The fate of 257 consecutive patients (100 women) aged 36-85 years (mean 65) first seen with intermittent claudication in 1977 was analysed after a mean of 6-5 (SD 0-5) years. When first seen none of the patients complained of rest pain or had ulcers or gangrenous lesions on the feet.At follow up 113 ofthe patients (44%) had died. Causes of death were no different from those in the general population. Mortality was twice that of the general population matched for age and sex. Mortality among the men was twice that among the women. In men under 60 mortality was four times that expected.The rate of clinical progression of the arteriosclerotic disease (that is, rest pain or gangrene) of the worst affected leg was 7-5% in the first year after referral. Thereafter the rate was 2 2% a year. An ankle systolic blood pressure below 70 mm Hg, a toe systolic blood pressure below 40 mm Hg, or an ankle/arm pressure index below 50% were individually significantly associated with progression of the arteriosclerotic disease.These findings show the importance of peripheral blood pressure measurements in the management of patients with intermittent claudication due to arteriosclerotic disease.

Increasing demand for the production of energy from renewable sources has fueled a search for alternatives to supplement those currently in production. One such alternative is switchgrass, a perennial grass native to North America that appears to have considerable potential as a biomass feedstock for energy production. While the properties of switchgrass as a biomass feedstock have been intensively studied, the potential market for switchgrass has received much less attention. A survey of Tennessee farmers was conducted to improve our understanding of those who might be willing to supply switchgrass to an emerging energy market. The results of this survey provide information on the willingness of Tennessee's agricultural producers to grow switchgrass as an energy crop and the acreage that these producers would be willing to convert to switchgrass production. The majority of respondents had not heard of growing switchgrass for energy production and roughly half were unsure as to whether they would be willing to grow switchgrass. For those with an opinion about whether they would grow switchgrass, a two limit Tobit model of acreage share was used to ascertain the effects of various farm and producer characteristics on the share of acreage they would be willing to convert to switchgrass.

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