How can biological plasticity been added to a simulation of neuritic growth? Coming from this question, we have chosen a new access to simulate neuritic growth under the very aspect of meaningful and progredient development of single cells. Based on a specific description-language, we have set up a computer-program, to construct neurite-models and to simulate neuritic interaction during their development. Instead of using mathematical equations, we define various types of cytoskeletons by taking a specified graph grammar. Using this technique, we are able to define strings, combined with other influencing parameters, which allow the setting up of very naturally behaving artificial nervecells, in which distinct statistical variance and fixed rules as given in DNA operate together. In this paper, we want to discuss the underlying principles of the given grammar and to show some results from these computer-simulations, which enable us to study growth, development and other specific characteristics of neurites within a simulator in comparison to in vivo-experiments.

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We have developed an interactive tool for the construction and simulation of nervecell-models. Based on a semi-CAD platform, the program is able to build single objects in a described way and in a later stage to put them together for observation of their interactions. The user is able to define strings in a graph-grammar fashion, which can be combined with other influencing parameters. This gives the opportunity to build up very natural dendritic trees. Our emphasis is that biological objects are put together as a set of well defined rules, which are overlaid by a distinct statistical variance.

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This article is based on a study of reading made by Patrick Hamilton in 1969 whilst taking the Diploma Course in Audiology in the University of Manchester. It illustrates the possible effects of even slight deafness on the development of a fundamental scholastic ability. The study was concerned with children in ordinary schools and it is important to bear in mind that the majority of children with impaired hearing are to be found in ordinary schools. It is only those whose handicaps are relatively severe who are in special schools or classes. As audiometric tests of hearing come into more general use in the screening of school children for possible defects of hearing it becomes clearer that the ordinary primary school is likely to contain considerable numbers of children whose hearing is outside of normal limits. Since children respond in differing ways to disabilities many of these children may show no evidence of any ill effect on their school work. Yet this should not cause us to assume that all children with similar defects can meet their difficulties with equal success and that the cause of failure is therefore to be attributed to reasons other than those associated with the child's hearing problem.Scope of the study An investigation was made of the reading attainments and of the comprehension of spoken vocabulary of twenty-seven children with hearing difficulties who attend ordinary schools in a north-west county area. This was the area in which the first author worked as a county teacher of the deaf. It included one or two large towns and the majority of homes were workingclass but it was by no means a homogeneous educational priority area. In fact, six of the children lived in owner-occupied houses, seventeen in corporation property and dnly two in other rented accommodation.The children were drawn by the investigator from his case records which were made following assessments of hearing. 13