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Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for the treatment of peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, multicenter study, which investigated all patients who underwent TAE for the treatment of severe upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage from peptic ulcers in five European centers, between January 1, 2012 and May 1, 2017. All patients had undergone failed endoscopic hemostasis. Forty-four patients (male; mean age 74.0 ± 11.1 years, range 49–94), with bleeding from duodenum (36/44; 81.8%) or gastric ulcer (8/44; 18.2%) were followed up to 3.5 years (range 2–1354 days). In 42/44 cases, bleeding was confirmed by pre-procedural CT angiography. In 50% of the cases, coils were deployed, while in the remaining glue, microparticles, gel foam and combinations of the above were used. The study’s outcome measures were 30-day survival technical success (occlusion of feeding vessel and/or no extravasation at completion DSA), overall survival, bleeding relapse and complication rates. Results: The technical success was 100%. The 30-day survival rate was 79.5% (35/44 cases). No patients died due to ongoing or recurrent hemorrhage. Re-bleeding occurred in 2/44 cases (4.5%) and was successfully managed with repeat TAE (one) or surgery (one). The rate of major complications was 4.5% (2/44; one acute pancreatitis and one partial pancreatic ischemia), successfully managed conservatively. According to Kaplan–Meier analysis survival was 71.9% at 3.5 years. Conclusions: TAE for the treatment of PUB was technically successful in all cases and resulted in high clinical success rate. Minimal re-bleeding rates further highlight the utility of TAE as the second line treatment of choice, after failed endoscopy. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE).

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Nowadays, the technical advantage between companies in the automotive sector is constantly reducing [Verhoef et al. 2012], leading to most cars being comparatively the same. This trend is due to the increase in quality level of car manufacturers, technology diffusion and platform sharing, leading to most cars being comparatively the same within their market segment. Thus, to be successful a company has to be more than just good at producing quality cars; it has to produce good looking cars, with a meaning. Product aesthetics, integrated with branding, is a major tool that can be used to gain competitive advantage, [Kotler and Rath 1984], [Oakley 1985], [Bloch 1995]. For example, Audi says that the product design determines up to 60% of a consumer’s decision to buy a particular car [Kreuzbauer and Malter 2005]. Furthermore, a product design can be used to represent the brand, commonly referred to as design language in the automotive industry. Thus, branding is essential for the success of the product. Branding is no longer viewed as a separate activity to product design, but the product in itself represents the brand. Arguably, the product is the most important brand representative as during the interaction with the product, the user creates perceptions of the brand [Hestad 2013]. Similarly, the importance of adopting an integrated product development (IPD) approach [Andreasen and Hein 2000] is fundamental since a company must concurrently consider marketing, product design and production. Despite ample evidence on the importance of branding, in several of the product development models reviewed there is no specific reference to branding and how to specifically link it to product design [Cini 2014]. [Excerpt], peer-reviewed

""Auger-photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy is used for investigating the electronic properties of a CoO thin film above and below the magnetic transition temperature (T(N)). By using the dichroic effect in angle-resolved measurements, we identify and assign well-defined high-spin and low-spin structures in spite of the otherwise featureless Auger singles spectra, typically found for open-band systems. The disappearance of the dichroism for temperatures just above T(N) indicates a collapse of the surface short-range magnetic order, presumably due to a strongly reduced exchange field in the surface compared to that in the bulk. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2011""

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High levels of factor VIII are a common risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible interaction between the presence of high factor VIII levels and oral contraceptive (OC) use. DESIGN AND METHODS: Factor VIII levels were measured by a chromogenic assay in 174 women who suffered from VTE in reproductive age and in 484 healthy women. Subjects carrying thrombophilic alterations were excluded. RESULTS: Factor VIII levels were stratified into quartiles. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of VTE in subjects with factor VIII levels in the upper quartile (>1.95 IU/mL) was 7.45 (95%CI: 3.80-14.6). Among the 174 patients, 85 had experienced VTE during OC use. The 179 healthy women who had used OC for at least 6 months in the two years before presentation but had stopped OC at least 3 months before the blood sampling were considered as OC users. The risk of VTE among OC users with factor VIII levels in the upper quartile was increased about 13-fold (OR: 13.0, 95% CI: 4.92-34.3). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that there is an increased risk of VTE due to oral contraceptive use in women with elevated factor VIII and, as has been previously described for factor V Leiden and G20210A prothrombin mutations, the raised level of the coagulation factor and oral contraceptive use seem to have a synergistic effect.