Expansive evolution of the TREHALOSE-6-PHOSPHATE PHOSPHATASE gene family in Arabidopsis

Trehalose is a nonreducing sugar used as a reserve carbohydrate and stress protectant in a variety of organisms. While higher plants typically do not accumulate high levels of trehalose, they encode large families of putative trehalose biosynthesis genes. Trehalose biosynthesis in plants involves a two-step reaction in which trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) is synthesized from UDPglucose and glucose-6-phosphate (catalyzed by T6P synthase [TPS]), and subsequently dephosphorylated to produce the disaccharide trehalose (catalyzed by T6P phosphatase [TPP]). In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), 11 genes encode proteins with both TPS- and TPP-like domains but only one of these (AtTPS1) appears to be an active (TPS) enzyme. In addition, plants contain a large family of smaller proteins with a conserved TPP domain. Here, we present an in-depth analysis of the 10 TPP genes and gene products in Arabidopsis (TPPA-TPPJ). Collinearity analysis revealed that all of these genes originate from whole-genome duplication events. Heterologous expression in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) showed that all encode active TPP enzymes with an essential role for some conserved residues in the catalytic domain. These results suggest that the TPP genes function in the regulation of T6P levels, with T6P emerging as a novel key regulator of growth and development in higher plants. Extensive gene expression analyses using a complete set of promoter-beta-glucuronidase/green fluorescent protein reporter lines further uncovered cell- and tissue-specific expression patterns, conferring spatiotemporal control of trehalose metabolism. Consistently, phenotypic characterization of knockdown and overexpression lines of a single TPP, AtTPPG, points to unique properties of individual TPPs in Arabidopsis, and underlines the intimate connection between trehalose metabolism and abscisic acid signaling

Exploring the neutral invertase–oxidative stress defence connection in Arabidopsis thaliana

Over the past decades, considerable advances have been made in understanding the crucial role and the regulation of sucrose metabolism in plants. Among the various sucrose-catabolizing enzymes, alkaline/neutral invertases (A/N-Invs) have long remained poorly studied. However, recent findings have demonstrated the presence of A/N-Invs in various organelles in addition to the cytosol, and their importance for plant development and stress tolerance. A cytosolic (At-A/N-InvG, At1g35580) and a mitochondrial (At-A/N-InvA, At1g56560) member of the A/N-Invs have been analysed in more detail in Arabidopsis and it was found that At-A/N-InvA knockout plants show an even more severe growth phenotype than At-A/N-InvG knockout plants. The absence of either A/N-Inv was associated with higher oxidative stress defence gene expression, while transient overexpression of At-A/N-InvA and At-A/N-InvG in leaf mesophyll protoplasts down-regulated the oxidative stress-responsive ascorbate peroxidase 2 (APX2) promoter. Moreover, up-regulation of the APX2 promoter by hydrogen peroxide or abscisic acid could be blocked by adding metabolizable sugars or ascorbate. A hypothetical model is proposed in which both mitochondrial and cytosolic A/N-Invs can generate glucose as a substrate for mitochondria-associated hexokinase, contributing to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species homeostasis

The Validity and Structure of Culture-Level Personality Scores: Data From Ratings of Young Adolescents

We examined properties of culture-level personality traits in ratings of targets (N=5,109) ages 12 to 17 in 24 cultures. Aggregate scores were generalizable across gender, age, and relationship groups and showed convergence with culture-level scores from previous studies of self-reports and observer ratings of adults, but they were unrelated to national character stereotypes. Trait profiles also showed cross-study agreement within most cultures, 8 of which had not previously been studied. Multidimensional scaling showed that Western and non-Western cultures clustered along a dimension related to Extraversion. A culture-level factor analysis replicated earlier findings of a broad Extraversion factor but generally resembled the factor structure found in individuals. Continued analysis of aggregate personality scores is warranted. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.Fil: McCrae, Robert R.. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: Terracciano, Antonio. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: De Fruyt, Filip. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: De Bolle, Marleen. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: Gelfand, Michele J.. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Costa Jr., Paul T.. National Institute on Ageing; CanadáFil: Klinkosz, Waldemar. The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; PoloniaFil: Knežević, Goran. Belgrade University; SerbiaFil: Leibovich de Figueroa, Nora. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Löckenhoff, Corinna E.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Martin, Thomas A.. Susquehanna University; Estados UnidosFil: Marušić, Iris. Institute for Social Research; CroaciaFil: Mastor, Khairul Anwar. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; MalasiaFil: Nakazato, Katsuharu. Iwate Prefectural University; AfganistánFil: Nansubuga, Florence. Makerere University; UgandaFil: Porrata, Jose. No especifíca;Fil: Purić, Danka. Belgrade University; SerbiaFil: Realo, aAnu. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Reátegui, Norma. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; PerúFil: Rolland, Jean Pierre. Universite Paris Ouest Nanterre la Defense; FranciaFil: Schmidt, Vanina Ines. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología. Instituto de Investigaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sekowski, Andrzej. The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin; PoloniaFil: Shakespeare Finch, Jane. Queensland University of Technology; AustraliaFil: Shimonaka, Yoshiko. Bunkyo Gakuin University; JapónFil: Simonetti, Franco. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Siuta, Jerzy. Jagiellonian University;Fil: Szmigielska, Barbara. Jagiellonian University;Fil: Vanno, Vitanya. Srinakharinwirot University; TailandiaFil: Wang, Lei. Peking University; ChinaFil: Yik, Michelle. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Hong Kon

International Perspectives on the Legal Environment for Selection

Perspectives from 22 countries on aspects of the legal environment for selection are presented in this article. Issues addressed include (a) whether there are racial/ethnic/religious subgroups viewed as "disadvantaged,” (b) whether research documents mean differences between groups on individual difference measures relevant to job performance, (c) whether there are laws prohibiting discrimination against specific groups, (d) the evidence required to make and refute a claim of discrimination, (e) the consequences of violation of the laws, (f) whether particular selection methods are limited or banned, (g) whether preferential treatment of members of disadvantaged groups is permitted, and (h) whether the practice of industrial and organizational psychology has been affected by the legal environmen

Strict adherence to malaria rapid test results might lead to a neglect of other dangerous diseases: a cost benefit analysis from Burkina Faso

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have generally been found reliable and cost-effective. In Burkina Faso, the adherence of prescribers to the negative test result was found to be poor. Moreover, the test accuracy for malaria-attributable fever (MAF) is not the same as for malaria infection. This paper aims at determining the costs and benefits of two competing strategies for the management of MAF: presumptive treatment for all or use of RDTs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cost benefit analysis was carried out using a decision tree, based on data previously obtained, including a randomized controlled trial (RCT) recruiting 852 febrile patients during the dry season and 1,317 in the rainy season. Cost and benefit were calculated using both the real adherence found by the RCT and assuming an ideal adherence of 90% with the negative result. The main parameters were submitted to sensitivity analysis.</p> <p>Results and discussion</p> <p>At real adherence, the test-based strategy was dominated. Assuming ideal adherence, at the value of 525 € for a death averted, the total cost of managing 1,000 febrile children was 1,747 vs. 1,862 € in the dry season and 1,372 vs. 2,138 in the rainy season for the presumptive vs. the test-based strategy. For adults it was 2,728 vs. 1,983 and 2,604 vs. 2,225, respectively. At the subsidized policy adopted locally, assuming ideal adherence, the RDT would be the winning strategy for adults in both seasons and for children in the dry season.</p> <p>At sensitivity analysis, the factors most influencing the choice of the better strategy were the value assigned to a death averted and the proportion of potentially severe NMFI treated with antibiotics in patients with false positive RDT results. The test-based strategy appears advantageous for adults if a satisfactory adherence could be achieved. For children the presumptive strategy remains the best choice for a wide range of scenarios.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>For RDTs to be preferred, a positive result should not influence the decision to treat a potentially severe NMFI with antibiotics. In the rainy season the presumptive strategy always remains the better choice for children.</p

Personality profiles of cultures: aggregate personality traits

Personality profiles of cultures can be operationalized as the mean trait levels of culture members. College students from 51 cultures rated an individual from their country whom they knew well (N = 12, 156). Aggregate scores on Revised NEO Personality Inventory scales generalized across age and gender groups, approximated the individual-level Five-Factor Model, and correlated with aggregate self-report personality scores and other culture-level variables. Results were not attributable to national differences in economic development or to acquiescence. Geographical differences in scale variances and mean levels were replicated, with Europeans and Americans generally scoring higher in Extraversion than Asians and Africans. Findings support the rough scalar equivalence of NEO-PI-R factors and facets across cultures, and suggest that aggregate personality profiles provide insight into cultural differences

ARIA digital anamorphosis : Digital transformation of health and care in airway diseases from research to practice

Digital anamorphosis is used to define a distorted image of health and care that may be viewed correctly using digital tools and strategies. MASK digital anamorphosis represents the process used by MASK to develop the digital transformation of health and care in rhinitis. It strengthens the ARIA change management strategy in the prevention and management of airway disease. The MASK strategy is based on validated digital tools. Using the MASK digital tool and the CARAT online enhanced clinical framework, solutions for practical steps of digital enhancement of care are proposed.Peer reviewe