Use of tapered Pyrex capillary tubes to increase the mechanical stability of multiwall carbon nanotubes field emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousa, M. S.; Bani Ali, E. S.; Hagmann, M. J.

2018-02-01

In this study, NanocylTM NC 7000 Thin Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used with a high aspect ratio (>150) made by the process of catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). The field emitter tips were prepared by inserting these MWCT into fine glass capillary tubes that were pulled at high temperatures and then cut. Measurements were carried out under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions with a base pressure of 10-9 mbar. The data show the effects of initial conditioning of MWCNT and hysteresis. Compression of the MWCNT by the capillary tubes appears to provide adequate mechanical support without requiring the use of a low-melting point electrically-conductive binder as has been used previously. Emission currents in excess of 1 μA were obtained so this technique shows promise as a reliable, stable, powerful electron source.

Tapered fluorotellurite microstructured fibers for broadband supercontinuum generation.

PubMed

Wang, Fang; Wang, Kangkang; Yao, Chuanfei; Jia, Zhixu; Wang, Shunbin; Wu, Changfeng; Qin, Guanshi; Ohishi, Yasutake; Qin, Weiping

2016-02-01

Fluorotellurite microstructured fibers (MFs) based on TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3 glasses are fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. Tapered fluorotellurite MFs with varied transition region lengths are prepared by employing an elongation machine. By using a tapered fluorotellurite MF with a transition region length of ∼3.3  cm as the nonlinear medium and a 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser as the pump source, broadband supercontinuum generation covering from 470 to 2770 nm is obtained. The effects of the transition region length of the tapered fluorotellurite MF on supercontinuum generation are also investigated. Our results show that tapered fluorotellurite MFs are promising nonlinear media for generating broadband supercontinuum light expanding from visible to mid-infrared spectral region.

Ion guiding in macro-size insulating capillaries: straight, tapered, and curved shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Takao M.

2018-02-01

When keV energy ions are injected into a tilted insulating capillary, a certain fraction of the injected ions are transported through the tilt angle of the capillary. This ion guiding phenomenon is considered to be caused by a self-organizing charge distribution, where the inner wall of the capillary becomes charged by initial incoming ions. The charge distribution, which is formed, can guide following ions toward the exit of the capillary. Since the initial discovery of this effect, studies of ion guiding by insulating capillaries have been extended to various materials, and different sizes and shapes of capillaries. In recent years, some investigations of the guiding effect of macro-size curved capillaries have also been reported. In this review, relevant studies in a history of ion guiding in curved capillaries are discussed and future directions in this field are considered.

Capillary optics for radiation focusing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peurrung, A.J.; Reeder, P.L.; Bliss, M.

Capillary lens technology may ultimately bring benefits to neutron and x-ray-based science like conventional lenses with visible light. Although the technology is not yet 10 years old, these lenses have already had a significant impact in engineering, science, and medicine. Capillary lenses are advantageous when it is desirable to increase the radiation flux at a location without regard to its angular divergence. PNNL has worked to improve the technology in several ways. A single, optimally tapered capillary was manufactured, which allows intensity gains of a factor of 270 for an initially parallel, incident x-ray beam. Feasibility of constructing neutron lensesmore » using {sup 58}Ni (particularly effective at reflecting neutrons) has been explored. Three applications for capillary optics have been identified and studied: neutron telescope, Gandolphi x-ray diffractometry, and neutron radiotherapy. A brief guide is given for determining which potential applications are likely to be helped by capillary optics.« less

Pump and Signal Taper for Airclad Fibers

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-05

as follows: Crystal Fibre A/S will develop a taper/coupler solution to interface between a new polarization maintaining/polarizing amplifier fiber ...MM) pump combiner with a high NA air-clad output. The input side of the combiner is 7 individual MM pump delivery solid all- glass fibers . The NA of...pump combiner. MOTIVATION FINAL REPORT ITEM 0002 In a typical standard fused fiber coupler a number of all- glass 0.22 NA pump

Microchannel plate fabrication using glass capillary arrays with Atomic Layer Deposition films for resistance and gain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popecki, M. A.; Adams, B.; Craven, C. A.; Cremer, T.; Foley, M. R.; Lyashenko, A.; O'Mahony, A.; Minot, M. J.; Aviles, M.; Bond, J. L.; Stochaj, M. E.; Worstell, W.; Elam, J. W.; Mane, A. U.; Siegmund, O. H. W.; Ertley, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Granoff, M. S.

2016-08-01

Microchannel plates (MCPs) have been used for many years in space flight instrumentation as fast, lightweight electron multipliers. A new MCP fabrication method combines a glass substrate composed of hollow glass capillary arrays with thin film coatings to provide the resistive and secondary electron emissive properties. Using this technique, the gain, resistance, and glass properties may be chosen independently. Large-area MCPs are available at moderate cost. Secondary emission films of Al2O3 and MgO provide sustained high gain as charge is extracted from the MCP. Long lifetimes are possible, and a total extracted charge of 7 C/cm2 has been demonstrated. Background rates are low because the glass substrate has little radioactive potassium 40. Curved MCPs are easily fabricated with this technique to suit instrument symmetries, simplifying secondary electron steering and smoothing azimuthal efficiency.

Packaged microsphere-taper coupling system with a high Q factor.

PubMed

Dong, Yongchao; Wang, Keyi; Jin, Xueying

2015-01-10

A novel packaged microsphere-taper coupling system which consists of a glass tube and two glass plates is proposed and demonstrated in this paper. We analyze the impact of the microsphere distortion on the resonant spectrum and it is observed that a very high quality factor (Q) up to 1.08×10(8) can be achieved by optimizing the microsphere position and orientation relative to the fiber taper. The maintenance of Q and a stable spectrum are realized by placing the packaged structure in a sealed organic glass box. Furthermore, to verify the practicability of the sealed device, thermal sensing experiments are carried out, which indicates the excellent convenience of the device with a resolution of 1.12×10(-4)°C. The portability and robustness of the packaged structure make it strikingly attractive and illustrate its potential in practical microcavity sensors and lasers.

Vertically-tapered optical waveguide and optical spot transformer formed therefrom

DOEpatents

Bakke, Thor; Sullivan, Charles T.

2004-07-27

An optical waveguide is disclosed in which a section of the waveguide core is vertically tapered during formation by spin coating by controlling the width of an underlying mesa structure. The optical waveguide can be formed from spin-coatable materials such as polymers, sol-gels and spin-on glasses. The vertically-tapered waveguide section can be used to provide a vertical expansion of an optical mode of light within the optical waveguide. A laterally-tapered section can be added adjacent to the vertically-tapered section to provide for a lateral expansion of the optical mode, thereby forming an optical spot-size transformer for efficient coupling of light between the optical waveguide and a single-mode optical fiber. Such a spot-size transformer can also be added to a III-V semiconductor device by post processing.

Tapered Glass-Fiber Microspike: High-Q Flexural Wave Resonator and Optically Driven Knudsen Pump.

PubMed

Pennetta, Riccardo; Xie, Shangran; Russell, Philip St J

2016-12-30

Appropriately designed optomechanical devices are ideal for making ultra-sensitive measurements. Here we report a fused-silica microspike that supports a flexural resonance with a quality factor greater than 100 000 at room temperature in vacuum. Fashioned by tapering single-mode fiber (SMF), it is designed so that the core-guided optical mode in the SMF evolves adiabatically into the fundamental mode of the air-glass waveguide at the tip. The very narrow mechanical linewidth (20 mHz) makes it possible to measure extremely small changes in resonant frequency. In a vacuum chamber at low pressure, the weak optical absorption of the glass is sufficient to create a temperature gradient along the microspike, which causes it to act as a microscopic Knudsen pump, driving a flow of gas molecules towards the tip where the temperature is highest. The result is a circulating molecular flow within the chamber. Momentum exchange between the vibrating microspike and the flowing molecules causes an additional restoring force that can be measured as a tiny shift in the resonant frequency. The effect is strongest when the mean free path of the gas molecules is comparable with the dimensions of the vacuum chamber. The system offers a novel means of monitoring the behavior of weakly absorbing optomechanical sensors operating in vacuum.

Supercontinuum generation from 437 to 2850 nm in a tapered fluorotellurite microstructured fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, F.; Jia, Z. X.; Yao, C. F.; Wang, S. B.; Hu, M. L.; Wu, C. F.; Ohishi, Y.; Qin, W. P.; Qin, G. S.

2016-12-01

We demonstrated supercontinuum (SC) generation in a tapered fluorotellurite microstructured fiber (MF) with a sub-micrometer core diameter. Fluorotellurite MFs based on TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3 glasses were fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method and a tapered fluorotellurite MF with a minimum core diameter of ~0.65 µm was prepared by employing a tapering system. A 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser was used as the pumping source. With increasing the peak power of the launched pump laser to ~11 kW, SC light expanding from 437 to 2850 nm was generated in the tapered fluorotellurite MF. In addition, relatively strong blue-shifted dispersive wave at ~489 nm was also observed from the tapered fluorotellurite MF.

Simple taper: Taper equations for the field forester

Treesearch

David R. Larsen

2017-01-01

"Simple taper" is set of linear equations that are based on stem taper rates; the intent is to provide taper equation functionality to field foresters. The equation parameters are two taper rates based on differences in diameter outside bark at two points on a tree. The simple taper equations are statistically equivalent to more complex equations. The linear...

Long-term survival of endodontically treated, maxillary anterior teeth restored with either tapered or parallel-sided glass-fiber posts and full-ceramic crown coverage.

PubMed

Signore, Antonio; Benedicenti, Stefano; Kaitsas, Vassilios; Barone, Michele; Angiero, Francesca; Ravera, Giambattista

2009-02-01

This retrospective study investigated the clinical effectiveness over up to 8 years of parallel-sided and of tapered glass-fiber posts, in combination with either hybrid composite or dual-cure composite resin core material, in endodontically treated, maxillary anterior teeth covered with full-ceramic crowns. The study population comprised 192 patients and 526 endodontically treated teeth, with various degrees of hard-tissue loss, restored by the post-and-core technique. Four groups were defined based on post shape and core build-up materials, and within each group post-and-core restorations were assigned randomly with respect to root morphology. Inclusion criteria were symptom-free endodontic therapy, root-canal treatment with a minimum apical seal of 4mm, application of rubber dam, need for post-and-core complex because of coronal tooth loss, and tooth with at least one residual coronal wall. Survival rate of the post-and-core restorations was determined using Kaplan-Meier statistical analysis. The restorations were examined clinically and radiologically; mean observation period was 5.3 years. The overall survival rate of glass-fiber post-and-core restorations was 98.5%. The survival rate for parallel-sided posts was 98.6% and for tapered posts was 96.8%. Survival rates for core build-up materials were 100% for dual-cure composite and 96.8% for hybrid light-cure composite. For both glass-fiber post designs and for both core build-up materials, clinical performance was satisfactory. Survival was higher for teeth retaining four and three coronal walls.

Acoustophoretic particle motion in a square glass capillary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnkob, Rune; Marin, Alvaro; Rossi, Massimiliano; Kähler, Christian J.

2014-11-01

Acoustofluidics applications often use complex resonator geometries and complex acoustic actuation, which complicates the prediction of the acoustic resonances and the induced forces from the acoustic radiation and the acoustic streaming. Recently, it was shown that simultaneous actuation of two perpendicular half-wave resonances in a square channel can lead to acoustic streaming that will spiral small particles towards the pressure nodal center (Antfolk, Anal. Chem. 84, 2012). This we investigate in details experimentally by examining a square glass capillary with a 400- μm microchannel acoustically actuated around its 2-MHz half-wave transverse resonance. The acoustic actuation leads to the formation of a half-wave resonance in both the vertical and horizontal direction of the microchannel. Due to viscous and dissipative losses both resonances have finite widths, but are shifted in frequency due to asymmetric actuation and fabrication tolerances making the channel not perfectly square. We determine the resonance widths and shift by measuring the 3D3C trajectories of large particles whose motion is fully dominated by acoustic radiation forces, while the induced acoustic streaming is determined by measuring smaller particles weakly influenced by the acoustic radiation force. DFG KA 1808/16-1.

Fatigue delamination onset prediction in tapered composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Gretchen Bostaph; Salpekar, Satish A.; Obrien, T. Kevin

1989-01-01

Tapered (0 deg) laminates of S2/CE9000 and S2/SP250 glass/epoxies, and IM6/1827I graphite/epoxy were tested in cyclic tension. The specimens usually showed some initial stable delaminations in the tapered region, but these did not affect the stiffness of the specimens, and loading was continued until the specimens either delaminated unstably, or reached 10(exp 6) to 2 x 10(exp 7) million cycles with no unstable delamination. The final unstable delamination originated at the junction of the thin and tapered regions. A finite-element model was developed for the tapered laminate with and without the initial stable delaminations observed in the tests. The analysis showed that for both cases the most likely place for an opening (Mode 1) delamination to originate is at the junction of the taper and thin regions. For each material type, the models were used to calculate the strain energy release rate, G, associated with delaminations originating at that junction and growing either into the thin region or tapered region. For the materials tested, cyclic G(sub Imax) values from DCB tests were used with the maximum strain energy release rates calculated from the finite-element analysis to predict the onset of unstable delamination at the junction as a function of fatigue cycles. The predictions were compared to experimental values of maximum cyclic load as a function of cycles to unstable delamination from fatigue tests in tapered laminates. For the IM6/1827I and S2/SP250 laminates, the predictions agreed very well with the test data. Predicted values for the S2/CE9000 were conservative compared to the test data.

Multiple capillary biochemical analyzer with barrier member

DOEpatents

Dovichi, Norman J.; Zhang, Jian Z.

1996-01-01

A multiple capillary biochemical analyzer for sequencing DNA and performing other analyses, in which a set of capillaries extends from wells in a microtiter plate into a cuvette. In the cuvette the capillaries are held on fixed closely spaced centers by passing through a sandwich construction having a pair of metal shims which squeeze between them a rubber gasket, forming a leak proof seal for an interior chamber in which the capillary ends are positioned. Sheath fluid enters the chamber and entrains filament sample streams from the capillaries. The filament sample streams, and sheath fluid, flow through aligned holes in a barrier member spaced close to the capillary ends, into a collection chamber having a lower glass window. The filament streams are illuminated above the barrier member by a laser, causing them to fluoresce. The fluorescence is viewed end-on by a CCD camera chip located below the glass window. The arrangement ensures an equal optical path length from all fluorescing spots to the CCD chip and also blocks scattered fluorescence illumination, providing more uniform results and an improved signal to noise ratio.

MRI investigation of water-oil two phase flow in straight capillary, bifurcate channel and monolayered glass bead pack.

PubMed

Liu, Yu; Jiang, Lanlan; Zhu, Ningjun; Zhao, Yuechao; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Dayong; Yang, Mingjun; Zhao, Jiafei; Song, Yongchen

2015-09-01

The study of immiscible fluid displacement between aqueous-phase liquids and non-aqueous-phase liquids in porous media is of great importance to oil recovery, groundwater contamination, and underground pollutant migration. Moreover, the attendant viscous, capillary, and gravitational forces are essential to describing the two-phase flows. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging was used to experimentally examine the detailed effects of the viscous, capillary, and gravitational forces on water-oil flows through a vertical straight capillary, bifurcate channel, and monolayered glass-bead pack. Water flooding experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure and 37.8°C, and the evolution of the distribution and saturation of the oil as well as the characteristics of the two-phase flow were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that the flow paths, i.e., the fingers of the displacing phase, during the immiscible displacement in the porous medium were determined by the viscous, capillary, and gravitational forces as well as the sizes of the pores and throats. The experimental results afford a fundamental understanding of immiscible fluid displacement in a porous medium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 864.6150 - Capillary blood collection tube.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Capillary blood collection tube. 864.6150 Section... blood collection tube. (a) Identification. A capillary blood collection tube is a plain or heparinized glass tube of very small diameter used to collect blood by capillary action. (b) Classification. Class I...

21 CFR 864.6150 - Capillary blood collection tube.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Capillary blood collection tube. 864.6150 Section... blood collection tube. (a) Identification. A capillary blood collection tube is a plain or heparinized glass tube of very small diameter used to collect blood by capillary action. (b) Classification. Class I...

21 CFR 864.6150 - Capillary blood collection tube.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Capillary blood collection tube. 864.6150 Section... blood collection tube. (a) Identification. A capillary blood collection tube is a plain or heparinized glass tube of very small diameter used to collect blood by capillary action. (b) Classification. Class I...

21 CFR 864.6150 - Capillary blood collection tube.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Capillary blood collection tube. 864.6150 Section... blood collection tube. (a) Identification. A capillary blood collection tube is a plain or heparinized glass tube of very small diameter used to collect blood by capillary action. (b) Classification. Class I...

21 CFR 864.6150 - Capillary blood collection tube.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Capillary blood collection tube. 864.6150 Section... blood collection tube. (a) Identification. A capillary blood collection tube is a plain or heparinized glass tube of very small diameter used to collect blood by capillary action. (b) Classification. Class I...

[Is the use of plastic capillary tubes justified for blood gases analysis?].

PubMed

Daurès, Marie-Françoise; Bozonnat, Marie-Cécile; Cristol, Jean-Paul

2011-01-01

Some clinical units, such as neonatal or maternity units, preferentially use capillary tubes when analysing blood gases. Using glass tubes is delicate and nurses must recollect blood when breaking. In order to eliminate this problem, we tested flexible, plastic capillary tubes in both the above mentionned units and in our biochemistry laboratory. Each unit, where glass tubes were habitually used, tested 200 flexible, plastic capillary tubes. In addition, the nursing staffed filled out a questionnaire concerned tube usage. Both units clearly preferred using the flexible tubes. In the laboratory, results for blood gas analyses were compared between rigid glass and flexible plastic capillary tubes for 112 patients. Concordance tests did not showed significant differences between the two tube types, except for hematocrit and total haemoglobin. A questionnaire was also presented to the lab technician, who confirmed the easier usability of plastic capillary tubes.

The results of the study of compact gas-puff and vacuum spark plasma sources of SXR with Glass-Capillary Converters (GCC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlyaptseva, Alla; Kantsyrev, Victor; Inozemtsev, Andrei; Petrukhin, Oleg

1994-06-01

The results are presented dealing with the working out and study of the SXR compact plasma source. The experimental set up included a compact new 'gas-puff' source with parameters being better than the traditional ones and a new type of SXR source - low-inductance vacuum spark (LIVS) with glass-capillary converters (GCC) of SXR. The compact plasma 'gas-puff' source had the high value of the z approx. (1-2) 10(exp -2) (conversion coefficient of initial energy supply into SXR); a small effective size of emission region and greater resource. The characteristics of LIVS with GCC were studied. GCC consisting of about several hundreds of glass capillaries allowed us to focus SXR, to change the cross section of SXR beams to plasma sources, and to change SXR spectrum. The possibility was shown of using of GCC in plasma diagnostics of powerful plasma devices: for X-ray microscopy and to study the influence of SXR on the solid state surface.

Multiple capillary biochemical analyzer with barrier member

DOEpatents

Dovichi, N.J.; Zhang, J.Z.

1996-10-22

A multiple capillary biochemical analyzer is disclosed for sequencing DNA and performing other analyses, in which a set of capillaries extends from wells in a microtiter plate into a cuvette. In the cuvette the capillaries are held on fixed closely spaced centers by passing through a sandwich construction having a pair of metal shims which squeeze between them a rubber gasket, forming a leak proof seal for an interior chamber in which the capillary ends are positioned. Sheath fluid enters the chamber and entrains filament sample streams from the capillaries. The filament sample streams, and sheath fluid, flow through aligned holes in a barrier member spaced close to the capillary ends, into a collection chamber having a lower glass window. The filament streams are illuminated above the barrier member by a laser, causing them to fluoresce. The fluorescence is viewed end-on by a CCD camera chip located below the glass window. The arrangement ensures an equal optical path length from all fluorescing spots to the CCD chip and also blocks scattered fluorescence illumination, providing more uniform results and an improved signal-to-noise ratio. 12 figs.

New type of capillary for use as ion beam collimator and air-vacuum interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoytschew, V.; Schulte-Borchers, M.; Božičević Mihalića, Iva; Perez, R. D.

2016-08-01

Glass capillaries offer a unique way to combine small diameter ion beam collimation with an air-vacuum interface for ambient pressure ion beam applications. Usually they have an opening diameter of a few microns, limiting the air inflow sufficiently to maintain stable conditions on the vacuum side. As the glass capillaries generally are quite thin and fragile, handling of the capillary in the experiment becomes difficult. They also introduce an X-ray background produced by the capillary wall material, which has to be shielded or subtracted from the data for Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) applications. To overcome both drawbacks, a new type of conical glass capillary has been developed. It has a higher wall thickness eliminating the low energy X-ray background produced by common capillaries and leading to a more robust lens. The results obtained in first tests show, that this new capillary is suitable for ion beam collimation and encourage further work on the capillary production process to provide thick wall capillaries with an outlet diameter in the single digit micro- or even nanometre range.

Fluctuations of wormlike micelle fluids in capillary flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salipante, Paul; Meek, Stephen; Hudson, Steven; Polymers; Complex Fluids Group Team

2017-11-01

We investigate the effect of entrance geometry on the flow stability of wormlike micelles solutions in capillary flow. These solutions exhibit strong shear thinning behavior resulting from micelle breakage and have been observed to undergo large flow rate fluctuations. We investigate these fluctuations using simultaneous measurements of flow rate and pressure drop across a capillary, and we adjust entrance geometry. With a tapered constriction, we observe large persistent fluctuations above a critical flow rate, characterized by rapid decreases in the pressure drop with corresponding increase in flow rate followed by a period of recovery where pressure increases and flow rate decreases. Flow field observations in the tapered entrance show large flow circulations. An abrupt contraction produces smaller transient fluidized jets forming upstream of the constriction and the magnitude of the fluctuations are significantly diminished. The effect of fluid properties is studied by comparing the magnitude and timescales of the fluctuations for surfactant systems with different relaxation times. The onset of fluctuations is compared to a criterion for the onset of elastic instabilities and the magnitude is compared to estimates for changes in channel resistance. NIST on a Chip.

Spectrometer capillary vessel and method of making same

DOEpatents

Linehan, John C.; Yonker, Clement R.; Zemanian, Thomas S.; Franz, James A.

1995-01-01

The present invention is an arrangement of a glass capillary tube for use in spectroscopy. In particular, the invention is a capillary arranged in a manner permitting a plurality or multiplicity of passes of a sample material through a spectroscopic measurement zone. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-pass capillary is insertable within a standard NMR sample tube. The present invention further includes a method of making the multi-pass capillary tube and an apparatus for spinning the tube.

Ultraviolet, visible, and infrared laser delivery using laser-to-fiber coupling via a grazing-incidence-based hollow taper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilev, Ilko K.; Waynant, Ronald W.

2001-01-01

We present a novel all-optical-waveguide method for ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) laser delivery including a lens-free method of laser-to-fiber coupling using a simple uncoated glass hollow taper. Based on the grazing incidence effect, the hollow taper provides a way of direct launching, without any intermediate focusing elements, high power laser radiation into delivery fibers. Because of the mutual action of the nearly parallel laser excitation, the mode coupling process, and mode filtering effect, the hollow taper serves as a mode converter that transforms the highly multimode profile of the input laser emission into a high-quality Gaussian-shaped profile at the taper output. When the grazing incidence effect of the taper is applied to laser delivery, the maintenance of high reflectance coefficients in a wide spectral region allows to utilize the same uncoated hollow taper for laser radiation in the UV, VIS and IR ranges. Applying the experimental hollow-taper based delivery systems, we obtain high laser- to-taper and taper-to-fiber coupling efficiencies.

Spectrometer capillary vessel and method of making same

DOEpatents

Linehan, J.C.; Yonker, C.R.; Zemanian, T.S.; Franz, J.A.

1995-11-21

The present invention is an arrangement of a glass capillary tube for use in spectroscopy. In particular, the invention is a capillary arranged in a manner permitting a plurality or multiplicity of passes of a sample material through a spectroscopic measurement zone. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-pass capillary is insertable within a standard NMR sample tube. The present invention further includes a method of making the multi-pass capillary tube and an apparatus for spinning the tube. 13 figs.

Stripe-like Clay Nanotubes Patterns in Glass Capillary Tubes for Capture of Tumor Cells.

PubMed

Liu, Mingxian; He, Rui; Yang, Jing; Zhao, Wei; Zhou, Changren

2016-03-01

Here, we used capillary tubes to evaporate an aqueous dispersion of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in a controlled manner to prepare a patterned surface with ordered alignment of the nanotubes . Sodium polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) was added to improve the surface charges of the tubes. An increased negative charge of HNTs is realized by PSS coating (from -26.1 mV to -52.2 mV). When the HNTs aqueous dispersion concentration is higher than 10%, liquid crystal phenomenon of the dispersion is found. A typical shear flow behavior and decreased viscosity upon shear is found when HNTs dispersions with concentrations higher than 10%. Upon drying the HNTs aqueous dispersion in capillary tubes, a regular pattern is formed in the wall of the tube. The width and spacing of the bands increase with HNTs dispersion concentration and decrease with the drying temperature for a given initial concentration. Morphology results show that an ordered alignment of HNTs is found especially for the sample of 10%. The patterned surface can be used as a model for preparing PDMS molding with regular micro-/nanostructure. Also, the HNTs rough surfaces can provide much higher tumor cell capture efficiency compared to blank glass surfaces. The HNTs ordered surfaces provide promising application for biomedical areas such as biosensors.

Strain energy release rate analysis of delamination in a tapered laminate subjected to tension load

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salpekar, S. A.; Raju, I. S.; Obrien, T. K.

1990-01-01

A tapered composite laminate subjected to tension load was analyzed using the finite-element method. The glass/epoxy laminate has a (+ or - 45)sub 3 group of plies dropped in three distinct steps, each 20 ply-thicknesses apart, thus forming a taper angle of 5.71 degrees. Steep gradients of interlaminar normal and shear stress on a potential delamination interface suggest the existence of stress singularities at the points of material and geometric discontinuities created by the internal plydrops. The delamination was assumed to initiate at the thin end of the taper on a -45/+45 interface and the delamination growth was simulated in both directions, i.e., along the taper and into the thin region. The strain-energy-release rate for a delamination growing into the thin laminate consisted predominantly of mode I (opening) component. For a delamination growing along the tapered region, the strain-energy-release rate was initially all mode I, but the proportion of mode I decreased with increase in delamination size until eventually total G was all mode II. The total G for both delamination tips increased with increase in delamination size, indicating that a delamination initiating at the end of the taper will grow unstably along the taper and into the thin laminate simultaneously.

Triggering vacuum capillaries for pneumatic pumping and metering liquids in point-of-care immunoassays.

PubMed

Weng, Kuo-Yao; Chou, Nien-Jen; Cheng, Jya-Wei

2008-07-01

An innovative vacuum capillary pneumatic actuation concept that can be used for point-of-care testing has been investigated. The vacuum glass capillaries are encapsulated within a laminated pouch and incorporated into the fluidic card. Vacuum glass capillaries broken by external force such as finger pressure, generate the pneumatic forces to induce liquid flow in the fluidic system. The sizes of vacuum capillary play a vital role in the pumping and metering functions of the system. The luteinizing hormone (LH) chromatographic immunoassay performances in the fluidic cards show consistency comparable to that obtained by manual micropipetting. The vacuum capillary pneumatic actuation will be applied in other complex handling step bioassays and lab-on-a-chip devices.

An efficient method for supercontinuum generation in dispersion-tailored Lead-silicate fiber taper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.; Ma, S.; Dutta, N. K.

2010-08-01

In this paper we theoretically study the broadband mid-IR supercontinuum generation (SCG) in a lead-silicate microstructured fiber (the glass for simulation is SF57). The total dispersion of the fiber can be tailored by changing the core diameter of the fiber so that dispersion profiles with two zero dispersion wavelengths (ZDWs) can be obtained. Numerical simulations of the SCG process in a 4 cm long SF57 fiber/fiber taper seeded by femto-second pulses at telecommunications wavelength of 1.55 µm are presented. The results show that a fiber taper features a continuous shift of the longer zero dispersion wavelength. This extends the generated continuum to a longer wavelength region compared to fibers with fixed ZDWs. The phase-matching condition (PMC) is continuously modified in the fiber taper and the bandwidth of the generated dispersive waves (DWs) is significantly broadened.

Integrated optical-fiber capillary electrophoresis microchips with novel spin-on-glass surface modification.

PubMed

Lin, Che-Hsin; Lee, Gwo-Bin; Fu, Lung-Ming; Chen, Shu-Hui

2004-07-30

This paper presents a novel micro-capillary electrophoresis (CE) chip with embedded optical fibers for the on-line detection of DNA samples. The optical fibers are pre-etched and then inserted directly into fiber channels incorporated within low-cost soda-lime glass substrates. The embedded optical fibers are precisely aligned with the microfluidic channels such that the induced fluorescence signals from labeled bio-samples can be detected. This arrangement avoids the requirement for delicate optical alignment procedures and equipment. Surface modification of the CE channels is accomplished by means of a simple and reliable organic-based spin-on-glass (SOG) method. The zeta potential distribution and the corresponding electroosmotic mobility of the fluid are simulated numerically for the modified and non-modified channel surfaces, and then both sets of results are verified experimentally. The present results indicate that the value of the zeta potential for a surface with an SOG coating is 19.3 times smaller than that of an untreated surface. A phiX-174 DNA marker fluid is used to evaluate the injection and separation performance of the developed micro-CE device. Furthermore, the long-term stability of the SOG-coated surface is also investigated. The experimental data reveal that the microchip device is capable of providing highly efficient separations of bio-molecules, and that the SOG layer retains its low zeta potential characteristics for at least 45 days. The present results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed micro-CE chip in performing the on-line detection of DNA samples, and indicate that the SOG process represents a simple and reliable solution for the surface modification of glass-based microchannels.

Glass heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector

DOEpatents

McConnell, Robert D.; Vansant, James H.

1984-01-01

A glass heat pipe is adapted for use as a solar energy absorber in an evacuated tube solar collector and for transferring the absorbed solar energy to a working fluid medium or heat sink for storage or practical use. A capillary wick is formed of granular glass particles fused together by heat on the inside surface of the heat pipe with a water glass binder solution to enhance capillary drive distribution of the thermal transfer fluid in the heat pipe throughout the entire inside surface of the evaporator portion of the heat pipe. Selective coatings are used on the heat pipe surface to maximize solar absorption and minimize energy radiation, and the glass wick can alternatively be fabricated with granular particles of black glass or obsidian.

Parabolic tapers for overmoded waveguides

DOEpatents

Doane, J.L.

1983-11-25

A waveguide taper with a parabolic profile, in which the distance along the taper axis varies as the square of the tapered dimension, provides less mode conversion than equal length linear tapers and is easier to fabricate than other non-linear tapers.

Fatigue Life Methodology for Tapered Hybrid Composite Flexbeams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

urri, Gretchen B.; Schaff, Jeffery R.

2006-01-01

Nonlinear-tapered flexbeam specimens from a full-size composite helicopter rotor hub flexbeam were tested under combined constant axial tension and cyclic bending loads. Two different graphite/glass hybrid configurations tested under cyclic loading failed by delamination in the tapered region. A 2-D finite element model was developed which closely approximated the flexbeam geometry, boundary conditions, and loading. The analysis results from two geometrically nonlinear finite element codes, ANSYS and ABAQUS, are presented and compared. Strain energy release rates (G) associated with simulated delamination growth in the flexbeams are presented from both codes. These results compare well with each other and suggest that the initial delamination growth from the tip of the ply-drop toward the thick region of the flexbeam is strongly mode II. The peak calculated G values were used with material characterization data to calculate fatigue life curves for comparison with test data. A curve relating maximum surface strain to number of loading cycles at delamination onset compared well with the test results.

About the role of phase matching between a coated microsphere and a tapered fiber: experimental study.

PubMed

Ristić, Davor; Rasoloniaina, Alphonse; Chiappini, Andrea; Féron, Patrice; Pelli, Stefano; Conti, Gualtiero Nunzi; Ivanda, Mile; Righini, Giancarlo C; Cibiel, Gilles; Ferrari, Maurizio

2013-09-09

Coatings of spherical optical microresonators are widely employed for different applications. Here the effect of the thickness of a homogeneous coating layer on the coupling of light from a tapered fiber to a coated microsphere has been studied. Spherical silica microresonators were coated using a 70SiO(2)- 30HfO(2) glass doped with 0.3 mol% Er(3+) ions. The coupling of a 1480 nm pump laser inside the sphere has been assessed using a tapered optical fiber and observing the 1530-1580 nm Er(3+) emission outcoupled to the same tapered fiber. The measurements were done for different coating thicknesses and compared with theoretical calculations to understand the relationship of the detected signal with the whispering gallery mode electric field profiles.

Improved Miniaturized Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer Using Lithographically Patterned Plates and Tapered Ejection Slit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yuan; Decker, Trevor K.; McClellan, Joshua S.; Bennett, Linsey; Li, Ailin; De la Cruz, Abraham; Andrews, Derek; Lammert, Stephen A.; Hawkins, Aaron R.; Austin, Daniel E.

2018-02-01

We present a new two-plate linear ion trap mass spectrometer that overcomes both performance-based and miniaturization-related issues with prior designs. Borosilicate glass substrates are patterned with aluminum electrodes on one side and wire-bonded to printed circuit boards. Ions are trapped in the space between two such plates. Tapered ejection slits in each glass plate eliminate issues with charge build-up within the ejection slit and with blocking of ions that are ejected at off-nominal angles. The tapered slit allows miniaturization of the trap features (electrode size, slit width) needed for further reduction of trap size while allowing the use of substrates that are still thick enough to provide ruggedness during handling, assembly, and in-field applications. Plate spacing was optimized during operation using a motorized translation stage. A scan rate of 2300 Th/s with a sample mixture of toluene and deuterated toluene (D8) and xylenes (a mixture of o-, m-, p-) showed narrowest peak widths of 0.33 Th (FWHM).

Multi-capillary based optical sensors for highly sensitive protein detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuyama, Yasuhira; Katagiri, Takashi; Matsuura, Yuji

2017-04-01

A fluorescence measuring method based on glass multi-capillary for detecting trace amounts of proteins is proposed. It promises enhancement of sensitivity due to effects of the adsorption area expansion and the longitudinal excitation. The sensitivity behavior of this method was investigated by using biotin-streptavidin binding. According to experimental examinations, it was found that the sensitivity was improved by a factor of 70 from common glass wells. We also confirmed our measuring system could detect 1 pg/mL of streptavidin. These results suggest that multi-capillary has a potential as a high-sensitive biosensor.

Study on the Strength of GFRP/Stainless Steel Adhesive Joints Reinforced with Glass Mat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwasa, Masaaki

The adhesive strengths of glass fiber reinforced plastics/metal adhesive joints reinforced with glass mat under tensile shear loads and tensile loads were investigated analytically and experimentally. First, the stress singularity parameters of the bonding edges were analyzed by FEM for various types of adhesive joints reinforced with glass mat. The shear stress and normal stress distributions near the bonding edge can be expressed by two stress singularity parameters. Second, tensile shear tests were performed on taper lap joint and taper lap joint reinforced with glass mat and tensile tests were performed on T-type adhesive joint and T-type adhesive joint reinforced with glass mat. The relationships between the loads and the crosshead displacements were measured. We concluded that reinforcing adhesive joints has a greater effect on strength under tensile load than under tensile shear load. The adhesive joints strength reinforced with glass mat can be evaluated by using stress singularity parameters.

Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes.

PubMed

Winwood, Paul W; Dudson, Mike K; Wilson, Daniel; Mclaren-Harrison, Justice K H; Redjkins, Vladislav; Pritchard, Hayden J; Keogh, Justin W L

2018-05-01

Winwood, PW, Dudson, MK, Wilson, D, Mclaren-Harrison, JKH, Redjkins, V, Pritchard, HJ, and Keogh, JWL. Tapering practices of strongman athletes. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1181-1196, 2018-This study provides the first empirical evidence of how strongman athletes taper for strongman competitions. Strongman athletes (n = 454) (mean ± SD: 33.2 ± 8.0 years, 178.1 ± 10.6 cm, 108.6 ± 27.9 kg, 12.6 ± 8.9 years general resistance training, 5.3 ± 5.0 years strongman implement training) completed a self-reported 4-page internet survey on tapering practices. Analysis by sex (male and female), age (≤30 and >30 years), body mass (≤105 and >105 kg), and competitive standard (local/regional amateur, national amateur and professional) was conducted. Eighty-seven percent (n = 396) of strongman athletes reported that they used a taper. Athletes stated that their typical taper length was 8.6 ± 5.0 days, with the step taper the most commonly performed taper (52%). Training volume decreased during the taper by 45.5 ± 12.9%, and all training ceased 3.9 ± 1.8 days out from competition. Typically, athletes reported that training frequency and training duration stayed the same or decreased and training intensity decreased to around 50% in the last week. Athletes generally stated that tapering was performed to achieve recovery, rest, and peak performance; the deadlift, yoke walk, and stone lifts/work took longer to recover from than other lifts; assistance exercises were reduced or removed in the taper; massage, foam rolling, nutritional changes, and static stretching were strategies used in the taper; and, poor tapering occurred when athletes trained too heavy/hard or had too short a taper. These data will assist strongman athletes and coaches in the optimization of tapering variables leading to more peak performances. Future research could investigate the priming and preactivation strategies strongman athletes use on competition day.

A new approach for the calculation of falling droplets from a cylindrical glass capillary based on force balance and velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hummel, Sebastian; Bogner, Martin; Haub, Michael; Saegebarth, Joachim; Sandmaier, Hermann

2017-11-01

This paper presents a new simple analytical method to estimate the properties of falling droplets without solving complex differential equations. The derivation starts from the balance of forces and uses Newton’s second law and the equations of motion to calculate the volume of growing and detaching droplets and the time between two successive droplets falling out of a thin cylindrical capillary of borosilicate glass. In this specific case the reservoir is located above the capillary and the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid level leads to drop formation times about one second. In the second part of this paper experimental results are presented to validate the introduced calculation method. It is shown that the new approach describes the measuring results within a deviation of ±6.2%. The third part of the paper sums up the advantages of the new approach and an outlook is given on how the research on this topic will be continued.

Fatigue Life Analysis of Tapered Hybrid Composite Flexbeams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Gretchen B.; Schaff, Jeffery R.; Dobyns, Alan L.

2002-01-01

Nonlinear-tapered flexbeam laminates from a full-size composite helicopter rotor hub flexbeam were tested under combined constant axial tension and cyclic bending loads. The two different graphite/glass hybrid configurations tested under cyclic loading failed by delamination in the tapered region. A 2-D finite element model was developed which closely approximated the flexbeam geometry, boundary conditions, and loading. The analysis results from two geometrically nonlinear finite element codes, ANSYS and ABAQUS, are presented and compared. Strain energy release rates (G) obtained from the above codes using the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) at a resin crack location in the flexbeams are presented for both hybrid material types. These results compare well with each other and suggest that the initial delamination growth from the resin crack toward the thick region of the flexbeam is strongly mode II. The peak calculated G values were used with material characterization data to calculate fatigue life curves and compared with test data. A curve relating maximum surface strain to number of loading cycles at delamination onset compared reasonably well with the test results.

Paramecium swimming in capillary tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jana, Saikat; Um, Soong Ho; Jung, Sunghwan

2012-04-01

Swimming organisms in their natural habitat need to navigate through a wide range of geometries and chemical environments. Interaction with boundaries in such situations is ubiquitous and can significantly modify the swimming characteristics of the organism when compared to ideal laboratory conditions. We study the different patterns of ciliary locomotion in glass capillaries of varying diameter and characterize the effect of the solid boundaries on the velocities of the organism. Experimental observations show that Paramecium executes helical trajectories that slowly transition to straight lines as the diameter of the capillary tubes decreases. We predict the swimming velocity in capillaries by modeling the system as a confined cylinder propagating longitudinal metachronal waves that create a finite pressure gradient. Comparing with experiments, we find that such pressure gradient considerations are necessary for modeling finite sized ciliary organisms in restrictive geometries.

1.4-7.2  μm broadband supercontinuum generation in an As-S chalcogenide tapered fiber pumped in the normal dispersion regime.

PubMed

Wang, Yingying; Dai, Shixun; Li, Guangtao; Xu, Dong; You, Chenyang; Han, Xin; Zhang, Peiqing; Wang, Xunsi; Xu, Peipeng

2017-09-01

We report a broadband supercontinuum (SC) generation in chalcogenide (ChG) step-index tapered fibers pumped in the normal dispersion regime. The fibers consisting of As 2 S 3 core and As 38 S 62 cladding glasses were fabricated using the isolated stacked extrusion method. A homemade tapering platform allows us to accurately control the core diameters and transition region lengths of the tapered fibers. An SC generation spanning from 1.4 to 7.2 μm was achieved by pumping a 12-cm-long tapered fiber with femtosecond laser pulses at 3.25 μm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the broadest SC generation obtained experimentally in tapered fibers when pumped in the normal dispersion regime so far. The effects of waist diameter and transition region length of the tapered fiber on the SC spectral behavior were also investigated.

Enhancing sensitivity of biconical tapered fiber sensors with multiple passes through the taper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohoon, Gregory; Boyter, Chris; Errico, Michael; Vandervoort, Kurt; Salik, Ertan

2010-03-01

A single biconical fiber taper is a simple and low-cost yet powerful sensor. With a distinct strength in refractive index (RI) sensing, biconical tapered fiber sensors can find their place in handheld sensor platforms, especially as biosensors that are greatly needed in health care, environmental protection, food safety, and biodefense. We report doubling of sensitivity for these sensors with two passes through the tapered region, which becomes possible through the use of sensitive and high-dynamic-range photodetectors. In a proof-of-principle experiment, we measured transmission through the taper when it was immersed in isopropyl alcohol-water mixtures of varying concentrations, in which a thin gold layer at the tip of the fiber acted as a mirror enabling two passes through the tapered region. This improved the sensitivity from 0.43 dB/vol % in the single-pass case to 0.78 dB/vol % with two passes through the taper. The refractive index detection limit was estimated to be ~1.2×10-5 RI units (RIU) and ~0.6×10-5 RIU in the single- and double-pass schemes, respectively. We predict that further enhancement of sensitivity may be achieved with a higher number of passes through the taper.

Tapered chalcogenide-tellurite hybrid microstructured fiber for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Peilong; Zhang, Peiqing; Dai, Shixun; Wu, Yuehao; Wang, Xunsi; Tao, Guangming; Nie, Qiuhua

2015-05-01

Fibers exhibiting flattened and decreasing dispersion are important in nonlinear applications. Such fibers are difficult to design, particularly in soft glass. In this work, we develop a preliminary design of a highly nonlinear tapered hybrid microstructured optical fiber (TH-MOF) with chalcogenide glass core and tellurite glass microstructure cladding. We then numerically studied its dispersion, loss, and nonlinearity-related optical properties under fundamental mode systematically using the infinitesimal method. The designed TH-MOF exhibits low chromatic dispersion that is similar to a convex function with two zero-dispersion wavelengths and decreases with fiber length from 2 to 5 μm band. The potential use of the TH-MOF in nonlinear applications is demonstrated numerically by a supercontinuum spectrum of 20 dB bandwidth covering 1.96-4.76 μm generated in 2-cm-long TH-MOF using near 3.25-μm fs-laser pump.

Ultra-High-Speed DNA Fragment Separations Using Microfabricated Capillary Array Electrophoresis Chips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolley, Adam T.; Mathies, Richard A.

1994-11-01

Capillary electrophoresis arrays have been fabricated on planar glass substrates by photolithographic masking and chemical etching techniques. The photolithographically defined channel patterns were etched in a glass substrate, and then capillaries were formed by thermally bonding the etched substrate to a second glass slide. High-resolution electrophoretic separations of φX174 Hae III DNA restriction fragments have been performed with these chips using a hydroxyethyl cellulose sieving matrix in the channels. DNA fragments were fluorescently labeled with dye in the running buffer and detected with a laser-excited, confocal fluorescence system. The effects of variations in the electric field, procedures for injection, and sizes of separation and injection channels (ranging from 30 to 120 μm) have been explored. By use of channels with an effective length of only 3.5 cm, separations of φX174 Hae III DNA fragments from ≈70 to 1000 bp are complete in only 120 sec. We have also demonstrated high-speed sizing of PCR-amplified HLA-DQα alleles. This work establishes methods for high-speed, high-throughput DNA separations on capillary array electrophoresis chips.

Capillary waveguide optrodes: an approach to optical sensing in medical diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lippitsch, Max E.; Draxler, Sonja; Kieslinger, Dietmar; Lehmann, Hartmut; Weigl, Bernhard H.

1996-07-01

Glass capillaries with a chemically sensitive coating on the inner surface are used as optical sensors for medical diagnostics. A capillary simultaneously serves as a sample compartment, a sensor element, and an inhomogeneous optical waveguide. Various detection schemes based on absorption, fluorescence intensity, or fluorescence lifetime are described. In absorption-based capillary waveguide optrodes the absorption in the sensor layer is analyte dependent; hence light transmission along the inhomogeneous waveguiding structure formed by the capillary wall and the sensing layer is a function of the analyte concentration. Similarly, in fluorescence-based capillary optrodes the fluorescence intensity or the fluorescence lifetime of an indicator dye fixed in the sensing layer is analyte dependent; thus the specific property of fluorescent light excited in the sensing layer and thereafter guided along the inhomogeneous waveguiding structure is a function of the analyte concentration. Both schemes are experimentally demonstrated, one with carbon dioxide as the analyte and the other one with oxygen. The device combines optical sensors with the standard glass capillaries usually applied to gather blood drops from fingertips, to yield a versatile diagnostic instrument, integrating the sample compartment, the optical sensor, and the light-collecting optics into a single piece. This ensures enhanced sensor performance as well as improved handling compared with other sensors. waveguide, blood gases, medical diagnostics.

Stabilization of porous glass reverse-osmosis membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballou, E. V.; Leban, M. I.; Wydeven, T.

1972-01-01

Application of porous glass in form of capillary tubes for low capacity ion exchange in hyperfiltration experiments is discussed. Efficiency of desalination by process of reverse osmosis is described. Stabilization of porous glass membrane by presence of aluminum chloride is analyzed.

Tapered monocapillary-optics for point source applications

DOEpatents

Hirsch, Gregory

2000-01-01

A glass or metal wire is precisely etched to form the paraboloidal or ellipsoidal shape of the final desired capillary optic. This shape is created by carefully controlling the withdrawal speed of the wire from an etchant bath. In the case of a complete ellipsoidal capillary, the etching operation is performed twice in opposite directions on adjacent wire segments. The etched wire undergoes a subsequent operation to create an extremely smooth surface. This surface is coated with a layer of material which is selected to maximize the reflectivity of the radiation. This reflective surface may be a single layer for wideband reflectivity, or a multilayer coating for optimizing the reflectivity in a narrower wavelength interval. The coated wire is built up with a reinforcing layer, typically by a plating operation. The initial wire is removed by either an etching procedure or mechanical force. Prior to removing the wire, the capillary is typically bonded to a support substrate. One option for attaching the wire to the substrate produces a monolithic structure by essentially burying it under a layer of plating which covers both the wire and the substrate. The capillary optic is used for efficiently collecting and redirecting the divergent radiation from a source which could be the anode of an x-ray tube, a plasma source, the fluorescent radiation from an electron microprobe, or some other source of radiation.

Application of fiber tapers in astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcel, Jaclyn; Haynes, Roger; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss

2006-06-01

Fiber tapers have the potential to significantly advance instrument technology into the realm of fully integrated optical systems. Our initial investigation was directed at the use of fiber tapers as f-ratio transformation devices. Using a technique developed for testing focal ratio degradation (FRD), a collimated light source was injected at different angles into various fiber taper samples and the far-field profile of the fiber output was observed. We compare the FRD present in the optical fiber tapers with conventional fibers and determine how effectively fiber tapers perform as image converters. We demonstrate that while silica fiber tapers may have slightly more intrinsic FRD than conventional fibers they still show promise as adiabatic mode transformers and are worth investigating further for their potential use in astronomical instruments. In this paper we present a brief review of the current status of fiber tapers with particular focus on the astronomical applications. We demonstrate the conservation of etendue in the taper transformation process and present the experimental results for a number of different taper profiles and manufacturers.

A capillary-driven micromixer: idea and fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chun-Te; Lee, Chun-Che

2012-10-01

Microfluidic systems have been drawing attention upon the various branches of engineering science and the allied areas within biology and biomedicine. In this paper, a fabrication of a capillary-driven micromixer using photoresist JSR and glasses is proposed. We design three types of planar capillary-driven micormixers with different sizes of baffles in the channel. Flow tests have shown that the micromixer with a baffle gap of 100 μm and space of 100 μm reaches a best mixing performance of 93% in gray-level image analysis.

Tapered structure construction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Eric D.; Takata, Rosalind K.; Slocum, Alexander H.

Feeding stock used to form a tapered structure into a curving device such that each point on the stock undergoes rotational motion about a peak location of the tapered structure; and the stock meets a predecessor portion of stock along one or more adjacent edges.

Tapered fiber nanoprobes: plasmonic nanopillars on tapered optical fiber tips for large EM enhancement.

PubMed

Savaliya, Priten; Dhawan, Anuj

2016-10-01

Employing finite difference time domain simulations, we demonstrate that electromagnetic field enhancement is substantially greater for tapered optical fibers with plasmonic nanostructures present on their tips as compared with non-tapered optical fibers having those plasmonic nanostructures, or with tapered optical fibers without the plasmonic nanostructures. We also carried out fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures on optical fiber tips.

Supercontinuum generation covering the entire 0.4-5 µm transmission window in a tapered ultra-high numerical aperture all-solid fluorotellurite fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Z. X.; Yao, C. F.; Jia, S. J.; Wang, F.; Wang, S. B.; Zhao, Z. P.; Liao, M. S.; Qin, G. S.; Hu, L. L.; Ohishi, Y.; Qin, W. P.

2018-02-01

Enormous efforts have been made to realize supercontinuum (SC) generation covering the entire transmission window of fiber materials for their wide applications in many fields. Here we demonstrate ultra-broadband SC generation from 400 to 5140 nm in a tapered ultra-high numerical aperture (NA) all-solid fluorotellurite fiber pumped by a 1560 nm mode-locked fiber laser. The fluorotellurite fibers are fabricated using a rod-in-tube method. The core and cladding materials are TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3- and TeO2-modified fluoroaluminate glasses, respectively, which have large refractive index contrast and similar thermal expansion coefficients and softening temperatures. The NA at 3200 nm of the fluorotellurite fiber is about 1.11. Furthermore, tapered fluorotellurite fibers are prepared using an elongation machine. SC generation covering the entire 0.4-5 µm transmission window is achieved in a tapered fluorotellurite fiber for a pumping peak power of ~10.5 kW through synergetic control of dispersion, nonlinearity, confinement loss and other unexpected effects (e.g. the attachment of dust or water to the surface of the fiber core) of the fiber. Our results show that tapered ultra-high NA all-solid soft glass fibers have a potential for generating SC light covering their entire transmission window.

Development of polycapillary x-ray optics for x-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Bernhard W.; Attenkofer, Klaus; Bond, Justin L.; Craven, Christopher A.; Cremer, Till; O'Mahony, Aileen; Minot, Michael J.; Popecki, Mark A.

2016-09-01

Bundles of hollow glass capillaries can be tapered to produce quasi-focusing x-ray optics. These optics are known as Kumakhov lenses. These optics are interesting for lab-based sources because they can be used to collimate and concentrate x-rays originating from a point, such as a laser focus or an electron-beam focus in a microtube.

Tapered GRIN fiber microsensor.

PubMed

Beltrán-Mejía, Felipe; Biazoli, Claudecir R; Cordeiro, Cristiano M B

2014-12-15

The sensitivity of an optical fiber microsensor based on inter-modal interference can be considerably improved by tapering a short extension of the multimode fiber. In the case of Graded Index fibers with a parabolic refractive index profile, a meridional ray exhibits a sinusoidal path. When these fibers are tapered, the period of the propagated beam decrease down-taper and increase up-taper. We take advantage of this modulation -along with the enhanced overlap between the evanescent field and the external medium- to substantially increase the sensitivity of these devices by tuning the sensor's maximum sensitivity wavelength. Moreover, the extension of this device is reduced by one order of magnitude, making it more propitious for reduced space applications. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate the success and feasibility of this approach.

Capillary liquid chromatography-microchip atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Ostman, Pekka; Jäntti, Sirkku; Grigoras, Kestas; Saarela, Ville; Ketola, Raimo A; Franssila, Sami; Kotiaho, Tapio; Kostiainen, Risto

2006-07-01

A miniaturized nebulizer chip for capillary liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (capillary LC-microchip APCI-MS) is presented. The APCI chip consists of two wafers, a silicon wafer and a Pyrex glass wafer. The silicon wafer has a DRIE etched through-wafer nebulizer gas inlet, an edge capillary insertion channel, a stopper, a vaporizer channel and a nozzle. The platinum heater electrode and pads for electrical connection were patterned on to the Pyrex glass wafer. The two wafers were joined by anodic bonding, creating a microchip version of an APCI-source. The sample inlet capillary from an LC column is directly connected to the vaporizer channel of the APCI chip. The etched nozzle in the microchip forms a narrow sample plume, which is ionized by an external corona needle, and the formed ions are analyzed by a mass spectrometer. The nebulizer chip enables for the first time the use of low flow rate separation techniques with APCI-MS. The performance of capillary LC-microchip APCI-MS was tested with selected neurosteroids. The capillary LC-microchip APCI-MS provides quantitative repeatability and good linearity. The limits of detection (LOD) with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3 in MS/MS mode for the selected neurosteroids were 20-1000 fmol (10-500 nmol l(-1)). LODs (S/N = 3) with commercial macro APCI with the same compounds using the same MS were about 10 times higher. Fast heat transfer allows the use of the optimized temperature for each compound during an LC run. The microchip APCI-source provides a convenient and easy method to combine capillary LC to any API-MS equipped with an APCI source. The advantages and potentials of the microchip APCI also make it a very attractive interface in microfluidic APCI-MS.

Buprenorphine tapering schedule and illicit opioid use

PubMed Central

Ling, Walter; Hillhouse, Maureen; Domier, Catherine; Doraimani, Geetha; Hunter, Jeremy; Thomas, Christie; Jenkins, Jessica; Hasson, Albert; Annon, Jeffrey; Saxon, Andrew; Selzer, Jeffrey; Boverman, Joshua; Bilangi, Richard

2011-01-01

Aims To compare the effects of a short or long taper schedule after buprenorphine stabilization on participant outcomes as measured by opioid-free urine tests at the end of each taper period. Design This multi-site study sponsored by Clinical Trials Network (CTN, a branch of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse) was conducted from 2003 to 2005 to compare two taper conditions (7 days and 28 days). Data were collected at weekly clinic visits to the end of the taper periods, and at 1-month and 3-month post-taper follow-up visits. Setting Eleven out-patient treatment programs in 10 US cities. Intervention Non-blinded dosing with Suboxone® during the 1-month stabilization phase included 3 weeks of flexible dosing as determined appropriate by the study physicians. A fixed dose was required for the final week before beginning the taper phase. Measurements The percentage of participants in each taper group providing urine samples free of illicit opioids at the end of the taper and at follow-up. Findings At the end of the taper, 44% of the 7-day taper group (n = 255) provided opioid-free urine specimens compared to 30% of the 28-day taper group (n = 261; P = 0.0007). There were no differences at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups (7-day = 18% and 12%; 28-day = 18% and 13%, 1 month and 3 months, respectively). Conclusion For individuals terminating buprenorphine pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence, there appears to be no advantage in prolonging the duration of taper. PMID:19149822

Single-Molecule Detection in Micron-Sized Capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, David A.; Shen, Guoqing; Davis, Lloyd M.

2004-11-01

The detection of individual molecules in solution by laser-induced fluorescence is becoming an increasingly important tool for biophysics research and biotechnology applications. In a typical single-molecule detection (SMD) experiment, diffusion is the dominant mode of transport of fluorophores through the focused laser beam. In order to more rapidly process a large number of slowly diffusing bio-molecules for applications in pharmaceutical drug discovery, a flow can be introduced within a capillary. If the flow speed is sufficient, bio-molecules will be carried through the probe volume significantly faster than by diffusion alone. Here we discuss SMD near the tip of, and in, such micron-sized capillaries, with a high numerical-aperture microscope objective used for confocal-epi-illumination along the axis of the capillary. Problems such as molecular adsorption to the glass are also addressed.

Optical fiber nanoprobe preparation for near-field optical microscopy by chemical etching under surface tension and capillary action.

PubMed

Mondal, Samir K; Mitra, Anupam; Singh, Nahar; Sarkar, S N; Kapur, Pawan

2009-10-26

We propose a technique of chemical etching for fabrication of near perfect optical fiber nanoprobe (NNP). It uses photosensitive single mode optical fiber to etch in hydro fluoric (HF) acid solution. The difference in etching rate for cladding and photosensitive core in HF acid solution creates capillary ring along core-cladding boundary under a given condition. The capillary ring is filled with acid solution due to surface tension and capillary action. Finally it creates near perfect symmetric tip at the apex of the fiber as the height of the acid level in capillary ring decreases while width of the ring increases with continuous etching. Typical tip features are short taper length (approximately 4 microm), large cone angle (approximately 38 degrees ), and small probe tip dimension (<100 nm). A finite difference time domain (FDTD) analysis is also presented to compare near field optics of the NNP with conventional nanoprobe (CNP). The probe may be ideal for near field optical imaging and sensor applications.

Control of electroosmosis in coated quartz capillaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herren, Blair J.; Van Alstine, James; Snyder, Robert S.; Shafer, Steven G.; Harris, J. Milton

1987-01-01

The effectiveness of various coatings for controlling the electroosmotic fluid flow that hinders electrophoretic processes is studied using analytical particle microelectrophoresis. The mobilities of 2-micron diameter glass and polystyrene latex spheres (exhibiting both negative and zero effective surface charge) were measured in 2-mm diameter quartz capillaries filled with NaCl solutions within the 3.5-7.8 pH range. It is found that capillary inner surface coatings using 5000 molecular weight (or higher) poly(ethylene glycol): significantly reduced electroosmosis within the selected pH range, were stable for long time periods, and appeared to be more effective than dextran, methylcellulose, or silane coatings.

Development of As-Se tapered suspended-core fibers for ultra-broadband mid-IR wavelength conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anashkina, E. A.; Shiryaev, V. S.; Koptev, M. Y.; Stepanov, B. S.; Muravyev, S. V.

2018-01-01

We designed and developed tapered suspended-core fibers of high-purity As39Se61 glass for supercontinuum generation in the mid-IR with a standard fiber laser pump source at 2 ${\\mu}$m. It was shown that microstructuring allows shifting a zero dispersion wavelength to the range shorter than 2 ${\\mu}$m in the fiber waist with a core diameter of about 1 ${\\mu}$m. In this case, supercontinuum generation in the 1-10 ${\\mu}$m range was obtained numerically with 150-fs 100-pJ pump pulses at 2 ${\\mu}$m. We also performed experiments on wavelength conversion of ultrashort optical pulses at 1.57 ${\\mu}$m from Er: fiber laser system in the manufactured As-Se tapered fibers. The measured broadening spectra were in a good agreement with the ones simulated numerically.

Monitoring the fabrication of tapered optical fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullaney, K.; Correia, R.; Staines, S. E.; James, S. W.; Tatam, R. P.

2017-04-01

A variety of optical methods to enhance the process of making optical fibre tapers are explored. A thermal camera was used to both refine the alignment of the optical components and optimize the laser power profile during the tapering process. The fibre transmission was measured to verify that the tapers had the requisite optical characteristics while the strain experienced by the fibre while tapering was assessed using an optical fibre Bragg grating. Using these techniques, adiabatic tapers were fabricated with a 2% insertion loss.

Non-contact printing of optical waveguides using capillary bridges.

PubMed

Theiler, Pius M; Lütolf, Fabian; Ferrini, Rolando

2018-04-30

Non-contact printing methods such as inkjet, electro hydrodynamic, and aerosol printing have attracted attention for their precise deposition of functional materials that are needed in printed electronics, optoelectronics, photonics, biotechnology, and microfluidics. In this article, we demonstrate printing of tapered optical waveguides with losses of 0.61 ± 0.26 dB/cm, with the best performing structure achieving 0.19 dB/cm. Such continuous features are indispensable for successfully printing functional patterns, but they are often corrupted by capillary forces. The proposed inkjet printing method uses these forces to align liquid bridges into continuous features, enabling the printing of smooth lines on substrates with arbitrary contact angles.

Integrated microfluidic flowmeter based on a micro-FBG inscribed in Co²⁺-doped optical fiber.

PubMed

Liu, Zhengyong; Tse, Ming-Leung Vincent; Zhang, A Ping; Tam, Hwa-Yaw

2014-10-15

A novel microfluidic flowmeter integrated with microfiber Bragg grating (µFBG) is presented. Two glass capillaries and a short length of high-light-absorption Co²⁺-doped optical fiber were stacked inside a larger outer capillary tube. The stack was then drawn into a tapered device. Two microchannels with the diameter of ~50  μm were formed inside the capillaries for flowing of microfluidics. An FBG was inscribed in the tapered Co²⁺-doped fiber with waist diameter of ~70  μm, and acts as a flow-rate sensor. A pump laser with wavelength of 1480 nm was utilized to locally heat the µFBG, rendering the µFBG as miniature "hot-wire" flowmeter. The flow rate of the liquid in the microchannels is determined by the induced wavelength shift of the µFBG. The experimental results achieve a minimum detectable change of ~16  nL/s in flow rate, which is very promising in the use as part of biochips.

Nanoscale mechanochemical wear of phosphate laser glass against a CeO2 particle in humid air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jiaxin; He, Hongtu; Zhang, Yafeng; Hu, Hailong

2017-01-01

Using an atomic force microscope, the friction and wear of phosphate laser glass against a CeO2 particle were quantitatively studied both in humid air and in vacuum, to reveal the water molecules induced mechanochemical wear mechanism of phosphate laser glass. The friction coefficient of the glass/CeO2 pair in air was found to be 5-7 times higher than that in vacuum due to the formation of a capillary water bridge at the friction interface, with a contribution of the capillary-related friction to the total friction coefficient as high as 65-79%. The capillary water bridge further induced a serious material removal of glass and CeO2 particle surfaces, while supplying both a local liquid water environment to corrode the glass surface and a high shearing force to assist the stretching of the Cesbnd Osbnd P bond, accelerating the reaction between water and the glass/CeO2 pair. In vacuum, however, no discernable wear phenomena were observed, but the phase images captured by AFM tapping mode suggested the occurrence of potential strain hardening in the friction area of the glass surface.

Tapering Practices of Croatian Open-Class Powerlifting Champions.

PubMed

Grgic, Jozo; Mikulic, Pavle

2017-09-01

Grgic, J and Mikulic, P. Tapering practices of Croatian open-class powerlifting champions. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2371-2378, 2017-The aim of this study was to explore tapering practices among 10 Croatian open-class powerlifting champions (mean ± SD: age 29.2 ± 3.2 years; Wilks coefficient 355.1 ± 54.8). The athletes were interviewed about their tapering practices using a semi-structured interview after which the audio content was transcribed. The athletes reported decreasing training volume during the taper by 50.5 ± 11.7% using a step type or an exponential type of taper with a fast decay. Training intensity was maintained or increased during the taper, and it reached its highest values 8 ± 3 days before the competition. Training frequency was reduced or maintained during the taper. The final week included a reduction in training frequency by 47.9 ± 17.5% with the last training session performed 3 ± 1 days before the competition. The participants typically stated that the main reasons for conducting the taper were maintaining strength and reducing the amount of fatigue. They also stated that (a) the taper was structured identically for the squat, bench press, and the deadlift; (b) the training during the taper was highly specific, the assistance exercises were removed, and the same equipment was used as during competition; (c) the source of information for tapering was their coach, and training fluctuated based on the coach's feedback; and (d) nutrition, foam rolling, static stretching, and massage were all given extra attention during the taper. These results may aid athletes and coaches in strength sports in terms of the optimization of tapering variables.

Facile detection of Troponin I using dendritic platinum nanoparticles and capillary tube indicators.

PubMed

Lee, Sanghee; Kwon, Donghoon; Yim, Changyong; Jeon, Sangmin

2015-01-01

A facile method was developed for the detection of Troponin I (TnI) using dendritic platinum nanoparticles and capillary tube indicators. Dendritic platinum nanoparticles were functionalized with TnI antibodies, which were used to capture TnI in human serum. The captured TnI was conjugated to the inner surface of a glass vial, to which a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution was added. After the glass vial was sealed with a screw cap containing a silicon septum, a capillary tube containing a drop of ink was inserted through the septum. The catalytic dissociation of H2O2 to water and oxygen increased the pressure inside the glass vial and raised the ink level in the capillary tube. The ink level increased with the platinum nanoparticle concentration, which is proportional to the TnI concentration. The sensitivity of this assay for TnI in human serum after a 5 min dissociation reaction, detected with the naked eye, was 0.1 ng/mL, which was better than the sensitivity of the conventional colorimetric method using the TMB oxidation reaction under the same experimental conditions. A control experiment using alpha-fetoprotein, interleukin-5, and C-reactive protein revealed that the developed method was highly selective for the detection of TnI.

Comparative evaluation of apically extruded debris with V-Taper, ProTaper Next, and the Self-adjusting File systems.

PubMed

Vyavahare, Nishant K; Raghavendra, Srinidhi Surya; Desai, Niranjan N

2016-01-01

Complete cleaning of the root canal is the goal for ensuring success in endodontics. Removal of debris plays an important role in achieving this goal. In spite of advancements in instrument design, apical extrusion of debris remains a source of inflammation in the periradicular region. To comparatively evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris with V-Taper, ProTaper Next, and the self-adjusting File (SAF) system. Sixty-four extracted human mandibular teeth with straight root canals were taken. Access openings were done and working length determined. The samples were randomly divided into three groups: Group I - V-Taper files (n = 20), Group II - ProTaper Next (n = 20), Group III - SAF (n = 20). Biomechanical preparation was completed and the debris collected in vials to be quantitatively determined. The data obtained was statistically analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's test. All the specimens showed apical debris extrusion. SAF showed significantly less debris extrusion compared to V-Taper and ProTaper Next (P < 0.001). Among Groups I and II, ProTaper Next showed lesser debris extrusion as compared to V-Taper, but it was not significant (P = 0.124). The SAF showed least amount of apical debris extrusion when compared to newer rotary endodontic instruments. This indicates that the incidence of inter-treatment flare-ups due to debris extrusion would be less with the SAF.

Supercontinuum generation in a tapered tellurite microstructured optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, X.; Ohishi, Y.

2014-07-01

Supercontinuum generation (SCG) was investigated in tapered tellurite microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) for various taper profiles. We emphasize on the procedure for finding the dispersion profile that achieve the best width of the SC spectra. An enhancement of the SCG is achieved by varying the taper waist diameter along its length in a carefully designed, and an optimal degree of tapering is found to exist for tapers with an axially uniform waist. We also show the XFROG spectrograms of the pulses propagating through different tapered fibers, confirming the optimized taper conditions.

Tapered undulator for SASE FELs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fawley, William M.; Huang, Zhirong; Kim, Kwang-Je

We discuss the use of tapered undulators to enhance the performance of free-electron lasers (FELs) based upon self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), where the radiation tends to have a relatively broad bandwidth, limited temporal phase coherence, and large amplitude fluctuations. Using the polychromatic FEL simulation code GINGER, we numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of a tapered undulator for parameters corresponding to the existing Argonne low-energy undulator test line (LEUTL) FEL. We also study possible tapering options for proposed x-ray FELs such as the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS).

Comparative evaluation of apically extruded debris with V-Taper, ProTaper Next, and the Self-adjusting File systems

PubMed Central

Vyavahare, Nishant K.; Raghavendra, Srinidhi Surya; Desai, Niranjan N.

2016-01-01

Background: Complete cleaning of the root canal is the goal for ensuring success in endodontics. Removal of debris plays an important role in achieving this goal. In spite of advancements in instrument design, apical extrusion of debris remains a source of inflammation in the periradicular region. Aim: To comparatively evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris with V-Taper, ProTaper Next, and the self-adjusting File (SAF) system. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four extracted human mandibular teeth with straight root canals were taken. Access openings were done and working length determined. The samples were randomly divided into three groups: Group I - V-Taper files (n = 20), Group II - ProTaper Next (n = 20), Group III - SAF (n = 20). Biomechanical preparation was completed and the debris collected in vials to be quantitatively determined. The data obtained was statistically analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's test. Results: All the specimens showed apical debris extrusion. SAF showed significantly less debris extrusion compared to V-Taper and ProTaper Next (P < 0.001). Among Groups I and II, ProTaper Next showed lesser debris extrusion as compared to V-Taper, but it was not significant (P = 0.124). Conclusion: The SAF showed least amount of apical debris extrusion when compared to newer rotary endodontic instruments. This indicates that the incidence of inter-treatment flare-ups due to debris extrusion would be less with the SAF. PMID:27217636

Wide-field lensless fluorescent microscopy using a tapered fiber-optic faceplate on a chip.

PubMed

Coskun, Ahmet F; Sencan, Ikbal; Su, Ting-Wei; Ozcan, Aydogan

2011-09-07

We demonstrate lensless fluorescent microscopy over a large field-of-view of ~60 mm(2) with a spatial resolution of <4 µm. In this on-chip fluorescent imaging modality, the samples are placed on a fiber-optic faceplate that is tapered such that the density of the fiber-optic waveguides on the top facet is >5 fold larger than the bottom one. Placed on this tapered faceplate, the fluorescent samples are pumped from the side through a glass hemisphere interface. After excitation of the samples, the pump light is rejected through total internal reflection that occurs at the bottom facet of the sample substrate. The fluorescent emission from the sample is then collected by the smaller end of the tapered faceplate and is delivered to an opto-electronic sensor-array to be digitally sampled. Using a compressive sampling algorithm, we decode these raw lensfree images to validate the resolution (<4 µm) of this on-chip fluorescent imaging platform using microparticles as well as labeled Giardia muris cysts. This wide-field lensfree fluorescent microscopy platform, being compact and high-throughput, might provide a valuable tool especially for cytometry, rare cell analysis (involving large area microfluidic systems) as well as for microarray imaging applications.

Tapered enlarged ends in multimode optical fibers.

PubMed

Brenci, M; Falciai, R; Scheggi, A M

1982-01-15

Radiation characteristics of multimode fibers with enlarged tapers were investigated on a number of samples obtained by varying the fiber drawing speed with a given law corresponding to a prefixed taper profile. The characterization of the fibers was made by near- and far-field intensity pattern measurements as well as by measuring the losses introduced by the taper. With a suitable choice of parameters the taper constitutes a reasonable low-loss component useful, for example, for either efficient coupling to large-spot high-power density sources or connecting fibers of different sizes. Conversely at the exit of the fiber the taper can be used for beam shaping which is of interest for mechanical or surgical applications.

Single tapered fiber tip for simultaneous measurements of thickness, refractive index and distance to a sample.

PubMed

Moreno-Hernández, Carlos; Monzón-Hernández, David; Hernández-Romano, Iván; Villatoro, Joel

2015-08-24

We demonstrate the capability of an air cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI), built with a tapered lead-in fiber tip, to measure three parameters simultaneously, distance, group refractive index and thickness of transparent samples introduced in the cavity. Tapering the lead-in fiber enhances the light coupling back efficiency, therefore is possible to enlarge the air cavity without a significant deterioration of the fringe visibility. Fourier transformation, used to analyze the reflected optical spectrum of our FPI, simplify the calculus to determine the position, thickness and refractive index. Samples made of 7 different glasses; fused silica, BK7, BalF5, SF2, BaF51, SF15, and glass slides were used to test our FPI. Each sample was measured nine times and the results for position, thickness and refractive index showed differences of ± 0.7%, ± 0.1%, and ± 0.16% respectively. The evolution of thickness and refractive index of a block of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer due to temperature changes in the range of 25°C to 90°C were also measured. The coefficients of the thermal expansion and thermo-optic estimated were α = 4.71x10(-4)/°C and dn/dT = -4.66 x10(-4) RIU/°C, respectively.

Comparison of effects of glass fibre and glass powder on guinea-pig lungs

PubMed Central

Botham, Susan K.; Holt, P. F.

1973-01-01

Botham, Susan K., and Holt, P. F. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 232-236. Comparison of effects of glass fibre and glass powder on guinea-pig lungs. Following 24 hours inhalation by guinea-pigs of powdered glass dust, the pulmonary effects over the succeeding month differed from those previously observed to follow inhalation of glass fibre in that (1) fewer erythrocytes escaped from the capillaries, (2) very few giant cells were produced, (3) erythrocytes and intracellular glass particles were cleared more readily because junctions between respiratory and terminal bronchioles were not blocked by giant cells, (4) intracellular granules containing Perls-positive material did not appreciably increase in number or intensity of staining during the month, and (5) particles were not coated with Perls-positive material during the time that pseudo-asbestos bodies would be formed from glass fibres. The difference between the effects of chemically similar glass powder and fibre during a month in a guinea-pig lung is considered to be due to the morphology of the inhaled particle. Images PMID:4124978

2D constant-loss taper for mode conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horth, Alexandre; Kashyap, Raman; Quitoriano, Nathaniel J.

2015-03-01

Proposed in this manuscript is a novel taper geometry, the constant-loss taper (CLT). This geometry is derived with 1D slabs of silicon embedded in silicon dioxide using coupled-mode theory (CMT). The efficiency of the CLT is compared to both linear and parabolic tapers using CMT and 2D finite-difference time-domain simulations. It is shown that over a short 2D, 4.45 μm long taper the CLT's mode conversion efficiency is ~90% which is 10% and 18% more efficient than a 2D parabolic or linear taper, respectively.

Soliton propagation in tapered silicon core fibers.

PubMed

Peacock, Anna C

2010-11-01

Numerical simulations are used to investigate soliton-like propagation in tapered silicon core optical fibers. The simulations are based on a realistic tapered structure with nanoscale core dimensions and a decreasing anomalous dispersion profile to compensate for the effects of linear and nonlinear loss. An intensity misfit parameter is used to establish the optimum taper dimensions that preserve the pulse shape while reducing temporal broadening. Soliton formation from Gaussian input pulses is also observed--further evidence of the potential for tapered silicon fibers to find use in a range of signal processing applications.

Power-efficient production of photon pairs in a tapered chalcogenide microwire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer-Scott, Evan; Dot, Audrey; Ahmad, Raja; Li, Lizhu; Rochette, Martin; Jennewein, Thomas

2015-02-01

Using tapered fibers of As2Se3 chalcogenide glass, we produce photon pairs at telecommunication wavelengths with low pump powers. We found maximum coincidences-to-accidentals ratios of 2.13 ± 0.07 for degenerate pumping with 3.2 μW average power, and 1.33 ± 0.03 for non-degenerate pumping with 1.0 μW and 1.5 μW average power of the two pumps. Our results show that the ultrahigh nonlinearity in these microwires could allow single-photon pumping to produce photon pairs, enabling the production of large entangled states, heralding of single photons after lossy transmission, and photonic quantum information processing with nonlinear optics.

Tapering strategies in elite British endurance runners.

PubMed

Spilsbury, Kate L; Fudge, Barry W; Ingham, Stephen A; Faulkner, Steve H; Nimmo, Myra A

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore pre-competition training practices of elite endurance runners. Training details from elite British middle distance (MD; 800 m and 1500 m), long distance (LD; 3000 m steeplechase to 10,000 m) and marathon (MAR) runners were collected by survey for 7 days in a regular training (RT) phase and throughout a pre-competition taper. Taper duration was [median (interquartile range)] 6 (3) days in MD, 6 (1) days in LD and 14 (8) days in MAR runners. Continuous running volume was reduced to 70 (16)%, 71 (24)% and 53 (12)% of regular levels in MD, LD and MAR runners, respectively (P < 0.05). Interval running volume was reduced compared to regular training (MD; 53 (45)%, LD; 67 (23)%, MAR; 64 (34)%, P < 0.05). During tapering, the peak interval training intensity was above race speed in LD and MAR runners (112 (27)% and 114 (3)%, respectively, P < 0.05), but not different in MD (100 (2)%). Higher weekly continuous running volume and frequency in RT were associated with greater corresponding reductions during the taper (R = -0.70 and R = -0.63, respectively, both P < 0.05). Running intensity during RT was positively associated with taper running intensity (continuous intensity; R = 0.97 and interval intensity; R = 0.81, both P < 0.05). Algorithms were generated to predict and potentially prescribe taper content based on the RT of elite runners. In conclusion, training undertaken prior to the taper in elite endurance runners is predictive of the tapering strategy implemented before competition.

Capillary Rise: Validity of the Dynamic Contact Angle Models.

PubMed

Wu, Pingkeng; Nikolov, Alex D; Wasan, Darsh T

2017-08-15

The classical Lucas-Washburn-Rideal (LWR) equation, using the equilibrium contact angle, predicts a faster capillary rise process than experiments in many cases. The major contributor to the faster prediction is believed to be the velocity dependent dynamic contact angle. In this work, we investigated the dynamic contact angle models for their ability to correct the dynamic contact angle effect in the capillary rise process. We conducted capillary rise experiments of various wetting liquids in borosilicate glass capillaries and compared the model predictions with our experimental data. The results show that the LWR equations modified by the molecular kinetic theory and hydrodynamic model provide good predictions on the capillary rise of all the testing liquids with fitting parameters, while the one modified by Joos' empirical equation works for specific liquids, such as silicone oils. The LWR equation modified by molecular self-layering model predicts well the capillary rise of carbon tetrachloride, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and n-alkanes with the molecular diameter or measured solvation force data. The molecular self-layering model modified LWR equation also has good predictions on the capillary rise of silicone oils covering a wide range of bulk viscosities with the same key parameter W(0), which results from the molecular self-layering. The advantage of the molecular self-layering model over the other models reveals the importance of the layered molecularly thin wetting film ahead of the main meniscus in the energy dissipation associated with dynamic contact angle. The analysis of the capillary rise of silicone oils with a wide range of bulk viscosities provides new insights into the capillary dynamics of polymer melts.

Fiber pigtailed thin wall capillary coupler for excitation of microsphere WGM resonator.

PubMed

Wang, Hanzheng; Lan, Xinwei; Huang, Jie; Yuan, Lei; Kim, Cheol-Woon; Xiao, Hai

2013-07-01

In this paper, we demonstrate a fiber pigtailed thin wall capillary coupler for excitation of Whispering Gallery Modes (WGMs) of microsphere resonators. The coupler is made by fusion-splicing an optical fiber with a capillary tube and consequently etching the capillary wall to a thickness of a few microns. Light is coupled through the peripheral contact between inserted microsphere and the etched capillary wall. The coupling efficiency as a function of the wall thickness was studied experimentally. WGM resonance with a Q-factor of 1.14 × 10(4) was observed using a borosilicate glass microsphere with a diameter of 71 μm. The coupler operates in the reflection mode and provides a robust mechanical support to the microsphere resonator. It is expected that the new coupler may find broad applications in sensors, optical filters and lasers.

Transmission properties of C60 ions through micro- and nano-capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchida, Hidetsugu; Majima, Takuya; Tomita, Shigeo; Sasa, Kimikazu; Narumi, Kazumasa; Saitoh, Yuichi; Chiba, Atsuya; Yamada, Keisuke; Hirata, Koichi; Shibata, Hiromi; Itoh, Akio

2013-11-01

We apply the capillary beam-focusing method for the C60 fullerene projectiles in the velocity range between 0.14 and 0.2 a.u. We study the C60 transmission properties through two different types of capillaries: (1) borosilicate glass microcapillary with an outlet diameter of 5.5 μm, and (2) Al2O3 multi-capillary foil with a pore size of about 70 nm and a high aspect ratio of about 750. We measured the transmitted particle composition by using the electrostatic deflection method combined with the microchannel plate imaging technique. For the experiments with the single microcapillary, the main transmission component is found to be primary C60 beams that are focused in the area equal to the capillary outlet diameter. Minor components are charge-exchanged C60 ions and charged or neutral fragments (fullerene-like C60-2m and small Cn particles), and their fractions decrease with decreasing the projectile velocity. It is concluded that the C60 transmission fraction is considerably high for both types of the capillaries in the present velocity range.

Low-temperature cross-talk magnetic-field sensor based on tapered all-solid waveguide-array fiber and magnetic fluids.

PubMed

Miao, Yinping; Ma, Xixi; Wu, Jixuan; Song, Binbin; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Kailiang; Liu, Bo; Yao, Jianquan

2015-08-15

A compact fiber-optic magnetic-field sensor based on tapered all-solid waveguide-array fiber (WAF) and magnetic fluid (MF) has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The tapered all-solid WAF is fabricated by using a fusion splicer, and the sensor is formed by immersing the tapered all-solid WAF into the MF. The transmission spectra have been measured and analyzed under different magnetic-field intensities. Experimental results show that the acquired magnetic-field sensitivity is 44.57 pm/Oe for a linear magnetic-field intensity range from 50 to 200 Oe. All-solid WAF has very similar thermal expansion coefficient for high- and low-refractive-index glasses, so mode profile is not affected by thermal drifts. Also, magnetically induced refractive-index changes into the ferrofluid are of the order of ∼5×10(-2), while the corresponding thermally induced refractive-index changes into the ferrofluid are expected to be lower. The temperature response has also been detected, and the temperature-induced wavelength shift perturbation is less than 0.3 nm from temperature of 26.9°C-44°C. The proposed magnetic-field sensor has such advantages as low temperature sensitivity, simple structure, and ease of fabrication. It also indicates that the magnetic-field sensor based on tapered all-solid WAF and MF is helpful to reduce temperature cross-sensitivity for the measurement of magnetic field.

Do Stem Taper Microgrooves Influence Taper Corrosion in Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Matched Cohort Retrieval Study.

PubMed

Arnholt, Christina M; MacDonald, Daniel W; Underwood, Richard J; Guyer, Eric P; Rimnac, Clare M; Kurtz, Steven M; Mont, Michael A; Klein, Gregg R; Lee, Gwo-Chin; Chen, Antonia F; Hamlin, Brian R; Cates, Harold E; Malkani, Arthur L; Kraay, Matthew J

2017-04-01

Previous studies identified imprinting of the stem morphology onto the interior head bore, leading researchers to hypothesize an influence of taper topography on mechanically assisted crevice corrosion. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether microgrooved stem tapers result in greater fretting corrosion damage than smooth stem tapers. A matched cohort of 120 retrieved head-stem pairs from metal-on-polyethylene bearings was created controlling for implantation time, flexural rigidity, apparent length of engagement, and head size. There were 2 groups of 60 heads each, mated with either smooth or microgrooved stem tapers. A high-precision roundness machine was used to measure and categorize the surface morphology. Fretting corrosion damage at the head-neck junction was characterized using the Higgs-Goldberg scoring method. Fourteen of the most damaged heads were analyzed for the maximum depth of material loss and focused ion beam cross-sectioned to view oxide and base metal. Fretting corrosion damage was not different between the 2 cohorts at the femoral head (P = .14, Mann-Whitney) or stem tapers (P = .35). There was no difference in the maximum depths of material loss between the cohorts (P = .71). Cross-sectioning revealed contact damage, signs of micro-motion, and chromium-rich oxide layers in both cohorts. Microgroove imprinting did not appear to have a different effect on the fretting corrosion behavior. The results of this matched cohort retrieval study do not support the hypothesis that taper surfaces with microgrooved stems exhibit increased in vivo fretting corrosion damage or material release. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optical Spectra Tuning of All-Glass Photonic Bandgap Fiber Infiltrated with Silver Fast-Ion-Conducting Glasses.

PubMed

Konidakis, Ioannis; Pissadakis, Stavros

2014-08-07

Silver iodide metaphosphate glasses of the x AgI + (1- x )AgPO₃ family are embedded inside the air capillaries of a commercial silica photonic crystal fiber (PCF) by means of vacuum-assisted infiltration technique. In this paper, we report on tuning the photonic bandgap (PBG) guidance characteristics of the fabricated all-glass photonic bandgap fibers, by varying the composition of the fast-ion-conducting phosphate glass infiltration medium. Doping AgPO₃ metaphosphate glass with AgI significantly alters the PBG guidance patterns in the examined range between 350 and 1750 nm, as it leads to the introduction of numerous additional transmission stop-bands, while affecting scattering dependant losses. The effect of phosphate glass cooling method during sample fabrication on the transmission behavior of the x AgI + (1- x )AgPO₃/PCFs is also considered.

Five-order SRSs and supercontinuum generation from a tapered tellurite microstructured fiber with longitudinally varying dispersion.

PubMed

Liao, Meisong; Yan, Xin; Gao, Weiqing; Duan, Zhongchao; Qin, Guanshi; Suzuki, Takenobu; Ohishi, Yasutake

2011-08-01

We try to obtain stable supercontinuum (SC) generation with broad bandwidth under relative simple pump conditions. We use a 1.3-m-long highly nonlinear tellurite microstructured fiber and pump it by a 15 ps 1064 nm fiber laser. One segment of the fiber is tapered from a core diameter of 3.4 μm to 1.3 μm. For the first time five-order stimulated Raman scatterings (SRSs) are observed for soft glass fibers. SC covering 730-1700 nm is demonstrated with the pump-pulse-energy of several nJ. The mechanisms of SC broadening are mainly SRS, self-phase modulation (SPM) and cross phase modulation (XPM). The tapered segment has two advantages. Firstly it increases the nonlinearity of fiber by several times. Secondly, it acts as a compensation for the dispersion of the untapered segment, and mitigates the walk-off between pump pulse and SRS peaks.

A Simple and Inexpensive Capillary Holder for Thin-Layer Chromatography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pintea, Beniamin-Nicolae V.

2011-01-01

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a widely used method of qualitative analysis in organic synthesis, as it uniquely combines low cost, rapidity, simplicity, versatility, small quantities of sample and low detection limits. The simplest and most economical method for the application of samples onto TLC plates is by hand, using glass capillaries.…

Cooling rate dependence of the glass transition at free surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Streit-Nierobisch, S.; Gutt, C.; Paulus, M.; Tolan, M.

2008-01-01

In situ x-ray reflectivity measurements are used to determine the cooling rate dependent freezing of capillary waves on the oligomer poly(propylene glycol). Only above the glass transition temperature TG can the surface roughness σ be described by the capillary wave model for simple liquids, whereas the surface fluctuations are frozen-in at temperatures below TG . As the state of a glass forming liquid strongly depends on its thermal history, this effect occurs for fast cooling rates already at a higher temperature than for slow cooling. For the fastest cooling rates a very large shift of TG up to 240K compared to the bulk value of 196K was observed.

Sound Waves Levitate Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. C.; Wang, T. G.

1982-01-01

System recently tested uses acoustic waves to levitate liquid drops, millimeter-sized glass microballoons, and other objects for coating by vapor deposition or capillary attraction. Cylindrical contactless coating/handling facility employs a cylindrical acoustic focusing radiator and a tapered reflector to generate a specially-shaped standing wave pattern. Article to be processed is captured by the acoustic force field under the reflector and moves as reflector is moved to different work stations.

Do Stem Taper Microgrooves Influence Taper Corrosion in Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Matched Cohort Retrieval Study

PubMed Central

Arnholt, Christina M.; MacDonald, Daniel W.; Underwood, Richard; Guyer, Eric P.; Rimnac, Clare M.; Kurtz, Steven M.; Mont, Michael A.; Klein, Gregg; Lee, Gwo-Chin; Chen, Antonia F.; Hamlin, Brian; Cates, Harold; Malkani, Arthur; Kraay, Matthew

2017-01-01

Background Previous studies identified imprinting of the stem morphology onto the interior head bore, leading researchers to hypothesize an influence of taper topography on mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC). The purpose of this study was to analyze whether micro-grooved stem tapers result in greater fretting corrosion damage than smooth stem tapers. Methods A matched cohort of 120 retrieved head-stem pairs from metal-on-polyethylene bearings was created controlling for implantation time, flexural rigidity, apparent length of engagement, and head size. There were two groups of 60 heads each, mated with either smooth or micro-grooved stem tapers. A high precision roundness machine was used to measure and categorize the surface morphology. Fretting corrosion damage at the head/neck junction was characterized using the Higgs-Goldberg scoring method. Fourteen of the most damaged heads, were analyzed for the maximum depth of material loss and focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sectioned to view oxide and base metal. Results Fretting corrosion damage was not different between the two cohorts at the femoral head (p = 0.14, Mann Whitney) or stem tapers (p = 0.35). There was no difference in the maximum depths of material loss between the cohorts (p = 0.71). Cross sectioning revealed contact damage, signs of micro-motion, and chromium rich oxide layers in both cohorts. Micro-groove imprinting did not appear to have a different effect on the fretting corrosion behavior. Conclusion The results of this matched cohort retrieval study do not support the hypothesis that taper surfaces with micro-grooved stems exhibit increased in vivo fretting corrosion damage or material release. PMID:28111124

Supercontinuum generation in an imaging fiber taper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Kebin; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G.; Liu, Zhiwen

2006-12-01

We report on supercontinuum generation in individual fibers of a commercial Schott imaging fiber taper. Supercontinuum spectrum covering a wavelength range from about 500 nm to 1 μm was obtained. Unlike conventional approaches which use either a single micro-structured photonic crystal fiber (PCF) or an individual fiber or PCF taper, the availability of many fibers in an imaging taper can open new possibilities to independently and controllably generate supercontinuum arrays.

Surface Chemistry and Structural Effects in the Stress Corrosion of Glass and Ceramic Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-03-31

capillary can be improved for (GC)2 by passing S sulfur dioxide or difluoroethane through the preform and capillary during the fabrication 27 . The...hydration resistance of the glass surface. In fact, it was recently shown that the combined use of sulfur dioxide and * difluoroethane could further

Capillary pressure spectrometry: Toward a new method for the measurement of the fractional wettability of porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sygouni, Varvara; Tsakiroglou, Christos D.; Payatakes, Alkiviades C.

2006-05-01

A transparent porous medium of controlled fractional wettability is fabricated by mixing intermediate-wet glass microspheres with strongly oil-wet polytetrafluouroethylene microspheres, and packing them between two transparent glass plates. Silicon oil is displaced by water, the growth pattern is video-recorded, and the transient response of the pressure drop across the pore network is measured for various fractions of oil-wet particles. The measured global capillary pressure fluctuates as the result of the variation of the equilibrium curvature of menisci between local maxima and local minima. With the aid of wavelets, the transient response of the capillary pressure is transformed to a capillary pressure spectrum (CPS). The peaks of the CPS are used to identify the most significant flow events and correlate their amplitude with the spatial distribution of fractional wettability. The flow events are closely related with the fluctuations of the capillary pressure and are classified into three main categories: motion in pore clusters, generation/expansion of capillary fingers, coalescence of interfaces. The amplitude of the peaks of CPS is related quasilinearly with a local coefficient of fractional wettability presuming that the same class of flow events is concerned. Approximate calculations of the maximum meniscus curvature in pores of converging-diverging geometry and uniform wettability in combination with simple mixing laws predict satisfactorily the experimentally measured average prebreakthrough capillary pressure as a function of the fraction of the oil-wet particles.

Simple views on critical binary liquid mixtures in porous glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremblay, L.; Socol, S. M.; Lacelle, S.

2000-01-01

A simple scenario, different from previous attempts, is proposed to resolve the problem of the slow phase separation dynamics of binary liquid mixtures confined in porous Vycor glass. We demonstrate that simply mutual diffusion, renormalized by critical composition fluctuations and geometrical hindrance of the porous glass, accounts for the slow phase separation kinetics. Capillary invasion studies of porous Vycor glass by the critical isobutyric acid-water mixture, close to the consolute solution temperature, corroborate our analysis.

Tapered fiber based high power random laser.

PubMed

Zhang, Hanwei; Du, Xueyuan; Zhou, Pu; Wang, Xiaolin; Xu, Xiaojun

2016-04-18

We propose a novel high power random fiber laser (RFL) based on tapered fiber. It can overcome the power scaling limitation of RFL while maintaining good beam quality to a certain extent. An output power of 26.5 W has been achieved in a half-open cavity with one kilometer long tapered fiber whose core diameter gradually changes from 8 μm to 20 μm. The steady-state light propagation equations have been modified by taking into account the effective core area to demonstrate the tapered RFL through numerical calculations. The numerical model effectively describes the power characteristics of the tapered fiber based RFL, and both the calculating and experimental results show higher power exporting potential compared with the conventional single mode RFL.

Influence of post pattern and resin cement curing mode on the retention of glass fibre posts.

PubMed

Poskus, L T; Sgura, R; Paragó, F E M; Silva, E M; Guimarães, J G A

2010-04-01

To evaluate the influence of post design and roughness and cement system (dual- or self-cured) on the retention of glass fibre posts. Two tapered and smooth posts (Exacto Cônico No. 2 and White Post No. 1) and two parallel-sided and serrated posts (Fibrekor 1.25 mm and Reforpost No. 2) were adhesively luted with two different resin cements--a dual-cured (Rely-X ARC) and a self-cured (Cement Post)--in 40 single-rooted teeth. The teeth were divided into eight experimental groups (n = 5): PFD--Parallel-serrated-Fibrekor/dual-cured; PRD--Parallel-serrated-Reforpost/dual-cured; TED--Tapered-smooth-Exacto Cônico/dual-cured; TWD--Tapered-smooth-White Post/dual-cured; PFS--Parallel-serrated-Fibrekor/self-cured; PRS--Parallel-serrated-Reforpost/self-cured; TES--Tapered-smooth-Exacto Cônico/self-cured; TWS--Tapered-smooth-White Post/self-cured. The specimens were submitted to a pull-out test at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm min(-1). Data were analysed using analysis of variance and Bonferroni's multiple comparison test (alpha = 0.05). Pull-out results (MPa) were: PFD = 8.13 (+/-1.71); PRD = 8.30 (+/-0.46); TED = 8.68 (+/-1.71); TWD = 9.35 (+/-1.99); PFS = 8.54 (+/-2.23); PRS = 7.09 (+/-1.96); TES = 8.27 (+/-3.92); TWS = 7.57 (+/-2.35). No statistical significant difference was detected for posts and cement factors and their interaction. The retention of glass fibre posts was not affected by post design or surface roughness nor by resin cement-curing mode. These results imply that the choice for serrated posts and self-cured cements is not related to an improvement in retention.

Surface-directed capillary system; theory, experiments and applications.

PubMed

Bouaidat, Salim; Hansen, Ole; Bruus, Henrik; Berendsen, Christian; Bau-Madsen, Niels Kristian; Thomsen, Peter; Wolff, Anders; Jonsmann, Jacques

2005-08-01

We present a capillary flow system for liquid transport in microsystems. Our simple microfluidic system consists of two planar parallel surfaces, separated by spacers. One of the surfaces is entirely hydrophobic, the other mainly hydrophobic, but with hydrophilic pathways defined on it by photolithographic means. By controlling the wetting properties of the surfaces in this manner, the liquid can be confined to certain areas defined by the hydrophilic pathways. This technique eliminates the need for alignment of the two surfaces. Patterned plasma-polymerized hexafluoropropene constitutes the hydrophobic areas, whereas the untreated glass surface constitutes the hydrophilic pathways. We developed a theoretical model of the capillary flow and obtained analytical solutions which are in good agreement with the experimental results. The capillarity-driven microflow system was also used to pattern and immobilize biological material on planar substrates: well-defined 200 microm wide strips of human cells (HeLa) and fluorescence labelled proteins (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bovine serum albumin, i.e., FITC-BSA) were fabricated using the capillary flow system presented here.

Fabrication of longitudinally arbitrary shaped fiber tapers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nold, J.; Plötner, M.; Böhme, S.; Sattler, B.; deVries, O.; Schreiber, T.; Eberhardt, R.; Tünnermann, A.

2018-02-01

We present our current results on the fabrication of arbitrary shaped fiber tapers on our tapering rig using a CO2-laser as heat source. Single mode excitation of multimode fibers as well as changing the fiber geometry in an LPG-like fashion is presented. It is shown that this setup allows for reproducible fabrication of single-mode excitation tapers to extract the fundamental mode (M2 < 1.1) from a 30 μm core having an NA of 0.09.

Meniscus formation in a capillary and the role of contact line friction.

PubMed

Andrukh, Taras; Monaenkova, Daria; Rubin, Binyamin; Lee, Wah-Keat; Kornev, Konstantin G

2014-01-28

We studied spontaneous formation of an internal meniscus by dipping glass capillaries of 25 μm to 350 μm radii into low volatile hexadecane and tributyl phosphate. X-ray phase contrast and high speed optical microscopy imaging were employed. We showed that the meniscus completes its formation when the liquid column is still shorter than the capillary radius. After that, the meniscus travels about ten capillary radii at a constant velocity. We demonstrated that the experimental observations can be explained by introducing a friction force linearly proportional to the meniscus velocity with a friction coefficient depending on the air/liquid/solid triplet. It was demonstrated that the friction coefficient does not depend on the capillary radius. Numerical solution of the force balance equation revealed four different uptake regimes that can be specified in a phase portrait. This phase portrait was found to be in good agreement with the experimental results and can be used as a guide for the design of thin porous absorbers.

Automatic sampling and analysis of organics and biomolecules by capillary action-supported contactless atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hsieh, Cheng-Huan; Meher, Anil Kumar; Chen, Yu-Chie

2013-01-01

Contactless atmospheric pressure ionization (C-API) method has been recently developed for mass spectrometric analysis. A tapered capillary is used as both the sampling tube and spray emitter in C-API. No electric contact is required on the capillary tip during C-API mass spectrometric analysis. The simple design of the ionization method enables the automation of the C-API sampling system. In this study, we propose an automatic C-API sampling system consisting of a capillary (∼1 cm), an aluminium sample holder, and a movable XY stage for the mass spectrometric analysis of organics and biomolecules. The aluminium sample holder is controlled by the movable XY stage. The outlet of the C-API capillary is placed in front of the orifice of a mass spectrometer, whereas the sample well on the sample holder is moved underneath the capillary inlet. The sample droplet on the well can be readily infused into the C-API capillary through capillary action. When the sample solution reaches the capillary outlet, the sample spray is readily formed in the proximity of the mass spectrometer applied with a high electric field. The gas phase ions generated from the spray can be readily monitored by the mass spectrometer. We demonstrate that six samples can be analyzed in sequence within 3.5 min using this automatic C-API MS setup. Furthermore, the well containing the rinsing solvent is alternately arranged between the sample wells. Therefore, the C-API capillary could be readily flushed between runs. No carryover problems are observed during the analyses. The sample volume required for the C-API MS analysis is minimal, with less than 1 nL of the sample solution being sufficient for analysis. The feasibility of using this setup for quantitative analysis is also demonstrated.

Electromagnetic field tapering using all-dielectric gradient index materials.

PubMed

Yi, Jianjia; Piau, Gérard-Pascal; de Lustrac, André; Burokur, Shah Nawaz

2016-07-28

The concept of transformation optics (TO) is applied to control the flow of electromagnetic fields between two sections of different dimensions through a tapering device. The broadband performance of the field taper is numerically and experimentally validated. The taper device presents a graded permittivity profile and is fabricated through three-dimensional (3D) polyjet printing technology using low-cost all-dielectric materials. Calculated and measured near-field mappings are presented in order to validate the proposed taper. A good qualitative agreement is obtained between full-wave simulations and experimental tests. Such all-dielectric taper paves the way to novel types of microwave devices that can be easily fabricated through low-cost additive manufacturing processes.

Pulse compression using a tapered microstructure optical fiber.

PubMed

Hu, Jonathan; Marks, Brian S; Menyuk, Curtis R; Kim, Jinchae; Carruthers, Thomas F; Wright, Barbara M; Taunay, Thierry F; Friebele, E J

2006-05-01

We calculate the pulse compression in a tapered microstructure optical fiber with four layers of holes. We show that the primary limitation on pulse compression is the loss due to mode leakage. As a fiber's diameter decreases due to the tapering, so does the air-hole diameter, and at a sufficiently small diameter the guided mode loss becomes unacceptably high. For the four-layer geometry we considered, a compression factor of 10 can be achieved by a pulse with an initial FWHM duration of 3 ps in a tapered fiber that is 28 m long. We find that there is little difference in the pulse compression between a linear taper profile and a Gaussian taper profile. More layers of air-holes allows the pitch to decrease considerably before losses become unacceptable, but only a moderate increase in the degree of pulse compression is obtained.

Glass light pipes for solar concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, C. K.; Dogan, Y.; Morrison, M.; Hu, C.; Atkins, R.

2018-02-01

Glass waveguides are fabricated using laser processing techniques that have low optical loss with >90% optical throughput. Advanced light pipes are demonstrated, including angled facets for turning mirrors used for lens-to-light pipe coupling, tapers that increase the concentration, and couplers for combining the outputs from multiple lens array elements. Because they are fabricated from glass, these light pipes can support large optical concentrations and propagate broadband solar over long distances with minimal loss and degradation compared to polymer waveguides. Applications include waveguiding solar concentrators using multi-junction PV cells, solar thermal applications and remoting solar energy, such as for daylighting. Ray trace simulations are used to estimate the surface smoothness required to achieve low loss. Optical measurements for fabricated light pipes are reported for use in waveguiding solar concentrator architectures.

Thulium fiber laser lithotripsy using tapered fibers.

PubMed

Blackmon, Richard L; Irby, Pierce B; Fried, Nathaniel M

2010-01-01

The Thulium fiber laser has recently been tested as a potential alternative to the Holmium:YAG laser for lithotripsy. This study explores use of a short taper for expanding the Thulium fiber laser beam at the distal tip of a small-core fiber. Thulium fiber laser radiation with a wavelength of 1,908 nm, 10 Hz pulse rate, 70 mJ pulse energy, and 1-millisecond pulse duration was delivered through a 2-m-length fiber with 150-microm-core-input-end, 300-microm-core-output-end, and 5-mm-length taper, in contact with human uric acid (UA) and calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) stones, ex vivo (n = 10 each). Stone mass loss, stone crater depths, fiber transmission losses, fiber burn-back, irrigation rates, and deflection through a flexible ureteroscope were measured for the tapered fiber and compared with conventional fibers. After delivery of 1,800 pulses through the tapered fiber, mass loss measured 12.7+/-2.6 mg for UA and 7.2+/-0.8 mg COM stones, comparable to conventional 100-microm-core fibers (12.6+/-2.5 mg for UA and 6.8+/-1.7 mg for COM stones). No transmission losses or burn-back occurred for the tapered fiber after 36,000 pulses, while a conventional 150-microm fiber experienced significant tip degradation after only 1,800 pulses. High irrigation rates were measured with the tapered fiber inserted through the working port of a flexible ureteroscope without hindering its deflection, mimicking that of a conventional 150 microm fiber. The short tapered distal fiber tip allows expansion of the laser beam, resulting in decreased fiber tip damage compared to conventional small-core fibers, without compromising fiber bending, stone vaporization efficiency, or irrigation rates.

First Order Kinetics Visualized by Capillary Flow and Simple Data Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Festersen, Lea; Gilch, Peter; Reiffers, Anna; Mundt, Ramona

2018-01-01

First order processes are of paramount importance for chemical kinetics. In a well-established demonstration experiment, the flow of water out of a vertical glass tube through a capillary simulates a chemical first order process. Here, a digital version of this experiment for lecture hall demonstrations is presented. To this end, water flowing out…

Polymer optical fiber tapering using hot water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuno, Yosuke; Ujihara, Hiroki; Lee, Heeyoung; Hayashi, Neisei; Nakamura, Kentaro

2017-06-01

We perform a pilot trial of highly convenient taper fabrication for polymer optical fibers (POFs) using hot water. A ∼380-mm-long POF taper is successfully fabricated, and its ∼150-mm-long waist has a uniform outer diameter of ∼230 µm. The shape is in good agreement with the theoretical prediction. The optical loss dependence on the strain applied to the waist shows an interesting behavior exhibiting three regimes, the origins of which are inferred by microscopic observations. We then discuss the controllability of the taper length.

Multiple-taper spectral analysis: A stand-alone C-subroutine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lees, Jonathan M.; Park, Jeffrey

1995-03-01

A simple set of subroutines in ANSI-C are presented for multiple taper spectrum estimation. The multitaper approach provides an optimal spectrum estimate by minimizing spectral leakage while reducing the variance of the estimate by averaging orthogonal eigenspectrum estimates. The orthogonal tapers are Slepian nπ prolate functions used as tapers on the windowed time series. Because the taper functions are orthogonal, combining them to achieve an average spectrum does not introduce spurious correlations as standard smoothed single-taper estimates do. Furthermore, estimates of the degrees of freedom and F-test values at each frequency provide diagnostics for determining levels of confidence in narrow band (single frequency) periodicities. The program provided is portable and has been tested on both Unix and Macintosh systems.

Experimental Investigation of Superradiance in a Tapered Free-Electron Laser Amplifier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hidaka, Y.; She, Y.; Murphy, J.B.

2011-03-28

We report experimental studies of the effect of undulator tapering on superradiance in a single-pass high-gain free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier. The experiments were performed at the Source Development Laboratory (SDL) of National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS). Efficiency was nearly tripled with tapering. Both the temporal and spectral properties of the superradiant FEL along the uniform and tapered undulator were experimentally characterized using frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) images. Numerical studies predicted pulse broadening and spectral cleaning by undulator tapering Pulse broadening was experimentally verified. However, spectral cleanliness degraded with tapering. We have performed first experiments with a tapered undulator and amore » short seed laser pulse. Pulse broadening with tapering expected from simulations was experimentally confirmed. However, the experimentally obtained spectra degraded with tapering, whereas the simulations predicted improvement. A further numerical study is under way to resolve this issue.« less

Effect of using polyimide capillaries during thermal experiments on the particle size distribution of supported Pt nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gámez-Mendoza, Liliana; Resto, Oscar; Martínez-Iñesta, María

2015-09-20

Kapton HN-type polyimide capillaries are commonly used as sample holders for transmission X-ray experiments at temperatures below 673 K because of their thermal stability, high X-ray transmittance and low cost. Using high-angle annular dark field scanning high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, this work shows that using polyimide capillaries leads to the overgrowth of supported Pt nanoparticles during reduction at temperatures below the glass transition temperature (T g= 658 K) owing to an outgassing of water from the polyimide. Quartz capillaries were also studied and this overgrowth was not observed.

Fiber up-tapering and down-tapering for low-loss coupling between anti-resonant hollow-core fiber and solid-core fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Naiqian; Wang, Zefeng; Xi, Xiaoming

2017-10-01

In this paper, we demonstrate a novel method for the low-loss coupling between solid-core multi-mode fibers (MMFs) and anti-resonant hollow-core fibers (AR-HCFs). The core/cladding diameter of the MMF is 50/125μm and the mode field diameter of the AR-HCFs are 33.3μm and 71.2μm of the ice-cream type AR-HCFs and the non-node type ARHCFs, respectively. In order to match the mode field diameters of these two specific AR-HCFs, the mode field diameter of the MMFs is increased or decreased by up-tapering or down-tapering the MMFs. Then, according to the principle of coupled fiber mode matching, the optimal diameter of tapered fiber for low-loss coupling is calculated. Based on beam propagation method, the calculated coupling losses without tapering process are 0.31dB and 0.89dB, respectively for a MMF-HCF-MMF structure of the ice-cream type AR-HCFs and the non-node type AR-HCFs. These values can be reduced to 0.096dB and 0.047dB when the outer diameters of the MMF are down-tapered to 116μm and up-tapered to 269μm, respectively. What's more, these results can also be verified by existing experiments.

Monitoring techniques for the manufacture of tapered optical fibers.

PubMed

Mullaney, Kevin; Correia, Ricardo; Staines, Stephen E; James, Stephen W; Tatam, Ralph P

2015-10-01

The use of a range of optical techniques to monitor the process of fabricating optical fiber tapers is investigated. Thermal imaging was used to optimize the alignment of the optical system; the transmission spectrum of the fiber was monitored to confirm that the tapers had the required optical properties and the strain induced in the fiber during tapering was monitored using in-line optical fiber Bragg gratings. Tapers were fabricated with diameters down to 5 μm and with waist lengths of 20 mm using single-mode SMF-28 fiber.

Coupled tapering/uptapering of Thirring type soliton pair in nonlinear media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Shraddha; Dutta, Manoj Kumar; Sarkar, Ram Krishna

2018-03-01

The paper investigates coupled tapering/uptapering of Thirring type soliton pair, employing Beam Propagation Method. It is seen that, the pair uptapers in presence of losses and tapers in presence of gain. When the first beam has gain and the second one has losses in the nonlinear medium, the second beam induces uptapering in the first beam, while, first beam induces tapering in the second beam. When the medium provides gain/losses to only one of the two beams, the beam undergoes tapering/uptapering and also induces tapering/uptapering to the other loss less beam; however, magnitude of tapering/uptapering are different.

Where science meets practice: Olympic coaches' crafting of the tapering process.

PubMed

Ritchie, Darren; Allen, Justine B; Kirkland, Andrew

2018-05-01

Although there is research providing physiologically-based guidance for the content of the taper, this study was the first to examine how coaches actually implement the taper. The purpose of this study was to examine the taper planning and implementation processes of successful Olympic coaches leading up to major competitions and how they learned about tapering. Seven track and field coaches participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their tapering processes. To be considered for inclusion, coaches were required to have coached one or more athletes to an Olympic or Paralympic medal. Through a process of axial and open coding interview transcripts were analysed and lower and higher order themes developed describing the coaches' tapering processes. Our findings indicate that the strategies employed to achieve the desired physiological adaptions of the taper were consistent with research (e.g., reduction in volume whilst maintaining intensity and frequency). However, our findings also suggest that tapering is far from a straight forward "textbook" process. The taper was not restricted to physiological outcomes with coaches considering athletes' psychological as well as physical state. Coaches also involved the athlete in the process, adapted the taper to the athlete, continually monitored its progress, and adapted it further as required.

Adhesion mechanisms on solar glass: Effects of relative humidity, surface roughness, and particle shape and size

DOE PAGES

Moutinho, Helio R.; Jiang, Cun -Sheng; To, Bobby; ...

2017-07-27

To better understand and quantify soiling rates on solar panels, we are investigating the adhesion mechanisms between dust particles and solar glass. In this work, we report on two of the fundamental adhesion mechanisms: van der Waals and capillary adhesion forces. The adhesion was determined using force versus distance (F-z) measurements performed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). To emulate dust interacting with the front surface of a solar panel, we measured how oxidized AFM tips, SiO 2 glass spheres, and real dust particles adhered to actual solar glass. The van der Waals forces were evaluated by measurements performed withmore » zero relative humidity in a glove box, and the capillary forces were measured in a stable environment created inside the AFM enclosure with relative humidity values ranging from 18% to 80%. To simulate topographic features of the solar panels caused by factors such as cleaning and abrasion, we induced different degrees of surface roughness in the solar glass. As a result, we were able to 1) identify and quantify both the van der Waals and capillary forces, 2) establish the effects of surface roughness, relative humidity, and particle size on the adhesion mechanisms, and 3) compare adhesion forces between well-controlled particles (AFM tips and glass spheres) and real dust particles.« less

In-situ Tapering of Chalcogenide Fiber for Mid-infrared Supercontinuum Generation

PubMed Central

Rudy, Charles W.; Marandi, Alireza; Vodopyanov, Konstantin L.; Byer, Robert L.

2013-01-01

Supercontinuum generation (SCG) in a tapered chalcogenide fiber is desirable for broadening mid-infrared (or mid-IR, roughly the 2-20 μm wavelength range) frequency combs1, 2 for applications such as molecular fingerprinting, 3 trace gas detection, 4 laser-driven particle acceleration, 5 and x-ray production via high harmonic generation. 6 Achieving efficient SCG in a tapered optical fiber requires precise control of the group velocity dispersion (GVD) and the temporal properties of the optical pulses at the beginning of the fiber, 7 which depend strongly on the geometry of the taper. 8 Due to variations in the tapering setup and procedure for successive SCG experiments-such as fiber length, tapering environment temperature, or power coupled into the fiber, in-situ spectral monitoring of the SCG is necessary to optimize the output spectrum for a single experiment. In-situ fiber tapering for SCG consists of coupling the pump source through the fiber to be tapered to a spectral measurement device. The fiber is then tapered while the spectral measurement signal is observed in real-time. When the signal reaches its peak, the tapering is stopped. The in-situ tapering procedure allows for generation of a stable, octave-spanning, mid-IR frequency comb from the sub harmonic of a commercially available near-IR frequency comb. 9 This method lowers cost due to the reduction in time and materials required to fabricate an optimal taper with a waist length of only 2 mm. The in-situ tapering technique can be extended to optimizing microstructured optical fiber (MOF) for SCG10 or tuning of the passband of MOFs, 11 optimizing tapered fiber pairs for fused fiber couplers12 and wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs), 13 or modifying dispersion compensation for compression or stretching of optical pulses.14-16 PMID:23748947

Tapered fibers embedded in silica aerogel.

PubMed

Xiao, Limin; Grogan, Michael D W; Leon-Saval, Sergio G; Williams, Rhys; England, Richard; Wadsworth, Willam J; Birks, Tim A

2009-09-15

We have embedded thin tapered fibers (with diameters down to 1 microm) in silica aerogel with low loss. The aerogel is rigid but behaves refractively like air, protecting the taper without disturbing light propagation along it. This enables a new class of fiber devices exploiting volume evanescent interactions with the aerogel itself or with dopants or gases in the pores.

Functional significance of the taper of vertebrate cone photoreceptors

PubMed Central

Hárosi, Ferenc I.

2012-01-01

Vertebrate photoreceptors are commonly distinguished based on the shape of their outer segments: those of cones taper, whereas the ones from rods do not. The functional advantages of cone taper, a common occurrence in vertebrate retinas, remain elusive. In this study, we investigate this topic using theoretical analyses aimed at revealing structure–function relationships in photoreceptors. Geometrical optics combined with spectrophotometric and morphological data are used to support the analyses and to test predictions. Three functions are considered for correlations between taper and functionality. The first function proposes that outer segment taper serves to compensate for self-screening of the visual pigment contained within. The second function links outer segment taper to compensation for a signal-to-noise ratio decline along the longitudinal dimension. Both functions are supported by the data: real cones taper more than required for these compensatory roles. The third function relates outer segment taper to the optical properties of the inner compartment whereby the primary determinant is the inner segment’s ability to concentrate light via its ellipsoid. In support of this idea, the rod/cone ratios of primarily diurnal animals are predicted based on a principle of equal light flux gathering between photoreceptors. In addition, ellipsoid concentration factor, a measure of ellipsoid ability to concentrate light onto the outer segment, correlates positively with outer segment taper expressed as a ratio of characteristic lengths, where critical taper is the yardstick. Depending on a light-funneling property and the presence of focusing organelles such as oil droplets, cone outer segments can be reduced in size to various degrees. We conclude that outer segment taper is but one component of a miniaturization process that reduces metabolic costs while improving signal detection. Compromise solutions in the various retinas and retinal regions occur between

Twist-induced tuning in tapered fiber couplers.

PubMed

Birks, T A

1989-10-01

The power-splitting ratio of fused tapered single-mode fiber couplers can be reversibly tuned by axial twisting without affecting loss. The twist-tuning behavior of a range of different tapered couplers is described. A simple expression for twist-tuning can be derived by representing the effects of twist by a change in the refractive index profile. Good agreement between this expression and experimental results is demonstrated. Repeated tuning over tens of thousands of cycles is found not to degrade coupler performance, and a number of practical applications, including a freely tunable tapered coupler, are described.

Improved single-cell culture achieved using micromolding in capillaries technology coupled with poly (HEMA).

PubMed

Ye, Fang; Jiang, Jin; Chang, Honglong; Xie, Li; Deng, Jinjun; Ma, Zhibo; Yuan, Weizheng

2015-07-01

Cell studies at the single-cell level are becoming more and more critical for understanding the complex biological processes. Here, we present an optimization study investigating the positioning of single cells using micromolding in capillaries technology coupled with the cytophobic biomaterial poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly (HEMA)). As a cytophobic biomaterial, poly (HEMA) was used to inhibit cells, whereas the glass was used as the substrate to provide a cell adhesive background. The poly (HEMA) chemical barrier was obtained using micromolding in capillaries, and the microchannel networks used for capillarity were easily achieved by reversibly bonding the polydimethylsiloxane mold and the glass. Finally, discrete cell adhesion regions were presented on the glass surface. This method is facile and low cost, and the reagents are commercially available. We validated the cytophobic abilities of the poly (HEMA), optimized the channel parameters for higher quality and more stable poly (HEMA) patterns by investigating the effects of changing the aspect ratio and the width of the microchannel on the poly (HEMA) grid pattern, and improved the single-cell occupancy by optimizing the dimensions of the cell adhesion regions.

Measuring bacterial growth by refractive index tapered fiber optic biosensor.

PubMed

Zibaii, Mohammad Ismail; Kazemi, Alireza; Latifi, Hamid; Azar, Mahmoud Karimi; Hosseini, Seyed Masoud; Ghezelaiagh, Mohammad Hossein

2010-12-02

A single-mode tapered fiber optic biosensor was utilized for real-time monitoring of the Escherichia coli (E. coli K-12) growth in an aqueous medium. The applied fiber tapers were fabricated using heat-pulling method with waist diameter and length of 6-7μm and 3mm, respectively. The bacteria were immobilized on the tapered surface using Poly-l-Lysine. By providing the proper condition, bacterial population growth on the tapered surface increases the average surface density of the cells and consequently the refractive index (RI) of the tapered region would increase. The adsorption of the cells on the tapered fiber leads to changes in the optical characteristics of the taper. This affects the evanescent field leading to changes in optical throughput. The bacterial growth rate was monitored at room temperature by transmission of a 1558.17nm distributed feedback (DFB) laser through the tapered fiber. At the same condition, after determining the growth rate of E. coli by means of colony counting method, we compared the results with that obtained from the fiber sensor measurements. This novel sensing method, promises new application such as rapid analysis of the presence of bacteria. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Capillary jets in normal gravity: Asymptotic stability analysis and excitation using Maxwell and ultrasonic radiation stresses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lonzaga, Joel Barci

Both modulated ultrasonic radiation pressure and oscillating Maxwell stress from a voltage-modulated ring electrode are employed to excite low-frequency capillary modes of a weakly tapered liquid jet issuing from a nozzle. The capillary modes are waves formed at the surface of the liquid jet. The ultrasound is internally applied to the liquid jet waveguide and is cut off at a location resulting in a significantly enhanced oscillating radiation stress near the cutoff location. Alternatively, the thin electrode can generate a highly localized oscillating Maxwell stress on the jet surface. Experimental evidence shows that a spatially unstable mode with positive group velocity (propagating downstream from the excitation source) and a neutral mode with negative group velocity are both excited. Reflection at the nozzle boundary converts the neutral mode into an unstable one that interferes with the original unstable mode. The interference effect is observed downstream from the source using a laser-based optical extinction technique that detects the surface waves while the modulation frequency is scanned. This technique is very sensitive to small-amplitude disturbances. Existing linear, convective stability analyses on liquid jets accounting for the gravitational effect (i.e. varying radius and velocity) appear to be not applicable to non-slender, slow liquid jets considered here where the gravitational effect is found substantial at low flow rates. The multiple-scales method, asymptotic expansion and WKB approximation are used to derive a dispersion relation for the capillary wave similar to one obtained by Rayleigh but accounting for the gravitational effect. These mathematical tools aided by Langer's transformation are also used to derive a uniformly valid approximation for the acoustic wave propagation in a tapered cylindrical waveguide. The acoustic analytical approximation is validated by finite-element calculations. The jet response is modeled using a hybrid of

Flow-through micro-capillary refractive index sensor based on T/R spectral shift monitoring.

PubMed

Rigamonti, Giulia; Guardamagna, Marco; Bello, Valentina; Marconi, Stefania; Auricchio, Ferdinando; Merlo, Sabina

2017-10-01

We present a flow-through refractive index sensor for measuring the concentration of glucose solutions based on the application of rectangular glass micro-capillaries, with channel depth of 50 µm and 30 µm. A custom designed and 3D printed polymeric shell protects the tiny capillaries, ensuring an easier handling and interconnection with the macro-fluidic path. By illuminating the capillary with broadband radiation centered at λ~1.55 µm, both the transmitted (T) and reflected (R) optical spectrum from the capillary are detected with an optical spectrum analyzer, exploiting an all-fiber setup. Monitoring the spectral shift of the ratio T/R in response to increasing concentration of glucose solutions in water we have obtained sensitivities up to 530.9 nm/RIU and limit of detection in the range of 10 -5 -10 -4 RIU. Experimental results are in agreement with the theoretically predicted principle of operation. After the demonstration of amplitude detection at a single wavelength, we finally discuss the impact of the capillary parameters on the sensitivity.

Welding-fume-induced transmission loss in tapered optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Ji-Haeng

2015-09-01

This paper presents a method for sensing welding fumes in real time. This method is based on the results of nanoparticle-induced optical-fiber loss experiments that show that the losses are determined by the nanoparticle density and the taper waist. The tapered fiber is obtained by applying heat radiated from hot quartz, and monitoring is done in real time. First, the durability of the tapered fiber during the welding process is proven. Then, the loss is categorized by using the sizes of welding fume particles. The sensitivity to welding fumes increases with increasing size of the particles; consequently, the dimension of the taper waist decreases.

Ultra-low-loss tapered optical fibers with minimal lengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagai, Ryutaro; Aoki, Takao

2014-11-01

We design and fabricate ultra-low-loss tapered optical fibers (TOFs) with minimal lengths. We first optimize variations of the torch scan length using the flame-brush method for fabricating TOFs with taper angles that satisfy the adiabaticity criteria. We accordingly fabricate TOFs with optimal shapes and compare their transmission to TOFs with a constant taper angle and TOFs with an exponential shape. The highest transmission measured for TOFs with an optimal shape is in excess of 99.7 % with a total TOF length of only 23 mm, whereas TOFs with a constant taper angle of 2 mrad reach 99.6 % transmission for a 63 mm TOF length.

Comparison of debris extruded apically and working time used by ProTaper Universal rotary and ProTaper retreatment system during gutta-percha removal

PubMed Central

UEZU, Mary Kinue Nakamune; BRITTO, Maria Leticia Borges; NABESHIMA, Cleber K.; PALLOTTA, Raul Capp

2010-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro action of ProTaper retreatment files and ProTaper Universal in the retreatment of mandibular premolars. Material and methods The amount of debris extruded apically was measured and the time to reach the working length and to complete the removal of gutta-percha was observed. Thirty teeth had their canals prepared using ProTaper Universal files and were obturated by the single cone technique. The teeth were then stored at 37ºC in a humid environment for 7 days. During the use of the rotary instruments for root canal filling removal, the apical portions of the teeth were attached to the open end of a resin tube to collect the apically extruded debris. Results ProTaper Universal files were significantly faster (p=0.0011) than the ProTaper retreatment files to perform gutta-percha removal, but no significant difference was found between the files regarding the time to reach the working length or the amount of apical extrusion. Conclusions ProTaper Universal rotary had better results for endodontic retreatment, and both techniques promote similar apical extrusion of debris. PMID:21308282

Tapering Practices of Strongman Athletes: Test-Retest Reliability Study

PubMed Central

Pritchard, Hayden J; Keogh, Justin WL

2017-01-01

Background Little is currently known about the tapering practices of strongman athletes. We have developed an Internet-based comprehensive self-report questionnaire examining the training and tapering practices of strongman athletes. Objective The objective of this study was to document the test-retest reliability of questions associated with the Internet-based comprehensive self-report questionnaire on the tapering practices of strongman athletes. The information will provide insight on the reliability and usefulness of the online questionnaire for use with strongman athletes. Methods Invitations to complete an Internet questionnaire were sent via Facebook Messenger to identified strongman athletes. The survey consisted of four main areas of inquiry, including demographics and background information, training practices, tapering, and tapering practices. Of the 454 athletes that completed the survey over the 8-week period, 130 athletes responded on Facebook Messenger indicating that they intended to complete, or had completed, the survey. These participants were asked if they could complete the online questionnaire a second time for a test-retest reliability analysis. Sixty-four athletes (mean age 33.3 years, standard deviation [SD] 7.7; mean height 178.2 cm, SD 11.0; mean body mass 103.7 kg, SD 24.8) accepted this invitation and completed the survey for the second time after a minimum 7-day period from the date of their first completion. Agreement between athlete responses was measured using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and kappa statistics. Confidence intervals (at 95%) were reported for all measures and significance was set at P<.05. Results Test-retest reliability for demographic and training practices items were significant (P<.001) and showed excellent (ICC range=.84 to .98) and fair to almost perfect agreement (κ range=.37-.85). Moderate to excellent agreements (ICC range=.56-.84; P<.01) were observed for all tapering practice measures except

The Study of Compact Plasma Source of SXR of Vacuum Spark Type with Capillary Concentrator and It's Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantsyrev, V. L.; Kopytok, K. I.; Shlyaptseva, A. S.

1994-03-01

The results are presented dealing with the working out and study of the plasma source of soft X-ray (SXR) of the new type. Experimental set up included compact low-inductance vacuum spark (LIVS) with initial energy supply equal up to 2.5 kJ and glass-capillary concentrator (GCC) of SXR. The characteristics of SXR of vacuum spark and properties of SXR were studied using diagnostic complex. The coefficient of conversion of initial energy supply into SXR (η) amounted to 0.01 in range 1.2nm. Value η had peak dependence on atomic number of anode Za. The spectra were recorded belonging to Ne-like, F-like ions of Fe, Cu ions and He-like, H-like ions of Al, Ti, Fe. Glass capillary concentrator consists of about several hundreds glass capillaries Flux density of SXR in focusing spot was up to 105-106 Wt/cm, density of energy is up to 20-30 mJ/cm2 at diameter of SXR focusing spot equal to about 2-3mm in the range 0.7-1.0 nm. The plasma source of the new type is intended for X-ray microscopy, study of influence of SXR on the surface of solid state. It allows to carry out experiments making only on electron synchrotronic sources of SXR.

Free torsional vibrations of tapered cantilever I-beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, C. Kameswara; Mirza, S.

1988-08-01

Torsional vibration characteristics of linearly tapered cantilever I-beams have been studied by using the Galerkin finite element method. A third degree polynomial is assumed for the angle of twist. The analysis presented is valid for long beams and includes the effect of warping. The individual as well as combined effects of linear tapers in the width of the flanges and the depth of the web on the torsional vibration of cantilever I-beams are investigated. Numerical results generated for various values of taper ratios are presented in graphical form.

Diagnosis Taper Corrosion: When Is It the Taper and When Is It Something Else?

PubMed

Della Valle, Craig J; Calkins, Tyler E; Jacobs, Joshua J

2018-03-01

There has been an increasing use of modularity at the head-neck junction in total hip arthroplasty to more closely mimic the native anatomy, allowing for optimal leg length and stability. Corrosion at this junction in metal-on-polyethylene bearings can lead to an adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). This increasingly prevalent condition should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hip pain and difficulty ambulating. A recent symposium by the American Academy of Hip and Knee Surgeons described the diagnosis, etiology, management, and prevention of taper corrosion. This article describes the history, physical, plain and advanced imaging findings, laboratory tests, and other diagnoses that should be taken into consideration when diagnosing taper corrosion. The presence of ALTR due to taper corrosion can mimic other diagnoses such as periprosthetic joint infection, instability, or aseptic loosening. Serum metal levels have been found to be the most effective screening tool for identifying corrosion, but other common causes of hip pain and difficulty ambulating should always be ruled out with the use of radiographs and common laboratory techniques before diagnosing ALTR due to corrosion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thin-Ribbon Tapered Couplers For Dielectric Waveguides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otoshi, Tom Y.; Shimabukuro, Fred I.; Yeh, Cavour

1996-01-01

Thin-ribbon tapered couplers proposed for launching electro-magnetic waves into dielectric waveguides, which include optical fibers. Intended for use with ribbon dielectric waveguides designed for operation at millimeter or submillimeter wavelengths, made of high-relative-permittivity, low-loss materials and thicknesses comparable to or less than free-space design wavelengths. Coupling efficiencies exceeds those of older tapered couplers.

Capillary pumping independent of the liquid surface energy and viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Weijin; Hansson, Jonas; van der Wijngaart, Wouter

2018-03-01

Capillary pumping is an attractive means of liquid actuation because it is a passive mechanism, i.e., it does not rely on an external energy supply during operation. The capillary flow rate generally depends on the liquid sample viscosity and surface energy. This poses a problem for capillary-driven systems that rely on a predictable flow rate and for which the sample viscosity or surface energy are not precisely known. Here, we introduce the capillary pumping of sample liquids with a flow rate that is constant in time and independent of the sample viscosity and sample surface energy. These features are enabled by a design in which a well-characterized pump liquid is capillarily imbibed into the downstream section of the pump and thereby pulls the unknown sample liquid into the upstream pump section. The downstream pump geometry is designed to exert a Laplace pressure and fluidic resistance that are substantially larger than those exerted by the upstream pump geometry on the sample liquid. Hence, the influence of the unknown sample liquid on the flow rate is negligible. We experimentally tested pumps of the new design with a variety of sample liquids, including water, different samples of whole blood, different samples of urine, isopropanol, mineral oil, and glycerol. The capillary filling speeds of these liquids vary by more than a factor 1000 when imbibed to a standard constant cross-section glass capillary. In our new pump design, 20 filling tests involving these liquid samples with vastly different properties resulted in a constant volumetric flow rate in the range of 20.96-24.76 μL/min. We expect this novel capillary design to have immediate applications in lab-on-a-chip systems and diagnostic devices.

Development of electro-conductive silver phosphate-based glass optrodes for in vivo optogenetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desjardins, Mathieu; Roudjane, Mourad; Ledemi, Yannick; Gagnon-Turcotte, Gabriel; Maghsoudloo, Esmaeel; Filion, Guillaume; Gosselin, Benoit; Messaddeq, Younès.

2018-02-01

Multifunctional fibers are developed worldwide for enabling many new advanced applications. Among the multiple new functionalities that such fibers can offer according to their design, chemical composition and materials combination, the co-transmission of light and electrical signals is of first interest for sensing applications, in particular for optogenetics and electrophysiology. Multifunctional fibers offer an all-solid approach relying on new ionic conducting glasses for the design and manufacturing of next generation optrodes, which represents a tremendous upgrade compared to conventional techniques that requires the utilization of liquid electrolytes to carry the electrical signal generated by genetically encoded neuronal gated ion channels after optical excitation. After a systematic study conducted on different ion-conductive glass systems, silver phosphate-based glasses belonging to the AgI-AgPO3-WO3 and AgI-AgPO3-Ag2WO4 systems were found to be very promising materials for the target application. Several types of fibers, including single-core step-index fibers, multimaterial fibers made of inorganic and optical polymeric glasses have been then fabricated and characterized. Light transmission ranging from 400 to 1000 nm and electrical conductivity ranging from 10-3 and 10-1 S·cm-1 at room temperature (AC frequencies from 1 Hz to 1 MHz) were demonstrated with these fibers. Very sharp fiber tapers were then produced with high repeatability by using a CO2 laser optical setup, allowing a significant shrinking from the fiber (300 μm diameter) to the taper tip (25-30 μm diameter).

Rotational flow in tapered slab rocket motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saad, Tony; Sams, Oliver C.; Majdalani, Joseph

2006-10-01

Internal flow modeling is a requisite for obtaining critical parameters in the design and fabrication of modern solid rocket motors. In this work, the analytical formulation of internal flows particular to motors with tapered sidewalls is pursued. The analysis employs the vorticity-streamfunction approach to treat this problem assuming steady, incompressible, inviscid, and nonreactive flow conditions. The resulting solution is rotational following the analyses presented by Culick for a cylindrical motor. In an extension to Culick's work, Clayton has recently managed to incorporate the effect of tapered walls. Here, an approach similar to that of Clayton is applied to a slab motor in which the chamber is modeled as a rectangular channel with tapered sidewalls. The solutions are shown to be reducible, at leading order, to Taylor's inviscid profile in a porous channel. The analysis also captures the generation of vorticity at the surface of the propellant and its transport along the streamlines. It is from the axial pressure gradient that the proper form of the vorticity is ascertained. Regular perturbations are then used to solve the vorticity equation that prescribes the mean flow motion. Subsequently, numerical simulations via a finite volume solver are carried out to gain further confidence in the analytical approximations. In illustrating the effects of the taper on flow conditions, comparisons of total pressure and velocity profiles in tapered and nontapered chambers are entertained. Finally, a comparison with the axisymmetric flow analog is presented.

Continuous-Flow Electrophoresis of DNA and Proteins in a Two-Dimensional Capillary-Well Sieve.

PubMed

Duan, Lian; Cao, Zhen; Yobas, Levent

2017-09-19

Continuous-flow electrophoresis of macromolecules is demonstrated using an integrated capillary-well sieve arranged into a two-dimensional anisotropic array on silicon. The periodic array features thousands of entropic barriers, each resulting from an abrupt interface between a 2 μm deep well (channel) and a 70 nm capillary. These entropic barriers owing to two-dimensional confinement within the capillaries are vastly steep in relation to those arising from slits featuring one-dimensional confinement. Thus, the sieving mechanisms can sustain relatively large electric field strengths over a relatively small array area. The sieve rapidly sorts anionic macromolecules, including DNA chains and proteins in native or denatured states, into distinct trajectories according to size or charge under electric field vectors orthogonally applied. The baseline separation is achieved in less than 1 min within a horizontal migration length of ∼1.5 mm. The capillaries are self-enclosed conduits in cylindrical profile featuring a uniform diameter and realized through an approach that avoids advanced patterning techniques. The approach exploits a thermal reflow of a layer of doped glass for shape transformation into cylindrical capillaries and for controllably shrinking the capillary diameter. Lastly, atomic layer deposition of alumina is introduced for the first time to fine-tune the capillary diameter as well as to neutralize the surface charge, thereby suppressing undesired electroosmotic flows.

Turbine airfoil fabricated from tapered extrusions

DOEpatents

Marra, John J

2013-07-16

An airfoil (30) and fabrication process for turbine blades with cooling channels (26). Tapered tubes (32A-32D) are bonded together in a parallel sequence, forming a leading edge (21), a trailing edge (22), and pressure and suction side walls (23, 24) connected by internal ribs (25). The tapered tubes may be extruded without camber to simplify the extrusion process, then bonded along matching surfaces (34), forming a non-cambered airfoil (28), which may be cambered in a hot forming process and cut (48) to length. The tubes may have tapered walls that are thinner at the blade tip (T1) than at the base (T2), reducing mass. A cap (50) may be attached to the blade tip. A mounting lug (58) may be forged (60) on the airfoil base and then machined, completing the blade for mounting in a turbine rotor disk.

Adiabatic tapered optical fiber fabrication in two step etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chenari, Z.; Latifi, H.; Ghamari, S.; Hashemi, R. S.; Doroodmand, F.

2016-01-01

A two-step etching method using HF acid and Buffered HF is proposed to fabricate adiabatic biconical optical fiber tapers. Due to the fact that the etching rate in second step is almost 3 times slower than the previous droplet etching method, terminating the fabrication process is controllable enough to achieve a desirable fiber diameter. By monitoring transmitted spectrum, final diameter and adiabaticity of tapers are deduced. Tapers with losses about 0.3 dB in air and 4.2 dB in water are produced. The biconical fiber taper fabricated using this method is used to excite whispering gallery modes (WGMs) on a microsphere surface in an aquatic environment. So that they are suitable to be used in applications like WGM biosensors.

Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-10

iss052e013146 (July 10, 2017) --- Astronaut Jack Fischer is photographed during setup of hardware for the Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) two sorbent demonstrations. The Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) investigation studies a new method using structures of specific shapes to manage fluid and gas mixtures. The investigation studies water recycling and carbon dioxide removal, benefiting future efforts to design lightweight, more reliable life support systems for future space missions.

Comparative study of ProTaper gold, reciproc, and ProTaper universal for root canal preparation in severely curved root canals

PubMed Central

Arslan, Hakan; Yildiz, Ezgi Doganay; Gunduz, Hicran Ates; Sumbullu, Meltem; Bayrakdar, Ibrahim Sevki; Karatas, Ertugrul; Sumbullu, Muhammed Akif

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the root canal transportation, centering ability, and instrumentation times with the ProTaper Gold (Dentsply Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK, USA), Reciproc (VDW, Munich, Germany), and ProTaper Universal (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Thirty mesial root canals of mandibular first molars with curvature angles of 35°–70° and radii of 2–6 mm were included in the study. Root canal instrumentation was performed up to F2 or R25. The instrumentation times were recorded. CBCT scanning was performed both pre- and post-instrumentation. Root canal transportation and the centering ratio were calculated for groups, and the data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and least significant difference post hoc tests for the instrumentation time, root canal transportation, and centering ratio at the 95% confidence level (P = 0.05). Results: At 3, 5, and 7 mm levels, there was no significant difference in the root canal transportation and centering ratio among the groups (P > 0.05). There were significant differences between the Reciproc and ProTaper Universal groups in the instrumentation times (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Root canal transportation and the centering ratio with the ProTaper Gold were similar to those obtained with the ProTaper Universal and Reciproc. PMID:29259355

Flexural-torsional vibration of a tapered C-section beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, Scott T.; Jones, Keith W.

2017-04-01

Previous studies have shown that numerical models of tapered thin-walled C-section beams based on a stepped or piecewise prismatic beam approximation are inaccurate regardless of the number of elements assumed in the discretization. Andrade recently addressed this problem by extending Vlasov beam theory to a tapered geometry resulting in new terms that vanish for the uniform beam. (See One-Dimensional Models for the Spatial Behaviour of Tapered Thin-Walled Bars with Open Cross-Sections: Static, Dynamic and Buckling Analyses, PhD Thesis, University of Coimbra, Portugal, 2012, https://estudogeral.sib.uc.pt) In this paper, we model the coupled bending-twisting vibration of a cantilevered tapered thin-walled C-section using a Galerkin approximation of Andrade's beam equations resulting in an 8-degree-of-freedom beam element. Experimental natural frequencies and mode shapes for 3 prismatic and 2 tapered channel beams are compared to model predictions. In addition, comparisons are made to detailed shell finite element models and exact solutions for the uniform beams to confirm the validity of the approach. Comparisons to the incorrect stepped model are also presented.

Catalog of Window Taper Functions for Sidelobe Control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doerry, Armin W.

Window taper functions of finite apertures are well-known to control undesirable sidelobes, albeit with performance trades. A plethora of various taper functions have been developed over the years to achieve various optimizations. We herein catalog a number of window functions, and com pare principal characteristics.

In-line optical fiber sensors based on cladded multimode tapered fibers.

PubMed

Villatoro, Joel; Monzón-Hernández, David; Luna-Moreno, Donato

2004-11-10

The use of uniform-waist cladded multimode tapered optical fibers is demonstrated for evanescent wave spectroscopy and sensors. The tapering is a simple, low-loss process and consists of stretching the fiber while it is being heated with an oscillating flame torch. As examples, a refractive-index sensor and a hydrogen sensor are demonstrated by use of a conventional graded-index multimode optical fiber. Also, absorbance spectra are measured while the tapers are immersed in an absorbing liquid. It is found experimentally that the uniform waist is the part of the taper that contributes most to the sensor sensitivity. The taper waist diameter may also be used to adjust the sensor dynamic range.

Reduction of the capillary water absorption of foamed concrete by using the porous aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namsone, E.; Sahmenko, G.; Namsone, E.; Korjakins, A.

2017-10-01

The article reports on the research of reduction of the capillary water absorption of foamed concrete (FC) by using the porous aggregate such as the granules of expanded glass (EG) and the cenospheres (CS). The EG granular aggregate is produced by using recycled glass and blowing agents, melted down in high temperature. The unique structure of the EG granules is obtained where the air is kept closed inside the pellet. The use of the porous aggregate in the preparation process of the FC samples provides an opportunity to improve some physical and mechanical properties of the FC, classifying it as a product of high-performance. In this research the FC samples were produced by adding the EG granules and the CS. The capillary water absorption of hardened samples has been verified. The pore size distribution has been determined by microscope. It is a very important characteristic, specifically in the cold climate territories-where temperature often falls below zero degrees. It is necessary to prevent forming of the micro sized pores in the final structure of the material as it reduces its water absorption capacity. In addition, at a below zero temperature water inside these micro sized pores can increase them by expanding the stress on their walls during the freezing process. Research of the capillary water absorption kinetics can be practical for prevision of the FC durability.

Solute rejection by porous glass membranes. I - Hyperfiltration of sodium chloride and urea feed solutions.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballou, E. V.; Wydeven, T.; Leban, M. I.

1971-01-01

Hyperfiltration of sodium chloride and urea was studied with porous glass membranes in closed-end capillary form, to determine the effect of pressure, temperature, and concentration variations, and lifetime rejection and flux characteristics. Rejection data for sodium chloride were consistent with the functioning of the porous glass as a low-capacity ion-exchange membrane.

Refractive index sensors based on the fused tapered special multi-mode fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xing-hu; Xiu, Yan-li; Liu, Qin; Xie, Hai-yang; Yang, Chuan-qing; Zhang, Shun-yang; Fu, Guang-wei; Bi, Wei-hong

2016-01-01

In this paper, a novel refractive index (RI) sensor is proposed based on the fused tapered special multi-mode fiber (SMMF). Firstly, a section of SMMF is spliced between two single-mode fibers (SMFs). Then, the SMMF is processed by a fused tapering machine, and a tapered fiber structure is fabricated. Finally, a fused tapered SMMF sensor is obtained for measuring external RI. The RI sensing mechanism of tapered SMMF sensor is analyzed in detail. For different fused tapering lengths, the experimental results show that the RI sensitivity can be up to 444.517 81 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.334 9—1.347 0. The RI sensitivity is increased with the increase of fused tapering length. Moreover, it has many advantages, including high sensitivity, compact structure, fast response and wide application range. So it can be used to measure the solution concentration in the fields of biochemistry, health care and food processing.

Minimum work analysis on the critical taper accretionary wedges- insights from analogue modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santimano, Tasca; Rosenau, Matthias; Oncken, Onno

2014-05-01

The Critical taper theory (CTT) is a fundamental concept for the understanding of mountain building processes. Based on force balance it predicts the preferred steady state geometry of an accretionary wedge system and its tectonic regime (extensive, compressive, stable). However, it does not specify which structures are formed and reactivated to reach the preferred state. The latter can be predicted by the minimum work concept. Here we test both concepts and their interplay by analysing two simple sand wedge models which differ only in the thickness of the basal detachment (a layer of glass beads). While the steady state critical taper is controlled by internal and basal friction coefficients and therefore the same in all experiments, different processes can minimise work by 1. reducing gravitational work e.g. by lowering the amount of uplift or volume uplifted, or 2. reducing frictional work e.g. by lowering the load or due to low friction coefficient along thrusts. Since a thick detachment allows entrainment of low friction material and therefore lowering of the friction along active thrusts, we speculate that the style of wedge growth will differ between the two models. We observe that the wedge with a thin basal detachment localizes strain at the toe of the wedge periodically and reactivate older faults to reach the critical topography. On the contrary, in the wedge with the thicker detachment layer, friction along thrusts is lowered due to the entrainment of low friction material from the detachment zone, subsequently increasing the lifetime of a thrust. Long thrust episodes are always followed by a fault of shorter lifetime, with the aim of reaching the critical taper. From the two experiments, we analyze the time-series evolution of the wedge to infer the work done by the two styles of deformation and predict the trend over time to differ but the maximum work to be similar Our observations show that the critical taper theory determines the geometry of the

Numerical modelling on stimulated Brillouin scattering characterization for Graphene-clad tapered silica fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hui Jing; Abdullah, Fairuz; Ismail, Aiman

2017-11-01

This paper presents finite numerical modelling on the cross-sectional region of tapered single mode fiber and graphene-clad tapered fiber. Surface acoustic wave propagation across the tapered surface region on tapered single mode fiber has a high threshold power at 61.87 W which is challenging to overcome by the incident pump wave. Surface acoustic wave propagation of fiber surface however made tapered wave plausible in the optical sensor application. This research introduces graphene as the cladding layer on tapered fiber, acoustic confinement occurs due to the graphene cladding which lowers the threshold power from 61.87 W to 2.17 W.

The fabrication of a tapered fiber connector and its coupling efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qinggui, Hu; Chengzhong, Li

2017-11-01

In order to reduce the adverse influence of transversal displacement of the optical fiber connector, we propose the directional tapered communication fiber connector, in which the fiber head is tapered according to the signal transmission direction to improve efficiency. We used a flame-brush technique to produce the tapered fiber successfully. In the next step, two experiments in different environments were performed; one in a static environment and the other in a vibration environment. The first experiment shows that the efficiency of the tapered connector is higher than that of the common connector in the same transversal displacement. The second experiment shows that the efficiency of the tapered connector is higher than that of the common connector in the same frequency and amplitude.

Evaluation of capillary reinforced composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahill, J. E.; Halase, J. F.; South, W. K.; Stoffer, L. J.

1985-01-01

Anti-icing of the inlet of jet engines is generally performed with high pressure heated air that is directed forward from the compressor through a series of pipes to various manifolds located near the structures to be anti-iced. From these manifolds, the air is directed to all flowpath surfaces that may be susceptible to ice formation. There the anti-icing function may be performed by either heat conduction or film heating. Unfortunately, the prospect of utilizing lighweight, high strength composites for inlet structures of jet engines has been frustrated by the low transverse thermal conductivity of such materials. It was the objective of this program to develop an advanced materials and design concept for anti-icing composite structures. The concept that was evaluated used capillary glass tubes embedded on the surface of a composite structure with heated air ducted through the tubes. An analytical computer program was developed to predict the anti-icing performance of such tubes and a test program was conducted to demonstrate actual performance of this system. Test data and analytical code results were in excellent agreement. Both indicate feasibility of using capillary tubes for surface heating as a means for composite engine structures to combat ice accumulation.

Combined tension and bending testing of tapered composite laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, T. Kevin; Murri, Gretchen B.; Hagemeier, Rick; Rogers, Charles

1994-11-01

A simple beam element used at Bell Helicopter was incorporated in the Computational Mechanics Testbed (COMET) finite element code at the Langley Research Center (LaRC) to analyze the responce of tappered laminates typical of flexbeams in composite rotor hubs. This beam element incorporated the influence of membrane loads on the flexural response of the tapered laminate configurations modeled and tested in a combined axial tension and bending (ATB) hydraulic load frame designed and built at LaRC. The moments generated from the finite element model were used in a tapered laminated plate theory analysis to estimate axial stresses on the surface of the tapered laminates due to combined bending and tension loads. Surfaces strains were calculated and compared to surface strains measured using strain gages mounted along the laminate length. The strain distributions correlated reasonably well with the analysis. The analysis was then used to examine the surface strain distribution in a non-linear tapered laminate where a similarly good correlation was obtained. Results indicate that simple finite element beam models may be used to identify tapered laminate configurations best suited for simulating the response of a composite flexbeam in a full scale rotor hub.

Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates

DOEpatents

Swierkowski, Steve P.; Davidson, James C.; Balch, Joseph W.

2001-01-01

An improved apparatus and method for vacuum fusion bonding of large, patterned glass plates. One or both glass plates are patterned with etched features such as microstructure capillaries and a vacuum pumpout moat, with one plate having at least one hole therethrough for communication with a vacuum pumpout fixture. High accuracy alignment of the plates is accomplished by a temporary clamping fixture until the start of the fusion bonding heat cycle. A complete, void-free fusion bond of seamless, full-strength quality is obtained through the plates; because the glass is heated well into its softening point and because of a large, distributed force that is developed that presses the two plates together from the difference in pressure between the furnace ambient (high pressure) and the channeling and microstructures in the plates (low pressure) due to the vacuum drawn. The apparatus and method may be used to fabricate microcapillary arrays for chemical electrophoresis; for example, any apparatus using a network of microfluidic channels embedded between plates of glass or similar moderate melting point substrates with a gradual softening point curve, or for assembly of glass-based substrates onto larger substrates, such as in flat panel display systems.

Vacuum fusion bonding of glass plates

DOEpatents

Swierkowski, Steve P.; Davidson, James C.; Balch, Joseph W.

2000-01-01

An improved apparatus and method for vacuum fusion bonding of large, patterned glass plates. One or both glass plates are patterned with etched features such as microstructure capillaries and a vacuum pumpout moat, with one plate having at least one hole therethrough for communication with a vacuum pumpout fixture. High accuracy alignment of the plates is accomplished by a temporary clamping fixture until the start of the fusion bonding heat cycle. A complete, void-free fusion bond of seamless, full-strength quality is obtained through the plates; because the glass is heated well into its softening point and because of a large, distributed force that is developed that presses the two plates together from the difference in pressure between the furnace ambient (high pressure) and the channeling and microstructures in the plates (low pressure) due to the vacuum drawn. The apparatus and method may be used to fabricate microcapillary arrays for chemical electrophoresis; for example, any apparatus using a network of microfluidic channels embedded between plates of glass or similar moderate melting point substrates with a gradual softening point curve, or for assembly of glass-based substrates onto larger substrates, such as in flat panel display systems.

Two-dimensional capillary electrophoresis: capillary isoelectric focusing and capillary zone electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

PubMed Central

Dickerson, Jane A.; Ramsay, Lauren M.; Dada, Oluwatosin O.; Cermak, Nathan

2011-01-01

Capillary isoelectric focusing and capillary zone electrophoresis are coupled with laser-induced fluorescence detection to create an ultrasensitive two-dimensional separation method for proteins. In this method, two capillaries are joined through a buffer filled interface. Separate power supplies control the potential at the injection end of the first capillary and at the interface; the detector is held at ground potential. Proteins are labeled with the fluorogenic reagent Chromeo P503, which preserves the isoelectric point of the labeled protein. The labeled proteins were mixed with ampholytes and injected into the first dimension capillary. A focusing step was performed with the injection end of the capillary at high pH and the interface at low pH. To mobilize components, the interface was filled with a high pH buffer, which was compatible with the second dimension separation. A fraction was transferred to the second dimension capillary for separation. The process of fraction transfer and second dimension separation was repeated two dozen times. The separation produced a spot capacity of 125. PMID:20603830

Variational theory of the tapered impedance transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Robert P.

2018-02-01

Superconducting amplifiers are key components of modern quantum information circuits. To minimize information loss and reduce oscillations, a tapered impedance transformer of new design is needed at the input/output for compliance with other 50 Ω components. We show that an optimal tapered transformer of length ℓ, joining the amplifier to the input line, can be constructed using a variational principle applied to the linearized Riccati equation describing the voltage reflection coefficient of the taper. For an incident signal of frequency ωo, the variational solution results in an infinite set of equivalent optimal transformers, each with the same form for the reflection coefficient, each able to eliminate input-line reflections. For the special case of optimal lossless transformers, the group velocity vg is shown to be constant, with characteristic impedance dependent on frequency ωc = πvg/ℓ. While these solutions inhibit input-line reflections only for frequency ωo, a subset of optimal lossless transformers with ωo significantly detuned from ωc does exhibit a wide bandpass. Specifically, by choosing ωo → 0 (ωo → ∞), we obtain a subset of optimal low-pass (high-pass) lossless tapers with bandwidth (0, ˜ ωc) [(˜ωc, ∞)]. From the subset of solutions, we derive both the wide-band low-pass and high-pass transformers, and we discuss the extent to which they can be realized given fabrication constraints. In particular, we demonstrate the superior reflection response of our high-pass transformer when compared to other taper designs. Our results have application to amplifiers, transceivers, and other components sensitive to impedance mismatch.

Does Surface Topography Play a Role in Taper Damage in Head-neck Modular Junctions?

PubMed

Pourzal, Robin; Hall, Deborah J; Ha, Nguyen Q; Urban, Robert M; Levine, Brett R; Jacobs, Joshua J; Lundberg, Hannah J

2016-10-01

There are increasing reports of total hip arthroplasty failure subsequent to modular taper junction corrosion. The surfaces of tapers are machined to have circumferential machining marks, resulting in a surface topography of alternating peaks and valleys on the scale of micrometers. It is unclear if the geometry of this machined surface topography influences the degree of fretting and corrosion damage present on modular taper junctions or if there are differences between modular taper junction material couples. (1) What are the differences in damage score and surface topography between CoCr/CoCr and CoCr/Ti modular junctions? (2) How are initial surface topography, flexural rigidity, taper angle mismatch, and time in situ related to visual taper damage scores for CoCr/CoCr couples? (3) How are initial surface topography, flexural rigidity, taper angle mismatch, and time in situ related to visual taper damage scores for CoCr/Ti couples? Damage on stem and head tapers was evaluated with a modified Goldberg score. Differences in damage scores were determined between a group of 140 CoCr/CoCr couples and 129 CoCr/Ti couples using a chi-square test. For a subgroup of 70 retrievals, selected at random, we measured five variables, including initial stem taper machining mark height and spacing, initial head taper roughness, flexural rigidity, and taper angle mismatch. All retrievals were obtained at revision surgeries. None were retrieved as a result of metal-on-metal failures or were recalled implants. Components were chosen so there was a comparable number of each material couple and damage score. Machining marks around the circumference of the tapers were measured using white light interferometry to characterize the initial stem taper surface topography in terms of the height of and spacing between machining mark peaks as well as initial head taper roughness. The taper angle mismatch was assessed with a coordinate measuring machine. Flexural rigidity was determined based

Tapered polysilicon core fibers for nonlinear photonics.

PubMed

Suhailin, Fariza H; Shen, Li; Healy, Noel; Xiao, Limin; Jones, Maxwell; Hawkins, Thomas; Ballato, John; Gibson, Ursula J; Peacock, Anna C

2016-04-01

We propose and demonstrate a novel approach to obtaining small-core polysilicon waveguides from the silicon fiber platform. The fibers were fabricated via a conventional drawing tower method and, subsequently, tapered down to achieve silicon core diameters of ∼1  μm, the smallest optical cores for this class of fiber to date. Characterization of the material properties have shown that the taper process helps to improve the local crystallinity of the silicon core, resulting in a significant reduction in the material loss. By exploiting the combination of small cores and low losses, these tapered fibers have enabled the first observation of nonlinear transmission within a polycrystalline silicon waveguide of any type. As the fiber drawing method is highly scalable, it opens a route for the development of low-cost and flexible nonlinear silicon photonic systems.

Nonlinear acoustic streaming in straight and tapered tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, Brian C.

In thermoacoustic and Stirling devices such as the pulse-tube refrigerator, efficiency is diminished by the formation of a second-order mean velocity known as Rayleigh streaming. This flow emerges from the interaction of the working gas with the wall of the tube in a thin boundary layer. Recent studies have suggested that streaming velocity can be decreased in a tube by tapering it slightly. This research investigates that claim through the development of a numerical model of Rayleigh streaming in variously tapered tubes. It is found that the numerical simulation of streaming in a straight tube compares well with theory, and the application of different thermal boundary conditions at the tube wall shows that for pressurized helium, inner streaming vortices which appear near an adiabatic tube wall do not develop near an isothermal wall. An order analysis indicates that the temperature dependence of viscosity and thermal conductivity contributes appreciably to an accurate numerical model of streaming. Comparison of Rayleigh streaming in tapered tubes shows the effects of taper angle on the circulation and velocity of the mean flow.

[Shaping ability of multi-taper nickel-titanium files in simulated resin curved root canal].

PubMed

Luo, Hong-Xia; Huang, Ding-Ming; Jia, Liu-He; Luo, Shi-Gao; Gao, Xiao-Jie; Tan, Hong; Zhou, Xue-Dong

2006-08-01

To compare the shaping ability of ISO standard stainless steel K files and multi-taper ProTaper nickel-titanium files in simulated resin curved root canals. METHODS Thirty simulated resin root canals were randomly divided into three groups and prepared by stainless steel K files, hand ProTaper, rotary ProTaper, respectively. The amount of material removed from inner and outer wall and canal width after canal preparation was measured, while the canal curvature before and after canal preparation and canals aberrations were recorded. The stainless steel K files removed more material than hand ProTaper and rotary ProTaper at the outer side of apex and inner side of curvature (P < 0.05). The mean degree of straightening in stainless steel K files group was significantly bigger than in ProTaper group (P < 0.05). The canals prepared by ProTaper had no evident aberration. The shaping ability of ProTaper is better than stainless steel K files.

Simple Expressions for the Design of Linear Tapers in Overmoded Corrugated Waveguides

DOE PAGES

Schaub, S. C.; Shapiro, M. A.; Temkin, R. J.

2015-08-16

In this paper, simple analytical formulae are presented for the design of linear tapers with very low mode conversion loss in overmoded corrugated waveguides. For tapers from waveguide radius a2 to a1, with a11a 2/λ. Here, λ is the wavelength of radiation. The fractional loss of the HE 11 mode in an optimized taper is 0.0293(a 2-a 1) 4/amore » $$2\\atop{1}$$1a$$2\\atop{2}$$. These formulae are accurate when a2≲2a 1. Slightly more complex formulae, accurate for a 2≤4a 1, are also presented in this paper. The loss in an overmoded corrugated linear taper is less than 1 % when a 2≤2.12a 1 and less than 0.1 % when a 2≤1.53a 1. The present analytic results have been benchmarked against a rigorous mode matching code and have been found to be very accurate. The results for linear tapers are compared with the analogous expressions for parabolic tapers. Finally, parabolic tapers may provide lower loss, but linear tapers with moderate values of a 2/a 1 may be attractive because of their simplicity of fabrication.« less

Quantitative evaluation of apically extruded debris during root canal instrumentation with ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, WaveOne, and self-adjusting file systems

PubMed Central

Ozsu, Damla; Karatas, Ertugrul; Arslan, Hakan; Topcu, Meltem C.

2014-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the amount of apically extruded debris during preparation with ProTaper Universal (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), ProTaper Next (Dentsply Maillefer), a reciprocating single-file (WaveOne; VDW GmbH, Munich, Germany), and a self-adjusting file (SAF; ReDent Nova, Ra’anna, Israel). Materials and Methods: Fifty-six intact mandibular premolar teeth were randomly assigned to four groups. The root canals were prepared according to the manufacturers’ instructions using the ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, WaveOne, and SAF. Apically extruded debris was collected in preweighted Eppendorf tubes during instrumentation. The net weight of the apically extruded debris was determined by subtracting the preweights and postweights of the tubes. The data were statistically analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance and the least significant difference tests at a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: A measurable amount of debris was apically extruded in all groups, and the amounts of debris extrusion in the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The ProTaper Next and WaveOne groups resulted in less debris extrusion than the ProTaper Universal group (P < 0.05), and the SAF group resulted in the least debris extrusion. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that all systems extruded debris beyond the apical foramen. PMID:25512732

The effects of tapering on strength performance in trained athletes.

PubMed

Gibala, M J; MacDougall, J D; Sale, D G

1994-11-01

The optimum pre-competition taper procedure for "strength athletes" is not known. We examined voluntary strength and evoked contractile properties of the elbow flexors over a 10 day rest only (ROT) and a 10 day reduced volume taper (RVT) in 8 resistance trained males (23 +/- 2.1 years). Following 3 wks of standardized training of the elbow flexors, subjects were randomly assigned to one of the tapers. Upon completion, they resumed training for 3 wks and completed the other taper. No arm training was performed during the ROT, while high intensity, low volume training was done every second day during the RVT. Maximum isometric (MVC), low (0.52 rad.s-1; LV) and high velocity (3.14 rad.s-1; HV) concentric peak torque, and evoked isometric twitch contractile properties were measured before and after each training phase and every 48 h during each taper. ANOVA comparison of the tapers revealed that MVC increased (p < or = 0.05) over pre-taper values throughout the RVT (measurement days 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10), as did LV at 2, 4, 6, and 8 d. MVC did not change over the ROT but LV was significantly higher on day 2 and lower on days 8 and 10. LV was also greater on days 4, 6, 8 and 10 during the RVT compared to the ROT. The evoked contractile properties remained largely unchanged. The data indicate that resistance-trained athletes can improve low velocity concentric strength for at least 8 days by greatly reducing training volume, but maintaining training intensity.

5 CFR 353.303 - Restoration rights of TAPER employees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Restoration rights of TAPER employees... Restoration rights of TAPER employees. An employee serving in the competitive service under a temporary... she left or an equivalent one in the same commuting area. ...

Laser capillary spectrophotometric acquisition of bivariate drop size and concentration data for liquid-liquid dispersion

DOEpatents

Tavlarides, Lawrence L.; Bae, Jae-Heum

1991-01-01

A laser capillary spectrophotometric technique measures real time or near real time bivariate drop size and concentration distribution for a reactive liquid-liquid dispersion system. The dispersion is drawn into a precision-bore glass capillary and an appropriate light source is used to distinguish the aqueous phase from slugs of the organic phase at two points along the capillary whose separation is precisely known. The suction velocity is measured, as is the length of each slug from which the drop free diameter is calculated. For each drop, the absorptivity at a given wavelength is related to the molar concentration of a solute of interest, and the concentration of given drops of the organic phase is derived from pulse heights of the detected light. This technique permits on-line monitoring and control of liquid-liquid dispersion processes.

Laser capillary spectrophotometric acquisition of bivariate drop size and concentration data for liquid-liquid dispersion

DOEpatents

Tavlarides, L.L.; Bae, J.H.

1991-12-24

A laser capillary spectrophotometric technique measures real time or near real time bivariate drop size and concentration distribution for a reactive liquid-liquid dispersion system. The dispersion is drawn into a precision-bore glass capillary and an appropriate light source is used to distinguish the aqueous phase from slugs of the organic phase at two points along the capillary whose separation is precisely known. The suction velocity is measured, as is the length of each slug from which the drop free diameter is calculated. For each drop, the absorptivity at a given wavelength is related to the molar concentration of a solute of interest, and the concentration of given drops of the organic phase is derived from pulse heights of the detected light. This technique permits on-line monitoring and control of liquid-liquid dispersion processes. 17 figures.

Narrowband spectral filter based on biconical tapered fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celaschi, Sergio; Malheiros-Silveira, Gilliard N.

2018-02-01

The ease of fabrication and compactness of devices based on tapered optical fibers contribute to its potential using in several applications ranging from telecommunication components to sensing devices. In this work, we proposed, fabricated, and characterized a spectral filter made of biconical taper from a coaxial optical fiber. This filter is defined by adiabatically tapering a depressed-cladding fiber. The adiabatic taper profile obtained during fabrication prevents the interference of other modes than HE11 and HE12 ones, which play the main role for the beating phenomenon and the filter response. The evolution of the fiber shapes during the pulling was modeled by two coupled partial differential equations, which relate the normalized cross-section area, and the axial velocity of the fiber elongation. These equations govern the mass and axial momentum conservation. The numerical results of the filter characteristics are in good accordance with the experimental ones. The filter was packaged in order to let it ready for using in optical communication bands. The characteristics are: free spectral range (FSR) of 6.19 nm, insertion loss bellow 0.5 dB, and isolation > 20 dB at C-band. Its transmission spectrum extends from 1200 to 1600 nm where the optical fiber core supports monomode transmission. Such characteristics may also be interesting to be applied in sensing applications. We show preliminary numerical results assuming a biconic taper embedded into a dielectric media, showing promising results for electro-optic sensing applications.

Multimode Brillouin spectrum in a long tapered birefringent photonic crystal fiber.

PubMed

Tchahame, Joël Cabrel; Beugnot, Jean-Charles; Kudlinski, Alexandre; Sylvestre, Thibaut

2015-09-15

We investigate the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a long tapered birefringent solid-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and compare our results with a similar but untapered PCF. It is shown that the taper generates a broadband and multipeaked Brillouin spectrum, while significantly increasing the threshold power. Furthermore, we observe that the strong fiber birefringence gives rise to a frequency shift of the Brillouin spectrum which increases along the fiber. Numerical simulations are also presented to account for the taper effect and the birefringence. Our findings open a new means to control or inhibit the SBS by tapering photonic crystal fibers.

Asymptomatic Pseudotumors in Patients with Taper Corrosion of a Dual-Taper Modular Femoral Stem: MARS-MRI and Metal Ion Study.

PubMed

Kwon, Young-Min; Khormaee, Sariah; Liow, Ming Han Lincoln; Tsai, Tsung-Yuan; Freiberg, Andrew A; Rubash, Harry E

2016-10-19

Modularity in total hip arthroplasty facilitates intraoperative restoration of patient anatomy. Although dual-taper modular total hip arthroplasty offers potential advantages for optimizing the hip center of rotation, it has been associated with modular taper corrosion. This corrosion has led to adverse local tissue reactions (pseudotumors) at the neck-stem junction and elevated metal-ion levels. However, the occurrence of taper-corrosion-related pseudotumors in patients who remain asymptomatic following total hip arthroplasty with a dual-taper modular femoral stem remains largely unknown. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic pseudotumors by utilizing metal artifact reduction sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MARS-MRI) and (2) compare serum metal-ion levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with a dual-taper modular stem total hip replacement. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of 97 consecutive patients who had been treated with a dual-taper modular femoral stem total hip arthroplasty. Eighty-three patients were stratified into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups and evaluated with MARS-MRI, measurement of serum metal-ion levels, and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) functional hip score. The prevalence of pseudotumors as determined with MARS-MRI was 15% in our asymptomatic patients and 36% in the overall cohort. The median serum cobalt level and cobalt/chromium ratio were significantly higher in patients with a pseudotumor than in those without a pseudotumor (8.0 versus 2.0 μg/L [p = 0.004] and 10.3 versus 2.4 μg/L [p = 0.012], respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the serum cobalt level or cobalt/chromium ratio between symptomatic patients with a pseudotumor and asymptomatic patients with a pseudotumor (7.6 versus 6.2 μg/L [p = 0.37] and 8.3 versus 10.6 μg/L [p = 0.46], respectively). The UCLA scores of asymptomatic patients with a pseudotumor were

Ceramic Heads Decrease Metal Release Caused by Head-taper Fretting and Corrosion.

PubMed

Kocagoz, Sevi B; Underwood, Richard J; MacDonald, Daniel W; Gilbert, Jeremy L; Kurtz, Steven M

2016-04-01

Metal release resulting from taper fretting and corrosion is a clinical concern, because wear and corrosion products may stimulate adverse local tissue reactions. Unimodular hip arthroplasties have a conical taper between the femoral head (head bore taper) and the femoral stem (stem cone taper). The use of ceramic heads has been suggested as a way of reducing the generation of wear and corrosion products from the head bore/stem cone taper junction. A previous semiquantitative study found that ceramic heads had less visual evidence of fretting-corrosion damage compared with CoCr heads; but, to our knowledge, no studies have quantified the volumetric material loss from the head bore and stem cone tapers of a matched cohort of ceramic and metal heads. We asked: (1) Do ceramic heads result in less volume of material loss at the head-stem junction compared with CoCr heads; (2) do stem cone tapers have less volumetric material loss compared with CoCr head bore tapers; (3) do visual fretting-corrosion scores correlate with volumetric material loss; and (4) are device, patient, or intraoperative factors associated with volumetric material loss? A quantitative method was developed to estimate volumetric material loss from the head and stem taper in previously matched cohorts of 50 ceramic and 50 CoCr head-stem pairs retrieved during revision surgery for causes not related to adverse reactions to metal particles. The cohorts were matched according to (1) implantation time, (2) stem flexural rigidity, and (3) lateral offset. Fretting corrosion was assessed visually using a previously published four-point, semiquantitative scoring system. The volumetric loss was measured using a precision roundness machine. Using 24 equally spaced axial traces, the volumetric loss was estimated using a linear least squares fit to interpolate the as-manufactured surfaces. The results of this analysis were considered in the context of device (taper angle clearance, head size, head offset

Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in tapered As2S3 chalcogenide planar waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiang; Hu, Hongyu; Li, Wenbo; Dutta, Niloy K.

2016-10-01

We numerically demonstrate mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in a non-uniformly tapered chalcogenide planar waveguide. This planar rib waveguide of As2S3 glass on MgF2 is 2 cm long with increasing etch depth longitudinally to manage the total dispersion. This waveguide has zero dispersion at two wavelengths. The dispersion profile varies along the propagation distance, leading to continuous modification of the phase-matching condition for dispersive wave emission and enhancement of energy transfer efficiency between solitons and dispersive waves. Numerical simulations are conducted for secant input pulses at a wavelength of 1.55 μm with a width of 50 fs and peak power of 2 kW. Results show this proposed scheme significantly broadens the generated continuum, extending from ~1 to ~7 μm.

Acoustic vibration sensor based on nonadiabatic tapered fibers.

PubMed

Xu, Ben; Li, Yi; Sun, Miao; Zhang, Zhen-Wei; Dong, Xin-Yong; Zhang, Zai-Xuan; Jin, Shang-Zhong

2012-11-15

A simple and low-cost vibration sensor based on single-mode nonadiabatic fiber tapers is proposed and demonstrated. The environmental vibrations can be detected by demodulating the transmission loss of the nonadiabatic fiber taper. Theoretical simulations show that the transmission loss is related to the microbending of the fiber taper induced by vibrations. Unlike interferometric sensors, this vibration sensor does not need any feedback loop to control the quadrature point to obtain a stable performance. In addition, it has no requirement for the coherence of the light source and is insensitive to temperature changes. Experimental results show that this sensing system has a wide frequency response range from a few hertz to tens of kilohertz with the maximal signal to noise ratio up to 73 dB.

Polymer taper bridge for silicon waveguide to single mode waveguide coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin; Middlebrook, Christopher T.

2016-03-01

Coupling of optical power from high-density silicon waveguides to silica optical fibers for signal routing can incur high losses and often requires complex end-face preparation/processing. Novel coupling device taper structures are proposed for low coupling loss between silicon photonic waveguides and single mode fibers are proposed and devices are fabricated and measured in terms of performance. Theoretical mode conversion models for waveguide tapers are derived for optimal device structure design and performance. Commercially viable vertical and multi-layer taper designs using polymer waveguide materials are proposed as innovative, cost-efficient, and mass-manufacturable optical coupling devices. The coupling efficiency for both designs is determined to evaluate optimal device dimensions and alignment tolerances with both silicon rib waveguides and silicon nanowire waveguides. Propagation loss as a function of waveguide roughness and metallic loss are determined and correlated to waveguide dimensions to obtain total insertion loss for the proposed taper designs. Multi-layer tapers on gold-sputtered substrates are fabricated through photolithography as proof-of-concept devices and evaluated for device loss optimization. Tapered waveguide coupling loss with Si WGs (2.74 dB) was experimentally measured with high correlation to theoretical results.

White light supercontinuum generation in a Y-shaped microstructured tapered fiber pumped at 1064 nm.

PubMed

Cascante-Vindas, J; Díez, A; Cruz, J L; Andrés, M V

2010-07-05

We report the generation of supercontinuum in a Ge-doped Y-shape tapered fiber pumped at 1064 nm in the ns pump regime. The taper was designed to have long taper transitions and a taper waist with a core diameter of 0.9 mum. The large air-filling fraction and diameter of the air-hole microstructure reduces the confinement loss at long wavelengths so, enabling the extension of the spectrum to longer wavelengths. Along the taper transition the zero-dispersion wavelength decreases as the diameter of the taper becomes smaller. The spectral components generated along the taper transition pump the taper waist, enhancing the generation of short wavelengths. A flat spectrum spanning from 420 nm to 1850 nm is reported.

Implementation of rectangular slit-inserted ultra-wideband tapered slot antenna.

PubMed

Kim, Sun-Woong; Choi, Dong-You

2016-01-01

In this paper, a tapered slot antenna capable of ultra-wideband communication was designed. In the proposed antenna, rectangular slits were inserted to enhance the bandwidth and reduce the area of the antenna. The rectangular slit-inserted tapered slot antenna operated at a bandwidth of 8.45 GHz, and the bandwidth improved upon the basic tapered slot antenna by 4.72 GHz. The radiation pattern of the antenna was suitable for location recognition in a certain direction owing to an appropriate 3 dB beam width. The antenna gain was analyzed within the proposed bandwidth, and the highest gain characteristic at 7.55 dBi was exhibited at a 5-GHz band. The simulation and measurement results of the proposed tapered slot antenna were similar.

Capillary descent.

PubMed

Delannoy, Joachim; de Maleprade, Hélène; Clanet, Christophe; Quéré, David

2018-05-31

A superhydrophobic capillary tube immersed in water and brought in contact with the bath surface will be invaded by air, owing to its aerophilicity. We discuss this phenomenon where the ingredients of classical capillary rise are inverted, which leads to noticeable dynamical features. (1) The main regime of air invasion is linear in time, due to the viscous resistance of water. (2) Menisci in tubes with millimetre-size radii strongly oscillate before reaching their equilibrium depth, a consequence of inertia. On the whole, capillary descent provides a broad variety of dynamics where capillary effects, viscous friction and liquid inertia all play a role.

Tapered fiber optical tweezers for microscopic particle trapping: fabrication and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhihai; Guo, Chengkai; Yang, Jun; Yuan, Libo

2006-12-01

A novel single tapered fiber optical tweezers is proposed and fabricated by heating and drawing technology. The microscopic particle tapping performance of this special designed tapered fiber probe is demonstrated and investigated. The distribution of the optical field emerging from the tapered fiber tip is numerically calculated based on the beam propagation method. The trapping force FDTD analysis results, both axial and transverse, are also given.

Octave spanning supercontinuum in an As₂S₃ taper using ultralow pump pulse energy.

PubMed

Hudson, Darren D; Dekker, Stephen A; Mägi, Eric C; Judge, Alexander C; Jackson, Stuart D; Li, Enbang; Sanghera, J S; Shaw, L B; Aggarwal, I D; Eggleton, Benjamin J

2011-04-01

An octave spanning spectrum is generated in an As₂S₃ taper via 77 pJ pulses from an ultrafast fiber laser. Using a previously developed tapering method, we construct a 1.3 μm taper that has a zero-dispersion wavelength around 1.4 μm. The low two-photon absorption of sulfide-based chalcogenide fiber allows for higher input powers than previous efforts in selenium-based chalcogenide tapered fibers. This higher power handling capability combined with input pulse chirp compensation allows an octave spanning spectrum to be generated directly from the taper using the unamplified laser output.

A novel facility for 3D micro-irradiation of living cells in a controlled environment by MeV ions.

PubMed

Mäckel, V; Meissl, W; Ikeda, T; Clever, M; Meissl, E; Kobayashi, T; Kojima, T M; Imamoto, N; Ogiwara, K; Yamazaki, Y

2014-01-01

We present a novel facility for micro-irradiation of living targets with ions from a 1.7 MV tandem accelerator. We show results using 1 MeV protons and 2 MeV He(2+). In contrast to common micro-irradiation facilities, which use electromagnetic or electrostatic focusing and specially designed vacuum windows, we employ a tapered glass capillary with a thin end window, made from polystyrene with a thickness of 1-2 μm, for ion focusing and extraction. The capillary is connected to a beamline tilted vertically by 45°, which allows for easy immersion of the extracted ions into liquid environment within a standard cell culture dish. An inverted microscope is used for simultaneously observing the samples as well as the capillary tip, while a stage-top incubator provides an appropriate environment for the samples. Furthermore, our setup allows to target volumes in cells within a μm(3) resolution, while monitoring the target in real time during and after irradiation.

Microdroplet-etched highly birefringent low-loss fiber tapers.

PubMed

Mikkelsen, Jared C; Poon, Joyce K S

2012-07-01

We use hydrofluoric acid microdroplets to directly etch highly birefringent biconical fiber tapers from standard single-mode fibers. The fiber tapers have micrometer-sized cross sections, which are controlled by the etching condition. The characteristic teardrop cross section leads to a high group birefringence of B(G)≈0.017 and insertion losses <0.7 dB over waist lengths of about 2.1 mm.

Note on performance of tapered grip tensile loading devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, M. H.; Brown, W. F., Jr.

1975-01-01

Alignment results are presented in terms of percent bending for a quick release, tapered grip, tensile loading device that has been proposed for testing sharply notched specimens of aluminum and magnesium alloys by a Task Group of the ASTM Committee E-24 on Fracture Testing of Metals. The results show that the bending introduced by the fixtures is strongly dependent on their relative rotational positions in respect to the loading rods which adapt them, to the tensile machine. For one set of tapered grips the highest bending was about 15%. Recommendations are made for improvement in the design of the tapered grips which should reduce the bending stresses substantially.

Development of small bore, high speed tapered roller bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, F. R.; Gassel, S. S.; Bovenkerk, R. L.

1981-01-01

The performance of four rolling bearing configurations for use on the input pinion shaft of a proposed commercial helicopter transmission was evaluated. The performance characteristics of a high speed tapered roller bearing operating under conditions comparable to those existing at this input pinion shaft were defined. The tapered roller bearing shaft support configuration was developed for the gearbox using commercially available bearing designings. The configuration was optimized and interactive thermomechanically system analyzed. Automotive pinion quality tapered roller bearings were found to be reliable under load and speed conditions in excess of those anticipated in the helicopter transmission. However, it is indicated that the elastohydrodynamic lubricant films are inadequate.

Tapered rib fiber coupler for semiconductor optical devices

DOEpatents

Vawter, Gregory A.; Smith, Robert Edward

2001-01-01

A monolithic tapered rib waveguide for transformation of the spot size of light between a semiconductor optical device and an optical fiber or from the fiber into the optical device. The tapered rib waveguide is integrated into the guiding rib atop a cutoff mesa type semiconductor device such as an expanded mode optical modulator or and expanded mode laser. The tapered rib acts to force the guided light down into the mesa structure of the semiconductor optical device instead of being bound to the interface between the bottom of the guiding rib and the top of the cutoff mesa. The single mode light leaving or entering the output face of the mesa structure then can couple to the optical fiber at coupling losses of 1.0 dB or less.

Stress intensity factor in a tapered specimen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xue-Hui, L.; Erdogan, F.

1985-01-01

The general problem of a tapered specimen containing an edge crack is formulated in terms of a system of singular integral equations. The equations are solved and the stress intensity factor is calculated for a compact and for a slender tapered specimen, the latter simulating the double cantilever beam. The results are obtained primarily for a pair of concentrated forces and for crack surface wedge forces. The stress intensity factors are also obtained for a long strip under uniform tension which contains inclined edge cracks.

Using a slightly tapered optical fiber to attract and transport microparticles.

PubMed

Sheu, Fang-Wen; Wu, Hong-Yu; Chen, Sy-Hann

2010-03-15

We exploit a fiber puller to transform a telecom single-mode optical fiber with a 125 microm diameter into a symmetric and unbroken slightly tapered optical fiber with a 50 microm diameter at the minimum waist. When the laser light is launched into the optical fiber, we can observe that, due to the evanescent wave of the slightly tapered fiber, the nearby polystyrene microparticles with 10 microm diameters will be attracted onto the fiber surface and roll separately in the direction of light propagation. We have also simulated and compared the optical propulsion effects on the microparticles when the laser light is launched into a slightly tapered fiber and a heavily tapered (subwavelength) fiber, respectively.

A Volume and Taper Prediction System for Bald Cypress

Treesearch

Bernard R. Parresol; James E. Hotvedt; Quang V. Cao

1987-01-01

A volume and taper prediction system based on d10 and consisting of a total volume equation, two volume ratio equations (one for diameter limits, the other for height limits), and a taper equation was developed for bald cypress using sample tree data collected in Louisiana. Normal diameter (dn), a subjective variable-...

Viscoplasticity of simulated high-level radioactive waste glass containing platinum group metal particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uruga, Kazuyoshi; Usami, Tsuyoshi; Tsukada, Takeshi; Komamine, Satoshi; Ochi, Eiji

2014-09-01

The shear rate dependency of the viscosity of three simulated high-level radioactive waste glasses containing 0, 1.2 and 4.5 wt% platinum group metals (PGMs) was examined at a temperature range of 1173-1473 K by a rotating viscometer. Shear stress when the shear rate equals zero, i.e. yield stress, was also measured by capillary method. The viscosity of the glass containing no PGM was shear rate-independent Newtonian fluid. On the other hand, the apparent viscosity of the glasses containing PGMs increased with decreasing shear rate, and nonzero amount of yield stresses were detected from both glasses. The viscosity and yield stress of the glass containing 4.5 wt% PGMs was roughly one to two orders of magnitude greater than the glass containing 1.2 wt% PGMs. These viscoplastic properties were numerically expressed by Casson equation.

Propagation of atmospheric-pressure ionization waves along the tapered tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Yang; Wang, Wenchun; Liu, Dongping; Yan, Wen; Bi, Zhenhua; Ji, Longfei; Niu, Jinhai; Zhao, Yao

2018-02-01

Gas discharge in a small radius dielectric tube may result in atmospheric pressure plasma jets with high energy and density of electrons. In this study, the atmospheric pressure ionization waves (IWs) were generated inside a tapered tube. The propagation behaviors of IWs inside the tube were studied by using a spatially and temporally resolved optical detection system. Our measurements show that both the intensity and velocity of the IWs decrease dramatically when they propagate to the tapered region. After the taper, the velocity, intensity, and electron density of the IWs are improved with the tube inner diameter decreasing from 4.0 to 0.5 mm. Our analysis indicates that the local gas conductivity and surface charges may play a role in the propagation of the IWs under such a geometrical constraint, and the difference in the dynamics of the IWs after the taper can be related to the restriction in the size of IWs.

The interface of an array of five capillaries with an array of one-nanoliter wells for high-resolution electrophoretic analysis as an approach to high-throughput chemical cytometry

PubMed Central

Boardman, Anna; McQuaide, Sarah C.; Zhu, Cuiru; Whitmore, Colin; Lidstrom, Mary E.; Dovichi, Norman J.

2009-01-01

We report a system that allows the simultaneous aspiration of one or more cells into each of five capillaries for electrophoresis analysis. A glass wafer was etched to create an array of 1 nL wells. The glass was treated with poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) to control cell adherence. A suspension of formalin-fixed cells was placed on the surface, and cells were allowed to settle. The concentration of cells and the settling time were chosen so that there was, on average, one cell per well. Next, an array of five capillaries was placed so that the tip of each capillary was in contact with a single well. A pulse of vacuum was applied to the distal end of the capillaries to aspirate the content of each well into a capillary. Next, the tips of the capillaries were placed in running buffer and potential was applied. The cells lysed upon contact with the running buffer, and fluorescent components were detected at the distal end of the capillaries by laser-induced fluorescence. The electrophoretic separation efficiency was outstanding, generating over 750,000 theoretical plates (1,800,000 plates/meter). In this example, AtT-20 cells were used that had been treated with TMR-GM1. The cells were allowed to metabolize this substrate into a series of products before the cells were fixed. The number of cells found in each well was estimated visually under the microscope and was described by a Poisson distribution with mean of 0.95 cells/well. This system provides an approach to high-throughput chemical cytometry. PMID:18717573

Opioid Tapering in Fibromyalgia Patients: Experience from an Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Program.

PubMed

Cunningham, Julie L; Evans, Michele M; King, Susan M; Gehin, Jessica M; Loukianova, Larissa L

2016-09-01

Despite current guideline recommendations against the use of opioids for the treatment of fibromyalgia pain, opioid use is reported in approximately 30% of the patient population. There is a lack of information describing the process and results of tapering of chronic opioids. The purpose of this study is to describe opioid tapering and withdrawal symptoms in fibromyalgia patients on opioids. This retrospective research study included a baseline analysis of 159 patients consecutively admitted to the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center from 2006 through 2012 with a pain diagnosis of fibromyalgia completing a 3-week outpatient interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. Opioid tapering analysis included 55 (35%) patients using daily opioids. Opioid tapering was individualized to each patient based on interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation team determination. Opioid withdrawal symptoms were assessed daily, utilizing the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale. Patients taking daily opioids had a morphine equivalent mean dose of 99 mg/day. Patients on < 100 mg/day were tapered off over a mean of 10 days compared with patients on > 200 mg/day over a mean of 28 days (P < 0.001). Differences in peak withdrawal symptoms were not statistically significant based on the mean equivalent dose (P = 22). Patients taking opioids for <2 years did not differ in length of tapering (P =0.63) or peak COWS score (P =0.80) compared with >2 years duration. Patients had significant improvements in pain-related measures including numeric pain scores, depression catastrophizing, health perception, interference with life, and perceived life control at program completion. Fibromyalgia patients on higher doses of opioids were tapered off over a longer period of time but no differences in withdrawal symptoms were seen based on opioid dose. Duration of opioid use did not affect the time to complete opioid taper or withdrawal symptoms. Despite opioid tapering, pain-related measures

Tapered fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometers for vibration and elasticity sensing applications.

PubMed

Chen, Nan-Kuang; Hsieh, Yu-Hsin; Lee, Yi-Kun

2013-05-06

We demonstrate the optical measurements of heart-beat pulse rate and also elasticity of a polymeric tube, using a tapered fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This device has two abrupt tapers in the Er/Yb codoped fiber and thus fractional amount of core mode is converted into cladding modes at the first abrupt taper. The core and cladding modes propagate through different optical paths and meet again at the second abrupt taper to produce interferences. The mechanical vibration signals generated by the blood vessels and by an inflated polymeric tube can perturb the optical paths of resonant modes to move around the resonant wavelengths. Thus, the cw laser signal is modulated to become pulses to reflect the heart-beat pulse rate and the elasticity of a polymeric tube, respectively.

Supercompensation Kinetics of Physical Qualities During a Taper in Team-Sport Athletes.

PubMed

Marrier, Bruno; Robineau, Julien; Piscione, Julien; Lacome, Mathieu; Peeters, Alexis; Hausswirth, Christophe; Morin, Jean-Benoît; Le Meur, Yann

2017-10-01

Peaking for major competition is considered critical for maximizing team-sport performance. However, there is little scientific information available to guide coaches in prescribing efficient tapering strategies for team-sport players. To monitor the changes in physical performance in elite team-sport players during a 3-wk taper after a preseason training camp. Ten male international rugby sevens players were tested before (Pre) and after (Post) a 4-wk preseason training camp focusing on high-intensity training and strength training with moderate loads and once each week during a subsequent 3-wk taper. During each testing session, midthigh-pull maximal strength, sprint-acceleration mechanical outputs, and performance, as well as repeated-sprint ability (RSA), were assessed. At Post, no single peak performance was observed for maximal lower-limb force output and sprint performance, while RSA peaked for only 1 athlete. During the taper, 30-m-sprint time decreased almost certainly (-3.1% ± 0.9%, large), while maximal lower-limb strength and RSA, respectively, improved very likely (+7.7% ± 5.3%, small) and almost certainly (+9.0% ± 2.6%, moderate). Of the peak performances, 70%, 80%, and 80% occurred within the first 2 wk of taper for RSA, maximal force output, and sprint performance, respectively. These results show the sensitivity of physical qualities to tapering in rugby sevens players and suggest that an ~1- to 2-wk tapering time frame appears optimal to maximize the overall physical-performance response.

Comparison of the fracture resistance of dental implants with different abutment taper angles.

PubMed

Wang, Kun; Geng, Jianping; Jones, David; Xu, Wei

2016-06-01

To investigate the effects of abutment taper angles on the fracture strength of dental implants with TIS (taper integrated screwed-in) connection. Thirty prototype cylindrical titanium alloy 5.0mm-diameter dental implants with different TIS-connection designs were divided into six groups and tested for their fracture strength, using a universal testing machine. These groups consisted of combinations of 3.5 and 4.0 mm abutment diameter, each with taper angles of 6°, 8° or 10°. 3-Dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) was also used to analyze stress states at implant-abutment connection areas. In general, the mechanical tests found an increasing trend of implant fracture forces as the taper angle enlarged. When the abutment diameter was 3.5 mm, the mean fracture forces for 8° and 10° taper groups were 1638.9 N ± 20.3 and 1577.1 N ± 103.2, respectively, both larger than that for the 6° taper group of 1475.0 N ± 24.4, with the largest increasing rate of 11.1%. Furthermore, the difference between 8° and 6° taper groups was significant, based on Tamhane's multiple comparison test (P<0.05). In 4.0 mm-diameter abutment groups, as the taper angle was enlarged from 6° to 8° and 10°, the mean fracture value was increased from 1066.7 N ± 56.1 to 1241.4 N ± 6.4 and 1419.3 N ± 20.0, with the largest increasing rate of 33.1%, and the differences among the three groups were significant (P<0.05). The FEA results showed that stress values varied in implants with different abutment taper angles and supported the findings of the static tests. In conclusion, increases of the abutment taper angle could significantly increase implant fracture resistance in most cases established in the study, which is due to the increased implant wall thickness in the connection part resulting from the taper angle enlargement. The increasing effects were notable when a thin implant wall was present to accommodate wide abutments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of autoclave sterilization on the cyclic fatigue resistance of ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and ProTaper Gold nickel-titanium instruments.

PubMed

Özyürek, Taha; Yılmaz, Koray; Uslu, Gülşah

2017-11-01

It was aimed to compare the cyclic fatigue resistances of ProTaper Universal (PTU), ProTaper Next (PTN), and ProTaper Gold (PTG) and the effects of sterilization by autoclave on the cyclic fatigue life of nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments. Eighty PTU, 80 PTN, and 80 PTG were included to the present study. Files were tested in a simulated canal. Each brand of the NiTi files were divided into 4 subgroups: group 1, as received condition; group 2, pre-sterilized instruments exposed to 10 times sterilization by autoclave; group 3, instruments tested were sterilized after being exposed to 25%, 50%, and 75% of the mean cycles to failure, then cycled fatigue test was performed; group 4, instruments exposed to the same experiment with group 3 without sterilization. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was calculated. The data was statistically analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey tests. PTG showed significantly higher NCF than PTU and PTN in group 1 ( p < 0.05). Sterilization significantly increased the NCF of PTN and PTG ( p < 0.05) in group 2. PTN in group 3 had significantly higher cyclic fatigue resistance than PTN group 4 ( p < 0.05). Also, significantly higher NCF was observed for PTG in group 2 than in groups 3 and 4 ( p < 0.05). PTG instrument made of new gold alloy was more resistant to fatigue failure than PTN and PTU. Autoclaving increased the cyclic fatigue resistances of PTN and PTG.

The effects of autoclave sterilization on the cyclic fatigue resistance of ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and ProTaper Gold nickel-titanium instruments

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objectives It was aimed to compare the cyclic fatigue resistances of ProTaper Universal (PTU), ProTaper Next (PTN), and ProTaper Gold (PTG) and the effects of sterilization by autoclave on the cyclic fatigue life of nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments. Materials and Methods Eighty PTU, 80 PTN, and 80 PTG were included to the present study. Files were tested in a simulated canal. Each brand of the NiTi files were divided into 4 subgroups: group 1, as received condition; group 2, pre-sterilized instruments exposed to 10 times sterilization by autoclave; group 3, instruments tested were sterilized after being exposed to 25%, 50%, and 75% of the mean cycles to failure, then cycled fatigue test was performed; group 4, instruments exposed to the same experiment with group 3 without sterilization. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) was calculated. The data was statistically analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey tests. Results PTG showed significantly higher NCF than PTU and PTN in group 1 (p < 0.05). Sterilization significantly increased the NCF of PTN and PTG (p < 0.05) in group 2. PTN in group 3 had significantly higher cyclic fatigue resistance than PTN group 4 (p < 0.05). Also, significantly higher NCF was observed for PTG in group 2 than in groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.05). Conclusions PTG instrument made of new gold alloy was more resistant to fatigue failure than PTN and PTU. Autoclaving increased the cyclic fatigue resistances of PTN and PTG. PMID:29142878

Quantification of the Contact Area at the Head-Stem Taper Interface of Modular Hip Prostheses

PubMed Central

Witt, Florian; Gührs, Julian; Morlock, Michael M.; Bishop, Nicholas E.

2015-01-01

Corrosion of modular taper junctions of hip implants may be associated with clinical failure. Taper design parameters, as well as the intraoperatively applied assembly forces, have been proposed to affect corrosion. Fretting corrosion is related to relative interface shear motion and fluid ingress, which may vary with contact force and area. It was hypothesised in this study that assembly forces modify the extent and distribution of the surface contact area at the taper interface between a cobalt chrome head and titanium stem taper with a standard threaded surface profile. Local abrasion of a thin gold coating applied to the stem taper prior to assembly was used to determine the contact area after disassembly. Profilometry was then used to assess permanent deformation of the stem taper surface profile. With increasing assembly force (500 N, 2000 N, 4000 N and 8000 N) the number of stem taper surface profile ridges in contact with the head taper was found to increase (9.2±9.3%, 65.4±10.8%, 92.8±6.0% and 100%) and the overall taper area in contact was also found to increase (0.6±0.7%, 5.5±1.0%, 9.9±1.1% and 16.1±0.9%). Contact was inconsistently distributed over the length of the taper. An increase in plastic radial deformation of the surface ridges (-0.05±0.14 μm, 0.1±0.14 μm, 0.21±0.22 μm and 0.96±0.25 μm) was also observed with increasing assembly force. The limited contact of the taper surface ridges at lower assembly forces may influence corrosion rates, suggesting that the magnitude of the assembly force may affect clinical outcome. The method presented provides a simple and practical assessment of the contact area at the taper interface. PMID:26280914

Quantification of the Contact Area at the Head-Stem Taper Interface of Modular Hip Prostheses.

PubMed

Witt, Florian; Gührs, Julian; Morlock, Michael M; Bishop, Nicholas E

2015-01-01

Corrosion of modular taper junctions of hip implants may be associated with clinical failure. Taper design parameters, as well as the intraoperatively applied assembly forces, have been proposed to affect corrosion. Fretting corrosion is related to relative interface shear motion and fluid ingress, which may vary with contact force and area. It was hypothesised in this study that assembly forces modify the extent and distribution of the surface contact area at the taper interface between a cobalt chrome head and titanium stem taper with a standard threaded surface profile. Local abrasion of a thin gold coating applied to the stem taper prior to assembly was used to determine the contact area after disassembly. Profilometry was then used to assess permanent deformation of the stem taper surface profile. With increasing assembly force (500 N, 2000 N, 4000 N and 8000 N) the number of stem taper surface profile ridges in contact with the head taper was found to increase (9.2±9.3%, 65.4±10.8%, 92.8±6.0% and 100%) and the overall taper area in contact was also found to increase (0.6±0.7%, 5.5±1.0%, 9.9±1.1% and 16.1±0.9%). Contact was inconsistently distributed over the length of the taper. An increase in plastic radial deformation of the surface ridges (-0.05±0.14 μm, 0.1±0.14 μm, 0.21±0.22 μm and 0.96±0.25 μm) was also observed with increasing assembly force. The limited contact of the taper surface ridges at lower assembly forces may influence corrosion rates, suggesting that the magnitude of the assembly force may affect clinical outcome. The method presented provides a simple and practical assessment of the contact area at the taper interface.

Tapered Roller Bearing Damage Detection Using Decision Fusion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Kreider, Gary; Fichter, Thomas

2006-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage of tapered roller bearings. Tapered roller bearings are used in helicopter transmissions and have potential for use in high bypass advanced gas turbine aircraft engines. A diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from failure progression tests conducted using health monitoring hardware. Failure progression tests were performed with tapered roller bearings under simulated engine load conditions. Tests were performed on one healthy bearing and three pre-damaged bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor and three accelerometers were monitored and recorded for the occurrence of bearing failure. The bearing was removed and inspected periodically for damage progression throughout testing. Using data fusion techniques, two different monitoring technologies, oil debris analysis and vibration, were integrated into a health monitoring system for detecting bearing surface fatigue pitting damage. The data fusion diagnostic tool was evaluated during bearing failure progression tests under simulated engine load conditions. This integrated system showed improved detection of fatigue damage and health assessment of the tapered roller bearings as compared to using individual health monitoring technologies.

Mechanics of the tapered interference fit in dental implants.

PubMed

Bozkaya, Dinçer; Müftü, Sinan

2003-11-01

In evaluation of the long-term success of a dental implant, the reliability and the stability of the implant-abutment interface plays a great role. Tapered interference fits provide a reliable connection method between the abutment and the implant. In this work, the mechanics of the tapered interference fits were analyzed using a closed-form formula and the finite element (FE) method. An analytical solution, which is used to predict the contact pressure in a straight interference, was modified to predict the contact pressure in the tapered implant-abutment interface. Elastic-plastic FE analysis was used to simulate the implant and abutment material behavior. The validity and the applicability of the analytical solution were investigated by comparisons with the FE model for a range of problem parameters. It was shown that the analytical solution could be used to determine the pull-out force and loosening-torque with 5-10% error. Detailed analysis of the stress distribution due to tapered interference fit, in a commercially available, abutment-implant system was carried out. This analysis shows that plastic deformation in the implant limits the increase in the pull-out force that would have been otherwise predicted by higher interference values.

Vacuum fusion bonded glass plates having microstructures thereon

DOEpatents

Swierkowski, Steve P.; Davidson, James C.; Balch, Joseph W.

2001-01-01

An improved apparatus and method for vacuum fusion bonding of large, patterned glass plates. One or both glass plates are patterned with etched features such as microstructure capillaries and a vacuum pumpout moat, with one plate having at least one hole therethrough for communication with a vacuum pumpout fixture. High accuracy alignment of the plates is accomplished by a temporary clamping fixture until the start of the fusion bonding heat cycle. A complete, void-free fusion bond of seamless, full-strength quality is obtained through the plates; because the glass is heated well into its softening point and because of a large, distributed force that is developed that presses the two plates together from the difference in pressure between the furnace ambient (high pressure) and the channeling and microstructures in the plates (low pressure) due to the vacuum drawn. The apparatus and method may be used to fabricate microcapillary arrays for chemical electrophoresis; for example, any apparatus using a network of microfluidic channels embedded between plates of glass or similar moderate melting point substrates with a gradual softening point curve, or for assembly of glass-based substrates onto larger substrates, such as in flat panel display systems.

Fatigue and Damage Tolerance Analysis of a Hybrid Composite Tapered Flexbeam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Gretchen B.; Schaff, Jeffrey R.; Dobyns, Al

2001-01-01

The behavior of nonlinear tapered composite flexbeams under combined axial tension and cyclic bending loading was studied using coupon test specimens and finite element (FE) analyses. The flexbeams used a hybrid material system of graphite/epoxy and glass/epoxy and had internal dropped plies, dropped in an overlapping stepwise pattern. Two material configurations, differing only in the use of glass or graphite plies in the continuous plies near the midplane, were studied. Test specimens were cut from a full-size helicopter tail-rotor flexbeam and were tested in a hydraulic load frame under combined constant axialtension load and transverse cyclic bending loads. The first determination damage observed in the specimens occurred at the area around the tip of the outermost ply-drop group in the tapered region of the flexbeam, near the thick end. Delaminations grew slowly and stably, toward the thick end of the flexbeam, at the interfaces above and below the dropped-ply region. A 2D finite element model of the flexbeam was developed. The model was analyzed using a geometrically non-linear analysis with both the ANSYS and ABAQUS FE codes. The global responses of each analysis agreed well with the test results. The ANSYS model was used to calculate strain energy release rates (G) for delaminations initiating at two different ply-ending locations. The results showed that delaminations were more inclined to grow at the locations where they were observed in the test specimens. Both ANSYS and ABAQUS were used to calculate G values associated with delamination initiating at the observed location but growing in different interfaces, either above or below the ply-ending group toward the thick end, or toward the thin end from the tip of the resin pocket. The different analysis codes generated the same trends and comparable peak values, within 5-11 % for each delamination path. Both codes showed that delamination toward the thick region was largely mode II, and toward the thin

Experimental investigation of virus and clay particles cotransport in partially saturated columns packed with glass beads.

PubMed

Syngouna, Vasiliki I; Chrysikopoulos, Constantinos V

2015-02-15

Suspended clay particles in groundwater can play a significant role as carriers of viruses, because, depending on the physicochemical conditions, clay particles may facilitate or hinder the mobility of viruses. This experimental study examines the effects of clay colloids on the transport of viruses in variably saturated porous media. All cotransport experiments were conducted in both saturated and partially saturated columns packed with glass beads, using bacteriophages MS2 and ΦX174 as model viruses, and kaolinite (KGa-1b) and montmorillonite (STx-1b) as model clay colloids. The various experimental collision efficiencies were determined using the classical colloid filtration theory. The experimental data indicated that the mass recovery of viruses and clay colloids decreased as the water saturation decreased. Temporal moments of the various breakthrough concentrations collected, suggested that the presence of clays significantly influenced virus transport and irreversible deposition onto glass beads. The mass recovery of both viruses, based on total effluent virus concentrations, was shown to reduce in the presence of suspended clay particles. Furthermore, the transport of suspended virus and clay-virus particles was retarded, compared to the conservative tracer. Under unsaturated conditions both clay particles facilitated the transport of ΦX174, while hindered the transport of MS2. Moreover, the surface properties of viruses, clays and glass beads were employed for the construction of classical DLVO and capillary potential energy profiles, and the results suggested that capillary forces play a significant role on colloid retention. It was estimated that the capillary potential energy of MS2 is lower than that of ΦX174, and the capillary potential energy of KGa-1b is lower than that of STx-1b, assuming that the protrusion distance through the water film is the same for each pair of particles. Moreover, the capillary potential energy is several orders of

Effect of Instrumentation Techniques and Preparation Taper on Apical Extrusion of Bacteria.

PubMed

Aksel, Hacer; Küçükkaya Eren, Selen; Çakar, Aslı; Serper, Ahmet; Özkuyumcu, Cumhur; Azim, Adham A

2017-06-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of different root canal instrumentation techniques and preparation tapers on the amount of apically extruded bacteria. The root canals of 98 extracted human mandibular incisors were contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis suspension. After incubation at 37°C for 24 hours, the root canals were instrumented with K3 rotary files in a crown-down (CD) or full-length linear instrumentation technique (FL) by using 3 different root canal tapers (0.02, 0.04, and 0.06). During instrumentation, apically extruded bacteria were collected into vials containing saline solution. The microbiological samples were taken from the vials and incubated in brain-heart agar medium for 24 hours, and the numbers of colony-forming units (CFUs) were determined. The obtained results were analyzed with t test and one-way analysis of variance for the comparisons between the instrumentation techniques (CD and FL) and the preparation tapers (0.02, 0.04, and 0.06), respectively. Tukey honestly significant difference test was used for pairwise comparisons. The preparation taper had no effect on the number of CFUs when a FL instrumentation technique was used (P > .05). There was a statistically significant difference in the CFUs between FL and CD techniques when the preparation taper was 0.02 (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference between the 0.04 and 0.06 preparation tapers in any of the instrumentation techniques (P > .05). Using a 0.02 taper in a CD manner results in the least amount of bacterial extrusion. The instrumentation technique did not seem to affect the amount of bacterial extrusion when 0.04 and 0.06 taper instruments were used for cleaning and shaping the root canal space. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Capillary Flow of Liquid Metals in Brazing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehsara, Mohammad

Capillary flow is driven or controlled by capillary forces, exerted at the triple line where the fluid phases meet the solid boundary. Phase field (PF) models naturally accommodate diffusive triple line motion with variable contact angle, thus allowing for the no-slip boundary condition without the stress singularities. Moreover, they are uniquely suited for modeling of topological discontinuities which often arise during capillary flows. In this study, we consider diffusive triple line motion within two PF models: the compositionally compressible (CC) and the incompressible (IC) models. We derive the IC model as a systematic approximation to the CC model, based on a suitable choice of continuum velocity field. The CC model, applied to the fluids of dissimilar mass densities, exhibits a computational instability at the triple line. The IC model perfectly represents the analytic equilibria. We develop the parameter identification procedure and show that the triple line kinetics can be well represented by the IC model's diffusive boundary condition. The IC model is first tested by benchmarking the phase-field and experimental kinetics of water, and silicone oil spreading over the glass plates in which two systems do not interact with the substrate. Then, two high-temperature physical settings involving spreading of the molten Al-Si alloy: one over a rough wetting substrate, the other over a non-wetting substrate are modeled in a T-joint structure which is a typical geometric configuration for many brazing and soldering applications. Surface roughness directly influences the spreading of the molten metal by causing break-ups of the liquid film and trapping the liquid away from the joint. In the early stages of capillary flow over non-wetting surface, the melting and flow are concurrent, so that the kinetics of wetting is strongly affected by the variations in effective viscosity of the partially molten metal. We define adequate time-dependent functions for the

Multiple capillary biochemical analyzer

DOEpatents

Dovichi, N.J.; Zhang, J.Z.

1995-08-08

A multiple capillary analyzer allows detection of light from multiple capillaries with a reduced number of interfaces through which light must pass in detecting light emitted from a sample being analyzed, using a modified sheath flow cuvette. A linear or rectangular array of capillaries is introduced into a rectangular flow chamber. Sheath fluid draws individual sample streams through the cuvette. The capillaries are closely and evenly spaced and held by a transparent retainer in a fixed position in relation to an optical detection system. Collimated sample excitation radiation is applied simultaneously across the ends of the capillaries in the retainer. Light emitted from the excited sample is detected by the optical detection system. The retainer is provided by a transparent chamber having inward slanting end walls. The capillaries are wedged into the chamber. One sideways dimension of the chamber is equal to the diameter of the capillaries and one end to end dimension varies from, at the top of the chamber, slightly greater than the sum of the diameters of the capillaries to, at the bottom of the chamber, slightly smaller than the sum of the diameters of the capillaries. The optical system utilizes optic fibers to deliver light to individual photodetectors, one for each capillary tube. A filter or wavelength division demultiplexer may be used for isolating fluorescence at particular bands. 21 figs.

Multiple capillary biochemical analyzer

DOEpatents

Dovichi, Norman J.; Zhang, Jian Z.

1995-01-01

A multiple capillary analyzer allows detection of light from multiple capillaries with a reduced number of interfaces through which light must pass in detecting light emitted from a sample being analyzed, using a modified sheath flow cuvette. A linear or rectangular array of capillaries is introduced into a rectangular flow chamber. Sheath fluid draws individual sample streams through the cuvette. The capillaries are closely and evenly spaced and held by a transparent retainer in a fixed position in relation to an optical detection system. Collimated sample excitation radiation is applied simultaneously across the ends of the capillaries in the retainer. Light emitted from the excited sample is detected by the optical detection system. The retainer is provided by a transparent chamber having inward slanting end walls. The capillaries are wedged into the chamber. One sideways dimension of the chamber is equal to the diameter of the capillaries and one end to end dimension varies from, at the top of the chamber, slightly greater than the sum of the diameters of the capillaries to, at the bottom of the chamber, slightly smaller than the sum of the diameters of the capillaries. The optical system utilizes optic fibres to deliver light to individual photodetectors, one for each capillary tube. A filter or wavelength division demultiplexer may be used for isolating fluorescence at particular bands.

Thread gauge for tapered threads

DOEpatents

Brewster, Albert L.

1994-01-11

The thread gauge permits the user to determine the pitch diameter of tapered threads at the intersection of the pitch cone and the end face of the object being measured. A pair of opposed anvils having lines of threads which match the configuration and taper of the threads on the part being measured are brought into meshing engagement with the threads on opposite sides of the part. The anvils are located linearly into their proper positions by stop fingers on the anvils that are brought into abutting engagement with the end face of the part. This places predetermined reference points of the pitch cone of the thread anvils in registration with corresponding points on the end face of the part being measured, resulting in an accurate determination of the pitch diameter at that location. The thread anvils can be arranged for measuring either internal or external threads.

Thread gauge for tapered threads

DOEpatents

Brewster, A.L.

1994-01-11

The thread gauge permits the user to determine the pitch diameter of tapered threads at the intersection of the pitch cone and the end face of the object being measured. A pair of opposed anvils having lines of threads which match the configuration and taper of the threads on the part being measured are brought into meshing engagement with the threads on opposite sides of the part. The anvils are located linearly into their proper positions by stop fingers on the anvils that are brought into abutting engagement with the end face of the part. This places predetermined reference points of the pitch cone of the thread anvils in registration with corresponding points on the end face of the part being measured, resulting in an accurate determination of the pitch diameter at that location. The thread anvils can be arranged for measuring either internal or external threads. 13 figures.

Optimised process for fabricating tapered long period gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullaney, K.; Staines, S. E.; James, S. W.; Tatam, R. P.

2017-04-01

The process of fabricating tapered long period gratings (TLPGs) using a CO2 laser is described. TLPGs with a period spacing of 378 μm, were fabricated by optimization of the taper waist diameter and careful control of the duty-cycle and its uniformity along the length of the grating. The 6-period TLPGs exhibited a pass-band insertion loss of 0.6 dB, resonance band extinction values of 3 dB and had a physical length of 2.27 mm.

Measuring the charge density of a tapered optical fiber using trapped microparticles.

PubMed

Kamitani, Kazuhiko; Muranaka, Takuya; Takashima, Hideaki; Fujiwara, Masazumi; Tanaka, Utako; Takeuchi, Shigeki; Urabe, Shinji

2016-03-07

We report the measurements of charge density of tapered optical fibers using charged particles confined in a linear Paul trap at ambient pressure. A tapered optical fiber is placed across the trap axis at a right angle, and polystyrene microparticles are trapped along the trap axis. The distance between the equilibrium position of a positively charged particle and the tapered fiber is used to estimate the amount of charge per unit length of the fiber without knowing the amount of charge of the trapped particle. The charge per unit length of a tapered fiber with a diameter of 1.6 μm was measured to be 2-1+3×10 -11 C/m.

Capillaries for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Chang, Huan-Tsang; Fung, Eliza N.

1997-12-09

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification ("base calling") is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations.

Capillaries for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Chang, H.T.; Fung, E.N.

1997-12-09

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification (``base calling``) is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations. 19 figs.

A Tree Taper Model Based on Similar Triangles and Use of Crown Ratio as a Measure of Form in Taper Equations for Longleaf Pine

Treesearch

Dennis J. Shaw; Ralph S. Meldahl; John S. Kush; Greg L. Somers

2003-01-01

We used data from 322 natural longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) trees to include crown ratio as a continuous variable in taper equations. The data were divided into 10 crown-ratio classes and fitted taper equations into each class to detect trends in the coefficients. For application to longleaf pine, we replaced coefficients that exhibited a...

Misalignment tolerant efficient inverse taper coupler for silicon waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Peng; Michael, Aron; Kwok, Chee Yee; Chen, Ssu-Han

2015-12-01

This paper describes an efficient fiber to submicron silicon waveguide coupling based on an inversely tapered silicon waveguide embedded in a SiO2 waveguide that is suspended in air. The inverse taper waveguide consist of a 50um long and 240nm thick silicon that linearly taper in width from 500nm to 120nm, which is embedded in SiO2. The SiO2 waveguide is 6um wide and 10um long. The simulation results show that the coupling loss of this new approach is 2.7dB including the interface loss at the input and output. The tolerance to fiber misalignment at the input of the coupler is 2um in both horizontal and vertical directions for only 1.5dB additional loss.

Angiogenic effects of borate glass microfibers in a rodent model.

PubMed

Lin, Yinan; Brown, Roger F; Jung, Steven B; Day, Delbert E

2014-12-01

The primary objective of this research was to evaluate the use of bioactive borate-based glass microfibers for angiogenesis in soft tissue repair applications. The effect of these fibers on growth of capillaries and small blood vessels was compared to that of 45S5 silica glass microfibers and sham implant controls. Compressed mats of three types of glass microfibers were implanted subcutaneously in rats and tissues surrounding the implant sites histologically evaluated 2-4 weeks post surgery. Bioactive borate glass 13-93B3 supplemented with 0.4 wt % copper promoted extensive angiogenesis as compared to silica glass microfibers and sham control tissues. The angiogenic responses suggest the copper-containing 13-93B3 microfibers may be effective for treating chronic soft tissue wounds. A second objective was to assess the possible systemic cytotoxicity of dissolved borate ions and other materials released from implanted borate glass microfibers. Cytotoxicity was assessed via histological evaluation of kidney tissue collected from animals 4 weeks after subcutaneously implanting high amounts of the borate glass microfibers. The evaluation of the kidney tissue from these animals showed no evidence of chronic histopathological changes in the kidney. The overall results indicate the borate glass microfibers are safe and effective for soft tissue applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Capillary reference half-cell

DOEpatents

Hall, Stephen H.

1996-01-01

The present invention is a reference half-cell electrode wherein intermingling of test fluid with reference fluid does not affect the performance of the reference half-cell over a long time. This intermingling reference half-cell may be used as a single or double junction submersible or surface reference electrode. The intermingling reference half-cell relies on a capillary tube having a first end open to reference fluid and a second end open to test fluid wherein the small diameter of the capillary tube limits free motion of fluid within the capillary to diffusion. The electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary in contact with the reference fluid. The method of operation of the present invention begins with filling the capillary tube with a reference solution. After closing the first end of the capillary, the capillary tube may be fully submerged or partially submerged with the second open end inserted into test fluid. Since the electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary, and since the test fluid may intermingle with the reference fluid through the second open end only by diffusion, this intermingling capillary reference half-cell provides a stable voltage potential for long time periods.

Capillary reference half-cell

DOEpatents

Hall, S.H.

1996-02-13

The present invention is a reference half-cell electrode wherein intermingling of test fluid with reference fluid does not affect the performance of the reference half-cell over a long time. This intermingling reference half-cell may be used as a single or double junction submersible or surface reference electrode. The intermingling reference half-cell relies on a capillary tube having a first end open to reference fluid and a second end open to test fluid wherein the small diameter of the capillary tube limits free motion of fluid within the capillary to diffusion. The electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary in contact with the reference fluid. The method of operation of the present invention begins with filling the capillary tube with a reference solution. After closing the first end of the capillary, the capillary tube may be fully submerged or partially submerged with the second open end inserted into test fluid. Since the electrode is placed near the first end of the capillary, and since the test fluid may intermingle with the reference fluid through the second open end only by diffusion, this intermingling capillary reference half-cell provides a stable voltage potential for long time periods. 11 figs.

A Stereomicroscopic Evaluation of Dentinal Cracks at Different Instrumentation Lengths by Using Different Rotary Files (ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and HyFlex CM): An Ex Vivo Study

PubMed Central

Shankarappa, Pushpa; Misra, Abhinav; Sawhney, Asheesh; Sridevi, Nandamuri; Singh, Anu

2016-01-01

Introduction. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the dentinal cracks after root canal preparation with rotary files: Gates Glidden, ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and HyFlex CM at different instrumentation lengths. Methodology. Sixty-five mandibular premolars were mounted in the acrylic tube with simulated periodontal ligaments and the apex was exposed. The root canals were instrumented with different rotary files, namely, ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and HyFlex CM, to the major apical foramen (AF), short AF, and beyond AF. The root apex was stained with 1% methylene blue dye and digital images of apical surface of every tooth were taken and development of dentinal defects was determined by using stereomicroscope. Multinomial logistic regression test was performed to identify influencing factors. Results. Instrumentation with rotary files terminated 2 mm short AF and did not cause any cracks. Significantly less cracks were seen when instrumentation with rotary files terminated 1 mm short apical foramen when compared with the instrumentation terminated at or beyond apical foramen (p < 0.05). Conclusion. ProTaper Universal rotary files caused more dentinal cracks than ProTaper Next and HyFlex CM. Instrumentation short AF reduced the risk of dentinal defects. PMID:27446636

Critical capillary channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grah, Aleksander; Klatte, Jörg; Dreyer, Michael E.

The main subject are numerical studies on capillary channel flow, based on results of the sounding rocket experiments TEXUS 41/42. The flow through a capillary channel is established by a gear pump at the outlet. The channel, consists of two parallel glass plates with a width of 25 mm, a gap of 10 mm and a length of 12 mm. The meniscus of a compensation tube maintains a constant system pressure. Steady and dynamic pressure effects in the system force the surfaces to bend inwards. A maximum flow rate is achieved when the free surface collapses and gas ingestion occurs at the outlet. This critical flow rate depends on the channel geometry, the flow regime and the liquid properties. The aim of the experiments is the determination of the free surface shape and to find the maximum flow rate. In order to study the unsteady liquid loop behaviour, a dimensionless transient model was developed. It is based on the unsteady Bernoulli equation, the unsteady continuity equation and geometrical conditions for the surface curvature and the flow cross-section. The pressure is related to the curvature of the free liquid surface by the dimensionless Gauss-Laplace equation with two principal radii. The experimental and evaluated contour data shows good agreement for a sequence of transient flow rate perturbations. The surface oscillation frequencies and amplitudes can be predicted with quite high accuracy. The dynamic of the pump is defined by the increase of the flow rate in a time period. To study the unsteady system behavior in the "worst case", we use a perturbations related to the natural frequency of the oscillating liquid. In the case of steady flow at maximum flow rate, when the "choking" effect occurs, the surfaces collapse and cause gas ingestion into the channel. This effect is related to the Speed Index. At the critical flow rate the Speed Index reaches the value Sca = 1, in analogy to the Mach Number. Unsteady choking does not necessarily cause surface collapse. We show

Taper of wood poles

Treesearch

Billy Bohannan; Hermann Habermann; Joan E. Lengel

1974-01-01

Round wood pole use has changed without accompanying advancement in engineering design data. Previous pole design was based on the assumption that maximum stress occurred at the groundline but, with the larger poles that are now being used, maximum stress may occur along the pole length. For accurate engineering analysis the shape or taper of a pole must be known. Both...

Effect of Capillary Tube’s Shape on Capillary Rising Regime for Viscos Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soroush, F.; Moosavi, A.

2018-05-01

When properties of the displacing fluid are considered, the rising profile of the penetrating fluid in a capillary tube deviates from its classical Lucas-Washburn profile. Also, shape of capillary tube can affect the rising profile in different aspects. In this article, effect of capillary tube’s shape on the vertical capillary motion in presence of gravity is investigated by considering the properties of the displacing fluid. According to the fact that the differential equation of the capillary rising for a non-simple wall type is very difficult to solve analytically, a finite element simulation model is used for this study. After validation of the simulation model with an experiment that has been done with a simple capillary tube, shape of the capillary tube’s wall is changed in order to understand its effects on the capillary rising and different motion regimes that may appear according to different geometries. The main focus of this article is on the sinusoidal wall shapes and comparing them with a simple wall.

Colloidal Asphaltene Deposition and Aggregation in Capillary Flow: Experiments and Mesoscopic Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boek, Edo S.; Ladva, Hemant K.; Crawshaw, John P.; Padding, Johan T.

2008-07-01

The aggregation and deposition of colloidal asphaltene in reservoir rock is a significant problem in the oil industry. To obtain a fundamental understanding of this phenomenon, we have studied the deposition and aggregation of colloidal asphaltene in capillary flow by experiment and simulation. For the simulation, we have used the stochastic rotation dynamics (SRD) method, in which the solvent hydrodynamic emerges from the collisions between the solvent particles, while the Brownian motion emerges naturally from the interactions between the colloidal asphaltene particles and the solvent. The asphaltene colloids interact through a screened Coulomb potential. We vary the well depth ɛ∝ and the flow rate v to obtain Peflow≫1 (hydrodynamic interactions dominate) and Re≪1 (Stokes flow). In the simulations, we impose a pressure drop over the capillary length and measure the corresponding solvent flow rate. We observe that the transient solvent flow rate decreases when the asphaltene particles become more "sticky". For a well depth ɛ∝ = 2kBT, a monolayer deposits on the capillary wall. With an increasing well depth, the capillary becomes totally blocked. The clogging is transient for ɛ∝ = 5kBT, but appears to be permanent for ɛ∝ = 10-20 kBT. We compare our simulation results with flow experiments in glass capillaries, where we use extracted asphaltenes in toluene, reprecipitated with n-heptane. In the experiments, the dynamics of asphaltene precipitation and deposition were monitored in a slot capillary using optical microscopy under flow conditions similar to those used in the simulation. Maintaining a constant flow rate of 5 μL min-1, we found that the pressure drop across the capillary first increased slowly, followed by a sharp increase, corresponding to a complete local blockage of the capillary. Doubling the flow rate to 10 μL min-1, we observe that the initial deposition occurs faster but the deposits are subsequently entrained by the flow. We

Improved resolution in practical light microscopy by means of a glass-fiber 2 π-tilting device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradl, Joachim; Rinke, Bernd; Schneider, Bernhard; Hausmann, Michael; Cremer, Christoph G.

1996-01-01

The spatial resolution of a conventional light microscope or a confocal laser scanning microscope can be determined by calculating the point spread function for the objective used. Normally, ideal conditions are assumed for these calculations. Such conditions, however, are often not fulfilled in biological applications especially in those cases where biochemical requirements (e.g. buffer conditions) influence the specimen preparation on the microscope slide (i.e. 'practical' light microscopy). It has been shown that the problem of a reduced z- resolution in 3D-microscopy (optical sectioning) can be overcome by a capillary in a 2(pi) - tilting device that allows object rotation into an optimal perspective. The application of the glass capillary instead of a standard slide has an additional influence on the imaging properties of the microscope. Therefore, another 2(pi) -tilting device was developed, using a glass fiber for object fixation and rotation. Such a fiber could be covered by standard cover glasses. To estimate the resolution of this setup, point spread functions were measured under different conditions using fluorescent microspheres of subwavelength dimensions. Results obtained from standard slide setups were compared to the glass fiber setup. These results showed that in practice rotation leads to an overall 3D-resolution improvement.

Dwarf mistletoe does not increase trunk taper in released red firs in California

Treesearch

Robert F. Scharpf

1977-01-01

Dwarf mistletoe had no noticeable effect on trunk taper of young, dominant and codominant red firs 4 to 22 inches (10.2 to 55.9 cm) d.b.h. Also, taper was not influenced by live crown ratio of infected and uninfected trees. Trees less than 7 inches d.b.h. had significantly more taper than larger trees, irrespective of dwarf mistletoe.

Analytical characterization of wine and its precursors by capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Gomez, Federico J V; Monasterio, Romina P; Vargas, Verónica Carolina Soto; Silva, María F

2012-08-01

The accurate determination of marker chemical species in grape, musts, and wines presents a unique analytical challenge with high impact on diverse areas of knowledge such as health, plant physiology, and economy. Capillary electromigration techniques have emerged as a powerful tool, allowing the separation and identification of highly polar compounds that cannot be easily separated by traditional HPLC methods, providing complementary information and permitting the simultaneous analysis of analytes with different nature in a single run. The main advantage of CE over traditional methods for wine analysis is that in most cases samples require no treatment other than filtration. The purpose of this article is to present a revision on capillary electromigration methods applied to the analysis of wine and its precursors over the last decade. The current state of the art of the topic is evaluated, with special emphasis on the natural compounds that have allowed wine to be considered as a functional food. The most representative revised compounds are phenolic compounds, amino acids, proteins, elemental species, mycotoxins, and organic acids. Finally, a discussion on future trends of the role of capillary electrophoresis in the field of analytical characterization of wines for routine analysis, wine classification, as well as multidisciplinary aspects of the so-called "from soil to glass" chain is presented. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Influence of Contamination and Cleaning on the Strength of Modular Head Taper Fixation in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Krull, Annika; Morlock, Michael M; Bishop, Nicholas E

2017-10-01

Intraoperative interface contamination of modular head-stem taper junctions of hip implants can lead to poor fixation strength, causing fretting and crevice corrosion or even stem taper fracture. Careful cleaning before assembly should help to reduce these problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cleaning (with and without drying) contaminated taper interfaces on the taper fixation strength. Metal or ceramic heads were impacted onto titanium alloy stem tapers with cleaned or contaminated (fat or saline solution) interfaces. The same procedure was performed after cleaning and drying the contaminated interfaces. Pull-off force was used to determine the influence of contamination and cleaning on the taper strength. Pull-off forces after contamination with fat were significantly lower than those for uncontaminated interfaces for both head materials. Pull-off forces after application of saline solution were not significantly different from those for uncontaminated tapers. However, a large variation in taper strength was observed, pull-off forces for cleaned and dried tapers were similar to those for uncontaminated tapers for both head materials. Intraoperative contamination of taper interfaces may be difficult to detect but has a major influence on taper fixation strength. Cleaning of the stem taper with saline solution and drying with gauze directly before assembly allows the taper strength of the pristine components to be achieved. Not drying the taper results in a large variation in pull-off forces, emphasizing that drying is essential for sufficient and reproducible fixation strength. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological evaluation of the morphological changes of root canals shaped with ProTaper for hand use and the ProTaper and RaCe rotary instruments.

PubMed

Aguiar, Carlos M; Câmara, Andréa C

2008-12-01

This study evaluated, by means of the radiography examination, the occurrence of deviations in the apical third of root canals shaped with hand and rotary instruments. Sixty mandibular human molars were divided into three groups. The root canals in group 1 were instrumented with ProTaper (Dentsply/Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) for hand use, group 2 with ProTaper and group 3 with RaCe. The images obtained by double superimposition of the pre- and postoperative radiographs were evaluated by two endodontists with the aid of a magnifier-viewer and a fivefold magnifier. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher-Freeman-Halton. The instrumentation using the ProTaper for hand use showed 25% of the canals with a deviation in the apical third, as did the ProTaper, while the corresponding figure for the RaCe (FKG Dentaire, La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) was 20%, but these results were not statistically significant. There was no correlation between the occurrence of deviations in the apical third and the systems used.

High-brightness tapered laser diodes with photonic crystal structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi; Du, Weichuan; Kun, Zhou; Gao, Songxin; Ma, Yi; Tang, Chun

2018-02-01

Beam quality of tapered laser diodes is limited by higher order lateral mode. On purpose of optimizing the brightness of tapered laser diodes, we developed a novel design of tapered diodes. This devices based on InGaAs/AlGaAs asymmetry epitaxial structure, containing higher order lateral mode filtering schemes especially photonic crystal structures, which fabricated cost effectively by using standard photolithography and dry etch processes. Meanwhile, the effects of photonic crystal structures on mode control are also investigated theoretically by FDBPM (Finite-Difference Beam Propagation Method) calculation. We achieved a CW optical output power of 6.9W at 940nm for a single emitter with 4 mm cavity length. A nearly diffraction limited beam of M2 ≍1.9 @ 0.5W has been demonstrated, and a highest brightness of β =75MW/(cm2 ·sr) was reached.

Suitability of Secondary PEEK Telescopic Crowns on Zirconia Primary Crowns: The Influence of Fabrication Method and Taper.

PubMed

Merk, Susanne; Wagner, Christina; Stock, Veronika; Eichberger, Marlis; Schmidlin, Patrick R; Roos, Malgorzata; Stawarczyk, Bogna

2016-11-08

This study investigates the retention load (RL) between ZrO₂ primary crowns and secondary polyetheretherketone (PEEK) crowns made by different fabrication methods with three different tapers. Standardized primary ZrO₂ crowns were fabricated with three different tapers: 0°, 1°, and 2° ( n = 10/group). Ten secondary crowns were fabricated (i) milled from breCam BioHPP blanks (PM); (ii) pressed from industrially fabricated PEEK pellets (PP) (BioHPP Pellet); or (iii) pressed from granular PEEK (PG) (BioHPP Granulat). One calibrated operator adjusted all crowns. In total, the RL of 90 secondary crowns were measured in pull-off tests at 50 mm/min, and each specimen was tested 20 times. Two- and one-way ANOVAs followed by a Scheffé's post-hoc test were used for data analysis ( p < 0.05). Within crowns with a 0° taper, the PP group showed significantly higher retention load values compared with the other groups. Among the 1° taper, the PM group presented significantly lower retention loads than the PP group. However, the pressing type had no impact on the results. Within the 2° taper, the fabrication method had no influence on the RL. Within the PM group, the 2° taper showed significantly higher retention load compared with the 1° taper. The taper with 0° was in the same range value as the 1° and 2° tapers. No impact of the taper on the retention value was observed between the PP groups. Within the PG groups, the 0° taper presented significantly lower RL than the 1° taper, whereas the 2° taper showed no differences. The fabrication method of the secondary PEEK crowns and taper angles showed no consistent effect within all tested groups.

[Evaluation of preparation of curved root canals using hand-used ProTaper].

PubMed

Nie, Min; Zhao, Xin-Chen; Peng, Bin; Fan, Ming-Wen; Bian, Zhuan

2009-05-01

To evaluate the shaping ability of hand-used ProTaper on curved canals using Endodontic Cube. Fifty-four curved root canals in vitro were selected and divided into three groups according to the curved degree (alpha), group A: 0 degrees < or = alpha < 25 degrees , group B: 25 degrees < or = alpha < 40 degrees , group C: 40 degrees < or = alpha < 55 degrees . Endodontic Cube was assembled, and each sample was sectioned perpendicular to the axis of the tooth into four sections with Isomer-Buhler in low speed. Then the root canals were prepared with hand-used ProTaper. Before and after shaping, photograph of all the sections were taken under a stereomicroscope. Statistical analyses were performed. The dentin cutting quantity of the whole canal prepared with ProTaper in group B and C was larger than that of group A. The deviation distance of the whole canal prepared by ProTaper in group C was significantly larger than that in group A, and the deviation distance in middle portion larger than that in group B. The maintaining ability in the middle portion of group C by ProTaper was worse than that of group A and B. The curvature of root canal may increase the cutting quantity of the -dentin and reduce the ability of remaining original canal shape prepared by ProTaper.

Noise and Ionic Conductivity in Glass Nanochannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiener, Benjamin; Siria, Alessandro; Bocquet, Lydéric; Stein, Derek

2015-03-01

Ion transport in nanochannels is relevant to processes in biology and has technological applications like batteries, fuel cells, and water desalination. We report experimental studies of the ionic conductance and noise characteristics of pulled glass capillaries with openings on the order of 200 nanometers. We employed an AC measurement technique to probe very low frequency fluctuations in the conductivity and to test a theory attributing these to chemical fluctuations in the surface charge density of the glass. We also investigate Hooge's empirical description of the noise power spectrum and its relationship to current rectification observed in nanochannels in the surface dominated ``Dukhin'' regime. Finally, we test the effects of anion and cation mobility on the direction and magnitude of the observed rectification. Research supported by NSF Grant DMR-1409577 and Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Tuning micropillar tapering for optimal friction performance of thermoplastic gecko-inspired adhesive.

PubMed

Kim, Yongkwan; Chung, Yunsie; Tsao, Angela; Maboudian, Roya

2014-05-14

We present a fabrication method and friction testing of a gecko-inspired thermoplastic micropillar array with control over the tapering angle of the pillar sidewall. A combination of deep reactive ion etching of vertical silicon pillars and subsequent maskless chemical etching produces templates with various widths and degrees of taper, which are then replicated with low-density polyethylene. As the silicon pillars on the template are chemically etched in a bath consisting of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid (HNA), the pillars are progressively thinned, then shortened. The replicated polyethylene pillar arrays exhibit a corresponding increase in friction as the stiffness is reduced with thinning and then a decrease in friction as the stiffness is again increased. The dilution of the HNA bath in water influences the tapering angle of the silicon pillars. The friction of the replicated pillars is maximized for the taper angle that maximizes the contact area at the tip which in turn is influenced by the stiffness of the tapered pillars. To provide insights on how changes in microscale geometry and contact behavior may affect friction of the pillar array, the pillars are imaged by scanning electron microscopy after friction testing, and the observed deformation behavior from shearing is related to the magnitude of the macroscale friction values. It is shown that the tapering angle critically changes the pillar compliance and the available contact area. Simple finite element modeling calculations are performed to support that the observed deformation is consistent with what is expected from a mechanical analysis. We conclude that friction can be maximized via proper pillar tapering with low stiffness that still maintains enough contact area to ensure high adhesion.

Temperature sensing through long period fiber gratings mechanically induced on tapered optical fibers.

PubMed

Pulido-Navarro, María Guadalupe; Escamilla-Ambrosio, Ponciano Jorge; Marrujo-García, Sigifredo; Álvarez-Chávez, José Alfredo; Martínez-Piñón, Fernando

2017-07-01

In this work the feasibility of employing two well-known techniques already used on designing optical fiber sensors is explored. The first technique employed involves monomode tapered fibers, which were fabricated using a taper machine designed, built, and implemented in our laboratory. This implementation greatly reduced the costs and fabrication time allowing us to produce the desired taper length and transmission conditions. The second technique used fiber Bragg gratings, which we decided to have mechanically induced and for that reason we devised and produced our own mechanical gratings with the help of a computer numerical control tool. This grating had to be fabricated with aluminum to withstand temperatures of up to 600°C. When light traveling through an optical fiber reaches a taper it couples into the cladding layer and comes back into the core when the taper ends. In the same manner, when the light encounters gratings in the fiber, it couples to the cladding modes, and when the gratings end, the light couples back into the core. For our experimentation, the tapering machine was programmed to fabricate single-mode tapers with 3 cm length, and the mechanically induced gratings characteristics were 5 cm length, and had a period of 500 μm and depth of the period of 300 μm. For the conducting tests, the tapered fiber is positioned in between two aluminum slabs, one grooved and the other plane. These two blocks accomplish the mechanically induced long period grating (LPG); the gratings on the grooved plaque are imprinted on the taper forming the period gratings. An optical spectrum analyzer is used to observe the changes on the transmission spectrum as the temperature varies from 20°C to 600°C. The resultant attenuation peak wavelength in the transmission spectrum shifts up to 8 nm, which is a higher shift compared to what has been reported using nontapered fibers. As the temperature increases there is no longer a shift, but there is significant power loss

Plasmonic structure: fiber grating formed by gold nanorods on a tapered fiber.

PubMed

Trevisanutto, J O; Linhananta, A; Das, G

2016-12-15

The authors demonstrated the fabrication of a fiber Bragg grating-like plasmonic nanostructure on the surface of a tapered optical fiber using gold nanorods (GNRs). A multimode optical fiber with core and cladding diameters of 105 and 125 μm, respectively, was used to make a tapered fiber using a dynamic etching process. The tip diameter was ∼100  nm. Light from a laser was coupled to the untapered end of the fiber, which produced a strong evanescent field around the tapered section of the fiber. The gradient force due to the evanescent field trapped the GNRs on the surface of the tapered fiber. The authors explored possible causes of the GNR distribution. The plasmonic structure will be a good candidate for sensing based on surface enhanced Raman scattering.

Mechanics of the taper integrated screwed-in (TIS) abutments used in dental implants.

PubMed

Bozkaya, Dinçer; Müftü, Sinan

2005-01-01

The tapered implant-abutment interface is becoming more popular due to the mechanical reliability of retention it provides. Consequently, understanding the mechanical properties of the tapered interface with or without a screw at the bottom has been the subject of a considerable amount of studies involving experiments and finite element (FE) analysis. This paper focuses on the tapered implant-abutment interface with a screw integrated at the bottom of the abutment. The tightening and loosening torques are the main factors in determining the reliability and the stability of the attachment. Analytical formulas are developed to predict tightening and loosening torque values by combining the equations related to the tapered interface with screw mechanics equations. This enables the identification of the effects of the parameters such as friction, geometric properties of the screw, the taper angle, and the elastic properties of the materials on the mechanics of the system. In particular, a relation between the tightening torque and the screw pretension is identified. It was shown that the loosening torque is smaller than the tightening torque for typical values of the parameters. Most of the tightening load is carried by the tapered section of the abutment, and in certain combinations of the parameters the pretension in the screw may become zero. The calculations performed to determine the loosening torque as a percentage of tightening torque resulted in the range 85-137%, depending on the values of taper angle and the friction coefficient.

Investigation of Tapered Roller Bearing Damage Detection Using Oil Debris Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Paula J.; Krieder, Gary; Fichter, Thomas

2006-01-01

A diagnostic tool was developed for detecting fatigue damage to tapered roller bearings. Tapered roller bearings are used in helicopter transmissions and have potential for use in high bypass advanced gas turbine aircraft engines. This diagnostic tool was developed and evaluated experimentally by collecting oil debris data from failure progression tests performed by The Timken Company in their Tapered Roller Bearing Health Monitoring Test Rig. Failure progression tests were performed under simulated engine load conditions. Tests were performed on one healthy bearing and three predamaged bearings. During each test, data from an on-line, in-line, inductance type oil debris sensor was monitored and recorded for the occurrence of debris generated during failure of the bearing. The bearing was removed periodically for inspection throughout the failure progression tests. Results indicate the accumulated oil debris mass is a good predictor of damage on tapered roller bearings. The use of a fuzzy logic model to enable an easily interpreted diagnostic metric was proposed and demonstrated.

Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-07-10

iss052e013081 (7/10/2017) --- The Capillary Structures for Exploration Life Support (Capillary Structures) investigation studies a new method using structures of specific shapes to manage fluid and gas mixtures. The investigation studies water recycling and carbon dioxide removal, benefiting future efforts to design lightweight, more reliable life support systems for future space missions.

Tapered optical fiber sensor based on localized surface plasmon resonance.

PubMed

Lin, Hsing-Ying; Huang, Chen-Han; Cheng, Gia-Ling; Chen, Nan-Kuang; Chui, Hsiang-Chen

2012-09-10

A tapered fiber localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor is demonstrated for refractive index sensing and label-free biochemical detection. The sensing strategy relies on the interrogation of the transmission intensity change due to the evanescent field absorption of immobilized gold nanoparticles on the tapered fiber surface. The refractive index resolution based on the interrogation of transmission intensity change is calculated to be 3.2×10⁻⁵ RIU. The feasibility of DNP-functionalized tapered fiber LSPR sensor in monitoring anti-DNP antibody with different concentrations spiked in buffer is examined. Results suggest that the compact sensor can perform qualitative and quantitative biochemical detection in real-time and thus has potential to be used in biomolecular sensing applications.

Combination nicotine replacement therapy: strategies for initiation and tapering.

PubMed

Hsia, Stephanie L; Myers, Mark G; Chen, Timothy C

2017-04-01

Several studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated the efficacy of combination nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for patients who wish to quit smoking. However, there is limited guidance with respect to initiation and tapering of combination NRT. We attempt to review the evidence and rationale behind combination NRT, present the dosing used in combination NRT studies, and propose a step-down approach for tapering of combination NRT with integration of behavioral strategies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cyclic fatigue resistance of ProTaper Next nickel-titanium rotary files.

PubMed

Elnaghy, A M

2014-11-01

To compare the cyclic fatigue resistance of ProTaper Next files (PTN; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with Twisted Files (TF; SybronEndo, Orange, CA, USA), HyFlex CM (HF; ColténeEndo/Whaledent, Inc, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, USA) and ProTaper Universal (PT; Dentsply Maillefer). Size 25, .06 taper for PTN X2, TF, HF and PT F1 size 20, .07 taper were rotated in simulated canals until failure, and the number of cycles to failure (NCF) was recorded to evaluate their cyclic fatigue resistance. A scanning electron microscope was used to characterize the topographic features of the fracture surfaces of broken files. The data of the NCF and fragment length values were analysed statistically using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests. Statistical significance level was set at P < 0.05. Twisted Files had a significantly higher resistance to cyclic fatigue than the other instruments (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in NCF between PTN and HF (P > 0.05); however, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) of both these systems with PT, which exhibited the lowest mean NCF. The ranking in the NCF values was: TF > PTN > HF > PT. The fracture cross-sections of all brands revealed similar fractographic features, including crack origins, fatigue zone and an overload fast fracture zone. The new ProTaper Next had greater resistance to cyclic fatigue compared with ProTaper and HyFlex CM but not the Twisted Files. © 2014 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of laser wavelength and pulse duration on gas bubble formation in blood filled glass capillaries.

PubMed

Kimel, Sol; Choi, Bernard; Svaasand, Lars O; Lotfi, Justin; Viator, John A; Nelson, J Stuart

2005-04-01

Hypervascular skin lesions (HVSL) are treated with medical lasers characterized by a variety of parameters such as wavelength lambda, pulse duration t(p), and radiant exposure E that can be adjusted for different pathology and blood vessel size. Treatment parameters have been optimized assuming constant optical properties of blood during laser photocoagulation. However, recent studies suggest that this assumption may not always be true. Our objective was to quantify thermally induced changes in blood that occur during irradiation using standard laser parameters. Glass capillary tubes (diameter D = 100, 200, and 337 microm) filled with fresh or hemolyzed rabbit blood were irradiated once at lambda = 585, 595, or 600 nm, t(p) = 1.5 milliseconds; and also at lambda = 585 nm, t(p) = 0.45 milliseconds. E was increased until blood ablation caused formation of permanent gas bubbles. In a corroborative study, human blood was heated at 50 degrees C and absorbance spectra were measured as a function of time. Threshold radiant exposure, E(thresh), for gas bubble formation was found not to depend on lambda, which might be surprising in view of the 10-fold lower absorption coefficient at 600 nm as compared to 585 nm. The spectroscopic study revealed heat-induced changes in blood constituent composition of hemoglobins (Hb) from initially 100% oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) to deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) and, ultimately, methemoglobin (metHb) as the major constituent. Model calculations of E(thresh)(lambda,D) based on changing constituent blood composition during heating with milliseconds lasers were found to correlate with experimental results. For laser treatment of HVSL it appears that lambda is of secondary importance and that the choice of t(p) is a more important factor. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Tapered Optical Fiber Sensor for Label-Free Detection of Biomolecules

PubMed Central

Tian, Ye; Wang, Wenhui; Wu, Nan; Zou, Xiaotian; Wang, Xingwei

2011-01-01

This paper presents a fast, highly sensitive and low-cost tapered optical fiber biosensor that enables the label-free detection of biomolecules. The sensor takes advantage of the interference effect between the fiber’s first two propagation modes along the taper waist region. The biomolecules bonded on the taper surface were determined by demodulating the transmission spectrum phase shift. Because of the sharp spectrum fringe signals, as well as a relatively long biomolecule testing region, the sensor displayed a fast response and was highly sensitive. To better understand the influence of various biomolecules on the sensor, a numerical simulation that varied biolayer parameters such as thickness and refractive index was performed. The results showed that the spectrum fringe shift was obvious to be measured even when the biolayer was only nanometers thick. A microchannel chip was designed and fabricated for the protection of the sensor and biotesting. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques were used to precisely control the profile and depth of the microchannel on the silicon chip with an accuracy of 2 μm. A tapered optical fiber biosensor was fabricated and evaluated with an Immune globulin G (IgG) antibody-antigen pair. PMID:22163821

Finite-Difference Time-Domain Analysis of Tapered Photonic Crystal Fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, M. I. Md; Sanusidin, S. N.; Yusof, M. H. M.

2018-03-01

This paper brief about the simulation of tapered photonic crystal fiber (PCF) LMA-8 single-mode type based on correlation of scattering pattern at wavelength of 1.55 μm, analyzation of transmission spectrum at wavelength over the range of 1.0 until 2.5 μm and correlation of transmission spectrum with the refractive index change in photonic crystal holes with respect to taper size of 0.1 until 1.0 using Optiwave simulation software. The main objective is to simulate using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) technique of tapered LMA-8 PCF and for sensing application by improving the capabilities of PCF without collapsing the crystal holes. The types of FDTD techniques used are scattering pattern and transverse transmission and principal component analysis (PCA) used as a mathematical tool to model the data obtained by MathCad software. The simulation results showed that there is no obvious correlation of scattering pattern at a wavelength of 1.55 μm, a correlation obtained between taper sizes with a transverse transmission and there is a parabolic relationship between the refractive index changes inside the crystal structure.

Tapered optical fiber sensor for label-free detection of biomolecules.

PubMed

Tian, Ye; Wang, Wenhui; Wu, Nan; Zou, Xiaotian; Wang, Xingwei

2011-01-01

This paper presents a fast, highly sensitive and low-cost tapered optical fiber biosensor that enables the label-free detection of biomolecules. The sensor takes advantage of the interference effect between the fiber's first two propagation modes along the taper waist region. The biomolecules bonded on the taper surface were determined by demodulating the transmission spectrum phase shift. Because of the sharp spectrum fringe signals, as well as a relatively long biomolecule testing region, the sensor displayed a fast response and was highly sensitive. To better understand the influence of various biomolecules on the sensor, a numerical simulation that varied biolayer parameters such as thickness and refractive index was performed. The results showed that the spectrum fringe shift was obvious to be measured even when the biolayer was only nanometers thick. A microchannel chip was designed and fabricated for the protection of the sensor and biotesting. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques were used to precisely control the profile and depth of the microchannel on the silicon chip with an accuracy of 2 μm. A tapered optical fiber biosensor was fabricated and evaluated with an Immune globulin G (IgG) antibody-antigen pair.

Stability of tapered and parallel-walled dental implants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Atieh, Momen A; Alsabeeha, Nabeel; Duncan, Warwick J

2018-05-15

Clinical trials have suggested that dental implants with a tapered configuration have improved stability at placement, allowing immediate placement and/or loading. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the implant stability of tapered dental implants compared to standard parallel-walled dental implants. Applying the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched for in electronic databases and complemented by hand searching. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool and data were analyzed using statistical software. A total of 1199 studies were identified, of which, five trials were included with 336 dental implants in 303 participants. Overall meta-analysis showed that tapered dental implants had higher implant stability values than parallel-walled dental implants at insertion and 8 weeks but the difference was not statistically significant. Tapered dental implants had significantly less marginal bone loss compared to parallel-walled dental implants. No significant differences in implant failure rate were found between tapered and parallel-walled dental implants. There is limited evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of tapered dental implants in achieving greater implant stability compared to parallel-walled dental implants. Superior short-term results in maintaining peri-implant marginal bone with tapered dental implants are possible. Further properly designed RCTs are required to endorse the supposed advantages of tapered dental implants in immediate loading protocol and other complex clinical scenarios. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optical microscope and tapered fiber coupling apparatus for a dilution refrigerator.

PubMed

MacDonald, A J R; Popowich, G G; Hauer, B D; Kim, P H; Fredrick, A; Rojas, X; Doolin, P; Davis, J P

2015-01-01

We have developed a system for tapered fiber measurements of optomechanical resonators inside a dilution refrigerator, which is compatible with both on- and off-chip devices. Our apparatus features full three-dimensional control of the taper-resonator coupling conditions enabling critical coupling, with an overall fiber transmission efficiency of up to 70%. Notably, our design incorporates an optical microscope system consisting of a coherent bundle of 37,000 optical fibers for real-time imaging of the experiment at a resolution of ∼1 μm. We present cryogenic optical and optomechanical measurements of resonators coupled to tapered fibers at temperatures as low as 9 mK.

Temperature-independent refractometer based on a tapered photonic crystal fiber interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Kai; Chan, Chi Chiu; Dong, Xinyong; Poh, C. L.; Li, Tao

2013-03-01

A temperature-independent refractometer by using a tapered photonic crystal fiber (PCF) based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It is fabricated by sandwiching a tapered PCF of 29 mm long between two standard single mode fibers (SMFs) with the fully collapsed air holes of the PCF in the fusion splicing region. It has been found that tapering the PCF greatly enhances the sensitivity of the refractometer. A maximum sensitivity of 1529 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) is achieved within the range from 1.3355 to 1.413. The refractometer is nearly temperature-insensitive due to the ultra low temperature dependence of the used.

High-sensitivity refractive index sensors based on fused tapered photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xing-hu; Xie, Hai-yang; Yang, Chuan-qing; Qu, Yu-wei; Zhang, Shun-yang; Fu, Guang-wei; Guo, Xuan; Bi, Wei-hong

2016-05-01

In this paper, a novel liquid refractive index (RI) sensor based on fused tapered photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is proposed. It is fabricated by fusing and tapering a section of PCF which is spliced with two single-mode fibers (SMFs). Due to the fused biconical taper method, the sensor becomes longer and thinner, to make the change of the outside RI has more direct effects on the internal optical field of the PCF, which finally enhances the sensitivity of this sensor. Experimental results show that the transmission spectra of the sensor are red-shifted obviously with the increase of RI. The longer the tapered region of the sensor, the higher the sensitivity is. This sensor has the advantages of simple structure, easy fabrication, high performance and so on, so it has potential applications in RI measurement.

Automated Parallel Capillary Electrophoretic System

DOEpatents

Li, Qingbo; Kane, Thomas E.; Liu, Changsheng; Sonnenschein, Bernard; Sharer, Michael V.; Kernan, John R.

2000-02-22

An automated electrophoretic system is disclosed. The system employs a capillary cartridge having a plurality of capillary tubes. The cartridge has a first array of capillary ends projecting from one side of a plate. The first array of capillary ends are spaced apart in substantially the same manner as the wells of a microtitre tray of standard size. This allows one to simultaneously perform capillary electrophoresis on samples present in each of the wells of the tray. The system includes a stacked, dual carousel arrangement to eliminate cross-contamination resulting from reuse of the same buffer tray on consecutive executions from electrophoresis. The system also has a gel delivery module containing a gel syringe/a stepper motor or a high pressure chamber with a pump to quickly and uniformly deliver gel through the capillary tubes. The system further includes a multi-wavelength beam generator to generate a laser beam which produces a beam with a wide range of wavelengths. An off-line capillary reconditioner thoroughly cleans a capillary cartridge to enable simultaneous execution of electrophoresis with another capillary cartridge. The streamlined nature of the off-line capillary reconditioner offers the advantage of increased system throughput with a minimal increase in system cost.

Tapered holey fibers for spot-size and numerical-aperture conversion.

PubMed

Town, G E; Lizier, J T

2001-07-15

Adiabatically tapered holey fibers are shown to be potentially useful for guided-wave spot-size and numerical-aperture conversion. Conditions for adiabaticity and design guidelines are provided in terms of the effective-index model. We also present finite-difference time-domain calculations of downtapered holey fiber, showing that large spot-size conversion factors are obtainable with minimal loss by use of short, optimally shaped tapers.

Merging taper lengths for short duration lane closure : final report, December 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

The Utility Industry has requested that the Florida Department of Transportation provide for the use of merging taper lengths that are significantly shorter than the lengths computed using the taper length equations published in the MUTCD Section 6C....

Bent optical fiber tapers for refractometery and biosensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penchev, Emil; Eftimov, Tinko; Bock, Wojtek

2015-01-01

We report the results of our study of the spectral shifts caused by surrounding refractive index changes (SRI) in bent fibre tapers. Fused and etched fibre tapers were fabricated using a gas burner and HF acid. Spectral shifts as high as 200 nm have been observed for SRI variations from 1.33 to 1.44 and sensitivity as high as 830 nm/r.i.u. around water RI values. We present results for refractometric measurements of cow milk of varying fat content and compare results with those obtained with conventional Abbe refractometers and high sensitivity double resonance LPGs.

Development of a photogrammetric method of measuring tree taper outside bark

Treesearch

David R. Larsen

2006-01-01

A photogrammetric method is presented for measuring tree diameters outside bark using calibrated control ground-based digital photographs. The method was designed to rapidly collect tree taper information from subject trees for the development of tree taper equations. Software that is commercially available, but designed for a different purpose, can be readily adapted...

Experimental design rules for implementing biconically tapered single mode optical fibre displacement sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arregui, Francisco J.; Matias, Ignacio R.; Bariain, Candido; Lopez-Amo, Manuel

1998-06-01

Tapered optical fibers are used to design couplers, wavelength division multiplexers, near field scanning optical microscopy, just to mention a few. Moreover, and due to its strong transmission dependence to external medium the tapered fiber may also be used to sense distinct parameters such as temperature, humidity, PH, etc. In this work bending effects in tapers are exploited to achieved displacement sensors and to present design rules for implementing these sensors according to the desired both range and sensitivity.

Taper models for commercial tree species in the northeastern United States

Treesearch

James A. Westfall; Charles T. Scott

2010-01-01

A new taper model was developed based on the switching taper model of Valentine and Gregoire; the most substantial changes were reformulation to incorporate estimated join points and modification of a switching function. Random-effects parameters were included that account for within-tree correlations and allow for customized calibration to each individual tree. The...

Spectrum online-tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on step-like tapers and its refractive index sensing characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yong; Chen, Mao-qing; Xia, Feng; Hu, Hai-feng

2017-11-01

A novel refractive index (RI) sensor based on an asymmetrical Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with two different step-like tapers is proposed. The step-like taper is fabricated by fusion splicing two half tapers with an appropriate offset. By further applying offset and discharging to the last fabricated step-like taper of MZI, influence of taper parameters on interference spectrum is investigated using only one device. This simple technique provides an on-line method to sweep parameters of step-like tapers and speeds up the optimization process of interference spectrum, meanwhile. In RI sensing experiment, the sensor has a high sensitivity of -185.79 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) in the RI range of 1.3333-1.3673.

An evaluation of .06 tapered gutta-percha cones for filling of .06 taper prepared curved root canals.

PubMed

Gordon, M P J; Love, R M; Chandler, N P

2005-02-01

To compare the area occupied by gutta-percha, sealer, or void in standardized .06 tapered prepared simulated curved canals and in mesio-buccal canals of extracted maxillary first molars filled with a single .06 gutta-percha point and sealer or lateral condensation of multiple .02 gutta-percha points and sealer. Simulated canals in resin blocks with either a 30 degrees curve and radius of 10.5 mm (n = 20) or a 58 degrees curve and 4.7 mm radius (n = 20) and curved mesio-buccal canals of extracted maxillary first molars (n = 20) were prepared using .06 ProFiles in a variable tip crown-down sequence to an apical size 35 at 0.5 mm from the canal terminus or apical foramen. Ten 30 degrees and 58 degrees curved resin canals and 10 canals in the extracted teeth group were obturated with .02 taper gutta-percha cones and AH 26 sealer using lateral condensation. The time required to obturate was recorded. The remaining canals were obturated with a single .06 taper gutta-percha cone and AH 26 sealer. Excess gutta-percha was removed from the specimens using heat and the warm mass vertically condensed. Horizontal sections were cut at 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 4.5, 7.5 and 11.5 mm from the canal terminus or apical foramen. Colour photographs were taken using an Olympus 35 mm camera attached to a stereomicroscope set at x40 magnification, and then digitized using a flatbed scanner. The cross-sectional area of the canal contents was analysed using Adobe PhotoShop. The percentage of gutta-percha, sealer or voids to the total root canal area were derived and data analysed using unpaired Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. In the 30 degrees curved canals the levels had between 94 and 100% of the area filled with gutta-percha with no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the lateral condensation and single cone techniques. In the 58 degrees curved canals the levels had 92-99% of the area filled with gutta-percha, with the single cone technique having significantly (P < 0.05) more

Morse taper dental implants and platform switching: The new paradigm in oral implantology

PubMed Central

Macedo, José Paulo; Pereira, Jorge; Vahey, Brendan R.; Henriques, Bruno; Benfatti, Cesar A. M.; Magini, Ricardo S.; López-López, José; Souza, Júlio C. M.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review on the potential benefits with the use of Morse taper dental implant connections associated with small diameter platform switching abutments. A Medline bibliographical search (from 1961 to 2014) was carried out. The following search items were explored: “Bone loss and platform switching,” “bone loss and implant-abutment joint,” “bone resorption and platform switching,” “bone resorption and implant-abutment joint,” “Morse taper and platform switching.” “Morse taper and implant-abutment joint,” Morse taper and bone resorption,” “crestal bone remodeling and implant-abutment joint,” “crestal bone remodeling and platform switching.” The selection criteria used for the article were: meta-analysis; randomized controlled trials; prospective cohort studies; as well as reviews written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish languages. Within the 287 studies identified, 81 relevant and recent studies were selected. Results indicated a reduced occurrence of peri-implantitis and bone loss at the abutment/implant level associated with Morse taper implants and a reduced-diameter platform switching abutment. Extrapolation of data from previous studies indicates that Morse taper connections associated with platform switching have shown less inflammation and possible bone loss with the peri-implant soft tissues. However, more long-term studies are needed to confirm these trends. PMID:27011755

Simple, Flexible, Trigonometric Taper Equations

Treesearch

Charles E. Thomas; Bernard R. Parresol

1991-01-01

There have been numerous approaches to modeling stem form in recent decades. The majority have concentrated on the simpler coniferous bole form and have become increasingly complex mathematical expressions. Use of trigonometric equations provides a simple expression of taper that is flexible enough to fit both coniferous and hard-wood bole forms. As an illustration, we...

Taper tables for western hemlock.

Treesearch

Floyd A. Johnson; Wilbur Engstrom

1949-01-01

In 1947 the West Coast Forestry procedures Committee recommended several mensuration projects, one of which called for the construction of taper tables for Western hemlock. In response the present tables were prepared. Basic data for these tables consist of measurements of 912 trees taken a number of years ago by members of the Pacific Northwest Forest & Range...

STIR-Physics: Cold Atoms and Nanocrystals in Tapered Nanofiber and High-Q Resonator Potentials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-02

STIR- Physics : Cold Atoms and Nanocrystals in Tapered Nanofiber and High-Q Resonator Potentials We worked on a tapered fiber in cold atomic cloud...reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: STIR- Physics : Cold Atoms and Nanocrystals in Tapered Nanofiber...other than abstracts): Number of Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceeding publications (other than abstracts): Books Number of Manuscripts: 0.00Number of

Fusion splice between tapered inhibited coupling hypocycloid-core Kagome fiber and SMF.

PubMed

Zheng, Ximeng; Debord, Benoît; Vincetti, Luca; Beaudou, Benoît; Gérôme, Frédéric; Benabid, Fetah

2016-06-27

We report for the first time on tapering inhibited coupling (IC) hypocycloid-core shape Kagome hollow-core photonic crystal fibers whilst maintaining their delicate core-contour negative curvature with a down-ratio as large as 2.4. The transmission loss of down-tapered sections reaches a figure as low as 0.07 dB at 1550 nm. The tapered IC fibers are also spliced to standard SMF with a total insertion loss of 0.48 dB. These results show that all-fiber photonic microcells with the ultra-low loss hypocycloid core-contour Kagome fibers is now possible.

Capillary pressure-saturation relationships for porous granular materials: Pore morphology method vs. pore unit assembly method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweijen, Thomas; Aslannejad, Hamed; Hassanizadeh, S. Majid

2017-09-01

In studies of two-phase flow in complex porous media it is often desirable to have an estimation of the capillary pressure-saturation curve prior to measurements. Therefore, we compare in this research the capability of three pore-scale approaches in reproducing experimentally measured capillary pressure-saturation curves. To do so, we have generated 12 packings of spheres that are representative of four different glass-bead packings and eight different sand packings, for which we have found experimental data on the capillary pressure-saturation curve in the literature. In generating the packings, we matched the particle size distributions and porosity values of the granular materials. We have used three different pore-scale approaches for generating the capillary pressure-saturation curves of each packing: i) the Pore Unit Assembly (PUA) method in combination with the Mayer and Stowe-Princen (MS-P) approximation for estimating the entry pressures of pore throats, ii) the PUA method in combination with the hemisphere approximation, and iii) the Pore Morphology Method (PMM) in combination with the hemisphere approximation. The three approaches were also used to produce capillary pressure-saturation curves for the coating layer of paper, used in inkjet printing. Curves for such layers are extremely difficult to determine experimentally, due to their very small thickness and the presence of extremely small pores (less than one micrometer in size). Results indicate that the PMM and PUA-hemisphere method give similar capillary pressure-saturation curves, because both methods rely on a hemisphere to represent the air-water interface. The ability of the hemisphere approximation and the MS-P approximation to reproduce correct capillary pressure seems to depend on the type of particle size distribution, with the hemisphere approximation working well for narrowly distributed granular materials.

Intrinsic advantages of packed capillaries over narrow-bore columns in very high-pressure gradient liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Gritti, Fabrice; McDonald, Thomas; Gilar, Martin

2016-06-17

250μm×100mm fused silica glass capillaries were packed with 1.8μm high-strength silica (HSS) fully porous particles. They were prepared without bulky stainless steel endfittings and metal frits, which both generate significant sample dispersion. The isocratic efficiencies and gradient peak capacities of these prototype capillary columns were measured for small molecules (n-alkanophenones) using a home-made ultra-low dispersive micro-HPLC instrument. Their resolution power was compared to that of standard 2.1mm×100mm very high-pressure liquid chromatography (vHPLC) narrow-bore columns packed with the same particles. The results show that, for the same column efficiency (25000 plates) and gradient steepness (0.04min(-1)), the peak capacity of the 250μm i.d. capillary columns is systematically 15-20% higher than that of the 2.1mm i.d. narrow-bore columns. A validated model of gradient chromatography enabled one to predict accurately the observed peak capacities of the capillary columns for non-linear solvation strength retention behavior and under isothermal conditions. Thermodynamics applied to the eluent quantified the temperature difference for the thermal gradients in both capillary and narrow-bore columns. Experimental data revealed that the gradient peak capacity is more affected by viscous heating than the column efficiency. Unlike across 2.1mm i.d. columns, the changes in eluent composition across the 250μm i.d. columns during the gradient is rapidly relaxed by transverse dispersion. The combination of (1) the absence of viscous heating and (2) the high uniformity of the eluent composition across the diameter of capillary columns explains the intrinsic advantage of capillary over narrow-bore columns in gradient vHPLC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of component junction tapering on miniature cryocooler performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conrad, Ted; Pathak, Mihir G.; Ghiaasiaan, S. Mostafa; Kirkconnell, Carl

2012-06-01

Due to their relatively smaller volume and available cooling power, miniature cryocoolers are likely to be more sensitive to hydrodynamic losses than their full scale counterparts. Abrupt changes in diameter between cryocooler components are a possible source of such losses as flow separation and recirculation may occur at these points. Underutilization of regions of the regenerator and heat exchanger porous matrices may also occur due to jetting of fluid into these components. Eliminating such abrupt diameter changes by tapering transitions between cryocooler components may therefore improve system performance. The effects of various tapers applied at component interfaces on the performance of miniature pulse tube cryocoolers were investigated using system-level CFD models. A miniature scale pulse tube cryocooler design whose suitability for cryocooling under ideal conditions has been theoretically demonstrated was used as the basis for these models. Transitions between different combinations of open and porous regions were considered; tapers or chamfers were applied to these component junctions and the performance predictions for the resulting systems were compared to those for a model with sharp component transitions. Visualizations of the predicted flow patterns were also used to determine the effects of the applied tapers on the flow within the pulse tube.

Sensitive Leptospira DNA detection using tapered optical fiber sensor.

PubMed

Zainuddin, Nurul H; Chee, Hui Y; Ahmad, Muhammad Z; Mahdi, Mohd A; Abu Bakar, Muhammad H; Yaacob, Mohd H

2018-03-23

This paper presents the development of tapered optical fiber sensor to detect a specific Leptospira bacteria DNA. The bacteria causes Leptospirosis, a deadly disease but with common early flu-like symptoms. Optical single mode fiber (SMF) of 125 μm diameter is tapered to produce 12 μm waist diameter and 15 cm length. The novel DNA-based optical fiber sensor is functionalized by incubating the tapered region with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane and glutaraldehyde. Probe DNA is immobilized onto the tapered region and subsequently hybridized by its complementary DNA (cDNA). The transmission spectra of the DNA-based optical fiber sensor are measured in the 1500 to 1600 nm wavelength range. It is discovered that the shift of the wavelength in the SMF sensor is linearly proportional with the increase in the cDNA concentrations from 0.1 to 1.0 nM. The sensitivity of the sensor toward DNA is measured to be 1.2862 nm/nM and able to detect as low as 0.1 fM. The sensor indicates high specificity when only minimal shift is detected for non-cDNA testing. The developed sensor is able to distinguish between actual DNA of Leptospira serovars (Canicola and Copenhageni) against Clostridium difficile (control sample) at very low (femtomolar) target concentrations. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of ripple taper on band-gap overlap in a coaxial Bragg structure operating at terahertz frequency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding Xueyong; Li Hongfan; Lv Zhensu

Based on the mode-coupling method, numerical analysis is presented to demonstrate the influence of ripple taper on band-gap overlap in a coaxial Bragg structure operating at terahertz frequency. Results show that the interval between the band-gaps of the competing mode and the desired working mode is narrowed by use of positive-taper ripples, but is expanded if negative-taper ripples are employed, and the influence of the negative-taper ripples is obviously more advantageous than the positive-taper ripples; the band-gap overlap of modes can be efficiently separated by use of negative-taper ripples. The residual side-lobes of the frequency response in a coaxial Braggmore » structure with ripple taper also can be effectively suppressed by employing the windowing-function technique. These peculiarities provide potential advantage in constructing a coaxial Bragg cavity with high quality factor for single higher-order-mode operation of a high-power free-electron maser in the terahertz frequency range.« less

Endodontic shaping performance using nickel-titanium hand and motor ProTaper systems by novice dental students.

PubMed

Tu, Ming-Gene; Chen, San-Yue; Huang, Heng-Li; Tsai, Chi-Cheng

2008-05-01

Preparing a continuous tapering conical shape and maintaining the original shape of a canal are obligatory in root canal preparation. The purpose of this study was to compare the shaping performance in simulated curved canal resin blocks of the same novice dental students using hand-prepared and engine-driven nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary ProTaper instruments in an endodontic laboratory class. Twenty-three fourth-year dental students attending China Medical University Dental School prepared 46 simulated curved canals in resin blocks with two types of NiTi rotary systems: hand and motor ProTaper files. Composite images were prepared for estimation. Material removed, canal width and canal deviation were measured at five levels in the apical 4 mm of the simulated curved canals using AutoCAD 2004 software. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon's rank-sum test. The hand ProTaper group cut significantly wider than the motor rotary ProTaper group in the outer wall, except for the apical 0 mm point. The total canal width was cut significantly larger in the hand group than in the motor group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in centering canal shape, except at the 3 mm level. These findings show that the novice students prepared the simulated curved canal that deviated more outwardly from apical 1 mm to 4 mm using the hand ProTaper. The ability to maintain the original curvature was better in the motor rotary ProTaper group than in the hand ProTaper group. Undergraduate students, if following the preparation sequence carefully, could successfully perform canal shaping by motor ProTaper files and achieve better root canal geometry than by using hand ProTaper files within the same teaching and practicing sessions.

Fabrication and characterization of tapered graphite/epoxy box beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, S.-C.; Gopal, P.; Dharani, L. R.

1993-04-01

Graphite/epoxy (T300/934) prepreg is used to fabricate tapered box beams with a taper angle of 2 deg between the top and bottom walls. The prepreg is cured on a segmented steel core using a hot-press. A screw arrangement is used to apply curing pressure in the horizontal direction, while the platens of the hot-press apply pressure in the vertical direction. The inplane bending stiffness of the beam is determined by 3-point bend test and is found to be in agreement with theory.

Capillary discharge source

DOEpatents

Bender, III, Howard Albert

2003-11-25

Debris generation from an EUV electric discharge plasma source device can be significantly reduced or essentially eliminated by encasing the electrodes with dielectric or electrically insulating material so that the electrodes are shielded from the plasma, and additionally by providing a path for the radiation to exit wherein the electrodes are not exposed to the area where the radiation is collected. The device includes: (a) a body, which is made of an electrically insulating material, that defines a capillary bore that has a proximal end and a distal end and that defines at least one radiation exit; (b) a first electrode that defines a first channel that has a first inlet end that is connected to a source of gas and a first outlet end that is in communication with the capillary bore, wherein the first electrode is positioned at the distal end of the capillary bore; (c) a second electrode that defines a second channel that has a second inlet end that is in communication with the capillary bore and an outlet end, wherein the second electrode is positioned at the proximal end of the capillary bore; and (d) a source of electric potential that is connected across the first and second electrodes, wherein radiation generated within the capillary bore is emitted through the at least one radiation exit and wherein the first electrode and second electrode are shielded from the emitted radiation.

Optimization of x-ray capillary optics for mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Richard E.; Bradford, Carla D.; Peppler, Walter W.

2002-05-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a full-field digital mammography system utilizing capillary optics. Specific aims are to identify optic properties that affect image quality and to optimize those properties in the design of a multi-element capillary array. It has been shown that polycapillary optics significantly improve mammographic image quality through increased resolution and reduced x-ray scatter. For practical clinical application much larger multi-element optics will be required. This study quantified the contributing factors to the multi-element optic MTF and investigated methods to determine optimal parameters for a practical design. Individual and a prototype multi-element array of linearly tapered optics with a common focal point were investigated. A conventional (MO/MO) mammography tube and computed radiography system were used. The system and optic MTF were measured using the angled slit method with a slit camera (10 micron slit). MTF measurements were performed with both stationary and scanned optics. Contributions to MTF included: distortion within individual optics, misalignment between optics, capillary channel size, and vibration. Measurement techniques used to identify and quantify the contributions to optic MTF included a phantom chosen specifically for polycapillary optics. This phantom provided a method for assessing the coherence among capillaries within an optic as well as the relative alignment of the optics within the array. In addition, modifications to the scanning procedure allowed for the isolation and quantification of several contributors to the system MTF. Specifically, measurements were made using a stationary optic, a scanning optic, and an optic placed at multiple locations within the imaged field of view. These techniques yielded the optic MTF, the degradation of MTF due to loss of coherence within the optic, and the degradation of MTF due to vibration of the scanning mechanism. Distortion within individual optics was

Chirped self-similar optical pulses in tapered centrosymmetric nonlinear waveguides doped with resonant impurities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, J. R.; Xu, S. L.; Xue, L.

2017-11-01

Exact chirped self-similar optical pulses propagating in tapered centrosymmetric nonlinear waveguides doped with resonant impurities are reported. The propagation behaviors of the pulses are studied by tailoring of the tapering function. Numerical simulations and stability analysis reveal that the tapering can be used to postpone the wave dispersion and the addition of a small cubic self-focusing term to the governing equation could stabilize the chirped bright pulses. An example of possible experimental protocol that may generate the pulses in realistic waveguides is given. The obtained chirped self-similar optical pulses are particularly useful in the design of amplifying or attenuating pulse compressors for chirped solitary waves in tapered centrosymmetric nonlinear waveguides doped with resonant impurities.

Quasi-phase-matched χ(3 )-parametric interactions in sinusoidally tapered waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh, Mohammed F.

2018-01-01

In this article, I show how periodically tapered waveguides can be employed as efficient quasi-phase-matching schemes for four-wave mixing parametric processes in third-order nonlinear materials. As an example, a thorough study of enhancing third-harmonic generation in sinusoidally tapered fibers has been conducted. The quasi-phase-matching condition has been obtained for nonlinear parametric interactions in these structures using Fourier-series analysis. The dependencies of the conversion efficiency of the third harmonic on the modulation amplitude, tapering period, longitudinal-propagation direction, and pump wavelength have been studied. In comparison to uniform waveguides, the conversion efficiency has been enhanced by orders of magnitudes. I envisage that this work will have a great impact in the field of guided nonlinear optics using centrosymmetric materials.

Radiation Losses Due to Tapering of a Double-Core Optical Waveguide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, Donald R.; Khet, Myat; Pencil, Eric (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The theoretical model we designed parameterizes the power losses as a function of .the profile shape for a tapered, single mode, optical dielectric coupler. The focus of this project is to produce a working model that determines the power losses experienced by the fibers when light crosses a taper region. This phenomenon can be examined using coupled mode theory. The optical directional coupler consists of a parallel, dual-channel, waveguide with minimal spacing between the channels to permit energy exchange. Thus, power transfer is essentially a function of the taper profile. To find the fields in the fibers, the approach used was that of solving the Helmholtz equation in cylindrical coordinates involving Bessel and modified Bessel functions depending on the location.

Orthogonal feeding techniques for tapered slot antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Richard Q.; Simons, Rainee N.

1998-01-01

For array of "brick" configuration there are electrical and mechanical advantages to feed the antenna with a feed on a substrate perpendicular to the antenna substrate. Different techniques have been proposed for exciting patch antennas using such a feed structure.Rncently, an aperture-coupled dielectric resonator antenna using a perpendicular feed substrate has been demonstrated to have very good power coupling efficiency. For a two-dimensional rectangular array with tapered slot antenna elements, a power combining network on perpendicular substrate is generally required to couple power to or from the array. In this paper, we will describe two aperture-coupled techniques for coupling microwave power from a linearly tapered slot antenna (LTSA) to a microstrip feed on a perpendicular substrate. In addition, we will present measured results for return losses and radiation patterns.

Multimode interference tapered fiber refractive index sensors.

PubMed

Biazoli, Claudecir R; Silva, Susana; Franco, Marcos A R; Frazão, Orlando; Cordeiro, Cristiano M B

2012-08-20

Real-time monitoring of the fabrication process of tapering down a multimode-interference-based fiber structure is presented. The device is composed of a pure silica multimode fiber (MMF) with an initial 125 μm diameter spliced between two single-mode fibers. The process allows a thin MMF with adjustable parameters to obtain a high signal transmittance, arising from constructive interference among the guided modes at the output end of the MMF. Tapered structures with waist diameters as low as 55 μm were easily fabricated without the limitation of fragile splices or difficulty in controlling lateral fiber alignments. The sensing device is shown to be sensitive to the external environment, and a maximum sensitivity of 2946 nm/refractive index unit in the refractive index range of 1.42-1.43 was attained.

Influence of granulometry in the Hurst exponent of air liquid interfaces formed during capillary rising in a granular media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gontijo, Guilherme L.; Souza, Flávia B.; Braga, Rafael M. L.; Silva, Pedro H. E.; Correia, Maury D.; Atman, A. P. F.

2017-06-01

We report results concerning the fractal dimension of a air/fluid interface formed during the capillary rising of a fluid into a dense granular media. The system consists in a modified Hele-Shaw cell filled with grains at different granulometries and confined in a narrow gap between the glass plates. The system is then placed onto a water reservoir, and the liquid penetrates the medium due to capillary forces. We measure the Hurst exponent of the liquid/air interface with help of image processing, and follow the temporal evolution of the profiles. We observe that the Hurst exponent can be related with the granulometry, but the range of values are odd to the predicted values from models or theory.

Damage Patterns at the Head-Stem Taper Junction Helps Understand the Mechanisms of Material Loss.

PubMed

Hothi, Harry S; Panagiotopoulos, Andreas C; Whittaker, Robert K; Bills, Paul J; McMillan, Rebecca A; Skinner, John A; Hart, Alister J

2017-01-01

Material loss at the taper junction of metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties has been implicated in their early failure. The mechanisms of material loss are not fully understood; analysis of the patterns of damage at the taper can help us better understand why material loss occurs at this junction. We mapped the patterns of material loss in a series of 155 metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties received at our center by scanning the taper surface using a roundness-measuring machine. We examined these material loss maps to develop a 5-tier classification system based on visual differences between different patterns. We correlated these patterns to surgical, implant, and patient factors known to be important for head-stem taper damage. We found that 63 implants had "minimal damage" at the taper (material loss <1 mm 3 ), and the remaining 92 implants could be categorized by 4 distinct patterns of taper material loss. We found that (1) head diameter and (2) time to revision were key significant variables separating the groups. These material loss maps allow us to suggest different mechanisms that dominate the cause of the material loss in each pattern: (1) corrosion, (2) mechanically assisted corrosion, or (3) intraoperative damage or poor size tolerances leading to toggling of trunnion in taper. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highly Sensitive Refractive Index Sensor Based on Adiabatically Tapered Microfiber Long Period Gratings

PubMed Central

Ji, Wen Bin; Tjin, Swee Chuan; Lin, Bo; Ng, Choong Leng

2013-01-01

We demonstrate a refractive index sensor based on a long period grating (LPG) inscribed in a special photosensitive microfiber with double-clad profile. The fiber is tapered gradually enough to ensure the adiabaticity of the fiber taper. In other words, the resulting insertion loss is sufficiently small. The boron and germanium co-doped inner cladding makes it suitable for inscribing gratings into its tapered form. The manner of wavelength shift for refractive indices (RIs) differs from conventional LPG, and the refractive index detection limit is 1.67 × 10−5. PMID:24141267

Highly sensitive refractive index sensor based on adiabatically tapered microfiber long period gratings.

PubMed

Ji, Wen Bin; Tjin, Swee Chuan; Lin, Bo; Ng, Choong Leng

2013-10-17

We demonstrate a refractive index sensor based on a long period grating (LPG) inscribed in a special photosensitive microfiber with double-clad profile. The fiber is tapered gradually enough to ensure the adiabaticity of the fiber taper. In other words, the resulting insertion loss is sufficiently small. The boron and germanium co-doped inner cladding makes it suitable for inscribing gratings into its tapered form. The manner of wavelength shift for refractive indices (RIs) differs from conventional LPG, and the refractive index detection limit is 1.67 × 10⁻⁵.

Functional overreaching: the key to peak performance during the taper?

PubMed

Aubry, Anaël; Hausswirth, Christophe; Louis, Julien; Coutts, Aaron J; LE Meur, Yann

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study is to examine whether performance supercompensation during taper is maximized in endurance athletes after experiencing overreaching during an overload training (OT) period. Thirty-three trained male triathletes were assigned to either OT (n = 23) or normal training groups (n = 10, CTL) during 8 wk. Cycling performance and maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) were measured after 1 wk of moderate training, a 3-wk period of OT, and then each week during 4-wk taper. Eleven of the 23 subjects from the OT group were diagnosed as functionally overreached (F-OR) after the overload period (decreased performance with concomitant high perceived fatigue), whereas the 12 other subjects were only acutely fatigued (AF) (no decrease in performance). According to qualitative statistical analysis, the AF group demonstrated a small to large greater peak performance supercompensation than the F-OR group (2.6% ± 1.1%) and the CTL group (2.6% ± 1.6%). V˙O2max increased significantly from baseline at peak performance only in the CTL and AF groups. Of the peak performances, 60%, 83%, and 73% occurred within the two first weeks of taper in CTL, AF, and OR, respectively. Ten cases of infection were reported during the study with higher prevalence in F-OR (70%) than that in AF (20%) and CTL (10%). This study showed that 1) greater gains in performance and V˙O2max can be achieved when higher training load is prescribed before the taper but not in the presence of F-OR; 2) peak performance is not delayed during taper when heavy training loads are completed immediately prior; and 3) F-OR provides higher risk for training maladaptation, including increased infection risks.

Fretting-corrosion at the modular tapers interface: Inspection of standard ASTM F1875-98.

PubMed

Bingley, Rachel; Martin, Alan; Manfredi, Olivia; Nejadhamzeeigilani, Mahdiyar; Oladokun, Abimbola; Beadling, Andrew Robert; Siddiqui, Sohail; Anderson, James; Thompson, Jonathan; Neville, Anne; Bryant, Michael

2018-05-01

Interest in the degradation mechanisms at the modular tapers interfaces has been renewed due to increased reported cases of adverse reactions to metal debris and the appearance of wear and corrosion at the modular tapers interfaces at revision. Over the past two decades, a lot of research has been expended to understand the degradation mechanisms, with two primary implant loading procedures and orientations used consistently across the literature. ASTM F1875-98 is often used as a guide to understand and benchmark the tribocorrosion processes occurring within the modular tapers interface. This article presents a comparison of the two methods outlined in ASTM F1875-98 as well as a critique of the standard considering the current paradigm in pre-clinical assessment of modular tapers.

Noise suppressing capillary separation system

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Xue, Yongjun

1996-07-30

A noise-suppressing capillary separation system for detecting the real-time presence or concentration of an analyte in a sample is provided. The system contains a capillary separation means through which the analyte is moved, a coherent light source that generates a beam which is split into a reference beam and a sample beam that irradiate the capillary, and a detector for detecting the reference beam and the sample beam light that transmits through the capillary. The laser beam is of a wavelength effective to be absorbed by a chromophore in the capillary. The system includes a noise suppressing system to improve performance and accuracy without signal averaging or multiple scans.

Capillary electrophoresis electrospray ionization mass spectrometry interface

DOEpatents

Smith, Richard D.; Severs, Joanne C.

1999-01-01

The present invention is an interface between a capillary electrophoresis separation capillary end and an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry emitter capillary end, for transporting an anolyte sample from a capillary electrophoresis separation capillary to a electrospray ionization mass spectrometry emitter capillary. The interface of the present invention has: (a) a charge transfer fitting enclosing both of the capillary electrophoresis capillary end and the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry emitter capillary end; (b) a reservoir containing an electrolyte surrounding the charge transfer fitting; and (c) an electrode immersed into the electrolyte, the electrode closing a capillary electrophoresis circuit and providing charge transfer across the charge transfer fitting while avoiding substantial bulk fluid transfer across the charge transfer fitting. Advantages of the present invention have been demonstrated as effective in providing high sensitivity and efficient analyses.

Characterized Brillouin scattering in silica optical fiber tapers based on Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis.

PubMed

Zou, Weiwen; Jiang, Wenning; Chen, Jianping

2013-03-11

This paper demonstrates stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) characterization in silica optical fiber tapers drawn from commercial single mode optical fibers by hydrogen flame. They have different waist diameters downscaled from 5 μm to 42 μm. The fully-distributed SBS measurement along the fiber tapers is implemented by Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis technique with millimeter spatial resolution. It is found that the Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) in the waist of all fiber tapers is approximately the same (i.e., ~11.17 GHz at 1550 nm). However, the BFS is gradually reduced and the Brillouin gain decreases from the waist to the untapered zone in each fiber taper.

The effect of preparation taper on the retention of cemented cast crowns under lateral fatigue loading.

PubMed

Cameron, Stephen M; Morris, W Jack; Keesee, Stephen M; Barsky, Todd B; Parker, M Harry

2006-06-01

Clinicians have used resistance form as a basis for determining guidelines for preparation design to ensure clinical success of cemented cast restorations. Disagreement on whether clinical success follows the on-off or linear nature of resistance form continues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the number of cycles required to dislodge a cemented complete crown casting under a cyclic lateral load as a function of taper and to compare this relationship for the resistive and nonresistive ranges of taper. Three dies were milled from stainless steel at each of the following tapers: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32 degrees. A gold-palladium metal-ceramic alloy crown was fabricated for each die, cemented, and subjected to lateral cyclic loading until failure or 1,000,000 cycles. The limiting taper for the dies with their given height and base was 26.6 degrees. Dies with taper less than 26.6 degrees had resistance form, whereas dies with taper larger than 26.6 degrees did not. A linear regression (alpha=.05) was used to evaluate the relation of cycles at dislodgement to taper. The average number of cycles to crown dislodgement or completion for each taper (SD), in units of 10,000, was as follows: 4 degrees, 100 (0); 8 degrees, 100 (0); 12 degrees, 93.54 (16.56); 16 degrees, 61.33 (38.47); 20 degrees, 25.73 (34.67); 24 degrees, 4.33 (7.36); 28 degrees, 0.06 (0.08); and 32 degrees, 0.05 (0.09). The crowns in the resistive area less than 26.6 degrees that demonstrated failure showed a linear regression with a correlation coefficient of -0.995 between the average number of cycles to dislodge the crown and the taper. The slope was significantly different from zero (P=.0048), with a value of -7.58 and a standard error of 0.53. The number of cycles required to cause crown dislodgement was linear after 12 degrees in the resistive area and nearly zero for preparations in the nonresistive area. The limiting taper concept closely predicted the transition point where the

Temperature-independent curvature sensor based on tapered photonic crystal fiber interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Kai; Li, Tao; Hu, Limin; Qian, Wenwen; Zhang, Quanyao; Jin, Shangzhong

2012-11-01

A temperature-independent highly-sensitive curvature sensor by using a tapered-photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It is fabricated by sandwiching a tapered-PCF between two standard single mode fibers (SMFs) with the air holes of the PCF in the fusion splicing region being fully collapsed. The tapering of PCF is found to enhance the sensitivity significantly. Large curvature sensitivities of 2.81 dB/m-1 and 8.35 dB/m-1 are achieved in the measurement ranges of 0.36-0.87 m-1 and 0.87-1.34 m-1, respectively, with the resolution of 0.0012 m-1 being guaranteed. The proposed sensor also shows negligible temperature sensitivity less than 0.006 dB/°C.

Improved power and efficiency for tapered lasers with optimized photonic crystal structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaolong; Qu, Hongwei; Zhao, Shaoyu; Zhou, Xuyan; Lin, Yuzhe; Zheng, Wanhua

2017-10-01

High power and high beam quality laser sources are required in numerous applications such as nonlinear frequency conversion, optical pumping of solid-state and fiber lasers, material processing and others. Tapered lasers can provide a high output power while keeping a high beam quality. However, the conventional tapered lasers suffer from a large vertical beam divergence. We have demonstrated 2-mm long tapered lasers with photonic crystal structures. A high beam quality and a narrow vertical divergence are achieved. In this paper, we optimized the photonic crystal structure and fabricated a 4-mm long tapered laser to further increase the output power and the wall-plug efficiency. Compared with our precious wafer, the optimized structure has a lower doping level to reduce the internal loss. The period of the photonic crystal structure and the thickness of the upper cladding are also reduced. The device has a 1-mm long ridge-waveguide section and a 3-mm long tapered section. The taper angle is 4°. An output power of 7.3 W is achieved with a peak wall-plug efficiency of 46% in continuous-wave mode. The threshold current is around 500 mA and the slope efficiency is 0.93 W/A. In pulsed mode, the output power is 15.6 W and the maximum wall-plug efficiency is 48.1%. The far-field divergence with full width at half maximum is 6.3° for the lateral direction at 3 A. The vertical far-field beam divergence is around 11° at different injection levels. High beam qualities are demonstrated by beam quality factor M2 of 1.52 for the lateral direction and 1.54 for the vertical direction.

Capillary Pumped Heat Transfer (CHT) Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallinan, Kevin P.; Allen, J. S.

1998-01-01

The operation of Capillary Pumped Loops (CPL's) in low gravity has generally been unable to match ground-based performance. The reason for this poorer performance has been elusive. In order to investigate the behavior of a CPL in low-gravity, an idealized, glass CPL experiment was constructed. This experiment, known as the Capillary-driven Heat Transfer (CHT) experiment, was flown on board the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1997 during the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission. During the conduct of the CHT experiment an unexpected failure mode was observed. This failure mode was a result of liquid collecting and then eventually bridging the vapor return line. With the vapor return line blocked, the condensate was unable to return to the evaporator and dry-out subsequently followed. The mechanism for this collection and bridging has been associated with long wavelength instabilities of the liquid film forming in the vapor return line. Analysis has shown that vapor line blockage in present generation CPL devices is inevitable. Additionally, previous low-gravity CPL tests have reported the presence of relatively low frequency pressure oscillations during erratic system performance. Analysis reveals that these pressure oscillations are in part a result of long wavelength instabilities present in the evaporator pores, which likewise lead to liquid bridging and vapor entrapment in the porous media. Subsequent evaporation to the trapped vapor increases the vapor pressure. Eventually the vapor pressure causes ejection of the bridged liquid. Recoil stresses depress the meniscus, the vapor pressure rapidly increases, and the heated surface cools. The process then repeats with regularity.

Salivary hormones, IgA, and performance during intense training and tapering in judo athletes.

PubMed

Papacosta, Elena; Gleeson, Michael; Nassis, George P

2013-09-01

The aims of this study were to identify the time course of change of salivary testosterone (sT), cortisol (sC), and IgA (SIgA); mood state; and performance capacity during a 2-week taper in judo athletes and to examine the diurnal variation in these salivary markers. Eleven male judo athletes completed 5 weeks of training: 1 week of normal training (NORM), 2 weeks of intensified training (INT), and 2 weeks of exponential tapering (TAPER). Once per week subjects completed vertical and horizontal countermovement jump tests, a grip strength test, a Special Judo Fitness Test, a multistage aerobic fitness test, a 3 × 300-m run test, and anthropometric measurement. Subjects also completed questionnaires to assess mood state and muscle soreness. Two daily saliva samples (at 0700 and 1900) were collected at the end of each week during NORM and INT and every day during TAPER. Increased morning sT, decreased evening sC, lower muscle soreness, and enhanced mood state (p < 0.05) were evident by the early phases of TAPER. A significant 7.0% improvement in 3 × 300-m performance time, a 6.9% improvement in the vertical jump (p < 0.05), and increased morning and evening SIgA secretion rate (p < 0.01) were observed during the middle-late phases of TAPER. The higher values of salivary variables were observed in the morning. This study indicates that salivary hormones display diurnal variation. Furthermore, changes in hormonal responses, mood state, and muscle soreness precede enhancements in performance and mucosal immunity, suggesting that judo athletes taper for at least a week before competition.

Efficiency considerations for the purely tapered interference fit (TIF) abutments used in dental implants.

PubMed

Bozkaya, Dinçer; Müftü, Sinan

2004-08-01

A tapered interference fit provides a mechanically reliable retention mechanism for the implant-abutment interface in a dental implant. Understanding the mechanical properties of the tapered interface with or without a screw at the bottom has been the subject of a considerable amount of studies involving experiments and finite element (FE) analysis. In this paper, approximate closed-form formulas are developed to analyze the mechanics of a tapered interference fit. In particular, the insertion force, the efficiency, defined as the ratio of the pull-out force to insertion force, and the critical insertion depth, which causes the onset of plastic deformation, are analyzed. It is shown that the insertion force is a function of the taper angle, the contact length, the inner and outer radii of the implant, the static and the kinetic coefficients of friction, and the elastic modulii of the implant/abutment materials. The efficiency of the tapered interference fit, which is defined as the ratio of the pull-out force to insertion force, is found to be greater than one, for taper angles that are less than 6 deg when the friction coefficient is 0.3. A safe range of insertion forces has been shown to exist. The lower end of this range depends on the maximum pull-out force that may occur due to occlusion in the multiple tooth restorations and the efficiency of the system; and the upper end of this range depends on the plastic deformation of the abutment and the implant due to interference fit. It has been shown that using a small taper angle and a long contact length widens the safe range of insertion forces.

The failures of root canal preparation with hand ProTaper.

PubMed

Bătăiosu, Marilena; Diaconu, Oana; Moraru, Iren; Dăguci, C; Tuculină, Mihaela; Dăguci, Luminiţa; Gheorghiţă, Lelia

2012-07-01

The failures of root canal preparation are due to some anatomical deviation (canal in "C" or "S") and some technique errors. The technique errors are usually present in canal root cleansing and shaping stage and are the result of endodontic treatment objectives deviation. Our study was made on technique errors while preparing the canal roots with hand ProTaper. Our study was made "in vitro" on 84 extracted teeth (molars, premolars, incisors and canines). The canal root of these teeth were cleansed and shaped with hand ProTaper by crown-down technique and canal irrigation with NaOCl(2,5%). The dental preparation control was made by X-ray. During canal root preparation some failures were observed like: canal root overinstrumentation, zipping and stripping phenomenon, discarded and/or fractured instruments. Hand ProTaper represents a revolutionary progress of endodontic treatment, but a deviation from accepted rules of canal root instrumentation can lead to failures of endodontic treatment.

The failures of root canal preparation with hand ProTaper

PubMed Central

Bătăiosu, Marilena; Diaconu, Oana; Moraru, Iren; Dăguci, C.; Ţuculină, Mihaela; Dăguci, Luminiţa; Gheorghiţă, Lelia

2012-01-01

The failures of root canal preparation are due to some anatomical deviation (canal in “C” or “S”) and some technique errors. The technique errors are usually present in canal root cleansing and shaping stage and are the result of endodontic treatment objectives deviation. Objectives: Our study was made on technique errors while preparing the canal roots with hand ProTaper. Methodology: Our study was made “in vitro” on 84 extracted teeth (molars, premolars, incisors and canines). The canal root of these teeth were cleansed and shaped with hand ProTaper by crown-down technique and canal irrigation with NaOCl(2,5%). The dental preparation control was made by X-ray. Results: During canal root preparation some failures were observed like: canal root overinstrumentation, zipping and stripping phenomenon, discarded and/or fractured instruments. Conclusions: Hand ProTaper represents a revolutionary progress of endodontic treatment, but a deviation from accepted rules of canal root instrumentation can lead to failures of endodontic treatment. PMID:24778848

Magnetic field tunability of optical microfiber taper integrated with ferrofluid.

PubMed

Miao, Yinping; Wu, Jixuan; Lin, Wei; Zhang, Kailiang; Yuan, Yujie; Song, Binbin; Zhang, Hao; Liu, Bo; Yao, Jianquan

2013-12-02

Optical microfiber taper has unique propagation properties, which provides versatile waveguide structure to design the tunable photonic devices. In this paper, the S-tapered microfiber is fabricated by using simple fusion spicing. The spectral characteristics of microfiber taper integrated with ferrofluid under different magnetic-field intensities have been theoretically analyzed and experimentally demonstrated. The spectrum are both found to become highly magnetic-field-dependent. The results indicate the transmission and wavelength of the dips are adjustable by changing magnetic field intensity. The response of this device to the magnetic field intensity exhibits a Langvin function. Moreover, there is a linear relationship between the transmission loss and magnetic field intensity for a magnetic field intensity range of 25 to 200Oe, and the sensitivities as high as 0.13056dB/Oe and 0.056nm/Oe have been achieved, respectively. This suggests a potential application of this device as a tunable all-in-fiber photonic device, such as magneto-optic modulator, filter, and sensing element.

Principles and performance of tapered fiber lasers: from uniform to flared geometry.

PubMed

Kerttula, Juho; Filippov, Valery; Chamorovskii, Yuri; Ustimchik, Vasily; Golant, Konstantin; Okhotnikov, Oleg G

2012-10-10

We have studied the recently demonstrated concept of fiber lasers based on active tapered double-clad fiber (T-DCF) in copropagating and counterpropagating configurations, both theoretically and experimentally, and compared the performance to fiber lasers based on conventional cylindrical fibers in end-pumped configurations. Specific properties of T-DCFs were considered theoretically using a rate-equation model developed for tapered fibers, and a detailed comparative study was carried out experimentally. Furthermore, we have studied mode coupling effects in long adiabatic tapers due to coiling and local bending. The results allow us to conclude that, with proper fiber design, the T-DCF technology offers a high-potential alternative for bright, cost-effective fiber devices.

Transverse Vibration of Tapered Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Embedded in Viscoelastic Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Y. J.; Zhang, D. P.; Shen, Z. B.

2017-12-01

Based on the nonlocal theory, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Kelvin viscoelastic foundation model, free transverse vibration is studied for a tapered viscoelastic single-walled carbon nanotube (visco-SWCNT) embedded in a viscoelastic medium. Firstly, the governing equations for vibration analysis are established. And then, we derive the natural frequencies in closed form for SWCNTs with arbitrary boundary conditions by applying transfer function method and perturbation method. Numerical results are also presented to discuss the effects of nonlocal parameter, relaxation time and taper parameter of SWCNTs, and material property parameters of the medium. This study demonstrates that the proposed model is available for vibration analysis of the tapered SWCNTs-viscoelastic medium coupling system.

In Vitro Comparison of Cyclic Fatigue Resistance of ProTaper Next, HyFlex CM, OneShape, and ProTaper Universal Instruments in a Canal with a Double Curvature.

PubMed

Topçuoğlu, Hüseyin Sinan; Topçuoğlu, Gamze; Akti, Ahmet; Düzgün, Salih

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the resistance to cyclic fatigue of ProTaper Next X2 (PTN X2; size 25, 0.06 taper), Hyflex CM (HCM; size 25, 0.06 taper), OneShape (OS; size 25, 0.06 taper), and ProTaper Universal F2 (PTU F2; size 25, 0.08 taper) nickel-titanium files in an artificial root canal with a double (S-shaped) curvature. A total of 160 new PTN X2, OS, HCM, and PTU F2 files were tested in an artificial stainless steel canal with a double curvature. Forty files from each system were rotated until fracture to calculate the number of cycles to failure. The length of each fractured fragment was recorded. Data were analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests. The resistance to cyclic fatigue of the PTN X2 and HCM instruments was significantly greater than the OS and PTU F2 instruments in the apical curvature (P < .05). There was no statistical difference in the cyclic fatigue resistance of the PTN X2 and HCM instruments in the apical curvature (P > .05). In addition, there was no statistical difference between the OS and PTU F2 instruments in the apical curvature (P > .05). PTN X2, OS, HCM, and PTU F2 instruments showed similar cyclic fatigue resistance values in the coronal curvature (P > .05). This study showed that PTN X2 and HCM instruments exhibit greater resistance to cyclic fatigue than OS and PTU F2 instruments in the apical curvature of an artificial canal with a double curvature. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tunable optofluidic microring laser based on a tapered hollow core microstructured optical fiber.

PubMed

Li, Zhi-Li; Zhou, Wen-Yuan; Luo, Ming-Ming; Liu, Yan-Ge; Tian, Jian-Guo

2015-04-20

A tunable optofluidic microring dye laser within a tapered hollow core microstructured optical fiber was demonstrated. The fiber core was filled with a microfluidic gain medium plug and axially pumped by a nanosecond pulse laser at 532 nm. Strong radial emission and low-threshold lasing (16 nJ/pulse) were achieved. Lasing was achieved around the surface of the microfluidic plug. Laser emission was tuned by changing the liquid surface location along the tapered fiber. The possibility of developing a tunable laser within the tapered simplified hollow core microstructured optical fiber presents opportunities for developing liquid surface position sensors and biomedical analysis.

Noise suppressing capillary separation system

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Xue, Y.

1996-07-30

A noise-suppressing capillary separation system for detecting the real-time presence or concentration of an analyte in a sample is provided. The system contains a capillary separation means through which the analyte is moved, a coherent light source that generates a beam which is split into a reference beam and a sample beam that irradiate the capillary, and a detector for detecting the reference beam and the sample beam light that transmits through the capillary. The laser beam is of a wavelength effective to be absorbed by a chromophore in the capillary. The system includes a noise suppressing system to improve performance and accuracy without signal averaging or multiple scans. 13 figs.

Evaluation of the Painful Dual Taper Modular Neck Stem Total Hip Arthroplasty: Do They All Require Revision?

PubMed

Kwon, Young-Min

2016-07-01

Although dual taper modular-neck total hip arthroplasty (THA) design with additional neck-stem modularity has the potential to optimize hip biomechanical parameters by facilitating adjustments of leg length, femoral neck version and offset, there is increasing concern regarding this stem design as a result of the growing numbers of adverse local tissue reactions due to fretting and corrosion at the neck-stem taper junction. Implant factors such as taper cone angle, taper surface roughness, taper contact area, modular neck taper metallurgy, and femoral head size play important roles in influencing extent of taper corrosion. There should be a low threshold to conduct a systematic clinical evaluation of patients with dual-taper modular-neck stem THA using systematic risk stratification algorithms as early recognition and diagnosis will ensure prompt and appropriate treatment. Although specialized tests such as metal ion analysis and cross-sectional imaging modalities such as metal artifact reduction sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MARS MRI) are useful in optimizing clinical decision-making, overreliance on any single investigative tool in the clinical decision-making process for revision surgery should be avoided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of economic MeV-ion microbeam technology at Chiang Mai University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singkarat, S.; Puttaraksa, N.; Unai, S.; Yu, L. D.; Singkarat, K.; Pussadee, N.; Whitlow, H. J.; Natyanum, S.; Tippawan, U.

2017-08-01

Developing high technologies but in economic manners is necessary and also feasible for developing countries. At Chiang Mai University, Thailand, we have developed MeV-ion microbeam technology based on a 1.7-MV Tandetron tandem accelerator with our limited resources in a cost-effective manner. Instead of using expensive and technically complex electrostatic or magnetic quadrupole focusing lens systems, we have developed cheap MeV-ion microbeams using programmed L-shaped blade aperture and capillary techniques for MeV ion beam lithography or writing and mapping. The programmed L-shaped blade micro-aperture system consists of a pair of L-shaped movable aperture pieces which are controlled by computer to cut off the ion beam for controlling the beam size down to the micrometer order. The capillary technique utilizes our home-fabricated tapered glass capillaries to realize microbeams. Either system can be installed inside the endstation of the MeV ion beam line of the accelerator. Both systems have been applied to MeV-ion beam lithography or writing of micro-patterns for microfluidics applications to fabricate lab-on-chip devices. The capillary technique is being developed for MeV-ion beam mapping of biological samples. The paper reports details of the techniques and introduces some applications.

Instability of the capillary bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pare, Gounseti; Hoepffner, Jerome

2014-11-01

Capillary adhesion is a physical mechanism that maintains two bodies in contact by capillarity through a liquid ligament. The capillary bridge is an idealization of this capillary adhesion. In this study we first focus on the classical case of the stability of the capillary bridge. Secondly we study a slightly more complex configuration, imagining a flow in the capillary bridge as in the case of the dynamics of the neck of a liquid ligament, in its withdrawal under the effect of capillarity. Inspired by the experiments on soap films of Plateau, the configuration analyzed consists of an initially axisymmetric, mass of fluid held by surface tension forces between two parallel, coaxial, solid pipes of the same diameter. The results presented are obtained by numerical simulations using the free software, Gerris Flow Solver. We first focus on the capillary Venturi. In the static configuration the stability diagram of the capillary bridge obtained is in perfect agreement with the results of Lev A. Slobozhanin. In the dynamic case we develop a matlab code based on the one dimensional equations of Eggers and Dupont. The comparison of the bifurcation diagram obtained and the numerical simulations shows a good agreement.

77 FR 45588 - Tapered Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished, From the People's Republic of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-601] Tapered Roller Bearings and... new shipper review (``NSR'') of the antidumping duty order on tapered roller bearings from the People... The notice announcing the antidumping duty order on tapered roller bearings from the PRC was published...

76 FR 6397 - Tapered Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished From the People's Republic of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-04

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-601] Tapered Roller Bearings and... on tapered roller bearings (``TRBs'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') meets the... published in the Federal Register on June 15, 1987. See Antidumping Duty Order; Tapered Roller Bearings and...

76 FR 45777 - Tapered Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished and Unfinished From the People's Republic of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-601] Tapered Roller Bearings and... tapered roller bearings (``TRBs'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') meets the statutory and... Register on June 15, 1987. See Antidumping Duty Order; Tapered Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof, Finished...

Asymmetrical dual tapered fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer for fiber-optic directional tilt sensor.

PubMed

Lee, Cheng-Ling; Shih, Wen-Cheng; Hsu, Jui-Ming; Horng, Jing-Shyang

2014-10-06

This work proposes a novel, highly sensitive and directional fiber tilt sensor that is based on an asymmetrical dual tapered fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (ADTFMZI). The fiber-optic tilt sensor consists of two abrupt tapers with different tapered waists into which are incorporated a set of iron spheres to generate an asymmetrical strain in the ADTFMZI that is correlated with the tilt angle and the direction of inclination. Owing to the asymmetrical structure of the dual tapers, the proposed sensor can detect the non-horizontal/horizontal state of a structure and whether the test structure is tilted to clockwise or counterclockwise by measuring the spectral responses. Experimental results show that the spectral wavelengths are blue-shifted and red-shifted when the sensor tilts to clockwise (-θ) and counterclockwise ( + θ), respectively. Tilt angle sensitivities of about 335 pm/deg. and 125 pm/deg. are achieved in the -θ and + θ directions, respectively, when the proposed sensing scheme is utilized.

Growth of metal-organic framework HKUST-1 in capillary using liquid-phase epitaxy for open-tubular capillary electrochromatography and capillary liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Bao, Tao; Zhang, Juan; Zhang, Wenpeng; Chen, Zilin

2015-02-13

Much attention is being paid to applying metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as stationary phases in chromatography because of their fascinating properties, such as large surface-to-volume ratios, high levels of porosity, and selective adsorption. HKUST-1 is one of the best-studied face-centered-cubic MOF containing nano-sized channels and side pockets for film growth. However, growth of HKUST-1 framework inside capillary column as stationary phase for capillary electrochromatography is a challenge work. In this work, we carry out the growth of HKUST-1 on the inner wall of capillary by using liquid-phase epitaxy process at room temperature. The fabricated HKUST-1@capillary can be successfully used for the separation of substituted benzene including methylbenzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, benzene series, phenolic acids, and benzoic acids derivates. High column efficiency of 1.5×10(5) N/m for methylbenzene was achieved. The formation of HKUST-1 grown in the capillary was confirmed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy images, Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction. The column showed long lifetime and excellent stability. The relative standard deviations for intra-day and inter-day repeatability of the HKUST-1@capillary were lower than 7%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compatible taper algorithms for California hardwoods

Treesearch

James W. Flewelling

2007-01-01

For 13 species of California hardwoods, cubic volume equations to three merchantability standards had been developed earlier. The equations predict cubic volume from the primary bole, forks, and branches, but do not differentiate between the sources of the wood. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program needed taper equations that are compatible with the volume...

Effects of self-adjusting file, Mtwo, and ProTaper on the root canal wall.

PubMed

Hin, Ellemieke S; Wu, Min-Kai; Wesselink, Paul R; Shemesh, Hagay

2013-02-01

The purpose of this ex vivo study was to observe the incidence of cracks in root dentin after root canal preparation with hand files, self-adjusting file (SAF), ProTaper, and Mtwo. One hundred extracted mandibular premolars with single canals were randomly selected. Two angulated radiographs were taken for each tooth, and the width of the canal was measured at 9 mm from the apex. Five groups of 20 teeth each were comparable in canal width. The control group was left unprepared. Four experimental groups were instrumented with hand files, ProTaper, Mtwo, and SAF. Roots were then sectioned horizontally and observed under a microscope. The presence of dentinal cracks and their location were noted. The difference between the experimental groups was analyzed with a χ(2) test. No cracks were observed in the control group. In the experimental groups, ProTaper, Mtwo, and SAF caused cracks in 35%, 25%, and 10% of teeth, respectively. The hand-file group did not show any dentinal cracks (P < .0001). ProTaper and Mtwo caused more cracks than hand files (P < .05), but SAF did not (P > .05). Instrumentation of root canals with SAF, Mtwo, and ProTaper could cause damage to root canal dentin. SAF has a tendency to cause less dentinal cracks as compared with ProTaper or Mtwo. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Cervical Spinal Canal Tapers Differently in Patients with Chiari I with and without Syringomyelia.

PubMed

Thompson, A; Madan, N; Hesselink, J R; Weinstein, G; Munoz del Rio, A; Haughton, V

2016-04-01

The cause of syringomyelia in patients with Chiari I remains uncertain. Cervical spine anatomy modifies CSF velocities, flow patterns, and pressure gradients, which may affect the spinal cord. We tested the hypothesis that cervical spinal anatomy differs between Chiari I patients with and without syringomyelia. We identified consecutive patients with Chiari I at 3 institutions and divided them into groups with and without syringomyelia. Five readers measured anteroposterior cervical spinal diameters, tonsillar herniation, and syrinx dimensions on cervical MR images. Taper ratios for C1-C7, C1-C4, and C4-C7 spinal segments were calculated by linear least squares fitting to the appropriate spinal canal diameters. Mean taper ratios and tonsillar herniation for groups were compared and tested for statistical significance with a Kruskal-Wallis test. Inter- and intrareader agreement and correlations in the data were measured. One hundred fifty patients were included, of which 49 had syringomyelia. C1-C7 taper ratios were smaller and C4-C7 taper ratios greater for patients with syringomyelia than for those without it. C1-C4 taper ratios did not differ significantly between groups. Patients with syringomyelia had, on average, greater tonsillar herniation than those without a syrinx. However, C4-C7 taper ratios were steeper, for all degrees of tonsil herniation, in patients with syringomyelia. Differences among readers did not exceed differences among patient groups. The tapering of the lower cervical spine may contribute to the development of syringomyelia in patients with Chiari I. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Validation of Volume and Taper Equations For Loblolly Shortleaf and Slash Pine

Treesearch

Allan E. Tiarks; V. Clark Baldwin

1999-01-01

Inside-bark diameter measurements at 6.64 intervals of 137 loblolly, 52 shortleaf, and 64 slash pines were used to calculate the actual volume and taper of each species for comparison with volumes and tapers predicted from published equations. The loblolly pine were cut in Texas (TX) and Louisiana (LA) while the shortleaf was sampled only in TX. The slash pine were...

Design and Synthesis of Network-Forming Triblock Copolymers Using Tapered Block Interfaces

PubMed Central

Kuan, Wei-Fan; Roy, Raghunath; Rong, Lixia; Hsiao, Benjamin S.; Epps, Thomas H.

2012-01-01

We report a strategy for generating novel dual-tapered poly(isoprene-b-isoprene/styrene-b-styrene-b-styrene/methyl methacrylate-b-methyl methacrylate) [P(I-IS-S-SM-M)] triblock copolymers that combines anionic polymerization, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition click chemistry. The tapered interfaces between blocks were synthesized via a semi-batch feed using programmable syringe pumps. This strategy allows us to manipulate the transition region between copolymer blocks in triblock copolymers providing control over the interfacial interactions in our nanoscale phase-separated materials independent of molecular weight and block constituents. Additionally, we show the ability to retain a desirous and complex multiply-continuous network structure (alternating gyroid) in our dual-tapered triblock material. PMID:23066522

The experimental and calculated characteristics of 22 tapered wings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Raymond F

1938-01-01

The experimental and calculated aerodynamic characteristics of 22 tapered wings are compared, using tests made in the variable-density wind tunnel. The wings had aspect ratios from 6 to 12 and taper ratios from 1:6:1 and 5:1. The compared characteristics are the pitching moment, the aerodynamic-center position, the lift-curve slope, the maximum lift coefficient, and the curves of drag. The method of obtaining the calculated values is based on the use of wing theory and experimentally determined airfoil section data. In general, the experimental and calculated characteristics are in sufficiently good agreement that the method may be applied to many problems of airplane design.

Manipulation of spontaneous emission in a tapered photonic crystal fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, S. J.; Fussell, D. P.; Dawes, J. M.; Mägi, E.; McPhedran, R. C.; Eggleton, B. J.; de Sterke, C. Martijn

2006-12-01

We characterize the spontaneous emission of dye that is introduced into the central core of a tapered photonic crystal fiber. Since the photonic crystal period in the fibre cladding varies along the taper, the transmission and spontaneous emission spectra over a wide range of relative frequencies can be observed. The spontaneous emission spectra of the fibre transverse to the fiber axis show suppression due to partial band-gaps of the structure, and also enhancement of spontaneous emission near the band edges. We associate these with van Hove features, as well as finite cluster size effects.

Adiabatically tapered splice for selective excitation of the fundamental mode in a multimode fiber.

PubMed

Jung, Yongmin; Jeong, Yoonchan; Brambilla, Gilberto; Richardson, David J

2009-08-01

We propose a simple and effective method to selectively excite the fundamental mode of a multimode fiber by adiabatically tapering a fusion splice to a single-mode fiber. We experimentally demonstrate the method by adiabatically tapering splice (taper waist=15 microm, uniform length=40 mm) between single-mode and multimode fiber and show that it provides a successful mode conversion/connection and allows for almost perfect fundamental mode excitation in the multimode fiber. Excellent beam quality (M(2) approximately 1.08) was achieved with low loss and high environmental stability.

Experimental results for characterization of a tapered plastic optical fiber sensor based on SPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cennamo, N.; Galatus, R.; Zeni, L.

2015-05-01

The experimental results obtained with two different Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) geometries, tapered and not-tapered, for a sensor based on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) are presented. SPR is used for determining the refractive index variations at the interface between a gold layer and a dielectric medium (aqueous medium). In this work SPR sensors in POF configurations, useful for bio-sensing applications, have been realized for the optimization of the sensitivity and experimentally tested. The results show as the sensitivity increases with the tapered POF configuration, when the refractive index of aqueous medium increases.

Portable fiber-optic taper coupled optical microscopy platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiming; Yu, Yan; Huang, Hui; Ou, Jinping

2017-04-01

The optical fiber taper coupled with CMOS has advantages of high sensitivity, compact structure and low distortion in the imaging platform. So it is widely used in low light, high speed and X-ray imaging systems. In the meanwhile, the peculiarity of the coupled structure can meet the needs of the demand in microscopy imaging. Toward this end, we developed a microscopic imaging platform based on the coupling of cellphone camera module and fiber optic taper for the measurement of the human blood samples and ascaris lumbricoides. The platform, weighing 70 grams, is based on the existing camera module of the smartphone and a fiber-optic array which providing a magnification factor of 6x.The top facet of the taper, on which samples are placed, serves as an irregular sampling grid for contact imaging. The magnified images of the sample, located on the bottom facet of the fiber, are then projected onto the CMOS sensor. This paper introduces the portable medical imaging system based on the optical fiber coupling with CMOS, and theoretically analyzes the feasibility of the system. The image data and process results either can be stored on the memory or transmitted to the remote medical institutions for the telemedicine. We validate the performance of this cell-phone based microscopy platform using human blood samples and test target, achieving comparable results to a standard bench-top microscope.

Multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Li, Qingbo; Lu, Xiandan

1998-04-21

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification ("base calling") is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations.

Multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Chang, Huan-Tsang; Fung, Eliza N.; Li, Qingbo; Lu, Xiandan

1996-12-10

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification ("base calling") is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations.

Multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Li, Q.; Lu, X.

1998-04-21

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification (``base calling``) is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations. 19 figs.

Multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Chang, H.T.; Fung, E.N.; Li, Q.; Lu, X.

1996-12-10

The invention provides a side-entry optical excitation geometry for use in a multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system. A charge-injection device is optically coupled to capillaries in the array such that the interior of a capillary is imaged onto only one pixel. In Sanger-type 4-label DNA sequencing reactions, nucleotide identification (``base calling``) is improved by using two long-pass filters to split fluorescence emission into two emission channels. A binary poly(ethyleneoxide) matrix is used in the electrophoretic separations. 19 figs.

Tapered microelectrode array system for dielectrophoretically filtration: fabrication, characterization, and simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buyong, Muhamad Ramdzan; Larki, Farhad; Takamura, Yuzuru; Majlis, Burhanuddin Yeop

2017-10-01

This paper presents the fabrication, characterization, and simulation of microelectrode arrays system with tapered profile having an aluminum surface for dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based manipulation of particles. The proposed structure demonstrates more effective electric field gradient compared with its counterpart with untapered profile. Therefore, according to the asymmetric distribution of the electric field in the active region of microelectrode, it produces more effective particle manipulation. The tapered aluminum microelectrode array (TAMA) fabrication process uses a state-of-the-art technique in the formation of the resist's taper profile. The performance of TAMA with various sidewall profile angles (5 deg to 90 deg) was analyzed through finite-element method numerical simulations to offer a better understanding of the origin of the sidewall profile effect. The ability of capturing and manipulating of the device was examined through modification of the Clausius-Mossotti factor and cross-over frequency (f). The fabricated system has been particularly implemented for filtration of particles with a desired diameter from a mixture of particles with three different diameters in an aqueous medium. The microelectrode system with tapered side wall profile offers a more efficient platform for particle manipulation and sensing applications compared with the conventional microelectrode systems.

Theoretical investigation for excitation light and fluorescence signal of fiber optical sensor using tapered fiber tip.

PubMed

Yuan, Yinquan; Ding, Liyun

2011-10-24

For fiber optical sensor made of tapered fiber tip, the effects of the geometrical parameters of tapered tip on two important factors have been investigated. One factor is the intensity of the evanescent wave into fluorescent layer through core-medium interface; the other is the intensity of fluorescence signal transmitted from fluorescent layer to measurement end. A dependence relation of the intensity of fluorescence signal transmitted from fluorescent layer to measurement end upon the geometrical parameters of tapered tip has been obtained. Theoretical results show that the intensity of the evanescent wave into fluorescent layer rises with the decrease of the end diameter of tapered tip, and the increase of the tip length; and the transmitted power of fluorescence signal increases linearly with the increase of the tip length due to the contribution of the side area of tapered tip. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Mid-IR soliton compression in silicon optical fibers and fiber tapers.

PubMed

Peacock, Anna C

2012-03-01

Numerical simulations are used to investigate soliton compression in silicon core optical fibers at 2.3 μm in the mid-infrared waveguide regime. Compression in both standard silicon fibers and fiber tapers is compared to establish the relative compression ratios for a range of input pulse conditions. The results show that tapered fibers can be used to obtain higher levels of compression for moderate soliton orders and thus lower input powers. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Fabrication of composite poly(d,l-lactide)/montmorillonite nanoparticles for controlled delivery of acetaminophen by solvent-displacement method using glass capillary microfluidics.

PubMed

Othman, Rahimah; Vladisavljević, Goran T; Thomas, Noreen L; Nagy, Zoltan K

2016-05-01

Paracetamol (PCM)-loaded composite nanoparticles (NPs) composed of a biodegradable poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) polymer matrix filled with organically modified montmorillonite (MMT) nanoparticles were fabricated by antisolvent nanoprecipitation in a microfluidic co-flow glass capillary device. The incorporation of MMT in the polymer improved both the drug encapsulation efficiency and the drug loading, and extended the rate of drug release in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4). The particle size increased on increasing both the drug loading and the concentration of MMT in the polymer matrix, and decreased on increasing the aqueous to organic flow rate ratio. The drug encapsulation efficiency in the NPs was higher at higher aqueous to organic flow rate ratio due to faster formation of the NPs. The PCM-loaded PLA NPs containing 2 wt% MMT in PLA prepared at an aqueous to organic flow rate ratio of 10 with an orifice size of 200 μm exhibited a spherical shape with a mean size of 296 nm, a drug encapsulation efficiency of 38.5% and a drug loading of 5.4%. The encapsulation of MMT and PCM in the NPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Membrane voltage changes in passive dendritic trees: a tapering equivalent cylinder model.

PubMed

Poznański, R R

1988-01-01

An exponentially tapering equivalent cylinder model is employed in order to approximate the loss of the dendritic trunk parameter observed from anatomical data on apical and basilar dendrites of CA1 and CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurons. This model allows dendritic trees with a relative paucity of branching to be treated. In particular, terminal branches are not required to end at the same electrotonic distance. The Laplace transform method is used to obtain analytic expressions for the Green's function corresponding to an instantaneous pulse of current injected at a single point along a tapering equivalent cylinder with sealed ends. The time course of the voltage in response to an arbitrary input is computed using the Green's function in a convolution integral. Examples of current input considered are (1) an infinitesimally brief (Dirac delta function) pulse and (2) a step pulse. It is demonstrated that inputs located on a tapering equivalent cylinder are more effective at the soma than identically placed inputs on a nontapering equivalent cylinder. Asymptotic solutions are derived to enable the voltage response behaviour over both relatively short and long time periods to be analysed. Semilogarithmic plots of these solutions provide a basis for estimating the membrane time constant tau m from experimental transients. Transient voltage decrement from a clamped soma reveals that tapering tends to reduce the error associated with inadequate voltage clamping of the dendritic membrane. A formula is derived which shows that tapering tends to increase the estimate of the electrotonic length parameter L.

Segmented polynomial taper equation incorporating years since thinning for loblolly pine plantations

Treesearch

A. Gordon Holley; Thomas B. Lynch; Charles T. Stiff; William Stansfield

2010-01-01

Data from 108 trees felled from 16 loblolly pine stands owned by Temple-Inland Forest Products Corp. were used to determine effects of years since thinning (YST) on stem taper using the Max–Burkhart type segmented polynomial taper model. Sample tree YST ranged from two to nine years prior to destructive sampling. In an effort to equalize sample sizes, tree data were...

Artificial Intelligence Procedures for Tree Taper Estimation within a Complex Vegetation Mosaic in Brazil.

PubMed

Nunes, Matheus Henrique; Görgens, Eric Bastos

2016-01-01

Tree stem form in native tropical forests is very irregular, posing a challenge to establishing taper equations that can accurately predict the diameter at any height along the stem and subsequently merchantable volume. Artificial intelligence approaches can be useful techniques in minimizing estimation errors within complex variations of vegetation. We evaluated the performance of Random Forest® regression tree and Artificial Neural Network procedures in modelling stem taper. Diameters and volume outside bark were compared to a traditional taper-based equation across a tropical Brazilian savanna, a seasonal semi-deciduous forest and a rainforest. Neural network models were found to be more accurate than the traditional taper equation. Random forest showed trends in the residuals from the diameter prediction and provided the least precise and accurate estimations for all forest types. This study provides insights into the superiority of a neural network, which provided advantages regarding the handling of local effects.

Trace detection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with a SERS-based capillary platform prepared by the in situ microwave synthesis of AgNPs.

PubMed

Yüksel, Sezin; Schwenke, Almut M; Soliveri, Guido; Ardizzone, Silvia; Weber, Karina; Cialla-May, Dana; Hoeppener, Stephanie; Schubert, Ulrich S; Popp, Jürgen

2016-10-05

In the present study, an ultra-sensitive and highly reproducible novel SERS-based capillary platform was developed and utilized for the trace detection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The approach combines the advantages of microwave-assisted nanoparticle synthesis, plasmonics and capillary forces. By employing a microwave-assisted preparation method, glass capillaries were reproducibly coated with silver nanoparticles in a batch fabrication process that required a processing time of 3 min without needing to use any pre-surface modifications or add surfactants. The coated capillaries exhibited an excellent SERS activity with a high reproducibility and enabled the detection of low concentrations of target molecules. At the same time, only a small amount of analyte and a short and simple incubation process was required. The developed platform was applied to the spectroscopic characterization of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its identification at concentration levels down to 1 nM. Thus, a highly efficient detection system for practical applications, e.g., in drug monitoring/detection, is introduced, which can be fabricated at low cost by using microwave-assisted batch synthesis techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A modular and low­cost 3D­-printed microfluidic device with assembly of capillaries for droplet mass production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre-Pablo, A. A.; Zhang, J. M.; Li, E. Q.; Thoroddsen, S. T.

2015-11-01

We report a new 3D­-printed microfluidic system with assembly of capillaries for droplet generation. The system consists of the following parts: 3D­printed Droplet Generation Units (DGUs) with embedded capillaries and two 3D-printed pyramid distributors for supplying two different fluid phases into every DGU. A single DGU consists of four independent parts: a top channel, a bottom channel, a capillary and a sealing gasket. All components are produced by 3d­printing except the capillaries, which are formed in a glass-­puller. DGUs are independent of the distributor and from each other; they can easily be assembled, replaced and modified due to its modular design which is an advantage in case of a faulty part or clogging, eliminating the need to fabricate a complete new system which is cost and time demanding. We assessed the feasibility of producing droplets in this device varying different fluid parameters, such as liquid viscosity and flow rate, which affect droplet size and generation frequency. The design and fabrication of this device is simple and low­-cost with the 3D printing technology. Due to the modular design of independent parts, low-cost fabrication and easy parallelization of multiple DGU's, this system provides great flexibility for industrial applications.

Apparatus for electrolytically tapered or contoured cavities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, L. A. (Inventor)

1967-01-01

An electrolytic machining apparatus for forming tapered or contoured cavities in an electrically conductive and electrochemically erodible piece is presented. It supports the workpiece and an electrode for movement relatively toward each other and has means for pumping an electrolyte between the workpiece and the electrode.

Capillary pumped loop body heat exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Theodore D. (Inventor); Wren, deceased, Paul (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A capillary pumped loop for transferring heat from one body part to another body part, the capillary pumped loop comprising a capillary evaporator for vaporizing a liquid refrigerant by absorbing heat from a warm body part, a condenser for turning a vaporized refrigerant into a liquid by transferring heat from the vaporized liquid to a cool body part, a first tube section connecting an output port of the capillary evaporator to an input of the condenser, and a second tube section connecting an output of the condenser to an input port of the capillary evaporator. A wick may be provided within the condenser. A pump may be provided between the second tube section and the input port of the capillary evaporator. Additionally, an esternal heat source or heat sink may be utilized.

The effect of screw taper on interference fit during load to failure at the soft tissue/bone interface.

PubMed

Mann, Charles J; Costi, John J; Stanley, Richard M; Dobson, Peter J

2005-10-01

The effect of screw geometry on the pullout strength of an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is well documented. The effect of a truly tapered screw has not been previously investigated. Thirty bovine knees in right and left knee pairs were collected. Superficial digital flexors from the hind legs of sheep were harvested to form a quadruple tendon graft. For each knee pair, one tendon graft was fixed using a tapered screw (n=15) and the other with a non-tapered screw (n=15). Interference screws were manufactured from stainless steel, and apart from the tapered or non-tapered profile were identical. The screws were inserted into a tibial tunnel already containing the tendon graft. The interference fit was tested by extensile load to failure tests. The insertion torque of the screws and first sign of load to failure (by pullout) of the interference fit were recorded. Results were analysed using paired t-tests. The results indicated that tapered screws have significantly higher resistance to interference failure (p=0.007) and insertion torque (p<0.001) than non-tapered screws. The improved biomechanical performance of tapered screws demonstrated in this study may translate into superior clinical results, particularly at the tibial attachment of hamstring anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and also of hamstring fixation to the medial femoral condyle for patella instability.

Cooling arrangement for a tapered turbine blade

DOEpatents

Liang, George

2010-07-27

A cooling arrangement (11) for a highly tapered gas turbine blade (10). The cooling arrangement (11) includes a pair of parallel triple-pass serpentine cooling circuits (80,82) formed in an inner radial portion (50) of the blade, and a respective pair of single radial channel cooling circuits (84,86) formed in an outer radial portion (52) of the blade (10), with each single radial channel receiving the cooling fluid discharged from a respective one of the triple-pass serpentine cooling circuit. The cooling arrangement advantageously provides a higher degree of cooling to the most highly stressed radially inner portion of the blade, while providing a lower degree of cooling to the less highly stressed radially outer portion of the blade. The cooling arrangement can be implemented with known casting techniques, thereby facilitating its use on highly tapered, highly twisted Row 4 industrial gas turbine blades that could not be cooled with prior art cooling arrangements.

Design of Ultra-Wideband Tapered Slot Antenna by Using Binomial Transformer with Corrugation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chareonsiri, Yosita; Thaiwirot, Wanwisa; Akkaraekthalin, Prayoot

2017-05-01

In this paper, the tapered slot antenna (TSA) with corrugation is proposed for UWB applications. The multi-section binomial transformer is used to design taper profile of the proposed TSA that does not involve using time consuming optimization. A step-by-step procedure for synthesis of the step impedance values related with step slot widths of taper profile is presented. The smooth taper can be achieved by fitting the smoothing curve to the entire step slot. The design of TSA based on this method yields results with a quite flat gain and wide impedance bandwidth covering UWB spectrum from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. To further improve the radiation characteristics, the corrugation is added on the both edges of the proposed TSA. The effects of different corrugation shapes on the improvement of antenna gain and front-to-back ratio (F-to-B ratio) are investigated. To demonstrate the validity of the design, the prototypes of TSA without and with corrugation are fabricated and measured. The results show good agreement between simulation and measurement.

Coherent beam combining architectures for high power tapered laser arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schimmel, G.; Janicot, S.; Hanna, M.; Decker, J.; Crump, P.; Erbert, G.; Witte, U.; Traub, M.; Georges, P.; Lucas-Leclin, G.

2017-02-01

Coherent beam combining (CBC) aims at increasing the spatial brightness of lasers. It consists in maintaining a constant phase relationship between different emitters, in order to combine them constructively in one single beam. We have investigated the CBC of an array of five individually-addressable high-power tapered laser diodes at λ = 976 nm, in two architectures: the first one utilizes the self-organization of the lasers in an interferometric extended-cavity, which ensures their mutual coherence; the second one relies on the injection of the emitters by a single-frequency laser diode. In both cases, the coherent combining of the phase-locked beams is ensured on the front side of the array by a transmission diffractive grating with 98% efficiency. The passive phase-locking of the laser bar is obtained up to 5 A (per emitter). An optimization algorithm is implemented to find the proper currents in the five ridge sections that ensured the maximum combined power on the front side. Under these conditions we achieve a maximum combined power of 7.5 W. In the active MOPA configuration, we can increase the currents in the tapered sections up to 6 A and get a combined power of 11.5 W, corresponding to a combining efficiency of 76%. It is limited by the beam quality of the tapered emitters and by fast phase fluctuations between emitters. Still, these results confirm the potential of CBC approaches with tapered lasers to provide a high-power and high-brightness beam, and compare with the current state-of-the-art with laser diodes.

Corrosion on the acetabular liner taper from retrieved modular metal-on-metal total hip replacements.

PubMed

Gascoyne, Trevor C; Dyrkacz, Richard M; Turgeon, Thomas R; Burnell, Colin D; Wyss, Urs P; Brandt, Jan-M

2014-10-01

Eight retrieved metal-on-metal total hip replacements displayed corrosion damage along the cobalt-chromium alloy liner taper junction with the Ti alloy acetabular shell. Scanning electron microscopy indicated the primary mechanism of corrosion to be grain boundary and associated crevice corrosion, which was likely accelerated through mechanical micromotion and galvanic corrosion resulting from dissimilar alloys. Coordinate measurements revealed up to 4.3mm(3) of the cobalt-chromium alloy taper surface was removed due to corrosion, which is comparable to previous reports of corrosion damage on head-neck tapers. The acetabular liner-shell taper appears to be an additional source of metal corrosion products in modular total hip replacements. Patients with these prostheses should be closely monitored for signs of adverse reaction towards corrosion by-products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Near-field fluorescence thermometry using highly efficient triple-tapered near-field optical fiber probe.

PubMed

Fujii, T; Taguchi, Y; Saiki, T; Nagasaka, Y

2012-12-01

A novel local temperature measurement method using fluorescence near-field optics thermal nanoscopy (Fluor-NOTN) has been developed. Fluor-NOTN enables nanoscale temperature measurement in situ by detecting the temperature-dependent fluorescence lifetime of CdSe quantum dots (QDs). In this paper, we report a novel triple-tapered near-field optical fiber probe that can increase the temperature measurement sensitivity of Fluor-NOTN. The performance of the proposed probe was numerically evaluated by the finite difference time domain method. Due to improvements in both the throughput and collection efficiency of near-field light, the sensitivity of the proposed probe was 1.9 times greater than that of typical double-tapered probe. The proposed shape of the triple-tapered core was successfully fabricated utilizing a geometrical model. The detected signal intensity of dried layers of QDs was greater by more than two orders than that of auto-fluorescence from the fiber core. In addition, the near-field fluorescence lifetime of the QDs and its temperature dependence were successfully measured by the fabricated triple-tapered near-field optical fiber probe. These measurement results verified the capability of the proposed triple-tapered near-field optical fiber probe to improve the collection efficiency of near-field fluorescence.

Compatible taper equation for loblolly pine

Treesearch

J. P. McClure; R. L. Czaplewski

1986-01-01

Cao's compatible, segmented polynomial taper equation (Q. V. Cao, H. E. Burkhart, and T. A. Max. For. Sci. 26: 71-80. 1980) is fitted to a large loblolly pine data set from the southeastern United States. Equations are presented that predict diameter at a given height, height to a given top diameter, and volume below a given position on the main stem. All...

Artificial Intelligence Procedures for Tree Taper Estimation within a Complex Vegetation Mosaic in Brazil

PubMed Central

Nunes, Matheus Henrique

2016-01-01

Tree stem form in native tropical forests is very irregular, posing a challenge to establishing taper equations that can accurately predict the diameter at any height along the stem and subsequently merchantable volume. Artificial intelligence approaches can be useful techniques in minimizing estimation errors within complex variations of vegetation. We evaluated the performance of Random Forest® regression tree and Artificial Neural Network procedures in modelling stem taper. Diameters and volume outside bark were compared to a traditional taper-based equation across a tropical Brazilian savanna, a seasonal semi-deciduous forest and a rainforest. Neural network models were found to be more accurate than the traditional taper equation. Random forest showed trends in the residuals from the diameter prediction and provided the least precise and accurate estimations for all forest types. This study provides insights into the superiority of a neural network, which provided advantages regarding the handling of local effects. PMID:27187074

Measurement of the refractive index of microquantity liquid filled in a capillary and a capillary wall without destruction.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Pu, Xiaoyun

2013-07-20

A method for measuring the refractive index (RI) of a small volume of liquid and a capillary wall is presented in this paper. A transparent capillary filled with liquid is used as a cylindrical positive lens; subsequently, the focal length of the lens is derived through the base of paraxial approximation, which is recorded as a function of the RIs of the liquid and capillary wall. With the RI of a capillary wall known, the RI of the liquid can be obtained by measuring the focal length of the lens, which is characterized by a microquantity liquid, spatial resolution, and easy operation. The RI of the capillary wall can be calculated without ruining the capillary if the capillary is filled with a standard liquid (RI is known), the deviation of which is less than 0.003 RIU. The factors affecting accuracy of the measurement, for instance, the depth of a field (DOF) in a reading microscope system and the outer and inner diameters of a capillary are analyzed, while illustrating that the effective DOF plays an essential role in accurate measurement.

Fluid Delivery System For Capillary Electrophoretic Applications.

DOEpatents

Li, Qingbo; Liu, Changsheng; Kane, Thomas E.; Kernan, John R.; Sonnenschein, Bernard; Sharer, Michael V.

2002-04-23

An automated electrophoretic system is disclosed. The system employs a capillary cartridge having a plurality of capillary tubes. The cartridge has a first array of capillary ends projecting from one side of a plate. The first array of capillary ends are spaced apart in substantially the same manner as the wells of a microtitre tray of standard size. This allows one to simultaneously perform capillary electrophoresis on samples present in each of the wells of the tray. The system includes a stacked, dual carrousel arrangement to eliminate cross-contamination resulting from reuse of the same buffer tray on consecutive executions from electrophoresis. The system also has a gel delivery module containing a gel syringe/a stepper motor or a high pressure chamber with a pump to quickly and uniformly deliver gel through the capillary tubes. The system further includes a multi-wavelength beam generator to generate a laser beam which produces a beam with a wide range of wavelengths. An off-line capillary reconditioner thoroughly cleans a capillary cartridge to enable simultaneous execution of electrophoresis with another capillary cartridge. The streamlined nature of the off-line capillary reconditioner offers the advantage of increased system throughput with a minimal increase in system cost.

980 nm tapered lasers with photonic crystal structure for low vertical divergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaolong; Qu, Hongwei; Zhao, Pengchao; Liu, Yun; Zheng, Wanhua

2016-10-01

High power tapered lasers with nearly diffraction-limited beam quality have attracted much attention in numerous applications such as nonlinear frequency conversion, optical pumping of solid-state and fiber lasers, medical treatment and others. However, the large vertical divergence of conventional tapered lasers is a disadvantage, which makes beam shaping difficult and expensive in applications. Diode lasers with photonic crystal structure can achieve a large mode size and a narrow vertical divergence. In this paper, we present tapered lasers with photonic crystal structure emitting at 980 nm. The epitaxial layer is grown using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The device has a total cavity length of 2 mm, which consists of a 400-um long ridge-waveguide section and a 1600-um long tapered section. The taper angle is 4°. An output power of 3.3 W is achieved with a peak conversion efficiency of 35% in pulsed mode. The threshold current is 240 mA and the slope efficiency is 0.78 W/A. In continuous wave mode, the output power is 2.87 W, which is limited by a suddenly failure resulting from catastrophic optical mirror damage. The far field divergences with full width at half maximum are 12.3° in the vertical direction and 2.9° in the lateral direction at 0.5 A. At high injection level the vertical divergence doesn't exceed 16°. Beam quality factor M2 is measured based on second moment definition in CW mode. High beam quality is demonstrated by M2 value of less than 2 in both vertical and lateral directions.

Continuous monitoring of L-glutamate released from cultured nerve cells by an online sensor coupled with micro-capillary sampling.

PubMed

Niwa, O; Horiuchi, T; Torimitsu, K

1997-01-01

A small volume L-glutamate online sensor was developed in order to monitor changes in the local concentration of L-glutamate released from cultured nerve cells. Syringe pump in the suction mode is used to sample extracellular fluid continuously from a glass micro-capillary and the concentration of L-glutamate can be determined by using a glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified with an Os-polyvinylpyridine mediator bottom film containing horseradish peroxidase and a bovine serum albumin top layer containing L-glutamate oxidase. The overall efficiency of L-glutamate detection with a sensor is 71% under optimum conditions due to an efficient enzymatic reaction at the modified electrode in the thin layer radial flow cell. As a result, we achieved a detection limit of 7-15 nM and a linear range of 50 nM to 10 microM. In an in vitro experiment, the extracellular fluid near a particular nerve cell can be sampled with this micro-pipet and continuously introduced into the modified GC electrode in the radial flow cell via suction provided by a syringe pump. The nerve cells are stimulated by the KCl in a glass capillary and the L-glutamate concentration change can be monitored by changing the distance between the sampling pipet and the nerve cells.

Hydraulics of Iowa DOT slope-tapered pipe culverts

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-06-01

This report updates the Iowa Department of Transportation design procedures for circular, slope-tapered concrete culverts. The current practice is to use the design coefficients for a square-edged, circular concrete culvert with a headwall that are f...

A Tapered Aluminium Microelectrode Array for Improvement of Dielectrophoresis-Based Particle Manipulation

PubMed Central

Buyong, Muhamad Ramdzan; Larki, Farhad; Faiz, Mohd Syafiq; Hamzah, Azrul Azlan; Yunas, Jumrail; Majlis, Burhanuddin Yeop

2015-01-01

In this work, the dielectrophoretic force (FDEP) response of Aluminium Microelectrode Arrays with tapered profile is investigated through experimental measurements and numerical simulations. A standard CMOS processing technique with a step for the formation of a tapered profile resist is implemented in the fabrication of Tapered Aluminium Microelectrode Arrays (TAMA). The FDEP is investigated through analysis of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (CMF) and cross-over frequency (fxo). The performance of TAMA with various side wall angles is compared to that of microelectrodes with a straight cut sidewall profile over a wide range of frequencies through FEM numerical simulations. Additionally, electric field measurement (EFM) is performed through scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in order to obtain the region of force focus in both platforms. Results showed that the tapered profile microelectrodes with angles between 60° and 70° produce the highest electric field gradient on the particles. Also, the region of the strongest electric field in TAMA is located at the bottom and top edge of microelectrode while the strongest electric field in microelectrodes with straight cut profile is found at the top corner of the microelectrode. The latter property of microelectrodes improves the probability of capturing/repelling the particles at the microelectrode’s side wall. PMID:25970255

A tapered aluminium microelectrode array for improvement of dielectrophoresis-based particle manipulation.

PubMed

Buyong, Muhamad Ramdzan; Larki, Farhad; Faiz, Mohd Syafiq; Hamzah, Azrul Azlan; Yunas, Jumrail; Majlis, Burhanuddin Yeop

2015-05-11

In this work, the dielectrophoretic force (F(DEP)) response of Aluminium Microelectrode Arrays with tapered profile is investigated through experimental measurements and numerical simulations. A standard CMOS processing technique with a step for the formation of a tapered profile resist is implemented in the fabrication of Tapered Aluminium Microelectrode Arrays (TAMA). The F(DEP) is investigated through analysis of the Clausius-Mossotti factor (CMF) and cross-over frequency (f(xo)). The performance of TAMA with various side wall angles is compared to that of microelectrodes with a straight cut sidewall profile over a wide range of frequencies through FEM numerical simulations. Additionally, electric field measurement (EFM) is performed through scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in order to obtain the region of force focus in both platforms. Results showed that the tapered profile microelectrodes with angles between 60° and 70° produce the highest electric field gradient on the particles. Also, the region of the strongest electric field in TAMA is located at the bottom and top edge of microelectrode while the strongest electric field in microelectrodes with straight cut profile is found at the top corner of the microelectrode. The latter property of microelectrodes improves the probability of capturing/repelling the particles at the microelectrode's side wall.

Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Small Scale Geological Heterogeneity on Capillary Trapping of CO2 Using Engineered Beadpacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan Krishnamurthy, P.; Trevisan, L.; Meckel, T. A.

2017-12-01

During geologic CO2 sequestration, most of the storage domain far from the injection sites is likely to be dominated by buoyancy and capillary forces. Under such flow regimes, small scale geological heterogeneities have been shown to dampen plume migration rates and cause trapping beneath capillary barriers. To understand the impact of such heterogeneities on CO2 trapping processes experimentally, many core-scale and lab scale flow studies have been conducted. Reservoir cores are limited by the scale of investigation possible and most lab experiments are conducted in macroheterogeneous media constructed by arranging homogeneous units to represent heterogeneity. However, most natural sedimentary facies display heterogeneity at a hierarchy of scales, and heterogeneity at the mesoscale (mm to decimeters) goes unrepresented in laboratory experiments due to the difficulty in reproducibility. This work presents results from buoyancy driven migration experiments conducted at the meter scale using glass beads packed in a quasi 2D glass cell and complementary reduced physics simulations. We demonstrate a novel automated technique to build beadpacks with 2D heterogeneous sedimentary features in a reproducible manner. A fluid pair that mimics the phase density and viscosity contrasts, and interfacial tension of CO2-Brine at reservoir pressures and temperatures is employed for the flow experiments. Light transmission technique is used for visualization, and to calibrate and quantify saturation of the trapped non-wetting fluid during the experiments. Invasion Percolation is used to simulate the buoyancy driven flow. With the ability to generate different types of heterogeneous structures in a reproducible manner, and by comparing experiments and simulations, a systematic investigation of the effect of heterogeneity on capillary trapping becomes possible.

Piezoelectric energy harvester having planform-tapered interdigitated beams

DOEpatents

Kellogg, Rick A [Tijeras, NM; Sumali, Hartono [Albuquerque, NM

2011-05-24

Embodiments of energy harvesters have a plurality of piezoelectric planform-tapered, interdigitated cantilevered beams anchored to a common frame. The plurality of beams can be arranged as two or more sets of beams with each set sharing a common sense mass affixed to their free ends. Each set thus defined being capable of motion independent of any other set of beams. Each beam can comprise a unimorph or bimorph piezoelectric configuration bonded to a conductive or non-conductive supporting layer and provided with electrical contacts to the active piezoelectric elements for collecting strain induced charge (i.e. energy). The beams are planform tapered along the entirety or a portion of their length thereby increasing the effective stress level and power output of each piezoelectric element, and are interdigitated by sets to increase the power output per unit volume of a harvester thus produced.

Fast electrophoretic analysis of individual mitochondria using microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Duffy, Ciarán F; MacCraith, Brian; Diamond, Dermot; O'Kennedy, Richard; Arriaga, Edgar A

2006-08-01

The analysis of mitochondria by capillary electrophoresis usually takes longer than 20 min per replicate which may compromise the quality of the mitochondria due to degradation. In addition, low sample consumption may be beneficial in the analysis of rare or difficult samples. In this report, we demonstrate the ability to analyze individual mitochondrial events in picoliter-volume samples (approximately 80 pL) taken from a bovine liver preparation using microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (micro-chip CE-LIF). Using a commercial "double-T" glass microchip, the sample was electrokinetically loaded in the "double-T" intersection and then subjected to electrophoretic separation along the main separation channel. In order to decrease interactions of mitochondria with channel walls during the analysis, poly(vinyl alcohol) was used as a dynamic coating. This procedure eliminates the need for complicated covalent surface modifications within the channels that were previously used in capillary electrophoresis methods. For analysis, mitochondria, isolated from bovine liver tissue, were selectively labelled using 10-nonyl acridine orange (NAO). The results consist of electropherograms where each mitochondrial event is a narrow spike (240 +/- 44 ms). While the spike intensity is representative of its NAO content, its migration time is used to calculate and describe its electrophoretic mobility, which is a property still largely unexplored for intracellular organelles. The five-fold decrease in separation time (4 min for microchip versus 20 min for capillary electrophoresis) makes microchip electrophoretic separations of organelles a faster, sensitive, low-sample volume alternative for the characterization of individual organelle properties and for investigations of subcellular heterogeneity.

65-fs Yb-doped all-fiber laser using tapered fiber for nonlinearity and dispersion management.

PubMed

Yang, Peilong; Teng, Hao; Fang, Shaobo; Hu, Zhongqi; Chang, Guoqing; Wang, Junli; Wei, Zhiyi

2018-04-15

We implement an ultrafast Yb-doped all-fiber laser which incorporates tapered single-mode fibers for managing nonlinearity and dispersion. The tapered fiber placed in the oscillator cavity aims to broaden the optical spectrum of the intracavity pulse. At the oscillator output, we use another tapered fiber to perform pulse compression. The resulting 66.1-MHz Yb-doped all-fiber oscillator self-starts and generates 0.4-nJ, 65-fs pulses, which can serve as a compact and robust seed source for subsequent high-power, high-energy amplifiers.

A Chip-Capillary Hybrid Device for Automated Transfer of Sample Pre-Separated by Capillary Isoelectric Focusing to Parallel Capillary Gel Electrophoresis for Two-Dimensional Protein Separation

PubMed Central

Lu, Joann J.; Wang, Shili; Li, Guanbin; Wang, Wei; Pu, Qiaosheng; Liu, Shaorong

2012-01-01

In this report, we introduce a chip-capillary hybrid device to integrate capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) with parallel capillary sodium dodecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) or capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) toward automating two-dimensional (2D) protein separations. The hybrid device consists of three chips that are butted together. The middle chip can be moved between two positions to re-route the fluidic paths, which enables the performance of CIEF and injection of proteins partially resolved by CIEF to CGE capillaries for parallel CGE separations in a continuous and automated fashion. Capillaries are attached to the other two chips to facilitate CIEF and CGE separations and to extend the effective lengths of CGE columns. Specifically, we illustrate the working principle of the hybrid device, develop protocols for producing and preparing the hybrid device, and demonstrate the feasibility of using this hybrid device for automated injection of CIEF-separated sample to parallel CGE for 2D protein separations. Potentials and problems associated with the hybrid device are also discussed. PMID:22830584

Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Anderson, Gwendolyn J; M Cipolla, Cynthia; Kennedy, Robert T

2011-02-15

A microscale Western blotting system based on separating sodium-dodecyl sulfate protein complexes by capillary gel electrophoresis followed by deposition onto a blotting membrane for immunoassay is described. In the system, the separation capillary is grounded through a sheath capillary to a mobile X-Y translation stage which moves a blotting membrane past the capillary outlet for protein deposition. The blotting membrane is moistened with a methanol and buffer mixture to facilitate protein adsorption. Although discrete protein zones could be detected, bands were broadened by ∼1.7-fold by transfer to membrane. A complete Western blot for lysozyme was completed in about one hour with 50 pg mass detection limit from low microgram per milliliter samples. These results demonstrate substantial reduction in time requirements and improvement in mass sensitivity compared to conventional Western blots. Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis shows promise to analyze low volume samples with reduced reagents and time, while retaining the information content of a typical Western blot.

TAPERED DEFINING SLOT

DOEpatents

Pressey, F.W.

1959-09-01

An improvement is reported in the shape and formation of the slot or opening in the collimating slot member which forms part of an ion source of the type wherein a vapor of the material to be ionized is bombarded by electrons in a magnetic field to strike an arc-producing ionization. The defining slot is formed so as to have a substantial taper away from the cathode, causing the electron bombardment from the cathode to be dispersed over a greater area reducing its temperature and at the same time bringing the principal concentration of heat from the electron bombardment nearer the anode side of the slot, thus reducing deterioration and prolonging the life of the slot member during operation.

Compatible taper and volume equations for young longleaf pine plantations in southwest Georgia

Treesearch

Lichun Jiang; John R. Brooks; Alexander Clark

2010-01-01

Inside and outside bark taper equations as well as compatible cubic foot volume equations were developed from felled tree data selected from young longleaf pine plantations that are part of an existing growth and yield study located in the Flint River drainage of southwest Georgia. A Max-Burkhart taper model was selected as the basic model form due to the accuracy...

Effect of apical size and taper on volume of irrigant delivered at working length with apical negative pressure at different root curvatures.

PubMed

de Gregorio, Cesar; Arias, Ana; Navarrete, Natalia; Del Rio, Veronica; Oltra, Enrique; Cohenca, Nestor

2013-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect that apical preparation size and preparation taper have on the volume of irrigant delivered at the working length for different canal curvatures using apical negative pressure irrigation. One hundred fifty-five human teeth (55 maxillary canines and 100 mandibular molars) were used in this study. Root canals were prepared with rotary instruments to a size 35.04 and separated into 3 experimental groups according to their degree of curvature: group A (n = 50) included canal curvatures ranging from 0° to 10°, group B (n = 50) from 11° to 30°, and group C (n = 50) from 31° to 65°. Samples of each curvature group were further randomized to experimental subgroups according to the apical size and taper as follow: 35.06, 40.04, 40.06, 45.04, and 45.06. The apical third was irrigated using a microcannula and the volume of NaOCl suctioned at the working length under negative pressure was measured over a period of 30 seconds using a fluid recovery trap. Positive controls consisted of measuring the maximum volume of 5.25% NaOCl capable of being suctioned by the microcannula from an open glass vial over 30 seconds. Negative control was the volume of irrigant aspirated by the microcannula with a preparation size of 25.04 over 30 seconds. The volume of irrigant was significantly greater when the apical preparation size increased from 35.06 to 40.04. As the apical preparation taper increased further from 40.04 to 40.06, the volume of irrigant significantly improved in group B, but it was not significant in group A. Apical preparation sizes greater than 40.06 did not show an increase of the volume of irrigant aspirated. The degree of root canal curvature decreased the volume of irrigant at the working length for a given apical size and taper. An apical preparation of 40.06 significantly increased the volume and exchange of irrigant at the working length regardless of curvature. Copyright © 2013 American

Characteristics of a Linearly Tapered Slot Antenna (LTSA) Conformed Longitudinally Around a Cylinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Jennifer L.; Ponchak, George E.; Tavassolian, Negar; Tentzeris, Manos M.

2007-01-01

The family of tapered slot antennas (TSA s) is suitable for numerous applications. Their ease of fabrication, wide bandwidth, and high gain make them desirable for military and commercial systems. Fabrication on thin, flexible substrates allows the TSA to be conformed over a given body, such as an aircraft wing or a piece of clothing for wearable networks. Previously, a Double Exponentially Tapered Slot Antenna (DETSA) was conformed around an exponential curvature, which showed that the main beam skewed towards the direction of curvature. This paper presents a Linearly Tapered Slot Antenna (LTSA) conformed longitudinally around a cylinder. Measured and simulated radiation patterns and the direction of maximum H co-polarization (Hco) as a function of the cylinder radius are presented.

Effects of taper and space settings of telescopic Ce-TZP/A crowns on retentive force and settling.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Shusuke; Torii, Katsunori; Tanaka, Masahiro

2017-03-31

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the taper and space setting of using Ce-TZP/A on retentive force and secondary crown settling. The taper were 2°, 4°, and 6°, and the space settings were 0 and 10 μm. The applied loads were 50 and 100 N. The taper had a significant effect on retentive force and settling at both loads (p<0.05). The space settings did not have a significant effect on retentive force or settling at either load (p<0.05). The taper of the telescopic crowns and the load affected the retentive force and the settling.

Simulation on friction taper plug welding of AA6063-20Gr metal matrix composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynes, N. Rajesh Jesudoss; Nithin, Abeyram M.

2016-05-01

Friction taper plug welding a variant of friction welding is useful in welding of similar and dissimilar materials. It could be used for joining of composites to metals in sophisticated aerospace applications. In the present work numerical simulation of friction taper plug welding process is carried out using finite element based software. Graphite reinforced AA6063 is modelled using the software ANSYS 15.0 and temperature distribution is predicted. Effect of friction time on temperature distribution is numerically investigated. When the friction time is increased to 30 seconds, the tapered part of plug gets detached and fills the hole in the AA6063 plate perfectly.

Resurgence of catatonia following tapering or stoppage of lorazepam - A case series and implications.

PubMed

Ali, Syed Farooq; Gowda, Guru S; Jaisoorya, T S; Math, Suresh Bada

2017-08-01

The resurgence of catatonia following tapering of lorazepam is a common clinical phenomenon. However, there is limited evidence on the relationship between tapering method of lorazepam and resurgence of catatonic state. We report seven (0.6%) such patients who were found to have resurgence of catatonia. The mean age is 35.7 years; five of them had schizophrenia and other psychotic spectrum disorders. Five of them had resurgence within one week of stoppage, and three of them had multiple resurgences and required maintenance treatment with lorazepam. So gradual tapering and maintenance treatment with lorazepam might be effective in preventing resurgence of catatonia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tapered Microfluidic for Continuous Micro-Object Separation Based on Hydrodynamic Principle.

PubMed

Ahmad, Ida Laila; Ahmad, Mohd Ridzuan; Takeuchi, Masaru; Nakajima, Masahiro; Hasegawa, Yasuhisa

2017-12-01

Recent advances in microfluidic technologies have created a demand for a simple and efficient separation intended for various applications such as food industries, biological preparation, and medical diagnostic. In this paper, we report a tapered microfluidic device for passive continuous separation of microparticles by using hydrodynamic separation. By exploiting the hydrodynamic properties of the fluid flow and physical characteristics of micro particles, effective size based separation is demonstrated. The tapered microfluidic device has widening geometries with respect to specific taper angle which amplify the sedimentation effect experienced by particles of different sizes. A mixture of 3-μm and 10-μm polystyrene microbeads are successfully separated using 20° and 25° taper angles. The results obtained are in agreement with three-dimensional finite element simulation conducted using Abaqus 6.12. Moreover, the feasibility of this mechanism for biological separation is demonstrated by using polydisperse samples consists of 3-μm polystyrene microbeads and human epithelial cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. 98% of samples purity is recovered at outlet 1 and outlet 3 with flow rate of 0.5-3.0 μl/min. Our device is interesting despite adopting passive separation approach. This method enables straightforward, label-free, and continuous separation of multiparticles in a stand-alone device without the need for bulky apparatus. Therefore, this device may become an enabling technology for point of care diagnosis tools and may hold potential for micrototal analysis system applications.

Large-aperture, tapered fiber-coupled, 10-kHz particle-image velocimetry.

PubMed

Hsu, Paul S; Roy, Sukesh; Jiang, Naibo; Gord, James R

2013-02-11

We demonstrate the design and implementation of a fiber-optic beam-delivery system using a large-aperture, tapered step-index fiber for high-speed particle-image velocimetry (PIV) in turbulent combustion flows. The tapered fiber in conjunction with a diffractive-optical-element (DOE) fiber-optic coupler significantly increases the damage threshold of the fiber, enabling fiber-optic beam delivery of sufficient nanosecond, 532-nm, laser pulse energy for high-speed PIV measurements. The fiber successfully transmits 1-kHz and 10-kHz laser pulses with energies of 5.3 mJ and 2 mJ, respectively, for more than 25 min without any indication of damage. It is experimentally demonstrated that the tapered fiber possesses the high coupling efficiency (~80%) and moderate beam quality for PIV. Additionally, the nearly uniform output-beam profile exiting the fiber is ideal for PIV applications. Comparative PIV measurements are made using a conventionally (bulk-optic) delivered light sheet, and a similar order of measurement accuracy is obtained with and without fiber coupling. Effective use of fiber-coupled, 10-kHz PIV is demonstrated for instantaneous 2D velocity-field measurements in turbulent reacting flows. Proof-of-concept measurements show significant promise for the performance of fiber-coupled, high-speed PIV using a tapered optical fiber in harsh laser-diagnostic environments such as those encountered in gas-turbine test beds and the cylinder of a combustion engine.

A Compatible Stem Taper-Volume-Weight System For Intensively Managed Fast Growing Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Yugia Zhang; Bruce E. Borders; Robert L Bailey

2002-01-01

eometry-oriented methodology yielded a compatible taper-volume-weight system of models whose parameters were estimated using data from intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the lower coastal plain of Georgia. Data analysis showed that fertilization has significantly reduced taper (inside and outside bark) on the upper...

Progression of Diabetic Capillary Occlusion: A Model

PubMed Central

Gens, John Scott; Glazier, James A.; Burns, Stephen A.; Gast, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

An explanatory computational model is developed of the contiguous areas of retinal capillary loss which play a large role in diabetic maculapathy and diabetic retinal neovascularization. Strictly random leukocyte mediated capillary occlusion cannot explain the occurrence of large contiguous areas of retinal ischemia. Therefore occlusion of an individual capillary must increase the probability of occlusion of surrounding capillaries. A retinal perifoveal vascular sector as well as a peripheral retinal capillary network and a deleted hexagonal capillary network are modelled using Compucell3D. The perifoveal modelling produces a pattern of spreading capillary loss with associated macular edema. In the peripheral network, spreading ischemia results from the progressive loss of the ladder capillaries which connect peripheral arterioles and venules. System blood flow was elevated in the macular model before a later reduction in flow in cases with progression of capillary occlusions. Simulations differing only in initial vascular network structures but with identical dynamics for oxygen, growth factors and vascular occlusions, replicate key clinical observations of ischemia and macular edema in the posterior pole and ischemia in the retinal periphery. The simulation results also seem consistent with quantitative data on macular blood flow and qualitative data on venous oxygenation. One computational model applied to distinct capillary networks in different retinal regions yielded results comparable to clinical observations in those regions. PMID:27300722

77 FR 50716 - Tapered Roller Bearings From China

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-22

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-344 (Third Review)] Tapered Roller..., the United States International Trade Commission (Commission) determines, pursuant to section 751(c... notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, Washington, DC, and by...

Theoretical study of mode evolution in active long tapered multimode fiber.

PubMed

Shi, Chen; Wang, Xiaolin; Zhou, Pu; Xu, Xiaojun; Lu, Qisheng

2016-08-22

A concise and effective model based on coupled mode theory to describe mode evolution in long tapered active fiber is presented in this manuscript. The mode coupling due to variation of core radius and slight perturbation have been analyzed and local gain with transverse spatial hole burning (TSHB) effect, loss and curvature have been taken into consideration in our model. On the base of this model, the mode evolution behaviors under different factors have been numerically investigated. Our model and results can provide instructive suggestions when designing long tapered fiber based laser and amplifiers.

Fiber Volume Fraction Influence on Fiber Compaction in Tapered Resin Injection Pultrusion Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuram, N. B.; Roux, J. A.; Jeswani, A. L.

2016-06-01

Liquid resin is injected into the tapered injection chamber through the injection slots to completely wetout the fiber reinforcements in a resin injection pultrusion process. As the resin penetrates through the fibers, the resin also pushes the fibers away from the wall towards the centerline causing compaction of the fiber reinforcements. The fibers are squeezed together due to compaction, making resin penetration more difficult; thus higher resin injection pressures are required to effectively penetrate through the fibers and achieve complete wetout. Fiber volume fraction in the final pultruded composite is a key to decide the mechanical and/or chemical properties of the composite. If the fiber volume fraction is too high, more fibers are squeezed together creating a fiber lean region near the wall and fiber rich region away from the wall. Also, the design of the injection chamber significantly affects the minimum injection pressure required to completely wet the fibers. A tapered injection chamber is considered such that wetout occurs at lower injection pressures due to the taper angle of the injection chamber. In this study, the effect of fiber volume fraction on the fiber reinforcement compaction and complete fiber wetout for a tapered injection chamber is investigated.

Generalized model for laser-induced surface structure in metallic glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin-Mao, Ye; Zhen-Wei, Wu; Kai-Xin, Liu; Xiu-Zhang, Tang; Xiang-Ming, Xiong

2016-06-01

The details of the special three-dimensional micro-nano scale ripples with a period of hundreds of microns on the surfaces of a Zr-based and a La-based metallic glass irradiated separately by single laser pulse are investigated. We use the small-amplitude capillary wave theory to unveil the ripple formation mechanism through considering each of the molten metallic glasses as an incompressible viscous fluid. A generalized model is presented to describe the special morphology, which fits the experimental result well. It is also revealed that the viscosity brings about the biggest effect on the monotone decreasing nature of the amplitude and the wavelength of the surface ripples. The greater the viscosity is, the shorter the amplitude and the wavelength are. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10572002, 10732010, and 11332002).

Double-clad fiber with a tapered end for confocal endomicroscopy

PubMed Central

Lemire-Renaud, Simon; Strupler, Mathias; Benboujja, Fouzi; Godbout, Nicolas; Boudoux, Caroline

2011-01-01

We present a double-clad fiber coupler (DCFC) for use in confocal endomicroscopy to reduce speckle contrast, increase signal collection while preserving optical sectioning. The DCFC is made by incorporating a double-clad tapered fiber (DCTF) to a fused-tapered DCFC for achromatic transmission (from 1265 nm to 1325 nm) of > 95% illumination light trough the single mode (SM) core and collection of > 40% diffuse light through inner cladding modes. Its potential for confocal endomicroscopy is demonstrated in a spectrally-encoded imaging setup which shows a 3 times reduction in speckle contrast as well as 5.5 × increase in signal collection compared to imaging with a SM fiber. PMID:22076259

Double-clad fiber with a tapered end for confocal endomicroscopy.

PubMed

Lemire-Renaud, Simon; Strupler, Mathias; Benboujja, Fouzi; Godbout, Nicolas; Boudoux, Caroline

2011-11-01

We present a double-clad fiber coupler (DCFC) for use in confocal endomicroscopy to reduce speckle contrast, increase signal collection while preserving optical sectioning. The DCFC is made by incorporating a double-clad tapered fiber (DCTF) to a fused-tapered DCFC for achromatic transmission (from 1265 nm to 1325 nm) of > 95% illumination light trough the single mode (SM) core and collection of > 40% diffuse light through inner cladding modes. Its potential for confocal endomicroscopy is demonstrated in a spectrally-encoded imaging setup which shows a 3 times reduction in speckle contrast as well as 5.5 × increase in signal collection compared to imaging with a SM fiber.

The histological and elemental characterisation of corrosion particles from taper junctions.

PubMed

Munir, S; Oliver, R A; Zicat, B; Walter, W L; Walter, W K; Walsh, W R

2016-09-01

This study aimed to characterise and qualitatively grade the severity of the corrosion particles released into the hip joint following taper corrosion. The 26 cases examined were CoC/ABG Modular (n = 13) and ASR/SROM (n = 13). Blood serum metal ion levels were collected before and after revision surgery. The haematoxylin and eosin tissue sections were graded on the presence of fibrin exudates, necrosis, inflammatory cells and corrosion products. The corrosion products were identified based on visible observation and graded on abundance. Two independent observers blinded to the clinical patient findings scored all cases. Elemental analysis was performed on corrosion products within tissue sections. X-Ray diffraction was used to identify crystalline structures present in taper debris. The CoC/ABG Modular patients had a mean age of 64.6 years (49.4 to 76.5) and ASR/SROM patients had a mean age of 58.2 years (33.3 to 85.6). The mean time in situ for CoC/ABG was 4.9 years (2 to 6.4) and ASR/SROM was 6.1 years (2.5 to 8.1). The blood serum metal ion concentrations reduced following revision surgery with the exception of Cr levels within CoC/ABG. The grading of tissue sections showed that the macrophage response and metal debris were significantly higher for the ASR/SROM patients (p < 0.001). The brown/red particles were significantly higher for ASR/SROM (p < 0.001). The taper debris contained traces of titanium oxide, chromium oxide and aluminium nitride. This study characterised and qualitatively graded the severity of the corrosion particles released into the hip joint from tapers that had corrosion damage.Cite this article: S. Munir, R. A. Oliver, B. Zicat, W. L. Walter, W. K. Walter, W. R. Walsh. The histological and elemental characterisation of corrosion particles from taper junctions. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:370-378. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.59.2000507. © 2016 Munir et al.

Mode conversion in a tapered fiber via a whispering gallery mode resonator and its application as add/drop filter.

PubMed

Huang, Ligang; Wang, Jie; Peng, Weihua; Zhang, Wending; Bo, Fang; Yu, Xuanyi; Gao, Feng; Chang, Pengfa; Song, Xiaobo; Zhang, Guoquan; Xu, Jingjun

2016-02-01

Based on the conversion between the fundamental mode (LP01) and the higher-order mode (LP11) in a tapered fiber via a whispering gallery mode resonator, an add/drop filter was proposed and demonstrated experimentally, in which the resonator only interacted with one tapered fiber, rather than two tapered fibers as in conventional configurations. The filter gains advantages of easy alignment and low scattering loss over the other filters based on tapered fiber and resonator, and will be useful in application.

Risk factors for failure of glass fiber-reinforced composite post restorations: a prospective observational clinical study.

PubMed

Naumann, Michael; Blankenstein, Felix; Kiessling, Saskia; Dietrich, Thomas

2005-12-01

Glass fiber-reinforced endodontic posts are considered to have favorable mechanical properties for the reconstruction of endodontically treated teeth. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the survival of two tapered and one parallel-sided glass fiber-reinforced endodontic post systems in teeth with different stages of hard tissue loss and to identify risk factors for restoration failure. One-hundred and forty-nine glass fiber-reinforced endodontic posts in 122 patients were followed-up for 5-56 months [mean +/- standard deviation (SD): 39 +/- 11 months]. Glass fiber-reinforced endodontic posts were adhesively luted and the core was built with a composite resin. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association of clinical variables and failure rate. Higher failure rates were found for restorations of anterior teeth compared with posterior teeth [Hazard-Ratios (HR): 3.1; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-7.4], for restorations in teeth with no proximal contacts compared with at least one proximal contact (HR: 3.0; 95% CI: 1.0-9.0), and for teeth restored with single crowns compared with fixed bridges (HR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.1-16.2). Tooth type, type of final restoration and the presence of adjacent teeth were found to be significant predictors of failure rates in endodontically treated teeth restored with glass fiber-reinforced endodontic posts.

Comprehensive protein profiling by multiplexed capillary zone electrophoresis using cross-linked polyacrylamide coated capillaries.

PubMed

Liu, Shaorong; Gao, Lin; Pu, Qiaosheng; Lu, Joann J; Wang, Xingjia

2006-02-01

We have recently developed a new process to create cross-linked polyacrylamide (CPA) coatings on capillary walls to suppress protein-wall interactions. Here, we demonstrate CPA-coated capillaries for high-efficiency (>2 x 10(6) plates per meter) protein separations by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Because CPA virtually eliminates electroosmotic flow, positive and negative proteins cannot be analyzed in a single run. A "one-sample-two-separation" approach is developed to achieve a comprehensive protein analysis. High throughput is achieved through a multiplexed CZE system.

Multipoint fiber-optic laser-ultrasonic actuator based on fiber core-opened tapers.

PubMed

Tian, Jiajun; Dong, Xiaolong; Gao, Shimin; Yao, Yong

2017-11-27

In this study, a novel fiber-optic, multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator based on fiber core-opened tapers (COTs) is proposed and demonstrated. The COTs were fabricated by splicing single-mode fibers using a standard fiber splicer. A COT can effectively couple part of a core mode into cladding modes, and the coupling ratio can be controlled by adjusting the taper length. Such characteristics are used to obtain a multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator with balanced signal strength by reasonably controlling the taper lengths of the COTs. As a prototype, we constructed an actuator that generated ultrasound at four points with a balanced ultrasonic strength by connecting four COTs with coupling ratios of 24.5%, 33.01%, 49.51%, and 87.8% in a fiber link. This simple-to-fabricate, multipoint, laser-ultrasonic actuator with balanced ultrasound signal strength has potential applications in fiber-optic ultrasound testing technology.

Friction Stir Welding of Tapered Thickness Welds Using an Adjustable Pin Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Glynn; Venable, Richard; Lawless, Kirby

2003-01-01

Friction stir welding (FSW) can be used for joining weld lands that vary in thickness along the length of the weld. An adjustable pin tool mechanism can be used to accomplish this in a single-pass, full-penetration weld by providing for precise changes in the pin length relative to the shoulder face during the weld process. The difficulty with this approach is in accurately adjusting the pin length to provide a consistent penetration ligament throughout the weld. The weld technique, control system, and instrumentation must account for mechanical and thermal compliances of the tooling system to conduct tapered welds successfully. In this study, a combination of static and in-situ measurements, as well as active control, is used to locate the pin accurately and maintain the desired penetration ligament. Frictional forces at the pin/shoulder interface were a source of error that affected accurate pin position. A traditional FSW pin tool design that requires a lead angle was used to join butt weld configurations that included both constant thickness and tapered sections. The pitch axis of the tooling was fixed throughout the weld; therefore, the effective lead angle in the tapered sections was restricted to within the tolerances allowed by the pin tool design. The sensitivity of the FSW process to factors such as thickness offset, joint gap, centerline offset, and taper transition offset were also studied. The joint gap and the thickness offset demonstrated the most adverse affects on the weld quality. Two separate tooling configurations were used to conduct tapered thickness welds successfully. The weld configurations included sections in which the thickness decreased along the weld, as well as sections in which the thickness increased along the weld. The data presented here include weld metallography, strength data, and process load data.

Design of multiple-ply laminated composite tapered beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, P.

1993-01-01

A study of a special case of symmetric laminated composite cantilever beams is presented. The approach models beams that are tapered both in depth and width and investigates the effect of the ply layup angle and the ply taper on bending and interlaminar shearing stresses. For the determination of stresses and deflections, the beam stiffness matrices are expressed as linear functions of the beam length. Using classical lamination theory (CLT) the stiffness matrices are determined and assembled at strategic locations along the length of the beam. They are then inverted and necessary stiffness parameters are obtained numerically and extracted for determination of design information at each location chosen. Several ply layup configurations are investigated, and design considerations are presented based on the findings. Finally, recommendations for the design of these beams are presented, and a means for anticipating the location of highest stresses is offered.

Design of multiple-ply laminated composite tapered beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez, P.

1993-06-01

A study of a special case of symmetric laminated composite cantilever beams is presented. The approach models beams that are tapered both in depth and width and investigates the effect of the ply layup angle and the ply taper on bending and interlaminar shearing stresses. For the determination of stresses and deflections, the beam stiffness matrices are expressed as linear functions of the beam length. Using classical lamination theory (CLT) the stiffness matrices are determined and assembled at strategic locations along the length of the beam. They are then inverted and necessary stiffness parameters are obtained numerically and extracted formore » determination of design information at each location chosen. Several ply layup configurations are investigated, and design considerations are preSDsented based on the findings. Finally, recommendations for the design of these beams are presented, and a means for anticipating the location of highest stresses is offered.« less

77 FR 12326 - Tapered Roller Bearings From China; Scheduling of a Full Five-Year Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-29

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731-TA-344 (Third Review)] Tapered Roller Bearings From China; Scheduling of a Full Five- Year Review AGENCY: United States International Trade... whether revocation of the antidumping duty order on tapered roller bearings from China would be likely to...

Vector rectangular-shape laser based on reduced graphene oxide interacting with a long fiber taper.

PubMed

Gao, Lei; Zhu, Tao; Huang, Wei; Zeng, Jing

2014-10-01

A vector dual-wavelength rectangular-shape laser (RSL) based on a long fiber taper deposited with reduced graphene oxide is proposed, where nonlinearity is enhanced due to a large evanescent-field-interacting length and strong field confinement of an 8 mm fiber taper with a waist diameter of 4 μm. Graphene flakes are deposited uniformly on the taper waist with light pressure effect, so this structure guarantees both excellent saturable absorption and high nonlinearity. The RSL with a repetition rate of 7.9 MHz shows fast polarization switching in two orthogonal polarization directions, and temporal and spectral characteristics are investigated.

Capillary-Condenser-Pumped Heat-Transfer Loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverstein, Calvin C.

1989-01-01

Heat being transferred supplies operating power. Capillary-condenser-pumped heat-transfer loop similar to heat pipe and to capillary-evaporator-pumped heat-transfer loop in that heat-transfer fluid pumped by evaporation and condensation of fluid at heat source and sink, respectively. Capillary condenser pump combined with capillary evaporator pump to form heat exchanger circulating heat-transfer fluids in both loops. Transport of heat more nearly isothermal. Thermal stress in loop reduced, and less external surface area needed in condenser section for rejection of heat to heat sink.

A capillary viscometer designed for the characterization of biocompatible ferrofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowak, J.; Odenbach, S.

2016-08-01

Suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles are receiving a growing interest in biomedical research. These ferrofluids can, e.g., be used for the treatment of cancer, making use of the drug targeting principle or using an artificially induced heating. To enable a safe application the basic properties of the ferrofluids have to be well understood, including the viscosity of the fluids if an external magnetic field is applied. It is well known that the viscosity of ferrofluids rises if a magnetic field is applied, where the rise depends on shear rate and magnetic field strength. In case of biocompatible ferrofluids such investigations proved to be rather complicated as the experimental setup should be close to the actual application to allow justified predictions of the effects which have to be expected. Thus a capillary viscometer, providing a flow situation comparable to the flow in a blood vessel, has been designed. The glass capillary is exchangeable and different inner diameters can be used. The range of the shear rates has been adapted to the range found in the human organism. The application of an external magnetic field is enabled with two different coil setups covering the ranges of magnetic field strengths required on the one hand for a theoretical understanding of particle interaction and resulting changes in viscosity and on the other hand for values necessary for a potential biomedical application. The results show that the newly designed capillary viscometer is suitable to measure the magnetoviscous effect in biocompatible ferrofluids and that the results appear to be consistent with data measured with rotational rheometry. In addition, a strong change of the flow behaviour of a biocompatible ferrofluid was proven for ranges of the shear rate and the magnetic field strength expected for a potential biomedical application.

Balloon-like singlemode-tapered multimode-singlemode fiber structure for refractive index sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Biyao; Niu, Yanxiong; Yang, Bowen; Dai, Lingling; Hu, Yanhui; Yin, Yiheng; Ding, Ming

2017-10-01

A novel high sensitivity refractive index sensor based on balloon-like singlemode-tapered multimode-singlemode (STMS) fiber structure has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Combining the tapering and bending endows the proposed sensor with large evanescent field, resulting in high sensitivity. Experimental results show that the proposed sensor has an average sensitivity of 1104.75 nm/RIU (RI Unit) in the range of 1.33-1.41 and a maximum sensitivity of 3374.50 nm/RIU at RI of 1.41.

Cementless Tapered Wedge Femoral Stems Decrease Subsidence in Obese Patients Compared to Traditional Fit-and-Fill Stems.

PubMed

Grant, Tanner W; Lovro, Luke R; Licini, David J; Warth, Lucian C; Ziemba-Davis, Mary; Meneghini, Robert M

2017-03-01

Femoral component stability and resistance to subsidence is critical for osseointegration and clinical success in cementless total hip arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to radiographically evaluate the anatomic fit and subsidence of 2 different proximally tapered, porous-coated modern cementless femoral component designs. A retrospective cohort study of 126 consecutive cementless total hip arthroplasties was performed. Traditional fit-and-fill stems were implanted in the first 61 hips with the remaining 65 receiving morphometric tapered wedge stems. Preoperative bone morphology was radiographically assessed by the canal flare index. Canal fill in the coronal plane, subsidence, and the sagittal alignment of stems was measured digitally on immediate and 1-month postoperative radiographs. Demographics and canal flare indices were similar between groups. The percentage of femoral canal fill was greater in the tapered wedge compared to the fit-and-fill stem (P = .001). There was significantly less subsidence in the tapered wedge design (0.3 mm) compared to the fit-and-fill design (1.1 mm) (P = .001). Subsidence significantly increased as body mass index (BMI) increased in the fit-and-fill stems, a finding not observed in the tapered wedge design (P = .013). An anatomically designed morphometric tapered wedge femoral stem demonstrated greater axial stability and decreased subsidence with increasing BMI than a traditional fit-and-fill stem. The resistance to subsidence, irrespective of BMI, is likely due to the inherent axial stability of a tapered wedge design and may be the optimal stem design for obese patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic illumination of spatially restricted or large brain volumes via a single tapered optical fiber

PubMed Central

Pisanello, Marco; Oldenburg, Ian A.; Sileo, Leonardo; Markowitz, Jeffrey E.; Peterson, Ralph E.; Della Patria, Andrea; Haynes, Trevor M.; Emara, Mohamed S.; Spagnolo, Barbara; Datta, Sandeep Robert; De Vittorio, Massimo; Sabatini, Bernardo L.

2017-01-01

Optogenetics promises spatiotemporal precise control of neural processes using light. However, the spatial extent of illumination within the brain is difficult to control and cannot be adjusted using standard fiber optics. We demonstrate that optical fibers with tapered tips can be used to illuminate either spatially restricted or large brain volumes. Remotely adjusting the light input angle to the fiber varies the light-emitting portion of the taper over several millimeters without movement of the implant. We use this mode to activate dorsal versus ventral striatum of individual mice and reveal different effects of each manipulation on motor behavior. Conversely, injecting light over the full numerical aperture of the fiber results in light emission from the entire taper surface, achieving broader and more efficient optogenetic activation of neurons when compared to the standard flat-faced fiber stimulation. Thus, tapered fibers permit focal or broad illumination that can be precisely and dynamically matched to experimental needs. PMID:28628101

Dynamic illumination of spatially restricted or large brain volumes via a single tapered optical fiber.

PubMed

Pisanello, Ferruccio; Mandelbaum, Gil; Pisanello, Marco; Oldenburg, Ian A; Sileo, Leonardo; Markowitz, Jeffrey E; Peterson, Ralph E; Della Patria, Andrea; Haynes, Trevor M; Emara, Mohamed S; Spagnolo, Barbara; Datta, Sandeep Robert; De Vittorio, Massimo; Sabatini, Bernardo L

2017-08-01

Optogenetics promises precise spatiotemporal control of neural processes using light. However, the spatial extent of illumination within the brain is difficult to control and cannot be adjusted using standard fiber optics. We demonstrate that optical fibers with tapered tips can be used to illuminate either spatially restricted or large brain volumes. Remotely adjusting the light input angle to the fiber varies the light-emitting portion of the taper over several millimeters without movement of the implant. We use this mode to activate dorsal versus ventral striatum of individual mice and reveal different effects of each manipulation on motor behavior. Conversely, injecting light over the full numerical aperture of the fiber results in light emission from the entire taper surface, achieving broader and more efficient optogenetic activation of neurons, compared to standard flat-faced fiber stimulation. Thus, tapered fibers permit focal or broad illumination that can be precisely and dynamically matched to experimental needs.

Capillary leak syndrome: etiologies, pathophysiology, and management.

PubMed

Siddall, Eric; Khatri, Minesh; Radhakrishnan, Jai

2017-07-01

In various human diseases, an increase in capillary permeability to proteins leads to the loss of protein-rich fluid from the intravascular to the interstitial space. Although sepsis is the disease most commonly associated with this phenomenon, many other diseases can lead to a "sepsis-like" syndrome with manifestations of diffuse pitting edema, exudative serous cavity effusions, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, hypotension, and, in some cases, hypovolemic shock with multiple-organ failure. The term capillary leak syndrome has been used to describe this constellation of disease manifestations associated with an increased capillary permeability to proteins. Diseases other than sepsis that can result in capillary leak syndrome include the idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome or Clarkson's disease, engraftment syndrome, differentiation syndrome, the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, viral hemorrhagic fevers, autoimmune diseases, snakebite envenomation, and ricin poisoning. Drugs including some interleukins, some monoclonal antibodies, and gemcitabine can also cause capillary leak syndrome. Acute kidney injury is commonly seen in all of these diseases. In addition to hypotension, cytokines are likely to be important in the pathophysiology of acute kidney injury in capillary leak syndrome. Fluid management is a critical part of the treatment of capillary leak syndrome; hypovolemia and hypotension can cause organ injury, whereas capillary leakage of administered fluid can worsen organ edema leading to progressive organ injury. The purpose of this article is to discuss the diseases other than sepsis that produce capillary leak and review their collective pathophysiology and treatment. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiplexed fluorescence detector system for capillary electrophoresis

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Taylor, John A.

1996-03-12

A fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis is provided wherein the detection system can simultaneously excite fluorescence and substantially simultaneously monitor separations in multiple capillaries. This multiplexing approach involves laser irradiation of a sample in a plurality of capillaries through optical fibers that are coupled individually with the capillaries. The array is imaged orthogonally through a microscope onto a charge-coupled device camera for signal analysis.

Multiplexed fluorescence detector system for capillary electrophoresis

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Taylor, John A.

1994-06-28

A fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis is provided wherein the detection system can simultaneously excite fluorescence and substantially simultaneously monitor separations in multiple capillaries. This multiplexing approach involves laser irradiation of a sample in a plurality of capillaries through optical fibers that are coupled individually with the capillaries. The array is imaged orthogonally through a microscope onto a charge-coupled device camera for signal analysis.

Improved vibration sensor based on a biconical tapered singlemode fiber, using in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wonko, R.; Moś, J. E.; Stasiewicz, K. A.; Jaroszewicz, L. R.

2017-05-01

Optical fiber vibration sensors are an appropriate alternative for piezoelectric devices, which are electromagnetic sensitive to the external conditions. Most of the vibration sensors demonstrated in previous publications resist to different interferometers or Bragg's gratings. Such sensors require a long time of stabilization of an optical signal, because they are vulnerable to undesirable disturbance. In majority, time response of an optical sensor should be instantaneous, therefore we have proposed an in- line vibration sensing passive element based on a tapered fiber. Micrometer sized optical fiber tapers are attractive for many optical areas due to changes process of boundary conditions. Such phenomena allow for a sensitive detection of the modulation phase. Our experiment shows that a singlemode, adiabatic tapered fiber enables detecting an acoustic vibration. In this study, we report on Mach- Zehnder (MZ) interferometer as a vibration sensor which was composed of two 50/50 couplers at 1550 nm. In the reference arm we used a 4 meter singlemode optical fiber (SMF28), while in the arm under test we placed tapered optical fibers attached to a metal plate, put directly on speaker. Researches carried out on different tapered fibers which diameter of a taper waist was in the range from 5 μm to 25 μm, and each taper was characterized by optical losses less than 0,5 dB. The measured phase changes were over a frequency from 100 Hz to 1 kHz and an amplitude in the range from 100 mVpp to 1 Vpp. Although on account of a limited space we have showed only the results for 100 Hz. Nevertheless, experimental results show that this sensing system has a wide frequency response range from a few hertz to one of kilohertz, however for some conditions, a standard optical fiber showed better result.

Tapered optical fiber tip probes based on focused ion beam-milled Fabry-Perot microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

André, Ricardo M.; Warren-Smith, Stephen C.; Becker, Martin; Dellith, Jan; Rothhardt, Manfred; Zibaii, M. I.; Latifi, H.; Marques, Manuel B.; Bartelt, Hartmut; Frazão, Orlando

2016-09-01

Focused ion beam technology is combined with dynamic chemical etching to create microcavities in tapered optical fiber tips, resulting in fiber probes for temperature and refractive index sensing. Dynamic chemical etching uses hydrofluoric acid and a syringe pump to etch standard optical fibers into cone structures called tapered fiber tips where the length, shape, and cone angle can be precisely controlled. On these tips, focused ion beam is used to mill several different types of Fabry-Perot microcavities. Two main cavity types are initially compared and then combined to form a third, complex cavity structure. In the first case, a gap is milled on the tapered fiber tip which allows the external medium to penetrate the light guiding region and thus presents sensitivity to external refractive index changes. In the second, two slots that function as mirrors are milled on the tip creating a silica cavity that is only sensitive to temperature changes. Finally, both cavities are combined on a single tapered fiber tip, resulting in a multi-cavity structure capable of discriminating between temperature and refractive index variations. This dual characterization is performed with the aid of a fast Fourier transform method to separate the contributions of each cavity and thus of temperature and refractive index. Ultimately, a tapered optical fiber tip probe with sub-standard dimensions containing a multi-cavity structure is projected, fabricated, characterized and applied as a sensing element for simultaneous temperature and refractive index discrimination.

Fast production of microfluidic devices by CO2 laser engraving of wax-coated glass slides.

PubMed

da Costa, Eric T; Santos, Mauro S F; Jiao, Hong; do Lago, Claudimir L; Gutz, Ivano G R; Garcia, Carlos D

2016-07-01

Glass is one of the most convenient materials for the development of microfluidic devices. However, most fabrication protocols require long processing times and expensive facilities. As a convenient alternative, polymeric materials have been extensively used due their lower cost and versatility. Although CO2 laser ablation has been used for fast prototyping on polymeric materials, it cannot be applied to glass devices because the local heating causes thermal stress and results in extensive cracking. A few papers have shown the ablation of channels or thin holes (used as reservoirs) on glass but the process is still far away from yielding functional glass microfluidic devices. To address these shortcomings, this communication describes a simple method to engrave glass-based capillary electrophoresis devices using standard (1 mm-thick) microscope glass slides. The process uses a sacrificial layer of wax as heat sink and enables the development of both channels (with semicircular shape) and pass-through reservoirs. Although microscope images showed some small cracks around the channels (that became irrelevant after sealing the engraved glass layer to PDMS) the proposed strategy is a leap forward in the application of the technology to glass. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the approach, the separation of dopamine, catechol and uric acid was accomplished in less than 100 s. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cyclic fatigue of ProTaper instruments.

PubMed

Lopes, Hélio Pereira; Moreira, Edson Jorge Lima; Elias, Carlos Nelson; de Almeida, Renata Andriola; Neves, Mônica Schultz

2007-01-01

The present work evaluated the influence of the curved segment length of artificial root canals (the arc) and the number of cycles necessary to fracture engine-driven nickel-titanium endodontic instruments. ProTaper F3 25-mm files at 250 rpm were used in two artificial canals. The artificial canals were made of stainless steel with an inner diameter of 1.04 mm, a total length of 20 mm, and arc on the ends with a radius of curvature of 6 mm. The arc length of the first tube measured 9.4 mm, and the straight part measured 10.6 mm. The second tube was 14.1 mm long, and the straight part measured 5.9 mm. We determined the fracture surface distances and the number of cycles necessary to induce fatigue fracture in the ProTaper F3 instruments. The fracture surfaces and the helical shaft of the instruments were investigated using a scanning electron microscope. The results indicated that the required number of cycles to cause a fracture was influenced by the canal arc length, the morphology of the fractured surface presented ductile characteristics, and plastic deformation in the helical shaft of the fractured instruments did not occur.

Experimental stress–strain analysis of tapered silica optical fibers with nanofiber waist

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holleis, S.; Hoinkes, T.; Wuttke, C.

2014-04-21

We experimentally determine tensile force–elongation diagrams of tapered optical fibers with a nanofiber waist. The tapered optical fibers are produced from standard silica optical fibers using a heat and pull process. Both, the force–elongation data and scanning electron microscope images of the rupture points indicate a brittle material. Despite the small waist radii of only a few hundred nanometers, our experimental data can be fully explained by a nonlinear stress–strain model that relies on material properties of macroscopic silica optical fibers. This is an important asset when it comes to designing miniaturized optical elements as one can rely on themore » well-founded material characteristics of standard optical fibers. Based on this understanding, we demonstrate a simple and non-destructive technique that allows us to determine the waist radius of the tapered optical fiber. We find excellent agreement with independent scanning electron microscope measurements of the waist radius.« less

Long-period grating fabricated by periodically tapering standard single-mode fiber.

PubMed

Shao, Li-Yang; Zhao, Jian; Dong, Xinyong; Tam, H Y; Lu, C; He, Sailing

2008-04-01

We fabricated an asymmetric long-period grating (LPG) by periodically tapering a section of standard single-mode fiber using a resistive filament heating. The LPG exhibits large peak transmission attenuation of -30.31 dB with only 22 periods in a 1.0 cm long optical fiber and possesses unique characteristics for sensing applications. The bending and strain sensitivities are 1.74 nm m and 1.11 pm/mu epsilon, respectively. The polarization dependent loss is large, up to 11.65 dB, which is caused by an asymmetric index profile in the cross section of the tapered LPG.

Leakage of the fundamental mode in photonic crystal fiber tapers.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hong C; Kuhlmey, Boris T; Steel, Michael J; Smith, Cameron L; Mägi, Eric C; McPhedran, Ross C; Eggleton, Benjamin J

2005-05-15

We report detailed measurements of the optical properties of tapered photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). We observe a striking long-wavelength loss as the fiber diameter is reduced, despite the minimal airhole collapse along the taper. We associate this loss with a transition of the fundamental core mode as the fiber dimensions contract: At wavelengths shorter than this transition wavelength, the core mode is strongly confined in the fiber microstructure, whereas at longer wavelengths the mode expands beyond the microstructure and couples out to higher-order modes. These experimental results are discussed in the context of the so-called fundamental mode cutoff described by Kuhlmey et al. [Opt. Express 10, 1285 (2002)], which apply to PCFs with a finite microstructure.

Single and low order mode interrogation of a multimode sapphire fibre Bragg grating sensor with tapered fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grobnic, D.; Mihailov, S. J.; Ding, H.; Bilodeau, F.; Smelser, C. W.

2006-05-01

Multimode sapphire fibre Bragg gratings (SFBG) made with an ultrafast Ti:sapphire 800 nm laser and a phase mask were probed using a tapered single mode fibre of different taper diameters to produce single and low order mode reflection/transmission responses. A configuration made of an input single mode tapered fibre and multimode silica fibre used for output coupling was also tested and has delivered a filtered multimode transmission spectrum. The tapered coupling improved the spectral resolution of the SFBG. Such improvements facilitate the utilization of the SFBG as a high temperature sensor. Wavelength shifts of the single mode response were monitored as a function of temperature up to 1500 °C with no detectable degradation in the grating strength or hysteresis in the Bragg resonance.

Red-green-blue (RGB) light generator using tapered fiber pumped with a frequency-doubled Yb-fiber laser.

PubMed

Rusu, M; Kivistö, Samuli; Gawith, C; Okhotnikov, O

2005-10-17

We report on successful realization of a picosecond visible-continuum source embedding a single mode fiber taper. The output of ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser was frequency doubled in a periodically-polled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal to produce green pump light. Spectral brightness of the white light generated in the tapered fiber was improved by limiting the broadening just to the visible wavelengths. The influence of taper parameters, particularly the dispersion, on white light spectrum has been studied.

Red-green-blue (RGB) light generator using tapered fiber pumped with a frequency-doubled Yb-fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, M.; Kivistö, Samuli; Gawith, C. B. E.; Okhotnikov, O. G.

2005-10-01

We report on successful realization of a picosecond visible-continuum source embedding a single mode fiber taper. The output of ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser was frequency doubled in a periodically-polled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal to produce green pump light. Spectral brightness of the white light generated in the tapered fiber was improved by limiting the broadening just to the visible wavelengths. The influence of taper parameters, particularly the dispersion, on white light spectrum has been studied.

Multiplexed fluorescence detector system for capillary electrophoresis

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Taylor, J.A.

1996-03-12

A fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis is provided wherein the detection system can simultaneously excite fluorescence and substantially simultaneously monitor separations in multiple capillaries. This multiplexing approach involves laser irradiation of a sample in a plurality of capillaries through optical fibers that are coupled individually with the capillaries. The array is imaged orthogonally through a microscope onto a charge-coupled device camera for signal analysis. 14 figs.

Multiplexed fluorescence detector system for capillary electrophoresis

DOEpatents

Yeung, E.S.; Taylor, J.A.

1994-06-28

A fluorescence detection system for capillary electrophoresis is provided wherein the detection system can simultaneously excite fluorescence and substantially simultaneously monitor separations in multiple capillaries. This multiplexing approach involves laser irradiation of a sample in a plurality of capillaries through optical fibers that are coupled individually with the capillaries. The array is imaged orthogonally through a microscope onto a charge-coupled device camera for signal analysis. 14 figures.

Capillary test specimen, system, and methods for in-situ visualization of capillary flow and fillet formation

DOEpatents

Hall, Aaron C.; Hosking, F. Michael ,; Reece, Mark

2003-06-24

A capillary test specimen, method, and system for visualizing and quantifying capillary flow of liquids under realistic conditions, including polymer underfilling, injection molding, soldering, brazing, and casting. The capillary test specimen simulates complex joint geometries and has an open cross-section to permit easy visual access from the side. A high-speed, high-magnification camera system records the location and shape of the moving liquid front in real-time, in-situ as it flows out of a source cavity, through an open capillary channel between two surfaces having a controlled capillary gap, and into an open fillet cavity, where it subsequently forms a fillet on free surfaces that have been configured to simulate realistic joint geometries. Electric resistance heating rapidly heats the test specimen, without using a furnace. Image-processing software analyzes the recorded images and calculates the velocity of the moving liquid front, fillet contact angles, and shape of the fillet's meniscus, among other parameters.

Strain-induced bi-thermoelectricity in tapered carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Algharagholy, L. A. A.; Pope, T.; Lambert, C. J.

2018-03-01

We show that carbon-based nanostructured materials are a novel testbed for controlling thermoelectricity and have the potential to underpin the development of new cost-effective environmentally-friendly thermoelectric materials. In single-molecule junctions, it is known that transport resonances associated with the discrete molecular levels play a key role in the thermoelectric performance, but such resonances have not been exploited in carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Here we study junctions formed from tapered CNTs and demonstrate that such structures possess transport resonances near the Fermi level, whose energetic location can be varied by applying strain, resulting in an ability to tune the sign of their Seebeck coefficient. These results reveal that tapered CNTs form a new class of bi-thermoelectric materials, exhibiting both positive and negative thermopower. This ability to change the sign of the Seebeck coefficient allows the thermovoltage in carbon-based thermoelectric devices to be boosted by placing CNTs with alternating-sign Seebeck coefficients in tandem.

An apparatus with a horizontal capillary tube intended for measurement of the surface tension of supercooled liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinš, Václav; Hošek, Jan; Hykl, Jiří; Hrubý, Jan

2015-05-01

New experimental apparatus for measurement of the surface tension of liquids under the metastable supercooled state has been designed and assembled in the study. The measuring technique is similar to the method employed by P.T. Hacker [NACA TN 2510] in 1951. A short liquid thread of the liquid sample was sucked inside a horizontal capillary tube partly placed in a temperature-controlled glass chamber. One end of the capillary tube was connected to a setup with inert gas which allowed for precise tuning of the gas overpressure in order of hundreds of Pa. The open end of the capillary tube was precisely grinded and polished before the measurement in order to assure planarity and perpendicularity of the outer surface. The liquid meniscus at the open end was illuminated by a laser beam and observed by a digital camera. Application of an increasing overpressure of the inert gas at the inner meniscus of the liquid thread caused variation of the outer meniscus such that it gradually changed from concave to flat and subsequently convex shape. The surface tension at the temperature of the inner meniscus could be evaluated from the overpressure corresponding to exactly planar outer meniscus. Detailed description of the new setup together with results of the preliminary tests is provided in the study.

Comparison of Pressure Changes by Head and Neck Position between High-Volume Low-Pressure and Taper-Shaped Cuffs: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Komasawa, Nobuyasu; Mihara, Ryosuke; Imagawa, Kentaro; Hattori, Kazuo; Minami, Toshiaki

2015-01-01

The present study compared changes in cuff pressure by head and neck position between high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) and taper-shaped (taper) cuffs in a prospective randomized clinical trial. Methods. Forty patients were intubated using tracheal tubes with either HVLP (n = 20; HVLP group) or taper-shaped (n = 20; Taper group) cuffs. Initial cuff pressure was adjusted to 15, 20, or 25 cmH2O in the neutral position. Cuff pressure was evaluated after changing the head and neck positions to flexion, extension, and rotation. Results. Cuff pressure significantly increased with flexion in both HVLP and Taper groups at all initial cuff pressures. It significantly increased with extension in the HVLP group, but not in the Taper group. Cuff pressure did not significantly differ with rotation in either group and was significantly smaller in the Taper group during flexion and extension than in the HVLP group, regardless of initial cuff pressure. Conclusion. Cuff pressure changes with head and neck flexion and extension were smaller in the Taper group than in the HVLP group. Our results highlight the potential for taper cuffs to prevent excessive cuff pressure increases with positional changes in the head and neck. This trial is registered with UMIN000016119. PMID:26509152

Curvature capillary migration of microspheres.

PubMed

Sharifi-Mood, Nima; Liu, Iris B; Stebe, Kathleen J

2015-09-14

We address the question: how does capillarity propel microspheres along curvature gradients? For a particle on a fluid interface, there are two conditions that can apply at the three phase contact line: either the contact line adopts an equilibrium contact angle, or it can be pinned by kinetic trapping, e.g. at chemical heterogeneities, asperities, or other pinning sites on the particle surface. We formulate the curvature capillary energy for both scenarios for particles smaller than the capillary length and far from any pinning boundaries. The scale and range of the distortion made by the particle are set by the particle radius; we use singular perturbation methods to find the distortions and to rigorously evaluate the associated capillary energies. For particles with equilibrium contact angles, contrary to the literature, we find that the capillary energy is negligible, with the first contribution bounded to fourth order in the product of the particle radius and the deviatoric curvature of the host interface. For pinned contact lines, we find curvature capillary energies that are finite, with a functional form investigated previously by us for disks and microcylinders on curved interfaces. In experiments, we show microspheres migrate along deterministic trajectories toward regions of maximum deviatoric curvature with curvature capillary energies ranging from 6 × 10(3)-5 × 10(4)kBT. These data agree with the curvature capillary energy for the case of pinned contact lines. The underlying physics of this migration is a coupling of the interface deviatoric curvature with the quadrupolar mode of nanometric disturbances in the interface owing to the particle's contact line undulations. This work is an example of the major implications of nanometric roughness and contact line pinning for colloidal dynamics.

Analysis for leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of surface-roughened tapered annular gas seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, C. C.

1984-01-01

The present analysis calculates the leakage and rotor-dynamic coefficients for tapered annular gas seals whose rotor and stator have been subjected to different surface roughness treatments. The analysis is demonstrated for the effects of changes in the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump's turbine interstage seal length, taper, clearance, and fluid prerotation. It is noted that changes in these parameters generally resulted in major changes in leakage and rotordynamic coefficients.

Laser illumination of multiple capillaries that form a waveguide

DOEpatents

Dhadwal, Harbans S.; Quesada, Mark A.; Studier, F. William

1998-08-04

A system and method are disclosed for efficient laser illumination of the interiors of multiple capillaries simultaneously, and collection of light emitted from them. Capillaries in a parallel array can form an optical waveguide wherein refraction at the cylindrical surfaces confines side-on illuminating light to the core of each successive capillary in the array. Methods are provided for determining conditions where capillaries will form a waveguide and for assessing and minimizing losses due to reflection. Light can be delivered to the arrayed capillaries through an integrated fiber optic transmitter or through a pair of such transmitters aligned coaxially at opposite sides of the array. Light emitted from materials within the capillaries can be carried to a detection system through optical fibers, each of which collects light from a single capillary, with little cross talk between the capillaries. The collection ends of the optical fibers can be in a parallel array with the same spacing as the capillary array, so that the collection fibers can all be aligned to the capillaries simultaneously. Applicability includes improving the efficiency of many analytical methods that use capillaries, including particularly high-throughput DNA sequencing and diagnostic methods based on capillary electrophoresis.

Laser illumination of multiple capillaries that form a waveguide

DOEpatents

Dhadwal, H.S.; Quesada, M.A.; Studier, F.W.

1998-08-04

A system and method are disclosed for efficient laser illumination of the interiors of multiple capillaries simultaneously, and collection of light emitted from them. Capillaries in a parallel array can form an optical waveguide wherein refraction at the cylindrical surfaces confines side-on illuminating light to the core of each successive capillary in the array. Methods are provided for determining conditions where capillaries will form a waveguide and for assessing and minimizing losses due to reflection. Light can be delivered to the arrayed capillaries through an integrated fiber optic transmitter or through a pair of such transmitters aligned coaxially at opposite sides of the array. Light emitted from materials within the capillaries can be carried to a detection system through optical fibers, each of which collects light from a single capillary, with little cross talk between the capillaries. The collection ends of the optical fibers can be in a parallel array with the same spacing as the capillary array, so that the collection fibers can all be aligned to the capillaries simultaneously. Applicability includes improving the efficiency of many analytical methods that use capillaries, including particularly high-throughput DNA sequencing and diagnostic methods based on capillary electrophoresis. 35 figs.

Capillary condenser/evaporator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valenzuela, Javier A. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A heat transfer device is disclosed for transferring heat to or from a fluid that is undergoing a phase change. The heat transfer device includes a liquid-vapor manifold in fluid communication with a capillary structure thermally connected to a heat transfer interface, all of which are disposed in a housing to contain the vapor. The liquid-vapor manifold transports liquid in a first direction and conducts vapor in a second, opposite direction. The manifold provides a distributed supply of fluid (vapor or liquid) over the surface of the capillary structure. In one embodiment, the manifold has a fractal structure including one or more layers, each layer having one or more conduits for transporting liquid and one or more openings for conducting vapor. Adjacent layers have an increasing number of openings with decreasing area, and an increasing number of conduits with decreasing cross-sectional area, moving in a direction toward the capillary structure.

Micro-injector for capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Sáiz, Jorge; Koenka, Israel Joel; García-Ruiz, Carmen; Müller, Beat; Chwalek, Thomas; Hauser, Peter C

2015-08-01

A novel micro-injector for capillary electrophoresis for the handling of samples with volumes down to as little as 300 nL was designed and built in our laboratory for analyses in which the available volume is a limitation. The sample is placed into a small cavity located directly in front of the separation capillary, and the injection is then carried out automatically by controlled pressurization of the chamber with compressed air. The system also allows automated flushing of the injection chamber as well as of the capillary. In a trial with a capillary electrophoresis system with contactless conductivity detector, employing a capillary of 25 μm diameter, the results showed good stability of migration times and peak areas. To illustrate the technique, the fast separation of five inorganic cations (Na(+) , K(+) , NH4 (+) , Ca(2+) , and Mg(2+) ) was set up. This could be achieved in less than 3 min, with good limits of detection (10 μM) and linear ranges (between about 10 and 1000 μM). The system was demonstrated for the determination of the inorganic cations in porewater samples of a lake sediment core. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A continuous-flow capillary mixing method to monitor reactions on the microsecond time scale.

PubMed Central

Shastry, M C; Luck, S D; Roder, H

1998-01-01

A continuous-flow capillary mixing apparatus, based on the original design of Regenfuss et al. (Regenfuss, P., R. M. Clegg, M. J. Fulwyler, F. J. Barrantes, and T. M. Jovin. 1985. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 56:283-290), has been developed with significant advances in mixer design, detection method and data analysis. To overcome the problems associated with the free-flowing jet used for observation in the original design (instability, optical artifacts due to scattering, poor definition of the geometry), the solution emerging from the capillary is injected directly into a flow-cell joined to the tip of the outer capillary via a ground-glass joint. The reaction kinetics are followed by measuring fluorescence versus distance downstream from the mixer, using an Hg(Xe) arc lamp for excitation and a digital camera with a UV-sensitized CCD detector for detection. Test reactions involving fluorescent dyes indicate that mixing is completed within 15 micros of its initiation and that the dead time of the measurement is 45 +/- 5 micros, which represents a >30-fold improvement in time resolution over conventional stopped-flow instruments. The high sensitivity and linearity of the CCD camera have been instrumental in obtaining artifact-free kinetic data over the time window from approximately 45 micros to a few milliseconds with signal-to-noise levels comparable to those of conventional methods. The scope of the method is discussed and illustrated with an example of a protein folding reaction. PMID:9591695

Hand-operated and rotary ProTaper instruments: a comparison of working time and number of rotations in simulated root canals.

PubMed

Pasqualini, Damiano; Scotti, Nicola; Tamagnone, Lorenzo; Ellena, Federica; Berutti, Elio

2008-03-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effective shaping time and number of rotations required by an endodontist working with hand and rotary ProTaper instruments to completely shape simulated root canals. Eighty Endo Training Blocks (curved canal shape) were used. Manual preflaring was performed with K-Flexofiles #08-10-12-15-17 and #20 Nitiflex at a working length of 18 mm. Specimens were then randomly assigned to 2 different groups (n = 40); group 1 was shaped by using hand ProTaper and group 2 with ProTaper rotary. The number of rotations made in the canal and the effective time required to achieve complete canal shaping were recorded for each instrument. Differences between groups were analyzed with the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test (P < .05). Hand ProTaper required significantly fewer rotations (P < .001) than rotary ProTaper, whereas the effective working time to fully shape the simulated canal was significantly higher (P < .001) with hand ProTaper.

Design of Capillary Flows with Spatially Graded Porous Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joung, Young Soo; Figliuzzi, Bruno Michel; Buie, Cullen

2013-11-01

We have developed a new capillary tube model, consisting of multi-layered capillary tubes oriented in the direction of flow, to predict capillary speeds on spatially graded porous films. Capillary flows through thin porous media have been widely utilized for small size liquid transport systems. However, for most media it is challenging to realize arbitrary shapes and spatially functionalized micro-structures with variable flow properties. Therefore, conventional media can only be used for capillary flows obeying Washburn's equation and the modifications thereof. Given this background, we recently developed a method called breakdown anodization (BDA) to produce highly wetting porous films. The resulting surfaces show nearly zero contact angles and fast water spreading speed. Furthermore, capillary pressure and spreading diffusivity can be expressed as functions of capillary height when customized electric fields are used in BDA. From the capillary tube model, we derived a general capillary flow equation of motion in terms of capillary pressure and spreading diffusivity. The theoretical model shows good agreement with experimental capillary flows. The study will provide novel design methodologies for paper-based microfluidic devices.

Integrated multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Tan, Hongdong

2002-05-14

The present invention provides an integrated multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system for the analysis of sample analytes. The system integrates and automates multiple components, such as chromatographic columns and separation capillaries, and further provides a detector for the detection of analytes eluting from the separation capillaries. The system employs multiplexed freeze/thaw valves to manage fluid flow and sample movement. The system is computer controlled and is capable of processing samples through reaction, purification, denaturation, pre-concentration, injection, separation and detection in parallel fashion. Methods employing the system of the invention are also provided.

Trapping and propelling microparticles at long range by using an entirely stripped and slightly tapered no-core optical fiber.

PubMed

Sheu, Fang-Wen; Huang, Yen-Si

2013-02-28

A stripped no-core optical fiber with a 125 µm diameter was transformed into a symmetric and unbroken optical fiber that tapers slightly to a 45-µm-diameter waist. The laser light can be easily launched into the no-core optical fiber. The enhanced evanescent wave of the slightly tapered no-core optical fiber can attract nearby 5-µm-diameter polystyrene microparticles onto the surface of the tapered multimode optical fiber within fast flowing fluid and propel the trapped particles in the direction of the light propagation to longer delivery range than is possible using a slightly tapered telecom single-mode optical fiber.

Effects of Prosthesis Stem Tapers on Stress Distribution of Cemented Hip Arthroplasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Abdul Halim; Nor, Mohd Asri Mohd; Saman, Alias Mohd; Tamin, Mohd Nasir; Kadir, Mohammed Rafiq Abdul

2010-10-01

Aseptic loosening effects are critical issues in encouraging long term stability of cemented hip arthroplasty. Stress shielding is believed to be an important factor that contributes to the aseptic loosening problems. The numerous changes in the prosthesis stem design are intended to minimize the stress shielding and aseptic loosening problems and to improve the long term performance of the implants. In this study, the stress distribution in cemented hip arthroplasty is established using finite element method. The taper of the prosthesis is designed to be 3° at anterior/posterior, 3° at medial/lateral and 10° from wide lateral to narrow medial. Major muscle loads and contact forces are simulated for walking (toe-off phase) and stair climbing load cases. Effects of prosthesis stem tapers on the resulting stress distribution are investigated. Results show that compressive stress dominates in the medial plane while tensile stress in the lateral plane of the femur. The corresponding stress levels of intact femur for walking and stair-climbing load cases are 22 and 29 MPa, respectively. The magnitude of Tresca stress for the THA femur in stair-climbing load case remains higher in the region of 85 MPa while the walking load case induces around 40 MPa. The stress range in the straight and single taper stem prosthesis is lower than 260 MPa, while localized Tresca stress is in the order of the yield strength of Ti-6Al-4V alloy for double and triple taper stem design.

Electron transmission through a steel capillary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maljković, J. B.; Borka, D.; Ranković, M. Lj.; Marinković, B. P.; Milosavljević, A. R.; Lemell, C.; Tőkési, K.

2018-05-01

The transmission of low-energy electrons through a macroscopic steel capillary has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The length of the steel capillary was L = 19.5 mm and the inner diameter was d = 0.9 mm. The kinetic energy distribution of electrons transmitted through the steel capillary was recorded for a tilt angle of ψ = 2.6 ° of the incident electron beam with respect to the capillary axis. Accompanying simulations based on classical transport theory reproduce the experimental data to a high degree of agreement. Transmission for other tilt angles has also been simulated to investigate the influence of the tilt angle on the guiding efficiency.

Transient studies of capillary-induced flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reagan, M. K.; Bowman, W. J.

1993-01-01

This paper presents the numerical and experimental results of a study performed on the transient rise of fluid in a capillary tube. The capillary tube problem provides an excellent mechanism from which to launch an investigation into the transient flow of a fluid in a porous wick structure where capillary forces must balance both adverse gravitational effects and frictional losses. For the study, a capillary tube, initially charged with a small volume of water, was lowered into a pool of water. The behavior of the column of fluid during the transient that followed as more water entered the tube from the pool was both numerically and experimentally studied.

Magnetic properties of permalloy wires in vycor capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubitz, P.; Ayers, J. D.; Davis, A.

1991-11-01

Thin wires of NiFe alloys with compositions near 80% Ni were prepared by melting the alloy in vycor tubes and drawing fibers from the softened glass. The resulting fibers consist of relatively thick-walled vycor capillaries containing permalloy wires filling a few percent of the volume. The wires are continuous over considerable lengths, uniform in circular cross section, nearly free of contact with the walls and can be drawn to have diameters less than 1 μm. Their magnetic properties are generally similar to bulk permalloy, but show a variety of magnetic switching behaviors for fields along the wire axis, depending on composition, wire diameter, and thermal history. As pulled, the wires can show sharp switching, reversible rotation or mixed behavior. This method can produce NiFe alloy wires suitable for use in applications as sensor, memory or inductive elements; other alloys, such as supermalloy and sendust, also can be fabricated as fine wires by this method.

Continuous micro-feeding of fine cohesive powders actuated by pulse inertia force and acoustic radiation force in ultrasonic standing wave field.

PubMed

Wang, Hongcheng; Wu, Liqun; Zhang, Ting; Chen, Rangrang; Zhang, Linan

2018-07-10

Stable continuous micro-feeding of fine cohesive powders has recently gained importance in many fields. However, it remains a great challenge in practice because of the powder aggregate caused by interparticle cohesive forces in small capillaries. This paper describes a novel method of feeding fine cohesive powder actuated by a pulse inertia force and acoustic radiation force simultaneously in an ultrasonic standing wave field using a tapered glass nozzle. Nozzles with different outlet diameters are fabricated using glass via a heating process. A pulse inertia force is excited to drive powder movement to the outlet section of the nozzle in a consolidated columnar rod mode. An acoustic radiation force is generated to suspend the particles and make the rod break into large quantities of small agglomerates which impact each other randomly. So the aggregation phenomenon in the fluidization of cohesive powders can be eliminated. The suspended powder is discharged continuously from the nozzle orifice owing to the self-gravities and collisions between the inner particles. The micro-feeding rates can be controlled accurately and the minimum values for RespitoseSV003 and Granulac230 are 0.4 mg/s and 0.5 mg/s respectively. The relative standard deviations of all data points are below 0.12, which is considerably smaller than those of existing vibration feeders with small capillaries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single and low order mode interrogation of a multimode sapphire fiber Bragg grating sensor with tapered fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grobnic, Dan; Mihailov, Stephen J.; Ding, H.; Bilodeau, F.; Smelser, Christopher W.

2005-05-01

Multimode sapphire fiber Bragg gratings (SFBG) made with an IR femtosecond laser and a phase mask were probed using tapered single mode fibers of different taper diameters producing single and low order mode reflection/transmission responses. A configuration made of an input single mode tapered fiber and multimode silica fiber used for output coupling was also tested and has delivered a filtered multimode transmission spectrum. The tapered coupling improved the spectral resolution of the SFBG as compared to its multimode responses previously reported. Such improvements facilitate the utilization of the SFBG as a high temperature sensor. Wavelength shifts of the single mode response were monitored as a function of temperature up to 1500 °C and were consistent with the measurement obtained from the multimode response published previously.

Shape matters: improved flight in tapered auto-rotating wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yucen; Vincent, Lionel; Kanso, Eva

2017-11-01

Many plants use gravity and wind to disperse their seeds. The shape of seed pods influence their aerodynamics. For example, Liana seeds form aerodynamic gliders and Sycamore trees release airborne ``helicopters.'' Here, we use carefully-controlled experiments and high-speed photography to examine dispersion by tumbling (auto-rotation) and we focus on the effect of geometry on flight characteristics. We consider four families of shapes: rectangular, elliptic, tapered, and sharp-tip wings, and we vary the span-to-chord ratio. We find that tapered wings exhibit extended flight time and range, that is, better performance. A quasi-steady two-dimensional model is used to highlight the mechanisms by which shape affects flight performance. These findings could have significant implications on linking seedpod designs to seed dispersion patterns as well as on optimizing wing design in active flight problems.

Mental health, fatigue and function are associated with increased risk of disease flare following TNF inhibitor tapering in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an exploratory analysis of data from the Optimizing TNF Tapering in RA (OPTTIRA) trial.

PubMed

Bechman, Katie; Sin, Fang En; Ibrahim, Fowzia; Norton, Sam; Matcham, Faith; Scott, David Lloyd; Cope, Andrew; Galloway, James

2018-01-01

Tapering of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy appears feasible, safe and effective in selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Depression is highly prevalent in RA and may impact on flare incidence through various mechanisms. This study aims to investigate if psychological states predict flare in patients' dose tapering their anti-TNF therapy. This study is a post-hoc analysis of the Optimizing TNF Tapering in RA trial, a multicentre, randomised, open-label study investigating anti-TNF tapering in RA patients with sustained low disease activity. Patient-reported outcomes (Health Assessment Questionnaire, EuroQol 5-dimension scale, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy fatigue scale (FACIT-F), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36)) were collected at baseline. The primary outcome was flare, defined as an increase in 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) ≥0.6 and ≥1 swollen joint. Discrete-time survival models were used to identify patient-reported outcomes that predict flare. Ninety-seven patients were randomised to taper their anti-TNF dose by either 33% or 66%. Forty-one patients flared. Higher baseline DAS28 score was associated with flare (adjusted HR 1.96 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.24), p=0.01). Disability (SF-36 physical component score), fatigue (FACIT-F) and mental health (SF-36 mental health subscale (MH)) predicted flare in unadjusted models. In multivariate analyses, only SF-36 MH remained a statistically significant predictor of flare (adjusted HR per 10 units 0.74 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.93), p=0.01). Baseline DAS28 and mental health status are independently associated with flare in patients who taper their anti-TNF therapy. Fatigue and function also associate with flare but the effect disappears when adjusting for confounders. Given these findings, mental health and functional status should be considered in anti-TNF tapering decisions in order to optimise the likelihood of success. EudraCT Number: 2010-020738-24; ISRCTN: 28955701

Mental health, fatigue and function are associated with increased risk of disease flare following TNF inhibitor tapering in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an exploratory analysis of data from the Optimizing TNF Tapering in RA (OPTTIRA) trial

PubMed Central

Bechman, Katie; Sin, Fang En; Ibrahim, Fowzia; Norton, Sam; Matcham, Faith; Scott, David Lloyd; Cope, Andrew; Galloway, James

2018-01-01

Background Tapering of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy appears feasible, safe and effective in selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Depression is highly prevalent in RA and may impact on flare incidence through various mechanisms. This study aims to investigate if psychological states predict flare in patients’ dose tapering their anti-TNF therapy. Methods This study is a post-hoc analysis of the Optimizing TNF Tapering in RA trial, a multicentre, randomised, open-label study investigating anti-TNF tapering in RA patients with sustained low disease activity. Patient-reported outcomes (Health Assessment Questionnaire, EuroQol 5-dimension scale, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy fatigue scale (FACIT-F), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36)) were collected at baseline. The primary outcome was flare, defined as an increase in 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) ≥0.6 and ≥1 swollen joint. Discrete-time survival models were used to identify patient-reported outcomes that predict flare. Results Ninety-seven patients were randomised to taper their anti-TNF dose by either 33% or 66%. Forty-one patients flared. Higher baseline DAS28 score was associated with flare (adjusted HR 1.96 (95% CI 1.18 to 3.24), p=0.01). Disability (SF-36 physical component score), fatigue (FACIT-F) and mental health (SF-36 mental health subscale (MH)) predicted flare in unadjusted models. In multivariate analyses, only SF-36 MH remained a statistically significant predictor of flare (adjusted HR per 10 units 0.74 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.93), p=0.01). Conclusions Baseline DAS28 and mental health status are independently associated with flare in patients who taper their anti-TNF therapy. Fatigue and function also associate with flare but the effect disappears when adjusting for confounders. Given these findings, mental health and functional status should be considered in anti-TNF tapering decisions in order to optimise the likelihood of success. Trial

Electroacupuncture for tapering off long-term benzodiazepine use: study protocol of randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Yeung, Wing-Fai; Chung, Ka-Fai; Zhang, Zhang-Jin; Chan, Wai-Chi; Zhang, Shi-Ping; Ng, Roger Man-Kin; Chan, Connie Lai-Wah; Ho, Lai-Ming; Yu, Yee-Man; Lao, Li-Xing

2017-03-31

Conventional approaches for benzodiazepine tapering have their limitations. Anecdotal studies have shown that acupuncture is a potential treatment for facilitating successful benzodiazepine tapering. As of today, there was no randomized controlled trial examining its efficacy and safety. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of using electroacupuncture as an adjunct treatment to gradual tapering of benzodiazepine doses in complete benzodiazepine cessation in long-term benzodiazepine users. The study protocol of a randomized, assessor- and subject-blinded, controlled trial is presented. One hundred and forty-four patients with histories of using benzodiazepines in ≥50% of days for more than 3 months will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either electroacupuncture or placebo electroacupuncture combined with gradual benzodiazepine tapering schedule. Both experimental and placebo treatments will be delivered twice per week for 4 weeks. Major assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 6 and week 16 post-randomization. Primary outcome is the cessation rate of benzodiazepine use. Secondary outcomes include the percentage change in the doses of benzodiazepine usage and the severity of withdrawal symptoms experienced based on the Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire, insomnia as measured by the Insomnia Severity Index, and anxiety and depressive symptoms as evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Adverse events will also be measured at each study visit. Results of this study will provide high quality evidence of the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture as an adjunct treatment for benzodiazepine tapering in long-term users. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02475538 .

New tapered metallic stent for unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction.

PubMed

Sakai, Yuji; Tsuyuguchi, Toshio; Nishikawa, Takao; Sugiyama, Harutoshi; Sasaki, Reina; Sakamoto, Dai; Watanabe, Yuto; Nakamura, Masato; Yasui, Shin; Mikata, Rintaro; Yokosuka, Osamu

2015-10-16

To examine the usefulness of a new tapered metallic stent (MS) in patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction. This new tapered MS was placed in 11 patients with Bismuth II or severer unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction, as a prospective study. The subjects were six patients with bile duct carcinoma, three with gallbladder cancer, and two with metastatic bile duct obstruction. Stenosis morphology was Bismuth II: 7, IIIa: 3, and IV: 1. UMIN Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000004758). MS placement was 100% (11/11) successful. There were no procedural accidents. The mean patency period was 208.401 d, the median survival period was 142.000 d, and the mean survival period was 193.273 d. Occlusion rate was 36.4% (4/11); the causes of occlusion were ingrowth and overgrowth in 2 patients each, 18.2%, respectively. Patients with occlusion underwent endoscopic treatment one more time and all were treatable. The tapered MS proved useful in patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction because it provided a long patency period, enabled re-treatment by re-intervention, and no procedural accidents occurred.

[Deformation evaluation of ProTaper nickel-titanium rotary instruments in curved canals instrumentation in vitro].

PubMed

Yan, Hong; Ren, Min; Yin, Xing-Zhe; Zhao, Shu-Yan; Zhang, Cheng-Fei

2008-04-01

To evaluate the deformation of ProTaper rotary instruments using in root canals of different curvature in vitro. Extracted first mandibular molars were divided into two experimental groups according to the curvature of mesial buccal canals: group A with moderate curvature and group B with severe curvature. Only the mesial buccal canals of all these teeth were prepared with 6 sets of new ProTaper rotary instruments individually. Additionally, the control group was established with a set of new ProTaper rotary instruments. After finishing each canal preparation, the instruments accompanied by control were examined under the stereomicroscope by an inspector without knowing the group. If distortion, unwinding, abrasion or fracture occurred within one set of instruments, then the whole set was disposed. The sets without problems were in use until 30 times. After 5, 10, 20 times canal preparation, S1, F1 files without deformation under stereomicroscope were examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM). Deformation of ProTaper rotary instruments happened after 12 times in group A and after 7 times in group B. In these two experimental groups, microcracks were found increasing with the times of use under SEM in the instruments without deformation under stereomicroscope. The microcracks on tip of instruments were deep in the early use and became smoother after 10 times. Similar changes happened on knife-edge of instruments, and the microcracks extended over the edge after 20 times use. Root canals with severe curvature tend to damage ProTaper rotary instruments more frequently than moderately curved canals. ProTaper rotary instruments are appropriate to treat less than 7 root canals with severe curvature or 12 root canals with moderate curvature. Stereomicroscope is recommended to detect early damages on Ni-Ti rotary instruments, for preventing instruments fracture in clinic.

Design of Structurally Efficient Tapered Struts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messinger, Ross

2010-01-01

This report describes the analytical study of two full-scale tapered composite struts. The analytical study resulted in the design of two structurally efficient carbon/epoxy struts in accordance with NASA-specified geometries and loading conditions. Detailed stress analysis was performed of the insert, end fitting, and strut body to obtain an optimized weight with positive margins. Two demonstration struts were fabricated based on a well-established design from a previous Space Shuttle strut development program.

Sheathless interface for coupling capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

Wang, Chenchen; Tang, Keqi; Smith, Richard D.

2014-06-17

A sheathless interface for coupling capillary electrophoresis (CE) with mass spectrometry is disclosed. The sheathless interface includes a separation capillary for performing CE separation and an emitter capillary for electrospray ionization. A portion of the emitter capillary is porous or, alternatively, is coated to form an electrically conductive surface. A section of the emitter capillary is disposed within the separation capillary, forming a joint. A metal tube, containing a conductive liquid, encloses the joint.

Micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with x-ray single bounce metallic capillary optics for light element analysis (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mroczka, Robert; Żukociński, Grzegorz; Łopucki, Rafał

2017-05-01

In the last 20 years, , due to the rapid development of X-ray optics, micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) has become a powerful tool to determine the spatial distribution of major, minor, and trace elements within a sample. Micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometers for light element analysis (6 <= Z <= 14) using glass polycapillary optics are usually designed and applied to confocal geometry. Two such X-ray optics systems are used in this setup. The first one focuses the primary beam on the sample; the second restricts the field of view of the detector. In order to be able to analyze a wider range of elements especialy with (6 <= Z <= 14), both sample and detector are under vacuum. Depth resolution varies between 100 μm at 1 keV fluorescence energy (Na-Kα) and 30 μm for 17.5 keV (Mo-Kα) [1,2]. In order to improve resolution at energies below 9 keV, our group designed similar spectrometer (in cooperation with PREVAC) but instead of primary polycapillary optics we applied single bounce metallic capillaries optics , designed and manufactured in our Laboratory. The vacuum chumber is currently under construction and is expected to be fully operational in September this year. Single bounce gold capillaries with elliptic internal shape have recently been redesigned and developed in our Laboratory. Surface roughness was reduced up to 0.5 nm and slope error to 0.3 mrad. For these capillaries an expected depth resolution varies from 3 μm (1 keV) and 10 µm for 9 keV (Cu-Kα). The spectrometer equipped with gold capillaries offers the possibility of elemental analysis with better depth resolution than is offerred by glass polycapillaries at energies below 9 keV. Furthermore, we will compare the capabilities and limitations of this spectrometer with others, that use laboratory and/or synchrotron sources. Acknowledgments: This work was supported and co-funded by the European Union as part of the Operational Programme Development of Eastern Poland for

Vibration-Assisted Femtosecond Laser Drilling with Controllable Taper Angles for AMOLED Fine Metal Mask Fabrication.

PubMed

Choi, Wonsuk; Kim, Hoon Young; Jeon, Jin Woo; Chang, Won Seok; Cho, Sung-Hak

2017-02-21

This study investigates the effect of focal plane variation using vibration in a femtosecond laser hole drilling process on Invar alloy fabrication quality for the production of fine metal masks (FMMs). FMMs are used in the red, green, blue (RGB) evaporation process in Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode (AMOLED) manufacturing. The taper angle of the hole is adjusted by attaching the objective lens to a micro-vibrator and continuously changing the focal plane position. Eight laser pulses were used to examine how the hole characteristics vary with the first focal plane's position, where the first pulse is focused at an initial position and the focal planes of subsequent pulses move downward. The results showed that the hole taper angle can be controlled by varying the amplitude of the continuously operating vibrator during femtosecond laser hole machining. The taper angles were changed between 31.8° and 43.9° by adjusting the vibrator amplitude at a frequency of 100 Hz. Femtosecond laser hole drilling with controllable taper angles is expected to be used in the precision micro-machining of various smart devices.

High Sensitivity Refractometer Based on TiO₂-Coated Adiabatic Tapered Optical Fiber via ALD Technology.

PubMed

Zhu, Shan; Pang, Fufei; Huang, Sujuan; Zou, Fang; Guo, Qiang; Wen, Jianxiang; Wang, Tingyun

2016-08-15

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology is introduced to fabricate a high sensitivity refractometer based on an adiabatic tapered optical fiber. Different thicknesses of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanofilm were coated around the tapered fiber precisely and uniformly under different deposition cycles. Attributed to the higher refractive index of the TiO₂ nanofilm compared to that of silica, an asymmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) resonator could be constructed along the fiber taper. The central wavelength of the F-P resonator could be controlled by adjusting the thickness of the TiO₂ nanofilm. Such a F-P resonator is sensitive to changes in the surrounding refractive index (SRI), which is utilized to realize a high sensitivity refractometer. The refractometer developed by depositing 50.9-nm-thickness TiO₂ on the tapered fiber shows SRI sensitivity as high as 7096 nm/RIU in the SRI range of 1.3373-1.3500. Due to TiO₂'s advantages of high refractive index, lack of toxicity, and good biocompatibility, this refractometer is expected to have wide applications in the biochemical sensing field.

Vibration sensitivity of the scanning near-field optical microscope with a tapered optical fiber probe.

PubMed

Chang, Win-Jin; Fang, Te-Hua; Lee, Haw-Long; Yang, Yu-Ching

2005-01-01

In this paper the Rayleigh-Ritz method was used to study the scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) with a tapered optical fiber probe's flexural and axial sensitivity to vibration. Not only the contact stiffness but also the geometric parameters of the probe can influence the flexural and axial sensitivity to vibration. According to the analysis, the lateral and axial contact stiffness had a significant effect on the sensitivity of vibration of the SNOM's probe, each mode had a different level of sensitivity and in the first mode the tapered optical fiber probe was the most acceptive to higher levels of flexural and axial vibration. Generally, when the contact stiffness was lower, the tapered probe was more sensitive to higher levels of both axial and flexural vibration than the uniform probe. However, the situation was reversed when the contact stiffness was larger. Furthermore, the effect that the probe's length and its tapered angle had on the SNOM's probe axial and flexural vibration were significant and these two conditions should be incorporated into the design of new SNOM probes.

An elastic strip with multiple cracks and applications to tapered specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, X.-H.; Erdogan, F.

1985-01-01

In this paper an infinite elastic strip containing arbitrarily oriented cracks and subjected to uniform tension and a pair of concentrated forces is formulated in terms of a system of singular integral equations. Even though the technique is sufficiently general to solve new multiple crack problem, with the objective of applying the results to tapered specimens, only a certain symmetric crack geometry and loading conditions are considered. The stress intensity factors are calculated for edge cracks in the strip under uniform tension and for a 'compact' and a 'slender' tapered specimen (the latter simulating the double cantilever beam) under concentrated forces or crack surface wedge forces.

Corrugated metal-coated tapered tip for scanning near-field optical microscope.

PubMed

Antosiewicz, Tomasz J; Szoplik, Tomasz

2007-08-20

This paper addresses an important issue of light throughput of a metal-coated tapered tip for scanning near-field microscope (SNOM). Corrugations of the interface between the fiber core and metal coating in the form of parallel grooves of different profiles etched in the core considerably increase the energy throughput. In 2D FDTD simulations in the Cartesian coordinates we calculate near-field light emitted from such tips. For a certain wavelength range total intensity of forward emission from the corrugated tip is 10 times stronger than that from a classical tapered tip. When realized in practice the idea of corrugated tip may lead up to twice better resolution of SNOM.

Tapered-fiber-based refractive index sensor at an air/solution interface.

PubMed

Lu, Ping; Harris, Jeremie; Wang, Xiaozhen; Lin, Ganbin; Chen, Liang; Bao, Xiaoyi

2012-10-20

An approach to achieve refractive index sensing at an air and aqueous glycerol solution interface is proposed using a tapered-fiber-based microfiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MFMZI). Compared to a surrounding uniform medium of air or solutions, the spectral interference visibility of the MFMZI at the air/solution interface is significantly reduced due to a weak coupling between the fundamental cladding mode and high-order asymmetric cladding modes, which are extremely sensitive to the external refractive index. The MFMZI is experimentally demonstrated as an evanescent wave refractive index sensor to measure concentrations of glycerol solutions by monitoring average power attenuation of the tapered fiber.

Low-loss deposition of solgel-derived silica films on tapered fibers.

PubMed

Kakarantzas, G; Leon-Saval, S G; Birks, T A; Russell, P St J

2004-04-01

Films of porous silica are deposited on the uniform waists of tapered fibers in minutes by a modified solgel dip coating method, inducing less than 0.2 dB of loss. The coated tapers are an ideal platform for realizing all-fiber devices that exploit evanescent-field interactions with the deposited porous film. As an example we demonstrate structural long-period gratings in which a periodic index variation in the film arises from the porosity variation produced by spatially varying exposure of the waist to a scanned CO2 laser beam. The long period grating is insensitive to temperature up to 800 degrees C.

Separation of oligopeptides, nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides using capillary electrophoresis/electrochromatography with sol-gel modified inner capillary wall.

PubMed

Svobodová, Jana; Kofroňová, Olga; Benada, Oldřich; Král, Vladimír; Mikšík, Ivan

2017-09-29

The aim of this article is to study the modification of an inner capillary wall with sol-gel coating (pure silica sol-gel or silica sol-gel containing porphyrin-brucine conjugate) and determine its influence on the separation process using capillary electrophoresis/electrochromatography method. After modification of the inner capillary surface the separation of analytes was performed using two different phosphate buffers (pH 2.5 and 9.0) and finally the changes in electrophoretic mobilities of various samples were calculated. To confirm that the modification of the inner capillary surface was successful, the parts of the inner surfaces of capillaries were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The analytes used as testing samples were oligopeptides, nucleosides, nucleobases and finally nucleotides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Centering Ability of ProTaper Next and WaveOne Classic in J-Shape Simulated Root Canals

PubMed Central

Dioguardi, Mario; Cocco, Armando; Giuliani, Michele; Fabiani, Cristiano; D'Alessandro, Alfonso; Ciavarella, Domenico

2016-01-01

Introduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the shaping and centering ability of ProTaper Next (PTN; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and WaveOne Classic systems (Dentsply Maillefer) in simulated root canals. Methods. Forty J-shaped canals in resin blocks were assigned to two groups (n = 20 for each group). Photographic method was used to record pre- and postinstrumentation images. After superimposition, centering and shaping ability were recorded at 9 different levels from the apex using the software Autocad 2013 (Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, USA). Results. Shaping procedures with ProTaper Next resulted in a lower amount of resin removed at each reference point level. In addition, the pattern of centering ability improved after the use of ProTaper Next in 8 of 9 measurement points. Conclusions. Within the limitations of this study, shaping procedures with ProTaper Next instruments demonstrated a lower amount of resin removed and a better centering ability than WaveOne Classic system. PMID:28054031

Centering Ability of ProTaper Next and WaveOne Classic in J-Shape Simulated Root Canals.

PubMed

Troiano, Giuseppe; Dioguardi, Mario; Cocco, Armando; Giuliani, Michele; Fabiani, Cristiano; D'Alessandro, Alfonso; Ciavarella, Domenico; Lo Muzio, Lorenzo

Introduction . The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the shaping and centering ability of ProTaper Next (PTN; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and WaveOne Classic systems (Dentsply Maillefer) in simulated root canals. Methods . Forty J-shaped canals in resin blocks were assigned to two groups ( n = 20 for each group). Photographic method was used to record pre- and postinstrumentation images. After superimposition, centering and shaping ability were recorded at 9 different levels from the apex using the software Autocad 2013 (Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, USA). Results . Shaping procedures with ProTaper Next resulted in a lower amount of resin removed at each reference point level. In addition, the pattern of centering ability improved after the use of ProTaper Next in 8 of 9 measurement points. Conclusions . Within the limitations of this study, shaping procedures with ProTaper Next instruments demonstrated a lower amount of resin removed and a better centering ability than WaveOne Classic system.

Trapping and Propelling Microparticles at Long Range by Using an Entirely Stripped and Slightly Tapered No-Core Optical Fiber

PubMed Central

Sheu, Fang-Wen; Huang, Yen-Si

2013-01-01

A stripped no-core optical fiber with a 125 μm diameter was transformed into a symmetric and unbroken optical fiber that tapers slightly to a 45-μm-diameter waist. The laser light can be easily launched into the no-core optical fiber. The enhanced evanescent wave of the slightly tapered no-core optical fiber can attract nearby 5-μm-diameter polystyrene microparticles onto the surface of the tapered multimode optical fiber within fast flowing fluid and propel the trapped particles in the direction of the light propagation to longer delivery range than is possible using a slightly tapered telecom single-mode optical fiber. PMID:23449118

Modeling of visible-extended supercontinuum generation from a tapered Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Rui; Lei, Chengmin; Han, Kai; Chen, Zilun; Pu, Dongsheng; Hou, Jing

2017-05-01

Supercontinuum generation directly from a nonlinear fiber amplifier, especially from a nonlinear ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier, attracts more and more attention due to its all-fiber structure, high optical to optical conversion efficiency, and high power output potential. However, the modeling of supercontinuum generation from a nonlinear fiber amplifier has been rarely reported. In this paper, the modeling of a tapered Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier for visible extended to infrared supercontinuum generation is proposed based on the combination of the laser rate equations and the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier generally can not generate visible extended supercontinuum due to its pumping wavelength and zero-dispersion wavelength. However, appropriate tapering and four-wave mixing makes the visible extended supercontinuum generation from an ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier possible. Tapering makes the zero-dispersion wavelength of the ytterbium-doped fiber shift to the short wavelength and minimizes the dispersion matching. Four-wave mixing plays an important role in the visible spectrum generation. The influence of pulse width and pump power on the supercontinuum generation is calculated and analyzed. The simulation results imply that it is promising and possible to fabricate a visible-to-infrared supercontinuum with low pump power and flat spectrum by using the tapered ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier scheme as long as the related parameters are well-selected.

Evaluation of torque maintenance of abutment and cylinder screws with Morse taper implants.

PubMed

Ferreira, Mayara Barbosa; Delben, Juliana Aparecida; Barão, Valentim Adelino Ricardo; Faverani, Leonardo Perez; Dos Santos, Paulo Henrique; Assunção, Wirley Gonçalves

2012-11-01

The screw loosening of implant-supported prostheses is a common mechanical failure and is related to several factors as insertion torque and preload. The aim of this study was to evaluate the torque maintenance of retention screws of tapered abutments and cylinders of Morse taper implants submitted to retightening and detorque measurements. Two groups were obtained (n = 12): group I-tapered abutment connected to the implant with titanium retention screw and group II-cylinder with metallic base connected to tapered abutment with titanium retention screw. The detorque values were measured by an analogic torque gauge after 3 minutes of torque insertion. The detorque was measured 10 times for each retention screw of groups I and II, totalizing 120 detorque measurements in each group. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Fisher exact test (P < 0.05). Both groups presented reduced detorque value (P < 0.05) in comparison to the insertion torque in all measurement periods. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the detorque values of the first measurement and the other measurement periods for the abutment screw. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) for the detorque values of all measurement periods for the cylinder screw. In conclusion, the abutment and cylinder screws exhibited torque loss after insertion, which indicates the need for retightening during function of the implant-supported prostheses.

Capillary electrochromatography and capillary electrochromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for the separation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

PubMed

Desiderio, C; Fanali, S

2000-10-20

In this study capillary electrochromatography (CEC) was utilized for the separation of ten non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Experiments were carried out in a commercially available CE instrument using a packed capillary with RP-18 silica particles where the stationary phase completely filled the capillary. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of ammonium formate buffer pH 2.5 and acetonitrile. Selectivity and resolution were studied changing the pH and the concentration of the buffer, the acetonitrile content mobile phase and the capillary temperature. The optimum experimental conditions for CEC separation of the studied drug mixture were found using 50 mM ammonium formate pH 2.5-acetonitrile (40:60) at 25 degrees C. The CEC capillary was coupled to an electrospray mass spectrometer for the characterization of the NSAIDs. A mobile phase composed by the same buffer but with a higher concentration of acetonitrile (90%) was used in order to speed up the separation of analytes.

Tapered optical fiber waveguide coupling to whispering gallery modes of liquid crystal microdroplet for thermal sensing application.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Li, Hanyang; Zhao, Liyuan; Liu, Yongjun; Liu, Shuangqiang; Yang, Jun

2017-01-23

We demonstrate efficient coupling to the optical whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) microdroplets immersed in an immiscible aqueous environment. An individual NLC microdroplet, confined at the tip of a microcapillary, was coupled via a tapered optical fiber waveguide positioned correctly within its vicinity. Critical coupling of the taper-microdroplet system was facilitated by adjusting the gap between the taper and the microdroplet to change the overlap of the evanescent electromagnetic fields; efficient and controlled power transfer from the taper waveguide to the NLC microdroplet is indeed possible via the proposed technique. We also found that NLC microdroplets can function as highly sensitive thermal sensors: A maximum temperature sensitivity of 267.6 pm/°C and resolution of 7.5 × 10^-2 °C were achieved in a 78-μm-diameter NLC microdroplet.

Analysis of astigmatism of gain guided laser with a tapered-stripe geometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mamine, T.; Oda, T.; Yoneyama, O.

1984-12-01

The astigmatism of the tapered-stripe (TAPS) laser has been analyzed. Calculating the near-field spot size and the radius of curvature in the tapered-stripe region, the astigmatism is determined by using the expression of D = R/sub e/ (1+(lambdaR/sub e// ..pi..w/sup 2//sub e/)/sup 2/)/sup -1/. In our formalism we assume that the gain profile is parabola and the near-field spot size at the facet is determined by the diffusion length of injected carriers. So far as these assumptions are valid, it is concluded that the amount of astigmatism is reduced with the length of tapered stripe, using the refractive index changemore » due to the band-edge absorption of -10/sup -2/. The fundamental characteristics of the gain guided laser with TAPS structure such as the astigmatism, far-field radiation pattern, and the spontaneous emission factor are shown to be controlled by properly designing the stripe geometry and the thickness of the active layer.« less

Pore-scale modeling of Capillary Penetration of Wetting Liquid into 3D Fibrous Media: A Critical Examination of Equivalent Capillary Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palakurthi, Nikhil Kumar; Ghia, Urmila; Comer, Ken

2013-11-01

Capillary penetration of liquid through fibrous porous media is important in many applications such as printing, drug delivery patches, sanitary wipes, and performance fabrics. Historically, capillary transport (with a distinct liquid propagating front) in porous media is modeled using capillary-bundle theory. However, it is not clear if the capillary model (Washburn equation) describes the fluid transport in porous media accurately, as it assumes uniformity of pore sizes in the porous medium. The present work investigates the limitations of the applicability of the capillary model by studying liquid penetration through virtual fibrous media with uniform and non-uniform pore-sizes. For the non-uniform-pore fibrous medium, the effective capillary radius of the fibrous medium was estimated from the pore-size distribution curve. Liquid penetration into the 3D virtual fibrous medium at micro-scale was simulated using OpenFOAM, and the numerical results were compared with the Washburn-equation capillary-model predictions. Preliminary results show that the Washburn equation over-predicts the height rise in the early stages (purely inertial and visco-inertial stages) of capillary transport.

Heuristic approach to capillary pressures averaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coca, B.P.

1980-10-01

Several methods are available to average capillary pressure curves. Among these are the J-curve and regression equations of the wetting-fluid saturation in porosity and permeability (capillary pressure held constant). While the regression equation seem completely empiric, the J-curve method seems to be theoretically sound due to its expression based on a relation between the average capillary radius and the permeability-porosity ratio. An analysis is given of each of these methods.

Microtomography-based comparison of reciprocating single-file F2 ProTaper technique versus rotary full sequence.

PubMed

Paqué, Frank; Zehnder, Matthias; De-Deus, Gustavo

2011-10-01

A preparation technique with only 1 single instrument was proposed on the basis of the reciprocating movement of the F2 ProTaper instrument. The present study was designed to quantitatively assess canal preparation outcomes achieved by this technique. Twenty-five extracted human mandibular first molars with 2 separate mesial root canals were selected. Canals were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 experimental groups: group 1, rotary conventional preparation by using ProTaper, and group 2, reciprocate instrumentation with 1 single ProTaper F2 instrument. Specimens were scanned initially and after root canal preparation with an isotropic resolution of 20 μm by using a micro-computed tomography system. The following parameters were assessed: changes in dentin volume, percentage of shaped canal walls, and degree of canal transportation. In addition, the time required to reach working length with the F2 instrument was recorded. Preoperatively, there were no differences regarding root canal curvature and volume between experimental groups. Overall, instrumentation led to enlarged canal shapes with no evidence of preparation errors. There were no statistical differences between the 2 preparation techniques in the anatomical parameters assessed (P > .01), except for a significantly higher canal transportation caused by the reciprocating file in the coronal canal third. On the other hand, preparation was faster by using the single-file technique (P < .01). Shaping outcomes with the single-file F2 ProTaper technique and conventional ProTaper full-sequence rotary approach were similar. However, the single-file F2 ProTaper technique was markedly faster in reaching working length. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.