Abstract: A method and a computing apparatus for managing a portfolio of securities and derivatives are provided. The method includes: identifying a plurality of available hedging instruments based on the portfolio of securities and derivatives; obtaining historical market data that relates to the identified plurality of hedging instruments; assessing an optimized value of the portfolio of securities and derivatives based on the obtained historical market data; and determining at least one potential action to be executed with respect to the plurality of available hedging instruments based on the assessed optimized value. The assessment of the optimized value of the securities portfolio may effected by generating a market model simulation function, such as a finite dimensional Linear Markov Representation (LMR), based on the portfolio and maximizing a value of the generated market model simulation function.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes providing a user interface (UI) that allows a user to select an existing database having cloud storage volumes that contain historical data of one or more customers. A first command input on the UI replicates the existing database is to create one or more new databases. Each of the new databases has new cloud storage volumes created by taking a snapshot of a corresponding one of the volumes of the existing database. Each new database contains the historical data of the existing database such that a new set of databases results. A mapping algorithm is executed in a cloud-computing instance that maps the historical data of each of the one or more customers to produce a shard map. The mapping algorithm includes a round-robin partitioning of the historical data striped by date in a circular order across the new set of databases.

Abstract: A control material for monitoring performance of a particle size analyzer has a population of small particles on the order of 1 ?m and a population of larger particles on the order of 15 ?m suspended in deionized water containing a surfactant and a biocide. Performance is monitored by delivering an ampoule of check material to the analyzer and detecting the ratio of particle size peaks.

Abstract: An instrument for use in preparing an accident report concerning an automotive vehicle is constructed to draw four continuous lines in a manner simulating the paths of the wheels of the vehicle. The instrument has a housing which confines four independently spring-loaded leads in a rectangular array. The leads are slidably held by an alignment plate which is threadably connected to the top of the housing.