Applications Now Being Accepted for 13th Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship

TOKYO /PRNewswire/ —

Hakuho Foundation, a public interest incorporated foundation based in Tokyo, Japan, began accepting applications on June 9 for the 13th Hakuho Japanese Research Fellowship.

Objective
With the goals of further strengthening the fundamentals of international research into and deepening understanding of Japan, the Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship invites to Japan leading international researchers of the Japanese language, Japanese-language instruction, Japanese literature and Japanese culture to conduct residential research.

Eligible research
Japanese language, Japanese-language education, Japanese literature and Japanese culture research

Eligible researchers
Researchers working in the fields of Japanese language, Japanese-language education, Japanese literature or Japanese culture who reside outside Japan and meet all of the criteria below.

Affiliated with a higher education or research institution (including postdoctoral scholars, adjunct professors and part-time lecturers), or have equivalent research and educational background.
Scholar or researcher with a doctoral degree (including those to be granted on or before December 31, 2017) and extensive research or education background
Sufficient Japanese-language proficiency to be able to conduct research in Japanese
Non-Japanese national residing outside Japan or Japanese national who has resided outside Japan for 10 years or more and been active in the academic community, etc. of the country of their residence
Able to stay continuously in Japan for the duration of the Fellowship period and participate in research reporting sessions arranged by the Foundation
Notes:

Applications are not sought from those whose purpose is to write a doctoral thesis.
Applicants who are yet to receive their doctoral degree must submit written confirmation from their supervisor that the degree is due to be granted on or before December 31, 2017.
As research reporting and communication with the Fellowship secretariat on various procedures will be conducted in Japanese only, a suitable level of Japanese-language ability is required.
Those who have previously received support for residential research in Japan may also apply.
Support provided
Fellows will have the following expenses necessary for conducting residential research in Japan covered.

Airfares: Return economy class air tickets
Relocation allowance: 350,000 yen
Living and research expenses: 350,000 yen per month
Housing subsidy: Up to 150,000 yen per month (actual cost; subject to provision of receipts each month)
International travelers’ illness and injury insurance
In addition, Hakuho Foundation will pay the receiving organization a hosting cooperation fee for use of facilities, etc. by the Fellow.

Fellowship period:

Choice of the following long-term (1-year) or short-term (6-month) period
Long-term (1 year): September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019
Short-term (6 months): September 1, 2018 – February 28, 2019 (Round 1) or March 1 – August 31, 2019 (Round 2)

Schedule

Application period: June 9 – October 31, 2017
Notification of results: Early March 2018 (tentative)
Fellowship period: September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019 (Long-term: 1 year; Short-term: 6 months)
Application Guide (download from the following websites)
Japanese site: http://www.hakuhofoundation.or.jp/program/tabid/153/Default.aspx
English site: http://www.hakuhofoundation.or.jp/english/program/tabid/196/Default.aspx

About Hakuho Foundation

Hakuho Foundation was established in 1970 to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of Hakuhodo Inc. It was recognized and has been operating as a public interest incorporated foundation since April 2011, following the introduction of new regulations relating to public interest corporations.

To nurture rich human qualities in the children who will be tomorrow’s leaders, Hakuho Foundation supports child education, particularly in the areas of language and culture, through such initiatives as the Hakuho Award for outstanding child educators, the Hakuho Research Grant for Child Education, the Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship and the Hakuho Scheme for a Global Children’s Japanese Language Network.

URL: http://www.hakuhofoundation.or.jp/english/tabid/187/Default.aspx

Contact:

Scott Macdonald
Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship Secretariat (c/o e-side, Inc.)
Tel: +81-3-6435-8140
Fax: +81-3-6435-8790
E-mail: ip-office@hakuhofoundation-ip.jp

Source: Hakuho Foundation

Last Day to Submit Entries to Fourteenth International Business Awards Is June 14

FAIRFAX, Va. /PRNewswire/ — The Stevie® Awards has announced that the last day to submit entries is June 14 for The 2017 (14th Annual) International Business Awards, the world’s premier business awards competition, which attracts nominations from organizations in more than 60 nations and territories each year.

All individuals and organizations worldwide — public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small — may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. Entry details are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

An international judging panel of more than 150 executives will determine the Stevie Award winners. Results will be announced on 10 August. Stevie Award winners will be presented their awards at a gala banquet at the W Hotel in Barcelona, Spain on 21 October.

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

Management Awards
Company of the Year Awards
Customer Service Awards
Human Resources Awards
Information Technology Awards
Marketing Awards
New Product Awards
Public Relations Awards
Web Site Awards, Smartphone and Tablet App, and other media awards
Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners in the 2016 IBAs included ABS-CBN Corporation (Philippines), BSES Yamuna Power Limited (India), Clickky (Ukraine), Dogus Group (Turkey), Dubai Statistics Center (United Arab Emirates), Forter (USA), Foundation Telefonica (Spain), Freelancer.com (Australia), Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. (Brazil), KEPCO Nuclear Fuel Company (South Korea), Mondelez International (United Kingdom), Ooredoo (Qatar), PJSC Aeroflot – Russian Airlines (Russia), Polystar (Sweden), PRIZM (Hong Kong), QLess, Inc. (USA), RheinBrucke IT Consulting (Germany), Roshan (Afghanistan), SABC Pension Fund (South Africa), SUNNY SIDE UP, Inc. (Japan), Telkom Indonesia (Indonesia) and TELUS International (Canada), among many others.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service and the Stevie Awards for Great Employers. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

* PR Newswire Asia is the official news distribution partner of the 2017 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

Contact: Clara Im
Clara@stevieawards.com
+82-2-3443-8389

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170601/1865796-1

Source: The Stevie Awards

PR Newswire’s Media Coffee Forum in Singapore Gathers Media Professionals to Combat Fake News & Discuss PR Best Practices

SINGAPORE /PRNewswire/ — PR Newswire, the premier global provider of news distribution and media monitoring services, hosted its signature Media Coffee event in Singapore on May 12 to discuss how brands can improve their public relations strategies to earn the trust of the media and combat fake news. The event, titled “Latest PR Trends & Tactics: Fake News, Big Data & Pitching International Media”, gathered close to 160 attendees. It was one of the largest PR Newswire Media Coffee events organized in Singapore. The event featured presentations from Everett Rosenfeld, Asia Pacific Editor at CNBC International; Sujin Thomas, Deputy Editor at AsiaOne; Lars Voedisch, Principal Consultant & Managing Director at PRecious Communications; Rebecca Pazos, Interactive Graphics Journalist at The Straits Times; and Lena Goh, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Government Technology Asia. The archived video of the event is now available for online viewing.

In this new and chaotic media environment where fake news stories spread like wildfire on the Internet, public relations and communications professionals need to provide authenticity and credibility in their content in order to gain trust of their target audiences.

Key highlights of the event include:

“Churnalism” can be disguised as fake news

Thomas Sujin from AsiaOne kick-started the event by giving an overview of fake news – a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation in order to stir emotions and cause sensationalism. He also introduced the term “churnalism” which refers to the act of a journalist who publishes pre-packaged materials, such as press releases, without verifying the information. This is also one of the reasons why fake news gets propagated, because some people with malicious intent can put out fictitious stories. Everett Rosenfeld from CNBC International reiterated that stories written with a lack of due diligence are fake news because the writers disregard the importance of seeking the truth. Both experienced journalists agreed that publishing fake news can cause detrimental damage to a news publication’s reputation, and thus they provided details on their news reporting tactics to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of their stories. Their tactics include checking news sources, verifying if other reputable news outlets are carrying it, and more.

Beat the goldfish; less is more.

According to Lars Voedisch, who manages PRecious Communications, a public relations firm, there are fewer journalists than public relations professionals. Journalists have less time to process a piece of news as there are many brands constantly vying for their attention. As the average human’s attention span has shortened to eight seconds, as compared to nine seconds for a goldfish, it is essential for organizations to take note of the following when pitching their stories to journalists:

Provide succinct email headlines to grab attention but avoid clickbait;
Create high-quality and interesting content that is relevant to journalists’ beats;
Establish media relations on both personal and professional levels.
Voedisch also shared some key trends on public relations including:

Content has to cater to the mobile-first generation who demand that offline stories be digitized, headlines be catchy and important points are placed in the first paragraph;
Multimedia elements are a must-have for content, as audiences prefer visuals;
Online content needs to be infused with web links to increase online visibility (SEO) and shareability among readers;
Faster news cycles present newsjacking opportunities for brands to build awareness.
Data journalism – turning data into insightful stories

Rebecca Pazos, a data journalist from The Straits Times, shared her thoughts on the evolution of data stories. She commented that visualization of numerical data has evolved from static graphs and charts to the prevalent use of interactive elements such as infographics, immersive videos and prediction models. Data storytelling has evolved to become an essential part of content strategy for brands and news publications to have an edge over their competitors.

A data mindset is key to strategizing communications

Lena Goh, who leads the marketing and communications department in Government Technology Asia, stressed the importance of instilling a data mindset in order to strategize communications effectively. The Internet has opened up countless ongoing conversations among audiences and the challenge is no longer the availability of data and audience insights such as demographics and trending topics which are now easily accessible, but rather the perseverance to invest in a sustainable data analysis effort. To achieve long-term communications objectives, marketing and communications professionals need to be agile in identifying issues and opportunities, including refining their strategy when necessary.

View the archived video online to learn about the discussion in detail. Subscribe to PR Newswire’s newsletter to keep informed of upcoming events and related content.

About PR Newswire’s Media Coffee

PR Newswire’s Media Coffee events enable communications professionals to gather insights from leading media organizations on how their respective organizations work, provide expertise into their specialist areas, and give advice on achieving coverage, as well as share tips on how to effectively target journalists within their sector and build mutually beneficial relationships.

About PR Newswire

PR Newswire, a Cision company, is the premier global provider of media monitoring platforms and news distribution services that marketers, corporate communicators and investor relations officers leverage to engage key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry over 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — and then distribute and measure results. Combining the world’s largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire powers the stories of organizations around the world. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

For further information, please contact:

PR Newswire’s Asia Marketing Team
+852 2572 8228
asia.marketing@prnasia.com

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170602/1866906-1
Logo – http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160617/8521603993LOGO-d

Source: PR Newswire

New Action Hero ‘Shahzel Syed’s ‘Combativo’ Hitting Worldwide Digital Screens this Summer Against All Odds

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan/PRNewswire/ — Rising action star and filmmaker from South Asia Shahzel Syed’s ‘Combativo’, the first full action movie of Pakistan has stirred craze among action fans across the globe after the release of its second trailer and is set to release globally on demand on digital screens by the end of June. The movie is an intense actioner filled with entertainment for action fans around the world.

Actor Shahzel Syed in a promotional image for action movie Combativo
Actor Shahzel Syed in a promotional image for action movie Combativo
The film has been produced under the banner of Shah Productions, which is an International film production company that the actor had created for the production of action adventure movies and high quality entertainment content.

“It has been a long and tough journey making this action movie independently and working against all kinds of odds. And now with the online launch of the second trailer, it is motivating to see that the global fanbase of our film has grown more,” said Shahzel Syed, the lead actor who also directed and wrote the movie.

Combativo’s story is about a former anti-terrorist commando going on a personal mission to eliminate a powerful criminal-terrorist mafia operating in Southern Asia. “The movie has revitalized realistic action,” Shahzel Syed said. “In this movie, unlike what you usually watch, there is no fancy fighting action done by wires in which people are flying in the air and get stuck in slow motion. What we are going to show the audiences is realistic hard hitting action, which is kind of old school but true action lovers still like that.”

Releasing his movie is going to face immense challenges in the International market as the global cinema market is dominated by big budget studio films, “The patience of our global fans is running out and they want to see the film on cineplexes in their countries. As we lack a big promotion budget, this has been the biggest limitation in securing a wider theatrical release but as negotiations with the International film distributors in different countries are going on and taking time to finalize. We are starting with online on demand release of the movie so worldwide fans can have quick access to the film,” said Shahzel Syed who has just attended the Cannes film market. In spite of all the odds, he is releasing the movie on major global digital platforms like Amazon and similar others. The movie is also available on the movie’s official website https://www.combativomovie.com through a dedicated Vod service exclusively for this movie that his team has developed.

Combativo is poised to become a new martial arts action movie franchise. Fans will not have to wait much longer now and will finally be able to see Combativo with English subtitles by this mid summer.

Movie’s Social Media Page: http://www.facebook.com/CombativoMovie
Combativo IMDB Page: IMDB Page
Combativo Trailer on social media
Official Trailer Combativo

About Shah Productions

Shah Productions is an international film production company formed in 2009 by Shahzel Syed and is presently based in Islamabad, Pakistan. The production operations taken by the company encompass production of motion pictures, Television entertainment content and production services for film and TV commercials. The company specializes in making Action/Adventure films and also works in collaboration with filmmakers and creative artists around the globe. Shah Productions can be found on the world wide web at http://www.shahproductions.com

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170526/1861972-1

Source: Shah Productions

Asia’s Only Dedicated Innovation Summit Returning to Singapore

-The only show in Asia dedicated purely to innovation as a practice is coming to Singapore on July 4 & 5.
SINGAPORE /PRNewswire/ — The Chief Innovation Officer Summit Singapore will bring together over 120 senior innovation leaders to discuss the practice of innovation in companies across the APAC region and globally.

Representatives from several companies will be discussing innovation across the two-day summit, with some of the organizations involved including AXA, Visa, Dyson, DBS Bank, and Nestle.

The summit will be focused on all elements of innovation, including implementation, empowerment, change management, and cultural change, amongst many others.

“Our aim since the summit was incepted has been to create a collaborative environment where innovation practices can be openly discussed” said summit director Ivy Chen. “I believe that we have been achieving this goal in every year and in every location, we have run the summit. The event in Singapore will be our best yet.”

Amongst those presenting at the summit will be Jim Roovers, Head of Electronics, R&D at Dyson. He will be discussing the story behind one of the world’s most innovative companies, how the 7 million pounds they spend weekly on R&D is used, and what the future of the company holds as they continue to move into other areas. “Having a problem-solving mindset to begin with is important in Dyson. The process of problem-solving can be further honed through hands-on experience developing Dyson products,” said Jim.

The summit will take place on July 4 & 5 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel in Singapore.

For more information about the summit, please contact the events manager Ryan Yuan at yuan@theiegroup.com or +852 5808 1636

About Innovation Enterprise

Innovation Enterprise Ltd, a division of Argyle Executive Forum, is a business-to-business media brand specializing in delivering the most innovative business solutions to executive-level decision makers. Innovation Enterprise produces a range on online and offline content, including, but not limited to, summits, online learning, webinars, and white papers, as well as offering other additional services such as lead generation and bespoke research.

Innovation Enterprise focuses on seven key channels – Finance, Supply Chain, Analytics, Big Data, Strategy, Digital, Innovation & Sports – to ensure that organizations are furnished with all the cutting-edge insights necessary to driving growth in the evolving business environment.

SOURCE Innovation Enterprise Ltd.

Source: Innovation Enterprise Ltd.

A. O. Smith, The Water Council partner again to sponsor 2017 BREW Corporate technology challenge

MILWAUKEE /PRNewswire/ — Once again this year, A. O. Smith Corporation and The Water Council are partnering to identify and support entrepreneurs and start-ups developing innovative freshwater technologies through a global technology challenge, BREW Corporate: Powered by A. O. Smith.

The challenge, which was announced this morning during the 2017 Water Leaders Summit in Milwaukee, will focus on three areas of interest to A. O. Smith:

Water treatment – High-efficiency water treatment technologies to remove contaminants such as trace heavy metals or microbiological materials from drinking water, as well as to improve water aesthetic characteristics including taste, odor and scale formation;
Water heating – High-efficiency, low-emission water heating technologies, most notably durable surface finish concepts, as well as components or systems that prolong the life of a water heater;
Sensors – Cost-effective sensor technologies for continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of trace level contaminants including heavy metals, bacteria and viruses, as well as other water quality indicators including hardness, total organic carbon and pH; and
IoT – Innovative technologies to sense and deliver information for residential and light commercial water applications as well as deliver extended battery life, reduced overall energy consumption, and predictive analytics. Security technologies to protect users’ privacy and manufacturers’ intellectual property.
To be considered, an entrepreneur or start-up must complete an online application that requests basic information about the business, the problem/issue being addressed, and details regarding the company’s stage of technology, core competencies and competitiveness. The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. CDT on June 30.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of A. O. Smith personnel, The Water Council senior staff, and subject matter experts in the area of freshwater science. Recipients will be notified in July; the fall BREW Corporate (Business. Research. Entrepreneurship. In Wisconsin) program begins the week of Sept. 11. For a complete explanation of A. O. Smith’s target technologies, application criteria, and entry forms, go to http://www.globalwaterport.com/brewcorporate.

Recipients will receive a minimum investment of $50,000 from A. O. Smith as well as tuition to participate in The Water Council’s 12-month accelerator program in Milwaukee. In addition to the investment, the winning entrepreneurs receive:

A suite in the Global Water Center for up to 12 months;
Business model and operations training through The Water Council and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Institute for Water Business;
Access to the Global Water Center’s Flow Lab and A. O. Smith product engineering labs;
Mentorship from A. O. Smith corporate development and senior engineering staff, as well as direct access to BREW Preferred Partners;
Attendance to conferences and pitch sessions with The Water Council; and
A one-year membership to The Water Council providing access to an extensive water technology network.
This is the second year A. O. Smith and The Water Council have sponsored BREW Corporate Technology Challenge. In 2016, A. O. Smith received approximately 20 proposals from water technology companies around the world.

About BREW Accelerator

BREW Accelerator, a program of The Water Council, is a world-class seed accelerator that unleashes water innovation by funding water technology startups from around the world with commercialization potential. The first-of-its-kind accelerator pairs a unique water-focused startup community with credible resources of the World Water Hub to help entrepreneurs accelerate results. Now in its fifth year, BREW has sponsored a total of 25 water technology companies. An expansion of the BREW Accelerator program, BREW Corporate partners with global corporations looking for new technologies to solve a specific challenge.

About A. O. Smith

A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a leading manufacturer of water treatment products. For more information, visit http://www.aosmith.com.

About The Water Council

The Water Council was established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2009 by Milwaukee-area businesses, education and government leaders. With a mission of aligning the regional freshwater research community with water-related industries, the organization takes great pride in having created the leading water technology cluster in the United States and one of the most powerful in the world. Headquartered in the Global Water Center in Milwaukee, Wis., The Water Council links global water technology companies, innovative water entrepreneurs, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, acclaimed academic research programs and some of the nation’s brightest and most energetic water professionals. The driving force behind this success is the spirit of collaboration between public, private and academic sectors and the shared commitment to finding innovative solutions to critical global water issues.

SOURCE A. O. Smith Corporation

Source: A. O. Smith Corporation
Related Links:
http://www.aosmith.com

CLJI Worldwide Trial Enrolls First Patient in Clinical Study Evaluating the Performance of VIBLOK as a Barrier for Herpes Simplex Virus Transmission in Men and Women

-CLJI Worldwide Sponsored Study Assessing the Safety and Performance of VIBLOK in HSV-2 infected adults as a barrier for virus transmission; Principal Investigators Named; First Patient Enrolled

BAY HARBOR ISLANDS, Florida /PRNewswire/ — CLJI Worldwide reports the start of the VIBLOK Safety And perFormancE Trial (SAFE Trial). The CLJI Worldwide SAFE Trial will evaluate the performance of VIBLOK for adults infected with herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes. VIBLOK is an investigational device developed to help reduce skin-to-skin HSV-2 transmission.

The global burden of HSV-2 is large, leaving over 400 million people living with the infection [1]. Genital lesions due to herpes are often very painful, can lead to substantial psychological morbidity, increase the risk of acquiring HIV [2-8], and can be transmitted from mother to infant during childbirth with potentially serious consequences [9, 10]. There is, however, no treatment eradicating the herpes simplex virus from the body, and disease management focuses on symptom relief, reducing recurrent episodes, and preventing viral transmission between sexual partners. Despite the use of medical treatments and condoms, genital herpes transmission may still occur through unprotected areas of the skin via micro-sized lesions, which are often exacerbated by grooming practices of the genital area, such as shaving and waxing [11].

VIBLOK is a virtually colorless, odorless, and tasteless cream designed to create a protective skin barrier that prevents the passage of viruses (e.g., HSV-2). Laboratory testing indicates that the cream can block virus passage at over 80% efficacy at the correct dosage. The SAFE Trial will provide an indication as to whether VIBLOK can safely and effectively block virus passage from the skin in HSV-2 infected people and in doing so, target the currently high prevalence of this sexually transmitted infection (STI) in industrialized and developing countries.

Dr. Annet Muetstege, PhD, is the clinical project manager, and the coordinating investigator for this clinical trial in The Netherlands is Dr. Vivienne van de Walle, M.D., PhD, CPI from PreCare Trial & Recruitment. The clinical trial strategy and protocol has been developed with help of the Study Steering Committee members Prof. Anna Wald, M.D., MPH at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, USA, Dr. Annemarie Wensing, M.D., PhD at the Utrecht University in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and Prof. Charles Boucher, M.D., PhD at the Erasmus University, Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The prospective, non-randomized, comparative multi-center SAFE Trial is anticipated to last for 12 months in which up to 48 participants with HSV-2 will be enrolled and followed for one month. HSV will be measured from daily self-collected genital swabs before and after the application of VIBLOK.

The investigational centers will include six participating sites in The Netherlands and Germany. As a follow-up to the preclinical tests, this trial is designed to provide further supportive evidence for the efficacy of this skin barrier product to reduce the occurrence of HSV-2 transmission in a clinical setting. EB FlevoResearch in Almere, with Dr. Aletha Veenendaal as its principal investigator, enrolled the first trial participants at the beginning of April.

VIBLOK is an investigational device being evaluated in Europe and the outcomes of this clinical trial will be used to support the product application for CE Mark. It does not have an approved Investigational Device Exemption in the United States.

The clinical trial is being sponsored and managed by CLJI Worldwide which is committed to ’empowering people worldwide to make smart health decisions, and reducing global suffering by protecting them from the physical pain and emotional suffering of preventable diseases.’ CLJI Worldwide was established by Craig Lichtblau, M.D. and Jose Iparraguirre, M.D.; two practicing medical doctors in different specialties, who have been friends for over 30 years. They decided to combine their knowledge with that of a CEO and business leader in order to build an organization that strives to reduce pain and suffering in the world. The SAFE Trial reflects just one of the pioneering studies sponsored by CLJI Worldwide, that aims at investigating overlooked aspects of healthcare and subsequently solving real problems with scientifically and clinically proven products. “We are excited about the start of the SAFE Trial as it represents a significant milestone in our quest to revolutionize STI prevention and ultimately help millions of women and men across the globe live healthier, happier lives” says Ty Cross, President and Chief Executive Officer of CLJI Worldwide.

References

Looker KJ et al. Global estimates of prevalent and incident herpes simplex virus type 2 infections in 2012. PLoS One. 2015 Jan 21;10(1):e114989. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114989.
Wald A, Link K. Risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection in herpes simplex virus type 2-seropositive persons: a meta-analysis. J Infect Dis. 2002; 185: 45-52.
Strick LB, Wald A, Celum C. Management of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in HIV type 1-infected persons. Clin Infect Dis. 2006; 43: 347-56.
Celum C, Levine R, Weaver M, Wald A. Genital herpes and human immunodeficiency virus: double trouble. Bull World Health Organ. 2004; 82: 447-53.
Serwadda D, Gray RH, Sewankambo NK, Wabwire-Mangen F, Chen MZ, Quinn TC, et al. Human immunodeficiency virus acquisition associated with genital ulcer disease and herpes simplex virus type 2 infection: a nested case-control study in Rakai, Uganda. J Infect Dis. 2003; 188: 1492-7.
Freeman EE, Weiss HA, Glynn JR, Cross PL, Whitworth JA, Hayes RJ. Herpes simplex virus 2 infection increases HIV acquisition in men and women: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. AIDS. 2006; 20: 73-83.
Reynolds SJ, Quinn TC. Developments in STD/HIV interactions: the intertwining epidemics of HIV and HSV-2. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2005; 19: 415-25.
Reynolds SJ. The role of HSV-2 suppressive therapy for HIV prevention. Future Microbiol. 2009; 4: 1095–1097.
Brown ZA, Selke S, Zeh J, Kopelman J, Maslow A, Ashley RL, et al., et al. The acquisition of herpes simplex virus during pregnancy. N Engl J Med. 1997; 337: 509-15.
Brown Z. Preventing herpes simplex virus transmission to the neonate. Herpes2004; 11: 175A-86A.
Osterberg EC et al. Correlation between pubic hair grooming and STIs: results from a nationally representative probability sample. Sex Transm Infect 2016;0:1–5. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2016-052687

SOURCE CLJI Worldwide

Source: CLJI Worldwide

Early Response to Saxenda(R) Resulted in Weight Maintenance and Additional Weight Loss Over 56 Weeks

PORTO, Portugal /PRNewswire/ —

Abstract# RS3:3

Today, results from a post hoc analysis of data from the SCALE Maintenance trial were presented at the 24th European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2017. In the trial, adults who lost at least 5% of their initial weight during a low- calorie run-in period were randomised to receive Saxenda® (liraglutide 3 mg) or placebo. After 16 weeks of treatment with Saxenda®, participants who lost an additional 5% or more of their body weight (defined as ‘early responders’) were more likely to maintain weight loss and achieve greater additional weight loss over 56 weeks, compared with people losing less than 5% body weight after 16 weeks of Saxenda® treatment (‘early non-responders’).[1]

“In the obesity specialist setting, low-calorie diets combined with increased physical activity are commonly used to induce an initial weight loss in people with obesity. However, when the initial weight loss reaches a plateau and patients enter the ‘weight maintenance phase’ with less stringent caloric restriction, we often see that many experience weight regain,” said Dr Sean Wharton, medical director at the Wharton Medical Clinic, Ontario and SCALE clinical trial investigator. “As a consequence, pharmacotherapy can be used to help people with obesity in maintaining the weight loss that has already been achieved by a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity. These data are very encouraging to clinicians in this specialist setting, because they show that early responders to Saxenda® are able to both maintain and achieve additional weight loss.”

Of those who completed 56 weeks of treatment with Saxenda®, 68% were early responders to Saxenda® at week 16 and 32% were early non-responders. In addition to weight loss achieved during the run-in period, early responders experienced 9.9% weight loss, compared with 0.0% in early non-responders at 56 weeks.[1]

Following 56 weeks of treatment, 91.7% of early responders and 47.1% of early non-responders, had maintained or lost additional weight following the run-in period. No early responders regained their run-in weight loss over 56 weeks of treatment with Saxenda®, compared with 3.9% of early non-responders.[1]

There were similar incidences of total adverse events in early responders (92.7%) and early non-responders (91.0%). Gastrointestinal adverse events were more frequent in early responders compared with early non-responders (78.9% vs 62.7%).[1] Saxenda® was generally well-tolerated, with observed side effects in line with previous trials.[2]

About obesity

Obesity is a disease[3],[4] that requires long-term management. It is associated with many serious health consequences and decreased life expectancy.[5],[6] Obesity-related comorbidities include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and certain types of cancer.[5],[7],[8] It is a complex and multi-factorial disease that is influenced by physiological, psychological, environmental, socio-economic and genetic factors.[9]

The global increase in the prevalence of obesity is a public health issue that has severe cost implications to healthcare systems. In 2014, 13% of adults, or approximately 600 million adults, were living with obesity.[10]

About Saxenda®

Saxenda® (liraglutide 3 mg) is a once-daily glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue with 97% similarity to naturally occurring human GLP-1,[2] a hormone that is released in response to food intake.[11] Like human GLP-1, Saxenda® regulates appetite by increasing feelings of fullness and satiety, while lowering feelings of hunger and prospective food consumption, thereby leading to reduced food intake. As with other GLP-1 receptor agonists, Saxenda® stimulates insulin secretion and lowers glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner.[2] Saxenda® was evaluated in the SCALE (Satiety and Clinical Adiposity – Liraglutide Evidence) phase 3a clinical trial programme.

In the EU, Saxenda® is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management in adult patients with an initial BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 (obese), or ≥27 kg/m2 to <30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity such as dysglycaemia (prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus), hypertension, dyslipidaemia or obstructive sleep apnoea.[2]

Guidance is given in the label that treatment with Saxenda® should be discontinued after 12 weeks on the liraglutide 3.0 mg/day dose, if patients have not lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.[2]

About the SCALE Maintenance clinical trial

In the SCALE Maintenance clinical trial, adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) or who were overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m2 to <30 kg/m2) with comorbidities (dyslipidaemia and/or hypertension), who lost at least 5% of their initial weight during a low-calorie diet (1200-1400 kcal/day) run-in period, were randomised to receive Saxenda® (n=212) or placebo (n=210) for 56 weeks, both as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.[1]

Novo Nordisk's phase 3 development programme, called SCALE, investigated liraglutide 3 mg for weight management. The SCALE clinical development programme consisted of four, placebo-controlled, multinational trials called: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, SCALE Diabetes, SCALE Sleep Apnoea and SCALE Maintenance.[12-16]

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 42,000 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

References

1. Wharton S, Jacobsen P, Arrone L. Early responders to liraglutide 3.0 mg as adjunct to diet and exercise from the SCALE Maintenance trial. Oral presentation number RS3:3. ECO. 2017.

2. EMA. Saxenda® (liraglutide 3 mg) summary of product characteristics. Available at: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Product_Information/human/003780/WC500185786.pdf Last accessed: May 2017.

3. American Medical Association. A.M.A Adopts New Policies on Second Day of Voting at Annual Meeting. Obesity as a Disease. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2013/2013-06-18-new-ama-policies-annual-meeting.page Last accessed: May 2017.

4. WHO. Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Available at: http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42330 Last accessed: May 2017.

5. Guh DP, Zhang W, Bansback N, et al. The incidence of co-morbidities related to obesity and overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2009; 25:88.

6. Peeters A, Barendregt JJ, Willekens F, et al. Obesity in adulthood and its consequences for life expectancy: a life-table analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2003; 138:24-32.

7. Gami AS, Caples SM, Somers VK. Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America. 2003; 32:869-894.

8. Whitlock G, Lewington S, Sherliker P, et al. Body-mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900 000 adults: collaborative analyses of 57 prospective studies. Lancet. 2009; 373:1083-1096.

9. Wright SM, Aronne LJ. Causes of obesity. Abdominal Imaging. 2012; 37:730-732.

10. WHO. Obesity and Overweight Factsheet no. 311. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ Last accessed: May 2017.

11. Knudsen LB, Nielsen PF, Huusfeldt PO, et al. Potent derivatives of glucagon-like peptide-1 with pharmacokinetic properties suitable for once daily administration. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2000; 43:1664-1669.

12. Blackman A, Foster G, Zammit G, et al. Effect of liraglutide 3.0 mg in individuals with obesity and moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea: The SCALE Sleep Apnea randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Obesity. 2016; 40:1310-1319.

13. Davies MJ, Bergenstal R, Bode B, et al. Efficacy of liraglutide for weight loss among patients with type 2 diabetes: The SCALE diabetes randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2015; 314:687-699.

14. Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management. N Engl J Med. 2015; 373:11-22.

15. le Roux C, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. 3 years of liraglutide versus placebo for type 2 diabetes risk reduction and weight management in individuals with prediabetes: a randomised, double-blind trial. The Lancet. 2017; (published online Feb 22.) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30069-7.

16. Wadden TA, Hollander P, Klein S, et al. Weight maintenance and additional weight loss with liraglutide after low-calorie-diet-induced weight loss: The SCALE Maintenance randomized study. International Journal of Obesity. 2013; 37:1443-1451.

Further information

Media:

Katrine Sperling
+45-4442-6718
krsp@novonordisk.com

Åsa Josefsson
+45-3079-7708
aajf@novonordisk.com

Investors:

Peter Hugreffe Ankersen
+45-3075-9085
phak@novonordisk.com

Anders Mikkelsen
+45-3079-4461
armk@novonordisk.com

Hanna Ogren
+45-3079-8519
haoe@novonordisk.com

Kasper Veje (US)
+1-609-235-8567
kpvj@novonordisk.com

Source: Novo Nordisk

European Paints and Coatings Market Advances with Emerging Digitization, Smart and Multifunctional Coatings Technologies

End-user preferences and regulatory requirements drive new growth opportunities, finds Frost & Sullivan’s Visionary Science team

LONDON /PRNewswire/ — Growth in the European paints and coatings market continues to pick up pace. End-user preferences and regulatory requirements are shifting the market towards disruptive technologies such as Big Data and multifunctional/smart coatings, compelling coating companies to move beyond product manufacturing to become total solution providers.

“The development of smart/multifunctional coating systems and technologies, such as self-healing and anti-corrosion coatings are presenting tremendous growth and high-value opportunities for coating companies across specific industrial and infrastructural sectors like manufacturing and oil and gas,” said Visionary Science Industry Director, Dr Brian Balmer.

Trends in the European Paints and Coatings Market, Forecast to 2021, new analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s Future of Chemicals & Materials in Infrastructure & Mobility Growth Partnership Service programme, provides key drivers, restraints, technologies and growth opportunities across the European paints and coatings market with focus on architectural, automotive, protective and marine, powder coatings, and wood and furniture sectors.

For complimentary access to more information on this analysis, or to find out more, please email Evgenia Oleynikova, Corporate Communications: evgenia.oleynikova@frost.com

From a regional perspective, end users in Western Europe demand high performance and sustainable solutions, while customers in the Eastern European countries are price-sensitive and prefer relatively standard and cheaper solutions.

Other trends and developments driving growth in the European paints and coatings market include:

Architectural coatings continue to be the biggest industry segment, with powder coatings as the fastest growing sub-segment due to the benefits it provides companies in terms of application costs, productivity, and reduced rejection rates.
Partnerships between original equipment manufacturers and insurance companies will boost opportunities in the European automotive coatings segment.
Better durability and versatility of polyurethane-dispersions (PUD) propel demand for indoor paints, wood flooring, exterior cladding, and roof coatings.
“The European paints and coatings market is still fragmented with a large number of regionally strong manufacturers,” noted Dr Balmer. “This provides an opportunity for larger participants to merge with, or acquire, regionally stronger players to expand customer base, build scale of operations, or acquire new technology solutions.”

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Trends in the European Paints and Coatings Market, Forecast to 2021
MC51-39

Contact:
Evgenia Oleynikova
Corporate Communications — Europe
P: +48 224816210
E: Evgenia.Oleynikova@frost.com

http://ww2.frost.com

Source: Frost & Sullivan
Related Links:
http://www.frost.com

Corona and Parley for the Oceans form a global partnership to address marine plastic pollution

Commitment to protect 100 Islands against marine plastic pollution by 2020 and to turn them into symbols of change

Corona commits to the Parley AIR Strategy and adopts a plastic free philosophy across all aspects of the brand

TULUM, Mexico /PRNewswire/ — Today, on International Recycling Day, Corona and Parley for the Oceans announced their partnership in the movement to end marine plastic pollution, one of the biggest threats to human health and the survival of the planet’s largest and most important ecosystem — the world’s oceans. The long-term partnership launches with a plan to protect 100 Islands by 2020 starting in six key regions in different parts of the world – Mexico, Maldives, Australia, Chile, Italy and Dominican Republic.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8095651-corona-parley-for-the-oceans/

An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The problem is found in every known ecosystem and at every level of the food chain. If current marine pollution trends continue, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by the year 2050. The partners will protect these regions by implementing Parley’s creative, multidisciplinary approach and signature formula, the Parley AIR Strategy (Avoid, Intercept, Redesign).

“We are all connected to the sea. The state of our islands is a powerful reminder of that fact. Plastic trash travels around the world and washes up on the most remote beaches, enclosing paradise with a belt of colorful plastic debris. It makes you understand that something is dead wrong. Plastic is a design failure. To raise awareness and immediately reduce the production of new plastic, we invented Ocean Plastic™ from upcycled marine debris and developed a formula for long-term change — the Parley AIR Strategy: Avoid plastic; Intercept plastic debris; Redesign materials, products and the ways we use them,” says Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans.

“In Corona, we found the perfect partner to bring this philosophy and strategy to a new territory: the beverage sector. Economy caused this plastic problem in the first place, but with the transformative power of collaboration and Eco Innovation, we can make it the key to the solution.”

Corona is a brand that was born at the beach, surrounded by ocean. It exists to inspire the world to disconnect from routine and reconnect with your essential nature. As a brand that celebrates a life lived outdoors and calls the beach and the oceans home, Corona is committed to protecting its homeland. But this home is facing a great danger.

For years, the brand has been engaging local communities to do beach cleanups with an initiative called ‘Save the Beach’ in several countries around the world. The partnership with Parley for the Oceans represents an evolution of Corona’s commitment to take care of the outdoors and the 100 islands represent the most iconic symbols of Corona’s paradise.

“We needed to take a stand and protect the heart and soul of our brand. We will spread our love for the oceans and make people understand that we need to take care of it, inspiring people to change their own behaviors. Corona is present in more than 180 countries and we have the opportunity and the responsibility to use that reach to be a voice for the oceans.” says Thiago Zanettini, Global Vice President of Corona.

Creating change
In addition to implementing Parley AIR, Corona and Parley are engaging like-minded ambassadors to represent the partnership in their countries. Chris Hemsworth (Australia), Diego Luna (Mexico), Ramon Navarro (Chile) and Nashla Bogaert (Dominican Republic) recently attended Parley Ocean School in the Maldives, an immersive experience bringing together a variety of different people in the ultimate classroom, the Indian Ocean.

Artists, designers, filmmakers, marine biologists, musicians, photographers and scientists explored the beauty of the oceans and witnessed the negative impact of plastic pollution on life underwater, on uninhabited islands and in local communities. The collective experience marks the starting point of an idea: Corona, Parley and a select group of creative change-makers will turn 100 islands into symbols of change.

“Participating in Parley Ocean School in the Maldives was an eye-opening experience,” said Diego Luna, actor and Corona x Parley ambassador. “When you picture beautiful islands and other beach destinations, you imagine them in their pristine state with clear blue waters, but then you see the problem up close and you realize that we are destroying paradise through our careless use of plastic. All of us can be part of the solution and help our beaches and oceans by taking simple actions to use less plastic in our daily lives, recycle more, and educate the people around us to do the same. I’m particularly proud to be affiliated with a program that is not only committed to protecting beaches around the world, but also in my homeland Mexico.

Chris Hemsworth added, “I’ve spent a large part of my life in and around the ocean, it’s where a lot of my happiest memories came from. If I had anxieties or worries, I’d head to the ocean and it was always the place where I could reset and be 100% present. My experience in the Maldives made it obvious how our short-term use of plastic has a long-term damaging effect on our oceans. I’m thrilled to be a part of this program, because I want to inspire people to find a solution and protect the world’s oceans so future generations can enjoy them like I do.”

Corona’s Commitment
Beyond protecting 100 Islands, Corona will implement a plastic conscious philosophy across all aspects of the brand by adopting the Parley AIR Strategy. The brand already avoids plastic by using wood across its promotional materials and serving ice cold Coronas in metal buckets all around the world.

This process will start with an assessment of the brand’s supply chain, leading to a long-term innovation pipeline to reduce and eventually replace plastic items that are currently in use. Additionally, there will be a focus on employee education and reduction of plastic use at all brand activations and events.

An immediate action is to a redesign one of the brand’s biggest global programs, Corona Sunsets – a series of festivals and events occurring worldwide – to not only align with the Parley AIR Strategy, but also to leverage the occasion as a means of educating more than 350,000 consumers a year.

For more information about the Corona and Parley partnership visit: http://www.coronaxparley.com

Contacts

Corona

Parley for the Oceans

Helen Palmer

Tel: +442070670747

Email: HPalmer@webershandwick.com

Silvia Raccagni

Tel: + 1 646 860 5906

Email: silvia@parley.tv

Nicole Mayo

Michel Hakimian

Tel: +12124458393

Tel: + 33 12 59 41 93

Email: NMayo@webershandwick.com

Email: Michel.Hakimian@karlaotto.com

Duncan Gordon,

Tel: +447795456999

Email: Duncan.Gordon@ab-inbev.com

About Corona
Born in Mexico, Corona is the leading beer brand in the country, the most popular Mexican beer worldwide exported to more than 180 countries. Corona Extra was first brewed in 1925 at the Cervecería Modelo in Mexico City and is still proudly produced entirely in Mexico.

Corona is a pioneer in the beer industry by being the first to use a transparent bottle showcasing its purity and high quality to the world. Each glass bottle is produced in a glass factory in Mexico owned by the brand. The artwork found on the bottle is hand painted, highlighting our commitment to quality in our packaging and our Mexican heritage.

No Corona is complete without the lime. Naturally adding character, flavor and refreshment, the lime ritual is an integral part of delivering an experience that is truly unique to Corona. The brand is synonymous with the beach and celebrates time outdoors. It invites people to pause, relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

http://www.corona.com
@corona

About Parley for the Oceans
Parley is the collaboration network where creators, thinkers and leaders come together to raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of our oceans and collaborate on strategies that can end their destruction. Headquartered in New York, Parley is known for renaming sustainability into ‘Eco Innovation,’ a concept realized through its high calibre collaborations and the introduction of Ocean Plastic™, a range of premium materials for the sports, fashion and luxury industries made from upcycled marine plastic debris.

Parley understands current plastic is a design failure, seeing the long-term solution for marine plastic pollution in the redesign of the harmful material. In the meantime, Parley created a catalyst innovation that provides an immediate replacement for new, virgin plastic: Ocean Plastic™. Together with its partners, in the last five years Parley raised awareness for the issue, boosted the general image of recycling and established the first global supply chain for marine plastic debris. Additionally, Parley created a funding mechanism that financially allows the implementation of the Parley AIR Strategy in four key areas: Communication and Education, Direct Impact, Research and Development, and Eco-Innovation.

*Parley AIR Strategy
The strategy is simple and easily scaled across private households, governments and corporations—and the creative industries that mold reality through ideas, materials and products. Based on the fact that at least every second breath we take is generated by the oceans, that mankind cannot survive on a planet with lifeless seas, the name Parley AIR also stands for three actions:

A = Avoid plastic.

“Avoid” includes initiatives to educate people on the importance of reducing plastic use, how to avoid unnecessary plastics and the value of replacing new, virgin plastic with Ocean Plastic™ materials made from upcycled marine debris. Through Parley Talks, ocean experts educate youth, creators, thinkers and leaders on the cause to inspire action. This education phase is the first step to ushering in change.

I = Intercept plastic waste.

“Intercept” is a comprehensive approach to collect existing waste using various methods from high seas to coastlines, divert plastics from landfill and prevent it from entering the oceans in the first place. While it is difficult and expensive to get plastic trash out of the open sea, where it is broken apart into tiny pieces and where only a small percentage is found at the surface, Parley is putting a strong focus on shorelines and beaches with its global network of partners and operations.

R = Redesign plastic materials and products.

“Redesign” addresses innovation around materials, products and new ways of using them. The original vision was to turn marine plastic debris into an opportunity and make it an attractive alternative to virgin plastic. With the name Ocean Plastic™. Parley successfully introduced this material to art, fashion and sports communities, setting a strong trend and new standard for the use of recycled materials. After establishing a global network with certified Parley Supply Chain partners comprised of recycling companies, yarn and fabric makers, Parley can now work towards its most challenging goal: the development of new materials that can replace plastic for good.

http://www.parley.tv
http://www.oceanplastic.com

Source: Corona