Category-biased patches encircle core domain-general regions in the human lateral prefrontal cortex.

The fine-grained functional organization of the human lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) remains poorly understood. Previous fMRI studies delineated focal domain-general, or multiple-demand (MD), PFC areas that co-activate during diverse cognitively demanding tasks. While there is some evidence for category-selective (face and scene) patches, in human and non-human primate PFC, these have not been systematically assessed.

Task and stimulus coding in the multiple-demand network.

In the human brain, a multiple-demand (MD) network plays a key role in cognitive control, with core components in lateral frontal, dorsomedial frontal and lateral parietal cortex, and multivariate activity patterns that discriminate the contents of many cognitive activities. In prefrontal cortex of the behaving monkey, different cognitive operations are associated with very different patterns of neural activity, while details of a particular stimulus are encoded as small variations on these basic patterns (Sigala et al, 2008). Here, using the advanced fMRI methods of the Human Connectome Project and their 360-region cortical parcellation, we searched for a similar result in MD activation patterns.

Basis of executive functions in fine-grained architecture of cortical and subcortical human brain networks.

Theoretical models suggest that executive functions rely on both domain-general and domain-specific processes. Supporting this view, prior brain imaging studies have revealed that executive activations converge and diverge within broadly characterized brain networks. However, the lack of precise anatomical mappings has impeded our understanding of the interplay between domain-general and domain-specific processes.

Using Machine Learning Prediction to Create a 15-question IPV Measurement Tool.

Domestic violence, especially intimate partner violence (IPV), is an important issue worldwide, especially in India. Those that experience it may not always be able to come forward or have access to the required social support to act against it. We use National Family Health Survey data ( = 66,013 women) to create machine learning models which can predict IPV instances with a recall of 78%.

Precise Topology of Adjacent Domain-General and Sensory-Biased Regions in the Human Brain.

Recent functional MRI studies identified sensory-biased regions across much of the association cortices and cerebellum. However, their anatomical relationship to multiple-demand (MD) regions, characterized as domain-general due to their coactivation during multiple cognitive demands, remains unclear. For a better anatomical delineation, we used multimodal MRI techniques of the Human Connectome Project to scan subjects performing visual and auditory versions of a working memory (WM) task.

Reward motivation increases univariate activity but has limited effect on coding of task-relevant information across the frontoparietal cortex.

Selection and integration of information based on current goals is fundamental for goal-directed behavior. Reward motivation has been shown to improve behavioral performance, yet the neural mechanisms that link motivation and control processes, and in particular its effect on context-dependent information processing, remain unclear. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 24 human volunteers (13 females) to test whether reward motivation enhances the coding of task-relevant information across the frontoparietal cortex, as would be predicted based on previous experimental evidence and theoretical accounts.

Perceptual Priming Can Increase or Decrease With Aging.

A decline in declarative or explicit memory has been extensively characterized in cognitive aging and is a hallmark of cognitive impairments. However, whether and how implicit perceptual memory varies with aging or cognitive impairment is unclear. Here, we compared implicit perceptual memory and explicit memory measures in three groups of participants: (1) 59 healthy young volunteers (20-30 years); (2) 269 healthy old volunteers (50-90 years) and (3) 21 patients with mild cognitive impairment, i.

Moral Distress: A Framework for Offering Relief through Debrief.

Moral distress, if left unaddressed, leads to a number of harmful emotions and behaviors that take a toll on the personal and professional well-being of healthcare workers. In this article, a clinical case is used to illustrate a moral distress debriefing framework that can be utilized by clinical ethicists and healthcare professionals with the appropriate skill set. The first part of the framework is preparatory; it includes guidance on how to identify the needs of healthcare providers, set goals for a debriefing session, gather relevant information, and plan the logistics of the meeting.

Integrated Intelligence from Distributed Brain Activity.

How does organized cognition arise from distributed brain activity? Recent analyses of fluid intelligence suggest a core process of cognitive focus and integration, organizing the components of a cognitive operation into the required computational structure. A cortical 'multiple-demand' (MD) system is closely linked to fluid intelligence, and recent imaging data define nine specific MD patches distributed across frontal, parietal, and occipitotemporal cortex. Wide cortical distribution, relative functional specialization, and strong connectivity suggest a basis for cognitive integration, matching electrophysiological evidence for binding of cognitive operations to their contents.

Individual-subject Functional Localization Increases Univariate Activation but Not Multivariate Pattern Discriminability in the "Multiple-demand" Frontoparietal Network.

The frontoparietal "multiple-demand" (MD) control network plays a key role in goal-directed behavior. Recent developments of multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) for fMRI data allow for more fine-grained investigations into the functionality and properties of brain systems. In particular, MVPA in the MD network was used to gain better understanding of control processes such as attentional effects, adaptive coding, and representation of multiple task-relevant features, but overall low decoding levels have limited its use for this network.

Progressive Recruitment of the Frontoparietal Multiple-demand System with Increased Task Complexity, Time Pressure, and Reward.

A distributed, frontoparietal "multiple-demand" (MD) network is involved in tasks of many different kinds. Integrated activity across this network may be needed to bind together the multiple features of a mental control program (Duncan, 2013). Previous data suggest that, especially with low cognitive load, there may be some differentiation between MD regions (e.

Alopecia Areata and Demyelination as Paraneoplastic Manifestation in Paediatric Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma is one of the commonly encountered lymphomas in childhood. Most of the children present with lymphadenopathy. A rare subset of children do present with constellation of atypical symptoms as paraneoplastic syndromes.

Amitraz: A Perpetual Silent Menace Among Children in Developing Countries-A Case Report.

Amitraz is an acaricide and insecticide used to treat ticks, which infest domestic animals in developing countries. Because of its widespread use, it is one of the common poisons unintentionally consumed by infants and children when left unsupervised. A 3-year-old boy was brought with unintentional consumption of Amitraz.

Commentary: Looking beyond Treatment Refusal.

This case illustrates the dilemma that occurs when a patient refuses treatment. When a patient refuses recommended interventions, it can cause much distress among the medical team and family. On the surface, the ethical issue appears to be in regard to treatment refusal.

Nootropic activity of Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham against scopolamine induced cognitive impairment.

Loss of cognition is one of the age related mental problems and a characteristic symptom of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham, a well explored traditional Indian medicinal plant of Westernghats, is routinely used as folkloric medicine to treat various ailments in particular urolithiasis and neurological disorders associated with cognitive dysfunction. The objective of the study was to evaluate the nootropic activity of Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham stem bark in different learning and memory paradigm viz.

Solvent specific persistence length of molecular type I collagen.

Type I collagen is a fibril-forming protein largely responsible for the mechanical stability of body tissues. The tissue level properties of collagen have been studied for decades, and an increasing number of studies have been performed at the fibril scale. However, the mechanical properties of collagen at the molecular scale are not well established.

Comparative evaluation of successive extracts of leaf and stem bark of Albizzia lebbeck for mast cell stabilization activity.

Successive chloroform, methanol and water extracts of bark and leaves of Albizzia lebbeck were tested for its in vitro mast cell stabilizing effect against compound 48/80. Methanolic extract of leaf and methanolic and water extracts of bark have shown maximum activity comparable to that of disodium chromoglycate.

Growth of rat cortical neurons on DuraGen, a collagen-based dural graft matrix.

Objectives: DuraGen, a collagen-based dural graft matrix, is frequently used in clinical neurosurgery. In the present study we examined whether DuraGen influenced neuron survival of or process growth from cerebral cortex neurons in culture.

Methods: Dissociated E19 rat cerebral cortical neurons were cultured at low density on poly-L-lysine or on cryostat-sectioned DuraGen.

Beta-amyloid-induced reactive astrocytes display altered ability to support dendrite and axon growth from mouse cerebral cortical neurons in vitro.

Objectives: The presence of beta-amyloid (betaA) deposition, induction of reactive gliosis and dystrophic neurites, is a characteristic feature of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease. In vitro, betaA-exposed astrocytes become reactive, similar to astrocytes in contact with betaA plaques in vivo. How betaA-exposed reactive astrocytes support neuron process growth, however, is not well defined.

Effect of excess extracellular glutamate on dendrite growth from cerebral cortical neurons at 3 days in vitro: Involvement of NMDA receptors.

Glutamate is an important regulator of dendrite development; however, during cerebral ischemia, massive glutamate release can lead to neurodegeneration and death. An early consequence of glutamate excitotoxicity is dendrite injury, which often precedes cell death. We examined the effect of glutamate on dendrite growth from embryonic day 18 (E18) mouse cortical neurons grown for 3 days in vitro (DIV) and immunolabeled with anti-microtubule-associated protein (MAP)2 and anti-neurofilament (NF)-H, to identify dendrites and axons, respectively.

Decreased dendrite growth from cultured mouse cortical neurons surviving excitotoxic activation of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate/kainate receptors.

During cerebral ischemia, massive glutamate release leads to cell death through ionotropic glutamate receptor activation. An early consequence of this excitotoxicity is dendrite injury, which can precede cell death. We therefore tested whether cells that survived an excitotoxic insult triggered by overactivation of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)/kainate (KA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors displayed altered dendrite growth.

Cytoprotective role of Solanum nigrum against gentamicin-induced kidney cell (Vero cells) damage in vitro.

The 50% ethanol extract of the whole plant of Solanum nigrum was tested in vitro for its cytoprotection against gentamicin-induced toxicity on Vero cells. Cytotoxicity was significantly inhibited as assessed by the Trypan blue exclusion assay and mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MTT) assay. The test extract also exhibited significant hydroxyl radical scavenging potential, thus suggesting its probable mechanism of cytoprotection.

Effect of Luffa echinata on lipid peroxidation and free radical scavenging activity.

The dried alcoholic (50%) extract of the plant Luffa echinata was investigated for inhibition of lipid peroxidation, for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and interaction with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical (DPPH). It was found that the test extract exhibited a considerable inhibition of lipid peroxidation and possessed hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Evaluation of antiradical scavenging activity showed significant interaction with DPPH.