Category Archives: Life Extension

Elon Musk recently criticized Jeff Bezos on Twitter for allegedly investing in a business that reverses aging.

Musk replied to a tweetfrom Say Cheese's Twitter account, which claimed that Bezos had invested in the business. Musk has previously made social media digs at his billionaire space race opponent.

"And if it doesn't work, he's gonna sue death!" Musk tweeted.

The feud between the world's two richest men has been simmering for months, Futurismsaid. Business Insidermentioned that their not-so-subtle rivalry has erupted into Twitter spats and name-calling throughout the years. However, things only appear to be getting worse. This is the first time Musk has mocked Bezos for acts unrelated to space exploration.

According to MIT Tech Review, the Amazon founder is allegedly one of the investors funding Altos Labs. The firm is working on biological reprogramming technologies to basically extend human life.

MIT Tech Review said Altos Labs intends to open institutes in Japan, Cambridge, and California. It's also looking for university scientists and paying them salaries as high as $1 million to focus on how to reverse the aging process in cells.

(Photo: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)Tesla CEO Elon Musk gestures as he arrives to visit the construction site of the future US electric car giant Tesla, on September 03, 2020, in Gruenheide near Berlin. - Tesla builds a compound at the site in Gruenheide in Brandenburg for its first European "Gigafactory" near Berlin.

Musk's newest remark comes around a week after he digs at Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and space exploration company Blue Origin, for how he spends his time now that he resigned as the CEO of the e-commerce giant.

"Filing legal actions against SpaceX is *actually* his full-time job," Musk tweeted.

ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Says NASA Made The Wrong Decision For Choosing Elon Musk's SpaceX

Amazon's effort to sabotage SpaceX's second-generation Starlink satellite program was the subject of Musk's remark.

Altos Labs is a new anti-aging research firm based in Silicon Valley.

Science Times, citing MIT Technology Review, said the new business is already recruiting several academic scientists to join. The firm allegedly offered the employees large salaries and the promise of complete freedom in their research on aging and its reversal.

Biological reprogramming, which, according to "The Evolving Biology of Cell Reprogramming," is the act of 'instructing cells' or introducing elements that induce cells to revert to an earlier embryonic stage. Reversing the whole aging process is the core technique that Altos Labs seeks to harness.

Calico Labs, a life extension tech firm founded by Google co-founder Larry Page in 2013, is one company researching biological reprogramming. However, none of them has been known to have received the same level of support as Altos Labs.

Investing in anti-aging research is nothing new for Jeff Bezos, Republic Worldsaid. In 2018, the Amazon founder also invested in a similar firm. Unity Technologies, a biotech firm focused on developing anti-aging medicines, has hired the former CEO.

RELATED ARTICLE: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin vs. Elon Musk's SpaceX: Who Won the Space Race?

Check out more news and information on Elon Muskand Jeff Bezosin Science Times.

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Elon Musk Makes Fun of Jeff Bezos Over Anti-Aging Startup; How Does This Immortality Tech Work? - Science Times

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Independent Data Monitoring Committee Supports Expansion to Adolescents and Pregnant and Nursing Women Based on Safety and Tolerability Data from Phase 2 Lead-In

WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adagio Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases with pandemic potential, today announced that the independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) for the EVADE Phase 2/3 trial of ADG20 for the prevention of COVID-19 has provided a recommendation to expand Phase 3 trial enrollment to include adolescents and pregnant or nursing women, as well as to decrease the protocol-specified, post injection monitoring time. The IDMCs assessments are based on their review of unblinded safety and tolerability data from 200 participants enrolled in the Phase 2 lead-in portion of the trial. Adagio remains blinded to the data and plans to implement the IDMC recommendations for the Phase 3 portion of the trial. EVADE is being conducted globally, including in regions where there is a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, to evaluate the ability of a single, intramuscular dose of ADG20 to prevent COVID-19 in both pre- and post-exposure settings.

Given the urgent need for additional treatment and preventative options for COVID-19, particularly in vulnerable populations, we are pleased that an independent assessment of the safety data from the lead-in portion of EVADE supported inclusion of adolescents and pregnant or nursing women in the next phase of the study, said Lynn Connolly, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer of Adagio. Based on the potent and broad activity of ADG20 in non-clinical studies, as well as its extended half-life and ease of administration, we believe this antibody has the potential to become a preferred prophylactic option for COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children and the immunocompromised, for whom there are currently limited or no available options.

The EVADE trial is a global, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating ADG20 in two independent cohorts. The first cohort (post-exposure prophylaxis) is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of ADG20 compared to placebo for the prevention of COVID-19 after exposure to an individual with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The second cohort (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is designed to assess the efficacy and safety of ADG20 compared to placebo in individuals who are at increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to occupational, housing or recreational situations, and in individuals who are at increased risk of poor vaccine response, including individuals with compromised immune systems or other co-morbidities. The primary efficacy endpoint in both cohorts is the prevention of laboratory confirmed, symptomatic COVID-19. For more information on the EVADE trial, please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04859517.

The clinical development program for ADG20 includes two additional trials: the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of ADG20 in healthy volunteers and the ongoing STAMP trial evaluating ADG20 as a treatment for high-risk individuals with mild or moderate COVID-19 (see clinicaltrials.gov).

About ADG20ADG20, a monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is being developed for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. ADG20 was designed and engineered to possess high potency and broad neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 and additional clade 1 sarbecoviruses, by targeting a highly conserved epitope in the receptor binding domain. ADG20 displays potent neutralizing activity against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain as well as all known variants of concern. ADG20 has the potential to impact viral replication and subsequent disease through multiple mechanisms of action, including direct blocking of viral entry into the host cell (neutralization) and elimination of infected host cells through Fc-mediated innate immune effector activity. ADG20 is formulated at high concentrations, enabling intramuscular administration, and was engineered to have a long half-life, with a goal of providing both rapid and durable protection. Adagio is advancing ADG20 through multiple clinical trials on a global basis.

About Adagio TherapeuticsAdagio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases with pandemic potential. The companys portfolio of antibodies has been optimized using Adimabs industry-leading antibody engineering capabilities and is designed to provide patients and clinicians with a powerful combination of potency, breadth, durable protection (via half-life extension), manufacturability and affordability. Adagios portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies includes multiple, non-competing broadly neutralizing antibodies with distinct binding epitopes, led by ADG20. Adagio has secured manufacturing capacity for the production of ADG20 with third-party contract manufacturers through the completion of clinical trials and, if approved by regulatory authorities, through initial commercial launch. For more information, please visit http://www.adagiotx.com.

Contacts:Media Contact:Dan Budwick, 1ABDan@1abmedia.com

Investor Contact:Monique Allaire, THRUST Strategic Communicationsmonique@thrustsc.com

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Adagio Therapeutics Announces Expansion of Patient Population in Global Phase 2/3 Clinical Trial of ADG20 for the Prevention of COVID-19 -...

The gypsy moth has four distinct developmental stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Each life stage looks and behaves very differently from the other stages. Eggs and pupae appear lifeless, but undergo dramatic changes internally. Larvae eat and accumulate fat that is used when they are adults to find a mate and reproduce.

Eggs are laid in August and the embryo immediately starts developing during the warm days of summer. In a month, the tiny larva is fully formed and ready to hatch. At this point, however, the larva goes into diapause, shutting down metabolic activities and becoming insensitive to cold. In suspended animation, the larva passes the winter within the egg. As temperatures increase in early spring, the larva inside the egg slowly becomes more active. In mid-May, just as the leaves of trees are expanding, the larva chews through the egg shell and hatches.

Gypsy Moth Egg Mass on Tree Trunk

Before starting to feed, larvae, or caterpillars as they are commonly known, disperse throughout the forest in a behavior called ballooning. The larva climbs to the top of the tree on which it hatched, and dangles in the air on a silk thread. When a breeze catches the larva, the thread breaks and it is carried on the wind for up to 150 yards.

Once the larva has finished ballooning, it begins to feed. It will eat for five to six weeks depending on its sex. Females feed for an extra week to put on the fat necessary to produce eggs. About once a week the larva will grow too large for its exoskeleton and it will molt. The leftover exoskeletons can aggravate allergies in some people. The molts separate the larval period into five or six stages, called instars. Early in larval development, instars one through three, larvae feed during the day. Once they reach the fourth instar, however, they start to feed at night and climb down to hide under rough bark or in leaf litter during the day, possibly to avoid being eaten by birds. Gypsy moth larvae take on their characteristic look with the blue and red dots down their back at about the end of the first instar. Before that they look quite black. About 90% of the leaves consumed by a larva will be eaten in the last two instars. This is the reason it sometimes seems like trees are defoliated overnight!

Gypsy Moth Caterpillar

When the larva is fully grown (about 1-1/2 inches for males and 2-1/2 inches for females), it starts wandering around, looking for a safe place to pupate. They look for a protected place where they will be safe from enemies like mice, birds, and parasitic wasps. Typical hiding places include between ridges of bark, under flaps of loose bark, or in cracks of rock outcroppings. They can also be found in crevices on the undersides of vehicles, in firewood piles, on the underside of tree branches, or on outdoor furniture and play sets.

Once the larva has found a safe spot, it sheds its skin and its new skin hardens into a dark brown shell. The gypsy moth is immobile for most of the pupal stage while its entire body is rearranged within the pupal shell. After a week or two, the worm-like caterpillar has been transformed into the winged adult moth which then breaks free of the pupal shell.

Gypsy Moth Pupae

The gypsy moth adult male and female moths look very different from each other. Females are 1 1/2 inches long and are white with a black v shaped marking on their forewings. Female moths cannot fly and will fall to the ground if picked up. Male gypsy moths are mottled brown and gray and have large feathery antennae. They are similar in appearance to many native moths. They can be distinguished, however, by their behavior, as they fly in search of females in the late afternoon not at night.

The only function of the adult stage of the gypsy moth is to reproduce. Unlike many other moths and butterflies, the adult gypsy moth cannot feed. They have about 2 weeks to find a mate before they die. Once the male has found the female, they mate and the female lays all her eggs in a single teardrop-shaped mass 1 1.5 inches long and covers it with yellowish-tan colored hairs from her own body. Each female lays only one egg mass and each egg mass can hold up to 600-1000 eggs.

Gypsy Moth Adults

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Life Cycle - Extension

Startup Orbit Fab has raised US$10 million following the successful demonstrations of its orbital refueling and resupply technology.

The San Francisco-based companys latest backers include Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

Orbit Fab co-founder Jeremy Schiel said, On-orbit refueling is a paradigm shift for the industry, pioneering reusable spacecraft and new flexible mission operations will allow for new business models.

Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin both see clear value in on-orbit refueling to create a bustling in-space economy. Its great to see two Aerospace and Defense leaders embracing this technology. Their investment will help drive the adoption of our on-orbit refueling services and allow us to support the growing satellite servicing industry.

Orbit Fab became the first private company to resupply the ISS with water in 2019, qualifying the companys feed systems and flex tank to NASA standards for crew rated systems in just six months.

In June 2021, Orbit Fab celebrated the launch of Tenzing, the worlds first on-orbit fuel depot.

Orbit Fabs Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI), is a fueling port that enables satellites to be refueled in orbit which can be used as a drop-in replacement for existing satellite fill-and-drain valves.

The RAFTI fueling port was proven during its June 2021 flight on Tanker-001 Tenzing.

With technology moving so rapidly and creating new market entrants, were embracing opportunities to partner with emerging technology companies like Orbit Fab to accelerate innovation in new capabilities for our customers, said David Jacobs, vice president, corporate strategy at Northrop Grumman.

This follows the first docking of Northrop Grummans Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1) to a client satellite in graveyard orbit in early 2020 to provide life extension services, and the successful docking of the MEV-2 to an in-service client satellite in geostationary orbit earlier this year.

Chris Moran, vice president, executive director and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures said, Lockheed Martin has a long legacy of investing in and developing servicing capabilities and their enabling technologies. This includes for military and commercial, large and small space systems.

Our charter is to strategically invest in smaller technology companies focused on innovative technologies within our existing businesses, and Orbit Fab fits this criteria. We look forward to working with Orbit Fab and gaining access to their in-orbit refueling technology, an important component of space flight logistics that could help our customers address new and evolving threats.

Orbit Fabs architecture is a system of tankers and fuel shuttles in LEO, GEO, and cis- lunar space. Accessing fuel in-orbit will allow satellite operators to defer capital costs, increase asset utilization and lifetime, and create the opportunity for new, flexible business models. Orbit Fab expects this refueling infrastructure to underpin the emergence of a bustling in-space economy.

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Orbital refuelling startup Orbit Fab backed by Lockheed and Northrop following successful testing - Aerospace Testing International

(GAINESVILLE, FL/September 7, 2021) Andra Johnson, associate director of Penn State Extension, will be the next dean of UF/IFAS Extension and director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the University of Florida announced on Tuesday. Johnson will assume the role on November 1.

Johnson will lead UF/IFAS statewide network of more than 650 faculty educators and scientists, whose programs and expertise support economic, environmental and community health. These programs range from field days for new crops to youth leadership experiences.

Dr. Johnson brings energy and vitality to raising the profile of Extension. Our goal is to make an even greater impact on the millions of Floridians served by UF/IFAS outreach every year, said J. Scott Angle, UF vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of UF/IFAS.

His experience in administration, Extension, teaching, research and service, at both large land-grant and historically Black universities, his upbringing on a farm and his engagement in so many national coalitions have contributed to his development as an emerging national leader who will take UF/IFAS Extension to the next level, Angle said.

Elaine Turner, dean of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, led the nationwide search for the next dean of Extension.

Dr. Johnsons career has woven the three components of the land-grant mission teaching, research and Extension together. He brings a collaborative spirit and passion for service to UF/IFAS and our stakeholders across Florida, Turner said. In the college, we are especially excited about his ideas for engaging more undergraduate and graduate students in Extension and working together to meet the talent needs of Floridas agriculture and natural resource industries.

Johnson grew up on a farm in rural Louisiana. His family raised cattle and grew cotton, corn and wheat, and his aunt has worked for the USDA Forest Service for more than 30 years. Those early experiences motivated him to pursue a career in Extension where he could bring the knowledge of the land-grant university to families like his who produce our food, fuel and fiber.

Im extremely excited and humbled about the opportunity to work with the amazing faculty, staff and administrators here at UF/IFAS. This position is really about what we can do together to help improve the lives of all Floridians, Johnson said.

After earning a bachelors degree in urban forest management from Southern University and A&M College, and a masters degree and doctorate in forest resources from The Pennsylvania State University, Johnson worked his way up the ranks in academia to a tenured associate professor of urban forestry at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he conducted research and taught classes in urban forestry and natural resource management.

After more than a decade at Southern University, Johnson took on roles in university leadership, first as the assistant director of research and graduate research at Alcorn State University, then as Southern Universitys vice chancellor for research and technology development, and finally at Penn State as the associate director of Extension.

Johnson succeeds Nick Place, who served as UF/IFAS Extension dean from 2012 through 2020. Thomas Obreza has acted as interim dean and will return to his role as senior associate dean and associate director.

Nationwide, Extension is a partnership between state, federal and county governments to extend the scientific knowledge and expertise of land-grant universities to the public. The University of Florida, together with Florida A&M University, administers the Florida Cooperative Extension Service.

At UF, Extension is housed in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), along with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

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Andra Johnson Named Dean of UF/IFAS Extension and Director of Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Southeast AgNet

DUBLIN, September 06, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Dry Ice Market Outlook to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global dry ice market is expected to witness a significant growth rate during the forecast period. The market for dry ice is being driven by the rising demand in blast cleaning due to the ever-growing industrial sector and increasing use as a refrigerant for frozen food items, replacing water-based ice. However, the difficulty in handling the extremely cold dry ice that can cause burns and the government norms of eliminating it from food items are expected to hinder the growth of the market in the near future.

Dry ice is not only an excellent refrigerant in supermarkets and convenience stores for keeping perishable items such as seafood, meat and poultry, gourmet foods, baked goods, and dairy frozen but also a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option, making it vital in the efficient transportation of such goods during long and distance shipping.

GWP (global warming potential), an indicator of a gas' greenhouse effect, is a measure of the amount of energy absorbed by 1 ton of an emitted gas, relative to that absorbed by 1 ton of an emitted carbon dioxide (CO2).The lower the GWP value and the higher the cooling capacity, the better are the refrigerants. R744 (dry ice) is amongst the least threatening refrigerants, environmentally. Besides, it has higher cooling capacities compared to other refrigerants, making it cost-effective. The non-toxic nature and non-flammable nature add to the advantages, playing a major role in the growth of dry ice's application as a refrigerant. Dry ice, which had completely been out of the refrigerant race for over 50 years, is currently being employed as an environmentally benign, low-temperature refrigerant in supermarkets and as the low-temperature stage of large industrial freezing and cold storage systems. With the slow offset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the steady growth of dry ice as a refrigerant is imminent, as the much safer frozen food industry is expected to grow in the coming years.

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Modern-day manufacturing and processing of food involves highly complex automated machines, innovative technologies, and a safe environment. Sanitation is a vital element in food and beverage production. FDA, USDA, and EPA-approved dry ice blasting is the safest process to clean containers, mixers, conveyors, and ovens, leaving no harmful secondary waste behind. Microbial growth, lipid oxidation, physical and biochemical and enzymatic reactions are the major limiters to a food product's shelf life. Apart from sanitizing the processing equipment, dry ice also plays a significant role as a refrigerant and preservative in the food and beverage processing industry. Preserving food through non-cyclic refrigeration is, in fact, one of the most common applications of dry ice. Besides helping with the storage and shelf-life extension, dry ice is also commonly used in the packing and transportation sector of the food industry. Apart from sanitization, dry ice plays a significant role in the food and beverage processing industry as a refrigerant and preservative. Preserving food through non-cyclic refrigeration is, in fact, one of the most common applications of dry ice. Besides helping with the storage and shelf life extension, dry ice is also commonly used in the packing and transportation sector of the food industry. Food grade dry ice is a key ingredient in all the soft drinks we see, and small loose cubes of dry ice can also be used to safely chill bar beverages. The market for dry ice is likely to witness significant growth in the food and beverage processing sector during the forecast period.

The Global Dry ice Market report provides deep insight into the current and future state of the Dry ice Market across various regions. The report examines the market drivers and restraints, along with the impact of Covid-19 are influencing the market growth in detail. The study covers & includes emerging market trend, market developments, market growth opportunity, market SWOT analysis, market dynamics, dry ice market size, and challenges in the industry. This report also covers extensively researched competitive landscape sections with profiles of major companies including their market share and projects.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Research Scope and Methodology

3. Market Analysis

4. Industry Analysis

5. Market Segmentation & Forecast

6. Regional Market Analysis

7. Key Company Profiles

8. Competitive Landscape

9. Conclusions and Recommendations

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/txgo9s

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Global Dry Ice Market Outlook to 2026: Increased Demand for Blast Cleaning and Environmental Benefits of Dry Ice, Drive Market Growth -...

Recent survey by DNV and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) reveals that circular economy is rising on corporate agendas across geographies. Despite the growing attention in the public, among legislators and companies, the shift to circular economy business models that design waste out of the system seems to progress slowly.

So far, growing stakeholder and regulatory pressures such as the EU Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 2020 do not seem to have impacted the transition speed significantly, says Luca Crisciotti, CEO in Supply Chain & Product Assurance in DNV. With only 5.9% of the companies indicating a leading approach coupled with the limited uptake of business model innovation, there is much left to be done before we reach a state of true circular economy required to shift from a linear take-make-waste industrial model to significantly impact our UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ViewPoint Survey Circular Economy. How are companies transitioning shows that companies focus more on process and product innovation, such as resource recovery (30.3%) or product life extension (39.6%). Fewer have moved into more advanced business models innovations such as product as a service (17.6%) and sharing platforms (12.5%). Most companies experience cost savings (57.2%) as a main benefit, which is not surprising given the focus on existing processes and products.

While the private sectors commitment to circularity is clear, external communications for their efforts are inconsistent in scope and barometer used. As investors, customers and regulators increasingly request information on circular performance, those companies equipped to measure, monitor and improve their circularity stand to capture the most value and showcase their true leadership, says Brendan Edgerton, Circular Economy Director WBCSD.

The fact that only 24.7% determine initial level (baseline) of circularity before implementing initiatives, while 26.7% set specific goals and targets and 19.8% have identified performance indicators poses a significant barrier to progress. Identifying the successful initiatives to scale and communicating transparently on performance becomes infinitely harder without proper metrics. This is not aided by a total of 65.6% using their own circular measurement framework rather benchmarked frameworks designed by established organisations like the WBCSD and Ellen McArthur Foundation.

Customers and consumers increasingly require sustainability claims and performance to be well-founded and transparent. Results seem to indicate that performance communication and digital solution application is limited. Here we see is a huge potential to take advantage of existing solutions, building necessary stakeholder and consumer engagement and trust by combining verified metrics with blockchain-enabled track and trace applications, says Luca Crisciotti, CEO in Supply Chain & Product Assurance in DNV.

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Is the circular economy transition fast enough? - Oil and Gas Middle East

If you are a Twitch streamer looking to play Life is Strange: True Colors to your audience, perhaps you would like them to do some backseat gaming for you. Square Enix and developer Deck Nine has confirmed the game will launch alongside a Twitch Crowd Choice extension.

This extension will put decisions in the hands of the community on every major choice in the game. Streamers can choose to go with a Suggestions approach, where the community can vote for their preferred response which can be accepted or rejected. Alternatively, the Full Democracy mode puts your viewers in control of the entire story. This is what Square Enix had to say about the two:

Will you choose Full Democracy where the wisdom of the crowd automatically decides all major choices or Suggestion, where you can take the pulse of your viewers before deciding to do something completely different? Crowd Choice offers a great opportunity to replay narrative games likeLife is Strange: True Colorsin a fresh and unpredictable way.

To access this extension connect your Square Enix Members account to a supported game, likeLife is Strange: True Colors,start streaming, and turn on Crowd Choice mode from the Live Stream menu in the games Settings. You can install the extension right now by clicking HERE.

Life is Strange: True Colors is launching on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Google Stadia on 10 September 2021. A Nintendo Switch version is also scheduled for later this year.

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Life is Strange: True Colors to Receive Twitch Crowd Choice Extension | The Otaku's Study - The Otakus Study

K-State Research & Extension

MANHATTAN Even as many parts of society begin to return to near normal routines, mental health specialists continue to monitor how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of Americans.

Elaine Johannes,the Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Professor of Community Health at Kansas State University, is especially interested in how teenagers are adjusting to new rules and ways of doing things.

Many of us have had kids at home and weve raised some teenagers into adulthood and we understand what happens in that developmental stage where maybe the young person is not sure of their identity, not sure of how well theyre performing compared to peers, and maybe theyre not comfortable in their own skin because theyre growing so quickly and that all creates anxiety, Johannes said.

In the first few months of the pandemic, theNational 4-H Council commissioned a surveythat concluded that more than 7 in 10 kids between the ages of 13-19 are struggling with their mental health.

Those numbers have seemingly not gotten better in the year since, as the global pandemic creeps toward two years of changed routines.

James Roberson, the vice president of programs and innovation for KVC Hospitals -- a system that provides childrens psychiatric treatment at facilities in Kansas City, Wichita and Hays said his organization is seeing an increase of kids who have never sought treatment for mental health previously.

The scary part is what we know about mental health, he said. Its a little different from physical health because we dont just look at the organic. We look at the context of the child in their environment, and the pandemic has really changed all of their environments.

Roberson said support groups like KVC are working to become more visible in communities, break down the stigma of mental illness and work directly with families.

I have not met a family yet that has regretted having their child engage in therapy, he said. The opportunity to get your child in front of a professional who can do an assessment and tell you that everything is okay, keep doing what youre doing -- or to let you know that what theyre feeling is clinical I think that is really valuable.

Johannes said parents are key to their childs mental well-being.

Its really up to the adults to understand their role in modeling, coping, talking about and helping the child to become resilient, she said. Its the adults that can look for positive behaviors that they can support.

Roberson added: You dont have to sit back and say, is my child resilient or not resilient? No matter how old your child is, theyre actively developing resilience. If youre present in their lives and you are helping them navigate the problems that theyre facing at school or in relationshipsevery time you help them solve problems, youre building their resilience.

Johannes said K-State Research and Extension is working to provide a mental health curriculum toKansas 4-HClubs that is a self-guided study on how children can recognize behavioral health in themselves.

KVC Hospitals also ishosting a free, three-part webinar seriesbeginning Sept. 13 to help families recognize and cope with mental health issues. That series also is offering free continuing education units for professionals.

Recognizing and treating mental health, is just not that clean and simple, Roberson said.

We want people to have a sophisticated understanding of how theyre experiencing the world and how people around them support that. And I think teens are ready for this; theyre eager. We as providers and as a state system owe them solutions so that they can be their best selves and live a happy, long life.

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Experts share insight on how COVID has affected teens' mental health - hays Post

The recent move by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to corporatize the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and split the 100-plus years old organisation into seven different government owned Defence PSUs like entities is seen as one of the riskier decisions taken by the government since it is difficult to predict what shape this restructuring will take in coming years.

However, a private consulting firm based out of Delhi NCR has attempted to crystal gaze and come up with a likely trajectory that each of the new entities is likely to achieve, based on a set of assumptions and current realities. The war-game dwelt on the interplay at a strategic level between what its stakeholders want it to be, what the reality of the environment in which it will operate will allow it to be and what the principles of business suggest it should be.

The key findings of the study suggest that the revenue and income of the seven entities will vary and their fortune will depend on how the three armed forces place orders on them in coming years. The analysts felt that reduced demand and reprioritisation by the military because of changing nature of warfare will affect sustainability of these newly-formed companies.

Inevitably, as 95 per cent of the revenueof all seven corporatised entities is dependent on the government budget, the implications of reduced demand would be an increase in prices, keeping in mind the new pressures of arranging working capital as well as resources for modernisation and R&D, besides its corresponding effect on turnover, the report concludes.

In June 2021, the Government had decided to convert the consolidated assets of OFB to be subsumed under the following seven new corporations:

The war-game led to the finding that division of OFB into seven entities has caused a disruption of existing supply chains. The Ancillary and the Opto Electronics Groups are under the threat of losing their age old customers the Ammunition & Explosives andVehicles Group respectivelyon which they have 80 to 90 per cent dependency, without establishing alternate markets. The analysts felt that these groupsare extremely vulnerable in the transition phase and will require hand-holding measures.

This was recommended to be in terms of a policy directive ensuring that this interdependencybe allowed to continue for the transition phase, for a duration of three years. This needs to be addressed on priority, the group felt after studying the current conditions and the likely demand.

The war-game found that the Ancillary group stayed largely dependent on artillery/tank ammunition hardware orders in terms of shell casings/ cartridge cases/packing material etc., from the Ammunition and Explosives Group. Approximately 90 per cent of the groups earnings are through inter-factory demands,out of which 80 per cent of the demand is fromthe Ammunition and Explosives Group.The analysts felt that The Ancillary Group is vulnerable to competitionin the transition phase and will not be able to sustain itselfunless either a price preference clause of 15 per centis provided for or the inter-dependency be allowed to continue through a policy directive, for a three year period, the group recommended.

The war-game also found that with the armed forces incrementally phasing out clothing items by 2024-25, the revenues of the Troop Comfort Group will gradually reduce since the high cost structure also does not allow the this segment to be competitive against the private sector players. As a first step, the Group needs to cut its manpower by at least 25 per cent the study surmised.

The war game however found that at least three segmentsThe Vehicle Group, the Ammunition and Explosives Group and the Parachute Grouphavea comparatively brighter future.

For instance, it predicted that the turnover of the Vehicles Group is likely to achieve a year on year (YoY) growth of 6 per cent for the next five years, from the present turnover of INR 2500 Cr. The existing indents of all types of A vehicles are ensuring that the order book is full for the next five years.

The ammunition and explosives group will be able toachieve YoY growth of 8 per cent in the next five years, due to order visibility, exportsand economies of scale. Its proposed diversification in the field ofammunition life Extension Services and energy materials, were considered likely to yield dividends, the war game predicted. Similar 8 per cent YoY growth has been anticipated in the Parachute group.

However, the war game has found that Corporatisation will lead to an increase in prices contrary to the popular belief. Post a multi-layered consideration of issues, the war game brought out that corporatisation will lead to an increase in prices, the executive summary of the war game said.

Giving its reasons, the report said, In the past, OFB was functioning ona No Profit No Loss basis supplying at actual cost of production, but with additional overheads. Now they will operate under corporate pressures, where cost of maintaining working capital andR&D costs will have to be taken into consideration and added to the cost of production. Sub-contracting from different corporate entities due to splitting oftraditional supply chains and Inter corporate taxation issues will add to the costs. Besides a reduced demand due to a reduced budget will create its own pressures in some cases, the war game report informs. The analysts felt that the cost plus model will have to be adopted in the short term, thus making one of the aims of corporatisation, the cost reduction will be difficult to achieve.

Finally, the participants in the war game said it is essential to build confidence in theHuman Resources. Keeping external factors aside, it was felt that the need of the hour is aninculcation of self-belief, self-esteem and confidence and removing apprehensions about theintention of the government.

Two issues need resolution by the government, the war game participants said. One, clarity on the status of officers and workers after the initial period of two years for which the government has agreed to extend the existing terms and conditions of their employment. Two, clarifying apprehensions aboutgolden handshake orside stepping offers toother ministries/departments/government organisations. The analysts felt that gaining the support and confidence of OFB employees at all levels will remain a crucial determinant for success and needs to be addressed with sensitivity and care. Moreover, the existing surplus manpower is not capable of performing functions likefinance, and marketing and will require personnel with experience from other PSUs/DPSUs.

The war game, conducted late last month, was run by Insighteon Consulting and included experts drawn from as varied backgrounds as Department of Defence Production (DDP), Quality Assurance, OFB, and included among others a former Financial Adviser in the MoD, a former Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS), representatives from the private sector and also labour union representatives.

Nitin A Gokhale

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How will OFB Corporatisation Progress: A Deep Dive - Bharat Shakti