Leptospira interrogans biofilm transcriptome highlights adaption to starvation and general stress while maintaining virulence.

Life-threatening Leptospira interrogans navigate a dual existence: surviving in the environment and infecting mammalian hosts. Biofilm formation is presumably an important survival strategy to achieve this process. Understanding the relation between biofilm and virulence might improve our comprehension of leptospirosis epidemiology. Our study focused on elucidating Leptospira's adaptations and regulations involved in such complex microenvironments. To determine the transcriptional profile of Leptospira in biofilm, we compared the transcriptomes in late biofilms and in exponential planktonic cultures. While genes for motility, energy production, and metabolism were downregulated, those governing general stress response, defense against metal stress, and redox homeostasis showed a significant upsurge, hinting at a tailored defensive strategy against stress. Further, despite a reduced metabolic state, biofilm disruption swiftly restored metabolic activity. Crucially, bacteria in late biofilms or resulting from biofilm disruption retained virulence in an animal model. In summary, our study highlights Leptospira's adaptive equilibrium in biofilms: minimizing energy expenditure, potentially aiding in withstanding stresses while maintaining pathogenicity. These insights are important for explaining the survival strategies of Leptospira, revealing that a biofilm lifestyle may confer an advantage in maintaining virulence, an understanding essential for managing leptospirosis across both environmental and mammalian reservoirs.

Managing Virtual Presenteeism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multilevel Study on Managers' Stress Management Competencies to Foster Functional Presenteeism.

Teleworking remains an attractive option for many workers since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it presents significant management challenges, particularly when employees face health issues. The management of virtual presenteeism, where employees continue teleworking despite being ill, has received limited attention. This study explores the relationship between managers' stress management competencies (SMCs), mental health, and job performance of virtual presentees, aiming to fostering more functional presenteeism. We examine whether managers' SMCs promote functional presenteeism by comparing managers' self-assessments with employee assessments, and analyzing how agreement levels between the two affect mental health and job performance. Data were collected from 365 teleworkers supervised by 157 managers in a large public organization in Québec. The results indicate that virtual presentees' mental health and job performance are closely linked to employees' assessment of their managers' SMCs. Employees who agreed with their manager or overestimated their managers' SMCs exhibited better mental health and job performance than those who agreed with their manager on low SMCs or underestimated their managers. This study expands on the health-performance framework of presenteeism and self-other agreements, highlighting management practices that should be enhanced in the context of virtual presenteeism.

NMDA antagonist agents for the treatment of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of NMDA antagonists in ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) on the core (communication and social interaction, repetitive behavior) and associated symptoms (irritability) of ASD, as well as their safety. Methods: PubMed, CENTRAL, CINHAL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched until November 2023. Two authors independently selected the studies and extracted data. Randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of NMDA receptor antagonists in participants with ASD aged <18 years were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias-2 tool. A random-effect meta-analysis model was used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMD) or odds ratios (OR) using meta package in R. Results: This systematic review included ten studies (588 participants). Most studies did not report scales assessing core symptoms of ASD. Meta-analysis of efficacy on ASD core symptoms included three studies (248 participants). NMDA antagonists were not superior to placebo [SMD = 0.29; CI 95% (-1,94; 1.35); I2 = 0%]. NMDA antagonists was not superior to placebo concerning response (four studies, 189 participants) [OR = 2.4; CI 95% (0.69; 8.38); I2 = 35%]. Meta-analysis of efficacy on irritability included three studies (186 participants); NMDA antagonists were not superior to placebo [MD irritability = -1.94; CI 95% (-4.66; 0.77); I2 = 0%]. Compared with placebo, significantly more participants in the NMDA antagonist group reported at least one adverse event (five studies, 310 participants) [OR = 2.04; CI 95% (1.17; 3.57); I2 = 0%]. Conclusion: Current evidence does not support the effectiveness of NMDA antagonists in the treatment of ASD symptoms or irritability. Further research is needed due to the limited and low quality data available. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42018110399.

The effects of artificial intelligence on human resource activities and the roles of the human resource triad: opportunities and challenges.

Introduction: This study analyzes the existing academic literature to identify the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on human resource (HR) activities, highlighting both opportunities and associated challenges, and on the roles of employees, line managers, and HR professionals, collectively referred to as the HR triad. Methods: We employed the scoping review method to capture and synthesize relevant academic literature in the AI-human resource management (HRM) field, examining 27 years of research (43 peer-reviewed articles are included). Results: Based on the results, we propose an integrative framework that outlines the five primary effects of AI on HR activities: task automation, optimized HR data use, augmentation of human capabilities, work context redesign, and transformation of the social and relational aspects of work. We also detail the opportunities and challenges associated with each of these effects and the changes in the roles of the HR triad. Discussion: This research contributes to the ongoing debate on AI-augmented HRM by discussing the theoretical contributions and managerial implications of our findings, along with avenues for future research. By considering the most recent studies on the topic, this scoping review sheds light on the effects of AI on the roles of the HR triad, enabling these key stakeholders to better prepare for this technological change. The findings can inform future academic research, organizations using or considering the application of AI in HRM, and policymakers. This is particularly timely, given the growing adoption of AI in HRM activities.

Knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) of adaptable academic nurse educators.

AIM: Using the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSAs) framework, the aim of this study was to explore the specific knowledge, skills and attitudes of adaptable nurse educators to help inform the preparation of current and future educators for smooth transitions during periods of change. BACKGROUND: External events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and wildfires can force programs to relocate and suspend classes for several days or weeks. These natural disasters have the potential to have a negative impact on the number of nursing students graduating on time as well as the quality of the clinical education experience and preparation for practice. Many lessons about educator adaptability can be learned from the COVID-19 restrictions. Identifying the KSAs of adaptable nurse educators during the rapidly changing educational landscape provided the opportunity for a foundational needs assessment to guide the preparation of educators for seamless transitions during times of change. DESIGN: To identify the KSA's of adaptable nurse educators, an exploratory qualitative study using focus groups was conducted. The study used thematic analysis. METHODS: The research team developed, and pilot-tested focus group interview questions based on content areas identified in the literature. Targeted questions included queries specific to the KSAs necessary for adaptation and successful teaching using simulation. Educators from pre-licensure nursing programs in the United States participated in one of five 60-minute focus groups held virtually via a secure online meeting platform. RESULTS: Adaptable nurse educators have knowledge of resources, ongoing assessment, evaluation and teaching strategies and an understanding of the skillsets of their colleagues. Their skills include leadership, teamwork, redesigning learning and assessment. They demonstrate qualities such as resilience, empathy, acceptance, openness and positivity. CONCLUSION: With the current nursing workforce crisis, external events cannot be allowed to slow academic progression and graduation from nursing programs. In this exploratory qualitative study using focus groups, the KSAs held by adaptable nurse educators were explored. The findings of this study highlight the importance of collaboration and teamwork in academic institutes. The findings can be used as the foundation for nursing programs to prepare for future external events.

[Updates in HIV infection therapeutics]. / Actualités thérapeutiques dans l'infection par le VIH.

UPDATES IN HIV INFECTION THERAPEUTICS. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is still a world public health challenge, with constant therapeutic innovations involved. Very efficient treatments, with a high impact on HIV morbimortality, are now used in routine. Therefore, the new challenges focus on transmission prevention, side effects reduction and quality-of-life improvement. Therapeutic news in the management of patients living with HIV is varied: new molecules, changes in treatment modalities, prevention….

ACTUALITÉS THÉRAPEUTIQUES DANS L'INFECTION PAR LE VIH. L'infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH) reste en France et dans le monde un problème de santé publique et fait l'objet d'innovations thérapeutiques constantes. Après la réussite des traitements qui ont fait la preuve de leur efficacité en matière de morbi-mortalité liée au VIH, les nouveaux défis sont aujourd'hui tournés vers la prévention de la transmission, la réduction des effets indésirables et l'amélioration de la qualité de vie des patients. Les actualités thérapeutiques dans la prise en charge des patients vivant avec le VIH sont variées : nouvelles molécules, évolution des modalités de traitement, prévention….

Switching off automatic pilot to promote wellbeing and performance in the workplace: the role of mindfulness and basic psychological needs satisfaction.

Introduction and method: Building on self-determination theory, this study aims to advance the happy-productive worker thesis by examining a sequential mediation linking trait mindfulness to task performance through basic psychological need satisfaction and psychological wellbeing at work. Whereas most of the papers published on the topic stem from USA and Europe, we tested our model in a Canadian sample of 283 French-speaking workers. Results: Based on structural equation modeling, results show that the three need satisfactions at work mediate the relationship between trait mindfulness and psychological wellbeing at work. Rather than observing a sequential mediation, we find an indirect effect of trait mindfulness on task performance through the satisfaction for one of the basic psychological need (i.e., competence). Discussion: The present research goes beyond previous studies by exploring a new pair of happy construct-productive criteria alongside an emergent intrapersonal factor contributing to this relationship.

Leading well and staying psychologically healthy: the role of resources and constraints for managers in the healthcare sector.

PURPOSE: Maintaining a healthy and productive workforce is a challenge for most organizations. This is even truer for health organization, facing staff shortages and work overload. The aim of this study is to identify the resources and constraints that influence managers' mental health and better understand how they are affected by them. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A qualitative approach was chosen to document the resources, the constraints as well as their consequences on managers in their day-to-day realities. The sample included executive-, intermediate- and first-level managers from a Canadian healthcare facility. A total of 62 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The coding process was based on the IGLOO model of Nielsen et al. (2018) to which an employee-related level was added (IGELOO). FINDINGS: Results highlight the importance of considering both resources as well as constraints in examining managers' mental health. Overarching context, organizational constraints and the management of difficult employees played important roles in the stress experienced by managers. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results offer a better understanding of the importance of intervening at different levels to promote better organizational health. Results also highlight the importance of setting up organizational resources and act on the various constraints to reduce them. Different individual strategies used by managers to deal with the various constraints and maintain their mental health also emerge from those results. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: In addition to addressing the reality of healthcare managers, this study supplements a theoretical model and suggests avenues for interventions promoting more sustainable organizational health.

Organizational culture and leadership behaviors: is manager's psychological health the missing piece?

Background: In a context where organizations struggle to attract and retain highly qualified workers, organizations need to prioritize the psychological health of employees as a retention factor. To do so, they need to provide a healthy work environment. As an integral part of the employee experience, managers are an important factor in employee retention. In past studies, researchers have focused on the importance of leadership in boosting employees' health without, however, considering factors encouraging such behavior in managers. Recently, some scholars have become interested in managers' health as a resource allowing them to adopt good leadership behavior. Indeed, these studies reveal interesting links between managers' emotional state and their behavior as leaders. Other studies, underscore the importance of considering the organizational context to better understand managers' psychological health that may influence their leadership behaviors. This study proposes to examine the complex process by which organizational culture influences managers' psychological health, which acts as a resource favoring the adoption of good leadership behaviors that are known to be constructive and have positive effects on employee. Methods: Path analyses with the CALIS procedure SAS software, version 9.4 were conducted on a sample of 522 managers in three healthcare facilities in the province of Quebec, Canada. Results: The results revealed that group culture is associated with the two indicators of managers' psychological health at work. The results also demonstrated that managers' psychological distress at work is positively related to transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles whereas psychological well-being at work is positively related to transformational and transactional leadership. Concerning indirect associations, there is a significant and positive indirect association between group culture and transformational leadership and there is also a significant and negative association between group culture and laissez-faire leadership. Finally, there is also an indirect association between hierarchical culture and transactional leadership. Conclusion: Our study provides a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and leadership styles. More specifically, our findings highlight the benefits of implementing a group organizational culture to enhance psychological well-being, reduce psychological distress symptoms and promote good leadership behaviors.