World Bank-supported adjustment programs : country performance and effectiveness

Simple comparisons of growth rates in countries that have had at least two structural adjustment loans (SALs) or at least three adjustment loans show that their growth has improved more than that of other countries. But simple comparisons of the performance of groups of countries are poor estimators of the effectiveness of adjustment programs because the performance of an adjusting country is the result of: (a) the policies that would have been in place even without adjustment loans from the Bank; (b) world economic conditions; (c) the effects of the Bank-supported program; and (d) internal shocks to the economy. After explicitly controlling for external shocks and nonprogram determinants of performance, the authors find that adjustment lending programs have usually increased the growth rate of GDP and the ratio of exports to GDP, and have increased the saving-to-GDP ratio over early 1980s levels. But the average ratio of investment to GDP has fallen below 1970s levels. For countries that have reduced most of their policy inefficiencies, achieving a sustainable growth rate in the 1990s will require higher investment rates than those achieved in the 1980s.Economic Theory&Research,Economic Stabilization,Poverty Impact Evaluation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Achieving Shared Growth

How to diagnose a child? Atention deficit-hiperactivity disorder diagnostic strategies from a critical discursive perspective

Aquest treball examina des de la perspectiva de l'anàlisi crítica del discurs, el diagnòstic del Trastorn de Dèficit atencional amb hiperactivitat, tal com ho planteja el DSM-IV i CIE-10. Considera com a fonament les dificultats que la taxonomia mèdica planteja respecte de la infància com a categoria social diferent de l'adultesa, la utilització del signe de la hipercinèsia com a prova del trastorn, i l'ús d'instruments auxiliars aliens al "setting" clínic, com el "test de Conners ". El context d'anàlisi remet a les condicions presents a Xile. En específic, considera els usos del diagnòstic en l'espai institucional de l'escola. Com a aspectes finals, s'analitza el diagnòstic des dels seus usos i efectes en la regulació i autogovern dels individus i els seus cossos.This work examines from the perspective of critical discourse analysis, the Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis as stated by the DSM–IV and ICD-10. It considers as basis the difficulties posed by medical taxonomy of childhood as a distinct social category from adulthood, the using the sign of hyperkinesia as an evidence of the disorder, and the utilization of auxiliary instruments, external to the clinical “setting”, as the “Test of Conners”. The context of analysis refers to conditions present in Chile. Specifically, taking into consideration the diagnostic applications in the institutional space of the school. Finally, the diagnosis is analyzed from the uses and effects in regulating and self-government of individuals and bodies.Este trabajo examina desde la perspectiva del análisis crítico del discurso, el diagnóstico del Trastorno de Déficit Atencional con Hiperactividad, tal como lo plantea el DSM–IV y CIE-10. Considera como fundamento las dificultades que la taxonomía médica plantea respecto de la infancia como categoría social distinta de la adultez, la utilización del signo de la hipercinesia como prueba del trastorno, y el uso de instrumentos auxiliares ajenos al “setting” clínico, como el “Test de Conners”. El contexto de análisis remite a las condiciones presentes en Chile. En específico, considera los usos del diagnóstico en el espacio institucional de la escuela. Como aspectos finales, se analiza el diagnóstico desde sus usos y efectos en la regulación y autogobierno de los individuos y sus cuerpos

The Case of South African and Chilean Health Systems: Comparison of Financial, Economic and Health Indicators

The purpose of this study is to identify similarities and differences between healthcare systems of South Africa and Chile. The World Health Report 2000, the Human Development Index, and financial indicators were used for comparison. Chile showed better performance than South Africa in most of the measures used. Significant progress has been made in South Africa, bringing better education, healthcare and housing to the deprived black majority. However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, weighs heavily on health indicators. Chile decentralized its health services and implemented economic reforms during the 1980\u27s and has had steady improvement in its healthcare indicators. Finally, these counties share: World Bank classification as middle income economies, dual public/private health systems, skewed income distribution and allocation towards the private sector, with relatively high private health expenditures as a percentage of total health expenditures, focus in primary health care in their public health system and implementation of new healthcare reforms

Polimorfismo de receptores FcyRIIA en pacientes con insuficiencia renal cronica en hemodialisis.

43 p.La Trombocitopenia Inducida por Heparina (TIH) es un fenómeno de destrucción autoinmune, en el que participan los Anticuerpos Inducidos por Heparina (AcIH). Estos tienen especificidad para el complejo Factor Plaquetario 4-Heparina y pueden activar las plaquetas a través del receptor para Fc de la IgG (FcyRIIa). Las plaquetas expresan FcyRIIa, el cual presenta dos formas alélicas, FcyRIIa-H131 y FcyRIIa-R131, las que se diferencian por presentar Histidina o Arginina en posición 131, respectivamente. Ambas isoformas difieren en su capacidad para unir IgG2, siendo FcyRIIa-H el de mayor afinidad. Los pacientes portadores de Insuficiencia Renal Crónica (IRCr) en Hemodiálisis (HD) reciben regularmente Heparina, aumentando la probabilidad de producir AcIH, provocando que un alto porcentaje de ellos presente fenómenos de Trombosis de la fístula arterio venosa (FAV) y Trombocitopenia. En un estudio previo, realizado en el Laboratorio de Inmunología y Hematología, se encontró que el 20% de los pacientes en HD presentaron AcIH (estudio de tres isotipos), pero no se encontró asociación entre estos anticuerpos y Trombosis de la Fístula Arteriovenosa (FAV) y Trombocitopenia. Con el propósito de establecer si el polimorfismo FcyRIIa podía explicar la ausencia de dicha asociación clínica, se realizó) este estudio. En individuos normales encontramos que el 41.6% era homocigoto para H131 48.9% heterocigoto y 9.5% homocigoto para R131. En los pacientes portadores de IRCr, un 42.1% fue HH, 40 % HR y 7.9% RR, porcentajes similares a los controles normales. En esta tesis no encontramos asociación entre el polimorfismo FcyRIIa, presencia de AcIH IgG y el desarrollo de trombosis de la FAV y/o trombocitopenia