PUBLIC DEBT CYCLICALITY AND LONG-RUN GROWTH

This paper investigates the relationship between public debt cyclicality and economic growth. It expands the classical Barro (1990) model by relaxing the balanced budget hypothesis, and by introducing the existence of public spending adjustments costs. Our main findings are that the optimal volatility of public debt and consequently of output is different from zero. In other words there is an optimal volatility of public debt that policy makers should achieve to maximize growth.Este artigo busca investigar a relação entre ciclicalidade da dívida pública e o crescimento econômico. O artigo de Barro (1990) é expandido por se relaxar a hipótese de orçamento equilibrado do governo e introduzindo custos de ajustamento aos gastos públicos. Os principais resultados são que a volatilidade ótima da dívida pública e consequentemente do produto são diferentes de zero. Em outras palavras isso significa que há uma volatilidade da dívida pública ótima que os “policy makers” devem alcançar para maximizar o crescimento e o bem estar

Proximal femoral rotational osteotomy

The Rotational osteotomy for femoral retroversion has been extremely rare despite the known association between femoral neck retroversion, hip pain, and osteoarthritis. Here, we describe a case of femoral neck retroversion for which proximal femoral rotation osteotomy. A 16-year-old boy with a past history of developmental dysplasia of the both hip treated conservatively presented with a complaint of pain in left hips. On physical examination, flexion of the left hip was limited to 90° with terminal pain. Internal rotation was also limited to 10°. Computed tomography (CT) showed -7.1° anteversion of the left femur. We performed rotational osteotomy to increase femoral anteversion because conservative treatment was not effective. The postoperative course was uneventful. At 12 postoperative months, his left hip pain was completely disappeared and femoral anteversion was 34° on CT scans. Retroversion of the femur is a distinct dynamic factor that should be considered in the evaluation of mechanical causes of hip pain. Restoring the normal rotational alignment of the hip resulted in cure of the impingement due to femoral retroversion

Platelet-rich plasma does not reduce skeletal muscle fibrosis after distraction osteogenesis

Background: Skeletal muscle fibrosis caused by an increase in collagen deposition often occurs after distraction osteogenesis. Although studies are available reporting the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on tissue healing following injury, current findings remain controversial. This study focused on determining whether PRP reduces skeletal muscle fibrosis caused by distraction osteogenesis. Methods: Tibial osteotomies were performed on 8-week-old wild type mice, and tibiae were distracted at a rate of 0.42 mm/day for 2 weeks, starting 1 week after osteotomy. Immediately after distraction was completed (3 weeks after osteotomy), PRP or phosphate buffered saline (as a sham) was injected into the gastrocnemius (GC) muscle. The GC muscles were harvested and analyzed. Results: The amount and area of collagenous tissue increased in both the PRP and control groups following distraction osteogenesis, but the changes were not significantly different between both groups at all time points (p = 0.89, 0.45, 0.33 and 0.52 at 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks). Conclusion: From this study, our results suggest that PRP did not significantly reduce skeletal muscle fibrosis due to distraction osteogenesis

Rotational and varus–valgus laxity affects kinematics of the normal knee : A cadaveric study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between soft tissue laxity and kinematics of the normal knee using a navigation system. Methods: Fifteen cadaveric knees from 11 fresh frozen whole-body specimens were included in this study. The navigation system automatically recorded the rotation angle of the tibia as the internal–external (IE) kinematics and the coronal alignment of the lower limb as the varus–valgus (VV) kinematics. These measurements were made with the joint in maximal extension, at 10° intervals from 0° to 120° of flexion, and at maximal flexion during passive knee motion. For evaluation of laxity, the examiner gently applied maximum manual IE and VV stress to the knee at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion. Results: The measurements showed almost perfect reliability. The mean correlation coefficient between the intraoperative tibial rotation angle and the intermediate angle of IE laxity was 0.82, while that between the coronal alignment of the lower limb and the intermediate angle of the VV laxity was 0.96. There was a statistically significant correlation between kinematics and laxity at all degrees of knee flexion. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the rotation angle of the tibia was correlated to the intermediate angle of IE laxity at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion and the coronal alignment of the lower limb also correlated to the intermediate angle of VV laxity. These findings provide important reference data on soft tissue laxity and kinematics of the normal knee

A economia do turismo e a redução da pobreza e da desigualdade no Brasil: o papel do Estado

Este trabalho discute o potencial do setor de turismo para reduzir a pobreza e o papel da intervenção governamental na consecução desse objetivo. Descreve, inicialmente, as principais características econômicas do turismo no Brasil e o potencial de criação de renda e empregos que ele tem. Em seguida, simula e discute alguns impactos de estímulos à demanda doméstica do turismo no aumento da renda dos mais pobres, interpretando-os e discutindo as dificuldades e cuidados a serem tomados ao desenhar políticas de combate à pobreza e à desigualdade por meio de estímulos à atividade turística.This paper analyses the potential of tourism to alleviate poverty and the role of government to reach this objective. First it describes the tourism economic activity in Brazil, emphasizing the possibilities of employment and income creation. Second, it simulates some impacts of chocks on domestic demand of tourism on the income of the poor people, to discuss the difficulties and caution needed when proposing policies to alleviate poverty and to reduce income inequalities by tourism development

Intraoperative knee kinematics

The aim of this cadaveric study was to evaluate the intraoperative kinematics of the native knee including two-dimensional translation of the femur using a navigation system. Eight native knees of 4 fresh-frozen whole-body cadavers were used for the study. The kinematics of each knee were analyzed intraoperatively using the navigation system. Although anterior-posterior translation could not be assessed directly, it could be calculated using a formula derived from the parameters in the navigation system. The native knee showed external rotation of the femur in early knee flexion, transient internal rotation in mid flexion, and gradual external rotation in late flexion. There was no marked change in the coronal rotation angle of the mechanical axis during knee flexion. The femoral center moved anteriorly in early knee flexion and posteriorly in late flexion. The distance moved in the medial-lateral direction was relatively smaller than that in the anterior-posterior direction. Two-dimensional translation of the surgical epicondylar axis showed a medial pivot-like motion. In this cadaveric study, the kinematics of the native knee, including two-dimensional translation of the femur, could be satisfactorily assessed intraoperatively using a navigation system. The intraoperative kinematics of the knee can be analyzed in more detail using this methodology

Poly(l-lactic acid)-modified silica stationary phase for reversed-phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography

Poly(L-lactic acid) is a linear aliphatic thermoplastic polyester that can be produced from renewable resources. A poly(L-lactic acid)-modified silica stationary phase was newly prepared by amide bond reaction between amino groups on aminopropyl silica and carboxylic acid groups at the end of the poly(L-lactic acid) chain. The poly(L-lactic acid)-silica column was characterized in reversed-phase liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with the use of different mobile phase compositions. The poly(L-lactic acid)-silica column was found to work in both modes, and the retention of test compounds depending on acetonitrile content exhibited "U-shaped" curves, which was an indicator of reversed-phase liquid chromatography/hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mixed-mode retention behavior. In addition, carbonyl groups included into the poly(L-lactic acid) backbone work as an electron-accepting group toward a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and provide π- π interactions

O potencial gerador de crescimento, renda e emprego do turismo no Distrito Federal - Brasil

This paper examines the potential of tourism to stimulate growth of production and generation of income and employment in the Distrito Federal. It uses information from the regionalized Input-Ouptut Matrix, which was computed by the CET-UnB, drawing conclusions from a sectional and regional economic development perspective. Initially, it is stressed some conclusions from the so called strategy of disequilibrated development, as proposed by Hirshman (1961), which explores the potential for sectional development departing from stimulus to specific sectors. Those conclusions direct the description and analysis of the regional Input-Ouptut Matrix, stressing its application to the planning of public policies. The results related to generation of output, employment, and income in the Distrito Federal, due to the increasing in tourism, are analyzed by the sector component of tourism in relation to the average generation of employment, income, and output for the economy of the Distrito Federal as a whole.Este artículo examina el potencial de estímulo en relación al crecimiento que la producción y la generación de renta y empleo tienen sobre el turismo en el Distrito Federal. Para ello, utiliza informaciones contenidas en la matriz de insumo- producto (input output) regionalizada, estimada por el CET-UnB, generando conclusiones dentro de una óptica de desenvolvimiento económico sectorial y regional. Inicialmente, destacan algunas conclusiones de la llamada estrategia de desenvolvimiento desequilibrado propuesta por Hirshman (1961), que explora exactamente el potencial de desenvolvimiento sectorial, a partir de estímulos a sectores específicos. Esas conclusiones orientan la descripción y el análisis de la matriz insumo-producto del DF, destacando su potencial analítico para efectos de planeamiento de políticas públicas. Los resultados obtenidos sobre los potenciales de generación de producción, empleo y renta en el Distrito Federal, a partir del crecimiento del turismo, son analizados por cada sector componente del turismo y en relación al potencial medio de generación de empleo, renta y producción de la economía del DF como un todo.Este artigo examina o potencial de estímulo ao crescimento da produção e de geração de renda e emprego que tem o turismo no Distrito Federal. Para tanto, utiliza informações contidas na matriz de insumo-produto regionalizada estimada pelo CET-UnB, tirando conclusões dentro de uma ótica de desenvolvimento econômico setorial e regional. São destacadas, inicialmente, algumas conclusões da chamada estratégia de desenvolvimento desequilibrado proposta por Hirshman (1961), que explora exatamente o potencial de desenvolvimento setorial a partir de estímulos a setores específicos. Essas conclusões norteiam a descrição e a análise da matriz de insumo-produto do DF, destacando seu potencial analítico para efeito de planejamento de políticas públicas. Os resultados obtidos sobre os potenciais de geração de produção, emprego e renda no Distrito Federal, a partir do crescimento do turismo, são analisados por setor componente do turismo e em relação ao potencial médio de geração de emprego, renda e produção da economia do DF como um todo

The potential to create employment and income from tourism in Brazil

The main objective of this paper is to asses the tourism activity in Brazil, and examine, particularly, its capacity to generate employment. To this aim an input output matrix, that considers the tourism as a set of sectors of the economy, was computed for the year 2006. This matrix made it possible to examine the main relationships between tourism and the rest of the economy. Forward linkages and backward linkages of the tourism sector were computed. In addition, the effects of the development of the tourism sector on income and employment were analyzed and compared in this respect with the average of the Brazilian economy.Tourism; Tourism Economic; Input-output Model; Employment and Income; Brazil

PONV after intraarticular anesthesia

Study Objective : the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following single-injection intraarticular anesthesia was compared to that following continuous epidural anesthesia. Design : Prospective, double-blind, randomized study. Setting : University-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients : Forty-eight patients finally participated in this study, and each group contained twenty-four patients. Interventions : Patients scheduled to undergo lower limb surgery under general anesthesia were randomly allocated into two groups, to receive either single-injection intraarticular or continuous epidural anesthesia for postoperative analgesia. Measurements : The incidence and severity of PONV, complete response rates (i.e., no vomiting or rescue antiemetic use), and pain scores were recorded 2, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Main results : No significant differences between groups were observed in the incidence and severity of PONV, rescue antiemetic use, or complete response rate at any of the time points, but only the use of rescue analgesics was significantly less in continuous epidural anesthesia group during the 2-24h postoperative period (P=0.04). Conclusion : While the use of single-injection intraarticular anesthesia following lower limb surgery did not prevent PONV more than continuous epidural anesthesia in this study, the intraarticular technique still provides greater simplicity, safety, and cost-effectiveness