Characterization and semantic modeling of services in multiservice networks

The use of the Internet as a global communication infrastructure to support a wide range of multiconstrained applications and services poses new challenges to ISPs regarding network services management and auditing. In this context, the semantic characterization and modeling of services provided to users assumes an essential role in fostering service management automation. Moreover, the semantic and formal description of services allows enhancing the negotiation and interoperability between clients and service providers. This paper reports the first steps toward the definition of an ontology for multiservice networks that eases and systemizes decision support of QoS deployment in ISP infrastructures, according to service levels established in SLAs. Other management tasks such as dynamic service negotiation and configuration, service monitoring and auditing may also benefit from the present ontology proposal

An ontology for managing network services quality

The evolution of IP networks to a service-oriented paradigm poses new challenges to service providers regarding the management and auditing of network services. The upward trend in ubiquity, heterogeneity and virtualization of network services and resources demands for a formal and systematic approach to network management tasks. In this context, the semantic characterization and modeling of services provided to users is a key component to sustain autonomic service management, service negotiation and configuration. The semantic and formal description of services and resources is also relevant to assist paradigms such as cloud computing, where a large diversity of resources have to be described and managed in a highly dynamic way. This paper defines an ontology for multiservice IP networks targeting multiple service management goals, namely: (i) to foster client and service provider interoperability; (ii) to manage network service contracts, promoting the dynamic negotiation between parties; (iii) to access and query SLA/SLSs data on a individual or aggregated basis to assist service provisioning in the network; and (iv) to sustain service monitoring and auditing. A ServiceModel API is provided to take full advantage of the proposed semantic model, allowing Service Management Platforms to access the ontological contents. This ontological development takes advantage of SWRL to discover new knowledge, enriching the possibilities of systems described using this support.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Hacia una normalización de la representación de flujogramas en el ámbito hospitalario

This article presents a proposal of standardization for the representation of hospital protocols using flowcharts. In the clinical field, highly complex processes are typically developed. If these processes are not appropriately managed, fatal consequences for patients and the healthcare personnel could appear. Using a clear notation for modelling the tasks to be performed is mandatory to keep the risks under control. In practice, the most widely used flowchart language for years (due to its simplicity and versatility) is defined in ISO 5807:1985 standard. However, this language is insufficiently expressive to represent all the essential aspects of a health protocol. In recent years, this type of protocols has become increasingly sophisticated in order to improve the control of critical aspects that influence the safety of medicines, patients and practitioners. In this way, a widespread practice has been the implementation of the HACCP methodology for hazard analysis and control. During the modelling of these protocols (and because of the expressivity problems of traditional flowchart notation), each hospital has adopted its proposal that complements the elements included in the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard. This practice forces practitioners to become familiar with the ad-hoc defined notation for that center. In addition, these adaptations usually fall into ambiguous and non-formal definitions. In the standardization proposal presented in this article, new graphic stereotypes are introduced. These can be easily integrated into the ISO notation and are designed to represent the critical aspects of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan. For the definition of these new elements, a series of requirements have been prioritized. First, it is taken into account the tools that are commonly used and the simplicity for final users. Moreover, it is mandatory to avoid ambiguities assuring that the introduced elements do not interfere with the base notation contained in the original ISO standard. This standardization proposal enriches the ISO5807:1985 language with expression mechanisms to represent essential information related to protocol security by reducing ambiguities and proposing a standardized notation.En este artículo se presenta una propuesta de normalización para la representación de protocolos hospitalarios a través de diagramas de flujo. En el ámbito clínico se desarrollan procesos de gran complejidad que, si no se gestionan adecuadamente, podrían dar lugar a consecuencias fatales para los pacientes o el personal sanitario implicado. Utilizar una notación clara que formalice las tareas que deben realizarse es un aspecto fundamental para mantener los riesgos controlados. En la práctica, el lenguaje de flujogramas más utilizado desde hace años debido a su sencillez y versatilidad es el definido por la norma ISO 5807:1985. No obstante, este lenguaje resulta insuficientemente expresivo para representar todos los aspectos importantes de un protocolo sanitario. Durante los últimos años este tipo de protocolos han aumentado su complejidad con el fin de dar un paso hacia adelante en el control de aspectos críticos que influyen en la seguridad de los medicamentos, pacientes y personal sanitario. En esta línea, una práctica muy común ha sido la implantación de la metodología APPCC (Análisis de Peligros y Puntos Críticos de Control). Durante el modelado de estos protocolos (dado que la notación de flujogramas tradicional no es suficientemente expresiva) cada centro hospitalario ha adoptado una propuesta propia que complementa los elementos incluidos en la norma ISO (International Organization for Standardization). Con esta práctica se obliga a que el personal tenga que familiarizarse con la notación definida ad-hoc para ese centro que, además de no estar estandarizada, cae en ocasiones en definiciones ambiguas y poco formales. En la propuesta de normalización presentada en este artículo se plantean nuevos estereotipos gráficos fácilmente integrables en la notación ISO y diseñados para representar los aspectos críticos de la metodología APPCC. Para la definición de estos nuevos elementos se han priorizado una serie de requisitos que tienen en cuenta tanto los aspectos relativos a las herramientas software ya existentes como la simplicidad para los usuarios finales en la práctica diaria. Al mismo tiempo se tratan de evitar ambigüedades asegurando que los elementos introducidos no interfieren con la notación base contenida en la norma ISO original. En definitiva, esta propuesta de normalización consigue enriquecer el lenguaje ISO5807:1985 con mecanismos de expresión suficientes para representar la información básica relacionada con la seguridad de los protocolos reduciendo las ambigüedades y facilitando una notación estandarizada

Plataforma de e-servicios para educación e higiene nutricionales, orientada a la población infantil

 A good diet is one of the pillars for ensuring the proper physical and intellectual development of children. In a society in which schooling is initiated at increasingly early ages, the coordination between school and family acquires a vital role in assuring proper child nourishment and care. This article presents the foundations of a multi-device web platform that fosters the collaboration and nutritional training of the different actors (parents, educators, specialists) involved in the processes of care and education of children. The platform uses the latest advances in the field of semantic technologies to improve the accuracy of the recommendations made automatically by the system.Una buena alimentación es uno de los pilares básicos para el correcto desarrollo tanto físico como intelectual de los niños. En una sociedad en la que cada vez la edad de escolarización de los pequeños es más temprana, la coordinación entre familia y escuela adquiere un rol vital para garantizar una correcta alimentación y cuidado del niño. Este artículo presenta los fundamentos de una plataforma web multidispositivo que favorece la colaboración y formación nutricional de los diferentes agentes involucrados en los procesos de cuidado y educación de los niños (padres, educadores, especialistas), haciendo uso de los últimos avances producidos en el campo de las tecnologías semánticas para mejorar la precisión y adecuación de las recomendaciones realizadas automáticamente por el sistema

QR codes: Outlook for food science and nutrition

Abstract QR codes opens up the possibility to develop simple-to-use, cost-effective-cost and functional systems based on the optical recognition of inexpensive tags attached to physical objects. These systems, combined with Web platforms, can provide us with advanced services that are already currently broadly used on many contexts of the common life. Due to its philosophy, based on the automatic recognition of messages embedded on simple graphics by means of common devices such as mobile phones, QR codes are very convenient for the average user. Regretfully, its potential has not yet been fully exploited in the domains of food science and nutrition. This article points out some applications to make the most of this technology for these domains in a straightforward manner. For its characteristics, we are addressing systems with low barriers to entry and high scalability for its deployment. Therefore, its launching among professional and final users is quite simple. The article also provides high-level indications for the evaluation of the technological frame required to implement the identified possibilities of use

Assessing the risk of using hazardous drugs in Hospital-at-Home Units: a big data study protocol.

Incluye versión en español e inglés[ES] Objetivo: Describir el protocolo del estudio para la instauración del control del proceso de los medicamentos peligrosos que asegure la calidad y su trazabilidad, mediante el análisis de riesgos, desarrollando e implantando una herramienta informatizada que, gracias a la utilización de técnicas de big data, permita conocer y auditar el conjunto del sistema de forma continua y dinámica. Método: Mediante los procesos de notación gráfica normalizada Business Process Model Notation se desarrollarán los flujogramas específicos que permitan conocer las etapas del proceso de los medicamentos peligrosos que determinen la trazabilidad total del sistema. Cada una de las etapas será recogida en los cuadros de gestión, donde a través de la probabilidad del suceso y su gravedad se calculará el índice de criticidad de cada punto de control que se determine, y se establecerán las medidas de control. A partir de los cuadros de gestión se desarrollará el soporte tecnológico para la captura de todos los datos que sean pertinentes al modelo. Para asegurar el control de la calidad del proceso se optará por agentes software cliente, que permitan en fases posteriores aplicar herramientas eficientes en el procesamiento de datos de modo automático. A partir de aproximaciones metodológicas del big data, y en particular del ámbito de machine learning, se desarrollarán algoritmos sobre el reposito rio de datos generado para poder obtener patrones que permitan mejorar los protocolos de aplicación. Por último, para asegurar el funcionamiento del proceso se realizará la verificación clínico-farmacéutica y la revisión completa, técnico-documental, de los sistemas de control y registro. Conclusiones: La generación del sistema de gestión de riesgos mediante tecnología móvil permitirá integrar los medicamentos peligrosos en un sistema normalizado, con el fin de mejorar la seguridad, calidad y trazabilidad del proceso de manipulación de los medicamentos peligrosos. [EN] Objective: This article describes a study protocol for the implementation of quality and traceability control in the hazardous  medication circuit through an analysis of risks and the development and  introduction of a Big Data-based software application aimed at performing  a continuous and dynamic audit of the whole system. Method: A standardized graphical modeling tool called Business Process Model Notation will be used to generate a detailed description of each of the stages in the hazardous medication circuit with a view to  ensuring full traceability of the system. The information on each stage will  be collected in a flowchart, which will be used -together with each event's likelihood of occurrence and severity- as a basis to calculate the  criticality index of the different control points established and to determine  any control measures that may be required. The flowcharts will  also be used to develop the technological support needed to capture  all such data as may be relevant to the model. Proper quality control of the process will be ensured by client software agents intended to allow  automatic applica tion of efficient data processing tools at the different  phases. In addition, Big Data methodologies, in particular machine  learning, will be used to develop algorithms based on the repository of  generated data to come up with patterns capable of improving the  protocols to be applied. Lastly, proper operation of the process will be  ensured by means of clinicalpharmaceutical verification and a full  technical-documentary review of control and registration systems. Conclusions: The development of a risk management system based on  mobile technology will allow integration of hazardous drugs into a standardized system, ensuring the safety, quality, and traceability of the hazardous medication handling process.Este trabajo cuenta con una ayuda del Instituto de Salud Carlos III de Madrid, España, mediante el Proyecto de Investigación en Salud con referencia PI16/00788.S

Locating and Crawling eGovernment Services A Light-weight Semantic Approach

The application of Web 2.0 tools and methodologies in the domain of eGov-ernment is not yet a fully exploited area due to the immaturity of the software support, and the lack of commitment from Public Administrations. This paper proposes asolution to locate a service which a citizen may be interested in. The solution uses particular features from this environment, such as microformats, metadata and dynamicprocedures on the Web. The paper describes a semantic model for the domain, and tools to annotate, publish and crawl services in Public Administrations are discussedin depth. The paper details the entire software platform, and it presents conclusions and a number of proposals for future research efforts

From Analog to Digital Television; Strategies to Promote Rapid Adaptation and Awareness

Europe is currently transitioning to digital terrestrial television and isaimed to replace all analog infrastructures by 2012. Besides replacing all broadcasting networks in Europe, the transition requires updating household televisions andantennas. As with any major change, public administrations must keep citizens informed and provide support, especially when dealing with a communication mediumexpected to support a new portfolio of services and information. State-of-the-art technologies enable universal coverage in locations where television services are currentlyunavailable. This paper evaluates the transition to digital television in several European regions and analyzes novel approaches and solutions to achieving universal accessto digital television and citizen awarenes

QR codes: Outlook for food science and nutrition

QR codes opens up the possibility to develop simple-to-use, cost-effective-cost and functional systems based on the optical recognition of inexpensive tags attached to physical objects. These systems, combined with Web platforms, can provide us with advanced services that are already currently broadly used on many contexts of the common life. Due to its philosophy, based on the automatic recognition of messages embedded on simple graphics by means of common devices such as mobile phones, QR codes are very convenient for the average user. Regretfully, its potential has not yet been fully exploited in the domains of food science and nutrition. This article points out some applications to make the most of this technology for these domains in a straightforward manner. For its characteristics, we are addressing systems with low barriers to entry and high scalability for its deployment. Therefore, its launching among professional and final users is quite simple. The article also provides high-level indications for the evaluation of the technological frame required to implement the identified possibilities of use.This work was funded by the Spanish Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Grant PI13/00464