Développements en analyse génétique du comportement humain : application de l'analyse hiérarchique multi-niveau au devis de jumeaux

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Phenotypic and genetic associations between reading comprehension, decoding skills, and ADHD dimensions : evidence from two population-based studies

BACKGROUND: The phenotypic and genetic associations between decoding skills and ADHD dimensions have been documented but less is known about the association with reading comprehension. The aim of the study is to document the phenotypic and genetic associations between reading comprehension and ADHD dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in early schooling and compare them to those with decoding skills. METHODS: Data were collected in two population-based samples of twins (Quebec Newborn Twin Study - QNTS) and singletons (Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development - QLSCD) totaling ≈ 2300 children. Reading was assessed with normed measures in second or third grade. Teachers assessed ADHD dimensions in kindergarten and first grade. RESULTS: Both decoding and reading comprehension were correlated with ADHD dimensions in a similar way: associations with inattention remained after controlling for the other ADHD dimension, behavior disorder symptoms and nonverbal abilities, whereas associations with hyperactivity/impulsivity did not. Genetic modeling showed that decoding and comprehension largely shared the same genetic etiology at this age and that their associations with inattention were mostly explained by shared genetic influences. CONCLUSION: Both reading comprehension and decoding are uniquely associated with inattention through a shared genetic etiology

Prenatal, concurrent, and sex-specific associations between blood lead concentrations and IQ in preschool Canadian children

Background: Lead exposure predicts altered neurodevelopment and lower intelligence quotient (IQ) in children, but few studies have examined this association in children who have relatively low blood lead concentrations. Objectives: To test the associations between blood lead concentrations and cognitive function in Canadian preschoolers, with a possible moderation by sex. Methods: The data were gathered from 609 mother-child pairs from the Maternal–Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study. Lead was measured in umbilical and maternal blood, and in children's venous blood at age 3–4 years. Cognitive function was measured with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) at 3–4 years. We tested the relationship between WPPSI-III scores and blood lead concentrations with multiple linear regression, adding child sex as a moderator. Results: Median blood lead concentrations for the mother at 1st trimester and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and for cord and child blood were 0.60 μg/dL, 0.58 μg/dL, 0.79 μg/dL and 0.67 μg/dL, respectively. We found no association between cord blood lead concentrations and WPPSI-III scores in multivariable analyses. However, cord blood lead concentrations showed a negative association with Performance IQ in boys but not in girls (B = 3.44; SE = 1.62; 95% CI: 0.82, 5.98). No associations were found between WPPSI-III scores and prenatal maternal blood or concurrent child blood lead concentrations. Conclusions: Prenatal blood lead concentrations below 5 μg/dL were still associated with a decline in cognitive function in this Canadian cohort, but only for boys

Le numérique : une culture genrée : études et recherches

Comprend des références bibliographiques

Les discours sur le temps d’écran : valeurs sociales et études scientifiques

Comprend des références bibliographiques.Ce document préparatoire pour le Rapport sur l’état et les besoins de l’éducation portant sur le numérique, lequel paraîtra à la fin de l’année 2020, fait état des plus récentes recensions d’écrits scientifiques sur les associations entre le temps d’exposition aux écrans et différents aspects du développement des enfants et des jeunes. Il compare le discours scientifique à un discours plus ancien de résistance aux médias, fondé sur des valeurs. Thèmes abordés : * Contexte historique du discours de résistance aux médias * Recensions des écrits scientifiques sur le temps d’exposition aux écrans * Convergence et divergence du discours scientifique et du discours de la résistance aux médias * Recommandations des associations de pédiatres et des organismes de santé publiques dans différents pay

Ecrire un article scientifique en anglais: guide de rédaction dans la langue de Darwin

C’est bien connu, les étudiants universitaires francophones préfèrent écrire dans leur langue maternelle. Voilà pourtant qu’on leur recommande de publier leurs résultats de recherche dans des revues savantes anglaises. L’effort supplémentaire en vaut-il la peine ? Absolument ! Pour rejoindre la communauté scientifique, il faut en maîtriser la langue. Et ce n’est pas tout. En plus d’être rédigé en anglais, votre article devra être clair, bien écrit et impeccablement structuré pour passer l’épreuve de la révision scientifique, puis être enfin publié dans une revue respectable. Commencez-vous à sentir la pression ? Vous vous apercevrez que l’anglais scientifique est un langage particulier que même les anglophones doivent acquérir. L’anglais des sciences n’est pas exactement la langue de Shakespeare dans sa forme et ses fonctions; je préfère l’appeler la langue de Darwin. C’est pour en apprendre le style et les codes que je vous propose ce guide de rédaction

Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and predisposition to frustration at 7 months : results from the MIREC study

Background: Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been associated with cognitive deficits and behavioral problems in children. To date, no study has examined this exposure in association with neurobehavioral development in infants younger than 12 months assessed with observational tasks. Objectives: This study examined the relation between prenatal PBDE concentrations and predisposition to frustration, assessed by the arm restraint task (ART), in Canadian infants. Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study conducted in Canada, exposure to nine PBDE congeners was measured in maternal plasma during the first trimester of pregnancy. The ART was used to measure predisposition to frustration in infancy (N = 333; mean age = 6.9 months), as assessed by negative vocalizations (crying and screaming) and physical reactivity (discomfort movements). Results: Maternal plasma PBDE-47 concentrations collected during pregnancy were associated with negative vocalizations using the ART (adjusted Relative Risk [aRR] = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.09). Prenatal PBDE-99 concentrations during pregnancy were also related to a shift to the left in the tail of the distribution of onset of negative vocalizations as measured by a decrease of 38 s (95% CI: −78.1, 1.3) in the 75th quantile of the distribution for infants whose mothers had detectable levels of PBDE-99 compared to infants of mothers with undetectable levels. Similarly, infants whose mothers had detectable levels of PBDE-100 showed an increase of 24.1 s (95% CI: 4.1, 44.1) in the 75th quantile of the distribution of proportion of time in negative vocalizations compared with infants of mothers with undetectable levels. Finally, the association between PBDE-47 and PBDE153, and physical reactivity was significantly modified by sex (p < 0.1), with opposite patterns in girls and boys. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to PBDEs was associated with increased incidence of crying and screaming with delayed onset of discomfort movement, which may indicate a predisposition to frustration and lack of habituation in infants younger than 12 months from the general populatio

Developing a quality curriculum in a technological era

There is considerable rhetoric internationally around the need for national curricula to reflect the changes that are taking place in the world outside school. This raises questions about what a quality curriculum in a technological era should look like, and equally challenging issues about how to achieve the necessary changes in schooling in order for such a curriculum to be realised. This paper summarises the views of 11 experts from seven countries. It introduces a sociocultural framework that highlights the complexity of achieving alignment between policies and practice spanning the national to local school to classroom levels. Three key issues that underpin alignment are then explored, each of which link with the issue of trust: stakeholders engagement; teacher professionalism; summative assessment. By exploring and exemplifying these three issues the paper indicates potential ways of addressing them and provides ‘tools to think with’ to enhance future curriculum development initiatives

Socioeconomic and Psychosocial Adversity in Inuit Mothers from Nunavik during the First Postpartum Year / ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᐅᓇᒻᒥᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᑦ ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᑉ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖓᓂᑦ ᐃᕐᓂᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ

The postpartum year is a crucial period for child development and mother-child attachment. In a young and prolific population such as the Inuit from Nunavik (northern Quebec, Canada), postpartum maternal well-being is even more concerning. This study aims to document the prevalence and co-occurrence of socioeconomic and psychosocial risk factors in this population, and to use these factors to identify specific profiles of women. Data collection involved 176 mothers recruited during pregnancy and interviewed 12 months after delivery. Socioeconomic (age, education, single parenting, unemployment, welfare) and psychosocial (psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and attempts, spousal abuse, drug and alcohol use) risk factors were documented. Four high-risk conditions (socioeconomic precariousness, distress, domestic abuse, and substance use) were computed and considered in the analysis. Adversity was salient because most of the women (58%) simultaneously experience many high-risk conditions, with socioeconomic difficulties, distress, and spousal abuse being the most prevalent. Distinct profiles were identified: those without socioeconomic and psychosocial risk factors (30.8%) and those experiencing distress (69.2%). From the latter category, two specific profiles of distressed mothers emerged: single women coping with socioeconomic stressors (40.1%), and women with fewer financial difficulties but in an abusive relationship and more likely to use drugs or binge drink (29.1%). Our results support the need for preventive and public health programs in this population to improve maternal as well as infant wellbeing.ᐊᕐᕌᒍ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖅ  ᐃᕐᓂᓯᒪᓕᖅᑐᓂ  ᐱᓪᓗᕆᓐᓂᖅᐸᐅᕗᖅ  ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᖅ  ᕿᑐᕐᖓᖓᓗ  ᐊᑕᐅᓯᐅᖃᑎᒌᓐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ.  ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᐅᑦ  ᐃᓄᐃᑦ  ᐃᓅᓱᑦᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᔭᐃᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑎᒃ  ᑭᒃᑰᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ  ᐃᓱᒫᓗᓇᖅᐳᖅ  ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᑦ  ᖃᓄᐃᓐᖏᓐᓂᖏᑦ  ᐃᕐᓂᕋᑖᖅᑐᒥᓂᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.  ᐅᓇ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖅ  ᑐᕌᒐᖃᖅᑯᖅ  ᑎᑎᖅᑐᐃᔾᔪᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᓪᓗ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ  ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᑖᒃᑯᐊ  ᐊᖅᑯᑎᒋᓗᒋᑦ  ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ  ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑑᓂᖏᑦ  ᐃᓕᓴᕐᓇᕈᑎᒋᓕᕐᓗᒋᑦ.  ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ  ᑲᑎᖅᓱᐃᓂᖅ  ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔾᔨᔪᕗᖅ  176−ᓂᒃ  ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᓂᒃ  ᐃᓚᓕᐅᑦᑐᒋᑦ  ᓇᔾᔨᔪᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐊᐱᖅᓱᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎ  ᑕᖅᑮᑦ  ᖁᓕᑦ  ᒪᕐᕉᓪᓗ  (12)  ᐊᓂᒍᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ.  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᖅ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᒃᑯᑦ  (ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒋᔭᖏᑦ,  ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᖏᑦ,  ᐃᓄᑑᔾᔨᓂᖅ,  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖃᕐᓂᖅ,  ᓱᒃᑯᐊᕿᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ)  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓱᒪᑎᒍᑦ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  (ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑕᐅᔪᑦ,  ᐃᒻᒥᓃᕈᒪᓂᖅ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᒻᒥᓃᕋᓱᓐᓂᖅ,  ᓂᖓᕐᓂᖅ,  ᐋᖓᔮᕐᓇᑐᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᒥᐊᓗᒻᒥᒃ  ᐊᑐᕐᓗᕐᓂᖅ)  ᑕᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᑎᑎᖅᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᕗᑦ.  ᑎᓴᒪᑦ ᖁᑦᑎᓂᖅᐹᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ (ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐊᑦᑐᐃᓗᖅᑯᑏᑦ,  ᐃᓱᒫᓗᒍᑎᑦ,  ᓂᖓᕐᓂᖅ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓇᕐᓚᒍᑎᓂᒃ  ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᒃ)  ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔭᐅᔪᔪᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓱᒻᒥᕆᐊᕈᑕᐅᔪᔪᑦ  ᕿᒥᕐᕈᓂᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ.  ᐊᑲᕐᕆᓐᖏᒍᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᓲᔪᕐᓇᑦᑎᐊᔪᕗᑦ  ᐅᐱᓐᓇᕋᓂ  ᐃᓄᒋᐊᓐᓂᖅᓴᐃᑦ  ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ  (58%)  ᖁᑦᑎᓂᖅᐹᖑᔪᓂᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑎᓂᑦ  ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ  ᐊᑲᐃᓪᓕᐅᕈᑎᖃᖅᑐᑎ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔾᔪᑎᒃᑯᑦ,  ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᐅᖅᑐᑎ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓂᖓᖅᑕᐅᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᓲᔪᕐᓇᓛᖑᔪᓪᓗᑎ.  ᐊᔾᔨᒌᓐᖏᒍᑕᐅᔪᓪᓗ  ᓲᔪᕐᓇᖅᓯᔪᕗᑦ:  ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᑦ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᕈᑎᖃᓐᖏᑦᑐᑦ (30.8%)  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐅᖁᒪᐃᓪᓕᐅᖅᑐᑦ  (69.2%).  ᑭᖑᓪᓕᐅᔪᒥᒃ  ᖃᐅᔨᔾᔪᑎᒥᒃ,  ᒪᕐᕈᐃᓕᖅᑲᖓᔫᒃ  ᐃᓕᓴᕐᓇᖅᓯᔪᕘᒃ  ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᓄᑦ  ᐅᖁᒪᐃᓪᓕᐅᕈᑕᐅᔪᑦ:  ᐃᓄᑑᔾᔨᔪᑦ  ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ  ᐃᓄᓕᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᓖᑦ  (40.1%)  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ  ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᓐᖏᓂᔅᓴᐃᑦ  ᑮᓇᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ  ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ  ᓂᖓᖅᑕᐅᕙᑦᑐᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐋᖓᔮᕐᓇᑐᖅᑐᐸᑦᑐᑦ  ᐅᕝᕙᓗᑭᐊᖅ  ᐃᒥᕋᓚᑉᐸᑦᑐᑦ  (29.1%).  ᖃᐅᔨᔾᔪᑎᕗᑦ  ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᕗᑦ  ᑭᓐᖒᒪᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ  ᓄᖅᑲᐅᒥᔾᔪᑎᔅᓴᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᐃᓄᓐᓅᓕᖓᔪᓂᒃ  ᐃᓗᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᐃᖏᕐᕋᑎᑕᒐᕐᓂᒃ  ᐱᕚᓪᓕᐊᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᓈᓇᐅᔪᓄᑦ  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓄᑕᕋᖏᑕ  ᐃᓅᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ