Day: June 9, 2022

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Asda Stores Ltd Selects TrueCommerce to Manage its Business Transformation Initiative as It Separates from Walmart

COVENTRY, United Kingdom, June 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TrueCommerce, a leading global cloud provider of supply chain and trading partner connectivity, integration and omnichannel solutions, announced today that Asda is now using TrueCommerce’s EDI-based supplier enablement solution to manage supplier communications.

As the third-largest supermarket chain in the UK, Asda operates over 600 retail stores. The brand also offers their products online via Asda.com, which serves 98% of UK homes. To do so, Asda is supported by 37 distribution and fulfilment centres and thousands of suppliers.

In February 2021, Asda was sold by Walmart to the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital. That sale led the company to choose a new EDI provider that would support its future as a standalone business: TrueCommerce.

“TrueCommerce was part of a comprehensive RFP process and was selected on the basis of four key factors: its ability to understand and meet the Asda capability requirements, its confidence in adhering to programme timelines, its deep knowledge and expertise, and its overall commercial competitiveness,” said Jenny Hopkins, Senior Director at Asda.

As part of the agreement, TrueCommerce will implement a supplier enablement platform catering to the needs of the over 2,000 suppliers that make up Asda’s entire supplier community, with integration into the business’s SAP ERP system. As an SAP Silver Partner, TrueCommerce’s solution offers the highest level of integration and automation with the SAP system.

The solution offered by TrueCommerce features key capabilities that will enable thousands of Asda suppliers, regardless of their size or technical maturity, to easily communicate with the retailer. In addition to supporting EDI transactions, the supplier enablement platform also includes a web-EDI portal for use by non-EDI capable vendors. TrueCommerce’s platform also includes fully managed supplier onboarding and communications management for EDI-related supplier queries.

TrueCommerce’s expertise in the market and experience in managing complex supply chain communications for enterprise-grade businesses will enable a seamless transition for Asda and its supplier community. It will encourage higher rates of adoption that will, in turn, underpin the company’s ongoing supplier communication efforts.

Jenny highlighted that, “By partnering with TrueCommerce, Asda will offer a strong, stable, fully reliable and excellently managed EDI programme to our highly valued Asda suppliers, no matter how big or small they are!”

David Grosvenor, Managing Director, TrueCommerce Europe said, “I’d like to thank Jenny and the team at Asda for their cooperation in this process. Our teams at TrueCommerce are delighted to begin working with Asda and help further strengthen their business in the UK retail landscape.”

About Asda Stores Ltd

Founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire, Asda is Britain’s third largest supermarket. Dedicated colleagues serve customers from its network of stores and online services, including supercentres, superstores, supermarkets, living stores, petrol filling stations and depots across the UK. Asda was acquired by Issa TDR from Walmart in 2020.

About TrueCommerce

TrueCommerce is the most complete way to connect your business across the supply chain, integrating everything from EDI to inventory management, to fulfilment, to digital storefronts and marketplaces. We’ve revolutionised supply chain visibility and collaboration by helping organisations make the most of their omnichannel initiatives via business P2P connectivity, order management, collaborative replenishment, intelligent fulfillment, cross-functional analytics, and product information management.

The TrueCommerce Global Commerce Network can connect businesses to over 160,000 retailers, distributors, and logistics service providers. As a fully managed services provider, we also manage new trading partner onboarding, as well as the ongoing management of partner-specific mapping, labeling changes, and communications monitoring. That’s why thousands of companies—ranging from startups to the global Fortune 100, across various industries—rely on us.

TrueCommerce: Do business in every direction

For more information, visit TrueCommerce.

Media Contact
Yegor Kuznetsov, TrueCommerce
703-209-0167
yegor.kuznetsov@truecommerce.com

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Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre Becomes First Site in Africa to Deploy Varian’s Ethos Therapy System for Adaptive Cancer Treatment

Innovative system from Varian incorporates artificial intelligence for the efficient delivery of personalized treatments that adapt to changes in the patient’s anatomy

DUBAI, UAE, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Advancing the treatment for cancer patients in Morocco, Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre has acquired and installed the Ethos™ therapy system – the first of its kind in Africa – from Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company.  Ethos therapy, which is uniquely powered by artificial intelligence (AI), provides cancer patients with a personalized, adaptive radiotherapy treatment within a typical 15 to 30-minute time slot.

The Clinique d'Oncologie 16 Novembre clinical team with their new Ethos™ therapy system.

Adaptive therapy customizes the patient’s treatment based on tumor and anatomical changes that occur over a multi-week course of treatment. The goal is to better target the tumor, reduce doses to healthy tissue, and improve overall outcomes.

“We are proud to be the first cancer center in Africa to offer Ethos therapy treatment,” said Dr. Mounir Bachouchi, medical oncologist and CEO at Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre.  “Adaptive therapy has so many benefits for both the patient and the clinician, and Varian’s Ethos system is at the leading edge of this technology, enabling our clinical team to adapt every treatment to changes in a patient’s anatomy from day to day, potentially improving overall outcomes.”

“Every patient deserves access to the best and most personalized cancer care,” said José-Manuel Valentim, Director of Africa operations at Varian. “Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre is a very forward-thinking cancer center focused on offering state-of-the-art cancer care with the most advanced technologies available.”

By providing an up-to-date view of the patient’s anatomy—and the ability to use that information to adapt the treatment— Ethos therapy provides clinicians the confidence to make more informed treatment decisions. The solution is built on Varian’s latest treatment delivery technology and provides fast imaging and treatment delivery without compromising quality.

“Adaptive therapy is the future of personalized radiation therapy, and we are excited that this center is taking on a leadership role by offering Ethos to the cancer patients of Morocco,” added Valentim. “This is a transformational moment for cancer care in Northern Africa.”

About Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre 

The Clinique d’Oncologie 16 Novembre was established in Rabat, Morocco to offer integrated and comprehensive multidisciplinary care for cancer patients, ranging from screening to the most innovative treatments, with full patient support and accompanying care.  It offers personalized care, emphasizing a human approach to oncology, where close relations between patients and the medical professionals are an essential component of care.

About Varian 

At Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, we envision a world without fear of cancer. For more than 70 years, we have developed, built, and delivered innovative cancer care technologies and solutions for our clinical partners around the globe to help them treat millions of patients each year. With an Intelligent Cancer Care approach, we are harnessing advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to enhance cancer treatment and expand access to care. Our 11,000 employees across 70 locations keep the patient and our clinical partners at the center of our thinking as we power new victories in cancer care. Because, for cancer patients everywhere, their fight is our fight. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

Press Contact 

Meryl Ginsberg
Corporate Communications
publicrelations@varian.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835830/The_Clinique_d_Oncologie_16_Novembre_clinical_team_with_Varian_Ethos_therapy_system.jpg

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International NASH Day Highlights a Common – But Unfamiliar – Liver Disease

Global Liver Institute Convenes Communities Around the Globe Today to Reverse the Growing Trend of Fatty Liver Disease

Washington, D.C., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Liver Institute (GLI) calls attention to NASH by leading the 5th annual International NASH Day on June 9. The number of people with this advanced liver disease is expected to double by 2030, but #NASHday aims to prevent this growth. Join the movement to #StopNASHNow by listening in as 24 expert panelists from around the globe share the latest updates about the disease or adding to the conversation on social media (#NASHday). The movement permeates the globe through many locally-organized events to educate about, screen for, and prevent NASH.

NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) is a serious, progressive condition in which too much fat accumulates on the liver, leading to its inflammation and injury. It is the severe form of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). Modern lifestyle and dietary patterns have contributed to increased prevalence of NASH and NAFLD around the world, and it is becoming the most common cause of liver disease. Given its widespread impact and the possibility of prevention in most cases of this disease, NASH emerges as a global health priority.

“With over a hundred million people worldwide already who have NASH and several times more in the earlier stages, people have reason to know about this progressive condition and what they can do today to combat it,” shared Donna R. Cryer, president and CEO of GLI. “Collective action is imperative to be certain that individuals in each community, no matter their background or environment, are informed and equipped to prevent fatty liver disease. The momentum that we build together today must advance and sustain the global fight against NASH.”

If you didn’t know, then now you know! Even though NASH is common, it remains relatively unknown, leaving much work to be done to increase public awareness. This year, GLI and its partners join with the theme to #StopNASHNow: Even as therapies for NASH are being developed, there are many steps that people and their doctors can take today to prevent, reverse, or slow the progression of fatty liver disease. For the 25% of adults already affected worldwide, it is due time for this life-changing knowledge.

  • An estimated 1 in 4 adults around the world already has NAFLD.
  • As many as 1 in 20 people has NASH.
  • The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing among all global regions and among all ethnicities in parallel with diabetes and obesity.
  • NASH can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer – which may necessitate a liver transplant.

“International NASH Day demonstrates the potential that is realized as all stakeholders in NASH come together worldwide,” said Jeff McIntyre, NASH Programs Director at GLI. “From in-person screenings in at-risk communities to educational materials in 16 languages to challenging conversations with researchers, providers, and patients – today the world joins to create meaningful solutions for patients at every stage of NAFLD and NASH.”

International NASH Day has garnered the endorsement of prominent organizations from around the globe: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD); Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH); Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado (ALEH); Associazione Italiana Studio del Fegato (AISF); Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología (AMH); Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL); Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL); Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA); European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN); European Fatty Liver Conference (EFLC); European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); EU Patient-Centric Clinical Trial Platforms (EU-PEARL); Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino; Hepatology Society, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP); Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL); North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN); Sociedad Argentina de Hepatologia (SAHE);Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL); United European Gastroenterology (UEG); World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO); and World Patients Alliance (WPA).

Get Involved

To view the expert panels throughout the day today, visit https://hopin.com/events/5th-annual-international-nash-day/registration. Panels are available in English, French, Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish throughout the day.

For additional information on International NASH Day, visit www.international-nash-day.com.

Support the NASH Day social media campaign using hashtags #NASHday #StopNASHNow. Please direct any additional questions to NASHDay@globalliver.org.

International NASH Day and its logo are registered trademarks of Global Liver Institute.

About Global Liver Institute

Global Liver Institute (GLI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in the belief that liver health must take its place on the global public health agenda commensurate with the prevalence and impact of liver illness. GLI promotes innovation, encourages collaboration, and supports the scaling of optimal approaches to help eradicate liver diseases. Operating globally, GLI is committed to solving the problems that matter to liver patients and equipping advocates to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by liver disease. Follow GLI on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. GLI is the global host of International NASH Day.

Global Liver Institute
nashday@globalliver.org
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Teslas with Autopilot a Step Closer to Recall After Crashes

Teslas with partially automated driving systems are a step closer to being recalled after the U.S. elevated its investigation into a series of crashes with parked emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it is upgrading the Tesla probe to an engineering analysis, a sign of increased scrutiny of the electric vehicle maker and automated systems that perform at least some driving tasks.

Documents posted Thursday by the agency raise some serious issues about Tesla’s Autopilot system. The agency found that it’s being used in areas where its capabilities are limited, and that many drivers aren’t taking action to avoid crashes despite warnings from the vehicle.

The probe now covers 830,000 vehicles, almost everything that the Austin, Texas, carmaker has sold in the U.S. since the start of the 2014 model year.

NHTSA reported that it has found 16 crashes into emergency vehicles and trucks with warning signs, causing 15 injuries and one death.

Investigators will evaluate additional data, vehicle performance and “explore the degree to which Autopilot and associated Tesla systems may exacerbate human factors or behavioral safety risks, undermining the effectiveness of the driver’s supervision,” the agency said.

A message was left Thursday seeking comment from Tesla.

tesla

An engineering analysis is the final stage of an investigation, and in most cases the NHTSA decides within a year if there should be a recall or if the probe should be closed.

In the majority of the 16 crashes, the Teslas issued collision alerts to the drivers just before impact. Automatic emergency braking intervened to at least slow the cars in about half the cases. On average, Autopilot gave up control of the Teslas less than a second before the crash, NHTSA said in documents detailing the probe.

NHTSA also said it’s looking into crashes involving similar patterns that did not include emergency vehicles or trucks with warning signs.

The agency found that in many cases, drivers had their hands on the steering wheel as Tesla requires, yet they failed to take action to avoid a crash. This suggests that drivers are complying with Tesla’s monitoring system, but it doesn’t make sure they’re paying attention.

In crashes were video is available, drivers should have seen first responder vehicles an average of eight seconds before impact, the agency wrote.

The agency will have to decide if there is a safety defect with Autopilot before pursuing a recall.

Investigators also wrote that a driver’s use or misuse of the driver monitoring system “or operation of a vehicle in an unintended manner does not necessarily preclude a system defect.”

The agency document all but says Tesla’s method of making sure drivers pay attention isn’t good enough, and that it’s defective and should be recalled, said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies automated vehicles.

“It is really easy to have a hand on the wheel and be completely disengaged from driving,” he said. Monitoring a driver’s hand position is not effective because it only measures a physical position. “It is not concerned with their mental capacity, their engagement or their ability to respond,” he said.

Similar systems from other companies such as General Motors’ Super Cruise use infrared cameras to watch a driver’s eyes or face to ensure they’re looking forward. But even these may still allow a driver to zone out, Walker Smith said.

In total, the agency looked at 191 crashes but removed 85 of them because other drivers were involved or there wasn’t enough information to do a definite assessment. Of the remaining 106, the main cause of about one-quarter of the crashes appears to be running Autopilot in areas where it has limitations, or in conditions that can interfere with its operations.

Other automakers limit use of their systems to limited-access divided highways.

In a statement, NHTSA said there aren’t any vehicles available for purchase today that can drive themselves.

“Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all state laws hold the human driver responsible for operation of their vehicles,” the agency said.

Driver-assist systems can help avoid crashes but must be used correctly and responsibly, the agency said.

Tesla did an online update of Autopilot software last fall to improve camera detection of emergency vehicle lights in low-light conditions. NHTSA has asked why the company didn’t do a recall.

NHTSA began its inquiry in August of last year after a string of crashes since 2018 in which Teslas using the company’s Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control systems hit vehicles at scenes where first responders used flashing lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, or cones warning of hazards.

Source: Voice of America

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NASA Tackles ‘Perplexing’ Mystery of UFOs

NASA is officially joining the hunt for UFOs. The space agency on Thursday announced a new study that will recruit leading scientists to examine unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) — a subject that has long fascinated the public and recently gained high-level attention from Congress.

The project will begin early this fall and last around nine months, focusing on identifying available data, how to gather more data in the future, and how NASA can analyze the findings to try to move the needle on scientific understanding.

“Over the decades, NASA has answered the call to tackle some of the most perplexing mysteries we know of, and this is no different,” Daniel Evans, the NASA scientist responsible for coordinating the study, told reporters on a call.

While NASA probes and rovers scour the solar system for the fossils of ancient microbes, and its astronomers look for so-called “technosignatures” on distant planets for signs of intelligent civilizations, this is the first time the agency will investigate unexplained phenomena in Earth’s skies.

With its access to a broad range of scientific tools, NASA is well placed not just to demystify UFOs and deepen scientific understanding, but also to find ways to mitigate the phenomena, a key part of its mission to ensure the safety of aircraft, said the agency’s chief scientist, Thomas Zurbuchen.

The announcement comes as the field of UFO study, once a poorly-regarded research backwater, is gaining more mainstream traction.

Last month, Congress held a public hearing on UFOs, while a U.S. intelligence report last year cataloged 144 sightings that it said could not be explained. It did not rule out alien origin.

NASA’s study will be independent of the Pentagon’s Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group, but the space agency “has coordinated widely across the government regarding how to apply the tools of science,” it said in a statement.

A paucity in the number of UFO observations make it difficult at present for the scientific community to draw conclusions.

Therefore, said astrophysicist David Spergel, who will lead the research, the first task of the group would be identifying the extent of data out there from sources including civilians, government, nonprofits and companies.

Another overarching goal of NASA is to deepen credibility in this field of study.

“There is a great deal of stigma associated with UAP among our naval aviators and aviation community,” said Evans.

“One of the things we tangentially hope to do as part of this study, simply by talking about it in the open, is to help to remove some of the stigma associated with it, and that will yield obviously, increased access to data, more reports, more sightings.”

Source: Voice of America