The California Independent Grocers Association (CIGA) honored its leaders at the Annual Installation Banquet held Thursday, April 14 at Sacramento's Spataro Restaurant. CIGA's top honor "Retailer of the Year" and "Associate Member of the Year" recipients Ed Stokes, Diablo Foods in Lafayette, and Karl Berger, Tony's Fine Foods in West Sacramento, were bestowed the Independent Grocer's highest honor. Ed Stokes, owner of Diablo Foods in Lafayette was named 2010 CIGA Retailer of the Year and accepted the award on Thursday night with his family and ...

Plastic Surgery Center of the South (www.plasticsurgerycenterofthesouth.net) now offers complimentary consultations for Atlanta plastic surgery procedures at its practice when patients request their appointment at the practice's website. Men and women can come in free of charge to discuss potential cosmetic procedures with one of the practice's 3 board-certified plastic surgeons. This opportunity will allow people to better understand plastic surgery in Atlanta, and to meet some of Atlanta's most prominent cosmetic surgeons. Dr. James E. Leake, a member of the Plastic ...

Dr. Anthony Deboni and Dr. Gregory Baum (www.plasticsurgeryofsyracuse.com), renowned plastic surgeons in Syracuse, NY, have recently noticed a surge of patients wishing to enhance their appearance before the warm summer months set in. This increase in clientele reflects the desire for patients to look good during the summer, or "bikini season." "I believe that one of the main reasons people are starting to come into our practice is because they realize that summer is only a few months away, and they want to be ready to go to the beach or to the pool," ...

Women who have breast reduction surgery experience a very high rate of satisfaction, according to RealSelf.com, one of the most visited online communities dedicated to information about cosmetic treatments. According to real patients posting on the forum, breast reduction is one of the top 10 plastic surgeries in terms of patient satisfaction. To Dr. Gus Galante (www.galantebreastenhancement.com) who specializes in breast reduction in Indiana, this comes as no surprise. "I've noticed for years that breast reduction typically produces a level of satisfaction that ...

According to a survey published last month by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), more established forms of liposuction are still the preferred method of fat removal among plastic surgeons. Despite an array of newer liposuction technologies, as well as nonsurgical fat removal options, over 50% of the member surgeons surveyed indicated that "traditional" suction-assisted lipectomy was their method of choice. Dr. Gus Galante (www.galantemd.com), who specializes in liposuction in Indiana, explains his understanding of the survey results. "As ...

After the winter months come to an end and spring weather begins, allergies tend to flare up and cause distress and inconvenience. Dr. Michael R. Menachof (www.advancedentdenver.com), a Colorado allergy specialist, has noticed an increase in women and men at his practice over the past few months who want to manage or treat their allergies. "I typically see an increase in patients at this time of year," says Dr. Menachof. "Plants begin producing pollen. This process happens even earlier if the temperature has been fluctuating in the winter." Women ...

If the close to 40 million Americans with some college credits returned to school to complete their degree through online education, America would take a significant step forward toward meeting Obama's goal of 60% college degree attainment by 2025. With that in mind, eLearners.com offers its Back to School Survival Guide with tips and advice for adults reticent to take that first step back to school. According to recent research by eLearners.com, the top reasons for those with some credit resisting degree completion include: - Getting too old - Do not have the confidence ...

As people around the world prepare for the summer, health and weight loss are the top priorities for most people. This is the time of year when people begin worrying about how they look. People pledge to improve themselves in a multitude of ways, and countless fads and training routines sprout up to help consumers address their health and fitness needs. Most health and wellness programs come and go quickly, but one weight loss option that's had surprising staying power is the The Acai UltraBerry Slim Supplement. You've no doubt heard about the popularity of acai berries. ...

When it comes to your health, you deserve the best. That's what many men and women have decided when choosing plastic surgeons in the Salt Lake City area. Dr. Kevin Rose of The Rose Clinic for Plastic and Migraine Surgery (www.theroseclinic.com) explains that more people are traveling to his practice for world class care and results. "If you were seeking treatment for a specific illness, you would do research to find a specialist. You would be willing to travel to get the best. It makes sense to do the same if you are considering a cosmetic procedure," suggests ...

Austin Powell's debut song "Take My Heart" has been picked up by TweenPopRadio.com It's also been picked up by 2RDJ-FM and Triple H FM in Sydney, Australia. It is now on the regular scheduled play list on the Sunday Hour from 12pm-1pm on 2RDJ -FM and on the "Monday Drive" show from 5pm-8pm on Triple H-FM. Take My Heart is being streamed live at www.radio2rdj.com and at www.triplehfm.com.au Powell has stirred interest in US and abroad with Twitter fans from all over the world and has made close friendships with his fans in Japan and has been in personal ...

Art Melbourne 2011 is set to take place in the Victoria capital next month, offering visitors the chance to browse a huge selection of affordable and collectable pieces. The event is one of the largest annual art fairs in Australia, attracting more than 15,000 people every year. Highlights of this year's festival at the Royal Exhibition Centre include Reach, an exhibition featuring works from ten of the country's top indigenous arts facilities. It aims to create an exchange of culture and knowledge by offering the venues an opportunity to showcase and sell some ...

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) will perform their new show, entitled Beethoven's 5th - The Ultimate Adrenaline Rush, on the Gold Coast next month. As well as Beethoven's classic work, the concert is set to feature Les Preludes by Liszt and Clarinet Concerto in F Minor by Weber. Critically acclaimed Brisbane musician Paul Dean has been lined up to play clarinet in the production, having previously performed with acts such as the Grainger Quartet, Australian Chamber Orchestra and Tin Alley Quartet. Throughout his career, Dean has premiered more than 70 pieces ...

The Australian Chamber Orchestra's (ACO's) new tour, Glittering Frost, is set to call at Adelaide midway through next month. Lead violinist Richard Tognetti and clarinet player Martin Frost star in the concert, which features the music of Brahms, Copland, Hillborg, Mozart and Ravel. Among the well-known classical pieces that appear in the show is Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, given a fresh and distinctive makeover for this tour. New arrangements of Hungarian Dances by Brahms and Ravel's String Quartet also appear in the performance. Tognetti, who is also ...

Works from some of the world's best new and independent movie makers will be presented at the 2011 Over the Fence Comedy Film Festival in Perth. The event is now in its 14th year but remains dedicated to its original goal of championing the grassroots film industry and providing a forum for new pictures to be showcased. Although it takes place in Perth, Over the Fence broadened its horizons from the Western Australia capital in 2000 by touring across the country. It began calling at a number of international locations in 2003. In 2008, the organisers began using ...

Much-loved Australian singer-songwriter Shane Howard is heading to Tropical North Queensland next month for a gig in Cairns. The founding member of folk-rock group Goanna is perhaps best known for 1982 anthem Solid Rock, from the album Spirit of Place. Produced by the late Fairport Convention star Trevor Lucas, it was one of the first songs to discuss the issue of Aboriginal rights and had a major impact on a generation of musicians. Since then, Howard has released a string of popular records with Goanna and as a solo artist, including May 2010 release Goanna Dreaming. His ...

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap is due to be performed in Bilbao in May by a Spanish cast. There will be six shows over the four days between May 5th and 8th at the Euskalduna Conference Centre. The hit play was adapted by the author from a radio script and has been staged in London continuously since 1952. Now travellers can see a new version of the show performed by a group of Spanish actors that includes Paco Churruca, Flavia Scarpa and Manuel Baqueiro. The tale starts with a number of extravagant guests staying at a Victorian boarding house, when suddenly ...

A new exhibition entitled Empire, State, Building is on show in Paris, displaying the talents of the Societe Realiste cooperative. The installation is on show at the Jeu de Paume until May 8th 2011 and incorporates various aspects of the group's work. According to the venue, there are three factors of the title to consider. Firstly is the allusion to the famous Manhattan structure, secondly, the way punctuation can alter meaning and finally, the way a myth can be reduced with the aid of certain symbols. Societe Realiste, an experimental cooperative that broadly ...

Innovative designer Yohji Yamamoto is the subject of a new exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London. It is the first major solo show in the UK for the Japanese artist, who made his debut in Paris in 1981 and has been a key figure in the world of fashion ever since. Visitors can see 80 garments by Yamamoto at the South Kensington venue until July 10th 2011, with the items picked out from various stages of his career. While most of his work will be housed in Gallery 38, several of his creations have been integrated into the rest of the arts ...

Black Eyed Peas, one of the most successful chart acts of recent years, are heading to Dusseldorf's Esprit Arena. The American hip-hop band will bring their explosive stage presence and extensive back catalogue of hits to the venue on Tuesday June 28th for their only German tour date of the year. Will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie are still riding high on the success of their latest album The Beginning, which was released in November last year. The LP, which features singles The Time (Dirty Bit) and Just Can't Get Enough, reached number eight on the UK albums ...

CINCINNATI—Nanotechnology researchers have known for years that RNA, the cousin of DNA, is a promising tool for nanotherapy, in which therapeutic agents can be delivered inside the body via nanoparticles. But the difficulties of producing long-lasting, therapeutic RNA that remains stable and non-toxic while entering targeted cells have posed challenges for their progress. In two new publications in the journal Molecular Therapy, University of Cincinnati (UC) biomedical engineering professor Peixuan Guo, PhD, details successful methods of producing large RNA nanoparticles ...

MADISON -- Research in the worm is shedding light on a protein associated with a number of different human cancers, and may point to a highly targeted way to treat them. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists were studying a worm protein called TFG-1, which is present in many cell types but whose exact role had never been understood. The scientists discovered that the protein controls key aspects of the movement, or secretion, of growth factors out of cells. "TFG-1 has never been implicated in the secretory process before," says Dr. Anjon Audhya, an assistant ...

Craig Ogden will bring his virtuoso guitar skills to Pembrokeshire's Torch Theatre this summer. The Australian-born musician is due to perform at the Milford Haven venue on Tuesday June 21st, when his repertoire will include works by Albeniz, Barrios and Fernando Sor. Ogden, whose album The Guitarist was widely acclaimed by classical music critics last year, has been studying the instrument since the age of seven. In 2004, he was honoured with a fellowship in recognition of his achievements from the Royal Northern College of Music, becoming the youngest performer ...

Efforts to engineer new metabolic pathways into microbes for the inexpensive production of valuable chemical products, such as biofuels or therapeutic drugs, should get a significant boost in a new development from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). Researchers there have successfully demonstrated a technique they call "targeted proteomics" that speeds up and improves the ability to identify and quantify specific proteins within a cell or microorganism. "Metabolic engineers and synthetic biologists can use our directed proteomic technique ...

The DMY International Design Festival returns to Berlin with a fresh line-up of exhibitions, workshops and other special events this summer. Running from Wednesday June 1st to Sunday June 5th at the city's Tempelhof Airport site, the annual extravaganza will showcase the latest in contemporary design trends and innovative products. The festival's central exhibition is set to occupy an area of 14,000 sq m in the spacious aircraft hangars of Tempelhof, which ceased operating as a commercial airport in 2008. Now used to host major public events and music festivals, ...

ATLANTA – A study conducted by Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist in Emory's Department of Neurology, and cognitive psychologist Alicia MacKay, PhD, found that older individuals who spent a significant amount of time throughout life playing a musical instrument perform better on some cognitive tests than individuals who did not play an instrument. The findings were published in the April journal Neuropsychology. While much research has been done to determine the cognitive benefits of musical activity by children, this is the first study to examine ...