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Objectives. Community processes are key determinants of older adults' ability to age in place, but existing scales measuring these constructs may not provide accurate, unbiased measurements among older adults because they were designed with the concerns of child-rearing respondents in mind. This study examines the properties of a new theory-based measure of collective efficacy (CE) that accounts for the perspectives of older residents. Methods. Data come from the population-based Chicago Neighborhood Organization, Aging and Health study (N = 1,151), which surveyed adults aged 65 to 95. Using descriptive statistics, correlations, and factor analysis, we explored the acceptability, reliability, and validity of the new measure. Results. Principal component analysis indicated that the new scale measures a single latent factor. It had good internal consistency reliability, was highly correlated with the original scale, and was similarly associated with neighborhood exchange and disorder, self-rated health, mobility, and loneliness. The new scale also showed less age-differentiated nonresponse compared to the original scale. Discussion. The older adult CE scale has reliability and validity equivalent to that of the existing measure but benefits from a more developed theoretical grounding and reduced likelihood of age-related differential nonresponse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary schools can improve the academic achievement of all students by using a reform frame-work grounded in research about how young people develop and how schools can promote students' engagement and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study that examined links between teacher support, engagement and academic success. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study; Conclusion.

Published data on the susceptibility of plant species to 18 tymoviruses were collated. These data showed that tymoviruses infected more species from the family of their natural field host than species from other families. The data also indicated that tymoviruses infected a greater proportion of species from the same primary division of the dicotyledons (crassinucellate or tenuinucellate) as their natural host than other species, but the correlation was not statistically significant. The susceptibility of 18 crassinucellate and 18 tenuinucellate test plant species to 10 tymoviruses was determined. The viruses infected about three times more plant species from the primary taxonomic division that contained the family of their field host than species from the other division; this difference was statistically significant. The separation of tymoviruses into two groups based on the taxonomic division containing their natural hosts and most of their experimental hosts correlates broadly with a classification of the tymoviruses based on the serological relationships of their particle coat proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]