Two articles discuss the clustering of composite representations in the Cystic Fibrosis Document Collection from the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE file. Clustering is evaluated as a function of the exhaustivity of composite representations based on Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and citation indexes, and evaluation of retrieval…

The scientific community's expectations for biomedical research exceed funding capacity. Despite national social and economic problems, funding for biomedical research is already high. Additional funds will not solve the problem entirely. The biomedical community must set priorities and allocate money accordingly. New policies for allocating funds…

Eight experts in visual impairment respond briefly to reports that intensive monitoring of blood glucose levels by persons with diabetes can lead to a 70% reduction in the progression of detectable diabetic retinopathy. Comments are generally optimistic, though some cautions are raised. (DB)

Describes the operation and early findings of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology, which allows researchers to look at brain events rather than just structures. (WRM)

This paper identifies some issues regarding the conduct and documentation of the child-sexual-abuse medical examination and urges studies of the benefits of colposcopy with video, versus digital, versus 35 mm photography, in providing accurate documentation of abuse and determination of the overall utility of the colposcope. (DB)

Summarizes highlights of a discussion by 12 leaders in the field of child sexual abuse concerning the emotional impact of the child-sexual-abuse medical examination. (DB)

Summarizes highlights of a discussion by nine leaders in the field of child sexual abuse concerning the transmissibility of sexually transmitted diseases in sexually abused children. (DB)

The functional determinants for a good speech outcome after a partial tongue resection and reconstruction are not well established. The purpose of the present study was to assess the protrusion, grooving and symmetry of the tongue during sustained speech sound production using three-dimensional ultrasound. The participants were twelve normal…

This study is the first stage of a wider enquiry into alternative ways of assessing the readability of specialist texts. The interest in assessing these texts arose from the need to grade 60 medical journal articles for an individualized English-as-a-Foreign-Language reading scheme for doctors. The study reports on an investigation of subjective…

Observers say the research effort to develop drugs to combat acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is increasingly well-funded but badly coordinated, with many universities not willing or not able to pull their weight. (MSE)

Efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to combat AIDS are reported. Health implications of the viral disease are summarized, along with economic costs, research achievements, the importance of education, and appropriate and workable solutions. (LB)

A questionnaire developed and mailed to administrators of all accredited U.S., Canadian, and Puerto Rican medical schools, asked for information on courses offered in epidemiology, statistics, evaluation of medical literature, and research design. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of such courses. (Author/MLW)

A course to familiarize medical students with the principles of good medical research study design and analysis focuses on three types of studies: clinical trials, laboratory science, and epidemiology and biostatistics. (MSE)

A 2-month program for third-year students at Yeshiva's Albert Einstein College of Medicine that provides a model for integrating basic sciences and clinical training is described. It demonstrates the importance of lifelong learning in a field that constantly changes. (Author/MLW)

Describes development of a senior undergraduate level medical research class. The purpose of the class is to help health professionals critically analyze medical research and thus decide whether or not to use the results to change their professional practices. (CH)