Software send out contamination alert
29/08/2005 - Next time the phone rings, it could by your software alerting you about a contamination problem on the line or in the lab.
The software is from Centrus International, which has developed a rapid alert system to connect its microbial testing equipment with food safety managers or lab workers.
The connectivity allows food, meat, dairy, beverage and nutraceutical processors to make faster, better-informed decisions regarding product safety and release, stated Dominique Sorgeloos, Centrus' managing director of business operations.
“In food microbial testing, speed is all-important,” Sorgeloos stated in a press release. “Soleris Connectivity software speeds the flow of vital test results from the laboratory to key decision makers, allowing them to make fast choices in real time that ensure product safety and quality.”
The company developed its Soleris Connectivity software for use with its rapid optical system. The software system provides secure, real-time test results and data to an unlimited number of approved network users.
It can be adapted to interface with specific laboratory information management systems. The system can also be programmed to send contamination alarms securely through traditional and cellular phone systems.
The software features automated system control, data analysis and automatic contamination detection. Test results can be sent to additional designated workstations on networks inside and outside the lab or testing area.
The information can be sent using a secure supervisor workstation, speeding the distribution of information to an unlimited number of designated viewers.
The system can be integrated with existing information systems, allowing labs to incorporate test results with their own proprietary data and operating systems, Centrus stated.
Test results can be monitored from remote locations connected through any existing communication line, including by telephone or mobile phones, giving managers the ability to receive results and analysis from any test site on the network.
In addition, the software can send alarms through traditional and cellular phone lines when a sample tests positive for contamination.
Other features include a manual backup function, an ability to transfer data files and reports to a supervisor station and a hardware security device to ensure lab results are accessible only through designated secure-access workstations.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Pentax *ist DS2 Digital Camera Announced
Pentax *ist DS2 Digital Camera Announced
Pentax *ist DS2 D-SLR introduction : Pentax introduces the new Pentax *ist DS2 digital SLR camera. 
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Forex
FOREX-Dollar falls broadly ahead of retail sales
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The dollar fell to its lowest levels against the euro and Swiss franc in about two months on Thursday, extending a recent decline, while the yen jumped on strong gains in Tokyo stocks and fading political worries. U.S. retail sales data later in the session is expected to show strong growth but the upbeat forecasts failed to boost the dollar as investors appeared keen to take profits on this year's 10-percent rally.
"We are just seeing continued dollar consolidation," said Jeremy Stretch, currency strategist at Rabobank in London.
"The market has become accustomed to strong U.S. data across the board and much of the good news is priced in so dollar longs are getting frustrated."
At 1200 GMT the dollar traded 0.2 percent down on the day at $1.2408 per euro, after hitting $1.2431, its lowest level since the end of May. It also fell to 1.2503 Swiss francs, a low from June 8.
Euro zone data showed the bloc's economy growing at a slightly faster than expected pace of 1.2 percent on the year in the second quarter.
Against the yen, the dollar fell to 110.12 yen, a three-week low, before regaining some ground to 110.40.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian crown eased slightly versus the dollar and euro after the country's central bank kept interest rates at 2 percent but appeared less hawkish than some analysts had expected.
DOLLAR DATA
Analysts said the dollar was unlikely to benefit sustainably from strong retail sales data because investors have grown accustomed to upbeat economic figures from the U.S. There were also concerns about U.S. trade figures due on Friday.
"It is difficult to see this release providing much reprieve for the dollar. In fact, as the market's attention turns towards structural issues, it is the June trade balance data, due for release tomorrow, which will grab the focus," UBS analysts said in a note.
The Japanese currency was bolstered by Tokyo stocks which hit four-year highs on optimism about Japan's economy amid buying by foreign investors.
It reversed losses made following Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's called for an election after losing a parliamentary vote on privatising the postal system.
Public opinion polls showed on Wednesday Koizumi's support rating had risen since he called the election for Sept. 11 to seek a new mandate for reforms.
Even before this week's rally, foreign investors bought a net 495.0 billion yen ($4.47 billion) of Japanese stocks in the week ended Aug. 6, taking their net purchases this calendar year to 5.27 trillion yen.
The yield on two-year Japanese government bonds hit an 11-month high while yen money market futures fell as speculation swelled that the Bank of Japan would end its zero interest rate policy early next year.
After upbeat machinery orders data this week, investors are looking ahead to Japan's gross domestic product figures for the April-June quarter on Friday for evidence of robust growth.
Talk that Japanese investors were preparing to repatriate coupon payments on U.S. Treasuries also helped the yen, traders said.
Analysts have estimated that $5 billion of the $24.7 billion in coupons to be issued on Aug. 15 will go to Japanese investors. Barclays Capital said coupon-related sales of dollars for yen could total $900 million a day between Friday and next Tuesday.
"The yen is trading a bit better on the back of fundamentals," said Stretch. "There are signs of foreign investors coming back to Japan again and the market has been very short yen for a considerable period."
A Reuters poll showed economists expect Japan's economy to have grown 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in April-June for an annualised pace of 2.0 percent. The economy expanded at an annualised 4.9 percent in January-March, its fastest in a year. "You see a lot of selling pressure in dollar/yen... People are not only taking off positions in dollar/yen but also in dollar/Swiss and euro/dollar, so you have a spill-over effect," said Hans-Guenter Redeker, chief foreign exchange strategist at BNP Paribas in London.
U.S. retail sales are expected to rise 2.2 percent in July from the previous month and 0.6 percent with auto sales excluded.
Source:Reuters
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The dollar fell to its lowest levels against the euro and Swiss franc in about two months on Thursday, extending a recent decline, while the yen jumped on strong gains in Tokyo stocks and fading political worries. U.S. retail sales data later in the session is expected to show strong growth but the upbeat forecasts failed to boost the dollar as investors appeared keen to take profits on this year's 10-percent rally.
"We are just seeing continued dollar consolidation," said Jeremy Stretch, currency strategist at Rabobank in London.
"The market has become accustomed to strong U.S. data across the board and much of the good news is priced in so dollar longs are getting frustrated."
At 1200 GMT the dollar traded 0.2 percent down on the day at $1.2408 per euro, after hitting $1.2431, its lowest level since the end of May. It also fell to 1.2503 Swiss francs, a low from June 8.
Euro zone data showed the bloc's economy growing at a slightly faster than expected pace of 1.2 percent on the year in the second quarter.
Against the yen, the dollar fell to 110.12 yen, a three-week low, before regaining some ground to 110.40.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian crown eased slightly versus the dollar and euro after the country's central bank kept interest rates at 2 percent but appeared less hawkish than some analysts had expected.
DOLLAR DATA
Analysts said the dollar was unlikely to benefit sustainably from strong retail sales data because investors have grown accustomed to upbeat economic figures from the U.S. There were also concerns about U.S. trade figures due on Friday.
"It is difficult to see this release providing much reprieve for the dollar. In fact, as the market's attention turns towards structural issues, it is the June trade balance data, due for release tomorrow, which will grab the focus," UBS analysts said in a note.
The Japanese currency was bolstered by Tokyo stocks which hit four-year highs on optimism about Japan's economy amid buying by foreign investors.
It reversed losses made following Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's called for an election after losing a parliamentary vote on privatising the postal system.
Public opinion polls showed on Wednesday Koizumi's support rating had risen since he called the election for Sept. 11 to seek a new mandate for reforms.
Even before this week's rally, foreign investors bought a net 495.0 billion yen ($4.47 billion) of Japanese stocks in the week ended Aug. 6, taking their net purchases this calendar year to 5.27 trillion yen.
The yield on two-year Japanese government bonds hit an 11-month high while yen money market futures fell as speculation swelled that the Bank of Japan would end its zero interest rate policy early next year.
After upbeat machinery orders data this week, investors are looking ahead to Japan's gross domestic product figures for the April-June quarter on Friday for evidence of robust growth.
Talk that Japanese investors were preparing to repatriate coupon payments on U.S. Treasuries also helped the yen, traders said.
Analysts have estimated that $5 billion of the $24.7 billion in coupons to be issued on Aug. 15 will go to Japanese investors. Barclays Capital said coupon-related sales of dollars for yen could total $900 million a day between Friday and next Tuesday.
"The yen is trading a bit better on the back of fundamentals," said Stretch. "There are signs of foreign investors coming back to Japan again and the market has been very short yen for a considerable period."
A Reuters poll showed economists expect Japan's economy to have grown 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in April-June for an annualised pace of 2.0 percent. The economy expanded at an annualised 4.9 percent in January-March, its fastest in a year. "You see a lot of selling pressure in dollar/yen... People are not only taking off positions in dollar/yen but also in dollar/Swiss and euro/dollar, so you have a spill-over effect," said Hans-Guenter Redeker, chief foreign exchange strategist at BNP Paribas in London.
U.S. retail sales are expected to rise 2.2 percent in July from the previous month and 0.6 percent with auto sales excluded.
Source:Reuters
Friday, August 05, 2005
FOREX Basics
FOREX Basics.
What is it?
On the FOREX exchange you can buy and sell currencies. For example, you might buy Japanese yens (by exchanging them to the dollars you had), then, after yen / dollar ratio goes up, you sell yens and buy dollars again. At the end of this operation you are going to have more dollars, then you had at the beginning.
The FOREX market has much higher liquidity, then the stock market, as much more money are being exchanged. Also, it does not have "exchange places", like stock market does. FOREX is spread between banks all over the world, and as the result, it is open 24 hours, during the business week.
Unlike stocks, FOREX trades are performed with high leverage, usually it is 100. It means that by investing $1000 you can control $100,000, and increase potential profits accordingly. Some brokers provide also so called mini-FOREX, where the size of minimum deposit equals $100. It makes possible for individuals to enter this market easily.
Important note: Trader software comes with indicators, that are configured to assume margin (leverage) equal 1 stock operations and 100 for FOREX.
The name convention. In FOREX, the name of a "symbol" is composed of two parts - one for first currency, and another for the second currency. For example, the symbol usdjpy stands for US dollars (usd) to Japanese yen (jpy).
As with stocks, you can apply tools of the technical analysis to FOREX charts. Trader's indexes can be optimized for FOREX "symbols", allowing you to find winning strategy.
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