Parents\u27 and Teachers\u27 Family Involvement Perceptions in Elementary Schools

The perceptions of X.I.S.D.\u27s teachers and parents are studied to understand why a negative teacher attitude, concerning family involvement, seems to dominate the district. Participants perceived limited parents\u27 support in special school activities, home tutoring, teacher-parent communications, preparing and organizing materials for teachers, and volunteering in committees that require parent representation. Parent participants that were experienced in the schools perceived parent involvement as assisting in the classrooms. Those individuals that perceived limited involvement probably get their attitudes in part from the concerns of administrators about parents\u27 criticism as well as their belief that the district is financially able to provide for all the needs of the district. The district does not support family involvement and does not provide family involvement training for their teachers. However, parent participants and their families enhanced in areas of communication, self-esteem, self-worth, careers, and education, because of their involvement in their children\u27s education. The literature review discusses the national parent involvement goal, benefits, barriers, and parents\u27 and teachers\u27 perceptions of family involvement

Care commons: Infrastructural (re)compositions for life sustenance through yet against regimes of chronic crisis

Infrastructures constitute key sites in the contemporary crisis regime. Emerging infrastructural configurations, particularly in the urban setting, are raising questions about the possibilities and challenges that these transformations may bring regarding more just and sustainable modes of social provision. Attention is being drawn to the grassroots, where experiments with novel forms of organisation are bringing about new collective contexts and political conceptions. In this context, infrastructure has been proposed as a concept to both examine contemporary crises and devise ways to cope with breakdown that can gesture towards living alternatives at the service of life. In this article, I engage this debate through an ethnographic study of two grassroots initiatives in Athens (Greece) intervening in the realm of life sustenance. I will show that these people-driven initiatives (re)compose networked infrastructures in ways that advance organisational modes of social provision different to institutions, and forms of political engagement and possibility. They do so by infrastructuring care through commoning. I will argue that infrastructural systems of care commons contribute to an infrastructural imagination that moves away from modern ideals towards values of relationality, conductivity, care and repair, which may nurture a transformative politics for a world in crisis, yet against crisis regimes

Design of a segmented fuel cell model for the ESDLab

This thesis is focused on the improvement of a segmented fuel cell (SFC) for the ESDLab of the University of Alberta, which had three design and operation problems. To reach the desired design, two versions of the SFC were developed. The first design (NewSFCV1) solved two of the three main problems identified in the original version of the SFC, which were the position of manifolds inside the channels, holes in two of the four current collectors, and not a good seal between copper and graphite plates. By changing the size and relocating the manifolds and copper plate´s holes, consequences like current drop, and disturbance on reactants transport were avoided. This NewSFCV1 has endplates of 120 mm long, 100 mm wide, and 12.7 mm thick. The anode and cathode plates have 90 mm long, 70 mm wide and 9.50 mm thick. Therefore, to solve the sealing problem, a second design called NewSFCV2 was developed. This design addressed the first two problems in the same way as in the NewSFCV1 and solved the sealing problem by reducing the size of the contact area between the copper plates and the graphite pieces. These components were joined through an O-ring inside the anode plate. The size of this design increased in comparison with the previous one, with endplates of 140 mm long, 90 mm wide, and 12.7 mm thick, and with anode and cathode plates 104 mm long, 70 mm wide, and 9.5 mm thick. On the other hand, the contact area was reduced from 450 mm2 of the NewSFCV1 to 24.3 mm2 , which meant a reduction of ohmic losses. The design was modeled using COMSOL and it proved that along the cell there are different local currents and that the sum of these on the GDL side are approximately the cell´s average current density. Regarding the sensor’s calibration, the results showed that the average error was ±0.125 A, which is within the accuracy range of ± 0.15 A given by the manufacturer.Esta tesis se enfoca en la mejora de una pila de combustible segmentada (SFC) para el ESDLab de la Universidad de Alberta, la cual presentaba tres problemas de diseño y funcionamiento. Para alcanzar el diseño deseado, se desarrollaron dos versiones del SFC. El primer diseño (NewSFCV1) resolvió dos de los tres principales problemas identificados en la versión original del SFC, los cuales eran la ubicación de los colectores dentro de los canales, agujeros en dos de los cuatro colectores de corriente y un deficiente sellado entre las placas de cobre y grafito. Al cambiar el tamaño de la pila, reubicar los colectores y los orificios de las placas de cobre, se logró prever consecuencias como la caída de corriente y el disturbio en el transporte de reactivos. Este NewSFCV1 tiene placas terminales de 120 mm de largo, 100 mm de ancho y 12,7 mm de espesor. Las placas de ánodo y cátodo tienen 90 mm de largo, 70 mm de ancho y 9,50 mm de espesor. Para resolver el problema del sellado, se desarrolló un segundo diseño llamado NewSFCV2. Este diseño abordó los dos primeros problemas de la misma manera que en el NewSFCV1 y resolvió el problema de sellado al reducir el tamaño del área de contacto entre las placas de cobre y las piezas de grafito. Estos componentes se unieron a través de una junta tórica dentro de la placa del ánodo. Este diseño tiene un mayor tamaño que la versión 1, con placas terminales de 140 mm de largo, 90 mm de ancho y 12,7 mm de espesor y con placas de ánodo y cátodo de 104 mm de largo, 70 mm de ancho y 9,5 mm de espesor. Por otro lado, el área de contacto se redujo de 450 mm2 del NewSFCV1 a 24,3 mm2, lo que significó una reducción de las pérdidas óhmicas. Este diseño se modeló utilizando COMSOL y demostró que a lo largo de la celda existen diferentes corrientes locales y que la suma de estas en el lado GDL es aproximadamente la densidad de corriente promedio de la celda. Respecto a la calibración del sensor, los resultados muestran que el error promedio es de ± 0.125 A, el cual está dentro del rango de precisión de ± 0.15 A dado por el fabricante

Replacing Conventional PFAS Water Treatment by GAC with Plasma Treatment to Improve Sustainability

Per and poly-fluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) are carcinogenic compounds which make their way into water systems and are difficult to remove. Currently, PFAS is removed from drinking water at an industrial scale using granular activated carbon (GAC), a solid particulate which removes PFAS from water through adsorption. However, in recent years, a new method utilizing a plasma reactor to mineralize the PFAS has been designed and tested at small scales. This project aims to increase the scale of existing plasma reactor designs to treat the same volumes of water that traditional GAC plants are capable of treating. A specific well in New Castle County, Delaware was identified as the treatment site, and both processes were designed to treat 2.33 million gallons of water per day by reducing the PFAS concentration from 4,500 parts per trillion to the US EPA health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion. The GAC process was estimated to have a capital cost of $6.73 million and an operational cost of$6.32 million each year. The plasma process was estimated to have a capital cost of $14.8 million and an operational cost of$5.93 million each year. Based on a number of economic and environmental factors, this project found that the plasma system was a more effective and sustainable method for achieving the desired reduction in PFAS concentration

DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSTITUTIVE MODEL OF COMPACTED SHALES AND DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF WEATHERING ON ITS PARAMETERS

Compacted shales cause problems because they tend to degrade with time due to weathering. Degradation results in the shale deteriorating from a hard rock-like material to a soft fine-grained soil mass with lower shear strength and high deformability. Consequently, common problems that occur in embankments constructed with compacted shales include settlement and instabilities. Therefore, accelerating weathering prior to compaction by wetting and breaking down the shales before placement can reduce the deterioration during the service life of the construction. Extensive laboratory testing was performed in order to characterize the mechanical behavior of compacted shales. Critical State theory is a clever framework that describes the mechanical behavior of soils with a simple system of equations that explains all the aspects of compression and shear of soils. NorSand is a model constructed in the framework of the Critical State theory that decouples the yield loci from the normally consolidated line. This characteristic made this model suitable for compacted shales. Also, empirical evidence showed that the plastic behavior of compacted shales is controlled by a Nova type flow rule that is a function of the mineralogical characteristics of the shales. This finding has implications in the shape of the yield loci and the hardening rule

Monitores en la Universidad EAFIT: contexto y percepciones de los estudiantes

Las monitorías son espacios para que los estudiantes particien en actividadse administrativas, académicas, y de investigación de la Universidad. "En EAFIT los estudiante son sujeto de su propia educación". Por esto, la institución ha favorecido la creación de un programa de monitorías, que opera desde hace 35 años, con una tasa de vinculación promedio de 800 estudiantes por año desde 2001. Dicho programa ofrece alos estudiantes complemento en su educación académica, profesional y personal, dento de ámbito universitario. El presente artículo promueve una visión general, tanto del programa como del rol de los estudiantes -monitores-, con el objeto de realizar una evaluación preliminar que permita emprender nuesvos estudios en el tema.

Academic capitalist regime in Colombia : discourses from national research policies and professors

This dissertation is centered on whether and how the production (research) and transmission (education) of knowledge are considered public or private goods. Drawing on the theories of academic capitalism and neoliberalism as an important underlying ideology, this dissertation analyzed national research policies that shape professors' work as well as professors as the 'users' of these policies. Particularly, the first phase of this dissertation examined four national research policies: Quality of National Publications, Faculty Promotion, Research Groups and Researchers' Classifications, and Spin-off Policies. The second phase was based on a multicase study that examined the link between these four national research policies and professors' actions. This study found that the academic capitalist regime was reflected and accepted in Colombian national research policies and, with some resistance, among professors. The final analysis demonstrates that the academic capitalist regime generated a growing stratification at country, field and individual levels that was reproduced and perpetuated through the creation of a common sense among national research policies and professors. Theoretically, this dissertation also extended the theory of academic capitalism by adding the commercial for-profit model of academic publishing as a new layer and essential component of the academic capitalist regime that generates prestige behavior among professors

Integrating computer-aided modeling and micro-simulation in multi-criteria evaluation of service infrastructure assignment approaches

Purpose: This paper proposes an integrated computer-supported multi-staged approach to the flexible design and multicriteria evaluation of service infrastructure assignment processes/ algorithms. Design/methodology/approach: It involves particularizing a metamodel encompassing the main generic components and relationships into process models and process instances, by incorporating structural data from the real-life system. Existing data on the target user population is fed into a micro-modeling system to generate a matching population of individual “virtual” users, each with its own set of trait values. The micro-simulation of their interaction with the assignment process of both the incumbent and the competitors generates a rich multi-dimensional output, encompassing both “revealed” and non-observable data. This enables a comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation of the foreseeable performance of the designed process/ algorithm, and therefore its iterative improvement. Findings: The research project developed a set of methodologies and associated supporting tools encompassing the modeling, micro-simulation and performance assessment of service infrastructure assignment processes. Originality/value: The proposed approach facilitates, in a multicriteria environment, the flexible modeling/design of situation-specific assignment processes/algorithms and their performance assessment when facing their case-specific user populationPeer Reviewe

Strong shareholders, weak outside investors

We consider the corporate governance challenge of protecting outside investors in listed, controlled firms. We argue that outside investors in European listed firms with controlling shareholders are poorly protected compared to US investors because the distinct European approach to the protection of investors, based on empowering active shareholders rather than shielding passive investors, is not well suited for controlled, listed firms. This approach translates into a lack of definition and development of specific fiduciary duties of the controlling shareholders towards market investors. Moreover, European jurisdictions have developed strong voice rights for active shareholders, which tend to play in favour of controlling shareholders and organised minorities but are not effective for protecting passive investors and limit their exit options. This explains why shareholder protection in European jurisdictions can be considered high, while outside investors’ protection can be considered low at the same time, generating a ‘strong shareholders, weak outside investors’ problem.María Gutiérrez acknowledges financial support from FEDER [UNC315-EE-3636], MINECO/FEDER [ECO2015-68715-R] and MINECO [ECO2012-36559]. Maribel Sáez Lacave acknowledges financial support from MINECO [DER 2014-55416-P]

Práctica clínica para la asistencia de la lactancia materna en escenario COVID-19 en establecimientos de salud, Lambayeque

Estudio descriptivo, transversal, multicéntrico, cuyo objetivo fue analizar la práctica clínica de la lactancia materna en escenario COVID 19 en establecimientos de salud departamento de Lambayeque, con aplicación de cuestionario basado en Iniciativa Hospital Amigo de la Madre y el Niño y directivas nacionales; dirigido a profesionales de salud que atienden la diada .Tasa de respuesta 40%; no realiza el contacto piel con piel ininterrumpido la primera hora 41%; prohíbe presencia de acompañante en sala de partos 87%; no proporciona EPP a la madre 49%; permite alojamiento conjunto 96%; aplicación de medidas de bioseguridad 96%. En caso de sospecha o confirmación de infección por SARS CoV2, 75% permite lactancia materna directa; administración de sucedáneos sin prescripción médica 37%; durante hospitalización del neonato, 26% niega ingreso de la madre a la unidad; 88% y 62% no aprueba alimentación por nodriza y leche donada respectivamente; 50% reportó apoyo psicológico a la diada; ambiente para extracción de leche 60%; monitoreo, telemedicina al alta 49 %. El alineamiento a recomendaciones y directivas nacionales referidas a la práctica clínica de la lactancia materna, es limitado en los establecimientos de salud