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VinFuture foundation officially launches the call for 2022 VinFuture Prize nominations

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 17 February 2022 - The VinFuture Prize has officially opened the nomination portal for the second season from February 16th until May 17th, 2022. The 2022 season of VinFuture Prize is looking for scientific inventions and innovations that can help revive the world and build up sustainable development after the pandemic. The Laureates of the VinFuture Grand Prize 2021 Following the success of the inaugural VinFuture Prize with 4 honored breakthroughs in science and technology that can positively impact humanity on a global scale – The second season of the Prize has been launched and welcomed by the international community of science. The focus of the VinFuture Prize’s second season is to honor outstanding scientific innovations that can help reimagine post-pandemic life and stimulate sustainable development. This reflects VinFuture’s consistent vision and mission of “Science for humanity”. If health protection was the challenge of mankind in 2021, “Reshaping and Reviving” is the imperative that the world needs to cope with in 2022. Centering around the theme of “Reshaping and Reviving”, the second season of the VinFuture Prize hopes to motivate and inspire scientists around the world. Through the Prizes, VinFuture wishes to support people to overcome topical post-pandemic challenges and create positive changes for millions of human lives on earth this year. Commenting on the outstanding nominations of 2021 and looking forward to this year’s submissions, Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend – Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, said: “Last year’s prize awards celebrate very clearly how science and innovation can bring real global benefits for health. However, humankind faces big challenges in many other areas, including natural resource consumption, the move to zero carbon to avoid damaging climate change, and others. This year we want to reach as widely as we can, across disciplines and across continents, to broaden the scope and impact of the VinFuture Prizes in reviving the post-pandemic world.” To be eligible for participating in the VinFuture Prize 2022, the applications are required to meet the nomination criteria* and be nominated by reputable organizations/individuals in the field of science and technology around the world. Nominations will be evaluated in the pre-screening and selection stages by the Pre-screening Committee and the VinFuture Prize Council respectively. Members of the Prize Council and Pre-screening Committee are top global scientists, inventors and laureates of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Millenium Technology Prize, and other global awards. Sharing about the expectations for the call for nominations of the second VinFuture Prize season, Prof. Văn-Chí Đặng, Scientific Director of Ludwig Cancer Research Institute (USA) and a member of the VinFuture Prize Council, said: “Science and technology is the answer to the challenges and urgent global problems that people are facing. In order to have more inventions that help change people’s lives regardless of origin, skin color, or ethnicity, for this year’s Prize, we expect to receive more exceptional scientific solutions, in more diverse fields, across more geographical areas, and from scientists regardless of age, gender, or nationality,… with the potential for application on a larger scale." The inaugural VinFuture Prize received tremendous support from the global scientific and technological community, with 599 quality nominations from scientists, researchers, and innovators from six continents. The VinFuture Grand Prize, valued at US$ 3 million, was awarded to a group of three scientists: Dr. Katalin Karikó (USA), Prof. Drew Weissman (USA), and Prof. Pieter Cullis (Canada) for the development of mRNA technology, paving the way for the production of effective vaccines to help prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. The VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields was awarded to Prof. Omar Yaghi (USA) for his pioneering work on the discovery and development of metal-organic framework materials (MOFs). The VinFuture Special Prize for Female Innovators was awarded to Prof. Zhenan Bao (USA) for the scientific advancements from her pioneering work on developing skin-inspired organic electronics materials. The VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing countries was granted to two scientists from South Africa, Prof. Salim Abdool Karim and Prof. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, whose research helps prevent HIV transmission and lessen the burden of the AIDS epidemic. 2022 online nomination portal: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination For more information about the Prize: Detailed instructions on the nomination process and the Nomination Form: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination FAQs: https://vinfutureprize.org/faqs/ The first-year VinFuture Prize Laureates were announced at the Award Ceremony on January 20th, 2022. Information about the awarded innovations can be found here: https://vinfutureprize.org/laureates/ *The ten major nomination criteria of the VinFuture Prize are: There should be clear evidence, or potential, for an end-product or service based on the solution, which has an everyday practical application; Solutions should have already benefited millions of people in the past 10 years for the Grand Prize, or have the potential to benefit millions of people in the next 10 years for the Special Prizes; Solutions should be aligned with one or more of the United Nation’s SDGs; Solutions must be scientifically proven (i.e., there should be clear evidence of passing relevant scientific trials, and in the case of research, it must be empirically proven or widely reviewed); Open to researchers or inventors who were involved in developing the underlying solutions, and not entrepreneurs or corporates who helped in the commercialization/diffusion of the technology; End-products of the research should benefit people globally, including those from developing and less developed countries, as well as lower-income and disadvantaged communities; Open to individuals or teams of researchers/inventors; Preferences are considered for nominees in the active stages of their careers; A nominator can only nominate one nominee/one group of nominees for each of the four Prize categories. Research/Solution/Invention can be underpinned in any discipline of science, engineering, or technology, including potentially multi-disciplinary approaches. About VinFuture Foundation: The VinFuture Foundation, established on December 20th, 2020 on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day, is an independent, not-for-profit foundation initiated by Mr. Phạm Nhật Vượng, the Chairman of Vingroup JSC, Vietnam’s leading private conglomerate, and his wife, Mrs. Phạm Thu Hương. The Foundation was established to honor and facilitate breakthrough scientific research and technological innovations that have already contributed or have the potential to contribute to the betterment of life for millions of human beings globally while creating a more sustainable world for future generations. The VinFuture Prize consists of four prize categories, of which the Grand Prize – with a value of US$3 million – is one of the largest annual global prizes, and three additional Special Prizes, worth US$500,000 each, are dedicated to Female Innovator(s), Innovator(s) from Developing Country(ies), and Innovator(s) with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields. In addition, the Foundation also conducts many activities to realize its mission, such as funding research, collaborating in academic development, and promoting STEM education. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net Company Website https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination/s/welcome

February 17, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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G Medical Innovations Announces that More than 200,000 LiveNow At-Home COVID-19 PCR Tests are Now Available at 4,000+ Circle K Locations Nationally, with 300,000 More to Ship in the Coming Weeks

G Medical Innovations Holdings

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GMVD) announced today that more than 200,000 of its LiveNow COVID-19 PCR collection kit tests are now available at more than 4,000 Circle K convenience stores nationally. Another 300,000 kits will ship to the retailer within the next few weeks. The kits are expected to generate approximately $12 million in revenue, based on the expected return of at least 100,000 kit samples to the company’s testing lab. Circle K is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States. “As a result of our highly successful partnership with McDade Products for brand development and national retail distribution, millions more of the LiveNow PCR Collection Kits are in production. They will continue to ship to Circle K stores and will fulfill significant orders for kits from other national retailers to be announced soon”, said Dr. Yacov Geva, President and CEO of G Medical Innovations. In response to a national shortage of COVID-19 test options, Pittsburgh-based McDade Products, LLC and G Medical Tests and Services, a division of G Medical Innovations, partnered in January to make several million COVID-19 PCR collection kit tests available for retailers. G Medical Innovations is a telehealth, medical device, and remote patient monitoring company providing clinical-grade solutions for consumers, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions. McDade Products is a division of McDade Group, a specialty sales, marketing, and distribution company serving the U.S. retail industry. The LiveNow diagnostic PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test detects the presence or absence of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The PCR test type, which requires approved lab certification, has been widely recognized as more accurate because it is more sensitive than antigen tests. Visit https://www.mcdadegrp.com/ to place orders for the LiveNow PCR Collection Kits. About McDade Group Founded in 1994, McDade Group is a growing and dynamic sales, marketing, and distribution services company headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. The company has expanded to provide solutions in distribution, category management, full-service merchandising, and consulting across the U.S. retail industry. Many of the world’s leading CPG manufacturers rely on the ability of McDade Group to build strong industry relationships and deliver services, insights, and expertise for hundreds of their products. Visit: https://www.mcdadegrp.com/ or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mcdade-group/. About G Medical Innovations G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. is an early commercial-stage healthcare company engaged in the development of next-generation mHealth and telemedicine solutions and monitoring service platforms. The Company’s solutions and services can empower consumers, patients, and providers to better monitor, manage and improve clinical and personal health outcomes, especially for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (or CVD), pulmonary disease, and diabetes. The Company’s current product lines consist of its Prizma medical device, a clinical-grade device that can transform almost any smartphone into a medical monitoring device, enabling both healthcare providers and individuals to monitor, manage and share a wide range of vital signs and biometric indicators; its Extended Holter Patch System, a multi-channel patient-worn biosensor that captures electrocardiography (or ECG) data continuously, including its QT Prolongation Syndrome Detection Capabilities Patch. In addition, the Company is developing its Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring System (or VSMS), which is expected to provide full, continuous, and real-time monitoring of a wide range of vital signs and biometrics. Its monitoring services include provision of Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (or IDTF) monitoring services and private monitoring services. Visit https://gmedinnovations.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, G Medical is using forward-looking statements when it discusses delivery of purchase orders, anticipated revenue, production of additional LiveNow PCR Collection Kits, that it will continue to ship to Circle K stores and will fulfill significant orders for kits from other national retailers to be announced soon. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on G Medical’s and McDade Products’ current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of G Medical and McDade Products could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in G Medical’s prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 28, 2021, the registration statement on Form F-1 filed on February 14, 2022 (registration no. 333-262724) and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertake no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. G Medical and McDade Products are not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. Contact Details G Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

February 16, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

AmeriLife Now Offers SimpliNow℠ Legacy from AIG

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life and health insurance solutions, today announced that its agencies and affiliates are now offering SimpliNow Legacy SM from AIG (issued by American General Life Insurance Company), a simplified issue whole life insurance product specifically designed for middle-market American seniors. SimpliNow Legacy was designed to help policyholders lessen the burden of final expenses--including unpaid debt, medical bills or other household costs--on their loved ones. The product offers a unique limited-pay feature and death benefit coverage ranging from $5,000-$35,000. SimpliNow Legacy was created with middle-market Americans (ages 50 to 80 with a household income of $75,000 or less) in mind, including seniors, to help provide this growing demographic an additional layer of financial protection. For agents, SimpliNow Legacy was built for speed. This product features an instant-decision underwriting process, no post-sale paperwork, and the ability to draft credit card payments in real-time to instantly issue policies. This process includes: Electronic applications that tell agents early-on the type of coverage their clients can receive Instant underwriting decisions 100% of the time and early in the application process, with no additional underwriting, ever Instant issue capabilities for IGO and current dated apps paid with credit cards SimpliNow Quoter allows agents to easily quote their clients’ premiums before or during the application process “In the U.S., the median cost of a funeral is around $9,000*, and many older Americans are doing what they can to avoid passing those expenses onto their loved ones,” said Pat Fleming, Executive Vice President of Product Innovation and Corporate Actuary for AmeriLife. “We’re proud to be one of AIG’s exclusive partners in offering a groundbreaking product that provides consumers with the confidence that their final expenses will be addressed. The speed of the process at the point-of-sale is something that will help our agents work quickly and efficiently to help their clients secure coverage that will aid in preserving their legacies.” For more information on SimpliNow Legacy, visit www.amerilife.com to get in touch with an AmeriLife agency or affiliate. ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide financial solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a national distribution network of over 300,000 agents and advisors, more than 40 marketing organizations, and 50 agency locations. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. *Source: National Funeral Directors Association. Policies issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), Houston, TX. Policy Forms: ICC21-21445, 21445, 21445-5, 21445-10, 21445-35, 21445-42, ICC21-21447, 21447, 21447-5, 21447-10, 21447-35 and 21447-42. Rider Numbers: ICC21-21468, 21468, 21468-5, 21468-10, ICC21-21469, 21469, 21469-5, 21469-10, ICC21-21470, 21470, 21470-5, 21470-35 and 21470-42. Issuing company AGL is responsible for financial obligations of insurance products and is a member of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. AGL does not solicit, issue, or deliver policies or contracts in the state of New York. Products may not be available in all states and product features may vary by state. Please refer to the policy. This is not a preneed insurance contract or agreement. Benefits are payable to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as directed by the owner of policy. Premiums paid may exceed amount of coverage. For an estimate of the year the premiums may exceed the amount of coverage, divide the face amount by the annual premium. SimpliNow Legacy offers a limited death benefit in the first two years of the policy. Should death occur in the first two years, a death benefit will be equal to 110% of the premiums paid. In the event of suicide, the death benefit is limited to a refund of premiums paid less any outstanding loan amount. THIS POLICY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT ITS PROCEEDS WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO PAY FOR ANY PARTICULAR SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE AT TIME OF NEED OR THAT SERVICES OR MERCHANDISE SHALL BE PROVIDED BY ANY PARTICULAR PROVIDER. American General Life Insurance Company 2929 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019, United States © 2022 American General Life Insurance. All Rights Reserved. AGLC201559 Contact Details AmeriLife Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

CURE Token Launches CURE Chain Development by Securing Technical Advisor Jim Nasr

CURE Token, LLC

Jacob Beckley, visionary founder of CURE Token and THE BECKLEY FOUNDATION philanthropist, has set his sights on another new and exciting venture in his quest to upend traditional approaches to medical research and to enable universal access to medical care, especially for the underserved. As COVID hampered the The Beckley Foundation's fundraising events and efforts, Beckley needed innovative, alternative ways to fund its commitments to active medical research programs. CURE Token was launched to fill funding gap, and instead exploded in a short time to a $52M market cap, enabling the expansion of the Beckley foundation's mission to include supplementing the devastating patient and family costs associated with childhood cancer care. "Supporting childhood cancer research, patients and their families is a compassionate effort, and I'm pleased we are able to make even a small difference", says Beckley, "but it's the tip of an iceberg fraught with underlying problems in an industry disinterested in change". He goes on to describe two fundamental healthcare industry problems at opposite ends of the delivery system. "Researchers need to share data, every day, real-time, in an anonymous, secure system. COVID vaccines are an example of the speed and acuity that can be brought to bear through real-time collaboration. That same process needs to be replicated every day, in every way, on every research project. By the time professional papers are published and peer reviewed, it's already old news". At the other end of the spectrum Beckley talks about his primary goal: patient access. "All the medical research, innovation and development in the world is worthless if patients are unable to access it due to economics or geography. Healthcare access should not be limited to the wealthy, the insured, or the geographically well located. Healing is for everyone." CURE Chain, Beckley's visionary concept to address both of these goals is becoming a reality, and he's harnessing the horsepower to make it happen sooner rather than later. Jim Nasr, a well-respected tech innovator and CEO of Acoer, an award-winning tech firm specializing in user friendly blockchain development will join Beckley in structuring and launching CURE Chain. Nasr is well versed in the healthcare industry, from his role as chief software architect for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, his collaboration with Mayo Clinic's development of their connected diagnostics platform, and positions on a variety of key healthcare technology committees and related boards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af858de1aef1df75ada4dce/4a886ac6-bbde-4bf9-8a2e-d191eabccf97/cure-chain-leadership.png?format=1000w "CURE Chain provides a novel opportunity to address the issues that Jacob has identified. As example, through use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) on a public Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) network, we intend to reference clinical research and patient data uniquely, securely and in a privacy preserving manner. This DLT “anchoring” will significantly increase confidence on the authenticity of the underlying data and accountable monitoring and usage it," says Nasr. “We firmly believe that properly conceived DLT and blockchain integration as an underlayer of computational trust can lead to decentralized healthcare delivery and the leveling of the playing field—reducing the gap between the developed and underdeveloped health systems, the insured and uninsured, and the wealthy and the poor." Full CURE Chain implementation will proceed after the conclusion of the already underway key design activities. These include: Technical architecture design—on schedule, with the technical team already hard at work, identification of research organizations for piloting clinical trial data exchange, and the development of patient user experience models. "Financial institutions tried to thwart cryptocurrency development and growth, but it happened anyway by mass demand. CURE Chain will change a healthcare industry that doesn't know it's broken and has no motivation to change, and it will do it by mass demand," Beckley explains. "Once it catches on and people, both researchers and patients, see the value change will be monumental". A pretty bold, futuristic statement, but it comes from someone whose title is "Senior Vice President of Innovation, Product and Technology" at one of the country's acclaimed digital innovation firms, Fusion92. Perhaps it's time to pay attention. Contact Details Eric Brown +44 7960 044904 eric@curetoken.net

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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QX Global Group Acquires Management Consulting & Advisory Services Firm Chazey Partners

QX Global Group

Together QX Global Group and Chazey Partners will provide end-to-end Business Transformation, Digital Services & Intelligent Automation, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for Fortune 1000 companies and public sector organizations, including higher education, across the globe. QX Global Group, a Top 100 Business Process Outsourcing company, announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in Austin, Texas-based Chazey Partners, a world-class management consulting and advisory firm specializing in business and digital transformation. The Chazey Partners team brings decades of experience in implementing and operating world-class business support and shared services organizations around the globe, with expertise in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together, QX and Chazey Partners will work to deliver innovative solutions that cover transformative consulting, digital services, and business process outsourcing, customized to meet each client’s specific needs. “At QX, we have always focused on enabling transformation of our client’s businesses using our unique 3P approach of people, process, and platform, and we are thrilled that the addition of Chazey will allow us to help organizations solve their most significant barrier to growth – digital adoption and business transformation at scale, said Frank Robinson, Group CEO of QX Global Group. “Adding Chazey furthers our vision to provide integrated, end-to-end solutions to help our customers take advantage of the latest operating models and emerging technologies. I am also delighted to officially welcome Phil Searle onto QX Global Group’s Board as Chief Transformation Officer.” Chazey brings to the QX Global Group management consulting and advisory services with a global reach. Founded in 2006, Chazey Partners has demonstrated consistent and significant growth, with global representation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ireland, Turkey, and India. Chazey’s consultants provide advice, support, and implementation expertise, covering strategy setting, business case production, program management, process optimization, technology enablement, training, and change management. “ Since founding the company, we have significantly expanded and evolved Chazey’s solutions to help numerous businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence by transforming their business operations,’’ said Phil Searle, CEO and Founder of Chazey Partners. ‘’With QX, we have found a shared passion for empowering our clients to achieve world-class performance. By joining forces with QX, we will augment our near-shoring and offshoring capabilities by opening new Centers of Excellence (COEs) in India and Latin America. This is an exciting new chapter for Chazey Partners, our employees, and our customers.” The partnership of both trusted brands comes at a time when enterprises across the globe are adjusting to the post-pandemic world. In this environment, Chazey Partners is at the forefront of offering needed transformation solutions, helping enterprises optimize business operations and adopt the latest technologies for sustained growth. The QX-Chazey partnership will enable all clients to achieve a faster return on investment and add more value to their customers and employees. Barbara Hodge, Global Digital Editor at the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), said, “This marks an exciting and timely development in the shared services and outsourcing space. SSON has collaborated with Chazey Partners for many years, and I am pleased to see such a highly respected group in the field of business transformation push forwards in extending its services to provide enterprise customers with the more holistic solutions they need right now. Adding Chazey Partners’ transformation capabilities to QX Global Groups’ BPO services, drives an end-to-end solution that connects consulting, digital and business process outsourcing. This aligns perfectly with the move to integrated business services, digitalization – driven by intelligent automation – and data analytics, that we are seeing across the shared services landscape. It’s also consistent with service providers moving to a ‘one-stop-shop’ solution for business transformation and digital needs. I am delighted at this news and look forward to engaging with the new partnership.” For QX Global Group: Corbett Keeling, London, and J. Sloan & Co, Dallas, Texas, provided corporate finance and transaction advice for QX Global Group; BDO LLP provided Due Diligence support across all entity geographies; legal support was provided by Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. For Chazey Partners: Sett & Lucas acted as transaction advisor, and Jackson Walker LLP provided legal support. About QX Global Group QX Global Group is a leading provider of business process management services. With over 17 years of accounting and recruitment process outsourcing experience, we help our clients unlock business value by improving process efficiencies and automation in the accounting and recruitment functions to enable business transformation. We have offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and India. About Chazey Partners Chazey Partners is a practitioner-led, global management consulting and advisory services firm. We bring real-life, practical, hands-on experience, empowering clients to strive for world-class performance, through Business Transformation, Shared Services, and Intelligent Automation. We help businesses and public sector organizations achieve operational excellence in the provision of mission-critical business services, including Finance, Human Resources, IT, Procurement, Contact Centers, Marketing, and Facilities Management. For over sixteen years, Chazey Partners has helped clients implement successful service delivery solutions; in the US & Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Contact Details QX Global Group Vishal Kurani +44 20 8146 0808 vishal.kurani@qxglobalgroup.com Chazey Partners Leigh Knowles +1 855-692-6229 LeighKnowles@chazeypartners.com Company Website https://qxglobalgroup.com/

February 14, 2022 09:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

Six talented women climate scientists from developing countries awarded the 2022 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award

Elsevier

Six researchers have been awarded the 2022 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World for their contributions to research that is helping tackle climate change and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including: SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG15 (Life on Land). The winners’ research explores a wide range of environmental impacts and their potential solutions: from turning waste into man-made soil; transforming plastic pollution into viable products for community trade; harnessing the power of microbes to improve carbon storage and soil quality; and using the right types of plants with roots to help prevent soil erosion and encourage soil ‘plasticity’. The prize also acknowledges the scientists’ commitment to leadership, mentoring and engagement within their communities, including the use of innovative technologies in their research. President, Jennifer Thomson, of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) said: “What our 2022 winners are doing is absolutely outstanding. Climate change is the most pressing challenge of our time, and these women are finding innovative and effective ways to address it in their local contexts. We hope this award is the first of many for them.” This year’s winners are: Myriam Mujawamariya of the University of Rwanda; in Biological Systems and Organisms. Abeer Ahmed Qaed Ahmed of Al-Saeed University, Yemen; in Biological Systems and Organisms. Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury of the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; in Biological Systems and Organisms. Heyddy Calderon of the Instituto de Geología y Geofísica, Nicaragua; in Engineering Sciences Ashani Ssavinda Ranathunga of University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; in Engineering Sciences. Flor de Mayo Gonzalez Miranda of San Carlos University, Guatemala; in Engineering Sciences. Those interested can meet the winners for the first time, as they appear virtually in the upcoming panel, “ Minority and Women in STEMM Awards,” at the upcoming AAAS Annual Meeting. First awarded in 2013, the award is given in partnership by the OWSD and Elsevier Foundation. OWSD chairs a panel of distinguished scientists to select the winners, and the Foundation awards a cash prize for each winner of USD $5,000, as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to attend a prominent scientific gathering to provide them with vital networking opportunities. This year’s award ceremony will take place on March 24, both virtually and in-person as part of the International Conference on Gender Action and Climate Change in Istanbul, Turkey at Istanbul Aydin University (IAU) on March 24, 2022. Ylann Schemm, Director of the Elsevier Foundation said: “We have reshaped our award this year to respond to the key challenges of our time, such as climate change, and supporting the progress being made around the UN SDGs. We know that a quarter of all women are engaged in agriculture, which makes them more vulnerable to both climate change and resource scarcity. We want to reflect the critical role that women can play in successfully addressing climate shifts.” Past Award winners have been invited to meet their country’s presidents, and have been celebrated by local, national and international media, while other winners have gone on to receive other prestigious awards and fellowships including L'OREAL-UNESCO’s For Women in Science Fellowships and the British Council Award. Read more about this year’s OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award on Elsevier Connect. --- Notes for editors Reference sheets for each award winner, with a more extensive biography and description of their work, are available upon request, please contact the Elsevier Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com. For interview requests, journalists can contact Domiziana Francescon, Elsevier Foundation & External Partnerships Manager at d.francescon@elsevier.com. Short bios of the 2022 winners: Myriam Mujawamariya in Biological Systems and Organisms. For her research on the responses of native tree species in Rwanda to climate change. Her work will inform the most effective approach to reforestation and land restoration and identify the best tree species to facilitate soil stabilization, climate regulation, biodiversity, and bioenergy. ''Receiving this prestigious award is a great recognition and driving force to expand my research. This is also an inspiration for young girls in advancement of their career to ensure equity in Climate action and the Environment in the developing world,” said Dr. Mujawamariya Abeer Ahmed Qaed Ahmed in Biological Systems and Organisms. For her work on microbiology- and nanotechnology-based solutions to pressing problems such as carbon emissions, drug-resistant pathogens, and fossil fuel dependence. She has studied the use of microbes in agricultural land to increase carbon sequestration and improve soil quality, the use of microbes to convert biomass into pharmaceuticals, and the effects of environmental and nutritional conditions on microbial biological processes to inform treatment against multi-drug resistant microorganisms. “The OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award gave me encouragement and recognition during an important time on my journey as a scientist. This recognition will inspire me to keep going and inspire young people who are looking up to us to light their paths. This award gave me confidence and showed me that I am going in the right direction,” said Dr. Ahmed. Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury in Biological Systems and Organisms. For her work on conservation of aquatic ecosystems and threatened species in Bangladesh. In particular, she focuses on assessing the extent of and the risks from plastic pollution, which is closely linked to climate change. Dr. Chowdhury is leading an effort to educate women in poor and marginalized fishing communities about how discarded Nylon-6 fishing nets can be turned into value-added products such as carpets and clothing, creating an alternative income source for the communities while protecting the wetland habitats. “Winning this Award is like a promise to continue my research and teaching with new hope. This award gives me a scope to prove what women in science and conservation can achieve while working hard with sincere commitment. I believe this award will inspire my daughter, my students and everyone here in Bangladesh to showcase that with different limitations, scientific research can be done and achieved recognition worldwide,” said Dr. Chowdhury. Heyddy Calderon in Engineering Sciences. For her work to provide secure and sustainable water sources for vulnerable populations in Central America. Dr. Calderon works with local communities in dry regions to increase their capacity to cope with climate variability and climate change, as well as with decision makers and local stakeholders to help them plan and prepare for the future. “This award is an inspiration to me. I am joyful and honored by the recognition of my work; but also, I feel the responsibility to keep pushing boundaries for the women who come behind us,” said Dr. Calderon. Ashani Ssavinda Ranathunga in Engineering Sciences. For her work turning industrial and agricultural waste into anthropogenic (man-made) soil for soft ground improvement and mine rehabilitation. Her research findings enable the effective utilization of locally available waste and by-products for economical and ecofriendly construction and development projects. “This award recognizes my contribution to the field of geo-environmental engineering and encourages me to follow my passion and inspire young women in developing countries to take the initiative to work for the advancement of science, irrespective of their circumstances,” said Dr. Ranathunga. Flor de Mayo Gonzalez Miranda in Engineering Sciences. For her work engineering better landslide prevention for vulnerable areas in Guatemala. Dr. González Miranda is investigating how specific grasses in the vetiver can help to prevent landslides. Through soil tests, X-ray diffraction, and other techniques, she has shown how the plants' roots alter the chemical, physical and mechanical behavior of the soil, reducing the speed of soil infiltration as well as soil plasticity. “This award allows me to say that all living organisms are a system that must follow its natural evolution. It also gives me back my voice to tell politicians that corruption takes away human development and pushes the great masses to emigrate, expressing my urgency to legislate on measures to protect the environment: that these laws are not dead words,” said Dr. Gonzalez Miranda. To find out how the OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award helps shape our understanding of the Global South, find out more about 2021’s winners below: Harnessing nanotechnology for cancer drug delivery and ecofriendly fertilizers How my teacher said I asked too many questions: From curious to award winning researcher Using mathematics to solve practical problems: It's elementary Seeking the secrets of the universe in the particle Ghanaian chemist is finding toxic substances in unusual places About OWSD The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) provides research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists throughout the developing world. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 7,000 members and runs various programs, including a PhD fellowship programme with over 330 successful graduates from Least Developed Countries and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as an Early Career fellowship programme providing research grants of up to USD$50,000 in addition to leadership training. OWSD is the first international forum to unite women scientists from the developing world with the objective of strengthening their role in the development process and promoting their representation in scientific and technological leadership. OWSD is affiliated with The World Academy of Science (TWAS), a program unit of UNESCO, and is based in Trieste, Italy, with national chapters throughout the developing world. www.owsd.net About The Elsevier Foundation The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate not-for-profit 501(c)(3), funded by Elsevier, a global information analytics business specialized in science and health. Since 2006, the Elsevier Foundation provides over $1.5 million USD a year in grants to knowledge-centered institutions around the world, which address the UN Sustainable Development Goals through tech-enabled innovations in inclusive health and research. The Foundation offers a comprehensive matching gift and volunteering fund to enable employees to work with Foundation partners and support their communities. The Elsevier Foundation is part of Elsevier’s larger corporate responsibility program which centers on our unique contributions to sustainable development in gender, health, climate and reducing inequalities. elsevierfoundation.org About Elsevier As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems. In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders. Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray's Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com Contact Details Erin Johnson OWSD Communications ejohnson@owsd.net Jonathan Davis j.davis.1@elsevier.com Elsevier Communications, Europe newsroom@elsevier.com Company Website https://www.elsevier.com/

February 11, 2022 09:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

Patient Safety Authority Announces Winners of 10th Annual I AM Patient Safety Awards

Patient Safety Authority

Healthcare professionals from across Pennsylvania and the nation have been honored as winners and runners-up of the 2022 I AM Patient Safety award. The contest recognizes advancements, outcomes, and commitment to patient safety. Since its inception in 2013, the I AM Patient Safety achievement awards have honored hundreds of programs and individuals who stepped up to positively impact patient safety. “Even amidst the pandemic, there are innumerable healthcare professionals who remain focused on speaking up, transforming the system, and making changes to improve patient outcomes,” said Patient Safety Authority executive director, Regina Hoffman. “This is an opportunity to applaud and honor those who care so deeply that they take positive action, no matter how difficult or challenging the circumstances.” The awards are judged by a cross-section of national and regional healthcare executives; patient safety advocates; and government, university, and patient representatives. The award criteria include innovation, impact, sustainability, and scalability. The 2022 award winners are: Executive Director’s Choice: HAI Focus Team at WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital developed and implemented a plan that reduced the number of central-line–associated blood stream infections to zero for nearly a year and decreased overall hospital-acquired infections by 28%. The intervention included unit level observations, daily assessments, blood culture order sets, clinician education and real-time coaching. Ambulatory Surgery/Care: Jesse Hixson, MSN, Greg Purnell, MD, and the AHN-Monroeville Ambulatory Surgery Center team identified a suture problem at their facility related to healing and infections. Expanding the investigation across the hospital network and finding similar concerns, AHN converted to a different product and resolved the problem. Runners-up: Bethel Park Surgery Center Team, Allegheny Health Network at Bethel Park Surgery Center; and Jamie Hallam and Front Office Staff at Spartan Health Surgicenter. Improving Diagnosis: Joyce Litwak, RN at Lehigh Valley Health Network discovered emergent symptoms in a patient who was admitted and treated for a hip fracture, leading to a new diagnosis of stroke, which required emergency, life-saving surgery. Runners-up: Dr. Jaber Monla-Hassan at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery; and Anila Gidwani, Rebecca Topping, and Bethany Dieffenderfer at WellSpan Dixon Foundation Health Center. Individual Impact: Kristin Keane, RN at Phoenixville Hospital creatively used FaceTime to teach a patient’s family member to provide care at home and recorded the video, which they used as a reference in emptying the patient’s surgical drains. Runners-up: Theresa Lasko, RN and Deborah Gruntz, RN, Welcome Center Senior Teammates at Advanced Surgical Hospital; and Adrienne Bellino-Ailinger, RN at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery - Einstein Endoscopy Center Blue Bell. Long-Term Care Facility: Desiree Schuler, LPN at Hometown Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a true safety champion, consistently providing staff education, serving as a role model for peers and championing efforts to prevent all incidents and accidents, including a 25% reduction of resident falls in the facility in 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Runners-up: Alicia Elvidge, NHA, Chief Executive Officer at South Mountain Restoration Center; and Kimberly Krall of Thornwald Home. Nationwide Warriors: Perioperative Surgery at Northwell Health piloted remote video auditing (RVA) with non-punitive, real-time feedback to promote surgical quality improvement and patient safety in the OR. The result: a dramatic increase in acceptance and compliance with time-out surgical safety procedures and improving surgery outcomes. Runners-up: The Second Victim Committee at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; and Rinisha Thomas, RN & Tatiana Ziegler, RN at Delaware Valley Veterans Home. Physician Offices: Melissa Bauman, CRNP at Lehigh Valley Physician Group Family Medicine–Bath saved a 33-year-old patient’s life when she noted a heart murmur and insisted on follow-up diagnostics. This resulted in the diagnosis of a chronic type A dissection involving the aortic root, which required an emergency chest scan and surgery. Runners-up: Tammy Bowman, Office Coordinator, LVPG Hematology/Oncology Office at Lehigh Valley Physician Group; and the Outpatient Falls Prevention Team at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. Safety story: Registered Nurses on 5 Cathcart/Schiedt (Medical-Surgical Unit) at Pennsylvania Hospital spoke up about a safety concern regarding dispensing of oral liquid methadone from the pharmacy to the unit, which resulted in a hospital-wide shift to storing the drug in unit-based dispensing machines. Runners-up: The PAR (Patient At Risk) Bundle Team at Pennsylvania Hospital; and the Monitor Technician Department at UPMC Community Osteopathic. Sepsis: St Luke’s Allentown’s Emergency Department Team, Dr. Christopher Stromski and Ryan Kloss consistently achieved high sepsis bundle compliance by engaging in process improvement, reviewing opportunities, and providing timely assessment and intervention in the sepsis patient population. Runners-up: WellSpan Health Sepsis Team at WellSpan Health and Dr. Jaber Monla-Hassan, Dr. Robert Czincila, Kim Mikula, Kim Vitelli, Olivia Johnson and Scott Urbinati at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. Time-Outs: The Pre-Procedure Time-Out Taskforce at Pennsylvania Hospital was created in response to a troubling increase in safety events occurring prior to patients’ arrival in the OR. The team designed and implemented a process that ultimately reduced consent and wrong-site/wrong-patient safety events per day by over 87%. Runners-up: Radiology Department at Chester County Hospital; and The Allegheny Health Network Perioperative Education Team at Allegheny Health Network. Transparency and safety in healthcare: A multi-disciplinary team at UPMC Carlisle and Central Pennsylvania Hospitals developed an order set in response to an adverse event related to continuous urinary bladder irrigation. Implemented at all hospitals in the region, the order set, nursing education and information sharing showed how transparency and collaboration can result in system improvement for patient safety. Runners-up: Central Sterile Processing Department — UPMC Hamot; and Rosanna Catania-Venuto, MSN, RN — Chester County Hospital About the Patient Safety Authority The PSA is an independent state agency that collects and analyzes patient safety data to improve safety outcomes and help prevent patient harm. http://patientsafety.pa.gov/. About PSA Established under the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act of 2002, the PSA, an independent state agency, collects and analyzes patient safety data to improve safety outcomes and help prevent patient harm. http://patientsafety.pa.gov/ Contact Details Bev Volpe +1 609-230-4696 bev@madisongall.com Company Website http://patientsafety.pa.gov/

February 10, 2022 03:35 PM Eastern Standard Time

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The Greeley Company Names Greg Kopulos as President

Greeley

The Greeley Company (Greeley), a division of The Chartis Group (Chartis) and a leader in clinical quality and patient safety services and solutions, is pleased to announce that Greg Kopulos has joined the firm as its new President. Kopulos will serve as a member of both Chartis’ and Greeley’s executive leadership teams. As President, Kopulos will be responsible for all of Greeley’s financial, operational and service areas including Patient Safety and Clinical Compliance, Medical Staff Services Optimization, Physician Education and Interim Staffing Solutions. He will also lead the company’s growth strategies and drive Greeley’s commitment to materially improve patient safety, quality and outcomes. “We are delighted to welcome Greg as Greeley’s new President,” said Ken Graboys, CEO of The Chartis Group. “Greeley has long been an essential resource for leading healthcare organizations who rely on the company’s expertise to meet their clinical quality and patient safety objectives. Greg’s proven leadership comes at an exciting time as Greeley continues to grow and serve US providers in their most mission-critical areas.” Kopulos joins Greeley from GE Healthcare (GEHC) where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Strategy focused on leading GEHC’s global go-to-market transformation. He held multiple senior leadership roles within GEHC during his 19-year tenure, including Senior Vice President and COO – Global Services, and Chief Operating Officer – US & Canada Region. “I’m humbled and energized to join a company guided by its mission to serve” said Kopulos. “With the deep expertise of our practice leaders and a proven reputation in the market, Greeley is committed to the advancement of clinical quality and patient safety and will continue to make a material impact for the clients we serve.” Kopulos assumes the role as part of Greeley’s and Chartis’ growing investment in their Clinical Quality and Patient Safety offerings and capabilities. Andrew Resnick, MD, a nationally recognized leader in clinical quality and safety, recently joined Chartis as Chief Medical and Quality Officer. Dr. Resnick comes from Mass General Brigham where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Quality and Safety Officer at Brigham Health. Christian Dankers, MD, recently joined Chartis as Associate Chief Medical and Quality Officer, following his role as an Associate Chief Quality Officer at Mass General Brigham. Sheri Winsper, RN, MSN, MHA recently joined Greeley as Vice President of External Peer Review/Clinical Quality & High Reliability, following her role as Senior Vice President, Quality Measurement at the National Quality Forum (NQF). Prior to his time at GEHC, Kopulos served as Vice President, Business Development for an equipment maintenance insurance firm and Vice President of Finance at a long-term care company. Greg obtained his CPA and started his career with Arthur Andersen providing consulting services to middle market clients. Kopulos earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He earned a Master’s in Business Administration with International Focus from Marquette University. About The Greeley Company The Greeley Company (Greeley), a division of The Chartis Group®, is a leader in patient safety and clinical quality consulting. Greeley has utilized its proven methodology to help organizations improve efficiency, comply with regulations and standards, achieve practitioner engagement and alignment, and excel in delivering high-quality, cost-effective patient care for more than 30 years. For more information, visit greeley.com. About The Chartis Group® The Chartis Group (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, informatics and technology, digital and emerging technologies, and health analytics, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco. For more information, visit chartis.com. Contact Details Hot Paper Lantern Brooke Ferreri +1 212-931-6182 bferreri@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://greeley.com/

February 10, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

FreshEdge Launches New Website

FreshEdge

FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies, has launched a refreshed and expanded www.freshedgefoods.com. FreshEdge partnered with DMA Solutions (Dallas, Texas), a marketing agency dedicated to exclusively serving the fresh produce industry. The website creates opportunities for connecting with FreshEdge’s operating companies and engaging in what makes their family unique. FreshEdge now operates with 1,640 employees, approximately 700,250 square feet of warehouse space, with a fleet of more than 650 trucks, delivering fresh food to customers in 22 states. Through rapid growth and consistent execution, FreshEdge has quickly amassed a reputation for adding value throughout the fresh foods industry. “FreshEdge’s new website is a splash of freshness,” said Steve Grinstead, CEO of FreshEdge. “It also symbolizes who we are – a growing family of customer-obsessed fresh food companies who care.” Greg Corsaro, President and COO of FreshEdge, added, “The revamped website reflects FreshEdge’s value proposition of providing dependable, customized solutions with cutting-edge technology for consistent, reliable delivery of fresh food with a sense of family and trust.” “We’re excited about the unique space this new website delivers for connecting FreshEdge, its family, and our industry partners,” said Daniel Corsaro, President of Indianapolis Fruit (FreshEdge retail operating company) and participant in the development of the new site. About FreshEdge FreshEdge was formed in 2019 through the combination of Get Fresh Produce (Bartlett, IL, founded in 1982) and the IF&P Foods family of companies, primarily composed of Indianapolis Fruit (founded 1947) and Piazza Produce (founded 1970). McCartney Produce (Paris, TN) joined the FreshEdge family in November 2020 followed by Valley Produce (Knoxville, TN) in June 2021, Vine Line (Grand Rapids, MI) in October 2021, and Monteverde’s (Pittsburgh, PA) in November 2021. Collectively, these leading fresh food distribution companies have several hundred years’ combined experience serving the grocery and food service industries. In addition, FreshEdge includes two Garden Cut branded fresh-cut processing facilities, a tomato re-packer, a USDA fresh kitchen (CIBUS Fresh), and two transportation companies. Today, FreshEdge is a category leader in providing both the foodservice and retail industries with fruit, vegetables, fresh grab-n-go offerings, dairy, floral and specialty products. For more, visit www.freshedgefoods.com. Contact Details FreshEdge Greg Corsaro +1 317-981-3440 gcorsaro@freshedgefoods.com Company Website https://www.freshedgefoods.com/

February 10, 2022 07:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

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