Global Scale Atmospheric Processes Research Program Review

Global modeling; satellite data assimilation and initialization; simulation of future observing systems; model and observed energetics; dynamics of planetary waves; First Global Atmospheric Research Program Global Experiment (FGGE) diagnosis studies; and National Research Council Research Associateship Program are discussed

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter-Associated Nocardia nova Endocarditis in a Patient Receiving Intravenous Antibiotics for Chronic Lyme Disease

Long-term antibiotics are not effective for the therapy of patients with persistent symptoms and a history of Lyme disease. However, some clinicians still prescribe these therapies. We present a case of peripherally inserted central catheter-associated Nocardia nova endocarditis in a patient who had been receiving intravenous antibiotics for the management of chronic Lyme disease. This case highlights an important risk associated with the unscientific use of indwelling peripheral catheters and intravenous antibiotics for the management of such patients. Infectious Diseases Society of America

Prefrontal Circuit Selection in Stress and Resilience:

Thesis advisor: John P. ChristiansonStress is a risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, yet not all individuals who are exposed to stress develop such disorders. Several factors influence susceptibility versus resilience to the effects of stress, including coping strategy biological sex. A growing body of research in humans has demonstrated that active coping strategies – defined as using available resources to problem solve – are positively correlated with resilience. In rodents, resilience to a potent acute stressor can be achieved through active coping, such as controlling the termination of a stressor, but only in males. During controllable stress males engage a stress mitigating pathway between the prelimbic (PL) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), but this pathway isn’t engaged by control in females or when stress is uncontrollable in both sexes. Thus, neural activity within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is a critical determinant of stressor-induced anxiety. The mechanism that engage vmPFC excitability are not well understood. Therefore, the goals of the dissertation were 1) determine if eCBs in the PL promote neuronal excitability and behavioral resilience 2) test if ES and IS result in differential activation PL afferents, and will specifically test if ES results in greater activation PL-inputs from action-outcome associated regions, while IS leads to greater engagement of stress/fear inputs to the PL, and 3) identify network-wide patterns of activation and test the hypothesis that the stress and action-outcome networks are differentially activated as a function of stressor controllability and/or sex. We’ve demonstrated that augmenting eCBs in the PL increased excitability through a CB1 and GABA receptor dependent mechanism and was sufficient to block the stress induced decrease in social exploration. Regarding goal 2, PL inputs from the orbitofrontal cortex and DRN were activated in response to stress per se, but were not sensitive to stressor controllability and did not differ between males and females. PL afferents from the basolateral amygdala and mediodorsally thalamus were not sensitive to stress. Lastly, we quantified Fos expression in response to controllable and uncontrollable stress in male and female rats in 24 brain regions associated with stress, action-outcome learning, and showing sex differences in response to stress. Using interregional correlations, we found differences in functional connectivity as a function of stressor controllability and sex when considering all 24 regions and when considering only stress associated regions. Females showed greater overall functional connectivity compared with males, and IS resulted in greater overall connectivity than ES. We also reveal potentially important nodes in functional connectivity networks using centrality measures to identify network hubs. The findings of this research emphasize the need to study differences between males and females across all realms of neuroscience, particularly in relation to disorders of stress and anxiety.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Psychology

Cerebral Blood Velocity Increases during Face Cooling in Symptomatic Concussed Athletes

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Large-Scale Agile Transformation: A Case Study of Transforming Business, Development and Operations

Today, product development organizations are adopting agile methods in units outside the software development unit, such as in sales, market, legal, operations working with the customer. This broader adoption of agile methods has been labeled large-scale agile transformation and is considered a particular type of organizational change, originating in the software development units. So far, there is little research-based advice on conducting such transformations. Aiming to contribute towards providing relevant research advice on large-scale agile transformation, we apply a research-based framework for evaluating organizational agility on a product development program in a maritime service provider organization. We found that doing a large-scale agile transformation involves many significant challenges, such as having a shared understanding of the problem, getting access to users, and getting commitment to change that needs to be done. In order to overcome such challenges, we discuss the need for a holistic and integrated approach to agile transformation involving all the units linked to software development.publishedVersio

The Effects of Acute Thermoneutral and Hot Water Immersion on Cerebrovascular Reactivity

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Renal and Segmental Artery Hemodynamic Response to Mild Hypercapnia

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