Ecological interactions in Nothofagus antarctica forests under silvopastoral use in continental southern Patagonia

Los bosques de ñire (Nothofagus antarctica) en el sur de Patagonia se ubican mayoritariamente limitando con la estepa. De esta manera, han sido utilizados como sistemas silvopastoriles con ganadería ovina y/o bovina desde fines de 1800. Esta actividad que combina tres componentes principales (árboles, sotobosque y animales) en una misma unidad de suelo conlleva una serie deinteracciones ecológicas entre dichos factores. En esta revisión se presentan los principales hallazgos respecto de las sinergias y antagonismos que se generan en estos sistemas silvopastoriles en el extremo sur de Patagonia continental y su incidencia a nivel paisaje. Destacan en estos sistemas el efecto de las interacciones entre coberturas de copa y calidad de sitio de los rodales sobre: el microclima, la productividad primaria y calidad nutritiva del sotobosque, la instalación de regeneración arbórea, el ciclado de nutrientes y el comportamiento animal. En general, los estudios presentados indican que en estos sistemas prevalecen las interacciones positivas, sin embargo hay otros aspectos que a escala paisaje deben ser tenidos en cuenta para no comprometer laconservación de estos bosques australes.Ñire (Nothofagus antarctica) forests in southern Patagonia are mostly located in the limit with the steppe. Thus, these forests have been used as silvopastoral systems with sheep and / or cattle livestock since the late 1800s. This activity combines three main components (trees, understory and cattle) in a same surface, which implies several ecological interactions between those factors. In this review the main research about synergies and antagonisms generated in these systems in southern continental Patagonia are presented. The effects of interactions between crown cover and site quality over: microclimate, primary productivity and nutritive value of forage, installation of tree regeneration; nutrient cycling and livestock behaviour; are highlighted. In general, the studied publications indicate that in these systems the positive interactions are dominant. However, there are other issues at landscape scale which require special attention to guarantee the conservation of these southern forests.Fil: Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Gargaglione, Veronica Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Ormaechea, S.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentin

Cattle production under intensive silvopastoral management at ranch level and complete production cycle in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Los sistemas bovinos extensivos de Tierra del Fuego incorporan escasa tecnología de manejo por lo que poseen bajos niveles de producción por unidad de superficie. No obstante, hoy existen tecnologías disponibles como la evaluación de pastizales, la separación de ambientes y el pastoreo rotativo que permitirían un mejor manejo del pastoreo. En el presente estudio se ha puesto a prueba una propuesta de manejo que incorpora estas tecnologías, evaluando diversos indicadores (porcentaje de preñez y destete, evolución de peso, hábitos dietarios, comportamiento animal, incidencia de parásitos, compactación de suelos y cambios en la composición botánica del pastizal) a escala de establecimiento y ciclo completo. Los resultados han mostrado la viabilidad de la propuesta de manejo y sus ventajas: Preñez: 94,4%, Destete: 93,1%, Producción de carne: hasta 1,22 Kg/animal/día y 73 Kg/ha, y mayor mansedumbre del ganado. No obstante, se advierte la importancia de monitorear constantemente la evolución de los pastizales a fin de lograr un uso sustentable del recurso pastoril.The extensive bovine systems of Tierra del Fuego incorporate little management technology so they have low production levels per unit area. However, there are technologies available such as grassland assessment, vegetation type separation, and rotational grazing system that would allow better grazing management. In the present study, a management proposal that incorporates these technologies has been tested by evaluating various indicators (percentage of pregnancy and weaning, weight development, dietary habits, animal habits, parasite incidence, soil compaction and changes in composition botany of the pasture) at ranch level and complete production cycle. The results shown the viability of the proposed intensive management and its advantages: Pregnancy: 94.4%, Weaning: 93.1%, Meat production: up to 1.22 kg/animal/day and 73 kg/ha, and better tameness of cattle. However, monitoring the evolution of grasslands in order to achieve a sustainable use of the pastoral resource is needed.Fil: Ormaechea, S.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; ArgentinaFil: Gargaglione, Veronica Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; ArgentinaFil: Bahamonde, Héctor Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; ArgentinaFil: Escribano, Cecilia Soledad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; ArgentinaFil: Ceccaldi, E.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; ArgentinaFil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional.patagonia Sur. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz.; Argentin

Is there life after degeneration? The organizational life cycle of cooperatives under a ‘grow-or-die’ dichotomy

This article provides an in-depth, longitudinal analysis combining real-time and retrospective data on a set of Mondragon's industrial cooperatives that are organized as international groups. We examine the life cycle of these international cooperative groups, which is expected to evolve differently to that of small- and medium-sized cooperatives that operate exclusively on a local scale. The article is theoretically informed by the cooperative life cycle theory, as well as by recent insights from the degeneration and regeneration theses. Our analysis yields an intricate picture of the evolution of cooperatives faced with a ‘grow-or-die’ dichotomy. On the one hand, our findings reject the highly simplistic and deterministic view of the degeneration thesis by demonstrating that these cooperatives can mobilize resources to revitalize cooperative values and practices. On the other, we find that regeneration may not occur in a consistent, sequential fashion as the previous literature suggests, but rather degenerative and regenerative tendencies can occur simultaneously, even leading to long-lasting, unresolvable situations. In light of this, the article asks future research to draw on power-aware and politically informed approaches for further understanding of how cooperatives manage the tensions at each organizational stage of their life cycle, and of which organizational actors benefit, and how, from reversing some degenerative tendencies while maintaining others intact

Prevalence of sleep disorders in adults with down syndrome: a comparative study of subjective, actigraphic and polygraphic findings

STUDY OBJECTIVES:Sleep problems are often undetected in adults with Down syndrome (DS). Our objective was to determine the prevalence of sleep disorders in adults with DS through self-reported and objective sleep measures. METHODS:We performed a community-based cross-sectional study of 54 adults with DS not referred for sleep disorders. Two polysomnography (PSG) sleep studies were performed. Sleep quality was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); daytime sleepiness was evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the risk for the sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) was identified using the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ). Participants' sleep/wake pattern was assessed from sleep diaries and by wrist actigraphy. PSQI, ESS, and PSG measures were compared with 35 sex-, age-, and body mass index-matched patients in the control groups. RESULTS:In PSG measures, adults with DS showed lower sleep efficiency (69 ± 17.7 versus 81.6 ± 11; P < .001), less rapid eye movement sleep (9.4 ± 5.8 versus 19.4 ± 5.1; P < .001), a higher prevalence of OSA (78% versus 14%; P < .001), and a higher apnea-hypopnea index (23.5 ± 24.5 versus 3.8 ± 10.5; P < .001) than patients in the control group. In the DS group, the questionnaires (mean PSQI 3.7 ± 2.9; mean ESS 6.3 ± 4.5 and mean BQ 1 ± 0) did not reflect the sleep disturbances detected on the PSG. Actigraphy data recorded daytime sleep that was not self-reported (118.2 ± 104.2 minutes). CONCLUSIONS:Adults with DS show severe sleep disruption and a high prevalence of OSA, undetected by self-reported sleep measures. Actigraphy, PSG, and validated simplified devices for screening OSA should be routinely recommended for this population because treatment of sleep disorders can contribute to healthy aging

Building the Future Therapies for Down Syndrome: The Third International Conference of the T21 Research Society

Research focused on Down syndrome has increased in the last several years to advance understanding of the consequences of trisomy 21 (T21) on molecular and cellular processes and, ultimately, on individuals with Down syndrome. The Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS) is the premier scientific organization for researchers and clinicians studying Down syndrome. The Third International Conference of T21RS, held June 6–9, 2019, in Barcelona, Spain, brought together 429 scientists, families, and industry representatives to share the latest discoveries on underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of T21, define cognitive and behavioral challenges and better understand comorbidities associated with Down syndrome, including Alzheimer’s disease and leukemia. Presentation of cutting-edge results in neuroscience, neurology, model systems, psychology, cancer, biomarkers and molecular and phar­ma­cological therapeutic approaches demonstrate the compelling interest and continuing advancement in all aspects of understanding and ameliorating conditions associated with T21

Social Spending and Aggregate Welfare in Developing and Transition Economies

Notwithstanding the unprecedented attention devoted to reducing poverty and fostering human development via scaling up social sector spending, there is surprisingly little rigorous empirical work on the question of whether social spending is effective in achieving these goals. This paper examines the impact of government spending on the social sectors (health, education, and social protection) on two major indicators of aggregate welfare (the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index and child mortality), using a panel dataset comprising 55 developing and transition countries from 1990 to 2009. We find that government social spending has a significantly positive causal effect on the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, while government expenditure on health has a significant negative impact on child mortality rate. These results are fairly robust to the method of estimation, the use of alternative instruments to control for the endogeneity of social spending, the set of control variables included in the regressions, and the use of alternative samples

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks