Governments and insurance companies around the world are seeking innovative technologies that address the needs of the growing diabetic population in over-burdened public and private healthcare systems. In the U.S. alone, the national cost of diabetes in 2012 was $245 billion, compared to $174 billion in 2007.

LabStyle Innovations (OTCQB:DRIO) is answering this call with a preventative approach that reduces the cost of care while improving treatment and patient compliance. The company’s Dario™ Diabetes Management Solution is designed to help people with diabetes manage their disease with tools, insights and support via mobile phone.

The Dario™ all-in-one glucose monitoring solution includes a glucose meter, disposable test strip cartridge, and lancing device – all in a compact design that can fit into a pocket. The meter plugs into a smartphone device to automatically log and track blood sugar levels to provide actionable insights and alerts. Data is uploaded into a secure cloud database for diabetes-related clinical trials.

The platform’s web interface simplifies data sharing and progress, enabling easy and effective data management and ensuring patient compliance and improved quality of care. The Caregiver portal is being developed in order to assist caregivers to monitor their patients quickly and easily as well as enable more effective intervention as necessary – ultimately reducing costs.

Bottom line, Dario offers a preventative approach that reduces the costs of care, improves treatment, helps to prevent complications and facilitates patient compliance.

In April, LabStyle announced the initial stages of its global rollout of the Dario Diabetes Management System. The company’s goal is to “transform the daily management of diabetes” targeting the world’s more than 382 million people living with diabetes – a statistic expected to nearly double to 592 million by 2035.

Dario has already received regulatory approval in Europe, and U.S. FDA approval is expected later this year. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted LabStyle a patent covering core functions of the Dario, and the company is pursuing patent applications in additional countries. Dario is currently available in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Netherlands and Australia, and LabStyle plans to launch the solution in Canada and Italy this year as well.

The Israel-based company participates alongside bigger players addressing the global diabetes care market, including DexCom, Inc. (NASDAQ:DXCM), which develops and markets glucose monitoring products for adults and pediatric patients. Even Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has jumped into the glucose monitoring market with an Apple Watch app developed by DexCom.

In terms of sales, the diabetes market is dominated by drug makers Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), Sanofi (NYSE:SNY), and Merck (NYSE:MRK), in that order, according to data analytics firm GlobalData. The same report shows the Top 10 diabetes drugmakers, which also includes Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY), made $62 billion in combined global sales last year, up more than 5 percent from the year prior.

If the crowded market and increasing number of diabetics worldwide is any inclination, LabStyle is in an opportunistic position to take its share of a rapidly growing market in need of innovative, cost-saving technologies and solutions.

For more information, visit www.mydario.com

Today, Galenfeha announced on its website that the company has brought on Chris W. Watkins as Senior Business Development Manager in its sales department. He joined Galenfeha on June 15, 2015.

Mr. Watkins adds nearly three decades of sales and management experience in the oil and gas industry, including directing sales operations and managing distributors throughout the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions. Most recently, Mr. Watkins served as an Asia/Asia Pacific sales director, responsible for establishing international distribution channels, training distributors, and promoting product lines.

This news closely follows Galenfeha’s recent agreement with BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), in which Galenfeha will provide the U.S. oil and gas producer with advanced stored energy solutions. The move immediately broadens Galenfeha’s penetration in the oil and gas industry, and supports the company’s efforts to rapidly become a premier alternative stored energy supplier in North America, where it can further leverage its line of patent pending, microprocessor controlled, LiFePO4 chemistry battery systems for measurement, automation, and a full line of proprietary chemical injection systems.

For more information, visit www.galenfeha.com

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Consorteum Holdings is taking center stage in the emerging market of mobile gaming through the continued development of its proprietary Universal Mobile Interface (UMI). This groundbreaking technology will open the door for significant savings during game development by creating a carrier, operating system and device agnostic platform upon which to build. The company’s system eliminates the need for constant reprograming to keep up with operating system updates, providing potentially significant savings throughout the expensive app development process.

Initially, Consorteum intends to introduce its UMI technology in the mobile sports betting and casino gaming verticals. This strategy could provide the company with the opportunity to realize sustainable growth moving forward. According to a report by Super Data Research, the mobile platform continued to drive consumer growth in 2013, with the social casino games market accounting for combined revenue of approximately $2.9 billion in 2013. In 2015, the research firm forecasts total spending of approximately $4.4 billion across all platforms.

The company’s UMI is in a particularly strong position to expand within the mobile gaming industry as a result of its industry-leading dedication to compliance gaming. As the first and only third party developer approved for compliance gaming by the Nevada Gaming Commission, Consorteum will look to leverage its compliance-based features – including secure geo-fencing and geo-location requirements – in order to expand its market share in the future.

For Consorteum, potential applications within the mobile gaming industry are nearly limitless. From mobile lottery and sports book betting to slot machines and blackjack, the company’s proprietary technology puts it in a strong position to serve a collection of potential clients. Additionally, the company’s management team has highlighted a myriad of additional opportunities for growth within other industries and market sectors – including government, healthcare and banking applications.

Consorteum’s continued progress with its UMI technology makes the company an intriguing investment opportunity moving forward. When fully commercialized, the universal content delivery solution could prove to be a formidable platform for sustainable returns in the months that follow.

To learn more about Consorteum Holdings, visit www.consorteum.com

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Today, the Aristocrat Group Corp. issued a press release to detail its latest distilled spirit offering, Big Box Vodka. The company’s intent is to create a new market segment by delivering an ultra-premium vodka in revolutionary packaging more versatile than anything else on the market today.

“This is not simply vodka in a cardboard box,” said ASCC CEO Robert Federowicz. “This is a handcrafted distilled spirit that arrives in a package that is more convenient and sophisticated than any bottle.”

Each Big Box Vodka package holds 1.75 liters, which is the equivalent of approximately 2 and a half 750 ml bottles. Also, the microflute cardboard is used provides superior durability and insulation. For superior convenience, every box contains a spouted, inner beverage bladder that can be removed for faster cooling times. In fact, consumers can pour ice directly on top of the beverage bladder, eliminating the need for ice buckets or coolers.

“This product was truly designed to go anywhere, from a public beach to a private yacht,” Federowicz said.

According to today’s press release, plans are calling for Big Box Vodka to be debuted at retail outlets in California, Nevada, Florida, Louisiana and Texas simultaneously this summer, representing a huge population of more than 90 million people. The company’s flagship brand, RWB Ultra-Premium Handcrafted Vodka, is already available online and at many bars and retailers.

For more information, visit www.aristocratgroupcorp.com/investors

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Integrated Environmental Technologies, Ltd. is a life sciences company focused on providing smart solutions to America’s most pressing environmental and health problems. Under the EcoTreatments™ brand, the company markets and sells Excelyte™, an anolyte disinfecting solution, and Catholyte Zero™, a proprietary cleaning solution. Excelyte is an EPA-registered hard surface disinfectant and sanitizer approved for use in hospitals and as a biocide in oil and gas drilling, while Catholyte Zero is an environmentally-friendly cleanser and degreaser for janitorial, sanitation and food processing purposes.

In recent months, the company has primarily focused on the distribution of its Excelyte solutions to oil and gas production clients. As of IEVM’s latest update in May, the company was providing its powerful disinfectant to four customers with 174 oil wells in the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Permian Basin of New Mexico. Moving forward, this progress will give IEVM a strong strategic advantage in expanding its presence among the estimated 30,000 oil producing wells distributed throughout the two regions.

“We continue to progress in the development of our oil and gas business and are currently in discussions with approximately five new customers interested in utilizing Excelyte to treat both oil and gas wells,” David R. LaVance, president and chief executive officer of IEVM, stated in a news release. “As expected, our growing industry footprint has enhanced our ability to cultivate and accelerate additional customers as we can provide hard data on the effects and the potential cost savings of Excelyte well maintenance treatments.”

According to the company’s data, Excelyte reduces the level of hydrogen sulfide gas in oil wells faster than any other well maintenance treatments. Hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring gas commonly released during oil and gas production, is the leading killer of oil field workers, demonstrating the tremendous potential benefits of the company’s solution. In addition to eliminating the dangerous gas, Excelyte is unique in that it leaves no environmental trace.

“Our product persists for only 90 days and then it disintegrates,” continued LaVance. “It’s not underground for very long and things go back to normal after that, so it’s a quick-acting biocide.”

By taking an environmentally-friendly approach to disinfecting solutions, IEVM is addressing many of the concerns associated with the fracking industry. According to a report by Forbes, a single fracking project uses millions of gallons of water and only 25 percent of that water is typically recovered for reuse. IEVM claims that by replacing toxic chemicals with the bacteria and sulfur-fighting properties present in Excelyte, the industry will be able to recover twice as much wastewater for reuse in fracking, limiting the need for additional fresh water.

Moving forward, IEVM will look to expand upon its growing network of customers in the oil and gas drilling industry. For prospective shareholders, the company’s developing presence in one of the world’s most vital market sectors makes it an intriguing investment opportunity in the months to come.

For more information, visit www.ecotreatments.com

Alternet Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: ALYI) is an enterprise accelerator company focused on the high growth, emerging technology fields of mobile payments and digital currency. Through its subsidiaries, the company is leveraging the extraordinary growth opportunities surrounding the explosion of newly adapted internet technologies and platforms to promote maximized returns for its shareholders.

In recent months, Alternet has placed much of its attention on the burgeoning digital currency market. In October, the company partnered with Wildcard Consulting, Inc. to launch the first U.S.-based bitcoin debit card. Designed to operate in full compliance with federal banking guidelines, this new product allows vendors to do business with consumers spending digital currencies while being paid accurately and securely in U.S. dollars or any other currency.

“Access to digital currency via a debit or credit card is a key step in the evolution of bitcoin and its integration with fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar,” Henryk Dabrowski, chief executive officer of Alternet, stated in a news release. “We believe the time has come for holders of bitcoin to be able to exchange their digital currency for other assets seamlessly.”

In an effort to expand upon the seamlessness of digital currency payments, Alternet, through its Alternet Payment Solutions (APS) subsidiary, secured a strategic agreement with BitPay, the world leader in business solutions for the bitcoin digital currency industry. Through this agreement, the company is able to provide business to business payment methods through the conversion of fiat currency to digital currency in North America, South America and Asia. This partnership should continue to provide Alternet with a strong platform to build upon its recent growth moving forward.

The company is making additional progress on the digital currency front through the continued development of wholly-owned subsidiary OneMarket. When complete, OneMarket will become a fully-functioning digital currency exchange, offering an entire suite of financial and payment products targeting the growing digital currency market. In the coming months, Alternet will continue to aggressively pursue the highly anticipated New York State BitLicense, which will be necessary to facilitate the company’s global exchange strategy.

“It is our intent to continue pursuing a strategy of cooperation with regulators so that when we are granted permission we have put all the necessary building blocks in place to take the maximum advantage of our ability to monetize,” continued Dabrowski.

For more information, visit www.alternetsystems.com

There was a solid pop in oil futures Tuesday, June 23, with August crude holding above $61.00 a barrel as the API and EIA supply reports this week are expected to show tightening in domestic supply figures. Platts polling data indicates an anticipated reduction of 2.3 million barrels amid heightened tension between the U.S. and Russia, the world’s number two oil producer, with U.S. SecDef Carter having announced a firm reinforcement of Europe and massively increased logistical support to NATO’s rapid reaction force, in order to face threats from the east or from extremists in the increasingly deteriorating Middle East. Significant reduction in CAPEX over the last several months by U.S. E&Ps of around 25 percent or higher, extending through Q1 this year, has organized a groundswell in oil futures, which are forecast to continue rising over the longer-term despite a stronger dollar.

Also, the continued moves by China and Russia to sign landmark energy deals show a continued dedollarization of crude that threatens to unseat the petrodollar. Massive potential investment in Rosneft’s (OTC: RNFTF) huge new Vankor field in eastern Siberia by China and India is clearly in the cards, with delegations from both countries having made recent visits to Vankor and statements from Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister indicating that the country has cleared a psychological barrier that previously prevented Russia from giving China a measure of control over its hydrocarbon reserves. The entire 440k BOPD output from Vankor is already being shipped out to feed Asia via the ESPO pipeline, with the vast majority of output ending up in northeastern China.

In this near-term environment of reduced upstream activity among domestic E&P operators, the larger sector players stand to do best, because they have the kind of geographical and infrastructural diversity, economies of scale, widespread exposure and overall size needed to survive and thrive. The impending Halliburton (NYSE:HAL)-Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI) merger and other such consolidation in the sector is a clear indicator of the underlying market dynamics here and it is also a key expression of the sector finding its footing. In fact, Denver-based Markwest Energy Partners (NYSE: MWE), which derives much of its operational cash flow from fees, has established agreements with more than 160 producers, roughly 4.7k miles of pipelines and around six billion cubic feet per day in natural gas processing capacity, is actually firmly focused on growth. With as much as $1.9 billion in CAPEX lined up for this year alone, across 20 major projects that are currently under construction on over nine million acres throughout the country’s top producing basins in Texas, Oklahoma and the northeast (emphasis on the Marcellus shale), Markwest is even on track to do four major plant expansions in Ohio.

For a company like energy-related EPCM (engineering, procurement and construction management) and automation specialists ENGlobal (NASDAQ: ENG), which is one of the most well-positioned and top-ranked providers of full spectrum services in the field today, the aforementioned market dynamics are good news. Because in order to thrive in this arena, especially under the current conditions, a reputation for excellence and the ability to deliver on time and within budget is paramount when it comes to attracting business from the biggest players. A long, established track record of success with top sector players will serve ENGlobal well in helping to further court the business of those energy sector juggernauts which are most able to withstand the temporary slowdown in capital expenditures, as well as the smaller contrarians who are shrewdly doubling down into the sector nadir.

Even with the downturn in energy commodity prices having impacted ENGlobal’s overall upstream related orders in Q1 this year, the company has maintained profitability, with a strong working capital position of over $24 million, and zero borrowings under their current credit facility. Automation operating profit margin outpaced the company’s EPCM division during the first quarter of 2015, posting a still healthy 13.9 percent, whereas engineering and construction profit margins were on par with Q1 2014. This is thanks in large part to the company’s vast expertise in both automation integration and automation engineering. ENGblobal’s ability to deliver a full range of integrated process, power and control solutions, handling everything in-house from the fabrication, assembly and programming, to documentation and system testing, has helped win the company a reputation as a rock-solid reliable supplier of integration solutions.

By being able to provide integration support ranging from analytical units like continuous monitoring, analyzer maintenance and data acquisition systems, to custom industrial HVAC (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning) systems and hydrocarbon moving infrastructure, like pipelines and rail/truck or sea terminals, ENGlobal has firmly cemented itself in the minds of some of the industry’s biggest companies as a provider who can handle anything that is thrown at it. Other automation integration systems provided by the company include a vast array of power solutions, like switchgear shelters and micro-turbine power islands, as well as complex control systems like master panels, burner management systems, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition using coded signals) controls, and fire/gas protection systems.

The company actually specializes in the kind of robust modular enclosures needed for everything from general operator shelters and control rooms, to heat and blast resistant cabinets used in some of the energy industry’s most dangerous environments, such as refinery process units and on drilling rigs. Far more than just a successful integrator, ENGlobal can design, fabricate, manufacture and fully test the kinds of highly modular, fully integrated control cabins that are ideal for today’s most advanced automated drilling rigs. A highly experienced automation staff with years under their belts, doing everything from DCS (distributed control system) migrations, plant re-instrumentations and complete expansions, to customized electrical, control system and instrument initializations, stands at the ready to help the company’s clients.

By providing everything from commissioning and process control start-up support, to power distribution and generation, as well as loop check, complete analytical verification and even EPA-regulated system automation services, ENGlobal is able to stay profitable and attract new business, even when times are tough in the industry, maintaining profitability on the strength of reputation and a diversity of offerings. It is this capacity to deliver automation and control system services that span the gamut, covering almost any task imaginable, from conception through to execution, which will continue to make the company attractive amid further industry consolidation as we potentially head towards a more lively sector rebound sometime in mid to late 2016.

Research and investing information provider Cowen & Co analysts are projecting small to mid-cap E&P’s are in for some rocky terrain next year, with a $16 billion shortfall between cash flow projections and spending estimates, requiring some $8.6 billion in order to meet production growth projections for 2016. This reality will continue to fuel M&A activity within the sector and for companies like ENGlobal, an ability to court the biggest players will be a deciding factor, whether the work is at home or abroad.

Significant domestic tightness in crude supply over the next two months into July and August, driven by increased drawdowns like those we have seen over the preceding seven weeks, but clocking in at as much as eight million barrels per week, could push crude to over $70 a barrel according to recent analysis from OptionSellers. As Americans increasingly hit the roads for the peak of driving season, associated draws in secondary products like gasoline should also rise, putting even more wind in the energy market’s sails. This price activity could seriously pan out longer term as the true impact of the recent, dramatic reduction in upstream activity like new well starts becomes more and more obvious. New well starts were off by 105 percent compared to last year in May, down to 1,761 from 3,625 according to RigData. A trend tracked by permits, which were also off substantially from the same period last year, showing a 75 percent reduction from 2014, to around only 898 in May. People keep talking about a supply glut, but unless upstream activity picks back up to levels seen before the crude price crashed in late 2014, supplies could dry up quickly and ignite a bull market in E&P capital expenditures, as we scramble to meet demand without having to return to a paradigm dominated by OPEC exports.

Dig deeper into ENGlobal by visiting www.englobal.com

View Systems is revolutionizing the security industry through the commercialization of its groundbreaking ViewScan system. The company’s proprietary technology uses advanced magnetic sensors with on-board digital processing capabilities to accurately and efficiently detect and locate threat objects. Unlike less advanced walk-through weapons detection systems, the ViewScan platform provides operators with access to specific threshold settings to alleviate the delays associated with false alarms due to non-threat objects – including keys, coins, jewelry and belt buckles.

“Our ViewScan weapon detection system boasts numerous advantages over ordinary metal detectors on the market,” Gunther Than, chief executive officer of View Systems, stated in a news release. “We’re excited about the momentum we have moving forward as more customers recognize the benefits of our system in providing efficient security measures for their facilities.”

Additional features that differentiate the ViewScan platform from the competition include flexible monitoring and archiving capabilities. From any workstation, the company’s proprietary platform allows for access to a host of information regarding scanned individuals – including snapshot images, date and time of scanning, threshold settings, sensor readings and graphical display data. This archiving capability is particularly useful for personnel and property protection, as well as evidence collection and criminal prosecution.

Earlier this month, View Systems took steps to improve upon its proven ViewScan system when it initiated manufacturing on an enhanced version of the platform. With this update, the revolutionary technology was upgraded through the addition of enhanced threat recognition and facial identification.

“The person is safely analyzed and potential threat objects are located and shown on live video,” John Sarman, chief engineer of View Systems, stated regarding the enhanced ViewScan system. “The complete system becomes a verification of an identified or sought for individual and whether that individual possesses a threat.”

In June, the company provided an update regarding the deployment of its weapons detection systems. Leveraging a strong network of representatives and dealers, View Systems is rapidly increasing its foothold in the market through continued adoption of the ViewScan system in banks, police stations and schools throughout the United States.

Within the last decade, the security industry has established its position as one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy, accounting for nearly $100 billion in 2013, according to Statista. For View Systems, this consistent market performance should provide a formidable platform for continued growth moving forward.

For prospective investors, View Systems represents an opportunity to invest in a key player in one of the world’s fastest growing industries. The company’s continued market growth could open the door for sustainable returns in the years to come.

For more information, visit www.viewsystems.com

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Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) issued a response to shareholder inquiries on Tuesday, addressing concerns regarding the company’s recent decline in share prices and the resulting non-compliance notice received from NASDAQ. In particular, the company highlighted its primary goals for the second half of 2015 following the successful negotiation of up to $24.5 million in financing in recent months.

In May, Net Element executed definitive documentation to acquire PayOnline, a leader in online transaction processing services and payment technology. Management suggests that this acquisition will be transformative for the company moving forward as both a profitable subsidiary and an established platform for growth in the online payments industry. Earlier this month, the company leveraged this platform by launching its online payments processing business in Kazakhstan through a contract with the country’s largest online events ticketing website and second largest online merchant.

“Net Element’s facilitation of this banking relationship with its pending acquisition PayOnline is an example of how we intend to grow in emerging markets, where we can nimbly deliver those services best suited for a given market,” Oleg Firer, chief executive officer of Net Element, stated in a news release. “We expect this agreement to accelerate our growth in the region.”

The company has made similar strides toward sustainable growth in the U.S. market through the launch of three new programs to provide financing solutions and sales incentives to sales partners in order to help accelerate business development. With this new recruitment program in place, Net Element will look to aggressively expand its domestic footprint by facilitating the business success of its partners.

This progress, in addition to persistent growth in the Russian mobile payments market, has allowed the company to improve its financial results in recent months. In the first quarter of 2015, Net Element reduced its year-over-year net loss by more than 63 percent through its dedication to the elimination of debt over the past two years. These savings, along with the company’s newly secured growth capital, should allow Net Element to continue implementing its strategic growth plans.

For more information, visit www.netelement.com

Apricus Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: APRI) is a biopharmaceutical company advancing innovative medicines in urology and rheumatology. The company’s lead product, Vitaros®, is approved in Europe and Canada for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and is currently being commercialized in several European countries. In addition, Apricus’s product pipeline includes Fispemifene for the treatment of secondary hypogonadism, chronic prostatitis and lower urinary tract symptoms in men and RayVa™ for the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Through the commercialization of Vitaros, Apricus is establishing a foothold in one of the biopharmaceutical industry’s most consistently performing sectors. According to Medtech Insight, erectile dysfunction affects an estimated 150 million men globally, and that total is expected to double by 2030. As a result, the market for these drugs has grown to over $4.2 billion. For Apricus, this could provide a significant opportunity to grow within the industry as it continues to expand the commercialization of Vitaros.

Vitaros is a locally-applied topical cream, allowing the product to differentiate itself from the phosphodiesterase inhibitors currently on the market, which are distributed in tablet form. As a topical cream, Vitaros has been shown to provide rapid onset benefits with significant efficacy and a favorable safety profile.

In May, the company took a major step toward continued growth through the launch of its novel treatment in France. This launch, in addition to its recent launch in Spain, brings the total number of European markets in which Vitaros is now commercially available to six. In the first quarter of 2015, Apricus prepared to build on these efforts by raising $11 million in cash from financing activities, as well as establishing revenue of $475,000. In the coming months, Apricus will look to grow revenue in penetrated markets while continuing to expand into other European countries.

“[W]e continue to be pleased with our commercial partners’ efforts to establish Vitaros as the erectile dysfunction treatment of choice in Europe,” Richard Pascoe, chief executive officer of Apricus, stated in a news release. “[W]e regard Vitaros as a strategic asset with the potential to generate meaningful long-term revenue for the company.”

For prospective investors, the continued expansion of Vitaros throughout Europe is a promising step toward sustainable returns moving forward.

For more information, visit www.apricusbio.com