The contribution of general intelligence to cognitive performance across the lifespan: A differentiation analysis of the wechsler tests.

Human cognitive abilities exhibit positive interrelationships that can be represented by a latent general intelligence factor (g). Differentiation hypotheses propose that there are systematic interindividual differences in the strength of g, specifically along the dimensions of ability level (ability differentiation) and age (age differentiation). Despite the potential implications for cognitive theory and assessment, the available evidence on the matter is inconclusive.

Crystallized Intelligence, Fluid Intelligence, and Need for Cognition: Their Longitudinal Relations in Adolescence.

Investment theory and related theoretical approaches suggest a dynamic interplay between crystallized intelligence, fluid intelligence, and investment traits like need for cognition. Although cross-sectional studies have found positive correlations between these constructs, longitudinal research testing all of their relations over time is scarce. In our pre-registered longitudinal study, we examined whether initial levels of crystallized intelligence, fluid intelligence, and need for cognition predicted changes in each other.

Improving quality control procedures for the measurement of total daily energy expenditure using the two-point doubly labeled water method.

Rationale: The precision of the doubly labeled water (DLW) method is determined by the precision and accuracy of the isotopic measurements. Quality control (QC) procedures to mitigate sample variability require additional measurements if sample duplicates differ more than a factor of instrument precision. We explored the effect of widening QC ranges on total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) determined using the two-point sampling method.

Effects of follicle-stimulating hormone on energy balance and tissue metabolic health after loss of ovarian function.

Loss of ovarian function imparts increased susceptibility to obesity and metabolic disease. These effects are largely attributed to decreased estradiol (E), but the role of increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in modulating energy balance has not been fully investigated. Previous work that blocked FSH binding to its receptor in mice suggested this hormone may play a part in modulating body weight and energy expenditure after ovariectomy (OVX).

The stability of cognitive abilities: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies.

Cognitive abilities, including general intelligence and domain-specific abilities such as fluid reasoning, comprehension knowledge, working memory capacity, and processing speed, are regarded as some of the most stable psychological traits, yet there exist no large-scale systematic efforts to document the specific patterns by which their rank-order stability changes over age and time interval, or how their stability differs across abilities, tests, and populations. Determining the conditions under which cognitive abilities exhibit high or low degrees of stability is critical not just to theory development but to applied contexts in which cognitive assessments guide decisions regarding treatment and intervention decisions with lasting consequences for individuals. In order to supplement this important area of research, we present a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies investigating the stability of cognitive abilities.

The spectrum of eating environments encountered in free living adults documented using a passive capture food intake wearable device.

Introduction: The aim of this feasibility and proof-of-concept study was to examine the use of a novel wearable device for automatic food intake detection to capture the full range of free-living eating environments of adults with overweight and obesity. In this paper, we document eating environments of individuals that have not been thoroughly described previously in nutrition software as current practices rely on participant self-report and methods with limited eating environment options.

Methods: Data from 25 participants and 116 total days (7 men, 18 women, M = 44 ± 12 years, BMI 34.

Why the use of segmented regression analysis to explore change in relations between variables is problematic: A simulation study.

Relations between variables can take different forms like linearity, piecewise linearity, or nonlinearity. Segmented regression analyses (SRA) are specialized statistical methods that detect breaks in the relationship between variables. They are commonly used in the social sciences for exploratory analyses.

Students' intelligence test results after six and sixteen months of irregular schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected schooling worldwide. In many places, schools closed for weeks or months, only part of the student body could be educated at any one time, or students were taught online. Previous research discloses the relevance of schooling for the development of cognitive abilities.

Effect of Morning and Evening Exercise on Energy Balance: A Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of randomizing adults with overweight and obesity (BMI 25-40 kg/m) to morning (06:00-10:00) or evening (15:00-19:00) aerobic exercise. Participants completed four exercise sessions per week in the morning (AM, = 18) or evening (PM, = 15). The exercise program was 15 weeks and progressed from 70 to 80% heart rate maximum and 750-2000 kcal/week.

Temporal stability and change in manifest intelligence scores: Four complementary analytic approaches.

The temporal stability of psychological test scores is one prerequisite for their practical usability. This is especially true for intelligence test scores. In educational contexts, high stakes decisions with long-term consequences, such as placement in special education programs, are often based on intelligence test results.

Age and ability differentiation in children: A review and empirical investigation.

Differentiation hypotheses concern changes in the structural organization of cognitive abilities that depend on the level of general intelligence (ability differentiation) or age (developmental differentiation). Part 1 of this article presents a review of the literature on ability and developmental differentiation effects in children, revealing the need for studies that examine both effects simultaneously in this age group with appropriate statistical methods. Part 2 presents an empirical study in which nonlinear factor analytic models were applied to the standardization sample ( = 2,619 German elementary schoolchildren; 48% female; age: = 8.

NeuroBox: Computational Mathematics in Multiscale Neuroscience.

The brain is a complex organ operating on multiple scales. From molecular events that inform electrical and biochemical cellular responses, the brain interconnects processes all the way up to the massive network size of billions of brain cells. This strongly coupled, nonlinear, system has been subject to research that has turned increasingly multidisciplinary.

Musculoskeletal adaptations to strength training in frail elderly: a matter of quantity or quality?

Background: The improvement in muscle strength generally exceeds the increase in muscle size following strength training in frail elderly, highlighting the complex aetiology of strength deficit in aging. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of heavy-load strength training on a broad number of factors related to specific strength in frail elderly.

Methods: Thirty-four frail elderly men (n = 18) and women (n = 16) aged 67 to 98 (86 ± 7 years) were randomized to either a group performing strength training twice a week for 10 weeks (ST) or a non-exercising control group (CON).

General intelligence and specific cognitive abilities in adolescence: Tests of age differentiation, ability differentiation, and their interaction in two large samples.

Differentiation of intelligence refers to changes in the structure of intelligence that depend on individuals' level of general cognitive ability (ability differentiation hypothesis) or age (developmental differentiation hypothesis). The present article aimed to investigate ability differentiation, developmental differentiation, and their interaction with nonlinear factor analytic models in 2 studies. Study 1 was comprised of a nationally representative sample of 7,127 U.

Evolving Technologies for Tissue Cutting.

This article reviews evolving and lesser known technologies for tissue cutting and their application in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Ensemble Based Approach for Time Series Classification in Metabolomics.

Background: Machine learning is one important application in the area of health informatics, however classification methods for longitudinal data are still rare.

Objectives: The aim of this work is to analyze and classify differences in metabolite time series data between groups of individuals regarding their athletic activity.

Methods: We propose a new ensemble-based 2-tier approach to classify metabolite time series data.

Spine-to-Dendrite Calcium Modeling Discloses Relevance for Precise Positioning of Ryanodine Receptor-Containing Spine Endoplasmic Reticulum.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms a complex endomembrane network that reaches into the cellular compartments of a neuron, including dendritic spines. Recent work discloses that the spine ER is a dynamic structure that enters and leaves spines. While evidence exists that ER Ca release is involved in synaptic plasticity, the role of spine ER morphology remains unknown.

What Is Required for Neuronal Calcium Waves? A Numerical Parameter Study.

Neuronal calcium signals propagating by simple diffusion and reaction with mobile and stationary buffers are limited to cellular microdomains. The distance intracellular calcium signals can travel may be significantly increased by means of calcium-induced calcium release from internal calcium stores, notably the endoplasmic reticulum. The organelle, which can be thought of as a cell-within-a-cell, is able to sequester large amounts of cytosolic calcium ions via SERCA pumps and selectively release them into the cytosol through ryanodine receptor channels leading to the formation of calcium waves.

Laryngeal chondronecrosis after radiation therapy in a dog.

A 5-year-old pug presented with a soft tissue swelling on the ventral neck and moderate stridor with associated respiratory effort. This patient received hypofractionated radiotherapy for metastatic upper lip mast cell tumour and to the submandibular lymph nodes 6 months before presentation. Oral examination showed moderate elongation of the soft palate, stage III laryngeal collapse with only the right laryngeal saccule mildly everted and exuberant pale epiglottal and left pharyngeal mucosa.

Chronic exposure to electronic cigarettes results in impaired cardiovascular function in mice.

Proponents for electronic cigarettes (E-cigs) claim that they are a safe alternative to tobacco-based cigarettes; however, little is known about the long-term effects of exposure to E-cig vapor on vascular function. The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiovascular consequences of chronic E-cig exposure. Female mice (C57BL/6 background strain) were randomly assigned to chronic daily exposure to E-cig vapor, standard (3R4F reference) cigarette smoke, or filtered air ( n = 15/group).

Generating Neuron Geometries for Detailed Three-Dimensional Simulations Using AnaMorph.

Generating realistic and complex computational domains for numerical simulations is often a challenging task. In neuroscientific research, more and more one-dimensional morphology data is becoming publicly available through databases. This data, however, only contains point and diameter information not suitable for detailed three-dimensional simulations.

Multidrug Analyses in Patients Distinguish Efficacious Cancer Agents Based on Both Tumor Cell Killing and Immunomodulation.

The vision of a precision medicine-guided approach to novel cancer drug development is challenged by high intratumor heterogeneity and interpatient diversity. This complexity is rarely modeled accurately during preclinical drug development, hampering predictions of clinical drug efficacy. To address this issue, we developed Comparative In Vivo Oncology (CIVO) arrayed microinjection technology to test tumor responsiveness to simultaneous microdoses of multiple drugs directly in a patient's tumor.

Anatomically Detailed and Large-Scale Simulations Studying Synapse Loss and Synchrony Using NeuroBox.

The morphology of neurons and networks plays an important role in processing electrical and biochemical signals. Based on neuronal reconstructions, which are becoming abundantly available through databases such as NeuroMorpho.org, numerical simulations of Hodgkin-Huxley-type equations, coupled to biochemical models, can be performed in order to systematically investigate the influence of cellular morphology and the connectivity pattern in networks on the underlying function.