Day: May 16, 2023

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Zoom Partners with Anthropic to Expand Federated Approach to AI

Zoom announces investment in Anthropic to support research roadmaps and build steerable AI systems; Anthropic’s AI model will help strengthen Zoom’s federated approach across its platform, including Zoom Contact Center integrations

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Zoom announced a strategic partnership with and investment in Anthropic, an AI safety and research company working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. The collaboration with Anthropic will further bolster Zoom’s federated approach to AI by allowing Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude, to be integrated with Zoom’s platform (which includes Team Chat, Meetings, Phone, Whiteboard, Zoom IQ), starting with Zoom Contact Center.

“Anthropic’s Constitutional AI model is primed to provide safe and responsible integrations for our next-generation innovations, beginning with the Zoom Contact Center portfolio. With Claude guiding agents toward trustworthy resolutions and powering self-service for end-users, companies will be able to take customer relationships to another level,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer for Zoom. “Partnering with Anthropic also furthers our commitment to providing customers with our federated approach to AI, optimized to deliver outstanding customer experience outcomes. Additionally, with our investment, we are advancing leading-edge companies like Anthropic and helping to drive innovation in the Zoom ecosystem and beyond.”

“Partnering with a leading collaboration platform like Zoom allows us to put robust, steerable AI into the hands of more people and unlock its potential to help streamline everyday processes,” said Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic. “We look forward to working together to showcase Anthropic’s capabilities and our joint commitment to enhancing productivity through intelligent solutions.”

Zoom’s federated approach to AI leverages its own proprietary AI models, along with those from leading AI companies — such as Anthropic — and select customers’ models. With this flexibility to incorporate multiple types of models, Zoom can provide the most value for its customers’ diverse needs. Zoom will be able to customize these models to perform better for a customer, based on their specific business needs.

As the next step in evolving the Zoom Contact Center portfolio, (Zoom Virtual Agent, Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Workforce Management), Zoom plans to incorporate Anthropic AI throughout its suite, improving end-user outcomes and enabling superior agent experiences. The Zoom Contact Center suite of solutions elevates the quality of customer experiences through better self-service and the ability to accurately understand customer intent. It intelligently guides customers to the best resolution, surfaces actionable insights that managers can use to coach their agents, and improves productivity by providing a unified communications and contact center experience. In the near future, Zoom will also use AI to provide the right resources to agents, so customers receive exceptional service experiences regardless of their reason for calling.

Announced today, Zoom Ventures has made an investment in Anthropic, strengthening the relationship between both companies. Anthropic’s research and development aims to create steerable, trustworthy, and responsible large-scale AI systems. Zoom did not disclose the amount of the investment.

About Zoom
Zoom is an all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for businesses and individuals. Zoom technology puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more info at zoom.com.

Zoom Public Relations
Lacretia Taylor
press@zoom.us

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8840480

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Impulse Dynamics Announces 9,000th Patient Milestone Achieved With CCM® Therapy for Heart Failure

Momentum Continues as Depth of Clinical Experience Expands Worldwide

MARLTON, N.J., May 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Impulse Dynamics plc, a global medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of people with heart failure (HF), announced today a worldwide milestone achievement with the 9,000th patient receiving the Optimizer® system for the treatment of moderate HF. The Optimizer system is the only device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States to deliver CCM therapy. Dr. Steven Gubin, a cardiologist and the President of Stern Cardiovascular, is part of the care team that completed the procedure at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, offering CCM therapy to a patient living with the debilitating effects of HF. This milestone highlights the momentum building globally for CCM therapy, using the Optimizer platform to improve quality of life in HF patients.

“I am excited to have a new therapy option for heart failure patients,” said Dr. Gubin, who has been practicing for 30 years. “One of my heart failure patients, Aubretta Bean, who is a cancer survivor, continued to have symptoms despite her compliance with guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure. She let me know that she felt better almost immediately after receiving the implant and continues to improve daily. It has been extremely rewarding to see such improvement in her quality of life. Her lab work four weeks later showed her BNP (a common test to diagnose heart failure) decreased by 81%, which is consistent with improvement in her heart failure symptoms.”

“Before my CCM implant, I could not walk from one room to the other without gasping for air. It was like being underwater and trying to breathe through a straw,” said Aubretta Bean. “Heart failure changed my life so quickly. You might think housework is a chore, but when you can’t make your bed or do the dishes, you realize how quickly you would love to do that again. Now after my Optimizer implant, I can do all these things! I look forward to planning my days again and not just trying to get through them. I have eight grandkids and two great-grandkids that I can travel to see!”

Drs. Eric Johnson, David Lan, and Chris Ingelmo are all electrophysiologists at Stern Cardiovascular that have treated ten patients at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis with CCM therapy since March 2023. Dr. Chris Ingelmo completed the milestone procedure for the 9,000th patient treated with CCM therapy. The results have been encouraging, with significant improvement in patient symptoms.

“We are inspired by such stories highlighting the potential for clinicians to use CCM therapy to make a positive impact on HF patients’ lives,” said Simos Kedikoglou, MD, CEO of Impulse Dynamics. “The growing cadence of implants and the emergence of such inspiring stories reinforces our commitment to delivering meaningful advances in CCM technology and clinical data.”

CCM therapy is now available in 44 countries, and the technology has continued to advance based on the needs of patients and physicians. The latest generation of Impulse Dynamic’s proprietary Optimizer platform is the Optimizer Smart Mini, which offers a rechargeable battery with 20-year battery life and a smaller size designed to make the implant procedure faster and easier for patients and physicians.

About the Optimizer® and CCM® Therapy

The Optimizer Smart system delivers CCM therapy — the company’s proprietary technology — to the heart. CCM therapy has been designed by Impulse Dynamics to significantly improve the heart’s contraction, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to be pushed out through the body. CCM therapy is indicated to improve the 6-minute hall walk, quality of life, and functional status of NYHA Class III heart failure patients who remain symptomatic despite guideline-directed medical therapy, are not indicated for CRT, and have a left ventricular ejection fraction ranging from 25 to 45 percent.

CCM is the brand name for cardiac contractility modulation — the non-excitatory electrical pulses delivered by the implantable Optimizer device to improve heart contraction. CCM therapy sends unique electrical pulses to the heart cells during the absolute refractory period. In doing so, CCM helps the heart contract more forcibly. Impulse Dynamics has completed numerous clinical studies, including several randomized controlled trials, and CCM therapy has been published in more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles.

About Impulse Dynamics

Impulse Dynamics is dedicated to advancing the treatment of heart failure for patients and the healthcare providers who care for them. The company pioneered its proprietary CCM therapy, which uses the Optimizer platform to improve quality of life in heart failure patients. CCM therapy is delivered through the Optimizer system, which includes an IPG implanted in a minimally invasive procedure and approved for commercial use in the United States and 44 countries worldwide. CCM therapy has proven safe and effective for heart failure patients with debilitating symptoms who otherwise have few effective options available to them. To learn more, visit www.ImpulseDynamics.com or follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘contemplate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘potential’’ or ‘‘continue’’ or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning potential benefits of CCM therapy, the continued momentum for the adoption of CCM therapy and use of the Optimizer Smart system globally; the ability for CCM therapy and our products and technology to fill a significant unmet medical need for patients with heart failure; and the short-term and long-term benefits of the Optimizer system and CCM therapy in patients with heart failure, as well as to the physicians treating those patients. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Other important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contemplated in this press release include, without limitation: the company’s future research and development costs, capital requirements and the company’s needs for additional financing; company’s ability to expand and grow its business into new geographic markets; commercial success and market acceptance of CCM therapy; the company’s ability to achieve and maintain adequate levels of coverage or reimbursement for its Optimizer systems or any future products the company may seek to commercialize; competitive companies and technologies in the industry; the company’s ability to expand its indications and develop and commercialize additional products and enhancements to its current products; the company’s business model and strategic plans for its products, technologies and business, including its implementation thereof; the company’s ability to expand, manage and maintain its direct sales and marketing organization; the company’s ability to commercialize or obtain regulatory approvals for CCM therapy and its products, or the effect of delays in commercializing or obtaining regulatory approvals; FDA or other U.S. or foreign regulatory actions affecting us or the healthcare industry generally, including healthcare reform measures in the United States and international markets; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals; and the company’s ability to establish and maintain intellectual property protection for CCM therapy and products or avoid claims of infringement. The company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements and expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Rohan More, Global Vice President of Marketing
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
rmore@impulsedynamics.com

Harriss Currie, Chief Financial Officer
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
hcurrie@impulsedynamics.com

Ian Segal, Public Relations Manager
Impulse Dynamics
856-642-9933
isegal@impulsedynamics.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8839792

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FG inaugurates ‘NigComHealth’ to improve health sector

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on Monday inaugurated “NigComHealth’ platform to transform the healthcare sector in the country.

The Minister, Prof. Isa Pantami, unveiled the Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited virtual health platform (NigComHealth) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports NigComHealth is a telehealth service which provides a platform for Nigerians to book appointments, receive medical advice or recommendation and consult with physicians and other healthcare practitioners from their homes, offices schools and localities.

Represented by his Chief of staff, Prof. Sahalu Junaid,Pantami said the platform would promote a more efficient and effective healthcare system that could be accessible to all Nigerians.

” This will also improve the capacity of our healthcare professionals to deliver quality services, by leveraging technology to reach out to patients in the remote areas with less cost and physical stress.

“NigComHealth is a significant milestone in our efforts to improve the quality of life of all Nigerians.

” This platform will enable us to harness the benefits of technology and access a broader range of doctors and medical experts to deliver quality healthcare services, thereby ensuring that every Nigerian can access the care they need, when they need it,” Pantami said.

He said that NigComHealth would bridge the gap in healthcare access and promoting health equity across the country.

The minister also said access to the services would not only reduce the burden of physical hospital visits but also enhance the overall quality of healthcare services for citizens.

He said that the launch of NigComHealth aligns with the Federal Government’s vision to promote digital transformation and boost economic activities in Nigeria.

Pantami commended the private sector partners who had collaborated with the

government to make NigComHealth a reality.

” I also urge all Nigerians to embrace this service and take advantage of the opportunities it presents to achieve our goal of promoting health equity throughout the country.

” Let us work together to promote a healthier Nigeria through digital transformation,” Pantami said.

The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Christoff, said the NigComHealth would be a changer in improving health outcomes, especially in underserved and remote areas.

“The technology has been developed with the vision and strategic objective of having over 80 Federal and state owned government hospitals coexist on the platform.

” And the platform is also meant to provide digital health services to 1.7 million public sector workers and their families in Nigeria,” he said.

Christoff commended both the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and Federal Ministry for health of health, for their vision, and an unparalleled commitment to the promotion, technology and health innovation in Nigeria.

He said the collaboration was an exciting example of the endless possibilities that derive from strong and growing bilateral relations, particularly in trade between Ghana and Nigeria.

Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT Limited, Tukur Lawal, expressed his commitment to continuously bring out innovations geared towards adding value to the lives of the citizens while leveraging on technology.

” The platform will be available even for those who do not have smartphones. And as we roll it out we will give more details on how people can register, how they can subscribe.

” It will be present in all the 774 local governments in Nigeria and it’s going to cost less and reduce medical trip abroad for medical check up,”he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Centre develops standard curriculum for training, certification of caregivers to older persons

The National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), says it has developed a standard national benchmark and curriculum for training of elderly persons caregivers in Nigeria.

Dr Emem Omokaro, the Director General of the centre, disclosed this on Monday, in Abuja, during a stakeholders meeting on the validation of a draft National Benchmark Statement and Minimum Standards curriculum for training caregivers to older persons.

Omokaro said, the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at producing a strategic document that would emphasise skills and competence, to meet the geriatric needs in Nigeria.

“At the end of this meeting, we should be able to produce a global standard document that will emphasise skills and competency in care of older persons.

“We also recognise the training of care providers that can stand up to the best practice and then put in place mechanisms for assessing the trainers; you assess the training centre and you know how you evaluate them.

“So it is a whole industry mechanism that we have put in place, and we should be able to move forward with these drafts.

The D-G further explained that, the mandate of the stakeholders’ engagement was to ensure a comprehensive framework towards universal health coverage for the older persons.

“We have to create the framework. We must have the competence that is well recognised, and we must have the certification, the compensation and the standards.

“We have called in partners to ensure that we bring a benchmark standard in curriculum for caregivers and guidelines to standardise, as well as certify caregivers and operators in Nigeria.

“So, we are working with NBTE first to classify the setting, classify the skills and then to ensure that these skills are recognised, and to ensure that there’s a framework for progression,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Sani Gwarzo, represented by Mr Joseph Dzungwe, commended the centre on its determination to improve the quality of health of older persons in the country.

Gwarzo said, the ministry was committed towards the realisation of agenda 2030 of the sustainable development goals of achieving human rights of all persons including older persons in Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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FG restates commitment to restore livelihood of poor, vulnerable

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to restore the livelihood of poor, vulnerable Nigerians and maintain food security in the country.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, gave the assurance at the maiden Ministerial Town-Hall meeting on the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) held in Sokoto, on Monday.

Represented by Mr Aso Vakporaye, the Chairman, Federal Cares Technical Committee of NG-CARES, Agba also reiterated the commitment of the government to facilitate the recovery of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He assured that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would continue to deliver development to Nigerians even if it has only a few weeks to hand over to a new administration.

The minister explained that NG-CARES programme was one of the policy options explored by the Buhari administration to achieve the objectives of restoring the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable.

According to him, in about a year of full implementation, NG-CARES has impacted over two million direct beneficiaries.

“This is based on the report of the first round of assessment of the NG-CARES programme implementation conducted by an Independent Verification Agent.”

The minister said that one of President Buhari’s strategies was to intermittently meet with, and engage stakeholders, as part of government’s accountability to the citizens.

“The purpose basically is to hear, first-hand, views of our people on government policies and programme and to feel the pulse of the nation.

“This interaction is even more imperative, given the fact that NG-CARES programme draws some of its beneficiaries from the National Social Register.

“It is important to find out from you how effective this approach is as we seek the consolidation of the National Social Register as a major source of credible data for social protection intervention in the country.”

Earlier, the Chairman, Federal Cares Technical Committee of NG-CARES, Mr Aso Vakporaye, commended the governors of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states for releasing funds to support the implementation of NG-CARES.

Represented by Alhaji Mustapha Alkali, member, Federal Cares Technical Committee, Vakporaye, also appreciated the funding support of the World Bank and the task team that has tenaciously Supported the initiative.

“We are proud to say that the programme has recorded tangible results and has positively affected so many poor and vulnerable Nigerians affected by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Also, the National Coordinator of NG-CARES, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje, explained that NG-CARES was a multi-sectoral programme designed to provide immediate emergency relief to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Obaje disclosed that Zamfara was ranked first on the basis of earning of N5.2 billion with 70,835 beneficiaries.

“Sokoto State earned N1.516 billion with 10,864 beneficiaries and Kebbi state earned N2.97 billion with 29,594 beneficiaries.”

He assured that the Federal Team would continue to provide technical support to states and the Federal Capital Territory for seamless implementation of NG-CARES programme.

Bashir Ilelah, one of the beneficiaries, said NG-CARES has really impacted positively in boosting his business.

He, however, is seeking the review of the process of assessing the fund.

Also, Zafiya Abubakar from Shagari Local Government of Sokoto State, who was supported with Grinding Machine, said the machine expanded her business and improved her revenue profile which enable her take care of her orphans.

Similarly, Rabi’atu Bungudu, from Zamfara State, said the programme supported her with a Petro-Power Tomatoes Processing Machine, which immensely transformed her life.

And Mrs Habiba Aliyu, a tailor from Aliero Local Government, Kebbi state, who got N100,000 support, said she procured an electronic sewing machine and eventually increased her production.

“Before I used to sow five sets of clothes but now I can sow more than 15 set of clothes within a short period of time.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Minister backs collaboration with partners for greater inclusion

Angolan minister of Social Action Family and Promotion of Women (MASFAMU), Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto, Tuesday in Lubango, southern Huila Province, called for a better alignment and permanent collaboration among various sectors and partners to ensure more inclusion and social protection of vulnerable people.

The minister was addressing an opening ceremony of the 5th Ordinary Consultative Council of MASFAMU held in Lubango for two days.

Delivering her speech delivered in the two-day event, under the slogan “Social Action, a Commitment from All”, the minister mentioned the children, youths, women, the people with disabilities, the elderly and minority communities as being part of the target group.

Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto said that the policies, programmes and actions of social inclusion currently conceived give guarantees that they are on the right track, calling for more work on the basis of a robust alignment with the sectors and partners.

She said that the council is the “opportune moment” to discuss and study the bottlenecks observed during the implementation and execution of the various programmes and actions aimed at reducing the levels of poverty, discrimination, social exclusion and protection of the most vulnerable populations.

Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto reinforced that it is up to the sector to conceive, propose, promote and execute the social policy regarding people and population in vulnerable situation, as well as to promote the development of the communities, including the actions to fight poverty and to defend the family welfare.

“Although our tasks are distributed among the different areas, we are called upon to work in an articulated manner, based on the spirit of mutual help and institutional solidarity, because only in this way will it be possible to achieve the recommended objectives”, she added.

In turn, the governor of Huíla, Nuno Mahapi, noted that the focus is on the expansion of knowledge about vulnerability, with a view to improving the Social Protection System, with primacy for the municipal level.

He stressed that in order to achieve this, social protection is fundamental to mitigate people’s vulnerability, which is why the province has conducted ongoing studies with various social actors on vulnerability.

The 5th Ordinary Consultative Council brings to analysis and discussion the approach on the organisation and functioning of the Ministry, its programmes and projects.

It also addresses topics such as the strengthening of monitoring methodologies and data processing, adjustment of the strategy to achieve the established goals and identification of the challenges of the sector, as well as the proposal of the sector’s Legislative package.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Angola preparing official visit by Brazil’s president Lula da Silva

Brazilian ambassador to Angola Rafael Vidal Monday in Luanda announced the coming soon of the President of Brazil Lula da Silva to Angola.

The diplomat announced the president Lula’s official visit to Angola during an audience granted by the Angolan Foreign Affairs minister, Teté António.

Rafael Vidal told the press that presidential visit will discuss the new projects and investments.

At the meeting, the Angolan minister said the country intends to negotiate a new credit line with the Brazilian government and replicate part of the agreements signed during the first term of President Lula da Silva.

The meeting served to discuss the need to increase bilateral cooperation and exchange visits between the delegations of the two countries, particularly at the highest level.

In January this year, President Lula da Silva said that Angola would be the first country in Africa to benefit from his visit due to the nature of the bilateral relationship and the role of Angola, which is the gateway to Brazil’s policy on Africa and the historical and economic weight of that relationship.

Available data shows that, in 2022, bilateral trade between the Southern African nation and the South America country totaled 700 million US dollars.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Vice President highlights teaching ancestral values to new generation

Angola’s Vice President Esperança da Costa on Tuesday in Mbanza Kongo (Zaire) highlighted the role of the traditional authorities in the transmission of ancestral cultural values to the new generation.

Addressing the traditional authorities of Lumbu (Royal Court of Kongo), the Vice-President of the Republic highlighted the concept of traditional or customary court that, in the region, helps harmonise community life.

“It is an honour to be here in Lumbu, considered the main centre of the customary court, in which eminent traditional figures develop their role in supporting our communities in what is right for the family and the well-being of the whole society,” she said.

She also highlighted the continued maintenance of relations between the local traditional authorities and those of the three neighbouring countries that made up the former Kingdom of Kongo, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo and Gabon.

Esperança da Costa said that her visit to Mbanza Kongo essentially aims to see the reality of this historic centre, which joined the World Cultural Heritage list on 8 July 2017, with a view to identifying, correcting and finding solutions to the various difficulties that still exist.

She also reiterated the commitment of the Executive in correcting some of the problems the World Heritage Site still face.

The visiting agenda of the Vice-President includes chairing the 1st Ordinary Session of the National Multi-sector Commission for the Safeguarding of World Cultural Heritage of this year this Tuesday.

Esperança da Costa visited the Museum of the Kings of Kongo, where she received detailed explanation about the historical and cultural significance of the collection displayed there, as well as about its operation.

On Wednesday, the second and last day of her visit to Zaire, the Vice-President will visit the commune of Nkinde, 32 kilometres from the city of Mbanza Kongo, to see the progress of the works at the new local airport.

The delegation includes the ministers of Territorial Administration, Culture, Education, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Public Works, Urbanism and Housing, as well as the secretaries of state of some ministerial departments and officials of her Office.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)