AIM： To determine in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in assessing liver fat concentration. METHODS： A case-control study was performe...AIM： To determine in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in assessing liver fat concentration. METHODS： A case-control study was performed. Cases were 25 obese children with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Controls were 25 obese children matched for age and gender, without NAFLD at ultrasonography and with normal levels of aminotransferases and insulin. Hepatic fat fraction （HFF） by MRI was obtained using a modification of the Dixon method.RESULTS： HFF ranged from 2% to 44% [mean, 19.0% （95% CI, 15.1-27.4）] in children with NAFLD, while in the controls this value ranged from 0.08% to 4.69% [2.0% （1.3-2.5）, P 〈 0.0001]. HFF was highly correlated with histological steatosis （r = 0.883, P 〈 0.0001） in the NAFLD children. According to the histological grade of steatosis, the mean HFF was 8.7% （95% CI, 6.0-11.6） for mild, 21.6% （15.3-27.0） for moderate, and 39.7% （34.4-45.0） for severe fatty liver infiltration. With a cutoff of 4.85%, HFF had a sensitivity of 95.8% for the diagnosis of histological steato- sis ≥ 5%. All control children had HFF lower than 4.85%; thus, the specificity was 100%. Alter 12 mo, children with weight loss displayed a significant decrease in HFF. CONCLUSION： MRI is an accurate methodology for liver fat quantification in pediatric NAFLD.展开更多
The development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can be attributed to many factors that cause damage to the liver and alter its functions. Data collected over the last 30 years strongly suggests that an immune compone...The development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can be attributed to many factors that cause damage to the liver and alter its functions. Data collected over the last 30 years strongly suggests that an immune component may be involved in the onset of this disease. This is best evidenced by the detection of circulating autoantibodies, infiltration of immune cells in the liver, and the detection of hepatic aldehyde modified proteins in patients with ALD. Experimentally, there are numerous immune responses that occur when proteins are modified with the metabolites of ethanol. These products are formed in response to the high oxidative state of the liver during ethanol metabolism, causing the release of many inflammatory processes and potential of necrosis or apoptosis of liver cells. Should cellular proteins become modified with these reactive alcohol metabolites and be recognized by the immune system, then immune responses may be initiated. Therefore, it was the purpose of this article to shed some insight into how the immune system is involved in the development and/or progression of ALD.展开更多
The conventional ethanol fermentaion is a typical inhibitory process, leading to low productivity and yield. A new ethanol fermentation process coupled with gas stripping and vacuum fash, named as strip-flash fermenta...The conventional ethanol fermentaion is a typical inhibitory process, leading to low productivity and yield. A new ethanol fermentation process coupled with gas stripping and vacuum fash, named as strip-flash fermentation, is proposed. The process is provided with the advantages of both stripping fermentation and flash fermentation, and improves the ethanol productivity by increasing the in-situ ethanol removal. And a model of flash-strip fermentation process was established, the results from the model were consistent with the experiment values. The theoretically analyses indicate that increasing gas flux and liquid phase recycling ratio can help to enhance productivity and yield of strip-flash fermentation process, and comparison to striping fermentation or flash fermentation, flash-strip fermentation has shown a better productivity. The results has also shown the possibilities of further application and optimization of this process.展开更多
With increasing globalization and Bulgaria＇s accession into the European Union （EU）, the question how to improve the country＇s international competitiveness has become very important and urgent. The aim of the pap...With increasing globalization and Bulgaria＇s accession into the European Union （EU）, the question how to improve the country＇s international competitiveness has become very important and urgent. The aim of the paper is to present the results of a research on the past decade＇s competitiveness of Bulgarian export-oriented sectors, enjoying good positions in local and international markets and having a high development potential. The first part of the article presents a comprehensive review of the concept of competitiveness--its definitions, factors, and measurements at national, industry, and firm level. On the basis of the theoretical considerations, an empirical analysis on the current state of competitiveness of the selected export-oriented industries is performed. These include metallurgy, machine building, chemicals, clothing and textiles, furniture, wine production, tobacco, and food processing. The research answers the following questions： What are the major competitive advantages of Bulgarian export-oriented industries on the world market？ What are their disadvantages？ How did they change over the period 2002-2012, and what steps should be taken to meet the challenges？ The employed methods of analysis are both quantitative--calculating various production, trade, and price indices, and qualitative--carrying out a survey among top managers of firms operating in the selected industries across all the regions of the country. Results show that the country＇s competitiveness on international level has gradually improved but still remains at a comparatively low level as Bulgarian producers compete mostly on the price, invest very little in research and development （R＆D）, rely on low labor costs, and produce goods with low added value. The paper looks into the specific challenges to competitiveness faced by different sectors and the implications of addressing them. In conclusion, it puts forward some recommendations for boosting Bulgaria＇s international competitiveness which are aimed at key stakeholders： companies, central and local government, and institutions promoting cooperation.展开更多
基金Supported by A grant from Sapienza University of Rome (Progetti di Ricerca Universitaria 2008-2009)
文摘AIM： To determine in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in assessing liver fat concentration. METHODS： A case-control study was performed. Cases were 25 obese children with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Controls were 25 obese children matched for age and gender, without NAFLD at ultrasonography and with normal levels of aminotransferases and insulin. Hepatic fat fraction （HFF） by MRI was obtained using a modification of the Dixon method.RESULTS： HFF ranged from 2% to 44% [mean, 19.0% （95% CI, 15.1-27.4）] in children with NAFLD, while in the controls this value ranged from 0.08% to 4.69% [2.0% （1.3-2.5）, P 〈 0.0001]. HFF was highly correlated with histological steatosis （r = 0.883, P 〈 0.0001） in the NAFLD children. According to the histological grade of steatosis, the mean HFF was 8.7% （95% CI, 6.0-11.6） for mild, 21.6% （15.3-27.0） for moderate, and 39.7% （34.4-45.0） for severe fatty liver infiltration. With a cutoff of 4.85%, HFF had a sensitivity of 95.8% for the diagnosis of histological steato- sis ≥ 5%. All control children had HFF lower than 4.85%; thus, the specificity was 100%. Alter 12 mo, children with weight loss displayed a significant decrease in HFF. CONCLUSION： MRI is an accurate methodology for liver fat quantification in pediatric NAFLD.
文摘The development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can be attributed to many factors that cause damage to the liver and alter its functions. Data collected over the last 30 years strongly suggests that an immune component may be involved in the onset of this disease. This is best evidenced by the detection of circulating autoantibodies, infiltration of immune cells in the liver, and the detection of hepatic aldehyde modified proteins in patients with ALD. Experimentally, there are numerous immune responses that occur when proteins are modified with the metabolites of ethanol. These products are formed in response to the high oxidative state of the liver during ethanol metabolism, causing the release of many inflammatory processes and potential of necrosis or apoptosis of liver cells. Should cellular proteins become modified with these reactive alcohol metabolites and be recognized by the immune system, then immune responses may be initiated. Therefore, it was the purpose of this article to shed some insight into how the immune system is involved in the development and/or progression of ALD.
文摘The conventional ethanol fermentaion is a typical inhibitory process, leading to low productivity and yield. A new ethanol fermentation process coupled with gas stripping and vacuum fash, named as strip-flash fermentation, is proposed. The process is provided with the advantages of both stripping fermentation and flash fermentation, and improves the ethanol productivity by increasing the in-situ ethanol removal. And a model of flash-strip fermentation process was established, the results from the model were consistent with the experiment values. The theoretically analyses indicate that increasing gas flux and liquid phase recycling ratio can help to enhance productivity and yield of strip-flash fermentation process, and comparison to striping fermentation or flash fermentation, flash-strip fermentation has shown a better productivity. The results has also shown the possibilities of further application and optimization of this process.
文摘With increasing globalization and Bulgaria＇s accession into the European Union （EU）, the question how to improve the country＇s international competitiveness has become very important and urgent. The aim of the paper is to present the results of a research on the past decade＇s competitiveness of Bulgarian export-oriented sectors, enjoying good positions in local and international markets and having a high development potential. The first part of the article presents a comprehensive review of the concept of competitiveness--its definitions, factors, and measurements at national, industry, and firm level. On the basis of the theoretical considerations, an empirical analysis on the current state of competitiveness of the selected export-oriented industries is performed. These include metallurgy, machine building, chemicals, clothing and textiles, furniture, wine production, tobacco, and food processing. The research answers the following questions： What are the major competitive advantages of Bulgarian export-oriented industries on the world market？ What are their disadvantages？ How did they change over the period 2002-2012, and what steps should be taken to meet the challenges？ The employed methods of analysis are both quantitative--calculating various production, trade, and price indices, and qualitative--carrying out a survey among top managers of firms operating in the selected industries across all the regions of the country. Results show that the country＇s competitiveness on international level has gradually improved but still remains at a comparatively low level as Bulgarian producers compete mostly on the price, invest very little in research and development （R＆D）, rely on low labor costs, and produce goods with low added value. The paper looks into the specific challenges to competitiveness faced by different sectors and the implications of addressing them. In conclusion, it puts forward some recommendations for boosting Bulgaria＇s international competitiveness which are aimed at key stakeholders： companies, central and local government, and institutions promoting cooperation.
