From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Fri Jan 05 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS - 31 December 1995 Date: 5 Jan 1996 19:21:44 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 45 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ckps8$ivj@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system in the previous week. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There were no new documents on STIS this week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The above files can be retrieved in electronic form using the STIS system. If you don't know how to use STIS, send an E-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet). You will receive a copy of the STIS flyer via E-mail. If you are already using STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov (Internet). Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve nsf9564.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get nsf9564.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve nsf9564.txt, you would enter: ftp> get nsf9564.txt WAIS or Gopher: Do a word search on the filename as shown in the summary. If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov" (Internet). If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov" (Internet). From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jan 08 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS - 7 January 1996 Date: 8 Jan 1996 23:16:18 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 45 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ct4o2$hd7@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system in the previous week. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There were no new documents on STIS this week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The above files can be retrieved in electronic form using the STIS system. If you don't know how to use STIS, send an E-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet). You will receive a copy of the STIS flyer via E-mail. If you are already using STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov (Internet). Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve nsf9564.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get nsf9564.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve nsf9564.txt, you would enter: ftp> get nsf9564.txt WAIS or Gopher: Do a word search on the filename as shown in the summary. If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov" (Internet). If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov" (Internet). From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jan 08 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH Guide, 6 January 1996 Date: 8 Jan 1996 23:29:54 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 4 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ct5hi$ip2@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$MAIL BEGIN *********************************************************** Due to the government furlough, there will be no NIH Guide for 1/6/96. $$MAIL END************************************************************** From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Fri Jan 12 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH Guide, 12 January 1996 Date: 12 Jan 1996 21:14:11 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 4 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4d7f33$9qn@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$MAIL BEGIN *********************************************************** Due to the Blizzard of 96, there will be no E-Guide this week. $$MAIL END************************************************************** From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jan 15 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 14 January 1996 Date: 15 Jan 1996 16:22:27 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 113 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4der43$bhh@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system in the previous week. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: General Publication Title: Form1030 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 798 STIS Filename: form1030.txt Also available: form1030.doc form1030.ps Title: Form1207 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 798 STIS Filename: form1207.txt Also available: form1207.doc form1207.ps Title: Form1225 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1225.txt Also available: form1225.doc form1225.ps Title: Form1239 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1239.txt Also available: form1239.doc form1239.ps Title: Form1358 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1358.txt Also available: form1358.doc form1358.ps Title: Form1359 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 800 STIS Filename: form1359.txt Also available: form1359.doc form1359.ps Title: Form1360 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1360.txt Also available: form1360.doc form1360.ps Title: Form1361 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1361.txt Also available: form1361.doc form1361.ps Title: Form1362 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1362.txt Also available: form1362.doc form1362.ps Title: Form1363 - Individual Form MS Word for Windows 6.0 Version & Postscript Version File size (bytes): 759 STIS Filename: form1363.txt Also available: form1363.doc form1363.ps Title: NSF 95-28 Grant Proposal Guide (FORMS KIT INSTRUCTIONS) File size (bytes): 34686 STIS Filename: nsf9528.txt Also available: nsf9528.doc ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The above files can be retrieved in electronic form using the STIS system. If you don't know how to use STIS, send an E-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet). You will receive a copy of the STIS flyer via E-mail. If you are already using STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov (Internet). Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve nsf9528.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get nsf9528.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve nsf9528.txt, you would enter: ftp> get nsf9528.txt WAIS or Gopher: Do a word search on the filename as shown in the summary. If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov" (Internet). If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov" (Internet). From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Fri Jan 19 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: BIOSCI miniFAQ, ver. 14-DEC-95 Date: 20 Jan 1996 10:50:37 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 200 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <199601201000.CAA11191@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net (LAST REVISION: 14-DEC-95) This BIOSCI "miniFAQ" is designed to answer the questions that come up the *most frequently*. The main BIOSCI FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is accessible on the World Wide Web at URL http://www.bio.net/. Contents: -------- 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. -------------------------------------------------------- As of 10 December 1995, all BIOSCI/bionet full newsgroups are accessible through the World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.bio.net. One can read and reply publicly or privately to both recent postings and archived messages through one's Web browser if it is configured properly to send e-mail. Each newsgroup is equipped with its own WAIS index in addition to the master index for the entire set. The main BIOSCI home page also has access to the BIO-JOURNALS Table of Contents database WAIS index and the BIOSCI user address database described in another item further below. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. ------------------------------------------------------- BIOSCI is a set of parallel USENET newsgroups (the "bionet" groups), mailing lists, and a hypermail archive at URL http://www.bio.net/. The same postings are distributed on all media (except for a small number of mailing-list-only groups at net.bio.net). Unfortunately it is becoming a despicable practice on the Internet (by a few people out to make a fast buck) to do automated mass postings to thousands of newsgroups and mailing lists. These attempts to grab free advertising are refered to as "spams" in the usual, somewhat boneheaded, net terminology. USENET is more susceptible to this practice, and many spams originate on the USENET groups and then are passed on to the mailing lists. However, spammers also get lists of mailing addresses and hit these too, so neither medium is immune. What should you do personally if you get junk mail? --------------------------------------------------- Just delete it and move on without reading it further. Filing a protest is becoming increasingly useless because spammers are often disguising the addresses where the messages are sent from. Unless you really understand Internet mail systems, your attempt at protest by sending replies to the message will often end up being sent to the address of an innocent person that the spammer is victimizing. What can BIOSCI/bionet do to protect its newsgroups? ---------------------------------------------------- The only solution currently available is to moderate the newsgroup. If this newsgroup is already moderated, then you are in good shape. Moderation protects the USENET distribution from about 95% of the spams that are being sent to date and protects the mailing lists completely. Moderation means, however, that someone has to take the time to review each message before it goes out. We have set up software here that simply allows the moderator to forward to an address at net.bio.net messages that (s)he wishes to have distributed. This takes no more time than that needed to read the message and pass it on, say about 1 min. per message. Most newsgroups currently have a discussion leader who is responsible for their newsgroup. The discussions leaders and their e-mail addresses are listed in the BIOSCI Information Sheet which is available on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. If a newsgroup is being hit with too many junk postings, please contact the discussion leader for that group and see if there is interest in moderating the group. Please do not assume that by simply posting a complaint to the newsgroup itself, anyone on the BIOSCI staff will act on your complaint. With close to 100 newsgroups to run, the BIOSCI staff has to rely on the discussion leaders of each newsgroup to report problems directly to us at biosci-help@net.bio.net. We will moderate any of our newsgroups if the discussion leader tells us that the readership of the group wishes to do so and if a moderator is willing to do the work. For most BIOSCI/bionet groups, this entails only a few minutes of work each day. Moderating a newsgroup will resolve probably 95% of the junk postings on the USENET distribution. Unfortunately there are easy ways for determined spammers to override the moderation mechanism on USENET, but we can protect our e-mail subscribers from unwanted postings if the newsgroup is moderated. You can also access our newsgroups over the WWW at URL http://www.bio.net. While this Web interface will not stop spammers from trying to post to the groups, this will give you yet another way, besides using USENET news, to keep the junk out of your personal mail files. For those of you with local USENET news systems, the Web interface will also give you faster access to new newsgroups and recent postings. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. ------------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE NOTE: The BIOSCI management does NOT act on subscription/unsubscription requests that are posted improperly to the newsgroups and mailing lists. People who do this only bother everyone on the lists to no avail. Please be sure to follow the proper procedures below. Gory details are in the BIOSCI Information sheets on the Web at http://www.bio.net. Below we give an example utilizing the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list at both of our two BIOSCI sites: Users in the Americas and Pacific Rim countries who use the BIOSCI ------------------------------------------------------------------ node at computer net.bio.net: ---------------------------- A) Determine the "listname" which is the <=8 character mail address ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ for the group. These can be found in the BIOSCI Info. Sheet. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS group the mailing address is methods@net.bio.net. The listname is the portion of the address to the left of the @ sign, i.e., "methods". The listname is used with the "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" commands illustrated below. B) Mail all commands in the body of a mail message addressed to biosci-server@net.bio.net. Do NOT send commands to the newsgroup posting addresses! Leave the Subject: line blank, any text on it will be ignored. C) In the body of your message put one or more of the following commands with an "end" command on the last line, e.g., subscribe methods unsubscribe methods end Do NOT put your e-mail address or other text on these lines. The server only allows you to cancel your subscription if the address on your mail header matches the address on our mailing list. Please ask for help at biosci-help@net.bio.net if your address has changed, e.g., if you know you are on the list but the server tells you that you are not a member. Users in Europe, Africa, and Central Asia who use the BIOSCI node at -------------------------------------------------------------------- computer daresbury.ac.uk (also known as dl.ac.uk): ------------------------------------------------- To subscribe and unsubscribe to/from the BIOSCI lists, you need to specify the full USENET newsgroup name with "bionet-news." prepended. The USENET newsgroup names are listed in the BIOSCI Information sheet on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list the USENET newsgroup name is bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts, thus the appropriate commands are sub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts unsub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts These commands are included in a message addressed to mxt@dl.ac.uk, NOT to the newsgroup mailing addresses. As usual, include the text in the body of the message as text on the Subject: line is ignored. To unsubscribe from all the lists at the UK node, use unsub bionet-news Please note that if the address in the list is different than the one in your mail message header, you will not be able to unsubscribe by this method. If you have problems, please mail biosci@daresbury.ac.uk. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. ----------------------------------------------------------- Please take this opportunity to add your name, address, and research interest information to the BIOSCI User Address Database if you have not already done so. You can fill out the address form directly through our Web page at URL http://www.bio.net/adrform.html. The address database is reindexed nightly for WWW access (the URL is http://www.bio.net/). If you are not directly on the Internet but can reach it by e-mail, please use our waismail server to access the user directory. waismail use is described above. You can also request a user address form by e-mail from biosci-help@net.bio.net. Please check your database entry from time-to-time to see if your address information is still up-to-date. Because of our limited personnel resources, we ask that you resubmit a *complete* form to revise your entry; we only replace complete entries and do not have resources to edit old forms. Sincerely, Dave Kristofferson BIOSCI/bionet Manager biosci-help@net.bio.net From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Jan 23 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 21 January 1996 Date: 23 Jan 1996 21:49:31 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 114 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4e4h9b$99l@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system in the previous week. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** NEW DOCUMENTS ON STIS ** Document Type: International Document Title: INT 96-01- 1995 SURVEY OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN JAPAN File size (bytes): STIS Filename: int9601.txt Also available: int9601.doc Document Type: Press Release Title: PR 96-2 NSF TACKLES SHUTDOWN BACKLOG AS MORE UNCERTAINTY LOOMS File size (bytes): STIS Filename: pr962.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 96-31 Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf95631.txt Title: NSF 96-22 Methods and Models for Integrated Assessment File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf9622.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Director, Division of Educational System Reform File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vep961l.txt Title: Oceanographer (Program Director) File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vex966.txt Title: Oceanographer (Program Director) File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vex967.txt Title: Information Management Supervisor (Section Head) File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vgs9617.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: Committees Title: NSF Advisory Committee Meetings File size (bytes): 9588 STIS Filename: cmmtg.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 96-13 - Networking Infrastructure for Education File size (bytes): 68643 STIS Filename: nsf9613.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Director, Division of Educational System Reform File size (bytes): 8018 STIS Filename: vep961c.txt Title: Director, Division of Educational Systems Reform File size (bytes): 6353 STIS Filename: vep961i.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The above files can be retrieved in electronic form using the STIS system. If you don't know how to use STIS, send an E-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet). You will receive a copy of the STIS flyer via E-mail. If you are already using STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov (Internet). Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve vep961i.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get vep961i.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve vep961i.txt, you would enter: ftp> get vep961i.txt WAIS or Gopher: Do a word search on the filename as shown in the summary. If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov" (Internet). If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov" (Internet). From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Jan 28 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 28 January 1996 Date: 29 Jan 1996 15:48:23 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 185 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ejmc7$qj9@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system in the previous week. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** NEW DOCUMENTS ON STIS ** Document Type: International Document Title: INT 96-05 Japanese Government's Basic Guidelines on Vitalization of Regional S&T Activities File size (bytes): STIS Filename: int9505.txt Also available: int9505.doc Title: INT 96-02 - STATUS ON RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND MACHINE TOOLS INDUSTRY IN JAPAN File size (bytes): 25183 STIS Filename: int9602.txt Also available: int9602.doc Title: INT 96-03 - STATUS ON RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND MACHINE TOOLS INDUSTRY IN JAPAN File size (bytes): 25182 STIS Filename: int9603.txt Also available: int9603.doc Document Type: Letter Title: NSF 96-38 CISE Dear Colleague Letter File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf9638.txt Document Type: News Title: Statement by THE NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD On Federal Investments in Science and Engineering File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsbst601.txt Title: Media Tipsheet January 23, 1996 File size (bytes): STIS Filename: tip60123.txt Document Type: Press Release Title: PR 96-03 $12.1 MILLION AWARD WILL CREATE NATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR RESEARCH ON VIOLENCE File size (bytes): STIS Filename: pr963.txt Title: NSF SUPPORTS PBS "BREAKTHROUGH" SERIES File size (bytes): STIS Filename: pr964.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: The National Medal of Science File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsb96mos.txt Title: NSF 95-112 - Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf95112.txt Title: NSF 96-14 International Opportunities for Scientists and Engineers File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf9614.txt Title: NSF 96-27 Management of Technological Innovation File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf9627.txt Title: NSF 96-31 Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure File size (bytes): STIS Filename: nsf9631.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Astronomer (Program Director for Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics) File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vex9608.txt Title: Astronomer (Program Director for Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics) File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vex9608a.txt Title: Office Automation Clerk, Computer Specialist, Science Aid/Technician, and Science Assistant File size (bytes): STIS Filename: vgs9619s.txt Document Type: Report Title: NSF-car95 Fiscal Year 1995 Career Program Awards File size (bytes): 1051 STIS Filename: nsfcar95.txt Also available: nsfcar95.xls nsfcar95.dlm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: International Document Title: INT 96-02 - STATUS ON RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND MACHINE TOOLS INDUSTRY IN JAPAN File size (bytes): 25183 STIS Filename: int9602.txt Also available: int9602.doc Title: INT 96-03 - STATUS ON RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY AND MACHINE TOOLS INDUSTRY IN JAPAN File size (bytes): 25182 STIS Filename: int9603.txt Also available: int9603.doc Document Type: Phone Book Title: NSF Alpha Telephone Directory File size (bytes): 113124 STIS Filename: phnalpha.txt Also available: phnalpha.dlm Title: NSF Organization Telephone Directory File size (bytes): 123208 STIS Filename: phnorg.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 96-9 -- NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science and Engineering Including Special Fellowship Opportunities for Visiting Scientists from Cooperation Partner Countries File size (bytes): 39876 STIS Filename: nsf969.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Senior Executive Service Nationwide Vacancy Listing File size (bytes): 22794 STIS Filename: sesvac.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The above files can be retrieved in electronic form using the STIS system. If you don't know how to use STIS, send an E-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet). You will receive a copy of the STIS flyer via E-mail. If you are already using STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov (Internet). Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve sesvac.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get sesvac.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve sesvac.txt, you would enter: ftp> get sesvac.txt WAIS or Gopher: Do a word search on the filename as shown in the summary. If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov" (Internet). If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov" (Internet). From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Jan 30 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Mary Hilts Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: R&D $ Date: 31 Jan 1996 15:02:10 -0800 Organization: Foresight Science & Technology Lines: 63 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <310FB0AB.2034@foresnt.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Science & Technology Newsgroups, We (Foresight Science & Technology) are under contract with the DoD to=20 assist them in finding candidates for their SBIR "Fast Track" program.=20 Through this program funds are available for research and technology=20 areas that fall within the DoD=92s mission. This task is awkward in this=20 particular forum (newsgroups) in that it is not research exchange, yet it= =20 is not advertisement either. What I believe it could be categorized as is= =20 information exchange; "The DoD has R&D money available, your readers may=20 be eligible, we are informing them of the availability of this funding".=20 If you have any questions, please e-mail me, I appreciate your=20 communication. Otherwise, please continue reading the following. Mary Hilts Foresight Science & Technology *************************************************************************= *********** Defense Department offering up to 4X match on private sector investments=20 in small technology companies. *************************************************************************= *********** DoD=92s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program will fund $450=20 million in=20 early-stage R&D projects at small technology companies in 1996, in=20 technology areas=20 that fall within the broad DoD mission. Effective immediately, DoD will=20 give its=20 highest priority in making SBIR awards to small companies that are able=20 to attract=20 independent third-party investors -- such as venture capital firms, large= =20 companies,=20 or "angel" investors. If selected for award, these small companies will=20 receive=20 uninterrupted DoD funding of up to $850,000 over a two-and-a-half year=20 period.=20 In practice, this means that an investor that offers to help fund an=20 early-stage=20 technology project at a small company can obtain a match of between $1=20 and $4 in=20 DoD SBIR funds for every $1 the investor puts in.=20 This new policy -- the SBIR "Fast Track" -- was approved for=20 implementation by=20 Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Technology) Dr. Paul Kaminski=20 in June, 1995. =20 Its purpose is to significantly increase DoD=92s success in converting SB= IR=20 research into=20 affordable, high-performance products which serve military and commercial= =20 customers. =20 For more information: * see the page entitled "DoD SBIR Fast Track" on the World Wide Web at=20 http://www.seeport.com/SBIR/fasttrk.htm * contact our DoD Fast Track listserver by e-mailing list@seeport.com=20 with the message=20 "join DoD" on the first line of your e-mail. * call David Speser at (407) 791-0720 or e-mail david@foresnt.com From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Wed Jan 31 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA CA-96-002 - V25(01) 01/26/96 Date: 31 Jan 1996 18:02:04 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 375 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ep6us$p8m@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$XID RFA CA96002 CA-96-002 P1O1 *************************************** DIETARY EXPOSURE TO AND EFFECTS OF PLANT FOOD CONSTITUENTS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 RFA: CA-96-002 P.T. 34; K.W. 0710095, 0715035, 0745027 National Cancer Institute Letter of Intent Receipt Date: February 20, 1996 Application Receipt Date: April 18, 1996 PURPOSE The Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks to encourage investigator-initiated research project grants (R)1) to assess dietary exposure to constituents of plant foods that may affect cancer risk and to assess their biological effects relative to cancer prevention in humans. The ultimate goal of the research to be supported is to increase knowledge of the role of plant food constituents in order to refine dietary guidance for the prevention of cancer in the population. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This Request for Applications (RFA), "Dietary Exposure to and Effects of Plant Food Constituents" is related to the priority areas of nutrition and cancer. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and private such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grant (R01) as the mechanism of support. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed four years. The anticipated award date is September 20, 1996. Because the nature and scope of the research proposed in response to this RFA may vary, it is anticipated that the size of an award will vary also. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited competing continuation applications will compete with all investigator-initiated applications and be reviewed according to the customary peer review procedures. FUNDS AVAILABLE Up to $2.0 million in total costs per year for up to four years will be committed specifically to fund applications that are submitted in response to this RFA. It is anticipated that eight to ten awards will be made. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. Although this program is provided for in the financial plans of the NCI, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Epidemiologic investigations (ecologic, cohort, and case-control studies) have shown remarkable consistency in finding lower risk for a variety of cancers among populations consuming large amounts of plant foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. The association is most marked for epithelial cancers, especially those of the alimentary and respiratory tracts, and is weaker for hormone-dependent cancers. The inverse association with cancer risk has been observed for a wide variety of dietary guidelines for Americans that encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables. They have also spurred development and expansion of the National Five A Day for Better Health program, a public-private partnership between the NCI and the Produce for Better Health Foundation to encourage Americans to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A large number of naturally occurring nutritive and non-nutritive constituents present in vegetables, fruits, and grain products has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in animals when fed in purified form and at pharmacologic levels. These include carotenoids; vitamin C; vitamin E; folic acid; selenium; dietary fiber; dithiolthiones, glucosinolates, indoles, isothiocyanates, and thiocyanates (found in cruciferous vegetables); coumarins; flavonoids; phenols; protease inhibitors (found in seeds and legumes); plant sterols; isoflavones; saponins; inositol hexaphosphate; allium compounds (found in onions, garlic, and chives); and limonene. Little information is available on the levels in food and the dietary intake of non-nutrient constituents of plant foods; the metabolism of plant food constituents in humans; the ability of various plant food constituents, when consumed at levels that can be obtained from foods in the diet, to modify cancer risk; and the mechanisms of action of their putative anticarcinogenic effects. Even less is known about interactions among the various plant constituents and with other components of the diet. Expansion of ongoing research is needed to proved a better understanding of the potential impacts of various constituents of plant foods on human cancer prevention, including information on dietary exposure, metabolism, and mechanisms of action. Such information should aid in refining dietary guidance on the amounts and types of plant foods that have the potential to reduce cancer risk. Specific Objectives Applications for multidisciplinary, investigator-initiated research project grants (RO1) examining plant food constituents that may mediate the cancer preventive effects of diets high in fruits and vegetables are encouraged by this RFA. Studies to develop methodologies for the identification and quantification of such non-nutrient constituents in food will be considered, as will studies to develop improved analytical methods for the identification and quantification of plant food constituents and their metabolites in biological specimens. Encompassed within the scope of this RFA are assessments of food composition and dietary exposure to non-nutrient plant food constituents, as well as the development of biomarkers for exposure to plant food constituents. Also encouraged are studies of plant constituents' biological activity, absorption, metabolism, and mechanisms of action and interactions for cancer prevention in humans. Although the major emphasis of this RFA is to address the effects of foods and diet in human subjects, the use of animal models may be considered provided its relevance to human cancer prevention can be justified. Proposed studies that include use of purified compounds should be designed to assess levels that can be obtained >From foods in the diet, rather than nonphysiologic levels. Some (non-exhaustive) examples of relevant research areas are as follows: o Determining the amounts of non-nutritive constituents in plant foods and the amounts consumed in typical diets; o Elucidating molecular and cellular mechanisms of actions for possible anticarcinogenic effects of plant food constituents; o Examining the impact of interactions among various plant food constituents on their role(s) in cancer prevention; o Defining dose-response relationships for nutrient and non-nutrient plant food constituents on molecular and cellular events and alterations in metabolic pathways; o Identifying biochemical markers as quantitative measures of plant food intake, digestion, absorption, metabolic breakdown of specific nutrient and/or non-nutrient constituents; and o Determining the bioavailability of nutrient and non-nutrient plant food constituents at various intakes and from different food sources. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results >From the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March 18, 1994. Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by February 20, 1996, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NCI staff to estimate the potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: Susan M. Pilch, Ph.D. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza North, Room 212 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-8573 FAX: (301) 402-0553 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. these forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research; from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: girg@drgpo.drg.nih.gov; and from the program administrator listed under INQUIRIES. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that is may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three signed photocopies, in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier services) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be sent to: Ms. Toby Friedberg Division of Extramural Activities National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza North, Room 636 6130 Executive Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20892 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier services) Applications must be received by April 18, 1996. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique. Applicants from institutions that have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources may wish to identify the GCRC as a resource for conducting the proposed research. In such a case, a letter of agreement from either the GCRC program director or principal investigator should be included with the application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG and responsiveness by the NCI. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. If the application is no responsive to the RFA, it well be returned to the applicant, who may submit it for review in competition with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and may undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board. Review Criteria o scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of proposed research; o appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and methodology proposed to carry out the research; o qualifications and research experience of the Principal Investigator and staff, particularly, but not exclusively, in the area of the proposed research; o availability of the resources necessary to perform the research; o appropriateness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the proposed research; and o adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. The initial review group will also examine the provisions for the protection of human subjects and the safety of the research environment, as well as conformance with the NIH Guidelines for the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research. AWARD CRITERIA Scientific merit, as reflected by the priority score; availability of funds; and programmatic priorities will be considered in making awards pursuant to this RFA. The anticipated date of award is September 30, 1996. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarity any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Susan M. Pilch, Ph.D. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza North, Room 212 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-8573 FAX: (301) 402-0553 Email: PilchS@dcpcepn.nci.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Barbara A. Fisher Grants Administration Branch National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza South, Room 243 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-7800 Ext. 229 FAX: (301) 496-8601 EMAIL: FisherB@gab.nci.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.399, Cancer Control. Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Services Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Wed Jan 31 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH Guide, vol. 25, no. 01, 26 January 1996 Date: 31 Jan 1996 18:00:12 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 481 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ep6rc$p21@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$XID NIHGUIDE 19960126 V25N01 P2O2 ************************************ solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data Line 301-402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Nancy K. Simpson, Sc.M. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control National Cancer Institute 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 305 MSC 7342 Bethesda, MD 20892-7342 Telephone: (301) 496-3893 FAX: (301) 496-8667 Email: SIMPSONN@DCPCEPN.NCI.NIH.GOV $$R5 END ************************************************************ $$R6 BEGIN RR-96-001 FULL-TEXT ************************************** EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 RFA AVAILABLE: RR-96-001 P.T. 02; K.W. 1002002 National Center for Research Resources Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 22, 1996 Application Receipt Date: April 19, 1996 PURPOSE The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) is authorized under Public Law (PL) 103-43, Sections 481A and 481B of the Public Health Service Act (PHS), as amended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act, to "make grants to public and nonprofit private entities to expand, remodel, renovate or alter existing research facilities or construct new research facilities" for biomedical and behavioral research and research training. The President's Fiscal Year 1996 budget request for the NIH includes $11 million in the budget of the NCRR for extramural facilities construction grants to be awarded competitively, with special provisions made for institutions of emerging excellence, designated under section 739 of the PHS Act as revised in PL 102-408, and the Regional Primate Research Centers (RPRCs). It is anticipated that eight to ten new awards (C06) at different levels will be made. INQUIRIES The RFA, which describes the objectives, application procedures, review considerations and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301-402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov); and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Dr. Charles L. Coulter Research Infrastructure Area National Center for Research Resources 6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 6148 MSC 7965 Bethesda, MD 20892-7965 Telephone: (301) 435-0766 FAX: (301) 480-3770 Email: charlesc@ep.ncrr.nih.gov $$R6 END ************************************************************ $$R7 BEGIN DE-96-003 FULL-TEXT ************************************** UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF ORAL MANIFESTATIONS OF HIV INFECTION NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 RFA AVAILABLE: DE-96-003 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715008, 0715125, 0705048 National Institute of Dental Research Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 26, 1996 Application Receipt Date: April 26, 1996 PURPOSE The National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) invites from biomedical and behavioral investigators applications for the support of research designed to advance an understanding of the underlying mechanisms, i.e., molecular, genetic, and behavioral, that result in the development of oral complications associated with HIV-infection and AIDS. The overall goal of this RFA is to encourage research aimed at developing state-of-the art biomedical and behavioral methodologies for the prevention and treatment of these pathologies. Since the current AIDS grant portfolio of the NIDR supports a large number of epidemiological studies as well as studies on the basic biology of candida, applications for support of research on these topics is discouraged. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000" a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Underlying Mechanisms of Oral Manifestations of HIV Infection, is related to the priority area of HIV infection. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The RFA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (301-402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Dr. Eleni Kousvelari Division of Extramural Research National Institute of Dental Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-18A Bethesda, MD 20892-2419 Telephone: (301) 594-2427 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Kousvelari@DE45.nidr.nih.gov $$R7 END ************************************************************ $$P1 BEGIN PA-96-013 FULL-TEXT ************************************** DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION THROUGH FAMILY INTERVENTION NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PA-96-013 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404009, 0745027, 0730010 National Institute on Drug Abuse PURPOSE The purpose of this program announcement (PA) is to solicit applications for support of research to test, under controlled conditions, the efficacy and effectiveness of theory-based drug abuse prevention intervention for families at risk for abusing drugs. For the purpose of this PA, the term family can have a broad definition to include: family of origin; family of procreation; biological kin; nonrelated persons who consider themselves part of the family through mutual commitment or a combination of these. The family may live in one household, or members may live in different households. Research has demonstrated that there are a number of precursors to the initiation of substance abuse, many of which relate to risk or protective factors in the family. One of the primary responsibilities of the family is a protective function. The family is seen as a first line of defense in imparting psychological infrastructures such as self esteem to prevent vulnerability to drug abuse. In many situations, however, the family is not able to assume the function of nurturance and protection and may be considered a risk factor contributing to vulnerability. Therefore, it is important that family prevention interventions reduce family risk factors and foster protective factors to negate the initiation of drug abuse. This PA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grant (R01), small grant (R03) and the FIRST (R29) award. Because the type and scope of proposed research responsive to this Program Announcement may vary, it is anticipated that the size and period of the award will also vary. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, Drug Abuse Prevention through Family Intervention, is related to the priority area of alcohol and other drugs. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Rebecca Ashery D.S.W. Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research National Institute on Drug Abuse 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9A-53 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-1514 FAX: (301) 443-2636 Email: RAshery@AOADA.SSW.DHHS.GOV $$P1 END ************************************************************ $$P2 BEGIN PA-96-014 FULL-TEXT ************************************** MODELS FOR HIV DISEASE AND AIDS-RELATED MALIGNANCIES NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PA-96-014 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715008, 0755020, 0765033 National Cancer Institute National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases PURPOSE This Program Announcement (PA) is a reissuance of PA-95-021 with a similar title, which appeared in the NIH GUIDE, Vol. 24, No. 2, January 20, 1995. The purpose of the reissuance is to expand the scope to include refinement of mathematical models and new paradigms of HIV pathogenesis. This PA reflects a continuing joint effort by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to encourage investigators to develop useful and predictive biochemical, cellular, in vivo and mathematical models for the preclinical evaluation of new therapies against HIV disease and AIDS-related malignancies. The availability of well-characterized in vitro and in vivo models would accelerate the pace of evaluation of different paradigms of disease progression and would facilitate the discovery of successful treatments, including drugs, vaccines, gene therapy, and immune modulators. Research support mechanisms for this PA include the investigator-initiated research project grant (R01) or FIRST (R29) award. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, Models for HIV Disease and AIDS-Related Malignancies, is related to the priority areas of human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS and cancer. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this program, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301-402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Dr. Nava Sarver Division of AIDS National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 6003 Executive Boulevard, Room 2C01 MSC 7620 Bethesda, MD 20892-7620 Telephone: (301) 496-8197 FAX: (301) 402-3211 Email: ns18p@nih.gov Dr. Mary K. Wolpert Division of Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis, and Centers National Cancer Institute 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 832 MSC 7450 Bethesda, MD 20892-7450 Telephone: (301) 496-8783 FAX: (301) 496-8333 $$P2 END ************************************************************ $$P3 BEGIN PAR-96-015 FULL-TEXT ************************************* SMALL GRANT PROGRAM FOR CONFERENCE SUPPORT NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PAR-96-015 P.T. 42; K.W. 0710030 Agency for Health Care Policy and Research PURPOSE The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) was established to improve the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health care services and access to these services. These purposes are achieved by supporting research and by promoting improvements in clinical practice and in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care services. Also, AHCPR supports conferences on issues relevant to health services research. Some are supported by the awarding of small grants (grants with direct costs of $50,000 or less). This program announcement describes the procedures and criteria for the AHCPR Small Grant Program for Conferences. Examples of the types of conferences eligible for support include those with purposes in Research Development, Design and Methodology, or Dissemination. This program announcement supersedes the small conference grant portion of "Health Service Research Conference Grants," PA-91-61, published in the NIH Guide on May 31, 1991 and in the Federal Register on July 15, 1991. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. AHCPR encourages applicants to conduct conferences that addresses these objectives. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone 202-512-1800. INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221) and the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Christine G. Williams, M.Ed. Center for Health Information Dissemination Agency for Health Care Policy and Research 2101 East Jefferson Street, Suite 501 Rockville, MD 20852-4908 Telephone: (301) 594-1360, ext. 145 FAX: (301) 594-2286 $$P3 END ************************************************************ $$P4 BEGIN PAR-96-016 FULL-TEXT ************************************* GRANTS FOR HEALTH SERVICES DISSERTATION RESEARCH NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PAR-96-016 P.T. 34; K.W. 0730050, 0730021, 0408006 Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Application Receipt Dates: May 1 and November 15 annually PURPOSE The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) was established to improve the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of health care services and access to these services. These purposes are achieved by supporting research and by promoting improvements in clinical practice and in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care services. The AHCPR announces the small grant (R03) program for Health Services Dissertation Research, which supports research undertaken as part of an academic program to qualify for a doctorate. Through this support, AHCPR seeks to increase the number of researchers who study health care systems and the cost, quality, and impact of health care services. Applications are accepted from students seeking a doctorate in disciplines relevant to health services research. Total direct costs, under this program announcement, must not exceed $30,000 for the entire project period. This program announcement supersedes "Grants for Health Services Dissertation Research," HS-95-002, published in the NIH Guide, Vol. 23, No. 31, August 19, 1994. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. AHCPR encourages applicants to conduct research that addresses these objectives. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone 202-512-1800. INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the contact listed below. Global Exchange Inc. 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 400 Bethesda, MD 20814-3015 Telephone: (301) 656-3100 FAX: (301) 652-5264 Copies of the PA document can also be requested through AHCPR InstantFAX at (301) 594-2800. To use InstantFAX, you must call from a facsimile (FAX) machine with a telephone handset. Use the key pad on the receiver when responding to prompts from InstantFAX. The PA will be sent at the end of the ordering process. AHCPR InstantFAX operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For questions about this service, call AHCPR's Division of Communications at 301/594-1364 ext. 159. Those considering applying in response to this program announcement are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects with AHCPR program administrators before formal submission. The AHCPR welcomes the opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues, including suitability of research topics and information on the policy of inclusion of women and minorities in study populations, to: Dissertation Program Coordinator Office of Scientific Affairs Agency for Health Care Policy and Research 2101 East Jefferson Street, Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852-4908 Telephone: (301) 594-1449 Email: small@po7.ahcpr.gov $$P4 END ************************************************************ $$P5 BEGIN PA-96-017 FULL-TEXT ************************************** NCRR SHARED INSTRUMENTATION GRANT NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PA-96-017 P.T. 18; K.W. 0735000 National Center for Research Resources Application Receipt Date: March 27, 1996 PURPOSE The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) announces the availability of a Program Announcement (PA), the purpose of which is to continue the competitive NCRR Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program initiated in Fiscal Year 1982. The (1992) National Report on Academic Research Equipment and Equipment Needs for Biological Sciences, cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation, identified research equipment of the type provided through this program as top-priority. The objective of the program is to make available to institutions with a high concentration of NIH-supported biomedical investigators expensive research instruments that can only be justified on a shared-use basis and for which meritorious research projects are described. Awards under this PA will use the Shared Instrumentation Grant mechanism (S10). INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this program, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301-402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Marjorie A. Tingle, Ph. D. Director, Shared Instrumentation Grant Program National Center for Research Resources 6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 6154 MSC 7965 Bethesda, MD 20892- 7965 Telephone: (301) 435-0772 FAX: (301) 480-3775 Email: SIG@EP.NCRR.NIH.GOV $$P5 END ************************************************************ From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Wed Jan 31 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA OD-96-002 - V25(01) 01/26/96 Date: 31 Jan 1996 18:01:00 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 735 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ep6ss$p42@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$XID RFA OD96002 OD-96-002 P1O1 *************************************** RESEARCH ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND VIOLENCE WITHIN THE FAMILY NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 RFA: OD-96-002 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404023, 0755030, 0745027 National Institute of Justice, DOJ Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH Office of Research on Women's Health, NIH National Institute on Aging, NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH National Institute of Mental Health, NIH National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, ACF Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Application Receipt Date: March 29, 1996 PURPOSE The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) invite applications for a three-year research grant program to conduct investigator-initiated research on the causes, course, treatment, management, and prevention of violence against women and violence within the family, as well as the health and legal consequences of this violence for victims. These agencies are jointly issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) because violence against women and family violence are complex problems that are likely caused by a myriad of factors, including individual-, family-, and community-level elements. Thus, a research program to understand and address these problems must necessarily be interdisciplinary, drawing upon theories and approaches not normally found in a single agency. Gathering sufficient resources for such an approach requires a multi-agency investment. One of the goals of this RFA is to bring together perspectives of these different agencies, encompassing criminal justice, mental health, public health and prevention, alcohol and substance abuse, and child development perspectives, to advance our knowledge of violence against women and family violence. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000" a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Research on Violence Against Women and Violence within the Family, is related to the priority areas of alcohol and other drugs, mental health and mental disorders, and violent and abusive behaviors. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No.017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY Applications may be submitted by any domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health Research Project Grant (R01) and Small Grant (R03) mechanisms. Because the nature and scope of the research proposed in response to this RFA will vary, it is anticipated that the size of the awards will also vary. The small grant (R03) is especially suited for initial research by junior investigators and pilot research prior to large-scale field trials. Grant funds may be used for expenses clearly related and necessary to conduct the proposed research, including both direct costs and allowable indirect costs. Grant funds may not be used to operate a treatment, rehabilitation, or other service program. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact NIH staff before completing an application, in order to ascertain the dollar limitations associated with each program mechanism. Applications may request support for up to three years for regular research grants. Small grants are limited to two years and may not be renewed. Annual awards will be made, subject to continued availability of funds and progress achieved. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited competing continuation applications will compete with all investigator-initiated applications and be reviewed according to the customary peer review procedures. FUNDS AVAILABLE The estimated total funds (direct and indirect costs) available for the first year of support for awards under this RFA will be $1,435,000. Five to seven awards are anticipated. The exact amount of funding awarded will depend on the quality of applications and program priorities at the time of award decisions. Final budgets are subject to administrative adjustments based on the scope of the proposed work and the research protocol. The projected study period is up to three years. The NIH is currently limiting annual inflationary increases to no more than four percent for future years of support. The usual PHS policies governing grants administration and management will apply. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Through the 1992-1993 National Crime Victimization Survey we know that 75 percent of the nearly 5 million women over age 11 who experienced violence in 1992 knew their attacker. This survey also found that women who experienced violence at the hands of an intimate were more likely to be injured than women who were victimized by a stranger, and that female victims of homicide were significantly more likely to be killed by an intimate than were male victims of homicide (Bachman & Saltzman,"Violence Against Women: Estimates from the Redesigned Survey," Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 1995). Many of these violent attacks are accompanied by the abuse of alcohol and other substances. As many as 75 percent of men against whom restraining orders are issued have prior criminal records, and nearly half have histories of committing violent crime (Isaac, Cochran, Brown, & Adams, "Men Who Batter," Archives of Family Medicine, 1994). Violence against women, both within and outside the home, often takes the form of sexual assault. It has been estimated that almost one in four women may be a victim of sexual assault sometime during their lifetime, and that 73% of the women in drug abuse treatment have histories of physical and sexual assault (Resnick, Kilpatrick, et al., Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61 (6), 1993). The efficacy of programs to prevent or treat perpetrators and victims of family violence or other violence against women is as yet unknown. Moreover, both offenders and victims of violence often have co- occurring problems with abuse of alcohol and other drugs that family violence programs rarely address these comorbid conditions. Both child abuse and elder abuse are serious and widespread problems. In 1993, State child protective services agencies reported to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) that over 233,000 children were victims of confirmed child physical abuse and nearly 140,000 children were victims of confirmed sexual abuse. In 1994, a reported 1,271 children died as a result of child abuse and neglect, and an estimated 3,140,000 children were reported for maltreatment (National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, April 1995). In 43 percent of serious child abuse or neglect cases, at least one parent has a documented substance abuse problem, typically with alcohol, cocaine, or heroin (Murphy, Jellinek, Quinn, Smith, Poitrast, & Goshko, Child Abuse & Neglect, 15 (3), 1991). Being abused or neglected as a child increases the risk of arrest as a juvenile by 53 percent, as an adult by 38 percent, and for a violent crime by 38 percent (Widom, "The cycle of violence", Science, 244, 1989). While one out of three child abuse cases is reported, only one out of every eight cases of elder abuse is reported (survey of States, the Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care). Nearly 1.57 million older people became victims of elder abuse during 1991 (National Aging Resource Center on Elder Abuse). This RFA is a joint effort of the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services. Within the Department of Justice, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is contributing support for this project, in line with its announced goals and mandates. Among the long-range goals of the NIJ relevant to this RFA are: reduce violent crime, reduce the consequences of crime, and improve the effectiveness of crime prevention programs. In addition, this RFA is also responsive to NIJ's mandates under Title IV, the Violence Against Women Act, of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the Crime Act). Title IV mandates a variety of specific studies and evaluation efforts, including the development of a research agenda to increase the understanding and control of violence against women. On March 31, 1995, NIJ and HHS held a Violence against Women Research Strategic Planning Workshop to further the goals outlined in Title IV. Researchers and practitioners working with violence against women and family violence were convened to develop an agenda of top priority research topics. The summary report from that Workshop was used as the basis for the research agenda of this RFA. This program will support research designed to assist policy makers, practitioners, and other key health and social service decision makers plan their efforts to address family violence and violence against women. This program is being coordinated under the auspices of the Office of Behavior and Social Science Research (OBSSR) of the National Institutes of Health. OBSSR provides leadership and direction in increasing the scope and support of research on the role of human behavior and social processes in the promotion of health and prevention of disease, including violence against women and violence within the family. Several of NIH's Institutes and Offices have joined with OBSSR in the support of this project, and each seeks to encourage research related to its own mission. The NIH Office of Research on Women's Health seeks to strengthen, develop, and increase research on the diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect women's health, and is interested in stimulating research on all aspects of violence against women. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is interested in research on violence against older women from their own children, as well as violence in later life as a continuation of domestic abuse from earlier life periods, or as related to aging processes and emergent in old age. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks to expand its ongoing research program of studies to advance understanding of the biological, psychosocial, and cultural mechanisms underlying associations between alcohol consumption and interpersonal violence, and to identify and test interventions to reduce and/or prevent alcohol-related violence. The commitment of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to this RFA is part of an initiative to gain a better understanding of the relationship between drugs and violence, through the investigation of the interactive roles of biological, psychological, psychiatric, familial, cultural, community, and other societal factors that predispose individuals to, or protect them from, drug-related violence, as well as the study of the effects of drug treatment and preventive interventions on the occurrence of violence. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is interested in research on all forms of violence against women and family violence, including studies of the etiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of violent behavior, and the psychological consequences of violence on victims. This RFA is responsive to a number of the recommendations in the April 1994 report of the Panel on NIH Research on Antisocial, Aggressive, and Violence-Related Behaviors and Their Consequences,including: Recommendation 1: "NIH should collaborate with other government agencies to promote violence-related research," and Recommendation 15: "Ethnic and cultural concerns need to be integrated into all phases of research." Other agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services are also contributing funds for the support of this RFA. The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN), within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funds research on the causes, prevention, identification, treatment and cultural distinctions of child abuse and neglect. NCCAN's support of this RFA is stimulated by the profound changes currently facing child welfare practitioners as the complex consequences of domestic violence on children are exposed. This RFA also directly relates to the mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's violence-related research activities are directed toward preventing the occurrence of injury and disability resulting from interpersonal violence. CDC supports prevention research which includes activities designed to identify and improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of preventive interventions for violence against women, as well as other violence-related injury and disability. The National Academy of Sciences is currently conducting a major panel study of family violence interventions, with sponsorship by several Federal agencies, as well as a panel study on the development of a research agenda on violence against women. This RFA acknowledges that work, and anticipates that applications supported under this program will contribute to the objectives of those agendas. Types of Research Sought Through this RFA, the NIH, NIJ, NCCAN, CDC and OJJDP seek to encourage investigator-initiated research designed to improve our understanding of the nature and course, as well as effective strategies to prevent, sexual and physical assault against women and family members, and to ameliorate the effects of such violence on its victims. Only projects proposing rigorous scientific research designs will be considered; service demonstrations or other types of service programs are not eligible for funding under this RFA. The topics listed below are not exhaustive; it is expected that additional important topics will be identified by investigators who respond to this solicitation RFA. Projects may focus on: the perpetrator and/or victims of violence; the dynamics of the relationship between perpetrator and victim; the relationship of drugs and alcohol to violence; the family system in which violence occurs; and the larger social contexts of violence, such as individual or family support systems, neighborhood and community programs and resources (e.g., safe houses, health care system), and mandated community response agencies (e.g., the police, protective service agencies, treatment providers). Four research topic areas of particular interest are: Abuse of Children and Elderly Studies in this area may include examinations of: the relationship between the characteristics of the abuser and the abusive behavior; factors (e.g., substance abuse) that influence family members to move >From minor to more severe abusive behavior of children or elderly parents; impact of neglect or witnessing family violence on children in terms of later problem behavior or victimization; interventions to prevent or treat long-term negative emotional consequences of experiencing violence in the family; the effectiveness of preventive intervention models targeted toward at-risk individuals or families (e.g., early home visitation, parent training programs, family preservation services, substance abuse treatment; couples therapy, elderly day programs, support groups for caregivers); violent behavior in later life either as a continuation of family violence or newly emergent in old age. Partner Violence Studies of partner violence may include, but are not limited to, examinations of: types of abusive/assaultive behaviors and their developmental course; effects of partner battering on special populations (e.g., pregnant, substance abusing, or older women); replicable treatment interventions with perpetrators and/or victims of partner violence; the efficacy of legal processes both separately and in combination with court-ordered treatment; role of risk and protective factors in partner violence, such as individual and family history (e.g., drug and alcohol abuse, exposure to violence, aggressive behavior), situational factors (e.g., presence of witnesses, alcohol or other drugs, or weapons; alternative court and dispute resolution procedures), and sociocultural context (e.g., ethnicity and different cultural expectations about behavior among kin and the meaning of violence). Sexual Violence Examples of studies in this area include research on: risk and protective factors that may affect vulnerability to victimization by, or perpetration of, sexual abuse, sexual assault, or sexual harassment, including intrapersonal, familial, workplace, cultural, and community factors; impact of sexual abuse by parents or caretakers on developmental progress; programs to prevent initiation of sexual offenses tailored to alcohol and other drug use or developmental stage (e.g., school programs for children on healthy sexuality and substance abuse prevention, high school educational programs to prevent date rape); the efficacy of legal processes on offender participation in treatment and on treatment outcomes; interventions for sexual assault victims in various social and community settings; different intervention models with various social and cultural groups and different types of communities (e.g., urban versus rural). Multiple Violence Studies in this area encompass both perpetrators of multiple acts of violence, and victims exposed to more than one incident or type of violence. Examples include research on: the prevalence of, and risk factors for, multiply violent families (i.e., family members engaging in multiple forms of violence both within and outside the family context); the proportion of violence accounted for by these families;the relationships among different forms of family violence (child abuse, elderly abuse, partner assault) and substance abuse; rates and types of exposure to dual victimization (e.g., both witnessing parental assault and experiencing child abuse); the impact of exposure to violence following multiple or long-term victimization, and its implications for intervention. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS It is anticipated that a successful grant application will contain the following key elements: Annual Meetings Successful applicants will be asked to participate in yearly meetings to report progress, discuss problems, and share information related to the conduct of their grants. It is recommended that costs associated with attendance at these meetings, to be held in the Washington DC area, be included as a part of the budget proposal. Community Involvement This RFA allows for many types of research, some of which will be community-based or involve local organizations. In such studies, the cooperation and participation of the groups, organizations, and communities that are the focus of the study are essential elements of the research. Members of the community and its local organizations may be important sources of innovative ideas for research addressing violence-related problems. In response to the recommendations of the DHHS Secretary's Blue Ribbon Panel on Violence Prevention, applicants are strongly encouraged to create an advisory panel that includes community members to assist them during all phases of the project. Community representatives may be given a voice in choosing research topics, developing the application, collecting data, or interpreting the results, among other possibilities. Community input may be most meaningful and best utilized if it is built into the research process from the outset. Special attention should be directed toward the particular concerns of racial and ethnic minority group members and women, and intervention services designed to be appropriate to them. Involvement of a researcher or a community service agency that is viewed as an integral part of the community, and is well respected in the community, may greatly enhance the quality of the research study. Researchers may also take other steps that directly benefit the community and, when focusing on racial minorities, involve an historically black college or recruit staff from the community. Since participant recruitment and retention in dealing with sensitive subjects is essential, researchers should frame the research project in a way that provides incentives for participation. Upon completion, projects should provide feedback to the cooperating community. Publication of Study Findings The statutory mandate of the NIJ is to both support research and disseminate the results of the research. Given this, the NIJ intends to publish the results of these research projects. It is therefore expected that at the completion of the project, in addition to any publications specified in the application, the grant recipient will submit a brief (2,500 to 4,000 words) summary highlighting the findings and their implications for research and policy. Publication will acknowledge the joint support of the agencies participating in this RFA. Participation in Data Archive It is expected that grant recipients conducting research related to child abuse and neglect will participate in the NCCAN sponsored National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect. The primary activity of the Archive is the acquisition, preservation, and dissemination of high quality datasets relevant to the study of child abuse and neglect and their subsequent secondary analysis. Information about preparing datasets for inclusion in the Archive at the completion of a funded study can be obtained from the Archive director (Patrick Collins, Cornell University, 607-255-0949, e-mail: PTC1@cornell.edu). NIJ is similarly committed to ensuring the public availability of research data and to this end has established a Data Resources Program. Recipients who collect data are required to submit a machine-readable copy of the data and appropriate documentation to NIJ prior to the conclusion of the project. A variety of formats are acceptable; however, the data and materials must conform with requirements detailed in Depositing Data within the Data Resources Program of the National Institute of Justice: A Handbook. For further information about NIJ's Data resources Program, contact Dr. Pamela Lattimore, (202)307-2961. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH-supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results >From the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations) which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some new provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which has been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513), and reprinted in the NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS of March 18, 1994, Volume 23, Number 11. Investigators may obtain copies from these sources of >From the program staff or contact the person listed below. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. These forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910 Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: girg@drgpo.drg.nih.gov. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title "Violence against women and within the family," and number "OD-96-002," must be typed under item 2 of the face page of the application form and check the YES box. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three signed, exact photocopies, in one package to: Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710 Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent under separate cover to: Susan D. Solomon, Ph.D. Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research National Institutes of Health Building One, Room 156 One Center Drive, MSC 0155 Bethesda, MD 20892 All applicants must provide a Protection of Human Subjects Assurance as specified in the policy described on the HHS Form 596. If there is a question regarding the applicability of this assurance, contact the Office for Protection from Research Risks of the National Institutes of Health at (301)-496-7041. Applicants who have been selected for funding may also wish at that time to apply for a Certificate of Confidentiality as part of their plan to maintain confidentiality for research participants. To obtain more information and to apply for a Certificate of Confidentiality, under the authority of Section 301(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 82421(d) to protect against involuntary disclosure of the identities of research subjects, contact the Office of Policy and Analysis, National Institute of Mental Health, 9-95 Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857 (telephone: 301/443- 4673). For certificates of confidentially related to studies of substance abuse, the appropriate contact is: Jackie Porter, Office of Extramural Program Review, National Institute of Drug Abuse, 10-42 Parklawn Building, (telephone: 301/443-2755). Specific questions concerning protection of human subjects may be directed to the program staff named below. Applications must be received by March 29, 1996. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications previously reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG, and for responsiveness by the DHHS/DOJ program staff. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. In addition, if program staff find that the application is not responsive to the RFA, it will be returned without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened in accordance with NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the National Advisory Council of the relevant NIH institute. Applications will be judged on the following criteria: o Significance and originality of proposed research. o Scientific and technical merit criteria specific to the objectives of the RFA. o Rigor, appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed scientific model, design, and methodology. o Qualifications and research experience of the Principal Investigator and staff, particularly but not exclusively in the area of the proposed research (e.g., in conducting interdisciplinary research). o Feasibility of procedures for obtaining and maintaining the necessary community relations, input, and participation over time, as well as documentation of a representative community and scientific advisory panel and/or evidence of the commitment and nature of proposed collaboration of community agencies outside the applicant organization, where these are appropriate to the objectives of the proposed project. o Availability of resources necessary to perform the research. o Appropriateness of budget and duration estimates for the proposed research. o Adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for recruitment and retention of participants will also be evaluated. o For applications involving activities that could have an adverse effect upon participants or the environment, the adequacy of the proposed means for protecting against or minimizing such effects. o For foreign applications, availability of special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions not readily available in the United States or that provide enhancement of existing U.S. resources, must be addressed. RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHEDULE Application Receipt Date: March 29, 1996 Initial Review: May/June 1996 Advisory Council Review: September 1996 Earliest Start Date: September 30, 1996 AWARD CRITERIA Funding decisions will be made on the basis of scientific and technical merit as determined by peer review, program needs and priorities, potential policy and practice relevance, and the availability of funds. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. DHHS and DOJ program staff are available for consultation concerning application development before or during the process of preparing an application. Potential applicants should contact program staff as early as possible for information and assistance in initiating the application process and developing an application. Inquiries regarding programmatic issues may be directed to: Susan D. Solomon, Ph.D. Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research National Institutes of Health Building 1, Room 156 One Center Drive, MSC 0155 Bethesda, MD 20857-0155 Telephone: (301) 496-0979 FAX: (301) 402-3469 Email: susan_solomon@nih.gov Bernard Auchter National Institute of Justice 633 Indiana Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20531 Telephone: (202) 307-0154 FAX: (202) 307-6394 Email: auchter@justice.usdoj.gov Katrina Johnson, Ph.D. Behavioral and Social Research National Institute on Aging Gateway Building, Room 533 7201 Wisconsin Avenue MSC 9205 Bethesda, MD 20892-9205 Telephone: (301) 402-4156 FAX: (301) 402-0051 Email: Katrina_Johnson@nih.gov Susan E. Martin, Ph.D. Prevention Research Branch National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 505 Rockville, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 443-8767 FAX: (301) 443-8774 Email: smartin@willco.niaaa.nih.gov Donald R. Vereen, Jr., M.D., M.P.H. Office of the Director National Institute on Drug Abuse 5600 Fishers Lane, Room # 10-05 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-6480 FAX: (301) 443-9127 Email: dvereen@aoada2.ssw.dhhs.gov Chester L. Pogostin, DVM, MPA Division of Violence Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4770 Buford Highway, NE Mailstop K60 Atlanta, GA 30341 Telephone: (404) 488-4410 FAX: (404) 488-4349 Email: CLP3@CIPCOD1.EM.CDC.GOV Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: David Reiter GCMO/National Institute on Aging Gateway Building, Room 2N212 7201 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20892-9205 Telephone: (301) 466-1472 FAX: (301) 402-3672 Email: reiterd@gw.nia.nih.gov Joseph Weeda Grants Management Branch National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard, Suite 504 Rockville, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 443-4703 FAX: (301) 443-3891 Email: JWeeda@WILLCO.NIAAA.NIH.GOV Gary Fleming, J.D., M.A. Office of Planning and Resource Management National Institute on Drug Abuse Parklawn Building, Room 8A-54 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-6710 FAX: (301) 594-6847 Email: gfleming@aoada2.ssw.dhhs.gov Diana Trunnell Grants Management Branch National Institute of Mental Health Parklawn Building, Room 7C-08 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-3056 FAX: (301) 443-6885 Email: diana_trunnell@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Nos. 16.540 (OJJDP), 16.560 (NIJ), 93.242 (NIMH), 93.262 (CDC), 93.273 (NIAAA), 93.279 (NIDA), 93.670 (NCCAN), and 93.886 (NIA). Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title I, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and are administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52, and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive order 12372, or Health Systems Agency Review. Awards by PHS agencies will be administered under PHS grants policy as stated in the Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement (April 1, 1994). The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the nonuse of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Wed Jan 31 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA AA-96-001 - V25(01) 01/26/96 Date: 31 Jan 1996 18:01:33 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 598 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <4ep6tt$p5i@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net $$XID RFA AA96001 AA-96-001 P1O1 *************************************** MANAGED CARE AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT SERVICES NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 1, January 26, 1996 RFA: AA-96-001 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404003, 0730050, 0408006 National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 15, 1996 Application Receipt Date: April 11, 1996 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks research applications that are aimed at increasing the knowledge base on the impact of managed care on the delivery of alcohol treatment services. This Request for Applications (RFA) invites research applications that evaluate the impact of the full spectrum of managed care approaches on the availability, accessibility, quality, effectiveness, outcomes, and costs of alcohol treatment services. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Managed Care and Alcohol Treatment Services, is related to the priority areas of alcohol abuse reduction and alcoholism treatment. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0, or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit, public and private organizations, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. Foreign institutions are not eligible for First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29). MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Research support may be obtained through applications for research project grant (R01) or First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Award (R29). Applicants may also submit Investigator-Initiated Interactive Research Project Grants under this RFA. Interactive Research Project Grants require the coordinated submission of related research project grant (R01) applications and, to a limited extent, FIRST (R29) Award applications from investigators who wish to collaborate on research, but do not require extensive shared physical resources. Program Project Grant applications (P01) will not be accepted under this RFA. Potential applicants may obtain copies of the FIRST (R29) program announcement AND IRPG program announcement from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, Maryland, 20852, telephone: 301-468-2600 or 1-800- 729-6686. Further information on grant mechanisms and areas of research interest may be obtained from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. FUNDS AVAILABLE It is estimated that up to $3 million will be available for approximately 12 grant awards under this RFA in FY 1996. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. The NIAAA estimates that the average grant size will be approximately $250,000 in total costs, i.e. direct plus indirect costs, for the first year. Outyear budgets should conform to NIH cost containment policies. Although the financial plans of NIAAA provide support of this program, the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background The system of delivering and financing alcohol treatment services in the United States is undergoing rapid and substantial change. This is due, in large part, to the development of managed health care systems designed to provide more efficient and cost-effective health care. Under managed care, alcohol treatment services are frequently combined into the broader area of managed behavioral health care, which includes mental health, alcohol, and drug treatment services. Currently, managed care is the dominant system for the provision of privately insured mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse services -- including an estimated 108 million Americans, or 58 percent of all persons with private health insurance (Oss, 1995). Publicly funded health insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, represent the next major area of growth for managed care. A number of States, such as Massachusetts and Ohio, have received waivers from the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), allowing them to develop managed care programs under Medicaid (Freund and Hurley, 1995). Another recent trend in the provision of behavioral health care services is the development of "carve out" plans, where one vendor manages the utilization of all mental health and substance abuse benefits (Garnick, 1994). There is a need to understand better the nature of managed behavioral health care arrangements and the impact of these arrangements on access, utilization, cost, quality, and effectiveness of alcohol treatment. For the purposes of this RFA, managed care is broadly defined as the use of one or more of the following mechanisms to manage the delivery of alcohol treatment services: (l) utilization review, including the use of clinical guidelines, protocols and case management techniques; (2) selective contracting with a network of providers who provide services in accordances within an agreed- upon system of management controls; and (3) provider payment mechanisms which encourage cost containment and may involve some degree of financial risk sharing (e.g., capitation arrangements, discounted payment schedules). Currently in the United States, one or more of these managed care mechanisms are used in the four major types of health care plans: (1) managed indemnity; (2) health maintenance organizations (HMOs); (3) preferred provider organizations (PPOs); and (4) point of service plans (POS). Key characteristics of managed care programs include a broad range of organizational and financing features, including the following: (l) benefit plan characteristics (e.g., types of patient populations, number and type of allowed services, use of copayments and deductibles); (2) use of integrated and carve out management systems; (3) wide variability in the types and mix of alcohol treatment services provided; (4) systems of provider recruitment, selection, and monitoring; (5) systems of organizational management, case management and quality assurance, including organizational and clinical decision-making models, use of clinical guidelines and protocols, provider credentialing requirements, staffing characteristics, (e.g., staffing mix, team models), use of performance tracking systems (e.g., report cards, provider and consumer satisfaction surveys); and (6) financing mechanisms that incorporate incentives to limit quantity and cost of care, including risk-sharing arrangements, deductibles, copayments, capitation, etc. Available research has focused on the effects of managed care on the utilization and cost of services. Case studies of private sector managed behavioral health care indicate initial year reductions of 30 percent or greater in cost, slightly increased access to care, and minimal change in consumer satisfaction (Goldman, 1993, Frank, McGuire and Newhouse, 1995). The decline in costs of substance abuse services has been attributed primarily to a reduction in inpatient service related costs (Callahan, 1994; Mechanic et al., 1995, Larson et al., 1993). Current Knowledge Gaps Despite the rapid adoption of managed behavioral health care arrangements in the public and private sectors, there has been relatively little research on the impact of these approaches on the delivery of alcohol treatment services. There are a number of areas where more research is needed. First, more needs to be known about the specific organizational and financing characteristics of managed care programs, how they interrelate, and how they affect service delivery. Managed care is very heterogeneous and past research has not always been clear on the specific form of managed care being evaluated. Basic descriptive data is needed on the key dimensions of managed care arrangements (e.g., benefit structure, utilization review approaches, provider selection, risk sharing arrangements with providers) and how these forms of managed care are combined and implemented in the public and private sectors. Second, more knowledge is needed about the impact of specific forms of managed behavioral health care arrangements on access to care and the quality and outcomes of care. To date, the major focus of studies of managed care has been on how managed care arrangements influence utilization and cost. A related knowledge gap is how to measure the of quality of care and clinical outcomes in the context of managed behavioral health (e.g., performance indicators and report cards). Third, more needs to be known about the impact of managed care on clinical decision making. Most managed care arrangements include the use of standardized decision rules for accessing care, for placing patients in a particular type or intensity of treatment, and for delivering various treatment modalities, yet the effect of these decision rules on access, quality and outcomes of care is unknown. Finally, there is a need to understand better the impact of managed care programs on populations of persons who are severely and chronically impaired, who have low incomes, or who have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. Areas of Research Interest The primary objective of this RFA is to support studies that will increase understanding of the impact of managed care systems on access, utilization, cost, quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of alcohol services. Descriptive studies of managed care systems, such as case studies, surveys, resource allocation studies and secondary analyses utilizing existing claims and other databases are encouraged. Prospective studies that examine a longer term impact (3-5 years) of managed care systems on a patient cohort are also encouraged. It is important to note that studies evaluating screening procedures or treatment interventions outside the context of a managed health care system will not be considered responsive to the RFA. The following list of research questions is intended to illustrate NIAAA research interests; topics that are not specifically mentioned are not necessarily excluded from consideration General Research Questions: o What are the major differences between carve-out and integrated systems of managed care and how do these different arrangements affect access, utilization, quality of care, cost, and effectiveness of alcohol-related treatment? o How do the various organization and/or financing characteristics of managed care systems affect access, utilization, quality of care, cost and effectiveness of treatment? o How do benefit packages differ and in what way do different benefit packages affect access, utilization, quality of care, cost, and effectiveness of alcohol treatment services? To what extent do benefit packages provide supplemental or "wrap around" services to patients with multiple needs? o What is the impact of case management approaches to managed care on alcohol-related treatment provider behavior? How do "gatekeepers" influence access, quality, costs and outcomes of care? o How do specific models of "risk sharing" (e.g., full or partial capitation) influence alcohol-related treatment provider behavior? o What is the impact of alcohol-related treatment guidelines developed by managed behavioral health firms? o What is the impact of managed care on alcohol-related services purchaser behavior? Has the availability of managed care resulted in changes in benefit structure? o What risk adjustment methods have been employed by managed care programs for alcohol treatment services? o What is the impact of managed care arrangements on provider practice patterns? o How do enrollee recruitment and disenrollment policies affect the utilization, cost and effectiveness of alcohol treatment services? o What has been the impact of managed care on public sector alcohol treatment services? o How do managed care systems integrate state-of-the-art alcohol treatment technologies (e.g., brief intervention)? What is the impact of these strategies on the cost and effectiveness of alcohol treatment services? In addition, a number of specific research questions apply to some of the principal variables that have been identified to be of interest in this RFA, Access to Care: o How is access to care defined, measured, and evaluated by different managed care programs? How do different managed care arrangements affect access to alcohol treatment? Is there a differential impact for different subgroups (e.g., women, the poor) or across different types of treatment modalities (e.g., inpatient, detox, outpatient)? How is access restricted (e.g., denial of requests for care) or expanded (e.g., broader geographic network of outpatient services)? Utilization of Services: o How are client utilization rates measured and evaluated by different managed care programs? What types of utilization review criteria and procedures are utilized, and what is their impact on utilization of alcohol services? What is the impact of different managed care arrangements, particularly financing arrangements, on utilization of alcohol services? Are there differential impacts among subgroups and across different treatment modalities? What are the administrative costs associated with utilization review and what is the impact of different systems of utilization review on provider morale, on treatment process, and on outcome? Quality of Care: o How is quality of care measured and evaluated by different managed care programs? How are structural quality controls (e.g., staff/client ratios, provider certification, staff credentialing, case management protocols, etc.) determined and implemented? What are the treatment protocols that are utilized, and to what extent do these protocols address the chronic, recurring nature of alcohol disorders? Costs: o How are costs for alcohol services defined and computed across different managed care programs? How much do different types of managed care programs reduce alcohol treatment costs, including total, per episode, daily, patient, practitioner, and provider costs? To what extent do managed care systems result in reductions of other medical or social costs? Are there differences in short term vs. long term cost savings? Do cost savings differ across different patient population groups (e.g., low income, elderly)? How do plan benefit structure and administrative factors affect cost (e.g., exclusion of high risk patients, restrictions on amount of services)? Effectiveness: o How is treatment effectiveness defined and operationalized by different managed care systems? How is treatment effectiveness monitored over time? How do different systems of clinical decision- making and case management affect treatment outcomes? What is the impact of different systems of service delivery (e.g., integrated vs. carve out models, use of EAP programs) on the effectiveness of treatment? Do managed care programs improve cost-benefits and cost- effectiveness of alcohol and treatment programs? What incentives do providers and managed care organizations have to improve effectiveness? INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results >From the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March 18, 1994. Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit by March 15, 1996, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIAAA staff to estimate the potential review workload and to avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: RFA AA-96-001 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 FAX: (301) 443-6077 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. These forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research; from the Office of Grants Information, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, (301) 435-0714, Email: girg@drgpo.drg.nih.gov; and from NIAAA staff listed under INQUIRIES. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Applicants for support mechanisms other than R01 (i.e., an R29) must cite the relevant program announcement on line 2 in addition to listing the current RFA. Applications for FIRST Awards (R29) must include three letters of reference. Page limits and limits on size of type are strictly enforced. Non-conforming applications will be returned without being reviewed. Applicants from institutions that have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources, may wish to identify the Center as a resource for conducting the proposed research. If so, a letter of agreement from either the GCRC program director or principal investigator should be included in the application material. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist and three signed photo copies in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent to: RFA AA-96-001 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Bethesda, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) FAX: (301) 443-6077 Applications must be received by April 11, 1996. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG and for responsiveness by the NIAAA. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. If the application is not responsive to the RFA, DRG staff may contact the applicant to determine whether to return the application to the applicant or submit it for review in competition with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIAAA in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board. The second level of review will