United Kingdom (Wales): Health system review.

Wales is situated to the west of England, with a population of approximately 3 million (5% of the total for the United Kingdom), and a land mass of just over 20 000 km2. For several decades, Wales had a health system largely administered through the United Kingdom Governments Welsh Office, but responsibility for most aspects of health policy was devolved to Wales in a process beginning in 1999. Since then, differences between the policy approach and framework in England and Wales have widened.

Proposal to raise registration fee by 58 per cent is unjustifiable.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is proposing to raise its registration fees on January 1 from £76 a year to £120 - a staggering 58 per cent increase (news and editorial May 23).

The rotational spectrum of the FeD radical in its X (4)Delta state, measured by far-infrared laser magnetic resonance.

Transitions between the spin-rotational levels of the FeD radical in the v=0 level of the X (4)Delta ground state have been detected by the technique of laser magnetic resonance at far-infrared wavelengths. Pure-rotational transitions have been observed for the three lowest spin components. Lambda-type doubling is resolved on all the observed transitions; nuclear hyperfine structure is not observed.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology in parotid masses: our experience in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to assess the value of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in parotid masses.

Methods: A retrospective review was carried out of FNAC results in parotid masses and the findings compared to histology on subsequent parotidectomy.

Results: One hundred parotid masses were investigated.

A glomus vagale tumour presenting with acute left ventricular failure.

A glomus vagale is a rare lesion of paraganglionic cells in the vagal perineurium. Secretion of hormones by such a tumour is exceedingly uncommon, although associated metabolic processes have been demonstrated. Clinical effects of secretion reported previously have been minimal.