Category Archives: Education

Author Michael Hensley’s New Book A boy named Mike

Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA, April 11, 2024 –Michael Hensley, a veteran of the Marine Corps, has completed his new book, “A boy named Mike”: a touching true story that follows the author as he rises above the challenges and circumstances of his childhood and goes on to accomplish everything that he sets out to do, including seeing the world, serving his country, and starting a family of his very own.

Originally from the small town of Laurel, Delaware, author Michael Hensley has had many adventures and seen many countries throughout his career in the Marine Corps. These adventures included the ability to attend college and complete his degrees, which led him to start his doctorate. The author loves his family, his country, and God, and this is why he loves serving his country and wants to positively impact the lives of children.

Hensley writes, “This book is dedicated to all those who grew up or are growing up in a less than desirable situation, as well as those who have been told they can’t or won’t make it. Additionally, this book is dedicated to God, who has taken care of me throughout my life, and my family whom I love dearly.”

“To everyone, it’s not about where you start. We as humans have this inherent ability to make decisions, meaning where we finish is up to us.”

New Book The Splendid Spark from Author Nancy de Arrigunaga

Palmetto Bay, FL, April 11, 2024 — With her debut children’s book, “The Splendid Spark,” author Nancy de Arrigunaga, captivates readers with a heartwarming story that follows the life of a little boy who, despite appearing strong and brave on the outside, encounters things that make him sad and angry on the inside. With the help of an unexpected friend, he learns the importance of self-acceptance and the value of friendship and kindness toward others.

“The Splendid Spark” subtly reveals the effects of trauma on children and their difficulty with knowing how to cope with challenging experiences on their own. The “scary things that follow” the young boy are intentionally left ambiguous, to allow readers to connect their own experiences to that of the main character, seeing themselves in the story and working through trauma in a similar way.

“One of the most impressive aspects of ‘The Splendid Spark’ is its ability to address complex emotional themes in a manner that is accessible and age appropriate. From navigating friendship to embracing hope, the book tackles a range of topics that resonate deeply with children facing similar challenges.” Goodreads Book Review

“It is a story that strikes a chord with me, not only as a mother and teacher but also as the wife of a behavioral therapist who works with little ones,” de Arrigunaga said. “After learning of the traumas that plagued my dad throughout his childhood, I’ve become even more aware of the significance of guiding and inspiring all children to embrace and honor their uniqueness.”

Published by Newman Springs Publishing, Nancy de Arrigunaga’s engaging tale is sure to capture the hearts and imaginations of young readers everywhere, helping them to see themselves through the eyes of those who find beauty and potential in them. “Through a relatable character and beautiful watercolor illustrations, it effectively conveys the message that each child and later adult, possesses a unique spark waiting to be ignited or reignited.”

Author gg raymond’s New Book Norma and the Fly A Novella

New York, NY, April 11, 2024 — gg raymond, who was born in Jamaica, West Indies, has completed his new book, “Norma and the Fly: A Novella”: an imaginative and poetic novella that invites readers to witness the relationship between a scientist and her most baffling test-tube goo.

In a recent interview, author gg raymond said of his writing, “Me-figure-me a litmus test of the moods and moves of us men. As the others, I’m always trying to describe the grooves in the stones just behind the dazzle of the water’s fall.”

He writes, “I needed to reach out and tell my life to anyone that may listen, someone that might care—if not act. But to receive my words, you must be willing to accept that despair can be seismic: shifting ground, blurring pith. My name is Cat (for Catherine or some such). I’m forty-six years old, and this human-esque laboratory in a remote New Jersey Forest has been my prison for as long as I can remember. I was likely bred here. I lay propped up by pillows and mechanical buttresses that genuflect my body throughout the day. I’m medicated every three hours, and by ‘medicated,’ I mean drugged. Those drugs render me still. Even my eyes’ blink is electronically induced. I’m kept catatonic and utterly paralyzed—yet fully awake and aware.”

Huntington Study Group Launches Project AWARE 2.0 Observational Study

Rochester, NY, April 10, 2024 — The Huntington Study Group® and HSG Clinical Research, Inc. (together, “HSG”) are pleased to announce the launch of Project AWARE 2.0, an observational study developed in collaboration with Roche Products Limited and Genentech to understand and improve Awareness, Willingness, and Ability for Research and Enrollment in clinical research.

HSG led Project AWARE 1.0 in collaboration with HSG members and advocacy partners in 2010, collecting the insights of over 600 individuals and families impacted by HD to identify awareness and common barriers to participating in clinical trials. As a result, Huntington Study Group developed novel methods to improve and elevate the quality of clinical trials by focusing on aspects of participation that were reported as most troublesome or misunderstood. Building on this success and the team’s experience with the changing clinical trial landscape over the past decade, Project AWARE 2.0 was launched to further explore the feelings, attitudes, and beliefs of HD family members, care partners, and others impacted by the disease regarding the communication and conduct of drug trials and observational studies.

“We know that learning from and listening to people impacted by Huntington’s disease is pivotal in unraveling the intricacies of research participation. Responses to this survey will provide invaluable information that will allow the HD research community to refine the design and execution of future trials and studies that will accelerate treatments for HD. We are proud to be working on this important study with Roche and extend our gratitude to those who are considering participating,” said Elise Kayson, MS, ANP, VP of Clinical Operations at HSG and the Study Principal Investigator.

Project AWARE 2.0 is now available on myHDstory®, HSG’s online direct-to-participant research platform that was developed in close collaboration with Neurotargeting, LLC, a team of physicians and engineers who specializes in developing innovative digital health solutions for neurodegenerative disorders.

Pierre-François D’Haese, PhD, CEO of Neurotargeting, said, “Our collaboration with HSG is not just a project; it’s a journey to develop innovative tools that reshape the research landscape. We have been working with HSG for years developing the myHDstory platform and are excited about working together to recognize the barriers to research participation and further advance the understanding of Huntington’s disease.”

Launched in 2022, myHDstory’s platform pilot study succeeded in having broader geographic and racial diversity reach than any other HD study and in engaging hundreds of people diagnosed with HD who had never participated in any trials or studies.

Ja’Net I. Brown’s Newly Released The World Without

Charlotte, NC, April 10, 2024 — “The World Without”: a helpful resource for parents and educators who may be helping a young reader overcome fears of insects. “The World Without” is the creation of published author, Ja’Net I. Brown, a dedicated wife and mother who has been an educator for over twenty years.

Brown shares, “Most people do not like bugs of any type. If they could only just disappear, we would be just fine, right? Wrong! Everything on this earth was created with a purpose. In this story, you will learn about the importance of various creatures and their helpfulness to humans and the environment, even though they may not seem so important to us. There is also a connection to the purpose for which we were all created and the need for the acceptance of others.”

Tony Thornbrue’s Newly Released Memories of My Cowboy Days

Sheridan, AZ, April 10, 2024 — “Memories of My Cowboy Days”: a nostalgic collection of cherished experiences. “Memories of My Cowboy Days” is the creation of published author, Tony Thornbrue, a native of Oklahoma who held a lifelong passion for cowboying.

Thornbrue shares, “This is a compilation of short stories of different events of my rodeo experiences over the span of approximately five years, off and on. The characters, places, and all the rodeos are true, although the rodeos are not necessarily in the order that they were experienced. The names of the stock and their actual performance per rodeo are a generalization from a lot of years, burnt-out brain cells and an old man’s memory.”

Joan Marie’s Newly Released Grammy’s Treasure Hunt Julia’s Judging

New York, NY, April 10, 2024 — “Grammy’s Treasure Hunt: Julia’s Judging,” a charming narrative that explores a collection of important lessons, is the creation of published author, Joan Marie.

Joan Marie shares, “Julia is excited because today is the day she goes on Grammy’s Treasure Hunt. She is a typical ten-year-old girl with one exception: Julia is a very accomplished chess player. Her adventure involves a unique and unusual chess game that she participates in on her quest to win her treasure. But there are many unexpected obstacles along the way that she encounters, plus a new friend she will meet. Julia will need to deal with all of this before she can claim the prize. Will Julia earn her treasure of a lifetime? Julia’s actions and reactions will determine the outcome. Let the game begin!”

Tiffany Singletary’s Newly Released Lyrics of My Life

Bay City, TX, April 10, 2024 — “Lyrics of My Life: Book of Poems”: an emotionally and spiritually charged reading experience. “Lyrics of My Life: Book of Poems” is the creation of published author, Tiffany Singletary.

Singletary shares, “Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means ‘Be opened!’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said. ‘He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’ (Mark 7:31–37 NIV)”

Minus K Congratulates to the Winners of Their 2023/2024 Educational Giveaway

Inglewood, CA, April 10, 2024 –With over thirty years in business, Minus K Technology has to-date granted over $75,000 of its superior performing patented Negative-Stiffness low-frequency vibration isolators through their U.S. Educational Giveaway.

This year Minus K congratulates the following winners for the 2023/2024 giveaway:

Wabash College – Physics Department
The vibration isolator will be used with their Zeiss 508 Microscope to conduct experiments utilizing high magnification to image Brownian motion in time-lapse imaging of chemical precipitation material formation.
Kent University – Physics Department
The vibration isolator will be used for a magnetic tweezer instrument to be built on it. Fast video imaging (several hundred images per second) is used to measure the changes in the depth of glass beads (of a few micrometer diameter).
Texas Christian University – Physics & Astronomy Department
The vibration isolator to be used with their 6-digit RADWAG XA 21.4Y.M microscale to improve precision of small mass measurements down to 1 microgram.
Indiana University – Physics Department
The vibration isolator will be used to for dynamic micro-optical coherence tomography of the heterogeneous intracellular motion present in living cells and tissues.

“We are happy to help universities get the tools to advance their research,” says Minus K’s President Steve Varma, “It is a great feeling to help all these colleges with their research as we celebrate our eighth year of granting our vibration isolators to U.S. colleges and universities. We are always interested in seeing what applications and how the isolators will be used.”

Minus K® Technology, Inc. was founded in 1993 to develop, manufacture and market state-of-the-art vibration isolation products based on the company’s patented negative-stiffness-mechanism technology. Minus K products are used in a broad spectrum of applications including nanotechnology, biological and neuro sciences, semiconductors, materials research, zero-g simulation of spacecraft, and high-end audio. The company is an OEM supplier to leading manufactures of scanning probe microscopes, micro-hardness testers and other vibration-sensitive instruments and equipment. Minus K customers include private companies and more than 300 leading universities and government laboratories in 52 countries.

Toby Adkins’s New Book HOMEbound: Book 1

Lumberton, TX, April 09, 2024 –Fulton Books author Toby Adkins, a happy husband and proud father to his two adult daughters, has completed his most recent book, “HOMEbound: Book 1”: a riveting adventure novel that centers around a father and his daughter as they struggle to make their way home after America endures an electromagnetic pulse that downs all of America’s electronic devices in one fell swoop.

A native Texan, author Toby Adkins is a certified Numismatic Scholar and author who has written several books, both nonfiction and fiction. Decades with one foot in the professional business world and the other foot firmly planted in the outdoors has given Toby a unique knowledge, perspective, and insight. This background allows him to see and express just the right amount of detail in his work and is also known to keep his readers moving along with his valuable and interesting narrative. When not behind his desk, the author can often be found in the middle of his next tactical firearms training or high up in a tree with his hunting bow in hand.

“Rob is a middle-aged man in Texas who is self-described as an ‘avid hunter, outdoorsman, and sometimes hiker.’ He is married with two teenage daughters. His oldest, Ann, has recently started college. He is on his way for a fall hunting trip when the unimaginable happens. An electromagnetic pulse has just crippled everything and everyone around him. Rob recognizes he cannot stay and wait for someone to come help. He sets out on foot, knowing he has a long walk home. His first thought is to reach his daughter Ann so they can make the rest of the journey home together,” writes Adkins.

“Ann is trying to figure out what has just happened. She is an athletic and forthright young woman and soon starts finding herself at odds with others. Ann recognizes there is real trouble on campus and expresses her worries as a supplemental government arises around her. This government entity could change everyone’s future.

“The story unfolds when they each meet their own sets of problems, worries, and outright dangers as Rob and Ann journey home. ‘HOMEbound’ explores each of these characters as they navigate a world no one ever expected to see. Rob and Ann will face hardships, fear, and a search for meaning in a world going into societal breakdown.”