Coordenadores do Título IX como burocratas de nível de rua nas escolas dos Estados Unidos: Desafios para enfrentar a discriminação sexual na era #MeToo

Sex discrimination in educational contexts is an ongoing problem despite the passage of Title IX in 1972. Many schools have not aligned their policies with new laws protecting students from bullying and harassment, and many professionals are unaware of their new obligations in regards to new state regulations. This article presents the findings from semi-structured interviews with 10 participants reporting on the roles and responsibilities of Title IX coordinators in their K-12 school districts. Title IX coordinators were difficult to locate and recruitment was a challenge in this study. However, our findings indicate a strong alignment with Lipsky’s concept of “street-level bureaucrats” (1971, 2010). We found that these school administrators had autonomy and discretion in interpreting and enacting their duties, however they lacked time, information, and other resources necessary to respond properly to the stated duties in their position. They reported spending very little time on Title IX-related duties, many felt under-supported and under-prepared, and few had comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities. We conclude with recommendations for policy and practice regarding the training and supports of Title IX coordinators and related gender equity efforts in K-12 schools.La discriminación sexual en contextos educativos es un problema continuo a pesar de la aprobación del Título IX en 1972. Muchas escuelas no han alineado sus políticas con nuevas leyes que protegen a los estudiantes de la intimidación y el acoso, y muchos profesionales desconocen sus nuevas obligaciones con respecto a regulaciones estatales Este artículo presenta los hallazgos de entrevistas semiestructuradas con 10 participantes que informan sobre los roles y responsabilidades de los coordinadores del Título IX en sus distritos escolares K-12. Los coordinadores del Título IX fueron difíciles de localizar y el reclutamiento fue un desafío en este estudio. Sin embargo, nuestros hallazgos indican una fuerte alineación con el concepto de Lipsky de "burócratas a nivel de calle" (1971, 2010). Descubrimos que estos administradores escolares tenían autonomía y discreción para interpretar y cumplir sus deberes, sin embargo, carecían de tiempo, información y otros recursos necesarios para responder adecuadamente a los deberes establecidos en su puesto. Informaron que dedicaron muy poco tiempo a los deberes relacionados con el Título IX, muchos se sintieron insuficientemente apoyados y poco preparados, y pocos tenían una comprensión exhaustiva de sus responsabilidades. Concluimos con recomendaciones de políticas y prácticas con respecto a la capacitación y el apoyo de los coordinadores del Título IX y los esfuerzos relacionados con la equidad de género en las escuelas K-12.A discriminação sexual em ambientes educacionais é um problema contínuo, apesar da aprovação do Título IX em 1972. Muitas escolas não alinharam suas políticas com novas leis que protegem os alunos de intimidação e assédio, e muitos profissionais desconhecem seus direitos. novas obrigações com relação aos regulamentos estaduais Este artigo apresenta os resultados de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 10 participantes que relatam os papéis e responsabilidades dos coordenadores do Título IX em seus distritos escolares K-12. Os coordenadores do Título IX foram difíceis de localizar e o recrutamento foi um desafio neste estudo. No entanto, nossos resultados indicam um forte alinhamento com o conceito de "burocratas de rua" de Lipsky (1971, 2010). Descobrimos que esses administradores escolares tinham autonomia e discrição para interpretar e cumprir suas obrigações, no entanto, eles não tinham tempo, informações e outros recursos necessários para responder adequadamente aos deveres estabelecidos em sua posição. Eles relataram que gastaram muito pouco tempo em tarefas relacionadas ao Título IX, muitos se sentiram insuficientemente apoiados e despreparados, e poucos tinham uma compreensão abrangente de suas responsabilidades. Concluímos com recomendações e práticas de políticas relacionadas à formação e apoio de coordenadores do Título IX e esforços relacionados à eqüidade de gênero nas escolas do ensino fundamental e médio

E2F4 regulates transcriptional activation in mouse embryonic stem cells independently of the RB family.

E2F transcription factors are central regulators of cell division and cell fate decisions. E2F4 often represents the predominant E2F activity in cells. E2F4 is a transcriptional repressor implicated in cell cycle arrest and whose repressive activity depends on its interaction with members of the RB family. Here we show that E2F4 is important for the proliferation and the survival of mouse embryonic stem cells. In these cells, E2F4 acts in part as a transcriptional activator that promotes the expression of cell cycle genes. This role for E2F4 is independent of the RB family. Furthermore, E2F4 functionally interacts with chromatin regulators associated with gene activation and we observed decreased histone acetylation at the promoters of cell cycle genes and E2F targets upon loss of E2F4 in RB family-mutant cells. Taken together, our findings uncover a non-canonical role for E2F4 that provide insights into the biology of rapidly dividing cells

Discovery Of Cold, Pristine Gas Possibly Accreting Onto An Overdensity Of Star-Forming Galaxies At Redshift z ~ 1.6

We report the discovery of large amounts of cold (T ~ 10^4 K), chemically young gas in an overdensity of galaxies at redshift z ~ 1.6 in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey southern field (GOODS-S). The gas is identified thanks to the ultra-strong Mg II absorption features it imprints in the rest-frame UV spectra of galaxies in the background of the overdensity. There is no evidence that the optically-thick gas is part of any massive galaxy (i.e. M_star > 4x10^9 M_sun), but rather is associated with the overdensity; less massive and fainter galaxies (25.5 < z_850 < 27.5 mag) have too large an impact parameter to be causing ultra-strong absorption systems, based on our knowledge of such systems. The lack of corresponding Fe II absorption features, not detected even in co-added spectra, suggests that the gas is chemically more pristine than the ISM and outflows of star-forming galaxies at similar redshift, including those in the overdensity itself, and comparable to the most metal-poor stars in the Milky Way halo. A crude estimate of the projected covering factor of the high-column density gas (N_H >~ 10^20 cm-2) based on the observed fraction of galaxies with ultra-strong absorbers is C_F ~ 0.04. A broad, continuum absorption profile extending to the red of the interstellar Mg II absorption line by <~ 2000 km/s is possibly detected in two independent co-added spectra of galaxies of the overdensity, consistent with a large-scale infall motion of the gas onto the overdensity and its galaxies. Overall, these findings provides the first tentative evidence of accretion of cold, chemically young gas onto galaxies at high redshift, possibly feeding their star formation activity. The fact that the galaxies are members of a large structure, as opposed to field galaxies, might play a significant role in our ability to detect the accreting gas.Comment: 57 pages, 17 figures, 1 table; accepted for publication by ApJ (Aug 9, 2011); minor modifications to match the accepted versio

Light availability controls in the benthic nearshore ecosystem of the Elwha River

The Elwha River Restoration Project was the largest US dam removal project to date, both in dam height and sediment released. During dam removal in 2011–2014, ~18 Mt of sediment washed downriver, and macroalgae virtually disappeared from the adjacent nearshore ecosystem. The link between current benthic light availability and sediment delivery and transport has been investigated in order to understand conditions during dam removal. Seven instrument platforms were deployed on the 10-m isobath along a 16 km transect centered on the river mouth for seven fortnightly periods in 2016 and 2017 to monitor near-bed photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), suspended sediment, wave climate, current velocity, temperature, and salinity. Water-column profiles, bed sediment, and water samples were collected during deployments. Seasonally variable chlorophyll-a and colored dissolved organic matter did not contribute substantially to light attenuation compared to suspended sediment. Along the 10-m isobath within 1.5 km of the river mouth, the greatest light attenuation occurred when wave events coincided with or followed periods of high river discharge. However, discharge events lasting attenuation; energetic tidal currents promote rapid sediment export out of the nearshore environment. In the buoyant plume, maximum light attenuation occurred within 1 m of the surface, reducing light through the rest of the water column. Benthic PAR varied more during spring tides when plume location was more variable. Alongshore 1.5 to 8 km from the river mouth, light availability was not directly coupled to river discharge. Light attenuation occurred throughout the water column, influenced by resuspension due to strong currents and wave events. This subsurface attenuation would not be captured by remote sensing. Predicting benthic light availability over event, tidal, and seasonal timescales will improve management strategies designed to limit ecosystem damage during other dam removals or sediment delivery events

Mercury human exposure through fish consumption in a reservoir contaminated by a chlor-alkali plant: Babeni reservoir (Romania)

Purpose: Chlor-alkali plants are one of the most important point sources of mercury to aquatic environment. The problem of Hg contamination has been studied in a region, Rm Valcea (Romania), impacted by the wastewater discharge of a chlor-alkali plant. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the current status of mercury pollution in the Babeni reservoir (Olt River) and the exposure of local population via fish consumption to mercury originating from the chlor-alkali plant. Methods: Sediments were collected from Valcea, Govora and Babeni reservoirs. Grain size distribution, organic content and total mercury (THg) concentrations were analysed in sediments. Fish were purchased from local anglers, and the scalp hair was collected from volunteers. THg in sediment, fish and hair samples was determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Hg determination. Monomethylmercury (MMHg) was analysed in the muscle and liver tissues by species-specific isotope dilution and capillary gas chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Results: High mercury concentrations were found in the sediments and in fish from Babeni reservoir, with a median of 2.1mg/kg (IQR = 3.2) in sediments and a mean value of 1.8 ± 0.8mg/kg_ww in fish muscle. MMHg concentrations in fish were well above the WHO guidelines for fish consumption. Local population consuming fish from the Babeni reservoir had THg concentrations in hair significantly higher than those consuming fish from upstream reservoirs and/or from the shops and reached a median value of 2.5mg/kg (IQR = 3.6). Conclusions: The remnant pollution in the fish of this reservoir, and probably many other lakes and reservoirs receiving Hg polluted wastewater, represents a considerable health risk for the local fish consumer

Combining estimates of interest in prognostic modelling studies after multiple imputation: current practice and guidelines

Background: Multiple imputation (MI) provides an effective approach to handle missing covariate data within prognostic modelling studies, as it can properly account for the missing data uncertainty. The multiply imputed datasets are each analysed using standard prognostic modelling techniques to obtain the estimates of interest. The estimates from each imputed dataset are then combined into one overall estimate and variance, incorporating both the within and between imputation variability. Rubin's rules for combining these multiply imputed estimates are based on asymptotic theory. The resulting combined estimates may be more accurate if the posterior distribution of the population parameter of interest is better approximated by the normal distribution. However, the normality assumption may not be appropriate for all the parameters of interest when analysing prognostic modelling studies, such as predicted survival probabilities and model performance measures. Methods: Guidelines for combining the estimates of interest when analysing prognostic modelling studies are provided. A literature review is performed to identify current practice for combining such estimates in prognostic modelling studies. Results: Methods for combining all reported estimates after MI were not well reported in the current literature. Rubin's rules without applying any transformations were the standard approach used, when any method was stated. Conclusion: The proposed simple guidelines for combining estimates after MI may lead to a wider and more appropriate use of MI in future prognostic modelling studies