Morpho-physiological changes in pineapple plantlets [Ananas comosus (L.) merr.] during acclimatization Mudanças morfofisiológicas em plântulas de abacaxi [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.] durante a aclimatização

Pineapple producing countries lack good quality propagation material to expand cultivars into new areas. Previously, research protocols may increase the offer of high quality plantlets and speed the introduction of new pineapple cultivars. The present work is to evaluate the morpho-physiological changes in plantlets of pineapple &#91;Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. 'MD-2'&#93; during the acclimatization phase. Plantlets were acclimatized under 80% relative humidity, 25.5 °C temperature and photosynthetic photon flux of 400-500 µmol m-2 s-1 as average for 45 d under natural photoperiods. All measurements (plant length, number of leaves and roots, fresh weight, width and length of leaf 'D', net photosynthesis and total transpiration rate) were carried out at the end of in vitro rooting phase coincident with 0 d of acclimatization and at 15, 30 and 45 d thereafter. Photosynthetic activity of in vitro plantlets did not increase during the first 30 d of the acclimatization phase. After 30 d, photosynthetic activity ranged from 5.72 to 9.36 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 while total transpiration ranged from 6.0 to 1.42 mmol H2O m-2 s-1. During the first 30 days there were no significant differences in number of leaves, length or width of the longest ('D') leaf (cm) or plant length (cm). However, after 45 days plant fresh weight (g), length and width of the 'D' leaf (cm) and root number all increased significantly, while transpiration (mmol H2O m-2 s-1) declined. There were small but significant decreases in chlorophyll a and b (µg g-1 mf.). Increased photosynthetic activity after 30 d shows that the increase in light intensity and the reduction of relative humidity during acclimatization did not constitute inhibitory factors.<br>Os países produtores do abacaxi precisam de mudas de boa qualidade para a introdução de novas culturas nas áreas de cultivo. Os protocolos de pesquisa podem aumentar a oferta de mudas de alta qualidade e acelerar a introdução de novas culturas do abacaxi. O estudo apresentado teve como objetivo avaliar as alterações morfofisiológicas de mudas de abacaxi &#91;Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. 'MD-2'&#93;, durante a fase de aclimatação. As plantas foram aclimatizadas baseadas em um regímen de 80% de humidade relativa, uma temperatura de 25°C e um fluxo médio de fótones fotossinteticamente ativos de 400-500 µmol m-2 s-1, durante 45 dias em condições naturais de iluminação. As medições todas (comprimento da planta, número de folhas, comprimento, largura da folha maior 'D', taxa fossintetica e taxa transpiratória total) foram feitas no final da fase do enraizamento in vitro a coincidir com a aclimatização no período de 0, 15, 30 e 45 dias após aclimatização. Depois de 30 dias, a atividade fotossintética variou entre 5,72 e 9,36 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, enquanto a transpiração total variou de 6,0 a 1,42 mmol H2O m-2 s-1. Durante os primeiros 30 dias, não foram registradas diferenças significativas entre o e comprimento da planta, número de folhas e comprimento e largura da folha maior 'D'. No entanto, após 45 dias a massa fresca da planta (g), comprimento e largura da lâmina 'D' (cm) e o número de raízes aumentarem significativamente, enquanto a transpiração (mmol H2O m-2 s-1) foi reduzida. As clorofilas a e b (µg g-1 mf) diminuíram e mostraram diferenças pequenas, mas significativas. O aumento da atividade fotossintética após 30 dias mostrou que o aumento da intensidade luminosa e redução da umidade relativa não são fatores inibidores desta atividade durante a aclimatização

Análisis comparativo de los niveles de ruido presentes en áreas de diferentes características de la Ciudad de Córdoba

El ruido producto del tránsito rodado es la principal fuente de contaminación acústica en los grandes centros urbanos. La exposición por parte de los individuos a elevados niveles de ruido, de manera sostenida en el tiempo, provoca no solo la pérdida de la capacidad auditiva, sino también un deterioro general de la calidad de vida. La elaboración de planes de acción, tendientes a reducir estos niveles, requiere en primera instancia de información acerca de la realidad acústica del lugar, lo cual motiva la realización de mediciones de los niveles sonoros. En el presente trabajo se desarrolla un análisis comparativo de los niveles de ruido relevados in situ en tres diferentes zonas de la ciudad de Córdoba (Argentina), las cuales presentan distintas características de uso.Fil: Bodoira, Raúl A.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Córdoba. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia en Acústica; ArgentinaFil: Perez Villalobo, Jorge Alejandro. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Córdoba. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia en Acústica; ArgentinaFil: Contrera, Horacio H.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Córdoba. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia en Acústica; ArgentinaFil: Cáceres Mendoza, Elías Ariel. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Córdoba. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia en Acústica; ArgentinaFil: Hinalaf, María de Los Angeles. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Córdoba. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia en Acústica; Argentin

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field