Capacity Building for Community Development among Educators in Guatemala

This study reports on a multi-year capacity building research partnership between the Center for Child and Community Development a Guatemalan non-profit and public schools in State of Sacatep quez in Guatemala We explore finding from phase 1 of the research involving a survey study and capacity building activities with 39 elementary school teachers The surveys examined a teacher professional develop-ment b instructional strategies c resources needed and d parent community involvement The findings suggest that socio-economic differences levels of teacher preparation linguistic and cultural issues are the key points of leverage that need to be addressed through capacity building activities for Guatemalan educators The findings also provide contextual evidence for future program planning and curriculum implementation across public schools in rural and urban area

A Semi-Empirical Compact Model for IGZO TFT to Assess the Impact of Parasitic Elements in Active Matrix Pixel Designs

In this work, an empirical off-state model was developed for amorphous IGZO TFTs with the purpose of creating a compact model in conjunction with an existing on-state model. The implementation of the compact model was done in Verilog-A to assess the impact of parasitc elements such as source/drain series resistance, and source/drain-to-gate overlap capacitances in a 2T1C pixel circuit. A novel region of operation was presented defined as a bridge between the subthreshold and the on-state regions. Two approaches were followed to solve for the fitting parameters inside this bridge region; an analytical and an empirical approach. The analytical solution provided the insight that there is a point where the derivatives of the on-state and the bridge region are equal. However, this solution showed non-physical behavior at some V_DS bias. Therefore, an empirical approach was followed where experimental data was used to find the V_DS dependence and eliminate the non-physical behavior. Ultimately, the compact model provided a remarkable R^2 in relation to experimental data and allowed for convergence during circuit simulation. The parasitic element assessment was carried out and two different phenomenon were described as they relate to these elements. Charge sharing and rise and fall time were the characteristics that were present with the introduction of parasitic elements. A capacitance ratio of C_ST/C_ov =10.6pF/265.07fF≈40 was used to diminish the former. However, the large capacitances associated in the input of the driver transistor caused the falling transient to be unable to provide full voltage swing. Therefore, proper circuit functionality was not achieved based on the presented design rules. Further work is being done to diminish overlap capacitances such as self-aligned devices

Quantum Chemical Studies for the Engineering of Metal Organic Materials

Metal Organic Materials (MOM) are composed of transition metal ions as connectors and organic ligands as linkers. MOMs have been found to have high porosity, catalytic, and optical properties. Here we study the gas adsorption, color change, and non-linear optical properties of MOMs. These properties can be predicted using theoretical methods, and the results may provide experimentalists with guidance for rational design and engineering of novel MOMs. The theory levels used include semi-empirical quantum mechanical calculations with the PM7 Hamiltonian and, Density Functional Theory (DFT) to predict the geometry and electronic structure of the ground state, and Time Dependent DFT (TD-DFT) to predict the excited states and the optical properties. The molecular absorption capacity of aldoxime coordinated Zn(II) based MOMs (previously measured experimentally) is predicted by using PM7 Theory level. The 3D structures were optimized with and without host molecules inside the pores. The absorption capacity of these crystals was predicted to be 8H2 or 3N2 per unit cell. When going beyond this limit, the structural integrity of the bulk material becomes fractured and microcrystals are observed both experimentally and theoretically. The linear absorption properties of Co(II) based complexes are known to change color when the coordination number is altered. In order to understand the mechanism of this color change TD-DFT methods are employed. The chromic behavior of the Co(II) based complexes studied was confirmed to be due to a chain in coordination number that resulted in lower metal to ligand distances. These distances destabilize the occupied metal d orbitals, and as a consequence of this, the metal to ligand transition energy is lowered enough to allow the crystals to absorb light at longer wavelengths. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) present an extension of MOM principles to the main group elements. The synthesis of ordered COFs is possible by using predesigned structures andcarefully selecting the building blocks and their conditions for assembly. The crystals formed by these systems often possess non-linear optical (NLO) properties. Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) is one of the most used optical processes. Currently, there is a great demand for materials with NLO optical properties to be used for optoelectronic, imaging, sensing, among other applications. DFT calculations can predict the second order hyperpolarizability ?2 and tensor components necessary to estimate NLO. These calculations for the ?2 were done with the use of the Berry\u27s finite field approach. An efficient material with high ?2 was designed and the resulting material was predicted to be nearly fivefold higher than the urea standard. Two-photon absorption (2PA) is another NLO effect. Unlike SHG, it is not limited to acentric material and can be used development of in vivo bio-imaging agents for the brain. Pt(II) complexes with porphyrin derivatives are theoretically studied for that purpose. The mechanism of 2PA enhancement was identified. For the most efficient porphyrin, the large 2PA cross-section was found to be caused by a HOMO-LUMO+2 transition. This transition is strongly coupled to 1PA allowed Q-band HOMO-LUMO states by large transition dipoles. Alkyl carboxyl substituents delocalize the LUMO+2 orbital due to their strong ?-acceptor effect, enhancing transition dipoles and lowering the 2PA transition to the desirable wavelengths range. The mechanism 2PA cross-section enhancement of aminoxime and aldoxime ligands upon metal addition of is studied with TD-DFT methods. This mechanism of enhancement is found to be caused by the polarization of the ligand orbitals by the metal cation. After polarization an increase in ligand to ligand transition dipole moment. This enhancement of dipole moment is related to the increase in 2PA cross-sections

Challenges and Implications of Implementing Strategic Intelligence Systems in Mexico

Business intelligence (BI) allows companies to make faster and better-informed decisions. Unfortunately, implementing BI systems in companies in developing countries is minimal. Limited and costly access to the technology, coupled with the cultural background affecting how people perceive BI, has restricted such implementations. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of chief executive officers (CEOs) in northern Mexico to obtain insight into the challenges of implementing BI systems. Research questions focused on the reasons behind the lack of BI systems implementation and the challenges faced by these officers when implementing a new system. This study employed semistructured interviews of 9 CEOs of small- to medium-sized companies. Interview data were coded using open coding techniques to develop themes or patterns, which in turn were aggregated to address the research questions. The lack of implementation was largely attributed to an economic concern among CEOs regarding the final price of implementation. In addition, the lack of systems offerings of localized systems and the working culture of the personnel were significant factors for the lack of investment. These findings may contribute to positive social change by informing managers and officers of companies in Mexico and other developing countries about the challenges and implications in BI implementation. When BI systems can be successfully implemented, both companies and their customers may benefit from improved information processing such as reduced number of errors and faster response times

My Journey to Optometry How Chiropractic changed my life: My journey from Business owner to Chiropractor Advice to my future colleagues

Raised in a family of doctors, I never had the idea of becoming one. When I started undergraduate school in Puerto Rico, I studied business administration because I wanted to be my own boss and that was my focus. I achieved that degree in 5 years and by my 4th year I had my own business. After working in retail for 14+ and being in business for 6+ years, I visited Life University and that forever changed my life. I decided to go to chiropractic school and with that came many challenges, but that adjustment I received and the response I got from patient when I adjusted them is what reminded me why I choose this profession. My experience working with patients and athletes everyday, and seeing their response after the adjustment is what I love about being a Chiropractor. I will speak about my transition from business owner to chiropractic student to practicing chiropractic in the real world, out of the school bubble. Chiropractic is a field that is growing all over the world and faces many challenges besides the fact it provides great benefits. It requires not only mental but physical and also precise technical expertise, but you can make a difference everyday in people’s lives just by giving patients a scientific, specific adjustment that corrects vertebral subluxations which allows the person’s body the ability to communicate better and restore proper function in the nervous system

Toward a Meaning of Work

Contemporary observers of the occupation and social fabric contend that individuals as members of families need to assert their rights over their lives and their destinies. That the family and the workplace can be analyzed independently of each other\u27s existence or the dichotomy between the intrinsic value of work and the importance of non-work time for individuals and firms are both notions that are being considered contemporarily and complementary. This paper reviews the history and societal factors that affect the notion of-work and its utility as a focus for social policy students

1,1′-[(2-Phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benz­imidazole-1,3-di­yl)bis­(methyl­ene)]bis­(1H-benzotriazole)

The imidazole ring in the title compound, C27H22N8, adopts a slight envelope conformation with the C atom carrying the phenyl ring being the flap atom. The phenyl ring is almost perpendicular to the mean plane of the imidazole ring [dihedral angle = 88.90 (7)°]. The (1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl groups bound to the imidazole ring are positioned on the same side of the imidazole ring. The dihedral angle between these benzotriazolyl rings is 17.71 (5)°. The crystal packing is stabilized by a C—H⋯π inter­action, which connects the mol­ecules into zigzag chains running along the b axis

Gestión directiva y práctica pedagógica de docentes de la Institución Educativa Privada “San Martin de Porres”, Santa Anita – 2018

El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar la relación entre gestión directiva y práctica pedagógica de docentes de la institución educativa privada “San Martin de Porres”, Santa Anita – 2018. La investigación fue de tipo básica, cuantitativa, con método hipotético-deductivo y con un diseño no experimental, transversal, correlacional, con una muestra de 70 docentes, a quienes se les administro un cuestionario de gestión directiva y un cuestionario de práctica pedagógica. Ambos instrumentos fueron sometidos a validez y confiabilidad. Los resultados evidenciaron que una correlación positiva alta (rho= ,853) entre las variables. Concluyendo, que existe una relación significativa entre gestión directiva y práctica pedagógica de docentes de la institución educativa privada “San Martin de Porres”, Santa Anita – 2018