Category Archives: Life Extension

Animal Science Career Quest is a joint program of Michigan 4-H and the MSU Department of Animal Science. The event introduced youth ages 12-19 to the many animal science programs available at MSU and where those educational efforts could take them.

From an early age, youth are often asked What do you want to be when you grow up? For many, the answer comes naturally but for others, there is much uncertainty. A new Michigan State University (MSU) Extension program will make the answer a little easier for some, thanks to Animal Science Career Quest.

Held for the first time in 2022, Animal Science Career Quest is a joint program of Michigan 4-H and the MSU Department of Animal Science. Open to youth ages 12-19, the event introduced youth to the many animal science programs available at MSU and where those educational efforts could take them post-graduation. In total, 23 youth and six adults from 18 different Michigan counties took part in the event, which was held on the campus of MSU, March 18-20.

The idea for Animal Science Career Quest was formed over the last year, said Melissa Elischer, MSU Extension 4-H dairy educator, who organized the event. We have so many great facilities and experts in the MSU Animal Science department, it just made sense to host an event on the MSU campus where 4-H youth could better access, experience and explore those resources.

Throughout the three-day event, dozens of Department of Animal Science faculty, staff, alumni, graduate and undergraduate students volunteered their time to teach youth about the animals they study, topics they research, and other possible career choices in the animal science fields. Species covered included beef cattle, companion animals, dairy cattle, horses, poultry, sheep and swine. Topics of study included animal behavior and welfare, animal health, genetics, animal nutrition, animal products and meat science, and animal reproduction. The event also included an alumni career panel where former Department of Animal Science students shared the good, the challenging, and the very real experiences of being an MSU student.

We had 60 total volunteers from across the Department of Animal Science and MSU Extension who helped to make Animal Science Career Quest possible, said Elischer. It would not have been possible without each of these individuals sharing their expertise, experiences and passion with our youth participants.

Animal Science Career Quest participants also had the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning labs that allowed them to dig deeper into careers, topics and species of the Animal Science department. These took place at Anthony Hall, as well MSUs South Campus Animal Farms, including the Horse Teaching and Research Center, Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center, Sheep Teaching and Research Center and Veterinary Research Farm. Sessions included broodmare management and foaling, dairy cattle genetics and selection, livestock judging, dairy cattle judging, equine exercise physiology, animal welfare assessment, milk harvesting, and service and assistance animals.

We hope the program left youth excited about the variety of possibilities that exist in the world of animal science, commented Elischer. Many young people think the only way to have a career with animals is to be a veterinarian, but there are really so many more options to consider. We hope that this combination of hands-on experience and real-world examples will help ignite their interests in exploring animal science as a career.

For many of the attendees, Animal Science Career Quest did just that.

My daughter now has a career goal because of this event, shared one parent. The dairy cattle nutrition session was life changing for my her, she learned so much and is now excited to plan for a career in that field!

Plans are already underway to bring Animal Science Career Quest back in early 2023 with hopes of expanding the program to even more individuals. Learn more about the MSU Department of Animal Science or Michigan 4-H online. To learn more about joining 4-H, visit 4h.msue.msu.edu.

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Cows, courses and careers: Animal Science Career Quest introduces youth to the many educational and career paths that exist in animal science -...

Lead program DNTH103 to be accelerated to the clinic this year as a highly differentiated and potent monoclonal antibody designed to selectively target the active form of complement C1s

Led by biotech veterans Marino Garcia as Chief Executive Officer and Lonnie Moulder as Chairman of the Board

Financing co-led by 5AM Ventures, Avidity Partners, and Fidelity Management & Research Company with strong investor syndicate

WALTHAM, Mass. and NEW YORK, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dianthus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing the next generation of antibody complement therapeutics, today announced the completion of its $100 million Series A financing led by 5AM Ventures, Avidity Partners, and Fidelity Management & Research Company, with participation from additional investors including Wedbush Healthcare Partners and founding investors Fairmount, Tellus BioVentures, and Venrock Healthcare Capital Partners. The financing will be used to expand leadership and scientific teams, advance the company's lead program, DNTH103, to the clinic this year, and to accelerate additional discovery pipeline programs for people living with severe and rare autoimmune diseases. DNTH103 is a potent, next-generation monoclonal antibody that selectively targets the active form of complement C1s, potentially enabling a lower dosing volume and a less frequent subcutaneous administration that is further enhanced with half-life extension technology.

Dianthus also announced the appointment of Marino Garcia as President and Chief Executive Officer, joining in November 2021, and Simrat Randhawa, M.D., M.B.A., as Chief Medical Officer. Mr. Garcia, a veteran dealmaker and strategist, brings more than 25 years of industry experience in business development and operational leadership roles at top biotech and pharma companies, most recently as Senior Vice President, Corporate and Business Development at Zealand Pharma. Dr. Randhawa brings over 20 years of clinical practice and pharmaceutical industry experience to Dianthus, including senior leadership roles focused in the autoimmune and rare disease spaces. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Aurinia Pharmaceuticals.

"We are committed to improving the lives of people living with severe and rare autoimmune diseases and are confident that our selective antibodies have the potential to be best-in-class therapeutics," said Marino Garcia, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dianthus Therapeutics. "We are privileged to have a strong syndicate of leading biotech investors, experienced Board members, and accomplished leaders and scientists as we advance our lead candidate into the clinic later this year, further develop our discovery pipeline, and expand our team in the coming months. Dianthus is positioned to become a leading, next-generation complement company guided by a deep understanding of the needs of patients."

Dianthus harnesses the power of selectivity in complement pathways to create potent monoclonal antibodies with the potential to overcome the limitations of current complement therapeutics. Unlike current antibody therapies that bind to both inactive and active complement proteins, DNTH103 selectively targets only the active form of the C1s complement protein, enabling a lower dosing volume and less frequent administration. Its half-life extension technology also further reduces dosing frequency. With these differentiated attributes and high potency inhibition of C1s, DNTH103 is designedto relieve the burden of high-volume, frequent administration with IV infusions or inconvenient, frequent subcutaneous dosing. Accelerating the development of a more convenient subcutaneous therapy could be transformative in expanding the potential patient populations that could benefit from complement therapies, while reducing the discomfort and disruptions that pervade the lives of patients today ultimately allowing more patients to live healthier lives to their fullest potential.

"We are proud to support Dianthus Therapeutics in advancing the discovery and development of next-generation, potent, and highly differentiated antibody complement therapeutics," said Paula Soteropoulos, Board Director of Dianthus and Strategic Advisor to 5AM Ventures. "With the leadership of the recently appointed President and CEO Marino Garcia, and a talented team of seasoned biotech executives and entrepreneurs who hold an extensive track record of success, we look forward to seeing Dianthus bring their novel therapies to patients living with severe and rare autoimmune diseases."

Dianthus is currently led by an accomplished team of veteran scientists and biotech entrepreneurs, including:

Dianthus is also supported by an experienced Board of Directors, including:

Jefferies LLC served as financial advisor to Dianthus.

About Dianthus Therapeutics

Dianthus Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to designing and delivering novel, best-in-class monoclonal antibodies with improved selectivity and potency over existing complement therapies. Based in Waltham, Mass. and New York City, Dianthus is comprised of an expert team of biotech and pharma executives who are leading the next generation of antibody complement therapeutics to deliver transformative medicines for patients with severe and rare autoimmune diseases. To learn more, please visit http://www.dianthustx.com.

SOURCE Dianthus Therapeutics

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Dianthus Therapeutics Launches with $100M to Develop Selective Antibody Complement Therapeutics to Treat Severe and Rare Autoimmune Diseases - PR...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. The May 2 death of a 68-year-old Cumberland County farmer who succumbed to toxic gases while working in a silo underscores the dangers associated with agriculture, which is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States.

In 2020, 39 people were killed in farm-related incidents in Pennsylvania an increase from previous years. These agricultural emergencies require specialized knowledge and training for first responders, according to Penn State farm safety specialists.

To prepare emergency responders, Penn State Extension, via its Agricultural Safety and Health Program, offers numerous trainings and demonstrations designed for fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, law enforcement personnel, and farm community members.

"These trainings could mean the difference between life and death in a farm emergency," said Judd Michael, Nationwide Insurance Professor of Safety and Health and professor of agricultural and biological engineering in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

A2018 incident illustrates Michael's point. In that case, a Pennsylvania farmer trapped in a grain bin was rescued by first responders who knew how to save him thanks to training from Penn State Extension. At the time, the local fire chief noted that several responders on scene said that the training came back to them that day, and the farmer was extracted from the grain, uninjured.

Penn States Ag Safety and Health team has scheduled several grain bin rescue awareness training programs for 2022, including a summer course for Catawissa, Benton and Mifflinville responders and a course in Columbia County in late October. The six-hour program will teach emergency responders about hazards associated with grain handling and storage.

The workshop will cover best practices for rescuer safety and explore strategies for managing a grain entrapment or engulfment incident. To gain hands-on experience, participants will use a grain rescue tube in Penn States grain entrapment simulation trailer.

Topics covered by previous workshops this year included both grain bin rescue awareness and grain bin rescue operations a 20-hour program that builds upon the awareness course and is designed for first responders at a grain entrapment or engulfment emergency. Participants learn how to safely access an entrapped person and strategies to treat, free and package the person for a safe and efficient extrication from the grain bin.

Other training programs available to first responders include:

Introduction to agricultural emergencies. Managing tractor and machinery emergencies. Silo fire awareness. Silo fire operations. Large animal rescue training.

These programs can be customized and offered on request, Michael said. First-responder organizations throughout Pennsylvania interested in a program can submit a request to the Ag Safety and Health Program to bring the training to their county. Classes may be scheduled individually or through a county task force. The Ag Safety team can provide more information about fees and availability.

In addition, the Ag Safety and Health program offers numerous farm safety demonstrations that can be reserved or borrowed by contacting the program through email or by phone. One demonstration illustrates how grain flows in storage structures and the rescue procedures that can free a victim entrapped in flowing grain.

Another demonstration, the Mini-Tilt Table, educates participants about rollover incidents by displaying the center of gravity and the stability baseline of a tractor, skid steer loader and all-terrain vehicle. For younger audiences between the ages of 8 and 16, Mr. Egg demonstrates a tractors center of gravity and stability baseline.

Events scheduled for 2022, such as Ag Safety Day and a 4-H animal science camp, will utilize demonstrations to raise awareness about farm safety among children, who are a crucial audience. In 2020, nearly 26% of Pennsylvania farm fatalities were children ages 19 and younger.

We need to do more training and more demonstrations to keep people especially kids safe on farms, Michael said. Penn State Extensions Agricultural Safety and Health team also offers youth safety education via its National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation program.

More information and resources, including articles, videos and courses, are available on the Penn State Extension website.

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Penn State Extension offers farm safety trainings and demonstrations - Pennsylvania State University

In a recent note, Goldman Sachs summed up the changing nature of the industry in the context of copper this way:

fundamentals were once so connected to global growth, copper has been viewed as having a PhD in macroeconomics.

Yet today, Dr. Copper no longer exists with ESG, geopolitics and chronic underinvestment all driving copper fundamentals far more than overall global growth.

In our view, Coppers PhD is in public policy, not economics, rallying on concerns of Chilean mining royalties, accelerating European renewables demand and Russian sanctions supply risks rather than falling global growth expectations.

Resources may be measured or indicated, reserves may still be labelled proven and probable, but developing deposits has only become more uncertain.

In a presentation at copper minings biggest annual gathering in Santiago, CRU head of base metal supply, Erik Heimlich, pointed out that while the size of the long-term supply gap of just over 6 million tonnes is in line with historical trends, filling that gap is a much more daunting prospect today.

Foremost is the fact that now, remarkably, half the project pipeline for needed supply in 2032 consists of greenfield projects in the possible category; another 19% are speculative brownfield projects.

Comparing the 2022 project pipeline with that of 2012 makes for sobering reading. Of the 8 million tonnes per annum capacity identified as greenfield possible projects 7 million tonnes remain undeveloped.

Heimlich says the preponderance of projects only rated as possible in the pipeline indicates the extent to which factors beyond project economics are playing an increasingly significant role in determining whether projects become mines.

Only about a third of the 2012 uncommitted brownfield projects, which should be quicker, easier and cheaper to build, are in production or under construction now.

Notable 2012 projects that stayed so include Anglo American and Glencores $6.5 billion Collahuasi expansion, which was supposed to lift production at the Chile mine above 1m tonnes and BHPs Olympic Dam project that started as the mother of all digs and ended up as an exercise in debottlenecking.

If new projects are more miss than hit, its up to mine life extensions, operational efficiency projects and mine restarts to make up the difference, but Heimlich cautions that while the capital intensity of debottlenecking project may be attractive, additional tonnage is general low and lack of scale can make these projects not worthwhile.

The success of mine restarts is also patchy, with few mines re-entering production and those that do generally small-scale.

Given the difficulty in bringing more projects online, mine life extensions in this cycle appear to be more necessary than ever, says Heimlich, but even these projects can fall foul of environmental, regulatory, community and political developments.

Anglo American has had to scale down its $3 billion Los Bronces project for environmental reasons, and will employ the sub-level stoping method in order to have no surface impact in an area with many glaciers, but doing so means significantly lower ore extraction than with block caving or open-pit operations.

And that may still not be enough for a green light just this week Chiles environment regulator denied the project an extension permit.

Can technology plug the gap? Heimlich says new leach processes are attracting significant interest and investment and the total addressable market for low-grade sulphide leaching equals around 10 years of current output.

New technologies provide the most significant upside to long-term production but could be beyond the requisite timeframe.

Much like all those green, brown, possible, probable, committed and uncommitted projects that go beyond requisite timeframes.

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Copper mining, like politics, is now the art of the possible - MINING.COM - MINING.com

Wall Street brokerages forecast that Sealed Air Co. (NYSE:SEE Get Rating) will announce $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, according to Zacks. Seven analysts have made estimates for Sealed Airs earnings, with estimates ranging from $0.96 to $1.05. Sealed Air posted earnings of $0.79 per share during the same quarter last year, which would suggest a positive year-over-year growth rate of 26.6%. The firm is scheduled to announce its next earnings report on Monday, January 1st.

On average, analysts expect that Sealed Air will report full year earnings of $4.15 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.09 to $4.22. For the next financial year, analysts expect that the business will report earnings of $4.60 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.45 to $4.80. Zacks Investment Researchs earnings per share calculations are a mean average based on a survey of research analysts that follow Sealed Air.

Sealed Air (NYSE:SEE Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 3rd. The industrial products company reported $1.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.19. Sealed Air had a net margin of 9.60% and a return on equity of 355.49%. The firm had revenue of $1.42 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.39 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.78 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in SEE. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its stake in shares of Sealed Air by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 10,071 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $679,000 after buying an additional 183 shares in the last quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Sealed Air by 1.1% during the first quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC now owns 19,773 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,324,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the period. Advisor Partners LLC raised its stake in Sealed Air by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Advisor Partners LLC now owns 10,621 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $717,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its stake in Sealed Air by 6.1% during the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 4,588 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $251,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. Finally, Ellevest Inc. raised its stake in Sealed Air by 269.0% during the first quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 369 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 269 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.23% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE SEE traded down $0.91 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $64.69. 17,376 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 914,428. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.38, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 1.31. The stocks 50 day moving average is $66.67. Sealed Air has a one year low of $53.87 and a one year high of $70.72. The stock has a market cap of $9.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.18.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 11th were given a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 10th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.24%. Sealed Airs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22.10%.

Sealed Air Company Profile (Get Rating)

Sealed Air Corporation provides food safety and security, and product protection solutions and equipment in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through two segments, Food and Protective. The Food segment offers integrated packaging materials and automation equipment solutions to provide food safety and shelf life extension, reduce food waste, automate processes, and optimize total cost for food processors in the fresh red meat, smoked and processed meats, poultry, seafood, plant-based, and dairy markets under the CRYOVAC, CRYOVAC Grip & Tear, CRYOVAC Darfresh, Simple Steps, and Optidure brands.

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Sealed Air Co. (NYSE:SEE) Expected to Post Earnings of $1.00 Per Share - Defense World

The thoracic spine is the longest portion of the spine and includes the vertebrae situated between the neck and the lower back.

While its primarily designed for stability and force absorption, the thoracic spine is capable of a wide range of movement and its mobility is vital to overall health and function (1).

Thoracic mobility plays a big role in posture, remaining upright, and the ability to breathe fully. Immobility in this area can result in stiffness, pain in the neck or lower back, difficulties with breathing, a decreased range of motion, and has a profound effect on the forces that impact the rest of the body (2, 3, 4).

For avid fitness enthusiasts lifting heavier loads, thoracic mobility is important for safety and enhancing overhead lifting.

Read on for more details about thoracic mobility and exercises to incorporate into your routine that will help your T-spine stay healthy, strong, and supple.

The thoracic spine is the upper and middle portion of your back. It consists of vertebrae T1-T12, below the cervical spine (the vertebrae in your neck) and above the lumbar spine (the vertebrae in your lower back).

It anchors the ribcage and, working together, the ribs and thoracic spine house vital organs such as the heart and lungs. Not to mention, this large portion of the spine protects a big portion of the spinal cord your brains communication mainline.

The thoracic region also includes the front and sides of the upper body from underneath the collar bone to the end of the ribs. Thoracic mobility is affected by numerous factors such as rib mobility, breathing mechanics, and muscular stiffness.

The thoracic spine is capable of multiple movements in several planes. It can flex and round forward, extend, rotate, and laterally flex (side bend).

The primary movement of the thoracic spine is rotation. The other movements flexion, extension, and side bending are considerably smaller in range in comparison to the movement of the lower cervical (neck) and lumber (low back) areas.

The thoracic spine can move in more than one direction at once, such as side bend with rotation or a spinal twist with extension. These movements can be combined into a flowing and circular movement pattern that is the foundation for modalities such as Gyrotonic exercise.

Adequate mobility of the thoracic spine is crucial for everyday life. After all, we arent robotic humans that move in a linear fashion. Being able to twist and reach into a cupboard, bend and move around in the garden, get out of a car or get out of bed are all movements made possible by the thoracic spine.

Mobility of the T-spine is important for maintaining optimal posture, which in turn allows for the optimal functioning of organs while reducing pressure on the lower back and joints of the legs (5, 6, 7). Whats more, research has found a link between thoracic spine dysfunction and injuries of the neck and shoulders (8, 9).

Likewise, what happens above affects below. The relationship of the thoracic spine to the pelvis is vital in addressing abdominal and pelvic floor dysfunction in part because the pelvic floor muscles are connected to the muscles of the thorax via connective tissue (6, 10).

Poor alignment and mobility in the thoracic spine and pelvic region results in decreased function, limited breathing capacity, excess tension, and therefore more intra-abdominal pressure, which can contribute to or worsen conditions like diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, and prolapse (10, 11, 12, 13).

Limited thoracic mobility reduces respiratory function (4, 14). And, in turn, limited respiratory function can also cause problems for the muscles of the pelvic floor (10).

Increasing thoracic mobility enhances dynamic alignment, functional movement, and execution of exercise resulting in a better workout that adequately transfers load through the body while minimizing the risk of injury.

To put it simply: the thoracic spine is the link between your upper and lower body. Its important for almost every move you make. Keeping it supple and strong is key to maintaining your function.

There are a few reasons for thoracic immobility.

Repetitive postures and movements that lead to rounding forward can lead to a stiff thoracic spine. This may include a sedentary lifestyle, working at a desk, and hunching over tech devices. Sports or activities that require you to bend forward often (think cycling) or keep an erect posture with little movement (like ballet) can also contribute (15).

Thoracic immobility is also prevalent in new parents or caregivers a result of carrying and feeding babies (16). And, if your posture tends toward kyphosis, you will likely have limited mobility in your thoracic spine.

Its important to note that many people bypass thoracic mobility by moving through their lumbar spine instead. For instance, have you ever tried the superman exercise, only to feel the work generated only from your lower back?

This is typical in spinal extension exercises, partly because the lumbar curvature is an extension curve, whereas the thoracic spine curves the opposite direction. So, when tasked with bending backward, often youll feel your lower back arches more readily, pulling the pelvis forward with it into an anterior tilt.

Therefore, to effectively mobilize the thoracic spine, you must work to keep the pelvis still. This, in turn, will keep the lumbar spine more stable in order to better move the T-spine. True thoracic mobility comes from a stable pelvis. Moving this way may feel awkward at first, but over time, your body will learn new muscle firing patterns.

To improve your thoracic mobility, the most important thing you can do is move more. Daily, consistent mobility exercises and stretching are essential for improving stiffness. Experiment with spreading exercises throughout the day or setting aside a specific time.

Thoracic mobility may also be improved through soft tissue treatments like massage therapy or modalities such as Yamuna Body Rolling, The Melt Method, or Yoga Tune Up balls (16).

Paying attention to form is critical. Do your best to avoid compensating with excess movement from the lower back and pelvis. Engage your core to stabilize those areas when attempting to mobilize the thoracic spine.

There are modifications to help stabilize the pelvis if you need them, and it may be worth hiring a personal trainer, physical therapist, or Pilates instructor for a few initial sessions to ensure youre movement is coming from the right place.

Furthermore, taking full, deep, diaphragmatic breaths can help maintain the respiratory function of your thoracic spine and rib cage. Aim for inhaling a full breath that expands your ribs outward 360 degrees.

Finally, think about how you warmup before exercise. Starting with dynamic movements (like a bodyweight lunge with a twist, for example) before going into static stretching is a beneficial way to increase mobility.

This is a common and effective foundational movement that originated in yoga and is used by many different modalities.

If kneeling isnt an option, you can do the same movement standing with your hands on a desk or counter. The surface should be hip level or lower.

This movement can also be performed on the forearms if your wrists dont like the pressure of a traditional quadruped posoition.

Tips: Take full, deep breaths throughout. When moving into extension, be mindful to avoid over-arching the lower back.

This is a great exercise for thoracic rotation with a hint of extension. The added challenge of working against gravity and remaining on all fours makes it very effective and less likely to rotate the low back.

Tips: Move at a moderate pace, and keep breathing fully into the ribcage.

Used by strength coaches and Yogis alike, this is another effective mobility exercise for thoracic extension and opening up the front of the shoulders.

Tips: Move at a slow to moderate pace, taking a pause in Downward Dog to breathe deeply and feel your spine lengthen and extend. Keep your knees slightly bent if the stretch is too intense. Downward dog can always be modified by placing your arms on a counter, chair, or table to make this stretch more accessible.

This is a fantastic choice for many ability levels, since youre lying on the floor.

Tips: Aim to keep your knees stacked directly on top of one another so your pelvis doesnt shift. If tight shoulders prevent you from going all the way to the other side, rest your head on a small cushion and only move the arm as far as you can without pain.

A favorite amongst strength coaches, you can use props such as a foam roller or rolling ball.

A more advanced version is to continue with the stretch and add holding onto a barbell when the arms are stretched overhead.

This stretches the chest while extending the thoracic spine.

Tips: Remember to continue breathing fully into the ribcage. If there is any strain in the neck from the arched position, place your hands, a block, or firm pillow under your head.

This exercise will open your chest while maintaining support for the entire arm throughout the twist.

Tips: If kneeling is not an option, try this sitting on a bench or low stool.

For this variation youll sit on a chair with a block or firm pillow between the knees.

Tips: Maintain the squeeze of your legs to keep your pelvis from shifting. Try to feel the spinal rotation coming from above your waist. Keep breathing and aim to grow taller with each repetition.

This classic Yoga pose will be done sitting on a chair in order to focus on maximizing spinal rotation.

Tips: Aim to keep your spine long and keep the breathing into your ribcage.

Thoracic mobility is important for overall functional health and well being.

Adding thoracic mobility into your daily regime can help with optimal posture, deep core and pelvic floor strength, enhanced breathing, and safer, deeper workouts.

Working with a fitness professional is recommended to ensure proper recruitment and technique.

A consistent and mindful practice of thoracic mobility exercises will go a long way toward improving your everyday function. When in doubt, stand up and stretch your spine will thank you!

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8 Thoracic Mobility Exercises to Improve Function and Form - Healthline

PLANNERS have given the green light for an extension to landfill operations, that by default will create a new nature park and protected habitat for great crested newts and other wildlife, on land at Woolston Eyes, close to Thelwall Viaduct.

Churchill Enviro Ltd has been given a three-year extension to their existing consent by Warrington Borough Council planners for deposit ground No 1, south of the River Mersey and north of the Manchester Ship Canal.

There had been opposition by Woolston and Rixton Parish Council who had registered to speak against because they wanted to make sure that they would be consulted about similar applications in future by the Borough Council.

They also wanted it noted that they needed to be involved in who can have access rights to the landfill site when it becomes a Nature Park in 2025. Having made their points they said that they had no objections to the planning application.

Cllr Mark Jervis asked about the type of landfill being used and wanted this clarified. The WBC officer immediately discussed this with the applicants representative. Assurance was given that the waste used for landfill would be inert and unlikely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm human health.

Cllr Bob Bar congratulated everyone especially officers, for the presentation and clarifications which made it clear what the processes and outcomes were going to be. He also said that he used to live in the area and had seen many positive outcomes from the landfill projects.

Former councillor and planning committee member Geoff Settle spoke about his ecology, environmental and planning experiences in this area of Warrington. These included the campaign against the Rixton Clay Pigeon Shooting Club, Colliers landfill extension and being a Woolston Parish Footpath Warden.

He said he knew the place and people well. The noise and dust would be managed from its position alongside a footpath to generate less noise than the clay pigeon guns. The additional time given to Colliers had been granted because industrial waste had been reduced in content and frequency as a direct consequence of successful national campaign to recycle such products. This had a direct impact on Colliers timescales and impacted their landfill operation, hence the need for an extension.

Cllr Judith Wheeler asked what would happen if this application was not approved. She was told that if it was rejected some of the wildlife gains already realised would, unfortunately, be at risk.

Mr Settle, Chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum said that this was not an acceptable option and that the three-year extension needed to be approved. In addition, he welcomed, further protection for the Nature Park under the custodianship of the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group who have performed the role successfully for the Woolston Eyes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for the last 40 years.

He also mentioned the nearby successful Rixton Clay Pit SSSI, a reclaimed clay quarry that had been brought back to life as a home to the great crested newt, dragonflies, insects, and butterflies. It is less than a mile away from the new Nature Park. In fact, he had visited the place only a few days before and seen many butterflies, insects and dragon flies emerging in the warmth of the sunshine.

Mr Settle commented: As I was leaving, I glanced at the blackboard where visitors record their wildlife sightings and was amazed, someone had seen North Americans Bigfoot! This is something rarely seen anywhere in the world by a handful of people. Whilst it needs verifying by experts there were more credible sightings on the board such as speckled wood butterfly, water shrew, black sheep, robin, and reed warbler, who knows what will be seen at the New Nature Park!

He added: It should be noted that the term Nature Park is not used as meaning open to everyone. Its access will be restricted, and nature conservation will become the principal focus so that the wildlife is protected and managed.

Hopes for a new nature park to be created

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Green light for extension to landfill operation that will help create new nature park - Gary Skentelbery

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, is open to the possibility of delaying the closure of the states last operational nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, according to media reports, but some industry players remain skeptical about the feasibility of such an effort.

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom may try to delay the retirement of the plant, currently scheduled to occur in 2024 and 2025 when the federal licenses for its two units expire. Newsom told the newspapers editorial board that California could try to tap into the $6 billion in federal funding announced in February for nuclear reactors facing retirement, noting that the state would be remiss not to put that on the table as an option.

Some experts, however, are skeptical about whether the plant can and should be kept open, given the process that would be required to get its Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license extended, as well as recent efforts in the state to build gigawatts of clean energy generation to replace it.

There have always been groups in California pushing to keep the 2,240 MW Diablo Canyon plant open, because of the vast amount of greenhouse gas-free generation it provides, but its somewhat surprising to change course at this point, given the work that the California Public Utilities Commission has done to replace that resource, Seth Hilton, partner at Stoel Rives, said.

And the fact that [Diablo Canyon] is supposed to retire in 2024 and 2025 thats not a long runway to change course, he added.

Pacific Gas & Electrics (PG&E)Diablo Canyon plant provides roughly 15% of Californias carbon-free electricity. In 2018, state regulators approved a settlement to shutter the plant completely in 2024 and 2025, but some experts have maintained that there are benefits to keeping the plant online. Last November, a report from experts at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded that California could reduce its power sector emissions by over 10% from 2017 levels and save $2.6 billion in electric system costs by continuing to operate the plant through 2035.

PG&E in 2009 applied to the NRC to extend the Diablo Canyon plants license for another 20 years beyond the 2024 and 2025 expiration dates. However, the utility withdrew that application in 2018, following the decision to shutter the plant. The Stanford and MIT study stated that NRC staff typically conduct license extension reviews in less than 22 months, and the Diablo Canyon review could be shorter, given that some work was completed on it when PG&E first submitted its renewal application. Moreover, the report stated that if the plants current license expires while a new application is being reviewed at the NRC, the facility could continue operating until that process is completed.

Its very tight, but its possible, Jacopo Buongiorno, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and lead author of the study, said, on whether Diablo Canyons license renewal process could be completed before the plant is scheduled to retire.

If PG&E were to opt out of pursuing such a process, an alternative is that another company could buy the plant and do so, he added.

In response to Newsom's comments, PG&E spokesperson Carina Corral said in an emailed statement that the utility is proud of the role that the Diablo Canyon power plant plays in California.

We are always open to considering all options to ensure continued safe, reliable, and clean energy delivery to our customers, Corral said.

Other experts, however, dont think that pursuing a license renewal process for Diablo Canyon is feasible at this point.

If they were going to extend the life of the plants, theyd have to reapply to the NRC and that would mean preparing the applications again. And I think enough has changed since they originally submitted, that that would be a pretty heavy lift, Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said.

If the decision to keep the plant open were made tomorrow, it is highly unlikely that Diablo Canyon's Unit 1 would receive a renewal before its license expired, although that would still be possible for Unit 2, according to Lyman.

And on the issue of whether another party could take over ownership of Diablo Canyon and move forward with the renewal process, they would have to transfer the existing license to a new entity and that in itself is a regulatory action that could be subject to challenge, he said.

Any application for license renewal requires detailed plans to account for the effects of aging on plant systems, and an environmental report that requires time to develop, NRC spokesperson Scott Burnell said in an email. The agencys staff currently aims to complete the safety and environmental review of a docketed license renewal application in 18 months.

If a plant applies for renewal more than five years before its license is set to expire, it could get the benefit of continuing to operate even if something delays the final NRC decision past its expiration date, he added but if the application is filed with less than five years remaining on the license, the plant would likely have to lay out a legal and technical justification for this treatment, he said.

While Newsom does not have authority over Diablo Canyons license, he is in support of keeping all options on the table to ensure we have a reliable grid, especially as we head into a summer where CAISO expects California could have more demand than supply during the kind of extreme events that California has experienced over the past two summers.This includes considering an extension to Diablo Canyon, which continues to be an important resource as we transition to clean energy," Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon said in an email.

However, in the long term, the Governor continues to support the closure of Diablo Canyon as we transition to clean energy while ensuring the reliability of our energy grid, Mellon added.

Another issue is that while Newsom talked about tapping into federal funding for nuclear plants with the Los Angeles Times, the Diablo Canyon facility may not be eligible for that funding, according to Ralph Cavanagh, energy program co-director with the Natural Resources Defense Council, who was involved with the negotiation of the original joint proposal to retire and replace the plant. The federal subsidies are only available to plants that are operating with short-term losses and arent recovering their operating costs, which PG&E is fully recovering, he noted.

Theres also the broader question of whether, even if it could, California should consider extending the life of Diablo Canyon to help bolster reliability as well as decarbonization efforts.

Californias energy agencies have concluded that the California Independent System Operators grid is short around 1,500 MW to 2,000 MW of needed generating capacity between now and 2026, CAISO spokesperson Anne Gonzales said in an email. The past two summers, she added, have demonstrated that the state needs additional resources to account for extreme conditions and supply delays that are not adequately captured in the traditional planning metrics.

Although Californias grid is in better shape than last year, it requires additional resources to ensure reliable energy during the summer months, when it could face extreme temperatures, drought, wildfires and low hydroelectric supplies, Gonzales said.

Last year, the CPUC issued a procurement order for 11.5 GW of clean energy resources the largest ever capacity ordered by the agency in one shot to help replace the Diablo Canyon plant as well as a suite of natural gas plants that are expected to retire soon. The agency and load-serving entities are well into procuring resources to replace that capacity, Hilton pointed out.

That order will help replace Diablo Canyons capacity, and its ability to meet grid reliability requirements, Mark Specht, Western states energy manager and senior analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, agreed although regulators could be more carefully thinking through what it means to replace the plant without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, he added.

If all else remains the same, thats an easy question to answer, whether youre replacing it without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, Specht said. But the grid is changing very rapidly so there are a lot of other factors at play here, and its not all that straightforward to determine whether were replacing Diablo Canyon without an increase in emissions.

In addition, the retirement of the Diablo Canyon plant is tied into Californias offshore wind plans, Hilton noted regulators are currently looking to preserve some of the transmission capacity off the Morro Bay area that will be freed up after the nuclear plant goes offline and use it for offshore wind.

Meanwhile, efforts to build out renewable and storage projects have faced their own share of challenges, including interconnection issues, soaring commodity prices for lithium, and tariff issues.

At the same time, Diablo Canyon isnt scheduled to shut down for another few years, Specht said, and so unless those supply chain issues really continue year after year, Im hopeful those wont be a huge barrier to getting resources online to replace Diablo."

Another source of hope for Californias longer-term reliability needs is the continued progress on Western grid integration and better coordination among all the power systems in the region, according to Cavanagh. This week, for instance, he noted, two major regional electric providers the Bonneville Power Administration and Tucson Electric Power joined the Western Energy Imbalance Market, a real-time wholesale energy trading market in the West.

Read more:

Gov. Newsom open to extending Diablo Canyon nuclear plant's life, but analysts differ on feasibility and need - Utility Dive

Organizers have found a new long-term home for the uprooted Steamboat Springs Roots Community Garden, and volunteers and donations are needed to help bring the garden to life by this summer.

With physical efforts just beginning on the site now, the garden at the intersection of Pine Grove Road and Central Park Drive still needs a lot of work. But with community volunteer help, this summer, the approximately quarter-acre site will include 20 raised garden beds 4-by-8 feet in size available for use by community members, nonprofits and gardeners needing handicap accessible sites. The Routt County CSU Extension office staff currently are accepting names of interested individuals or groups wanting to tend a plot or to volunteer.

Its really an opportunity for people to come together and be a community around plants and nourishment and working together, said volunteer Trigg Gerber, a CSU master gardener.

Community members will have the opportunity to work at the community garden site on the morning of May 18, as part of the United Way Day of Caring, as well as on the afternoon of May 19.

The use of the land, the cost to bring a water line to the edge of the property and future water bills are being donated by UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, whose employees may garden in one of the plots too, said Eli Nykamp, YVMC director of operations. The former building at the garden site served as various businesses through the years including for pediatric therapy for the hospital.

The former Roots Community Garden in Steamboat was a project of Leadership Steamboat in 2010, but that downtown site off Oak Street is under construction for the new Health and Human Services building.

Community members who would like to learn more can visit the Steamboat Springs Roots Community Garden public group on Facebook. The group page also includes a link to a crowd-sourcing fundraising page where donors have already contributed $1,700 toward a $5,000 goal. The donated funds will be used for a garden shed, wildlife fencing and a water pipe delivery system to bring water to the plots, said lead volunteer organizer Kelly Bastone from Steamboat Springs.

Bastone said the community garden construction is supported by a $10,000 donation from the Moniker Foundation in Colorado Springs, $1,000 from Ski Town USA Morning Rotary Club and in-kind donations from local businesses such as KP Landscapes and Natures Design.

Many of the CSU-trained master gardeners will help at the site and plan to host future educational talks, said Todd Hagenbuch, Routt County CSU Extension director. Organizers plan to have the plots ready for planting by early June. Of the 20 raised planting beds, five will be an accessible height for use by gardeners in wheelchairs and three will be tended through local nonprofit groups.

We have a lot of community interest and people ready to roll up their sleeves, Bastone said.

To reach Suzie Romig, call 970-871-4205 or email sromig@SteamboatPilot.com.

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Volunteers, donations needed to bring relocated community garden to life - Steamboat Pilot & Today

Every year millions of people cross borders to undergo medical treatments that are either unavailable in their home country or too expensive. For many, this is a last resort to ease the pain of a debilitating disease or defy a terminal diagnosis; for others the goals are purely cosmetic. But in the past few years a new type of medical tourist has emerged: those seeking to radically extend their lives.

There are more older people than ever before and more people in search of longevity. In the UK, people over the age of 65 made up 19% of the population in 2019, a jump of 23% from 2009, in a period when the total population only increased by 7%. And recent advancements in the science of ageing have given them hope that they dont have to go so gently into that good night after all.

But while science has made some promising breakthroughs in studying the causes and implications of ageing, real solutions are some way off. In that gap between supply and demand, a host of fraudsters and scam artists are ready to take advantage of anyone gullible enough to believe they can pay a little extra for a few extra years among the living. Many offer their services abroad, in countries where regulation is light.

Medical tourism has produced a steady stream of horror stories since cheaper air travel kickstarted a rise in its popularity, from botched nose jobs and broken smiles to a fair number of deaths. Despite this, it remains a gigantic industry. According to Patients Beyond Borders, the global medical tourism market was worth $74bn-$92bn (59bn-73bn) in 2019.

A prime example is stem cell therapies, regenerative treatments aiming to use the bodys building-block cells to rejuvenate and fix damage caused by disease or deterioration an area of research with a lot of potential but relatively few established and approved treatments available to patients. However, the potential effects, most often exaggerated or unsubstantiated, lure the desperate to travel far and wide to seek treatments, sometimes from practitioners of ill repute. According to research published last year, the leading countries for stem cell tourism are the US, China, India, Thailand and Mexico. The same report states that stem cell technologies are often associated with inflated expectations of their therapeutic potential.

Stem cell therapies can also help with cancer and other illness, but during my reporting for my book The Price of Immortality: The Race to Live Forever, I found a number of examples of US-based stem cell companies offering miracle cures and solutions to ageing. One clinic in Iowa was found to have made outrageous claims in presentations to potential clients. Anti-Aging: Mesenchymal Stem Cell infusions turned back the hands of Father Time about three years! Would you like to get back three years? read one slide of sales material, collected by the state attorney generals office that was suing the company for false advertising.

Even when prosecuted or disciplined in one country, stem cell practitioners have been known to move on and continue to offer the same services elsewhere. One in Florida had his medical licence revoked in 2015, after two of his patients undergoing stem cell therapy had died. When I looked up the name of the doctor, he was listed as the chief science officer at another stem cell company. A cheerful receptionist told me on a call that the clinic was still operational and carrying out procedures in the Dominican Republic, a medical tourism hotspot.

Stem cell therapies are not the only anti-ageing offerings luring people abroad for treatment. The nascent field of gene therapies is in a similar position, where promising research has yet to result in accessible interventions. I also recently heard from a life extension enthusiast in the US who planned to travel to France to undergo plasmapheresis, a procedure he claimed would rejuvenate his blood and give him a better chance of living until he was 500.

In some cases, patients dont need even need to fly abroad to access drugs that have the potential to make them live longer. I spoke to an elderly woman in London who buys the cancer drug dasatinib from a website in India, and takes it in the hope it will destroy senescent cells, which are thought to play an integral role in the ageing process.

Gerontologists and other researchers find the practice frustrating. Several scientists I spoke to, particularly in the stem cell field, are worried these clinics are making a quick buck on the back of their breakthroughs while damaging the reputation of these nascent medical technologies. They preach patience, a virtue in short supply for people who see the end of their lives on the horizon.

Medical tourism presents clear dangers. Patients may not find the same standard of care they are used to at home, and it is harder to establish that the doctor or clinic is legitimate. Patients can also suffer from side-effects if they fly home too early after a procedure; communication barriers can also cause issues.

For someone seeking treatment they cant afford at home or a last-gasp unapproved cure for a deadly disease, these risks are worth taking. But for people merely seeking to improve their chances of living radically extended lives, the gamble is much larger, particularly when theres no evidence that any medical intervention could work. In a best-case scenario, they leave with a lighter wallet. In the worst, their quest to live a little longer is cut ironically short.

The Price Of Immortality by Peter Ward (Melville House, 20). To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

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Medical tourists are travelling the world in search of the elixir of life - The Guardian