Greek Traditional Dances Program and Self-Evaluated Effects and Changes in Life

The purpose of the present study was the evaluation of the effects of Greek traditional dancing programs on middle-aged peoplersquos life. Seventy one subjects (60 women and 11 men) 51.92+4.99 years old, members of different dance clubs, participated in the research. All the subjects participated in a group dancing program for learning and performing Greek traditional dances once a week. The effects and changes in life due to participation in the Greek traditional dancing program were measured through questions by Chewing, Yu kappaalphaiota Johnson (http://www.krapu4.com/taichi/research/Chewing Yu Johnson B. htm#emotions). For data analysis were used the descriptive analysis and Pearson chi-square test of the SPSS version 17 for windows. From the results, it was proved that almost 90% of the subjects supposed that their participation in the Greek traditional dancing program had an effect on their lives. The bigger percentage declared that the participation in Greek traditional dances offered them joy, well-being and calmness (33.30%), as well as many effects on their bodies (33.30%), while a smaller percentage claimed that their participation in the program offered them sociability-participation in a group (16.70%) and activity increase (16.70%). In addition, more than 4/5 (86.50%) believe that their participation in the Greek traditional dancing program has changed their confidence concerning their mobility or possible falls. About three-quarters of the subjects (73.70%) consider that their participation in the program of Greek traditional dances influenced in any way their everyday activities. The majority (78.90%) believe that their physical activity has changed as a result of their participation in the program of Greek traditional dances. Finally, all people think they have been benefited from their participation in the Greek traditional dancing program, which is very important. In addition, the Pearson chi-square test showed a significant effect (x2=8.15, plt0.05) of the years that the subjects participated in Greek traditional dancing programs on the feeling of people#39s confidence in their mobility or possible falls. Thus, as the years of participation in Greek traditional dances are increasing, the feeling of people#39s confidence in their mobility or even the potential falls is increasing. From the results, it was shown that all the middle-aged people suppose that they have been benefited from their participation in the Greek traditional dancing program.nbspThe benefits concern their better emotional state expressed in joy, well-being, calmness and sociability-participation in a group, but also their better physical condition, confidence in their mobility and possible falls, increase in their physical activities and the effects on everyday activities. The importance of participation in Greek traditional dances is also worth mentioning. Thus, it could be said that the participation in Greek traditional dancing programs brings about effects and changes on life. Consequently, Greek traditional dances as a regular physical activity may be extremely useful for the quality of life of middle-aged people offering many benefits.nbs

Curriculum development in physical education in Greek primary schools

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Stochastic task networks : Trading performance for stability

This paper concerns networks of precedence constraints between tasks with random durations, known as stochastic task networks, often used to model uncertainty in real-world applications. In some applications, we must associate tasks with reliable start-times from which realized start-times will (most likely) not deviate too far. We examine a dispatching strategy according to which a task starts as early as precedence constraints allow, but not earlier than its corresponding planned release-time. As these release-times are spread farther apart on the time-axis, the randomness of realized start-times diminishes (i.e. stability increases). Effectively, task start-times becomes less sensitive to the outcome durations of their network predecessors. With increasing stability, however, performance deteriorates (e.g. expected makespan increases). Assuming a sample of the durations is given, we define an LP for finding release-times that minimize the performance penalty of reaching a desired level of stability. The resulting LP is costly to solve, so, targeting a specific part of the solution-space, we define an associated Simple Temporal Problem (STP) and show how optimal release-times can be constructed from its earliest-start-time solution. Exploiting the special structure of this STP, we present our main result, a dynamic programming algorithm that finds optimal release-times with considerable efficiency gains

Stochastic task networks : Trading performance for stability

This paper concerns networks of precedence constraints between tasks with random durations, known as stochastic task networks, often used to model uncertainty in real-world applications. In some applications, we must associate tasks with reliable start-times from which realized start-times will (most likely) not deviate too far. We examine a dispatching strategy according to which a task starts as early as precedence constraints allow, but not earlier than its corresponding planned release-time. As these release-times are spread farther apart on the time-axis, the randomness of realized start-times diminishes (i.e. stability increases). Effectively, task start-times becomes less sensitive to the outcome durations of their network predecessors. With increasing stability, however, performance deteriorates (e.g. expected makespan increases). Assuming a sample of the durations is given, we define an LP for finding release-times that minimize the performance penalty of reaching a desired level of stability. The resulting LP is costly to solve, so, targeting a specific part of the solution-space, we define an associated Simple Temporal Problem (STP) and show how optimal release-times can be constructed from its earliest-start-time solution. Exploiting the special structure of this STP, we present our main result, a dynamic programming algorithm that finds optimal release-times with considerable efficiency gains

Dynamic Temporal Decoupling

Temporal decoupling is a method to distribute a temporal constraint problem over a number of actors, such that each actor can solve its own part of the problem. It then ensures that the partial solutions provided can be always merged to obtain a complete solution. This paper discusses static and dynamic decoupling methods offering maximal flexibility in solving the partial problems. Extending previous work, we present an exact O(n3)O(n3) flexibility-maximizing static decoupling method. Then we discuss an exact O(n3)O(n3) method for updating a given decoupling, whenever an actor communicates a commitment to a particular set of choices for some temporal variable. This updating method ensures that: (i) the flexibility of the decoupling never decreases and (ii) every commitment once made is respected in the updated decoupling. To ensure an efficient updating process, we introduce a fast heuristic to construct a new decoupling given an existing decoupling in nearly linear time. We present some experimental results showing that, in most cases, updating an existing decoupling in case new commitments for variables have been made, significantly increases the flexibility of making commitments for the remaining variables

Dynamic Temporal Decoupling

Temporal decoupling is a method to distribute a temporal constraint problem over a number of actors, such that each actor can solve its own part of the problem. It then ensures that the partial solutions provided can be always merged to obtain a complete solution. This paper discusses static and dynamic decoupling methods offering maximal flexibility in solving the partial problems. Extending previous work, we present an exact O(n3)O(n3) flexibility-maximizing static decoupling method. Then we discuss an exact O(n3)O(n3) method for updating a given decoupling, whenever an actor communicates a commitment to a particular set of choices for some temporal variable. This updating method ensures that: (i) the flexibility of the decoupling never decreases and (ii) every commitment once made is respected in the updated decoupling. To ensure an efficient updating process, we introduce a fast heuristic to construct a new decoupling given an existing decoupling in nearly linear time. We present some experimental results showing that, in most cases, updating an existing decoupling in case new commitments for variables have been made, significantly increases the flexibility of making commitments for the remaining variables

Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles as a Mechanical Boosting Agent in Material Extrusion 3D-Printed Polycarbonate

In this work, the effect of silicon carbide (carborundum, SiC), as a boosting agent of the mechanical response of the polycarbonate (PC) polymer, was investigated. The work aimed to fabricate nanocomposites with an improved mechanical performance and to further expand the utilization of 3D printing in fields requiring an enhanced material response. The nanocomposites were produced by a thermomechanical process in various SiC concentrations in order to evaluate the filler loading in the mechanical enhancement. The samples were 3D printed with the material extrusion (MEX) method. Their mechanical performance was characterized, following international standards, by using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile, flexural, and Charpy’s impact tests. The microhardness of the samples was also measured. The morphological characteristics were examined, and Raman spectra revealed their structure. It was found that SiC can improve the mechanical performance of the PC thermoplastic. A 19.5% increase in the tensile strength was found for the 2 wt.% loading nanocomposite, while the 3 wt.% nanocomposite showed a 16% increase in the flexural strength and a 35.9% higher impact strength when compared to the unfilled PC. No processability issues were faced for the filler loadings that have been studied here