No abstract

El proyecto comenzó en marzo 2010-y finalizó en noviembre 2010. Al DANE, al DNP y a COLCIENCIAS, se les agradece el suministro de la información empleada en la elaboración del estudio. Los posibles errores presentes en el documento son completamente responsabilidad nuestra.

This paper uses two sources of information and different methodologies to analyze the causal effect of product and process innovation on productivity in the Chilean manufacturing industry during the past decade. In general, the evidence suggests there is not a contemporaneous effect of product innovation on productivity, but there is a positive effect of process innovation. This notsignificant effect of product innovation contrasts with evidence of studies for other countries. However, the results show the presence of lagged effects product innovation on productivity two years after innovation. Compared with the case of developed countries, this evidence might be consistent with a very slow process of "learning by doing" on the part of Chilean firms with regard to mastering new technologies. These slow and frequently uncertain gains in productivity could help to explain the low levels of investment in research and development (R&D) activities by Chilean firms. JEL Classifications: D22, D24, D92capital endowments, macroeconomic volatility, insufficient provision of public goods, and shortcomings in the regulatory framework, among other reasons. 1 This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between R&D and productivity in Latin America, by focusing on the Chilean experience. At first glance, the Chilean case does not deviate much from the historical pattern of Latin America. Although Chile ranked at the top of regional positions for some indicators during the 1990s, this was not true during the preceding decades. Furthermore, when compared to developed countries in most of the R&D measures, Chile lags behind significantly. Table 3 shows R&D expenditure over GDP and R&D per capita (in 1996 constant dollars). Although in recent years Chilean R&D expenditure has surpassed 0.6 percent of GDP, it is still below the 0.84 percent that Brazil averaged for the 1990s and is very close to the 0.52 percent regional average during the same period. By the same token, the average R&D expenditure per capita in the region was close to US$33 during the 1990s. The Chilean average was US$46, still below the US$54 that Brazil averaged during the same period. With respect to sources of funding for R&D, the main source by 2004 was the private sector with 46 percent, according to UNESCO; the government and universities financed the rest.Regarding R&D output, Latin American countries underperform compared to leading countries, and Chile is not an exception. Consider the number of patents granted in the United States to researchers not living in the United States (Table 4). Researchers across all of Latin America obtained 258 patents during 2000-04, while Australian researchers received 858 patents. According to Bravo-Ortega and García (2007), Brazil obtained an average of 108 patents, Argentina 53.6, and Chile a modest 13 patents per year.With the exception of a few studies, there is not much evidence on the impact of research activities on productivity in Chile (Benavente, 2006). Previous results show that ...

According to the World-Wide Organization of the Health, the number of people infected with the Tripanosoma Cruzi is considered between 6 and 8 million, causal agent of the Chagas' disease , and in 550000 the people are expected to be exposed to the affectation risk. When concluding in 1983 a longitudinal epidemiologist study in patients with the disease evaluated every 3 years, the cardiac affectation: chronic Chagasic myocarditis (MCHC) increased from a 17% at the beginning of the study to a 49, 4% after 15 years. Previous studies of the variability of cardiac frequency (HRV) in patients with the Chagas' disease, show alterations in the spectral indices of the HRV. A nonlinear modeling technique allows the definition of early risk markers in patients with Chagas's disease and without any evidence of cardiac involvement evaluated by standard diagnostic test (CH1). We analyze ECGs by Holter recordings in patients with ECG alterations (CH2), patients without ECG alterations (CH1) who had positive serological findings for Chagas' disease and healthy (Control) matched for sex and age. Two ECGs were digitized for each volunteer, one begins at supine position and the other at orthostatic position. The technique applied is based upon quantitative comparison of the evolution from similar ECGs Sub segments, and a measure of the predictability decay rate were calculated for each register. We did find significant differences among Control and CH2 during supine and also standing with high sensibility and specificity in the early detection of cardiac involvement. It is suggested that these alterations are very early autonomic disturbances in patients without ECG alterations (CH1) that could be useful to enhance risk stratification.

Al though Chilean exports have performed well in recent decades, they are still largely confined to a few products, a few markets and a small number of firms. The present paper explores this last point, discussing the export behaviour of companies. The main stylized facts are as follows: only a small group of firms are capable of exporting on a permanent basis, and these companies are much larger and have much higher levels of productivity and human capital than the rest.