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

Solar cycle dependence of low amplitude anisotropic wave train events

312-318A large number of low amplitude anisotropic wave train events (LAEs) of cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy have been studied during 1980-1994 as a function of solar activity represented by sunspot numbers using the hourly neutron monitor data of Deep River station. The amplitude as well as direction of the diurnal anisotropy is well correlated with solar cycle during low amplitude days. The time of maximum for all days lies along 1650 hrs LT direction and is mostly caused by depression of cosmic ray intensity along garden hose direction or the increase of the intensity along anti-garden hose direction similar to that of high amplitude events. However, the direction of anisotropy for LAEs shows a preferential direction along ~1250 hrs LT direction and this may be attributed to the increase in diffusion of particles perpendicular to interplanetary magnetic field lines. The shift of time of maximum along ~1250 hrs LT direction for LAEs may be attributed to the increase in diffusion of particles perpendicular to interplanetary field lines. However, the shift of time of maximum for LAEs along 1550 hrs LT direction is mainly caused by corotation of cosmic ray particles along with solar system magnetic fields similar to that of normal diurnal variation. The occurrence of LAEs is solar activity dependent. It may be concluded that interplanetary turbulences responsible for cosmic ray modulation effects do not reach the Earth during solar minimum and maximum, which results in the dominance of LAEs during these periods. The increase in diurnal amplitude of LAEs during solar minimum and maximum is contributed by the additional flow of cosmic ray particles due to corotating streams

EFFECT OF EAST-WEST AND RADIAL ANISOTROPY ON HALE CYCLE IN THE HARMONICS OF DAILY VARIATION IN C R INTENSITY

Abstract The data of the Deep River neutron monitoring station has been harmonically analysed for the period 1964-95 to obtain the diurnal and semi-diurnal components of cosmic ray intensity on geomagnetically 60 quiet days. The annual diurnal anisotropy vectors have been resolved into two components, one along the 12-Hr direction, the radial anisotropy component and the other along 18-Hr direction, east-west anisotropy component. It is observed that when the polarity of SPMF in NH is positive, the radial anisotropy component increases; whereas, east-west anisotropy component decreases. This results in shifting the diurnal anisotropy vector towards earlier hours during positive polarity epoch. During negative polarity epoch, the east-west anisotropy component attains its maximum and the radial anisotropy component attains its minimum, which results in shifting the anisotropy vector gradually towards later hours. For semi-diurnal anisotropy it is found that the magnitude of 3-Hr component is larger as compared to 6-Hr component during the positive polarity epoch, which results in shifting the anisotropy vector towards earlier hours but the same does not hold good for the negative polarity epoch i.e, the magnitude of 6-Hr component is not always found to be greater as compared to the 3-Hr component

Long-term variation of cosmic ray anisotropy during high amplitude days

9-13In the present study the occurrence of a large number high amplitude event (HAE) of cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy during 1981-1994 has been examined as a function of solar activity using the hourly neutron monitor data of Deep River station. The diurnal time of maximum for both HAE as well as for all days is found to shift significantly towards an earlier time as compared to the co-rotational/azimuthal direction since the year 1991 onward. It is found that diurnal amplitude significantly deviates and reaches its maximum, and phase remains in the co-rotational direction during the years close to solar activity maximum for HAE. The occurrence of HAE is dominant in the declining phase of solar activity. The amplitude as well as phase of the cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy during HAEs is well correlated with the sunspot numbers

Role of southward component of IMF and solar wind velocity in CR modulation

, Jabalpur (M.P.) 482 001, India Presenter: Rajesh K. Mishra ([email protected]), ind-mishra-RK-abs2-sh34-poster The high amplitude wave train events (HAEs) of cosmic ray intensity observed during 1981-1994 were analyzed. We have studied the effect of southward component (Bz) of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind velocity on cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy. The neutron monitor data of Deep River station has been used in the present analysis. It has been observed that HAEs are weakly dependent on high-speed solar wind velocity. The occurrence of HAE is dominant for positive polarity of southward component (Bz) of IMF. The diurnal time of maximum significantly shifts towards earlier hours as compared to the azimuthal/corotational direction for majority of the HAEs during the period of investigation

Unusual behaviour caused by interplanetary turbulences in cosmic ray intensity

285-293The unusually high/low amplitude anisotropic wave train events (HAEs/LAEs) in cosmic ray intensity using the ground based Deep River neutron monitor data have been studied during the period 1991-94. It has been observed that the phase of diurnal anisotropy for majority of HAE/LAE cases remains in the same co-rotational direction. The phase of diurnal anisotropy has shifted to later hours for some of the HAE cases, whereas it shifts towards earlier hours for some of the LAE cases. Further, for majority of HAE/LAE cases, the amplitude of semi-diurnal anisotropy remains statistically the same; whereas, the phase of semi-diurnal anisotropy for all HAE/LAE cases has shifted to later hours. Furthermore, for tri-diurnal anisotropy the phase shifts towards later hours for both type of events; while, amplitude remains statistically the same. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind plasma (SWP) parameters during these events are also investigated. The possible sources causing these types of unusual events have been proposed