Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SMACS: A framework for formal verification of complex adaptive systems

Abstract Self-adaptive systems (SASs) have the capability to evaluate and change their behavior according to changes occurring in the environment. Research in this field is being held since mid-60, and over the last decade, the importance of self-adaptivity is being increased. In the proposed research, colored petri nets (CPN) formal language is being used to model self-adaptive multiagent system. CPN is increasingly used to model self-adaptive complex concurrent systems due to its flexible formal specification and formal verification behavior. CPN being visually more expressive than simple, Petri Nets enable diverse modeling approaches and provides a richer framework for such a complex formalism. The main goal of this research is to apply self-adaptive multi-agent concurrent system (SMACS) for complex architectures. In our previous research, the SMACS framework is proposed and verified through traffic monitoring system. All agents of SMACS are also known as intelligent agents due to their self-adaptation behavior. Due to decentralized approach in this framework, each agent will intelligently adapt its behavior in the environment and send updates to other agents. In this research, we are choosing smart computer lab (SCL) as a case study. For internal structure of each agent modal, μ \mu -calculus will be used, and then a model checker TAPAs: a tool for the analysis of process algebras will be applied to verify these properties. CPN-based state space analysis will also be done to verify the behavioral properties of the model. The general objective of the proposed system is to maximize the utility generated over some predetermined time horizon.
SpaceMediator: Leveraging Authorization Policies to Prevent Spatial and Privacy Attacks in Mobile Augmented Reality

Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) is a portable, powerful, and suitable technology that integrates digital content , e.g., 3D virtual objects, into the physical world, which not only has been implemented for multiple intents such as shopping, entertainment, gaming, etc., but it is also expected to grow at a tremendous rate in the upcoming years. Unfortunately, the applications that implement MAR, hereby referred to as MAR-Apps, bear security issues, which have been imaged in worldwide incidents such as robberies, which has led authorities to ban MAR-Apps at specific locations. Existing problems with MAR-Apps can be classified into three categories: first, Space Invasion , which implies the intrusive modification through MAR of sensitive spaces, e.g., hospitals, memorials, etc. Second, Space Affectation , which involves the degradation of users’ experience via interaction with undesirable MAR or malicious entities. Finally, MAR-Apps mishandling sensitive data leads to Privacy Leaks . To alleviate these concerns, we present an approach for Policy-Governed MAR-Apps, which allows end-users to fully control under what circumstances, e.g., their presence inside a given sensitive space, digital content may be displayed by MAR-Apps. Through SpaceMediator , a proof-of-concept MAR-App that imitates the well-known and successful MAR-App Pokémon GO, we evaluated our approach through a user study with 40 participants, who recognized and prevented the issues just described with success rates as high as 92.50%. Furthermore, there is an enriched interest in Policy-Governed MAR-Apps as 87.50% of participants agreed with it, and 82.50% would use it to implement content-based restrictions in MAR-Apps. These promising results encourage the adoption of our solution in future MAR-Apps
Increased central auditory gain in 5xFAD Alzheimer’s disease mice as an early biomarker candidate for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness without a cure. All current therapies require an accurate diagnosis and staging of AD to ensure appropriate care. Central auditory processing disorders (CAPDs) and hearing loss have been associated with AD, and may precede the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia. Therefore, CAPD is a possible biomarker candidate for AD diagnosis. However, little is known about how CAPD and AD pathological changes are correlated. In the present study, we investigated auditory changes in AD using transgenic amyloidosis mouse models. AD mouse models were bred to a mouse strain commonly used for auditory experiments, to compensate for the recessive accelerated hearing loss on the parent background. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings revealed significant hearing loss, a reduced ABR wave I amplitude, and increased central gain in 5xFAD mice. In comparison, these effects were milder or reversed in APP/PS1 mice. Longitudinal analyses revealed that in 5xFAD mice, central gain increase preceded ABR wave I amplitude reduction and hearing loss, suggesting that it may originate from lesions in the central nervous system rather than the peripheral loss. Pharmacologically facilitating cholinergic signaling with donepezil reversed the central gain in 5xFAD mice. After the central gain increased, aging 5xFAD mice developed deficits for hearing sound pips in the presence of noise, consistent with CAPD-like symptoms of AD patients. Histological analysis revealed that amyloid plaques were deposited in the auditory cortex of both mouse strains. However, in 5xFAD but not APP/PS1 mice, plaque was observed in the upper auditory brainstem, specifically the inferior colliculus (IC) and the medial geniculate body (MGB). This plaque distribution parallels histological findings from human subjects with AD and correlates in age with central gain increase. Overall, we conclude that auditory alterations in amyloidosis mouse models correlate with amyloid deposits in the auditory brainstem and may be reversed initially through enhanced cholinergic signaling. The alteration of ABR recording related to the increase in central gain prior to AD-related hearing disorders suggests that it could potentially be used as an early biomarker of AD diagnosis.
The use of Moringa oleifera in ruminant feeding and its contribution to climate change mitigation

Livestock production in developing countries faces several difficulties such as a general shortage of feed resources, regional availability, and quality. Climate change further exacerbates these problems, leading to a massive reduction in ruminant productivity. Therefore, there is a need for the use of adaptable and resilient forage plants that can also contribute to reducing greenhouse gases. The Moringa oleifera tree is well known as an agroforestry tree and has adapted to growing in harsh conditions. It produces a high amount of biomass in a short period and contains high levels of nutrients and biologically active components. All parts of the Moringa tree are valuable and have multiple benefits and applications. Therefore, Moringa oleifera has great potential and can be used as a forage crop, storing carbon dioxide (CO2) and improving ruminant performance and the livelihoods of farmers in the tropics. This article aimed to present the results and findings of studies related to the use of Moringa in ruminant feed (cattle, sheep, and goats) and its contribution to climate protection. Several studies highlighted that M. oleifera can be used as green fodder either individually or in combination with other crops or concentrate feeds to improve the performance of ruminants, such as the growth rate, milk yield, and milk constituents, without negatively impacting animal health. This improvement in performance could be attributed to the favorable nutrient content in M. oleifera, delivering proteins in conjunction with bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, glucosinolates, carotenoids, sterols, saponins, phenolic acids, tannins, and isothiocyanates. Furthermore, it has been shown that this plant can be produced in high yields and thus might be an excellent carbon dioxide sink to absorb and utilize carbon dioxide, reducing the anthropogenic load of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In addition, feeding cattle and other ruminants with M. oleifera leaves or seeds significantly decreases ruminal methane emissions, which could contribute to adapting to climate-friendly farming. Thus, the use of Moringa can make a sustainable contribution to strengthening animal production, especially in countries with limited feed resources.
Genetic analysis of dystonia-related genes in Parkinson's disease

Objective Parkinson's disease (PD) and dystonia are two closely related movement disorders with overlaps in clinical phenotype. Variants in several dystonia-related genes were demonstrated to be associated with PD; however, genetic evidence for the involvement of dystonia-related genes in PD has not been fully studied. Here, we comprehensively investigated the association between rare variants in dystonia-related genes and PD in a large Chinese cohort. Methods We comprehensively analyzed the rare variants of 47 known dystonia-related genes by mining the whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 3,959 PD patients and 2,931 healthy controls. We initially identified potentially pathogenic variants of dystonia-related genes in patients with PD based on different inheritance models. Sequence kernel association tests were conducted in the next step to detect the association between the burden of rare variants and the risk for PD. Results We found that five patients with PD carried potentially pathogenic biallelic variants in recessive dystonia-related genes including COL6A3 and TH. Additionally, we identified 180 deleterious variants in dominant dystonia-related genes based on computational pathogenicity predictions and four of which were considered as potentially pathogenic variants (p.W591X and p.G820S in ANO3, p.R678H in ADCY5, and p.R458Q in SLC2A1). A gene-based burden analysis revealed the increased burden of variant subgroups of TH, SQSTM1, THAP1, and ADCY5 in sporadic early-onset PD, whereas COL6A3 was associated with sporadic late-onset PD. However, none of them reached statistical significance after the Bonferroni correction. Conclusion Our findings indicated that rare variants in several dystonia-related genes are suggestively associated with PD, and taken together, the role of COL6A3 and TH genes in PD is highlighted.
Computational approaches for the reconstruction of optic nerve fibers along the visual pathway from medical images: a comprehensive review

Optic never fibers in the visual pathway play significant roles in vision formation. Damages of optic nerve fibers are biomarkers for the diagnosis of various ophthalmological and neurological diseases; also, there is a need to prevent the optic nerve fibers from getting damaged in neurosurgery and radiation therapy. Reconstruction of optic nerve fibers from medical images can facilitate all these clinical applications. Although many computational methods are developed for the reconstruction of optic nerve fibers, a comprehensive review of these methods is still lacking. This paper described both the two strategies for optic nerve fiber reconstruction applied in existing studies, i.e., image segmentation and fiber tracking. In comparison to image segmentation, fiber tracking can delineate more detailed structures of optic nerve fibers. For each strategy, both conventional and AI-based approaches were introduced, and the latter usually demonstrates better performance than the former. From the review, we concluded that AI-based methods are the trend for optic nerve fiber reconstruction and some new techniques like generative AI can help address the current challenges in optic nerve fiber reconstruction.
Underestimated diversity in high elevations of a global biodiversity hotspot: two new endemic species of Aethionema (Brassicaceae) from the alpine zone of Iran

Although the mountains in South-West Asia are a global biodiversity hotspot, our understanding of their biodiversity, especially in the commonly remote alpine and subnival zones, is still limited. This is well exemplified here by Aethionema umbellatum (Brassicaceae), a species considered to have a wide yet disjoint distribution in the Zagros and Yazd-Kerman mountains of western and central Iran. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic data (based on plastid trnL-trnF and nuclear ITS sequences) show that A. umbellatum is restricted to a single mountain range in southwestern Iran (Dena Mts., southern Zagros), whereas populations from central Iran (Yazd-Kerman and central Zagros) and from western Iran (central Zagros) belong to species new to science, A. alpinum and A. zagricum, respectively. Both new species are phylogenetically and morphologically close to A. umbellatum, with which they share unilocular fruits and one-seeded locules. However, they are easily distinguishable by leaf shape, petal size, and fruit characters. This study confirms that the alpine flora of the Irano-Anatolian region is still poorly known. As the proportion of rare and local endemic species in alpine habitats is high, these habitats are of prime interest for conservation efforts.
Case report: Identification of the tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) on a domestic donkey in France

A 25-year-old donkey was referred for a generalized, pruritic and severe exfoliative dermatitis that had been evolving for several years, with deterioration in the last few months. Close examination of the skin surface revealed numerous small, dark, mobile elements identified as Ornithonyssus bacoti confirmed by DNA sequencing. The severity, type and topography of the lesions called for complementary examinations, leading to a second diagnosis of cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma. The lack of clinical improvement after antiparasitic therapy despite parasite clearance, suggests opportunistic behavior of Ornithonyssus bacoti. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of a tropical rat mite on a donkey, thus expanding the known host spectrum of this zoonotic parasite. Further potential questions concern the implication of this new host as a possible source of human contamination.
The relationship between processing speed and remodeling spatial patterns of intrinsic brain activity in the elderly with different sleep duration

Objective Brain neuroplasticity in which sleep affects the speed of information processing in the elderly population has not been reported. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the effects of sleep on information processing speed and its central plasticity mechanism in the elderly. Methods A total of 50 individuals aged 60 and older were enrolled in this case control study. All subjects were divided into two groups according to the sleep time: short sleep duration (< 360 min) (6 men and 19 women; mean age: 66.96 ± 4.28 years old), and non-short sleep duration (> 360 min) (13 men and 12 women). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were collected, and the amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC) were calculated for each participant. Two-sample t-tests were performed to compare the ALFF, ReHo, and DC maps between the two groups. Then, the relationships among clinical features, fMRI and cognitive function were analyzed using general linear model. Results Short sleep duration group showed significantly increased ALFF value in the bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right insula; significantly increased ReHo value in the left superior parietal gyrus, and decreased ReHo value in the right crebellum; significantly decreased DC value in the left inferior occipital gyrus, left superior parietal gyrus and right cerebellum (p < 0.05, AlphaSim correction). The ALFF value of right insula is significantly associated with symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) score (β = −0.363, p = 0.033). Conclusion Short sleep duration and processing speed are significantly associated with remodeling spatial patterns of intrinsic brain activity in the elderly.
Associations of aortic stiffness and intra-aortic flow parameters with epicardial adipose tissue in patients with type-2 diabetes

Background It has been shown that increased aortic stiffness is related to type-2 diabetes (T2D) which is considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Among other risk factors is epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) which is increased in T2D and is a relevant biomarker of metabolic severity and adverse outcome. Purpose To assess aortic flow parameters in T2D patients as compared to healthy individuals and to evaluate their associations with EAT accumulation as an index of cardiometabolic severity in T2D patients. Materials and methods Thirty-six T2D patients as well as 29 healthy controls matched by age and sex were included in this study. Participants had cardiac and aortic MRI exams at 1.5 T. Imaging sequences included cine SSFP for left ventricle (LV) function and EAT assessment and aortic cine and phase-contrast imaging for strain and flow parameters quantification. Results In this study, we found LV phenotype to be characterized by concentric remodeling with decreased stroke volume index despite global LV mass within a normal range. EAT was increased in T2D patients compared to controls (p<0.0001). Moreover, EAT, a biomarker of metabolic severity, was negatively correlated to ascending aortic (AA) distensibility (p=0.048) and positively to the normalized backward flow volume (p=0.001). These relationships remained significant after further adjustment for age, sex and central mean blood pressure. In a multivariate model, presence/absence of T2D and AA normalized backward flow (BF) to forward flow (FF) volumes ratio are both significant and independent correlates of EAT. Conclusion In our study, aortic stiffness as depicted by an increased backward flow volume and decreased distensibility seems to be related to EAT volume in T2D patients. This observation should be confirmed in the future on a larger population while considering additional biomarkers specific to inflammation and using a longitudinal prospective study design.
Pairing status and stimulus type predict responses to audio playbacks in female titi monkeys

Some paired primates use complex, coordinated vocal signals to communicate within and between family groups. The information encoded within those signals is not well understood, nor is the intricacy of individuals’ behavioral and physiological responses to these signals. Considering the conspicuous nature of these vocal signals, it is a priority to better understand paired primates’ responses to conspecific calls. Pair-bonded titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus) sing duets comprised of the male and female’s long call. Here, we use a playback study to assess female titi monkeys’ responses to different vocal stimuli based on the subject’s pairing status. Six adult female titi monkeys participated in the study at two timepoints—pre-pairing and post-pairing. At each timepoint, subjects underwent three distinct playbacks—control recording, male solo vocalization, and pair duet. Behaviors such as locomotion and vocalizations were scored during and after the playback, and cortisol and androgen values were assessed via a plasma blood sample. Female titi monkeys attended more to social signals compared to the control, regardless of pairing status. However, in the time immediately following any playback type, female titi monkeys trilled more and spent a greater proportion of time locomoting during pre-pairing timepoints (compared to post-pairing). Female titi monkeys’ behavioral responses to social audio stimuli, combined with subjects’ increases in cortisol and androgens as paired individuals, imply female titi monkeys attend and respond to social signals territorially.
Additive manufacturing of metal-polymer hybrid parts: the influence of as-printed LPBF surface roughness on the joint strength

As-printed Laser-Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) surfaces can provide anchoring spots for the infiltration of polymer printed by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), enhancing metal-polymer joint strength. This work evaluates the influence of the as-printed LPBF surface roughness and FFF parameters on the strength of Ti-6Al-4V/PA-CF joints produced by this process combination. A three-point bending testing method based on ISO 14679:1997 was deployed, whereby the energy dissipated by the joint interface was measured. Roughness was varied by 3D-printing the substrate with different inclination angles; Height and printing speed of the coating layer (the polymer layer in direct contact with the metal) were also varied. Data was interpreted using a combination between Decision Tree and Gradient Boosting Regression, ultimately suggesting that printing speed is the prominent parameter followed by inclination angle for joint strength. Additionally, the combined effect of low printing speed and inclination angle resulted in the highest energy absorption at the interface (>200 J).
The impact of psychostimulants on central and peripheral neuro-immune regulation: a scoping review of cytokine profiles and their implications for addiction

It is now well-accepted that psychostimulants act on glial cells causing neuroinflammation and adding to the neurotoxic effects of such substances. Neuroinflammation can be described as an inflammatory response, within the CNS, mediated through several cytokines, reactive oxygen species, chemokines and other inflammatory markers. These inflammatory players, in particular cytokines, play important roles. Several studies have demonstrated that psychostimulants impact on cytokine production and release, both centrally and at the peripheral level. Nevertheless, the available data is often contradictory. Because understanding how cytokines are modulated by psychoactive substances seems crucial to perspective successful therapeutic interventions, here, we conducted a scoping review of the available literature. We have focused on how different psychostimulants impact on the cytokine profile. Publications were grouped according to the substance addressed (methamphetamine, cocaine, methylphenidate, MDMA or other amphetamines), the type of exposure and period of evaluation (acute, short- or long-term exposure, withdrawal, and reinstatement). Studies were further divided in those addressing central cytokines, circulating (peripheral) levels, or both. Our analysis showed that the classical pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were those more investigated. The majority of studies have reported increased levels of these cytokines in the central nervous system after acute or repeated drug. However, studies investigating cytokine levels during withdrawal or reinstatement have shown higher variability in their findings. Although we have identified fewer studies addressing circulating cytokines in humans, the available data suggest that the results may be more robust in animal models than in patients with problematic drug use. As a major conclusion, an extensive use of arrays for relevant cytokines should be considered to better determine which cytokines, upon the classical ones, may be involved in the progression from episodic use to the development of addiction. A concerted effort is still necessary to address the link between peripheral and central immune players, including from a longitudinal perspective. Until there, the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets to envision personalized immune-based therapeutics will continue to be unlikely.