Search Results (2)

Microservice Architecture (MSA) is a rising trend in software architecture design. Applications based on MSA are distributed applications whose components are microservices. MSA has already been adopted with great success by numerous companies, and a significant number of published papers discuss its advantages. However, the results of recent studies show that there are several important challenges in the adoption of microservices such as finding the right decomposition approach, heterogeneous technology stacks, lack of relevant skills, out-of-date documentation, etc. In this paper, we present Silvera, a Domain-Specific Language (DSL), and a compiler for accelerating the development of microservices. Silvera is a declarative language that allows users to model the architecture of microservice-based systems. It is designed so that it can be used both by inexperienced and experienced developers. The following characteristics distinguish Silvera from similar tools: (i) lightweight and editor-agnostic language, (ii) built with heterogeneity in mind, (iii) uses microservice-tailored metrics to evaluate the architecture of the designed system, and (iv) automatically generates the documentation. Silvera’s retargetable compiler transforms models into runnable code and produces the documentation for each microservice in the model. The compiler can produce code for any programming language or framework since code generators are registered as plugins. We present a case study that illustrates the use of Silvera and also discuss some current limitations and development directions. To evaluate Silvera, we conducted a survey based on A Framework for Qualitative Assessment of DSLs (FQAD), where we focused on the following DSL characteristics: functional suitability, usability, reliability, productivity, extendability, and expressiveness. Overall, the survey results show that Silvera satisfies these characteristics. Full article

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are a broad class of antibiotics typically prescribed for bacterial infections, including infections for which their use is discouraged. The FDA has proposed the existence of a permanent disability (Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability; FQAD), which is yet to be formally recognized. Previous studies suggest that FQs act as selective GABA_A receptor inhibitors, preventing the binding of GABA in the central nervous system. GABA is a key regulator of the vagus nerve, involved in the control of gastrointestinal (GI) function. Indeed, GABA is released from the Nucleus of the Tractus Solitarius (NTS) to the Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the vagus (DMV) to tonically regulate vagal activity. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on FQs in the context of the vagus nerve and examine how these drugs could lead to dysregulated signaling to the GI tract. Since there is sufficient evidence to suggest that GABA transmission is hindered by FQs, it is reasonable to postulate that the vagal circuit could be compromised at the NTS-DMV synapse after FQ use, possibly leading to the development of permanent GI disorders in FQAD. Full article