Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests

Old-growth tropical forests harbor an immense diversity of tree species but are rapidly being cleared, while secondary forests that regrow on abandoned agricultural lands increase in extent. We assess how tree species richness and composition recover during secondary succession across gradients in environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbance in an unprecedented multisite analysis for the Neotropics. Secondary forests recover remarkably fast in species richness but slowly in species composition. Secondary forests take a median time of five decades to recover the species richness of old-growth forest (80% recovery after 20 years) based on rarefaction analysis. Full recovery of species composition takes centuries (only 34% recovery after 20 years). A dual strategy that maintains both old-growth forests and species-rich secondary forests is therefore crucial for biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes. Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved

Chitosan microsphères administrées oralement fixent Helicobacter pylori et inhibent l'infection gastrique chez les souris

International audiencePersistent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is related to 90% of gastric cancers. With bacterial resistance rising and treatment inefficiency affecting 15% of the patients, alternative treatments urge. Chitosan microspheres (ChMics) have been proposed as an H. pylori-binding system. This work evaluates ChMics biocompatibility, mucopenetration and capacity to treat H. pylori infection in mice after oral administration. ChMics of different size (XL, ∼120 µm and XS, ∼40 µm) and degree of acetylation (6% and 16%) were developed and revealed to be able to adhere both human and mouse-adapted H. pylori strains without cytotoxicity towards human gastric cells. Ex vivo studies showed that smaller (XS) microspheres penetrate further within the gastric foveolae, suggesting their ability to reach deeply adherent bacteria. In vivo assays showed 88% reduction of infection when H. pylori-infected mice (C57BL/6) were treated with more mucoadhesive XL6 and XS6 ChMics. Overall, ChMics clearly demonstrate ability to reduce H. pylori gastric infection in mice, with chitosan degree of acetylation being a dominant factor over microspheres' size on H. pylori removal efficiency. These results evidence the strong potential of this strategy as an antibiotic-free approach to fight H. pylori infection, where microspheres are orally administered, bind H. pylori in the stomach, and remove them through the gastrointestinal tract. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Approximately 90% of gastric cancers are caused by the carcinogenic agent Helicobacter pylori, which infects >50% of the world population. Bacterial resistance, reduced antibiotic bioavailability, and the intricate distribution of bacteria in mucus and within gastric foveolae hamper the success of most strategies to fight H. pylori. We demonstrate that an antibiotic-free therapy based on bare chitosan microspheres that bind and remove H. pylori from stomach can achieve 88% reduction of infection from H. pylori-infected mice. Changing size and mucoadhesive properties, microspheres can reach different areas of gastric mucosa: smaller and less mucoadhesive can penetrate deeper into the foveolae. This promising, simple and inexpensive strategy paves the way for a faster bench-to-bedside transition, therefore holding great potential for clinical application

Relatório Epifloripa Idoso

Relatório técnico científico de pesquisaEste relatório apresenta dados da terceira onda de entrevistas domiciliares do Estudo de Coorte EpiFloripa Idoso, estudo longitudinal de base populacional e domiciliar, que acompanha as condições de vida e saúde de uma amostra de idosos (60 anos ou mais de idade), representativa da zona urbana do município de Florianópolis, capital de Santa Catarina, na Região Sul do Brasil. Este documento também celebra os dez anos do estudo (2009-2019), coordenado pela Professora Eleonora d’Orsi do Departamento de Saúde Pública da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), em parceria com pesquisadores dos Departamentos de Educação Física, Nutrição e Fonoaudiologia. Ao longo destes dez anos foram realizadas três ondas de entrevistas domiciliares e uma onda de exames clínicos, pela equipe do estudo, composta pela coordenadora, pesquisadores e estudantes de iniciação científica, mestrado e doutorado dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Educação Física, Nutrição, Odontologia e Ciências Médicas da UFSC. Este estudo somente foi possível graças ao empenho desta equipe multidisciplinar extremamente unida, dedicada, competente, solidária e produtiva. O relatório é apresentado em seis seções: no primeiro capítulo é apresentada a introdução e objetivo do documento, no segundo capítulo são apresentados os métodos do estudo, no terceiro capítulo os aspectos sociodemográfico da amostra. Já nos capítulos quatro, cinco e seis são apresentados os resultados dos indicadores comportamentais, de saúde e sociais, indicadores no formato de tabelas e gráficos, respectivamente. Por fim, são apresentadas as considerações finais do relatório, seguidas pelas referências bibliográficas e apêndices.A terceira onda do EpiFloripa foi financiada com recursos do Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) do Reino Unido através do projeto multicêntrico Promoting Independence in Dementia (PRIDE), valor financiado: R$574.698,20 contrato 75/2017 entre UFSC e FAPEU, período: janeiro de 2016 a fevereiro de 2020

Biodiversity recovery of Neotropical secondary forests.

Old-growth tropical forests harbor an immense diversity of tree species but are rapidly being cleared, while secondary forests that regrow on abandoned agricultural lands increase in extent. We assess how tree species richness and composition recover during secondary succession across gradients in environmental conditions and anthropogenic disturbance in an unprecedented multisite analysis for the Neotropics. Secondary forests recover remarkably fast in species richness but slowly in species composition. Secondary forests take a median time of five decades to recover the species richness of old-growth forest (80% recovery after 20 years) based on rarefaction analysis. Full recovery of species composition takes centuries (only 34% recovery after 20 years). A dual strategy that maintains both old-growth forests and species-rich secondary forests is therefore crucial for biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes

I do it for myself : A study on motivational differences between contracted and permanent employees in Sweden

Over the past decades outsourcing decades outsourcing has become an increasing trend.Firms decide to outsource in order to increase their profits or flexibility and many differentfunctions of the firm may be outsourced, one of them being the Human Resource (HR)function. When it comes to HR outsourcing, recruitment and selection are among the morecommon functions to be outsourced (Ordanini & Silvestri, 2008:373). The motivation foroutsourcing of HR is to reduce cost and increase efficiency (Elmuti, Grunewald and Abebe,2010:177). Outsourcing of HR functions like recruitment can also have negative aspect, forexample lack of loyalty and high turnover (Fisher et al, 2008:202). Previous research hasinvestigated how commitment and loyalty is affected by HR outsourcing (Connelly &Gallagher, 2004:963) and one aspect that has been touched upon but not dealt withexclusively is motivation and therefore this paper will explore it further. Using the following research question: How does motivation vary between individuals working at a company butare hired through a staffing firm versus hired directly by the company? This paper tries to both evaluate the existing literature and provide practicalimplications for managers. In order to explore this question and abductive research approachhas been used where the data and theory are intertwined and played of each other to achievethe purpose (Alvesson & Sköldberg, 2009:4). The data collection consists of eight semistructuredinterviews, four with people hired directly by the company and four that are orhave previously been hired through a staffing company. The study found that the theoretical framework does for the most part explain themotivational behavior of both groups studied, and that the two groups are not alwaysmotivated in the same way. Those hired directly by the company are more interested inreceiving praise, relationships at work, and receiving small tokens of appreciation. The grouphired by staffing companies was more often motivated by an internal drive to satisfythemselves and did not value work relationships to the same extent. The research also showedthat the individual rather than the form of employment plays a big role when it comes to howpeople are motivated. It was also made apparent that education and work situation wereimportant factors influencing the respondent’s motivation