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OPPO Research Institute Calls for Innovative Proposals on Inclusion and Health with a Total Grant of up to USD $460,000

OPPO

SHENZHEN, CHINA - Media OutReach – 9 May 2022 - OPPO today announced the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator to empower technology professionals and entrepreneurs that inspiration matters to bring innovative solutions to life and create a better future together, based on the brand value proposition of "Inspiration Ahead". The Innovation Accelerator is being held by the OPPO Research Institute and Microsoft for Startups as a strategic partner. The program aims to encourage all technology innovators to solve some of the most pressing issues facing humanity even amid times of uncertainty. OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator – Inspiration Matters Centered on the theme of ‘Virtuous Innovation’, OPPO is looking to recruit proposals under two entry categories — Accessible Technology and Digital Health. Following the evaluation of proposals submitted by participating teams or individuals, up to ten proposals will be awarded grants of USD $46,000 each, as well as further opportunities for investment opportunities, technical support, research and commercial partnerships, and promotion at global events. Event Schedule “OPPO believes deeply in the idea of ‘Virtuous Innovation’. As we continue to explore new technology, we remain dedicated to doing so in a way that puts people first. Through technology, we are attempting to solve some of the biggest issues facing humanity so that we can create a better world for all,” said Levin Liu, Vice President and Head of the OPPO Research Institute. “With the severity of global issues like aging populations, poor public health, and digital divide increasing day by day, we could not rely on our own efforts to provide solutions. We have therefore initiated the Innovation Accelerator to empower likeminded innovators to solve these big issues together with us using the power of technology.” Grants and technical support aim to help promising entrepreneurs realize their visions The 2022 Innovation Accelerator will open online applications beginning May 8, 2022, and winners will be announced after three months of preliminary evaluations and Demo Day roadshows [1]. OPPO will provide all winning teams or individuals with a financial grant, as well as support to help them further implement and promote their ideas. Each winning proposal will be entitled to the following incentives: Approximately USD $46,000 (300,000 RMB) in grants Partnership and funding opportunities Commercialization of the proposed via integration with OPPO products Publicity and demo opportunities at global tech events Support from OPPO’s R&D team including opportunities to meet and present ideas to industry professionals Proposals will be evaluated under the supervision of a professional Judging Committee, where they will be assessed against their ability to meet four key criteria: Feasibility, Innovation & Originality, Social Value, and Long-term Potential. OPPO also invited a judging committee of experts, academics, and senior professionals in the field of technology and innovation to help identify and accelerate the development of high-potential proposals. “Startups are home to a whole trove of innovative technologies that can provide innovative digital solutions to various industries,” said James Chou, CEO and Managing Director of Microsoft for Startups, Greater China Region, Japan, and Korea. “With a decade of experience in China, Microsoft for Startups is dedicated to building an open and collaborative platform for startups and established companies to innovate together. We look forward to working with leading smartphone brand OPPO to develop innovative solutions for a variety of industries, as well as helping research and commercial applications support each other.” OPPO has also established a separate referral award to encourage members of the public to refer outstanding innovation cases for consideration by the Innovation Accelerator Judging Committee. Members of the public can submit referrals through the OPPO website during the application stage, with prizes available for every successful proposal that makes it through the preliminary evaluation, Demo Day, and finalist stages. In addition, OPPO is planning three international roadshows in Hyderabad, India, Tel Aviv, Israel and the United States. OPPO joins force with likeminded partners to deliver ‘Inspiration Ahead’ Spirit Since its onset at the start of 2020, the global Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of billions of people around the world. At the same time, the fast development of technology is leaving certain disadvantage groups behind, creating new challenges for them as a result. As a company that takes its responsibility and commitments to society to heart through its brand mission of ‘Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World’, OPPO hopes to address these issues and others like them through technology, helping to bring greater happiness and wellbeing to more people. Through its continued pursuit of ‘Virtuous Innovation’, OPPO has accumulated rich experience and expertise in accessible technology and digital health, including extensive user insights and applications. Among these are its work into accessible design and adaptation for elderly users, for example its Color Vision Enhancement technology on the Find X3 series, which assists users with color vision deficiencies. With ColorOS operating system and other products, OPPO has also introduced user interfaces adapted specifically for elderly users, enabling them to enjoy the benefits and convenience of technology. In order to facilitate health management among global users, OPPO has also founded the OPPO Health Lab, partnering with professional medical institutions and sports academies to develop innovative digital health products in both hardware and software. Through its research and development, OPPO hopes to help people improve their health through preventive healthcare. OPPO knows that its power to change to world as single organization is limited. Through the Innovation Accelerator, OPPO hopes to connect with other likeminded individuals, teams, and organizations to identify and develop high-potential solutions so that they can benefit those who most need them. OPPO intends to build the Innovation Accelerator into a long-term platform that addresses the most pressing public issues by attracting the best solutions from the brightest minds around the world, ultimately enabling more people to benefit from Virtuous Innovation. Applications for the OPPO Innovation Accelerator will be open from May 8 to June 30, 2022. To submit a proposal, refer a proposal, or learn more about the program, please visit the official OPPO Innovation Accelerator website at oppo.com/en/proposal/ [1] All times are China Standard Time (UTC +8). About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world. Contact Details OPPO Media Contact press@oppo.com

May 09, 2022 03:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Gym Aesthetics and OliveX announce the Gym A Club NFT project with five-time Kickboxing and name Muay Thai World Champion Alain the black panther as global brand ambassador

Gym Aesthetics

STUTTGART, GERMANY - Media OutReach - 6 May 2022 - Gym Aesthetics, the German high-tech fitness apparel company, and OliveX (BVI) Limited, the digital health and fitness company focused on creating a fitness metaverse, a spin off from Animoca Brands, are thrilled to reveal further plans about Gym A Club NFT collection launch and its utility in the Sandbox. The Gym A Club NFT collection will be launched in June 2022 in mystery boxes. The minting will be paid in DOSE token via Gym Aesthetic’s Sandbox landing page. A collection that redefines gamified fitness Challenging the status quo of the standard profile photo NFT, all Gym A Club NFT holders can enjoy various Sandbox utilities and benefits such as participating in gamified fitness experience with their NFT avatar, including fitness and health entertainment, sports events and mini-games on the DOSE Fitness Metaverse within Sandbox. The collection aims to encourage individuals to become more active in the physical world through the move-to-earn model, rewarding individuals for their physical efforts. Gym A Club NFT holders can also earn DOSE, the utility token used within the DOSE Fitness Metaverse on Sandbox and also OliveX’s own play-to-earn audio adventures - Dustland Runner and Dustland Rider. Gym A Club NFT holders can also use their NFT to access a range of GA exclusives, merchandise, events, and much more. Kickboxing & Muay Thai Champion as an avatar of Gym Aesthetics NFT collection Adhering to Gym Aesthetics’ core value of ‘triumph in every battle’, the Gym A Club NFT Collection will enter the cage with global ambassador and first heavyweight kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion NFT - Alain Ngalani (The black panther) leading the collection. The five-time kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion will soon become the first GA Ambassador in the Fitness Metaverse, providing holders of the Alain Ngalani avatar NFT a chance to utilise their favourite ambassador within The Sandbox. Encompassed within the storyline of the collection series, Alain acts as a renowned muscular fitness expert, mirroring his influence and expertise in the physical world. Once the Gym A Club NFT collection series is in full swing, it will debut the NFT avatar Ligia; one of the leading actresses in the Gym A Club NFT collection series. Ligia is a wealthy girl, and although she is weak, upon seeing all of the casualties and death amid war, she couldn’t stand to just sit idly by without action. Therefore, she decided to train up, learn boxing skills, and march onward to protect herself and the disadvantaged in her community. For more information and upcoming announcements, please visit the Gym Aesthetics channel and OliveX Fitness Metaverse discord: https://discord.com/invite/cccJ84b2Z8 Secure Your Exclusive Whitelist Spot To get the exclusive Gym Aesthetics x OliveX NFT whitelist, please join the 2 nd Gleam campaign. Details please visit: https://gleam.io/uoXpP/alain-ngalani-x-ga-gleam-whitelist About Gym Aesthetics Founded in 2013, Gym Aesthetics is a German high-tech fitness apparel brand appealing to both the aesthetics and the functional needs of its customers worldwide. Its initial flashy wide stringers and thigh hugging shorts stormed the German bodybuilding community with enormous success. 2017 marked a new chapter for Gym Aesthetics when an Asian fund company spotted its potential and invested in the German brand to further reinforce its brand image, and expand its product range and market share globally. Now Gym Aesthetics is devoted to bring unique fitness and wellness experience to metaverse. Website: https://us.gymaesthetics.com/ About OliveX OliveX is a digital health and fitness company delivering unique user experiences through fitness gamification, augmented reality, and play-to-earn experiences. The OliveX fitness metaverse provides platforms that enable real-world fitness to merge with the digital universe in order to engage consumers with brands, influencers, and coaches. OliveX is designed for those who exercise at home, at the gym, or outdoors in over 170 countries. Restrictions on our Games, Fitness Metaverse, and $DOSE Restrictions due to compliance regulations for different jurisdictions apply. Residents from certain jurisdictions may not earn $DOSE or participate in NFT sales and/or campaigns in our fitness metaverse. Additional restrictions may apply depending on the type of game or experience you are attempting to access. Contact Details Gym Aesthetics Roy Tsang, Digital Marketing Manager corporate@gymaesthetics.com Gym Aesthetics Susanna, Digital Marketing Officer corporate@gymaesthetics.com

May 06, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Patient Safety Authority Expands Education, Infection Prevention Support, and Reporting Within Pennsylvania and Beyond

Patient Safety Authority

The Patient Safety Authority (PSA) released its 2021 annual report, highlighting the agency’s expansion of education and reporting efforts to improve patient safety throughout the Commonwealth. Among the 2021 accomplishments is a new internet-based patient safety Learning Management System (LMS) which is free to access and offers continuing education credits to Pennsylvania nurses. PSA also added mandatory demographics questions to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS), including race, ethnicity, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ZIP code. “PSA’s vision—safe healthcare for all patients—cannot be fulfilled without evaluating and addressing disparities,” said Regina Hoffman, executive director of the PSA. “Being inclusive and identifying important patient safety issues affecting specific populations are essential.” Other key accomplishments in 2021 include development of a comprehensive assessment tool to measure organizational maturity across key domains of diagnostic excellence. The tool will be piloted among select Pennsylvania hospitals in 2022. PSA also grew global readership of its award-winning journal, PATIENT SAFETY. The publication includes original scientific research and patient commentaries to advise healthcare systems, researchers, and frontline staff. It was read by more than 50,000 people in 165 countries. In conjunction with the Annual Report, the PSA released its annual data articles—an aggregate review of trends in PA-PSRS—the largest repository of patient safety data in the United States and one of the largest in the world with 4 million reports. Access them here. 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/ 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/

May 06, 2022 08:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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AmeriLife Celebrates the Nominations of its Women Leaders to Chief

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions, announced today that a slate of its top women leaders have received invitations to Chief. Chief is the only organization specifically designed for the most powerful women executives to strengthen their leadership, magnify their influence, and pave the way to bring others with them. The nominations follow the launch of AmeriLife’s Distribution Women’s Leadership Council (DWLC), part of the company’s ongoing efforts to increase and elevate leadership diversity within AmeriLife and throughout the broader insurance and financial services industry. “Empowering the next generation of women leaders is central not only to AmeriLife’s diversity efforts, but is critical to our future business success,” said Mike Vietri, chief distribution officer of AmeriLife and executive champion of the DWLC. “Like the launch of our Distribution Women’s Leadership Council, today’s announcement marks yet another milestone in the growth and development of our women leaders, and we couldn’t be more excited to take advantage of the tremendous resources that Chief has to offer.” AmeriLife leaders receiving invitations to Chief include: Dana Ballenger, vice president of administration and financial reporting for AmeriLife Benefits Christy Boyd, executive vice president of operations for Senior Market Advisors Angela Palo, chief operating officer and co-owner of AmeriLife affiliate Pinnacle Financial Services Candice Wood, market leader who oversees AmeriLife’s agency offices in Greensboro, Cary and Wilmington, North Carolina, and Roanoke, Virginia “This group of women exemplifies what leadership is all about; we couldn’t have asked for better ambassadors of AmeriLife,” added Kiersten Burstiner, chief human resources officer of AmeriLife. “We’re excited for their journey as members of Chief and are equally as eager to bring their learnings back to AmeriLife to support the continued growth of our women in leadership.” ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide insurance and retirement 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 insurance agents and advisors, more than 50 marketing organizations, and 50 insurance agency locations. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. Contact Details Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

May 05, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

ThreatModeler Recognized as Silver Stevie® Award Winner for Best Cloud Platform by the 2022 American Business Awards®

ThreatModeler Software, Inc

ThreatModeler, a leader in securing cloud infrastructure from design to deployment, today announced that CloudModeler has earned a Silver Stevie® Award for Best Cloud Platform as part of the 20th Annual American Business Awards®. Optimizing ThreatModeler’s automated capabilities, CloudModeler enables organizations to implement true DevSecOps, providing actionable insights through continuous monitoring and empowering teams to discover unknown flaws in real-time. Designed with cloud migration in mind, CloudModeler enables DevOps teams to detect security flaws before they become code vulnerabilities, enabling instant remediation, mitigating risk and ensuring compliance post-deployment. “ThreatModeler is dedicated to creating a collaborative platform where security experts or non-security professionals alike can visualize design flaws within a few hours or minutes instead of weeks,” said Archie Agarwal, Founder and CEO, ThreatModeler. “This award highlights the value we have been able to deliver with CloudModeler, enabling enterprises to develop and deploy cloud architectures quickly, confidently and compliantly.” The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – large and small. More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s American Business Awards® winners. ThreatModeler’s distinction as a best cloud platform was clear to the ABA judges, who provided the following comments as part of their assessment of the CloudModeler solution: “A product designed with the specific pain point or niche market needs in mind, and solutioning implemented in a way that is easy to use, light to implement and maintain, brings efficiency and cuts cost from day one! ThreatModeler fits every category of this type of product. With the cloud being the top platform and destination for services and cybersecurity being the top priority and concerns of almost all businesses with a presence in cloud, threat modeling is a crucial part of the development cycle that ensures the product is secure and robust enough to protect both the business and the customers. I am impressed by the result metrics and statistics provided in the submission demonstrating how ThreadModeler has helped shorten the whole development efforts, cut costs, and avoid cyber risk and threats for its customers.” “[This submission] clearly demonstrates the success and growth of the company. ThreatModeler’s suite of products empowers DevOps to measure, design and validate threat drift from development to deployment within a fraction of the time and cost tied to other tools. Optimizing ThreatModeler’s automated capabilities, CloudModeler enables organizations to implement true DevSecOps, providing actionable insights through continuous monitoring, empowering teams to discover unknown flaws in real-time.” To learn more about ThreatModeler, CloudModeler and more, click here. Details on The American Business Awards and the list of Stevie winners are available here. About ThreatModeler Software, Inc. ThreatModeler Software, Inc.’s suite of products empowers DevOps to measure their threat drift from code to cloud. With a fraction of the time and cost tied to other tools, users can design, build and validate threat drift from development to deployment. Teams can instantly visualize their attack surface, understand security requirements and prioritize steps to mitigate threats. CISOs can make critical security-driven business decisions to scale their infrastructure for growth. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. Contact Details Clayton Murtle ThreatModeler@luminapr.com

May 05, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Web3 Solidity Engine, tEVM 2.0 - Ahead of Schedule

Telos Foundation

As the Goliaths of crypto continuously crash ( Solana ), fail to deliver ( Ethereum ), or live in their white papers ( Cardano ), David ( Telos ) continues to defy them all and over-deliver. The Telos story is very much a David vs. Goliath story. Why? Because Telos is tens and even hundreds of billions of dollars smaller than its peers in market cap, yet still manages to significantly lead them in speed, costs, true capacity, credible neutrality, front running protection, fair governance, and energy efficiency ( Net Zero ). The tEVM Version 1.0's capabilities are already a quantum leap ahead of its peers and are clearly demonstrated in this video. Now, less than a year later, version 2.0 is set to elevate the tEVM's performance further. Jesse Schulman (Lead Architect and TCO), alongside Kersten Wirth (Program Manager), will be providing detailed insights into the development of Telos EVM 2.0. This hybrid "Super-Node" solution will be even easier to operate and integrate than the previous version, offer top-notch history management, and tie in with the best available Ethereum clients. The dev-duo will also be discussing the many benefits and successes of the existing tEVM Version 1. Since its launch, the tEVM’s ecosystem is closing on six months of strategic growth. On the DeFi side, it has already launched multiple Dex/AMMs, Price Oracles, Farming dApps, multi-Chain bridges, Lending dApps, and everything else that a vibrant DeFi ecosystem requires to level up its TVL and end-user occupancy. Telos’ TVL is now where the market cap leading chains were not long ago but with far superior governance, no front running, credible neutrality, true decentralization, and an ESG compliant EVM that is several multiples faster. In utopian fashion, Telos’ ecosystem is now ready to scale its occupants and its TVL simultaneously. About Telos Live since 2018, Telos Blockchain (ticker: TLOS) is a third-generation smart contract platform that offers compatibility with Solidity, Vyper, and Native C++ smart contracts. Telos provides full EVM/Solidity support with fixed low-cost gas fees and no front running and, more uniquely, offers a path to fee-less transactions via its robust native C++ smart contract support. Even while operating as a Net Zero Blockchain, Telos still sustainably supports hundreds of millions of transactions per day, produces blocks in 0.5 second intervals (on a first-in-first-out basis, eliminating front running on the network), and securely validates transactions via a credibly neutral and globally decentralized block producer network. As a result, the Telos blockchain has the throughput needed to facilitate and scale the thriving Metaverse / Web 3.0 landscape better than any other blockchain in existence. Its performance is unrivaled in the industry and was purpose-built to offer speed, scalability, cost-effectiveness, credible decentralization, and end-user fairness. Telos harnesses its power by utilizing tight C++ on the frontend and a custom WASM runtime environment on the backend. About The Foundation The Telos Foundation is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization established as a promotional and funding body to advance the Telos Blockchain Network and provide support to network applications. Not investing advice. Contact Details The Team hello@telosfoundation.io Company Website https://www.telos.net/

May 04, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Altais Names Nishant Anand, M.D., as President and CEO

Altais

Altais, a healthcare services and technology company, today announced the appointment of Nishant Anand, M.D., F.A.C.E.P., as its new president and CEO, effective May 31, 2022. In this role, Dr. Anand will lead the three-year-old company that is pioneering integrated, scalable health technology solutions and transformative business models designed to enhance the patient experience, improve health outcomes, reduce cost and drive professional gratification among physicians. Dr. Anand will report directly to the Altais Board of Directors. He succeeds Altais founding President and CEO Jeff Bailet, M.D., who is retiring. “We are excited to welcome Dr. Anand to steer Altais into its next phase of growth,” said Dr. Toluwase Ajayi, Altais board member and medical director of palliative medicine at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego. “His background as a board-certified physician with extensive strategic business experience makes him the perfect leader to advance Altais’ mission to cultivate the well-being of physicians, patients and the entire clinical community.” Dr. Anand comes to Altais from BayCare Health System in Florida, where he has served as executive vice president and chief medical officer since 2018. In that role, Dr. Anand had full profit and loss accountability for the physician group, a strong clinical leadership role for the system of 15 hospitals and an expanded scope of responsibility in response to the pandemic. Before BayCare Health System, Dr. Anand served as chief transformation officer and chief medical officer for population health at AdventHealth System, as well as chief medical officer to the entire Banner Health Network. Over the course of his career, he has led population health initiatives and accountable care organizations in multiple roles. Dr. Anand currently serves on the National Quality Foundation MAP Committee, a joint committee reporting to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as on the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board. He has authored several peer-reviewed publications and has received numerous awards for clinical competency, his work with underserved populations, patient satisfaction and innovation. “I am thrilled to join Altais as the company leads the way in next-generation clinical services and support to physicians and communities throughout California,” said Dr. Anand. “The stresses on healthcare professionals and health systems have only escalated in recent years. Altais is uniquely positioned to provide solutions that enable independent physicians to focus on what they’ve always wanted to do, which is to provide excellent patient experiences and improved health outcomes. Personally, I am also looking forward to returning to the San Francisco Bay Area.” Dr. Anand is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, who earned his medical degree from the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota, and completed his residency training in emergency medicine at Stanford/Kaiser Emergency Medicine Program. He has served on the faculty of the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, as well as the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Anand also served as a team doctor for the San Francisco 49ers. *** About Altais Altais is a healthcare services company that helps physicians and the clinical community maximize the health and well-being of their patients in an affordable and sustainable way. Altais has two divisions. Altais Clinical Services offers a range of affiliation and employment models for physicians and high-quality, affordable care for patients. Altais Health offers a broad platform of clinical support tools and technology, along with high-touch support. Ultimately, Altais seeks to enhance the vibrancy of physician practice and strengthen the heart of medicine – physicians connecting with patients and providing personalized, high-quality care. For more information about Altais, please visit www.altais.com. ### Contact Details Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 altais@landispr.com Company Website https://altais.com/

May 04, 2022 03:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Hong Kong Baptist University joint research reveals that gut microbial enzymes reactivate triclosan which induces colitis

Hong Kong Baptist University

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 3 May 2022 - A Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) collaborative research study has revealed that certain gut microbial enzymes mediate the reactivation of triclosan (TCS) from its inactive glucuronide metabolite. TCS is an antimicrobial agent commonly used in a wide range of consumer products, and it is associated with the development of colitis. Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis at HKBU, points out that according to the research results specific gut microbial enzymes drive the conversion of TCS metabolites to TCS which increases the chance of developing colitis. The research results have been published in Nature Communications, an international scientific journal. Mechanism of TCS exposure leading to colitis previously unclear TCS is widely used as an antimicrobial agent in consumer products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, hand sanitisers, cosmetics and toys. It is a major environmental contaminant, and it has been shown that TCS exposure increases the risk of colitis. Once TCS enters the human body, it is rapidly metabolised to form the biologically inactivemetabolite TCS-glucuronide (TCS-G), which is easily eliminated from the body. Due to this characteristic, the mechanism of how environmental exposure to TCS leads to gut toxicity in the human body has previously remained unclear. To answer this question, a research team co-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; Professor Matthew R Redinbo from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Professor Zhang Guodong from the University of Massachusetts Amherst conducted a research study based on the hypothesis that certain gut microbial enzymes act on TCS-G in the gut, leading to the reactivation of TCS and the subsequent development of colitis. TCS concentration uniquely high in the gut To begin with, the research team sought to determine whether the gut has a different TCS metabolic profile compared to other body tissues. A group of mice were fed food that contained TCS. After four weeks, it was found that the biologically inactive TCS-G was dominant in their liver, bile, heart and small intestine, while the colitis-inducing TCS was dominant in the gut (cecum and colon). The results showed that the gut has a uniquely high concentration of TCS compared to other body tissues. The research team then analysed the relationship between TCS-containing products and the concentration of TCS in the human body. In a group of human subjects who used TCS-containing personal care products for four months, both TCS and TCS-G were detected in their stool and urine samples, with TCS being dominant in stool and TCS-G being dominant in urine. However, TCS and TCS-G were not detected in the control group who used TCS-free personal care products. The results showed that the use of TCS-containing products leads to a high level of TCS, specifically in the human gut. Gut microbiota significant in TCS-G conversion The question remains why the human gut has a uniquely high TCS concentration. To answer this, the research team put forth the hypothesis that gut microbiota participate in the conversion of TCS-G to TCS, leading to the accumulation of TCS in the gut. To test this hypothesis, the researchers observed that in an in vitro setting, cultured gut bacteria from both mice and humans were able to catalyse the conversion of TCS-G to TCS. To investigate whether the same phenomenon appears in an in vivo setting, the research team found that the inhibition of gut bacteria from mice by applying an antibiotic treatment almost reduced the concentration of TCS in their guts by half, and it increased the concentration of TCS-G by six-fold. The results affirmed that gut microbiota play a significant role in the conversion of TCS-G to TCS in the gut. Specific enzymes catalyse TCS-G conversion To investigate the mechanism by which gut microbiota catalyse TCS-G conversion, the research team focused on the intestinal β - glucuronidase (GUS) enzymes produced by gut bacteria in both mice and humans, because they have been shown to catalyse a wide range of metabolite conversions. Using a series of screening techniques, two types of GUS, namely “Loop 1” and “flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-binding” GUSs, were found to be most effective at converting TCS-G to TCS in vitro. The research team then applied a GUS inhibitor, a drug that inhibits the function of Loop 1 and FMN-binding GUSs, to TCS-exposed and TCS-free mice. It was found that the GUS inhibitor could curb the conversion of TCS-G to TCS by the GUS enzymes. Colitis in TCS-exposed mice was also relieved after the application of the GUS inhibitor. The results support the notion that specific microbial GUS enzymes drive the conversion of TCS-G to TCS, and as a result, the chance of developing colitis is increased. More stringent TCS controls needed Professor Cai said: “Our research results clearly defined the mechanism by which gut microbiota are involved in the metabolism and toxicology of TCS, and the study offers a way to prevent the development of colitis following environmental exposure to chemicals. “Regulatory bodies should consider imposing more stringent controls on the use of TCS. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the marketing of TCS in over-the-counter antiseptic products in 2016, the chemical remains approved for use in a wide range of products. Transparency on TCS ingredients in product labelling and illustrations should also be improved so that consumers can be aware of the potential risks and make informed choices.” #HongKongBaptistUniversity #HKBU Contact Details Winnie Shum of the Communication and Public Relations Office +852 3411 5262 hkbunews@hkbu.edu.hk Company Website https://www.hkbu.edu.hk/

May 03, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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CognitiveCare Inc. Receives a Grant of Nearly $1 Million to Advance Maternal and Fetal Health

CognitiveCare

CognitiveCare, a Healthcare AI startup and pioneer in maternal and infant health, today announced it has received a $965,871 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide antenatal risk stratification AI support for the ARC’s pregnancy surveillance efforts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global maternal mortality is an unacceptably high 810 deaths per day, primarily from preventable or treatable causes. Further, 10–15% of all infants born are preterm and are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. As part of this grant, CognitiveCare will detect and quantify propensity for critical adverse outcomes during antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum stages, by leveraging CognitiveCare’s Maternal Infant Health Insights & Cognitive intelligence “ MIHIC ” solution. MIHIC incorporates granular insights and patterns that interplay with clinical and social determinants of health to help detect and quantify risks at individual and population levels. CognitiveCare will first validate its models with local data and will then integrate MIHIC into both the Kenya PRiSMA (western Kenya) and the Aga Khan University & VITAL Pakistan ARC sites’ existing production environments. A segment of this grant is dedicated to train the ARC sites to use MIHIC, ensuring sustainable impact. “With the foundation’s grant support, our aim is to support caregivers in understanding propensity for risk early enough to help reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality,” said Dr. Suresh Attili, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, CognitiveCare. “Decisions on patient care rest with physicians; however, risk scores generated by MIHIC support triaging patients early. The models will further provide explainable AI functionality to help caregivers understand the ‘why’ behind each MIHIC Score TM.” “ G iven that 94% of all maternal deaths occur in low- and lower-middle-income countries, CognitiveCare is committed to ensuring that low resource settings have access to MIHIC,” said Sheena Gill, President, Americas for CognitiveCare. “With this grant, we take another important step toward our vision to eradicate maternal and infant mortality globally.” About CognitiveCare: CognitiveCare is working at the forefront of science to build the world's first comprehensive health risk quantification solution that integrates AI, advanced math, and stats at the intersection of medicine, biology, genomics and social determinants. CognitiveCare's MIHIC Score™ platform assesses propensity for risk of maternal, fetal and infant health risks categorized as antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum risk scores early in the pregnancy cycle to empower proactive care. To learn more about CognitiveCare, please visit: www.cognitivecare.com. Contact Details CognitiveCare Vivek Singh vivek@cognitivecare.com Company Website https://cognitivecare.com

May 03, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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