Sunday, September 29, 2002

Hot Banana Signs Duo Consulting as Channel Partner

Hot Banana Signs Duo Consulting as Channel Partner

Hot Banana Software, a leading provider of Web Content Management (WCM) and Active Marketing™ solutions, announced today that it has signed a Channel Partner agreement with a content management consulting specialist, Duo Consulting of Chicago, Illinois. Duo Consulting will be reselling, implementing and supporting Hot Banana’s Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite™.

BOSTON, MA (PRWEB) December 1, 2005

November 29, 2005 - Hot Banana Software, a leading provider of Web Content Management (WCM) and Active Marketing™ solutions, announced today that it has signed a Channel Partner agreement with a content management consulting specialist, Duo Consulting of Chicago, Illinois. Duo Consulting will be reselling, implementing and supporting Hot Banana’s Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite™. The announcement was made from the Hot Banana booth (# 106), at the Gilbane Content Management Conference, November 29 - December 01, 2005 in Boston.

Since 1999 Duo Consulting has specialized in Web development, content management and eMarketing strategies, and they have developed long-term relationships with an impressive list of public and private sector clients. The addition of Hot Banana’s Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite to their portfolio will further enhance their ability to deliver top quality Web site solutions most appropriate for their client’s needs.

"Duo Consulting is precisely the right match for us,” says Krista Lariviere, President and CEO, Hot Banana Software Inc. "Hot Banana is seeing considerable demand momentum for its Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite, and the foundation of this success is our channel strategy. We’re selecting channel partners, such as Duo Consulting, who can add value over the entire customer life-cycle. This strategy is critical for Hot Banana’s growth and will help us to establish a strong foothold in major cities across North America.”

"By adding Hot Banana to our portfolio, we can now offer our customers a WCM solution that provides a unique Active Marketing approach to Web site content management,” says Michael Silverman, President and CEO, Duo Consulting. “We are excited to be offering this technology to our government, not-for-profit and corporate clients as it meets specific business challenges that we see them facing.”

About Hot Banana Software, Inc.

Founded in 1999, Hot Banana powers Web sites for more than 180 companies worldwide. Designed for non-technical users, Hot Banana is a full-fledged Web Content Management Suite designed to easily manage a Web site's content creation and publishing.

The Hot Banana Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite™ consists of the end-to-end integration of Web Content Management and Active Marketing™, with integrated WebTrends 7.5 and ExactTarget email marketing solutions. This makes Hot Banana an ideal solution for using the Web site as a highly optimized eMarketing platform in corporate communications, branding, lead generation & conversion campaigns, customer self-help & retention, email, public relations and event-marketing programs. Hot Banana is available as Hot Banana On-Demand (Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS), or as Hot Banana Licensed. Clients include: InsureMe, Algoma Steel, Bell Industries, Parents Action for Children, Ansell Healthcare Europe, World Vision, Beaver Machine, Los Alamos School Board (New Mexico), Law Society of Upper Canada, Expertech, and The County of Simcoe. Hot Banana Software Inc. is profitable and privately held. For more information, visit www. HotBanana. com, or call 866-296-1803.

About Duo Consulting

Founded in 1999, Duo Consulting had its origins as Duo Design, a Web design and development company based in Chicago, Illinois. Over the years, Duo has grown to be one of the most reputable and established Web development firms with Professional Service, Non-Profit and Business clients nationwide. In March, 2004 we changed our name to Duo Consulting, in recognition of our role as partners with and trusted advisors to our clients on strategy, marketing, design and content management.

Duo Consulting still provides unparalleled expertise in Web design, development and a host of related client services. But Duo could not provide the strategic expertise that we do in these areas without recognizing that achieving success on the Internet today is in large part dependent upon effective content and content management. We combine our expertise in strategy, design, technology, marketing and content management to effectively translate our clients’ business goals into tangible results. For more information, visit www. duoconsulting. com.

Hot Banana, Active Marketing and Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hot Banana Software Inc. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:

David Terry,

VP Sales and Marketing,

Hot Banana Software Inc.,

705-792-3880 ext. 222,

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Ten Minutes on Facebook Could Save a Life

Ten Minutes on Facebook Could Save a Life

Installing a new application released this week for Facebook may mean the difference between life and death for a loved one. The “Hands Only CPR” application makes it easy for anyone to learn how to save a life in under ten minutes.

Grand Rapids, MI (PRWEB) June 1, 2010

In honor of National CPR and AED Awareness Week (the first week of June), ProCPR. org has created a Facebook application to teach people how to perform hands-only CPR, a less intrusive and simplified version of CPR released by the American Heart Association in April 2008.

To get started, log into Facebook and type "hands only cpr" in the search bar to locate the Hands Only CPR Facebook application (http://apps. facebook. com/hands_only_cpr). Then, watch the video training and share the application with friends to help spread the word. ProCPR hopes to reach one million Facebook users with the new application. Roy Shaw, co-founder and lead instructor at ProCPR explains, “CPR is gift. You will never use it on yourself, but it could be the most important thing you learn for the sake of a loved one. Facebook offers people a unique opportunity to show family and friends just how much they care by taking the time to learn CPR.”

According to a statistic released by the American Heart Association, less than 1/3 of people who experience a cardiac arrest at home, work or in a public location get help. This failure to help is largely because people do not feel confident in their skills and are afraid to get involved. ProCPR is hoping to help improve this statistic by making its CPR training free and accessible to anyone with a Facebook account.

The company cautions people that the hands-only CPR Facebook training should not be confused with accredited CPR certification (http://www. procpr. org/nationally_recognized) for those who require training and certification for their jobs. The training provided on Facebook is awareness-level training for people who may need to perform the skill as a “Good Samaritan.” Those who require CPR certification for their jobs should visit http://www. ProCPR. org (http://www. ProCPR. org) for an accredited American Heart Association compliant CPR certificate option.

About ProCPR, LLC:

ProCPR is an accredited CPR certification program that follows the American Heart Association suggested training guidelines and strictly adheres to the latest ILCOR/ECC guidelines. ProCPR. org has certified more than 190,000 health care professionals across the United States and internationally. It is designed to meet the needs and demands of busy health care professionals.

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Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Hepatitis B Foundation Sponsors Two-Day Educational Conference for Children and Adults at Risk for Deadly Liver Virus

Hepatitis B Foundation Sponsors Two-Day Educational Conference for Children and Adults at Risk for Deadly Liver Virus

Event Marks One-Year Anniversary of Asian Pacific Liver Center at St. Vincent Medical Center.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 25, 2008

Liver disease specialists from throughout California will participate in a public health education conference, sponsored by the Hepatitis B Foundation, at St. Vincent Medical Center on June 27 and 28, where they will speak to an estimated 200 people who live and work in the Downtown area.

The conference is designed so that Friday afternoon will be spent focusing on the management of pediatric HBV and Saturday will be spent focusing on the management of adult HBV, particularly in the Asian-American community, which is disproportionately affected by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBV is a chronic and progressive liver disease that leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Phil Rosenthal, M. D., director of Pediatric Hepatology at UCSF Childrens Hospital, will be the featured speaker at the Friday, June 27 session with a presentation about how to treat children with HBV.
California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (12th Dist.) will be special guest speaker at the Saturday, June 28 event, where she will address some of the legislative efforts underway to increase funding for HBV screening, vaccination and treatment.

Tse-Ling Fong, M. D., program director of the Asian Pacific Liver Center (APLC), St. Vincent Medical Center, Ho Bae, M. D., medical director of the APLC, St. Vincent Medical Center, and Robert Gish, M. D., hepatologist at California Pacific Medical Center, will provide expert presentations about state-of-the-art care and treatment for HBV.
Breakout in-language educational sessions will be held for Chinese - and Korean-speaking attendees on Saturday afternoon. Free HBV screenings will be available for all attendees.

Afternoon workshops will focus on the facts about hepatitis B, healthy nutrition, maintaining liver health, and parenting tips.

Facts you should know about hepatitis B
 Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer among Asian Americans.  One in 10 Asian-Americans is infected with hepatitis B, with most infections occurring at birth.  Thousands of people of Asian descent in the greater Los Angeles area have hepatitis B, but most are not aware they are infected.  Despite the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine, vaccination rates are low and hepatitis B remains a global health problem.

About the Hepatitis B Foundation:
The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. It is located in the new Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center that it created to accelerate its research progress. For more information, visit www. hepb. org or call (215) 489-4900.

About the Asian Pacific Liver Center:
The APLC is a unique comprehensive liver clinic dedicated to the prevention, detection and treatment of hepatitis, with special emphasis on the high rate of disease in the Asian-American Community. The APLC identifies and cares for patients at high risk for hepatitis by providing culturally sensitive community outreach, screening test results, diagnostic liver imaging, consultation on treatment plans and more. For more information, call (888) 236-2752.

About St. Vincent Medical Center:
Providing compassionate healthcare for those who need hope and healing has been the mission of St. Vincent Medical Center for more than 150 years. Located just west of Downtown, St. Vincent is a world-renowned, 347-bed state-of-the-art facility, offering comprehensive medical services, including multi-organ transplantation, spine surgery, joint replacement, general orthopedics, cancer treatment, cardiovascular services, thoracic surgery, electrophysiology, interventional radiology and the multi-disciplinary therapies available from the House Ear and Neurosurgery Center.

St. Vincent Medical Center's community outreach programs offer health screenings, diabetes education, after-school activities and other services targeting high-risk populations. St. Vincent Medical Center is part of the Daughters of Charity Health System, a nonprofit healthcare system spanning the California coast. We are committed to caring for the whole person - body, mind and spirit.

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Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Free Personalized Fitness Resources at MikesFitness. com

Free Personalized Fitness Resources at MikesFitness. com

Free Personalized Fitness Resources at MikesFitness. com

Irving, TX (PRWEB) October 10, 2005

Here's a small preview of the Q&A that takes place many times each day as visitors to www. MikesFitness. com ask Mike for fitness and health advice. Join Mike's Fitness revolution today!

Q: I have gained muscle mass even though my muscles dont look bigger. Can weight trainig cause my muscles to increase in density without an increase in volume?

A: Muscle density is always more or less constant. There're some controversial theories that suggest that cardio-tranined and strength-trained muscles are more dense than bodybuilding-trained muscles. But even if these theories are true, the difference in densities would be far too small to observe with the naked eye.

But you may well be correct that you've gained muscle mass even though your muscles don't look bigger for a number of reasons:

Fat is less dense than muscle (in other words, fat takes up more room), so if you lose some fat from, say, your upper arms and replace it with the equal weight of muscle, your upper arms will actually become a little smaller even though they'll be more muscular. You should be able to notice the difference in the hardness of that area (upper arm or other) now versus relative flabbiness before.

Even more likely, you lost significant amount of fat and replaced it with a lesser amount of muscle -- this will result in the same effect, only even more pronounced. Again, notice how hard your muscles feel now even though they make look smaller or the same. This is because you've lost all the extra fat around them.

You may also be assuming that you've gained muscle mass because you are stronger now. That's not always a correct assumption. Most of the beginner strength gains come not from larger muscles but from more efficient use of the existing muscles by your nervous system (muscle recruitment). Of course having more strength is a very good thing in its own right -- it'll help you lift greater weights and build muscle faster that way. So it's a win-win situation in either case.

You may have actually gained muscle and it really is bigger now, but it's just not easy to see with the naked eye. This can be especially true for things like muscles of the back. You can use tape measure to keep track of your muscle growth, so you don't need to rely on your eyes (commonly measured areas are flexed upper arms at the bicep peak, chest at the nipple level, mid-thigh, calves, and neck). You can also take periodic progress photos (aka before and after pictures), either relaxed or flexed. The photos especially can be a great self-motivation tool down the road and I highly recommend them.

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Sunday, September 22, 2002

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Partners with Health Communications to Bring Alcohol Training to Communities

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Partners with Health Communications to Bring Alcohol Training to Communities

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc. (WSWA) and Health Communications, Inc (HCI) today announced a partnership that will promote responsible consumption of alcohol in communities across the United States.

Washington, DC and Arlington, VA (Vocus) August 8, 2008

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc. (WSWA) and Health Communications, Inc (HCI) today announced a partnership that will promote responsible consumption of alcohol in communities across the United States. WSWA is dedicated to advancing the social responsibility interests of wholesale distributors and/or brokers of wine and/or spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has nearly 350 member companies in 50 states and the District of Columbia. WSWA members distribute more than 80% of all wines and spirits sold at wholesale in the United States.

HCI was founded in 1982 by Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Its flagship program, TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures), was the first of its kind and continues to set industry standards. Numerous academics, public officials and government agencies have recognized and endorsed TIPS training as life saving and critical to the progress made in reducing alcohol-related incidents. Proven effective by third-party studies, TIPS is a skills-based training program that is designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. TIPS gives individuals the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. TIPS offers seven programs that address the unique environments where alcohol is served, sold, and consumed, including On Premise, Off Premise, Concessions, Gaming, University, Seniors, and Workplace. HCI has certified over 3 million servers worldwide in the TIPS program. There are TIPS-certified people in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and over 30 foreign countries.

Through the TIPS “Train-the-Trainer” workshops, employees of WSWA member companies will become certified TIPS trainers who in turn can train retail staff on the proper techniques for serving alcohol safely, responsibly and well within the bounds of state and local laws. “TIPS is the global leader in alcohol training and WSWA members represent the bulk of wine and spirit distribution in the U. S. The partnership strengthens our resolve to promote community safety,” said Craig Wolf, President & CEO of WSWA.

In addition to preventing the misuse of alcohol, TIPS will help establishments that serve or sell alcohol by reducing their exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lowering insurance premiums, and improving overall customer service and satisfaction. “I applaud WSWA for providing their members with the training that will give their retailers the confidence and interpersonal skills to make a difference. TIPS has made a huge difference in communities. Whether it be handling a refusal situation or spotting underage drinkers, TIPS has the ability to build bridges and break barriers within a community. Wine and spirits wholesalers are in a position to get entire communities speaking the same language about alcohol,” said Adam Chafetz, CEO & President of HCI.

WSWA will be implementing the program by the end of this month. They plan on launching a web page that will be dedicated to providing their members with the resources they need to launch TIPS in their communities. For more information about WSWA, visit www. wswa. org. For more information about HCI, visit www. gettips. com.

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Thursday, September 19, 2002

Diabetes and Elevated Levels of Cholesterol Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

Diabetes and Elevated Levels of Cholesterol Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

Heart Disease and Stroke Linked to Increased Cognitive Decline only in Alzheimer's Patients who carry the APOE-µ4 Gene - Previously Implicated in Late-Onset Disease

New York, NY (Vocus) March 9, 2009

A history of diabetes and elevated levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, are associated with faster cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study from Columbia University Medical Center researchers. These results add further evidence of the role of vascular risk factors in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The study will be published in the March 2009 issue of Archives of Neurology. This special issue, titled, Archives of Neurology: Neurological Disorders Related to Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Other Comorbidities, is part of a special JAMA/Archives focus on diabetes and metabolic disorders.

"These findings indicate that controlling vascular conditions may be one way to delay the course of Alzheimer's, which would be a major development in the treatment of this devastating disease as currently there are few treatments available to slow its progression," said Yaakov Stern, Ph. D. (http://www. cumc. columbia. edu/dept/neurobeh/YStern. html), a professor at the Taub Institute for the Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain (http://www. cumc. columbia. edu/dept/taub/) and director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center (http://www. cumc. columbia. edu/dept/sergievsky/) at Columbia University Medical Center, and senior author of the paper.

"Preventing heart disease, stroke and diabetes - or making sure these conditions are well managed in patients diagnosed with them - can potentially slow the disease progression of Alzheimer's," said Dr. Stern.

Dr. Stern and the research team used longitudinal data for a mean of 3.5 years (up to 10.2 years) for 156 people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease who were participants in the Washington Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project, a 10-year multi-ethnic, prospective, epidemiological study of cognitive aging and dementia in northern Manhattan.

"Through the Washington Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project, we were able to follow patients before they began to show symptoms of Alzheimer's and for several years following their diagnosis. This makes our estimates of progression much more powerful, since we were able to know exactly when cognitive decline began," said Dr. Stern.

They found that a history of diabetes and higher cholesterol levels (total cholesterol and LDL-C) was associated with faster cognitive decline. A history of heart disease and stroke was found to be associated with cognitive decline only in carriers of the apolipoprotein E µ4 (APOE-µ4) gene, which has been implicated in late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers from Columbia's Taub Institute have previously demonstrated a link between stroke, diabetes, smoking, hypertension and a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease. While vascular risk factors have been studied as predictors of Alzheimer's, few studies have assessed their influence on disease progression. As the authors write, "There has been intense interest in identifying modifiable Alzheimer's disease risk factors such as cardiovascular risk factors, with the goal of preventing or at least delaying disease onset. However, little attention has been given to the influence of these factors on disease progression."

Dr. Stern and the research team theorize that the link between vascular risk factors and faster cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease may occur because vascular diseases may increase oxidative stress or activate inflammation in the brain, thereby triggering the production of amyloid, and/or triggering the formation of neuron tangles - known as neurofibrillary tangles - which are believed to be a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Stern and his colleagues are continuing to study the basis of the links between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease using epidemiologic and imaging approaches.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions.

Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M. D. degree and is now among the most selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the most comprehensive medical research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. Columbia University Medical Center is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the nation's largest not-for-profit hospital provider. For more information, please visit www. cumc. columbia. edu.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Streich
212-305-3900

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New Apple iMac Now Available for Rent from CRE - Computer & AV Solutions (ComputerRentals. com)

New Apple iMac Now Available for Rent from CRE - Computer & AV Solutions (ComputerRentals. com)

Leading nationwide computer and technology rental services company, CRE - Computer & AV Solutions (ComputerRentals. com), adds Apple's new stunning iMac to its rental inventory. The all-in-one desktop comes equipped with enhanced iLife® '08 suite and is available in 20" and 24" widescreen displays.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 19, 2007

Entertainment industry professionals, advertising execs, graphic designers, creative types and anyone who wants to try out the latest must-have release from Apple Inc., can now have the new iMac delivered to consumers when they need it, guaranteed. CRE - Computer & AV Solutions (www. ComputerRentals. com) has added the latest all-in-one iMac to its extensive inventory of Apple Macintosh rentals, including Mac Pro, Mac Book Pro, Xserve, Mac Book and Apple Cinema Displays.

With favorable reviews already pouring in, the new iMac (http://www. computerrentals. com/products/Mac/iMac/iMac_Rentals. php) epitomizes Apple Inc.'s vital ability to combine intuitive function with elegant design. The new iMac features the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a new, ultra-thin aluminum Apple keyboard, built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing and iLife® '08. Its stunning design is a glossy scratch-resistant glass screen edged in seamless professional-grade aluminum. ComputerRentals. com offers both the 20- and 24-inch widescreen displays among its iMac rentals. The sleek widescreen displays provide crisp images, ideal for movies, small video editing projects and graphic design work.

Said ComputerRentals. com President Cuyler Tremayne, "Our customers, whether large companies who need tech equipment for trade shows and conferences to small business and independent users who have occasional equipment needs, know they can count on us to bring them the latest, state-of-the-art products. We have an especially large following in the entertainment industry and creative fields so we feature a great range of Apple Macintosh rentals and our 24-hour support staff are experts in Mac products."

Each new iMac rental comes equipped with Apple's iLife '08, an easy-to-use suite of digital lifestyle applications, which has also been updated. Most notably, iLife '08 includes a new version of iPhoto® and revamped iMovie® integrated with the new. Mac Web Gallery for online photo and video sharing. Also on board with each new iMac rental is Mac OS® X version10.4.10 Tiger, including Safari™, Mail, iCal®, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth.

A new iMac rental from ComputerRentals. com (www. computerrentals. com) features ATI's next generation of graphics with the ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory and the ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB of GDDR3 memory. The new iMac also includes high-performance connectivity options that allow quick and convenient transferring of digital photos, music and video. The iMac comes equipped with built-in Airport Extreme® 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, Gigabit Ethernet, a total of five SB 2.0 ports (including two on the new Apple Keyboard) and one FireWire 400® and one FireWire 800 port.

The new iMac adds to ComputerRentals. com's wide variety of Mac rentals (http://computerrentals. com/products/Mac/), which also includes the 8-Core or Quad-Core Mac Pro (http://computerrentals. com/products/Mac/Mac_Pro/Mac_Pro. php), PowerMac G5 Quad, MacBook, MacBook Pro, 23" and 30" Apple Cinema Displays and the new Apple Intel Xserve (http://computerrentals. com/products/Mac/Apple_Servers/X_Serve_rentals. php) rack mountable server.

About CRE-Computer & AV Solutions
Founded in 1980 in Los Angeles, CRE-Computer & AV Solutions is a nationwide leader of computer and laptop rentals, audiovisual rentals, plasma rentals and more for corporate and special events, spanning a variety of industries which include entertainment, gaming, advertising, technology and health care. Integral to the success of CRE-Computer & AV Solutions is fast, reliable cutting-edge technology and superior customer service. For more information, visit www. computerrentals. com.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2002

SAN ANTONIO PARTNERS UNITE TO DEMAND TREATMENT

SAN ANTONIO PARTNERS UNITE TO DEMAND TREATMENT

(PRWEB) March 7, 2001

News The University of Texas

Health Science Center at San Antonio

L Dental School l Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences l Medical School l School of Allied Health Sciences l School of Nursing l

Contact: Will Sansom  (210) 567-2570

 Kathryn Dattomo (210) 562-5410

San Antonio partners unite to demand treatment

San Antonio (February 27, 2001) - The Alamo City has been selected as one of 16 U. S. cities for the Demand Treatment! project, a new nationwide campaign aimed at increasing the number of people who receive quality treatment for alcoholism and drug abuse in their communities. Significant barriers and discrimination prevent some 3 million Americans from receiving treatment that could help them recover from drug and alcohol disease.

San Antonio Demand Treatment! is a countywide effort of 35 diverse organizations (list follows). Over the next two years, this initiative will increase the number of people assessed for alcohol and drug problems in hospitals and primary health care settings, thereby driving up the demand for treatment.

"We want the people of San Antonio to know what they can do if they or someone they know needs help with an alcohol or drug problem," says the program director, Michelle Shenberger of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, lead agency on the project. Project strategies include publishing an addiction impact report to define the cost of addiction to Bexar County in terms of health care, criminal justice and diminished workplace productivity. The partnership also will develop a bilingual public awareness campaign to combat the stigma surrounding addiction. "Addiction is a disease, not a disgrace," Shenberger emphasizes.

Demand Treatment! is organized by Join Together, a national resource for communities fighting substance abuse and gun violence, through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The project will be coordinated by the Southwest Texas Addiction Research & Technology (START) Center at the U. T. Health Science Center.

-30-

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900 l Phone (210) 567-2570 l FAX: (210) 567-6811

  Demand Treatment!

  San Antonio City Partners

· Alamo Area Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Addiction (AAAPTA) - A collaboration of 12 TCADA-funded treatment providers

· Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center of Bexar County

· Alpha Home

· Center for Health Care Services

· City of San Antonio - Community Initiatives

· Community First Health Plans

· Employee Assistance Professional Association of Central Texas

· Family Service Association - Employee Assistance Program

· The Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation

· KBBT 89.5 FM "The Beat"

· KCOR 1350 AM La Primera

· KROM 92.9 FM Estero Latino

· KXTN 107 FM Tejano

· KCCY "Y100" FM Country

· KENS Radio AM 1160

· KKYX 680 AM Classic Country

· KONO 101 FM Good Time Oldies

· KRRT Fox 29 & WB 35 Television

· KXXM-FM MIX 96.1

· Methodist Health Care - Mental Health Services Marketing

· Methodist Health Care Ministries of South Texas

· Mission Vista Behavioral Health System

· Palmer Drug Abuse - San Antonio

· San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

· San Antonio Fighting Back of United Way

· San Antonio Metropolitan Health District

· San Antonio Police Department

· Southwest Texas Addiction Research & Technology (START) Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (Lead Agency)

· The Patrician Movement

· Time Warner Cable Advertising Sales of San Antonio

· The San Antonio Current

· United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County

· University Health System - Correctional Health Care Services

· University Health System - Psychiatric Services

Same-Day On-Demand Delivery Latest E-Tool from Healthcare Information Hub

Same-Day On-Demand Delivery Latest E-Tool from Healthcare Information Hub

With the real-time evolution of the business of healthcare, C-suite executives demand continual access to trends and tendencies impacting the industry. Already a premier advisor to decision-makers seeking strategic updates, the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN) now offers same-day electronic delivery of more than 20 percent of its healthcare publications to qualified customers. This enhancement complements HINÂ’s existing catalog of more than 500 healthcare information resources---newsletters, special reports and specialized publications---as well as a training library on CD-ROM.

Manasquan, NJ (PRWEB) July 19, 2005

With the real-time evolution of the business of healthcare, C-suite executives demand continual access to trends and tendencies impacting the industry. Already a premier advisor to decision-makers seeking strategic updates, the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN) now offers same-day electronic delivery of more than 20 percent of its healthcare publications to qualified customers. This enhancement complements HINÂ’s existing catalog of more than 500 healthcare information resources---newsletters, special reports and specialized publications---as well as a training library on CD-ROM.

For more information, visit the On-Demand section of the HIN bookstore at http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? ondemandprel (http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? ondemandprel).

“Today’s technology is driving information delivery,” said Melanie Matthews, executive vice president and chief executive officer of HIN. “Our intention is to reinforce HIN's value proposition by enabling our customers to get timely healthcare information from HIN in an easy-to-use, portable electronic format.”

The availability of nearly 100 publications as Adobe® Acrobat® portable document format (PDFs) marks HIN’s latest retooling of information sources to meet clients’ specific needs. Upon payment confirmation, customers who order a PDF online or by phone or fax are emailed the product the same business day. The purchase of a PDF from HIN entitles the buyer to a single-use electronic copy of the document; the buyer may also print one complete copy. HIN’s pricing strategy offers attractive discounts for multiple copies and customized licensing agreements, Matthews explained.

As an information hub, HIN offers resources to healthcare executives covering five key areas: managed care; hospital and health system management; health law and regulation; clinical care and outcomes; and the healthcare industry. Besides its electronic catalog of resources, HINÂ’s calendar of live audio conferences connects industry experts and executives around hot-button healthcare issues. HIN can also deliver customized information via protected Internet sites, intranets, diskettes, CD-ROM, or e-mail to one subscriber or to many. For the latest audio conference schedule and product updates, please visit the HIN online bookstore at http://store. hin. com (http://store. hin. com).

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network---HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info@hin. com, or visit http://www. hin. com (http://www. hin. com).

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Medical Liability Monitor Annual Survey of Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates Shows Medical Liability Insurance Market Remains Soft

Medical Liability Monitor Annual Survey of Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates Shows Medical Liability Insurance Market Remains Soft

Medical Liability Monitor publishes medical malpractice insurance premium rates for every major insurer in every county in every state. This year's survey indicates that medical malpractice insurance rates changed little from last year; declined in some instances

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 21, 2009

Rates for physicians' 2009-2010 liability insurance premiums decreased or remained stable for the large majority of doctors, according to Medical Liability Monitor's annual nationwide Rate Survey released this month.

This year's study found 58 percent of rates did not change between 2008 and 2009; in fact, 19 percent of rates experienced a 0.1- to 9.9-percent rate decrease, while less than 10 percent of all rates experienced an increase. This continues the stabilizing trend found in the 2007 and 2008 Rate Surveys.

"Rates in 2009 remain remarkably stable, with very few moving upward from last year," said Michael Matray, Medical Liability Monitor editor. "And according to our survey, more than 70 percent of responding companies reported filing at least some rate reductions in 2009. Overall, the majority of rates did not change at all from last year."

Since 1991 Medical Liability Monitor, an independent newsletter, has been surveying the leading providers of medical professional liability insurance for its annual rate report. This year's survey reports rates from 40 companies that represent as much as 75 percent of the physician's malpractice insurance market. It is the most comprehensive report on physicians' liability insurance rates available.

"While there were a few companies that reported rate increases, they appear to be multi-state insurers adjusting pricing to the levels of existing competitors," Matray said. "Six of the industry's larger insurers did report isolated rate reductions, and a number of these insurers have been active purchasers of other insurance organizations in recent years."

In this year's Rate Survey, Medical Liability Monitor added questions regarding the potential impact of electronic medical records and "never event reporting" on the industry. While about a third of respondents agree that never event reporting is likely to increase the frequency of future claims, the majority had no opinion or were unaware of these issues. It is possible that--during a period where companies are focused on maintaining or growing top-line revenue--insurers are not searching out factors suggesting the need to raise pricing or issue declinations.

With one exception, each responding company felt that Congress would not enact tort reform as part of the current healthcare debate on Capitol Hill. About two-thirds responded to a question in regard to whether any healthcare reform would have an impact on the frequency or severity of claims. One independent respondent opined that it would decrease frequency or severity, while the remainder almost evenly indicated either an increase or no change.

Medical Liability Monitor is the only independent publication reporting exclusively on medical professional liability insurance, The monthly newsletter, founded in 1975, has conducted the annual rate survey since 1991. To order the rate survey or to subscribe, go to www. mlmonitor. com or call 312-944-7900.

Complete Rate Survey available to the press upon request

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Monday, September 16, 2002

Soda's Out: What's "in" that Will Satisfy New Guidelines and Appeal to Kids?

Soda's Out: What's "in" that Will Satisfy New Guidelines and Appeal to Kids?

According to Judith Hochstadt, MD, a leading pediatric endocrinologist in CT and medical consultant to Water Sensations Inc., Now that the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and the nation's top beverage companies have agreed to remove sugar - and calorie-laden sodas, sports drinks and juices from public schools by 2009, school districts as well as parents across the country face the question of what to offer students that will satisfy the agreement's guidelines and the students' taste buds. Nina Riley of Water Sensations, makers of calorie-free, sugar-free, clear liquid flavor enhancements for drinking water, adds that maintaining adequate hydration helps curb your appetite because we often mistake thirst for hunger and therefore, overeat. Experts believe that schools must strive to provide students the right beverage choices that balance hydration, nutrition and taste.

SOUTHPORT, CT (PRWEB) May 16, 2006

Last week’s announcement by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation that a sweeping agreement with the nation’s top beverage companies would remove sugar - and calorie-laden sodas, sports drinks and juices from public schools by 2009 was met with a collective cheer by children’s health advocates, parents and educators alike. However, school districts as well as parents across the country now face the question of what to offer students that will satisfy the agreement’s guidelines…and the students’ taste buds.

“This pact represents a very positive step forward in the movement toward helping our youngest generation live fit and healthy lives, right from the start,” notes Nina Riley, Founder & CEO of Water Sensations, Inc. – makers of calorie-free, sugar-free, clear liquid flavor enhancements for drinking water. “When crucial institutions like schools and families model healthy habits and behaviors for kids, it helps them to make good choices in the long run,” Ms. Riley adds.

Schools’ choices are varied, yet limited

According to the agreement reached between the Alliance (a joint venture of the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation) and the country’s top beverage companies (PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Cadbury Schweppes and the American Beverage Association), elementary and middle schools will sell only water, some unsweetened juices, and lowfat plain and flavored milks. However, the juice and milk will only be available in 8 oz. containers in elementary schools or 10 oz. containers in middle schools. At the high school level, diet sodas, light sports drinks and reduced-calorie teas will be added to the list, and milk and juice servings can increase to 12 oz. A final caveat of the guidelines requires that at least half of all beverages sold in the high schools be water.

With such major, albeit positive, changes taking place, experts believe that schools must strive to provide students the right beverage choices that balance hydration, nutrition and taste. Dr. Judith Hochstadt, MD, a leading pediatric endocrinologist in CT and an expert on pediatric obesity predicts: “Because the goal is to encourage students to drink and enjoy healthy alternatives to sugary beverages, schools will need to keep the appeal of these replacement beverages in mind – along with their nutritive and hydrative value – as they implement the guidelines.”

Dr. Hochstadt adds that hydration is critical for students during the course of the school day. “Adequate fluid intake is required for proper brain functioning; improving students’ cognition and preventing dehydration during intense physical activity or sports training,” she explains. “What’s more, maintaining adequate hydration helps curb your appetite because we often mistake thirst for hunger and therefore, overeat.”

With these factors in mind, following are the pros and cons of the beverage choices for kids at school and at home:

 WATER is the overall best choice for students to drink during the school day, because it is the body’s chief hydrator…and because few children drink enough of it. The body is 97% water, and it needs to be consistently replenished. The downside is, of course, that water is boring to drink – especially for kids who are accustomed to sugary flavored drinks.  FLAVOR-ENHANCED WATER is the newest trend in the beverage industry. Some bottled water comes pre-enhanced with flavors, while other enhancers are added to bottled or tap water to create a flavored drink. Most enhancers come in powder form. Water Sensations, the newest entry in the calorie-free, sugar-free water enhancer category, comes in a clear liquid form, with no artificial colors or additives. These enhancers can make water much more interesting for children and adults alike, but they are inappropriate for those who cannot consume artificial sweeteners for any reason.  JUICES get high marks for flavor, especially among younger children. Yet, Dr. Hochstadt maintains, “The body does not recognize any difference between the fruit sugars in apple juice and the sugar in soda. Too much sugar is a contributing factor in obesity and diabetes.” She urges children to limit the amount of fruit juice they drink, and choose whole fruits instead, which provide fiber, nutrients and better satiety.  Lowfat MILK is another good choice, because children often do not consume adequate amounts of calcium to support bone growth and tooth development. Lowfat milk will appeal best to kids when chocolate or other flavorings are added. Yet, these flavorings add more sugar to the milk, which is why the portion sizes are required to be so small. In addition, milk is inappropriate for the thousands of children with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. And because milk has solids in it, it is an inferior hydrator when compared with water.

“While the next few years will hold challenges for the beverage industry and for school districts as they work together to provide students with a new generation of healthy beverage choices, I believe this will be an exciting and positive time as well,” concludes Nina Riley. “We’ve begun a fulfilling mission, to give children a clear message about the importance of establishing and maintaining their health, and to offer clear, positive alternatives to the poor choices of the past.”

About Water Sensations, Inc.

Water Sensations, Inc. markets the industry’s newest water enhancer, Water Sensations®, as the first clear liquid flavor enhancer for water. All natural and sweetened with sucralose, Water Sensations® is sugar free, calorie free and carbohydrate free. Water Sensations® is available in more than 3,500 stores in the U. S., including Target, Shop & Stop, The Food Emporium, IGA, Big Y, Krogers and more. Water Sensations, Inc. was founded in 2005 by Nina Riley, a marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience in classic marketing and brand management for high profile brands including Norelco Razors, Lipton Soups and Side Dishes, Wishbone Salad Dressings, Lawry’s Seasoning, Ragu Chicken Tonight Simmer Sauces, Post Cereal and more. www. WaterSensations. com/health/ (http://www. WaterSensations. com/health/).

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Sunday, September 15, 2002

LifeWay's Reconsider Explores the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Confronting the Black Church

LifeWay's Reconsider Explores the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Confronting the Black Church

The Black Church has traditionally been a loud voice for social change, though research conducted by LifeWay's Marketing Research and reported in the current issue of Reconsider, a publication for leaders in today's black churches, found that those churches have been curiously silent on the crisis of AIDS in the African-American community.

Nashville, Tenn. (Vocus) March 20, 2010

The Black Church (http://www. lifeway. com/blackchurchlife) has traditionally been a loud voice for social change, though research conducted by LifeWay's Marketing Research and reported in the current issue of Reconsider, a publication for leaders in today's black churches, found that those churches have been curiously silent on the crisis of AIDS in the African-American community. Black church members say they need their churches to help stem the growing tide of new HIV and AIDS cases within the black community.

In this recent study to understand the needs of the Black Church, LifeWay found that 92 percent of black church members surveyed said they wanted their church to provide support to people dealing with socially stigmatized issues (i. e. HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, etc.) with a maximum amount of services (e. g. counseling, clinics, classes, etc.).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the HIV/AIDS epidemic in African-American communities is a public health crisis in the United States. At the end of 2006, there were an estimated 1.1 million people living with HIV, of which almost half (46%) were African-American.

And while blacks represent approximately 12 percent of the U. S. population, they continue to account for a higher proportion of cases at all stages of HIV/AIDS—from infection with HIV to death with AIDS—compared with members of other races and ethnicities.

"In sharing these findings, we at LifeWay admit that we don't have all the answers, but we share in the churches' burden to react to the realities we see and to consider and determine tangible ways to respond,” said Elgia Wells, who directs LifeWay's focus on the Black Church and serves as the pastor of a black church near Nashville, Tenn. "We hope these statistics cause pastors and leaders in black churches to work to determine specific ways to address these and other similar issues.”

LifeWay's findings about the issue of HIV/AIDS in the Black Church are part of a broader set of findings from a larger survey among black churches across the United States. Study findings are the result of more than 60 qualitative interviews with church leaders, church members and unaffiliated persons and a quantitative survey with responses from approximately 780 individuals (196 church leaders, 315 church members and 272 unaffiliated persons) from across the U. S.

"Our research findings, which we are releasing through our new publication, Reconsider, give us a tool and a challenge to help churches evaluate the way they minister to different people and different situations in our communities,” said Wells.

About LifeWay's Reconsider Campaign
Reconsider is a quarterly publication designed to help black churches evaluate the way they minister to different people and situations in today's communities. To find more information on LifeWay's Black Church research, or to learn about resources available to help churches address theses issues, visit www. lifeway. com/blackchurchlife (http://www. lifeway. com/blackchurchlife).

About LifeWay Christian Resources
LifeWay Christian Resources, established in 1891 in Nashville, Tenn., is one of the world's largest providers of Christian products and services, including Bibles, church literature, books, music, audio and video recordings, church supplies, and Internet services through LifeWay. com. The company owns and operates 154 LifeWay Christian Stores across the nation, as well as two of the largest Christian conference centers in the country. The company is a nonprofit organization that reinvests income above operating expenses in mission work and other ministries around the world. For additional information, visit www. lifeway. com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Gray, APR
Gray Public Relations
615.497.1799 

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Saturday, September 14, 2002

LaVoie Group Named Best Industry-Exclusive Agency by League of American Communications Professionals

LaVoie Group Named Best Industry-Exclusive Agency by League of American Communications Professionals

LaVoie Group, a life science-focused strategic communications agency, announced today that it has received the coveted 2008 Impact Awards for "Best Industry-Exclusive Agency," sponsored by the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP). The award recognizes LaVoie Group's ability to provide senior level counsel and tactical implementation of venture, investor and public relations programs designed to attract capital, reach partners and physician audiences.

Salem, MA (PRWEB) March 2, 2009

LaVoie Group, a life science-focused strategic communications agency, announced today that it has received the coveted 2008 Impact Awards for "Best Industry-Exclusive Agency," sponsored by the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP). The award recognizes LaVoie Group's ability to provide senior level counsel and tactical implementation of venture, investor and public relations programs designed to attract capital, reach partners and physician audiences.

In 2008, LaVoie Group experienced 30 percent year-over-year revenue growth for the second consecutive year. This was evidenced by greater than average client retention rates, significant organic growth and additional clients. Moreover, the agency secured financing that supported the hiring of strategic communications staff, as well as an office expansion in historic Salem, Massachusetts.

Christine Kennedy, LACP Managing Director commented, "This year's entry, 'LaVoie Group: The Acknowledged Leader in Life Science Communications,' proves to be remarkable in light of tremendous competition. More than 100 entries were received for the 2008 Impact Awards, comprising the best in communications from eight countries. We congratulate the entire LaVoie Group team for being among the top 100 of 2008 as judged by the LACP this year."

Donna L. LaVoie, President and Chief Executive Officer of LaVoie Group commented, "The agency had a banner year in 2008 despite the challenges presented by the turbulent economic environment. We are delighted to be recognized by the LACP for our efforts, and we look forward to building upon our success and continue to help our clients increase their corporate visibility with key constituencies, promote fair valuation and attract capital."

About LACP
The League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) was established in 2001 in order to create a forum within the public relations industry that facilitates discussion of best-in-class practices within the profession while also recognizing those who demonstrate exemplary communications capabilities. As part of this goal, LACP hosts a free monthly newsletter distributed via e-mail and quarterly competitions that target various disciplines within the communications field. Currently, more than 30,000 subscribers have received our monthly newsletter, which shares best practices; provides tools, tips, and resources to professionals; and hosts various forums to discuss industry trends and challenges. The quarterly competitions routinely include hundreds of entries from some of the most recognized organizations throughout the world. For more information, please visit http://www. lacp. com.

About LaVoie Group, Inc.
LaVoie Group provides senior-level strategic counsel and tactical implementation of venture, investor and public relations programs designed to properly position, create visibility and drive value for each client. We help our life sciences companies attract capital, reach corporate partners, generate revenue and build their companies through integrated communications programs. Our clients range from privately held start-ups to industry leaders in life sciences such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals, EyeGate Pharma, ESBATech AG, Rockwell Medical and Agile Therapeutics. LaVoie Group is ranked by O'Dwyer's PR Report as one of the leading independent healthcare PR firms in the U. S. For more information, please visit http://www. lavoiegroup. com.

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Western Watersheds Moves To Block Grazing on 256,000 Acres in Colorado

Western Watersheds Moves To Block Grazing on 256,000 Acres in Colorado

Western Watersheds Project has filed an appeal to block the Bureau of Land Management's renewal of grazing leases on 30 allotments covering 256,000 acres of public lands in Colorado.

(PRWEB) February 7, 2002

Western Watersheds Project has filed an appeal and petition for stay against the Bureau of Land Management to block the renewal of grazing leases on 30 allotments covering 256,000 acres of public lands in Moffatt and Routt counties of northwestern Colorado.

The allotments are habitat for sage grouse and listed Colorado River fish species. Darryl Steele, John and Steve Raftopoulos and Rancho Greco hold the grazing permits for the allotments.

The Raftopoulos brothers are among the largest public-lands ranchers in Colorado. One member of the Raftopoulos family, Marianna Raftopoulos, is a Moffatt County commissioner along with rancher T. Wright Dickinson, whose BLM permits also come up for renewal this winter.

WWPÂ’s appeal charges that the BLM has failed to comply with its own resource management plan, or RMP, as well at the Fundamentals of Rangeland Health and Standards and Guidelines for Grazing Administration in Colorado.

The appeal further asserts that the agency has disregarded mandates contained in the National Environmental Policy Act, Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Taylor Grazing Act, Migratory Bird Act and other federal regulations.

Many areas of the allotments have been significantly damaged by continuing livestock grazing, which the BLM has catalogued in its own reports. The agency’s proposed action would undercut a previous record of decision dictating that the BLM “take no actions nor approve any actions during the interim” which would jeopardize the Yampa River for designation as a wild and scenic river under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

In 12 years since the record of decision was made, the BLM has failed to conduct any monitoring studies to determine the availability of forage for all uses of the land.

The appeal marks the first legal involvement of WWP in the administration of public lands in Colorado. It was filed in partnership with Sinapu, a Boulder, Colo.-based conservation group dedicated to the protection of native predators in Colorado.

UpWind Solutions, Leading 3rd Party Services Provider to Wind Industry, Completes $29M Financing Round

UpWind Solutions, Leading 3rd Party Services Provider to Wind Industry, Completes $29M Financing Round

Investment led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and MissionPoint Capital Partners

Medford, Ore. (PRWEB) March 11, 2010

UpWind Solutions Inc. (UpWind" or the Company"), the Medford, Oregon based wind asset management services firm (http://www. upwindsolutions. com/), announced today that it has completed a $28.8 million equity financing round led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and returning investor MissionPoint Capital Partners. The financing provides UpWind with substantial additional growth capital that will enable the company to continue to build upon its industry-leading technical capabilities, aggressively pursue complimentary business lines to enhance its current service offering, and continue its focus on delivering the highest quality service to its customers.

UpWind currently provides services to the North American wind generation industry (http://www. upwindsolutions. com/) including operations and maintenance services, commissioning, pre-warranty expiration and other services. UpWind manages hundreds of megawatts of wind generation under long-term contract on behalf of major utility and IPP customers, delivering industry leading performance metrics. The Company also provides services to major wind turbine OEMs and asset owners on an un-contracted basis.

The investment round was led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), out of their Green Growth Fund. Michael Linse, partner at KPCB stated, We are enthusiastic to invest in UpWind at this exciting time in the wind services industry (http://www. upwindsolutions. com/). UpWind has established a brand in the wind services industry that stands for quality and top performance. We look forward to helping to grow UpWinds business and scope of services further."

Mark Lewis, Partner at MissionPoint Capital, a founding shareholder in UpWind and participant in the current financing, stated, We are excited to bring KPCB on board as our new partner in UpWind. Their investment in UpWind is a strong endorsement of UpWinds business model of focusing on top quality performance for UpWinds customers. The combination of a very strong balance sheet and the outstanding team we have in place will ensure that UpWind will continue to be the leader in providing third-party services to the wind industry."

About UpWind Solutions
UpWind Solutions is the industrys leading 3rd party providers of asset management and operations and maintenance services to the wind industry. UpWind was founded in 2007 by Bo Thisted and a team of highly experienced wind industry veterans around the vision of providing best in class services to the growing fleet of North American wind turbines. UpWind is based in Medford, Oregon and works for customers throughout North America. For additional information visit: http://www. upwindsolutions. com (http://www. upwindsolutions. com).

About Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Since its founding in 1972, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has backed entrepreneurs in over 600 ventures, including AOL, Amazon. com, Citrix, Compaq Computer, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Genomic Health, Google, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Netscape, Lotus, Sun Microsystems, Symantec, Verisign and Xilinx. KPCB portfolio companies employ more than 250,000 people. More than 150 of the firm's portfolio companies have gone public. Many other ventures have achieved success through mergers and acquisitions. The firm has offices in Menlo Park, California; Beijing, China; and Shanghai, China. For additional information visit www. kpcb. com.

About MissionPoint Capital
MissionPoint Capital Partners is a leading international private investment firm focused on financing the global transition to a low-carbon economy. MissionPoint provides growth capital to energy, industrial and financial services companies that enable cleaner, more environmentally-friendly energy, transportation and industrial infrastructure. MissionPoint's portfolio of companies are focused on transforming the way business is conducted in the face of a rising demand for cleaner, more efficient generation and use of energy across all sectors of the global economy. For more information please visit www. missionpointcapital. com.

Contact:
Katie Dorn
Nantucket Marketing
612 964 4168

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Friday, September 13, 2002

CoSign Digital Signatures Add Value to Innovative Staffing

CoSign Digital Signatures Add Value to Innovative Staffing

ARX (Algorithmic Research), a leading provider of digital signature solutions (standard electronic signatures), has implemented a CoSign® digital-signature solution at Innovative Staffing, Inc., a Salt Lake City-based Professional Employer Organization (PEO).

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 18, 2008

ARX (Algorithmic Research), a leading provider of digital signature solutions (standard electronic signatures), has implemented a CoSign® digital-signature solution at Innovative Staffing, Inc., a Salt Lake City-based Professional Employer Organization (PEO).

As a PEO, Innovative Staffing manages the new hire documentation (including I-9, state and federal tax forms) and payroll administration of nearly 2,500 employees. In order to expedite the processing of hundreds of these HR documents monthly, Innovative Staffing created a web application that enables the new hires that they co-employee to electronically complete the necessary forms. Seeking to eliminate paper documentation from the workflow for signing purposes, Innovative Staffing determined that a digital signature solution would allow the employees to electronically sign the PDF documents created by their web form application. As the electronic records that were created needed to be portable between organizations and sustainable over time, Innovative Staffing only considered standards-based digital signature solutions using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology.

Innovative Staffing selected the CoSign digital signature system because in addition to being standards-based PKI technology, the technology is stored via a centralized server that automatically generates, securely stores, and manages individual user's signing keys and certificates. Through CoSign's signature API (SAPI), Innovative staffing was able to integrate the CoSign digital signature solution quickly, providing employees with an extremely simple way to fill web forms and create digitally signed and sealed PDFs. CoSign's ability to keep Innovative Staffing's process entirely electronic has not only expedited the new hire process and saved the company (and clients) thousand of dollars and time, it also provides Innovative Staffing with a competitive advantage in their marketplace.

"The outsourced HR marketplace is characterized by hundred of remote clients organizations interacting with a single PEO service provider," said Rodd Schlerf, Market Manager, ARX, Inc. "CoSign's architecture is ideal for a company like Innovative Staffing, in order to provide a greater service for their client base in this environment."
"CoSign's API allowed us to integrate our web application intuitively without having to worry about the intricacies of the underlying digital signature technology or the details of the remote customer PCs," said Scott Lovell, Lead Programmer at Innovative Staffing, Inc. "The system does not require any client side software in order to apply the digital signatures to the forms."

About Innovative Staffing
Innovative Staffing, Inc., allows companies to have top-flight HR services for their employees. Emphasizing progressive hiring practices and sophisticated personnel policies, their HR outsourcing services promote employee morale and retention.
For more information, please visit http://www. innovativestaffing. com/ (http://www. innovativestaffing. com/).

About CoSign®
The CoSign approach means digital signature standards and efficiencies across your operations. Signing and sealing documents with CoSign immediately expedites business processes, reduces costs, increases security and enables organizations to comply with diverse regional and industry regulations. CoSign works with all major applications and document formats including: Microsoft® Word, Excel®, Outlook®, Adobe® PDF, TIFF, AutoCAD®, InfoPath®, Lotus Forms, and many more (http://www. arx. com/products/cosign_faq. php#ApplicationSupport)). CoSign signatures are being used by hundreds of thousands of users in Enterprise, B2B and B2C processes, to learn why please see our white papers and product details at www. arx. com/products/cosign-digital-signatures. php (http://www. arx. com/products/cosign-digital-signatures. php).

About ARX (Algorithmic Research)
ARX has over 20 years of experience assisting banking, financial services, life sciences, healthcare, governmental organizations and commercial sectors to secure and streamline their business processes and transactions. ARX offers a wide range of highly scalable products designed to simplify, secure, and accelerate electronic business. ARX successfully completed its MBO acquisition from Cylink Corporation, today SafeNet, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFNT) in 2001.

For more information, please visit www. arx. com (http://www. arx. com).

CoSign® is a registered trademark of Algorithmic Research, Ltd. All other trade names and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

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Thursday, September 12, 2002

Midbrook Medical Supplies ATP Cleanliness Testing Equipment

Midbrook Medical Supplies ATP Cleanliness Testing Equipment

Midbrook Medical, the Jackson, MI, based manufacturer of medical decontamination systems and custom fabricated medical equipment has begun offering affordable ATP testing devices to medical facilities. These handheld systems can quickly and easily measure the cleanliness of a surface, providing nearly instantaneous feedback on the effectiveness of cleaning practices.

Jackson, MI (Vocus) August 31, 2010

Midbrook Medical, the Jackson, MI, based manufacturer of medical decontamination systems and custom fabricated medical equipment has begun offering affordable ATP testing devices to medical facilities. These handheld systems can quickly and easily measure the cleanliness of a surface, providing nearly instantaneous feedback on the effectiveness of cleaning practices.

Due to nearly 40 years of experience in the cleaning industry, Midbrook is familiar with a number of different methods of cleanliness testing. Some methods, while accurate, are difficult and time consuming to perform. They are also expensive and require significant amounts of training to use correctly. ATP testing, however, is affordable and requires almost no instruction.

ATP testing works on a simple premise. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a chemical substance that powers reactions within cells. In layman’s terms, ATP acts as the energy currency or fuel of cells. This substance is present in all life forms except viruses and prions, but because viruses require living cells to survive, their presence can be indirectly determined with ATP testing. In a medical setting, ATP testing is an easy way to determine whether or not there are living bacteria on a surface, in addition to human residues. ATP testing will also determine the presence of other cellular residues that may harbor or serve and as a food source for living bacteria. The ability of ATP testing to determine the presence of bacteria makes it a useful tool for identifying and eliminating possible sources of healthcare acquired infections, which are a growing concern in the medical community.

To determine ATP levels, the user simply swabs the surface and places the swab into the handheld testing unit. After 15 seconds, the unit will give a result in terms of relative light units (RLU) which indicate the amount of ATP on the surface. The lower the RLU count, the less ATP is on the surface. By association, less ATP means less living bacteria. Different types of surfaces generally have different RLU levels that are deemed to be acceptable. For example, hospital room surfaces should be below 50 RLUs, while hospital common areas can have up to 75 RLUs.

Because of the fast and accurate results provided by ATP testing, it is ideal for use in medical settings. Employees can quickly and easily perform checks on different areas of the facility and receive immediate feedback. This allows them to perform immediate corrective action and identify problem areas for future cleaning, protecting both employees and patients from dangerous germs and bacteria. ATP testing also provides an easy method of gauging employee performance and illustrating the effectiveness of the cleaning process.

Midbrook Medical can provide not only the handheld unit and test swabs, but also the small amount of training and knowledge required to effectively and correctly perform ATP testing. In addition, Midbrook can help analyze the results and provide recommendations to improve the cleaning process.

Midbrook is the minority owned, world leading provider of process specific, high volume aqueous part cleaning systems, custom medical fabrications and decontamination systems, sealed solvent cleaning systems, and water bottling equipment.

For more information about Midbrook Medical, visit http://www. midbrookmedical. com/ For more information about ATP cleanliness testing, visit http://www. midbrook. com/tech-center/bacterial-and-fungi-testing/atp-testing/ or call 1-517-787-3481.

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Local Market Monitor Announces Release of Third Quarter Home Price Forecast for Largest US Markets

Local Market Monitor Announces Release of Third Quarter Home Price Forecast for Largest US Markets

Real estate forecasting solution predicts home values for Top and Bottom housing markets and releases National Economic Outlook

Cary, NC (PRWEB) September 9, 2009

Local Market Monitor], the premier real estate forecasting solution, today released its third quarter Home Price Forecast, which predicts local market behavior for well over 300 US local markets over the next 12 months. The forecast identifies markets where home prices will continue to drop as well as stable markets with opportunities for growth.

According to the forecast, among the largest US markets--identified as those with populations greater than 600,000--the 10 markets with the best expected performance in home price are:

Baton Rouge, LA
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
Pittsburgh, PA
San Antonio, TX
Syracuse, NY
Wichita Falls, TX

These top markets, where home values are expected to remain level, are among those markets that did not have a big housing boom and have had relatively small job losses over the past year. Home prices in these areas are generally below the US average and reflect where the recession has so far had a relatively mild impact. Dallas, San Antonio and Omaha have all experienced a 1.6 percent job loss over the past year, and jobs have actually increased in Baton Rouge.

"While home building activity nationally is down 35 percent from last year, some of our top markets are doing relatively better," said Ingo Winzer, president of Local Market Monitor. "Building permits were off only 20 percent in San Antonio and Omaha, and they were up 10 percent in Buffalo."

The 10 largest markets with the worst expected performance in home price are:

Fresno, CA
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL
Orlando-Kissimmee, FL
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Stockton, CA
Tacoma, WA
Tucson, AZ
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL

These markets, which are expected to have the largest declines in home values over the next year, are also among those that previously had the biggest price booms. This was attributed in large part to speculative buying, including the repercussions of inflated housing construction on the local job market and investor portfolios.

"Right now, a good market is still one where home prices aren't going down," said Ingo Winzer. "However, this will change as the recession eases. Next year we'll see good price increases in many markets."

To see the Top 10 and Bottom 10 markets for the 215 smaller MSAs covered by Local Market Monitor, click here (http://www. localmarketmonitor. com/index. cfm? event=news).

Local Market Monitor also recently released its latest National Economic Outlook, which comments on the overall predicted behavior of the US economy and national housing industry. According to the summary:
 Investors can expect to see an average 5 percent drop in home prices nationally over the next year, including double-digit decreases in large markets like Phoenix, Miami and Las Vegas.  Delinquency rates are 9 percent on mortgages and 8 percent on commercial real estate loans, a percentage expected to climb rapidly.  Healthcare is the only sector of the economy that's currently growing, where 300,000 jobs have been added.

To read the full report, click here (http://www. localmarketmonitor. com/index. cfm? event=outlook).

About Local Market Monitor
Local Market Monitor, the premier real estate forecasting solution, offers investors in homes and home mortgages the local market risk intelligence they need to make better decisions. Using a proprietary formula called the Equilibrium Home Price, Local Market Monitor determines if markets are currently over or under valued, equipping users with a long-term risk and investment perspective. Covering over 300 local markets, Local Market Monitor also presents key investors with a 12-month home price forecast. The solution includes sorting capabilities allowing subscribers to view and compare real estate markets along various metrics. Local Market Monitor is based in Cary, NC and has provided expertise in evaluating residential property values since 1990. To learn more, visit www. localmarketmonitor. com.

Media Contact:
Lauren Brown
M-pact Marketing
919.301.8538

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Super Indulgent Five Star Spa Breaks from Superbreak

Super Indulgent Five Star Spa Breaks from Superbreak

What could be better than unwinding from a hard weekÂ’s work at a luxury spa hotel with Superbreak. com?

(PRWEB) July 31, 2005

Treat yourself to a short break to one of the UKÂ’s top spa hotels. Superbreak http://www. superbreak. com (http://www. superbreak. com) has put together a selection of some of the best packages at five star hotels, which include health and beauty treatments and use of the hotelÂ’s leisure facilities.

Five star London spa package £131.25pp - Situated on London's South Bank, opposite the Houses of Parliament, the five star Marriott County Hall Hotel is one of London's most impressive landmarks, having been sympathetically restored and refurbished. It is ideally placed for London attractions including the London Aquarium, Big Ben, British Airways London Eye and the Houses of Parliament. The Spa @ County Hall is where you can enjoy a touch of luxury at the hands of skilled therapists. The price of £131.25 per person includes one night’s bed and full English breakfast accommodation, plus either full body massage using Decleor treatments or a Decleor facial, plus personal consultation and full use of all leisure facilities including 25m indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room and gymnasium. Valid Friday – Sunday between 22 July and 4 September. Based on two sharing.

Five star spa package in Chester £160pp - The Chester Grosvenor and Spa is a five star hotel is situated in the historic city of Chester. The Grosvenor Spa, with five treatment rooms, combines traditional and contemporary treatments from around the world offering the ideal solution for relaxation and indulgence. The hotel has two award winning restaurants, the "Arkle" and the less formal La Brasserie. Packages are priced from £160 per person to include one night’s bed and full English breakfast accommodation, a one hour facial, full use of Thermal tranquil suite and use of the gymnasium. Offer valid every day of the week, until 31 August, based on two sharing.

Five star Edinburgh spa package £262.50pp – The five star Sheraton Grand is nestled in the shadow of historic Edinburgh Castle and just minutes walk from theatres, shops and visitor attractions, combining luxurious Scottish style with superior modern facilities. Boasting not one, but two award winning restaurants, the Grill Room and the world renowned Santini, which is also found in Milan and London. The Sheraton Grand offers guests a truly unique experience with the ultimate in luxury and pampering at "One" Spa, the most advanced city spa in Europe. The price of £262.50 per person includes one night’s bed and full breakfast accommodation, salt and oil scrub, light two course lunch, choice of facial or body massage, access to thermal suite plus use of swimming pools and gym. Valid every day of the week until 30 September. Based on two sharing.

Http://www. superbreak. com (http://www. superbreak. com)

About Superbreak:

Superbreak. com, incorporating Theatrebreak. com, is the internet division of Superbreak Mini Holidays Limited, the market leader for short breaks throughout the UK. Superbreak is part of Holidaybreak plc, a publicly quoted leisure company whose share price can be found in most major UK newspapers, or at http://www. holidaybreak. com (http://www. holidaybreak. com)

For more information, or to book, call Superbreak on 01904 644 455

Web: http://www. superbreak. com (http://www. superbreak. com)

Based in York, England, Superbreak specializes in booking 2-5 star hotel accommodation throughout Britain for the leisure traveler. Superbreak holds allocations of rooms at all hotels and we can book up to and including the day of departure.

Contact:

Robin Richmond

0845 130 0022

Robin. richmond@bigmouthmedia. com

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JF Designs launches web site redesign for Unite for Sight Inc., a non profit organization committed to helping to prevent blindness

JF Designs launches web site redesign for Unite for Sight Inc., a non profit organization committed to helping to prevent blindness

JF Designs launches web site redesign for Unite for Sight Inc., a non profit organization committed to helping to prevent blindness

(PRWEB) September 27, 2003

BELLEVUE, WA — JF Designs was selected to redesign the web site for Jennifer Staple and her non profit organization, Unite for Sight.

As part of its non profit service program, JF Designs (www. jfdesigns. com) was proud to be selected to design the web site for the organization. The project entailed a complete redesign of the organizationÂ’s existing web site and a move to the JF Designs hosting network. An improved site navigation and user interface was constructed to better organize the content for visitors and volunteers who access the site.

Unite For Sight, Inc., a member of the National Healthy Vision 2010 Consortium, is a national nonprofit organization that develops sustainable solutions to reduce health disparities. Each of Unite For SightÂ’s twenty-five chapters works with local community infrastructures to improve access to health programs.

JF Designs had a goal for the new site to create a professional, yet friendly interface that was appealing to a wide audience.

“We are so excited by this new web site,” says Jennifer Staple, the founder and president of Unite for Sight, Inc. ,”I know this will help bring more awareness to our mission to educate people about blindness and other vision illnesses. We have already received new volunteers because of the new site. The staff at JF Designs has really helped us communicate our message so much better.”

Jennifer Staple founded Unite For Sight during her sophomore year at Yale University in Fall 2000. During the previous summer, Jennifer worked as a clinical ophthalmology research associate. While taking patient histories, giving visual field exams, and performing tonometry, she learned about eye diseases through the accounts of patients whose blindness could have been prevented by early medical intervention. Their poignant stories made her recognize the need for community programs to promote eye health, motivating her to found Unite For Sight.

Under JenniferÂ’s stewardship, the organization has grown from a community-based nonprofit organization to an international nonprofit organization serving the medically underserved in the United States and abroad. She has created chapters in 15 cities across the United States, engaging hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students from more than 25 universities and corporations.

JF Designs further establishes it desire to promote non profit organizations and their efforts to help society and the world. JF Designs is proud to showcase this project. This site can be viewed at www. uniteforsight. org

JF Designs began in 1990 as a desktop publishing company. Today they offer a full suite of digital services that include web design and web hosting. JF Designs is committed to bringing the best personal and business class hosting experience to professionals and consumers around the world through its services and Internet offerings.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit JFDesigns PR website (www. jfdesigns. com/press/ (http://www. jfdesigns. com/press/ )), or call 1-866-845-7823

SOURCE: JF Designs.

CONTACT: Jay Forde of JF Designs, 1-866-845-7823, sales@jfdesigns. com

URL: http://www. jfdesigns. com/press/ (http://www. jfdesigns. com/press/)

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

Improve productivity, Reduce Repetitive Stress Injuries with Ergonomic Products

Improve productivity, Reduce Repetitive Stress Injuries with Ergonomic Products

Ergo-items. com celebrates first year in business

SHOREWOOD, Wisc. (PRWEB) July 29, 2005

With the workplace relying more on computers, businesses looking to prevent repetitive stress injury in employees can turn to Ergo-items. com.

The online business -- owned by Peter Velikanov and based in Shorewood, Wisc. -- specializes in the latest in ergonomic products for the office. Items available through the Web site include various arm supports, ergonomic mice, ergonomic trackballs, ergonomic chairs, footrests, keyboards and numeric keypads and more.

The site is hosted by Yahoo! Stores.

According to Velikanov, the business will celebrate its year anniversary in August 2005. He said it has been successful by offering unique items to a niche market.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, "Ergonomics is a discipline that involves arranging the environment to fit the person in it. When ergonomics is applied correctly in the work environment, visual and musculoskeletal discomfort and fatigue are reduced significantly."

Products designed especially to ease the stress of sitting at a computer terminal for eight hours a day, or more, are an investment in health, said Velikanov. "Ergonomic products can prevent repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and help to increase productivity," he said. "They also can bring more fun to routine computer work."

The use of such ergonomic products as those found on Ergo-items. com can also reduce the number of workers' compensation claims.

The company has served more than 1,000 customers in the past year, the owner said. The goal is to expand the product offerings in the near future.

For more information, visit the Web site at http://www. ergo-items. com (http://www. ergo-items. com), call Peter Velikanov at 414-921-4262.

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Tuesday, September 10, 2002

Gilbane's New Report on Multilingual Product Content Now Available Through Vasont Systems

Gilbane's New Report on Multilingual Product Content Now Available Through Vasont Systems

Free study focuses on the people, process, and technology infrastructure that enables organizations to align and unify content globalization strategies

Emigsville, PA (PRWEB) June 26, 2009

The Gilbane Group's latest study entitled, "Multilingual Product Content: Transforming Traditional Practices into Global Content Value Chains" is now available for free download from Vasont Systems' website at http://www. vasont. com/vasont/literature/form. asp (http://www. vasont. com/vasont/literature/form. asp), the Company announced today. Vasont Systems, a leading provider of content management software and data services, teamed up with The Gilbane Group to sponsor this study to help buyers and adopters understand key trends in content globalization.

This study is designed to provide value to organizations challenged to ship products simultaneously, ensure international regulatory compliance, meet global expectations for multilingual communications, and most importantly, increase global customer satisfaction and sustain brand management programs. The study cites examples of how industry leaders have succeeded and failed, provides best practices for consistently increasing the value of global product content, and uses the Global Content Value Chain Content Maturity Model to plan strategic investments.

"It was important for Vasont Systems and a few of our clients to participate in this study to provide real-life data and experiences about the globalization process," said Richard Schiding, President of Vasont Systems. "The results of the study give us insight for future development of our Vasont® content management system and provide trends and best practices for our clients and other organizations to consider in their content globalization strategies."

Designed to improve productivity, the Vasont content management system makes it easy for organizations to manage and publish multilingual technical documentation, training materials, and other publications from one trusted source to multiple media formats. Organizations use Vasont to collaborate on improving the quality of their content and to schedule and manage their projects.

About Vasont Systems
Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Vasont Systems is a provider of content management software and data services, backed by 59 years of experience in the information management and publishing industry. Its Vasont content management system enables organizations to manage and store their multilingual content once for multi-channel delivery. Fortune 1000 companies and organizations from industries including manufacturing, technology, publishing, and healthcare use Vasont to manage and produce multilingual technical documentation, training programs, and reference materials. http://www. vasont. com (http://www. vasont. com).
Vasont® is a registered trademark of Vasont Systems.

About Gilbane Group, Inc.
Gilbane Group Inc. is an analyst and consulting firm that has been writing and consulting about the strategic use of information technologies since 1987. We have helped organizations of all sizes from a wide variety of industries and governments. We work with the entire community of stakeholders including investors, enterprise buyers of IT, technology suppliers, and other consultant and analyst firms. We have organized over 50 educational conferences in North America and Europe. Information about our widely-read newsletter, consulting & advisory services, reports, white papers, case studies and analyst blogs is available at: http://gilbane. com (http://gilbane. com).

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'MommyCast and Friends' Network To Launch at Podango

'MommyCast and Friends' Network To Launch at Podango

MommyCast®, at MommyCast. com, one of the most popular shows on the web, by and for women immersed in the fullness of motherhood and life, is launching the MommyCast and Friends Family Channel at Podango (www. podango. com) as part of an exclusive, multi-station deal with show producer KDCP Networks, LLC., the MommyCast production company.

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) September 26, 2007

MommyCast®, at MommyCast. com, one of the most popular shows on the web, by and for women immersed in the fullness of motherhood and life, is launching the MommyCast and Friends Family Channel at Podango (www. podango. com) as part of an exclusive, multi-station deal with show producer KDCP Networks, LLC., the MommyCast production company.

As part of the deal, KDCP Networks will develop "MommyCast and Friends," a new network of family-oriented audio and video podcasts at Podango, the online video and audio network that enables publishers and companies to "get heard" by today's hard-to-reach, niche audiences.

Co-hosted by Gretchen Vogelzang and Paige Heninger, and sponsored by Dixie Paper Products Company, among others, MommyCast is a highly sought after new media show. MommyCast is for moms aged 25-54, offering valuable information on community, health, home products, food and nutrition, education, technology and music.

Podango President Doug Smith said, "We are thrilled to welcome Gretchen, Paige and the podcasters on the MommyCast and Friends network to Podango. The jewel of family-oriented, new media programming, MommyCast will bring and unprecedented sensibility of family programming and new media to Podango."

MommyCast producer Paul Vogelzang added, "Our partnership with Podango gives MommyCast and Friends access to Podango's superior platform tools and services that will facilitate new MommyCast and Friends programming and reach an even larger, online audience while promoting family friendly independent content of the highest quality."

Podango lets podcasters host and manage their own podcast stations using the company's hosting, syndication, audience measurement and Web site creation tools. The company also offers publishers WordPress compatible tools, an embeddable podcast player for use in websites, and unlimited hosting and storage of their media files. Hosting their programs at Podango for free, station owners earn income by sharing advertising revenue from the aggregate of Podango-hosted stations. Podango also owns and operates a state-of-the-art production studio in the Bay Area.

About MommyCast
Started in March, 2005, MommyCast. has been featured in the Hollywood Reporter, Washingtonian Magazine, BusinessWeek, Variety magazines and the USA Today. Paige and Gretchen of MommyCast have also been interviewed by CNN, NBC, the BBC, Brandweek and the Wall Street Journal. MommyCast holds the distinction of being one of the first independent podcasts to land a major corporate sponsorship, which came via Dixie Paper Co. They have also established themselves as a member of the Buena Vista Entertainment Press Corps and are sponsored by Walt Disney Studios for family fare DVD movie releases. MommyCast was the first podcast to do an enhanced podcast review of a movie, March of the Penguins, released by Warner Independent Pictures. MommyCast is proudly represented by The Endeavor Agency, Hollywood, California. MommyCast recently won the 2007 Webby, Best "Family & Parenting" Site category.

About Podango
Podango is the online video and audio network that enables publishers and advertisers to "get heard" by today's hard-to-reach, niche audiences. Featuring such hit shows as The Apple Phone Show, Podango hosts over 1,000 programs -- including a number routinely found among the top twenty-five podcast shows on iTunes -- on a wide variety of interests and topics. Through the company's hosting and syndication services, corporate, professional and independent publishers deliver episodic video and audio programs, and targeted ads to highly qualified audiences. Podango also owns and operates its own a state-of-the-art production studio in the Bay Area. For more information please visit: www. podango. com.

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Leading Veterinarians Empower Dog Owners to Take Control of Their Dog’s Health in Dynamic, New Video and E-Book Series

Leading Veterinarians Empower Dog Owners to Take Control of Their Dog’s Health in Dynamic, New Video and E-Book Series

“Prolonging My Dog’s Life,” a New Instructional Video and E-Book Series, Helps Dog Owners Recognize More Than 40 Health Issues and Identify Problems Before They Turn into Emergencies

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) June 15, 2010

According to recent statistics, nearly four million dogs die each year in homes and veterinary offices, begging the question, how many of these deaths could have been prevented? In “Prolonging My Dog’s Life,” a new 50-minute video and eight part e-book series, leading veterinarians provide cutting edge data and instructions that can help dog owners keep their beloved friends and companions healthy and happy, and prevent premature death.

“Our dogs are important members of our families and we don’t want to ever have to watch them suffer,” said Ricky Williams, marketing director. “This new e-book series and instructional video empowers, educates and enlightens dog owners so that they can take a proactive approach to maintaining their dog’s health, and effectively and successfully maintain their quality of life.”

“Prolonging My Dog’s Life” is the product of more than 40 years of veterinary experience, and includes a wealth of information in a format that is easy to understand and implement. The series includes “What to Do in an Emergency Situation” and “Canine Health: What Your Dog Wants You to Know,” two volumes that are must-haves for any dog owner’s home library.

The series is a comprehensive resource for dog health, and provides a number of life-enhancing tips and how-to’s, such as:

How to provide emergency care for a pet that has sustained an injury, including trauma from car accidents, snakebites and gunshot wounds.

How to recognize cardiac arrest and asthma attacks, and treat accordingly.

How to recognize and care for pets who have undergone a heatstroke.

How to create a first aid kit for your dog.

How to recognize the signs of urinary infections, heartworms and more.

The video and e-book series were created by Dr. Kathryn Sarpong, Dr. Cyndi Rachal, Dr. Janie Hodges and Dr. Yvonne Hanks, all leading veterinarians and dog health advocates. In the series, their expertise serves as a road map for dog owners for every step of their dog’s health journey, from preventative measures to emergency care.

“Taking charge of your dog’s health simply requires a more conscious effort, a commitment to your dog’s well-being, and the tools and resources you need to help you recognize when your dog may need critical attention,” said Dr. Kathryn Sarpong, contributing veterinarian. “Our new series illustrates the importance of pet health awareness and is a great learning tool for families that want to ensure their pets live a long, long life.”

“Prolonging My Dog’s Life,” is backed by a 60-day money back guarantee. All materials can be downloaded instantly. For more information or to purchase, visit www. prolongmydogslife. com.

About Prolonging My Dog’s Life

“Prolonging My Dog’s Life” is a dynamic e-book series and 50-minute instructional video created and endorsed by leading veterinarians that illustrates guidelines for dog owners who want to ensure that their dogs live healthy, happy and long lives. Visit www. prolongingmydogslife. com to purchase and to learn more.

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Connected Nation ‘Online and In Touch’ Survey Reveals Broadband Subscribers Are Healthier

Connected Nation ‘Online and In Touch’ Survey Reveals Broadband Subscribers Are Healthier

Seventy-two percent of broadband subscribers who obtain healthcare information online agree that broadband has empowered them to become healthier.

Washington, DC (Vocus) June 24, 2008

According to today’s release from Connected Nation, the healthcare applications available on the Internet improve the quality of life of broadband users in Kentucky. Kentuckians turned to the Internet in search of healthcare information as broadband availability and adoption increased. The increased use of online healthcare is an advantage for Kentucky as it is often understood to be a relatively unhealthy state. Improved broadband penetration is a new asset that is helping turn that tide.

Key findings:
 Residents with broadband are 53% more likely to use the Internet for healthcare applications than the state average.  Subscribers of all income levels take advantage of online healthcare resources when broadband is available in the home.  72% of broadband subscribers who obtain healthcare information online agree that broadband has empowered them to become healthier.  Broadband subscribers who say they became healthier report savings on average of $217 per person.

These statistics are derived from Connected Nation’s third installment of the six-part Online and In Touch research series that highlights Kentucky technology trends as identified in ConnectKentucky’s 2007 Kentucky Technology Assessment. The Online and In Touch series emphasizes the growth in services enabled by broadband including: eGovernment services, Employment Trends, Online Healthcare, Impact of Online Healthcare and Telework.

The Online and In Touch series is the culmination of Connected Nation’s comprehensive assessment highlighting Kentuckians’ use of computers, the Internet and technology in general. The survey involved nearly 11,000 Kentuckians representing each of Kentucky’s 120 counties. Broadband subscribership in Kentucky has grown by 100%, a dramatic increase compared to the national growth rate.

To view the full report on broadband’s impact on healthcare, visit www. connectkentucky. org.

About Connected Nation: Connected Nation is widely recognized as the nation’s model for improving digital inclusion. Connected Nation expands access to and use of broadband Internet and the related technologies that are enabled when communities and families have the opportunity and desire to connect. For the United States, this means better education, more jobs, improved healthcare, more efficient government and a better quality of life. Connected Nation is the parent company of ConnectKentucky, Kentucky’s non-profit technology-based economic development organization.

For more information about Connected Nation, visit www. connectednation. org.

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