Evidence of the presence of bias in subjective metrics: analysis within a family of experiments

Context: Measurement is crucial and important to empirical software engineering. Although reliability and validity are two important properties warranting consideration in measurement processes, they may be influenced by random or systematic error (bias) depending on which metric is used. Aim: Check whether, the simple subjective metrics used in empirical software engineering studies are prone to bias. Method: Comparison of the reliability of a family of empirical studies on requirements elicitation that explore the same phenomenon using different design types and objective and subjective metrics. Results: The objectively measured variables (experience and knowledge) tend to achieve more reliable results, whereas subjective metrics using Likert scales (expertise and familiarity) tend to be influenced by systematic error or bias. Conclusions: Studies that predominantly use variables measured subjectively, like opinion polls or expert opinion acquisition.

The role of alternative mRNA splicing in generating heterogeneity within the Anopheles gambiae class I glutathione S-transferase family

The class I glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) of Anopheles gambiae are encoded by a complex gene family. We describe the genomic organization of three members of this family, which are sequentially arranged on the chromosome in divergent orientations. One of these genes, aggst1-2, is intronless and has been described. In contrast, the two A. gambiae GST genes (aggst1α and aggst1β) reported within are interrupted by introns. The gene aggst1α contains five coding exons that are alternatively spliced to produce four mature GST transcripts, each of which contains a common 5′ exon encoding the N termini of the GST protein spliced to one of four distinct 3′ exons encoding the carboxyl termini. All four of the alternative transcripts of aggst1α are expressed in A. gambiae larvae, pupae, and adults. We report on the involvement of alternative RNA splicing in generating multiple functional GST transcripts. A cDNA from the aggst1β gene was detected in adult mosquitoes, demonstrating that this GST gene is actively transcribed. The percentage similarity of the six cDNAs transcribed from the three GST genes range from 49.5% to 83.1% at the nucleotide level.

The tomato ethylene receptors NR and LeETR4 are negative regulators of ethylene response and exhibit functional compensation within a multigene family

The plant hormone ethylene is involved in many developmental processes, including fruit ripening, abscission, senescence, and leaf epinasty. Tomato contains a family of ethylene receptors, designated LeETR1, LeETR2, NR, LeETR4, and LeETR5, with homology to the Arabidopsis ETR1 ethylene receptor. Transgenic plants with reduced LeETR4 gene expression display multiple symptoms of extreme ethylene sensitivity, including severe epinasty, enhanced flower senescence, and accelerated fruit ripening. Therefore, LeETR4 is a negative regulator of ethylene responses. Reduced expression of this single gene affects multiple developmental processes in tomato, whereas in Arabidopsis multiple ethylene receptors must be inactivated to increase ethylene response. Transgenic lines with reduced NR mRNA levels exhibit normal ethylene sensitivity but elevated levels of LeETR4 mRNA, indicating a functional compensation of LeETR4 for reduced NR expression. Overexpression of NR in lines with lowered LeETR4 gene expression eliminates the ethylene-sensitive phenotype, indicating that despite marked differences in structure these ethylene receptors are functionally redundant.