A rare variant of the superficial ulnar artery, and its clinical implications: a case report

The superficial ulnar artery is a rare variation of the upper limb arterial system that arises from the brachial or axillary artery and runs superficial to the muscles arising from the medial epicondyle [1-3]. The incidence is about 0.7 to 7% [1,4,5]. In our routine dissections we found a superficial ulnar artery, which crossed the cubital fossa superficial to the bicipital aponeurosis making it highly vulnerable to intra-arterial injection. This is a rare variation that every medical and nursing staff member should know about

Impact of Structural Reformson Productivity Growth in Industrial Countries

This paper investigates the impact of structural reforms on productivity growth. A panel analysis of 20 OECD countries finds that the impact of structural reforms on productivity growth may be weak or negative in the short run, possibly due to adjustment costs and the need for firms to learn how to operate in a less regulated and more competitive environment. In the long run, however, structural reforms are found to have significantly positive effects on productivity growth.Productivity;Trade;labor productivity, labor market, tariff rate, per capita income, labor productivity growth, average tariff, tariff rates, labor market reforms, labor market flexibility, average tariff rates, average tariff rate, indirect taxes, trade protection, dynamic impact, trade reform, labor markets, average unemployment, political economy, export intensity, nontariff barriers, import penetration, domestic production, perfect competition, tariff revenues, import duties, labor market reform, labor market indicators, import quotas, trade reforms, domestic consumption, imperfect competition, indicators of labor market reforms, impact of labor market reforms

Currency Crises

The paper seeks to identify common characteristics among a variety of macroeconomic and financial variables for a large sample of currency crises in industrial countries and emerging market economies. It covers crises which culminated in large currency depreciation as well as those in which there was a substantial loss of foreign reserves. The analysis involves comparing the monthly or annual pattern of movement of the various macroeconomic and financial variables around the time of crisis to their behavior during tranquil periods. The robustness of the results is tested by subdividing the sample into different types of currency crises and carrying out a similar analysis for each.

Trade and Financial Contagion in Currency Crises

This paper investigates empirically the relevance of external, domestic, and financial weaknesses as well as trade and financial linkages in inducing financial crises for a sample of 61 emerging market and industrial countries. A panel probit estimation finds these economic indicators to be significant for emerging market countries during the Mexican, Asian, and Russian crises. In particular, the indicators of vulnerability to international financial spillover (common creditor) and of financial fragility (reserve adequacy) are highly significant and appear to explain the apparent regional concentration of these crises. Exchange rate regimes and capital controls, however, do not seem to matter.Trade;contagion, exchange rate, currency crises, asian crisis, crisis country, crisis countries, financial contagion, exchange rate regimes, financial crises, real exchange rate, exchange rate appreciation, competitiveness, banking crises, crisis episodes, foreign exchange, exchange rates, financial crisis, foreign exchange market, banking crisis, speculative attacks, current account balance, exchange rate regime, exchange rate changes, currency crisis, exchange restrictions, exchange arrangements, fixed exchange rate, crisis economies, real exchange rate appreciation, real effective exchange rate, currency depreciation, effective exchange rate, fixed exchange rate regimes, flexible exchange rate, financial distress, pre-crisis, flexible exchange rate regime, real effective exchange rates, debt crisis, international financial contagion, devaluation crisis, fixed exchange rate regime, exchange rate arrangements, country exchange rate, nominal exchange rate, early warning system, real exchange rates, exchange rate movements, exchange rate pressures, early warning systems, crisis episode, asian financial crisis, balance of payments crisis, dollar exchange rate, exchange market intervention, foreign exchange reserves, payments crisis, crisis index, financial indicators, exchange reserves, exchange rate misalignment, effective exchange rates, exchange rate policy

Financial Integration in Asia

This Working Paper brings together three papers prepared as background for discussions at the Second High-Level Conference on Asian Integration cohosted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the IMF on May 25, 2006. The first documents recent trends in the intraregional flow of goods and capital and explores linkages between real and financial integration. The second focuses on the institutional and regulatory reforms needed to reap the benefits-and contain the risks-of financial integration in Asia. The third considers the implications of economic integration for the choice of the exchange rate regime and the conduct of macroeconomic policies.Asia;Production;financial integration, intraregional trade, trade flows, bilateral trade, industry trade, regional trade, capital flows, financial markets, trade agreements, regional integration, direction of trade statistics, trade growth, trade liberalization, economic integration, trade integration, globalization, regional trade agreements, global markets, international financial, trade openness, free trade agreements, world trade, regional trade integration, international trade, bilateral trade flows, trade patterns, vertical specialization, external trade, trade volumes, increasing integration, common market, international financial statistics, bilateral trade agreements, trade intensity, factor endowments, trade pattern, exchange rates, multilateral trade liberalization, investment flows, free trade, vertical integration, multilateral trade, trading blocs, multilateral liberalization, value of exports, product differentiation, world trade organization, international financial markets, exchange rate movements, most-favored-nation, domestic investment, global trade, nondiscriminatory trade liberalization, domestic demand, evidence of trade diversion, trade creation, import demand, trade diversion, unilateral liberalization, asian financial integration, exchange rate regime, import side, changes in trade, international finance, financial regulations, globalization of production, nondiscriminatory trade, supply chain, per capita income, international lending, preferential trade, global supply, external financing, preferential trade agreements