A pervasive large conjugative plasmid mediates multispecies biofilm formation in the intestinal microbiota increasing resilience to perturbations.

Although horizontal gene transfer is pervasive in the intestinal microbiota, we understand only superficially the roles of most exchanged genes and how the mobile repertoire affects community dynamics. Similarly, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the ability of a community to recover after a perturbation. Here, we identified and functionally characterized a large conjugative plasmid that is one of the most frequently transferred elements among Bacteroidales species and is ubiquitous in diverse human populations.

'We are largely left out': workplace and psychosocial experiences of Australian general practitioners during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert a significant toll on the Australian primary healthcare system. Although wellbeing challenges faced by hospital-based healthcare workers are widely discussed, less is known about the experiences of general practitioners (GPs) during the initial phases of the pandemic. This paper reports qualitative survey data from Australian GPs, examining their workplace and psychosocial experiences during the initial months of the pandemic.

The Workplace and Psychosocial Experiences of Australian Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had significant mental health impacts among healthcare workers (HCWs), related to resource scarcity, risky work environments, and poor supports. Understanding the unique challenges experienced by senior doctors and identifying strategies for support will assist doctors facing such crises into the future. A cross-sectional, national, online survey was conducted during the second wave of the Australian COVID-19 pandemic.