Sense of Coherence as a Resource in Promoting Well-Being and Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study

When investigating the feelings of caregivers to patients with T1DM, parental stress, anxiety, and depression are found to be most prevalent, especially in the diagnostic phase and in the first months after diagnosis. In this pilot study, we research various significant elements regarding the well-being of mothers with children between 10 and 15 years of age with a chronic condition. The study focuses on a period of at least three years after the child’s diagnosis. The aims of the study are to describe our sample’s levels of satisfaction (SWLS) and subjective happiness (SHS) and to evaluate possible associations. A sample of 40 mothers was offered a series of assessment tools about psychological skills that could play a role in improving mothers’ well-being: the use of specific coping mechanisms (CISS), the methods of narrating the experience of life with a son/daughter with diabetes, the sense of coherence (SOCS 29), health parameters vs. child’s disease (HbA1c, CBCL), and socio-demographic, such as education and work. The most significant associations with respect to subjective happiness are with the sense of coherence, as a unitary value and as distinct factors, and with task-oriented coping. Sense of coherence is also associated with satisfaction

Can Telematics Improve Driving Style? The Use of Behavioural Data in Motor Insurance

The use of behavioural data in insurance is loaded with promises and unresolved issues. This paper explores the related opportunities and challenges analysing the use of telematics data in third-party liability motor insurance. Behavioural data are used not only to refine the risk profile of policyholders, but also to implement innovative coaching strategies, feeding back to the drivers the aggregated information obtained from the data. The purpose is to encourage an improvement in their driving style. Our research explores the effectiveness of coaching on the basis of an empirical investigation of the dataset of a company selling telematics motor insurance policies. The results of our quantitative analysis show that this effectiveness crucially depends on the propensity of policyholders to engage with the telematics app. We observe engagement as an additional kind of behaviour, producing second-order behavioural data that can also be recorded and strategically used by insurance companies. The conclusions discuss potential advantages and risks connected with this extended interpretation of behavioural data.Comment: Paper sent for publication on a journal. This is a preliminary version, updated versions will be uploade

Imaging features and ultraearly hematoma growth in intracerebral hemorrhage associated with COVID-19

Purpose: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is an uncommon but deadly event in patients with COVID-19 and its imaging features remain poorly characterized. We aimed to describe the clinical and imaging features of COVID-19-associated ICH. Methods: Multicenter, retrospective, case-control analysis comparing ICH in COVID-19 patients (COV19\u2009+) versus controls without COVID-19 (COV19\u2009-). Clinical presentation, laboratory markers, and severity of COVID-19 disease were recorded. Non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) markers (intrahematoma hypodensity, heterogeneous density, blend sign, irregular shape fluid level), ICH location, and hematoma volume (ABC/2 method) were analyzed. The outcome of interest was ultraearly hematoma growth (uHG) (defined as NCCT baseline ICH volume/onset-to-imaging time), whose predictors were explored with multivariable linear regression. Results: A total of 33 COV19\u2009+\u2009patients and 321 COV19\u2009-\u2009controls with ICH were included. Demographic characteristics and vascular risk factors were similar in the two groups. Multifocal ICH and NCCT markers were significantly more common in the COV19\u2009+\u2009population. uHG was significantly higher among COV19\u2009+\u2009patients (median 6.2 mL/h vs 3.1 mL/h, p\u2009=\u20090.027), and this finding remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors (systolic blood pressure, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy), in linear regression (B(SE)\u2009=\u20090.31 (0.11), p\u2009=\u20090.005). This association remained consistent also after the exclusion of patients under anticoagulant treatment (B(SE)\u2009=\u20090.29 (0.13), p\u2009=\u20090.026). Conclusions: ICH in COV19\u2009+\u2009patients has distinct NCCT imaging features and a higher speed of bleeding. This association is not mediated by antithrombotic therapy and deserves further research to characterize the underlying biological mechanisms

Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies on the association of occupational exposure to free crystalline silica and systemic lupus erythematosus

Objectives. Some evidence suggests that exposure to free crystalline silica may contribute to the risk of developing SLE. A systematic search was carried out for all published epidemiological studies concerning this association. A meta-analysis was conducted on relevant studies.Methods. We searched PubMed and EMBASE databases for original articles published from 1960 to November 2019 in any language. In addition, we also searched the reference lists of included studies manually for additional relevant articles. Finally, seven studies were included in the systematic review and six studies in the meta-analysis (four case-control and two cohort studies). The odds ratio and 95% CI were calculated using a random effect meta-analysis.Results. The meta-analysis of the studies, applying a random effect model, yielded an overall odds ratio of 3.49 (95% CI, 1.24, 9.83), with I-2 = 92.36% (pronounced heterogeneity). We also stratified the meta-analysis by study design; case-control studies: odds ratio 1.85 (95% CI, 0.96, 3.59) with I-2 = 75.92%; and cohort studies (cases with silicosis): odds ratio 9.71 (95% CI, 1.13, 83.58) with I-2 = 72.65%.Conclusions. The obtained results support the hypothesis of a possible association between occupational exposure to free crystalline silica and SLE, in particular at higher exposure levels, known to induce silicosis. The studies that have investigated this association are still scarce and the heterogeneity between the studies remains high. New studies are deemed necessary to confirm the association

Reliability evaluation for meshed distribution networks based on minimal cut sets method

The paper proposes a reliability evaluation for meshed distribution networks based on minimal cut sets method. Distribution networks with meshed layout but radially operated have been commonly used in urban environments since they give some advantages in terms of lines thermal limit and voltage drop. The evaluation procedure is divided into three steps: firstly, it determines the minimal cut sets from each source node to each load nodes of the DN; secondly, it calculates the failure rate and the outage time for each minimal cut sets identified; lastly, it calculates the system average interruption frequency index and the system average interruption duration index. A sensitivity analysis of two specific system layouts, which we refer to as 1-step ladder and 2-steps ladder, has been carried out varying the maximum power flow allowed during normal operation. The method shows that, to improve reliability, as more as the distribution network is loaded as more as it should be meshed

A GIS-Based Approach for Primary Substations Siting and Timing Based on Voronoi Diagram and Particle Swarm Optimization Method

The paper aims to provide primary substations’ optimal siting and timing to expand existing distribution networks. The proposed methodology relies on three main features: a geographic information system for capturing, elaborating, and displaying spatial input data; a particle swarm optimization algorithm to locate and timing the new primary substations; a Voronoi diagram-based approach to find the primary substation service areas and loading. The optimization criteria follow the approach of serving every customer from the nearest primary substation to ensure that the distribution delivery distance is as short as possible, reducing feeders’ cost, electric losses, and service interruption exposure. The algorithm also considers the primary substation transformers’ capacity limit. Thanks to Unareti, the distribution system operator of Milan and Brescia, the methodology was tested by carrying out several simulations, progressively increasing the number of new primary substations. The results obtained confirm the proposed approach’s effectiveness and show that the methodology is a valuable tool to guide Unareti, and distribution system operators in general, in expanding distribution networks to face the challenges of the energy transition

Optimal procedure for remote-controlled switch devices siting in distribution systems using heuristic algorithms

The growing demand for improved quality of service increases the importance of network automation. These allow improving the fault isolation and reconfiguration time and therefore increasing the system quality of service. Since the investment in remote-controlled switch (RCS) devices comes at a cost, this paper proposes a heuristic approach to solve the problem of optimal siting RCS devices in distribution systems. For doing that, RCS devices are located to improve the reliability of the system based on the optimal open ties deriving from the Distribution Network (DN) reconfiguration problem. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been developed to optimize the radial layout of the DN taking into account the reliability of the system. As a measure of the system reliability, we use a risk index which is expected to well estimate, based on the statistical data available, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI). The risk index is based on two parameters: the length of the feeders, which measures the failure probability, and the number of customers, which measures the failure impact. The solution approach has been tested on a real distribution subsystem of Milano

Optimal procedure for remote-controlled switch devices siting in distribution systems using heuristic algorithms

The growing demand for improved quality of service increases the importance of network automation. These allow improving the fault isolation and reconfiguration time and therefore increasing the system quality of service. Since the investment in remote-controlled switch (RCS) devices comes at a cost, this paper proposes a heuristic approach to solve the problem of optimal siting RCS devices in distribution systems. For doing that, RCS devices are located to improve the reliability of the system based on the optimal open ties deriving from the Distribution Network (DN) reconfiguration problem. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been developed to optimize the radial layout of the DN taking into account the reliability of the system. As a measure of the system reliability, we use a risk index which is expected to well estimate, based on the statistical data available, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI). The risk index is based on two parameters: the length of the feeders, which measures the failure probability, and the number of customers, which measures the failure impact. The solution approach has been tested on a real distribution subsystem of Milano

Network automation planning in distribution networks: a feeders coupling method to implement IEC 61850-based smart automation system logic

This paper presents a methodology for distribution networks automation planning. The presented methodology identifies the optimal location of intelligent protection devices for improving network reliability. The approach also analyzed the available back-feeding for implementing an IEC 61850-based smart automation system logic. The back-feeding routes of each feeder are evaluated by comparing suitable performance indexes identifying the more appropriate one able to resupply the considered feeder for most of the potential faults. Of course, topological and electrical constraints have to be fulfilled, and therefore the simulations consider feeder and substation constraints. Thanks to the data given by the local system operator Unareti, the methodology has been tested on a real distribution network located in the SouthWest area of Mila