The significance of life skills within educational settings has grown; however, there remains a gap regarding a comprehensive understanding of the overarching concept. This systematic scoping review addresses that need, with the aim to identify and map empirical research published between 2013 and 2023 focused on life skills in compulsory education (grade 1–10). In addition to mapping the studies according to their characteristics, how life skills are defined is also examined, with a specific focus on collectivistic and individualistic perspectives. Through a rigorous search process, 50 studies were identified. The studies are mainly concerned with evaluating the efficacy of life skills programs or interventions for adolescents. They define life skills by both the type of skill and what it achieves. Key trends include an emphasis on an individualistic understanding of the term, lacking collectivistic perspectives. The implications focus on life skills education connected to lifelong learning, Bildung, and holistic growth from a collectivistic perspective, suggesting that future research could include life skills education for younger children for more sustainable effects favorable for desired societal outcomes.

Background: Verification of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases is a major challenge due to a large number of candidates, limited sample material availability, disease and biological heterogeneity, and the lack of standardized assays. Furthermore, verification studies are often based on a low number of proteins from a single discovery experiment in medium-sized cohorts, where antibodies and surrogate peptides may differ, thus only providing an indication of proteins affected by the disease and not revealing the bigger picture or concluding on the validity of the markers. We here present a standard approach for locating promising biomarker candidates based on existing knowledge, resulting in high-quality assays covering the main biological processes affected by multiple sclerosis for comparable measurements over time. Methods: Biomarker candidates were located in CSF-PR (proteomics.uib.no/csf-pr), and further filtered based on estimated concentration in CSF and biological function. Peptide surrogates for internal standards were selected according to relevant criteria, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) assays created, and extensive assay quality testing performed, i.e. intra- and inter-day variation, trypsin digestion status over time, and whether the peptides were able to separate multiple sclerosis patients and controls. Results: Assays were developed for 25 proteins, represented by 72 peptides selected according to relevant guidelines and available literature and tested for assay peptide suitability. Stability testing revealed 64 peptides with low intra- and inter-day variations, with 44 also being stably digested after 16 h of trypsin digestion, and 37 furthermore showing a significant difference between multiple sclerosis and controls, thereby confirming literature findings. Calibration curves and the linear area of measurement have, so far, been determined for 17 of these peptides. Conclusions: We present 37 high-quality PRM assays across 21 CSF-proteins found to be affected by multiple sclerosis, along with a recommended workflow for future development of new assays. The assays can directly be used by others, thus enabling better comparison between studies. Finally, the assays can robustly and stably monitor biological processes in multiple sclerosis patients over time, thus potentially aiding in diagnosis and prognosis, and ultimately in treatment decisions.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of trends in Scandinavian early childhood education (ECEC) research from 2006 to 2021, based on the Nordic Base of Early Childhood Education and Care’s (NB-ECEC) annual reports. The study reveals a notable increase in empirical studies in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. The rise in English publications is attributed to international collaborations and political guidelines. Dominant thematic areas include pedagogical practices and teaching and learning, while economics and classroom management receive less focus. Qualitative research prevails, with a shortage of quantitative methods like randomised controlled trials and longitudinal designs. The study emphasises the importance of diversifying research methodologies, acknowledges positive developments in research quality, and notes an increasing trend in international peer-reviewed journal publications.