where often one group of scientists takes issue with another, the report points out. For instance, the National Academy of Sciences settled in part a six-year dispute between the then Atomic Energy Commission and two of the commission's scientists. According to the report, Dr. John W. Gofman and Dr. Arthur Tamplin had charged that the agency's standards for exposure to nuclear radiation were too tolerant and subsequently they had quit after con­siderable pressure was put upon them by the agency. To resolve the issue, NAS had appointed a committee of ex­perts to review the evidence on the hazards of ionizing radiation. The con­clusions reached by the committee are in agreement with the view of Gofman and Tamplin that there is no threshold exposure level below which radiation will not induce cancer or genetic dam­age, but disagree with the quantitative damage estimates made by the scien­tists.

The AAAS report also notes that professional societies can play active roles in matters directly related to the professional competence of their mem­bers, where the public interest is "clearly involved." Among other things, it says, the societies can set up committees of inquiry in cases where a serious violation of scientific responsi­bility is suspected. And they can pub­licize the results of the inquiry in pro­fessional journals, and if need be, in news media, or by bringing the matter to the attention of government bodies. Moreover, they can launch lawsuits on behalf of members who have suffered injustices while acting on behalf of the public interest, the report adds.

Because the problems of scientific freedom and responsibility will con­tinue, the report recommends that AAAS re-examine the issues in another five years. An ad hoc committee, chaired by AAAS board member Ed­ward E. David Jr. (a science adviser to President Nixon), has been appointed to review the report and to consider what further actions are necessary. Ad­ditionally, in the interim, the report recommends that a committee could be set up to receive complaints of vio­lations of scientific freedom and re­sponsibility and refer them to appro­priate bodies for action.

Ling-yee Gibney, C&EN Washington

Project screens drugs for treating epilepsy The National Institute of Neurological Diseases & Stroke is well into a new project for screening potential anticon­vulsants for treating epilepsy. The project is part of the institute's antiep-ileptic drug development program.

For the project, NINDS provides ac­cession forms to record available data on stability, solubility and purity, mo­lecular weight, formula, and a struc­

ture diagram for each compound sub­mitted. The institute will accept any composition of matter for testing ex­cept undefined products. Following re­view of submission data and determi­nation that each compound is new to the screening project, it encodes the structure, source, and pertinent data. The data are entered into a limited ac­cess computer or kept in locked files to ensure confidentiality.

New compounds, NINDS says, are sent to the University of Utah for ap­propriate testing to determine poten­tial antiepileptic and neurotoxic activi­ty. The screening there, under the di­rection of Dr. Ewart A. Swinyard, involves testing in animal models. For those compounds demonstrating signif­icant activity, the university facility determines EDso's (effective dose).

Data from Utah are returned to NINDS for evaluation and storage. The institute provides a summary of test results to the supplier along with an evaluation of whether further testing is justified.

NINDS asks that, if possible, 500 mg

of each composition be submitted and that the supplier assure the purity of all compositions. Up to 5% of com­pounds from any single supplier is ac­ceptable without structural informa­tion but structures and molecular for­mulas of all compounds that demonstrate activity must be made available to the institute.

The institute notes that although there were 13 marketed antiepileptic drugs on the market in early 1974, no new drug has received New Drug Ap­plication approval as an antiepileptic since 1960. On the basis of a literature survey, NINDS says that there are few data suggesting that current antiepi­leptic drugs control the seizures of more than 50% or improve more than 75% of epileptic persons.

NINDS also points out that studies made over the past 15 years suggest that the prevalence rate of epilepsy in the U.S. is between 5 and 20 per 1000. Recent estimates drawn from popula­tion surveys, it says, indicate that the higher rate is closer to the true preva­lence. •

Technology

New auto engines still decade away The probability is increasing that post-1985 automobiles will be powered by something other than the old reli­able gasoline-burning, reciprocating, internal-combustion engine. At least that was the impression gained recent­ly in Ann Arbor, Mich., where propo­nents of turbines, Rankine engines, Stirling engines, hybrids, electric vehi­cles, and other systems gathered to discuss progress and problems in their work for the federal government's ad­vanced automotive power systems (AAPS) program.

When the program started in 1971, it was under the Environmental Protec­tion Agency. Low emissions was the name of the game. From that stand­point, several alternative engines looked good, although most of them, at that time, were extravagant in their use of fuel or had other shortcomings. Then came the energy crisis, the for­mation of the Energy Research & De­velopment Administration, and the transfer of the AAPS program from EPA to ERDA. Now, fuel economy is just as important as low emissions. It's a whole new ball game and, to com­pound the cliches, it's been "back to the old drawing board" for many of the AAPS contractors.

It's too early to say which, if any, of the candidates will win. According to | George M. Thur, in charge of power | systems development for the AAPS di- 1 vision, gas turbines, Rankine engines, 5 and Stirling engines all look promising * for the post-1985 period. ERDA sup- General Motors1 electric vehicle (top) port of work on hybrids and electric ve- and Chrysler's turbine-powered car hides will end; i t appears that they were among prototypes at conference

May 26, 1975 C&EN 23