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Global Consortium Identifies Novel Parkinson’s Genetic Risk Factor in African Populations

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Cross-cohort analysis found novel variant in GBA1 gene associated with higher risk of Parkinson’s in people of African ancestryFinding is from Nigerian and U.S. cohorts contributing to the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2), a global effort to deepen understanding of Parkinson’s disease genetics, including in populations traditionally underrepresented in researchCohorts and consortium enabled by support from Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF)Implications for therapies already in human testing targeting the GBA1 pathway and potential for novel treatment approachesNEW YORK, Aug. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Timed to the publishing of a paper in The Lancet Neurology, The Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) announces the discovery of a genetic variant that increases risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in people of African and African admixed populations — a first that may revolutionize treatment for this underserved population and that is a testament to the need for and impact of an international approach to genetic research. The variant on the GBA1 gene was identified by GP2 researchers, led by those at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the University of Lagos in Nigeria, and University College London (UCL). GP2 is a resource program of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative that is funded by the Sergey Brin Family Foundation and implemented by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF).
“This is an historic discovery and the first realization of our goal with GP2 — to provide a comprehensive understanding of the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s disease — which necessitates the inclusion of populations traditionally underrepresented in research,” said Ekemini Riley, PhD, ASAP managing director. “GP2 has significantly advanced the practice of thoughtfully bringing together data across cohorts, countries and continents in a way that has led to this major breakthrough, will continue to accelerate discovery, and lay the groundwork for new therapies to improve the lives of people living with the disease. We thank the participants for sharing their biology, GP2’s principal investigators for their vision, and the research community for their commitment to open science.”
The discovery of a novel GBA1 variant came from a comprehensive first-of-its-kind genome-wide assessment led by GP2 in 1,488 people with PD and 196,430 control volunteers of African and African admixed ancestry. Most participants were part of (i) the Nigerian Parkinson Disease Research Network, (ii) the U.S.-based Black and African American Connections to Parkinson’s Disease (BLAAC PD) study, (iii) the 23andMe research community. Analysis of genomic data was led by scientists at the NIH’s Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias. Other GP2-linked cohorts contributed as well.
The Nigerian Parkinson Disease Research Network is part of the International Parkinson’s Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC) Africa, a collaboration of cohorts across 12 countries to increase the scientific understanding of Parkinson’s disease in Africans. IPDGC Africa is funded in part by MJFF.BLAAC PD is a cross-sectional study collecting a blood or saliva sample and clinical data from Black and African Americans. The BLAAC PD study recently expanded to six sites in the U.S.; it is funded by ASAP and implemented by MJFF.Most participants came from the sizable cohort personal genetics company 23andMe has assembled comprising people who have consented to contribute their data for use in varied research studies.”Genetics study in people of European descent has led to a wave of treatment approaches in development,” said Mie Rizig, MD, co-first author of The Lancet Neurology paper, Lead Coordinator of IPDGC Africa and a Senior Clinical Research Fellow at UCL. “It has been our hope in organizing genetic data from African populations, and in contributing to complementary datasets with GP2, that findings would indicate those therapies have broader application or would illuminate novel targets for a next generation of strategies.”
GP2 Builds Value of Prior Investments in Global Genetics Research
GP2 gathers and analyzes global data and samples from existing cohorts — Parkinson’s and control volunteers — then makes its data available worldwide for additional studies of Parkinson’s genetics. The program is partnering with more than 140 cohorts across 58 locations.
“As researchers and clinicians, our shared responsibility is to make sure Parkinson’s science is representative of all communities around the world,” said Njideka Okubadejo, MD, Professor of Neurology at the University of Lagos, College of Medicine. “This GBA1 result is a step toward that future, where the research field is prioritizing, learning from, and treating all people with Parkinson’s disease.”  
ASAP launched GP2 in 2019, building on previous funding efforts from MJFF to expand global genetics study in populations traditionally underrepresented in research. As early as 2004 The Michael J. Fox Foundation supported the Edmond J. Safra Global Genetics Consortia to generate and share genetics data in varied international populations. Today, GP2 is partnering with over 140 cohorts from around the world, assembling, generating and sharing data to uncover novel insights and similarities.
“The field of Parkinson’s has made leaps of progress in recent decades. That work has been built upon scientific discoveries — like this one — and fueled by research participants and scientists,” said Sohini Chowdhury, MJFF’s chief program officer. “Our work can be exponentially successful if we ensure that our research efforts are inclusive of everyone impacted by this disease. The Foundation and our partners are committed to this work because it is vital to realizing our shared mission of ending Parkinson’s.”
New Variant May Broaden Application of Therapies Already in Testing
While more research is needed to define the exact mechanism of the new variant, initial findings suggest that like prior mutations in GBA1, this variant results in lowered activity of the glucocerebrosidase (GCase) enzyme.
As previously discovered GBA1 variants have been linked to increased risk of Parkinson’s disease — most notably in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent — multiple therapies to increase GCase activity, with varied therapeutic approaches, already are in clinical trials. With further research, the identification of this new GBA1 variant could mean that more people benefit from those treatments.
Researchers can obtain data from the study by accessing the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® (AMP®) program platform, a public-private partnership among the NIH, multiple biopharmaceutical and life sciences companies, and non-profit organizations. MJFF and ASAP are partners in the AMP Parkinson’s disease (AMP PD) program.
“I’m proud to be a part of this,” said Dionne Phillips of Chicago, Illinois, a BLAAC PD study volunteer at the University of Chicago who was diagnosed at age 39. “Everyone asks themselves, ‘Why?’ when they hear that diagnosis. I’m glad we may now have a partial answer and thrilled that it may mean there could be a way to stop it.”
About Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s Disease (ASAP) The Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative is a coordinated research initiative to advance targeted basic research for Parkinson’s disease. ASAP is devoted to accelerating the pace of discovery and informing the path to a cure for Parkinson’s disease through collaboration, research-enabling resources, and data sharing. Led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Randy Schekman and Dr. Ekemini Riley, ASAP is managed by the Coalition for Aligning Science and is working with The Michael J. Fox Foundation to implement its programs. The initiative was incubated at the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy with support from the Sergey Brin Family Foundation. For more information, visit us at www.parkinsonsroadmap.org and Twitter. 
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) As the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson’s disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson’s patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding $1.75 billion in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson’s research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; creates a robust open-access data set and biosample library to speed scientific breakthroughs and treatment with its landmark clinical study, PPMI; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson’s disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson’s awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. For more information, visit us at www.michaeljfox.org, Facebook or Twitter.
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AI-Powered Green Solutions Drive Southeast Asia’s Sustainability Agenda

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October 10, 2024

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AI and ML solutions will drive sustainable growth in the region by improving operations efficiency and facilitating carbon emission monitoring and reporting
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Amid mounting pressure from international organizations and governments to drive sustainable economic growth, global technology intelligence firm ABI Research finds that companies in Southeast Asia (SEA) are rising to the challenge by embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions to meet their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals and demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future. Many SEA countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, already require qualified companies to disclose ESG. Countries such as Singapore and Malaysia have further outlined clearly defined roadmaps to expand ESG reporting to more companies in the future.

“Across vertical industries, AI and ML solutions are being adopted to drive sustainable growth, from enhancing operational efficiency to accountability in tracking carbon emissions. These technologies power innovations such as AI-driven carbon management software and robotic systems. In SEA, the urgency to embrace these solutions is particularly high, as the region is becoming a key target for factory development and is viewed by companies as a major hub for future business expansion. Hence, adopting AI-enabled solutions is increasingly recognized as critical to ensuring sustainable growth in this rapidly growing region,” explains Rachel Kong, Research Analyst at ABI Research.
A recent survey by ABI Research revealed significant interest in AI-based solutions in Malaysia, with more than 50% of respondents from the manufacturing sector deeming AI as an essential component when evaluating new solutions. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software were ranked the top two most important investment areas to support productivity improvements and solution areas in which AI is expected to feature heavily. This trend is expected to be consistent throughout most of the SEA region as well.
Additionally, many innovative solutions are being introduced to support sustainable growth. For example, in the automation industry, Schneider Electric in SEA is developing new technologies for electrification, automation, and digitization by leveraging AI-driven analytics to optimize operations and increase efficiency. Leading innovators in the carbon management software space, such as Zuno Carbon, Evercomm, Unravel Carbon, and Jejakin, have also integrated AI-driven features in their solutions to streamline data collection and improve the overall efficiency of emissions accounting.
“With the tightening of local sustainability reporting regulations in the region, we anticipate more companies to invest in AI and ML technologies to accelerate their sustainable efforts across industries, such as manufacturing, agriculture, supply chain, and finance,” says Matthias Foo, Senior Analyst at ABI Research. “However, it is important to recognize that all enterprises are in different stages of their sustainability journey. Hence, each organization must carefully evaluate AI-based sustainability solutions to determine its overall impact on business operations.”
These findings are from ABI Research’s Leveraging AI and ML for Sustainable Growth in Southeast Asia report. This report is part of the company’s Southeast Asia Digital Transformation research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.
ABI Research是一家全球性的技术情报公司，拥有得天独厚的优势，充当终端市场公司和技术解决方案提供商之间的桥梁，通过提供独家研究和专业性指导，推动成功的技术实施和提供经证明可吸引和留住客户的战略，无缝连接这两大主体。
For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.
Contact Info: 
Global Deborah Petrara Tel: +1.516.624.2558 [email protected]  
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Robin AI Unveils New Features to its Robin Reports Product to Fully Automate the Analysis of Thousands of Contracts at a Time

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October 10, 2024

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Product Delivers for its Fortune 500 Clients Who are Looking for Real Cost-Savings and Direct Benefits from GenAI Tools
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Robin AI, which provides legal AI to businesses in partnership with Anthropic and AWS, today released a new version of its groundbreaking Robin Reports product, just three months after its initial release. Robin Reports is solving business-critical problems for large companies, including speeding up incident management around cyberattacks and M&A due diligence.

Today’s product news is paired with Robin AI’s “State of Legal AI 2024 Report.” The survey finds that 94% of General Counsel have identified generative AI opportunities in their teams, leading to increased tech spending. But the failure of big law firms to deliver generative AI benefits to their clients sets the stage for legal AI companies to replace law firms in more legal tasks in 2025.
Why it matters: The new version of Robin Reports allows a company to audit thousands of documents, with results in minutes — saving lawyers hundreds of hours of work each year. There is no implementation time when using Reports.
Demand for Reports is being driven by Fortune 500 and asset management firms, which Robin pinpoints to their legal teams becoming more business-oriented and increasing their tech spend — with greater spending expected across the board in 2025, per today’s survey of U.S. General Counsel and Heads of Legal Operations teams.Despite increasing tech budgets, Robin’s survey also found that in-house legal departments remained slammed.New features: Legal and investment teams can now build their own reports within the Robin AI web platform, including from a new template library.  Reports also:
Uses Anthropic’s latest Claude Sonnet 3.5 modelsWorks on any type of legal documentIs now optimized for more uses including Due Diligence Reports on Supplier Agreements and Lease Agreements, and Audit Report on NDAsAllows each contract to be searched again and again, and according to new criteria.How Reports is being used: One of Robin’s U.S.-based biotech customers suffered a data breach, and used Reports to analyze nearly 10,000 enterprise customer contracts to identify obligations. Reports allowed the company’s legal team to resolve their notification obligations 93% faster — in under 24 hours — compared to humans working alone. That saved the company 7,500 hours of legal work and around $2.5 million.
Financial institutions are using Reports to meet EU’s DORA compliance audit deadlines.Real estate-focused Private Equity firms are carrying out large scale reviews of Lease Agreements.Major media enterprises are using Reports to bulk review all Talent Agreements.Cambridge University cut the time completed initial due diligence on an investment 98% faster. “No other legal AI product can deliver ‘time to value’ as quickly as Robin Reports,” said CEO and co-founder of Robin AI Richard Robinson.
Only 6% of law firm clients agree they are getting cost savings and other direct benefits of generative AI through their external counsel, per a recent Deloitte survey.
“We’re coming for elite law firms, by helping businesses to take back control of work that until now they’ve relied on external counsel for,” Robinson said. “We’re offering a completely self-serve product that can audit thousands of documents at once. There is no other way for big enterprises to take this volume of data and use Legal AI to structure the data and get a much faster grip on obligations and due diligence.”
Any Robin customer can try the product for free today.
Since the launch of Robin Reports in the summer of 2024, the company has doubled the size of its U.S. operation, driven by strong customer demand among Fortune 2000 and private markets finance firms for the product.  For more information visit robinai.com/reports 
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ToolsGroup Positioned as the Leader in the 2024 SPARK Matrix for Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization by QKS Group

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October 10, 2024

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The QKS Group SPARK Matrix™ provides competitive analysis and ranking of the leading Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization vendors.ToolsGroup with its comprehensive technology and customer experience management, has received strong ratings across the parameters of technology excellence and customer impact.BOSTON, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — QKS Group has named ToolsGroup as a technology leader in their 2024 SPARK Matrix™ analysis of Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization Market.

The QKS Group SPARK Matrix™ evaluates vendors based on technology excellence and customer impact. It offers an in-depth analysis of global market dynamics, major trends, vendor landscapes, and competitive positioning. By providing a competitive analysis and ranking of leading technology vendors, the SPARK Matrix delivers strategic insights that help users assess provider capabilities, differentiate competitively, and understand market positions.
ToolsGroup was chosen as a leader in the 2024 SPARK Matrix for Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization due to its outstanding capabilities in optimizing cloud costs and enhancing operational efficiency in complex multi-cloud environments.
QKS Group defines a Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization as “a strategic process of maintaining an ideal amount of inventory and keeping the right balance between capital investment and service-level goals, across multiple Stock Keeping Units (SKUs). The aim is to minimize the inventory holding cost while fulfilling customer demand. Inventory Optimization leverages historical data, advanced analytics, and generative AI to ensure optimum stock levels at the right time. It also takes into consideration the volatility, risks, and probable disruptions in the supply chain and reduces unnecessary costs, stockouts, and overstocking while optimizing stock levels.”
According to Dharun, Analyst at QKS Group, “ToolsGroup has established itself as a technology leader in the global supply chain inventory optimization market by offering AI-driven, self-adaptive demand and inventory models. The solution automatically defines the optimal inventory mix across multi-echelon supply chains, ensuring high service levels while minimizing costs. ToolsGroup’s advanced features, such as probabilistic forecasting, service-driven optimization, and real-time dynamic data unification, empower businesses to navigate demand uncertainty effectively. With the launch of Decision Hub, ToolsGroup introduces decision-centric planning, allowing supply chain leaders to align on optimal responses to emerging threats and changes in supply-demand dynamics.” Dharun further adds, “ToolsGroup’s year-on-year revenue growth, strong enterprise segmentation, a compelling vision & roadmap, industry-specific capabilities, positions the company as a leader in the SPARK Matrix™: Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization, Q3, 2024”
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“We are proud to be recognized by Quadrant Solutions for the third year in a row as a leader in inventory optimization,” said Kevin Young, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Growth at ToolsGroup. “Our approach is quite unique in the market. We leverage AI driven probabilistic science to model a range of potential outcomes for demand and supply availability. Over 400 customers leverage our solutions to achieve service level goals while significantly reducing inventory investments, transforming their supply chains into a force for good.”
The global supply chain inventory optimization market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the adoption of cloud, AI, ML, blockchain, and IoT technologies. Inventory optimization aims to maintain an ideal stock level while balancing investment and service-level goals. The use of advanced analytics and generative AI allows for the consideration of volatility, risks, and disruptions, ultimately reducing unnecessary costs and stockouts. Current market dynamics highlight the importance of real-time inventory visibility, predictive analytics, and scenario modeling to enhance decision-making. Leading solutions in this market offer comprehensive capabilities, including multi-echelon inventory optimization (MEIO), automated data collection, and generative AI for informed inventory management. As companies strive for more antifragile and autonomous supply chains, inventory optimization remains a key strategic focus to increase efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
Additional Resources:
For more information about ToolsGroupSPARK Matrix: Global Supply Chain Inventory Optimization, Q3, 2024About ToolsGroup:
ToolsGroup’s innovative AI-powered solutions enable retailers, distributors and manufacturers to navigate through supply chain uncertainty. Our retail and supply chain planning suites empower a new level of intelligent decision-making and unlock powerful business improvements in forecast accuracy, service levels and inventory – delighting customers and achieving financial and sustainability KPIs. Stay in touch with ToolsGroup on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube, or visit www.toolsgroup.com.
ToolsGroup Media Contact:
Jason OuelletteEscalate PR for ToolsGroup Email: [email protected]
About QKS Group:
QKS Group is a global advisory and consulting firm focused on helping clients achieve business transformation goals with Strategic Business and Growth advisory services. At QKS Group, our vision is to become an integral part of our client’s business as a strategic knowledge partner. Our research and consulting deliverables are designed to provide comprehensive information and strategic insights for helping clients formulate growth strategies to survive and thrive in ever-changing business environments.
For more available research, please visit https://qksgroup.com/ 
Contact: 
Shraddha Roy PR & Media Relations QKS Group Regus Business Center 35 Village Road, Suite 100, Middleton Massachusetts 01949 United States Email: [email protected] Content Source: https://qksgroup.com/newsroom/toolsgroup-positioned-as-the-leader-in-the-2024-spark-matrix-for-global-supply-chain-inventory-optimization-by-qks-group-798Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/qksgroup/
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