Διεθνές Νομισματικό Ταμείο: ο ρόλος και οι παρεμβάσεις του

Η οικονομική κρίση του 1930 σε συνδυασμό με την οικονομική εξαθλίωση των χωρών μετά το τέλος του Δευτέρου Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου οδήγησε τους ιθύνοντες των κυβερνήσεων των 44 συμμαχικών χωρών στην δημιουργία και υιοθέτηση ενός νέου συστήματος σταθερών συναλλαγματικών ισοτιμιών, γνωστό ως σύστημα Bretton Woods. Ένας από τους κυριότερους παράγοντες διασφάλισης της τήρησης του εν λόγω συστήματος και εξασφάλισης της σταθερότητάς του ήταν το Διεθνές Νομισματικό Ταμείο (ΔΝΤ), που ιδρύθηκε στις 27 Δεκεμβρίου του 1945, με την υπογραφή των «Άρθρων της Συμφωνίας» (Articles of Agreement) και έδρα την Ουάσιγκτον. Η παρούσα μελέτη παρουσιάζει μία επισκόπηση της μακρόχρονης ιστορίας του ΔΝΤ, που απαριθμεί πλέον 190 χώρες-μέλη, της οργανωτικής δομής του και του τρόπου λειτουργίας. Αναλύεται ο ρόλος του ΔΝΤ στην παγκόσμια οικονομία, οι κυριότεροι μηχανισμοί χρηματοδότησης και παρουσιάζονται χαρακτηριστικές περιπτώσεις παρεμβάσεων του ΔΝΤ σε χώρες που αντιμετώπισαν οικονομική κρίση. Σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία που συλλέχθηκαν από βάσεις δεδομένων της Παγκόσμιας Τράπεζας, του ΔΝΤ, του Οργανισμού Οικονομικής Συνεργασίας και Ανάπτυξης (ΟΟΣΑ) και του πανεπιστημίου Harvard, και κατόπιν της επεξεργασίας τους, στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας εργασίας, διαφαίνεται η πιθανή ανάγκη αλλαγής του τρόπου λειτουργίας του ΔΝΤ, με αύξηση της προσαρμοστικότητάς του στις ανάγκες της εκάστοτε χώρας, που αντιμετωπίζει μία οικονομική κρίση, και μεγαλύτερη εστίαση στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη τόσο της παγκόσμιας όσο και των εθνικών οικονομιών.The economic recession of 1930 in conjunction with the impoverishment of the countries after the Secord World War have driven the leaders of the governments of the 44 Allied states to the creation and the adoption of a new system of fixed exchange rates, known as system Bretton Woods. One of the most important factors for ensuring the compliance and the stability of the above-mentioned system was the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which was founded on 27 of December 1945, with the signature of the «Articles of Agreement» and headquarters at Washington. The present study presents an overview of the long-standing history of the IMF, which enumerates 190 member-states, its organizational structure and its operating mode. We analyze the role of the IMF in the global economy, the major lending instruments and some of the most well-known cases of IMF’s interventions in countries that have dealt with an economic crisis. According to the data that were gathered from databases of the World Bank, the IMF, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Harvard university and upon processing them, in the context of the present study, we found the possible need for changing the way of operations of the IMF, with the increase of its adaptability to the needs of each country, that deals with an economic crisis, and greater focus on the economic growth both of the global and the national economies

Cement leakage in a symptomatic vertebral hemangioma: a case report and review of the literature

We present the case of a 50-year-old male with consistent back pain, not resolving with conservative treatment. Plain radiograms demonstrated a lytic lesion at the level of the 8th thoracic vertebra. Thorough examination with computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a hemangioma extending to the posterior third of the vertebral body, compressing the spinal cord at the level of 8th thoracic vertebra. A percutaneous vertebroplasty was performed. The post-operative computerized tomography scan demonstrated cement leakage. After thorough cement removal combined with extensive decompression and posterior stabilization, the patient reported gradual improvement of his symptoms and was able to return successfully to his work a few months later

Personal experience with whole-body, low-dosage, digital X-ray scanning (LODOX-Statscan) in trauma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lodox-Statscan is a whole-body, skeletal and soft-tissue, low-dose X-ray scanner Anterior-posterior and lateral thoraco-abdominal studies are obtained in 3-5 minutes with only about one-third of the radiation required for conventional radiography. Since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA, several trauma centers have incorporated this technology into their Advanced Trauma Life Support protocols. This review provides a brief overview of the system, and describes the authors' own experience with the system.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a PubMed search to retrieve all references with 'Lodox' and 'Stat-scan' used as search terms. We furthermore used the google search engine to identify existing alternatives. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only FDA-approved device of its kind currently used in trauma.</p> <p>Results and Conclusion</p> <p>The intention of our review has been to sensitize the readership that such alternative devices exist. The key message is that low dosage full body radiography may be an alternative to conventional resuscitation room radiography which is usually a prelude to CT scanning (ATLS algorithm). The combination of both is radiation intensive and therefore we consider any reduction of radiation a success. But only the future will show whether LS will survive in the face of low-dose radiation CT scanners and magnetic resonance imaging devices that may eventually completely replace conventional radiography.</p

Στροβιλο-υπερπλήρωση κινητήρα Otto

87 σ.Ανάλυση λειτουργίας στροβιλο-υπερπληρωμένου κινητήρα Otto και αριθμητική ανάλυση και προσέγγιση λειτουργίας μέσω προγράμματος MatlabTurbocharging of petrol engine and simulation of its function with MatlabΔημήτριος Ι. Ευαγγελόπουλο

Hematogenous Long Bone Osteomyelitis by Prevotella (Bacteroides) Melaninogenicus

Anaerobic infections are difficult to recognize and may lead to life threatening complications. We present the case of an acute Prevotella hematogenous infection of the humerus in a previously healthy adult patient, treated with a two-stage surgical treatment, emphasizing on the importance of the radical surgical debridement and the selection of the appropriate antimicrobial agents. To our knowledge, such an acute hematogenous infection has not been previously reported in the literature

Pre-Clinical Tools for Predicting Drug Efficacy in Treatment of Tuberculosis

Combination therapy has, to some extent, been successful in limiting the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Drug combinations achieve this advantage by simultaneously acting on different targets and metabolic pathways. Additionally, drug combination therapies are shown to shorten the duration of therapy for tuberculosis. As new drugs are being developed, to overcome the challenge of finding new and effective drug combinations, systems biology commonly uses approaches that analyse mycobacterial cellular processes. These approaches identify the regulatory networks, metabolic pathways, and signaling programs associated with M. tuberculosis infection and survival. Different preclinical models that assess anti-tuberculosis drug activity are available, but the combination of models that is most predictive of clinical treatment efficacy remains unclear. In this structured literature review, we appraise the options to accelerate the TB drug development pipeline through the evaluation of preclinical testing assays of drug combinations

Anterior knee pain after total knee arthroplasty: does it correlate with patellar blood flow?

Purpose: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) disturbs patellar blood flow, an unintended accompaniment to TKA that may be a cause of postoperative anterior knee pain. We examine whether disrupted patellar blood flow correlates with anterior knee pain following TKA. Methods: In 50 patients (21 men, 29 women) undergoing TKA, we compared patellar blood flow at flexions 0° to 30°, 60°, 90°, and 110° before and after medial parapatellar arthrotomy to pre- and postoperative anterior knee pain scores by means of a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) probe. Anterior knee pain was assessed using the pain intensity numeric rating scale (NRS) of 0-10 (0-no, 10-worst pain). Based on the NRS pain values, patients were divided into two main groups: group A (n=34) with no pain or discomfort (NRS range 0-4) and group B (n=16) with anterior knee pain (NRS range 5-10). Results: Patients of group B demonstrated a significant decrease in blood flow before arthrotomy at flexions from 0° to 90°, and 110° and from 0° to 60°, 90°, and 110° after arthrotomy. For group A, a significant decrease in blood flow was detected at flexions from 0° to 90°, and 110° before and after arthrotomy. For both groups, medial arthrotomy did not have a statistically significant influence on patellar blood flow (margin of significance P<0.05). Prior to TKA, 16 of the 50 patients of group B (32%) complained of anterior knee pain (mean NRS 7.1±1.7). At 2-year follow-up, pain significantly decreased (NRS 3.1±2.1) and only 4 of the 16 patients (25%) complained of moderate anterior pain (average NRS 5.7±0.5), while 8 of 16 (50%) patients reported discomfort (mean NRS 3.5±1.8) around the patella. Patients in group A also demonstrated a significant decrease in pain intensity (from NRS 1.5±1.4 preoperatively to NRS 0.4±1.5 at 2-year follow-up). Statistical analysis demonstrated no statistically significant correlation between pre-arthrotomy/post-arthrotomy patellar blood flow and the presence of preoperative and postoperative anterior knee pain. Only the degree of flexion had an influence on patellar blood flow. Conclusion: Medial arthrotomy had no direct significant effect on patellar blood flow, and the diminished blood flow did not correlate with postoperative anterior knee pain. However, a significant correlation was revealed between patellar blood flow and the degree of flexion: in almost a quarter of patients, blood flow dropped to zero at flexions of 100° and above. Level of evidence: I

Antitubercular specific activity of ibuprofen and the other 2-arylpropanoic acids using the HT-SPOTi whole-cell phenotypic assay

Objectives: Lead antituberculosis (anti-TB) molecules with novel mechanisms of action are urgently required to fuel the anti-TB drug discovery pipeline. The aim of this study was to validate the use of the high-throughput spot culture growth inhibition (HT-SPOTi) assay for screening libraries of compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and to study the inhibitory effect of ibuprofen (IBP) and the other 2-arylpropanoic acids on the growth inhibition of M tuberculosis and other mycobacterial species. Methods: The HT-SPOTi method was validated not only with known drugs but also with a library of 47 confirmed anti-TB active compounds published in the ChEMBL database. Three over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were also included in the screening. The 2-arylpropanoic acids, including IBP, were comprehensively evaluated against phenotypically and physiologically different strains of mycobacteria, and their cytotoxicity was determined against murine RAW264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, a comparative bioinformatic analysis was employed to propose a potential mycobacterial target. Results: IBP showed antitubercular properties while carprofen was the most potent among the 2-arylpropanoic class. A 3,5-dinitro-IBP derivative was found to be more potent than IBP but equally selective. Other synthetic derivatives of IBP were less active, and the free carboxylic acid of IBP seems to be essential for its anti-TB activity. IBP, carprofen and the 3,5-dinitro-IBP derivative exhibited activity against multidrug-resistant isolates and stationary phase bacilli. On the basis of the human targets of the 2-arylpropanoic analgesics, the protein initiation factor infB (Rv2839c) of M tuberculosis was proposed as a potential molecular target. Conclusions: The HT-SPOTi method can be employed reliably and reproducibly to screen the antimicrobial potency of different compounds. IBP demonstrated specific antitubercular activity, while carprofen was the most selective agent among the 2-arylpropanoic class. Activity against stationary phase bacilli and multidrug-resistant isolates permits us to speculate a novel mechanism of antimycobacterial action. Further medicinal chemistry and target elucidation studies could potentially lead to new therapies against TB

Anterior crucial ligament rupture: self-healing through dynamic intraligamentary stabilization technique

Purpose: Surgery involving arthroscopic reconstruction of the injured ligament is the gold standard treatment for torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Recent studies support the hypothesis of biological self-healing of ruptured ACL. The aim of the study is to evaluate, in an animal model, the efficacy of a new technique, dynamic intraligamentary stabilization that utilizes biological self-healing for repair of acute ACL ruptures. Methods: The ACL in 11 adult female white alpine sheep was transected and in 8 sheep reconstructed by dynamic intraligamentary stabilization. To enhance the healing potential, microfracturing and collagen were used in all animals. The contralateral, non-operated knees served as controls. At 3months postkilling, all animals were submitted to magnetic resonance imaging and biomechanical and histological evaluation. Results: No surgery-related complications were observed. Postoperatively, all animals regularly used the operated leg with full weight bearing and no lameness. At the time of killing, all animals exhibited radiological and histological healing of the transacted ACL. Biomechanical tests confirmed successful restoration of anteroposterior translation in the dynamic intraligamentary stabilization knees. Histological examination revealed dense scar tissue at the ends of the transected ligaments exhibiting hypercellularity and hypervascularization. Conclusion: The dynamic intraligamentary stabilization technique successfully induced self-healing of ruptured ACL in a sheep model. Knee joints remained stable during the healing period allowing free range of motion and full weight bearing, and no signs of osteoarthritis or other intraarticular damage in the follow up were observe

Adjustable loop ACL suspension devices demonstrate less reliability in terms of reproducibility and irreversible displacement.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive biomechanical examination of frequently applied femoral cortical suspension devices, comparing the properties of both fixed and adjustable fixation mechanisms. It was hypothesized that adjustable loop devices demonstrate less consistent fixation properties with increased variability compared to fixed loop devices. METHODS Nine frequently applied fixation button types were tested, six adjustable and three rigid loop devices. Six samples of each device type were purchased. Each device was installed in a servo-hydraulic mechanical testing machine, running a 2000 cycle loading protocol at force increments between 50 and 500 N. Irreversible displacement in mm was measured for all of the tested samples of each implant. Ultimately, maximum load to failure was applied and measured in Nm. An irreversible displacement of 3 mm was considered failure of the implant. RESULTS Three of the six adjustable devices (GraftMax™, TightRope® ToggleLoc™) demonstrated a median displacement above the threshold of clinical failure before completion of the cycles. All adjustable loop devices showed a wide intragroup variation in terms of irreversible displacement, compared to fixed-loop devices. Fixed-loop devices provided consistent reproducible results with narrow ranges and significantly lower irreversible displacement (p < 0.05), the maximum being 1.4 mm. All devices withstood an ultimate force of more than 500 N. CONCLUSION Adjustable loop devices still show biomechanical inferiority and demonstrate heterogeneity of fixation properties with wide- and less-reproducible displacement ranges resultant to the mechanism of adjustment, denoting less reliability. However, three adjustable devices (RIGIDLOOP™ Adjustable, Ultrabutton ◊, ProCinch™) demonstrate fixation capacities within the margins of clinical acceptance. RIGIDLOOP™ Adjustable provides the most comparable fixation properties to fixed loop devices