The microdebrider, a step forward or an expensive gadget?

Capture management in high-power devices: an important step forward or a new gadget?

Automatic measurement of pacing thresholds was first introduced more than a decade ago with the purpose of ensuring ventricular capture for safety purposes and of enabling automatic adjustment of outputs to relatively low values with low safety margins, thus extending longevity of the devices and allowing for less frequent clinic visits. Over several years, the only commercially available algor...

Pharmacogenetics in the Management of Coumarin Anticoagulant Therapy: The Way Forward or an Expensive Diversion?

W arfarin and related coumarin-based anticoagulants are the mainstay of pharmacological management for the long-term prevention of thromboembolism. It is estimated that over 1 million residents in the United Kingdom take warfarin; in excess of 20 million prescriptions for the anticoagulant are dispensed each year in the United States of America. Despite recent advances in the development of nov...

One step forward

An Enhanced Flux Treatment in Solving Incompressible Flow in a Forward-Facing Step

The aim of this paper is to give a detailed effect of several parameters such as step height, Reynolds number, contraction ratio, and temperature difference between the entrance and solid boundaries, of a forward-facing step. An accurate length of separation and reattachment zones are achieved. A finite-volume method (FVM) has been developed to study incompressible flow in a forward-facing step...

Blood donor incentives: A step forward or backward

Dramatic increase in blood usage and critical seasonal blood shortages are faced by various countries. Countries which previously reached 100% voluntary nonremunerated donation have been led to offer different kinds of incentives to recruit blood donors and meet their blood demands. In some cases, these incentives are considered monetary and are in complete contrast with International standards...