The effectiveness of foot orthoses as a treatment for plantar ulceration in leprosy : a study of the efficacy, acceptability, appropriateness and implantation of a podiatric regimen

This was a holistic study. Four themes were investigated to demonstrate the effectiveness of orthotic intervention for plantar ulceration affecting leprosy impaired subjects in India. 1. Efficacy Efficacy was demonstrated, primarily, through analysis of data pertaining to a controlled trial. Thirty-seven subjects, presenting with leprosy impairments including anaesthesia and plantar ulceration, were fitted with orthoses and allocated to an experimental group. Thirty-four similar subjects, were not offered orthoses and were allocated to a control group. After 8 months 52% of the ulcers presented by Experimental group and 12% of the ulcers presented by the Control group had healed. The rationale supporting the prescription of orthoses was investigated using the EMED system. It was demonstrated that intervention with orthoses resulted in significantly lower sub pedal peak pressures than intervention with leprosy sandals. 2. Implementation and Sustain ability Ulcer assessment data from March 1994 to January 1995 were used to compare the effects of orthoses supplied by the investigator with orthoses supplied by an Indian technician. The service, evaluated on the strength of these findings, was considered to have been successfully implemented. The analysis of data, collected from January 1995 to December 1995, was used to explain why the service was not sustained at an acceptable level. 3. Acceptability Interview data were analysed to describe the attitudes of the subjects to the intervention (n = 46). Indications from the analysis were that neither ulcer status (healed or unresolved) nor group allocation (Experimental or Control) affected attitudes towards the intervention. A general indication was that the intervention was favourably endorsed. 4. Appropriateness Using the Delphi technique (n = 10), a consensus on indicators of "appropriate" impairment control measures was sought. Differences of opinion were not resolved, but group priorities were ranked and a polled response was recorded. The results of the study were similar to the criteria suggested by the Delphi contributors

Memory of recessions.

This paper reviews the evidence on the effects of recessions on potential output. In contrast to the assumption in mainstream macroeconomic models that economic fluctuations do not change potential output paths, the evidence is that they do in the case of recessions. A model is proposed to explain this phenomenon, based on an analogy with water flows inporous media. Because of the discrete adjustments made by heterogeneous economic agents in such a world, potential output displays hysteresis with regard to aggregate demand shocks, and thus retains a memory of the shocks associated with recessions.Recessions, Permanent Effects, Hydraulic Keynesianism, Porous Media, Hysteresis.

Hysteresis in the fundamentals of macroeconomics.

Two fundamental problems in economic analysis concern the determination of aggregate output, and the determination of market prices and quantities. The way economic adjustments are made at the micro level suggests that the history of shocks to the economic environment matters. This paper presents tractable approach for introducing hysteresis into models of how aggregate output and market prices and quantities are determined.Hysteresis, Aggregate Output, Market Supply and Demand

Electrical and magnetic characterisation of a series of TCNQ salts.

The electrical and magnetic properties of a series of 12 isostructural TCNQ salts of bis-pyridinium cations are reported and these properties are related to the structural characteristics. The role of the cation lattice in stabilising a regular TCNQ stack in these salts is discussed. For comparison with this series, the electrical and magnetic properties of two TCNQ salts of bis-pyridinium cations with ordered structures and two salts of dialkyldiphenylphosphonium cations are reported.Within the isostructural series of salts, the stoichiometry takes values of between 1:3 and 1:5, and the cation length determines the stoichiometry. In all these salts, the hydrated cation lattice is disordered and the TCNQs stack in regular columns. The room temperature conductivities, measured along the stacking axis, are in the range 0.05 to 500 S/cm with the highest conductivities observed in dehydrated salts having the approximate stoichiometry, 1:4.5. The 1:5 salts possess the lowest conductivity of the series and in these salts the cation lattice is partially ordered. The 1:3 and 1:4 salts are small band gap semi-conductors whereas the conductivity of the 1:5 salts is not simply activated within the experimental range of temperatures. In these salts the conductivity obeys the empirical power law: [mathematical equation]. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of all but the 1:3 salts of the isostructural series is characteristic of a system of partially localised triplet excitons. The magnitude of the singlet-triplet exchange energy exhibits a stoichiometric dependence and is lower in the 1:5 salts where the spin concentration is lower. The magnetic susceptibility of the 1:3 salts varies with temperature according to the Curie-Weiss law. The apparent low spin concentration supports the evidence found for alloy formation in these salts where the cation lattice is partially occupied by neutral or monoquaternised base

Memory of Recessions

This paper reviews the evidence on the effects of recessions on potential output. In contrast to the assumption in mainstream macroeconomic models that economic fluctuations do not change potential output paths, the evidence is that they do in the case of recessions. A model is proposed to explain this phenomenon, based on an analogy with water flows in porous media. Because of the discrete adjustments made by heterogeneous economic agents in such a world, potential output displays hysteresis with regard to aggregate demand shocks, and thus retains a memory of the shocks associated with recessions

Epitype-inducing temperatures drive DNA methylation changes during somatic embryogenesis in the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce

An epigenetic memory of the temperature sum experienced during embryogenesis is part of the climatic adaptation strategy of the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce. This memory has a lasting effect on the timing of bud phenology and frost tolerance in the resulting epitype trees. The epigenetic memory is well characterized phenotypically and at the transcriptome level, but to what extent DNA methylation changes are involved have not previously been determined. To address this, we analyzed somatic epitype embryos of Norway spruce clones produced at contrasting epitype-inducing conditions (18 and 28°C). We screened for differential DNA methylation in 2744 genes related mainly to the epigenetic machinery, circadian clock, and phenology. Of these genes, 68% displayed differential DNA methylation patterns between contrasting epitype embryos in at least one methylation context (CpG, CHG, CHH). Several genes related to the epigenetic machinery (e.g., DNA methyltransferases, ARGONAUTE) and the control of bud phenology (FTL genes) were differentially methylated. This indicates that the epitype-inducing temperature conditions induce an epigenetic memory involving specific DNA methylation changes in Norway spruce.publishedVersio

Hysteresis in the Fundamentals of Macroeconomics

Two fundamental problems in economic analysis concern the determination of aggregate output, and the determination of market prices and quantities. The way economic adjustments are made at the micro level suggests that the history of shocks to the economic environment matters. This paper presents tractable approach for introducing hysteresis into models of how aggregate output and market prices and quantities are determined

Epitype-inducing temperatures drive DNA methylation changes during somatic embryogenesis in the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce

An epigenetic memory of the temperature sum experienced during embryogenesis is part of the climatic adaptation strategy of the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce. This memory has a lasting effect on the timing of bud phenology and frost tolerance in the resulting epitype trees. The epigenetic memory is well characterized phenotypically and at the transcriptome level, but to what extent DNA methylation changes are involved have not previously been determined. To address this, we analyzed somatic epitype embryos of Norway spruce clones produced at contrasting epitype-inducing conditions (18 and 28°C). We screened for differential DNA methylation in 2744 genes related mainly to the epigenetic machinery, circadian clock, and phenology. Of these genes, 68% displayed differential DNA methylation patterns between contrasting epitype embryos in at least one methylation context (CpG, CHG, CHH). Several genes related to the epigenetic machinery (e.g., DNA methyltransferases, ARGONAUTE) and the control of bud phenology (FTL genes) were differentially methylated. This indicates that the epitype-inducing temperature conditions induce an epigenetic memory involving specific DNA methylation changes in Norway spruce