Carrion’s disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, a vector-borne pathogen restricted to the Andean valleys of Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Carrion’s disease is a biphasic illness; in the acute phase the case-fatality rate can be as high as 88 %, related to high parasitemia, arriving to almost all erythrocytes, and secondary bacterial infections close related with the development of transient immunosuppression in the earlier illness phases. In addition, there are an undefined number of asymptomatic carriers that are reservoirs of the etiological agent of Carrion’s disease in endemic areas, they make take into account due to they are the perpetuators of this disease. The actual scenario of Carrion’s disease, in which the illness is arriving to new areas, due to the expansion of the vector’s distribution, suggests that now may be a crucial time to design a strategy focusing on its elimination.

L'Amérique Centrale et l'Amérique du Sud couvrent ensemble plus de 12% de la surface émergée du globe, et abritent plus de 450 millions d'habitants. Cette région se remarque sur la scène énergétique mondiale par la contribution exceptionnelle des énergies renouvelables dans sa matrice énergétique. Préserver cette configuration vertueuse est un réel défi : alors que les énergies « conventionnelles » (hydroélectricité, biomasse) sont confrontées à des problèmes de soutenabilité, les « nouvelles » options de production (éolien, solaire, géothermie) ne parviennent pas à s'affranchir du soutien des pouvoirs publics. Pourtant, les faibles réserves fossiles du continent et son extraordinaire potentiel de production renouvelable en font un candidat idéal pour mener la transition vers une matrice énergétique respectueuse de l'environnement. Une autre thématique d'intérêt régional est la contribution du secteur énergétique à une croissance économique socialement bénéfique et respectueuse de l'environnement, dans un continent en développement rapide. Le changement climatique, enfin, propose diverses problématiques continentales. L'Amérique latine se situe au-dessus de la moyenne mondiale pour ses émissions par habitant ; dans le même temps, plusieurs études considèrent que la région sera parmi les plus touchées par les effets du changement climatique. La matrice énergétique sud-américaine est sensible à ces effets, à la fois sur l'amont de la chaîne (hydroélectricité, biomasse) et sur l'aval (augmentations de demande pour e.g. l'agriculture et l'air conditionné). Malgré ces problématiques et points forts partagés à l'échelle régionale, l'Amérique latine reste un continent hétérogène et fragmenté. Sa configuration physique limite l'intégration régionale, et l'héritage de deux siècles de guerre complique les relations politiques à l'échelon national. L'évolution historique de la région a entraîné de fortes disparités entre les secteurs énergétiques nationaux, et plusieurs tentatives de coopération sur des infrastructures transnationales se sont récemment soldées par de coûteux échecs.L'objectif de cette thèse est le développement d'un modèle mathématique adapté à l'étude des problématiques énergétiques régionales de long terme pour l'Amérique du Sud. Ce modèle, TIMES-América y el Caribe, nous permet d'étudier l'impact des politiques climatiques nationales pour le secteur énergétique régional, dans le contexte de la préparation de la conférence mondiale du climat de Paris, en décembre 2015.Ce document est divisé en cinq chapitres. Le chapitre 1 propose un panorama historique de l'Amérique latine. Ce panorama est complété par une description de l'évolution historique du secteur énergétique sud-américain et de ses spécificités et défis actuels. Le chapitre 2 présente les concepts de prospective et de modélisation par scénarios, ainsi qu'une revue historique et un état de l'art de la prospective énergétique en Amérique du Sud. Le chapitre 3 détaille les principales caractéristiques du modèle : sa désagrégation géographique en dix régions, les règles de modélisation, la structure et les principales hypothèses utilisées pour l'offre énergétique et la demande finale (drivers macroéconomiques, potentiels et coûts d'extraction). Le chapitre 4 présente la problématique du changement climatique et ce qu'elle implique pour l'Amérique du Sud ; il décrit aussi les négociations climatiques internationales, depuis leurs débuts en 1972 jusqu'aux propositions actuellement débattues. Enfin, le chapitre 5 propose une application directe du modèle présenté plus haut, à travers l'analyse des impacts de ces contributions pour le secteur énergétique sud-américain, et inversement la contribution potentielle de ce secteur au vu des divers engagements nationaux. / Together, Central and South America and the Caribbean represent more than 450 million people and 12% of the Earth's total emerged land. The region stands out in the global energy landscape for the outstanding contribution of renewable sources to its energy production. Maintaining this level of renewable energy in the future might prove a challenging task, as ‘historical' energy sources (hydropower, biomass) run into sustainability issues and ‘new' options (wind, solar, geothermal energy) still depend on public support schemes. However, South America's small fossil resource endowment and excellent renewable potential make it the ideal candidate for pioneering a renewable energy transition. The energy sector's contribution in fueling economic growth in a socially and environmentally sustainable way is also an issue that is particularly significant in the developing context on the continent. Climate change is a region-scale concern. The continent's emissions per capita are above the global average, and the region is also likely to be one of the most impacted by climate change. South America's energy sector is vulnerable both on the supply side (hydropower and biomass resources) and the demand side (increased demand for e.g. agriculture and air conditioning). Despite shared regional strengths and concerns, however, South America appears as a highly heterogeneous and fragmented continent. The region's physical layout is a stumbling block for regional integration. Two centuries of regional wars complicate political cooperation at national level, and the historical evolution has created strong disparities between national energy sectors. Various attempts to cooperate on transnational infrastructure have ended up as costly failures in past years.The aim of this PhD work, half of which was conducted in France and half in Chile, was to develop a mathematical model adapted to the study of long-term energy issues, at a regional scale, for South America. This model, TIMES-América Latina y el Caribe, was applied to studying the impact of national climate policies on regional energy, as the world prepares for a global climate agreement at the Paris conference in December 2015.This document is divided in five chapters. Chapter 1 offers a historical overview of South America's history with a focus on the energy sector, followed by a description of the specificities and challenges of South American energy today. Chapter 2 presents the concepts of prospective and scenario modeling, along with a historical overview and a state-of-the-art of energy prospective in South America. Chapter 3 details the model's main features: its ten-region disaggregation, its modeling rules and the structure and main assumptions for supply and demand, including macroeconomic drivers, resource potentials, and extraction costs. Chapter 4 presents the climate change issue and its implications for South America; it also describes the international climate negotiations, from their beginning in 1972 to the current tentative contributions. Finally, chapter 5 analyses the impacts of these pledges on South America's energy sector, and the contribution of the latter to fulfilling these pledges, as a direct application of the model developed in this thesis.

This diploma thesis aims to emphasize the role of translation as a transcultural process in interaction of native and European culture and subsequent formation of a new, Latin American culture. The thesis investigates a role of interpreters during first expeditions and the conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empire, but focuses mainly on activity of missionaries who came to the New World to Christianize the native population. They decided to prefer Christianization to Hispanicization and started to study native languages. They wrote grammars, lexicons and religious writings in multilingual versions, translated many works into native languages, and studied and described the native culture, thus preserving it at the same time. This thesis takes also the ethical point of view on their activities: on the one hand, missionaries were the initiators of a multicultural dialogue; on the other hand, their interest in the Indians often only served the puspose of conquering them more easily.

The people of ancient Peru produced textiles four thousand years before the Spanish Conquest in 1532 A.D.. They used almost every known technique and created some of the world's most outstanding handwoven textiles. One of the most visually exciting groups are the finely woven interlocking tapestry tunics that served as the official garments of the Wari (Huari) culture (c.700-1000 A.D.). The Wari maintained a highly organized social and economic state and its rigidity is manifested in the formal iconography and artistic conventions of their textiles. With sophisticated design principles and the masterful use of colour, however, the Wari counteracted the problems of monotony and repetition inherent in the strictly prescribed design of the garments. Few of the existing Wari tunics have accompanying scientific provenience or grave associations and therefore little is known of their cultural role. An art historical approach, however, utilizing stylistic analysis breaks the barrier created by the sparse scientific documentation and facilitates the deciphering of design conventions. Very little has been written specifically on Wari textiles. To date, the most important work is a brief article by Alan Sawyer. (Sawyer, 1963:27-38) In it he examines some of the complex design conventions and suggests a methodology for establishing a relative chronology. His methodology will be used in this study. This thesis begins with an examination of the Wari culture based on well documented ceramic evidence and continues with a discussion of provenience (when known), distribution, technology and iconography of the textiles. The focus of this study is the use of design conventions. Examination of three major design conventions - lateral distortion, symmetry and colour usage - is followed by a comparative analysis and a discussion of relevant ceramic evidence. Sawyer has divided Wari official garments into the following three types: 1. Type 1 - Paired elements 2. Type 2 - Composite motifs 3. Type 3 - Staff bearing anthropomorphic figures. This thesis is primarily concerned with the first type. The sample for this study consists of 47 representative examples ranging from fragments to complete tunics of Type 1. Through the examination of lateral distortion and the comparative analysis of relevant ceramic evidence and known textile provenience, a relative chronology can be proposed. It will be shown that it is possible to evaluate the design conventions of symmetry and colour usage to determine the rules governing their application. This in turn permits the identification of regional and temporal traits. / Arts, Faculty of / Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of / Graduate

As an introduction to the present volume several broad issues related to social complexity, order, and power are discussed briefly in terms of their conceptual utility for South America and the Andes in particular. / Como introducción al presente volumen se discuten brevemente una serie de temas amplios relacionados con la complejidad social, orden y poder en términos de su utilidad conceptual para Sudamérica y, en particular, para los Andes.

Understanding U-series isotopic disequilibria of partially melted crust is integral for determining the effect that crustal assimilation has on the U-series signature of magmas. In this work, U, Th and Ba (as a proxy for Ra) elemental abundances were gathered on the quenched glass in partially melted crustal xenoliths of granitic composition using microbeam techniques. The crustal xenoliths, which are found in basaltic lava, from Mirador Volcano in Chile, are old, and can be assumed to be at secular equilibrium, whereas melting occurred during eruption of Mirador in 1979. A comparison of the ratios Ba/Th and U/Th in the partial melts with those of the whole rock reveal how much fractionation has occurred during partial melting. Different ratios of U, Th and Ba compared to the whole rock substantiate fractionation via partial melting. Thus, assimilation of partial melts of crust can play a role in U-series isotopic disequilibria.

This study explored assumptions about communication styles used by nationals of countries that share what is perceived as a common native language. Participants were from Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay, and the common native language was Spanish. Data were gathered before and after their attendance at a five-day training event with attendees from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay via surv'ey questionnaires (pre) and interview questionnaires (post). The data were analyzed for participants' assumptions about communication styles and whether these were confirmed or challenged by intercultural interaction. They were also analyzed for ways in which the perception of a shared native language could influence assumptions and interactions. The results revealed four primary communication styles involved in participants' assumptions: 1) Harmony versus Assertiveness, 2) Accessibility versus Exclusiveness, 3) Vocabulary, and 4) Intercultural Conflict Styles, among other insights related to the study questions.

Over the past decade, South America has been undergoing many transformations, through which it has been experiencing rapid economic growth, has heightened its ability to act more autonomously from international influence on matters of decision-making, and in general is perceived to have become a more stable region in several aspects. In this outlook, South America is increasingly distinguishing itself from the rest of Latin America. South America has been seeking integration for more than two centuries, when independence from the colonizing powers marked the introduction of the notion of integration in the region. However, most observers would argue that until now, South America has not succeeded in achieving its integration aims. Today, however, a new form of regional integration is being introduced in South America, which is said to differ significantly from previous integration schemes. This time, integration is based on left governments, and thereby South America is thought to have entered a Post Neoliberal stage. Historical factors explain the need for a Post Neoliberal approach to government nowadays, as it may be the only sustainable way forward for the region's development. Post Neoliberalism is therefore at the core of new integration efforts. Particularly the recently established Unasur...

The possibility to earn a living and support a family independently is still a utopia for many women all around the world. Many organizations are constantly fighting for awareness of these issues and strive for an improvement in women’s economic equality. One of these organizations is the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) which in its preamble acknowledges that "discrimination violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity".By the tenth anniversary of the CEDAW, almost one hundred nations have agreed to be bound by its provision. Some governments have achieved their goals by replacing discriminatory laws and policies in order to guarantee gender equality. Others have even gone the extra mile by promoting legislation which in turn would make it easier for women to be able to develop their careers. For instance, some have provided longer maternity leave, and in a few exceptional cases, some others gave the possibility of joint parental leave, creating a co-responsibility between men and women. Nevertheless, some governments have not done enough to balance the gender gap. Some even keep discriminatory laws on the books despite having come to powerlifting the flag of social justice and gender equality. This has been the case of many of the so-called “Pink Tide governments” that ruled in the majority of South America during the first two decades of the 21st century. Despite the left turn of these governments, women in the region are still exposed to segregation and jobs with lower status or a lower payment. This paper focuses on this particular period of South American political history, with a focus on the government policies issued to fight the increasing gender gap on women's economic participation and opportunities. In order to account for the actions taken by these governments towards gender equality policies, we will analyze the maternity and parental leave laws implemented during this period, as we understand that women’s social and economic rights are closely related to their status and conditions at work. Finally, we argue that in this case, the color pink has not been representing women in Latin America.

Climate change and land degradation, which is defined as the decline in the productive capacity of the land, have profound implications for resource-based livelihoods and food security. In this dissertation, I use remote sensing to improve understanding of how climate variability affects the productivity of global pasturelands and to quantify the spatial and temporal patterns of land degradation in the Southern Cone region (SCR) of South America. In the first chapter, I characterize the sensitivity of global pastureland productivity to climate variability by analyzing the relationship between MODIS enhanced vegetation index and gridded precipitation data. Results show that pasturelands are least capable of withstanding precipitation deficits in Australia, while pasturelands in Latin America recover more slowly after drought compared to other regions. In the second chapter, I use Landsat observations to measure the magnitude, geography, and rate of change in the amount of bare ground, herbaceous and woody vegetation in the SCR since 1999. Paraguay experienced the highest proportional increase in herbaceous cover as a result of agricultural expansion and intensification, while Uruguay experienced the highest proportional increase in woody cover as a result of afforestation. Argentina, the largest and most heterogeneous country in the SCR, experienced widespread land cover changes from deforestation, reforestation, afforestation, and desertification, each of which varied in extent and magnitude by ecoregion. In the third chapter, I assess patterns of land degradation in the SCR using the United Nations Sustainable Development framework. My results show that 67.5% of the SCR experienced changes in land cover properties in the 21st century, with widespread improvement (i.e., increased productive capacity), along with substantial hotspots of degradation caused by expansion of agriculture and systematic decreases in precipitation. Monitoring degradation is necessary to assess ecosystem services, ensure food security, and develop land use policies designed to increase the resilience of land systems to the joint stresses imposed by climate change and a growing global population. The methods, datasets, and results from this dissertation provide an improved basis for creating such policies in some of the world’s most vulnerable and food insecure regions.