How cells communicate: the system used by slime moulds

The way in which cells in multicellular organisms communicate and inform each other of their presence and relative position is an intriguing but mysterious problem. The form of communication used during the phase of aggregation in the cellular slime moulds represents a particularly amenable system for study. When these organisms run short of nutrients, some of the cells of the amoebal population emit rhythmic pulses of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. These chemical signals are slowly relayed to all the other amoebae within range and bring about an ordered migration of them towards the pulsating centre and the triggering of cellular development.     

Sensory, cognitive, and linguistic factors in the early academic performance of elementary school children: The Benton-IU project

Standardized sensory, perceptual, linguistic, intellectual, and cognitive tests were administered to 470 children, approximately 96% of the students entering the first grade in the four elementary schools of Benton County, Indiana, over a 3-year period (1995--1997). The results of 36 tests and subtests administered to entering first graders were well described by a 4-factor solution. These factors and the tests that loaded most heavily on them were reading-related skills (phonological awareness, letter and word identification); visual cognition (visual perceptual abilities, spatial perception, visual memory); verbal cognition (language development, vocabulary, verbal concepts); and speech processing (the ability to understand speech under difficult listening conditions). A cluster analysis identified 9 groups of children, each with a different profile of scores on the 4 factors. Within these groups, the proportion of students with unsatisfactory reading achievement in the first 2 years of elementary school (as reflected in teacher-assigned grades) varied from 3% to 40%. The profiles of factor scores demonstrated the primary influence of the reading-related skills factor on reading achievement and also on other areas of academic performance. The second strongest predictor of reading and mathematics grades was the visual cognition factor, followed by the verbal cognition factor. The speech processing factor was the weakest predictor of academic achievement, accounting for less than 1% of the variance in reading achievement. This project was a collaborative effort of the Benton Community School Corporation and a multidisciplinary group of investigators from Indiana University.     

Child sexual abuse: A study of prevalence in Great Britain

Of 2019 men and women (aged 15 years and over) interviewed as part of a MORI Survey of a nationally representative sample of Great Britain, 10% reported that they had been sexually abused before the age of 16 (12% of females; 8% of males). There was no increased risk associated with specific social class categories or area of residence. For all types of sexual abuse, the mean age of victims when first abused was significantly lower for females. Subjective reports of the effects of sexual abuse indicated that the majority (51%) felt harmed by the experience, while only 4% reported that it had improved the quality of their life. We estimate that there are over 4.5 million adults in Great Britain who were sexually abused as children, and that a potential 1,117,000 children will be sexually abused before they are 15 years of age. At least 143,000 of these will be abused within the family. The social and mental health implications are enormous, and the authors suggest that an effective intervention and prevention policy is urgently required.     

Ethnicity as a Moderator of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Physical Activity in College Students

Most college students do not meet physical activity (PA) guidelines, and ethnic disparities exist. The present study examined the utility of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in explaining PA intentions and behavior in black and white college students and whether any TPB relationships were moderated by ethnicity. Black (n = 170) and white (n = 180) students completed a baseline TPB questionnaire and PA assessment 2 weeks later. Hierarchical latent variable regression analyses showed that affective attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) were significant predictors of intention for both ethnic groups, whereas the PBC-intention relationship was significantly stronger for white students. Intention significantly predicted PA for both ethnic groups. Furthermore, common and ethnic-specific beliefs were identified.     

Accelerating the Progress of Failing Readers: An Evaluation of the Enable–Plus Programme Pilot Study

Supporting pupils who experience difficulties with reading is a perennial concern. In this article, Phil Bowen and Jane Yeomans discuss the Enable–Plus programme, implemented in the two primary schools in Sandwell during 2000 and 2001. The authors set this initiative in the context of the National Literacy Strategy, the Additional Literacy Strategy and the revised SEN Code of Practice . The results are encouraging. Many pupils make significant progress. The programme enables other pupils, with needs that require further targeted intervention, to be identified and effectively supported. The scheme is now being expanded into further schools.
Phil Bowen is an area team and teacher manager and Jane Yeomans is an educational psychologist. They both work for Sandwell Inclusion Support, a multi–professional SEN support service. Both authors have considerable experience of working in the mainstream and special education sectors and have particular interests in reading support and the effects of reading failure on curriculum access.     

Reading and Writing: Digital Directions

The authors show that IT hardware and software are having an effect on literacy. As well as being aware of those changes, English teachers, they argue, should be exploiting IT for the development of those reading and writing skills necessary for the future. The article goes on to exemplify, through an exploration of how it came to be written, some of the processes and opportunities identified earlier.     

Controlling fruit-shedding in the oil palm

The oil palm is a major factor in the economy of much of South East Asia and maximising the harvest is of major consequence. One important source of loss is the shedding of ripe fruit from the bunches before they reach the factories. Study of the course of abscission reveals unusual processes in the oil palm — and in a few other plantation crops such as dates and coconuts — which suggest practical means of achieving better harvesting regimes and regulation of fruit shedding.