Modeling Resilience in Electrical Distribution Networks

Electrical distribution networks deliver a fundamental service to citizens. However, they are still highly vulnerable to natural hazards as well as to cyberattacks; therefore, additional commitment and investments are needed to foster their resilience. Toward that, this paper presents and proposes the use of a complex simulation model, called reconfiguration simulator (RecSIM), enabling to evaluate the effectiveness of resilience enhancement strategies for electric distribution networks and the required resources to implement them. The focus is, in particular, on one specific attribute of resilience, namely, the readiness, i.e., the promptness and efficiency to recover the service functionality after a crisis event by managing and deploying the available resources rapidly and effectively. RecSIM allows estimating how and to what extent technological, topological, and management issues might improve electrical distribution networks’ functionality after the occurrence of accidental faults, accounting for interdependency issues and reconfiguration possibilities. The viability of implementing RecSIM on a real and large urban network is showcased in the paper with reference to the study case of the electrical distribution network (EDN) of Rome city

ArcStereoNet : A New ArcGIS® Toolbox for Projection and Analysis of Meso- and Micro-Structural Data

Funding: This research was funded by University of Catania (PIAno di inCEntivi per la RIcerca di Ateneo 2020/2022—Pia.Ce.Ri), Grant Number: 22722132153, within the project: ”Combined geomatic and petromatic applications: The new frontier of geoscience investigations from field- to micro- scale—(GeoPetroMat)”. Acknowledgments: The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions that helped to improve the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Contribution to Electrical System Inertia of Dual Fuel two-stroke Engines in Isolated Grid: A Case Study

The paper analyzed the dynamic performance of dual two-stroke engines with respect to classical Diesel gensets and the contribution to increase the rotating inertia of an isolated electrical grid with significant penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). The role of genset capable to provide better inertia and primary frequency regulation is essential for the integration of renewable generation in order to provide frequency stability and better power quality

Design of a Wearable Tactile Interface to Convey Gravitational Information

This research aims to correct tilted body positions in pitch and roll, making the user’s body axis becoming parallel with the gravitational acceleration vector through the use of tactile cues. A device is designed for the purpose and consists of a corset-like vest equipped with some sensors and four vibrotactile motors: two on the torso and one per each shoulder. The actuators deliver tactile feedbacks proportional to the angular error between the body axis of the user and the gravitational direction: the larger the error, the higher the frequency

ICAM-1 nanoclusters regulate hepatic epithelial cell polarity by leukocyte adhesion-independent control of apical actomyosin

Epithelial intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 is apically polarized, interacts with, and guides leukocytes across epithelial barriers. Polarized hepatic epithelia organize their apical membrane domain into bile canaliculi and ducts, which are not accessible to circulating immune cells but that nevertheless confine most of ICAM-1. Here, by analyzing ICAM-1_KO human hepatic cells, liver organoids from ICAM-1_KO mice and rescue-of-function experiments, we show that ICAM-1 regulates epithelial apicobasal polarity in a leukocyte adhesion-independent manner. ICAM-1 signals to an actomyosin network at the base of canalicular microvilli, thereby controlling the dynamics and size of bile canalicular-like structures. We identified the scaffolding protein EBP50/NHERF1/SLC9A3R1, which connects membrane proteins with the underlying actin cytoskeleton, in the proximity interactome of ICAM-1. EBP50 and ICAM-1 form nano-scale domains that overlap in microvilli, from which ICAM-1 regulates EBP50 nano-organization. Indeed, EBP50 expression is required for ICAM-1-mediated control of BC morphogenesis and actomyosin. Our findings indicate that ICAM-1 regulates the dynamics of epithelial apical membrane domains beyond its role as a heterotypic cell– cell adhesion molecule and reveal potential therapeutic strategies for preserving epithelial architec-ture during inflammatory stressWe gratefully acknowledge the expert technical advice of the Confocal Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, and Genomic facilities of the CBM Severo Ochoa, especially the contribution of Milagros Guerra, from the electron microscopy facility. We thank the staff of the Advanced Light Microscopy and cryo-EM facilities of the CNB-CSIC for their expert technical assistance with the correlative Cryo-SXT. We also thank Dr. Eva Pereiro at ALBA Synchrotron Light Source (Cerdanyola del Vall\u00E8s, Spain) for her expert technical advice, Prof. Nancy Hogg at the Francis Crick Institute (London, UK) for generating and sharing the Icam1_KO mouse, Dr. Luc\u00EDa Cordero Espinoza at the Gurdon Institute (Cambridge, UK) for her technical support in generating liver organoids, and Ana L\u00F3pez Sancha for her technical support with isolating the PBMCs. The work was supported by grants PID2020-119881RB-I00 from AEI (to CC-N, CL-P, NC-A, SB, GdR, JF, and JM) and P2022/BMD-7232 TomoXliver2 (to AC, SB, JMC, and JM), and IND2019/BMD-17139 (to JM) from Comunidad de Madrid. This research work was also funded by the European Commission\u2500NextGenerationEU (Regulation EU 2020/2094), through CSIC\u2019s Global Health Platform (PTI Salud Global). SB is supported by Endocornea, Convenio Colaboraci\u00F3n CSIC, funded by Instituto de Investigaci\u00F3n Fundaci\u00F3n Jim\u00E9nez D\u00EDaz. CM acknowledges support through the grant PID2021-125386NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/and FEDER 'ERDF A way of making Europe'. CC-N is a recipient of FPI fellowships from MINECO. NC-A is a recipient of an FPU fellowship from MECD. NR-R is supported by funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union\u2019s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007\u20132013) under REA grant agreement no. 608765 and also by Ram\u00F3n y Cajal program, grant RYC2021-031221-I and grant PID2022-137552OA-I00 from AE

Intracranial Hemorrhage from Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: What Can We Find with CT Angiography?

Background: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) represent a rare acquired intracranial vascular malformation, with a variety of clinical signs and symptoms, which make their diagnosis difficult. Intracranial hemorrhage is one of the most serious clinical manifestations. In this paper the authors’ goal was to verify the accuracy and utility of contrast-enhanced brain CT angiography (CTA) for the identification and the characterization of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) in patients who presented with brain hemorrhage compared to 3D digital subtraction angiography (3D DSA); (2) a retrospective study of 26 patients with DAVFs who presented with intracranial hemorrhage to our institution was performed. The information reviewed included clinical presentation, location and size of hemorrhage, brain CTA and 3D DSA findings; (3) results: 61% (16/26) of DAVFs were identified by CTA. The vast majority of patients were male (69%, 18/26) and the most common presenting symptom was sudden onset headache. All DAVFs had cortical venous drainage and about one-third were associated with a venous varix. The most common location was tentorial (73%, 19/26); (4) conclusions: CTA can represent a valid alternative diagnostic method to 3D DSA for the study of DAVF in the initial and preliminary diagnostic approach, especially in emergency situations. In fact, it represents a fast, inexpensive, non-invasive and above all, easily accessible and available diagnostic technique, unlike DSA or MRI, allowing to provide information necessary for the identification, classification and treatment planning of DAVF

Dupilumab in the treatment of severe uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP): A multicentric observational Phase IV real-life study (DUPIREAL)

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is associated with significant morbidity and reduced health-related quality of life. Findings from clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of dupilumab in CRSwNP, although real-world evidence is still limited. Methods This Phase IV real-life, observational, multicenter study assessed the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in patients with severe uncontrolled CRSwNP (n = 648) over the first year of treatment. We collected data at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow-up. We focused on nasal polyps score (NPS), symptoms, and olfactory function. We stratified outcomes by comorbidities, previous surgery, and adherence to intranasal corticosteroids, and examined the success rates based on current guidelines, as well as potential predictors of response at each timepoint. Results We observed a significant decrease in NPS from a median value of 6 (IQR 5–6) at baseline to 1.0 (IQR 0.0–2.0) at 12 months (p < .001), and a significant decrease in Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test-22 (SNOT-22) from a median score of 58 (IQR 49–70) at baseline to 11 (IQR 6–21; p < .001) at 12 months. Sniffin' Sticks scores showed a significant increase over 12 months (p < .001) compared to baseline. The results were unaffected by concomitant diseases, number of previous surgeries, and adherence to topical steroids, except for minor differences in rapidity of action. An excellent-moderate response was observed in 96.9% of patients at 12 months based on EPOS 2020 criteria. Conclusions Our findings from this large-scale real-life study support the effectiveness of dupilumab as an add-on therapy in patients with severe uncontrolled CRSwNP in reducing polyp size and improving the quality of life, severity of symptoms, nasal congestion, and smell

‘Better late than never’: the interplay between green technology and age for firm growth

This paper investigates the relationship between green/non-green technologies and firm growth. By combining the literature on eco-innovations, industrial organisation and entrepreneurial studies, we examine the dependence of this relationship on the pace at which firms grow and the age of the firm. From a dataset of 5498 manufacturing firms in Italy for the period of 2000–2008, longitudinal fixed effects quantile models are estimated, in which the firm’s age is set to moderate the effects of green and non-green patents on employment growth. We find that the positive effect of green technologies on growth is greater than that of non-green technologies. However, this result does not apply to struggling and rapidly growing firms. With fast-growing (above the median) firms, age moderates the growth effect of green technologies. Inconsistent with the extant literature, this moderation effect is positive: firm experience appears important for the growth benefits of green technologies, possibly relative to the complexity of their management

Off-label long acting injectable antipsychotics in real-world clinical practice: a cross-sectional analysis of prescriptive patterns from the STAR Network DEPOT study

Introduction Information on the off-label use of Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the real world is lacking. In this study, we aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients treated with on- vs off-label LAIs and predictors of off-label First- or Second-Generation Antipsychotic (FGA vs. SGA) LAI choice in everyday clinical practice. Method In a naturalistic national cohort of 449 patients who initiated LAI treatment in the STAR Network Depot Study, two groups were identified based on off- or on-label prescriptions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test several clinically relevant variables and identify those associated with the choice of FGA vs SGA prescription in the off-label group. Results SGA LAIs were more commonly prescribed in everyday practice, without significant differences in their on- and off-label use. Approximately 1 in 4 patients received an off-label prescription. In the off-label group, the most frequent diagnoses were bipolar disorder (67.5%) or any personality disorder (23.7%). FGA vs SGA LAI choice was significantly associated with BPRS thought disorder (OR = 1.22, CI95% 1.04 to 1.43, p = 0.015) and hostility/suspiciousness (OR = 0.83, CI95% 0.71 to 0.97, p = 0.017) dimensions. The likelihood of receiving an SGA LAI grew steadily with the increase of the BPRS thought disturbance score. Conversely, a preference towards prescribing an FGA was observed with higher scores at the BPRS hostility/suspiciousness subscale. Conclusion Our study is the first to identify predictors of FGA vs SGA choice in patients treated with off-label LAI antipsychotics. Demographic characteristics, i.e. age, sex, and substance/alcohol use co-morbidities did not appear to influence the choice towards FGAs or SGAs. Despite a lack of evidence, clinicians tend to favour FGA over SGA LAIs in bipolar or personality disorder patients with relevant hostility. Further research is needed to evaluate treatment adherence and clinical effectiveness of these prescriptive patterns