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国家儿童健康和人类发展研究所（NICHD）是国家儿童研究（NCS或研究）的牵头机构，这是一项纵向队列研究，将审查环境影响对大约10万名儿童的健康和发展的影响。环境的广义定义包括对儿童健康和发展的生物、物理、化学和社会/文化影响。这项研究的目标是提供信息，最终改善儿童的健康、发展和福祉。参与研究的儿童将从出生前一直被跟踪到21岁。有关该研究的更多背景信息可在研究网站（www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov）上查阅。这项研究于2009年在先锋集团的试点阶段开始，2010年扩展到37家先锋集团的门店。由于合同到期和研究实施的变化，这些地点的新合同将在2012年晚些时候颁发。这些新合同的目的是将研究中心的所有活动有序、完整地移交给后续承包商。在合同期内将不会有任何数据和/或标本收集活动。新合同为期6个月，从2012年9月28日开始，到2013年3月31日结束。

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) serves as the lead agency for the National Children¿s Study (NCS or Study), a longitudinal cohort study that will examine the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of approximately 100,000 children. Environment is broadly defined to include biological, physical, chemical, and social/cultural influences on children¿s health and development. The goal of the Study is to provide information that will ultimately lead to improvements in the health, development, and well being of children. Enrolled children will be followed from before birth until the age of 21 years. Additional background about the Study is available on the Study¿s Website (www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov ). The Study began in a pilot or Vanguard phase in 2009, expanding in 2010 to include 37 Vanguard locations. Due to contract expiration and changes in study implementation, new awards at these locations will be made later in 2012. The purpose of these new contracts will be to conduct an orderly and complete transition of all Study Center activity to a successor Contractor only. There will not be any data and/or specimen collection activities during this contract period. The new contract awards will be for a 6 month period beginning on September 28, 2012 and continuing on through March 31, 2013.