• Cashless payments continue growing
• Technology to handle debit and credit card payments
• Aptito restaurant management solution driving sales

The payment system has come a long way from the time when transactions were mainly settled in specie. In antiquity and during the medieval period, purses glittered with gold and silver coin. Then, paper money, used by the Chinese a thousand years before, began to appear in 17th century Europe. From the late Renaissance to the end of the 20th century, banknotes and, increasingly, checks were used to transfer funds and make payments. Now, with the internet girding the globe, these media are being replaced by electronic means, like those offered by innovative fintech, Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE). This global financial company provides merchants with the technology to accept funds electronically through an omni-channel environment that includes both online and offline payments.

A dollar paid may be a dollar received, but not all payments are processed in the same way. A typical debit card transaction can actually be processed in two ways, online and offline, which terms, misleadingly, differ from their colloquial meanings. In an online transaction, a consumer authorizes a payment by keying in her PIN at the point-of-sale after swiping a debit card through a magnetic card reader. The transaction is approved in real time, the customer’s account is adjusted immediately, and money is transferred to the merchant’s account in two to three business days.

However, at present, processing debit transactions “online” is only available in the brick-and-mortar world where the consumer is physically present. Typically, you cannot do a PIN transaction on the internet, although already, ecommerce PIN debit solutions are starting to make their appearance. In an offline transaction, on the other hand, no PIN is involved. Instead, the consumer will be required to sign a receipt. Offline debit transactions are processed through the networks operated by credit card providers, such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Whether it be online or offline, Net Element can handle it. The solutions offered by the company enable merchants of all sizes to accept and process over 100 different payment options in more than 40 currencies, including credit, debit and prepaid payments. Net Element also provides merchants with value-added services and technologies including integrated payment technologies, point-of-sale solutions, security solutions, fraud management, information solutions and analytical tools.

The company has been reporting very strong results for its North America Transaction Solutions (NATS) and Online Payment Solutions (OPS) divisions. In 2016, NATS revenues reached $42.1 million, an increase of 54 percent over 2015. Sales to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were particularly good. The division’s product offerings include Aptito, a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) restaurant management solution. OPS also performed well. Revenues rose by 63 percent, in 2016, to reach $6.2 million. Total revenues for 2016 were $54.3 million, which represented a 35 percent year-over-year increase.

At its current stock price of $0.44, Net Element’s market cap is approximately $7.8 million, which is just 14 percent of 2016 revenues. SeeThruEquity, in an April 2017 report, set a target price of $2.45. In a world that is increasingly embracing cashless payments, Net Element is very likely to hit that target.

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

• Cannabidiol (CBD) combats anxiety, inflammation, nausea and vomiting
• Low side-effect profile means high doses of cannabidiol can be used for treatment of schizophrenia, dementia, diabetes and nausea
• Lower doses promote and maintain health with anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects
• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. set to benefit from increasing interest in CBD as patented technology improves taste, rapidity and effectiveness of bioactive compounds including cannabinoids

A new scientific review of the safety and side effects of cannabidiol confirms and expands on the myriad known health benefits of cannabidiol and the compound’s lack of side effects.

The review, titled “An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies,” was published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in June. To view the full publication, visit: http://dtn.fm/cbd-clinical-overview-pdf.

Cannabidiol has a number of beneficial effects, the study states; it is anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antiemetic and antipsychotic. This can only increase the demand for cannabidiol (CBD) products and is good news for Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQB: LXRP). Lexaria has patented a revolutionary lipophilic delivery method which allows accurate, timely delivery of cannabinoids without the need for users to smoke, vape or otherwise inhale the substance.

Lexaria out-licenses its proprietary technology for improved taste, increased speed and efficiency in the delivery of bioactive compounds, including cannabinoids. The special manufacturing process infuses CBD within lipids, which form the basis of the human endocannabinoid system. Lexaria Bioscience’s new process masks the undesirable taste of cannabidiol, which eliminates the need for added sugar and results in a healthier product.

The review’s authors, Iffland Kerstin and Grotenhermen Franjo, concluded that along with the beneficial effects, the safety profile of CBD is excellent. Chronic use and high doses of up to 1,500 mg per day have repeatedly shown to be well tolerated. Cannabidiol does not alter physiological parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure and does not adversely affect psychological and psychomotor functions, food intake or gastrointestinal transit.

The study’s authors reviewed clinical data and animal studies to extend and update a comprehensive survey by Bergamaschi et al. in 2011 on CBD safety and side effects; they concluded that CBD has a much better side effect profile than other drugs used for the treatment of epilepsy and psychotic disorders.

Several studies have shown cannabidiol to be effective in the treatment of epilepsy. In one study, CBD treatment reduced seizures by 45% in 261 young children who were not receiving relief from standard medications. In another study, CBD reduced the frequency of seizures by 39% in therapy-resistant epilepsy patients.

Cannabidiol has also been shown to have anti-anxiety effects equivalent to a standard dose of imipramine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sold as Tofranil and commonly used to treat anxiety and depression.

Studies have found that CBD reduces inflammation in the gastrointestinal system, treats symptoms of multiple sclerosis and helps with the management of glaucoma.

According to the study review, cannabidiol has also been shown to:

• help with cannabis withdrawal
• reduce heroin-seeking behaviors
• reduce psychotic symptoms in Parkinson’s patients
• reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes
• positively modulate the immune system in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis and diabetes
• reduce amyloid beta neuro-inflammation and prevent the development of a social recognition deficit in Alzheimer’s disease.
• reduce swelling and inflammation in arthritis
• prevent or slow the spread of certain types of aggressive cancer cells
• reduce weight gain
• reduce symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as psychosis and bipolar disorder

Cannabidiol is not the only substance which can be formulated and delivered via Lexaria’s revolutionary delivery method; the patented technology can be used for delivery of nicotine, vitamins, analgesics and a variety of other substances. Tests by an independent, third-party lab show that Lexaria’s technological process and lipid formulation improve intestinal absorption by as much as 500%.

Patents have been issued to the company in the U.S. and Australia protecting Lexaria’s intellectual property for the edible delivery of all non-psychoactive cannabinoids, including cannabinoid edibles. A variety of food and beverage formats are protected by the patent, including tea, coffee, cocoa powder, fresh foods and meats, dairy products, pastas, breads, seeds, nuts, spices, herbs, candies, flavorings and more.

Lexaria is primarily a B2B enterprise, and it is in licensing discussions or has existing agreements with companies in Canada, the largest-market states in the U.S., and abroad.

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

Let us hear your thoughts: Lexaria Bioscience Corp. Message Board

• Oncology pipeline features significant safety/efficacy advantages
• Lead candidate poised for FDA acceleration due to significant unmet need in AML
• Broad-spectrum applicability of WP1066 & WP1122 portfolios of molecules

For preclinical oncology biopharma Moleculin Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBRX), the quest to deliver potentially revolutionary anti-cancer drugs to the market is enkindled by a close association with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This institution’s stated mission is nothing less than to make “cancer history,” and eliminate cancer on a global scale. Truly an American success story to be proud of, MD Anderson is one of the largest cancer centers in the world, employs some 20,000 people in Houston and Central Texas, and is ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” when it comes to quality cancer treatment. The superbly integrated programs of patient care, research and prevention – for which MD Anderson is widely known – have massively helped to foster innovative thinking when it comes to wrangling some of the most ornery cancer types.

More Powerful, Novel, Safer, More Versatile Pipeline of OncoTech

Moleculin’s rapidly developing pipeline (some of which are based on license agreements with The University of Texas System on behalf of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) consists of the company’s lead drug candidate Annamycin, which targets relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as its extremely promising WP1066 and WP1122 portfolios of molecules. WP1066 is designed to defeat cancer by modulating cancer progression transcription factors (WP1066), while WP1122 has been shown to actively manipulating cancer’s metabolic envelope via a novel glucose decoy technology invented by the company’s scientific founder, Dr. Waldemar Priebe.

The broad-spectrum potential of the WP1122 portfolio was heavily underscored by the announcement in late June that MBRX had identified new properties of a modified WP1122 compound (known as WP1234) that could help stamp out pancreatic cancer. The global treatment market for this cancer was recently forecast to hit somewhere around $4.2 billion by 2025, rising sharply from just $1.7 billion in 2015 (there were nearly 412,000 deaths from pancreatic cancers that year) due to factors such as a growing geriatric population and increasing rates of obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Shares of MBRX rose to $3.28 on June 28 given the strength of the news, as well as the announcement of an agreement with a physician at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to enable additional research into WP1066 for a rare form of pediatric brain tumor.

WP1234 showed both improved drug characteristics over WP1122 and a 20-fold to 50-fold more powerful cancer cell line-killing ability than traditional glycolysis inhibitors in preclinical testing. Because tumors are so reliant on glycolysis for energy, WP1234 could become a breakaway indication for what is still largely considered an untreatable disease. Notably, this disease has an 80 percent or greater mortality rate and will see nearly 54,000 diagnoses this year alone in the U.S., according to ACA projections.

WP1234’s apparent efficacy in pancreatic cancers owes a great deal to the ongoing collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the enhanced cellular uptake/retention characteristics associated with the blood brain barrier-crossing WP1122 platform technology. The platform technology was designed to enable 2-DG (the molecule uptaken by cellular glucose transporters) accumulation in the brain at significantly higher levels than normal and tackle a wide variety of solid tumors; even difficult-to-treat and often progressively resistant to treatment brain tumors, like glioblastomas. The Glioblastoma multiforme treatment market is on track to run around 10.9 percent CAGR through 2025 when it will reach over $1 billion in revenues for the first time in history, according to a recent report from Brisk Insights. With notable players like Merck’s (NYSE: MRK) Temodar® or Roche’s (OTCQX: RHHBY) Avastin® currently the standard of care, humble MBRX might appear to some investors as David taking on Goliath.

The company announced on July 25 that it would support acceleration of a physician-sponsored Investigational New Drug application to clinically study WP1066 in glioblastomas. Modeled after a natural compound with tumor-fighting properties, WP1066 appears to not only supercharge a patient’s natural ability to stave off tumor development through stimulation of the immune system, it also attacks tumors directly by inhibiting the master regulator of a wide range of tumors known as STAT3 (transcription factor). And it does so in a way which bypasses the multifactorial activation of STAT3, directly and independently from upstream effectors. This means it is possible that WP1066 could hit a variety of targets, irrespective of their upstream method of activation, delivering a powerful one-two punch of direct and indirect action against tumors.

Potential AML Blockbuster

This is pretty exciting stuff already, without even really talking about the company’s lead drug for AML. On that note, Annamycin is being geared up for clinical trials, with Moleculin recently signing a brand new license agreement with MD Anderson to clear the way for key patent applications and ensure that the collaboration has a bright future. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2017 estimates, AML will make up roughly 34.4 percent of all the 62,130 projected new leukemia cases, and will lead to around 10,590 deaths this year.

A roughly $1.85 billion market last year in just North America, leukemia treatments are expected to hit upwards of $2.83 billion by 2021, clocking in at around 8.9 percent CAGR. Globally, this will most likely become a $12 billion market by 2022. More specifically, the global AML segment of this market was recently forecast to hit $1.2 billion by the end of 2023, growing at a 5.3 percent CAGR, according to one study.

And Annamycin has several significant advantages that set MBRX up for either breakout success, or a buyout by a sector major. First of all we have the elephant in the room: cardiotoxicity (which damages heart muscle) associated with antiquated anthracycline induction therapies. These therapies have been yielding about the same success rate (20 percent) as they did when first developed back in the 70s, according to MBRX. Induction therapy always includes an anthracycline like doxorubicin, which, while an important discovery in its day and still useful, is also cardiotoxic. Not only is this factor the leading cause of having to limit the dose, tumor cells also have a tendency (via the phenomena known as multidrug resistance) to develop resistivity to first-line anthracyclines, which invalidates the therapy altogether.

A unique liposome formulated anthracycline, Annamycin is engineered to avoid triggering multidrug resistance mechanisms and has been shown to be non-cardiotixic in animal models when compared directly with doxorubicin. The global doxorubicin market was worth almost $810 million in 2015, according to a report out late last year from Grand View Research, and appears on-track to do 6.4 percent CAGR through 2024. Annamycin posted solid efficacy numbers in its Phase 1 and 1/2 patient studies, with around half the patients clearing their leukemic blasts to the point where they qualify for a bone marrow transplant, and it was shown to be more potent than the leading approved drug in lab studies on AML cell lines.

Annamycin is very exciting for AML patients who must first go through induction therapy in order to qualify for a life-saving bone marrow transplant. And because the drug may serve a serious unmet medical need, the FDA may approve accelerated status. If the conversations thus far with FDA are any indication, MBRX could be sitting on a winner. If Annamycin qualifies for Orphan Drug Status, MBRX could be looking at up to a decade of market exclusivity in the two biggest AML therapy markets on earth, the U.S. and EU. By deliberately targeting approval for Annamycin as a second-line therapy, in a market where there is currently no approved second-line therapy and where around 80 percent of AML patients fail first-line therapies, MBRX has set itself up for serious momentum.

Management Has “Eye of the Tiger”

And management is clearly aware of how much potential kinetic energy exists in the company’s anti-cancer drug pipeline. This was recently demonstrated once again by doubling down on their apparently strong oncology hand with the recent tapping of product commercialization and business development veteran John M. Climaco for the Board of Directors. Climaco brings years of frontline experience on the boards of noteworthy industry players like nuclear imaging device manufacturer Digirad (NASDAQ: DRAD), oncology infusion services provider InfuSystem (NASDAQ: INFU), and biopharma sector specialized commercial services provider PDI (NASDAQ: PDII).

With so many white-hot irons in the fire, targeting underserved/unserved markets where regulatory clearance can be accelerated, this company is looking more and more like a serious contender in the space.

For more information on this company, visit www.moleculin.com

• July acquisition of W Marketing further expanded the ProBility educational brand into the U.S. electrical industry, a $130 billion market
• Products include virtual reality products for 3D animation and modeling training, thanks to a 51 percent ownership stake in ProBility Immersive Technologies
• ProBility Safety Academy now offers courses in private security, public safety, criminal justice and police science

An EdTech company serving numerous career-intensive fields, ProBility Media Corp. (OTCQB: PBYA) is offering businesses full-service training and career advancement resources. Small- and medium-sized businesses in these areas have traditionally had to rely on disparate e-learning resources. Now, ProBility is offering high quality materials that are consistent with those accessible by enterprise-level organizations. The company has recently expanded into many fields, serving businesses of all sizes in multiple industries with materials for training and career advancement.

ProBility closed an acquisition of W Marketing, Inc. in July 2017, expanding its reach into the electrical industry, valued at roughly $130 billion in the U.S. The resources available now include educational courses and exam preparation materials that are compliant with all relevant standards. They can potentially be used by the tens of thousands of electrical contractors in the country and by hundreds of thousands of electrical workers who install, maintain, and repair lighting, power, and communications systems.

The company’s educational products extend all the way into the virtual reality realm. In a strategic joint venture with Industrial3D Corp., ProBility Immersive Technologies was formed to create content focused on the virtual reality and interactive media content trades. Initially, the company added a library with over 200 industry-specific intellectual property animations. It also offers subscription services to energy and industrial sector employers.

Another recent addition to the company’s brand is ProBility Safety Academy. It is a complete online security and safety training institution spanning many fields, from private security to public safety, police science and criminal justice. Books, course content, and practice tests are open to students and professionals in any part of the safety and security industry. A joint venture with Ranger Guard and Investigations, the academy is accredited in the state of Texas.

ProBility isn’t just focusing on expanding its e-learning reach into various industries. Its recent letter of intent to purchase Cranbury International, which exports educational/reference materials to South and Central America and Caribbean nations, is evidence that the company is looking to expand internationally. A future acquisition, expected to close within 30 days (http://dtn.fm/F4cWk), could give ProBility access to private sector and government markets in Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, and other regions. Cranbury represents about 40 major publishers.

The company serves skilled trades through numerous divisions, including Brown Technical Publications Inc.; Brown Technical Media Corp.; Brown Book Shop, Inc.; One Exam Prep, LLC; and National Electrical Wholesale Providers. ProBility Safety Academy is one of these divisions as well. The available e-learning products for career training and advancement and compliance span over 60 trades, and the company continues to work toward expanding its scope.

For more information about the company, visit www.ProBilityMedia.com

Let us hear your thoughts: ProBility Media Corp. Message Board

• CIIX’s multi-prong approach offers opportunity for investors
• Company to launch hemp-infused skin care product line in China
• Brick-and-mortar store planned for California, CBD biotech incorporated in Canada
• Online CBD store serves global Chinese-speaking population; Yelp style app helps Chinese-speakers find U.S. medical marijuana dispensaries

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) is offering a unique opportunity for investors as the company pursues a multi-pronged approach to conquering the rapidly expanding global markets in cannabidiol products and the medical marijuana space in Canada. The company aims to be the world’s leading publicly traded Chinese nutritional company.

Globally, ChineseInvestors.com targets the global Chinese-speaking population with an online CBD store offering hemp-based products. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that research is showing has numerous health benefits including the treatment of epilepsy. Many other CBD health benefits are being discovered, and the market is rapidly expanding.

The company announced earlier this week (http://dtn.fm/Br7Xj) that its subsidiary, CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., has officially filed a record of its first line of non-industrial hemp-infused skin care products with the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). The product line is expected to launch in late August or early September and will position CBD Biotechnology as a first-mover in China’s CBD-based skin care market.

Another part of the company’s strategic plan to penetrate the Chinese-speaking market is the launch of a ‘Yelp’ style mobile app to help users locate dispensaries and discuss cannabis products in the U.S., along with a CBD retail store in the predominantly Chinese community of San Gabriel, California, where the company’s headquarters are located.

Other exciting developments from ChineseInvestors.com include the announcement of a bitcoin payment solution for its wholly-owned subsidiary, ChineseHempOil.com, Inc., and the company’s effort to become the first company in China to employ CBD oil as a treatment to relieve suffering for epilepsy and Alzheimer’s patients. The company plans to continue studying CBD oil’s efficacy as a treatment for these diseases and invest in CBD drug R&D enterprises, with an end goal of developing a variety of CBD drugs to treat epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

Marijuana use is illegal in China, but cannabis-based oils, including hemp-based CBD, are legal, giving CIIX access to a market of almost two billion potential customers.

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

Let us hear your thoughts: ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. Message Board

• Commercializing proprietary BioSilo® algae cultivation system
• Developing therapies that combine omega-3s and cannabinoids
• Poised to enter billion dollar markets

If you think you haven’t had cannabinoids because you’ve never used cannabis, you are completely mistaken. You may not have ‘touched’ plant-derived cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), but it would have been biologically impossible to escape the ones produced by your body (endocannabinoids). Endocannabinoids play an essential mediating role in a number of human physiologic systems. They promote a Goldilocks internal environment, a mean between excess and deficiency in a variety of functions and areas, and recent scholarship has shown that their production is enhanced and fostered by fatty acids, the kind used by Algae Dynamics Corp. (OTCQB: ADYNF). As a result, ADYNF has begun to develop fortified formulas of omega-3s and cannabis oil that may boost the functioning of the human endocannabinoid system.

Discovery of what is now known as the endocannabinoid system has a peculiar history. It is perhaps the only known human physiologic system that is named after a plant, and that’s all because of chronology. A number of substances isolated from the cannabis plant were later found to be produced by the human body. First identification and isolation of the two major cannabinoids, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), is attributed to Raphael Mechoulam and his colleague Y. Gaoni in Israel in 1964. Mechoulam, whose discovery and further research into cannabis has earned him the moniker, ‘Father of Cannabis’, was also part of a team that, in 1992, discovered the endocannabinoid system.

This physiologic system plays a vital role in maintaining human health. Endocannabinoids and their receptors permeate the human body. They can be found in the brain, in various organs, in connective tissue, in glands and in immune cells. Their main function appears to be stabilizing our internal environment, freeing it from the dangerous volatility of the external world. Currently, the two best understood endocannabinoids are anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), studies of which have uncovered a number of medical benefits they may have. Anandamide, for example, inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells and appears to retard the memory decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. These encouraging findings suggest that phytocannabinoids offer a ‘natural’ way to treat a variety of ailments, including multiple sclerosis (MS), arthritis, hypertension, memory loss, pediatric epilepsy and neuropathic pain.

Research into cannabis and development of therapeutic products goes on. In Canada, as legalization looms, industry professionals are divided on whether there should be a legal distinction between medical and recreational cannabis. A recent article on CBC News Health reports comments by two researchers, who believe that medicinal and recreational cannabis should be separate (http://dtn.fm/aX2Di). They argue that a dual-stream approach would decrease the stigma associated with cannabis use for medicinal purposes, since, for example, it would be sold at a pharmacy rather than a general retailer. Dual-stream would also protect ‘the supply of strains of medical cannabis that have desirable effects for patients, such as lower THC strains sometimes used to treat children who suffer from seizures’ and also increase clinical research into the therapeutic benefits of cannabis.

The products under development by Algae Dynamics promise to pack a powerful therapeutic punch, combining the virtues of omega-3s and cannabinoids. Algae Dynamics’ algae oil is high in omega-3s DHA/DPA, which is in demand by the growing multi-billion dollar food and beverage and health care sectors. The North American omega-3 market was estimated to be $4.0 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $5.9 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2014 to 2019. Supplements are the largest application segment driving North America’s omega-3 market, and the cannabinoid market is just as vibrant. It is expected to cross $2 billion in consumer sales by 2020. It seems no matter which market Algae Dynamics chooses for its products, success is almost guaranteed.

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

Let us hear your thoughts: Algae Dynamics Corp. Message Board

• IPSOS Survey for ING documents cashless payment trend growing worldwide as 78% of consumers who used cash less prior say they expect to use even less cash in the future
• North American Transaction Group, digital payment processor, drives Net Element’s revenues
• Zack’s Research projects Net Element will reach $74.6 million in revenue by 2018

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) stands to benefit from a near cashless society as its North American Unified Payments group processes digital payments and drives sales for the company. A 2017 IPSOS survey for ING found that 54% of 12,585 respondents surveyed do not use cash in a restaurant. Instead, they pay by non-cash methods.

Net Element is a high technology financial group which digitally processes transactions in what is becoming a cashless society. It processes payments from both mobile devices and point-of-sale terminals. Leading the company is the North American Transaction Group. A Zack’s Research Report (http://dtn.fm/9Uwp1) projects that the company’s revenues will reach $63 million in 2017 and $74.6 million in 2018, respectively. Net Element’s North American Transaction Group generated 78% of total Net Element sales in 2016 and jumped 40% in 1Q2017.

The fifth annual ING International Survey of Mobile Banking, published in April 2017 on ING’s website eZonomics (http://dtn.fm/Ag8W1), found that 78% of those surveyed say they expect to keep using less and less cash in the future, and, good news for Net Element, only 34% of U.S. consumers say they generally carry cash. Another 38% of Americans surveyed by IPSOS would prefer to go completely cashless. A key factor in this trend is convenience, the survey said.

While 75% of U.S. consumers said they will never go completely cashless, the amount of purchases has a direct impact on whether global diners use cash or not. For instance, only 25% pay non-cash for a lunch/coffee/snack — yet, 54% go non-cash in a pricier restaurant setting.

“This year’s results tally with our mobile banking surveys in 2016, 2015 and 2014 which also found people are reducing reliance on physical cash. Increasingly they’re transacting via non-cash methods, including mobile payment apps. In fact a fraction of the population appears to have largely dispensed with cash,” the survey said. It added that many have indicated they are comfortable with new ways of paying.

The Zack’s Micro-Cap report said, “Net Element is a growth company in the payment industry that should benefit from the adoption of mobile and online payments in the US, Russia and the Middle East and ultimately globally.”

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

• Fracking now accounts for half of oil production, and 90 percent of new wells are fracked
• Water remains a limited resource, yet is vital to fracking process
• American Energy Partners’ vertically-integrated subsidiaries deliver solutions

No matter what the future may hold, for now, the world runs on oil. Oil is the life blood of the world’s economic development, and obtaining oil has been an ongoing quest since long before the invention of the internal combustion engine. The first successful oil well in the U.S. was drilled near Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859. From there, drilling moved rapidly across the entire country, and an oil boom ensued. U.S. crude oil production peaked in 1970 at 9.64 million barrels daily, but production waned after that until the advent of advanced horizontal drilling techniques and hydraulic fracking.

Hydraulic fracking is a sophisticated drilling technology that has exponentially expanded petroleum and natural gas production in the United States. Fracking now accounts for over half of U.S. oil production and two-thirds of natural gas production in the country, making the U.S. the largest natural gas producer in the world. However, large use of water in the fracking process creates controversy. Water is vital to the hydraulic fracking process, and competition for water is fierce.

In an interesting historical twist, Converde Energy USA, Inc. (OTC: XFUL), d/b/a American Energy Partners, Inc., and its subsidiaries are providing solutions in the same area where some the country’s first oil wells were drilled. The company’s sweet spot is where energy production and water meet technology. XFUL’s subsidiaries target energy operations to design, build and operate regional water treatment facilities that serve both the industrial and energy sectors. Together, American Energy Partners and its subsidiaries comprise an integrated vertical that sources, scrubs, and supplies water to mining, oil and gas, power, and other industrial concerns.

The company’s Hydration Corporation of PA (HCPA) subsidiary possesses the technical know-how to source, implement and distribute reclaimed water at a profit. HCPA’s patent-pending process delivers among the highest energy yields possible from a wide range of water-bearing assets and does so with one of the lowest capital expenditures of any other known water process.

XFUL’s American Energy Solutions subsidiary provides off-the-shelf and custom-designed treatment technologies across its customer base and augments HCPA’s low-cost treatment and distribution solutions, while the company’s Gilbert Oil & Gas Company subsidiary is its oil and gas business arm that leverages relationships and experience to source drilling, operating, and partnership opportunities in the oil and gas space. Gilbert Oil & Gas is positioned to not only become a strong customer of the other subsidiaries but also to attract other customers and open new markets.

With almost 90% of all new U.S. onshore oil and gas hydraulically fractured, demand for XFUL’s integrated oil and water services could surge. Who says oil and water don’t mix?

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AmericanEnergy-Inc.com

Let us hear your thoughts: Converde Energy USA, Inc. Message Board

• Patented lipophilic delivery system increases bio-absorption
• Patents cover broad range of lipophilic bio-actives, including cannabinoids, vitamins, other pharma
• 19 patents filed across 44 countries
• First international patent issued and approved in Australia

Any argument over the efficacy of medicinal marijuana is settled science. Recent prestigious clinical studies have provided conclusive evidence that medical cannabinoids are effective medicine for a variety of diseases and ailments (http://dtn.fm/C9Sao). However, the human gastrointestinal tract just doesn’t absorb cannabinoids effectively, and much of what is ingested is simply excreted by the body. Subsequently, onset times and effectiveness vary wildly.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQB: LXRP) has patented and licenses a novel delivery system which infuses organically sourced hemp oil into the molecules of other substances. The system utilizes lipids, which form the basis of the human endocannabinoid system, increasing both absorption and bioavailability of payload molecules. Lexaria’s lipophilic enhancement technology increases the bio-absorption of cannabinoid edibles by five to 10 times, to roughly equal that of inhalation. The onset times for effectiveness are also reduced by about 75 percent due to rapid bio-absorption by bypassing first-pass liver metabolism. Not only does Lexaria’s methodology dramatically increase effectiveness; it also masks the taste of cannabinoids and eliminates the need for sugar additives.

Lexaria currently has 19 patent applications filed in the U.S. and internationally covering 44 countries. The patents encompass a broad range of lipophilic bio-actives including NSAIDs and Nicotine, as well as food/carrier that can be formulated and delivered using Lexaria’s technology. With U.S. patents already issued, the company announced just last week that its first international patent was accepted and issued in Australia (http://dtn.fm/zjN9O). This development opens the door for Lexaria to bring the Australian cannabinoid edibles market under its umbrella.

Chris Bunka, CEO of Lexaria, stated in the news release. “We are very pleased to have received this patent which effectively covers all cannabis oil extract formulated edibles utilizing our technology in Australia…(the) patent award allows us to confidently enter the recently legalized Australian cannabis marketplace where we will seek additional licensing and product distribution partnering opportunities.”

Lexaria employs a low-cost, high-margin license and royalty model of revenue generation. By out-licensing to third party partners, the company keeps five to 10 percent of each partner’s gross sales. With multiple royalty agreements already in the works, the company will continue to expand its licensing network as it receives patent approvals. Interestingly, Lexaria’s novel technology has implications across a wide swath of consumer and pharmaceutical delivery protocols. The global impact of Lexaria’s patents and business model will easily reverberate to the bottom line and has only just begun.

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

Let us hear your thoughts: Lexaria Bioscience Corp. Message Board

• Company sees four to five more acquisitions in pipeline after its investment in California firms DIGS and Convectium
• Hired a blockchain expert as part of project addressing payment processes for the cannabis industry
• Hired Turner, Stone & Company LLC to complete 2016 financial audit

Wil Ralston, president of SinglePoint, Inc., (OTC: SING), and Greg Lambrecht, CEO, say their company is primed to make four to five more acquisitions as it sees further opportunity in the cannabis market and medical marijuana. It is supporting dispensaries with the cryptocurrency bitcoin and is helping legal sellers solidify an online presence with subsidiary SingleSeed.com. SinglePoint has hired a digital technology blockchain expert and will launch a project to determine a solution for payment processes within the cannabis industry.

The company’s recent online audio press release (http://dtn.fm/4lNeO) illustrates how this Seattle-based full service mobile technology provider is transitioning into a diversified holding company. It is committed to growing in the cannabis industry. It has formed a joint venture with First Bitcoin Capital Corp. (http://dtn.fm/xNi0e) to offer a payments solution using blockchain technology. The goal is to develop a proprietary solution for high-risk vertical businesses within the cannabis industry. Vancouver, Canada-based First Bitcoin Capital (OTC: BITCF) is a vertically-integrated, publicly traded bitcoin entity.

In May 2017, SinglePoint acquired 90% of discount indoor garden supply firm DIGS. That purchase put SinglePoint further into the online marketplace. That company has two brick-and-mortar store locations in California and is eyeing a third. It also has an online store, www.DIGSHydro.com. SinglePoint has also acquired a portion of Convectium (http://dtn.fm/9Bk7M). This California company creates infrastructure for firms in the cannabis market. It has developed a unique oil filling system, and its products will be sold through SinglePoint’s SingleSeed.com subsidiary.

CEO Lambrecht said SinglePoint is focused on organic growth and acquisition. He is optimistic about legislation coming from the new administration and, eventually, banks opening up to the cannabis industry. “Singlepoint is basically a mobile payments technology company, but we’re able to really jump into any vertical because almost every business has a payment option,” Lambrecht said in the release.

Lambrecht, also president, CEO and founder of SingleSeed, added that SingleSeed.com can enable cannabis retailers to process sales using bitcoin and help dispensaries use online marketing strategies such as texting and mobile phone sales. He explains how the company’s cashless ATMs on site can offer dispensaries the ease of accepting a cashless transaction with bitcoin for a cannabis or medical marijuana purchase. Revenue streams for SinglePoint are created through a transaction commission.

SinglePoint is positioned to benefit from the growth of the cannabis industry. Additionally, Lambrecht disclosed that Turner, Stone & Company, LLP, has been hired to complete an audit of SinglePoint’s financials for 2016.

For a detailed executive audio interview on the announcement, see http://dtn.fm/Rn6wb, or visit www.SinglePoint.com for additional information on the company.

Let us hear your thoughts: SinglePoint, Inc. Message Board