Last year The Washington Post published an article with the captivating title ‘The most important thing you can do with your kids? Eat dinner with them.’ It was penned by Anne Fishel, a professor at Harvard Medical School, who is a founder of The Family Dinner Project and author of “Home for Dinner”. It’s a piece that every parent should read, pointing as it does to often unexploited opportunities for childhood development at mealtimes. Two parents who know of these fortuities are Joey and Dorsa Parsi, who founded Giggles N’ Hugs (OTCQB: GIGL) in 2007.

A feature in Bloomberg Businessweek tells their story. On Valentine’s Day 2007, Joey took his wife out for the first time since the birth of their second child six months earlier. Their first child, an exuberant three-year-old with the delightful name of Yasmine, collided with a fellow diner’s table, spilling his water, whereupon the aggrieved patron glared at Joey, condemnation evident in his looks. As Joey said to Dorsa later:

“Shame on us for taking kids to a restaurant where we have to turn to our 3-year-old and say, ‘Be something other than a child.’”

However, out of evil came good. That adverse incident gave the L.A. couple the idea to create a kid-friendly restaurant concept which they christened Giggles N’ Hugs, a play on the name of the hugely successful Australian children’s music group, The Wiggles. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Attitudes to children have changed since the fifteenth century when, in a collection of homilies (Mirk’s Festial) written by English clergyman John Mirk, the saying ‘a child should be seen, but not heard’ appeared in its original form. Modern parents want to spend time with their children, but, all too often, other time demands make this difficult. Consequently, mealtime presents a unique opportunity for bonding.

Dr. Fishel writes that ‘researchers found that for young children, dinnertime conversation boosts vocabulary even more than being read aloud to… Young kids learned 1,000 rare words (those not among the 3,000 most common) at the dinner table, compared to only 143 from parents reading storybooks aloud.’ Vocabulary, naturally, is crucial to the acquisition of knowledge. The child can only learn if he or she understands.

Research has also shown that ‘for school-age youngsters, regular mealtime is an even more powerful predictor of high achievement scores than time spent in school, doing homework, playing sports or doing art’. In addition, ‘family dinners have been found to be a more powerful deterrent against high-risk teen behaviors than church attendance or good grades’.

Giggles N’ Hugs is not only an upscale fast casual that offers a menu created from the finest organic ingredients; it’s a fine-dining institution offering the solution to a social problem. Social mores have changed since the fifteenth century, but, in many cases, institutions have remained the same. A Giggles N’ Hugs outlet is a restaurant and play space combo where parents can relax and dine while kids frolic under supervision. Currently, the company operates two upscale locations in high-profile Los Angeles malls. There’s one at Westfield Topanga Shopping Center in Woodland Hills, Canoga Park; and a second at the Glendale Galleria.

There are encouraging indications that these are choice locations. In the area served by Westfield Topanga Shopping Center, 38 percent of households have at least one child and 30 percent of households have incomes in excess of $100,000. In the area served by Glendale Galleria, 47 percent of households include children and 23 percent have incomes above $100,000.

Giggles N’ Hugs is aiming to have 12 restaurants up and running by the end of 2017. This is eminently possible since mall owners believe having Giggles N’ Hugs as a tenant will burnish the family image brand of a mall. In addition, such a tenant will create glamour and buzz and increase foot traffic to the mall. Giggles N’ Hugs has been offered rent discounts of up to 75 percent and upfront cash to cover setup costs. At present, discussions are underway with Westfield to open restaurants in major airports throughout America, including Los Angeles International (LAX), Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark, O’Hare, Boston and Logan.

Learn more by visiting www.gigglesnhugs.com

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According to a recent Nasdaq article (http://nnw.fm/kBav6), retail store earnings have not been moving much in the past few months. The research showed a shift in consumers habits whereby Americans are spending more on experiences such as travel and entertainment rather than clothing, accessories, and electronics. Services are now making up a large majority of consumer expenditures.

Healthcare and travel are at the forefront of spending, with healthcare making up 20% of total consumption, a number that’s up from just 5% in the 60’s. And information from First Data Corp. shows a rise in spending on travel of 8.6% since last year. On the flip side, sport shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars have seen a considerable drop.

As a result in this seismic shift in consumer spending, hotels and various other accommodation types have had to adapt their facilities and offerings to a broader clientele. The once inconceivable thought of staying in someone else’s home instead of a hotel has now become a growing trend. Still, there is not enough supply to fulfill the demand in terms of accommodation, and so hotels and hosts are pressured to be more tactful in the way they provide for their consumers.

Over the last decade, hotels and inns have expanded their facilities with sub-brands that suit a variety of consumers. These include luxury resorts, hotels, and other forms of unique accommodations. This shift is not only because of the lack of supply, but also the growing need for consumers to have an experience that is not alien to the place they are visiting. People increasingly seek a traditional experience associated with locale, and the accommodation is seen as part of that.

Technology-driven travel company Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI) has provided consumers from around the world with the chance to search through and book a variety of accommodation types in order to meet the growing needs of the 21st century consumer. The website features a range of alternative lodging options that include not only hotel rooms, but resorts, villas, unused timeshares, apartments, and creative niche style accommodations that uniquely reflect individual locations.

In addition to the above, the company’s flagship NextTrip.com enables customers to book everything they need to organize the perfect holiday. MKGI works with a range of key partners and travel brands, enabling them to reach a large audience and tailor experiences accordingly. Monaker Group aims to continue expanding its portfolio in order to become the ‘one stop’ vacation center.

For more information, visit www.monakergroup.com

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Google Wallet, the peer-to-peer payments service developed by Google (NASDAQ: GOOG; GOOGL), was first released in the United States in September 2011. From the beginning, Google Pay allowed its users to make point-of-sale purchases with their mobile devices using near-field communication (NFC) technology. Four years later, the multinational tech giant shifted its NFC payments to Android Pay, limiting contactless payments to users of its Android mobile operating system. This move made sense, as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Google’s primary competitor in the mobile operating system space, released its proprietary Apple Pay platform months earlier in October 2014. Both Apple and Google boast expansive availability in the U.S. According to a 2015 report by The Verge (http://nnw.fm/fBBC6), Android Pay is available on more than 70 percent of available Android devices and accepted across a network of more than 700,000 merchants.

With these statistics in mind, the rising tide surrounding contactless mobile payments remains under the radar. In December 2014, CMO.com reported (http://nnw.fm/3Oxjh) that U.S. proximity payment transaction values doubled from 2012 to 2013, and eMarketer projections call for continued growth in the years to come as consumers warm to the idea of paying with their phones. Research firm Forrester shares this vision. In a 2014 report, Forrester predicted that mobile-based payments in the U.S. will reach $142 billion in volume by 2019, up from just $50 billion at the time of the study.

The maturation of the mobile wallet market will create opportunities for tech giants like Google and Apple, to be sure; and other household names, such as PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL), Visa (NYSE: V), Chase (NYSE: JPM) and AT&T (NYSE: T), have already thrown their hats into the ring as well. Just two years ago, the market leader in mobile payment apps, according to the CMO.com report, was Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), with an impressive 29 percent of all U.S. smartphone owners who had used mobile payment apps to make a purchase having done so with the coffee chain’s proprietary wallet app. While this peculiar statistic demonstrates the relatively low barriers of entry that currently exist in the mobile wallet space, it also highlights the difficulty companies are having in getting consumers to take advantage of the convenience of contactless payments. A 2015 study by Accenture (http://nnw.fm/a9kMl) found that while 52 percent of North Americans are “extremely aware” of the availability of mobile payments, only 18 percent use them on a regular basis.

In an April 2015 poll by Statista (http://nnw.fm/OkO38), PayPal landed in the top three mobile wallet services in the U.S. in terms of user satisfaction, and this favorability has resulted in steady expansion of payment volumes. In the second quarter of 2016, PayPal’s net payment volume totaled $86.2 billion, up 28 percent year-over-year. This growth is telling of the value proposition offered by PayPal to its consumers, which extends across both Android and iOS, as well as integrating within merchant-oriented payment platforms to combine convenient payment options with targeted coupons for frequent shoppers and other services. Throw in Venmo, the mobile payment service acquired by PayPal in 2013 for $800 million, and its active user base of more than 1.5 million, and you’ve got the makings of a serious competitor for both Apple Pay and Android Pay.

Of course, the U.S. is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the expected proliferation of digital wallets in the coming years. In September 2015, a MasterCard (NYSE: MA) study found that digital wallets were the primary topic of discussion regarding payment innovation in a number of the world’s largest emerging markets, including India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria and the UAE (http://nnw.fm/x8edQ). The study went on to find that these markets are particularly ripe for innovation, with people pointing toward security as their primary concern in adopting electronic payment methods. As a result, MasterCard is looking into the integration of facial recognition software and biometrics in order to make payments both easier and more secure.

PayStar is a less-known play in the digital wallet space that’s targeting the needs of emerging markets. Founded in 2006, the company provides financial institutions with a complete solution enabling remittance services, merchant services, mobile payments and payroll services for their customers. In addition to its operations across North America, PayStar offers flexible services that meet the unique needs of markets in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. The company is currently in the process of expanding its mobile payroll and remittance services throughout the Middle East, beginning with Qatar, the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Through partnerships with local financial institutions, PayStar is positioned to market its services to more than 15 million migrant workers in Qatar and Oman alone.

For the investment community, PayStar’s established and growing position on the global mobile payments stage is particularly intriguing following the recent announcement that Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a provider of global payment technology solutions and value-added transactional services, has entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire a majority interest in the company. Subject to closing, Net Element intends to create one or more entities that will house the combined assets of PayStar and Nexcharge, a proprietary payment processing, fraud management and merchant management platform. Net Element will own a 51 percent interest in these newly-formed entities and maintain an exclusive option to acquire the remaining 49 percent interest for 12 months following the closing of the transaction.

With the planned acquisition of interests in PayStar and Nexcharge, Net Element will look to bolster what is already a sizable presence in the global payments industry. Just last month, the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, PayOnline, was ranked as a leading payment gateway by independent market analytics agency Tagline.ru. Building on this position, PayOnline recently introduced a new adaptable, multi-channel payment interface to more than 10 million online shoppers in over 3,000 international e-commerce markets. Combining this commitment to innovation from within with an aggressive M&A strategy has Net Element prepared to expand its presence in emerging markets, as discussed by CEO Oleg Firer in a recent news release.

“These acquisitions will allow Net Element to present transactions for processing directly to Visa, MasterCard, American Express and other networks, as well as expand our presence in GCC region and other selected markets,” he stated. “These acquisitions will add to the growth of our business and increase market share internationally.”

With the persistent focus on the domestic mobile payment scene, it’s easy to overlook the immense opportunities currently being presented by emerging markets. Adults in markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America still lack access to formal financial institutions, as noted by EY (http://nnw.fm/0Ocg1). As a result, mobile commerce options such as digital wallets already outpace traditional bank accounts in several emerging countries. While newcomers in the domestic market are forced to go head-to-head with the likes of Google and Apple, Net Element, through the acquisition of interests in PayStar and Nexcharge, is set to quietly expand its already sizable presence on the global stage by continuing to meet the unique needs of consumers in emerging markets.

For more information, visit www.NetElement.com

According to PewResearchCenter (http://nnw.fm/gg2Sh), 84% of American adults use the Internet, a number that has grown from 52% in 2000, and access is now part of most people’s daily routines. It’s a phenomenon that has changed the way U.S. consumers live, and businesses have had to adapt to this still expanding trend. Much like any other sector, the real estate industry has seen a considerable shift toward related technologies in order to advance communication capabilities, both for consumers and agents, and better serve a constantly changing real estate market. According to ‘Home Buyer & Sellers, Generational Trends 2016 Highlights’ (http://nnw.fm/81Jyj), published by the National Association of Realtors, millennials, heavy Internet users, now make up 35% of all home buyers in the U.S.

This is where eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) subsidiary eXp Realty comes in. This relatively new real estate brokerage was created to address a significant gap in the market by developing a unique agent-owned cloud brokerage offering full real estate service to home buyers in 43 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Alberta, Canada. As stated on the company’s website: “Advances in Internet technology and the proliferation to the masses of information and imagery concerning residential properties… has created a real estate consumer who is armed with more knowledge, context and understanding than ever before.” The company offers a one-of-a-kind, virtual-based training service to its agents with the end goal of helping consumers make more relevant searches online while guiding them through the emotional process of buying a home.

The growth of the Internet and the online real estate industry has shown significant advantages for eXp World Holdings. According to Google Trends (http://nnw.fm/ZI7gI), searches for “exp realty” peaked to 100 (the highest popularity score possible for the term). Not only this, Google Adwords has shown significant growth in keyword researches relevant to eXp World Holdings. Since July 2015, the monthly search on Google for “eXp realty” has more than doubled from 2,400 searches a month to 5,400.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://investors.exprealty.com

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Before the opening bell, Laguna Blends, Inc. (CSE: LAG) (OTC: LAGBF) (FRANKFURT: LB6A.F) offered investors an update on the success of its pro athlete branding strategy for Pro369, the company’s hemp protein-based functional beverage product. In addition to announcing the renewal of Emmanual Arceneaux, a player in the Canadian Football League, as a brand ambassador for a second year, Laguna announced that it is currently in ongoing negotiations with a number of other professional athletes across North America who enjoy the health benefits offered by Laguna’s products.

In June, Laguna reported its results from the first 11 weeks of sales following the launch of both Pro369 and Caffe, an instant hot coffee beverage infused with whey and hemp protein. The unaudited $105,000 in sales exceeded the company’s internal projections and set the stage for exponential growth as Laguna’s affiliate base continues to expand moving forward. In the June update, Ray Grimm Jr., president of Laguna, spoke to the “geometric growth” that can occur under a network marketing business model, offering “a multiplication effect, month over month” that can lead to sustainable financial growth. Grimm maintained this positive outlook in this morning’s news release while highlighting the successes of the company’s breakthrough products and offering an indication of some exciting opportunities that could be on the horizon for Laguna’s affiliates.

“Pro369 was a strategic product introduction to our affiliates. Pro369 is a world-class product that contains hemp, omegas and ginseng. Pro369 has put Laguna in a league of its own for a quality hemp protein product that includes efficacious ingredients. There has been positive feedback from affiliates on the quality, taste and solubility of the product,” he stated. “Over the next several of months Laguna will be evaluating the next order size for Pro369. Laguna will also be considering the introduction of Pro369 tubs for its affiliates in addition to the single serving packages.”

The success of Laguna’s functional beverage products represents only a portion of the company’s forward strategy. On Tuesday, Laguna announced its entry into an exclusive agreement to market, promote and distribute seven cannabidiol (CBD) skin care products produced by CannaCeuticals of California, USA (“Canna”). Canna’s products have achieved strong results in lab studies, with its CBD face serum offering a 100 percent improvement to the appearance of test subjects’ skin within two weeks. For Laguna, these results provide a solid foundation upon which to make its entry into the $121 billion global skin care industry, and the company’s early feedback from affiliates regarding the quality of Canna’s skin care line has been “overwhelmingly positive,” according to Grimm.

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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J.S. Bach’s Coffee Cantata is a musical reminder that coffee has long been one of our gastronomic delights. The cantata (BWV 211) tells the story of a young German maiden, Liesgen, and her love of coffee. “It is”, she declares “more delicious than a thousand kisses, milder than muscatel wine.” This panegyric may seem to us today to be just hyperbole, but there’s no doubt that the Western world is fond of coffee. For about 250 years, we have been congregating in establishments named after the beverage. There are few places in the world you will not find a café. Moreover, today our love affair with this titillating drink continues with delightful beverages like Caffe Protein Coffee from Laguna Blends (CSE : LAG) (OTC : LAGBF) (FRANKFURT : LB6A.F).

Coffee, originally from North Africa, is thought to have played a vital role in improving Europe’s industriousness and increasing prosperity from the seventeenth century onward. At least since the Middle Ages, beer had been the beverage most widely consumed at breakfast. A famous 12th century abbess, Hildegard of Bingen, recommended beer as a safer drink than water, as water supplies then were notoriously polluted. However, beer in the morning is unlikely to foster diligence. No doubt, our forefathers started their days very slowly until, of course, coffee was introduced. But it wasn’t welcomed with all open arms at first.

The National Coffee Association USA relates that coffee critics dubbed the potion ‘the bitter invention of Satan’. In Italy, the seat of the Church, its use was regarded with suspicion since it originated from countries with large Muslim populations. The clamor against it grew until the Pope of the day, Clement VIII, was petitioned to ban its use. However, after sampling a cup, much to the chagrin of its detractors, he gave it his blessing. Some have argued that another reason for the prejudice against coffee was its potential to stimulate sedition. Whereas consumption of alcohol leads to singing and dancing, a coffee drinker ‘thinks too much: such men are dangerous’.

Research published by Gallup in July 2015 (http://nnw.fm/tTv0L) showed that ‘just under two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults drink at least one cup a day’ and that they average about 2.7 cups per day. A quarter felt they were, perhaps like Liesgen, somewhat addicted, but only 10 percent wanted to drink less. ‘Coffee drinkers tend to be older; with 74 percent of adults aged 55 and older consuming it daily, versus 50 percent of those aged 18 to 34.’ The more you earn, the more likely you are to drink coffee. About 66 percent of Americans with incomes exceeding $75,000 are coffee drinkers, while just 58 percent of those earning less than $30,000 drink coffee.

Laguna Blends’ Caffe Protein Coffee, the company’s leading product, ‘is loaded in proteins: both whey and hemp’. Over one year of research went into the development of what is now a distinctly proprietary product protected by intellectual property rights. With Caffe Protein Coffee, Laguna Blends has achieved its goal of creating a delicious, healthful beverage that is served hot as an instant coffee. Approximately 20 percent of the 6.2 grams per package contain whey and hemp protein, and this makes Laguna’s product very different from that of its competition. In addition, there is room in the market for a product like Caffe Protein Coffee. The only large company with a protein coffee beverage is Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), against which Caffe Protein Coffee may have a winning edge. The Starbucks product comes as ‘coffee in the can’ and may tap just the away-from-home market, while Laguna’s product is similar to instant coffee and is better for home use, where the most coffee is consumed. A report by the Small Business Administration (SBA) (http://nnw.fm/2EcUt) indicates that ‘75 percent of the cups of coffee brewed daily are consumed at home’.

Laguna Blends, with headquarters in British Columbia, Canada, markets products based on the nutritional health benefits derived from hemp. Laguna Blends is a network marketing company, also known as a multi-layer marketing company, that generates retail sales through independent affiliates.

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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Founded in Shenzhen, China, Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) has provided companies worldwide with the opportunity to advertise and promote their services and products to a range of targeted audiences through social media marketing and promotion platforms. The company has at its core the aim to enhance the interaction between customer and merchant by using data compiled from user activities and various forms of analytics. Moxian, Inc. now has two applications: Moxian+ User and Moxian+ Business.

But, Moxian is currently pulling out all the stops for a Nasdaq move in order to make the most of the related opportunities that James Tan, Moxian CEO, believes are better for the company at this point in its development. The fact that the company is now trading in New York and able to show its future earning potential to a broader group of investors is not its only asset. Moxian, Inc.’s team has over 100 years of combined experience in a range of industries and technologies.

Moxian’s board of directors is made up of the CEO and chairman, James Tan Meng Dong, and directors Liew Kwong Yeow, Hao Qing Hu, Yang Nan, and Ajay Rajpal. Between them, the board has experience in managing both private and public companies based in the U.S. and Asia. In addition to this, CEO and chairman James Tan served as a director on the board of Pacific Internet Ltd, which was a Nasdaq-listed company.

Aside from the board of directors, Moxian has a specialized management team which includes all the above as well as a legal director, a vice president, a creative marketing manager, a chief financial officer, a chief operations officer, a chief technology officer, a vice president of business development, a director of product development, and a deputy director of infrastructure.

In October 2013, Moxian launched its Moxian App 1.0 beta in China and Malaysia. By September 2014, the company started developing Moxian+ User and Moxian+ Business Apps, which were made available to the public in October 2015. Thanks to a wealth of knowledge from its management team, board of directors, and other employees, the company is able to evolve year after year. In addition to all of the above, Moxian recently announced that its board of directors has approved a reverse stock split of the company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock.

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

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First recognition of sulfide zinc mineralization in the Balmat region of upstate New York was in the early 1800s. In the early 1900s, production began. Since then, the greater Balmat-Edwards-Pierrepont district has produced more than 43 million tons of ore. The average grade ranged from 8.5 percent zinc to 16.4 percent. Unfortunately, in the early 2000s, zinc prices crashed and mining in the area stopped. The mine reopened briefly from 2006 to 2008, when it was placed on care and maintenance status due to a new fall in the price of zinc and the general economic downturn.

However, Star Mountain Resources (OTC: SMRS), a junior exploration and mining company whose operations are currently focused on base metals and precious metal mining acquisitions in North America, is aiming to recommence mining activities in the Balmat zinc mine. The company is now the full owner of the mine, which is fully permitted and in compliance with all federal and state mining regulations.

Historically, the Balmat zinc mine produced up to 30.7 million tons of 8.6 percent grade zinc. Star Mountain Resources, Inc. has put together an eight and half year plan whereby it will be using modernized mechanisms to perform underground mining using room, pillar, and long hole stoping. The mine is said to have a 4,000 tons per day hoisting capacity, with a mill able to produce 5,000 tons of zinc concentrator per day.

SMRS is currently undertaking the necessary steps toward restarting the Balmat zinc mine in order to transform the company from a junior explorer into an active producer. Not only this, the transaction brings SMRS a high quality mining asset and new professionals to its board of directors and senior management. The reopening of the mine is expected to boost the economy of the region and provide new jobs. SMRS expects the mine to be running by the end of 2016.

For more information, visit www.starmountainresources.com

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Before the opening bell, Laguna Blends, Inc. (CSE : LAG) (OTC : LAGBF) (FRANKFURT : LB6A.F) announced its entry into an agreement with ISO International, LLC through which it has acquired the exclusive right to market, promote and distribute seven cannabidiol (CBD) skin care products produced by Cannaceuticals of California, USA (“Canna”). Under the terms of the agreement, Laguna will be required to pay a one-time licensing fee of $100,000 and place a minimum purchase order of $1.5 million during the first two years of the initial term.

“We are excited to announce the closing of this transaction, which firmly roots Laguna in the $121 billion global skin care industry,” Stuart Gray, chief executive officer of Laguna, stated in this morning’s news release. “The pairing of our rapidly growing affiliate network with a revolutionary and clinically proven product line creates a powerful opportunity of growth and expansion.”

With the finalized deal now in place, Laguna will turn its attention toward incorporating Canna’s skin care products into its established affiliate marketing network. According to Ray Grimm Jr., the company’s president, Laguna’s management aims to have the associated products available to members of its affiliate marketing network before the end of next month.

Since announcing its intention to acquire exclusive distribution rights associated with Canna’s Swiss-Made CBD skin care line in early July, Laguna has offered prospective shareholders a number of insights into the market potential afforded by this licensing deal. In particular, the company announced highlights from the clinical studies of Canna’s skin care line, which were conducted by BioScreen Testing Services, Inc., an independent, FDA-approved lab located in the U.S. These highlights included a 100 percent overall improvement to the appearance of skin within a two-week period, with an impressive 85.71 percent of subjects noticing an improvement during the first seven days.

The clinical data supporting the efficacy of Canna’s skin care line could play a vital role in Laguna’s efforts to market the products in the U.S. and, pending regulatory approval, in Canada, Asia, Europe and Mexico. The U.S. skin care market is currently in a period of steady growth, with research forecasting a total market value of $10.7 billion by 2018. The global skin care industry, on the other hand, is expected to climb to $121 billion later this year. For Laguna, this robust market performance could foreshadow an opportunity to achieve sustainable financial growth over the coming months.

“Over the past three weeks Laguna has sent samples of the Cannaceutical skin care products to some select affiliates and within 3-7 days we received some overwhelmingly positive feedback,” Grimm stated in the news release. “Women are noticing changes in skin texture and skin tone and are eager for the skin care line to become available for purchase.”

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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US Nuclear Corp. (OTC: UCLE) specializes in the design, development and manufacture of radiation detection instrumentation. Through subsidiaries Overhoff Technology Corp. and Optron Scientific Company, Inc., UCLE harbors over a century of experience addressing the unique instrumentation needs of the nuclear energy industry, as well as industries associated with emerging technological processes, such as thorium and molten salt reactor technologies, both domestically and internationally. The company’s customers include a variety of United States government agencies, the U.S. military, Homeland Security, scientific laboratories, universities, hospitals and nuclear reactor facilities located around the world.

UCLE’s roots in the nuclear power industry are extensive. Optron Scientific Company, doing business as Technical Associates (TA), was founded in 1946 as a spinoff from the Manhattan Project, the research and development program that led to the production of the first nuclear weapons during World War II. The company’s founders are credited with the design and construction of the first industrial grade radiation monitors, which were used to safeguard the scientists charged with building the world’s first atomic bomb. In the more than six decades that followed, TA established a position at the head of the industry for its custom-tailored radiation measurement and safety instruments.

Similarly, Overhoff Technology has maintained a reputation as the world’s leading manufacturer of tritium monitors for nearly 40 years. Since its founding, Overhoff has been awarded contracts by the United States Department of Defense and has sold tritium equipment to nuclear power facilities in China, South Korea, Canada, Argentina and the United Kingdom, among others.

With the combined expertise of these two operating divisions leading the way, UCLE has continued to post strong international growth in recent quarters. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the company reported sales revenues in excess of $2.6 million, marking an increase of 62 percent from the previous year. Likewise, UCLE successfully rebounded from a net loss of $321,505 in 2014 to record net income of $399,416 for 2015. Capping off the solid results, the company’s gross margin rose by eight percent in 2015, and its general and administrative expenses fell by 5.3 percent. Robert Goldstein, the company’s president, CEO and chairman, spoke about these results in a May news release.

“We started off strong in 2015 and kept up the momentum throughout the entire year, as demonstrated by our vigorous increase in sales revenue and earnings per share,” he stated. “The recognition and quality of our tritium monitors has allowed us to capture new opportunities in the rising nuclear power and research sectors, while continuing to service our world-wide base of existing customers.”

Looking to build on its 2015 momentum, UCLE has continued to expand its foothold in the international nuclear power industry in recent months. After reporting profitable annual results, the company announced the reception of a new order totaling $235,000 from its representative in Canada, Radiation Measurement Systems. This order is particularly noteworthy, because the Canadian government has allocated several billion dollars toward refurbishing a number of existing reactors dispersed throughout the country. As one of the original suppliers for many of these reactors, UCLE is strategically positioned to capitalize on this investment as work proceeds.

UCLE has also continued to innovate and push the industry forward, as Goldstein alluded to in an interview with SNNLive (http://nnw.fm/6J5ir). The company recently implemented drones in order to improve the flexibility of its radiation detection instrumentation. Among the advantages offered by this technology, Goldstein points toward location and rapid deployment as game changers. By offering the capability to measure radiation levels directly above an impacted area, such as a burning hospital or overturned railcar, mere moments after a potentially dangerous chemical or radiation related accident has occurred, users can access critical data that would be otherwise unavailable, effectively protecting the wellbeing of both first responders and the general public.

For more information, visit www.usnuclearcorp.com