Sequential Tasks Shifting for Participation in Demand Response Programs

In this paper, the proposed methodology minimizes the electricity cost of a laundry room by means of load shifting. The laundry room is equipped with washing machines, dryers, and irons. Additionally, the optimization model handles demand response signals, respecting user preferences while providing the required demand reduction. The sequence of devices operation is also modeled, ensuring correct operation cycles of different types of devices which are not allowed to overlap or have sequence rules. The implemented demand response program specifies a power consumption limit in each period and offers discounts for energy prices as incentives. In addition, users can define the required number of operations for each device in specific periods, and the preferences regarding the operation of consecutive days. In the case study, results have been obtained regarding six scenarios that have been defined to survey about effects of different energy tariffs, power limitations, and incentives, in a laundry room equipped with three washing machines, two dryers, and one iron. A sensitivity analysis of the power consumption limit is presented. The results show that the proposed methodology is able to accommodate the implemented scenario, respecting user preferences and demand response program, minimizing energy costs. The final electricity price has been calculated for all scenarios to discuss the more effective schedule in each scenario.This work has received funding from Portugal 2020 under SPEAR project (NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-040224), in the scope of ITEA 3 SPEAR Project 16001 and from FEDER Funds through COMPETE program and from National Funds through (FCT) under the project UIDB/00760/2020, and CEECIND/02887/2017.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Desenvolvimento e implementação de um modelo de gestão do risco num processo de ensino-aprendizagem no pré escolar–Estudo de Caso

A tomada de consciência para a inevitabilidade do risco tem de estar sempre presente quando se realiza qualquer projeto. Realizando uma abordagem processual à gestão de projeto, deverá sempre integrar-se nas várias fases desse processo, a gestão do risco. Assim, a gestão do risco constitui um processo próprio em que, entre outras etapas, uma avaliação precisa do risco se mostra muito importante para uma gestão eficaz. A gestão escolar é influenciada por diversos fatores constituídos no decorrer das relações estabelecidas, tornando-se um desafio aos gestores e também aos educadores. Desta forma, é possível entender os aspetos da formação plena e integrativa, nos ambientes escolares. O processo de gestão deve ser analisado desde a sua conceção, implementação do mesmo na escola até à sua repercussão no processo de ensino-aprendizagem (avaliação dos outputs/outcomes). Este trabalho teve como objetivo a integração da gestão do risco num projeto escolar de terapia da fala, no sentido de melhor apoiar a tomada de decisão, contribuindo para a identificação e levantamento de ações preventivas necessárias a implementar, no sentido de garantir o sucesso da aplicação do referido projeto escolar de terapia da fala.The awareness for the inevitability of the risk must always be present when carry out any project. When conducting a procedural approach to the project management, the risk management must always be integrated in the different stages of the process. Therefore, the risk management represents a unique process that, among other stages, an accurate evaluation of the risk is the key to an effective management. The educational management is influenced by various factors incorporated in the course of the established relationships, becoming a challenge to the managers and also to the educators. In this way, it is possible to understand the aspects of training full and integrated in school environment. The management process must be analyzed since its conception, its complementation in school until its impact in the teaching – learning process (evaluation of outputs/outcomes). The aim of this project was the inclusion of the risk management in the school project of speech therapy, with the purpose to support the awareness, adding to the identification and searching of preventing actions needed to assure the success of the mentioned school project of speech therapy.La conciencia de la inevitabilidad del riesgo siempre debe estar presente al llevar a cabo cualquier proyecto. Tomando un enfoque de procedimiento para la gestión de proyectos, la gestión de riesgos siempre debe integrarse en las diversas etapas de este proceso. Por lo tanto, la gestión de riesgos es un proceso propio en el que, entre otros pasos, la evaluación precisa de riesgos es muy importante para una gestión eficaz. La gestión escolar está influenciada por varios factores constituidos durante las relaciones establecidas, lo que lo convierte en un desafío para los gerentes y también para los educadores. De esta manera, es posible comprender los aspectos de la formación completa e integradora en los entornos escolares. El proceso de gestión debe analizarse desde su concepción, su implementformación en la escuela hasta su repercusión en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje (evaluación de productos / resultados). Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo integrar la gestión de riesgos en un proyecto escolar de terapia del habla, con el fin de apoyar mejor la toma de decisiones, contribuyendo a la identificación y encuesta de acciones preventivas necesarias para implementar, con el fin de garantizar el éxito de la aplicación. del proyecto escolar de logopedia

Prevalence of normal weight obesity and its associated cardio-metabolic risk factors - Results from the baseline data of the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program (KDPP)

BACKGROUND: Cardiometabolic disorders are frequently observed among those who have obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI). However, there is limited data available on the cardiometabolic profile of those who are non-obese by BMI but with a high body fat percentage (BFP), a phenotype frequently observed in the Indian population. We examined the prevalence of individuals with normal weight obesity (NWO) and the cardiometabolic profile of NWO individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes(T2D) in a south Asian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program, individuals aged between 30 to 60 years were screened using the Indian Diabetes Risk Score(IDRS) in 60 rural communities in the Indian state of Kerala. We used data from the baseline survey of this trial for this analysis which included 1147 eligible high diabetes risk individuals(IDRS >60). NWO was defined as BMI within the normal range and a high BFP (as per Asia-pacific ethnicity based cut-off); Non-obese (NO) as normal BMI and BFP and overtly obese (OB) as BMI ≥25 kg/m2 irrespective of the BFP. Data on demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics were collected using standardized questionnaires and protocols. Body fat percentage was assessed using TANITA body composition analyser (model SC330), based on bioelectrical impedance. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 47.3 ± 7.5 years and 46% were women. The proportion with NWO was 32% (n = 364; 95% CI: 29.1 to 34.5%), NO was 17% (n = 200) and OB was 51% (n = 583). Among those with NWO, 19.7% had T2D, compared to 18.7% of those who were OB (p value = 0.45) and 8% with NO (p value = 0.003). Among those with NWO, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 129 ± 20; 78 ± 12 mmHg, compared to 127 ± 17; 78±11 mmHg among those with OB (p value = 0.12;0.94) and 120 ± 16; 71±10 mmHg among with NO (p value<0.001; 0.001), respectively. A similar pattern of association was observed for LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. After adjusting for other risk factors, the odds of having diabetes (OR:2.72[95% CI:1.46-5.08]) and dyslipidemia (2.37[1.55-3.64]) was significantly more in individuals with NWO as compared to non-obese individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one-third of this South Asian population, at high risk for T2D, had normal weight obesity. The significantly higher cardiometabolic risk associated with increased adiposity even in lower BMI individuals has important implications for recognition in clinical practice