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PHD LAUNCHES “ASCENSION” TO HELP BRANDS RISE WITH AI

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Generative Publishing Platform Connects Human and Artificial Intelligence to Enable Experimentation, Acceleration and Elevation of AI as a Fundamental Element of Marketing Functions and Solutions

LONDON, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Omnicom Media Group agency PHD Worldwide has launched Ascension, a publishing platform offering a comprehensive and ongoing exploration of the impact of Generative AI on the marketing industry; and how clients and agencies alike will need to evolve their organizations and offers to effectively leverage the technology to drive business growth.

Unique among agency thought-leadership platforms, Ascension is a generative magazine that blends human and AI-generated content to capture the latest advancements and insights in the rapidly evolving field of AI.

“PHD’s mission is defined as Intelligence. Connected. – bringing everyone and everything together. And today, that includes artificial intelligence,” says PHD Worldwide CEO Guy Marks. “As a generative publication that evolves as the world updates, Ascension explores how AI is going to reshape marketing—from initial experimentation to full acceleration and eventual elevation – and provides actionable information and insights to help us, and our clients, to rise with AI.”

Editorial Perspective Informed by Research

To ensure content that best serves marketers’ needs – and does more than simply add to an already cluttered and confusing generative AI information landscape – PHD partnered with WARC to benchmark AI perspectives, surveying more than 700 senior marketers and agency experts. The findings  revealed significant gaps in desire vs adoption, and perceived vs actual AI knowledge; conflicting expectations around the functional impact; and subjective interpretations of the evolutionary timeline.   

In response, Ascension offers a clearly defined editorial perspective: exploring the impact of AI across seven distinct marketing executive functions; and mapping how these functions will evolve across three specific adoption stages. 

The Ascension Seven

Ascension identifies the seven different executive functions that are required as part of the day-to-day development of marketing communications:

Sensing: The function of understanding stakeholder needs through listening, interpreting, and empathizingVisioning: The ability to identify and articulate needs or opportunities, setting the course for future growthDefining: Translating a vision into an actionable strategy, setting parameters, objectives, and methodologiesGenerating: The creative heart of marketing, involving the creation of concepts and contentDeveloping: Building upon and adapting what has been generated to ensure it is well-crafted and fit for purposeJudging: Decision-making processes involving evaluation, choosing between alternatives, and steering project directionActioning: Task organization and project execution, orchestrating collective efforts to meet deadlines and achieve goals.

With the research revealing that marketers see higher impact across  the Defining,  Generating, Developing and Actioning functions,  Ascension will:

Explore requisite shifts in the roles of creatives, strategists and plannersReveal the essential new skills/roles that will be required to sustain growth in an increasingly AI-driven marketing landscapeExamine strategies for re-skilling/cross-skilling that will be critical for effective AI-human collaborationMap how all of the above will evolve across three eras of development

The Three Eras of Ascension 

Understanding that marketers need to be able to assess AI actioning in the context of the broader marketplace evolution, Ascension provides a developmental road map from this moment in time to the end of the decade that encompasses three distinct eras:

The AI Experimentation Era (2024-2026)
This phase will be marked by the individual use of LLMs and Diffusion models, new software with GenAI capabilities, utilization of existing platforms such as Microsoft Copilot and Adobe Firefly, and the early integration of GenAI into enterprise platforms. It will be a period of pilot projects and refinement, setting the stage for more profound changes to come.The AI Acceleration Era (2026-2028)
Following the early experimentation, AI will become a fundamental element of marketing – with more mature applications of GenAI in existing platforms. It will be used by a large portion of the workforce, albeit mainly for efficiency and effectiveness. This era will focus on replacing and/or enhancing current functions.The AI Elevation Era (2028-2030)
With efficiencies and effectiveness realized by existing platforms, the focus will turn to creating more intelligent systems that can take greater control of decision-making. As individuals are freed up, attention will shift to elevation – exploring new marketing capabilities beyond what we can envision today.

PHD Worldwide Chief Strategy Officer Mark Holden, who conceived and architected Ascension said “To outgrow, you need to outthink. An important part of that is providing an accurate map of the future. That’s why PHD has always emphasized thought leadership, with the latest being their “Ascension” project. This comprehensive initiative explores AI’s impact on marketing, offering insights and practical advice to help businesses adapt and thrive in an AI-driven landscape.”

Ascension is the latest addition to PHD’s thought leadership library – a collection that includes seven books exploring meaningful change moments over the past decade. To access visit https://ascension.phdmedia.com.

ABOUT PHD

PHD, an Omnicom Media Group Agency, helps the world’s leading brands outthink, outpace, and outgrow the marketplace with a next-generation network of tools, talent and technology engineered for connected intelligence. Collaborating on the AI-powered Omni operating system, 6500 people in 81 offices across 74 countries connect data, technology, and human expertise to deliver modern media solutions that drive brands and businesses forward. Headquartered in the UK, PHD is currently the most awarded media agency network in the world according to the WARC Media 100, an independent ranking of campaigns and companies for creativity and innovation; and was named 2024 Global Media Network of the Year by leading US advertising publication Adweek.

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KSAT and Morehead State University Partner to Expand Lunar Communications Infrastructure

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Partnership strengthens the KSAT Lunar Network and supports deep space and lunar exploration

DENVER and MOREHEAD, Ky., Oct. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a leading provider of ground station networks and satellite operations, today announced a strategic partnership with Morehead State University (MSU) to enhance the KSAT Lunar Network, supporting the growing demand for communications and tracking services for deep space and lunar missions.

The partnership leverages MSU Space Science Center’s established deep space communications capabilities, including its 21-meter and 12-meter-class antennas in Morehead, Kentucky, to further increase the KSAT Lunar Network. Together, the partnership enables mission operators to maintain reliable links with spacecraft operating beyond Earth orbit by adding network capacity and resiliency over the Eastern United States.

“Partnering with MSU advances KSAT’s ability to deliver the communications infrastructure required for the accelerated demand for deep space and lunar missions. We are especially thrilled about this partnership as it helps enable science and exploration space missions today, while developing the next-generation workforce to support the long-term development of the U.S. cislunar economy,” said Dan Adams, General Manager of KSAT Inc.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting the future of space exploration through innovation, education, and collaboration,” said Dr. Benjamin K. Malphrus, Executive Director of Space Science Center. “Working with KSAT provides exciting opportunities for our students and researchers while enabling us to contribute directly to the thriving commercial sector.”

KSAT and MSU share a strong commitment and heritage of supporting NASA’s Artemis program, most recently the Artemis II mission, and the broader science and exploration, as well as inspiring the next generation. In addition to expanding KSAT Lunar capabilities, the partnership will create even more opportunities for student involvement and workforce development through KSAT’s internship programs, helping prepare the next generation of engineers and space professionals for careers in the rapidly growing space sector.

About KSAT:

Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) is the leading commercial provider of Ground Station Services, Earth Observation Services, and Satellite Operations Services. Headquartered in Tromsø, Norway, the company operates the largest commercial satellite ground station network worldwide, including facilities in Svalbard and Antarctica to provide unique southern hemisphere coverage. Through KSAT Inc., KSAT’s U.S. based full-capability subsidiary, KSAT delivers mission-critical infrastructure for customers in government, civil, and commercial space in the United States, as well as the global space industry. 

About MSU:
Morehead State University (MSU) is a comprehensive, regional university located in Appalachian Kentucky in the Daniel Boone National Forest. MSU is known for excellence in STEM fields and pre-professional programs. The Space Science Center is MSU’s Program of Distinction and manages a significant research and development portfolio in small satellite systems, having executed 7 smallsat missions to date. The Center operates a 21-meter ground station and a 12-meter tracking antenna that provides lunar tracking services and smaller aperture ground stations for satellite telecommunications support. The Center also supports innovative undergraduate, graduate and a Doctor of Engineering program in Space Systems Engineering.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ksat-and-morehead-state-university-partner-to-expand-lunar-communications-infrastructure-302925397.html

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Millennium Dental Technologies and Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry Mourn Passing of Professor Raymond A. Yukna, DMD, MS (1942-2026)

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CERRITOS, Calif., Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — It is with profound sadness that Millennium Dental Technologies and the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry (IALD) mourn the passing of Professor Raymond A. Yukna, DMD, MS, world-renowned clinician, educator, researcher, mentor and cherished friend.

Throughout a remarkable career spanning academia, research, clinical practice and education, Dr. Yukna earned the admiration of colleagues worldwide for his unwavering commitment to scientific inquiry, clinical excellence and the advancement of patient care.

A Diplomate of both the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Medicine, Professor of Advanced Periodontal Therapies at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, Professor Emeritus at Louisiana State University, internationally recognized lecturer, and respected researcher, Dr. Yukna devoted his life to advancing the field of periodontics. His contributions helped shape modern periodontal therapy and influenced generations of clinicians, educators, and researchers worldwide.

His reputation for integrity, scientific rigor and thoughtful leadership made him one of the most trusted and respected voices in the specialty.

A DEFINING CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE LANAP® PROTOCOL

Dr. Yukna brought credibility, intellectual curiosity and scientific discipline that would help shape the future of the LANAP® protocol, a minimally invasive laser treatment for the treatment of moderate to severe periodontal disease. He engaged in thoughtful dialogue with Millennium Dental Technologies Co-Founders Robert H. Gregg II, DDS, and Delwin K. McCarthy, DDS, regarding the emerging science behind laser-assisted periodontal regeneration.

His groundbreaking research provided some of the earliest and most influential human histological evidence supporting the LANAP® protocol. Beginning with his International Association for Dental Research (IADR) abstract in 2003, followed by the submission of his landmark study to the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry (IJPRD) in 2006 and its publication in 2007, Dr. Yukna produced research that became a defining milestone in the scientific validation of the LANAP® protocol. His work demonstrated cementum-mediated new connective tissue attachment in humans and provided the periodontal community with compelling evidence supporting the protocol’s regenerative potential.

At a time when laser periodontal therapy was met with understandable skepticism by many within the specialty, Dr. Yukna’s willingness to objectively evaluate the science—and ultimately contribute his own landmark research—gave the LANAP® protocol a level of scientific credibility that helped change its trajectory. Many periodontists first embraced the LANAP® protocol because they trusted Dr. Yukna’s scientific integrity and respected his commitment to evidence-based dentistry.

His landmark study opened the door to broader acceptance of the LANAP® protocol within periodontics and laid the foundation for additional human histological studies, expanded university research efforts, and more than two decades of continued scientific investigation. The growing body of evidence supporting the LANAP® protocol today owes much to the foundation Dr. Yukna helped establish.

A TEACHER WHO SHAPED A GENERATION

Dr. Yukna’s influence extended far beyond the published literature. As an IALD Certified Instructor, he became one of the most influential educators in the history of the LANAP® protocol. He served as hands-on clinical instructor for approximately 350 LANAP-trained clinicians and lectured at roughly 130 Laser BootCamps™, helping educate well over 1,000 clinicians throughout his years with the IALD and Millennium Dental Technologies.

From the Denver BootCamps™ held during his tenure at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine to sessions conducted throughout New York and, later, at the facility in Cerritos, Dr. Yukna’s lectures, mentorship and quiet confidence inspired countless clinicians. His generosity in sharing his knowledge, his thoughtful guidance and his commitment to excellence helped shape the careers of an entire generation of LANAP clinicians.

A CHERISHED FRIEND

Beyond his extraordinary professional accomplishments was an even more extraordinary person. For Robert H. Gregg II, DDS and Dawn Gregg, DDS, Dr. Yukna and his wife, Charlotte, were not simply respected colleagues, they were dear friends. Over many years, they shared milestones, celebrated successes, supported one another through challenges and built a friendship that extended far beyond dentistry. In fact, when Dr. Robert Gregg and Dr. Dawn Gregg began their lives together as a couple, Dr. Yukna and Charlotte were among the very first people they chose to tell in person—reflecting the trust, respect and affection they shared.

Those privileged to know Dr. Yukna personally will remember far more than his curriculum vitae. They will remember his humility, kindness, generosity, wisdom, quiet confidence and unwavering integrity. He challenged those around him to pursue excellence, to follow the science wherever it led, and to never lose sight of the patients whose lives could be changed through innovation grounded in evidence.

HIS LEGACY LIVES ON

The LANAP® community, the periodontal profession, the IALD and the entire Millennium Dental Technologies family are better because of Dr. Yukna’s contributions.

His legacy lives on through the science he advanced, the clinicians he trained, the patients whose lives were improved by his work, and the countless colleagues and friends he inspired throughout his remarkable career.

Millennium Dental Technologies and the IALD extends deepest condolences to Charlotte and Dr. Yukna’s family, friends, colleagues, students and all those whose lives he touched.

Thank you, Dr. Yukna, for your leadership, your scholarship, your mentorship, your friendship, and your unwavering belief that scientific excellence could improve the lives of patients around the world.

ABOUT MILLENNIUM DENTAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Headquartered in Cerritos, Calif., Millennium Dental Technologies is the developer of the LANAP protocol for treating periodontal disease and the manufacturer of the PerioLase MVP-7 variable-pulsed Nd:YAG dental laser. The company’s FDA-cleared LANAP protocol offers a more comfortable, less invasive alternative to conventional periodontal surgery while providing unique bone-building clinical results. Founding clinician Robert H. Gregg II, DDS, continues to lead the company with a vision to create better clinical outcomes for patients with periodontal disease while remaining true to its guiding principle: “It’s all about the patient.” For more information, visit www.lanap.com.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED LASER DENTISTRY

The Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry is a nonprofit educational and research organization dedicated to advancing evidence-based clinical training in laser dentistry. Established in 1999, the IALD is nationally recognized for its continuing education programs as an ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program and Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education provider. For more information, visit www.theiald.com.

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SOURCE Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc.

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Okta Set to Join S&P 500; Others to Join S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600

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NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices will make the following changes to the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400, S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the opening of trading on Wednesday, November 4:

S&P MidCap 400 constituent Okta Inc. (NASD: OKTA) will replace Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE) in the S&P 500, S&P SmallCap 600 constituent Glaukos Corp. (NYSE: GKOS) will replace Okta in the S&P MidCap 400, and McGrath RentCorp (NASD: MGRC) will replace Glaukos in the S&P SmallCap 600. S&P 500 constituent Kimberly-Clark (NASD: KMB) is acquiring Kenvue in a deal expected to be completed soon, pending final closing conditions.Loar Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LOAR) will replace LiveRamp Holdings Inc. (NYSE: RAMP) in the S&P SmallCap 600. Publicis Groupe SA (Euronext Paris: PUB) is acquiring LiveRamp Holdings in a deal expected to close soon, pending final closing conditions.

Following is a summary of the changes that will take place prior to the open of trading on the effective date:

Effective Date

Index Name 

Action

Company Name

Ticker

GICS Sector

Nov 4, 2026

S&P 500

Addition

Okta

OKTA

Information Technology

Nov 4, 2026

S&P 500

Deletion

Kenvue

KVUE

Consumer Staples

Nov 4, 2026

S&P MidCap 400

Addition

Glaukos

GKOS

Health Care

Nov 4, 2026

S&P MidCap 400

Deletion

Okta

OKTA

Information Technology

Nov 4, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Addition

McGrath RentCorp

MGRC

Industrials

Nov 4, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Deletion

Glaukos

GKOS

Health Care

Nov 4, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Addition

Loar Holdings

LOAR

Industrials

Nov 4, 2026

S&P SmallCap 600

Deletion

LiveRamp Holdings

RAMP

Information Technology

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

S&P Dow Jones Indices
index_services@spglobal.com

Media Inquiries
spdji.comms@spglobal.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/okta-set-to-join-sp-500-others-to-join-sp-midcap-400-and-sp-smallcap-600-302925405.html

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

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