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Why Your Digital Detox Resolution Fails by January 15

Every January, millions of people make the same promise: “This year I’m going to spend less time on my phone.” By mid-month, most are back to doomscrolling in bed, feeling like they’ve failed yet another resolution. According to Offline.now founder and author Eli Singer, that story is not about laziness, it’s about confidence. Offline.now’s proprietary research shows 8 in 10 people want to change their relationship with technology, but more than half feel so overwhelmed by their habits they don’t know where to start. “If you don’t learn how to manage the screens in your life, they will manage you,” says Singer. “When people tell us they feel overwhelmed, it’s not laziness. It’s a crisis of confidence. And confidence is something that can be built.” At the heart of the platform is the Offline.now Matrix, a behavioral framework that maps people into four quadrants: Overwhelmed, Ready, Stuck, or Unconcerned - based on their motivation and confidence levels. Someone who is “Overwhelmed” needs reassurance and tiny first steps; someone who is “Ready” can handle bigger commitments. Treating everyone as if they’re in the same place (“just delete Instagram”) virtually guarantees most resolutions will collapse. Psychotherapist Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW, who specializes in ADHD and modern anxiety, sees how this plays out in the brain. For many of her clients, especially those with ADHD, digital devices provide a fast dopamine hit that everyday life simply can’t match. “With ADHD, you’re working with a dopamine deficiency,” she explains. “Phones and apps are designed to give you highly stimulating, personalized content. You get this huge dopamine surge, and when you put the device down, everything else feels flat, boring and harder to start.” She notes that common habits like checking your phone the second you wake up, quietly undermine even the best January intentions: “If you’re on your phone first thing in the morning, you hijack your attention and dopamine for the rest of the day. Your brain has already tasted the highest stimulation it’s going to get, and it will keep seeking that level. That’s not a willpower issue, it’s neuroscience.” The good news: the science suggests you don’t need a perfect detox to see benefits. A JAMA Network Open study on young adults found that reducing social media use for just one week - without going completely offline; led to about a 24.8% drop in depression, a 16.1% drop in anxiety, and a 14.5% drop in insomnia symptoms. “Lasting change doesn’t require deleting Instagram or TikTok tomorrow,” says Singer. “You need to win one personal victory today, and then another tomorrow. That’s how confidence rebuilds.” Featured Experts Eli Singer – Founder of Offline.now and author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance. Speaks to the behavioral data behind failed resolutions, the confidence gap, and the Offline.now Matrix framework. Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW – Psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, anxiety and digital dependency. Explains the dopamine science behind compulsive scrolling and offers brain-friendly strategies that work better than “willpower.” Expert interviews can be arranged through the Offline.now media team.

Why Insomnia May Hold the Key to Treating Depression, According to MCG Research

William Vaughn McCall, MD, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, is leading a new multi-year clinical trial aimed at addressing insomnia and depression together — two conditions that frequently occur side by side. The Assessing Improvements in Mood and Sleep (AIMS) Trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is exploring whether treating sleep problems through psychotherapy can also reduce lingering symptoms of depression, particularly in older adults. McCall has served as professor and Case Distinguished Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Augusta University since 2012. His research interests include depression, electroconvulsive therapy, quality of life, insomnia, and suicide. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institute of Mental Health since 1995, and he is the author of more than 400 publications, including more than 180 peer-reviewed journal articles. View his profile McCall’s work builds on decades of research examining how disrupted sleep contributes to mood disorders. While previous studies often focused on medication-based approaches, this trial takes a different direction by testing non-pharmacological therapies that target insomnia itself. The research team, which includes collaborators from multiple universities, is evaluating whether improving sleep quality can meaningfully lower depression symptoms for patients who remain symptomatic despite antidepressant treatment. “Ultimately, the hope is to find other avenues to reduce the risk for depression and depression symptoms,” McCall says. The trial is currently recruiting adults aged 55 and older who are experiencing both insomnia and depression, with options for both in-person and remote participation. For journalists covering mental health, aging, sleep science, or emerging clinical research, McCall is a key expert offering informed perspective on how sleep-focused interventions could reshape the future of depression treatment. The full article 'New MCG trial targets insomnia and depression symptoms' is available below: And if you're interested in talking with William Vaughn McCall, MD, simply click on his icon now  to arrange a time for an interview today.

LI Schools See Improvement in Math and ELA Exams

Dr. Amy Catalano, interim dean of Hofstra University’s School of Education, was interviewed by Newsday about English language arts (ELA) and math scores improving among Long Island students in grades 3-8. The article also noted that student participation in testing has increased. On Long Island, 31.1% of students opted out of the ELA test in 2025 compared with 36.5% last year and about 41% in 2023. Experts like Dr. Catalano noted all eligible students need to take the tests or scores could mask academic gaps. “If you don’t have 100% of your kids taking the test, those results are just not reliable,” she said.

Holiday Phones, Real Kids: “Don’t Give a 10-Year-Old a 24/7 Device Without a Plan”

Smartphones and tablets are among the hottest holiday gifts for tweens and teens. They’re also one of the biggest sources of parental anxiety. “We’re giving 9, 10, 11-year-olds a pocket device with the power to nuke their sleep, social life and self-esteem — and we’re doing it with almost no training,” says Eli Singer, founder and CEO of Offline.now. “The question isn’t ‘Should kids have phones?’ It’s ‘What’s the plan for this incredibly powerful tool?’” Singer, a coach and parent who lives with ADHD himself, takes a non-judgmental, shame-free approach with families. He’s blunt about the risks — social comparison, late-night scrolling, drama at school that now comes home in their pocket — but equally blunt that guilt doesn’t help. “Parents are overwhelmed and scared. They’ve seen the headlines linking social media to anxiety and depression, and they feel like they’re already behind,” he says. “My job isn’t to scare them; it’s to help them write the first draft of a family agreement they can actually live with.” Singer recommends three simple starting points over the holidays: Bedrooms are sacred. Phones charge overnight outside kids’ rooms and ideally outside parents’ rooms, too. Meals are for humans, not phones. A bowl or basket at the table becomes the visual reminder: we’re here together. Model what you ask. If parents scroll through dinner or answer work emails at fireworks, kids get the message long before any rule is written. Offline.now’s Digital Wellness Directory includes professionals who specialize in families, ADHD, and youth mental health; Singer positions Offline.now as the bridge between overwhelmed parents and the right expert help. Why now Late December is “first phone” season. January brings the real-world consequences: blown bedtimes, drama in group chats, school exhaustion. Singer can give reporters a nuanced, practical angle on holiday devices — beyond “phones are bad” vs. “phones are fine” — and concrete questions families can ask before they unwrap the box. Available for interviews Eli Singer - CEO of Offline.now; author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance. I speak about practical behavior change, non-judgmental family agreements, and confidence-based starting points - and I can direct people to licensed professionals via the Offline.now Directory when needs go beyond coaching.

AI as IP™: A Framework for Boards, Executives, and Investors

Under current corporate accounting practices, artificial intelligence (AI) companies’ most valuable resources – large language models, training datasets, and algorithms – remain “off the books” or uncapitalized. As the importance of AI continues to grow in the global knowledge-based economy, financial statements are becoming less representative of a company’s true worth, creating a recognition gap. In this article, James E. Malackowski, Eric Carnick, and David Ngo present several conceptual frameworks to bridge this gap. They explain how the triangulation of three valuation approaches can reveal both the tangible investment base and the intangible, strategic upside of AI assets. In turn, these approaches provide board-level visibility into where AI capital resides and how it contributes to enterprise value. James E. Malackowski is the Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) of J.S. Held and Co-founder of Ocean Tomo, a part of J.S. Held. Mr. Malackowski has served as an expert on over one hundred occasions on intellectual property economics, including valuation, royalty, lost profits, price erosion, licensing terms, venture financing, copyright fair use, and injunction equities. He has substantial experience as a Board Director for leading technology corporations, research organizations, and companies with critical brand management issues.  This article is the second installment in our three-part series, Artificial Intelligence as Intellectual Property or “AI as IP™”, which explores how artificial intelligence assets should be treated as a form of intellectual property and enterprise capital. The first article, “A Strategic Framework for the Legal Profession”, explored the legal foundations for recognizing and protecting AI assets. The upcoming third article, “Guide for SMEs to Classify, Protect, and Monetize AI Assets”, will provide practical steps for small and mid-sized enterprises to turn AI into measurable economic value. To explore the topic further, simply connect with James through his icon below.

Kwanzaa Explained: A Modern Celebration Rooted in Culture, Community, and Purpose

Observed from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration that centres on African heritage, shared values, and community renewal. While often grouped with year-end holidays, Kwanzaa is distinct in both origin and intent — designed not as a religious observance, but as a time for reflection, education, and collective responsibility. At its core, Kwanzaa asks a simple but powerful question: How do communities honour their past while shaping a stronger future? The Origins of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by scholar and activist Maulana Karenga during a period of social change in the United States. It was created to provide African Americans with a way to reconnect with African cultural traditions while reinforcing shared values that support family, community, and social progress. The name “Kwanzaa” is derived from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits”, reflecting harvest celebrations common across many African cultures. The Seven Principles: Nguzo Saba Each day of Kwanzaa focuses on one of the Seven Principles, known collectively as the Nguzo Saba. These principles guide the celebration and serve as a framework for reflection and action: Umoja (Unity) – Strengthening family and community bonds Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – Defining and speaking for oneself Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) – Building together and solving problems collectively Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – Supporting and sustaining community businesses Nia (Purpose) – Contributing to the restoration and development of community Kuumba (Creativity) – Leaving communities more beautiful and beneficial than before Imani (Faith) – Belief in people, parents, teachers, leaders, and collective struggle Each evening, families light a candle on the kinara, symbolizing progress through these values. Symbols and Traditions Kwanzaa celebrations include meaningful symbols that reinforce its themes: Kinara – The candle holder representing roots and foundation Mishumaa Saba – Seven candles representing the Nguzo Saba Mkeka – A woven mat symbolizing tradition and history Mazao – Crops representing collective labour and productivity Kikombe cha Umoja – The unity cup used for communal reflection Zawadi – Gifts that emphasize creativity, learning, and cultural meaning Celebrations often include storytelling, music, poetry, shared meals, and discussions about cultural identity and social responsibility. Kwanzaa in Practice Today Kwanzaa is observed in the United States and internationally by people of African descent and others interested in African culture and values. It may be celebrated alongside religious holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, or on its own. Over time, Kwanzaa has become a platform for conversations about: Cultural identity Community empowerment Education and youth development Economic equity Social responsibility Story Angles for Journalists Why Kwanzaa was created — and why it still resonates today The role of culture in community resilience How Kwanzaa is celebrated across generations Education, identity, and the Nguzo Saba Kwanzaa’s place in modern multicultural societies How families blend Kwanzaa with other year-end traditions Why Kwanzaa Matters Kwanzaa offers a framework for reflection that extends beyond a single week. Its principles emphasize unity, purpose, and shared responsibility — themes that remain relevant in discussions about culture, equity, and community building. In a season often dominated by consumption and spectacle, Kwanzaa provides a values-driven pause — one rooted in heritage, intention, and collective progress. Let's get you connected to an expert! Find more experts here: www.expertfile.com

With the MOMitor™ app, Florida mothers have better maternal care right at their fingertips

A program spearheaded by University of Florida physicians recently expanded to improve care for new mothers throughout the state, using tools they have right at home. Five years ago, a team of obstetricians and researchers at the UF College of Medicine launched MOMitor™, a smartphone app that allows new mothers to answer health screening questions and check vitals like blood pressure in the comfort of their own homes, using tools given to them by their health care providers. Depending on the data, the clinical team can then follow up with patients as needed for further medical intervention. Now, the app is expanding beyond North Central Florida — where nearly 4,400 mothers have participated in the program — to other areas in the state. Clinicians are also teaming up with data scientists at the College of Medicine who are using artificial intelligence to study data and identify trends that can lead to more personalized care. Program expansion Thanks to funding from the Florida Department of Health to support the state’s Telehealth Maternity Care Program, MOMitor™ has recently expanded for use in Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Flagler, Volusia, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties, said Kay Roussos-Ross, M.D. ’02, MPAS ’98, a UF professor of obstetrics/gynecology and psychiatry who is leading the program. “The Florida Legislature was really motivated and interested in improving maternal morbidity and mortality, and through this program we’re touching additional parts of the state and helping patients beyond North Central Florida,” she said. Maternal mortality is a serious concern in the United States, with more than 18 deaths recorded per 100,000 births in 2023, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a much higher rate than most other developed countries, Roussos-Ross said. Common factors that may lead to maternal mortality, which is measured from pregnancy through the first year after giving birth, include infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular conditions and endocrine disorders. Many of these complications can go unnoticed or unmonitored, particularly if at-risk mothers are not reporting complications to clinicians. A 2025 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that up to 40% of women do not attend postpartum visits. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications ... and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these.” — Tanja Magoc, Ph.D. “Whereas we’re used to seeing patients pretty routinely during pregnancy, after delivery visits quickly drop off and some women don’t make it back for postpartum care, so we may not have an opportunity to continue supporting them,” Roussos-Ross said. “This can often be because of barriers such as housing, transportation or food insecurity. We offer referrals to help with some of these services.” With MOMitor™, patients can let their clinician know how they are recovering without visiting the clinic, improving access to care in situations where that is not always an easy option for new mothers. “It’s a way to be proactive,” Roussos-Ross said. “Instead of waiting for a patient to come to us when they haven’t been doing well for a while, we connect with them through the app and follow up when they initially begin not doing well, so we can address concerns more quickly.” Studying data to personalize care Roussos-Ross’ team is collaborating with data scientists from the College of Medicine’s Quality and Patient Safety initiative, or QPSi, to determine how AI can assist in finding ways to further improve processes. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications, such as developing postpartum depression or hypertension, and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these complications,” said Tanja Magoc, Ph.D., the associate director of QPSi’s Artificial Intelligence/Quality Improvement Program. David Hall, Ph.D., a QPSi data scientist, said his team is working alongside the clinical team to analyze data that can be used to create recommendations for patients. “Everything we do comes from information supported in the patients’ charts,” Hall said. “We also make sure the data upholds compliance standards and protects patients’ privacy.” “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can ... better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most.” — David Hall, Ph.D. The teams aim to intervene before patients encounter postpartum complications, addressing potential issues before they become significant problems. After taking into account a patient’s personal and family medical history, the team looks at information such as geolocation, drilling down to areas much smaller than the ZIP code level in order to find points of potential concern. “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can study these patterns throughout the state and better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most,” Hall said. Roussos-Ross said she is proud of the work her team has done to improve patient outcomes through the program so far and is excited to empower more patients. “Every year, the participants give us recommendations on how to improve the app, which we love. But they also say, ‘This is so great. It helped me think about myself and not just my baby. It helped me learn about taking care of my own health. It made me remember I’m important too, and it’s not just about the baby,’” Roussos-Ross said. “And that is so gratifying, because women are willing to do anything to ensure the health of their baby, sometimes at the expense of their own care. This is a way for us to let them know they are still important, and we care about their health as well.”

AU scientists advance understanding of Nobel-winning immunology research

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognized the discovery of regulatory T cells, which are immune cells that maintain tolerance and prevent autoimmunity. At Augusta University, scientists have built upon that foundational work, uncovering how these cells function, fail and evolve across diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis. Regulatory T cells, or Tregs, are essential for controlling immune responses and preventing the body from attacking its own tissues. Early discoveries by Shimon Sakaguchi, MD, PhD, who identified the CD25 marker and later the transcription factor FoxP3, revealed how Tregs suppress immune activation. Sakaguchi, a distinguished professor at Osaka University in Japan, shared the Nobel Prize with Mary E. Brunkow, PhD, Princeton University, and Fred Ramsdell, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles. Sakaguchi once shared lab space with Nicholas Gascoigne, PhD, now a professor at AU’s Immunology Center of Georgia, where he studies T-cell signaling and differentiation — a connection that ties the global history of Treg research to the university’s ongoing expertise. Gascoigne’s research continues to illuminate how Tregs differentiate and signal, critical steps in ensuring immune tolerance to self. “Drs. Sakaguchi, Brunkow and Ramsdell have made enormous contributions to our understanding of how immunological tolerance works, so this prize is very well deserved,” Gascoigne said. “I was happy I could help Drs. Shimon and Noriko Sakaguchi when they needed lab space back in the early ‘90s. They were wonderful to work with.” At Augusta University, David Munn, MD, co-director of the Pediatric Immunotherapy Program of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, made seminal discoveries showing that Tregs are not always stable. Munn’s team demonstrated that these cells could lose their suppressive identity and become “exTregs,” adopting pro-inflammatory characteristics under certain conditions. Munn also uncovered an entirely distinct tolerance mechanism through indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, a pathway independent of FoxP3 that regulates immune balance through tryptophan metabolism. “In particular, the work of Shimon Sakaguchi and Fred Ramsdell was profoundly influential on our early work, as we were just starting out to explore how the immune system is regulated in pediatric cancers,” Munn said. “The work of these Nobel laureates helped transform the scientific understanding of how the immune system responds — or fails to respond — in the setting of tumors.” Catherine “Lynn” Hedrick, PhD, co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, further expanded this understanding by showing that Tregs can convert into follicular helper T cells, offering new insight into how immune regulation can shift toward antibody production in chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. “Understanding how regulatory T cells can shift identities helps explain why the immune system sometimes loses balance in chronic disease,” Hedrick said. “By tracing how Tregs convert into other helper cells, we’re uncovering new therapeutic targets to restore immune harmony in conditions like atherosclerosis.” Building on these advances, Klaus Ley, MD, co-director of IMMCG, and his team have investigated how exTregs contribute to cardiovascular inflammation, identifying them in human tissues and clarifying their role in atherosclerosis. His lab also recently discovered human exTregs, providing the first direct evidence of these cells in people. Two postdoctoral fellows in Ley’s lab, Qingkang Lyu, PhD, and Smriti Parashar, PhD, continue this work, exploring how regulatory and ex-regulatory T cells influence chronic disease progression. Additionally, Dimitrios Moskofidis, MD, PhD, a professor based in the Georgia Cancer Center, contributed key early insights into immune tolerance and memory, defining how effector T cells persist or are deleted following infection. “Together, these discoveries place Augusta University and the Immunology Center of Georgia at the forefront of modern immunology, connecting molecular mechanisms of tolerance to real-world diseases and therapies,” Ley said. To connect with any of the experts or researchers in this article - simply contact AU's External Communications Team mediarelations@augusta.edu to arrange an interview today.