Jaime Aguirre
Jaime Aguirre is a distinguished chemist with extensive academic and professional credentials. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Technology from the Technological University of Pereira and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Antioquia, both in Colombia. He furthered his expertise with a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Jaime’s career began at the University of Antioquia’s Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, where he dedicated a decade of service, honing his expertise. He then moved to ICI’s Functional Fluids Laboratory in Sydney, where he contributed for three years. Over the next 20 years, Jaime played a key role at Coca-Cola Amatil, also in Sydney, working in both Quality Control and the Syrup Room to uphold the highest standards in beverage production.
Jaime’s works cover a wide range of disciplines, blending rigorous scientific knowledge with deep cultural insights, reflecting his versatile expertise and broad intellectual scope.
BOOKS
The Kjeldahl Method: 140 Years
Published by Springer Nature in 2023.
My first encounter with the Kjeldahl method occurred in 1976 (that’s 47 years ago!), when I was studying Chemical Technology, in Pereira (Colombia). It was during the Food Analysis course, taught by the late Alcibíades Reyes, a teacher never forgotten. I still remember my earliest Kjeldahl test using a Parnas-Wagner-Pregl apparatus, and although the results obtained were far from correct (understandable on account of my then limited analytical skills), the experience left a significant impression in my mind, and ignited a curiosity that led me to explore the method in depth throughout the subsequent years.
Three years later, in 1979, I had the opportunity to manage the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition at the Faculty of Zootechnics and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Antioquia, in Medellín (Colombia). For ten years I trained undergraduate students on feedstuff analysis techniques, and how to use these methods for testing all kinds of animal feed (fodder, forages, compound feed, and silage) in their thesis/projects.
Later, during 1992 and 1993, I was training technical staff in different companies and universities in Colombia, essentially on the setting up and operation of Kjeldahl digestion and distillation systems.
While getting ahead with my career I was oriented towards different subjects, but I never lost interest in all kinds of publications on food analysis, and throughout the years I gathered a good deal of information about nitrogen determination.
An appraisal of my collection of articles led me to the writing of this review, which is intended as a modest tribute to Johan Kjeldahl on the 140th anniversary of the publication of his method.
Periodic Table of the Universe: Symphony of Matter
Published by Cambridge Scholars in 2024.
At the core of the physical and biological sciences, amid the perplexing realm of matter, there exists a profound and intricate order, a harmonious symphony of elements that together form the very essence of our world.
It is this remarkable ensemble that we delve into, for it tells the extraordinary tale of the periodic table, a story steeped in scientific revelation, marked by unparalleled innovation, and a testament to the stubborn spirit of human curiosity.
This book provides a succinct journey through the history of the periodic table, unveiling its roots in the creation of chemical elements within stars, tracking their subsequent discovery, systematic arrangement on Earth, and exploring the enthralling realm of man-made elements.
The opening chapter examines the fundamental principles necessary for comprehending the nuclear transformations responsible for the creation of chemical elements. It offers insights into the fundamentals of astrophysics while embarking on a journey to explore the genesis of the very first elements forged in the crucible of primordial nucleosynthesis.
In the second chapter, we explore the complex web of creation within the core of stars. Stellar nucleosynthesis takes center stage during stellar evolution. Within this cosmic crucible, lighter elements fuse together, birthing their heavier counterparts and thus giving rise to the astonishing diversity of chemical elements that enrich the cosmos.
As we venture into chapter three, our journey takes us through the annals of human history, where we tell the remarkable story of discovering the elements right here on Earth. Our ancestors, in their quest for knowledge, were among the first to recognize the elements in the natural world. They unearthed precious metals, harnessed the power of various ores, and intuitively applied the principles of chemistry to their daily lives.
With the ascent of the scientific method, the pace of discovery quickened, and dedicated researchers began an unyielding pursuit to isolate and characterize new elements.
Chapter four pays tribute to one of the pivotal milestones in the annals of scientific history—the discovery of the Periodic Law. Amid the 19th-century scientific revolution, multiple researchers, including Dmitri Mendeleev and Julius Lothar Meyer, independently realized that the properties of elements exhibited periodic patterns when arranged in ascending order of atomic mass.
This groundbreaking revelation not only organized the elements into a cohesive framework but also paved the way for predicting the existence of yet-to-be-discovered elements with startling precision.
Chapter five surveys the forefront of scientific discovery, the journey through the captivating realm of synthetic elements, culminating in the making of oganesson—a testament to human ingenuity and a pinnacle of the periodic table. Oganesson stands as the element with the highest atomic number and atomic mass among all known elements.
These synthetic elements, produced through painstaking efforts in laboratories via intricate nuclear reactions, represent a profound challenge to the boundaries of our understanding of atomic physics. They defy the conventional and inspire scientific inquiry across the globe.
In Chapter Six, we delve into the electron configurations of all 118 known elements. This foundational knowledge enables chemists to organize the periodic table into distinct blocks, each reflecting the underlying structure of electron shells and subshells. Additionally, we explore the intricate electron configurations of ions, providing deeper insights into their behavior. This chapter not only enhances our understanding of atomic structure but also illuminates the principles governing chemical behavior and reactivity
The concluding chapter provides a detailed account of the long format (32-column) of the periodic table, complete with essential information for each element. This standard configuration accommodates the placement of f-block elements between Groups 2 and 3, providing a comprehensive representation of the periodic table’s structure.
Throughout the book, we have included references to recent reviews and have consistently highlighted the works of prominent authors who have conducted extensive studies on various facets of the periodic table. These notable scholars, namely Francis Preston Venable, Johannes Willem van Spronsen, Glenn T. Seaborg, Edward Mazurs, John Emsley, Dennis H. Rouvray, Geoff Rayner-Canham, and Eric R. Scerri, have made invaluable contributions that significantly enhanced our comprehension of the periodic table and its profound relevance in scientific research.
Lotteries: Prize Structures and Probabilities
When you select to play fifteen numbers in a keno game, the chance of matching fifteen out of the twenty numbers drawn is 1 in 428,010,179,098. That is 1 in 428 billion! The number in itself is hard to imagine. Keno is a type of lottery, and as such, it is ruled by the laws of probability.
Lotteries are played in many countries around the world. Millions of people buy tickets on a regular or occasional basis in hopes of beating the odds. But how many of those dreamers have a real understanding of the mathematical principles ruling their chances? In the following pages you will find the basic information needed to clearly understand chance in terms of easy mathematical rules, and you will learn how to apply this knowledge to work out the chance of winning a prize in any lottery.
This book is addressed not only to students with a passion for the mathematics of chance, but also to those who simply want to understand how lotteries work. It is not an in-depth study of the subject, but rather an introduction to basic concepts and methods in probability, and how to apply them to most of the lotteries currently played worldwide.
We are constantly being persuaded to gamble through lottery websites, online games, and advertising. Understanding the risks of betting, and preventing the compulsion to gamble, begins with education. Education on wagering must start at the core of the matter: the knowledge of probability theory and the relevant mathematical rules applied to evaluate the chances of winning any lottery prize.
This book does not promise you any secret or system to win the lottery. If there were a systematic way of predicting a winning combination, the numerous authors of the large number of books on lottery systems would now be millionaires themselves, and would not be revealing their concealed secrets at an affordable value.
The subjects of the different chapters are:
Chapter 1: Lotteries, Odds, and Probabilities
The book starts with the basic concepts required to understand the laws of chance.
Chapter 2: Probability of Simple and Compound Events
In the second chapter the probability of simple and compound events is explained through several examples. The two fundamental principles of addition and multiplication are described.
Chapter 3: Methods of Counting
This chapter examines the permutations and combinations as techniques of counting. Counting methods are frequently used when calculating large quantities of outcomes.
Chapter 4: Draws with Replacement
Based on the definitions studied in Chapter 1 lotteries are classified in accordance with the probability principle involved. Draws with repetition are the equivalent to draws with replacement. The concept is explained with various examples.
Chapter 5: Draws without Replacement—One Draw Machine
Following the line of reasoning in the former chapter, lotteries in which repetitions do not occur are studied as draws without replacement, and in this chapter, lotteries using one draw machine are studied as examples.
Chapter 6: Draws without Replacement—Two Draw Machines
Draws without repetition using two draw machines are considered in this chapter. Again, all calculations are explained by way of several examples.
Chapter 7: Selected Topics
Finally, certain interesting issues are exposed for the reader to reflect on some aspects of lotteries that perhaps never crossed his/her mind before.
Tras un Sueño de Distancia: Memorias de Colombia y Australia
Este libro representa un compendio de mi vida, una crónica visual que busca capturar los momentos cruciales y las transformaciones personales que experimenté a lo largo de mi historia.
A mis 71 años, este documento es la síntesis de mis experiencias vividas en dos países: 39 años en Colombia y 32 años en Australia. Estas dos etapas prácticamente representan dos mitades de mi vida. La primera mitad comprendió mi infancia, adolescencia y juventud en Colombia, mientras que la segunda mitad ha sido mi período de madurez y años de jubilación en Australia.
A pesar de enfrentar considerables dificultades económicas y familiares, logré completar mi formación académica en Colombia, acumulando al mismo tiempo una valiosa experiencia laboral. Sin embargo, las circunstancias políticas y sociales del país en los años 1980 me llevaron a tomar la decisión de emigrar a Australia. En Australia pude continuar mi carrera profesional desde los primeros meses de mi llegada al obtener un empleo como analista de control de calidad en ICI. Poco tiempo después, tuve la oportunidad de realizar un posgrado (máster) en una de las mejores universidades del mundo, la universidad de Nueva Gales del Sur.
Con el transcurso del tiempo, también fui afortunado al tener la oportunidad de viajar y explorar varios países, así como de descubrir diferentes lugares dentro de Australia.
A lo largo de mi vida, cometí errores que considero injustificables. Sin embargo, en el balance general, puedo decir que el resultado final de mi existencia es muy positivo, como se establece en los capítulos de este libro. He logrado obtener tres títulos profesionales, trabajar para empresas de renombre, explorar diferentes lugares a través de mis viajes y, lo más importante, tengo tres hijos a quienes amo profundamente (por extraño que parezca, cada uno de ellos nació en un país diferente).
En este libro, dos particularidades son notables:
1. Se pueden encontrar numerosas referencias y descripciones de laboratorios a lo largo de todo el texto. Esto se debe a que mi vida profesional se desarrolló en su totalidad en diversos laboratorios universitarios e industriales. Fui, en esencia, un hombre de laboratorio.
2. Desde las primeras páginas, se pueden apreciar críticas frecuentes a la religión. Cuestionar la fe y la mitología cristiana desde mi infancia fue un determinante fundamental en mi vida. En resumen, mi vida ha estado guiada por la razón, no por la fe. Soy un hombre de laboratorio, no de iglesia.
Setenta Breves Historias Profanas
El lector
En las páginas que siguen, el lector quedará introducido, sumergido en el mismo mundo en el que se encontraba. Se encontrará al borde de una brecha dimensional, un umbral que lo transportará hacia un universo completamente conocido y ordinario. La realidad conocida se disolverá como neblina matinal ante el inminente descenso a un mundo igual, a un reino de posibilidades finitas y misterios inexistentes.El lector se convertirá en un explorador de lo explorado, un viajero que se hunde en las profundidades del texto, atrapado por su verdad.Cada vuelta de página será un paso más hacia lo conocido, una puerta hacia viejas revelaciones y descubrimientos.En este mundo igual, las reglas pueden ser las mismas, los destinos esperados y los encuentros ordinarios.El lector se convertirá en el arquitecto de su propia tergiversación, trenzando significados y enmarañando misterios a medida que avanza en esta travesía literaria.El lector quedará sumergido en un océano de posibilidades finitas, navegando entre palabras y frases que se convierten en corrientes que lo llevarán hacia lo conocido, invitándolo a explorar, soñar y descubrir un mundo que solamente existe en la realidad.
Las historias breves
Setenta historias que abarcan una amplia gama de temas, desde un viaje por los Andes colombianos hasta un deambular por las calles de Florencia, desde una digresión sobre lo absurdo del «pecado original» hasta la luctuosa e irreparable historia del monstruoso «pecado final».
Lo profano
Lo profano se refiere a todo aquello que está relacionado con lo secular, lo mundano o lo no sagrado. En contraste con lo sagrado, lo profano no tiene connotaciones religiosas o espirituales específicas y puede abarcar una amplia gama de actividades, objetos o lugares que se consideran comunes, ordinarios o no relacionados con la espiritualidad.Por ejemplo, las actividades cotidianas como trabajar, comer o dormir se considerarían profanas en contraposición a los rituales religiosos o sagrados. La definición de lo profano puede variar según el contexto cultural, social o subjetivo en el que se utilice.
El Laicismo en 100 Libros
La presente obra es una selección cuidadosa de algunos de los miles de títulos que, a lo largo de la historia, se han escrito en contra de la religión. Cada libro incluido en esta lista viene acompañado de una breve sinopsis, cuyo objetivo es ofrecer al lector una visión general del contenido y de las principales ideas que el autor ha querido transmitir. Estas sinopsis no pretenden sustituir la lectura de las obras originales, sino más bien servir como una introducción que despierte el interés y oriente la reflexión.
Es fundamental subrayar que estas reseñas proporcionan solo una aproximación preliminar a los textos, y que, para captar plenamente la esencia, la profundidad y la complejidad de cada obra, es indispensable leer el libro completo. Las ideas que aquí se resumen apenas rozan la superficie del pensamiento de cada autor, y solo a través de la lectura directa es posible explorar de manera integral los matices de sus argumentos y la riqueza de su razonamiento.
A través de esta compilación, se busca proporcionar al lector una herramienta útil para navegar por la vasta y diversa literatura crítica sobre la religión. Los libros seleccionados abordan el tema desde múltiples perspectivas y enfoques, reflejando la pluralidad de opiniones y debates que han surgido en torno a la religión a lo largo de los siglos. Desde posturas filosóficas y políticas hasta críticas históricas y sociales, esta antología reúne una amplia gama de pensamientos que invitan a cuestionar y a reexaminar ideas tradicionales.
La lectura completa de estas obras permitirá al lector desarrollar una comprensión más profunda y matizada de las críticas a la religión, así como de los contextos históricos, culturales y personales en los que fueron formuladas. Este proceso no solo enriquecerá el conocimiento sobre las distintas corrientes de pensamiento crítico, sino que también abrirá nuevas puertas para el análisis y la reflexión personal.
En última instancia, este compendio aspira a ser mucho más que una simple colección de libros. Se presenta como una puerta de entrada al estimulante y enriquecedor mundo del pensamiento crítico sobre la religión, invitando al lector no solo a informarse, sino también a cuestionar, a dialogar y a formar su propio juicio fundamentado sobre uno de los temas más debatidos de la historia humana.
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