Inflation Targeting in the Context of IMF-Supported Adjustment Programs

This paper argues that the IMF's traditional monetary conditionality--a ceiling on net domestic assets of the central bank and a floor on its net international reserves--should be adapted in IMF-supported adjustment programs with countries that have a framework of explicit inflation targets for the implementation of monetary policy. This adaptation should aim at enhancing correspondence and consistency between the monetary objectives of the central bank and the targets established under the IMF-supported adjustment program, as well as between the different instruments used to achieve the policy objectives and targets. The paper reviews various general options in this regard, and, using the case of Brazil as an example, demonstrates how these options may be implemented in practice. . Copyright 2002, International Monetary Fund

Inflation Targeting in the Context of IMF-Supported Adjustment Programs

This paper analyzes how an inflation targeting regimes relate with the conditioning established in the IMF assistance programs, and, in particular, with its inclusion within the performance criteria associated with that conditioning. The paper analyzes the Brazil's case, the first country in an IMF program to adopt an inflation target, and the lessons that can be derived from this experience. In its last section, we evaluate the idea of using Taylor rules to assess the inflationary performance. Simulations generated by the rule produces are not very similar to the effective policy rates, although differences diminish when expected inflation replaces current inflation within the rule.

Prevalence and trends of markers of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human Immunodeficiency virus in Argentine blood donors

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-transmitted infections are a major problem associated with blood transfusion. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and trends of HBV, HCV and HIV in blood donors in Argentina. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out in blood donors of 27 transfusion centers covering the whole country over a period of eight years (2004-2011). Serologic screening assays for HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV were performed in all centers and nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) was performed in 2 out of the 27 centers. RESULTS: The 2,595,852 samples tested nationwide from 2004 to 2011 showed that the prevalence of HBsAg decreased from 0.336% to 0.198% (p < 0.0001), that of anti-HBc from 2.391% to 2.007% (p < 0.0001), that of anti-HCV from 0.721% to 0.460%, (p < 0.0001) and that of anti-HIV from 0.208% to 0.200 (p = 0.075). The prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV was unevenly distributed among the different regions of the country. Two out of 74,838 screening- negative samples were positive in NAT assays (1 HIV-RNA and 1 HCV-RNA); moreover, HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA and HIV-RNA were detected in 60.29, 24.54 and 66.67% of screening-positive samples of the corresponding assays. As regards donors age, positive HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA donors were significantly older than healthy donors (46.6, 50.5 and 39.5 y respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Argentina has a low prevalence of HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV in blood donors, with a decreasing trend for HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HCV but not for anti-HIV over the last 8 years. The uneven distribution of transfusion-transmitted infections prevalence among the different regions of the country highlights the need to implement regional awareness campaigns and prevention. The discrepancy between samples testing positive for screening assays and negative for NAT assays highlights the problem of blood donors who test repeatedly reactive in screening assays but are not confirmed as positive upon further testing. The uneven distribution of age between healthy donors and NAT-positive donors could be related to changes in risks of these pathogens in the general population and might be attributed to a longer exposure to transmission risk factors in elderly people.Fil: Flichman, Diego Martin. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Blejer, Jorgelina L.. Fundación Hemocentro; ArgentinaFil: Livellara, Beatriz I.. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Ré, Viviana Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bartoli, Sonia. Centro regional de Hemoterapia Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Bustos, Juan A.. Banco de sangre San Jorge; ArgentinaFil: Ansola, Claudia P.. Provincia de Mendoza. Servicio de Hemoterapia; ArgentinaFil: Hidalgo, Susana. Hospital Dr. Enrique Vera Barros; ArgentinaFil: Cerda, Martín E.. Hospital Dr. Lucio Molas; ArgentinaFil: Levin, Alicia E.. Provincia de Mendoza. Servicio de Hemoterapia; ArgentinaFil: Huenul, Adriana. Hospital Artémides Zatti; ArgentinaFil: Riboldi, Victoria. Hospital Regional Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Treviño, Elena M. C.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Salamone, Horacio J.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez, Felix A.. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Robert J.. Fundación Hemocentro; ArgentinaFil: Reybaud, Juan F.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Campos, Rodolfo Hector. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Virología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin