The snakes of Emilia Romagna and especially of the province of Bologna (Northern Italy)

Geographical distribution and some morphological aspects of Emilia-Romagna snakes, and particularly of the Bologna Province (North Italy), are discussed. The study is based on about 6.000 reptiles, 4.185 of which are Vipera aspis, collected or killed during 7 years in the Bologna Province. Coronella girondica, Elaphe longissima and Vipera aspis seems to be absent today in the vegatational lower lever. Coluber viridiflavus, Natrix natrix and Natrix tessellata seems to be more spread on the hills and on the mountains than on the plain. Coronella austriaca was found only on the plain. Elaphe quatuorlineata was recorded in many North Italy localities. Probably sometimes it was mistaken with the back lined Elaphe longissima and sometimes the recorded specimens were introduced (normally without acclimatization from Central Italy or West Jugoslavija. On the other hand it is possible that during XIX century a relicted population was present in the Bologna surroundings. The recent recordings for the Romagna Region are doubtful and those for the Piacenza Province are probably referred to indigenous relict specimens or to imported and acclimatizated ones. In Italy Elaphe situla is present surely in Sicilia (especially in the East), in the East Basilicata and in the South and Central Puglia. It was mentioned for the SE Basilicata in many news of the XIX Century end and in papers of '50 and '60 of the XX Century, but its current presence has to be confirmed. The specimens recorded in Emilia Romagna were imported or were mistaken with Coronella girondica or with Elaphe quatuorlineata youngs (perhaps alloctonous). In the XIX Century second half it was mentioned for the Abruzzo (Central Italy), but probably a locality mistake exists: Abruzzo instead Dalmatia. Contrary to what believed until '70 of this Century, Natrix mama in Emilia Romagna is apparently more localized than rare and, perhaps, more spread than deducible from the bibliography. During XIX Century and the beginning of XX one, Vipera berus was present in many localities of the Po Plain. After about 1915-1918 it was not observed again. Probably it came extincted because of different anthropic reasons. In Italy is actually present in the Alpine Region. Anyway times to times, especially after years '50, it was recorded in Emilia Romagna at the Apennine Mounts base. During July 1969 a Young specimen was collected in the Sasso Marconi territory (Bologna Pre-Appennine) and during summer 1983 another young was captured at the Salse di Nirano (Modena). We don't know if those specimens are autochthonous. More researches to confirm the presence of this species in Emilia Romagna have to be carried on

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

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

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

International audienceIn 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