Daily Archives: June 7, 2022

Mice receiving a gene for a telomere-building enzyme have had their lifespan extended by 41%. Treatment with another gene, this time for follistatin (FST), extended their lives by 36%. Both treatments significantly boosted glucose tolerance, physical performance and stalled body mass decline and fur loss.

The life extension came as a surprise to the researchers. We wanted to see what the effects were [of the gene therapy], explains Hua Zhu at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. In the meantime, we saw that the [24] control mice died, whereas all [36]experimental mice were still alive, so the treatment clearly was significantly increasing the lifespan of the mice.

Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences that cap chromosomes and tend to shorten with ageing. Efforts to extend the healthy lifespan of people is an active area of research, and features a range of techniques such as caloric restriction and small molecules that target metabolic pathways linked to ageing.

The researchers delivered the gene for telomerase reverse transcriptase, which activates and encourages telomere lengthening, and FST, a secretory protein with an important role in muscle development and maintenance, using a herpes virus.

Monthly treatment began in mice aged 18 months. After two months, the treated mice looked stronger and had shinier, healthier fur than controls, which started to lose their fur and suffered declining body weight, notes Zhu. Injections were repeated monthly to sustain high levels of the protein. All mice in control groups died by 29 months, while the mice in the experimental groups died between 38 and 42 months.

Liz Parrish, chief executive of the biotech firm BioViva that provided funding for the research, notes that the next step will be to test the safety and efficacy of the gene therapy in monkeys using weakened strains of a rhesus virus. Based on the result of the monkey studies, we will submit our report to the [US Food and Drug Administration] to give us permission to start clinical trials in humans, she explains.

There are major hurdles for anyone wishing to treat ageing with a gene therapy approach, says Ilaria Bellantuono, a professor of muscular ageing at the University of Sheffield, UK. We find difficulties proposing a drug approach, which is far less expensive and risky, so a gene therapy approach would encounter [a] higher level of resistance.

Bellantuono says that it is still hard for any treatment for ageing to compete with diet and exercise. Therefore, the best approach would be to target an age-related condition such as muscle loss or dementia, she says. This would require a clinical trial to test whether the intervention prevents such conditions.

A preventive trial is very complex. You need to give the treatment. Then wait for the disease to manifest, says Bellantuono. You would need biomarkers, which would tell us within three to six months whether an intervention gene therapy or drug is working.

Peter Lansdorp, a molecular biologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, notes that ageing is multi-factorial and it seems unlikely that a single protein could have such a large impact on lifespan. He notes also that side effects from repeated activation of the immune system by viral vector infection are of concern in humans, but not so much in mice. First, possible effects of the transgene on viral virulence need to be excluded, Lansdorp says. Next this study needs to be reproduced in mice by other, independent groups.

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Gene therapy showcases technique to extend life in mice - Chemistry World

Experiences in 4-H and with Extension programs vary and most individuals have their favorite area of activity. Sometimes one can become so wrapped up in their favorite Extension and 4-H activity that they forget about the other areas of the entire program.

In other situations, individuals may want the program to have objectives that align well with mission and vision statements while other times individuals may have personal objectives that do not align with program mission and vision statements. Both Purdue Extension and Indiana 4-H have their own mission and vision statements. Lets take a look at these statements:

-- Indiana 4-H Mission: The Indiana 4-H Youth Development mission is to provide real-life educational opportunities that develop young people who will have a positive impact in their communities and the world.

-- Indiana 4-H Vision: Indiana 4-H Youth Development strives to be the premier, community-based program empowering young people to reach their full potential.

-- Purdue Extension Mission: We deliver practical, research-based information that enhances lives and livelihoods.

-- Purdue Extension Vision: We will be a leader in providing relevant, high-impact educational programs that transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities in Indiana and the world.

As we enter the summer time period with exhibit competitions, keep these statements in mind. The real-life educational experiences for youth working on projects and activities will be memorable for them if they are allowed to take ownership and be engaged. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives, it is fine to help give ideas to youth who seek guidance but please dont do the project and take this great opportunity away from the youth.

In the adult exhibitions, you will have great opportunities to use practical and research-based information you have learned from Extension programs and other life experiences to demonstrate how your life and livelihood has been advanced.

Visit http://www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or contact the local office at 653-8411 for more information regarding this weeks column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Evening and lunch appointments are available, upon request. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee.

June 15 Whats the Deal with Diets? program, free, 5 p.m., Fairgrounds. Register at 653-8411.

June 15 YQCA Putnam 4-H, 1 p.m. Register https://yqcaprogram.org/

June 17 Summer PARP, 9 a.m., Fairgrounds. Register at 653-8411.

June 27 YQCA Putnam 4-H, 6 p.m., register https://yqcaprogram.org/

July 12 Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, noon.Register at https://women4theland.org/upcoming-events.

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Local News: Mission and vision focus of Extension effort (6/6/22) | Greencastle Banner Graphic - Banner Graphic

SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Evofem Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: EVFM) (Evofem) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has formally extended the shelf life of Phexxi (lactic acid, citric acid, potassium bitartrate)from three to four years.

Evofem Biosciences (Nasdaq: EVFM) (PRNewsfoto/Evofem Biosciences, Inc.)

"The FDA's approval to extend Phexxi's shelf life to four years speaks not only to the safety of our ingredients but also to the exceptional standards applied in the manufacturing of Phexxi," said Saundra Pelletier, Chief Executive Officer at Evofem. "As we continue our long-term strategy to reduce operating expenses, this shelf life extension provides a significant and valuable operational efficiency, solidifying our ability to manage inventory within the growing US market and as we evaluate our strategic opportunities for the global licensing of Phexxi."

In May of 2020, the FDA approved Phexxi for the prevention of pregnancy. The initial approval included a 30-month shelf life for Phexxi, which was extended to 36 months in April 2022 by the FDA. Earlier this week, the FDA formally approved Evofem's 'Prior Approval' supplement for the shelf-life extension to 48 months.

Later this year, Evofem expects to readout top-line, Phase 3 registrational data from the EVOGUARD clinical trial investigating EVO100 (the investigational name for Phexxi) for the prevention of chlamydia and gonorrhea in women, two potential new indications.

AboutPhexxi

Phexxi is an on-demand method of birth control used to prevent pregnancy. Phexxi is not effective when used after sex.

Important Safety Information

Rare cases (0.36%) of bladder and kidney infections have been reported. If you have a history of urinary tract problems that keep coming back, you should not use Phexxi.

Contact your healthcare provider if you are experiencing genitourinary side effects such as vaginal burning, itching, discharge, genital discomfort (including in male partners), yeast infection, urinary tract infection, or bacterial vaginosis.

Phexxi does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Story continues

For more information about Phexxi, talk to your healthcare provider and see full Product Information atwww.phexxi.com.

Please report side effects by contacting Evofem Biosciences toll-free at 1-833-EVFMBIO or contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 orwww.fda.gov/medwatch.

IntendedforUnited Statesresidents only.

About Evofem Biosciences

Evofem Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:EVFM) is developing and commercializing innovative products to address unmet needs in women's sexual and reproductive health, including hormone-free, woman-controlled contraception and protection from chlamydia and gonorrhea. The Company's first FDA-approved product,Phexxi(lactic acid, citric acid and potassium bitartrate), is ahormone-free, on-demand prescription contraceptive vaginal gel. It comes in a box of 12 pre-filled applicators and is applied 0-60 minutes before each act of sex. Learn more atphexxi.comandevofem.com.

Phexxiis a registered trademark of Evofem Biosciences, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements or that could impair the value of Evofem Biosciences' assets and business are disclosed in the Company's SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year endedDecember 31, 2021, filed with the SEC onMarch 10, 2022. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by such factors. The Company does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

Media ContactJack HirschfieldEvofem Biosciences, Inc.jhirschfield@evofem.com(512) 674-5163

Investor Relations ContactAmy RaskopfEvofem Biosciences, Inc.araskopf@evofem.com(917) 673-5775

Cision

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SOURCE Evofem Biosciences, Inc.

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US Food and Drug Administration Extends Phexxi Shelf Life to Four Years - Yahoo Finance

Anti-submarine warfare capability, or ASW, is one of the U.S. Navys top priorities. After all, adversary submarines such as the Russian Typhoon class and Red Chinas Type-093A Shang-II Class pose arguably the deadliest threat to American carriers. To counter the threat of silent submersible stalkers, the Navy continues to use an aerial platform that has served faithfully for over 50 years: the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion.

Still Going Strong

Though the P-3 Orion is slowly but surely being replaced by the Boeing P-8 Poseidon for ASW work, the transition is far from complete. The older Orion unlike other famous Cold War-era Navy warplanes such as the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, and A-7 Corsair IIhas definitely not been retired yet. The P-3 is currently being used by two Navy Reserve patrol squadrons, VP-62 and VP-69. It also lives on as a land-based multi-intelligence reconnaissance variant, the EP-3E Aries II.

And thats without even counting the 16 foreign countries that still fly the Orion.

The P-3 was based on a commercial airliner, the Lockheed L-188 Electra, that was first flown in 1957. This is somewhat akin to how the E-3 Sentry AWACS plane was based on the commercial Boeing 707. The militarized Orion variant made her maiden flight in November 1959 and officially entered service in August 1962a mere two months before the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thus, in 2012, the P-3 joined the pantheon of military aircraft that the U.S. has used for 50-plus years, joining the B-52, the KC-135, the C-130, and the U-2.

The keydistinguishing feature of the P-3 that you wont see on the civilian L-188 is the Magnetic Anomaly Detection boom at the tail end of the fuselage. This feature makes the P-3s submarine-hunting mission feasible in the first place. Needless to say, the Cold War never went hot, so the Orion never got to put its sub-killing potential to the test in the real world. But that doesnt mean the Orion didnt get battle-tested.

P-3 Orions over Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Balkans

Indeed, it was during 2002s Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan that the P-3 pulled off what is arguably its most remarkable wartime feat. As noted by the official Lockheed Martin website, During a key battle in the Shah-e-Kot Valley, P-3 crews scouted the rugged valleys below and radioed in movement of enemy vehicles, allowing Special Operations Forces soldiers on the ground to set up strategic ambushes and save countless lives. Not bad for a fifty-year-old sea-searching aircraft design on duty in the middle of the desert.

Rewind 11 years to 1991s Operation Desert Storm: It was here that the P-3 first showed its potential as a land surveillance aircraft, monitoring Iraqi troop activities and providing battle-damage assessments on the ground. The introduction of new long-range video cameras for use over the skies of Bosnia allowed these planes to provide real-time combat intelligence for NATO commanders, a tactical advantage that proved equally useful during Operation Deliberate Force in 1995.

The P-3 Orion: A Versatile Plane

One characteristic shared by all the planes that have reached a half-century of service is versatility, and the P-3 Orion is no exception in this regard. Beside the military applications weve already covered, this old warbird has also proven adaptable for civilian law enforcement, namely anti-narcotics smuggling and anti-illegal immigration missions. It is flown by the intrepid aircrews of the Air and Marine Operations component of one of my former employers, the U.S. Customs & Border Protection. The CBP dubs its P-3 variant the Long Range Tracker.

Like its fellow 50-somethings, the P-3 hasnt failed to keep up with technological advances. To quote the Lockheed Martin folks one more time, The P-3 MLU [Mid-Liffe Upgrade] Program is the answer to maintaining effectiveness and reliability in a critical global economy. It consists of a life extension kit replacing the aircraft outer wings, center wing lower section and horizontal stabilizer with new production components.

MLU removes all current P-3 airframe flight restrictions and provides 15,000 additional flight hours, greatly enhancing capability leveraged with cost-effectiveness. The design replaces all fatigue-life-limiting structures on the aircraft with enhanced-design components and new improved corrosion-resistant materials that will greatly reduce the cost of ownership over the aircrafts remaining service life. This is an affordable solution that Lockheed Martin has proven can be installed in 11 months.

Specifications/General Characteristics

Primary Function:Anti-Submarine warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare

Contractor:Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company

Propulsion:Four Allison T-56-A-14 turboprop engines (4,600 hp each)

Length:116.7 feet (35.57 meters)

Height:33.7 feet (10.27 meters)

Wingspan:99.6 feet (30.38 meters)

Weight:Maximum takeoff, 139,760 pounds (63,394 kilograms)

Airspeed:411 knots; Cruise, 328 knots

Ceiling:28,300 feet (8,626 meters)

Range:2,380 nautical mile radius; for three hours on station at 1,500 feet, 1,346 nautical miles

Crew:Three pilots, two naval flight officers (NFOs), two flight engineers, three sensor operators and one in-flight technician

Armament:AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84K SLAM-ER, AGM-65F Maverick missiles, Mk46/50/54 torpedoes, rockets, mines and depth bombs

Christian D. Orr is a former Air Force officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch and The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security.

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P-3 Orion: The Plane Built to Hunt and Kill Russia's Submarines - 19FortyFive

All Dolores Spragg wanted for her 90th birthday was a 4-H banquet. What she got was a celebration of her 61 years as a 4-H adviser and her many years on the 4-H Advisory Council. Current Shamrock adviser Barb Blazeski went to work with the help of her fellow advisers and club members planning the banquet and celebration to honor Dolores on her 90th birthday. The basement at the Presbyterian Church in Harrisville was filled with former 4-H members of the Shamrock 4-H club, fellow advisers, OSU Extension staff, and many friends. Dolores was surprised when greeted with a long ovation as she and her family entered the room and the party was on.

Dolores has been helping young people all her life as a nurse, Sunday school teacher, and church youth group leader along with her 61 years as a 4-H leader. She has approached her life and work with zeal, a positive attitude, and a zest for life, and she pasted that on to all she encountered. Dolores and her family established a 4-H scholarship in honor of her late husband, Earl Spragg, which has helped youth in both Harrison and Jefferson counties for many years now.

Following a wonderful meal and a cake made by one of her former 4-H members, everyone enjoyed a video reviewing many of the Harrison County 4-H activities, including judging, style shows, fair week, and camping, covering the many years of Dolores service. Many of the folks attending shared memories and testimonials of their time in 4-H and work with OSU Extension.

Dolores didnt just teach us to cook and sew but also so many valuable life lessons.

I wasnt very good at sewing or cooking in 4-H, but Dolores sowed the seeds, and today I cook, bake and sew.

I didnt do so well as a 4-H member, but because of Dolores influence, I became a registered nurse.

We always knew as Extension staff that Dolores had our back and was always there for us.

Dolores was the first adviser to welcome me as the new Extension Educator into Harrison County.

And on the evening went, with so many sharing their thoughts, kind words, sincere gratitude, and love for what Dolores has meant to and done for so many.

While Dolores has slowed down and retired this year as the school nurse for Buckeye West Elementary, she says she will still be available to help when needed. We all wish Dolores a very happy birthday and are deeply grateful for her generous and loving spirit.

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90 years and still going strong - Harrison News Herald

The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru on Sunday marked 55 years of the 1.2mm trisonic wind tunnel, the only industrial wind tunnel providing the high-speed aerodynamic data for national aerospace programmes, both in the civil and military sectors.

Wind tunnels are used for simulating flight conditions in the laboratory. The NAL stated that the facility will continue to meet the experimental aerodynamic data requirement of future programmes.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-NAL is currently working towards setting up a continuous wind tunnel facility to meet the increased demand for high speed experimental aerodynamic data. Practically each and every indigenously developed aerospace vehicle in the country has graduated out of this facility. To cater to the emerging requirements of the country, continual upgrades of the facility have been implemented in CSIR-NAL, leading to many state-of-the-art techniques related to high-speed wind tunnel testing mainly to improve the data quality, productivity and life extension of various components of the wind tunnel, a statement from CSIR-NAL read.

The 1.2m trisonic wind tunnel was built by the CSIR between 1963 and 1967. The first blow-down (test) was conducted on May 29, 1967. The vision of the late Dr P Neelakantan, the first Director of CSIR-NAL, enabled the realisation of this facility, which is the major workhorse for all the national aerospace programmes. The highest speed of this tunnel is Mach 4.0 which is four times the speed of sound, the release said.

The mission of this facility is to provide advanced technology solutions to national aerospace programs, fighter aircraft, defence systems, launch vehicles and satellites and space systems.

This wind tunnel was primarily conceived for research and development in experimental aerodynamics. Subsequently, as the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) started the development of launch vehicles, missiles and aircraft, the need for high-speed wind tunnel tests in the 1.2m wind tunnel increased. To name a few, DRDOs missiles such as Agni, Akaash, Prithvi, Pralay, SRSAM, LRSAM, ASTRA, NAG, LRAShM, BrahMos, Nirbhay, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, etc. were characterized in this facility.

Similarly, aerodynamic characterisation of the ISROs launch vehicles such as ASLV, PSLV, SLV, SSLV, GSLV, RLV and GAGANYAAN programmes were carried out extensively. The nations first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA-TEJAS) was conceived at this facility and now it is flying in the sky. Many weapon integration programmes on LCA, Mirage-2000, Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, MiG aircraft etc., were successfully carried out in this facility.

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Bengaluru: NAL marks 55 years of 1.2m trisonic wind tunnel - The Indian Express

Chennai native Deepak Rajmohan was working for a company in the US when he stumbled upon an article detailing food waste statistics. Deepak, who did his Masters in Food Science and is employed in the food industry, was disturbed to see that India loses 40 per cent of its fruits and vegetables even before reaching the consumer.

In mid-2019, the 29-year-old returned to his home country to work on innovation to minimise food spoilage. I always wanted to get back to India and felt that it was the right time with a perfect aim. I travelled for about three months through the villages of Tamil Nadu to meet and speak to farmers, distributors, shopkeepers and whoever is involved in the chain of food supply. This made me realise several matters, says Deepak to The Better India.

Firstly, he understood that many do not use a cold storage facility because of its expense and maintenance. Therefore, only a cost-effective and convenient alternative can save produce. Secondly, he has seen successful innovations in the US that solve food spoilage. The product we are developing is unique for the Indian perspective and not looking at the solution from the US, clarifies Deepak.

After three months of research, a prototype was launched in May 2020. He used natural plant extracts to activate the inbuilt defence mechanism, which slows down the ripening rate and minimises microbial growth, thus extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

A European based company called Rockstart AgriFood invested in his idea, and one year later, Deepak got a co-founder, Vijay Anand, a long-time friend of the innovator.

Thus, GreenPod Labs, an agri-biotech startup, began its work officially with the dream of creating a zero food spoilage country.

The company intends to provide cost-effective packaging solutions. A biotech-based packaging sachet that extends the shelf life of each vegetable and fruit is the star innovation. It erases the need for cold storage or cold supply chains. This innovation will benefit farmers, distributors, retailers, and e-commerce platforms with crop-specific solutions that increase their shelf life at ambient temperatures.

The sachets are entirely eco-friendly. Thus, creating a sustainable choice has been another goal of the company. Apart from this, helping the farmers to get a better price for their produce and make fresh food veggies/ fruits available to customers are other factors we thrive for, says Vijay, the co-founder and chief business officer of GreenPod Labs.

We commercially launched our first product for mangoes in April 2022. Other products will take a few more months, shares Deepak. The price of sachets will depend upon the type and quantity of the produce. For example, one kilogram of mango can be stored in a sachet worth Rs 5; for capsicum, it is Rs 4/kg; for tomato Rs 1.25/ kg; for strawberry Rs 15/ kg and so on.

The co-founder adds that the trials with customers gave successful and exciting results. In the early stage of product development, the cut down of spoilage was around 30 per cent. Now it has increased to 80 90 per cent.

The shelf life of vegetables and fruits can be increased upto 12 days. This purely depends on what the item is. For tomato, the extension would be 8-10 days, mango 10-12 days and capsicum 8-9 days, adds Deepak.

According to the founders, the major beneficiaries of this innovation will be farmers. If a farmer invests Rs 1 in our product, they will get a return of Rs 10 for sure, he claims. So sustainability is one aspect, and lending a helping hand to farmers is the other.

The company received several grants from inside and outside India. Recently, they got Rs 4.05 Crore investment from Indian Angel Network (IAN) with Rockstart Agrifood and she1K as co-investors. The founders explain that the amount is planned to be spent on three aspects. One, more research and development; two, for scaling up the operations and; three, launching four new products.

The eadquarters of GreenPod Labs is situated in Chennai, and it employs 15 people. We are all set to launch the existing products all over India and work more on the upcoming products, says the excited entrepreneur.

Interested in the company and their products? Check out their website.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Original post:

Startups Eco-Friendly Sachets Extend Life of Veggies & Fruits Without Refrigeration - The Better India

Offshore staff

CALGARY, Canada Cenovus Energy and its partners have agreed to restart work on the West White Rose development offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.

They now anticipate starting up the platform in the first half of 2026, with peak oil production of about 80,000 bbl/d by year-end 2029.

Cenovus president and CEO Alex Pourbaix said the partners had worked on de-risking the project over the past 16 months, having suspended the development during a period of falling oil prices.

With the project about 65% complete, combined with the work done over the past 16 months to firm up cost estimates and rework the project plan, we are confident in our decision to restart this project in 2023,Pourbaixsaid.

Last September the company and Suncor agreed on a strategic alignment on their interests in the White Rose and Terra Nova fields in the same region. Cenovus will decrease its interests in White Rose and satellite extensions to respectively 60% and 56.375%, while Suncor will take a larger stake.

The amended royalty structure approved by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador also supports the projects economics in periods of low commodity prices, Cenovus added.

The companys share of remaining capital needed in the run-up is about $2 billion to 2.3 billion, which includes construction costs for completion of the West White Rose full platform, subsea drilling and completions work, and the life extension of the SeaRose FPSO.

This is largely offset by deferral of planned decommissioning costs of $1.6 billion to 1.8 billion over the next five years.

West White Rose should add 14 years of production to the White Rose Field. The drilling platform, incorporating a concrete gravity base structure and topsides, will be tied into existing infrastructure. A 70-day drydock program for the SeaRose FPSO is scheduled for 2024.

05.31.2022

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West White Rose project reactivated offshore Canada - Offshore magazine

For a franchise that often bids farewell, Monday offered a refreshing reprieve. Seven Astros and one coach entered a conference room, sat below a cadre of cameramen and focused their attention toward the man towering over the dais.

Yordan Alvarez did not anticipate the support of so many teammates on the day his life changed. He arrived in Houston amid relative anonymity, a throw-in player in a trade few will ever forget. He is now among the next faces of Astros baseball.

I feel very happy, Alvarez said through an interpreter. That wasnt something I was expecting to see all of them there. Im really grateful from day one, the day I was called up, that they gave me the opportunity and trusted in me. I felt I was in the majors for a while with the trust they put in me. Im super grateful.

The Astros have sacrificed some cornerstones in the name of sustainability, a franchise-building buzzword repeated by both general managers Jeff Luhnow and successor James Click whove guided this team through its golden era. George Springer and Carlos Correa are elsewhere after failed extension attempts and the Astros aversion to long-term free-agent deals.

The six-year, $115 million contract extension Alvarez signed Monday will keep him in Houston through 2028, his age 31 season. Its the sort of deal Houston could not entice some of its former faces to take.

Pre-arbitration extensions sacrifice short-term financial gains for long-term security. Alvarez will make a $7 million base salary next season. Had he gone through the salary arbitration process this winter and continued on his current pace of production, he had a chance to reach Cody Bellingers salary record for a first-time arbitration-eligible player. Bellinger received $11.5 million in January 2020, the winter after winning National League MVP honors.

Arbitration salaries increase during all three seasons. Performance dictates how much. Alvarez could have positioned himself to pile money through the process before reaching free agency and perhaps landing a megadeal.

For me, that was something I thought about a little bit, but obviously, the extension came up, Alvarez said through an interpreter. I talked about it with my agent, and we thought it was the right decision to be here.

After making $10 million in 2024 and $15 million in 2025, Alvarez will be paid $26 million in 2026, 2027 and 2028, the three free-agent years this deal bought out. Whether it is a bargain or a bloated deal might not be known until those years arrive and the market for Alvarezs counterparts manifests. Still, the Astros commitment cant be questioned. The deal trails only Jose Altuves five-year, $151 million extension for the largest in team history.

Owner Jim Crane did not attend the news conference celebrating the second-largest contract of his ownership tenure, thus making him unavailable for comment. Crane has not taken questions in a news conference or scrum setting since November.

He has, however, overseen extensions for starter Lance McCullers Jr. and closer Ryan Pressly over the last calendar year. Pressly, McCullers, Altuve, Alvarez, third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Kyle Tucker are all under contract through at least 2024.

Around the same time they approached Alvarez, the Astros tried to extend Tucker, but negotiations fell apart. Tucker has not ruled out the possibility of re-engaging during the season. Click on Monday declined comment about the possibility in hopes of keeping the focus toward Alvarez.

This is a conversation weve been having for quite a while, Click said. Sometimes it would pick up, sometimes it would slow down a little bit, but certainly over the last week or so it became clear that both sides were motivated to get something done.

At 24, Alvarez has already separated himself as one of baseballs most feared hitters. He debuted on June 9, 2019 and unanimously won American League Rookie of the Year honors.

Since the day he entered the majors, no American League hitter has a higher OPS or slugging percentage. If not for two knee surgeries that sidelined him for most of the 2020 season, his numbers might be even bigger.

Alvarez entered Mondays game against the Mariners as Houstons leader in batting average, home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and, somehow, triples.

I think hes the best hitter I ever played with, Altuve said. Its amazing what he can do. He can hit the ball the other way. He can get triples, homers. He walks. Hes a really good hitter. Im happy about this deal. I know how hard he worked for it. Just knowing were going to have Yordan six more years means a lot.

The Astros commitment signals a thought Alvarez will only improve. He started in left field Monday for the 21st time this season, keeping him on pace to play more defense than over his first three major league seasons combined. Uneasiness about his knees contributed to the teams hesitancy, but Alvarez can now claim a clean bill of health.

Everyone else didnt think he was a good outfielder, outfield coach Gary Pettis said. Ive seen Yordan play the outfield. What hes doing now is not a surprise to me at all. Ive seen him go through the workouts. Its just most people didnt get to see it because he was injured. He couldnt do as much. Im not surprised.

Few expect elite defense from Alvarez. Average would be welcomed but still increase his value and afford the team much-needed flexibility. This deal suggests he can provide it, but still, almost all of Alvarezs value is tied to his bat. Pigeonholing him as a pure power hitter is foolish. His career chase rate and whiff rate is below major league average. His 23.2 percent strikeout rate is just 0.2 above it.

Whos at the top of their game at 24? Most guys are just getting there. Hes just scratching the surface, manager Dusty Baker said.

Theyre still throwing him bait. Hes still going for a little bit of the bait. Hes still learning about the outfield. Hes still learning about baserunning. Hes a man-child, but you look at him as if hes a 10-year veteran. Hes not. Thats why you sign a guy to multi years: because you realize he is going to get better.

This current group of Astros doesnt need anything better, just the bludgeoning version of Alvarez thats already here.

Its a cornerstone player, Click said. It allows us to build the roster around him, build the lineup around him. That sort of security both for him and for us as we try to compete for World Series championships is huge. Were going to have a player of that caliber anchoring our lineup for the foreseeable future.

chandler.rome@chron.com

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See the article here:

Astros frothing over 6 more seasons of Yordan Alvarez - Houston Chronicle