Trajectories of social withdrawal and social anxiety and their relationship with self-esteem before, during, and after the school lockdowns.

The closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic affected adolescents' social withdrawal and social anxiety. Yet, self-esteem may have acted as a protective factor during this period. This study aimed to compare the trajectories of social withdrawal and social anxiety before (Year 1), during (Year 2 and 3), and after (Year 4) the closure of schools imposed by the COVID-19-related lockdowns, and to investigate the association of self-esteem with these trajectories. Participants were 844 (50.6% boys) Portuguese adolescents (mean age 12.70 years, SD = 1.14). The Social and Emotional Competencies Evaluation Questionnaire (QACSE) was used to assess social withdrawal and social anxiety, while The Global Self-Esteem scale of the Self-Description Questionnaire II was used to measure self-esteem. Growth curve analysis showed that social withdrawal and social anxiety had more negative trajectories during the year in which the school closures occurred. In addition, adolescents reported higher social withdrawal after the lockdowns than before the pandemic. Higher self-esteem was associated with a more positive trajectory in social withdrawal. Therefore, the results showed the negative of impact of the closure of schools on adolescents' social anxiety and social withdrawal, and that self-esteem was a protective factor during these challenging and adverse events.

Can an Universal School-Based Social Emotional Learning Program Reduce Adolescents' Social Withdrawal and Social Anxiety?

There is a lack of studies analyzing if universal school-based Social and Emotional Learning programs can reduce social withdrawal and social anxiety. This study analyzed the effectiveness of one such program on those variables, and the role of individual school climate perceptions. In this nationwide study, 704 seventh to eighth-grade Portuguese students (Mage = 12.96, SD = 1.09, 48% girls), of which 215 (30.6%) in the comparison group, were assessed at pretest, post-test, and follow-up seven months later. Analyses showed positive intervention results in self- and teacher-reported social withdrawal and social anxiety. Regarding school climate, intervention group students with more positive teacher-student relationships benefitted more from program participation in social anxiety. These results support the program's effectiveness for addressing social withdrawal and social anxiety.

Positive Attitude Upper Middle School social and emotional learning program: influences of implementation quality on program outcome.

Introduction: There is an increased call for studies analyzing how implementation quality influences Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program effectiveness. Methods: The current dissemination study analyzed the effectiveness of the Positive Attitude Upper Middle School SEL program on a Portuguese nationwide sample composed of 813 middle school students (7th and 8th grade; 51.7% boys; Mage = 12.41, S.D. = 1.06), from 36 classrooms (Mclassroom = 22.58; S.D. = 2.86), distributed between the control group (179 students), and three intervention groups (643 students) that reflected low, middle, and high implementer experience (respectively, Gulbenkian Academies of Knowledge, Positive Attitude Cadaval and Positive Attitude Torres Vedras). Dosage and fidelity (as implementation quality dimensions), gender, and classroom size (as individual and classroom-level variables) were also analyzed. Self-report questionnaires were administered pre- and post-intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. Results: Multilevel models were employed, and results showed that participating in the PAUMS SEL program led to more positive trajectories in self-control, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making when compared with control groups. Regarding implementation quality, only the implementer's experience impacted the effectiveness of the PAUMS SEL program; students in the Gulbenkian Academies of Knowledge intervention group displayed a less positive trajectory in self-control than students in the Positive Attitude Torres Vedras intervention group. Discussion: Altogether, results showed that the PAUMS SEL program is ready for dissemination in Portugal, although a higher level of implementer experience is needed to achieve the best effectiveness, and they support the importance of analyzing implementer experience in SEL programs' effectiveness studies.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 is involved in resistance to apoptosis and maintenance of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

The expression of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 (ITRP3) in hepatocytes is a common event in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), regardless of the type of underlying liver disease. However, it is not known whether ITPR3 expression in hepatocytes is involved in tumor maintenance. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is an association between ITPR3 expression and clinical and morphological parameters using HCC samples obtained from liver explants from patients (n=53) with different etiologies of underlying chronic liver disease (CLD). ITPR3 expression, mitosis and apoptosis were analyzed in human liver samples by immunohistochemistry. Clinical and event-free survival data were combined to assess the relationship between ITPR3 and liver cancer growth in patients. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify apoptotic genes altered by ITPR3 expression in a liver tumor cell line. ITPR3 was highly expressed in HCC tumor cells relative to adjacent CLD tissue and healthy livers. There was an inverse correlation between ITPR3 expression and mitotic and apoptotic indices in HCC, suggesting that ITPR3 contributed to the maintenance of HCC by promoting resistance to apoptosis. This was confirmed by the upregulation of CTSB, CHOP and GADD45, genes involved in the apoptotic pathway in HCC. The expression of ITPR3 in the liver may be a promising prognostic marker of HCC.

Draft Genomic Sequences of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CBMAI 1301 and Bacillus subtilis CBMAI 1302, Strains with Potential for the Biocontrol of Phytopathogens.

Here, we report the draft genomic sequences of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain CBMAI 1301, isolated from soybean seeds, and Bacillus subtilis strain CBMAI 1302, isolated from soil. These strains have potential applications for the biological control of phytopathogens, and the sequencing of these two genomes could greatly benefit soybean cultivation.

Differential effectiveness of an elementary school social and emotional learning program during middle school transition in Portugal.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of an elementary school Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program during middle school transition in Portugal, and the influence of gender, classroom size and student's perception of two school climate dimensions (student-student relationships and teacher-student relationships) upon its effectiveness. One-thousand-sixty-three students (M age = 9.14; SD = 0.64; 51.2% were boys) participated: 702 in the intervention group and 361 in the control group, assessed at pretest, post-test, and follow-up 10 months later (after middle school transition). Multilevel analyses identified that the program was effective in enhancing social awareness, self-control, and self-esteem, even after middle school transition. Results also showed that there no differential gains by gender, and that intervention group students who had more positive perceptions of student-student relationships and teacher-student relationships displayed more positive trajectories in self-esteem. Students from smaller fourth-grade classrooms displayed lower social awareness than students from larger fourth-grade classrooms, but a more positive trajectory in that competence than students from medium and larger fourth-grade classrooms. This study highlights the importance of analyzing the differential effectiveness of SEL programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Transovarial transmission of a core virome in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus.

Triatomine assassin bugs comprise hematophagous insect vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Although the microbiome of these species has been investigated to some extent, only one virus infecting Triatoma infestans has been identified to date. Here, we describe for the first time seven (+) single-strand RNA viruses (RpV1-7) infecting Rhodnius prolixus, a primary vector of Chagas disease in Central and South America. We show that the RpVs belong to the Iflaviridae, Permutotetraviridae and Solemoviridae and are vertically transmitted from the mothers to the progeny via transovarial transmission. Consistent with this, all the RpVs, except RpV2 that is related to the entomopathogenic Slow bee paralysis virus, established persistent infections in our R. prolixus colony. Furthermore, we show that R. prolixus ovaries express 22-nucleotide viral siRNAs (vsiRNAs), but not viral piRNAs, that originate from the processing of dsRNA intermediates during viral replication of the RpVs. Interestingly, the permutotetraviruses and sobemoviruses display shared pools of vsiRNAs that might provide the basis for a cross-immunity system. The vsiRNAs are maternally deposited in the eggs, where they likely contribute to reduce the viral load and protect the developing embryos. Our results unveil for the first time a complex core virome in R. prolixus and begin to shed light on the RNAi-based antiviral defenses in triatomines.

A percepção da família sobre o nível de atividade física e o comportamento sedentário nos pré-escolares: consequências para o desenvolvimento físico e cognitivo / The family's perception about level of physical activity and sedentary behavior in preschoolers: consequences for physical and cognitive development

OBJETIVO: Verificar a percepção da família quanto à presença dos comportamentos sedentários e do nível de atividade física de pré-escolares em casa e na escola MÉTODO: Foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo (design ecológico) com 26 pais de pré-escolares. Os pais responderam dois questionários, um relacionado às atividades realizadas dentro e fora do ambiente escolar por seus filhos e outro sobre o nível de atividade física RESULTADOS: Evidencia-se a baixa frequência de atividades físicas oferecidas pelos pais nos dois principais microssistemas da criança, tanto em casa (13%) quanto na escola (9%), e mais de 50% das crianças foram classificadas como pouco ativas e com alta exposição à televisão CONCLUSÃO: Os agentes diretamente envolvidos com as crianças tendem a oferecer atividades sedentárias com maior frequência quando comparadas às atividades físicas, influenciando a quantidade de atividades ativas realizadas pelas crianças

OBJECTIVE: To verify the family's perception of the presence of sedentary behaviors and the level of physical activity of preschoolers at home and at school METHODS: A field research (ecological design) was carried out with 26 parents of preschoolers. Parents answered two questionnaires, one related to the activities carried out inside and outside the school environment by their children and the other on the level of physical activity RESULTS: The low frequency of physical activities offered by parents in the child's two main microsystems is evident, both at home (13%) and at school (9%) and more than 50% of children were classified as not much active and with high exposure to television CONCLUSION: Agents directly involved with children tend to offer sedentary activities more frequently when compared to physical activities, influencing the amount of active activities performed by children

Analysis of ovarian transcriptomes reveals thousands of novel genes in the insect vector Rhodnius prolixus.

Rhodnius prolixus is a Triatominae insect species and a primary vector of Chagas disease. The genome of R. prolixus has been recently sequenced and partially assembled, but few transcriptome analyses have been performed to date. In this study, we describe the stage-specific transcriptomes obtained from previtellogenic stages of oogenesis and from mature eggs. By analyzing ~ 228 million paired-end RNA-Seq reads, we significantly improved the current genome annotations for 9206 genes. We provide extended 5' and 3' UTRs, complete Open Reading Frames, and alternative transcript variants. Strikingly, using a combination of genome-guided and de novo transcriptome assembly we found more than two thousand novel genes, thus increasing the number of genes in R. prolixus from 15,738 to 17,864. We used the improved transcriptome to investigate stage-specific gene expression profiles during R. prolixus oogenesis. Our data reveal that 11,127 genes are expressed in the early previtellogenic stage of oogenesis and their transcripts are deposited in the developing egg including key factors regulating germline development, genome integrity, and the maternal-zygotic transition. In addition, GO term analyses show that transcripts encoding components of the steroid hormone receptor pathway, cytoskeleton, and intracellular signaling are abundant in the mature eggs, where they likely control early embryonic development upon fertilization. Our results significantly improve the R. prolixus genome and transcriptome and provide novel insight into oogenesis and early embryogenesis in this medically relevant insect.

A Multilevel Analysis of the Relation Between Bullying Roles and Social and Emotional Competencies.

This study investigated how social and emotional competencies are related to middle school students' involvement in bullying, and whether class-levels variables influence this association. There were 668 participants (Mage = 12.73, SD = 1.08) who participated in a screening for inclusion in a social and emotional learning program. Results showed that students not involved in bullying displayed higher levels of self-esteem than students involved in bullying in any role (victims, perpetrators, or bully-victims), higher levels of self-control and social awareness than perpetrators and bully-victims, and higher levels of responsible decision making than bully-victims. Gender did not moderate the relation between any bullying roles and social and emotional competencies, but class size moderated the relation between being a bully/victim and self-esteem and between being a bully and self-control. These results supported the relevance of including class-level variables when analyzing the relation between bullying and social and emotional competencies.

Levels, factors and interventions of preschool children physical activity: a systematic review.

The goal of this study was to complete a systematic review of research on the occurrence the levels of physical activity (PA), forms of intervention and factors associated with this practice among preschool children. Studies published in the period between 2006 and 2016 were investigated, using the PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases. The search terms identified 177 articles, of which 41 met the inclusion criteria. Goals, methodologies and results were analysed. The studies used various cut-off points to establish the desired level of PA, along with different types of interventions. Overall, the problem of low level of PA among preschool children appears to be increasing. Involvement and participation of parents and teachers, guidance from booklets and other information sources, parent instruction and availability of extracurricular activities were considered positive factors that tended to increase children's PA levels, whereas parental obesity was a negative factor. New studies to define sedentary behaviour in preschool children are required to clarify the nature of this problem, along with the establishment of prevention programmes with ecological design aimed at schools, families and other sectors of society.

Levels, factors and interventions of preschool children physical activity: a systematic review / Níveis, fatores e intervenções da atividade física em idade pré-escolar: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract The goal of this study was to complete a systematic review of research on the occurrence the levels of physical activity (PA), forms of intervention and factors associated with this practice among preschool children. Studies published in the period between 2006 and 2016 were investigated, using the PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases. The search terms identified 177 articles, of which 41 met the inclusion criteria. Goals, methodologies and results were analysed. The studies used various cut-off points to establish the desired level of PA, along with different types of interventions. Overall, the problem of low level of PA among preschool children appears to be increasing. Involvement and participation of parents and teachers, guidance from booklets and other information sources, parent instruction and availability of extracurricular activities were considered positive factors that tended to increase children's PA levels, whereas parental obesity was a negative factor. New studies to define sedentary behaviour in preschool children are required to clarify the nature of this problem, along with the establishment of prevention programmes with ecological design aimed at schools, families and other sectors of society.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre níveis de atividade física (AF), formas de intervenção e fatores associados a essa prática em pré-escolares. Foram considerados os estudos publicados na última década, as bases de dados consultadas foram: PubMed e SPORTDiscus. As palavras chave identificaram 177 artigos, dos quais 41 preencheram os critérios de inclusão. Foram analisados os objetivos, as metodologias e os resultados de cada artigo selecionado. As pesquisas utilizaram diferentes frequências e tipos de intervenções em atividade física. Em geral, o problema do baixo nível de AF em pré-escolares tem aumentado. O envolvimento e a participação dos pais e professores, cartilhas de orientação, outras fontes de informação, instrução aos pais e professores e disponibilidade de atividades extracurriculares foram considerados como fatores positivos que provocam a elevação dos níveis de AF nas crianças, por outro lado, a obesidade dos pais foi um fator negativo. São necessários novos estudos para definir o comportamento sedentário de pré-escolares, esclarecer a natureza desse problema juntamente com o estabelecimento de programas de prevenção, baseados em metodologias ecológicas, direcionados as escolas, famílias e outros setores da sociedade.

Metabolic Syndrome in HIV-patients in Antiretroviral Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: The global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) among people living with HIV/AIDS varies from 20% to 33%. OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated factors in a group of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with HIV-infected patients from a reference center in Bahia, Brazil. We evaluated clinical, socio-demographic and anthropometric data. MS was defined according to the guidelines of International Diabetes Federation. RESULTS: We evaluated 152 patients with mean age of 47.3±11.6 years, 59.2% male. The main comorbidities detected were diabetes (3.3%) hypertriglyceridemia (9.3%) and metabolic syndrome (MS,38.2%). Patients with MS were predominantly women (55.2% vs 31.9%; p=0.005), older [52.1 (10.4) vs 44.3 (11.3); p<0.001], and had overweight (74.1% vs 23.4%; p<0.001). After multivariate analysis MS remained associated with age (OR = 1.076; 95% CI: 1.030 - 1.125), female sex (OR = 2.452; 95% CI: 1.114 - 5.374) and family history of hypertension (OR = 3.678; 95% CI: 1.431 - 9.395). CONCLUSION: Almost half of the HIV-infected patients in Bahia presents with MS which seems to be driven by classical risk factors.

A Multilevel Analysis of the Importance of School Climate for the Trajectories of Students' Self-concept and Self-esteem Throughout the Middle School Transition.

Understanding which environmental factors influence the trajectory of self-concept and self-esteem during middle school transition may help schools better support students during this period. This short longitudinal study examined the influence of students' perceptions of school climate upon the trajectory of students' self-concept and self-esteem during middle school transition. Students in 25 classes from four schools (N = 404; Mage = 9.40, SD = 0.67) completed self-report measures of self-concept and self-esteem at four time points: twice before (fourth grade) and twice after middle school transition (fifth grade). The results showed that students with more positive perceptions of school climate in the beginning of fifth grade displayed more positive trajectories in self-concept and self-esteem. Students from larger fourth grade classes had more positive trajectories of social self-concept compared to those from smaller classes. The findings highlight the importance of school climate in the development of self-concept and self-esteem during middle school transition.

Gene expression profiling of Trypanosoma cruzi in the presence of heme points to glycosomal metabolic adaptation of epimastigotes inside the vector.

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, and is transmitted by triatomine insects during its blood meal. Proliferative epimastigotes forms thrive inside the insects in the presence of heme (iron protoporphyrin IX), an abundant product of blood digestion, however little is known about the metabolic outcome of this signaling molecule in the parasite. Trypanosomatids exhibit unusual gene transcription employing a polycistronic transcription mechanism through trans-splicing that regulates its life cycle. Using the Deep Seq transcriptome sequencing we characterized the heme induced transcriptome of epimastigotes and determined that most of the upregulated genes were related to glucose metabolism inside the glycosomes. These results were supported by the upregulation of glycosomal isoforms of PEPCK and fumarate reductase of heme-treated parasites, implying that the fermentation process was favored. Moreover, the downregulation of mitochondrial gene enzymes in the presence of heme also supported the hypothesis that heme shifts the parasite glycosomal glucose metabolism towards aerobic fermentation. These results are examples of the environmental metabolic plasticity inside the vector supporting ATP production, promoting epimastigotes proliferation and survival.

Perfil de atividades cotidianas no ambiente domiciliar e o brincar de pré-escolares no município de Palmas/TO / Profile of daily activities in the home environment and the play of preschoolers in the city of Palmas/TO

Mudanças sociais têm alterado as possibilidades de brincar das crianças pequenas no contexto escolar, entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre o que os pré-escolares fazem no ambiente domiciliar. Desta forma, a pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar as atividades oferecidas em casa (entre elas o brincar) para crianças em idade pré-escolar, analisando a frequência, a oferta e a relação entre aspectos socioeconômico dos pais/responsáveis com as atividades oferecidas. Trata-se de um estudo de campo, realizado no município de Palmas, TO, com 133 pais/responsáveis que responderam a um questionário indicando a frequência de realização das atividades que oferecem a seus filhos e também informações sobre o perfil socioeconômico (gênero, idade, escolaridade e renda familiar). As atividades mais frequentes foram: realizar trabalhos manuais (82%); conversar com os pais (79%); praticar cálculos e leituras (77%); assistir televisão (75%) e conversar com amigos (72%). As atividades menos frequentes foram: nadar e brincar na piscina (83%), usar computador (67%), brincar no parque (58%), participar de jogos com movimento (53%) e andar de bicicleta (50%). A elevada frequência de atividades manuais, cálculo e leitura no cotidiano das crianças se assemelham as rotinas escolares que limitam o brincar e a corporeidade infantil. O perfil socioeconômico dos pais e responsáveis influenciou diretamente na oferta das atividades de brincar no parque, conversa com os pais, cálculo e leitura, andar de bicicleta e uso de computadores. A alta frequência de atividades fora da escola relacionadas à escolarização de pré-escolares aponta para o furto do lúdico também no ambiente domiciliar, o que caracteriza a necessidade de implantar medidas para reverter essa situação...(AU)

Social changes have altered the possibilities to play of children in the school context, however, little is known about what preschoolers do in the home environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the activities offered at home (among them play) for preschool children, analyzing the frequency, the offer and the relation between socioeconomic aspects of parents / guardians with the offered activities. This is a field study, realized in the city of Palmas, TO, with 133 parents who answered a questionnaire indicating the frequency of activities offered to their children and also information about the socioeconomic profile (gender, age, education level and family income). The most frequent activities were: manual work (82%); conversation with parents (79%); practice calculations and readings (77%); watch television (75%) and chat with friends (72%). The least frequent activities were: swimming and playing in the pool (83%), using a computer (67%), playing in the park (58%), participating in games with movement (53%) and cycling (50%). The high frequency of manual activities, calculation and reading in the children's daily life resemble the school routines that limit the play and the infant corporeity. The socioeconomic profile of parents and guardians is directly influenced the offer of activities with play in the park, conversation with parents, calculation and reading, cycling and use of computers. The high frequency of outside school activities related to the schooling process of preschoolers indicate to the steal of playful also in the home environment, which characterizes the need to implement measures to reverse this situation...(AU)

(Des) Valorização da atividade física na pré-escola por professores / (No) Valorization of physical activity in early schools by teachers / (Des)valorización de la actividad física en educación preescolar por parte de los maestros

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a importância e a frequência de atividades cotidianas, dadas pelos professores de pré-escolas, em dois estados brasileiros. Eles preencheram um questionário sobre as atividades feitas pelas crianças. A maioria dos professores (90%) considerou tais atividades importantes, mas apenas 15% indicaram frequência diária de atividades físicas. As atividades que tendem ao sedentarismo foram as mais frequentes e as mais importantes e não há oferta suficiente de atividades físicas. Estratégias de intervenção e diálogo entre professores, pais, governos, bem como outros setores da sociedade, precisam ser implantadas para elevar os níveis de atividade física na pré-escola e combater o estilo de vida sedentário.

Abstract The goal of this study was to analyze importance and frequency of daily activities given by preschool teachers from two Brazilian states. They completed a questionnaire about the activities carried out by children. Most of them (90%) considered such activities as important but just 15% of them indicated a daily frequency of physical activity. Sedentary activities were more often and more important and they do not offer enough physical activities. Intervention strategies and dialogue among teachers, parents, government as well other communities sectors are need to be implanted in order to elevate physical activities levels in preschool children and combat sedentary lifestyle.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la importancia y la frecuencia de las actividades diarias impartidas por los maestros de preescolar en dos estados brasileños. Los maestros completaron un cuestionario sobre las actividades feitas por los niños. La mayoría de profesores (90%) considera que esas actividades son importantes aunque solo el 15% señalaron que la frecuencia de las actividades físicas era diaria. Las actividades que tienden hacia un estilo de vida sedentario son los más frecuentes y las más importantes, y no hay suficiente oferta de actividades físicas. Deben implantarse estrategias de intervención y diálogo entre maestros, padres, gobierno y otros sectores de la sociedad para aumentar los niveles de actividad física en preescolar y combatir el estilo de vida sedentario.

Trajectories of Social and Emotional Competencies according to Cyberbullying Roles: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis.

Current cyberbullying literature lacks longitudinal studies clarifying its predictors and consequences. This 1-year longitudinal study investigated how social and emotional competencies develop according to Portuguese middle school students' involvement in cyberbullying, and whether class size influences this relationship. There were 455 participants (Mage = 12.58; SD = 0.94; 46% girls), and data collection through self-reports took place in three different moments during 12 months. The results showed that students involved in cyberbullying in any role displayed negative trajectories during 1 year in self-control and social awareness, while victims and bully-victims displayed a more pronounced decrease in self-esteem and relationship skills during the same period. Additionally, girls displayed higher initial social awareness levels, while larger classes were associated with higher levels of self-control and responsible decision making. These results supported the importance of conducting longitudinal research and using a multilevel approach to address this topic.

Differential Effectiveness of a Middle School Social and Emotional Learning Program: Does Setting Matter?

There is a lack of studies in the literature addressing the differential effectiveness of Social and Emotional Learning according to their implementation setting. This study compared the effectiveness of an upper middle school Social and Emotional Learning program applied in two different settings: within school and after-school hours, while controlling for individual and class-level variables. There were 837 students (Mage = 12.70; SD = 0.98; 47.6% were female): 246 in the control group, 319 in the after-school intervention group and 272 in the within school schedule intervention group, assessed at pretest, post-test and follow-up seven months later. Multilevel analyses identified more positive intervention results in on self-esteem, self-control, and social awareness for students in the within school schedule groups. Girls gained more in social awareness in both program settings. This study highlights the importance of analyzing Social and Emotional Learning program´s differential effectiveness in order to optimize it.

An automated method for detecting alternatively spliced protein domains.

Motivation: Alternative splicing (AS) has been demonstrated to play a role in shaping eukaryotic gene diversity at the transcriptional level. However, the impact of AS on the proteome is still controversial. Studies that seek to explore the effect of AS at the proteomic level are hampered by technical difficulties in the cumbersome process of casting forth and back between genome, transcriptome and proteome space coordinates, and the naïve prediction of protein domains in the presence of AS suffers many redundant sequence scans that emerge from constitutively spliced regions that are shared between alternative products of a gene. Results: We developed the AstaFunk pipeline that computes for every generic transcriptome all domains that are altered by AS events in a systematic and efficient manner. In a nutshell, our method employs Viterbi dynamic programming, which guarantees to find all score-optimal hits of the domains under consideration, while complementary optimizations at different levels avoid redundant and other irrelevant computations. We evaluate AstaFunk qualitatively and quantitatively using RNAseq in well-studied genes with AS, and on large-scale employing entire transcriptomes. Our study confirms complementary reports that the effect of most AS events on the proteome seems to be rather limited, but our results also pinpoint several cases where AS could have a major impact on the function of a protein domain. Availability and implementation: The JAVA implementation of AstaFunk is available as an open source project on http://astafunk.sammeth.net. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.