Virtualisation of the test environment for signalling

ERTMS is a well-known, well-performing technology applied all over the world but it still lacks flexibility when it comes to authorisation and certification procedures. The key of its success in the future lies as much in cost reduction as in simplification of placing in service procedures. This holds true for the implementation of a new subsystem and even more so for new software releases related to subsystems already in service. Currently the placing in service process of ETCS components and subsystems requires a large amount of tests due to the complexity of the signalling systems and the different engineering rules applied. The S2R Multi-Annual Action Plan states that the effort and time consumption of these onsite tests are at least 30% for any particular project. VITE research project (VIrtualisation of the Test Environment) aims at reducing these onsite tests to a minimum while ensuring that laboratory tests can serve as evidence for valid system behaviour and are accepted by all stakeholders involved in the placing in service process. This paper presents the first VITE results

EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE PATTERN FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, International Relations/Trade,

A Study on the Relationships of Professional Development, Teacher Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction while Controlling for Years of Teaching Experience and Grade Level Taught

“Over the next ten years, 1.6 million teachers will retire, and 1.6 million new teachers will be needed to take their place. This poses both an enormous challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for our education system: “if we succeed in recruiting, preparing, and retaining great teaching talent, we can transform public education in this country and finally begin to deliver an excellent education for every child” (Duncan, 2011, pg. 1). Indeed, teacher preparation and professional development is an extremely important issue facing our educational system today. There is a great deal of research that supports the idea that the most important factor that affects student achievement is a highly qualified effective teacher (Rockoff, 2004; Harding & Parsons 2011; Phillips 2010; Sanders & Rivers 1996; Desimone & Long 2010). This one variable has, over the course of time, stood up as the most important on a child’s education. There are four research questions that are investigated through this study: 1) To what extent is there a relationship between teacher’s satisfaction with their professional development experiences and the magnitude of teacher job satisfaction while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education? 2) To what extent is there a relationship between teacher’s satisfaction with their professional development experiences and teacher working conditions while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education? 3) Of the three characteristics of effective professional development: Collaboration, Time and Resources, and Enhancement of Teacher’s Knowledge, which has the strongest relationship with teacher job satisfaction? 4) Of the four areas of teacher working conditions: Time Factors, Facilities and Resources, School Leadership and satisfaction with Professional Development, which has the strongest relationship with teacher professional development? Based on this study there was no statistically significant relationship found between teacher professional development and the magnitude of teacher job satisfaction while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education. The analysis of the data in this study showed there was a significant relationship between teacher professional development and teacher working conditions while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education.Based on the results, none of the characteristics of effective professional development that were explored in this study had a statistically significant relationship with teacher job satisfaction.All four factors of teacher professional development had moderate to strong relationships and were statistically significant

A Study on the Relationships of Professional Development, Teacher Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction while Controlling for Years of Teaching Experience and Grade Level Taught

“Over the next ten years, 1.6 million teachers will retire, and 1.6 million new teachers will be needed to take their place. This poses both an enormous challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for our education system: “if we succeed in recruiting, preparing, and retaining great teaching talent, we can transform public education in this country and finally begin to deliver an excellent education for every child” (Duncan, 2011, pg. 1). Indeed, teacher preparation and professional development is an extremely important issue facing our educational system today. There is a great deal of research that supports the idea that the most important factor that affects student achievement is a highly qualified effective teacher (Rockoff, 2004; Harding & Parsons 2011; Phillips 2010; Sanders & Rivers 1996; Desimone & Long 2010). This one variable has, over the course of time, stood up as the most important on a child’s education. There are four research questions that are investigated through this study: 1) To what extent is there a relationship between teacher’s satisfaction with their professional development experiences and the magnitude of teacher job satisfaction while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education? 2) To what extent is there a relationship between teacher’s satisfaction with their professional development experiences and teacher working conditions while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education? 3) Of the three characteristics of effective professional development: Collaboration, Time and Resources, and Enhancement of Teacher’s Knowledge, which has the strongest relationship with teacher job satisfaction? 4) Of the four areas of teacher working conditions: Time Factors, Facilities and Resources, School Leadership and satisfaction with Professional Development, which has the strongest relationship with teacher professional development? Based on this study there was no statistically significant relationship found between teacher professional development and the magnitude of teacher job satisfaction while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education. The analysis of the data in this study showed there was a significant relationship between teacher professional development and teacher working conditions while controlling for grade level taught and teacher’s years of experience working in education.Based on the results, none of the characteristics of effective professional development that were explored in this study had a statistically significant relationship with teacher job satisfaction.All four factors of teacher professional development had moderate to strong relationships and were statistically significant

Drosophila suzukii Monitoring in verschiedenen Habitaten 2014

Die Kirschessigfliege (Drosophila suzukii) wurde 2008 aus Südostasien nach Europa eingeschleppt und verursacht seitdem z.T. massive Ertragsausfälle. Mit ihrem sägeartigen Eiablagestachel ist sie in der Lage, Eier direkt in reifende Weichobstarten, wie z.B. Beeren, Kirschen, Zwetschgen und Trauben abzulegen. Auch viele wilde Pflanzen, wie z.B. Holunder und Schneeball dienen als Wirtspflanzen. Die Larven entwickeln sich in den Früchten und ernähren sich vom Fruchtfleisch. Die befallenen Früchte fallen in sich zusammen, werden weich und unverkäuflich. Da der Generationszyklus sehr kurz ist und daher mehrere Generationen parallel auftreten, kommt es zu einem starken Befallsdruck im Spätsommer und Herbst. Die Fliegen sind sehr mobil und migrieren zwischen den verschiedenen Fruchtarten, um jeweils reifende Früchte für die Eiablage zu finden. Bezüglich der Wirts- und Habitatwahl, sowie der Migration bestehen jedoch noch grosse Wissenslücken. Das vorliegende Monitoring in verschiedenen Habitaten wurde durchgeführt, um Rückzugsorte und Befallsquellen aufzudecken, damit Strategien zur Bekämpfung der Fliege und/oder zur Vermeidung von Schäden dementsprechend angepasst werden können

Hamilton-Jacobi theory in multisymplectic classical field theories

The geometric framework for the Hamilton-Jacobi theory developed in previous works is extended for multisymplectic first-order classical field theories. The Hamilton-Jacobi problem is stated for the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formalisms of these theories as a particular case of a more general problem, and the classical Hamilton-Jacobi equation for field theories is recovered from this geometrical setting. Particular and complete solutions to these problems are defined and characterized in several equivalent ways in both formalisms, and the equivalence between them is proved. The use of distributions in jet bundles that represent the solutions to the field equations is the fundamental tool in this formulation. Some examples are analyzed and, in particular, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for non-autonomous mechanical systems is obtained as a special case of our results.Comment: 44 p

Performance Evaluation of a Novel Inductive Atmosphere-Breathing EP System

Challenging space mission scenarios include those in low altitude orbits, where the atmosphere creates significant drag to the S/C and forces their orbit to an early decay. An atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion system (ABEP) ingests the residual atmosphere through an intake and uses it as propellant for an electric thruster that compensates the drag. Theoretically applicable to any planet with atmosphere, the system might allow to orbit for an unlimited period without carrying propellant on-board. IRS has several decades of heritage on the development of inductively heated plasma generators (IPG). Such devices are electrodeless, therefore issues of potential electrode erosion are eliminated. This paper deals with the complete refurbishment of a facility that was previously used for RIT testing, for the use of IPG6-S, a small scale IPG with an input power up to 3.5 kW. This facility allows more reliable test conditions. First operational and performance tests of IPG6-S have been performed. IPG6-S serves as test bed for the development of an inductive plasma thruster (IPT) for ABEP application. A newly designed water-cooled de Laval nozzle has been built and applied to IPG6-S. The nozzle is modular, it has the possibility of having various configurations so to assess its performance in terms of plasma acceleration and thrust production. Within this paper plasma plume energy has been measured by means of a cavity calorimeter and correlated to current, power, and pressure in the injector head.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version