Effectiveness of talent management strategies

This paper investigates the effects of different types of talent management strategies on organisational performance. We introduce four different strategies and show how they affect organisational performance. For this purpose, we use a particularly detailed dataset of 138 Swiss companies. We find that talent management focusing on retaining and developing talents as job satisfaction, motivation, commitment and trust in leaders. Moreover, talent management practices with a strong focus on corporate strategy have a statistically higher significant impact on organisational outcomes such as company attractiveness, the achievement of business goals, customer satisfaction and, above all, corporate profit, more so than any other areas that talent management focuses upon

Spatial and Temporal Organization of Chromosome Duplication and Segregation in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942

The spatial and temporal control of chromosome duplication and segregation is crucial for proper cell division. While this process is well studied in eukaryotic and some prokaryotic organisms, relatively little is known about it in prokaryotic polyploids such as Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, which is known to possess one to eight copies of its single chromosome. Using a fluorescent repressor-operator system, S. elongatus chromosomes and chromosome replication forks were tagged and visualized. We found that chromosomal duplication is asynchronous and that the total number of chromosomes is correlated with cell length. Thus, replication is independent of cell cycle and coupled to cell growth. Replication events occur in a spatially random fashion. However, once assembled, replisomes move in a constrained manner. On the other hand, we found that segregation displays a striking spatial organization in some cells. Chromosomes transiently align along the major axis of the cell and timing of alignment was correlated to cell division. This mechanism likely contributes to the non-random segregation of chromosome copies to daughter cells

Analgesia induced by the epigenetic drug, L-acetylcarnitine, outlasts the end of treatment in mouse models of chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain

Background: L-acetylcarnitine, a drug marketed for the treatment of chronic pain, causes analgesia by epigenetically up-regulating type-2 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu2) receptors in the spinal cord. Because the epigenetic mechanisms are typically long-lasting, we hypothesized that analgesia could outlast the duration of L-acetylcarnitine treatment in models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Results: A seven-day treatment with L-acetylcarnitine ( 100 mg/kg, once a day, i.p.) produced an antiallodynic effect in the complete Freund adjuvant mouse model of chronic inflammatory pain. L-Acetylcarnitine-induced analgesia persisted for at least 14 days after drug withdrawal. In contrast, the analgesic effect of pregabalin, amitryptiline, ceftriaxone, and N-acetylcysteine disappeared seven days after drug withdrawal. L-acetylcarnitine treatment enhanced mGlu2/3 receptor protein levels in the dorsal region of the spinal cord. This effect also persisted for two weeks after drug withdrawal and was associated with increased levels of acetylated histone H3 bound to the Grm2 gene promoter in the dorsal root ganglia. A long-lasting analgesic effect of L-acetylcarnitine was also observed in mice subjected to chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve. In these animals, a 14-day treatment with pregabalin, amitryptiline, tramadol, or L-acetylcarnitine produced a significant antiallodynic effect, with pregabalin displaying the greatest efficacy. In mice treated with pregabalin, tramadol or L-acetylcarnitine the analgesic effect was still visible 15 days after the end of drug treatment. However, only in mice treated with L-acetylcarnitine analgesia persisted 37 days after drug withdrawal. This effect was associated with an increase in mGlu2/3 receptor protein levels in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that L-acetylcarnitine has the unique property to cause a long-lasting analgesic effect that might reduce relapses in patients suffering from chronic pain

Early maladaptive schemas, emotion regulation difficulties, and alexithymia : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Emotion regulation is an integral part of the schema therapy model. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the evidence on the associations between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), difficulties with emotion regulation and alexithymia. Method PsycINFO, PubMed and CINAHL Complete databases were searched on 28 May 2022 and 3 February 2023 in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Included studies were in English, in peer-reviewed journals and reported on the association between one or more of the 18 EMSs or five schema domains and emotion regulation difficulties or alexithymia. Methodological quality was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies. Meta-analyses were conducted to examine difficulties with emotion regulation and alexithymia as correlates of each EMS and domain. Results A total of 19 studies published between 2008 and 2022 were included (Pooled N = 5957). Difficulties with emotion regulation were positively correlated with all 18 EMSs (range: entitlement r(7) = .28, 95% CI [.13, .42] to negativity pessimism r(5) = .53, 95% CI [.23, .74]) and schema domains (range: impaired limits r(5) = .34, 95% CI [.08, .56] to disconnection rejection r(5) = .44, 95% CI [.33, .73]). Alexithymia was positively correlated with the other-directedness domain (r(2) = .40, 95% CI [.09, .64]) and 16 of the 18 EMSs (range: unrelenting standards r(5) = .21, 95% CI [.12, .28] to emotional inhibition r(5) = .50, 95% CI [.34, .63]). Conclusions The findings suggested that almost all 18 EMSs are implicated in emotion regulation difficulties and alexithymia, particularly those relating to unmet needs for attachment and autonomy

mGlu1 Receptors Monopolize the Synaptic Control of Cerebellar Purkinje Cells by Epigenetically Down-Regulating mGlu5 Receptors

In cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) type-1 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu1) receptors play a key role in motor learning and drive the refinement of synaptic innervation during postnatal development. The cognate mGlu5 receptor is absent in mature PCs and shows low expression levels in the adult cerebellar cortex. Here we found that mGlu5 receptors were heavily expressed by PCs in the early postnatal life, when mGlu1α receptors were barely detectable. The developmental decline of mGlu5 receptors coincided with the appearance of mGlu1α receptors in PCs, and both processes were associated with specular changes in CpG methylation in the corresponding gene promoters. It was the mGlu1 receptor that drove the elimination of mGlu5 receptors from PCs, as shown by data obtained with conditional mGlu1α receptor knockout mice and with targeted pharmacological treatments during critical developmental time windows. The suppressing activity of mGlu1 receptors on mGlu5 receptor was maintained in mature PCs, suggesting that expression of mGlu1α and mGlu5 receptors is mutually exclusive in PCs. These findings add complexity to the the finely tuned mechanisms that regulate PC biology during development and in the adult life and lay the groundwork for an in-depth analysis of the role played by mGlu5 receptors in PC maturation

Patrones de resistencia antimicrobiana de la familia enterobacteriaceae aisladas de infecciones del tracto urinario de una región alto-andina peruana

Background: Antibiotic resistance is considered to be the next worldwide epidemic. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the second most common cause of infection, which also has the highest resistance frequency. Nevertheless, in high Andean regions, little is known about the antibiotic resistance. Objectives : Determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the enterobacteriaceae family isolated from urinary tract infections of a Peruvian Andean region. Material and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional review of 1717 records from the microbiology service of a private health institution from Puno - Peru, was done between the years 2014 and 2017. Antibiotic resistance by uropathogens was studied among different age groups. Statistical analysis included Chi2 test with a p<0.05. Poisson regression was used to calculate the prevalence ratio (PR) with a 95% confidence interval. Findings: There was a wide distribution of antibiotic resistance among all the antibiotics, mainly in Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. The elderly had the highest prevalence of antibiotic resistance. As age increased, resistance to all drugs also increased (p<0.01). Furthermore, the elderly had a risk probability of resistance of 1.22, 1.42, 1.20 and 1.32 to penicillins, cephalosporins, quinolones and other antibiotics respectively. Conclusion: The antimicrobial resistance patterns of the Peruvian Andean region were lower than national and international patterns.Introducción: La resistencia a antibióticos es considerada la próxima epidemia mundial. Las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU) son la segunda causa más común de infecciones y la que presenta mayor frecuencia de resistencia. Sin embargo, poco se ha reportado en regiones altos-andinas. Objetivo: Evaluar los patrones de resistencia antimicrobiana de la familia enterobacteriaceae aisladas de infecciones del tracto urinario de pacientes ambulatorios de una región altoandina peruana y sus factores asociados. Material y Métodos: Estudio transversal analítico retrospectivo, a partir de 1717 registros del Servicio de Microbiología de una institución de salud en la región Puno - Perú, entre los años 2014 al 2017. Se estudió la resistencia a antibióticos según uropatógeno en diferentes grupos etarios. Se empleó la prueba de Chi2 de Pearson y un modelo de regresión de de Poisson para calcular la razón de prevalencias (RP). En todos los análisis se consideró un valor de p<0.05 como significativo y se estimaron intervalos de confianza al 95%. Resultados: Se presentó una amplia distribución de resistencia en todos los fármacos evaluados, siendo mayor en Escherichia coli y Proteus spp. El grupo etario, ≥ 60 años, presentó la mayor prevalencia de resistencia bacteriana. A medida que la edad aumentaba, la resistencia a todos los fármacos estudiados también aumentó (p <0.01). Así mismo, los pacientes ≥ 60 años presentaron mayor probabilidad de presentar resistencia bacteriana a penicilinas, cefalosporinas y quinolonas. Conclusión: El patrón de resistencia a los antibióticos utilizados en ITUs en la zona altoandina peruana incrementa con la edad

Expression and distribution of aromatase (P450AROM) in selected areas of the developing human brain

Steroids play a crucial role in brain differentiation. In the hypothalamus aromatase (P450AROM), the enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone (T) into 17-β estradiol (E2), modulates the mechanisms involved in sexual brain differentiation resulting in differences in specific hypothalamic nuclei between male and female. Recent findings indicate that local E2 synthesis has an impact on other brain areas including the hippocampus, temporal cortex and cerebellum, and may thus influence also cognitive functions. The expression and the distribution of P450AROM has been described throughout ontogenesis and postnatal development of the central nervous system in several mammalian species, including man. Immunohistochemical studies have localized P450AROM in pyramidal neurons, interneurons and astrocytes of human adult temporal cortex. However the cellular distribution of P450AROM has not been thoroughly investigated in fetal/early postnatal human brains. In this study we report the expression, distribution and cellular localization of P450AROM in selected areas (periventricular zones, cortical areas, cerebellum) of some fetal human brains of the second trimester and a few postnatal individuals. In the fetal individuals, P450AROM expression was scarce and limited to groups of cells mostly localized in the neuroepithelium of the subventricular zones, whereas in the neonatal/early postnatal individuals immunoreactive cells were present also in the cortical columns and in the cerebellar Purkinje layer. The enzyme was localized in the cytoplasm and in the fine extensions of the neural cells. Double labeling and confocal analysis using the Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) indicated that P450AROM was expressed in cortical astrocytes of early postnatal individuals. Our data suggest a possible role for this enzyme in the control of neural development and differentiation since the second trimester of gestation

Vascular Flora of the Tocantins River Middle Basin, Brazil

This study provides a checklist of the phanerogams and pteridophytes of the Tocantins river middle basin, in northern Goiás state and southern Tocantins state, Brazil. Herbarium samples were collected from 2000 to 2009 and this floristic survey recorded 1572 species from 135 families. The most species-rich families were Fabaceae (217), Poaceae (116), Asteraceae (88), Euphorbiaceae (65), Orchidaceae (58) and Malpighiaceae (56). Furthermore, 14 endangered species and 31 rare species were recorded, mainly associated with the campos rupestres in the Veadeiros Plateau region. The flora mainly from the phytophyisiognomies cerrado stricto sensu, campo rupestre ("rocky fields"), mata de galeria ("gallery forest"), mata ciliar ("riverine forest") and semi-deciduous seasonal forest comprised typical species of the mid-western Cerrado floristic province, such as the most widely known woody plants Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan (popular name angico), Aspidosperma subincanum Mart. ex A. DC. (guatambú), Astronium fraxinifolium Schott ex Spreng. (gonçalo-alves), Callisthene fasciculata Mart. (pau-jacaré), Dipteryx alata Vogel (barú), Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (mutamba) and Magonia pubescens A. St.-Hil. (tingui). This study is the first to record a wide floristic list of this important region of central Brazil