Critical Thinking: The Zia Prep Academy Case

This paper discusses a case called “The Zia Prep Academy” that was developed to hone a person’s critical thinking skill set in the context of structuring an agreement in the rehiring of a key executive. A detailed discussion is provided in how to set up an employee’s contract and project plan given the potential for strategic deception and misaligned expectations. Critical thinking skills require students to integrate framing project work in a work breakdown structure for the Zia Prep Academy Superintendent and then to decide what work is not necessary over her next term of employment. Essential versus non-essential information is presented as student’s process what is important to include in their overall analysis. Students must deal with the conditions of information compactedness, bounded rationality, and possible opportunism in writing the business case, or project plan, that accompanies the employee contract. The potential for strategic deception is present as uncertainty exists regarding the intentions of the school superintendent due to her proposed contract. Students work in traditional project management teams in writing a contract, business case, and financial analysis as part of the project plan. The outcome of this case is a greater understanding and ability in how to communicate key organizational requirements through team-based designs. The Zia Prep Academy case also facilitates one’s development of conceptualizing a problem and then reaching a reasoned, team-based conclusion

A Strategic Conceptualization Of The IT Outsourcing Decision And The Role Of Teams

We examine how organizational, individual, and team factors affect team-based judgment of value for outsourcing information technology (IT) services.  The study of team-based judgment of value is important because team designs are growing in popularity to support the customization of IT services to meet larger, organizational objectives.  A strategic reconceptualization of how IT outsourcing decisions are operationalized through team-based judgments of value is fundamental for understanding how organizational objectives, work requirements, and contractual conditions are framed and executed.

Distrust And Dominance In Managing Alternative Work Arrangements: A Micro-Analytic Test Of Transaction Cost Theory

Organizations that successfully outsource may see better value-creation in creating a sustainable competitive advantage.  The objectives of this study were threefold:  a) provide a framework for studying the effects of perceived distrust that leads to dominance, b) analyze how opportunism parlays into the concept of dominance, and c) determine if the relationship between outsource partners varies by analyzing transaction characteristics.  Our research shows that firms should take caution to fully understand the effects that contract size has on a firm’s resources.&nbsp

In vivo imaging of murid herpesvirus-4 infection

Luciferase-based imaging allows a global view of microbial pathogenesis. We applied this technique to gammaherpesvirus infection by inserting a luciferase expression cassette into the genome of murine herpesvirus-4 (MuHV-4). The recombinant virus strongly expressed luciferase in lytically infected cells without significant attenuation. We used it to compare different routes of virus inoculation. After intranasal infection of anaesthetized mice, luciferase was expressed in the nose and lungs for 7–10 days and in lymphoid tissue, most consistently the superficial cervical lymph nodes, for up to 30 days. Gastrointestinal infection was not observed. Intraperitoneal infection was very different to intranasal, with strong luciferase expression in the liver, kidneys, intestines, reproductive tract and spleen, but none in the nose or lungs. The nose has not previously been identified as a site of MuHV-4 infection. After intranasal infection of non-anaesthetized mice, it was the only site of non-lymphoid luciferase expression. Nevertheless, lymphoid colonization and persistence were still established, even at low inoculation doses. In contrast, virus delivered orally was very poorly infectious. Inoculation route therefore had a major impact on pathogenesis. Low dose intranasal infection without anaesthesia seems most likely to mimic natural transmission, and may therefore be particularly informative about normal viral gene functions

A framework for analysing learning health systems: Are we removing the most impactful barriers?

Objective: Learning Health Systems (LHS) are one of the major computing advances in healthcare. However, no prior research has systematically analysed barriers and facilitators for LHS. This paper presents an investigation into the barriers, benefits and facilitating factors for LHS in order to create a basis for their successful implementation and adoption. Method: First, the ITPOSMO-BBF framework was developed based on the established ITPOSMO (Information, Technology, Processes, Objectives, Staffing, Management and Other factors) framework, extending it for analysing barriers, benefits and facilitators. Second, the new framework was applied to LHS. Results: We found that LHS shares similar barriers and facilitators with Electronic Health Records (EHR); in particular, most facilitator effort in implementing EHR and LHS goes towards barriers categorised as human factors, even though they were seen to carry fewer benefits. Barriers whose resolution would bring significant benefits in safety, quality and health outcomes remain. Discussion: LHS envisage constant generation of new clinical knowledge and practice based on the central role of collections of EHR. Once LHS are constructed and operational, they trigger new data streams into the EHR. So LHS and EHR have a symbiotic relationship. The implementation and adoption of EHRs has proved and continues to prove challenging and there are many lessons for LHS arising from these challenges. Conclusion: Successful adoption of LHS should take account of the framework proposed in this paper, especially with respect to its focus on removing barriers that have the most impact

In vivo MRI signatures of hippocampal subfield pathology in intractable epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to assess the subfield-specific histopathological correlates of hippocampal volume and intensity changes (T1, T2) as well as diff!usion MRI markers in TLE, and investigate the efficacy of quantitative MRI measures in predicting histopathology in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We correlated in vivo volumetry, T2 signal, quantitative T1 mapping, as well as diffusion MRI parameters with histological features of hippocampal sclerosis in a subfield-specific manner. We made use of on an advanced co-registration pipeline that provided a seamless integration of preoperative 3 T MRI with postoperative histopathological data, on which metrics of cell loss and gliosis were quantitatively assessed in CA1, CA2/3, and CA4/DG. PRINCIPAL OBSERVATIONS: MRI volumes across all subfields were positively correlated with neuronal density and size. Higher T2 intensity related to increased GFAP fraction in CA1, while quantitative T1 and diffusion MRI parameters showed negative correlations with neuronal density in CA4 and DG. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that in vivo multiparametric MRI can predict neuronal loss in all the analyzed subfields with up to 90% accuracy. CONCLUSION: Our results, based on an accurate co-registration pipeline and a subfield-specific analysis of MRI and histology, demonstrate the potential of MRI volumetry, diffusion, and quantitative T1 as accurate in vivo biomarkers of hippocampal pathology

Wnt5a Regulates Ventral Midbrain Morphogenesis and the Development of A9–A10 Dopaminergic Cells In Vivo

Wnt5a is a morphogen that activates the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway and serves multiple functions during development. PCP signaling controls the orientation of cells within an epithelial plane as well as convergent extension (CE) movements. Wnt5a was previously reported to promote differentiation of A9–10 dopaminergic (DA) precursors in vitro. However, the signaling mechanism in DA cells and the function of Wnt5a during midbrain development in vivo remains unclear. We hereby report that Wnt5a activated the GTPase Rac1 in DA cells and that Rac1 inhibitors blocked the Wnt5a-induced DA neuron differentiation of ventral midbrain (VM) precursor cultures, linking Wnt5a-induced differentiation with a known effector of Wnt/PCP signaling. In vivo, Wnt5a was expressed throughout the VM at embryonic day (E)9.5, and was restricted to the VM floor and basal plate by E11.5–E13.5. Analysis of Wnt5a−/− mice revealed a transient increase in progenitor proliferation at E11.5, and a precociously induced NR4A2+ (Nurr1) precursor pool at E12.5. The excess NR4A2+ precursors remained undifferentiated until E14.5, when a transient 25% increase in DA neurons was detected. Wnt5a−/− mice also displayed a defect in (mid)brain morphogenesis, including an impairment in midbrain elongation and a rounded ventricular cavity. Interestingly, these alterations affected mostly cells in the DA lineage. The ventral Sonic hedgehog-expressing domain was broadened and flattened, a typical CE phenotype, and the domains occupied by Ngn2+ DA progenitors, NR4A2+ DA precursors and TH+ DA neurons were rostrocaudally reduced and laterally expanded. In summary, we hereby describe a Wnt5a regulation of Wnt/PCP signaling in the DA lineage and provide evidence for multiple functions of Wnt5a in the VM in vivo, including the regulation of VM morphogenesis, DA progenitor cell division, and differentiation of NR4A2+ DA precursors

Recent research on Gulf War illness and other health problems in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Effects of toxicant exposures during deployment

Veterans of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield - the 1991 Gulf War (GW) - are a unique population who returned from theater with multiple health complaints and disorders. Studies in the U.S. and elsewhere have consistently concluded that approximately 25-32% of this population suffers from a disorder characterized by symptoms that vary somewhat among individuals and include fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic complaints. Gulf War illness (GWI) is the term used to describe this disorder. In addition, brain cancer occurs at increased rates in subgroups of GW veterans, as do neuropsychological and brain imaging abnormalities. Chemical exposures have become the focus of etiologic GWI research because nervous system symptoms are prominent and many neurotoxicants were present in theater, including organophosphates (OPs), carbamates, and other pesticides; sarin/cyclosarin nerve agents, and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) medications used as prophylaxis against chemical warfare attacks. Psychiatric etiologies have been ruled out. This paper reviews the recent literature on the health of 1991 GW veterans, focusing particularly on the central nervous system and on effects of toxicant exposures. In addition, it emphasizes research published since 2008, following on an exhaustive review that was published in that year that summarizes the prior literature (RACGWI, 2008). We conclude that exposure to pesticides and/or to PB are causally associated with GWI and the neurological dysfunction in GW veterans. Exposure to sarin and cyclosarin and to oil well fire emissions are also associated with neurologically based health effects, though their contribution to development of the disorder known as GWI is less clear. Gene-environment interactions are likely to have contributed to development of GWI in deployed veterans. The health consequences of chemical exposures in the GW and other conflicts have been called "toxic wounds" by veterans. This type of injury requires further study and concentrated treatment research efforts that may also benefit other occupational groups with similar exposure-related illnesses