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By paying attention to what Peruvian and Bolivian students in schools say about how they are seen and treated by their native-born peers, this article aims to analyze the ways in which symbolic boundaries are produced, eventually giving way to social boundaries between natives and migrants. The methodology is based on in-depth interviews with students, parents, and educators of rural and urban schools in the region of Arica y Parinacota, the northernmost region of Chile, by the borders with Peru and Bolivia. We conclude that the production of symbolic boundaries among students emerges as discourses about nationality, skin color, ethnicity, and history. Peruvian and Bolivian migrant students describe being teased by their native-born peers because of their country of origin, for being darker-skinned, for being Aymara, and for having lost the War of the Pacific (and, in the case of Bolivians, for having lost access to the coastline). Some migrant students perceive these discourses as discrimination and consider them harmful; however, many others accept them as normal school stuff -- as long as there is no physical violence. Moreover, teachers and parents do not see these interactions as problematic. The article concludes that the normalization of stigmatizing and discriminatory dynamics against migrant students complicates their inclusion in Chilean schools.

This work describes the design and validation of a questionnaire to assess the expectations of higher education professors regarding virtual education (CEDVES). The sample included 546 professors, 299 men (54.66%) and 247 women (45.23%), from different scientific disciplines of a university in Chile. The final version consisted of 38 items answered using a five-point Likert scale. Nine factors were identified from the exploratory factor analysis. This configuration accounts for 75% of the variance. The structure of the instrument was studied using confirmatory factor analysis. It was found that nine factors produced a good fit, derived from a hierarchical solution in which all these factors depend on a factor of second general order. Each of the scales, like the general factor, present good indicators of reliability. The analysis indicates that this questionnaire has adequate validation and could be broadly used in higher education.

This case study aimed to change the construction of teachers' written tests so that items were designed to assess competencies in an authentic and challenging way. A small group of five psychology teachers participated in 10 sessions of an authentic assessment faculty-training program, to learn to assess problem-solving competencies for situations typically faced by professionals in the workplace. The authentic assessment training emphasized the incorporation of three main characteristics: (1) inclusion of a realistic context, (2) measurement of higher order thinking skills, and (3) development of evaluative judgment, concerning the quality of their own performance. Post-training the items´ construction was analysed, according to their type and authenticity. Mixed effects logistic regression showed a statistically significant increase in open-response items, and two-way ANOVA indicated that cognitive challenge improved. The results showed written tests had: a) more open-response items of higher cognitive complexity, b) fewer items requiring closed, memorized responses, c) more use of realistic contexts to measure knowledge in a situated way, and d) improvement in curriculum alignment of tests and greater consistency in measuring competencies. These advances validate the authentic-assessment training program for a better written assessment design.

The purpose of this research is to understand the conceptualizations and emotional responses produced by diversities in thirteen teacher trainers of the Primary Education Pedagogy degree, of a Chilean university with an important trajectory in teacher training in the Metropolitan Region, the national capital. A qualitative approach was used through semi-structured and projective interviews. The data were analyzed following the data analysis spiral proposed by Creswell (2013). It is concluded that the trainers have a descriptive representation of diversity that that does not consider inequalities, discriminations, or conflicts. Regarding their emotional responses about diversity, they positively value the possibility of new learning and an epistemic openness that generates multiple challenges. They also express not being prepared to deal with diversity in the pedagogical space, discomfort regarding certain diversities and an epistemic tension toward the concept of diversity and the classifications that may cause discrimination.

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of the changes in the strategies to stimulate self-concept used by teachers, that received training, in the academic self-concept of its students. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-application measures was used. A total of 36 secondary school teachers and 814 students participated. The program consisted of four months of workshop sessions and accompaniment in the classroom. It was found that changes in the teaching strategies mediated the effect of the intervention on students' self-concept. In addition, the change in the students' type of self-concept depended on the change in the teachers' specific strategies. In conclusion, the training program designed for stimulating academic self-concept was effective in promoting strategies in teachers that increased student's self-concept. Thus, it can be concluded that the intervention is an approachable methodology to support the development of self-concept, potentially impacting students' academic success. The findings contribute to the design of future interventions in school contexts for the improvement of students' self-concept.

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between (1) willingness to study strategies, (2) causal attributions (to effort, ability and external causes) and (3) student´s perception of self-efficacy about their ability to self-regulate their processes of willingness to study. Method: An instrument built by the researchers called Willingness to the Study Self-Regulation Questionnaire was applied to a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 695 Chilean university students from 5 universities of the Province of Concepción. Outcomes: Strong correlations were found between self-efficacy for the willingness to study self-regulation and the willingness to study strategies (r = 0.54 to r = 0.55). The willingness to study strategies had positive and moderate correlations (r = 0.38 to r = 0.42) with causal attributions for success to effort, weak correlations (r = 0.15 to r = 0.28) with causal attributions for success to ability and to external factors, and negative weak to moderate correlations (r = -0.19 to r = -0.38) with causal attributions for failure to effort, ability, and external factors. Conclusions: Students with high levels of willingness to study strategies show positive beliefs about their own ability to self-regulate their processes of willingness to study, they make causal attributions for their success mainly to effort, and they attribute their academic failure less and less to ability and external factors.

Blended learning, which combines face-to-face workshops with self-directed online learning, is becoming a good alternative in designing and deploying professional development programs. The online component adapts to teachers' time constraints, requires fewer trained professionals for its implementation, and enhances participants' opportunities to engage in the exploration and visualization of mathematical concepts and ideas. Also, the face-to-face component of this instruction modality allows spontaneous communication and collaborative construction of knowledge in real settings. This paper describes the instructional model of Suma y Sigue, a b-learning professional development program for primary and middle school teachers, which has been designed and implemented in Chile since 2015, aimed at developing mathematical knowledge for teaching. A particular feature of the program is its high-degree of self-directed autonomous online learning. We discuss how contextualized situations are articulated to create a learning environment in which teachers get involved in a progressive construction of multiple components of this knowledge. We also describe the implementation of the program, discussing the effects of scaling in teachers' experiences, and also how the information gathered upon implementation has led to changes in the training of instructors and in the program's instructional design.

Introduction: Current research based on observational design studies characterized the teaching practices that stimulate the development of academic self-concept, but there is a need for experimental and quasi-experimental studies to validate those findings. The present research evaluate the impact of a teacher training program based on academic self-concept stimulation strategies on academic self-concept, attendance and grades of their students. Method: 36 teachers of primary level and 819 students from public schools of the Province of Concepción, Chile, participated. A quasi-experimental design with pre and post measures was applied. Information was collected through self-report and information available on official records. Results: After the intervention, teachers in the experimental group have greater capacity to stimulate the self-concept of their students, D(1, 41700.91)=17.09, p < 0.001, encouring self-concept related to capacity, work procedures and class participation. Also, the students on experimental group have a greater perception about their capacity to participate in classes after the intervention, dependent on the pre-test perceived capacity, D(1, 983-22)=6.10, p=0.014, and higher attendance rates, D(1, 691.34)=82.50, p<0.001, than control group. Discussions and conclusions: The teacher training program is effective to improve the teaching strategies of stimulating the academic self-concept, the perception of competence to participate in classes of the students and to increase the levels of attendance.

Introduction: There are a few methods to study inquiry's abilities in Chile, despite its importance in science education. This study analyzes the psychometric properties of a Scientific Inquiry Scale in pedagogy students of two Chilean universities. Method: The study uses an instrumental design with 325 students from 3 pedagogy majors. As a measurement instrument, it uses a scale based on one of the dimensions of Miranda's Tasks in Critical Thinking test. Descriptive statistics of reliability and dimensionality were used for the analysis. Results: The results show three items under the mean, two within the mean and three slightly over it, with adequate ranges of asymmetry and kurtosis. Dimensions analysis accounts for a three-factor model with good fit indicators, related to the three ability foci observed in this ability: exploration with three items related, comprehension with two items and inference with three items. The reliability analysis is adequate but lower than expected (0.61) and an adequate level of interjudge consistency, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.62. Discussion and Conclusion: Scientific Inquiry Scale is reliable and allows for analysis of the main elements of the ability to inquire, which is relevant for scientific reasoning. However, it is necessary to investigate the external validity.

This article describes a teaching experience in which information and communication technologies were applied in five industrial engineering courses at the Universidad de Tarapaca in Chile. The paper compares the performance and course pass rates of the e-learning platform and portable pocket PC platform with those of the same courses teaching in traditional classroom methods. Two of the courses involving 62 students used an e-learning platform and its associated pedagogical model, while the other three, covering 110 students, employed a portable Pocket PC platform and a collaborative pedagogical model. The results show that there is no statistical evidence that technology rise the students marks, but did reveal significant improvements in course pass rates. (Contains 5 tables and 4 figures.)

Copyright of Formación Universitaria is the property of Centro de Informacion Tecnologica (CIT) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ciencias de la Salud is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ciencias de la Salud is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Geographical research on lithium and other renewable energy materials explores the geopolitical dimensions of resource supply and the 'new geographies' associated with an expanding resource frontier. The material characteristics and environmental conditions of lithium production, however, are largely overlooked in this perspective. In the context of a global speculative boom for lithium linked to its growing role in energy storage, this paper adopts a grounded, exploratory approach to investigate the dynamics of production and resource management at one of the world's most significant sources of lithium: the brine deposits of the Atacama Salt Flat/Salar de Atacama in northern Chile. We show how lithium production from brine has a distinctive 'eco-regulatory' character as it involves managing a series of hydrogeological conditions and physical processes that are largely external to capital. The paper highlights the infrastructures (pumps, pipes, ponds) associated with the harvesting of lithium from brine and examines how production on the salar generates a series of ecological contradictions (notably around water depletion) with potential to disrupt accumulation. We also examine the multiple flexibilities afforded by the eco- regulatory character of production, and show how these enable lithium producers to adapt fixed infrastructures to dynamic political economic conditions. By focusing on both contradictions and flexibilities of lithium production, the paper draws attention to trajectories of capitalisation in the lithium value chain and their environmental consequences; and considers the political-economic incentives shaping further capitalisation. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this exploratory case study for critical resource geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bitácora Urbano/Territorial is the property of Bitacora Urbano/Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Coal mining in Chile has grown significantly from virtually nonexistent in the late 1990s to become a profitable business in 2014. This paper explores the consequences of such revival from a post-political environmental justice perspective, through the case of a coal-mining project on Isla Riesco , located in the Chilean Patagonia. The project Mina Invierno has met the necessary legal requirements and obtained the required environmental permits to become operational. Nonetheless, island residents are opposed to the project, and especially families engaged in sheep ranching, which is one of the oldest and most significant production activities in the area. By analyzing the conflict between coal mining and ranching on Isla Riesco , this article challenges the so far conceptualization of recognition and participation as dimensions of environmental justice, since our results reveal that what is excluded in this case are not only people but ideas, even if these come from non-marginalized actors. This finding contributes to environmental justice literature by proposing that the study of environmental conflicts, analyzed from a post-political viewpoint, should also focus on the challenges that communities face in order to rebut the prevailing consensuses that sustain their situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With considerable focus on ecotourism's potential to contribute to conservation, it is increasingly important to understand the implications of ecological information in triggering sustainability-relevant attitudes and actions. This study assesses whether people who have ecological information regarding the negative impact of their recreational behavior on penguins' stress will choose to remain farther away from the penguins to avoid that impact although this option will reduce the personal benefits of their tourism experience. To answer this question, we use a choice experiment with three attributes related to “Humboldt penguin watching”: (1) price of the experience, (2) distance at which penguins could be observed, and (3) penguin density. In addition, we used two treatments: with and without ecological information. We used a pooled data (with and without information) mixed logit model to identify the effect of providing or not providing information. Using a chi-square test, we first tested whether people in the sample with information chose different alternatives than those individuals without information. Furthermore, we evaluate whether the coefficient associated with the attributes of the mixed logit model, and therefore people's behavioral preferences, differs among samples. Results show that, irrespective of socio-demographic differences, visitors with information were more prone to select alternatives that reduce penguin stress, despite more educated, wealthier, and older people tend to increase their welfare when they choose being closer to the penguins. People without information never choose the alternative which results in a reduction of penguin stress. Ecological information is shown to reverse this trend, in fact, tourists perceived (on average) a welfare loss of CL$1099 (US$1.9) if he/she is too close to the penguins once information has been granted. These results are encouraging because they support the claim that well-defined educational and informational campaigns can have important effects on the way in which people behave in areas of interest for conservation. Granting ecological information can become an important tool to encourage conservation behavior, particularly in areas where support for enforcement is weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several previous studies highlighted the importance of using field-collected soils—and not artificially-contaminated soils—for ecotoxicity tests. However, the use of field-collected soils presents several difficulties for interpretation of results, due to the presence of various contaminants and unavoidable differences in the physicochemical properties of the tested soils. The objective of this study was to estimate thresholds of metal toxicity in topsoils of 24 agricultural areas historically contaminated by mining activities in Chile. We performed standardized earthworm reproduction tests (OECD 222 and ISO 11268-2) with Eisenia fetida . Total soil concentrations of Cu, As, Zn, and Pb were in the ranges of 82–1295 mg kg −1 , 7–41 mg kg −1 , 86–345 mg kg −1 , and 25–97 mg kg −1 , respectively. In order to differentiate between the effects of different metals, we used regression analysis between soil metal concentrations and earthworm responses, as well as between metal concentrations in earthworm tissues and earthworm responses. Based on regression analysis, we concluded that As was a metal of prime concern for Eisenia fetida in soils affected by Cu mining activities, while Cu exhibited a secondary effect. In contrast, the effects of Zn and Pb were not significant. Soil electrical conductivity was another significant contributor to reproduction toxicity in the studied soils, forcing its integration in the interpretation of the results. By using soils with electrical conductivity ≤0.29 dS m −1 (which corresponds to EC 50 of salt toxicity to Eisenia fetida ), it was possible to isolate the effect of soil salinity on earthworm reproduction. Despite the confounding effects of Cu, it was possible to determine EC 10 , EC 25 and EC 50 values for total soil As at 8 mg kg −1 , 14 mg kg −1 and 22 mg kg −1 , respectively, for the response of the cocoon production. However, it was not possible to determine these threshold values for juvenile production. Likewise, we were able to determine EC 10 , EC 25 and EC 50 of earthworm tissue As of 38 mg kg −1 , 47 mg kg −1 , and 57 mg kg −1 , respectively, for the response of the cocoon production. Finally, we determined the no-observed effect concentration of tissue As in E. fetida of 24 mg kg −1 . Thus, earthworm reproduction test is applicable for assessment of metal toxicity in field-collected soils with low electrical conductivity, while it might have a limited applicability in soils with high electrical conductivity because the salinity-induced toxicity will hinder the interpretation of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale fisheries in developing countries are in crisis due to overexploitation of their fisheries, and there is an urgent need to find adequate indicators to assess their status and propose corrective measures to foster sustainable activities. We propose to integrate information from sustainable development indicators in order to describe the status of king's littleneck clam fisheries and evaluate their trends over time in base of five pillars of sustainability (biofishery, environmental, social, economic and institutional). The sustainability level of each indicator is obtained using linear transformation functions derived from consensus, prior studies and expert knowledge. The method facilitates the conversion of indicators into aggregate sustainability indices and improves public communication. Applying this approach over king's littleneck clam in fishing areas of Quellón, Chile, we show that there is signs overfishing. The clam fishery indicators vary between low and medium sustainability; management actions are required, mainly to increase sustainability levels in the social, economic and bio-fisheries dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The ISA crisis reflects the shortcomings of market-based environmental policies followed by Chile. [•] The crisis exposed the incapacity of scientists to influence environmental policy. [•] Political solutions supported a financial restructuring of the industry for a new accumulation cycle. [•] The case shows the discursive uses of scientific explanations in economic crises. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Archivos de Medicina Veterinaria is the property of Universidad Austral de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article examines the food consumed by the South American sea lion during the winter-spring period. The study was performed at the Rio Negro province in Patagonia, Argentina from winter to the spring of 2005, where the 91 scats left by the seals were gathered for evaluation. Results showed that the 96 percent of scats filled with prey leftovers were fish, while 26 percent had cephalopods. Most common fish species consumed by the seals were the banded dusk eels while the Patagonian squid was the most common cephalopod eaten. The most abundant prey for the South American sea lion was the Patagonian octopus.

Between April and June 2009, 1,075 feral rainbow trout from 10 different lakes involved with aquaculture activities in Los Lagos Region, Chile, were inspected for Diphyllobothrium species. All viscera and muscles of the fish were examined using stereomicroscopy; pyloric cecae and stomachs infected with plerocercoids were checked by histology and scanning electron microscopy. Plerocercoids of Diphyllobothrium dendriticum were confirmed by PCR and sequencing of CIO and 18S rRNA + ITS1 + 5.8S rRNA + ITS2 genes for the first time in Chile. Overall prevalence of plerocercoids of D. dendriticum was 9.2% (99/1,075) in Lo Lagos Region and 17.4% (99/570) for Chiloe Island. Plerocercoids were not detected in the continental lakes of the Los Lagos Region (Chapo, Rupanco, and Llanquihue). Tarahuín Lake exhibited a prevalence of 50.9% (81/159), Cucao Lake 5.1% (4/79), Natri Lake 4.7% (5/107), Huillinco Lake 3.6% (5/138), and San Antonio Lake 66.7% (4/6). Abundance was 1.1 plerocercoid larvae per fish (1,169 larvae/1,075 fish). All the plerocercoids were found encysted in the viscera of the fish. Plerocercoids were 10.9 ± 3 (7-16) mm long by 0.4 ± 0.2 (0.2-3.6) mm wide. The scolex was enlarged, with 2 bothria and a frontal pit. The body was covered with short capilliform filitriches, 4-6 mm long. The Chilean COI and 18SrRNA + ITS1 + 5.8SrRNA + ITS2 gene sequences indicated 96.34-96.52% and 99% similarity with D. dendriticum sequences, respectively. Diphyllobothrium dendriticum is reported for the first time in freshwater ecosystems as far as 43°S on Chiloe island. These findings and previous reports of plerocercoids of Diphyllobothrium spp. in fanned rainbow trout at Tarahuín Lake support the putative life cycle of this parasite in lakes of southern Chile where there are aquaculture activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of EURE is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Academia: Revista Latinoamericana de Administración is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of Revista Odonto Ciencia is the property of EDIPUCRS - Editora Universitaria da PUCRS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Speedy A (spdya) gene is a member of the Speedy/RINGO family, encoding a spdya protein associated with cellular cycle and meiosis in vertebrates. Results from genetic analyses indicated spdya conditional knockout mice are sterile, suggesting that this protein has essential functions in mammalian reproduction. There, however, are no published reports on the localization of spdya mRNA in the germline or in somatic cell lineages within the gonads from mollusks or other invertebrate species. Using a previously obtained transcriptome assembly from the scallop Argopecten purpuratus , an economically important hermaphroditic scallop species from Chile and Peru, there was identification of a complete coding sequence of the spdya mRNA. Phylogenetically spdya protein has sequence conservation homology with other scallops and mollusks. The relative mRNA transcript abundances at different gametogenic stages was assessed using quantitative PCR procedures. Results indicated there was an increase of spdya mRNA transcript abundance in testicular region samples at the late active stage, followed by a decrease in testis of reproductively mature individuals. To gain insight into the cellular localization of ap-spdya transcript within the gonads, specific RNA probes were synthesized for in situ hybridization analyses of gonad histological sections. Results indicated spdya mRNA is located exclusively in early germline (previtellogenic oocytes and spermatogonia) and somatic proliferative tissues of A. purpuratus ovarian and testicular regions. Overall, these results indicate there are putative functions of spdya in the early oogenesis and spermatogenesis of A. purpuratus and will contribute to furthering the understanding of gametogenesis in this species. • We characterized a cDNA sequence of the speedy a gene from the scallop A. purpuratus. • Testicular qPCR expression is higher at late active compared to mature stage. • We confirmed its localization in early germline and somatic proliferative tissue. • In the female germline, ap-spdya mRNA is located only in previtellogenic oocytes. • In the male germline , ap-spdya mRNA is located only in spermatogonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study assessed the impact of body mass index (BMI) at birth, infancy, and adulthood, and waist circumference on lung function. Methods: Using a longitudinal design 1221 Chilean young adults were studied. A standardized respiratory questionnaire was used. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), height, weight and waist circumference were measured. Data at birth and at 1 year were obtained from clinical notes. Results: Males with a BMI ≥ 30 and women with a BMI < 20 had a lower FEV1 (-230 mL, 95% CI -363 to -98; -106 mL, 95% CI -211 to -0.18, respectively). In both sexes those with a BMI 20-25 had the highest FEV1 and FVC. In males there was a negative association between waist circumference and FEV1 and FVC while in women the middle tertile had the highest FEV1 and FVC. There was an association between birthweight and BMI at birth, and FEV1 in men, when unadjusted for other measurements. Conclusions: BMI and waist circumference in adulthood make a greater impact on lung function in adulthood than anthropometric measurements at birth and infancy. Proxy measures of fatness in adulthood reduce lung function, but the pattern between fatness and lung function by sex may be different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:An association between obesity and asthma symptoms has been reported in the literature, but such a relationship is inconsistent if atopic status or bronchial hyper responsiveness (BHR) is considered. The objective was to assess the association between obesity and asthma symptoms or BHR in adults.METHODS:A study was carried out in 1232 people born between 1974 and 1978 in Chile. The participants completed the European Community Health Survey questionnaire, were skin tested and subject to a BHR challenge to methacholine.MEASUREMENTS:Weight, height and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.RESULTS:There was a positive association between wheeze and breathlessness following exercise and BMI (both with an OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.06), the associations with wheeze tended to disappear in women who did react at least to one allergen, and persisted in those who did not react to any allergens. BMI was negatively associated with BHR (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97). Waist circumference was not associated with asthma symptoms and it was negatively associated with BHR.CONCLUSION:Although there was an association between BMI and asthma symptoms, there were weaknesses in the evidence because waist circumference, a more direct measure of obesity than BMI, was not associated with asthma symptoms, and BMI and waist circumference were negatively associated with BHR.International Journal of Obesity (2005) 29, 804–809. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802958 Published online 12 April 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is uncertainty about the impact of the programming hypothesis in terms of nutritional status at birth, rate of growth in the first year of life, length of gestation, breast feeding, and episodes of illness on asthma. An analysis was therefore carried out to test this hypothesis.Methods: Data were collected on 1232 children born between 1974 and 1978 in a semi-rural area of Chile. Measurements at birth and growth in the first year of life were obtained from a birth registry and clinical notes. Information on asthma was collected using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire. Sensitisation to eight allergens and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine were determined. All other information was obtained using a questionnaire. Polytomous logistic analyses were carried out to explore the association of factors at birth and during the first year of life with asthma symptoms, atopy, and BHR.Results: Weight and length gain in the first year were positively associated with wheeze (odds ratio (OR) 1.004, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.007 and OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.25, respectively). A higher body mass index (BMI) at birth was protective in subjects reporting both wheeze and waking with breathlessness (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.84). Length rate in tertiles divided by length at birth in tertiles was related to asthma symptoms (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.37). Most other assessments were not associated with asthma.Conclusion: These results show promising but inconclusive evidence that a rapid rate of growth in length, especially in newborn infants of low length, might be involved in the aetiology of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stunting is highly prevalent in Latin American countries regardless of socioeconomic performance. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors of growth deficit among children starting primary education whose parents were of short stature compared with those whose parents were not of short stature, in the poorest districts of Santiago, Chile. A case-control study was carried out with two types of cases. Case 1 included children whose height was between -1.0 and -3.0 (SD) of the height/age of the National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organization standard and whose parent's height was below -2.0 SD (n = 115). Case 2 included stunted children (as defined previously) whose parent's height was above -2 SD (n = 76). Controls were children whose stature was +/-0.5 SD and whose parent's height was also above -2 SD (n = 115). Logistic regression models were carried out for case 1 and 2 children compared with the controls. Similar risk factors were found in both models, without any significant interaction: these included history of malnutrition, drunkenness in the family, lack of health care, unhygienic housing conditions, small length at birth and short period of exclusive breastfeeding. The most important risk factors for case 1 children were a history of malnutrition [with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.26 and confidence interval (CI) of 2.68-10.34] and short length at birth (OR = 4.87, CI 2.18-10.92). For case 2 children, the most important risk factors were a history of malnutrition (OR = 4.58, CI 2.20-9.53) and unhygienic housing conditions (OR = 4.29, CI 1.76-10.48). In conclusion, similar factors explained growth deficits in children starting primary school independent of the parent's height, suggesting that genetics would have a limited impact at this age and at this socioeconomic level. To reduce stunting in countries with an epidemiological profile such as that of Chile, it is still important to reduce adverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disorder mainly caused by mutations in the LDL receptor (LDL-R) and characterized by elevation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and premature cardiovascular disease. In this study, we evaluated the clinical phenotype of the p.Asp47Asn, described as an uncertain pathogenic variant, and its effect on the structure of LDL-R and ligand interactions with apolipoproteins. 27 children and adolescents with suspected FH diagnosis were recruited from a pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic. Blood samples were collected after 12 h fasting for lipid profile analysis. DNA sequencing was performed for six FH-related genes by Ion Torrent PGM platform and copy number variation by MLPA. For index cases, a familial cascade screening was done restricted to the same mutation found in the index case. In silico analysis were developed to evaluate the binding capacity of LDL-R to apolipoproteins B100 and E. Lipid profile in children and adolescents demonstrated higher LDL-C levels in p.Asp47Asn carriers compared to the wild type genotype. In silico analysis predicted a reduction in the binding capacity of the ligand-binding modules LA1-2 of p.Asp47Asn LDL-R for ApoB100 and ApoE, which was not produced by local structural changes or folding defects but as a consequence of a decreased apparent affinity for both apolipoproteins. The clinical phenotype and the structural effects of p.Asp47Asn LDL-R mutation suggest that this variant associates to FH. [Display omitted] • p.Asp47Asn carriers displayed higher LDL cholesterol levels than wild type. • In silico analysis predicted a lower affinity of LDL-R variant for apoB100 and apoE. • p.Asp47Asn associates to a clinical phenotype of Familial Hypercholesterolemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to advance the study of sustainability in the small-scale fishing sector by exploring the relationships between the four pillars (economic, social, environmental and institutional) of sustainable development, based on a set of proxy indicators for each one. Faced with a lack of calibrated indicators for the artisanal fishing sector in Chile, the first stage was to identify a set of sustainability indicators that could be used to this end. Subsequently, using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the relationships of causality between the pillars were explored, and finally, from the scores obtained for each pillar through structural equation modelling, a sustainability index was determined for each fishing community. This index will provide an indicator with which to measure and compare the relative sustainability of the fishing communities found within three different zones. The results obtained show important differences between the sustainability indices of the three zones, with fishing communities in the northern zone having a lower sustainability index, while those in the central and southern zones have a higher sustainability index. Several causal relationships between the pillars were detected. • Sustainable development of the small-scale artisanal fisheries in Chile. • Relationships of causality between pillars of the sustainable development. • Exploration using the partial least squares structural equation modellings (PLS-SEM). • Comparison of the performance of artisanal fishing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimated the allele frequencies for the 15 autosomal STR loci included in the AmpFlSTR ® Identifiler (Applied Biosystems, USA) in a sample of 986 unrelated non-Native American individuals collected at five different localities from Chile, namely, Iquique, Santiago, Concepción, Temuco and Punta Arenas. Frequency distributions and several forensic parameters were estimated at each recruitment site. In addition, analyses were carried out merging the data into five sample locations. No significant statistical differences could be detected between different regions in Chile. These data represent one of the very few studies performed on autosomal STRs in Chile and therefore provide a useful tool for forensic casework carried out in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short communication investigated in vitro differences between commercial disinfectants types (n = 36), doses of application, and time of action in the elimination of Piscirickettsia salmonis , the most important bacterium affecting farmed salmon in Chile. Seven different treatments were examined, including active and inactive chlorine dioxides, glutaraldehyde, hypochlorite disinfectants and detergents, peracetic acid, peroxides and other miscellaneous methods A 3 replicate set of each of the sample groups was stored at 20 °C and 95% relative humidity and retested after 1, 5 and 30 min with varying doses (low, recommended and high doses). Multiple comparison tests were performed for the mean log CFU/ml among different disinfectant types, dose (ppm) and time of exposure (minutes) on the reduction of P. salmonis. Overall, disinfection using peracetic acid, peroxides, and both active and inactive chlorine dioxides caused significantly higher reduction of >7.5 log CFU/ml in samples, compared to other tested sanitizers. The lowest reduction was obtained after disinfection with hypochlorite detergents. As expected, as doses and time of action increase, there was a significant reduction of the overall counts of P. salmonis. However, at lowest doses, only use of paracetic acids resulted in zero counts. Implementation of effective protocols, making use of adequate disinfectants, may enhance biosecurity, and ultimately, mitigate the impact of P. salmonis in farmed salmon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Suicide is the second leading cause of premature death in people between 15 and 29 years old and the third in young people between 15 and 19 years old. Adolescence is a critical period concerning mental health disorders since there is greater vulnerability to suicidal behaviors. The situation in Latin America is worrying, with Chile being one of the two countries where suicide rates of children and adolescents increase yearly. This study aims to analyze clinical, psychological, family, and social risk factors associated with suicidal behavior in a clinical sample of adolescents treated in the public health system of the Maule region. Methods The study design is cross- sectional. We used a sample of 388 adolescents between 10 and 21 years old admitted to the health system of the Maule Region. The participants were evaluated by applying five measuring instruments (The Barrat Impulsivity Scale, The Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale, The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, The General Help-Seeking Questionnaire for mental health problems in adolescents, and The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) in addition to collecting social and family information and relevant clinical history from the medical records. Results The analysis allowed us to identify distinctive characteristics of adolescent suicidal behavior by describing clinical, psychological, and family social factors. Conclusions Adolescents with a history of suicide attempts are characterized by having suicidal ideation, anxious-depressive symptoms, stress, insomnia, and impulsiveness. Likewise, they report being non-religious, belonging to sexual minorities, and victims of sexual harassment and/or abuse., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest associated with this study.

Introduction: In 1981, the WHO and its member countries adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast- milk Substitutes (CODE) to regulate the marketing of infant feeding products., Objective: To eva luate compliance with the CODE in Santiago, identifying the most frequent violations., Subjects and Method: The WHO protocol was applied between June and September 2017 to evaluate the CODE compliance in family health centers (CESFAM) and maternity hospitals (MH) by interviewing 451 mothers and 164 healthcare professionals. In addition, advertising of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) and CODE violations in the media, points of sale (small stores n = 70 and large stores n = 10), and labels of these products were evaluated., Results: In this study, 21% of mothers of newborn infants, 52% of mothers of infants younger than six months, and 71% of mothers of infants older than six months reported receiving instructions on BMS. Exposure to advertising of BMS exceeded 80%, while 4.7% and 2.9% received free samples or discount coupons, respectively. Among healthcare professio nals, 40% from CESFAM and 75% from MH indicated visits from company representatives. Du ring the study period, we found only two television adverts and 59 advertisements on 27 websites. Frequent CODE violations in large stores were offering discounts (70%), special displays (26.5%), and 3,6% promotional gifts. Product label violations were infrequent, however, all labels presented images idealizing product use., Conclusions: CODE violations are common in Santiago, Chile. The country would benefit from adopting all the CODE's recommendations, improving oversight, and toughening penalties in case of violations.

Introduction: Adolescent suicide is a worldwide public health problem, being the second and the third leading cause of death in the 15-29 and the 15-19 age groups, respectively. Among adolescents, it is estimated that for every suicide, there are 100-200 suicide attempts. Although 79% of suicides in the world occur in low/middle-income countries, most of scientific evidence comes from high-income and low-risk countries. In recent years, adolescent suicide rates have steadily increased in Chile. Deaths caused by self-harm increased by 220% in the population aged 10-19 years between 2000 and 2015. The Maule Region is one of the regions of Chile with the highest levels of suicide among those aged 15 and 19 years old. The objective of this study is to evaluate the trajectories of ideation and suicidal attempts in adolescents with psychiatric disorders treated within the public health system of the Maule Region, Chile, based on different clinical, psychological and neuropsychological factors., Method: A prospective naturalistic study of a clinical sample of adolescents under psychiatric treatment in the Maule Region, Chile. Adolescents will be evaluated using a thorough protocol that includes suicide-related clinical variables. The study seeks to establish patterns of change in the trajectories of ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval was granted by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Universidad Católica del Maule in Chile. This protocol was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. The results of this study will be disseminated to health centres through executive reports and feedback sessions. In addition, the most relevant findings will be presented in scientific articles, conferences and seminars open to the community., Trial Registration Number: NCT04635163., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is commonly associated with mutations in-LDL receptor (LDLR), apolipoprotein B (APOB) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)., Aim: To identify genetic variants associated with FH in a population of children and adolescents with hypercholesterolemia or a family history of-demonstrated early CVD., Material and Methods: Clinical and biochemical parameters were evaluated, and nine genes related to FH were sequenced namely LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, LDLRAP1, LIPA, APOE, ABCG5, ABCG8 and STAP1, in 55 children and adolescents aged 1 to 18 years old, from non-consanguineous families., Results: Mutations associated with FH were found in 17 children and adolescents, corresponding to p.Asp47Asn, duplication of exons 13-15 and p.Ser326Cys of the LDLR gene; p.Glu204* and Ile268Met of the APOE gene. Thirteen patients were heterozygous, two homozygous, two compound heterozygous, and one double heterozygous., Conclusions: Children and adolescents carrying mutations associated with FH were found by selective screening, which constitutes the first stage in the identification of genetic variants in our country.

Introduction: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is the most severe form of primary immunodeficiency. To date, there is little local information about this disease., Objective: To describe the epidemiology, complications, prognosis, and use of the BCG vaccine in Chilean patients with SCID., Patients and Method: Retrospective review of the clinical records of patients diagnosed with SCID by clinical immunologists between 1999 and 2020 throughout Chile. SCID was diagnosed according to the cri teria proposed by Shearer: T lymphocytes (CD3+) < 300 cells/μL and proliferation 10% of the limit of normality in response to phytohemagglutinin or presence of T lymphocytes of maternal origin. Data collected from the clinical records were: sex, age at diagnosis, consanguinity, region of origin, lymphocyte subpopulations, genetic diagnosis, infectious and non-infectious complications, BCG vaccination and its complications, age at referral to the bone marrow transplant (BMT) center, and cause of non-BMT-related mortality., Results: Between 1999 and 2020, 25 patients were diagnosed with SCID. 78% of them were male, mean age at first manifestation of the disease was 2.3 months (0-7), while the mean age at diagnosis was 3.4 months (0-7). 16% of patients had a family history of SCID. 40% of cases were diagnosed within the Metropolitan Region. The most frequent immuno- phenotype was T-B-NK+ SCID (48%). Genetic studies were done in 69.5% of cases, mutations in the RAG2 gene were the most common etiology of SCID (39%). 88% of SCID patients received the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine before diagnosis, including 2 cases with a known family history of SCID. 36% of those who received the vaccine had BCG-related complications. The mean age at referral to a bone marrow transplant center was 7.4 months (5-16). 11/25 patients died before being transferred to a transplant center., Discussion: There is a clinically significant delay between the first manifestations and the diagnosis of SCID in Chilean patients, as well as an important time gap between the diagnosis of SCID and referral to a center for BMT. Most SCID cases in Chile receive the BCG vaccine, despite a known family history of the disease, and frequently develop vaccine-related complications.

The pandemic caused by the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a worldwide public health concern. First confined in China and then disseminated widely across Europe and America, SARS-CoV-2 has impacted and moved the scientific community around the world to working in a fast and coordinated way to collect all possible information about this virus and generate new strategies and protocols to try to stop the infection. During March 2020, more than 16,000 full viral genomes have been shared in public databases that allow the construction of genetic landscapes for tracking and monitoring the viral advances over time and study the genomic variations present in geographic regions. In this work, we present the occurrence of genetic variants and lineages of SARS-CoV-2 in Chile during March to April 2020. Complete genome analysis of 141 viral samples from different regions of Chile revealed a predominance of variant D614G like in Europe and the USA and the major presence of lineage B.1. These findings could help take control measures due to the similarity of the viral variants present in Chile, compared with other countries, and monitor the dynamic change of virus variants in the country., (Copyright © 2020 Castillo, Parra, Tapia, Lagos, Arata, Acevedo, Andrade, Leal, Tambley, Bustos, Fasce and Fernández.)

The current pandemic caused by the new coronavirus is a worldwide public health concern. To aboard this emergency, and like never before, scientific groups around the world have been working in a fast and coordinated way to get the maximum of information about this virus when it has been almost 3 months since the first cases were detected in Wuhan province in China. The complete genome sequences of around 450 isolates are available, and studies about similarities and differences among them and with the close related viruses that caused similar epidemics in this century. In this work, we studied the complete genome of the first four cases of the new coronavirus disease in Chile, from patients who traveled to Europe and Southeast Asia. Our findings reveal at least two different viral variants entries to Chilean territory, coming from Europe and Asia. We also sub-classified the isolates into variants according to punctual mutations in the genome. Our work contributes to global information about transmission dynamics and the importance to take control measures to stop the spread of the infection., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We compared 2019 influenza seasonality and vaccine effectiveness (VE) in four southern hemisphere countries: Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. Influenza seasons differed in timing, duration, intensity and predominant circulating viruses. VE estimates were also heterogeneous, with all-ages point estimates ranging from 7-70% (I2: 33%) for A(H1N1)pdm09, 4-57% (I2: 49%) for A(H3N2) and 29-66% (I2: 0%) for B. Caution should be applied when attempting to use southern hemisphere data to predict the northern hemisphere influenza season.

The aim of this study was to conduct a review of the health and nutritional status of Chilean indigenous children, specifically Mapuche children, as published in the literature and specific population-based studies. The searches were conducted in PubMed and LILACS in the last 15 years. From 2006 to 2015, the poverty rate was higher in the indigenous population, with a decrease in the gap from 16% in 2006 to 7.7% in 2015 (p < 0.001). In the first decade of this century, infant mortality in indigenous children was 17.1/1,000 live births, while in non-indigenous children it was 8.8/1,000, and the gap was maintained in the five-year follow-up (p < 0.001). Newborns with birthweight < 2,500g in the year 2000 did not reach 6% (5.6% in non-indigenous and 5.2% in indigenous children). Low height at first school enrollment was 8.4% in indigenous schoolchildren and 3.1% in non-indigenous children, decreasing to 3.7% in indigenous children and 2.6% in non-indigenous children in 2004, while obesity increased more in indigenous children, reaching 24.2% in indigenous and 25.3% in non-indigenous children (p < 0.001). Menarche appeared four months later on average in indigenous girls (12.7 years), and body mass index, waist circumference, and fat mass were significantly greater in indigenous girls at the time of thelarche, as was the overweight rate (55%, vs. 42% in non-indigenous). Mapuche children show favorable health and nutritional status compared to indigenous children elsewhere in Latin America, but there is still an adverse gap compared to non-indigenous Chilean children. This inequality affecting indigenous Chilean children should be acknowledged and corrected.

Background: Given the high rates of suicide in the adolescent population and the reluctance of this population to seek help, developing proactive and effective strategies to timely detect individuals at high risk for suicide in non-clinical contexts is a worldwide recognized need. A series of brief self-report questionnaires have been developed for this purpose, however there are few studies providing evidence on their capability to accurately classify suicidal risk levels in specific populations. One of the instruments frequently used to evaluate suicide risk is the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scales (C-SSRS). The goal of this study is to provide psychometric evidence about the accuracy of the Suicidal Ideation subscale (SI) of the C-SSRS to classify suicidal risk levels in a sample of Chilean adolescents using Item Response Theory (IRT)., Methods and Materials: Through the two parameter logistic model (2-PLM), we analyzed the capability of a self-report questionnaire addressing suicidal ideation (SI) to differentiate and classify participants according to their SI severity levels. We tested two main parameters: difficulty (localization) and discriminating power of 6 items extracted and adapted from the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scales (C-SSRS). We administered this questionnaire to a general sample of 1645 adolescents aged 13 to 18., Results: Our results show that the items differentiate symptoms addressing suicidal thoughts according to their severity, providing an accurate classification of the SI risk level., Conclusions: These findings support the usage of the C-SSRS in Chilean adolescents. Further research is needed to test its predictive value in different populations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To verify the association between changes in socio-economic level (SEL) and nutritional status of Chilean adults over a 10-year period., Design: Concurrent cohort study.Setting/SubjectsIndividuals born from 1974 to 1978 in the Valparaíso Region of Chile were evaluated between 2000 and 2002 (n 1232) and again between 2010 and 2012 (n 796). SEL was characterized according to the occupation and educational level of the head of household. Nutritional status was based on measurement of BMI and waist circumference (WC)., Results: Between the first and second evaluation there was a 13 % reduction in the number of individuals classified as poor and a 12 % increase in those classified in the medium high SEL. Increases in BMI were found among women who remained in the low SEL (β=2·2, 95 % CI 0·16, 2·87) compared with women who maintained the same SEL (and whose SEL was above low over the 10-year period). Women who remained in the low SEL increased their WC (β=4·10, 95 % CI 0·27, 7·93). There were no associations between nutritional status and SEL among males., Conclusions: In the period studied, the SEL of the study population improved between the third and fourth decade of life, but BMI and WC also increased among women, with the lowest socio-economic group experiencing the greatest changes. Meanwhile, among males we found no association between anthropometric measurements and changes in SEL.