The high productivity of electronic brainstorming groups has been attributed to several factors, one of which is anonymity. The authors assessed the role of anonymity by randomly assigning brainstorming groups to one offour conditions: anonymous electronic, nonanonymous electronic, verbal, and nominal. The authors found some evidence that more controversial ideas were produced by members of anonymous electronic groups than by members of the other groups. The authors also found clear evidence that anonymous brainstorming groups produced more nonredundant ideas than did nonanonymous brainstorming groups.

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Undetected smear-negative TB is occurring in the Balimo region of PNG, as well as some unnecessary empirical treatment. Molecular methods of diagnosis could greatly reduce the frequency of inappropriate clinical assessment, as well as providing point-of-care diagnosis. This may provide substantial patient and programmatic benefits, including lowering the economic burden on patients from rural areas seeking medical diagnosis in Balimo.

Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6BE 1 Some effects of the sea anemone toxin, ATX-II, on vertebrate skeletal muscle have been described.2 At a concentration of 1 x IO-'-1 x 10-6M, ATX-I1 caused a sodium-dependent depolarizaton of the muscle fibres of the rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus, of the mouse soleus and extensor digitorum longus and of the chicken posterior latissimus dorsi. The muscle fibres of the frog sartorius were insensitive to the toxin. 3 Action potentials generated by direct stimulation were prolonged by ATX-II, but the degree of prolongation was variable. Chicken posterior latissimus dorsi muscle fibres were most sensitive in this regard, and mouse extensor digitorum longus were least sensitive. 4 Both denervated and immature muscle fibres were more sensitive to ATX-II than mature innervated muscle fibres. The sensitivity to ATX-II declined rapidly as muscle fibres matured. 5 In some muscles, the prolongation of the action potential was enhanced by repetitive stimulation, but not by the passive depolarization or hyperpolarization of the muscle fibres. 6 The actions of ATX-II could be reversed by washing in all but the innervated soleus of the mature rat.