Up until earlier this year Mr Bull was assessed and diagnosed by biopsy, using a large needle pushed through the ribs, which would often have to be repeated for accuracy.

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Many vitamin and supplement makers are small, so the acquisitions are unlikely to move the needle much for large consumer and drug companies.

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Nothing that happens in South Africa any time soon is going to be large enough to move the needle as far as Wal-Mart stock is concerned, but it is positive to see the company embarking on the next phase of their overseas expansion now that Brazil, China and other markets have proven successful.

FORBES: Wal-Mart: A Good Plan in Africa

This method of testing new drug ideas against many thousand compounds - High Throughput Screening (HTS) - is likened to searching for a very small needle in a very large haystack.

BBC: Science of life in the economy

In countries like Britain, which have a large population of asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants, seeking out militants can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

ECONOMIST: The enemy within | The

But while creating titles for social networks and mobile phones that anyone can play, the law of large numbers means that tiny start-ups can thrive on results that just can't move the needle at more mature gaming companies anymore.

FORBES: Earnings Preview