Minerva

Patients with fibromyalgia tell you it isn't just about having aching muscles; they also feel weak. Using a dynamometer to assess grip strength and tests of muscle fatigue resistance, researchers compared 16 women with fibromyalgia syndrome and 85 healthy women. They confirmed a 40% reduction in all muscle function tests in the fibromyalgia group compared with controls (especially during aerobic exercise) and an 80% reduction for static endurance (Joint Bone Spine 2002;69:293-9).

The Japanese are prone to stomach cancer. But small cell stomach cancer is rare, and as it carries a poor prognosis suitable treatment has yet to be established. A report in the International Journal of Clinical Oncology (2002;7:128-32) describes the case of a Japanese patient with small cell stomach cancer and a solitary liver metastasis. Rather than cut it out, and because of poor liver function, the surgeons fried the liver with microwave therapy. Nearly three years later the patient is alive with no sign of recurrence.

Here's one writer's recipe for success that all healthcare systems can aspire to. “Successful organisations are likely to be those where there is clear purpose and initiative, where concordance and trust have been developed, where there is …