Piecewise linear transformation in diffusive flux discretization

To ensure the discrete maximum principle or solution positivity in finite volume schemes, diffusive flux is sometimes discretized as a conical combination of finite differences. Such a combination may be impossible to construct along material discontinuities using only cell concentration values. This is often resolved by introducing auxiliary node, edge, or face concentration values that are explicitly interpolated from the surrounding cell concentrations. We propose to discretize the diffusive flux after applying a local piecewise linear coordinate transformation that effectively removes the discontinuities. The resulting scheme does not need any auxiliary concentrations and is therefore remarkably simpler, while being second-order accurate under the assumption that the structure of the domain is locally layered.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figures, preprint submitted to Journal of Computational Physic

Words and Deeds: From Incompatibilities to Outcomes in Anti-Government Disputes

Dissidents can choose among different tactics to redress political grievances, yet violent and nonviolent mobilization tend to be studied in isolation. We examine why some countries see the emergence of organized dissident activity over governmental claims, and why in some cases these organizational claims result in civil wars or nonviolent campaigns, while others see no large-scale collective action. We develop a two-stage theoretical framework examining the organized articulation of political grievance and then large-scale violent and nonviolent collective action. We test implications of this framework using new data on governmental incompatibilities in a random sample of 101 states from 1960- 2012. We show that factors such as demography, economic development and civil society have differential effects on these different stages and outcomes of mobilization. We demonstrate that the common finding that anocracies are more prone to civil war primarily stems from such regimes being more prone to see maximalist political demands that could lead to violent mobilization, depending on other factors conducive to creating focused military capacity We find that non-democracy generally promotes nonviolent campaigns as anocracies and autocracies are both more likely to experience claims and more prone to nonviolent campaigns, conditional on claims

Structure determination of a fluorescent product of the alkaline hydrolysis of pralidoxime

Ispitivanjem raznih svojstava stanica nakon tretmana rafinatom nafte nisu nađene jednoznačne promjene, koje bi upućivale na to da su tretirane stanice poprimile nove elemente malignog ponašanja. Tretirane stanice nisu pokazivale smanjenu kontaktnu lnhlblciju, niti im se signifikantno povećala sposobnost stvaranja tumora nakon injiciranja u ozračene miševe. Brzina rasta i trajanje rasta stanica u jednoslojnim kulturama ostali su također nepromijenjeni. Pozitivni nalazi odnosili su se na uočljive morfološke promjene svih tretiranih stanica, te na stečenu sposobnost C3Hf stanica da nakon tretmana rastu u mekom agaru i stvaraju tumore u miševima. Budući da je radiosenzitivnost stanica znatnim dijelom određena genetski kontroliranim reparacijskim procesima, to su također tražene i promjene u radiosenzitivnosti onih stanica koje su proistekle iz kultura ranije izlaganih navedenom naftnom derivatu. Uočene su promjene oblika krivulja preživljenja stanica tretiranih kultura, što se pripisuje djelovanju rafinata nafte na reparacijske procese.In the examination of various cellular properties after the treatment of cells with a crude oil distillate unambiguous changes which would indicate that the treated cells adopted new elements of malignant behaviour were not found. The treated cells demonstrated neither a decreased contact inhibition nor an increased ability to develop tumours after they had been injected to irradiated mice. The rate and duration of cell growth in mono-layer cultures remained unchanged too. Positive findings related to the morphological changes observed in all treated cells, and to the acquired ability of C3Hf cells after the treatment to grow in soft agar and to develop tumours in mice. Since cellular radiosensitivity is largely determined by genetically reparative processes we also looked for changes in radiosensitivity of the cells which had been earlier exposed to the crude oil distillate. In the treated cultures changes in the shape of the survival curves were observed, what is attributed to the effect of the crude oil distillate on reparative processes

Cloning and expression of fluorescently labeled )-synuclein in Eschierichia coli

Fluorescentno obeleženi proteini su neprocenjivi alati u laboratorijskoj praksi za in vivo lokalizovanje i ispitivanje interakcija proteina. Dizajnirali smo vektor za ekspresiju mCerulean3 sa N-terminalnim heksahistidinskim obeleživacem fuzionisanim preko poliasparaginskog linkera i proteolitickog mesta za proteazu virusa graviranosti duvana (TEV) sa -sinukleinom. Ovaj konstrukt može se upotrebiti za proizvodnju -sinukleina nativne sekvence nakon proteolize TEV proteazom. Gen za mCerulean3 je nizom lancanih reakcija polimeraze (SOEing PCR) fuzionisan sa genom za -sinuklein i nakon amplifikacije ukloniran u plazmid pDUET-1. Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) je, nakon transformacije ovim konstruktom, upotrebljena za proizvodnju himernog proteina koji je zadržao fluorescentna svojstva sa prinosom od ~2 mg po litru medijuma nakon precišcavanja imobilizovanom metal-afinitetnom hromatografijom (elektroforetska cistoca: ~80%). Ovaj himerni protein je uspešno proteolizovan TEV proteazom.Fluorescently labeled proteins are invaluable tools in laboratory practice to assess the in vivo localization and the interactions of proteins. Here we have designed an expression vector with an N-terminal hexahistidine-tagged mCerulean3 fused through a polyasparagine linker and the proteolytic site of tobacco etch virus protease (TEV) to - synuclein. This construct can be used to produce -synuclein of a native sequence after proteolysis with TEV protease. After fusion of the genes for mCerulean3 and -synuclein through a series of polymerase chain reactions (SOEing PCR), the resulting gene for the chimeric protein was cloned into the pDUET-1 plasmid. Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), upon transformation with this construct, can be used to produce the chimeric protein that retained the fluorescent properties of mCerulean3, with a yield of ~2 mg per liter of medium after purification by immobilized metal-affinity chromatography (electrophoretic purity: ~80%). This chimeric protein was successfully proteolyzed by TEV protease.Abstract: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5373

Effects of anthocyanins and their gut metabolites on adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet activation and their aggregation with monocytes and neutrophils

Accumulating evidence suggests that anthocyanins play an important role in the cardioprotective effects associated with consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods. These benefits may partly be attributed to their effects on platelets, significant contributors to cardiovascular disease development. This study aimed to investigate the impact of physiologically relevant concentrations of anthocyanins and their metabolites on platelet activation and platelet-leukocyte aggregation. Whole blood from seven healthy volunteers was treated with anthocyanins: cyanidin-3-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-galactoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside at 0.1 mu M concentration or gut metabolites: 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, protocatechuic, vanillic, ferulic and hippuric acids at 0.5 mu M, 0.2 mu M, 2 mu M, 1 mu M, 2 mu M concentration, respectively. Markers of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet activation (P-selectin and GPIIb-IIIa expression) and platelet-monocyte and platelet-neutrophil aggregation were analyzed using flow cytometry. Cyanidin-3-arabinoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and peonidin-3-glucoside decreased agonist-induced P-selectin expression, while cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-arabinoside reduced platelet-neutrophil aggregation. Hippuric and protocatechuic acids inhibited P-selectin expression, ferulic acid reduced platelet-monocyte aggregation, while 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde affected P-selectin expression, platelet-neutrophil and monocyte aggregation. Only cyanidin-3-glucoside and protocatechuic acid decreased GPIIb-IIIa expression. These results demonstrate the bioactivity of anthocyanins and their gut metabolites at physiologically relevant concentrations on platelet function and interaction with leukocytes, presenting mechanisms by which they contribute to the beneficial effects of habitual consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods on cardiovascular health

Efekti hrane obogaćene ribljim brašnom i mlekom u prahu na antioksidativne enzime i lipidnu peroksidaciju u jetri ženki pacova Wistar soja - pilot studija

Background/Aim. Recently, there has been an increased interest in novel dietary antioxidants, including omega-3 fatty acids and bioactive proteins present in milk. The aim of this study was to examine potential antioxidant effects of four-weeks long fish-based and milk-based diets in female Wistar rats. Methods. Four-months old rats were divided into three groups receiving either: control diet, diet enriched with fish meal, or diet enriched with milk. The activities of antioxidant enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined in liver homogenates obtained at the end of the treatment period. Results. Statistically significant higher activities of GPx (3.52 ± 0.73 U/mg) and CAT (147.25 ± 15.93 U/mg) were detected in rats fed with fishbased meal in comparison with both the control (GPx: 1.93 ± 0.11 U/mg; CAT: 99.37 ± 10.03 U/mg) and the group fed with milk-based diet (GPx: 1.72 ± 0.52 U/mg; CAT: 104.18 ± 37.49 U/mg). Despite somewhat lower concentration of TBARS in the milk-treated group (0.88 ± 0.23 nmoL/mg), no significant differences were detected in comparison with other groups (the control group: 1.00 ± 0.08 nmoL/mg; the fish-based diet group: 1.13 ± 0.15 nmoL/mg). Conclusion. Diet enriched with fish could improve one's oxidative status by enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver tissue. On the contrary, we failed to obtain results suggesting that milk could serve as a source of dietary antioxidants.Uvod/Cilj. U poslednje vreme povećano je interesovanje za istraživanja novih antioksidanasa u ishrani, uključujući omega-3 masne kiseline i bioaktivne proteine prisutne u mleku. Cilj ove studije bio je ispitivanje potencijalnih antioksidativnih efekata hrane obogaćene ribljim brašnom i hrane obogaćene mlekom u prahu kod ženki Wistar pacova, u trajanju od četiri nedelje. Metode. Pacovi, starosti četiri meseca, podeljeni su u tri grupe koje su bile hranjene standardnom hranom (kontrolna grupa), hranom obogaćenom ribljim brašnom i hranom obogaćenom mlekom u prahu. U homogenatima jetre, posle četiri nedelje, određene su aktivnosti antioksidativnih enzima: glutation peroksidaze (GPx), superoksid dismutaze (SOD) i katalaze (CAT), kao i koncentracija reaktivnih supstanci tiobarbiturne kiseline (TBARS). Rezultati. Statistički značajno veće aktivnosti GPx (3,52 ± 0,73 U/mg) i CAT (147,25 ± 15,93 U/mg) nađene su kod pacova koji su dobijali hranu obogaćenu ribljim brašnom u odnosu na kontrolu (GPx: 1,93 ± 0,11 U/mg; CAT: 99,37 ± 10,03 U/mg) i grupu koja je hranjena hranom obogaćenom mlekom u prahu (GPx: 1,72 ± 0,52 U/mg; CAT: 104,18 ± 37,49 U/mg). Uprkos nešto nižoj koncentraciji TBARS u grupi koja je primala hranu obogaćenu mlekom u prahu (0,88 ± 0,23 nmoL/mg), nisu utvrđene statistički značajne razlike u poređenju sa drugim grupama (kontrola: 1,00 ± 0,08 nmoL/mg; grupa na ishrani obogaćenoj ribljim brašnom: 1,13 ± 0,15 nmoL/mg). Zaključak. Ishrana bogata ribom mogla bi delovati povoljno na oksidativni status preko poboljšanja aktivnosti antioksidativnih enzima jetre. Sa druge strane, rezultati ne pokazuju da bi mleko moglo biti dobar izvor dijetarnih antioksidanasa

Cloning and expression of fluorescently labeled )-synuclein in Eschierichia coli

Fluorescentno obeleženi proteini su neprocenjivi alati u laboratorijskoj praksi za in vivo lokalizovanje i ispitivanje interakcija proteina. Dizajnirali smo vektor za ekspresiju mCerulean3 sa N-terminalnim heksahistidinskim obeleživacem fuzionisanim preko poliasparaginskog linkera i proteolitickog mesta za proteazu virusa graviranosti duvana (TEV) sa -sinukleinom. Ovaj konstrukt može se upotrebiti za proizvodnju -sinukleina nativne sekvence nakon proteolize TEV proteazom. Gen za mCerulean3 je nizom lancanih reakcija polimeraze (SOEing PCR) fuzionisan sa genom za -sinuklein i nakon amplifikacije ukloniran u plazmid pDUET-1. Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) je, nakon transformacije ovim konstruktom, upotrebljena za proizvodnju himernog proteina koji je zadržao fluorescentna svojstva sa prinosom od ~2 mg po litru medijuma nakon precišcavanja imobilizovanom metal-afinitetnom hromatografijom (elektroforetska cistoca: ~80%). Ovaj himerni protein je uspešno proteolizovan TEV proteazom.Fluorescently labeled proteins are invaluable tools in laboratory practice to assess the in vivo localization and the interactions of proteins. Here we have designed an expression vector with an N-terminal hexahistidine-tagged mCerulean3 fused through a polyasparagine linker and the proteolytic site of tobacco etch virus protease (TEV) to - synuclein. This construct can be used to produce -synuclein of a native sequence after proteolysis with TEV protease. After fusion of the genes for mCerulean3 and -synuclein through a series of polymerase chain reactions (SOEing PCR), the resulting gene for the chimeric protein was cloned into the pDUET-1 plasmid. Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), upon transformation with this construct, can be used to produce the chimeric protein that retained the fluorescent properties of mCerulean3, with a yield of ~2 mg per liter of medium after purification by immobilized metal-affinity chromatography (electrophoretic purity: ~80%). This chimeric protein was successfully proteolyzed by TEV protease.Poster: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5374

Elimination of Arsenic from the Underground Waters in the Region of West Bačka

Vojvodina, as a part of Pannonian plain, is supplied with underground waters from well which are located 150 to 200 m under the surface. The quality of these waters is questionable and specific due to to the presence of higher concentrations of arsenic, iron, ammonium and, frequently enough, humic acid and sulphide. The price of drinking water in this area is affected by the presence and the complicated interaction of the above mentioned polluting materials in the underground waters. In this region the concentration of arsenic in the water varies from 2-250 μg/l, whereas the concentration of humic acid is often higher than 20 mg/l. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the researches conducted on one of the pilot plant in Vojvodina where Iron Oxide Hybrid System was used for treating arsenic in combination with applying other technologies for eliminatinating other pollutants from raw water. The adsorption technique was chosen on the basis of the previously conducted analyses and on the available reference data about the effects and efficiency of other technologies.Vojvodina, deo Panonske nizije, snabdeva se podzemnom vodom iz izdani koje zaležu na dubinama 150 – 250 m. Kvalitet ove vode je problematičan i specifičan iz razloga sto ima povišene koncentracije arsena, gvožđa, amonijaka, a veoma često i huminskih materija i sulfida. Navedene zagađujuće materije u podzemnim vodama i njihova složena međusobna interakcija komplikuju i poskupljuju tretman vode za piće. Koncentracija arsena koja se javlja u ovoj oblasti varira od 2 – 250 µg, dok je koncentracija huminskih materija često veća od 20 mgl-1. Ovaj rad prikazuje rezultate istraživanja na jednom od pilot postrojenja u Vojvodini, gde je za tretman arsena korišćen gvožđe oksidni hibridni sistem, zajedno sa kombinacijom još nekoliko tehnologija za uklanjanje ostalih zagađujućih materija iz sirove vode. Adsorptivna metoda tretmana arsena odabrana je na osnovu pređašnjih analiza i literaturnih podataka o ekonomičnosti i efikasnosti ostalih tehnologija.7 Medjunarodna konferencija Vodovodni i kanalizacioni sistemi / 7th international conference Water Supply and Sewerage Systems, Jahorina - Pale (Bosnia and Herzegovina), 10-12 May 200

The Quality of Underground qaters in the Region of West Bačka

The population and the industry in the region of West Backa are supplied with underground water which is specific in its quality due to higher content of organic substance, higher pH values, the presence of hydrogen-sulphide and higher concentration of arsenic, which all result from the geological structure of the soil in that area. The concentration of arsenic found in the drinking water in some populated areas of the region exceeds ten times the highest allowed concentrations of 10 micro g/l. The concentrations of arsenic were measured in the samples of water taken from the wells which are used by residents of these areas. The provided data were statistically processed and presented in this paper.Stanovništvo i industrija Zapadnobačkog okruga se snabdevaju podzemnim vodama koje su specifične po svom kvalitetu jer ih karakteriše povišen sadržaj organskih materija, povišena pH vrednost, prisustvo sumporvodonika i povećana koncentracija arsena, što je posledica geološkog sastava tla. Koncentracija arsena u vodi za piće u nekim naseljenim mestima čak i preko deset puta nadmašuje maksimalno dozvoljene koncentracije od 10 g/l. Koncentracije arsena su merene u uzorcima vode iz bunara iz kojih se snabdeva stanovništvo po naseljenim mestima u ovom regionu. Podaci su statistički obrađeni i prikazani u ovom radu.7 Medjunarodna konferencija Vodovodni i kanalizacioni sistemi / 7th international conference Water Supply and Sewerage Systems, Jahorina - Pale (Bosnia and Herzegovina), 10-12 May 200