Local resistance to extractivism: community mobilisation in the case of Chile

This research aims to understand socio-environmental conflicts and mobilisations generated by extractive projects. Theoretically, this research locates itself within the contentious politics perspective. It seeks to understand socio-environmental conflicts taking into consideration the interaction between political opportunities, organisational resources and discursive frames developed by communities that oppose extractive projects. The study argues that socio-environmental conflicts are reproductions of power relations between companies, state and communities over territories and the environment. The environmental and political-economy transformations provoked by extractive projects allow the generation of discourses and frames about environment and community which usually end up in forms of direct mobilisation and protest. In line with recent developments in the social movements literature, I complement the understanding of social mobilisation by analysing the mechanism at work, i.e. the micro foundations of contentious politics, specifically analysing how the geographical location, phase of the project and constituents of the movement, shape the aims, means and capacities of communities that mobilise against extractive projects. As one of Latin America’s most institutionally stable countries, Chile represents the paradigmatic case for exploring the micro foundations of contentious politics that lies at the heart of this study. Precisely because of the economic and political stability and low levels of threats when compared to other countries in the region, and the historical economic and political dependence on extractivism, we should expect to find a strong case of social mobilisations. Thus, Chile offers an ideal, or ‘most likely’, case for evaluating patterns of mobilisation. More specifically, the exploratory aim of this work is to advance a broader theoretical argument about the distinctiveness of the socio-environmental movement, developed through the analysis of three social contestation pocesses in the country (Caimanes, No Alto Maipo and Chiloé). These are cases that offer variation in terms of geographical location, aims, means of mobilisation and resources; in other words, they offer a useful variation on the dimensions of theoretical interest for this thesis. The comparison of the empirical cases adds important subtleties and empirical evidence to complement classical theories of social mobilisation, such as the role of counter-mobilisation in closing political opportunities, and the role that territory and environment plays in generating resources and frames. The study also lays the groundwork for future extensions of this framework by briefly examining how well the main propositions work in explaining socio-environmental mobilisation in other Latin American countries

Role of JAK-STAT Signalling on Motor Function Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury

JAK-STAT signalling is a main transduction pathway of cytokines and growth factors, which is involved in several biological processes including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, axon regeneration, apoptosis and inflammation. After spinal cord injury several cytokines activate the JAK-STAT pathway, thereby modulating several cell responses. In this chapter we discuss how regulation of this signalling pathway could improve motor recovery after injury by modulation of axon regeneration, neuroprotection, glial scar formation, demyelination and inflammatory response. Studies with gene over-expression, gene deletion and in vitro approaches will be discussed for understanding the cell-specific response to JAK-STAT signalling, with a focus on preclinical treatment with IL6-family cytokines, hematopoietic cytokines and IL10

The genus Barbula (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) in Uruguay

Barbula Hedw. es un género de musgos cosmopolita que crece en una gran variedad de hábitats, principalmente en suelos y rocas ácidas o calcáreas. Hay alrededor de 200 especies aceptadas en el mundo y 45 registradas en el Neotrópico, la mayoría de estas escasamente conocidas. En Uruguay, el género está representado, por dos especies: B. subgrimmiacea Thér. y B. ungiculata Hedw. Como parte de los estudios taxonómicos realizados en el marco del proyecto "Estudio de las Bryophyta en el Cono Sur (sistemática y filogenia)", los autores tuvieron la oportunidad de recolectar varios especímenes de Barbula de Uruguay y se estudiaron ejemplares tipo de este género de herbarios nacionales e internacionales. Los materiales fueron analizados mediante las técnicas tradicionales de disección de plantas criptógamas y tinciones con KOH. Como resultado se redescubrió a B. ungiculata en Uruguay, y se registra por primera vez a Barbula riograndensis E.B.Bartram, considerada hasta el momento endémica de Brasil. Se evalúa la posición sistemática de Barbula ventanica Müll.Hal. y B. subgrimmiacea es reducida a la sinonimia bajo esta última. Se describen e ilustran las taxa citadas y se presentan fotomicrografías.Fil: Suarez, Guillermo Martin. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Larrain, Juan. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; ChileXXXVII Jornadas Argentinas de BotánicaCórdobaArgentinaSociedad Argentina de Botánic

The Great Engraved Grotto at Chiquimí: Its discovery and rediscovery one hundred years later

En este trabajo se describen los motivos grabados de la Gran Gruta Grabada de Chiquimí (valle de Yocavil, provincia de Catamarca), sitio originalmente encontrado por Adán Quiroga en la década de 1920. Los mismos fueron redescubiertos luego de 100 años de permanecer ocultos en un rincón del valle. En primer lugar, se efectúa una reseña del trabajo pionero del autor. A continuación se sitúa la gruta en el paisaje, dando a conocer los principales sitios arqueológicos presentes en las inmediaciones. En tercer lugar, se realiza un análisis intrínseco o morfológico de las manifestaciones rupestres y un estudio del contexto de producción y funcionalidad de las mismas. Utilizando como guía los motivos e interpretaciones producidas sobre el arte rupestre en el Noroeste argentino y norte chileno, se ubica temporalmente la elaboración de los grabados en el momento de las sociedades agropastoriles.In this paper the rock art motifs found in the Great Engraved Grotto at Chiquimí (Yocavil Valley, Catamarca Province, Argentina) are described and reinterpreted. The motifs were originally found by Adán Quiroga in the 1920s and rediscovered after being forgotten for 100 years in a remote corner of the valley. A review of Quiroga s pioneering work is presented, followed by a description of the Grotto s location in the landscape, with mention of nearby major archaeological sites. Lastly, a morphological analysis of the rock art works is undertaken, along with a study of their production context and functionality. Using the ancient rock art motifs found in Northwest Argentina and northern Chile and their associated interpretations, the engravings are located chronologically during the time of agropastoral societies.Fil: Alvarez Larrain, Alina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Museo Etnográfico "Juan B. Ambrosetti"; ArgentinaFil: Cabrera, Fernando Gabriel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Museo Etnográfico "Juan B. Ambrosetti"; ArgentinaFil: Carbonelli, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Museo Etnográfico "Juan B. Ambrosetti"; Argentin

World checklist of hornworts and liverworts

A working checklist of accepted taxa worldwide is vital in achieving the goal of developing an online flora of all known plants by 2020 as part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We here present the first-ever worldwide checklist for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) that includes 7486 species in 398 genera representing 92 families from the two phyla. The checklist has far reaching implications and applications, including providing a valuable tool for taxonomists and systematists, analyzing phytogeographic and diversity patterns, aiding in the assessment of floristic and taxonomic knowledge, and identifying geographical gaps in our understanding of the global liverwort and hornwort flora. The checklist is derived from a working data set centralizing nomenclature, taxonomy and geography on a global scale. Prior to this effort a lack of centralization has been a major impediment for the study and analysis of species richness, conservation and systematic research at both regional and global scales. The success of this checklist, initiated in 2008, has been underpinned by its community approach involving taxonomic specialists working towards a consensus on taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution

Expression of Transposable Elements in Neural Tissues during Xenopus Development

Transposable elements comprise a large proportion of animal genomes. Transposons can have detrimental effects on genome stability but also offer positive roles for genome evolution and gene expression regulation. Proper balance of the positive and deleterious effects of transposons is crucial for cell homeostasis and requires a mechanism that tightly regulates their expression. Herein we describe the expression of DNA transposons of the Tc1/mariner superfamily during Xenopus development. Sense and antisense transcripts containing complete Tc1-2_Xt were detected in Xenopus embryos. Both transcripts were found in zygotic stages and were mainly localized in Spemann's organizer and neural tissues. In addition, the Tc1-like elements Eagle, Froggy, Jumpy, Maya, Xeminos and TXr were also expressed in zygotic stages but not oocytes in X. tropicalis. Interestingly, although Tc1-2_Xt transcripts were not detected in Xenopus laevis embryos, transcripts from other two Tc1-like elements (TXr and TXz) presented a similar temporal and spatial pattern during X. laevis development. Deep sequencing analysis of Xenopus tropicalis gastrulae showed that PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are specifically derived from several Tc1-like elements. The localized expression of Tc1-like elements in neural tissues suggests that they could play a role during the development of the Xenopus nervous system

[Carta a Ignacio Hernando de Larramendi y Montiano]

Información adicional de autor de la carta: Abogado. SantiagoFotografía número: 95