On the Convolution Efficiency for Probabilistic Analysis of Real-Time Systems (Artifact)

This artifact describes the process for validation and reproduction of the experiments given in the associated paper "On the Convolution Efficiency for Probabilistic Analysis of Real-Time Systems". This document contains the information on the scope of the presented artifact, i.e. what are the considered experiments, instructions for obtaining the source code of the experiments, tested platforms, and other relevant information

APOPTOSIS REGULATION BY INHIBITORS OF PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH REGULACIJA APOPTOZE PREKO INHIBITORA PROGRAMIRANE ]ELIJSKE SMRTI

Summary: Apoptosis is a form of cell death which is important in many physiological processes. Four apoptotic mechanisms have been identified but two have been well examined: the intrinsic and the extrinsic mechanism. Due to many pro/antiapoptotic factors, these processes take place on a physiologically useful level. In cases of apoptosis dysregu lation, illnesses occur such as neurodegenerative diseases combined with an increased level of cell death or cancerogenesis associated with uncontrolled cell proliferation. Apoptosis can be triggered by the activation of the first caspase in a series and stopped by its deactivation, which represents a new challenge: determining the »point of no return«. Besides the antiapoptotic proteins (Bcl 2, Bcl XL), a family of proteins called the Inhibitors of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs) play a key role in the regulation of apoptosis. Members of the IAP family are: cIAP1, cIAP2, XIAP, Survivin, Livin and TsIAP. Domain BIR is the most important in the IAP structure since it determines their specificity for caspases. The interaction of IAPs with caspases is complex and not completely understood, however, IAPs are considered to be important target proteins in the therapy of tumor and autoimmune diseases. Keywords: IAP protein (apoptosis), caspases, programmed cell death type I Kratak sadr`aj: Apoptoza predstavlja oblik }elijske smrti i va`na je u mnogim fiziolo{kim procesima. Postojẽ etiri oblika }elijske smrti a dva su dobro prou~ena: unutra{nji i spolja{nji. Zahvaljuju}i mnogim pro/antiapoptoti~kim faktorima, ovaj proces se odvija na fiziolo{ki korisnom nivou. U slu~aju disregulacije apoptoze nastaju bolesti kao {to su neurodegenerativna oboljenja udru`ena sa povi{enim nivoom }elijske smrti ili karcinogeneza udru`ena sa nekontrolisanom }elijskom proliferacijom. Apoptozu mo`e po krenuti aktivacija prve kaspaze u nizu i prekinuti njena deaktivacija, {to predstavlja novi izazov: odrediti »ta~ku bez povratka«. Pored antiapoptoti~nih proteina (Bcl 2, Bcl XL), familija proteina nazvanih inhibitori apoptoze (eng. Inhibitors of Apoptosis Proteins, IAPs) igra klju~nu ulogu u procesu regulacije. Pripadnici familije IAP su: cIAP1, cIAP2, XIAP, survivin, livin i TsIAP. Domen BIR je naj zna~ajniji u strukturi IAP budu}i da odre|uje specifi~nost ka kaspazama. Interakcija IAP sa kaspazama je kompleksna i nedovoljno istra`ena, me|utim, smatra se da IAPs pred stavljaju va`ne ciljne proteine u terapiji tumora i auto imunih oboljenja

RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY AS A NEW BIOCHEMICAL DIAGNOSTIC TOOL RAMANSKA SPEKTROSKOPIJA KAO NOVO BIOHEMIJSKO DIJAGNOSTI^KO SREDSTVO

Summary In this review, Raman spectroscopy is described as a new and potentially powerful diagnostic tool in comparison to routine biochemical tests. Advanced instrumentation and new Raman spectroscopy techniques enable rapid and simultaneous identification and/or determination of se veral biochemical parameters, such as glucose, acetone, creatinine, urea, lipid profile, uric acid, total protein, etc, with a very low limit of detection. Raman spectroscopy could also be applied in molecule and cell characterization, as well as diagnostics of atherosclerosis in its early stage. Raman spectroscopy is nondestructive and could be applied to all kinds of samples, which simplifies the diagnostics of numerous disea ses and pathologic states. Special attention is paid to literature data illustrating the application of Raman spectroscopy for transdermal glucose monitoring and cancer diagnostics. Keywords: biochemical parameters, cancer diagnosis, glu cose monitoring, Raman spectroscopy Kratak sadr`aj U ovom prikazu opisana je primena Ramanske spektroskopije kao nove metode velikih mogu}nosti u dijagnostici, u pore|enju sa rutinskim biohe mijskim testovima. Me toda je razvijena i usavr{ena za identifikaciju i/ili odre |ivanje velikog broja biohemijskih parametara, kao {to su glu koza, aceton, kreatinin, urea, lipidni profil, mokra}na kiselina, ukupni proteini i drugi, uz veoma nizak limit detekcije. Ramanska spektroskopija tako|e se mo`e primenjivati u molekulskoj i }elij -skoj karakterizaciji, kao i za dijagnostiku ranog stadijuma ateroskleroze. Ramanska spektroskopija je nedestruktivna i mo`e se primenjivati na sve vrste uzoraka, {to pojednostavljuje dijagnostiku brojnih bo lesti i patolo{kih stanja. Posebna pa`nja u radu je posve }ena podacima iz literature koji ilustruju primenu Ramanske spektroskopije u transdermalnom monitoringu glukoze i dijagno stici kancera

Ruthenacarborane and Quinoline: A Promising Combination for the Treatment of Brain Tumors

Gliomas and glioblastomas are very aggressive forms of brain tumors, prone to the development of a multitude of resistance mechanisms to therapeutic treatments, including cytoprotective autophagy. In this work, we investigated the role and mechanism of action of the combination of a ruthenacarborane derivative with 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ), linked via an ester bond (complex 2), in rat astrocytoma C6 and human glioma U251 cells, in comparison with the two compounds alone, i.e., the free carboxylic acid (complex 1) and 8-HQ, and their non-covalent combination ([1 + 8-HQ], in 1:1 molar ratio). We found that only complex 2 was able to significantly affect cellular viability in glioma U251 cells (IC50 11.4 μM) via inhibition of the autophagic machinery, most likely acting at the early stages of the autophagic cascade. Contrary to 8-HQ alone, complex 2 was also able to impair cellular viability under conditions of glucose deprivation. We thus suggest different mechanisms of action of ruthenacarborane complex 2 than purely organic quinoline-based drugs, making complex 2 a very attractive candidate for evading the known resistances of brain tumors to chloroquine-based therapies

Structural and DFT Studies on Molecular Structure of Ni(II) Chloride Complex with Pyridoxal Semicarbazone (PLSC). Unusual Coordination Mode of PLSC

Dedicated to the memory of Professor Ljubo Golià bstract Crystal structure of the NiCl 2 complex with pyridoxal semicarbazone (PLSC), of the empirical formula Ni(PLSC)Cl 2 · 3.5H 2 O, gives evidence for an unusual coordination mode of PLSC, observed for the first time. Namely, X-ray analysis of this complex reveales that the elementary cell consists of two monomeric complex cations 4+ , eight Cl -anions, and four molecules of crystal water. In the monomeric cation, PLSC is coordinated in the usual tridentate (ONO) way via the phenolic and carbonyl oxygen atoms and azomethine nitrogen. In contrast, in the dimeric cations, both PLSC molecules, apart from the mentioned ligand atoms, are additionally coordinated via the oxygen of the hydroxymethyl group, but in the role of a bridge, which represents the first example of this coordination mode of PLSC. In both complex cations, Ni(II) is situated in a slightly distorted octahedral environment. The ligand and the complex were additionally characterized by IR spectra and the ligand also by NMR spectra. DFT computation of molecular structure of the complex was carried out at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory

Effect of the relative shift between the electron density and temperature pedestal position on the pedestal stability in JET-ILW and comparison with JET-C

The electron temperature and density pedestals tend to vary in their relative radial positions, as observed in DIII-D (Beurskens et al 2011 Phys. Plasmas 18 056120) and ASDEX Upgrade (Dunne et al 2017 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 59 14017). This so-called relative shift has an impact on the pedestal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability and hence on the pedestal height (Osborne et al 2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 063018). The present work studies the effect of the relative shift on pedestal stability of JET ITER-like wall (JET-ILW) baseline low triangularity (\u3b4) unseeded plasmas, and similar JET-C discharges. As shown in this paper, the increase of the pedestal relative shift is correlated with the reduction of the normalized pressure gradient, therefore playing a strong role in pedestal stability. Furthermore, JET-ILW tends to have a larger relative shift compared to JET carbon wall (JET-C), suggesting a possible role of the plasma facing materials in affecting the density profile location. Experimental results are then compared with stability analysis performed in terms of the peeling-ballooning model and with pedestal predictive model EUROPED (Saarelma et al 2017 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion). Stability analysis is consistent with the experimental findings, showing an improvement of the pedestal stability, when the relative shift is reduced. This has been ascribed mainly to the increase of the edge bootstrap current, and to minor effects related to the increase of the pedestal pressure gradient and narrowing of the pedestal pressure width. Pedestal predictive model EUROPED shows a qualitative agreement with experiment, especially for low values of the relative shift