Podcasts about national institutes

February is Heart Health Month, and in this episode of Making Shift Happen, we're breaking down how busy gravel cyclists and mountain bikers can build a stronger heart, without adding more stress to your schedule. Backed by research from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this episode covers practical, science-supported habits that improve cardiovascular health and cycling performance. You'll learn how to: Improve heart health through smart training and daily movement Fuel your body with simple, heart-healthy meals Use sleep and recovery to boost endurance and power Manage stress for better performance and long-term health Understand why knowing your health numbers matters Whether you're juggling work, family, and training – or just trying to ride stronger without burnout – this episode gives you realistic tools to support your heart, body, and mindset. Check out these other relevant episodes: 236. How to Stay Motivated When Winter Days Get Short and Cold 231. How to Maintain Bike Fitness Without Losing Motivation this Winter 196. 5 Nutrition and Fitness Tips for Winter    Do you have nutrition and fitness goals? I’m your coach!  If you’re ready to finally make some sustainable progress, feel strong and powerful on every climb uphill, feel less pain, perform better, or lose a few extra pounds, then apply to work with me by clicking here. I work with people just like you, and you’ll see results a helluva lot faster than on your own. #ShredStrong: Our Month Starts on Monday, March 2, 2026! #ShredStrong is my year-round strength training program for mountain bikers and gravel cyclists. You can join any time you want, but why not now?! Learn more about the program and sign-up HERE!  Keywords: heart health for cyclists, gravel cycling training, mountain bike fitness, endurance athlete heart health, cycling nutrition, cycling recovery, busy athlete training, cardiovascular health cycling, Shred Strong podcast

Eight skiers have been found dead, and one is still missing, a day after an avalanche hit the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe. The sheriff's office says six survivors were rescued with “various injuries,” two of whom were transported to the hospital for treatment.In the largest military buildup yet in the Middle East, President Donald Trump is sending the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Mediterranean, along with a large fleet of fighter jets and aerial refueling tankers. This comes as negotiations between the United States and Iran continue, with Trump making his demands clear to the Iranian regime—no nuclear weapons and stop killing anti-regime protesters.The director of the National Institutes of Health is taking on an additional role. According to the White House on Wednesday, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will serve as acting director of the CDC until a permanent nominee is confirmed.

This episode explores tadalafil (Cialis) as a potential longevity drug, though no randomized human trials prove it extends lifespan. Cialis works by blocking PDE5, enhancing nitric oxide signaling, and improving blood flow through vasodilation. Originally approved for pulmonary hypertension, it's also used for erectile dysfunction and BPH. Its 36-hour half-life makes it superior to Viagra for continuous longevity effects.   The host frames vascular aging and endothelial dysfunction as key drivers of age-related diseases (heart disease, stroke, dementia, kidney disease). Observational data shows Cialis users have 44% lower mortality, fewer cardiovascular events, reduced dementia risk, and lower mortality in diabetics. Additional benefits include improved cardiac function, reduced infarct size, arrhythmia suppression, and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy. A 2024 meta-analysis found it lowers hemoglobin A1C, possibly via improved microvascular perfusion, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial function.   Cialis crosses the blood-brain barrier and may improve neurovascular coupling and hippocampal plasticity, potentially benefiting those with or at risk of dementia. Safety is generally good with long-term daily use (2.5–5 mg), though cautions include avoiding use with nitrates, low blood pressure, or certain retinal disorders. Common side effects are headache, nasal congestion, and acid reflux. The host recommends consulting a doctor and references potential synergy with telmisartan.   Tadalafil (Cialis) — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a604008.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a604008.html) Sildenafil (Viagra) — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699015.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699015.html)   Key mechanisms mentioned Nitric Oxide (NO) — NCBI Bookshelf: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554485/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554485/) Cyclic GMP (cGMP) — NCBI Bookshelf: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542234/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542234/)   Conditions mentioned in the episode Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) — MedlinePlus: [https://medlineplus.gov/benignprostatichyperplasia.html](https://medlineplus.gov/benignprostatichyperplasia.html) Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) — MedlinePlus: [https://medlineplus.gov/pulmonaryhypertension.html](https://medlineplus.gov/pulmonaryhypertension.html)   Blood pressure drug mentioned Telmisartan — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601249.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601249.html)   Other longevity / comparison drugs mentioned Metformin — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a696005.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a696005.html) Sirolimus (Rapamycin) — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a602026.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a602026.html)   Side-effect helper mentioned Ibuprofen (Advil) — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682159.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682159.html)   Dementia meds mentioned Donepezil (Aricept) — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697032.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697032.html) Amantadine — MedlinePlus drug info: [https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682064.html](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682064.html)   Lab markers mentioned Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) test — MedlinePlus lab test: [https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-a1c-hba1c-test/](https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-a1c-hba1c-test/) Insulin in blood test — MedlinePlus lab test: [https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/insulin-in-blood/](https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/insulin-in-blood/)   People referenced (where the claims were mentioned) Huberman Lab (Dr. Andrew Huberman) — site: [https://www.hubermanlab.com/](https://www.hubermanlab.com/) Clip about low-dose tadalafil (2.5–5mg) — X post: [https://x.com/tbpn/status/2022350426394534334](https://x.com/tbpn/status/2022350426394534334) Bryan Johnson (Blueprint) — site: [https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/](https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/) Dr. David Sinclair (Harvard profile) — site: [https://sinclair.hms.harvard.edu/people/david-sinclair](https://sinclair.hms.harvard.edu/people/david-sinclair)   Show Notes   00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast. 01:56 What Cialis Is: PDE5 Inhibition, cGMP & Nitric Oxide Explained 03:43 Approved Uses & Origin Story: Pulmonary Hypertension, ED, and BPH 05:33 Why Cialis Over Viagra: 36-Hour Half-Life & 24/7 Vascular Benefits 06:52 Vascular Aging 101: Endothelium, Perfusion, and Why It Drives Disease 11:14 What the Human Data Shows: Observational Evidence for Mortality, CVD & Dementia 13:04 Mechanisms Deep Dive: Heart Protection, Heart Failure, and Anti-Atherosclerosis 15:02 Cialis for Diabetics: Lowering A1C and Improving Insulin Sensitivity 16:21 Brain Effects: Blood–Brain Barrier, Neurovascular Coupling & Dementia Potential 18:21 Safety, Who Should Avoid It, and Daily Longevity Dosing (2.5–5 mg) + Wrap-Up   The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — using medications only when absolutely necessary. Beyond health science, we explore the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being. Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary  (Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as  Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen). If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this podcast is for you.We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your well-being.   Connect with Dr. Mike Hart Instagram: @drmikehart Twitter: @drmikehart Facebook: @drmikehart

In our news wrap Wednesday, the National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will serve as acting head of the CDC, the FDA reversed its decision to consider whether to approve a new mRNA flu shot from Moderna and billionaire Les Wexner told lawmakers he was "duped by a world-class con-man" as he faced questions about his association with Jeffrey Epstein. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Susan Dominus is a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, a lecturer at Yale, and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success. Her feature “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” won the National Magazine Award and was the #1 gift-shared Times article of 2023. She was also a member of the Times team that won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. In this episode of The Breadwinners, host Rachael Lowell talks to Susan about how siblings shape our achievements and choices, inherited financial anxiety, knowing when to leave a job, and the value in not chasing every dollar. If you've ever tried to find the track and then realized you needed to make your own - this is for you. SHOW NOTES Susan Dominus: https://www.nytimes.com/by/susan-dominushttps://www.susanpdominus.comBook:The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success Social:https://www.instagram.com/suedominushttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susandominus Croutons:  “Women Have Been Misled About Menopause” by Susan Dominus, Feb. 1, 2023 2018 Pulitzer Prize Citation - Public Service  Bio: Susan Dominus is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and the author of The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success. In 2018, she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for its reporting on workplace sexual harassment. She won a Front Page Award from the Newswomen's Club of New York and a Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award from the New York Press Club. She has studied as a fellow at the National Institutes of Health and Yale Law School. Her article about menopause in The New York Times Magazine won a National Magazine Award in 2024. She teaches journalism at Yale University.  *** "The Breadwinners" Season 7 is a joint production between Reworking Leadership and The Smart Friends Network, generously supported by Ruth Ann Harnisch. "The Breadwinners" was founded by Rachael Lowell and Jennifer Owens in 2019.Host: Rachael LowellExecutive Producers: Rachael Lowell, Rachel SklarAudio Engineer: Ron PassaroOriginal Music: "Perfect" by Hannah BakkeRick Snell: GuitarCesar Moreno: BanjoNyssa Grant: FiddleErik Alvar: BassJustin D. Cook: Keyboard, Percussion, and OrchestrationVocals: Hannah Bakke, Cassidy StonerHannah Bakke: Music and Lyrics To stay up to date with The Breadwinners, please follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadwinnerspodcast Find Rachael Lowell at https://reworkingleadership.com & take the SHIFT assessment here: https://leadtheshift.ai If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, review & share! Thank you for listening. Still we rise! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist for the Carson Group, says that February and March could be "banana peel months" for the stock market to slip on, but he's not expecting a significant downturn and he says the underpinnings for the stock market will keep the bull market running through at least the end of the year. Detrick noted that the market has sent some mixed messages — with about 20% of stocks making 52-week highs while 6% made 52-week lows just last week — but he says that a strong economy with a dovish Federal Reserve can overcome geopolitical concerns, creating an environment where investors should be "overweight equities, but diversified around the globe." Dan Doonan, executive director for the National Institute on Retirement Savings, discusses their latest report, "Retirement in America: An Analysis of Retirement Preparedness Among Working-Age Americans," which has made headlines for suggesting that the average working American has less than $1,000 saved for retirement. Doonan is quick to back away from that number — because it includes the many Americans who have nothing saved and who aren't working to change that — but notes that while retirement balances are much higher for people who put in the effort, there remains a savings crisis in America.  Gil Baumgarten, founder and chief executive officer at Segment Wealth Management, brings his dividend-and-income focused approach to stock picking back to the Money Life Market Call.

Six years after the pandemic began, millions are still living with Long COVID. New research shows why recovery looks so different from person to person. Dr. Bruce Levy and Tanayott Thaweethai, Ph.D., of Mass General Brigham, speak with hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter about their National Institutes of Health-funded RECOVER study published in Nature […] The post Long COVID Latest: What are the Unique Patterns? appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

In cooperation with friedensinitiative jemenYEMEN: BACKGROUND TO THE CONFLICT AND CURRENT PATHS TO PEACEWith Arabic-German translationThe crisis in Yemen is the result of long-standing political tensions, weakened state institutions, and a complex regional environment. Despite numerous international initiatives, the peace process remains fragile and sustainable progress has so far failed to materialize.On this evening, we would like to explore together how this complex situation came about, which political and social factors are hindering the path to peace, and which Yemeni approaches are opening up new perspectives today.We cordially invite you to join us in discussing possible future paths for Yemen and to reflect together on how political rapprochement, stability, and an inclusive, civil state can be promoted. Our guests will provide a variety of insights from the worlds of politics, culture, and peace work:Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, Foreign Minister of Yemen 2001–2014 and 2016. Muscat, Oman (online)Nooh Al-Jaseri, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the Yemeni Peace Initiative. SalzburgMohammed Al-Salahi, Professor of Oriental Languages and Culture at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO, Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales), ParisAdel Al-Shugaa, Professor of Political Science at the University of Sanaa, Yemen. SpainNadia Al-Naggar, Executive Director of German Yemen Centre for peace and Development e.V., BerlinModeration: Basheer Al-Tashi, Long-standing involvement in the Yemeni community and social organizations, works in quality management in civilian life. Munich

It's Tuesday, February 17th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed 90,000 Nigerians displaced due to Islamic violence More than 90,000 Catholic Nigerians have been displaced in the Southern Taraba State since September 2025, reports International Christian Concern. According to the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, over 100 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in that same time frame. U.S. funds United Nations, Dept of Ed, and Nat'l Institutes of Health The Trump administration is still funding the United Nations.  President Donald Trump approved another $3 billion dollars to the international organization in early February, according to Reuters.  The U.S. has averaged $2.5 billion dollars of funding each year for the United Nations, over the last twenty years.  America joined the United Nations back in 1945, and is its largest donor.  And, despite vowing to close down the U.S. Department of Education during his campaign, the president has signed a government funding bill that will jack up the Education Department budget 2025 levels by $217 million for a total of $79 billion. That's $12 billion more than the administration's original request. Plus, the National Institutes of Health gets another increase of $415 million over Fiscal Year 2025. In total, $48.7 billion of taxpayer money will keep this bureaucracy alive and flourishing. Republican states take action to cut property taxes Several Republican-majority states are working to reduce and eliminate property taxes for citizens. North Dakota, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, and Texas have made progress. Plus, Tennesseans will consider a ballot measure this November to eliminate the property tax. Several states are also working to trim or fully end state income taxes, with nine states having zero income tax in 2026.  One-third of young women call themselves homosexual or transgender The Gallup polling organization released new numbers on Americans identifying with a list of sexual perversions.   Now, 9% of U.S. adults call themselves sexually perverted, up from 7% in 2023, and 3.5% in 2012. The increase has occurred with the younger generation primarily. Now, almost a quarter of 20-somethings and roughly one-third of young women call themselves homosexual or transgender. Also, 10% of the 30 to 49-year-olds claim these perverse identities. Transgender murderers kill at 10 times rate of general population As The Worldview reported on February 12, the mass murderer held responsible for perpetrating Canada's worst school shooting in recent history was a man pretending to be a woman, reports LifeSiteNews.com. Jesse Van Rootselaar killed his mother and seven others, and wounded 27, before killing himself in the massacre in a remote town in British Columbia. Another man pretending to be a woman, Robert Westman, was the perpetrator at the Annunciation Catholic School shooting last August. At least five other mass-casualty shootings are attributed to men and women attempting to change their gender. That includes the Aberdeen, Maryland Rite Aid shooting, the STEM School killings in Denver, Colorado, the Club Q massacre in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Covenant School massacre in Nashville, Tennessee. Also, the Iowa Perry High School perpetrator appeared to be pushing the transgender agenda. A recent study from National Review found that transgender suspects participate in mass shootings at a rate of 10 times that of the rest of the population. Alabama's Governor signs Child Predator Death Penalty Act Alabama Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed the Child Predator Death Penalty Act into law late last week, reports WVTM13.  This law assigns the death penalty to crimes of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, and first-degree sexual assault of victims under age 12. Biblical law assigns a serious penalty to those who kidnap or seize people against their will. Exodus 21:16 says, “Now one who kidnaps someone, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall certainly be put to death.” Kansas governor vetoes law to keep boys out of girls spaces Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly  vetoed a bill passed by the Kansas legislature that would have kept biological males out of women's bathrooms.  The bill would have prosecuted any men, pretending to be women, who trespass in women's spaces, on repeated offenses. Hopefully, the state legislature will override the veto, given that the Republican Party holds a two-thirds majority in both houses.   So far, 20 states have passed laws that ban men from invading women's spaces. Proverbs 17:13 reminds us, “Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.” Puerto Rico affirms value of human life from conception Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón  signed a bill that affirms the humanity and dignity of an unborn child, from the moment of conception.   Governor González-Colón said the bill “classifies as first-degree murder the intentional and knowing killing of a pregnant woman, resulting in the death of the unborn child at any stage of gestation within the mother's womb.” This was passed mainly for purposes of homicide and criminal law. While this personhood law does not automatically ban abortion outright in Puerto Rico, pro-lifers are hopeful it will pave the way for future legal protections of unborn babies. 47% of Americans think visitors from other planets have visited Earth  (theme from the movie E.T.) Interest in extraterrestrials and UFOs is at an all-time high in the United States. A “Yougov” survey found 47% of Americans believe extraterrestrials have visited the Earth. Former President Barack Obama says ET's probably exist. But he clarified on Instagram that, “I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us.” Pokemon card sells for $16 million And finally, a trading card has netted the highest private sale amount in history.  A Pokeman card took in over $16 million over the weekend. That beats the last world record sale of a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card, which sold for $12.6 million in 2022. There were only 41 of this particular Pokemon card produced in 1998. That compares to 75 billion Pokemon cards printed in 2025. Pokeman is a game wherein the players play-act the harnessing of the power wielded by demons or monsters. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, February 17th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra print stories United States military strikes ISIS in Syria The US military conducted strikes on more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria since the beginning of February.  According to US Central Command, or CENTCOM, the attacks "struck ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage targets with precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft." CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said, “Striking these targets demonstrates our continued focus and resolve for preventing an ISIS resurgence in Syria. Operating in coordination with coalition and partner forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS makes America, the region and the world safer."  More than 50 ISIS terrorists have reportedly been killed in the past couple of months by the United States military. Tensions remain high between the US and the Middle East, with all eyes on potential military action in Iran.  US House passes SAVE Act The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act requiring those who vote in American elections to provide proof of citizenship. The bill passed 218-213, with every House Republican voting in favor of the measure. Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar also crossed the aisle to vote for the law. The law is touted by Republicans as a simple way to secure American elections and to eliminate cheating and foreign influence. Americans also overwhelmingly favor the requirement of a photo ID to cast a vote. However, the bill faces a hard road in the Senate, with Republicans holding only 53 seats, but needing 60 votes to pass the SAVE Act. Psalm 67:4 says, “O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon Earth.”

Join host Adam Lowther and guest Christopher Stone, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, as they delve into the intricacies of the National Defense Strategy (NDS) on this episode of NucleCast. Explore the critical debate around the perceived shift in American defense priorities, particularly the focus on Homeland Defense and its implications for global strategic dynamics. Christopher Stone offers a compelling argument against the notion of isolationism, emphasizing the enduring importance of strategic encirclement and the evolving geopolitical landscape. This episode provides a deep dive into the strategic considerations shaping U.S. defense policy, with insights into the roles of China, Russia, and other global players. Christopher Stone is a prominent figure in space policy, currently serving as a Senior Fellow for Space Deterrence at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, where he focuses on research related to space warfare strategies and deterrence, particularly in the context of great power competition; he previously held a position as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy at the Pentagon, giving him significant experience in the field of U.S. space policy development at a high level.Socials:Follow on Twitter at @NucleCastFollow on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nuclecastpodcastSubscribe RSS Feed: https://rss.com/podcasts/nuclecast-podcast/Rate: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclecast/id1644921278Email comments and topic/guest suggestions to NucleCast@anwadeter.org

What do the design of high-visibility public safety vests, the distance between two railroad tracks, and the protocols that allow for file transfers between devices have in common? Each is determined by a technical standard set through a process coordinated by a private, non-profit organization called the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Technical standards are behind most of the products Americans interact with in everyday life, underpinning public safety, consumer protection, interoperability, and innovation. On this episode, host Megan Nicholson is joined by president and CEO of ANSI and former director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Laurie Locascio. Locascio explains the importance of standards for innovation and competitiveness, and describes how the US approach to standards development depends on the participation of people with all kinds of expertise. She also shares how more researchers can find their way into setting “the invisible infrastructure of modern life.” ResourcesRead ANSI's United States Standards Strategy 2025 and review their courses and webinars about the American national standard designation.  Check out the US government's 2023 National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology, which has not been adopted by the Trump Administration. Read an Issues piece from 1999 on “Why Standards Matter” by Robert L. Mallett, former Deputy Secretary of Commerce.

This Day in Legal History: Wesberry v. Sanders On February 17, 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Wesberry v. Sanders, one of the most consequential voting rights cases in American history. The dispute arose from Georgia's congressional districts, where vast population disparities meant that some districts had two or even three times as many residents as others. In practical terms, this imbalance diluted the voting power of citizens in more populated, often urban, districts. James P. Wesberry challenged the system, arguing that it violated Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, which provides that members of the House of Representatives are chosen “by the People.”In a 6–3 decision, the Court agreed. Writing for the majority, Justice Hugo Black concluded that the Constitution requires congressional districts to be drawn so that “as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's.” The ruling established the principle of “one person, one vote” for federal elections. It rejected longstanding districting schemes that favored rural regions at the expense of growing urban populations. The decision forced states to redraw congressional maps to ensure substantially equal populations across districts.Wesberry was part of the broader reapportionment revolution of the 1960s, alongside cases addressing state legislative districts. Together, these decisions reshaped American democracy by making representation more closely tied to population equality. By insisting that each vote carry roughly equal weight, the Court strengthened the constitutional promise of representative government. February 17, 1964, marks a turning point in election law and the modern understanding of political equality.A federal judge in New York has ruled that discrimination claims brought by a group of NFL coaches will proceed in court rather than in arbitration. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni denied the league's request to compel arbitration, finding that the NFL's arbitration system was not fair or neutral. The lawsuit was filed by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores, later joined by Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, who allege racial discrimination and retaliation in hiring practices. The case has been stalled for several years while the parties disputed whether it belonged in federal court or before an arbitrator.Judge Caproni relied heavily on a 2025 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which concluded that the NFL's arbitration structure was fundamentally flawed. The appellate court criticized the system because the NFL commissioner served as the default arbitrator and controlled the procedures, raising concerns about neutrality. It held that such an arrangement did not allow Flores to effectively vindicate his statutory rights. Based on that reasoning, Judge Caproni determined that the arbitration clause could not be enforced for the remaining claims. She also declined to delay the case further while the NFL considers seeking review from the U.S. Supreme Court.The coaches argue that requiring them to arbitrate before the league's own commissioner would deprive them of a fair forum. Their attorneys praised the ruling, saying it affirms that employees cannot be forced into a process controlled by the opposing party's chief executive. The NFL has not publicly responded to the latest order. The case will now move forward in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.NFL Found To Fumble Arbitration Over Bias, Must Go To Court - Law360Ruling says Brian Flores lawsuit vs. NFL, teams can go to court - ESPNA Stanford psychiatry professor testified in a California bellwether trial that research supports the existence of social media addiction and its harmful effects on young people. Dr. Anna Lembke told jurors that peer-reviewed studies show heavy use of platforms such as Instagram and YouTube can contribute to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts. She cited a National Institutes of Health study tracking more than 11,000 minors, which found that children who were not initially depressed were more likely to develop depression after significant social media use. According to Lembke, the study undermines the argument that already-depressed teens simply gravitate toward social media.Her testimony contrasts with statements from Instagram's CEO, who told the jury he does not believe social media addiction is real. The case is the first of several bellwether trials arising from thousands of consolidated lawsuits claiming platforms intentionally designed addictive features. The companies are accused of using tools such as autoplay, notifications, and infinite scrolling to encourage compulsive use. The claims focus on whether these design features are addictive, rather than on third-party content posted by users. Plaintiffs assert negligence, failure to warn, and concealment.During cross-examination, defense attorneys questioned Lembke about passages in her book describing her own compulsive reading of romance novels, attempting to challenge her views on addiction. She responded that her examples were meant to show how modern systems increase vulnerability to compulsive behavior, not to trivialize serious substance addictions. Defense counsel also argued that platform features are easy to disable, but Lembke maintained her analysis centered on their addictive qualities, not on user settings. Outside the courthouse, families held a rally memorializing children whose deaths they attribute to social media harms. The trial will continue next week.Stanford Prof Tells Jury Studies Confirm Social Media Addiction - Law360In a piece I wrote for Forbes this week, I argue that the IRS's decision to expand tax relief for Americans held hostage abroad is both correct and incomplete. The agency currently freezes collections, halts enforcement notices, and abates penalties when taxpayers are physically incapable of complying due to foreign captivity. I contend that this relief is grounded not in diplomacy, but in a simple principle: incapacity makes compliance impossible. If that principle justifies relief abroad, it should apply equally when the U.S. government wrongfully detains someone at home.I explain that the IRS already has administrative authority to provide this type of relief, as confirmed in a recent Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report. When notified by the State Department or FBI, the IRS places a “hostage indicator” on an account, pausing automated enforcement and suspending penalties during captivity and for six months after release. Although TIGTA identified some administrative flaws in how the system operates, the broader framework demonstrates that the agency can act without new legislation.By contrast, taxpayers subjected to wrongful domestic detention—particularly in immigration contexts—receive no comparable safeguard. The compliance system continues to generate notices, penalties, and interest even when individuals are cut off from mail, income, and legal assistance. I argue that this disparity undermines fairness and weakens the legitimacy that voluntary tax compliance depends on. Congress may move to formalize relief for foreign hostages, but the IRS does not need to wait to address domestic cases.I propose that the agency adopt a parallel framework for wrongful domestic detention, triggered by certification from a federal authority or court. Such a system would temporarily suspend collection activity and abate penalties during detention and a reasonable transition period after release. The goal is consistency: a tax system should not distinguish between foreign and domestic incapacity when the result is the same inability to comply.IRS Suspends Tax Obligations For Hostages Abroad—Do The Same At HomeIn my column for Bloomberg this week, I argue that Massachusetts' proposed regulation on taxing standardized software creates a rigid and impractical apportionment system for multistate businesses. Under the draft rule, any company seeking to allocate tax based on actual in-state use must register through MassTaxConnect and obtain a software apportionment certificate. At the time of purchase, the buyer must also submit a transaction-specific statement explaining its allocation percentage and supporting rationale. I contend that this framework imposes significant administrative burdens on businesses that operate across multiple states.Even companies willing to overpay rather than calculate precise usage would not have an easy option. If they decline to complete the required documentation, they must pay tax on 100% of the purchase price, regardless of how little of the software is actually used in Massachusetts. I argue that this approach effectively turns multistate buyers into compliance agents who must track usage, justify percentages, and retain records for possible audits. At the same time, the Department of Revenue would assume the role of reviewing and policing each allocation.I point out that enterprise software usage is often fluid and difficult to track, especially when licenses are pooled, accessed remotely, or bundled into broader contracts. Proving precise state-by-state use may be costly or even unworkable. Instead of forcing every buyer into this detailed regime, I propose a safe harbor option. Businesses could elect a fixed in-state percentage, such as 25%, and accept taxation on that amount without additional paperwork or registration.I explain that this alternative would not eliminate full apportionment for those seeking precision or refunds, but would provide a simpler path for others. The safe harbor could even operate on a transitional basis while the state evaluates how the broader certification system functions. Ultimately, I argue that modernization should not mean added complexity, and that a fixed-percentage election would promote voluntary compliance, reduce administrative strain, and provide greater certainty for both taxpayers and the state. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Sometimes when nothing else helps, playing baby white noise can be an effective tool to quickly calm a crying, colicky infant. When a baby is fussy, suffering from colic or not sleeping well, play this soothing white noise and watch them quickly settle down. Bring peace to your infant and to your household with this relaxing baby sleep sound.While playing white noise for babies, it's important to keep tabs on the volume, because any white noise machine, smartphone, or computer can put out levels that are too loud for your child. It's recommended to play the sound at least a few feet from where your infant is sleeping and to keep the volume no louder than the sound of a soft shower. Parents can download an app to turn their smartphone into a sound level meter. One good, free, option is the sound level meter app created by the U.S. National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) available on the app store as the NIOSH SLM app.This episode was originally published in 2021. This free episode may begin with a short ad, but once the sound starts, there will be no further interruptions or breaks.Here are some great products to help you sleep! Relaxing White Noise receives a small commission (at no additional cost to you) on purchases made through affiliate links. Thanks for supporting the podcast!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Baloo Living Weighted Blankets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Use code 'relaxingwhitenoise10' for 10% off)At Relaxing White Noise, our goal is to help you sleep well. This episode is eight hours long with no advertisements in the middle, so you can use it as a sleeping sound throughout the night. Listening to our white noise sounds via the podcast gives you the freedom to lock your phone at night, keeping your bedroom dark as you fall asleep. It also allows you to switch between apps while studying or working with no interruption in the ambient sound.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Us for Partnership Inquiries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Relaxing White Noise is the number one destination on YouTube for white noise and nature sounds to help you sleep, study or soothe a baby. With more than a billion views across YouTube and other platforms, we are excited to now share our popular ambient tracks on the Relaxing White Noise podcast. People use white noise for sleeping, focus, sound masking or relaxation. We couldn't be happier to help folks live better lives. This podcast has the sound for you whether you use white noise for studying, to soothe a colicky baby, to fall asleep or for simply enjoying a peaceful moment. No need to buy a white noise machine when you can listen to these sounds for free. Cheers to living your best life!DISCLAIMER: Remember that loud sounds can potentially damage your hearing. When playing one of our ambiences, if you cannot have a conversation over the sound without raising your voice, the sound may be too loud for your ears. Please do not place speakers right next to a baby's ears. If you have difficulty hearing or hear ringing in your ears, please immediately discontinue listening to the white noise sounds and consult an audiologist or your physician. The sounds provided by Relaxing White Noise are for entertainment purposes only and are not a treatment for sleep disorders or tinnitus. If you have significant difficulty sleeping on a regular basis, experience fitful/restless sleep, or feel tired during the day, please consult your physician.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Relaxing White Noise Privacy Policy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠© Relaxing White Noise LLC, 2026. All rights reserved. Any reproduction or republication of all or part of this text/visual/audio is prohibited.

In this episode of It's Going to Be Okay!, Nicky Asher-Bowling explores Acts chapter 2 and how the coming of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to overcome anxiety, depression, and fear.Peter didn't become bold because he felt confident — he became bold because he was filled with power.We discuss:• How Acts 2 applies to mental health• What the National Institute of Mental Health says about anxiety and depression• Why the Holy Spirit anchors — not erases — your personality• How to stop letting fear rule your life• The difference between confidence and spiritual empowermentIf you've ever waited to “feel better” before stepping forward, this episode will challenge and encourage you.The wind didn't create chaos.It created clarity.And it still does.Reach out to me via email nickyasherbowlingcoaching@gmail.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@nickyasherbowlingTyler Staton's book: The Famialiar Strangerhttps://a.co/d/02dDZxpCDiana Kokku https://www.biblestudy.co/bible-study-co

In this episode of It's Going to Be Okay!, Nicky Asher-Bowling explores Acts chapter 2 and how the coming of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to overcome anxiety, depression, and fear.Peter didn't become bold because he felt confident — he became bold because he was filled with power.We discuss:• How Acts 2 applies to mental health• What the National Institute of Mental Health says about anxiety and depression• Why the Holy Spirit anchors — not erases — your personality• How to stop letting fear rule your life• The difference between confidence and spiritual empowermentIf you've ever waited to “feel better” before stepping forward, this episode will challenge and encourage you.The wind didn't create chaos.It created clarity.And it still does.Contact me at nickyasherbowlingcoaching@gmail.comReferences:⁠Tyler Staton's book: The Famialiar Stranger⁠⁠https://a.co/d/02dDZxpC⁠Diana Kokku ⁠https://www.biblestudy.co/bible-study-co⁠

https://media.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/content.blubrry.com/winning_with_the_word/2026_02_16_WWW_Demon_Invasion.m4a February 16, 2026 Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, February 16, 2026, and this is episode #3 in Series 2026. This episode is titled, “The Demon Invasion.” Talk about demons elicits various types of responses, from “You’re crazy” to “You’re right.” In this week’s message, we’re going to explore briefly the topic of the current demon invasion and how the Christ-Follower should deal with it. We are going to focus only on what the Bible says because the Bible is Truth. But first, I want to tell you that my featured book for this week, THE ITALIAN CHRONICLES Trilogy, is on sale for only $21.00. This offer includes all three novels of the trilogy—The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra. That’s a 42% discount off the regular price. This sale will last only until the end of February. So, get your copy now and follow the page-turning saga of Maria Landro as she faces losing her fortune, her family, and her faith. Click on the link below or in the show notes to get your copy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFJC4RM And now, on to this week’s message. For centuries in the Western world, the topic of demons was considered not only taboo but ridiculous and off limits. After all, we were far enough advanced on the civilization scale that we no longer needed the foolishness of believing in demons. Science had taken over the western mind, and science was king. Moreover, science, being observable and concrete, saw no indication of demons in the natural, material realm. And, if we couldn’t prove something scientifically, then it did not exist. If we could not see it, it wasn’t there. Anyone who still believed in demons, therefore, was considered backward, uneducated, and downright silly. But things have changed here in the West. Over the past half century, with the rising interest in Eastern mysticism and a renewed interest in paganism, the spiritual realm has become a topic of major focus and exploration. Why? Because science has failed to address the inner part of us that is intangible. In other words, the human heart. When God created you, He breathed into you a soul and you became a living being. Scripture says this in Genesis 2: 7: “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” In other words, God breathed into you His own breath, and this is what distinguishes you from every other creature. Your soul is what gives you life, what enables you to breathe and walk around and act. Your soul is what enables you to think and choose, to love and experience emotions. Your soul embodies your personality and is what makes you uniquely YOU. God also gave you a spirit. Your spirit is the core of who you truly are. It is the real you, your essence, and the only part of you that can connect to God because God is Spirit (John 4: 24). Now, what does all of this have to do with demons? Plenty. WHAT ARE DEMONS? Demons also are spirits, but they are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. The Nephilim were the offspring in human form of the union between fallen angels and human women. The purpose of this unholy union was to corrupt human DNA in order to prevent the Messiah from being born. These hybrid creatures called Nephilim were eventually destroyed in the great Flood of Noah. But their spirits still exist and are called demons. Moreover, there is much evidence today that the Nephilim have reappeared because fallen angels have re-entered the earthly sphere. You may be thinking, “Dr. MaryAnn, you’ve really lost it this time! Fallen angels impregnating women? Come on! You expect me to believe that?” If this is what you’re thinking, then I refer you to Genesis 6: 4: “Back then, and later, there were giants on the earth, who were born as a result of the unholy union of heavenly beings with the human daughters.” These “heavenly beings” were the fallen angels who had rebelled, together with Satan, against God and were evicted from Heaven. Now stay with me because it gets even more interesting. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN DEMONS AND MENTAL ILLNESS The LORD God became so angry at sin and at this unholy union between fallen angels and earthly women that He destroyed the earth in Noah’s flood. In that flood, every single person on earth died except Noah and his family. Only Noah and his family still had pure DNA from which the future Messiah could be born. After the Nephilim died, along with the rest of sinful humanity, their spirits continued to exist, and these spirits are what we now call demons. Since demons are disembodied spirits—in other words spirits without a body—they are continually looking for a body to inhabit, whether a human body or an animal body. When a person, through sin, allows a demon access to his life, that demon will encroach upon that person to the degree that the person allows it, even to the point of total possession of the person. Today, because of blatant, brazen sin, we are witnessing an increasing invasion of demonic spirits into people’s lives. The results of this invasion are catastrophic, first to the person who has allowed the demons entrance, and second to society in general. One such very serious result of demon invasion is the increase in mental illness. While there are cases of mental illness rooted in physical causes such as brain chemistry issues or brain trauma, a good deal of mental illness is rooted in demonic oppression. Sadly, this fact is rarely, if ever, considered by mental health professionals. Patients are given all kinds of medication that may alleviate the symptoms but never cure the root cause of the problem because the root cause is spiritual, not physical. The incidence of mental illness in our culture has increased exponentially and continues to increase. Suicide is on the rise, especially among young teens. Nervous breakdowns, panic attacks, anxiety, and depression have become commonplace. Incidents of random shootings are growing at alarming rates. Has anyone asked why? I posit that much of mental illness today is the result of demonic invasion of the human soul. Statistics gathered in 2022 from the National Institute of Mental Health show that approximately 23.1% of the United States population suffers from mental health issues. This calculates to almost 60 million people in the United States with a mental illness of any type. Why such a high number? THE NEFARIOUS EFFECTS OF SIN A chief reason is that the incidence of sin has increased. Sin, my friend, opens the door to Satan. I’m going to say that again. Sin opens the door to Satan. Our culture today openly condones sin and even celebrates it. Evil is promoted as good and good as evil. In choosing evil, people have actually invited disembodied, demonic spirits to use their bodies as dwelling places. And when a demon attaches to your body or, worse yet, lives inside your body through demonic possession, it wreaks havoc to your entire life, especially your mental life. If you yourself have been suffering from mental illness and are having great difficulty getting better despite counseling and medication, consider the possibility that demons may be involved and that you need to deal with your problem spiritually and not just physically or mentally. If you don’t know where to turn, seek the counsel of a pastor who is experienced in dealing with demons. If you still need help, email me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com and I will direct you to a deliverance ministry that can help you. You see, my friend, the goal of Satan and his demons is to steal, kill, and destroy you. Always. His goal never changes, nor do his tactics. Most of the world is oblivious to what is really happening out there. Hordes of demons have invaded our earth through what are called portals, or openings, between the natural realm of earth and the spirit realm above the earth where fallen angels reside. The Bible calls this area “the Second Heaven.” It is the headquarters from which Satan plans and strategizes his attacks on humanity. Above the Second Heaven is the Third Heaven where God dwells with the good angels and the saints of God, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and lived for him while on the earth. Directly above the earth is the First Heaven, the heaven we know as current residents of this earth. This First Heaven is now witnessing the invasion of demonic spirits from the Second Heaven. They are coming in the form of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena or UAPs, formerly called UFOs. The media is telling us that these sightings are aliens from other planets. In a way, the media is right. But what they are not telling you because they do not know is that these sightings are not aliens from other planets but fallen angels from the Second Heaven invading the earth to prepare the world for the rise of the AntiChrist, the personification of Satan himself. I have much more to say on the topic, but I will end here for this week. Please subscribe to this podcast for upcoming messages on the truth about what is happening in our world today. It is all prophesied and explained in the Holy Bible. We are living in a time of great deception. (Listen to my podcast for February 9th titled The Great Deception for more information.) The world needs truth. Truth is a person, and His name is Jesus Christ. If you have not yet met Jesus Christ, I invite you to meet Him now. Pray this simple prayer with me: Lord Jesus, I want to know You because I want to know Truth. I've been living a lie, and it has gotten me to places where I don't want to be. So I choose now to turn away from the lie and to embrace You Who are Truth. I invite You into my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for revealing to me that You are Truth. In Your Name I pray. Amen. If you sincerely prayed this prayer from your heart, you are now a born-again child of God. Welcome to the Family of God! Write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com, and I will send you a free PDF e-booklet titled After You're Born Again. In closing, I want to remind you that my featured book for this week is my popular trilogy titled THE ITALIAN CHRONICLES. See what happens to a soul who allows Satan to invade him. All three novels are on sale in a single ebook volume for only $21.00. That’s a 42% discount off the regular price. This sale will last only until the end of February. So, get your copy now and follow the page-turning saga of Maria Landro as she faces losing her fortune, her family, and her faith. Click on the link below or in the show notes to purchase. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFJC4RM Winning with the Word is available on Apple Podcasts and other major podcast venues as well as on YouTube. Check out my YouTube channel at youtube.com/drmaryanndiorio. Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are. Yet, He doesn't want you to stay there. As you walk with Him, He will help you to keep on winning with the Word. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD.________________________________ Copyright 2026 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved. Featured Book for This Week: Get your copy now at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFJC4RM Visit my bookstore for a complete list of books at maryanndiorio.com/bookstore.

Play isn't a break from learning — it is learning. In this powerful conversation with Lauren and Mia Sundstrom — daughter and granddaughter of renowned play researcher Dr. Stuart Brown — we explore why play is practice for the future in a world that feels increasingly uncertain. From rough-and-tumble childhood experiences to teenage burnout, adult loneliness, brain health, and even leadership, this episode makes a compelling case that unstructured, self-directed play builds resilience, creativity, emotional regulation, and adaptability — the exact skills our kids (and we) will need in an AI-shaped world. If you've ever wondered whether play is “productive,” this conversation will change how you see your afternoons, your marriage, your parenting, and your own sense of joy. Learn more at nifplay.org and connect with Mia at miasundstrom.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We explore how real decisions start in the primal brain and how neuromarketing turns that insight into practical steps to capture, convince, and close. Patrick Rénvoisé shares the six stimuli, the Neuromap method, and how to sell with contrast, proof, and story in a world shaped by AI and deepfakes.• defining neuromarketing and the brain's buy button• six stimuli that drive attention and action• the four steps: diagnose, differentiate, demonstrate, deliver• financial, strategic and personal value with proofs• visuals, props and seven‑second stories• memory design: strong openings and endings• good friction early, ease at decision• AI agents, deepfakes and trust building• examples from Apple and service guarantees• website first view: show the pain and the reliefEver wonder why a rock‑solid value prop still gets a lukewarm yes? We go straight to the source—the brain—and unpack how decisions really happen. Patrick Rénvoise, co‑founder of SalesBrain (and architect of the award‑winning Neuromap) joins us to break down the biological buy button and the exact steps to reach it without gimmicks or hype.We dig into the six primal stimuli that cut through noise—personal, contrastable, tangible, memorable, visual, emotional—and show how to turn them into actions your team can use today. Patrick walks us through a four‑step persuasion method: diagnose the pain your buyer actually feels, differentiate with an “only” claim, demonstrate the gain with numbers and risk‑reversal, and deliver the story that the primal brain can grasp in seven seconds. Along the way, we map value into three buckets—financial, strategic, and personal—and pair each with the right proof, from customer cases to demonstrations that make promises real.The conversation stretches beyond tactics. We examine mirror neurons and authentic empathy in sales, why fairness can override economic sense in negotiations, and how to design “good friction” that encodes memory before you remove barriers to buy. We also confront the agentic AI era and deepfakes: if seeing isn't believing and algorithms don't feel, how do we build trust and make messages stick? Expect concrete examples, from Domino's guarantees to Apple's evolving story, plus website advice you can deploy immediately—lead with pain and the contrast of relief so your offer lands fast.Patrick Renvoise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickrenvoise/Patrick Renvoisé, the Co-Founder and Chief Neuromarketing Officer of SalesBrain, the world's first neuromarketing agency. Having trained over 200,000 executives worldwide, Patrick helps companies scientifically capture, convince, and close more business by targeting the true decision-maker: the brain.  Patrick is the architect of the NeuroMap™, an award-winning model of persuasion based on the "Primal Brain" (or System 1) discovered by Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman. Before pioneering the field of Neuromarketing, he managed multi-million dollar supercomputer transactions at Silicon Graphics and LinuxCare, closing complex deals in excess of $100 million. Patrick holds a Master's in Computer Science from the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon.Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Rachel Lees Thorne, a postdoctoral research associate and Professor Tom Freeman, a professor of psychology, both from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath, UK. The interview covers Rachel and Tom's research article estimating thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder using standard delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) unitsWhat are standard THC units [01:25]The importance of using THC units to estimate thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder [02:59]How people who use cannabis can use standard THC units [03:46] The CannTeen study [04:51]Why the authors focused on adolescents and adults rather than young adults [06:02]The key findings of the study [07:00]Translating THC units to harm reduction messaging [09:38]How the THC levels of cannabis were obtained [11:04]The implications of the findings for policy and harm reduction messaging [12:17]The take home messages [13:09]Can the findings be translated out of a UK market? [14:15]The next steps with standard THC units [15:25]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Rachel Lees Thorne: Rachel is a research associate and associate director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath. She completed her PhD in the same group in 2023, investigating risk factors and treatment for cannabis use disorder. Her current research examines the standard THC unit and its application for harm reduction and public health policy.About Tom Freeman: Tom is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Bath, and Director of the Addiction and Mental Health Group. His research includes characterising changes in cannabis products and their association with health, novel harm reduction strategies such as the standard THC unit, and clinical trials for the treatment of cannabis use disorder. He is funded by a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship, as well as the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Addictions, and the NIHR Bath Mental Health Research Group.Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Estimating thresholds for risk of cannabis use disorder using standard delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) units https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70263 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has your intuition ever kept you out of harm's way? Mine did last week. And it reminded me how powerful our inner wisdom really is. The Power of Intuition and Mindset Shifts Today, I want to share two recent experiences. One is about a powerful mindset shift that surprised me. The other is about an intuitive message that quite possibly kept me from being injured. Both are examples of what I call Midlife Magic. Using energy, mindset, spiritual tools, and intuition to move through life with awareness and choice. There are certainly days when things don't go my way. I'm not floating through life pretending everything is perfect. But even on hard days, I consciously choose how I respond. I process what I feel, and then I look for a perspective that supports me instead of drains me. That's not spiritual bypassing. It's intentional living. Midlife Magic is available to anyone who chooses it. And midlife, by the way, is whatever age you decide it is. You're in charge of that. One of the gifts of this stage of life is wisdom. You've lived long enough to recognize patterns. You've made mistakes and learned from them. That wisdom shows up in small moments, in your ability to pause, to choose differently, to listen inward before reacting. And that's where today's first story begins. A Dubious Compliment Last week I received a LinkedIn message from a man I don't know. He told me my astonishing smile brightened his entire day. Oh, I'm sure it did. If you've been online longer than five minutes, you know the pattern. Flattery. Vague admiration. A setup for something questionable. There were so many ways I could have reacted. I could have been annoyed. Disgusted. I could have reported him. I could have spiraled into irritation and let it affect my entire mood. Instead, I paused. And in that pause, I noticed something important. I didn't actually want to experience any of those reactions. Yes, they were understandable. But I had another option. A thought popped into my head that felt lighter and more empowering. What if I just take the compliment as if it came from the Universe instead of from him? Not the motive. Not the person. Just the compliment. I deleted the message. But before I did, I allowed myself to imagine that my presence, my energy, my smile could brighten someone's day. Whether he meant it sincerely was irrelevant. I chose to let that part be true for me. That's Midlife Magic. Choose Where Your Energy Goes This isn't about ignoring your feelings. First you feel and acknowledge them. Then you decide where your energy goes. This is a mindset shift. I didn't need to analyze his intention or let irritation hijack my nervous system. I decided to focus on the version of me who moves through the world with ease and sparkle instead of armor and suspicion. And that choice changed how I felt. We all know how easy it is to spiral downward. One moment of yuck can drain your energy. Then you have to recover and that takes time and effort. But when you practice shifting perspective, you build a different pattern. Interestingly, research supports this. Studies from the National Institutes of Health show that happiness isn't something that randomly appears. It's shaped by what we repeatedly focus on and value. When you linger on a good moment, appreciate something small, or engage in something meaningful, you're reinforcing neural pathways that make it easier to notice what's working. Over time, those tiny choices train your brain to default toward steadiness rather than stress. And here's the key: intuition becomes easier to hear when your nervous system feels safe and resourced. When you aren't constantly frazzled, your inner voice gets clearer. Be Open, But Discerning A friend told me a story that beautifully illustrates this idea. Her nephew once saw a woman on Instagram he found attractive. He sent her a direct message that simply said, “What's up?” Yes. That was it. The woman responded with, “Do I know you?” They started chatting and now they are happily married. I'm not suggesting you respond to every random message. Not at all. Discernment matters and so does safety. Yet, sometimes opportunity arrives in unexpected packaging. The lesson isn't to always engage. It’s that you get to CHOOSE. You can stay open without abandoning your wisdom. You can be discerning without being closed. Where in your life could you be just a little more open? What has shown up recently that rubbed you the wrong way at first glance? And is there a silver lining you could take while leaving the rest behind? You don't have to force positivity. You simply get to decide what something means to you. That's real wisdom and power. Now let me share the story about how my intuition kept me safe. Intuitive Messages There's a door in my house that leads from the family room to the garage. The locking mechanism has been slightly off for months, so the door has to be slammed to close properly. One freezing morning, after slamming it on my way out, I heard a calm inner voice say, “Look up.” There was no panic or fear. Just a quiet suggestion. So I turned around and looked up. Above the door hangs a large, heavy horseshoe, one of my husband's blacksmith treasures. The two nails holding it in place were sticking out nearly an inch. It was hanging at an angle and could easily have fallen on one of us. If I hadn't looked up, it very well might have. I immediately felt gratitude and said “Thank you” to the sender of that message. Later, my husband rehung it more securely. The crisis was averted. That calm inner message is what intuition often feels like for me. Not dramatic or loud. Just clear. This wasn't the first time. Years ago, I heard an inner nudge to tell a barking dog, “I love you.” It sounded ridiculous. I almost ignored it. But I said it anyway. The dog stopped barking and never barked at me again. Over time, I've noticed patterns like this. Warnings about people. Guidance about jobs. Alerts about small dangers like a candle rolling out of its holder and burning the table. Ignoring Intuition Has Consequences When I was younger, I ignored these intuitive nudges and suffered the consequences. Now I don't. That's part of the wisdom that comes with midlife. You recognize patterns and trust your track record. Then, you pay attention to the information received. And that deep well of inner knowing is always available. Isn't it time you accessed your inner wisdom and magic more deliberately?People who rely on their intuition have many advantages in life. Start by setting an intention to notice your intuition.  Then keep an evidence journal. Write down the nudges you followed, the ones you ignored, and the outcomes. Pay attention to the feelings in your body. Tracking the evidence builds self-trust. It makes intuition feel real and reliable rather than vague or imaginary. Over time, those whispers stop feeling questionable and start feeling trustworthy. That's Midlife Magic. And the best news is that it's already inside you! The post How My Intuition Kept Me Safe and Other Stories appeared first on Intuitive Edge.

This week we will discuss how in the 1970s, Fort Worth felt safe — until one ordinary night, after a Valentine's dance, shattered that illusion. A teenage girl vanished, the investigation stalled, and the people who loved her were left waiting as years quietly turned into decades.In this episode, we revisit a Texas cold case about the disappearance and murder of 17-year-old Carla Walker. And how discovering the truth was shaped by the limits of its time, examine how evolving forensic science would eventually force the truth into the open, and explore what happens when justice arrives long after the damage is done.It's a story about memory, time, and the danger of believing we truly know the people around us — and how easily fact can become distorted once a case is finally solved.Sources:Associated Press. “Man Convicted in 1974 Murder of Texas Teen After DNA Breakthrough.” AP News, Associated Press, 2021, https://apnews.com.Dallas Morning News. “Carla Walker Cold Case: DNA Solves 46-Year-Old Fort Worth Murder.” The Dallas Morning News, 2020–2021, https://www.dallasnews.com.Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).” FBI, https://www.fbi.gov/services/laboratory/biometric-analysis/codis.Fort Worth Police Department. “Cold Case: Carla Jan Walker.” Fort Worth Police Department, press releases and public statements, 2020.Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “After 46 Years, Arrest Made in Carla Walker Murder.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2020–2021, https://www.star-telegram.com.Inside Edition. “DNA Breakthrough Solves 1974 Murder of Teen Carla Walker.” Inside Edition, 2020, https://www.insideedition.com.National Institute of Justice. “Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases.” NIJ, U.S. Department of Justice, https://nij.ojp.gov.Texas True Crime Blog. “The Murder of Carla Walker.” Texas True Crime, https://txtruecrimeblog.com.Tarrant County District Attorney's Office. “Glen McCurley Convicted of Murder in Carla Walker Cold Case.” Tarrant County District Attorney, 2021.

In this podcast episode, an in-depth discussion is provided on the drug Telmisartan, commonly used for lowering blood pressure. The host elaborates on how it belongs to a class of medications known as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and stands out due to its 24-hour half-life and partial PPAR-gamma agonist activity.  The episode explores Telmisartan's potential benefits for longevity, including its properties that reduce cardiovascular mortality, renal decline, and metabolic issues. It also compares Telmisartan with other ARBs and addresses its unique ability to improve myocardial efficiency, reduce arterial stiffness, and support neuroprotection. Detailed explanations are given on technical concepts such as pulse pressure and its relevance to arterial compliance, and the necessity to consult a doctor before taking the medication is emphasized.   Telmisartan / ARBs (main topic) Telmisartan — MedlinePlus drug info: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601249.html Blood pressure meds overview (includes ARBs): https://medlineplus.gov/bloodpressuremedicines.html Key mechanisms mentioned PPARγ (PPARG) — NCBI Gene: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5468 Endothelium + nitric oxide (NO) — NCBI Bookshelf: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534266/ Angiotensin / aldosterone / "fight-or-flight" Aldosterone test — MedlinePlus lab test: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/aldosterone-test/ Sympathetic nervous system ("fight-or-flight") — Cleveland Clinic explainer: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23262-sympathetic-nervous-system-sns-fight-or-flight Lab tests mentioned in the episode Fasting insulin ("Insulin in Blood") — MedlinePlus lab test: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/insulin-in-blood/ Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) — MedlinePlus lab test: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/hemoglobin-a1c-hba1c-test/ C-reactive protein (CRP) — MedlinePlus lab test: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/ Arterial stiffness / pulse pressure (longevity framing) Pulse pressure & arterial stiffness as risk predictors — PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11224702/ Visceral fat resource mentioned Dr. Sean O'Mara website: https://drseanomara.com/   Show Notes   00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast. 01:22 Understanding Angiotensin and Its Effects 02:14 How ARBs Work and Their Benefits 03:00 Unique Properties of Telmisartan 03:36 Comparing Telmisartan with Other ARBs 04:44 Telmisartan's Impact on Endurance and Fat Loss 05:59 Telmisartan and Cardiovascular Health 09:57 Blood Pressure Basics and Pulse Pressure 18:54 Telmisartan's Role in Longevity and Dosing 27:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — using medications only when absolutely necessary. Beyond health science, we explore the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being. Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary  (Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as  Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen). If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this podcast is for you.We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your well-being.   Connect with Dr. Mike Hart Instagram: @drmikehart Twitter: @drmikehart Facebook: @drmikehart

Music is medicine. It has the power to heal us. And today's guest knows it's something we can self-prescribe, for free, whenever we want to benefit. Dr Daniel Levitin is a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist and bestselling author. He's also a former record producer and an accomplished musician who's brought all those skills together in his latest book, Music As Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Power. As soon as I heard about it, I had to ask Dan onto the podcast to share his wisdom. As a lifelong musician and music fan, I know certain tracks change how I feel. But talking to Dan has opened my mind to just how profound an effect music has on the brain. It doesn't just shift our mood, it can affect our entire physiology. Dan has spent decades studying this, advising the US Government and working with the National Institutes of Health, to the point where his research is now influencing global health policy. We've all experienced the health-giving power of music, perhaps without realising. Now with that knowledge, and Dan's insights, we can start to put it to therapeutic use. Here's what fascinates me the most: music doesn't just hit one part of your brain. Different types activate different regions, in much the same way as certain medications work. And Dan shares some astounding examples of this – from the people with Parkinson's who relearn to walk, to the marathon runners who don't feel pain, to the Alzheimer's patients who can't recognise loved ones, but can recall how to play an instrument perfectly. The brain regions that process music are deeper, older and more protected. It's why music communicates emotion in ways that words can't always match. Throughout our conversation, Dan makes this case that music is our birthright. And it can flood us with feelgood, bonding hormones. So it's a tool we can turn to for overcoming trauma, processing difficult feelings, or connecting with others. But he doesn't just want us to listen. Playing an instrument, singing and songwriting all do more than you might expect – and you don't need to be an expert. The next time I'm strumming my guitar, I won't just think of it as a hobby. I'll know I'm doing something profoundly important for my health. And you can too. Whether it's learning an instrument, having a family singalong in the car, or simply switching on the radio, I'm not sure there's a simpler, more effective way to feel better.   Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our sponsors: https://vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://onepeloton.co.uk https://thewayapp.com/livemore https://drinkag1.com/livemore   Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/623   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

It's been three full years since the Ohio state government decided to detonate derailed train cars containing vinyl chloride in the village of East Palestine.You might remember the apocalyptic imagery that came out of that explosion—it looked like a nuclear bomb had gone off.Three years later, anecdotal evidence is showing that the residents are experiencing thyroid disease, cancers, respiratory problems, neurological issues, asthma, and other problems.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has now announced a $10 million research project to study the long-term health effects on the people living there.Let's review what took place there in 2023, what the effects appear to be now, as well as what the NIH is doing about it.

In this no-holds-barred interview, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, breaks down how the world's largest public funder of biomedical research is changing under his leadership.Bhattacharya, a former professor of Stanford University, public health expert, and coauthor of the anti-lockdown Great Barrington Declaration, was sworn in as director of the NIH in April last year.With an annual budget of almost $50 billion, the NIH sets the direction of research at universities, medical centers, and research institutes across America.It encompasses 27 institutes and centers that cover different areas of health and employ some 20,000 people. One of those is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which was headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci for nearly 40 years.The NIH, Bhattacharya told me, “really hasn't had a change in leadership in decades. ... We've had new directors, but the fundamental structure and direction of the NIH has been basically the same until last year.”Bhattacharya says his top priority is to end the practice of “funding the scientific enterprise for the sake of funding science” and ensure that NIH-funded scientific research actually produces better health outcomes for the American people. The goal should be improvements in health and longevity, not just more scientific papers, he says.During our interview, we covered a lot of ground, including:-Has the NIH completely stopped funding gain-of-function research?-Is the NIH continuing to fund research with China?-How has funding for international research institutes been restructured?-Has the NIH stopped funding all research grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?-What is being done to reverse the politicization of science?-What is the NIH doing to help those who suffered injuries from the mandated COVID-19 mRNA vaccines?-What can the NIH do to alleviate the massive replication crisis in research?-How does he view the controversy surrounding vaccines and autism? Is the NIH looking into potential links?-How is the NIH restructuring the allocation of funding?What America needs, Bhattacharya told me, is a “second scientific revolution,” saying: “The NIH has the capacity to induce that second scientific revolution. That's what I'm going to work toward for the next few years.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

My guest tried to beat his alcohol addiction numerous times, but failed repeatedly. In this powerful episode, Matthew "Matt" McManus pulls back the curtains and transparently talks about his journey to sobriety, why he became an alcoholic, and what motivated him to change once and for all. If you are struggling with some sort of addiction, it is my hope that this episode gives you the motivation to keep fighting and striving to live the life you want to live. You and your loved ones deserve it.  The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has a page dedicated to finding resources to assist you on your journey to sobriety. SHOW NOTES: Links to Matthew McManus' LinkedIn profile and Facebook profile Link to Matt's "Pension Protectors" podcast Subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter. It is called the "City Manager News & Job Board" newsletter and can be found here: https://cmnews.beehiiv.com/ AAME MEMBERSHIP: To join the American Association of Municipal Executives (AAME), sign up at this link: https://community.aame.org/ AAME JOB BOARD: The AAME has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments. To post a job, go to: https://jobs.aame.org/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST: If you would like to support the podcast by making a donation, please use the "Buy Me A Coffee" link. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple or your preferred platform if you enjoy the show. It helps tremendously. But more importantly, refer your friends and peers to podcast through personal conversations and posts on your social media platforms. Joe Turner's LinkedIn Page Note: Page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: T1D in the Olympics & Superbowl, Trump RX goes live, Ozempic pill available soon, tech updates from Medtronic, Beta Bionics, Eversense 365 and more! Announcing Community Commericals! Learn how to get your message on the show here. Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Omnipod - Simplify Life All about Dexcom  T1D Screening info All about VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Episode transcription with links: Welcome! I'm your host Stacey Simms and this is an In The News episode.. where we bringing you the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. A reminder that you can find the sources and links and a transcript and more info for every story mentioned here in the show notes. Quick reminder: We are just over one week from our first Moms' Night Out event of the year. While the plans are all set – the speakers, the vendors, the raffles and the fun is ready to go, it's always amazing how many people hear of these event last minute. That's fine, they're welcome! But if you're thinking of attending a future event – registration is open for We're going to Nashville next March 6-7 and Detroit in September – no need to wait. And we've got Club 1921 events for health care professionals and patient leaders in 6 cities this year! All the info is over at diabetes-connetionss.com events/   Okay.. our top story this week: XX Gotta be a quick shout out to some incredible T1D athletes – we had TWO in the super bowl this past weekend – Chad Muma of the New England Patriots and Logan Brown of the Seattle Seahawks AND there are at least two athletes with type 1 competing at the Winter Olympics. Hannah Schmidt competes in ski cross for Canada – she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12 years old.  Anna FarnSchadt Fernstäd a Czech skeleton racer diagnosed in 2022 after she'd already been to several Olympics. We wish them all the best!   https://english.radio.cz/skeleton-racer-anna-fernstadtova-overcoming-adversity-headfirst-down-ice-8876699 XX The government website TrumpRx.gov is live..  the website does not sell prescription drugs. Instead, it allows people to look up their drugs and then navigate to buy them elsewhere, either from a major drug company or a pharmacy. The 43 drugs listed on the site have prices ranging from $3 to over $5,500. TrumpRx does include warnings that the site may not be the best option to save money on prescriptions. Each product page advises: "If you have insurance, check your co-pay first — it may be even lower." For now, the website says its prices are for people paying with their own money, rather than going through insurance. The only insulin listed right now is Lilly's insulin lispro – and it's the same price as you'd find through Illy's insulin value program. I looked up diabetes meds.. For example, if you have an insurance co-pay of $25 a month for Farxiga, a drug often used for diabetes, you would be paying $182 on TrumpRx. As you can imagine, though ,this is complicated and as with most of our healthcare system, it may be good in some cases and not much help in other.  I'd suggest calling your local pharmacist or checking with your human resource dept. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/health/trumprx-prescription-drug-prices-consumers.html XX Novo Nordisk will launch some doses of its oral semaglutide for diabetes under the brand name Ozempic pill in the second quarter of this year. The company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Ozempic tablets in three different doses. Novo says The new Ozempic name is intended to help patients and health care professionals more easily recognize the available treatment options for type 2 diabetes Semaglutide tablets have been available under the brand name Rybelsus Ruh BELL sis for diabetes since 2019 but with different dosing. The pill is also approved to reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular conditions in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events. The FDA had approved the new doses based on a bioequivalence study and the clinical trial data for Rybelsus, Novo said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novo-launch-ozempic-pill-diabetes-second-quarter-this-year-2026-02-04/ XX https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/early-screening-for-type-1-diabetes-found-effective-in-children XX Possible new way to identify and track the progress of type 1 diabetes before clinical onset. A recent study published in Science Advances described the application of subcutaneous microporous scaffolds. These are inserted and have been shown to  identify changes in cancer, multiple sclerosis, and T1D by capturing changes of immune cells over the course of a disease. This is a proof of concept study in mice.. so very early days. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260204/Implantable-immune-scaffold-predicts-type-1-diabetes-weeks-before-symptoms.aspx XX A large global genetics study shows that many key drivers of Type 2 diabetes operate outside the bloodstream. In a major international project led in part by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Helmholtz Munich in Germany, researchers linked hundreds of genes and proteins to the disease. The work, published in Nature Metabolism, points to a key challenge in diabetes research: the biology behind rising blood sugar does not play out the same way in every part of the body. It also shows why including people from many backgrounds matters, since genetic clues that stand out in one population may be faint or invisible in another. Huge study, 2.5 million people worldwide comparing patterns across seven tissues tied to diabetes and four global ancestry groups, then asked a simple question: what do you miss if you only measure blood? Across the seven tissues, the researchers found causal evidence pointing to 676 genes. Yet overlap with blood was limited: only 18% of genes with a causal effect in a primary diabetes tissue, such as the pancreas, showed a matching signal in blood. At the same time, 85% of genetic effects observed in diabetes-relevant tissues were completely absent from blood-based analyses. The findings lay out a roadmap for future research aimed at understanding the biological pathways underlying Type 2 diabetes and developing more effective treatments. https://scitechdaily.com/massive-global-study-rewrites-the-biology-of-type-2-diabetes/ XX Express Scripts settled the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's claims its insulin pricing practices violated antitrust and consumer protection laws, and agreed to changes aimed at lowering costs for patients, insurers and small pharmacies The settlement, first reported by Reuters, fits with that goal, and allows the FTC to pare down a case brought by the former Biden administration against Cigna's Express Scripts, UnitedHealth Group Inc's (UNH.N), Optum unit and CVS Health Corp's (CVS.N), CVS Caremark. The case against Optum and Caremark is ongoing. Pharmacy benefit managers, which set how drugs are covered by health insurance, have faced a decade of scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers over pricing practices. While the industry has already made reforms, the settlement gives the FTC power to enforce broader changes at Express Scripts. The 10-year agreement restricts Express Scripts' ability to engage in practices critics say contribute to high costs, like pocketing rebate payments from drugmakers based on the list price of drugs. The FTC estimates the agreement could save patients as much as $7 billion over a decade. https://www.reuters.com/world/cigna-settles-ftc-insulin-case-commits-overhauling-drug-pricing-2026-02-04/ XX Audio? Congress has passed bipartisan legislation to extend and strengthen the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), a cornerstone of Federal investment in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The President signed the legislation and it is now law. Extends the SDP through December 31, 2026, and increases funding from $160 million to $200 million annually. Strengthens overall funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $415 million. Increases diabetes research funding at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) by $10 million. Created by Congress and administered by the NIH, the SDP has contributed nearly $3.6 billion to T1D research and has played a role in nearly every major breakthrough in the field. A recent study conducted by Avalere Health shows that of the nearly 3.6 billion invested into the SDP by Congress since the establishment of the program, the Federal Government has realized $50 billion in healthcare savings through improved health outcomes from the use of SDP driven therapies and devices https://www.breakthrought1d.org/news-and-updates/congress-passes-bipartisan-extension-of-the-special-diabetes-program-securing-critical-t1d-research-funding/ XX Dexcom is rolling out what they're calling AI-enabled enhancements to Stelo, further transforming how users track and understand their glucose health. Expanded Smart Food Logging including a comprehensive nutrition database of more than 1M meals that provides a breakdown of calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, dietary fibers, and more. More ways to meal track including text search, barcode scanning or taking a photo of the meal, creating a seamless and intuitive meal tracking solution. A redesigned Daily Insights feature which will introduce a new interface with more personalized recommendations. The newest features will launch nationwide in the coming weeks.  XX Beta Bionics has received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration following an inspection last year, the company disclosed on Friday. The diabetes technology company said in a securities filing that the warning letter concerns non-conformities with the company's quality management system, medical device reporting, and correction and removals. The warning letter has not yet been posted by the FDA.   The company said in the filing that it has already taken actions to improve the processes described in the warning letter, and it is working on a written response to the FDA.   The firm does not expect the warning letter to affect the planned launch of a new insulin patch pump by the end of 2027. Beta Bionics unveiled a prototype of the device, called Mint, last year at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions. The company also does not expect the warning letter to affect its financial results. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/beta-bionics-receives-fda-warning-letter/811140/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue%3A+2026-02-04+MedTech+Dive+%5Bissue%3A81423%5D&utm_term=MedTech+Dive&fbclid=IwY2xjawPwhDZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFaUUcyYmNQWldjZ2xudElic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHouF8M3IstTyslPRgeHWUWVVdOAGOtzPWt_yNFcj9eYruqSPz3e86Iwcbpt8_aem_7q4D97vJVjHKfEwvoyUpgw XX Sequel Med Tech is reviewing co-founder Dean Kamen's ties to Jeffrey Epstein after recently released documents revealed new details about the longstanding relationship between the two men. The documents show that Kamen visited Epstein's island, and remained in contact with him for years after Epstein was convicted of sex crimes involving minors. Kamen has not been accused of any wrongdoing. In a statement, Sequel Med Tech said the Manchester-based company is aware of the documents pertaining to Kamen and – quote - "Sequel's Board of Directors has unanimously decided to engage an external law firm to review these disclosures and provide recommendations aligned with our mission to serve people living with diabetes," Kamen has not issued a statement regarding his reported connection to Epstein.   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/04/metro/nh-dean-kamen-jeffrey-epstein-review/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/04/metro/nh-dean-kamen-jeffrey-epstein-review/ https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/nh-inventor-placed-on-leave-after-epstein-messages-surface-report-says/3888569/ XX Abbot reports 860 serious injuries linked to the recall of some of its glucose monitoring sensors. We told you about this recall late last year, these numbers are an FDA update.     Abbott said the sensors can provide incorrect glucose readings over extended periods, which could lead to users making dangerous treatment decisions, including eating excessive carbohydrates along with skipping or delaying insulin doses, potentially leading to serious health risks. The company said it has identified and resolved the cause of the issue, which relates to one production line among several that make Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors.   https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/abbott-recalls-glucose-sensors-after-seven-deaths-linked-faulty-readings-2026-02-04/ XX Updates from Medtronic & Senseonics – and a first from Nick Jonas.. right after this..   I'm excited to share that the FDA has cleared the MiniMed 780G system with the Instinct sensor, made by Abbott, for people with type 2 diabetes.  Medicare has also now approved coverage for the Instinct sensor for use with the MiniMed 780G system. This clearance and expanded coverage mean more people will have access to pairing our most advanced automated insulin delivery technology with the Instinct sensor, that offers a smaller, 15-day sensor experience.  They're also launching the MiniMed 780G system Pump Evaluation Program.  This program gives individuals living with diabetes the ability to try the full MiniMed 780G system at no cost for 30 days.† This includes the pump, the sensor of their choice, one month of infusion sets and reservoirs, everything but the insulin. They'll contact your doctor for you to get a prescription and get the process rolling. https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/pump-evaluation-program XX Senseonics announced today that its Eversense 365 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system received CE mark approval – that's European clearance.  This comes on the heels of the launch of Eversense 365 with Sequel Med Tech's twiist pump, marking the first pump integration for the CGM. Senseonics plans to launch Eversense 365 in Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden in the coming months. Meanwhile, Senseonics continues to work toward an FDA investigational device exemption (IDE) submission for its next-generation Gemini transmitter-less CGM by the end of this year. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/senseonics-ce-mark-eversense-365-cgm/ XX A huge shout out to Dr. Emily Blum, who just accomplished riding 100 miles in Antarctica for Breakthrough T1D! Despite having no direct connection to Type 1 Diabetes, Emily has been riding and fundraising for BreakthroughT1D for 10 years now. She is an integral part of the Georgia Ride team, training and riding many miles, and most importantly has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the cause of ridding the world of T1D. She is surgeon and deeply involved with medical innovation, with an incredibly busy schedule, but jumped at the chance to take on the challenge of riding a century on every continent. Having already completed North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and now Antarctica, only Africa and South America remain. Emily rides on and continues to be an inspiration to everyone who meets her. XX   https://diabetes-connections.com/t1d-connection-and-people-magazine-elise-zach-share-their-story/ XX Nick Jonas's becomes the first artist ever to wear a CGM on an album cover - new upcoming solo album Sunday Best, releasing Feb. 6.  The release says: This marks a powerful step forward in normalizing diabetes and raising awareness for the condition on a global scale. This moment adds to the growing visibility of diabetes in pop culture, alongside milestones like a Type 1 diabetes Barbie and Pixar characters wearing diabetes technology.

Read "ME/CFS and Long COVID share similar symptoms and biological abnormalities: road map to the literature" – co-authored by Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff & W. Ian Lipkin. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1187163/full    Fatigue is the body's hard-wired response to a viral infection. In today's episode, Haylie Pomroy shares insights with Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff to examine the history of ME/CFS research, the causes and triggers of ME/CFS and other post-infectious chronic illnesses, and the abnormalities observed in the brain and autonomic nervous system among patients with ME/CFS and long COVID. Dr. Komaroff also addresses how patients have often been dismissed within the healthcare system, explains the physical and psychological processes involved in these conditions, and discusses how he and other clinicians are now moving to the forefront of diagnosis and treatment.   Register for the Integrative Medicine Luncheon featuring Dr. Payam Hakimi on  February 14, 2026. https://nova.zoom.us/meeting/register/RQnykYIKRZO-yVykmDp-YQ#/registration   Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff is a distinguished Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He has held significant leadership roles, including Director of the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Komaroff is known for his research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and human herpesvirus infections. He has published over 270 research articles and book chapters and served on numerous advisory committees for major health organizations.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-l-komaroff-64133346/  Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/anthonyl.komaroff    Solve ME: https://solvecfs.org  Open Medicine Foundation: https://www.omf.ngo  National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/mecfs/about-mecfs  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/about/index.html   Haylie Pomroy, Founder and CEO of The Haylie Pomroy Group, is a leading health strategist specializing in metabolism, weight loss, and integrative wellness. With over 25 years of experience, she has worked with top medical institutions and high-profile clients, developing targeted programs and supplements rooted in the "Food is Medicine" philosophy. Inspired by her own autoimmune journey, she combines expertise in nutrition, biochemistry, and patient advocacy to help others reclaim their health. She is a New York Times bestselling author of The Fast Metabolism Diet.   Learn more about Haylie Pomroy's approach to wellness through her website: https://hayliepomroy.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayliepomroy  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hayliepomroy/videos  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayliepomroy/  X: https://x.com/hayliepomroy    Enjoy our show? Please leave us a 5-star review so we can bring hope and help to others. You can also watch the show on our YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/@NSU_INIM   Sign up today for our newsletter. https://nova.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=419072c88a85f355f15ab1257&id=5e03a4de7d    This podcast is brought to you by the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine. Learn more about us here.   Website: https://www.nova.edu/nim/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InstituteForNeuroImmuneMedicine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NSU_INIM/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NSU_INIM

Show NotesMost organizations treat cybersecurity as a technology problem. They invest in layers of defense, run phishing tests, and deploy identity and access management tools. Yet headlines about breaches keep coming. Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management, argues that the real opportunity lies not in more technology but in changing how people across the organization think about and value cybersecurity.In this episode of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series, co-hosted by Julie Haney, Computer Scientist and Lead of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Dr. Keri Pearlson introduces her framework for cybersecurity culture built around values, attitudes, and beliefs. Rather than simply training employees on what to do, the focus shifts to shaping why they do it. When people genuinely believe cybersecurity matters, they take action without waiting for mandates or programs to tell them how.Dr. Pearlson shares vivid examples from her research: a CISO who hired a marketing professional to run the cybersecurity culture program, a CEO who opens every all-hands meeting with a five-minute cybersecurity story, and organizations that use creative rewards like chocolate chip cookies and digital badges to reinforce positive behaviors. She also outlines a five-stage maturity model for cybersecurity culture, from ad hoc efforts all the way to a dynamic culture that self-regulates as new threats like AI-driven vulnerabilities emerge.The conversation also tackles the relationship between organizational culture and cybersecurity culture, the role of group-level accountability, and why consequences matter just as much as rewards. Dr. Pearlson makes the case that cybersecurity should move from being viewed as an infrastructure play to a strategic advantage, one that can attract customers, reduce costs, and build competitive differentiation.For any leader looking to move the needle on security culture, this episode offers a research-backed roadmap and practical steps that anyone can take starting tomorrow.HostSean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/Guest(s)Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at MIT Sloan School of Management | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpearlson/Julie Haney (Co-Host), Computer Scientist and Lead, Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-haney-037449119/ResourcesLearn more about Dr. Keri Pearlson's research: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/keri-pearlsonLearn more about the NIST Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/human-centered-cybersecurityCybersecurity at MIT Sloan (CAMS): https://cams.mit.edu/The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast episodes | https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcastRedefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYqKeywordsdr. keri pearlson, julie haney, mit sloan, nist, sean martin, cybersecurity culture, security culture, values attitudes beliefs, cyber resilience, human-centered cybersecurity, security awareness, phishing, cybersecurity maturity model, security behavior, cybersecurity strategy, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Trump administration's July 2025 AI Action Plan calls on National Institute of Standards & Technology to revise its AI Risk Management Framework amid easing federal regulation of the tech. Martin Stanley, principal researcher for AI and cybersecurity at NIST, joined us at the AI Summit on Jan. 9 to discuss new AI control overlays for the Special Publication 800-53 series and the risks they are designed to address. Stanley explained how these overlays build on existing security controls to help agencies better manage AI-specific threats while aligning with broader federal priorities outlined in the AI Action Plan. Stanley also explored where agencies struggle to turn AI risk frameworks into operational reality, from governance structures to implementation at the system level. Looking ahead, he shared how NIST expects AI security guidance to evolve as agencies transition from pilot projects to enterprise deployments and what new or updated standards federal leaders should anticipate next.

Show NotesMost organizations treat cybersecurity as a technology problem. They invest in layers of defense, run phishing tests, and deploy identity and access management tools. Yet headlines about breaches keep coming. Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management, argues that the real opportunity lies not in more technology but in changing how people across the organization think about and value cybersecurity.In this episode of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Series, co-hosted by Julie Haney, Computer Scientist and Lead of the Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Dr. Keri Pearlson introduces her framework for cybersecurity culture built around values, attitudes, and beliefs. Rather than simply training employees on what to do, the focus shifts to shaping why they do it. When people genuinely believe cybersecurity matters, they take action without waiting for mandates or programs to tell them how.Dr. Pearlson shares vivid examples from her research: a CISO who hired a marketing professional to run the cybersecurity culture program, a CEO who opens every all-hands meeting with a five-minute cybersecurity story, and organizations that use creative rewards like chocolate chip cookies and digital badges to reinforce positive behaviors. She also outlines a five-stage maturity model for cybersecurity culture, from ad hoc efforts all the way to a dynamic culture that self-regulates as new threats like AI-driven vulnerabilities emerge.The conversation also tackles the relationship between organizational culture and cybersecurity culture, the role of group-level accountability, and why consequences matter just as much as rewards. Dr. Pearlson makes the case that cybersecurity should move from being viewed as an infrastructure play to a strategic advantage, one that can attract customers, reduce costs, and build competitive differentiation.For any leader looking to move the needle on security culture, this episode offers a research-backed roadmap and practical steps that anyone can take starting tomorrow.HostSean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/Guest(s)Dr. Keri Pearlson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Research Scientist at MIT Sloan School of Management | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpearlson/Julie Haney (Co-Host), Computer Scientist and Lead, Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-haney-037449119/ResourcesLearn more about Dr. Keri Pearlson's research: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/keri-pearlsonLearn more about the NIST Human-Centered Cybersecurity Program: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/human-centered-cybersecurityCybersecurity at MIT Sloan (CAMS): https://cams.mit.edu/The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast episodes | https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcastRedefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYqKeywordsdr. keri pearlson, julie haney, mit sloan, nist, sean martin, cybersecurity culture, security culture, values attitudes beliefs, cyber resilience, human-centered cybersecurity, security awareness, phishing, cybersecurity maturity model, security behavior, cybersecurity strategy, redefining cybersecurity, cybersecurity podcast, redefining cybersecurity podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the latest episode of the Plant-Based Podcast, we breakdown some of the confusion generated by the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans with Dr. Kevin Klatt. Dr. Klatt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.He received his PhD in Molecular Nutrition from Cornell University and completed his clinical dietetic (RD) training at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. His research focuses on using both preclinical models as well as human intervention studies to better understand nutrient metabolism, signaling and requirements.In addition to research, Dr. Klatt is a current Associate Editor at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and a Section Editor of the graduate-level nutrition textbook, Biochemical Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition (fifth edition).Dr. Klatt dissects some of the big ticket changes to the DGAs, including the recommendation to increase protein and saturated fat intake, confusion around processed foods, and inconsistencies between the revamped pyramid model and the actual recommendations.ResourcesKevin's Substack on the DGAs: The Influencer's DGAs & The Rancher's Pyramid Twitter BlueSky Instagram Bonus PromotionCheck out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you'll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.Support the show

Today I talked to Florian Wagner about his new book Colonial Internationalism and the Governmentality of Empire, 1893–1982 (Cambridge UP, 2022). From its founding in 1893, to its decline in the 1970s, the International Colonial Institute (ICI) was one of the most powerful nongovernmental actors on the colonial scene. Styling itself a reformist institution, the ICI applied the tools of transnational scientific exchange to “rationalize” the practice of colonial rule. As part of this reformist project, members of the ICI mobilized progressive ideas in ways that built broad political consensus across Europe while also furthering inequality, exploitation, and segregation in the Global South, even beyond the end of formal empire. Tracing the long history of the ICI reveals fundamental continuities, argues Florian Wagner, that colonialist narratives of change obscure. Elisa Prosperetti is an Assistant Professor in International History at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. Her research focuses on the connected histories of education and development in postcolonial West Africa. Contact her at here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I talked to Florian Wagner about his new book Colonial Internationalism and the Governmentality of Empire, 1893–1982 (Cambridge UP, 2022). From its founding in 1893, to its decline in the 1970s, the International Colonial Institute (ICI) was one of the most powerful nongovernmental actors on the colonial scene. Styling itself a reformist institution, the ICI applied the tools of transnational scientific exchange to “rationalize” the practice of colonial rule. As part of this reformist project, members of the ICI mobilized progressive ideas in ways that built broad political consensus across Europe while also furthering inequality, exploitation, and segregation in the Global South, even beyond the end of formal empire. Tracing the long history of the ICI reveals fundamental continuities, argues Florian Wagner, that colonialist narratives of change obscure. Elisa Prosperetti is an Assistant Professor in International History at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. Her research focuses on the connected histories of education and development in postcolonial West Africa. Contact her at here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Today I talked to Florian Wagner about his new book Colonial Internationalism and the Governmentality of Empire, 1893–1982 (Cambridge UP, 2022). From its founding in 1893, to its decline in the 1970s, the International Colonial Institute (ICI) was one of the most powerful nongovernmental actors on the colonial scene. Styling itself a reformist institution, the ICI applied the tools of transnational scientific exchange to “rationalize” the practice of colonial rule. As part of this reformist project, members of the ICI mobilized progressive ideas in ways that built broad political consensus across Europe while also furthering inequality, exploitation, and segregation in the Global South, even beyond the end of formal empire. Tracing the long history of the ICI reveals fundamental continuities, argues Florian Wagner, that colonialist narratives of change obscure. Elisa Prosperetti is an Assistant Professor in International History at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. Her research focuses on the connected histories of education and development in postcolonial West Africa. Contact her at here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-studies

Midlife health decisions rarely fail because women “don't know what to do.” They fail because the stakes change overnight, the calendar stays overloaded, and the system you used to rely on stops working.This conversation sits at the intersection of two realities: breast cancer can show up even without family history, and the perimenopause to menopause transition forces a new level of precision around hormones, bone health, fatigue, and what you put on your skin.In this episode, Sally Mueller, co-founder of Womaness, speak candidly from lived experience—diagnosis timelines, treatment tradeoffs, dense breast screening gaps, and the unglamorous but decisive habits that actually keep women on track.Timestamps(03:16) Following instincts as an early prevention strategy (11:18) Clean, hormone-free formulations and long-term exposure risk (12:58) Hereditary versus environmental drivers of breast cancer (20:20) Dense breast tissue and proactive screening strategies (27:31) Vitamin D deficiency and systemic fatigue signals (28:49) Supplement consistency versus reactive use (32:32) Why steady supplementation outperforms short-term fixes (36:18) Bone health through impact, resistance, and movement variety (40:07) Exercise variation as a stimulus for bone remodeling (41:47) Treating exercise like a non-negotiable meeting Guest BioSally Mueller — Co-Founder and CEO, WomanessSally Mueller is the co-founder of Womaness, a women's wellness brand focused on perimenopause and menopause solutions across skin, body, supplements, and sexual wellness.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-mueller/Key PointsMidlife health breakdown is often a systems failure, not a motivation problem: Delayed screenings, inconsistent supplements, and deprioritized movement compound risk over time.Early detection depends on follow-through, not awareness: Dense breast tissue, hormone shifts, and missed baselines create blind spots when care is delayed.Consistency beats intensity in supplements and exercise: Vitamin D, bone-loading movement, and simple routines outperform sporadic “health resets.”Clean inputs matter more after cancer, but should start earlier: What women put on and in their bodies becomes more consequential during hormonal transition.Exercise functions as prevention infrastructure, not lifestyle garnish: Impact, resistance, and aerobic movement materially affect recurrence risk, bone density, and fatigue.Deep DivesDelayed care as a compounding risk factorMissed appointments increase exposure windowsDelays often happen during peak hormonal volatilityDense breast tissue and the screening gapMammograms alone can miss early signalsUltrasound and MRI baselines improve detectionVitamin D deficiency as a hidden performance drainFatigue and joint pain can signal depletionWinter and low sun accelerate declineSupplement discipline versus reactive useInconsistent intake reduces benefitFewer supplements taken regularly outperform complex stacksBone health beyond medicationImpact and resistance stimulate bone remodelingMovement variety matters more than volumeExercise as a protective interventionAerobic activity reduces systemic disease riskStrength work supports bone and joint resilienceClean formulations and cumulative exposureHormone-free products reduce added loadTransparency matters more during midlife transitionsWhy midlife routines collapse firstCaregiving, careers, and stress convergeHealth behaviors are usually the first to dropTreating exercise like a meetingScheduled movement increases adherenceNon-negotiable time blocks protect consistencyPrevention as an operating modelMidlife health requires durable systemsShort-term fixes fail under long timelinesLinks & ReferencesBreast cancer screening beyond mammography (Mayo Clinic): https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/in-depth/breast-cancer/art-20047233Vitamin D deficiency, symptoms, and testing (National Institutes of Health): https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/Exercise and bone health in midlife and beyond (International Osteoporosis Foundation): https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/health-professionals/prevention/exercise

How can a helicopter fly in space? How does LIGO detect gravitational waves? How do quantum electronic devices like Josephson junctions work? Could AI turn evil and destroy humanity? What about those grabby aliens? In this episode of Chuck GPT, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu answer audience questions about the technology of astronomy, astrophysics, and the future. To read those questions, we welcome back our executive producer Leslie Mullen, community director Stacey Severn, and intern Eleanor Adams. As always, though, we start off with the day's joyfully cool cosmic thing: the ESA's new Deep Space Antenna in Australia. This fourth antenna in ESA's network will be used to manage communications for their slate of upcoming missions. For our first audience question, Anna asks, “How is it possible that a helicopter can work in space? I heard that NASA launched a helicopter to Mars and is going to send one to Saturn in a few years.” Leslie, who worked at JPL, talks about the Perseverance Rover and its helicopter, Ingenuity. She explains that they're not actually flying in space, but in the atmospheres of a planet or a moon. Even so, the thin atmosphere of Mars (less than 1% of Earth's) created unique problems that don't exist on Earth. Leslie got to interview the inventor of Ingenuity, Bob Balaram, in her JPL podcast episode, “Flying with Ingenuity.” She describes how JPL tested the helicopter here on Earth, and what it was like the moment Ingenuity actually took flight. The team discusses Dragonfly, the helicopter that will be flying on Saturn's moon Titan, and how Titan's thick methane atmosphere creates an entirely different set of engineering problems than Ingenuity faced on Mars. Stacey reads our next question, from Joe: “Gravitational wave detectors like LIGO are said to detect changes in the length of space by less than the width of a proton. But how is that possible, if all the atoms that make up LIGO are so much bigger than protons?” Chuck explains interferometry (the I in LIGO!) and Allen offers a great analogy using a ruler. Eleanor reads a question from TikTok, which Esmeregildo asked in response to our video about Josephson Junctions and the Nobel Prize in Physics: “What is the purpose of the insulating barrier?” Chuck's answer takes us down a quantum tunneling rabbit hole, filled with superconductors, insulators, and quantum computing. Diane asks: “Professor, you say that astronomers have used AI for a long time so you're not afraid of AI. But AI isn't being used by just scientists anymore, and corporations are using AI to make money now rather than to make scientific advances. So should we be afraid of AI today? Could AI turn evil soon and destroy humanity?” Allen, co-author of a soon-to-be published book about AI, offers a mostly hopeful answer, although Chuck compares AI to nuclear power and Leslie brings up real world problems AI is already creating. Our last question from our audience is, “Hi Dr. Liu, I heard you talking about grabby aliens recently. Could you explain the concept a little more? For example, would humans be grabby aliens if we explore space and colonize Mars and we find there's life there? Would we have to destroy grabby aliens right away if we find them, or would we have to hide from them?” It's the perfect way to end this edition of Chuck GPT! We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon. Image Credits: ESA's first and fourth Deep Space Antennas. Credit: European Space Agency Map showing locations of ESA tracking (Estrack) stations as of 2017. Credit: European Space Agency Video of Perseverance landing on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ingenuity on the surface of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Anatomy of the Mars helicopter Ingenuity. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ingenuity's Test Chamber. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ingenuity in the Test Chamber. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Video of Ingenuity altimeter data and the first flight as seen from Perseverance. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Dragonfly space probe concept art. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins-APL Titan's thick methane atmosphere gives it a fuzzy yellow look. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Tuned Mass Damper used to stabilize buildings during earthquakes. Credit: CC Josephson Junction. Credit: Public Domain Josephson junction array chip developed by the National Institute of Standards & Technology. Credit: Public Domain CHAPTERS 03:08 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing of the Day –New ESA Deep Space Antenna 07:36 - How Can the Ingenuity Helicopter Fly on Mars? 16:26 - How Can the Dragonfly Helicopter Fly on Saturn's Moon Titan? 19:44 - How does LIGO detect gravitational waves? 26:01 - Josephson Junctions, Quantum Tunneling, and Superconductors Explained 36:00 - Could AI Turn Evil Soon and Destroy Humanity? 44:48 - Would Humans Be Grabby Aliens if We Explore Space and Colonize Mars?   #LIUniverse #SciencePodcast #AstronomyPodcast #LIGO #ArtificialIntelligence

In this episode of John Solomon Reports, we take a deep dive into the alarming vulnerabilities Americans face due to lax policies regarding China's influence in the U.S. John discusses the troubling emergence of secret police stations and bio labs in California and Las Vegas, raising serious concerns about national security and public health. He highlights the Biden administration's negligence in addressing these issues, including the dismantling of critical counterintelligence programs aimed at monitoring Chinese espionage in American academia.Joining John is Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, who provides exclusive insights into the discoveries made at a recently raided lab and reacts to the extradition of a suspect in the Benghazi attack. Patel emphasizes the importance of reinstating counterintelligence measures that were previously abandoned, shedding light on the ongoing threats posed by Chinese operatives.In the second segment, Dr. Jay Bhattachrya, director of the National Institutes of Health, shares his findings on the implications of gain-of-function research and its connection to the COVID-19 pandemic. John seeks answers on whether measures have been taken to halt such research and the status of the China Initiative.To lighten the mood, John introduces artist Scott Lobaido, who is advocating for a 150-foot American flag to be flown over Ground Zero, reminding listeners of the impact of the September 11 attacks and the need for national remembrance as we approach the 25th anniversary.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Understanding Trauma Across the Lifespan with Dr. Frank Putnam Content Note: This episode includes discussion of trauma, child maltreatment, and dissociation; please listen at your own pace and care for your wellbeing while engaging. In this episode, Dr. Deb Lindh sits down with Dr. Frank Putnam, a renowned psychiatrist, researcher, and national leader in the study of trauma, child maltreatment, and its lifelong effects. With a career spanning decades of clinical work and groundbreaking research, Dr. Putnam has been instrumental in advancing the field of traumatic stress studies and mentoring generations of trauma scientists. Dr. Putnam's work began early in his career at the National Institute of Mental Health, where he first encountered the profound effects of child abuse on psychological and biological development. This experience shaped his lifelong focus on understanding trauma's impact from childhood into adulthood and highlighted the importance of early research to inform healing-informed practice. His pioneering research on dissociation and dissociative disorders helped transform the field from case-based observations into evidence-based science, including influential publications and the co-authorship of tools widely used in trauma research. Today, Dr. Putnam continues to research and advocate for trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the complex ways early adversity shapes health outcomes across the lifespan. He is also recognized for his decades of mentorship and service, including the establishment of the Frank W. Putnam Trauma Research Scholars Program, which supports emerging trauma researchers whose work has great potential to contribute meaningfully to the field. In this conversation we explore: • What we currently understand about how trauma affects development from childhood through adulthood • How early research in child maltreatment and dissociation reshaped scientific thinking about trauma • The importance of rigorous trauma research and mentorship in broadening the field • What trauma professionals and survivors alike can take from decades of evidence-based work Whether you're new to the trauma conversation or deeply embedded in healing work, this episode offers clarity, context, and hope grounded in decades of research and human experience.

Has the US dollar become too weak? It can be difficult to filter through the headlines that make it appear that the dollar has dropped and lost 50% of its value and is getting close to collapse as some doom and gloom people would want you to believe. The truth is since January 2025; the dollar has been down about 10% against other major currencies. Keep in mind that it fluctuates every day, every hour, and every minute. This is normal, but the headlines can be very scary and it's also important to understand that over the last five years the dollar index has been up about 7%. There are pros and cons to a weak dollar. If you're planning on traveling to Europe or some other foreign country, hotels and other items will cost you more when the dollar weakens since our dollar buys less. Also, the price of foreign cars and trucks will increase because again a dollar buys less. But the other side of the coin is that people from other parts of the world can now come to the United States and spend money in our economy since their currency now goes further. Also, many of our products that we export will be less expensive so exports should increase while our imports decrease, reducing our trade deficit. Lower interest rates can cause our dollar to fall, but a strong economy can help counterbalance that decline. Will there be a default on the dollar? The chances of that happening are extremely low for many reasons. The US dollar is still the dominant global reserve currency, which adds strength to the dollar. It is also understood that yes, we do have high debt, but also if needed, the US can print dollars to pay that debt. Looking forward to 2026, there's a very good chance that the dollar will stabilize as the economy improves. Foreign top trading partners have pledged to invest $5 trillion in the United States. With that large investment, more travel to the US, and people buying more US products such as cars that are now a better deal due to tariffs and a weaker dollar, come the end of the year, we could actually see a firmer dollar, a booming economy and perhaps further declines in gold and silver that are still near all times highs. I get excited, just writing about it, but it will require patience for investors as I do see this as a volatile year.    18% of US adults have taken GLP-1 drugs. What's the concern? The price of GLP –1 drugs have come down and roughly 18% of adults in the US are using them. But there are other considerations outside of just weight loss. These drugs came out to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity not as a lifestyle change to lose 20 or 30 pounds. It is estimated that about half of people will stop taking the drug after one year and will probably be very disappointed with their future weight management. Studies have shown that when people stop taking the drug within about a year and a half, they regain most of the weight they lost. Studies also show that the weight gain comes four times faster than those who lost weight through normal dieting. While on these drugs, people see their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels improved, but when they're off the drug in a little over a year, those levels go back to where they were. Kevin Hall is a former senior investigator at the National Institute of Health and a specialist in nutrition. He says once you're off the drugs, your appetite will be much higher than it was and you could end up overeating, which leads to taking in too many calories. Another study shows people who gain weight back and decide to go back on the medication that it's not as successful the second or third time. People also don't realize a thing called weight cycling or gaining and losing weight and how that can affect the percent of fat to muscle. It is estimated that when you lose weight about 25 to 30% of it is muscle. But the sad part is when you have the weight gain after you're off the drugs, it is unfortunately more fat than muscle. So, as you can see, this is not a good cycle or a good plan for 10 to 20 years. If one thinks it is a good idea to just stay on these drugs for life, there are long-term risks such as gallbladder diseases, pancreatitis, and kidney damage. The kidney damage is one that would really worry me because as you get older and you have more pain you may want to take a pain reliever like Advil or ibuprofen, but doctors now look at people's kidneys to see if they can handle Advil or ibuprofen, which is another strain on your kidneys. Being concerned with how you look and taking the easy way to look better by popping a pill or taking an injection may cause you to have regrets when you're older.   Is the US housing market becoming a buyer's market? From 2020 to about 2022 it was definitely a seller's market and people could ask whatever they wanted for their home and if you didn't take it, there would be 10 people behind you that would. Well now things are changing back to where buyers can negotiate and sometimes even get a price below the asking price. Nationwide, about 62% of homebuyers purchased their home under the listing price. The discount of 8% was also the largest since 2012. Buyers are also obtaining concessions from sellers which could be things like cash for closing costs or buying down the mortgage. As recently as December, there were 600,000 more sellers than buyers and that's the biggest gap going back to 2013. What is helping the housing market is mortgage rates have declined a little bit, which has made homes somewhat more affordable for some buyers along with the cool-off in prices that we have seen. The best place to buy a home currently is Florida and Texas because new home construction has created a big supply of homes for sale. It can really depend on the local market you are looking at, but if you're buying in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Miami, about 85% of homebuyers paid under the original listing price. However, if you're buying a home in Newark, New Jersey, San Francisco, or San Jose, only 39% received a discount from the original list price. It was also noted that those markets had a low amount of new construction. There could be more to come if the supply increases, and prices ease somewhat as it would likely bring more buyers back into the market. Depending on where you're looking at buying, perhaps 2027 will be a great time to buy home.   Financial Planning: How Would an S&P 500 Portfolio Work in Retirement? Many investors nearing retirement feel comfortable staying fully invested in the S&P 500 because recent performance has been strong, but that confidence is often based on a short window of returns rather than the long reality of retirement. Retirement can last 20 to 30 years, and during that time markets will go through multiple corrections and bear markets. Once withdrawals begin, even modest withdrawal rates can amplify losses and deplete a portfolio. The late 1990s provide a clear example when the S&P 500 produced annual returns in the 20% to 30% range for several years in a row and many investors came to believe strong gains were easy and would continue… then 2000 came. Someone withdrawing an inflation-adjusted 4% from an S&P 500 portfolio in 2000 saw the account fall to roughly half its value within just three years, meaning a retiree at 62 with $1 million was left with barley $500k by 65. For those who stayed invested, after the Great Recession 9 years into retirement around age 71, the portfolio had lost close to 2/3rds of its original value.  At that point, the withdrawal rate needed to continue income was now 14%, up from the original 4%. Today the S&P 500 sits near all-time highs and trades at historically elevated forward earnings multiples, mirroring the late 90's. While the index has delivered roughly 10% annual returns over the long term, those averages hide the danger of sequence of returns risk, where starting withdrawals before or during a downturn can permanently impair a portfolio and leave too little capital to fully recover even when markets eventually rebound.   Companies Discussed: Lennar Corporation (LEN), Sysco Corporation (SYY), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) & Visa Inc. (V)  

In this episode of Beyond The Abstract, Dr. Matthew Sloan sits down to discuss findings from his recent article Symptom-Triggered Alcohol Withdrawal Management Delivered Over Telemedicine featured in the November/December issue of the Journal of Addiction Medicine. Join us as Dr. Sloan shares insights into his study investigating the feasibility of delivering symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management over telemedicine.   Dr. Matthew Sloan is a clinician scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He specializes in the treatment of substance use disorders and their psychiatric comorbidities. He completed medical school and psychiatry residency at McGill University followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in human psychopharmacology at the National Institutes of Health and an addiction psychiatry fellowship at Yale University. Dr. Sloan's primary research interests are developing innovative new treatments for substance use disorders and exploring determinants of psychopharmacological response to drugs of misuse. He has obtained competitive research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Canada, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Discovery Fund and has received scientific prizes from the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.   Article Link: Symptom-Triggered Alcohol Withdrawal Management Delivered Over Telemedicine

In this episode, we're talking with Dr. Alaina Holt and Dr. Michelle Peace from the Laboratory for Forensic Toxicology Research about the importance of relationships within research, what they are seeing in the e-cigarette and cannabis product markets right now, the importance of sharing their findings with the community, and the role we all have to play in keeping our communities safe, healthy, and informed.    Referenced Resources: VCU Department of Forensic Science: https://forensicscience.vcu.edu/ VCU Laboratory for Forensic Toxicology Research: https://blogs.vcu.edu/mrpeace/ LFTR Research Materials: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rndBDBH8N5Ie18HM0JqT_wJ4NhKNdaR7?usp=sharing Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth: https://vfhy.org/   Dr. Peace is a forensic toxicologist and a Full Professor in the Department of Forensic Science at VCU. She is one of the founding faculty for the Department and served as Associate Chair and Chair for nearly a decade. Dr. Peace has also served as a manager in a private forensic drug testing laboratory and has worked as a scientist for Procter & Gamble, where she holds 3 patents. Dr. Peace has been funded by the National Institute of Justice to study the efficacy of electronic cigarettes, particularly as they pertain to substance use and abuse. Dr. Peace serves on the Board for Virginia's Cannabis Control Authority, is a Past President of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, is a member of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She is a member of the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs, and Impairment Division.  Dr. Holt is a forensic toxicologist and an Associate Research Faculty member in the Department of Forensic Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. She works within the Laboratory for Forensic Toxicology research where she assists students, maintains instrumentation, and completes casework. Her current research includes characterizing vaping products confiscated from Virginia school students; characterizing cannabis and cannabinoid-products for quality and labeling accuracy; assessing impacts of vaping on alcohol impairment evaluations; and evaluating novel treatments for opioid overdoses. Dr. Holt is an active member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the International Association of Chemical Testing, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Dr. Holt is also a member of the National Safety Council's Alcohol, Drugs, and Impairment Division.   The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.

Contributors: Travis Barlock MD, Ian Gillman PA, Jacob Altholz MD, Jeffrey Olson MS4 In this episode, EM attending Travis Barlock and medical student Jeffrey Olson listen in to the two remaining cases presented from EMM's recent event, Tox Talk 2025.  Talk 1- Methemoglobinemia- Ian Gillman Cyanosis + chocolate-colored blood + normal PaO₂ + pulse ox stuck at ~85% = Methemoglobinemia → Treat with methylene blue The medications that can cause it can be remembered with… Watch out with methylene blue as it can cause serotonin syndrome While treating with methylene blue the pulse ox can drop dramatically but this is not a real drop in oxygenation but rather an effect of how the methylene blue affects the sensor BADNAPS: causes of methemoglobinemia Benzocaine Aniline Dyes Dapsone Nitrites/Nitrates (Found in meds, preservatives, and well water) Antimalarials Pyridium Sulfonamides Talk 2- Intratecal TXA and Hierarchy of Controls for Error Avoidance - Jacob Altholz Hierarchy of Controls in terms of error prevention includes all of the layers of protection which can be categorized as elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administration controls, and PPE References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, April 28). Hierarchy of controls. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/learning/safetyculturehc/module-3/2.html Pushparajah Mak RS, Liebelt EL. Methylene Blue: An Antidote for Methemoglobinemia and Beyond. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021 Sep 1;37(9):474-477. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000002526. PMID: 34463662. Produced by Jeffrey Olson, MS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

House barely passes a package of government spending bills to end a partial shutdown. One bill for the Homeland Security Department runs two weeks, intended to provide time to develop  federal immigration agent conduct & accountability reforms; Brothers of Renee Good, who was shot & killed during an ICE protest in Minneapolis, testify in Washington at a Democratic forum; House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) announces former President Bill Clinton & former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will sit for depositions  at the end of February in the committee's investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The agreement puts on hold House votes holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress for not obeying a subpoena to testify; more Congressional reaction to President Donald Trump's call for Republicans to 'nationalize' and 'take over' elections; National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya answers questions about vaccines & autism before the Senate Health Committee; Senate hearing on Netflix buying Warner Brothers and antitrust implications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have Dr. Francisco Gonzalez-Lima, a behavioral neuroscientist who was our guest in episodes 106 and 107 back in 2020. Since those 2020 interviews, Francisco and his colleagues at the Gonzalez-Lima Lab have produced dozens of more studies and papers that have advanced their work on methylene blue, transcranial lasers, memory enhancement, neuroprotection and neurocognitive disorders. Francisco and his lab at the University of Texas Austin are recognized as world leaders for their research on the relationships between brain energy metabolism, memory and neurobehavioral disorders. In today's interview, we talk to Francisco about his lab's most recent research on the beneficial neurocognitive and emotional effects of noninvasive human brain stimulation in healthy, aging and mentally ill populations. This research primarily uses transcranial infrared laser stimulation and multimodal imaging, which we will discuss in today's interview. Be sure to check out our earlier interviews with Francisco where he talked aobut his work on brain metabolic mapping and Alzheimer's, episode 106, and his research into methylene blue and near-infrared light as therapies for cognitive disorders, episode 107. Show notes: [00:04:32] Dawn and Ken open our interview with Francisco by mentioning that his lab has been very productive pursuing new research avenues since he was last on STEM-Talk. Ken mentions that Francisco has recently begun collaborating with his sister who has a PhD in computational and applied mathematics and asks Francisco to talk about the work they're doing together. [00:06:21] Dawn shifts to talk about the roadblocks that Francisco and his team have been dealing with, particularly that the review process for academic papers is unusually slow, not just for Francisco's team but at large. Dawn asks Francisco to discuss this issue. [00:10:37] Dawn recaps that in our previous interview with Francisco in 2020, the discussion focused on his research into methylene blue, which has been primarily used to treat methemoglobinemia, however, the potential for methylene blue to treat declining cognitive function is an active area of research. Despite Francisco's successful work with methylene blue, he often gets asked about its safety, largely due to various misconceptions. Dawn asks Francisco to talk about the misconceptions about methylene blue. [00:14:57] Ken asks if Francisco what some other misconceptions about methylene blue are. [00:20:43] Given the discussion of dosing, Ken asks Francisco what the safe dose range is for methylene blue in humans. [00:28:15] Ken mentions an article published a few months ago titled “Beyond plaques: How methylene blue and ketones address vascular hypometabolism in Alzheimer's disease” Ken goes on to mention that the article did a good job of summarizing Francisco's work as well as the work of Steve Cunnane, who was our guest on episode 59. Ken asks Francisco to discuss his thoughts on the article. [00:34:25] Dawn shifts focus to discuss Francisco's work on photobiomodulation, specifically transcranial infrared laser stimulation, which is a non-invasive method for neuroprotection and cognitive enhancement. Dawn explains that Francisco has written two chapters on this topic that summarizes his work in the area, one of which appeared in the Oxford handbook on transcranial stimulation, and the other is in a book on augmentation of brain function, based on a series of presentations he gave in Switzerland. Dawn asks Francisco to give a broad overview of his work on photobiomodulation and transcranial infrared laser stimulation. [00:43:52] Ken asks Francisco to talk about a paper titled “Light buckets and laser beams” that he and other researchers composed after attending a photobiomodulation workshop convened in 2023 by the director of the National Institute on Aging and several NIH lab directors. [00:51:25] Ken asks Francisco if there are any commercially available photobiomodulation devices that he thinks have substantial utility. [00:56:27] Ken asks Francisco to discuss mitochondrial disfunction in the context of neurodegeneration and his work on targeted stimulation of the mitochondria with photo biomodulation. [01:06:58] Ken asks Francisco to talk about the potential benefits of photobiomodulation on the aging process outside of neurodegenerative conditions. [01:17:16] Dawn mentions that transcranial infrared stimulation stimulates prefrontal energy metabolism and oxygenation, which produces cognitive enhancing effects. Dawn goes on to ask Francisco about his recent paper exploring this phenomenon in the context of depression titled “Augmenting internet based cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder with transcranial infrared laser stimulation.” [01:23:08] In light of the promising results of this study, Ken asks Francisco what he sees as the next research step to further this progress. [01:30:15] Ken comments on how Francisco has not only had great accomplishments in his recent research but also has a lot of fruitful opportunities ahead. [01:31:07] Ken asks Francisco if he has looked at photobiomodulation in combination with transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation. [01:34:28] Ken mentions that for listeners interested in learning more about vagal nerve stimulation they can listen to episodes 179 with JP Erico, and 172 with Kevin Tracey. Francisco discusses the difficulty in knowing whether to attribute effects of vagus nerve stimulation to stimulation of the vagus nerve itself or incidental stimulation of the carotid artery … or some combination. [01:38:33] Ken mentions that Francisco is now trying to move away from animal studies and focus more on human studies. Ken asks what human trials he is hoping to conduct. [01:42:27] Dawn closes our interview thanking Francisco for once again joining us on STEM-Talk. Links: Gonzalez-Lima Lab Learn more about IHMC STEM-Talk homepage Ken Ford bio Ken Ford Wikipedia page Dawn Kernagis bio    

Last time we spoke about the battle of Nanchang. After securing Hainan and targeting Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway corridors, Japan's 11th Army, backed by armor, air power, and riverine operations, sought a rapid, surgical seizure of Nanchang to sever eastern Chinese logistics and coerce Chongqing. China, reorganizing under Chiang Kai-shek, concentrated over 200,000 troops across 52 divisions in the Ninth and Third War Zones, with Xue Yue commanding the 9th War Zone in defense of Wuhan-Nanchang corridors. The fighting began with German-style, combined-arms river operations along the Xiushui and Gan rivers, including feints, river crossings, and heavy artillery, sometimes using poison gas. From March 20–23, Japanese forces established a beachhead and advanced into Fengxin, Shengmi, and later Nanchang, despite stiff Chinese resistance and bridges being destroyed. Chiang's strategic shift toward attrition pushed for broader offensives to disrupt railways and rear areas, though Chinese plans for a counteroffensive repeatedly stalled due to logistics and coordination issues. By early May, Japanese forces encircled and captured Nanchang, albeit at heavy cost, with Chinese casualties surpassing 43,000 dead and Japanese losses over 2,200 dead.    #187 The Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang-Shatow Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Having seized Wuhan in a brutal offensive the previous year, the Japanese sought not just to hold their ground but to solidify their grip on this vital hub. Wuhan, a bustling metropolis at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han Rivers, had become a linchpin in their strategy, a base from which they could project power across central China. Yet, the city was far from secure, Chinese troops in northern Hubei and southern Henan, perched above the mighty Yangtze, posed an unrelenting threat. To relieve the mounting pressure on their newfound stronghold, the Japanese high command orchestrated a bold offensive against the towns of Suixian and Zaoyang. They aimed to annihilate the main force of the Chinese 5th War Zone, a move that would crush the Nationalist resistance in the region and secure their flanks. This theater of war, freshly designated as the 5th War Zone after the grueling Battle of Wuhan, encompassed a vast expanse west of Shashi in the upper Yangtze basin. It stretched across northern Hubei, southern Henan, and the rugged Dabie Mountains in eastern Anhui, forming a strategic bulwark that guarded the eastern approaches to Sichuan, the very heartland of the Nationalist government's central institutions. Historian Rana Mitter in Forgotten Ally described this zone as "a gateway of immense importance, a natural fortress that could either serve as a launchpad for offensives against Japanese-held territories or a defensive redoubt protecting the rear areas of Sichuan and Shaanxi". The terrain itself was a defender's dream and an attacker's nightmare: to the east rose the imposing Dabie Mountains, their peaks cloaked in mist and folklore; the Tongbai Mountains sliced across the north like a jagged spine; the Jing Mountains guarded the west; the Yangtze River snaked southward, its waters a formidable barrier; the Dahong Mountains dominated the center, offering hidden valleys for ambushes; and the Han River (also known as the Xiang River) carved a north-south path through it all. Two critical transport arteries—the Hanyi Road linking Hankou to Yichang in Hubei, and the Xianghua Road connecting Xiangyang to Huayuan near Hankou—crisscrossed this landscape, integrating the war zone into a web of mobility. From here, Chinese forces could menace the vital Pinghan Railway, that iron lifeline running from Beiping (modern Beijing) to Hankou, while also threatening the Wuhan region itself. In retreat, it provided a sanctuary to shield the Nationalist heartlands. As military strategist Sun Tzu might have appreciated, this area had long been a magnet for generals, its contours shaping the fates of empires since ancient times. Despite the 5th War Zone's intricate troop deployments, marked by units of varying combat prowess and a glaring shortage of heavy weapons, the Chinese forces made masterful use of the terrain to harass their invaders. Drawing from accounts in Li Zongren's memoirs, he noted how these defenders, often outgunned but never outmaneuvered, turned hills into fortresses and rivers into moats. In early April 1939, as spring rains turned paths to mud, Chinese troops ramped up their disruptions along the southern stretches of the Pinghan Railway, striking from both eastern and western flanks with guerrilla precision. What truly rattled the Japanese garrison in Wuhan was the arrival of reinforcements: six full divisions redeployed to Zaoyang, bolstering the Chinese capacity to launch flanking assaults that could unravel Japanese supply lines. Alarmed by this buildup, the Japanese 11th Army, ensconced in the Wuhan area under the command of General Yasuji Okamura, a figure whose tactical acumen would later earn him notoriety in the Pacific War, devised a daring plan. They intended to plunge deep into the 5th War Zone, smashing the core of the Chinese forces and rendering them impotent, thereby neutralizing the northwestern threat to Wuhan once and for all. From April onward, the Japanese mobilized with meticulous preparation, amassing troops equipped with formidable artillery, rumbling tanks, and squadrons of aircraft that darkened the skies. Historians estimate they committed roughly three and a half divisions to this endeavor, as detailed in Edward J. Drea's In the Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army. Employing a classic pincer movement, a two-flank encirclement coupled with a central breakthrough, they aimed for a swift, decisive strike to obliterate the main Chinese force in the narrow Suixian-Zaoyang corridor, squeezed between the Tongbai and Dahong Mountains. The offensive erupted in full fury on May 1, 1939, as Japanese columns surged forward like a tidal wave, their engines roaring and banners fluttering in the dust-choked air. General Li Zongren, the commander of the 5th War Zone, a man whose leadership had already shone in earlier campaigns like the defense of Tai'erzhuang in 1938, issued urgent orders to cease offensive actions against the Japanese and pivot to a defensive stance. Based on intelligence about the enemy's dispositions, Li orchestrated a comprehensive campaign structure, assigning precise defensive roles and battle plans to each unit. This was no haphazard scramble; it was a symphony of strategy, as Li himself recounted in his memoirs, emphasizing the need to exploit the terrain's natural advantages. While various Chinese war zones executed the "April Offensive" from late April to mid-May, actively harrying and containing Japanese forces, the 5th War Zone focused its energies on the southern segment of the Pinghan Railway, assaulting it from both sides in a bid to disrupt logistics. The main force of the 31st Army Group, under the command of Tang Enbo, a general known for his aggressive tactics and later criticized for corruption, shifted from elsewhere in Hubei to Zaoyang, fortifying the zone and posing a dire threat to the Japanese flanks and rear areas. To counter this peril and safeguard transportation along the Wuhan-Pinghan Railway, the Japanese, led by the formidable Okamura, unleashed their assault from the line stretching through Xinyang, Yingshan, and Zhongxiang. Mobilizing the 3rd, 13th, and 16th Divisions alongside the 2nd and 4th Cavalry Brigades, they charged toward the Suixian-Zaoyang region in western Hubei, intent on eradicating the Chinese main force and alleviating the siege-like pressure on Wuhan. In a masterful reorganization, Li Zongren divided his forces into two army groups, the left and right, plus a dedicated river defense army. His strategy was a blend of attrition and opportunism: harnessing the Tongbai and Dahong Mountains, clinging to key towns like lifelines, and grinding down the Japanese through prolonged warfare while biding time for a counterstroke. This approach echoed the Fabian tactics of ancient Rome, wearing the enemy thin before delivering the coup de grâce. The storm broke at dawn on May 1, when the main contingents of the Japanese 16th and 13th Divisions, bolstered by the 4th Cavalry Brigade from their bases in Zhongxiang and Jingshan, hurled themselves against the Chinese 37th and 180th Divisions of the Right Army Group. Supported by droning aircraft that strafed from above and tanks that churned the earth below, the Japanese advanced with mechanical precision. By May 4, they had shattered the defensive lines flanking Changshoudian, then surged along the east bank of the Xiang River toward Zaoyang in a massive offensive. Fierce combat raged through May 5, as described in Japanese war diaries compiled in Senshi Sōsho (the official Japanese war history series), where soldiers recounted the relentless Chinese resistance amid the smoke and clamor. The Japanese finally breached the defenses, turning their fury on the 122nd Division of the 41st Army. In a heroic stand, the 180th Division clung to Changshoudian, providing cover for the main force's retreat along the east-west Huangqi'an line. The 37th Division fell back to the Yaojiahe line, while elements of the 38th Division repositioned into Liushuigou. On May 6, the Japanese seized Changshoudian, punched through Huangqi'an, and drove northward, unleashing a devastating assault on the 122nd Division's positions near Wenjiamiao. Undeterred, Chinese defenders executed daring flanking maneuvers in the Fenglehe, Yaojiahe, Liushuihe, Shuanghe, and Zhangjiaji areas, turning the landscape into a labyrinth of ambushes. May 7 saw the Japanese pressing on, capturing Zhangjiaji and Shuanghe. By May 8, they assaulted Maozifan and Xinji, where ferocious battles erupted, soldiers clashing in hand-to-hand combat amid the ruins. By May 10, the Japanese had overrun Huyang Town and Xinye, advancing toward Tanghe and the northeastern fringes of Zaoyang. Yet, the Tanghe River front witnessed partial Chinese recoveries: remnants of the Right Army Group, alongside troops from east of the Xianghe, reclaimed Xinye. The 122nd and 180th Divisions withdrew north of Tanghe and Fancheng, while the 37th, 38th, and 132nd Divisions steadfastly held the east bank of the Xianghe River. Concurrently, the main force of the Japanese 3rd Division launched from Yingshan against the 84th and 13th Armies of the 11th Group Army in the Suixian sector. After a whirlwind of combat, the Chinese 84th Army retreated to the Taerwan position. On May 2, the 3rd Division targeted the Gaocheng position of the 13th Army within the 31st Group Army; the ensuing clashes in Taerwan and Gaocheng were a maelstrom of fire, with the Taerwan position exchanging hands multiple times like a deadly game of tug-of-war. By May 4, in a grim escalation, Japanese forces deployed poison gas, a violation of international norms that drew condemnation and is documented in Allied reports from the era, inflicting horrific casualties and compelling the Chinese to relinquish Gaocheng, which fell into enemy hands. On May 5, backed by aerial bombardments, tank charges, and artillery barrages, the Japanese renewed their onslaught along the Gaocheng River and the Lishan-Jiangjiahe line. By May 6, the beleaguered Chinese were forced back to the Tianhekou and Gaocheng line. Suixian succumbed on May 7. On May 8, the Japanese shattered the second line of the 84th Army, capturing Zaoyang and advancing on the Jiangtoudian position of the 85th Army. To evade encirclement, the defenders mounted a valiant resistance before withdrawing from Jiangtoudian; the 84th Army relocated to the Tanghe and Baihe areas, while the 39th Army embedded itself in the Dahongshan for guerrilla operations—a tactic that would bleed the Japanese through hit-and-run warfare, as noted in guerrilla warfare studies by Mao Zedong himself. By May 10, the bulk of the 31st Army Group maneuvered toward Tanghe, reaching north of Biyang by May 15. From Xinyang, Japanese forces struck at Tongbai on May 8; by May 10, elements from Zaoyang advanced to Zhangdian Town and Shangtun Town. In response, the 68th Army of the 1st War Zone dispatched the 143rd Division to defend Queshan and Minggang, and the 119th Division to hold Tongbai. After staunchly blocking the Japanese, they withdrew on May 11 to positions northwest and southwest of Tongbai, shielding the retreat of 5th War Zone units. The Japanese 4th Cavalry Brigade drove toward Tanghe, seizing Tanghe County on May 12. But the tide was turning. In a brilliant reversal, the Fifth War Zone commanded the 31st Army Group, in concert with the 2nd Army Group from the 1st War Zone, to advance from southwestern Henan. Their mission: encircle the bulk of Japanese forces on the Xiangdong Plain and deliver a crushing blow. The main force of the 33rd Army Group targeted Zaoyang, while other units pinned down Japanese rear guards in Zhongxiang. The Chinese counteroffensive erupted with swift successes, Tanghe County was recaptured on May 14, and Tongbai liberated on May 16, shattering the Japanese encirclement scheme. On May 19, after four grueling days of combat, Chinese forces mauled the retreating Japanese, reclaiming Zaoyang and leaving the fields strewn with enemy dead. The 39th Army of the Left Army Group dispersed into the mountains for guerrilla warfare, a shadowy campaign of sabotage and surprise. Forces of the Right Army Group east of the river, along with river defense units, conducted relentless raids on Japanese rears and supply lines over multiple days, sowing chaos before withdrawing to the west bank of the Xiang River on May 21. On May 22, they pressed toward Suixian, recapturing it on May 23. The Japanese, battered and depleted, retreated to their original garrisons in Zhongxiang and Yingshan, restoring the pre-war lines as the battle drew to a close. Throughout this clash, the Chinese held a marked superiority in manpower and coordination, though their deployments lacked full flexibility, briefly placing them on the defensive. After protracted, blood-soaked fighting, they restored the original equilibrium. Despite grievous losses, the Chinese thwarted the Japanese encirclement and exacted a heavy toll, reports from the time, corroborated by Japanese records in Senshi Sōsho, indicate over 13,000 Japanese killed or wounded, with more than 5,000 corpses abandoned on the battlefield. This fulfilled the strategic goal of containing and eroding Japanese strength. Chinese casualties surpassed 25,000, a testament to the ferocity of the struggle. The 5th War Zone seized the initiative in advances and retreats, deftly shifting to outer lines and maintaining positional advantages. As Japanese forces withdrew, Chinese pursuers harried and obstructed them, yielding substantial victories. The Battle of Suizao spanned less than three weeks. The Japanese main force pierced defenses on the east bank of the Han River, advancing to encircle one flank as planned. However, the other two formations met fierce opposition near Suixian and northward, stalling their progress. Adapting to the battlefield's ebb and flow, the Fifth War Zone transformed its tactics: the main force escaped encirclement, maneuvered to outer lines for offensives, and exploited terrain to hammer the Japanese. The pivotal order to flip from defense to offense doomed the encirclement; with the counterattack triumphant, the Japanese declined to hold and retreated. The Chinese pursued with unyielding vigor. By May 24, they had reclaimed Zaoyang, Tongbai, and other locales. Save for Suixian County, the Japanese had fallen back to pre-war positions, reinstating the regional status quo. Thus, the battle concluded, a chapter of resilience etched into the chronicles of China's defiance. In the sweltering heat of southern China, where the humid air clung to every breath like a persistent fog, the Japanese General Staff basked in what they called a triumphant offensive and defensive campaign in Guangdong. But victory, as history so often teaches, is a double-edged sword. By early 1939, the strain was palpable. Their secret supply line snaking from the British colony of Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland was under constant disruption, raids by shadowy guerrilla bands, opportunistic smugglers, and the sheer unpredictability of wartime logistics turning what should have been a lifeline into a leaky sieve. Blockading the entire coastline? A pipe dream, given the vast, jagged shores of Guangdong, dotted with hidden coves and fishing villages that had evaded imperial edicts for centuries. Yet, the General Staff's priorities were unyielding, laser-focused on strangling the Nationalist capital of Chongqing through a relentless blockade. This meant the 21st Army, that workhorse of the Japanese invasion force, had to stay in the fight—no rest for the weary. Drawing from historical records like the Senshi Sōsho (War History Series) compiled by Japan's National Institute for Defense Studies, we know that after the 21st Army reported severing what they dubbed the "secret transport line" at Xinhui, a gritty, hard-fought skirmish that left the local landscape scarred with craters and abandoned supply crates, the General Staff circled back to the idea of a full coastal blockade. It was a classic case of military opportunism: staff officers, poring over maps in dimly lit war rooms in Tokyo, suddenly "discovered" Shantou as a major port. Not just any port, mind you, but a bustling hub tied to the heartstrings of Guangdong's overseas Chinese communities. Shantou and nearby Chao'an weren't mere dots on a map; they were the ancestral hometowns of countless Chaoshan people who had ventured abroad to Southeast Asia, sending back remittances that flowed like lifeblood into the region. Historical economic studies, such as those in The Overseas Chinese in the People's Republic of China by Stephen Fitzgerald, highlight how these funds from the Chaoshan diaspora, often funneled through family networks in places like Singapore and Thailand, were substantial, indirectly fueling China's war effort by sustaining local economies and even purchasing arms on the black market. The Chao-Shao Highway, that dusty artery running near Shantou, was pinpointed as a critical vein connecting Hong Kong's ports to the mainland's interior. So, in early June 1939, the die was cast: Army Order No. 310 thundered from headquarters, commanding the 21st Army to seize Shantou. The Chief of the General Staff himself provided the strategic blueprint, a personal touch that underscored the operation's gravity. The Army Department christened the Chaoshan push "Operation Hua," a nod perhaps to the flowery illusions of easy conquest, while instructing the Navy Department to tag along for the ride. In naval parlance, it became "Operation J," a cryptic label that masked the sheer scale unfolding. Under the Headquarters' watchful eye, what started as a modest blockade morphed into a massive amphibious assault, conjured seemingly out of thin air like a magician's trick, but one with deadly props. The 5th Fleet's orders mobilized an impressive lineup: the 9th Squadron for heavy hitting, the 5th Mine Boat Squadron to clear watery hazards, the 12th and 21st Sweeper Squadrons sweeping for mines like diligent janitors of the sea, the 45th Destroyer Squadron adding destroyer muscle, and air power from the 3rd Combined Air Group (boasting 24 land-based attack aircraft and 9 reconnaissance planes that could spot a fishing boat from miles away). Then there was the Chiyoda Air Group with its 9 reconnaissance aircraft, the Guangdong Air Group contributing a quirky airship and one more recon plane, the 9th Special Landing Squadron from Sasebo trained for beach assaults, and a flotilla of special ships for logistics. On the ground, the 21st Army threw in the 132nd Brigade from the 104th Division, beefed up with the 76th Infantry Battalion, two mountain artillery battalions for lobbing shells over rugged terrain, two engineer battalions to bridge rivers and clear paths, a light armored vehicle platoon rumbling with mechanized menace, and a river-crossing supplies company to keep the troops fed and armed. All under the command of Brigade Commander Juro Goto, a stern officer whose tactical acumen was forged in earlier Manchurian campaigns. The convoy's size demanded rehearsals; the 132nd Brigade trained for boat transfers at Magong in the Penghu Islands, practicing the precarious dance of loading men and gear onto rocking vessels under simulated fire. Secrecy shrouded the whole affair, many officers and soldiers, boarding ships in the dead of night, whispered among themselves that they were finally heading home to Japan, a cruel ruse to maintain operational security. For extra punch, the 21st Army tacked on the 31st Air Squadron for air support, their planes droning like angry hornets ready to sting. This overkill didn't sit well with everyone. Lieutenant General Ando Rikichi, the pragmatic commander overseeing Japanese forces in the region, must have fumed in his Guangzhou headquarters. His intelligence staff, drawing from intercepted radio chatter and local spies as noted in postwar analyses like The Japanese Army in World War II by Gordon L. Rottman, reported that the Chongqing forces in Chaozhou were laughably thin: just the 9th Independent Brigade, a couple of security regiments, and ragtag "self-defense groups" of armed civilians. Why unleash such a sledgehammer on a fly? The mobilization's magnitude even forced a reshuffling of defenses around Guangzhou, pulling resources from the 12th Army's front lines and overburdening the already stretched 18th Division. It was bureaucratic overreach at its finest, a testament to the Imperial Staff's penchant for grand gestures over tactical efficiency. Meanwhile, on the Nationalist side, the winds of war carried whispers of impending doom. The National Revolutionary Army's war histories, such as those compiled in the Zhongguo Kangri Zhanzheng Shi (History of China's War of Resistance Against Japan), note that Chiang Kai-shek's Military Commission had snagged intelligence as early as February 1939 about Japan's plans for a large-scale invasion of Shantou. The efficiency of the Military Command's Second Bureau and the Military Intelligence Bureau was nothing short of astonishing, networks of agents, double agents, and radio intercepts piercing the veil of Japanese secrecy. Even as the convoy slipped out of Penghu, a detailed report outlining operational orders landed on Commander Zhang Fakui's desk, the ink still fresh. Zhang, a battle-hardened strategist whose career spanned the Northern Expedition and beyond , had four months to prepare for what would be dubbed the decisive battle of Chaoshan. Yet, in a move that baffled some contemporaries, he chose not to fortify and defend it tooth and nail. After the Fourth War Zone submitted its opinions, likely heated debates in smoke-filled command posts, Chiang Kai-shek greenlit the plan. By March, the Military Commission issued its strategic policy: when the enemy hit Chaoshan, a sliver of regular troops would team up with civilian armed forces for mobile and guerrilla warfare, grinding down the invaders like sandpaper on steel. The orders specified guerrilla zones in Chaozhou, Jiaxing, and Huizhou, unifying local militias under a banner of "extensive guerrilla warfare" to coordinate with regular army maneuvers, gradually eroding the Japanese thrust. In essence, the 4th War Zone wasn't tasked with holding Chao'an and Shantou at all costs; instead, they'd strike hard during the landing, then let guerrillas harry the occupiers post-capture. It was a doctrine of attrition in a "confined battlefield," honing skills through maneuver and ambush. Remarkably, the fall of these cities was preordained by the Military Commission three months before the Japanese even issued their orders, a strategic feint that echoed ancient Sun Tzu tactics of yielding ground to preserve strength. To execute this, the 4th War Zone birthed the Chao-Jia-Hui Guerrilla Command after meticulous preparation, with General Zou Hong, head of Guangdong's Security Bureau and a no-nonsense administrator known for his anti-smuggling campaigns, taking the helm. In just three months, Zhang Fakui scraped together the Independent 9th Brigade, the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Guangdong Provincial Security Regiments, and the Security Training Regiment. Even with the 9th Army Group lurking nearby, he handed the reins of the Chao-Shan operation to the 12th Army Group's planners. Their March guidelines sketched three lines of resistance from the coast to the mountains, a staged withdrawal that allowed frontline defenders to melt away like ghosts. This blueprint mirrored Chiang Kai-shek's post-Wuhan reassessment, where the loss of that key city in 1938 prompted a shift to protracted warfare. A Xinhua News Agency columnist later summed it up scathingly: "The Chongqing government, having lost its will to resist, colludes with the Japanese and seeks to eliminate the Communists, adopting a policy of passive resistance." This narrative, propagated by Communist sources, dogged Chiang and the National Revolutionary Army for decades, painting them as defeatists even as they bled the Japanese dry through attrition. February 1939 saw Commander Zhang kicking off a reorganization of the 12th Army Group, transforming it from a patchwork force into something resembling a modern army. He could have hunkered down, assigning troops to a desperate defense of Chaoshan, but that would have handed the initiative to the overcautious Japanese General Staff, whose activism often bordered on paranoia. Zhang, with the wisdom of a seasoned general who had navigated the treacherous politics of pre-war China, weighed the scales carefully. His vision? Forge the 12th Army Group into a nimble field army, not squander tens of thousands on a secondary port. Japan's naval and air dominance—evident in the devastation of Shanghai in 1937, meant Guangdong's forces could be pulverized in Shantou just as easily. Losing Chaozhou and Shantou? Acceptable, if it preserved core strength for the long haul. Post-Xinhui, Zhang doubled down on resistance, channeling efforts into live-fire exercises for the 12th Army, turning green recruits into battle-ready soldiers amid the Guangdong hills. The war's trajectory after 1939 would vindicate him: his forces became pivotal in later counteroffensives, proving that a living army trumped dead cities. Opting out of a static defense, Zhang pivoted to guerrilla warfare to bleed the Japanese while clutching strategic initiative. He ordered local governments to whip up coastal guerrilla forces from Chao'an to Huizhou—melding militias, national guards, police, and private armed groups into official folds. These weren't elite shock troops, but in wartime's chaos, they controlled locales effectively, disrupting supply lines and gathering intel. For surprises, he unleashed two mobile units: the 9th Independent Brigade and the 20th Independent Brigade. Formed fresh after the War of Resistance erupted, these brigades shone for their efficiency within the cumbersome Guangdong Army structure. Division-level units were too bulky for spotty communications, so Yu Hanmou's command birthed these independent outfits, staffed with crack officers. The 9th, packing direct-fire artillery for punch, and the 20th, dubbed semi-mechanized for its truck-borne speed, prowled the Chaoshan–Huizhou coast from 1939. Zhang retained their three-regiment setup, naming Hua Zhenzhong and Zhang Shou as commanders, granting them autonomy to command in the field like roving wolves. As the 9th Independent Brigade shifted to Shantou, its 627th Regiment was still reorganizing in Heyuan, a logistical hiccup amid the scramble. Hua Zhenzhong, a commander noted for his tactical flexibility in regional annals, deployed the 625th Regiment and 5th Security Regiment along the coast, with the 626th as reserve in Chao'an. Though the Fourth War Zone had written off Chaoshan, Zhang yearned to showcase Guangdong grit before the pullback. Dawn broke on June 21, 1939, at 4:30 a.m., with Japanese reconnaissance planes slicing through the fog over Shantou, Anbu, and Nanbeigang, ghostly silhouettes against the gray sky. By 5:30, the mist lifted, revealing a nightmare armada: over 40 destroyers and 70–80 landing craft churning toward the coast on multiple vectors, their hulls cutting the waves like knives. The 626th Regiment's 3rd Battalion at Donghushan met the first wave with a hail of fire from six light machine guns, repelling the initial boats in a frenzy of splashes and shouts. But the brigade's long-range guns couldn't stem the tide; Hua focused on key chokepoints, aiming to bloody the invaders rather than obliterate them. By morning, the 3rd Battalion of the 625th Regiment charged into Shantou City, joined by the local police corps digging in amid urban sprawl. Combat raged at Xinjin Port and the airport's fringes, where Nationalist troops traded shots with advancing Japanese under the absent shadow of a Chinese navy. Japanese naval guns, massed offshore, pounded the outskirts like thunder gods in fury. By 2:00 a.m. on the 22nd, Shantou crumpled as defenders' ammo ran dry, the city falling in a haze of smoke and echoes. Before the loss, Hua had positioned the 1st Battalion of the 5th Security Regiment at Anbu, guarding the road to Chao'an. Local lore, preserved in oral histories collected by the Chaozhou Historical Society, recalls Battalion Commander Du Ruo leading from the front, rifle in hand, but Japanese barrages, bolstered by superior firepower—forced a retreat. Post-capture, Tokyo's forces paused to consolidate, unleashing massacres on fleeing civilians in the outskirts. A flotilla of civilian boats, intercepted at sea, became a grim training ground for bayonet drills, a barbarity echoed in survivor testimonies compiled in The Rape of Nanking and Beyond extensions to Guangdong atrocities. With Shantou gone, Hua pivoted to flank defense, orchestrating night raids on Japanese positions around Anbu and Meixi. On June 24th, Major Du Ruo spearheaded an assault into Anbu but fell gravely wounded amid the chaos. Later, the 2nd Battalion of the 626th overran spots near Meixi. A Japanese sea-flanking maneuver targeted Anbu, but Nationalists held at Liulong, sparking nocturnal clashes, grenade volleys, bayonet charges, and hand-to-hand brawls that drained both sides like a slow bleed. June 26th saw the 132nd Brigade lumber toward Chao'an. Hua weighed options: all-out assault or guerrilla fade? He chose to dig in on the outskirts, reserving two companies of the 625th and a special ops battalion in the city. The 27th brought a day-long Japanese onslaught, culminating in Chao'an's fall after fierce rear-guard actions by the 9th Independent Brigade. Evacuations preceded the collapse, with Japanese propaganda banners fluttering falsely, claiming Nationalists had abandoned defense. Yet Hua's call preserved his brigade for future fights; the Japanese claimed an empty prize. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Japanese operations had yet again plugged up supply leaks into Nationalist China. The fall of Suixian, Zaoyang and Shantou were heavy losses for the Chinese war effort. However the Chinese were also able to exact heavy casualties on the invaders and thwarted their encirclement attempts. China was still in the fight for her life.

If you want to understand how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became the face of American public health, you have to go back to the Covid era. Medical authorities spoke with certainty: Trust the science. Don't listen to skeptics. But a lot of people stopped trusting experts entirely when outsiders got some things right and the establishment got some things wrong. Now those outsiders are in charge, like my guest this week. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is the director of the National Institutes of Health. I wanted to know: Can an outsider restore trust in public health institutions without undermining trust even more?02:11 - How the “fringe epidemiologist” came to be08:18 - What went wrong while “crushing COVID-19”15:18 - “The responsibility of public health leaders”28:42 - Reforming public health and the NIH42:52 - Three areas of controversy plaguing public health1:00:52 - Success metrics(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Adversaries of the U.S. could launch a nuclear weapon at America, or they can achieve the same goal by flooding the nation with fentanyl, says Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., who has introduced a bill cracking down on fentanyl imports.   Over the past decade, roughly 500,000 U.S. lives have been lost to synthetic opioid overdoses, mainly fentanyl, according to the National Institutes of Health.   McDowell on Wednesday introduced a bill aimed at blocking drug traffickers from bringing a tool called a pill press into the U.S.  The process of fentanyl entering the U.S. is “coordinated,” McDowell explains. China, for example, “will ship a pill presser” to a drug dealer in the U.S. to cut “pure fentanyl, ... pressing it down into ... something that looks like a pill,” he said. The Preventing Rogue Equipment for Synthetic Substances, or PRESS, Act, criminalizes the “intentional importation of unlisted precursor chemicals and related equipment, including tableting machines, encapsulating machines, press punches, die systems, and gelatin capsules, that will be used to manufacture controlled substances,” according to the congressman's office.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 1954, a group of first graders lined up in the gymnasium of an elementary school in McLean, Virginia for the start of the Salk polio vaccine trials. In an era before widespread federal government involvement in public health, the National Institute of Infantile Paralysis executed an unprecedented experiment involving nearly 2 million children and tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, and volunteers. It was the largest peacetime mobilization in American history.While scientists evaluated the results, Americans waited anxiously to find out whether the vaccine was safe and effective, putting an end to 40 years of fear. But in the spring of 1955, a shocking revelation would bring the vaccination program to a sudden halt.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It regulates 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and its commissioner has an aggressive agenda — faster drug approvals, healthier food, cures for diabetes and cancer. How much can he deliver? (Part two of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”) SOURCES:Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. RESOURCES:"Clinical Trials Affected by Research Grant Terminations at the National Institutes of Health," by Vishal Patel, Michael Liu, and Anupam Jena (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2025)."What the evidence tells us about Tylenol, leucovorin, and autism," by Matthew Herper (STAT, 2025)."I Run the F.D.A. Pharma Ads Are Hurting Americans." by Marty Makary (New York Times, 2025).Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health, by Marty Makary (2024). EXTRAS:"Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin?" by Freakonomics Radio (2025)."How to Fix the Hot Mess of U.S. Healthcare," by Freakonomics Radio (2021)."Bad Medicine, Part 3: Death by Diagnosis," by Freakonomics Radio (2016). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.