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

Domestic violence: possibilities and limitations in coping Violencia doméstica: las posibilidades y los límites de enfrentamiento Violência doméstica: as possibilidades e os limites de enfrentamento

This qualitative study assesses how women, in situations of domestic violence and examined at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, deal with this adversity and identifies protection strategies to cope with it, considering the support required and obtained from their relational and institutional environments. Ten women were interviewed and the data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Search for help primarily occurs in the women’s social milieu, with family and friends and health and legal services being sought. In such a quest, established bonds may either become an obstacle to coping and make these women vulnerable to violence or protect and strengthen them during coping. In the identification of these women’s social and health needs, the aggravating circumstances of violence are only superficially addressed by professionals. New strategies to implement professional actions should be devised in order to provide integral and humanized care.<br>El objetivo del presente estudio fue comprender como las mujeres en situación de violencia doméstica, atendidas en el Instituto Médico Legal, conviven con esta adversidad e identificar las estrategias de protección en el enfrentamiento, considerando el apoyo/soporte requerido y el obtenido en el medio relacional e institucional. Es un estudio de abordaje cualitativo. Se entrevistaron diez mujeres y los datos fueron analizados por la técnica de análisis de contenido, en la modalidad temática. La búsqueda por ayuda ocurre en el propio medio social, junto a la familia y amigos. Posteriormente, se recurre a los servicios de salud y judicial. En esa búsqueda los vínculos establecidos se pueden tornar un obstáculo al enfrentamiento y, por lo tanto, vulnerables a la violencia, o pueden proteger a las mujeres y fortalecerlas en el enfrentamiento. En el reconocimiento de sus necesidades sociales y de salud, los agravantes de la violencia son tocados apenas tangencialmente por los profesionales en la aprehensión de las necesidades de estas mujeres. Para la atención integral y humanizada deben ser elaboradas nuevas estrategias de acciones profesionales.<br>O objetivo do presente estudo foi compreender como as mulheres em situação de violência doméstica, atendidas no instituto médico legal, convivem com essa adversidade e identificar as estratégias de proteção no enfrentamento, considerando o apoio/suporte requerido e o obtido no meio relacional e institucional. Trata-se de estudo com abordagem qualitativa. Foram entrevistadas dez mulheres e os dados analisados pela técnica de análise de conteúdo, modalidade temática. A busca por ajuda ocorre no próprio meio social, junto à família e amigos. Posteriormente, recorre-se aos serviços de saúde e judicial. Nessa busca, os vínculos estabelecidos podem se tornar obstáculo ao enfrentamento e, portanto, vulneráveis à violência, ou podem proteger as mulheres e fortalecê-las no enfrentamento. No reconhecimento de suas necessidades sociais e de saúde, os agravantes da violência são apenas tangenciados pelos profissionais, na apreensão das necessidades dessas mulheres. Para o atendimento integral e humanizado devem ser pensadas novas estratégias de ações profissionais

Phytoplasmas: An Introduction

Phytoplasmas are among the most recently discovered plant pathogens. They are wall-less prokaryotes restricted to phloem tissue, associated with diseases affecting several hundred plant species. The impact of phytoplasma diseases on agriculture is impressive and, at the present day, no effective curative strategy has been developed. The availability of rapid and sensitive techniques for phytoplasma detection as well as the possibility to study their relationship with the host plants is a prerequisite for the management of phytoplasma-associated diseases

Practice Effects on Story Memory and List Learning Tests in the Neuropsychological Assessment of Older Adults

Two of the most commonly used methods to assess memory functioning in studies of cognitive aging and dementia are story memory and list learning tests. We hypothesized that the most commonly used story memory test, Wechsler's Logical Memory, would generate more pronounced practice effects than a well validated but less common list learning test, the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) List Learning test. Two hundred eighty-seven older adults, ages 51 to 100 at baseline, completed both tests as part of a larger neuropsychological test battery on an annual basis. Up to five years of recall scores from participants who were diagnosed as cognitively normal (n = 96) or with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 72) or Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 121) at their most recent visit were analyzed with linear mixed effects regression to examine the interaction between the type of test and the number of times exposed to the test. Other variables, including age at baseline, sex, education, race, time (years) since baseline, and clinical diagnosis were also entered as fixed effects predictor variables. The results indicated that both tests produced significant practice effects in controls and MCI participants; in contrast, participants with AD declined or remained stable. However, for the delayed-but not the immediate-recall condition, Logical Memory generated more pronounced practice effects than NAB List Learning (b = 0.16, p < .01 for controls). These differential practice effects were moderated by clinical diagnosis, such that controls and MCI participants-but not participants with AD-improved more on Logical Memory delayed recall than on delayed NAB List Learning delayed recall over five annual assessments. Because the Logical Memory test is ubiquitous in cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease research, its tendency to produce marked practice effects-especially on the delayed recall condition-suggests a threat to its validity as a measure of new learning, an essential construct for dementia diagnosis