Defining Violence on the Blackboard: An Overview of the Texas Education Code's Approach to Teen Dating Violence (Comment)

Texas has taken a pioneering step by creating § 37.0831 of the Texas Education Code (the Teen Dating Violence statute) requiring Texas school districts to implement a dating violence policy in their schools. However, as this Comment will show, the current language of the Texas statute is unassertive and fails to provide school districts with sufficient direction for constructing and implementing an effective dating violence policy. Part II of this Comment outlines the various legal remedies teens in Texas have to protect themselves from dating violence, explains why these legal remedies are insufficient, and argues why the Texas Education Code has the potential to be a more adequate remedy. Part III explores the requirements set forth in the Teen Dating Violence statute, explains the importance of school districts satisfying each requirement, and recommends specific statutory revisions to provide school districts with more direction in satisfying the requirement. I conclude by providing a suggested amended version of the Teen Dating Violence statute designed to guide the Texas legislature and other State governments in creating a statute that is more explanatory and, thus, a more effective weapon against teen dating violence

CASA Youth Resource Guide

C.A.S.A, Court Appointed Special Advocates, of Monterey County is a local nonprofit whose mission is “to train and support community volunteers who advocate for abused or neglected children placed in foster care, upholding the children\u27s rights while pursuing a safe and permanent home” (CASA of Monterey County, n.d.). Foster youth in Monterey County do not have enough online resources that provide information on education, employment, and housing. Through this project, CASA added resources to their website to help foster youth succeed, and overtime the success of how useful the resources were for foster youth and CASA team members will be identified. For the future, it is recommended that the agency makes interns accountable for updating the resources in order to provide foster youth with the most accurate and helpful information

Profesionalización de los servidores públicos del municipio de Tlalmanalco en el contexto de la alternancia 2003-2012

La profesionalización, por su relevancia y logros estructurales y administrativos que alcanzan a los gobiernos municipales, no ha sido considerado como estrategia a seguir, inclusive se limitan a crear órganos o unidades que capacitan, sin ningún plan que vincule proyectos de carrera profesional y de servicio público; por este motivo, el problema que aborda la investigación se orienta hacia esta función prioritaria. Para ello, se analizaron los programas de capacitación del municipio en investigación, así como nivel de escolaridad, manual de organización y procedimientos, catálogo de puestos, tabulador de sueldos y salarios, esquemas de evaluación, y algunos otros documentos que permitan contar con elementos de referencia para el diseño de esta investigación. En este presente trabajo de investigación, me propongo efectuar un análisis de la profesionalización en el ámbito municipal en el Estado de México, de manera específica en el Municipio de Tlalmanalco en un espacio temporal que comprende los últimos tres trienios, en la cual pretendo demostrar que el gobierno local no consideró entre sus prioridades la profesionalización e inclusive alta profesionalización que se requiere hoy día, únicamente se concretaron a ofrecer algunos cursos de capacitación; con relación a la evaluación del desempeño este fue meramente periférico. En suma la profesionalización no tuvo avances significativos en los tres periodos examinados

FACTORS OF RESISTANCE: SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION IN SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

The discussion of spirituality and religion (S/R) in social work is a prevalent topic within the field. Literature suggests that social workers do not feel competent or comfortable discussing or utilizing S/R in practice. This study focused on identifying factors that may be causing resistance in social workers from the Inland Empire of Southern California towards addressing S/R with their clients. The researchers interviewed eight social workers from diverse areas of practice via telephone and in-person. Data was collected via audio-recording and later transcribed for thematic analysis. Participants were asked an array of questions including their own experience with their spirituality and current comfort level with asking their clients about S/R. Through the findings, it appears that social workers’ comfort level stems from various aspects including a sense of unease regarding their knowledge on various belief systems. The results indicated that once clients are asked about their spiritual and/or religious beliefs, clients are able to engage in a discussion about their definition of their own beliefs and determine the direction of the topic

Differences in Research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: How Trauma-Type and Sex Contribute to the Published Research

There is a pervasive and comprehensive history of sexism in the pursuit of scientific truth, extending back beyond the days of “hysteria” and continuing still. Herein, we discuss a disparity in scientific research on a disorder thought to affect less than 8% of the adult population in the USA with the number of women diagnosed with the disorder estimated to be two to three times higher than that of men. While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more likely to be experienced by women, we find that the overwhelming majority of published scientific literature on PTSD involves male combat veterans. For example, since March 2019, according to a widely used medical research search engine, specifically the electronic database PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/), over 1,100 articles can be found with the keywords, “veteran and PTSD” while using the keywords, “sexual assault and PTSD” yields a little over 100 total articles. While not all victims of sexual assault are female and not all combat veterans are male, the majority sex in each category is such that much of the research on “veteran” was specifically carried out with male veterans and much of the work on “sexual abuse” was carried out exclusively with females. This creates a perception that both overinflates the incidence of PTSD experienced by male combat veterans and underemphasizes the experience of PTSD in female victims of sexual assault. Differences in symptoms of PTSD do vary by war and what little research exists on PTSD after sexual assault suggests that it is likely that symptoms as well as associated comorbidities will vary depending on the cause, type, number, and age at first trauma, among other factors. This study focuses on the specific comorbidities of pain, addiction, and immune function in those who experience PTSD following war-based or sexually-based traumas. It is our hope that in reviewing the currently available research, we spotlight the need for research focused on PTSD experienced after sexual assault. Doing so has the potential to lead to better and more tailored treatments for PTSD, thus enriching outcomes for all sufferers of PTSD

Planos de ação de qualidade e segurança: Das diretivas centrais à aplicação em dois hospitais

De modo a promover a melhoria da qualidade e segurança do doente nacional a DGS, através do Departamento da Qualidade na Saúde, tornou obrigatória para as entidades públicas a apresentação de um plano anual de ação com os resultados das atividades desenvolvidas nesta matéria, a ser assegurado por comissões de qualidade e segurança. O registo das ações e respetivos resultados pode constituir um importante elemento no processo de melhoria contínua, pois permite a monitorização por cada organização dos resultados obtidos e, ao estar acessível a todos os interessados, fornecer pontos de comparação entre entidades. Visto a qualidade e a segurança serem garantidas pelos profissionais nos seus contextos organizacionais específicos, é expectável que as diretivas gerais emitidas sejam interpretadas e concretizadas de forma diversa pelas organizações. Neste contexto o presente estudo tem como objetivo identificar em que medida: 1- as organizações customizam o trabalho de melhoria continua inerente aos planos de ação de qualidade e segurança exigidos pela DGS; 2- os planos de ação produzem evidência de melhoria nas práticas e indicadores de qualidade e segurança. A análise dos planos de ação produzidos por dois hospitais num período de cinco anos (2017-2021) mostra que os mesmos evidenciam disparidades na procura da melhoria continua, assim como uma diferença substancial nas propostas contidas nos planos ao longo do tempo e nos resultados obtidos. Estes dados suportam as perspetivas sobre a melhoria da qualidade e segurança que sugerem a necessidade de estas atividades serem integradas nos contextos organizacionais específicos nos quais têm lugar.In order to promote the improvement of national quality and patient safety, the DGS, through the Department of Quality in Health, made it mandatory for public entities to submit an annual action plan with the results of the activities developed in this area, to be ensured by quality and safety committees. The registration of actions and respective results may constitute an important element in the process of continuous improvement, as it allows each organisation to monitor the results obtained and, by being accessible to all stakeholders, to provide points of comparison between entities. As quality and safety are guaranteed by the professionals in their specific organisational contexts, it is expected that the general directives issued are interpreted and implemented differently by the organisations. In this context, this study aims to identify to what extent: 1- the organisations customise the continuous improvement work inherent to the quality and safety action plans required by the DGS; 2- the action plans produce evidence of improvement in quality and safety practices and indicators. The analysis of the action plans produced by two hospitals over a five-year period (2017-2021) shows that they show disparities in the search for continuous improvement, as well as a substantial difference in the proposals contained in the plans over time and in the results obtained. These data support the perspectives on quality and safety improvement that suggest the need for these activities to be integrated into the specific organisational contexts in which they take place

Implementación del programa EMC: equipos de mejora continua, en una empresa del rubro de minería

Desarrolla la implementación de un programa que gestiona las ideas y mejora propuestas por los trabajadores en una empresa del rubro de la minería. Este programa lleva por nombre EMC por sus iniciales Equipos de Mejora Continua. En adición el programa EMC complementa al sistema de gestión de la empresa y se integra con facilidad como medio para el cumplimiento de metas estratégicas. Como parte del desarrollo de la propuesta, se crea diagramas de flujo, organigramas, cronogramas, registros y procedimientos escritos, tomando como base al ciclo de mejora de Deming (PHVA) para establecer los plazos de avance de la implementación. Finalmente demuestra que la implementación del programa EMC, brinda importantes beneficios a la organización que lo justifica, como por ejemplo el obtener 16 propuestas de mejora con impacto positivo en las metas estratégicas de la empresa.Trabajo de suficiencia profesiona

Comércio de répteis exóticos: as suas implicações para a conservação da natureza

O comércio de espécies selvagens tem crescido bastante ao longo das últimas décadas. Atualmente é considerado o quarto maior tráfico ilegal no mundo, logo seguido da transação de drogas, de armas e de humanos. Estima-se que o comércio de espécies selvagens pode ultrapassar os 12 milhões de euros por ano na UE. Abrange tanto as plantas como os animais vivos; mas, nestes últimos, incluem-se também os seus derivados, tais como sejam as peles, os ossos, alimento, entre outros. O uso das espécies selvagens é bastante vastos, as espécies são utilizadas para alimentação, uso medicinal, investigação científica, comércio de peles, alimentação e o mais comum é para animais de estimação. As espécies exóticas muitas vezes tornam-se espécies exóticas invasoras, começam a ser um perigo para a biodiversidade e para as espécies nativas. O processo de invasão apresenta-se por quatro fases: dispersão ou transporte, estabelecimento, naturalização e por fim dispersão geográfica e/ou invasão. Vários são os mecanismos para combater as espécies exóticas invasoras, sendo que o mecanismo mais radical a erradicação de espécimes. Em Lisboa, estão descritas três espécies exóticas invasoras: a tartaruga da Florida Trachemys scripta, a tartaruga de Nelson Pseudemys nelsoni e a tartaruga corcunda do Mississipi Graptemys pseudogeographica; ABSTRACT: The wildlife trade is growing fast over the last decades. It is now considered the fourth largest illegal trade in the world, followed by the drugs, weapons and humans. It is estimated that trade with species can exceed 12 million € per year in the EU. This trade comprises plants or live animals; but also is derivatives, such as skins, bones, food, and others. The use of wildlife is diverse, can be for food, medical, scientific research, trade of skins, but the most common is for pets. Alien species can become invasive alien species and so they become a threat to biodiversity and for native species. The process of invasion has four phases: dispersion or transport, establishment, naturalization and geographic dispersion and/or invasion. There are several mechanisms to combat such invasive alien species: the most radical mechanism is eradication of specimens. In Lisbon, are described three invasive alien species: the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys Florida, the Florida red-bellied turtle Pseudemys nelsoni and the false map turtle Graptemys psedogeographica

Análise às tomadas de decisão dos alunos do 2º ano do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico na resolução de tarefas que envolvem padrões de repetição

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico.O relatório de estágio que se apresenta surge das Práticas Supervisionadas em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, integradas no Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Ao longo das mesmas foram implementadas diversas atividades relacionadas com o tema integrador de cada semana, através de uma estrutura previamente definida. O estudo que integra o presente relatório assenta no tema do pensamento algébrico, ao nível do 2.º ano do 1.º CEB, na componente dos padrões de repetição e realizou-se durante a Prática Supervisionada em Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Pretendeu-se identificar as tomadas de decisão destes alunos ao resolverem tarefas com padrões de repetição, e perceber se os mesmos apresentavam atitudes de generalização distante. Em termos metodológicos, o estudo desenvolveu-se em três etapas: pré-teste, tratamento e pós-teste e centrou-se no quadro da investigação-ação, privilegiando uma abordagem naturalista. Os sujeitos foram confrontados com quinze tarefas, envolvendo padrões de repetição, desde o ABAB ao AAABBBCCC. Cada tarefa requeria de cada sujeito o seu posicionamento face a uma generalização próxima - GP (identificação da figura seguinte) e a uma generalização mais distante - GD (identificação da décima quinta figura.) Dos dados recolhidos conclui-se que os resolvedores obtiveram melhores resultados nos itens de GP, tanto no pré-teste como no pós-teste, quando comparados com os itens de GD. As estratégias privilegiadas nos itens de GP foram a relação com a cor da peça vizinha (pré-teste) e a identificação do módulo de repetição (pós-teste); já ao nível dos itens de GD, a estratégia privilegiada, em ambos os testes, foi a contagem peça a peça. Em síntese, pode-se concluir, de forma reflexiva, que ao nível deste ano de escolaridade os alunos já denotam capacidade para realizar generalizações distantes, pelo que é aconselhável envolvê-los em atividades desta natureza pré-algébrica.This report is derived from the Supervised Practices in Pre-School Education and Basic Cycle Teaching, integrated in the Master's Degree in Pre-School Education and Teaching of the 1st Cycle of Basic Education. Throughout the same, several activities related to the integrative theme of each week were implemented, through a previously defined structure. The study that integrates this report is based on the theme of algebraic thinking, at the level of the 2nd grade of the Primary School, in the component of repetition patterns. It was intended to identify the decision making of these students when solving tasks with repetition patterns, and to see if they presented attitudes of generalization distant. In methodological terms, the study was developed in three stages: pre-test, treatment and post-test and focused on action-research, favoring a naturalistic approach. Subjects were confronted with fifteen tasks, involving repetition patterns, from ABAB to AAABBBCCC. Each task required each subject to position him / herself in the face of a near generalization (identification of the next figure) and a more distant generalization (identification of the fifteenth figure). From the collected data it was concluded that the resolvers obtained better results in the Near Generalization items, both in the pre-test and in the post-test, when compared with the items of Distant Generalization. The privileged strategies in Near Generalization items were the relation with the color of the neighboring piece (pre-test) and the identification of the replicate module (post-test); already at the level of the items of Distant Generalization, the privileged strategy, in both tests, was the counting piece by piece. In summary, it can be concluded, in a reflexive way, that at the level of this year of schooling students already denote the capacity to make distant generalizations, so it is advisable to involve them in activities of this pre-algebraic nature

The Synthesis and Characterisation of Novel Low Molecular Weight Gelators and their Applications in Electrospinning to Develop Biocompatible Materials and Tissue Scaffolds

The work described in this thesis reports the design, synthesis and characterisation of novel compounds capable of acting as Low Molecular Weight Gelators (LMGWs). This class of compounds form self-assembled fibrous networks which entrap the solvent and form gels. These materials have received considerable attention in recent years due to a variety of applications that range from environmental to biomedical fields. Amphiphilic lipoamino acids, squaramides and carbohydrates are useful starting materials to synthesise LMWGs because they provide functional groups that can form the intermolecular interactions necessary for the formation of supramolecular self-assembled structures. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis and characterisation of amphiphilic derivatives of L-serine and their evaluation as LMWGs. This study shows how structural features, such as the functional groups in the side chain, or the length of the hydrocarbon chains affect their ability to form gels. These compounds were found to effect selective gelation of aliphatic or aromatic solvents. The lipoamino acids were also tested as phase selective gelators of organic solvents in biphasic aqueous mixtures. In addition, these compounds were used for the removal of aromatic pollutants from water. Chapter 3 describes the synthesis and characterisation of glycolipid derivatives of galactosyl, L and D/L (racemic) aspartic acid. Two families of glycolipids (O-linked and N-linked) were evaluated as LMWGs. It was found that structural features such as the chirality of the aspartic acid core or the nature of the glycosidic bond strongly affect the gelation ability and selectivity of these compounds. Chapter 4 describes the synthesis and characterisation of LMWGs from galactosylated amphiphilic squaramides. These compounds were found to be excellent gelators of mixtures of EtOH:H2O (1:1) and represent the first example of a glycosylated squaramide supramolecular gelator. Finally, Chapter 5 describes the application of the LMWGs discussed in previous chapters for the formation of PCL blended electrospun materials. The conditions to form electrospun fibres were optimised and their morphology and hydrophilic / hydrophobic character evaluated. In addition, preliminary studies determining the suitability of these materials as drug delivery systems and tissue scaffolds were carried out by our collaborators