In developing countries, low levels of awareness, cost and organizational constraints on access to specialized care contribute to inadequate patient help-seeking behavior. As much as 95% of cancer patients in developing countries are diagnosed at late to end stage disease. Consequently, treatment outcome is dismally poor and a vicious cycle sets in, with public mystification of cancer and the a...

One year ago, the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) launched JCI Insight. I am pleased to report that the last year has been a resounding success for the Society’s newest journal. Let me begin with some background. In my inaugural editorial, I laid out the rationale for JCI Insight (1). In brief, its mission is two-fold: to provide an additional forum for ASCI members and other...

We describe seven years' experience with the University of Cape Town lenticular mitral valve prosthesis in 122 patients. All the patients had severe mitral valve disease. In 98 severe mitral stenosis was present with or without incompetence and in 24 the dominant or sole lesion was mitral incompetence. Other valves, particularly the tricuspid, were also frequently affected. The disability was s...

The assessment of coronary flow reserve by transthoracic echocardiography has recently been introduced into clinical practice with gratifying results for the diagnosis of left anterior descending artery disease simultaneously reported by several independent laboratories. This technological novelty is changing the practice of stress echo for 3 main reasons. First, adding coronary flow reserve to...

For many years, it has been known that an increase in cytosolic calcium triggers the fusion of secretory granules and synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane. However, the role of calcium in the intracellular membrane-fusion reactions that coordinate the secretory and endocytic pathways has been less clear. Initially, there was accumulating evidence to indicate that a focally localized and t...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been a significant problem for hemodialysis patients. However this infection has declined in regions where the screening for anti-HCV in blood banks and hemodialysis-specific infection control measures were adopted. In Brazil, these measures were implemented in 1993 and 1996, respectively. In addition, all studied units have implemented isolation of anti-HCV positive...

I am very grateful to my commentators for their interest and their careful attention to A Theory of Sentience. It is particularly gratifying to find other philosophers attracted to the murky domain of preattentive sensory processing, an obscure place where exciting stuff happens. I can by no means answer all of their objections or counterarguments, and some of the problems noted derive from fai...

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine predictors of impulse buying. Although moderate levels of impulse buying can be pleasant and gratifying, recent theoretical work suggests that chronic, high frequency impulse buying has a compulsive element and can function as a form of escape from negative affective states, depression, and low self-esteem. Design/methodology/approach – The p...

Since the fundamental defect in pernicious anemia is inadequate or absent secretion of gastric intrinsic factor (1), specific therapy with intrinsic factor would seem, logically, to be the preferred treatment. After the demonstration (2, 3) that desiccated hog stomach could substitute for human gastric juice to facilitate the absorption of vitamin B12 in man, many patients with pernicious anemi...

CONDENSED statements of Association finances for the year 1952, prepared by the auditing firm of G. P. Graham & Company, are published herewith, in order that the entire membership may be fully informed regarding the financial operations, obligations, and resources of the AAAS. The first two statements summarize operating receipts and expenditures. Once again the annuity payments to the Cattell...