Optimization of the Geometry of Communication for Autonomous Missions of Underwater Vehicles

The potential of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) working as a team in sampling, monitoring and surveillance of the marine environment has been realized since quite a long time. One of the most relevant obstacle to their operational implementation resides in the limitations of the acoustic channel for inter-vehicle communications. Underwater acoustic modeling and simulation plays an important role in predicting possible losses and transmission failures between them, and underwater sound propagation can be precisely measured or estimated. In this thesis, sound speed data from a real experiment (CommsNet13) were used to simulate environmental conditions and analyze acoustic communication between an USBL-vehicle on the sea surface and an acoustic modem on the sea bottom, in order achieve an effective geometry of transmission for future trials

The Social Sharing of Guilt and Shame

The social sharing of emotions derives from the human demand for interpersonal contact and interaction. This leads people to verbally share their emotional experiences, often immediately after the event and frequently with more than one person (Rim\ue9, 2009). However, research has shown that negative self-conscious emotions, such as shame and guilt, play a critical role in restraining the social sharing process (Finkenauer & Rim\ue9, 1998). The present research aimed to: a) determine any differences in the sharing of the two emotions; b) analyse the beneficial effect (if any) of sharing experiences c) investigate whether the positive resolution of feelings of guilt or shame affects the perceived intensity of the emotion.Seventy people (39 women and 31 men) completed a 2 page questionnaire regarding one episode that elicited guilt and one that elicited shame. For each episode, participants were asked about the frequency of sharing, the people they chose to tell the episode to, the intensity of their emotional experience and how the episode ended.In both shame and guilt experiences, participants reported that they preferred to share their emotions with people close to them. Positive resolution of the episode seems to play a relevant role in the sharing process: episodes eliciting guilt that were not resolved were associated with higher intensity than episodes that had ended positively. Unresolved episodes eliciting shame had been shared later and with fewer partners than resolved episodes.Sharing episodes in which guilt and shame had been experienced is not infrequent and is globally considered useful. However, in sharing episodes of guilt, which focus on harmful behaviours, emotional intensity at the time of the event may negatively affect episode resolution; in the case of shame, in which the focus is on the whole self, the resolution of an episode may depend on the willingness to open oneself to the relationship

Sintesi delle indicazioni per una razionale applicazione delle Linee Guida Ministeriali sulla prevenzione dei rischi occupazionali nella manipolazione dei Chemioterapici Antiblastici

The Italian Society of Preventive Medicine for Health Care Workers has examined the guidelines recently published by the Italian Ministry of Health for implementation of safe handling practices for antineoplastic drugs and produced recommendations. On the basis of literature data and the field research carried out by the Society, different aspects covering risk assessment, environmental and biological monitoring, workplace and individual protection measures, education and training of health care and technical personnel, health surveillance programs, were focused on. The creation of a single central unit for preparing antineoplastic drugs or at least a drastic reduction in the number of preparation units currently operating in each hospital are the most relevant objectives of both the guidelines and the Society document. This must be accompanied by correct management of technical and organizational measures, improvement of safety and health of personnel involved in different activities and reduction of the number of exposed subjects. Finally the importance is stressed of clear specific mandatory procedures with which to manage and control the different aspects of job organization