First-Round Impacts of the 2008 Chilean Pension System Reform

Chile’s innovative privatized pension system has been lauded as possible model for Social Security system overhauls in other countries, yet it has also been critiqued for not including a strong safety net for the uncovered sector. In response, the Bachelet government in 2008 implemented reforms to rectify this shortcoming. Here we offer the first systematic effort to directly evaluate the reform’s impacts, focusing on the new Basic Solidarity Pension for poor households with at least one person age 65+. Using the Social Protection Survey, we show that targeted poor households received about 2.4 percent more household annual income, with little evidence of crowding-out of private transfers. We also suggest that recipient household welfare probably increased due to slightly higher expenditures on basic consumption including healthcare, more leisure hours, and improved self-reported health. While measured short-run effects are small, follow-ups will be essential to gauge longer-run outcomes.

First-Round Impacts of the 2008 Chilean Pension System Reform

Chile’s innovative privatized pension system has been lauded as possible model for Social Security system overhauls in other countries, yet it has also been critiqued for not including a strong safety net for the uncovered sector. In response, the Bachelet government in 2008 implemented reforms to rectify this shortcoming. Here we offer the first systematic effort to directly evaluate the reform’s impacts, focusing on the new Basic Solidarity Pension for poor households with at least one person age 65+. Using the Social Protection Survey, we show that targeted poor households received about 2.4 percent more household annual income, with little evidence of crowding-out of private transfers. We also suggest that recipient household welfare probably increased due to slightly higher expenditures on basic consumption including healthcare, more leisure hours, and improved self-reported health. While measured short-run effects are small, follow-ups will be essential to gauge longer-run outcomes.Social Security Administrationhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87956/1/wp245.pd

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on female sexuality: Scoping Review

Introducción: la presente revisión de alcance pretende aportar en el conocimiento sobre el impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en el ámbito sexual de las mujeres. Objetivo: conocer el efecto de la pandemia COVID-19 en la sexualidad de mujeres entre 18 y 30 años, explorando en las que se han sentido afectadas en el ámbito sexual. Materiales y métodos: se realizó una revisión de alcance con el fin de conocer el efecto de la pandemia COVID-19 en la sexualidad de mujeres entre los 18 y 30 años, utilizando para ello criterios de elegibilidad y palabras clave, empleando principalmente el operador booleano “AND”. La búsqueda se realizó en las bases de datos SciELO, Scopus y PUBMED. Resultados: se observaron cambios en la función y en la satisfacción sexual, dificultades en los orgasmos y aumento en el uso de juguetes sexuales y pornografía. Conclusiones: los estudios demuestran un deterioro en la sexualidad de las mujeres durante la pandemia, afectando la autopercepción personal y otros factores. Se sugiere asesoramiento profesional para poder mejorar la salud sexual femenina (afectada por el COVID-19 o en presencia de disfunción sexual).Introduction: this scoping review aims to contribute to the knowledge about the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on woman's sexuality.Objectives: to know the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexuality of women between the ages of 18 and 30, exploring the that have been negatively sexually affected. Methodology: a scoping review was carried out to know the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sexuality of women from 18 to 30 years old. Eligibility criteria and keywords were utilized using the Boolean operator "AND". The search was carried out in different databases: Scielo, Scopus, and PUBMED. Results: changes in sexual function, sexual satisfaction, orgasm problems, and increased utilization of sex toys, and pornography were observed. Conclusions: studies show a deterioration in women's sexuality during the pandemic, affecting personal self-perception and other factors. Professional counseling is suggested in order to improve female sexual health (related to COVID-19 or in the presence of sexual dysfunction)

Políticas públicas de salud en la prevalencia de la diabetes gestacional en chile (2002 - 2022)

Objective: to identify the scope of public health policies on obesity in the prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in Chile, from 2002 to 2022. Methods: a narrative scoping review based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) protocol. A search for academic articles conducted in the Scielo, Pubmed, Science Direct, EBSCOHost and Cochrane databases. In addition, additional resources such as clinical guidelines and ministerial documents included. The inclusion, exclusion, and selection of all the above summarized in an abbreviated PRISMA model for scoping reviews. Results: there are six laws, four ministerial documents and two clinical guidelines related to GDM and excess malnutrition in the country. Only the policies derived from Exempt Resolution 1236 and Decree 22 directly include pregnant women. Conclusion: The public health policies analyzed focus on individual responsibility for managing excess malnutrition and type II diabetes. None of them consider pregnant women a vulnerable group that needs early intervention through collective actions, such as the optimization of preconception control.Objetivo: identificar el alcance de las políticas públicas de salud sobre obesidad en la prevalencia de la diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) en Chile, desde 2002 hasta 2022. Metodología: revisión de alcance narrativa basada en el protocolo del Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos académicos en las bases de datos Scielo, Pubmed, Science Direct, EBSCOHost y Cochrane. Además, se incluyeron recursos adicionales como guías clínicas y documentos ministeriales. La inclusión, exclusión y selección de todo lo anterior fue resumido en un modelo PRISMA abreviado para revisiones de alcance. Resultados: se encuentran seis legislaciones, cuatro documentos ministeriales y dos guías clínicas relacionadas con la DMG y la malnutrición por exceso en el país. Solo las políticas derivadas de la Resolución Exenta 1236 y del Decreto 22 incluyen en forma directa a las gestantes. Conclusión: las políticas públicas analizadas se enfocan en la responsabilidad individual para el manejo de la malnutrición por exceso y la DM tipo II. Ninguna en su formulación considera a las gestantes como un grupo vulnerable y necesario de intervenir de manera precoz a través de acciones colectivas, como la optimización del control preconcepcional

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Development and advanced characterization of materials for integration into the tunnel/recombination junction of two terminals silicon / perovskite tandem solar cells

Le développement et l’optimisation des dispositifs photovoltaïques est devenu aujourd’hui un sujet de recherche intense. Plus de 13,000 publications sont disponibles dans la base de données Web of Knowledge avec le sujet ‘photovoltaics’, en considérant seulement des publications entre 2020 et 2023. Par ailleurs, la valeur du marché de l’industrie photovoltaïque était de plus de 150 G en 2020, ce qui contribue à la création d’emplois. Parmi les diverses technologies disponibles actuellement, l’une des plus prometteuses est celle des cellules solaires tandem silicium / perovskite à deux terminaux. En une période de moins de 10 ans (2015-2023), des rendements dépassant 30 % (1 cm²), au-delà de la limite pratique des nombreuses technologies à simple jonction ont été démontrés par plusieurs laboratoires dans le monde.Cependant, la fabrication de tels dispositifs, comprenant plusieurs couches d’épaisseurs variables, de quelques nanomètres à plusieurs centaines de nanomètres, est complexe et nécessite l’utilisation de plusieurs techniques de dépôt. De plus, les contraintes de coût imposent des dépôts sur des surfaces avec une texturation micrométrique. Pour la technologie à deux terminaux, l’interconnexion électrique est faite à travers la jonction de recombinaison, qui remplit plusieurs fonctions : outre obéir aux contraintes de dépôt déjà mentionnées, cette couche doit coupler optiquement et électriquement les deux sous-cellules, donc recombiner de manière efficace les porteurs majoritaires qui restent dans la partie centrale du dispositif après la séparation / extraction qui a lieu dans chaque sous-cellule. C’est sur ce sujet que cette thèse se concentre.Ce travail de thèse se déroule en quatre étapes principales : premièrement, l’optimisation d’une jonction de recombinaison de type tunnel, avec une polarité p-i-n en considérant les interactions optiques, électriques et chimiques avec des couches de la top cell, choisies en accord avec l’état de l’art et déposées successivement en collaboration avec des instituts de recherche partenaires. Les empilements proposés sont compatibles avec la production industrielle. Deuxièmement, la caractérisation électrique de telles couches d’interconnexion, avec une attention spéciale aux mécanismes de transport qui peuvent limiter la conduction des porteurs à travers les couches et/ou interfaces. Le choix et développement de vecteurs de tests adaptées à une telle fin sont aussi abordées. Troisièmement, la caractérisation optique, électrique et chimique des couches choisies, en utilisant des vecteurs de test les plus proches possible des dispositifs fonctionnels, avec le but de déterminer les couches potentiellement limitantes dans l’empilement, tant en raison de leur impact sur la bottom cell, que de leur influence sur le dépôt de la top cell. Quatrièmement, l’intégration des matériaux et configurations d’interconnexion les plus prometteuses en dispositifs tandem, l’évaluation des performances et leur relation avec les résultats des caractérisations mentionnées précédemment. Des perspectives d’amélioration des procédés de fabrication des dispositifs de test ainsi que les limitations actuellement observées seront finalement présentées et discutées, en proposant des pistes pour la poursuite de ces travaux de recherche.Development and optimization of photovoltaic devices is nowadays a topic of intense research. More than 13,000 research articles, published only between 2020 and 2023 are available on the Web of Knowledge database with the tag ‘photovoltaics’. Moreover, the market size of photovoltaic industry was estimated to more than 150 G in 2020, thus actively contributing to job creation. Among the variety of technologies available at this moment, one of the most promising is that of silicon / perovskite tandem solar cells. In a period of less than 10 years (2015 – 2023), conversion efficiencies higher than 30 % (1 cm²), therefore higher than the practical limit of numerous single junction technologies have been demonstrated by several laboratories worldwide.Nevertheless, fabrication of such devices, which are composed by several layers, with thicknesses varying from one to hundreds of nanometers, is a complex process that relies on diverse deposition techniques. Moreover, cost constraints impose deposition on surfaces with micrometric texturing, for which low-TRL top cell deposition techniques are not fully adapted yet. For two-terminal technology, electrical interconnection is done through the recombination junction, responsible of optically and electrically coupling both subcells, respecting the design constraints previously mentioned. It has to fulfil efficient recombination of majority carriers left at the central part of the device after separation / extraction that takes place within each subcell. It is this topic that this thesis work is focused on.This thesis work is developed in four main stages: first, optimization of a tunnel recombination junction, with p-i-n polarity considering optical, electrical and chemical interactions with top cell components, chosen in accordance with state of the art and successively deposited in collaboration with partner institutions. All these layers are deposited by industry-compatible techniques. Second, electrical characterization of these interconnection layers, with special attention on the transport mechanisms that can potentially limit carriers conductions through layers or interfaces. The choice and development of test vectors, adapted to this objective are also addressed. Third, optical, chemical and electronic characterization of chosen layers, using test vectors as close to functional devices as possible, with the aim of determining the layers and properties potentially limiting the stack performance, both as a consequence of their deposition on the bottom cell, as much as their influence on deposition of the top cell. Fourth, integration of promising materials and interconnection configurations in tandem devices is proposed, evaluating their performance and relationship of bottlenecks with characterization results previously obtained. Perspectives for the improvement on fabrication processes of test devices, as well as limitations actually observed will be finally presented and discussed, proposing directions for the continuation of this research work

Développement et caractérisation de matériaux avancés pour l’intégration dans la jonction de tunnel/recombinaison des cellules solaires tandem silicium / pérovskite à deux terminaux

Development and optimization of photovoltaic devices is nowadays a topic of intense research. More than 13,000 research articles, published only between 2020 and 2023 are available on the Web of Knowledge database with the tag ‘photovoltaics’. Moreover, the market size of photovoltaic industry was estimated to more than 150 G in 2020, thus actively contributing to job creation. Among the variety of technologies available at this moment, one of the most promising is that of silicon / perovskite tandem solar cells. In a period of less than 10 years (2015 – 2023), conversion efficiencies higher than 30 % (1 cm²), therefore higher than the practical limit of numerous single junction technologies have been demonstrated by several laboratories worldwide.Nevertheless, fabrication of such devices, which are composed by several layers, with thicknesses varying from one to hundreds of nanometers, is a complex process that relies on diverse deposition techniques. Moreover, cost constraints impose deposition on surfaces with micrometric texturing, for which low-TRL top cell deposition techniques are not fully adapted yet. For two-terminal technology, electrical interconnection is done through the recombination junction, responsible of optically and electrically coupling both subcells, respecting the design constraints previously mentioned. It has to fulfil efficient recombination of majority carriers left at the central part of the device after separation / extraction that takes place within each subcell. It is this topic that this thesis work is focused on.This thesis work is developed in four main stages: first, optimization of a tunnel recombination junction, with p-i-n polarity considering optical, electrical and chemical interactions with top cell components, chosen in accordance with state of the art and successively deposited in collaboration with partner institutions. All these layers are deposited by industry-compatible techniques. Second, electrical characterization of these interconnection layers, with special attention on the transport mechanisms that can potentially limit carriers conductions through layers or interfaces. The choice and development of test vectors, adapted to this objective are also addressed. Third, optical, chemical and electronic characterization of chosen layers, using test vectors as close to functional devices as possible, with the aim of determining the layers and properties potentially limiting the stack performance, both as a consequence of their deposition on the bottom cell, as much as their influence on deposition of the top cell. Fourth, integration of promising materials and interconnection configurations in tandem devices is proposed, evaluating their performance and relationship of bottlenecks with characterization results previously obtained. Perspectives for the improvement on fabrication processes of test devices, as well as limitations actually observed will be finally presented and discussed, proposing directions for the continuation of this research work.Le développement et l’optimisation des dispositifs photovoltaïques est devenu aujourd’hui un sujet de recherche intense. Plus de 13,000 publications sont disponibles dans la base de données Web of Knowledge avec le sujet ‘photovoltaics’, en considérant seulement des publications entre 2020 et 2023. Par ailleurs, la valeur du marché de l’industrie photovoltaïque était de plus de 150 G en 2020, ce qui contribue à la création d’emplois. Parmi les diverses technologies disponibles actuellement, l’une des plus prometteuses est celle des cellules solaires tandem silicium / perovskite à deux terminaux. En une période de moins de 10 ans (2015-2023), des rendements dépassant 30 % (1 cm²), au-delà de la limite pratique des nombreuses technologies à simple jonction ont été démontrés par plusieurs laboratoires dans le monde.Cependant, la fabrication de tels dispositifs, comprenant plusieurs couches d’épaisseurs variables, de quelques nanomètres à plusieurs centaines de nanomètres, est complexe et nécessite l’utilisation de plusieurs techniques de dépôt. De plus, les contraintes de coût imposent des dépôts sur des surfaces avec une texturation micrométrique. Pour la technologie à deux terminaux, l’interconnexion électrique est faite à travers la jonction de recombinaison, qui remplit plusieurs fonctions : outre obéir aux contraintes de dépôt déjà mentionnées, cette couche doit coupler optiquement et électriquement les deux sous-cellules, donc recombiner de manière efficace les porteurs majoritaires qui restent dans la partie centrale du dispositif après la séparation / extraction qui a lieu dans chaque sous-cellule. C’est sur ce sujet que cette thèse se concentre.Ce travail de thèse se déroule en quatre étapes principales : premièrement, l’optimisation d’une jonction de recombinaison de type tunnel, avec une polarité p-i-n en considérant les interactions optiques, électriques et chimiques avec des couches de la top cell, choisies en accord avec l’état de l’art et déposées successivement en collaboration avec des instituts de recherche partenaires. Les empilements proposés sont compatibles avec la production industrielle. Deuxièmement, la caractérisation électrique de telles couches d’interconnexion, avec une attention spéciale aux mécanismes de transport qui peuvent limiter la conduction des porteurs à travers les couches et/ou interfaces. Le choix et développement de vecteurs de tests adaptées à une telle fin sont aussi abordées. Troisièmement, la caractérisation optique, électrique et chimique des couches choisies, en utilisant des vecteurs de test les plus proches possible des dispositifs fonctionnels, avec le but de déterminer les couches potentiellement limitantes dans l’empilement, tant en raison de leur impact sur la bottom cell, que de leur influence sur le dépôt de la top cell. Quatrièmement, l’intégration des matériaux et configurations d’interconnexion les plus prometteuses en dispositifs tandem, l’évaluation des performances et leur relation avec les résultats des caractérisations mentionnées précédemment. Des perspectives d’amélioration des procédés de fabrication des dispositifs de test ainsi que les limitations actuellement observées seront finalement présentées et discutées, en proposant des pistes pour la poursuite de ces travaux de recherche