Weathering the Storm: A Phenomenological Study of K-12 Special Educator Resilience and Retention

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experiences of K-12 special education teachers (N = 16) from large, suburban districts in Illinois who have persisted in their positions beyond four years. Understanding factors that contribute to the longevity of special education teachers is not only vital for enhancing the educational landscape for students with disabilities but also for informing district-level strategies aimed at fostering teacher retention. This study was guided by Bronfenbrenner\u27s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) bioecological systems theory, which provided a framework for exploring the various systems that influence special education teacher retention. To achieve triangulation and enhance credibility in this study, a purposeful sequence of surveys/questionnaires, individual interviews, artifact sharing, and a writing prompt were used. Themes related to external supports with subthemes related to family support, collegial support, administrator support, and mental health support, as well as internal supports with subthemes related to a sense of purpose, coping skills, and resilience were discovered. These interconnected themes highlight the comprehensive nature of special education teachers\u27 lived experiences. The study provides valuable insights for policy and practice in special education, which can help reduce the negative impact of teacher attrition and improve outcomes for students with disabilities

Inentives and Education: Experimental Evidence from Medellin, Colombia

This research uses an experimental design to investigate how incentive structure influences goal achievement among disadvantaged high school students in Medellin, Colombia. Of particular interest is how treatment effects influence school performance as well as how this may vary with differing key characteristics of the participants. Medellin, Colombia, like much of South America suffers from high levels of inequality in the city proper. Improving educational outcomes in impoverished neighborhoods is essential for the growth of these neighborhoods and the greater community in which they are located. The model used in this experiment is inspired by the Family Independence Initiative (FII). This research finds that conditional incentives in particular play a significant role in determining the achievement of objectives and that those participants in the conditional incentive treatment tend to perform better after the conclusion of the experiment

Synthesis and analysis of jet fuel from shale oil and coal syncrudes

Thirty-two jet fuel samples of varying properties were produced from shale oil and coal syncrudes, and analyzed to assess their suitability for use. TOSCO II shale oil and H-COAL and COED syncrudes were used as starting materials. The processes used were among those commonly in use in petroleum processing-distillation, hydrogenation and catalytic hydrocracking. The processing conditions required to meet two levels of specifications regarding aromatic, hydrogen, sulfur and nitrogen contents at two yield levels were determined and found to be more demanding than normally required in petroleum processing. Analysis of the samples produced indicated that if the more stringent specifications of 13.5% hydrogen (min.) and 0.02% nitrogen (max.) were met, products similar in properties to conventional jet fuels were obtained. In general, shale oil was easier to process (catalyst deactivation was seen when processing coal syncrudes), consumed less hydrogen and yielded superior products. Based on these considerations, shale oil appears to be preferred to coal as a petroleum substitute for jet fuel production

As relações Brasil-África da política externa independente nas visões de Abdias do Nascimento e Raymundo Dantas

O trabalho tem como objetivo observar a política africana do Brasil no período da Política Externa Independente (PEI) sob a percepção de dois autores negros. Primeiramente, por Raymundo Souza Dantas, primeiro negro a ocupar um cargo de representação pelo Estado brasileiro, e também, primeiro embaixador do Brasil na África; em segundo, Abdias do Nascimento, notável personalidade do movimento negro do século XX no Brasil e de reconhecimento internacional por sua militância pan-africanista. Convencionalmente, acredita-se que as diretrizes formadas pela PEI foram balizadoras para a transformação das relações Brasil-África. Portanto, busca-se o entendimento de Souza Dantas e Abdias do Nascimento nesse período de transformação da atuação internacional do Brasil e de uma maior inclinação da política externa para o continente africano.This monography aims to analyze Brazil's foreign policy to Africa in Independent Foreign Policy period under perspective of two black authors. Firstly the point of view of Raymundo Souza Dantas, first black person to attend to a representative office of Brazilian public service and first brazilian embassador in Africa. Afterwards, Abdias do Nascimento's, remarkable member of the black movement in Brazil in the 20th Century. Conventionaly, the Independent Foreing Policy guidelines are considered to be the foundation to enhance Brazil-African relations. Therefore, this work investigate the perception of Souza Dantas and Abdias do Nacimento in a period of trasnformation on Brazilian international policy and a higher disposition to the African continent foreign affairs

A Phase I Study Investigating AZD8186, a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of PI3Kβ/δ, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

Advanced Solid Tumors; PI3K beta/delta inhibitorTumores sólidos avanzados; Inhibidor de PI3K beta/deltaTumors sòlids avançats; Inhibidor de PI3K beta/deltaPurpose: To characterize safety and tolerability of the selective PI3Kβ inhibitor AZD8186, identify a recommended phase II dose (RP2D), and assess preliminary efficacy in combination with abiraterone acetate or vistusertib. Patients and Methods: This phase I open-label study included patients with advanced solid tumors, particularly prostate cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and squamous non–small cell lung cancer. The study comprised four arms: (i) AZD8186 monotherapy dose finding; (ii) monotherapy dose expansion; (iii) AZD8186/abiraterone acetate (with prednisone); and (iv) AZD8186/vistusertib. The primary endpoints were safety, tolerability, and identification of the RP2D of AZD8186 monotherapy and in combination. Secondary endpoints included pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics, and tumor and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses. Results: In total, 161 patients were enrolled. AZD8186 was well tolerated across all study arms, the most common adverse events being gastrointestinal symptoms. In the monotherapy dose-finding arm, four patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities (mainly rash). AZD8186 doses of 60-mg twice daily [BID; 5 days on, 2 days off (5:2)] and 120-mg BID (continuous and 5:2 dosing) were taken into subsequent arms. The PKs of AZD8186 were dose proportional, without interactions with abiraterone acetate or vistusertib, and target inhibition was observed in plasma and tumor tissue. Monotherapy and combination therapy showed preliminary evidence of limited antitumor activity by imaging and, in prostate cancer, PSA reduction. Conclusions: AZD8186 monotherapy had an acceptable safety and tolerability profile, and combination with abiraterone acetate/prednisone or vistusertib was also tolerated. There was preliminary evidence of antitumor activity, meriting further exploration of AZD8186 in subsequent studies in PI3Kβ pathway–dependent cancers.This study was sponsored by AstraZeneca. We thank the patients and their doctors and caregivers who participated in this study. We acknowledge support in Cambridge from Cancer Research UK, Experimental Cancer Medicine Center, NIHR Biomedical Research Center, and NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Center. Research at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust was supported by the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility and Manchester Experimental Cancer Medicine Center award. We also thank Martine Roudier (AstraZeneca) for providing analysis data of tumor tissue biopsies, and Wolfram Brugger and Caroline Kennedy (AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK). Abiraterone acetate was kindly provided by Janssen. Medical writing and editorial assistance were provided by Bioscript Medical, Macclesfield, UK, and funded by AstraZeneca

CARM1 Methylates Chromatin Remodeling Factor BAF155 to Enhance Tumor Progression and Metastasis

SummaryCoactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1), a coactivator for various cancer-relevant transcription factors, is overexpressed in breast cancer. To elucidate the functions of CARM1 in tumorigenesis, we knocked out CARM1 from several breast cancer cell lines using Zinc-Finger Nuclease technology, which resulted in drastic phenotypic and biochemical changes. The CARM1 KO cell lines enabled identification of CARM1 substrates, notably the SWI/SNF core subunit BAF155. Methylation of BAF155 at R1064 was found to be an independent prognostic biomarker for cancer recurrence and to regulate breast cancer cell migration and metastasis. Furthermore, CARM1-mediated BAF155 methylation affects gene expression by directing methylated BAF155 to unique chromatin regions (e.g., c-Myc pathway genes). Collectively, our studies uncover a mechanism by which BAF155 acquires tumorigenic functions via arginine methylation

Genetic and Environmental Drivers of Migratory Behavior in Western Burrowing Owls and Implications for Conservation and Management

Migration is driven by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, but many questions remain about those drivers. Potential interactions between genetic and environmental variants associated with different migratory phenotypes are rarely the focus of study. We pair low coverage whole genome resequencing with a de novo genome assembly to examine population structure, inbreeding, and the environmental factors associated with genetic differentiation between migratory and resident breeding phenotypes in a species of conservation concern, the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). Our analyses reveal a dichotomy in gene flow depending on whether the population is resident or migratory, with the former being genetically structured and the latter exhibiting no signs of structure. Among resident populations, we observed significantly higher genetic differentiation, significant isolation-by-distance, and significantly elevated inbreeding. Among migratory breeding groups, on the other hand, we observed lower genetic differentiation, no isolation-by-distance, and substantially lower inbreeding. Using genotype–environment association analysis, we find significant evidence for relationships between migratory phenotypes (i.e., migrant versus resident) and environmental variation associated with cold temperatures during the winter and barren, open habitats. In the regions of the genome most differentiated between migrants and residents, we find significant enrichment for genes associated with the metabolism of fats. This may be linked to the increased pressure on migrants to process and store fats more efficiently in preparation for and during migration. Our results provide a significant contribution toward understanding the evolution of migratory behavior and vital insight into ongoing conservation and management efforts for the western burrowing owl

O Pacto ABC de 1915 e suas Implicações para a Política Externa Brasileira para o Cone Sul

Atingidos 100 anos da assinatura do Pacto ABC, o presente artigo buscou, primeiramente, verificar se houve mudança na Política Externa Brasileira (PEB) para o Cone Sul e, na sequência, identificar que tipo de mudança o pacto representou para a PEB direcionada aos países da região. Para tanto, utilizou-se como referencial teórico a obra de CharlesHermann sobre os tipos de mudanças que podem ser empreendidas em políticas externas, a partir da qual se criaram duas hipóteses. Após o exame destas hipóteses, constatou-se que a assinatura do Pacto ABC não representou per se um marco de mudança da Política Externa Brasileira para o Cone Sul, mas o estabelecimento de um tratado nestes moldesestava incluso no projeto de Brasil enquanto liderança regional concebido pelo Barão do Rio Branco