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The science, instinct and hard work behind Roosters’ success
Enter your email address to get each Tribune edition sent to your inbox Subscribe There’s a fair bit of unseen work that goes into winning an NRL premiership, dating back many months - just ask Simon Jones. The Sydney Roosters Head of Performance, who hails from Southland, has been in the thick of it. He played a lead role in guiding the 2026 champions through a marathon campaign that ended with a grand final win over the Newcastle Knights. The Roosters had to navigate the lengthy round-robin competition, including the pre-season, before playing through all four weeks of the finals series. It was a demanding stretch that tested the players and the staff responsible for keeping them on the field. “It is a hell of a beast, mate, to be honest,” Jones told The Roar Podcast. “There’s such a great group of staff there that know what they’re doing, and the boys are pretty professional.” Jones believed the Roosters managed the physical demands well, pointing to the health of the squad throughout the campaign and the decision to rest a significant portion of the playing group in the final round of the regular season. That call, made by head coach Trent Robinson and his coaching staff, proved valuable as the Roosters entered the finals with some energy in reserve. “We did finish the season physically where we needed to be, and we’d sort of had a pretty healthy squad all year,” Jones said. “To the team that do that, mate, mission accomplished, really.” It is the sort of work that often goes unnoticed when the spotlight falls on the players scoring tries and making match-winning plays, but Jones knows the cumulative effect of those decisions can be significant over a long season. After a win over Penrith had helped establish them as premiership favourites, losses to the Wests Tigers and Dolphins were followed by a defeat to the Panthers in the opening week of the finals. Rather than panic, the club refocused to position itself to challenge for the title. “The Tigers’ performance was probably the only one where you’re really quite disappointed because it’s hard to get to the top of the competition,” Jones told The Roar Podcast. “We had proof that we could; we knew what we needed to do. We just had to get back to that.” For Jones, the answer was not necessarily a radical change to the programme. It was about executing the basics consistently, both on the field and in preparation. “We just do the basics better than anybody else,” he said. “Whether that is actually the way you play the game or how you’re preparing, it’s just be really consistent, do the basics really, really well.” Like many professional sports teams, the Roosters are entrenched in sports science and performance data. The club has access to a range of information, including players’ sleep, GPS metrics and neuromuscular scores, helping staff assess how individuals are coping with training and competition. “We are very science-backed, and some people would say data-driven, but it’s people first,” he said. “The reason you collect all this data is to try and be the best for that person.” Jones said the club was also prepared to reconsider testing methods if they were not generating useful discussions or helping staff make better decisions. In an environment where technology is continually evolving, he believes experience and gut instinct remain important. “The data is no good unless you have conversations,” he said. “When you strip it right back, mate, trust the gut still and obviously, you know, just doing the basics really, really well.” The return of halfback Sam Walker provided a further example of the importance of individual determination and the work of the club’s medical team. Walker underwent ankle surgery late in the regular season, with his premiership campaign appearing in doubt. However, he was determined to return for the preliminary final. Jones said Walker was back at the training ground three days after surgery, walking freely enough to surprise those around him. While the surgeon’s work was crucial, Jones credited the halfback’s mindset as a major factor in the remarkable turnaround. “He was quite clear with Robbo after he got the surgery that he was going to make it back for the prelim finals,” Jones said. The Roosters’ performance programme also sits within a wider club culture that Jones believes is central to their success. Each season, players develop their own team mantra through a lengthy process facilitated by Robinson. It provides principles that the squad can connect to its actions on the field. Rather than simply carrying over the previous year’s wording after a successful campaign, the club repeats the process because the players’ ownership of it is what gives it meaning. “When it’s led, player-owned and player-led, mate, it’s really powerful,” Jones said. Get more from Logan Savory in the Substack app Available for iOS and Android Get the app Jones joined the Roosters in 2024 and said the environment had evolved as experienced players departed and younger members of the squad took on greater responsibility. Maintaining continuity in the club’s culture and preparation had helped the group navigate those changes. The premiership was a significant achievement for Jones, who acknowledged how difficult it was to win the NRL’s ultimate prize. However, he is already looking at how the performance programme can improve. “There’s still things within my role and things that I’d like to help improve at the club,” he said. For Jones and his team, the challenge now is to review the season, refine their systems and prepare for another campaign. The celebrations may have followed a memorable title win, but the work behind the scenes never really stops. The Southland Tribune is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Politics Unplugged (Full Episode) Oct. 11, 2026
On "Politics Unplugged," political editor Dennis Welch sits down with Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs for a wide-ranging interview weeks before election day. The conversation is dominated by Governor Katie Hobbs' multi-million-dollar ad campaign accusing Biggs of protecting Warren Jeffs' FLDS cult while he was Arizona Senate President. Biggs forcefully denies the allegations, defending his legislative record and accusing the interviewer of carrying Hobbs' water. He escalates further, claiming Hobbs' rhetoric has led to death threats and that she would be "thrilled" if he were physically harmed. The interview also covers his vote against honoring Capitol Police on January 6th, his call to Rusty Bowers about decertifying the 2020 election, and whether he'd certify results as governor in 2028. Hobbs' office responds with a statement denying the claims. The show closes with a teaser for a Hobbs interview the following week.
12 USB-C Gadgets That Make Great Gifts
Whether you're shopping for a gamer, DIY enthusiast, or music lover, these USB-C gadgets make great gifts, including power banks, portable fans, and headphones.
Hinge Health (HNGE) Stock Still Looks Pricey On Earnings Power
Hinge Health has delivered very strong share price gains recently, which puts fresh attention on whether that move lines up with what the business is actually earning. With the stock now trading at US$102.90, the immediate issue for investors is how that price stacks up against its earnings power. The share price is up 125.9% year to date, which raises the question of whether the earnings picture has kept pace with the market's optimism. The business model depends heavily on converting its...
Trump considering firing Kimberly Guilfoyle after embarrassing revelations, source says
President Trump is weighing whether to dismiss Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece after a string of embarrassing revelations about her conduct.
Front Range ballot: Issue 7A increases sales tax for passenger rail
Voters in the Front Range Passenger Rail District will decide in November whether to create a sales and use tax and let the district borrow to build and run passenger rail from Fort Collins to Pueblo.
Burnham says it is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in Brexit referendum
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is “clear” there was Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. He said that when he entered No 10 Downing Street a few months ago, he had asked whether...
PLANNING AHEAD: What ‘It’s Possible’ means for health care
When it comes to health care, it can be difficult to determine whether “it’s possible” that some condition, treatment, medication, hospitalization or rehab is covered, for how much, or not.
Vote coming up on Crystal Lake plan to buy former health club with aim to move library there
The Crystal Lake City Council will soon decide whether to purchase the shuttered Northwestern Medicine fitness center, with an eye to move the library there and transforming it into a community center.
New York Jets Flight Connections 10/11/26
Happy Sunday, Jets fans! The Jets are back in action today against the Cleveland Browns looking to end their three game losing streak. The weather is likely to be a factor. We will see whether the Jets can get back into the win column. Your daily links are below. Jets Activate WR Tim Patrick from […]
US economic campaign targets Iran's political survival, experts say
US sanctions and a naval blockade are increasingly targeting the financial networks and security structures sustaining the Islamic Republic, raising questions about whether economic pressure can force political change, experts said on Iran International's Insight.
BLACK BY GOD: From exploring new business models to global expansion, ample growth opportunities exist for Black farmers in West Virginia
By Jeffrey McKinney | Black By God, Black By God Agriculture, Donate here. Whether in times of triumph or hardship, there are mega growth opportunities
'A little puppy love': Meridian event highlights dogs' role in mental health
Organizers said events like PAWS for Mental Wellness help showcase the many ways animals can support people, whether through therapy visits, service dog training or simply companionship.
Clover Health (CLOV) Stock Looks Reasonable Despite New 5 Star Ratings
Clover Health Investments has seen sharp swings in its share price in recent years, and the stock closed at US$4.79 most recently. With the business in the spotlight after new Medicare plan ratings, the question for investors is whether that price can be explained by its sales. The stock has delivered a very large 3 year return of about 365.0%, which puts a lot of weight on whether current revenue levels and future top line potential can support today’s valuation. Clover Health’s Medicare...
DOJ says it's investigating whether White House TV pool's coverage halt violated antitrust law
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the decision of the White House television press pool to halt coverage of President Donald Trump last month violated antitrust law.
DOJ says it's investigating whether White House TV pool's coverage halt violated antitrust law
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the decision of the White House television press pool to halt coverage of President Donald Trump last month violated antitrust law.
DOJ says it's investigating whether White House TV pool's coverage halt violated antitrust law
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the decision of the White House television press pool to halt coverage of President Donald Trump last month violated antitrust law.
Jim and Marilyn Simons lent their 68-metre superyacht to ocean scientists; an $80,000 system tested whether luxury vessels could help validate satellite data
Superyachts are usually associated with luxury travel, but the 68-metre Archimedes, owned by Jim and Marilyn Simons at the time of the research, also became a platform for marine science. During several deployments between 2018 and 2020, an autonomous measurement system aboard the yacht collected ocean-colour observations at a range of locations, including remote regions such as the Antarctic Peninsula.
Is International Business Machines (IBM) Stock Worth More Than Its Cash Flow Suggests?
International Business Machines has almost doubled shareholders' money over the past 5 years, yet after a sharp setback this year and fresh headlines around quantum computing and AI, the key issue for you is whether the current share price lines up with the cash the business is expected to generate. With IBM stock now around US$227 a share, the gap between the recent price path and its cash flow story matters more than ever. IBM has delivered a 99.1% total return over 5 years, which puts...
CVS Health (CVS) Stock Looks Reasonable On Fresh Vaccine Access News
CVS Health, the integrated pharmacy and health services group, has delivered a 35.0% share price gain over the past three years, which puts fresh attention on whether its current US$86.16 price fairly reflects what the business earns today. With the stock giving back some ground in recent weeks, investors are again asking how much of CVS Health's earnings story is already in the quote. The 35.0% return over three years has rewarded patient holders, which raises the question of how much of...
Elevance Health (ELV) Stock May Be Undervalued Despite 2027 Medicare Advantage Plans
Elevance Health has delivered a solid share price run recently, and that move puts a spotlight on a simple question for investors who care about fundamentals. Is the current valuation of the stock properly anchored to the earnings the business is generating today? Over the past year, Elevance Health has returned 19.2%, which puts fresh pressure on the question of whether the earnings profile can carry the current share price. The planned 2027 Medicare Advantage offerings aim to simplify...
Weekend Reading on Women's Representation: Arizona Congress Candidate Speaks Out About Her Rape, 'It’s OK to Talk About It’: Will Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Run for President?
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment! —Friday, Oct. 9, marked 115 years since the men of California went to the polls to decide whether the women they lived alongside would be permitted to join them there. —Bernadette Greene-Placentia, the Democratic nominee in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District with a real chance to upset her opponent, was reportedly raped while fixing one of her yard signs. "She chose to share her story because she knows many survivors struggle in silence, and she hopes that by speaking about her experience, others will know they are not alone," said a campaign spokesperson. —Pew Charitable Trust reports that 37 percent of Americans now believe a woman will not be elected president in their lifetime. I urge women like AOC to seriously consider a presidential bid in 2028. —The poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for her genre-defying work. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded 122 times to 104 men and just 18 women. ... and more.
Jim Cramer Breaks Down the Complicated Story Behind CVS Health’s (CVS) Decline
During the October 6 episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer examined whether CVS Health Corporation’s (NYSE:CVS) turnaround still has room to run after the stock’s sharp retreat from its summer highs. CVS ranked ninth among 10 stocks screened for a potential bear market. The criteria behind its inclusion offer another way to assess the turnaround […]
The United Auto Workers tries to reassert political power in Michigan as it faces internal divisions
The United Auto Workers is working to regain political influence in closely contested Michigan. The UAW generally supports Democrats, but its members are divided over whether Democrats or Republicans better represent working-class interests. Internal divisions and past corruption scandals have er...
Has Elevance Health (ELV) Earned Its Discount After Medicare Updates?
Elevance Health has delivered solid gains over the past year, and fresh product updates in its Medicare business keep the story moving. The open question for anyone looking at the stock now is whether that share price is adequately backed by the company’s earnings power. With a 19.2% return over the past year, Elevance Health has rewarded holders, which puts more focus on whether that move lines up with its earnings profile. The planned 2027 Medicare Advantage offerings aim to provide more...
The United Auto Workers tries to reassert political power in Michigan as it faces internal divisions
The United Auto Workers is working to regain political influence in closely contested Michigan. The UAW generally supports Democrats, but its members are divided over whether Democrats or Republicans better
Raiders Urged to Make Trade to Improve 1 Key Position
The Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as a potential candidate to pursue a wide receiver before the NFL trade deadline, but their early-season success may not change the team’s cautious approach. Despite opening the campaign with a 3-1 record, the franchise must decide whether adding an established pass catcher is worth sacrificing valuable draft capital. […] The post Raiders Urged to Make Trade to Improve 1 Key Position appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
Abbott targets Hinojosa over whether she backs a state income tax
For weeks now he has been pointing to a 2019 vote as evidence that his opponent, Gina Hinojosa, wasn’t against income taxes and “is dangerous for Texas.”
Big Tech is betting $700 billion on AI. Healthcare will decide whether the bet pays off
Healthcare has something many industries lack: a clear place to put the productivity gains AI creates.
Amazon Small Business Event: Empowering the Next Generation and Scaling Service-Based Entrepreneurs
Join Hera Hub and Amazon for a hands-on workshop designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs and established service-based business owners bring new products to life. Amazon experts and small business owners will provide practical guidance, useful tools, and actionable next steps to launch a product and build a business with Amazon. This event is free but space is limited to 60 participants and will fill up. The event includes a light breakfast and lunch. Participants will choose from two specialized tracks based on their goals and stage of business. TRACK 1: NEXT GENERATION From Product Idea to Online Store Designed for aspiring young entrepreneurs, from junior high students through college and beyond, who have a product idea or want to explore the world of e-commerce. Amazon small business owners and Amazon experts will review topics such as: • How to develop and refine a product idea • How to set up and sell products on Amazon • What to consider when pricing, marketing, and fulfilling orders • Practical next steps for moving from idea to launch Whether participants already have a product in mind or are simply curious about entrepreneurship, this track will help them see what is possible and give them a roadmap to get started. TRACK 2: SERVICE EXPANSION Turn Your Expertise Into a Product Designed for consultants, coaches, speakers, creatives, and other service-based entrepreneurs who want to expand beyond trading time for money. Participants will explore how to transform their knowledge and expertise into tangible products such as: • Books and workbooks • Journals and planners • Card decks • Educational tools and resources Amazon small business owners will share how they identified viable product opportunities and created a product that can generate revenue beyond their one-on-one services. An Amazon expert will also review self-publishing and other ways to build a business with Amazon. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with greater clarity, practical guidance, and a tangible next step toward launching or expanding their product-based business. The event includes a light breakfast and lunch. This event is free but space is limited to 60 participants and will fill up.
Senate budget chair questions role of politics influencing budget forecast
A Republican leader has raised concerns about whether political games are being played with budget forecasts that show new revenue amid an uncertain economic forecast.
Valadao-Villegas Debate and the Fight for Latino Voters in the Central Valley
A Central Valley debate with control of Congress at stake, and a look at whether progressive or moderate Democrats make the stronger pitch to Latino voters.
Will NH Supreme Court scandal move voters? Democrats bet yes...
The resignation of New Hampshire’s chief justice is becoming a campaign issue, as Democrats press for action and experts question whether voters will make it a ...
Senate budget chair questions role of politics influencing budget forecast
A Republican leader has raised concerns about whether political games are being played with budget forecasts that show new revenue amid an uncertain economic forecast.
Measure O aims to simplify Concord's business tax structure
Concord voters will be asked in November whether to approve an update to the city’s decades-old business tax structure that backers say places a bigger Concord voters will decide on Measure O, a proposed business tax overhaul that supporters say would raise $2.9 million annually for roads, public safety and parks.
The Science Behind Why Dietary Changes Rarely Stick
Learning new eating habits isn’t simple. Our pre-existing feelings around food—whether it’s a distaste for olives or a love of pastries—could make it harder to learn new eating habits, according to new research from Yale School of Medicine.
Stone Mountain Village opens entertainment district - The Champion Newspaper | 404-373-7779
Stone Mountain Village promises on its website, “Whether you’re here for a few hours or an entire weekend, Stone Mountain
Texas Tech's Playoff Dream Faces Tough Road Despite Perfect Start
Texas Tech is undefeated at 5-0, but a challenging Big 12 schedule and questions about its playoff resume could determine whether the Red Raiders reach the CFP.
Tony Dungy discusses NBC exit, faith and future
Former NBC analyst Tony Dungy questions whether his Christian faith played a role in NBC’s decision to cut ties during a major lineup shakeup.
Opinion: Trust fall: ads for Kansas candidates address voters’ slumping faith in almost everything
Opinion from Eric Thomas: I watched 52 Kansas campaign commercials today so that you don’t have to. Actually, for the next few weeks you will still be watching them. Whether you want them or not, they will still be on during the nightly news, college football games and re-runs of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
Is Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO) Still Cheap On Earnings?
Academy Sports and Outdoors has delivered solid gains for long term shareholders, which puts a spotlight on whether the current share price at US$52.76 is still well supported by its earnings power. With that kind of track record in the rear-view mirror, the key issue now is what those profits are worth today. A 33.9% return over the past 5 years means long term holders have been rewarded. Fresh buyers need to ask whether the present valuation still lines up with the earnings that underpin...
Yale conservatives of color say race has not affected their politics
Four students of color who are members of right-wing political groups on campus said their ideologies have largely been unaffected by their racial identities, though they were split on whether Yale fosters a space welcoming to conservative ideals.
San Diego County launches new study on long term health effects of Tijuana River pollution
The county is expanding its efforts to better understand the health impacts of the Tijuana River sewage crisis. They're now looking for qualified researchers to study whether long-term exposure is making people sick.
Tribal Nations Urge Supreme Court to Halt Prediction Market Sports Betting
A broad coalition of Tribal Nations and Tribal organizations is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case involving prediction market company Kalshi and determine whether its sports-event contracts constitute sports betting subject to federal, state and Tribal gaming laws. In an amicus brief filed in Flaherty v. KalshiEX, the Tribal coalition argues […]
Scientists turn handheld car gadget into wildfire early-warning tool
Researchers at King's College London have converted an off-the-shelf product, usually used to determine whether car window tint is legal, into a scientific instrument that can measure leaf water content ...
Citizen Science: To Sleep, Perchance To Dream: Ay, But Not To Rest
Sleep is divided into two broad categories based on whether our eyes move (rapid eye movement sleep; REM) or not (non-rapid eye movement sleep; NREM). Over the course of a night, we will cycle between these two categories four to six times.
Catherine Zeta-Jones reveals whether she’s read Michael Douglas’ explosive memoir
“One Helluva Ride” is available for purchase wherever books are sold.
Kentucky Senate budget chair questions whether politics are influencing budget forecast
A Republican leader has raised concerns about whether political games are being played with budget forecasts that show new revenue amid a very uncertain economic forecast.
A $50 Billion Health Fund and Rural America’s Internet Gaps
Awards from a $50 billion federal rural health fund included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act from July 2025 are now paying for digital health care records and home monitoring devices. But whether
The latest Premier League market values 🤑💸
Money money.Between the World Cup, the start of the season and the transfer windows, players' market values have been shaken up this summer.Whether it's new arrivals, dramatic drops or incredible rise...
Rice Business Wisdom marks 10 years of bringing faculty research to wider audience
The anniversary issue examines a technology reshaping how people work, learn and make decisions. Featured stories explore how AI and machine learning influence household financial decisions, what drives data center location decisions across the United States and whether generative AI can help organizations sustain creativity over time.
Open science is compatible with research security, says Canada’s chief science advisor
Open science is “not incompatible” with research security and science leaders and policymakers should “demystify” the false dichotomy between the two, according to Mona Nemer, Canada’s chief science advisor. More than a decade ago, EU policymakers were promoting open science, open innovation and open collaboration across the world. It was a political movement that aimed to make scientific research, data, software, publications and methodologies transparent, accessible and reusable for everyone.But that rhetoric has changed over the past few years. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Donald Trump came back to power in 2025, international partnerships have become more pragmatic. Countries are trying to implement protectionist policies and governments are increasingly worried about technology espionage. According to Nemer, science can remain open if the sector can come up with improved security protocols that would protect research data from undue manipulation by foreign actors. “If anybody can fiddle with the with the data, then [open science] is actually quite dangerous and quite useless,” she told Science|Business. Universities and research institutions are increasingly vulnerable to attempted espionage and other types of foreign interference. In September, the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence service MI5 issued a security warning against collaborations with the China General Technology Research Institute. And earlier this year, Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Information Security was criticised by federal research minister Dorothee Bär, who told a parliamentary hearing that “existing rules and systems” at the institute “were not suitable” for preventing leaks to China. According to Nemer, universities and research institutions should perhaps follow the example of the private sector, as companies have been able to safeguard their research while still publishing results. “I think that there is a level of research security hygiene that researchers and institutions need to just adopt,” she said. “You don't have to tell Sanofi or IBM how to safeguard their research, which they end up publishing anyway.”While certain areas of research will not be open for collaboration with certain partners, in other areas cooperation is necessary even with researchers based in adversarial countries. “I stress this because politics change,” she said. “Science and politics don't make for good fellows, and whether we like it or not, politics will influence certain things.”Researchers will play an important role in “protecting the integrity of science,” said Nemer. “I think that it's time that there's a commitment to a certain scientific compact, so that citizens don't think that science is actually an open door for espionage and for anti-nationalism.”New partnershipsNemer spoke with Science|Business on the margins of the Hamburg Science Summit on September 17, the day when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for increased cooperation with the EU, including in science and technology. Canada is looking to strengthen ties with partners in other corners of the world, after the Trump administration threatened to put tariffs on Canadian goods and services and even openly suggested Canada could become the 51st state. In parallel, the US government has indicated it wants to retreat from international science projects, including US collaboration with Europe’s CERN particle accelerator and other big science labs.Related articlesThe stats we need to better understand R&DCanada looks to deepen research and education links with the EUCan researchers trust that AI models won’t leak their ideas?Nemer said the US is still a science “powerhouse,” but Canada and Europe will have to work closely together on global challenges. “It’s important for both [sides], but I think it's also important for the rest of the world, because the cut in funding for development, in health, in regions like Africa and other places, have dramatic effects.” The Trump administration is also planning a review of the Nelson memo, a Biden-era document that mandated that results of federally funded research would be openly available. With that idea being called into question, Nemer said it could be “very disruptive” to scientific collaborations and could jeopardise research on climate change, the Arctic and global health. “When your collaborator suddenly tells you I'm not going to share the data with you as a researcher, if this happens, I think it's very worrisome,” she said. “I'm certainly hoping that a lot of the Canadian institutions, funders, researchers, have started looking at joining forces on databases and using more European research infrastructures,” Nemer added.
Concern after Europeans endorse US science agenda
Germany’s biggest research funder has said it is “concerned” after Berlin, plus several other European countries, endorsed a controversial US-led science policy statement. On October 4, the White House announced that 16 countries, including Germany, the UK, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Japan and South Korea had backed the Kyoto Vision for a Golden Age of Science.The document, agreed on the margins of the annual Science and Technology in Society forum in Kyoto, which gathers science ministers from across the world, appears uncontroversial at first sight. It’s a one-page statement, without any concrete measures, that touches on reducing administrative burden on scientists, experimenting with new funding models and the use of “super intelligence” in science, the Trump administration’s preferred term for artificial intelligence. However, what’s controversial is that much of the language in the Kyoto Vision reflects Science: A New Golden Age, a major policy document released by the White House in July.That document attracted criticism for deriding universities as “legacy institutions” and suggesting money be diverted to new research labs. In a speech in Kyoto on October 4, Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy and the report’s author, said that the US was seeking to “diversify the ways that we support research to meet our best scientists where and when they do their best work.” The worry is that the Trump administration may be using genuine dysfunctions in academia as a pretext to defund and disempower universities, which US vice president JD Vance has labelled “the enemy.” Many in Europe also want more experimentation and reform of how science is organised and funded, and agree with criticisms of academia made by Science: A New Golden Age. But some also fear that if the US pushes for reform partially in bad faith, it could politicise and undermine the whole agenda. Washington is currently trying to change federal funding rules so that political appointees can block and cancel scientific grants. It has cut grants mid-project on topics related to diversity and other politically forbidden areas. And last year, it threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless it admitted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create campus “viewpoint diversity.” “Particularly concerned”Because of this wider US political context, the Kyoto Vision’s otherwise innocuous sounding statement that “we encourage experimentation with new institutional models for science that provide varying levels of autonomy, resources and direction” has caused consternation in Europe, particularly from some of Germany’s biggest science organisations. A spokesperson for the German Research Foundation (DFG), the country’s biggest funder, said that it would “closely monitor whether the current US administration uses the Kyoto Vision to restructure research funding to the detriment of research institutions such as universities and their autonomy.” The DFG was “particularly concerned” with the statement’s references to Science: A New Golden Age, they continued. A spokesperson for the German Rectors’ Conference, which represents the country’s universities, said that the reference to “new institutional models” raises “questions on the underlying understanding of academic freedom and autonomy.” Research funding must “guided first and foremost by scientific not political principles,” they went on. Dampen criticismEuropean endorsement of the Kyoto Vision might dampen domestic criticism of the Trump administration’s science policy, some in the US fear, by suggesting international support. “What we saw from Germany, Japan, the UK and other countries, is an impulse that the administration has exploited with our own science reform movement, a belief they can use dialogue to make things better,” said Cole Donovan, director of science policy at the campaigning group Stand Up for Science. “In practice, the administration has done the opposite.” Not a binding statementThere’s been so much concern in Germany that the country’s federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space put out a statement defending its endorsement of the Kyoto Vision, which it has posted on its website. Related articlesIs metascience being co-opted?European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationThe US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know The ministry said that it “should be regarded as a basis for discussion and does not constitute a binding statement.” Backing the statement gives Germany the chance to raise “issues and concerns” with the US during upcoming talks on science and technology scheduled for November. “Although these intentions appear, in principle, to be worthy of support, they will be scrutinised and examined more closely as the process continues,” the statement continues. Super intelligence?A ministry spokesperson confirmed to Science|Business that Germany had broadly endorsed the Kyoto Vision.However, they said Berlin had not agreed to final changes in the statement to refer to AI as super intelligence. In September, facing protests against data centres and polling that suggests US citizens are far more concerned than excited by the technology, Trump issued an executive order that attempts to rebrand AI as super intelligence, following polling on social media.The name change is to “reflect the transformative capabilities of these technologies and the limitless opportunities they create for the American people,” the order says. EU askedThe UK and Italian science ministries did not respond to a request for comment on their endorsement of the Kyoto Vision. Although most EU countries did not endorse the statement, it’s not clear which states the US asked. The White House Office for Science and Technology Policy did not return a request for comment. A European Commission official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said that the US had approached the EU, but too late for the EU to quiz all its member states on whether Brussels should endorse the statement.
CVS Health (CVS) Stock May Trade Below Fair Value On Integrated Care Push
CVS Health has delivered a 37.5% share price gain over the past three years, which puts fresh attention on a simple question. Is the current US$87.95 price tag adequately explained by the earnings power investors are paying for today? The 37.5% return over three years means anyone buying now needs to judge whether that past performance has already reflected what the business is earning. Recent developments, from extended distribution agreements with Cardinal Health and McKesson to regulatory...
Produced water forum brings science, questions to Iraan
More than 50 residents, ranchers, elected officials, industry representatives and water stakeholders gathered at the Iraan Civic Center Friday, Oct. 2, for a first-of-its-kind local discussion centered on whether highly saline produced water from Permian Basin oil and gas operations could one day be treated and beneficially reused. Hosted by Friends of the Pecos River and the Texas Produced Water Consortium, the forum ran from 9:30 a.m. to noon and included presentations, refreshments and an extended public question-and-answer session.
Sheryl Crow gets candid on 'Pick You Up,' politics and speaking out
The singer sat down with The Tennessean in Nashville to discuss her new seven-track project and whether entertainers should share their political views.
Alaska found a way to elect more moderates. Now voters might end it.
Alaskans will decide in November whether to ditch a system that allows four primary candidates, regardless of party, to advance to the general election.
IMS has helping farmers use water efficiently down to a science
CASA GRANDE — Whether he’s standing in a cotton field analyzing irrigation systems or compiling a report, Eddie Enriquez and his team spend their days focused on helping farmers work
Green Bluff growers rely on fall festival profits
For the dozens of independent growers of Green Bluff, October isn't just pumpkin season — it's the four-week stretch that determines whether farms turn a profit or end the year in the red. Following a summer marked by wildfire smoke, high well-water pumping costs, and rising inflation, farmers are…
Google's SynthID AI Detector is Now Available to Everyone
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RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts
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Ex-‘Football Night in America’ Host Tony Dungy Opens Up About NBC Exit, Whether Faith Played a Role
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Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard Needs More Help, Not More Points
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Michigan’s narrow legislative majorities are up for grabs. Here are races to watch.
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UMaine study explores whether music can help older adults maintain brain health
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Rating the Governor Races: The States Where Democrats Are Poised for Victory
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Why I Don’t Think Ride Or Die Should Have Been Cancelled (And What Company Should Save It...)
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) So…I recently came across a Reddit thread, talking about films on streaming, wondering why there are no reliable sources out there for streaming ratings data. Sigh. Honestly, as annoyed as I am that so many still don’t realize that we have streaming ratings, I somewhat get it. Until now, there was such a long delay between when a show or film came to streaming and when we got its viewership data; I understand why people were confused. (But, as you know, this just changed.) Also, even back in the day, how many people knew how well films did on television? Luckily, as a reader, you’re in the know. Okay, on to this week’s issue. I want to take a look at Prime Video cancelling Ride or Die and whether I agree with that decision. Overall, we didn’t have any breakout hits (no TV shows landed over 20 million hours according to Nielsen) but we have a lot of steady performers on the streaming charts. Plus, we’ll look at where $50 million in missing box office dollars went. (Spoiler: straight-to-streaming.) All that, plus new episodes of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Supergirl heads to streaming, a new YA show does well on Netflix, the viewership for the Daily Wire’s $50 million fantasy show, what TV show hit-maker can’t make streaming hits, CD sales, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 7th to September 13th, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - Ride or Die Is a Hit…But It Got Cancelled? What The Data “Says” I hate the phrase “here’s what the data says”, even though sometimes I find myself using it. If data just told us everything, we data folks would be out of a job! Data is often messy, complicated and nuanced. When it comes to strategy, many of the best decisions can’t actually use “data”, since it’s vastly too complicated to model. Anyways, I’ve been singing the praises of Prime Video’s Ride Or Die this summer, a show that did very well for them. And yet…it got cancelled. Now, usually when a show gets cancelled, a bunch of websites say “a hit show got cancelled”... Here’s the thing, though: in this case, they’re right! The data “says” that this show was a hit. Specifically, out of 522 first seasons to make a week on the Nielsen charts since 2020, it’s the 75th biggest. On Amazon, Ride or Die is eighth out of 41 first seasons: That’s top 15th percentile all time, almost exactly, which is my definition of a “hit”! I mean, outside of Reacher, Amazon needed a hit this summer! (Admittedly, Off Campus did well for Amazon in the spring, but Ride or Die performed even better.) So what happened? Why did Amazon cancel one of their rare 2026 bright spots? Well, Deadline reported a reason—which I’ll get to—but I’d break it down into three relevant questions: What is a given streamer’s reasoning? Is that reasoning sound? Could the stated reason not be the real reason? According to Deadline, Amazon felt the show “over-indexed” in middle-aged women. (This was based on leaks from within Amazon.) The logic is this: Amazon already reaches this demographic because of unlimited two-day shipping bundled with Prime, so they don’t really need more shows like this. Now, it’s my job to ask if that’s a good reason, and I’ll be honest, in this case, I don’t think it is. Sure, this show may “over-index” in middle-aged women—I’ll just assume that’s the case here—but I think folks often oversell how important over-indexing actually is. When a show is a “hit”, it isn’t a bit bigger than its rivals; it’s usually multiples bigger. For example, Elle only made the charts for two weeks at 8.3 million hours each. So Ride or Die was 80% bigger in its first two weeks, and likely had a much stronger hold, with its terrific 13 million hours in week three. Ride or Die was nearly three times bigger than Sterling Point through three weeks too. And that means that _Elle, Sterling Point a_nd other Amazon YA shows need to not just over-index a little with younger women (assuming that’s who Amazon prefers over middle-aged women), but massively over-index. Otherwise, more people in that demo (and a bunch more besides) likely watched Ride or Die. (I’ll try to explore this concept more in a future article.) And don’t get me started on how Ride or Die did compared to a certain (very, very popular, possibly the world’s most popular) YouTuber’s reality show…which didn’t make the charts after its first week and likely cost much, much more than Ride or Die. All to say, Amazon-MGM Studios/Prime Video can tell reporters that this show didn’t reach the right audience, but that excuse feels weak to me. So this leads to the third question: could other reasons have come into play? Yes! Renewal or cancellation decisions rarely (I’m tempted to say “never”) boil down to one variable. At its simplest, it’s two things: budget versus viewership. But often factors like critical acclaim, ownership and, yes, personal opinion come into play. In this case, Amazon has a new executive running things, and this show isn’t owned by Amazon-MGM Studios (unlike Elle). And yes, it may not have indexed with the right target viewers, too. Likely all of those factors came into play.1 My guess is ownership ended up mattering most. Amazon doesn’t own Ride or Die. It’s actually produced by another major studio. Fortunately/allegedly, this show is being shopped around. I can think of one brand new CEO who should consider it for one of his two major streamers…especially if he wants to rebuild goodwill in Hollywood. His name is on this list of exec producers of Ride or Die… If David Ellison needs some goodwill—and he does—rescue this female-led show tomorrow and grab some good headlines for a day. The data justifies it. Quick Notes on TV We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… How The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives latest season did on Hulu, post-controversy... Whether Supergirl soared on HBO Max... Why the box office is losing money due to the streamers... The viewership for the Daily Wire’s $50 million fantasy show... Updates on The Gentlemen, Lanterns, Outer Banks, King of the Hill and more... What former hit-maker has three streaming flops in a row... Whether The Mandalorian and Grogu popped in week two... All the flops, bombs and misses... And a whole lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Oh man, we’re almost caught up! We just have two more issues, then the streaming Ratings Report will be coming out just two weeks after a TV show premieres! Next issue, I’ll be looking at the first two weeks of the NFL Thursday night games on streaming, a huge new spinoff, Reacher’s Neagly on Prime Video, and the latest edition of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix, the return of Slow Horses on Apple and MobLand (quietly one of their biggest shows) on Paramount+, and Dancing with the Stars on both ABC and Disney+. Plus I’ll take a look at animation for adults in 2026. The week after, a ton of movies are coming to streaming: Toy Story 5 on Disney+, Backrooms on HBO Max, Jackass: Best and Last on Paramount+ and The Breadwinner on Netflix, plus a Unabomber film on Netflix and a romcom on Prime Video. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey have a show on Apple, along with a game show inspired by Willy Wonka that everyone seems to hate. Long term, some crazy (but hopefully crazy like a fox) IP news. FX ordered a new Sons of Anarchy show from Charlie Hunnam, but it’s not about the biker gang. No, it features the show’s cast playing themselves in a new “meta-thriller”. Huh. And a lot of the cast is coming back. Next, Ryan Gosling is producing a Flintstones movie about a “grown-up Bamm-Bamm Rubble”. Also, huh. This one is in “early development” so we’ll see what happens. Both projects are based on IP, but also seem to have crazy takes on the IP, which I like.
Bladen Community College to host “So You Want to Start a Small Business” class and preview Pitch It Bladen 2027
The Small Business Center at Bladen Community College invites aspiring entrepreneurs to attend “So You Want to Start a Small Business” on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Building 14, Room 104. This class will help participants explore what it takes to become an entrepreneur and take the first steps toward turning a business idea into reality.Participants will explore the entrepreneurial mindset and consider whether they have the interests, characteristics, motivation and willingness to take on the challenges of business ownership. The class will encourage attendees to examine their personal goals, expectations, strengths and readiness to pursue entrepreneurship.Attendees will also gain insight into the realities of starting and operating a small business, including the commitment, planning, decision-making and perseverance required to build a successful venture. Whether participants are just beginning to consider business ownership or already have an idea they want to pursue, this class will provide a foundation for determining their next steps.In addition to the class instruction, attendees will receive advance information about the upcoming Pitch It Bladen 2027 Business Competition, including the application form and details about the program. Individuals who are ready to move forward may submit their applications early and have the opportunity to receive advance acceptance into the program.Pitch It Bladen helps aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs develop their business ideas through structured instruction in business planning, financial management, cash-flow projections, marketing and operations. Participants work toward completing a business plan and preparing a business pitch, with the opportunity to compete for cash prizes.Last year's Pitch It Bladen program demonstrated the value of investing in local entrepreneurs by helping participants strengthen their business knowledge, develop their business plans and prepare to present their ideas. The competition showcased the creativity and potential of Bladen County's small-business community and provided participants with practical tools to move their business goals forward.Building on that success, Pitch It Bladen 2027 will provide another opportunity for local entrepreneurs to gain knowledge, build confidence and take meaningful steps toward launching or growing a business.“The Small Business Center wants to help individuals make informed decisions about entrepreneurship before they take the leap into business ownership,” said Theresa Dennison, Small Business Center director, in a press release. “This class gives participants an opportunity to evaluate whether entrepreneurship is right for them while also introducing them to Pitch It Bladen 2027 and the resources available to help them succeed.”Registration: Visit www.ncsbc.net and search for the class by name, or contact the Small Business Center at 910-879-5572 for additional information.
Supreme Court kicks off new term with major climate case
The Supreme Court returns for its new term on Monday, and oral arguments in a major case over the fate of a costly climate change lawsuit brought by Boulder County, Colorado, will kick off a term set to feature several blockbuster legal battles. Suncor Energy v. County Commissioners of Boulder County will decide whether a […]
The Business of Civility
In an ever-coarsening world where even hosts on the bastion of conservative media, Fox News, are now using profanity on a regular basis, there is still one place where civility is demanded—and usually delivered. And that place is the business community. Whether you’re ordering a meal at McDonald’s or interviewing the wealthy CEO of Mississippi’s […]
Instinct users say its AI agent is pushing unsolicited products
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Yale School of Medicine On the Science of Childhood Anxiety, Say, Anxiety Disorders Are the Most Common Mental Health Challenges In Youth
Credit: Matt Bradbury October 5, 2026 - By Isabella Backman - Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenges in youth. Left untreated, they can disrupt the lives of both children and their families. The good news is that with intervention, most children will overcome these conditions. Across Yale School of Medicine, scientists are working to understand anxiety at every level, from common anxious behaviors to molecular biomarkers in the brain. They are using their findings to develop and disseminate new evidence-based treatments for childhood anxiety. Today, the go-to treatment for childhood anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a form of psychotherapy that teaches children skills for confronting anxious thoughts and helps them practice managing situations that cause anxiety. While it is the gold-standard treatment backed by considerable scientific evidence, up to 50% of children will not see sufficient benefit from CBT alone. Wendy Silverman, PhD, Alfred A. Messer Professor in the Child Study Center, co-directs the Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program alongside Eli Lebowitz, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center. One of their main interests is learning how to improve outcomes beyond CBT. “We’re developing cutting-edge, research-based knowledge that can reduce the suffering that anxiety causes children and their families,” says Silverman. Changing parent behavior YSM experts are investigating how to improve CBT outcomes for children by involving the parents. Silverman’s research has uncovered two main components of parent intervention that improve childhood anxiety: not enabling children to completely avoid the things that make them anxious and taking steps to enhance their autonomy. Parents may unintentionally reinforce their child’s anxiety by allowing them to avoid what makes them anxious. They also may unintentionally limit the children’s sense of autonomy by being overly intrusive. “One of the things that we take pride in is that we’ve focused on trying to understand what parents need to do, and to test our ideas and see if changing the parents’ behaviors is enhancing the effects of CBT,” Silverman says. “Our findings thus far suggest that they do." As much as CBT can be helpful, it can also be challenging to get one’s child to do the necessary steps for CBT to work. This is one important reason why Lebowitz created a novel intervention program for parents named Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). Existing intervention programs often teach parents to act as therapists for their child, such as training them on how to practice breathing exercises. “It makes sense, but this doesn’t work very well in practice,” says Lebowitz. “And part of the reason, I think, is that it’s not easy to get your kid to do things, especially if they’re not excited about doing it.” SPACE is unique because it focuses entirely on parent involvement and changing parental behavior—children are not involved in the sessions. For example, parents learn how to use supportive messages that convey confidence that their child can tolerate and manage distress. “It might sound like a parent saying to a child, ‘I get that this is really hard for you, but I know that you can handle it,’” Lebowitz says. The program also works with parents to identify the ways in which they are accommodating anxious behaviors. “We’ll pick one thing that parents are doing that is an accommodation and help them make a detailed plan for how they’re going to change that,” Lebowitz explains. Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Much of the existing research on SPACE has focused on parents of children under age 14. Ongoing studies are now exploring its use with parents of older teens. “Both anxiety and accommodation can interfere with normative developmental shifts during the teen years, including increased autonomy and individuation from parents,” says Rebecca Etkin, PhD, associate research scientist in the Child Study Center. “In this sense, SPACE may be particularly well-suited for anxious teens and their parents. We want to see whether it is effective during this distinct developmental window.” Unfortunately, many families in need of CBT face barriers, including limited availability of services and geographic constraints. One way to improve access is digital interventions. Silverman and her team are developing an evidence-based digitized intervention program for parents that they can access directly from their computer or smart phone. “The work we’re doing will be one of the very few parent interventions that is digitized and importantly tested for effectiveness,” she says. Creating interventions for anxiety-related challenges Silverman and Lebowitz recently received a generous gift to develop and test other interventions that help parents reduce other child anxiety-related behavioral and emotional difficulties, such as restrictive eating and unexplained somatic symptoms. One of these projects in particular focuses on understanding the risks of social media and its potential benefits, including offering a sense of connection. “A lot of research has focused on the idea that social media is harmful and the less of it the better,” says Lebowitz. “But we actually see is that this is not quite right—there are negatives, but there are also positives. So, we’re trying to get a little bit more nuanced of a picture.” The team is working with teens with social anxiety and their parents over an extended period to better understand their social media habits and how their anxiety levels affect engagement with different platforms. The teens will answer questions sent to an app on their phones about mood and social media usage in an effort to capture emotional responses as they unfold. “We hope to develop interventions that can help make the best of social media while protecting against the more problematic effects,” Lebowitz says. The brain’s role in anxiety Researchers are also testing therapies to address anxiety at the neurological and molecular levels. In collaboration with Dylan Gee, PhD, professor of psychology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Hilary Blumberg, MD, John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine, Lebowitz and Silverman are using brain imaging to identify changes in a child’s brain before and after parents enroll in SPACE. In one study, children viewed anxiety-inducing images while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the researchers conducted scans with and without the children’s parents nearby. Before SPACE, children’s brains were better able to activate the regulatory circuitry needed to turn off an anxious response when their parents were nearby. But after SPACE, children could activate this circuitry even without the parent around. “As parents work on gradually reducing some of their accommodations, you can see a child get better at regulating their own fear system in the brain,” Lebowitz says. “It’s remarkable.” Research into the molecular underpinnings of anxiety can also inform new childhood anxiety treatments. In a recent study, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Flora Vaccarino, MD, Harris Professor in the Child Study Center, discovered that a protein known as fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) could be protective from the toxic effects of stress. FGF2 levels in children and their parents were linked to the children’s risk of developing anxiety and depression, the study showed. The findings could help explain why some children who are exposed to early life trauma such as poverty or abuse are more prone to developing mental health disorders. And FGF2 could be a target for treatment. “This is very novel because it starts to give a clue to what is the molecular chain that connects those lived experiences to the actual psychological outcomes,” Lebowitz says. New ways to study and treat childhood anxiety Michael Crowley, PhD, associate professor in the Child Study Center, collaborates with Silverman and Lebowitz to study the role that attention plays in development and maintenance of childhood anxiety. There is a large body of research that shows that anxious children, like anxious adults, are prone to focus on threatening stimuli such as angry faces compared with neutral faces. This has led to innovative interventions that involve attention retraining. The idea is that if experts train children to look away from threatening stimuli, it may reduce their anxiety—especially children with social anxiety who are most prone to attend to threats. The researchers have just completed a clinical trial for attention retraining with 10- to 14-year-olds with social anxiety disorders and are currently analyzing the findings. Besides this innovative attention retraining research, as Crowly notes, “I like to design tasks that are engaging to kids,” Crowley says. “My goal is to assess something without the kids knowing what we are assessing.” With this goal in mind, Crowley has created a virtual game, named Boom, to study threat processing in children with anxiety disorders. The game is similar to that of hot potato—the child and three digital players take turns virtually passing a ball to each other’s gloves. At some point, the ball turns into a bomb, and as the bomb lands in each player’s glove, the outline of the glove turns yellow. The goal is to avoid having the bomb go off in your glove. What isn’t obvious is that the game is designed to measure different types of threatening stimuli, both ambiguous and direct. In the game, the direct threat occurs as the bomb is traveling towards your glove. The ambiguous threat is the yellow outlined glove as it is unknown where the bomb will travel next. While children play the game, Crowley’s team measures their brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). The researchers have discovered that in kids with anxiety, the brain reacts more strongly to ambiguous threats than it does in their peers, but less strongly to direct threats. They believe that the initial abnormally large brain response to not knowing where the bomb is going impairs the brain's ability to properly respond when the threat is actually traveling the child’s way. “The brains of children with anxiety are unable to differentiate between threats you need to do something about and those that are not your problem.” Michael Crowley, PhD, develops innovative games for studying anxiety in children and adolescents.Credit: Matt Bradbury Based on these insights, Crowley hopes to study whether interventions like attention training could restore appropriate threat processing. Crowley’s team is also working on a test called the Balloon Risk Avoidance Task, which evaluates risk-taking and avoidance behaviors. It features a digital balloon that is full of air and about to burst. Kids have six seconds to let air out of the balloon. The more air they let out, the less risk they face that the balloon will pop. But at the same time, the balloon becomes less valuable as it deflates. “The more air you keep in the balloon, the more points you get,” Crowley explains. So far, the researchers have found that when the balloons pop unexpectedly, teens with social anxiety show distinct brain responses. Studying these responses can help psychologists understand the underlying pathways driving the various manifestations of anxiety. The genetics of anxiety When Thomas Fernandez, MD, associate professor in the Child Study Center and of psychiatry, was still in training, there was a lot of excitement about understanding the genetics associated with autism spectrum disorder. Since then, scientists have identified around 250 genes associated with autism. The genetic contribution to anxiety disorders, on the other hand, has historically received less attention. Anxiety is less heritable than autism, but the genetic contribution for anxiety disorders that emerge in childhood may be higher than for anxiety disorders overall. While scientists estimate the heritability of anxiety disorders in general to be around 30% to 50%, some studies suggest higher heritability for certain childhood-onset anxiety presentations. “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism,” Fernandez says. “So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” “I saw firsthand how researchers in the field went about finding vulnerability genes for autism. So, we’re using a very similar playbook for childhood anxiety.” Thomas Fernandez, MD Associate Professor In the Child Study Center and in Psychiatry Now, Fernandez and Emily Olfson, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Child Study Center, are studying children and their parents to identify genetic changes that are present in the child but not the parents, known as “de novo mutations.” “All of us have some de novo mutations—maybe about 50 to 100 sprinkled throughout the genome,” Olfson says. “But when they occur within the coding regions of genes, they can be really disruptive.” Previous research shows that people with autism have higher rates of damaging de novo mutations than the general population. In 2022, Olfson, Lebowitz, Silverman, and Fernandez published a study on 68 children and their families that found that children with anxiety had similarly high levels of these mutations. Studying de novo mutations can help point the researchers to where they should be looking for genes associated with anxiety. “The end game is using the genes to steer us toward the right part of biology that we can then target to come up with better treatments,” Fernandez says. Building on those findings, the team is now studying more families to better understand how these de novo mutations, along with other genetic and environmental factors, shape pediatric anxiety disorders. They recently received a National Institutes of Health grant to enroll 750 new families over the next five years. Olfson is the principal investigator, with co-investigators Lebowitz, Fernandez, Silverman, and Shuangge Steven Ma, PhD, department chair and professor of biostatistics at Yale School of Public Health. Neurodevelopment, Risk Genes, and Mental Health Conditions - The Olfson Lab Joel Gelernter, MD, Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, is interested in how different anxiety disorders differ genomically. “We are studying social phobia, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, working to understand why people differ in their risk to these specific anxiety disorders and evaluating various risk factors,” he says. Gelernter was recently involved in one of the largest studies to date of the genomics underlying anxiety disorder. The study included around 122,000 people with anxiety disorders and around 730,000 without. It found that some genetic differences associated with anxiety were linked to signaling that helps reduce overactivity in the nervous system. Many anxiety medications available today work by targeting this process. “It’s nice when the biology that you get out of a large genome-wide study ratifies things that we already know because that can help increase confidence in further findings from the study,” Gelernter says. Uncovering the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders John Krystal, MD, Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, is interested in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of which anxiety is a major symptom. In the late 1980s, Krystal’s team discovered that the drug yohimbine activated symptoms in patients with PTSD. “This was the first time we could link a specific biological mechanism to the symptoms of PTSD,” Krystal says. At the time, he adds, this finding was highly controversial. “A lot of people felt that PTSD was a purely psychological syndrome that didn’t have an underlying biology.” Since then, Krystal has dived deep into understanding the neurobiology of PTSD to learn how to better treat it. His team is evaluating the use of ketamine and psychedelics. These would be among the first treatments to be developed specifically for PTSD. They may also be applicable for other disorders including anxiety disorders, Krystal adds. An important gap in PTSD treatment is the absence of biological tests that inform how to best help patients manage their PTSD symptoms. A doctor doesn’t diagnose cancer based on how they feel. Rather, they use tests of the biology of the cancer to determine the best course of treatment. “And we can’t do that in any psychiatric disorder other than Alzheimer’s disease,” Krystal says. “But now we are building a foundation for this approach to the treatment of anxiety disorders for the first time.” Source: Yale School of Medicine
An 8-justice Supreme Court to decide whether cities can sue oil companies for climate change impacts
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Whole Fruits vs. Juice? Study Finds Differences in Heart Health
Whether you slice fruit into your cereal or drink a glass of juice apparently makes a difference for the heart. A large U.S. study shows that adults with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, or ...
Stages SB200 Indoor Smartbike In-Depth Review: Redemption?
In this review I cover whether the SB200 is a worthwhile upgrade over the existing SB20, as well as everything you need to know from ride feel to accuracy.
A student guide to mental health resources on campus
Recognition of someone struggling is only the first step of prevention. Whether a student is experiencing a crisis themselves or knows someone who is, Auburn's mental health resources offer several means of support. College is a transitional time in life, and seeking help during those struggles, no matter how big or small, can make a significant impact.
This mysterious hole on the Moon may open into a giant cave
NASA has selected the GIMLI project to investigate whether the Marius Hill Pit opens into a vast underground cave or lava tube. Using radar, seismic sensors, gravity measurements, and cameras, researchers will search beneath the lunar surface and estimate the size of any hidden void. Such caves could preserve clues to the Moon’s volcanic history and potentially provide protected shelters for future astronauts.
Can HRT help prevent dementia? New research suggests it might
As debate continues over whether hormone replacement therapy can protect against dementia, new studies suggest timing and formulation are key.
Is a politics of 'competition within consensus' possible?
Türkiye’s new parliamentary year will test whether political competition can coexist with consensus on national priorities
Managing Your Mental Health During Football Season
Dr. Lee Long with Restoration Counseling joined Ryan Schmelz on LiveNOW from FOX to share strategies for protecting your well-being as a sports fan. The author of 'Wait, Where Am I in This?' shared ways you can maintain your composure and not overthink whether or not your team wins on Saturday and Sunday.