A California-based biotechnology company, International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB: ISCO) focuses its energies on developing restorative medicine using stem cell technology. Its innovative parthenogenesis technology uses human stem cells derived from unfertilized oocytes (eggs), which helps the company avoid any ethical issues involving the destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO also produces and markets cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology. For even more revenue, the company’s other subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care, markets and sells a skin care line that promises rejuvenation and beauty.

In December, Lifeline Skin Care launched its Molecular Renewal Serum™, just in time for the holidays. This product contains an impressive nano-compound that works with skin to replenish elasticity and smoothness. During testing, the serum showed improvement in skin’s resilience and a decrease in roughness without any negative side effects. The serum also stimulates collagen production, which lends strength to skin by regrowing dead skin cells.

That same month, ISCO announced that it had entered a master clinical research agreement with Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, one of the world’s leading brain research centers. The agreement cleared the way for scientists to conduct a Phase I/IIa clinical trial studying the effects of human parthenogenetic stem cells in people with Parkinson’s disease. Patients are to be enrolled during the first quarter of 2016.

ISCO’s groundbreaking stem cells are created by stimulating oocytes into dividing themselves into histocompatible cells. The company strives to create immune matching cells, so that people do not reject the treatment. So far, ISCO scientists have developed the first line of stem cells that can be used as therapeutic cells for millions of people with minimal rejection. The company also aligns itself with the UniStemCell Bank, the first collection of non-embryonic stem cells, in the hopes of increasing widespread use and scientific breakthroughs.

With the steady financial growth of ISCO and its subsidiaries, the company hopes to continue making great strides in regenerative techniques for eye, liver, and nervous system diseases.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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Late last month, Avant Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB: AVDX) made headlines when it announced plans to merge with Amarantus Diagnostics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: AMBS). Under the terms of the previously announced Letter of Intent, Avant will issue 80 million shares of common stock to Amarantus upon execution of definitive merger agreements, which will represent roughly 45 percent of Avant’s post-merger common stock. An additional 10 million shares of common stock will be transferred upon achievement of predetermined sales milestones. According the company’s news release, the transaction is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2016, setting the stage for tremendous opportunities to progress Avant’s highly valuable diagnostic assets in the areas of oncology and neurology.

“After exploring numerous avenues for implementing Avant’s OvaDx® development and commercialization strategy, it is clear that combining Avant’s and Amarantus’ diagnostic assets and core competencies forms a platform that provides maximum value to our collective shareholders,” Gregg Linn, president and chief executive officer of Avant, stated in a news release.

The operational synergies between the two companies are expected to create significant opportunities for financial growth following completion of the proposed merger. Both Amarantus Diagnostics and Avant possess assets with the potential to provide early and actionable information to physicians and researchers by harnessing the power of biomarkers based in the immune system in disease areas that previously yielded results of limited value. Avant’s OvaDx® immuno-oncology diagnostic assay, for example, represents a significant improvement in the screening and diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Upon commercialization, it’s estimated that the market opportunity for OvaDX could be $50 million annually as a diagnostic test for ovarian cancer, and it could expand to over $2 billion if the test were to be approved as a generalized screening and/or monitoring tool.

“The collective diagnostic assets will create a truly unique opportunity to implement our respective missions of saving and enhancing lives through early detection of disease in oncology and neurology,” continued Linn. “The combined companies will enjoy additional benefits by creating a compelling platform to showcase the power diagnostics have to reduce costs and improve outcomes in the healthcare system.”

Amarantus Diagnostics’ development pipeline is expected to have similarly expansive market potential upon commercial approval. Its MSPrecise® neuroimmunology-based next-generation sequencing diagnostic assay for multiple sclerosis (MS), which is expected to greatly improve the diagnostic accuracy rate in MS while reducing costs for payers, will target a $200 million market, with the potential to address additional markets as a monitoring tool to measure the efficacy of drug treatment over time. Amarantus is also developing its innovative LymPro Test®, a neuroimmunology-based flow cytometry assay, for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

Gerald E. Commissiong, president and chief executive officer of Amarantus, summarized the two companies’ optimism regarding the tremendous commercial potential of the merged company in a recent news release.

“We believe that combining these state-of-the-art technologies with a deep understanding of chronic disease rooted in immunology will produce a world-class diversified immuno-oncology and neuroimmunology focused diagnostics company able to deliver actionable information to physicians seeking to provide the most tailored treatment options for patients, while also assisting the research community in developing new medicines for these devastating disorders,” he said.

For more information, visit the company website at www.avantdiagnostics.com

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Giggles N’ Hugs (OTCQB: GIGL) is focused on offering families with children a safe and fun place to play and eat good food. The company’s themed settings are loaded with the things kids love, and they’re also designed in a way that parents can enjoy. When was the last time you or your child were invited to a Rock ‘n Roll birthday party? Sounds fun, doesn’t it? GIGL offers three full membership packages designed to help parents save money and make fun memories simultaneously.

The company’s birthday party packages offer some of the best kid parties in Los Angeles, including nutritious menus that kids love and parents approve, over 6,000 square feet of play space, a professional and friendly staff, themes and options for beers/wine or mimosas for adults. There is also an option to have the party brought to you.

Giggles N’ Hugs membership plans are offered with one-, three- and six-month options. They offer unlimited play and fun for all who attend. The one-month unlimited play membership gives parents and kids 30 days of nonstop fun. Packages include a one child $35 package, a two child $59 package and a three child $85 option.

Family memberships include access to the Giggles N’ Hugs restaurant and play space. The play spaces are cool and neat for younger and older kids. For convenience, the one-month unlimited play membership is available at all three Giggle N’ Hugs locations – including Century City, Topanga and Glendale.

The three-month membership is also available at all three locations. With this package, the children’s play space is available for 90 consecutive days, making the offering a great choice for those who want to make Giggles N’ Hugs a routine or seasonal stop. Package details include one child for $89, two children for $155 and three children for $215.

The six-month package is a half-year of fun and a lifetime of memories. The six-month restaurant and play space package gives parents and kids the chance to loosen up and have a great time for 182 days straight. Package prices are one child for $165, two children for $299 and three children for $379.

Giggles N Hugs, Inc. owns and operates kid-friendly restaurants with play areas for children who are 10 years and younger. The company owns and operates a restaurant in the Westfield Mall in Century City, a restaurant in the Westfield Topanga shopping center in Woodland Hills, and a restaurant in the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California. Giggles N Hugs, Inc. was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Learn more by visiting www.gigglesnhugs.com

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Companies in the mining business are frequently exploring new avenues to make the jump from an exploration stage company up to a sought after company with revenue production. Much like a caterpillar has a relatively dull, uneventful life until it reaches the cocoon stage and emerges as a beautiful butterfly with wings to explore and display its magnificence for the entire world to enjoy, Star Mountain Resources, Inc. (OTC: SMRS) has been in the dull exploration stage searching for a reliable property to call home before it can reap the benefits of mining operations and revenue production. Well, with the recent announcement of its acquisition of the Balmat Zinc Mine in New York, Star Mountain has emerged from its cocoon, so to speak, and should have a much more eventful life moving forward.

The Balmat mining complex – including a 4,000-foot-deep mine, a 5,000-ton-per day flotation mill, an office building and necessary infrastructure for mine operation – was originally shuttered as a result of declining zinc prices, but forecasts for the coming months are promising. According to Mark Osterberg, president and chief operating officer of Star Mountain, zinc prices are set to increase beginning next year following the closure of several zinc mines with depleted reserves.

Demand is the driving force behind most operational business decisions. Basically, if the demand for zinc increases, the price will go up, and companies with proven reserves and production will be very happy – along with their shareholders. This acquisition and the company’s announcement to begin the hiring process for the Balmat Mine may have given Star Mountain the jolt it needed to attract the attention of new investors and analysts. One thing is for sure: once a company starts producing revenue, more people are going to realize that it has started to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk. Making good on your plans and promises is essential for establishing and maintaining your reputation, which, in the small and micro cap space, is worth its weight in gold, or zinc in this case.

For more information, visit www.starmountainresources.com

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Banner days are back for the timeshare industry. According to the recently published State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry: United States Study 2015 Edition, in 2014, the last full year for which data is available, the U.S. timeshare industry grew faster than the economy. U.S. GDP growth in 2014 was 2.4 percent, while the study estimates U.S. timeshare industry growth at a strong 4 percent. Total sales volume increased from $7.6 billion in 2013 to $7.9 billion in 2014. Since 2010, sales volume has been rising steadily. It was $6.4 billion in 2010; $6.5 billion in 2011; $6.9 billion in 2012; $7.6 billion in 2013; and $7.9 billion in 2014, recording a compound annual growth rate of 4.3 percent over the five year period. Timeshare sales volume peaked at $10.6 billion in 2007 and fell significantly in the next two years due to the recession – hitting a floor at $6.3 billion in 2009. Since then, the industry has undergone a steady resurgence. 2014 marked the fifth straight year of increases in sales volume. With sales on the upswing, re-sale growth has been rising as well.

Timeshares offer the opportunity to own or have use of a vacation home for a set time every year on a recurring basis. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) calls them ‘vacation ownership’ and explains in a promotional brochure: ‘Owning a timeshare is your ticket to better vacationing. This means an ever-expanding choice of accommodations, amenities, locations, pricing, use plans, and timeshare exchange. You can tailor vacations to meet your lifestyle needs and travel dreams at more than 5,000 resorts in almost 100 countries around the world.’ Many timeshare contracts give the purchaser a deeded interest in real estate and grant ownership rights in the property at a fraction of its total cost. The timeshare owner will pay an annual maintenance fee. The typical timeshare arrangement is for a week or two. Longer periods are referred to as fractionals. Large resort owners who develop the properties will usually offer programs that allow timeshares to be traded. Someone who owns a timeshare to a property in Florida may do a swap with someone who owns a timeshare to a property in Hawaii. This is a large market, since, undoubtedly, preferences change over time. As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life.

The anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that selling a timeshare is not so easy, however. Data on the resale market is difficult to obtain, but, judging from the prices, it’s a buyer’s market. According to Redweek.com (http://dtn.fm/2c3MG), which bills itself as the largest online marketplace for timeshares for sale, ‘Timeshare re-sales… are typically priced 30-50% below the original developer or resort price.’ A story (http://dtn.fm/Pg0Jk) in Kiplinger backs that up: ‘With brand-name developments, such as Disney, Marriott and Wyndham, you typically pay 30% to 50% less than the developer’s price. You’ll save more money buying from a lesser-known developer – probably 50% to 70% off the property’s price when it was first put on the market.’

There are two large exchange companies, Interval International and RCI (formerly Resort Condominiums International), that offer both timeshares by developers and those for re-sale. Typically, timeshare owners are allowed to save or ‘bank’ vacation time for use in a subsequent year. This is usually a prerequisite to trading the timeshare. But FlexWeek (OTC: FXWK) allows owners to share and exchange their timeshares directly with other owners and non-owners alike. The FlexWeek platform eliminates the need for timeshare owners to bank unused weeks with existing high fee trading networks such as RCI and Interval International. FlexWeek is a true peer-to-peer network that empowers individuals to arrange travel with one another based on true supply and demand metrics.

FlexWeek is a pioneer in the global peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace with the introduction of a unique platform that allows timeshare owners to discover, book and offer unused vacation time directly to the public and other timeshare owners. This approach eliminates the need for timeshare owners to use costly trading platforms while potentially reducing unused timeshare inventory.

For more information, visit www.flexweek.com

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According to the latest official data published by the American Lung Association, the extremely debilitating and incurable progressive lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) currently impacts as many as 24 million Americans (http://dtn.fm/4hUgy). The WHO estimates that by 2030, COPD will be the third leading cause of death and has ruled the disease a global epidemic. This statistic is, unfortunately, already true here in the U.S., where we have around 13.6 million cases currently diagnosed. COPD is actually a catch-all term for a host of lung diseases and associated ailments, like chronic bronchitis (increased mucus and inflammation) and emphysema (progressive alveoli damage), as well as refractory asthma and bronchiectasis (scarring/enlargement in damaged airways), to name but a few.

Naturally, because there is no cure, there is a sizable and growing treatment market for COPD, and one whose growth is being spurred on globally by an increasingly elderly population. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that the older population in America alone will increase by some 120 percent through 2060. Compared to 2013’s ratio of about 14 percent (one out of every seven citizens), the number of COPD patients will more than double over this interval, to a total somewhere around 100 million.

Given that women are at particular mortality risk (http://dtn.fm/bogA1) due to a sizable uptick in female smokers starting around the late 1960’s, and that women have an inordinate susceptibility to COPD when compared to men, due to their smaller-on-average lungs and the fact that estrogen plays a key role in the worsening of the disease, COPD-related death is notably higher among women. The roughly 7 million women in the U.S. who are currently diagnosed with COPD are not only severely debilitated by an inability to breathe properly, they face a higher risk of having their lives cut short by this disease, which was historically considered to be more of a man’s disease. A four-fold increase in fatalities among women over the past three decades has thrown a bright spotlight on how misdiagnosed the disease is among women, but the problem still persists, meaning that the emergence of new and easy to use treatments are highly sought after by this eager demographic.

Thankfully a number of treatments have already emerged to help prevent complications, such as airflow obstruction and bronchospasm, in COPD patients, including GlaxoSmithKline’s (NYSE: GSK) Anoro Ellipta, a so-called LAMA/LABA (long-acting muscarinic antagonist/beta agonist) once-daily, which was designed to also help maintain profitability for GSK as its mainstay Seretide/Advair (salmeterol and fluticasone) product is opened up to generic competition. One of the big hurdles generics have faced, however, is the difficulty in getting the delivery mechanism, an inhaler, properly designed – a factor which has led to much slower than expected onset of generic competition for GSK. Novartis (NYSE: NVS) also made progress in this same area last year with solid results in a pivotal U.S. Phase III clinical trial of twice-daily QVA149 (indacaterol/glycopyrronium bromide) and NVA237 (glycopyrronium bromide), as well as a more recent expansion of its relationship with Qualcomm’s (NASDAQ: QCOM) Qualcomm Life subsidiary, aimed at powering Novartis’ next-gen Breezhaler delivery system for its COPD portfolio (Onbrez, Seebri and Ultibro).

According to leading business intelligence provider GBI Research, the global COPD market is estimated to be worth approximately $11.3 billion (http://dtn.fm/vJc6I) and is on-track to grow by around 38 percent over the next few years, reaching upwards of $15.6 billion on the strength of LABA/LAMA bronchodilators by 2019. One of the extremely attractive contenders amid this multibillion dollar market is clinical stage biopharma Pulmatrix (NASDAQ: PULM), which has already completed a Phase 1b in patients with moderate to severe COPD using its branded generic bronchodilator PUR0200, for which there is currently no generic competition. PUR0200 has demonstrated efficacy at a much smaller dose than the reference target and the Phase 1b also clearly documented the efficiency of what is the company’s first small molecule formulation using its iSPERSE inhaled dry powder technology (http://dtn.fm/mW252), via comparison with traditional lactose blend formulations.

This is great news for the company and indicates to investors the potential for PULM’s technology, considering how iSPERSE now very strikingly appears to have the potential to enable delivery of entirely new classes of compounds directly to the lungs, something not possible with traditional lactose delivery technologies. An R&D partnership with global pharmaceutical developer and generics juggernaut Mylan (NASDAQ: MYL) in Europe spells big things for Pulmatrix’s PUR0200, and the drug could become the first branded generic for what is a roughly $5 billion segment of the larger global COPD market.

Moreover, the company has a robust IP position with some 37 issued patents worldwide covering its core dry powder technology, iSPERSE (inhaled small particles easily respirable and emitted), a proprietary platform solution that hurdles many of the lagging formulation problems facing the industry today that are typically seen with other lactose blend and metered dose inhaler technologies. Because iSPERSE particles don’t require a carrier such as lactose and can be engineered to carry anywhere from less than one percent to more than eighty percent of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), Pulmatrix has an extremely versatile delivery technology on its hands that is suitable for a wide range of drug loading roles – from small molecules, to peptides and proteins, or even antibodies. Pulmatrix could go toe to toe and even surpass sector heavy-hitters such as AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) and Bayer (OTC: BAYRY) in certain areas of the COPD market with this technology, and the company’s team of engineers have a deep understanding of the iSPERSE platform that spans the implantation gamut, from feasibility to clinical manufacturing, something which makes PULM a force to be reckoned with when it comes to novel inhalation products.

Indeed, such formulation prowess is just the tip of the iceberg for PULM’s iSPERSE platform, as the technology features numerous other characteristics that set it apart from competitors when it comes to significantly improving the treatment of a whole host of pulmonary diseases, as well as opening the door to important new inhalation products with important characteristics such as reproducible, one-step, scalable manufacturing – using a unique spray drying process that offers high quality, consistent yields of end product, which are completely independent of specific API physical chemistries. When you stack this advantage up against the optimum dispersibility across a range of flow rates, noting that iSPERSE formulations nevertheless feature consistent emitted dose and particle sizes, one can see that you get an easy to churn out, reliable dosing solution, a solution which is right for all patient populations and which uniquely addresses the problem of delivery variance from patient to patient.

Additionally, because iSPERSE allows for the delivery of macromolecules and biologics such as antibodies, peptides and nucleic acids across such wide range of drug loads – and because the technology enables the creation of dual and even triple homogenous combinations of multiple drugs – this platform technology is an ideal vehicle for Pulmatrix’s future candidates, and the Pulmatrix pipeline (http://dtn.fm/4vAdS) already offers some other exciting candidates alongside its lead, such as PUR1900 and PUR1500, designed (respectively) to treat the pulmonary fungal infections that affect half or more of all cystic fibrosis patients, as well as the loss of lung tissue oxygen transport capability common in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

PUR1900 is particularly interesting, as it has been shown to be both active and potent in animal models (http://dtn.fm/6HxEb), achieving high lung concentrations and low systemic exposure, and because it would be the first ever inhalable anti-fungal for cystic fibrosis. Because PUR1900 directly targets aspergillus infection – which is typical of several other conditions such as suppressed immune function among leukemia-related chemotherapy or tuberculosis, and is seen in non-invasive nose, ear and eye infections – there are tantalizing upper limits when it comes to PUR1900’s broader applicability.

With a $1.7 million NIH research grant under its belt to work on an inhaled anti-fibrotic with Celdara, Inc. (http://dtn.fm/bTLl5), as well as a strong cash position of some $22 million (http://dtn.fm/FE1f9) that should see development efforts at the company through to the middle of next year, Pulmatrix is in an enviable position, with a robust pipeline of candidates, the capital muscle, and the bedrock tech to back up its aspirations. The company has a truly impressive drug delivery/manufacturing technology in iSPERSE that should continue to produce upside moving forward and investors will want to keep a close eye on PULM for news regarding further PUR0200 developments that are on the immediate horizon.

Take a closer look, visit http://pulmatrix.com/index.php

Earlier today, OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO) announced a new strategic partnership with Aplix IP Holdings Corp., a leading Japan-based software and solutions provider, designed to help the company enhance the bond between pets and humans through the development of innovative new products fueled by smart technology.

According to the American Pet Products Association, there are approximately 85.5 million domesticated cats and 77.8 million domesticated dogs in the United States, and owners are spending more than ever on their furry family members. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. pet industry has grown from $16 billion to over $60 billion, and additional, sustained growth appears to be on the horizon. OurPet’s is aware of this growth, and the company’s goal, through its partnership with Aplix, is to employ technology related to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to develop products that improve the relationship between pets and pet owners by providing harmonious, healthy experiences for the animal.

“We literally searched the world for the strategic partner who shares the same passion as we do and would closely work with us to bring these ideas to reality,” Dr. Steve Tsengas, chief executive officer of OurPet’s, stated in the news release. “We’re fortunate to have found what we were looking for in Aplix of Japan, a world leader in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi design, development and manufacture of related components.”

Moving forward, Aplix will work with OurPet’s to help the company advance development of its innovative product line, which targets unmet needs in the expansive pet supply industry. The two partners have already invested “extensive resources” toward the development of new products that implement smart technology, according to Tsengas, and additional collaborations resulting from this strategic partnership are expected to contribute to the development of marketable breakthroughs on a forward path toward commercialization.

OurPet’s has a long history of driving innovation in the pet industry, beginning with its launch in 1995. The company’s intellectual property portfolio currently includes more than 160 issued or pending patents – including proven products such as the Big Dog Feeder® elevated feeders, Play-N-Squeak® cat toys, and SmartScoop® automated litter box. Today, more than 75 percent of OPCO’s revenue is derived from the sale of its proprietary products. By partnering with Aplix, the company is demonstrating a commitment to building on its history of innovation by driving the evolution of the growing pet industry into the future.

“We have experienced rapid growth in sales and profits by means of a simple strategy – listening to pet owners and retailers and applying our extensive knowledge related to pet behavior, geriatrics and nutrition and the extensive engineering technology/manufacturing,” continued Tsengas. “We’re excited to see where this new strategic partnership takes us.”

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

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Healthcare waste has the potential to infect hospital patients, healthcare workers and the general public. While roughly 85% of the amount of waste generated in the healthcare industry is non-hazardous, the remaining 15% is hazardous and may be infectious, toxic or radioactive. That’s according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which cites particular concern about infection with HIV, hepatitis B and C – only a few of many possible infectious diseases – for which there is strong evidence of transmission from improper healthcare waste management.

Obviously, medical personnel, especially in emergency situations, aren’t always privy to whether or not a patient’s fluids are infectious, and outdated manual fluid handling methods, which require hand carrying and emptying filled fluid canisters, present an exposure risk and potential liability.

Skyline Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: SKLN) is in the market to buck these risks with its fully automated, patented, FDA-cleared waste fluid disposal system that virtually eliminates staff exposure to blood, irrigation fluid and other potentially infectious fluids found in the healthcare environment.

The company’s STREAMWAY® System fully automates the collection, measurement and disposal of waste fluids. Aside from providing a measure of safety against biohazard exposure, the system is designed to: reduce overhead costs to hospitals and surgical centers; improve compliance with Occupational State and Health Association (OSHA) and other regulatory agency safety guidelines; improve efficiency in the operating room, and radiology and endoscopy departments; and help eliminate the approximately 50 million potentially disease-infected canisters dumped into U.S. landfills each year.

Installed in or on the wall, STREAMWAY features an illuminated touch screen that provides the user control over surgical suction levels and displays automated measurement of volumes. The single patient procedure filter and tissue trap both prevent cross contamination and allow for tissue retrieval. When it comes time to clean up, the user detaches the filter, connects the cleaning solution bottle, and activates the five-minute clean cycle using the touch screen.

In one case study, STREAMWAY user Fran Hahn, BSN, RN, CNOR at Huntingdon Valley Surgery Center in Pennsylvania stated, “I cringe when I have to do an arthroscopic procedure in one of the rooms without STREAMWAY. It’s so much easier and safer to use than canisters.”

Read the entire cast study here: http://www.skylinemedical.com/wp-content/uploads/STREAMWAY_CaseStudy_HuntingdonValleySC.pdf

Unlike Hahn’s experience, Skyline has found that the majority of radiology and imaging rooms, in particular, are not even aware that automated fluid disposal technology exists. To counter this finding, Skyline recently partnered with the Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nursing (“ARIN”) to market Skyline products and services to medical professionals performing paracentesis and thoracentesis procedures.

“Our research has shown that most radiology and imaging rooms do not currently use, nor are they aware of automated fluid disposal technology, despite the major potential safety and cost benefits. As it is the nurses and technologists that often perform these procedures and can help influence purchasing decisions, we expect our partnership with ARIN to create new sales opportunities,” Josh Kornberg, president and CEO of Skyline, stated in the news release announcing the partnership.

As an ARIN sponsor, Skyline has access to nurses in the imaging and radiology space, and, on April 3, will have the opportunity to attend the ARIN Spring Convention in Vancouver, where the company’s sales representatives will demonstrate Skyline products to nurses, technologists and other industry decision makers.

In the first nine months of 2015, Skyline shipped and sold 15 of its STREAMWAY Systems, and by November had initiated 12 new trials of the system in eight different U.S. states. From past experience, the company’s trial strategy yields significant success.

“Our sales strategy encourages hospital and surgical centers to trial the STREAMWAY, as we are confident that the unique benefits of our exposure prevention system will be quickly recognized throughout the facilities. This approach has proven to be successful with our trial-to-sale conversion rate standing at an impressive 98%,” Kornberg stated. “There are currently more than 48 hospital and surgical centers using our STREAMWAY System in the United States. We are looking to rapidly expand our customer base through the implementation of an aggressive sales and marketing strategy over the next year, which will include a dedicated salesforce and a network of distributors.”

This “aggressive sales and marketing strategy” includes international expansion, and Skyline has started the process of filing international patent applications in Canada and select European countries for the technologies and processes applied in the STREAMWAY System.

For its domestic focus, Skyline is gaining mounting confidence in the capability and acceptance of its technology.

“Our success selling to major hospitals indicates that medical centers are shifting away from, and we are displacing, alternative fluid management solutions that have been in place for many years. For us to have achieved this, despite our limited sales and marketing capabilities, truly validates the quality and effectiveness of the STREAMWAY™ System. The STREAMWAY is currently installed in a wide variety of procedure rooms, including surgery, interventional radiology and endoscopy suites, demonstrating very significant market potential for the product. Moreover, we are starting to see repeat orders from some of these customers,” Kornberg stated in a previous news release.

As more medical facilities are seeing, STREAMWAY eliminates one of the most dangerous aspects of being a healthcare professional: handling surgical fluid canisters and their contents. With rising market acceptance, Skyline continues to focus on establishing STREAMWAY as the premier surgical fluid disposal device, providing an unprecedented standard of safety, efficiency and environmental benefits for hospitals and surgical centers worldwide.

For more information, visit www.skylinemedical.com

Social media is the most popular game in town. Everyone on the planet, for the most part, uses some form of social media for entertainment, communication, advertising, or research. Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) dominate the space, but countless others like Pandora, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, YouTube, and others have emerged and grown like kudzu over the past few years. Virtually untapped markets like China and India present an alluring growth opportunity for companies such as Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC), which provides social marketing and promotion platforms designed to help merchants accelerate and advertise their business growth through social media.

China’s number of social network users is projected to eclipse 525 million by 2017, according to Statista.com, up from just 176 million in 2009. Facebook – which is banned in China – for comparison purposes, has 1.23 billion monthly active users and is worth more than $300 billion. China is home to the world’s largest population with 1.4 billion, followed by India with 1.3 billion. The market for users and merchants looking to utilize an effective social media marketing campaign is limitless.

Moxian offers targeted advertising campaigns that enhance interaction between user and merchant by using consumer behavior data compiled from the company’s database of user activities. The company has two core products: Moxian+ User App and Moxian+ Business App. The Moxian+ User App is designed for consumers to collect loyalty points from issuing merchants; to play games; and to win universal MO-Coins, which can be used globally with any merchant in the Moxian eco-system. The Moxian+ User App also provides consumers a set of social networking features to set up a personalized multimedia profile; to look for friends, interest groups, clans and topics; and to share and chat with their social circles.

The Moxian+ Business App provides merchants with the tools needed to convert customers into members and fans; to issue loyalty points and redeem rewards; to respond to customer inquiries through instant messaging; to conduct targeted marketing campaigns to members of the Moxian community in the form of ads and games; to list products in a light weight online shop; and to process orders. The app also provides business reports and analytical insights for merchants.

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

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After a long and disastrous night out with their young children, Joey and Dorsa Parsi decided it was finally time to build a place where families can enjoy a nice meal together. Giggles N’ Hugs (OTCQB: GIGL), a children’s play center and restaurant, is a pioneer in the playspace and entertainment industry. This is the only restaurant of its kind that fuses organic food and play for kids.

The 6,000 square foot space includes a 2,000 square foot play area for children to play games and participate in exciting activities. Meanwhile, the restaurant offers healthy food options that parents will enjoy and feel comfortable offering their kids. Children can have nutritious macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, and pizza. The restaurant even sneaks in healthy vegetables like spinach and squash in these popular food items, so children can’t tell the difference. Adults also have a wide selection of entrees, including salads, paninis, and pasta.

Giggles N’ Hugs also provides hosting opportunities for families. Themed birthday parties are a huge hit with parents since the restaurant handles everything from set up to clean up. These parties can also be individualized to suit the needs and wants of the family. The restaurant even plans nightly entertainment, like magic shows, concerts, puppet shows, and more, to keep children engaged and the adults happy.

Despite opening its doors during a recession, Giggles N’ Hugs has grown exponentially since 2004. The company recently partnered with Chardon Capital, an investment bank, to help raise capital to further its expansion goals. Giggles N’ Hugs intends to raise $5 million through a 506c offering to help fund 2016’s growth initiatives, which include adding more locations. So far, Westfield Corp. (OTC: WEFIF), a leading mall landlord, has given the company access to its entire mall portfolio for future spaces, since Giggles N’ Hugs provides tremendous foot traffic within its current locations in California.

The company generates its revenue from admission fees, birthday parties, drop-off service, branded in-store and retail outlet merchandising, franchising, and licensing. The company also intends to offer branded items like clothing, lunch boxes, and school supplies for even more growth this year.

Learn more by visiting www.gigglesnhugs.com

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