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

Acoustic Properties of Additive Manufactured Porous Material

Acoustic porous materials are extensively used in many engineering applications like building, automobile, aviation, and marine. The health risk factor and environmental claims, associated with traditional materials such as glass wool, mineral fibers, and polymer foams demand for the alternative porous acoustic absorbing materials. Advances in additive manufacturing (AM) allow to manufacture complex structures and give an alternative method to produce porous materials. This study investigates the acoustic properties of porous sound-absorbing material produced by using additive manufacturing (AM) technique and explores the feasibility of AM to manufacture acoustic absorptive materials. For study, three samples with different aperture ratios were fabricated by AM technique, and their sound absorption coefficients were measured experimentally by using the impedance tube. The theoretical formulation for predicting normal sound absorption coefficient of sample with and without air gap was developed and compared with experimental results. The predicted absorption coefficient agrees well with measured results. The measured results indicate that the absorption coefficient of the structures fabricated through AM can be altered by varying aperture ratio and air gap behind the sample. This study reinforces the capability of AM for producing complex acoustic structures with better acoustic properties