OBJECTIVEChronic diabetic foot ulcers are a source of major concern for both patients and health care systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the management of chronic diabetic foot ulcers.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSThe Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Diabetics with Chronic Foot Ulcers (HODFU) study was a randomized, single-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The outcomes for the group receiving HBOT were compared with those of the group receiving treatment with hyperbaric air. Treatments were given in a multi-place hyperbaric chamber for 85-min daily (session duration 95 min), five days a week for eight weeks (40 treatment sessions). The study was performed in an ambulatory setting.RESULTSNinety-four patients with Wagner grade 2, 3, or 4 ulcers, which had been present for >3 months, were studied. In the intention-to-treat analysis, complete healing of the index ulcer was achieved in 37 patients at 1-year of follow-up: 25/48 (52%) in the HBOT group and 12/42 (29%) in the placebo group (P = 0.03). In a sub-analysis of those patients completing >35 HBOT sessions, healing of the index ulcer occurred in 23/38 (61%) in the HBOT group and 10/37 (27%) in the placebo group (P = 0.009). The frequency of adverse events was low.CONCLUSIONSThe HODFU study showed that adjunctive treatment with HBOT facilitates healing of chronic foot ulcers in selected patients with diabetes.

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a b s t r a c tThis paper proposes that the impact of information systems (IS) integration on manufacturing firm profitability is underestimated as a result of inadequate attention to indirect effects. The study uses structural equation modeling to investigate the associations among internal and external information system integration, quality and cost performance, and firm profitability. Overall, the results from a mail survey of 263 member firms of the Institute for Supply Management support the theoretical model. Results indicate that (a) internal IS integration has a significant positive association with external IS integration, (b) both internal IS integration and external IS integration are significantly positively associated with cost and quality performance, (c) quality performance is significantly positively associated with cost performance, and (d) both quality and cost performance have significant positive associations with firm profitability. However, the direct effects of internal and external IS integration on firm profitability are not significant. Rather, the association is through cost and quality performance, suggesting that both cost and quality performance act as intervening variables. This study extends the literature on IS integration by providing insights into a set of interrelationships that matters for the attainment of firm profitability from IS integration.

Aims/hypothesis The randomised, double-blind, placebocontrolled Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Diabetic Patients with Chronic Foot Ulcers (HODFU) study showed beneficial effect of HBOT. As this treatment is expensive and time-consuming, being able to select patients for therapy would be very useful. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether circulatory variables could help in predicting outcome of HBOT. Methods All HODFU study participants who completed therapy, predefined as receiving at least 36 out of 40 scheduled HBOT/placebo sessions, were included in this study (n=75). Baseline transcutaneous oximetry (TcPO 2 ), toe blood pressure (TBP) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured. Ulcer healing rate was registered at the 9-month follow-up visit. An ulcer was considered healed when it was completely epithelialised and remained so at the 12-month follow-up. ResultsIn the HBOT group TcPO 2 were significantly lower for patients whose ulcer did not heal as compared with those whose ulcers healed. A significantly increased healing frequency was seen with increasing TcPO 2 levels in the HBOT group (TcPO 2 /healing rate: <25 mmHg/0%; 26-50 mmHg/50%; 51-75 mmHg/73%; and >75 mmHg/ 100%). No statistically significant relation between the level of TBP or ABI and healing frequency was seen. Conclusions/interpretation Our results indicate that TcPO 2 in contrast to ABI and TBP correlates to ulcer healing following HBOT. We suggest HBOT as a feasible adjunctive treatment modality in diabetic patients with chronic non-healing foot ulcers when basal TcPO 2 at the dorsum of the foot is above 25 mmHg. Trial registration NCT00953186 Funding Mrs

a b s t r a c tThe interface between management control and information technology is an underdeveloped research area with a knowledge gap concerning its implications for financial performance. This study contributes to bridging this gap by investigating the interaction effect of cost control systems and information technology integration on manufacturing plant financial performance. We surveyed a sample of 518 managers of U.S. manufacturing plants, approximately evenly distributed between those using activity-based costing and volume-based costing. Using hierarchical regression analyses, results indicate that while information technology integration and cost control systems do not provide significant independent effects on plant financial performance, they do interact to positively impact manufacturing plant financial performance. Thus, our findings suggest that manufacturing plants will reap the greatest financial performance benefits from investments in activitybased cost control systems when combined with information technology integration.

A total of 138 male body builders who regularly attended a gym participated anonymously in a study of the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in relation to side-effects, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI; kg m-2), training frequency, social background, occupation, knowledge and attitudes to steroid use. Fifty-three of the 138 body builders had used anabolic-androgenic steroids for a median duration of 2 years. Steroid use was linked to a higher BMI and more frequent training. Seventy-five per cent (n = 18) of those attending body building for competition, and 24% (n = 11) of those attending to improve their sense of well-being, used anabolic-androgenic steroids. Of all body builders, 94% considered anabolic-androgenic steroids to be dangerous. Of the users, 81% experienced side-effects, but 74% still intended to continue steroid medication.