Category Archives: Human Behavior

Human Behavior

City Of Boulder Releases its first Crisis Intervention Response Team Report – City of Boulder

The Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) program launched in February 2021 to help meet the needs of community members experiencing behavioral health crisis. Behavioral health refers to instances where a person is experiencing mental health issues and/or a substance use disorder.

CIRT is a co-response team composed of licensed behavioral health clinicians from the citys Housing and Human Services Department paired with Boulder Police Department officers. Under this program, clinicians and police jointly respond to calls involving a behavioral health crisis to help de-escalate situations and connect those in need to available services.

The CIRT program was developed to help fill a gap in responding to concerning, but noncriminal behavior. Teaming behavioral health specialists with officers allows us to offer the best available response in these types of situations, said Housing and Human Services Policy Manager Wendy Schwartz. Weve seen substantial utilization of the program in its first few months and are proud of the impact it has made in our community.

Police Chief Maris Herold agreed, saying The co-responder program has had a tremendously positive impact in the Boulder community and the police department in several aspects. Our officers are greatly appreciative of the CIRT partnership because of the knowledge, resources and diverse skill set they bring. This team approach helps our officers in responding to calls as well as our community members in crisis.

The report summarizes the first six months of CIRT operation. Key highlights include:

The city will publish annual CIRT program reports, with the goal of continuous improvement and the ability to compare trends or changes over time. The city has also applied for federal funding to support an independent program evaluation by professional research consultants.

As the CIRT program continues, the city will explore opportunities to expand capacity or implement complementary programs to support behavioral health. Crisis intervention is just one piece of the broad spectrum of behavioral health treatment needs supported by the city and its regional partners.

For more information, visit the city's website.

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City Of Boulder Releases its first Crisis Intervention Response Team Report - City of Boulder

Human Behavior

What Is ‘Toxic Positivity’ and Why Is It Bad for the Workplace? – Entrepreneur

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Toxic positivity simply meansextreme positive thinking that leads to the masking of real life problems.

In a workplace, showing negative emotions isconsidered verboten. As a result, everyonetends to be on their best behavioral facade.

When a leader, who people look up to, pushestheir positive mindset on others?It will turnugly, because employees will feel uncomfortable sharing problemsthat need to be addressed.

Resolving the issues that are causing negative sentiments in the teamis the only alternative for promotingemotional wellbeing.

Here's howleaders can avoid this production-depleting issue...

Related:Top Signs of a ToxicWorkplaceand How to Deal

If leaders want unbiased in-house reviews, theyneed to build a healthyrelationship with theirworkers. It is human behavior to hide any negative thoughts because they don't want to seem weak and vulnerable.A good boss will provide an environment where people are okay to lose thispositive facade and share their vulnerabilities.

Should employees sharefinancial difficulties or askfor a raise?An owners shouldn'tblame the market and ask them to be thankful that they have a job.Instead they should be transparent. If a bossesbelieves a hike in pay is warranted, they should get it. If they thinkotherwise, share thoughts and be compassionate.Related:WorkplaceCulture Doesn't Matter. Until It Does.

Instead of saying"let's keep the problems aside and have complete focus on achieving our targets"? Modify it to: "Our goals are important to all of us, but if you feel there are any issues that need to be addressed, so we canreach our ideals, please share it. Let's discuss and find solutions."

Toxic positivity at the workplace can full-on affect productivity. Instead of undermining the issues that an employee is facing, it is always a better to try and resolve it. Listen to the feedback,acknowledgethe problems, be compassionate, provide solutionsand maintain trust.Related:7 tips for handling toxic people at work

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What Is 'Toxic Positivity' and Why Is It Bad for the Workplace? - Entrepreneur

Human Behavior

Apple Podcasts presents the Best of 2021 – Apple Newsroom

November 30, 2021

UPDATE

Apple Podcasts presents the Best of 2021

Apple celebrates this years best and most popular podcasts and their creators

Each year, Apple recognizes the best and most popular podcasts for their exceptional content, unique ability to engage audiences, and innovation in craft, spanning production, presentation, sound design, and more, that expand the definition of podcasting and deepen its impact on listeners worldwide. This year, Apple Podcasts Best of 2021 features shows and creators that provided listeners with a powerful sense of connection in a challenging and uncertain time, curated by Apple Podcasts world-class editorial team.

Apple Podcasts is pleased to recognize A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar from Pushkin Industries as Best Show of the Year, and Anything for Selena with Maria Garcia from WBUR and Futuro Studios as Newcomer of the Year. These deeply personal yet universally relatable shows grapple with profound change, perceptions of identity and self-worth, and the meaning of belonging, with thought-provoking discussions that reflect the human experience.

2021 marked the start of a new chapter for podcasting with shows that moved us in ways unlike ever before, said Oliver Schusser, Apples vice president of Apple Music and Beats. We are honored to recognize the phenomenal creators who are redefining podcasting with this years best shows, and to help more listeners around the world discover, enjoy, and support their inspiring work.

Best Show of the Year: A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar

Maya Shankar is no stranger to change. Before she was a cognitive scientist who founded theWhite House Behavioral Science Team and served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations, she had a different plan. My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note, said Shankar, who was a student of Itzhak Perlman at The Juilliard School at the time.I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without it.

A Slight Change of Plans blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help listeners navigate their own big change. Its easy for us to feel overwhelmed by any given change. Ive often found myself thinking, Ive never gone through this particular change before what do I do? Shankar said. But while our changes may appear different on the surface, cognitive science teaches us that the strategies we use to navigate those changes can be quite similar. Which is heartening to realize! It means we can learn from changes that dont look like ours.

The show features stories about all sorts of change, from Tiffany Haddish discussing how she navigated the foster care system and discovered that she had a rare gift that would change her life, to John Elder Robison, who underwent experimental brain treatment to try and increase his emotional sensitivity. The show dives deep into the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth, and features illuminating conversations with Oscar-nominated actor Riz Ahmed, Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves, professional rock climber Tommy Caldwell, and other real-life inspirations like Shankar herself, who had her own slight change of plans earlier this year.

Newcomer of the Year: Anything for Selena with MariaGarcia

Anything for Selena asks profound questions about belonging. I loved Selena since I was 7 years old, said journalist Maria Garcia. I couldnt articulate this when I was younger, but I felt a profound sense that she mattered not just because of her music, but because of her expansive cultural impact.

That set Garcia on a personal quest, leading her to ask questions about Latino fatherhood, fraught relationships with race and language, and her own identity. We tried to make meaning of Selenas life and legacy, she said. I wanted to write her a love letter, an ode, a beautiful story.

We started production in the summer of 2020, Garcia added. I recorded the show with just my microphone and MacBook in my walk-in closet, which we padded for crisp sound, so the podcast truly came together in the thick of the pandemic. It felt natural to use the tools of my craft rigorous reporting, vulnerable storytelling, cultural analysis to do Selenas legacy justice, to prove that she left an indelible mark on Latino identity and American belonging. And so many people wrote to tell me that the podcast made them feel seen.

In addition to Best Show of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, Apple recognized a curated collection of shows and episodes that defined and reflected 2021.

Shows of the Year

A Kids Book About: The Podcast with Matthew Winner, for taking a thoughtful, friendly, and considered approach to explaining the big things in life fear, failure, and divorce, for instance but also activism, sharing, and money, to kids.

Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain, for making listeners feel as though theyre her best friend, helping them through doubt and sadness with her unique frankness, keen observations, and genuine affection.

Good Inside with Dr. Becky, for Becky Kennedys calming, validating voice to parents everywhere, acknowledging that if this time (and parenting generally) feels hard, thats because it is.

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang from Will Ferrells Big Money Players Network, for a joyfully escapist experience that takes listeners on a quirky, hilarious, and unforgettable journey into the beating heart of culture.

Pantsuit Politics with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, for offering a unique approach to the news and politics through grace-filled conversations that unpack the valid, complicated, hard differences that persist in this moment.

Teenager Therapy with Gael Aitor, Kayla Suarez, Mark Hugo, and Thomas Pham, for reminding everyone that direct, vulnerable conversations among friends no matter the issue is the best medicine.

The Experiment from The Atlantic and WNYC Studios with Julia Longoria, for elucidating the notion that countries like people are unfinished works in progress, and facilitating a dialogue about what it means to be a citizen.

The Midnight Miracle from Luminary with Talib Kweli, yasiin bey, and Dave Chappelle, for a completely original experience that transports listeners into the room with remarkable energy from its hosts and very special guests.

This Land from Crooked Media with Rebecca Nagle, for investigating and explaining the experiences of Native Americans to recontextualize Americas understanding of its own history.

U Up? with Jordana Abraham and Jared Freid, for exploring the very real often hilarious concerns of trying to find a partner, with banter that keeps listeners coming back no matter their relationship status.

Episodes of the Year

A Friendly Ghost Story, about a painful, personal ghosting experience that explores the complexity of human relationships, from Invisibilia with Yowei Shaw and Kia Miakka Natisse by NPR.

Bubba Wallace, from Club Shay Shay by FOX Sports, which sees host Shannon Sharpe and Bubba Wallace, a Daytona 500 runner-up and the first African American driver to win Rookie of the Year in a NASCAR series, discuss the intersection of sports, politics, entertainment, and humanity.

Glorious Basterds, about a chance encounter with Paul Rudd at a movie theater that causes a formerly devout Jehovahs Witness to rethink her future and embark on a new life, from Storytime with Seth Rogen by Earwolf.

How Do I Love Someone? a nonfiction rom-com about love during the pandemic, from WILD with Megan Tan by LAist Studios and KPCC.

My Parents, Ellen and Tom, a clear-eyed gem of an episode that sees host Ian Coss examine divorce by interviewing his parents about how and why their marriage ended without anger or recrimination, from Forever is a Long Time.

The Body Mass Index, about the complicated history of the BMI and the obesity epidemic, from Maintenance Phase with Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes.

The People in the Neighborhood, which examines the murder of George Floyd through the neighbors who bore witness to it, from Still Processing with Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris by the New York Times.

The Symphony, a mesmerizing, lyrical trip featuring Kevin Hart, Questlove, Mo Amer, Bill Burr, Pras, Michelle Wolf, and Jon Stewart, from The Midnight Miracle with Talib Kweli, yasiin bey, and Dave Chappelle, by Luminary.

The Unwritten Rules of Black TV, which traces the cyclical, uneven history of Black representation on television, from The Experiment with Hannah Giorgis by The Atlantic and WNYC Studios.

This Strange Story, about people who were completely cut off from the world when 9/11 happened and how they processed it, from 9/12 with Dan Taberski by Amazon Music, Wondery, and Pineapple Street Studios.

Apple Podcasts Charts

Apple Podcasts also published new charts today, highlighting the most popular new shows, free channels, and individual shows and channels with subscriptions that launched this year in the US. Listeners can browse these new charts, plus those for all Top Shows and Top Episodes, at apple.co/podcasts.

Top New Shows

Top Free Channels

Top Subscriptions

Individual Shows

Channels

About Apple Podcasts

Apple took podcasts mainstream more than 15 years ago, helping inform, entertain, and inspire hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide with gripping stories and fresh perspectives. Apple Podcasts is the best place for listeners to discover and enjoy their favorite podcasts, featuring millions of shows in more than 100 languages. Apple Podcasts Subscriptions is the easiest way for listeners to support their favorite creators and unlock premium content and additional benefits, including early access, extra episodes, and ad-free listening. Apple Podcasts is available for free in over 170 countries and regions on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod and HomePod mini, CarPlay, iTunes on Windows, Amazon Alexa, and other smart speakers and car systems. More information is available at apple.com/apple-podcasts.

Press Contacts

Zach Kahn

Apple

zkahn@apple.com

(669) 276-2811

Apple Media Helpline

media.help@apple.com

(408) 974-2042

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Apple Podcasts presents the Best of 2021 - Apple Newsroom

Human Behavior

Pega Introduces New AI-Powered Capability to Usher in the Next Generation of Omnichannel Marketing – Yahoo Finance

New Pega Customer Decision Hub feature transforms customer journeys to deliver the most relevant experiences possible

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the software company that crushes business complexity, today announced Next-Best-Action Customer Journeys, a new AI-powered capability modernizing traditional customer journeys with intelligent decisioning and propensity modeling for optimal customer interactions. This capability transforms conventional marketing by considering the changing nature of human behavior. Instead of forcing customers down pre-determined paths, marketers can intelligently sense customers' unique context and needs at any given moment, adjust and change their outreach approach in real time, and proactively deliver personalized messages on their preferred channels.

The corporate logo for Pega (PRNewsfoto/Pegasystems Inc.)

As organizations face continued pressure to capture customers' very limited attention in an increasingly noisy and competitive environment, traditional approaches to journey orchestration are no longer working. Typically, brands rely on prescriptive journeys to push products to predefined segments of customers at predetermined points in time. But because humans are complex and do not always follow a linear path, this approach often results in poorly timed, overly sales-focused communications. At best, the customer ignores an irrelevant offer, and at worst they jump to a competitor.

Part of Pega Customer Decision Hub, Next-Best-Action Customer Journeys takes a transformational approach, providing a unified solution that helps organizations to:

Rapidly activate journey data: Instead of business rules and predefined experiences, each customer's current journey and stage can now automatically be integrated into next-best-action decisioning models. By incorporating all available sources of customer data, organizations can increase predictive accuracy and relevance of every experience in real time, ultimately helping improve performance.

Orchestrate journeys with real-time propensity scoring: While traditional solutions require users to construct siloed, product-centric experiences that consider a limited number of interactions on a small subset of channels, Next-Best-Action Customer Journeys offers a single, propensity-driven solution that optimizes end-to-end customer experiences across use cases, channels, and lines of business. Based on real-time, data-driven scoring, businesses can understand exactly when they need to pivot between selling, serving, and retaining customers in real time as their needs change.

Analyze and optimize journey performance: Integrated journey visualization capabilities generate graphical representations of end-to-end customer experiences and update in real time as individuals interact with brands throughout their journeys. This helps marketers to identify optimal journey paths across channels and stages, preemptively remove roadblocks, and drive continuous performance improvement.

Part of the Pega Infinity digital transformation software suite, Pega Customer Decision Hub serves as an always-on 'brain' providing centralized AI across all customer touchpoints inbound, outbound, and paid to optimize every interaction and maximize customer value. Its predictive analytics and customer decision management enables organizations to surface unique insights and recommend the next best action in real time during every step of the customer lifecycle from marketing to sales to customer service and retention.

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Next-Best-Action Customer Journeys is available today. To learn more about this new capability, visit http://www.pega.com/products/decision-hub/customer-journey-management.

Quotes & Commentary: "While the opportunity to attract customers' attention is more elusive than ever, most traditional marketing tools still can't meet customers exactly where they are on their journeys," said Dr. Rob Walker, vice president of decisioning and analytics, Pegasystems. "Instead of creating static experiences based on deterministic logic, organizations need to optimize and humanize the customer experience. Next-Best-Action Customer Journeys provides businesses a propensity-driven solution that adapts to customers' context in real time, bringing true value and relevance to customers and driving results in a way that's never been done before."

Supporting Resources:

About Pegasystems Pega delivers innovative software that crushes business complexity so our clients can make better decisions and get work done. We help the world's leading brands solve their biggest business challenges: maximizing customer lifetime value, streamlining customer service, and boosting operational efficiency. Pega technology is powered by real-time AI and intelligent automation, while our scalable architecture and low-code platform help enterprises adapt to rapid change and transform for tomorrow. For more information, please visit http://www.pega.com.

Press Contact: Ilena RyanPegasystems Inc. Ilena.ryan@pega.com(617) 866-6722 Twitter: @pega

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Cision

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Pega Introduces New AI-Powered Capability to Usher in the Next Generation of Omnichannel Marketing - Yahoo Finance

Human Behavior

A Narrowboat Holiday Places an Unsuspecting Woman at the Center of a Devastating Tragedy in New Fast-Paced, Split-Narrative Psychological Thriller -…

'Cari Moses' by Judith Tyler Hills is a gripping story of love, loss and revenge set along North West England's inland waterways

NORFOLK, England, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A wife anguishing over fertility complications, a husband aching to make his hurting wife happy, a homeless teenager running from her troubled past, a man hunting pregnant women to satisfy his boiling hatred and a newborn baby lying helplessly in a canalwhile seemingly separate, these lives are inextricably linked through each other's desperate decisions in Judith Tyler Hills' debut thriller, "Cari Moses."

After a string of failed pregnancies puts a devastating strain on high-school sweethearts Karen and Ben, the two embark on a narrowboat holiday. Ben naively believes that this getaway will shorten the emotional distance between them, yet Karen continues to withdraw from their relationship. However, when an orphaned infant emerges from the dark, murky waters, Karen grows attached and brings the newly named Cari Moses home albeit at Ben's protest.

While hope is reborn for Karen, unimaginable tragedy strikes for others. Unbeknownst to the couple, Cari Moses is tied to a new mother's shocking disappearance at the hand of a serial killer obsessed with enacting revenge on pregnant women. Also woven into the story are the perspectives of other players involved or otherwise affected by this unfortunate series of events, including midwife Pam, police officer Sandy and vagrant Leckie.

In writing "Cari Moses," Hills marries her lifelong career in healthcare with her passion for narrowboating, taking readers on a twisting journey through bustling city streets and chilling canals as well as cold police station halls and sterile, curtained rooms in the ICU. Through exploring themes of deception, depravity and human frailty, her book illustrates the enormous range of human behavior and the possibility of redemption for those who seek it.

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A page-turning psychological thriller with cliff-hangers awaiting at the end of every chapter, "Cari Moses" demonstrates the far-reaching consequences of decisions, both good and evil.

"Cari Moses" By Judith Tyler Hills ISBN: 9781665588317 (softcover); 9781665588300 (hardcover); 9781665588324 (electronic) Available from Amazon, Waterstones and AuthorHouse

About the author Dr. Judith Tyler Hills has led a busy and varied life working for forty years in health, education, psychology and research. She first qualified as a nurse, midwife and health visitor in the 1960s and worked for some of that time in a large psychiatric hospital. "Cari Moses" is Hills' first novel, inspired by her working life, her experience as a Samaritan volunteer and her leisure time spent aboard her narrow boat Cloud Nine. To learn more about Hills, please visit judithtylerhills.com.

Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Meghan Bowman 480-306-6597 mbowman@lavidge.com

Media Contact

Meghan Bowman, LAVIDGE, 480-306-6597, mbowman@lavidge.com

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A Narrowboat Holiday Places an Unsuspecting Woman at the Center of a Devastating Tragedy in New Fast-Paced, Split-Narrative Psychological Thriller -...

Human Behavior

Access the Experts: Tara Richards | News – University of Nebraska Omaha

In this installment, Richards answers: "Has the Violence Against Women Act worked in protecting women?"

Access the Experts is an innovative partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and News Channel Nebraska (NCN), where viewers submit their questions to be answered by UNO faculty members.

Tara Richards, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha answers the question: "Has the Violence Against Women Act worked in protecting women?"

Tara Richards is an associate professor within the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice focusing on intimate partner violence, sexual assault, campus sexual misconduct, and the role of gender in victimization and the criminal justice system processes in her research.

Richards' work has been featured in "Justice Quarterly, Crime & Delinquency," and "Law and Human Behavior." Currently, she is an active member of the American Society of Criminology's Division on Women and Crime (DWC), a member of the Editorial Board for the "Journal of Experimental Criminology" and the "Journal of Women and Criminal Justice." She also serves on the Douglas County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Domestic Violence Community Response Team (DV CRT), the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Working Group, and is the site coach for Nebraska's Justice Reinvestment initiative.

Access the Experts is an innovative partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and News Channel Nebraska (NCN), where viewers submit their questions to be answered by UNO faculty members.

New segments of Access the Experts air every Tuesday at 6:46 A.M.

The segment will re-air on Tuesday at 6:46 P.M., and Thursday at 6:46 A.M. and 6:46 P.M.

If youre not sure how to tune in, visit News Channel Nebraskas website to view their coverage areas.

View all segments on our Access the Experts page.

Located in one of Americas best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraskas premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Follow UNO on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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Access the Experts: Tara Richards | News - University of Nebraska Omaha

Human Behavior

Mass Star Ann Dowd and Writer-Director Fran Kranz on How Emotional Film Portrays the Power of Human Connection – Hollywood Reporter

In Bleecker Streets Mass, the impact of a school shooting on two sets of parents those of a victim (played by Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton) and those of the perpetrator (Reed Birney and Ann Dowd) meet for a raw and emotional conversation years after the shooting took place. Throughout the course of the film, which unfolds in real time, the group attempts to find healing even if that process dredges up plenty of grief and pain.

The intimate drama is an acting masterclass featuring four veterans delivering some of the best performances of their careers. Anchoring it is a thoughtful and compassionate script from writer-director Fran Kranz. Dowd and Kranz spoke to THR about the powerful drama, how actor-turned-helmer Kranz allowed his cast space to deliver their best performances and the healing power of finding empathy for others.

Fran, did a specific moment in recent history inspire you to start writing this film?

FRAN KRANZ The movie initially came out of a desire to know more about the subject. I was this new, terrified, angry, frustrated, confused parent thinking about the frequency of these events in this country. The real catalyst was the Parkland [Florida] shooting [on Feb. 14, 2018]. I went online that night and started reading everything I could about gun violence and mass shootings in America.

Ive always been really fascinated and inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, but I didnt feel like I had any kind of entry point into a film about the TRC. As an American, I didnt know what I could really to do with the passion for this thing that happened in another country when I was growing up. My research into mass shootings [helped me make] that connection. I thought of this meeting between [the parents] like an amnesty hearing in South Africa. It is an effort to heal and potentially find reconciliation through unimaginable pain.

Ann, what was your reaction to the script when you first read it?

ANN DOWD It was so beautifully written so powerful, intentional, clear that there was no question. The one real [scary] thought was, Can I settle into this level of grief and stay there? Thank God Ive been doing this job for a minute or two, so I knew that I wasnt going to let the fear of it influence whether I said yes or no.

Fran, you and I were both in high school when the 1999 Columbine shooting happened. Did that feel like a turning point when this became a never-ending crisis?

KRANZ Absolutely. I think Columbine has been underneath my skin for 20 years. I know exactly where I was when I found out it happened, and I remember taking in my school with a whole new set of eyes. High school is hard for everyone, and I think everyone experiences some sort of bullying. You certainly wish harm on people who have hurt you, especially at that age. To think that peers of mine essentially went there that was horrifying.

When my daughter was a toddler, I realized Im going to make mistakes constantly. I love this girl more than anything, and yet sometimes I go to sleep at night thinking, Man, I screwed up today. Parenting is hard work, and I dont think I could have made this film if I wasnt so struck by or disarmed with compassion for the parent of a school shooter. We understand and sympathize with victims pain, but its harder for us to find ourselves in the parents of the shooters who have some compassion for [their children, too]. The film is about finding a way to cultivate a new kind of empathy.

Fran, what did your acting experience offer you when you stepped into the director role?

KRANZ I never imagined [hiring] actors with this kind of talent, so I recognized what I had and how lucky I was. I tried to put a premium on their instincts great actors have great insight into human behavior and human nature. We had a two-and-a-half-day rehearsal where it was critical that I had no ego about the script. I had to listen to them and hear where they were confused, or where they thought something didnt quite work, or something was missing, whatever the case may be. Theyre as good as it gets; you truly dont get better than these four actors.

DOWD Did I have anything to change? About who [my character] Linda was?

KRANZ There were little things. At one point, I had Linda volunteering at a suicide prevention hotline. You pointed out that it was a bit confusing for this womans journey, where she was was that appropriate to share with these people? I liked [that detail] because I thought it was endearing that this woman was trying, and I thought it felt truthful. But it took an actor to come in and say, Yes, but I needed those actors to be 100 percent engaged with the material. [I didnt want] a moment where Ann was just politely and respectfully doing the lines because I had written them. I really tried to stay out of their way because, again, I recognized their talent and tried to give them a long leash, to stay out of the room, be very careful and economical with my words.

Ann, does having an actor as a director make a difference?

DOWD Yes, it certainly mattered. That was a wonderful bonus, [on top of] his kindness and intelligence and natural compassion that was ever present from sentence one in rehearsal. He knows exactly what it means when you go to that place of vulnerability. It was a beautiful reminder to the actors, I think, to let us settle into where we [were]. I loved the closeness and, it seemed to me, tons of privacy. Fran wasnt in the room. I forget where the cameras were; were they there? They must have been because we have a film, but I dont remember them.

KRANZ Jason [Isaacs] mentioned that as well that he didnt remember the cameras. It was designed that way to not be invasive or intrusive of what they were doing. I did not want to be in the room, so we designed a system that was literally clockwork we moved with the sun. I knew we only had two or three takes for certain scenes because we were doing almost 20-minute takes. I know as an actor its really unhelpful and unwanted, really, when anyone on set is concerned about how we have no time. That kind of energy is never helpful for performance. Every day was a Hail Mary of sorts; if anything went wrong, it could have been a disaster. We did the work so that we could revolve around these actors and let them act. There was a lot of faith there. The fact that the actors cant remember the cameras is probably the greatest thing I could have done as an director.

There is a lot of meaning in the films title. Theres a religious connotation it takes place in a church. And, of course, theres the mass shooting that brought these four together. But Im curious what you thought about the title as you were making the film.

KRANZ To me, it is about the gathering of people, the assembling of people, the bringing of bodies together the secular definition. And that also speaks to the power and value of human connection, physical human connection. I really believe the most transcendent things in life happen when were close, when were together, when we can see one another in person. These conversations arent possible, this kind of healing and forgiveness. Reconciliation is not possible without sitting down and being in the physical presence of one another. I worry about how divided the country is, and I am very much attached to this meaning of bringing people together. Thats why the movie is shot the way it is. I didnt want to compromise that with flashbacks or inserts or even music because I wanted to celebrate the action of people sitting down and listening to one another.

DOWD I support that. We try to convince ourselves that were different from one another. And surely we are. We share a human heart and a wish and desire to lay down the burdens of our lives, even though we try our very best to hold on to them. As human beings, we are a collection of people together. And the thought of separateness is an illusion that we cling to.

Interview edited for length and clarity.

This story first appeared in a November stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

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Mass Star Ann Dowd and Writer-Director Fran Kranz on How Emotional Film Portrays the Power of Human Connection - Hollywood Reporter

Human Behavior

We can prevail over Omicron. We just need to use the tools we have – The Guardian

Last week, we learned from virus sequencing and rapid reporting by South African scientists that there is a new variant with 50 mutations compared with the original Wuhan strain. It quickly was named Omicron and categorized as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization, a designation that hasbeen used for only four previous variants (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta) among thousands of variants noted in the evolution of the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

We do know a few things about Omicron, namely its sequence and the site of its abundant mutations, far more than previous variants of concern, and some at spots in the virus RNA that may substantially affect transmission or impair our immune system (or vaccine-induced immunity) to respond. That is all theoretical, since there have been other mutation-laden variants in the past that were picked up but turned out to be void of any clinical consequence.

We also can deduce that Omicron must have originated from an immunocompromised host to have such an extensive number of mutations (from an initial Alpha variant lineage) to rapidly evolve in the persons body. That phenomenon has been demonstrated with multiple previous cases whereby there are unrestrained virus mutations inside a persons body due to an inadequate immune system defense. And the individuals chronic infection subsequently transmits to other people.

The other thing we know is that there has been an outbreak in the Gauteng province in South Africa and, after Omicron was flagged for the rest of the world, more than 15 countries have confirmed new cases, predominantly from travelers but now multiple community transmissions have been documented.

To date, the pattern of hospitalizations in Guateng is the same as with the prior waves, no worse or better. It is likely that Omicron has been around for months, but only recently was there the first sign of a sudden rise in one place. Fortunately, it was diagnosed quickly, and the rest of the world was forewarned, far better than for the previous variants of concern.

It remains unclear whether the proliferation of cases is related to high transmission, like Delta, or immune evasion, like Beta. Most likely because of the extensive mutations or what is known as antigen drift, it will behave more like Beta, with some immune evasion properties. The extent of that will be sorted out in the next couple of weeks by lab studies that look at the virus in culture and sera from people who are vaccinated to see how their neutralizing antibodies fare against Omicron.

But no matter the results of these lab studies and what tracking of new cases around the world show, we have all the tools to prevail over Omicron. That includes mitigation measures like masks, especially medical grade ones, physical distancing, ventilation and air filtration.

We have remarkably potent vaccines with 95% efficacy against symptomatic infections, hospitalizations and deaths. And even though these mRNA vaccines have some waning of effectiveness over five to six months, their efficacy is fully restored to 95% with a third shot (booster).

Moreover, that third shot induces remarkably high neutralizing antibodies, much higher than the second vaccine dose, and much broader activity against variants. Furthermore, the T-cell response to vaccines are far less variant sensitive than neutralizing antibodies, which puts us in good stead for fully vaccinated people to reduce the risk of severe disease.

Beyond mitigation and vaccination, we soon will have potent pills, when taken early in the first few days of a Covid infection, one with about 90% efficacy, to prevent hospitalizations and deaths. The protective benefit of pills such as Paxlovid is not expected to be affected by Omicron in any substantive way.

There are many fully validated rapid antigen tests that should be made freely available as in many other countries to help diagnose infectiousness in people with or without symptoms, which can promote early use of treatments, such as anti-Covid pills. Accordingly, we are better positioned to defend against Omicron than we would have been earlier in the pandemic. We are also probably on the cusp of developing pan-sarbecovirus vaccines, which may protect against all future variants, and just needs a global prioritized, coordinated and funded effort to accelerate the process. Yet the paramount thing holding us back is human behavior: the unwillingness and resistance to use all these tools.

Although Omicron is a source of concern, our problem now is lack of containment of Delta in the United States, with more than 90,000 new cases a day and more than 50,000 hospitalizations. We are the number one source of new infections in the world, and they are now all Delta. Had we managed to vaccinate more than 80% of our total population, as several countries have done, and used third shots to prevent any significant waning, we would have Delta contained. Our problem now is not Omicron, but rather not using the tools we have, which are getting better and better over time.

Eric Topol is the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, professor of molecular medicine, and executive vice-president of Scripps Research

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We can prevail over Omicron. We just need to use the tools we have - The Guardian

Human Behavior

IQVIA Recognized as a Leader in BPO Solutions for Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing – Business Wire

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IQVIA (NYSE:IQV), a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry, was judged a Leader by International Data Corporation (IDC) in its 2021 MarketScapeTM focused on the Worldwide Life Science Sales and Marketing Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Pharma space. IDC reached its conclusion based on in-depth and rigorous analysis utilized in its MarketScape research.

IQVIA continues to provide the pharmaceutical industry real world solutions with its BPO offerings, said Michael Townsend, research director, Life Sciences commercial Strategies, IDC Health Insights. As a designated Leader in the field, IQVIA is well placed to enable companies looking for improved outcomes, growth and productivity through BPO services.

IQVIAs strong position within the Leaders classification was illustrated by its placement on IDCs Capabilities and Strategies MarketScape axis. Among IQVIAs strengths, IDC observed it was well placed to use its data and analytics capabilities with a growing suite of software platforms and services that include: OneKey provider reference solutions, prescription data solutions, and Orchestrated Customer Engagement (OCE), rounding out its life science data and consulting practices.

IDCs MarketScape also recognized IQVIAs Human Data Science Cloud, which enables cloud-based harmonization and globalization of internal and external life science sales and marketing data. The assessment also noted IQVIA demonstrated state-of-the-art solutions that could be implemented and maintained by skilled workers virtually anywhere in the world, augmented by technologies such as cloud computing, AI, analytics and mobile devices.

IDC continues to recognize IQVIA as a leading provider of BPO solutions and services, said Kevin Knightly, president, Technology & Commercial Solutions for IQVIA. We remain committed to using our global data and analytics capabilities to provide our clients with real-world solutions that produce tangible results.

IDC analysts base individual vendor MarketScape scores and vendor positions on detailed surveys and interviews with the vendors, publicly available information, and end-user experiences. This level of in-depth analysis provides an accurate and consistent assessment of each vendor's characteristics, behavior, and capabilities.

About IQVIA

IQVIA (NYSE:IQV) is a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. IQVIA creates intelligent connections across all aspects of healthcare through its analytics, transformative technology, big data resources and extensive domain expertise. IQVIA Connected Intelligence delivers powerful insights with speed and agility enabling customers to accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of innovative medical treatments that improve healthcare outcomes for patients. With approximately 77,000 employees, IQVIA conducts operations in more than 100 countries.

IQVIA is a global leader in protecting individual patient privacy. The company uses a wide variety of privacy-enhancing technologies and safeguards to protect individual privacy while generating and analyzing information on a scale that helps healthcare stakeholders identify disease patterns and correlate with the precise treatment path and therapy needed for better outcomes. IQVIAs insights and execution capabilities help biotech, medical device and pharmaceutical companies, medical researchers, government agencies, payers and other healthcare stakeholders tap into a deeper understanding of diseases, human behaviors and scientific advances, in an effort to advance their path toward cures. To learn more, visit http://www.iqvia.com.

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IQVIA Recognized as a Leader in BPO Solutions for Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing - Business Wire

Human Behavior

Board games, video games you love reveal how you prepare for life and work with others – Study Finds

LEIPZIG, Germany Does a persons taste in sports and video games reveal how they approach the real world? A new study finds sports, board games, and video games prepare people for conflict and cooperation in real life and even keep groups together.

No matter how diverse a group of people is, researchers from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology discovered how games are an integral way of bonding. Competitive games can help groups where there is conflict, the research shows, while cooperative games can aid team harmony.

In the new study, making use of historical data, researchers identified 25 cultures in the Pacific that kept records of the games they played as they evolved. They looked at the structure of socially hierarchal cultures, how often members of a culture had conflicts with each other, how often cultures had conflicts with other cultures, and how often group members hunted and fished in groups.

The researchers found that the cultures that frequently engage in conflicts with other cultures play more cooperative games than competitive games. On the other hand, cultures with frequent conflicts with their own community members play more competitive games than cooperative games.

Researchers believe this human behavior can easily translate to modern-day sports, board games, and video games in how we as humans deal with conflict and cooperation. They believe games mimic real-world behavior and may be one avenue in which children learn and practice cultural norms.

We think that games might reflect aspects of human cultures, such as how competitive and cooperative the cultures are, says Sarah Leisterer-Peoples in a university release.

The cultures in our study lived in a broad geographic range, spanning the Pacific Ocean. The cultures were very diverse, but also shared similarities, which allow for a comparison on several aspects of the cultures, Leisterer-Peoples adds. We tried to hone in on these differences, while accounting for their similarities.

These findings might be non-intuitive at first glance, but make sense in light of theories on the evolution of cooperation in cultural groups, the study authors continues.

In times of conflict with other cultures, group members have to cooperate with one another and compete with their opponents.

This is reflected in the kinds of games that are playedgames with competing groups, Leisterer-Peoples explains. And when theres a lot of conflict among the members of a group, they tend to play games that are competitive. These findings suggest that the games we play reflect the socio-ecological characteristics of the culture that we are in.

Nowadays, store-bought games and video games have overtaken the traditional games that were played in childrens free time, the study author concludes. Future studies also need to investigate the specific skills that are learned through games, not just the degree of cooperation in the games.

The study appears in the journal PLoS ONE.

South West News Service writer Joe Morgan contributed to this report.

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Board games, video games you love reveal how you prepare for life and work with others - Study Finds