The University of Valparaíso (UV) is a state public university in Chile, with its headquarters and the majority of its campuses in the city of Valparaíso. It has several other campuses in the Valparaiso Region of Chile (Quinta Región) and in Santiago, which is 100 km from Valparaiso.Taking its current name as an autonomous university on February 12, 1981, UV is heir to the most longstanding higher education tradition in Valparaiso and its region.As the major Pacific port south of San Francisco, Valparaiso was an important centre of business in the nineteenth century. Formal studies in law began there in 1878. By 1911, teaching had evolved into Chile’s first regional School of Law, part of the national University of Chile (UCH, which in turn can trace its origins back through two colonial universities to 1622, some 82 years after the Spanish began their colonisation of today’s central Chile).Two private universities would form in Valparaiso in the 1920s and 1930s—what would become Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (UTFSM, or USM) and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV, or UCV)—as state-backed higher education was also consolidated under the aegis of the national Universidad de Chile system.In 1972, public university education in Valparaiso was organized as a Seat (Sede) of UCH; UV inherited all of this except for the Teaching Institute, which would eventually become the basis of the Universidad de Playa Ancha. On February 12, 1981 the University of Valparaiso adopted its present name and autonomous form. The creation of public regional universities was an important component of the economic reforms undertaken under the military rule that lasted until 1990.UV is one of sixteen members of the Consortium of State Universities of Chile. All of these took their more or less current structure following a decision to divide the Universidad de Chile and the State Technical University into autonomous entities. UV and all state universities are among the 25 members of Chile’s Council of University Rectors (“CRUCH”); these 25 are often referred to as the “traditional” universities, as opposed to the other “new private” universities. UV is also in the Grouping of Regional Universities of Chile, all of whose members are public and have been discussed (in English) together as public regional universities.Higher education contributing much to its economy, Valparaiso is Chile's "college town". Three other traditional universities are based in Valparaiso – UTFSM, PUCV and "Universidad de Playa Ancha" (UPLA) – all of these are organized more in a “campus” style than UV, although Católica has departments strewn throughout the city and branch campuses in the region. UV’s various faculties and schools form a university quarter the length of the plain (plano') 'of central Valparaiso, between the main UPLA campus in the south and in the north the main PUVC building..
BackgroundUltra-processed foods (UPF), most of which have hyper-palatable properties, have been implicated in overconsumption and adverse health outcomes, yet their association with food addiction (FA) remains underexplored in young adults.AimTo assess the association between marker foods for UPF consumption and FA in Chilean university students, comparing UPF consumption among individuals with and without FA.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, 287 young adults (median age: 21 years) completed the NOVA Screener -which captures the presence and number of UPF items consumed during the previous day- and the Chilean version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0-Chile). Anthropometric measurements and body composition were obtained for 271 participants. Logistic regression models were adjusted for gender, physical activity, and Body Mass Index (BMI).ResultsThe prevalence of FA was 17.4%, predominantly severe cases. Participants with FA had significantly higher median NOVA scores for beverages, snacks, and total UPF consumption. FA was positively associated with greater consumption of UPF beverages (OR 1.48, p = 0.014), snacks (OR 1.26, p = 0.044), and NOVA score (OR 1.12, p = 0.042). Individuals with FA also exhibited higher BMI and body fat percentage.ConclusionThese findings highlight a significant association between UPF consumption and FA in young adults, suggesting that UPF consumption may potentially contribute to addictive eating behaviors and associated metabolic risks. Public health strategies targeting UPF consumption may be essential in preventing FA and related health conditions.
Background An imbalance in the dietary ratio of omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and/or a high-fat diet (HFD) may disrupt the metabolic conversion of essential PUFAs, such as linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA), into their long-chain derivatives (LC-PUFAs), thereby altering their accumulation in various tissues. To determine the effects of low maternal intake of ALA and/or an HFD on FA composition in maternal tissues (liver, adipose tissue, and erythrocytes) and offspring tissues (liver, erythrocytes, adipose tissue, heart, kidney, intestine, muscle, brain, eye, lung, and stomach contents) in rats. Methods A prospective, randomized, controlled experimental study was conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were assigned to one of four dietary intervention groups: CD-<1%-ALA, CD-2%-ALA, HFD-<1%-ALA, and HFD-2%-ALA. The diets were administered throughout the pregestational, gestational, and postnatal periods. Following euthanasia, tissue samples were collected and analyzed for FA composition using gas chromatography. Results The accumulation of n-3 PUFAs varied across the analyzed tissues, suggesting tissue-specific uptake or incorporation of ALA. The liver exhibited the highest capacity for PUFA biosynthesis in rats, whereas extrahepatic tissues showed limited activity. Moreover, maternal diet did not consistently correlate with PUFA concentrations in the offspring. Conclusions The increase in ALA is tissue-specific, reflecting differential incorporation among tissue types. Maternal n-3 PUFA stores become a critical source for the transfer of these FAs to the offspring, particularly under dietary stress conditions such as low ALA intake or HFDs.
This study examines citizens’ perceptions of the 2019 Chilean social outburst using cross-sectional survey data from a stratified probabilistic sample of 809 adults in the Valparaíso Region, Chile. We analyse how environmental collective action willingness, political identification, attitudes toward democracy, and gender are associated with evaluations of the protest movement. Descriptive analyses and a General Linear Model (ANCOVA) were estimated, controlling for age, educational level, and participation in social organisations; multiple linear regression models were additionally used as robustness checks. The results indicate that environmental collective action willingness constitute the strongest and most robust correlate of positive evaluations of the social outburst, followed by political identification, with respondents identifying with the left reporting more favourable perceptions than those identifying with the right. In contrast, attitudes toward democracy and gender do not exhibit independent effects in the fully adjusted model, while age introduces a consistent generational gradient. Overall, the findings suggest that perceptions of the Chilean social outburst are structured primarily by dispositional orientations toward collective action and, to a lesser extent, by ideological positioning, rather than by normative evaluations of democracy.
Parents of individuals with schizophrenia often assume dual roles as parents and primary caregivers, facing substantial emotional, social, and practical challenges. However, caregiving as a lived experience remains underexplored, particularly in Latin America. This study aimed to explore how parents experience and make sense of their dual role as parents and primary caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia.An exploratory qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 14 primary caregivers of individuals receiving outpatient treatment for schizophrenia at Hospital del Salvador in Valparaíso, Chile. Following a psychoeducational workshop, participants took part in four focus groups. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with ATLAS.ti. Rigor was supported through investigator triangulation and established qualitative quality criteria.Four categories emerged: (1) the emotional and social impact of diagnosis, including symbolic grief related to the perceived loss of the son or daughter as known before illness and stigma; (2) experiencing recovery, characterized by greater understanding of illness and treatment and strengthened caregiving skills, although acceptance remained gradual and fear of relapse persisted; (3) caregiving burden, marked by emotional strain and unmet needs for individualized psychological support; and (4) support networks, with parents valuing practical tools, information about social benefits, peer support, and professional guidance.Caring for a person with schizophrenia involves a dynamic, non-linear process of adaptation, learning, and meaning-making. Psychoeducation and peer support are valuable but should be complemented by individualized psychological support. Parents should be recognized as partners in care while their own emotional needs are addressed.
National Cancer Registries (NCRs) are essential for monitoring cancer incidence, prevalence, and outcomes at the population level, supporting evidence-based policies and resource allocation. In Chile, fragmented health information systems and infrastructure gaps have historically hindered the establishment of a nationwide registry. In response, a technological NCR was developed under the National Cancer Plan and Cancer Act. This article presents a validation study assessing the NCR’s usability from the perspective of healthcare professionals involved in cancer registration. A quasi-experimental, within-subjects design was applied, where 26 healthcare professionals from 22 institutions across Chile completed five core registry tasks using both their current systems and the NCR platform. Results show statistically significant reductions (≈ 40–50
