Search

Formative assessment is an evaluative practice developed in the classroom for the improvement of learning using evidence on student progression. The objective of this research is to compare sample groups from multigrade and single-grade classrooms on the theme of formative assessment based on the students' opinion of the teacher's performance. The method used was a comparative quantitative method. The sample type is a probability sample of 683 students from 5th to 8th grade from urban and rural schools in the commune of Longaví, located in the Maule Region of Chile. A validated Likert scale questionnaire with a high level of reliability ([alpha] = 0.93) was used. The results of the research showed that, in the six dimensions, the best teacher performance concerning formative assessment is found in multi-grade schools and not in single-grade schools. This can be explained on the basis of several reasons, among them the level of adaptability that teachers have in this type of classroom, the heterogeneous characteristics of the classroom (different ages and learning goals) and the need for teachers to monitor the learning progression of students with different classroom characteristics.

Purpose: This paper aims to describe the statistical arguments produced by third-grade students (8-9 years old) and to identify the teaching support for collective argumentation in a lesson based on data comparison. A Lesson Study Group researched and planned the lesson around a problem from the official mathematics textbook. Design/methodology/approach: From an interpretative perspective, we have analysed the arguments produced by students in a situation where they should give reasons to support or refute some claims based on data analysis. We looked at how some teaching support strategies promoted collective argumentation. Findings: The strategies outlined in the lesson plan enabled the teacher to foster collective argumentation, encouraging students to provide reasoning based on data analysis. The lesson plan served as a means of improving the context presented in the textbook, guiding the development of well-structured teaching, and promoting high-quality teaching practices. Research limitations/implications: One of the limitations, and future lines of research by the LSG is the deepening of teachers' understanding of the support required for CA in their classrooms so that they can distinguish the components of an argument and their role in and interpretation of the effectiveness of the arguments. In addition, the lesson plan did not consider in depth aspects such as the argumentative processes of the students, nor did it implement specific actions to promote argumentation. Addressing these limitations would be interesting and is necessary, considering that teachers still do not understand the key role of argumentation in learning and that the mastery of CA strategies is still a challenge for initial teacher training and for professional development programs for teachers. Practical implications: For research purposes, evidence is presented of the types of teacher support in collective argumentation in a comparative task of two dot plots. For teaching purposes, these types of support can be pointed out within Lesson Study Groups and included in lesson plans, allowing discussions and base-data argumentation. Social implications: The research has social implications in civic development, educational inclusion, and adaptation to technological and pandemic changes, with a focus on inferential statistical reasoning and the crucial role of the teacher in facilitating collective argumentation in the online school classroom. Originality/value: The study enriches knowledge about the potential of Lesson Study and the possibilities of planned online lessons to develop professional learning on collective argumentation with data, as exemplary teaching practices that should be widely shared.

Although keeping writing portfolios has proved to be a successful strategy in developing writing skills in English as a foreign language, few studies have focused on pre-service teachers at the pre-intermediate level. This study aims to describe pre-service teachers' perceptions towards portfolio keeping. The sample consisted of 51 first-year students from an initial English language teacher education programme at a university in Southern Chile. A writing portfolio-based class was implemented over a seventeen-week period. Data were collected through an adapted questionnaire and a focus group conducted at the end of term. Results show that pre-service teachers value the strategy; they perceive they have improved their writing and reflection skills. They also draw attention to some challenges to be considered in the planning and implementation phases of the strategy.

This multiple case study examined L2 listener patterns of interaction with help options in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) materials. Thirteen students enrolled in an initial English teacher education program interacted with six one-hour listening tasks constructed around talks on technology. Talks and associated exercises were uploaded to an online, self-regulated platform that provides listeners with different routes of interaction and access to one-click-away help options in the form of listening tips, culture/technology/biology notes, transcripts, a glossary, keywords, audio/video control bars, and an online dictionary. Interactions were recorded using screen capture technology and complemented with semi-structured interviews. Identified patterns of interaction are presented by section (pre-, while, and post-listening); type of exercise (vocabulary activation, multiple-choice, dictation-cloze, sentence completion, and extension activity); and session (1 through 6). Reasons for help option use are mapped onto identified patterns and are tested for consistency. The findings inform an underlying set of guidelines for listening pedagogy. Study limitations along with avenues for research are also discussed.

This study focuses on identifying personality traits in engineering students and testing whether they are related to academic performance. In addition, the importance of the personality construct in the educational and vocational training context was studied. A sample of 235 students from the Construction Engineering and Computer Engineering Schools of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso was used. Through correlation and econometrics analysis, the results obtained indicate that there is a relation between academic performance and the personality traits of extraversion, openness and conscientiousness. In addition, these results led to characterization of students based on their personality traits and provided elements that may enhance the development of an effective personality that allows students to successfully face their environment, playing an important role in the educational process.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the values associated with pedagogical training and the differences in value preferences among students based on gender in institutions in the central-southern area of Chile. The objective of the research was to analyse the values associated with pedagogical training and the differences in value preferences according to the gender of students in universities in the central-southern area of Chile. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology used in the study is quantitative and descriptive. The study sample consisted of 437 students from Chilean universities. The information was collected using a standardized instrument called the adapted values test. Findings: The results indicated a clear preponderance in the categories of moral, ecological, individual, affective and bodily values. Political and moral values were not particularly taken into consideration. Significant differences were found concerning gender. Females achieve higher mean scores than males except in instrumental values. Conclusions: The results show the educational needs of future teachers in terms of axiological training from a gender perspective. Practical Implications: Identifying and analyzing the axiological structure of students and teachers in private and public universities in Chile will allow proposing value education in the curricular plans of future teachers. On the other hand, the values transmitted by teachers are different which implies the development of pedagogical training programs that strengthen gender differences as an instance of cultural equity. Contribution to the Literature: This research underscores the importance of value education in teacher training programs and explains how university students perceive them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we analyse the process of identity construction and reconstruction that is occurring on the coasts of southern Chile, in the framework of the formal creation of indigenous associations and communities, including the demands of indigenous peoples for marine coastal spaces. Through a study of ethnographic strategies and the specialist literature, we problematise the appearance of indigenous nomenclatures and symbolisms — in particular Mapuche flags — as a political-ideational correlate of this process. We point out that territorial demands in the marine coastal space of southern Chile possess an instrumental aspect that is superimposed on Mapuche identity narratives, and appears to derive more from deliberate political actions or projects than from a social memory anchored in a historical consciousness of indigenous life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Urbano Regionales 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.)

Formative assessment is an evaluative practice developed in the classroom for the improvement of learning using evidence on student progression. The objective of this research is to compare sample groups from multigrade and single-grade classrooms on the theme of formative assessment based on the students' opinion of the teacher's performance. The method used was a comparative quantitative method. The sample type is a probability sample of 683 students from 5th to 8th grade from urban and rural schools in the commune of Longaví, located in the Maule Region of Chile. A validated Likert scale questionnaire with a high level of reliability (a = 0.93) was used. The results of the research showed that, in the six dimensions, the best teacher performance concerning formative assessment is found in multi-grade schools and not in single-grade schools. This can be explained on the basis of several reasons, among them the level of adaptability that teachers have in this type of classroom, the heterogeneous characteristics of the classroom (different ages and learning goals) and the need for teachers to monitor the learning progression of students with different classroom characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to seismically characterize Chile's northern Coquimbo Region, data from 2003 to 2020 were considered. The region was divided into 30 zones of 0. 5 ∘ latitude and 0. 5 ∘ longitude and non-extensive statistical physics was used. Both, the Sotolongo–Costa–Posadas (SCP) and Mathai models were deployed to analyze the magnitude-frequency distribution. A sub-division into cells of the catalog allowed to demonstrate that systems with value of q ∼ 1 present exponential behavior, while it was expected to obtain q > 1 , by superimposing sub-systems supporting the superstatistical model. Thus, by subdividing the Coquimbo region into south and north, we found that in both zones the entropic index is greater than 1, q > 1 , However, in the southern zone the long-range effects are greater than in the north, according to the value obtained, which means both sectors are well described under a nonextensive statistical model, be it the SCP model or the Mathai one. The entropic index is q > 1 and in both cases R 2 > 0.99 . As the region is considered as a whole, the nonextensive statistical distribution is the more adequate one. With respect to probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, Mathai's model proved to have the better fit. Thus, the frequency-interevent time distribution was used for different limit magnitude values. Our analysis showed that the probability occurrence of a seismic event in the region's north is lower than in the south considering the same period. In the north the behavior is of Poissonian type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of the accelerated glacier retreat in recent decades on glacier runoff changes are still unknown in most Andean catchments, increasing uncertainties in estimating water availability. This particularly affects the outer tropics and Dry Andes, heavily impacted by prolonged droughts. Current global estimates overlook climatic and morphometric disparities, which significantly influence model parameters, among Andean glaciers. Meanwhile, local studies have used different approaches to estimate glacier runoff in a few catchments. Improving 21st-century glacier runoff projections relies on calibrating and validating models using corrected historical climate inputs and calibrated parameters across diverse glaciological zones. Here, we simulate glacier evolution and related runoff changes between the periods 2000–2009 and 2010–2019 across 786 Andean catchments (11 282 km2 of glacierized area, 11° N to 55° S) using the Open Global Glacier Model (OGGM). TerraClimate atmospheric variables were corrected using in situ data, getting a mean temperature bias by up to 2.1 °C and enhanced monthly precipitation. Glacier mass balance and volume were calibrated, where melt factor and the Glen A parameter exhibited significant alignment with varying environmental conditions. Simulation outcomes were validated against in situ data in three documented catchments (with a glacierized area > 8 %) and monitored glaciers. Our results at the Andes scale reveal an average reduction of 8.3 % in glacier volume and a decrease of 2.2 % in surface area between the periods 2000–2009 and 2010–2019. Comparing these two periods, glacier and climate variations have led to a 12 % increase in mean annual glacier melt (86.5 m3s-1) and a decrease in rainfall on glaciers of - 2 % (- 7.6 m3s-1) across the Andes, with both variables comprising the glacier runoff. We confirmed the utility of our corrected regional simulations of glacier runoff contribution at the catchment scale, where our estimations align with previous studies (e.g., Maipo 34° S, Chile) as well as provide new insights on the seasonal glaciers' largest contribution (e.g., La Paz 16° S, Bolivia) and new estimates of glacier runoff contribution (e.g., Baker 47° S, Chile). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Beer is one of the most consumed alcoholic drinks in the world, and this industry is a growing market that demands different properties to satisfy new consumers. The yeasts are used in different fermented beverages to contribute to new flavors. However, yeast strains used in the beer industry are limited so far, thus the diversity of flavors is very restricted. Therefore, the use of native yeast strains has been taking more importance with the purpose of conferring differentiated organoleptic properties to the product. Based on this observation the potentiality of native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains obtained from different localities in Chile was researched. Methods: In this work was selected those strains that produced the highest ethanol concentration (nearly 6% v/v), consumed the highest amounts of sugars, and produced the lowest amounts of organic acids in the resulting beers. Finally, we did a beer tasting to select those strains that added different flavors to the final beer compared with a commercial strain used. Results and discussion: In this study, two native strains that produced fruity descriptors are described, which could be used in the future in brewing, craft or industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine plastic pollution remains one of the greatest problems worldwide. Hence, this study explores the attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors of Peruvian and Chilean citizens regarding marine pollution, with an emphasis on plastic pollution. For this, forty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with Peruvian (n = 24) and Chilean (n = 20) citizens, of which, through thematic analysis, semantic patterns were identified. Results show that the participants' representation of the sea is positive and related to the connection they report having with this environment. Additionally, it was found that the sea fulfills recreational and economic purposes, reflecting an anthropocentric perspective, since it is associated with leisure and resource extraction, respectively. Both purposes are related to the causes of plastic pollution, although with differentiated effects. Anthropocentrism is also reflected in the direction that environmental concern takes towards the impact of this type of pollution predominately on individuals and society. Regarding pro-environmental behaviors, most of the initiatives proposed by the participants in response to marine plastic pollution correspond to individual actions, which could be due to the fact that they perceive a low commitment level from authorities to address the problem. In particular, the Chilean participants attributed a greater role to their authorities in dealing with plastic pollution, which would indicate a more institutional perspective of the problem. Thus, it is proposed that to address marine plastic pollution it is necessary to articulate individual actions with public policies carried out by social stakeholders such as governments, companies and non-governmental organizations, in order to build a more efficient culture of marine protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop and implement a methodology for retrieving bio-optical parameters in a lagoon located in the Biobío region, South-Central Chile, by analyzing time series of Landsat-8 OLI satellite images. The bio-optical parameters, i.e., chlorophyll-a (Chl-a, in mg·m−3) and turbidity (in NTU) were measured in situ during a satellite overpass to minimize the impact of atmospheric distortions. To calibrate the satellite images, various atmospheric correction methods (including ACOLITE, C2RCC, iCOR, and LaSRC) were evaluated during the image preprocessing phase. Spectral signatures obtained from the scenes for each atmospheric correction method were then compared with spectral signatures acquired in situ on the water surface. In short, the ACOLITE model emerged as the best fit for the calibration process, reaching R2 values of 0.88 and 0.79 for Chl-a and turbidity, respectively. This underlies the importance of using inversion models, when processing water surfaces, to mitigate errors due to aerosols and the sun-glint effect. Subsequently, reflectance data derived from the ACOLITE model were used to establish correlations between various spectral indices and the in situ data. The empirical retrieval models (based on band combinations) yielding superior performance, with higher R2 values, were subjected to a rigorous statistical validation and optimization by applying a bootstrapping approach. From this process the green chlorophyll index (GCI) was selected as the optimal choice for constructing the Chl-a retrieval model, reaching an R2 of 0.88, while the red + NIR spectral index achieved the highest R2 value (0.79) for turbidity analysis, although in the last case, it was necessary to incorporate data from several seasons for an adequate model training. Our analysis covered a broad spectrum of dates, seasons, and years, which allowed us to search deeper into the evolution of the trophic state associated with the lake. We identified a striking eight-year period (2014–2022) characterized by a decline in Chl-a concentration in the lake, possibly attributable to governmental measures in the region for the protection and conservation of the lake. Additionally, the OLI imagery showed a spatial pattern varying from higher Chl-a values in the northern zone compared to the southern zone, probably due to the heat island effect of the northern urban areas. The results of this study suggest a positive effect of recent local regulations and serve as the basis for the creation of a modern monitoring system that enhances traditional point-based methods, offering a holistic view of the ongoing processes within the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The D antigen variants are classified as weak, partial, and extremely weak (DEL) and can be differentiated using molecular tests. In Chile, the laboratories of local blood centers do not identify variants of the D antigen, referring them for study to the Reference Laboratory of the Public Health Institute of Chile. So, our aim was to talk about the results of the molecular analysis of variants of the D antigen in samples that had different results in the serological classification. Methods: In the D antigen classification of the Rh system, 479 samples with serological discrepant results were sent for molecular analysis. The Rh phenotype was performed withmonoclonal anti-C, anti-c, anti-E, and anti-e antisera by direct agglutination. To find the D antigen, researchers used direct agglutination with monoclonal antisera and indirect antiglobulin testing with the column (gel) agglutination method. Molecular analysis was performed with a polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (SSP-PCR) and sequencing. Results and discussion: The presence of D antigen variants was confirmed in 332 samples (69.3%), with an initial discrepancy in serological classification. In this group of discrepant samples, the frequency of weak RhD variants was 66% (219/332), that of extremely weak RhD was 28% (93/332), and that of partial RhD was 6% (20/332). The weak variants type 2 (27.4%), type 3 (8.4%), type 48 (8.4%), and type 1 (8.1%) were the next most prevalent variants after RHD*DEL43 (28%). The ccEe (R2r) phenotype was the most frequently detected (38.4%) and is present in 87% of the RHD*DEL43 samples. The E antigen is associated with the presence of this variant. Our analyses give the first description of D antigen variants in Chile. The most common variants are DEL type (RHD*DEL43) and weak (weak type 2), which are linked to the ccDEe (R2r) phenotype. These findings allow us to characterize the variants of the D antigen in Chile and, according to the obtained data, to design strategies for the management of donors, patients, and pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chile is the largest producer of copper worldwide, where CODELCO, a state-owned enterprise, generates 10% of the global production of this metal. In 2015, the copper mining industry faced significant challenges due to price fluctuations, reaching a minimum of US$ 2.49 per pound. As a result, the cost of operations began to gain greater importance and was highlighted as an important factor to consider. Not oblivious to the, CODELCO faces the uncertainties of time while seeking to maintain its position in the global market. This article reports how the copper company decided to embark on a different and sustainable path over time: it developed a management system based on Lean methodology to enhance continuous improvement. The outcome is a system called C+ consisting of a set of disciplines, practices, and tools that have improved the company's management. After years of effort and implementation, the state-owned company managed to establish a new way of doing things, leading it to be recognized in May 2023 by the Shingo Institute at the University of Utah (United States). This recognition made it the world's first mining company to receive this award for excellence in organizational culture. It is an achievement that fuels the ongoing effort for continuous improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Citizen complaints are considered by policing researchers as an indicator of police misconduct, and a proxy of police-community relations. Nevertheless, US and EU-based studies tend to focus on sustained complaints as reported by official agencies and officer-based correlates. Using the case of Carabineros, the Chilean militarized police force, this study examines (a) latent topics contained in a large set of complaints against the police on a digital platform, and (b) the change of those topics across time and (c) by complainants' educational level. Methods: We use novel computational natural language processing techniques to identify latent themes across the corpus of complaints (N = 1,623), hosted on an online forum from 2013 to 2020. Results: Our findings show eight latent themes across the corpus. Among others, these themes were related to police effectiveness, police misbehavior, and a master frame of institutional crisis that has significantly grown over the last year. Additionally, differences in the prevalence of topics by complainants' educational level were also found. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to the enterprise of opening the black box of complaints against the police and highlighting opportunities for social accountability in a developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River plumes have a direct influence on coastal environments, impacting coastal planktonic and benthic communities, including fishery resources. In general, the main drivers of river plume dynamics are the river discharge and the alongshore wind stress, whereas the tides and topography play a secondary role. In central Chile, rivers flowing into the eastern Pacific have a relatively short path on land, with a high slope and a mixed snow–rain regime. This study aims to understand the interannual variability in the plumes of the Maipo and Rapel rivers in the coastal/shelf area off central Chile and their influence on local ocean dynamics. We used the Coastal and Regional Ocean Community (CROCO) model, with 1 km horizontal resolution and 20 sigma levels, to simulate the ocean dynamics for the period 2003–2011. The results show that the plume's area coverage and coastal ocean salinity are strongly correlated with the river discharges. The predominant northeastward winds control the plumes' orientation toward the northwest. However, episodes of southeastward winds in winter can reverse the plumes' direction, promoting their attachment to the coast and southward transport. Results also show a salification trend linked to the severe droughts hitting central Chile during the studied period. This salification determines a change in local dynamics which could be more frequent in future scenarios of climate change with a significant lack of rain and river discharges along central Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishing has provided mankind with a protein-rich source of food and labor, allowing for the development of an important industry, which has led to the overexploitation of most targeted fish species. The sustainable management of these natural resources requires effective control of fish landings and, therefore, an accurate calculation of fishing quotas. This work proposes a deep learning-based spatial-spectral method to classify five pelagic species of interest for the Chilean fishing industry, including the targeted Engraulis ringens, Merluccius gayi, and Strangomera bentincki and non-targeted Normanichthtys crockeri and Stromateus stellatus fish species. This proof-of-concept method is composed of two channels of a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that processes the Red–Green–Blue (RGB) images and the visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR) reflectance spectra of each species. The classification results of the CNN model achieved over 94% in all performance metrics, outperforming other state-of-the-art techniques. These results support the potential use of the proposed method to automatically monitor fish landings and, therefore, ensure compliance with the established fishing quotas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2006, Chile has been implementing a gallbladder cancer (GBC) prevention program based on prophylactic cholecystectomy for gallstone patients aged 35 to 49 years. The effectiveness of this prevention program has not yet been comprehensively evaluated. We conducted a retrospective study of 473 Chilean GBC patients and 2137 population‐based controls to develop and internally validate three GBC risk prediction models. The Baseline Model accounted for gallstones while adjusting for sex and birth year. Enhanced Model I also included the non‐genetic risk factors: body mass index, educational level, Mapuche surnames, number of children and family history of GBC. Enhanced Model II further included Mapuche ancestry and the genotype for rs17209837. Multiple Cox regression was applied to assess the predictive performance, quantified by the area under the precision‐recall curve (AUC‐PRC) and the number of cholecystectomies needed (NCN) to prevent one case of GBC at age 70 years. The AUC‐PRC for the Baseline Model (0.44%, 95%CI 0.42‐0.46) increased by 0.22 (95%CI 0.15‐0.29) when non‐genetic factors were included, and by 0.25 (95%CI 0.20‐0.30) when incorporating non‐genetic and genetic factors. The overall NCN for Chileans with gallstones (115, 95%CI 104‐131) decreased to 92 (95%CI 60‐128) for Chileans with a higher risk than the median according to Enhanced Model I, and to 80 (95%CI 59‐110) according to Enhanced Model II. In conclusion, age, sex and gallstones are strong risk factors for GBC, but consideration of other non‐genetic factors and individual genotype data improves risk prediction and may optimize allocation of financial resources and surgical capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychological distress of young adults exposed to alienating behaviors during childhood/adolescence. Four hundred and sixteen adults responded to the online survey. A brief sociodemographic questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Scale, and a questionnaire on adverse childhood experiences were included. The analyses revealed that individuals who experienced one or more alienating behaviors exhibited higher levels of anxiety, depression, somatization, and overall psychological distress. Furthermore, even after controlling for the effect of other adverse childhood experiences, alienating behaviors had a significant impact on psychological distress in adulthood. This highlights an understudied aspect of alienating behaviors, i.e., their conjunction or parallelism with other adverse childhood experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the contexts and specificities of post-disaster social work intervention based on the testimonies of social workers who participated in the recovery and normalization processes after the earthquakes of 1985, 2010, and 2015 in Chile. The neoliberal context has influence in the social intervention. As neoliberalism deepens, there is more technology and better access to material resources, but at the same time, professional autonomy and community knowledge decrease. Research suggests there is a need for further critical discussion about how social work has been colonized by neoliberalism, even in seemingly neutral issues such as post-disaster intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An association between individual levels of indigenous Chilean Mapuche ancestry and the risk of gallbladder cancer has been reported in observational studies, and the current program for gallbladder prevention in Chile takes the number of Mapuche surnames into account for prophylactic cholecystectomy. However, the association between Mapuche ancestry and gallbladder cancer could be due to known and unknown confounders (e.g., overweight and obesity) and non-random measurement errors (e.g., socio-economic level and access to health care). To investigate whether Mapuche ancestry and gallbladder cancer risk are statistically correlated or causally related, we used ancestry-informative markers for instrumental variable analysis. We aim to provide robust evidence on the potential of accounting for ethnic differences (in this study, Mapuche ancestry) for disease interception (in this study, gallbladder cancer prevention through prophylactic cholecystectomy). The methodology used and the results obtained may also guide future admixture mapping studies. A strong association between the proportion of indigenous South American Mapuche ancestry and the risk of gallbladder cancer (GBC) has been reported in observational studies. Chileans show the highest incidence of GBC worldwide, and the Mapuche are the largest indigenous people in Chile. We set out to assess the confounding-free effect of the individual proportion of Mapuche ancestry on GBC risk and to investigate the mediating effects of gallstone disease and body mass index (BMI) on this association. Genetic markers of Mapuche ancestry were selected based on the informativeness for assignment measure, and then used as instrumental variables in two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses and complementary sensitivity analyses. Results suggested a putatively causal effect of Mapuche ancestry on GBC risk (inverse variance-weighted (IVW) risk increase of 0.8% per 1% increase in Mapuche ancestry proportion, 95% CI 0.4% to 1.2%, p = 6.7 × 10−5) and also on gallstone disease (3.6% IVW risk increase, 95% CI 3.1% to 4.0%), pointing to a mediating effect of gallstones on the association between Mapuche ancestry and GBC. In contrast, the proportion of Mapuche ancestry showed a negative effect on BMI (IVW estimate −0.006 kg/m2, 95% CI −0.009 to −0.003). The results presented here may have significant implications for GBC prevention and are important for future admixture mapping studies. Given that the association between the individual proportion of Mapuche ancestry and GBC risk previously noted in observational studies appears to be free of confounding, primary and secondary prevention strategies that consider genetic ancestry could be particularly efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the city of Arica, northern Chile, the population has been involuntarily exposed to arsenic of natural and anthropogenic origin. This study aims to evaluate the association between urinary arsenic concentration and bronchial asthma diagnosis in the children of Arica. A cross-sectional analysis of a database of 1892 subjects under 18 years of age enrolled in the Environmental Health Centre between 2009 and 2021 was carried out. Arsenic exposure was obtained from a urine sample and bronchial asthma diagnosis from the database of the system for the management of explicit health guarantees. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between inorganic arsenic and asthma. The median inorganic arsenic was 15 μg/L, and the prevalence of asthma was 7.4%. After adjusting for sex, age, ethnicity, and urinary creatinine, children with the highest tertile of urinary arsenic concentration (≥21.4 μg/L) had a greater chance of developing asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.13–3.18]). When exploring the modifying effect of ethnicity, the association increased among children belonging to any ethnic group (OR 3.51, 95%CI [1.43–8.65]). These findings suggest a relationship between arsenic exposure and bronchial asthma in children. While further studies are needed to assess the impact of arsenic on respiratory health, mitigation efforts to reduce arsenic exposure should be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Prospectiva is the property of Universidad del Valle 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.)

In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in modeling spatial–temporal data, which can be found in many fields including geoscience, meteorology and ecology, among many others. The spatial–temporal dependence structure modeling, using a random field approach, is an indispensable tool to estimate the parameters that define this structure. However, this estimation may be greatly affected by the presence of atypical observations in the sampled data. Our proposal is to extend the results of Uribe-Opazo et al. (J Appl Stat 39:615–630, 2012) and De Bastiani et al. (Test 24:322–340, 2015) in the studies of diagnostic techniques to assess the sensitivity of the maximum likelihood estimators to small perturbations in the response variable for the spatial–temporal linear models with separable covariance. The method's viability is illustrated in a simulation study, and in an application to eggs anchovy (Engraulis ringens) abundance data in ichthyoplankton surveys from the northern zone of Chile. The results show that the proposed methodology allows to detect influential observations in a spatial-temporal data set when their covariances are separable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen is gaining increasing attention as a key component of the global energy transition towards a more sustainable industry. Chile, with its vast renewable energy potential, is well positioned to become a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen. In this context, this paper explores the prospects for green hydrogen production and use in Chile. The perspectives presented in this study are primarily based on a compilation of government reports and data from the scientific literature, which primarily offer a theoretical perspective on the efficiency and cost of hydrogen production. To address the need for experimental data, an ongoing experimental project was initiated in March 2023. This project aims to assess the efficiency of hydrogen production and consumption in the Atacama Desert through the deployment of a mobile on-site laboratory for hydrogen generation. The facility is mainly composed by solar panels, electrolyzers, fuel cells, and a battery bank, and it moves through the Atacama Desert in Chile at different altitudes, from the sea level, to measure the efficiency of hydrogen generation through the energy approach. The challenges and opportunities in Chile for developing a robust green hydrogen economy are also analyzed. According to the results, Chile has remarkable renewable energy resources, particularly in solar and wind power, that could be harnessed to produce green hydrogen. Chile has also established a supportive policy framework that promotes the development of renewable energy and the adoption of green hydrogen technologies. However, there are challenges that need to be addressed, such as the high capital costs of green hydrogen production and the need for supportive infrastructure. Despite these challenges, we argue that Chile has the potential to become a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen or derivatives such as ammonia or methanol. The country's strategic location, political stability, and strong commitment to renewable energy provide a favorable environment for the development of a green hydrogen industry. The growing demand for clean energy and the increasing interest in decarbonization present significant opportunities for Chile to capitalize on its renewable energy resources and become a major player in the global green hydrogen market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Biologia Marina y Oceanografía (RBMO) is the property of Universidad de Valparaiso, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar 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.)

Purpose: This article analyzes biopolitical strategies for the recovery of neoliberal normality in urban areas affected by earthquakes in 1985, 2010 and 2015 in Chile (intensity >8.0Mw). Design/methodology/approach: This is a qualitative design research. In total, 198 semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven focus groups. The data were processed in search of discursive threads, guided by the categories contained in the analysis and those arising from the interview transcripts. Findings: Results describe three clusters of discursive threads: disruption of normality, strategies of disaster biopolitics and narratives on the recovery of normality in the medium to long term. In the analyzed cases, disaster biopolitics entered domestic and community spaces to govern life; while the aim was to safeguard lives, it also sought to ensure the continuity of the neoliberal regime. The disaster biopolitics used the exception to normalize, constructing subjectivity and memory around the idea of catastrophes. Research limitations/implications: The qualitative design can be used in sudden and extreme situations, but it is not possible to anticipate similar results in other kind of disasters (e.g. drought). Social implications: This study wants to contribute a political vision about disasters by describing the process of restoring order, which follows highly destructive disasters, by demonstrating that in Chile, the biopolitical exception was key to returning to neoliberal normality. Originality/value: The findings can help improve emergency responses and propose the necessity of political contextualization in post-disaster recovery processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this article is to reveal the extent to which a disaster situation contributed to fostering leadership in the population affected in terms of gender. Design/methodology/approach: For this article, four focus groups were conducted, all of them composed of people directly involved in the earthquake and tsunami in Chile on February 27, 2010, two of them made up of women and the other two of men. Findings: The research revealed that male leadership during the response and recovery processes is linked to traditional gender roles although the continuity of this differed between the two phases. With respect to women, they were found to be very active in the response phase in terms of managing emergency aid, a task linked to their reproductive and care roles. Women's leadership also appears in the recovery phase, where the collective dimension of their actions stands out, defying to some extent these roles and highlighting their capacity to adapt to the challenges of the disaster. Originality/value: Understanding the leadership that unfolds in the population affected by this disaster during the response and recovery phases has significant potential to inform and influence the development of risk reduction policies that are more effective, egalitarian and resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River plumes have a direct influence on coastal environments, impacting coastal planktonic and benthic communities, including fishery resources. In general, the main drivers of river plume dynamics are the river discharge and the alongshore wind stress, whereas the tides and topography play a secondary role. In the Central parto of Chile, rivers flowing into the eastern Pacific have a relatively short path on the land, with a high slope; further they are characterized by a mixed snow-rain regime. This study aims to understand the interannual variability of the plumes of the Maipo and Rapel rivers in the Coastal/shelf area off Chile and its influence on local ocean dynamics. We used the Coastal and Regional Ocean Community model (CROCO), with 1 km resolution and 20 sigma levels, to simulate the ocean dynamics of the area over the period 2003-2011. The results show that the plume's area coverage and coastal ocean salinity are strongly correlated to the river discharges. The predominant southwestern wind controls the plumes orientation toward northwest; however, episodes of wind changing direction from northwest in winter can reverse the plumes direction, making them squeezed to the coast and moving southward. Results also show, for the decade under evaluation, a salification trend linked to the severe droughts hitting Central Chile during the studied period. This salification determines a change in local dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values, we analyzed the trophic position (TP) and the isotopic niche width of lanternfishes from three different areas in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Fishes from Perú had slightly higher δ13C values compared with fish from Chilean areas. In contrast, δ15N values increased with latitude (North to South). Myctophids TP differed between the three study areas (highest in Central Chile, lowest in Peru). Peruvian fishes had a smaller isotopic niche than the lanternfishes of those from Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world population; however, there is limited knowledge about its impact on adolescents. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors associated with mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in young people in northern Chile. The sample consisted of 1315 young people between the ages of 14 and 18. Univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed to identify the risk factors associated to the considered symptomatology. Depressive symptomatology was reported at 36.3%, anxiety at 6%, and social phobia at 27.8%. Adolescent females reported a higher probability of presenting depressive (OR, 3.409), anxious (OR, 3.949), and social phobia (OR, 3.027) symptomatology. Young women between the ages of 17 and 18 were more likely to present anxiety (OR, 2.172); moreover, being a migrant was related to lower odds of presenting anxiety (OR, 0.259) and depression (OR, 0.662). Having a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 was associated with depressive symptomatology (OR, 1.369). The COVID-19 pandemic can have serious repercussions on the mental health of adolescents. It is important to generate interventions to meet the needs of youth during the post-confinement period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud (RIICS) is the property of Fundacion Universitaria Maria Cano 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 crisis experienced in Chile in recent years and the violence in the public space have alerted women and feminists about the use of space in the city. This article reviews experiences and strategies of feminist organizations in Chile that work for cities to be thought from a gender perspective, between October 2019 and 2020. The objective is to analyze the role and functioning of social articulation in the construction of cities with a gender perspective. of genre. For which, it delves into four territorial and virtual experiences, their impact, results and call, in the context of the social revolt, confinement and start of the constituent process. The results highlight the role of the horizontal organization and the work of open self-education as the basis for the articulation of women by cities with a gender perspective, accounting for a movement in gestation with potential for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Value education for preservice university teachers is an unavoidable task, given the level of authority they exercise in the lives of children and young people. The objective of the current study was to understand the perception of values held by preservice teachers from a regional university in Chile set in a multicultural context. The aim was to analyze the opinions of Chilean university preservice teachers on a set of values. The research was designed within the quantitative framework using a Likert scale questionnaire, applied to 319 pedagogy university students. The participants' responses were analyzed with statistical tools, and the results revealed that the participating students valued more significant aspects of affectivity, morals, and ecology. As reported by the participants, the least preferred values were instrumental and religious. These findings are significant for decision-making and consistent implementation to improve pedagogical training in accordance with today's society's problems and educational needs. The article ends with a conclusion, implications, and limitations of the current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural regeneration of recalcitrant-seeded tree species is strongly limited in Mediterranean-type climate zones due to increasing droughts imposed by climate change. Direct seeding can be a low-cost alternative to seedling establishment, but there is still limited information for some species. This study aimed to assess the effects of the seed source and forest cover on the germination and survival of the endemic Cryptocarya alba Mol. established through direct seeding. Three habitat types differing in forest cover were identified within the natural park Reserva Natural Altos de Cantillana, Metropolitan Region, Chile. The forest cover corresponded to open (canopy density <25%), semi-dense (canopy density around 50%), and dense forest (canopy density >75%). All forest cover had C. alba as one of the dominant species. At each habitat type, 38 families from four seed sources (Cuesta La Dormida (CD), Antumapu (AN), Cantillana (CA, local seed source) and Cayumanque (CY)) were directly seeded. Germination (Germin) and survival (Surv) were evaluated weekly during one growing season. There were significant differences between seed sources in Germin and Surv, with means values varying from 7.8% to 37% for Germin and 0% to 20% for Surv. The local seed source CA had the highest values in both traits. A significant variation was also observed between families within seed sources only for Germin. The dense forest cover had the highest Germin (22%) and Surv (55%) results compared to the other forest cover types, which was partially associated with differences in soil moisture, temperature, and bulk density. Due to the most frequent droughts in these Mediterranean-type climate zones, the use of local seeds on dense forest cover is recommended for the direct seeding of the species in the initial recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID‐19 global pandemic, pobladora women in Valparaiso were crucial in the organisation of their communities and the ollas comunes (common pots). Many observers linked these new ollas comunes to the ones that existed during the Pinochet dictatorship, in this manner citing a politics of gendered memory and local feminist history that allowed them to re‐organise in record time. The article explores this comparison, using women's narratives on ollas comunes in the past and the present in order to critically assess their similarities and differences. Additionally, it analyses how, and why, pobladora popular feminist memory regarding food insecurity resistance strategies and ollas comunes is transferred between generations. This article uses interviews done with popular‐sector and feminist women in the Chilean port city of Valparaiso during 2020 and 2021, as part of the project, 'Women's Solidarity Networks Take on COVID‐19: the case of Valparaíso, Chile'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Human Review is the property of Eagora Science 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.)

This study examined the prevalence and risk factors associated to victimization by caregivers in a national large sample of Chilean children and adolescents. 19,687 children and adolescents aged 12–17, selected by random probability sampling of 699 public schools in Chile who were surveyed by trained interviewers. Victimization by Caregivers was evaluated through a module of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ). The prevalence (12 months) for physical abuse were (12.9%), for emotional abuse (27.9%), neglect (5.3%) and parental interference (3.5%). The results suggest as risk factors, sex, age, migration status, disability, geographical location, and type of school. The findings highlight the urgent need to address the issue of child maltreatment and victimization by caregivers in Chilean society and minimize its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on data from ethnographic fieldwork in a diverse school located in the north of Chile, this article explores the ways of narrating and producing otherness, through the analysis of school staff discourses. The article identifies and describes how the discourses on migrant children are produced in a school context, and the sources and references used by teachers. Utilising a focused ethnographic method and based on a critical realist and Bourdieusian approach, this article argues that there are surrounding discourses and pre-existing sets of social relations (state–school relations, socio-spatial relations, intergenerational relations), which are reflexively integrated into the habitus of teachers and the institutional habitus of the school, in order to understand the conviviality with migrant children and to produce social differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicidality in adolescents is a growing concern and is currently a public health issue in Chile and the world. Objective: To determine the association between the risk of suicidality with self-harm, sociodemographic parameters (that is, gender and type of school), psychosocial variables, and social and family support in Chilean adolescents. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 829 (377, 45.5% girls) children/adolescents between 10 and 19 years of age participated. Suicidality, self-esteem, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and social support perception were evaluated by standard, validated questionnaires. The presence of self-harm, dating violence, and family dysfunction was also evaluated through a self-report survey. Results: Suicidality risk was related to low self-esteem (OR = 9.73; 95%; CI = 6.62–14.28; p < 0.001), low HRQoL (OR = 5.0; 95%; CI = 3.51–7.13; p < 0.001), low social support (OR; 3.38, 95%; CI; 2.48–4.6; p < 0.001), and self-harm (OR = 8.03; 95%; CI = 5.69–11.33; p < 0.001). In family terms, suicidality risk was associated with exposure to physical (OR = 2.47, 95%CI; 1.69–3.6; p < 0.001) and psychological (OR = 1.78, 95; 1.33–2.39; p < 0.001) aggression between parents, and with considering their family dysfunctional (OR = 2.41 95%; CI = 1.69–3.41; p < 0.001). Finally, suicidality was associated with feeling mistreated by a boyfriend/girlfriend (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.19–3.98; p = 0.011). Conclusion: Suicidality was associated with self-harm, low social, psychological and family well-being, and/or feeling mistreated by a boyfriend/girlfriend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrolides, lincosamides, and type B streptogramins (MLSB) are important therapeutic options to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections; however, resistance to these antibiotics has been emerging. In Chile, data on the MLSB resistance phenotypes are scarce in both community-(CA) and hospital-acquired (HA) MRSA isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility to MLSB was determined for sixty-eight non-repetitive isolates of each HA-(32) and CA-MRSA (36). Detection of SCCmec elements, ermA, ermB, ermC, and msrA genes was performed by PCR. The predominant clones were SCCmec I-ST5 (HA-MRSA) and type IVc-ST8 (CA-MRSA). Most of the HA-MRSA isolates (97%) showed resistance to clindamycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin. Among CA-MRSA isolates, 28% were resistant to erythromycin, azithromycin, and 25% to clarithromycin. All isolates were susceptible to linezolid, vancomycin, daptomycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and over 97% to rifampicin. The ermA gene was amplified in 88% of HA-MRSA and 17% of CA-MRSA isolates (p < 0.001). The ermC gene was detected in 6% of HA-SARM and none of CA-SARM isolates, whereas the msrA gene was only amplified in 22% of CA-MRSA (p < 0.005). Our results demonstrate the prevalence of the cMLSB resistance phenotype in all HA-MRSA isolates in Chile, with the ermA being the predominant gene identified among these isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psicoperspectivas is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Escuela de Psicologia 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.)

This study proposes to contribute to the discussions on gender and disaster, based on a thought on intersectional living that would allow rereading the processes of emergency and reconstruction, identifying how disasters affect the experiences of the affected people in a differentiated and unequal way. Based on ethnographic work, focus groups and interviews, the situated experience of three women who led their communities after the 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Chile, from the territories of Llico, Arauco and Constitución, is analyzed. The intersectional analysis shows that three levels of inhabited space are identified in the stories, which are not only appropriated and lived by women, but also managed and used as a resource for organization and exercise of power: the home, the neighborhood or immediate surroundings and the city or locality. Second, the gendered division of labor forces women to assume double roles in order to "rebuild" their productive and reproductive spheres. Finally, forms of exercising power and social organization are evidenced, in which, faced with inequality of power, women counteract said asymmetry with networking to respond to the needs of their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the way in which the 2010 earthquake affected the everyday life of witnesses of this disaster in the southern part of Chile. There were applied 32 in-depth interviews to direct witnesses. There are 3 categories in the path of post-disaster everyday life: rupture, recovery and reconstitution. The results show the witnesses’ quality as biopolitical actors in everyday life in a neoliberal context and the use of biopolitical strategies to produce normality in the frame of this socio-political regime. The shared experience after disaster does not allow to remove the backgrounds in which neoliberal everyday life happens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest of engineers and architects in the use of timber in the construction sector. This worldwide trend can be mainly attributed to the reduced environmental impact of building with timber, its high strength-to-weight ratio and its renewable material nature. Nevertheless, in spite of the advantages of building with timber, one of its major disadvantages is its time-dependent structural response. For instance, typical floors and beams made of timber may show decreasing stress levels under constant deformation over time. This phenomenon is known as stress relaxation and can also be affected heavily by environmental factors, such as temperature and moisture changes. This has inevitably led to discourage the use of timber in the construction industry. Due to the relevance of this subject, the present paper addresses the stress relaxation phenomenon in timber specimens subjected to three-point bending loads. In particular, radiata pine species is chosen for this investigation given its popularity as a building material in countries like Australia, Chile, Spain and New Zealand, among others. To investigate experimentally the influence of temperature and relative humidity on the stress relaxation at different deformation states, an environmental chamber was built. The stress relaxation is assessed indirectly by monitoring the relaxation of the load required to maintain the amount of deformation fixed in time inside the environmental test chamber. The experimental results show that within a period of 7 days, the percentage of load relaxation may reach a value of 35% approximately, for a fixed relative humidity of 60% and constant temperature of 27 ∘ C . The present experimental results provide further insight into the time-dependent mechanisms of timber which are still not well-understood, and particularly of those structures made of radiata pine grown in Chile on which only limited experimental data has been reported to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin America has suffered disproportionately during the COVID-19 pandemic. The human impact has been chaotically and catastrophically evident across the three countries we examine here: Colombia, Chile, and México. Those nations were already creaking under the effect of generations of neoliberal ideology: their intellectual, political, and ruling-class fractions had long-embraced its core project of redistributing income upwards and privatizing public goods, notably healthcare. In response to that raging inequality, uprisings had occurred through new citizen movements in 2019. They intensified in 2020 and 2021, as citizenship was enacted in powerful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]