Day: November 16, 2021

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Philips advances ultrasound portfolio with new robust imaging tools and features for Radiology to increase diagnostic confidence and workflow efficiency

November 16, 2021

  • Advanced diagnostics for the early detection of liver disease on the company’s ultrasound systems EPIQ Elite and Affiniti receive FDA 510(k) clearance
  • New Philips Liver Fat Quantification allows non-invasive diagnosis of early-stage fatty liver disease
  • Collaboration Live telehealth solution brings remote diagnosis to mobile platforms including iOS, Android and Chrome

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new Liver Fat Quantification tools as part of the latest release of its ultrasound systems EPIQ Elite and Affiniti, bringing the cost and accessibility advantages of sonography to the diagnosis of early-stage liver disease. Featured at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting (November 23 – December 2, Chicago, USA), the new tools will allow clinicians to track liver health.

Fatty liver disease is the most common and earliest stage of chronic liver disease. The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increased by various risk factors, including Type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is estimated that NAFLD may be present in about 25% of the global population [1]. NAFLD includes milder fatty liver disease, as well as more severe forms that include inflammation, a condition called Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and fibrosis. Research suggests that early intervention enables patients to adopt lifestyle changes that can help to prevent liver disease [1], while early assessment of fatty liver is key to potentially reversing this progression of liver disease [2].

“With a quantitative way of measuring liver fat, it is a lot easier for us to let the referring physician know where the patient is quantitatively on the NAFLD spectrum,” said Richard G. Barr, MD, PhD, President, Radiology Consultant, Inc., Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.A., and Medical Director at Southwoods Imaging. “With traditional gray scale imaging, we could only tell if the liver had a high degree of fatty infiltration or if it was normal, but it was very hard to assess whether fatty liver disease was mild, moderate or severe. Attenuation imaging now gives us a numerical value that will enable us to follow the patient over time. With the combination of quantitative fat assessment and liver stiffness the probability of NASH can be assessed.”

With the extended remote functionality of Collaboration Live on both the EPIQ and Affiniti platforms, technicians can also securely access on-demand, real-time guidance and decision support to enhance diagnostic confidence and workflow efficiency during exams.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the continued advancement of our ultrasound portfolio to increase diagnostic confidence and workflow efficiency,” said Jeff Cohen, General Manager of Ultrasound at Philips. “Accessible ultrasound-based Liver Fat Quantification is a screening and early diagnostic tool that will allow many more patients to take their health into their own hands by making simple lifestyle changes.”

Enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of early-stage and advanced liver disease
Philips Ultrasound Systems EPIQ and Affiniti on Release 9.0 now support radiologists and hepatologists in the diagnosis and treatment from early-stage to advanced liver disease, making it easier to perform longitudinal studies to assess liver disease progression. With this latest release, the company further strengthens its liver solution and expands its full availability to the Affiniti 70 and Affiniti 50 – supported by the innovative PureWave C5-1 Curved transducer, now also available on Affiniti 50 – to enhance diagnostic confidence in abdominal, hepatology, and vascular and gynaecological ultrasound exams as well. The new Liver Fat Quantification tools complement the company’s existing ultimate solution for liver assessment with real-time shear wave imaging, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and fusion and navigation. The Liver Fat Quantification tools, which feature ease of use plus intuitive workflow and reporting, is available on both the C5-1 and the small footprint mC7-2 MicroConvex transducer, to accommodate different body types, from smaller patients to high BMI patients [3].

Launch of Philips’ Liver Fat Quantification solution at RSNA 2021
Philips will debut its Liver Fat Quantification solution at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting later this month. For more information on Philips Liver Fat Quantification, including live demos, follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates throughout the RSNA event. For more information on Philips’ portfolio of liver ultrasound solutions, visit the Philips liver assessment webpage, and join Philips at RSNA 2021 where the company will spotlight its latest portfolio of radiology workflow solutions and smart connected imaging systems to increase efficiency and diagnostic confidence in precision care and treatment.

[1] Asrani et al. Burden of liver disease in the world. J Hepatology. 2019;1.
[2] Younossi ZM. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – A global public health perspective. J Hepatol. 2019;70(3):531-544.
[3] Chen J. Realizing dramatic improvements in the efficiency, sensitivity and bandwidth of ultrasound transducers. Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. 2006.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy O’Reilly
Philips Global Press Office
Tel.: +1 978-221-8919
E-mail: kathy.oreilly@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 17.3 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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Business Process Management and Robotic Process Automation Industry Veteran Abhijit Kakhandiki joins the iGrafx Advisory Board

TUALATIN-PORTLAND, OR, Nov. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iGrafx, a worldwide leader in digital business transformation and process management, announces that Abhijit Kakhandiki, business process management (BPM) and robotic process automation (RPA) industry veteran, will join iGrafx as a Board Advisor. Mr. Kakhandiki is a seasoned product executive with a proven track record across diverse industries focused on Software as a Service (SaaS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) domains.

“Abhijit brings 30 years of product design and strategy to iGrafx,” said Teesee Murray, CEO of iGrafx. “What impressed me most is his business acumen and entrepreneurial approach at solving complex process problems. At iGrafx we have the desire and ability to move fast when it comes to product development and Abhijit has the intellect and experience to advise us well as we make key decisions across our product roadmap and go-to-market strategy.”

Mr. Kakhandiki has served as chief product officer at both public and private companies. At LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP) he led product vision, strategy, design, and roadmap. At Automation Anywhere, he built SaaS and AI products to enable enterprises to gain quantum leaps in efficiency through the automation of business processes. In addition to decades of proven product expertise, Mr. Kakhandiki holds numerous patents in the process automation space.

“iGrafx has a long history of delivering process excellence to global corporations,” said Kakhandiki. “2021 has been a pivotal year with significant new investment and leadership, resulting in a company that is now perfectly poised to take advantage of the next evolution of process management. I look forward to working with iGrafx as they fine tune their awesome roadmap and GTM strategy with organic and inorganic announcements.”

Mr. Kakhandiki’s Board Advisor appointment is effective immediately.

2021 is the 30th anniversary of iGrafx. The company delivers business process management solutions to the largest companies in the world—particularly those in heavily regulated markets where process management and compliance are critical functions. More information about Mr. Kakhandiki and the iGrafx leadership team can be found at igrafx.com.

About iGrafx

iGrafx, a leader in Business Process Management, enables the world’s largest enterprises to turn process into a competitive advantage. The iGrafx Platform captures and connects critical business operations for detailed analysis, modeling, and optimization. In today’s competitive market, business leaders must align business objectives and IT systems, comply with industry regulations, automate business process, and identify and implement process efficiencies by undertaking initiatives such as RPA, Six Sigma and Lean. With iGrafx, businesses connect the dots across these efforts to deliver results, improvements, and increase return on investment. Learn more by visiting www.igrafx.com.

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Veena Vadgama
iGrafx
612-865-9393
veena.vadgama@igrafx.com
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Hitachi Energy launches IdentiQTM digital twin for sustainable, flexible and secure power grids

Game-changing solutions built on the unique domain expertise of the technology and market leader in power grids which integrate with Hitachi’s Lumada platform

Zurich, Switzerland, Nov. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zurich, Switzerland, 16 November, 2021 – Further to its press release on October 13, 2021, announcing its evolution to Hitachi Energy, the global technology and market leader in power grids today launched IdentiQ™, its digital twin1 solutions for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and power quality solutions. IdentiQ2 will help to advance the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible and secure, accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral future.

IdentiQ is the digital twin of a HVDC converter station, STATCOM or other power quality solution. It provides all the relevant asset information, analytics and operational data in an intuitive and easy-to-navigate dashboard, which users can customize to match their needs. IdentiQ includes 3D interactive visualization of the complete asset, combined with one-click access to all the associated plant and equipment information, including engineering documentation, operational and maintenance procedures, safety training and live operational data for monitoring and analytics.

“IdentiQ is a game-changing digital twin solution built on our unique domain expertise and leadership in power grid technologies and innovation,” said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business. Niklas added, “It is a significant addition to Hitachi Energy’s digital offering and supports our customers’ efforts to continuously enhance the efficiency and reliability of their grid investments.”

IdentiQ will enable customers to improve the management of power grid assets by clustering all information into one digital location for seamless access by all operational functions. This approach stands at the core of Hitachi Energy’s vision for digital twin technology: delivering the right resources and information to the right people at the right time for optimized operations and smarter decision making.

IdentiQ makes HVDC and power quality assets more:

·       Sustainable and eco-efficient – by enabling comprehensive remote analysis and support and by digitalizing paper-based information on older installations;

·       Flexible – by adapting to continuously changing asset performance needs over the entire life cycle;

·       Secure – by complying with industry-leading cybersecurity standards and protecting all asset data and information from being misplaced or destroyed; and safer, by providing virtual training on on-site procedures, required clothing and evacuation routes before visiting a site.

Digitalization is essential to making electricity the backbone of the entire energy system and advancing a sustainable energy future for all. It is key to the integration of bulk and distributed renewables, as well as the electrification and decarbonization of sectors like transportation, industries and data centers; and empowering countries and companies to meet their carbon emission reduction goals.

IdentiQ integrates with a range of enterprise business systems, including Hitachi’s Lumada platform and the Lumada suite of Asset and Work Management software, and together  they provide system-wide visibility – from the site to the boardroom. IdentiQ is part of Hitachi Energy’s ambition to drive the pace of digital and eco-efficient innovation in power grid technologies and accelerate the transition towards carbon-neutral energy systems. The launch builds on a year of powerful innovation from Hitachi Energy, including:

·       Lumada Asset and Work Management – launched in January 2021, to enable asset-intensive industries to be more adaptive, collaborative, insightful and predictive. Lumada features technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, hybrid cloud management and cybersecurity; and

·       EconiQ™ – launched in April 2021, providing an eco-efficient portfolio of products, services and solutions that deliver an exceptional environmental performance compared to conventional solutions.

Both portfolios are integral to Hitachi Energy’s Sustainability 2030 strategic plan, which draws on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to deliver social, environmental and economic value.

Notes

1.     A digital twin is a virtual representation that is designed to accurately reflect a physical asset or system, providing insight into the systems’ performance or lifecycle.

2.     IdentiQ™ stands for accuracy, intelligence and quality.

About Hitachi Energy

Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD. 

Rebecca Bleasdale
Hitachi Energy Ltd.
+41 78643 2613
rebecca.bleasdale@hitachienergy.com
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Cawood Scientific Group Joins Ensign-Bickford Industries

DENVER, Nov. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc. (EBI) today announced it has successfully closed on its acquisition of Cawood Scientific Limited (Cawood), headquartered in Bracknell, UK.

Headquartered in Denver, CO, EBI is a 185-year-old privately held corporation with diversified businesses in aerospace and defense, molecular diagnostics, and pet food palatability markets. Cawood Scientific is the UK’s leading independent scientific group, with laboratories throughout the UK, EU, and US serving the agriculture, food, and environmental sectors. Cawood will become a member of EBI’s Agriculture and Environmental Diagnostics Group.

Commenting on the acquisition, EBI President and CEO Tom Perlitz said, “Cawood has more than just exceptional growth potential, it comes to us as a thriving business with a solid market position and great talent – built on a set of strong principles that very closely mirror the core values of EBI. This partnership will support both goals to expand our diagnostic offerings and extend our reach in global markets, and we could not be more pleased to welcome Cawood into the EBI family.”

“Over the last 18 months, Cawood has doubled in size, following significant investment in acquisitions, equipment, and technology, and EBI is committed to supporting and guiding that strategic growth long-term,” said Cawood’s Simon Parrington, who will continue as the Cawood Group CEO.

Tom Perlitz also noted, “Cawood will represent a unique partnership with EBI’s EnviroLogix business that will strengthen and grow EBI’s foothold in the agricultural supply chain. With the addition of Cawood’s capabilities to our diagnostics growth platform, we will be able to offer a compelling farm-to-feed diagnostic solution for our customers in the ag industry as we expand globally.”

Ensign-Bickford Industries (EBI) is a 185-year-old privately held corporation with diversified businesses in aerospace & defense, molecular diagnostics, and pet food palatability markets. EBI’s businesses provide the global marketplace value-added products and services, including palatability enhancers for the pet food industry, precision energetic systems for the aerospace market, innovative explosive and non-explosive solutions for defense customers, and molecular and protein detection for the agricultural industry. EBI is headquartered in Denver, CO. For more information, visit http://www.ensign-bickfordind.com/

Cawood Scientific Limited (Cawood), is the UK’s leading independent scientific group, with offices in the US, Spain, Czech Republic, and Republic of Ireland. The group provides independent laboratory analysis for the agriculture, food, infrastructure, and environmental sectors, as well as contract research to support the development of agrochemicals, biocides, and other chemicals. For more information visit https://cawood.co.uk/

Media Contact
Alexandra Ulrich
ajulrich@envirologix.com
207-274-6503

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InDevR Launches ArrayMax Mixer for Even Faster VaxArray Assay Times

Featured Image for InDevR, Inc.

Featured Image for InDevR, Inc.

BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — InDevR, Inc., a life science tools company providing powerful analytical technologies to support the development and production of vaccines and biotherapeutics, announced commercial availability of its new ArrayMaxTM Mixer to provide significantly reduced assay times for its VaxArray® Portfolio of immunoassay kits.

Current VaxArray Assays include kits for influenza, coronavirus, measles/rubella, and polio, and provide vaccine manufacturers faster characterization of identity, quantity, and stability parameters during manufacture and release of vaccine products. The ArrayMax Mixer significantly improves mixing over static incubation or traditional orbital shakers during assay execution using either antibody or antigen samples. In internal validation studies comparing ArrayMax to original VaxArray protocols, similar or improved analytical performance was obtained using new ArrayMax-executed VaxArray protocols and up to an 85% reduction of time to result was obtained.

In a small 6″x 6″ footprint, this convenient new tool provides the possibility to generate VaxArray results in a fraction of the time compared to traditional ELISA, providing a total assay time of less than one hour for currently available VaxArray Kits. As an example, the VaxArray Influenza Seasonal HA Assay previously had an approximate 2.5 hour time to result including sample preparation. Using the ArrayMax Mixer, the total assay time was reduced to < 30 minutes, which provides a 5x faster time to result. Coupled with high throughput multiplex detection of several analytes simultaneously, VaxArray allows incredibly fast, best-in-class immunoassay detection of vaccine products or serology analytes. InDevR also offers custom immunoassay kits for measurement of up to nine analytes, and ArrayMax enables all of these measurements in ~1 hour.

Erica Dawson, CTO of InDevR, noted, “Our VaxArray Assay Kits already provide significant advantages over outdated, laborious, and error prone techniques such as SRID, TCID50, and ELISAs. This further reduction in total assay time for the VaxArray Kits will benefit any vaccine development or manufacturer in bioprocess development, optimization and monitoring, as well as vaccine release testing. We are excited to continue empowering vaccine producers by further expanding our portfolio.”

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Media Contact:

Terry Salyer, CCO

Phone: 650-520-8251

Email: salyer@indevr.com

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Lumiiis Announces The Dingles NFT Launch, Paying Daily Rewards, Available on Solana

Launching November 2021, Dingles by The Secret Order of Lumiiis is a collection of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on the Solana blockchain that pays daily rewards in the form of LumiiiTokens, the official governance token of the Lumiii ecosystem.

Lumiii

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Secret Pirates Entertainment Inc., the creators of The Secret Order of Lumiiis™ franchise — a decentralized edutainment ecosystem built on the Solana (SOL) blockchain — announces the launch of The Dingles, a collection of 7,777 generative non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring the wild Dingles of Dingledum. It will launch Nov. 13, 2021.

This limited NFT collection has a total supply of 7,777 on Solana. Owning a Dingle NFT gives holders access to the Lumiiis’ world of Dingledum, providing passive rewards in the form of LumiiiTokens, as well as chances to win even more physical and digital collectible assets. The rarest Dingles — those featuring gold foil backgrounds — will become characters in the Secret Order of Lumiiis series.

The NFTs are priced at 1.8 SOL each.

Each Dingle is unique. They are programmatically generated through the blockchain from over  100 possible traits and accessories including face wear, hair, clothing, jewelry, zombie features and more. Owners of the NFTs have commercial rights and ownership over their assets.

“We are excited to share these NFTs that provide a new and fun way for holders to get involved with our project as we continue to develop this pathway for people to participate in the creative process,” said Ali Badshah, co-president, CEO and creator of the Lumiiis franchise. “We urge people to participate and look forward to growing our community as we introduce a revolutionary way for kids and parents to explore the exciting world of DeFi and blockchain together.”

In The Secret Order of Lumiiis, The Dingles of Dingledum overuse and over-consume. They get distracted easily, cause a whole bunch of global issues and have finally pushed Dingledum past the tipping point. They are an allegory for humanity and represent the foolish in all of us. Like humanity, the Dingles can use all the help they can get.

About Secret Pirate Entertainment Inc.

Secret Pirates Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian global media and gaming company marketing consumer products across all age groups. Founded in 2021 by Ali Badshah and Mehdi Rahman, Secret Pirates’ mandate is to democratize the global arts and entertainment industry through social utility and decentralized technologies.

About The Secret Order of Lumiiis

The Secret Order of Lumiiis™ and The Lumiii Franchise aim to introduce crypto storytelling to the world. Co-Founded by ACTRA Award-nominated actor, showrunner, and comedian Ali Badshah and international business leader Mehdi Rahman, Lumiiis by Secret Pirates Entertainment Inc. demystifies the blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) for kids and adults through education, entertainment, gaming and easy-to-use crypto offerings across over 11 international markets. Launching in Fall 2021, Toronto-based Lumiiis will deliver the first-of-its-kind decentralized edutainment ecosystem, powered by the blockchain.

To learn more about Lumiiis and LumiiiTokens visit Lumiii.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Tiffany Kayar
tiffanyPR@newswiremail.io

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COMMENT | Give our rainforest chance to breath and rejuvenate

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Malaysiakini (English)

COMMENT | Pledging anything on an international stage is not something to be taken lightly. Once a pledge is given, the giver is duty-bound to stand and act accordingly. By all rights, Malaysia, having now taken the pledges on climate change, must fulfil them not only for climate change but more for ourselves and the future generation. However, it would seem that the present Malaysian government does not take climate change or natural environment issues seriously. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had pledged that Malaysia will meet her carbon goals by 2050, yet Environment and Water Minister… Continue reading “COMMENT | Give our rainforest chance to breath and rejuvenate”