Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has released its first quarter earnings for the 2018 fiscal year, citing significant online growth as a source of its success. The U.S. retailer noted that Canada’s overall performance was also a high note for the company.

“In Canada, net sales increased 2.7 per cent and comp sales increased 1.5 per cent. During the quarter, we reduced inventory levels even as sales increased, and according to Nielsen we continued to gain market share in key traffic driving categories like food and consumables, and health and wellness,” said Wal-Mart Stores in an analysts’ call. “Continued planned investments in price and in-store efficiency initiatives are being supported by progress with our cost analytics program.”

The team added that Canadian business continues to perform well, with 12 consecutive quarters of positive comp sales.

With online sales looking up for Walmart, it looks like the retail giant has a chance at competing with Amazon—a rivalry which has been particularly strong this year. However, for independents, this e-commerce growth could signal weakened sales. As a result, it is imperative that bricks-and-mortar stores up their sales game with special offerings, excellent in-store service, and an overall stellar experience.

A new study suggests that bacteria in the gut may influence the structure of the brain’s blood vessels—and may be responsible for malformations that can lead to stroke and epilepsy. Published in Nature, the research adds to an emerging dialogue that connects disorders of the nervous system to intestinal microbes.

Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study investigated the mechanisms that cause cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) to form in in genetically-engineered mice. CCMs are clusters of dilated, thin-walled blood vessels that can lead to seizures or stroke when blood leaks into the surrounding brain tissue. At the end of the study scientists discovered an unexpected link to bacteria in the gut—when bacteria were eliminated, the number of lesions dramatically diminished.

“This study is exciting because it shows that changes within the body can affect the progression of a disorder caused by a genetic mutation,” says Jim I. Koenig, Ph.D., program director at NINDS.

While investigating this link, Alan Tang noticed that the few mice with dramatic lesions had developed bacterial abscesses in their abdomens. The abscesses contained Gram-negative bacteria. The team found that Gram-negative bacteria produce molecules called lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are activators of innate immune signaling.

Researchers found that by blocking TLR4, an LPS receptor, lesions were greatly reduced.

“These results are especially exciting because they show that we can take findings in the mouse and possibly apply them at the human patient population,” said Koenig. “The drug used to block TLR4 has already been tested in patients for other conditions, and it may show therapeutic potential in the treatment of CCMs, although considerable research still remains to be done.”

Clint Mahlman, the executive vice-president & chief operating officer of London Drugs, was honoured by the Retail Council of Canada at its annual Excellence in Retail Awards ceremony. Mahlman was presented with the Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award.

The Distinguished Retailer of the Year Award recognizes a retail leader and company who have led their organization to outstanding business success and who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to the communities they operate within. The recipient is seen as a role model due to his or her exceptional leadership within the corporation, in the retail industry in Canada, and in the community at large, through personal or corporate philanthropic activities.

Mahlman first joined London Drugs in 1984, where he has held a variety of senior position. He became the executive VP and COO in 2014, leading the company through expansion, innovation, and a variety of philanthropic, community-based activities.

In addition, Mahlman has been the catalyst behind London Drugs’ environmental initiatives. He is widely recognized for the significant impact that London Drugs’ “What’s the Green Deal?” recycling program and waste-management stewardship has and is making in the retail industry. What’s more, Mahlman continues to serve and support ‘retail as a career’ programs through local and national academic venues and initiatives.

“RCC is thrilled to recognize Clint Mahlman and London Drugs Limited for their passion, their leadership, and their ability to embrace change in today’s retail landscape,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada.

Mr. Mahlman and London Drugs Limited are recognized by their peers in the retail industry in Canada for their outstanding and ongoing business success, their innovative and successful approach to customer care, their unwavering commitment to the communities they serve, and their outstanding leadership in promoting and supporting retail as a career.

About London Drugs

London Drugs was established in 1945 and began as a humble, community drugstore-just 1000 square feet-but this little store on Main Street, Vancouver, was given a big name. The store was named after London, England, the home of Canada’s King, George VI. In the months after World War II, London Drugs carried the promise of peace and prosperity.

Today, London Drugs has 80 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store LondonDrugs.com. London Drugs offers consumers a wide range of products and services from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. More people buy their small appliances in London Drugs than any other place in Western Canada. All told, London Drugs serves over 45 million customer visits each year, and this iconic retailer is still growing.

London Drugs proudly sponsors various community-based events and corporate initiatives that are in-line with its values and goals of building healthier and stronger communities.

A new study out of the University of Bonn and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggests that Cannabis can increase memory performance in aging individuals.

Researchers found that old animals were able to regress to the state of two-month-old mice with a prolonged low-dose treatment of a cannabis active ingredient. This could have wonderful implications for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The researchers administered a small quantity of THC to mice aged two, twelve and 18 months over a period of four weeks. Afterwards, they tested learning capacity and memory performance in the animals, such as orientation skills and the recognition of other mice. Mice that were administered a placebo displayed natural age-dependent learning and memory losses, while animals treated with cannabis were just as good as the two-month-old control animals.

After the experiment, the researchers examined the brain tissue and gene activity of the treated mice. They found that the molecular signature no longer corresponded to that of old animals, but was instead very similar to that of young animals. The number of links between the nerve cells in the brain, an important prerequisite for learning ability, also increased.

Moving forward, the researchers want to investigate whether this has applications for human patients.

Organic Garage has announced the launch of its private label program under the banner Kitchen Originals. The brand will primarily focus on Certified Organic products, and will launch its first lineup at the company’s new Toronto location.

This launch marks a significant milestone in Organic Garage’s development plan. The company will start rolling out private label offerings across the store over the next year, helping to deliver on its message of “healthier food for less”.

“The goal of our private label program, under the Kitchen Originals banner, is to deliver continued value and the highest quality products to our customers,” says Matt Lurie, CEO of Organic Garage commented. “We are excited to launch this brand with a fantastic line of introductory products in conjunction with the upcoming opening of our new flagship store in Toronto next month.”

About Organic Garage

Organic Garage is one of Canada’s leading independent organic grocers committed to offering its customers a wide selection of healthy and natural products at everyday affordable prices. The company’s stores are in prime retail locations designed to give customers an inclusive, unique and value-focused grocery shopping experience.

Founded in 2005 by a fourth generation grocer, Organic Garage is headquartered in Toronto and operates a highly efficient supply chain through its centralized distribution centre. The company is focused on continuing to expand its retail footprint within the Greater Toronto Area. For more information please visit the Organic Garage website at www.organicgarage.com.

A 2017 study out of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy suggests that dry needling could provide an alternative for cortisone injections in pain treatment.

According to the study, dry needling, a technique that uses thin filament needles to penetrate the skin and stimulate the trigger points of pain, could be used in patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS).  This comes as an alternative to cortisone (corticosteroid) injections, which have a wide variety of serious side effects.

This study, led by Kindyle L. Brennan, PT, PhD, OCS, COMT, is the first to compare the use of dry needling and cortisone injections to manage GPTS. Overall, it confirmed the equal effectiveness of the two treatments.

Previously, cortisone injections were inducted as the standard treatment for GTPS, as it was believed that the pain originated from inflammation of the hip bursa. However, it has now been found that GTPS pain arises as a result of muscle and tendon injury.

“Dry needling the myofascial structures of the hip region is aimed at improving the biochemical and neuromuscular homeostasis of these structures, which research has demonstrated is more likely the source of patients’ pain,” says Dr. Brennan.

Over the course of the study, 43 participants (50 hips) were given either cortisone injections or dry needling. At the end, patients in both groups reported less pain and improved mobility, but dry needling offered equal pain reduction and functional outcomes, without cortisone’s side effects. This being said, dry needling did cause some minor adverse reactions, including post-injection soreness, flushing, and sweating.

Dr. Brennan adds that dry needling should be followed by physical therapy to reduce chances of recurring pain.

“The end result is not simply addressing the pain, as cortisone would, but the factors that led up to and continue to contribute to the pain,” she said “Pain is a very complex entity that can become its own animal long after the original injury is healed. The clinical and basic science of dry needling suggests tremendous potential for modulating pain perception, local pain sources, and motor recruitment patterns, which have become dysfunctional as sequelae of injury or regional dysfunction.”

New research out of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) offers new hope in the fight against one of the most lethal forms of cancer.

Studies in mice with the KRAS mutation, which is present in 90 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients, indicate that expressing only half the amount of the glucose-regulated protein GRP78 is enough to halt the earliest stage of pancreatic cancer development.

This study suggests that GRP78 is required for converting healthy pancreatic cells into potentially cancerous cells. As such, reducing the amount of this protein works to delay pancreatic cancer development.

“Cancer cells are addicted to high levels of GRP78 for cancer development and growth. Our hope is that partially reducing or inactivating the protein by therapeutic agents could one day be an effective complementary therapy for pancreatic cancer and other cancers, while sparing other healthy organs,” says Amy Lee, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at the Keck School and the Judy and Larry Freeman Chair in Basic Science Research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

GRP78 is a stress-inducible protein that folds newly synthesized proteins and performs quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum. During stress, a fraction of GRP78 is moved to the cell surface to perform additional growth and survival functions. Cancer cells, particularly those that survive treatment, typically undergo more stress than healthy cells, resulting in increased levels of GRP78 to help the cancer cells survive.

This news brings hope to both the allopathic and natural sides of medicine—different pharmaceuticals can be manufactured to reduce GRP78, while some natural foods and supplements can also help with reduction. Lee notes that both green tea and soy contain natural compounds that can suppress the protein.

Quick facts: Pancreatic Cancer

In 2016, the Canadian Cancer Society estimated that:
• 5,200 Canadians would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
• 4,700 Canadians would die from pancreatic cancer.

Walmart subsidiary Jet.com has opened what it refers to as the “grocery shop concept of the future.”

The pop-up, called Fresh Story, is a temporary food-themed concept store. Open in New York City from May 10 to June 18, Fresh Story showcases artisanal accessories, cookbooks, and kitchen appliances.

According to Jet’s vice-president of marketing, Sumaiya Balbale, the store’s larger goal is to raise awareness about Jet’s grocery delivery capabilities. Balbale adds that this new store format, which will constantly change and include interactive events, may mark a change in the way bricks-and-mortar retail is conducted.

“Retail is rapidly evolving,” said Balbale in an interview with Business Insider. “Tech is changing a lot of the ways in which people shop, and the way that retailers can fulfill on those behaviours. It’s an exciting time to experiment. I don’t think shopping behaviours are set in stone, and there’s a lot of opportunity to help shape them.”

This is the first foray into physical retail for Jet.com, which was founded in 2014 by Marc Lore.

After opening its first Canadian store in Vancouver last month, MINISO, an Asian variety retailer, says it could eventually run up to 500 stores in Canada.

Positioned as a Japanese lifestyle brand, MINISO specializes in household and consumer goods, selling cosmetics, stationery, toys, and kitchenware. The Guangzhou, China-based company was co-founded in 2013 by Japanese designer Junya Miyake and Chinese entrepreneur Ye Guo Fu.

As of now, MINISO’s North American expansion includes individual stores in Pasadena, California, and in Vancouver. Next week, MINISO will open its second Canadian store at Tsawwassen Mills. In July, it will open another two locations—one at West Vancouver’s Park Royal, and another at 550 Granville Street, across from Holt Renfrew. Jack Liang, the market development manager for MINISO (Canada) Store Inc., adds that the retailer has plans to open between 30 and 50 stores in Canada over the next year.

According to Liang, the retailer is also looking to target major cities, including Toronto and Montreal. If MINISO’s plans work out, says Retail Insider, this could disrupt a large segment of Canadian retailing—especially value-priced retailers.

If this trend of Asia-based retailers moving into the Canadian market continues, independent businesses may find themselves struggling to maintain market share. With attractive branding and a wide variety of international product offerings, these stores could give independents a run for their money.