Reported is a study of the activities and performance of institutional review boards to protect human research subjects. Institutional review boards had some direct impact on half of the proposals reviewed. The data raised questions about the effectiveness of some review board action. (Author/MP)

This article calls for a more intimate relation between industry and academia. It discusses the essential features of the U.S. research and development system, looking at characteristics of industrial research and of academic research as they might affect a partnership. (author/BB)

Presents four letters pointing out design difficulties in the experiments of Morrison, Giordani, and Nagy in their investigation of reading disabilities, memory, and perception. (SL)

Reports the University of New York at Albany has been charged with violations of federal and state regulations for not obtaining approval of an ethics committee to conduct research on human subjects. (SL)

Surveys 5,000 years of artworks, encompassing 1,180 scorable instances of unimanual tool or weapon usage. No systematic trends in hand usage were revealed. Right hand use averaged 93 percent of all cases regardless of which historical era or geographic region was assessed. (SL)

Examines issues associated with the design of and statistical inferences from embedded experiments which vary the questionnaire content into sample surveys of broad populations. Provides an example of context effects in attitude surveys, a summary, and conclusions. (RT)

The dichotomy existing between fundamental and applied research in agriculture inhibits progress in theory and practice. Suggests that the initiative for breaking down the barriers between applied and fundamental research should come from working scientists. Lists ten agriculturally relevant fundamental research areas which are lagging and require…

Outlines the reasons for, and the problems involved in, separation of a research center from the University of Michigan in order to become an independent research organization contracting for private and military research. (AL)

Energy storage, considered by some scientists to be the best technological and economic advancement after advanced nuclear power, still rates only modest funding for research concerning the development of advanced technologies. (PEB)

X-ray emitting bodies orbiting stars have been located. Research on black holes has brought out many characteristics of these X-ray emitting bodies. (PS)

Early clinical trials (observational or randomized) hasten the prompt evaluation of new operations. Early clinical surveillance facilitates the design and implementation of randomized clinical trials when they are necessary. Long-term surveillance of operations allows continuing evaluation when their use becomes widespread. (BB)

Reviews recent research in the treatment and cause of hyperactivity in children. (SL)

A brief summary of the state of agricultural research in the United States. The agricultural research system is finely attuned to the immediate needs of its clients, as evident in its response to the attack of corn blight in 1970. (JR)

Provides a summary assessment report of the future implications of reduced federal funding for research and development in universities. Current research is still of high quality but is deteriorating; reduced research poses a decline in graduate enrollment; and no future surge in federal funding is projected. (SL)