Simulation of Road Traffic Applying Model-Driven Engineering

Road traffic is an important phenomenon in modern societies. The study of its different aspects in the multiple scenarios where it happens is relevant for a huge number of problems. At the same time, its scale and complexity make it hard to study. Traffic simulations can alleviate these difficulties, simplifying the scenarios to consider and controlling their variables. However, their development also presents difficulties. The main ones come from the need to integrate the way of working of researchers and developers from multiple fields. Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) addresses these problems using Modelling Languages (MLs) and semi-automatic transformations to organise and describe the development, from requirements to code. This paper presents a domain-specific MDE framework for simulations of road traffic. It comprises an extensible ML, support tools, and development guidelines. The ML adopts an agent-based approach, which is focused on the roles of individuals in road traffic and their decision-making. A case study shows the process to model a traffic theory with the ML, and how to specialise that specification for an existing target platform and its simulations. The results are the basis for comparison with related work

Simulación del comportamiento de los conductores mediante agentes inteligentes

El tráfico y su control es un tema que presenta gran interés en la actualidad dada su influencia en las sociedades modernas. La realización de simulaciones se ha convertido en una herramienta clave para su estudio. Estas simulaciones investigan cómo influyen sobre el tráfico ciertos aspectos físicos y comportamientos de los conductores, así como sus interrelaciones. Ello permite explicar fenómenos que se observan en la realidad y tratar de prever la influencia de ciertas circunstancias. Existen diferentes aproximaciones para realizar estas simulaciones. Los modelos analíticos se suelen basar en observaciones globales sobre el comportamiento de los sistemas. Tratan de definir los principios generales que los gobiernan y prestan una atención limitada a los componentes individuales. Esta aproximación facilita su escalabilidad, pero al mismo tiempo fuerza a asumir hipótesis simplificadoras a fin de mantener el problema tratable. Por otra parte, los modelos de simulación permiten elaborar propuestas más complejas desde el punto de vista de los componentes individuales. No obstante, las diferencias conceptuales entre los elementos computacionales de la simulación y los conceptos propios del tráfico dificultan su aplicación. Dentro de los modelos de simulación, la simulación basada en agentes emplea abstracciones intencionales y sociales, y por tanto con una cierta similitud con las personas presentes en los estudios sobre tráfico. Ello le permite trabajar con mayor facilidad los aspectos humanos de la simulación, tales como el estado de ánimo de los conductores o su actitud ante el tráfico. Esto conduce a representaciones más fidedignas de la realidad y a la posibilidad de explorar la influencia de factores comúnmente ignorados en este tipo de estudios. Este trabajo explora las influencias mutuas que aparecen en el tráfico entre el entorno y los conductores. Desde el punto de vista del entorno, se consideran diferentes vías con su influencia en límites velocidad, existencia de cruces o presencia de distintas señales de tráfico. Las vías consideradas son autovías, carreteras secundarías y tráfico dentro de ciudad. El entorno del conductor no sólo lo constituyen las vías, sino también su vehículo. Éste puede influir por ejemplo en la velocidad a la que puede circular o la posibilidad de realizar un adelantamiento. Sobre los vehículos se consideran características como la cilindrada o los caballos entregados por el motor del vehículo conducido. Finalmente, desde el punto de vista del conductor, este trabajo se centra en cómo su actitud ante la conducción y estado emocional influyen en su comportamiento al volante. Este análisis del comportamiento microscópico de la simulación constituye la principal aportación del presente trabajo. Dicho análisis ha permitido obtener conclusiones acerca de cómo el estado psicológico de los conductores afecta a las situaciones que se producen diariamente en las carreteras, y la relación entre algunas variaciones de este comportamiento microscópico y sus efectos macroscópicos en el tráfico. [ABSTRACT] The traffic and its control is an issue of high relevance in modern societies. Simulations have become a key tool for their study. These simulations investigate how the different physical aspects, the drivers’ behaviour and their interrelationships influence the traffic. These studies help to explain phenomena observed in reality and try to predict the influence of certain circumstances. There are different approaches to develop these simulations. Analytical models are usually based on global observations on the behaviour of systems. They try to define the general principles that govern these systems and pay limited attention to the individual components. This approach provides scalability, but at the same time it requires adopting simplifying assumptions in order to keep the problem tractable. On the other side, simulation models allow more complex modelling from the point of view of individual components. However, the conceptual differences between the simulation elements and concepts from the traffic make it difficult to apply them. Among simulation approaches, agent-based simulation is based on intentional and social abstractions, which therefore have a certain similarity with people found in studies on traffic. This facilitates the work with the human aspects of the simulation, such as the drivers’ mood or their attitude towards traffic. This leads to more credible representations of reality and the possibility of exploring the influence of factors commonly ignored in this type of studies. This paper explores the mutual influences that appear in the traffic between the environment and drivers. Regarding the environment, it considers different types of roads and their influence on speed limits, existence of crossroads or presence of various traffic signs. The roads included in this work are highways, secondary roads and cities. The driver environment does not only comprehend the roads, but also the vehicle. This influences, for instance, the speed at which the driver can move or the possibility to overtake another vehicle. Some features considered regarding vehicles are their displacement and the horses provided by their engines. Finally, from the drivers’ point of view, this work focuses on how their driving attitude and emotional state affect their behaviour. This analysis of the microscopic behaviour of the simulation is the main contribution of this work. This analysis has led to conclusions about how the psychological state of drivers affects the situations that occur daily on the roads, and the relationship between several variations of this microscopic behaviour and their macroscopic effects on traffic

Social-Aware Driver Assistance Systems for City Traffic in Shared Spaces

Shared spaces are gaining presence in cities, where a variety of players and mobility types (pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, and cars) move without specifically delimited areas. This makes the traffic they comprise challenging for automated systems. The information traditionally considered (e.g., streets, and obstacle positions and speeds) is not enough to build suitable models of the environment. The required explanatory and anticipation capabilities need additional information to improve them. Social aspects (e.g., goal of the displacement, companion, or available time) should be considered, as they have a strong influence on how people move and interact with the environment. This paper presents the Social-Aware Driver Assistance System (SADAS) approach to integrate this information into traffic systems. It relies on a domain-specific modelling language for social contexts and their changes. Specifications compliant with it describe social and system information, their links, and how to process them. Traffic social properties are the formalization within the language of relevant knowledge extracted from literature to interpret information. A multi-agent system architecture manages these specifications and additional processing resources. A SADAS can be connected to other parts of traffic systems by means of subscription-notification mechanisms. The case study to illustrate the approach applies social knowledge to predict people&rsquo s movements. It considers a distributed system for obstacle detection and tracking, and the intelligent management of traffic signals. Document type: Articl

Integration of multimedia contents in the teaching of electronics : A practical test case in the teaching of digital circuits at the University of Seville

In this paper we present the integration of multimedia contents in the teaching of Digital Electronic Circuits and Computer Structure, of the first course of Computer Engineering at the University of Seville. Different tools for screenshot and video recording have been used for the preparation of audiovisual material, integrated in the learning platform currently used at the University of Seville. Feedback on the prepared material was collected in a survey, showing the interest and utility found by students in the preparation of theoretical and experimental classes with the videos. Successful results have been obtained in the evaluation of students. Suggestions of improvement and further work to be carried out are also described in the paper

Screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Validity and Reliability of a Portable Device in Non-Specialized Healthcare Settings

Introduction and Objectives The underdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be improved through screening using portable devices simpler than conventional spirometers in specific healthcare settings to reach a higher percentage of the at-risk population. This study was designed to assess the validity and reliability of the COPD-6 portable device to screen for COPD in non-specialized healthcare settings. Methods Prospective cohort study to validate a diagnostic test. Three cohorts were recruited: primary care (PC), emergency services (ES) and community pharmacies (CPh). Study population: individuals with risk factors for COPD (>40 years, smoking >10 pack-years, with respiratory symptoms). The values measured using the COPD-6 were FEV1, FEV6 and the FEV1/FEV6 ratio. Subsequently, participants underwent conventional spirometry at hospital, using a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC value <0.7 as the gold standard criterion for the COPD diagnosis. Results 437 participants were included, 362 were valid for the analysis. COPD was diagnosed in 114 patients (31.5%). The area under the ROC curve for the COPD-6 for COPD screening was 0.8.The best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio was 0.8 (sensitivity, 92.1%) using spirometry with the bronchodilator test as the gold standard. There were practically no differences in the COPD-6 performancein the different settings and also regarding age, gender and smoking status. Conclusions The COPD-6 device is a valid tool for COPD screening in non-specialized healthcare settings. In this context, the best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio is 0.8This research was partially supported by Fundación de la Sociedad Gallega de Patología Respiratoria (SOGAPAR), and funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/REGPOT-2012-2013.1] under grant agreement n° 316265, BIOCAPSS

Screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Validity and Reliability of a Portable Device in Non-Specialized Healthcare Settings.

The underdiagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be improved through screening using portable devices simpler than conventional spirometers in specific healthcare settings to reach a higher percentage of the at-risk population. This study was designed to assess the validity and reliability of the COPD-6 portable device to screen for COPD in non-specialized healthcare settings. Prospective cohort study to validate a diagnostic test. Three cohorts were recruited: primary care (PC), emergency services (ES) and community pharmacies (CPh). individuals with risk factors for COPD (>40 years, smoking >10 pack-years, with respiratory symptoms). The values measured using the COPD-6 were FEV1, FEV6 and the FEV1/FEV6 ratio. Subsequently, participants underwent conventional spirometry at hospital, using a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC value <0.7 as the gold standard criterion for the COPD diagnosis. 437 participants were included, 362 were valid for the analysis. COPD was diagnosed in 114 patients (31.5%). The area under the ROC curve for the COPD-6 for COPD screening was 0.8.The best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio was 0.8 (sensitivity, 92.1%) using spirometry with the bronchodilator test as the gold standard. There were practically no differences in the COPD-6 performance in the different settings and also regarding age, gender and smoking status. The COPD-6 device is a valid tool for COPD screening in non-specialized healthcare settings. In this context, the best cut-off point for the FEV1/FEV6 ratio is 0.8.Fundación de la Sociedad Gallega de Patología Respiratoria (SOGAPAR)European Union Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/REGPOT-2012-2013.1] under grant agreement n° 316265, BIOCAP

Predictive value of a series of inflammatory markers in COPD for lung cancer diagnosis: a case-control study

Background: There is a relationship between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and the development of lung cancer (LC). The aim of this study is to analyse several blood markers and compare their concentrations in patients with only COPD and LC + COPD. Methods: Case-control study with cases presenting combined LC and COPD and two control groups (patients presenting only COPD and patients presenting only LC). We also included LC patients with descriptive purposes. In both groups, peripheral blood analyses of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, total leukocyte, lymphocyte and neutrophil counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, total platelet count, mean platelet volume, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, alpha 1-antitripsin (A1AT), IgE, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, cholesterol and bilirubin were performed. We developed univariate and multivariate analyses of these markers, as well as a risk score variable, and we evaluated its performance through ROC curves. Results: We included 280 patients, 109 cases (LC + COPD), 83 controls (COPD) and 88 LC without COPD. No differences were observed in the distribution by sex, age, BMI, smoking, occupational exposure, lung function, GOLD stage or comorbidity. Patients with LC + COPD had significantly higher levels of neutrophils [OR 1.00 (95%CI 1.00–1.00), p = 0.03] and A1AT [OR 1.02 (95%CI 1.01–1.03), p = 0.003] and lower cholesterol levels [OR 0.98 (95%CI 0.97–0.99), p = 0.009] than COPD controls. We developed a risk score variable combining neutrophils, A1AT and cholesterol, achieving a sensitivity of 80%, a negative predictive value of 90.7% and an area under the curve of 0.78 (95%CI 0.71–0.86). Conclusions: COPD patients who also have LC have higher levels of neutrophils and A1AT and lower of cholesterol. These parameters could be potentially predicting biomarkers of LC in COPD patients.This work was supported by the project 110/2016 of the Spanish Society of Respiratory Pathology (SEPAR)S

Cuidados enfermeros brindados a paciente con traumatismo encefalocraneal e hidrocefalia del Servicio de Neurocirugía de un hospital de Lima, 2021

El traumatismo craneoencefálico es el trauma craneal causado por el ataque o impacto físico desde el exterior, lo que podría reducir o alterar la conciencia causando alteraciones en la capacidad cognitiva y funcional. El objetivo es identificar las respuestas negativas del paciente. El sujeto de estudio es un adulto de iniciales Q. G. P. El trabajo tuvo un enfoque cualitativo, de estudio de caso único; la técnica, la entrevista, observación directa y documentada. El instrumento fue el marco de valoración por patrones funcionales de Maryory Gordon. Se identificaron 8 diagnósticos de enfermería, de los cuales se priorizan los siguientes: Capacidad adaptativa intracraneal disminuida relacionado con lesión cerebral, evidenciado por Glasgow 13 puntos hipo activo, palabras entrecortados desorientado en TE, pupilas anisocóricas OD: 4 mm, OI: 3 mm. Deterioro del intercambio de gases relacionado con desequilibrio de la ventilación perfusión, evidenciado por confusión, alcalosis respiratoria compensada, FR 26 por minuto. Complicación potencia Infección. Se propone un plan de cuidado de enfermería y se ejecuta las intervenciones y las actividades respectivas. Como resultado se obtuvieron las puntuaciones de cambio +2. +1 +2. Se concluye que de acuerdo a las respuestas del paciente se gestionó el proceso de atención de enfermería en sus 5 etapas, que permitió brindar cuidado integral al paciente.LIMAEscuela de PosgradoGestión del cuidado enfermero e innovación tecnológica para el cuidad

El modelo de evaluación de competencias del prácticum en educación social basado en e-porfolio y rúbrica

La nueva concepción de la formación superior exige realizar parte de la formación inicial en contextos reales de trabajo para la cualificación de los futuros profesionales. En esta comunicación vamos a presentar una propuesta formativa y evaluativa del Prácticum I de Educación Social, pero concretamente, en el ámbito profesional de Menores. A través del porfolio electrónico, el alumno recogerá el trabajo realizado durante el Prácticum I, a través de la propuesta realizada por el profesor tutor. Para evaluar el porfolio electrónico y las actividades realizadas se emplearán rúbricas