Preventing Response Elimination Strategies Improves the Convergent Validity of Figural Matrices

Several studies have shown that figural matrices can be solved with one of two strategies: (1) Constructive matching consisting of cognitively generating an idealized response, which is then compared with the options provided by the response format; or (2) Response elimination consisting of comparing the response format with the item stem in order to eliminate incorrect responses. A recent study demonstrated that employing a response format that reduces response elimination strategies results in higher convergent validity concerning general intelligence. In this study, we used the construction task, which works entirely without distractors because the solution has to be generated in a computerized testing environment. Therefore, response elimination is completely prevented. Our results show that the convergent validity of general intelligence and working memory capacity when using a test employing the construction task is substantially higher than when using tests employing distractors that followed construction strategies used in other studies. Theoretical as well as practical implications of this finding are discussed

Diagnostic Biomarkers to Diagnose Acute Allograft Rejection After Liver Transplantation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of acute allograft rejection following liver transplantation.Background: Noninvasive blood and urine markers have been widely explored in recent decades for diagnosing acute rejection after liver transplantation. However, none have been translated into routine clinical use so far due to uncertain diagnostic accuracy, and liver biopsy remains the gold standard.Methods: Systematic literature searches of Medline, Cochrane and Embase were conducted up to February 2019 to identify studies evaluating the use of noninvasive markers in diagnosing allograft rejection following liver transplantation. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model with DerSimonian–Laird weighting and the hierarchical summary receiver operating curve.Results: Of 560 identified studies, 15 studies (1,445 patients) met the inclusion criteria. The following markers were tested: acid labile nitroso-compounds (NOx), serum amyloid A protein, procalcitonin, peripheral blood eosinophil count, peripheral blood T-cell activation and interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor, guanylate-binding protein-2 mRNA, graft-derived cell-free DNA, pi-glutathione S-transferase, alpha-glutathione S-transferase and serum HLA class I soluble antigens. Only eosinophil count was tested in multiple studies, and they demonstrated high heterogeneity (I2 = 72% [95% CI: 0.5–0.99]). IL-2 receptor demonstrated the highest sensitivity (89% [95% CI: 0.78–0.96]) and specificity (81% [95% CI: 0.69–0.89]).Conclusion: IL-2 receptor expression demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, while the peripheral eosinophil count was the only marker tested in more than one study. Presently, liver biopsy remains superior to noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers as most studies exhibited inferior designs, hindering possible translation into clinical application

Regulation of seed germination and seedling growth by an Arabidopsis phytocystatin isoform, AtCYS6

Phytocystatins are cysteine proteinase inhibitors in plants that are implicated in the endogenous regulation of protein turnover and defense mechanisms against insects and pathogens. A cDNA encoding a phytocystatin called AtCYS6 (Arabidopsis thaliana phytocystatin6) has been isolated. We show that AtCYS6 is highly expressed in dry seeds and seedlings and that it also accumulates in flowers. The persistence of AtCYS6 protein expression in seedlings was promoted by abscisic acid (ABA), a seed germination and post-germination inhibitory phytohormone. This finding was made in transgenic plants bearing an AtCYS6 promoter–β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter construct, where we found that expression from the AtCYS6 promoter persisted after ABA treatment but was reduced under control conditions and by gibberellin4+7 (GA4+7) treatment during the germination and post-germinative periods. In addition, constitutive over-expression of AtCYS6 retarded germination and seedling growth, whereas these were enhanced in an AtCYS6 knock-out mutant (cys6-2). Additionally, cysteine proteinase activities stored in seeds were inhibited by AtCYS6 in transgenic Arabidopsis. From these data, we propose that AtCYS6 expression is enhanced by the germination inhibitory phytohormone ABA and that it participates in the control of germination rate and seedling growth by inhibiting the activity of stored cysteine proteinases

The genetic organisation of prokaryotic two-component system signalling pathways

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Two-component systems (TCSs) are modular and diverse signalling pathways, involving a stimulus-responsive transfer of phosphoryl groups from transmitter to partner receiver domains. TCS gene and domain organisation are both potentially informative regarding biological function, interaction partnerships and molecular mechanisms. However, there is currently little understanding of the relationships between domain architecture, gene organisation and TCS pathway structure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we classify the gene and domain organisation of TCS gene loci from 1405 prokaryotic replicons (>40,000 TCS proteins). We find that 200 bp is the most appropriate distance cut-off for defining whether two TCS genes are functionally linked. More than 90% of all TCS gene loci encode just one or two transmitter and/or receiver domains, however numerous other geometries exist, often with large numbers of encoded TCS domains. Such information provides insights into the distribution of TCS domains between genes, and within genes. As expected, the organisation of TCS genes and domains is affected by phylogeny, and plasmid-encoded TCS exhibit differences in organisation from their chromosomally-encoded counterparts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We provide here an overview of the genomic and genetic organisation of TCS domains, as a resource for further research. We also propose novel metrics that build upon TCS gene/domain organisation data and allow comparisons between genomic complements of TCSs. In particular, '<it>percentage orphaned TCS genes</it>' (or 'Dissemination') and '<it>percentage of complex loci</it>' (or 'Sophistication') appear to be useful discriminators, and to reflect mechanistic aspects of TCS organisation not captured by existing metrics.</p

Adenylyl Cyclase Plays a Regulatory Role in Development, Stress Resistance and Secondary Metabolism in Fusarium fujikuroi

The ascomycete fungus Fusarium fujikuroi (Gibberella fujikuroi MP-C) produces secondary metabolites of biotechnological interest, such as gibberellins, bikaverin, and carotenoids. Production of these metabolites is regulated by nitrogen availability and, in a specific manner, by other environmental signals, such as light in the case of the carotenoid pathway. A complex regulatory network controlling these processes is recently emerging from the alterations of metabolite production found through the mutation of different regulatory genes. Here we show the effect of the targeted mutation of the acyA gene of F. fujikuroi, coding for adenylyl cyclase. Mutants lacking the catalytic domain of the AcyA protein showed different phenotypic alterations, including reduced growth, enhanced production of unidentified red pigments, reduced production of gibberellins and partially derepressed carotenoid biosynthesis in the dark. The phenotype differs in some aspects from that of similar mutants of the close relatives F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides: contrary to what was observed in these species, ΔacyA mutants of F. fujikuroi showed enhanced sensitivity to oxidative stress (H2O2), but no change in heavy metal resistance or in the ability to colonize tomato tissue, indicating a high versatility in the regulatory roles played by cAMP in this fungal group

Endless Digging and Endless Picking. Sex Ratios and Gendered Labour in Surinamese Plantations, 1830–1863

Contains fulltext : 232246.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)31 maart 20217 p

The transcriptional regulator CPRF1: expression analysis and gene structure

Feldbrügge M, Hahlbrock K, Weisshaar B. The transcriptional regulator CPRF1: expression analysis and gene structure. Molecular &amp; General Genetics. 1996;251(6):619-627.Many eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins share a conserved amino acid sequence known as the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) domain. bZIP proteins recognise DNA, upon dimerization, in a sequence-specific manner. The Common Plant Regulatory Factor 1 (CPRF1) is a bZIP transcription factor from parsley (Petroselinum crispum), which recognises defined elements containing ACGT cores. CPRF1 genomic DNA was cloned and the gene was sequenced. Analysis of the sequence data revealed the existence of 12 exons and 11 introns within a stretch of about 9 kb. A second RNA species hybridising to CPRF1 probes was identified as an alternatively spliced, additional CPRF1 transcript containing intron 8. This polyadenylated RNA species showed accumulation characteristics very similar to those of the CPRF1 mRNA. CPRF1 specifically binds an ACGT-containing element which is located within the composite regulatory unit that is necessary and sufficient for light activation of the parsley chalcone synthase (CHS) minimal promoter. Expression studies at the mRNA level demonstrated that CPRF1 mRNA is present in all organs of light-grown plants in which CHS mRNA expression is detectable, and light-dependent CHS mRNA accumulation was shown to be blocked by cycloheximide. Therefore, translation of a protein factor, possibly CPRF1, may be a prerequisite for CHS promoter activation