In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) provided $19 billion to increase the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) by physicians and hospitals. A big chunk of that was to be spent by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), through which about 30 percent of national health expenditure passes. The CMS administers the reimbursement programs not only for Medicare and Medicaid but for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Health Insurance Marketplace. It is also in the forefront of the drive to shift U.S. health care from a fee-for-service model to a fee-for-value one. ORHub, Inc. (OTC: ORHB), the developer of a cloud-based health care software-as-a-service platform designed to decrease costs and improve outcomes in surgical care, is also focused on this monumental shift within the nation’s health care system.

The McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK), the oldest and largest health care company in the nation, has identified what is required to make the change to a fee-for-value system (http://dtn.fm/9M6gO). The present “siloed” system with individual hospitals each maintaining a separate database must morph into a network that shares information. This will increase care coordination and scale effective interventions with the patient population.

A network system will also allow data from its care provider ‘nodes’ to be acquired, aggregated and analyzed across the network. It will also integrate the clinical and financial aspects of providing care and so increase awareness of costs and the ability to measure and control them.

In one critical area of health care – surgery – ORHub’ cloud-based software platform is already addressing those challenges. It has been implemented in two major hospitals in California as part of programs to improve surgical resource management. ORHub empowers care providers at every stage of the surgical process to collaborate, organize, deliver, measure, and reimburse in one intuitive, easy-to-use program. This significantly decreases cost and improves outcomes by eliminating inefficiencies, duplication of effort, errors and omissions that result from siloed processes in outdated software and poor handoffs from one part of the care process to another.

Even with increasing adoption of EHR systems, many care providers still rely on a paper-based methodology to document information related to surgical procedures and to track events in the operating theater, from the details of a procedure to the implants and tools used. This leads to mistakes, wasted time, missing data, delays or lack of payment, and little opportunity for analysis and improvement.

The ORHub platform is designed to mitigate or correct the shortcomings of traditional systems. It eliminates errors caused by poor handwriting. It reduces the risk of mistakes by allowing users to select from pre-loaded sets of detailed implants and tools rather than relying on memory or catalogue numbers alone. It further reduces errors by requiring verification and sign-off from multiple users before completing a case. It creates purchase orders and implant records automatically based on the case record, saving time and improving reliability. It also fits within existing operating room workflow and requirements, streamlining tasks to save time. And it enables rich data analysis across all of a hospital’s cases tracked through ORHub.

ORHub plans to gain a dominant share of the device implant and biologic inventory management market, which the company estimates at about 7,000,000 surgeries annually, a number that is expected to grow with demographic trends. The company will focus its initial marketing efforts on major national hospital operations.

ORHub is transforming the business of surgery. By creating a new category of health care IT vertical specific software known as Surgical Resource Management, the company is offering enhanced capabilities over traditional EHR solutions in the operating room. The ORHub platform is a HITECH SaaS platform, which employs Microsoft’s Azure Cloud.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ORhub.com

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The success of the Walkman back in the 1980s is testament to the power of getting to market first. By some accounts, Sony sold over 200 million units of its innovative portable cassette player (http://dtn.fm/CV8Et). Now, India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IGC) is taking a leaf from the Sony playbook. This pioneering company is a ‘first mover’ in the cannabinoid combination therapy space. IGC is developing a portfolio of products that use cannabinoids in conjunction with existing drugs to tackle chronic pain and a variety of other debilitating medical conditions.

Chronic pain from a range of ailments plagues millions around the world, and many of the analgesics employed to treat it, such as morphine, codeine, and hydrocodone, are opioids. However, opioids are notoriously addictive and their use is often subverted from pain relief. Used as recreational drugs, ‘opioid addiction is America’s 50-state epidemic’, the New York Times has reported (http://dtn.fm/YcgB8), with an effect that is fatal in many instances. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 29,000 Americans die every year from opioid-related overdoses. In light of these frightening developments, there is a growing imperative for less addictive anodynes.

The time is right. Results, published on Monday, April 17, of a Yahoo/Marist poll (http://dtn.fm/mKg7o) show that the public is not only becoming more apprehensive about opioids, but is warming to the use of cannabinoids to treat pain. ‘Two-thirds of the respondents in the telephone survey said opioid drugs such as Vicodin or OxyContin are “riskier” to use than pot, even when the pain pills are prescribed by a doctor.’ They will be happy to hear that IGC is coming to the rescue. The company has filed a patent for IGC-501, a cannabis-based formulation that addresses neuropathic and arthritic pain in joints and muscles using a variety of delivery techniques. IGC expects to begin pre-clinical trials for IGC-501 this year. Since approximately 80 percent of the global opioid supply is consumed in the United States, this presents a domestic market opportunity estimated at about $25 billion.

IGC-501, with its potential to replace treacherously addictive opioids, is not all that IGC has up its sleeve. The company has a robust portfolio of five other combination drug candidates with both human and veterinary applications. It has filed two patents, IGC-502 and IGC-505, for the treatment of seizures in dogs and cats. Most animal seizures stem from epilepsy, which is more common in dogs and cats than formerly recognized. About five percent of dogs and about one percent of cats are epileptic.

It also has IGC-503, aimed at refractory epilepsy, a term that’s used to describe cases of epilepsy that are unresponsive to current medications. Refractory epilepsy affects about 50 million in the U.S. alone. In the pipeline as well is IGC-504, intended for those who suffer from cachexia, known as wasting syndrome. About 1.3 million in the U.S. experience cachexia associated with cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, HIV/AIDS and other devastating maladies. In addition, there is IGC-506, designed to combat eating disorders, which are said to affect about 30 million Americans (http://dtn.fm/d1SEs).

IGC is out to save the world, it seems. Earlier this month, the company announced it had filed patent applications for IGC-501 in Canada, Israel and Europe in support of its ongoing cannabis-based combination therapy development initiatives.

“In 2017, our goal is to accelerate the development of our cannabis-based therapy portfolio to support key indications such as pain, seizures, cachexia, PTSD, and depression. In tandem, we expect to initiate pre-clinical trials on IGC-501-pain, IGC-502-seizures and IGC-504-cachexia,” CEO Ram Mukunda stated in a news release.

That is welcome news to the many millions who suffer daily from these conditions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IGCinc.us

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Moxian, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOXC) is committed to growth in China’s online-to-offline (O2O) retail market, which is predicted by the Chinese to reach $48 billion in 1H17. Social media, an important part of Moxian’s marketing strategy, is playing a growing role in generating e-commerce apparel and dining revenues, research shows. A report by McKinsey & Company finds that the online market is changing retail buying patterns within China. Moxian is a high technology company which is transitioning to paid platforms that offer access to the O2O market and social media sites and away from its initial non-paid business and consumer apps.

The company’s business app is Moxian+ Business, targeted to China’s brick-and-mortar small- and medium-sized business enterprises (SMEs) as they seek to develop social media sites and select from Moxian’s suite of online business tools. The Shenzhen-based company also offers the paid Moxian+ app to consumers in China. Its revenue stream is designed to come from paid mobile advertising, a percentage of all transactions, subscription revenue, and OEM and distribution license fees. The company is focusing on its current 31,600 business users and more than 300,000 consumers. In its initial research report on Moxian (http://nnw.fm/2zcAI), in February 2017, SeeThruEquity acknowledged that company management believes sales can reach $11 million in 2017, making the company cash break even by the end of this year if those sales goals are met, the report said.

The April 2016 report by McKinsey & Company, Consumer China 2016 Survey (http://nnw.fm/QHb20), sees greater penetration by O2O in lower tier cities. E-commerce accounts for 13.5% of all retail spending in China, the survey reports. McKinsey also found that multiple screen users — those that own mobile devices, tablets, and computers — are more intense online shoppers than those who have smart mobile phones alone. Multiple device owners spend 17% more than users who have only mobile phones, and they also shop in 29% more categories. A total of 14% more multi-screen owners interact with businesses through social networks, now using such platforms as WeChat.

Social media is playing a larger role in generating e-commerce sales, the study found. Half of the digital consumers surveyed by McKinsey used social media for product research and recommendations. McKinsey found that social media was not just a background research tool, but an active driver of actual online purchases. McKinsey found that social media was important in impulse buys, such as for apparel and personal care. McKinsey said it sees considerable opportunity for brands and retailers to reach customers on social platforms. In particular, dining and travel are two segments for growth in the O2O marketplace, it said.

The study also found that consumer electronics and small appliances have been basic e-commerce retail sellers in China, generating some 30% of their retail sales online. Apparel needs to grow its entire online experience, from style advice and returns/exchanges, to extend its online value share — now stuck in the low 20s. Food spending online remains at only 5% of total food spending for users. Online remains convenient for food buyers, but the average food basket size, at less than $15, suggests that consumers are still not doing most of their grocery shopping via e-commerce.

Lower tier cities also have a lot of e-commerce potential in China, McKinsey found. There are 74 million more online shoppers there than in high tier cities. Yet, 160 million people in these low tier cities have not even started shopping online. To grow, online markets will need to use data analytics to reach consumer market segments, developing up selling and cross-marketing efforts.

For more information, visit www.Moxian.com

The ALR market is booming, representing a major boost to Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI) and its successful integration of ALR booking with the traditional travel market. ALR (alternative lodging rental) is the industry moniker used to describe the practice of travelers and vacationers renting homes from private owners rather than utilizing traditional lodging such as hotels. Various forms of this simple practice of linking private homeowners with travelers to secure accommodations has been in practice for centuries. Throughout history, it was common for homeowners to rent space in their homes to weary travelers. Most of the time, private homes were the only accommodations available, and word of mouth identified homeowners willing to rent. Some homes ultimately morphed into full-time hotels, and a delineation occurred between public and private accommodations. Over time, renting directly from homeowners waned as travelers relied on traditional hotels for lodging. It all changed again with the advent of the internet and the ingenious creation of global platforms to link homeowners with those seeking lodging. The ALR market has since exploded, and the number of users just keeps growing. Homeowners and travelers both benefit, while the platform providers generate enormous revenues.

Numerous competitors have sprung up since the inception of alternative lodging rental platforms. Airbnb, HomeAway, Priceline, VRBO and FlipKey are some of the more recognizable names, with multitudes of others vying for the travel dollars. In the U.S. alone, private accommodation rentals totaled about $32 billion in 2016, and that figure is projected to grow to $37 billion by 2018. The revenues and valuations in this sector are enormous. Airbnb is now valued at over $31 billion, and online travel giant Expedia purchased HomeAway for $3.9 billion.

This contemporary peer-to-peer rental of apartments, homes, and spare bedrooms has generated a lot of demand and is hugely profitable for the platform providers that connect these parties. However, even with all the noise and competition, the consumer is still left wanting. Unlike hotel booking, which provides instant confirmation and easy travel planning, all of the current ALR companies still rely on convoluted confirmation systems, typically relying on the homeowner to provide the confirmation. This process has been known to take days or even weeks, leaving the traveler in travel planning limbo. There’s also no way a traveler can book ALR lodging through the convenience of a travel agent. Travelers are forced to utilize multiple sites to book flights, cars, services or entertainment and lack a cohesive one-stop shop to book a vacation. It just didn’t exist in the ALR market, until now.

Technology-driven Monaker Group, Inc. is set to disrupt the status quo in ALR and deliver what the customers want. Monaker has more than 60 years of operational experience serving the tourism industry and has pioneered a proprietary system to provide instant confirmation for bookings. The company has also established an extensive network of travel agents to offer ALR options, an alternative never before provided to travelers. Monaker already has a competitive ALR inventory compared to the largest players in the sector, and, given the disruptive changes Monaker is bringing to the vast ALR market, the company should garner lots of attention from investors looking to profit from the alternative lodging rental industry.

For more information, visit www.MonakerGroup.com

In China, there are close to 10 million epilepsy patients, the Chinese Overseas Medical Advisory Service Center estimates. There is no cure in the country, although risky surgery is sometimes performed in the U.S., where there are over three million people living with epilepsy. Many patients rely on Chinese herbs for temporary control. However, ChineseInvestors.com’s (OTCQB: CIIX) current development plan includes making cannabidiol (CBD) products available online for people with epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. Its online store (ChineseCBDoil.com) and Yelp-style mobile application are helping to serve Chinese-speaking consumers around the world, and investors as well, with a reach into the $202 million U.S. CBD industry (based on 2015 consumer sales), which is expected to exceed $2 billion by 2020.

Cannabis was used as a medicinal substance in China as early as 2700 BCE, and it was later used across India and the Middle East. Epilepsy patients were treated with cannabis as early as the 11th century. This application was studied in Europe in the 19th century, and research into the medical use of cannabis compounds took place throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Progress was hindered in 1970 as the U.S. Controlled Substances Act prohibited the production and use of any cannabis product. Today, cannabis-based products are gaining ground, and CIIX is paying close attention to the market.

A United Press International (UPI) report in December 2016 (http://dtn.fm/T6kCm) cited two clinical trials that found cannabidiol reduced the frequency of seizures in adults and children. In these studies, CBD was used in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, which are rare, hard-to-treat forms of epilepsy. University of Alabama researchers found that CBD does reduce the frequency and severity of seizures, but not all patients exhibited the same benefits. Research has also indicated that CBD could interact with anti-seizure medications, causing decreases in liver function and sedation. Researchers also weren’t sure if mild to moderate side effects such as decreased appetite, sleepiness, vomiting, or diarrhea were associated with CBD.

Nonetheless, the popularity of CBD and cannabis-based products is adding fuel to the fire, and CIIX isn’t holding back either. It’s investing in enterprises focused on research and development. These include businesses studying CBD’s impact on epilepsy. Parents and caretakers have not been waiting for approval of cannabis products or traditional drugs to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many have already obtained medical cannabis and seen positive results. Even the American Epilepsy Society has taken a stance, referencing anecdotal reports on the use of marijuana derivative cannabidiol in patients with treatment-resistant seizures (http://dtn.fm/rC5wX). It has called on both government and private funders to support research, so there’s more scientific data on the effectiveness of CBD as an epilepsy treatment.

Cannabidiol is gaining ground in the North American market. Legal in 50 states, it’s considered a food nutrient and is exported to China and over 40 other countries.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com

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National Waste Management Holdings, Inc. (OTC: NWMH), in a SEC 10-K Annual Report filed on April 17, 2017, for the year ended December 31, 2016, reported revenues of $6,345,324 compared to $2,429,747 (restated) for the same period in 2015, representing a 161% jump. The increase in sales was due primarily to the firm’s acquisitions of Waste Recovery Enterprises, LLC (“WRE”) in October 2015, and Gateway Rolloff Services, LP, on December 1, 2015. Revenue in 2016 also grew due to a larger customer base, increased construction activity in Florida and the May 2016 acquisition of commercial collection company Sivart Services, LLC, which allowed the company to extend services into Cooperstown, New York.

NWMH is a vertically-integrated solid waste management company with six primary operations: landfill services, roll-off dumpster operations, commercial and residential collections, transfer station operations, trucking and grinding and mulch sales. The company operates in Florida and New York. By acquiring Kingston, New York-based Northeast Data, NWMH expanded its revenue stream to include paper shredding and hard drive destruction services.

Northeast Data Destruction & Recycling, since consolidated into WRE, specializes in document destruction services both on- and off-site. Northeast Data has expanded into hard drive destruction services, and the company plans to roll out this service throughout Upstate New York. Northeast Data shreds sensitive documents for banks, law firms, insurance companies, investment firms and other investment entities.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.nationalwastemgmt.com

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OTC Markets Group has announced the publication of proposed amendments to the OTCQB Standards, which are scheduled to go into effect May 18, 2017.

Among these proposed changes, OTC Markets Group proposes the addition of new eligibility criteria for companies not required to be SEC reporting. OTC Markets Group further purposes the refining of various continued eligibility requirements and the reorganization of several sections for improved clarity.

Companies following the Alternative Reporting Standard may now become qualified for the OTCQB and will be required to make public disclosure available through the OTC Disclosure & News Service in accordance with the OTCQX and OTCQB Disclosure Guidelines, which are the same disclosure guidelines used by OTCQX companies. In addition, these Alternate Reporting Companies will have certain corporate governance requirements.

Other proposed changes relate to the timing for removing delinquent filers, revision of due dates for International Reporting filings, annual certification of good standing in the state or jurisdiction of incorporation, and the procedures for removing a company from OTCQB for bid price deficiency.

A comment period is ongoing through May 17, and those with feedback regarding the proposed changes should send their comments and questions to mike@otcmarkets.com.

The proposed rules can be read in their entirety at http://dtn.fm/4EywP

The drug development process is quickly taking on more of a patient-centric approach. As biotechnology company CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) is aware, possible rejections of drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) don’t necessarily point to a failure. Real world data collection, incorporating scientific data and patient feedback, is aiding research and development and giving many stakeholders in the clinical trial process new capabilities. The recent decline of Orphan Drug Designation (“ODD”) for PRO 140 by the FDA, announced in a Biotech & Pharma story (http://nnw.fm/hFU48), was because the agency believes it can be used to treat a broader population with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Instead of a smaller subgroup of HIV patients (less than 200,000 patients), it thinks a potential monotherapy could eventually be available, suitable for all people with the virus that are infected by the R5 strain of HIV. The drug development path isn’t always a smooth one, and the true implications may not be known for some time.

CytoDyn specializes in humanized monoclonal antibodies and their clinical development. Its groundbreaking advancements in treatments for HIV and other immune deficiency viruses are providing ample opportunities for investors. CytoDyn’s drug under study has a fast track designation from the FDA. The company intends for it to be used both as part of a combination therapy and as a standalone drug, and a recent Letter to Shareholders (http://nnw.fm/1Wt6D) explored the highlights of both. This notice expressed the largest market opportunity may be use as a monotherapy. However, PRO 140 is not only being explored for HIV treatment; it’s also being studied in a Phase 2 graft vs. host disease (GvHD) trial for patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome who are undergoing a bone marrow transplant and are in danger of developing GvHD. These patients have a significantly decreased one-year survival rate, with relapsed GvHD as the leading causes of death.

According to Transparency Market Research, the current U.S. HIV therapy market is valued at around $20 billion. The CytoDyn drug candidate addresses the shortcomings of the current standard of care (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy), which include side effects, toxicities, drug resistance, and patient compliance. In a recent study of over 200 patients, it yielded no serious side effects or toxicity.

For updates on clinical trials and approvals, and information for investors, visit CytoDyn Inc. online at www.cytodyn.com.

Technology now allows consumers to make instant purchases, even if they don’t have cash or cards on hand. Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE), a specialist in mobile payment technology, is seeing cashless transactions increase nationwide and globally. North American transactions revenue increased 54 percent from 2015 to 2016, reaching over $42 million. The growth of bankcard regional volume here doesn’t even come close to regions such as the emerging Asian market. According to the World Payments Report 2015, this sector grew 21.6 percent in Asia and 8.6 percent in South America. Still, according to a recent press release (http://nnw.fm/b3Luw), Net Element’s North American segment represented 78 percent of the company’s corporate revenue, an increase of 10 points over the previous year.

The results of a Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute study released in March (http://nnw.fm/B7jWQ) reveal that consumers used their mobile wallets most frequently at restaurants. About 76.4 percent of mobile tech users did so to pay for meals, and another 33.2 percent did so to pay for transportation services. Aptito’s iOS and Android cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system includes a restaurant management and payment acceptance solution, offering digital menus and kiosks on the iPad. The POS system and iPhone app lets businesses interact with their customers and manage restaurants remotely. Aptito is part of TOT Group, Inc., a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider owned and operated by Net Element.

With the Aptito Retail POS, users can take full advantage of an integrated system. Available on mobile devices, it features a barcode scanner and printer, receipt printer, scales, cash drawer, self-service system, and EMV-compliant bankcard acceptance terminal. Aptito, however, isn’t the only arm that Net Element can flex. It also operates PayOnline, an electronic commerce platform that was recently introduced to Russian markets, adding Apple Pay support across the country. It had a reach of over 200,000 users as of April 2017.

Statista.com (http://nnw.fm/8GjCb) predicts that the global mobile payment market will continue growing. In 2015, the worldwide market was valued at $450 billion, and it is expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2019. Starbucks entered the mobile payments market early and was processing over nine million mobile app transactions per week by Q3 2015 in the U.S. alone (accounting for $11.4 billion in sales), but mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular whether the customer buys products from online marketplaces such as Amazon or brick and mortar stores such as Target.

Globally, the mobile payment industry is surging, but that’s not to say things are sluggish in the U.S. Unified Payments, another TOT Group asset, was rated the #1 fastest growing company in America in 2012 by Inc. Magazine. Its POS solution includes business analytics, fraud detection, and risk management. Near Field Communications technology supports Mobile EMV Card Readers, Apple Pay®, and Android Pay®, while the system also allows merchants to analyze revenue and manage their online reputations.

Net Element’s mobile POS solutions for the restaurant, retail, and other fast-growing mobile payment segments are appealing to an expanding user base. To learn more about the growth it is helping support in the U.S. and globally, review the company’s facts and services online at www.NetElement.com.

The acquisition of ShareRails was completed by Grey Cloak Tech, Inc. (OTC: GRCK) in March 2017 and is already developing new relationships and creating new online-to-offline business opportunities in southeast China. Excel Management Systems, an IT management firm, had valued the acquisition at over $6.4 million. ShareRails is now enhancing the visibility of brick-and-mortar stores to millions of online shoppers thanks to its ShareRails Online to Offline Platform (O2O), which transforms inventory data into digital content that can be indexed by Google and various other search engines. The platform also seamlessly integrates internet marketing, email marketing, and social media to bridge the gap between traditional and e-commerce stores.

Funding by Tomorrow Ventures (a private equity fund operated by Google) has helped ShareRails reach its goals. In fact, ShareRails founder Joseph Nejman previously led seed investments as Entrepreneur in Residence for the venture capital firm and held various roles at Google. In a recent interview, Nejman said of the basis for the ShareRails O2O platform: “Local retailers are missing out on millions of shopping searches each month because their product inventory and other key information is not accessible online and therefore they do not appear in relevant search results nor can consumers see what products are in stock without visiting the store.”

The acquisition promises to have repercussions throughout the retail and e-commerce industries. Serving the trillion-dollar retail sector, ShareRails can draw the attention of online shoppers to local retailers, even if their inventory isn’t available online. Local merchants’ products can be seen through basic online searches. The ShareRails platform makes in-stock products and promotions instantly searchable; it creates a digital product catalog allowing people to find products locally and even on social media. In addition to product details, one will also see directions to the store, hours of operation, and other relevant details.

Once data are imported, stored in the cloud, and published, the ShareRails O2O platform lets people search an online mall. This drives digital campaigns and social media initiatives while enabling a resource for product reviews and recommendations. End users can also take advantage of an outfit builder, wishlist app, and other shopping tools such as the Dress.li recommendation and reward platform. Shoppers can easily connect with fashion experts, stylists, and bloggers. At the same time, merchants have insightful analytics to track customer behavior, trends, and more.

Grey Cloak Tech provides industry-leading click-fraud protection solutions in addition to the retail solutions offered by ShareRails. It is now positioned to address the O2O market and online security (via its proprietary Fraudlytic software for digital advertising fraud protection), giving investors a path to benefit from business ventures serving a vast and diverse market. In the U.S. alone, there are over 10 million product searches per month, even as mall traffic was cut in half between 2010 and 2013, according to a recent company press release.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.GreyCloakTech.com

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