Normative data for the dementia rating scale in the french-Quebec population

The Dementia Rating Scale-2 is used to measure cognitive status of adults with cognitive impairment, especially of the degenerative type, by assessing five cognitive functions, namely attention, initiation/perseveration, construction, conceptualization, and memory. The present study aimed to establish normative data for this test in the elderly French-Quebec population. A total of 432 French-speaking elders from the province of Quebec (Canada), aged 50 to 85 years, were administered the Dementia Rating Scale-2. Age and education were found to be associated with the total score on the test, while gender was not. Percentile ranks were then calculated for age- and education-stratified groups. Previous studies have shown that cultural background can affect performance on the DRS and the development of culture-specific norms for French-speaking Quebecers could be very useful to clinicians and researchers working with this population

Type VI Secretion System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Secretion and Multimerization of VgrG Proteins

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium causing chronic infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Such infections are associated with an active type VI secretion system (T6SS), which consists of about 15 conserved components, including the AAA+ ATPase, ClpV. The T6SS secretes two categories of proteins, VgrG and Hcp. Hcp is structurally similar to a phage tail tube component, whereas VgrG proteins show similarity to the puncturing device at the tip of the phage tube. In P. aeruginosa, three T6SSs are known. The expression of H1-T6SS genes is controlled by the RetS sensor. Here, 10 vgrG genes were identified in the PAO1 genome, among which three are co-regulated with H1-T6SS, namely vgrG1a/b/c. Whereas VgrG1a and VgrG1c were secreted in a ClpV1-dependent manner, secretion of VgrG1b was ClpV1-independent. We show that VgrG1a and VgrG1c form multimers, which confirmed the VgrG model predicting trimers similar to the tail spike. We demonstrate that Hcp1 secretion requires either VgrG1a or VgrG1c, which may act independently to puncture the bacterial envelope and give Hcp1 access to the surface. VgrG1b is not required for Hcp1 secretion. Thus, VgrG1b does not require H1-T6SS for secretion nor does H1-T6SS require VgrG1b for its function. Finally, we show that VgrG proteins are required for secretion of a genuine H1-T6SS substrate, Tse3. Our results demonstrate that VgrG proteins are not only secreted components but are essential for secretion of other T6SS substrates. Overall, we emphasize variability in behavior of three P. aeruginosa VgrGs, suggesting that, although very similar, distinct VgrGs achieve specific functions

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Cooperative Action of Multiple cis-Acting Elements Is Required for N-myc Expression in Branchial Arches: Specific Contribution of GATA3 ▿

The precise expression of the N-myc proto-oncogene is essential for normal mammalian development, whereas altered N-myc gene regulation is known to be a determinant factor in tumor formation. Using transgenic mouse embryos, we show that N-myc sequences from kb −8.7 to kb +7.2 are sufficient to reproduce the N-myc embryonic expression profile in developing branchial arches and limb buds. These sequences encompass several regulatory elements dispersed throughout the N-myc locus, including an upstream limb bud enhancer, a downstream somite enhancer, a branchial arch enhancer in the second intron, and a negative regulatory element in the first intron. N-myc expression in the limb buds is under the dominant control of the limb bud enhancer. The expression in the branchial arches necessitates the interplay of three regulatory domains. The branchial arch enhancer cooperates with the somite enhancer region to prevent an inhibitory activity contained in the first intron. The characterization of the branchial arch enhancer has revealed a specific role of the transcription factor GATA3 in the regulation of N-myc expression. Together, these data demonstrate that correct N-myc developmental expression is achieved via cooperation of multiple positive and negative regulatory elements