"The results of the study by Hampshire and colleagues are of concern, and the broader implications require evaluation. For example, what are the functional implications of a 3-point loss in IQ? Whether one group of persons is affected more severely than others is not clear. Whether these cognitive deficits persist or resolve along with predictors and trajectory of recovery should be investigated. Will Covid-19–associated cognitive deficits confer a predisposition to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia later in life? The effects on educational attainment, work performance, accidental injury, and other activities that require intact cognitive abilities should also be evaluated."

“A key motivation for this study is that sex plays a crucial role in human brain development, in aging, and in the manifestation of psychiatric and neurological disorders,” said Vinod Menon, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory. “Identifying consistent and replicable sex differences in the healthy adult brain is a critical step toward a deeper understanding of sex-specific vulnerabilities in psychiatric and neurological disorders.”

"Questions about President Joe Biden’s cognitive health are drawing attention to ageism in politics — as well as in American life, with fewer people taking precautions against the covid-19 virus even as it remains a serious threat to vulnerable people, especially the elderly. The mental fitness of the nation’s leaders is a valid, relevant question for many voters, though the questions are also fueled by frustration with a political system in which many offices are held by older people who have been around a long time." "The Alabama Supreme Court’s groundbreaking ruling last week that frozen embryos have legal rights as people has touched off a national debate about the potential fallout of the “personhood” movement. Already the University of Alabama-Birmingham has paused its in vitro fertilization program while it determines the ongoing legality of a process that has become increasingly common for those wishing to start a family."

Ferida Wolff Writes: There was a slight rise in temperature and the snow started melting off the tree branches, splashing down like heavy rain. What was fluffy became squishy, thick and wet. It was very dramatic but shifted what started as an snowstorm into something new – it seemed to be raining snow! As our communities become more urbanized, the natural features around us tend to get pushed into the background and often go unnoticed."

“People with ME/CFS have very real and disabling symptoms, but uncovering their biological basis has been extremely difficult,” said Walter Koroshetz, M.D., (seen right) director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). “This in-depth study of a small group of people found a number of factors that likely contribute to their ME/CFS. Now researchers can test whether these findings apply to a larger patient group and move towards identifying treatments that target core drivers of the disease.” Immune testing revealed that the ME/CFS group had higher levels of naive B cells and lower levels of switched memory B cells — cells that help the immune system fight off pathogens — in blood compared to healthy controls.

“Given how far headsets with passthrough video have come, it’s time to dedicate serious academic thought to the psychological and behavioral effects of this technology,” said Jeremy Bailenson, the Thomas More Storke Professor in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences and founding director of the Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL). “We want to understand the implications of living in a life in which we rely on passthrough for hours every day to see the world around us.”

Researchers at Stanford University and the American University of Beirut (AUB) have developed a portable antenna that could be quickly deployed in disaster-prone areas or used to set up communications in underdeveloped regions. The antenna packs down to a small size and can easily shift between two configurations to communicate either with satellites or devices on the ground without using additional power. At its most compact, the antenna is a hollow ring that stands just over 1 inch tall and about 5 inches across – not much larger than a bracelet – and weighs 1.4 ounces. In this shape, it’s able to reach satellites with a high-power signal sent in a particular direction. When stretched out to about a foot tall, the antenna sends a lower power signal in all directions, more like a Wi-Fi router.

For his bestselling book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, author David Grann relied on National Archives records to tell the harrowing story of a series of murders in the Osage nation in Oklahoma in the 1920s. In a 2017 interview published in Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives, Grann stated, “I could not have written this book without the amazing holdings at the National Archives, where I spent hours upon hours researching this largely forgotten chapter in American history. There were so many surprising documents."

"Review the preparer’s history. Check the Better Business Bureau website for information about the preparer. Look for disciplinary actions and the license status for credentialed preparers. For CPAs, check the State Board of Accountancy’s website, and for attorneys check with the State Bar Association. For enrolled agents go to IRS.gov and search for “verify enrolled agent status” or check the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers. Ask about service fees."  

https://www.senate.gov/isvp/?auto_play=false&comm=judiciary&filename=judiciary013124&poster=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/assets/images/video-poster.png&stt=   Full Committee Hearing Date: Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 Protecting Children Online Hearings FULL COMMITTEE Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis Type:Full Committee Hearing Date: Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 Time: 10:00am Location: Dirksen Senate Office Building Room G50 Presiding: Chair Durbin

"An Atlas of Es Devlin is the first monographic museum exhibition dedicated to British artist and stage designer Es Devlin (born 1971), who is renowned for work that transforms audiences. Since beginning in small theaters in 1995, she has charted a course from kinetic stage designs at the National Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera to installations at major institutions, including the World Expo, Lincoln Center, and the United Nations headquarters. Her sculptures for Olympic Ceremonies, NFL Super Bowl halftime shows, and stadium tours for Beyoncé, The Weeknd, and U2 frame narratives that feel personal at a monumental scale."

"The team collected and reviewed more than 14,000 pieces of data and documentation, including policies, training logs, body camera and CCTV video footage, audio recordings, photographs, personnel records, manuals and standard operating procedures, interview transcripts, investigative files and data, and other documents. The report is intended to provide the most comprehensive assessment available of the law enforcement response to the horrific incident on May 24, 2022, as well as the emergency medical response, communications, and trauma services in the wake of the tragedy. It begins with a minute-by-minute timeline reconstructing key events before, during, and immediately following the shooting. The report addresses many previously unanswered questions, builds on the existing knowledge base for responding to incidents of mass violence, and identifies generally accepted practices for effective law enforcement responses. In doing so, this report endeavors to honor the victims and survivors of this tragedy, as well as offer recommendations to improve future responses in other communities."

This week: A bill to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from restricting funding for pregnancy centers; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 6918, the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act; the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 6914, the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act; the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 3058, the Recruiting Families Using Data Act. This week, the Senate and House may consider a laddered continuing resolution (CR) (as-yet-unnumbered) to extend most FY2023 spending bills to two dates in March.

Jo Freeman Reviews: "As history, the book documents the CIA’s shift from pursuing Communists during the Cold War, who sold secrets to the Russians, to jihadists who wanted to destroy America. It wasn’t a quick shift, which is one reason CIA leaders didn’t see 9/11 coming. As early as 1993, signs said al-Qaeda was planning to fly planes into strategic buildings in the US – even the CIA itself. The men didn’t take seriously a prediction proposed by women. Over time, that changed. Indeed it was women who confirmed that Osama bin Ladin was holed up in a compound in Pakistan – by reading the laundry hanging outside to dry... The Sisterhood is a fascinating book, especially to those of us who started it knowing little about the CIA."

“The later stages of life are often defined by loss: the loss of health, loved ones, social support networks, independence, and (eventually) loss of life itself,” the authors write. “Our results suggest that standard public health promotion activities, which often focus solely on physical health, might be expanded to include a wider range of factors that may lead to gains in hope. For example, alongside community-based health and nutrition programs aimed at reducing chronic conditions like hypertension, programs that help strengthen marital relations (e.g., closeness with a spouse), provide opportunities to volunteer, help lower anxiety, or increase connection with friends may potentially increase levels of hope, which in turn, may improve levels of health and well-being in a variety of domains.”

Here you'll find items of current interest — new programs, recent guidance or timely reminders.Tax Updates and News From the IRS: Taxpayers face a number of issues due to critical tax law changes that took place in 2022 and ongoing challenges related to the pandemic. The IRS announced a major policy change that will end unannounced visits to taxpayers by agency revenue officers to reduce public confusion and increase overall safety. The change reverses a decades-long practice by IRS Revenue Officers, the unarmed agency employees whose duties included visiting households and businesses to collect unpaid taxes. Effective immediately, the unscheduled visits will end except in a few unique circumstances.

From President Biden: "One of my proudest achievements in life was writing and championing the landmark Violence Against Women Act some 30 years ago in the United States Senate. It began to change our culture, bringing these crimes out of the shadows and getting survivors the services and support they needed. Over the years, I worked with courageous advocates to keep expanding protections and boosting access to healing and justice. In 2022, I was proud to sign a reauthorization of the law, increasing investment in prosecution, prevention, and support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking." BRIEFING ROOM

"Results from the 2021 SHED show substantial gender differences in the responses to the financial literacy questions, consistent with prior studies. We first present results for the half of respondents who received an explicit "don't know" answer choice. A smaller share of women answered each financial literacy question correctly. While women and men were similarly likely to select an incorrect answer, women were much more likely to select "don't know." For example, 63 percent of women selected "don't know" for the diversification question – 20 percentage points higher than the share of men who did so."

Ferida's Backyard: "As our communities become more urbanized, the natural features around us tend to get pushed into the background and often go unnoticed. In “Ferida’s Backyard,” I look at the details of nature locally, from a neighborhood perspective, frequently from a backyard vantage point. It excites me to share what I see. An awareness of the natural connection can beautifully enhance our lives. "I was moved when I looked at the leafless tree. It seemed to be reaching up to embrace the sky. It will be like that through the winter months, allowing us to see its inner strength before it covers its bareness with beautiful greenery in Spring."

"JN.1 continues to increase in proportion. CDC has been tracking JN.1 for months, since it first split from its parent, BA.2.86. JN.1 is similar to BA.2.86 but has an additional mutation (L455S) in the spike protein. JN.1 continues to cause an increasing share of infections and is now the most widely circulating variant in the United States. For the two weeks ending on December 23, 2023, JN.1 is expected to account for 39-50% of all SARS-CoV-2 variants. That’s an increase from the projected prevalence two weeks ago of 15-29%. We’re also seeing an increasing share of infections caused by JN.1 in travelers, wastewater, and most regions around the globe. Help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Improving your indoor air is one of the best ways to prevent spread. This can be as simple as using a portable air cleaner or opening windows (for those with pleasant winter weather). And if your home thermostat offers a FAN option, turn it from AUTO to ON when you have visitors to keep air running continuously. Learn more about other ways to help reduce spread, including testing for COVID-19, wearing masks, and increasing space and distancing."  

Rose Madeline Mula Writes: "It was with considerable trepidation, therefore, that I entered the kitchen of my hostess, the legendary actress, Joan Fontaine, one long-ago Thanksgiving morning, to offer my assistance. Acting was not Miss Fontaine's only talent. Not by a long shot. She was also a hole-in-one golfer, a prize-winning fisherwoman, a hot air balloonist, an accomplished horsewoman, and a pilot. 'When you've had as many husbands as I've had, Darling,' she'd quips, 'you learn all their hobbies.' And one hobby all hubbies shared in common was a love of good food. No problem. Joan was also a gourmet cook who studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. No wonder I was intimidated that day.

Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, are amounts that many retirement plan and IRA account owners must withdraw each year. RMDs are taxable income and may be subject to penalties if not timely taken. For individuals born before 1951, RMDs from IRAs and retirement plans should, for the most part, already have begun and are required for 2023. New for 2023: The Secure 2.0 Act raised the age that account owners must begin taking RMDs. For 2023, the age at which account owners must start taking required minimum distributions goes up from age 72 to age 73, so individuals born in 1951 must receive their first required minimum distribution by April 1, 2025.

"Many consumers do not expect overdraft fees: Among consumers in households charged an overdraft fee in the past year, 43% were surprised by their most recent account overdraft, 35% thought it was possible, and only 22% expected it. Consumers who overdraft infrequently are more likely to be surprised by a fee: 15% of consumers from households charged 1 to 3 overdraft fees expected their most recent transaction to overdraft; among households charged more than 10 overdraft fees, 56% expected their most recent overdraft. Most households incurring overdraft fees had available credit on a credit card: Among households charged 1-3 overdraft fees in the past year, 68% had credit available on a credit card, while 62% of households charged 3-10 overdraft fees had credit available on a credit card. In households charged more than 10 fees in the past year, 51% still had credit available on a credit card."