Category Archives: Longevity

mbg Sustainability + Health Director

mbg Sustainability + Health Director

Emma Loewe is the Senior Sustainability Editor at mindbodygreen and the author of "Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us."

Image by Jeff Way / Stocksy

October 11, 2023

Want to live an active, engaged life into your 90s and beyond? Florence Comite, M.D., wants to help. The precision medicine doctor specializes in individual protocols for reversing disorders of aging and boosting life span. With a triple appointment in endocrinology and reproductive endocrinology, she's also an expert on how hormones impact the longevity equation.

We were curious: What does a healthy aging expert wish she had started doing earlier to set herself up for success down the line? Here are the three things Comite thinks everybody in their 20s and beyond should prioritizebecause you're never too young (or too old) to set yourself up for a vibrant health span:

1 .

Sleep wasn't the easiest thing for Comite to prioritize when she was in residency working 100-plus-hour weeks. These days, she makes up for lost time by treating sleep as a nonnegligible.

Since she started monitoring and improving her deep sleep and REM sleep using an Oura ring, she's noticed a dramatic decrease in her biological age tests.

As for why sleep can have such a powerful effect on long-term health, Comite says part of it has to do with its impact on sugar cravings and insulin control. She points to one 2019 study that found that 62% of people with glucose levels in the prediabetes range were also likely to have poor sleep.

If you don't get enough sleepparticularly deep sleepyour hormone levels can also go haywire. "It increases the risk significantly for age-related conditions like obesity, heart disease, hypertension, anxiety, and depression," says Comite.

2 .

"Muscle to me is like the fountain of youth. It's the key to longevity," says Comite.

Unfortunately, we gradually lose all-important muscle starting around age 30, coinciding with the decrease of certain hormones like testosterone. "That's why diabetes starts emerging in the 30s, 40s, and 50sbecause we're all losing muscle as our hormones are shifting," Comite explains.

This means that building a strong reserve of lean muscle in your 20sand maintaining it as you ageis paramount. Being well-muscled can help improve blood sugar control, reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, and protect bone health. (Muscle is known as the organ of longevity for a reason!)

Comite notes that to build a strong reserve, you'll need to do resistance training at least two to three times a week and eat enough protein to fuel muscle protein synthesis. You can quickly gauge your muscle health by doing a chair-rise test: Ideally, you'll be able to lift yourself out of a chair without using your hands.

3 .

As a precision medicine doctor with over four decades of experience, Florence Comite, M.D., knows what it takes to set the stage for longevityand prioritizing sleep, doing resistance training, and monitoring blood sugar levels are her first lines of defense against diseases of aging. While living to be a super-ager requires some solid genetics and a dash of good luck, these are powerful things you can do to stack the cards in your favor.

Read more:
I'm A Longevity MD: 3 Things I Wish I Did For My Health In My 20s - mindbodygreen

The Scene

Earlier this year, E, a software engineer at one of the FAANG tech giants in Silicon Valley, hit a wall in the gym. The 32-year-old had been working out consistently with a personal trainer for over a year, but his weight lifting progress was starting to plateau.

His trainer began encouraging him to order supplements online to push his body further, which he called peptides. E finally decided to take the plunge in April and bought two bottles of 60 pills from a website for $180.

In the era of the buff business leader, some tech workers have begun using peptides a broad class of oral and injectable drugs, treatments, and supplements to improve their health and appearance. They range from the FDA-approved diabetes medication Ozempic to unregulated compounds imported from China.

Enthusiasts claim they can not only treat disease, but also increase weight loss, boost muscle growth, or give you a tan without needing to sit out in the sun. Since the end of last year, the relative popularity of Google searches in the U.S. for peptides rose nearly 60%, according to Google Trends.

The tone around peptides went from this is some obscure thing to this is a normal thing, said E, who asked to use his middle initial to protect his privacy.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that are used by all living creatures to make proteins. More than 80 peptide therapies have been approved worldwide the most well known example is insulin.

Bodybuilders and biohackers have long dabbled with taking peptides, but providers say the practice has become more popular since the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of injectable obesity medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy, which Elon Musk has credited for helping him to drop 30 pounds.

Demand for these specific peptide drugs referred to as GLP-1 medications has skyrocketed over the last year, leading to shortages. In order to access them, people began turning to online telehealth services that often partner with compounding pharmacies, which can produce GLP-1 drugs readily and cheaply. Some clinics, like Concierge MD and Telegenixx, also offer other, more fringe peptides to their patients.

We can help manage things like mental clarity, focus, and sexual wellness, said Erin Keyes, the co-founder and CEO of Telegenixx. The company announced in June that patient enrollment had increased 350% since the start of the year, and competitors around the country have recently begun adding peptide therapy to their practices as well.

Keyes said that peptides are particularly appealing to people in industries like tech, where many roles are mentally demanding and physically sedentary. Abe Malkin, the CEO and founder of Concierge MD, said his patients often listen to podcasters like Joe Rogan and Andrew Huberman, who have both previously discussed peptides on their shows.

Regularly injecting multiple peptides, or what biohackers often refer to as stacking, can quickly get expensive. Telegenixxs service starts at $299 a month for one peptide and increases to $499 if patients add on another.

One peptide user, who had previously used two other compounds to help him recover from an elbow injury, said he was currently considering a round of tesamorelin, a synthetic human growth hormone peptide that is FDA-approved to treat HIV patients. The $1,200 price tag for a three-month supply, however, gave him pause.

Patients must also contend with the potential side effects from taking peptides, especially when its not always clear what may be in them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration periodically cracks down on websites selling unapproved versions of the drugs, but it still remains relatively easy to find them online.

E said the pills he bought almost immediately made him feel stronger, less stressed, and improved his sleep. But he stopped taking them after noticing clumps of his hair falling out in the shower, which he learned was a common side effect after reading accounts from other users online. If I didnt start losing my hair, Id still be on them today, E said.

I was initially really tempted to start taking peptides. The idea of losing a few pounds, sleeping better, and having more energy sounded great. I pored over Reddit posts in which people swore the medications made them feel thin for the first time ever, or helped them heal from stubborn injuries after nothing else worked. I wanted to find out if I could reap the same kinds of benefits.

But then I saw how peptides were being discussed on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Their purported upsides were often touted by burly male influencers, who received a commission from each sale when someone used their discount code or a special link in their bio. Taking unregulated substances that were being promoted in this way started to look less appealing.

Last month, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate published a report that looked at how peptides are marketed to teenagers on TikTok, connecting them to the wider industry of workout supplements and steroid-like drugs that often preys on the insecurities of young men. CCDH looked at 9 hashtags specifically for peptides, which it found had been viewed 163 million times in the last three years, more than half coming from users ages 18 to 24.

Theres a big new cultural problem where all the ills we have recognized with regards to body image for young women are being revisited in a new form for men, said Callum Hood, head of research at CCDH.

Late last month, the FDA announced that it would consider taking action against compounding pharmacies that produce a number of substances the agency concluded raise significant safety risks. The list included several peptides popular among biohackers, including BPC-157, AOD-9604, and GHRP-2. A spokesperson for the FDA did not respond to questions in time for publication.

If I can be a superhero and function at my absolute optimum, why wouldnt I? asked a Los Angeles fitness coach in this Wall Street Journal article about peptides.

4% of male and female subscribers to tech news site The Information say they spend between $100 and $500 on weight-loss medications each month.

X Prize founder and longevity guru Peter Diamandis was criticized for falsely promoting certain peptides as cures for COVID-19 in 2021.

Link:
How peptides became the latest longevity trend in Silicon Valley - Yahoo News

The skyline of Beijing. [Photo/VCG]

A decade ago in Beijing, air purifiers sold like hot cakes and people locked themselves indoors in an attempt to escape the blanket of heavy smog outside. Breathing the toxic air was a serious health hazard. Today, the same air purifiers gather dust as Beijingers enjoy the great outdoors without the fear of falling ill and fresh air is no longer considered a luxury.

The reversal over the past 10 years has been nothing short of remarkable. Chinese authorities often demonstrate the vast difference in air quality between then and now by pointing out the decrease in density of air pollutants in the atmosphere and the steady increase in the number of days with fairly good air quality each year.

A recent study by a United States-based institute, however, highlights the effect of the improvement in air quality in a more direct manner it means Chinese people can expect to live longer.

China's air pollution level in 2021 was 42.3 percent lower than what it was in 2013, the year before the country launched a "war against pollution", according to the annual Air Quality Life Index report, compiled by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago in late August.

"Due to these improvements, the average Chinese citizen can expect to live 2.2 years longer, provided the reductions are sustained," it said.

The world only experienced a "small decline" in air pollution levels between 2013 and 2021. The decline was "entirely due to China's progress", it stated.

It said, "Without China's steep decline in pollution, global average pollution would have increased slightly from 2013 to 2021."

China's "staggering success" in controlling air pollution happened after the country hammered out a National Air Quality Action Plan in the fall of 2013, it said. The document laid out specific targets to improve air quality by the end of 2017, including a $270 billion initiative to reduce pollution in the densely populated regions.

To realize these goals, the Chinese government restricted the number of cars on roads in large cities, axed capacity of smokestack industries, banned new coal plants in key regions and shifted from coal to natural gas and electricity as fuel to warm rural homes.

"At the foundation of those actions are common elements: political will and resources, both human and financial, that reinforced each other.

"When the public and policymakers have these tools, action becomes much more likely," it said.

Zhao Liang, who initiated a grassroots NGO named Airman that concentrates on battling air pollution in 2014, is keenly aware of the role political will has played in driving air quality improvement in the country.

In the early days of the NGO, it was not easy for Zhao to gain access to either air polluters or government officials. But he has found the government "increasingly open" to NGOs like his.

In the top-level design of the Chinese government, a series of mechanisms have been introduced to "pass the pressure to the grassroots levels", he noted, citing the country's high-profile central environmental inspection that was launched in 2016 as an example.

Led by minister-level officials, inspection teams report to a central group led by a vice-premier of the State Council, the country's cabinet.

"When communicating with the grassroots level, officials no longer say this is not important. That is a big change," he said. "They are willing to communicate with us."

However, the pollution level in China is still six-fold higher than WHO recommended guidelines and remains one of the top threats to life expectancy in the country, the report warned.

"If China is able to reduce its pollution from 2021 levels to meet the WHO guideline, and those reductions are permanently sustained, the average person in China would see their life expectancy increase by 2.5 years," it noted.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn

Go here to read the rest:
Study: Nation's pollution fight increasing longevity - Chinadaily.com.cn - China Daily

Summary

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Leprechaun, Hulu has added all eight films to the streaming platform. Lionsgate recently revealed that an official reboot is in the works, which is no surprise given the franchise's long-standing success. The film series centers around a vengeful leprechaun and the unlucky victims who end up on the receiving end of his murderous rampage. Despite its gruesome scenes and dark premise, the subtext and snide one-liners allow the film to fall under the comedy-horror umbrella.

Mark Jones is the creator of Leprechaun and the writer-director of the 1993 film. While Leprechaun is his most well-known project, he has also worked on titles such as Rumpelstiltskin, Riptide, and Nightman. The cast is led by Friends' Jennifer Aniston with Warwick Davis, Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, Robert Hy Gorman, and Shay Duffin rounding out the ensemble.

RELATED: Every Leprechaun Movie, Ranked Worst To Best

Mark Jones chats exclusively with Screen Rant about Leprechaun's legacy, working with Jennifer Aniston in the early stages of her career, and the film's lasting impact on the horror genre. Note: This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and the film covered here would not exist without the labor of the actors in the union.

Screen Rant: When you first created Leprechaun in the 90s, did you ever imagine that you would be setting the stage for such a long-running movie franchise?

Mark Jones: No, and if I knew it, I would have made a better deal for all of the sequels. Listen, it's been taking care of me for 30 years, and it's pretty amazing. I remember I said to my producing partner, "What are the odds that we'll get a sequel?" and then he goes, "Well, if it does well in video, maybe they'll do a sequel," and I go, "That'd be great to actually have two pictures."

This thing won't stop. The fans, I think, understood what I was trying to do. It's kind of a comedy-horror not to be taken so seriously. It hit a chord. There are eight-year-old kids that I've met that love Leprechaun. They're literally eight years old, and they've watched them, and now they're going to be able to see them on Hulu. So it finds a new audience every few years. It just won't quit.

What first inspired you to make a horror film centered around a leprechaun?

Mark Jones: I was a writer in television, and I wanted to direct. This was like, late 80s, early 90s, and I said, "If you write a low-budget horror movie, you could probably get it funded." They were doing a lot of those direct-to-video. I never expected it to go theatrical like it did. I just figured no one's done a leprechaun. They've done Friday the 13th, they've done Halloween, they did Valentine's Day. They did all these horror movies that had marquee value, but no one did a leprechaun for St. Patty's Day.

I know they're a little bit evil. I looked at the history. I wrote the script, and the studio, TriMark, at the time, said, "No one's done a horror about a leprechaun. Let's look at it, and let's do it." I think it helped me get my first directing gig. That's what I wanted it to do. Plus, I liked doing horror, and I liked the fact that everybody knew of leprechauns, but no one had done the movie. I was surprised no one's done a horror movie on a leprechaun before I did.

Leprechaun was also one of Jennifer Anistons first major projects. This came out before Friends premiered. How was getting a chance to work with her so early on in her career and seeing everything shes done since?

Mark Jones: We were going for really unknowns. She had done, I think, a little bit of episodic television, but I didn't know who she was, and she came in and read for us. There really was something about her. And I've said this a number of times, she came into the room, and she just sort of had a charisma. She was very good. She was my choice. I must have seen 2530 girls, and I said, "She's my favorite." I saw another 25 after, and I kept going back to her.

She was great to work with. It was her first movie. It was really a co-starring role. She was excited. This helped her, in the sense that it got her a feature that did get a theatrical, and then she got Friends the next year. I like to take credit for getting her Friends, but I'm not sure that it's accurate. At the time, she loved it, and she was great to work with, and a professional, and she was adorable. I know she'll never forgive me for putting her in Leprechaun, but at the time, she was excited. It worked out okay.

What do you enjoy most about the different iterations of the character of the leprechaun and how its evolved over the years?

Mark Jones: Obviously, Warwick had that character all the way through number six, and it kept kind of evolving. I'm happy they make them. I still have an interest in all of them. Number seven, Origins, they didn't use Warwick, and it was just a straight horror movie, and he had no personalityI thought that was the wrong way to go. I think I was correct because it did not resonate with the fans. It wasn't really the leprechaun character.

Then they did Leprechaun Returns, number eight, and they went right back to the first one that I did and even brought in the Ozzie character, Mark Holton, to reprise his role. I think that was the way to go, and I hear they're starting to develop number nine, and I think they're going to go with the original character and stuff. I think it got more fun, and the fans love the picture. I was very happy. I think number seven just was not the right tone.

Given that this is the 30th anniversary, its obviously been a while since this was filmed. However, is there a scene or a moment on set that sticks out to you when you look back on the making of the movie?

There's a famous scene at the end, where Robert Gorman, Alex, shoots the slingshot at the leprechaun, and he says, "F*ck you Lucky Charms," and the studio did not want me to put that in. I said, "Come on, that's going to get a cheer in the theater." They wanted me to do all kinds of things. I remember shooting a number of different versions without doing the line that was in the script that I wrote. And then I shot mine, and I moved the camera forward, and I made it a better delivery. They ended up testing it, and the audience loved it. I remember talking to my producing partner going, "I can't believe they want me to take the line out."

I don't have financial interests, but there's a book you can get on Amazon, "The Making of Leprechaun." A lot of people don't know, but it came out a couple of months ago. It has all those interesting behind-the-scenes stories and antidotes and things like that. There's a lot of information on that, but I remember that. It was an adventure every day. It was my first time directing, so I was excited. They gave me 35-millimeter film and Panavision cameras, which was a big deal to have as a first-time director, and I had a good crew.

What impact or influence do you feel that the film has had on the horror genre as a whole?

Mark Jones: I think people, kind of the kids, got it. I think it made people less afraid to go over the top. Horror was a lot of straight-ahead slasher kind of movies, and I didn't want to do that. I think the comedy, and the tone that you had a villain who was killing people and pulling eyeballs out, and yet, rides a tricycle, and a skateboard, and all this fun stuff. I think it told people, "Hey, you know what? We don't have to take horror so seriously. We can have some fun with it." I think I was one of the first ones who really did it with a monster who had a personality and talked. There was Freddy Krueger, but he was more horrific. I think the comedy kind of opened up for other people to do it.

Youve worked on so many different projects in a variety of different genres, but what makes Leprechaun stand out from the other work youve done? Does it hold a special place in your heart after all this time?

Mark Jones: Absolutely. It was the first picture that I directed. It made me a lot of money. [Laughs] I was saying the other day, an eight-year-old kid found out I did Leprechaun and came up to me and said, "I'm a big fan. I've seen them all." To make a movie 30 years ago, and an eight-year-old today still likes it, and now Hulu is going to be running it, and it's always on television, and people are still renting itthey're still renting it and watching it. It gives me a lot of pleasure that it's kind of a piece of history, so I love it. I couldn't be happier with how it's turned out.

Dan O'Grady (Shay Duffin) steals 100 gold coins from a leprechaun (Warwick Davis) while on vacation in Ireland. The leprechaun follows him home, but Dan locks the murderous midget in a crate, held at bay by a four-leaf clover. Ten years later, J.D. Redding (John Sanderford) and his daughter, Tory (Jennifer Aniston), rent O'Grady's property for the summer. When their new neighbors accidentally release the leprechaun, he goes on a murderous rampage to reclaim his gold.

Leprechaun is currently available to stream on Hulu.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Excerpt from:
Leprechaun Creator On The Film's 30th Anniversary & Longevity Of ... - Screen Rant

Empathise with longevity-focused lifestyles

Its no revelation that consumers are living longer, but as trend forecaster The Future Laboratory points out, more consumers are living wellness-fuelled existences and seeking wellbeing in all experiences be that travel, retail or tech.

Longevity proposes that ageing should no longer be seen as or treated with managed decline. It is a new concept for living and a more progressive way of looking at health and wellness, said lead beauty analyst at The Future Laboratory, Olivia Houghton.

Businesses and brands can use it to create products that redefine how consumers take care of themselves. It offers consumers new tools to advocate for more progressive beauty, health and wellness outcomes. Longevity isnt merely an innovation that delays death, but one that optimises life.

According to Houghton, in the coming years consumers will look to businesses and brands to help them feel at ease with the idea of living longer and having more control over the length of their lives. Brands should be prepared to lead them through this paradigm shift by being comfortable with the new science, language and philosophy of longevity.

Beauty and personal care brands can support and inform life-long good habits by being the go-to expert partner and look to data and smart innovations to identify shortfalls between chronological and biological ages, and provide the required solutions to reverse, reduce and mitigate.

They can also encourage consumers to embrace a neutral perspective on ageing and develop beauty, health and wellness products that address the bodys unique stages and experiences, rather than relying on age categories.

Overall, Houghtons advice is:

Colour cosmetics brands that havent recently reviewed their marketing tactics and potential consumer base may benefit from re-examining exactly who their customers or potential customers are and what they need from makeup.

According to data from market intelligence agency Mintel, two in five (42%) women ages 18-34 who used cosmetics said they wore makeup less often than last year due to skin health concerns, while 39% said it was because they had less time.

However, 43% of male makeup users ages 18-44 said they were applying makeup more often than a year ago and 41% said they were applying makeup more often to relax or de-stress, which is double the number of women (22%) who cite relaxation as a reason they are applying makeup more often.

Joan Li, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel said: Our research shows that mens appearance concerns are focused on complexion and blemishes, which leads them to prefer facial cosmetics over other segments. Makeups emotional and mental draw for men suggests that when reaching this audience, brands should balance external benefits, such as appearance, with internal benefits, such as self-care.

Brands in this space could also find success by highlighting the soothing sensation of makeup application, particularly with facial products, as men are most likely to gravitate toward that subcategory, advised Li.

It was also worth noting that 67% of makeup users ages 18-34 said that they are paying more attention to ingredients used in makeup products than a year ago.

As the health and wellness industry expands to include emotional wellbeing and skin health, consumers will increasingly challenge beauty brands to clearly communicate the roles brands play within the evolving industry, concluded Li.

Machine intelligence consumer trends platform Spate has launched its first-ever AI-generated trends report, which used a tech-savvy mixture of two billion search signals in the US across over 10 diverse industries; year-over-year growth analysis on top volume keywords by industry; and ChatGPT GPT-4 to uncover behavioural trends and brand implications.

One trend it spotted was: Authenticity in a sea of sameness, which highlighted consumers growing hunger for authenticity and individuality and that the era of one-size-fits-all is over.

The report said that consumers are turning their backs on mainstream and generic experiences, opting instead for more personalised, unique, and individualistic pursuits. They are seeking deeper connections, genuine narratives, and a sense of individuality in everything they consume. It also said that brands that recognise and incorporate this craving for authenticity in their product development and marketing strategies will resonate more deeply with their audience.

In terms of implications for brands, Spates AI report said: In the current era that values authenticity, consumer brands are urged to prioritise genuine narratives, emphasising their history and values beyond mere product displays. The evolving market landscape requires brands to cater to niche interests through tailored product offerings, customer engagement, and diverse representation in their campaigns."

It continued: "The balancing act of maintaining artisanal craftsmanship while capitalising on the efficiencies of mass production becomes pivotal. Furthermore, brands must dive deep into niche markets, ensuring they remain adaptable by consistently analysing and responding to market shifts. At its core, staying genuine, agile, and attuned to the market's pulse is essential for brand relevance in today's authenticity-seeking world.

Broken down, in terms of cosmetics design it advised: Create base products using efficient, mass-production methods. Then, allow for customisation or handcrafted elements to be added. This way, the foundation is produced efficiently, while the details can exhibit craftsmanship. Integrate Technology: Utilise advanced machinery and AI for repetitive tasks while leaving intricate details and final touches to skilled artisans. This way, technology aids the efficiency part while humans ensure the touch of craftsmanship.

In terms of marketing narratives, the AI-generated report advised: Share the origin, the people behind the product, and the techniques used. This can give consumers a sense of connection, even if the product isn't 100%-handcrafted.

It also highlighted the relevance of the feedback loop: Continuously gather feedback from both consumers and craftsmen. This will help brands identify where they might be leaning too heavily toward either efficiency or craftsmanship and adjust according, it shared.

Read this article:
3 insider insights: expert trends for the future of beauty - CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com

While nobody controls the weather, everybody can limit how much it affects their cars by taking extra care. It is that time of the year again when car dealerships and workshops get flooded with clients to prepare their cars for winter. Owner of Uniglass Pluss, Dann Burt, says this time of the year is one of the highest seasons of the year for them.

We have had all types of clients over the years, but this year in particular, we have seen more young people compared to previous years, Burt says. A vehicle is a fairly expensive piece of equipment for everybody at every age. You want to keep it up as long as you can.

Credit: Mauricio Prado

Burt says that cars must deal with salt and other ice-melt techniques on top of the weather conditions, which makes it easier for corrosion to develop in cars.

According to The Government of Canada, 5 million tonnes of road salt are used annually to keep snow and ice from building up on roads and to make driving safer. Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic are the provinces that most use salt for roads.

With the new metals used to build vehicles nowadays and their prices, it must be necessary for every car owner to do rust-proofing, Burt says.

Fanshawe student Luisa Amaya says she has had two cars; the first had a severe corrosion problem.

I did not know how to take good care of cars back in the day, and due to that, the rust and corrosion even got inside my car, Amaya says.

Amaya adds that she lives in Hamilton, so having a car in good condition is necessary for her safety.

I travel every other day to my hometown because that is where I am from and where my family is, Amaya says. Sometimes, I must drive in awful weather conditions to return, and I do not want to have car problems under heavy rain or snow.

Credit: Mauricio Prado

Burt, who has been in the mechanic industry for 32 years, says the best time to do the rust control treatment is generally in the fall, just before the weather changes and gets damp.

Whether it is the permanent rust proofing, which is a tar-based product or the annual rust proofing, which is generally an oil-based product, it helps protect the vehicle from the elements, Burt says.

According to Burt, the rust treatment process generally takes about two hours because they first need to clean the bottom of the vehicle to remove any debris.

Read more:
Road safety and vehicle longevity versus rust and corrosion - 106.9 The X