Reforming the urban water system in Santiago, Chile

In the late 1980s, Chile planned to privatize Santiago's sanitary works enterprise (EMOS) but instead reformed it under public ownership. It did so through a regulatory framework that mimicked the design of a concession with a private utility, setting tariffs that ensured at least a seven percent return on assets, creating a neutral regulator independent of ministry intervention, and giving EMOS the right to appeal the regulator's tariff decisions. This reform of Santiago's water system is often cited as a case of successful reform under public management. Comparing a comprehensive measure of welfare with a counterfactual example, the authors show surprisingly large gains from Santiago's reform, given the relatively good initial conditions. (The gains accrued largely to government and employees, but consumers benefited from improved service and coverage). Why did reform in Santiago improve water system performance, when similar reform attempts under public management in other countries failed? 1) Chile has a long tradition of private water rights, shaped by early recognition that water is a scarce and tradable private good. 2) The reformed regulatory framework was designed to attract private investors to the water system and to motivate them to operate efficiently and expand the system. 3) Chile's unique electoral institutions sustained this framework under state operation after democracy was restored. 4) Chile's strong bureaucratic norms and institutions (permitting little corruption), combined with Santiago's relatively low-cost water system, permitted prices that effectively increased quasi-rents for investing in the system while minimizing the risk of inefficiency or monopoly rents. The authors also address the question of why EMOS was reformed but not privatized, and what the costs of not privatizing were. The system was privatized in 1999, but the changes from privatization are likely to be less significant than those introduced in 1989-90.Decentralization,Water Conservation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Water and Industry,Water Supply and Systems,Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions,Water and Industry,Water Conservation,Environmental Economics&Policies,Town Water Supply and Sanitation

Relationship between the gingival biotype and the results of root covering surgical procedures : a systematic review

Tissue biotypes are related to the results of periodontal therapy, conventional prosthodontics, implant therapy and root covering procedures. We conducted a systematic review (SR) of the literature about the relationship between the gingival biotype and

Roads of the Caribbean: regional analysis from Environmental Impact Assessments in Colombia

The road infrastructure produces several impacts on the environment. In the Colombian Caribbean region, the growing road infrastructure threatens systems equilibrium in diverse and not well-known ways. Despite the several administrative tools available in Colombian legislation to manage every project impact, the big picture of the interconnected regional ecosystems falls out of scope. To study the large-scale problems in landscape, we analyzed eight Environmental Impact Studies of road construction projects in the region. We did a scientific and institutional literature review to shed light on the possible unseen problems and future challenges. Results suggest that Environmental Impact Assessments for each project focus on construction processes, ignore accumulative and residual effects, and use typified measures to cover a broad set of impacts. We offer recommendations from an integrated analysis perspective for future projects to understand landscape and water systems alteration at the regional scale

Calidad científica: Definición, historia, y aplicaciones

La investigación científica contribuye a la generación de nuevos productos, procesos y servicios para satisfacer los requerimientos de los clientes en todos los sectores productivos, y para esto se hace necesario identificar y esclarecer si existe un concepto unificado de “calidad científica”, y cuáles son las posturas de los diferentes autores en su significado. Para dar respuesta a este propósito, se realizó una revisión sistemática de literatura bajo la metodología propuesta por Kitchenham, la cual permitió identificar los diversos conceptos y corrientes ideológicas que marcan una posición o acercamiento sobre cómo definir la “calidad científica” como un concepto único, cuáles son sus componentes y de qué forma se valida. Edward Deming y Walter Shewhart se sitúan como unos de los primeros autores en mencionar la “calidad científica” como un concepto unificado, relacionándola al proceso científico clásico de hipótesis, experimentación y prueba de hipótesis (método científico aplicado a las organizaciones). La revisión de literatura no arrojó un concepto único de “calidad científica”, este se asocia a la sinergia de los conceptos de “calidad” y “ciencia”. Además, su significado depende del contexto de aplicación, ya sea desde el ámbito organizacional, los procesos de investigación o la publicación científica. Actualmente, existen iniciativas como la propuesta por la Organización Internacional de Estandarización (ISO) para establecer lineamientos y guías referentes a la “calidad científica”, enmarcada en los procesos de investigación y divulgación

Avifauna en dos complejos de páramo de Antioquia, Colombia

We characterized bird communities in two paramo complexes (Frontino-Urrao and Sonsón) in the department of Antioquia, Colombia, including the transition zones and the upper boundaries of cloud forests. We recorded 197 bird species (40 families), of which 7 presented some threat category, 1 is almost threatened, 5 are endemic, 15 near endemic, 4 boreal migratory species and 1 austral migratory species. We point out 12 species that are relevant, either due to their degree of national threat or because they represent geographic or altitudinal range extensions.Hicimos caracterizaciones rápidas de avifauna en dos complejos de páramo (Frontino-Urrao y Sonsón) en el departamento de Antioquia, Colombia, en el límite superior de bosques nublados, zonas de transición y páramos. Registramos 197 especies de aves (40 familias), de las cuales 7 presentan alguna categoría de amenaza, 1 está casi amenazada, 5 son endémicas, 15 casi endémicas, 4 son migratorias boreales y 1 es migratoria austral. Señalamos 12 especies de importancia, ya sea por su grado de amenaza nacional o por presentar ampliación en su rango de distribución geográfica o altitudinal

Habilidades funcionales de niños, niñas y adolescentes con parálisis cerebral y su relación con el compromiso motor y la discapacidad intelectual en Argentina.

Introducción: El compromiso motor caracteriza la parálisis cerebral (PC), y suele asociarse a la discapacidad intelectual (DI). Se han desarrollado sistemas de clasificación estandarizados para describir las funciones de personas con PC. Objetivo: caracterizar funcionalmente a niños, niñas y adolescentes de 0 a 18 años con PC de Argentina e indagar la asociación entre el compromiso motor (GMFCS), la DI y las clasificaciones funcionales. Métodos: Estudio transversal. Se recolectaron datos a través de entrevistas a las familias y revisión de historias clínicas. Se incluyeron personas con PC. Los datos se recolectaron de 19 instituciones de distintas ciudades de Argentina. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó test de Fisher y odds ratio [IC95%], con significación <0,05. Resultados: participaron 182 niños, niñas y adolescentes con PC. Según clasificación GMFCS prevaleció el nivel V con 36,3%. Quienes presentan compromiso motor más severo (GMFCS IV-V), tienen 72 [25,4;206,0] veces y 13 [5,9;28,2] veces más chances de presentar un nivel severo de MACS y CFCS respectivamente. Pero, presentaron 34 [7,9;146,0] veces más chances de un nivel leve a moderado de EDACS. Quienes presentaron DI tuvieron 10 [5,1;20,5] veces más chances de presentar un nivel severo GMFCS, 6 [3,4;13,2] veces más chances un nivel severo MACS y 4 [2,0;7,8] veces más chances de un nivel severo CFCS. Por el contrario, tienen 4 [1,9;9,5] veces más chances de presentar un nivel leve-moderado EDACS. Conclusión: el nivel de GMFCS y la presencia de DI influyen en la funcionalidad general y aumentan la severidad en el compromiso, habilidades manuales y de comunicación

Neutropenia induced in outbred mice by a simplified low-dose cyclophosphamide regimen: characterization and applicability to diverse experimental models of infectious diseases

BACKGROUND: For its low cost and ease of handling, the mouse remains the preferred experimental animal for preclinical tests. To avoid the interaction of the animal immune system, in vivo antibiotic pharmacodynamic studies often employ cyclophosphamide (CPM) to induce neutropenia. Although high doses (350–450 mg/kg) are still used and their effects on mouse leukocytes have been described, a lower dose (250 mg/kg) is widely preferred today, but the characteristics and applicability of this approach in outbred mice have not been determined. METHODS: Fifteen female ICR mice were injected intraperitoneally with 150 and 100 mg/kg of CPM on days 1 and 4, respectively. Blood samples (~160 μL) were drawn from the retro-orbital sinus of each mouse on days 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11. Leukocytes were counted manually and the number of granulocytes was based on microscopic examination of Wright-stained smears. The impact of neutropenia induced by this method was then determined with a variety of pathogens in three different murine models of human infections: pneumonia (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus), meningoencephalitis (S. pneumoniae), and the thigh model (S. aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis). RESULTS: The basal count of leukocytes was within the normal range for outbred mice. On day 4, there was an 84% reduction in total white blood cells, and by day 5 the leukopenia reached its nadir (370 ± 84 cells/mm(3)). Profound neutropenia (≤10 neutrophils/mm(3)) was demonstrated at day 4 and persisted through days 5 and 6. Lymphocytes and monocytes had a 92% and 96% decline between days 1 and 5, respectively. Leukocytes recovered completely by day 11. Mice immunosupressed under this protocol displayed clinical and microbiological patterns of progressive and lethal infectious diseases after inoculation in different organs with diverse human pathogens. CONCLUSION: A CPM total dose of 250 mg/kg is sufficient to induce profound and sustained neutropenia (<10 neutrophils/mm(3)) at least during 3 days in outbred mice, is simpler than previously described methods, and allows successful induction of infection in a variety of experimental models

Evaluación del manejo del dolor postquirúrgico en pacientes adultos de una clínica de tercer nivel de Pereira Colombia

El dolor es la primera manifestación clínica del postoperatorio. El objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar el nivel de dolor percibido por pacientes adultos en el postquirúrgico mediante una Escala Visual Analógica en la Clínica Los Rosales de Pereira

10Kin1day: a bottom-up neuroimaging initiative

We organized 10Kin1day, a pop-up scientific event with the goal to bring together neuroimaging groups from around the world to jointly analyze 10,000+ existing MRI connectivity datasets during a 3-day workshop. In this report, we describe the motivation and principles of 10Kin1day, together with a public release of 8,000+ MRI connectome maps of the human brain

Countries Response for People With Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background and ObjectivesDuring the Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, isolation and prevention measures to reduce COVID-19 contagions are essential for the care of all people; these measures should comply with the principles of inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities (PWD), with all kinds of deficiencies and levels of dependency. Thereby, the aim of this article is to present the measures adopted for PWD or people with rehabilitation needs, for containment, mitigation, or suppression of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in different countries of all continents and of all income levels.MethodsA narrative approach was used in this article. First, a broad search was carried out in the 193 member states of the UN, and then 98 countries that issued any document, report, or information related to disability and COVID-19 were selected. Finally, 32 countries were included in this article because they presented official information. We considered official sources, the information available in the government, or on the health ministry page of the country. In this way, the countries that presented information which did not correspond to an official source were excluded. The search was conducted in August 2020 and updated in March 2021.ResultsFirst, the non-pharmacological general interventions for PWD included informative measures and general recommendations during the stay at home, isolation, and biosecurity measures, contagion prevention, detection of positive cases, mobilization measures, and measures implemented in institutions or residences of PWD. Second, we identified the economic and social benefits provided to PWD during the pandemic. Finally, we identified the measures taken by countries according to the type of impairment (visual, hearing, physical, mental, and cardiopulmonary impairment) during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 50% of countries from the five world regions created and implemented specific measures for PWD to containment, mitigation, or suppression of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There is very little specific information available about the measures to continue with the care of people with rehabilitation needs and the long-term follow-up of PWD, and for the prevention and response to violence, especially for women with disabilities