Month: April 2024

Cummins

Watch the latest video from Cummins Water Works featuring Cummins Inc. colleagues working in the wetlands of the Maipo Basin in Chile. Through our partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Cummins Chile employees are volunteering to help restore the High Andean wetlands, which play a crucial role in filtering water that comes from the glaciers and mitigating flooding and erosion.

The Maipo Basin provides 80% of freshwater to Santiago, and water for agriculture, mining and other industries in the region. Cummins employees are helping monitor key water indicators in the wetlands and participating in restoration and conservation activities. So far, their work has generated more than 38 million gallons of net water benefits per year.

About Cummins Inc.

Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments – Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins – supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 75,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned about $735 million on sales of $34.1 billion in 2023. See how Cummins is powering a world that’s always on by accessing news releases and more information at https://www.cummins.com/.

© 2024 Cummins Inc. All rights reserved.

Cummins

Watch the latest video from Cummins Water Works featuring Cummins Inc. colleagues working in the wetlands of the Maipo Basin in Chile. Through our partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Cummins Chile employees are volunteering to help restore the High Andean wetlands, which play a crucial role in filtering water that comes from the glaciers and mitigating flooding and erosion.

The Maipo Basin provides 80% of freshwater to Santiago, and water for agriculture, mining and other industries in the region. Cummins employees are helping monitor key water indicators in the wetlands and participating in restoration and conservation activities. So far, their work has generated more than 38 million gallons of net water benefits per year.

About Cummins Inc.

Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments – Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins – supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company’s commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 75,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned about $735 million on sales of $34.1 billion in 2023. See how Cummins is powering a world that’s always on by accessing news releases and more information at https://www.cummins.com/.

© 2024 Cummins Inc. All rights reserved.

Originally published on Illumina News Center

A recent literature review, published in the Nature journal Genomic Medicine, showed that short-read genomic sequencing (GS) reduces the time it takes to diagnose and treat pediatric patients who may have a rare genetic condition. This evidence supports efforts to make GS the first-line standard of care, particularly for patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and other critical care settings.

“Historically we have used a stair-step approach to diagnose these conditions, starting with the least comprehensive tests,” says Ryan Taft, PhD, vice president of Scientific Research at Illumina and an author of the study. “If the first efforts fail to produce a diagnosis, more sophisticated tests are then used, and eventually genomic sequencing is used as a last resort. But this approach wastes time and resources and can be emotionally devastating for families who are left without answers. The evidence shows that, in many cases, sequencing is the most effective diagnostic approach—whenever possible, we just use genome sequencing as our first port of call.”

The study was conducted by the Medical Genome Initiative (MGI), a consortium of clinical genomic sequencing laboratories working to expand access to high-quality GS. As reported in their latest manuscript, there is significant evidence that genomic sequencing excels as a diagnostic test for rare genetic diseases, but clinical adoption has been unexpectedly slow.

To fully assess the evidence for GS in rare genetic disease populations, the MGI conducted a focused literature review and meta-analysis. A total of 71 papers met their criteria, published between January 2014 and August 2022, which included over 13,000 patients. The studies were evaluated based on their analysis strategies, including the types of variants analyzed, interpretation guidelines, health care settings, secondary findings, turnaround times, cohort phenotypes, diagnostic yields, and clinical utility.

Overall, the study found an average diagnostic yield of 45% for first-tier genomic sequencing, compared to 33% in groups that had received earlier genetic testing and 33% in patients who did not receive a diagnosis from exome sequencing. Clinical utility was reported by one-third of the studies. Changes in management described included outcome efficacy across diagnostic thinking, treatment, patient outcomes, and social impacts, and the authors found a broad range of reported rates of changes in management (20%–100%) since the methods used to assess clinical utility varied from one study to the next.

“The evidence shows that, in many scenarios, genomic sequencing should be the first-line genetic test,” Taft says. “Pediatric patients in intensive care units who have unexplained conditions should be first in line. Also, if a targeted panel doesn’t include all the suspected genes that might be causing the child’s condition, comprehensive genomic sequencing can fill those gaps.”

In addition to offering high diagnostic yields, genomic sequencing is fast. Rapid approaches, pioneered over the past few years, can produce results in a matter of days, a capability that has been particularly beneficial for critically ill babies in NICUs. Less comprehensive alternatives to GS can waste precious time and delay much-needed diagnoses.

While this review highlights the many benefits of genomic sequencing in critical care settings, more work remains to be done. The authors found little published research on first-line GS in outpatient and other less urgent scenarios. Additional studies will be needed; however, for many patients, the evidence clearly supports the clinical efficacy of genomic sequencing.

“There is still resistance to pursue genomic sequencing because of the perception that the price is too high,” Taft says, “but this fails to account for recent dramatic reductions in GS costs and its impact on the downstream continuum of care. Getting precision answers sooner, particularly for patients with rare genetic disorders, is almost always the most cost-effective approach.”

Register here for the Medical Genome Initiative’s webinar on April 25, 2024. Sponsored by Illumina, Dr. Kristen Wigby will speak on topics related to whole-genome sequencing for rare disease.

Originally published on Illumina News Center

A recent literature review, published in the Nature journal Genomic Medicine, showed that short-read genomic sequencing (GS) reduces the time it takes to diagnose and treat pediatric patients who may have a rare genetic condition. This evidence supports efforts to make GS the first-line standard of care, particularly for patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and other critical care settings.

“Historically we have used a stair-step approach to diagnose these conditions, starting with the least comprehensive tests,” says Ryan Taft, PhD, vice president of Scientific Research at Illumina and an author of the study. “If the first efforts fail to produce a diagnosis, more sophisticated tests are then used, and eventually genomic sequencing is used as a last resort. But this approach wastes time and resources and can be emotionally devastating for families who are left without answers. The evidence shows that, in many cases, sequencing is the most effective diagnostic approach—whenever possible, we just use genome sequencing as our first port of call.”

The study was conducted by the Medical Genome Initiative (MGI), a consortium of clinical genomic sequencing laboratories working to expand access to high-quality GS. As reported in their latest manuscript, there is significant evidence that genomic sequencing excels as a diagnostic test for rare genetic diseases, but clinical adoption has been unexpectedly slow.

To fully assess the evidence for GS in rare genetic disease populations, the MGI conducted a focused literature review and meta-analysis. A total of 71 papers met their criteria, published between January 2014 and August 2022, which included over 13,000 patients. The studies were evaluated based on their analysis strategies, including the types of variants analyzed, interpretation guidelines, health care settings, secondary findings, turnaround times, cohort phenotypes, diagnostic yields, and clinical utility.

Overall, the study found an average diagnostic yield of 45% for first-tier genomic sequencing, compared to 33% in groups that had received earlier genetic testing and 33% in patients who did not receive a diagnosis from exome sequencing. Clinical utility was reported by one-third of the studies. Changes in management described included outcome efficacy across diagnostic thinking, treatment, patient outcomes, and social impacts, and the authors found a broad range of reported rates of changes in management (20%–100%) since the methods used to assess clinical utility varied from one study to the next.

“The evidence shows that, in many scenarios, genomic sequencing should be the first-line genetic test,” Taft says. “Pediatric patients in intensive care units who have unexplained conditions should be first in line. Also, if a targeted panel doesn’t include all the suspected genes that might be causing the child’s condition, comprehensive genomic sequencing can fill those gaps.”

In addition to offering high diagnostic yields, genomic sequencing is fast. Rapid approaches, pioneered over the past few years, can produce results in a matter of days, a capability that has been particularly beneficial for critically ill babies in NICUs. Less comprehensive alternatives to GS can waste precious time and delay much-needed diagnoses.

While this review highlights the many benefits of genomic sequencing in critical care settings, more work remains to be done. The authors found little published research on first-line GS in outpatient and other less urgent scenarios. Additional studies will be needed; however, for many patients, the evidence clearly supports the clinical efficacy of genomic sequencing.

“There is still resistance to pursue genomic sequencing because of the perception that the price is too high,” Taft says, “but this fails to account for recent dramatic reductions in GS costs and its impact on the downstream continuum of care. Getting precision answers sooner, particularly for patients with rare genetic disorders, is almost always the most cost-effective approach.”

Register here for the Medical Genome Initiative’s webinar on April 25, 2024. Sponsored by Illumina, Dr. Kristen Wigby will speak on topics related to whole-genome sequencing for rare disease.

Curiosity Cube mobile science lab plans to reach 45,000 students in 14 countriesLessons educate students on sustainability topics, such as renewable energy and recycled materialsReinforces company commitment to increase equity in STEM education; addresses growing need for students to pursue STEM careers

BURLINGTON, Mass., April 17, 2024 /3BL/ – MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, officially kicked off its global 2024 Curiosity Cube tour today in Darmstadt, Germany. The solar-powered shipping containers turned mobile science labs are once again visiting communities across North America and Europe. MilliporeSigma’s goal is to engage 45,000 students to increase access to hands-on STEM education for students through interactive science experiences.

“Recent data shows students between 8 and 13 years old are interested in science and math, with most calling these subjects fun and exciting. Yet, this interest and enthusiasm is not translating into students pursuing STEM careers, as they find it hard to see themselves as scientists,” said Tim Jaeger, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer for the Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Our Curiosity Cube encourages children’s scientific curiosity with hands-on experiments showcasing real-world applications. Students also meet our employees, who can be role models for the incredible range of STEM careers that are possible.”

For the 2024 tour, the Curiosity Cube is sporting a new look, displaying photos of young scientists who are children of MilliporeSigma employees. These employees work in a range of roles at the company from project management and human resources to manufacturing and supply chain. This helps illustrate the numerous career options available in STEM.

The hands-on experiments are led by local MilliporeSigma employees at each stop who guide lessons focused on sustainability using the lifecycle of a t-shirt as an example. Students will:

Learn about synthetic and natural fibers, examining them through microscopes and categorizing them based on their level of sustainability.Design and test a windmill that produces enough renewable energy to power a model t-shirt factory.Use a threading machine to learn how old clothing can be sorted, shredded into fibers, and re-spun into thread for new garments.

In North America, the Curiosity Cube already embarked on its sixth tour, with 137 events across the U.S. and Canada, including Austin, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, and more.

Embarking on its third tour of Europe, the Curiosity Cube will host 150 events. Stops include communities across Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. MilliporeSigma also operates stationary Curiosity Cubes at its sites in St. Louis, USA and Darmstadt, Germany. This underscores the company’s commitment to the communities where many of its employees live and work.

To learn more about the Curiosity Cube mobile science lab and view the 2024 tour schedule, visit TheCuriosityCube.com and follow the Curiosity Cube on Instagram @curiositycube_milliporesigma.

About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 28,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics.

Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21 billion in 65 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.

Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

Curiosity Cube mobile science lab plans to reach 45,000 students in 14 countriesLessons educate students on sustainability topics, such as renewable energy and recycled materialsReinforces company commitment to increase equity in STEM education; addresses growing need for students to pursue STEM careers

BURLINGTON, Mass., April 17, 2024 /3BL/ – MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, officially kicked off its global 2024 Curiosity Cube tour today in Darmstadt, Germany. The solar-powered shipping containers turned mobile science labs are once again visiting communities across North America and Europe. MilliporeSigma’s goal is to engage 45,000 students to increase access to hands-on STEM education for students through interactive science experiences.

“Recent data shows students between 8 and 13 years old are interested in science and math, with most calling these subjects fun and exciting. Yet, this interest and enthusiasm is not translating into students pursuing STEM careers, as they find it hard to see themselves as scientists,” said Tim Jaeger, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer for the Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Our Curiosity Cube encourages children’s scientific curiosity with hands-on experiments showcasing real-world applications. Students also meet our employees, who can be role models for the incredible range of STEM careers that are possible.”

For the 2024 tour, the Curiosity Cube is sporting a new look, displaying photos of young scientists who are children of MilliporeSigma employees. These employees work in a range of roles at the company from project management and human resources to manufacturing and supply chain. This helps illustrate the numerous career options available in STEM.

The hands-on experiments are led by local MilliporeSigma employees at each stop who guide lessons focused on sustainability using the lifecycle of a t-shirt as an example. Students will:

Learn about synthetic and natural fibers, examining them through microscopes and categorizing them based on their level of sustainability.Design and test a windmill that produces enough renewable energy to power a model t-shirt factory.Use a threading machine to learn how old clothing can be sorted, shredded into fibers, and re-spun into thread for new garments.

In North America, the Curiosity Cube already embarked on its sixth tour, with 137 events across the U.S. and Canada, including Austin, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, and more.

Embarking on its third tour of Europe, the Curiosity Cube will host 150 events. Stops include communities across Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. MilliporeSigma also operates stationary Curiosity Cubes at its sites in St. Louis, USA and Darmstadt, Germany. This underscores the company’s commitment to the communities where many of its employees live and work.

To learn more about the Curiosity Cube mobile science lab and view the 2024 tour schedule, visit TheCuriosityCube.com and follow the Curiosity Cube on Instagram @curiositycube_milliporesigma.

About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 28,000 employees and more than 55 total manufacturing and testing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics.

Around 63,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2023, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 21 billion in 65 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.

Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.