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- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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- Griffin, M. J., et al.
(author)
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The Herschel-SPIRE instrument and its in-flight performance
- 2010
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 518, s. L3-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE), is the Herschel Space Observatory`s submillimetre camera and spectrometer. It contains a three-band imaging photometer operating at 250, 350 and 500 mu m, and an imaging Fourier-transform spectrometer (FTS) which covers simultaneously its whole operating range of 194-671 mu m (447-1550 GHz). The SPIRE detectors are arrays of feedhorn-coupled bolometers cooled to 0.3 K. The photometer has a field of view of 4' x 8', observed simultaneously in the three spectral bands. Its main operating mode is scan-mapping, whereby the field of view is scanned across the sky to achieve full spatial sampling and to cover large areas if desired. The spectrometer has an approximately circular field of view with a diameter of 2.6'. The spectral resolution can be adjusted between 1.2 and 25 GHz by changing the stroke length of the FTS scan mirror. Its main operating mode involves a fixed telescope pointing with multiple scans of the FTS mirror to acquire spectral data. For extended source measurements, multiple position offsets are implemented by means of an internal beam steering mirror to achieve the desired spatial sampling and by rastering of the telescope pointing to map areas larger than the field of view. The SPIRE instrument consists of a cold focal plane unit located inside the Herschel cryostat and warm electronics units, located on the spacecraft Service Module, for instrument control and data handling. Science data are transmitted to Earth with no on-board data compression, and processed by automatic pipelines to produce calibrated science products. The in-flight performance of the instrument matches or exceeds predictions based on pre-launch testing and modelling: the photometer sensitivity is comparable to or slightly better than estimated pre-launch, and the spectrometer sensitivity is also better by a factor of 1.5-2.
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3. |
- Brainin, Michael, et al.
(author)
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Poststroke chronic disease management: towards improved identification and interventions for poststroke spasticity-related complications.
- 2011
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In: International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4949 .- 1747-4930. ; 6:1, s. 42-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper represents the opinion of a group of researchers and clinicians with an established interest in poststroke care and is based on the recognised need for long-term care following stroke, especially in view of the global increase of disability due to stroke. Among the more frequent long-term complications following stroke are spasticity-related disabilities. Although spasticity alone occurs in up to 60% of stroke survivors, disabling spasticity affects only 4-10%. Spasticity further interferes with important functions of daily life when it occurs in association with pain, motor impairment, and overall declines of cognitive and neurological function. It is proposed that the aftermath of stroke be considered a chronic disease requiring a multifactorial and multilevel approach. There are, however, knowledge gaps related to the prediction and recognition of poststroke disability. Interventions to prevent or minimise such disabilities require further development and evaluation. Poststroke spasticity research should focus on reducing disability and be considered as part of a continuum of chronic care requirements and should be recognised as a part of a comprehensive poststroke disease management programme.
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4. |
- Svensson, Glenn, et al.
(author)
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Assessment of genetic and pheromonal diversity of the Cydia strobilella species complex (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
- 2013
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In: Systematic Entomology. - : Wiley. - 1365-3113 .- 0307-6970. ; 38:2, s. 305-315
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Combining pheromone trapping and genetic analyses can be useful whentrying to resolve complexes of closely related insect taxa that are difficult to distinguishbased on morphological characters. Nearctic and Palearctic populations of the spruceseed moth, Cydia strobilella L., have been considered taxonomically synonymoussince 1983, but more recent work revealing distinct sex pheromones for Canadianand Swedish moths suggest that populations in the two regions belong to differentspecies. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed field trapping using differentpheromone lures at ten sites in North America, Europe and Asia, and reconstructedphylogenetic relationships among trapped moths using mitochondrial (cytochromeoxidase subunit I ) and nuclear (elongation factor 1 alpha) DNA sequence data.Trapping data and tree topologies for both genes revealed distinct pherotypes in NorthAmerica and Eurasia. A genetically distinct population from China was investigatedfurther with respect to its sex pheromone. Electrophysiological data indicated thatChinese females produce a deviant ratio of the sex pheromone components (dienicacetates) compared to Swedish females. However, trapping experiments in both areasrevealed a similar broad response profile in males to a wide range of acetate ratios,and these populations should be considered taxonomically synonymous. A previoussuggestion of an agonistic effect on the attraction of C. strobilella males in Swedenwhen adding the corresponding alcohols to the binary acetate blend was also testedin Sweden as well as in China, with no observed effect on attraction of males. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the great potential of using pheromone trappingas a tool for identification and delimitation of taxa within cryptic species complexes.Based on our data, Nearctic and Palearctic populations of C. strobilella should beconsidered different species, and C. youngana Kearfott stat. rev. is resurrected hereas valid name for North American populations, which was the case before the revisionin 1983.
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