Environmental Innovations: Institutional Impacts on Co-operations for Sustainable Development

A suitable strategy for achieving sustainable development is to foster environmental innovations. Environmental innovations, however, suffer from so-called "double externalities", because apart from innovation spillovers they also improve the quality of public environmental goods, which can be used without cost by free riders. Those innovation spillovers can be avoided through co-operation. Furthermore co-operations can be considered as advantageous because environmental innovations often depend on interaction in research and development, production, selling and disposal. This paper analyzes as to what extent institutional factors impact co-operative arrangements of innovative organizations in the development of new environmental technologies. It applies a multi-dimensional institutional analysis focusing not only on institutional arrangements which exist among organizations but also on opportunities and constraints provided by the institutional environment in which these organizations are embedded. Expanding the existing research we will conclude what kind of policy measure may support the success within networks of environmental oriented innovators.Environmental innovation, Co-operation, Sustainability, Institutional analysis, Policy measures

Creación y puesta en marcha de una empresa que ofrece servicios de outsourcing para apoyo a mipymes en Villavicencio

Ingeniero (a) IndustrialPregrad

Gain-of-Function Dynamin-2 Mutations Linked to Centronuclear Myopathy Impair Ca2+-Induced Exocytosis in Human Myoblasts

Gain-of-function mutations of dynamin-2, a mechano-GTPase that remodels membrane and actin filaments, cause centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a congenital disease that mainly affects skeletal muscle tissue. Among these mutations, the variants p.A618T and p.S619L lead to a gain of function and cause a severe neonatal phenotype. By using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) in immortalized human myoblasts expressing the pH-sensitive fluorescent protein (pHluorin) fused to the insulin-responsive aminopeptidase IRAP as a reporter of the GLUT4 vesicle trafficking, we measured single pHluorin signals to investigate how p.A618T and p.S619L mutations influence exocytosis. We show here that both dynamin-2 mutations significantly reduced the number and durations of pHluorin signals induced by 10 μM ionomycin, indicating that in addition to impairing exocytosis, they also affect the fusion pore dynamics. These mutations also disrupt the formation of actin filaments, a process that reportedly favors exocytosis. This altered exocytosis might importantly disturb the plasmalemma expression of functional proteins such as the glucose transporter GLUT4 in skeletal muscle cells, impacting the physiology of the skeletal muscle tissue and contributing to the CNM disease.Fil: Bayonés, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Guerra Fernández, María José. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Hinostroza, Fernando. Universidad Catolica de Maule; ChileFil: Báez Matus, Ximena. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Vásquez Navarrete, Jacqueline. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Gallo, Luciana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Parra, Sergio. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Martínez, Agustín D.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: González Jamett, Arlek. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Marengo, Fernando Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; ArgentinaFil: Cárdenas, Ana M.. Universidad de Valparaíso; Chil

Association of stair use with risk of major chronic diseases

Introduction Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases. Regular stair use can contribute to increasing physical activity in the population. This study aimed to investigate the association between flights of stairs used daily at home and all-cause mortality and cause-specific incidence and mortality. Methods Of the 502,628 UK Biobank participants recruited between 2007 and 2010, 442,027 (mean age, 56±8 years) had available data and were included in the analyses conducted in 2023. Participants were categorized on the basis of flights of stairs climbed daily (1–5, 6–10, 11–15, >15). The disease-specific outcomes were cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause dementia. Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related confounding factors, were used to analyze the associations between stair use frequency and health outcomes. Results Participants were followed up for a median of 10.9 years. Climbing stairs >15 times per day was associated with a lower risk of 8 of the 9 outcomes analyzed than not using stairs. The magnitude of association ranged from 3% (95% CI=0.94, 0.99) lower risk for all-cause cancer to 51% (95% CI=0.39, 0.60) lower risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Findings were similar for mortality outcomes, with the hazard ratios ranging from 0.82 (95% CI=0.77, 0.87) for all-cause cancer to 0.46 (95% CI=0.23, 0.92) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality. Conclusions Stair use was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific incidence and mortality independent of confounding factors, including adiposity and multimorbidity

Association between walking pace and diabetes: findings from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017

Background: Walking pace is a well-known indicator of physical capability, but it is also a strong predictor of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, there is a lack of evidence on the association between walking pace and T2D, specifically, within developing countries such as Chile. Aim: To investigate the association between self-reported walking pace and T2D in the Chilean adult population. Methods: 5520 Chilean participants (aged 15 to 90 years, 52.1% women) from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016–2017 were included in this cross-sectional study. Both walking pace (slow, average, and brisk) and diabetes data were collected through self-reported methods. Fasting blood glucose (reported in mg/dl) and glycosylated haemoglobin A (HbA1c) scores were determined via blood exams. Results: In the unadjusted model, and compared to people who reported a slow walking pace, those with average and brisk walking pace had lower blood glucose levels (β = −7.74 mg/dL (95% CI: −11.08 to −4.40) and β = −11.05 mg/dL (95% CI: −14.36 to −7.75), respectively) and lower HbA1c (β = −0.34% (95% CI: −0.57 to −0.11) and β= −0.72% (95% CI: −0.94 to −0.49)), respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic, Body Mass Index and lifestyle factors, the association between glycaemia and HbA1c remained only for brisk walkers. Both the average and brisk walker categories had lower odds of T2D (OR: 0.59 (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.84) and (OR 0.48 (95% CI: 0.30 to 0.79), respectively). Conclusion: Brisk walkers were associated with lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels. Moreover, average to brisk walking pace also showed a lower risk for T2D

Association between different modes of travelling and adiposity in Chilean population: findings from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016–2017

Background: Active travel has been suggested as a feasible way of increasing physical activity levels. Although international studies have demonstrated its effect over different health outcomes and adiposity, there is still limited evidence on this topic in developing countries, such as Chile. Aim: To investigate the associations between different types of travelling and markers of obesity in the Chilean adult population. Methods: 5411 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016–2017 (CNHS) were included in this study. Active travel was assessed using a questionnaire. Car commuters, public transport (PT), walking and cycling were the four forms of travelling assessed. Bodyweight, body mass index and waist circumference were used as markers of adiposity. Results: Compared to car travellers, body weight, WC and BMI levels were lower for PT walking and cycling travellers. The odds for obesity (Odds ratio (OR): 0.41 (95% CI: 0.28; 0.61 p ≤ 0.001) were lower for walking and the odds (OR: 0.56 (95%CI: 0.35; 0.89 p = 0.014) for central obesity were significantly lower for cyclist in comparison to car travellers. Additionally, participation in any form of active travel (walking or cycling) was low, with only 20.9% of the population reporting being active travellers. Conclusion: Active travel, such as walking and cycling, was associated with lower adiposity levels in the Chilean adult population. Promoting active travel could be a feasible strategy to tackle the high prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity in the Chilean population

Association of leisure time and occupational physical activity with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in Chile

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA), both occupational (OPA) and during leisure time (LTPA), with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in Chilean adults. 5,157 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009–2010 were included in this study. OPA and LTPA levels were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. The association between both PA with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors was determined using logistic regression. Our findings showed a significant trend between higher LTPA and lower odds for obesity (OR 0.64 [95% CI: 0.53; 0.76], central obesity 0.52 [0.44; 0.61]) and other cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes (OR: 0.72 [0.55; 0.94]), hypertension (OR: 0.59 [0.50; 0.71]) and metabolic syndrome (OR: 0.62 [0.50; 0.78]). In contrast, OPA was only associated with lower odds of diabetes (OR: 0.79 [0.65; 0.98]) and hypertension (0.85 [0.74; 0.98]). In conclusion, LTPA was associated with a lower risk of all major cardiovascular risk factors, whereas OPA was only associated with a lower risk of diabetes and hypertension

Climatic Conditions, Cultural Diversity, and Labor Productivity

Countries with the highest labor productivity overwhelmingly lie in the world's temperate climatic zones far away from the equator. The question we address is whether climatic conditions as measured by distance from the equator remain correlated with labor productivity after other variables are taken into account. We find that climatic conditions do not have a significant impact on labor productivity once we control for factor accumulation and cultural diversity within countries. Our regression results suggest that cultural diversity as measured by the degree of ethnolinguistic fractionalization may severely limit economic development in presently poor countries.productivity, climatic conditions, factor accumulation, ethnolinguistic diversity

Estudio de enteropatógenos en coprocultivos del Hospital San Juan de Dios, e implementación de la vigilancia de escherichia coli 0157, compylobacter sp. y vibrio sp / Arancibia G.,

Tesis (Tecnólogo Médico con especialidad en Bioanálisis Clínico, Inmunohematología y Banco de Sangre)El síndrome diarreico agudo (SDA) corresponde a una causa frecuente de consulta ambulatoria de niños y adultos, y puede ser ocasionado por agentes virales, bacterianos y parasitarios. En nuestro país, los principales agentes bacterianos son Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. y Campylobacter sp., así como brotes de Vibrio paraluiemolyticus en período estival y Clostridium difficile como agente importante de diarrea nosocomial. También cumple un importante rol en síndromes diarreicos pediátricos, aunque no de alta prevalencia, Escherichia coli diarreogénicas. Entre los agentes virales, encontramos rotavirus, adenovirus, calcivirus, astrovirus y de los agentes parasitarios, cumplen importancia Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, entre otros. El propósito de nuestro trabajo fue modificar el protocolo de estudio de los coprocultivos en el Hospital San Juan de Dios (HSJD) con el objetivo de mejorar la detección y el diagnóstico de enteropatógenos en muestras de deposiciones. Al protocolo habitual del hospital, se incorporó el estudio de Campylobacter sp., Vibrio sp. y &cherichia coli enterohemorrágica O 157 en todas las muestras. Se estudiaron un total de 105 muestras de coprocultivos recibidas en el laboratorio de Microbiología del HSJD entre octubre y noviembre de 2010, de las cuales se obtuvo desarrollo de Salmonella paratyphi B y Aeromona hidrophyla. No se pesquisó Campylobacter sp. por tinción de Hucker, ni Vibrio sp., así como tampoco E. coli enterohemorrágica O 157. En conclusión, pese a la incorporación de nuevos métodos de tamizaje en nuestro trabajo para el estudio de enteropatógenos, sólo obtuvimos un rendimiento global del coprocultivo de un 1.87%, que es considerado más bajo de lo reportado en la literatura. Sin embargo, el número limitado de muestras estudiadas, periodo del año en que se realizó el estudio y otras causas anexas, no nos permiten realizar conclusiones y/o recomendaciones generales, lo que no resta importancia a la implementación de las debidas vigilancias establecidas por ley