Commercialization status, measure

The first measurements of ROA followed by approximately five years the application of commercially available lasers to the measurement of Raman scattering spectra. More than any other technical advance, the laser light source elevated Raman scattering from the status of a curious alternative to infrared absorption to that of a powerful research tool. As will be discussed below, the processing of electronic data in ROA is much simpler than it is for VCD. In Raman scattering and ROA, spectral detection involves the conversion of scattered photons to individual electronic pulses that can be counted and stored. The main complication associated with the detection of ROA is the need to keep track of two separate bins of photon counts, one associated with RCP Raman intensity and the other with the corresponding LCP intensity. When the measurement is complete, the counts in the two bins are added to obtain the parent Raman spectrum and subtracted to obtain the ROA. 

In this monograph the authors aim is to demonstrate the current status and future potential of millimetre wavelength (MMW) spectrometry for quantitative analysis of gaseous mixtures. Spectroscopic theory is outlined in sufficient detail to form the basis of a model for the quantitative interpretation of the spectroscopic measurements. Details of the principal parts of the spectrometer are revealed and explained, permitting the analytical spectroscopist to specify and build a spectrometer from commercially available components. Quantitative models are developed for off-line signal processing and filtering to optimise the analytical performance. 

There are numerous potential biomedical applications for on-line breath analysis instruments. For example, as shown in one of the projects described above, laser spectroscopic on-line monitoring of C2H6 in exhaled breath could serve as a non-invasive means of acquiring information on oxidative stress status. However, it should be emphasized that any clinical reliance on exhaled biomarkers will depend strongly on the availability of rugged, fast and inexpensive detection systems. But it is foreseeable that the rapid advances in optical technologies will most likely result in smaller devices in the near future, which are also cheaper and easier to use than the current pre-commercial measurement set-ups. Specifically, innovations in IR lasers and spectroscopic instrumentation may soon enable laser-... 

The criteria for the diagnosis of vitamin deficiency are specific for every single vitamin. However, some common rules can be applied to most of the B vitamins. First, it has to be stated that, in clinical practice, some vitamins (biotin, pantothenic acid, niacin) are hardly ever measured and therefore data on vitamin status are hardly available. Other vitamins like folate and cobalamin are measured regularly using commercial assays. 

The cost/benefit tiade-off is obviously paramount in industrial risk managmnent, where any investment in risk controls must be financially justified. Whilst diose in the insurance industry are obviously keen to pnxnote insurance as a risk control measure, it is rarely in die intoests of eitbw the brtdco or the client to use insurance where inappropriate. Brokers are not bound to particular insurers and thgefore maintain free status to advise clients as to die available risk control c ons as independent risk consultants. It is dear Uiat this role provides one et the most direct platforms for widespread influence of commercial safety standards. 

Presently, circulating T3, T4, and TSH are an adequate basis to assess the thyroid status. Because, T4 is highly boimd to proteins in serum (mainly TBG) it is necessary to consider the measurement of the free fraction of the hormone. In developed countries with a normal iodine intake most of the FT4 techniques perform similarly with the exception of particular situations (pregnant women, non-thyroidal illnesses). But, when iodine deficiency coexisted with nutritional problems, we experienced serious difficulties with most of the commercial assays. In our hands, the FT4 index calculated as the ratio of T4 to TBG is the most appropriate tool. 

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