With the aim of developing a mechanism that can predict faults in mining fans, a group of researchers from the University of Santiago de Chile, led by Dr. Sebastián Pérez from the Department of Mining Engineering (Dimin) Usach, are working on a Fondef R&D project, which has now begun field tests to prove its effectiveness in real operating conditions.
Agricultural crops are permanently exposed to infections caused by dangerous phytopathogenic agents, which can seriously damage plants and even cause losses of vegetable crops.
One of the most harmful phytopathogenic bacteria for agriculture is the species Pseudomonas syringae, which affects kiwifruit, cherry, plum, tomato and bean plantations, among others. As a result of this infection, there are considerable losses in production and harvests, implying millions of dollars in economic losses for the industry.
Audiological diseases due to continuous exposure to noise at work are among the main occupational pathologies in our country, according to data from the Superintendence of Social Security.
The WHO recommends a limit of 65 decibels to ensure good health and well-being of people, while Chilean regulations allow up to 85 decibels in eight-hour workdays, which is not always complied with.
Chile is one of the leaders in the world salmon industry, occupying second place in salmonid production, after Norway, and supplying 25% of the global supply. At the national level, this product is the largest exporter, after copper.
The sector faces several challenges, however, including the spread of diseases that threaten the stability and quality of production. One of the most common and dangerous is salmonid rickettsial septicemia (SRS), caused by the bacterium Piscirickettsia salmonis.
The Universidad de Santiago de Chile was recently awarded the Structural Research Fund for Universities (FIU), an initiative of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (CTCI), aimed at strengthening Research, Development and Innovation (R+D+i) capacity in higher education institutions in our country. This funding will allow Usach to develop and consolidate strategic lines of research during the next ten years.
Burner or ignition systems are essential for the operation of industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and energy, as they facilitate the ignition of fuels to generate heat, energy or perform key processes. Their use in mining, manufacturing, construction and transportation, among others, ensures the continuity of operations.
Capturing thermal images through drones that will fly over the University of Santiago de Chile, Jairo Herrera Painenao, a student of Land/Geomatics Engineering, will detect possible heat islands in our campus.
His thesis work is entitled “Analysis of thermal images for the detection of possible heat islands at the University of Santiago de Chile”, and his guiding professor is Dr. Marcelo Caverlotti.
A significant discovery by Valeria Olivares, a physicist at the University of Santiago, and an international team of astronomers, published in Nature Astronomy, reveals a correlation between the surface brightness of hot and warm gas in the central filaments of galaxy clusters.
This finding provides crucial insight into the origin of these gaseous filaments, the primary fuel source for supermassive black holes and star formation.
Computed tomography (CT) is currently one of the most widely used techniques to diagnose various diseases for its excellent performance and speed in obtaining images or cross-sections of bones, blood vessels, and soft tissues of the body. It has also become one of the radiological procedures that involves the highest exposure to radiation, equivalent to six months to five years of unprotected exposure to the sun.
Usach was recently selected as one of the first beneficiaries of the Structural Research Fund for Universities (FIU), an initiative that seeks to strengthen the scientific and technological capabilities of higher education institutions in our country.