This report describes an interactive information system. It is a general purpose, free format system which can offer immediate assistance where manipulation of large data bases is required. The medical area is a prime area of application. The report is designed to serve as a manual for potential users--nontechnical personnel who will use the…

Research done by workers at Harvard Medical School suggests that passive exposure to cigarette smoke can impair breathing in children ages five through nine. Lung flow rates (breathing ability) decreased for children with smoking parents, and significantly if the children also smoke. (MA)

Results from comparative testing indicate that fingertip blood is a valid indicator of antecubital venous hematocrit (hct) and hemoglobin (hgb), and that hct ratios determined on the Coulter counter are comparable to those found by the microhematocrit method. (MB)

Autorhytmometry (self-measurement of biorhythms) could serve as a data base in preventive and curative measures in medicine. This article proposes self-measurement programs in public schools as a part of health education. (JA)

Major bases of concern in biomedical research community are identified, particularly those related to the unexpected year-to-year and institute-to-institute variations in support from NIH. (AL)

Administration of L-dopa to 4 hospitalized autistic boys for 6 months lowered blood serotonin concentrations and increased platelet counts but did not produce any changes in the clinical course of the disease. (KW)

A brief review of many advances in medicine made during the past 35 years and of many developments for future progress. (RD)

A newly discovered treatment for severe pain during menses is described. (JD)

This issue presents 821 abstracts of research in physiology. Ten abstracts resulting from mini-seminars presented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are also given. (SA)

Pressures for evidence in social science and educational research suggest a need for systematic research review and synthesis. Four challenges this poses for the social sciences are (1) critical consideration of how the social sciences differ from medicine; (2) reduction of bias in evaluation; (3) better methods for assessing different research…

The study, with 61 Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) adult subjects, found that macrocytosis in the absence of anemia was virtually universal and erythrocyte survival half-time was shorter than normal. Findings suggest that erythrocytes have a younger mean age in persons with Down Syndrome, possibly indicating an accelerated aging process of red blood…

Describes a study of 77 abstracts in English language medical journals that was conducted to examine the internal structuring of the abstracts. A form for structured abstracts is described, the importance of abstracts in medical journals is discussed, and structural flaws in the abstracts studied are described. (24 references) (LRW)

Discusses the value of closer integration of the biomedical and behavioral sciences but notes that the scholarship of integration has been slow to gain acceptance as an integral activity of the professoriate. Suggestions include creating new research entities and funding mechanisms dedicated to interdisciplinary work; reinvorgating the integrative…