Circumstellar disks and planets. Science cases for next-generation optical/infrared long-baseline interferometers

We present a review of the interplay between the evolution of circumstellar disks and the formation of planets, both from the perspective of theoretical models and dedicated observations. Based on this, we identify and discuss fundamental questions concerning the formation and evolution of circumstellar disks and planets which can be addressed in the near future with optical and infrared long-baseline interferometers. Furthermore, the importance of complementary observations with long-baseline (sub)millimeter interferometers and high-sensitivity infrared observatories is outlined.Comment: 83 pages; Accepted for publication in "Astronomy and Astrophysics Review"; The final publication is available at http://www.springerlink.co

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

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

Cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles against non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the fifth most common form of malignancy in the United States, and for most of the last three decades, the treatment and outcomes for patients with this disease have not changed. Nanomedicine aims to provide the means to target chemotherapies directly and selectively to cancerous cells and enhance their therapeutic efficacy. In this scenario, we employed biogenic Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) as an anticancer agent against non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Bladder cancer was chemically induced with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) on C57BL/6Junib female mice and treated by intravesical route with biogenic silver nanoparticles concentrations of 0.5, 0.2, and 0.05 mg/mL. The histopathological analyzes showed the treated with AgNP 0.5 group presented 42.85% of pTa, 28.57% of pTis and 28.57% of pT1, indicating that this treatment was not effective in regressing the neoplastic lesions. MNU + AgNP 0.2 group showed 28.57% of tumor regression, being these animals showed flat hyperplasia (28.57%). Finally, treatment with 0.05 AgNP led to 57.13% of tumor regression, with 14.28% of the animals showing normal urothelium and 42.85% showing flat hyperplasia, considering a benign lesion. Further, to understand the antitumor effect of AgNPs, we evaluated the molecular mechanism of cytotoxicity in human bladder carcinoma 5637 cell. The results showed the dose-time dependent cytotoxicity, and detailed analysis demonstrated the induction of cell death via apoptosis. Besides, we found that AgNP inhibition in cell migration and proliferation. Thus, these findings confirm the antitumor properties of AgNPs and suggest that they may be a cost-effective alternative and promising candidate for the treatment of bladder cancer1323CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP402280/2013-0; 2014/50906-9Não temThis work was supported by NanoBioss/Sisnano (CNPq-Brazil, Process number 402280/2013-0), INOMAT (CNPq/MCTI – Process 2014/50906-9; INCT 2014-FAPESP), Brazilian Network of Nanotoxicology (CIGENANOTOX – MCTI/CNPq