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To investigate the relationship between stable chromosome aberration frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes and occupational cumulative radiation exposure.Cytogenetic analysis using G-banding was performed on peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures from 104 workers from the British Nuclear Fuels PLC facility at Sellafield, UK. The study group comprised 61 men with lifetime cumulative doses500 mSv, 39 men with minimal exposure (i.e.50 mSv) who formed a control group and 4 men with intermediate doses.The slope of the dose-response, adjusted for smoking status, for translocations and insertions was 0.55+/-0.31 x 10(-2)/cell/Sv. Consideration of chromosome breakpoints for all aberrations combined in the radiation workers revealed an excess in the C group chromosomes and a deficit in the F group chromosomes with breakpoints being concentrated in the terminal regions whereas the distribution in the control group did not deviate from expectation.The dose-response was not significantly different from the parallel FISH analysis (Tucker et al. 1997) and confirms that chronic radiation exposure appears to be substantially less effective at inducing stable chromosome aberrations in comparison with acute exposure.

A computer-based technique for the quantification of abnormal bowel uptake in Crohn's disease has been developed and compared with pre-existing clinical, laboratory and scintigraphic methods of assessment. The standard technique for labelling leucocytes with 99mTc-HMPAO is applied. Images were obtained at 40, 120 and 240 min after the injection of radiolabelled leucocytes. The count in the bowel area after subtracting background activity corrected to the injected dose and image acquisition times is the 'scan score', an objective measure of disease activity. The scan score is significantly higher in patients with clinically active disease (mean 82.1 +/- SEM 13.6) than in those with quiescent disease (24.7 +/- 7.0) (p < or = 0.005). Optimum separation between active and quiescent disease is achieved with a threshold scan score of 20. The scan score was comparable in small bowel disease (73.3 +/- 16.2), large bowel (94.4 +/- 33) and disease at both locations (94.1 +/- 19.2). The scan score correlated favourably with Crohn's Disease Activity Index (rs = 52, p < or = 0.0001), Harvey & Bradshow Simple Index (rs = 0.4, p < or = 0.001), serum C-reactive protein (rs = 0.72, p < or = 0.001), serum alpha acid glycoprotein (rs 0.67, p < or = 0.001), haemoglobin (rs = 0.66, p < or = 0.001), platelet count (rs = 0.47, p < or = 0.006), albumin (rs = 0.61, p < or = 0.0001) and faecal 111Indium excretion (rs = 0.78, p < or = 0.001), but not with the ESR (rs = 0.22, p < or = 0.4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The “Free Festival Phenomenon” traces the history of Free Festivals from the general to the particular. From cultural origins in Greece through their more recent manifestations in this country to the 1974 culmination of the Windsor Festival—a “gigantic drug‐inspired breach of the peace.” It examines the varying motives of some participants at Windsor—music, anti‐materialism, drugs, sexual licence, anarchy. It touches also on the operational problems such gatherings present to the police, and considers the aftermath—particularly as shaped by the media. The “Free Festival Phenomenon” concludes by considering the issues such festivals raise. It looks at Watchfield and the role of government and presents the lessons learnt from experience by the Thames Valley Police—lessons offered to the Melchett Committee.

The effect of olsalazine and sulphasalazine on stool output and transit of a solid radiolabelled meal through the stomach, small intestine and colon was measured. In six patients with ulcerative colitis intolerant of sulphasalazine, olsalazine, 250 mg q.d.s., significantly accelerated gastric emptying, mouth to caecum transit time and whole gut transit time. No significant changes were seen in the mean daily stool weight or in the mean daily stool frequency. In six normal subjects, sulphasalazine, 1 g t.d.s., had no significant effect on gastric emptying, mouth to caecum transit, whole gut transit or stool output. All six patients tolerated olsalazine without any adverse effects. In conclusion, olsalazine accelerated gastric and intestinal transit, and this effect on intestinal motor activity could be responsible for the diarrhoea reported in some patients taking this drug.

We assessed the tolerance and safety of two new preparations designed to release 5-aminosalicylic acid in the colon in patients with ulcerative colitis who were intolerant of sulphasalazine. Twenty-eight of 37 patients (76%) given mesalazine and 18 of 21 patients (86%) given olsalazine tolerated the new preparations with no adverse effects. No haematologic or biochemical abnormalities were detected. Adverse reactions to the new preparations were usually but not always similar to those they had previously encountered with sulphasalazine, but a few patients experienced rash and diarrhoea. In some patients intolerant of one of the new preparations, their tolerance of the other was assessed. Three patients intolerant of mesalazine tolerated olsalazine. Similarly, three other patients intolerant of olsalazine tolerated mesalazine. We conclude that not all adverse effects of sulphasalazine are due to the sulphapyridine part of the molecule. Some are due to the released 5-aminosalicylic acid and some to the parent compound. Both drugs are likely to prove useful in the management of patients intolerant of sulphasalazine.

Differences in oxygen consumption between individuals and also within individuals on 4 different tasks and at 2 rates of energy expenditure were examined. Criteria are proposed for indicating differences in physiological ‘ skill ’ between individuals and in some tasks such differences were found. Weight was found to be correlated with maximum oxygen intake, the factor which sets a limit to the maximum level of endurance work, and is also correlated with oxygen consumption in two of the tasks. It is considered that differences between individuals in maximum oxygen intake is more important than are differences in oxygen consumption in tasks requiring prolonged physical effort. Gross mechanical efficiencies were estimated in order to compare the mean efficiencies of this group of men when performing different tasks.