“It is very precise and has several advantages over other portable commercial instruments such as the ability to run many more samples at one time, lower costs per tests” Steven Newmaster, Director, NHP Research Alliance, University of Guelph

TORONTO (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

Toronto based Purity-IQ Inc., has partnered exclusively with Hyris, a leader in Artificial Intelligence applications for advanced diagnostics with offices in London, Milan and Singapore, to support their business expansion in the Americas. Hyris has created the bCUBE, a portable DNA analysis platform, already commercialized and used in many countries worldwide. Purity-IQ and Hyris now introduce the availability of a test kit to efficiently and affordably analyse COVID-19 for environmental surface contamination.

“The kit identifies contaminated surfaces which represent a potential threat in high-touch areas and in food preparation and the test is easy to use with on-site results available in about ninety minutes”, states Deleo de Leonardis, CEO of Purity-IQ. The patented technology and test have been developed at the Hyris R&D Centre in Milan, Italy and is now successfully being used in Europe and Asia in cooperation with top international research institutes. “The kit itself is based on one of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended COVID-19 tests, currently adopted by several of the major diagnostic centers fighting the pandemic.” says Stefano Lo Priore, Managing Director from Hyris. The COVID-19 test is not to be used for human testing, however as a tool to increase safety in work environments, which is critical as companies all over the world prepare to fully resume normal activities.

The bCUBE instrumentation is a miniaturized portable device which does not require particular skills to be installed or used, just as a smartphone or a tablet. The bCUBE has an integrated module which enables Artificial Intelligence for data diagnostics and is handled by a user-friendly web app managing the data in the cloud, compatible with major corporate operating systems. The kit for screening environmental workplace contamination is commercialized as a turn-key product including specially developed swabs for environmental surface sampling (door handles, keyboards, boxes, food-prep counters, etc.), standard operating procedures, training and support. Purity-IQ is already preparing the first deliveries of kits to its customers in North America.

Scientists at two major North American Universities have commented about use of the bCUBE; ”We validated the bCUBE in our lab against very expensive standard research polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instruments. It is very precise and has several advantages over other portable commercial instruments such as the ability to run many more samples at one time, lower costs per tests and the fact, that It is compliant with the full PCR protocol recommended by Centre for Disease Control of which some of the other commercial tests are incapable of achieving this gold standard due to inappropriate design “. Steven Newmaster, Director, NHP Research Alliance, University of Guelph.

“We have been using the Hyris bCUBE to run molecular assays for pathogen detection, and it has provided excellent performance, even when compared with much more expensive instrumentation”, as previously stated by George Dimopoulos, Professor Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University.

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About Purity-IQ Inc.

Purity-IQ is a Canadian B2B biotechnology and service-based company that support organizations and brands to bring authenticated products to consumers. By developing standards and certifications founded on innovative science Purity-IQ is well positioned, for global growth to deliver services, products and tools, which are underpinned by cutting edge genetic, chemical and metabolomic bio-technologies. Purity-IQ provides product authentication and validation, enhancing brand trust with consumers.

About Hyris Ltd.

Hyris is multinational company with a RD laboratory, active in the Advanced Diagnostic field, supported by Artificial Intelligence technologies and commercially present in Canada, USA, Europe and Asia. Founded in 2014 by an entrepreneurial team of engineers specialized in the Biotechnology sector and with past experience gained in the United Stated. The company has offices in London and Milan while the R&D lab is in Lodi, in the middle of the so called “red zone”. The affordable price, the swiftness to get the results and the advanced Artificial Intelligence software architecture differentiate Hyris technologies from the ones available on the market, as well as the capability of enabling a “leading-edge” test, close to the locations, where the diagnostic tests are required. The applications, initially aimed to the industrial genetic, rapidly evolved switching to other fields (pharmaceutical, virologic, epidemiologic, etc.) confirming once more the great flexibility and adaptability of the technologies.

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FREMONT, Calif. and BANGALORE, India (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

The Global COVID-19 Monitor gives live insights on the spread of the pandemic across the world and allows you to slice and dice data from many perspectives. Expert data scientists have been keenly watching and analyzing the COVID 19 developments and they have used publicly available data sets, to develop this Global Monitor, which tracks the spread of the pandemic across the world and gives unique insights into the developments.

The second dashboard, BRIDGEi2i COVID Market Impact Monitor highlights the impact of COVID on the US Stock Market and presents the correlation of events with stock price fluctuations across industries. Compared with other outbreaks, COVID19 is seen to have an unparalleled impact on the US markets, and as a consequence, market volatility has increased around the world. This Market Monitor is a need of the hour to understand the stock price fluctuations and help investors and financial analysts make informed decisions.

Lauding the collaborative efforts of the Data Engineering and Intelligent Automation teams on these projects, Prithvijit Roy, CEO and Co-founder of BRIDGEi2i said, “As analytics and AI practitioners, we are leveraging our expertise to share insights, emerging trends, and patterns emerging from the COVID19 situation globally be it for businesses or communities. We are staying true to our mission of making AI real both for Enterprises and communities, and this is one such contribution, probably very apt for the times we are in.”

About BRIDGEi2i

BRIDGEi2i is a trusted partner for enabling AI for Digital Enterprises by leveraging Data Engineering, Advanced Analytics, proprietary AI accelerators and Consulting expertise. BRIDGEi2i enables businesses to contextualize data, generate actionable insights from complex business problems, and make data-driven decisions across pan-enterprise processes to create sustainable business impact.

http://www.BRIDGEi2i.com

BRIDGEi2i Analytics Solutions Contact

Venkat Subramanian

Email: venkat.subramanian@bridgei2i.com

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The Kelly Foundation supports health and human services, education, culture, environment and civic improvement through its funding.

Access to food is a fundamental right, and the Kelly Foundation is pleased to support families throughout Northern California by awarding grants to five regional food banks serving some of the most at-risk populations.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

In response to the global coronavirus crisis, the Kelly Foundation awarded a total of five individual grants to Northern California food banks in Sacramento, Yolo, Alameda and Sonoma counties. The grant monies, representing $220,000 in total donations, will be used to secure and refrigerate food supplies, support community deliveries, and pay workers. Recipient organizations include Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Yolo Food Bank, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Alameda County Community Food Bank and Meals on Wheels of Alameda County, the latter of which serves food primarily to housebound elders who are among those at greatest risk from COVID-19.

“Access to food is a fundamental right, and the Kelly Foundation is pleased to support families throughout Northern California by awarding grants to five regional food banks serving some of the most at-risk populations,” said Shawn Kelly Devlin, President of the Kelly Foundation and Chairman of the Board of River City Bank. “As demand for these essential services continues to surge, it is imperative that we equip our food banks to meet needs and help our communities rise to the multitude of challenges presented by COVID-19 without sacrificing health and wellness.”

TWEET THIS: To support local efforts to keep food on the table for those most at-risk from #COVID19, the Kelly Foundation, in partnership with @RiverCityBank, awards $220k to five food banks across Northern California. @SacFoodBank @YoloFoodBank @refb @ACCFB @MOWofAlCo

“COVID-19 has stressed our organization like never before, and we are sincerely grateful for this important funding from the Kelly Foundation,” said Melanie Flood, Director of Development and Communications for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. “Demand has skyrocketed, and we are seeing people in need who have never asked for assistance from a food program before. This funding will help us continue to purchase food, invest in supplies and equipment to keep pace with demand, and provide vital services while also planning for the next 60 to 90 days.”

“The Redwood Empire Food Bank normally serves 82,000 people per year, and we are projected to serve twice that number because of the COVID-19 crisis,” said David Goodman, CEO of Redwood Empire Food Bank. “This contribution will help us purchase and refrigerate food, pay our dedicated staff and fuel our trucks to make deliveries across Sonoma County. Ultimately, it will keep food on the table for thousands of people who need it.”

“Human lives literally will be saved because we received critical funding to ensure food access to vulnerable people,” said Joy Cohan, Director of Philanthropic Engagement at Yolo Food Bank. “The Kelly Foundation’s generosity will provide more than 10 days of nourishment for the more than 35,000 people experiencing hunger in Yolo County.”

In evaluating the needs of communities throughout its organizational and geographic footprint, the Kelly Foundation prioritized providers and allocated funds according to the total number of people and families served, as well as the urgency of the need. Sacramento Food Bank and Yolo Food Bank each received a grant in the amount of $75,000; Redwood Empire Food Bank received a $25,000 grant, Alameda Food Bank received $12,500 and Meals on Wheels of Alameda County was awarded a grant of $32,500.

The Kelly Foundation supports health and human services, education, culture, environment and civic improvement through its funding. Each year, the Foundation provides approximately $500,000 in grants to organizations that support the Sacramento and North Bay Area regions. Since merging with the RCB Foundation in 2009, the Kelly Foundation, of which River City Bank remains a major contributor, focuses on giving back to the greater Sacramento region through charitable donations.

For more information about the Kelly Foundation, please visit KellyFoundationSacramento.org.

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About the Kelly Foundation

The Kelly Broadcasting Company’s KCRA-TV (Sacramento-Stockton-Modest, CA) went on the air on Sept. 5, 1955, and the owners of the Kelly Broadcasting Company established the Kelly Foundation in December 1988 as a formal vehicle for structuring charitable contributions. The Kelly family sold KCRA-TV in 1999 and have continued the Kelly Foundation ever since. In 2009, the River City Bank Foundation merged with the Kelly Foundation, and some executives of the Bank currently serve on the Foundation’s Board. Jon S. Kelly founded River City Bank and continues to support the Bank. His daughter, Shawn Kelly Devlin, currently serves as President and Chairman of the Board. The Kelly Foundation is an expression of the importance the Kelly family places on being a good neighbor and citizen in regions where they do business. For more information on the Kelly Foundation, please visit KellyFoundationSacramento.org or call (916) 978-4892.

About River City Bank

Named one of Sacramento Business Journal’s “50 Fastest Growing Companies” for each of the past three years, River City Bank is the Sacramento region’s premier business bank with assets over $2.5 billion. River City Bank offers a comprehensive suite of banking services, including loans, deposits and cash management tools to the business, consumer and commercial real estate sectors. With tailored, executive-level service and a “Superior” financial rating from the nation’s leading independent bank-rating firm, Bauer Financial, River City Bank redefines the banking experience and every touch point that surrounds it. River City Bank is the largest, independent, locally-owned bank in the Sacramento region with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and a presence in Southern California. For additional information, please visit RiverCityBank.com or call (916) 567-2600. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

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WOODBRIDGE, Conn. (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

P2 Science, Inc. (P2) today announced a partnership with All Our Kin (AOK), a Connecticut based non-profit that trains, supports, and sustains family child care providers to ensure that children and families have the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life. P2 will donate much needed sanitizer directly to childcare facilities that engage with AOK to ensure that they can protect the health and safety of everyone in their programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manufacturing and packaging of the sanitizer has been underway at the P2 Woodbridge, CT facility for a few weeks already and the company has been able to support local workers in their neighborhood. This new partnership with AOK enables P2 to more directly target their donated products at childcare locations that remain open, which have a critical need for sanitization supplies in order to protect everyone’s health and safety.

“We’re very grateful to be working with P2 in addressing this critical need for childcare programs in Connecticut,” said Jessica Sager, Co-Founder and CEO of AOK. Neil Burns CEO of P2 Science, added “It’s our pleasure to help by directly engaging with a key non-profit in our local community and directly delivering products to their facilities.”

About P2 Science:

P2 Science is renewable chemistry company. The co-founders of P2, Professor Paul Anastas and Dr. Patrick Foley, worked together at the Yale Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering. P2 has developed and patented green chemistry technologies for converting renewable feedstocks into high-value specialty products. Investors in P2 include BASF Venture Capital, Xeraya Capital, Elm Street Ventures, Connecticut Innovations, Ironwood Capital, HG Ventures and Chanel. The company started up its first manufacturing plant in September of 2018 which produces novel renewable aroma chemicals and cosmetics ingredients. For more information, see http://www.p2science.com

About All Our Kin:

All Our Kin is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that trains, supports, and sustains family child care providers to ensure that children and families have the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life. All Our Kin works with approximately 900 family child care providers in Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and surrounding towns in Connecticut as well as the Bronx in New York City. Through All Our Kin’s work with providers, they reach over 4,300 children, the majority of whom are infants and toddlers, and who live in overburdened, under-resourced communities.

The All Our Kin model results in a proven triple win: child care professionals succeed as business owners, increasing economic security and opportunity for themselves and their own families; working parents find stable, high-quality early care and education for their children; and children gain an educational foundation that lays the groundwork for achievement in school and in life.

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

My Gene Counsel, a digital health company that provides innovative genetic counseling solutions, today announced it is teaming up with UConn Health’s Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Hereditary Cancer Program to ensure that UConn’s patients who have undergone genetic testing for cancer predisposition have access to timely and accurate genetic counseling information through the online delivery of My Gene Counsel’s Living Lab Reports®. Together, My Gene Counsel and UConn Health will use state-of-the-art digital tools to efficiently communicate up-to-date genomic information that will drive an improved standard of care.

By supplementing its current genetic counseling services with My Gene Counsel’s digital counseling tools, UConn Health will serve as a leader in this space with the ability to better support patients over time in the post-test period. Each incoming patient will receive an electronic Living Lab Report – sponsored by UConn Health and the Linda Clemens Breast Cancer Foundation – that is personalized to the individual’s genetic test results and outlines the most frequently asked questions and answers on topics related to disease risk, medical management options, relevance to family, emotional support, and available resources. This information is supported by tools to enhance understanding, such as hover dictionary and graphics.

“Genetics can be overwhelming and confusing, so when a patient leaves my office, I worry about how much information they have retained,” said Connor Linehan, MS, LGC, a board-certified genetic counselor for the Hereditary Cancer Program at UConn Health. “Our goal, in partnering with My Gene Counsel, is to increase patient understanding in the hopes that better comprehension equals appropriate medical follow-up and better health outcomes. The addition of a user-friendly genetic counseling report that patients can review before and after their appointment and over time will be invaluable to empower them to make informed decisions about their healthcare.”

The Living Lab Reports are written and continuously updated by a network of top certified genetic counselors and medical experts and are vetted by patient advocates. In addition to delivering complex genomic information in a way that patients can understand, the reports will update and notify patients automatically by text and/or email as My Gene Counsel adds new information to reflect changes in disease risk, medical management options, variant reclassification, and relevant clinical trials.

“I encourage patients to contact us over the years as information about hereditary cancer changes over time,” said Jennifer Stroop, MS, CGC, LGC, a board-certified genetic counselor for the Hereditary Cancer Program at UConn Health. “However, this is not always easy. We are very excited to now be able to offer our patients a reference tool with continuing updates and notifications. With these continued touchpoints for engagement and retention, we will be able to meet the expressed need to help our patients feel more connected and supported in the long term.”

My Gene Counsel’s wraparound solution, available at UConn in May 2020, will enable the responsible return of results, engage and update patients, and integrate data into UConn’s health care system. Living Lab Reports will be personalized by gene and variant and provided for all results, whether testing is negative or identifies a variant of clinical or uncertain significance.

“We are excited to partner with UConn Health, a forward-thinking health system on the cutting-edge of hereditary cancer and precision medicine,” said Ellen Matloff, MS, CGC, president and CEO of My Gene Counsel. “Their dedication to improving health through education, innovation, and patient-centered clinical care beyond the initial genetic test aligns seamlessly with our own ideals.”

More than 600 people undergo genetic counseling and testing each year as part of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Hereditary Cancer Program, which is staffed by two genetic counselors. The expanding volume of patients and limited bandwidth led the team to proactively seek out a technical solution that could help solve the challenge of monitoring critical clinical updates and research and recontacting patients.

“It is essential for UConn Health, as a major university center, to keep pace with the growing demand for up-to-date genomic information,” said Susan Tanenbaum, MD, medical director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The integration with My Gene Counsel is a giant step towards UConn Health assuming a position of global leadership in genomics and personalized medicine.”

About My Gene Counsel:

My Gene Counsel bridges the gap between genetic testing and precision medicine by addressing one of the most critical pain points in the industry – lack of accurate and timely genetic counseling information for patients and providers. Their Living Lab Reports® deliver genetic counseling information that updates as new clinical information emerges, guidelines evolve, and genetic variants are reclassified. Founded by certified genetic counselors with 30+ years of clinical experience, My Gene Counsel empowers partners to efficiently deliver on the promise of precision medicine. For more information, visit http://www.mygenecounsel.com.

About UConn Health:

UConn Health is Connecticut’s only public academic medical center. Based on a 206-acre campus in Farmington, UConn Health has a three-part mission: research, teaching and patient care. Home to the UConn School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine and UConn John Dempsey Hospital with nearly 5,000 employees supporting nearly 1,000 students, over 800,000 annual patient visits, and innovative scientific research contributing to the advancement of medicine. For more information, visit http://www.health.uconn.edu.

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Henry H. Moomaw III will join USOSM as CFO, effective immediately.

I’m excited to join USOSM. It’s a dynamic team with a lot of opportunity for growth, and the business model provides great value for the surgeon partners and practices. I look forward to being a key part of delivering that value and growth.

IRVING, Texas (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) – a specialty management services company headquartered in Irving, Texas, that exclusively serves premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons – has named Henry H. Moomaw III as chief financial officer, effective immediately. As CFO, Moomaw will be an integral part of the executive management team.

“I’m excited to join USOSM,” says Moomaw. “It’s a dynamic team with a lot of opportunity for growth, and the business model provides great value for the surgeon partners and practices. I look forward to being a key part of delivering that value and growth, and will be working closely with the rest of the executive management team, our surgeons and our equity partners.”

Moomaw has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience and has spent the past 20 years working with private equity-backed companies as they grew and advanced to recapitalizations, sales and IPOs. Previously, Moomaw served as CFO for Excalibur Resources and TEAK Midstream in the energy sector, where he led both companies through sales initiatives. Prior to that, he spent 13 years as VP controller for Animal Health International, where he led accounting efforts in support of the company’s IPO. Moomaw also served as controller for Fireboard Corp, assistant controller for Hadson Corp, a senior analyst for Electronic Data Systems and an auditor with Arthur Andersen.

“Henry Moomaw is a seasoned financial executive and a highly effective leader, who is able to motivate employees, and establish and improve financial controls and processes to drive improvements and increase value for all. We’re honored that he has joined our team,” notes Richard Hall, USOSM president and CEO.

In addition, Moomaw is skilled in mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt sourcing, risk management and system conversions. He is a CPA in the state of Texas and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Moomaw has served on a number of company and community boards and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, USOSM has partner practices spanning six states: Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee, Minnesota and Alabama. A shared services organization, USOSM collaborates with premier oral and maxillofacial surgeons to offer a partnership solution for continued and accelerated practice success. USOSM provides operational, marketing and administrative support services, reinvests resources, and applies best practices to improve clinical and financial performance and produce steadier, more profitable growth for all.

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SkinIO Teledermatology helps patients and dermatologists connect during the COVID-19 pandemic

There is a need for high quality photos to be able to accurately treat patients

CHICAGO (PRWEB)
April 16, 2020

The global COVID-19 pandemic makes clear the critical need for doctors to connect with patients virtually and today SkinIO, a digital mole-mapping system, announced SkinIO Teledermatology, a new platform that allows dermatologists to capture high-quality from patients to enable the best possible remote dermatological care. SkinIO Teledermatology can be used by itself as a store-and-forward solution or in combination with real-time telehealth appointments.

SkinIO Teledermatology turned to its history in mole-mapping and total body photography to design an app that guides patients to take the best possible photos that provide both standardized and contextual images for dermatologists to review.

“There is a need for high quality photos to be able to accurately treat patients, especially as patients continue to receive remote care because of the COVID-19 crisis” said Dr. Jean-Christophe Lapiere, MD, the founder and Chief Medical Officer of SkinIO and a leading expert in treating skin cancer. “I need to be able to see the mole or lesion that I am concerned about in greater detail than a video-consultation allows. This solution allows my patients to submit images of their skin through the SkinIO app, which I review to determine the necessary next steps. Then I follow-up either through the SkinIO app or through a real-time video interaction. This is the only way I feel that I am able to effectively treat my patients when I cannot see them face-to-face.”

Even as millions of Americans are sheltering-in-place to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the need for regular medical care remains and skin cancer screenings are no exception. Dr. Lapiere notes that while many dermatological concerns can wait a few months, a concerning mole is something that needs to be addressed right away. Waiting even a few months can dramatically alter the prognosis for melanoma.

Telemedicine has been on the rise for years and is a natural fit with some medical specialties like dermatology, where exams focus on visual cues to make a diagnosis. SkinIO Teledermatology is a store-and-forward solution that allows physicians to view patient images at a time that is convenient for them, and follow-up with patients in an easy-to-use system.

SkinIO Teledermatology is a HIPAA-compliant system that is cloud-based and encrypted for security. While HIPAA violations are being waived during the COVID-19 health crisis, it is still prudent for health care providers to set themselves up with a system, like SkinIO, that is HIPAA-compliant so that they do not need to worry about switching systems when the emergency is over.

About SkinIO: The challenge of skin cancer is not that there isn’t a cure; it is that we are not detecting skin cancer early enough in too many cases. At SkinIO, our mission is to make skin cancer screening and skin health monitoring accessible, whether at the doctor’s office or in the comfort of home. SkinIO has developed an affordable total body photography solution that allows health care providers to offer automated, AI-enabled mole mapping in any exam room in their office. With contextual dermoscopic image linking and the ability to track changes over time, dermatologists are able to offer the best possible care for their patients. SkinIO has now expanded into teledermatology to enable more convenient patient-physician interactions. For more information, visit our website: https://skinio.com

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