Financing development in Latin America and the Caribbean: The role and perspectives of multilateral development banks

This paper analyses the role that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have played in financing development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and what their role will be in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a context where multilateralism is severely questioned, donor countries are moving their resources away from middle-income countries, and MDBs' lending represents a decreasing share of total debt in the region, we show that there is room for MDBs to continue being relevant players.Abstract .-- Introduction .-- I. Multilateral development banks: origins and financial model .-- II. The evolution of mandates of the multilateral development banks .-- III. Major multilateral development banks financing Latin America and the Caribbean .-- IV. Multilateral development banks flows to the Region: a historical perspective .-- V. Looking forward .-- VI. Conclusions

Historical analysis of governance at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

To analyze the governance arrangements of an institution it is necessary to understand the history and reasons for its creation, which, among other things, define its nature and the basic pacts and agreements (with the power balances implied) among the main actors involved. This document shows how the IDB emerged from a centuries-long interaction between LAC countries and the United States, on economic, political, and military matters. That dialogue led to the consideration of several regional financial institutions, including the 1940 Inter-American Bank, which was the predecessor of both the World Bank and the IMF. After the IDB was created in 1959, that dialogue was extended since the 1970s to the current partners from Europe and Asia, making the bank a global institution

Modeling and Design of a Linear-Assisted Zeta Conveter

Linear-assisted switching (PWM) converters have advantages over single switching topologies, mainly because of the reduction or elimination of bulky output capacitors and ultra-fast dynamical response. In this paper, a linear-assisted zeta converter is presented. The linear regulator circuit is composed by three bipolar transistors and an operational amplifier, which drives the transistor based on the error between the output voltage and its reference. The modeling of the whole circuit is presented, as well as a design example. The modeling of the zeta converter is similar to the conventional topology modeling, except the fact that the linear regulator current is considered as an extra state that substitutes the state regarding the output capacitor voltage. The zeta converter can be designed independently of the linear regulator circuit and simulations are used to validate the static operation of the overall topology. Experimental results confirm in practice the ripple compensation of the main zeta converter, where extra current is provided by the main converter, in order to drive the linear regulator that is responsible for the ripple compensation

Cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFC) with congenital peripheral neuropathy and nonorganic malnutrition: An autopsy study

Many phenotypic manifestations have been reported in cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome, but none, to date, are pathognomonic or obligatory. Previous histopathological studies reported findings in skin and hair; no autopsy studies have been published. We report the clinical and autopsy findings of a 7-year-old boy with severe CFC syndrome and malnutrition of psychosocial origin. Manifestations of CFC, reported previously, included macrocephaly and macrosomia at birth; short stature; hypotonia; global developmental delays; dry, sparse thin curly hair; sparse eyebrows and eyelashes; dilated cerebral ventricles; high cranial vault; bitemporal constriction; supraorbital ridge hypoplasia; hypertelorism; ptosis; exophthalmos; depressed nasal bridge; anteverted nostrils; low-set, posteriorly-rotated, large, thick ears; decayed, dysplastic teeth; strabismus; hyperelastic skin; wrinkled palms; keratosis pilaris atrophicans faciei; ulerythema ophryogenes; hyperkeratosis; gastroesophageal reflux; and tracheobronchomalacia. Additional findings, not previously reported, include islet cell hyperplasia, lymphoid depletion, thymic atrophy and congenital hypertrophy of peripheral nerves with onion bulb formations. Although the islet cell hyperplasia, lymphoid depletion, and thymic atrophy are nonspecific findings that may be associated with either CFC or malnutrition, the onion bulb hypertrophy is specific for a demyelinating-remyelinating neuropathy. These findings implicate congenital peripheral neuropathy in the pathogenesis of the developmental delays, feeding difficulties, respiratory difficulties, ptosis and short stature in this case. Additional studies of other cases of CFC are needed. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Univ S Alabama, Womens & Childrens Hosp, Mobile, AL 36688 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc