Subject: (Copy) NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 90 17:01 EST

Paul, please post to the listserver as: NIHGUIDE.031690.  thanks.
    Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
     
X-comment: NIH Guide (including TOC) contained 11 pages (880 lines)
X-comment: RFAS described:  RR-90-01, 90-DK-06, HD-90-07, 90-AG-02, 90-HL-5-H
                           , 90-HD-09

     

     
NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990

                                   NOTICES

AVAILABILITY OF FISH OIL TEST MATERIALS ...................(84/205).......... 1
National Institutes of Health
Index:  NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

PROMOTION OF INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBLE PRACTICE IN BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH - AAMC/NIH REGIONAL WORKSHOPS ....................(208/251)......... 2
National Institutes of Health
Index:  NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR GRANTEES AND CONTRACTORS ..(254/357)........ 3
National Institutes of Health
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
Index:  NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
        ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE, AND MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

                   NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs AND RFAs)

IN VITRO METHODS TO ASSESS HUMAN METABOLISM OF CHEMICAL XENOBIOTICS (RFP) ... 4
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences         (363/391)
Index:  ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

NOTICE:  DEVELOPMENT OF NONMAMMALIAN MODELS FOR BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH (RFA RR-90-01) ....................................(401/429)........ 5
National Center for Research Resources
Index:  RESEARCH RESOURCES

ADDENDUM:  KIDNEY DISEASES OF DIABETES MELLITUS:  PATHOPHYSIOLOGY,
CLINICAL FEATURES, AND EPIDEMIOLOGY (RFA 90-DK-06) .........(432/457)........ 5
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Index:  DIABETES, DIGESTIVE DISEASES, KIDNEY DISEASES

MENTAL RETARDATION RESEARCH CENTERS (RFA HD-90-07) ....(460/631, 884/1281)... 5
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Index:  CHILD HEALTH, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY (RFA 90-AG-02) ............(641/734, 1284/1688).. 8
National Institute on Aging
Index:  AGING

COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES OF CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING (RFA 90-HL-5-H) ........... 9
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute              (737/780, 1691/2174)
Index:  HEART, LUNG, BLOOD

INVOLVEMENT OF GROWTH REGULATING FACTORS IN SEX STEROID HORMONE ACTION
ON THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT (RFA 90-HD-09) ............(783/866, 2177/2438).. 9
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Index:  CHILD HEALTH, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

     

     

     

                                   NOTICES

AVAILABILITY OF FISH OIL TEST MATERIALS
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0780000, 0780017
     
National Institutes of Health
     
This notice supplements the previous announcement published in the NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts on August 25, 1989 (Vol. 18, No. 29).
     
SUMMARY AND PURPOSE
     
Additional Test Materials Currently Available
     
o  EPA ethyl ester, prepared from menhaden oil, packaged in 1-5 gm portions
o  DHA ethyl ester, prepared from menhaden oil, packaged in 1-5 gm portions
     
Processing and Specifications of Biomedical Test Materials
     
o  EPA Ethyl Ester
     
The ethyl ester of EPA is prepared from vacuum-deodorized menhaden oil using
transesterification, urea adduction and short-path distillation to yield an
n-3 ethyl ester concentrate.  The purified ethyl ester of EPA is attained by
supercritical fluid CO2 extraction from the n-3 ethyl ester concentrate
followed by high performance liquid chromatography.  The product contains >95%
ethyl esters; of the ethyl esters EPA is 97%, other n-3's are <1%, n-6's are
<1% and other fatty acids are <1%.
     
~ DHA Ethyl Ester
     
The ethyl ester of DHA is prepared from vacuum-deodorized menhaden oil using
transesterfication, urea adduction and short-path distillation to yield an n-3
ethyl ester concentrate.  The purified ethyl ester of DHA is attained by
supercritical fluid CO2 extraction from the n-3 ethyl ester concentrate
followed by high performance liquid chromatography.  The product contains >95%
ethyl esters; of the ethyl esters DHA is 96%, other n-3's are <2%, n-6's are
<1% and other fatty acids are <1%.
     
FISH OIL TEST MATERIALS PROGRAM
     
The Fish Oil Test Materials Program is administered by the Division of
Nutrition Research Coordination in the Office of Disease Prevention, NIH.  The
program was established in 1986 through the cooperation of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health
Administration (ADAMHA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration/Department of Commerce (NOAA/DOC).  This program has been
designed to provide a long-term, consistent supply of
quality-assured/quality-controlled test materials to researchers in order to
facilitate the evaluation of the role that omega-3 fatty acids play in health
and disease.
     
Fish Oil Test Materials Advisory Committee
     
A Fish Oil Test Materials Advisory Committee (FOTMAC) is cochaired by
scientific staff from ADAMHA and NIH and is composed of scientists
representing the funding agencies (NIH, ADAMHA), the research community,
Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The
FOTMAC provides scientific advice to the DOC regarding the types of materials
needed by research scientists, shipping procedures for the materials, and
additional quality control and production issues.  The committee is advisory
to the Fish Oil Test Materials Program on general programmatic issues such as
future directions and has produced a manual on Good Laboratory Practices for
the handling of polyunsaturated materials.  In addition, the committee
provided guidance to DOC during the production of the Drug Master File
submitted to the FDA by the FOTMAC.  Manuals on Analytical Methods for the
Quality Assurance of Fish Oil, Production Methods/Safety and Distribution were
produced by the DOC.
     
Fish Oil Test Materials Distribution Committee
     
A Fish Oil Test Materials Distribution Committee (FOTMDC) is composed of NIH
and other Federal scientists that do not use these products.  The Distribution
committee processes the applications received from investigators, advises the
DOC of applicants that have fulfilled the application process, and makes
recommendations regarding the distribution of requested materials.
     
             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 1
APPLICATION PROCESS
     
To qualify to receive materials described in this announcement the applicant
must:  1) have peer-reviewed research indicating the need for the requested
materials, and 2) submit a correctly completed application form and a signed
waiver of liability.  The committee will not be responsible for assessing the
scientific merit of the application.  Regulations on human subjects and animal
research apply.  In accordance with federal regulations, an IND number will be
required for the use of these materials in human studies.  The FOTMAC has
established a drug master file at the FDA which includes manufacturing,
chemical composition and toxicological data relevant to these products.
Investigators using NOAA/DOC materials may reference this file in order to
expedite their IND requests.  Availability of materials are contingent on
DOC/NOAA production capabilities.  When prioritization is necessary, the order
will be:  1) NIH/ADAMHA funded, 2) other U.S. government funded, 3)
peer-reviewed, other funded, 4) NIH/ADAMHA approved, not funded, and 5) other.
     
The awarded materials are provided to investigators free of charge.  Requests
for materials of amounts greater than 175 g/year of EPA ethyl ester and/or 100
g/year of DHA ethyl ester should not be submitted without prior discussion
with the NMFS - Charleston Laboratory.  For further information contact Ms.
Patricia Fair at (803) 762-1200.
     
TEST MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE
     
Test materials and their relevant application process will be announced in the
NIH Guide as new materials become available.
     
OTHER INFORMATION
     
Additional information will be provided to the investigator in the form of
complete quality assurance data for each lot of test material shipped,
stability data and storage instructions.
     
INQUIRIES AND APPLICATIONS
     
Investigators may obtain further information and apply for available fish oil
test materials for relevant studies by requesting an application form from:
     
Fish Oil Test Materials Program
Division of Nutrition Research Coordination
Building 31, Room 4B63
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-2323

PROMOTION OF INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBLE PRACTICE IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH -
AAMC/NIH REGIONAL WORKSHOPS
     
P.T. 42; K.W. 1014004
     
National Institutes of Health
     
On April 20-21, the George Washington University will host the first of four
regional workshops sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC), under contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to
address issues in the promotion of integrity and responsibility in biomedical
research.  The regional workshops will serve as a forum for discussing recent
developments within the Public Health Service that include the establishment
of the Office of Scientific Integrity and the new regulation requiring awardee
institutions to assure that policies and procedures are in place for
investigating possible misconduct in science.  The workshop will address
special topics such as training and mentoring, peer review and authorship
practices, and data ownership as well as dissemination of the information
developed by the Institute of Medicine study, "Promotion of Responsibility in
Research in the Health Sciences" supported by the NIH.  The workshop is
expected to be of interest to program directors, investigators, and academic
administrators involved in behavioral and biomedical research.  CME credits
will be available for the workshop through the George Washington University
Office of Continuing Medical Education.
     
Location:  Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Arlington Virginia

     

     
             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 2
Contact:
     
Leah C. Valadez
The George Washington University Medical Center
Office of the Dean for Research
2300 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 514
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone:  (202) 994-2801
     
Similar workshops are planned for Boston, Massachusetts; St. Louis, Missouri;
and San Diego, California.  Dates will be announced in future notices.

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR GRANTEES AND CONTRACTORS
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 1014002, 0725010, 0725020
     
National Institutes of Health
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration
     
This notice is a republication, with minor modifications, of an April 1989
issuance on this subject.  It is being reissued to emphasize its continuing
importance.
     
Organizations receiving grant or contract awards are responsible for
protecting their personnel from hazardous conditions.  The Government is not
legally liable for accidents, illnesses, or claims arising out of research
performed under its awards, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and
the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) are
nonetheless aware that a variety of hazards threaten the safety and health of
both laboratory and clinical research personnel.  Accordingly, the guidelines
that follow are designed to (1) identify potential hazards, (2) advise awardee
organizations and investigators of certain standards that should be considered
in order to address particular health and/or safety concerns, and (3)
emphasize that concerns about potentially hazardous conditions could result in
grant or contract funding delays until those concerns have been resolved to
the satisfaction of the awarding component.
     
1.  Sources of potential danger to research personnel include the following
classes of hazard:
     
  a. Biohazards (e.g., Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV; other
     infectious agents; oncogenic viruses).
     
  b. Chemical hazards (e.g., carcinogens; chemotherapeutic agents; other
     toxic chemicals; flammable or explosive materials).
     
  c. Radioactive materials.
     
2.  The following guidelines and standards contain information designed to
assist grantees and contractors in providing a safe work environment for
research personnel.  Therefore, depending upon the particular safety hazard at
issue, grantees and contractors are expected to consult these guidelines.
They may be obtained from:
     
Division of Safety
Office of Research Services
National Institutes of Health
Building, 31, Room 1C02
Bethesda, MD  20892
     
  a. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, U.S.
     Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease
     Control and the National Institutes of Health.  HHS Publication No.
     (CDC) 88-8395.
     
  b. Recommendations for Prevention of HIV Transmission in Health-Care
     Settings.  Morbidity and Mortality Report, August 21, 1987, Vol.
     35, No. 2S.
     
  c. Update:  Universal Precautions for Prevention of Transmission of
     Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, and Other
     Bloodborne Pathogens in Health-Care Settings.  Morbidity and
     Mortality Weekly Report, June 24, 1988, Vol. 37, No. 24.
     
  d. Recommendations for the Safe Handling of Parenteral Antineoplastic
     Drugs, NIH Publication No. 83-2621.

             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 3
  e. NIH Guidelines for the Laboratory Use of Chemical Carcinogens, NIH
     Publication No. 81-2385.
     
The following materials are also recommended and may be purchased from:
     
National Academy Press
2102 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20418
     
  A. Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in the
     Laboratory.  Price $19.95
     
  B. Prudent Practices for the Disposal of Chemicals from the
     Laboratory.  Price $19.95
     
  C. Biosafety in the Laboratory:  Prudent Practices for Handling and
     Disposal of Infectious Materials.  Price $29.95
     
3.  Grant applications and contract proposals posing special hazards typically
are identified during the initial review process, but such concerns can
formally be expressed by agency staff or consultants at any time prior to
award.  Regardless of the timing of the described concern, grant or contract
funding could be delayed until the matter has been resolved to the
satisfaction of the awarding component.
     
Special hazards that are identified after an award is made may lead to
suspension of work under the grant or contract pending corrective action by
the awardee.  (See 45 CFR 74, Subpart M, concerning grant suspension and 48
CFR 12.5 concerning contract "stop work" orders.)
     
Grantee and contractor organizations are not required to submit documented
assurance of their specific attention to the guidelines and standards
identified in section 2 of this notice.  However, where dictated by the
circumstances, grantees and contractors should be able to provide evidence
that pertinent health and safety standards have been considered and, where
necessary, have been put in practice.  Such evidence may be requested by
appropriate NIH and ADAMHA staff; for example, during a site visit.

                   NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs AND RFAs)

IN VITRO METHODS TO ASSESS HUMAN METABOLISM OF CHEMICAL XENOBIOTICS
     
RFP AVAILABLE:  NIH-ES-90-06
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0765020, 0755010
     
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
     
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National
Institutes of Health (NIH), is soliciting proposals for a project to compare
the in vitro metabolism of chemical xenobiotics in human tissue preparations
to similar preparations from animal species commonly used in laboratory
research and testing.  Studies of hepatic metabolism shall be performed in
liver tissue slices.  Metabolism in other tissues, or other tissue
preparations, if deemed necessary, shall be carried out using the best
available techniques.  It is estimated that 3-4 chemicals per year shall be
studied.  One contract is anticipated.  The Request for Proposals (RFP) will
be released on or about March 21, 1990, with responses due by May 9, 1990.
All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the
Agency.
     
Requests should reference RFP NIH-ES-90-06 and should be forwarded to:
     
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Contracts and Procurement Management Branch, OM
ATTN:  Mary B. Armstead, Contracting Officer
79 T. W. Alexander Drive, 4401 Building
P.O. Box 12874
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709

     

     

             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 4
NOTICE:  DEVELOPMENT OF NONMAMMALIAN MODELS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
     
RFA:  RR-90-01
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0755020, 0780015, 0780020
     
National Center for Research Resources
     
The Division of Research Resources, now a part of the National Center for
Research Resources (NCRR), published a Request for Applications (RFA)
RR-90-01, Development of Nonmammalian Models for Biomedical Research, in the
NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 18, No. 44, December 15, 1989.  A
modification has been made to the RFA.
     
Because of the shortened time for the review process, limited staff resources,
and the number of applications anticipated, applications may be subjected to a
triage by a peer-review group to determine their scientific merit relative to
the other applications received in response to this RFA.  NIH will withdraw
from competition those applications judged to be noncompetitive and notify the
applicant and institutional business official.  Those applications judged to
be competitive will be further evaluated for scientific/technical merit by
initial review groups which will be convened by the Office of Review, NCRR.
Those applicants who sent a letter of intent will receive this notice.  If
further information is needed, please call:
     
Louise E. Ramm, Ph.D.
Biological Models and Materials Resources Program
National Center for Research Resources
Telephone:  (301) 402-0630

ADDENDUM:  KIDNEY DISEASES OF DIABETES MELLITUS:  PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL
FEATURES, AND EPIDEMIOLOGY
     
RFA:  90-DK-06
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715075, 0765035, 0785035, 0785055
     
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
     
Application Receipt Date:  April 23, 1990
     
On January 19, 1990, the above mentioned Request for Applications (RFA) was
announced in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 19, No. 3.  Because
the number of letters of intent received indicates that the number of
applications will be large compared to the number of awards to be made, the
NIH may conduct a preliminary scientific peer review to eliminate those
applications which are clearly not competitive.  The NIH will administratively
withdraw from competition those applications judged to be noncompetitive and
will notify the applicant and institutional business official.
     
Those applications judged to be both competitive and responsive will be
further evaluated according to the review criteria stated in the RFA for
scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by
the Division of Extramural Activities, NIDDK.
     
All other aspects of the announcement remain the same.

MENTAL RETARDATION RESEARCH CENTERS
     
RFA AVAILABLE:  HD-90-07
     
P.T. 04; K.W. 0715130, 0710030, 0745020, 0745027, 0745070
     
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
     
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  April 16, 1990
Application Receipt Date:  July 12, 1990
     
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), through
the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Branch, Center
for Research for Mothers and Children (CRMC), invites research center core
grant applications (P30) to develop new knowledge in the field of prevention,
treatment, and amelioration of mental retardation and developmental
disabilities.  Two centers may be supported in response to this announcement.

     
             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 5
The primary objective of the NICHD Mental Retardation Research Centers (MRRCs)
is to provide support and facilities for a cohesive, interdisciplinary program
of research and research training in mental retardation and related aspects of
human development.
     
NICHD has supported MRRCs through the provision of core grants (P30) which
facilitate program coordination and support central research core units.
Funds for the research projects using these core units come from independent
sources including Federal, State and private organizations.  This announcement
seeks applications from existing MRRCs and from other comparable institutions
that meet the qualifications for a program of mental retardation research.
     
BACKGROUND
     
A major goal of the MRDD Branch's research program is to prevent and/or
ameliorate mental retardation.  The degree of impairment associated with
mental retardation varies in relation to the cause.  Moderate and more severe
mental retardation often results from problems that produce profound
alterations in brain development and/or function.  Diminished intellectual and
adaptive capacity can often be traced to defective genes, teratogenic agents,
infections, nutritional deficits, accidents, diseases and other disorders
causing brain damage.  A larger proportion of cases of mental retardation is
related to environmental conditions and disorders of unknown etiology.  These
complex problems require integrated, multidisciplinary approaches involving
biomedical and/or behavioral sciences in a variety of settings.
     
The purpose of an MRRC is to provide a research environment in which
interdisciplinary collaboration among investigators who are working in areas
of relevance to the prevention and/or amelioration of mental retardation is
facilitated.  Such research will cover a broad spectrum of scientific
approaches ranging from laboratory research on fundamental processes of
abnormal development to clinical and educational research in which persons
with mental retardation are studied.
     
It is thought that major solutions to the problems of mental retardation may
be found as a result of multidisciplinary collaboration involving a variety of
approaches in the MRRCs.  As a result of the administrative and scientific
organization within a MRRC and across the network of MRRCs, opportunities for
breakthroughs will be enhanced.
     
RESEARCH SCOPE
     
MRRC Core Grants are intended to bring together in a center a variety of
disciplines to work on the common problems of mental retardation.
Consequently, applications for Mental Retardation Center Core Grants (P30)
should include investigators studying a range of topics in basic and clinical
or applied research.  Applicants are encouraged, but are not required, to
include both biomedical and behavioral components from among the following
topics:
     
 1.  Developmental neurobiological studies relevant to MRDD.
     
 2.  Inborn errors of metabolism relevant to MRDD.
     
 3.  Genetic/cytogenetic disorders associated with MRDD.
     
 4.  Molecular biology; development of animal models.
     
 5.  Toxicology and physical environmental factors in the etiology,
     treatment and prevention of MRDD.
     
 6.  Intellectual, behavioral, physical and the intergenerational effects
     of malnutrition.
     
 7.  Developmental pharmacology and psychopharmacology.
     
 8.  Infectious diseases in the etiology, prevention and treatment of MRDD.
     
 9.  Diagnosis.
     
10.  Perinatal problems associated with MRDD.
     
11.  Psychobiological processes in MRDD.
     
12.  Psychological processes in MRDD.
     
13.  Early intervention for infants born at risk.

             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 6
14.  Behavioral analysis of MRDD individuals.
     
15.  Family and community studies.
     
16.  Language and communication of MRDD populations.
     
17.  Learning disabilities, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder.
     
18.  Behavior in residential and educational settings.
     
19.  Socioecological processes.
     
20.  Epidemiology of MRDD.
     
INCLUSION OF MINORITIES AND FEMALES IN STUDY POPULATION
     
PHS urges applicants to give added attention (where feasible and appropriate)
to the inclusion of minorities and women in study populations for research.
If minorities and women are not included, a clear rationale for their
exclusion should be provided.  Investigators are reminded that merely
including arbitrary numbers of women and minority participants is a given
study is insufficient to guarantee generalizability of results.
     
ELIGIBILITY
     
Any of the following organizations are eligible to apply:  Non-profit
organizations and institutions; State and local governments and their
agencies; and authorized Federal institutions.
     
MECHANISM, SCOPE AND SCALE OF SUPPORT
     
MRRC grants will be supported through the center core grant (P30) mechanism.
Review of applications and management of grants will be subject to applicable
policies for NIH research center grants.
     
Awards will be made for a period of five years.  To be eligible for award as
an MRRC, the Center must provide core support for a minimum of 10 projects
funded from non-university sources.
     
The total direct costs requested for the first year may not exceed $500,000
for new grants and not more than 104% of the level recommended for the
previous budget period of a competing renewal grant.  Budgets of applications
for new and renewal support will be stringently reviewed within these
guidelines.  Applications with budget requests exceeding these guidelines will
be administratively withdrawn by NICHD and returned to the applicant.
     
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AWARDS
     
This is the fourth of a series of annual announcements.  Plans are to make two
awards in fiscal year 1991.
     
WHERE COMPLETE RFA MAY BE OBTAINED
     
A complete Request for Applications entitled "Mental Retardation Research
Centers (P30)" and guidelines concerning "NICHD Research Centers
Programs-Center Core Grants (P30)" may be obtained from:
     
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Branch
Center for Research for Mothers and Children, NICHD
Executive Plaza North, Rm. 631
6130 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1383
     
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.
l3.865 Research for Mothers and Children.  Awards will be made under the
authority of the Public Health Service Act, Section 30l (42 USC241) and
administered under PHS grant 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 a Health Systems Agency
Review.

     

     

             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 7
HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY
     
RFA AVAILABLE:  90-AG-02
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0710010, 0730010, 0408006, 0404021, 0755018
     
National Institute on Aging
     
Letter of Intent Date:  April 10, 1990
Application Receipt Date:  May 23, 1990
     
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications for a cooperative
agreement to design and conduct a national longitudinal study of men and women
that focuses on the retirement process with emphasis on health issues.  The
general objective of the study is to increase understanding of the
determinants and consequences of retirement in relation to health, economic
and psychosocial processes and outcomes.
     
Research is needed to answer numerous questions about the determinants and
dynamics of current retirement processes.  For example, what objective health
problems and subjective perceptions of health make continued work difficult,
and what changes in the workplace could lessen these difficulties?  What
pension incentives and penalties (in conjunction with individual financial
status and preferences) affect the timing of retirement, and what are the
relevant effects of the different types of private pensions, employer-provided
health benefits and the Social Security system?  How has increased
participation of women in the labor force affected retirement decisions, and
to what extent are retirement decisions based on family rather than individual
considerations?
     
The proposed study should have the following general characteristics:  a focus
on health and retirement; a longitudinal design with a national sample and a
household focus; linkages to administrative records such as employer health
and pension benefit records, Social Security earnings records, Medicare
records, and the National Death Index; and an emphasis on data quality.
     
The NIH urges applicants to include women and minorities in study populations.
If minorities and women are not included, a clear rationale for their
exclusion should be provided.  Applicants funded under this Request for
Applications (RFA) will be supported through the Cooperative Agreement
assistance mechanism (UO1).  An assistance relationship will exist between NIA
and the awardee to accomplish this activity.  The award recipients define the
aims of the study and have the primary responsibility for the development and
performance of the activity.  However, there will be government involvement in
a number of areas.  These areas include the exploration of the use of
alternative sampling frames, the development of record linkages with
administrative files maintained by other federal agencies, and the
coordination of the study with other surveys of the older population in order
to enhance the capacity for comparative analyses.
     
Applications should include a suitable representation of women and minority
populations of individuals.  Any variances from this should include a
reasonable explanation.
     
This RFA solicitation represents a single competition with a specified
deadline of May 23, 1990, for receipt of applications.  Responsive
applications may be subjected to triage immediately preceding or concurrent
with evaluation by a peer review group to determine their scientific merit
relative to the other applications received in response to this RFA.  NIH will
remove from consideration those applications judged to be noncompetitive.
Applications judged to be competitive will be fully reviewed for scientific
and technical merit by the same review group convened for this purpose by the
Scientific Review Office, NIA.
     
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
     
NIA has set aside $500,000 for the first year of the study.  In the initial
application, support should be requested for five years.  A competitive
continuation application may be submitted at a later date, but no funds have
been specifically reserved for renewals at this time.  It is anticipated that
a single application will be funded.
     
Applications should be submitted on the Standard PHS Form 398 (10/88
revision).  Separate instructions for completing Form 398 for this RFA are
available from the NIA official named below.  These instructions provide
additional guidance in such areas as consortium arrangements, budget
preparation, etc.  Complete line 2 of the application face page by typing in
"HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY, RFA 90-AG-02."  The RFA label (found in the
     
             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 8
application kit) must be affixed to the bottom of the face page.  Failure to
use this label could result in delayed processing of your application such
that it might not reach the review committee in time for review.
     
For a copy of the complete RFA and special instructions for filling out PHS
398, please contact:
     
Dr. Richard Suzman
Chief, Demography and Population Epidemiology
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
Building 31, Room 5C32
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-3136

COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES OF CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING
     
RFA AVAILABLE:  90-HL-5-H
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715035, 0705015, 0745027, 0408006, 0710095, 0755020
     
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
     
Application Receipt Date:  June 19, 1990
     
The Lipid Metabolism-Atherogenesis Branch of the Division of Heart and
Vascular Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI),
announces the availability of a Request for Applications (RFA) on the above
subject.  Copies of the RFA are currently available from staff of the NHLBI.
     
This program will support the exploitation of existing data to develop
quantitative models of the potential health effects of cholesterol-lowering
and thereby to facilitate the evaluation of alternative strategies of
cholesterol-lowering.  Such models might evaluate a variety of health outcomes
and compare the cost-effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering with other
modalities of prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease.  A
multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on expertise in such areas as preventive
medicine, lipid disorders, biostatistics and health economics, is encouraged.
It is hoped that these models may be useful to the National Cholesterol
Education Program in future deliberations on treatment of high blood
cholesterol.
     
The support mechanism for this program will be the traditional, individual
research grant (RO1).  Although approximately $300,000 for this program is
included in the financial plans for fiscal year 1991, award of grants pursuant
to this RFA is contingent upon receipt of funds for this purpose.  It is
anticipated that two to four grants will be awarded under this program.  The
specific amount to be funded, however, will depend on the merit and scope of
the applications received and the availability of funds.
     
Requests for copies of this RFA should be addressed to:
     
David J. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D.
Project Officer
Lipid Metabolism-Atherogenesis Branch
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Federal Building, Room 404
7550 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892

INVOLVEMENT OF GROWTH REGULATING FACTORS IN SEX STEROID HORMONE ACTION ON THE
FEMALE GENITAL TRACT
     
RFA AVAILABLE:  90-HD-09
     
P.T. 34; K.W. 0760020, 0760025, 0413002
     
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
     
Application Receipt Date:  June 15, 1990
     
The Reproductive Sciences Branch (RSB), Center for Population Research (CPR),
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), supports
research on human reproduction which relies on a variety of approaches in
biomedical sciences.  Recently, scientific interest has surged with respect to
the involvement of growth regulating factors (or growth factors, local
     
             NIH GUIDE - Vol. 19, No. 11, March 16, 1990 - Page 9
mediators) in gonadal function, and new information has been forthcoming
concerning the modulating/mediating roles of a variety of growth regulating
factors in gonadotropin actions on gonadal cells.  In contrast to such gonadal
studies, little attention has been paid to date to investigating the possible
involvement of growth regulating factors in modulating sex steroid hormone
actions on the female genital tract.
     
This Request for Applications (RFA) is specifically designed to provide small
grants (R03) to stimulate research aimed at elucidating the involvement of
growth regulating factors in the sex steroid hormone action on the female
genital tract.  Research may be proposed which seeks:
     
  o  To determine the kind of growth regulating factors involved in the
     sex steroid hormone action on the female genital tract, by
     identifying, quantitating and localizing growth regulating factors
     and/or their receptors in the female genital tract in various
     physiological conditions.
     
  o  To determine the manner of involvement of growth regulating factors
     in the sex steroid hormone action by investigating the cause-effect
     relationship between the involved growth regulating factors and/or
     their receptors and the specific functional event(s) in the female
     genital tract under the influence of the hormone.
     
  o  To fill the existing gap between our understanding of the
     physiological, endocrinological aspects of sex steroid hormone
     action and that of the molecular biological aspect, by
     investigating the relationship between the gene expression induced
     by sex steroid hormones and growth regulating factors and their
     receptors at the cellular level by cell biological approaches.
     
  o  To investigate how the synergistic and antagonistic actions (or up-
     and down-regulations) of one hormone on another are expressed in
     terms of growth regulating factors.
     
If clinical studies are proposed in response to this RFA, applicants are urged
to give added attention (where feasible and appropriate) to the inclusion of
minorities in study populations for research into the etiology of diseases,
research in behavioral and social sciences, clinical studies of treatment and
treatment outcome, research on the dynamics of health care and its impact on
disease, and appropriate interventions for disease prevention and health
promotion.  If minorities are not included in a given study, a clear rationale
for their exclusion should be provided.
     
This RFA aims at soliciting independent investigators to conduct pilot studies
in order to develop the projects for preparation for R01 applications; thus,
this award is not intended to be used to supplement ongoing funded projects.
     
Up to six small grant awards (RO3) may be made as a result of this
announcement.
     
For further information and a copy of the full RFA, contact:
     
Koji Yoshinaga, Ph.D.
Reproductive Sciences Branch
Center for Population Research
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Executive Plaza North, Room 603
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-6515
     
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.
13.864, Population Research.  Awards will be made under the authority of the
Public Health Service Act 301 (42 USC 241) and 441 (USC 289d) and administered
under PHS Grant Policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR
Part 74.  This program is not subject to A-95 or Health Systems Agency review.

     

     

     

     
     
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