Mark-Up Pricing in Bulgarian Manufacturing

The pricing policy of Bulgarian manufacturing firms is analysed in the paper in the context of the theory of the price-setting behaviour of firms endowed with market power, and more specifically, using the notion of mark-up pricing. Using some recent derivations in the literature, we estimate mark-up ratios for Bulgarian manufacturing sectors at the NACE 2-digit and NACE 3-digit levels. The estimated mark-ups are then tested against a set of variables measuring the degree of competitive pressure on a sectoral level.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39773/3/wp389.pd

Mark-Up Pricing in Bulgarian Manufacturing

The pricing policy of Bulgarian manufacturing firms is analysed in the paper in the context of the theory of the price-setting behaviour of firms endowed with market power, and more specifically, using the notion of mark-up pricing. Using some recent derivations in the literature, we estimate mark-up ratios for Bulgarian manufacturing sectors at the NACE 2-digit and NACE 3-digit levels. The estimated mark-ups are then tested against a set of variables measuring the degree of competitive pressure on a sectoral level.mark-up pricing, competetive pressure, enterprise restructuring and adjustment, Bulgaria

Inequality and Public Policy: A Country Study for Bulgaria

This paper is an attempt for measuring the impact of public policy on the inequality in Bulgaria. An analysis based on the Bulgarian Household Budget Surveys shows that the tax burden in Bulgaria, nevertheless increasing in the upper quintiles, declined between the beginning of the transition period and the year before the EU accession. Using different inequality measures we have found that despite the limited possibilities of the data, taxation policies also contribute to some extend to inequality reduction in Bulgaria. As regards the social transfers, unemployment benefits and child allowances are found to be the main social payments reducing the inequality among Bulgarian households. Using quantile regression is found that the coefficients of the effective tax rates increase across the quintiles for the entire period. The coefficients associated with the share of VAT expenditures in the total income decrease as one moves from the lowest to the highest quintile of the consumption distribution.

PHYTOCHEMICAL, MICROBIOLOGICAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES IN THE FIELD OF OBTAINING A HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACT WITH ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY FROM THE LIQUORICE ROOT

Objective: The objective of this work was to carry out studies in the field of development of a hydroalcoholic extract from the liquorice root that has a high level of antimicrobial activity.Methods: For the antibacterial study of extracts, we have used the agar well diffusion method. In our research, we have utilized six test-strain microorganisms: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 4636, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 885/653, and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633. Authors have applied vector theory for antimicrobial activity comparison of liquorice root extracts.Results: Phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from the liquorice root with the use of different concentrations of ethanol have been studied. The optimal range of ethanol concentration of 65±15% v/v has been found. The dependency between the integral index of antimicrobial activity of the extract and concentration of glycyram and licuroside has been found. The minimal concentration of glycyram and licuroside in the extract has been calculated for an exhibition of the target level of extract's antimicrobial activity, which is 1.0 and 0.11% w/v, respectively.Conclusion: It has been found that the concentration of licuroside has greater influence on the integral index of extract's antimicrobial activity in comparison with that one of glycyram. A highly effective technology for obtaining an extract with target phytochemical parameters has been suggested

Preauricular sinus: Incidence and inheritance

Introduction: The preauricular sinus (PAuS) is a malformation of the auricula pinna. The structure may present isolated or as a component of a number of oto-renal syndromes.Aim:  The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of PAuS in a Bulgarian cohort and propose a model for its inheritance, based on the transgenerational mechanisms derived from the genealogic trees of interviewed individuals.Materials and Methods: A total of 100 healthy individuals were prospectively evaluated for the presence of a PAuS on a random cohort sampling principle. A descriptive statistical approach was used when categorizing the individual features. Individuals were also assessed in terms of their genealogies and presence of renal symptoms.Results: Of all assessed individuals, 3% (n=3) had a structure complying with the criteria for a PAuS. No one having the structure reported renal symptoms. The genealogical trees were characteristic of a dominant trait with incomplete penetrance.Conclusion: The incidence of PAuS in our study cohort is similar to that of other Caucasian cohorts and gives a rare modern glimpse into the transgenerational inheritance of the PAuS, together with data on the oto-nephrological syndromes

Laparoscopic Treatment Of High Sigmoidovaginal Fistula. Case Report

Rectovaginal and/or colovaginal fistulas are difficult-to-treat conditions that can cause vaginitis, abnormal flatulence through the vagina, skin excoriations, and more. Depending on the type of fistula, they can be rectovaginal, anovaginal, colovaginal, enterovaginal, vesicovaginal, ureterovaginal, urethrovaginal, with the most common being vesicovaginal and rectovaginal. In most cases, these conditions present a challenge and require a comprehensive diagnostic approach and treatment. We present a clinical case of a 73-year-old patient manifesting with flatulence through the vagina. During hospitalization, a high sigmoidovaginal fistula was diagnosed. The patient has a history of hysterectomy 17 years ago, due to myomatous uterus. Subsequently, she had three operations for postoperative hernia, two of which involved the placement of synthetic mesh. During the diagnostic plan, diverticulosis of the colon was also detected. This was observed as probable etiological cause for the formation of the fistula. The patient had comorbidities: arterial hypertension and severe obesity (Grade III). A laparoscopic disconnection of the fistula was performed, followed by laparoscopic suturing of the vagina and sigmoid colon, with subsequent omentoplasty. After an uncomplicated postoperative period, the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day, fully mobilized, with restored gas and feculent passage. There are few cases of high sigmoidoaginal fistulas described in the medical literature. The treatment in such patients is still unclear and subject to discussion. With the advancement of minimally invasive techniques in medicine, the laparoscopic surgical approach is a suitable option for treatment, but long-term follow-up and in-depth analyses are necessary

Pilot testing methodologies, models, scenarios and validation approach

This report describes the pilot tests that will be carried out within GARPUR. The pilot tests aim at assessing and validating, as closely as possible to real-life conditions, the new Reliability Management Approach and Criteria (RMACs) developed in work package 2 and the socio-economic impact assessment framework developed in work package 3, while considering the methodologies and approaches for practical implementation in work packages 4, 5 and 6. The proposed RMACs are compared against the current N-1 practices and approaches determined in work package 1. In addition, some pilot tests will make use of the GARPUR Quantification Platform (GQP) that has been developed by work package 7. A total of eight pilot tests are proposed by five different transmission system operators (TSOs) and given different priority levels for implementation. Three pilot tests make use of the GQP. The five other pilot tests will be implemented at TSOs’ premises in near real-life context. The pilot tests cover real-time operations, short-term operation planning and long-term system development. Different indicators are proposed to assess the proposed reliability management approach and criteria and compare them with current practices. The diversity of the pilot tests in terms of time horizons and the number of involved TSOs demonstrate the general nature of the reliability management approach and criteria proposed within GARPUR

REACTIVITY OF RAT ERYTHROCYTES UNDER CONDITIONS OF PHYSICAL STRESS OF DIFFERENT INTENSITY

Цель. Изучить морфофункциональное состояние красной крови крыс в зависимости от физической нагрузки «до отказа».Материалы и методы. В исследовании использовали практически здоровых половозрелых крыс-самцов Wistar: контроль, нахождение в воде без движения, свободное плавание и плавание с грузом 2%, 6%, 8%, 10% и 15% от массы тела «до отказа» согласно протоколу по биоэтике утвержденному ИФ Коми НЦ УрО РАН. В крови определяли уровень гемоглобина, гематокрита, количество эритроцитов и ретикулоцитов. Измеряли диаметр 100 эритроцитов окрашенных по Романовскому-Гимза и бриллиантовым крезиловым синим. Статистическую значимость различий реакций исследованных животных оценивали с помощью непараметрического критерия Крускала-Уоллиса.Результаты. Физическая нагрузка «до отказа» характеризовалась повышением величины гематокрита, гемоглобина, количеством эритроцитов в крови крыс и физиологическим ретикулоцитозом, наряду со снижением концентрации гемоглобина в эритроците. Отмечено, что распределение ретикулоцитов по диаметру в пределах 6.4–6.7 мкм у плавающих крыс с грузом 8% от массы тела соответствует кривой Прайс-Джонса интактных животных.Заключение. У крыс в зависимости от характера и интенсивности физической нагрузки проявились разнонаправленные сдвиги в клеточном составе красной крови. Практическое использование только тестового плавания крыс с грузом 8 % от массы тела, судя по реакции эритроцитов, является физиологически обоснованным.Background. To study the morphofunctional state of red blood in rats depending on the physical load “to failure”.Materials and methods. The study used practically healthy adult male rats of the Wistar: control, staying in water without movement, free swimming and swimming with a load of 2%, 6%, 8%, 10% and 15% of body weight “to failure” according to the protocol on bioethics approved by the IPhys Komi SC UB RAS. In the blood, the level of hemoglobin, hematocrit, the number of erythrocytes and reticulocytes was determined. The diameter of 100 erythrocytes stained according to Romanovsky-Giemsa and diamond cresyl blue was measured. The statistical significance of the differences was assessed using the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis criterion.Results. The physical load «to failure» was characterized by an increase in hematocrit, hemoglobin, and the number of erythrocytes in the blood of rats and physiological reticulocytosis, along with a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte. It was noted that the distribution of reticulocytes of diameters within 6.4–6.7 μm in floating rats with a weight of 8% of body weight corresponds to the Price-Jones curve of intact animals.Conclusion. In rats, depending on the intensity of exercise, multidirectional shifts in the cellular composition of red blood appeared. Practical use only of the test swimming of rats with a weight of 8% of body weight, judging by the nature of the reaction of erythrocytes, is physiologically justified

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)