Applying Formal Methods to Gossiping Networks with mCRL and Groove

In this paper we explore the practical possibilities of using formal methods to analyze gossiping networks. In particular, we use mCRL and Groove to model the peer sampling service, and analyze it through a series of model transformations to CTMCs and finally MRMs. Our tools compute the expected value of various network quality indicators, such as average path lengths, over all possible system runs. Both transient and steady state analysis are supported. We compare our results with the simulation and emulation results found in [10]

Analysis of the Attitude of Farmers towards Innovations in the Management of Grasslands in Poland

Innovations in the management of grasslands in Poland are important to preserve them as a source of different ecosystem services. In the farmers point of view the most promising is forage production for herbivores, particularly dairy cows. Individual farmers have different opinions about innovations. To stimulate innovations in grassland-based farming systems in Poland, it is important to determine the drivers for their promotion and to define the barriers to overcome problems by their implementation. Analysis of the attitude of Polish farmers towards innovations on grasslands were conducted within the H2020 Inno4Grass project. The majority of respondents were young and had relatively well-developed farms. An on-line questionnaire on innovations on grassland was developed using SurveyMonkey. The questionnaire studied the attitude of grassland farmers towards innovations, e.g. their importance, factors influencing decisions of their adaption, barriers and drivers. Answers were scored on a Likert scale. Furthermore, some general questions were asked: available grassland area, main type of animal, farmer age, etc. The questionnaire was available from winter 2017/2018 onwards and closed at the end of June 2018. At the time of closing the questionnaire, 157 valid responses were obtained. Dairy cows were the most common animal type in grassland farms, followed by beef cattle. The majority of respondents indicated that innovations are important or very important in general, in grassland and in grazing, respectively 92%, 88% and 62%. The most important influencing factors on farmer’s decisions with respect to grasslands (\u3e 60%) were own values and norms, image of the farm/the sector, family, consumers and advisors. Farmers pointed out that the most important driver for innovation is money/profit/better income (17.5%), followed by time saving/improved labour conditions (14.2%) and animal health (11.6%). In the opinion of the respondents, the main barriers to innovations in grasslands are money/costs too high/benefits too low (23.9%), too little technology on farm (15.0%) and risk (13.6%)

Understanding mechanisms of change in the development of antisocial behavior: The impact of a universal intervention

The association between the development of antisocial behavior, affiliation with deviant friends, and peer rejection was tested with a preventive intervention; 664 boys and girls were randomly assigned to a universal classroom-based intervention targeting disruptive behavior or a control condition. Peer nominations of antisocial behavior, friends' antisocial behavior, and peer rejection were assessed annually for 4 years. A high, a moderate, and a stable low antisocial behavior trajectory were identified. Large reductions in antisocial behavior were found among intervention children who followed the high trajectory. These reductions coincided with affiliations with nondeviant peers and with decreases in peer rejection. The affiliation between deviant and nondeviant peers was initiated by nondeviant children. The results support a causal role of deviant friends and peer rejection in the development of antisocial behavior. The implications for our understanding of the mechanisms leading to reductions in antisocial behavior are discussed

Pathogenic role of complement in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

The aim of the research described in this thesis was to study the role of complement in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and to delineate the contribution of the different complement pathways involved. So far, in human renal IRI, the activation pathways of complement by ischemic proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) are still incompletely elucidated. In chapter 2 we therefore established an in vitro model to simulate IRI on human and mouse PTEC by culturing these cells under normoxic or hypoxic conditions and then investigated the subsequent effects on complement activation following reoxygenation (reperfusion). We specifically focused on the question which pathway(s) of complement activation are initiated by human and mouse PTEC after hypoxic stress. In chapter 3 we addressed the lack of evidence for involvement of complement in human IRI. We assessed the formation and release of C5b-9 during early reperfusion in clinical kidney transplantation in living donor, brain-dead donor, and cardiac dead donor kidney transplantation. Complement activation following I/R may take place in both tubular and vascular compartments. Therefore, we systematically measured terminal complement activation during early reperfusion in human kidney transplantation in both the tubular compartment by immunohistochemistry and the intravascular compartment by selective arteriovenous measurements over the transplanted kidney. In chapter 4 we studied whether C5b-9 could also be detected in urines of transplant recipients early after transplantation. In addition, we investigated the possibility whether in proteinuric urine, which is common following transplantation, C5b-9 might be generated independent of a renal contribution. Based on previous clinical studies that high serum levels of MBL were associated with inferior renal allograft survival following clinical transplantation, we examined in chapter 5 the role of MBL in the pathophysiology of renal IRI and explored the therapeutic targeting of MBL in a rat model of renal IRI. We identified an entirely novel role for MBL in mediating reperfusion-induced kidney injury following ischemia which is completely independent of complement activation. In chapter 6 we studied the mechanism by which MBL might mediate tubular injury following renal I/R. Vascular leakage results in exposure of tubular cells to MBL, which was shown to be the primary culprit of tubular injury. Recombinant human C1 inhibitor (rhC1INH) is a serine protease inhibitor that inhibits complement activation, reduces vascular permeability and interacts with MBL. In chapter 7 we therefore explored the therapeutic application of rhC1INH in renal IRI and studied whether rhC1INH is able to attenuated MBL-mediated kidney injury. In chapter 8 we investigated the impact of short- and long-term IRI on vascular integrity, pericytes and angiopoietin expression. Finally, in chapter 9 the findings presented in this thesis are critically discussed and the possible implications for kidney transplantation are presentedUBL - phd migration 201

Symbolic Reachability Analysis of B through ProB and LTSmin

We present a symbolic reachability analysis approach for B that can provide a significant speedup over traditional explicit state model checking. The symbolic analysis is implemented by linking ProB to LTSmin, a high-performance language independent model checker. The link is achieved via LTSmin's PINS interface, allowing ProB to benefit from LTSmin's analysis algorithms, while only writing a few hundred lines of glue-code, along with a bridge between ProB and C using ZeroMQ. ProB supports model checking of several formal specification languages such as B, Event-B, Z and TLA. Our experiments are based on a wide variety of B-Method and Event-B models to demonstrate the efficiency of the new link. Among the tested categories are state space generation and deadlock detection; but action detection and invariant checking are also feasible in principle. In many cases we observe speedups of several orders of magnitude. We also compare the results with other approaches for improving model checking, such as partial order reduction or symmetry reduction. We thus provide a new scalable, symbolic analysis algorithm for the B-Method and Event-B, along with a platform to integrate other model checking improvements via LTSmin in the future

Transition between Two Oscillation Modes

A model for the symmetric coupling of two self-oscillators is presented. The nonlinearities cause the system to vibrate in two modes of different symmetries. The transition between these two regimes of oscillation can occur by two different scenarios. This might model the release of vortices behind circular cylinders with a possible transition from a symmetric to an antisymmetric Benard-von Karman vortex street.Comment: 12 pages, 0 figure

Cardiac foetal reprogramming:a tool to exploit novel treatment targets for the failing heart

As the heart matures during embryogenesis from its foetal stages, several structural and functional modifications take place to form the adult heart. This process of maturation is in large part due to an increased volume and work load of the heart to maintain proper circulation throughout the growing body. In recent years, it has been observed that these changes are reversed to some extent as a result of cardiac disease. The process by which this occurs has been characterized as cardiac foetal reprogramming and is defined as the suppression of adult and re-activation of a foetal genes profile in the diseased myocardium. The reasons as to why this process occurs in the diseased myocardium are unknown; however, it has been suggested to be an adaptive process to counteract deleterious events taking place during cardiac remodelling. Although still in its infancy, several studies have demonstrated that targeting foetal reprogramming in heart failure can lead to substantial improvement in cardiac functionality. This is highlighted by a recent study which found that by modulating the expression of 5-oxoprolinase (OPLAH, a novel cardiac foetal gene), cardiac function can be significantly improved in mice exposed to cardiac injury. Additionally, the utilization of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) has demonstrated clear benefits, providing important clinical proof that drugs that increase natriuretic peptide levels (part of the foetal gene programme) indeed improve heart failure outcomes. In this review, we will highlight the most important aspects of cardiac foetal reprogramming and will discuss whether this process is a cause or consequence of heart failure. Based on this, we will also explain how a deeper understanding of this process may result in the development of novel therapeutic strategies in heart failure