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Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the leading causes of death among teenagers. For the youngest drivers, getting behind the wheel marks freedom but also comes with measurable risk. At the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Federico Vaca, professor and executive vice chair of emergency medicine, is determined to change that trajectory. “Driving licensure among our youngest drivers remains a major life milestone, and it allows for newfound freedom and opportunity for not only youth but their parents as well. At the same time, learning to drive and licensure come at a time when youth are rapidly moving through life with new transitions in school, with friends, and likely exposure to alcohol and drugs,” he says. “Our priority … is to examine the complexities of young driver behavior and to thoroughly understand crash injury risk and crash prevention among this special group of drivers.” Vaca’s work is at the intersection of health, transportation science and policy. A fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine and a researcher at UC Irvine’s Institute of Transportation Studies, he previously served as a medical fellow at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington, D.C. His long-standing goal is to prevent the injuries he has seen and treated in emergency departments and trauma centers through rigorous research, using the findings to inform and advance evidence-based programs and policies that save lives on the road. Innovating safety science UC Irvine is home to a new hub for understanding and preventing crash injuries among young drivers, the Brain, Body & Behavior Driving Simulation Lab, founded by Vaca and his interdisciplinary team. At the heart of the B3DrivSim Lab is a high-fidelity, half-cab driving simulator capable of replicating real-world conditions with precision. It uses advanced software to design customized driving scenarios – from complex roadway environments to the inclusion of such human elements as distraction and fatigue – all while capturing real-time video and driving behavior as well as vehicle control metrics. This integration of medicine, behavioral science and engineering enables researchers to measure how developmental and socioecological factors shape driver decisions in unique and consequential ways. The B3DrivSim Lab also represents a growing mentorship ecosystem at UC Irvine. In mid-June, the facility welcomed Siwei Hu, a postdoctoral scholar who earned a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering, with a focus on transportation studies, at UC Irvine. Hu works closely with Vaca to combine engineering and modeling analytics with behavioral and crash risk insights. The half-cab driving simulator uses advanced software to replicate real-world conditions and design customized driving scenarios – from complex roadway environments to the inclusion of such human elements as distraction and fatigue – all while capturing real-time video and driving behavior as well as vehicle control metrics. Steve Zylius / UC Irvine From the lab to policy Beyond simulation, Vaca’s latest National Institutes of Health-funded study, separate from his lab’s work, takes this philosophy to the national level. His project, “Modeling a National Graduated-BAC Policy for 21- to 24-Year-Old Drivers,” explores whether lowering the legal blood alcohol limit for young adults could reduce alcohol-related crashes and deaths. “When you turn 21, at that very moment, the application of several alcohol-related prevention laws changes in the blink of an eye,” Vaca says. “Before that, the minimum legal drinking age and zero-tolerance laws are in place to protect young drivers from alcohol-impaired driving. Effectively, the second you turn 21, those prevention policies don’t apply, and you’re suddenly allowed to have a much higher blood alcohol concentration in your body that’s intimately tied to serious and fatal crash risk. It’s a very dangerous disconnect.” The study will use national crash data, behavioral surveys and system dynamics modeling to examine how a “graduated BAC policy” might bridge that gap, giving young adult drivers a safer transition into full legal responsibility and saving many more lives. Bridging science, education and prevention Earlier this year, Vaca and his B3DrivSim team joined prevention program educators, policymakers, engineers and law enforcement professionals in Anaheim at a Ford Driving Skills for Life event, part of a Ford Philanthropy-sponsored national effort teaching teens hands-on safe driving techniques – from hazard recognition to impaired-driving awareness. Speaking to more than 130 high school students and their parents from local and distant communities, Vaca emphasized the connection among driving, independence, opportunity and responsibility. That message aligns with his broader initiative, Youth Thriving in Life Transitions with Transportation, which introduces high school students to traffic safety and transportation science and their role in promoting health, education and employment in early adulthood. By linking research and real-world experience, the project empowers youth to see mobility as a foundation for opportunity with safety as its cornerstone. With overall young driver crash fatalities rising 25 percent nationally over the last decade and a 46 percent increase in fatal crashes where a young driver had a BAC of ≥ .01/dL, Vaca’s work represents a crucial step toward reversing that trend. Through a combination of clinical insight and prevention, transportation and data science underscored by community collaboration, he and his team are redefining how researchers and policymakers think about youth driver safety.
MCG scientists investigate arthritis drug’s impact on Alzheimer’s disease
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and one in nine of those people is 65 or older. Although that number is expected to grow, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University are making progress on studies that could turn into life-saving treatments. Qin Wang, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at MCG and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in neuropharmacology, recently published a study titled “The PKCι‑β‑arrestin2 axis disrupts SORLA retrograde trafficking, driving its degradation and amyloid pathology in Alzheimer’s disease,” in Molecular Degeneration, a leading journal in neurodegeneration. In the study, Wang and her team explored how certain proteins and enzymes interact in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Key players include the SORL1 gene, the PKCι enzyme and proteins SORLA, β‑arrestin2 and amyloid. SORL1 encodes SORLA, which helps regulate amyloid. Amyloid can form plaque in the brain, contributing to Alzheimer’s. People with the disease often have lower SORLA levels, which amplifies plaque production. “The goal is to increase SORLA levels in patients with AD. If we can boost it up, that would be great,” Wang said. “But if you want to know how to boost it up, you have to know how it is degraded, so that’s what our work is about – we’re trying to understand how its stability is regulated.” Wang’s research team found that PKCι can add a phosphate group to SORLA, which helps SORLA interact with β‑arrestin2. The PKCι‑β‑arrestin2 axis leads to SORLA degradation, reducing its levels and allowing amyloid plaques to grow unchecked, thereby worsening the disease condition. They discovered this by using biochemical methods and a mass spectrometer managed by Wenbo Zhi, PhD, at the Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry core lab at AU. “We conducted biochemical studies and found that SORLA can be phosphorylated. We identified the phosphorylation site and the interacting enzymes,” Wang explained. “Using the mass spectrometer with PKCι, we saw increased phosphorylation of SORLA at certain sites. Preventing that could stop SORLA degradation.” That’s where a rheumatoid arthritis drug called auranofin comes into play. “While it is an arthritis drug, it can also inhibit the PKCι enzyme,” Wang explained. The team conducted tests using Alzheimer’s mouse models and human iPS cells developed into neurons. For the mouse models, they treated the mice with auranofin for eight weeks, resulting in decreased amyloid levels, reduced neuroinflammation and improved cognitive function. Similar results were seen in human cells with increased SORLA levels and decreased amyloid levels. “A good thing about this is, because this is an FDA-approved drug, it’s ready to be tested in Alzheimer’s patients,” Wang said. “People often worry about drug safety because of long-term use in chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, but, in this case, existing safety data for chronic use gives a good starting point for testing in Alzheimer’s patients. “I hope a drug company can pick that up for a trial with Alzheimer’s patients because we are trying to translate our bench work all the way to the bedside for treatment,” she continued. The study wraps up a five-year National Institute on Aging grant, a collaborative effort between Wang’s lab and the Kai Jiao, MD, PhD, lab in AU’s Center of Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine. Wang’s team is also working on other grant-funded Alzheimer’s-related projects and hopes to continue making advancements toward finding a cure for this debilitating disease. “All of our projects share the goal of finding a better treatment,” Wang said. “Related to this project in particular, we want to know how the SORLA protein works in different types of brain cells, given the brain’s complexity. Then we can determine how to specifically target that protein to develop more effective therapies.” Qin Wang, MD, PhD, researches the neuropharmacology and signaling mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders. If you're interested in learning more about her work or booking an interview, simply click on her icon now to arrange a time to talk.
Why College Students Are Storming Fields More Often
In his most recent Forbes article, Dr. Marshall Shepherd takes a scientific look at why college students and fans storm football fields, blending insights from psychology, meteorology, and social dynamics. He explains that field-storming is not simply a burst of emotion—it’s a predictable outcome of collective excitement and shared identity. After an unexpected win or a high-stakes rivalry game, thousands of people simultaneously experience what psychologists call “emotional contagion,” amplifying feelings of unity and celebration. This shared surge, combined with environmental cues like stadium acoustics and crowd density, transforms the act into what Shepherd calls a form of “social weather event.” “Storming the field isn’t chaos—it’s choreography fueled by emotion and crowd physics.” Shepherd also examines the logistical and safety implications. He notes that while universities often celebrate these spontaneous displays of school pride, they carry risks ranging from crowd injuries to property damage. Yet, institutions are reluctant to ban them outright because these moments reinforce fan loyalty and media attention. Shepherd suggests that the solution lies in better understanding crowd behavior: designing stadiums with safe egress routes, training security teams to manage surges, and anticipating emotional tipping points rather than reacting afterward. “Understanding the science behind fan behavior lets us manage energy, not suppress it.” Ultimately, Shepherd’s piece reframes field-storming as a fascinating mix of culture and physics—where joy, identity, and momentum collide. He urges universities to see these moments not as mere rule-breaking but as opportunities to study human behavior in motion, and to design environments that celebrate passion without compromising safety. Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd is a leading international weather-climate expert and is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Georgia. Dr. Shepherd was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS), the nation’s largest and oldest professional/science society in the atmospheric and related sciences. View his profile here Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd is available to speak with the media about this interesting topic - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Multi-university AI research may revolutionize wildfire evacuation
As wildfires grow wilder, the University of Florida and two other universities are developing large language models to make evacuations safer and more efficient. Armed with a nearly $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant, UF, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Utah are creating these AI-based models to simulate human behavior during evacuations – information that will help emergency managers shape more effective evacuation plans. “Strengthening wildfire resilience requires accurate modeling and a deep understanding of collective human behavior during evacuations,” said UF project lead Xilei Zhao, Ph.D., an associate professor with the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment. “There is a critical need for simulation models that can realistically capture how civilians, incident commanders and public safety officials make protective decisions during wildfires.” Xilei Zhao focuses on developing and applying data and computational science methods to tackle problems in transportation and resilience. View her profile here Existing simulation models face limitations, particularly with reliable predictions under various wildfire scenarios. New AI models can simulate how diverse groups of people behave and interact during the hurried scramble to seek safety. Zhao’s team is developing a convergent AI framework for wildfire evacuation simulations powered by psychological theory-informed large language models. The project will produce simulation methods to promote teaching, training and learning, and support wildfire resilience by allowing public safety officials to use open-access tools. “This research seeks to be a transformative step toward improving the behavioral realism, prediction accuracy and decision-support capability of wildfire evacuation simulation models,” Zhao said. Zhao partnered with John Hopkins professor Susu Xu, Ph.D., and University of Utah professors Thomas Cova, Ph.D., and Frank Drews, Ph.D. The preliminary results of the study were recently presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics. “In that paper, we started to train the model on the survey data we collected to see how we can accurately predict people's evacuation decisions with LLMs,” Zhao said. Research objectives include extending the Protective Action Decision Model for civilians and public safety officials, developing psychological theory-informed large language model agents for protective modeling and generating a realistic synthetic population as input for the simulation platform. The team also plans to develop learning-based simulations and predict human behavior under scenarios such as fire spread, warning and infrastructure damage. This research comes at a critical time, as the number of wildfires has significantly increased globally. About 43% of the 200 most damaging fires occurred in the last decade leading up to 2023, according to a recent study in Science. The intensity, size and volume of wildfires are threatening more urban areas. “If you go into the urban area, many people do not have cars, or they need additional mobility support,” Zhao said. “For example, the LA fires impacted nursing homes with a lot of elderly people, many of whom are immobile or lack the ability to drive. That's a big problem. This would be very relevant to them.” The large language models will provide important context for evacuation planning as well as real-time decision making. “We envision this tool being used during planning,” Zhao said, “so emergency managers can test different kinds of scenarios to determine how to draw the evacuation zones, where to issue the orders first and how to design the communications messaging.” This is important research and critical as wildfires become more common across North America. If you're a reporter looking to connect and learn more - then let us help. Xilei Zhao is available to speak with media - simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
20 Days Into the Government Shutdown: What’s the Impact on Your Wallet?
"Government shutdowns create a cascading financial impact that begins with federal workers but quickly spreads throughout the economy, with effects intensifying the longer the shutdown persists. Approximately 2 million federal civilian employees face direct financial disruption during shutdowns. Essential personnel in national security and public safety continue working without immediate pay, while non-essential workers are furloughed entirely. Although Congress typically authorizes back pay after shutdowns end, families must navigate weeks or months without regular income, forcing them to drain savings, incur debt, or miss critical payments like mortgages and utilities. Federal contractors face even greater uncertainty, as they often receive no compensation for shutdown periods, creating immediate cash flow crises for businesses of all sizes that depend on government work. The financial impact extends well beyond federal employees through several key transmission mechanisms. Reduced consumer spending from affected workers hits local businesses particularly hard, especially in areas with high concentrations of federal employment like Washington D.C. and military communities. Small businesses face additional challenges through delayed government contract payments and suspended access to Small Business Administration (SBA) loan processing. Critical financial services experience significant disruptions. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgage approvals slow or halt entirely, delaying home closings and affecting real estate markets. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may delay tax refunds and income verification services, further constraining household cash flow and complicating loan applications. Financial markets typically experience increased volatility during shutdown periods, as uncertainty about government stability affects investor confidence. Consumer confidence also tends to decline, particularly during prolonged shutdowns, leading to reduced spending that can amplify economic impacts. Credit rating agencies have historically warned that extended shutdowns could threaten the nation's credit rating, potentially raising borrowing costs across the economy. For most Americans whose income doesn't flow through federal channels, immediate wallet impact remains modest initially. However, the longer shutdowns persist, the more likely average citizens will experience effects through delayed services, financing complications, reduced economic confidence, and broader market softness. The cumulative impact grows exponentially with duration, making swift resolution critical for maintaining economic stability."
(Because “surviving” retirement is like saying you survived a salad bar—aim higher, my friend. Nobody hands out medals for dodging the croutons.) Retirement isn’t about hunkering down as if you’re waiting out a storm, counting your Werther’s Originals like gold coins until the grandkids arrive. It’s about creating Act Two—the remix of your life—that’s lively, connected, and wildly fulfilling. Think less “retirement home” and more “retirement launchpad.” The good news? You don’t need to be at any specific stage to benefit. Whether your pre-retirement and plotting your escape from the 9-to-5, mid-retirement and still adjusting your sails, post-retirement and wondering “what now?”, or simply looking for inspiration to “accidentally” leave on your spouse’s pillow, this guide is your playbook. So buckle up. Here are my "10 Commandments of Retirement Thrival"— think of them as your cheat codes for aging fabulously, with style, sass, and maybe even a standing ovation at the end of the show. 1. Thou Shalt Keep Moving Motion is lotion, darling. I’ve said this before, and I’ll keep saying it until it’s tattooed on your sneakers: your body doesn’t rust—it negotiates early retirement if you stop using it. Movement isn’t optional; it’s oxygen for your joints, muscles, and mood. Don’t ignore this commandment or file it under “tomorrow’s problem.” Tomorrow never squats, stretches, or gets 10,000 steps—you do. Start early and make it a routine. Walk, stretch, lift soup cans during commercials. If you feel daring, dance in the kitchen and startle the cat (extra points if the cat looks personally offended). The trick isn’t big gestures; it’s the small moves that add up to a second act full of energy instead of tired excuses. Fact check: The World Health Organization reports that inactivity causes 2–5 million preventable deaths annually. Translation: move it, or lose it. Maxim: Thou Shalt Keep Moving... lest ye creak louder than your old floorboards. And yes, jumping counts. Take it from someone who teaches four to five Zumba, Body Pump, RPM, Flex, and Flow, and yes, Kick Boxing to people of all ages. As a certified fitness instructor, I've seen the transformation that even the tiniest efforts can have. 2. Thou Shalt Guard Thy Health Hydrate, sleep, take your meds, and eat real food (and no, ketchup still doesn’t qualify as a vegetable, even if you put it on kale). Think of these as deposits into your “health account.” Skip too many deposits, and guess what? Your body’s cheques will bounce—hard. Let’s get specific: Water: Most of us aren't drinking enough of it. In fact, a 2024 Canadian study by Liquid I.V. reported that 63 per cent of respondents reported feeling regularly dehydrated. Yet, 74 percent of respondents were aware of the recommended daily amount of water they should drink (6-8 glasses of water per day). Yes, coffee helps a little, but wine doesn’t count. Also, keep in mind that as cooler weather approaches, dehydration can often become less noticeable. However, through skiing, snowboarding, skating, or simply the regular course of daily activity, hydration must be monitored just as much in the winter as in the summer. Hydration isn’t optional — it fuels your energy, digestion, and even cognitive sharpness. Forgetting to drink water? That's no excuse. Just download an app for your phone. The "Water Reminder" App is great and it's free! Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night (CDC, 2024). Less than that doesn’t make you a hero; it makes you a cranky health risk. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. Translation: bedtime is self-care, not surrender. Meds: Here’s the reality—According to the WHO, about 50% of people don’t take their medications as prescribed. Missing doses isn’t “oops, I forgot”—it’s a slow-motion sabotage of your health. Non-adherence leads to unnecessary hospital stays, complications, and yes, premature exits from the party. The solution? Create a system: use pill organizers, set alarms, download apps, or keep sticky notes on the fridge—whatever helps you stay consistent. Fact check: According to Harvard, good health routines can reduce the risk of chronic disease by up to 40%. That’s not a suggestion; that’s a bargain. Maxim: Guard thy health… lest thy golden years turn into waiting-room marathons 3. Thou Shalt Simplify Thy Finances Paper statements from 1983? Cute. But clutter isn’t just untidy—it’s risky. Scammers thrive on confusion nearly as much as raccoons love your green bin. Automate what you can, consolidate what you must, and shred the rest. Remember this fact: how we handle one aspect reflects how we handle everything. If your finances are a chaotic jumble of forgotten accounts and mysterious charges, you’re likely bringing that chaos into other areas of your life. Money can be daunting for many, but don’t make it worse by spreading it across multiple banks, credit cards, and half-finished spreadsheets. We want to engage with our finances, not withdraw from them because of overwhelm. And let’s be honest—leaving a financial mess for your heirs isn’t just uncool, it’s the opposite of building a legacy. Don’t be the reason your kids fight over who has to sift through shoeboxes of bank statements and expired loyalty cards. Make a pot of coffee, hold your nose, and simplify. If it feels too overwhelming, hire a trusted professional—yes, it’s an investment, but peace of mind pays dividends. Also, don’t wait. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, and too many people run out of tomorrows before they ever get around to cleaning up their finances. Here’s a simple formula: Simple = Automate, Consolidate, Eliminate, Delegate. (If it doesn’t fit one of those buckets, it’s clutter.) Fact check: Canadians aged 65 and older lose more than $500 million annually to fraud (Source: RCMP). A streamlined financial life makes you a smaller target. Maxim: Simplify thy finances… lest ye become the star of Scam-baiters: Seniors Edition. 4. Thou Shalt Build Emotional Resilience Retirement can be joyful or lonely. The key often lies in how you build your emotional toolkit. Start by finding a “third place” (somewhere outside of home or work): a coffee shop, gym, church, pickleball club, or karaoke night. Bonus points if it includes cake. But resilience isn’t just about where you go; it’s about what happens in your mind. Your self-talk is the constant soundtrack of your life. If there are many ways to get downtown, there must also be many ways to reframe what just occurred. Did you forget your keys? Maybe it’s an opportunity to practice your steps. Reframing is a vital life skill—it can turn setbacks into stepping stones, boost your confidence, and protect your self-image from unnecessary harm. Practicing resilience also involves enhancing your self-esteem. Read thinkers like Mel Robbins (famous for the “5 Second Rule”) who promote simple, actionable mindset shifts. Mental health pioneers such as Carl Rogers and Nathaniel Branden highlight self-compassion, strengths-based approaches, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques as effective ways to reshape one’s self-image. Even parents and teachers have long recognized that positive reinforcement in childhood helps establish resilient adults. The good news? You can still re-parent yourself today by practicing gentler self-talk and focusing on your strengths. And remember: loneliness has a cost. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, chronic loneliness is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Emotional resilience isn’t optional—it’s a form of preventative health. Maxim: Build resilience... or you'll find yourself yelling at the weather forecast all alone. 5. Thou Shalt Know Thy Values Your values are your North Star. They guide your choices, shape your relationships, and keep you grounded when life gets messy. Forgive quickly, return Tupperware (with cookies, if you’re classy), and keep your promises—especially when caffeine is involved. As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything.” And let’s be honest, falling gets riskier with age. For many of us, values become a cornerstone in later years—a kind of personal compass that points not just to what we do, but who we are. Passing on a good set of values is one of the greatest legacies you can leave. It’s something to be proud of, but here’s the trick: don’t hand them down like stone tablets from a mountaintop. Instead, offer them like an irresistible invitation—guidelines that inspire, not commandments that suffocate. Leave room for others to adapt, remix, and make them their own. That way, your values live on not as rigid rules, but as living gifts. Maxim: Know your values... lest you drift like a Costco cart with a broken wheel. 6. Thou Shalt Not Retire Without Purpose Purpose doesn’t have to mean curing cancer. It could be as simple as baking banana bread that makes your neighbours swoon, mentoring a younger colleague, painting watercolours, or volunteering at the food bank. What matters isn’t the scale—it’s the spark. Without purpose, retirement can feel like a never-ending long weekend, with Monday never arriving. That might sound good for a while, but trust me: eternal Saturdays get old fast. Here’s why this matters: Studies consistently show that purpose literally adds years to your life. A landmark 2002 Yale University study, led by psychologist Becca Levy, found that people with a positive outlook on aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those without. And Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, has documented how centenarians around the globe credit purpose (or ikigai, as the Okinawans call it) as a key factor in their longevity. Purpose isn’t just a nice bonus; it’s a life extender. Finding your purpose can seem overwhelming, but start by taking small steps. Begin by removing what you don’t want—that’s often the most straightforward way forward. Purpose is also about creating a legacy. It’s not just about how you live, but how you’ll be remembered. You have the power to craft a story that outlives you, whether through relationships, creativity, community impact, or simple acts of kindness. This is why my personal mantra is: Don’t retire… rewire. Retirement isn’t an ending—it’s your opportunity to craft the most meaningful chapter yet. Maxim: Have purpose… lest ye binge more shows than Netflix can fund. 7. Thou Shalt Create Joy and Laughter Adults laugh about four times a day. Kids? Closer to 400. There is something drastically wrong with this statistic. Somewhere between filing taxes and misplacing our bifocals, we’ve lost our bearings—time to take them back. Joy and laughter aren’t luxuries—they’re vital for our survival. Here’s how to get your daily dose: watch I Love Lucy reruns (Lucy never fails), subscribe to a “joke-a-day” email, or better yet, send a funny joke to a friend or grandchild via text. Join a laughter yoga class, stream a comedy special, or dust off those “dad jokes” that make you roll your eyes. The goal isn’t polished comedy—it’s allowing yourself to be silly. And don’t overlook this: Laughter is both contagious and magnetic. People (yes, even your relatives) want to be around joy, not another monologue about your lumbago. Laughter is also a clever rebranding tactic. Instead of being “that cranky retiree,” you can update your image to “the one who brings the fun.” Need more on this? Check out my blog: What’s Your Brand, Boomer? Boomer?https://expertfile.com/spotlight/10790 Maxim: Create joy… lest ye petrify into a cranky old codger. 8. Thou Shalt Always Have Hope on the Calendar Hope is a date with tomorrow. It’s the promise of Taco Tuesday, a small road trip, or lunch with friends. It doesn’t need to be Paris—unless you’re offering, then yes, Paris (and I’ll pack light). Here’s why it matters: hope isn’t just feel-good fluff—it’s fuel. Research indicates that hope enhances resilience, reduces stress, and even strengthens the immune system. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, famously noted that prisoners in concentration camps who clung to hope—even a flicker—did better than those who gave up. Hope literally helps us survive, but more importantly, it allows us to thrive. Your mindset is the driving force behind how you present yourself to the world. A hopeful outlook radiates within you, affecting your energy, healing, and how you handle daily challenges. And here’s the surprise: hope is contagious. Surround yourself with hopeful people, read inspiring stories or books, and intentionally plan activities to look forward to. Pair it with gratitude—it’s the ideal companion—and you’ll cultivate a daily practice that enhances your mindful well-being. Remember: you have nothing to lose. Being “right” about your ailments, family drama, or the world’s troubles won’t help. But choosing happiness? That just might. I dare you. Maxim: Always have hope… lest thy days blur into “laundry o’clock.” 9. Thou Shalt Find Thy Person Everyone needs someone they can call at 8 p.m. who will actually answer (sorry, Siri doesn’t count—and Alexa is a terrible listener). Pick your person, and just as importantly, be theirs too. This isn’t about being needy — it’s about being human. Decades of research show that strong social connections aren’t just warm fuzzies; they’re lifelines. Harvard’s landmark Study of Adult Development — the longest-running study on happiness — found that close relationships are the single most significant predictor of long-term health and well-being, even more than wealth or fame. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Institute on Aging notes that loneliness is as harmful to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Yes, fifteen. Your support system safeguards both your body and mind, resulting in lower blood pressure, enhanced immune function, sharper cognition, less depression, and a longer life. Friendship acts as preventive medicine. So don’t overlook this one. Arrange that coffee, send the silly meme, answer the late-night call. Your health relies on it. Maxim: Find thy person… lest ye end up pouring your heart out to Alexa, Alana or whatever her name is. 10. Thou Shalt Declutter Thy Life Decluttering isn’t just for closets—it’s for your mind, your finances, and your garage full of “vintage” ski poles that last saw snow in 1987. Think of it as spring cleaning for your soul. Bonus: Swedish Death Cleaning (döstädning, if you want to impress your friends at dinner parties) saves your kids from having to rent a dumpster in your honour. The Guardian popularized this movement, reminding us that downsizing possessions while we’re alive is the ultimate gift to loved ones—practical, compassionate, and oddly liberating. Here’s the flip side: hoarding—or its younger cousin, “not throwing anything out”—becomes more common as we age. It clutter not only our homes but also our minds, increasing stress, fall risks, and social isolation. The Mayo Clinic notes that hoarding is linked to depression and anxiety, and in older adults, it can seriously impact safety. Awareness is your first defence—don’t become a statistic. Follow the simple 1 item in, 1 item out” rule. When you bring home a new sweater, let go of an old one. If you buy a fancy gadget, put aside the bread maker that’s been collecting dust since 2002. Respect your space and maintain cleanliness, and you’ll enjoy more clarity, peace, and perhaps even more visits from relatives—who might stay for a cup of tea instead of rushing for the door. Maxim: Declutter your life... lest you become the star on Hoarders: Golden Years Edition. The Final Scroll As my friend Lottie often says, “Looking after yourself is a full-time job.” Authentic—but unlike your old 9-to-5, the boss is fantastic (you), the hours are flexible, and the benefits are, quite literally, life-extending—no HR paperwork needed. So live it. Share it. Laugh through it. Retirement isn’t about shrinking back — it’s about thriving forward. This is your encore, your second act, your chance to rewrite the script. You’ve got the commandments, the cheat codes, and hopefully, a few good jokes left in your pocket. Remember: joy, purpose, resilience, health, hope, and laughter aren’t extras—they’re essential. Add them daily like vitamins, and watch the years become richer, not just longer. And if all else fails? Put on some music, dance in your kitchen, and scare the cat or the neighbours if the curtains are open. Because retirement isn’t the end of the book—it’s the chapter where the hero (that’s you) finally gets to write their own plot twist. Don’t Retire—Rewire. Sue p.s. Want more retirement hacks (and a few laughs)? I share them weekly on my new Substack — with special offers and early invites to upcoming events. You can subscribe here: #RetirementReset #HealthyAging #FinancialWellness #PositiveAging #SecondActSuccess
ChristianaCare’s Virtual Primary Care practice at the Center for Virtual Health has earned full accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), placing it among the first health systems in the nation to achieve this distinction. ChristianaCare was one of only 18 organizations invited to participate in NCQA’s inaugural pilot program in 2023 to develop the Virtual Care Accreditation. The recognition affirms ChristianaCare’s leadership role in shaping the future of health care and its commitment to delivering accessible, equitable and patient-centered care through innovative digital platforms. “This accreditation is a powerful validation of our vision to reimagine health care,” said Sarah Schenck, M.D., FACP, executive director of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health. “We’ve built a model that meets people where they are—at home, at work or on the go—with care that is personal, proactive and powered by love and excellence.” What Accreditation Means for Patients NCQA accreditation underscores that ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health meets rigorous standards for: Clinical quality and safety: clear care protocols, escalation pathways and outcome monitoring. Access and equity: technology, language and disability-inclusive design that extends care to more people. Data privacy and security: strong safeguards to protect personal health information. ChristianaCare’s participation in NCQA’s pilot helped shape the benchmarks now used nationwide. The center delivers comprehensive virtual primary care through a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, behavioral health specialists, pharmacists and patient digital ambassadors. Virtual Care by the Numbers In 2024, ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health provided more than 7,500 patient visits, reflecting both rapid growth and strong demand for its virtual-first model. Services are offered at no copay to ChristianaCare caregivers and their dependents, while availability continues to expand across Delaware and the region “At ChristianaCare, we believe virtual care isn’t just a convenience, it’s a catalyst for better health outcomes,” said Brad Sandella, D.O., MBA, medical director, Ambulatory Care for the Center for Virtual Health. “This accreditation affirms our commitment to innovation and excellence. We’re proud to be among the pioneers defining what high-quality virtual care looks like in America.” Beginning in 2026, ChristianaCare will expand its Virtual Primary Care practice, giving a broader consumer audience convenient access to primary care. At that time, the service will be covered by most insurance carriers and continue to feature dedicated providers in areas such as behavioral health and neurology. ChristianaCare will also continue working with NCQA and other partners to advance best practices nationwide.
The First Amendment: Foundations, Freedoms, and Why It Still Matters
The First Amendment is more than just words on paper — it’s a bedrock of American democracy. Adopted in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, it protects fundamental freedoms: speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. Its influence ripples through every aspect of civic life, shaping what citizens can say, believe, hear, and demand from government. How It Started In the wake of the Revolutionary War and under the new Constitution, many Americans worried that the federal government could become too powerful — especially over individual rights. To allay those concerns, the Bill of Rights was proposed. The First Amendment was among those first protections ratified in December 1791, explicitly forbidding Congress from making laws that establish religion, restrain free speech or press, or curb the rights of people to assemble and petition their government. Over time, this compact set of protections has been tested, expanded, and clarified. Landmark court decisions and historical crises—from the Sedition Act era in the 1790s, World Wars, civil rights struggles, to modern debates—have shaped how these freedoms are understood in practice. What It Means Today For citizens, the First Amendment offers more than legal guarantees: it gives voice. It underpins political debate, dissent, journalism, artistic expression, religious diversity, protests—and it enables citizens to hold power accountable. At school, at work, on social media, in place of worship, or in the press, these freedoms allow Americans to share ideas, critique policy, and petition for change. But First Amendment rights are not unlimited. Legal doctrine has evolved to balance free speech with other social interests—such as national security, public safety, protection from defamation, or decency norms. The courts continue to adjudicate what constitutes protected speech, what kinds of regulations are permissible, and how emerging issues—like the internet, social media, and new forms of communication—fit into long-standing legal principles. Why This Matters The First Amendment remains essential because it shapes both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Without it, political dissent—vital to healthy democracy—can be stifled. Without free press, government actions may go unchecked. Without freedom of religion and conscience, personal beliefs may be coerced or marginalized. As society changes—through technology, demographic shifts, and cultural dialogues—these freedoms are continually negotiated. Understanding the First Amendment helps individuals understand their power and limits. It shows why protests matter, why journalism matters, why speaking up matters. It also frames why legal protection matters in areas such as whistleblowing, religious diversity, and minority rights. Connect with our experts about the history, protections, and current significance of the First Amendment for all Americans: Check out our experts here : www.expertfile.com
MSU researchers develop wood-based material that improves safety and life of lithium-ion batteries
For consumers worried about the risks associated with using lithium-ion batteries — which are used in everything from phones to laptops to electric vehicles — Michigan State University has discovered that a natural material found in wood can improve battery safety while also improving the battery’s life. Chengcheng Fang, assistant professor in the College of Engineering, and Mojgan Nejad, an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, collaborated to engineer lignin, a natural ingredient of wood that provides support and rigidity, into a thin film separator that can be used inside lithium-ion batteries to prevent short circuits that can cause a fire. “We wanted to build a better battery,” said Fang. “But we also wanted it to be safe, efficient and sustainable.” Inside a battery, the positively charged cathode and negatively charged anode electrodes help the flow of electricity. To keep these electrodes apart, a commercial separator is typically made from polyethylene and polypropylene plastic materials, which can shrink at temperatures near 100 degrees Celsius. Without the protection of the separator, the cathode and anode sides of the battery have the potential to touch, causing an accidental short circuit and possible fire or explosion. In contrast, the lignin-based separators developed remained stable and didn’t become smaller in size up to temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius. Fang and her team tested varying thicknesses of lignin and found that films measuring 25 micrometers, which is thinner than one quarter of a human hair, were the most effective at keeping the inside of the battery stable and keeping the anode and cathode from connecting. Using the lignin film inside the battery had another benefit: the increased stability inside the battery also resulted in an improved cycle life, or how many times the battery can be charged and used. “We were surprised to see that the lignin film also improved the battery’s cycle life,” said Fang. “We increased the battery’s cycle life by 60%.” A third advantage of this research is an environmentally friendly one. The team was able to manufacture the lignin separators using a low-cost dry processing method. This meant that the team was able to produce large quantities of the lignin film, on demand, while avoiding the use of harmful solvents commonly used in traditional separator manufacturing, which can be harmful to the environment. In this case, the researchers were able to use lignin and other materials that provided a 100% raw material conversion to create a film without creating any waste or pollution. “Lignin, particularly lignosulfonate, is naturally abundant and it doesn’t need any further treatment to function in batteries,” said Fang. “This work demonstrates a new design pathway to improve both the safety and manufacturability of battery materials.” This research was published in Advanced Materials, and the technology is patent pending through the MSU Innovation Center.
#Expert Perspective: When AI Follows the Rules but Misses the Point
When a team of researchers asked an artificial intelligence system to design a railway network that minimized the risk of train collisions, the AI delivered a surprising solution: Halt all trains entirely. No motion, no crashes. A perfect safety record, technically speaking, but also a total failure of purpose. The system did exactly what it was told, not what was meant. This anecdote, while amusing on the surface, encapsulates a deeper issue confronting corporations, regulators, and courts: What happens when AI faithfully executes an objective but completely misjudges the broader context? In corporate finance and governance, where intentions, responsibilities, and human judgment underpin virtually every action, AI introduces a new kind of agency problem, one not grounded in selfishness, greed, or negligence, but in misalignment. From Human Intent to Machine Misalignment Traditionally, agency problems arise when an agent (say, a CEO or investment manager) pursues goals that deviate from those of the principal (like shareholders or clients). The law provides remedies: fiduciary duties, compensation incentives, oversight mechanisms, disclosure rules. These tools presume that the agent has motives—whether noble or self-serving—that can be influenced, deterred, or punished. But AI systems, especially those that make decisions autonomously, have no inherent intent, no self-interest in the traditional sense, and no capacity to feel gratification or remorse. They are designed to optimize, and they do, often with breathtaking speed, precision, and, occasionally, unintended consequences. This new configuration, where AI acting on behalf of a principal (still human!), gives rise to a contemporary agency dilemma. Known as the alignment problem, it describes situations in which AI follows its assigned objective to the letter but fails to appreciate the principal’s actual intent or broader values. The AI doesn’t resist instructions; it obeys them too well. It doesn’t “cheat,” but sometimes it wins in ways we wish it wouldn’t. When Obedience Becomes a Liability In corporate settings, such problems are more than philosophical. Imagine a firm deploying AI to execute stock buybacks based on a mix of market data, price signals, and sentiment analysis. The AI might identify ideal moments to repurchase shares, saving the company money and boosting share value. But in the process, it may mimic patterns that look indistinguishable from insider trading. Not because anyone programmed it to cheat, but because it found that those actions maximized returns under the constraints it was given. The firm may find itself facing regulatory scrutiny, public backlash, or unintended market disruption, again not because of any individual’s intent, but because the system exploited gaps in its design. This is particularly troubling in areas of law where intent is foundational. In securities regulation, fraud, market manipulation, and other violations typically require a showing of mental state: scienter, mens rea, or at least recklessness. Take spoofing, where an agent places bids or offers with the intent to cancel them to manipulate market prices or to create an illusion of liquidity. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, this is a crime if done with intent to deceive. But AI, especially those using reinforcement learning (RL), can arrive at similar strategies independently. In simulation studies, RL agents have learned that placing and quickly canceling orders can move prices in a favorable direction. They weren’t instructed to deceive; they simply learned that it worked. The Challenge of AI Accountability What makes this even more vexing is the opacity of modern AI systems. Many of them, especially deep learning models, operate as black boxes. Their decisions are statistically derived from vast quantities of data and millions of parameters, but they lack interpretable logic. When an AI system recommends laying off staff, reallocating capital, or delaying payments to suppliers, it may be impossible to trace precisely how it arrived at that recommendation, or whether it considered all factors. Traditional accountability tools—audits, testimony, discovery—are ill-suited to black box decision-making. In corporate governance, where transparency and justification are central to legitimacy, this raises the stakes. Executives, boards, and regulators are accustomed to probing not just what decision was made, but also why. Did the compensation plan reward long-term growth or short-term accounting games? Did the investment reflect prudent risk management or reckless speculation? These inquiries depend on narrative, evidence, and ultimately the ability to assign or deny responsibility. AI short-circuits that process by operating without human-like deliberation. The challenge isn’t just about finding someone to blame. It’s about whether we can design systems that embed accountability before things go wrong. One emerging approach is to shift from intent-based to outcome-based liability. If an AI system causes harm that could arise with certain probability, even without malicious design, the firm or developer might still be held responsible. This mirrors concepts from product liability law, where strict liability can attach regardless of intent if a product is unreasonably dangerous. In the AI context, such a framework would encourage companies to stress-test their models, simulate edge cases, and incorporate safety buffers, not unlike how banks test their balance sheets under hypothetical economic shocks. There is also a growing consensus that we need mandatory interpretability standards for certain high-stakes AI systems, including those used in corporate finance. Developers should be required to document reward functions, decision constraints, and training environments. These document trails would not only assist regulators and courts in assigning responsibility after the fact, but also enable internal compliance and risk teams to anticipate potential failures. Moreover, behavioral “stress tests” that are analogous to those used in financial regulation could be used to simulate how AI systems behave under varied scenarios, including those involving regulatory ambiguity or data anomalies. Smarter Systems Need Smarter Oversight Still, technical fixes alone will not suffice. Corporate governance must evolve toward hybrid decision-making models that blend AI’s analytical power with human judgment and ethical oversight. AI can flag risks, detect anomalies, and optimize processes, but it cannot weigh tradeoffs involving reputation, fairness, or long-term strategy. In moments of crisis or ambiguity, human intervention remains indispensable. For example, an AI agent might recommend renegotiating thousands of contracts to reduce costs during a recession. But only humans can assess whether such actions would erode long-term supplier relationships, trigger litigation, or harm the company’s brand. There’s also a need for clearer regulatory definitions to reduce ambiguity in how AI-driven behaviors are assessed. For example, what precisely constitutes spoofing when the actor is an algorithm with no subjective intent? How do we distinguish aggressive but legal arbitrage from manipulative behavior? If multiple AI systems, trained on similar data, converge on strategies that resemble collusion without ever “agreeing” or “coordination,” do antitrust laws apply? Policymakers face a delicate balance: Overly rigid rules may stifle innovation, while lax standards may open the door to abuse. One promising direction is to standardize governance practices across jurisdictions and sectors, especially where AI deployment crosses borders. A global AI system could affect markets in dozens of countries simultaneously. Without coordination, firms will gravitate toward jurisdictions with the least oversight, creating a regulatory race to the bottom. Several international efforts are already underway to address this. The 2025 International Scientific Report on the Safety of Advanced AI called for harmonized rules around interpretability, accountability, and human oversight in critical applications. While much work remains, such frameworks represent an important step toward embedding legal responsibility into the design and deployment of AI systems. The future of corporate governance will depend not just on aligning incentives, but also on aligning machines with human values. That means redesigning contracts, liability frameworks, and oversight mechanisms to reflect this new reality. And above all, it means accepting that doing exactly what we say is not always the same as doing what we mean Looking to know more or connect with Wei Jiang, Goizueta Business School’s vice dean for faculty and research and Charles Howard Candler Professor of Finance. Simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview or time to talk today.
