Socio-Emotional Competencies and School Performance in Adolescence: What Role for School Adjustment?

There is growing evidence in the literature of positive relationships between socio-emotional competencies and school performance. Several hypotheses have been used to explain how these variables may be related to school performance. In this paper, we explored the role of various school adjustment variables in the relationship between interpersonal socio-emotional competencies and school grades, using a weighted network approach. This network approach allowed us to analyze the structure of interrelations between each variable, pointing to both central and mediatory school and socio-emotional variables within the network. Self-reported data from around 3,400 French vocational high school students were examined. This data included a set of interpersonal socio-emotional competencies (cognitive and affective empathy, socio-emotional behaviors and collective orientation), school adjustment measures (adaptation to the institution, school anxiety, self-regulation at school, and self-perceived competence at school) as well as grades in mathematics and French language. The results showed that self-regulation at school weighted the most strongly on the whole network, and was the most important mediatory pathway. More specifically, self-regulation mediated the relationships between interpersonal socio-emotional competencies and school grades

Global Diversity of Brittle Stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)

This review presents a comprehensive overview of the current status regarding the global diversity of the echinoderm class Ophiuroidea, focussing on taxonomy and distribution patterns, with brief introduction to their anatomy, biology, phylogeny, and palaeontological history. A glossary of terms is provided. Species names and taxonomic decisions have been extracted from the literature and compiled in The World Ophiuroidea Database, part of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Ophiuroidea, with 2064 known species, are the largest class of Echinodermata. A table presents 16 families with numbers of genera and species. The largest are Amphiuridae (467), Ophiuridae (344 species) and Ophiacanthidae (319 species). A biogeographic analysis for all world oceans and all accepted species was performed, based on published distribution records. Approximately similar numbers of species were recorded from the shelf (n = 1313) and bathyal depth strata (1297). The Indo-Pacific region had the highest species richness overall (825 species) and at all depths. Adjacent regions were also relatively species rich, including the North Pacific (398), South Pacific (355) and Indian (316) due to the presence of many Indo-Pacific species that partially extended into these regions. A secondary region of enhanced species richness was found in the West Atlantic (335). Regions of relatively low species richness include the Arctic (73 species), East Atlantic (118), South America (124) and Antarctic (126)

Towards meaningful youth participation in science-policy processes : A case study of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative

In the context of complex intergenerational challenges such as climate change and sustainable development, it is increasingly important for scientists and policy-makers to actively engage with and support the meaningful participation of youth in policy and decision-making. This research evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative in supporting the active participation and leadership development of youth (aged 18-30 years old) participants at the 2014 Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), an international science-policy forum. This 'youth program' comprised a Youth Session, skills workshops and mentoring programs to empower youth through leadership and capacity building opportunities. Results show a high demand for youth participation: 34% of GLF conference delegates expressed interest to attend the Youth Session, over 22% of GLF session organisers requested youth to take on leadership roles, and the youth program itself received over 770 applications for the 'facilitator' and 'pitcher' leadership positions. The skills-based 'masterclasses' successfully built the confidence and knowledge of youth participants, as shown by post-evaluation survey responses. This translated into active and substantive youth participation throughout the forum. Senior professionals connected to the program praised it highly, seeing it as an opportunity for mutual, intergenerational learning. The Youth in Landscape Initiative is presented as a model and distilled into a framework to inform future youth engagement strategies in international conferences and associated science-policy processes

In vivo-targeted gene delivery using antibody-based nonviral vector.

Item does not contain fulltextTissue-specific gene transfer remains one of the main challenges to deliver genes into designated and/or disseminated cells. We have previously shown successful gene transfer with a nonviral gene delivery system based on the simple chemical conjugation of plasmid DNA with antibody. However, this approach was hampered by low efficiency due to the poor translocation rate of DNA to the nucleus. To improve this approach, we have modified our vector by introducing noncovalent binding between the antibody and DNA, allowing the possibility to introduce different important molecules. The noncovalent association was achieved with neutravidin and biotinylated components: (1) biotinylated antibodies; (2) a biotinylated hemagglutinin fusogenic peptide of influenza virus to favor endosomal escape; and (3) biotinylated histone H1 to compact, protect, and associate DNA to the complex. We report here that this delivery system can be internalized by tumor cells targeted by a specific monoclonal antibody, permits the protection of the transfected DNA, and allows its subsequent transfer into the nucleus after escape from the endosomal compartment. We also demonstrate that, in vitro, gene transfer with this vector showed much higher reporter activity in cells (15 vs. 0.5%) and a stronger production of murine interleukin 2 as compared with our previous vector. In vivo, a single intravenous injection of the vector containing an antibody directed to the G250 renal cell carcinoma-associated antigen led to beta-galactosidase expression in engrafted tumor bearing G250 but not in G250-negative tumor or in other tissues. Altogether, these results indicate that our antibody-based vector is suitable to promote gene delivery in vitro and in vivo in tumor cells