Characterization of trade-off preferences between non-functional properties

Efficient design and evolution of complex software intensive systems rely on the ability to make informed decisions as early as possible in the life cycle. Such informed decisions should take both the intended functional and non-functional properties into account. Especially regarding the latter, it is both necessary to be able to predict properties and to prioritize them according to well-defined criteria. In this paper we focus on the latter problem, that is to say how to make trade-offs between non-functional properties of software intensive systems. We provide an approach based on the elicitation of utility functions from stake-holders and subsequent checks for consistency among these functions. The approach is exploitable through an easy-to-use GUI, which is also presented. Moreover, we describe the setup and the outcome of our two-fold validation based on exploratory elicitations with students and practitioners

Multi-view approaches for software and system modelling: a systematic literature review

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A hybrid approach for multi-view modeling

Multi-view modeling is a widely accepted technique to reduce the complexity in the development of modern software systems. It allows developers to focus on a narrowed portion of the specification dealing with a selected aspect of the problem. However, multi-view modeling support discloses a number of issues: on the one hand consistency management very often has to cope with semantics interconnections between the different concerns. On the other hand, providing a predefined set of views usually results as too restrictive because of expressiveness and customization needs. This paper proposes a hybrid solution for multi-view modeling based on an arbitrary number of custom views defined on top of an underlying modeling language. The aim is to benefit from the consistency by-construction granted by well-defined views while at the same time providing malleable perspectives through which the system under development can be specified

Alterità e schismogenesi: migranti, polarizzazione, rischio

In the West, postmodern migration actualizes and amplifies a trend of cultural polarization between xenophilia and xenophobia. This is an archetypal schismogenetic tendency that has connoted the Western Weltanschauung since the dawn of modernity and takes the political form of the opposition between progressives and conservatives, between left and right, thus defining an internal axis of otherness substantiated by a Manichaean meta-tribal dualism in which each of these two sides represents itself ethnocentrically as the bearer of humanity and truth, representing the other side as inhuman and false. In a historical context of the hegemony of the paradigm of postcolonial critique, a regime of truth and an order of discourse based on xenophilia is determined; in this sense openness to the other as enrichment in its diversity and expiation of colonial sins is configured as an axiom that brands as xenophobic and therefore morally unspeakable any discourse oriented to highlight and problematize the possibility of the migrant's hostile foreignness. While such an arrangement protects migration from sovereignist, supremacist instances, expression of an intra-Western fascism that survives in conservatism, it also exposes the removal of the given risk of exotic fascism, which manifests itself mainly at the intersection of Sharia Islamist jihadism and basic sentiments of generic and widespread anti-Western hatred. This Manichean set-up can only be overcome by understanding that, similarly to how we combat negative generalizations of otherness and the self-serving alarmism they underlie, we should also pay attention to positive generalizations of otherness and their naive reassuranceism

Le montagne aquilane; iniziative, esperienze, progetti

Nel presente contributo vengono riportate alcune esperienze che restituiscono un ruolo alle montagne dell’Appennino aquilano. La descrizione della morfologia evidenzia come le catene montuose abruzzesi si siano relazionate con gli aspetti sociali, economici ed insediativi; vengono ricordate le criticità che hanno coinvolto le aree interne, ma anche l’importanza della protezione ambientale e del turismo. Le catene del Velino-Sirente e del Gran Sasso e il fondovalle del Fiume Aterno vengono letti come una bioregione, evidenziando il legame storico tra città e montagna fino alla situazione attuale, segnata dal terremoto del 2009. Il ruolo della montagna viene considerato sia per le medie quote, sia per quelle più elevate. Si sceglie di concentrare l’attenzione su queste ultime attraverso la pratica escursionistica, riportando esperienze e progetti relativi ai rifugi, alla rete sentieristica e alle attività di accompagnamento. Si conclude mettendo in luce come queste attività contribuiscano al rafforzamento della coscienza di luogo, incentivino le economie locali, comportino un riequilibrio tra le zone maggiormente sfruttate dal turismo di massa e quelle meno compromesse.This paper describes some experiences aimed at returning a key role to the mountains in the Apennine around L’Aquila. The morphological description of the area highlights how strongly mountain ranges of Abruzzo are connected to social, economic and settlement aspects, while reminding the critical issues that involved inland areas, but also the importance of environmental protection and tourism. The Velino-Sirente and Gran Sasso mountain ranges and the Aterno River valley are read as a bioregion, highlighting the historical connection between city and mountains up to the current situation, marked by the 2009 earthquake. The role of mountains is considered both for medium altitudes and for higher ones, focusing on the latter as place for hiking practices and describing experiences and projects related to mountain retreats, trails network and guiding activities. Finally, the paper highlights how much such activities can be of help in strengthening place consciousness, encouraging local economies, involving a rebalance between areas most exploited by mass tourism and less jeopardised ones

HIV-2 infection in a migrant from Gambia: the history of the disease combined with phylogenetic analysis revealed the real source of infection

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection prevalence is increasing in some European countries. The increasing migratory flow from countries where HIV-2 is endemic has facilitated the spread of the virus into Europe and other regions. We describe a case of HIV-2 infection in a migrant individual in the Asylum Seeker Centre (ASC) in Italy. The patient's virus was sequenced, and found to be a typical HIV-2 genotype A virus. Bayesian evolutionary analysis revealed that the HIV-2 sequence from migrant dated back to 1986 in a subcluster including sequences from Guinea Bissau. This was coherent with the migrant history who lived in Guinea Bissau from his birth until 1998 when he was 13 years old. Monitoring for HIV-2 infection in migrants from western Africa is necessary using adequate molecular tools to improve the diagnosis and understand the real origin of infection

MISSEL: a method to identify a large number of small species-specific genomic subsequences and its application to viruses classification

Continuous improvements in next generation sequencing technologies led to ever-increasing collections of genomic sequences, which have not been easily characterized by biologists, and whose analysis requires huge computational effort. The classification of species emerged as one of the main applications of DNA analysis and has been addressed with several approaches, e.g., multiple alignments-, phylogenetic trees-, statistical- and character-based methods

Genetic and structural analyses reveal the low potential of the SARS‐CoV‐2 EG.5 variant

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 EG.5 lineage is the latest variant under monitoring, and it is generating significant concern due to its recent upward trend in prevalence. Our aim was to gain insights into this emerging lineage and offer insights into its actual level of threat. Both genetic and structural data indicate that this novel variant presently lacks substantial evidence of having a high capacity for widespread transmission. Their viral population sizes expanded following a very mild curve and peaked several months after the earliest detected sample. Currently, neither the viral population size of EG.5 nor that of its first descendant is increasing. The genetic variability appear to be flattened, as evidenced by its relatively modest evolutionary rate (9.05 × 10−4 subs/site/year). As has been observed with numerous prior variants, attributes that might theoretically provide advantages seem to stem from genetic drift, enabling the virus to continually adjust to its host, albeit without a clear association with enhanced dangerousness. These findings further underscore the necessity for ongoing genome-based monitoring, ensuring preparedness and a well-documented understanding of the unfolding situation

Chikungunya virus, epidemiology, clinics and phylogenesis: A review.

Abstract Chikungunya virus is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes chikungunya fever, a febrile illness associated with severe arthralgia and rash. Chikungunya virus is transmitted by culicine mosquitoes; Chikungunya virus replicates in the skin, disseminates to liver, muscle, joints, lymphoid tissue and brain, presumably through the blood. Phylogenetic studies showed that the Indian Ocean and the Indian subcontinent epidemics were caused by two different introductions of distinct strains of East/Central/South African genotype of CHIKV. The paraphyletic grouping of African CHIK viruses supports the historical evidence that the virus was introduced into Asia from Africa. Phylogenetic analysis divided Chikungunya virus isolates into three distinct genotypes based on geographical origins: the first, the West Africa genotype, consisted of isolates from Senegal and Nigeria; the second contained strains from East/Central/South African genotype, while the third contained solely Asian. The most recent common ancestor for the recent epidemic, which ravaged Indian Ocean islands and Indian subcontinent in 2004 – 2007, was found to date in 2002. Asian lineage dated about 1952 and exhibits similar spread patterns of the recent Indian Ocean outbreak lineage, with successive epidemics detected along an eastward path. Asian group splitted into two clades: an Indian lineage and a south east lineage. Outbreaks of Chikungunya virus fever in Asia have not been associated necessarily with outbreaks in Africa. Phylogenetic tools can reconstruct geographic spread of Chikungunya virus during the epidemics wave. The good management of patients with acute Chikungunya virus infection is essential for public health in susceptible areas with current Aedes spp activity