health and fitness

Ideal CU Combines 5-Week Step Challenge with Prep for Successful MN Brain Tumor 5K

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Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a 5-week step challenge to focus on the importance of daily exercise & prep participants for the MN Brain Tumor 5K.

Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a 5-week step challenge to focus on the importance of daily exercise & prep participants for the MN Brain Tumor 5K.

Our goal with the challenge was to promote a healthy, active lifestyle in the office and at home, and to encourage staff to make a long-term commitment to improving their overall wellbeing, as well as prepare them for the MN Brain Tumor 5K. – Ideal CU President./CEO Brian Sherrick


WOODBURY, Minn. (PRWEB)

Knowing a healthy workplace is a happy workplace, Ideal Credit Union’s first-ever Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a five-week step challenge, designed to focus on the importance of daily exercise, while also encouraging many of the participants to walk with a greater purpose at the 10th Annual MN Brain Tumor 5K, which was held on May 19, 2019.

Each week the Wellbeing Committee shared helpful tips, recipes, motivational messages and more to inspire and encourage employees to work toward a healthier lifestyle. Ideal provided employees with a tracking device to measure their daily activity. Participants would submit their average weekly steps for a chance to win great prizes and were encouraged to increase the number of steps and build upon the previous week’s results. A total of 78 Ideal employees signed up to take part and 49 completed the five-week step challenge.

“Our goal with the challenge was to promote a healthy, active lifestyle in the office and at home, and to encourage staff to make a long-term commitment to improving their overall wellbeing, as well as prepare them for the MN Brain Tumor 5K in May. We were very pleased with the results,” said Ideal CU President/CEO Brian Sherrick.

Ideal CU has been a major sponsor of the MN Brain Tumor 5K for the past nine years. Ideal employees serve on the planning committee and volunteer at the event to ensure its success. Organizers recently announced the MN Brain Tumor 5K hit a new milestone in 2019, raising $114,608 in donations to bring total fundraising to $779,765.60 since the event’s inception in 2010. All proceeds benefit the Musella Foundation for Brain Tumor Research & Information, Inc.

“The MN Brain Tumor 5K is an important event for Ideal and we are proud to take the lead to ensure its success,” Sherrick stated. “This disease has touched many people within our credit union family. The support, comradery and dedication shown by everyone involved is incredibly inspiring. I am grateful to our employees for volunteering their time to help at such an important event and thank all of the participants, donors and sponsors for their selfless generosity.”

Ideal CU employees involved in this event have given their time, which exceeds over 250 hours, in pre-planning meetings, securing sponsors, ongoing marketing, website and social media efforts, event logistics and more. The amount of 250 hours at the average hourly rate of those involved totals over $12,500 of “in-kind” giving just this year alone. May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, dedicated to the 700,000 Americans living with a brain tumor and the estimated 79,000 who will be diagnosed this year, according to the National Brain Tumor Society.

Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee is busy planning a Financial Fitness Challenge for employees that will kick off in late October. Committee members include Alisha Johnson, Emily Kelly, Faith Tholkes, Tria Her, Crystal Currier, Shannon Butler, Jackie Day and Jennifer Foss.

Founded in 1926, Ideal Credit Union is a member owned financial institution that is dedicated to providing financial services driven by a sincere and personal interest in the needs of our employees, members and community. Ideal CU offers a complete range of services, including a full suite of digital banking products, savings, checking, loans, mortgage products, exclusive VIP member payback, business services, investment services and more. Offices are located in Eagan, Hugo, Inver Grove Heights, North St. Paul, Stillwater and Woodbury. Visit idealcu.com for details and directions. Ideal has been voted “Best Credit Union in the East Metro” three years in a row by readers of the Stillwater Gazette and was named a 2018 Star Tribune Top 150 Workplace. Equal Housing Lender.

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Industry: Healthcare

Navigating Cancer Appoints Dr. Ethan Basch as New Scientific Medical Advisor

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SEATTLE (PRWEB)

Navigating Cancer, the leading provider of oncology patient relationship management software, is pleased to announce that Ethan Basch, MD, MSc, FASCO, has joined as the company’s new Scientific Medical Advisor. Dr. Basch is a medical oncologist and distinguished professor in the School of Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (UNC) and a professor in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Dr. Basch is a world-renowned patient-reported outcomes researcher and his work has been instrumental in bringing the patient’s voice to the forefront of cancer care through patient-reported outcomes (PROs). As a Scientific Medical Advisor, Dr. Basch will work with Navigating Cancer on strategy and implementation of their PRO and remote monitoring solutions in the market, as well as consult on real-world evidence-based national studies on Navigating Cancer’s remote monitoring and PRO solutions.

In 2017 Dr. Basch presented a groundbreaking study at ASCO which found that cancer patients who used a web-based survey to report symptoms to their care team during treatment experienced increased overall survival, as well as improved quality of life, longer time on therapy, and fewer ER visits and hospitalizations. Navigating Cancer will leverage Dr. Basch’s work and implement studies with his support to prove the same positive impact of PROs on cancer care can be reproduced in a real-world, community oncology setting in rural and diverse patient populations.

“Dr. Basch’s research on the use of patient-reported outcomes has been revolutionary in cancer care and we believe that the effective use of PROs in the real world is pivotal to success in value-based care,” said Gena Cook, founder and president of Navigating Cancer. “We are looking forward to leveraging Dr. Basch’s expertise and research in making patient-reported outcomes a routine part of cancer care throughout our network.”

Dr. Basch said, “Navigating Cancer’s comprehensive patient platform is associated with reduced ED visits and improved symptom management, and their ability to scale PROs into clinical workflow will continue to enhance this value. Common challenges when incorporating PROs into clinical care are uptake and sustained use by providers. Navigating Cancer directly addresses these challenges with their triage system. I’m excited to help them extend their PRO solution and to ensure that it is leveraging scientific research.”

Navigating Cancer’s Health Tracker remote monitoring solution allows cancer patients to self-report side effects and oral medication adherence between clinic visits, ensuring their care team can monitor and manage side effects promptly to keep patients on track with their treatment. Dr. Basch will work with Navigating Cancer’s team to provide strategic insights on product development and testing.

About Navigating Cancer

Navigating Cancer is the leading Patient Relationship Management technology and solutions company focused on improving the patient experience, delivering more effective care management and enabling oncology care innovation. With over 1,700 providers adopting the Navigating Care platform, it is the most broadly deployed patient management solution in oncology. The company’s products combine clinical workflows, oncology content, and data insights to empower personalized patient care for cancer patients inside and outside of the clinic. For more information, please visit http://www.navigatingcancer.com or follow Navigating Cancer on Twitter @navcancer.

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Health: Mental Health

Macy Gray Releases “Buddha” Video, Advocates for Mental Health

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https://www.prweb.com/

Cover art contest winner by Jonathan Caustrita

“To everybody struggling with something, it’ll be okay, just don’t let it beat you. Buddha says ‘concentrate the mind in the present’ – and that’s where it’s at all the time.”


LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)

Legendary R&B/soul singer Macy Gray has released the official music video for “Buddha” (featuring blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr.) from her latest album, RUBY, following an exclusive premiere via Rolling Stone. The video was directed by the multi-talented Teyana “Spike Tee” Taylor.

“Buddha” finds Macy reflecting on her 20+ years in the music business, the disorienting nature of fame, and her quest to find her center and stay grounded.

As Macy told Rolling Stone,

“Underneath the Gary Clark solo, the incredible production by Johan Carlsson, and the Teyana Taylor-directed video is a little story about my battles with mental health. Though it has held me up and set me back many times, I was able to write this song because I am winning my war with it. And I’m able to celebrate my present and look forward to my future because of it. To everybody struggling with something, it’ll be okay, just don’t let it beat you. Buddha says ‘concentrate the mind in the present’ – and that’s where it’s at all the time.”

Leading up to the video release, Macy hosted a cover art contest on Instagram and received over 300 submissions from artists hoping to win the $500 prize and have their art featured as the official “Buddha” single artwork. The winnerwas created by Jonathan Caustrita (@jonathancaustrita), an illustrator from Dallas, TX.

“Macy Gray’s RUBY is named for more than just a jewel: it describes her polish, passion and the rich, regal countenance she’s absorbed since reclaiming her focus and artistry.” – Soul Tracks

“With stunning production and Gray at her most charismatic, [RUBY] is a showcase of an artist in her prime.” – Atwood Magazine

MORE ABOUT MACY GRAY:

“I love the gem ruby,” Macy explains. “It’s so regal. I really wanted a title that would stick. The stone is also red of course, which is my favorite color. It’s rich and has history. It’s classic — and so is this album.”

That unmistakable rasp, unshakable grasp on soul, and funky spirit ensured her status as a 21st century icon since her arrival with the triple-platinum album On How Life Is in 1999. Selling over 25 million albums globally, winning a GRAMMY® Award and two BRIT Awards, collaborating with everyone from Ariana Grande to Galactic, and selling out venues in nearly every corner of the globe two decades into her storied career. Macy’s talents resound beyond music as well. She starred in Tyler Perry’s Black Reel Award-winning For Colored Girls and would grace the screen everywhere from Brotherly Love and Cardboard Boxer to NETFLIX’s hit Fuller House. Moreover, she made a now legendary appearance in Training Day alongside Academy® Award winner Denzel Washington one of many on-screen hallmarks.

Now, her tenth full-length album, RUBY [Artistry Music/Mack Avenue], reaffirms and reasserts that signature rarity millions continue to treasure.

Channeling the spirit of the “grimy” R&B and smoky jazz closest to her heart, Macy made a leap forward by looking back to formative inspirations. However, she updated those elements with enriched, entrancing, and enigmatic soundscapes brought to life by producers Johan Carlsson [Michael Bublé, Maroon 5], Tommy Brown [Jennifer Lopez, Fifth Harmony, Travis Scott], and Tommy Parker Lumpkins [Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber].

“They’re all stellar producers, and they helped me craft an incredibly rich project,” she goes on. “They were brilliant in integrating horns and strings. There are so many complex layers. I wanted something that never got boring in terms of the music.”

RUBY canvases a wide spectrum for the songstress. Raucous horns that feel ripped from a classic seventies flick augment the grit on “Cold World” as “Jealousy” spins a covetous narrative that soars as it seduces. Gary Clark Jr. adds six-string firepower to “Buddha.” Everything culminates on the reggae-inspired “Witness,” which shuffles between mainland soul and island grooves as she croons, “I wish I was Jesus. I would make sure to fix it. Can I get a witness?”

“I think my sound reflects where I am,” she exclaims. “I’m a little older…just a little [laughs]. I’ve had more experiences and influences. I want my sound to feel fresh and relevant. I feel that I was able to achieve that, and I’m extremely proud of this album.” Audiences will feel that, too as she brings the record to life nightly in North America, the UK, and Europe on her 2018 tour.

In the end, RUBY represents Macy Gray at her most passionate, poetic, and powerful. “I hope audiences can feel connected to the record,” she leaves off. “I hope that I can make them smile and make them reflect. I love when fans reach out with stories of how I’ve inspired, influenced them, or helped them get through a moment in their life. I want them to take away sincerity, honesty and authenticity. I’m hopeful that I am providing them with something that is meaningful and thoughtful. I’m still looking at how I can contribute more artistically and as a human. This is one way.”

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Business: Insurance

Utilant Welcomes Greg Osborne as Senior Vice President of Sales

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Greg Osborne

Greg Osborne, Senior Vice President of Sales at Utilant

Greg is well respected in the P&C insurance industry and we are thrilled to have him on board to guide Utilant in the management and scaling of our sales organization.


BUFFALO, N.Y. (PRWEB)

Utilant, the provider of the P&C insurance industry’s premier loss control management platform, announced that Greg Osborne has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Sales.

“Greg is a significant addition to the Utilant executive team,” said Rob Mikulec, Chief Revenue Officer at Utilant. “He is well respected in the P&C insurance industry and we are thrilled to have him on board to guide Utilant in the management and scaling of our sales organization as we experience our continued rapid growth trajectory.”

Osborne has worked at the intersection of technology and insurance throughout his career, with focused expertise in SaaS software solutions and large-scale system deployments. Over the last decade, Osborne has held sales leadership positions at P&C insurance software providers including Duck Creek and Guidewire.

“From its inception, Utilant’s platform has been instrumental in transforming the P&C insurance industry’s loss control processes by enabling collaboration across the entire loss control inspection workflow,” commented Osborne. “The thing that attracted me most to Utilant, compared to other InsurTech companies, is that they have achieved real market traction with P&C insurance carriers and inspection firms of all sizes across the world. I’m excited to help lead the company in the next phase of growth as Senior Vice President of Sales.”

Osborne has a BASc in Computer Studies from the University of South Australia and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. Osborne currently resides in the Columbia, South Carolina area with his family.

View Osborne’s LinkedIn profile at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryronaldosborne/.

About Utilant and Loss Control 360

Utilant’s Loss Control 360 is the “best-in-class” Loss Control Survey Management Platform for P&C insurance and inspection/risk engineering companies, establishing its position as the hub for connecting insurance core systems, inspection firms, and InsurTechs to comprehensively transform the global insurance industry workflow. The solution supports Commercial, Personal, and Specialty lines, and is deployed via a SaaS model. Utilant’s Loss Control 360 platform is used by leading Insurers around the world, as well as by top inspection vendor survey companies across North America. The Loss Control 360 platform helps Insurers to efficiently survey and score risks for an efficient underwriting process across all lines of commercial and residential business. A typical implementation provides positive ROI within the first year. More information on Utilant and Loss Control 360 is available at http://www.losscontrol360.com.

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Business: Executives

CAIS Continues Senior Leadership Expansion with Andrew Smith Lewis Joining as Chief Innovation Officer

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Andrew Smith Lewis, a technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition, will be pioneering learning technologies for advisors to better understand alternative investments.


NEW YORK (PRWEB)

CAIS, the leading technology platform connecting financial advisors with alternative investments, today announced that Andrew Smith Lewis has joined CAIS as Chief Innovation Officer. Andrew Smith Lewis, a technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition, will be pioneering learning technologies for advisors to better understand alternative investments.

“Our mission is to empower independent financial advisors with the tools and resources to drive business growth,” said Matt Brown, CAIS Founder and CEO. “Andrew brings a unique combination of skills and experience that will empower financial advisors to improve outcomes for their clients.”

Smith Lewis has dedicated his career to unlocking human potential and empowering people to discover solutions by optimizing the way they learn. He is the cofounder and former CEO of Cerego an adaptive learning platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to scale proven cognitive science and make learning possible for anyone. By improving the learning experience, Cerego successfully helped over 6 million users, including partners such as The U.S. Army, NYU, Cengage, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ASU, edX, Rockwell Automation, and Elsevier. Smith Lewis continues to serve on Cerego’s Board of Directors as Vice Chairman.

“I am excited about CAIS’ commitment to developing innovative technologies that help independent financial advisors,” said Andrew Smith Lewis. “CAIS embodies all of the things I am passionate about: blending artificial intelligence with learning science, hiring the right talent, and fostering a culture of innovation.”

With Smith Lewis joining the team, CAIS plans to immediately embark on another significant expansion of the company’s technology team and its Los Angeles-based Technology and Innovation Hub. Earlier this year, CAIS announced the strengthening of its senior leadership team with four key additions, including Marco Riedl, Chief Product Officer, formerly from eBay.

“We are developing powerful new ways for advisors to learn about alternative investments,” said Matt Brown, CAIS Founder and CEO. “We are doubling down on education and technology. Making top-tier alternative investments accessible on a massive scale was a major achievement. Our challenge now is to make them universally understood as well.”

The first truly open marketplace for alternative investments, CAIS offers financial advisors unprecedented access to a curated menu of top-tier hedge funds, private equity, and real estate funds in addition to a variety of capital markets offerings.

The CAIS platform has facilitated over $8 billion since inception and more than $1 billion in the first 6 months of 2019 alone. Over 1,500 advisory firms/teams, who oversee more than $1.2 trillion in assets, are members of the CAIS Platform.

About CAIS

CAIS is the premier financial technology platform, providing independent financial advisors with access to top-tier managers of specialized investment products in the multi-trillion dollar independent wealth channel. CAIS offers streamlined execution for an expanding list of alternative investment funds and products. CAIS complements its fund offerings with independent due diligence provided by Mercer. CAIS is an NFA member with securities offered through CAIS Capital LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

For more information about CAIS, visit http://www.caisgroup.com

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Health: Addiction

Surgery Can be a Pain, But Opioids Not Always Best Elixir

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https://www.prweb.com/

Dr. Alejandro Badia

Today, we have many proven, opioid-sparing options, including minimally invasive operative techniques and pre- and post-surgical uses of advanced nerve-blocking agents and long-lasting local anesthetics like EXPAREL® to resolve both pain and inflammation.


MIAMI (PRWEB)

Innovative pain management alternatives during and after surgery can significantly reduce the number of patients becoming chronic users – and abusers — of opioid drugs, says noted orthopedic surgeon Alejandro Badia MD, founder and chief medical officer of the Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, who has successfully paired standard anesthesia during surgery with a new, opioid-sparing analgesic.

Called EXPAREL®, from Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the non-narcotic drug is injected as a single dose at the site of the regional block (nerves that deaden extremity) and often directly into the surgical site as well to help produce postoperative pain relief. The medication incorporates technology that encapsulates it in liposomal particles, allowing release of the drug’s pain-inhibiting properties for an extended period, Dr. Badia explains.

“In a recent case with a patient Dr. Amy Chappell, a neurologist and prominent lifestyle medicine physician who sustained a massive rotator cuff tear requiring double row repair, a procedure that can be particularly painful, the patient only required an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication to mitigate discomfort following administration of EXPAREL® during surgery,” says Dr. Badia. According to Dr. Chappell, “I never had pain after the surgery and the only real issue was having to wear the protective abuction pillow and sling”!

Another case involved Nick Mendez, the CEO of OrthoNOW®, an innovative orthopedic care delivery company, who underwent combined labral repair and insertion of the Regeneten® patch to his rotator cuff for a partial tear. Mr. Mendez stated, “I had slight discomfort but never pain that required me taking anything other than some Motrin and I was able to even continue working via my mobile phone the same day of the outpatient procedure”.

The recent launch of a national education campaign underscores Dr. Badia’s comments. The campaign encourages patients to discuss non-opioid options for pain management with their doctors prior to undergoing surgical procedures. Campaign sponsors cite data indicating that only a 10% reduction in the number of physician-written prescriptions for opioid drugs following surgery would mean 300,000 fewer patients becoming “persistent opioid users.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that common prescription opioids like hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxymorphone (Opana®), codeine and fentanyl are chemically similar to heroin. In fact, nearly 80% of Americans using heroin say they turned to the drug after initially misusing prescription opioids, the Institute states.

Dr. Badia points to a 2017 study in JAMA Surgery indicating that patients often receive prescriptions for a month’s worth of opioid pills and that some 6% of them are still taking the drugs three months or longer after their procedures. Even more alarming, he says, is a March 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that as many as 13% of patients who received prescriptions for a week’s supply of opioid drugs were still taking them a year later.

“Surgery, including orthopedic surgery which is sometimes associated with a higher level of postoperative pain, does not – and should not – require use of narcotics for pain management,” Dr. Badia says. “Today, we have many proven, opioid-sparing options, including minimally invasive operative techniques and pre- and post-surgical uses of advanced nerve-blocking agents and long-lasting local anesthetics like EXPAREL® to resolve both pain and inflammation at the surgical site for at least the first 72 hours following surgery – when postoperative pain is the most acute.”

Other opioid-sparing alternatives are explored in an educational report for pharmacists, entitled “Multimodal Analgesia in Orthopedic Surgery.” The report advises that use of two or more medications “with different mechanisms of action” during surgery can have an “additive analgesic effect,” obviating the need for opioids to quell postoperative pain.

Dr. Badia uses Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols as part of his practice to reduce reliance on opioids for pain management. ERAS are designed to improve a patient’s overall surgical experience, including eliminating narcotic prescriptions after surgery.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine determined that ERAS decreased patient opioid use one month postoperatively following elective spine and peripheral nerve surgeries, Dr. Badia says.

He emphasizes, however, that any equation for stemming the opioid epidemic must also include patient education.

As an example, he cites a 2018 Johns Hopkins Medicine study in Anesthesia & Analgesia where authors report only “a very small percentage” of patients are choosing to use common, readily available anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to avoid sole reliance on opioids for pain control. Patients surveyed for the study had undergone orthopedic surgery, specifically spine and joint surgery.

Other research has associated use of opioid-sparing anesthesia during surgery with lower morbidity and mortality rates, Dr. Badia says.

He offers patients these tips:

  • Before undergoing surgery, ask your doctor about opioid-sparing alternatives to manage pain.

  • Change your mindset. Narcotics are not the only option for maintaining comfort. Lower-cost, over-the-counter medications can prove just as effective, particularly if used in a combined, synergistic mode.

  • Follow prescriptions exactly. If you still experience pain when the prescription is ended, seek your doctor’s advice about next steps.

Heed your doctor’s or pharmacist’s instructions regarding proper disposal of leftover opioid pills. Don’t store them for “possible future use.”

Bio: Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, internationally renowned hand and upper-limb surgeon and founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, a walk-in orthopedic care clinic. He is a member the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Association for Hand Surgery and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. He is a specialist in treating all problems related to the hand and upper extremity including trauma, sports injury, joint reconstruction, nerve injuries and arthroscopic surgeries. http://www.OrthoNOWcare.com and http://www.drbadia.com.

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Health

AAAAI Addresses What Patients and Their Families Need to Know About Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)

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“We are another step closer to having the first FDA approved therapy for peanut allergy; this is truly a groundbreaking development. Patients and their families have been waiting for this for many years and will be eagerly awaiting the FDA’s final decision.” – David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI


MILWAUKEE (PRWEB)

The Allergenic Products Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) met today and voted, based on the available safety and efficacy data, to recommend approval of a standardized oral immunotherapy (OIT) product for peanut allergy. The brand name is expected to be Palforzia, but it was previously referred to as AR101.

The FDA would require a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to be developed to help ensure the benefits of Palforzia outweigh the risks, and to put additional safeguards in place for patients. The REMS would be in addition to a “black box” warning, the FDA’s most stringent label, in the prescribing information.

While the FDA still needs to complete its review of the product and announce a final decision, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) seeks to share important information about OIT to help patients and families understand the current state of this therapy.

“This is the first potential treatment for any type of food allergy to be recommended for FDA approval,” said AAAAI President David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI, who is also Chair of the Allergy/Immunology Department in the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic. “After today’s meeting, we are another step closer to having the first FDA approved therapy for peanut allergy; this is truly a groundbreaking development. Patients and their families have been waiting for this for many years and will be eagerly awaiting the FDA’s final decision.”

As everyone awaits the FDA’s final decision, here are some factors peanut allergic patients and their families should be aware of when considering OIT:

How OIT Works

OIT refers to feeding an allergic individual an increasing amount of an allergen with the goal of increasing the threshold that triggers a reaction.

For example, Palforzia or AR101 is a capsule filled with peanut powder and can be mixed into food. By taking it, patients are exposed to controlled doses of peanut protein, with the dose gradually increasing over time. Ideally the higher doses will eventually induce a level of tolerance sufficient to prevent severe allergic reactions after accidental exposure to peanut.

A Treatment, Not a Cure

OIT is not a cure. It is likely that most allergic patients receiving OIT must remain on it indefinitely, and patients must continue to avoid dietary exposure to the allergen and continue carrying auto-injectable epinephrine.

Shared Decision Making between Patients, Families and Physicians is Crucial

OIT will not be right for every patient. It is not a “one size fits all” approach. How to predict which individuals will respond to OIT and which individuals will be at highest risk of side effects has not been clearly determined, and there are many other important questions about OIT that require ongoing study.

The AAAAI encourages patients and families to engage with an allergist/immunologist to discuss the risks, benefits, and alternatives of OIT and all other emerging treatments for food allergy. Ultimately, the choice of treatment, including that of active non-intervention, will be based on individual and family factors after careful discussion with one’s physician.

“Patients and their families will need to understand the realities of these new therapies. As physicians, we must invest the time to explain the potential for benefit compared with the potential for harm/burden, and permit patients and families to express their values and preferences, allowing them to participate in the medical decision making process to determine whether they desire to proceed with food oral immunotherapy,” said Dr. Lang.

Learn more about the current state of oral immunotherapy at the AAAAI’s website, aaaai.org.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has nearly 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAI’s Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

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Science: Biology

Helmer Scientific Launches Pro Line Countertop Platelet Storage Systems

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NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (PRWEB)

Helmer Scientific, a leading supplier of cold storage and processing equipment, has announced the release of Pro Line Platelet Storage Systems. These countertop platelet storage systems have been designed to offer optimized platelet storage and support blood bank compliance. Pro Line Platelet Incubators and Agitators combine innovations in performance, reliability and efficiency to keep platelet supplies safe and ready to use.

Life-saving platelet products are critical to patient care for trauma, cancer and other patients undergoing therapies that depress the production of platelets and must be stored reliably and correctly. Platelets must be stored with continual agitation and strict room temperature requirements to keep them viable. Pro Line Platelet Storage Systems offer blood bank personnel precise temperature uniformity of +/-1°C at a set point between 20 and 24°C, providing consistent temperature throughout the unit. This temperature management is critical to ensure that platelet products will not be compromised by temperature fluctuations.

Pro Line Platelet Incubators and Agitators have been designed to combat high noise levels in hospital and blood center settings. The Helmer Scientific Pro Line systems have a noise output with nearly a 10-fold decrease in sound intensity over conventional platelet systems to improve usability in staff work areas.

Pro Line Platelet Storage Systems are over 80% more energy efficient than traditional platelet incubators. Additionally, reducing energy consumption and increasing efficiency reduces the total cost of ownership.

Pro Line performance characteristics are achieved by utilizing AdvanceCore™ Thermoelectric Heating and Cooling Technology. AdvanceCore is a solid-state thermoelectric refrigeration system that automatically heats and cools only as needed to achieve and maintain the optimal temperature for platelet storage. Additionally, the Pro Line AdvanceCore system does not use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, which eliminates gases targeted under the US EPA SNAP program, Paris Climate Agreement, Montreal Protocol and EU F-Gas Initiative.

Pro Line Storage Systems are monitored by the exclusive i.C3® information center which provides constant temperature monitoring and control, password protected settings, and reporting fuctionality to keep products safe and support blood bank compliance. The AgiTrak™ agitation performance monitoring system is integrated with the i.C3 information center and provides real-time agitator monitoring information to ensure agitation compliance.

“Helmer Scientific is very proud to release our new Pro Line Countertop Platelet Storage Systems,” said Tom Larkner, Helmer Scientific Strategic Products R&D Manager. “Launching new and innovative products is part of our commitment to serving and supporting our blood bank and transfusion service customers.”

The Pro Line Platelet Systems are part of the Helmer Scientific portfolio of medical-grade storage solutions. They are currently available in countertop models. For more information please visit http://info.helmerinc.com/proline.

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Technology: Computer

Scribble Software Releases New Cloud-Based Point-of-Sale Solution

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https://www.prweb.com/

MARINAGO Point-of-Sale

The release of the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale exemplifies our core philosophy of providing comprehensive solutions for the marina industry.


MECHANICSVILLE, Va. (PRWEB)

Scribble Software Inc., a leading provider of business management solutions for the marina industry, announced the release of MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale (POS), the next phase of the MARINAGO Office next-generation cloud-based management solution for the marina industry. As a cloud-based platform utilizing a SaaS model, MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale leverages the latest cloud technology and user interface (UI) techniques revolutionizing marina and property management.

Decades of experience and thousands of customers using Scribble Software’s solutions have provided the knowledge and experience necessary to envision future needs and requirements for the marina industry. This solid foundation in marina management operations has provided the necessary experience to expand the features and functionality of the MARINAGO Office Suite to include a state-of-the-art full featured point-of-sale solution.

The MARINAGO Office Suite is a multi-phase project designed to completely manage all aspects of marinas. The new release expands the feature set to include a cloud-based touch-screen friendly point-of-sale module for marina operations offering a ships store, fuel dock, gift shop or other retail related environment. An enterprise level approach was taken, meeting the needs of all size properties including the smallest family owned marina to the corporate conglomerate operating numerous locations. Each property can be individually managed and operated while remaining within the central corporate company entity. This allows the use of a centralized customer and vessel list within the company where individual customers and vessels may be linked and used at specific company-owned properties.

The MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale fully embraces cloud-based technology by utilizing the Star cloudPRNT technology that allows the printing of sales receipts from anywhere and from any device. Scribble Software and Star Micronics worked closely together to fulfill the goal for the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale to produce fully cloud-based receipt printing technology.

“We have continued to develop and expand the functionality of the MARINAGO Office Suite to include a full-featured point-of-sale module and are excited to release it to our customers,” says Vance Young, Director of Technology at Scribble Software. “The release of the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale exemplifies our core philosophy of providing comprehensive solutions for the marina industry.”

“We are thrilled that Scribble Software has chosen Star for their new MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale solution,” says Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development for Star Micronics. “Scribble has been a long-time partner of Star Micronics and they continue to provide innovative and modern solutions to solve all the needs of their customers. With our CloudPRNT technology and mC-Print3, we are confident that MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale will help marinas to operate with more efficiency.”

Key features of the MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale include:


  • 100% cloud-based

  • Multiple property support

  • Touchscreen user interface

  • Highly configurable

  • Bar code scanner support

  • House account ticket charges

  • Print and email receipts

  • Print receipts from any device with Star cloudPRNT

  • Auto opening cash drawer

  • Customized payment methods

  • Integrated PCI / EMV credit card processing

  • Multi-currency support

The new MARINAGO Office Point-of-Sale is poised to take marina and other rental property operations into the next generation of management solutions. Additional information may be obtained at the MARINAGO website, https://www.marinago.com.

About Scribble Software Inc.

Scribble Software Inc. is a leading management solution provider for the marina industry and is located in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Scribble Software produces and markets the MarinaOffice Suite of Solutions, a leading marina management software solution used throughout the globe, as well as a growing array of both cloud-based and mobile solutions. Scribble has risen as a leader in providing management solutions for the marina industry with the focus on providing solutions for all areas and departments of marinas. Scribble Software takes great pride in developing end-to-end enterprise level solutions backed by a support team second to none. For more information, visit http://www.scribblesoftware.com.

About Star Micronics

Star Micronics, one of the world’s largest POS providers, has designated a portfolio of printing, secure cash management, and customer engagement solutions for any retail or hospitality establishment in POS and mPOS environments. Embracing the mobility wave, Star’s complementary SDKs allow users to utilize Star printers in tandem with Android™, iOS iPad®, and iPhone® devices to generate receipts for all of its printers. Always leading, and always innovating, Star Micronics enables web-based printing solutions including remote cloud printing, wireless cash drawer solutions, proximity-based printing, and secure cash management. For more information, visit http://www.starmicronics.com.

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Technology: Electronics

KOAMTAC Increases Security, Performance, and Reliability of IoT Barcode Scanners, RFID Readers, and mPOS companions

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Modern Bluetooth technology consumes less power and transmits data faster and longer in both a secure and reliable way.


PRINCETON, N.J. (PRWEB)

KOAMTAC, Inc., a principal manufacturer of manufacturer of Bluetooth companion barcode scanners, barcode and RFID Sleds, mPOS solutions, and smartphone/tablet charging solutions, today announced upgrades to products for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0. These upgrades increase security, performance, and reliability of their IoT devices used for Auto Identification in multiple fields and industries.

BLE5.0 is two times faster, has a range that is four times longer, and consumes less power than BLE4.1/4.2. Additionally, it is robust enough to operate in a congested environment.

“Bluetooth has become a pretty reliable technology since KOAMTAC has introduced KDC200 Bluetooth barcode scanner in 2007,” said Hanjin Lee, CEO/President of KOAMTAC, Inc. “Modern Bluetooth technology consumes less power and transmits data faster and longer in both a secure and reliable way.”

KOAMTAC adopted BLE 4.1 in 2017 and upgraded to BLE5.0 in 2019. KOAMTAC plans to upgrade to BLE5.1 in 2020. This upgrade strategy ensures customers can operate smoothly and transfer their data quickly without concern for security or privacy. KDC classic HID and SPP Bluetooth profiles are supported in KDC BLE devices. New OPEN profile in KDC BLE device eliminates the need of traditional Bluetooth pairing process.

KOAMTAC plans to release more innovative Barcode, RFID, and mPOS devices based on BLE5.0 through the end of 2019 and into 2020. The KDC280 BLE4.1 scanner is scheduled to upgrade to BLE5.0 by the end of 2019. All other classic Bluetooth devices will be upgraded to BLE5.0 and new products will be introduced as such. The next planned upgrade in 2020 to BLE5.1 includes arrival and departure angle direction information which will make the Bluetooth device location even more accurate.

About KOAMTAC

KOAMTAC, Inc., headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, produces a signature line of lightweight, ergonomically-friendly Bluetooth companion barcode scanners. With its unique patented design, all KOAMTAC products reduce the carbon footprint for the industry and provide consumers with a durable and enhanced solution. All products are universally compatible across current technology platforms and offer seamless use with iOS®, Android®, Mac®, Tizen®, and Windows®-based devices. The KDC20, KDC30, KDC100, KDC200, KDC250, KDC270, KDC280, KDC300, and KDC350 are the most compact and lightest programmable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi companion barcode and NFC readers with a display on the market today. The KDC470 and KDC475 series are patented modular design Smartsled® for single-handed utility. The KDC500 is a PCI-certified EMV/MSR/Barcode/NFC Mobile POS Companion. For additional information or to place an order, visit , email the team at info@koamtac.com or call 609-256-4700. Join in on the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Credit Notice:

KDC®, KoamTac®, SmartSled®, KoamTacON®, and KTSync® are registered trademarks of KOAMTAC, Inc.

Bluetooth® is a registered trademark or trademark of Bluetooth SIG, in the U.S. and other countries.

All other product and company names used herein are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by the respective trademark holder.

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