Abstract: A system and method for providing domestic hot water and/or space heating within a building. The system comprises at least one storage vessel comprising a removable cover, wherein an internal volume of the storage vessel is fluidly connected to a source of sewage and/or wastewater from one or more buildings, a water-source heat pump, at least one solar thermal collector, at least one heat transfer circuit. The at least one heat transfer circuit includes at least one fluid line containing a heat transfer fluid, and a controller for controlling an operation of the system. The system has an operation mode in which the controller of the system is configured to connect the at least one solar thermal collector to the at least one storage vessel via the at least one fluid line. The system stores a heat output from the at least one solar thermal collector in sewage and/or wastewater.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy management system for a building, comprising at least one heat pump, at least one first thermal energy storage device for providing domestic hot water, at least one second thermal energy storage device for providing space heating, at least one renewable energy generation device, at least one first state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one first thermal energy storage device, at least one second state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and a controller configured to control the at least one heat pump, the at least one first thermal energy storage device, the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and the at least one renewable energy generation device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are immunoassays for detecting an antibody in a biological sample from a subject and/or diagnosing an autoimmune disease in a subject. The disclosed immunoassays use a single, direct step to assess the level of antibody in a biological sample from the subject by simultaneously binding the antibody to a capture antigen (e.g. an unlabeled antigen bound to a solid support) and a labeled antigen not bound to the solid support.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are immunoassays for detecting an antibody in a biological sample from a subject and/or diagnosing an autoimmune disease in a subject. The disclosed immunoassays use a single, direct step to assess the level of antibody in a biological sample from the subject by simultaneously binding the antibody to a capture antigen (e.g. an unlabeled antigen bound to a solid support) and a labeled antigen not bound to the solid support.

Abstract: In a heat transfer system and a method for operating a heat transfer system, a heat transfer fluid having a phase change material (PCM) circulates in a cooling circuit. A combined state of phase value of the heat transfer fluid is determined based on information obtained from a sensor system including a temperature sensor and an electrical resistance sensor realized as two separate sensors or as one combined temperature-and-electrical-resistance sensor. The system and method can securely and effectively prevent a possible blocking of the channels of an indoor heat exchanger of the system by solidified PCM and an unwanted deposition of solid PCM (crystals) on heat transfer surfaces of the indoor heat exchanger.

Abstract: Immunoassay reagents are disclosed that contain a dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate-fluorescein (DHEAS-FITC) conjugate or a dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate-carboxy methoxylamino-dimethyl acridinium ester (DHEAS-CMO-DMAE) conjugate. Also disclosed are immunoassay kits and devices that contain one or more of the DHEAS conjugates. Methods of making and using the DHEAS conjugates are further disclosed.

Abstract: An energy management system for a building. The Energy management system includes at a first thermal energy storage device for providing domestic hot water, a second thermal energy storage device for providing space heating, an electrical energy storage device, at least three state of charge analysers for determining the state of charge of said devices, a heat pump, a renewable energy generation device for providing electrical energy, and a controller configured to control an operation of said devices and to control an operation of the heat pump. The controller determines a state of charge of the at least one electrical energy storage device based on information of the at least one third state of charge analyser and to control a charging/discharging of the at least one electrical energy storage device based on a determined a state of charge.

Abstract: A system and method for providing domestic hot water and/or space heating within a building. The system comprises at least one storage vessel comprising a removable cover, wherein an internal volume of the storage vessel is fluidly connected to a source of sewage and/or wastewater from one or more buildings, a water-source heat pump, at least one solar thermal collector, at least one heat transfer circuit. The at least one heat transfer circuit includes at least one fluid line containing a heat transfer fluid, and a controller for controlling an operation of the system. The system has an operation mode in which the controller of the system is configured to connect the at least one solar thermal collector to the at least one storage vessel via the at least one fluid line. The system stores a heat output from the at least one solar thermal collector in sewage and/or wastewater.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy management system for a building, comprising at least one heat pump, at least one first thermal energy storage device for providing domestic hot water, at least one second thermal energy storage device for providing space heating, at least one renewable energy generation device, at least one first state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one first thermal energy storage device, at least one second state of charge analyser for determining the state of charge of the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and a controller configured to control the at least one heat pump, the at least one first thermal energy storage device, the at least one second thermal energy storage device, and the at least one renewable energy generation device.

Abstract: A system and method for heating and/or cooling at least one space uses a second heat transfer fluid which comprises or consists of water, at least one first encapsulated phase change material and at least one second encapsulated phase change material, wherein the first phase change material has a phase change temperature which is lower than the phase change temperature of the second phase change material. At least two indoor heat exchangers are employed, wherein each of the at least two indoor heat exchangers has a temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature information of the indoor space in which the indoor heat exchanger is located. A controller is employed which receives a temperature information from the temperature sensors and controls the system based on said temperature information. The system and method show an improved efficiency in heating and/or cooling at least one space compared to known systems and methods.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat transfer system and a method for operating a heat transfer system in which a heat transfer fluid comprising or consisting of a phase change material (PCM) circulates in a cooling circuit. A combined state of phase value of the heat transfer fluid is determined based on information obtained from a sensor system including a temperature sensor and an electrical resistance sensor realized as two separate sensors or as one combined temperature-and-electrical-resistance sensor. The system and method can securely and effectively prevent a possible blocking of the channels of an indoor heat exchanger of the system by solidified PCM and an unwanted deposition of solid PCM (crystals) on heat transfer surfaces of the indoor heat exchanger.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are immunoassays for detecting an antibody in a biological sample from a subject and/or diagnosing an autoimmune disease in a subject. The disclosed immunoassays use a single, direct step to assess the level of antibody in a biological sample from the subject by simultaneously binding the antibody to a capture antigen (e.g. an unlabeled antigen bound to a solid support) and a labeled antigen not bound to the solid support.

Abstract: Methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and apparatuses for automated processing of hybrid electronic invoice data include identifying at least a first type of charge data from one or more other types of charge data in received hybrid electronic invoice data based on one or more parsing techniques. The first type of charge data is disassembled from the received hybrid electronic invoice data based on the identification. The disassembled first type of charge data is adjudicated based on execution of one of a plurality of sets of adjudication procedures identified to correspond to the disassembled first type of charge data. The received hybrid electronic invoice data is transformed with the adjudicated first type of charge data. The transformed electronic invoice data is provided for additional processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security tag made unique by randomly distributing a mixture of large numbers of multicolored small objects, such as two colored glass balls, into a regular geometric array or pattern onto a substrate and encapsulating those objects. The objects in the regular array on the substrate will create a unique, non-reproducible pattern. The data, saved to a secure database, can be processed and calculated quantities can be derived from the field of binary data, which can be affixed to the document or manufactured part that the stamp is affixed to. The regular array can be read out by scanner, quantities calculated, and compared to the values printed on the part or document. Additionally, the regular array can be read out by optical scanner and parts or all of the data compared to the data stored in the secure database.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security tag made unique by randomly distributing a mixture of large numbers of multicolored small objects, such as two colored glass balls, into a regular geometric array or pattern onto a substrate and encapsulating those objects. The objects in the regular array on the substrate will create a unique, non-reproducible pattern. The data, saved to a secure database, can be processed and calculated quantities can be derived from the field of binary data, which can be affixed to the document or manufactured part that the stamp is affixed to. The regular array can be read out by scanner, quantities calculated, and compared to the values printed on the part or document. Additionally, the regular array can be read out by optical scanner and parts or all of the data compared to the data stored in the secure database.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security tag made by randomly distributing a mixture of large numbers of multicolored objects into a unique, non-reproducible geometric array and encapsulating it onto a substrate. The 3-D aspect of the objects will prevent printing or 2-D copying of the stamp. The data, saved to a secure database, can be processed and quantities can be calculated from the field of binary data and can be affixed to the part that the stamp is affixed to. For one level of authentication, the array can be read out by scanner and compared to values printed on the part. For an additional level of authentication, the array can be read out by optical scanner and compared to the data stored in the secure database. The security tag is capable of replacing 2-D barcodes while containing only information capable of being scanned by 2-D barcode scanners.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security tag made by randomly distributing a mixture of large numbers of multicolored objects into a unique, non-reproducible geometric array and encapsulating it onto a substrate. The 3-D aspect of the objects will prevent printing or 2-D copying of the stamp. The data, saved to a secure database, can be processed and quantities can be calculated from the field of binary data and can be affixed to the part that the stamp is affixed to. For one level of authentication, the array can be read out by scanner and compared to values printed on the part. For an additional level of authentication, the array can be read out by optical scanner and compared to the data stored in the secure database. The security tag is capable of replacing 2-D barcodes while containing only information capable of being scanned by 2-D barcode scanners.

Abstract: An automated immunoassay analyzer, or assay system, provides for frequent testing of control samples to verify that before and after a series of tests of patients' samples, the operation of the test equipment is accurate, thereby ensuring that the results of the series of patient tests are accurate. Operating the immunoassay analyzer in this manner will delay reporting clinical test results until the results are confirmed as accurate. This operation can be performed automatically by a random access immunoassay analyzer.

Abstract: An efficient and scalable system for identifying a commodity having a specific, unique topocompositional profile has been developed that includes: enrolling at least one commodity in order to capture its topocompositional profile; matching the at least one commodity with a plurality of commodities in a commodity database; and integrating the topocompositional profile into a commodity grading system. A method of identifying a commodity having a specific, unique topocompositional profile, includes enrolling at least one commodity in order to capture its topocompositional profile; matching the at least one commodity with a plurality of commodities in a commodity database; and integrating the topocompositional profile into a commodity grading system.

Abstract: An occupancy adapter for converting any type of security system motion detector into an occupancy-based controller, such as for regulating lighting within a building or controlled space. The occupancy adapter can also be used to provide control to other automated systems within a building or controlled space, such as security systems, HVAC, fire alarms, etc., based on occupancy data.