Biomarkers of high blood pressure are measured to identify high blood pressure of the subject based on one or more biomarkers. In many embodiments, the response of the biomarker to blood pressure occurs over the course of at least an hour, such that the high blood pressure identification is based on a cumulative effect of physiology of the subject over a period of time. The methods and apparatus of identifying high blood pressure with biomarkers have the advantage of providing improved treatment of the subject, as the identified biomarker can be related to an effect of the high blood pressure on the subject, such as a biomarker corresponding to central blood pressure. The sample can be subjected to increases in one or more of pressure or temperatures, and changes in the blood sample measured over time.

A process for measuring a size distribution of a plurality of nucleic acid molecules, the process comprising: labeling the nucleic acid molecules with a fluorescent dye comprising a plurality of fluorescent dye molecules to form labeled nucleic acid molecules, such that a number of fluorescent dyes molecules attached to each nucleic acid molecule is reliably proportional to the number of base pairs in the nucleic acid molecule, the fluorescent dye molecules having a first florescence spectrum; producing, by the labeled nucleic acid molecules, the first florescence spectrum in response to irradiating the labeled nucleic acid molecules at the first wavelength; and detecting the first florescence spectrum to measure the size distribution of the plurality of nucleic acid molecules.

Optical sample characterization facilitates measurement and testing at any angle in a full range of angles of light propagation through an optical sample, such as a coated glass plate, having a higher than air index of refraction. A rotatable assembly includes a cylinder having a hollow, and a receptacle including the hollow. The receptacle also contains a fluid with a known refractive index. An optical light beam is input normal to the surface of the cylinder, travels through the cylinder, then via the fluid, to the optical sample, where light beam is transmitted and/or reflected, then exits the cylinder and is collected for analysis. Due at least in part to the fluid surrounding the optical sample, the optical sample can be rotated through a full range of angles (90, etc.) for full range testing of the optical sample.

An optical sensor for examining value documents, such that at a point in time before the check of the value documents, a self-test of the optical sensor is carried out, during which the light sources thereof are switched on, and, with the aid of monitor elements, the respective light intensity of the light source assigned to the respective monitor element is detected which impinges on the respective monitor element at the time of the self-test. During the check of a value document following the self-test, the light sources illuminate the value document, and measured values are recorded. The recorded measured values are then corrected with the aid of the light intensities detected by the monitor elements at the time of the self-test to take into account a change in the light intensity emitted by the light sources that occurs in the course of the service life of the light sources.

A heat treatment apparatus is provided, which includes: a reaction chamber defined by an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate and a reaction chamber body; an infrared emitter located at an end of the upper cover plate; an infrared reflection sensor located at another end of the upper cover plate, and an infrared transmission sensor located at another end of the lower cover plate. The infrared emitter and the infrared reflection sensor are located at a side of the upper cover plate facing to the reaction chamber, the infrared transmission sensor is located at a side of the lower cover plate facing to the reaction chamber, the infrared emitter is located on a sidewall of an end of the reaction chamber body, and the infrared reflection sensor and the infrared transmission sensor are located on a sidewall of another end of the reaction chamber body.

The invention relates to an instrument for measuring the curvature of a surface of a sample (8), comprising a light source (1) and a mask (2), le light source (1) illuminating the mask (2) so as to generate a light beam (10) incident on the surface of the sample and to form a light beam (20) reflected by the sample. According to the invention, the mask (2) comprises a transparent background and opaque patterns (14) arranged at predetermined positions, the opaque patterns (14) of the mask having a total surface area smaller than the surface area of the transparent background, the instrument comprises an imaging system (5) and a camera (6) suitable for forming an image (32) of the mask by reflection on the sample (8), an image processing system being suitable for processing the image (32) of the mask by reflection on the surface of the sample, so as to deduce therefrom the radius of the curvature of the sample (8).

Methods and systems for integrated multi-pass reticle inspection are provided. One method for inspecting a reticle includes acquiring at least first, second, and third images for the reticle. The first image is a substantially high resolution image of light transmitted by the reticle. The second image is a substantially high resolution image of light reflected from the reticle. The third image is an image of light transmitted by the reticle that is acquired with a substantially low numerical aperture. The method also includes detecting defects on the reticle using at least the first, second, and third images for the reticle in combination.

A method for inspecting a manufactured product includes applying a first test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The first test regimen produces a first set of defect candidates. The method further includes applying a second test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The second test regimen produces a second set of defect candidates, and the second test regimen is different from the first test regimen. The method also includes generating a first filtered defect set by eliminating ones of the first set of defect candidates that are not identified in the second set of defect candidates.

A sheet discriminator, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes an optical information detector, a sheet distinguisher, and a sheet thickness detector. The optical information detector includes a light emitter to emit light to a recording medium and a light receiver to receive the light and detects information of the recording medium. The sheet distinguisher distinguishes a type of the recording medium based on the information detected by the optical information detector. The sheet thickness detector includes a displacement gauge to sandwich the recording medium with an opposing member disposed facing the displacement gauge and to move from an initial position thereof and a displacement detector to detect an amount of displacement of the displacement gauge. The sheet thickness detector detects a thickness of the recording medium based on detection results obtained by the displacement detector.

The present invention is a method of evaluating optical characteristics of a transparent substrate that is disposed on a display device, wherein the optical characteristics of the transparent substrate are evaluated by selecting two values among a quantified resolution index value (T), a quantified reflection image diffusiveness index value (R), and a quantified sparkle index value of the transparent substrate. According to the present invention, a transparent substrate and an anti-glare process that is to be applied to it can be properly selected, depending on purpose and use. The present invention can be utilized, for example, for evaluating optical characteristics of a transparent substrate that is installed in various types of display devices, such as an LCD device, an OLED device, a PDP device, and a tablet type display device.