Abstract: A method and system for sensorless determination of the orientation of the rotor of an ironless PMSM motor from a known rotor angle is described. The method and system include: specifying a rotor system according to the rotor angle; applying voltage pulses to the phases of the motor in the torque-forming direction of the rotor system; measuring the current in the phases of the motor; determining the expected back EMF along the flux-forming axis, based on the measured current; forming an integral of the expected back EMF by time integration of the expected back EMF along the flux-forming axis and/or a filter-based accumulation function; and determining the orientation of the rotor from the algebraic sign of the integral of the expected back EMF and/or the accumulation function.

Abstract: Sample preparation unit, preferably for sterility testing: a housing body including at least two ports adapted to serve as fluid inlet and/or fluid outlet, a membrane support, and a lid part such that a membrane chamber is defined adjacent said membrane support. One of at least two ports is arranged so as to allow a fluid transfer to/from a first volume of the membrane chamber at a position upstream of a membrane to be placed on the membrane support, and the other ports arranged to allow fluid transfer to/from a second volume of said membrane chamber at a position downstream of a membrane to be placed on said membrane support. A movable part is provided on housing body such that the movable part and housing body are movable relative to each other, selectively interrupting/establishing fluid transfer between at least one of two ports and the membrane chamber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting a microorganism, in particular Staphylococcus aureus, in a sample, comprising the steps of a) incubating the sample with a slow off-rate modified aptamer (SOMAmer) comprising a fluorescent label, b) optionally washing the sample, c) analyzing the sample by a fluorescence-based detection method. The invention further relates to a slow off-rate modified aptamer comprising a fluorescent label, wherein the SOMAmer comprises a nucleotide sequence specific for Staphylococcus aureus, its use for detecting Staphylococcus aureus cells in a sample, and to a microarray or biosensor and a kit comprising at least one of such SOMAmers comprising a fluorescent label.

Abstract: An improved volatility index and related derivatives contracts are provided. An index in accordance with the principals of the present invention estimates expected volatility from the prices of stock options in a wide range of strike prices. Also, an index in accordance with the principals of the present invention is calculated from a price dragging methodology to derive expected volatility. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, derivative contracts such as futures and options based on the volatility index of the present invention are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing sonication on liquid samples comprises a rack for holding an array of sample vials, an ultrasonic probe with an arrangement of recesses corresponding to the array of sample vials and adapted to respectively receive and contact an outer surface of a bottom portion of a respective one of the sample vials, and a counter-holder with an arrangement of pushing members corresponding to the array of sample vials and adapted to respectively apply a force to a respective one of the sample vials so as to push the bottom portion of each vial into contact with the associated recess of the probe. The apparatus can be used in a method of preparing a sample for detection of cell components (e.g. cell analyte, proteins, nucleid acids etc.) and applying sonication within certain parameter ranges which can provide a universal lysis method that can be applied to a large variety of cells or organisms like all bacteria, viruses, spores, yeast and mold within the same apparatus and process.

Abstract: A method and system for sensorless determination of the orientation of the rotor of an ironless PMSM motor from a known rotor angle is described. The method and system include: specifying a rotor system according to the rotor angle; applying voltage pulses to the phases of the motor in the torque-forming direction of the rotor system; measuring the current in the phases of the motor; determining the expected back EMF along the flux-forming axis, based on the measured current; forming an integral of the expected back EMF by time integration of the expected back EMF along the flux-forming axis and/or a filter-based accumulation function; and determining the orientation of the rotor from the algebraic sign of the integral of the expected back EMF and/or the accumulation function.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting a microorganism, in particular Staphylococcus aureus, in a sample, comprising the steps of a) incubating the sample with a slow off-rate modified aptamer (SOMAmer) comprising a fluorescent label, b) optionally washing the sample, c) analyzing the sample by a fluorescence-based detection method. The invention further relates to a slow off-rate modified aptamer comprising a fluorescent label, wherein the SOMAmer comprises a nucleotide sequence specific for Staphylococcus aureus, its use for detecting Staphylococcus aureus cells in a sample, and to a microarray or biosensor and a kit comprising at least one of such SOMAmers comprising a fluorescent label.

Abstract: Sample preparation unit, preferably for sterility testing: a housing body including at least two ports adapted to serve as fluid inlet and/or fluid outlet, a membrane support, and a lid part such that a membrane chamber is defined adjacent said membrane support. One of at least two ports is arranged so as to allow a fluid transfer to/from a first volume of the membrane chamber at a position upstream of a membrane to be placed on the membrane support, and the other ports arranged to allow fluid transfer to/from a second volume of said membrane chamber at a position downstream of a membrane to be placed on said membrane support. A movable part is provided on housing body such that the movable part and housing body are movable relative to each other, selectively interrupting/establishing fluid transfer between at least one of two ports and the membrane chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing sonication on liquid samples comprises a rack for holding an array of sample vials, an ultrasonic probe with an arrangement of recesses corresponding to the array of sample vials and adapted to respectively receive and contact an outer surface of a bottom portion of a respective one of the sample vials, and a counter-holder with an arrangement of pushing members corresponding to the array of sample vials and adapted to respectively apply a force to a respective one of the sample vials so as to push the bottom portion of each vial into contact with the associated recess of the probe. The apparatus can be used in a method of preparing a sample for detection of cell components (e.g. cell analyte, proteins, nucleid acids etc.) and applying sonication within certain parameter ranges which can provide a universal lysis method that can be applied to a large variety of cells or organisms like all bacteria, viruses, spores, yeast and mold within the same apparatus and process.

Abstract: A computerized trading system having a plurality of independent trading environments for trading quotes relating to financial instruments received from quoting firms. A multicast data bus provides communication between a matching engine, a plurality of edge applications operating in each independent trading environment, and an order gateway which is common to the plurality of independent trading environments. Quotes are received from the quoting firms at the respective quote interface applications. The quotes are placed in the respective assigned areas of the shared memory. The matching engine matches the received quotes by polling and processing each area of the shared memory. The matching engine, upon completion of polling all areas of the shared memory, checks a port of the multicast data bus to receive messages transmitted by the edge applications and to receive incoming orders for financial instruments from the order gateway.

Abstract: A method is provided for testing a trading system having a verification subsystem and trading environments. Each of the environments has a network interface, memory, and a matching engine executed by a processor. The method includes retrieving, by the verification subsystem, at least one defined use case. Each defined use case includes command lines. The method also includes parsing the command lines based on defined parsing rules to produce parsed command lines. Each parsed command line includes a verb specifying financial transactions. Each parsed command line also includes data fields. The method further includes mapping the verb and fields of each command line based on defined mapping relationships to generate a test case. The method also includes executing the test case to generate messages to be executed by the trading system. The method also includes reading parameters of the trading system for comparison to specified validation values.

Abstract: An electronic trading platform performs trading of one or more types of financial instruments and includes at least one cloud providing at least one independent trading environment executed by a server. The at least one cloud includes a plurality of instances of an express interface application executed by the server and configured to receive interests in the financial instruments. The plurality of instances of the express interface application are configured to write the interests to a shared memory on the server. A matching engine, executed by the server, is configured to continuously poll the shared memory, read the interests written by the plurality of instances of the express interface application, analyze the read interests to determine if there is a matching contraside interest and allocate matching interests based on at least one allocation rule.

Abstract: A method for creating an NC program for controlling a test run for determining, optimizing and/or validating processing parameters and/or control parameters of a processing operation on a laser processing machine comprises accessing a base NC program that includes at least one contour variable for the at least one test contour to be produced in the test run and at least one decision function for value assignment of a contour parameter to the contour variable, providing a selection function for selection by an operator of a combination of input values that are characteristic of the processing operation, and creating the NC program from the base NC program by automatic execution of the at least one decision function for assigning a contour parameter to the contour variable, the contour parameter being determined based on the combination of input values.

Abstract: An electronic trading platform performs trading of one or more types of financial instruments and includes at least one cloud providing at least one independent trading environment executed by a server. The at least one cloud includes a plurality of instances of an express interface application executed by the server and configured to receive interests in the financial instruments. The plurality of instances of the express interface application are configured to write the interests to a shared memory on the server. A matching engine, executed by the server, is configured to continuously poll the shared memory, read the interests written by the plurality of instances of the express interface application, analyze the read interests to determine if there is a matching contraside interest and allocate matching interests based on at least one allocation rule.

Abstract: A method is provided for testing a trading system having a verification subsystem and trading environments. Each of the environments has a network interface, memory, and a matching engine executed by a processor. The method includes retrieving, by the verification subsystem, at least one defined use case. Each defined use case includes command lines. The method also includes parsing the command lines based on defined parsing rules to produce parsed command lines. Each parsed command line includes a verb specifying financial transactions. Each parsed command line also includes data fields. The method further includes mapping the verb and fields of each command line based on defined mapping relationships to generate a test case. The method also includes executing the test case to generate messages to be executed by the trading system. The method also includes reading parameters of the trading system for comparison to specified validation values.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel pyridine derivatives, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds. Said compounds particularly act as immunosuppressive agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to thiazole derivatives of formula I and their use as P2Y12 receptor antagonists in the treatment and/or prevention of peripheral vascular, of visceral-, hepatic- and renal-vascular, of cardiovascular and of cerebrovascular diseases or conditions associated with platelet aggregation, including thrombosis in humans and other mammals.

Abstract: The invention relates to pyridine derivatives of Formula (I) wherein A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 are as described in the description, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds. Said compounds particularly act as immunomodulating agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to thiazole derivatives of Formula (I) and their use as P2Y12 receptor antagonists in the treatment and/or prevention of peripheral vascular, of visceral-, hepatic- and renal-vascular, of cardiovascular and of cerebrovascular diseases or conditions associated with platelet aggregation, including thrombosis in humans and other mammals.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for an airborne biota monitoring and control system are disclosed. Radar and laser/optical sensors are used to detect insects, with detection zones being over water in some embodiments to reduce backscatter clutter. A pest control laser or small autonomous or radio controlled aircraft under automated or human control may be used to disable a targeted flying insect. One embodiment includes use of a head-mounted display for displaying insect targeting information superimposed on a real landscape view. Technologies such as adaptive lens, holographic optical elements, polarized radar and/or laser beams, light amplifiers and light guides, thin disk, spinning disk, or vertical cavity surface emitting lasers enhance performance of the apparatus or reduce cost of the apparatus. Also disclosed are methods of discrimination of insect types using spectral information and dynamic relative variation of spectral intensities at different wavelengths reflected from an insect in flight.