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Many cities are facing water shortages because of climate change. Climate adaptation plans have prioritized water saving to prevent the devastating consequences of drought. To develop such adaptation plans, it is critical to understand the water-use patterns of cities. The present research determines the water consumption for irrigation of green spaces and residential gardens in metropolitan area of Santiago, Chile (MAS) and compares this consumption with the expected vegetation water requirements estimated using a hydrological model. The monthly water consumption was obtained from a database of drinking water meters provided by the private water utility serving most of the MAS, which includes 110 large parks and 1882 small parks. The MAS shows higher water consumption during the summer dry months (November to April). The water use for irrigation is higher than the modelled demand of vegetation, which entails a significant chance to save water. The irrigation rate of public spaces is lower than private spaces, and closer to the modelled demand. In all cases, the landscaping based on extensive lawn surfaces seems to be the main driver of over-irrigation. Further research is required to study the trade-offs between the urban green benefits and the costs of irrigation in semi-arid and Mediterranean cities.

Green infrastructure (GI) contributes to environmental quality and human well-being in urban environments by providing a number of ecosystem services. There is evidence that urban expansion negatively impacts on GI, but most studies have focused on large cities at the expense of an understanding of these processes in smaller cities. Here we assess the urban expansion and spatio-temporal dynamics of GI in small and medium-sized Chilean cities over a period of three decades. Seven cities were selected along a latitudinal gradient extending from 23 °S to 45 °S, and covering a wide variety of climates including: arid, semi-arid, mediterranean and temperate. Remote sensing and landscape analysis techniques were employed to assess changes in urban areas and GI spatial patterns. The cities that were analyzed showed a continuous expansion over the last 30 years associated with high population growth rates. Landscape analysis also evidenced an increasing level of GI fragmentation in most cities. Population growth, economic growth, and public policies seem to have a greater influence on long-term changes in GI than climate or geographic location. Our study highlights the need for better urban policies that protect and develop GI because of its crucial role in human well-being and urban sustainability.

Latin America is one of the most urbanized region in the world, where patterns of urbanization are disorganized and disjoint from urban planning, with unknown effects for ecosystem services (ES). We evaluated the ES in Bogota and Santiago for a 30-year period. Using remote sensing data, models and census data we quantified carbon regulation, climate mitigation and recreation potential. We assessed ES provision changes and their spatio-temporal patterns using landscape metrics. Urban vegetation patterns differ between the two cities because of climate variability and greening policies. Bogota stored more carbon than Santiago given to climate effects, differences within city were the result of different policies and management. Climate mitigation showed similar behavior for both cities, influenced by global climate, densification and urban sprawling. Recreation potential increased in the inner-city and decrease at the outskirts, reflecting unplanned urban sprawling and increase population. Areas of high ecosystem services connected for Bogota and fragmented for Santiago. Bogota improved its environmental condition, as evaluated by ES provision, while Santiago worsens, even there was an increased in vegetation cover. Vegetation cover was not a sufficient indicator for ecosystem services and the distribution of it becomes highly relevant for informing mismatches between services and vegetation.

Biodiversity-sensitive cities can contribute to reconnect humans with nature and halt global biodiversity loss. Achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities is challenging, especially in regions threatened by growing urbanization. To inform urban management and planning in a global biodiversity hotspot, we conducted a multi-scale assessment of drivers of Neotropical birds in the capital city of Santiago de Chile. We investigate the influence of local and landscape variables on native bird species richness and abundance. We surveyed birds and vegetation in 449 sampling points distributed across the city. Native bird species richness was greater in areas with greater shrub and woody vegetation cover at the local scale. Native bird species richness was also greater with high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape and near to an urban boundary. Native birds were abundant in areas with large woody vegetation cover at both local and landscape scales, high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape, near to an urban park and near to an urban boundary. Additive effects of vegetation at different spatial scales suggest that combining local and landscape management, planning and design will be best to preserve native birds in a large city. Although native birds are species rich and abundant near the urban fringe and decrease towards the interior of the city, local-scale management of habitat encouraging shrub and tree planting and landscape-scale actions such as targeting high levels of vegetation (including woody cover) and providing a well-distributed network of urban parks will help sustain native birds across the city. Greening actions at local and landscape-scale will contribute to achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities, providing benefits for people and nature.

Green spaces are considered as indicators of both quality of life and urban sustainability. In Latin America, some analyses have been made regarding the provision and use of urban green spaces, but there are few studies that analyze how peoples’ perceptions influence the use of these areas. The article analyses factors such as preferences for green spaces over other leisure spaces, community attachment, the image of green spaces, social cohesion, and perceptions of safety in three socioeconomically differentiated neighborhoods within the Metropolitan Area of Santiago. Observations and interviews with users and residents were performed. The neighborhoods showed differing patterns, uses and users of the green spaces, explained primarily by differences of perception regarding community attachment, image, and preference over other spaces. Socio-economic status is associated with the intensity and diversity of use, community attachment, and the image of the parks.

Introduction L’efficience cognitive globale en pathologie neurologique est souvent evaluee par differentes echelles comme le « Mini-Mental State Examination » (MMSE) et la « Mattis Dementia Rating Scale » (MDRS). Nous ne disposons d’aucune recommandation concernant l’utilisation d’un test plutot qu’un autre dans la pathologie Cadasil. Les objectifs de cette etude sont : – de decrire le declin cognitif global en fonction de l’âge et d’evaluer l’effet du sexe et du niveau socioculturel (NSC) sur ce declin ; – d’examiner la sensibilite de ces tests aux modifications globales de l’etat cognitif ; – de comparer leurs proprietes metrologiques dans le but de selectionner le meilleur test pour le suivi longitudinal des patients atteints de Cadasil. Methodes Entre 2003 et 2017, 366 patients âges de plus de 18 ans et ayant une mutation du gene NOTCH3 responsable de Cadasil ont ete recrutes prospectivement au sein du centre de reference CERVCO. Les patients ont ete analyses lorsque leurs scores au MMSE et a la MDRS avaient ete obtenus au moins trois fois simultanement. Les analyses statistiques ont ainsi concerne 185 patients. Nous avons fait l’hypothese que le MMSE et la MDRS etaient des mesures avec erreur du meme processus latent sous-jacent, a savoir le niveau cognitif global. Nous avons analyse l’evolution de ce niveau cognitif global a l’aide d’un modele mixte multivarie a processus latent. Le modele a ete ajuste sur le sexe et le NSC. Le NSC (echelle de Barbizet) a ete analyse selon une variable binaire : eleve pour un NSC superieur ou egal au baccalaureat et faible dans le cas contraire. Resultats L’efficience cognitive globale diminue avec l’âge avec une acceleration a partir de 50 ans. Nous n’avons pas montre d’effet du sexe ou du NSC sur ce declin cognitif. Les scores MMSE et de la MDRS n’apparaissent pas sensibles pour les hauts niveaux cognitifs (effet plafond) et presentent une sensibilite au changement variable (curvilinearite). Le score MMSE couvre un intervalle de niveaux cognitifs legerement plus large que la MDRS et semble un peu plus sensible pour les hauts niveaux cognitifs que la MDRS, ces differences ne sont cependant pas significatives. A l’inclusion, le sexe n’etait pas associe au niveau cognitif (p = 0,136). L’effet du sexe ne differe pas d’un test a l’autre (p = 0,085). Le niveau cognitif apparait significativement plus eleve chez les individus a haut NSC (p = 0,019) que chez ceux a bas NSC. L’effet du NSC ne differe cependant pas d’un test a l’autre (p = 0,283). Nous avons trouve une variabilite inter-individuelle des scores aux tests MMSE et MDRS pour un meme niveau de processus latent. Conclusion L’efficience cognitive globale dans l’angiopathie Cadasil diminue avec l’âge, notamment a partir de 50 ans. Nous n’avons pas observe d’effet du sexe ou du NSC sur ce declin cognitif. Les proprietes metrologiques du score MMSE et de la MDRS apparaissent globalement semblables. Ces resultats ne permettent donc pas de selectionner une de ces echelles en particulier, pour evaluer les patients Cadasil au cours d’etudes longitudinales.

Environmental quality has a strong influence on the quality of life for human beings. There are direct linkages between primary elements of the environment, such as air, water, and land surface and the quality of life. Our main research refers to the question how residents and their environment interact by assessing the measured and perceived environmental quality and quality of life. Although, this integrated research requires a wide range of data, there is a lack of studies which have attempted to combine qualitative and quantitative data on quality of the environment and subsequently, quality of life. Based on Lawrence's (2011) notion of environmental quality as a complex concept that is neither static nor absolute, we focus on two interrelated sets of components: bio-geophysical, measurable components and subjective susceptibility of the environmental burdens. We do this by a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis to draw out dimensions of environmental quality and subsequently, quality of life.

Green spaces play a key role in the social activities of those who carry the potential for spatial interaction. In the Metropolitan Area of Santiago de Chile, the increase in housing construction for higher socio-economic strata in low-status neighbourhoods has led in part to a new socio-spatial mix. Whether this trend of socially more diverse neighbourhoods opens up opportunities for spatial contacts is the subject of an emerging debate. Focussing on urban green spaces, this paper provides empirical evidence for use patterns that make spatial interaction between different social groups possible. The analysis and its interpretation combine ecological and socio-economic variables. The results show that in terms of frequency and type of use of green spaces both similar and dissimilar patterns prevail and that distance is not the decisive factor. As a policy recommendation, standard of green spaces should be upgraded, notably in neighbourhoods with residents from different income groups in order to enhance the opportunities of spatial interaction.

Research on analytical and assessment methods regarding environmental policies are scarce, despite the growing concern on environmental topics within governments and civil society. This proposal addresses such gap by offering a methodological tool used to elaborate, monitor and reformulate environmental policies. By using the theory of policy domains, we developed an analytical framework consisting of topics and objectives that build the environmental public policy domain, from which we assess its degree of coherence with the environmental regulatory response. This methodology, called policy statement coherence, will contribute towards the understanding of public policy formulation and implementation processes, an important methodological contribution in this field of research. This proposal revolves around the analysis of water policies in Chile.

This study aims to give a differentiated picture of urban and suburban development regarding demographic and land-use change as major drivers for urban growth. A set of indicators has been selected to analyze and evaluate the dynamics of these drivers and their implications for environmental conditions and the quality of life. The study is exemplified by the Metropolitan Area of Santiago de Chile (MAS). This metropolis is undergoing rapid urban dynamics, like many other Latin American cities, but shows some idiosyncratic features. The results show demographic growth in suburbia, very densely built-up areas in the urban municipalities with the only growth potential in the suburban landscape, as well as environmental implications of flood-hazard zones and public green spaces relevant for both urban and suburban areas. Furthermore, the indicators assessed show that not all suburban areas underlie the same conditions, nor are they similarly developed.

A clinical impact of cognitive reserve (CR) has been demonstrated in Alzheimer's disease, whereas its role in vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the impact of CR in patients with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), a genetic variant of pure VCI. A total of 247 NOTCH3 mutation carriers from a two-center study were investigated using detailed neuropsychological and neuroimaging protocols. CR was operationalized as years of formal education. Brain pathology was assessed by MRI using normalized brain volume and lacunar lesion volume as proxies. Multivariate analyses were done for each structural measure with scores of processing speed, executive function, and memory as dependent variables. Additional linear regression models were conducted with interaction terms for education × brain volume and education × lacunar lesion volume. Education had an independent impact on cognitive performance in subjects with mild and moderate degrees of brain pathology, whereas there was no significant influence of education on cognition in patients with severe MRI changes. This interaction was found for processing speed, the cognitive domain most impaired in our patients. Our findings demonstrate an interaction of education and brain pathology in regard to cognitive impairment: the effect of education seems most pronounced in early disease stages but may ultimately be overwhelmed by the pathological changes. The results extend the concept of CR to VCI.

Resume Le centre de reference CERVCO est implique dans la prise en charge de differentes maladies vasculaires rares du cerveau et de la retine. Les progres observes au cours des dernieres annees sont variables en fonction des pathologies concernees. Le centre de reference est largement implique dans de multiples activites de recherche qui ont permis au cours des 5 dernieres annees d’ameliorer le diagnostic et la prise en charge de ces affections. Les enjeux pour l’avenir varient pour chacune d’entre elles. Le centre de reference aura besoin d’outils d’evaluation simplifies, d’une reconnaissance officielle d’un reseau de medecins « experts » et d’une adaptation des moyens techniques et humains pour atteindre les objectifs fixes.

In the elderly, the high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology presents a major challenge to the investigation of memory decline in common diseases such as small vessel disease. CADASIL represents a unique clinical model to determine the spectrum of memory impairment in subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD). One hundred and forty CADASIL patients underwent detailed clinical, neuropsychological and imaging analyses. The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test was used as a measure of verbal memory. Forty-four out of 140 CADASIL patients (31.4%) presented with memory impairment according to this test. Eight out of 44 (18.2%) subjects with memory impairment matched the definition of the amnestic syndrome of hippocampal type. While alterations in spontaneous recall were related to the severity of subcortical ischemic lesions, the profile of memory impairment, particularly the sensitivity to cueing was found related to other factors such as hippocampal atrophy.

Indicators are helpful tools for land use management; especially in the context of sustainable urban development, they are indispensable information bases for decision making, communication, and awareness rising. For Santiago de Chile, like many other large and dynamic cities, a high complexity of geographical conditions, social and land use pattern, diverging interests, and a high velocity of development are characteristic. In this situation, the Risk Habitat Megacity (RHM) initiative seeks to support local and regional authorities in elaborating indicators applicable in land use and flood risk management. In this article, the indicator approach of the Land Use Management group within the RHM initiative is presented. Based on the analysis of characteristics of and demands on sustainability indicators, existing indicator sets for Santiago de Chile are analysed. Thereafter, the indicator set for sustainable land use management in Santiago de Chile is presented. It was elaborated in a combined bottom–up and top–down approach in discussion with Chilean scientists and stakeholders in order to guarantee its relevancy to practice. The analysis of the already existing indicators in Santiago de Chile shows that the newly developed toolset forms a valuable and complementary addition, mainly for two reasons: the interdisciplinary nature of the set and its reproducibility.