Dynamic load management and optimum sizing of stand-alone hybrid PV/Wind system.

Simulation algorithms for the sizing of stand-alone hybrid PV/Wind systems are a powerful tool in evaluating the optimum configuration that would cover the energy demand with a predefined reliability level at the lowest cost. Several parameters such as the interval of the simulation (day, day-night, hourly) and the consumption profile may significantly affect the optimum configuration. This paper examines the effect of these parameters within an optimum sizing simulation algorithm developed. The effect of these parameters was particularly evident at low battery capacities, which involve optimum configurations resulting in minimum cost. Furthermore, shift-able loads in the hourly-based weekly profile assumed in this study were identified, and a dynamic load management functionality was developed. In this approach, loads that could be shifted through time were dynamically allocated during periods of excess energy production by the hybrid PV/Wind system. The results showed an increase in system reliability from 95% to 97% when load shifting was introduced. Finally, sizing the system for only the static (non-shift-able loads) proved to withstand the addition of the extra shift-able loads while retaining the 95% reliability level when the load management functionality was introduced. Thus, a smaller installation with lower cost is achieved

Benefits and Challenges of Co-teaching English Learners in One Elementary School in Transition

This article reports the findings of a case study centered upon the implementation of a coteaching model in an elementary school with a mixed (EL and non-EL) population. In the co-teaching model examined, ESL teachers were embedded in the general education classroom, collaborated on instruction, and taught in cooperation with general education teachers. In addition to presenting the outcomes of the examined co-teaching model, the article outlines several key conditions for the successful application of this model to various teaching environments

THE ROLE OF FAMILY ENVIRONMENT IN DISTANCE LEARNING

This paper aims to discuss the role of family environment in distance learning. It presents the research conducted regarding parents’ views on distance learning, the way they experience it, the obstacles and the assets that are associated with distance learning. School-family collaborative relations are regarded crucial in enhancing students’ learning experience. Parents can contribute to their children’s learning by cultivating a positive relationship with their children, providing advice and guidance, organizing time, recording, and encouraging participation (motivation), teaching with the aim of supporting children. Parents can also supervise the completion of tasks and seek help when needed, time management, identifying students' needs, communication, and access to useful resources. It is important that parents understand the essential role that children play online. Parents need to be trained to organize their children's time, motivate students, and provide them with learning support when needed and make sure their child is learning. Finally, recommendations are presented about supporting students’ online learning by their parents.  Article visualizations

Communication and Collaboration between School and Family for Addressing Bullying

School and family are the main socializing agents for children. Therefore, effective communication and collaboration between these contexts is essential, although sometimes there are barriers to school-family partnership, particularly when they try to play a more active role in the educational process. It is widely recognized that parent involvement in school has successful contributions to student school outcomes. Moreover, It is crucial for addressing effectively bullying, as it is a problem student behaviour in Greek society as well.In this context, the present research aims to explore teachers' views about family-school communication and collaboration regarding the extent to which they address effectively bullying. 150 primary education teachers from public schools in Rhodes participated in this research, which conducted in 2015. Results show that teachers endorse the importance of school-family collaboration for addressing bullying. In addition, they consider this collaboration important, as it has an important influence on children's attitudes to school, and their behaviour in school environment. Furthermore, they suggest that school-family collaboration may improve students' social skills, which can enhance their emotional development and reduce their social isolation from the peer group. Finally, they assert that school-family collaboration can empower children's relationship with their parents and teachers, and in the long term it can contribute in enhancing their school achievement

Accommodations and English Learners: Inconsistencies in Policies and Practice

This article outlines the results of a survey of all the large-scale testing accommodations used with English learners across the United States, addressing the increasing challenge of integrating this population into a state’s accountability system in a valid and reliable manner. This examination of accommodation policies used in standardized content area assessments reveals that there is little consistency across states with regard to testing accommodations for ELs in providing accommodations when ELs are tested in academic content areas

The role of coastal shipping and telecommunications in the development of the insular region of the Mediterranean Archipelagos

This paper stresses the important role of coastal shipping as well as that of new technologies towards the lift of isolation of insular regions and it emphasizes the influence of the practice of telework in insular development. It also presents and analyses Socioeconomic and technological indices for the larger islands of the Mediterranean Archipelagos for 2004 and the particularities of the existing coastal shipping system in the wider region. It proves that the creation of an effective and cohesive telecommunication network in the region, as well as the improvement of the existing transport system constitute the most appropriate strategy in the regional development and in the viability of the region.Στην παρούσα εργασία τονίζεται ο σημαντικός ρόλος τόσο της ακτοπλοΐας όσο και των νέων τεχνολογιών για την άρση της απομόνωσης των νησιωτικών περιοχών. Έμφαση δίνεται στην επίδραση της πρακτικής της τηλεργασίας στη νησιωτική ανάπτυξη. Κοινωνικοοικονομικοί και τεχνολογικοί δείκτες παρουσιάζονται και αναλύονται για τα μεγαλύτερα νησιά του Αιγαίου Αρχιπελάγους για το έτος 2004. Επιπλέον, αναλύονται οι ιδιαιτερότητες του υπάρχοντος ακτοπλοϊκού μεταφορικού συστήματος στην ευρύτερη περιοχή. Διαπιστώνεται ότι η δημιουργία ενός αποτελεσματικού και συνεκτικού τηλεπικοινωνιακού δικτύου στην περιοχή, καθώς και η βελτίωση του υπάρχοντος μεταφορικού συστήματος αποτελούν την καταλληλότερη στρατηγική για την περιφερειακή ανάπτυξη και τη βιωσιμότητα της εν λόγω περιοχής

Definition of Naturally Processed Peptides Reveals Convergent Presentation of Autoantigenic Topoisomerase I Epitopes in Scleroderma.

ObjectiveAutoimmune responses to DNA topoisomerase I (topo I) are found in a subset of scleroderma patients who are at high risk for interstitial lung disease (ILD) and mortality. Anti-topo I antibodies (ATAs) are associated with specific HLA-DRB1 alleles, and the frequency of HLA-DR-restricted topo I-specific CD4+ T cells is associated with the presence, severity, and progression of ILD. Although this strongly implicates the presentation of topo I peptides by HLA-DR in scleroderma pathogenesis, the processing and presentation of topo I has not been studied.MethodsWe developed a natural antigen processing assay (NAPA) to identify putative CD4+ T cell epitopes of topo I presented by monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mo-DCs) from 6 ATA-positive patients with scleroderma. Mo-DCs were pulsed with topo I protein, HLA-DR-peptide complexes were isolated, and eluted peptides were analyzed by mass spectrometry. We then examined the ability of these naturally presented peptides to induce CD4+ T cell activation in 11 ATA-positive and 11 ATA-negative scleroderma patients.ResultsWe found that a common set of 10 topo I epitopes was presented by Mo-DCs from scleroderma patients with diverse HLA-DR variants. Sequence analysis revealed shared peptide-binding motifs within the HLA-DRβ chains of ATA-positive patients and a subset of topo I epitopes with distinct sets of anchor residues capable of binding to multiple different HLA-DR variants. The NAPA-derived epitopes elicited robust CD4+ T cell responses in 73% of ATA-positive patients (8 of 11), and the number of epitopes recognized correlated with ILD severity (P = 0.025).ConclusionThese findings mechanistically implicate the presentation of a convergent set of topo I epitopes in the development of scleroderma

Mechanical behaviour of sand stabilised with colloidal silica

The response of sand stabilised with colloidal silica aqueous gel is examined in the laboratory, under direct shear, triaxial and normal compression loading, in comparison to that of untreated sand of similar density to evaluate the effect of stabilisation on subsequent sand response. The behaviour of the treated sand differs in important respects from the behaviour of the untreated sand: a significant increase in the angle of shearing resistance is observed at lower stress levels, diminishing with increasing stress level; the peak strength envelope is curved at low stresses for the treated sand only, while at ultimate strength, the envelopes coincide for treated and untreated sands. However, at all stress levels, extreme dilation is associated with the treated sand at peak and ultimate strength conditions. Under normal compression, the treated sand is easily densified, exhibiting higher compressibility than that of sand of similar density. It appears that depending on loading conditions, the aqueous gel alters its structure and has the capacity to absorb or discharge free water; it is of paramount importance to measure volume change and/or pore water pressure change during stabilised sand testing

O efeito de um programa de treinamento de totalmente imersivo do Playstation VR no desenvolvimento das habilidades perceptivas das crianças no Voleibol

Este estudio examinó el efecto de dos intervenciones educativas, un programa basado en juegos de realidad virtual totalmente inmersivos (FIVE) y un programa de entrenamiento típico (TT), en Percepción de profundidad (DP) y Tiempo de reacción de anticipación (ART) de cuarenta y ocho jugadoras de voleibol de 8 a 10 años. El grupo FIVE asistió a un programa inmersivo completo en Playstation4VR y el grupo TT a un entrenamiento típico en la cancha, basado en mejorar DP y ART durante 6 semanas, dos veces por semana durante 24 min cada vez. El grupo de control no recibió ningún programa estructurado de formación en PD y ART. Antes, después y un mes después de las intervenciones, se calculó la DP utilizando el Probador de Percepción de Profundidad Eléctrica y el ART utilizando el Temporizador de Anticipación de Bassin. Se realizaron análisis de varianza bidireccionales con medidas repetidas, para determinar el efecto de los grupos de programas de entrenamiento y las mediciones en los dos movimientos en el rendimiento de DP y las dos velocidades (5 mph y 10 mph) en el rendimiento de ART. Las puntuaciones de las pruebas posteriores y de retención DP en ambos movimientos fueron notablemente mayores que las de las pruebas previas para ambos grupos experimentales, pero no para el grupo de control. Además, en las puntuaciones de ART, sólo en 10 mph, las puntuaciones de las pruebas posteriores y de retención fueron notablemente mayores que las puntuaciones previas a la prueba para ambos grupos experimentales y no para el grupo de control. En conclusión, los exergames VR y un entrenamiento típico son herramientas efectivas para mejorar el DP y ART en jugadores de voleibol de 8 a 10 años de edad.his study examined the impact of two different educational interventions, a program that were based on full immersive virtual reality games (FIVE) and a typical training program (TT), in Depth Perception (DP) and Anticipation Reaction Time (ART) of forty-eightfemale volleyball players aged 8-10 years old. The players were randomly separatedinto three individual groups of 16 children each, two experimental groups (FIVE, TT) and one control group. The FIVE group attended, for 6 weeks, twice a week and 24 min per session, a full immersive program in Playstation4VR and the TT group a typical training to the court, based to improve DP and ART. The control group did not receive any structured DP and ART training program. Before the interventions, after and one –month after, DP was estimated using Electric Depth Perception Tester and ART using Bassin Anticipation Timer. Were conducted Two-Way analyses of variance with repeated measures, to demonstrate the impact of educational interventions measurements across the two movements on DP efficacy and the two speeds (5mph and 10mph) on ART performance. The post and the retention tests DP in both movements scores were remarkably greater than pre-test for FIVE and TT groups but not for the control group. Additionally, on the ART scores, it was observed that only at a speed of 10 mph did the post and retention test scores show a significant increase compared to the pre-test scores for both experimental groups, while no such increase was observed in the control group. To conclude, exergames VR and a typical training are effective tools for improving DP and ART in volleyball players aged 8-10 years oldEste estudo examinou o efeito de duas intervenções educativa, um programa baseado num jogos de realidade virtual total imersivos (RVTI) e um programa de treinamento típico (TT), em Percepção de Profundidade (PP) e Tempo de Reação de Antecipação (TRA) de quarenta e oito voleibolistas com idades entre 8 e 10 anos. Divididos de forma randomizata em três grupos individuais de 16 crianças cada, um controle e dois grupos experimentais (RVTI, TT). O grupo RVTI participou de um programa total imersivo em Playstation4VR e o grupo TT um treinamento típico para quadra, com base de melhorar PP e TRA durante 6 semanas, duas vezes por semana durante 24 min cada vez. O grupo de controle não recebeu nenhum programa estruturado de treinamento em PP e TRA. Antes, após e um mês após da intervenção, o PP foi estimado usando o Electric Depth Perception Tester e o ΤΡΑ usando o Bassin Anticipation Timer. Foram conduzidas análises de variância de duas vias com medidas repetidas, a determinar οs efeitos da grupos de programas de treinamento e medições entre os dois movimentos em desempenho de PP e as duas velocidades (5 mph e 10 mph) em desempenho de TRA. O pós-teste e os testes de retenção DP em ambos os escores de movimentos foram notavelmente maiores do que o pré-teste para ambos os grupos experimentais, mas não para o grupo de controle. Além disso, nas pontuações de ART, apenas em 10 mph as pontuações do pós e do teste de retenção foram notavelmente maiores do que as pontuações do pré-teste para ambos os grupos experimentais e não para o grupo de controle. Em conclusão, os exergames VR e um treinamento típico são ferramentas eficazes para melhorar a DP e ART em jogadores de voleibol de 8 a 10 anos de idade