News: Public Companies

ATLANTA, Ga. -- M2SYS Technology, an award-winning biometric fingerprint technology firm, announced today that Stromberg, a subsidiary of Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX), and a leading provider of time and attendance solutions for mid- to large-sized businesses, has integrated M2SYS' Bio-SnapON(TM) solution into their Web-enabled time and attendance software.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Alterian (LSE: ALN), the leading global enterprise marketing platform provider, announced this week a new self-evaluation tool to help marketers improve the processes used to manage all parts of their marketing operation. The Alterian Operational Marketing Benchmark provides marketers with a tailor-made report and recommendations on their marketing management processes.

PASADENA, Calif. -- Osmetech plc (AIM; LSE: OMH) today announced that it has been granted a non-exclusive worldwide diagnostics license from Swiss-based F. Hoffman LaRoche Ltd and its US affiliate Roche Molecular Systems Inc. (collectively "Roche") to use Hot Start(R) polymerase technology in Osmetech nucleic acid diagnostic assays.

FREMONT, Calif. -- TeamF1, Inc., a leader in embedded networking and security software, has signed an agreement with Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC) (NASDAQ: AMCC) to offer TeamF1's Secure Gateway Solution software on AMCC's Sequoia evaluation kit, which features the PowerPC(R) 440EPx embedded processor. AMCC is a leading vendor of embedded PowerPC processors and packet processors.

OTTAWA, Canada -- Atreus Systems(TM), the leading supplier of provisioning software for VoIP, IP service bundles, and IMS offerings, today announced that Shift Networks (TSX VENTURE:SHF), the leading provider of Voice over IP (VoIP) services to the Canadian small and medium business market, has successfully deployed Atreus' solution in twelve days to automate the provisioning and management of its business VoIP service.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Ascentia Biomedical Corporation ("Ascentia") (OTC Pink Sheets: ASCE) today announced that, effective November 28, 2006, it has completed the acquisition of all the outstanding common stock of Fortress Technology Systems, Inc. ("Fortress"), pursuant to a share exchange agreement. Ascentia acquired all of the outstanding shares of Fortress common and preferred stock in exchange for 254,531,004 shares of Ascentia common stock and 8,000,000 shares of Ascentia Series A Preferred Stock.

PLANO, Texas -- Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK), whose PowerLean program combines the strategies of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Productive Maintenance and Energy Management, has selected SigmaFlow's Best Practice Execution System for portfolio project management and implementation of PowerLean's best practice templates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- International Shoe Manufacturing Corporation (OTC: ISHO / ISHO.pk) announced today that they have completed the acquisition of GeckoSystems, Inc. GeckoSystems, based in Conyers (Atlanta), Georgia, is now entering its ninth year of business. GeckoSystems is a dynamic leader in the Robotic Industry revolutionizing the development and usage of mobile robot solutions for safety, security and service(TM).

YUBA CITY, Calif. -- Prime Companies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PRMC) announces that it has entered into an agreement with the Rural Utilities Service, a branch of the U. S. Department of Agriculture to retire a certain loan obtained by its subsidiary LMDS Communications, Inc. and therefore relinquishing itself of its position of guarantor on said defaulted loan.

AUSTIN, Tex. -- Perception Software and Agile Software Corporation (Nasdaq: AGIL), a leading provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions today jointly announced an agreement to provide Perception's EDAConnect product as part of the Agile 9 PLM Engineering Collaboration solution. Under the agreement, Agile will sell EDAConnect to its Agile 9 customers.