Category Archives: Technology

At O'Cannabiz 2022 Industry Awards Gala in Toronto

TORONTO, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Leafythings, a leading cannabis directory platform and mobile application, is thrilled to announce that the Company was named Best Innovative Technology at the O'Cannabiz Industry Awards Gala. This award recognizes the best of the best in the Canadian cannabis industry.

Leafythings Chief Access Officer Elias Theodorou Accepts The Most Innovative Technology award at the 2022 O'Cannabiz Industry Awards (CNW Group/Leafythings Canada)

"We are ecstatic to be recognized as the Best Innovative Technology in Canada," said Elias Theodorou, Chief Access Officer. "We are striving to break through the challenges of the industry by providing a unified platform to connect consumers with retail stores and brands by valuing the needs and wants of anyone looking for Cannabis. We are putting quality and affordability at the forefront. "

Leafythings is empowered by a mission to help consumers find and access quality cannabis products in Canada through highly localized strategies, providing access to a $3 billion+ market in efforts to collaboratively shatter the barriers between legacy and legal markets and improve public perception of the industry.

About Leafythings:

Since 2019, Leafythings has taken a cannabis consumer centric approach to helping Canadians find affordable and quality cannabis anywhere in Canada. Leafythings operates as a web platform, mobile application, and advertising medium. Through a series of event partnerships, advertising initiative, and grassroots marketing programs, Leafythings has developed the largest legacy consumer database in Canada.

Leafythings is actively working with brands and retailers through partnerships and social initiatives to help drive industry credibility and reinforce the trust between the consumer and their cannabis.

Cision

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SOURCE Leafythings Canada

Originally posted here:

Leafythings awarded "Best Innovative Technology" at Industry Awards - Yahoo Finance

In a recent interview, FBI Director Christopher Wray explained that the Peoples Republic of China has stolen more U.S. corporate data than all other nations combined and is seeking to acquire American trade secrets and intellectual property on a scale that is unprecedented in history. China reportedly relies on a combination of industrial espionage, academic contacts, investment, and cyber theft in pursuit of this acquisition. Senior U.S. officials have observed that China also relies on subnational relations with U.S. state governments, but the nature and extent of those relations have generally been unclear. In this post, I will help to address that lack of clarity by presenting new evidence that China has entered into a substantial collection of written agreements with U.S. states for the purpose of promoting technology transfer in a number of strategically sensitive fields of innovation, including information technology, nanotechnology, aerospace, biotechnology, and semiconductors. Most of these agreements appear to have been adopted not only without federal notice, consultation, or approval, but also at Chinas initiative and without public disclosure. The evidence thus suggests that subnational diplomacy has played an inconspicuous but material role in Beijings effort to acquire cutting-edge American technology. To address this and other problems that can arise from state engagement in foreign relations, Congress should enact legislation to ensure federal monitoring and public disclosure of future agreements.

Background

Before getting into the details of the evidence, a bit of background on how it emerged: In 2019, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of a 2017 agreement on carbon dioxide emissions between California and the Canadian province of Qubec. The lawsuit failed in the district court but not before revealing a marked lack of transparency about the nature and extent of U.S. state agreements with foreign governments. States typically do not publish these arrangements, so neither the litigants nor amici had a clear sense of whether Californias was typical or aberrational. Duncan Hollis conducted an important study on state practice in this area in 2009, but a decade passed, no one followed up, and there was reason to believe that conditions had changed, so I decided to use state public-records laws to investigate. In 2020, my research assistant and I filed more than 650 public-records requestsone with every major executive department and administrative agency in each of the 50 statesin an effort to obtain copies of all commitments in force at that time.

The New Evidence

The results were surprising in a variety of ways, and two of the biggest surprises involved China.

The first was that, although U.S. states have traditionally entered into the largest number of agreements with Canada and its provinces, states disclosed more operative commitments with China than with any other country. It appears, moreover, that this shift occurred sometime in roughly the past decade. Holliss 2009 study found that states had concluded 70 agreements with Canada, followed by 61 with China or Taiwan and 41 with Israel. In contrast, the new evidence shows that, out of a total of more than 600 agreements in force between U.S. states and foreign governments in 2020, 115 are with mainland China alone, followed by 94 with Canada and 59 with Mexico. The agreements with China include 24 different U.S. states as parties and focus on economic relations more than any other issue. Many may still be in effect.

The second surprise was that, although the agreements with China often seem innocuous or beneficial to state and national interests, well over a dozen expressly promote cooperation, collaboration or even technology transfer in strategic sectors. For instance, Alabama, California, Maryland, and Pennsylvania have signed memoranda of understanding that call on them to foster cooperation between U.S. and Chinese firms in the field of information technology. A 2016 agreement between New York and China provides that the parties will support cooperation in nanotechnology. A 2015 memorandum of understanding between Washington and China states that the parties will support companies to cooperate in the aerospace industry. Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Texas have each pledged to promote cooperation with China in biotechnology. Idahohome to Micron Technology, one of the largest manufacturers of semiconductors in the U.S.has an arrangement with Chinas Ministry of Commerce to facilitate trade and investment activities in the semiconductor industry. And many other commitments call for economic cooperation in general terms. Implementation may very well complicate federal efforts to protect U.S. technological leadership by encouraging private transactions that flout U.S. export controls, expand Chinas influence over American companies, and burden federal oversight by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Certain features of the agreements and their adoption make these risks especially concerning. First, it appears that China took the lead in much of the drafting. Several documents use the same formatting, language, and organization, even though they involve different states as parties. Others use syntax that is atypical for a native English speaker. These patterns seem to indicate that the Chinese government has been handing predrafted documents to their state counterparts and simply asking for signatures. If that is indeed the case, there is reason to question whether states are getting as much out of the agreements as China, and whether they are resisting any language that disserves U.S. national interests.

Second, most of the agreements have been in effect for a decade or more. Idahos arrangement on semiconductors, for example, was signed in 2006. This longevity has created ample opportunities for implementation.

Third, state governments generally have not been transparent about the agreements. As far as I can tell, only three are referenced in official state sources, only one is available online, and states have not reported them to Congress or the executive branch. In my 2021 interview with Reta Jo Lewis, former State Department special representative for global intergovernmental affairs, she explained that the State Department is not responsible for monitoring subnational engagement in foreign relations and that states typically enter agreements with foreign governments without consulting or notifying federal authorities. I have not seen any evidence to the contrary in these cases.

Finally, Chinas engagement with U.S. states is likely to persist. In a recent article in The Diplomat, Flora Yan reported that, under the Biden administration, China-U.S. subnational exchanges have largely continued, with signs indicating expansion. For Beijing and states alike, the incentives for such expansion seem obvious: enhanced trade and investment between the worlds two largest economies, along with a potential way around U.S. federal gridlock and hostility. These incentives may very well spur states to enter additional agreements of concern in the future.

To be sure, it is not clear whether anything has or will come from the agreements. All appear to be nonbinding, so states may simply disregard them. At the same time, it is hard to imagine that states would enter commitments with a foreign sovereign in the absence of any intention to comply. There is anecdotal evidence, moreover, that even nonbinding subnational arrangements have generated economic benefits in the context of Sino-U.S. relations. This suggests that states have acted to fulfill their agreements in at least some cases.

A Proposal for Reform

The circumstances create a strong case for transparency going forward. As I explain in a new article detailing my research, Congress should respond by enacting legislation that is loosely analogous to the Case-Zablocki Act. This legislation would require states to timely transmit to the State Department the text of all commitments with foreign governments, including Chinas. It would also require the department to publish the results on a public website. Such legislation has precedent in foreign countries such as Australia (see also the resulting online database) and in reporting mandates that Congress has imposed on states in various other contexts.

The benefits of the resulting transparency seem clear. It would help to deter states from violating the Constitutions Compact Clause, which generally requires them to obtain congressional consent to enter into any binding Agreement or Compact with a foreign power. It would help to deter states from infringing the Article I Treaty Clause, which prohibits them from entering into any Treaty. It would promote the accountability of state officials by facilitating public knowledge of any commitments that disserve state or national interests. It seems unlikely to discourage agreements that advance those interests. And it would likely create only limited financial and administrative costs.

Recent congressional interest in subnational diplomacy suggests that there may be a realistic chance for reform. In the 116th Congress, Rep. Ted Lieu and Sen. Chris Murphy each introduced the City and State Diplomacy Act, part of which would have required the State Department to maintain[] a public database of subnational engagements. In the 117th Congress, Lieu and Murphy introduced newer bills that omitted the original provision for a public database but proposed to task the State Department with tracking subnational engagements. Although not enacted into law, this language also appeared in a version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA) that passed the House of Representatives in September 2021, so the notion of federal monitoring clearly enjoys substantial support.

To address the risks posed by state agreements with foreign governments, and with China in particular, Congress should revive the City and State Diplomacy Act, with a few key revisions. First, drafters should expand the bills definition of subnational engagements. All of the recent versions defined this term as formal meetings or events between elected officials of State or municipal governments and their foreign counterparts. Agreements, however, are not meetings or events under the ordinary meanings of those terms, so this definition would exclude all agreements from federal oversight, even while requiring the State Department to monitor attendant events such as signing ceremonies. It is hard to see the logic in that choice, given the general importance of written agreements for structuring and managing foreign relations. In addition, it is common for agreements to be signed not by a states elected officials but rather by appointees. The recent definition would thus exempt many agreements from federal monitoring even if they somehow qualify as meetings or events. To correct these problems, the next iteration of the City and State Diplomacy Act should redefine subnational engagements explicitly to include all written commitments.

Second, Congress should not task the State Department merely with tracking subnational engagements, as proposed in the most recent version of the bill. While better than nothing, tracking per se does not ensure the disclosure of any engagements to the public or even to Congress, which holds primary authority to grant or withhold consent to state agreements and compacts with foreign powers under the Compact Clause. A separate provision of the bill recommended annual briefings to Congress regarding the departments work on subnational diplomacy, but that language also seems insufficient, as it leaves open the possibility of briefings that detail State Department activity but omit information about the subnational engagements themselves. To address this issue, legislators should revive the original proposal for a public database, thereby promoting access to agreement texts for Congress and voters alike.

Finally, Congress should add language to facilitate the databases creation and maintenance. The recent bills contained no requirement for states to notify the State Department of their engagements, much less a deadline for notification. Nor did the bills contain any provision to enforce or even encourage state cooperation with federal efforts to create the database. These omissions created a risk of belated and incomplete collection on the part of database managers. To fix them, legislators should require states to provide copies of the texts of their agreements to the State Department and impose a deadline for doing so. The Case-Zablocki Act, for example, requires the transmittal of the text of an international agreement to which the U.S. is a party no later than 60 days after entry into force. If concerned about state compliance, Congress might also consider enforcement options, such as a provision indicating that no commitment shall carry any force or effect prior to transmittal, or a provision that expressly conditions the availability of pertinent federal funding on state compliance.

Conclusion

As a general matter, it is neither surprising nor troubling that U.S. states enter into agreements with foreign governments. It is striking, however, that they typically do so without notifying the public or even the federal government. And it is concerning that a significant number of the agreements affirmatively encourage the transfer of strategically important technologies to Americas chief geopolitical rival, despite U.S. federal efforts to protect American technological leadership. These conditions call for transparency and federal monitoring under a revived and revised City and State Diplomacy Act.

Read more:

New Evidence on the Role of Subnational Diplomacy in China's Pursuit of U.S. Technology - Lawfare

Throughout the industrial age and now in the information age, the Amish have adhered to the long-standing tradition of making as a primary form of work.

The fact that the Amish have also begun making digital technologies, such as the black-box phone that worked as an intended replacement for cell phones, should come as no surprise. The black-box phone, however, is just one of many examples of an increasing number of communication technologies developed for Amish people by Amish people. These devices are crafted to most precisely complete professional goals, while limiting the negative impacts that come with digital communication today. The Amish recognize that this most certainly has political implications. Making in general, and making of digital technologies in particular, further enables the Amish to exercise their creativity, resist surveillance, and control and sustain their way of life in the digital age.

The manner in which the Amish put technologies to use reveals a great deal about the relationship that they want to have to the larger society. In addition to the black-box phone, I have observed an array of Amish workarounds that reect local values and are determined by social context. The particular assemblage that comprises a workaround can also signal ones Amishness or shared group identity.

For example, according to multiple Amish leaders, when a technology such as a smartphone or cell phone is used by a member of an Amish community, it is considered impolite to do so ostentatiously. According to my contact Noah, the visibility of ones digital technology use should be minimized in an effort to show respect for shared Amish values, heritage, and tradition. In a discussion with him and another participant, a business owner who used a computer and the internet daily in work, both men agreed that people used these tools, but because of their desire to show deference to the community and its values, they did so out of sight and they just didnt talk about it or they knew who they could talk to about it and who they couldnt. Thus, in an effort to bring about the desired ends of efficient enough communication via a cell phone or smartphone while showing deference to Amish community leaders, these individuals created a workaround of sorts. They used their devices, but only out of the sight of others who they knew were likely to disapprove.

I interviewed Ben, a 30-year-old office manager at a company that sold $2 million dollars worth of product per year on a popular online auction website. He sat at his computer under electric uorescent lights during our conversation. Ben used a ip phone, a computer, and the internet at work. In his church, cell phones were allowed. He said, I wouldnt take my cell phone to church or answer it at church or show it to the neighbor and say, Look at what Ive got, if their church doesnt allow it. You have to use it respectfully. Ben also believed strongly that if used responsibly, technology was not a big deal. He thought that technology was going to keep on moving forward, though, and it was useful in running a successful business. Sure, he said, he and his employer (a family member) wanted to keep their close-knit community together, but they also believed that you have to make the most of what you have, and this is what we have. He said, You know, we can do this without the technology, but why would we? Were using technology in a way that doesnt conict with our morals.

At the beginning of my eldwork in one settlement, I was accompanied to a few interviews by the director of a local historical society and museum, who helped get me acquainted with the community. The director was with me when I interviewed Dennis, a successful business owner whose construction company had a website. He told us how he owned (but did not drive) trucks for his business. He described his multiple travels to Europe on a luxurious cruise ship. He told us that he liked the classy things in life and impressed us with his extensive volunteer work on numerous elite community and bank boards of directors. His wife used a smartphone at home to keep in touch with family members who lived far away, and his three sons were co-owners of the business now too.

Continue reading here:

How the Amish Use Technology - WIRED

Breakthroughs in sensors, reliability and false triggering immunity have made gunshot detection a compelling offering for integrators. Gain insights on adding it to your portfolio, as well as the latest on gun detection.

Although the pandemic may have put building security and workplace violence concerns on the back burner, as companies bring employees back into the office many HR and corporate security professionals are quietly bracing themselves for an increase in workplace incidents.

In a recent survey by Ontic, 88% of respondents anticipated a dramatic increase in physical threat activity in 2022. When comparing the first four months of 2022 to 2021, while mass shooting deaths are down slightly, according to the Gun Violence Archive injuries from mass shootings are up by almost 4%.

For security dealers and integrators that listen closely to customer concerns, 2022 may be the year to build reputation and revenue by introducing clients to active shooter or gunshot detection products.

Law enforcement is trained to go to the last reported location of an assailant or, in the case of gun violence, the active shooter. By now most security professionals are familiar with outdoor, citywide solutions, but indoor gunshot detection is still an ambiguous concept for both the industry and end-user customers.

Simply stated, the value add of an indoor gunshot detection system is that security and law enforcement will automatically receive real-time, accurate gun violence location and tracking data during a period of intense confusion and panic.

Clearing a building room by room is one of the most dangerous activities a law enforcement officer can do. Giving first responders an accurate position will not only help them diff use the situation faster but allow EMT and other assets to be brought into the warm zone more expediently.

By removing the human in the decision-making loop, gunshot detection systems reduce response times, decrease the possibility of human-generated false alerts, and deliver clarity during times of extreme stress. Gunshot detection starts with the sensor.

Best-in-class gunshot detection sensor offerings will provide clients with the highest level of detection accuracy preferably tested by independent third parties. It is difficult for customers to conceptualize the true financial and psychological cost of a false alert until they experience one at their business or school.

From a financial perspective, its easy to calculate the cost of shutting down a factory production line for three or four hours but what about a hospital or a high school? One study showed that canceling normal hospital services (inpatient admissions, elective surgeries, ER visits, etc.) for just one day was more than $970,000.

Attempting to save money by choosing an inferior sensor can create angry customers who, at a minimum, may suddenly find themselves facing reputational, employee or public relations issues. But sensors are just one part of the overall solution.

Industry-leading gunshot detection systems must not only provide a standalone means to communicate and display the sensors data, but they should also seamlessly integrate this information with the clients other security technologies.

Given the dizzying number of VMS, access control and mass communications solutions on the market, a dealer may be hesitant to add gunshot detection as it may be seen as introducing another level of complexity into an already difficult sales effort.

Choosing a gunshot detection vendor with proven performance and certified integrations reduces this risk and allows the dealer to focus more on working with the customer to develop and deliver what they really need: a fully autonomous, preprogrammed response to a gun violence event.

Customers may engage with dealers based on perceptions of trust and competency, but these are just the basics. Customers also want to know that, when needed, their dealer is a trusted partner that can look over the horizon and see what security solutions will be required in the immediate future.

The trend of states mandating Alyssas Law types of emergency messaging solutions for schools is a perfect example of this. Gunshot detection, when added to a proposal or RFI for video analytics or intelligent access control, signals to clients that a dealer is not only thinking ahead, but that they have invested internally to ensure that they are farther out on the cutting edge than their competitors.

While market growth in all areas of gunshot detection (indoor, outdoor, military, etc.) is forecasted to be strong with some analysts forecasting an 8% CAGR until 2026 the market demand for indoor solutions is not as readily understood.

One of the reasons for this is that gunshot detection may still be considered niche, and therefore expensive, by both the potential customer and the dealer. Another reason is that while customers are obviously purchasing these systems, they rarely let the public know that they are installed.

Some fear that by publicizing gunshot detections use, they are openly admitting that it could happen here. The solution to lessening this stigma starts with manufacturers working closely with dealers to win approval for case studies. Dealers will win more business by encouraging existing customers to engage in case studies and provide peer-to-peer references.

In most cases, the manufacturer can help the dealer develop this relationship and reduce any concerns that the customer might have regarding how the information is being disclosed.

For example, Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) sales and marketing teams continuously evaluate feedback from customers and develop communications that speak directly to a specific vertical. Secondly, dealers should take full advantage of the marketing and communications resources offered by manufacturers.

Dealers should ask if they offer services that can help develop tailored marketing content and if there is a strong national sales team in place who can provide impactful presentations and field sales support.

In addition, dealers will want to find out if their information is backed by certifications, third-party testing and validation of the product. These types of resources will have a huge impact when beginning the active shooter discussion with prospects or when adding recommendations to RFIs.

One forgotten aspect of gunshot detection systems is that they provide the dealer with another recurring revenue stream. Just like fire alarm systems, gunshot detection systems should be tested at least once a year.

Reputable manufacturers will have sensors that report malfunctions or tampering immediately to their monitoring systems, but an annual testing or maintenance contract should be part of every dealers sales agreement.

Gunshot detection systems reduce response times, decrease the possibility of human-generated false alerts, and deliver clarity during times of extreme stress.

Dealers that offer SDS Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System have an easy-to-use handheld unit that tests each sensor without disrupting normal business operations. In this way, dealers have another opportunity to check in with the customer, build confidence in existing systems, and generate a natural opening for discussing new products or services.

One of SDS large high school customers recently commented that these annual tests are not only welcome by the technology staff but provide a valuable reminder to review active shooter procedures for new team members who may not be familiar with the systems.

Carrying a gunshot detection system also allows the dealer to start a security assessment discussion from a different angle. For example, did the client have a security audit performed recently? If so, what were the audit recommendations for an active shooter? Simple questions like these open the door for a holistic discussion to addressing multiple security threats and showcase the dealers advanced service offerings.

Gunshot detection starts with the sensor. Best-in-class gunshot detection sensor offerings will provide clients with the highest level of detection accuracy preferably tested by independent third parties.

Just as dealers should vet any security product, service providers will want to take a little time to dig into the technical approach taken by the manufacturer to address the problem. As mentioned, quality gunshot detectors should have third-party testing results available to demonstrate that the sensors detect gunfire under a wide range of conditions and return the lowest possible false alert rate.

Certifications from federal agencies like DHS SAFETY Act program are also a strong signal of product excellence and the manufacturers commitment to be a leader in the industry.

To obtain a red seal of SAFETY Act approval (a Certified product, as opposed to Designated, or a Developmental Testing and Designation/DT&E) a manufacturer must be able to produce not only test data, but at least three verifiable customer references with installations dating back two years or more.

When looking at the landscape of gunshot detection providers one will find that many have come to market and vanished, and many are new. Dealers should perform rigorous due diligence on both the companys standing in the industry and the core technology in use.

For example, does the sensor incorporate acoustics with additional technology to help reduce false alerts? If not, are there environments where the technology will not work well or is it excluding any types of ammunition from detection? SDS solution, for example, relies on both acoustic and infrared signals to filter out detections from other loud, nonballistic noises in the environment and is specified to detect as low as a .22 caliber.

Also, working with a manufacturer that has a history of supporting a wide range of industry verticals enterprise, federal and education for example ensures that the support team behind the product can successfully guide re-sellers through each RFP and help them win the contract.

Finally, manufacturers that support a large number of certified integrations with leading VMS, mass notification and access control systems can give important feedback on past projects and help build confidence with end users.

There is valuable information locked away in the minds of the sales engineers of leading manufacturers and they should be available to help dealers design a cost-effective solution and reduce potential project headaches. Some dealers might be concerned that gunshot detection solutions are only for high-end clients and may not be economically viable for smaller customers.

Manufacturers are aware of this, and dealers should not hesitate to ask once the projects scope has been established if there are discounts or funding programs available to support clients such as schools and nonprofits.

Between federal or state funding programs and the manufacturers support in delivering sensor coverage only where they are truly needed, the cost for the additional security layer, and ensuring that law enforcement responds as quickly and efficiently as possible, can be very reasonable.

Security professionals have long employed the strategy of layered technologies as a means of protecting assets and mitigating threats.

Focusing on the first two of the common 5 Ds framework of Deter, Detect, Deny, Delay and Defend, facility security can potentially deter a person from entering a facility with a weapon or other banned object by having a strict policy against these items, then having staff detect by doing bag checks, using metal detecting wands and having physical pocket emptying practices.

However, these practices, when applied in a public venue setting for example, can also deter visitors that dont want to wait in lines or subject themselves and their property to searches. Applying this same concept specifically to the problem of active shooter preparedness and response, it makes sense to leverage other approaches to detect threats at the door.

Dealers will win more business by encouraging existing customers to engage in case studies and provide peer-to-peer references.

Unlike older metal detectors or X-ray machines, a few companies now provide millimeter-band, multisensor scanners (passive or active and most with some type of AI) to detect concealed weapons as people enter an enclosed space.

The technology builds an image of the weapon based on the collection of (passive) or scanning of (active) individuals passing through sensor columns. Advantages include higher pass-through rates and an improved ability to ignore smaller, everyday objects.

While an excellent approach for stadiums and airports, attacks from employees or insiders are still possible as they may know where the systems are not deployed or when they may be inactive.

It can be cost-prohibitive to deploy these systems at every entry, so the key to success is having a robust screening policy that includes a zero tolerance for nonscreening of employees and trusted vendors who have access to additional entry points.

There are companies offering software incorporated into an existing VMS to recognize objects or behaviors (usually applying AI or machine learning to improve the object recognition algorithm) as a means of weapons detection.

A newcomer to the security scene, this technology boasts a lower cost as a selling factor; however, it is important to understand that very high-quality IP cameras are needed which the customer may not have and they must be carefully placed with a high amount of coverage in order to be effective.

These are still prone to a high false alert rate and typically a human being is required to validate the image captured by the system. Some systems offer a companion monitoring service to help verify detections, which also means that data must leave the customer facility to be analyzed.

If we cant deter, we can deploy multiple layers to detect, which then help security teams physically deny, delay and defend. By deploying a layered approach that includes an electronic means of screening for weapons, combined with a gunshot detection system to mitigate the insider threat and capture the bad actors that find a way through, dealers can help give customers a fighting chance at mitigating the risk of an active shooter attack.

Rich Onofrio is Managing Director for Shooter Detection Systems.

Originally posted here:

Gunshot Detection: How to Introduce the Technology to Your Customers - Security Sales & Integration

Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, talks about mRNA technologies during the 2022 Harrington Lecture at Spring Clinical Day June 4 at the Jacobs School.

The scientist, who with a collaborator, invented and developed the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that is the basis for Pfizer-BioNTechs and Modernas COVID-19 vaccines, embodies the textbook definition of perseverance.

Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, Roberts Family Professor in vaccine research at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, spoke about his efforts to advance RNA technologies for use in vaccines during Spring Clinical Day at the University at Buffalos 175th anniversary celebration June 4.

Studies Begun in Obscurity Make Worldwide Impact

Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, left, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD.

Weissman was the keynote speaker for the Harrington Lecture and his talk, titled Collaboration That Caught Fire: Decades of Research that Led to SARS-Cov-2 Vaccines, detailed the arduous tasks he undertook in collaboration with Katalin Karik, PhD, adjunct professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior vice president at BioNTech.

Weissman and Karik have been studying RNA for use in vaccines for more than 15 years and have dreamed about the seemingly endless possibilities for treating diseases with custom-made mRNA, but for many of the early years they did so in complete obscurity and without any funding.

Weissman and Karik are the recipients of the 2021 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award that often precedes a Nobel Prize; and the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the worlds largest science prize, among many other international awards.

The story of how Dr. Weissman and his collaborators maintained their focus and determination against formidable trials and tribulations is truly inspirational, said Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, UBs vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

More than 15 years ago, Weissman and Karik found a way to modify mRNA and later developed a delivery technique to package the mRNA in fat droplets called lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), Brashear noted as she introduced Weissman.

Researchers Need to be Curious and Creative

Weissman said he was highly honored to be asked to deliver the Harrington Lecture and be a part of the schools 175th anniversary celebration.

Medical schools are the foundation of basic science research in our country so I am here to support all of basic science research, he said.

Weissman said he is often asked what the most important attributes of a researcher are.

My response is always that there is not a particular personality. You do not have to be an introvert. You do not have to be a particular type of person to be a researcher, he said. But I do believe that you have to be curious and you have to be creative. And you need a level of intelligence to be able to take the creativity and develop new things and figure out how to turn those into true therapeutics.

Somewhat unexpectedly, Weissman also likened research to the arcade game of whack-a-mole.

Youre bright enough and you are creative. What happens then is new ideas keep popping into your mind, he said. And the question is, what do you do with these new ideas? How do you decide which ideas are good and deserve to be followed up on? Science is a game of whack-a-mole. Its finding the right project and hitting it.

Collaboration, Perseverance Keys to Success

Weissman went on to lay out the basic timeline on mRNA therapeutics.

I always laugh because when I talk to lay audiences I always hear comments like oh, I am afraid of this vaccine because it was invented in 10 months. And I have to say well, that is not exactly true. mRNA was discovered in 1961. The first time it was injected into an animal was 1990.

Weissman said what followed was a lot of collaborative research efforts, including those of his with Karik, which he said started around 1998.

It wasnt a simple step. It wasnt somebody found RNA, they stuck it into an animal, made a vaccine and they were done, he said. It was hundreds and hundreds of people and thousands of experiments that people did together to develop mRNA therapeutics.

Weissman said he first started working with Karik after they met at a copy machine.

Back in those days, the only way you could read a journal article was to photocopy the journal, he said. And we both read a lot and we both fought over the copy machine so we started talking.

He said they soon started collaborating on their research, but did not receive any grant funding until 2007 almost 10 years of work without any funding.

Katie and I would work side-by-side in the lab. We did not have any technicians or postdocs helping us do this, Weissman said. Katie would make the RNA and I would add it to cells or give it to mice. We would sit and discuss the results.

It was not until 2019 and 2020 that grants started to come a lot easier, he noted.

What that brings up is perseverance and my favorite quote from Winston Churchill about perseverance: If youre going through Hell, keep going.

Weissman said the duos moment of success occurred when the first Phase III clinical trials came out for mRNA vaccines and they showed nearly 95 percent efficacy and incredible safety.

This was our shining moment, that Katie and I were suddenly recognized for what we had spent 25 years working on, he said.

mRNA Therapeutics Have Enormous Potential

A panel of faculty experts join Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, on stage for a Q&A session. From left, are Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD; Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD; Gabriela K. Popescu, PhD; and Thomas A. Russo, MD.

Weissman said he wanted to focus on the future because that is what interests him the most.

Talking about the past is great, but I dont have a great memory, so I am always forgetting the past, he said. But I am interested in the future. What the mRNA therapeutic landscape is useful for is that it is a platform, which means that it has an enormous number of potential uses.

Were developing vaccines for some of the more critical diseases in the world, where previous vaccines have failed; things like malaria, hepatitis C, HIV and many others, Weissman said.

But thats not all that you can do with an RNA vaccine. We are developing vaccines for food and environmental allergens for things like peanuts, dust mites and tree pollen.

Weissman said therapeutics are also being developed for autoimmune diseases and cancers.

He said he is especially interested in mRNA therapeutics, which is the delivering of a protein to a cell of interest.

The big difference is that with RNA you can replace intracellular proteins, so these are proteins inside the cell things like the CFTR gene, which is the defective gene in cystic fibrosis, and any other genetic deficiencies. We can deliver gene editing technology to fix broken genes, Weissman said.

Ive talked about all the vaccines we are developing, but I think mRNA therapeutics in the future is going to be even wider and have many more diseases that it can treat.

For the final slide in his presentation, Weissman said he needed to thank all of the people in his lab and all of the people in the labs he has collaborated so it included a list of the names of dozens of researchers who have worked on mRNA technologies.

Katie and I get a lot of awards for this, but were not the only people involved. There were many more researchers both before and after us.

Following the lecture, a panel of Jacobs School faculty experts joined Weissman on stage to ask him some follow-up questions.

The panel consisted of:

Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD, SUNY Empire Innovation associate professor of biomedical engineering

Gabriela K. Popescu, PhD, professor of biochemistry

Thomas A. Russo, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases

Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry

Distinguished Alumni Awards Presented

From left, alumni honorees Robert Gore, MD 02; Kanneth L. Gayles, MD 73; and Jessica L. Reynolds, PhD 04.

The Jacobs School Distinguished Alumni Awards were also presented to:

He is the founder and executive director of the Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI), an internationally recognized hospital, school and community based youth violence intervention, prevention and empowerment program.

In 2018, as a result of his efforts with KAVI, Gore was named a Top 10 CNN Hero, a global honor that celebrates everyday people changing the world. That same year, he was also named to the Class of Presidential Leadership Scholars.

Her innovative research focuses on the development of therapeutic delivery tools using nanomedicine to modulate both the nervous and immune systems.

Reynolds was recognized for her excellence and expertise in nanomedicine for cancer, as well as for her research focused on HIV, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, including her recent study on the testing implications of COVID-19.

Gaylesis a cardiovascular specialist who treats more than 6,000 cardiac care patients annually. He is the owner of Gayles Medical practice.

Gayles is board certified in cardiovascular diseases and internal medicine and has over four decades of experience diagnosing and treating congenital heart defects, heart failure, coronary artery disease and other heart problems.

He is senior vice president of the Greater Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network and was the first African-American invasive cardiologist in Western New York.

Nowak Honored by UB Alumni Association

Norma J. Nowak, PhD 86

The UB Alumni Association presented its Distinguished Alumni Award toNorma J. Nowak, PhD 86, professor ofbiochemistryand executive director of the universitysNew York State Center for Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences.

Nowak is widely recognized in the field of human genomics; her research contributed directly to the Human Genome Project, an international research program.

She founded and is chief scientific officer of Empire Genomics, a molecular diagnostics firm. After conducting disease cloning research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (RPCCC), Nowak served as director of the UB/RPCCC Genomics Facility, a collaborative research lab.

She has garnered more than $70 million in funding, is a member of state-level review boards, and has served in an editorial capacity for important journals. Among her many awards are the American Association of Cancer Research Team Science award, and RPCCCs Thomas B. Tomasi award for her outstanding achievements in science.

Brashear noted it was her first alumni weekend and Harrington Lecture at UB.

I want to thank all of the alumni who shared their memories of UB and their aspirations for the future of the Jacobs School of Medicine, she said.

Spring Clinical Day is made possible by the D.W. Harrington Lecture Endowment.The Harrington is UBs longest-running lecture series, established in 1896.

The event is a collaboration between partners in the Jacobs School, the Medical Alumni Association,Office of Medical Advancementand theOffice of Graduate Medical Education.

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Behind-The-Scenes of RNA Technology a Fascinating Tale - ubmd.com

Pune, June 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market by Vendor Assessment, Technology Assessment, Partner & Customer Ecosystem, type/solution, service, organization size, end-use verticals, and Region Global Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market Forecast to 2030, published by M arket Data Centre, The Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market is projected to grow at a solid pace during the forecast period. The presence of key players in the ecosystem has led to a compsetitive and diverse market. The advancement of digital transformation initiatives across multiple industries is expected to drive the worldwide Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market during the study period.

This COVID-19 analysis of the report includes COVID-19 IMPACT on the production and, demand, supply chain. This report provides a detailed historical analysis of the global Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market from 2017-to 2021 and provides extensive market forecasts from 2022-to 2030 by region/country and subsectors. The report covers the revenue, sales volume, price, historical growth, and future perspectives in the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market.

The Global Assisted Reproductive Technology Market size is projected to grow from USD 21.2 Billion in 2022 to USD 47.9 Billion by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.7% during the forecast period (2022-2030).

Download Free Sample PDF@ https://www.marketdatacentre.com/samplepdf/10433

Regional Analysis:

On the basis of Geography, the Global Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to hold a considerable share in the global Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market. Due to increasing investment for research and development process and adoption of solutions in the region whereas Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a faster pace during the forecasted period.

The growing number of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market players across regions is expected to drive market growth further. Moreover, increasing investments by prominent vendors in product capabilities and business expansion is expected to fuel the market during the study period. Many market players are finding lucrative opportunities in emerging economies like China and India, where the large populations are coupled with new innovations in numerous industries.

In deep ToC includes

233 Tables

45 Figures

300 Pages

Get a Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.marketdatacentre.com/sample/10433

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION1.1. Market Definition1.2. Market Segmentation1.3. Geographic Scope1.4. Years Considered: Historical Years 2017 & 2020; Base Year 2021; Forecast Years 2022 to 20301.5. Currency Used2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.1. Research Framework2.2. Data Collection Technique2.3. Data Sources2.3.1. Secondary Sources2.3.2. Primary Sources2.4. Market Estimation Methodology2.4.1. Bottom-Up Approach2.4.2. Top-Down Approach2.5. Data Validation and Triangulation2.5.1. Market Forecast Model2.5.2. Limitations/Assumptions of the Study3. ABSTRACT OF THE STUDY4. MARKET DYNAMICS ASSESSMENT4.1. Overview4.2. Drivers4.3. Barriers/Challenges4.4. Opportunities5. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS6. PRICING ANALYSIS7. SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS8. MARKET SIZING AND FORECASTING8.1. Global - Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market Analysis & Forecast, By Region8.2. Global - Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market Analysis & Forecast, By Segment8.2.1. North America Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Segment8.2.2. North America Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Country8.2.2.1. US8.2.2.2. Canada8.2.3. Europe Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Segment8.2.4. Europe Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Country8.2.4.1. Germany8.2.4.2. UK8.2.4.3. France8.2.4.4. Rest of Europe (ROE)8.2.5. Asia Pacific Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Segment8.2.6. Asia Pacific Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Country8.2.6.1. China8.2.6.2. Japan8.2.6.3. India8.2.6.4. Rest of Asia Pacific (RoAPAC)8.2.7. Rest of the World (ROW) Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Segment8.2.8. Rest of the World (ROW) Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, By Country8.2.8.1. Latin America8.2.8.2. Middle East & Africa

ToC can be modified as per clients' business requirements*

Read Overview of the Report @ https://www.marketdatacentre.com/assisted-reproductive-technology-art-market-10433

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

Vendor Assessment

Vendor assessment includes a deep analysis of how vendors are addressing the demand in the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market. The MDC CompetetiveScape model was used to assess qualitative and quantitative insights in this assessment. MDC's CompetitiveScape is a structured method for identifying key players and outlining their strengths, relevant characteristics, and outreach strategy. MDC's CompetitiveScape allows organizations to analyze the environmental factors that influence their business, set goals, and identify new marketing strategies. MDC Research analysts conduct a thorough investigation of vendors' solutions, services, programs, marketing, organization size, geographic focus, type of organization and strategies.

Technology Assessment

Technology dramatically impacts business productivity, growth and efficiency.Technologies can help companies develop competitive advantages, but choosing them can be one of the most demanding decisions for businesses. Technology assessment helps organizations to understand their current situation with respect to technology and offer a roadmap where they might want to go and scale their business. A well-defined process to assess and select technology solutions can help organizations reduce risk, achieve objectives, identify the problem, and solve it in the right way. Technology assessment can help businesses identify which technologies to invest in, meet industry standards, compete against competitors.

Business Ecosystem Analysis

Advancements in technology and digitalization have changed the way companies do business; the concept of a business ecosystem helps businesses understand how to thrive in this changing environment. Business ecosystems provide organizations with opportunities to integrate technology in their daily business operations and improve research and business competency. The business ecosystem includes a network of interlinked companies that compete and cooperate to increase sales, improve profitability, and succeed in their markets. An ecosystem analysis is a business network analysis that includes the relationships amongst suppliers, distributors, and end-users in delivering a product or service.

Check the Discount on this Report @ https://www.marketdatacentre.com/discount/10433

Regions and Countries Covered

North America (US, Canada), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, Australia, India, Rest of Asia-Pacific), and Rest of the World (RoW).

Report Coverage

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market Dynamics, Covid-19 Impact on the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market, Vendor Profiles, Vendor Assessment, Strategies, Technology Assessment, Product Mapping, Industry Outlook, Economic Analysis, Segmental Analysis, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Market Sizing, Analysis Tables.

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Market Data Centre (Subsidiary of Yellow Bricks Global Services Private Limited)

Market Data Centre offers complete solutions for market research reports in miscellaneous businesses.These decisions making process depend on wider and systematic extremely important information created through extensive study as well as the most recent trends going on in the industry.The company also attempts to offer much better customer-friendly services and appropriate business information to achieve our clients ideas.

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Assisted Reproductive Technology Market - Revolutionizing Trends in the Infertility Treatment | Current Scenario with Future Scope Analysis - MDC...

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ESE Entertainment Inc. (ESE or the Company)(TSXV: ESE) (OTCQB: ENTEF) is pleased to announce that its Digital Motorsports brand will be exhibiting at the Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival on June 16 to 18, 2022, during the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

Since 1999, the historic festival has taken place on Crescent Street in downtown Montreal and is the epicenter for race fans during the Grand Prix week. Digital Motorsports will showcase their latest F1-inspired simulators on two separate activation sites right in the heart of crescent street. A total of four professional grade simulators will be linked via computer servers, enabling fans to race against each other on the virtual Circuit De Gilles Villeneuve racetrack in the latest F1-inspired cars. Daily time trial challenges for the fastest drivers of the day will take place, as well as exclusive offers on custom simulator packages created specifically for the event. Company stakeholders and investors are encouraged to visit the Digital Motorsports activations in person and experience DigitalMotorsports.com products and technologies.

Digital Motorsports Director of Sales and Marketing, Rob King, commented, We're extremely excited to showcase our pro-spec simulators to the public at the Grand Prix in Montreal. Typically, this level of simulator is used by professional drivers for training but now DigitalMotorsports.com can offer the same product to consumers for personal home use and recreational use. We can't wait to give the public a real professional driving experience.

Konrad Wasiela, CEO of ESE, commented, As a company, we are proud to showcase our technologies and products at the Montreal Grand Prix. This exhibition will be a clear demonstration of our capabilities and we are excited to share it with stakeholders and investors. Further, our Montreal office continues to expand its team, increasing our North American reach and business.

Story continues

About ESEESE is a Europe based entertainment and technology company focused on gaming and esports. The Company provides a range of services to leading video game developers, publishers, and brands by providing technology, infrastructure, and fan engagement services internationally. ESE also operates its own ecommerce channels, esports teams, and gaming leagues. In addition to the Companys organic growth opportunities, the Company is considering selective acquisitions that align with its objective of becoming a dominant global player in esports technology and infrastructure. | http://www.esegaming.com

Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or achievements that ESE anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys participation in the Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival, and the benefits of the same to the Company. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ESE to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to ESE, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth, results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of ESE should be considered highly speculative.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE ESE Entertainment Inc.For further information about ESE, please contact:Apollo Shareholder Relationsinvestors@esegaming.com+1 604-259-7540

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ESE to Exhibit its Technology and Gaming Simulators at Montreal's Crescent Street Grand Prix Festival, June 16 to 18 - Yahoo Finance

Businesses desire for efficiency is the key motivating factor encouraging the adoption of innovative technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT), new research has revealed.

According to the Digital Transformation & Next-Gen Business Technologies, 2022 Report, carried out by cloud-based accounting software platform, bluQube Accounting Software, almost two-thirds of businesses (65 per cent) now cite a need to increase efficiency in their organisation as their primary motivator for adopting digital technologies within their business, compared with 44 per cent who highlighted cost savings.

The desire to improve efficiency and productivity was reflected in the technologies that are becoming increasingly prominent in businesses. According to the research, nearly a third of company leaders (30 per cent) now report making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, which through automation can save significant time on onerous processes such as data entry.

Unsurprisingly, cost savings remain a significant factor behind why 44 per cent of businesses are turning to technology and almost four in 10 businesses (39 per cent) highlighted a desire to provide a better experience for their customers, underlining the awareness amongst business owners of the correlation between technology and better customer outcomes.

Notably, almost a third (32 per cent) of company leaders reported that improving sustainability in their business was their main reason behind use of technology, as environmental concerns continue to factor increasingly prominently within organisations wider offering.

The enforced shift to remote working due to the covid-19 pandemic also drove a surge in technology investments. Nearly one in three businesses (32 per cent) said that aiding the transition to remote working was where digital transformation has driven the most noticeable benefits, and, according to the research, remote working led to over three quarters (76 per cent) of businesses bringing forward plans to invest and implement new digital technologies.

Looking to the other side of the scale, the research also identified a number of barriers preventing the uptake of further digital transformation in businesses. Fears over digital security breaches, which have plagued a number of high-profile companies over the past few years, were cited by 35 per cent of respondents the most popular option, followed by cost concerns (34 per cent) and a lack of time to implement and train staff (32 per cent).

Simon Kearsley, CEO of bluQube bluQube Accounting Software, commented: Digital transformation projects are no longer confined to a handful of forward-thinking companies indeed, they are being undertaken in varying capacities by the overwhelming majority of businesses across all sectors.

It is encouraging to see factors such as efficiency and service quality ranking alongside and even above financial factors for businesses when it comes to investing in technology. Businesses that focus on leveraging technology in a way that frees up their staff to tackle more business-critical, strategic work, not just to save costs, are highly likely to be those that grow and flourish in the coming years in terms of profits, reputation and the happiness of their people.

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Two-thirds of Businesses Adopt Technology To Improve Efficiency - The Fintech Times

Researchers have identified a virus that could serve as a vector for a "self-spreading" bat rabies vaccine. South American vampire bats are susceptible to the virus known as Desmodus rotundus betaherpesvirus. Credit: Josh More. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Scientists in Scotland recently penned the latest installment in the literature about the quest for self-spreading vaccines, inoculations that could move through animal populations like a disease, but instead of illness, spread immunity. In a new article, University of Glasgow researcher Megan Griffiths and her colleagues identified a herpes virus that might be turned into a vehicle known as a viral vector to spread a rabies vaccine among South American vampire bats. The herpes virus Griffiths highlighted could potentially help researchers overcome a big hurdle for self-spreading vaccine development: Pre-existing immunity to a viral vector used for a vaccine, induced by previous infection with the virus or a related strain, may block the vaccine from spreading. Griffithss team studied a herpes virus that can infect bats even if they were previously infected by related strains and therefore could still be an effective viral vector.

Its a development that Scott Nuismer, a biologist and leading figure in self-spreading vaccine research, said moved us closer to the point where these challenges in deploying a vaccine can be solved. But self-spreading vaccine technology is inherently risky. Once let loose, the vaccine could recombine with human pathogens. Also, it could help malicious actors create viruses capable of causing pandemics. Despite these risks, self-spreading vaccine research appears to be moving forward. Behind the scenes, however, a promising trend is emerging: In journal articles, biosecurity experts and other scientists in the field are grappling with each others ideas and potentially paving the way for discussions that could offer a roadmap for mitigating risks from emerging biotechnologies.

Benefits and risks of self-spreading vaccines. The story of self-spreading vaccines began more than 20 years ago with the study of a vaccine for rabbit haemorrhagic disease that spread from initially inoculated animals to other rabbits, imparting immunity to a large share of the rabbit herd. Until recently, however, few in the media and the general public paid attention to the niche area of study. This changed when, at the height of the first COVID-19 peak, Nuismer and biologist James Bull published an article in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The piece precipitated a raft of media coverage of self-spreading vaccines and sparked expressions of concern from biosecurity experts.

In a primer accompanying Griffithss new study, Nuismer (who wasnt part of the University of Glasgow research) highlighted the most direct potential application of self-spreading vaccines: reducing the risk of human infections with animal pathogens. Self-spreading vaccines could provide a cost-effective way to vaccinate animal populations and reduce the incidence of pathogens capable of infecting humans, in contrast to resource intensive wildlife vaccination drives. Cost-effective animal vaccination could also be used for wildlife conservation and, according to proponents, may even allow the preemptive elimination of pathogens capable of causing pandemicseven if the feasibility of the latter is highly uncertain.

On the other hand, critics have highlighted that the release of a self-spreading virus may have unanticipated and potentially harmful consequences. In their most commonly advocated form, self-spreading vaccines are based on the insertion of a non-pathogenic genetic element of the vaccine target, say the rabies virus, into a transmissible but generally harmless virus. Like traditional inoculations, the self-spreading vaccine could prime a recipients immune system to recognize and fight harmful pathogens.

It is most likely that a self-spreading vaccine will turn back into a harmless virus, as the foreign genetic element (in the case of a rabies vaccine, a non-pathogenic part of rabies virus) is evolutionarily burdensome to the viral vector. Nevertheless, a self-spreading vaccine virus could transfer the foreign genetic element or other genetic modifications to other viruses, including human ones. Such genetic recombination may have unexpected consequences many years later and across borders. A recombined version of a virus released in 1952 for rabbit pest control in France was recently found to kill wild hares in Spain.

Dangerous insights on viral engineering. History shows the risk that a malicious group would use a biological agent as a weapon isnt just a hypothetical concern. In the 1990s, the Japanese doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo sought to engineer biological weapons and almost succeeded. Similar groups gaining access to modern synthetic biology is a source of grave concernespecially the capability to engineer transmissible pathogens capable of causing a pandemic.

As the point of self-spreading vaccines is to transmit autonomously, it seems likely that researchers will be tempted to manipulate the transmissibility of their vaccine viruses. If research on engineering viral transmissibility were successful, the result could be increased capabilities to create pandemic-capable viruses and lowered barriers to their misuse.

Importantly, a focus on optimizing only non-pathogenic vaccine viruses does not protect against the possibility that others might misuse these optimized capabilities. Insights on transmissibility and other genetic modifications may be generalizable and transferable to more pathogenic viruses: The historical biological weapons program of the Soviet Union studied genetic modifications in a related non-pathogenic virus for eventual transfer to the deadly virus that causes smallpox. The frightening bottom line: Scientists optimizing self-spreading vaccines may inadvertently recreate efforts to develop biological weapons.

Research into fine-tuning viral transmissibility, while a particularly concerning case, is only one instance of an accelerating flood of transferable insights applicable to the enhancement of pathogens. The source of these transferable insights are efforts to engineer viruses for an increasing range of therapeutic applications. These include not just vaccine development but also gene and cancer therapy. For instance, cancer researchers are engineering viruses to target specific parts of the body and modulating interactions with the immune system. These fields have not classically featured consideration of dual-use risks, and researchers and funding bodies are frequently not aware of the misuse potential of their work.

This unawareness is troubling as platform approaches and general-purpose methods from these areas of science increasingly drive viral engineering capabilities.

An opportunity for actionable progress. In 1975, leading experts came together at the Asilomar Conference to lay the path for the safe and ethical use of genetic engineering. The resulting guidelines have had long-lasting effects on the field. A recent twist of the self-spreading vaccine saga provides an opportunity for similar multi-disciplinary discussions on safety and ethics. In March, concerned biosecurity experts and advocates came head-to-head in dueling pieces in the journal Science over the regulation of self-spreading vaccines. Advocates and concerned experts have stepped forward, articulated the benefits and risks of self-spreading vaccines, and engaged with each other in writing. Now, there is momentum for actionable progress which could be realized through in-person discussions.

A goal that unifies both advocates and critics should lie at the heart of such discussion: mitigating disease and improving health outcomes. Outside of contributing to this goal, the development of self-spreading vaccines does not feature intrinsic value. For a given challenge of mitigating disease, different solutions with associated benefits and risks need to be compared. For instance, to reduce the recurring spillover of rabies, vaccines transferred through animal behavior, such as a vaccine paste that inoculates bats as they groom one another, feature most of the benefits of self-spreading vaccines but comparatively little risk. For preventing future pandemics, self-spreading vaccines need to be compared against investments in healthcare systems, fast response vaccine platforms, or the detection of pathogen spillover at the animal-human interface. Where funding bodies and researchers are exploring self-spreading vaccines, comparative risk-benefit assessment could guide decisions on what virus to base the vaccine on and what engineering approaches to explore. For instance, a strong commitment by self-spreading vaccine researchers to never optimize transmissibility could significantly cut risks while retaining the vast majority of benefits.

In a time where risks are associated with an ever-greater fraction of life sciences research, the crucial point for considering risks is not after a project has been funded but before. In the absence of clear benefits of one project over another, the lowest risk avenue should be pursued. For instance, certain viral engineering approaches feature less risks of being transferable to pathogens and should be explored preferentially for vaccines or cancer therapy. Comparative risk-benefit assessment can mitigate the misuse potential of our research portfolio without sacrificing benefits.

A productive discussion of self-spreading vaccines would be an important step on the road to addressing one of the greatest challenges of the coming decades: how to manage the proliferation of the ability to create pandemic viruses.

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As self-spreading vaccine technology moves forward, dialogue on its risks should follow - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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17 Education & Technology Group Inc.(YQ -21.31%)Q12022 Earnings CallJun 09, 2022, 9:00 p.m. ET

Operator

Good evening, and good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for standing by for 17EdTech's first quarter 2022 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in listen-only mode. After the management's prepared remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session. [Operator instructions] As a reminder, today's conference call is being recorded.

I would now like to turn the meeting over to your host for today's call, Ms. Lara Zhao, 17EdTech's investor relations manager. Please proceed, Lara.

Lara Zhao -- Investor Relations Manager

Thank you, operator. Hello, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. Our new earnings release was distributed earlier today and is available on our IR website. Joining us today are Mr.

Andy Chang Liu, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer; and Mr. Michael Chao Du, director and chief financial officer. Andy will go through our latest business performance and strategies followed by Michael, who will discuss our financial performance and guidance. They will be available to answer your questions during the Q&A session after the prepared remarks.

Before we begin, I'd like to remind you that this conference call contains forward-looking statements as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the company's control. These risks may cause the company's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially.

Further information regarding these or other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the company's filings with the U.S. SEC. The company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. I will now turn the call over to our chairman and chief executive officer, to review some of our business development and strategic direction.

Andy, please go ahead.

Andy Chang Liu -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Lara. Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us on our first quarter 2022 earnings call. We are pleased to report solid performance in the first quarter.

But before we dive into the details, let me provide some quick highlights. First, net revenue was 233.4 million, 11.1% higher than the top end of the estimates provided in March. Second, our operational efficiency continued to improve at the same time resulting in a substantially narrowed GAAP business net loss compared with the same period in 2021, and this allowed us to achieve a positive adjusted net income for the second quarter in a row. Third, our new business strategies continue to gain momentum.

We saw new opportunities as the COVID-19 pandemic and favorable government policy helped evolve market needs and drove new demand for our service. Now let me go into some details. We delivered solid operational and financial results. Net revenue reached RMB 233.4 million, which were 11.1% higher than the high end of our guidance provided in the last quarter.

Again, it is worth mentioning that this was achieved without any legacy online K-12 after-school tutoring services revenues. Our profitability continues to improve as we continue to enhance our cost structures and operational efficiency. For the first quarter, operating expenses decreased by 82.1% year over year. And as a percentage of the revenue as well, although we recorded a net loss of RMB 24.8 million on a GAAP business in the first quarter of 2022, we achieved RMB 9.9 million of adjusted net income compared with an adjusted net loss of RMB 588.8 million in the first quarter of 2021.

For our teaching and learning SaaS business, we continue to see positive trends and demand for our offerings. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education clearly put forward the need to speed up the implementation of digitalizing the education industry on March 1, and national public service platform for Smart Education in primary and secondary schools was officially launched. All of these signaled that the digital transformation in Chinese Education has entered a new area where its focus is centered around teaching and learning scenarios and emphasized services and data application. In May, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission issued the document called Opinions on further purchasing quality external education resources for compulsory education explicitly supporting the procurement of third-party services to enrich the education resources for public schools, including curriculum resources, management services and family education, and guidance services.

During the last few months, China has experienced a number of regional COVID outbreaks. During these outbreaks, we have seen additional demands and opportunities for education bureaus and schools for our teaching and learning SaaS offerings, especially online homework modules, to talk with peers where physical offline schooling was not possible. A number of districts and cities in economically developed regions has already in detailed discussions with us on the procurement of our online homework SaaS component. Specifically, all elementary and secondary schools in Shanghai moved to online learning starting in March.

We have developed a multichannel integrated online education platform, which combined with the aerial classroom, live broadcast interactive platform, and Minhang Smart Homework feature based on our existing modules for Minhang District, Shanghai, delivering a well stock solution that solves multiple problems. Recently, the National Education Resources and Public Services System Alliance also officially announced the results of the three classrooms' application case collection. Among them, the attempt made by [Inaudible] attack using technology to enhance balanced education was successfully selected as a National Education three classrooms' innovative application case. Our pilot product of model, school, and district continue to progress in the generous data insights that brought recognition by schools and educational authorities.

During the quarter, we officially released the data reports for pilot schools and districts in two districts in Shanghai and several cities in Jiangsu province. They were well recognized by [Inaudible] local education authorities and we believe to be a high value of facilities, personalized teaching, and learning process. Xinsong Middle School in Minhang District, Shanghai School serviced by us has been recommended by local authorities as an excellent online teaching case for its innovative automatic homework review functions. Another key component of our teaching and learning SaaS offering.

Our proprietary SmartPen [Inaudible] has won the highest honor of the 2022 German Red Dot Award for its humanized design and excellent quality. The Red Dot Award is one of the world's three major design awards and an international recognition of creativity and design. The [Inaudible] SmartPen realizes pen and paper injection through dot-metric technology helping teachers to complete accurate learning data collection and learning diagnosis to facilitate personalized teaching and learning process for teachers and students. It is a combination of online and offline that creates a closed loop for the high-quality homework with personalized homework [Inaudible].

We're also building a nationwide agent network to help reach wider areas to distribute our teaching and learning SaaS offerings. Official partnership agreements were signed with over 50 distribution agents. Among them, they were Intel, Bank of China and CETC, Bank of China, Intel, and [Inaudible]. In the meantime, we are continuously improving our self-directed learning products based on additional students and paper feedback, as well as latest regulatory requirements.

We have also launched an accompanying hardware and enhanced the study experience with our self-directed learning product and the mobile app, leveraging our experiences, technical services, technical reserves, content, and data insights over the year. We are confident and determined to continue to creating value with our new business strategies in the education technology sector. We have a clear strategy to continue to invest into our teaching and learning SaaS business to facilitate education authorities and schools to implement the digital transformation and upgrading of the public Chinese education sector. We will continue to develop digital applications and resources to help improve teaching and learning efficiencies.

For our self-directed learning products, we believe it has captured the needs of a wide range of groups of families in the post double reduction area and has agreed protection. We will continue to improve and adapt our enhanced effectiveness and user experience of our self-directed learning products with more targeted personalization and content enrichment. We will continue our efforts to build our business into a healthy and sustainably growing business. Now I will turn the call over to Michael, our CFO, to walk you through our latest financial performance.

Thank you.

Michael Chao Du -- Director and Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Andy, and thank you, everyone, for joining the call. I will now walk you through our financial and operating results. Please note that all financial data I talk about will be presented in RMB terms. I would like to remind everyone that the quarterly results we present here should be taken with care and references to potential future performance are subject to impacts from seasonality, one-off event as a result of the series of regulations introduced in 2021, and corresponding adjustment to our business model, organization and workforces among others.

The first quarter of 2022 is the first quarter of operations after we officially received our online K-12 school tutoring services and generate revenue purely from our ongoing businesses. We are delighted to report the second consecutive profitable quarter on an adjusted basis, delivering our guidance that we provided earlier. From a top-line perspective, we reported a net revenue of RMB 233.4 million, 11.1% higher than the top end of our estimate provided earlier, and it presented almost 20 times gross from the K-12 after-school tutoring revenue of RMB 11.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. Gross margin was 60.7% this quarter, improving from 60.4% in the first quarter of 2021.

Our operational efficiency continued to improve. Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2022 decreased to RMB 170.8 million from RMB 953.2 million in the first quarter 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 82.1%. Net loss decreased significantly to RMB 24.8 million for the first quarter of 2022 from RMB 659.7 million in the same period of 2021. Net loss as a percentage of revenue was negative 10.6% in the first quarter of 2022, narrowing from negative 139% in the first quarter of 2021.

On an adjusted basis, our adjusted net income, which excludes share-based compensation expenses, was positive RMB 9.9 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared with an adjusted net loss of RMB 659.7 million in the same period of 2021. We continue to see our business progressing toward the right direction with continuous improvement in operational efficiency and profitability. Next, I'll go through our first quarter financials in greater detail. Net revenue were RMB 233.4 million.

If looking from the whole, this represented a year-over-year decrease of 50.8% from RMB 474.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was mainly due to the cessation of our online K-12 tutoring services by the end of 2021 to be in compliance with the latest TRC regulations, which prohibit the provision of tutoring services related to academic subjects for K-12 students. However, when compared with the net revenues, excluding those from online K-12 tutoring services of the same period last year, our revenue actually increased significantly from RMB 11.2 million last year to RMB 233.4 million during the same period this year. This represented a growth of nearly 20 times.

The majority of net revenues for the first quarter of 2022 was from the company's personalized self-directed learning products and to a less extent, from our teaching and learning services. The latter has a longer cycle to finish the bidding process and to deliver so that the revenue can be recognized as the majority of the clients were education authorities and public schools. Cost of revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was RMB 91.8 million representing a year-over-year decrease of 51.1% from RMB 187.6 million in the first quarter of 2021, which was largely in line with the cessation of our online K-12 tutoring services under the new regulatory and business environment. Gross profit was RMB 141.7 million, representing a year-over-year decrease of 50.6% from RMB 286.6 million in the first quarter of 2021.

Gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 60.7%, improving from 60.4% in the first quarter of 2021. Moving over to the expense side. Total operating expenses were RMB 170.8 million, representing a year-over-year decrease of 82.1% from RMB 953.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. The total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2022 included RMB 34.6 million of share-based compensation expenses.

Sales and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2022 were RMB 22 million, which included RMB 4 million of share-based compensation expenses. This represented a year-over-year decrease of 96.4% from RMB 613.5 million in the first quarter of 2021. This was mainly due to decrease in promotional cost expenses and advertising expenditure as a result of the changing regulatory environment, as well as staff optimization since the regulatory change to be in line with the business adjustments. R&D expenses were RMB 97.5 million including RMB 7.2 million of share-based compensation expenses.

This represented a year-over-year decrease of 53.6% from RMB 209.9 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was again primarily attributable to staff optimization and expense saving measures in line with the business adjustments. G&A expenses were RMB 51.3 million. This included RMB 23.5 million of share-based compensation expenses, represented a year-over-year decrease of 60.5% from RMB 129.7 million in the first quarter 2021.

The decrease was primarily attributed to staff optimization and expense-saving measures in line with the business adjustment. Loss from operations was RMB 29.1 million compared with RMB 666.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. Loss from operations as a percentage of net revenues for the first quarter of 2022 was negative 12.5%, improving from a negative 140.5% in the first quarter of 2021. Net loss was RMB 24.8 million compared with a net loss of RMB 659.7 million in the first quarter of 2021.

Net loss as a percentage of revenue was negative 10.6% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with negative 139.1% in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted net income on a GAAP basis was positive RMB 9.9 million compared with an adjusted net loss of RMB 588.8 million in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted net income as a percentage of net revenue was positive 4.2% in the first quarter of 2022, which substantially improved from negative 124.2% in the first quarter of 2021. With that, I will now provide our business outlook.

Based on our current estimates, total revenues for the second quarter of 2022 are expected to be between RMB 100 million and RMB 120 million. This estimated net revenues for the second quarter of 2022 is expected to be derived entirely from our ongoing businesses after our business transformation and will not include revenues from the legacy online K-12 tutoring services. This estimated range represents a significant increase year over year as compared with the relatively small base of the net revenue generated from online K-12 tutoring services for the second quarter of 2021. The above forecasts reflect 17EdTech's current and preliminary view and is therefore subject to change.

Please refer to the safe harbor statement below for the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. With that, that concludes our prepared remarks. Thank you. Operator, we are now ready to begin the Q&A session.

Operator

Thanks. Totally. We will now begin the question-and-answer session. [Operator instructions] As there are no more questions on the line, I would like to hand the call back to the management for closing.

Lara Zhao -- Investor Relations Manager

Thank you, operator. In closing, on behalf of 17EdTech's management team, we'd like to thank you for your participation on today's call. If you require any further information, please feel free to reach out to us directly. Thank you for joining us today.

This concludes the call.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 24 minutes

Lara Zhao -- Investor Relations Manager

Andy Chang Liu -- Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer

Michael Chao Du -- Director and Chief Financial Officer

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