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sports

Seahawks Senior Bowl Updates: DL and DB prospects making waves in practice

Senior Bowl week is in full swing, and a number of players are making a strong case for themselves in practice throughout the last week. As you are likely aware, Pete Carroll and John Schneider love players with experience, and you will find that in droves here. Last year alone they drafted a number of participants; Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Abe Lucas, Tyreke Smith, Bo Melton and Boye Mafe. All three had sizeable impacts on the team in year one, to say the least. So who are some standouts this year who may pique their interest?


Karl Brooks—DL—Bowling Green

The Seattle Seahawks love versatility and unique traits, and Karl Brooks possesses both. While he may not have ideal physical traits in certain respects, he was one of the most productive pass rushers in the nation over the last two seasons. Originally projected as an EDGE, Brooks reportedly tipped the scales at over 300 lbs, but he still put up 10 sacks in 2022. He has the capability to play inside and out, and could have potential as a 3T/5T. He is the kind of guy who just seems to flash every time you watch him.

Derick Hall—EDGE—Auburn

Hall is earning comparisons to Montez Sweat. You may recall that there was some speculation that the Seahawks were interested in Sweat in 2019, but after their trade down with the Green Bay Packers, he was off the board and they ended up selecting LJ Collier, who was himself a Senior Bowl participant that year. Obviously, Sweat has been a productive player in the NFL and LJ Collier has not. Hall was recently mocked as a first round pick, but some project him as a second round prospect. He has a long wingspan, explosive hands, and looks to have the ability to set the edge in the run game. He was a productive pass rusher in the SEC (19.5 sacks over the last three season, with a career high 9 in 2021), and has been making waves at the Senior Bowl.

JL Skinner — Safety — Boise State

A tall rangy safety with ball-hawk tendencies who can hit? Who is projected as a mid-round prospect? Sign Pete Carroll up.

Here is a snippet from The NFL Draft Bible:

His exceptional length is really what gets the adrenaline pumping when eyeing up Skinner. Today he showed a knack for getting to the deep ball and range that likely impressed NFL scouts in attendance. The All-Mountain West First Team safety held back on one play. If he were full contact, he would have leveled the receiver. Skinner maintained his composure and left the moment to unleash a magnificent hit left to our imaginations.”

Julius Brents—DB—Kansas State

A versatile defensive back who can line up at safety or corner, Brents reportedly has the same wingspan as Tariq Woolen. Also like Woolen, he is projected as a mid/late round pick. By his own admission, he is a student of filmand he looks to be a potential ball hawk after picking off multiple passes during practice, as well as posting 4 interceptions for the Wildcats in 2022.


These are just a few of the players who caught my attention. Senior Bowl participants are typically on the older side for NFL prospects, obviously, but as noted above, that hasn’t dissuaded the team from going after these guys in previous drafts. Most of the players listed above are currently projected as Day Two/Day Three picks, but this week of practice can do a lot to elevate their draft stock. With a majority of the focus on the fact that Seattle has two first round picks, the reality remains that many of their most productive players last season (and in seasons of old) have been drafted in the mid/late rounds. Could one of the above guys follow in the footsteps of Tariq Woolen, Kam Chancellor, or even Boye Mafe?

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Business

Amazon Stock Falls on Mixed Earnings Report and Weak Forecast. AWS Missed Too.

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Entertainment

Why ’80 for Brady’ is the ultimate nostalgia movie

Tom Brady may be officially retiring (again), but his co-stars in the new movie “80 for Brady,” Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field and Rita Moreno, are still in the game.

In the comedy, based on a true story, Fonda, Tomlin, Field and Moreno play Brady-obsessed football fans who travel to Super Bowl LI in 2017, when the quarterback was still with the New England Patriots, in hopes of seeing him play in person.

“I’m a sports fan, and I think people, audiences, the world underestimates the huge sports audience that older women are,” Field said in an interview for the film.

Brady also serves as a producer on the movie, and the cast couldn’t help but be in awe of the titular quarterback’s all-around appeal. In an interview, Field gushed, “Just being around him is fabulous. He’s a terrific guy, and let’s face it, he is one of the most dazzling athletes who’s ever lived. It’ll be a long time before another quarterback comes along to top his accomplishments.”

TOM BRADY LEAVES ’80 FOR BRADY’ CO-STARS WANTING MORE: ‘YOUR JAW DROPS’

From left, Rita Moreno, Tom Brady, Sally Field, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda attend the Los Angeles premiere screening of Paramount Pictures’ “80 For Brady.”
(Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/File)

The 45-year-old shared just as much admiration for his co-stars, saying in an interview, “It’s really a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to be in their presence, to see them act. They are really the GOATs in what they do.”

“GOAT” of course stands for “Greatest of all time,” something the NFL legend has been dubbed on many occasions. And it’s no surprise, given his seven Super Bowl rings. But Brady’s trophy case barely holds a candle to the combined winning power of the movie’s star cast.

Between the four of them, Fonda, Tomlin, Field and Moreno share 12 Emmys, five Oscars, three Tonys and two Grammys. Moreno can boast at least one of all four trophies that make up an EGOT, and she is the first Latina woman to do so.

Rita Moreno won her Academy Award in 1962.

Rita Moreno won her Academy Award in 1962.
(Bettmann / Contributor)

Despite their incredible careers, “80 for Brady” marks the first time all four iconic actresses are together on-screen. For Fonda, who described it as a “fortuitous” opportunity, it was also a chance to work with women she calls friends.

TOM BRADY GETS RETIREMENT WELL-WISHES FROM GISELE BÜNDCHEN: ‘ONLY WONDERFUL THINGS’

Fonda and Tomlin have most recently starred together in Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie,” a comedy about two women who form an unlikely friendship later in life. But the pair have known each other for more than 40 years, going back to when they first teamed up for the classic workplace comedy “9 to 5.”

Of her fellow iconic castmates, Tomlin said, “Jane and I, people have just remarked so often over the chemistry we had on ‘Grace and Frankie,’ and I suppose it harks all the way back to ‘9 to 5.'”

Lily Tomlin, left, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton are shown on the set of "9 to 5."

Lily Tomlin, left, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton are shown on the set of “9 to 5.”
(Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images/File)

She continued, “I have great admiration for her. And I love the other two women, too. I mean, they’ve had incredible careers, and they’re just all around very accessible, sweet, very kind, very irreverent. So , they’re all the elements of a good time on the set.”

“9 to 5” also starred Dolly Parton, who wrote and performed the movie’s iconic song of the same name, and she serves as an unexpected focal point for all four stars to cross paths.

For example, Moreno wasn’t in the movie “9 to 5,” but she was in the ABC sitcom based off of the film, where she met Parton, who re-recorded the song for the series.

As for how Field ties into this web, she and Parton starred together in another classic female-led film, 1989’s “Steel Magnolias.”

TOM BRADY RESPONDS TO ROB GRONKOWSKI’S SUGGESTION THAT HE DATE SALLY FIELD

The cast of "Steel Magnolias" includes, from left, Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah.

The cast of “Steel Magnolias” includes, from left, Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah.
(Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images/File)

When it comes to “80 for Brady,” Parton doesn’t appear in the movie, but she does perform alongside another super group of singers made up of Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry on the original song for the film , “Gonna Be You.”

The song was written by 14-time Oscar-nominee Diane Warren, who wanted to assemble a dream team of singers.

“Since 80 was in the title I got a crazy idea, why not get some of the most iconic singers from the 80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?!!!!” Warren said in a press release for the film.

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But “80 for Brady” isn’t just about bringing together iconic stars from Hollywood, sports and music. As Moreno explained in an interview, “[It’s] a movie about friendship.”

Rita Moreno, left, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Sally Field star in "80 for Brady."

Rita Moreno, left, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Sally Field star in “80 for Brady.”
(Paramount Pictures)

In fact, the story is actually inspired by a real-life group of older women who bonded over a shared love for Tom Brady.

Elaine St. Martin, Betty Pensavalle and three other friends, Anita, Pat and Claire, made watching Brady play a regular Sunday activity, according to “CBS News Sunday Morning.” Though Brady moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is now retiring, the women continue to check in on each other.

“Good friends stick together and stay together and do for each other,” Pensavalle told the outlet.

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That bond translates on screen with the stars of the movie, who are also excited to highlight older women. As Moreno said, “I think what it does that is most unusual is that it enlightens the audience about what it’s like to be an older person, an older woman. You just don’t usually see that.”

Rita Moreno, left, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin showcase their friendship in "80 for Brady."

Rita Moreno, left, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Lily Tomlin showcase their friendship in “80 for Brady.”
(Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures)

Fonda continued the idea that aging doesn’t have to stop life’s joy in an interview with AARP the Magazine.

“I think as you get older, you get better at almost everything,” she said. “I love my work more than ever, and it feels more balanced now. I take things in stride more than I once did. Things are a little simpler.”

“80 for Brady” is in theaters on Feb. 3.

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Health

Fentanyl vaccine poised to be ‘game changer’ in fight against addiction

The end to the fentanyl crisis may be in sight, thanks to a team of researchers in Texas who claim they have successfully developed a vaccine that could be a “game changer” in addiction treatment.

A team led by the University of Houston has developed what they say is a fentanyl vaccine that can block the synthetic opioid from entering the brain — essentially curing addiction by eliminating the euphoric high.

“There’s no question about it. We developed something that’s a new game changer,” Dr. Colin Haile, a research associate professor of psychology at UH and the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES) told Fox News during a recent tour of the research facility.

KIDS UNDER 14 ARE DYING OF FENTANYL POISONING FASTER THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP: ANALYSIS

“It’s a completely different strategy of treating an individual with opioid use disorder.”

Their vaccine works in an entirely different way, said Dr. Haile, from other treatments for opioid use disorder and overdose deaths.

Dr. Colin Haile (center, wearing glasses) is seen here cleaning a sample at his lab at the University of Houston. He believes that the fentanyl vaccine his team has developed can help those in addiction recovery.
(Fox News Media)

It essentially produces antibodies much like other vaccines make those antibodies against a virus or bacteria.

Dr. Haile’s vaccine does the same by blocking fentanyl from entering the user’s brain.

Proteins are used to keep the drug in the bloodstream—then it is flushed out through the kidneys.

NARCAN VENDING MACHINES ARE THE LATEST WEAPON AGAINST OPIOID OVERDOSES

“It’s similar to the hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine stimulates the body to make antibodies against fentanyl,” Dr. Haile said, “and if an individual consumes fentanyl, those antibodies will bind to the drug and prevent it from getting into the brain. “

He added, “Without the vaccine, fentanyl penetrates the brain quite readily, stimulates euphoric centers, and also can stimulate parts of the brain that control respiration, leading to overdose and death.”

A lethal dose of fentanyl is pictured next to a penny.

A lethal dose of fentanyl is pictured next to a penny.
(Drug Enforcement Administration)

Testing on lab rats and mice showed very promising results, said Haile, and he believes they will see the same findings once human trials begin in the coming weeks.

“We have done extensive studies in mice and rats and the effect of the vaccine was quite dramatic,” he says. We demonstrated that, yes, the vaccine prevents fentanyl from penetrating the brain. It keeps it in the blood. And then the fentanyl is removed from the body.”

DOCTORS WARN FENTANYL BECOMING STRONGER, MAKING REVERSING OVERDOSES MORE CHALLENGING

He believes the vaccine could be available to the public within two years, he said.

“Given that the vaccine is already made up of components that are already on the market and already have been tested in humans, we feel that when it comes time to submit our application to the FDA, we are hopeful that the approval process will be expedited .”

The team began working on the fentanyl vaccine nearly six years ago.

Dr. Haile and his team began working on the vaccine nearly six years ago when an unprecedented rise in overdose death started to surface. The vaccine was developed from two protein strands already used in other vaccine treatments.

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have become the primary cause of overdose deaths in the US and it’s estimated that over 110,000 occurred between August 2021 and August 2022 – a stunning record for a single 12-month period.

Haile and his team say human trials will begin soon.  They hope for FDA approval within the next two years.

Haile and his team say human trials will begin soon. They hope for FDA approval within the next two years.
(Fox News Media)

With over 150 people dying every day from overdoses of synthetic opioids, according to the CDC, the vaccine comes at a crucial time as the drug crisis grips the country.

“Unfortunately, starting about 10 years ago or so, the manufacture of fentanyl was increased, and it became much more part of the mainstream in terms of illicit drug markets, to see it first being part of the drug supply and more recently, just completely taking over for any other illicit opioid,” Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which consults with Dr. Haile’s research team, said to Fox News.

“So, heroin [use] is dropping in many parts of the country because fentanyl is cheaper, easier to smuggle, and produces the same brain effects.”

ERIC ADAMS WARNS FENTANYL WILL ‘DESTROY GENERATIONS’ IF NEW YORK CONTINUES ‘SLEEPING ON’ CRISIS

The vaccine development has been funded by the Department of Defense, where officials tell Fox News that backed the project after the need to address the prevalence of addiction among the families of many service members.

“We need this vaccine…There’s so many people that can be helped.”

Dr. Haile points out that this vaccine would be best for those who have already undergone detox, as it will prevent relapses.

“This vaccine is for individuals that want to quit. It is not for individuals that do not want to quit,” he says.

“A vaccinated individual — if they do not want to quit their opioid addiction, they can take other drugs, other opioid drugs, or just other drugs that are vaccine antibodies do not target.”

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People have already been contacting the team at the University of Houston asking to be added to the upcoming trials — something that Dr. Haile says underscores the need for this treatment.

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“We need this. We need this vaccine. And there’s so many people that can be helped,” he says.

“It needs to happen, and it will happen.”

Fox News’ Evan Goldman contributed to this report.

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sports

Kellen Winslow Jr. requests 14-year prison sentence be reduced due to ‘physical trauma’ from football

Kellen Winslow Jr., once a Pro Bowler for the Browns, is ineligible for parole until 2028. (Hayne Palmour/San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

Content warning: This post contains mentions of rape and sexual assault.

Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. has requested his 14-year prison sentence be reduced with the argument that the physical trauma he sustained while playing football entitles him to a shorter stay behind bars under a new California law, according to USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer .

Winslow reportedly mailed a handwritten habeas corpus petition in November from a state prison in Tehachapi, California, and is representing himself without an attorney.

The former Cleveland Browns first-round draft pick and Pro Bowler received his 14-year sentence in March 2021 under a plea arrangement that saw Winslow convicted of forcible rape, rape of an unconscious person, assault with intent to commit rape, indecent exposure and lewd drive in public. He had originally been facing life in prison.

Why Kellen Winslow Jr. thinks he should get out of prison early

The petition reportedly argues that Winslow’s trauma from football played a role in the offenses that landed him in prison and currently have him ineligible for parole until July 2028:

“Petitioner contends he suffered physical trauma as a result from mild traumatic brian (sic) disorder, as well as potentially CTE. and this trauma was a contributing factor in the commission of the offense,” Winslow wrote by hand, referring to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease associated with head trauma in football. “Petitioner now seeks a remand for resentencing based on AB 124. Petitioner argues because physical trauma contributed to the offenses … the court is required to impose the lower term (of the sentencing considerations).”

The bill Winslow refers to, Assembly Bill 124, was signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021. Per USA Today, the bill was intended to help criminal defendants who have previously experienced “psychological, physical, or childhood trauma, including, but not limited to, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or sexual violence,” requiring such issues to be considered during plea bargaining, sentencing or resentencing.

Winslow’s attorneys reportedly made a similar argument during his sentencing, claiming he had potentially sustained more than 1,000 blows to his head during his football career, as well as head trauma from a 2005 motorcycle accident. He still received a 14-year sentence.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office reportedly said it had not yet received Winslow’s petition, but would consider it whenever it happens:

“We have not received Mr. Winslow’s habeas,” San Diego County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Tanya Sierra said. “Once it has been received we will evaluate it for next steps. We do believe that Winslow received a fair trial and sentence for this serious sexual assault case. We will review everything, but with justice for the victims at the forefront of our consideration.”

In an earlier petition, Winslow also reportedly asked the court to waive a prohibition against him leaving California during his parole period, as he wants to move to Florida, where he attended college at Miami, to begin a coaching career.

How Kellen Winslow Jr. received his 14-year prison sentence

The 14-year sentence was the result of a years-long legal battle after Winslow was accused of multiple rapes and sexual offenses committed against five women in Southern California. He was originally found guilty in 2019 of raping a 58-year-old homeless woman in San Diego, but the jury was deadlocked on six additional felonies.

Winslow subsequently pleaded guilty to raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl in 2003 and to sexual battery of aa 54-year-old hitchhiker in 2018 and later revised the plea deal in a way that set his maximum sentence at 14 years, which he received.

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Entertainment

Portia de Rossi surprises Ellen DeGeneres with wedding vow renewal

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, hit the refresh button on their wedding vows after more than 14 years of marriage.

The former talk show host took to social media on Thursday to share videos from their surprise ceremony, which was officiated by Kris Jenner and featured a performance by Brandi Carlile.

“Portia surprised me at her birthday party by renewing our vows,” DeGeneres, 65, captioned the Instagram post.

”Thank you @KrisJenner for officiating and @BrandiCarlile for performing, and Portia for being the greatest gift to me, even on your birthday.”

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, renewed their wedding vows after 14 years of marriage.


Portia de Rossi wearing her 2008 wedding dress to her vow renewal.

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, renewed their wedding vows after 14 years of marriage.


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A still of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi from a video of their vow renewal.

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, renewed their wedding vows after 14 years of marriage.


A still of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi from a video of their vow renewal.

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, renewed their wedding vows after 14 years of marriage.


A still of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi from a video of their vow renewal.

Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, renewed their wedding vows after 14 years of marriage.


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In the clip, de Rossi walked through a crowd of people wearing the same white halter-top gown she wore when she first wed DeGeneres in 2008. As she found her way to the “Finding Dory” star, who sported a blue jacket, khaki slacks and blue sneakers, she handed her a bouquet of white roses.

“Welcome to Portia’s birthday party and to the newest homes of one of my favorite couples,” Jenner, 67, said, as the couple stood before her, looking happy as ever.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi holding hands at their vow renewal.

Kris Jenner officiated the nuptials.


Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi holding hands at their vow renewal.

Kris Jenner officiated the nuptials.


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Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi holding hands at their vow renewal.

Kris Jenner officiated the nuptials.


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“You don’t have to say anything at all,” the “Mockingbird Lane” actress, 50, said to her partner, who stood there in disbelief.

The pair was met with tons of love from their close friends in the comments sections of DeGeneres’ post.

A picture of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi from their 2008 wedding.
De Rossi wore the same wedding dress from her 2008 nuptials.
Getty Images

“Best day ever!!! what an honor to be there for two of my BFF’s who I adore and who love each other so much! ❤️😍🙏🥰,” Jenner commented.

“❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” wrote singer John Legend.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi at an event together.
Last August, DeGeneres and de Rossi celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.
Getty Images for HR

DeGeneres and de Rossi tied the knot in August 2008 in Los Angeles. At the time, an insider told Page Six that the couple only had 20 wedding guests at the intimate ceremony.

Last August, the comedian celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary by sharing a montage of some of her and de Rossi’s most unforgettable moments on her now-defunct daytime talk show.

“It’s good to be loved. It’s profound to be understood.” I love you, @portiaderossi. Happy 14! ❤️,” DeGeneres captioned the post.

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Health

How Much Testosterone Do Men Need? A New Study Sparks A Fiery Debate

Trouble getting pregnant, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, and hair loss are all common symptoms of low testosterone. Ads from a booming testosterone industry remind us of this constantly, as do food and fitness “hacks” touted by so many influencers. Professional opinions on the right levels of testosterone for men vary widely — even among tenured experts. No wonder so many men obsess over their testosterone levels. A new study aims to clear up what can be defined as low T — by outlining the differences in testosterone through age. But some doctors wonder whether the proposed change could throw tens of millions of men into even more confusion over where they stand and what to do about their testosterone.

Getting To A New Testosterone Threshold

The new study, published in The Journal of Urology, argues that the standard cutoff point for clinically low testosterone levels in men needs to be adjusted. There’s currently a single cutoff for low blood testosterone: 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). But the study researchers argue that what counts as low T depends on a man’s age — an aspect previously overlooked because most data collected came from men over 40.

“Young men have different testosterone reference ranges than older men,” said lead author Alex Zhu, DO, a urology resident at Michigan Medicine, in a press statement. “Our findings suggest we should be using age-specific cutoffs when assessing testosterone levels in younger men.”

How much testosterone a cisgender man has in his body — measured through a blood test — can change throughout his lifetime, and most start experiencing a decline around age 30 to 40 as the glands that produce testosterone, including those in the testicles, start slowing down . Testosterone levels also drop when a man becomes a dad, which may have an evolutionary root in the dad giving up hunting for new mates and instead becoming a family man, increasing the survival of his baby.

Before that decline begins, “normal” testosterone levels range from about 264 ng/dL to 916 ng/dL, according to the Endocrine Society. But different studies over the years have yielded slightly varying results of what normal ranges can be.

To learn more about normal testosterone levels throughout a man’s lifetime, Zhu’s team analyzed testosterone data from nearly 1,500 US men between the ages of 20 and 44. For each age group, they split up the testosterone levels they found into thirds: a low third of the population, an average third, and a high third. They found that with every year a man gets older, his testosterone drops by an average 4.3 ng/dL.

The researchers found that a testosterone level anywhere below 409 ng/dL — well above the current low testosterone cutoff — is already low for a man in his early 20s compared to the average T levels of his 20- to 24-year-old peers. This calls for an update to low testosterone standards, Zhu’s team argues, and that man should be considered to have low T and be eligible for insurance-covered testosterone therapy.

The Argument For Age-Specific Testosterone Cut-Offs

With these findings, clinicians could use age-specific low T cutoffs instead of a “one size fit all” approach, according to Zhu’s team. Changing the official thresholds used by doctors — like the one set by the American Urological Association Testosterone Deficiency guidelines, which came out in 2018 and probably won’t get updated for a few more years — could make it easier for younger men who may need it to access testosterone therapy. Currently, insurance only tends to cover patients who fall below the standard 300 ng/dL cutoff.

But having lower testosterone than your peers — specifically, falling into the lower third of testosterone levels for your age group — doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have symptoms of low testosterone or need treatment, says Kevin Campbell, MD, a urologist at the University of Florida Health who was not involved in the study. Not everyone under 300 ng/dL has symptoms that can be traced back to low T, and not everyone above that level is symptom-free.

“We do have to take it with a grain of salt,” says Campbell. Testosterone, like everything in the body, operates in a complex system — although blood levels of testosterone can be high or low, the amount of T actually available to the body might be different, because testosterone is bound to other molecules that orchestrate whether testosterone is used or not.

“The concept of age-appropriate thresholds for testosterone deficiency makes a lot of sense,” says Guillaume Paré, MD, a molecular epidemiologist at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, who was not involved in the study. Paré does, however, worry that testosterone deficiency is too often defined as testosterone concentration below the 33rd percentile, basically saying that one in three men will always be testosterone-deficient. He doesn’t think that’s reasonable.

“By design, current thresholds categorize a third of males as having low testosterone. This is a large proportion of individuals and might not reflect whether biologically there is too little testosterone,” says Parè.

The Risks And Rewards Of Testosterone Treatment

He believes that there should be stricter thresholds for low testosterone, and worries that a diagnosis of testosterone deficiency at a young age could lead to overzealous long-term treatment with testosterone replacement therapy, of which the potential side effects are yet to be researched in detail .

“The potential side effects of such treatment are not well understood,” Parè says. “Our own research suggests it could lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer, high blood pressure, and baldness,” he says, pointing to his 2020 study in the journal eLife.

The FDA has issued warnings that testosterone therapies can increase the risk of heart failure. However, its European equivalent, the EMA, notes that the data doesn’t sufficiently support that testosterone therapy causes heart problems. The scientific jury is still out on other effects of the therapy, including whether it betters or worsens sleep apnea, for example.

A 2022 study by Northwestern Medicine suggests that commercial brands providing testosterone therapy are quick to provide medication without going through its pros and cons — for example, 83.3% of the surveyed brands did not mention the possibility of an increase in blood thickness.

“We should make sure there is a clear benefit to each patient started on testosterone replacement therapy, as it might not be as benign as sometimes assumed,” Parè says

To avoid unnecessary treatment, it’s important not to interpret testosterone levels in isolation, says Richard Anderson, Ph.D., MD, co-director of the Center for Reproductive Health at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, who wasn’t involved in the study. Whether the man is experiencing symptoms, has other health issues, has been under recent stress, or has experienced any lifestyle changes that could affect his testosterone levels, such as increased smoking or drinking, is imperative for interpreting testosterone blood levels in context.

Sometimes patients are able to wean off of testosterone replacement therapy, though they would likely have all the same symptoms that first brought them to therapy. And stopping high-dose testosterone therapy can cause drastic withdrawal symptoms.

“We know of the consequences of very low levels, and it is clear that treatment is beneficial,” says Anderson. “But this is not the case for less marked low levels, and we must avoid over-treatment, as it’s very difficult to stop treatment later.”

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sports

New York Liberty sign star guard Courtney Vandersloot

Star point guard Courtney Vandersloot will sign with the New York Liberty, she announced Thursday, further bolstering the Liberty’s prospects of winning a franchise-first championship in the near future.

The Liberty — the only still-active original franchise yet to win a title — made the biggest splash in free agency by recruiting Vandersloot, signing Breanna Stewart and trading for Jonquel Jones. Stewart and Jones won league MVP awards in 2018 and 2021, respectively, and are considered top-three players in the world.

The details of Vandersloot’s contract are still being negotiated as the Liberty determines how to fit the salaries of her and Stewart under the hard cap, league sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

Stewart, a two-time Finals MVP who is currently playing alongside Vandersloot on Turkish team Fenerbahçe, chose New York on Wednesday and is expected to take substantially less so the Liberty can add Vandersloot, sources told ESPN.

Vandersloot, a four-time All-Star and five-time all-WNBA selection, is widely regarded as one of the best point guards in league history. After becoming the first WNBA player to average double-digit assists in a season in 2020, she guided the Chicago Sky to a franchise-first championship in 2021.

Vandersloot had spent her entire WNBA career with the Sky, who drafted her at No. 3 in 2011 out of Gonzaga, before announcing via Instagram on Monday that she would not be returning to Chicago in 2023.

ESPN previously reported that Vandersloot was also considering the Sky, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm and that her free agency decision would factor into Stewart’s. Vandersloot grew up in Kent, Washington, not too far from Seattle, so joining the Storm would have marked a sort of homecoming for the point guard, whose jersey will be retired at Gonzaga later this month.

A source close to the situation told ESPN that Vandersloot had a difficult time saying no to the Storm.

Vandersloot’s wife and former Chicago teammate, sharpshooter Allie Quigley, is sitting out the 2023 WNBA season but is not officially retiring.

New York, which has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs each of the past two seasons, will have its sights set on a championship in 2023 after bringing in Vandersloot, Stewart and Jones to surround 2020 No. 1 draft pick Sabrina Ionescu.

Although Ionescu can play point guard, she fared much better in the 2022 season — securing her first All-Star and All-WNBA nods — when she was moved to an off-ball role with Crystal Dangerfield running the point. Vandersloot should then feasibly slide in nicely next to Ionescu in the backcourt.

On paper, New York’s toughest challenger appears to be defending champion Las Vegas, with the Aces not only returning two-time MVP A’ja Wilson, 2022 Finals MVP Chelsea Gray and All-WNBA selection Kelsey Plum but also having signed two-time MVP Candace Parker and two-time champion Alysha Clark earlier this week.

Categories
Business

Netflix hasn’t confirmed its plans to stop password sharing just yet

Based on info Netflix’s support pages, a report published by The Streamable appeared to confirm details about how it will roll out anti-password sharing features in the US and elsewhere. However, Netflix hasn’t announced the details of its plan yet or what it may look like when it rolls out more widely this year.

Netflix spokesperson Kumiko Hidaka said in a statement given to The Streamable and The Verge that “For a brief time on Tuesday, a help center article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, went live in other countries. We have since updated it.”

We already know that Netflix is ​​planning to roll out password sharing more broadly within the coming months. Netflix has been testing the program with subscribers in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru since early last year, where it started to require users to pay extra for additional users located outside of the subscriber’s primary household.

In its report, The Streamable cite this Netflix help center page as the source for its information. However, the information included in the article for US customers — and visible on an Internet Archive page captured yesterday — doesn’t match what is listed today. Right now, that information is only available on the pages for the Central and South American test countries.

Hidaka explained in an emailed statement to The Verge that the text seen is applicable where Netflix rolled out its “Extra Member” offering in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru in March, but not in the US or other countries where that isn’t available. As far as what else is confirmed so far, she pointed to Netflix’s earnings statement from January, saying that “Later in Q1, we expect to start rolling out paid sharing more broadly.”

The rules on the archived page (and pages for the Extra Member-enabled countries) state that only the people located in your primary household can use a single Netflix subscription. In order for multiple devices to use a single subscription, Netflix says you must “connect to the Wi-Fi at your primary location, open the Netflix app or website, and watch something at least once every 31 days” on the devices you and your household members use to watch Netflix, to stop device blocks on “trusted devices” that you can use anywhere.

The archived support page says Netflix could block a device “that is not part of your primary location.”
Picture: Internet Archive/Netflix

The US-centric page we can access today states that “people who do not live in your household will need to use their own account to watch Netflix.” That’s in contrast to the page for Costa Rica, Chile, and Peru, which says that you’re required to add an extra member for anyone using your subscription outside your household. It also adds that it will use your IP address, device ID, and account activity to determine when someone else is using your account.

Similarly, the currently available US support page about what Netflix considers a “household” is vastly different from the pages in Costa Rica, Chile, and Peru. On the US page, the company only describes its idea of ​​a household as “people who live in the same location with the account owner.” Meanwhile, the pages for the three South and Central American countries provide more detail on how to change your primary household, sign out of accounts on devices in different locations, or what might cause a device to become blocked.

This is a glimpse at what you could expect when Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing goes into effect globally and what kind of headaches it could bring to people who just need to watch from multiple locations or people who love to use VPNs inside the privacy of their own homes.

But when it comes to how Netflix will try to push users in the US or other countries to purchase sub-accounts for all of the exes, cousins, former roommates, and complete strangers who hitch a ride on our streaming accounts, it’s not ready to tell.

Update February 2nd, 3:37PM ET: Added statement from Netflix about the updates to the support pages.

Categories
Entertainment

As Tom Brady retires, Gisele Bundchen goes to work

How

On Tuesday afternoon People magazine ran a story about a Gisele Bündchen photo shoot in Florida. In a photo that ran with the story, the model ran her fingers through her tousled mane of hair while posing in a see-through dress on the beach. The sheer material clung to her sculpted calves, her six-pack abs, her can-you-believe-I’ve-had-two-kids breasts, all of it. She looked better at 42 than she had in her 20s when she spent a decade as the highest-paid supermodel in the world. This was a woman whose physicality resides at the rarefied intersection of genetics, effort and talent and who, after putting her own career on pause for 13 years so her ex-husband could play sportsball, was finally getting back in the saddle again.

Here, in recent weeks, was a freshly divorced Gisele posing topless in a Louis Vuitton ad, adorned mostly in a polka-dot handbag. Here was a freshly divorced Gisele going for a run in Costa Rica with her handsome “family jiujitsu instructor,” which insiders swore was completely platonic.

On Wednesday morning Tom Brady, he of the sportsball, announced he was retiring.

NFL Quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement on Feb. 1 after 23 years in the National Football League. (Video: Tom Brady)

If you believe the theories of the online commentariat, these two events were linked. The couple’s split last year allegedly came about because Gisele wanted her husband to retire back then and Tom simply couldn’t give up the game.

No one but the couple knows the full story. What we do know is that Tom ultimately signed on for another season. Divorce lawyers were hired, ink was applied to papers. Then Tom’s bonus season was a bust, and Gisele posed on a beach, and maybe the quarterback came to the sobering realization of exactly how much he’d given up in order to lose to the Dallas Cowboys.

Memes circulated following Tom’s retirement announcement. In the most evocative, the football star is portrayed as John Cusack in “Say Anything,” standing under Gisele’s window with a boombox, begging her to take him back. Boy, had this doofus messed up.

But he was trying, maybe, to fix things? Note how he’d written “I love my family” under his Instagram announcement which, like Gisele’s photo shoot, appeared to take place on a Florida beach. Note how he’d included a few images of Gisele in his Instagram stories, but subtle ones: images of Gisele from behind, with her arms slung around their children. If Brady was trying some kind of “Say Anything” move, it was of the most respectful nature.

On Wednesday afternoon, Gisele responded directly to Tom’s retirement announcement. “Wishing you only wonderful things in this new chapter of your life,” she posted.

Gisele’s posting was a message of pleasant remove, the sort of generically warm sentiments usually reserved for a graduation card signed by a distant aunt. It suggested that there would be no reunification, that the book of life cannot be read or lived backward, that Tom would be embarking on this new chapter with Gisele’s support but not with her.

Look, I am two-thirds of the way through writing this column about Tom Brady’s retirement and divorce, and even I can’t tell you why I’m following this intimate celebrity gossip. I can barely tell a quarterback from a Quarter Pounder; I have never stood on a beach in a see-through dress while a stylist aimed a box fan at my hair.

But this stratospherically famous marriage between two rich and beautiful people does seem to tell us something about relationships in general, or what it means to negotiate a whole life with another person. Whose career takes the back seat? Who agrees to sacrifice, to move to Tampa, to be the one on call when the kid is puking at school? Time is not infinite and neither is geography. You can’t have one parent walking on a runway in Milan while the other is quarterbacking in Green Bay. What does it cost to pursue your own dreams, or to try your best to make another person’s dreams your own?

Few of us can imagine what it would feel like to be as good at anything as Tom Brady is at football — a gift that borders on the divine, as if it were bestowed by God. But I think most of us can imagine what kinds of things he might have been feeling as he made an Instagram post promising not to get emotional and then getting emotional regardless.

He might have been thinking about how he’d gone to work for 23 painful, impossible years, building a legacy, setting an example, leaving it all out on the field, winning like nobody had ever won, and also losing, because nobody can win everything all the time. He might have been wondering who he would be now, without all of that. And he might have been thinking about how he’d given everything he had to a vocation, only to reach the end and wonder whether everything was enough or too much.