Contributing to Children’s Early Comprehension of Emotions: A Picture Book Approach

Previous studies have suggested that children’s emotion comprehension begins todevelop in the early stages of childhood and has been linked to prosocial behaviours, displays of empathy, and better interpersonal relationships, to name a few. However, children’s levels of emotion comprehension do not develop at the same rhythm, due to both environmental and biological factors. There are a few interventions that can help children in their development of emotion understanding, but these interventions are not readily accessible (e.g., due to cost, availability, duration). For example, the School Matters in Lifeskills Education Program (SMILE) is a theoretically based program aimed at improving children’s emotion comprehension. Unfortunately, since, for instance, it requires rigorous training to be administered, it is not accessible to all. To address some of the issues with previous programs, the current study examined the use of shared book reading and the effectiveness of picture books created on current theories and models of children’s emotion comprehension. Eighteen preschoolers were divided into an experimental and a control group. Over the course of multiple exposures to the experimental treatment, results revealed a significant gain for the experimental group compared to the control group. These results are promising by showing that a simple shared book reading approach can contribute to the development of emotion comprehension without requiring special training or expertise

Association of prenatal exposure to gestational diabetes with offspring body composition and regional body fat distribution

The aim of this cohort study was to compare body composition and regional body fat distribution between children exposed (GDM+) or unexposed (GDM−) in utero to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to investigate the association with the glycaemic and the insulin profile. Data from 56 GDM+ and 30 GDM− were analysed. Height, weight and waist circumference were measured. Total and regional body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Insulin, glucose and HbA1c were obtained from a fasting plasma sample, and the HOMA-IR index was calculated. anova was performed to compare adiposity measures between GDM+ and GDM−. Associations between the glycaemic and insulin profile and adiposity measures were studied using partial Pearson correlations. Mean age was 6.6 ± 2.3 years. Waist circumference, fat mass percentage, android fat mass, android fat mass percentage and android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio were higher among GDM+, and lean mass percentage was lower (P < 0.05). Among GDM+ children, body mass index (BMI) z score, waist circumference, fat mass percentage, android fat mass percentage and android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio were all positively correlated with HbA1C (r = 0.32–0.43, P < 0.05). Prenatal exposure to GDM is associated with increased total and abdominal adiposity. This increased adiposity observed among GDM+ children is associated with an altered glycaemic profile. This study is registered in the Clinical Trials.gov registry (NCT01340924). What is already known about this subject? • Although body mass index (BMI) is frequently used to assess children adiposity, other anthropometric measures may be better indicators of cardiometabolic risk. • Few studies investigated others adiposity measures in children exposed to gestational diabetes. What this study adds? • In the current study, adiposity of children exposed to gestational diabetes is evaluated in a more complete and precise manner with assessment of body composition and fat distribution by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. • This study also investigates the association of those adiposity measures with children glycaemic and insulin profile

A novel multifunctional factor involved in trans-splicing of chloroplast introns in Chlamydomonas

In the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, psaA mRNA is spliced in trans from three separate precursors which assemble to form two group II introns. A fourth transcript, tscA, completes the structure of the first intron. Of the fourteen nucleus-encoded factors involved in psaA splicing, only two are required for splicing of both introns. We cloned and characterized the first of these more general factors, Raa1. Consistently with its role in psaA splicing, Raa1 is imported in the chloroplast where it is found in a membrane fraction and is part of a large ribonucleoprotein complex. One mutant, raa1-L137H, is defective for splicing of both introns, but another allelic mutant, raa1-314B, still expresses the 3′ part of the Raa1 gene and is deficient only in splicing of intron 2. This observation and a deletion analysis indicate the presence of two domains in Raa1. The C-terminal domain is necessary and sufficient for processing of tscA RNA and splicing of the first intron, while the central domain is essential for splicing of the second intron. The combination of these two functional domains in Raa1 suggests that this new factor may coordinate trans-splicing of the two introns to improve the efficiency of psaA maturatio

A novel multifunctional factor involved in trans-splicing of chloroplast introns in Chlamydomonas

In the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, psaA mRNA is spliced in trans from three separate precursors which assemble to form two group II introns. A fourth transcript, tscA, completes the structure of the first intron. Of the fourteen nucleus-encoded factors involved in psaA splicing, only two are required for splicing of both introns. We cloned and characterized the first of these more general factors, Raa1. Consistently with its role in psaA splicing, Raa1 is imported in the chloroplast where it is found in a membrane fraction and is part of a large ribonucleoprotein complex. One mutant, raa1-L137H, is defective for splicing of both introns, but another allelic mutant, raa1-314B, still expresses the 3′ part of the Raa1 gene and is deficient only in splicing of intron 2. This observation and a deletion analysis indicate the presence of two domains in Raa1. The C-terminal domain is necessary and sufficient for processing of tscA RNA and splicing of the first intron, while the central domain is essential for splicing of the second intron. The combination of these two functional domains in Raa1 suggests that this new factor may coordinate trans-splicing of the two introns to improve the efficiency of psaA maturation

Postnatal prevention of childhood obesity in offspring prenatally exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus : where are we now?

Children exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in utero are at high risk of developing many health problems such as obesity. There is an urgent need to find new strategies to prevent obesity development among high-risk populations such as those children. Accordingly, the aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge on the postnatal prevention of childhood obesity in offspring born from mothers with GDM. Specifically, this review addresses the impact of breastfeeding, complementary feeding practices as well as dietary intake and physical activity during childhood on obesity risk of children exposed to GDM in utero. Furthermore, breast milk composition of diabetic mothers and its potential impact on growth is discussed. According to the available literature, breastfeeding may reduce obesity risk in children exposed to GDM in utero but a longer duration seems necessary to achieve its protective effect against obesity. Detailed analysis of breast milk composition of mothers with GDM will be necessary to fully understand the relationship between breastfeeding and obesity in this specific population. This review highlights the need for more studies addressing the impact of complementary feeding practices and lifestyle habits during childhood on obesity risk of children exposed to GDM in utero

A prospective study of the impact of child maltreatment and friend support on psychological distress trajectory : from adolescence to emerging adulthood

Background Transition into adulthood is a critical developmental period that may be influenced by adverse life events as well as by protective factors. This study aimed at investigating the effect of different forms of child maltreatment experienced prior to age 14 (i.e., sexual abuse, physical abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence), and of friend support at age 14 on the psychological distress trajectory from age 14 to 24. Methods Participants were 605 adolescents from the general population involved in a 10-year longitudinal study. Psychological distress was evaluated at ages 14, 16, 18 and 24. Child maltreatment prior to 14 years was retrospectively assessed at 14 and 24 years while perception of support from friends was evaluated at age 14. Results Multilevel growth modeling indicated that psychological distress followed a significant decreasing curvilinear trajectory, with participants reporting fewer distressing psychological symptoms after 18 years. All three forms of child maltreatment, as well as their cumulative effect, predicted more psychological distress over 10 years above and beyond the protective effect of support from friends. Higher support from friends at age 14 was related to lower distress at baseline andover 10 years, beyond the effect of child maltreatment. Limitations Self-report nature of all measures, attrition, and measures of child maltreatment forms. Conclusions Psychological distress decreased during the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Results also revealed the detrimental impact of child maltreatment and the promotive role of friend support, which underscore the importance of early intervention

SOUTENIR L’ACTION DES COMMUNAUTÉS PAR UNE CONNAISSANCE RENOUVELÉE DES FACTEURS TERRITORIAUX ASSOCIÉS À LA DIPLOMATION AU SECONDAIRE À L’ÉCHELLE DES MRC DU QUÉBEC

La scolarisation des jeunes est, de nos jours, un enjeu majeur de développement pour le Québec, que ce soit pour combler les besoins en main-d’œuvre qualifiée, pour briser le cycle de la pauvreté et de l’exclusion ou pour contribuer au développement du plein potentiel de chacun. Selon le rapport Savoir pour pouvoir, produit par le Groupe d’action sur la persévérance et la réussite scolaires au Québec (2009) grâce au soutien de la firme McKinsey & Compagnie, les conséquences du décrochage scolaire sont multiples, puisqu’il influe entre autres sur le développement économique par une hausse des dépenses en santé et en services sociaux, par une baisse de la productivité et par un manque de diversification économique des milieux. Le Groupe d’action calculait ainsi que le manque à gagner en impôts et en taxes non perçues ainsi qu’en coûts sociaux additionnels dû au décrochage permanent s’élevait à 120 000 $ par individu en 2009. L’influence du décrochage scolaire sur la dynamique politique se traduit également par une baisse de la participation aux élections (par exemple, 52 % des décrocheurs votent contre 84 % des diplômés universitaires) et aux activités politiques, ainsi que par une plus faible expression des opinions. À l’inverse, l’amélioration de la diplomation contribue au développement social puisqu’elle est associée à une meilleure connaissance de sa culture et à une ouverture à celle des autres, à une augmentation du bénévolat et de l’engagement communautaire ainsi qu’à un aplanissement des disparités selon le genre, le milieu de vie, le statut socioéconomique et les habiletés personnelles. En somme, il est possible d’établir un lien direct entre la diplomation des jeunes, leur implication sociale et le développement des communautés. Dans une publication récente (Simard, Morin, Perron, Gaudreault et Veillette, 2016), les bases théoriques de nos travaux portant sur les liens entre « territoire » et « scolarisation » ont été explicitées. Ainsi, la présente contribution marque un moment de synthèse et de continuité, puisqu’elle s’inscrit dans un long processus de recherche entrepris au début de la décennie 1990 (Veillette, Perron, Hébert, Munger et Thivierge, 1993), dans lequel le territoire a toujours figuré à titre à la fois d’outil de découpage (au plan méthodologique) et de cadre conceptuel favorable au rapprochement de la sociologie et de la géographie (Perron, 1997). Il convient de revenir sur ladite publication du fait qu’elle expose, dans un premier temps, comment l’approche territoriale peut être utile pour fournir un meilleur diagnostic de la scolarisation à différentes échelles géographiques au Québec, tout en proposant, dans un deuxième temps, une lecture qui se veut au service de l’action locale et régionale en matière de persévérance et de réussite scolaires. Les dimensions économique et sociale (incluant les déterminants de la santé) de la réussite et de la persévérance scolaires des jeunes constituent autant de facteurs clés liés au développement des collectivités. Cette prise de conscience s’est effectuée à partir des années 1990, le décrochage scolaire s’affirmant progressivement non seulement comme une problématique scolaire, mais également comme un problème social et un enjeu de développement territorial (CRÉPAS, 2001; 2005; Demi, Coleman-Jensen et Snyder, 2010; Groupe d'action sur la persévérance et la réussite scolaires au Québec, 2009; Lyson, 2005; Perron et Veillette, 2012; Perron, Veillette et Richard, 1996). En effet, de multiples composantes d’un territoire peuvent influencer les parcours scolaires des jeunes qui y résident. Même si les travaux portant sur la réussite scolaire restent fortement associés au triptyque « élève-famille-école » (Hattie, 2009), un nombre croissant d’études, s’inspirant de l’approche écologique (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Bronfenbrenner et Morris, 2006), s’intéresse aux contextes dans lesquels les jeunes évoluent : la famille, l’école et la communauté (Anderson, Leventhal et Dupéré, 2014; Demi et al., 2010; Dupéré, Leventhal, Crosnoe et Dion, 2010; Ellen et Turner, 1997). Les théories du développement des enfants soulignent d’ailleurs l’influence directe et indirecte de ces contextes dans la dynamique des parcours scolaires, en ciblant en particulier le quartier de résidence des jeunes (Caro, McDonald et Willms, 2009; Sastry et Pebley, 2010). Toutefois, la notion de quartier est souvent réduite aux caractéristiques socioéconomiques des familles : revenu, emploi occupé, statut matrimonial et ethnicité (Brooks-Gunn, Duncan, Klebanov et Sealand, 1993; Sastry et Pebley, 2010). La diversité des sphères de vie des jeunes et la dynamique complexe qui les lie appellent pourtant une lecture plus multidimensionnelle et globale du milieu de vie, ce que sous-tend le concept de territoire. L’intérêt d’une approche territoriale est d’ailleurs confirmé par certains travaux qui identifient la dotation différenciée dans l’espace comme facteur d’influence de la scolarisation des jeunes, notamment en lien avec l’offre scolaire (Anderson et al., 2014; Dupéré et al., 2010) et avec l’éloignement géographique (Chenoweth et Galliher, 2004; Veillette et al., 1993). Le présent texte propose un regard renouvelé sur la dynamique complexe de la diplomation au secondaire selon un cadre d’analyse territorial, à partir d’une étude empirique quantitative menée à l’échelle des municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) du Québec. Pour soutenir les acteurs locaux et régionaux dans leur compréhension des caractéristiques de leur territoire et, par le fait même, pour leur permettre de mieux orienter leurs plans d’action, un diagramme radar, c’est-à-dire un mode de représentation graphique permettant d’illustrer simultanément plusieurs indicateurs, est proposé pour chaque MRC de la province. Il s’agit d’une nouvelle manière d’appréhender la réalité scolaire propre à chaque territoire permettant de positionner plus concrètement des enjeux différenciés pour chacun. Dans la première section, une recension des écrits expose le rôle souvent méconnu de l’espace en matière de scolarisation, plus particulièrement en ce qui a trait à la persévérance et à la réussite scolaires. La deuxième section, quant à elle, explicite comment le concept de territoire est incontournable pour plusieurs raisons, liées tantôt à l’étendue géographique que couvre la desserte scolaire au Québec, tantôt à la diversité socioéconomique régionale ou locale, et ce, pour mieux comprendre la dynamique complexe des parcours scolaires. Dans la troisième section, l’analyse quantitative et le découpage par MRC servent à la fois de méthode et de cadrage pour scruter les disparités de diplomation au secondaire. Enfin, la dernière section illustre, à partir de diagrammes radars conçus pour chaque MRC, la pertinence de l’approche territoriale comme outil au service de l’action locale et régionale en matière de persévérance et de réussite scolaires

Biocompatibility and functionality of a tissue-engineered living corneal stroma transplanted in the feline eye

PURPOSE. Corneal tissue shortage has become a major concern worldwide, which has motivated the search for alternative solutions to eye bank human eyes for corneal transplantation. Minimally invasive lamellar transplantation and tissue engineering may offer new opportunities for the rehabilitation of diseased corneas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility and functionality of stromal lamellar grafts tissue-engineered (TE) in vitro and transplanted in vivo in the cornea of a feline model. METHODS. The corneal stromas were engineered in culture from corneal stromal cells using the self-assembly approach, without the addition of exogenous material or scaffold. Eight healthy animals underwent two intrastromal grafts in one eye and the contralateral eye was used as a control. Animals were followed with slit-lamp ophthalmic examination, corneal esthesiometry and optical coherent tomography. Confocal microscopy, immunofluorescence, histology, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed at 4 months. RESULTS. Four months after transplantation, the TE-stromal grafts were transparent, functional, and well tolerated by the eye. All grafts remained avascular, with no signs of immune rejection, despite a short course of low-dose topical steroids. Corneal sensitivity returned to preoperative level and reinnervation of the grafts was confirmed by confocal microscopy and immunofluorescence. Histology and TEM of the TE-grafts showed a lamellar stromal structure with regular collagen fibril arrangement. CONCLUSIONS. These results open the way to an entirely new therapeutic modality. Intracorneal filling using a biocompatible, transparent, and malleable TE-stroma could be the basis for multiple types of novel therapeutic options in corneal interventional surgery