Pregnancy Causes Sleep And Activity Changes Of Mice And Women

April 30, 2019

ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 30, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Pregnancy causes changes in daily rhythms and activity level beginning in the first trimester in both mice and women, which normally resolve shortly before term delivery, according to a new study from the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center at the University of Washington School of Medicine, published in Journal of Biological Rhythms. March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit for the health of moms and babies.

“This finding is fascinating because while we know that miscarriage, preterm birth, and other serious complications during pregnancy are linked to disruptions in a mom’s circadian rhythm, we don’t know how it works,” says Kelle H. Moley, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for March of Dimes. “This study takes us one step closer to understanding how normal circadian rhythm supports healthy pregnancy.”

Circadian rhythms (the body’s 24-hour internal clock), which involve sleep/wake cycles, metabolism, hormone secretion, activity level, and other physical processes, influence reproduction in many species, including humans. Chronotype is the propensity for an individual to sleep at a particular time during a 24-hour period. Disturbances to these processes known as chronodisruption can be caused by factors such as shift work, time-zone travel, or clock gene mutations, and are associated with poor reproductive outcomes.

“Our observations of the normal advances in chronotype during pregnancy may explain why late chronotype pregnant women are about 2.5 times more likely to develop gestational diabetes in their second trimester than were those who had an earlier chronotype,” wrote the team of authors led by Carmel A. Martin-Fairey, PhD and Erik D. Herzog, PhD. They also note that previous studies have shown women who work at night or on rotating shifts are 60 percent more likely to miscarry or deliver preterm than women who work day shifts.

The researchers also noted that the decreased levels of activity during late pregnancy in mice and throughout pregnancy in women are consistent with a large body of literature and suggest a conserved mechanism that modulates sleep/wake cycles during pregnancy in both species.

“Pregnancy Induces an Earlier Chronotype in Both Mice and Women” by Carmel Martin-Fairey, Erik Herzog, Sarah England, Justin Fay, and Emily Jungheim, et. al., was first published online April 24 in Journal of Biological Rhythms, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0748730419844650.

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we empower every mom and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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SOURCE March of Dimes

CNC Machines Chooses Kissimmee Coast Guard Vet for Veteran to Machinist Scholarship: Part of Effort to Grow and Diversify the Manufacturing Workforce

April 30, 2019

SANFORD, Florida, April 30, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — CNC Machines announced today that it has chosen Cristina Velez Santos of Kissimmee, Florida as the recipient of its Veteran to Machinist scholarship. This is the third of three scholarships the organization will award this year.

CNC Machines, a Florida-based used CNC machine dealer, established the veteran-exclusive scholarship program late last year as a means of supporting both the longevity of the American manufacturing industry and veterans returning to civilian life who want to start new careers. To qualify, applicants submitted 1,000-word essays on why they want to become a machinist.

“We believe in being part of the solution to the manufacturing skills gap. Our goals with this scholarship program are simple: Grow the American manufacturing industry; and support veterans returning to civilian life and in search of their next career,” said Curt Doherty, founder and CEO, CNC Machines.

“A diverse workforce is also essential to closing that skills gap and women are notably underrepresented in the field, making up only about 29 percent of employees,” he added. “Ms. Santos is an outstanding example of the kind of talent that is needed.”

Santos served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years as a Boatswain’s mate third class. During her first two-year stint, she worked aboard the USCG Cutter Elm, which would go to sea two weeks at a time then spent two years at a search and rescue small boat station where she provided translation services between the Coast Guard and local fishermen while on patrol and helped civilians during emergencies. During her service, she performed firefighting, search and rescue, navigation, rigging, deckhand duties, and maintenance; and operated heavy equipment.

“I enjoyed using tools and conducting maintenance the most during my time in the Coast Guard and learned about Valencia College’s Accelerated Skills Program. I signed up for a tour of their Advanced Manufacturing Training Center and I found out about welding as a career option. I knew right away that I had found my career path,” said Santos, who is enrolled in the school’s Welding 1 program full time and works part-time to help pay for her education.

Past recipients of the CNC Machines Veteran to Machinist scholarship include:

Terry Flannery of Cincinnati, Ohio, a disabled U.S. Army veteran who medically retired due to injuries suffered during his 12-year military career. He is pursuing his Artisanship in Woodworking Certificate from the University of Cincinnati’s Wood Technology Program.
Kevin Bruffet, a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, and recipient of the Purple Heart and several other awards and commendations. He is enrolled in the mechatronics program at the Valencia Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Kissimmee, FL.

The Manufacturing Institute, in its publication, From Military Front Lines to Manufacturing Front Lines: Veterans and Your Workforce, concluded from research it conducted, that ex-military personnel make excellent manufacturing workers. The natural fit of veterans with manufacturing has also been called out by other military and manufacturing organizations including Military.com.

For More Information Contact:
Jonathan Alonso, Director, [email protected]

SOURCE CNC Machines

FIBRA Prologis Announces First Quarter 2019 Earnings Results

April 29, 2019

MEXICO CITY, April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — FIBRA Prologis (BMV:FIBRAPL 14), a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico, today reported results for the first quarter of 2019.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE QUARTER:

Period-end occupancy was 97.5 percent.
Net effective rents on rollover increased 5.9 percent.
Weighted average customer retention was 86.9 percent.
Same store cash NOI grew 3.5 percent.
Completed net asset dispositions of US$62 million.
Refinanced US$290.0 million of unsecured senior term loan facilities

Net earnings per CBFI was Ps. 1.0478 (US$0.0538) for the first quarter compared with Ps. 0.9637 (US$0.00501) for the same period in 2018.

Funds from operations (FFO) per CBFI was Ps. 0.8717 (US$0.0447) for the first quarter compared with Ps. 0.8829 (US$0.0458) for the same period in 2018.

STRONG START TO THE YEAR

“FIBRA Prologis had an excellent start to 2019 with better-than-expected operating and financial results,” said Luis Gutiérrez, CEO, Prologis Property Mexico. “Market conditions remain favorable with demand for logistics real estate holding steady across our six markets.”

Operating Portfolio	1Q19	1Q18	Notes
Period End Occupancy	97.5%	96.0%	All six markets recorded higher occupancy
Leases Commenced	1.6 MSF	1.6 MSF	63% of leasing activity related to Monterrey and Guadalajara
Customer Retention	86.9%	73.7%
Net Effective Rent Change	5.9%	13.8%	Led by Monterrey and Reynosa
Cash Same Store NOI	3.5%	6.6%	Higher expense recoveries and rents partly offset by higher bad debt and concessions related to longer lease term

SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION

As of March 31, 2019, FIBRA Prologis’ leverage was 32.3 percent and liquidity was Ps. 6.6 billion (US$340.0 million), which included Ps. 6.2 billion (US$318.0 million) of available capacity on its unsecured credit facility and Ps. 428.0 million (US$22.0 million) of unrestricted cash.

“Following the successful refinancing of our 2020 debt maturity, we now have no maturities until 2022,” said Jorge Girault, senior vice president, Finance, Prologis Property Mexico. “Our balance sheet is in excellent shape with significant liquidity and a level of flexibility that allows us to act opportunistically when the timing is right.”

WEBCAST & CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

FIBRA Prologis will host a live webcast/conference call to discuss quarterly results, current market conditions and future outlook. Here are the event details:

Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at 9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET
Live webcast at www.fibraprologis.com, in the Investor Relations section, by clicking Events
Dial in: +1 877 256 7020 or +1 973 409 9692 and enter Passcode 9345298.

A telephonic replay will be available April 30 – May 7 at +1 855 859 2056 from the U.S. and Canada or at +1 404 537 3406 from all other countries using conference code 9345298. The replay will be posted in the Investor Relations section of the FIBRA Prologis website.

ABOUT FIBRA PROLOGIS

FIBRA Prologis is a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico. As of March 31, 2019, FIBRA Prologis was comprised of 192 logistics and manufacturing facilities in six industrial markets in Mexico totaling 34.9 million square feet (3.2 million square meters) of gross leasable area.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which FIBRA Prologis operates, management’s beliefs and assumptions made by management. Such statements involve uncertainties that could significantly impact FIBRA Prologis financial results. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to rent and occupancy growth, acquisition activity, development activity, disposition activity, general conditions in the geographic areas where we operate, our debt and financial position, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may affect outcomes and results include, but are not limited to: (i) national, international, regional and local economic climates, (ii) changes in financial markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, (iii) increased or unanticipated competition for our properties, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions and development of properties, (v) maintenance of real estate investment trust (“FIBRA”) status and tax structuring, (vi) availability of financing and capital, the levels of debt that we maintain and our credit ratings, (vii) risks related to our investments (viii) environmental uncertainties, including risks of natural disasters, and (ix) those additional factors discussed in reports filed with the “Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores” and the Mexican Stock Exchange by FIBRA Prologis under the heading “Risk Factors.” FIBRA Prologis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this release.

Non-Solicitation – Any securities discussed herein or in the accompanying presentations, if any, have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. Any such announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities discussed herein or in the presentations, if and as applicable.

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SOURCE FIBRA Prologis

The National Alliance for Hispanic Health Partners with CDC’s Anti-Smoking Campaign During National Cancer Control Month

April 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — “If you smoke, quitting is the single best thing you can do for your health and for your loved ones,” said Jane L. Delgado, Ph.D., M.S., President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance). “The Tips® campaign offers advice from former smokers and free support from 1-800-QUIT-NOW (in Spanish from 1-855-DÉJELO-YA), to help motivate smokers to quit,” added Dr. Delgado.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the eighth year of the Tips From Former Smokers campaign with new emotionally powerful ads featuring real people suffering from smoking-related illnesses such as cancer, and the devastating impact of these illnesses on the smokers’ families. Cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanics, and tobacco use is a key risk factor for this disease.

Tips ads will run for 27 weeks on national and cable television, online, and in magazines. The new ads feature: Terrie, who at age 40 was diagnosed with oral and throat cancers and died at 53. Dana, age 38, Terrie’s daughter, who had to live with her mother’s illness and describes how it affected the family’s life. Christine, age 55, who at age 44 was diagnosed with oral cancer, which eventually required doctors to remove half of her jaw. Christine talks about the impact her smoking-related illness has had on her family. And, Susan Nimoy, the wife of Leonard Nimoy, the American actor best known for his role as Spock on Star Trek. She explains how Mr. Nimoy suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as a result of smoking, until his death in 2015.

The Alliance is promoting the 2019 Tips campaign through its Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) Network Program, which is working to increase partnerships and meaningful collaboration to effectively address the threats of commercial tobacco use and reduce the impact of tobacco related cancers in underserved Hispanic communities.

According to Dr. Delgado, “Each year, the tobacco industry spends over $9.3 billion, or more than a million dollars per hour, to promote its deadly products and attract new customers. The Tips campaign is a critical tool to educate our communities about the real impact of smoking and how people can get the help they need to quit. For more information on the Tips Campaign, visit www.cdc.gov/tips or call the Alliance’s Su Familia Helpline at 1-866-783-2645 for information on quitting smoking, talking to a loved one about smoking, or connecting to health services in your local community.”

About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance). The Alliance is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health outcomes for all. For more information visit www.healthyamericas.org.

About Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) Network. Nuestras Voces Network is working to expand multi-sector networks and their capacity to effectively address the threats of commercial tobacco use and reduce the impact of tobacco related cancers on the nation’s health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on reducing disparities in underserved Hispanic communities. For more information and to join Nuestras Voces visit www.nuestrasvoces.org.

SOURCE National Alliance for Hispanic Health

DIR and Cal/OSHA Honor Workers’ Memorial Day

April 29, 2019

State of California Department of Industrial Relations (PRNewsfoto/Department of Industrial Relatio)

OAKLAND, Calif., April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) commemorate Workers’ Memorial Day 2019 and honor California’s workers who lost their lives on the job. This international day of remembrance is held annually on April 28, the date Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 which ensures all workers the right to a safe and healthful workplace.

“Observing Workers’ Memorial Day sends a strong reminder that workplace safety regulations are in place to prevent incidents that can seriously or fatally injure workers,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. “We here at DIR and Cal/OSHA are committed to protecting workplaces every day of the year and ensuring safety rights are upheld.”

A total of 376 Californians lost their lives on the job in 2017, nearly half (46%) of them were Latino. The causes of death range from preventable accidents to workplace violence. These tragedies affect communities both large and small throughout the state.

Cal/OSHA was the first in the nation to adopt a statewide Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) standard in 1991 and also the first to adopt an emergency heat illness prevention regulation in 2005. The emergency regulation became law in 2006 and was amended in 2010 to add high-heat procedures to protect outdoor workers in industries including agriculture, construction, landscaping and oil and gas extraction. The heat illness prevention regulation was further amended in 2015 to increase worker access to water, lower the temperature trigger for shade and expand training for outdoor workers to recognize and address the signs and symptoms of heat illness.

Additionally, workers across the state are protected by permissible exposure limits that go beyond the corresponding federal minimums and cover a wider variety of chemicals. California is proud to have adopted the most comprehensive workplace violence prevention in health care standard in the country and to be the only state to enact a standard to protect workers from aerosol transmissible diseases. Together these efforts help California maintain workplace injury and fatality rates below the national average.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, is the division within the Department of Industrial Relations that helps protect California’s workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace. Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers to improve their health and safety programs. Employers should call (800) 963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services.

Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR’s Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734). The California Workers’ Information line at 866-924-9757 provides recorded information in English and Spanish on a variety of work-related topics. Complaints can also be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices.

Members of the press may contact Erika Monterroza or Peter Melton at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR’s press releases or other departmental updates.

The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR’s Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.

https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR
https://twitter.com/CA_DIR
http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR
http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1

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SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations; California Department of Industrial Relations, Cal/OSHA

Daily folic acid supplement may reduce risk of gestational diabetes

April 29, 2019

BETHESDA, Md., April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Taking a folic acid supplement daily before pregnancy may reduce the risk of gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The findings appear in Diabetes Care.

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, or vitamin B9, which is found in leafy green vegetables, nuts, peas, beans and other foods. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women of reproductive age take a daily supplement containing 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid to reduce the risk of conceiving a child with a neural tube defect, a class of birth defects affecting the brain and spinal cord.

Gestational diabetes results when the level of blood sugar, or glucose, rises too high. It increases a woman’s chances for cesarean delivery and for blood pressure disorders during pregnancy. It also raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes later in life. For infants, gestational diabetes increases the risk of large birth size and of obesity during childhood and adulthood.

In the current study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 15,000 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a long-term study of diet, lifestyle factors and disease outcomes among female nurses. Among more than 20,000 pregnancies, there were 824 cases of gestational diabetes. Compared to women who did not take a folic acid supplement, those who took less than 400 micrograms were 22% less likely to develop gestational diabetes. Those who took 600 micrograms were 30% less likely to develop the condition.

“In addition to reducing the risk for neural tube defects, our findings suggest that taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy might provide a low-cost way to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes,” said the study’s senior author, Cuilin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The researchers did not find a lower risk of gestational diabetes associated with consumption of foods that contain high amounts of folate. They cited earlier studies showing that folic acid is absorbed more easily into the body, compared to the naturally occurring form of the vitamin. Researchers also noted that previous studies have found that insufficient folate is associated with insulin resistance (difficulty using insulin to lower blood glucose), which may precede the development of type 2 diabetes in non-pregnant people.

In addition to funding from NICHD, the study also received support from NIH’s National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Reference
Li, M, et al. Prepregnancy habitual intakes of total, supplemental, and food folate risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study. Diabetes Care. 2019; https://doi.org/10.2337/dc18-2198

About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): NICHD conducts and supports research in the United States and throughout the world on fetal, infant and child development; maternal, child and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit http://www.nichd.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

SOURCE National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Myriam Hemberger Receives 2019 March of Dimes Prize For Breakthrough Research On Placental Biology

April 29, 2019

BALTIMORE, April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — For her pioneering research to explain the biology of the placenta, the crucial organ for pregnancy in humans and most other mammals, Myriam Hemberger, PhD, has been awarded the 2019 March of Dimes and Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize in Developmental Biology. March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit for the health of moms and babies.

Dr. Hemberger, Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada, is a world leader in the study of placental development, with an emphasis on the impact of the placenta on successful pregnancy outcome. Over the years, she has made seminal contributions to our understanding of the epigenetic gene regulation that leads to successful formation of a placenta in the uterus.

Her 2018 paper in Nature on the prevalence of placental defects in mouse embryos with severe developmental defects was a game changer for the field as it highlighted the potential contribution of the placenta to malformations of the fetus in a far greater proportion of cases than previously thought.

As part of this work, Dr. Hemberger and her colleagues also have done groundbreaking research that uncovered a close connection between placental defects and congenital heart disease, for which they won the inaugural Magee Prize from the Richard K. Mellon Foundation in 2018.

“Dr. Hemberger has made amazing advances in our understanding of pregnancy complications and developmental defects,” says Kelle H. Moley, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for March of Dimes. “We are excited to honor her with our top prize in research. Dr. Hemberger’s work to explain events that take place early in development, including the heart-placenta connection, will make it possible in the future for improved diagnosis and treatment for healthier moms and babies.”

The March of Dimes and Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize in Developmental Biology is awarded annually to an outstanding scientist who has profoundly advanced the science that underlies our understanding of prenatal development and pregnancy. Shortly before Dr. Jonas Salk’s death in 1995, March of Dimes created this Prize as a tribute to him. Since 1996, the Prize has been awarded 23 times, 10 times to a single individual and 13 times to a dyad working in the same area. A large number of recipients have subsequently garnered or previously earned other major prizes, including the Nobel Prize.

A native of Germany, Dr. Hemberger earned a diploma in biology and her PhD at the University of Freiburg with work carried out at the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. She completed postdoctoral training at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto and at the University of Calgary.

In 2004, as an MRC Career Development Fellow, Dr. Hemberger started an independent research group at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, England, UK. She was awarded a tenured position there in 2009 and was promoted to senior group leader at Babraham’s Epigenetics Programme in 2014. She moved to Canada to take up her current post in 2018.

Currently, she is also the Theme Lead of the Genes, Development & Health research group at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI). She also has been a core member of the Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR) at the University of Cambridge since its inauguration in 2008, and has served on the CTR’s Board of Managers for the last five years. In 2018, Dr. Hemberger was awarded the Athena SWAN Best Practice Award for pioneering initiatives and commitment to women’s careers in science. She received the IFPA Award in Placentology in 2007 for her contributions to the field.

Dr. Hemberger will deliver the 24th annual Prize Lecture today during the 2019 Pediatric Academy Societies annual meeting at the Baltimore Convention Center. At a dinner ceremony this evening, she will receive the Prize, which is a cash award of $150,000 and a silver medal in the design of the Roosevelt dime, in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who founded March of Dimes.

About March of Dimes

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we stand up for every mom and every baby. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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SOURCE March of Dimes

Parabolt accelerates the cultural transformation of La Segunda

April 29, 2019

MIAMI, April 29,2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Parabolt, the company that transforms innovative ideas into disruptive products, is helping transform the working culture at La Segunda, one of Argentina’s leading insurance companies, through its cutting-edge innovation platform, Kyduk.

Agile decision-making and adapting quickly to change are just some of the challenges large organizations face. That’s something that La Segunda, after 85 years, knew all too well. And so, in October 2018, they embarked upon a new adventure with Kyduk, one of Parabolt’s flagship platforms, as part of a move to transform La Segunda working culture.

“Once an innovation strategy for La Segunda was drawn up, we needed a framework that would allow us to align our efforts,” said Virginia Lingiardi, Innovation Team Leader at La Segunda. “In this context, the innovation framework proposed by Parabolt was very useful in directing and ordering the process of generating ideas and developing them.”

“The interdisciplinary approach proposed by Kyduk enabled us to develop a key dimension in transformation process: the creation of a culture of innovation,” Ms. Lingiardi added. “Through workshops and interdisciplinary teams assigned to work with ideas, innovation began to spread internally and spread throughout the organization.”

“At Parabolt, our goal is to replicate the concept of community and to be a single team with the organizations we work with, sharing our experiences, overcoming obstacles and reaching our goals together,” said Franco Tirabasso, Parabolt’s Innovation Catalyst.

Those who understand the process in depth are aware that opportunities for innovation can be found anywhere in an organization, and could come from any collaborator. After identifying specific problems through interviews with La Segunda executives, an innovation workshop was held with participants from all areas of the company that allowed capturing multiplicity of ideas. And that’s where the fun really began!

Just like a startup in its fledgling days, initially the new ideas generated were only concepts. To support their development, teams were formed to develop the value proposition, carry out a feasibility analysis and produce interactive prototypes for every initiative. Through intermediate evaluation assessments, the ideas were put in competition with each other, ensuring only the best were chosen for development and implementation.

“Together with Parabolt, we have launched an Innovation Hub with a purpose and work processes that are closely aligned with our strategic map, in terms of customer focus, innovation and talent development,” said Lingiardi, La Segunda’s Innovation Team Leader.

About Parabolt

We are a company that transforms innovative ideas into disruptive and scalable businesses. Through our three camps or business portfolios we incubate our own concepts as well as ideas generated by Latin American entrepreneurs and large corporations to transform them into disruptive digital products and collaborative platforms. To find out more visit: http://www.parabolt.net

SOURCE Parabolt

CMC Honors AARP with the 2019 Marketer of the Year Award

April 29, 2019

AHAA: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing is rebranding as Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing, which will continue to elevate the quality and effectiveness of U.S. marketing by harnessing the power of cultural expertise and impact to drive business results.

FAIRFAX, Virginia, April 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Market (CMC) announced today that AARP is the winner of the 2019 CMC Marketer of the Year Award. AARP joins a prestigious short list of elite brands that have received the award, including Ford, McDonald’s, Sprint, State Farm, Toyota, and Walmart. Edna Kane-Williams, SVP of Multicultural Leadership at AARP, will accept the award and discuss the association’s commitment to the Hispanic and Multicultural communities at CMC’s 2019 Annual Summit. The session will take place on Wednesday, June 12, at 9:00 a.m., at the Statler Hotel in Dallas.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Culture Marketing Council as marketer of the year,” said Kane-Williams. “At AARP, we make it our mission to understand the needs of the Hispanic community so that we can better serve it with dedicated creative that positively impacts this growing and influential population.”

To be considered for this prestigious award, companies had to demonstrate a top-down commitment to multicultural marketing and significant spending commensurate with the opportunity in marketing efforts targeting Hispanics. AARP has been a committed and consistent advertiser in the Hispanic market since 2011, with double-digit increases since entering the market. Their 360 approach, which encompasses advertising, branded content, public relations and public affairs efforts, earned them significant recognition in 2018, including CMC Culture Account Planning Excellence Awards, Grand Prix and Gold in the Best Cultural Insight category; the North American Effie Award, Multicultural and Lifestyle Segments; New York Festivals® International TV & Film Awards, Society and Social Issues; New York Latino Film Festival, Finalist in Documentary Category; Public Relations Society of America’s NY Big Apple Awards and Hispanic Public Relations Association’s ¡Bravo! Awards in the Non-Profit Category for “Media Event of the Year” and “Public Affairs Campaign of the Year” category.

“In a time when some brands that were once at the forefront of Hispanic Marketing have reduced levels of investment or taken short-cuts on Hispanic creative, AARP has reinforced its efforts to become a leading example of excellence in Hispanic marketing, communications and outreach,” said CMC Chair Isaac Mizrahi, co-president/COO of Alma. “A big congratulations to AARP and its culture marketing agency d’Exposito & partners!”

Culturally-Fluent Brand Campaign

With AARP having the pulse on the U.S. 50-plus segment, the brand paired its robust data with meaningful cultural insights and idioms to create a memorable and motivating brand campaign that drove brand awareness, familiarity and relevance. A multichannel media strategy delivered the campaign utilizing national television, local radio, national magazines and a robust digital plan that included display, audio, online video, paid search and YouTube.

Redefining the Narrative on Aging

Today, people are reinventing themselves and achieving noteworthy accomplishments at any age. To address these dynamics, AARP launched the Cincuentañeros™ movement, which challenges outdated beliefs and sparks new solutions so that people can choose how to live as they age. The movement leverages the power of social media to shape mainstream conversation, utilizing celebrities and social media influencers that personify the Cincuentañeros concept to lend their voices by sharing their experiences.

An Innovative Approach to Family Caregiving Education
To generate awareness and address the issue of family caregiving, AARP produced “Cada paso del camino,” a film documentary that tells the story of five Hispanic caregivers, in late 2017. The film was released on aarp.org/espanol with segments published on AARP’s Hispanic Facebook page, as well as national broadcasts. The award-winning documentary was screened at film festivals and in local markets across the country, followed by panel discussions that featured subjects in the film.

Public Affairs-Driven Campaigns to Empower 50+

For the 2018 mid-term elections, AARP launched a dedicated voter engagement outreach campaign, called “Sé la diferencia. Vota” to encourage Hispanics age 50-plus to use their voices and vote. The overarching message strategy was customized for this segment to engage them both culturally and emotionally and mobilize them to vote. Creative assets included television spots, online videos, print ads, direct mail, email blasts and collateral materials. AARP also launched Aliados Adelante a dedicated Facebook page with content and conversation on key issues of importance to Hispanics.

In addition, AARP launched a policy agenda, called Disrupting Racial and Ethnic Disparities, to address the grave disparities that exist among people of color age 50-plus in New York and Michigan. AARP commissioned three policy briefs to launch a 3- to- 5-year initiative to identify solutions and implement the necessary policy changes. AARP unveiled the policy briefs at key stakeholder events that included the participation of policy experts, community leaders, academics, elected officials and mainstream and ethnic media. The events resulted in the development of an Action Plan to address the identified disparities.

Taking place June 10-12 at the Statler Hotel in Dallas, the CMC Annual Summit is the premier Multicultural Marketing Conference featuring dynamic and interactive sessions with notable newsmakers, C-suite leaders and top trendsetters in the industry. This year, the summit will focus on the theme Culture-Driven Marketing with thought-provoking content to arm a new generation of culture creators with proven strategies to make an impact in today’s complex marketplace.

For more information, visit culturemarketingcouncil.org and follow CMC on Facebook and Twitter at @cmchispanic using the conference hashtag #culturedriven.

About CMC: Founded in 1996 as the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, the Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing is the national trade organization of all marketing, communications and media firms with trusted Hispanic expertise.

About AARP: AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/635930/Culture_Marketing_Council_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing

Carnival Corporation’s AIDAnova First Ship to be Supplied with LNG in Mediterranean

April 27, 2019

Carnival Corporation’s AIDAnova becomes the world’s first LNG powered cruise ship to call on the Port of Barcelona and the first to be fueled with LNG in the Mediterranean.

MIAMI, April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest leisure travel company, its Germany-based AIDA Cruises brand and numerous representatives from politics, port-related businesses and tourism today celebrated the first-time arrival of the world’s first cruise ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Barcelona.

Upon arrival in Europe’s biggest cruise port, AIDAnova – the newest vessel from AIDA Cruises, Germany’s leader in cruising – was fueled for the first time in the Mediterranean with LNG, the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel. Currently, alongside Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona is the second start-and- end destination for AIDAnova’s seven-day cruises in the Mediterranean. With Carnival Corporation’s partnership with Shell Western LNG B.V. (Shell), the cruise ship will be regularly supplied with LNG at the Spanish metropolis.

Commissioned on Dec. 12, 2008, with four dual-fuel engines and three gas tanks on board, AIDAnova is the world’s first cruise ship that will be operated in port and at sea with low-emission liquefied natural gas. Emissions of particulate matter and sulfur oxides are eliminated almost completely, while nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide emissions are sustainably reduced. Two of the tanks each have a length of around 35 meters, a diameter of 8 meters and a capacity of 1,550 cubic meters. A third, smaller tank with a diameter of 5 meters, is 28 meters long and has a capacity of approximately 520 cubic meters.

It has been over 10 years since Carnival Corporation and AIDA Cruises started investing in LNG propulsion technology. Two additional ships of this new AIDA generation will join the AIDA fleet in 2021 and 2023. Carnival Corporation leads the industry with the adoption of LNG, with a total of 10 next-generation “green” cruise ships able to be powered by LNG in port and at sea on order with delivery dates between 2019 and 2025.

Highlights onboard AIDAnova, which marks an exciting new generation of ships for AIDA Cruises, include new culinary and entertainment offerings such as the Time Machine Restaurant, a street food mile with culinary treats and a floating TV studio. Guests can also enjoy the popular 360-degree Theatrium, the Four Elements adventure deck, complete with three water slides and a climbing garden under the dome of a retractable glass roof and the Beach Club for relaxing on board. AIDAnova also features a 3,500-square meter large wellness area, an outdoor fitness studio, a penthouse suite with two decks, individual staterooms, 17 restaurants and 23 bars.

Until the beginning of November 2019, AIDAnova will be sailing seven-day cruises, calling at some of the Germans’ most popular travel destinations in the Mediterranean – Civitavecchia (Rome), La Spezia (Florence), Marseille and Barcelona.

All of AIDAnova’s current cruises can be booked at travel agencies, by calling the AIDA Customer Center at +49 (0)381/202 707 07 or at www.aida.de.

AIDAnova’s Technical Data:
Shipyard: Meyer Werft, Papenburg (Germany)
Keel laying: September 4, 2017
Commissioning: December 12, 2018
Length: 337 meters
Width: 42 meters
Max. draft: 8.80 m
Gross tonnage: 183,900 GT
Decks: 20
Number of staterooms: 2,626 (21 different stateroom varieties)
Restaurants: 17
Bars: 23
Crew: approx. 1,500

Note for media:
A Photo Gallery of AIDAnova is available here: https://costagroup.thruinc.net/Desktop/Distro/Open/SHORE-019M9IWB484

About AIDA Cruises
AIDA Cruises is one of the fastest growing and most successful tourism businesses in Germany. The company employs about 12,500 people from more than 50 countries on land and on board AIDA ships. AIDA Cruises operates one of the world’s most state-of-the-art fleets, comprised of 13 cruise ships.
Two new LNG cruise ships built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg (Germany) will join the fleet by 2023. More information at www.aida.de

About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of nine of the world’s leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.

Together, the corporation’s cruise lines operate 104 ships with 243,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 19 new ships scheduled to be delivered through 2025. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

With a long history of innovation and providing guests with extraordinary vacation experiences, Carnival Corporation has received thousands of industry awards – including recognition by the Consumer Technology Association™ as a CES® 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for the OceanMedallion™. A revolutionary wearable device that contains a proprietary blend of communication technologies, the OceanMedallion enables the world’s first interactive guest experience platform transforming vacation travel on a large scale into a highly personalized level of customized service. The prestigious CES Innovation Awards honor outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products.

Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com, www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/878210/AIDAnova.jpg

SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc

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