Estratégias de branding no mercado de luxo : um estudo das marcas Armani e Burberry

Orientador : Danielle Mantovani Lucena da SilvaArtigo (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciêncais Sociais Aplicadas, Curso de Especialização MBA em MarketingInclui referênciasResumo : Valores intangíveis são capazes de ressignificar marcas, apelando para seu conteúdo emocional e extrapolando sua condição física. No mercado de luxo, esse processo, impulsionado pela gestão de branding, culmina com um alto valor agregado de produtos e serviços. Desenvolve-se uma aura de sonho e exclusividade em torno da marca, e uma justificativa mental para se pagar mais caro por um artigo desse segmento. A partir da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, deseja-se averiguar as relações entre os conceitos de identidade, imagem e marca, e os processos de branding e brand equity no setor de luxo. A técnica de estudo de caso é utilizada, em seguida, para ilustrar as discussões teóricas e analisar os elementos de marca e portfólio de negócios das empresas Armani e Burberry

Long-term outcomes of patients undergoing endovascular infrainguinal interventions with single-vessel peroneal artery runoff

ObjectivesRecent reports have shown promising early results after endovascular revascularization (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty [PTA]/stent) of patients with peroneal artery-only runoff (PAOR), although the long-term durability is unclear. This study evaluated long-term primary patency and limb salvage of PTA/stent in patients with single-vessel runoff and critical limb ischemia to determine if the peroneal artery yields inferior results.MethodsFrom January 2002 to December 2007, 1075 infrainguinal PTA/stent procedures were performed in 920 patients. The study cohort comprised 201 limbs in 187 patients with single-vessel runoff and critical limb ischemia. End points included primary patency, assisted patency, limb salvage, and survival. Long-term outcomes were determined by Kaplan-Meier life-table and multivariate Cox regression analyses.ResultsThere were 104 PAOR and 97 limbs with single-vessel posterior or anterior tibial artery runoff (non-PAOR). Median follow-up was 25 months (range, 0-75 months). PAOR patients tended to be older (77.36 ± 0.92 vs 72.65 ± 1.18 years, P = .002) and were more likely to be taking clopidogrel at presentation (88% vs 76%; P = .04). There were no statistically significant differences in 5-year primary patency (26% ± 6.8% vs 30% ± 7.6%; P = .79), assisted patency (75% ± 8.8% vs 81% ± 7.0%; P = .77), limb salvage (74% ± 8.0% vs 75% ± 7.1%; P = .47), and survival (38% ± 7.7% vs 47% ± 6.6%; P = .99) between the PAOR and the non-PAOR groups, respectively. On Cox regression multivariate analysis, total occlusions predicted decreased assisted patency (hazard ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-7.41; P = .02), whereas younger age predicted poor limb salvage (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-0.99; P = .04). PAOR was not an independent predictor of any outcome on multivariate analysis.ConclusionsPatients with PAOR have similar long-term outcomes to patients with non-PAOR. Thus, infrainguinal endovascular revascularization can be considered a first-line therapy for patients with PAOR and critical limb ischemia

Long-term treatment with chaethomellic acid A reduces glomerulosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis in a rat model of chronic kidney disease

The high prevalence of end-stage renal disease emphasizes the failure to provide therapies to effectively prevent and/or reverse renal fibrosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term treatment with chaethomellic acid A (CAA), which selectively blocks Ha-Ras farnesylation, on renal mass reduction-induced renal fibrosis. Male Wistar rats were sham-operated (SO) or subjected to 5/6 renal mass reduction (RMR). One week after surgery, rats were placed in four experimental groups: SO:SO rats without treatment (n = 13); SO + CAA: SO rats treated with CAA (n = 13); RMR:RMR rats without treatment (n = 14); and RMR + CAA:RMR rats treated with CAA (n = 13). CAA was intraperitoneally administered in a dose of 0.23 μg/kg three times a week for six months. Renal fibrosis was evaluated by two-dimensional ultrasonography and histopathological analysis. The kidneys of the RMR animals treated with CAA showed a significantly decrease in the medullary echogenicity (p < 0.05) compared with the RMR rats that received no treatment. Glomerulosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the RMR + CAA group when compared with the RMR group. There were no significant differences in interstitial fibrosis, interstitial inflammation and tubular dilatation scores between the RMR + CAA and RMR groups. These data suggest that CAA can be a potential future drug to attenuate the progression of chronic kidney disease.This work is supported by : European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operacional Competitiveness and Internacionalization Programme, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UID/AGR/04033/2013; and by European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI– Operacional Competitiveness and Internacionalization Programme, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016728 and National Funds by FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project PTDC/DTP-DES/6077/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

NADPH oxidases: key modulators in aging and age-related cardiovascular diseases?

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress have long been linked to aging and diseases prominent in the elderly such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes and atrial fibrillation (AF). NADPH oxidases (Nox) are a major source of ROS in the vasculature and are key players in mediating redox signalling under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In this review, we focus on the Nox-mediated ROS signalling pathways involved in the regulation of 'longevity genes' and recapitulate their role in age-associated vascular changes and in the development of age-related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This review is predicated on burgeoning knowledge that Nox-derived ROS propagate tightly regulated yet varied signalling pathways, which, at the cellular level, may lead to diminished repair, the aging process and predisposition to CVDs. In addition, we briefly describe emerging Nox therapies and their potential in improving the health of the elderly population

Expression and Function of Osteopontin in Vascular Adventitial Fibroblasts and Pathological Vascular Remodeling

Osteopontin is known to play important roles in various diseases including vascular disorders. However, little is known about its expression and function in vascular adventitial fibroblasts. Adventitial fibroblasts have been shown to play a key role in pathological vascular remodeling associating with various vascular disorders. In this study, we measured activation of Osteopontin and its biological functions in cultured adventitial fibroblasts and injured rat carotid injury arteries induced by balloon angioplasty. Our results showed that angiotensin II and aldosterone increased Osteopontin expression in adventitial fibroblasts in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. MAPKs and AP-1 pathways were involved in Osteopontin upregulation. In addition, Adventitial fibroblast migration stimulated by Angiotensin II and aldosterone required OPN expression. Perivascular delivery of antisense oligonucleotide for Osteopontin suppressed neointimal formation post-injury. We concluded that upregulation of Osteopontin expression in adventitial fibroblasts might be important in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling after arterial injury