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Modeling long-term dynamics of carbon dioxide and oxygen in high-altitude wetlands
No full textAltiplanic wetlands are located above 3000 m.a.s.l. in endorheic basins in South America. Extreme environmental conditions and great ecological value characterize these systems. However, they are threatened becausethey host great mineralogical wealth. In addition, climate change could impact these environments, unbalancing water cycles and biochemical processes. High-altitude wetlands play a key role in recycling greenhouse gassesthrough microbial activity, which can alter the effects of meteorological forcings. To analyze these effects, we constructed a transient 0-D model that simulates interphase mass fluxes and biochemical processes related to CO2and O2 in the Salar del Huasco wetland, corresponding to a protected wilderness area in northern Chile. This article aims to study the influence of climatic trends of meteorological variables in high-altitude wetland andtheir relationship with CO2 and O2 dynamics. The model allows studying the long-term behavior of control variables independent of initial conditions and at different time scales. The results indicate that mass transport ofCO2 and O2 across the air-water interface dominates variations of the concentrations in the column water. Atmospheric forcings were shown to influence mass transport and water quality in high-altitude wetlands , withwind speed being one the most significant factors. It is important to note that when talking about climate change, emphasis is usually placed on the increase of the ambient temperature; however, it is shown that it is relevant toconsider the variation of the wind regime High-altitude wetlands
Implementation of Codes of Ethics in the Chilean Public Sector
No full textLa realidad de la administración pública tanto en América Latina como en el resto del mundo está marcada por situaciones de crisis en los gobiernos por casos de corrupción. Como respuesta a este tipo de situaciones, los gobiernos han implementado distintas estrategias para poder reforzar los marcos éticos de las y los funcionarios públicos, evitando de esta manera problemas como la corrupción o la falta de integridad. Dentro de estas estrategias que se han adoptado están los llamados códigos de ética, los cuales definen un estándar de acción esperado por parte de quienes forman parte del gobierno. Estos códigos son uno de los instrumentos más destacados de la llamada gestión ética, que cada vez cobra más relevancia en el sector público. En el presente documento se analiza la situación de los códigos de ética de la administración central del Estado en Chile, los cuales surgen por una política adoptada por el gobierno de ese país en 2016. Se presenta una descripción de la situación actual, relevando elementos particulares de los códigos. Se concluye el documento con reflexiones tanto para América Latina como el mundo respecto de la implementación de estos códigos y respecto de las estrategias para abordar el desafío de reforzar la integridad de las y los servidores públicos.The reality of public administration, both in Latin America and around the world, is markedby crises in governments due to cases of corruption. In response to such situations, governments haveimplemented various strategies to strengthen the ethical frameworks of public officials, therebypreventing issues such as corruption and lack of integrity. Among these strategies are the so-called codesof ethics, which define a standard of conduct expected from those who are part of the government. Thesecodes are among the most prominent instruments of what is known as ethical management, which isgaining increasing relevance in the public sector.This document analyzes the situation of the codes of ethics within Chile’s central state administration,which emerged from a policy adopted by the Chilean government in 2016. It presents a description ofthe current situation, highlighting specific elements of these codes. The document concludes withreflections for both Latin America and the broader international context regarding the implementationof these codes and strategies for addressing the challenge of strengthening the integrity of publicservants.ANID/FONDECYT; Folio: 122150
Ecofeminist-inspired Reflections on Scholarly Reciprocity to Avoid Academic Extractivism
No full textEcofeminism has made visible the damage caused by capitalistic extractive forces to the environment. In this commentary, inspired by this school of thought, in conversation with decolonial perspectives, we contribute to advance the understanding of how knowledge creation is also rooted in colonial, extractivist structures and the establishment of epistemic authoritarian systems that define the boundaries that designate what/who should and should not be seen. Departing from our position of feminist scholars based in Chile and Sweden and conducting research within the fields of education and geography, we meddle with the gray areas beyond the usual axis of academic extractivism between the Global North and the Global South. We outline the manifestations of academic extractivism and how they can be averted by moving toward decolonial dialogs and reflections within the university. We put forward a set of questions that interrogate and complicate research practices, so that colleagues can do the conscious and reflexive work of building a less extractivist academia. By exemplifying how we can resist the harmful, colonial, exclusionary practices that permeate academia, we argue that exercising reciprocity, grounded in ecofeminist care, is central to decolonizing current neoliberal academia and to open a dialogue about knowledge extraction and harm
Espiritismo y literatura femenina latinoamericana (1874-1920): estrategias de inserción y comercialización editorial en Josefa Díaz y Zilda Gama
No full textA finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX, en el contexto de renovación espiritual que se vive en Occidente y que enmarca el auge de heterodoxias esotéricas, como el ocultismo o la teosofía, aparecen en la literatura latinoamericana una serie de obras vinculadas con prácticas espiritistas como la mediumnidad o la escritura psicográfica, caracterizadas por atribuir la autoría del texto no a quien escribe, sino a la voz de los espectros que dictan, en sesiones de “mesas parlantes”, poemas o relatos de la más diversa índole. Tal particularidad creadora es signo distintivo de obras como Flores del espiritismo, de la cubana Josefa Díaz, o Na sombra e na luz, de la brasileña Zilda Gama, textos que propician una serie de ambigüedades respecto a nociones teóricas clásicas, como la figura del autor. Pero más allá de sus influencias en el discurso literario, la mediumnidad finisecular, sobre todo en lo que se refiere a las médiums mujeres, parece operar de dos formas específicas en torno a los procesos editoriales de la época: por un lado, funciona como una estrategia de comercialización desde la que se fetichiza el talante de los textos publicados (independientemente de su calidad); por el otro, representa una especie de salvoconducto discursivo desde el que se pueden ofrecer sin censuras opiniones de carácter político o ideológico. Como se intentará demostrar con los casos de Josefa Díaz y Zilda Gama, la mediumnidad socava las inclinaciones discursivas de la literatura latinoamericana de entre siglos, al mismo tiempo que propicia un lugar de enunciación a partir del cual las escritoras pueden insertar sus obras en los mercados editoriales emergentes
National policymaker perspectives on the implementation of biophilic urbanism in Chile: a pairwise comparison ranking perspective
No full textThe biophilic urbanism approach seeks to integrate nature into urban spaces’ planning and design to make cities greener and improve inhabitants’ well-being and health. The approach is pursued through a broad spectrum of more concrete actions named Biophilic Urbanism Initiatives (BUIs). This paper identifies the policymakers linked to the governance for biophilic urbanism in Chile and analyzes their perspectives on the potential implementation of BUIs. Based on their institutional responsibilities, two clusters are identified by means of a national survey: (1) policymakers with an active influence in urban and spatial planning and design and (2) policymakers with an active influence in environmental assessment, health, and education sectors, and active influence in urban planning implementation. Using a pairwise comparison method, we establish a ranking of implementation preferences for three groups of BUIs, and a set of six criteria driving the approach. Overall, both clusters show a preference for the same initiatives in each group: the restoration of natural spaces, the promotion of biophilic activities in schools, and the encouragement of biophilic design in private buildings. The least preferred initiatives were also similar although being of two types: the promotion of green infrastructure in private spaces and greening subsidies. In contrast, the most crucial criterion driving the approach was not entirely similar between both clusters, i.e. administration versus financial resources. Findings regarding the sizable similarity in preferences point to the potential of collaboration between both groups of policymakers, which is indeed required to design policies and implement this approach in Chile. Our results are discussed in the context of the wider literature on biophilic urbanism
Diamond-like Carbon coatings for artificial implants
No full textThis chapter delves into the enhancement of implant performance through diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings, recognized for their exceptional mechanical, chemical, and biocompatible properties, making them ideal for various biomedical applications. The chapter focuses on orthopedic applications, where DLC coatings improve wear resistance and longevity of implants, and promote osteointegration by enhancing cell adhesion and proliferation. In dental implants, DLC coatings boost biocompatibility and reduce infection risk, while also enhancing the durability of orthodontic brackets. This chapter details the requirements for DLC coatings in artificial implants and reviews their use in load bearing and dental implants, respectively. The chapter concludes with a summary of findings and identifies future research challenges, emphasizing the need for translating model-level advancements to component-level applications and addressing the reproducibility issues in dental applications. Overall, DLC coatings show significant potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce revision surgeries, and enhance comfort in both orthopedic and dental medicine
Argumentation in the mathematical modelling cycle
No full textAlthough the literature on modelling and argumentation is extensive, little has been written on both these mathematical competencies together. The purpose of this article is to identify relationships between argumentation and the stages of the modelling cycle that students go through in the mathematics classroom. Through a multiple case design, the article presents an analysis of three teachers’ lessons aimed at promoting modelling and argumentation competencies. Results indicate that moments of argumentation with warrants and rebuttals emerge heterogeneously across various stages of the modelling process and that high levels of argumentative structures featuring rebuttals do not ensure high levels of modelling
Seismic fragility estimation of electrical substations accounting for component damage and short circuit faults
No full textTesis (Master of Science in Engineering)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2025La sociedad moderna depende en gran medida de la electricidad, que se transmite desde las estaciones generadoras hasta los consumidores finales a través de una red eléctrica. Las subestaciones eléctricas son componentes clave de estas redes. En terremotos anteriores, algunas de estas subestaciones han sufrido daños severos, afectando su funcionalidad y provocando interrupciones en el servicio. Las pérdidas de funcionalidad suelen modelarse mediante funciones de fragilidad, que en términos generales relacionan una medida de intensidad sísmica con la probabilidad de falla. La mayoría de los estudios previos utilizan funciones de fragilidad genéricas para subestaciones, las cuales no son específicas para las subestaciones modeladas. De hecho, las subestaciones eléctricas están compuestas por varios componentes internos dispuestos en una amplia variedad de configuraciones, lo que no puede ser representado con precisión por estos modelos genéricos. Este estudio propone un método para construir funciones de fragilidad basadas en la configuración interna de los componentes de la subestación, considerando fallas en líneas individuales dentro de la subestación y fallas por cortocircuito que dejan fuera de servicio toda la instalación. El método propuesto se aplicó a subestaciones chilenas, obteniéndose funciones de fragilidad que varían significativamente en función del nivel de tensión y la configuración interna de cada subestación. En promedio, las funciones de fragilidad resultantes son bastante similares a las funciones genéricas proporcionadas por HAZUS. Sin embargo, las funciones de fragilidad de las diferentes configuraciones de subestaciones pueden diferir significativamente entre sí y con respecto a las de HAZUS. Por lo tanto, el uso de funciones de fragilidad que consideren una configuración interna más realista de los componentes eléctricos, en lugar de funciones genéricas, puede mejorar las estimaciones del desempeño sísmico, el riesgo y la resiliencia de las redes eléctricas, proporcionando así mejores herramientas para la preparación y mitigación de los efectos de los terremotos.ANID/FONDECYTANID/FONDA
Open educational resources for distributed hands-on teaching in molecular biology
No full texthttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327975This work was supported by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) through the ANID Millennium Science Initiative Program (ICN17_022), Fondo de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT 1201684 awarded to C.A. Ramírez-Sarmiento, FONDECYT Regular 1211218 & FONDECYT Regular 1241452 to Fernan Federici, and an International Cooperation Program with Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Tecnológica (ANID-CONCYTEC covbio0012 awarded to F. Federici and C.A. Ramírez-Sarmiento) and GOSH funding to G. Aidelberg, F. Quero and A. B. Lindner. There was no additional external funding received for this study.Competing interests: TheThe urgent need to develop a more equitable bioeconomy has positioned biotechnology capacity building at the forefront of international priorities. However, in many educational institutions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, this remains a major challenge due to limited access to reagents, equipment, and technical documentation. In this work, we describe Open Educational Resources (OER) composed of locally produced biological reagents, open source hardware and free software to teach fundamental techniques in biotechnology such as LAMP DNA amplification, RT-PCR RNA detection, enzyme kinetics and fluorescence imaging. The use of locally produced reagents and devices reduces costs by up to one order of magnitude. During the pandemic lockdowns, these tools were distributed nationwide to students’ homes as a lab-in-a-box for remote teaching of molecular biology. To test their performance, a total of 93 undergraduate students tested these resources during a biochemistry practical course. 27 out of 31 groups (~87%) successfully achieved the objectives of the PCR activity, while 28 out of 31 groups (~90%) correctly identified the target using LAMP reactions. To assess the potential application in secondary school, we organized three workshops for high school teachers from different institutions across Chile and performed an anonymous questionnaire, obtaining a strong agreement on how these OER broaden teachers’ perspectives on the techniques and facilitate the teaching of molecular biology topics. This effort was made possible through a close collaboration with open source technology advocates and members of DIYbio communities, whose work is paving the way for low-cost training in biology. All the protocols and design files are available under open source license
Maternal obesity alters myeloid immune function in the offspring
No full textMaternal obesity is a significant public health issue with short- and long-term consequences for the mother's and the offspring's health. In this context, the neonatal immune system in the children of women with pregestational obesity is characterised by an altered inflammatory profile. The mechanisms that potentially affect the development and function of immune cells during fetal development, at birth and during the postnatal life in the children of women with obesity are unknown. Some insights into these mechanisms have been studied in animal models of maternal obesity; however, human studies are limited and are greatly required. This review aims to examine the impact of maternal obesity on fetal myeloid immune cells and explores potential mechanisms that underlie early-life immune programming. Specifically, we include a summary of human and animal studies on the placenta and umbilical cord blood in the context of the inflammatory milieu of maternal obesity, with special emphasis on the phenotypes, functions and epigenetic changes in fetal myeloid cells and their haematopoietic progenitors. Key findings suggest that maternal obesity may induce fetal programming of immune-training-like effects in myeloid cells from early stages of fetal life, resulting in a blunted postnatal immune response. This novel perspective highlights the potential short- and long-term immunological consequences of maternal obesity on offspring, underscoring the critical need for interventions targeting the health of women of childbearing age to prevent acute and chronic immune-related conditions in future generations