Novel equation to determine the hepatic triglyceride concentration in humans by MRI: diagnosis and monitoring of NAFLD in obese patients before and after bariatric surgery

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by abnormal accumulation of lipids within liver cells. Its prevalence is increasing in developed countries in association with obesity, and it represents a risk factor for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Since NAFLD is usually asymptomatic at diagnosis, new non-invasive approaches are needed to determine the hepatic lipid content in terms of diagnosis, treatment and control of disease progression. Here, we investigated the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantitate and monitor the hepatic triglyceride concentration in humans. Methods: A prospective study of diagnostic accuracy was conducted among 129 consecutive adult patients (97 obesity and 32 non-obese) to compare multi-echo MRI fat fraction, grade of steatosis estimated by histopathology, and biochemical measurement of hepatic triglyceride concentration (that is, Folch value). Results: MRI fat fraction positively correlates with the grade of steatosis estimated on a 0 to 3 scale by histopathology. However, this correlation value was stronger when MRI fat fraction was linked to the Folch value, resulting in a novel equation to predict the hepatic triglyceride concentration (mg of triglycerides/g of liver tissue = 5.082 + (432.104 * multi-echo MRI fat fraction)). Validation of this formula in 31 additional patients (24 obese and 7 controls) resulted in robust correlation between the measured and estimated Folch values. Multivariate analysis showed that none of the variables investigated improves the Folch prediction capacity of the equation. Obese patients show increased steatosis compared to controls using MRI fat fraction and Folch value. Bariatric surgery improved MRI fat fraction values and the Folch value estimated in obese patients one year after surgery. Conclusions: Multi-echo MRI is an accurate approach to determine the hepatic lipid concentration by using our novel equation, representing an economic non-invasive method to diagnose and monitor steatosis in humans.

Evolución del precio de la vivienda en Bizkaia

[ES] Análisis de la evolución del precio de la vivienda en Bizkaia desde 2005 - 2011

Nota manuscrita “Para los Consejeros” del Gobierno Vasco, entregada en Trucios a Luis Ruiz de Aguirre, comisario general del Ejército Vasco, el 19 de junio de 1937

Fecha: 19-6-1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - A-1 / Nº de pág.: 1 (manuscrita)Enmarcada

Parte de guerra del Batallón Euzko Indarra de ANV, firmado por el Comisario Político Bernabé Orbegozo y el Comisario General Luis Ruiz de Aguirre

Fecha: 18 de julio de 1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - E-1 / Nº de pág.: 1 (Mecanografiada y firmas manuscritas)

Notificación de las posiciones ocupadas por el Batallón Euzko Indarra de ANV, firmada por ordén del Comisario político al Comisario General Luis Ruiz de Aguirre

Fecha: 19-7-1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - E-2 / Nº de pág.: 1 (Mecanografiada y firma manuscrita del Delegado ayudante)

Nombramiento de Luis Ruiz de Aguirre como Comisario Político de ANV, firmado por el jefe de operaciones del Ejército de Euzkadi

Fecha: 19-4-1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - F-1 / Nº de pág.: 1 (mecanografiado y firma manuscrita)

Notificación de Leopoldo Gaspar a Luis Ruiz de Aguirre sobre el nombramiento de un comisario en el Regimiento de carros de combate

Fecha: 14-8-1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - F-2 / Nº de pág.: 1 (mecanografiada y firma manuscrita)

Certificado del Delegado del Gobierno de Euzkadi en Bayona, Javier de Gortazar, expedido a Luis Ruiz de Aguirre, en el que se hace constar que forma parte del personal del Departamento de Agricultura del Gobierno de Euzkadi

Fecha: 1-9-1937 / Unidad de ínstalación: Carpeta Rectorado - F-3 / Nº de hojas: 1. Mecanografiado y firma manuscrita

New Keynesian Model Features that Can Reproduce Lead, Lag and Persistence Patterns

This paper uses a new method for describing dynamic comovement and persistence in economic time series which builds on the contemporaneous forecast error method developed in den Haan (2000). This data description method is then used to address issues in New Keynesian model performance in two ways. First, well known data patterns, such as output and inflation leads and lags and inflation persistence, are decomposed into forecast horizon components to give a more complete description of the data patterns. These results show that the well known lead and lag patterns between output and inflation arise mostly in the medium term forecasts horizons. Second, the data summary method is used to investigate a rich New Keynesian model with many modeling features to see which of these features can reproduce lead, lag and persistence patterns seen in the data. Many studies have suggested that a backward looking component in the Phillips curve is needed to match the data, but our simulations show this is not necessary. We show that a simple general equilibrium model with persistent IS curve shocks and persistent supply shocks can reproduce the lead, lag and persistence patterns seen in the data.

On monotonic core allocations for coalitional games whith veto players

We characterize a monotonic core concept defined on the class of veto balanced games. We also discuss what restricted versions of monotonicity are possible when selecting core allocations. We introduce a family of monotonic core concepts for veto balanced games and we show that, in general, the nucleolus per capita is not monotonic.

Ikasleen hizkuntza erroreak eta hutsegiteak : zuzentzeko proposamena

[Es]El presente trabajo se basa en las consultas que los profesores y profesoras de distintas asignaturas nos hacen al profesorado de lengua. Muchas veces los profesores debemos corregir no sólo el contenido de los trabajos de nuestros alumnos, sino también la lengua. La discusión no es nueva: ¿somos todos los profesores también profesores de lengua? Es un desafío del que difícilmente podemos escapar, ya que la lengua además de ser una materia de estudio también es el vehículo en el que se imparten los contenidos de todas las asignaturas. Con el presente trabajo pretendemos ayudar a los profesores que no imparten lengua como asignatura a corregir los trabajos de sus alumnos. Esta propuesta consta de tres ejes de actuación marcados por un orden de prioridad: prevenir, autocorregir y ayudar.

Implementing with veto players: a simple non cooperative game

The paper adapts a non cooperative game presented by Dagan, Serrano and Volij (1997) for bankruptcy problems to the context of TU veto balanced games. We investigate the relationship between the Nash outcomes of a noncooperative game and solution concepts of cooperative games such as the nucleolus, kernel and the egalitarian core.

Egalitarian distributions in coalitional models: The Lorenz criterion

The paper presents a framework where the most important single-valued solutions in the literature of TU games are jointly analyzed. The paper also suggests that similar frameworks may be useful for other coalitional models.

Joan Robinson Was Almost Right: Output under Third-Degree Price Discrimination

In this paper, we show that in order for third-degree price discrimination to increase total output, the demands of the strong markets should be, as conjectured by Robinson (1933), more concave than the demands of the weak markets. By making the distinction between adjusted concavity of the inverse demand and adjusted concavity of the direct demand, we are able to state necessary conditions and sufficient conditions for third-degree price discrimination to increase total output.

Monopoly Price Discrimination and Demand Curvature

Published as an article in: American Economic Review, 2010, vol. 100, issue 4, pages 1601-15.