Database programs as a literature research tool for the 1990s scientist: surveillance of neurotoxicology data

As the mass of data and literature in any scientific field grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to recall details of early experiments and to relate findings in different studies. Simple database programs are available for the individual scientist to record and manipulate information, to provide a reliable and flexibly updatable memory aid, and to reveal new relationships through (re)organizations of information. Such programs can increase the efficiency of the literature research process and increase writing productivity by orders of magnitude. The use of database programs for literature research is exemplified with a behavioral neurotoxicology database revealing previously unappreciated consistencies in the human worksite research literature.