Fractionating Human Intelligence

What makes one person more intellectually able than another? Can the entire distribution of human intelligence be accounted for by just one general factor? Is intelligence supported by a single neural system? Here, we provide a perspective on human intelligence that takes into account how general abilities or ‘‘factors’’ reflect the functional organiza- tion of the brain. By comparing factor models of individual differences in performance with factor models of brain functional organization, we demon- strate that different components of intelligence have their analogs in distinct brain networks. Using simulations based on neuroimaging data, we show that the higher-order factor ‘‘g’’ is accounted for by cognitive tasks corecruiting multiple networks. Finally, we confirm the independence of these com- ponents of intelligence by dissociating them using questionnaire variables. We propose that intelli- gence is an emergent property of anatomically distinct cognitive systems, each of which has its own capacity

11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, brain atrophy and cognitive decline

Excess cortisol levels are linked with brain atrophy and cognitive decline in older people. 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11ß-HSD1) potently amplifies intracellular glucocorticoid action by converting inert cortisone to active cortisol, but any causal importance in brain ageing is unexplored. We tested the hypotheses that higher systemic 11ß-HSD1 activity predicts brain atrophy and cognitive decline in older men. In a longitudinal study of 41 men (65-70y at baseline) we measured baseline systemic 11ß-HSD1 activity, the urinary 5alpha- and 5beta-tetrahydrocortisol to tetrahydrocortisone ratio (THFs/THE), and assessed change in brain atrophy, white matter lesions and cognitive function over six years. Baseline THFs/THE correlated negatively with baseline hippocampal volumes (left: r=-0.37; right: r=-0.34; p<0.05) and positively with ventricular volumes (r=0.43, p=0.006) and periventricular white matter lesions (rho=0.31, p=0.047). Importantly, baseline THFs/THE but not cortisol predicted increase in ventricular volumes (r=0.33, p=0.037) and decline in processing speed (r=-0.55, p=0.0002) over six years. The predictive link between systemic 11β-HSD1 activity and progressive brain atrophy and cognitive decline suggests 11β-HSD1 inhibition as a plausible therapy for brain ageing

Rapid Telehealth Implementation during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: A Rapid Review

The implementation and continued expansion of telehealth services assists a variety of health care organizations in the delivery of care during the current COVID-19 global pandemic. However, limited research has been conducted on recent, rapid telehealth implementation and expansion initiatives regarding facilitators and barriers surrounding the provision of quality patient care. Our rapid review evaluated the literature specific to rapid telehealth implementation during the current COVID-19 pandemic from three research databases between January 2020 and May 2020 and reported using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). The results indicate the rapid implementation and enhanced use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States surrounding the facilitators and barriers to the provision of patient care, which are categorized into three identified themes: (1) descriptive process-oriented implementations, (2) the interpretation and infusion of the CARES Act of 2020 telehealth exemptions related to the relaxation of patient privacy and security (HIPAA) protocols, and (3) the standard of care protocols and experiences addressing organizational liability and the standard of care. While the study limitation of sample size exists (n = 21), an identification of rapid telehealth implementation advancements and challenges during the current pandemic may assist health care organizations in the delivery of ongoing quality care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Queer City : The Queer Series

Presentation, in a newspaper format, of the Queer City performance art festival. Reception of the lesbian performance art of Kiss and Tell, homosexuality in the Native tradition and White reception of Native homosexuality, and performance art in Vancouver in the context of "Queer theory" are briefly commented upon

68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI: determining ideal acquisition times to reduce noise and increase image quality.

BackgroundIn this study, we investigate the impact of increased PET acquisition time per bed position on lesion detectability, standard uptake value, and image noise in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI scans.MethodsScans of twenty patients were analyzed in this study. Patients were injected with 68Ga-PSMA-11 (mean, 5.50 ± 1.49 mCi) and imaged on a 3.0 T time-of-flight PET/MRI. PET images were retrospectively reconstructed using 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 min of PET data. Lesion detectability was evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale for each lesion in each reconstruction. Quantitative analysis was performed measuring image noise and lesion uptake.ResultsA total of 55 lesions were identified, and lesion detectability increased from 2.07 ± 1.14 for 0.5 min to 4.93 ± 0.26 for 10 min (p &lt; 0.001), with no significant difference detected between 7 and 10 min of scan time. Average SUVmax decreased from 9.89 ± 6.62 for 0.5 min to 8.64 ± 6.81 for 10 min. Noise decreased from 0.72 ± 0.22 for 0.5 min to 0.31 ± 0.12 for 10 min (p &lt; 0.001) and were nearly equivalent between 7 and 10 min. Pairwise interaction terms between size, SUVmax, and scan time were all found to be significant, although the interaction term between SUVmax and scan time was found to be the most significant.ConclusionsIncreased acquisition duration improves image quality by increasing detectability and reducing noise. In patients with biochemical recurrence, increased acquisition time up to 7 min improves lesion detection