Hot topic: Accuracy of refractometry as an indirect method to measure failed transfer of passive immunity in dairy calves fed colostrum replacer and maternal colostrum.

Serum total protein (STP) refractometry is a widely used indicator of failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI), defined as serum IgG concentrations of <10 mg/mL or STP levels <5.2 g/dL measured at 24 h of life. However, recent reports have demonstrated that refractometry could be inaccurate at estimating serum IgG concentrations and FTPI when calves are fed colostrum replacer (CR). The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of STP measurements to estimate FTPI in calves fed CR compared with calves fed maternal colostrum. Blood was collected from dairy calves fed maternal colostrum (n = 927) or colostrum-derived CR (n = 1,258) and analyzed for STP and serum IgG. Serum total protein was measured with a digital refractometer, whereas radial immunodiffusion was used to determine IgG concentrations. Calves fed maternal colostrum had a mean STP of 5.80 ± 0.72 (standard deviation) g/dL and a mean IgG concentration of 22.81 ± 10.14 mg/mL, respectively, whereas calves fed CR had a mean STP and IgG concentration of 5.14 ± 0.50 g/dL and 12.78 ± 4.60 mg/mL, respectively. Rates of FTPI for calves fed maternal colostrum or CR were 4.2% and 27.26%, respectively. Calves were considered to have FTPI if their IgG postcolostrum feeding was <10 mg/mL. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to determine cutoff points and existent relationships between STP and IgG. Serum total protein and IgG for calves fed maternal colostrum were highly correlated. In contrast, STP and IgG for calves fed CR were lowly correlated. A receiver operator characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that an STP cutoff point that could predict FTPI when calves are fed CR would be 4.9 g/dL (sensitivity = 0.68; specificity = 0.75). This study suggests that current cutoff points used for STP inflates the number of calves estimated to have FTPI when they are fed CR.

Frequency-comb-referenced mid-infrared source for high-precision spectroscopy.

We report on a tunable continuous-wave mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which is locked to a fully stabilized near-infrared optical frequency comb using a frequency doubling scheme. The OPO is used for 40 GHz mode-hop-free, frequency-comb-locked scans in the wavelength region between 2.7 and 3.4 µm. We demonstrate the applicability of the method to high-precision cavity-ring-down spectroscopy of nitrous oxide (N2O) and water (H2O) at 2.85 µm and of methane (CH4) at 3.2 µm.

Telecentric 3D profilometry based on phase-shifting fringe projection.

Three dimensional shape measurement in the microscopic range becomes increasingly important with the development of micro manufacturing technology. Microscopic fringe projection techniques offer a fast, robust, and full-field measurement for field sizes from approximately 1 mm2 to several cm2. However, the depth of field is very small due to the imaging of non-telecentric microscope, which is often not sufficient to measure the complete depth of a 3D-object. And the calibration of phase-to-depth conversion is complicated which need a precision translation stage and a reference plane. In this paper, we propose a novel telecentric phase-shifting projected fringe profilometry for small and thick objects. Telecentric imaging extends the depth of field approximately to millimeter order, which is much larger than that of microscopy. To avoid the complicated phase-to-depth conversion in microscopic fringe projection, we develop a new system calibration method of camera and projector based on telecentric imaging model. Based on these, a 3D reconstruction of telecentric imaging is presented with stereovision aided by fringe phase maps. Experiments demonstrated the feasibility and high measurement accuracy of the proposed system for thick object.

Structured light system calibration method with optimal fringe angle.

For structured light system calibration, one popular approach is to treat the projector as an inverse camera. This is usually performed by projecting horizontal and vertical sequences of patterns to establish one-to-one mapping between camera points and projector points. However, for a well-designed system, either horizontal or vertical fringe images are not sensitive to depth variation and thus yield inaccurate mapping. As a result, the calibration accuracy is jeopardized if a conventional calibration method is used. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a novel calibration method based on optimal fringe angle determination. Experiments demonstrate that our calibration approach can increase the measurement accuracy up to 38% compared to the conventional calibration method with a calibration volume of 300(H) mm×250(W) mm×500(D) mm.

A novel angle computation and calibration algorithm of bio-inspired sky-light polarization navigation sensor.

Navigation plays a vital role in our daily life. As traditional and commonly used navigation technologies, Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) can provide accurate location information, but suffer from the accumulative error of inertial sensors and cannot be used in a satellite denied environment. The remarkable navigation ability of animals shows that the pattern of the polarization sky can be used for navigation. A bio-inspired POLarization Navigation Sensor (POLNS) is constructed to detect the polarization of skylight. Contrary to the previous approach, we utilize all the outputs of POLNS to compute input polarization angle, based on Least Squares, which provides optimal angle estimation. In addition, a new sensor calibration algorithm is presented, in which the installation angle errors and sensor biases are taken into consideration. Derivation and implementation of our calibration algorithm are discussed in detail. To evaluate the performance of our algorithms, simulation and real data test are done to compare our algorithms with several exiting algorithms. Comparison results indicate that our algorithms are superior to the others and are more feasible and effective in practice.

Comparison of photorefraction, autorefractometry and retinoscopy in children.

Photorefractive devices have been evaluated for their effectiveness in detecting anisometropia, hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism. We investigated the reliability of Plusoptix S08, the newest photoscreener, and Topcon autorefractometer by comparing them with cycloplegic retinoscopy. Plusoptix S08, cycloplegic retinoscopy, and cycloplegic autorefractometer measurements for 235 eyes of 118 children (59 female, 59 male) with a mean age of 4.9 ± 2.6 and median age of 5 years (range 1-12) were conducted. The Plusoptix S08 produced the following mean (± SD) results--spherical 0.27 ± 1.64, cylindrical power -0.81 ± 0.71, axis 89.73 ± 61.18, and spherical equivalent -0.05 ± 1.61. The cycloplegic retinoscopy produced the following mean (± SD) results--spherical 0.12 ± 1.35, cylindrical power -0.89 ± 0.71, axis 92.18 ± 68.39, and spherical equivalent -0.15 ± 1.31. The cycloplegic autorefractometer produced the following mean (± SD) results--spherical 0.16 ± 1.44, cylindrical power -0.88 ± 0.72, axis 90.86 ± 68.21, and spherical equivalent -0.12 ± 1.41. This study has shown that cycloplegic autorefractometer and retinoscopy results are similar and Plusoptix S08 is a very safe, easy-to-use and reliable screening method of refraction, especially for ophthalmologists unskilled in retinoscopy. Plusoptix S08 is a useful tool for estimating refraction in patients for whom conventional autorefraction is not an option.

Maximum likelihood method for calibration of Mueller polarimeters in reflection configuration.

We address calibration of Mueller polarimeters in the presence of noise. We compare an extension of the eigenvalue calibration method (ECM) and a maximum likelihood (ML) method. The performances of these two calibration methods are investigated with numerical simulations and real experiments on a broadband infrared polarimeter. It is found that the ML method is superior to the extended ECM in terms of calibration precision and can be used at lower signal-to-noise ratio.

Correcting for spatial-resolution degradation mechanisms in OFDR via inline auxiliary points.

The spatial resolution of OFDR is normally degraded by the laser phase noise, deviations from linear frequency scan and acoustic noise in the fibers. A method for mitigating these degradation mechanisms, without using an auxiliary interferometer, via inline auxiliary points, is presented and demonstrated experimentally. Auxiliary points are points that are a priori known to have (spatial) impulse reflectivities. Their responses are used for compensating the phase deviations that degrade the response of points that are further away from the source.

Displacement interferometry with stabilization of wavelength in air.

We present a concept of suppression of the influence of variations of the refractive index of air in displacement measuring interferometry. The principle is based on referencing of wavelength of the coherent laser source in atmospheric conditions instead of traditional stabilization of the optical frequency and indirect evaluation of the refractive index of air. The key advantage is in identical beam paths of the position measuring interferometers and the interferometer used for the wavelength stabilization. Design of the optical arrangement presented here to verify the concept is suitable for real interferometric position sensing in technical practice especially where a high resolution measurement within some limited range in atmospheric conditions is needed, e.g. in nanometrology.

Fast vectorial calculation of the volumetric focused field distribution by using a three-dimensional Fourier transform.

We show that the volumetric field distribution in the focal region of a high numerical aperture focusing system can be efficiently calculated with a three-dimensional Fourier transform. In addition to focusing in a single medium, the method is able to calculate the more complex case of focusing through a planar interface between two media of mismatched refractive indices. The use of the chirp z-transform in our numerical implementation of the method allows us to perform fast calculations of the three-dimensional focused field distribution with good accuracy.

Experimental validation of Mueller matrix differential decomposition.

Mueller matrix differential decomposition is a novel method for retrieving the polarimetric properties of general depolarizing anisotropic media [N. Ortega-Quijano and J. L. Arce-Diego, Opt. Lett. 36, 1942 (2011), R. Ossikovski, Opt. Lett. 36, 2330 (2011)]. The method has been verified for Mueller matrices available in the literature. We experimentally validate the decomposition for five different experimental setups with different commutation properties and controlled optical parameters, comparing the differential decomposition with the forward and reverse polar decompositions. The results enable to verify the method and to highlight its advantages for certain experimental applications of high interest.

Calibration and testing with real turbulence of a pyramid sensor employing static modulation.

The pyramid sensor (PS) is an interesting alternative to the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SH WFS) for astronomical Adaptive Optics (AO) because of its potential advantages in sensitivity and applicability to novel wavefront sensing schemes. The PS uses a pyramidal prism to perform a knife-edge test in two dimensions simultaneously and relies on modulating the position of the prism to increase the linear dynamic range. It has been suggested that this could also be accomplished by a static diffusing element. We test this idea and show that the diffuser produces a modulation effect. We compare the results of our PS to a SH WFS measuring spatial and temporal properties of real turbulence produced in the lab with a hot-air turbulence generator.

Development of in-house materials for the verification of specific gravity measurements: Homogeneity, stability, and proficiency studies.

We developed and evaluated the properties of in-house urine reference materials for the verification of laboratory refractometers, which are frequently used in clinical chemistry and doping testing laboratories. Urine was gathered from 26 healthy volunteers (16 male 30 ± 5 years old and 10 female 29 ± 4 years old), from which two urine batches were obtained: one with a low specific gravity (1.012± 0.003) and the other with a high specific gravity (1.027 ± 0.003). Homogeneity studies were conducted over 20 consecutive days. For short-term stability studies, aliquots of both urine batches were stored at -20 ± 2°C; 3 ± 2°C; 20 ± 2°C; 45 ± 2°C for 0, 2, 7, 14 and 35 days, under both light and dark conditions. Similarly, another study was conducted to measure the long-term stability of urine at -20 ± 2°C, over a 24-month evaluation period. Our data showed that the urine was homogeneous and stable at -20 ± 2°C, 3 ± 2°C, 20 ± 2°C, and 45 ± 2°C under both light and dark conditions. In all cases, the urine was evaluated by specific gravity and no statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were recorded. Additionally, a proficiency test was conducted in collaboration with 15 ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories, and z-scores and performance factors were evaluated. These data indicate that this material could be used for the verification of refractometers.

Validity of Digital and Manual Refractometers for Measuring Urine Specific Gravity During Field Operations: A Brief Report.

INTRODUCTION: Dehydration can have an immediate negative impact on the performance of Soldiers in training or combat environments. Field expedient methods for assessing hydration status may be valuable for service members. Measurement of urine-specific gravity (USG) via refractometer is inexpensive, simple, fast, and a validated indicator of hydration status. Manual (MAN) and digital (DIG) refractometers are commonly used in laboratory settings however, digital (DIG) devices have not been validated in the field against MAN devices. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and feasibility of using a DIG refractometer to assess USG compared to a MAN refractometer during a military field training exercise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six military service members provided 672 urine samples during two 10-day field training exercises in central Texas. USG was assessed using a MAN and a DIG refractometer with cutoff value of ≥1.020 indicating hypohydration. The study received a non-human research determination. RESULTS: The MAN measurements were strongly correlated with the DIG (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001) measurements. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated agreement between the refractometers. The DIG displayed good sensitivity (93.9%) and specificity (85.8%) compared to the MAN. CONCLUSION: The DIG refractometer used in this study was reliable and valid compared with a MAN device and was feasible for use in a field environment; however, the DIG refractometer tended to over overestimate hypohydration.

[Urinary exploration of metabolism: nutrition assessment, urolithiasis and tubulopathy]. / Exploration urinaire du métabolisme : bilan nutritionnel, lithiase urinaire et tubulopathie.

The SFBC working group aimed to deal with biological tests outside the french nomenclature that may be useful in the context of urinary exploration of metabolism. This section will be divides into three parts: 1) nutritional assessment using urinary urea; 2) metabolic assessment of urolithiasis; 3) exploration of tubulopathies. National and international recommendations support the evaluation of nutritional status from urea measurements in urine and dialysate with the following indications: primary metabolic evaluation of urolithiasis patients, monitoring of protein intake in chronic renal failure stage 3 or stage 5D with residual diuresis. For the management of the urolithiasis disease, biomedical tests recommended by the national and international guidelines are the measurement of the urinary density using refractometry in the primary metabolic evaluation as well as the determination of oxalemia in the diagnosis (patients with GFR< 30 mL/min/1.73 m2) and follow-up (patients with GFR< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) of primary hyperoxaluria. The determination of the bicarbonaturia is retained for the in depth exploration of urolithiasis and tubular acidosis. The measure of chlore in urine is used to evaluate the volume status during metabolic alkalosis and to calculate the urinary anionic gap during metabolic acidosis.

Prismatic imaging polarimeter calibration for the infrared spectral region.

The calibration of a complete Stokes birefringent prismatic imaging polarimeter (BPIP) in the MWIR is demonstrated. The BPIP technique, originally developed by K. Oka, is implemented with a set of four Yttrium Vanadate (YVO(4)) crystal prisms. A mathematical model for the polarimeter is presented in which diattenuation due to Fresnel effects and dichroism in the crystal are included. An improved polarimetric calibration technique is introduced to remove the diattenuation effects, along with the relative radiometric calibration required for the BPIP operating with a thermal background and large detector offsets. Data demonstrating emission polarization are presented from various blackbodies, which are compared to data from our Fourier transform infrared spectropolarimeter.

A technique for accurately calibrating the motion of a phase mask used to inscribe complex fibre Bragg grating structures.

A technique is described for calibrating the amplitude of motion of a phase mask typically used for inscribing fibre Bragg grating (FBG) structures. The motion of the phase mask is detected using a simple Michelson interferometer that can be readily mounted onto an FBG writing system. The output of the interferometer provides a direct indication of the phase mask motion as a function of the true periodicity of the phase mask structure and so is ideally suited to inscription of apodised or phase shifted FBG structures. The technique can be automated and can achieve accuracies of +/-1 nm in approximately 1 minute.

Calibration of wafer surface inspection systems using spherical silica nanoparticles.

Silica nanospheres with diameters ranging from 60 nm to 269 nm are investigated as an alternative to polystyrene spheres for calibrating laser-scattering-based wafer surface inspection systems, since they are less susceptible to changes upon ultraviolet exposure. Polystyrene and silica spheres were classified by differential mobility analysis before being deposited onto bare silicon wafers, and scattered signals were measured by two commercial tools using 488 nm and 355 nm laser light. The instrument signals were modeled by integrating a theoretically-determined differential cross section over the collection geometry of each tool, and the predicted signals were compared to the measured signals. The resulting calibrations, whether performed using the polystyrene spheres, the silica spheres, or both, were found to be equivalent and to meet industry requirements, provided the index of refraction of the silica spheres was allowed to be a floating parameter. The indices were found to be 1.413 and 1.421 at 488 nm and 355 nm, respectively, consistent with a void fraction of 11.4%.

High-speed endless optical polarization stabilization using calibrated waveplates and field-programmable gate array-based digital controller.

A truly endless polarization stabilization experiment with a tracking speed of 15 krad/s is presented. The high-speed polarization tracking is realized by using calibrated lithium niobate linear retardation waveplates as the polarization transformers combined with a very fast digital controller running on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

Geometrical camera calibration with diffractive optical elements.

Traditional methods for geometrical camera calibration are based on calibration grids or single pixel illumination by collimated light. A new method for geometrical sensor calibration by means of diffractive optical elements (DOE) in connection with a laser beam equipment is presented. This method can be especially used for 2D-sensor array systems but in principle also for line scanners.