News Hub | News Direct

METER Group Introduces the ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer for Food and Pharma

METER Group, Inc.

METER Group today introduced the ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer, a revolutionary, modern, easy-to-use, automated reference method for moisture content analysis. The ROS 1 generates reference-quality data with ease-of-use comparable to halogen moisture balances, without the time and manual effort of drying ovens or the complexity and chemicals of Karl Fischer Titration (KF Titration). “Food and pharma manufacturers rely on moisture content measurements to control their processes and comply with labelling and potency requirements,” said Takuya Ohki, VP, METER Group. “The most accurate moisture content methods are incredibly complex or inefficient. Faster methods lack precision and produce questionable results. “We developed the ROS 1 to address this gap. It’s fast, precise, intuitive, and handles every detail automatically. It combines the best of all methods without their shortcomings.” Water content affects storage stability, appearance, texture, and taste, as well as other physicochemical characteristics of food, and is legally stipulated as well. The ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer determines moisture content from as many as nine samples in 40 minutes with reference-method precision. With an element positioned millimeters from the sample, it precisely heats each sample while cycling them across a highly accurate scale. Throughout the process, it records temperature, weight, and time, then generates an exact drying curve for each sample. Karl Fischer titration is complex and time-consuming. It uses hazardous chemicals and requires a skilled operator. Oven loss-on-drying requires significant hands-on time and often requires hours to complete. Like these reference methods, the ROS 1 is sample agnostic, using intelligent algorithms to recognize the perfect parameters for any substance without having to research test setup. Leveraging automation, it has the potential to save businesses and scientists hundreds of hours each month. “The ROS 1 brings a new level of efficiency and accuracy to food and pharma production, and delivers unprecedented precision and simplicity to workflows,” added Ohki. “Interaction with samples is minimal; the machine does the work, virtually eliminating the risk of human error or fudged data.” The ROS 1 uncovers a depth of real-time, actionable insights that moisture balances and ovens cannot detect, without the time and effort usually required. It dries to a standard, so measurements have real context and meaning. Titration takes a great deal of expertise and is usually only performed by experienced food scientists and other highly skilled employees. It also requires use and disposal of potentially dangerous chemicals. “By-the-book oven methods require hours of repetitive labor and require constant attention from operators. I’ve met manufacturers that had to run an additional lab shift just to manage oven samples. Conversely, the ROS 1 helps you meet industry regulations while automating rote tasks, freeing scientists to focus their attention on more important, profitable work,” added Ohki. Ovens are also problematic, often requiring several hours to dry samples, and additional time spent waiting for samples to cool in desiccators. Other methods that tout speed lack the precision outputs that food and pharma manufacturers require. “Many people who make moisture content measurements neither understand nor care how difficult it is to get precise, reliable results from existing methods,” says Ohki, “But inaccurate measurements have a big impact on the bottom line. For people who understand moisture, this innovation will immediately resonate. Others will get interested when they see what they can now do. “With the ROS 1, METER Group has brought to market the first and only moisture content analyzer device to offer precision of reference methods, the simplicity of an oven, and speed comparable to a moisture balance.” About METER Group METER Group, a Decagon and UMS combined company, delivers real-time, high-resolution data that fuels production and processes for the food quality, environmental research, urban and agriculture sectors. Through the power of its employees, METER combines science, engineering, and design expertise to turn physical measurements into useful information. Learn more at www.metergroup.com. Contact Details JMRConnect Mostafa Razzak +1 202-904-2048 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net

January 20, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

BirchAI RAISES $3.1M SEED ROUND FOR HEALTHCARE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLATFORM POWERED BY CUTTING EDGE AI

BirchAI

BirchAI, the leading AI platform for healthcare customer support, today announced $3.1 million in seed financing led by the AI-focused venture capital firm Radical Ventures. Leveraging groundbreaking natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, the company is set to significantly improve efficiency in the healthcare sector by automating resource-intensive aspects of customer support including the summarization, classification and analysis of customer calls. BirchAI is a spinout from the Allen Institute for AI (AI2), one of the world’s leading AI research organizations. In addition to Radical and AI2, Flare Capital Partners and WRF Capital are participating in the funding round. In many sub-sectors of healthcare, front-line phone-based customer support teams are staffed by clinically or otherwise highly trained employees. The industry already faced the retirement bulge of Baby Boomer staff aging out of these roles, and the pandemic has made finding qualified support staff a pressing issue for the medical device, pharmaceutical and health insurance industries. Using state-of-the-art AI, BirchAI is tackling this costly dilemma by automating after-call work for large enterprises, while simultaneously capturing the data from these calls to provide customer insights. BirchAI was founded by Kevin Terrell, Sumant Kawale, and Yinhan Liu. The team has worked together in AI applications before starting BirchAI, and brings together deep expertise in cutting-edge AI, healthcare, and enterprise AI deployment. “Many calls in the healthcare industry are complex, lengthy, and costly, due to significant documentation requirements,” said Kevin Terrell, co-founder and CEO of BirchAI. “Our initial focus is on complex calls, which generate over $10 billion in annual costs to the healthcare system. With BirchAI, companies will make it easier for their employees to document and analyze calls. Our platform lowers costs and improves the quality of the customer and employee experiences.” BirchAI’s world-class AI team is led by its co-founder and CTO Yinhan Liu. Prior to BirchAI Yinhan was a star researcher at Facebook AI Research (FAIR), where she was lead author on some of Facebook’s most important work in NLP, including the well-known RoBERTa and BART papers. Yinhan is responsible for building BirchAI’s NLP technology from the ground up, allowing for accurate language documentation and summarization at a greater scale. “The BirchAI team brings extraordinary technological depth and industry experience to tackling a very real problem facing the healthcare industry,” said Radical Ventures Partner Rob Toews, who has joined the BirchAI board. “The BirchAI NLP platform goes beyond delivering cost savings and efficiencies. AI technology of this nature also unlocks insights that can fuel strategic product and business decisions for its customers.” WHY BIRCH.AI MATTERS Leading-edge NLP can now be applied to the healthcare industry’s most costly customer support challenges. Integration allows for a simple platform deployment so there’s no disruption to critical business and customer service. The platform detects trends well ahead of traditional analysis allowing for an earlier warning system if a potential harmful pattern appears. Automation of call handling lowers After Call Work on average by 50 to 75%, saving time and money while improving employee engagement and customer satisfaction. The additional funding will accelerate the Birch.ai team’s growth, address its customer backlog, and allow the company to advance its AI platform. BirchAI is currently working with multiple Fortune 500 healthcare companies, including a payer and a leading medical device firm. The company is also focusing on growing its client base in the pharmaceutical sector to help with the pharmacovigilance process. “BirchAI’s intelligent automation platform transforms and digitizes some of the most complex and manual call-based workflows in healthcare, enabling customer support teams to provide higher-quality patient care guided by new clinical insight, while also reducing the cost of this care,” said Parth Desai at Flare Capital Partners. “Flare Capital is excited to support the BirchAI team on their mission.” For more information about BirchAI, please visit www.birch.ai or follow Birch_ai on Twitter and LinkedIn. About BirchAI: BirchAI was founded in 2020 by leading experts in artificial intelligence, process improvement and the healthcare industry. Backed by the Allen Institute of AI (AI2), Birch.ai provides a solution to tackle fundamental problems within our healthcare system through AI and natural language processing. About Radical Ventures: Radical Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in people applying artificial intelligence to shape the future of how we live, work and play. From healthcare and financial services to infrastructure and manufacturing, Radical partners with entrepreneurs who understand the transformational power of AI. Learn more at www.radical.vc. About AI2: AI2 was founded in 2014 with the singular focus of conducting high-impact research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence, all for the common good. AI2 is the creation of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, and is led by Dr. Oren Etzioni, a leading researcher in the field of AI. AI2 employs more than 100 top-notch researchers and engineers from across the globe. AI2 prides itself on the diversity and collaboration of our team and takes a results-oriented approach to complex challenges in AI. Learn more at allenai.org. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://birch.ai/

January 19, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

AmeriLife Announces Leadership Expansion for Life & Health Brokerage Division

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life, and health insurance solutions, today announced an expansion to its Life & Health Brokerage Division leadership amidst record-pacing growth and increased strategic integration between AmeriLife and its nationwide distribution. The appointments, as follows, were announced by Scotty Elliott, president of AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Division: Matt Graham, most recently Vice President, Managed Care Solutions, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Life & Health Operations & Managed Care Solutions. In this newly created role, Graham will provide operational leadership to help the division achieve its overarching productivity and financial goals. He will also work closely with the heads of all product lines to construct and deliver a value-laden platform for agents and advisors to grow their businesses. Graham joined AmeriLife in 2005 and has enjoyed an accomplished career with the organization. He started as a marketer with Medicare Advantage Services and has held a number of other roles with the company, including overseeing operations at Midwestern Marketing, an AmeriLife affiliate. Graham has been a champion for the company’s Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) initiatives and direct-to-consumer projects. Graham graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Edith Cowan University. Eric Brennan and Bryan Keevan have both been named Vice President, Life & Health. In these roles, they will each oversee a portfolio of division affiliates and provide strategic direction to help them achieve top- and bottom-line financial objectives. Additionally, they will help their portfolio firms develop and optimize synergies between them and AmeriLife; build and cultivate an operational foundation for a multisolutions approach for their advisors; and assist with long-term integration and succession planning. Prior to AmeriLife, Brennan was president and CEO of AmeriLife affiliate Equita Health Care and an owner and board member of The Equita Group, a leading national Field Marketing Organization (FMO) in the life and health insurance distribution market with more than 10,000 agents serving over 30,000 clients. Brennan began his career in business consulting with Accenture before joining The Equita Group in 2003 and has since served in increasingly senior leadership roles, including launching Equita Financial Expense Services in 2005. Brennan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Information Systems from the University of Texas, Dallas. Keeven, who has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance and Medicare industry, most recently served as Vice President, Managed Care Sales, overseeing the online agent and marketer platform YourMedicare.com. Prior to AmeriLife, he was National Vice President of Sales for Medicare & Marketplace for Molina Healthcare. Previous to that role, served in senior leadership roles with Bloom Insurance Agency, Aetna and Coventry Health Care. Keeven is a licensed insurance agent and holds a bachelor’s degree in Health/Health Care Administration/Management from Southeast Missouri State University and an MBA from Lindenwood University. "To say I’m thrilled for these appointments is an understatement,” said Elliott. “Matt and Bryan’s promotions and Eric’s hiring are a testament to the incredible growth — and opportunities that lie ahead — for AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Division. I know I speak for our partners across our distribution when I say that we’re excited to get down to work with our new leadership bench and build on the tremendous momentum we achieved in 2021.” ### 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. Contact Details AmeriLife Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

January 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Shatterproof Convenes National Addiction Treatment Quality Committee

Shatterproof

Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States, has announced the formation of the National Addiction Treatment Quality Committee (NATQC). The NATQC is comprised of a diverse group of industry experts convened by Shatterproof, representing federal and state agencies, addiction treatment providers, health systems, consumer advocacy groups, academic institutions, healthcare payers and purchasers, and individuals with lived experience of addiction. This group is charged with providing guidance and recommendations on quality measures and enhancements to Shatterproof’s Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment and Standards (ATLAS®) platform, which aims to empower the public to find high-quality treatment services and ultimately drive the delivery of quality addiction treatment nationally. In addition, the NATQC will further existing quality work in the addiction treatment space to ensure quality measures reflect the contemporary needs and landscape of addiction treatment in the U.S. Work by the NATQC builds on the existing efforts of state-based ATLAS advisory committees and the Shatterproof Substance Use Disorder Treatment Task Force. ATLAS aims to advance the quality of addiction treatment nationally via the market forces of consumer choice, payer decision-making, and state support, in order to reward high-quality care and support facilities in quality improvement efforts. NATQC members bring with them a variety of expertise that will help ensure ATLAS fulfills these aims. “The guiding principles of the committee include a focus on advancing access, health equity, and evidence-based care. Shatterproof works to ensure that the most appropriate and useful quality measures are included in ATLAS, with the goal of setting a national standard for addiction treatment quality,” said Gary Mendell, CEO, Shatterproof. “The insight of the committee will be invaluable in driving transformation of the treatment system while ensuring that we all are unified on the goal to standardize care and improve access to quality treatment.” The committee members will: Act as stewards of feedback to inform enhancements to the ATLAS measurement approach, data sources, data collection processes, and website displays. Provide input on key workgroup areas, based on subject-matter expertise. Promote and support strategies to ensure the ongoing success of ATLAS as it expands its reach to become a key resource for locating care across the country. Offer guidance on how ATLAS can continue to advance access to care and health equity and drive the delivery of evidence-based care. Shatterproof seeks additional individuals to contribute to the committee and working groups. Please contact ATLAS@Shatterproof.org for more information. Members will join a variety of workgroups which include: Claims-based Measures Workgroup. This workgroup will provide feedback and recommendations related to including health plan claims-based measures as a key data source. Participants will share information related to the impact/potential impact of the measures on providers, such as how best to ensure “apples-to-apples” comparison and where risk adjustment may be necessary. Patient Journey Workgroup. This workgroup will provide feedback on the patient journey through ATLAS, offer suggestions on how to streamline, additional functionality to build into the search and facility profiles, and suggestions related to the patient experience feedback section of ATLAS. Provider Data and Quality Reporting Workgroup. This workgroup will provide feedback on the provider reporting process, professional portals and alignment with existing quality measurement and reporting efforts. Telehealth and Telemedicine Workgroup. This workgroup will focus on examining how well existing quality measures are structured to align with what is currently happening in the telemedicine space, how telemedicine can help address access issues within the treatment system, and how to add telehealth providers to ATLAS in an equitable way. Participating Organizations to date include: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) U.S. Veterans Leapfrog Community Catalyst American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) Stanford University National Council for Mental Wellbeing Harvard University Medical School Optimal Workplace & Environmental Wellness Corporation New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University Technical Assistance Collaborative America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Faces and Voice of Recovery National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) National Institute for Drug Abuse/National Institute of Health Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) About Shatterproof: Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Shatterproof harnesses the models of business, the rigor of science and the power of a national movement to create change and save lives through three pillars of work: revolutionizing the addiction treatment system, breaking down addiction-related stigmas and supporting and empowering our communities. To learn more visit www.Shatterproof.org. Contact Details Holly Jespersen +1 646-334-1024 hjespersen@shatterproof.org Company Website https://www.shatterproof.org/

January 19, 2022 08:37 AM Eastern Standard Time

The mission of VinFuture has touched human hearts

Vingroup

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 19 January 2022 - The VinFuture Prize has hugely inspired all the scientists involved and it will go a significant way to put the country on the world's science map and honour those willing to go the extra mile to make scientific breakthroughs - those with endless curiosity that think outside of the box. "Talk with VinFuture Prize Council and Pre-Screening Committee" in the morning of January 18th, 2022 "For the community" prize Talking about the journey to VinFuture, Professor Albert P. Pisano (California University, San Diego, USA), co-chairman of the VinFuture Pre-Screening Committee spoke about his first time hearing about VinFuture. "The first idea on my mind is that we rarely see a prize that can acknowledge such devotion from scientists, since when the ideas were formed until the realization is made, and impacting millions of people, as with VinFuture," said Pisano during VinFuture's talk with the public on the morning of January 18, 2022, at Almaz Convention Center, Hanoi. Professor Richard Henry Friend, chairman of VinFuture Prize Council, said he still remembers the "excitement" when he heard about VinFuture. Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen, California University, Santa Barbara (USA), co-chairwoman of VinFuture Pre-Screening Committee, said: "To me, this is not simply a prize fund, it is the prize for Vietnamese people." Professor Quyen is persuaded by the fact that technology all over the world has not changed the lives of poor farmers and labourers. Born in a small village in Việt Nam where there was no electricity for 16 years, she knows better than anyone else. Accordingly, she wants to contribute a scientific idea that can reach the majority, especially the poor. Quyen could not hide her happiness that there are almost 600 nominees for the prize. "The mission of the prize has touched the hearts of many. There are plenty of candidates coming from various continents," she said. Professor Richard Friend confirmed that the quality of entrants was marvellous, and beyond the standards they were expecting. "If we don't knock, no door is opened" A much-awaited part of the talk is the stories of popular and learned "judges" about how they made breakthroughs in technology. The journeys of the professors all came from a simple thing: "curiosity." Nguyen Thuc Quyen loved literature and history, but only when she turned 25 did she find her true calling, during a science lesson. Professor Albert P. Pisano accidentally met a relative who made glasses and cups from different materials, which ignited his curiosity and first steps in science. "The aim of science, after all, is curiosity, exploration, and the journey to walk on," said Professor Nguyen Thuc Quyen. Professor Dang Van Chi, Ludwig Cancer Research Institute, told the story of his u-turn when he raised "a question that never been questioned." These questions can be doubted at first; some questions may be wrong, but the important thing is that "among many wrong questions, there will be a right question," he said. Professor Quyen believes the beauty of science originally comes from the act of stepping out of your comfort zone, to be brave enough to run and step into a new zone. "If we don't knock, no door will be opened. No one can stop us from dreaming and reaching dreams high above," she said. Professor Richard Friend thinks that we need the forum to explore together and create a "can do" culture to inspire the young. "Talents need to be inspired, authorised, and we must never stop exploring," he said. Meanwhile, Professor Albert P. Pisano said that this prize was a precious lesson to everyone, so scientists can show off their potential, express their love to human beings, and be confident in the way they choose. Professor Richard Henry Friend said: "We must not judge young people when they are walking on different paths of their own. The crucial thing is that we need to build a culture of respecting education and training, to encourage the students to walk freely with proper orientation. They can be outside regular standards, as long as they are successful." "This is the only event that has had such a positive impact on Việt Nam and the whole world." The VinFuture Sci-Tech Week shall have three more main events: January 19: "Science for Life" Symposium. January 20: At 8:10 pm, the Inaugural Award Ceremony of VinFuture Prize shall be officially held live on VTV1, and other national and international social media channels. January 21: Talk with the laureates of VinFuture Prize. To ensure the safety of the world-class event, the organization board has carried out procedures for controlling and testing for COVID-19 under strict conditions. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact v.nammh@vingroup.net

January 19, 2022 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

Correction Notice to Press Release Regarding Personal Acquisitions of G Medical Shares in the Open Market

G Medical Innovations Holdings

TEL AVIV and Pittsburgh, McDade Products, LLC and G Medical Tests and Services, a division of G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: GMVD), announced today a correction to their press release issued January 14, 2022 in respect of shares acquired in the open market by Dr. Yacov Geva, President and CEO of G Medical Innovations, and Michael McDade, CEO of McDade Products, LLC. Instead, Dr. Geva and Mr. McDade each intend to acquire stock in the open market following the announcement, during the next available trading window. 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 (or Prizma), 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 Syndrome Prolongation 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 the purchase of shares in the open market by Dr. Geva and Mr. McDade. 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, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertakes 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. INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: G Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Contact Details Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

January 19, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

ALDER HEY AND NEEDLESMART PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO REDUCE 100,000 NEEDLESTICK INJURIES TO NHS HEALTHCARE WORKERS

NeedleSmart

BRITISH SMART MEDTECH COMPANY INVENTS WORLD’S FIRST END-TO-END SAFE NEEDLE DESTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY TECH AIMS TO REDUCE 3 MILLION GLOBAL NEEDLESTICK INJURIES In a recent survey*, it was reported that a staggering 94 per cent of practising surgeons i n the UK have either been personally affected by a needlestick injury (NSI) or have seen a colleague experience one. The Royal College Of Nursing also reported last year that the pressures of the pandemic and lack of training accounted for a 50% rise in sharps injuries. UK based smart med-tech innovator NeedleSmart aim to change this statistic. NeedleSmart has designed the world’s first end-to-end vaccination and safe needle destruction system aimed at reducing the 100,000 needlestick injuries (NSI) to NHS workers in the UK each year and 3 million globally. Of the 100,000 reported cases of NSI**, NHS healthcare workers in the UK are the most affected profession, with 500,000 NSI in Germany and more than 1 million NSI in the USA. They are estimated to cost each NHS trust £500,000 each year*** and an estimated £127 million across England ****. This is not to mention the impact it has on staff absenteeism, the cost of bringing in replacement staff and legal litigation to NHS trusts, which are already under increased pressure with the pandemic. To achieve this the Knowsley-based MedTech disruptor have entered into an exciting new innovation partnership with the world-renowned Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, one of Europe’s leading paediatric healthcare institutions with a unique dedicated innovation centre focused on solving real world problems faced day to day. The first phase of that innovation partnership will work on a safety and needlestick injuries (NSI) reduction programme as part of its clinician and patient safety enhancement. The project aims to impact, reduce and eventually prevent the 100,000 NSI that occur every year to NHS healthcare staff. In its wider remit, NeedleSmart is also working with 15 NHS trusts across the UK as part of the nationwide pilot, where its focus is shared between safety enhancement, carbon reduction and sustainability. This programme is breaking new ground on the art of the possible with regards to medical waste disposal resulting is direct carbon savings as part of the NHS sustainability initiative. Alder Hey is widely recognised for its cocreation and adoption of new innovative technologies and boasts the largest hospital-based Innovation Centre in the UK with 25+ full time innovation experts working out of a 1000sqm Innovation Hub in the heart of the hospital. Through this alliance, Alder Hey will work directly with NeedleSmart as it brings its multi-faceted hardware and software solutions to the healthcare markets. Alder Hey will work shoulder-to-shoulder with the team at NeedleSmart in a co-development plan that consists of three phases: Clinician and patient safety enhancement Sustainability to recycling pilot Clinical workflow and data transactions NeedleSmart, working in conjunction with British engineering solutions company CAL International, has designed and innovated a patented needle destruction system. Not only does this destroy the hypodermic needle, but also provides a full audit trail of each needle, charting the journey from its initial deployment, through to its assignment to healthcare staff, injection to patient and ultimately its safe destruction. The NeedleSmart Pro device destroys the contaminated needle in a sealed chamber in just six seconds, effectively minimising post-procedural NSI. The NeedleSmart device heats the needles inserted into the chamber to 1,300 degrees Celsius, which will kill potential harmful pathogens, viruses and bacteria adhering to the needle. Within seconds the needle is compressed into a tiny ball and released from the NeedleSmart device as a safe sphere of metal at the tip of the syringe. NeedleSmart have recently achieved FDA approval as a Class II medical device, making NeedleSmart the first UK company to achieve FDA 510(k) approval (Class II for Sharps Needle Destruction Device (NDD)), allowing the MedTech disruptor to expand into the US market and other global territories. Commenting on the new safety partnership with Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, NeedleSmart CEO and smart MedTech disruptor, Cliff Kirby, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust on this unique innovation partnership, with its first phase aimed at clinician and staff safety around needlestick injuries (NSI). There is a massive issue for the NHS around the safety of healthcare staff. The wider implications of NSI include the costs of medical treatment for the injured healthcare worker, the costs of substitute staff and costly litigation, all while the NHS is under immense pressure dealing with the pandemic.” Claire Liddy, Managing Director of Innovation at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “At Alder Hey, we want to ensure that we are always standing at the leading edge of clinical innovation and safety. NeedleSmart’s product solution offers a number of innovation drivers to build from starting with clinician and patient safety around the major issue of needlestick injuries, carbon reduction and data transactions. Working alongside the team at NeedleSmart, we are constantly challenging conventional thinking around sharps disposal and what benefits could be achieved at that moment. We want to work with businesses that have the potential to make a real difference. At the heart of Alder Hey is a commitment to innovate – we dare to think differently, We build areas of technical strength and excellence and scan the horizon for cutting-edge technology that can positively impact healthcare, we work with a select number of partners that share our drive and vision – and NeedleSmart is one such business. At a time when co-worker safety, sustainability and innovation are so important, disruptive technologies have a critical role to play. We have been assessing the viability of NeedleSmart in the background during our first Covid-19 vaccination programme – and we are delighted to be working together with NeedleSmart to reduce the occurrence and impact of needlestick injuries across the NHS as we work through the daily challenges presented by the pandemic.” NeedleSmart’s Cliff Kirby added: “Coming from a product development background, I know all too well that any product only succeeds with the blessing and input of the end user. This ethos sits at the centre of the Alder Hey Innovation Centre and we are really excited to work with the team on a co-development strategy that could have such a huge and positive impact in the medical environment. Having watched the team at Alder Hey deliver the first rounds of Covid-19 vaccinations, it is an absolute privilege to be associated with an organisation that quite clearly takes a challenge head on and delivers a solution in a way that is second to none. The development work with Alder Hey provides critical use case information to support the national level programme targeting sustainable carbon reduction in this space to the wider NHS sustainability target of carbon net zero by 2040 within the NHS.” ENDS For all press and media enquiries, please contact Head Of Global PR & Communications - Gerard Franklin @i5 Media e: gerard@i5media.co.uk m: 07791 039636 For more information on NeedleSmart, visit www.needlesmart.com www.digitalvaccination.com The NeedleSmart process explainer https://youtu.be/C968RkWtSi8 The NeedleSmart DVS explainer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIAzsMwyBDc NOTES TO EDITORS ABOUT NEEDLESMART NeedleSmart is a market leading, British patented needle destruction technology engineered in the UK with offices in Knowsley, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their award-winning NeedleSmart PRO needle destruction device has achieved FDA approval as a Class II medical device, being the first UK company to achieve FDA 510(k) approval (Class II for Sharps Needle Destruction Device (NDD)). As well as contributing to the reduction of needlestick injuries and their consequential costs, the NeedleSmart process has the potential to reduce the cost and increase efficiency of used needle disposal. NeedleSmart’s innovative technology also offers the opportunity to move hypodermic needles, syringes and consumables associated with the injection/vaccination process, away from conventional sharps bins to a solution that allows recycling to become a possibility. NeedleSmart technology compresses the needle, significantly reducing the needle footprint leading to a minimum of 50% increase in needle count per sharps bin. After the unexpected Covid-19 pandemic and the mass vaccination programme that followed, NeedleSmart's DVS (Digital Vaccination System) was created to support mass vaccination programmes, digitalising the vaccination process with every detail being automatically recorded in the cloud. DVS delivers a single solution that can coordinate every individual vaccination initiative into a single, coherent vaccination programme ABOUT ALDER HEY INNOVATION CENTRE – Todays Child, Tomorrows Healthier Adult Alder Hey Innovation is the largest, dedicated, purpose built, hospital led innovation centre in the UK. Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust has a proud history of innovation spanning over a hundred years. Today we continue that legacy pioneering the use of cutting-edge technology and innovating to save lives and improve the life chances of today’s child. Our ambition is to be the world leader in advancing child health with innovation, utilising our unique hospital-based innovation centre, disrupting, discovering and disseminating to have real impact. Our mission is to solve the real-world healthcare problems children and young people face today, creating fair access to care and enabling a healthier future for all. Our unique strengths lie in our experience to innovate and disrupt, with a strong track record of rapid problem solving, creating an end-to-end pipeline and process from problem identification and solutions through to commercial income. Our strategy is fueled by a bespoke open innovation system, to rapidly identify real-world problems and bring the right partners together to solve those with innovative and disruptive technology. Our co creation approach involves scouting and partnering with local and international industry and academia, bringing the most innovative technology and solutions to Alder Hey, where we strive for excellence and breakthroughs in healthcare. www.alderheyinnovation.com ABOUT ALDER HEY Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust provides care for over 330,000 children and young people every year. Alder Hey delivers clinical excellence for all children, for routine illnesses as well as very complex and rare conditions. One of four stand-alone children’s hospitals in the UK, it is a national centre for neuro and craniofacial surgery, a regional centre for burns injuries and a Centre of Excellence for children with cancer, heart, spinal and brain disease. Alder Hey as an NIHR funded Clinical Research Facility (CRF) that specialises in the design, and delivery, of early phase drug trials in children with a wide range of conditions. The Trust is one of only four epilepsy surgical centres in the UK and one of only two accredited major trauma centres in the North West. Alder Hey is also a respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) surge centre and is the referral centre for the treatment of congenital heart defects in North West England, North Wales and Isle of Man. It became the first UK Centre of Excellence for Childhood Lupus in 2010. Alder Hey is the first accredited Investing in Children hospital in the UK. It has a dedicated patient experience programme which includes the award-winning Alder Hey Arts involving music therapy, dance programmes, storytelling and animation projects. It is also one of a few hospitals to have a Children and Young Person’s Forum. Alder Hey opened a new hospital ‘Alder Hey in the Park’ in 2015. Europe’s first hospital in a park, the new facility provides a purpose-built, unique and world class healing environment for children and young people. Alder Hey is supported by The Alder Hey Children’s Charity which aims to raise vital funds for lifesaving equipment, research projects and patient experience initiatives. For more information visit www.alderhey.nhs.uk and www.alderheycharity.org Reference Points *Survey conducted by SERMO. 510 actively practicing UK, US, German, Swedish, Japanese and Australian surgeons responded to a survey on the importance of surgical gloves. April 2019. ** A review of sharps injuries and preventative strategies, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2003 *** Needlestick Injury in 2008, Royal College of Nursing, 2008 **** NHS statistics, facts and figures. July 2017. http://www.nhsconfed.org/resources/key-statistics-on-the-nhs. There are 254 NHS Trusts in the UK, so the estimated cost is calculated to be £127m (£500,000 x 254) Contact Details i5 Media Gerard Franklin +44 7791 039636 gerard@i5media.co.uk

January 19, 2022 06:50 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

Hong Kong Baptist University research reveals that bisphenol S exposure may promote breast tumour progression and increase cancer risk

Hong Kong Baptist University

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 18 January 2022 - A study led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has revealed that different degrees of exposure to bisphenol S (BPS), an industrial chemical widely used in paper products and plastic containers, are associated with the growth and deterioration of breast tumours in a mouse model. The research results suggest the need for more in-depth and comprehensive research on the potential negative impact of BPS on human health, and the ongoing search for a safer alternative for use in industrial production may be warranted. A research team led by Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis at HKBU, has revealed that different degrees of exposure to bisphenol S are associated with the growth and deterioration of breast tumours in a mouse model. Apart from the HKBU scientists, the research team also included researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Xi’an Jiaotong University. The research results have been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, an international scientific journal. Association between BPS and breast cancer under-researched In the past, bisphenol A (BPA) was widely used in the production of a diverse range of products, such as baby bottles, food and beverage containers, and the thermal paper used for printing receipts. As previous research has shown an association between BPA exposure and human endocrine system disruption, metabolic disease and an increased risk of breast cancer in recent years, scientists have looked for alternatives to BPA, and BPS has been used as one of the substitutes. Despite reports on the adverse effects of BPS on human health, its impact on tumour progression and how it disrupts the relevant metabolic processes in breast cancer remain poorly understood. A research team led by Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis at HKBU, carried out several experiments to explore how BPS exposure at environmentally relevant levels affects the development of breast tumours, including the tumour’s morphological characteristics as well as lipid and protein distribution, with the aid of mass spectrometry imaging technology. BPS exposure increases tumour volume and weight The research team conducted experiments on three groups of mice model that had been transplanted with human breast cancer cells. In the first dosing group (BPS-10 group), the mice were fed daily with a lower dosage of 10 micrograms of BPS per kilogram of body weight for eight weeks. In the second group (BPS-100 group), the mice were fed with a higher dosage of 100 micrograms of BPS per kilogram of body weight. The mice in the control group were fed olive oil. Tumour proliferation in the mice was then investigated, and the team used morphological analysis to study the breast tumour tissue. In general, increases in tumour volume and weight represent proliferation of tumour tissues. When a tumour further develops, the condition of its necrotic region and its peripheral tissues will change. However, the volume and weight of the tumour may reduce as a result of changes in the conditions of the tissues. After the eight-week experiment, the average volume and weight of the tumours in the BPS-10 group were 13 times and 11 times higher than that of the control group respectively, and the average volume and weight of the tumours in the BPS-100 group were 4 times and 4.5 times higher than that of the control group respectively. Therefore, the results show that exposure to BPS was closely related to the proliferation and deterioration of breast tumours. Different dosages associated with tumour proliferation and deterioration The research team analysed the necrotic region and neoplastic region of the breast tumours in the three groups of mice. The two regions are common pathological features of solid tumours. An increase in the relative proportion of the necrotic region reflects the proliferation of the tumour, while an extended neoplastic region indicates the deterioration of the tumour. In the control group, the status of tumour cells in the necrotic region and the neoplastic region was stable, and the mice from the group showed no significant tumour proliferation and deterioration after the experimental period. However, in the two BPS treated groups, an increase in tumour size was observed along with changes in the arrangement and distribution of tumour cells conducive to tumour proliferation and deterioration. After the experiment, the necrotic regions in the BPS-10 and the BPS-100 groups accounted for 54.7% and 11.5% of the average section area of the tumours respectively. The results indicate that a low dosage of BPS induces faster tumour growth, and a high dosage of BPS may ultimately lead to deterioration of the tumour, as shown by the relatively small average size of the necrotic region and the extended neoplastic tissue in the BPS-100 group. BPS affects the distribution of tumour-related lipids and proteins The research team identified six lipid biomarkers that regulate tumour growth. With the analysis of tumour tissues’ morphological characteristics and the use of mass spectrometry imaging, it was found that in the two BPS-exposed groups, these lipids were highly abundant in the necrotic regions of breast tumours when compared with the control group. The team inferred that the metabolism of these tumour-regulating lipids was interrupted in the breast tumours following exposure to BPS. The team also discovered the distribution of twelve protein biomarkers, including the proteins associated with breast tumour proliferation and deterioration. The results demonstrate the important function of BPS exposure-related lipids and proteins, and future research will further explore their role in breast cancer. BPS may increase human breast cancer risk The research team then compared the distribution of lipids and proteins in the BPS-exposed mice groups with those observed in human breast cancer tissue samples, and similar patterns were identified. While not all tumours will become cancerous, based on the benchmark results, the team deduced that exposure to BPS will increase the risk of breast cancer in humans. “BPA was replaced by the less studied chemical BPS in industrial production. Our research findings show that BPS may potentially be associated with breast tumour proliferation, and further study is deemed necessary to unveil more about the chemical’s possible negative impact on human health. In the long run, industry may need to identify safer substitutes for both BPA and BPS. Policymakers should also establish relevant safety standards and regulations for the use of BPS,” said Professor Cai. Contact Details Hong Kong Baptist University Winnie Shum from the Communication and Public Relations Office +852 3411 5262 hkbunews@hkbu.edu.hk Company Website https://www.hkbu.edu.hk/

January 18, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image

FeganScott Announces Investigation into Prenatal Testing Options Revealing Flawed Genetic Results

FeganScott

Today consumer-rights law firm FeganScott announced it has launched a broad-ranging investigation into whether certain national medical laboratories, including Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA), Sequenom (now owned byLabcorp, NYSE: LH), and Quest (NYSE: DGX), provided expectant mothers with lab test results the organizations knew – or should have known – returned unacceptably high percentages of flawed results. In some instances, the flawed results led expectant mothers to believe the children they were carrying had serious genetic abnormalities, according to media reports. “Since we’ve begun our investigation into mothers who were offered prenatal testing and received flawed results, it’s evident this issue is widespread,” said Beth Fegan, founder of FeganScott. “We are examining whether the labs acted appropriately in how they disclosed information regarding the accuracy of the testing, and whether those disclosures were done in a way that allowed parents to make informed decisions regarding the test and test results.” According to media reports, many prenatal tests including Panorama, Prequel, Maternit21 and others are expected to be wrong over half the time and yet they continue to be offered as possible solutions for parents who may be worried about genetic abnormalities. “There a have been other instances in which labs and laboratory testing organizations have delivered flawed results to parents causing great emotional and financial distress. We need to be sure this isn’t happening again,” Fegan added. Individuals who are interested in learning more about this investigation are urged to send their contact information to prenataltesting@feganscott.com. ### About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of consumer fraud, sexual abuse, and discrimination. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Media Only: Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com 206.466.2700 About FeganScott FeganScott is a national class action law firm dedicated to helping victims of civil rights violations, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and consumer fraud. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran, class action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Contact Details Mark Firmani +1 206-466-2700 feganscottpr@firmani.com Company Website https://feganscott.com

January 17, 2022 09:07 AM Pacific Standard Time