Results for “Magazines” — Page 64

PubMed1998

Schwartz Center Rounds. A Staff Dialogue on Phase I Trials: Psychosocial Issues Faced by Patients, Their Families, and Caregivers.

Shortly before his death in 1995, Kenneth B. Schwartz, a cancer patient at Massachusetts General Hospital, founded The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center to be housed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He created this center to advance the hopes, goals, and ideas expressed in his article, "A Patient's Story," published in the July 16, 1995 issue of the Boston Globe Magazine. The Schwartz Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the relationship between patients and caregivers and to supporting and advancing "compassionate health care delivery in which caregivers, patients and their families relate meaningfully to one another in a way that provides hope to the patient, support to caregivers and sustenance to the healing process." One of the Center's major projects is the sponsoring of the Schwartz Center Rounds, a monthly, multidisciplinary forum in which caregivers discuss a specific cancer patient and the important psychosocial issues faced by the patient, family and caregivers. The forum allows caregivers to reflect on their experiences with patients and to gain support and insight from fellow staff members. The following case discussion was addressed at the January 1998 Schwartz Center Rounds. In this article, the case will be presented, followed by verbatim dialogue from the rounds and a subsequent discussion of the relevant issues with emphasis on staff psychosocial issues. J.T. was a 43-year-old man who developed adenocarcinoma of the lung and was treated at MGH. He died while participating in a phase I trial, resulting in marked frustration and distress among his caregivers. Staff questioned whether cancer patients entering phase I trials and their families receive unbiased information about the possible risks and benefits of the trial. They were also concerned about whether or not patients and their families really understand the physical and emotional risks of a trial. Moreover, they addressed whether patients are presented with alternatives to enrolling in a phase I trial, such as palliative care. Despite all these concerns, caregivers are reconciled to the belief that patients do value the opportunity to participate in phase I trials, in that they can contribute hope and meaning to other patients' struggles with cancer.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Media education. American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Public Education.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that exposure to mass media (ie, television, movies, video and computer games, the Internet, music lyrics and videos, newspapers, magazines, books, advertising, etc) presents both health risks and benefits for children and adolescents. Media education has the potential to reduce the harmful effects of media. By understanding and supporting media education, pediatricians can play an important role in reducing the risk of exposure to mass media for children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Depo Provera. Position paper on clinical use, effectiveness and side effects.

Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate, DMPA) when given as 150 mg by deep intramuscular injection every 12 calendar weeks (84 days+5 days), is a highly effective contraceptive with a very low failure rate comparable to modern copper IUDs and lower than many other methods. It should be available as a first line method to all who wish to make an informed choice about reversible methods of contraception. Pre-use counselling is essential to minimise the effect of menstrual change which occurs in most patients. However there is great patient variability. Use of DMPA is independent of intercourse and also independent of the user's memory (and thus of continuing motivation), other than remembering the 12 weekly appointments. For many women this is a great advantage. Oral contraceptive methods involve remembering to take a pill each day, in the case of the progestogen only pill within the same three hours each day. This places considerable strain on women who lead irregular lifestyles, who are very busy or travel frequently. Such women often describe a constant 'fear of forgetting', especially with the POP. The main potential disadvantage of DMPA in this country are likely to be menstrual disturbance and weight gain. The combined oral contraceptive pill gives the appearance of excellent cycle control because it removes the natural cycle altogether and replaces it with an artificial one. All progestogen-only methods, whether low or high dose, lead to menstrual disturbances, so in this respect DMPA is not unique. Although troublesome, the menstrual disturbances which occur in DMPA users very rarely require operative medical intervention, and can often be improved simply by short courses of oestrogen or shorter injection intervals. Again, women need to know what can be done so that they are aware that they should seek advice early, rather than miserably waiting.for their 12 week appointment. DMPA has no appreciable effects on blood pressure or thrombosis risk. In this it has an advantage over the combined oral contraceptive pill, and provides a simple, effective alternative for women who cannot use the pill for these reasons. Similarly, it has been suggested that women who suffer from focal migraine and are therefore advised against use of the combined oral contraceptive pill can still use progestogen-only contraceptives. Although the POP is medically safe in these circumstances, in young women it is less effective, and involves strict time keeping, which will be disadvantageous for some women. Side effects, long term use and schedules of administration are also discussed. The use of local protocols to allow nurse administration is to be supported both in general practice and the clinic situation. Perhaps the most important issue surrounding the use of DMPA is that of patient information. The method has had a particularly bad public image, which naturally makes potential users anxious and subject to misinformation from poorly informed or biased sources. Also, it is temporarily irreversible during its three months duration, so the duration of any problems or anxieties resulting from side effects may be longer than for other methods. It is of paramount importance that easily understood, accurate patient information leaflets are available, since biased and inaccurate information is readily available from women's magazines, perpetuating the myths surrounding the method.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Regional study days. Their role within the education strategy of the TVS.

The Tissue Viability Society (TVS) Regional Study Days (RSDs) aim to bring high quality education on pressure sore prevention and wound care to a large section of health care professionals who may well not attend conferences and who often do not find the time to read articles in journals and magazines. Since 1987 over 200 RSDs have been held providing education to over 20,000 delegates. The RSDs have also contributed in the region of 50,000 Pounds to the Society's funds. The first RSDs were held in the West Country, but since that time the area has extended to include the whole of the United Kingdom. The panel of approximately 12 speakers across the country are all recognised experts in the subjects of pressure sore prevention and wound care. Attendance at RSDs is free to all NHS staff. The historical background of the RSDs is presented and the manner in which they fit into the overall strategy of the TVS to provide an educational service to all levels of health care professionals.

Education, Nursing, Continuing↗

PubMed1999

Development of a questionnaire to investigate patient compliance with antirheumatic drug therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a rheumatology oriented questionnaire that measures compliance to drug regimen and identifies factors that contribute to suboptimal compliance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), and gout. METHODS: Thirty-two patients (16 RA, 8 PMR, 8 gout) participated in semistandardized home interviews about their attitude toward their antirheumatic medication, actual drug intake, and reasons for not taking medication. A focus group interview with 7 patients (3 RA, 2 PMR, 2 gout) was held. Following an advertisement in the rheumatology patient organization magazine (>8000 patients) 14 patients (9 RA, 5 PMR) telephoned and explained their reasons for noncompliance. All interviews were recorded on tape, transcribed, and independently reviewed by 2 investigators. Thirty-one statements were selected. After a field test, the phrasing of some items was revised. The questionnaire was then sent by mail to 117 consecutive outpatients (58 RA, 30 PMR, 29 gout). RESULTS: Twelve items were excluded because of low or high corrected item-total correlation or skew distribution of the answers. Internal consistency of the remaining 19 items was intermediate (0.71). Discriminant analyses with an overall patient self-report compliance measure showed a sensitivity of 98%, a specificity of 67%, and a Cohen's kappa of 0.71. Stepwise discriminant analyses revealed that 3 items classified 84% of all cases correctly with a sensitivity of 99%, specificity 80%, and kappa 0.78. CONCLUSION: The 19 item measure was well accepted. It is useful to detect possible barriers for optimal compliance and to predict patient compliance to drug regimen.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Homeopathy and naturopathy: practice characteristics and pediatric care.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the practice characteristics and pediatric care of homeopathic practitioners (HPs) and naturopathic doctors (NDs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive survey. SETTING: Homeopathic and naturopathic practices in Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Homeopathic practitioners (N = 42) and NDs (N = 23) identified from the yellow pages, regional and national society membership lists, schools, magazine advertisements, and by word-of-mouth. The response rate was 55% (23/42) for HPs and 65% (15/23) for NDs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographics, practice characteristics, fee structure, and amount of pediatric care. Practitioners were asked for their approach to childhood immunizations and to treating a febrile neonate. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Almost all respondents were white. Among the HPs, 13 (57%) were licensed medical doctors. Naturopathic doctors and HPs reported having an average of only 25 to 40 patient visits per week, but children and adolescents accounted for up to one third of these visits. Nearly all reported treating children, but fewer than half of the practitioners reported any formal pediatric training. Initial patient visits typically lasted more than 1 hour and cost $140 to $150. Follow-up visits were scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks and lasted more than 30 minutes on average. Insurance covered less than one third of the patient visits, and sliding scale payments were offered by less than half of the respondents. Most practitioners reported that they did not actively recommend immunizations and fewer than half of the nonphysician practitioners reported that they would refer a 2-week-old neonate with a fever to a medical doctor or emergency medical facility. CONCLUSIONS: Many patients using homeopathy and naturopathy are children. Visits to these providers are frequent and fees are primarily paid out-of-pocket. Failure on the part of these providers to recommend immunizations or recognize potentially serious illnesses is cause for concern.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Sports sponsorship by cigarette companies influences the adolescent children's mind and helps initiate smoking: results of a national study in India.

To estimate the effect of large scale tobacco sponsorship of cricket, a study was conducted on children's knowledge and perceptions about smoking and their impact on subsequent smoking uptake. Twelve nations played 36 matched in the Wills World Cup-1996 cricket series over one month during which Wills (a cigarette brand) was extensively advertised by live broadcast to a 2-billion viewers with WILLS logo on the players' T-shirts and playground, newspapers, magazines, and hoardings. An anonymous structured questionnaire including 4 knowledge based questions about tobacco, 4 about perceptions directly promoted by Wills and 10 questions related to wrong perceptions about smoking was administered by class teachers six months after the series. A total of 5822 children (65% boys and 35% girls) in Grade 10, aged 13-17 years (median 14) were selected. Smokers increased from 137 (2.4%) before the series to 649 (11.1%) after the series. The smoking initiation rate was 2.04% (13/636) in children with full knowledge and no wrong perceptions, 7.8% (48/618) among those with less knowledge and no wrong perceptions. Among those with less knowledge but believing in at least 2 of Wills related perceptions and 3 of the smoking related perceptions the rate for smoking initiation was 20.55% (127/618). The sponsorship appeared to have a similar effect on initiation rates in both sexes despite the strong social taboo against girls smoking in India. Wrong perceptions about smoking promoted by tobacco sponsorship increases smoking initiation amongst both boys and girls even when they are aware of the risks involved. The study suggests that education, without bans on advertisements is unlikely to stop initiation of smoking among children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

How many pregnant women in Christchurch are using folic acid supplements in early pregnancy?

AIMS: To determine the proportion of pregnant women in Christchurch using folic acid supplements in early pregnancy. To evaluate the level of current knowledge relating to folic acid amongst pregnant women. To determine the main sources from which this information was gained. METHODS: A short questionnaire was administered to 191 pregnant women in Christchurch during antenatal visits with their lead maternity carer. The survey contained questions relating to knowledge about folic acid and use together with sources of information regarding folic acid. Obstetric and demographic details were also collected. RESULTS: The response rate was 95.5%. Ninety-one per cent (174/191) of participants had heard of folic acid and, of these, 63% knew that folic acid reduces the risk of spina bifida. Of the 191 participants in the study, 118(62%) took folic acid supplements at some stage of their pregnancy, however, only 33(17%) had taken periconceptual folic acid supplements. Of the 44% of all women in the study with a planned pregnancy, only 35% had taken folic acid supplements periconceptually. Of those women with an unplanned pregnancy (55%), only 2.8% had taken a folic acid supplement periconceptually. The main sources of advice for women relating to folic acid were general practitioners (48%) or media advertising, either in the form of a magazine, or health pamphlet or television promotion (20%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that the level of knowledge amongst women of child-bearing age relating to folic acid is relatively high compared with other countries. Despite this high level of knowledge, only a small percentage of women are actually consuming a folic acid supplement during the recommended periconceptual period due in part to the high proportion of unplanned pregnancies. These results emphasize the need for an effective public health strategy to ensure that all women of child-bearing age have access to an adequate folic acid intake.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Older, but not wiser: how men get information about AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases after high school.

CONTEXT: As they reach adulthood, young men are less likely to use condoms and are at increased risk for exposure to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Little is known about which prevention efforts reach men in their 20s. METHODS: Longitudinal data from the 1988, 1990-1991 and 1995 waves of the National Survey of Adolescent Males are used to identify sources of information about AIDS and STDs among 1,290 young men aged 22-26. Information receipt from four main sources, the topics covered by each source and the personal characteristics associated with getting more information are all explored. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of men surveyed discussed disease prevention topics with a health provider in the last year, 48% attended a lecture or read a brochure, 51% spoke to a partner, friend or family member, and 96% heard about AIDS or STDs from the media (e.g., television advertisements, radio or magazine). Excluding media sources, 30% of young men reported getting no STD or AIDS prevention messages in the last year. Being black or Hispanic, having had a physical exam or an AIDS test in the last year, and having discussions about AIDS or STDs with parents or a health care provider in the past were associated with receiving more information. CONCLUSIONS: Although young men who are at higher risk for STD or HIV infection are more likely than other young men to get information about disease prevention, young adult men are much less likely than adolescents to receive AIDS or STD prevention education. More prevention efforts need to be aimed at young adults.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2000

Analysis of xenon CT data with a personal computer.

We transferred stable xenon cerebral blood flow (CBF) data to a personal computer by a software of the digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) output, and handled raw data with the NIH image software. CBF values were able to calculate with the NIH image accurately. This system made a precise color image and correct grey scale image submit to a magazine. DICOM output liberates us from a limit of time and place to analyze xenon CT data.

Cerebrovascular Circulation↗

PubMed2000

Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising, 1989-1998. A content analysis of conditions, targets, inducements, and appeals.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a content analysis of consumer-targeted prescription drug advertisements to explore trends in prevalence, shifts in the medical conditions for which drugs are promoted, reliance on financial and nonmonetary inducements, and appeals used to attract public interest. METHODS: We collected the drug advertisements appearing in 18 consumer magazines from 1989 through 1998. Two judges independently coded each advertisement and placed it in a category pertaining to the target audience, use of inducements, and product benefits (mean kappa=0.93). We employed descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and curve estimation procedures. RESULTS: A total of 320 distinct advertisements were identified, representing 101 brands and 14 medical conditions. New advertisement and brand introductions increased dramatically during this decade. Advertisements for drugs used for dermatologic, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), and obstetric/gynecologic conditions were most common. Almost all of the advertisements were aimed at the potential user of the drug, not third-party intermediaries such as parents and spouses. Although most advertisements were gender-neutral, women were more likely to be exclusively targeted. One eighth of the advertisements offered a monetary incentive (eg, a rebate or money-back guarantee), and one third made an offer of additional information in printed or audio/video form. The most common appeals used were effectiveness, symptom control, innovativeness, and convenience. CONCLUSIONS: Consumer-directed prescription drug advertising has increased dramatically during the past decade. The pharmaceutical industry is turning to this type of advertising to generate interest in its products. Our data may be useful to physicians who want to stay abreast of the treatments that are being directly marketed to their patients.

Advertising↗

PubMed1998

Melatonin: interesting, but not miraculous.

(1) In the United States melatonin is just a dietary supplement, but in Europe its status varies from country to country and also over time. It is illegal in some European member states but tolerated or authorised as a drug or dietary product elsewhere. Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, has been on the front cover of magazines throughout the world for its claimed effects on ageing, cancer and many other health problems, opening up a vast potential market. (2) Only its use in jet lag, sleep disorders and advanced cancer has been tested clinically (albeit scantily). (3) Melatonin seems to alleviate jet lag symptoms, but that could be linked to its moderate hypnotic effect. (4) The use of melatonin to treat major insomnia cannot be envisaged until its long-term safety has been proven. With this proviso, and if efficacy is confirmed in sufficiently large comparative trials, melatonin could prove useful for treating major sleep disorders in some patients, especially blind people and those with severe neurological disabilities. (5) According to open trials conducted by a single team, melatonin, alone or combined with interleukin-2, could slightly lengthen the survival of patients with some advanced cancers, but even partial tumour remissions are rare. (6) All other "indications" are based on simplistic hypotheses or purely commercial considerations.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of knowledge, attitudes and practice in healthy women of childbearing age concerning prophylactic folic acid--preliminary report].

Use of folic acid supplements before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy, is associated with a reduced incidence of neural tube defects. The Ministry of Health guidelines recommend the use of folic acid supplements by all women in childbearing age. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of women in childbearing age with regard to the effectiveness of folic acid prophylaxis in neural tube foetal defects. The effect of the education al level on knowledge about folic acid supplementation and its implementation was also studied. Data were collected by questionnaires administered by trained staff in July 1999 in 8 Primary Health Centres in Warsaw on a sample of 400 women aged 15-50. Only 52.8% of women reported ever hearing of or reading about folic acid, 15% reported that folic acid helped to reduce the risk for neural tube defects. The most commonly cited sources of information were the woman's general practitioner (43.0%) and magazines (41.7%). Overall, 13% of women reported taking multivitamins containing folic acid on a daily basis. Failure to take supplements was significantly associated with lower education. Educational interventions are required to inform women of the benefit of peri-conceptional folate supplementation and to increase folate intake among them.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Communicating effectively with the patient and family about treatment options for prostate cancer.

To help the patient with prostate cancer, his family, and his friends, in coping with the diagnosis and its treatment, health care providers need to understand the controversies about treatment options and the impact that such controversies have on medical decision-making. To update health care providers, the authors reviewed all pertinent citations in the medicine database from 1966 to 2000, and in other relevant publications. These resources are also available to our patients through the Internet and other avenues, such as books and magazines. It is the role of the physician to counsel patients about their individual circumstances to allow them to make the best individualized treatment option. Patients who have appropriate information and are actively involved with the decision-making process are, in general, psychologically healthier. Though watchful waiting has no side effects, men must cope psychologically with issues of long-term cancer survivorship. With early detection, men can choose between different treatment options (eg, radiation versus radical prostatectomy). Urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and fatigue are major emotional and physical stressors for this population. Providers of care need to be aware of the psychosocial sequelae of prostate cancer and treatment-related side effects and assist their patients in processing ever-growing data on the management of prostate cancer that technology brings.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Realities and hopes of gene therapy].

The work represents an introduction article of editors of special issue of the magazine devoted to gene therapy and therapeutics. The main results of clinical gene therapy in the past decade are critically considered in connection with a changes of paradigms of the field. They are: 1) change of the main target of genetic therapy--correction of defects in chromosomes--onto expression and/or output of target genes for gene therapy; 2) transfer from gene transplantation to cell transplantation; 3) tendency for the use of safe/non-viral vectors instead of viral ones.; and 4) conflict of interests in gene therapy. Outlooks in the field are discussed.

Cell Transplantation↗

PubMed2000

Snapshots of Freud in America, 1899-1999.

In 1899, Sigmund Freud was virtually unknown in America, and his new book. The Interpretation of Dreams, went unreviewed. A century later, his life and work were the subject of a major exhibition of the U.S. Library of Congress, and he appeared for the third time on the cover of Time magazine. This article describes a few of the intervening events.

History, 19th Century↗

PubMed2000

Nature's loss, Immunologists gain?

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Nature Publishing Group (2000). ISSN 1471-0072. Monthly First there was Annual Reviews, then came the monthly Elsevier Trends Journals, both of which try to identify hot topics in their chosen fields. The Current Opinion journals followed several years later, and Current Opinion in Cell Biology is presently one of the highest 'impact factor' review journals, with a distinguished board of editors and advisors and a systematic approach to regular coverage of the major fields of cell biology. Important topics are visited once a year, whether or not something specially exciting happened in the last 12 months. Add to this list Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, the FASEB journal and the countless minireviews in 'real' journals, and you begin to wonder how anyone finds any time for doing experiments, or indeed reading the primary literature. So, into this already crowded field arrive three important newcomers: Nature Reviews in Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Neurosciences, of which the first two will probably interest readers of Journal of Cell Science the most. Backed by the name and money of Nature and edited by experienced Nature staff, it is hard to see how these publications can possibly do other than succeed with writers and readers alike. What's inside the first issue? The cover of Nature Reviews in Molecular Cell Biology presents a 3-colour montage of a blue cell nucleus surrounded by splotches of green GPI-anchored GFP overlaid by orange actin stress fibres that seem to come from somewhere else. This image trails a comprehensive review from Kai Simons and Derek Toomre about Lipid Rafts. There are another five major review articles: calcium puffs and sparks, rings around DNA, HIV inhibitors, kinesin and the circadian clock provide a rich and varied mix of topics from authors who know what they're talking about. Surrounding this core is an entertaining mixture of 'highlights' at the front: news and views about a well-chosen selection of recent articles in the primary literature written by the three editors. These struck me as striking slightly too jokey a style. It is a terrible temptation and mistake in this kind of piece, I think, to equate lightheartedness with clarity. The sugar coating is more likely to irritate than enlighten. I would also question the wisdom, if it is indeed a policy, of only allowing editors to write in this section. I'm all for experienced writers writing, but I think I would prefer the variety of voice and authority evinced by the parental Nature News and Views. After the main reviews comes a section entitled 'perspectives', which include a 'Timeline' piece on Hayflick and his limit by Jerry Shay and Woodring Wright that I very much enjoyed, and a review (or Opinion) about cancer from Judah Folkman, Philip Hahnfeldt and Lynn Hlatky. In their own words, "the impetus for this Opinion article centres on the increasing awareness of the heterogeneity and instability of the cancer genome [. I]t is possible that suppressing this degenerative process may itself comprise an alternative constraint-based paradigm." The authors' fondness for portentous phrases of this kind rather spoiled their discussion for me. I also had trouble with an article on molecular computing. PCR reactions can solve the travelling salesman problem, it seems, but extremely slowly compared to a proper computer. The magazine has a nice heft to it, and is attractively designed and presented in glossy colour, although the main font is small enough to make reading difficult for your middle-aged reviewer in a particularly heavily overcast and rainy week in London. A first issue is supposed to be a kind of showcase, but if they can keep this up, the editors will surely have a success on their hands and you will probably be obliged to take out a personal subscription (£85), or persuade your library to part with £565. That's slightly cheaper than TiBS and a lot cheaper than Current Opinion in Cell Biology, both of which will have to run faster if they want to stay in the same place.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Bright and dynamic, constantly updated and enhanced online.?

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Nature Publishing Group (2000). ISSN 1471-0072. Monthly First there was Annual Reviews, then came the monthly Elsevier Trends Journals, both of which try to identify hot topics in their chosen fields. The Current Opinion journals followed several years later, and Current Opinion in Cell Biology is presently one of the highest 'impact factor' review journals, with a distinguished board of editors and advisors and a systematic approach to regular coverage of the major fields of cell biology. Important topics are visited once a year, whether or not something specially exciting happened in the last 12 months. Add to this list Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, the FASEB journal and the countless minireviews in 'real' journals, and you begin to wonder how anyone finds any time for doing experiments, or indeed reading the primary literature. So, into this already crowded field arrive three important newcomers: Nature Reviews in Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, and Neurosciences, of which the first two will probably interest readers of Journal of Cell Science the most. Backed by the name and money of Nature and edited by experienced Nature staff, it is hard to see how these publications can possibly do other than succeed with writers and readers alike. What's inside the first issue? The cover of Nature Reviews in Molecular Cell Biology presents a 3-colour montage of a blue cell nucleus surrounded by splotches of green GPI-anchored GFP overlaid by orange actin stress fibres that seem to come from somewhere else. This image trails a comprehensive review from Kai Simons and Derek Toomre about Lipid Rafts. There are another five major review articles: calcium puffs and sparks, rings around DNA, HIV inhibitors, kinesin and the circadian clock provide a rich and varied mix of topics from authors who know what they're talking about. Surrounding this core is an entertaining mixture of 'highlights' at the front: news and views about a well-chosen selection of recent articles in the primary literature written by the three editors. These struck me as striking slightly too jokey a style. It is a terrible temptation and mistake in this kind of piece, I think, to equate lightheartedness with clarity. The sugar coating is more likely to irritate than enlighten. I would also question the wisdom, if it is indeed a policy, of only allowing editors to write in this section. I'm all for experienced writers writing, but I think I would prefer the variety of voice and authority evinced by the parental Nature News and Views. After the main reviews comes a section entitled 'perspectives', which include a 'Timeline' piece on Hayflick and his limit by Jerry Shay and Woodring Wright that I very much enjoyed, and a review (or Opinion) about cancer from Judah Folkman, Philip Hahnfeldt and Lynn Hlatky. In their own words, "the impetus for this Opinion article centres on the increasing awareness of the heterogeneity and instability of the cancer genome [. I]t is possible that suppressing this degenerative process may itself comprise an alternative constraint-based paradigm." The authors' fondness for portentous phrases of this kind rather spoiled their discussion for me. I also had trouble with an article on molecular computing. PCR reactions can solve the travelling salesman problem, it seems, but extremely slowly compared to a proper computer. The magazine has a nice heft to it, and is attractively designed and presented in glossy colour, although the main font is small enough to make reading difficult for your middle-aged reviewer in a particularly heavily overcast and rainy week in London. A first issue is supposed to be a kind of showcase, but if they can keep this up, the editors will surely have a success on their hands and you will probably be obliged to take out a personal subscription (£85), or persuade your library to part with £565. That's slightly cheaper than TiBS and a lot cheaper than Current Opinion in Cell Biology, both of which will have to run faster if they want to stay in the same place.

Journal Article↗