17O n.m.r. studies of amino acids in the solid state,in single- and polycrystalline forms

A single crystal of ¹⁷O enriched α-glycine was grown by slow evaporation of aqueous solution. ¹⁷O n.m.r. studies of the α-glycine molecule in single crystalline form revealed five ¹⁷O transitions each consisting of two lines due to inequivalency of the oxygen atoms in the unit cell, with each of these lines revealing a dipolar interaction between the ¹⁷O and the nearest hydrogen atom. The spectral width was found to be of the order of magnitude of MHz and the linewidths of the order of magnitude of 2 kHz.     

School attainment of children who have been in care

SUMMARY The paper presents data from the National Child Development Study which examine the relationship between being in care and school attainment. Children in care had lower test scores in both reading and mathematics than those never in care. The children who were not in care until after the age of seven had higher test scores than those first in care earlier, although before being received into care the former group already had lower scores than the children who were never in care. Between the ages of seven and eleven the progress of those who were in care before seven, but not of those only in care after seven, deteriorated relative to that of the children who were never in care. These results suggest that the relatively low attainment of children in care is associated with factors other than, or additional to, the experience of care itself.     

ULTRASTRUOTURAL STUDY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE IN MORPHOEA

SUMMARY.— Electron microscopic studies have been carried out in 2 cases of localized and one of generalized morphoea. Specimens were taken from pectoralis major, trapezius, quadriceps femoris and biceps brachii in areas of affected skin. The muscle fibre and its components showed various degrees of damage—vacuolization, absence of some bands and focal or marginal atrophy of some myofibrils. Band Z was the most resistant. No changes were seen in muscle capillaries. In both forms of morphoea the sarcoplasmic reticulum in some muscle fibres was widened at the expense of myofibrils. In both conditions some muscle fibres and their components were unaffected.