Developmental course of conversational behaviour of children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and Williams syndrome

This study investigated three conversational subskills in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS, n = 8, ages 7–13) and Williams syndrome (WS, n = 8, ages 6–12). We re-evaluated these subskills after 18 to 24 months and compared them to those of peers with idiopathic intellectual disability (IID) and IID and comorbid autism spectrum disorders (IID+ASD). Children with 22q11.2DS became less actively involved over time. Lower assertiveness than in children with IID was demonstrated. They seemed less impaired in terms of accounting for listener’s knowledge than children with IID+ASD. Children with WS showed greater difficulties with discourse management compared to children with IID and 22q11.2DS. They had similar levels of conversational impairments to children with IID+ASD but these were caused by different shortcomings. Over time taking account of listener’s knowledge became challenging for them. Findings suggest that children with 22q11.2DS and those with WS would benefit from conversational skills support and that regular re-evaluation is needed to anticipate conversational challenges

Researching suicide, attempted suicide and near-lethal self-harm by offenders in community settings: challenges for future research

Suicide is a serious international health problem and is more likely to occur in vulnerable populations such as offenders. There is an abundance of research into suicides of prisoners, but few studies have been carried out on suicides of offenders serving community sentences. This article identifies and evaluates the limited research that is available. Recommendations for future research are made, including how in-depth interviews can provide important information about near lethal incidents from the service users’ perspective, and how international comparisons could be helpful in understanding this problem further

Analysis of the Byrd Station Strain Net, Antarctica

On cover: RF 2500.This report presents some results of field investigations relating to the study of glacier flow in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. The physical quantities necessary for a solution to the problem of the mode of flow of the continental ice sheet in the Ross glacial drainage basin are being sought by several principal lines of investigation: determination of surface strain rate and surface slope by analysis of precise surveys of the Byrd Station Strain Net that have been carried out by the Topographic Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey; determination of strain rate and temperature distribution at depth in the deep hole at Byrd Station drilled by the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory; determination of ice thickness and of glacier bed configuration and conditions by geophysical exploration, including seismic, gravimetric, magnetic and radio-echo sounding methods; analysis of the structure and dynamic physical properties of ice; and observation of snow deposition and metamorphosis and surface morphology in order to explain parts of the core from Byrd Station deep drill hole, and estimate the mass balance. Much of the material presented in the report is based upon observations made by field parties which were based at Byrd Station and operated in the region of the Byrd Station Strain Net, which lies between Byrd Station and the Ross-Amundsen ice divide, during the austral summers of 1967-68, 1969-70, 1971-72, and 1973-74.National Science Foundation Grants GA-1141, GA-14425 and GV-26137X