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The great crisis of 2007-08 not only threatened to derail the world's financial system; it also provoked a collective reflection, unprecedented in scale, on the effects of global capitalism. The [...]

Vein grafts used in arterial bypass in the leg have a high failure rate, reported to be 20 to 50 percent after five years. Most of these failures occur during the first year. It is known that stenosis (narrowing) of the graft eventually results in failure. A program of graft surveillance is needed to identify those grafts at risk for failure before it occurs. A newly developed technique to perform this monitoring is computer-assisted impedance analysis. This noninvasive technique measures pulsatile blood flow; the pulsatile pressure within the thigh and calf is measured, and an impedance score is developed for the thigh and calf. The concept of impedance of blood flow is important in a pulsatile system because of fluid inertia and vessel compliance, in addition to viscous resistance. A retrospective review was undertaken of 50 femorodistal grafts; impedance analysis was compared with arteriography (X-ray of the arteries after injection of dye). Arteriography identified stenosis in 22 grafts at risk and 28 normal controls with grafts. Impedance scores were significantly higher in the at-risk group, compared with the controls. Impedance analysis was able to detect stenosis, not only in the graft itself, but also in the runoff vessels. These results suggest that impedance analysis may be useful in identifying at-risk vein grafts which require surgery. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is a relatively new technique for treating narrowed or blocked blood vessels. It involves inserting a balloon-tipped catheter into the vessel and inflating the balloon to open the vessel. PTA has proven to be as effective as surgical reconstruction of blood vessels in the lower limbs, with fewer associated complications. This study examined the results from patients who underwent PTA, and examined the fate, or outcome, of patients in which it failed. The study involved following 370 patients who had undergone a total of 500 PTA treatments for ischemia (reduced blood flow) in the lower limbs. The success rate of the PTA treatments was 51 percent, with no significant difference between male and female success rates. One percent of the patients died within 30 days as a result of PTA. Most of the failed PTA treatments occurred within the first month. Thirteen percent of these patients underwent a second PTA treatment successfully. The others were given a variety of treatments. The successful PTA patients tended to be younger and to have less critical cases. This group was more likely to have normal calf vessels and to have narrowing in the femoropopliteal vessel, while the unsuccessful patients were more likely to have occlusions (blockages) in these vessels. Improvements in post-exercise ankle-brachial systolic pressure index (ABPI) were seen in patients successfully treated with PTA; ABPI is indicative of improvement in circulation. Failure of PTA can often be attributed to selection of an inappropriate patient. Unsuccessful PTA has dramatic effects on future treatment, often leading to bypass grafts or amputation. Patients with unsuccessful PTA treatments were twice as likely to die within five years of treatment as those with successful treatments. The results indicate that PTA can be a safe and effective treatment of first choice for the appropriate patient. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

In just over two years, engineering group Jarvis has gone from being a success story with sales of #1.2bn to a basket case suffering under #330m of debt. Chief executive [...]

The Pension Protection Fund's risk-based levy is designed to create an incentive for companies to manage their schemes more efficiently. There is, however, some consternation over the levy being raised [...]

The higher costs and regulatory burden that come with listing on the New York Stock Exchange, not to mention the lengthy deregistering process, mean that more and more companies are [...]

On July 28, Capita, the support services group, will report under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the first time when it unveils its interim results. But finance director Gordon [...]

Having missed out on a huge opportunity in 1999 when plans for a takeover of BOC Group were rejected by the US Federal Trade Commission, the company began a four-year [...]

Having only announced that it is on course to reach profit targets this year, the final year of its recovery plan, the Post Office has now decided to expand into [...]

Football's world governing body Fifa has appointed two companies to sell the [pound]30m TV and sponsorship rights for the first World Club Championships. The competition takes place in January and […]

Foote Cone & Belding Europe chairman and regional director Tony Douglas has been made redundant after just 11 months. Douglas left the agency late last week after a short meeting […]

Sky Business, the new BSkyB service dedicated to subscribers in the commercial sector, has appointed Arcom Communications to handle its [pound]3m advertising account. It is the first time the agency […]

In a surprise move, Carphone Warehouse marketing director Lesley Angus is to leave the company in the middle of a [pound]14m review E and only six months into the job. […]

Former Talk Radio managing director Paul Robinson has joined the Disney Channel as vice president and managing director. Robinson replaces Tom Wszalek, who was the cable station's previous managing director. […]

Fashion retailer French Connection has signed a sponsorship deal to sponsor heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis in the run-up to his title unification world championship clash with Evander Holyfield. The […]

Carat Is on the verge of losing the bulk of its largest client -- the VW business across Europe. MediaCom Is tipped to be in pole position to win the […]

Cable companies are developing their digital TV marketing plans but must do more to lure subscribers away from Sky and ONdigital. Cable players are busy developing their plans for digital […]

Leaked document reveals BBC's planned strategy for attacking Classic FM through TV channels Classic FM has obtained a leaked BBC document which it claims proves that the corporation is exploiting […]

The supergroup is dead, Internet piracy is on the horizon, and subcategories of music proliferate -- the music industry is going through dangerous times. Roger Baird investigates how it plans […]

After 25 years in the advertising industry, Alasdair Ritchie has struck out in a new direction. Now president of sports marketing company API/Advantage, the 52-year-old Scotsman has ambitious plans for […]

MTV Radio Productions has poached Deborah Goodman from the troubled media agency CIA Medianetwork to be general manager of the new company. Goodman, who was CIA's head of radio implementation, […]

The TV arm of Mark McCormack's sports agency, international Management Group (IMG), is to expand into the radio market. Trans World International (TWI) is in advanced talks with radio group […]

Digital radio has failed to capture the media's imagination, however Digital One's successful bid for the national licence promises to change all that. The first waves of the digital revolution […]

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has pulled its backing from the Channel 5 rugby magazine show Rugby Express, which has left the sport without a magazine programme on terrestrial TV […]

Saatchi & Saatchi has shuffled staff and cut jobs from its London office after undergoing a turbulent year. The Charlotte Street office has hired David Droga as its executive creative […]

Nationwide Building Society has announced a major job swap between four of the company's directors. Mike Lazenby becomes the company's divisional director, marketing. He was formerly divisional director, communications and […]

The economic downturn has already begun for the furniture industry and it seems certain only those with an attractive product proposition will prosper. Step forward the ever popular and resourceful […]

Ten years ago the first brand valuation survey was conducted. Exclusive research carried out for Marketing Week explores the revolution in the market this has wrought. Roger Baird assesses the […]

Swiftcall, the low-cost international phone service, has split its 3m [pounds sterling] creative account between Griffin Bacal and DPA Progress. The account will be divided between the two agencies until […]

Sportswear company Le Coq Sportif has decided not to renew its 1.5m [pounds sterling] sponsorship deal with WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. A spokesman on behalf of Lewis' management company […]

Sportswear company Umbro has released England and Liverpool star Steve McManaman from his ten-year contract after a bitter dispute. McManaman signed a contract with Umbro when he was 18 for […]

Food tampering scares can pitch a company into turmoil and cost millions of pounds if swift action isn't taken. A magistrates court in Highgate, North London, last week highlighted one […]

A row that has raged between jockeys and horse owners since 1989 over the riders' rights to wear sponsorship logos on their silks, has finally been resolved. The British Horseracing […]

Kelvin MacKenzie's expected takeover of Talk Radio has hit a series of delays, as his consortium and the station's current owners, CLT-Ufa, haggle over price. MacKenzie, a former Sun editor […]