- MICINN: SAF-2008-03685 (J.S., y M.Z.). Tesis de master financiada con una beca (código 808551) de movilidad general para la realización de másteres del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.Peer reviewe

Functional role of highly conserved residues of the N-terminal tail and first transmembrane segment of a P4-ATPase

The P4 family of P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) plays an important role in maintaining phospholipid asymmetry in eukaryotic cell membranes. Leishmania miltefosine transporter (LMT) is a plasma membrane (PM) P4-ATPase that catalyses translocation into the parasite of the leishmanicidal drug miltefosine as well as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine analogues. In the present study, we analysed the role, in LMT, of a series of highly conserved amino acids previously undescribed in the N-terminal region of P4-ATPases. Seven residues were identified and, according to an LMT structural model, five were located in the cytosolic N-terminal tail (Asn58, Ile60, Lys64, Tyr65 and Phe70) and the other two (Pro72 and Phe79) in the first transmembrane segment (TM1). Alanine-scanning mutagenesis analysis showed that N58A, Y65A and F79A mutations caused a considerable reduction in the LMT translocase activity. These mutations did not affect protein expression levels. We generated additional mutations in these three residues to assess the influence of the conservation degree on LMT translocase activity. Some of these mutations reduced expression levels without affecting the interaction between LMT and its CDC50 subunit, LRos3. Conserved and non-conserved mutations in the invariant residue Asn58 drastically reduced the translocase activity. Consequently, Asn58 may be necessary to achieve optimal catalytic LMT activity as previously described for the potentially equivalent Asn39 of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase isoform 1a (SERCA1a). Additionally, conservation of a hydrophobic residue at position 79 is crucial for LMT stability

Atheroma plaque, metabolic syndrome and inflammation in patients with psoriasis

Background: Chronic inflammation plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular risk factors. Although the prevalence of comorbidities and cardiovascular events has been described in patients with psoriasis, few studies have examined subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. Objective: Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of atheroma plaques in patients with severe psoriasis compared with control subjects and to analyze the association with metabolic syndrome, homocysteine levels and inflammatory parameters. Patients and Methods: This case-control study included 133 patients, 72 with psoriasis and 61 controls consecutively admitted to the outpatient clinic in Dermatology Departments (Granada, Spain.) Results: Carotid atheroma plaques were observed in 34.7% of the psoriatic patients versus 8.2% of the controls (p=0.001) and metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 40.3% of the psoriatic patients versus 13.1% of the controls (p<0.001). Significantly higher mean values of insulin, aldosterone, homocysteine and acute phase parameters (fibrinogen, D-dimer, C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) were found in psoriatic patients. Binary logistic regression showed a strong association between psoriasis and atheroma plaque and metabolic syndrome after controlling for confounding variables. Limitations: The absence of longitudinal quantification of metabolic syndrome parameters and intima-media thickness in psoriatic patients. Conclusion: The chronic inflammation and hyper-homocysteinemia found in psoriatic patients may explain the association with atheroma plaque and metabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular screening by metabolic syndrome criteria assessment and carotid ultrasound in psoriasis may be useful to detect individuals at risk and start preventive treatment against the development of cardiovascular disease.Peer Reviewe

Increased gene expression of Toll-like receptor 4 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with psoriasis

Background  A role for the innate immune system in driving the autoimmune T cell cascade in psoriasis has been proposed. Toll-like receptors-(TLR)-2 and -4 play a role in inflammation, atherosclerosis, and their specific role in psoriasis remains unclear. Objective  To evaluate TLR2 and TLR4 gene expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from psoriatic patients. Methods  Changes in TLR2/4 gene expressions were evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, from twenty-one patients with severe psoriasis, and analysed whether there was any correlation with cytokine plasma levels (T-helper 0-, T-helper 1-, T-helper 2- or regulatory T cells-type), or Calprotectin and with S100A8 and S100A9 gene expression levels. Eleven non-psoriatic healthy controls were analysed. Results  A clear increase in TLR4 gene expression was observed (3.84 ± 0.93, n = 21) together with a moderate increase in TLR2 expression (1.522 ± 0.31, n = 21). Both TLR4 and TLR2 gene expressions were significantly augmented in psoriatic patients compared with controls (all P < 0.001). Correlations between TLR2 and S100A9 gene expressions (r = 0.5145, P = 0.0170, n = 21); and between TLR2 expression and plasma interleukin-2 (r = 0.5667, P = 0.0074); interleukin-4 (r = 0.4766, P = 0.0289), interleukin-10 (r = 0.4355, P = 0.0484) and interleukin-13 (r = 0.4603, P = 0.0358), were found. When patients with atheroma plaque were considered (n = 7), both TLR4 (3.47 ± 0.99, P = 0.0156) and TLR2 (1.63 ± 0.31, P = 0.0156) expressions were significantly increased vs. controls and correlated with plasma TNF-α (r = 0.8929, P = 0.0123, in both cases). Conclusion  Differential TLR4/2 gene expressions on psoriatic peripheral blood mononuclear cells and correlations with regulatory and/or proinflammatory cytokines and/or damage-associated molecular pattern molecule S100A9 emphasize innate immune response role in psoriasis.Peer Reviewe

Increased expression and phosphorylation of the two S100A9 isoforms in mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A proteomic signature for circulating low-density granulocytes

Proteins differentially expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients versus Normal controls were identified by 2-DE and MALDI-MS. Thus, S100A9 expression was significantly increased in SLE PBMCs relative to Normal PBMCs at both mRNA and protein levels. Increased S100A9 levels in SLE PBMCs correlated positively with the abnormal presence of low-density granulocytes (LDGs) detected by flow-cytometry in the mononuclear cell fractions. Another set of proteins that were differentially expressed in SLE PBMCs formed S100A9-independent clusters, suggesting that these differences in protein expression are in fact reflecting changes in the abundance of specific cell types. In SLE PBMCs spots of the two S100A9 isoforms, S100A9-l and S100A9-s, and their phosphorylated counterparts were identified and confirmed to be phosphorylated at Thr 113 by MS/MS analyses. In addition, the phorbol ester PMA alone or in combination with ionomycin induced a stronger increase in threonine phosphorylation of S100A9 in SLE than in Normal PBMCs, while the same stimuli caused the opposite effect on phosphorylation and activation of Erk1/2, suggesting the existence of an abnormal S100A9 signaling in SLE PBMCs. Therefore, the expansion and activation of LDGs in SLE seems to underlie this prominent S100A9 signature. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.This work was supported in part by the European Commission in collaboration with the following Funding Agencies: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) del Gobierno de España (SAF2005-06056-C02-01, and SAF2008-03685) (to J.S.), Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía (P05-CVI-00908, and P08-CTS-04046) (to J.S.), and Ministerio de Sanidad, Política Social e Igualdad (MSPSI) ISCIII-FIS, Grants: FIS03/0389; UIPY-1465/07; MICINN-ISCIII-FIS-Grant: FIS06/1502, (to M.Z.), and MICINN-CSIC; Grant number: PI-200820I216 (to M.Z.). E.J.P. and R.P. were supported by grant-contracts from MICINN. S.G.R. was supported by a JAE-Doc contract. E.Z. and A.R.-V. were suported by felllowship-contracts from the Consejería de Economía, Innovación y Ciencia de la Junta de Andalucía.Peer Reviewe