NHS entrants. Great expectations.

The plethora of tabloid newspaper stories slating penny-pinching managers and the glut of television soaps featuring over-worked nurses and exhausted junior doctors portray life in the NHS as far from glamorous. But it seems that once you have been bitten by the NHS bug nothing can put you off. The lure of large salaries, expense accounts and company cars apparently counts for nought when offered the prospect of a 72-hour working week and a significantly reduced income.

G-CSF is a major component of colony-stimulating activity (CSA) in the plasma of patients with multiple myeloma after treatment with high-dose melphalan (HDM).

Colony-stimulating activity (CSA) was measured by the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (GM-CFU) from normal donor bone marrow in the plasma of 29 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) after intensive treatment with high-dose melphalan (HDM) with or without autologous bone marrow rescue (ABMR). Although patients who received ABMR had an earlier recovery of circulating neutrophils compared with those who received HDM alone, the time at which CSA reached a maximum was similar in both groups (10 to 11 days) after therapy. The decline in CSA correlated with the recovery of the neutrophil count.

Subperiosteal behaviour of alginate and cellulose wound dressing materials.

A histological comparison was undertaken of the tissue response to a new sodium calcium alginate material (Kaltostat) and an oxidized regenerated cellulose wound dressing (Surgicel) when implanted between bone and periosteum in the jaws at intervals of up to 24 wk. Both biomaterials caused a foreign body reaction, persisting up to 12 wk after surgery. New bone formation occurred along the surface of the mandible in some specimens, but was not apparently related to the implants.

The proliferation of multiple myeloma colonies (MY-CFUc) in vitro is independent of prognosis and is not associated with mutated N- or K-ras alleles in human bone marrow aspirates.

During the period September 1987 to March 1993 the proliferation of myeloma cells as colonies (MY-CFUc) in vitro was examined in bone marrow aspirates from 43 patients with multiple myeloma and two patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia. Twenty-four samples from 45 patients, of whom three were at presentation, four were in complete remission (CR), six had achieved a partial response (PR) and 11 had progressive disease (PD), produced MY-CFUc in vitro. The same bone marrow aspirates or one taken within 2 months of that assessed for MY-CFUc were used in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Temperature increase during removal of incisal extensions on resin-bonded castings.

To assist seating or relocation of resin-bonded retainers on abutments, extensions of the cast framework can be incorporated and removed after cementation. There has been apprehension concerning the heat created during the grinding of these extensions, particularly if there is a substantial bulk of metal. This study recorded the elevation of temperature when cast incisal extensions were removed by grinding after cementation.

A possible explanation for the response characteristics of multi-tooth periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors in the cat.

During the course of a study on the morphology of periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors it was observed that a direct relation, without intervening bone, existed between the mandibular canine and first premolar tooth roots in the cat. An area, representing a window in the alveolar septal bone, extended 2-3 mm from the apex towards the tooth crown. Ruffini nerve terminals were observed amongst the collagen bundles in the ligament between the roots of the two teeth.

Neutralising antibodies in patients with multiple myeloma receiving maintenance therapy with interferon alpha 2b.

In a study of 29 patients who were receiving or had received interferon alpha 2b (IFN-alpha 2b) as maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma, antibodies were detected in 58% (17/29) of patients measured by a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Only 7/17 patients who were positive for antibody in the ELISA had neutralising antibody to IFN-alpha 2b, measured by virus growth inhibition. These patients comprised six who were receiving IFN-alpha 2b at the time of assessment and one who had finished treatment.

A comparative physiological and morphological study of periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors represented in the trigeminal ganglion and the mesencephalic nucleus of the cat.

A correlative morphological study was carried out on two electrophysiologically identified and located periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors in anaesthetised cats. One mechanoreceptor had its cell body in the mesencephalic nucleus and the other had its cell body in the trigeminal ganglion. Physiological recordings were made from each of their cell bodies.

The effect of temperature on the discharge of periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors in the cat canine tooth.

The response of periodontal ligament mechanoreceptors to mechanical stimuli was studied at different temperatures in anaesthetized cats. Recordings were made from functionally single fibres in the inferior alveolar nerve from mechanoreceptors which were located in the ligament by dissection and punctate stimulation and electrical stimulation. A thermode was used to alter and maintain small areas of periodontal ligament at temperatures ranging from thermode tip temperatures of 3 degrees C to 57 degrees C.

Examination of tooth-drying techniques: evaluation in-vitro of a prototype warm-air tooth dryer.

A prototype, rechargeable, warm-air tooth dryer is evaluated and its capabilities compared with those of an established mains electricity powered dryer (Handi-Dri). The evaluation includes warm-up cycle, maximum temperature and constancy of temperature of air output, battery discharge profile, time required to dry etched enamel, ability to dry wet filter paper, flow rate and pressure of air output, convenience and ease of use. Selected tests were also applied to a dental 3-in-1 syringe.

Neuropeptide Y stimulates hypertrophy of adult ventricular cardiomyocytes.

It was investigated whether neuropeptide Y (NPY) could exert a trophic effect on ventricular myocytes isolated from the adult rat heart. Two different culture models were used: day 1 and 7 cultures of cardiomyocytes. In day 1 and 7 cultures, NPY caused an increase in cellular protein mass.

Alginate fiber dressing for oral mucosal wounds.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on hemostasis and wound healing of a proprietary alginate fiber dressing when applied to a wound of the buccal mucosa of approximately 2 mm depth. The study showed a significant reduction in the number of residual bleeding points in shallow wounds when the alginate fiber dressing was applied for 5 minutes as compared with the use of non-alginate-impregnated surgical gauze. There was no significant difference in the rate of epithelial repair of the test and control sites nor in the area of the resulting mucosal scar.

An in vitro study of a surface wetting agent for addition reaction silicone impressions.

The aims of this study were to determine whether the use of a topical surfactant (Hydrosystem) reduced the number of air bubbles visible on the surface of polyvinyl siloxane impressions and stone dies. The impressions exhibited a mean of 1.4 +/- 2.

TGF beta 1 and IL-4 have opposing effects on the proliferation of chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemic cells stimulated by G-CSF in vitro.

The effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) have been studied in vitro on the clonogenicity of haemopoietic progenitor cells (CFU-CML) from 14 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in chronic phase and 13 normal donors. In 14/14 patients with CML, 5 ng of TGF beta 1/dish decreased CFU-CML-formation in cultures stimulated with 15 ng of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)/dish (p < 0.0005) and in 13/14 patients TGF beta 1 reduced CFU-CML-formation induced by G-CSF in combination with 5 ng of recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhIL-4)/dish (p < 0.