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Innovative surgical techniques and joint replacements are helping arthritic baby boomers maintain healthy and active lifestyles as they age.

(NewsUSA) - As they approach retirement, many members of the “Me Generation” aren’t ready to slow down, even if their bodies are. Foot and ankle surgeons say baby boomers are more likely than previous generations to seek care when arthritis develops in their toes, feet and ankles.

“Unlike their parents, baby boomers do not accept foot pain as a natural part of aging,” says John Giurini, DPM, a Boston foot and ankle surgeon and president of the 6,000-member American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). “When conservative treatments fail, they want to know what other options exist.”

After they’re diagnosed, many boomers hold high expectations for treatment. They may look forward to playing sports or to running again. While there is no fountain of youth for a degenerative condition like arthritis, there are more medical options available than ever before.

The big toe joint is the most common part of the foot to develop osteoarthritis, according to FootPhysicians.com. For boomers with early-stage arthritis in this joint, modern surgical procedures may provide more pain relief and increased joint movement.

Boomers with advanced and severe arthritis may need to have the joint fused or replaced. Now, stronger screws and hardware are helping fusions last longer, while slashing recovery times. A new generation of big toe joint replacements also shows promise.

Ankles are another prime spot for arthritis. Innovative surgical techniques allow foot and ankle surgeons to transplant small plugs of cartilage from one part of the ankle to another in some patients, slowing joint deterioration.

Ankle replacements, however, are not as durable as hip and knee replacements. The ankle is a more challenging joint to replace. It’s smaller and moves in multiple

directions. But better and promising ankle implants are hitting the market.

For more information on osteoarthritis of the foot and ankle, visit the ACFAS consumer Web site, http://www.FootPhysicians.com .

Avoiding Expensive Visits and Treatment Begins with Simple Changes at Home

More American cities are passing green mandates - laws requiring builders to adhere to environmental standards.

(NewsUSA) - When Washington, D.C. passed its Green Building Act of 2006, a mandate stating that all new private real estate developments need to follow the LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) standards set by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), it broke new ground. Building green became the new industry norm.

When builders “go green,” they erect efficient buildings that use fewer resources, improve indoor air health and minimize environmental impact. Cities have embraced green building to save energy, water and waste-management costs. From 2003 to 2007, the American cities with green building mandates grew from 22 to 92, a 418 percent increase.

How do buildings go green? The LEED system certifies buildings as silver, gold or platinum. Platinum buildings most closely follow the USGBC’s environmental standards, which look at location, water conservation, energy consumption, atmosphere, materials, indoor health quality, innovation and design.

A truly green building relies on a marriage between eco-friendly consumer products, like low-flow faucets, and renewable energy sources. Architects know to begin with sustainable building blocks -; choosing strong, energy-efficient building material can help ventilation and heating and cooling systems use less energy while improving indoor air quality.

For example, one company, Alternative Construction Technologies, Inc. (ACTech), has developed insulated structural panels made from 75 percent recycled materials. In tests, the ACTech panel system proves up to 65 percent more energy-efficient than traditional building materials. Buildings constructed using the system will waste less energy, so renewable energies, like wind and solar power, can be incorporated to optimize their intended economies and efficiencies.

The panels improve indoor air quality and acoustics. They are also firesafe and able to withstand hurricane-force winds, making them a safe building material in natural disaster-prone areas.

As American cities look to improve their carbon footprint, they must combine green materials with eco-friendly energy sources. Fourteen percent of U.S. cities with populations over 50,000 already have green building mandates, while another 36 cities plan to enact them.

For more information about the ACTech Panel System, visit www.actechpanel.com or call 1-800-859-8813. ACTech trades on the OTC Bulletin under ACCY.

Companies must develop ways to use water - a renewable resource - without harming the planet.

(NewsUSA) - The saying, “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink” rings true. Although water covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, humans make little use of its potential.

Fresh water irrigates fields, washes dishes and prevents dehydration, but it only accounts for 1 percent of the water supply. Moving water provides energy, but only 19 percent of the world’s power comes from hydroelectricity.

Water’s a natural, renewable resource, but humans don’t always use it in eco-friendly ways. People must remove the salt from ocean water before they can drink it, but according to the National Research Council, ocean-desalination plants consume so much energy that they do Earth more harm than good.

Today’s hydroelectric technologies use dams to harness moving water’s energy. Large dams require energy and materials for construction, displace communities and destroy wildlife habitats. In the U.S., 80,000 dams divert and block moving water, changing river habitats into lakes and disrupting wildlife. In 2008, horrified fishermen saw the biggest Chinook salmon run in the Sacramento River collapse, partly due to a diversion dam.

But one Hungarian-based technology company, Power of the Dream Ventures, Inc., is working to improve the ways that humans use water. Its ocean desalination prototype, when completed, will use solar or wind power to produce drinkable water at low monetary and environmental costs.

Power of the Dreams Ventures, Inc. also built a model for a product called RiverPower, which can supply hydroelectric power without dams. RiverPower generators would be submerged at strategic points, using an entire river’s flow to generate electricity. RiverPower would supply energy 24 hours a day, making it more reliable than solar or wind energy.

For more information about RiverPower, visit www.powerofthedream.com. Power of the Dream trades under the symbol PWRV on the OTCBB exchange

W.F. Young makes pain-relief products for both horses and humans.

(NewsUSA) - When it comes to finding a great shampoo or topical pain-reliever, some consumers don’t horse around. Others do, and they just might tell you that it pays off.

Using horse shampoo or other products designed for animals may seem a bit strange, but according to some pet-care industry experts, there’s a growing trend of consumers doing just that.

W.F. Young, for instance, sells an equine topical pain-relief product called Absorbine Veterinary Liniment, but company officials say that some of their human customers use it for treating their own achy muscles and joints.

“We often hear from our loyal customers that in addition to using Absorbine Veterinary Liniment on their horses, they have found that they reap the same therapeutic benefits the liniment gives their pets,” said Jaime D. McKinley, corporate vice president of sales and marketing at W.F. Young. “Our customers tell us that when they apply the liniment to their horses, they feel the soothing, warm sensation on their own hands and it feels great.”

Horse products aren’t the only ones making it out of the barn and into Americans’ bathrooms and medicine cabinets.

Creams made for moisturizing cows’ udders are used by some people to moisturize their hands, while certain balms designed for soothing animals’ cuts and skin abrasions have also proved popular in recent years.

Such products are popular enough, in fact, to be sold at many major retail chains.

CVS, for instance, sells a cow ointment product in its skin-care section, as well as a shampoo initially developed for horses. And W.F. Young’s Absorbine Jr., a pain-relieving liniment made specifically for humans but similar to veterinary Absorbine, is also sold at CVS locations as well as Rite Aid and Brooks Eckerd stores.

So why might people use animal care products on themselves? At least in regards to Absorbine, perhaps it’s a question of commonality.

“Muscle pain and stiffness are conditions common to humans and animals,” says McKinley. “We all need a little relief now and then.”

Owners can easily entertain their pets, even while on a limited budget.

(NewsUSA) - It is possible to care for, even pamper, your pet on a budget or fixed income. By planning carefully and making smart shopping decisions, you can save money on food, toys and treats.

- Save money on everyday essentials, such as pet food, by shopping at deep discount stores. Forty percent of the money Americans spend on pets is for food. You will find savings on name-brand pet food at a deep discount store such as Dollar General. Remember that you can save even more by buying private label food. Many private label products are equivalent to the national brands.

- Find lower-cost medical care. Local humane societies often sponsor free or reduced-price clinics for routine vaccinations or spaying or neutering. Learn about clinics offered in your area, which can save you from expensive vet visits. And, you don’t always have to visit the vet for some medical treatments. Dewormer, ear mite treatment and other medications are available over-the-counter.

- Enjoy the great outdoors with your favorite animal -; which doesn’t cost anything. For outdoor or indoor fun, your pet will need a few basic accessories like a leash, collar and water bowl. All of these inexpensive items are available at deep discount stores.

- Skip the pet day spa and groom your animal at home. You can save a lot of money by bathing and grooming your animal yourself. All you need to set up your own pet spa are shampoo, conditioner, a brush or comb, a hair dryer and nail clippers.

- Potty training and maintenance for pets can also be affordable. Deep discount stores such as Dollar General offer cat litter, litter pans, scoops and liners. Puppy pads are available for puppies that are being trained.

While buying the basics for your favorite animal, don’t forget to pick up a toy or treat. Dogs love toys, snacks or rawhide bones. Cats enjoy exercising on a scratching post or munching on catnip.

CARY, N.C. — SciQuest, Inc., the global leader empowering enterprises to realize the potential of strategic procurement, today announced that U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance (U.S. Communities), a nonprofit instrumentality of government that assists local and state government agencies, school districts, higher education and nonprofit organizations pool their purchasing power nationwide, has partnered with the company.

Through this partnership, select U.S. Communities’ supplier contracts that have been competitively solicited by a lead public agency will be available via the SciQuest Supplier Network. Participating agencies that implement SciQuest’s procurement automation solutions will be able to access U.S. Communities’ contracts through an intuitive online shopping environment that integrates all of the agency’s supplier contracts onto a single platform and enables users to make all of their purchases through one system.

“We provide a forum for public sector and nonprofit organizations to realize the savings that stem from these competitively solicited contracts with the combined purchasing power of our participants,” said Chris Mellis, program manager of U.S. Communities. “SciQuest’s online shopping environment is user-friendly and automates the entire purchasing process. With this technology, it will now be easier than ever to take advantage of U.S. Communities’ contracts.”

U.S. Communities has more than 33,000 participating public agencies and over 400 new organizations register to participate each month. SciQuest’s suite of eprocurement solutions will provide a powerful and intuitive way for participating agencies to drive spending to all of their cost-saving contracts through a single environment for every agency purchase.

“We are excited that SciQuest is now a U.S. Communities partner because it will enable Emory to further leverage the cost and process efficiencies we’ve gained from our SciQuest eprocurement solution with the savings that U.S. Communities’ contracts deliver,” said David Thurston, associate vice president for financial operations at Emory University. “It is the ideal plug-and-play scenario for optimizing procurement, dropping a wide range of contracts negotiated by U.S. Communities into Emory’s private marketplace that’s powered by SciQuest.”

U.S. Communities’ participating agencies spend more than $1.3 billion each year on goods and services purchased through its contracts with world-class suppliers like AutoZone, Haworth, HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, Herman Miller, Office Depot and its technology division Tech Depot, Sportime, and Virco. This partnership will benefit agencies and suppliers alike. SciQuest’s ability to bring spending under management and drive purchases to on-contract items helps participating suppliers secure a greater share of the market and realize process efficiencies.

SciQuest’s eprocurement solutions are designed to enable all individuals across an organization to make purchases easily and quickly on a system that gives procurement and financial professionals unprecedented real-time visibility into organization-wide spending. Among U.S. Communities’ participants, purchases of this kind are often only exceeded by payroll and spending on capital projects.

“In today’s challenging economic environment, government agencies, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations are under unprecedented pressure to stretch the value of their financial resources,” said Stephen Wiehe, president and CEO of SciQuest. “This partnership will enable U.S. Communities’ participants to utilize a system that encourages the user participation and adoption required to realize the full potential of negotiated contracts.”

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(ARA) - At a time when people are remodeling their homes instead of buying or building new ones, homeowners are looking for ways to increase the comfort and value of their current living space without breaking the bank.

“It’s all about value today,” says Connie Edwards, certified kitchen and bathroom designer and director of design for Shenandoah Cabinetry. “Consumers are smarter then ever — doing their homework to make sure they get the highest quality product at the best price.”

When choosing cabinetry, there are certain characteristics homeowners should look for. Edwards offers some useful tips:

Finishes
Finishes today require less care and upkeep than those of the past. Here are a couple of good things to look for when selecting cabinets:
* Cabinetry with a moisture-resistant finishing process helps prevent peeling and chipping on the inside of the cabinet.
* Cabinets with ultraviolet protection minimize darkening or lightening of cabinet colors due to sun exposure over time.

Standard Construction Features
When it comes to cabinetry, stock cabinets are the most budget friendly. Look for stock cabinet manufacturers, such as Shenandoah Cabinetry sold exclusively at Lowe’s, that offer premium construction features as standard. Some of those features may include:
* Dovetail hardwood drawers provide furniture-like quality and style.
* Full access hidden drawer glides open all the way, making it easy to use every inch of space.
* Adjustable, full-depth shelves with metal shelf rests on wall cabinets give extra stability for heavy items.
* Steel ball bearing drawer glides assure smooth drawer performance and easy operation.

Warranties
Some cabinet manufacturers offer a lifetime limited warranty. This assures the manufacturer will fix any problems due to defective materials or workmanship, ensuring your investment is protected.

Retailer Options
Retailers often offer ways to help you afford bigger ticket items or finance your investment:
* Special payment programs, such as Lowe’s “Special Projects Card,” allow a 6-month “project window” to make purchases with no payments due or interest accruing.
* Take advantage of special promotions like a free sink base or factory rebate with purchase.

By being aware of quality characteristics and value options, you can create your own personal living space at a price you’ll like. Visit your local home center and talk to a kitchen design specialist about available options to fit your lifestyle and budget.

For more information and to view an assortment of kitchen design ideas, visit www.ShenandoahCabinetry.com .

CARY, N.C. – Strategic Guru Inc. announced today that it has been selected by United States Power Squadrons® (USPS) to research and help develop a marketing strategy for the national non-profit member organization. The Triangle-based marketing agency will assist USPS in reviewing the state of the boating industry, identifying new target markets and developing strategies to achieve goals.

The United States Power Squadrons® is a non-profit boating education organization providing classes, seminars and guides to promote boating education, safety and the enjoyment of our nation’s waterways. US Power Squadron’s goal is to make boating more enjoyable and safer. US Power Squadrons is known for its informative courses, the widespread availability of its public classes, and its contributions to the boating community. Founded in 1914, US Power Squadrons has over 47,000 members organized into 439 squadrons across the United States and in some US territories.

“We chose Strategic Guru because of their track record with other non-profit and similar organizations,” said Tom Kemp, Manager of Headquarters Marketing and Development Services for USPS. “We look forward to working with them to help in the development of new marketing strategies and tactics.”

“We are pleased to work with such a well-respected organization that has a long history of helping make our waterways safer through boater education,” said Carolyn Rhinebarger, Chief Brainstormer with Strategic Guru

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire