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Mike Bako Presents His Holiday Gift Guide: GIFT IDEAS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/ZxlS9kIS6CE For more information, visit DailyNational.com Every holiday season, we hear it again and again…The holiday season and the rush make it impossible to shop for everyone. Your spouse doesn’t know what they want, your kids have everything already, and yet, they keep dropping hints and making their wish list. With the holidays quickly approaching, many people are scrambling to track down the perfect gift for everyone in their lives. This year, there’s help. Digital Journalist and Trend Expert, Mike Bako, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a nationwide media tour to discuss great holiday gifting options for this year. Sending money for gathering and gifts: It’s the season of gatherings and gifts! With PayPal and Venmo, you can manage any group expense with digital payments – be it brunches with friends or that group gift for Grandma & Grandpa. PayPal also lets you personalize a free digital greeting and attach a gift of money so recipients can spend however they’d like. And New PayPal customers can earn $5 just by downloading the app, signing up and adding a payment method. Ways to Start a New Family Tradition: What better way to build traditions than through family. Ancestry helps families learn more about themselves by connecting them to family history so they can build more meaningful connections to each other and their heritage. AncestryDNA is a best-selling kit that makes it possible for people to find their unique story - from ethnic origins in precise geographic regions to the most connections to living relatives. With billions of historical records, like census, immigration, birth, marriage and military records, Ancestry helps people make meaningful discoveries about the places and people who came before them, and how they got to where they are today. Creating Your Holiday Wish List: Beyblade Burst Surge Speedstorm Motor Strike Battle Set has everything needed for battle including the first ever motorized Beystadium, 2 right/left spin launchers, and 2 spinning tops! Check this out, it features a spinning Motor Vortex disc in the center of the Beystadium and you can compete in head-to-head battling games with Beyblade Burst spinning tops, launchers, and Beystadium toys. For boys and girls ages 8 and up. Shop For Last-Minute Gifts: Target makes it easy and affordable for guests to shop for essentials and gifts up until the last minute, even when there is no longer time to ship. Target is truly a one stop shop for holiday needs, offering the most sought-after national brands such as Ulta Beauty gift sets and a curated assortment of only-at-Target products like the Target edition of Monopoly, limited-time-only LEGO® Collection x Target and popular heyday™ AirPods cases. And, knowing how important it is to get a great deal – especially in the final days of holiday prep – Target is adding new last-minute deals on thousands of gifts across its entire assortment from toys and electronics to apparel, home and beauty from Dec. 19-25. No matter how guests choose to shop, Target makes it easy to get last-minute gifts just in time for the holiday. With Target’s Drive Up service, guests can place orders online, let the store know they’ve arrived via the Target App and have a team member bring it out to their car. All without ever needing to unbuckle their seatbelt. With Order Pickup, guests can collect their online orders inside the store quickly and contactless with the scan of a barcode. Visit your local Target store, Target.com or the Target App to find and collect great holiday gifts in time for everyone on your shopping list. Last Minute Stocking Stuffers Gopuff is the leader in immediate delivery of everyday essentials. Gopuff delivers your everyday essentials in minutes, from cleaning and home products to baby and pet items, even local brands, food and drinks, including alcohol in many markets. Great for last minute gifts or stocking stuffers, Gopuff offers Gift Cards. Available for anywhere from $5 to $200, Gopuff Gift Cards can be used for any item on Gopuff, whether a high-end bottle of wine, coffee beans from a favorite local coffee shop or even a card game. The gift cards are delivered electronically, so there’s no waiting for shipping and since Gopuff features thousands of local brands on its platform, they’re a great way to shop local. About Mike Bako: Mike Bako is the Trends Editor for DailyNational.com. Mike is also the father to two beautiful boys, Evan and Henry. Reuters, FOX News, Fox Business, WPIX in New York, and ESPN Radio all frequently rely on Mike’s insights on new trends, current events, sports, and culture. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 20, 2021 11:07 AM Eastern Standard Time

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News Release

New tech at ShowStoppers press event during CES 2022 gets kids outside to play, and sleeping better

ShowStoppers

New tech gets the kids outside to play, and sleeping better, at ShowStoppers® at CES, the press event scheduled for 5 Jan. 2022 during the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. For press registration, please contact Steve Leon, sl@showstoppers.com, +1 310-936-8530. Picoo, https://picoo.com/, the world's first outdoor game console for kids, makes its debut at CES and ShowStoppers. Picoo gets kids actively running, jumping and playing together outdoors, and helps to reverse the decline of physical fitness and isolation caused by excessive screen time. Xplora, https://shop.myxplora.com/, will showcase a smartwatch for kids that provides security and peace of mind for parents, while also encouraging physical activity. Hatch, https://hatch.co, the brand that’s helped millions of people of all ages sleep more soundly, will introduce a new and dreamy product for little ones. The press event organizes product launches, sneak previews and hands-on demonstrations of new tech for work, home and play for journalists, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives -- from AI to 5G to cloud, VR to digital health; to better, safer, healthier tools for working from home or going back to the office; to future mobility and autonomy, robotics or smart cities; to apps and hardware that drive mobile and desktop innovation; to wearables, IoT, appliances, entertainment, and more. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details For press registration, please contact: Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com Company Website https://showstoppers.com

December 20, 2021 09:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Shop the Hottest Jewelry Trends for The Holidays

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/6_rpbsyq4eY Jewelry will be at the top of many holiday shopping lists as the gift that gives year-round. If you are thinking about giving the gift of jewelry you might be wondering, where do you start, what are the hottest trends, what is the gift that she is sure to love and how do I stay in the know and get the best value and style? On December 14 th, Anna De Souza – Beauty & Lifestyle Expert Journalist, conducted a nationwide media tour discussing holiday jewelry trends that will turn heads as well as offer product demonstrations. Unlike many other retailers struggling with inventory challenges, this season's most desired jewelry styles are in stock and ready to gift at Kay, Zales, Jared and Banter by Piercing Pagoda. You can get your gold and diamond gifts fast by shopping in store, with buy online and pick up at your local store or getting Same Day Delivery service to your home in select areas! You can also connect live with their Jewelry Experts in person or virtually and they'll help you find the perfect gift, but I hope I can help with that today, too! Top trends that Anna discussed included: The best gift to give HIM this holiday: Men’s jewelry is really hot right now, everything from statement watches like a Tag Heuer watch from Jared, to gold chains and diamond link bracelets from KAY and diamond studs from Banter by Piercing Pagoda that sit a little higher on the ear, really a thoughtful piece that makes a major statement. Diamond necklaces and earrings always make great gifts Look for beautiful necklaces you can stack shorter and longer. You always need some classic bling and a sapphire choker from Zales and sparkling diamond tennis necklace from Jared definitely do this nicely! Hoops are a HOT trend too! Yellow gold hoops are versatile and amust have, always a great place to start gifting with these styles from KAY. And for a romantic gift she’s sure to love, newest take on the hoop with a Vera Wang multi-hoop style from Zales. Shopping for diamonds for either anniversary or commitment jewelry: For a twist on a classic anniversary band, this Monique Lhuillier Bliss ring at KAY with round and pear-shaped diamonds. And keeping with the layering trend of the year, stacking multiple delicate and bold rings of different colors of metal really creates a gorgeous statement, and of course, you can also elevate your engagement ring with Jared’s lab-created diamonds, it’s a modern approach to classic jewelry! The Forever Connected necklace is also a must have with two touching center diamonds symbolizing those forever connected by love and is a gorgeous gift for her from KAY! For more information, go online or visit your local jewelry store by Kay, Zales, Jared and Banter by Piercing Pagoda. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 16, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video

News Release

Journalists to discover new tech for work, home & play at ShowStoppers press event during CES 2022

ShowStoppers

Journalists will discover new tech for work, home and play at ShowStoppers® at CES, the press event scheduled for 5 Jan. 2022 during the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. For press registration, please contact Steve Leon, sl@showstoppers.com, +1 310-936-8530. Stern, https://sternpinball.com/, will change the game of pinball as we know it. Boogie Board, https://myboogieboard.com, will push the envelope with new analog writing technology that supports efficiency and wellbeing. Sleep sensing earbuds from Kokoon, https://kokoon.io, will help wearers sleep easier and deeper. Vasco Electronics, https://www.vasco-electronics.com, will show an AI-based, award winning electronic translator. ViewSonic, https://www.viewsonic.com, will show new monitors and projectors for gaming, home entertainment and professional content creators, including the first reveal of the flagship ELITE XG321UG 32-inch, 4K gaming monitor. The press event organizes product launches, sneak previews and hands-on demonstrations of new tech for work, home and play for journalists, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives -- from AI to 5G to cloud, VR to digital health; to better, safer, healthier tools for working from home or going back to the office; to future mobility and autonomy, robotics or smart cities; to apps and hardware that drive mobile and desktop innovation; to wearables, IoT, appliances, entertainment, and more. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com Company Website https://showstoppers.com

December 16, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

Instant Grocery Startup VOLY raises one of the largest seed rounds in Australia at $18m

VOLY

Australia's first instant online grocery supermarket, VOLY, has raised AU$18M in one of the nation’s largest ever seed rounds led by Sequoia Capital India, with increased backing from Global Founders Capital (GFC) and Australian-based Artesian Capital. This funding round will enable VOLY to continue to scale, expand the team, rapidly increase operations across key urban centres and start the national rollout. Following its launch in July 2021, VOLY has been preparing to take on the rapid food delivery market by delivering groceries to customers at incredible speed. It aims to make ordering groceries as easy and engaging as browsing Instagram and get them to you faster than you could do a trip to the supermarket yourself. Employing its own riders, delivery centre and store staff, VOLY does away with the need for customers to spend time in physical retail environments by giving people the power to order and receive their groceries in minutes. With a delivery promise of 15 minutes or less; VOLY is set to disrupt the +$122bn local grocery industry. Mark Heath, Co-CEO and Co-founder of VOLY, said: “VOLY is here to completely change the way people shop for groceries by giving Australians back their most precious resource, time. Our model, from a fully employed delivery and dispatch team to the way we use electric bikes to deliver, is designed around the way people live. We firmly believe that our customers have a better experience when our riders and other staff are part of the company, working with us.” VOLY retails most key household products available at any major supermarket - from fresh produce to baby formula and cleaning products - everything you could possibly need, available online seven days a week from 8am-10pm. The winning recipe is instant and free delivery, together with the best quality fresh produce; all sold at retail prices. “We’re doing away with the need to do a weekly grocery shop by providing convenience alongside reliability in a market that offers some of the slowest delivery times in the world. By owning our own supply chain, VOLY delivers at blazing fast speed without compromising on price, quality or availability. We source directly from suppliers, store in our own micro-fulfilment centres and deliver using fully employed and mostly full-time staff. VOLY is the supermarket of the future that is built around our customers, not the other way around,” said Thibault Henry, Co-CEO and Co-Founder. The seed funding announcement sets a new record for a food delivery company in Australia with support from Sequoia Capital India, a renowned venture capital firm. The interest in VOLY follows a new wave of investment in Aussie startups seen as world-class tech companies with potential to scale globally. "Australia's grocery market, which sees $90B in annual spends, is a large and profitable space that continues to be dominated by offline retail. The Sequoia Capital India team was impressed by the strong consumer love for VOLY, their compelling value proposition, and an impressive team of repeat founders that has blitzscaled businesses in Australia before. With on-demand models traditionally scaling very successfully in the country, the decision to lead their seed round and help them scale their business across Australia was an easy one to make," said Abheek Anand, Managing Director, Sequoia India. VOLY was co-founded by Mark Heath and Thibault Henry, who are also co-CEOs of the company and have experience working with on-demand technology brands across the food supply and logistics industries. Mark Heath helped launch Uber in Australia after a career at Goldman Sachs and Thibault Henry built, scaled and sold Balto which was a B2B last-mile business with clients such as HelloFresh, Marley Spoon and YouFoodz. VOLY’s management team includes Chief Technology Officer, Anthony Rey, Head of Procurement Lyana Labrode and Head of Marketing, Josh Peacock. VOLY has been an early hit with customers flocking to the app, spiking a rise of new users and incredibly strong week-on-week growth in sales. While currently available in Sydney across 42 suburbs - VOLY has plans to rapidly expand its offering from January 2022 to reach millions more Australians around the country in the coming months and year ahead. The VOLY application is available on both iOS and Android and at https://www.getvoly.com/ Ends Additional media images can be found here. About VOLY VOLY is an online supermarket and delivery service committed to disrupting the Australian grocery market by offering instant grocery delivery to millions of Australians through its mobile app. Setting new standards in the delivery industry, VOLY employs its own people and riders across micro fulfillment centres around Australia, offering household items to its customers in less than 15 minutes of placing an order. The move to employ riders full-time together with a strategy of vertical integration sets VOLY apart from the ‘gig economy’ and enables it to offer speed and quality without compromising on price. For more visit: https://www.getvoly.com/ About Sequoia Capital India Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO and beyond. Sequoia India operates in Southeast Asia and India where we actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, Carousell, Druva, Gojek, OYO Rooms, Tokopedia, Truecaller, Zilingo, Zomato and more. We spur founders to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from over 49 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning, universities, endowments and other non-profits have been the backbone of our investor base, which means founders’ accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia’s work in India and SE Asia, visit sequoiacap.com/india Contact Details VOLY Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.getvoly.com/

December 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Michelin Guide 2022 advances to Southern Taiwan Tainan actively prepares to host the world’s key leaders and let the world taste and see Tainan

Shape Advertising Co., Ltd.

TAINAN, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 16 December 2021 - Having been in Taiwan for 3 years, the Michelin Guide has since become the growth motivation for local food culture, giving aspiring food and beverage operators a better international arena. Michelin Guide will be reviewing Tainan, the food capital, for the first time in 2022, lighting up Fucheng’s gourmet uniqueness. Facing a trend of globalization of food and beverage, Tainan specially hosted the “2021 International Gastronomy Forum” December 3, inviting 6 elite experts to speak on various topics, and share the unique insights of world- famous chefs and cross-disciplinary experts. The international and local gourmet forum and feast was attended by international ambassadors and representatives in Taiwan, with virtual participation by Japan’s Kyoto City and Yamagata City, Chinese Restaurant Association of Arizona, and sister city, Columbus. Tainan City Mayor, Huang Wei-che, said that Tainan is Taiwan’s famous ancient city with unique historical and cultural backgrounds, thus giving rise to the abundant source of delicacies, making it a top choice for domestic tours and delicacies for many people. Tainan’s attractions and delicacies have global potential. Besides winning the “Michelin Green Guide” 3-star travel in 2011, a Wall Street Journal’s food writer also praised and described Tainan City as the world’s gourmet museum; while CNN recommended 19 local must-eat street foods in 2015 for travelers to try out if they come to Tainan. The rapidly rising Southern Taiwan Science Park in recent years is creating the largest wave of south-drifting engineers in history, driving new demands, such as housing, transportation, education, etc. This is hence the perfect time to talk about the upgrade of food and beverage. The forum was led by foreign elite chef, Nicholas Pena Alvarez CMC, and Michelin-starred restaurant chef, Lam Ming Kin, who discussed the world’s overall objective definition of food ingredients, quality, aesthetics, service, etc., and the future trend of fine dining, and also analyzed Tainan’s unique advantages. Cross-disciplinary experts then continued to share various perspectives, such as product abundance, unique characteristics, local customs, quality and safety, etc., and how Tainan’s delicacies elegantly changed in the past four hundred years with the integration of culture. The event continued into the night, where the host led the guests in a feast by opening Tainan’s gourmet treasure box, which included the unique nine-square dish presented by an old local restaurant, ASHA Restaurant: Hua Wei Hsiang Stewed duck thick soup, Lily Fruits’ seasonal fruits, and the champion Swiss roll, “Irresistible”, by Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Tainan. Key leaders from all over the world gathered in Tainan and learned about Tainan through the delicacies, declaring to the world: “Michelin Guide 2022”, Tainan is ready! https://youtu.be/YoAMR0nCN34 Contact Details Chen Zhaohong dana.tang@e-shape.com.tw

December 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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HowToBet.com continues to deliver great NFL picks through it’s HowToBet Podcast

HowToBet.com

Stay hot! If you have ever attended a sporting event at almost any level, you will have heard these two words at some points. It might be when a batter steps into the box, a three-point sniper continues to rain in baskets, or a quarterback completes everything that he throws. Maybe you call it a heat check. Right now, the How to Bet podcast pairing of Sean Miller and Daryl Fein are, as they like to say, “En fuego!” After a few weeks in the middle of the National Football League season where the underdogs wreaked havoc, the top teams are back to ruling the roost of late, and the How to Bet duo have shined brightly of late. Take NFL Week 14 for an example: Miller hit his Parlay Power Play of the Week, and actually did something that was a first for the two on the show. He took the Baltimore Ravens in his original three-team play (which ended up covering by a point when the line moved during the week), but also gave out a caveat because of injuries: Miller said you could take the Kansas City Chiefs in the Ravens’ place. Well, all four of the games won, so if you took either of the three-team parlays, or even a four-teamer, you won some big money. “Yeah, I was a little worried about that Baltimore game after I chose it early in the week, because of all the injuries,” Miller said. “I was still over in Manchester going to Premier League and UEFA Champions League games, so I was trying to check in to see the injury report in my Thursday Night Football Bets, Sunday Night Football Bets, and Monday Night Football Bets stories. “I decided to throw out the Chiefs in there as well to help the bettors out, in case the Baltimore team was so banged up by Sunday. It ended up working out really well! Both games came through, as well as the other two, so I won some money betting parlays this weekend. “Hopefully, a lot of the people listening and watching the How to Bet podcast did as well. I will be honest: if I can help someone make some money, that is a pretty good feeling.” Fein and Miller have been very good as well with the over/under totals on the NFL games, with Fein going a perfect three-for-three in Week 14, and Miller going two-for-three, missing a sweep by one point. For Week 15, there is something new for bettors and fans of the NFL and of How to Bet: Saturday games. The next two weeks will see multiple games on the docket, with the two this week potentially huge in the AFC playoff race: Las Vegas (6-7) at Cleveland (7-6), and New England (9-4) at Indianapolis (7-6). With the new night, Miller added another section to his ever-growing portfolio on the How to Bet website: Saturday Night Football best bets and odds. He is hoping that the new story does as well as the other primetime games have done, with the Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night pages all near the top of SEO search pages. “This Saturday night game is going to be fantastic for fans and bettors,” Miller said. “I think it is pretty cool that the stories have been doing well in the search pages. I guess I am doing something right!” There is also some good news on the horizon for NCAA College Football fans. Fein and Miller will be gearing up next week to start picking the bowl games, which kick off this weekend and culminate in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, the day after the NFL regular season ends. “It is a good time to be on the How to Bet show,” Miller said. “We are getting down to the final few weeks of the regular season, we have the bowl games, and then the playoffs. And I am hearing maybe some new stuff on the horizon as well, so keep tuning in to the podcast.” There was also some other big news for the How to Bet team. Along with the original How to Bet YouTube channel, which shows the shorter podcasts separately, a new YouTube channel launched this week: the How to Bet podcast channel. The longer podcast, with the accompanying shorter shows, such as the Parlay Power Plays of the Week, Top 5 Bets of the Week, and NFL Betting Lines- Odds and Line Comparison, as well as the NCAA Football and over under segment, have all proven to be big hits for much of the season. Along with the podcasts, Miller also posts stories on the How to Bet website for the Thursday Night Football Bets, the Sunday Night Football Bets, the Monday Night Football Bets, and an overview of the whole week’s upcoming NFL Betting Lines, including all the opening lines and the current spreads, so bettors can have up to date lines all the way up until kickoff. About HowToBet.com HowToBet.com offers one of the world’s most comprehensive betting guides that can be accessed via a user-friendly web app. Its mission is to help make online betting safe, fun and as easy as performing a search on the web. There are already more than 400+ how-to guides freely available, all written by seasoned betting professionals. More guides are being added on a weekly basis in a continued effort to educate anyone interested in what is now a $199 billion betting industry. For more details, visit: https://www.howtobet.com/about-us/. Contact Details HowToBet.com Cristian Campan +45 50 30 42 66 cristian.campan@raketech.com Company Website https://www.howtobet.com

December 16, 2021 07:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Completed Redwood Genome Sequence Reveals Genes for Climate Adaptation and Offers Insights into Genetic Basis for Survival

Save the Redwoods League

Save the Redwoods League, University of California, Davis, Johns Hopkins University, University of Connecticut and Northern Arizona University today announced new research that identifies the makeup of the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes. The information helps scientists and conservationists better understand the genetic basis for these species’ ability to adapt to their changing environments. Through comparative analysis, the research also indicates that the coast redwood genome evolved from a single ancestral species. Today’s announcement follows the official publication of the coast redwood genome research this week in G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics. The researchers previously made available the completed giant sequoia genome sequence, published in G3 in November 2020. The coast redwood and giant sequoia genome sequence data is available to the scientific community on Neale Lab’s UC Davis website. “It’s remarkable how far genomics research has come since we undertook this challenge in 2017,” said David Neale, Ph.D., plant sciences professor emeritus at UC Davis and lead author on the new coast redwood genome research. “Our work on the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes will enable us to develop modern genetic tools that can be used in the restoration and conservation of these ecologically important tree species.” The League and its research partners launched the Redwood Genome Project in 2017. Project partners outlined an ambitious plan to fully sequence the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes for the first time, using new conifer genetic sequencing techniques. The genomic resources and screening tools that can now be developed will allow researchers to quickly assess evolutionary adaptive potential in these forests and ultimately inform forest restoration and management plans. The Coast Redwood Genome The coast redwood is the world’s tallest tree, and its genome is among the most complex sequenced. Nearly nine times larger than the human genome, it is also the second-largest genome sequenced. The redwood genome has 26.5 billion base pairs of DNA, and it is hexaploid, meaning redwoods have six sets of chromosomes. Humans have 3 billion base pairs of DNA and are diploid, with two sets of chromosomes. When comparing the coast redwood genome sequence to that of other conifer species, researchers found hundreds of gene families that are unique to the coast redwood. Many of these are genes that help the trees respond to stress and play a role in resistance to fungal disease, detoxification, repair after injury and the synthesis of flavonoids, which help fight stress on the cellular level. The new research also sheds additional light on the origin of the rare and large hexaploid genome of the coast redwood. Multiple genes exist in triplicate, and those copies share more similarities to each other than to the sequences of other species. This analysis supports the hypothesis that the redwood genome originated from a single ancestral species (autopolyploidy), rather than through hybridization with other conifer species. The Giant Sequoia Genome The giant sequoia is the world’s largest tree species and among the oldest on the planet. As reported by the research team in November 2020, its genome contains 8.125 billion base pairs of DNA. Similar to the human genome, the giant sequoia genome is diploid. The reference genome produced for this study represents the first genome sequenced in the Cupressaceae family, and it lays a foundation for using genomic tools to aid in giant sequoia conservation and management. The genomes of conifers are three to 10 times larger than the human genome. They are highly repetitive and complex. The first conifer genomes ever sequenced were the Norway spruce in 2013 and loblolly pine in 2014, 10 years after the human genome was completed. Sequencing conifer genomes was not previously feasible due to economic and technological limitations. With technological advancements that also reduced the cost, 10 conifer genomes have now been sequenced, including the coast redwood and giant sequoia. The reference genome sequences of coast redwood and giant sequoia enabled the preliminary identification of genes that determine drought-related traits and those that determine adaptation to the environment. These discoveries are reported in papers published in The Plant Journal and Genes. About the Redwood Genome Project Save the Redwoods League has provided strategic guidance and funding for the Redwood Genome Project specifically to inform forest restoration and stewardship activities that will maintain the adaptive genetic diversity of the coast redwood and giant sequoia forests. In the last 160 years, commercial logging and clearcutting claimed 95% of the coast redwood range and about one-third of the giant sequoia range. In 2020, an estimated 10% to 14% of giant sequoia died from high-intensity wildfires, and in some areas, the seedbank also died. Two wildfires also burned through large sections of the giant sequoia range in 2021, and mortality from those is currently estimated to impact another 5% of the mature trees. As a result, both forests have experienced significant losses in total acreage and potentially a loss of genetic diversity as well. With these significant impacts to both populations, the League is leading restoration projects in both forest ranges. It aims to use this and future genetic research to inform efforts to restore and maintain genetic diversity and bolster the resilience of these species in the face of rapid, unprecedented environmental change. “This ambitious scientific research provides a critical foundation for the League and the entire redwoods community. It will ultimately help us understand the incredible range of responses that coast redwood and giant sequoia species have exhibited in the face of climate change and how native genetic diversity has informed these responses,” says Joanna Nelson, Ph.D., director of science and conservation planning for Save the Redwoods League. “The Redwood Genome Project helps us see, for the first time, the full genetic diversity that has allowed these forests to adapt and survive for millennia — and could protect them against a suite of conditions they have never experienced.” The Redwood Genome Project is made possible by Save the Redwoods League, University of California, Davis, Johns Hopkins University, University of Connecticut and Northern Arizona University. Generous donors of Save the Redwoods League have contributed more than $1 million to the project through Forever Forest: The Campaign for the Redwoods, including a significant lead gift from Ralph Eschenbach and Carol Joy Provan. In addition, genomic services companies Illumina, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Dovetail Genomics contributed in-kind. To learn more about and support this groundbreaking initiative, visit the League’s website at SaveTheRedwoods.org/Genome. *** To schedule an interview, contact Robin Carr at (415) 971-3991 or redwoods@landispr.com. Save the Redwoods League One of the nation’s longest-running conservation organizations, Save the Redwoods League has been protecting and restoring redwood forests since 1918. The League has connected generations of visitors with the beauty and serenity of the redwood forest. The nonprofit’s 29,000 members have enabled the organization to protect more than 216,000 acres of irreplaceable forest in 66 local, state and national parks and reserves. For information, please visit SaveTheRedwoods.org. University of California, Davis UC Davis is a public institution, land-grant university and pioneer in interdisciplinary problem-solving. Its four colleges, five professional schools, more than 100 academic majors and 90 graduate programs make it the most comprehensive of all the University of California campuses. Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins is America’s first research university. For more than 140 years Johns Hopkins has been a world leader in both teaching and research, with nine academic divisions — the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Carey Business School, the Peabody Institute, the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, and the schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Education — plus the Applied Physics Laboratory, a nonacademic division that supports national security and pursues space science. The University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut is a national leader among public research universities, with more than 32,000 students seeking answers to critical questions in classrooms, labs, and the community. A culture of innovation drives this pursuit of knowledge throughout the University’s network of campuses. Connecticut’s commitment to higher education helps UConn attract students who thrive in the most competitive environments, as well as globally renowned faculty members. Our school pride is fueled by a history of success that has made us a standout in Division I athletics. UConn fosters a diverse and vibrant culture that meets the needs and seizes the opportunities of a dynamic global society. Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University is a high-research institution providing exceptional educational opportunities in Arizona and beyond. NAU delivers a student-centered experience to its nearly 30,000 students in Flagstaff, statewide and online through rigorous academic programs in a supportive, inclusive and diverse environment. Dedicated, world-renowned faculty help ensure students achieve academic excellence, experience personal growth, have meaningful research opportunities and are positioned for personal and professional success. ### Contact Details Landis Communications Inc. Robin Carr +1 415-971-3991 redwoods@landispr.com Company Website https://www.savetheredwoods.org/

December 16, 2021 12:15 AM Pacific Standard Time

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STATHERO DAILY FANTASY SPORTS PLATFORM SEES 5X REVENUE GROWTH, CLOSES A $4 MILLION SERIES A FUNDING ROUND LED BY BFG SPORTS BET

StatHero

This release issued on December 15, 2021 is being replaced with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions. The updated release reads: STATHERO DAILY FANTASY SPORTS PLATFORM SEES 5X REVENUE GROWTH, CLOSES A $4 MILLION SERIES A FUNDING ROUND LED BY BFG SPORTS BET StatHero, the fast-growing head-to-head Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) app with unprecedented winning percentages and player spend, has raised $4 million in Series A Funding led by BFG Sports Bet. StatHero is the ONLY independent fantasy sports company playable in 34 states StatHero lets DFS players go up against house lineups instead of long odds contests with unknown users. The fantasy sports and sports betting hybrid has become a game-changing force in the DFS space with 400% month-over-month growth in deposits and players betting an average of $1,500/yr; THREE TIMES the average spend of industry leading apps DraftKings and FanDuel. It’s this type of explosive growth that drew the attention of Illinois-based BFG Sports Bet, a venture capital fund with over a decade of experience in the highly regulated gaming industry. BFG is leading StatHero’s $4 million Series A Round of funding that caps a year of 5x revenue growth. The prospect of high-growth potential is obvious, and this marks a significant next step. Monica and Robert Breslow of BFG Sports Bet: “We believe StatHero is the most innovative, exciting, user-friendly DFS platform available on the market today and has potential for tremendous growth. The combination of the gaming market, passion of the founders and the clear innovation of the gameplay itself really set them apart in our eyes. Not to mention the disruption that StatHero has been able to bring to this industry over such a short period of time.” Following a $2 million seed round investment in June of 2020 (also led by BFG) StatHero focused its energy and resources on innovation and development. It has fueled a considerable rise in users and has seen the company’s valuation more than double in the time since. Jason Jaramillo, Founder of StatHero: “ This Series A round is so special to me because our original investors made it a priority to double up on their investment of StatHero. 2022 is going to be very big for us.” StatHero’s combination of next generation technology, skill-based games and low barrier of entry is disrupting the gaming space and enabling players to dive deeper into games while claiming a well over 50% winning percentage. As the company focuses on the future, a Series B round of funding is on the horizon for next spring. Until then, new products, new leagues and new features will be added to complement the slate of head-to-head contests and PARLAYS are next up. About STATHERO Combining the best of fantasy sports and sports gaming, StatHero is a first of its kind daily fantasy sports platform. The company has exploded in growth since founded in 2019 in large part due it’s simple gameplay, low commitment and instant gratification. Stathero uses the familiar fantasy sports based format to allow players to compete against posted lineups across a variety of professional sports and game types including Survivor Pools, Head-to-Head and Fantasy Parlays. Their patent pending gameplay gives players an advantage unlike any other in fantasy sports. It’s truly daily fantasy the way it was meant to be played - one-on-one. For more information, visit: www.stathero.com and follow us on Twitter @StatHeroHq. For media/press inquiries on, please contact: Dianne Quirante, dianne@emcbowery.com About STATHERO Combining the best of fantasy sports and sports gaming, StatHero is a first of its kind daily fantasy sports platform. The company has exploded in growth since founded in 2019 in large part due it’s simple gameplay, low commitment and instant gratification. Stathero uses the familiar fantasy sports based format to allow players to compete against posted lineups across a variety of professional sports and game types including Survivor Pools, Head-to-Head and Fantasy Parlays. Their patent pending gameplay gives players an advantage unlike any other in fantasy sports. It’s truly daily fantasy the way it was meant to be played - one-on-one. For more information, visit: www.stathero.com and follow us on Twitter @StatHeroHq. Contact Details Dianne Quirante +1 323-654-0001 dianne@emcbowery.com Company Website https://stathero.com/

December 15, 2021 02:38 PM Eastern Standard Time