Fabrication of bundle-structured tube-leaky optical fibers for infrared thermal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, T.; Katagiri, T.; Matsuura, Y.

2017-02-01

Bundled glass tubular fibers were fabricated by glass drawing technique for endoscopic infrared-thermal imaging. The bundle fibers were made of borosilicate glass and have a structure like a photonic crystal fiber having multiple hollow cores. Fabricated fibers have a length of 90 cm and each pixel sizes are less than 80 μm. By setting the thickness of glass wall to a quarter-wavelength optical thickness, light is confined in the air core as a leaky mode with a low loss owing to the interference effect of the thin glass wall and this type of hollow-core fibers is known as tube leaky fibers. The transmission losses of bundled fibers were firstly measured and it was found that bundled tube-leaky fibers have reasonably low transmission losses in spite of the small pixel size. Then thermal images were delivered by the bundled fibers combining with an InSb infrared camera. Considering applications with rigid endoscopes, an imaging system composed of a 30-cm long fiber bundle and a half-ball lens with a diameter of 2 mm was fabricated. By using this imaging system, a metal wire with a thickness of 200 μm was successfully observed and another test showed that the minimum detected temperature was 32.0 °C and the temperature resolution of the system was around 0.7 °C.

In-Depth Analysis of the Structure and Properties of Two Varieties of Natural Luffa Sponge Fibers

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuxia; Su, Na; Zhang, Kaiting; Zhu, Shiliu; Zhao, Lei; Fang, Fei; Ren, Linyan; Guo, Yong

2017-01-01

The advancement in science and technology has led to luffa sponge (LS) being widely used as a natural material in industrial application because of its polyporous structure and light texture. To enhance the utility of LS fibers as the reinforcement of lightweight composite materials, the current study investigates their water absorption, mechanical properties, anatomical characteristics and thermal performance. Hence, moisture regain and tensile properties of LS fiber bundles were measured in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards while their structural characteristics were investigated via microscopic observation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology and fractured surface of fiber bundles. The test results show that the special structure where the phloem tissues degenerate to cavities had a significant influence on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Additionally, the transverse sectional area occupied by fibers in a fiber bundle (SF), wall thickness, ratio of wall to lumen of fiber cell, and crystallinity of cellulose had substantial impact on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Furthermore, the density of fiber bundles of LS ranged within 385.46–468.70 kg/m3, significantly less than that of jute (1360.40 kg/m3) and Arenga engleri (950.20 kg/m3). However, LS fiber bundles demonstrated superior specific modulus than Arenga engleri. PMID:28772838

Fiber-bundle-basis sparse reconstruction for high resolution wide-field microendoscopy.

PubMed

Mekhail, Simon Peter; Abudukeyoumu, Nilupaer; Ward, Jonathan; Arbuthnott, Gordon; Chormaic, Síle Nic

2018-04-01

In order to observe deep regions of the brain, we propose the use of a fiber bundle for microendoscopy. Fiber bundles allow for the excitation and collection of fluorescence as well as wide field imaging while remaining largely impervious to image distortions brought on by bending. Furthermore, their thin diameter, from 200-500 µ m, means their impact on living tissue, though not absent, is minimal. Although wide field imaging with a bundle allows for a high temporal resolution since no scanning is involved, the largest criticism of bundle imaging is the drastically lowered spatial resolution. In this paper, we make use of sparsity in the object being imaged to up sample the low resolution images from the fiber bundle with compressive sensing. We take each image in a single shot by using a measurement basis dictated by the quasi-crystalline arrangement of the bundle's cores. We find that this technique allows us to increase the resolution of a typical image taken through a fiber bundle.

Framework for shape analysis of white matter fiber bundles.

PubMed

Glozman, Tanya; Bruckert, Lisa; Pestilli, Franco; Yecies, Derek W; Guibas, Leonidas J; Yeom, Kristen W

2018-02-15

Diffusion imaging coupled with tractography algorithms allows researchers to image human white matter fiber bundles in-vivo. These bundles are three-dimensional structures with shapes that change over time during the course of development as well as in pathologic states. While most studies on white matter variability focus on analysis of tissue properties estimated from the diffusion data, e.g. fractional anisotropy, the shape variability of white matter fiber bundle is much less explored. In this paper, we present a set of tools for shape analysis of white matter fiber bundles, namely: (1) a concise geometric model of bundle shapes; (2) a method for bundle registration between subjects; (3) a method for deformation estimation. Our framework is useful for analysis of shape variability in white matter fiber bundles. We demonstrate our framework by applying our methods on two datasets: one consisting of data for 6 normal adults and another consisting of data for 38 normal children of age 11 days to 8.5 years. We suggest a robust and reproducible method to measure changes in the shape of white matter fiber bundles. We demonstrate how this method can be used to create a model to assess age-dependent changes in the shape of specific fiber bundles. We derive such models for an ensemble of white matter fiber bundles on our pediatric dataset and show that our results agree with normative human head and brain growth data. Creating these models for a large pediatric longitudinal dataset may improve understanding of both normal development and pathologic states and propose novel parameters for the examination of the pediatric brain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polarization-maintaining fiber pulse compressor by birefringent hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirakawa, Akira; Tanisho, Motoyuki; Ueda, Ken-Ichi

2006-12-01

Structural birefringent properties of a hollow-core photonic-bandgap fiber were carefully investigated and applied to all-fiber chirped-pulse amplification as a compressor. The group birefringence of as high as 6.9×10-4 and the dispersion splitting by as large as 149 ps/nm/km between the two principal polarization modes were observed at 1557 nm. By launching the amplifier output to one of the polarization modes a 17-dB polarization extinction ratio was obtained without any pulse degradation originating from polarization-mode dispersion. A hybrid fiber stretcher effectively compensates the peculiar dispersion of the photonic-bandgap fiber and pedestal-free 440-fs pulses with a 1-W average power and 21-nJ pulse energy were obtained. Polarization-maintaining fiber-pigtail output of high-power femtosecond pulses is useful for various applications.

Characterization of a space orbited incoherent fiber optic bundle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewalt, Stephen A.; Taylor, Edward W.

1993-01-01

The results of a study performed to determine the effects of adverse space environments on a bundle of over 1800 optical fibers orbited for 69 months are reported. Experimental results are presented on an incoherent fiber optic bundle oriented in low Earth orbit aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) satellite as part of the Space Environment Effects Experiment (M0006). Measurements were performed to determine if space induced radiation effects changed the fiber bundle characteristics. Data demonstrating the success of light transmitting fibers to withstand the adverse space environment are presented.

Infrared imaging spectrometry by the use of bundled chalcogenide glass fibers and a PtSi CCD camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Mitsunori; Kikuchi, Katsuhiro; Tanaka, Chinari; Sone, Hiroshi; Morimoto, Shozo; Yamashita, Toshiharu T.; Nishii, Junji

1999-10-01

A coherent fiber bundle for infrared image transmission was prepared by arranging 8400 chalcogenide (AsS) glass fibers. The fiber bundle, 1 m in length, is transmissive in the infrared spectral region of 1 - 6 micrometer. A remote spectroscopic imaging system was constructed with the fiber bundle and an infrared PtSi CCD camera. The system was used for the real-time observation (frame time: 1/60 s) of gas distribution. Infrared light from a SiC heater was delivered to a gas cell through a chalcogenide fiber, and transmitted light was observed through the fiber bundle. A band-pass filter was used for the selection of gas species. A He-Ne laser of 3.4 micrometer wavelength was also used for the observation of hydrocarbon gases. Gases bursting from a nozzle were observed successfully by a remote imaging system.

Fiber optic spectroscopic digital imaging sensor and method for flame properties monitoring

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

Zelepouga, Serguei A; Rue, David M; Saveliev, Alexei V

2011-03-15

A system for real-time monitoring of flame properties in combustors and gasifiers which includes an imaging fiber optic bundle having a light receiving end and a light output end and a spectroscopic imaging system operably connected with the light output end of the imaging fiber optic bundle. Focusing of the light received by the light receiving end of the imaging fiber optic bundle by a wall disposed between the light receiving end of the fiber optic bundle and a light source, which wall forms a pinhole opening aligned with the light receiving end.

Universal fiber-optic C.I.E. colorimeter

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1992-01-01

Apparatus for color measurements according to the C.I.E. system comprises a first fiber optic cable for receiving and linearizing light from a light source, a lens system for spectrally displaying the linearized light and focusing the light on one end of a trifurcated fiber optic assembly that integrates and separates the light according to the three C.I.E. tristimulus functions. The separated light is received by three photodiodes and electronically evaluated to determine the magnitude of the light corresponding to the tristimulus functions. The fiber optic assembly is made by forming, at one end, a bundle of optic fibers to match the contours of one of the tristimulus functions, encapsulating that bundle, adding a second bundle that, together with the first bundle, will match the contours of the first plus one other tristimulus function, encapsulating that second bundle, then adding a third bundle which together with the first and second bundles, has contours matching the sum of all three tristimulus functions. At the other end of the assembly the three bundles are separated and aligned with their respective photodiodes.

Liquid crystal photonic bandgap fiber components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolari, L.; Alkeskjold, T. T.; Noordegraaf, D.; Tartarini, G.; Bassi, P.; Bjarklev, A.

2007-11-01

Liquid crystal photonic bandgap fibers represent a promising platform for the design of all-in-fiber optical devices, which show a high degree of tunability and exhibit novel optical properties for the manipulation of guided light. In this review paper we present tunable fiber devices for spectral filtering, such as Gaussian filters and notch filters, and devices for polarization control and analysis, such as birefringence control devices and switchable and rotatable polarizers.

Characteristics of a liquid-crystal-filled composite lattice terahertz bandgap fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Jinjun; Ge, Meilan; Wang, Shasha; Yang, Yanan; Li, Yong; Chang, Shengjiang

2018-07-01

A new type of terahertz fiber is presented based on composite lattice photonic crystal bandgap. The cladding is filled selectively with the nematic liquid crystal 5CB which is sensitive to the electric field. The terahertz wave can be modulated by using the electric field to control the orientation of liquid crystal molecules. The plane wave expansion method and the finite element method are employed to theoretically analyze bandgap characteristics, polarization characteristics, energy fraction and material absorption loss. The results show that this fiber structure can be used as tunable terahertz polarization controller.

Mid-infrared chalcogenide fiber devices for medical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chenard, Francois; Alvarez, Oseas; Buff, Andrew

2018-02-01

High-purity chalcogenide glasses and fiber draw processes enable the production of state-of-the-art mid-infrared fibers for 1.5 to 10 micron transmission. Multimode and single-mode mid-infrared fibers are produced with low-loss (<0.2 dB/m), high tensile strength (>25 kpsi), and high power laser handling capability (>11.8 MW/cm2). Chalcogenide fibers support the development of cutting-edge devices for mid-infrared medical applications. Connectorized cables transmit laser power to a sample or mid-infrared radiation to a detector. Broadband antireflection microstructures are thermally stamped on the chalcogenide fiber tip to reduce the surface reflection from 17% to <5%. Also custom fiber-optic probe bundles are made with multiple fiber legs (source, sample, signal) for reflection and backscatter spectroscopy measurement. For example, a 7 x 1 fiber probe bundle is presented. Additionally imaging fiber bundle is made to perform remote thermal and spectral imaging. Square preforms are drawn, stacked, squared and fused multiple times to produce a 64 x 64 imaging fiber bundle with fiber pixel size of 34 microns and the numerical aperture of 0.3. The 2- meter long imaging fiber bundle is small (2.2 mm x 2.2 mm), flexible (bend radius >10 mm) and transmits over the spectral range of 1.5 to 6.5 micron.

From single muscle fiber to whole muscle mechanics: a finite element model of a muscle bundle with fast and slow fibers.

PubMed

Marcucci, Lorenzo; Reggiani, Carlo; Natali, Arturo N; Pavan, Piero G

2017-12-01

Muscles exhibit highly complex, multi-scale architecture with thousands of muscle fibers, each with different properties, interacting with each other and surrounding connective structures. Consequently, the results of single-fiber experiments are scarcely linked to the macroscopic or whole muscle behavior. This is especially true for human muscles where it would be important to understand of how skeletal muscles disorders affect patients' life. In this work, we developed a mathematical model to study how fast and slow muscle fibers, well characterized in single-fiber experiments, work and generate together force and displacement in muscle bundles. We characterized the parameters of a Hill-type model, using experimental data on fast and slow single human muscle fibers, and comparing experimental data with numerical simulations obtained from finite element (FE) models of single fibers. Then, we developed a FE model of a bundle of 19 fibers, based on an immunohistochemically stained cross section of human diaphragm and including the corresponding properties of each slow or fast fiber. Simulations of isotonic contractions of the bundle model allowed the generation of its apparent force-velocity relationship. Although close to the average of the force-velocity curves of fast and slow fibers, the bundle curve deviates substantially toward the fast fibers at low loads. We believe that the present model and the characterization of the force-velocity curve of a fiber bundle represents the starting point to link the single-fiber properties to those of whole muscle with FE application in phenomenological models of human muscles.

Sealed fiber-optic bundle feedthrough

DOEpatents

Tanner, Carol E.

2002-01-01

A sealed fiber-optic bundle feedthrough by which a multitude of fiber-optic elements may be passed through an opening or port in a wall or structure separating two environments at different pressures or temperatures while maintaining the desired pressure or temperature in each environment. The feedthrough comprises a rigid sleeve of suitable material, a bundle of individual optical fibers, and a resin-based sealing material that bonds the individual optical fibers to each other and to the rigid sleeve.

Prevalence of Split Nerve Fiber Layer Bundles in Healthy People Imaged with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Gür Güngör, Sirel; Akman, Ahmet; Sarıgül Sezenöz, Almila; Tanrıaşıkı, Gülşah

2016-12-01

The presence of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) split bundles was recently described in normal eyes scanned using scanning laser polarimetry and by histologic studies. Split bundles may resemble RNFL loss in healthy eyes. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of nerve fiber layer split bundles in healthy people. We imaged 718 eyes of 359 healthy persons with the spectral domain optical coherence tomography in this cross-sectional study. All eyes had intraocular pressure of 21 mmHg or less, normal appearance of the optic nerve head, and normal visual fields (Humphrey Field Analyzer 24-2 full threshold program). In our study, a bundle was defined as 'split' when there is localized defect not resembling a wedge defect in the RNFL deviation map with a symmetrically divided RNFL appearance on the RNFL thickness map. The classification was performed by two independent observers who used an identical set of reference examples to standardize the classification. Inter-observer consensus was reached in all cases. Bilateral superior split bundles were seen in 19 cases (5.29%) and unilateral superior split was observed in 15 cases (4.16%). In 325 cases (90.52%) there was no split bundle. Split nerve fiber layer bundles, in contrast to single nerve fiber layer bundles, are not common findings in healthy eyes. In eyes with normal optic disc appearance, especially when a superior RNFL defect is observed in RNFL deviation map, the RNLF thickness map and graphs should also be examined for split nerve fiber layer bundles.

Article and method for making complex shaped preform and silicon carbide composite by melt infiltration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corman, Gregory S. (Inventor); Steibel, James D. (Inventor); Schikner, Robert C. (Inventor); Szweda, Andrew (Inventor)

2001-01-01

Small diameter silicon carbide-containing fibers are provided in a bundle such as a fiber tow that can be formed into a structure where the radii of curvature is not limited to 10-20 inches. An aspect of this invention is directed to impregnating the bundles of fibers with the slurry composition to substantially coat the outside surface of an individual fiber within the bundle and to form a complex shaped preform with a mass of continuous fibers.

Article and method for making complex shaped preform and silicon carbide composite by melt infiltration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szweda, Andrew (Inventor); Corman, Gregory S. (Inventor); Steibel, James D. (Inventor); Schikner, Robert C. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Small diameter silicon carbide-containing fibers are provided in a bundle such as a fiber tow that can be formed into a structure where the radii of curvature is not limited to 10-20 inches. An aspect of this invention is directed to impregnating the bundles of fibers with the slurry composition to substantially coat the outside surface of an individual fiber within the bundle and to form a complex shaped preform with a mass of continuous fibers.

Study on parameters affecting the mechanical properties of dry fiber bundles during continuous composite manufacturing processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, A.; Schledjewski, R.

2016-07-01

For continuous manufacturing processes mechanical preloading of the fibers occurs during the delivery of the fibers from the spool creel to the actual manufacturing process step. Moreover preloading of the dry roving bundles might be mandatory, e.g. during winding, to be able to produce high quality components. On the one hand too high tensile loads within dry roving bundles might result in a catastrophic failure and on the other hand the part produced under too low pre-tension might have low quality and mechanical properties. In this work, load conditions influencing mechanical properties of dry glass fiber bundles during continuous composite manufacturing processes were analyzed. Load conditions, i.e. fiber delivery speed, necessary pre-tension and other effects of the delivery system during continuous fiber winding, were chosen in process typical ranges. First, the strain rate dependency under static tensile load conditions was investigated. Furthermore different free gauge lengths up to 1.2 m, interactions between fiber points of contact regarding influence of sizing as well as impregnation were tested and the effect of twisting on the mechanical behavior of dry glass fiber bundles during the fiber delivery was studied.

Localized Statistics for DW-MRI Fiber Bundle Segmentation

PubMed Central

Lankton, Shawn; Melonakos, John; Malcolm, James; Dambreville, Samuel; Tannenbaum, Allen

2013-01-01

We describe a method for segmenting neural fiber bundles in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images (DWMRI). As these bundles traverse the brain to connect regions, their local orientation of diffusion changes drastically, hence a constant global model is inaccurate. We propose a method to compute localized statistics on orientation information and use it to drive a variational active contour segmentation that accurately models the non-homogeneous orientation information present along the bundle. Initialized from a single fiber path, the proposed method proceeds to capture the entire bundle. We demonstrate results using the technique to segment the cingulum bundle and describe several extensions making the technique applicable to a wide range of tissues. PMID:23652079

Effects of accelerated artificial daylight aging on bending strength and bonding of glass fibers in fiber-embedded maxillofacial silicone prostheses.

PubMed

Hatamleh, Muhanad M; Watts, David C

2010-07-01

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of different periods of accelerated artificial daylight aging on bond strength of glass fiber bundles embedded into maxillofacial silicone elastomer and on bending strength of the glass fiber bundles. Forty specimens were fabricated by embedding resin-impregnated fiber bundles (1.5-mm diameter, 20-mm long) into maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Specimens were randomly allocated into four groups, and each group was subjected to different periods of accelerated daylight aging as follows (in hours); 0, 200, 400, and 600. The aging cycle included continuous exposure to quartz-filtered visible daylight (irradiance 760 W/m(2)) under an alternating weathering cycle (wet for 18 minutes, dry for 102 minutes). Pull-out tests were performed to evaluate bond strength between fiber bundles and silicone using a universal testing machine at 1 mm/min crosshead speed. Also a three-point bending test was performed to evaluate bending strength of the fiber bundles. One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests were carried out to detect statistical significance (p < 0.05). Mean (SD) values of maximum pull-out forces (in N) for groups 1 to 4 were: 13.63 (7.45), 19.67 (1.37), 13.58 (2.61), and 10.37 (2.52). Group 2 exhibited the highest pull-out force that was statistically significant when compared to the other groups. Maximum bending strengths of fiber bundles were in the range of 917.72 MPa to 1124.06 MPa. Bending strength significantly increased after 200 and 400 hours of aging only. After 200 hours of exposure to artificial daylight and moisture conditions, bond strength between glass fibers and heat-cured silicones is optimal, and the bending strength of the glass fiber bundles is enhanced.

Unravel the key genes potentially related to high strength of cotton fiber by comparative phenotypic and genomic analyses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The demand of high strength of cotton fibers has been increased dramatically with the advent of modern high speed spinning technology for producing yarn. Bundle fiber strength is affected by fiber-to-fiber interactions in addition to the individual fiber strength. The bundle fiber strength is not al...

Automated atlas-based clustering of white matter fiber tracts from DTMRI.

PubMed

Maddah, Mahnaz; Mewes, Andrea U J; Haker, Steven; Grimson, W Eric L; Warfield, Simon K

2005-01-01

A new framework is presented for clustering fiber tracts into anatomically known bundles. This work is motivated by medical applications in which variation analysis of known bundles of fiber tracts in the human brain is desired. To include the anatomical knowledge in the clustering, we invoke an atlas of fiber tracts, labeled by the number of bundles of interest. In this work, we construct such an atlas and use it to cluster all fiber tracts in the white matter. To build the atlas, we start with a set of labeled ROIs specified by an expert and extract the fiber tracts initiating from each ROI. Affine registration is used to project the extracted fiber tracts of each subject to the atlas, whereas their B-spline representation is used to efficiently compare them to the fiber tracts in the atlas and assign cluster labels. Expert visual inspection of the result confirms that the proposed method is very promising and efficient in clustering of the known bundles of fiber tracts.

Time-dependent fiber bundles with local load sharing.

PubMed

Newman, W I; Phoenix, S L

2001-02-01

Fiber bundle models, where fibers have random lifetimes depending on their load histories, are useful tools in explaining time-dependent failure in heterogeneous materials. Such models shed light on diverse phenomena such as fatigue in structural materials and earthquakes in geophysical settings. Various asymptotic and approximate theories have been developed for bundles with various geometries and fiber load-sharing mechanisms, but numerical verification has been hampered by severe computational demands in larger bundles. To gain insight at large size scales, interest has returned to idealized fiber bundle models in 1D. Such simplified models typically assume either equal load sharing (ELS) among survivors, or local load sharing (LLS) where a failed fiber redistributes its load onto its two nearest flanking survivors. Such models can often be solved exactly or asymptotically in increasing bundle size, N, yet still capture the essence of failure in real materials. The present work focuses on 1D bundles under LLS. As in previous works, a fiber has failure rate following a power law in its load level with breakdown exponent rho. Surviving fibers under fixed loads have remaining lifetimes that are independent and exponentially distributed. We develop both new asymptotic theories and new computational algorithms that greatly increase the bundle sizes that can be treated in large replications (e.g., one million fibers in thousands of realizations). In particular we develop an algorithm that adapts several concepts and methods that are well-known among computer scientists, but relatively unknown among physicists, to dramatically increase the computational speed with no attendant loss of accuracy. We consider various regimes of rho that yield drastically different behavior as N increases. For 1/2< or =rho< or =1, ELS and LLS have remarkably similar behavior (they have identical lifetime distributions at rho=1) with approximate Gaussian bundle lifetime statistics and a finite limiting mean. For rho>1 this Gaussian behavior also applies to ELS, whereas LLS behavior diverges sharply showing brittle, weakest volume behavior in terms of characteristic elements derived from critical cluster formation. For 0

Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer inside an optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Mingjie; Leong, Wuiseng; Chen, Zilong; Lan, Shau-Yu

2017-04-01

Precision measurement with light-pulse grating atom interferometry in free space have been used in the study of fundamental physics and applications in inertial sensing. Recent development of photonic band-gap fibers allows light for traveling in hollow region while preserving its fundamental Gaussian mode. The fibers could provide a very promising platform to transfer cold atoms. Optically guided matter waves inside a hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber can mitigate diffraction limit problem and has the potential to bring research in the field of atomic sensing and precision measurement to the next level of compactness and accuracy. Here, we will show our experimental progress towards an atom interferometer in optical fibers. We designed an atom trapping scheme inside a hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber to create an optical guided matter waves system, and studied the coherence properties of Rubidium atoms in this optical guided system. We also demonstrate a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer in the optical waveguide. This interferometer is promising for precision measurements and designs of mobile atomic sensors.

Simultaneous monitoring the real and imaginary parts of the analyte refractive index using liquid-core photonic bandgap Bragg fibers.

PubMed

Li, Jingwen; Qu, Hang; Skorobogatiy, Maksim

2015-09-07

We demonstrate simultaneous monitoring of the real and imaginary parts of the liquid analyte refractive index by using a hollow-core Bragg fiber. We apply this two-channel fiber sensor to monitor concentrations of various commercial cooling oils. The sensor operates using spectral monitoring of the fiber bandgap center wavelength, as well as monitoring of the fiber transmission amplitude at mid-bandgap position. The sensitivity of the fiber sensor to changes in the real part of the core refractive index is found to be 1460nm/Refractive index unit (RIU). By using spectral modality and effective medium theory, we determine the concentrations of the two commercial fluids from the measured refractive indices with an accuracy of ~0.57% for both low- and high-loss oils. Moreover, using an amplitude-based detection modality allows determination of the oil concentration with accuracy of ~1.64% for low-loss oils and ~2.81% for the high-loss oils.

Vacuum Powder Injector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Working, Dennis C.

1991-01-01

Method developed to provide uniform impregnation of bundles of carbon-fiber tow with low-solubility, high-melt-flow polymer powder materials to produce composite prepregs. Vacuum powder injector expands bundle of fiber tow, applies polymer to it, then compresses bundle to hold powder. System provides for control of amount of polymer on bundle. Crystallinity of polymer maintained by controlled melt on takeup system. All powder entrapped, and most collected for reuse. Process provides inexpensive and efficient method for making composite materials. Allows for coating of any bundle of fine fibers with powders. Shows high potential for making prepregs of improved materials and for preparation of high-temperature, high-modulus, reinforced thermoplastics.

Stiff muscle fibers in calf muscles of patients with cerebral palsy lead to high passive muscle stiffness.

PubMed

Mathewson, Margie A; Chambers, Henry G; Girard, Paul J; Tenenhaus, Mayer; Schwartz, Alexandra K; Lieber, Richard L

2014-12-01

Cerebral palsy (CP), caused by an injury to the developing brain, can lead to alterations in muscle function. Subsequently, increased muscle stiffness and decreased joint range of motion are often seen in patients with CP. We examined mechanical and biochemical properties of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which are involved in equinus muscle contracture. Passive mechanical testing of single muscle fibers from gastrocnemius and soleus muscle of patients with CP undergoing surgery for equinus deformity showed a significant increase in fiber stiffness (p<0.01). Bundles of fibers that included their surrounding connective tissues showed no stiffness difference (p=0.28).). When in vivo sarcomere lengths were measured and fiber and bundle stiffness compared at these lengths, both fibers and bundles of patients with CP were predicted to be much stiffer in vivo compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. Interestingly, differences in fiber and bundle stiffness were not explained by typical biochemical measures such as titin molecular weight (a giant protein thought to impact fiber stiffness) or collagen content (a proxy for extracellular matrix amount). We suggest that the passive mechanical properties of fibers and bundles are thus poorly understood. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhanced chemiluminescent detection scheme for trace vapor sensing in pneumatically-tuned hollow core photonic bandgap fibers.

PubMed

Stolyarov, Alexander M; Gumennik, Alexander; McDaniel, William; Shapira, Ofer; Schell, Brent; Sorin, Fabien; Kuriki, Ken; Benoit, Gilles; Rose, Aimee; Joannopoulos, John D; Fink, Yoel

2012-05-21

We demonstrate an in-fiber gas phase chemical detection architecture in which a chemiluminescent (CL) reaction is spatially and spectrally matched to the core modes of hollow photonic bandgap (PBG) fibers in order to enhance detection efficiency. A peroxide-sensitive CL material is annularly shaped and centered within the fiber's hollow core, thereby increasing the overlap between the emission intensity and the intensity distribution of the low-loss fiber modes. This configuration improves the sensitivity by 0.9 dB/cm compared to coating the material directly on the inner fiber surface, where coupling to both higher loss core modes and cladding modes is enhanced. By integrating the former configuration with a custom-built optofluidic system designed for concomitant controlled vapor delivery and emission measurement, we achieve a limit-of-detection of 100 parts per billion (ppb) for hydrogen peroxide vapor. The PBG fibers are produced by a new fabrication method whereby external gas pressure is used as a control knob to actively tune the transmission bandgaps through the entire visible range during the thermal drawing process.

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of crystalline bundles of polygonized single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2008-11-01

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural characterizations and electronic properties of two large-diameter (13, 13) and (14, 14) armchair silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) bundles are investigated. Full structural optimizations show that the cross sections of these large-diameter SiCNTs in the bundles have a nearly hexagonal shape. The effects of inter-tube coupling on the electronic dispersions of large-diameter SiCNT bundles are demonstrated. By comparing the band structures of the triangular lattices of (14, 14) SiCNTs with nearly hexagonal and circular cross sections we found that the polygonization of the tubes in the bundle leads to a further dispersion of the occupied bands and an increase in the bandgap by 0.18 eV.

Ab initio density functional theory investigation of crystalline bundles of polygonized single-walled silicon carbide nanotubes.

PubMed

Moradian, Rostam; Behzad, Somayeh; Chegel, Raad

2008-11-19

By using ab initio density functional theory, the structural characterizations and electronic properties of two large-diameter (13, 13) and (14, 14) armchair silicon carbide nanotube (SiCNT) bundles are investigated. Full structural optimizations show that the cross sections of these large-diameter SiCNTs in the bundles have a nearly hexagonal shape. The effects of inter-tube coupling on the electronic dispersions of large-diameter SiCNT bundles are demonstrated. By comparing the band structures of the triangular lattices of (14, 14) SiCNTs with nearly hexagonal and circular cross sections we found that the polygonization of the tubes in the bundle leads to a further dispersion of the occupied bands and an increase in the bandgap by 0.18 eV.

Optical Fiber Array Assemblies for Space Flight on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, Jelanie; Matuszeski, Adam

2011-01-01

Custom fiber optic bundle array assemblies developed by the Photonics Group at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center were an enabling technology for both the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) and the Laser Ranging (LR) Investigation on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) currently in operation. The unique assembly array designs provided considerable decrease in size and weight and met stringent system level requirements. This is the first time optical fiber array bundle assemblies were used in a high performance space flight application. This innovation was achieved using customized Diamond Switzerland AVIM optical connectors. For LOLA, a five fiber array was developed for the receiver telescope to maintain precise alignment for each of the 200/220 micron optical fibers collecting 1,064 nm wavelength light being reflected back from the moon. The array splits to five separate detectors replacing the need for multiple telescopes. An image illustration of the LOLA instrument can be found at the top of the figure. For the laser ranging, a seven-optical-fiber array of 400/440 micron fibers was developed to transmit light from behind the LR receiver telescope located on the end of the high gain antenna system (HGAS). The bundle was routed across two moving gimbals, down the HGAS boom arm, over a deployable mandrel and across the spacecraft to a detector on the LOLA instrument. The routing of the optical fiber bundle and its end locations is identified in the figure. The Laser Ranging array and bundle is currently accepting light at a wavelength of 532 nm sent to the moon from laser stations at Greenbelt MD and other stations around the world to gather precision ranging information from the Earth to the LRO spacecraft. The LR bundle assembly is capable of withstanding temperatures down to -55 C at the connectors, and 20,000 mechanical gimbal cycles at temperatures as cold as -20 C along the length of the seven-fiber bundle (that is packaged into the gimbals). The total bundle assembly is 10 meters long with two interconnections requiring precise clocking of the seven-fiber array pattern.

A retracting wire knife for cutting fiber bundles and making sheet lesions of brain tissue.

PubMed

Shibata, M; Russell, I S

1979-07-01

A retracting knife which has two cutting wires for the transection of fiber bundles is described. The knife holds the fiber bundles of the stria terminalis between the two cutting wires and transects them by a shearing movement as the wires close. In addition, the feasability of such a knife producing a sheet lesion around the n. caudatus is also described.

An applied investigation of kenaf-based fiber/polymer composites as potential lightweight materials for automotive components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Yicheng

Natural fibers have the potential to replace glass fibers in fiber-reinforced composite applications. However, the natural fibers' intrinsic properties cause these issues: (1) the mechanical property variation; (2) moisture uptake by natural fibers and their composites; (3) lack of sound, cost-effective, environment-friendly fiber-matrix compounding processes; (4) incompatibility between natural fibers and polymer matrices; and (5) low heat-resistance of natural fibers and their composites. This dissertation systematically studied the use of kenaf bast fiber bundles, obtained via a mechanical retting method, as a light-weight reinforcement material for fiber-reinforced thermoset polymer composites for automotive applications. Kenaf bast fiber bundle tensile properties were tested, and the effects of locations in the kenaf plant, loading rates, retting methods, and high temperature treatments and their durations on kenaf bast fiber bundle tensile properties were evaluated. A process has been developed for fabricating high fiber loading kenaf bast fiber bundle-reinforced unsaturated polyester composites. The generated composites possessed high elastic moduli and their tensile strengths were close to specification requirements for glass fiber-reinforced sheet molding compounds. Effects of fiber loadings and lengths on resultant composite's tensile properties were evaluated. Fiber loadings were very important for composite tensile modulus. Both fiber loadings and fiber lengths were important for composite tensile strengths. The distributions of composite tensile, flexural and impact strengths were analyzed. The 2-parameter Weibull model was found to be the most appropriate for describing the composite strength distributions and provided the most conservative design values. Kenaf-reinforced unsaturated polyester composites were also proved to be more cost-effective than glass fiber-reinforced SMCs at high fiber loadings. Kenaf bast fiber bundle-reinforced composite's water absorption properties were tested. Surface-coating and edge-sealing significantly reduced composite water resistance properties. Encapsulation was a practical method to improve composite water resistance properties. The molding pressure and styrene concentrations on composite and matrix properties were evaluated. Laser and plasma treatment improved fiber-to-matrix adhesion.

Continuously tunable devices based on electrical control of dual-frequency liquid crystal filled photonic bandgap fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolari, Lara; Tanggaard Alkeskjold, Thomas; Riishede, Jesper; Bjarklev, Anders; Sparre Hermann, David; Anawati, Anawati; Dybendal Nielsen, Martin; Bassi, Paolo

2005-09-01

We present an electrically controlled photonic bandgap fiber device obtained by infiltrating the air holes of a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a dual-frequency liquid crystal (LC) with pre-tilted molecules. Compared to previously demonstrated devices of this kind, the main new feature of this one is its continuous tunability due to the fact that the used LC does not exhibit reverse tilt domain defects and threshold effects. Furthermore, the dual-frequency features of the LC enables electrical control of the spectral position of the bandgaps towards both shorter and longer wavelengths in the same device. We investigate the dynamics of this device and demonstrate a birefringence controller based on this principle.

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

Kidane, Getnet S; Desilva, Upul P.; He, Chengli

A gas turbine includes first and second parts having outer surfaces located adjacent to each other to create an interface where wear occurs. A wear probe is provided for monitoring wear of the outer surface of the first part, and includes an optical guide having first and second ends, wherein the first end is configured to be located flush with the outer surface of the first part. A fiber bundle includes first and second ends, the first end being located proximate to the second end of the optical guide. The fiber bundle includes a transmit fiber bundle comprising a firstmore » plurality of optical fibers coupled to a light source, and a receive fiber bundle coupled to a light detector and configured to detect reflected light. A processor is configured to determine a length of the optical guide based on the detected reflected light.« less

Real-time fiber selection using the Wii remote

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Jan; Scholl, Mike; Köhn, Alexander; Hahn, Horst K.

2010-02-01

In the last few years, fiber tracking tools have become popular in clinical contexts, e.g., for pre- and intraoperative neurosurgical planning. The efficient, intuitive, and reproducible selection of fiber bundles still constitutes one of the main issues. In this paper, we present a framework for a real-time selection of axonal fiber bundles using a Wii remote control, a wireless controller for Nintendo's gaming console. It enables the user to select fiber bundles without any other input devices. To achieve a smooth interaction, we propose a novel spacepartitioning data structure for efficient 3D range queries in a data set consisting of precomputed fibers. The data structure which is adapted to the special geometry of fiber tracts allows for queries that are many times faster compared with previous state-of-the-art approaches. In order to extract reliably fibers for further processing, e.g., for quantification purposes or comparisons with preoperatively tracked fibers, we developed an expectationmaximization clustering algorithm that can refine the range queries. Our initial experiments have shown that white matter fiber bundles can be reliably selected within a few seconds by the Wii, which has been placed in a sterile plastic bag to simulate usage under surgical conditions.

Fabrication of novel bundled fiber and performance assessment for clinical applications.

PubMed

Kim, Changhwan; Jeon, Myung Jin; Jung, Jin Hyang; Yang, Jung Dug; Park, Hoyong; Kang, Hyun Wook; Lee, Ho

2014-11-01

During laser vaporization of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), high precision of optical fiber handling is pivotal to minimize any post-operative complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasible applications of a bundled fiber to treat BPH by directionally and selectively manipulating laser light onto the targeted tissue. A bundled optical fiber, consisting of four side-firing fibers, was fabricated to selectively emit laser beams in from one to four directions. Both transmission efficiency and light distribution were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized on the bundled fiber. In terms of interstitial application of the proposed fiber with 1064 nm on porcine liver tissue, the extent of thermal denaturation was estimated and compared at various laser parameterizations and for different directions of light. From the laser source to the fiber tip, the fabricated fiber device demonstrated a total light transmission of 52%. Due to internal light reflection, a secondary beam was emitted backward from the fiber tip and was responsible for 25% of the transmission loss. According to tissue testing, the extent of tissue denaturation generally increased with laser power, irradiation time, and number of light directions. The geometrical shape of thermal coagulation correlated well with the direction of light emission. Thermal damage to the glass tube occurred during excessive heat accumulation generated by continuous irradiation. The proposed fiber can be beneficial for laser vaporization of BPH by providing a selective light direction irradiation along with minimal thermal damage. Further studies will extend the applicability of the bundled fiber to treat tubular tissue structure. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Scintillator-fiber charged particle track-imaging detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Binns, W. R.; Israel, M. H.; Klarmann, J.

1983-01-01

A scintillator-fiber charged-particle track-imaging detector was developed using a bundle of square cross section plastic scintillator fiber optics, proximity focused onto an image intensified charge injection device (CID) camera. The tracks of charged particle penetrating into the scintillator fiber bundle are projected onto the CID camera and the imaging information is read out in video format. The detector was exposed to beams of 15 MeV protons and relativistic Neon, Manganese, and Gold nuclei and images of their tracks were obtained. Details of the detector technique, properties of the tracks obtained, and preliminary range measurements of 15 MeV protons stopping in the fiber bundle are presented.

Darcy Permeability of Hollow Fiber Membrane Bundles Made from Membrana Polymethylpentene Fibers Used in Respiratory Assist Devices.

PubMed

Madhani, Shalv P; D'Aloiso, Brandon D; Frankowski, Brian; Federspiel, William J

2016-01-01

Hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) are used in blood oxygenators for cardiopulmonary bypass or in next generation artificial lungs. Flow analyses of these devices is typically done using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling HFM bundles as porous media, using a Darcy permeability coefficient estimated from the Blake-Kozeny (BK) equation to account for viscous drag from fibers. We recently published how well this approach can predict Darcy permeability for fiber bundles made from polypropylene HFMs, showing the prediction can be significantly improved using an experimentally derived correlation between the BK constant (A) and bundle porosity (ε). In this study, we assessed how well our correlation for A worked for predicting the Darcy permeability of fiber bundles made from Membrana polymethylpentene (PMP) HFMs, which are increasingly being used clinically. Swatches in the porosity range of 0.4 to 0.8 were assessed in which sheets of fiber were stacked in parallel, perpendicular, and angled configurations. Our previously published correlation predicted Darcy within ±8%. A new correlation based on current and past measured permeability was determined: A = 497ε - 103; using this correlation measured Darcy permeability was within ±6%. This correlation varied from 8% to -3.5% of our prior correlation over the tested porosity range.

Darcy permeability of hollow fiber membrane bundles made from Membrana® Polymethylpentene (PMP) fibers used in respiratory assist devices

PubMed Central

Madhani, Shalv. P.; D’Aloiso, Brandon. D.; Frankowski, Brian.; Federspiel, William. J.

2016-01-01

Hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) are used in blood oxygenators for cardiopulmonary bypass or in next generation artificial lungs. Flow analyses of these devices is typically done using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling HFM bundles as porous media, using a Darcy permeability coefficient estimated from the Blake – Kozeny (BK) equation to account for viscous drag from fibers. We recently published how well this approach can predict Darcy permeability for fiber bundles made from polypropylene HFMs, showing the prediction can be significantly improved using an experimentally derived correlation between the BK constant (A) and bundle porosity (ε). In this study, we assessed how well our correlation for A worked for predicting the Darcy permeability of fiber bundles made from Membrana® polymethylpentene (PMP) HFMs, which are increasingly being used clinically. Swatches in the porosity range of 0.4 to 0.8 were assessed in which sheets of fiber were stacked in parallel, perpendicular and angled configurations. Our previously published correlation predicted Darcy within ±8%. A new correlation based on current and past measured permeability was determined: A=497ε-103; using this correlation measured Darcy permeability was within ±6%. This correlation varied from 8% to −3.5% of our prior correlation over the tested porosity range. PMID:26809086

Experiment to Detect Accelerating Modes in a Photonic Bandgap Fiber

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

England, R.J.; /SLAC; Colby, E.R.

An experimental effort is currently underway at the E-163 test beamline at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center to use a hollow-core photonic bandgap (PBG) fiber as a high-gradient laser-based accelerating structure for electron bunches. For the initial stage of this experiment, a 50pC, 60 MeV electron beam will be coupled into the fiber core and the excited modes will be detected using a spectrograph to resolve their frequency signatures in the wakefield radiation generated by the beam. They will describe the experimental plan and recent simulation studies of candidate fibers.

Combining high power diode lasers using fiber bundles for beam delivery in optoacoustic endoscopy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gawali, Sandeep Babu; Leggio, Luca; Sánchez, Miguel; Rodríguez, Sergio; Dadrasnia, Ehsan; Gallego, Daniel C.; Lamela, Horacio

2016-05-01

Optoacoustic (OA) effect refers to the generation of the acoustic waves due to absorption of light energy in a biological tissue. The incident laser pulse is absorbed by the tissue, resulting in the generation of ultrasound that is typically detected by a piezoelectric detector. Compared to other techniques, the advantage of OA imaging (OAI) technique consists in combining the high resolution of ultrasound technique with the high contrast of optical imaging. Generally, Nd:YAG and OPO systems are used for the generation of OA waves but their use in clinical environment is limited for many aspects. On the other hand, high-power diode lasers (HPDLs) emerge as potential alternative. However, the power of HPDLs is still relatively low compared to solid-state lasers. We show a side-by-side combination of several HPDLs in an optical fiber bundle to increase the amount of power for OA applications. Initially, we combine the output optical power of several HPDLs at 905 nm using two 7 to 1 round optical fiber bundles featuring a 675 μm and 1.2 mm bundle aperture. In a second step, we couple the output light of these fiber bundles to a 600 μm core diameter endoscopic fiber, reporting the corresponding coupling efficiencies. The fiber bundles with reasonable small diameter are likely to be used for providing sufficient light energy to potential OA endoscopy (OAE) applications.

Method and system for fiber optic determination of gas concentrations in liquid receptacles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Quang-Viet (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A system for determining gas compositions includes a probe, inserted into a source of gaseous material, the probe having a gas permeable sensor tip and being capable of sending and receiving light to and from the gaseous material, a sensor body, connected to the probe, situated outside of the source and a fiber bundle, connected to the sensor body and communicating light to and from the probe. The system also includes a laser source, connected to one portion of the fiber bundle and providing laser light to the fiber bundle and the probe a Raman spectrograph, connected to another portion of the fiber bundle, receiving light from the probe and filtering the received light into specific channels and a data processing unit, receiving and analyzing the received light in the specific channels and outputting concentration of specific gas species in the gaseous material based on the analyzed received light.

Process for preparing tapes from thermoplastic polymers and carbon fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Tai-Shung (Inventor); Furst, Howard (Inventor); Gurion, Zev (Inventor); McMahon, Paul E. (Inventor); Orwoll, Richard D. (Inventor); Palangio, Daniel (Inventor)

1986-01-01

The instant invention involves a process for use in preparing tapes or rovings, which are formed from a thermoplastic material used to impregnate longitudinally extended bundles of carbon fibers. The process involves the steps of (a) gas spreading a tow of carbon fibers; (b) feeding the spread tow into a crosshead die; (c) impregnating the tow in the die with a thermoplastic polymer; (d) withdrawing the impregnated tow from the die; and (e) gas cooling the impregnated tow with a jet of air. The crosshead die useful in the instant invention includes a horizontally extended, carbon fiber bundle inlet channel, means for providing melted polymer under pressure to the die, means for dividing the polymeric material flowing into the die into an upper flow channel and a lower flow channel disposed above and below the moving carbon fiber bundle, means for applying the thermoplastic material from both the upper and lower channels to the fiber bundle, and means for withdrawing the resulting tape from the die.

A Method of Assembling Compact Coherent Fiber-Optic Bundles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Stefan; Liu, Duncan; Levine, Bruce Martin; Shao, Michael; Wallace, James

2007-01-01

A method of assembling coherent fiber-optic bundles in which all the fibers are packed together as closely as possible is undergoing development. The method is based, straightforwardly, on the established concept of hexagonal close packing; hence, the development efforts are focused on fixtures and techniques for practical implementation of hexagonal close packing of parallel optical fibers.

Machine Tests Optical Fibers In Flexure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darejeh, Hadi; Thomas, Henry; Delcher, Ray

1993-01-01

Machine repeatedly flexes single optical fiber or cable or bundle of optical fibers at low temperature. Liquid nitrogen surrounds specimen as it is bent back and forth by motion of piston. Machine inexpensive to build and operate. Tests under repeatable conditions so candidate fibers, cables, and bundles evaluated for general robustness before subjected to expensive shock and vibration tests.

Determining physiological cross-sectional area of extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis as a whole and by regions using 3D computer muscle models created from digitized fiber bundle data.

PubMed

Ravichandiran, Kajeandra; Ravichandiran, Mayoorendra; Oliver, Michele L; Singh, Karan S; McKee, Nancy H; Agur, Anne M R

2009-09-01

Architectural parameters and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) are important determinants of muscle function. Extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) and brevis (ECRB) are used in muscle transfers; however, their regional architectural differences have not been investigated. The aim of this study is to develop computational algorithms to quantify and compare architectural parameters (fiber bundle length, pennation angle, and volume) and PCSA of ECRL and ECRB. Fiber bundles distributed throughout the volume of ECRL (75+/-20) and ECRB (110+/-30) were digitized in eight formalin embalmed cadaveric specimens. The digitized data was reconstructed in Autodesk Maya with computational algorithms implemented in Python. The mean PCSA and fiber bundle length were significantly different between ECRL and ECRB (p < or = 0.05). Superficial ECRL had significantly longer fiber bundle length than the deep region, whereas the PCSA of superficial ECRB was significantly larger than the deep region. The regional quantification of architectural parameters and PCSA provides a framework for the exploration of partial tendon transfers of ECRL and ECRB.

Experimental implementation of fiber optic bundle array wide FOV free space optical communications receiver.

PubMed

Brown, Andrea M; Hahn, Daniel V; Brown, David M; Rolander, Nathan W; Bair, Chun-Huei; Sluz, Joseph E

2012-06-20

A gimbal-free wide field-of-regard (FOR) optical receiver has been built in a laboratory setting for proof-of-concept testing. Multiple datasets are presented that examine the overall FOR of the system and the receiver's ability to track and collect a signal from a moving source. The design is not intended to compete with traditional free space optical communication systems, but rather offer an alternative design that minimizes the number and complexity of mechanical components required at the surface of a small mobile platform. The receiver is composed of a micro-lens array and hexagonal bundles of large core optical fibers that route the optical signal to remote detectors and electronics. Each fiber in the bundle collects power from a distinct solid angle of space and a piezo-electric transducer is used to translate the micro-lens array and optimize coupling into a given fiber core in the bundle. The micro-lens to fiber bundle design is scalable, modular, and can be replicated in an array to increase aperture size.

Parallel Information Processing (Image Transmission Via Fiber Bundle and Multimode Fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kukhtarev, Nicholai

2003-01-01

Growing demand for visual, user-friendly representation of information inspires search for the new methods of image transmission. Currently used in-series (sequential) methods of information processing are inherently slow and are designed mainly for transmission of one or two dimensional arrays of data. Conventional transmission of data by fibers requires many fibers with array of laser diodes and photodetectors. In practice, fiber bundles are also used for transmission of images. Image is formed on the fiber-optic bundle entrance surface and each fiber transmits the incident image to the exit surface. Since the fibers do not preserve phase, only 2D intensity distribution can be transmitted in this way. Each single mode fiber transmit only one pixel of an image. Multimode fibers may be also used, so that each mode represent different pixel element. Direct transmission of image through multimode fiber is hindered by the mode scrambling and phase randomization. To overcome these obstacles wavelength and time-division multiplexing have been used, with each pixel transmitted on a separate wavelength or time interval. Phase-conjugate techniques also was tested in, but only in the unpractical scheme when reconstructed image return back to the fiber input end. Another method of three-dimensional imaging over single mode fibers was demonstrated in, using laser light of reduced spatial coherence. Coherence encoding, needed for a transmission of images by this methods, was realized with grating interferometer or with the help of an acousto-optic deflector. We suggest simple practical holographic method of image transmission over single multimode fiber or over fiber bundle with coherent light using filtering by holographic optical elements. Originally this method was successfully tested for the single multimode fiber. In this research we have modified holographic method for transmission of laser illuminated images over commercially available fiber bundle (fiber endoscope, or fiberscope).

Nd- And Er-Doped Phosphate Glass For Fiber Laser.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Toshiharu T.

1990-02-01

Laser fibers prepared from Nd- and Er-doped phosphate glass possessing a large stimulated emission cross section have been investigated both in a single fiber and in a fiber bundle. In the single fiber, continuous wave oscillations were successfully obtained at 1.054 p.m and 1.366 µm on a high Nd-doped single-mode fiber of 10 mm in length and also at 1.535 pm in a Er-doped single-mode fiber, sensitized by Nd, Yb. Especially, a low threshold of 1 mw and a high slope-efficiency of 50% were achieved in 1.054 pm laser oscillation on a Nd-doped fiber, end-pumped with a laser diode. A fiber bundle of phosphate glass doped with 8 wt% Nd2O3 yielded an average output power of 100 W at 50 pps where the bundle was 4.6 mm in diameter and was side-pumped with flash lamps.

In Situ Strength Model for Continuous Fibers and Multi-Scale Modeling the Fracture of C/SiC Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Sheng; Gao, Xiguang; Song, Yingdong

2018-04-01

A new in situ strength model of carbon fibers was developed based on the distribution of defects to predict the stress-strain response and the strength of C/SiC composites. Different levels of defects in the fibers were considered in this model. The defects in the fibers were classified by their effects on the strength of the fiber. The strength of each defect and the probability that the defect appears were obtained from the tensile test of single fibers. The strength model of carbon fibers was combined with the shear-lag model to predict the stress-strain responses and the strengths of fiber bundles and C/SiC minicomposites. To verify the strength model, tensile tests were performed on fiber bundles and C/SiC minicomposites. The predicted and experimental results were in good agreement. Effects of the fiber length, the fiber number and the heat treatment on the final strengths of fiber bundles and C/SiC minicomposites were also discussed.

Fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Xie, Tuqiang; Mukai, David; Guo, Shuguang; Brenner, Matthew; Chen, Zhongping

2005-07-15

A fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe method is presented. The experimental results demonstrate this multimode optical fiber-bundle-based OCT system can achieve a lateral resolution of 12 microm and an axial resolution of 10 microm with a superluminescent diode source. This novel OCT imaging approach eliminates any moving parts in the probe and has a primary advantage for use in extremely compact and safe OCT endoscopes for imaging internal organs and great potential to be combined with confocal endoscopic microscopy.

Divergent selection for fiber length and bundle strength and correlated responses in cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cotton breeders must develop cultivars to meet the demand for longer, stronger, and more uniform fibers. In the current study, two cycles of divergent selection for fiber upper-half mean length (UHML) and bundle strength (Str) were conducted within five diverse parental combinations selected based o...

Time-dependent fiber bundles with local load sharing. II. General Weibull fibers.

PubMed

Phoenix, S Leigh; Newman, William I

2009-12-01

Fiber bundle models (FBMs) are useful tools in understanding failure processes in a variety of material systems. While the fibers and load sharing assumptions are easily described, FBM analysis is typically difficult. Monte Carlo methods are also hampered by the severe computational demands of large bundle sizes, which overwhelm just as behavior relevant to real materials starts to emerge. For large size scales, interest continues in idealized FBMs that assume either equal load sharing (ELS) or local load sharing (LLS) among fibers, rules that reflect features of real load redistribution in elastic lattices. The present work focuses on a one-dimensional bundle of N fibers under LLS where life consumption in a fiber follows a power law in its load, with exponent rho , and integrated over time. This life consumption function is further embodied in a functional form resulting in a Weibull distribution for lifetime under constant fiber stress and with Weibull exponent, beta. Thus the failure rate of a fiber depends on its past load history, except for beta=1 . We develop asymptotic results validated by Monte Carlo simulation using a computational algorithm developed in our previous work [Phys. Rev. E 63, 021507 (2001)] that greatly increases the size, N , of treatable bundles (e.g., 10(6) fibers in 10(3) realizations). In particular, our algorithm is O(N ln N) in contrast with former algorithms which were O(N2) making this investigation possible. Regimes are found for (beta,rho) pairs that yield contrasting behavior for large N. For rho>1 and large N, brittle weakest volume behavior emerges in terms of characteristic elements (groupings of fibers) derived from critical cluster formation, and the lifetime eventually goes to zero as N-->infinity , unlike ELS, which yields a finite limiting mean. For 1/21 but with 0

Time-dependent fiber bundles with local load sharing. II. General Weibull fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoenix, S. Leigh; Newman, William I.

2009-12-01

Fiber bundle models (FBMs) are useful tools in understanding failure processes in a variety of material systems. While the fibers and load sharing assumptions are easily described, FBM analysis is typically difficult. Monte Carlo methods are also hampered by the severe computational demands of large bundle sizes, which overwhelm just as behavior relevant to real materials starts to emerge. For large size scales, interest continues in idealized FBMs that assume either equal load sharing (ELS) or local load sharing (LLS) among fibers, rules that reflect features of real load redistribution in elastic lattices. The present work focuses on a one-dimensional bundle of N fibers under LLS where life consumption in a fiber follows a power law in its load, with exponent ρ , and integrated over time. This life consumption function is further embodied in a functional form resulting in a Weibull distribution for lifetime under constant fiber stress and with Weibull exponent, β . Thus the failure rate of a fiber depends on its past load history, except for β=1 . We develop asymptotic results validated by Monte Carlo simulation using a computational algorithm developed in our previous work [Phys. Rev. EPLEEE81063-651X 63, 021507 (2001)] that greatly increases the size, N , of treatable bundles (e.g., 106 fibers in 103 realizations). In particular, our algorithm is O(NlnN) in contrast with former algorithms which were O(N2) making this investigation possible. Regimes are found for (β,ρ) pairs that yield contrasting behavior for large N . For ρ>1 and large N , brittle weakest volume behavior emerges in terms of characteristic elements (groupings of fibers) derived from critical cluster formation, and the lifetime eventually goes to zero as N→∞ , unlike ELS, which yields a finite limiting mean. For 1/2≤ρ≤1 , however, LLS has remarkably similar behavior to ELS (appearing to be virtually identical for ρ=1 ) with an asymptotic Gaussian lifetime distribution and a finite limiting mean for large N . The coefficient of variation follows a power law in increasing N but, except for ρ=1 , the value of the negative exponent is clearly less than 1/2 unlike in ELS bundles where the exponent remains 1/2 for 1/2<ρ≤1 . For sufficiently small values 0<ρ≪1 , a transition occurs, depending on β , whereby LLS bundle lifetimes become dominated by a few long-lived fibers. Thus the bundle lifetime appears to approximately follow an extreme-value distribution for the longest lived of a parallel group of independent elements, which applies exactly to ρ=0 . The lower the value of β , the higher the transition value of ρ , below which such extreme-value behavior occurs. No evidence was found for limiting Gaussian behavior for ρ>1 but with 0<β(ρ+1)<1 , as might be conjectured from quasistatic bundle models where β(ρ+1) mimics the Weibull exponent for fiber strength.

High-resolution imaging of the retinal nerve fiber layer in normal eyes using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.

PubMed

Takayama, Kohei; Ooto, Sotaro; Hangai, Masanori; Arakawa, Naoko; Oshima, Susumu; Shibata, Naohisa; Hanebuchi, Masaaki; Inoue, Takashi; Yoshimura, Nagahisa

2012-01-01

To conduct high-resolution imaging of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in normal eyes using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO). AO-SLO images were obtained in 20 normal eyes at multiple locations in the posterior polar area and a circular path with a 3-4-mm diameter around the optic disc. For each eye, images focused on the RNFL were recorded and a montage of AO-SLO images was created. AO-SLO images for all eyes showed many hyperreflective bundles in the RNFL. Hyperreflective bundles above or below the fovea were seen in an arch from the temporal periphery on either side of a horizontal dividing line to the optic disc. The dark lines among the hyperreflective bundles were narrower around the optic disc compared with those in the temporal raphe. The hyperreflective bundles corresponded with the direction of the striations on SLO red-free images. The resolution and contrast of the bundles were much higher in AO-SLO images than in red-free fundus photography or SLO red-free images. The mean hyperreflective bundle width around the optic disc had a double-humped shape; the bundles at the temporal and nasal sides of the optic disc were narrower than those above and below the optic disc (P<0.001). RNFL thickness obtained by optical coherence tomography correlated with the hyperreflective bundle widths on AO-SLO (P<0.001) AO-SLO revealed hyperreflective bundles and dark lines in the RNFL, believed to be retinal nerve fiber bundles and Müller cell septa. The widths of the nerve fiber bundles appear to be proportional to the RNFL thickness at equivalent distances from the optic disc.

Fabrication of a chirped artificial compound eye for endoscopic imaging fiber bundle by dose-modulated laser lithography and subsequent thermal reflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shengfeng; Lyu, Jinke; Sun, Hongda; Cui, Xiaobin; Wang, Tun; Lu, Miao

2015-03-01

A chirped artificial compound eye on a curved surface was fabricated using an optical resin and then mounted on the end of an endoscopic imaging fiber bundle. The focal length of each lenslet on the curved surface was variable to realize a flat focal plane, which matched the planar end surface of the fiber bundle. The variation of the focal length was obtained by using a photoresist mold formed by dose-modulated laser lithography and subsequent thermal reflow. The imaging performance of the fiber bundle was characterized by coupling with a coaxial light microscope, and the result demonstrated a larger field of view and better imaging quality than that of an artificial compound eye with a uniform focal length. Accordingly, this technology has potential application in stereoscopic endoscopy.

In vivo bioluminescence and reflectance imaging of multiple organs in bioluminescence reporter mice by bundled-fiber-coupled microscopy

PubMed Central

Ando, Yoriko; Sakurai, Takashi; Koida, Kowa; Tei, Hajime; Hida, Akiko; Nakao, Kazuki; Natsume, Mistuo; Numano, Rika

2016-01-01

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is used in biomedical research to monitor biological processes within living organisms. Recently, fiber bundles with high transmittance and density have been developed to detect low light with high resolution. Therefore, we have developed a bundled-fiber-coupled microscope with a highly sensitive cooled-CCD camera that enables the BLI of organs within the mouse body. This is the first report of in vivo BLI of the brain and multiple organs in luciferase-reporter mice using bundled-fiber optics. With reflectance imaging, the structures of blood vessels and organs can be seen clearly with light illumination, and it allowed identification of the structural details of bioluminescence images. This technique can also be applied to clinical diagnostics in a low invasive manner. PMID:27231601

ECM remodeling and its plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Jingchen; Jones, Christopher A. R.; Cibula, Matthew; Mao, Xiaoming; Sander, Leonard M.; Levine, Herbert; Sun, Bo

The mechanical interactions between cells and Extracellular Matrix (ECM) are of great importance in many cellular processes. These interactions are reciprocal, i.e. contracting cells pull and reorganize the surrounding matrix, while the remodeled matrix feeds back to regulate cell activities. Recent experiments show in collagen gels with densely distributed cells, aligned fiber bundles are formed in the direction between neighboring cells. Fibers flow into the center region between contracting cell pairs in this process, which causes the concentration of fibers in the fiber bundles to become significantly enhanced. Using an extended lattice-based model, we show that viscoelasticity plays an essential role in ECM remodeling and contributes to the enhanced concentration in fiber bundles. We further characterize ECM plasticity within our model and verify our results with rheometer experiments.

A simple numerical model for membrane oxygenation of an artificial lung machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subraveti, Sai Nikhil; Sai, P. S. T.; Viswanathan Pillai, Vinod Kumar; Patnaik, B. S. V.

2015-11-01

Optimal design of membrane oxygenators will have far reaching ramification in the development of artificial heart-lung systems. In the present CFD study, we simulate the gas exchange between the venous blood and air that passes through the hollow fiber membranes on a benchmark device. The gas exchange between the tube side fluid and the shell side venous liquid is modeled by solving mass, momentum conservation equations. The fiber bundle was modelled as a porous block with a bundle porosity of 0.6. The resistance offered by the fiber bundle was estimated by the standard Ergun correlation. The present numerical simulations are validated against available benchmark data. The effect of bundle porosity, bundle size, Reynolds number, non-Newtonian constitutive relation, upstream velocity distribution etc. on the pressure drop, oxygen saturation levels etc. are investigated. To emulate the features of gas transfer past the alveoli, the effect of pulsatility on the membrane oxygenation is also investigated.

Heterotic line bundle models on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau three-folds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, Andreas P.; Brodie, Callum R.; Lukas, Andre

2018-04-01

We analyze heterotic line bundle models on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau three-folds over weak Fano bases. In order to facilitate Wilson line breaking to the standard model group, we focus on elliptically fibered three-folds with a second section and a freely-acting involution. Specifically, we consider toric weak Fano surfaces as base manifolds and identify six such manifolds with the required properties. The requisite mathematical tools for the construction of line bundle models on these spaces, including the calculation of line bundle cohomology, are developed. A computer scan leads to more than 400 line bundle models with the right number of families and an SU(5) GUT group which could descend to standard-like models after taking the ℤ2 quotient. A common and surprising feature of these models is the presence of a large number of vector-like states.

Polarizing Ytterbium-Doped all-Solid Photonic Bandgap Fiber with 1150 micrometers2 Effective Mode Area

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-11

RESPONSIBLE PERSON 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER Liang Dong Fanting Kong,, Guancheng Gu,, Thomas W. Hawkins ,, Joshua Parsons, Maxwell Jones,, Christopher...Dunn,, Monica T. Kalichevsky-Dong,, Benjamin Pulford,, Iyad Dajani,, Kunimasa Saitoh,, Stephen P. Palese,, Eric Cheung,, Liang Dong c. THIS PAGE The...ytterbium-doped all-solid photonic bandgap fiber with ~1150µm2 effective mode area Fanting Kong,1,* Guancheng Gu,1 Thomas W. Hawkins ,1 Joshua Parsons

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.

The improvement of wave-absorbing ability of silicon carbide fibers by depositing boron nitride coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Fang; Zhang, Litong; Yin, Xiaowei; Liu, Yongsheng; Cheng, Laifei

2013-04-01

This work investigated electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption and mechanical properties of silicon carbide (SiC) fibers with and without boron nitride (BN) coating by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The dielectric property and EM shielding effectiveness of SiC fiber bundles before and after being coated by BN were measured by wave guide method. The EM reflection coefficient of SiC fiber laminates with and without BN coating was determined by model calculation and NRL-arc method, respectively. Tensile properties of SiC fiber bundles with and without BN coating were tested at room temperature. Results show that SiC fibers with BN coating had a great improvement of EMW absorbing property because the composites achieved the impedance matching. BN with the low permittivity and dielectric loss contributed to the enhancive introduction and reduced reflection of EMW. The tensile strength and Weibull modulus of SiC fiber bundles coated by BN increased owing to the decrease of defects in SiC fibers and the protection of coating during loading.

Generation of contractile actomyosin bundles depends on mechanosensitive actin filament assembly and disassembly

PubMed Central

Tojkander, Sari; Gateva, Gergana; Husain, Amjad; Krishnan, Ramaswamy; Lappalainen, Pekka

2015-01-01

Adhesion and morphogenesis of many non-muscle cells are guided by contractile actomyosin bundles called ventral stress fibers. While it is well established that stress fibers are mechanosensitive structures, physical mechanisms by which they assemble, align, and mature have remained elusive. Here we show that arcs, which serve as precursors for ventral stress fibers, undergo lateral fusion during their centripetal flow to form thick actomyosin bundles that apply tension to focal adhesions at their ends. Importantly, this myosin II-derived force inhibits vectorial actin polymerization at focal adhesions through AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of VASP, and thereby halts stress fiber elongation and ensures their proper contractility. Stress fiber maturation additionally requires ADF/cofilin-mediated disassembly of non-contractile stress fibers, whereas contractile fibers are protected from severing. Taken together, these data reveal that myosin-derived tension precisely controls both actin filament assembly and disassembly to ensure generation and proper alignment of contractile stress fibers in migrating cells. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06126.001 PMID:26652273

Generation of contractile actomyosin bundles depends on mechanosensitive actin filament assembly and disassembly.

PubMed

Tojkander, Sari; Gateva, Gergana; Husain, Amjad; Krishnan, Ramaswamy; Lappalainen, Pekka

2015-12-10

Adhesion and morphogenesis of many non-muscle cells are guided by contractile actomyosin bundles called ventral stress fibers. While it is well established that stress fibers are mechanosensitive structures, physical mechanisms by which they assemble, align, and mature have remained elusive. Here we show that arcs, which serve as precursors for ventral stress fibers, undergo lateral fusion during their centripetal flow to form thick actomyosin bundles that apply tension to focal adhesions at their ends. Importantly, this myosin II-derived force inhibits vectorial actin polymerization at focal adhesions through AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of VASP, and thereby halts stress fiber elongation and ensures their proper contractility. Stress fiber maturation additionally requires ADF/cofilin-mediated disassembly of non-contractile stress fibers, whereas contractile fibers are protected from severing. Taken together, these data reveal that myosin-derived tension precisely controls both actin filament assembly and disassembly to ensure generation and proper alignment of contractile stress fibers in migrating cells.

Nanoparticles Doped Liquid Crystal Filled Photonic Bandgap Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolari, Lara; Gauza, Sebastian; Xianyu, Haiqing; Zhai, Lei; Eskildsen, Lars; Alkeskjold, Thomas Tanggaard; Wu, Shin-Tson; Bjarklev, Anders

2008-10-01

We infiltrate liquid crystals doped with BaTiO3 nanoparticles in a photonic crystal fiber and compare the measured transmission spectrum to the one achieved with undoped liquid crystals. New interesting features such as frequency dependent behavior and a transmission spectrum with tunable attenuation on the short wavelength side of the bandgap suggest a potential application of this device as a tunable all-in-fiber gain equalization filter. The tunability of the device is demonstrated by changing the temperature of the liquid crystal and by varying both the amplitude and the frequency of the applied external electric field.

Development and Characterization of a Dither-Based Super-Resolution Reconstruction Method for Fiber Imaging Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Languirand, Eric Robert

Chemical imaging is an important tool for providing insight into function, role, and spatial distribution of analytes. This thesis describes the use of imaging fiber bundles (IFB) for super-resolution reconstruction using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) showing improvement in resolution with arrayed bundles for the first time. Additionally this thesis describes characteristics of the IFB with regards to cross-talk as a function of aperture size. The first part of this thesis characterizes the IFB for both tapered and untapered bundles in terms of cross-talk. Cross-talk is defined as the amount of light leaking from a central fiber element in the imaging fiber bundle to surrounding fiber elements. To make this measurement ubiquitous for all imaging bundles, quantum dots were employed. Untapered and tapered IFB possess cross-talk of 2% or less, with fiber elements down to 32nm. The second part of this thesis employs a super resolution reconstruction algorithm using projection onto convex sets for resolution improvement. When using IFB arrays, the point spread function (PSF) of the array can be known accurately if the fiber elements over fill the pixel detector array. Therefore, the use of the known PSF compared to a general blurring kernel was evaluated. Relative increases in resolution of 12% and 2% at the 95% confidence level are found, when compared to a reference image, for the general blurring kernel and PSF, respectively. The third part of this thesis shows for the first time the use of SERS with a dithered IFB array coupled with super-resolution reconstruction. The resolution improvement across a step-edge is shown to be approximately 20% when compared to a reference image. This provides an additional means of increasing the resolution of fiber bundles beyond that of just tapering. Furthermore, this provides a new avenue for nanoscale imaging using these bundles. Lastly, synthetic data with varying degrees of signal-to-noise (S/N) were employed to explore the relationship S/N has with the reconstruction process. It is generally shown that increasing the number images used in the reconstruction process and increasing the S/N will improve the reconstruction providing larger increases in resolution.

A specialized outer layer of the primary cell wall joins elongating cotton fibers into tissue-like bundles.

PubMed

Singh, Bir; Avci, Utku; Eichler Inwood, Sarah E; Grimson, Mark J; Landgraf, Jeff; Mohnen, Debra; Sørensen, Iben; Wilkerson, Curtis G; Willats, William G T; Haigler, Candace H

2009-06-01

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) provides the world's dominant renewable textile fiber, and cotton fiber is valued as a research model because of its extensive elongation and secondary wall thickening. Previously, it was assumed that fibers elongated as individual cells. In contrast, observation by cryo-field emission-scanning electron microscopy of cotton fibers developing in situ within the boll demonstrated that fibers elongate within tissue-like bundles. These bundles were entrained by twisting fiber tips and consolidated by adhesion of a cotton fiber middle lamella (CFML). The fiber bundles consolidated via the CFML ultimately formed a packet of fiber around each seed, which helps explain how thousands of cotton fibers achieve their great length within a confined space. The cell wall nature of the CFML was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, including polymer epitope labeling. Toward the end of elongation, up-regulation occurred in gene expression and enzyme activities related to cell wall hydrolysis, and targeted breakdown of the CFML restored fiber individuality. At the same time, losses occurred in certain cell wall polymer epitopes (as revealed by comprehensive microarray polymer profiling) and sugars within noncellulosic matrix components (as revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of derivatized neutral and acidic glycosyl residues). Broadly, these data show that adhesion modulated by an outer layer of the primary wall can coordinate the extensive growth of a large group of cells and illustrate dynamic changes in primary wall structure and composition occurring during the differentiation of one cell type that spends only part of its life as a tissue.

Study of imaging fiber bundle coupling technique in IR system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Guoqing; Yang, Jianfeng; Yan, Xingtao; Song, Yansong

2017-02-01

Due to its advantageous imaging characteristic and banding flexibility, imaging fiber bundle can be used for line-plane-switching push-broom infrared imaging. How to precisely couple the fiber bundle in the optics system is the key to get excellent image for transmission. After introducing the basic system composition and structural characteristics of the infrared systems coupled with imaging fiber bundle, this article analysis the coupling efficiency and the design requirements of its relay lenses with the angle of the numerical aperture selecting in the system and cold stop matching of the refrigerant infrared detector. For an actual need, one relay coupling system has been designed with the magnification is -0.6, field of objective height is 4mm, objective numerical aperture is 0.15, which has excellent image quality and enough coupling efficiency. In the end, the push broom imaging experiment is carried out. The results show that the design meets the requirements of light energy efficiency and image quality. This design has a certain reference value for the design of the infrared fiber optical system.

Statistical model with two order parameters for ductile and soft fiber bundles in nanoscience and biomaterials.

PubMed

Rinaldi, Antonio

2011-04-01

Traditional fiber bundles models (FBMs) have been an effective tool to understand brittle heterogeneous systems. However, fiber bundles in modern nano- and bioapplications demand a new generation of FBM capturing more complex deformation processes in addition to damage. In the context of loose bundle systems and with reference to time-independent plasticity and soft biomaterials, we formulate a generalized statistical model for ductile fracture and nonlinear elastic problems capable of handling more simultaneous deformation mechanisms by means of two order parameters (as opposed to one). As the first rational FBM for coupled damage problems, it may be the cornerstone for advanced statistical models of heterogeneous systems in nanoscience and materials design, especially to explore hierarchical and bio-inspired concepts in the arena of nanobiotechnology. Applicative examples are provided for illustrative purposes at last, discussing issues in inverse analysis (i.e., nonlinear elastic polymer fiber and ductile Cu submicron bars arrays) and direct design (i.e., strength prediction).

Ultralow-power four-wave mixing with Rb in a hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber.

PubMed

Londero, Pablo; Venkataraman, Vivek; Bhagwat, Amar R; Slepkov, Aaron D; Gaeta, Alexander L

2009-07-24

We demonstrate extremely efficient four-wave mixing with gains greater than 100 at microwatt pump powers and signal-to-idler conversion of 50% in Rb vapor confined to a hollow-core photonic band-gap fiber. We present a theoretical model that demonstrates such efficiency is consistent with the dimensions of the fiber and the optical depths attained. This is, to our knowledge, the largest four-wave mixing gain observed at such low total pump powers and the first demonstrated example of four-wave mixing in an alkali-metal vapor system with a large (approximately 30 MHz) ground state decoherence rate.

Low loss liquid crystal photonic bandgap fiber in the near-infrared region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolari, Lara; Wei, Lei; Gauza, Sebastian; Wu, Shin-Tson; Bjarklev, Anders

2011-01-01

We infiltrate a perdeuterated liquid crystal with a reduced infrared absorption in a photonic crystal fiber. The H atoms of this liquid crystal were substituted with D atoms in order to move the vibration bands which cause absorption loss to longer wavelengths and therefore reduce the absorption in the spectral range of 1-2 μm. We achieve in the middle of the near-infrared transmission bandgap the lowest loss (about 1 dB) ever reported for this kind of devices.

Scintillator-fiber charged-particle track-imaging detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Binns, W. R.; Israel, M. H.; Klarmann, J.

1983-01-01

A scintillator-fiber charged-particle track-imaging detector has been developed using a bundle of square cross-section plastic scintillator fiber optics, proximity focused onto an image intensified Charge Injection Device (CID) camera. Detector to beams of 15 MeV protons and relativistic Neon, Manganese, and Gold nuclei have been exposed and images of their tracks are obtained. This paper presents details of the detector technique, properties of the tracks obtained, and range measurements of 15 MeV protons stopping in the fiber bundle.

[Intrarenal smooth muscle: histology of a complex urodymamic machine].

PubMed

Arias, L F; Ortiz-Arango, N

2013-03-01

To know better the microscopic arrangement of the bundles of smooth muscle in the human renal parenchyma, their distribution and anatomical relationships, trying to make a reconstruction of this muscular system. Five adult human kidneys and one fetal kidney were processed "in toto" with cross sections every 300μm. In the histological sections we identify the smooth muscle fibers trying to determine its insertion, course and anatomical relationship with other structures of the kidney tissue. There are bundles of smooth muscle fibers of variable thickness parallel to the edges of the medullary pyramids, bundles that surrounding the medulla in a spiral course, and bundles that accompany arcuate vessels, the latter being the most abundant and easy to identify. These groups of muscle fibers do not have a precise or constant insertion site, their periodicity is not homogeneous and they are not a direct extension of the muscle of the renal pelvis, although some bundles are in contact with it. There are also unusual and inconstant small muscle fibers no associated to vessels in the interstitium of the cortex and, exceptionally, in the medulla. There is a complex microscopic system of smooth muscle fibers that partially surround the renal medulla and are related to renal pelvic muscles without a direct continuity with them. Although this small muscular system is under-recognized, could be very important in urodynamics. Copyright © 2012 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Image Processing for Cameras with Fiber Bundle Image Relay

DTIC Science & Technology

length. Optical fiber bundles have been used to couple between this focal surface and planar image sensors . However, such fiber-coupled imaging systems...coupled to six discrete CMOS focal planes. We characterize the locally space-variant system impulse response at various stages: monocentric lens image...vignetting, and stitch together the image data from discrete sensors into a single panorama. We compare processed images from the prototype to those taken with

Remote fluorescence imaging of dynamic concentration profiles with micrometer resolution using a coherent optical fiber bundle.

PubMed

Amatore, Christian; Chovin, Arnaud; Garrigue, Patrick; Servant, Laurent; Sojic, Neso; Szunerits, Sabine; Thouin, Laurent

2004-12-15

Dynamic concentration profiles within the diffusion layer of an electrode were imaged in situ using fluorescence detection through a multichannel imaging fiber. In this work, a coherent optical fiber bundle is positioned orthogonal to the surface of an electrode and is used to report spatial and temporal micrometric changes in the fluorescence intensity of an initial fluorescent species. The fluorescence signal is directly related to the local concentration of a redox fluorescent reagent, which is electrochemically modulated by the electrode. Fluorescence images are collected through the optical fiber bundle during the oxidation of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) to ruthenium(III) at a diffusion-limited rate and allow the concentration profiles of Ru(II) reagent to be monitored in situ as a function of time. Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) is excited at 485 nm and emits fluorescence at 605 nm, whereas the Ru(III) oxidation state is not fluorescent. Our experiments emphasize the influence of two parameters on the micrometer spatial resolution: the numerical aperture of optical fibers within the bundle and the Ru(II) bulk concentration. The extent of the volume probed by each individual fiber of the bundle is discussed qualitatively in terms of a primary inner-filter effect and refractive index gradient. Experimentally measured fluorescence intensity profiles were found to be in very good agreement with concentration profiles predicted upon considering planar diffusion and thus validate the concept of this new application of imaging fibers. The originality of this remote approach is to provide a global view of the entire diffusion layer at a given time through one single image and to allow the time expansion of the diffusion layer to be followed quantitatively in real time.

Mode-field adapter for tapered-fiber-bundle signal and pump combiners.

PubMed

Koška, Pavel; Baravets, Yauhen; Peterka, Pavel; Bohata, Jan; Písařík, Michael

2015-02-01

We report on a novel mode-field adapter that is proposed to be incorporated inside tapered fused-fiber-bundle pump and signal combiners for high-power double-clad fiber lasers. Such an adapter allows optimization of signal-mode-field matching on the input and output fibers. Correspondingly, losses of the combiner signal branch are significantly reduced. The mode-field adapter optimization procedure is demonstrated on a combiner based on commercially available fibers. Signal wavelengths of 1.55 and 2 μm are considered. The losses can be further improved by using specially designed intermediate fiber and by dopant diffusion during splicing as confirmed by preliminary experimental results.

Aligning Arrays of Lenses and Single-Mode Optical Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Duncan

2004-01-01

A procedure now under development is intended to enable the precise alignment of sheet arrays of microscopic lenses with the end faces of a coherent bundle of as many as 1,000 single-mode optical fibers packed closely in a regular array (see Figure 1). In the original application that prompted this development, the precise assembly of lenses and optical fibers serves as a single-mode spatial filter for a visible-light nulling interferometer. The precision of alignment must be sufficient to limit any remaining wavefront error to a root-mean-square value of less than 1/10 of a wavelength of light. This wavefront-error limit translates to requirements to (1) ensure uniformity of both the lens and fiber arrays, (2) ensure that the lateral distance from the central axis of each lens and the corresponding optical fiber is no more than a fraction of a micron, (3) angularly align the lens-sheet planes and the fiber-bundle end faces to within a few arc seconds, and (4) axially align the lenses and the fiber-bundle end faces to within tens of microns of the focal distance. Figure 2 depicts the apparatus used in the alignment procedure. The beam of light from a Zygo (or equivalent) interferometer is first compressed by a ratio of 20:1 so that upon its return to the interferometer, the beam will be magnified enough to enable measurement of wavefront quality. The apparatus includes relay lenses that enable imaging of the arrays of microscopic lenses in a charge-coupled-device (CCD) camera that is part of the interferometer. One of the arrays of microscopic lenses is mounted on a 6-axis stage, in proximity to the front face of the bundle of optical fibers. The bundle is mounted on a separate stage. A mirror is attached to the back face of the bundle of optical fibers for retroreflection of light. When a microscopic lens and a fiber are aligned with each other, the affected portion of the light is reflected back by the mirror, recollimated by the microscopic lens, transmitted through the relay lenses and the beam compressor/expander, then split so that half goes to a detector and half to the interferometer. The output of the detector is used as a feedback control signal for the six-axis stage to effect alignment.

Toward endoscopes with no distal optics: video-rate scanning microscopy through a fiber bundle.

PubMed

Andresen, Esben Ravn; Bouwmans, Géraud; Monneret, Serge; Rigneault, Hervé

2013-03-01

We report a step toward scanning endomicroscopy without distal optics. The focusing of the beam at the distal end of a fiber bundle is achieved by imposing a parabolic phase profile across the exit face with the aid of a spatial light modulator. We achieve video-rate images by galvanometric scanning of the phase tilt at the proximal end. The approach is made possible by the bundle, designed to have very low coupling between cores.

Method of bundling rods so as to form an optical fiber preform

DOEpatents

Kliner, Dahv A. V. [San Ramon, CA; Koplow, Jeffery P [Washington, DC

2004-03-30

The present invention provides a simple method for fabricating fiber-optic glass preforms having complex refractive index configurations and/or dopant distributions in a radial direction with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The method teaches bundling together a plurality of glass rods of specific physical, chemical, or optical properties and wherein the rod bundle is fused in a manner that maintains the cross-sectional composition and refractive-index profiles established by the position of the rods.

Confocal microscopy using variable-focal-length microlenses and an optical fiber bundle.

PubMed

Yang, Lisong; Mac Raighne, Aaron; McCabe, Eithne M; Dunbar, L Andrea; Scharf, Toralf

2005-10-01

The use of variable-focal-length (VFL) microlenses can provide a way to axially scan the foci across a sample by electronic control. We demonstrate an approach to coupling VFL microlenses individually to a fiber bundle as a way to create a high-throughput aperture array with a controllable aperture pattern. It would potentially be applied in real-time confocal imaging in vivo for biological specimens. The VFL microlenses that we used consist of a liquid-crystal film sandwiched between a pair of conductive substrates for which one has a hole-patterned electrode. One obtains the variation of the focal length by changing the applied voltage. The fiber bundle has been characterized by coupling with both coherent and incoherent light sources. We further demonstrate the use of a VFL microlens array in combination with the fiber bundle to build up a confocal system. The axial response of the confocal system has been measured without mechanical movement of the sample or the objective, and the FWHM is estimated to be approximately 16 microm, with asymmetric sidelobes.

Automated segmentation of white matter fiber bundles using diffusion tensor imaging data and a new density based clustering algorithm.

PubMed

Kamali, Tahereh; Stashuk, Daniel

2016-10-01

Robust and accurate segmentation of brain white matter (WM) fiber bundles assists in diagnosing and assessing progression or remission of neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, autism and depression. Supervised segmentation methods are infeasible in most applications since generating gold standards is too costly. Hence, there is a growing interest in designing unsupervised methods. However, most conventional unsupervised methods require the number of clusters be known in advance which is not possible in most applications. The purpose of this study is to design an unsupervised segmentation algorithm for brain white matter fiber bundles which can automatically segment fiber bundles using intrinsic diffusion tensor imaging data information without considering any prior information or assumption about data distributions. Here, a new density based clustering algorithm called neighborhood distance entropy consistency (NDEC), is proposed which discovers natural clusters within data by simultaneously utilizing both local and global density information. The performance of NDEC is compared with other state of the art clustering algorithms including chameleon, spectral clustering, DBSCAN and k-means using Johns Hopkins University publicly available diffusion tensor imaging data. The performance of NDEC and other employed clustering algorithms were evaluated using dice ratio as an external evaluation criteria and density based clustering validation (DBCV) index as an internal evaluation metric. Across all employed clustering algorithms, NDEC obtained the highest average dice ratio (0.94) and DBCV value (0.71). NDEC can find clusters with arbitrary shapes and densities and consequently can be used for WM fiber bundle segmentation where there is no distinct boundary between various bundles. NDEC may also be used as an effective tool in other pattern recognition and medical diagnostic systems in which discovering natural clusters within data is a necessity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Absence of bundle structure in the neocortex of the reeler mouse at the embryonic stage. Studies by scanning electron microscopic fractography.

PubMed

Mikoshiba, K; Nishimura, Y; Tsukada, Y

The reeler mutant mouse is characterized by a derangement of the cerebral cortical structure due to abnormalities during the migration step at the embryonic stage. We have analyzed both the control and reeler cerebral cortex by means of scanning electron microscopic fractography. In the control cerebral cortex, the bundle formation was composed of fine fibers on which the migrating neuroblasts were attached perpendicular to the pial surface, whereas no bundle formation was observed in the reeler; instead, there was a fine meshwork of fibers surrounding the neuroblasts. The possible role of bundle formation in the normal cerebral cortex and the correlation between the inability of cells to migrate and the absence of bundle formation in the reeler is discussed.

PASSIVE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND RELATED PROTEINS CHANGE WITH BOTULINUM NEUROTOXIN A INJECTION OF NORMAL SKELETAL MUSCLE

PubMed Central

Thacker, Bryan E.; Tomiya, Akihito; Hulst, Jonah B.; Suzuki, Kentaro P.; Bremner, Shannon N.; Gastwirt, Randy F.; Greaser, Marion L.; Lieber, Richard L.; Ward, Samuel R.

2011-01-01

Summary The effects of botulinum neurotoxin A on the passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscle have not been investigated, but may have significant impact in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders including spasticity. Single fiber and fiber bundle passive mechanical testing was performed on rat muscles treated with botulinum neurotoxin A. Myosin heavy chain and titin composition of single fibers was determined by gel electrophoresis. Muscle collagen content was determined using a hydroxyproline assay. Neurotoxin-treated single fiber passive elastic modulus was reduced compared to control fibers (53.00 kPa versus 63.43 kPa). Fiber stiffness and slack sarcomere length were also reduced compared to control fibers and myosin heavy chain composition shifted from faster to slower isoforms. Average titin molecular weight increased 1.77% after treatment. Fiber bundle passive elastic modulus increased following treatment (168.83 kPa versus 75.14 kPa). Bundle stiffness also increased while collagen content per mass of muscle tissue increased 38%. Injection of botulinum neurotoxin A produces an effect on the passive mechanical properties of normal muscle that is opposite to the changes observed in spastic muscles. PMID:21853457

Passive mechanical properties and related proteins change with botulinum neurotoxin A injection of normal skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Thacker, Bryan E; Tomiya, Akihito; Hulst, Jonah B; Suzuki, Kentaro P; Bremner, Shannon N; Gastwirt, Randy F; Greaser, Marion L; Lieber, Richard L; Ward, Samuel R

2012-03-01

The effects of botulinum neurotoxin A on the passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscle have not been investigated, but may have significant impact in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders including spasticity. Single fiber and fiber bundle passive mechanical testing was performed on rat muscles treated with botulinum neurotoxin A. Myosin heavy chain and titin composition of single fibers was determined by gel electrophoresis. Muscle collagen content was determined using a hydroxyproline assay. Neurotoxin-treated single fiber passive elastic modulus was reduced compared to control fibers (53.00 kPa vs. 63.43 kPa). Fiber stiffness and slack sarcomere length were also reduced compared to control fibers and myosin heavy chain composition shifted from faster to slower isoforms. Average titin molecular weight increased 1.77% after treatment. Fiber bundle passive elastic modulus increased following treatment (168.83  kPa vs. 75.14 kPa). Bundle stiffness also increased while collagen content per mass of muscle tissue increased 38%. Injection of botulinum neurotoxin A produces an effect on the passive mechanical properties of normal muscle that is opposite to the changes observed in spastic muscles. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Gas separating

DOEpatents

Gollan, Arye Z.

1990-12-25

Feed gas is directed tangentially along the non-skin surface of gas separation membrane modules comprising a cylindrical bundle of parallel contiguous hollow fibers supported to allow feed gas to flow from an inlet at one end of a cylindrical housing through the bores of the bundled fibers to an outlet at the other end while a component of the feed gas permeates through the fibers, each having the skin side on the outside, through a permeate outlet in the cylindrical casing.

Gas separating

DOEpatents

Gollan, A.

1988-03-29

Feed gas is directed tangentially along the non-skin surface of gas separation membrane modules comprising a cylindrical bundle of parallel contiguous hollow fibers supported to allow feed gas to flow from an inlet at one end of a cylindrical housing through the bores of the bundled fibers to an outlet at the other end while a component of the feed gas permeates through the fibers, each having the skin side on the outside, through a permeate outlet in the cylindrical casing. 3 figs.

Gas separating

DOEpatents

Gollan, Arye

1988-01-01

Feed gas is directed tangentially along the non-skin surface of gas separation membrane modules comprising a cylindrical bundle of parallel contiguous hollow fibers supported to allow feed gas to flow from an inlet at one end of a cylindrical housing through the bores of the bundled fibers to an outlet at the other end while a component of the feed gas permeates through the fibers, each having the skin side on the outside, through a permeate outlet in the cylindrical casing.

Gas separating

DOEpatents

Gollan, A.Z.

1990-12-25

Feed gas is directed tangentially along the non-skin surface of gas separation membrane modules comprising a cylindrical bundle of parallel contiguous hollow fibers supported to allow feed gas to flow from an inlet at one end of a cylindrical housing through the bores of the bundled fibers to an outlet at the other end while a component of the feed gas permeates through the fibers, each having the skin side on the outside, through a permeate outlet in the cylindrical casing. 3 figs.

High-power picosecond pulse delivery through hollow core photonic band gap fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michieletto, Mattia; Johansen, Mette M.; Lyngsø, Jens K.; Lægsgaard, Jesper; Bang, Ole; Alkeskjold, Thomas T.

2016-03-01

We demonstrated robust and bend insensitive fiber delivery of high power laser with diffraction limited beam quality for two different kinds of hollow core band gap fibers. The light source for this experiment consists of ytterbium-doped double clad fiber aeroGAIN-ROD-PM85 in a high power amplifier setup. It provided 22ps pulses with a maximum average power of 95W, 40MHz repetition rate at 1032nm (~2.4μJ pulse energy), with M2 <1.3. We determined the facet damage threshold for a 7-cells hollow core photonic bandgap fiber and showed up to 59W average power output for a 5 meters fiber. The damage threshold for a 19-cell hollow core photonic bandgap fiber exceeded the maximum power provided by the light source and up to 76W average output power was demonstrated for a 1m fiber. In both cases, no special attention was needed to mitigate bend sensitivity. The fibers were coiled on 8 centimeters radius spools and even lower bending radii were present. In addition, stimulated rotational Raman scattering arising from nitrogen molecules was measured through a 42m long 19 cell hollow core fiber.

Doppler Global Velocimetry at NASA Glenn Research Center: System Discussion and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lant, Christian T.

2003-01-01

A ruggedized Doppler Global Velocimetry system has been built and tested at NASA Glenn Research Center. One component of planar velocity measurements of subsonic and supersonic flows from an under-expanded free jet are reported, which agree well with predicted values. An error analysis evaluates geometric and spectral error terms, and characterizes speckle noise in isotropic data. A multimode, fused fiber optic bundle is demonstrated to couple up to 650 mJ/pulse of laser light without burning or fiber ablation, and without evidence of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering or other spectral-broadening problems. Comparisons are made between spinning wheel data using illumination by freespace beam propagation and fiber optic beam delivery. The fiber bundle illumination is found to provide more spatially even and stable illumination than is typically available from pulsed Nd:YAG laser beams. The fiber bundle beam delivery is also a step toward making remote measurements and automatic real-time plume sectioning feasible in wind tunnel environments.

Probabilistic model of ligaments and tendons: quasistatic linear stretching.

PubMed

Bontempi, M

2009-03-01

Ligaments and tendons have a significant role in the musculoskeletal system and are frequently subjected to injury. This study presents a model of collagen fibers, based on the study of a statistical distribution of fibers when they are subjected to quasistatic linear stretching. With respect to other methodologies, this model is able to describe the behavior of the bundle using less ad hoc hypotheses and is able to describe all the quasistatic stretch-load responses of the bundle, including the yield and failure regions described in the literature. It has two other important results: the first is that it is able to correlate the mechanical behavior of the bundle with its internal structure, and it suggests a methodology to deduce the fibers population distribution directly from the tensile-test data. The second is that it can follow fibers' structure evolution during the stretching and it is possible to study the internal adaptation of fibers in physiological and pathological conditions.

Morphological size evaluation of the mid-substance insertion areas and the fan-like extension fibers in the femoral ACL footprint.

PubMed

Suruga, Makoto; Horaguchi, Takashi; Iriuchishima, Takanori; Yahagi, Yoshiyuki; Iwama, Genki; Tokuhashi, Yasuaki; Aizawa, Shin

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detailed anatomy of the femoral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insertion site, with special attention given to the morphology of the mid-substance insertion areas and the fan-like extension fibers. Twenty-three non-paired human cadaver knees were used (7 Males, 16 Females, median age 83, range 69-96). All soft tissues around the knee were resected except the ligaments. The ACL was divided into antero-medial (AM) and postero-lateral (PL) bundles according to the difference in macroscopic tension patterns. The ACL was carefully dissected and two outlines were made of the periphery of each bundle insertion site: those which included and those which excluded the fan-like extension fibers. An accurate lateral view of the femoral condyle was photographed with a digital camera, and the images were downloaded to a personal computer. The area of each bundle, including and excluding the fan-like extension fibers, was measured with Image J software (National Institution of Health). The width and length of the mid-substance insertion sites were also evaluated using same image. The femoral ACL footprint was divided into four regions (mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles, and fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles). The measured areas of the mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles were 35.5 ± 12.5, and 32.4 ± 13.8 mm 2 , respectively. Whole width and length of the mid-substance insertion sites were 5.3 ± 1.4, and 15.5 ± 2.9 mm, respectively. The measured areas of the fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles were 27 ± 11.5, and 29.5 ± 12.4 mm 2 , respectively. The femoral ACL footprint was divided into quarters of approximately equal size (mid-substance insertion sites of the AM and PL bundles, and fan-like extensions of the AM and PL bundles). For clinical relevance, to perform highly reproducible anatomical ACL reconstruction, the presence of the fan-like extension fibers should be taken into consideration.

Fiber Bundle Model Under Heterogeneous Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Subhadeep; Goswami, Sanchari

2018-03-01

The present work deals with the behavior of fiber bundle model under heterogeneous loading condition. The model is explored both in the mean-field limit as well as with local stress concentration. In the mean field limit, the failure abruptness decreases with increasing order k of heterogeneous loading. In this limit, a brittle to quasi-brittle transition is observed at a particular strength of disorder which changes with k. On the other hand, the model is hardly affected by such heterogeneity in the limit where local stress concentration plays a crucial role. The continuous limit of the heterogeneous loading is also studied and discussed in this paper. Some of the important results related to fiber bundle model are reviewed and their responses to our new scheme of heterogeneous loading are studied in details. Our findings are universal with respect to the nature of the threshold distribution adopted to assign strength to an individual fiber.

Optoelectronic oscillator incorporating hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber.

PubMed

Mutugala, U S; Kim, J; Bradley, T D; Wheeler, N V; Sandoghchi, S R; Hayes, J R; Numkam Fokoua, E; Poletti, F; Petrovich, M N; Richardson, D J; Slavík, R

2017-07-01

We demonstrate, to the best of our knowledge, the first optoelectronic oscillator that uses hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF) as a delay element of a sufficient length to allow for low-noise operation. We show experimentally that HC-PBGF can improve the temperature stability of the oscillator by a factor of more than 15, as compared to standard optical fiber. We also measured the oscillator's phase noise, allowing evaluation of the suitability of HC-PBGF for this application. Additionally, this Letter also provides, to the best of our knowledge, the first characterization of the temperature stability of a long length (>800  m in our Letter) of low-thermal sensitivity (2  ps/km/K) HC-PBGF wound on a spool.

High density array fabrication and readout method for a fiber optic biosensor

DOEpatents

Pinkel, Daniel; Gray, Joe

1997-01-01

The invention relates to the fabrication and use of biosensors comprising a plurality of optical fibers each fiber having attached to its "sensor end" biological "binding partners" (molecules that specifically bind other molecules to form a binding complex such as antibody-antigen, lectin-carbohydrate, nucleic acid-nucleic acid, biotin-avidin, etc.). The biosensor preferably bears two or more different species of biological binding partner. The sensor is fabricated by providing a plurality of groups of optical fibers. Each group is treated as a batch to attach a different species of biological binding partner to the sensor ends of the fibers comprising that bundle. Each fiber, or group of fibers within a bundle, may be uniquely identified so that the fibers, or group of fibers, when later combined in an array of different fibers, can be discretely addressed. Fibers or groups of fibers are then selected and discretely separated from different bundles. The discretely separated fibers are then combined at their sensor ends to produce a high density sensor array of fibers capable of assaying simultaneously the binding of components of a test sample to the various binding partners on the different fibers of the sensor array. The transmission ends of the optical fibers are then discretely addressed to detectors--such as a multiplicity of optical sensors. An optical signal, produced by binding of the binding partner to its substrate to form a binding complex, is conducted through the optical fiber or group of fibers to a detector for each discrete test. By examining the addressed transmission ends of fibers, or groups of fibers, the addressed transmission ends can transmit unique patterns assisting in rapid sample identification by the sensor.

High density array fabrication and readout method for a fiber optic biosensor

DOEpatents

Pinkel, Daniel; Gray, Joe; Albertson, Donna G.

2000-01-01

The invention relates to the fabrication and use of biosensors comprising a plurality of optical fibers each fiber having attached to its "sensor end" biological "binding partners" (molecules that specifically bind other molecules to form a binding complex such as antibody-antigen, lectin-carbohydrate, nucleic acid-nucleic acid, biotin-avidin, etc.). The biosensor preferably bears two or more different species of biological binding partner. The sensor is fabricated by providing a plurality of groups of optical fibers. Each group is treated as a batch to attach a different species of biological binding partner to the sensor ends of the fibers comprising that bundle. Each fiber, or group of fibers within a bundle, may be uniquely identified so that the fibers, or group of fibers, when later combined in an array of different fibers, can be discretely addressed. Fibers or groups of fibers are then selected and discretely separated from different bundles. The discretely separated fibers are then combined at their sensor ends to produce a high density sensor array of fibers capable of assaying simultaneously the binding of components of a test sample to the various binding partners on the different fibers of the sensor array. The transmission ends of the optical fibers are then discretely addressed to detectors--such as a multiplicity of optical sensors. An optical signal, produced by binding of the binding partner to its substrate to form a binding complex, is conducted through the optical fiber or group of fibers to a detector for each discrete test. By examining the addressed transmission ends of fibers, or groups of fibers, the addressed transmission ends can transmit unique patterns assisting in rapid sample identification by the sensor.

High density array fabrication and readout method for a fiber optic biosensor

DOEpatents

Pinkel, Daniel; Gray, Joe; Albertson, Donna G.

2002-01-01

The invention relates to the fabrication and use of biosensors comprising a plurality of optical fibers each fiber having attached to its "sensor end" biological "binding partners" (molecules that specifically bind other molecules to form a binding complex such as antibody-antigen, lectin-carbohydrate, nucleic acid-nucleic acid, biotin-avidin, etc.). The biosensor preferably bears two or more different species of biological binding partner. The sensor is fabricated by providing a plurality of groups of optical fibers. Each group is treated as a batch to attach a different species of biological binding partner to the sensor ends of the fibers comprising that bundle. Each fiber, or group of fibers within a bundle, may be uniquely identified so that the fibers, or group of fibers, when later combined in an array of different fibers, can be discretely addressed. Fibers or groups of fibers are then selected and discretely separated from different bundles. The discretely separated fibers are then combined at their sensor ends to produce a high density sensor array of fibers capable of assaying simultaneously the binding of components of a test sample to the various binding partners on the different fibers of the sensor array. The transmission ends of the optical fibers are then discretely addressed to detectors--such as a multiplicity of optical sensors. An optical signal, produced by binding of the binding partner to its substrate to form a binding complex, is conducted through the optical fiber or group of fibers to a detector for each discrete test. By examining the addressed transmission ends of fibers, or groups of fibers, the addressed transmission ends can transmit unique patterns assisting in rapid sample identification by the sensor.

High density array fabrication and readout method for a fiber optic biosensor

DOEpatents

Pinkel, D.; Gray, J.

1997-11-25

The invention relates to the fabrication and use of biosensors comprising a plurality of optical fibers each fiber having attached to its ``sensor end`` biological ``binding partners`` (molecules that specifically bind other molecules to form a binding complex such as antibody-antigen, lectin-carbohydrate, nucleic acid-nucleic acid, biotin-avidin, etc.). The biosensor preferably bears two or more different species of biological binding partner. The sensor is fabricated by providing a plurality of groups of optical fibers. Each group is treated as a batch to attach a different species of biological binding partner to the sensor ends of the fibers comprising that bundle. Each fiber, or group of fibers within a bundle, may be uniquely identified so that the fibers, or group of fibers, when later combined in an array of different fibers, can be discretely addressed. Fibers or groups of fibers are then selected and discretely separated from different bundles. The discretely separated fibers are then combined at their sensor ends to produce a high density sensor array of fibers capable of assaying simultaneously the binding of components of a test sample to the various binding partners on the different fibers of the sensor array. The transmission ends of the optical fibers are then discretely addressed to detectors--such as a multiplicity of optical sensors. An optical signal, produced by binding of the binding partner to its substrate to form a binding complex, is conducted through the optical fiber or group of fibers to a detector for each discrete test. By examining the addressed transmission ends of fibers, or groups of fibers, the addressed transmission ends can transmit unique patterns assisting in rapid sample identification by the sensor. 9 figs.

Microscopy with multimode fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, Christophe; Papadopoulos, Ioannis; Farahi, Salma; Psaltis, Demetri

2013-04-01

Microscopes are usually thought of comprising imaging elements such as objectives and eye-piece lenses. A different type of microscope, used for endoscopy, consists of waveguiding elements such as fiber bundles, where each fiber in the bundle transports the light corresponding to one pixel in the image. Recently a new type of microscope has emerged that exploits the large number of propagating modes in a single multimode fiber. We have successfully produced fluorescence images of neural cells with sub-micrometer resolution via a 200 micrometer core multimode fiber. The method for achieving imaging consists of using digital phase conjugation to reproduce a focal spot at the tip of the multimode fiber. The image is formed by scanning the focal spot digitally and collecting the fluorescence point by point.

Radial resolution enhancement of the NSTX Thomson scattering diagnostic.

PubMed

LeBlanc, B P; Diallo, A; Labik, G; Stevens, D R

2012-10-01

Current magnetic confinement plasma physics research has increased the demand for radial resolution in profile diagnostics, in particular in the edge and pedestal regions. On NSTX, an upgrade of the existing multi-point Thomson scattering diagnostic has been implemented in order to respond to the research program needs. Twelve new radial channels have been added bringing the total number of positions to 42. Four previously un-instrumented fiber bundles were put in service. Eight existing "active" fiber bundles were divided in two sub-bundles each in order to increase spatial resolution. Twelve radial channels now cover the pedestal region with a resolution near one centimeter. Fifteen radial channels cover the core and internal transport barrier regions. Two additional channels were added, one near the inner edge and one in the outer scrape-off layer. The intersection of the focused viewing optics field of view with a finite-width laser beam results in major-radius cross talk between adjacent fiber sub-bundles. A discussion and calculation of the cross talk will be presented.

Hollow fiber apparatus and use thereof for fluids separations and heat and mass transfers

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

Bikson, Benjamin; Etter, Stephen; Ching, Nathaniel

A hollow fiber device includes a hollow fiber bundle, comprising a plurality of hollow fibers, a first tubesheet and a second tubesheet encapsulating respective distal ends of the hollow fiber bundle. The tubesheets have boreholes in fluid communication with bores of the hollow fibers. In at least one of the tubesheets, the boreholes are formed radially. The hollow fiber device can be utilized in heat exchange, in gas/gas, liquid/liquid and gas/liquid heat transfer, in combined heat and mass transfer and in fluid separation assemblies and processes. The design disclosed herein is light weight and compact and is particularly advantageous whenmore » the pressure of a first fluid introduced into the bores of hollow fibers is higher than the pressure on the shell side of the device.« less

A Modeling Approach to Fiber Fracture in Melt Impregnation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Feng; Zhang, Cong; Yu, Yang; Xin, Chunling; Tang, Ke; He, Yadong

2017-02-01

The effect of process variables such as roving pulling speed, melt temperature and number of pins on the fiber fracture during the processing of thermoplastic based composites was investigated in this study. The melt impregnation was used in this process of continuous glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. Previous investigators have suggested a variety of models for melt impregnation, while comparatively little effort has been spent on modeling the fiber fracture caused by the viscous resin. Herein, a mathematical model was developed for impregnation process to predict the fiber fracture rate and describe the experimental results with the Weibull intensity distribution function. The optimal parameters of this process were obtained by orthogonal experiment. The results suggest that the fiber fracture is caused by viscous shear stress on fiber bundle in melt impregnation mold when pulling the fiber bundle.

Creep rupture of fiber bundles: A molecular dynamics investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linga, G.; Ballone, P.; Hansen, Alex

2015-08-01

The creep deformation and eventual breaking of polymeric samples under a constant tensile load F is investigated by molecular dynamics based on a particle representation of the fiber bundle model. The results of the virtual testing of fibrous samples consisting of 40 000 particles arranged on Nc=400 chains reproduce characteristic stages seen in the experimental investigations of creep in polymeric materials. A logarithmic plot of the bundle lifetime τ versus load F displays a marked curvature, ruling out a simple power-law dependence of τ on F . A power law τ ˜F-4 , however, is recovered at high load. We discuss the role of reversible bond breaking and formation on the eventual fate of the sample and simulate a different type of creep testing, imposing a constant stress rate on the sample up to its breaking point. Our simulations, relying on a coarse-grained representation of the polymer structure, introduce new features into the standard fiber bundle model, such as real-time dynamics, inertia, and entropy, and open the way to more detailed models, aiming at material science aspects of polymeric fibers, investigated within a sound statistical mechanics framework.

X-ray luminescence computed tomography using a focused x-ray beam.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Lun, Michael C; Nguyen, Alex Anh-Tu; Li, Changqing

2017-11-01

Due to the low x-ray photon utilization efficiency and low measurement sensitivity of the electron multiplying charge coupled device camera setup, the collimator-based narrow beam x-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) usually requires a long measurement time. We, for the first time, report a focused x-ray beam-based XLCT imaging system with measurements by a single optical fiber bundle and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). An x-ray tube with a polycapillary lens was used to generate a focused x-ray beam whose x-ray photon density is 1200 times larger than a collimated x-ray beam. An optical fiber bundle was employed to collect and deliver the emitted photons on the phantom surface to the PMT. The total measurement time was reduced to 12.5 min. For numerical simulations of both single and six fiber bundle cases, we were able to reconstruct six targets successfully. For the phantom experiment, two targets with an edge-to-edge distance of 0.4 mm and a center-to-center distance of 0.8 mm were successfully reconstructed by the measurement setup with a single fiber bundle and a PMT. (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Single-shot polarimetry imaging of multicore fiber.

PubMed

Sivankutty, Siddharth; Andresen, Esben Ravn; Bouwmans, Géraud; Brown, Thomas G; Alonso, Miguel A; Rigneault, Hervé

2016-05-01

We report an experimental test of single-shot polarimetry applied to the problem of real-time monitoring of the output polarization states in each core within a multicore fiber bundle. The technique uses a stress-engineered optical element, together with an analyzer, and provides a point spread function whose shape unambiguously reveals the polarization state of a point source. We implement this technique to monitor, simultaneously and in real time, the output polarization states of up to 180 single-mode fiber cores in both conventional and polarization-maintaining fiber bundles. We demonstrate also that the technique can be used to fully characterize the polarization properties of each individual fiber core, including eigen-polarization states, phase delay, and diattenuation.

Monitoring the Wobbe Index of Natural Gas Using Fiber-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Sandfort, Vincenz; Trabold, Barbara M; Abdolvand, Amir; Bolwien, Carsten; Russell, Philip St. J; Wöllenstein, Jürgen; Palzer, Stefan

2017-11-24

The fast and reliable analysis of the natural gas composition requires the simultaneous quantification of numerous gaseous components. To this end, fiber-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool to detect most components in a single measurement using a single laser source. However, practical issues such as detection limit, gas exchange time and background Raman signals from the fiber material still pose obstacles to utilizing the scheme in real-world settings. This paper compares the performance of two types of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF), namely photonic bandgap PCF and kagomé-style PCF, and assesses their potential for online determination of the Wobbe index. In contrast to bandgap PCF, kagomé-PCF allows for reliable detection of Raman-scattered photons even below 1200 cm -1 , which in turn enables fast and comprehensive assessment of the natural gas quality of arbitrary mixtures.

Monitoring the Wobbe Index of Natural Gas Using Fiber-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Sandfort, Vincenz; Trabold, Barbara M.; Abdolvand, Amir; Bolwien, Carsten; Russell, Philip St. J.; Wöllenstein, Jürgen

2017-01-01

The fast and reliable analysis of the natural gas composition requires the simultaneous quantification of numerous gaseous components. To this end, fiber-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool to detect most components in a single measurement using a single laser source. However, practical issues such as detection limit, gas exchange time and background Raman signals from the fiber material still pose obstacles to utilizing the scheme in real-world settings. This paper compares the performance of two types of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF), namely photonic bandgap PCF and kagomé-style PCF, and assesses their potential for online determination of the Wobbe index. In contrast to bandgap PCF, kagomé-PCF allows for reliable detection of Raman-scattered photons even below 1200 cm−1, which in turn enables fast and comprehensive assessment of the natural gas quality of arbitrary mixtures. PMID:29186768

Application of neuroanatomical features to tractography clustering.

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Yap, Pew-Thian; Wu, Guorong; Shen, Dinggang

2013-09-01

Diffusion tensor imaging allows unprecedented insight into brain neural connectivity in vivo by allowing reconstruction of neuronal tracts via captured patterns of water diffusion in white matter microstructures. However, tractography algorithms often output hundreds of thousands of fibers, rendering subsequent data analysis intractable. As a remedy, fiber clustering techniques are able to group fibers into dozens of bundles and thus facilitate analyses. Most existing fiber clustering methods rely on geometrical information of fibers, by viewing them as curves in 3D Euclidean space. The important neuroanatomical aspect of fibers, however, is ignored. In this article, the neuroanatomical information of each fiber is encapsulated in the associativity vector, which functions as the unique "fingerprint" of the fiber. Specifically, each entry in the associativity vector describes the relationship between the fiber and a certain anatomical ROI in a fuzzy manner. The value of the entry approaches 1 if the fiber is spatially related to the ROI at high confidence; on the contrary, the value drops closer to 0. The confidence of the ROI is calculated by diffusing the ROI according to the underlying fibers from tractography. In particular, we have adopted the fast marching method for simulation of ROI diffusion. Using the associativity vectors of fibers, we further model fibers as observations sampled from multivariate Gaussian mixtures in the feature space. To group all fibers into relevant major bundles, an expectation-maximization clustering approach is employed. Experimental results indicate that our method results in anatomically meaningful bundles that are highly consistent across subjects. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley company.

The Shape of a Ponytail and the Statistical Physics of Hair Fiber Bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, Raymond E.; Warren, Patrick B.; Ball, Robin C.

2012-02-01

From Leonardo to the Brothers Grimm our fascination with hair has endured in art and science. Yet, a quantitative understanding of the shapes of a hair bundles has been lacking. Here we combine experiment and theory to propose an answer to the most basic question: What is the shape of a ponytail? A model for the shape of hair bundles is developed from the perspective of statistical physics, treating individual fibers as elastic filaments with random intrinsic curvatures. The combined effects of bending elasticity, gravity, and bundle compressibility are recast as a differential equation for the envelope of a bundle, in which the compressibility enters through an ``equation of state.'' From this, we identify the balance of forces in various regions of the ponytail, extract the equation of state from analysis of ponytail shapes, and relate the observed pressure to the measured random curvatures of individual hairs.

Composite Service Life Prediction via Fiber Bundle Testing. Evaluation of Testing Equipment and Data Acquisition System

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-01

PREDICTION VIA FIBER BUNDLE TESTING-EVALUATION OF TESTING EQUIPMENT JD DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Petridis Dimitrios M. i *y?e o j report...experiencing a known number of filament failures per bundle. The results of this investigation are relevant to man-safe applications as in composite pressure...single filament r’iber testing and can become more 29 3> C o - Pwo PwS ?w4 Pw3 Pw2 Pwl PSD Ps5 PS4 Ps3 Ps2 PS! homoiogous correspondence t ~ to Life ( Laqt

Reduced integrity of the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum in depression: A stem-by-stem analysis.

PubMed

Bhatia, Kartik D; Henderson, Luke A; Hsu, Eugene; Yim, Mark

2018-08-01

The subgenual cingulate gyrus (Brodmann's Area 25: BA25) is hypermetabolic in depression and has been targeted successfully with deep brain stimulation. Two of the white matter tracts that play a role in treatment response are the uncinate fasciculus (UF) and the cingulum bundle. The UF has three prefrontal stems, the most medial of which extends from BA25 (which deals with mood regulation) and the most lateral of which extends from the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (concerned with executive function). The cingulum bundle has numerous fibers connecting the lobes of the cerebrum, with the longest fibers extending from BA25 to the amygdala. We hypothesize that there is reduced integrity in the UF, specific to the medial prefrontal stems, as well as in the subgenual and amygdaloid fibers of the cingulum bundle. Our secondary hypothesis is that these changes are present from the early stages of depression. Compare the white matter integrity of stems of the UF and components of the cingulum bundle in first-onset depressed, recurrent/chronic depressed, and non-depressed control subjects. Depressed patients (n = 103, first-onset = 57, chronic = 46) and non-depressed control subjects (n = 74) underwent MRI with 32-directional DTI sequences. The uncinate fasciculi and cingulum bundles were seeded, and the fractional anisotropy (FA) measured in each of the three prefrontal stems and the body of the UF, as well as the subgenual, body, and amygdaloid fiber components of the cingulum bundle. FA measurements were compared between groups using ANOVA testing with post-hoc Tukey analysis. There were significant reductions in FA in the subgenual and polar stems of the UF bilaterally, as well as the subgenual and amygdaloid fibers of the cingulum bundle, in depressed patients compared with controls (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference seen in the lateral UF stem or the main body of the cingulum. No significant difference was demonstrated in any of the tracts between first-onset and chronic depression patients. Depressed patients have reduced white matter integrity in the subgenual and polar stems of the uncinate fasciculi but not the lateral stems, as well as in the subgenual and amygdaloid cingulum fibers. These changes are present from the first-onset of the disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and characterization of an all-solid tellurite-phosphate photonic bandgap fiber.

PubMed

Cheng, Tonglei; Sakai, Yukiko; Suzuki, Takenobu; Ohishi, Yasutake

2015-05-01

We present an all-solid tellurite-phosphate photonic bandgap fiber (PBGF) with two layers of high-index rods (TeO2-Li2O-WO3-MoO3-Nb2O5, TLWMN) in the cladding (TeO2-ZnO-Li2O-K2O-Al2O3-P2O5, TZLKAP). TLWMN and TZLKAP glasses have good compatibility for fabricating the all-solid PBGF. Photonic bandgap (PBG) properties are calculated by the plane wave expansion method (PWM), and the results agree well with the measured transmission spectrum. Furthermore, the modal field patterns are measured at ∼1300 and 1520 nm, respectively. The light is confined to the core at ∼1300  nm and lost in the cladding at ∼1520  nm, which match well with the calculated modal field intensities.

Robust fiber clustering of cerebral fiber bundles in white matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Xufeng; Wang, Yongxiong; Zhuang, Songlin

2014-11-01

Diffusion tensor imaging fiber tracking (DTI-FT) has been widely accepted in the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases. During the rendering pipeline of specific fiber tracts, the image noise and low resolution of DTI would lead to false propagations. In this paper, we propose a robust fiber clustering (FC) approach to diminish false fibers from one fiber tract. Our algorithm consists of three steps. Firstly, the optimized fiber assignment continuous tracking (FACT) is implemented to reconstruct one fiber tract; and then each curved fiber in the fiber tract is mapped to a point by kernel principal component analysis (KPCA); finally, the point clouds of fiber tract are clustered by hierarchical clustering which could distinguish false fibers from true fibers in one tract. In our experiment, the corticospinal tract (CST) in one case of human data in vivo was used to validate our method. Our method showed reliable capability in decreasing the false fibers in one tract. In conclusion, our method could effectively optimize the visualization of fiber bundles and would help a lot in the field of fiber evaluation.

Brittle-to-ductile transition in a fiber bundle with strong heterogeneity.

PubMed

Kovács, Kornél; Hidalgo, Raul Cruz; Pagonabarraga, Ignacio; Kun, Ferenc

2013-04-01

We analyze the failure process of a two-component system with widely different fracture strength in the framework of a fiber bundle model with localized load sharing. A fraction 0≤α≤1 of the bundle is strong and it is represented by unbreakable fibers, while fibers of the weak component have randomly distributed failure strength. Computer simulations revealed that there exists a critical composition α(c) which separates two qualitatively different behaviors: Below the critical point, the failure of the bundle is brittle, characterized by an abrupt damage growth within the breakable part of the system. Above α(c), however, the macroscopic response becomes ductile, providing stability during the entire breaking process. The transition occurs at an astonishingly low fraction of strong fibers which can have importance for applications. We show that in the ductile phase, the size distribution of breaking bursts has a power law functional form with an exponent μ=2 followed by an exponential cutoff. In the brittle phase, the power law also prevails but with a higher exponent μ=9/2. The transition between the two phases shows analogies to continuous phase transitions. Analyzing the microstructure of the damage, it was found that at the beginning of the fracture process cracks nucleate randomly, while later on growth and coalescence of cracks dominate, which give rise to power law distributed crack sizes.

Reduced thermal sensitivity of hybrid air-core photonic band-gap fiber ring resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Li-shuang; Wang, Kai; Jiao, Hong-chen; Wang, Jun-jie; Liu, Dan-ni; Yang, Zhao-hua

2018-01-01

A novel hybrid air-core photonic band-gap fiber (PBF) ring resonator with twin 90° polarization-axis rotated splices is proposed and demonstrated. Frist, we measure the temperature dependent birefringence coefficient of air-core PBF and Panda fiber. Experimental results show that the relative temperature dependent birefringence coefficient of air-core PBF is 1.42×10-8/°C, which is typically 16 times less than that of Panda fiber. Then, we extract the geometry profile of air-core PBF from scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Numerical modal is built to distinguish the fast axis and slow axis in the fiber. By precisely setting the length difference in air-core PBF and Panda fiber between two 90° polarization-axis rotated splicing points, the hybrid air-core PBF ring resonator is constructed, and the finesse of the resonator is 8.4. Environmental birefringence variation induced by temperature change can be well compensated, and experimental results show an 18-fold reduction in thermal sensitivity, compared with resonator with twin 0° polarization-axis rotated splices.

Porosity characterization of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, C.; Marrow, T. J.; Reinhard, C.; Li, B.; Zhang, C.; Wang, S.

2016-03-01

The pore structure and porosity of a continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite has been characterized using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Segmentation of the reconstructed tomograph images reveals different types of pores within the composite, the inter-fiber bundle open pores displaying a "node-bond" geometry, and the intra-fiber bundle isolated micropores showing a piping shape. The 3D morphology of the pores is resolved and each pore is labeled. The quantitative filtering of the pores measures a total porosity 8.9% for the composite, amid which there is about 7.1~ 9.3% closed micropores.

Fiber-optics couple arthroscope to TV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franke, J. M.; Rhodes, D. B.

1981-01-01

Convenient, hand-held coupler images output of arthroscope onto coherent fiber bundle. Arthroscope allows surgeons to examine internal organs through any small opening in body. Coupler is also used for engine inspection, instrument repair, and around-corner visual inspection. Image from arthroscope travels along flexible bundle and appears at other cable end where it is recollimated by lens. Image is read from lens or projected on color TV camera.

Geometrical analysis of an optical fiber bundle displacement sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimamoto, Atsushi; Tanaka, Kohichi

1996-12-01

The performance of a multifiber optical lever was geometrically analyzed by extending the Cook and Hamm model [Appl. Opt. 34, 5854-5860 (1995)] for a basic seven-fiber optical lever. The generalized relationships between sensitivity and the displacement detection limit to the fiber core radius, illumination irradiance, and coupling angle were obtained by analyses of three various types of light source, i.e., a parallel beam light source, an infinite plane light source, and a point light source. The analysis of the point light source was confirmed by a measurement that used the light source of a light-emitting diode. The sensitivity of the fiber-optic lever is inversely proportional to the fiber core radius, whereas the receiving light power is proportional to the number of illuminating and receiving fibers. Thus, the bundling of the finer fiber with the larger number of illuminating and receiving fibers is more effective for improving sensitivity and the displacement detection limit.

Brownian dynamics simulation of sickle hemoglobin bundle formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ya; Gunton, James; Chakrabarti, Amit

2010-03-01

The physical properties of biopolymer fibers, such as their stability and degree of aggregation, are implicated in many diseases, including sickle cell anemia. The natural chirality of protofilaments plays a crucial role in the formation of sickle hemoglobin fiber which leads to the permanent blockage of microvessels. We use Brownian dynamics to investigate the kinetics of fiber aggregation. The geometrical helical structure and chirality of the filaments are modeled by anisotropic patch-like interactions. We present the kinetics of fiber formation and study the possibility of a finite critical fiber bundle size. We compare our results with various experimental and theoretical results. This work is supported by grants from the NSF and the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation.

Analysis and characterization of high-resolution and high-aspect-ratio imaging fiber bundles.

PubMed

Motamedi, Nojan; Karbasi, Salman; Ford, Joseph E; Lomakin, Vitaliy

2015-11-10

High-contrast imaging fiber bundles (FBs) are characterized and modeled for wide-angle and high-resolution imaging applications. Scanning electron microscope images of FB cross sections are taken to measure physical parameters and verify the variations of irregular fibers due to the fabrication process. Modal analysis tools are developed that include irregularities in the fiber core shapes and provide results in agreement with experimental measurements. The modeling demonstrates that the irregular fibers significantly outperform a perfectly regular "ideal" array. Using this method, FBs are designed that can provide high contrast with core pitches of only a few wavelengths of the guided light. Structural modifications of the commercially available FB can reduce the core pitch by 60% for higher resolution image relay.

Quantitative analysis and temperature-induced variations of moiré pattern in fiber-coupled imaging sensors.

PubMed

Karbasi, Salman; Arianpour, Ashkan; Motamedi, Nojan; Mellette, William M; Ford, Joseph E

2015-06-10

Imaging fiber bundles can map the curved image surface formed by some high-performance lenses onto flat focal plane detectors. The relative alignment between the focal plane array pixels and the quasi-periodic fiber-bundle cores can impose an undesirable space variant moiré pattern, but this effect may be greatly reduced by flat-field calibration, provided that the local responsivity is known. Here we demonstrate a stable metric for spatial analysis of the moiré pattern strength, and use it to quantify the effect of relative sensor and fiber-bundle pitch, and that of the Bayer color filter. We measure the thermal dependence of the moiré pattern, and the achievable improvement by flat-field calibration at different operating temperatures. We show that a flat-field calibration image at a desired operating temperature can be generated using linear interpolation between white images at several fixed temperatures, comparing the final image quality with an experimentally acquired image at the same temperature.

Probabilistic model of ligaments and tendons: Quasistatic linear stretching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bontempi, M.

2009-03-01

Ligaments and tendons have a significant role in the musculoskeletal system and are frequently subjected to injury. This study presents a model of collagen fibers, based on the study of a statistical distribution of fibers when they are subjected to quasistatic linear stretching. With respect to other methodologies, this model is able to describe the behavior of the bundle using less ad hoc hypotheses and is able to describe all the quasistatic stretch-load responses of the bundle, including the yield and failure regions described in the literature. It has two other important results: the first is that it is able to correlate the mechanical behavior of the bundle with its internal structure, and it suggests a methodology to deduce the fibers population distribution directly from the tensile-test data. The second is that it can follow fibers’ structure evolution during the stretching and it is possible to study the internal adaptation of fibers in physiological and pathological conditions.

Weavability of dry polymer powder towpreg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hugh, Maylene K.; Marchello, Joseph M.; Maiden, Janice R.; Johnston, Norman J.

1993-01-01

Carbon fiber yarns (3k, 6k, 12k) were impregnated with LARC (tm) thermoplastic polyimide dry powder. Parameters for weaving these yarns were established. Eight-harness satin fabrics were successfully woven from each of the three classes of yarns and consolidated into test specimens to determine mechanical properties. It was observed that for optimum results warp yarns should have flexural rigidities between 10,000 and 100,000 mg-cm. Tow handling minimization, low tensioning, and tow bundle twisting were used to reduce fiber breakage, the separation of filaments, and tow-to-tow abrasion. No apparent effect of tow size or twist was observed on either tension or compression modulus. However, fiber damage and processing costs favor the use of 12k yarn bundles versus 3k or 6k yarn bundles in the weaving of powder-coated towpreg.

Photoacoustic imaging of hidden dental caries by using a bundle of hollow optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, Takuya; Kakino, Satoko; Matsuura, Yuji

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow-optical fibers to detect hidden dental caries is proposed. Firstly, we fabricated a hidden caries model with a brown pigment simulating a common color of caries lesion. It was found that high frequency ultrasonic waves are generated from hidden carious part when radiating Nd:YAG laser light with a 532 nm wavelength to occlusal surface of model tooth. We calculated by Fourier transform and found that the waveform from the carious part provides frequency components of approximately from 0.5 to 1.2 MHz. Then a photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow optical fiber was fabricated for clinical applications. From intensity map of frequency components in 0.5-1.2 MHz, photoacoustic images of hidden caries in the simulated samples were successfully obtained.

Fiber bundle endomicroscopy with multi-illumination for three-dimensional reflectance image reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Yoriko; Sawahata, Hirohito; Kawano, Takeshi; Koida, Kowa; Numano, Rika

2018-02-01

Bundled fiber optics allow in vivo imaging at deep sites in a body. The intrinsic optical contrast detects detailed structures in blood vessels and organs. We developed a bundled-fiber-coupled endomicroscope, enabling stereoscopic three-dimensional (3-D) reflectance imaging with a multipositional illumination scheme. Two illumination sites were attached to obtain reflectance images with left and right illumination. Depth was estimated by the horizontal disparity between the two images under alternative illuminations and was calibrated by the targets with known depths. This depth reconstruction was applied to an animal model to obtain the 3-D structure of blood vessels of the cerebral cortex (Cereb cortex) and preputial gland (Pre gla). The 3-D endomicroscope could be instrumental to microlevel reflectance imaging, improving the precision in subjective depth perception, spatial orientation, and identification of anatomical structures.

Solid-Core Photonic Bandgap Fibers for Cladding-Pumped Raman Amplification

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-03

L. Leick, J. Broeng, and S. Selleri, “Single-mode analysis of Yb- doped double-cladding distributed spectral filtering photonic crystal fibers ,” Opt... fiber amplifiers are analyzed theoretically as possible candidates for power scaling. An example fiber design with a mode field diameter of 46 µm and... doped fiber laser with true single-mode output using W-type structure,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, (Optical Society of America, 2006

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoelectron microscopy distinguishes at least three types of efferent synapses in the organ of Corti.

PubMed

Eybalin, M; Pujol, R

1987-01-01

Using anatomical criteria, the olivo-cochlear fibers ending in the organ of Corti (efferent fibers) have recently been separated into two systems: a lateral system innervating principally the inner hair cell (IHC) area and a medial system innervating mainly the outer hair cells (OHCs). Electrophysiological and biochemical experiments suggest that acetylcholine may be a neurotransmitter of these efferent fibers. However, efferent synapses that use acetylcholine as neurotransmitter have not yet been identified at the electron microscopic level. Using a pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopic technique with a monoclonal antibody against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), we localized ChAT-immunostained fibers below both the IHCs and OHCs. In the inner spiral bundle, one type of ChAT-immunostained fibers was vesiculated and formed axo-dendritic synapses with the afferent auditory dendrites contacting the inner hair cells. A second type of ChAT-immunostained fibers seen in the inner spiral bundle was unvesiculated. Unstained vesiculated varicosities synapsing with the auditory dendrites were also seen in the inner spiral bundle. At the OHC level, ChAT immunostaining was found in nearly all the terminals synapsing with the OHCs. The finding of two types of ChAT-immunostained efferent synapses in the organ of Corti, i.e. axo-dendritic synapses in the inner spiral bundle and axo-somatic synapses with the OHCs, supports the hypothesis that both the lateral and the medial olivo-cochlear systems use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter. The finding of numerous unstained synapses in the inner spiral bundle, and some below OHCs, together with previous data about putative cochlear neurotransmitters, suggests the possibility of additional non-cholinergic olivo-cochlear systems. It might soon appear useful to reclassify efferents according to the nature of the different neurotransmitters/co-transmitters found in the various efferent synapses of the organ of Corti.

Total radiated power, infrared output, and heat generation by cold light sources at the distal end of endoscopes and fiber optic bundle of light cables.

PubMed

Hensman, C; Hanna, G B; Drew, T; Moseley, H; Cuschieri, A

1998-04-01

Skin burns and ignition of drapes have been reported with the use of cold light sources. The aim of the study was to document the temperature generated by cold light sources and to correlate this with the total radiated power and infrared output. The temperature, total radiated power, and infrared output were measured as a function of time at the end of the endoscope (which is inserted into the operative field) and the end of the fiber optic bundle of the light cable (which connects the cable to the light port of the endoscope) using halogen and xenon light sources. The highest temperature recorded at the end of the endoscope was 95 degrees C. The temperature measured at the optical fiber location of the endoscope was higher than at its lens surface (p < 0.0001). At the end of the fiber optic bundle of light cables, the temperature reached 225 degrees C within 15 s. The temperature recorded at the optical fiber location of all endoscopes and light cables studied rose significantly over a period of 10 min to reach its maximum (p <0.0001) and then leveled off for the duration of the study (30 min). The infrared output accounted only for 10% of the total radiated power. High temperatures are reached by 10 min at the end of fiber optic bundle of light cables and endoscopes with both halogen and xenon light sources. This heat generation is largely due to the radiated power in the visible light spectrum.

MEGARA spectrograph optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, E.; Sánchez-Blanco, E.; García-Vargas, M. L.; Gil de Paz, A.; Páez, G.; Gallego, J.; Sánchez, F. M.; Vílchez, J. M.

2012-09-01

MEGARA is the next optical Integral-Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) for Gran Telescopio Canarias. The instrument offers two IFUs plus a Multi-Object Spectroscopy (MOS) mode: a large compact bundle covering 12.5 arcsec x 11.3 arcsec on sky with 100 μm fiber-core; a small compact bundle, of 8.5 arcsec x 6.7 arcsec with 70 μm fiber-core and a fiber MOS positioner that allows to place up to 100 mini-bundles, 7 fibers each, with 100 μm fiber-core, within a 3.5 arcmin x 3.5 arcmin field of view, around the two IFUs. The fibers, organized in bundles, end in the pseudo-slit plate, which will be placed at the entrance focal plane of the MEGARA spectrograph. The large IFU and MOS modes will provide intermediate to high spectral resolutions, R=6800-17000. The small IFU mode will provide R=8000-20000. All these resolutions are possible thanks to a spectrograph design based in the used of volume phase holographic gratings in combination with prisms to keep fixed the collimator and camera angle. The MEGARA optics is composed by a total of 53 large optical elements per spectrograph: the field lens, the collimator and the camera lenses plus the complete set of pupil elements including holograms, windows and prisms. INAOE, a partner of the GTC and a partner of MEGARA consortium, is responsible of the optics manufacturing and tests. INAOE will carry out this project working in an alliance with CIO. This paper summarizes the status of MEGARA spectrograph optics at the Preliminary Design Review, held on March 2012.

Shape of a ponytail and the statistical physics of hair fiber bundles.

PubMed

Goldstein, Raymond E; Warren, Patrick B; Ball, Robin C

2012-02-17

A general continuum theory for the distribution of hairs in a bundle is developed, treating individual fibers as elastic filaments with random intrinsic curvatures. Applying this formalism to the iconic problem of the ponytail, the combined effects of bending elasticity, gravity, and orientational disorder are recast as a differential equation for the envelope of the bundle, in which the compressibility enters through an "equation of state." From this, we identify the balance of forces in various regions of the ponytail, extract a remarkably simple equation of state from laboratory measurements of human ponytails, and relate the pressure to the measured random curvatures of individual hairs.

Fiber bundle based endomicroscopy prototype with two collection channels for simultaneous coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and second harmonic generation imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengfan; Satira, Zachary A.; Wang, Xi; Xu, Xiaoyun; Chen, Xu; Wong, Kelvin; Chen, Shufen; Xin, Jianguo; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2014-02-01

Label-free multiphoton imaging is promising for replacing biopsy and could offer new strategies for intraoperative or surgical applications. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging could provide lipid-band contrast, and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging is useful for imaging collagen, tendon and muscle fibers. A combination of these two imaging modalities could provide rich information and this combination has been studied by researchers to investigate diseases through microscopy imaging. The combination of these two imaging modalities in endomicroscopy imaging has been rarely investigated. In this research, a fiber bundle consisted of one excitation fiber and 18 collection fibers was developed in our endomicroscopy prototype. The 18 collection fibers were divided into two collection channels with 9 fibers in each channel. These two channels could be used together as one channel for effective signal collection or used separately for simplifying detection part of the system. Differences of collection pattern of these two channels were investigated. Collection difference of central excitation fiber and surrounding 18 fibers was also investigated, which reveals the potential ability of this system to measure forward to backward (F/B) ratio in SHG imaging. CARS imaging of mouse adipocyte and SHG imaging of mouse tail tendon were performed to demonstrate the CARS and SHG tissue imaging performance of this system. Simultaneous CARS and SHG imaging ability of this system was demonstrated by mouse tail imaging. This fiber bundle based endomicroscopy imaging prototype, offers a promising platform for constructing efficient fiber-based CARS and SHG multimodal endomicroscopes for label free intraoperative imaging applications.

Characterization of Damage in Triaxial Braid Composites Under Tensile Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.; Binienda, Wieslaw K.; Roberts, Gary D.; Goldberg, Robert K.

2009-01-01

Carbon fiber composites utilizing flattened, large tow yarns in woven or braided forms are being used in many aerospace applications. Their complex fiber architecture and large unit cell size present challenges in both understanding deformation processes and measuring reliable material properties. This report examines composites made using flattened 12k and 24k standard modulus carbon fiber yarns in a 0 /+60 /-60 triaxial braid architecture. Standard straight-sided tensile coupons are tested with the 0 axial braid fibers either parallel with or perpendicular to the applied tensile load (axial or transverse tensile test, respectively). Nonuniform surface strain resulting from the triaxial braid architecture is examined using photogrammetry. Local regions of high strain concentration are examined to identify where failure initiates and to determine the local strain at the time of initiation. Splitting within fiber bundles is the first failure mode observed at low to intermediate strains. For axial tensile tests splitting is primarily in the 60 bias fibers, which were oriented 60 to the applied load. At higher strains, out-of-plane deformation associated with localized delamination between fiber bundles or damage within fiber bundles is observed. For transverse tensile tests, the splitting is primarily in the 0 axial fibers, which were oriented transverse to the applied load. The initiation and accumulation of local damage causes the global transverse stress-strain curves to become nonlinear and causes failure to occur at a reduced ultimate strain. Extensive delamination at the specimen edges is also observed.

Phase sensitivity of fundamental mode to external atmospheric pressure for hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaobin; Liu, Yangqian; Gao, Fuyu; Song, Ningfang

2018-07-01

Hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers (HC-PBFs) are suitable for spaceborne fiber optical gyroscopes owing to their excellent environmental adaptability. However, hundreds of small holes full of air at one atmosphere of pressure can make the HC-PBF sensitive to external atmospheric pressure. In this study, we investigated the phase sensitivity of the fundamental mode to external atmospheric pressure for the HC-PBF, and the experimental result indicates that the phase sensitivity is approximately 1.6 × 10-5 ppm/Pa, which is mostly contributed by the change in the pressure-induced length. Through the choice of coating, the phase sensitivity to external atmospheric pressure can be reduced by about a factor of five compared to current HC-PBFs, and the excellent temperature performance can be maintained at the same time.

Management of the high-order mode content in large (40 microm) core photonic bandgap Bragg fiber laser.

PubMed

Gaponov, D A; Février, S; Devautour, M; Roy, P; Likhachev, M E; Aleshkina, S S; Salganskii, M Y; Yashkov, M V; Guryanov, A N

2010-07-01

Very large-mode-area Yb(3+)-doped single-mode photonic bandgap (PBG) Bragg fiber oscillators are considered. The transverse hole-burning effect is numerically modeled, which helps properly design the PBG cladding and the Yb(3+)-doped region for the high-order mode content to be carefully controlled. A ratio of the Yb(3+)-doped region diameter to the overall core diameter of 40% allows for single-mode emission, even for small spool diameters of 15 cm. Such a fiber was manufactured and subsequently used as the core element of a cw oscillator. Very good beam quality parameter M(2)=1.12 and slope efficiency of 80% were measured. Insensitivity to bending, exemplified by the absence of temporal drift of the beam, was demonstrated for curvature diameter as small as 15 cm.

In-Situ Three-Dimensional Shape Rendering from Strain Values Obtained Through Optical Fiber Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, Hon Man (Inventor); Parker, Jr., Allen R. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A method and system for rendering the shape of a multi-core optical fiber or multi-fiber bundle in three-dimensional space in real time based on measured fiber strain data. Three optical fiber cores arc arranged in parallel at 120.degree. intervals about a central axis. A series of longitudinally co-located strain sensor triplets, typically fiber Bragg gratings, are positioned along the length of each fiber at known intervals. A tunable laser interrogates the sensors to detect strain on the fiber cores. Software determines the strain magnitude (.DELTA.L/L) for each fiber at a given triplet, but then applies beam theory to calculate curvature, beading angle and torsion of the fiber bundle, and from there it determines the shape of the fiber in s Cartesian coordinate system by solving a series of ordinary differential equations expanded from the Frenet-Serrat equations. This approach eliminates the need for computationally time-intensive curve-tilting and allows the three-dimensional shape of the optical fiber assembly to be displayed in real-time.

Morphological study of the atrioventricular conduction system and Purkinje fibers in yak.

PubMed

Duan, Deyong; Yu, Sijiu; Cui, Yan; Li, Chaoxu

2017-07-01

We studied the morphology of the atrioventricular conduction system (AVCS) and Purkinje fibers of the yak. Light and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the histological features of AVCS. The distributional characteristics of the His-bundle, the left bundle branch (LBB), right bundle branch (RBB), and Purkinje fiber network of yak hearts were examined using gross dissection, ink injection, and ABS casting. The results showed that the atrioventricular node (AVN) of yak located in the right side of interatrial septum and had a flattened ovoid shape. The AVN of yak is composed of the slender, interweaving cells formed almost entirely of the transitional cells (T-cells). The His-bundle extended from the AVN, and split into left LBB and RBB at the crest of the interventricular septum. The LBB descended along the left side of interventricular septum. At approximately the upper 1/3 of the interventricular septum, the LBB typically divided into three branches. The RBB ran under the endocardium of the right side of interventricular septum, and extended to the base of septal papillary muscle, passed into the moderator band, crossed the right ventricular cavity to reach the base of anterior papillary muscle, and divided into four fascicles under the subendocardial layer. The Purkinje fibers in the ventricle formed a complex spatial network. The distributional and cellular component characteristics of the AVCS and Purkinje fibers ensured normal cardiac function. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multi-fiber strains measured by micro-Raman spectroscopy: Principles and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Zhenkun; Wang, Yunfeng; Qin, Fuyong; Qiu, Wei; Bai, Ruixiang; Chen, Xiaogang

2016-02-01

Based on widely used axial strain measurement method of Kevlar single fiber, an original theoretical model and measurement principle of application of micro-Raman spectroscopy to multi-fiber strains in a fiber bundle were established. The relationship between the nominal Raman shift of fiber bundle and the multi-fiber strains was deduced. The proposed principle for multi-fiber strains measurement is consistent with two special cases: single fiber deformation and multi-fiber deformation under equal strain. It is found experimentally that the distribution of Raman scattering intensity of a Kevlar 49 fiber as a function of distance between a fiber and the laser spot center follows a Gaussian function. Combining the Raman-shift/strain relationship of the Kevlar 49 single fiber and the uniaxial tension measured by micro-Raman spectroscopy, the Raman shift as a function of strain was obtained. Then the Raman peak at 1610 cm-1 for the Kevlar 49 fiber was fitted to a Lorentzian function and the FWHM showed a quadratic increase with the fiber strain. Finally, a dual-fiber tensile experiment was performed to verify the adequacy of the Raman technique for the measurement of multi-fiber strains.

Fiberprint: A subject fingerprint based on sparse code pooling for white matter fiber analysis.

PubMed

Kumar, Kuldeep; Desrosiers, Christian; Siddiqi, Kaleem; Colliot, Olivier; Toews, Matthew

2017-09-01

White matter characterization studies use the information provided by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to draw cross-population inferences. However, the structure, function, and white matter geometry vary across individuals. Here, we propose a subject fingerprint, called Fiberprint, to quantify the individual uniqueness in white matter geometry using fiber trajectories. We learn a sparse coding representation for fiber trajectories by mapping them to a common space defined by a dictionary. A subject fingerprint is then generated by applying a pooling function for each bundle, thus providing a vector of bundle-wise features describing a particular subject's white matter geometry. These features encode unique properties of fiber trajectories, such as their density along prominent bundles. An analysis of data from 861 Human Connectome Project subjects reveals that a fingerprint based on approximately 3000 fiber trajectories can uniquely identify exemplars from the same individual. We also use fingerprints for twin/sibling identification, our observations consistent with the twin data studies of white matter integrity. Our results demonstrate that the proposed Fiberprint can effectively capture the variability in white matter fiber geometry across individuals, using a compact feature vector (dimension of 50), making this framework particularly attractive for handling large datasets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method to improve the blade tip-timing accuracy of fiber bundle sensor under varying tip clearance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Fajie; Zhang, Jilong; Jiang, Jiajia; Guo, Haotian; Ye, Dechao

2016-01-01

Blade vibration measurement based on the blade tip-timing method has become an industry-standard procedure. Fiber bundle sensors are widely used for tip-timing measurement. However, the variation of clearance between the sensor and the blade will bring a tip-timing error to fiber bundle sensors due to the change in signal amplitude. This article presents methods based on software and hardware to reduce the error caused by the tip clearance change. The software method utilizes both the rising and falling edges of the tip-timing signal to determine the blade arrival time, and a calibration process suitable for asymmetric tip-timing signals is presented. The hardware method uses an automatic gain control circuit to stabilize the signal amplitude. Experiments are conducted and the results prove that both methods can effectively reduce the impact of tip clearance variation on the blade tip-timing and improve the accuracy of measurements.

Medical catheters thermally manipulated by fiber optic bundles

DOEpatents

Chastagner, Philippe

1992-01-01

A maneuverable medical catheter comprising a flexible tube having a functional tip. The catheter is connected to a control source. The functional tip of the catheter carries a plurality of temperature activated elements arranged in parallel and disposed about the functional tip and held in spaced relation at each end. These elements expand when they are heated. A plurality of fiber optic bundles, each bundle having a proximal end attached to the control source and a distal end attached to one of the elements carry light into the elements where the light is absorbed as heat. By varying the optic fiber that is carrying the light and the intensity of the light, the bending of the elements can be controlled and thus the catheter steered. In an alternate embodiment, the catheter carries a medical instrument for gathering a sample of tissue. The instrument may also be deployed and operated by thermal expansion and contraction of its moving parts.

Small Angle X-Ray Scattering Detector

DOEpatents

Hessler, Jan P.

2004-06-15

A detector for time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering includes a nearly constant diameter, evacuated linear tube having an end plate detector with a first fluorescent screen and concentric rings of first fiber optic bundles for low angle scattering detection and an annular detector having a second fluorescent screen and second fiber optic bundles concentrically disposed about the tube for higher angle scattering detection. With the scattering source, i.e., the specimen under investigation, located outside of the evacuated tube on the tube's longitudinal axis, scattered x-rays are detected by the fiber optic bundles, to each of which is coupled a respective photodetector, to provide a measurement resolution, i.e., dq/q, where q is the momentum transferred from an incident x-ray to an x-ray scattering specimen, of 2% over two (2) orders of magnitude in reciprocal space, i.e., q.sub.max /q.sub.min.congruent.100.

High-power fused assemblies enabled by advances in fiber-processing technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiley, Robert; Clark, Brett

2011-02-01

The power handling capabilities of fiber lasers are limited by the technologies available to fabricate and assemble the key optical system components. Previous tools for the assembly, tapering, and fusion of fiber laser elements have had drawbacks with regard to temperature range, alignment capability, assembly flexibility and surface contamination. To provide expanded capabilities for fiber laser assembly, a wide-area electrical plasma heat source was used in conjunction with an optimized image analysis method and a flexible alignment system, integrated according to mechatronic principles. High-resolution imaging and vision-based measurement provided feedback to adjust assembly, fusion, and tapering process parameters. The system was used to perform assembly steps including dissimilar-fiber splicing, tapering, bundling, capillary bundling, and fusion of fibers to bulk optic devices up to several mm in diameter. A wide range of fiber types and diameters were tested, including extremely large diameters and photonic crystal fibers. The assemblies were evaluated for conformation to optical and mechanical design criteria, such as taper geometry and splice loss. The completed assemblies met the performance targets and exhibited reduced surface contamination compared to assemblies prepared on previously existing equipment. The imaging system and image analysis algorithms provided in situ fiber geometry measurement data that agreed well with external measurement. The ability to adjust operating parameters dynamically based on imaging was shown to provide substantial performance benefits, particularly in the tapering of fibers and bundles. The integrated design approach was shown to provide sufficient flexibility to perform all required operations with a minimum of reconfiguration.

Contrast limiting factors of optical fiber bundles for flexible endoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega-Quijano, N.; Arce-Diego, J. L.; Fanjul-Vélez, F.

2008-11-01

Medical endoscopy constitutes a basic device for the development of minimally invasive procedures for a wide range of medical applications, involving diagnosis, treatment and surgery, as well as biopsy sampling. Its minimally invasive nature results in no surgery, or only small incisions, which involves a minimal hospitalization time. The medical relevance of endoscopes relies on the fact that they are one of the most effective means of early stages of cancer diagnosis, with the subsequent improvement in the patient's quality of life. Flexible endoscopy by means of coherent optical fiber bundles shows both flexibility and a high active area. However, the parallel arrangement of the fibers within the bundle produces interference phenomena between them, which results in optical crosstalk. As a consequence, there is a power exchange between contiguous fibers, producing a worsening in the contrast of the image. In this work, this quality limiting factor is deeply studied. We quantitatively analyze crosstalk, performing several studies that show the limitations imposed to the endoscopic system. Finally, we propose some solutions by an analytical method to accurately determine the appropriate optical fibers for each particular design. The method is also applied to endoscopic OCT.

A unique skeletal microstructure of the deep-sea micrabaciid scleractinian corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janiszewska, Katarzyna; Stolarski, Jaroslaw; Benzerara, Karim; Meibom, Anders; Mazur, Maciej; Kitahara, Marcelo; Cairns, Stephen D.

2010-05-01

Structural and biogeochemical properties of the skeleton of many invertebrates rely on organic matrix-mediated biomineralization processes. Organic matrices, composed of complex assemblages of macromolecules (proteins, polysaccharides), may control nucleation, spatial delineation and organization of basic microstructural units. Biologically controlled mineralization is also suggested for the scleractinian corals whose different, molecularly recognized clades are supported by distinct types of skeletal microstructures. Main differences in scleractinian coral skeletal microstructures suggested so far consist in (1) varying spatial relationships between Rapid Accretion Deposits (RAD, 'centers of calcification') and thickening deposits (TD, 'fibers'), and (2) varying arrangements of biomineral fibers into higher order structures (e.g., bundles of fibers perpendicular to skeletal surfaces in some 'caryophylliid' corals vs. scale-like units with fibers parallel to the surface in acroporiids). However, a common feature of biomineral fibers in corals described thus far was their similar crystallographic arrangement within larger meso-scale structures (bundles of fibers) and continuity between successive growth layers. Herein we show that representatives of the deep-sea scleractinian family Micrabaciidae (genera: Letepsammia, Rhombopsammia, Stephanophyllia, Leptopenus) have thickening deposits composed of irregular meshwork of short (1-2 μm) and extremely thin (ca. 100-300 nm) fibers organized into small bundles (ca. 1-2 μm thick). Longer axes of fibers are aligned within individual bundles that, in turn, show rather irregular arrangement on the growing surfaces and within the skeleton (irregular criss-cross pattern). In contrast to other scleractinians (including deep-water 'caryophylliids', fungiacyathids, and anthemiphyllids sympatric with micrabaciids), growth layers are not distinct. Also the regions of rapid accretion and thickening deposits are not clearly separated at the meso-scale. However, AFM and FESEM observations of RAD show nanogranular units (ca. 30-100 nm in diameter) typical of fast growing skeletal regions. Unique microstructural organization of the micrabaciid skeleton supports their monophyletic status (reinforced by macromorphological and molecular data), and points to a diversity of organic matrix-mediated biomineralization strategies in Scleractinia.

Large Mode Area Yb-Doped Photonic Bandgap Fiber Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-08

was estimated to be 1 dB/m at a pump wavelength of 976 nm. Approximately 11 m of this fiber was mounted on a cold spool possessing a diameter of 53 cm...Approximately 11 m of this fiber was mounted on a cold spool possessing a diameter of 53 cm. The PBGF was pumped in a counter-propagating configuration

Computational Study of the Blood Flow in Three Types of 3D Hollow Fiber Membrane Bundles

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jiafeng; Chen, Xiaobing; Ding, Jun; Fraser, Katharine H.; Ertan Taskin, M.; Griffith, Bartley P.; Wu, Zhongjun J.

2013-01-01

The goal of this study is to develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling approach to better estimate the blood flow dynamics in the bundles of the hollow fiber membrane based medical devices (i.e., blood oxygenators, artificial lungs, and hemodialyzers). Three representative types of arrays, square, diagonal, and random with the porosity value of 0.55, were studied. In addition, a 3D array with the same porosity was studied. The flow fields between the individual fibers in these arrays at selected Reynolds numbers (Re) were simulated with CFD modeling. Hemolysis is not significant in the fiber bundles but the platelet activation may be essential. For each type of array, the average wall shear stress is linearly proportional to the Re. For the same Re but different arrays, the average wall shear stress also exhibits a linear dependency on the pressure difference across arrays, while Darcy′s law prescribes a power-law relationship, therefore, underestimating the shear stress level. For the same Re, the average wall shear stress of the diagonal array is approximately 3.1, 1.8, and 2.0 times larger than that of the square, random, and 3D arrays, respectively. A coefficient C is suggested to correlate the CFD predicted data with the analytical solution, and C is 1.16, 1.51, and 2.05 for the square, random, and diagonal arrays in this paper, respectively. It is worth noting that C is strongly dependent on the array geometrical properties, whereas it is weakly dependent on the flow field. Additionally, the 3D fiber bundle simulation results show that the three-dimensional effect is not negligible. Specifically, velocity and shear stress distribution can vary significantly along the fiber axial direction. PMID:24141394

Comparative fiber property and transcriptome analyses reveal key genes potentially related to high fiber strength in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) line MD52ne

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Individual fiber strength is an important quality attribute that greatly influences the strength of the yarn spun from cotton fibers. Fiber strength is usually measured from bundles of fibers due to the difficulty of reliably measuring strength from individual cotton fibers. However, bun...

Large field distributed aperture laser semiactive angle measurement system design with imaging fiber bundles.

PubMed

Xu, Chunyun; Cheng, Haobo; Feng, Yunpeng; Jing, Xiaoli

2016-09-01

A type of laser semiactive angle measurement system is designed for target detecting and tracking. Only one detector is used to detect target location from four distributed aperture optical systems through a 4×1 imaging fiber bundle. A telecentric optical system in image space is designed to increase the efficiency of imaging fiber bundles. According to the working principle of a four-quadrant (4Q) detector, fiber diamond alignment is adopted between an optical system and a 4Q detector. The structure of the laser semiactive angle measurement system is, we believe, novel. Tolerance analysis is carried out to determine tolerance limits of manufacture and installation errors of the optical system. The performance of the proposed method is identified by computer simulations and experiments. It is demonstrated that the linear region of the system is ±12°, with measurement error of better than 0.2°. In general, this new system can be used with large field of view and high accuracy, providing an efficient, stable, and fast method for angle measurement in practical situations.

Preform For Producing An Optical Fiber And Method Therefor

DOEpatents

Kliner, Dahv A. V.; Koplow, Jeffery P.

2004-08-10

The present invention provides a simple method for fabricating fiber-optic glass preforms having complex refractive index configurations and/or dopant distributions in a radial direction with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The method teaches bundling together a plurality of glass rods of specific physical, chemical, or optical properties and wherein the rod bundle is fused in a manner that maintains the cross-sectional composition and refractive-index profiles established by the position of the rods.

Preform For Producing An Optical Fiber And Method Therefor

DOEpatents

Kliner, Dahv A. V.; Koplow, Jeffery P.

2005-04-19

The present invention provides a simple method for fabricating fiber-optic glass preforms having complex refractive index configurations and/or dopant distributions in a radial direction with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The method teaches bundling together a plurality of glass rods of specific physical, chemical, or optical properties and wherein the rod bundle is fused in a manner that maintains the cross-sectional composition and refractive-index profiles established by the position of the rods.

Decreased white matter integrity in fronto-occipital fasciculus bundles: relation to visual information processing in alcohol-dependent subjects.

PubMed

Bagga, Deepika; Sharma, Aakansha; Kumari, Archana; Kaur, Prabhjot; Bhattacharya, Debajyoti; Garg, Mohan Lal; Khushu, Subash; Singh, Namita

2014-02-01

Chronic alcohol abuse is characterized by impaired cognitive abilities with a more severe deficit in visual than in verbal functions. Neuropathologically, it is associated with widespread brain structural compromise marked by gray matter shrinkage, ventricular enlargement, and white matter degradation. The present study sought to increase current understanding of the impairment of visual processing abilities in alcohol-dependent subjects, and its correlation with white matter microstructural alterations, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). To that end, a DTI study was carried out on 35 alcohol-dependent subjects and 30 healthy male control subjects. Neuropsychological tests were assessed for visual processing skills and deficits were reported as raw dysfunction scores (rDyS). Reduced FA (fractional anisotropy) and increased MD (mean diffusivity) were observed bilaterally in inferior and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (FOF) fiber bundles. A significant inverse correlation in rDyS and FA values was observed in these fiber tracts whereas a positive correlation of these scores was found with the MD values. Our results suggest that FOF fiber bundles linking the frontal lobe to occipital lobe might be related to visual processing skills. This is the first report of an alteration of the white matter microstructure of FOF fiber bundles that might have functional consequences for visual processing in alcohol-dependent subjects who exhibit no neurological complications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint Multi-Fiber NODDI Parameter Estimation and Tractography Using the Unscented Information Filter

PubMed Central

Reddy, Chinthala P.; Rathi, Yogesh

2016-01-01

Tracing white matter fiber bundles is an integral part of analyzing brain connectivity. An accurate estimate of the underlying tissue parameters is also paramount in several neuroscience applications. In this work, we propose to use a joint fiber model estimation and tractography algorithm that uses the NODDI (neurite orientation dispersion diffusion imaging) model to estimate fiber orientation dispersion consistently and smoothly along the fiber tracts along with estimating the intracellular and extracellular volume fractions from the diffusion signal. While the NODDI model has been used in earlier works to estimate the microstructural parameters at each voxel independently, for the first time, we propose to integrate it into a tractography framework. We extend this framework to estimate the NODDI parameters for two crossing fibers, which is imperative to trace fiber bundles through crossings as well as to estimate the microstructural parameters for each fiber bundle separately. We propose to use the unscented information filter (UIF) to accurately estimate the model parameters and perform tractography. The proposed approach has significant computational performance improvements as well as numerical robustness over the unscented Kalman filter (UKF). Our method not only estimates the confidence in the estimated parameters via the covariance matrix, but also provides the Fisher-information matrix of the state variables (model parameters), which can be quite useful to measure model complexity. Results from in-vivo human brain data sets demonstrate the ability of our algorithm to trace through crossing fiber regions, while estimating orientation dispersion and other biophysical model parameters in a consistent manner along the tracts. PMID:27147956

Joint Multi-Fiber NODDI Parameter Estimation and Tractography Using the Unscented Information Filter.

PubMed

Reddy, Chinthala P; Rathi, Yogesh

2016-01-01

Tracing white matter fiber bundles is an integral part of analyzing brain connectivity. An accurate estimate of the underlying tissue parameters is also paramount in several neuroscience applications. In this work, we propose to use a joint fiber model estimation and tractography algorithm that uses the NODDI (neurite orientation dispersion diffusion imaging) model to estimate fiber orientation dispersion consistently and smoothly along the fiber tracts along with estimating the intracellular and extracellular volume fractions from the diffusion signal. While the NODDI model has been used in earlier works to estimate the microstructural parameters at each voxel independently, for the first time, we propose to integrate it into a tractography framework. We extend this framework to estimate the NODDI parameters for two crossing fibers, which is imperative to trace fiber bundles through crossings as well as to estimate the microstructural parameters for each fiber bundle separately. We propose to use the unscented information filter (UIF) to accurately estimate the model parameters and perform tractography. The proposed approach has significant computational performance improvements as well as numerical robustness over the unscented Kalman filter (UKF). Our method not only estimates the confidence in the estimated parameters via the covariance matrix, but also provides the Fisher-information matrix of the state variables (model parameters), which can be quite useful to measure model complexity. Results from in-vivo human brain data sets demonstrate the ability of our algorithm to trace through crossing fiber regions, while estimating orientation dispersion and other biophysical model parameters in a consistent manner along the tracts.

Studies on scintillating fiber response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albers, D.; Bisplinghoff, J.; Bollmann, R.; Büßer, K.; Cloth, P.; Diehl, O.; Dohrmann, F.; Drüke, V.; Engelhardt, H. P.; Ernst, J.; Eversheim, P. D.; Filges, D.; Gasthuber, M.; Gebel, R.; Greiff, J.; Groß, A.; Groß-Hardt, R.; Heine, A.; Heider, S.; Hinterberger, F.; Igelbrink, M.; Jahn, R.; Jeske, M.; Langkau, R.; Lindlein, J.; Maier, R.; Maschuw, R.; Mayer-Kuckuk, T.; Mertler, G.; Metsch, B.; Mosel, F.; Müller, M.; Münstermann, M.; Paetz gen. Schieck, H.; Petry, H. R.; Prasuhn, D.; Rohdjeß, H.; Rosendaal, D.; Roß, U.; von Rossen, P.; Scheid, H.; Schirm, N.; Schulz-Rojahn, M.; Schwandt, F.; Scobel, W.; Steeg, B.; Sterzenbach, G.; Trelle, H. J.; Wellinghausen, A.; Wiedmann, W.; Woller, K.; Ziegler, R.

1996-02-01

Scintillating fibers of type Bicron BCF-12 with 2 × 2 mm 2 cross section, up to 600 mm length, and PMMA cladding have been tested, in conjunction with the multi-channel photomultiplier Hamamatsu R 4760, with minimum ionizing electrons. The impact of cladding, extramural absorbers and/or wrapping on the light attenuation and photoelectron yield is studied in detail. Fibers have been circularly bent with radii of 171 mm and arranged in two layers to bundles forming granulated scintillator rings. Their performance in the EDDA experiment at COSY for detection of high energy protons revealed typically more than 9 (6) photoelectrons per fiber from bundles with (without) mirror on the rear side, guaranteeing detection efficiencies >99% and full compatibility with corresponding solid scintillator rings. The time resolution of 3.4 ns FWHM per fiber read out is essentially due to the R 4760.

Atlas-guided cluster analysis of large tractography datasets.

PubMed

Ros, Christian; Güllmar, Daniel; Stenzel, Martin; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Reichenbach, Jürgen Rainer

2013-01-01

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and fiber tractography are important tools to map the cerebral white matter microstructure in vivo and to model the underlying axonal pathways in the brain with three-dimensional fiber tracts. As the fast and consistent extraction of anatomically correct fiber bundles for multiple datasets is still challenging, we present a novel atlas-guided clustering framework for exploratory data analysis of large tractography datasets. The framework uses an hierarchical cluster analysis approach that exploits the inherent redundancy in large datasets to time-efficiently group fiber tracts. Structural information of a white matter atlas can be incorporated into the clustering to achieve an anatomically correct and reproducible grouping of fiber tracts. This approach facilitates not only the identification of the bundles corresponding to the classes of the atlas; it also enables the extraction of bundles that are not present in the atlas. The new technique was applied to cluster datasets of 46 healthy subjects. Prospects of automatic and anatomically correct as well as reproducible clustering are explored. Reconstructed clusters were well separated and showed good correspondence to anatomical bundles. Using the atlas-guided cluster approach, we observed consistent results across subjects with high reproducibility. In order to investigate the outlier elimination performance of the clustering algorithm, scenarios with varying amounts of noise were simulated and clustered with three different outlier elimination strategies. By exploiting the multithreading capabilities of modern multiprocessor systems in combination with novel algorithms, our toolkit clusters large datasets in a couple of minutes. Experiments were conducted to investigate the achievable speedup and to demonstrate the high performance of the clustering framework in a multiprocessing environment.

The development of a fiber optics communication network for controlling a Multidegree-Of-Freedom Serpentine Truss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrawis, Alfred S.

1994-10-01

The problem addressed by this report is the large size and heavy weight of the cable bundle, used for controlling a Multidegree-Of-Freedom Serpentine Truss Manipulator arm, which imposes limitations on the manipulator arm maneuverability. This report covers a design of an optical fiber network to replace the existing copper wire network of the Serpentine Truss Manipulator. This report proposes a fiber network design which significantly reduces the bundle size into two phases. The first phase does not require any modifications for the manipulator architecture, while the other requires major modifications. Design philosophy, hardware details and schematic diagrams are presented.

Thermal-Mechanical Response of Cracked Satin Weave CFRP Composites at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, S.; Shindo, Y.; Narita, F.; Takeda, T.

2008-03-01

This paper examines the thermal-mechanical response of satin weave carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates with internal and/or edge cracks subjected to uniaxial tension load at cryogenic temperatures. Cracks are considered to occur in the transverse fiber bundles and extend through the entire thickness of the fiber bundles. Two-dimentional generalized plane strain finite element models are developed to study the effects of residual thermal stresses and cracks on the mechanical behavior of CFRP woven laminates. A detailed examination of the Young's modulus and stress distributions near the crack tip is carried out which provides insight into material behavior at cryogenic temperatures.

The development of a fiber optics communication network for controlling a Multidegree-Of-Freedom Serpentine Truss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrawis, Alfred S.

1994-01-01

The problem addressed by this report is the large size and heavy weight of the cable bundle, used for controlling a Multidegree-Of-Freedom Serpentine Truss Manipulator arm, which imposes limitations on the manipulator arm maneuverability. This report covers a design of an optical fiber network to replace the existing copper wire network of the Serpentine Truss Manipulator. This report proposes a fiber network design which significantly reduces the bundle size into two phases. The first phase does not require any modifications for the manipulator architecture, while the other requires major modifications. Design philosophy, hardware details and schematic diagrams are presented.

Effect of the Maximum Dose on White Matter Fiber Bundles Using Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging

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

Zhu, Tong; Chapman, Christopher H.; Tsien, Christina

2016-11-01

Purpose: Previous efforts to decrease neurocognitive effects of radiation focused on sparing isolated cortical structures. We hypothesize that understanding temporal, spatial, and dosimetric patterns of radiation damage to whole-brain white matter (WM) after partial-brain irradiation might also be important. Therefore, we carried out a study to develop the methodology to assess radiation therapy (RT)–induced damage to whole-brain WM bundles. Methods and Materials: An atlas-based, automated WM tractography analysis was implemented to quantify longitudinal changes in indices of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of 22 major WM fibers in 33 patients with predominantly low-grade or benign brain tumors treated by RT. Sixmore » DTI scans per patient were performed from before RT to 18 months after RT. The DTI indices and planned doses (maximum and mean doses) were mapped onto profiles of each of 22 WM bundles. A multivariate linear regression was performed to determine the main dose effect as well as the influence of other clinical factors on longitudinal percentage changes in axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) from before RT. Results: Among 22 fiber bundles, AD or RD changes in 12 bundles were affected significantly by doses (P<.05), as the effect was progressive over time. In 9 elongated tracts, decreased AD or RD was significantly related to maximum doses received, consistent with a serial structure. In individual bundles, AD changes were up to 11.5% at the maximum dose locations 18 months after RT. The dose effect on WM was greater in older female patients than younger male patients. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates for the first time that the maximum dose to the elongated WM bundles causes post-RT damage in WM. Validation and correlative studies are necessary to determine the ability and impact of sparing these bundles on preserving neurocognitive function after RT.« less

Effects of bond primers on bending strength and bonding of glass fibers in fiber-embedded maxillofacial silicone prostheses.

PubMed

Hatamleh, Muhanad M; Watts, David C

2011-02-01

To evaluate the effect of three commonly used bond primers on the bending strength of glass fibers and their bond strength to maxillofacial silicone elastomer after 360 hours of accelerated daylight aging. Eighty specimens were fabricated by embedding resin-impregnated fiber bundles (1.5-mm diameter, 20-mm long) into maxillofacial silicone elastomer M511 (Cosmesil). Twenty fiber bundles served as control and did not receive surface treatment with primers, whereas the remaining 60 fibers were treated with three primers (n = 20): G611 (Principality Medical), A-304 (Factor II), and A-330-Gold (Factor II). Forty specimens were dry stored at room temperature (23 ± 1°C) for 24 hours, and the remaining specimens were aged using an environmental chamber under accelerated exposure to artificial daylight for 360 hours. The aging cycle included continuous exposure to quartz-filtered visible daylight (irradiance 760 W/m(2) ) under an alternating weathering cycle (wet for 18 minutes, dry for 102 minutes). Pull-out tests were performed to evaluate bond strength between fiber bundles and silicone using a universal testing machine at 1 mm/min crosshead speed. A 3-point bending test was performed to evaluate the bending strength of the fiber bundles. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni post hoc test, and an independent t-test were carried out to detect statistical significances (p < 0.05). Mean (SD) values of maximum pull-out forces (N) before aging for groups: no primer, G611, A-304, A-330-G were: 13.63 (7.45), 20.44 (2.99), 22.06 (6.69), and 57.91 (10.15), respectively. All primers increased bond strength in comparison to control specimens (p < 0.05). Primer A-330-G showed the greatest increase among all primers (p < 0.05); however, bonding degraded after aging (p < 0.05), and pull-out forces were 13.58 (2.61), 6.17 (2.89), 6.95 (2.61), and 11.72 (3.03). Maximum bending strengths of fiber bundles at baseline increased after treatment with primers and light aging in comparison with control specimens (p < 0.05), and were in the range of 917.72 to 1095.25 and 1124.06 to 1596.68 MPa at both baseline and after 360 hours aging (p < 0.05). The use of A-330-G primer in conjunction with silicone Cosmesil M511 produced the greatest bond strength for silicone-glass fiber surfaces at baseline; however, bond strength was significantly degraded after accelerated daylight aging. Treatment with primer and accelerated daylight aging increased bending strength of glass fibers. © 2011 by The American College of Prosthodontists.

Corneal confocal microscopy detects small fiber neuropathy in CMT1A patients

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Mitra; Marshall, Andy; Banka, Siddharth; Petropoulos, Ioannis N; Fadavi, Hassan; Kingston, Helen; Malik, Rayaz A

2012-01-01

Although unmyelinated nerve fibers are affected in CMT1A, they have not been studied in detail due to the invasive nature of the techniques needed to study them. We established alterations in C-fiber bundles of the cornea in patients with CMT1A using non-invasive corneal confocal microscopy (CCM). Twelve patients with CMT1A and twelve healthy control subjects underwent assessment of neuropathic symptoms and deficits, electrophysiology, quantitative sensory testing, corneal sensitivity and corneal confocal microscopy. Corneal sensitivity, corneal nerve fiber density, corneal nerve branch density, corneal nerve fiber length and corneal nerve fiber tortuosity were significantly reduced in CMT1A patients compared to controls. There was a significant correlation between corneal sensation and CCM parameters with the severity of painful neuropathic symptoms, cold and warm thresholds and median nerve CMAP amplitude. CCM demonstrates significant damage to C-fiber bundles, which relates to some measures of neuropathy in CMT1A patients. PMID:22996176

Automated fibre optic instrumentation for the William Herschel Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parry, Ian R.; Lewis, Ian J.

1990-07-01

The design and operation of the automated optical-fiber positioning system used for spectroscopic observations at the Cassegrain focus of the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos are described. The system is a modified version of the Autofib positioner for the AAT and employs 64 spectroscopic fibers and 8 guide fiber bundles arranged to form a 17-arcmin-diameter field. The fibers are 1-m-long polyimide-coated high-OH silica, with core diameter 260 microns and outer diameter 315 microns, and a 1.2-mm side-length microprism is cemented to the end of each fiber or (7-fiber) guide bundle. The fibers are positioned one at a time by a pick-and-place robot assembly, and a viewing head permitting simultaneous observation of the back-illuminated fiber and the object it is trying to acquire is provided. This prototype Cassegrain-focus system is being studied to aid in the development of a more accurate fiber positioner for use at the prime focus of the WHT.

Nonlinear Optical Interactions in Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

TACAN Aerospace Corporation. 6 V. Coupling A. C.N.R.S., Physique du Solide et Energie Solaire We have an on-going interaction with Dr. Christian...optical fiber to the semiconductor sample and back to the analyzing electronics. The band-gap energy of the semiconductor decreases with increasing...temperature. Consequently, the absorption of light in the energy region of the band-gap changes with temperature. From the measured light absorption, the

Rheological properties of molten flax- and Tencel{sup ®}-polypropylene composites: Influence of fiber morphology and concentration

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

Abdennadher, Ahmed; Vincent, Michel; Budtova, Tatiana, E-mail: Tatiana.Budtova@mines-paristech.fr

The rheological properties of short fiber reinforced polypropylene were investigated. Flax and Tencel{sup ®} are two cellulose based fibers used in this study. Flax fibers are extracted from the bast of plants. They are composed of thin elementary fibers and rigid thick bundles made of elementary fibers “glued” together. Tencel{sup ®} is a man-made cellulosic fiber spun from cellulose solution, with a uniform diameter, thin, and flexible. First, fiber dimensions before and after compounding were analyzed. Both types of fibers were broken during compounding. Flax shows larger length and diameter than Tencel{sup ®}, but aspect ratio of flax is smaller.more » The reason is that after compounding flax remained in bundles. Dynamic viscosity, elastic and viscous moduli were studied as a function of fiber type, concentration (from 0 to 30 wt. %), and composite temperature (from 180 to 200 °C). All Tencel{sup ®}-based composites showed higher apparent yield stress, viscosity, and moduli compared to flax-based composites at the same fiber concentrations. The results are analyzed in terms of the influence of fiber type, aspect ratio, and flexibility. The importance of considering fiber morphology is demonstrated as far as it controls fiber flexibility and fiber-fiber interactions.« less

Scale factor gage for fiber optics inspection device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmahon, W.; Sugg, F. E.

1971-01-01

Flexible wire device, fastened along outside of fiber bundle from viewing portion to tip, positions calibrated adjustable gage in field of view. Scale factor is determined from known magnification characteristics of fiber optics system or from graduations on gage tip.

Time dependence of breakdown in a global fiber-bundle model with continuous damage.

PubMed

Moral, L; Moreno, Y; Gómez, J B; Pacheco, A F

2001-06-01

A time-dependent global fiber-bundle model of fracture with continuous damage is formulated in terms of a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. A first integral of this set is analytically obtained. The time evolution of the system is studied by applying a discrete probabilistic method. Several results are discussed emphasizing their differences with the standard time-dependent model. The results obtained show that with this simple model a variety of experimental observations can be qualitatively reproduced.

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) onboard calibration system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chrien, Thomas G.; Eastwood, Mike; Green, Robert O.; Sarture, Charles; Johnson, Howell; Chovit, Chris; Hajek, Pavel

1995-01-01

The AVIRIS instrument uses an onboard calibration system to provide auxiliary calibration data. The system consist of a tungsten halogen cycle lamp imaged onto a fiber bundle through an eight position filter wheel. The fiber bundle illuminates the back side of the foreoptics shutter during a pre-run and post-run calibration sequence. The filter wheel contains two neutral density filters, five spectral filters and one blocked position. This paper reviews the general workings of the onboard calibrator system and discusses recent modifications.

Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis and Stiffness Increase after Rotator Cuff Tendon Injury and Neuromuscular Compromise in a Rat Model

PubMed Central

Sato, Eugene J.; Killian, Megan L.; Choi, Anthony J.; Lin, Evie; Esparza, Mary C.; Galatz, Leesa M.; Thomopoulos, Stavros; Ward, Samuel R.

2015-01-01

Rotator cuff tears can cause irreversible changes (e.g., fibrosis) to the structure and function of the injured muscle(s). Fibrosis leads to increased muscle stiffness resulting in increased tension at the rotator cuff repair site. This tension influences repairability and healing potential in the clinical setting. However, the micro- and meso-scale structural and molecular sources of these whole-muscle mechanical changes are poorly understood. Here, single muscle fiber and fiber bundle passive mechanical testing was performed on rat supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles with experimentally induced massive rotator cuff tears (Tenotomy) as well as massive tears with chemical denervation (Tenotomy+BTX) at 8 and 16 weeks post-injury. Titin molecular weight, collagen content, and myosin heavy chain profiles were measured and correlated with mechanical variables. Single fiber stiffness was not different between controls and experimental groups. However, fiber bundle stiffness was significantly increased at 8 weeks in the Tenotomy+BTX group compared to Tenotomy or control groups. Many of the changes were resolved by 16 weeks. Only fiber bundle passive mechanics was weakly correlated with collagen content. These data suggest that tendon injury with concomitant neuromuscular compromise results in extracellular matrix production and increases in stiffness of the muscle, potentially complicating subsequent attempts for surgical repair. PMID:24838823

Advanced specialty fiber designs for high power fiber lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Guancheng

The output power of fiber lasers has increased rapidly over the last decade. There are two major limiting factors, namely nonlinear effects and transverse mode instability, prohibiting the power scaling capability of fiber lasers. The nonlinear effects, originating from high optical intensity, primarily limit the peak power scaling. The mode instability, on the other hand, arises from quantum-defect driven heating, causing undesired mode coupling once the power exceeds the threshold and degradation of beam quality. The mode instability has now become the bottleneck for average output power scaling of fiber lasers. Mode area scaling is the most effective way to mitigate nonlinear effects. However, the use of large mode area may increase the tendency to support multiple modes in the core, resulting in lower mode instability threshold. Therefore, it is critical to maintain single mode operation in a large mode area fiber. Sufficient higher order mode suppression can lead to effective single-transverse-mode propagation. In this dissertation, we explore the feasibility of using specialty fiber to construct high power fiber lasers with robust single-mode output. The first type of fiber discussed is the resonantly-enhanced leakage channel fiber. Coherent reflection at the fiber outer boundary can lead to additional confinement especially for highly leaky HOM, leading to lower HOM losses than what are predicted by conventional finite element mothod mode solver considering infinite cladding. In this work, we conducted careful measurements of HOM losses in two leakage channel fibers (LCF) with circular and rounded hexagonal boundary shapes respectively. Impact on HOM losses from coiling, fiber boundary shapes and coating indexes were studied in comparison to simulations. This work demonstrates the limit of the simulation method commonly used in the large-mode-area fiber designs and the need for an improved approach. More importantly, this work also demonstrates that a deviation from circular fiber outer shape may be an effective method to mitigate HOM loss reduction from coherent reflection from fiber outer boundary. In an all-solid photonic bandgap fiber, modes are only guided due to anti-resonance of cladding photonic crystal lattice. This provides strongly mode-dependent guidance, leading to very high differential mode losses, which is essential for lasing far from the gain peak and suppression of stimulated Raman scattering. We will show that all-solid photonic bandgap fibers with effective mode area of 920microm2 can be made with excellent higher order mode suppression. We then demonstrate a 50microm-core-diameter Yb-doped all-solid photonic bandgap fiber laser. 75W output power has been generated with a diffraction-limited beam and an efficiency of 70% relative to the launched pump power. We have also experimentally confirmed that a robust single-mode regime exists near the high frequency edge of the bandgap. It is well known that incorporation of additional smaller cores in the cladding can be used to resonantly out-couple higher-order modes from a main core to suppress higher-order-mode propagation in the main core. Using a novel design with multiple coupled smaller cores in the cladding, we further scaled up the mode area and have successfully demonstrated a single-mode photonic bandgap fiber with record effective mode area of 2650microm2. Detailed numeric studies have been conducted for multiple cladding designs. For the optimal designs, the simulated minimum higher-order-mode losses are well over two orders of magnitudes higher than that of fundamental mode when expressed in dBs. We have also experimentally validated one of the designs. M 2<1.08 across the transmission band was demonstrated. Lowering quantum defect heating is another approach to mitigate mode instability. Highly-efficient high-power fiber lasers operating at wavelength below 1020nm are critical for tandem-pumping in >10kW fiber lasers to provide high pump brightness and low thermal loading. Using an ytterbium-doped-phosphosilicate double-clad leakage-channel fiber with 50microm core and 420microm cladding, we have achieved 70% optical-to-optical efficiency at 1018nm. The much larger cladding than those in previous reports demonstrates the much lower required pump brightness, a key for efficient kW operation. The demonstrated 1018nm fiber laser has ASE suppression of 41dB. This is higher than previous reports and further demonstrates the advantages of the fiber used. Limiting factors to efficiency are also systematically studied.

Imaging quality evaluation method of pixel coupled electro-optical imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xu; Yuan, Li; Jin, Chunqi; Zhang, Xiaohui

2017-09-01

With advancements in high-resolution imaging optical fiber bundle fabrication technology, traditional photoelectric imaging system have become ;flexible; with greatly reduced volume and weight. However, traditional image quality evaluation models are limited by the coupling discrete sampling effect of fiber-optic image bundles and charge-coupled device (CCD) pixels. This limitation substantially complicates the design, optimization, assembly, and evaluation image quality of the coupled discrete sampling imaging system. Based on the transfer process of grayscale cosine distribution optical signal in the fiber-optic image bundle and CCD, a mathematical model of coupled modulation transfer function (coupled-MTF) is established. This model can be used as a basis for following studies on the convergence and periodically oscillating characteristics of the function. We also propose the concept of the average coupled-MTF, which is consistent with the definition of traditional MTF. Based on this concept, the relationships among core distance, core layer radius, and average coupled-MTF are investigated.

Reduced graphene oxide-supported TiO2 fiber bundles with mesostructures as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Zhen, Mengmeng; Zhu, Xiaohe; Zhang, Xiao; Zhou, Zhen; Liu, Lu

2015-10-05

Although the synthesis of mesoporous materials is well established, the preparation of TiO2 fiber bundles with mesostructures, highly crystalline walls, and good thermal stability on the RGO nanosheets remains a challenge. Herein, a low-cost and environmentally friendly hydrothermal route for the synthesis of RGO nanosheet-supported anatase TiO2 fiber bundles with dense mesostructures is used. These mesostructured TiO2 -RGO materials are used for investigation of Li-ion insertion properties, which show a reversible capacity of 235 mA h g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1) and 150 mA h g(-1) at 1000 mA g(-1) after 1000 cycles. The higher specific surface area of the new mesostructures and high conductive substrate (RGO nanosheets) result in excellent lithium storage performance, high-rate performance, and strong cycling stability of the TiO2 -RGO composites. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Numerical analysis of the blade tip-timing signal of a fiber bundle sensor probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Haotian; Duan, Fajie; Cheng, Zhonghai

2015-03-01

Blade tip-timing is the most effective method for online blade vibration measurement of large rotating machines like turbine engines. Fiber bundle sensors are utilized in tip-timing system to measure the arrival time of the blade. The model of the tip-timing signal of the fiber bundle sensor is established. Experiments are conducted and the results are in concordance with the model established. The rising speed of the tip-timing signal is analyzed. To minimize the tip-timing error, the effects of the clearance change between the sensor and the blade and the deflection of the tip surface are analyzed. Simulation results indicate that the variable gain amplifier, which amplifies the signals to a similar level, can eliminate the measurement error caused by the variation of the clearance between the sensor and blade. Increasing the clearance between the sensor and blade can reduce the measurement error introduced by deflection of the tip surface.

Medical catheters thermally manipulated by fiber optic bundles

DOEpatents

Chastagner, P.

1992-10-06

A maneuverable medical catheter comprising a flexible tube having a functional tip is described. The catheter is connected to a control source. The functional tip of the catheter carries a plurality of temperature activated elements arranged in parallel and disposed about the functional tip and held in spaced relation at each end. These elements expand when they are heated. A plurality of fiber optic bundles, each bundle having a proximal end attached to the control source and a distal end attached to one of the elements carry light into the elements where the light is absorbed as heat. By varying the optic fiber that is carrying the light and the intensity of the light, the bending of the elements can be controlled and thus the catheter steered. In an alternate embodiment, the catheter carries a medical instrument for gathering a sample of tissue. The instrument may also be deployed and operated by thermal expansion and contraction of its moving parts. 10 figs.

Analysis of the Light Transmission Ability of Reinforcing Glass Fibers Used in Polymer Composites.

PubMed

Hegedűs, Gergely; Sarkadi, Tamás; Czigány, Tibor

2017-06-10

This goal of our research was to show that E-glass fiber bundles used for reinforcing composites can be enabled to transmit light in a common resin without any special preparation (without removing the sizing). The power of the transmitted light was measured and the attenuation coefficient, which characterizes the fiber bundle, was determined. Although the attenuation coefficient depends on temperature and the wavelength of the light, it is independent of the power of incident light, the quality of coupling, and the length of the specimen. The refractive index of commercially available transparent resins was measured and it was proved that a resin with a refractive index lower than that of the fiber can be used to make a composite whose fibers are capable of transmitting light. The effects of temperature, compression of the fibers, and the shape of fiber ends on the power of transmitted light were examined. The measurement of emitted light can provide information about the health of the fibers. This can be the basis of a simple health monitoring system in the case of general-purpose composite structures.

Analysis of the Light Transmission Ability of Reinforcing Glass Fibers Used in Polymer Composites

PubMed Central

Hegedűs, Gergely; Sarkadi, Tamás; Czigány, Tibor

2017-01-01

This goal of our research was to show that E-glass fiber bundles used for reinforcing composites can be enabled to transmit light in a common resin without any special preparation (without removing the sizing). The power of the transmitted light was measured and the attenuation coefficient, which characterizes the fiber bundle, was determined. Although the attenuation coefficient depends on temperature and the wavelength of the light, it is independent of the power of incident light, the quality of coupling, and the length of the specimen. The refractive index of commercially available transparent resins was measured and it was proved that a resin with a refractive index lower than that of the fiber can be used to make a composite whose fibers are capable of transmitting light. The effects of temperature, compression of the fibers, and the shape of fiber ends on the power of transmitted light were examined. The measurement of emitted light can provide information about the health of the fibers. This can be the basis of a simple health monitoring system in the case of general-purpose composite structures. PMID:28772996

All-fiber gas sensor with intracavity photothermal spectroscopy.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Jin, Wei; Lin, Yuechuan; Yang, Fan; Ho, Hoi Lut

2018-04-01

We present an all-fiber intracavity photothermal (IC-PT) spectroscopic gas sensor with a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBF) gas cell. The gas cell is placed inside a fiber-ring laser cavity to achieve higher laser light intensity in the hollow core and hence higher PT modulation signal. An experiment with a 0.62-m-long HC-PBF gas cell demonstrated a noise equivalent concentration of 176 ppb acetylene. Theoretical modeling shows that the IC-PT sensor has the potential of achieving sub-ppb (parts-per-billion) acetylene detection sensitivity.

Direct Spectroscopy in Hollow Optical with Fiber-Based Optical Frequency Combs

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-09

scheme is that the generation of carrier-envelope offset frequency f0 can be avoided, which reduces the system complexity . However, a high performance RF...Peterson, "Saturated absorption in acetylene and hydrogen cyanide in hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers," Opt. Express 13, 10475-10482 (2005). 56. C

High spatial sampling light-guide snapshot spectrometer

PubMed Central

Wang, Ye; Pawlowski, Michal E.; Tkaczyk, Tomasz S.

2017-01-01

A prototype fiber-based imaging spectrometer was developed to provide snapshot hyperspectral imaging tuned for biomedical applications. The system is designed for imaging in the visible spectral range from 400 to 700 nm for compatibility with molecular imaging applications as well as satellite and remote sensing. An 81 × 96 pixel spatial sampling density is achieved by using a custom-made fiber-optic bundle. The design considerations and fabrication aspects of the fiber bundle and imaging spectrometer are described in detail. Through the custom fiber bundle, the image of a scene of interest is collected and divided into discrete spatial groups, with spaces generated in between groups for spectral dispersion. This reorganized image is scaled down by an image taper for compatibility with following optical elements, dispersed by a prism, and is finally acquired by a CCD camera. To obtain an (x, y, λ) datacube from the snapshot measurement, a spectral calibration algorithm is executed for reconstruction of the spatial–spectral signatures of the observed scene. System characterization of throughput, resolution, and crosstalk was performed. Preliminary results illustrating changes in oxygen-saturation in an occluded human finger are presented to demonstrate the system’s capabilities. PMID:29238115

Dissolution of Lignocelluloses with a High Lignin Content in a N-Methylmorpholine-N-oxide Monohydrate Solvent System via Simple Glycerol-Swelling and Mechanical Pretreatments.

PubMed

Zhang, Lili; Lu, Hailong; Yu, Juan; Wang, Zhiguo; Fan, Yimin; Zhou, Xiaofan

2017-11-08

Lignocelluloses (LCs) with various amounts of lignin (even as high as 18.4%) were successfully dissolved in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate (NMMO/H 2 O) solution with stirring at 85 °C within 5 h. For the developmental dissolution methods of LCs with a high lignin content in NMMO/H 2 O solution, the following two pretreatment steps of LCs were necessary: (1) glycerol swelling and (2) mechanical extrusion. The mechanical extrusion pretreatment under glycerol swelling dissociated the fiber bundles of LCs to thinner fibers and, thus, enhanced the accessibility and solubility of the LCs in NMMO/H 2 O. The crystal structure of the pretreated LCs had no significant transformation during pretreatment, while the diameters of the fiber bundles were reduced from 50-60 to 10-12 μm, as investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. After the dissolution-regeneration process of LCs, the fiber bundles of the LCs disappeared and the crystal type of cellulose in the LCs was transformed from cellulose I to cellulose II, which indicated the complete dissolution of LCs.

Self-organized dynamics in local load-sharing fiber bundle models.

PubMed

Biswas, Soumyajyoti; Chakrabarti, Bikas K

2013-10-01

We study the dynamics of a local load-sharing fiber bundle model in two dimensions under an external load (which increases with time at a fixed slow rate) applied at a single point. Due to the local load-sharing nature, the redistributed load remains localized along the boundary of the broken patch. The system then goes to a self-organized state with a stationary average value of load per fiber along the (increasing) boundary of the broken patch (damaged region) and a scale-free distribution of avalanche sizes and other related quantities are observed. In particular, when the load redistribution is only among nearest surviving fiber(s), the numerical estimates of the exponent values are comparable with those of the Manna model. When the load redistribution is uniform along the patch boundary, the model shows a simple mean-field limit of this self-organizing critical behavior, for which we give analytical estimates of the saturation load per fiber values and avalanche size distribution exponent. These are in good agreement with numerical simulation results.

Stability in a fiber bundle model: Existence of strong links and the effect of disorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Subhadeep

2018-05-01

The present paper deals with a fiber bundle model which consists of a fraction α of infinitely strong fibers. The inclusion of such an unbreakable fraction has been proven to affect the failure process in early studies, especially around a critical value αc. The present work has a twofold purpose: (i) a study of failure abruptness, mainly the brittle to quasibrittle transition point with varying α and (ii) variation of αc as we change the strength of disorder introduced in the model. The brittle to quasibrittle transition is confirmed from the failure abruptness. On the other hand, the αc is obtained from the knowledge of failure abruptness as well as the statistics of avalanches. It is observed that the brittle to quasibrittle transition point scales to lower values, suggesting more quasi-brittle-like continuous failure when α is increased. At the same time, the bundle becomes stronger as there are larger numbers of strong links to support the external stress. High α in a highly disordered bundle leads to an ideal situation where the bundle strength, as well as the predictability in failure process is very high. Also, the critical fraction αc, required to make the model deviate from the conventional results, increases with decreasing strength of disorder. The analytical expression for αc shows good agreement with the numerical results. Finally, the findings in the paper are compared with previous results and real-life applications of composite materials.

Atlas-Guided Cluster Analysis of Large Tractography Datasets

PubMed Central

Ros, Christian; Güllmar, Daniel; Stenzel, Martin; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Reichenbach, Jürgen Rainer

2013-01-01

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and fiber tractography are important tools to map the cerebral white matter microstructure in vivo and to model the underlying axonal pathways in the brain with three-dimensional fiber tracts. As the fast and consistent extraction of anatomically correct fiber bundles for multiple datasets is still challenging, we present a novel atlas-guided clustering framework for exploratory data analysis of large tractography datasets. The framework uses an hierarchical cluster analysis approach that exploits the inherent redundancy in large datasets to time-efficiently group fiber tracts. Structural information of a white matter atlas can be incorporated into the clustering to achieve an anatomically correct and reproducible grouping of fiber tracts. This approach facilitates not only the identification of the bundles corresponding to the classes of the atlas; it also enables the extraction of bundles that are not present in the atlas. The new technique was applied to cluster datasets of 46 healthy subjects. Prospects of automatic and anatomically correct as well as reproducible clustering are explored. Reconstructed clusters were well separated and showed good correspondence to anatomical bundles. Using the atlas-guided cluster approach, we observed consistent results across subjects with high reproducibility. In order to investigate the outlier elimination performance of the clustering algorithm, scenarios with varying amounts of noise were simulated and clustered with three different outlier elimination strategies. By exploiting the multithreading capabilities of modern multiprocessor systems in combination with novel algorithms, our toolkit clusters large datasets in a couple of minutes. Experiments were conducted to investigate the achievable speedup and to demonstrate the high performance of the clustering framework in a multiprocessing environment. PMID:24386292

The Structural Role of Elastic Fibers in the Cornea Investigated Using a Mouse Model for Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

White, Tomas L.; Lewis, Philip; Hayes, Sally; Fergusson, James; Bell, James; Farinha, Luis; White, Nick S.; Pereira, Lygia V.; Meek, Keith M.

2017-01-01

Purpose The presence of fibrillin-rich elastic fibers in the cornea has been overlooked in recent years. The aim of the current study was to elucidate their functional role using a mouse model for Marfan syndrome, defective in fibrillin-1, the major structural component of the microfibril bundles that constitute most of the elastic fibers. Methods Mouse corneas were obtained from animals with a heterozygous fibrillin-1 mutation (Fbn1+/−) and compared to wild type controls. Corneal thickness and radius of curvature were calculated using optical coherence tomography microscopy. Elastic microfibril bundles were quantified and visualized in three-dimensions using serial block face scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze stromal ultrastructure and proteoglycan distribution. Center-to-center average interfibrillar spacing was determined using x-ray scattering. Results Fbn1+/− corneas were significantly thinner than wild types and displayed a higher radius of curvature. In the Fbn1+/− corneas, elastic microfibril bundles were significantly reduced in density and disorganized compared to wild-type controls, in addition to containing a higher average center-to-center collagen interfibrillar spacing in the center of the cornea. No other differences were detected in stromal ultrastructure or proteoglycan distribution between the two groups. Proteoglycan side chains appeared to colocalize with the microfibril bundles. Conclusions Elastic fibers have an important, multifunctional role in the cornea as highlighted by the differences observed between Fbn1+/− and wild type animals. We contend that the presence of normal quantities of structurally organized elastic fibers are required to maintain the correct geometry of the cornea, which is disrupted in Marfan syndrome. PMID:28395026

Groupoid Actions on Fractafolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionescu, Marius; Kumjian, Alex

2014-06-01

We define a bundle over a totally disconnected set such that each fiber is homeomorphic to a fractal blowup. We prove that there is a natural action of a Renault-Deaconu groupoid on our fractafold bundle and that the resulting action groupoid is a Renault-Deaconu groupoid itself. We also show that when the bundle is locally compact the associated C^*-algebra is primitive and has a densely defined lower-semicontinuous trace.

The influence of motion and stress on optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Jeremy D.; Hill, Gary J.; MacQueen, Phillip J.; Taylor, Trey; Soukup, Ian; Moreira, Walter; Cornell, Mark E.; Good, John; Anderson, Seth; Fuller, Lindsay; Lee, Hanshin; Kelz, Andreas; Rafal, Marc; Rafferty, Tom; Tuttle, Sarah; Vattiat, Brian

2012-09-01

We report on extensive testing carried out on the optical fibers for the VIRUS instrument. The primary result of this work explores how 10+ years of simulated wear on a VIRUS fiber bundle affects both transmission and focal ratio degradation (FRD) of the optical fibers. During the accelerated lifetime tests we continuously monitored the fibers for signs of FRD. We find that transient FRD events were common during the portions of the tests when motion was at telescope slew rates, but dropped to negligible levels during rates of motion typical for science observation. Tests of fiber transmission and FRD conducted both before and after the lifetime tests reveal that while transmission values do not change over the 10+ years of simulated wear, a clear increase in FRD is seen in all 18 fibers tested. This increase in FRD is likely due to microfractures that develop over time from repeated flexure of the fiber bundle, and stands in contrast to the transient FRD events that stem from localized stress and subsequent modal diffusion of light within the fibers. There was no measurable wavelength dependence on the increase in FRD over 350 nm to 600 nm. We also report on bend radius tests conducted on individual fibers and find the 266 μm VIRUS fibers to be immune to bending-induced FRD at bend radii of R 10 cm. Below this bend radius FRD increases slightly with decreasing radius. Lastly, we give details of a degradation seen in the fiber bundle currently deployed on the Mitchell Spectrograph (formally VIRUS-P) at McDonald Observatory. The degradation is shown to be caused by a localized shear in a select number of optical fibers that leads to an explosive form of FRD. In a few fibers, the overall transmission loss through the instrument can exceed 80%. These results are important for the VIRUS instrument, and for both current and proposed instruments that make use of optical fibers, particularly when the fibers are in continual motion during an observation, or experience repeated mechanical stress during their deployment.

Hollow fibers for compact infrared gas sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambrecht, A.; Hartwig, S.; Herbst, J.; Wöllenstein, J.

2008-02-01

Hollow fibers can be used for compact infrared gas sensors. The guided light is absorbed by the gas introduced into the hollow core. High sensitivity and a very small sampling volume can be achieved depending on fiber parameters i.e. attenuation, flexibility, and gas exchange rates. Different types of infrared hollow fibers including photonic bandgap fibers were characterized using quantum cascade lasers and thermal radiation sources. Obtained data are compared with available product specifications. Measurements with a compact fiber based ethanol sensor are compared with a system simulation. First results on the detection of trace amounts of the explosive material TATP using hollow fibers and QCL will be shown.

Liquid-filled hollow core microstructured polymer optical fiber.

PubMed

Cox, F M; Argyros, A; Large, M C J

2006-05-01

Guidance in a liquid core is possible with microstructured optical fibers, opening up many possibilities for chemical and biochemical fiber-optic sensing. In this work we demonstrate how the bandgaps of a hollow core microstructured polymer optical fiber scale with the refractive index of liquid introduced into the holes of the microstructure. Such a fiber is then filled with an aqueous solution of (-)-fructose, and the resulting optical rotation measured. Hence, we show that hollow core microstructured polymer optical fibers can be used for sensing, whilst also fabricating a chiral optical fiber based on material chirality, which has many applications in its own right.

Population analysis of the cingulum bundle using the tubular surface model for schizophrenia detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, Vandana; Sundaramoorthi, Ganesh; Kubicki, Marek; Terry, Douglas; Tannenbaum, Allen

2010-03-01

We propose a novel framework for population analysis of DW-MRI data using the Tubular Surface Model. We focus on the Cingulum Bundle (CB) - a major tract for the Limbic System and the main connection of the Cingulate Gyrus, which has been associated with several aspects of Schizophrenia symptomatology. The Tubular Surface Model represents a tubular surface as a center-line with an associated radius function. It provides a natural way to sample statistics along the length of the fiber bundle and reduces the registration of fiber bundle surfaces to that of 4D curves. We apply our framework to a population of 20 subjects (10 normal, 10 schizophrenic) and obtain excellent results with neural network based classification (90% sensitivity, 95% specificity) as well as unsupervised clustering (k-means). Further, we apply statistical analysis to the feature data and characterize the discrimination ability of local regions of the CB, as a step towards localizing CB regions most relevant to Schizophrenia.

Anatomy of the Limbic White Matter Tracts as Revealed by Fiber Dissection and Tractography.

PubMed

Pascalau, Raluca; Popa Stănilă, Roxana; Sfrângeu, Silviu; Szabo, Bianca

2018-05-01

The limbic tracts are involved in crucial cerebral functions such as memory, emotion, and behavior. The complex architecture of the limbic circuit makes it harder to approach compared with other white matter networks. Our study aims to describe the 3-dimensional anatomy of the limbic white matter by the use of 2 complementary study methods, namely ex vivo fiber dissection and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging-based tractography. Three fiber dissection protocols were performed using blunt wooden instruments and a surgical microscope on formalin-fixed brains prepared according to the Klingler method. Diffusion tensor imaging acquisitions were done with a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner on patients with head and neck pathology that did not involve the brain. Fiber tracking was performed with manually selected regions of interest. Cingulum, fornix, the anterior thalamic peduncle, the accumbofrontal bundle, medial forebrain bundle, the uncinate fasciculus, the mammillothalamic tract, ansa peduncularis, and stria terminalis were dissected and fiber tracked. For each tract, location, configuration, segmentation, dimensions, dissection and tractography particularities, anatomical relations, and terminations are described. The limbic white matter tracts were systematized as 2 concentric rings around the thalamus. The inner ring is formed by fornix, mammillothalamic tract, ansa peduncularis, stria terminalis, accumbofrontal fasciculus, and medial forebrain bundle and anterior thalamic peduncle, and the outer ring is formed by the cingulum and uncinate fasciculus. This paper proposes a fiber-tracking protocol for the limbic tracts inspired and validated by fiber dissection findings that can be used routinely in the clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microoptical compound lens

DOEpatents

Sweatt, William C.; Gill, David D.

2007-10-23

An apposition microoptical compound lens comprises a plurality of lenslets arrayed around a segment of a hollow, three-dimensional optical shell. The lenslets collect light from an object and focus the light rays onto the concentric, curved front surface of a coherent fiber bundle. The fiber bundle transports the light rays to a planar detector, forming a plurality of sub-images that can be reconstructed as a full image. The microoptical compound lens can have a small size (millimeters), wide field of view (up to 180.degree.), and adequate resolution for object recognition and tracking.

Functionalization of optical nanotip arrays with an electrochemical microcantilever for multiplexed DNA detection.

PubMed

Descamps, Emeline; Duroure, Nathalie; Deiss, Frédérique; Leichlé, Thierry; Adam, Catherine; Mailley, Pascal; Aït-Ikhlef, Ali; Livache, Thierry; Nicu, Liviu; Sojic, Neso

2013-08-07

Optical nanotip arrays fabricated on etched fiber bundles were functionalized with DNA spots. Such unconventional substrates (3D and non-planar) are difficult to pattern with standard microfabrication techniques but, using an electrochemical cantilever, up to 400 spots were electrodeposited on the nanostructured optical surface in 5 min. This approach allows each spot to be addressed individually and multiplexed fluorescence detection is demonstrated. Finally, remote fluorescence detection was performed by imaging through the optical fiber bundle itself after hybridisation with the complementary sequence.

Relative sliding durability of candidate high temperature fiber seal materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher; Steinetz, Bruce M.

1992-01-01

The relative sliding durability behavior of six candidate ceramic fibers for high temperature sliding seal applications is reviewed and compared. Pin on disk tests were used to evaluate potential seal materials by sliding a tow or bundle of the candidate ceramic fiber against a superalloy test disk. Tests were conducted in air under a 2.65 N load, at a sliding velocity of 0.025 m/sec and at temperatures from 25 to 900 C. Friction was measured during the tests and fiber wear, indicated by the extent of fibers broken in the tow or bundle, was measured at the end of each test. For most of the fibers, friction and wear increase with test temperature. The relative fiber durability ranking correlates with tensile strength, indicating that tensile data, which is more readily available than sliding durability data, may be useful in predicting fiber wear behavior under various conditions. A dimensional analysis of the wear data shows that the fiber durability is related to a dimensionless durability ratio which represents the ratio of the fiber strength to the fiber stresses imposed by sliding. The analysis is applicable to fibers with similar diameters and elastic moduli. Based upon the results of the research program, three fiber candidates are recommended for further study as potential seal materials. They are a silicon based complex carbide-oxide fiber, an alumina-boria-silica and an aluminosilicate fiber.

Change in the Pathologic Supraspinatus: A Three-Dimensional Model of Fiber Bundle Architecture within Anterior and Posterior Regions

PubMed Central

Kim, Soo Y.; Sachdeva, Rohit; Li, Zi; Rosser, Benjamin W. C.

2015-01-01

Supraspinatus tendon tears are common and lead to changes in the muscle architecture. To date, these changes have not been investigated for the distinct regions and parts of the pathologic supraspinatus. The purpose of this study was to create a novel three-dimensional (3D) model of the muscle architecture throughout the supraspinatus and to compare the architecture between muscle regions and parts in relation to tear severity. Twelve cadaveric specimens with varying degrees of tendon tears were used. Three-dimensional coordinates of fiber bundles were collected in situ using serial dissection and digitization. Data were reconstructed and modeled in 3D using Maya. Fiber bundle length (FBL) and pennation angle (PA) were computed and analyzed. FBL was significantly shorter in specimens with large retracted tears compared to smaller tears, with the deeper fibers being significantly shorter than other parts in the anterior region. PA was significantly greater in specimens with large retracted tears, with the superficial fibers often demonstrating the largest PA. The posterior region was absent in two specimens with extensive tears. Architectural changes associated with tendon tears affect the regions and varying depths of supraspinatus differently. The results provide important insights on residual function of the pathologic muscle, and the 3D model includes detailed data that can be used in future modeling studies. PMID:26413533

Fiber Longitudinal Measurements for Predicting White Speck Contents of Dyed Cotton Fabrics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fiber Image Analysis System (FIAS) was developed to provide an automatic method for measuring cotton maturity from fiber snippets or cross-sections . An uncombed cotton bundle is chopped and sprayed on a microscopic slide. The snippets are imaged sequentially on an microscope and measured with custo...

FIBER-OPTIC BIOSENSOR FOR DIRECT DETERMINATION OF ORGANOPHOSPHATE NERVE AGENTS. (R823663)

EPA Science Inventory

A fiber-optic enzyme biosensor for the direct measurement of organophosphate nerve
agents was developed. The basic element of this biosensor is organophosphorus hydrolase
immobilized on a nylon membrane and attached to the common end of a bifurcated optical fiber
bundle....

An analytical fiber bundle model for pullout mechanics of root bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, D.; Schwarz, M.; Or, D.

2011-09-01

Roots in soil contribute to the mechanical stability of slopes. Estimation of root reinforcement is challenging because roots form complex biological networks whose geometrical and mechanical characteristics are difficult to characterize. Here we describe an analytical model that builds on simple root descriptors to estimate root reinforcement. Root bundles are modeled as bundles of heterogeneous fibers pulled along their long axes neglecting root-soil friction. Analytical expressions for the pullout force as a function of displacement are derived. The maximum pullout force and corresponding critical displacement are either derived analytically or computed numerically. Key model inputs are a root diameter distribution (uniform, Weibull, or lognormal) and three empirical power law relations describing tensile strength, elastic modulus, and length of roots as functions of root diameter. When a root bundle with root tips anchored in the soil matrix is pulled by a rigid plate, a unique parameter, ?, that depends only on the exponents of the power law relations, dictates the order in which roots of different diameters break. If ? < 1, small roots break first; if ? > 1, large roots break first. When ? = 1, all fibers break simultaneously, and the maximum tensile force is simply the roots' mean force times the number of roots in the bundle. Based on measurements of root geometry and mechanical properties, the value of ? is less than 1, usually ranging between 0 and 0.7. Thus, small roots always fail first. The model shows how geometrical and mechanical characteristics of roots and root diameter distribution affect the pullout force, its maximum and corresponding displacement. Comparing bundles of roots that have similar mean diameters, a bundle with a narrow variance in root diameter will result in a larger maximum force and a smaller displacement at maximum force than a bundle with a wide diameter distribution. Increasing the mean root diameter of a bundle without changing the distribution's shape increases both the maximum force and corresponding displacement. Estimates of the maximum pullout forces for bundles of 100 roots with identical diameter distribution for different species range from less than 1 kN for barley (Hordeum vulgare) to almost 16 kN for pistachio (Pistacia lentiscus). The model explains why a commonly used assumption that all roots break simultaneously overpredicts the maximum pullout force by a factor of about 1.6-2. This ratio may exceed 3 for diameter distributions that have a large number of small roots like the exponential distribution.

Adaptive optics imaging of healthy and abnormal regions of retinal nerve fiber bundles of patients with glaucoma.

PubMed

Chen, Monica F; Chui, Toco Y P; Alhadeff, Paula; Rosen, Richard B; Ritch, Robert; Dubra, Alfredo; Hood, Donald C

2015-01-08

To better understand the nature of glaucomatous damage of the macula, especially the structural changes seen between relatively healthy and clearly abnormal (AB) retinal regions, using an adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO). Adaptive optics SLO images and optical coherence tomography (OCT) vertical line scans were obtained on one eye of seven glaucoma patients, with relatively deep local arcuate defects on the 10-2 visual field test in one (six eyes) or both hemifields (one eye). Based on the OCT images, the retinal nerve fiber (RNF) layer was divided into two regions: (1) within normal limits (WNL), relative RNF layer thickness within mean control values ±2 SD; and (2) AB, relative thickness less than -2 SD value. As seen on AO-SLO, the pattern of AB RNF bundles near the border of the WNL and AB regions differed across eyes. There were normal-appearing bundles in the WNL region of all eyes and AB-appearing bundles near the border with the AB region. This region with AB bundles ranged in extent from a few bundles to the entire AB region in the case of one eye. All other eyes had a large AB region without bundles. However, in two of these eyes, a few bundles were seen within this region of otherwise missing bundles. The AO-SLO images revealed details of glaucomatous damage that are difficult, if not impossible, to see with current OCT technology. Adaptive optics SLO may prove useful in following progression in clinical trials, or in disease management, if AO-SLO becomes widely available and easy to use. Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Confocal Adaptive Optics Imaging of Peripapillary Nerve Fiber Bundles: Implications for Glaucomatous Damage Seen on Circumpapillary OCT Scans.

PubMed

Hood, Donald C; Chen, Monica F; Lee, Dongwon; Epstein, Benjamin; Alhadeff, Paula; Rosen, Richard B; Ritch, Robert; Dubra, Alfredo; Chui, Toco Y P

2015-04-01

To improve our understanding of glaucomatous damage as seen on circumpapillary disc scans obtained with frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (fdOCT), fdOCT scans were compared to images of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber (RNF) bundles obtained with an adaptive optics-scanning light ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO). The AO-SLO images and fdOCT scans were obtained on 6 eyes of 6 patients with deep arcuate defects (5 points ≤-15 db) on 10-2 visual fields. The AO-SLO images were montaged and aligned with the fdOCT images to compare the RNF bundles seen with AO-SLO to the RNF layer thickness measured with fdOCT. All 6 eyes had an abnormally thin (1% confidence limit) RNF layer (RNFL) on fdOCT and abnormal (hyporeflective) regions of RNF bundles on AO-SLO in corresponding regions. However, regions of abnormal, but equal, RNFL thickness on fdOCT scans varied in appearance on AO-SLO images. These regions could be largely devoid of RNF bundles (5 eyes), have abnormal-appearing bundles of lower contrast (6 eyes), or have isolated areas with a few relatively normal-appearing bundles (2 eyes). There also were local variations in reflectivity of the fdOCT RNFL that corresponded to the variations in AO-SLO RNF bundle appearance. Relatively similar 10-2 defects with similar fdOCT RNFL thickness profiles can have very different degrees of RNF bundle damage as seen on fdOCT and AO-SLO. While the results point to limitations of fdOCT RNFL thickness as typically analyzed, they also illustrate the potential for improving fdOCT by attending to variations in local intensity.

Arrangement of the orbicularis oris muscle in different types of cleft lips.

PubMed

Wijayaweera, C J; Amaratunga, N A; Angunawela, P

2000-05-01

A thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the labial region, especially the arrangement of the muscle fibers, is essential for the success of primary repair of the cleft lip. Pared lateral and medial edges from 20 unilateral incomplete cleft lips and 25 unilateral complete cleft lips were obtained during primary surgery. Three specimens of normal lips were taken from unclaimed infant cadavers as the controls. They were prepared for routine histological studies and were examined to study the direction of muscle fibers. Intrinsic and extrinsic bundles were identified in both lateral and medial sides of specimens of both cleft types. The intrinsic bundle was not displaced but was interrupted by the cleft. The extrinsic bundle in the lateral side of both cleft types ran upward along the lateral cleft margin, whereas in the medial side it ran horizontally to terminate close to the medial cleft margin. The extrinsic bundle is the retractor, which is associated with facial expression, whereas the intrinsic bundle is the constrictor of the mouth. Because there are two functional components in the orbicularis oris muscle, identifying and repairing them separately will enable each of them to accomplish their distinctive functions.

Extending Mode Areas of Single-mode All-solid Photonic Bandgap Fibers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-02

T. Tunnermann, R. Iliew, F. Lederer, J. Broeng, G. Vienne, A. Petersson, and C. Jakobsen, “High-power air-clad large-mode-area photonic crystal ...Yvernault, and F. Salin, “Extended single-mode photonic crystal fiber lasers,” Opt. Express 14(7), 2715–2720 (2006). 10. L. Dong, T. Wu, H. McKay, L. Fu...progress in mode area scaling of optical fibers. One notable area is in photonic crystal fibers (PCF) [3–5, 8, 9]. The short straight PCF rods used in

Optical fiber bundle displacement sensor using an ac-modulated light source with subnanometer resolution and low thermal drift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimamoto, Atsushi; Tanaka, Kohichi

1995-09-01

An optical fiber bundle displacement sensor with subnanometer order resolution and low thermal drift is proposed. The setup is based on a carrier amplifier system and involves techniques to eliminate fluctuation in the light power of the source. The achieved noise level of the sensor was 0.03 nm/ \\radical Hz \\end-radical . The stability was estimated by comparing the outputs of two different sensors from the same target for 4 ks (67 min). The relative displacements between the fiber bundle ends of the two sensors and the target surface varied in the area of 400 nm depending on the ambient temperature variation at 2 deg C. However, the difference in output between the two sensor systems is within 2 nm for more than 1 hour of measurement. It is expected that it would be reduced to within the area of 0.1 nm if the ambient temperature were controlled to within +/-0.1 deg C. It is concluded that the stability of the sensors is sufficiently good to be used with nanotechnological instruments.

Filamentary structures that self-organize due to adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengab, A.; Picu, R. C.

2018-03-01

We study the self-organization of random collections of elastic filaments that interact adhesively. The evolution from an initial fully random quasi-two-dimensional state is controlled by filament elasticity, adhesion and interfilament friction, and excluded volume. Three outcomes are possible: the system may remain locked in the initial state, may organize into isolated fiber bundles, or may form a stable, connected network of bundles. The range of system parameters leading to each of these states is identified. The network of bundles is subisostatic and is stabilized by prestressed triangular features forming at bundle-to-bundle nodes, similar to the situation in foams. Interfiber friction promotes locking and expands the parametric range of nonevolving systems.

Optimized mode-field adapter for low-loss fused fiber bundle signal and pump combiners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koška, Pavel; Baravets, Yauhen; Peterka, Pavel; Písařík, Michael; Bohata, Jan

2015-03-01

In our contribution we report novel mode field adapter incorporated inside bundled tapered pump and signal combiner. Pump and signal combiners are crucial component of contemporary double clad high power fiber lasers. Proposed combiner allows simultaneous matching to single mode core on input and output. We used advanced optimization techniques to match the combiner to a single mode core simultaneously on input and output and to minimalize losses of the combiner signal branch. We designed two arrangements of combiners' mode field adapters. Our numerical simulations estimates losses in signal branches of optimized combiners of 0.23 dB for the first design and 0.16 dB for the second design for SMF-28 input fiber and SMF-28 matched output double clad fiber for the wavelength of 2000 nm. The splice losses of the actual combiner are expected to be even lower thanks to dopant diffusion during the splicing process.

Optical cross-talk and surface characterization of SERS nanoimaging bundle substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiser, John B.; Cullum, Brian M.

2010-04-01

Due to the narrow vibrational bandwidths and unique molecular fingerprints, Raman spectroscopy can be an information rich transduction technique for chemical imaging. Dynamic systems are often difficult to measure using spontaneous Raman due to the relatively weak scattering cross-sections. Using a Raman enhancement mechanism such as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), exposure times can be reduced to a reasonable level for dynamic imaging, due to the increased Raman signal intensity. This paper will discuss the development of a novel SERS substrate, fabricated on the tips of fiber-optic imaging bundles, which can be integrated into a multispectral imaging system for non-scanning chemical imaging. These substrates are fabricated by mechanically tapering a polished fiber optic imaging bundle consisting of 30,000 individual elements; producing 100-nm or smaller diameter core elements on the distal tip. Chemical etching with hydrofluoric acid creates uniform cladding spikes onto which a SERS active metal is vacuum deposited, forming the SERS active surface. By varying the size of the silver islands deposited on the cladding peaks active, surface plasmons can be tuned to various excitation frequencies. The surface of these tapered fiber optic probes will be evaluated by analysis of the SERS signal, location and shape of the active surface plasmons. The cross talk between the fiber elements will also be evaluated.

Design of the fiber optic support system and fiber bundle accelerated life test for VIRUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soukup, Ian M.; Beno, Joseph H.; Hayes, Richard J.; Heisler, James T.; Mock, Jason R.; Mollison, Nicholas T.; Good, John M.; Hill, Gary J.; Vattiat, Brian L.; Murphy, Jeremy D.; Anderson, Seth C.; Bauer, Svend M.; Kelz, Andreas; Roth, Martin M.; Fahrenthold, Eric P.

2010-07-01

The quantity and length of optical fibers required for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope* Dark Energy eXperiment (HETDEX) create unique fiber handling challenges. For HETDEX‡, at least 33,600 fibers will transmit light from the focal surface of the telescope to an array of spectrographs making up the Visible Integral-Field Replicable Unit Spectrograph (VIRUS). Up to 96 Integral Field Unit (IFU) bundles, each containing 448 fibers, hang suspended from the telescope's moving tracker located more than 15 meters above the VIRUS instruments. A specialized mechanical system is being developed to support fiber optic assemblies onboard the telescope. The discrete behavior of 448 fibers within a conduit is also of primary concern. A life cycle test must be conducted to study fiber behavior and measure Focal Ratio Degradation (FRD) as a function of time. This paper focuses on the technical requirements and design of the HETDEX fiber optic support system, the electro-mechanical test apparatus for accelerated life testing of optical fiber assemblies. Results generated from the test will be of great interest to designers of robotic fiber handling systems for major telescopes. There is concern that friction, localized contact, entanglement, and excessive tension will be present within each IFU conduit and contribute to FRD. The test apparatus design utilizes six linear actuators to replicate the movement of the telescope over 65,000 accelerated cycles, simulating five years of actual operation.

Cotton fiber properties: relative humidity and its effect on flat bundle strength, elongation, and fracture morphology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It is well known that cotton fibers readily exchange moisture content with their surrounding atmosphere. As moisture exchange progresses, several physical properties of the fiber are significantly affected. In this study, the effects of relative humidity (RH), a factor that affects the atmospheric m...

Infrared fiber optic focal plane dispersers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goebel, J. H.

1981-01-01

Far infrared transmissive fiber optics as a component in the design of integrated far infrared focal plane array utilization is discussed. A tightly packed bundle of fibers is placed at the focal plane, where an array of infrared detectors would normally reside, and then fanned out in two or three dimensions to individual detectors. Subsequently, the detectors are multiplexed by cryogenic electronics for relay of the data. A second possible application is frequency up-conversion (v sub 1 + v sub 2 = v sub 3), which takes advantage of the nonlinear optical index of refraction of certain infrared transmissive materials in fiber form. Again, a fiber bundle is utilized as above, but now a laser of frequency v sub 1 is mixed with the incoming radiation of frequency v sub 1 within the nonlinear fiber material. The sum, v sub 2 is then detected by near infrared or visible detectors which are more sensitive than those available at v sub 2. Due to the geometrical size limitations of detectors such as photomultipliers, the focal plane dispersal technique is advantageous for imaging up-conversion.

Optical fiducial timing system for X-ray streak cameras with aluminum coated optical fiber ends

DOEpatents

Nilson, David G.; Campbell, E. Michael; MacGowan, Brian J.; Medecki, Hector

1988-01-01

An optical fiducial timing system is provided for use with interdependent groups of X-ray streak cameras (18). The aluminum coated (80) ends of optical fibers (78) are positioned with the photocathodes (20, 60, 70) of the X-ray streak cameras (18). The other ends of the optical fibers (78) are placed together in a bundled array (90). A fiducial optical signal (96), that is comprised of 2.omega. or 1.omega. laser light, after introduction to the bundled array (90), travels to the aluminum coated (82) optical fiber ends and ejects quantities of electrons (84) that are recorded on the data recording media (52) of the X-ray streak cameras (18). Since both 2.omega. and 1.omega. laser light can travel long distances in optical fiber with only a slight attenuation, the initial arial power density of the fiducial optical signal (96) is well below the damage threshold of the fused silica or other material that comprises the optical fibers (78, 90). Thus the fiducial timing system can be repeatably used over long durations of time.

Optical Diagnostics of Multi-Gap Gas Switches for Linear Transformer Drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheng, Liang; Li, Yang; Sun, Tieping; Cong, Peitian; Zhang, Mei; Peng, Bodong; Zhao, Jizhen; Yue, Zhiqin; Wei, Fuli; Yuan, Yuan

2014-07-01

The trigger characteristics of a multi-gap gas switch with double insulating layers, a square-groove electrode supporter and a UV pre-ionizing structure are investigated aided by a high sensitivity fiber-bundle array detector, a UV fiber detector, and a framing camera, in addition to standard electrical diagnostics. The fiber-bundle-array detector is used to track the turn-on sequence of each electrode gap at a timing precision of 0.6 ns. Each fiber bundle, including five fibers with different azimuth angles, aims at the whole emitting area of each electrode gap and is fed to a photomultiplier tube. The UV fiber detector with a spectrum response of 260-320 nm, including a fused-quartz fiber of 200 μm in diameter and a solar-blinded photomultiplier tube, is adopted to study the effect of UV pre-ionizing on trigger characteristics. The framing camera, with a capacity of 4 frames per shot and an exposure time of 5 ns, is employed to capture the evolution of channel arcs. Based on the turn-on light signal of each electrode gap, the breakdown delay is divided into statistical delay and formative delay. A decrease in both of them, a smaller switch jitter and more channel arcs are observed with lower gas pressure. An increase in trigger voltage can reduce the statistical delay and its jitter, while higher trigger voltage has a relatively small influence on the formative delay and the number of channel arcs. With the UV pre-ionizing structure at 0.24 MPa gas pressure and 60 kV trigger voltage, the statistical delay and its jitter can be reduced by 1.8 ns and 0.67 ns, while the formative delay and its jitter can only be reduced by 0.5 ns and 0.25 ns.

Second-order distributed-feedback surface plasmon resonator for single-mode fiber end-facet biosensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Zeyu; Zhou, Xin; Yang, Jie; He, Xiaolong; Wang, Yalin; Yang, Tian

2017-04-01

Integrating surface plasmon resonance (SPR) devices upon single-mode fiber (SMF) end facets renders label-free biosensing systems that have a dip-and-read configuration, high compatibility with fiber-optic techniques, and in vivo monitoring capability, which however meets the challenge to match the performance of free-space counterparts. We report a second-order distributed feedback (DFB) SPR cavity on an SMF end facet and its application in protein interaction analysis. In our device, a periodic array of nanoslits in a gold film is used to couple fiber guided lightwaves to surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with its first order spatial Fourier component, while the second order spatial Fourier component provides DFB to SPP propagation and produces an SPP bandgap. A phase shift section in the DFB structure introduces an SPR defect state within the SPP bandgap, whose mode profile is optimized to match that of the SMF to achieve a reasonable coupling efficiency. We report an experimental refractive index sensitivity of 628 nm RIU-1, a figure-of-merit of 80 RIU-1, and a limit of detection of 7 × 10-6 RIU. The measurement of the real-time interaction between human immunoglobulin G molecules and their antibodies is demonstrated.

Strain Gradient Modulated Exciton Evolution and Emission in ZnO Fibers

PubMed Central

Wei, Bin; Ji, Yuan; Gauvin, Raynald; Zhang, Ze; Zou, Jin; Han, Xiaodong

2017-01-01

One-dimensional semiconductor can undergo large deformation including stretching and bending. This homogeneous strain and strain gradient are an easy and effective way to tune the light emission properties and the performance of piezo-phototronic devices. Here, we report that with large strain gradients from 2.1–3.5% μm−1, free-exciton emission was intensified, and the free-exciton interaction (FXI) emission became a prominent FXI-band at the tensile side of the ZnO fiber. These led to an asymmetric variation in energy and intensity along the cross-section as well as a redshift of the total near-band-edge (NBE) emission. This evolution of the exciton emission was directly demonstrated using spatially resolved CL spectrometry combined with an in situ tensile-bending approach at liquid nitrogen temperature for individual fibers and nanowires. A distinctive mechanism of the evolution of exciton emission is proposed: the enhancement of the free-exciton-related emission is attributed to the aggregated free excitons and their interaction in the narrow bandgap in the presence of high bandgap gradients and a transverse piezoelectric field. These results might facilitate new approaches for energy conversion and sensing applications via strained nanowires and fibers. PMID:28084427

Strain Gradient Modulated Exciton Evolution and Emission in ZnO Fibers.

PubMed

Wei, Bin; Ji, Yuan; Gauvin, Raynald; Zhang, Ze; Zou, Jin; Han, Xiaodong

2017-01-13

One-dimensional semiconductor can undergo large deformation including stretching and bending. This homogeneous strain and strain gradient are an easy and effective way to tune the light emission properties and the performance of piezo-phototronic devices. Here, we report that with large strain gradients from 2.1-3.5% μm -1 , free-exciton emission was intensified, and the free-exciton interaction (FXI) emission became a prominent FXI-band at the tensile side of the ZnO fiber. These led to an asymmetric variation in energy and intensity along the cross-section as well as a redshift of the total near-band-edge (NBE) emission. This evolution of the exciton emission was directly demonstrated using spatially resolved CL spectrometry combined with an in situ tensile-bending approach at liquid nitrogen temperature for individual fibers and nanowires. A distinctive mechanism of the evolution of exciton emission is proposed: the enhancement of the free-exciton-related emission is attributed to the aggregated free excitons and their interaction in the narrow bandgap in the presence of high bandgap gradients and a transverse piezoelectric field. These results might facilitate new approaches for energy conversion and sensing applications via strained nanowires and fibers.

Optically sectioned fluorescence endomicroscopy with hybrid-illumination imaging through a flexible fiber bundle.

PubMed

Santos, Silvia; Chu, Kengyeh K; Lim, Daryl; Bozinovic, Nenad; Ford, Tim N; Hourtoule, Claire; Bartoo, Aaron C; Singh, Satish K; Mertz, Jerome

2009-01-01

We present an endomicroscope apparatus that exhibits out-of-focus background rejection based on wide-field illumination through a flexible imaging fiber bundle. Our technique, called HiLo microscopy, involves acquiring two images, one with grid-pattern illumination and another with standard uniform illumination. An evaluation of the image contrast with grid-pattern illumination provides an optically sectioned image with low resolution. This is complemented with high-resolution information from the uniform illumination image, leading to a full-resolution image that is optically sectioned. HiLo endomicroscope movies are presented of fluorescently labeled rat colonic mucosa.

Optically sectioned fluorescence endomicroscopy with hybrid-illumination imaging through a flexible fiber bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Silvia; Chu, Kengyeh K.; Lim, Daryl; Bozinovic, Nenad; Ford, Tim N.; Hourtoule, Claire; Bartoo, Aaron C.; Singh, Satish K.; Mertz, Jerome

2009-05-01

We present an endomicroscope apparatus that exhibits out-of-focus background rejection based on wide-field illumination through a flexible imaging fiber bundle. Our technique, called HiLo microscopy, involves acquiring two images, one with grid-pattern illumination and another with standard uniform illumination. An evaluation of the image contrast with grid-pattern illumination provides an optically sectioned image with low resolution. This is complemented with high-resolution information from the uniform illumination image, leading to a full-resolution image that is optically sectioned. HiLo endomicroscope movies are presented of fluorescently labeled rat colonic mucosa.

Matrix remodeling between cells and cellular interactions with collagen bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jihan; Sun, Bo

When cells are surrounded by complex environment, they continuously probe and interact with it by applying cellular traction forces. As cells apply traction forces, they can sense rigidity of their local environment and remodel the matrix microstructure simultaneously. Previous study shows that single human carcinoma cell (MDA-MB-231) remodeled its surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) and the matrix remodeling was reversible. In this study we examined the matrix microstructure between cells and cellular interaction between them using quantitative confocal microscopy. The result shows that the matrix microstructure is the most significantly remodeled between cells consisting of aligned, and densified collagen fibers (collagen bundle)., the result shows that collagen bundle is irreversible and significantly change micromechanics of ECM around the bundle. We further examined cellular interaction with collagen bundle by analyzing dynamics of actin and talin formation along with the direction of bundle. Lastly, we analyzed dynamics of cellular protrusion and migrating direction of cells along the bundle.

Cotton properties: relative humidity and its effect on flat bundle strength elongation and fracture morphology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of the relative humidity (RH) of testing conditions on stelometer cotton flat bundle strength and elongation measurements, and on the morphology of fiber fractures will be discussed in this talk. We observed a trend for stelometer strength and elongations measurements. Testing in conditi...

Preliminary examination of the effects of relative humidity on the fracture morphology of cotton flat bundles

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of the relative humidity (RH) of testing conditions on stelometer cotton flat bundle strength and elongation measurements, and on the morphology of fiber fractures are presented herein. A trend is observed for stelometer strength and elongations measurements; testing in conditions with h...

Efficient global fiber tracking on multi-dimensional diffusion direction maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein, Jan; Köhler, Benjamin; Hahn, Horst K.

2012-02-01

Global fiber tracking algorithms have recently been proposed which were able to compute results of unprecedented quality. They account for avoiding accumulation errors by a global optimization process at the cost of a high computation time of several hours or even days. In this paper, we introduce a novel global fiber tracking algorithm which, for the first time, globally optimizes the underlying diffusion direction map obtained from DTI or HARDI data, instead of single fiber segments. As a consequence, the number of iterations in the optimization process can drastically be reduced by about three orders of magnitude. Furthermore, in contrast to all previous algorithms, the density of the tracked fibers can be adjusted after the optimization within a few seconds. We evaluated our method for diffusion-weighted images obtained from software phantoms, healthy volunteers, and tumor patients. We show that difficult fiber bundles, e.g., the visual pathways or tracts for different motor functions can be determined and separated in an excellent quality. Furthermore, crossing and kissing bundles are correctly resolved. On current standard hardware, a dense fiber tracking result of a whole brain can be determined in less than half an hour which is a strong improvement compared to previous work.

A Mathematical Model for Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite in Melt Impregnation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Feng; Yu, Yang; Yang, Jianjun; Xin, Chunling; He, Yadong

2017-06-01

Through the combination of Reynolds equation and Darcy's law, a mathematical model was established to calculate the pressure distribution in wedge area, which contributed to the forecast effect of processing parameters on impregnation degree of the fiber bundle. The experiments were conducted to verify the capacity of the proposed model with satisfactory results, which means that the model is effective in predicting the influence of processing parameters on impregnation. From the mathematical model, it was known that the impregnation degree of the fiber bundle would be improved by increasing the processing temperature, number and radius of pins, or decreasing the pulling speed and the center distance of pins, which provided a possible solution to the difficulty of melt with high viscosity in melt impregnation and optimization of impregnation processing.

Details of the Collagen and Elastin Architecture in the Human Limbal Conjunctiva, Tenon's Capsule and Sclera Revealed by Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence Microscopy.

PubMed

Park, Choul Yong; Marando, Catherine M; Liao, Jason A; Lee, Jimmy K; Kwon, Jiwon; Chuck, Roy S

2016-10-01

To investigate the architecture and distribution of collagen and elastin in human limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera. The limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera of human donor corneal buttons were imaged with an inverted two-photon excited fluorescence microscope. No fixation process was necessary. The laser (Ti:sapphire) was tuned at 850 nm for two-photon excitation. Backscatter signals of second harmonic generation (SHG) and autofluorescence (AF) were collected through a 425/30-nm and a 525/45-nm emission filter, respectively. Multiple, consecutive, and overlapping (z-stack) images were acquired. Collagen signals were collected with SHG, whereas elastin signals were collected with AF. The size and density of collagen bundles varied widely depending on depth: increasing from conjunctiva to sclera. In superficial image planes, collagen bundles were <10 μm in width, in a loose, disorganized arrangement. In deeper image planes (episclera and superficial sclera), collagen bundles were thicker (near 100 μm in width) and densely packed. Comparatively, elastin fibers were thinner and sparse. The orientation of elastin fibers was independent of collagen fibers in superficial layers; but in deep sclera, elastin fibers wove through collagen interbundle gaps. At the limbus, both collagen and elastin fibers were relatively compact and were distributed perpendicular to the limbal annulus. Two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy has enabled us to understand in greater detail the collagen and elastin architecture of the human limbal conjunctiva, Tenon's capsule, and sclera.

A Biohybrid Artificial Lung Prototype With Active Mixing of Endothelialized Microporous Hollow Fibers

PubMed Central

Polk, Alexa A.; Maul, Timothy M.; McKeel, Daniel T.; Snyder, Trevor A.; Lehocky, Craig A.; Pitt, Bruce; Stolz, Donna Beer; Federspiel, William J.; Wagner, William R.

2014-01-01

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) affects nearly 150,000 patients per year in the US, and is associated with high mortality (≈40%) and suboptimal options for patient care. Mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are limited to short-term use due to ventilator-induced lung injury and poor bio-compatibility, respectively. In this report, we describe the development of a biohybrid lung prototype, employing a rotating endothelialized microporous hollow fiber (MHF) bundle to improve blood biocompatibility while MHF mixing could contribute to gas transfer efficiency. MHFs were surface modified with radio frequency glow discharge (RFGD) and protein adsorption to promote endothelial cell (EC) attachment and growth. The MHF bundles were placed in the biohybrid lung prototype and rotated up to 1,500 revolutions per minute (rpm) using speed ramping protocols to condition ECs to remain adherent on the fibers. Oxygen transfer, thrombotic deposition, and EC p-selectin expression were evaluated as indicators of biohybrid lung functionality and biocompatibility. A fixed aliquot of blood in contact with MHF bundles rotated at either 250 or 750 rpm reached saturating pO2 levels more quickly with increased rpm, supporting the concept that fiber rotation would positively contribute to oxygen transfer. The presence of ECs had no effect on the rate of oxygen transfer at lower fiber rpm, but did provide some resistance with increased rpm when the overall rate of mass transfer was higher due to active mixing. RFGD followed by fibronectin adsorption on MHFs facilitated near confluent EC coverage with minimal p-selectin expression under both normoxic and hyperoxic conditions. Indeed, even subconfluent EC coverage on MHFs significantly reduced thrombotic deposition adding further support that endothelialization enhances, blood biocompatibility. Overall these findings demonstrate a proof-of-concept that a rotating endothelialized MHF bundle enhances gas transfer and biocompatibility, potentially producing safer, more efficient artificial lungs. PMID:20091735

Comparative assessment of therapeutic response to physiotherapy with or without botulinum toxin injection using diffusion tensor tractography and clinical scores in term diplegic cerebral palsy children.

PubMed

Chaturvedi, Saurabh K; Rai, Yogita; Chourasia, Ankita; Goel, Puneet; Paliwal, Vimal K; Garg, Ravindra K; Rathore, Ram Kishore S; Pandey, Chandra M; Gupta, Rakesh K

2013-08-01

The present study was to compare the effects of combined therapy [botulinum (BTX) plus physiotherapy] with physiotherapy alone using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived fractional anisotropy (FA) values of motor and sensory fiber bundles and clinical grade of the disability to see the value of BTX in term children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Clinically diagnosed 36 children participated in the study. All these children were born at term, and had no history of seizures. The study was randomly categorized into two groups: group I (n=18) - physiotherapy alone and group II (n=18) - physiotherapy plus BTX injection. Quantitative diffusion tensor tractography on all these children was performed on motor and sensory fiber bundles on baseline as well as after 6months of therapy. Motor function and clinical grades were also measured by gross motor function measures (GMFM) scale on both occasions. We observed significant change in FA value in motor and sensory fiber bundle as well as in GMFM scores at 6months compared to baseline study in both the groups. However, delta change and relative delta change in FA values of sensory and motor fiber bundle as well as GMFM score between group I and group II was statistically insignificant. We conclude that addition of BTX to physiotherapy regimen does not influence the outcome at 6months with similar insult in children with term diplegic spastic CP. This information may influence management of diplegic CP especially in developing countries, where BTX is beyond the reach of these children. Copyright © 2012 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FADTTS: functional analysis of diffusion tensor tract statistics.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongtu; Kong, Linglong; Li, Runze; Styner, Martin; Gerig, Guido; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John H

2011-06-01

The aim of this paper is to present a functional analysis of a diffusion tensor tract statistics (FADTTS) pipeline for delineating the association between multiple diffusion properties along major white matter fiber bundles with a set of covariates of interest, such as age, diagnostic status and gender, and the structure of the variability of these white matter tract properties in various diffusion tensor imaging studies. The FADTTS integrates five statistical tools: (i) a multivariate varying coefficient model for allowing the varying coefficient functions in terms of arc length to characterize the varying associations between fiber bundle diffusion properties and a set of covariates, (ii) a weighted least squares estimation of the varying coefficient functions, (iii) a functional principal component analysis to delineate the structure of the variability in fiber bundle diffusion properties, (iv) a global test statistic to test hypotheses of interest, and (v) a simultaneous confidence band to quantify the uncertainty in the estimated coefficient functions. Simulated data are used to evaluate the finite sample performance of FADTTS. We apply FADTTS to investigate the development of white matter diffusivities along the splenium of the corpus callosum tract and the right internal capsule tract in a clinical study of neurodevelopment. FADTTS can be used to facilitate the understanding of normal brain development, the neural bases of neuropsychiatric disorders, and the joint effects of environmental and genetic factors on white matter fiber bundles. The advantages of FADTTS compared with the other existing approaches are that they are capable of modeling the structured inter-subject variability, testing the joint effects, and constructing their simultaneous confidence bands. However, FADTTS is not crucial for estimation and reduces to the functional analysis method for the single measure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood resolved fiber orientation distributions (NRFOD) in automatic labeling of white matter fiber pathways.

PubMed

Ugurlu, Devran; Firat, Zeynep; Türe, Uğur; Unal, Gozde

2018-05-01

Accurate digital representation of major white matter bundles in the brain is an important goal in neuroscience image computing since the representations can be used for surgical planning, intra-patient longitudinal analysis and inter-subject population connectivity studies. Reconstructing desired fiber bundles generally involves manual selection of regions of interest by an expert, which is subject to user bias and fatigue, hence an automation is desirable. To that end, we first present a novel anatomical representation based on Neighborhood Resolved Fiber Orientation Distributions (NRFOD) along the fibers. The resolved fiber orientations are obtained by generalized q-sampling imaging (GQI) and a subsequent diffusion decomposition method. A fiber-to-fiber distance measure between the proposed fiber representations is then used in a density-based clustering framework to select the clusters corresponding to the major pathways of interest. In addition, neuroanatomical priors are utilized to constrain the set of candidate fibers before density-based clustering. The proposed fiber clustering approach is exemplified on automation of the reconstruction of the major fiber pathways in the brainstem: corticospinal tract (CST); medial lemniscus (ML); middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP); inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP); superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP). Experimental results on Human Connectome Project (HCP)'s publicly available "WU-Minn 500 Subjects + MEG2 dataset" and expert evaluations demonstrate the potential of the proposed fiber clustering method in brainstem white matter structure analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization and application of optical fibers: 1. Application of optical fibers in gas concentration and radiation dose measurements. 2. Polarization effects in fiber communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Ping

The thesis consists of two research directions: Optical fiber applications in gas concentration and radiation dose measurements; and polarization effects in fiber optic communication systems. Part I of the thesis presents two optical fiber applications. (1) An infrared (IR) fiber bundle has been designed and fabricated to measure gas concentrations in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This fiber bundle covers the IR range from 0.5 to 20 mum and reduces the light beam divergence in the CVD chamber, which makes it possible to measure gas concentrations in a region near the substrate surface. Semi-ellipsoid mirrors have been designed and used to increase the collection efficiency of infrared radiation and to compensate the loss introduced by the fiber bundle. (2) A fiber optic radiation sensor based on radiation-induced fiber loss is reported. The gamma radiation-induced loss spectra in various fibers have been studied. Among all the fibers tested, 5% P-doped fiber shows the highest sensitivity to gamma radiation. The wavelength and dose rate dependence of radiation-induced loss in 5% P-doped fiber are investigated and the possibility of using this fiber as a radiation sensor for radiation therapy is discussed. Part II of the thesis examines two polarization effects, polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization dependent loss (PDL), in fiber optic communication systems based on the waveplate models. A new waveplate model, capable of generating any PMD and PDL values, is proposed to overcome the limitations of the conventional waveplate model. Using both models the statistical distributions of PDL and differential group delay (DGD) have been studied considering the presence of biased elliptical birefringence. The principal state of polarization (PSP) of an optical pulse is proposed for a fiber having both PMD and PDL. PMD and PDL of a pulse for a fiber consisting of two polarization maintaining fiber segments are calculated, and the pulse distortions due to PMD and PDL are analyzed. PMD and PDL impact on digital communication systems have been studied in terms of system Q factor, bit error rate (BER) and system outage probability. The acceptable PMD values in a system with PDL are discussed for various power margins. The Q factor distributions due to PDL and its combination with PMD have been measured experimentally and compared to numerical simulations.

White matter tractography by means of Turboprop diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Gui, Minzhi; Lazar, Mariana

2005-12-01

White matter fiber-tractography by means of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a noninvasive technique that provides estimates of the structural connectivity of the brain. However, conventional fiber-tracking methods using DTI are based on echo-planar image acquisitions (EPI), which suffer from image distortions and artifacts due to magnetic susceptibility variations and eddy currents. Thus, a large percentage of white matter fiber bundles that are mapped using EPI-based DTI data are distorted, and/or terminated early, while others are completely undetected. This severely limits the potential of fiber-tracking techniques. In contrast, Turboprop imaging is a multiple-shot gradient and spin-echo (GRASE) technique that provides images with significantly fewer susceptibility and eddy current-related artifacts than EPI. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the performance of fiber-tractography techniques when using data obtained with Turboprop-DTI. All fiber pathways that were mapped were found to be in agreement with the anatomy. There were no visible distortions in any of the traced fiber bundles, even when these were located in the vicinity of significant magnetic field inhomogeneities. Additionally, the Turboprop-DTI data used in this research were acquired in less than 19 min of scan time. Thus, Turboprop appears to be a promising DTI data acquisition technique for tracing white matter fibers.

Modeling the failure of magmatic foams with application to Stromboli volcano, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Shaughnessy, Cedrick; Brun, Francesco; Mancini, Lucia; Fife, Julie L.; Baker, Don R.

2014-10-01

The failure of magmatic foams has been implicated as a fundamental process in eruptions occurring at open-conduit, basaltic volcanoes. In order to investigate the failure of magmatic foams we applied the fiber bundle model using global load sharing. The strengths of the fibers for the model were taken from bubble wall widths measured in four computer-simulated foams of low-porosity and from one very low-porosity and two high-porosity foams produced in the laboratory by heating hydrated basaltic glasses to 1200 °C. The relative strength of an individual fiber in the model was calculated from the square of a bubble wall's average width and absolute strengths of the foams were calculated based upon the correlation of the strength of one modeled foam with experimental data. The fiber bundle model is shown to successfully reproduce measured tensile strengths of porous volcanic rocks studied by other researchers and confirms previous findings of the primary importance of foam porosity, as well as the secondary importance of structural details that affect the number and size of bubble walls and permeability. Because of the success of the fiber bundle model in reproducing experimental foam failure, its results are compared to infrasonic measurements associated with bubbles at Stromboli (Italy) and demonstrate that within uncertainty the power-law exponents of the infrasonic energies and of the fiber bundle model energies are in agreement; both show a crossover from an exponent of 5/2 associated with the bursting of small bubbles in the infrasonic measurements to an exponent of 3/2 for normal Strombolian eruptions associated with infrasonic signals from meter-scale bubbles. The infrasonic signals for major explosions and a paroxysmal eruption at Stromboli fall near the extrapolation of the power law defined by the low-amplitude, bubble bursting events and are interpreted to reflect the bursting of multitudes of small bubbles, rather than a few large bubbles. The measurement of small-amplitude infrasonic events at Stromboli appears useful in predicting the recurrence interval of paroxysmal eruptions at this volcano and may also provide a tool that uses common, small-amplitude infrasonic events to constrain the frequency of larger eruptions at other volcanoes.

Automated retinofugal visual pathway reconstruction with multi-shell HARDI and FOD-based analysis.

PubMed

Kammen, Alexandra; Law, Meng; Tjan, Bosco S; Toga, Arthur W; Shi, Yonggang

2016-01-15

Diffusion MRI tractography provides a non-invasive modality to examine the human retinofugal projection, which consists of the optic nerves, optic chiasm, optic tracts, the lateral geniculate nuclei (LGN) and the optic radiations. However, the pathway has several anatomic features that make it particularly challenging to study with tractography, including its location near blood vessels and bone-air interface at the base of the cerebrum, crossing fibers at the chiasm, somewhat-tortuous course around the temporal horn via Meyer's Loop, and multiple closely neighboring fiber bundles. To date, these unique complexities of the visual pathway have impeded the development of a robust and automated reconstruction method using tractography. To overcome these challenges, we develop a novel, fully automated system to reconstruct the retinofugal visual pathway from high-resolution diffusion imaging data. Using multi-shell, high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data, we reconstruct precise fiber orientation distributions (FODs) with high order spherical harmonics (SPHARM) to resolve fiber crossings, which allows the tractography algorithm to successfully navigate the complicated anatomy surrounding the retinofugal pathway. We also develop automated algorithms for the identification of ROIs used for fiber bundle reconstruction. In particular, we develop a novel approach to extract the LGN region of interest (ROI) based on intrinsic shape analysis of a fiber bundle computed from a seed region at the optic chiasm to a target at the primary visual cortex. By combining automatically identified ROIs and FOD-based tractography, we obtain a fully automated system to compute the main components of the retinofugal pathway, including the optic tract and the optic radiation. We apply our method to the multi-shell HARDI data of 215 subjects from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). Through comparisons with post-mortem dissection measurements, we demonstrate the retinotopic organization of the optic radiation including a successful reconstruction of Meyer's loop. Then, using the reconstructed optic radiation bundle from the HCP cohort, we construct a probabilistic atlas and demonstrate its consistency with a post-mortem atlas. Finally, we generate a shape-based representation of the optic radiation for morphometry analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ion-exchange hollow fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rembaum, A.; Yen, S. P. S.; Klein, E. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

An ion-exchange hollow fiber is prepared by introducing into the wall of the fiber polymerizable liquid monomers, and polymerizing the monomers therein to form solid, insoluble, crosslinked, ion-exchange resin particles which embed in the wall of the fiber. Excess particles blocking the central passage or bore of the fiber are removed by forcing liquid through the fiber. The fibers have high ion-exchange capacity, a practical wall permeability and good mechanical strength even with very thin wall dimensions. Experimental investigation of bundles of ion-exchange hollow fibers attached to a header assembly have shown the fiber to be very efficient in removing counterions from solution.

Anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament with regard to its two bundles.

PubMed

Petersen, Wolf; Zantop, Thore

2007-01-01

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) consists of two major fiber bundles, namely the anteromedial and posterolateral bundle. When the knee is extended, the posterolateral bundle (PL) is tight and the anteromedial (AM) bundle is moderately lax. As the knee is flexed, the femoral attachment of the ACL becomes a more horizontal orientation; causing the AM bundle to tighten and the PL bundle to relax. There is some degree of variability for the femoral origin of the anterome-dial and posterolateral bundle. The anteromedial bundle is located proximal and anterior in the femoral ACL origin (high and deep in the notch when the knee is flexed at 90 degrees ); the posterolateral bundle starts in the distal and posterior aspect of the femoral ACL origin (shallow and low when the knee is flexed at 90 degrees ). In the frontal plane the anteromedial bundle origin is in the 10:30 clock position and the postero-lateral bundle origin in the 9:30 clock position. At the tibial insertion the ACL fans out to form the foot region. The anteromedial bundle insertion is in the anterior part of the tibial ACL footprint, the posterolateral bundle in the posterior part. While the anteromedial bundle is the primary restraint against anterior tibial translation, the posterolateral bundle tends to stabilize the knee near full extension, particularly against rotatory loads.

Mechanized Polishing of Optical Rod and Fiber Ends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gum, J. S.

1987-01-01

Workpiece holder for standard grinding and polishing machine makes it easier to produce optical finish and shape on end of metal or glass rod or bundle of optical fibers. Previously, glass parts lapped and polished manually, time-consuming procedure calling for considerable skill.

Macroscopic and histological investigation of guanaco footpads (Lama guanicoe, Müller 1776).

PubMed

König, Horst Erich; Skewes, Oscar; Helmreich, Magda; Böck, Peter

2015-03-01

The surface of guanaco footpads is characterized by hairless skin with up to 4-mm-thick stratum corneum that protects from abrasion. The horny layer is pliable and elastic, and ensures firm contact with irregular ground. It is padded with a particular structure of the subcutaneous layer, the digital cushion. The flat cushions of each of the two digits are of elongated ovate shape, each about 45-mm long, up to 20-mm wide, and 8-mm thick. The cushions are lined by a 1-2-mm-thick capsule that resembles a tunica albuginea. The capsule consists of coarse collagen fibers, with elastic fibers absent. The cushion capsule and dermis approach each other, and fuse along a line that runs parallel to the longitudinal axes of cushion and digit. Loose connective tissue rich in elastic fibers and acidic glycosaminoglycans separates dermis and cushion capsule lateral to the narrow interconnecting zone. The cushion capsule encloses cloudy yellowish, gelatinous material. Microscopy shows bundles of elastic fibers in abundant mucinous matrix. Tightly gathered elastic bundles adjoin the inner surface of the capsule. Rough cords of elastic fibers branch out from there and traverse to the opposite side. The cushion is pressed flat, and elastic fibers are stretched when bearing weight. With relief of load, elastic fibers contract and reset the cushion's shape. Contractile cells are absent. A resistant capsule and easily malleable mucinous contents establish the functioning as a gel pad. Mucinous connective tissue between elastic fiber bundles contains abundant basophilic matrix. Hyaluronan, chondroitin sulfate, and dermatan sulfate are main matrix constituents. Spindle-shaped or stellate fibroblasts contain vimentin, S100 protein, and neuron specific enolase. Moprhology, staining characteristics and synthesis activities of these cells meet the criteria to be classified as myxoid cells. The connective tissue in guanaco digital cushions represents myxoid tissue. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Design and Evaluation of a Fiber Optic Probe as a means of Subsurface Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilgrim, Robert Paul

The Optical Probe for Regolith Analysis (OPRA) is an instrumentation concept designed to provide spectroscopic analysis of the near subsurface of unconsolidated regolith on bodies such as moons, asteroids and planets. Below a chemically altered surface may lay the geological history in the form of stratigraphy that is shielded from degradation due to harsh external environments. Most of what we know about our solar system comes from remote platforms, such as satellites that are deployed into orbit around the target body. In the case of Mars, we have had several successful landers and rovers however, with the exception of the Mars Science Laboratory that just drilled its first hole, the complexity of subsurface excavation has limited the extent of subsurface exploration to simple scoops deployed on the ends of robotic arms which, by their very nature, will erase any stratigraphy that it may be digging into. The OPRA instrumentation concept allows for an integrated, lightweight and simple apparatus for subsurface exploration via a small, spike like structure which contains integrated optical fibers coupled to small windows running down the length of the probe. Each window is connected to a spectrometer housed onboard the deploying spacecraft. Each window is separately interrogated via the spectrometer over the wavelength range 1-2.5 nm to produce a spectroscopic profile as a function of depth. This project takes the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the OPRA instrumentation concept to level 3, which is defined by NASA to be the demonstration either analytically or experimentally of the proof of concept for critical functions of the proposed instrument. Firstly, to demonstrate that optical fibers are feasible for this type of application, we report on the techniques used by NASA to space qualify optical fibers. We investigate the optical performance of several fiber optic bundle configurations, both experimentally and numerically, to help optimize bundle performance. Optical bundles were then spectrally validated via a series of spectral comparisons between standardized reflectance spectroscopy targets and spectra obtained with the bundles. We also report on the integration of fiber optical bundles into other research and experimental results from several other groups within our research teams to obtain spectra under a more "space like" environment. Finally, the probe housing structural performance was investigated via finite element analysis, using probe penetration forces derived from data analysis of experimentation conducted by the Apollo lunar missions, and investigations into a mechanical analogue for the Martian regolith.

Electrostatic Control of Bioactivity

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

Goldberger, Joshua E.; Berns, Eric J.; Bitton, Ronit

2012-03-15

The power of independence: When exhibited on the surface of self-assembling peptide-amphiphile nanofibers, the hydrophobic laminin-derived IKVAV epitope induced nanofiber bundling through interdigitation with neighboring fibers and thus decreased the bioactivity of the resulting materials. The inclusion of charged amino acids in the peptide amphiphiles disrupted the tendency to bundle and led to significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth.

Modeling Composite Laminate Crushing for Crash Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, David C.; Jones, Lisa (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Crash modeling of composite structures remains limited in application and has not been effectively demonstrated as a predictive tool. While the global response of composite structures may be well modeled, when composite structures act as energy-absorbing members through direct laminate crushing the modeling accuracy is greatly reduced. The most efficient composite energy absorbing structures, in terms of energy absorbed per unit mass, are those that absorb energy through a complex progressive crushing response in which fiber and matrix fractures on a small scale dominate the behavior. Such failure modes simultaneously include delamination of plies, failure of the matrix to produce fiber bundles, and subsequent failure of fiber bundles either in bending or in shear. In addition, the response may include the significant action of friction, both internally (between delaminated plies or fiber bundles) or externally (between the laminate and the crushing surface). A figure shows the crushing damage observed in a fiberglass composite tube specimen, illustrating the complexity of the response. To achieve a finite element model of such complex behavior is an extremely challenging problem. A practical crushing model based on detailed modeling of the physical mechanisms of crushing behavior is not expected in the foreseeable future. The present research describes attempts to model composite crushing behavior using a novel hybrid modeling procedure. Experimental testing is done is support of the modeling efforts, and a test specimen is developed to provide data for validating laminate crushing models.

Multiplexed fluorescent microarray for human salivary protein analysis using polymer microspheres and fiber-optic bundles.

PubMed

Nie, Shuai; Benito-Peña, Elena; Zhang, Huaibin; Wu, Yue; Walt, David R

2013-10-10

Herein, we describe a protocol for simultaneously measuring six proteins in saliva using a fiber-optic microsphere-based antibody array. The immuno-array technology employed combines the advantages of microsphere-based suspension array fabrication with the use of fluorescence microscopy. As described in the video protocol, commercially available 4.5 μm polymer microspheres were encoded into seven different types, differentiated by the concentration of two fluorescent dyes physically trapped inside the microspheres. The encoded microspheres containing surface carboxyl groups were modified with monoclonal capture antibodies through EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. To assemble the protein microarray, the different types of encoded and functionalized microspheres were mixed and randomly deposited in 4.5 μm microwells, which were chemically etched at the proximal end of a fiber-optic bundle. The fiber-optic bundle was used as both a carrier and for imaging the microspheres. Once assembled, the microarray was used to capture proteins in the saliva supernatant collected from the clinic. The detection was based on a sandwich immunoassay using a mixture of biotinylated detection antibodies for different analytes with a streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent probe, R-phycoerythrin. The microarray was imaged by fluorescence microscopy in three different channels, two for microsphere registration and one for the assay signal. The fluorescence micrographs were then decoded and analyzed using a homemade algorithm in MATLAB.

An optical fiber bundle sensor for tip clearance and tip timing measurements in a turbine rig.

PubMed

García, Iker; Beloki, Josu; Zubia, Joseba; Aldabaldetreku, Gotzon; Illarramendi, María Asunción; Jiménez, Felipe

2013-06-05

When it comes to measuring blade-tip clearance or blade-tip timing in turbines, reflective intensity-modulated optical fiber sensors overcome several traditional limitations of capacitive, inductive or discharging probe sensors. This paper presents the signals and results corresponding to the third stage of a multistage turbine rig, obtained from a transonic wind-tunnel test. The probe is based on a trifurcated bundle of optical fibers that is mounted on the turbine casing. To eliminate the influence of light source intensity variations and blade surface reflectivity, the sensing principle is based on the quotient of the voltages obtained from the two receiving bundle legs. A discrepancy lower than 3% with respect to a commercial sensor was observed in tip clearance measurements. Regarding tip timing measurements, the travel wave spectrum was obtained, which provides the average vibration amplitude for all blades at a particular nodal diameter. With this approach, both blade-tip timing and tip clearance measurements can be carried out simultaneously. The results obtained on the test turbine rig demonstrate the suitability and reliability of the type of sensor used, and suggest the possibility of performing these measurements in real turbines under real working conditions.

An Optical Fiber Bundle Sensor for Tip Clearance and Tip Timing Measurements in a Turbine Rig

PubMed Central

García, Iker; Beloki, Josu; Zubia, Joseba; Aldabaldetreku, Gotzon; Illarramendi, María Asunción; Jiménez, Felipe

2013-01-01

When it comes to measuring blade-tip clearance or blade-tip timing in turbines, reflective intensity-modulated optical fiber sensors overcome several traditional limitations of capacitive, inductive or discharging probe sensors. This paper presents the signals and results corresponding to the third stage of a multistage turbine rig, obtained from a transonic wind-tunnel test. The probe is based on a trifurcated bundle of optical fibers that is mounted on the turbine casing. To eliminate the influence of light source intensity variations and blade surface reflectivity, the sensing principle is based on the quotient of the voltages obtained from the two receiving bundle legs. A discrepancy lower than 3% with respect to a commercial sensor was observed in tip clearance measurements. Regarding tip timing measurements, the travel wave spectrum was obtained, which provides the average vibration amplitude for all blades at a particular nodal diameter. With this approach, both blade-tip timing and tip clearance measurements can be carried out simultaneously. The results obtained on the test turbine rig demonstrate the suitability and reliability of the type of sensor used, and suggest the possibility of performing these measurements in real turbines under real working conditions. PMID:23739163

Impact of CCR1 silencing on the assembly of lignified secondary walls in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Ruel, Katia; Berrio-Sierra, Jimmy; Derikvand, Mohammad Mir; Pollet, Brigitte; Thévenin, Johanne; Lapierre, Catherine; Jouanin, Lise; Joseleau, Jean-Paul

2009-01-01

A cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1 knockout mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated for the consequences of lignin synthesis perturbation on the assembly of the cell walls. The mutant displayed a dwarf phenotype and a strong collapse of its xylem vessels corresponding to lower lignin content and a loss of lignin units of the noncondensed type. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the transformation considerably impaired the capacity of interfascicular fibers and vascular bundles to complete the assembly of cellulose microfibrils in the S(2) layer, the S(1) layer remaining unaltered. Such disorder in cellulose was correlated with X-ray diffraction showing altered organization. Semi-quantitative immunolabeling of lignins showed that the patterns of distribution were differentially affected in interfascicular fibers and vascular bundles, pointing to the importance of noncondensed lignin structures for the assembly of a coherent secondary wall. The use of laser capture microdissection combined with the microanalysis of lignins and polysaccharides allowed these polymers to be characterized into specific cell types. Wild-type A. thaliana displayed a two-fold higher syringyl to guaiacyl ratio in interfascicular fibers compared with vascular bundles, whereas this difference was less marked in the cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1 knockout mutant.

Inferring segmented dense motion layers using 5D tensor voting.

PubMed

Min, Changki; Medioni, Gérard

2008-09-01

We present a novel local spatiotemporal approach to produce motion segmentation and dense temporal trajectories from an image sequence. A common representation of image sequences is a 3D spatiotemporal volume, (x,y,t), and its corresponding mathematical formalism is the fiber bundle. However, directly enforcing the spatiotemporal smoothness constraint is difficult in the fiber bundle representation. Thus, we convert the representation into a new 5D space (x,y,t,vx,vy) with an additional velocity domain, where each moving object produces a separate 3D smooth layer. The smoothness constraint is now enforced by extracting 3D layers using the tensor voting framework in a single step that solves both correspondence and segmentation simultaneously. Motion segmentation is achieved by identifying those layers, and the dense temporal trajectories are obtained by converting the layers back into the fiber bundle representation. We proceed to address three applications (tracking, mosaic, and 3D reconstruction) that are hard to solve from the video stream directly because of the segmentation and dense matching steps, but become straightforward with our framework. The approach does not make restrictive assumptions about the observed scene or camera motion and is therefore generally applicable. We present results on a number of data sets.

InGaAlAsPN: A Materials System for Silicon Based Optoelectronics and Heterostructure Device Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broekaert, T. P. E.; Tang, S.; Wallace, R. M.; Beam, E. A., III; Duncan, W. M.; Kao, Y. -C.; Liu, H. -Y.

1995-01-01

A new material system is proposed for silicon based opto-electronic and heterostructure devices; the silicon lattice matched compositions of the (In,Ga,Al)-(As,P)N 3-5 compounds. In this nitride alloy material system, the bandgap is expected to be direct at the silicon lattice matched compositions with a bandgap range most likely to be in the infrared to visible. At lattice constants ranging between those of silicon carbide and silicon, a wider bandgap range is expected to be available and the high quality material obtained through lattice matching could enable applications such as monolithic color displays, high efficiency multi-junction solar cells, opto-electronic integrated circuits for fiber communications, and the transfer of existing 3-5 technology to silicon.

Optical digital techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Optical interface losses between transmitter-to-fiber interface, connector-to-connector interface, and fiber-to-receiver interface were studied. System effects such as pulse dispersion, risetimes of the sources and detectors, type of fibers used, output power of the sources, and detector sensitivity were considered. Data bus systems such as TEE, Star, and Hybrid were analyzed. The matter of single fiber versus bundle technologies for future avionics systems was considered. The existing data bus system on Space Shuttle was examined and an optical analog was derived for a fiber bundle system, along with the associated power margin. System tests were performed on a feasibility model of a 9-port Star data bus system including BER, star losses, connector losses, etc. The same system was subjected to EMI between the range of 200 Hz to 10 GHz at 20V/m levels. A lightning test was also performed which simulated the conditions similar to those on Space Shuttle. The data bus system was found to be EMI and lightning hard. It is concluded that an optical data bus system is feasible for shuttle orbiter type vehicles.

Section sigma models coupled to symplectic duality bundles on Lorentzian four-manifolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazaroiu, C. I.; Shahbazi, C. S.

2018-06-01

We give the global mathematical formulation of a class of generalized four-dimensional theories of gravity coupled to scalar matter and to Abelian gauge fields. In such theories, the scalar fields are described by a section of a surjective pseudo-Riemannian submersion π over space-time, whose total space carries a Lorentzian metric making the fibers into totally-geodesic connected Riemannian submanifolds. In particular, π is a fiber bundle endowed with a complete Ehresmann connection whose transport acts through isometries between the fibers. In turn, the Abelian gauge fields are "twisted" by a flat symplectic vector bundle defined over the total space of π. This vector bundle is endowed with a vertical taming which locally encodes the gauge couplings and theta angles of the theory and gives rise to the notion of twisted self-duality, of crucial importance to construct the theory. When the Ehresmann connection of π is integrable, we show that our theories are locally equivalent to ordinary Einstein-Scalar-Maxwell theories and hence provide a global non-trivial extension of the universal bosonic sector of four-dimensional supergravity. In this case, we show using a special trivializing atlas of π that global solutions of such models can be interpreted as classical "locally-geometric" U-folds. In the non-integrable case, our theories differ locally from ordinary Einstein-Scalar-Maxwell theories and may provide a geometric description of classical U-folds which are "locally non-geometric".

Thermoplastic coating of carbon fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edie, D. D.; Lickfield, G. C.; Drews, M. J.; Ellison, M. S.; Gantt, B. W.

1989-01-01

A process is being developed which evenly coats individual carbon fibers with thermoplastic polymers. In this novel, continuous coating process, the fiber tow bundle is first spread cover a series of convex rollers and then evenly coated with a fine powder of thermoplastic matrix polymer. Next, the fiber is heated internally by passing direct current through the powder coated fiber. The direct current is controlled to allow the carbon fiber temperature to slightly exceed the flow temperature of the matrix polymer. Analysis of the thermoplastic coated carbon fiber tows produced using this continuous process indicates that 30 to 70 vol pct fiber prepregs can be obtained.

Near-isogenic cotton germplasm lines that differ in fiber-bundle strength have temporal differences in fiber gene expression patterns as revealed by comparative high-throughput profiling.

PubMed

Hinchliffe, Doug J; Meredith, William R; Yeater, Kathleen M; Kim, Hee Jin; Woodward, Andrew W; Chen, Z Jeffrey; Triplett, Barbara A

2010-05-01

Gene expression profiles of developing cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fibers from two near-isogenic lines (NILs) that differ in fiber-bundle strength, short-fiber content, and in fewer than two genetic loci were compared using an oligonucleotide microarray. Fiber gene expression was compared at five time points spanning fiber elongation and secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis. Fiber samples were collected from field plots in a randomized, complete block design, with three spatially distinct biological replications for each NIL at each time point. Microarray hybridizations were performed in a loop experimental design that allowed comparisons of fiber gene expression profiles as a function of time between the two NILs. Overall, developmental expression patterns revealed by the microarray experiment agreed with previously reported cotton fiber gene expression patterns for specific genes. Additionally, genes expressed coordinately with the onset of SCW biosynthesis in cotton fiber correlated with gene expression patterns of other SCW-producing plant tissues. Functional classification and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes between the two NILs revealed that genes associated with SCW biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in fibers of the high-fiber quality line at the transition stage of cotton fiber development. For independent corroboration of the microarray results, 15 genes were selected for quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis of fiber gene expression. These analyses, conducted over multiple field years, confirmed the temporal difference in fiber gene expression between the two NILs. We hypothesize that the loci conferring temporal differences in fiber gene expression between the NILs are important regulatory sequences that offer the potential for more targeted manipulation of cotton fiber quality.

Statistics of acoustic emissions and stress drops during granular shearing using a stick-slip fiber bundle mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, D.; Michlmayr, G.; Or, D.

2012-04-01

Shearing of dense granular materials appears in many engineering and Earth sciences applications. Under a constant strain rate, the shearing stress at steady state oscillates with slow rises followed by rapid drops that are linked to the build up and failure of force chains. Experiments indicate that these drops display exponential statistics. Measurements of acoustic emissions during shearing indicates that the energy liberated by failure of these force chains has power-law statistics. Representing force chains as fibers, we use a stick-slip fiber bundle model to obtain analytical solutions of the statistical distribution of stress drops and failure energy. In the model, fibers stretch, fail, and regain strength during deformation. Fibers have Weibull-distributed threshold strengths with either quenched and annealed disorder. The shape of the distribution for drops and energy obtained from the model are similar to those measured during shearing experiments. This simple model may be useful to identify failure events linked to force chain failures. Future generalizations of the model that include different types of fiber failure may also allow identification of different types of granular failures that have distinct statistical acoustic emission signatures.

Yb- and Er-doped fiber laser Q-switched with an optically uniform, broadband WS2 saturable absorber

PubMed Central

Zhang, M.; Hu, Guohua; Hu, Guoqing; Howe, R. C. T.; Chen, L.; Zheng, Z.; Hasan, T.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a ytterbium (Yb) and an erbium (Er)-doped fiber laser Q-switched by a solution processed, optically uniform, few-layer tungsten disulfide saturable absorber (WS2-SA). Nonlinear optical absorption of the WS2-SA in the sub-bandgap region, attributed to the edge-induced states, is characterized by 3.1% and 4.9% modulation depths with 1.38 and 3.83 MW/cm2 saturation intensities at 1030 and 1558 nm, respectively. By integrating the optically uniform WS2-SA in the Yb- and Er-doped laser cavities, we obtain self-starting Q-switched pulses with microsecond duration and kilohertz repetition rates at 1030 and 1558 nm. Our work demonstrates broadband sub-bandgap saturable absorption of a single, solution processed WS2-SA, providing new potential efficacy for WS2 in ultrafast photonic applications. PMID:26657601

Optical fiber-based biosensors.

PubMed

Monk, David J; Walt, David R

2004-08-01

This review outlines optical fiber-based biosensor research from January 2001 through September 2003 and was written to complement the previous review in this journal by Marazuela and Moreno-Bondi. Optical fiber-based biosensors combine the use of a biological recognition element with an optical fiber or optical fiber bundle. They are classified by the nature of the biological recognition element used for sensing: enzyme, antibody/antigen (immunoassay), nucleic acid, whole cell, and biomimetic, and may be used for a variety of analytes ranging from metals and chemicals to physiological materials.

Evolution of birds: ichthyosaur integumental fibers conform to dromaeosaur protofeathers.

PubMed

Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten

2003-09-01

Filamentous integumentary structures have been reported as protofeathers in dromaeosaurs (non-avian dinosaurs). This hypothesis is considered against data on the complex architecture of dermal and subdermal collagenous fibers widely prevalent in living and extinct animals. Ichthyosaur integumental fibers, as dromaeosaur "protofeathers", are the most external structures preserved. Marked similarities are shown in branching patterns of these fibers compared with those of the dromaeosaur Sinornithosaurus; hence distinguishing between aberrant and primary features is difficult. Analysis of a pterosaur specimen shows that bent and straight fibers on the wings have functional implications. The fibers conform to the twofold shape of collagen and contradict the notion that bent integumental structures in the dinosaur Sinosauropteryx indicate softness and pliability. A suggestion also concerning Sinosauropteryx is that integumental structures with darker edges, compared with the middle, imply that they were hollow. Investigation of a similar condition in an ichthyosaur shows that it is more likely a consequence of mineralization. Dermal collagen fibers in, for example, sharks, dolphins, snakes, and turtles are shown to be grouped in bundles of varying sizes. Degradation of the dermis results in the breakdown of the fiber bundles and formation of myriad patterns of the disrupted fibers, as noted in decomposed dolphin skin. The overall findings of the study are that the thesis of dinosaur "protofeathers" requires more substantial support than exists at present.

Dual CARS and SHG image acquisition scheme that combines single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to collect and differentiate backward and forward generated photons

PubMed Central

Weng, Sheng; Chen, Xu; Xu, Xiaoyun; Wong, Kelvin K.; Wong, Stephen T. C.

2016-01-01

In coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging, backward and forward generated photons exhibit different image patterns and thus capture salient intrinsic information of tissues from different perspectives. However, they are often mixed in collection using traditional image acquisition methods and thus are hard to interpret. We developed a multimodal scheme using a single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to simultaneously collect and differentiate images formed by these two types of photons and evaluated the scheme in an endomicroscopy prototype. The ratio of these photons collected was calculated for the characterization of tissue regions with strong or weak epi-photon generation while different image patterns of these photons at different tissue depths were revealed. This scheme provides a new approach to extract and integrate information captured by backward and forward generated photons in dual CARS/SHG imaging synergistically for biomedical applications. PMID:27375938

Fiber-Coupled Wide Field of View Optical Receiver for High Speed Space Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suddath, Shannon N.

Research groups at NASA Glenn Research Center are interested in improving data rates on the International Space Station (ISS) using a free-space optical (FSO) link. However, known flexure of the ISS structure is expected to cause misalignment of the FSO link. Passive-control designs for mitigating misalignment are under investigation, including using a fiber-bundle for improved field of view. The designs must overcome the obstacle of coupling directly to fiber, rather than a photodetector, as NASA will maintain the use of small form-factor pluggable optical transceivers (SFPs) in the ISS network. In this thesis, a bundle-based receiver capable of coupling directly to fiber is designed, simulated, and tested in lab. Two 3-lens systems were evaluated for power performance in the lab, one with a 20 mm focal length aspheric lens and the other with a 50 mm focal length aspheric lens. The maximum output power achieved was 8 muW.

Tribological evaluation of an Al2O3-SiO2 ceramic fiber candidate for high temperature sliding seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher; Steinetz, Bruce

1992-01-01

A test program to determine the relative sliding durability of an alumina-silica candidate ceramic fiber for high temperature sliding seal applications as described. This work represents the first reporting of the sliding durability of this material system. Pin-on-disk tests were used to evaluate the potential seal material by sliding a tow or bundle of the candidate ceramic fiber against a superalloy test disk. Friction was measured during the tests and fiber wear, indicated by the extent of fibers broken in the tow or bundle, was measured at the end of each test. Test variables studied included ambient temperatures from 25 C to 900 C, loads from 1.3 to 21.2 Newtons, and sliding velocities from 0.025 to 0.25 m/sec. In addition, the effects of fiber diameter, elastic modulus, and a pretest fiber heat treatment on friction and wear were measured. In most cases, wear increased with temperature. Friction ranged from about 0.36 at 500 C and low velocity (0.025 m/s) to over 1.1 at 900 C and high velocity (0.25 m/s). The pretest fiber heat treatment, which caused significant durability reductions for alumina-boria-silica ceramic fibers tested previously, had little effect on the alumina-silica fibers tested here. These results indicate that the alumina-silica (Al2O3-SiO2) fiber is a good candidate material system for high temperature sliding seal applications.

Fabrication and evaluation of low fiber content alumina fiber/aluminum composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hack, J. E.; Strempek, G. C.

1980-01-01

The mechanical fabrication of low volume percent fiber, polycrystalline alumina fiber reinforced aluminum composites was accomplished. Wire preform material was prepared by liquid-metal infiltration of alumina fiber bundles. The wires were subsequently encapsulated with aluminum foil and fabricated into bulk composite material by hot-drawing. Extensive mechanical, thermal and chemical testing was conducted on preform and bulk material to develop a process and material data base. In addition, a preliminary investigation of mechanical forming of bulk alumina fiber reinforced aluminum composite material was conducted.

Description of a flow optimized oxygenator with integrated pulsatile pump.

PubMed

Borchardt, Ralf; Schlanstein, Peter; Arens, Jutta; Graefe, Roland; Schreiber, Fabian; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2010-11-01

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a well-established therapy for several lung and heart diseases in the field of neonatal and pediatric medicine (e.g., acute respiratory distress syndrome, congenital heart failure, cardiomyopathy). Current ECMO systems are typically composed of an oxygenator and a separate nonpulsatile blood pump. An oxygenator with an integrated pulsatile blood pump for small infant ECMO was developed, and this novel concept was tested regarding functionality and gas exchange rate. Pulsating silicone tubes (STs) were driven by air pressure and placed inside the cylindrical fiber bundle of an oxygenator to be used as a pump module. The findings of this study confirm that pumping blood with STs is a viable option for the future. The maximum gas exchange rate for oxygen is 48mL/min/L(blood) at a medium blood flow rate of about 300mL/min. Future design steps were identified to optimize the flow field through the fiber bundle to achieve a higher gas exchange rate. First, the packing density of the hollow-fiber bundle was lower than commercial oxygenators due to the manual manufacturing. By increasing this packing density, the gas exchange rate would increase accordingly. Second, distribution plates for a more uniform blood flow can be placed at the inlet and outlet of the oxygenator. Third, the hollow-fiber membranes can be individually placed to ensure equal distances between the surrounding hollow fibers. © 2010, Copyright the Authors. Artificial Organs © 2010, International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Speckle-Suppression Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taback, Israel

1989-01-01

Technique and apparatus developed to reduce speckle in unmodulated laser pulses, using reduced number of optical fibers. Expected to decrease costs of bundles of optical fibers used to transmit unmodulated laser pulses. New apparatus reduces speckle in optically transmitted, unmodulated laser input pulse by introducing number of independent delays into pulse.

Ion-exchange hollow fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rembaum, Alan (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Ping S. (Inventor); Klein, Elias (Inventor)

1980-01-01

An ion-exchange hollow fiber is prepared by introducing into the wall of the fiber polymerizable liquid monomers, and polymerizing the monomers therein to form solid, insoluble, cross-linked, ion-exchange resin particles which embed in the wall of the fiber. Excess particles blocking the central passage or bore of the fiber are removed by forcing liquid through the fiber. The fibers have high ion-exchange capacity, a practical wall permeability and good mechanical strength even with very thin wall dimensions. Experimental investigation of bundles of ion-exchange hollow fibers attached to a header assembly have shown the fiber to be very efficient in removing counterions from solution.

Ion-exchange hollow fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rembaum, Alan (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Ping S. (Inventor); Klein, Elias (Inventor)

1977-01-01

An ion-exchange hollow fiber is prepared by introducing into the wall of the fiber polymerizable liquid monomers, and polymerizing the monomers therein to form solid, insoluble, cross-linked, ion-exchange resin particles which embed in the wall of the fiber. Excess particles blocking the central passage or bore of the fiber are removed by forcing liquid through the fiber. The fibers have high ion-exchange capacity, a practical wall permeability and good mechanical strength even with very thin wall dimensions. Experimental investigation of bundles of ion-exchange hollow fibers attached to a header assembly have shown the fiber to be very efficient in removing counterions from solution.

Optical transcutaneous bilirubin detector

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1993-11-09

A transcutaneous bilirubin detector is designed comprising a source of light having spectral components absorbable and not absorbable by bilirubin, a handle assembly, electronic circuitry and a fiber optic bundle connecting the assembly to the light source and circuitry. Inside the assembly is a prism that receives the light from one end of the fiber optic bundle and directs it onto the skin and directs the reflected light back into the bundle. The other end of the bundle is trifucated, with one end going to the light source and the other two ends going to circuitry that determines how much light of each kind has been reflected. A relatively greater amount absorbed by the skin from the portion of the spectrum absorbable by bilirubin may indicate the presence of the illness. Preferably, two measurements are made, one on the kneecap and one on the forehead, and compared to determine the presence of bilirubin. To reduce the impact of light absorption by hemoglobin in the blood carried by the skin, pressure is applied with a plunger and spring in the handle assembly, the pressure limited by points of a button slidably carried in the assembly that are perceived by touch when the pressure applied is sufficient. 6 figures.

Optical transcutaneous bilirubin detector

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1991-03-04

This invention consists of a transcutaneous bilirubin detector comprising a source of light having spectral components absorbable and not absorbable by bilirubin, a handle assembly, electronic circuitry and a fiber optic bundle connecting the assembly to the light source and circuitry. Inside the assembly is a prism that receives the light from one end of the fiber optic bundle and directs it onto the skin and directs the reflected light back into the bundle. The other end of the bundle is trifucated, with one end going to the light source and the other two ends going to circuitry that determines how much light of each kind has been reflected. A relatively greater amount absorbed by the skin from the portion of the spectrum absorbable by bilirubin may indicate the presence of the illness. Preferably, two measurements are made, one on the kneecap and one on the forehead, and compared to determine the presence of bilirubin. To reduce the impact of light absorption by hemoglobin in the blood carried by the skin, pressure is applied with a plunger and spring in the handle assembly, the pressure limited by points of a button slidably carried in the assembly that are perceived by touch when the pressure applied is sufficient.

Optical transcutaneous bilirubin detector

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1993-01-01

A transcutaneous bilirubin detector comprising a source of light having spectral components absorbable and not absorbable by bilirubin, a handle assembly, electronic circuitry and a fiber optic bundle connecting the assembly to the light source and circuitry. Inside the assembly is a prism that receives the light from one end of the fiber optic bundle and directs it onto the skin and directs the reflected light back into the bundle. The other end of the bundle is trifucated, with one end going to the light source and the other two ends going to circuitry that determines how much light of each kind has been reflected. A relatively greater amount absorbed by the skin from the portion of the spectrum absorbable by bilirubin may indicate the presence of the illness. Preferably, two measurements are made, one on the kneecap and one on the forehead, and compared to determine the presence of bilirubin. To reduce the impact of light absorption by hemoglobin in the blood carried by the skin, pressure is applied with a plunger and spring in the handle assembly, the pressure limited by points of a button slidably carried in the assembly that are perceived by touch when the pressure applied is sufficient.

Sensing characteristics of long period gratings in hollow core fiber fabricated via electrode arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iadicicco, Agostino; Cutolo, A.; Campopiano, Stefania

2014-05-01

This paper reports on the fabrication of Long Period Gratings (LPGs) in hollow-core air-silica photonic bandgap fibers (HC-PCFs) by using pressure assisted Electrode Arc Discharge (EAD) technique. In particular, the fabrication procedure relies on the combined use of EAD step, to locally heat the HC fiber, and of a static pressure (slightly higher than the external one) inside the fiber holes, to modify the holes. Here, the experimental fabrication of LPG prototypes with different periods and lengths are discussed. And, the sensitivity of LPGs in HC-PCF to environmental parameters such as strain, temperature and static pressure are presented and discussed.

A Fundamental Study of the Electromagnetic Properties of Advanced Composite Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-07-01

MKDC), Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO). Aeronautical System Division (ASD), Electronic Systems Division ( ESD ), Air Force Avionics...discussions, the work reported involved only one fiber type--Thornel T300 as used in Narmco 5208 pre-preg tapes . Individual graphite fibers have radii... teflon coated tweezers to separate individual fibers from the bundle. Microscopic observation and a steady hand during this procedure improved the

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of BN/SiC Coated Hi-Nicalon, and Sylramic SiC Fiber Preforms. Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.; Chen, Yuan L.; Morscher, Gregory N.

2002-01-01

Batch to batch and within batch variations, and the influence of fiber architecture on room temperature physical and tensile properties of BN/SiC coated Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic SiC fiber preform specimens were determined. The three fiber architectures studied were plain weave (PW), 5-harness satin (5HS), and 8-harness satin (8HS). Results indicate that the physical properties vary up to 10 percent within a batch, and up to 20 percent between batches of preforms. Load-reload (Hysteresis) and acoustic emission methods were used to analyze damage accumulation occurring during tensile loading. Early acoustic emission activity, before observable hysteretic behavior, indicates that the damage starts with the formation of nonbridged tunnel cracks. These cracks then propagate and intersect the load bearing "0 deg" fibers giving rise to hysteretic behavior. For the Hi-Nicalon preform specimens, the onset of "0 deg" bundle cracking stress and strain appeared to be independent of the fiber architecture. Also, the "0 deg" fiber bundle cracking strain remained nearly the same for the preform specimens of both fiber types. TEM analysis indicates that the CVI BN interface coating is mostly amorphous and contains carbon and oxygen impurities, and the CVI SiC coating is crystalline. No reaction exists between the CVI BN and SiC coating.

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of BN/SiC Coated Hi-Nicalon, and Sylramic SiC Fiber Preforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.; Chen, Yuan L.; Morscher, Gregory N.

2001-01-01

Batch to batch and within batch variations, and the influence of fiber architecture on room temperature physical and tensile properties of BN/SiC coated Hi-Nicalon and Sylramic SiC fiber preform specimens were determined. The three fiber architectures studied were plain weave (PW), 5-harness satin (5HS) and 8-harness satin (8HS) Results indicate that the physical properties vary up to 10 percent within a batch, and up to 20 percent between batches of preforms. Load-reload (Hysteresis) and acoustic emission methods were used to analyze damage accumulation occurring during tensile loading. Early acoustic emission activity, before observable hysteretic behavior, indicates that the damage starts with the formation of nonbridged tunnel cracks. These cracks then propagate and intersect the load bearing "0" fibers giving rise to hysteretic behavior, For the Hi-Nicalon preform specimens, the onset of "0" bundle cracking stress and strain appeared to be independent of the fiber architecture. Also, the "0" fiber bundle cracking strain remained nearly the same for the preform specimens of both fiber types. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analysis indicates that the Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) Boron Nitride (BN) interface coating is mostly amorphous and contains carbon and oxygen impurities, and the CVI SiC coating is crystalline. No reaction exists between the CVI BN and SiC coating.

The use of optical fiber bundles combined with electrochemistry for chemical imaging.

PubMed

Szunerits, Sabine; Walt, David R

2003-02-17

The present Review describes the progress made in using imaging optical fiber bundles for fluorescence and electrochemical-initiated chemiluminescence imaging. A novel optoelectrochemical micro-ring array has been fabricated and demonstrated for concurrent electrochemical and optical measurements. The device comprises optical fibers coated with gold via electroless gold deposition and assembled in a random array format. The design yielded an array of approximately 200 micro-ring electrodes, where interdiffusional problems were minimized. The inner diameter of the ring electrode is fixed by the diameter of the individual optical fibers (25 microns), while the outer radius is determined by the thickness of the deposited gold. While all the fibers are optically addressable, they are not all electrochemically addressable. The resolution of this device is in the tens of micrometers range, determined by the diameter of the optical fiber (25 microns) and by the spacing between each electrically connected fiber. For the purpose of having well-behaved microelectrode characteristics, this spacing was designed to be larger than 60 microns. The array was characterized using ferrocyanide in aqueous solution as a model electroactive species to demonstrate that this microelectrode array format exhibits steady-state currents at short response times. This device has potential application to be used as an optoelectronic sensor, especially for the electrolytic generation and transmission of electrochemiluminescence, and was used to demonstrate that electrochemically generated luminescent products can be detected with the fiber assembly.

Immunohistochemical distribution of collagens type I, III, IV and VI, of undulin and of tenascin in oral fibrous hyperplasia.

PubMed

Becker, J; Schuppan, D; Müller, S

1993-11-01

The distribution of collagens type I, IV and VI, of procollagen type III, of undulin and of tenascin was studied in 10 lesions which were clinically and histologically diagnosed as localized oral fibrous hyperplasias. The immunohistochemical distribution of these proteins was similar to that observed for normal oral mucosa. Undulin showed a pattern of parallel fibers throughout. Collagen type VI was pronounced in the subepithelial connective tissue, whereas the collagen fiber bundles were equally reactive for collagens type I and III. Tenascin was observed close to the subepithelial basement membrane and in proximity to collagen fiber bundles in the upper connective tissue. The present findings indicate that oral fibrous hyperplasias that are probably caused by inflammation or chronic irritation show the differentiated and ordered pattern of extracellular matrix proteins characteristic of normal oral mucosa.

Plastic fiber optics for micro-imaging of fluorescence signals in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakurai, Takashi; Natsume, Mitsuo; Koida, Kowa

2015-03-01

The fiber-coupled microscope (FCM) enables in vivo imaging at deep sites in the tissues or organs that other optical techniques are unable to reach. To develop FCM-based intravital imaging, we employed a plastic optical fiber (POF) bundle that included more than 10,000-units of polystyrene core and polymethyl methacrylate cladding. Each POF had a diameter of less than 5 μm the tip of the bundle was less than 0.5 mm wide, and the flexible wire had a length of 1,000 mm. The optical performance of the plastic FCM was sufficient for detection of significant signal changes in an acinus of rat pancreas labeled with a calcium ion-sensitive fluorescent dye. In the future, the potential power of plastic FCM is expected to increase, enabling analysis of structure and organization of specific functions in live cells within vulnerable organs.

Optical waveguide circuit board with a surface-mounted optical receiver array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, J. E.; Levesque, Harold; Savov, Emil; Horwitz, Fred; Booth, Bruce L.; Marchegiano, Joseph E.

1994-03-01

A photonic circuit board is fabricated for potential application to interchip and interboard parallel optical links. The board comprises photolithographically patterned polymer optical waveguides on a conventional glass-epoxy electrical circuit board and a surface-mounted integrated circuit (IC) package that optically and electrically couples to an optoelectronic IC. The waveguide circuits include eight-channel arrays of straights, cross-throughs, curves, self- aligning interconnects to multi-fiber ribbon, and out-of-plane turning mirrors. A coherent, fused bundle of optical fibers couples light between 45-deg waveguide mirrors and a GaAs receiver array in the IC package. The fiber bundle is easily aligned to the mirrors and the receivers and is amenable to surface mounting and hermetic sealing. The waveguide-receiver- array board achieved error-free data rates up to 1.25 Gbits/s per channel, and modal noise was shown to be negligible.

Improved Sensitivity Spontaneous Raman Scattering Multi-Gas Sensor

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

Buric, Michael P.; Chen, Kevin P.; Falk, Joel

2009-01-01

We report a backward-wave spontaneous-Raman multi-gas sensor employing a hollow-core photonic-bandgap-fiber to contain gasses and increase interaction length. Silica Raman noise and detection speed are reduced using a digital spatial filter and a cladding seal.

Process for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical interior surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G. Wayne

1987-11-17

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90.degree. by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle.

Process for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical interior surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G.W.

1987-11-17

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90[degree] by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle. 6 figs.

Process and apparatus for sensing defects on a smooth cylindrical surface in tubing

DOEpatents

Dutton, G.W.

1985-08-05

The cylindrical interior surface of small diameter metal tubing is optically inspected to determine surface roughness by passing a slightly divergent light beam to illuminate the entire interior surface of the tubing. Impingement of the input light beam components on any rough spots on the interior surface generates forward and backward scattered radiation components. The forward scattered components can be measured by blocking direct and specular radiation components exiting the tubing while allowing the forward scattered radiation to travel past the blocking location. Collecting optics are employed to converge the forward scattered radiation onto a photodetector generating a signal indicative of surface roughness. In the back scattered mode, back scattered radiation exiting the tubing through the entrance opening is reflected 90/sup 0/ by a beam splitter towards collecting optics and a photodetector. Alternatively, back scattered radiation can be transmitted through a fiber optic bundle towards the collecting optics. The input light beam can be supplied through a white light fiber optic bundle mounted coaxial with the first bundle.

Cortico-Cortical, Cortico-Striatal, and Cortico-Thalamic White Matter Fiber Tracts Generated in the Macaque Brain via Dynamic Programming

PubMed Central

Lal, Rakesh M.; An, Michael; Poynton, Clare B.; Li, Muwei; Jiang, Hangyi; Oishi, Kenichi; Selemon, Lynn D.; Mori, Susumu; Miller, Michael I.

2013-01-01

Abstract Probabilistic methods have the potential to generate multiple and complex white matter fiber tracts in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Here, a method based on dynamic programming (DP) is introduced to reconstruct fibers pathways whose complex anatomical structures cannot be resolved beyond the resolution of standard DTI data. DP is based on optimizing a sequentially additive cost function derived from a Gaussian diffusion model whose covariance is defined by the diffusion tensor. DP is used to determine the optimal path between initial and terminal nodes by efficiently searching over all paths, connecting the nodes, and choosing the path in which the total probability is maximized. An ex vivo high-resolution scan of a macaque hemi-brain is used to demonstrate the advantages and limitations of DP. DP can generate fiber bundles between distant cortical areas (superior longitudinal fasciculi, arcuate fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and fronto-occipital fasciculus), neighboring cortical areas (dorsal and ventral banks of the principal sulcus), as well as cortical projections to the hippocampal formation (cingulum bundle), neostriatum (motor cortical projections to the putamen), thalamus (subcortical bundle), and hippocampal formation projections to the mammillary bodies via the fornix. Validation is established either by comparison with in vivo intracellular transport of horseradish peroxidase in another macaque monkey or by comparison with atlases. DP is able to generate known pathways, including crossing and kissing tracts. Thus, DP has the potential to enhance neuroimaging studies of cortical connectivity. PMID:23879573

An ALMA study of the Orion Integral Filament. I. Evidence for narrow fibers in a massive cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hacar, A.; Tafalla, M.; Forbrich, J.; Alves, J.; Meingast, S.; Grossschedl, J.; Teixeira, P. S.

2018-03-01

Aim. We have investigated the gas organization within the paradigmatic Integral Shape Filament (ISF) in Orion in order to decipher whether or not all filaments are bundles of fibers. Methods: We combined two new ALMA Cycle 3 mosaics with previous IRAM 30m observations to produce a high-dynamic range N2H+ (1-0) emission map of the ISF tracing its high-density material and velocity structure down to scales of 0.009 pc (or 2000 AU). Results: From the analysis of the gas kinematics, we identify a total of 55 dense fibers in the central region of the ISF. Independently of their location in the cloud, these fibers are characterized by transonic internal motions, lengths of 0.15 pc, and masses per unit length close to those expected in hydrostatic equilibrium. The ISF fibers are spatially organized forming a dense bundle with multiple hub-like associations likely shaped by the local gravitational potential. Within this complex network, the ISF fibers show a compact radial emission profile with a median FWHM of 0.035 pc systematically narrower than the previously proposed universal 0.1 pc filament width. Conclusions: Our ALMA observations reveal complex bundles of fibers in the ISF, suggesting strong similarities between the internal substructure of this massive filament and previously studied lower-mass objects. The fibers show identical dynamic properties in both low- and high-mass regions, and their widespread detection in nearby clouds suggests a preferred organizational mechanism of gas in which the physical fiber dimensions (width and length) are self-regulated depending on their intrinsic gas density. Combining these results with previous works in Musca, Taurus, and Perseus, we identify a systematic increase of the surface density of fibers as a function of the total mass per-unit-length in filamentary clouds. Based on this empirical correlation, we propose a unified star-formation scenario where the observed differences between low- and high-mass clouds, and the origin of clusters, emerge naturally from the initial concentration of fibers. The movie associated to Fig. 2 is available at http://https://www.aanda.orgThe data products of this work are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/610/A77

Multiscale mechanics of the lateral pressure effect on enhancing the load transfer between polymer coated CNTs.

PubMed

Yazdandoost, Fatemeh; Mirzaeifar, Reza; Qin, Zhao; Buehler, Markus J

2017-05-04

While individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known as one of the strongest fibers ever known, even the strongest fabricated macroscale CNT yarns and fibers are still significantly weaker than individual nanotubes. The loss in mechanical properties is mainly because the deformation mechanism of CNT fibers is highly governed by the weak shear strength corresponding to sliding of nanotubes on each other. Adding polymer coating to the bundles, and twisting the CNT yarns to enhance the intertube interactions are both efficient methods to improve the mechanical properties of macroscale yarns. Here, we perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to unravel the unknown deformation mechanism in the intertube polymer chains and also local deformations of the CNTs at the atomistic scale. Our results show that the lateral pressure can have both beneficial and adverse effects on shear strength of polymer coated CNTs, depending on the local deformations at the atomistic scale. In this paper we also introduce a bottom-up bridging strategy between a full atomistic model and a coarse-grained (CG) model. Our trained CG model is capable of incorporating the atomistic scale local deformations of each CNT to the larger scale collect behavior of bundles, which enables the model to accurately predict the effect of lateral pressure on larger CNT bundles and yarns. The developed multiscale CG model is implemented to study the effect of lateral pressure on the shear strength of straight polymer coated CNT yarns, and also the effect of twisting on the pull-out force of bundles in spun CNT yarns.

Tribological evaluation of an Al2O3-SiO2 ceramic fiber candidate for high-temperature sliding seals

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

Dellacorte, C.; Steinetz, B.

A test program to determine the relative sliding durability of an alumina-silica candidate ceramic fiber for high temperature sliding seal applications as described. This work represents the first reporting of the sliding durability of this material system. Pin-on-disk tests were used to evaluate the potential seal material by sliding a tow or bundle of the candidate ceramic fiber against a superalloy test disk. Friction was measured during the tests and fiber wear, indicated by the extent of fibers broken in the tow or bundle, was measured at the end of each test. Test variables studied included ambient temperatures from 25more » C to 900 C, loads from 1.3 to 21.2 Newtons, and sliding velocities from 0.025 to 0.25 m/sec. In addition, the effects of fiber diameter, elastic modulus, and a pretest fiber heat treatment on friction and wear were measured. In most cases, wear increased with temperature. Friction ranged from about 0.36 at 500 C and low velocity (0.025 m/s) to over 1.1 at 900 C and high velocity (0.25 m/s). The pretest fiber heat treatment, which caused significant durability reductions for alumina-boria-silica ceramic fibers tested previously, had little effect on the alumina-silica fibers tested here. These results indicate that the alumina-silica (Al2O3-SiO2) fiber is a good candidate material system for high temperature sliding seal applications.« less

Tribological evaluation of an Al2O3-SiO2 ceramic fiber candidate for high temperature sliding seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher; Steinetz, Bruce

1994-01-01

A test program to determine the relative sliding durability of an alumina-silica candidate ceramic fiber for high temperature sliding seal applications is described. Pin-on-disk tests were used to evaluate the potential seal material by sliding a tow or bundle of the candidate ceramic fiber against a superalloy test disk. Friction was measured during the tests and fiber wear, indicated by the extent of fibers broken in the tow or bundle, was measured at the end of each test. Test variables studied included ambient temperatures from 25 to 900 C, loads from 1.3 to 21.2 N, and sliding velocities from 0.025 to 0.25 m/sec. In addition, the effects of fiber diameter and elastic modulus on friction and wear were measured. Thin gold films deposited on the superalloy disk surface were evaluated in an effort to reduce friction and wear of the fibers. In most cases, wear increased with test temperature. Friction ranged from 0.36 at 500 C and low velocity (0.025 m/sec) to over 1.1 at 900 C and high velocity (0.25 m/sec). The gold films resulted in satisfactory lubrication of the fibers at 25 C. At elevated temperatures diffusion of substrate elements degraded the films. These results indicate that the alumina-silica (Al2O3-SiO2) fiber is a good candidate material system for high temperature sliding seal applications. More work is needed to reduce friction.

In silico investigation of blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation as it potentially leads to traumatic brain injury

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

Haniff, S.; Taylor, P. A.

In this paper, we conducted computational macroscale simulations predicting blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation possibly leading to brain injury. To further understanding of this problem, we developed microscale models investigating the effects of blast-induced cavitation bubble collapse within white matter axonal fiber bundles of the brain. We model fiber tracks of myelinated axons whose diameters are statistically representative of white matter. Nodes of Ranvier are modeled as unmyelinated sections of axon. Extracellular matrix envelops the axon fiber bundle, and gray matter is placed adjacent to the bundle. Cavitation bubbles are initially placed assuming an intracranial wave has already produced them. Pressuremore » pulses, of varied strengths, are applied to the upper boundary of the gray matter and propagate through the model, inducing bubble collapse. Simulations, conducted using the shock wave physics code CTH, predict an increase in pressure and von Mises stress in axons downstream of the bubbles after collapse. This appears to be the result of hydrodynamic jetting produced during bubble collapse. Interestingly, results predict axon cores suffer significantly lower shear stresses from proximal bubble collapse than does their myelin sheathing. Finally, simulations also predict damage to myelin sheathing, which, if true, degrades axonal electrical transmissibility and general health of the white matter structures in the brain.« less

Ascending connections to the forebrain in the Tegu lizard.

PubMed

Lohman, A H; van Woerden-Verkley, I

1978-12-01

The ascending connections to the striatum and the cortex of the Tegu lizard, Tupinambis nigropunctatus, were studied by means of anterograde fiber degeneration and retrograde axonal transport. The striatum receives projections by way of the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle from four dorsal thalamic nuclei: nucleus rotundus, nucleus reuniens, the posterior part of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and nucleus dorsomedialis. The former three nuclei project to circumscribed areas of the dorsal striatum, whereas nucleus dorsomedialis has a distribution to the whole dorsal striatum. Other sources of origin to the striatum are the mesencephalic reticular formation, substantia nigra and nucleus cerebelli lateralis. With the exception of the latter afferentation all these projections are ipsilateral. The ascending connections to the pallium originate for the major part from nucleus dorsolateralis anterior of the dorsal thalamus. The fibers course in both the medial forebrain bundle and the dorsal peduncle of the lateral forebrain bundle and terminate ipsilaterally in the middle of the molecular layer of the small-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex and bilaterally above the intermediate region of the dorsal cortex. The latter area is reached also by fibers from the septal area. The large-celled part of the mediodorsal cortex receives projections from nucleus raphes superior and the corpus mammillare.

In silico investigation of blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation as it potentially leads to traumatic brain injury

DOE PAGES

Haniff, S.; Taylor, P. A.

2017-10-17

In this paper, we conducted computational macroscale simulations predicting blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation possibly leading to brain injury. To further understanding of this problem, we developed microscale models investigating the effects of blast-induced cavitation bubble collapse within white matter axonal fiber bundles of the brain. We model fiber tracks of myelinated axons whose diameters are statistically representative of white matter. Nodes of Ranvier are modeled as unmyelinated sections of axon. Extracellular matrix envelops the axon fiber bundle, and gray matter is placed adjacent to the bundle. Cavitation bubbles are initially placed assuming an intracranial wave has already produced them. Pressuremore » pulses, of varied strengths, are applied to the upper boundary of the gray matter and propagate through the model, inducing bubble collapse. Simulations, conducted using the shock wave physics code CTH, predict an increase in pressure and von Mises stress in axons downstream of the bubbles after collapse. This appears to be the result of hydrodynamic jetting produced during bubble collapse. Interestingly, results predict axon cores suffer significantly lower shear stresses from proximal bubble collapse than does their myelin sheathing. Finally, simulations also predict damage to myelin sheathing, which, if true, degrades axonal electrical transmissibility and general health of the white matter structures in the brain.« less

Study on a novel core module based on optical fiber bundles for urine dry-chemistry analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Gaiqin; Ma, Zengwei; Li, Rui; Hu, Nan; Chen, Ping; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Ruiying; Chen, Longcong

2017-09-01

A core module with a novel optical structure is presented to analyze urine by the dry-chemistry method in this paper. It consists of a 32-bit microprocessor, optical fiber bundles, a high precision color sensor and a temperature sensor. The optical fiber bundles are adopted to control the spread path of light and reduce the influence of ambient light and the distance between the strip and sensor effectively. And the temperature sensor is applied to detect the environmental temperature to calibrate the measurement results. Therefore, all these can bring a lot of benefits to the core module, such as improving its test accuracy, reducing its volume and cost, and simplifying its assembly. Additionally, some parameters, including the calculation coefficient about reflectivity of each item, semi-quantitative intervals, the number of test items, may be modified by corresponding instructions in order to enhance its applicability. Meanwhile, its outputs can be chosen among the original data, normalized color values, reflectivity, and the semi-quantitative level of each test item by available instructions. Our results show that the module has high measurement accuracy of more than 95%, good stability, reliability, and consistency and can be easily used in various types of urine analyzers.

In silico investigation of blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation as it potentially leads to traumatic brain injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haniff, S.; Taylor, P. A.

2017-11-01

We conducted computational macroscale simulations predicting blast-induced intracranial fluid cavitation possibly leading to brain injury. To further understanding of this problem, we developed microscale models investigating the effects of blast-induced cavitation bubble collapse within white matter axonal fiber bundles of the brain. We model fiber tracks of myelinated axons whose diameters are statistically representative of white matter. Nodes of Ranvier are modeled as unmyelinated sections of axon. Extracellular matrix envelops the axon fiber bundle, and gray matter is placed adjacent to the bundle. Cavitation bubbles are initially placed assuming an intracranial wave has already produced them. Pressure pulses, of varied strengths, are applied to the upper boundary of the gray matter and propagate through the model, inducing bubble collapse. Simulations, conducted using the shock wave physics code CTH, predict an increase in pressure and von Mises stress in axons downstream of the bubbles after collapse. This appears to be the result of hydrodynamic jetting produced during bubble collapse. Interestingly, results predict axon cores suffer significantly lower shear stresses from proximal bubble collapse than does their myelin sheathing. Simulations also predict damage to myelin sheathing, which, if true, degrades axonal electrical transmissibility and general health of the white matter structures in the brain.

A multicore compound glass optical fiber for neutron imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Michael; Zhang, Xiaodong; Feng, Xian; Brambilla, Gilberto; Hayward, Jason

2017-04-01

Optical fibers have been successfully utilized for point sensors targeting physical quantities (stress, strain, rotation, acceleration), chemical compounds (humidity, oil, nitrates, alcohols, DNA) or radiation fields (X-rays, β particles, γ-rays). Similarly, bundles of fibers have been extremely successful in imaging visible wavelengths for medical endoscopy and industrial boroscopy. This work presents the progress in the fabrication and experimental evaluation of multicore fiber as neutron scattering instrumentation designed to detect and image neutrons with micron level spatial resolution.

A Hybrid Approach to Composite Damage and Failure Analysis Combining Synergistic Damage Mechanics and Peridynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-30

far from uniform . The final nonuniform distribution of fibers consists of clustered regions and resin pockets. The clustered fiber regions promote...period. Approach and Results A novel procedure has been devised to create nonuniform fiber distributions from the initial fiber bundle (with...used in simulations to produce nonuniform configurations. 2 . , •• ... . .. ·~ · . .. 000 8oa~.f𔄂oo o0~&mt~ go ... ·~· %(1 "’ ,~o ooif-l /j

Clad fiber capacitor and method of making same

DOEpatents

Tuncer, Enis

2013-11-26

A clad capacitor and method of manufacture includes assembling a preform comprising a ductile, electrically conductive fiber; a ductile, electrically insulating cladding positioned on the fiber; a ductile, electrically conductive sleeve positioned over the cladding. One or more of the preforms are then bundled, heated and drawn along a longitudinal axis to decrease the diameter of the ductile components of the preform and fuse the preform into a unitized strand.

Clad fiber capacitor and method of making same

DOEpatents

Tuncer, Enis

2012-12-11

A clad capacitor and method of manufacture includes assembling a preform comprising a ductile, electrically conductive fiber; a ductile, electrically insulating cladding positioned on the fiber; and a ductile, electrically conductive sleeve positioned over the cladding. One or more preforms are then bundled, heated and drawn along a longitudinal axis to decrease the diameter of the ductile components of the preform and fuse the preform into a unitized strand.

The Relationship between Retinal Ganglion Cell Axon Constituents and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Birefringence in the Primate

PubMed Central

Pocock, Ginger M.; Aranibar, Roberto G.; Kemp, Nate J.; Specht, Charles S.; Markey, Mia K.; Rylander, H.G.

2009-01-01

Purpose To determine the degree of correlation between spatial characteristics of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) birefringence (ΔnRNFL) surrounding the optic nerve head (ONH) with the corresponding anatomy of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and their respective organelles. Methods RNFL phase retardation per unit depth (PR/UD, proportional to ΔnRNFL) was measured in two cynomolgus monkeys using enhanced polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (EPS-OCT). The monkeys were perfused with glutaraldehyde and eyes were enucleated and prepared for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) histological analysis. Morphological measurements from TEM images were used to estimate values of neurotubule density (ρRNFL), axoplasmic area (Ax) mode, axon area (Aa) mode, slope (u) of neurotubule number versus axoplasmic area [neurotubule packing density], fractional area of axoplasm in the nerve fiber bundle (f), mitochondrial fractional area in the nerve fiber bundle (xm), mitochondriated axon profile fraction (mp), and length of axonal membrane profiles per unit nerve fiber bundle area (Lam/Ab). Registered PR/UD and morphological parameters from corresponding angular sections were then correlated using Pearson’s correlation and multi-level models. Results In one eye, there was a statistically significant correlation between PR/UD and ρRNFL (r = 0.67, P =0.005) and between PR/UD and neurotubule packing density (r = 0.70, P = 0.002). Correlation coefficients of r = 0.81 (P=0.01) and r = 0.50 (P = 0.05) were observed between PR/UD and (Ax) mode for each respective subject. Conclusion Neurotubules are the primary source of birefringence in the RNFL of the primate retina. PMID:19494208

Development of SiC/SiC composites by PIP in combination with RS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotani, Masaki; Kohyama, Akira; Katoh, Yutai

2001-02-01

In order to improve the mechanical performances of SiC/SiC composite, process improvement and modification of polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) and reaction sintering (RS) process were investigated. The fibrous prepregs were prepared by a polymeric intra-bundle densification technique using Tyranno-SA™ fiber. For inter-bundle matrix, four kinds of process options utilizing polymer pyrolysis and reaction sintering were studied. The process conditions were systematically optimized through fabricating monoliths. Then, SiC/SiC composites were fabricated using optimized inter-bundle matrix slurries in each process for the first inspection of process requirements.

A Comprehensive Reanalysis of the Distal Iliotibial Band: Quantitative Anatomy, Radiographic Markers, and Biomechanical Properties.

PubMed

Godin, Jonathan A; Chahla, Jorge; Moatshe, Gilbert; Kruckeberg, Bradley M; Muckenhirn, Kyle J; Vap, Alexander R; Geeslin, Andrew G; LaPrade, Robert F

2017-09-01

The qualitative anatomy of the distal iliotibial band (ITB) has previously been described. However, a comprehensive characterization of the quantitative anatomic, radiographic, and biomechanical properties of the Kaplan fibers of the deep distal ITB has not yet been established. It is paramount to delineate these characteristics to fully understand the distal ITB's contribution to rotational knee stability. Purpose/Hypothesis: There were 2 distinct purposes for this study: (1) to perform a quantitative anatomic and radiographic evaluation of the distal ITB's attachment sites and their relationships to pertinent osseous and soft tissue landmarks, and (2) to quantify the biomechanical properties of the deep (Kaplan) fibers of the distal ITB. It was hypothesized that the distal ITB has definable parameters concerning its anatomic attachments and consistent relationships to surgically pertinent landmarks with correlating plain radiographic findings. In addition, it was hypothesized that the biomechanical properties of the Kaplan fibers would support their role as important restraints against internal rotation. Descriptive laboratory study. Ten nonpaired, fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees (mean age, 61.1 years; range, 54-65 years) were dissected for anatomic and radiographic purposes. A coordinate measuring device quantified the attachment areas of the distal ITB to the distal femur, patella, and proximal tibia and their relationships to pertinent bony landmarks. A radiographic analysis was performed by inserting pins into the attachment sites of relevant anatomic structures to assess their location relative to pertinent bony landmarks with fluoroscopic guidance. A further biomechanical assessment of 10 cadaveric knees quantified the load to failure and stiffness of the Kaplan fibers' insertion on the distal femur after a preconditioning protocol. Two separate deep (Kaplan) fiber bundles were identified with attachments to 2 newly identified femoral bony prominences (ridges). The proximal and distal bundles inserted on the distal femur 53.6 mm (95% CI, 50.7-56.6 mm) and 31.4 mm (95% CI, 27.3-35.5 mm) proximal to the lateral epicondyle, respectively. The centers of the bundle insertions were 22.5 mm (95% CI, 19.1-25.9 mm) apart. The total insertion area of the distal ITB on the proximal tibia was 429.1 mm 2 (95% CI, 349.2-509.1 mm 2 ). A distinct capsulo-osseous layer of the distal ITB was also identified that was intimately related to the lateral knee capsule. Its origin was in close proximity to the lateral gastrocnemius tubercle, and it inserted on the proximal tibia at the lateral tibial tubercle between the fibular head and the Gerdy tubercle. Radiographic analysis supported the quantitative anatomic findings. The mean maximum load during pull-to-failure testing was 71.3 N (95% CI, 41.2-101.4 N) and 170.2 N (95% CI, 123.6-216.8 N) for the proximal and distal Kaplan bundles, respectively. The most important finding of this study was that 2 distinct deep bundles (Kaplan fibers) of the distal ITB were identified. Each bundle of the deep layer of the ITB was associated with a newly identified distinct bony ridge. Radiographic analysis confirmed the measurements previously recorded and established reproducible landmarks for the newly described structures. Biomechanical testing revealed that the Kaplan fibers had a strong attachment to the distal femur, thereby supporting a role in rotational knee stability. The identification of 2 distinct deep fiber (Kaplan) attachments clarifies the function of the ITB more definitively. The results also support the role of the ITB in rotatory knee stability because of the fibers' vectors and their identified maximum loads. These findings provide the anatomic and biomechanical foundation needed for the development of reconstruction or repair techniques to anatomically address these deficiencies in knee ligament injuries.

Integrated double-clad photonic crystal fiber amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jun; Gu, Yanran; Chen, Zilun

2017-10-01

This paper studies and fabricates an integrated double-clad photonic crystal fiber amplifier, which overcomes the shortcomings of space application and makes full use of excellent property of double-clad photonic crystal fiber. In the experiment, the (6 + 1) × 1 end-pump coupler with DC-PCF is fabricated. The six pump fibers are fabricated with 105 / 125μm (NA = 0.22) multi-mode fiber. The signal fiber is made of ordinary single-mode fiber SMF-28. Then we spliced the tapered fiber bundle to photonic crystal fiber. At last, we produce double-clad photonic crystal fiber with an end-cap that are able to withstand high average power and protect the system. We have fabricated an integrated Yb-double-clad photonic crystal fiber amplifier.

The structure of the conus arteriosus of the sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) heart: II. The myocardium, the subepicardium, and the conus-aorta transition.

PubMed

Icardo, José M; Colvee, Elvira; Cerra, Maria C; Tota, Bruno

2002-12-01

Sturgeons constitute a family of living "fossil" fish whose heart is related to that of other ancient fish and the elasmobranches. We have undertaken a systematic study of the structure of the sturgeon heart aimed at unraveling the relationship between the heart structure and the adaptive evolutionary changes. In a related paper, data were presented on the conus valves and the subendocardium. Here, the structure of the conus myocardium, the subepicardial tissue, and the conus-aorta transition were studied by conventional light, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, actin localization by fluorescent phalloidin was used. The conus myocardium is organized into bundles whose spatial organization changes along the conus length. The variable orientation of the myocardial cell bundles may be effective in emptying the conus lumen during contraction and in preventing reflux of blood. Myocardial cell bundles are separated by loose connective tissue that contains collagen and elastin fibers, vessels, and extremely flat cells separating the cell bundles and enclosing blood vessels and collagen fibers. The ultrastructure of the myocardial cells was found to be very similar to that of other fish groups, suggesting that it is largely conservative. The subepicardium is characterized by the presence of nodular structures that contain lympho-hemopoietic (thymus-like) tissue in the young sturgeons and a large number of lymphocytes after the sturgeons reach sexual maturity. This tissue is likely implicated in the establishment and maintenance of the immune responses. The intrapericardial ventral aorta shows a middle layer of circumferentially oriented cells and internal and external layers with cells oriented longitudinally. Elastin fibers completely surround each smooth muscle cell, and the spaces between the different layers are occupied by randomly arranged collagen bundles. The intrapericardial segment of the ventral aorta is a true transitional segment whose structural characteristics are different from those of both the conus subendocardium and the rest of the ventral aorta. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development and utilization of a bovine type I collagen microfibril model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The structure of fibrous collagen, a long triple helix that self-associates in a staggered array to form a matrix of fibrils, fibers and fiber bundles, makes it uniquely suitable as a scaffold for biomaterial engineering. A major challenge for this application is to stabilize collagen structure by m...

Infrared imaging of cotton fiber bundles using a focal plane array detector and a single reflectance accessory

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infrared imaging is gaining attention as a technique used in the examination of cotton fibers. This type of imaging combines spectral analysis with spatial resolution to create visual images that examine sample composition and distribution. Herein, we report the use of an infrared instrument equippe...

Coaxial fiber supercapacitor using all-carbon material electrodes.

PubMed

Le, Viet Thong; Kim, Heetae; Ghosh, Arunabha; Kim, Jaesu; Chang, Jian; Vu, Quoc An; Pham, Duy Tho; Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Kim, Sang-Woo; Lee, Young Hee

2013-07-23

We report a coaxial fiber supercapacitor, which consists of carbon microfiber bundles coated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a core electrode and carbon nanofiber paper as an outer electrode. The ratio of electrode volumes was determined by a half-cell test of each electrode. The capacitance reached 6.3 mF cm(-1) (86.8 mF cm(-2)) at a core electrode diameter of 230 μm and the measured energy density was 0.7 μWh cm(-1) (9.8 μWh cm(-2)) at a power density of 13.7 μW cm(-1) (189.4 μW cm(-2)), which were much higher than the previous reports. The change in the cyclic voltammetry characteristics was negligible at 180° bending, with excellent cycling performance. The high capacitance, high energy density, and power density of the coaxial fiber supercapacitor are attributed to not only high effective surface area due to its coaxial structure and bundle of the core electrode, but also all-carbon materials electrodes which have high conductivity. Our coaxial fiber supercapacitor can promote the development of textile electronics in near future.

Improved computational fluid dynamic simulations of blood flow in membrane oxygenators from X-ray imaging.

PubMed

Jones, Cameron C; McDonough, James M; Capasso, Patrizio; Wang, Dongfang; Rosenstein, Kyle S; Zwischenberger, Joseph B

2013-10-01

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a useful tool in characterizing artificial lung designs by providing predictions of device performance through analyses of pressure distribution, perfusion dynamics, and gas transport properties. Validation of numerical results in membrane oxygenators has been predominantly based on experimental pressure measurements with little emphasis placed on confirmation of the velocity fields due to opacity of the fiber membrane and limitations of optical velocimetric methods. Biplane X-ray digital subtraction angiography was used to visualize flow of a blood analogue through a commercial membrane oxygenator at 1-4.5 L/min. Permeability and inertial coefficients of the Ergun equation were experimentally determined to be 180 and 2.4, respectively. Numerical simulations treating the fiber bundle as a single momentum sink according to the Ergun equation accurately predicted pressure losses across the fiber membrane, but significantly underestimated velocity magnitudes in the fiber bundle. A scaling constant was incorporated into the numerical porosity and reduced the average difference between experimental and numerical values in the porous media regions from 44 ± 4% to 6 ± 5%.

Suppressing 1.06- μm spontaneous emission of neodymium ions using a novel tellurite all-solid photonic bandgap fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Hoang Tuan; Demichi, Daisuke; Nagasaka, Kenshiro; Suzuki, Takenobu; Ohishi, Yasutake

2018-05-01

In order to take advantage of the 1.3- μm emission of neodymium (Nd3+) ions for many practical applications, we propose a tellurite all-solid photonic bandgap fiber (ASPBGF) to filter out the competing emission at 1.06 μm which is most prominent in the emission spectrum of Nd3+ ion. A novel Nd3+-doped tellurite ASPBGF is fabricated by using our developed tellurite glasses which have high compatibility of thermal properties and their refractive index difference is 0.096 at 1320 nm. The fiber is designed with 4 layers of high-index rods to have low confinement loss. The measured transmission spectrum of a 2.2-cm-long section of the fabricated fiber exhibits high transmission bands near 0.75 and 1.33 μm (about -20 dB and -19 dB) and a low transmission band in the vicinity of 1.06 μm which is about -27 dB. By using our fabricated Nd3+-doped tellurite ASPBGF, it is demonstrated for the first time that the 1.06- μm emission peak due to the 4F3/2→4I11/2 transition of Nd3+ ions is greatly suppressed about 12 times as compared to that obtained by using a bulk samples with the same doping concentration.

Fiber bundle probes for interconnecting miniaturized medical imaging devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamora, Vanessa; Hofmann, Jens; Marx, Sebastian; Herter, Jonas; Nguyen, Dennis; Arndt-Staufenbiel, Norbert; Schröder, Henning

2017-02-01

Miniaturization of medical imaging devices will significantly improve the workflow of physicians in hospitals. Photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies offer a high level of miniaturization. However, they need fiber optic interconnection solutions for their functional integration. As part of European funded project (InSPECT) we investigate fiber bundle probes (FBPs) to be used as multi-mode (MM) to single-mode (SM) interconnections for PIC modules. The FBP consists of a set of four or seven SM fibers hexagonally distributed and assembled into a holder that defines a multicore connection. Such a connection can be used to connect MM fibers, while each SM fiber is attached to the PIC module. The manufacturing of these probes is explored by using well-established fiber fusion, epoxy adhesive, innovative adhesive and polishing techniques in order to achieve reliable, low-cost and reproducible samples. An innovative hydrofluoric acid-free fiber etching technology has been recently investigated. The preliminary results show that the reduction of the fiber diameter shows a linear behavior as a function of etching time. Different etch rate values from 0.55 μm/min to 2.3 μm/min were found. Several FBPs with three different type of fibers have been optically interrogated at wavelengths of 630nm and 1550nm. Optical losses are found of approx. 35dB at 1550nm for FBPs composed by 80μm fibers. Although FBPs present moderate optical losses, they might be integrated using different optical fibers, covering a broad spectral range required for imaging applications. Finally, we show the use of FBPs as promising MM-to-SM interconnects for real-world interfacing to PIC's.

Fiber optic gas detection system for health monitoring of oil-filled transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, H. L.; Ju, J.; Jin, W.

2009-10-01

This paper reports the development of a fiber-optic gas detection system capable of detecting three types of dissolved fault gases in oil-filled power transformers or equipment. The system is based on absorption spectroscopy and the target gases include acetylene (C2H2), methane (CH4) and ethylene (C2H4). Low-cost multi-pass sensor heads using fiber coupled micro-optic cells are employed for which the interaction length is up to 4m. Also, reference gas cells made of photonic bandgap (PBG) fiber are implemented. The minimum detectable gas concentrations for methane, acetylene and ethylene are 5ppm, 2ppm and 50ppm respectively.

Periodic waves in fiber Bragg gratings

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

Chow, K. W.; Merhasin, Ilya M.; Malomed, Boris A.

2008-02-15

We construct two families of exact periodic solutions to the standard model of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with Kerr nonlinearity. The solutions are named ''sn'' and ''cn'' waves, according to the elliptic functions used in their analytical representation. The sn wave exists only inside the FBG's spectral bandgap, while waves of the cn type may only exist at negative frequencies ({omega}<0), both inside and outside the bandgap. In the long-wave limit, the sn and cn families recover, respectively, the ordinary gap solitons, and (unstable) antidark and dark solitons. Stability of the periodic solutions is checked by direct numerical simulations and,more » in the case of the sn family, also through the calculation of instability growth rates for small perturbations. Although, rigorously speaking, all periodic solutions are unstable, a subfamily of practically stable sn waves, with a sufficiently large spatial period and {omega}>0, is identified. However, the sn waves with {omega}<0, as well as all cn solutions, are strongly unstable.« less

Application of a flexible CO(2) laser fiber for neurosurgery: laser-tissue interactions.

PubMed

Ryan, Robert W; Wolf, Tamir; Spetzler, Robert F; Coons, Stephen W; Fink, Yoel; Preul, Mark C

2010-02-01

The CO(2) laser has an excellent profile for use in neurosurgery. Its high absorption in water results in low thermal spread, sparing adjacent tissue. Use of this laser has been limited to line-of-sight applications because no solid fiber optic cables could transmit its wavelength. Flexible photonic bandgap fiber technology enables delivery of CO(2) laser energy through a flexible fiber easily manipulated in a handheld device. The authors examined and compared the first use of this CO(2) laser fiber to conventional methods for incising neural tissue. Carbon dioxide laser energy was delivered in pulsed or continuous wave settings for different power settings, exposure times, and distances to cortical tissue of 6 anesthetized swine. Effects of CO(2) energy on the tissue were compared with bipolar cautery using a standard pial incision technique, and with scalpel incisions without cautery. Tissue was processed for histological analysis (using H & E, silver staining, and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry) and scanning electron microscopy, and lesion measurements were made. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed laser incisions of consistent shape, with central craters surrounded by limited zones of desiccated and edematous tissue. Increased laser power resulted in deeper but not significantly wider incisions. Bipolar cautery lesions showed desiccated and edematous zones but did not incise the pia, and width increased more than depth with higher power. Incisions made without using cautery produced hemorrhage but minimal adjacent tissue damage. The photonic bandgap fiber CO(2) laser produced reliable cortical incisions, adjustable over a range of settings, with minimal adjacent thermal tissue damage. Ease of application under the microscope suggests this laser system has reached true practicality for neurosurgery.

A Tractography Comparison between Turboprop and Spin-Echo Echo-Planar Diffusion Tensor Imaging

PubMed Central

Gui, Minzhi; Peng, Huiling; Carew, John D.; Lesniak, Maciej S.; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2008-01-01

The development of accurate, non-invasive methods for mapping white matter fiber-tracts is of critical importance. However, fiber-tracking is typically performed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data obtained with echo-planar-based imaging techniques (EPI), which suffer from susceptibility-related image artifacts, and image warping due to eddy-currents. Thus, a number of white matter fiber-bundles mapped using EPI-based DTI data are distorted and/or terminated early. This severely limits the clinical potential of fiber-tracking. In contrast, Turboprop-MRI provides images with significantly fewer susceptibility and eddy-current-related artifacts than EPI. The purpose of this work was to compare fiber-tracking results obtained from DTI data acquired with Turboprop-DTI and EPI-based DTI. It was shown that, in brain regions near magnetic field inhomogeneities, white matter fiber-bundles obtained with EPI-based DTI were distorted and/or partially detected, when magnetic susceptibility-induced distortions were not corrected. After correction, residual distortions were still present and several fiber-tracts remained partially detected. In contrast, when using Turboprop-DTI data, all traced fiber-tracts were in agreement with known anatomy. The inter-session reproducibility of tractography results was higher for Turboprop than EPI-based DTI data in regions near field inhomogeneities. Thus, Turboprop may be a more appropriate DTI data acquisition technique for tracing white matter fibers near regions with significant magnetic susceptibility differences, as well as in longitudinal studies of such fibers. However, the intra-session reproducibility of tractography results was higher for EPI-based than Turboprop DTI data. Thus, EPI-based DTI may be more advantageous for tracing fibers minimally affected by field inhomogeneities. PMID:18621131

A tractography comparison between turboprop and spin-echo echo-planar diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Gui, Minzhi; Peng, Huiling; Carew, John D; Lesniak, Maciej S; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2008-10-01

The development of accurate, non-invasive methods for mapping white matter fiber-tracts is of critical importance. However, fiber-tracking is typically performed on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data obtained with echo-planar-based imaging techniques (EPI), which suffer from susceptibility-related image artifacts, and image warping due to eddy-currents. Thus, a number of white matter fiber-bundles mapped using EPI-based DTI data are distorted and/or terminated early. This severely limits the clinical potential of fiber-tracking. In contrast, Turboprop-MRI provides images with significantly fewer susceptibility and eddy-current-related artifacts than EPI. The purpose of this work was to compare fiber-tracking results obtained from DTI data acquired with Turboprop-DTI and EPI-based DTI. It was shown that, in brain regions near magnetic field inhomogeneities, white matter fiber-bundles obtained with EPI-based DTI were distorted and/or partially detected, when magnetic susceptibility-induced distortions were not corrected. After correction, residual distortions were still present and several fiber-tracts remained partially detected. In contrast, when using Turboprop-DTI data, all traced fiber-tracts were in agreement with known anatomy. The inter-session reproducibility of tractography results was higher for Turboprop than EPI-based DTI data in regions near field inhomogeneities. Thus, Turboprop may be a more appropriate DTI data acquisition technique for tracing white matter fibers near regions with significant magnetic susceptibility differences, as well as in longitudinal studies of such fibers. However, the intra-session reproducibility of tractography results was higher for EPI-based than Turboprop DTI data. Thus, EPI-based DTI may be more advantageous for tracing fibers minimally affected by field inhomogeneities.

Visualization of Fiber Structurein the Left and Right Ventricleof a Human Heart

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

Rohmer, Damien; Sitek, Arkadiusz; Gullberg, Grant T.

2006-07-12

The human heart is composed of a helical network of musclefibers. Anisotropic least squares filtering followed by fiber trackingtechniques were applied to Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging(DTMRI) data of the excised human heart. The fiber configuration wasvisualized by using thin tubes to increase 3-dimensional visualperception of the complex structure. All visualizations were performedusing the high-quality ray-tracing software POV-Ray. The fibers are shownwithin the left and right ventricles. Both ventricles exhibit similarfiber architecture and some bundles of fibers are shown linking right andleft ventricles on the posterior region of the heart.

Multiplexed salivary protein profiling for patients with respiratory diseases using fiber-optic bundles and fluorescent antibody-based microarrays.

PubMed

Nie, Shuai; Benito-Peña, Elena; Zhang, Huaibin; Wu, Yue; Walt, David R

2013-10-01

Over the past 40 years, the incidence and prevalence of respiratory diseases have increased significantly throughout the world, damaging economic productivity and challenging health care systems. Current diagnoses of different respiratory diseases generally involve invasive sampling methods such as induced sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage that are uncomfortable, or even painful, for the patient. In this paper, we present a platform incorporating fiber-optic bundles and antibody-based microarrays to perform multiplexed protein profiling of a panel of six salivary biomarkers for asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis. The platform utilizes an optical fiber bundle containing approximately 50,000 individual 4.5 μm diameter fibers that are chemically etched to create microwells in which modified microspheres decorated with monoclonal capture antibodies can be deposited. On the basis of a sandwich immunoassay format, the array quantifies human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), interleukin-8 (IL-8), epidermal growth factor (EGF), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) salivary biomarkers in the subpicomolar range. Saliva supernatants collected from 291 individuals (164 asthmatics, 71 CF patients, and 56 healthy controls (HC)) were analyzed on the platform to profile each group of patients using this six-analyte suite. It was found that four of the six proteins were observed to be significantly elevated (p < 0.01) in asthma and CF patients compared with HC. These results demonstrate the potential to use the multiplexed protein array platform for respiratory disease diagnosis.

Analysis of multi-mode to single-mode conversion at 635 nm and 1550 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamora, Vanessa; Bogatzki, Angelina; Arndt-Staufenbiel, Norbert; Hofmann, Jens; Schröder, Henning

2016-03-01

We propose two low-cost and robust optical fiber systems based on the photonic lantern (PL) technology for operating at 635 nm and 1550 nm. The PL is an emerging technology that couples light from a multi-mode (MM) fiber to several single-mode (SM) fibers via a low-loss adiabatic transition. This bundle of SM fibers is observed as a MM fiber system whose spatial modes are the degenerate supermodes of the bundle. The adiabatic transition allows that those supermodes evolve into the modes of the MM fiber. Simulations of the MM fiber end structure and its taper transition have been performed via functional mode solver tools in order to understand the modal evolution in PLs. The modelled design consists of 7 SM fibers inserted into a low-index capillary. The material and geometry of the PLs are chosen such that the supermodes match to the spatial modes of the desired step-index MM fiber in a moderate loss transmission. The dispersion of materials is also considered. These parameters are studied in two PL systems in order to reach a spectral transmission from 450 nm to 1600 nm. Additionally, an analysis of the geometry and losses due to the mismatching of modes is presented. PLs are typically used in the fields of astrophotonics and space photonics. Recently, they are demonstrated as mode converters in telecommunications, especially focusing on spatial division multiplexing. In this study, we show the use of PLs as a promising interconnecting tool for the development of miniaturized spectrometers operating in a broad wavelength range.

Lineage-associated tracts defining the anatomy of the Drosophila first instar larval brain

PubMed Central

Hartenstein, Volker; Younossi-Hartenstein, Amelia; Lovick, Jennifer; Kong, Angel; Omoto, Jaison; Ngo, Kathy; Viktorin, Gudrun

2015-01-01

Fixed lineages derived from unique, genetically specified neuroblasts form the anatomical building blocks of the Drosophila brain. Neurons belonging to the same lineage project their axons in a common tract, which is labeled by neuronal markers. In this paper, we present a detailed atlas of the lineage-associated tracts forming the brain of the early Drosophila larva, based on the use of global markers (anti-Neuroglian, anti-Neurotactin, Inscuteable-Gal4>UAS-chRFP-Tub) and lineage-specific reporters. We describe 68 discrete fiber bundles that contain axons of one lineage or pairs/small sets of adjacent lineages. Bundles enter the neuropil at invariant locations, the lineage tract entry portals. Within the neuropil, these fiber bundles form larger fascicles that can be classified, by their main orientation, into longitudinal, transverse, and vertical (ascending/descending) fascicles. We present 3D digital models of lineage tract entry portals and neuropil fascicles, set into relationship to commonly used, easily recognizable reference structures such as the mushroom body, the antennal lobe, the optic lobe, and the Fasciclin II-positive fiber bundles that connect the brain and ventral nerve cord. Correspondences and differences between early larval tract anatomy and the previously described late larval and adult lineage patterns are highlighted. Our L1 neuro-anatomical atlas of lineages constitutes an essential step towards following morphologically defined lineages to the neuroblasts of the early embryo, which will ultimately make it possible to link the structure and connectivity of a lineage to the expression of genes in the particular neuroblast that gives rise to that lineage. Furthermore, the L1 atlas will be important for a host of ongoing work that attempts to reconstruct neuronal connectivity at the level of resolution of single neurons and their synapses. PMID:26141956

Lineage-associated tracts defining the anatomy of the Drosophila first instar larval brain.

PubMed

Hartenstein, Volker; Younossi-Hartenstein, Amelia; Lovick, Jennifer K; Kong, Angel; Omoto, Jaison J; Ngo, Kathy T; Viktorin, Gudrun

2015-10-01

Fixed lineages derived from unique, genetically specified neuroblasts form the anatomical building blocks of the Drosophila brain. Neurons belonging to the same lineage project their axons in a common tract, which is labeled by neuronal markers. In this paper, we present a detailed atlas of the lineage-associated tracts forming the brain of the early Drosophila larva, based on the use of global markers (anti-Neuroglian, anti-Neurotactin, inscuteable-Gal4>UAS-chRFP-Tub) and lineage-specific reporters. We describe 68 discrete fiber bundles that contain axons of one lineage or pairs/small sets of adjacent lineages. Bundles enter the neuropil at invariant locations, the lineage tract entry portals. Within the neuropil, these fiber bundles form larger fascicles that can be classified, by their main orientation, into longitudinal, transverse, and vertical (ascending/descending) fascicles. We present 3D digital models of lineage tract entry portals and neuropil fascicles, set into relationship to commonly used, easily recognizable reference structures such as the mushroom body, the antennal lobe, the optic lobe, and the Fasciclin II-positive fiber bundles that connect the brain and ventral nerve cord. Correspondences and differences between early larval tract anatomy and the previously described late larval and adult lineage patterns are highlighted. Our L1 neuro-anatomical atlas of lineages constitutes an essential step towards following morphologically defined lineages to the neuroblasts of the early embryo, which will ultimately make it possible to link the structure and connectivity of a lineage to the expression of genes in the particular neuroblast that gives rise to that lineage. Furthermore, the L1 atlas will be important for a host of ongoing work that attempts to reconstruct neuronal connectivity at the level of resolution of single neurons and their synapses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gaussian Filtering with Tapered Oil-Filled Photonic Bandgap Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunetti, A. C.; Scolari, L.; Weirich, J.; Eskildsen, L.; Bellanca, G.; Bassi, P.; Bjarklev, A.

2008-10-01

A tunable Gaussian filter based on a tapered oil-filled photonic crystal fiber is demonstrated. The filter is centered at λ = 1364 nm with a bandwidth (FWHM) of 237nm. Tunability is achieved by changing the temperature of the filter. A shift of 210nm of the central wavelength has been observed by increasing the temperature from 25 °C to 100 °C. The measurements are compared to a simulated spectrum obtained by means of a vectorial Beam Propagation Method model.

CO 2 Capture by Cold Membrane Operation with Actual Power Plant Flue Gas

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

Chaubey, Trapti; Kulkarni, Sudhir; Hasse, David

The main objective of the project was to develop a post-combustion CO 2 capture process based on the hybrid cold temperature membrane operation. The CO 2 in the flue gas from coal fired power plant is pre-concentrated to >60% CO 2 in the first stage membrane operation followed by further liquefaction of permeate stream to achieve >99% CO 2 purity. The aim of the project was based on DOE program goal of 90% CO 2 capture with >95% CO 2 purity from Pulverized Coal (PC) fired power plants with $40/tonne of carbon capture cost by 2025. The project moves themore » technology from TRL 4 to TRL 5. The project involved optimization of Air Liquide commercial 12” PI-1 bundle to improve the bundle productivity by >30% compared to the previous baseline (DE-FE0004278) using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and bundle testing with synthetic flue gas at 0.1 MWe bench scale skid located at Delaware Research and Technology Center (DRTC). In parallel, the next generation polyimide based novel PI-2 membrane was developed with 10 times CO 2 permeance compared to the commercial PI-1 membrane. The novel PI-2 membrane was scaled from mini-permeator to 1” permeator and 1” bundle for testing. Bundle development was conducted with a Development Spin Unit (DSU) installed at MEDAL. Air Liquide’s cold membrane technology was demonstrated with real coal fired flue gas at the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) with a 0.3 MWe field-test unit (FTU). The FTU was designed to incorporate testing of two PI-1 commercial membrane bundles (12” or 6” diameter) in parallel or series. A slip stream was sent to the next generation PI-2 membrane for testing with real flue gas. The system exceeded performance targets with stable PI-1 membrane operation for over 500 hours of single bundle, steady state testing. The 12” PI-1 bundle exceeded the productivity target by achieving ~600 Nm3/hr, where the target was set at ~455 Nm3/hr at 90% capture rate. The cost of 90% CO 2 capture from a 550 MWe net coal power plant was estimated between 40 and $45/tonne. A 6” PI-1 bundle exhibited superior bundle performance compared to the 12” PI-1 bundle. However, the carbon capture cost was not lower with the 6” PI-1 bundle due to the higher bundle installed cost. A 1” PI-1 bundle was tested to compare bundles with different length / diameter ratios. This bundle exhibited the lowest performance due to the different fiber winding pattern and increased bundle non-ideality. Several long-term and parametric tests were conducted with 3,200 hours of total run-time at NCCC. Finally, the new PI-2 membrane fiber was tested at a small scale (1” modules) in real flue gas and exhibited up to 10 times the CO 2 permeance and slightly lower CO 2/N 2 selectivity as the commercial PI-1 fiber. This corresponded to a projected 4 - 5 times increase in the productivity per bundle and a potential cost reduction of $3/tonne for CO2 capture, as compared with PI-1. An analytical campaign was conducted to trace different impurities such as NOx, mercury, Arsenic, Selenium in gas and liquid samples through the carbon capture system. An Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) analysis was completed to estimate emissions from a 550 MWe net power plant with carbon capture using cold membrane. A preliminary design and cost analysis was completed for 550 tpd (~25 MWe) plant to assess the capital investment and carbon capture cost for PI-1 and PI-2 membrane solutions from coal fired flue gas. A comparison was made with an amine based solution with significant cost advantage for the membrane at this scale. Additional preliminary design and cost analysis was completed between coal, natural gas and SMR flue gas for carbon capture at 550 tpd (~25 MWe) plant.« less

Selective damage to cochlear efferents by the choline neurotoxin ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A) in the chinchilla.

PubMed

Smith, D W; Mount, R J; Callahan, J W

1989-10-01

The cholinotoxin ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A) was diluted in artificial perilymph to concentrations ranging from 10-100 microM, injected unilaterally into the bulla of chinchillas, and allowed to passively diffuse across the round window membrane. Following 21-day survival, the animals were sacrificed and ears removed and embedded in epoxy for histological evaluation under both light and transmission electron microscopy. At 10 microM concentration, selective degeneration of efferent fibers was observed in the efferent terminals on outer hair cells (OHC), tunnel radial fibers, tunnel spiral bundle, and the inner spiral bundle. Serial sections of the middle turn of an animal at 10 microM concentrations showed normal efferent terminals on approximately 50% of OHCs. At the higher concentrations non-specific damage was seen in OHCs, afferents, and some supporting cells. These data suggest that low doses AF64A produces selective damage to cochlear efferent terminals and fibers in the chinchilla.

Destruction of the medial forebrain bundle caudal to the site of stimulation reduces rewarding efficacy but destruction rostrally does not.

PubMed

Gallistel, C R; Leon, M; Lim, B T; Sim, J C; Waraczynski, M

1996-08-01

Rats with an electrode in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) in or near the ventral tegmental area and another at the level of the rostral hypothalamus sustained large electrolytic lesions at either the rostral or the caudal electrode. The rewarding efficacy of stimulation through the other electrode was determined before and after the lesion. Massive damage to the MFB in the rostral lateral hypothalamus (LH) generally had little effect on the rewarding efficacy of more caudal stimulation, whereas large lesions in the caudal MFB generally reduced the rewarding efficacy of LH stimulation by 35-60%. Similar reductions were produced by knife cuts in the caudal MFB. These results appear to be inconsistent with the hypothesis that the reward fibers consist either of descending or ascending fibers coursing in or near the MFB. It is suggested that the reward fibers are collaterals from neurons with both their somata and their behaviorally significant terminals located primarily in the midbrain.

Needle endomicroscope with a plastic, achromatic objective to perform optical biopsies of breast tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyrish, Matthew; Dobbs, Jessica; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca; Tkaczyk, Tomasz

2013-03-01

In order to diagnose cancer in breast tissue, a sample must be removed, prepared, and examined under a microscope. To provide an alternative to conventional biopsies, an endomicroscope intended to perform optical biopsies is demonstrated. The system provides high resolution, high contrast images in real-time which could allow a diagnosis to be made during surgery without the need for tissue removal. Optical sectioning is achieved via structured illumination to reject out of focus light. An image is relayed between the sample plane and the imaging system by a coherent fiber bundle with an achromatized objective lens at the distal tip of the fiber bundle which is the diameter of a biopsy needle. The custom, plastic objective provides correction for both the excitation and emission wavelengths of proflavine (452 nm and 515 nm, respectively). It also magnifies the object onto the distal tip of the fiber bundle to increase lateral resolution. The lenses are composed of the optical plastics Zeonex E48R, PMMA, and polystyrene. The lenses are fabricated via single point diamond turning and assembled using a zero alignment technique. The lateral resolution and chromatic focal shift were measured and in vitro images of breast carcinoma cells stained with proflavine were captured. The optical biopsy system is able to achieve optical sectioning and to resolve smaller features than the current high resolution microendoscope.

Passive mechanical properties of rat abdominal wall muscles suggest an important role of the extracellular connective tissue matrix.

PubMed

Brown, Stephen H M; Carr, John Austin; Ward, Samuel R; Lieber, Richard L

2012-08-01

Abdominal wall muscles have a unique morphology suggesting a complex role in generating and transferring force to the spinal column. Studying passive mechanical properties of these muscles may provide insights into their ability to transfer force among structures. Biopsies from rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA) were harvested from male Sprague-Dawley rats, and single muscle fibers and fiber bundles (4-8 fibers ensheathed in their connective tissue matrix) were isolated and mechanically stretched in a passive state. Slack sarcomere lengths were measured and elastic moduli were calculated from stress-strain data. Titin molecular mass was also measured from single muscle fibers. No significant differences were found among the four abdominal wall muscles in terms of slack sarcomere length or elastic modulus. Interestingly, across all four muscles, slack sarcomere lengths were quite long in individual muscle fibers (>2.4 µm), and demonstrated a significantly longer slack length in comparison to fiber bundles (p < 0.0001). Also, the extracellular connective tissue matrix provided a stiffening effect and enhanced the resistance to lengthening at long muscle lengths. Titin molecular mass was significantly less in TrA compared to each of the other three muscles (p < 0.0009), but this difference did not correspond to hypothesized differences in stiffness. Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Compact light-emitting diode optical fiber immobilized TiO2 reactor for photocatalytic water treatment.

PubMed

O'Neal Tugaoen, Heather; Garcia-Segura, Sergi; Hristovski, Kiril; Westerhoff, Paul

2018-02-01

A key barrier to implementing photocatalysis is delivering light to photocatalysts that are in contact with aqueous pollutants. Slurry photocatalyst systems suffer from poor light penetration and require post-treatment to separate the catalyst. The alternative is to deposit photocatalysts on fixed films and deliver light onto the surface or the backside of the attached catalysts. In this study, TiO 2 -coated quartz optical fibers were coupled to light emitting diodes (OF/LED) to improve in situ light delivery. Design factors and mechanisms studied for OF/LEDs in a flow-through reactor included: (i) the influence of number of LED sources coupled to fibers and (ii) the use of multiple optical fibers bundled to a single LED. The light delivery mechanism from the optical fibers into the TiO 2 coatings is thoroughly discussed. To demonstrate influence of design variables, experiments were conducted in the reactor using the chlorinated pollutant para-chlorobenzoic acid (pCBA). From the degradation kinetics of pCBA, the quantum efficiencies (Φ) of oxidation and electrical energies per order (E EO ) were determined. The use of TiO 2 coated optical fiber bundles reduced the energy requirements to deliver photons and increased available surface area, which improved Φ and enhanced oxidative pollutant removal performance (E EO ). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lensless magneto-optic speed sensor

DOEpatents

Veeser, L.R.; Forman, P.R.; Rodriguez, P.J.

1998-02-17

Lensless magneto-optic speed sensor is disclosed. The construction of a viable Faraday sensor has been achieved. Multimode fiber bundles are used to collect the light. If coupled directly into a 100 or 200 {micro}m core fiber, light from a light emitting diode (LED) is sufficient to operate the sensor. In addition, LEDs ensure that no birefringence effects in the input fiber are possible, as the output from such light sources have random polarization. No lens is required since the large diameter optical fibers and thin crystals of materials having high Verdet constants (such as iron garnets) employed permit the collection of a substantial quantity of light. No coupler is required. The maximum amount of light which could reach a detector using a coupler is 25%, while the measured throughput of the fiber-optic bundle without a coupler is about 42%. All of the elements employed in the present sensor are planar, and no particular orientation of these elements is required. The present sensor operates over a wide range of distances from magnetic field sources, and observed signals are large. When a tone wheel is utilized, the signals are independent of wheel speed, and the modulation is observed to be about 75%. No sensitivity to bends in the input or output optical fiber leads was observed. Reliable operation was achieved down to zero frequency, or no wheel rotation. 5 figs.

Lensless Magneto-optic speed sensor

DOEpatents

Veeser, Lynn R.; Forman, Peter R.; Rodriguez, Patrick J.

1998-01-01

Lensless magneto-optic speed sensor. The construction of a viable Faraday sensor has been achieved. Multimode fiber bundles are used to collect the light. If coupled directly into a 100 or 200 .mu.m core fiber, light from a light emitting diode (LED) is sufficient to operate the sensor. In addition, LEDs ensure that no birefringence effects in the input fiber are possible, as the output from such light sources have random polarization. No lens is required since the large diameter optical fibers and thin crystals of materials having high Verdet constants (such as iron garnets) employed permit the collection of a substantial quantity of light. No coupler is required. The maximum amount of light which could reach a detector using a coupler is 25%, while the measured throughput of the fiber-optic bundle without a coupler is about 42%. All of the elements employed in the present sensor are planar, and no particular orientation of these elements is required. The present sensor operates over a wide range of distances from magnetic field sources, and observed signals are large. When a tone wheel is utilized, the signals are independent of wheel speed, and the modulation is observed to be about 75%. No sensitivity to bends in the input or output optical fiber leads was observed. Reliable operation was achieved down to zero frequency, or no wheel rotation.

Some Structural Observations of Self-Assembling, Fibrillar Gels Composed of Two-Directional Bolaform Arborols

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

Sun, J.

2005-01-12

Arborols are dumbbell shaped molecules (bolaform amphiphiles) in which a hydrophobic spacer separates two hydrophilic end groups. They are a valuable model for naturally occurring fibers, such as actin or amyloid. Applications to materials science can be envisioned. On cooling from warm aqueous or methanolic solutions, arborols spontaneously assemble into long fibers. When the solutions are above a certain concentration that depends on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, this leads to thermally reversible gels stabilized by a mechanism that is poorly understood. With the help of wide angle X-ray scattering, details of the arborol fiber and gel structure were obtained on wetmore » gels. The characteristic dimensions of the fibers vary in a sensible fashion with the molecular specifics. Solvent character appears to affect the average domain length of arborols stacked into fibers. Fluorescently labeled arborols were prepared. The label does not prevent incorporation into the fibrillar structure, rendering fibril bundles visible in wet gels. Bundles are visible in concentrated gels, but not in less concentrated sols. These results are consistent with observations of dried arborols using atomic force microscopy and with previously published freeze-fracture electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering experiments on dried gels.« less

Combined fluorescence-Raman spectroscopy measurements with an optical fiber probe for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosci, Alessandro; Cicchi, Riccardo; Rossari, Susanna; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Massi, Daniela; Pavone, Francesco S.

2012-02-01

We have designed and developed an optical fiber-probe for spectroscopic measurements on human tissues. The experimental setup combines fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy in a multidimensional approach. Concerning fluorescence spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by two laser diodes, one emitting in the UV (378 nm) and the other emitting in the visible (445 nm). These two lasers are used to selectively excite fluorescence from NADH and FAD, which are among the brightest endogenous fluorophores in human tissues. For Raman and NIR spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by a third laser diode with 785 nm excitation wavelength. Laser light is delivered to the tissue through the central optical fiber of a fiber bundle. The surrounding 48 fibers of the bundle are used for collecting fluorescence and Raman and for delivering light to the spectrograph. Fluorescence and Raman spectra are acquired on a cooled CCD camera. The instrument has been tested on fresh human skin biopsies clinically diagnosed as malignant melanoma, melanocytic nevus, or healthy skin, finding an optimal correlation with the subsequent histological exam. In some cases our examination was not in agreement with the clinical observation, but it was with the histological exam, demonstrating that the system can potentially contribute to improve clinical diagnostic capabilities and hence reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

Tropomodulin 1 Regulation of Actin Is Required for the Formation of Large Paddle Protrusions Between Mature Lens Fiber Cells.

PubMed

Cheng, Catherine; Nowak, Roberta B; Biswas, Sondip K; Lo, Woo-Kuen; FitzGerald, Paul G; Fowler, Velia M

2016-08-01

To elucidate the proteins required for specialized small interlocking protrusions and large paddle domains at lens fiber cell tricellular junctions (vertices), we developed a novel method to immunostain single lens fibers and studied changes in cell morphology due to loss of tropomodulin 1 (Tmod1), an F-actin pointed end-capping protein. We investigated F-actin and F-actin-binding protein localization in interdigitations of Tmod1+/+ and Tmod1-/- single mature lens fibers. F-actin-rich small protrusions and large paddles were present along cell vertices of Tmod1+/+ mature fibers. In contrast, Tmod1-/- mature fiber cells lack normal paddle domains, while small protrusions were unaffected. In Tmod1+/+ mature fibers, Tmod1, β2-spectrin, and α-actinin are localized in large puncta in valleys between paddles; but in Tmod1-/- mature fibers, β2-spectrin was dispersed while α-actinin was redistributed at the base of small protrusions and rudimentary paddles. Fimbrin and Arp3 (actin-related protein 3) were located in puncta at the base of small protrusions, while N-cadherin and ezrin outlined the cell membrane in both Tmod1+/+ and Tmod1-/- mature fibers. These results suggest that distinct F-actin organizations are present in small protrusions versus large paddles. Formation and/or maintenance of large paddle domains depends on a β2-spectrin-actin network stabilized by Tmod1. α-Actinin-crosslinked F-actin bundles are enhanced in absence of Tmod1, indicating altered cytoskeleton organization. Formation of small protrusions is likely facilitated by Arp3-branched and fimbrin-bundled F-actin networks, which do not depend on Tmod1. This is the first work to reveal the F-actin-associated proteins required for the formation of paddles between lens fibers.

Kernel Regression Estimation of Fiber Orientation Mixtures in Diffusion MRI

PubMed Central

Cabeen, Ryan P.; Bastin, Mark E.; Laidlaw, David H.

2016-01-01

We present and evaluate a method for kernel regression estimation of fiber orientations and associated volume fractions for diffusion MR tractography and population-based atlas construction in clinical imaging studies of brain white matter. This is a model-based image processing technique in which representative fiber models are estimated from collections of component fiber models in model-valued image data. This extends prior work in nonparametric image processing and multi-compartment processing to provide computational tools for image interpolation, smoothing, and fusion with fiber orientation mixtures. In contrast to related work on multi-compartment processing, this approach is based on directional measures of divergence and includes data-adaptive extensions for model selection and bilateral filtering. This is useful for reconstructing complex anatomical features in clinical datasets analyzed with the ball-and-sticks model, and our framework’s data-adaptive extensions are potentially useful for general multi-compartment image processing. We experimentally evaluate our approach with both synthetic data from computational phantoms and in vivo clinical data from human subjects. With synthetic data experiments, we evaluate performance based on errors in fiber orientation, volume fraction, compartment count, and tractography-based connectivity. With in vivo data experiments, we first show improved scan-rescan reproducibility and reliability of quantitative fiber bundle metrics, including mean length, volume, streamline count, and mean volume fraction. We then demonstrate the creation of a multi-fiber tractography atlas from a population of 80 human subjects. In comparison to single tensor atlasing, our multi-fiber atlas shows more complete features of known fiber bundles and includes reconstructions of the lateral projections of the corpus callosum and complex fronto-parietal connections of the superior longitudinal fasciculus I, II, and III. PMID:26691524

Novel high-brightness fiber coupled diode laser device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haag, Matthias; Köhler, Bernd; Biesenbach, Jens; Brand, Thomas

2007-02-01

High brightness becomes more and more important in diode laser applications for fiber laser pumping and materials processing. For OEM customers fiber coupled devices have great advantages over direct beam modules: the fiber exit is a standardized interface, beam guiding is easy with nearly unlimited flexibility. In addition to the transport function the fiber serves as homogenizer: the beam profile of the laser radiation emitted from a fiber is symmetrical with highly repeatable beam quality and pointing stability. However, efficient fiber coupling requires an adaption of the slow-axis beam quality to the fiber requirements. Diode laser systems based on standard 10mm bars usually employ beam transformation systems to rearrange the highly asymmetrical beam of the laser bar or laser stack. These beam transformation systems (prism arrays, lens arrays, fiber bundles etc.) are expensive and become inefficient with increasing complexity. This is especially true for high power devices with small fiber diameters. On the other hand, systems based on single emitters are claimed to have good potential in cost reduction. Brightness of the inevitable fiber bundles, though, is limited due to inherent fill-factor losses. At DILAS a novel diode laser device has been developed combining the advantages of diode bars and single emitters: high brightness at high reliability with single emitter cost structure. Heart of the device is a specially tailored laser bar (T-Bar), which epitaxial and lateral structure was designed such that only standard fast- and slow-axis collimator lenses are required to couple the beam into a 200μm fiber. Up to 30 of these T-Bars of one wavelength can be combined to reach a total of > 500W ex fiber in the first step. Going to a power level of today's single emitter diodes even 1kW ex 200μm fiber can be expected.

Neural network-based system for pattern recognition through a fiber optic bundle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamo-Aranda, Javier; Rodriguez-Horche, Paloma; Merchan-Palacios, Miguel; Rosales-Herrera, Pablo; Rodriguez, M.

2001-04-01

A neural network based system to identify images transmitted through a Coherent Fiber-optic Bundle (CFB) is presented. Patterns are generated in a computer, displayed on a Spatial Light Modulator, imaged onto the input face of the CFB, and recovered optically by a CCD sensor array for further processing. Input and output optical subsystems were designed and used to that end. The recognition step of the transmitted patterns is made by a powerful, widely-used, neural network simulator running on the control PC. A complete PC-based interface was developed to control the different tasks involved in the system. An optical analysis of the system capabilities was carried out prior to performing the recognition step. Several neural network topologies were tested, and the corresponding numerical results are also presented and discussed.

High-density, microsphere-based fiber optic DNA microarrays.

PubMed

Epstein, Jason R; Leung, Amy P K; Lee, Kyong Hoon; Walt, David R

2003-05-01

A high-density fiber optic DNA microarray has been developed consisting of oligonucleotide-functionalized, 3.1-microm-diameter microspheres randomly distributed on the etched face of an imaging fiber bundle. The fiber bundles are comprised of 6000-50000 fused optical fibers and each fiber terminates with an etched well. The microwell array is capable of housing complementary-sized microspheres, each containing thousands of copies of a unique oligonucleotide probe sequence. The array fabrication process results in random microsphere placement. Determining the position of microspheres in the random array requires an optical encoding scheme. This array platform provides many advantages over other array formats. The microsphere-stock suspension concentration added to the etched fiber can be controlled to provide inherent sensor redundancy. Examining identical microspheres has a beneficial effect on the signal-to-noise ratio. As other sequences of interest are discovered, new microsphere sensing elements can be added to existing microsphere pools and new arrays can be fabricated incorporating the new sequences without altering the existing detection capabilities. These microarrays contain the smallest feature sizes (3 microm) of any DNA array, allowing interrogation of extremely small sample volumes. Reducing the feature size results in higher local target molecule concentrations, creating rapid and highly sensitive assays. The microsphere array platform is also flexible in its applications; research has included DNA-protein interaction profiles, microbial strain differentiation, and non-labeled target interrogation with molecular beacons. Fiber optic microsphere-based DNA microarrays have a simple fabrication protocol enabling their expansion into other applications, such as single cell-based assays.

Axonal degeneration and regeneration in sensory roots in a genital herpes model.

PubMed

Soffer, D; Martin, J R

1989-01-01

In a mouse model of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection, roots of the lower spinal cord were examined 5 days to 6 months after inoculation. Using immunoperoxidase methods on paraffin sections, viral antigen was found in sensory ganglia, their proximal roots and distal nerves on days 5 and 6 after infection. In Epon sections, most mice had focal sensory root abnormalities in lower thoracic, lumbar or sacral levels. At days 7 and 10, lesions showed chiefly nerve fiber degeneration, particularly of large myelinated fibers. At 2 weeks, lesions contained relatively large bundles of small unmyelinated fibers with immature axon-Schwann cell relationships. From 3 to 6 weeks, lesions again contained many more small unmyelinated fibers than normal but, in increasing proportions, axons in bundles were isolated from their neighbors by Schwann cell cytoplasm, and Schwann cells having 1:1 relationships with axons showed mesaxon or thin myelin sheath formation. At later times, the proportion of small unmyelinated axons decreased in parallel with increased numbers of small myelinated axons. By 6 months, affected roots showed a relative reduction in large myelinated fibers, increased proportions of small myelinated fibers and Schwann cell nuclei. Numbers of unmyelinated fibers were reduced relative to 3- to 6-week lesions. Axonal degeneration and regeneration appears to be the chief pathological change in sensory roots in this model. If regenerated fibers arise from latently infected neurons, then establishment of latency is not a relatively silent event, but is associated with major long-lasting, morphologically detectable effects.

A probabilistic atlas of human brainstem pathways based on connectome imaging data.

PubMed

Tang, Yuchun; Sun, Wei; Toga, Arthur W; Ringman, John M; Shi, Yonggang

2018-04-01

The brainstem is a critical structure that regulates vital autonomic functions, houses the cranial nerves and their nuclei, relays motor and sensory information between the brain and spinal cord, and modulates cognition, mood, and emotions. As a primary relay center, the fiber pathways of the brainstem include efferent and afferent connections among the cerebral cortex, spinal cord, and cerebellum. While diffusion MRI has been successfully applied to map various brain pathways, its application for the in vivo imaging of the brainstem pathways has been limited due to inadequate resolution and large susceptibility-induced distortion artifacts. With the release of high-resolution data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), there is increasing interest in mapping human brainstem pathways. Previous works relying on HCP data to study brainstem pathways, however, did not consider the prevalence (>80%) of large distortions in the brainstem even after the application of correction procedures from the HCP-Pipeline. They were also limited in the lack of adequate consideration of subject variability in either fiber pathways or region of interests (ROIs) used for bundle reconstruction. To overcome these limitations, we develop in this work a probabilistic atlas of 23 major brainstem bundles using high-quality HCP data passing rigorous quality control. For the large-scale data from the 500-Subject release of HCP, we conducted extensive quality controls to exclude subjects with severe distortions in the brainstem area. After that, we developed a systematic protocol to manually delineate 1300 ROIs on 20 HCP subjects (10 males; 10 females) for the reconstruction of fiber bundles using tractography techniques. Finally, we leveraged our novel connectome modeling techniques including high order fiber orientation distribution (FOD) reconstruction from multi-shell diffusion imaging and topography-preserving tract filtering algorithms to successfully reconstruct the 23 fiber bundles for each subject, which were then used to calculate the probabilistic atlases in the MNI152 space for public release. In our experimental results, we demonstrate that our method yielded anatomically faithful reconstruction of the brainstem pathways and achieved improved performance in comparison with an existing atlas of cerebellar peduncles based on HCP data. These atlases have been publicly released on NITRIC (https://www.nitrc.org/projects/brainstem_atlas/) and can be readily used by brain imaging researchers interested in studying brainstem pathways. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temperature and strain characterization of long period gratings in air guiding fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iadicicco, Agostino; Cutolo, Antonello; Cusano, Andrea; Campopiano, Stefania

2013-05-01

This paper reports on the fabrication of Long Period Gratings (LPGs) in hollow-core air-silica photonic bandgap fibers by using pressure assisted Electrode Arc Discharge (EAD) technique. In particular, the fabrication procedure relies on the combined use of EAD step, to locally heat the HC fiber, and of a static pressure (slightly higher than the external one) inside the fiber holes, to modify the holes. This procedure permits to preserve the holey structure of the host fiber avoiding any hole collapsing and it enables a local effective refractive index change due to the size and shape modifications of core and cladding holes. Periodically repeated EAD treatments permit the fabrication of LPGs based devices in hollow core optical fibers enabling new functionalities hitherto not possible. Here, the experimental fabrication of LPG prototypes with different periods and lengths are discussed. And, the HC-LPGs sensitivity to environmental parameters such as strain and temperature are investigated.

The effect of mesostructure heterogeneity on cracks initiation and the displacement distribution in NCF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zrida, H.; Giannadis, K.; Varna, J.; Ayadi, Z.

2012-02-01

Non Crimp Fabrics (NCF) are promising new generation composite materials. They are now being used in some sections of composite industry, for example in wind turbine blades and boat hulls. The aerospace industry also shows an increasing interest in this material, thanks to the low cost of its manufacturing process. NCFs are special types of textile composites, made of layers of parallel fiber bundles oriented in different directions and separated by resin. Due to the manufacturing process the fiber bundles are not perfectly straight. They show a certain degree of waviness which decreases the stiffness and the strength of the material. The heterogeneous mesostructure affects the mechanical properties of the material and the failure mechanisms. This was studied using both numerical and experimental methods. In our experimental approach, a carbon fiber/epoxy resin laminate with uniform fiber distribution was manufactured by voluntarily introducing waviness to simulate the NCF composites. The displacement map was studied against the thickness of a sample loaded in tension, using ESPI (Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry). This can give us a primary idea of the micro damage initiation and the cracks' shapes.

Classical geometric resolution of the Einstein—Podolsky—Rosen paradox

PubMed Central

Ne'eman, Yuval

1983-01-01

I show that, in the geometry of a fiber bundle describing a gauge theory, curvature and parallel transport ensure and impose nonseparability. The “Einstein—Podolsky—Rosen paradox” is thus resolved “classically.” I conjecture that the ostentatiously “implausible” features of the quantum treatment are due to the fact that space—time separability, a basic assumption of single-particle nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, does not fit the bundle geometry of the complete physics. PMID:16593392

Scanning Electron Microscope Examination of Cotton Linters and Wood Pulp Fibers before and after Nitration and Gun Propellant Manufacture

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

both types of cellulose , the cell walls are still intact with the microfibrils showing little damage. The cellulose microfibrils consist of long chains...25 2. Model of Cellulose Microfibril ... S............. .............. .26 3. Model of Plant Cell Wall Bonding of Microfibril Bundles...molecules protrude above and below the plane of the cellulose ribbon.J’ (See Figures 2 and 3,) Bundles of these cellulose ribbons are called microfibrils

Semiconductor cooling apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A. (Inventor); Gaier, James R. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Gas derived graphite fibers generated by the decomposition of an organic gas are joined with a suitable binder. This produces a high thermal conductivity composite material which passively conducts heat from a source, such as a semiconductor, to a heat sink. The fibers may be intercalated. The intercalate can be halogen or halide salt, alkaline metal, or any other species which contributes to the electrical conductivity improvement of the graphite fiber. The fibers are bundled and joined with a suitable binder to form a high thermal conductivity composite material device. The heat transfer device may also be made of intercalated highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and machined, rather than made of fibers.

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.

Fiber-optic technologies in laser-based therapeutics: threads for a cure.

PubMed

Wang, Zheng; Chocat, Noémie

2010-06-01

In the past decade, novel fiber structures and material compositions have led to the introduction of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. We review the structure, the material composition and the fabrication processes behind these novel fiber systems. Because of their structural flexibility, their compatibility with endoscopic appliances and their efficiency in laser delivery, these fiber systems have greatly extended the reach of a wide range of surgical lasers in minimally invasive procedures. Much research in novel fiber-optics delivery systems has been focused on the accommodation of higher optical powers and the extension to a broader wavelength range. Until recently, CO2 laser surgery, renowned for its precision and efficiency, was limited to open surgeries by the lack of delivery fibers. Hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers are assessed for their ability to transmit CO2 laser at surgical power level and for their applications in a range of clinical areas. Current fiber-delivery technologies for a number of laser surgery modalities and wavelengths are compared.

Postnatal development of autonomic and sensory innervation of thoracic hairy skin in the rat. A histochemical, immunocytochemical, and radioenzymatic study.

PubMed

Schotzinger, R J; Landis, S C

1990-05-01

Histochemical, immunocytochemical, and radioenzymatic techniques were used to examine the neurotransmitter-related properties of the innervation of thoracic hairy skin in rats during adulthood and postnatal development. In the adult, catecholamine-containing fibers were associated with blood vessels and piloerector muscles, and ran in nerve bundles throughout the dermis. The distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (IR) fibers was identical. Neuronal fibers displaying neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity were seen in association with blood vessels. Double-labeling studies suggested that most, if not all, NPY-IR fibers were also TH-IR and likewise most, if not all, vessel-associated TH-IR fibers were also NPY-IR. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-IR fibers were observed near and penetrating into the epidermis, in close association with hair follicles and blood vessels, and in nerve bundles. A similar distribution of substance P (SP)-IR fibers was evident. In adult animals treated as neonates with the sympathetic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine, a virtual absence of TH-IR and NPY-IR fibers was observed, whereas the distribution of CGRP-IR and SP-IR fibers appeared unaltered. During postnatal development, a generalized increase in the number, fluorescence intensity, and varicose morphology of neuronal fibers displaying catecholamine fluorescence, NPY-IR, CGRP-IR, and SP-IR was observed. By postnatal day 21, the distribution of the above fibers had reached essentially adult levels, although the density of epidermal-associated CGRP-IR and SP-IR fibers was significantly greater than in the adult. The following were not evident in thoracic hairy skin at any timepoint examined: choline acetyltransferase activity, acetylcholinesterase histochemical staining or immunoreactivity, fibers displaying immunoreactivity to vasoactive intestinal peptide, cholecystokinin, or leucine-enkephalin. The present study demonstrates that the thoracic hairy skin in developing and adult rats receives an abundant sympathetic catecholaminergic and sensory innervation, but not a cholinergic innervation.

Atrial Septopulmonary Bundle of the Posterior Left Atrium Provides a Substrate for Atrial Fibrillation Initiation in a Model of Vagally Mediated Pulmonary Vein Tachycardia of the Structurally Normal Heart

PubMed Central

Klos, Matthew; Calvo, David; Yamazaki, Masatoshi; Zlochiver, Sharon; Mironov, Sergey; Cabrera, José-Angel; Sanchez-Quintana, Damian; Jalife, José; Berenfeld, Omer; Kalifa, Jérôme

2009-01-01

Background The posterior left atrium (PLA) and pulmonary veins (PVs) have been shown to be critical for atrial fibrillation (AF) initiation. However, the detailed mechanisms of reentry and AF initiation by PV impulses are poorly understood. We hypothesized that PV impulses trigger reentry and AF by undergoing wavebreaks as a result of sink-to-source mismatch at specific PV-PLA transitions along the septopulmonary bundle, where there are changes in thickness and fiber direction. Methods and Results In 7 Langendorff-perfused sheep hearts AF was initiated by a burst of 6 pulses (CL 80 to 150ms) delivered to the left inferior or right superior PV ostium 100 to 150 ms after the sinus impulse in the presence of 0.5 μmol/L acetylcholine. The exposed septal-PLA endocardial area was mapped with high spatio-temporal resolution (DI-4-ANEPPS, 1000-fr/s) during AF initiation. Isochronal maps for each paced beat preceding AF onset were constructed to localize areas of conduction delay and block. Phase movies allowed the determination of the wavebreak sites at the onset of AF. Thereafter, the PLA myocardial wall thickness was quantified by echocardiography, and the fiber direction in the optical field of view was determined after peeling off the endocardium. Finally, isochrone, phase and conduction velocity maps were superimposed on the corresponding anatomic pictures for each of the 28 episodes of AF initiation. The longest delays of the paced PV impulses, as well as the first wavebreak, occurred at those boundaries along the septopulmonary bundle that showed sharp changes in fiber direction and the largest and most abrupt increase in myocardial thickness. Conclusion Waves propagating from the PVs into the PLA originating from a simulated PV tachycardia triggered reentry and vagally mediated AF by breaking at boundaries along the septopulmonary bundle where abrupt changes in thickness and fiber direction resulted in sink-to-source mismatch and low safety for propagation. PMID:19609369

Advances in combined endoscopic fluorescence confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risi, Matthew D.

Confocal microendoscopy provides real-time high resolution cellular level images via a minimally invasive procedure. Results from an ongoing clinical study to detect ovarian cancer with a novel confocal fluorescent microendoscope are presented. As an imaging modality, confocal fluorescence microendoscopy typically requires exogenous fluorophores, has a relatively limited penetration depth (100 μm), and often employs specialized aperture configurations to achieve real-time imaging in vivo. Two primary research directions designed to overcome these limitations and improve diagnostic capability are presented. Ideal confocal imaging performance is obtained with a scanning point illumination and confocal aperture, but this approach is often unsuitable for real-time, in vivo biomedical imaging. By scanning a slit aperture in one direction, image acquisition speeds are greatly increased, but at the cost of a reduction in image quality. The design, implementation, and experimental verification of a custom multi-point-scanning modification to a slit-scanning multi-spectral confocal microendoscope is presented. This new design improves the axial resolution while maintaining real-time imaging rates. In addition, the multi-point aperture geometry greatly reduces the effects of tissue scatter on imaging performance. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has seen wide acceptance and FDA approval as a technique for ophthalmic retinal imaging, and has been adapted for endoscopic use. As a minimally invasive imaging technique, it provides morphological characteristics of tissues at a cellular level without requiring the use of exogenous fluorophores. OCT is capable of imaging deeper into biological tissue (˜1-2 mm) than confocal fluorescence microscopy. A theoretical analysis of the use of a fiber-bundle in spectral-domain OCT systems is presented. The fiber-bundle enables a flexible endoscopic design and provides fast, parallelized acquisition of the optical coherence tomography data. However, the multi-mode characteristic of the fibers in the fiber-bundle affects the depth sensitivity of the imaging system. A description of light interference in a multi-mode fiber is presented along with numerical simulations and experimental studies to illustrate the theoretical analysis.

Investigation of the Optical, Electronic, and Structural Properties of Fiber Optic Glasses

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

H. Kawarada, and A. Hiraki , Proc. of MRS: Symp. in Diamond, Boron Nitride, Silicon Carbide and Related Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, eds. J.F. Glass...vacancy emission. This ,5Y. Yokota, H. Kawarada, and A. Hiraki , in Diamond, Boron Ni- observation is in accord with the interpretation of the tride

Turbine-blade tip clearance and tip timing measurements using an optical fiber bundle sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Iker; Beloki, Josu; Zubia, Joseba; Durana, Gaizka; Aldabaldetreku, Gotzon

2013-04-01

Traditional limitations of capacitive, inductive or discharging probe sensor for tip timing and tip clearance measurements are overcome by reflective intensity modulated optical fiber sensors. This paper presents the signals and results corresponding to a one stage turbine rig which rotor has 146 blades, obtained from a transonic wind-tunnel test. The probe is based on a trifurcated bundle of optical fibers that is mounted on turbine casing. It is composed of a central illuminating fiber that guides the light from a laser to the turbine blade, and two concentric rings of receiving fibers that collect the reflected light. Two photodetectors turn this reflected light signal from the receiving rings into voltage. The electrical signals are acquired and saved by a high-sample-rate oscilloscope. In tip clearance calculations the ratio of the signals provided by each ring of receiving fibers is evaluated and translated into distance. In the case of tip timing measurements, only one of the signals is considered to get the arrival time of the blade. The differences between the real and theoretical arrival times of the blades are used to obtain the deflections amplitude. The system provides the travelling wave spectrum, which presents the average vibration amplitude of the blades at a certain nodal diameter. The reliability of the results in the turbine rig testing facilities suggests the possibility of performing these measurements in real turbines under real working conditions.

Optic Nerve Disorders

MedlinePlus

The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers that carry visual messages. You have one connecting ... retina) to your brain. Damage to an optic nerve can cause vision loss. The type of vision ...

Development of an optical time-resolved measurement system under high-pressure and low-temperature with a piston-cylinder pressure cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchiya, Satoshi; Kino, Yohei; Nakagawa, Koichi; Nakagawa, Daisuke; Yamada, Jun-ichi; Toda, Yasunori

2016-04-01

To perform the femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy under high pressure and low temperature, we constructed a measurement system with a piston cylinder type pressure cell installing an optical fiber bundle. The applied pressure was achieved to 6 kbar and the cell was cooled down to 15 K. Several demonstrations revealed that broadening and change of polarization of pulse (duration of ˜120 fs) owing to the dispersions in the fiber bundle are much small indicating that those have little influence on the measurement of carrier relaxation dynamics. In the measurements of κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 under 1.3 kbar at 43 K, we have successfully detected the polarization anisotropy of the carrier relaxation dynamics and estimated the decay time in the same way as the normal measurement.

Development of an optical time-resolved measurement system under high-pressure and low-temperature with a piston-cylinder pressure cell.

PubMed

Tsuchiya, Satoshi; Kino, Yohei; Nakagawa, Koichi; Nakagawa, Daisuke; Yamada, Jun-Ichi; Toda, Yasunori

2016-04-01

To perform the femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy under high pressure and low temperature, we constructed a measurement system with a piston cylinder type pressure cell installing an optical fiber bundle. The applied pressure was achieved to 6 kbar and the cell was cooled down to 15 K. Several demonstrations revealed that broadening and change of polarization of pulse (duration of ∼120 fs) owing to the dispersions in the fiber bundle are much small indicating that those have little influence on the measurement of carrier relaxation dynamics. In the measurements of κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 under 1.3 kbar at 43 K, we have successfully detected the polarization anisotropy of the carrier relaxation dynamics and estimated the decay time in the same way as the normal measurement.

Weak reversible cross links may decrease the strength of aligned fiber bundles.

PubMed

Nabavi, S Soran; Hartmann, Markus A

2016-02-21

Reversible cross-linking is an effective strategy to specifically tailor the mechanical properties of polymeric materials that can be found in a variety of biological as well as man-made materials. Using a simple model in this paper the influence of weak, reversible cross-links on the mechanical properties of aligned fiber bundles is investigated. Special emphasis in this analysis is put on the strength of the investigated structures. Using Monte Carlo methods two topologies of cross-links exceeding the strength of the covalent backbone are studied. Most surprisingly only two cross-links are sufficient to break the backbone of a multi chain system, resulting in a reduced strength of the material. The found effect crucially depends on the ratio of inter- to intra-chain cross-links and, thus, on the grafting density that determines this ratio.

Process-Hardened, Multi-Analyte Sensor for Characterizing Rocket Plume Constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goswami, Kisholoy

2011-01-01

A multi-analyte sensor was developed that enables simultaneous detection of rocket engine combustion-product molecules in a launch-vehicle ground test stand. The sensor was developed using a pin-printing method by incorporating multiple sensor elements on a single chip. It demonstrated accurate and sensitive detection of analytes such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, kerosene, isopropanol, and ethylene from a single measurement. The use of pin-printing technology enables high-volume fabrication of the sensor chip, which will ultimately eliminate the need for individual sensor calibration since many identical sensors are made in one batch. Tests were performed using a single-sensor chip attached to a fiber-optic bundle. The use of a fiber bundle allows placement of the opto-electronic readout device at a place remote from the test stand. The sensors are rugged for operation in harsh environments.

Plasma arc welding weld imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rybicki, Daniel J. (Inventor); Mcgee, William F. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A welding torch for plasma arc welding apparatus has a transparent shield cup disposed about the constricting nozzle, the cup including a small outwardly extending polished lip. A guide tube extends externally of the torch and has a free end adjacent to the lip. First and second optical fiber bundle assemblies are supported within the guide tube. Light from a strobe light is transmitted along one of the assemblies to the free end and through the lip onto the weld site. A lens is positioned in the guide tube adjacent to the second assembly and focuses images of the weld site onto the end of the fiber bundle of the second assembly and these images are transmitted along the second assembly to a video camera so that the weld site may be viewed continuously for monitoring the welding process.

Novel approach to the fabrication of an artificial small bone using a combination of sponge replica and electrospinning methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yang-Hee; Lee, Byong-Taek

2011-06-01

In this study, a novel artificial small bone consisting of ZrO2-biphasic calcium phosphate/polymethylmethacrylate-polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite (ZrO2-BCP/PMMA-PCL-HAp) was fabricated using a combination of sponge replica and electrospinning methods. To mimic the cancellous bone, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold was composed of three layers, ZrO2, ZrO2/BCP and BCP, fabricated by the sponge replica method. The PMMA-PCL fibers loaded with HAp powder were wrapped around the ZrO2/BCP scaffold using the electrospinning process. To imitate the Haversian canal region of the bone, HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL fibers were wrapped around a steel wire of 0.3 mm diameter. As a result, the bundles of fiber wrapped around the wires imitated the osteon structure of the cortical bone. Finally, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold was surrounded by HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL composite bundles. After removal of the steel wires, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold and bundles of HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL formed an interconnected structure resembling the human bone. Its diameter, compressive strength and porosity were approximately 12 mm, 5 MPa and 70%, respectively, and the viability of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells was determined to be over 90% by the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. This artificial bone shows excellent cytocompatibility and is a promising bone regeneration material.

Novel approach to the fabrication of an artificial small bone using a combination of sponge replica and electrospinning methods

PubMed Central

Kim, Yang-Hee; Lee, Byong-Taek

2011-01-01

In this study, a novel artificial small bone consisting of ZrO2-biphasic calcium phosphate/polymethylmethacrylate-polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite (ZrO2-BCP/PMMA-PCL-HAp) was fabricated using a combination of sponge replica and electrospinning methods. To mimic the cancellous bone, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold was composed of three layers, ZrO2, ZrO2/BCP and BCP, fabricated by the sponge replica method. The PMMA-PCL fibers loaded with HAp powder were wrapped around the ZrO2/BCP scaffold using the electrospinning process. To imitate the Haversian canal region of the bone, HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL fibers were wrapped around a steel wire of 0.3 mm diameter. As a result, the bundles of fiber wrapped around the wires imitated the osteon structure of the cortical bone. Finally, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold was surrounded by HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL composite bundles. After removal of the steel wires, the ZrO2/BCP scaffold and bundles of HAp-loaded PMMA-PCL formed an interconnected structure resembling the human bone. Its diameter, compressive strength and porosity were approximately 12 mm, 5 MPa and 70%, respectively, and the viability of MG-63 osteoblast-like cells was determined to be over 90% by the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. This artificial bone shows excellent cytocompatibility and is a promising bone regeneration material. PMID:27877406

Theoretical investigation and optimization of fiber grating based slow light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Wang, Peng; Du, Chao; Li, Jin; Hu, Haifeng; Zhao, Yong

2017-07-01

On the edge of bandgap in a fiber grating, narrow peaks of high transimittivity exist at frequencies where light interferes constructively in the forward direction. In the vicinity of these transmittivity peaks, light reflects back and forth numerous times across the periodic structure and experiences a large group delay. In order to generate the extremely slow light in fiber grating for applications, in this research, the common sense of formation mechanism of slow light in fiber grating was introduced. The means of producing and operating fiber grating was studied to support structural slow light with a group index that can be in principle as high as several thousand. The simulations proceeded by transfer matrix method in the paper were presented to elucidate how the fiber grating parameters effect group refractive index. The main parameters that need to be optimized include grating length, refractive index contrast, grating period, loss coefficient, chirp and apodization functions, those can influence fiber grating characteristics.

Modeling of Thermal Conductivity of CVI-Densified Composites at Fiber and Bundle Level

PubMed Central

Guan, Kang; Wu, Jianqing; Cheng, Laifei

2016-01-01

The evolution of the thermal conductivities of the unidirectional, 2D woven and 3D braided composites during the CVI (chemical vapor infiltration) process have been numerically studied by the finite element method. The results show that the dual-scale pores play an important role in the thermal conduction of the CVI-densified composites. According to our results, two thermal conductivity models applicable for CVI process have been developed. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates the parameter with the most influence on the CVI-densified composites’ thermal conductivity is matrix cracking’s density, followed by volume fraction of the bundle and thermal conductance of the matrix cracks, finally by micro-porosity inside the bundles and macro-porosity between the bundles. The obtained results are well consistent with the reported data, thus our models could be useful for designing the processing and performance of the CVI-densified composites. PMID:28774130

Thalamic reticular nucleus in Caiman crocodilus: Relationship with the dorsal thalamus.

PubMed

Pritz, M B

2016-05-13

The thalamic reticular nucleus was investigated in one group of crocodilians, Caiman crocodilus. This neuronal aggregate is composed of two parts: a compact portion and a diffuse region made up of scattered cells within the forebrain bundles. In Caiman, both the lateral and medial forebrain bundles project to the telencephalon and the thalamic reticular nucleus is associated with each fiber tract. In the lateral forebrain bundle, the compact area is termed the nucleus of the dorsal peduncle (dorsal peduncular nucleus) while the diffuse part is called the perireticular area. In the medial forebrain bundle, the interstitial nucleus comprises one part of the compact area while another region without a specific neuronal label is also present. Similar to the perireticular cells of the lateral forebrain bundle, scattered cells are also present in the medial forebrain bundle. Morphological features of the thalamic reticular nucleus are revealed with stains for the following: fibers; cells; succinic acid dehydrogenase; and acetylcholinesterase. Regardless of which dorsal thalamic nucleus was injected, a localized region of the thalamic reticular nucleus contained retrogradely labeled cells and anterogradely labeled axons and terminals. This grouping was termed clusters and was felt to represent the densest interconnection between the dorsal thalamus and the reticular nucleus. Using clusters as an index of interconnections, the reticular nucleus was divided into sectors, each of which was associated with a specific dorsal thalamic nucleus. An organization similar to that found in Caiman is present in other sauropsids as well as in mammals. These data suggest that a thalamic reticular nucleus is present in all amniotes and has morphological properties similar to those described in this analysis. Lastly, a hypothesis is presented to explain how the external shape of the reticular nucleus in Caiman might be transformed into the homologous area in a representative bird and mammal. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The normal variants in the left bundle branch system.

PubMed

Elizari, M V

This article reviewed the main anatomic and physiopathological aspects of the left bundle branch from its origin in the His bundle and its intraventricular distribution on the left endocardial surface. The results are based on the relevant literature and on personal observations executed on 206 hearts distributed as follows: 67 dogs, 60 humans, 45 sheep, 22 pigs, 10 cows, 2 monkeys, 1 guanaco, and 1 sea lion. The main anatomical features of the His-Purkinje conducting system may be summarized as follows: The bundle of His is composed by two segments: the penetrating and branching portions. LBB originates in the branching portion located underneath the membranous septum. There is no true bifurcation of the bundle of His in a human heart. Short after its origin the LBB gives rise to its two main fascicles, anterior and posterior, both heading the anterior and posterior papillary muscles, respectively. The anterior division is thinner and longer than the posterior one. The RBB and the most anterior fibers of the LBB arise at the end of the branching portion. In some cases a well-defined left septal fascicle can be identified, usually arising from the posterior division. Each division gives off small fibers and false tendons crossing the left ventricular cavity connecting the papillary between them or the papillary muscles with the septal surface. From each division of the LBB, their corresponding Purkinje networks emerge covering the subendocardium of the septum and the free wall of the left ventricles. There are critical relationships of the proximal segments of the His-Purkinje system with the surrounding cardiac structures whose pathologic processes may damage the conducting tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved illumination system of laparoscopes using an aspherical lens array.

PubMed

Wu, Rengmao; Qin, Yi; Hua, Hong

2016-06-01

The current fiber-based illumination systems of laparoscopes are unable to uniformly illuminate a large enough area in abdomen due to the limited numerical aperture (NA) of the fiber bundle. Most energy is concentrated in a small region at the center of the illumination area. This limitation becomes problematic in laparoscopes which require capturing a wide field of view. In this paper, we propose an aspherical lens array which is used to direct the outgoing rays from the fiber bundle of laparoscope to produce a more uniformly illuminated, substantially larger field coverage than standalone fiber source. An intensity feedback method is developed to design the aspherical lens unit for extended non-Lambertian sources, which is the key to the design of this lens array. By this method, the lens unit is obtained after only one iteration, and the lens array is constructed by Boolean operation. Then, the ray-tracing technique is used to verify the design. Further, the lens array is fabricated and experimental tests are performed. The results clearly show that the well-illuminated area is increased to about 0.107m(2) from 0.02m(2) (about 5x larger than a standard fiber illumination source). More details of the internal organs can be clearly observed under this improved illumination condition, which also reflects the significant improvement in the optical performance of the laparoscope.

Buckling Modes of Structural Elements of Off-Axis Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paimushin, V. N.; Polyakova, N. V.; Kholmogorov, S. A.; Shishov, M. A.

2018-05-01

The structures of two types of unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites — with an ELUR-P carbon fiber tape, an XT-118 cold-cure binder with an HSE 180 REM prepreg, and a hot-cure binder — were investigated. The diameters of fibers and fiber bundles (threads) of both the types of composites were measured, and their mutual arrangement was examined both in the semifinished products (in the uncured state) and in the finished composites. The defects characteristic of both the types of binder and manufacturing technique were detected in the cured composites. Based on an analysis of the results obtained, linearized problems on the internal multiscale buckling modes of an individual fiber (with and without account of its interaction with the surrounding matrix) or of a fiber bundle are formulated. In the initial atate, these structural elements of the fibrous composites are in a subcritical (unperturbed) state under the action of shear stresses and tension (compression) in the transverse direction. Such an initial stress state is formed in them in tension and compression tests on flat specimens made of off-axis-reinforced composites with straight fibers. To formulate the problems, the equations derived earlier from a consistent variant of geometrically nonlinear equations of elasticity theory by reducing them to the one-dimensional equations of the theory of straight rods on the basis of a refined Timoshenko shear model with account of tensile-compressive strains in the transverse direction are used. It is shown that, in loading test specimens, a continuous rearrangement of composite structure can occur due to the realization and continuous change of internal buckling modes as the wave-formation parameter varies continuously, which apparently explain the decrease revealed in the tangential shear modulus of the fibrous composites with increasing shear strains.

The Actions of Calcium on Hair Bundle Mechanics in Mammalian Cochlear Hair Cells

PubMed Central

Beurg, Maryline; Nam, Jong-Hoon; Crawford, Andrew; Fettiplace, Robert

2008-01-01

Sound stimuli excite cochlear hair cells by vibration of each hair bundle, which opens mechanotransducer (MT) channels. We have measured hair-bundle mechanics in isolated rat cochleas by stimulation with flexible glass fibers and simultaneous recording of the MT current. Both inner and outer hair-cell bundles exhibited force-displacement relationships with a nonlinearity that reflects a time-dependent reduction in stiffness. The nonlinearity was abolished, and hair-bundle stiffness increased, by maneuvers that diminished calcium influx through the MT channels: lowering extracellular calcium, blocking the MT current with dihydrostreptomycin, or depolarizing to positive potentials. To simulate the effects of Ca2+, we constructed a finite-element model of the outer hair cell bundle that incorporates the gating-spring hypothesis for MT channel activation. Four calcium ions were assumed to bind to the MT channel, making it harder to open, and, in addition, Ca2+ was posited to cause either a channel release or a decrease in the gating-spring stiffness. Both mechanisms produced Ca2+ effects on adaptation and bundle mechanics comparable to those measured experimentally. We suggest that fast adaptation and force generation by the hair bundle may stem from the action of Ca2+ on the channel complex and do not necessarily require the direct involvement of a myosin motor. The significance of these results for cochlear transduction and amplification are discussed. PMID:18178649

Spontaneous Oscillation by Hair Bundles of the Bullfrog's Sacculus

PubMed Central

Martin, Pascal; Bozovic, D.; Choe, Y.; Hudspeth, A. J.

2007-01-01

One prominent manifestation of mechanical activity in hair cells is spontaneous otoacoustic emission, the unprovoked emanation of sound by an internal ear. Because active hair-bundle motility probably constitutes the active process of non-mammalian hair cells, we investigated the ability of hair bundles in the bullfrog's sacculus to produce oscillations that might underlie spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. When maintained in the ear's normal ionic milieu, many bundles oscillated spontaneously through distances as great as 80 nm at frequencies of 5-50 Hz. Whole-cell recording disclosed that the positive phase of movement was associated with the opening of transduction channels. Gentamicin, which blocks transduction channels, reversibly arrested oscillation; drugs that affect the cAMP phosphorylation pathway and might influence myosin's activity altered the rate of oscillation. Increasing the Ca2+ concentration rendered oscillations faster and smaller until they were suppressed; lowering the Ca2+ concentration moderately with chelators had the opposite effect. When a bundle was offset with a stimulus fiber, oscillations were transiently suppressed but gradually resumed. Loading a bundle by partial displacement clamping, which simulated the presence of the accessory structures to which a bundle is ordinarily attached, increased the frequency and diminished the magnitude of oscillation. These observations accord with a model in which oscillations arise from the interplay of the hair bundle's negative stiffness with the activity of adaptation motors and with Ca2+-dependent relaxation of gating springs. PMID:12805294

Rugged fiber optic probe for raman measurement

DOEpatents

O'Rourke, Patrick E.; Toole, Jr., William R.; Nave, Stanley E.

1998-01-01

An optical probe for conducting light scattering analysis is disclosed. The probe comprises a hollow housing and a probe tip. A fiber assembly made up of a transmitting fiber and a receiving bundle is inserted in the tip. A filter assembly is inserted in the housing and connected to the fiber assembly. A signal line from the light source and to the spectrometer also is connected to the filter assembly and communicates with the fiber assembly. By using a spring-loaded assembly to hold the fiber connectors together with the in-line filters, complex and sensitive alignment procedures are avoided. The close proximity of the filter assembly to the probe tip eliminates or minimizes self-scattering generated by the optical fiber. Also, because the probe can contact the sample directly, sensitive optics can be eliminated.

Surgical Management of Neurovascular Bundle in Uterine Fibroid Pseudocapsule

PubMed Central

Malvasi, Antonio; Hurst, Brad S.; Tsin, Daniel A.; Davila, Fausto; Dominguez, Guillermo; Dell'edera, Domenico; Cavallotti, Carlo; Negro, Roberto; Gustapane, Sarah; Teigland, Chris M.; Mettler, Liselotte

2012-01-01

The uterine fibroid pseudocapsule is a fibro-neurovascular structure surrounding a leiomyoma, separating it from normal peripheral myometrium. The fibroid pseudocapsule is composed of a neurovascular network rich in neurofibers similar to the neurovascular bundle surrounding a prostate. The nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy has several intriguing parallels to myomectomy. It may serve either as a useful model in modern fibroid surgical removal, or it may accelerate our understanding of the role of the fibrovascular bundle and neurotransmitters in the healing and restoration of reproductive potential after intracapsular myomectomy. Surgical innovations, such as laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy applied to the intracapsular technique with magnification of the fibroid pseudocapsule surrounding a leiomyoma, originated from the radical prostatectomy method that highlighted a careful dissection of the neurovascular bundle to preserve sexual functioning after prostatectomy. Gentle uterine leiomyoma detachment from the pseudocapsule neurovascular bundle has allowed a reduction in uterine bleeding and uterine musculature trauma with sparing of the pseudocapsule neuropeptide fibers. This technique has had a favorable impact on functionality in reproduction and has improved fertility outcomes. Further research should determine the role of the myoma pseudocapsule neurovascular bundle in the formation, growth, and pathophysiological consequences of fibroids, including pain, infertility, and reproductive outcomes. PMID:22906340

Thick Filament Length and Isoform Composition Determine Self-Organized Contractile Units in Actomyosin Bundles

PubMed Central

Thoresen, Todd; Lenz, Martin; Gardel, Margaret L.

2013-01-01

Diverse myosin II isoforms regulate contractility of actomyosin bundles in disparate physiological processes by variations in both motor mechanochemistry and the extent to which motors are clustered into thick filaments. Although the role of mechanochemistry is well appreciated, the extent to which thick filament length regulates actomyosin contractility is unknown. Here, we study the contractility of minimal actomyosin bundles formed in vitro by mixtures of F-actin and thick filaments of nonmuscle, smooth, and skeletal muscle myosin isoforms with varied length. Diverse myosin II isoforms guide the self-organization of distinct contractile units within in vitro bundles with shortening rates similar to those of in vivo myofibrils and stress fibers. The tendency to form contractile units increases with the thick filament length, resulting in a bundle shortening rate proportional to the length of constituent myosin thick filament. We develop a model that describes our data, providing a framework in which to understand how diverse myosin II isoforms regulate the contractile behaviors of disordered actomyosin bundles found in muscle and nonmuscle cells. These experiments provide insight into physiological processes that use dynamic regulation of thick filament length, such as smooth muscle contraction. PMID:23442916

Confocal microendoscopy: Characterization of imaging bundles, fluorescent contrast agents, and early clinical results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udovich, Joshua Anthony

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer related deaths among women. Early detection improves the chances of survival following diagnosis, and new imaging modalities have the potential to reduce deaths due to this disease. The confocal microendoscope (CME) is a non-destructive in-vivo imaging device for visualization of the ovaries that operates in real-time. Two components of the CME system are evaluated in this paper, and initial results from an ongoing clinical trial are presented. Fiber-optic imaging bundles are used in the CME imaging catheter to relay images over distances of up to 20 feet. When detecting fluorescent signals from investigated tissue, any fluorescence in the system can potentially reduce contrast in images. The emission and transmission properties of three commercially available fiber optic imaging bundles were evaluated. Emission maps of fluorescence from bundles were generated at multiple excitation wavelengths to determine the profile and amount of fluorescence present in bundles manufactured by Sumitomo, Fujikura, and Schott. Results are also presented that show the variation of transmittance as a function of illumination angle in these bundles. Users of high-resolution fiber-optic imaging bundles should be aware of these properties and take them into account during system design. Contrast is improved in images obtained with the CME through the application of topical dyes. Acridine orange (AO) and SYTO 16 are two fluorescent stains that are used to show the size, shape, and distribution of cell nuclei. Unfortunately, little is known about the effects of these dyes on living tissues. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of dye treatment on peritoneal tissues in mice. Seventy-five Balb/c mice were split into five groups of fifteen and given peritoneal injections of dye or saline. The proportions of negative outcomes for the control and test groups were compared using confidence intervals and the Fisher's exact test. No significant difference was determined between the groups. These data provide preliminary results on determining the effect of these dyes on living tissues. Preliminary results of a clinical trial are presented showing in-vivo use of the CME for imaging of the ovaries. This is the first portion of a two part study to demonstrate the clinical diagnosis potential of the CME system. A mobile version of the bench-top CME was modified to be used in the clinic. Fluorescein sodium is used as an initial contrast agent in these studies to demonstrate fluorescence imaging. Twenty patients were successfully imaged, and results of this study have allowed progression to a clinical validation study showing the diagnostic capabilities of the CME.

Coupling and Elastic Loading Affect the Active Response by the Inner Ear Hair Cell Bundles

PubMed Central

Strimbu, Clark Elliott; Fredrickson-Hemsing, Lea; Bozovic, Dolores

2012-01-01

Active hair bundle motility has been proposed to underlie the amplification mechanism in the auditory endorgans of non-mammals and in the vestibular systems of all vertebrates, and to constitute a crucial component of cochlear amplification in mammals. We used semi-intact in vitro preparations of the bullfrog sacculus to study the effects of elastic mechanical loading on both natively coupled and freely oscillating hair bundles. For the latter, we attached glass fibers of different stiffness to the stereocilia and observed the induced changes in the spontaneous bundle movement. When driven with sinusoidal deflections, hair bundles displayed phase-locked response indicative of an Arnold Tongue, with the frequency selectivity highest at low amplitudes and decreasing under stronger stimulation. A striking broadening of the mode-locked response was seen with increasing stiffness of the load, until approximate impedance matching, where the phase-locked response remained flat over the physiological range of frequencies. When the otolithic membrane was left intact atop the preparation, the natural loading of the bundles likewise decreased their frequency selectivity with respect to that observed in freely oscillating bundles. To probe for signatures of the active process under natural loading and coupling conditions, we applied transient mechanical stimuli to the otolithic membrane. Following the pulses, the underlying bundles displayed active movement in the opposite direction, analogous to the twitches observed in individual cells. Tracking features in the otolithic membrane indicated that it moved in phase with the bundles. Hence, synchronous active motility evoked in the system of coupled hair bundles by external input is sufficient to displace large overlying structures. PMID:22479461

Collagen structure of tendon relates to function.

PubMed

Franchi, Marco; Trirè, Alessandra; Quaranta, Marilisa; Orsini, Ester; Ottani, Victoria

2007-03-30

A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone, designed to transmit forces and withstand tension during muscle contraction. Tendon may be surrounded by different structures: 1) fibrous sheaths or retinaculae; 2) reflection pulleys; 3) synovial sheaths; 4) peritendon sheaths; 5) tendon bursae. Tendons contain a) few cells, mostly represented by tenoblasts along with endothelial cells and some chondrocytes; b) proteoglycans (PGs), mainly decorin and hyaluronan, and c) collagen, mostly type I. Tendon is a good example of a high ordered extracellular matrix in which collagen molecules assemble into filamentous collagen fibrils (formed by microfibrils) which aggregate to form collagen fibers, the main structural components. It represents a multihierarchical structure as it contains collagen molecules arranged in fibrils then grouped in fibril bundles, fascicles and fiber bundles that are almost parallel to the long axis of the tendon, named as primary, secondary and tertiary bundles. Collagen fibrils in tendons show prevalently large diameter, a D-period of about 67 nm and appear built of collagen molecules lying at a slight angle (< 5 degrees). Under polarized light microscopy the collagen fiber bundles appear crimped with alternative dark and light transverse bands. In recent studies tendon crimps observed via SEM and TEM show that the single collagen fibrils suddenly changing their direction contain knots. These knots of collagen fibrils inside each tendon crimp have been termed "fibrillar crimps", and even if they show different aspects they all may fulfil the same functional role. As integral component of musculoskeletal system, the tendon acts to transmit muscle forces to the skeletal system. There is no complete understanding of the mechanisms in transmitting/absorbing tensional forces within the tendon; however it seems likely that a flattening of tendon crimps may occur at a first stage of tendon stretching. Increasing stretching, other transmission mechanisms such as an interfibrillar coupling via PGs linkages and a molecular gliding within the fibrils structure may be involved.

Fused oblique incidence reflectometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risi, Matthew D.; Rouse, Andrew R.; Gmitro, Arthur F.

2011-03-01

Confocal microendoscopy provides real-time high resolution cellular level images via a minimally invasive procedure, but relies on exogenous fluorophores, has a relatively limited penetration depth (100 μm) and field of view (700 μm), and produces a high rate of detailed information to the user. A new catheter based multi-modal system has been designed that combines confocal imaging and oblique incidence reflectometry (OIR), which is a non-invasive method capable of rapidly extracting tissue absorption, μa, and reduced scattering, μ's, spectra from tissue. The system builds on previous developments of a custom slit-scan multi-spectral confocal microendoscope and is designed to rapidly switch between diffuse spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging modes of operation. An experimental proof-of-principle catheter has been developed that consists of a fiber bundle for traditional confocal fluorescence imaging and a single OIR source fiber which is manually redirected at +/- 26 degrees. Diffusely scattered light from each orientation of the source fiber is collected via the fiber bundle, with a frame of data representing spectra collected at a range of distances from the OIR source point. Initial results with intralipid phantoms show good agreement to published data over the 550-650 nm spectral range. We successfully imaged and measured the optical properties of rodent cardiac muscle.

Double optical fibre-probe device for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicchi, Riccardo; Cosci, Alessandro; Rossari, Susanna; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Kapsokalyvas, Dimitrios; Massi, Daniela; Pavone, Francesco S.

2012-06-01

We have designed and developed an optical fiber-probe for spectroscopic measurements on human tissues. The experimental setup combines fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy in a multidimensional approach. Concerning fluorescence spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by two laser diodes, one emitting in the UV (378 nm) and the other emitting in the visible (445 nm). These two lasers are used to selectively excite fluorescence from NADH and FAD, which are among the brightest endogenous fluorophores in human tissues. For Raman and NIR spectroscopy, the excitation is provided by a third laser diode with 785 nm excitation wavelength. Laser light is delivered to the tissue through the central optical fiber of a fiber bundle. The surrounding 48 fibers of the bundle are used for collecting fluorescence and Raman and for delivering light to the spectrograph. Fluorescence and Raman spectra are acquired on a cooled CCD camera. The instrument has been tested on fresh human skin biopsies clinically diagnosed as malignant melanoma, melanocytic nevus, or healthy skin, finding an optimal correlation with the subsequent histological exam. In some cases our examination was not in agreement with the clinical observation, but it was with the histological exam, demonstrating that the system can potentially contribute to improve clinical diagnostic capabilities and hence reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

The role of fibers in the femoral attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament in resisting tibial displacement.

PubMed

Kawaguchi, Yasuyuki; Kondo, Eiji; Takeda, Ryo; Akita, Keiichi; Yasuda, Kazunori; Amis, Andrew A

2015-03-01

The purpose was to clarify the load-bearing functions of the fibers of the femoral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attachment in resisting tibial anterior drawer and rotation. A sequential cutting study was performed on 8 fresh-frozen human knees. The femoral attachment of the ACL was divided into a central area that had dense fibers inserting directly into the femur and anterior and posterior fan-like extension areas. The ACL fibers were cut sequentially from the bone: the posterior fan-like area in 2 stages, the central dense area in 4 stages, and then the anterior fan-like area in 2 stages. Each knee was mounted in a robotic joint testing system that applied tibial anteroposterior 6-mm translations and 10° or 15° of internal rotation at 0° to 90° of flexion. The reduction of restraining force or moment was measured after each cut. The central area resisted 82% to 90% of the anterior drawer force; the anterior fan-like area, 2% to 3%; and the posterior fan-like area, 11% to 15%. Among the 4 central areas, most load was carried close to the roof of the intercondylar notch: the anteromedial bundle resisted 66% to 84% of the force and the posterolateral bundle resisted 16% to 9% from 0° to 90° of flexion. There was no clear pattern for tibial internal rotation, with the load shared among the posterodistal and central areas near extension and mostly the central areas in flexion. Under the experimental conditions described, 66% to 84% of the resistance to tibial anterior drawer arose from the ACL fibers at the central-proximal area of the femoral attachment, corresponding to the anteromedial bundle; the fan-like extension fibers contributed very little. This work did not support moving a single-bundle ACL graft to the side wall of the notch or attempting to cover the whole attachment area if the intention was to mimic how the natural ACL resists tibial displacements. There is ongoing debate about how best to reconstruct the ACL to restore normal knee function, including where is the best place for ACL graft tunnels. This study found that the most important area on the femur, in terms of resisting displacement of the tibia, was in the central-anterior part of the femoral ACL attachment, near the roof of the intercondylar notch. The testing protocol did not lead to data that would support using a large ACL graft tunnel that attempts to cover the whole natural femoral attachment area. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Fibers in the Femoral Attachment of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in Resisting Tibial Displacement

PubMed Central

Kawaguchi, Yasuyuki; Kondo, Eiji; Takeda, Ryo; Akita, Keiichi; Yasuda, Kazunori; Amis, Andrew A.

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose was to clarify the load-bearing functions of the fibers of the femoral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attachment in resisting tibial anterior drawer and rotation. Methods A sequential cutting study was performed on 8 fresh-frozen human knees. The femoral attachment of the ACL was divided into a central area that had dense fibers inserting directly into the femur and anterior and posterior fan-like extension areas. The ACL fibers were cut sequentially from the bone: the posterior fan-like area in 2 stages, the central dense area in 4 stages, and then the anterior fan-like area in 2 stages. Each knee was mounted in a robotic joint testing system that applied tibial anteroposterior 6-mm translations and 10° or 15° of internal rotation at 0° to 90° of flexion. The reduction of restraining force or moment was measured after each cut. Results The central area resisted 82% to 90% of the anterior drawer force; the anterior fan-like area, 2% to 3%; and the posterior fan-like area, 11% to 15%. Among the 4 central areas, most load was carried close to the roof of the intercondylar notch: the anteromedial bundle resisted 66% to 84% of the force and the posterolateral bundle resisted 16% to 9% from 0° to 90° of flexion. There was no clear pattern for tibial internal rotation, with the load shared among the posterodistal and central areas near extension and mostly the central areas in flexion. Conclusions Under the experimental conditions described, 66% to 84% of the resistance to tibial anterior drawer arose from the ACL fibers at the central-proximal area of the femoral attachment, corresponding to the anteromedial bundle; the fan-like extension fibers contributed very little. This work did not support moving a single-bundle ACL graft to the side wall of the notch or attempting to cover the whole attachment area if the intention was to mimic how the natural ACL resists tibial displacements. Clinical Relevance There is ongoing debate about how best to reconstruct the ACL to restore normal knee function, including where is the best place for ACL graft tunnels. This study found that the most important area on the femur, in terms of resisting displacement of the tibia, was in the central-anterior part of the femoral ACL attachment, near the roof of the intercondylar notch. The testing protocol did not lead to data that would support using a large ACL graft tunnel that attempts to cover the whole natural femoral attachment area. PMID:25530509

Tropomodulin 1 Regulation of Actin Is Required for the Formation of Large Paddle Protrusions Between Mature Lens Fiber Cells

PubMed Central

Cheng, Catherine; Nowak, Roberta B.; Biswas, Sondip K.; Lo, Woo-Kuen; FitzGerald, Paul G.; Fowler, Velia M.

2016-01-01

Purpose To elucidate the proteins required for specialized small interlocking protrusions and large paddle domains at lens fiber cell tricellular junctions (vertices), we developed a novel method to immunostain single lens fibers and studied changes in cell morphology due to loss of tropomodulin 1 (Tmod1), an F-actin pointed end–capping protein. Methods We investigated F-actin and F-actin–binding protein localization in interdigitations of Tmod1+/+ and Tmod1−/− single mature lens fibers. Results F-actin–rich small protrusions and large paddles were present along cell vertices of Tmod1+/+ mature fibers. In contrast, Tmod1−/− mature fiber cells lack normal paddle domains, while small protrusions were unaffected. In Tmod1+/+ mature fibers, Tmod1, β2-spectrin, and α-actinin are localized in large puncta in valleys between paddles; but in Tmod1−/− mature fibers, β2-spectrin was dispersed while α-actinin was redistributed at the base of small protrusions and rudimentary paddles. Fimbrin and Arp3 (actin-related protein 3) were located in puncta at the base of small protrusions, while N-cadherin and ezrin outlined the cell membrane in both Tmod1+/+ and Tmod1−/− mature fibers. Conclusions These results suggest that distinct F-actin organizations are present in small protrusions versus large paddles. Formation and/or maintenance of large paddle domains depends on a β2-spectrin–actin network stabilized by Tmod1. α-Actinin–crosslinked F-actin bundles are enhanced in absence of Tmod1, indicating altered cytoskeleton organization. Formation of small protrusions is likely facilitated by Arp3-branched and fimbrin-bundled F-actin networks, which do not depend on Tmod1. This is the first work to reveal the F-actin–associated proteins required for the formation of paddles between lens fibers. PMID:27537257

Optimizing pulse compressibility in completely all-fibered Ytterbium chirped pulse amplifiers for in vivo two photon laser scanning microscopy

PubMed Central

Fernández, A.; Grüner-Nielsen, L.; Andreana, M.; Stadler, M.; Kirchberger, S.; Sturtzel, C.; Distel, M.; Zhu, L.; Kautek, W.; Leitgeb, R.; Baltuska, A.; Jespersen, K.; Verhoef, A.

2017-01-01

A simple and completely all-fiber Yb chirped pulse amplifier that uses a dispersion matched fiber stretcher and a spliced-on hollow core photonic bandgap fiber compressor is applied in nonlinear optical microscopy. This stretching-compression approach improves compressibility and helps to maximize the fluorescence signal in two-photon laser scanning microscopy as compared with approaches that use standard single mode fibers as stretcher. We also show that in femtosecond all-fiber systems, compensation of higher order dispersion terms is relevant even for pulses with relatively narrow bandwidths for applications relying on nonlinear optical effects. The completely all-fiber system was applied to image green fluorescent beads, a stained lily-of-the-valley root and rat-tail tendon. We also demonstrated in vivo imaging in zebrafish larvae, where we simultaneously measure second harmonic and fluorescence from two-photon excited red-fluorescent protein. Since the pulses are compressed in a fiber, this source is especially suited for upgrading existing laser scanning (confocal) microscopes with multiphoton imaging capabilities in space restricted settings or for incorporation in endoscope-based microscopy. PMID:28856032

Optimizing pulse compressibility in completely all-fibered Ytterbium chirped pulse amplifiers for in vivo two photon laser scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Fernández, A; Grüner-Nielsen, L; Andreana, M; Stadler, M; Kirchberger, S; Sturtzel, C; Distel, M; Zhu, L; Kautek, W; Leitgeb, R; Baltuska, A; Jespersen, K; Verhoef, A

2017-08-01

A simple and completely all-fiber Yb chirped pulse amplifier that uses a dispersion matched fiber stretcher and a spliced-on hollow core photonic bandgap fiber compressor is applied in nonlinear optical microscopy. This stretching-compression approach improves compressibility and helps to maximize the fluorescence signal in two-photon laser scanning microscopy as compared with approaches that use standard single mode fibers as stretcher. We also show that in femtosecond all-fiber systems, compensation of higher order dispersion terms is relevant even for pulses with relatively narrow bandwidths for applications relying on nonlinear optical effects. The completely all-fiber system was applied to image green fluorescent beads, a stained lily-of-the-valley root and rat-tail tendon. We also demonstrated in vivo imaging in zebrafish larvae, where we simultaneously measure second harmonic and fluorescence from two-photon excited red-fluorescent protein. Since the pulses are compressed in a fiber, this source is especially suited for upgrading existing laser scanning (confocal) microscopes with multiphoton imaging capabilities in space restricted settings or for incorporation in endoscope-based microscopy.

Finite element BPM fiber modal instability modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Benjamin G.

2018-02-01

Two approaches are presented for detailed analysis of transverse mode instability in fiber amplifiers based on a scalar finite element beam propagation method (BPM). The first employs two beams: one propagating at a fundamental frequency and one de-tuned to the middle of the stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering (STRS) gain peak. This method was found to suffer from a computational artifact causing it to converge in some cases to an unphysical solution. The second was based on the steady periodic method. This required more computational resources but was found to be reliable and not susceptible to the artifact mentioned above. This method was used to simulate step-index fiber amplifiers, large pitch photonic crystal fiber amplifiers, and a hybrid large pitch photonic bandgap fiber amplifier with reduced symmetry. Results for reference step index fiber amplifiers were found to be consistent with those obtained by other methods. The simulated instability threshold values all fell between 200 and 310 Watts showing relatively little variation among designs. Some areas for improvement in the method are discussed.

Proximity fuze

DOEpatents

Harrison, Thomas R.

1989-08-22

A proximity fuze system includes an optical ranging apparatus, a detonation circuit controlled by the optical ranging apparatus, and an explosive charge detonated by the detonation cirtcuit. The optical ranging apparatus includes a pulsed laser light source for generating target ranging light pulses and optical reference light pulses. A single lens directs ranging pulses to a target and collects reflected light from the target. An optical fiber bundle is used for delaying the optical reference pulses to correspond to a predetermined distance from the target. The optical ranging apparatus includes circuitry for providing a first signal depending upon the light pulses reflected from the target, a second signal depending upon the light pulses from the optical delay fiber bundle, and an output signal when the first and second signals coincide with each other. The output signal occurs when the distance from the target is equal to the predetermined distance form the target. Additional circuitry distinguishes pulses reflected from the target from background solar radiation.

Simultaneous photoacoustic and optically mediated ultrasound microscopy: an in vivo study

PubMed Central

Orlova, Anna; Shirmanova, Marina; Postnikova, Anna; Turchin, Ilya

2015-01-01

We propose the use of thermoelastic (TE) excitation of an ultrasonic (US) detector by backscattered laser radiation as a means of upgrading a single-modality photoacoustic (PA) microscope to dual-modality PA/US imaging at minimal cost. The upgraded scanning head of our dual-modality microscope consists of a fiber bundle with 14 output arms and a 32MHz polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) detector with a 34 MHz bandwidth (−6 dB level), 12.7 mm focal length, and a 0.25 numerical aperture. A single optical pulse delivered through the fiber bundle to the biotissue being investigated, in combination with a metalized surface on the PVDF detector allows us to obtain both PA and US A-scans. To demonstrate the in vivo capabilities of the proposed method we present the results of bimodal imaging of the brain of a newborn rat, a mouse tail and a mouse tumor. PMID:25780752

Modes of failure in disordered solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Subhadeep; Biswas, Soumyajyoti; Ray, Purusattam

2017-12-01

The two principal ingredients determining the failure modes of disordered solids are the strength of heterogeneity and the length scale of the region affected in the solid following a local failure. While the latter facilitates damage nucleation, the former leads to diffused damage—the two extreme natures of the failure modes. In this study, using the random fiber bundle model as a prototype for disordered solids, we classify all failure modes that are the results of interplay between these two effects. We obtain scaling criteria for the different modes and propose a general phase diagram that provides a framework for understanding previous theoretical and experimental attempts of interpolation between these modes. As the fiber bundle model is a long-standing model for interpreting various features of stressed disordered solids, the general phase diagram can serve as a guiding principle in anticipating the responses of disordered solids in general.

Fast optically sectioned fluorescence HiLo endomicroscopy.

PubMed

Ford, Tim N; Lim, Daryl; Mertz, Jerome

2012-02-01

We describe a nonscanning, fiber bundle endomicroscope that performs optically sectioned fluorescence imaging with fast frame rates and real-time processing. Our sectioning technique is based on HiLo imaging, wherein two widefield images are acquired under uniform and structured illumination and numerically processed to reject out-of-focus background. This work is an improvement upon an earlier demonstration of widefield optical sectioning through a flexible fiber bundle. The improved device features lateral and axial resolutions of 2.6 and 17 μm, respectively, a net frame rate of 9.5 Hz obtained by real-time image processing with a graphics processing unit (GPU) and significantly reduced motion artifacts obtained by the use of a double-shutter camera. We demonstrate the performance of our system with optically sectioned images and videos of a fluorescently labeled chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in the developing G. gallus embryo. HiLo endomicroscopy is a candidate technique for low-cost, high-speed clinical optical biopsies.

Fast optically sectioned fluorescence HiLo endomicroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Tim N.; Lim, Daryl; Mertz, Jerome

2012-02-01

We describe a nonscanning, fiber bundle endomicroscope that performs optically sectioned fluorescence imaging with fast frame rates and real-time processing. Our sectioning technique is based on HiLo imaging, wherein two widefield images are acquired under uniform and structured illumination and numerically processed to reject out-of-focus background. This work is an improvement upon an earlier demonstration of widefield optical sectioning through a flexible fiber bundle. The improved device features lateral and axial resolutions of 2.6 and 17 μm, respectively, a net frame rate of 9.5 Hz obtained by real-time image processing with a graphics processing unit (GPU) and significantly reduced motion artifacts obtained by the use of a double-shutter camera. We demonstrate the performance of our system with optically sectioned images and videos of a fluorescently labeled chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in the developing G. gallus embryo. HiLo endomicroscopy is a candidate technique for low-cost, high-speed clinical optical biopsies.

An optical probe for local measurements of fast plasma ion dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiksel, G.; Den Hartog, D. J.; Fontana, P. W.

1998-05-01

A novel insertable probe for local measurements of equilibrium and fluctuating plasma ion flow velocity and temperature via Doppler spectroscopy is described. Optical radiation is collected by two fused silica fiber optic bundles with perpendicular viewlines. Spatial resolution of about 5 cm is achieved by terminating each view with an optical dump. The collected light is transported by the fiber bundles to a high-resolution spectrometer. Two components of the velocity are measured simultaneously—the radial along the insertion of the probe and a perpendicular component (which can be varied by simply rotating the probe by 90°). The accuracy of the velocity measurements is better than 1 km/s. The probe is armored by a boron nitride enclosure and is inserted into a high temperature plasma to obtain radial profiles of the equilibrium and fluctuating plasma velocity. Initial measurements have been done in Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch.

High-resolution confocal Raman microscopy using pixel reassignment.

PubMed

Roider, Clemens; Ritsch-Marte, Monika; Jesacher, Alexander

2016-08-15

We present a practical modification of fiber-coupled confocal Raman scanning microscopes that is able to provide high confocal resolution in conjunction with high light collection efficiency. For this purpose, the single detection fiber is replaced by a hexagonal lenslet array in combination with a hexagonally packed round-to-linear multimode fiber bundle. A multiline detector is used to collect individual Raman spectra for each fiber. Data post-processing based on pixel reassignment allows one to improve the lateral resolution by up to 41% compared to a single fiber of equal light collection efficiency. We present results from an experimental implementation featuring seven collection fibers, yielding a resolution improvement of about 30%. We believe that our implementation represents an attractive upgrade for existing confocal Raman microscopes that employ multi-line detectors.

Optical apparatus for laser scattering by objects having complex shapes

DOEpatents

Ellingson, William A.; Visher, Robert J.

2006-11-14

Apparatus for observing and measuring in realtime surface and subsurface characteristics of objects having complex shapes includes an optical fiber bundle having first and second opposed ends. The first end includes a linear array of fibers, where the ends of adjacent fibers are in contact and are aligned perpendicular to the surface of the object being studied. The second ends of some of the fibers are in the form of a polished ferrule forming a multi-fiber optical waveguide for receiving laser light. The second ends of the remaining fibers are formed into a linear array suitable for direct connection to a detector, such as a linear CMOS-based optical detector. The output data is analyzed using digital signal processing for the detection of anomalies such as cracks, voids, inclusions and other defects.

Fabricating and strengthening the carbon nanotube/copper composite fibers with high strength and high electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Baoshuai; Guo, Enyu; Xue, Xiang; Zhao, Zhiyong; Li, Tiejun; Xu, Yanjin; Luo, Liangshun; Hou, Hongliang

2018-05-01

Combining the excellent properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) and copper, CNT/Cu composite fibers were fabricated by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and rolling treatment. Dense and continuous copper film (∼2 μm) was coated on the surface of the CNT fibers by PVD, and rolling treatment was adopt to strengthen the CNT/Cu composite fibers. After the rolling treatment, the defects between the Cu grains and the CNT bundles were eliminated, and the structure of both the copper film and the core CNT fibers were optimized. The rolled CNT/Cu composite fibers possess high tensile effective strength (1.01 ± 0.13 GPa) and high electrical conductivity ((2.6 ± 0.3) × 107 S/m), and thus, this material may become a promising wire material.

Development of manufacturing process for large-diameter composite monofilaments by pyrolysis of resin-impregnated carbon-fiber bundles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradshaw, W. G.; Pinoli, P. C.; Vidoz, A. E.

1972-01-01

Large diameter, carbon-carbon composite, monofilaments were produced from the pyrolysis of organic precursor resins reinforced with high-strenght carbon fibers. The mechanical properties were measured before and after pyrolysis and the results were correlated with the properties of the constituents. The composite resulting from the combination of Thornel 75 and GW-173 resin precursor produced the highest tensile strength. The importance of matching strain-to-failure of fibers and matrix to obtain all the potential reinforcement of fibers is discussed. Methods are described to reduce, within the carbonaceous matrix, pyrolysis flaws which tend to reduce the composite strength. Preliminary studies are described which demonstrated the feasibility of fiber-matrix copyrolysis to alleviate matrix cracking and provide an improved matrix-fiber interfacial bonding.

The dinosaurian origin of feathers: perspectives from dolphin (Cetacea) collagen fibers.

PubMed

Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten

2003-12-01

The early origin of birds is a hotly disputed debate and may be broadly framed as a conflict between paleontologists and ornithologists. The paleontological emphasis has shifted from Archaeopteryx and its origins to recent finds of Cretaceous birds and "feathered" dinosaurs from China. The identification of alleged feathers has, however, relied principally on the visual image. Some workers have interpreted these integumentary structures as collagen fibers. To test the latter hypothesis, using light microscopy, collagen from the hypodermis (blubber) and subdermal connective tissue sheath was examined from a dolphin that had been buried for a year as part of an experiment. Within the blubber, toward the central thicker parts of the material, the collagen fibers had compacted and the three-dimensional latticework of normal blubber had more or less collapsed. Chromatographic analysis of the blubber revealed pronounced oxidation of the unsaturated lipids, probably accounting for the collapse of the latticework. Fibers normally bound together in bundles became separated into individual fibers or smaller bundles by degradation of the glue-like substance binding them together. These degraded collagen fibers show, in many instances, feather-like patterns, strikingly reminiscent of many of those identified as either "protofeathers" or "modern" feathers in dromaeosaurid dinosaurs. The findings throw serious doubt on the virtually complete reliance on visual image by supporters of the feathered dinosaur thesis and emphasize the need for more rigorous methods of identification using modern feathers as a frame of reference. Since collagen is the main fiber type found in most supporting tissues, the results have wide implications regarding the degradation and fossilization of vertebrate integument, such as that of the ichthyosaurs, dinosaurs and birds.

On the etiology of the electric activity of the external anal and urethral sphincters.

PubMed

Shafik, Ali A; Shafik, Ismail A; El Sibai, Olfat

2014-10-01

In a previous study, the external anal sphincter (EAS) in dogs, known to consist of skeletal muscle fibers, was proved to contain bundles of smooth muscle fibers in between as well. Cause of electric activity in the external anal and urethral sphincters is not known; the current study investigated this point. Slices from external anal and urethral sphincters of 21 cadavers (12 male, 9 female). Eighth were fully and mat wide neonates, 13 were adults, were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome and succinic dehydrogenase, and examined microscopically. Eighteen healthy volunteers, electromyography activity of their external anal and urethral sphincters was recorded at rest, on coughing, after pudendal nerve block and after drotaverine administration, (a smooth muscle relaxant). Anal and urethral pressures were also measured. Microscopic studies have shown that both external anal and urethral sphincters were formed of bundles of smooth muscle fibers present in between the skeletal muscle fibers. Bilateral pudendal nerve block did not abolish the external anal or the urethral sphincters electromyography activity at rest, or on coughing, and did not cause significant anal or urethral pressure changes (p > .05). Drotaverine administration lead to disappearance of the electromyography activity and significant decline of the anal and urethral pressures (p < .05). The results were reproducible when the tests were repeated in the same subject. Histologic examination revealed the presence of smooth muscle fibers, between the skeletal fibers of the external anal and urethral sphincters. Evidence suggests that the smooth muscle fibers are the source of the electric activity of the sphincters and might explain some physiologic phenomena such as the external anal contraction on rectal distension or on coughing.

Nano-cone optical fiber array sensors for MiRNA profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yunshan; Senapati, Satyajyoti; Stoddart, Paul; Howard, Scott; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2013-09-01

Up/down regulation of microRNA panels has been correlated to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Frequent miRNA profiling at home can hence allow early cancer diagnosis and home-use chronic disease monitoring, thus reducing both mortality rate and healthcare cost. However, lifetime of miRNAs is less than 1 hour without preservation and their concentrations range from pM to mM. Despite rapid progress in the last decade, modern nucleic acid analysis methods still do not allow personalized miRNA profiling---Real-time PCR and DNA micro-array both require elaborate miRNA preservation steps and expensive equipment and nano pore sensors cannot selectively quantify a large panel with a large dynamic range. We report a novel and low-cost optical fiber sensing platform, which has the potential to profile a panel of miRNA with simple LED light sources and detectors. The individual tips of an optical imaging fiber bundle (mm in diameter with 7000 fiber cores) were etched into cones with 10 nm radius of curvature and coated with Au. FRET (Forster Resonant Energy Transfer) hairpin oligo probes, with the loop complementary to a specific miRNA that can release the hairpin, were functionalized onto the conic tips. Exciting light in the optical fiber waveguide is optimally coupled to surface plasmonics on the gold surface, which then converges to the conic tips with two orders of magnitude enhancement in intensity. Unlike nanoparticle plasmonics, tip plasmonics can be excited over a large band width and hence the plasmonic enhanced fluorescence signal of the FRET reporter is also focused towards the tip--- and is further enhanced with the periodic resonant grid of the fiber array which gives rise to pronounced standing wave interference patterns. Multiplexing is realized by functionalizing different probes onto one fiber bundle using a photoactivation process.

High-density fiber optic biosensor arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epstein, Jason R.; Walt, David R.

2002-02-01

Novel approaches are required to coordinate the immense amounts of information derived from diverse genomes. This concept has influenced the expanded role of high-throughput DNA detection and analysis in the biological sciences. A high-density fiber optic DNA biosensor was developed consisting of oligonucleotide-functionalized, 3.1 mm diameter microspheres deposited into the etched wells on the distal face of a 500 micrometers imaging fiber bundle. Imaging fiber bundles containing thousands of optical fibers, each associated with a unique oligonucleotide probe sequence, were the foundation for an optically connected, individually addressable DNA detection platform. Different oligonucleotide-functionalized microspheres were combined in a stock solution, and randomly dispersed into the etched wells. Microsphere positions were registered from optical dyes incorporated onto the microspheres. The distribution process provided an inherent redundancy that increases the signal-to-noise ratio as the square root of the number of sensors examined. The representative amount of each probe-type in the array was dependent on their initial stock solution concentration, and as other sequences of interest arise, new microsphere elements can be added to arrays without altering the existing detection capabilities. The oligonucleotide probe sequences hybridize to fluorescently-labeled, complementary DNA target solutions. Fiber optic DNA microarray research has included DNA-protein interaction profiles, microbial strain differentiation, non-labeled target interrogation with molecular beacons, and single cell-based assays. This biosensor array is proficient in DNA detection linked to specific disease states, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP's) discrimination, and gene expression analysis. This array platform permits multiple detection formats, provides smaller feature sizes, and enables sensor design flexibility. High-density fiber optic microarray biosensors provide a fast, reversible format with the detection limit of a few hundred molecules.

Damage to cochlear efferents following AF64A intoxication.

PubMed

Smith, D W; Mount, R J

1993-07-01

Damage to cochlear efferents in chinchillas was assessed using transmission electron microscopy following unilateral treatment with the cholinotoxin ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A). AF64A was diluted in artificial perilymph to concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 100 microM. Survival times ranged from 1 to 12 weeks. At concentrations above 10 microM, widespread damage was noted to efferent fibers within the inner spiral bundle (ISB), tunnel spiral bundle (TSB), tunnel radial fibers (TRF) and efferent terminals at the base of OHCs. This damage included degeneration of fibers and terminals, delamination of mitochondria, vacuolization, and loss of cell membrane. However, at high concentrations, non-specific damage was also noted as thinnings or discontinuities of the membrane of OHCs and afferent fibers. At concentrations between 3 and 10 microM, selective damage was observed to efferent fibers within the ISB, TSB, TRF, and to terminals at the base of the OHCs, with all other structures appearing normal. At concentrations of 0.5 and 1 microM, damage was limited to efferent fibers within the TSB and ISB below the inner hair cells. In general, insult was greatest to middle- and basal-turn efferents, and longer survival times did not produce greater damage to, or loss of, efferents. These data suggest that at low concentrations, AF64A produces a partial yet selective degeneration of cochlear efferents within both the medial and lateral tracts, and that at the lowest concentrations used in these studies, AF64A produces a preferential insult on lateral olivocochlear efferents.

Development of an imaging system for in vivo real-time monitoring of neuronal activity in deep brain of free-moving rats.

PubMed

Iijima, Norio; Miyamoto, Shinji; Matsumoto, Keisuke; Takumi, Ken; Ueta, Yoichi; Ozawa, Hitoshi

2017-09-01

We have newly developed a system that allows monitoring of the intensity of fluorescent signals from deep brains of rats transgenically modified to express enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) via an optical fiber. One terminal of the optical fiber was connected to a blue semiconductor laser oscillator/green fluorescence detector. The other terminal was inserted into the vicinity of the eGFP-expressing neurons. Since the optical fiber was vulnerable to twisting stresses caused by animal movement, we also developed a cage in which the floor automatically turns, in response to the turning of the rat's head. This relieved the twisting stress on the optical fiber. The system then enabled real-time monitoring of fluorescence in awake and unrestrained rats over many hours. Using this system, we could continuously monitor eGFP-expression in arginine vasopressin-eGFP transgenic rats. Moreover, we observed an increase of eGFP-expression in the paraventricular nucleus under salt-loading conditions. We then performed in vivo imaging of eGFP-expressing GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus, via a bundle consisting of 3000 thin optical fibers. With the combination of the optical fiber bundle connection to the fluorescence microscope, and the special cage system, we were able to capture and retain images of eGFP-expressing neurons from free-moving rats. We believe that our newly developed method for monitoring and imaging eGFP-expression in deep brain neurons will be useful for analysis of neuronal functions in awake and unrestrained animals for long durations.

Mean Green operators of deformable fiber networks embedded in a compliant matrix and property estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franciosi, Patrick; Spagnuolo, Mario; Salman, Oguz Umut

2018-04-01

Composites comprising included phases in a continuous matrix constitute a huge class of meta-materials, whose effective properties, whether they be mechanical, physical or coupled, can be selectively optimized by using appropriate phase arrangements and architectures. An important subclass is represented by "network-reinforced matrices," say those materials in which one or more of the embedded phases are co-continuous with the matrix in one or more directions. In this article, we present a method to study effective properties of simple such structures from which more complex ones can be accessible. Effective properties are shown, in the framework of linear elasticity, estimable by using the global mean Green operator for the entire embedded fiber network which is by definition through sample spanning. This network operator is obtained from one of infinite planar alignments of infinite fibers, which the network can be seen as an interpenetrated set of, with the fiber interactions being fully accounted for in the alignments. The mean operator of such alignments is given in exact closed form for isotropic elastic-like or dielectric-like matrices. We first exemplify how these operators relevantly provide, from classic homogenization frameworks, effective properties in the case of 1D fiber bundles embedded in an isotropic elastic-like medium. It is also shown that using infinite patterns with fully interacting elements over their whole influence range at any element concentration suppresses the dilute approximation limit of these frameworks. We finally present a construction method for a global operator of fiber networks described as interpenetrated such bundles.

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.

E-1020, a water soluble imidazopyridine, has direct effects on Ca(2+)-dependent force and ATP hydrolysis of canine and bovine cardiac myofilaments.

PubMed

Powers, F M; Palmiter, K A; Solaro, R J

1996-01-01

E-1020 is a cardiotonic agent that acts as a cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor but also may have actions which alter myofilament response to Ca2+. To identify direct actions of E-1020 on cardiac contractile proteins, effects of E-1020 on myofibrillar Ca2+ dependent MgATPase and force generation in chemically skinned fiber bundles were measured. In bovine cardiac myofibrils, E-1020 (100 microM) significantly increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity and Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity at submaximal pCa values. At pCa 6.75, E-1020 significantly increased ATPase activity in bovine (10-100 microM) and canine (1-100 microM) cardiac myofibrils but had no effect on rat cardiac myofibrils. Moreover, in one population of canine ventricular fiber bundles, E-1020 (0.01-10 microM) significantly increased isometric tension at pCa 6.5 and 6.0, whereas in another population of bundles E-1020 had no effect on tension. In no case was resting (pCa 8.0) or maximal tension (pCa 4.5) increased by E-1020. Measurements of Ca2+ binding to canine ventricular skinned fiber preparations demonstrated that E-1020 does not alter the affinity of myofilament troponin C for Ca2+. We conclude that part of the mechanism by which E-1020 acts as an inotropic agent may involve alterations in the responsiveness of contractile proteins to Ca2+. The lack of effect of E-1020 on some preparations may be dependent on isoform populations of myofilament proteins.

Hollow fiber apparatus and use thereof for fluids separations and heat and mass transfers

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

Bikson, Benjamin; Etter, Stephen; Ching, Nathaniel

A hollow fiber fluid separation device includes a hollow fiber cartridge, comprising a plurality of hollow fiber membranes arranged around a central tubular core, a first tubesheet and a second tubesheet encapsulating respective distal ends of the hollow fiber bundle. The tubesheets have boreholes in fluid communication with bores of the hollow fiber membrane. In at least one of the tubesheets, the boreholes are formed radially and are in communication with the central tubular core. The hollow fiber fluid separation device can be utilized in liquid separation applications such as ultrafiltration and in gas separation processes such as air separation.more » The design disclosed herein is light weight and compact and is particularly advantageous at high operating temperatures when the pressure of the feed fluid introduced into the bores of hollow fibers is higher than the pressure on the shell side of the device.« less

Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Alkali Treated Kenaf Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, S. A. S.; Zuhudi, N. Z. M.; Anuar, NIS; Isa, M. D.

2018-05-01

Research on bio composite for automotive and aerospace application has been extensive with the advancement of natural fiber yarn and woven technology. Malaysia has marked kenaf as its main crop commodity by 2020. Surface modification of natural fibers is one of the significant areas in current biocomposite research. Alkali treatment removes certain amount of lignin, hemicellulose, and wax on the surface of fiber, besides depolymerizing cellulose structure and increasing percentage of crystallinity. Surface modification with NaOH of 3%, 6% and 9% concentration with various lengths of immersion time was conducted. The effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical strength and thermal degradation of kenaf fibre were investigated by means of fiber bundle tensile test and thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). Alkali treatment strongly modifies the thermal behaviour of the fibers, being particularly effective in the removal of noncellulosic matter. In addition, the mechanical properties of kenaf fibers revealed higher tensile strength for NaOH treated fibers.

Fabrication of Multi-point Side-Firing Optical Fiber by Laser Micro-ablation

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Hoang; Arnob, Md Masud Parvez; Becker, Aaron T; Wolfe, John C; Hogan, Matthew K; Horner, Philip J; Shih, Wei-Chuan

2018-01-01

A multi-point, side-firing design enables an optical fiber to output light at multiple desired locations along the fiber body. This provides advantages over traditional end-to-end fibers, especially in applications requiring fiber bundles such as brain stimulation or remote sensing. This paper demonstrates that continuous wave (CW) laser micro-ablation can controllably create conical-shaped cavities, or side windows, for outputting light. The dimensions of these cavities determine the amount of firing light and their firing angle. Experimental data show that a single side window on a 730 μm fiber can deliver more than 8 % of the input light. This was increased to more than 19 % on a 65 μm fiber with side windows created using femtosecond (fs) laser ablation and chemical etching. Fine control of light distribution along an optical fiber is critical for various biomedical applications such as light activated drug-release and optogenetics studies. PMID:28454166

Brain white matter fiber estimation and tractography using Q-ball imaging and Bayesian MODEL.

PubMed

Lu, Meng

2015-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging allows for the non-invasive in vivo mapping of the brain tractography. However, fiber bundles have complex structures such as fiber crossings, fiber branchings and fibers with large curvatures that tensor imaging (DTI) cannot accurately handle. This study presents a novel brain white matter tractography method using Q-ball imaging as the data source instead of DTI, because QBI can provide accurate information about multiple fiber crossings and branchings in a single voxel using an orientation distribution function (ODF). The presented method also uses graph theory to construct the Bayesian model-based graph, so that the fiber tracking between two voxels can be represented as the shortest path in a graph. Our experiment showed that our new method can accurately handle brain white matter fiber crossings and branchings, and reconstruct brain tractograhpy both in phantom data and real brain data.

Fabrication of multipoint side-firing optical fiber by laser micro-ablation.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hoang; Parvez Arnob, Md Masud; Becker, Aaron T; Wolfe, John C; Hogan, Matthew K; Horner, Philip J; Shih, Wei-Chuan

2017-05-01

A multipoint, side-firing design enables an optical fiber to output light at multiple desired locations along the fiber body. This provides advantages over traditional end-to-end fibers, especially in applications requiring fiber bundles such as brain stimulation or remote sensing. This Letter demonstrates that continuous wave (CW) laser micro-ablation can controllably create conical-shaped cavities, or side windows, for outputting light. The dimensions of these cavities determine the amount of firing light and their firing angle. Experimental data show that a single side window on a 730 μm fiber can deliver more than 8% of the input light. This can be increased to more than 19% on a 65 μm fiber with side windows created using femtosecond laser ablation and chemical etching. Fine control of light distribution along an optical fiber is critical for various biomedical applications such as light-activated drug-release and optogenetics studies.

Timing and Spectroscopy Requirements for a Plastic Scintillating Fiber Bundle Time-of-Flight Neutron Spectrometer

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

tight aluminum box internal view. Each SiPMT is held securely in each aluminum jig with nylon washers and screws. The threaded rod extends length-wise...hole in the aluminum jig located between the threaded rod and nylon screw is the hole where the single BCF-12 scintillating fiber would be placed to...additional pixel firing from the SiPMT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 42 A typical Hamamatsu

Method of preparation of novel fiber reinforced titanium diboride composite bodies and uses therefor

DOEpatents

Newkirk, L.C.; Riley, R.E.; Valencia, F.A.; Wallace, T.C. Sr.

Cloth is coated with titanium diboride in a chemical vapor deposition reaction under particular coating conditions which result in a uniform coating on the individual filaments making up the cloth fiber bundles. The coated cloth can be used as deposited as electrodes, for example, or can be hot pressed to form highly spall-resistant structures having special utility in fusion reactors, for example, as wall armor.

Portable spectrometer monitors inert gas shield in welding process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grove, E. L.

1967-01-01

Portable spectrometer using photosensitive readouts, monitors the amount of oxygen and hydrogen in the inert gas shield of a tungsten-inert gas welding process. A fiber optic bundle transmits the light from the welding arc to the spectrometer.

Modeling of process-induced residual stresses and resin flow behavior in resin transfer molded composites with woven fiber mats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golestanian, Hossein

This research focuses on modeling Resin Transfer Molding process for manufacture of composite parts with woven fiber mats. Models are developed to determine cure dependent stiffness matrices for composites manufactured with two types of woven fiber mats. Five-harness carbon and eight-harness fiberglass mats with EPON 826 resin composites are considered. The models presented here take into account important material/process parameters with emphasis on; (1) The effects of cure-dependent resin mechanical properties, (2) Fiber undulation due to the weave of the fiber fill and warp bundles, and (3) Resin interaction with the fiber bundles at a microscopic scale. Cure-dependent mechanical properties were then used in numerical models to determine residual stresses and deformation in the composite parts. The complete cure cycle was modeled in these analyses. Also the cool down stage after the composite cure was analyzed. The effect of 5% resin shrinkage on residual stresses and deformations was also investigated. In the second part of the study, Finite Element models were developed to simulate mold filling in RTM processes. Resin flow in the fiber mats was modeled as flow through porous media. Physical models were also developed to investigate resin flow behavior into molds of rectangular and irregular shapes. Silicone fluids of 50 and 100 centistoke viscosities as well as EPON 826 epoxy resin were used in the mold filling experiments. The reinforcements consisted of several layers of woven fiberglass and carbon fiber mats. The effects of injection pressure, fluid viscosity, type of reinforcement, and mold geometry on mold filling times were investigated. Fiber mat permeabilities were determined experimentally for both types of reinforcements. Comparison of experimental and numerical resin front positions indicated the importance of edge effects in resin flow behavior in small cavities. The resin front positions agreed well for the rectangular mold geometry.

Thick filament length and isoform composition determine self-organized contractile units in actomyosin bundles.

PubMed

Thoresen, Todd; Lenz, Martin; Gardel, Margaret L

2013-02-05

Diverse myosin II isoforms regulate contractility of actomyosin bundles in disparate physiological processes by variations in both motor mechanochemistry and the extent to which motors are clustered into thick filaments. Although the role of mechanochemistry is well appreciated, the extent to which thick filament length regulates actomyosin contractility is unknown. Here, we study the contractility of minimal actomyosin bundles formed in vitro by mixtures of F-actin and thick filaments of nonmuscle, smooth, and skeletal muscle myosin isoforms with varied length. Diverse myosin II isoforms guide the self-organization of distinct contractile units within in vitro bundles with shortening rates similar to those of in vivo myofibrils and stress fibers. The tendency to form contractile units increases with the thick filament length, resulting in a bundle shortening rate proportional to the length of constituent myosin thick filament. We develop a model that describes our data, providing a framework in which to understand how diverse myosin II isoforms regulate the contractile behaviors of disordered actomyosin bundles found in muscle and nonmuscle cells. These experiments provide insight into physiological processes that use dynamic regulation of thick filament length, such as smooth muscle contraction. Copyright © 2013 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automatic estimation of retinal nerve fiber bundle orientation in SD-OCT images using a structure-oriented smoothing filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghafaryasl, Babak; Baart, Robert; de Boer, Johannes F.; Vermeer, Koenraad A.; van Vliet, Lucas J.

2017-02-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) yields high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the retina. A better understanding of retinal nerve fiber bundle (RNFB) trajectories in combination with visual field data may be used for future diagnosis and monitoring of glaucoma. However, manual tracing of these bundles is a tedious task. In this work, we present an automatic technique to estimate the orientation of RNFBs from volumetric OCT scans. Our method consists of several steps, starting from automatic segmentation of the RNFL. Then, a stack of en face images around the posterior nerve fiber layer interface was extracted. The image showing the best visibility of RNFB trajectories was selected for further processing. After denoising the selected en face image, a semblance structure-oriented filter was applied to probe the strength of local linear structure in a discrete set of orientations creating an orientation space. Gaussian filtering along the orientation axis in this space is used to find the dominant orientation. Next, a confidence map was created to supplement the estimated orientation. This confidence map was used as pixel weight in normalized convolution to regularize the semblance filter response after which a new orientation estimate can be obtained. Finally, after several iterations an orientation field corresponding to the strongest local orientation was obtained. The RNFB orientations of six macular scans from three subjects were estimated. For all scans, visual inspection shows a good agreement between the estimated orientation fields and the RNFB trajectories in the en face images. Additionally, a good correlation between the orientation fields of two scans of the same subject was observed. Our method was also applied to a larger field of view around the macula. Manual tracing of the RNFB trajectories shows a good agreement with the automatically obtained streamlines obtained by fiber tracking.

Voltammetric detection of biological molecules using chopped carbon fiber.

PubMed

Sugawara, Kazuharu; Yugami, Asako; Kojima, Akira

2010-01-01

Voltammetric detection of biological molecules was carried out using chopped carbon fibers produced from carbon fiber reinforced plastics that are biocompatible and inexpensive. Because chopped carbon fibers normally are covered with a sizing agent, they are difficult to use as an electrode. However, when the surface of a chopped carbon fiber was treated with ethanol and hydrochloric acid, it became conductive. To evaluate the functioning of chopped carbon fibers, voltammetric measurements of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) were carried out. Redoxes of FAD, ascorbic acid and NADH as biomolecules were recorded using cyclic voltammetry. The sizing agents used to bundle the fibers were epoxy, polyamide and polyurethane resins. The peak currents were the greatest when using the chopped carbon fibers that were created with epoxy resins. When the electrode response of the chopped carbon fibers was compared with that of a glassy carbon electrode, the peak currents and the reversibility of the electrode reaction were sufficient. Therefore, the chopped carbon fibers will be useful as disposable electrodes for the sensing of biomolecules.

Mechanical behavior of high strength ceramic fibers at high temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tressler, R. E.; Pysher, D. J.

1991-01-01

The mechanical behavior of commercially available and developmental ceramic fibers, both oxide and nonoxide, has been experimentally studied at expected use temperatures. In addition, these properties have been compared to results from the literature. Tensile strengths were measured for three SiC-based and three oxide ceramic fibers for temperatures from 25 C to 1400 C. The SiC-based fibers were stronger but less stiff than the oxide fibers at room temperature and retained more of both strength and stiffness to high temperatures. Extensive creep and creep-rupture experiments have been performed on those fibers from this group which had the best strengths above 1200 C in both single filament tests and tests of fiber bundles. The creep rates for the oxides are on the order of two orders of magnitude faster than the polymer derived nonoxide fibers. The most creep resistant filaments available are single crystal c-axis sapphire filaments. Large diameter CVD fabricated SiC fibers are the most creep and rupture resistant nonoxide polycrystalline fibers tested to date.

US appearance of partial-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears: Application of the string theory. Pictorial essay.

PubMed

Guerini, H; Fermand, M; Godefroy, D; Feydy, A; Chevrot, A; Morvan, G; Gault, N; Drapé, J L

2012-02-01

The supraspinatus tendon is composed of 5 different layers consisting of intertwining bundles. On a front portion of the tendon, the layers become coated bundles which insert on the trochanter. At the insertion, the superficial or bursal surface of the tendon corresponding to the tendon fibers in contact with the subacromial bursa can be distinguished from the deep surface corresponding to the fibers in contact with the glenohumeral joint. A tendon tear may involve partial or total disruption of the tendon fibers and is called full-thickness tear if it affects the entire tendon, and partial-thickness tear if it involves only part of the tendon. Partial-thickness tears of the supraspinatus tendon include lesions of the superficial, deep and central surface or tendon delamination.A contrast enhanced examination requires injection of contrast agent into the joint (arthrography followed by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) to study the deep surface, and injection into the subacromial bursa (bursography followed by CT) to study the superficial surface. MRI and ultrasound (US) examination allow the study of these different tendon layers without the use of contrast agent (which is not possible at CT).

FIBER AND INTEGRATED OPTICS: Bandgap modes in a coupled waveguide array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usievich, B. A.; Nurligareev, D. Kh; Svetikov, V. V.; Sychugov, V. A.

2009-08-01

This work examines a waveguide array that consists of ten Nb2O5/SiO2 double layers and supports a 0.63-μm surface wave. The deposition of a Nb2O5 capping layer on top of the waveguide array enables a marked increase in the wave field intensity on its surface. The efficiency of surface-wave excitation in the Kretschmann configuration can be optimised by adjusting the number of double layers. We analyse the behaviour of the Bragg mode in relation to the thickness of the layer exposed to air and the transition of this mode from the second allowed band to the first through the bandgap of the system. In addition, the conventional leaky mode converts to a surface mode and then to a guided mode.

Fiber tracking of brain white matter based on graph theory.

PubMed

Lu, Meng

2015-01-01

Brain white matter tractography is reconstructed via diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images. Due to the complex structure of brain white matter fiber bundles, fiber crossing and fiber branching are abundant in human brain. And regular methods with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can't accurately handle this problem. the biggest problems of the brain tractography. Therefore, this paper presented a novel brain white matter tractography method based on graph theory, so the fiber tracking between two voxels is transformed into locating the shortest path in a graph. Besides, the presented method uses Q-ball imaging (QBI) as the source data instead of DTI, because QBI can provide accurate information about multiple fiber crossing and branching in one voxel using orientation distribution function (ODF). Experiments showed that the presented method can accurately handle the problem of brain white matter fiber crossing and branching, and reconstruct brain tractograhpy both in phantom data and real brain data.

Single and double superimposing interferometer systems

DOEpatents

Erskine, David J.

2000-01-01

Interferometers which can imprint a coherent delay on a broadband uncollimated beam are described. The delay value can be independent of incident ray angle, allowing interferometry using uncollimated beams from common extended sources such as lamps and fiber bundles, and facilitating Fourier Transform spectroscopy of wide angle sources. Pairs of such interferometers matched in delay and dispersion can measure velocity and communicate using ordinary lamps, wide diameter optical fibers and arbitrary non-imaging paths, and not requiring a laser.

Pulsatile flow and mass transport over an array of cylinders: gas transfer in a cardiac-driven artificial lung.

PubMed

Chan, Kit Yan; Fujioka, Hideki; Bartlett, Robert H; Hirschl, Ronald B; Grotberg, James B

2006-02-01

The pulsatile flow and gas transport of a Newtonian passive fluid across an array of cylindrical microfibers are numerically investigated. It is related to an implantable, artificial lung where the blood flow is driven by the right heart. The fibers are modeled as either squared or staggered arrays. The pulsatile flow inputs considered in this study are a steady flow with a sinusoidal perturbation and a cardiac flow. The aims of this study are twofold: identifying favorable array geometry/spacing and system conditions that enhance gas transport; and providing pressure drop data that indicate the degree of flow resistance or the demand on the right heart in driving the flow through the fiber bundle. The results show that pulsatile flow improves the gas transfer to the fluid compared to steady flow. The degree of enhancement is found to be significant when the oscillation frequency is large, when the void fraction of the fiber bundle is decreased, and when the Reynolds number is increased; the use of a cardiac flow input can also improve gas transfer. In terms of array geometry, the staggered array gives both a better gas transfer per fiber (for relatively large void fraction) and a smaller pressure drop (for all cases). For most cases shown, an increase in gas transfer is accompanied by a higher pressure drop required to power the flow through the device.

NASA. Langley Research Center dry powder towpreg system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baucom, Robert M.; Marchello, Joseph M.

1990-01-01

Dry powder polymer impregnated carbon fiber tows were produced for preform weaving and composite materials molding applications. In the process, fluidized powder is deposited on spread tow bundles and melted on the fibers by radiant heating to adhere the polymer to the fiber. Unit design theory and operating correlations were developed to provide the basis for scale up of the process to commercial operation. Special features of the operation are the pneumatic tow spreader, fluidized bed, resin feeder, and quality control system. Bench scale experiments, at tow speeds up to 50 cm/sec, demonstrated that process variables can be controlled to produce weavable LARC-TPI carbon fiber towpreg. The towpreg made by the dry powder process was formed into unidirectional fiber moldings and was woven and molded into preform material of good quality.

Fractography of the interlaminar fracture of carbon-fibre epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bascom, W. D.; Boll, D. J.; Fuller, B.; Phillips, P. J.

1985-01-01

The failed surfaces of interlaminar fracture (mode I) specimens of AS4/3501-6 were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The principal fracture features were fiber pull-out (bundles and single fibers), hackle markings, and regions of smooth resin fracture. Considerable (30 to 50 percent) relaxation of the deformed resin occurred when the specimens were heated above the matrix glass transition temperature. This relaxation was taken as evidence of extensive shear yielding of the resin during the fracture process. Some of the fractography features are discussed in terms of transverse tensile stresses and peeling stresses acting on the fibers. In some instances these localized stresses focus failure close to the resin-fiber interface, which can be mistakenly interpreted as interfacial failure and low fiber-resin adhesion.

Composite resin reinforced with pre-tensioned glass fibers. Influence of prestressing on flexural properties.

PubMed

Schlichting, Luís Henrique; de Andrada, Mauro Amaral Caldeira; Vieira, Luiz Clóvis Cardoso; de Oliveira Barra, Guilherme Mariz; Magne, Pascal

2010-02-01

This investigation evaluated the flexural properties of two composite resins, and the influence of unidirectional glass fiber reinforcements, with and without pre-tensioning. Two composite resins (Q: Quixfil and A: Adoro) were used to fabricate 2 mm x 2 mm x 25 mm beams (N = 10), reinforced with two fiber bundles along the long axis of the beam and pre-tensioned under a load equivalent to 73.5% of its tensile strength (groups QPF and APF). In two other experimental groups, the bundles were similarly positioned but without pre-tension (groups QF and AF). Two more groups were included without fiber reinforcement (control groups Q and A). After 24h storage, specimens were subjected to a three-point flexural bending test to establish the flexural module, the deflection at initial failure and the flexural strength. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (composite resin system and fiber reinforcement type) and the Tukey HSD post hoc tests (alpha = .05). The results showed that prestressing increased the flexural module of Adoro specimens (p<.001) but not Quixfil (p = .17). Prestressed beams reached greater deflection at initial failure than those conventionally reinforced (p<.001), namely .85-1.35 mm for Adoro and .66-.90 mm for Quixfil. Prestressing also significantly increased the flexural strength of beams (p<.001) in both Adoro and Quixfil groups, from 443.46 to 569.15 MPa and from 425.47 to 568.00 MPa, respectively. Pre-tensioning of unidirectional glass fibers increased both deflection until initial failure and flexural strength of Quixfil and Adoro composite resins, however, with limited effects on the flexural modulus. Copyright 2009 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probabilistic vs. deterministic fiber tracking and the influence of different seed regions to delineate cerebellar-thalamic fibers in deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Schlaier, Juergen R; Beer, Anton L; Faltermeier, Rupert; Fellner, Claudia; Steib, Kathrin; Lange, Max; Greenlee, Mark W; Brawanski, Alexander T; Anthofer, Judith M

2017-06-01

This study compared tractography approaches for identifying cerebellar-thalamic fiber bundles relevant to planning target sites for deep brain stimulation (DBS). In particular, probabilistic and deterministic tracking of the dentate-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTT) and differences between the spatial courses of the DRTT and the cerebello-thalamo-cortical (CTC) tract were compared. Six patients with movement disorders were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including two sets of diffusion-weighted images (12 and 64 directions). Probabilistic and deterministic tractography was applied on each diffusion-weighted dataset to delineate the DRTT. Results were compared with regard to their sensitivity in revealing the DRTT and additional fiber tracts and processing time. Two sets of regions-of-interests (ROIs) guided deterministic tractography of the DRTT or the CTC, respectively. Tract distances to an atlas-based reference target were compared. Probabilistic fiber tracking with 64 orientations detected the DRTT in all twelve hemispheres. Deterministic tracking detected the DRTT in nine (12 directions) and in only two (64 directions) hemispheres. Probabilistic tracking was more sensitive in detecting additional fibers (e.g. ansa lenticularis and medial forebrain bundle) than deterministic tracking. Probabilistic tracking lasted substantially longer than deterministic. Deterministic tracking was more sensitive in detecting the CTC than the DRTT. CTC tracts were located adjacent but consistently more posterior to DRTT tracts. These results suggest that probabilistic tracking is more sensitive and robust in detecting the DRTT but harder to implement than deterministic approaches. Although sensitivity of deterministic tracking is higher for the CTC than the DRTT, targets for DBS based on these tracts likely differ. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Damage Accumulation in SiC/SiC Composites with 3D Architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morscher, Gregory N.; Yun, Hee-Mann; DiCarlo, James A.

2003-01-01

The formation and propagation of multiple matrix cracks in relatively dense ceramic matrix composites when subjected to increasing tensile stress is necessary for high strength and tough composites. However, the occurrence of matrix cracks at low stresses may limit the usefulness of some non-oxide composite systems when subjected to oxidizing environments for long times at stresses sufficient to cause matrix cracking. For SiC fiber-reinforced composites with two-dimensional woven architectures and chemically vapor infiltrated (CVI) SiC matrix and melt-infiltrated (MI) Si/SiC matrix composites, the matrix cracking behavior has been fairly well characterized for different fiber-types and woven architectures. It was found that the occurrence, degree, and growth of matrix cracks depends on the material properties of the composite constituents as well as other physical properties of the composite or architecture, e.g., matrix porosity and size of the fiber bundle. In this study, matrix cracking in SiC fiber reinforced, melt-infiltrated SiC composites with a 3D orthogonal architecture was determined for specimens tested in tension at room temperature. Acoustic emission (AE) was used to monitor the matrix cracking activity, which was later confirmed by microscopic examination of specimens that had failed. The determination of the exact location of AE demonstrated that initial cracking occurred in the matrix rich regions when a large z-direction fiber bundle was used. For specimens with large z-direction fiber tows, the earliest matrix cracking could occur at half the stress for standard 2D woven composites with similar constituents. Damage accumulation in 3D architecture composites will be compared to damage accumulation in 2D architecture composites and discussed with respect to modeling composite stress-strain behavior and use of these composites at elevated temperatures.

Shear behavior of thermoformed woven-textile thermoplastic prepregs: An analysis combining bias-extension test and X-ray microtomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gassoumi, M.; Rolland du Roscoat, S.; Casari, P.; Dumont, P. J. J.; Orgéas, L.; Jacquemin, F.

2017-10-01

Thermoforming allows the manufacture of structural parts for the automotive and aeronautical domains using long fiber thermoplastic prepregs with short cycle times. During this operation, several sheets of molten prepregs are stacked and subjected to large macroscale strains, mainly via in-plane shear, out-of-plane consolidation or dilatation, and bending of the fibrous reinforcement. These deformation modes and the related meso and microstructure evolutions are still poorly understood. However, they can drastically alter the end-use macroscale properties of fabricated parts. To better understand these phenomena, bias extension tests were performed using specimens made of several stacked layers of glass woven fabrics and polyamide matrix. The macroscale shear behavior of these prepregs was investigated at various temperatures. A multiscale analysis of deformed samples was performed using X-ray microtomography images of the deformed specimens acquired at two different spatial resolutions. The low-resolution images were used to analyze the deformation mechanisms and the structural characteristics of prepregs at the macroscale and bundle scales. It was possible to analyze the 3D shapes of deformed samples and, in particular, the spatial variations of their thickness so as to quantify the out-of-plane dilatancy or consolidation phenomena induced by the in-plane shear of prepregs. At a lower scale, the analysis of the high-resolution images showed that these mechanisms were accompanied by the growth of pores and the deformation of fiber bundles. The orientation of the fiber bundles and its through-thickness evolution were measured along the weft and warp directions in the deformed samples, allowing the relevance of geometrical models currently used to analyze bias extension tests to be discussed. Results can be used to enhance the current rheological models for the prediction of thermoforming of thermoplastic prepregs.

Color tunable photonic textiles for wearable display applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayed, I.; Berzowska, J.; Skorobogatiy, M.

2010-04-01

Integration of optical functionalities such as light emission, processing and collection into flexible woven matrices of fabric have grabbed a lot of attention in the last few years. Photonic textiles frequently involve optical fibers as they can be easily processed together with supporting fabric fibers. This technology finds uses in various fields of application such as interactive clothing, signage, wearable health monitoring sensors and mechanical strain and deformation detectors. Recent development in the field of Photonic Band Gap optical fibers (PBG) could potentially lead to novel photonic textiles applications and techniques. Particularly, plastic PBG Bragg fibers fabricated in our group have strong potential in the field of photonic textiles as they offer many advantages over standard silica fibers at the same low cost. Among many unusual properties of PBG textiles we mention that they are highly reflective, PBG textiles are colored without using any colorants, PBG textiles can change their color by controlling the relative intensities of guided and reflected light, and finally, PBG textiles can change their colors when stretched. Some of the many experimental realization of photonic bandgap fiber textiles and their potential applications in wearable displays are discussed.

Direct Writing Electrospinning of Scaffolds with Multidimensional Fiber Architecture for Hierarchical Tissue Engineering.

PubMed

Chen, Honglin; Malheiro, Afonso de Botelho Ferreira Braga; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Mota, Carlos; Wieringa, Paul Andrew; Moroni, Lorenzo

2017-11-08

Nanofibrous structures have long been used as scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE) applications, due to their favorable characteristics, such as high porosity, flexibility, high cell attachment and enhanced proliferation, and overall resemblance to native extracellular matrix (ECM). Such scaffolds can be easily produced at a low cost via electrospinning (ESP), but generally cannot be fabricated with a regular and/or complex geometry, characterized by macropores and uniform thickness. We present here a novel technique for direct writing (DW) with solution ESP to produce complex three-dimensional (3D) multiscale and ultrathin (∼1 μm) fibrous scaffolds with desirable patterns and geometries. This technique was simply achieved via manipulating technological conditions, such as spinning solution, ambient conditions, and processing parameters. Three different regimes in fiber morphologies were observed, including bundle with dispersed fibers, bundle with a core of aligned fibers, and single fibers. The transition between these regimes depended on tip to collector distance (Wd) and applied voltage (V), which could be simplified as the ratio V/Wd. Using this technique, a scaffold mimicking the zonal organization of articular cartilage was further fabricated as a proof of concept, demonstrating the ability to better mimic native tissue organization. The DW scaffolds directed tissue organization and fibril matrix orientation in a zone-dependent way. Comparative expression of chondrogenic markers revealed a substantial upregulation of Sox9 and aggrecan (ACAN) on these structures compared to conventional electrospun meshes. Our novel method provides a simple way to produce customized 3D ultrathin fibrous scaffolds, with great potential for TE applications, in particular those for which anisotropy is of importance.

Development and preliminary results of an in vivo Raman probe for early lung cancer detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, Michael A.; Lam, Stephen; McWilliams, Annette; Zhao, Jianhua; Lui, Harvey; Zeng, Haishan

2008-02-01

Our previous results from Raman spectroscopy studies on ex vivo lung tissue showed the technique had great potential to differentiate between samples with different pathologies. In this work, a fast dispersive-type near-infrared (NIR) Raman spectroscopy system was developed to collect real-time, noninvasive, in vivo human lung spectra. The 785 nm excitation, and the collection of tissue emission were accomplished by using a reusable fiber optic catheter which passed down the instrument channel of a bronchoscope. Filters in two stages blocked laser emission other than 785 nm from reaching the tissue surface, and reduced fiber fluorescence and elastically scattered excitation light from being passed to the spectrometer. The spectrometer itself consisted of one of two holographic gratings with usable frequency ranges of: 700 to 2000 cm -1 and 1500 to 3400 cm -1. The dispersed light was detected by a cooled CCD array consisting of 400 by 1340 pixels. To increase the resolution of the system, while maximizing the throughput, a second fiber bundle, consisting of 54×100 μm diameter fibers connected the catheter to the spectrometer. The fibers in this second bundle were spread out to form a parabolic arc which replaced the conventional entrance slit. This geometry corrected for image aberrations, permitting complete CCD vertical binning, thereby yielding up to a 20-fold improvement in signal-to-noise ratio. The estimated spectral resolution of the system was 9 cm -1 for both gratings. So far we have measured spectra from 20 patients and have seen clear differences between spectra from tumor and normal tissue.

Polymer Infiltration Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marchello, Joseph M.

1991-01-01

Progress was made on the preparation of carbon fiber composites using advanced polymer resins. Processes reported include powder towpreg process, weaving towpreg made from dry powder prepreg, composite from powder coated towpreg, and toughening of polyimide resin (PMR) composites by semi-interpenetrating networks. Several important areas of polymer infiltration into fiber bundles will be researched. Preparation to towpreg for textile preform weaving and braiding and for automated tow placement is a major goal, as are the continued development of prepregging technology and the various aspects of composite part fabrication.

Photoacoustic imaging of hidden dental caries by using a fiber-based probing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, Takuya; Kakino, Satoko; Matsuura, Yuji

2017-04-01

Photoacoustic method to detect hidden dental caries is proposed. It was found that high frequency ultrasonic waves are generated from hidden carious part when radiating laser light to occlusal surface of model tooth. By making a map of intensity of these high frequency components, photoacoustic images of hidden caries were successfully obtained. A photoacoustic imaging system using a bundle of hollow optical fiber was fabricated for using clinical application, and clear photoacoustic image of hidden caries was also obtained by this system.

Fiber optical asssembly for fluorescence spectrometry

DOEpatents

Piltch, Martin S.; Gray, Perry Clayton; Rubenstein, Richard

2015-08-18

System is provided for detecting the presence of an analyte of interest in a sample, said system comprising an elongated, transparent container for a sample; an excitation source in optical communication with the sample, wherein radiation from the excitation source is directed along the length of the sample, and wherein the radiation induces a signal which is emitted from the sample; and, at least two linear arrays disposed about the sample holder, each linear array comprising a plurality of optical fibers having a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends of the fibers are disposed along the length of the container and in proximity thereto; the second ends of the fibers of each array are bundled together to form a single end port.

Amplification and noise properties of an erbium-doped multicore fiber amplifier.

PubMed

Abedin, K S; Taunay, T F; Fishteyn, M; Yan, M F; Zhu, B; Fini, J M; Monberg, E M; Dimarcello, F V; Wisk, P W

2011-08-15

A multicore erbium-doped fiber (MC-EDF) amplifier for simultaneous amplification in the 7-cores has been developed, and the gain and noise properties of individual cores have been studied. The pump and signal radiation were coupled to individual cores of MC-EDF using two tapered fiber bundled (TFB) couplers with low insertion loss. For a pump power of 146 mW, the average gain achieved in the MC-EDF fiber was 30 dB, and noise figure was less than 4 dB. The net useful gain from the multicore-amplifier, after taking into consideration of all the passive losses, was about 23-27 dB. Pump induced ASE noise transfer between the neighboring channel was negligible. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Relative sliding durability of two candidate high temperature oxide fiber seal materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher; Steinetz, Bruce M.

1991-01-01

A test program to determine the relative sliding durability of two candidate ceramic fibers for high temperature sliding seal applications is described. Pin on disk tests were used to evaluate potential seal materials. Friction during the tests and fiber wear, indicated by the extent of fibers broken in a test bundle or yarn, was measured at the end of a test. In general, friction and wear increase with test temperature. This may be due to a reduction in fiber strength, a change in the surface chemistry at the fiber/counterface interface due to oxidation, adsorption and/or desorption of surface species and, to a lesser extent, an increase in counterface surface roughness due to oxidation at elevated temperatures. The relative fiber durability correlates with tensile strength indicating that tensile data, which is more readily available than sliding durability data, may be useful in predicting fiber wear behavior under various conditions. A simple model developed using dimensional analysis shows that the fiber durability is related to a dimensionless parameter which represents the ratio of the fiber strength to the fiber stresses imposed by sliding.

Scanning electron microscopy of echinoid podia.

PubMed

Florey, E; Cahill, M A

1982-01-01

Tube feet of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus were studied with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). By use of fractured preparations it was possible to obtain views of all components of the layered tube-foot wall. The outer epithelium was found to bear tufts of cilia possibly belonging to sensory cells. The nerve plexus was clearly revealed as being composed of bundles of varicose axons. The basal lamina, which covers the outer and inner surfaces of the connective tissue layer, was found to be a mechanically resistant and elastic membrane. The connective tissue appears as dense bundles of (collagen) fibers. The luminal epithelium (coelothelium) is a single layer of flagellated collar cells. There is no indication that the muscle fibers, which insert on the inner basal lamina of the connective tissue layer are innervated by axons from the basi-epithelial nerve plexus. The results agree with previous conclusions concerning tube-foot structure based on transmission electron microscopy, and provide additional information, particularly with regard to the outer and inner epithelia.

Proximity fuze

DOEpatents

Harrison, T.R.

1987-07-10

A proximity fuze system includes an optical ranging apparatus, a detonation circuit controlled by the optical ranging apparatus, and an explosive charge detonated by the detonation circuit. The optical ranging apparatus includes a pulsed laser light source for generating target ranging light pulses and optical reference light pulses. A single lens directs ranging pulses to a target and collects reflected light from the target. An optical fiber bundle is used for delaying the optical reference pulses to correspond to a predetermined distance from the target. The optical ranging apparatus includes circuitry for providing a first signal depending upon the light pulses reflected from the target, a second signal depending upon the light pulses from the optical delay fiber bundle, and an output signal when the first and second signals coincide with each other. The output signal occurs when the distance from the target is equal to the predetermined distance from the target. Additional circuitry distinguishes pulses reflected from the target from background solar radiation. 3 figs.

Fast optically sectioned fluorescence HiLo endomicroscopy

PubMed Central

Lim, Daryl; Mertz, Jerome

2012-01-01

Abstract. We describe a nonscanning, fiber bundle endomicroscope that performs optically sectioned fluorescence imaging with fast frame rates and real-time processing. Our sectioning technique is based on HiLo imaging, wherein two widefield images are acquired under uniform and structured illumination and numerically processed to reject out-of-focus background. This work is an improvement upon an earlier demonstration of widefield optical sectioning through a flexible fiber bundle. The improved device features lateral and axial resolutions of 2.6 and 17 μm, respectively, a net frame rate of 9.5 Hz obtained by real-time image processing with a graphics processing unit (GPU) and significantly reduced motion artifacts obtained by the use of a double-shutter camera. We demonstrate the performance of our system with optically sectioned images and videos of a fluorescently labeled chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in the developing G. gallus embryo. HiLo endomicroscopy is a candidate technique for low-cost, high-speed clinical optical biopsies. PMID:22463023

Proximity fuze

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

Harrison, T.R.

1987-07-10

A proximity fuze system includes an optical ranging apparatus, a detonation circuit controlled by the optical ranging apparatus, and an explosive charge detonated by the detonation circuit. The optical ranging apparatus includes a pulsed laser light source for generating target ranging light pulses and optical reference light pulses. A single lens directs ranging pulses to a target and collects reflected light from the target. An optical fiber bundle is used for delaying the optical reference pulses to correspond to a predetermined distance from the target. The optical ranging apparatus includes circuitry for providing a first signal depending upon the lightmore » pulses reflected from the target, a second signal depending upon the light pulses from the optical delay fiber bundle, and an output signal when the first and second signals coincide with each other. The output signal occurs when the distance from the target is equal to the predetermined distance from the target. Additional circuitry distinguishes pulses reflected from the target from background solar radiation. 3 figs.« less

Proximity fuze

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

Harrison, T.R.

1989-08-22

A proximity fuze system is described. It includes an optical ranging apparatus, a detonation circuit controlled by the optical ranging apparatus, and an explosive charge detonated by the detonation circuit. The optical ranging apparatus includes a pulsed laser light source for generating target ranging light pulses and optical reference light pulses. A single lens directs ranging pulses to a target and collects reflected light from the target. An optical fiber bundle is used for delaying the optical reference pulses to correspond to a predetermined distance from the target. The optical ranging apparatus includes circuitry for providing a first signal dependingmore » upon the light pulses reflected from the target, a second signal depending upon the light pulses from the optical delay fiber bundle, and an output signal when the first and second signals coincide with each other. The output signal occurs when the distance from the target is equal to the predetermined distance from the target. Additional circuitry distinguishes pulses reflected from the target from background solar radiation.« less

Phase I - Final report: Improved position sensitive detectors for thermal neutrons. Design, fabrication, and results of testing the Phase I - Proof-of-Principal Improved Position Sensitive Thermal Neutron Detector Prototype in the laboratory and at the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS), Argonne National Laboratory

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

Hull, Carter D.

A position sensitive neutron detector was designed and fabricated with bundles of individual detector elements with diameters of 120 mm. These neutron scintillating fibers were coupled with optoelectronic arrays to produce a ''Fiber Detector.'' A fiber position sensitive detector was completed and tested with scattered and thermal neutrons. Deployment of improved 2D PSDs with high signal to noise ratios at lower costs per area was the overall objective of the project.

Large-diameter carbon-composite monofilaments. [production method and characteristics of carbon composite monofilaments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradshaw, W. G.; Pinoli, P. C.; Karlak, R. F.

1974-01-01

Large-diameter carbon composite monofilaments with high strength and high modulus were produced by pregging multifiber carbon bundles with suitable organic resins and pyrolysing them together. Two approaches were developed to increase the utilization of fiber tensile strength by minimizing stress concentration defects induced by dissimilar shrinkage during pyrolysis. These were matrix modification to improve char yield and strain-to-failure and fiber-matrix copyrolysis to alleviate matrix cracking. Highest tensile strength and modulus were obtained by heat treatments to 2873 K to match fiber and matrix strain-to-failure and develop maximum monofilament tensile-strength and elastic modulus.

Micro sized implantable ball lens-based fiber optic probe design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Jaepyeong; Kang, Jin U.

2014-02-01

A micro sized implantable ball lens-based fiber optic probe design is described for continuous monitoring of brain activity in freely behaving mice. A prototype uses a 500-micron ball lens and a highly flexible 350-micron-diameter fiber bundle, which are enclosed by a 21G stainless steel sheath. Several types and thickness of brain tissue, consisting of fluorescent probes such as GFP, GCaMP3 calcium indicator, are used to evaluate the performance of the imaging probe. Measured working distance is approximately 400-μm, but is long enough to detect neural activities from cortical and cerebellar tissues of mice brain.

3D-Printing of Meso-structurally Ordered Carbon Fiber/Polymer Composites with Unprecedented Orthotropic Physical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewicki, James P.; Rodriguez, Jennifer N.; Zhu, Cheng; Worsley, Marcus A.; Wu, Amanda S.; Kanarska, Yuliya; Horn, John D.; Duoss, Eric B.; Ortega, Jason M.; Elmer, William; Hensleigh, Ryan; Fellini, Ryan A.; King, Michael J.

2017-03-01

Here we report the first example of a class of additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite (AMCFRC) materials which have been achieved through the use of a latent thermal cured aromatic thermoset resin system, through an adaptation of direct ink writing (DIW) 3D-printing technology. We have developed a means of printing high performance thermoset carbon fiber composites, which allow the fiber component of a resin and carbon fiber fluid to be aligned in three dimensions via controlled micro-extrusion and subsequently cured into complex geometries. Characterization of our composite systems clearly show that we achieved a high order of fiber alignment within the composite microstructure, which in turn allows these materials to outperform equivalently filled randomly oriented carbon fiber and polymer composites. Furthermore, our AM carbon fiber composite systems exhibit highly orthotropic mechanical and electrical responses as a direct result of the alignment of carbon fiber bundles in the microscale which we predict will ultimately lead to the design of truly tailorable carbon fiber/polymer hybrid materials having locally programmable complex electrical, thermal and mechanical response.

3D-Printing of Meso-structurally Ordered Carbon Fiber/Polymer Composites with Unprecedented Orthotropic Physical Properties

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

Lewicki, James P.; Rodriguez, Jennifer N.; Zhu, Cheng

Here we report the first example of a class of additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite (AMCFRC) materials which have been achieved through the use of a latent thermal cured aromatic thermoset resin system, through an adaptation of direct ink writing (DIW) 3D-printing technology. We have developed a means of printing high performance thermoset carbon fiber composites, which allow the fiber component of a resin and carbon fiber fluid to be aligned in three dimensions via controlled micro-extrusion and subsequently cured into complex geometries. Characterization of our composite systems clearly show that we achieved a high order of fiber alignmentmore » within the composite microstructure, which in turn allows these materials to outperform equivalently filled randomly oriented carbon fiber and polymer composites. Moreover, our AM carbon fiber composite systems exhibit highly orthotropic mechanical and electrical responses as a direct result of the alignment of carbon fiber bundles in the microscale which we predict will ultimately lead to the design of truly tailorable carbon fiber/polymer hybrid materials having locally programmable complex electrical, thermal and mechanical response.« less

Histochemical study of the elastic fibers in pathologic human temporomandibular joint discs.

PubMed

Leonardi, R; Villari, L; Bernasconi, G; Caltabiano, M

2001-10-01

This study investigated histochemically the elastic fibers in human temporomandibular joint (TMJ) discs with varying degrees of tissue degeneration/regeneration to determine whether there are differences that correlate with the histologic findings. Ten diseased human TMJ discs and 2 control specimens were studied histochemically by staining with Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin after oxidation with peracetic acid. This technique selectively stains elastic, elaunin, (pre-elastic), and oxytalan fibers. In TMJ discs with an abnormal collagen fiber arrangement, an increased number of oxytalan fibers could be observed, contrary to discs with scar-like tissue transformation in which oxytalan fibers were decreased in number. In discs showing tears and clefts, the oxytalan fibers run perpendicular to the defects, whereas elaunin and elastic fibers were mainly circumferentially arranged. In discs with chondroid metaplasia, elastic, elaunin, and oxytalan fibers were extensively detected. It is hypothesized that the elastic, elaunin, and oxytalan fibers found in severely damaged discs appear to ensure biomechanical compliance by reinforcing regions devoid of collagen bundles and thus function as shock absorbers of stretch and compression. Copyright 2001 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

3D-Printing of Meso-structurally Ordered Carbon Fiber/Polymer Composites with Unprecedented Orthotropic Physical Properties

DOE PAGES

Lewicki, James P.; Rodriguez, Jennifer N.; Zhu, Cheng; ...

2017-03-06

Here we report the first example of a class of additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite (AMCFRC) materials which have been achieved through the use of a latent thermal cured aromatic thermoset resin system, through an adaptation of direct ink writing (DIW) 3D-printing technology. We have developed a means of printing high performance thermoset carbon fiber composites, which allow the fiber component of a resin and carbon fiber fluid to be aligned in three dimensions via controlled micro-extrusion and subsequently cured into complex geometries. Characterization of our composite systems clearly show that we achieved a high order of fiber alignmentmore » within the composite microstructure, which in turn allows these materials to outperform equivalently filled randomly oriented carbon fiber and polymer composites. Moreover, our AM carbon fiber composite systems exhibit highly orthotropic mechanical and electrical responses as a direct result of the alignment of carbon fiber bundles in the microscale which we predict will ultimately lead to the design of truly tailorable carbon fiber/polymer hybrid materials having locally programmable complex electrical, thermal and mechanical response.« less

3D-Printing of Meso-structurally Ordered Carbon Fiber/Polymer Composites with Unprecedented Orthotropic Physical Properties.

PubMed

Lewicki, James P; Rodriguez, Jennifer N; Zhu, Cheng; Worsley, Marcus A; Wu, Amanda S; Kanarska, Yuliya; Horn, John D; Duoss, Eric B; Ortega, Jason M; Elmer, William; Hensleigh, Ryan; Fellini, Ryan A; King, Michael J

2017-03-06

Here we report the first example of a class of additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite (AMCFRC) materials which have been achieved through the use of a latent thermal cured aromatic thermoset resin system, through an adaptation of direct ink writing (DIW) 3D-printing technology. We have developed a means of printing high performance thermoset carbon fiber composites, which allow the fiber component of a resin and carbon fiber fluid to be aligned in three dimensions via controlled micro-extrusion and subsequently cured into complex geometries. Characterization of our composite systems clearly show that we achieved a high order of fiber alignment within the composite microstructure, which in turn allows these materials to outperform equivalently filled randomly oriented carbon fiber and polymer composites. Furthermore, our AM carbon fiber composite systems exhibit highly orthotropic mechanical and electrical responses as a direct result of the alignment of carbon fiber bundles in the microscale which we predict will ultimately lead to the design of truly tailorable carbon fiber/polymer hybrid materials having locally programmable complex electrical, thermal and mechanical response.

3D-Printing of Meso-structurally Ordered Carbon Fiber/Polymer Composites with Unprecedented Orthotropic Physical Properties

PubMed Central

Lewicki, James P.; Rodriguez, Jennifer N.; Zhu, Cheng; Worsley, Marcus A.; Wu, Amanda S.; Kanarska, Yuliya; Horn, John D.; Duoss, Eric B.; Ortega, Jason M.; Elmer, William; Hensleigh, Ryan; Fellini, Ryan A.; King, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Here we report the first example of a class of additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced composite (AMCFRC) materials which have been achieved through the use of a latent thermal cured aromatic thermoset resin system, through an adaptation of direct ink writing (DIW) 3D-printing technology. We have developed a means of printing high performance thermoset carbon fiber composites, which allow the fiber component of a resin and carbon fiber fluid to be aligned in three dimensions via controlled micro-extrusion and subsequently cured into complex geometries. Characterization of our composite systems clearly show that we achieved a high order of fiber alignment within the composite microstructure, which in turn allows these materials to outperform equivalently filled randomly oriented carbon fiber and polymer composites. Furthermore, our AM carbon fiber composite systems exhibit highly orthotropic mechanical and electrical responses as a direct result of the alignment of carbon fiber bundles in the microscale which we predict will ultimately lead to the design of truly tailorable carbon fiber/polymer hybrid materials having locally programmable complex electrical, thermal and mechanical response. PMID:28262669

Seeing More by Showing Less: Orientation-Dependent Transparency Rendering for Fiber Tractography Visualization.

PubMed

Tax, Chantal M W; Chamberland, Maxime; van Stralen, Marijn; Viergever, Max A; Whittingstall, Kevin; Fortin, David; Descoteaux, Maxime; Leemans, Alexander

2015-01-01

Fiber tractography plays an important role in exploring the architectural organization of fiber trajectories, both in fundamental neuroscience and in clinical applications. With the advent of diffusion MRI (dMRI) approaches that can also model "crossing fibers", the complexity of the fiber network as reconstructed with tractography has increased tremendously. Many pathways interdigitate and overlap, which hampers an unequivocal 3D visualization of the network and impedes an efficient study of its organization. We propose a novel fiber tractography visualization approach that interactively and selectively adapts the transparency rendering of fiber trajectories as a function of their orientation to enhance the visibility of the spatial context. More specifically, pathways that are oriented (locally or globally) along a user-specified opacity axis can be made more transparent or opaque. This substantially improves the 3D visualization of the fiber network and the exploration of tissue configurations that would otherwise be largely covered by other pathways. We present examples of fiber bundle extraction and neurosurgical planning cases where the added benefit of our new visualization scheme is demonstrated over conventional fiber visualization approaches.

Geometry of matrix product states: Metric, parallel transport, and curvature

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

Haegeman, Jutho, E-mail: jutho.haegeman@gmail.com; Verstraete, Frank; Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, University of Ghent, Krijgslaan 281 S9, 9000 Gent

2014-02-15

We study the geometric properties of the manifold of states described as (uniform) matrix product states. Due to the parameter redundancy in the matrix product state representation, matrix product states have the mathematical structure of a (principal) fiber bundle. The total space or bundle space corresponds to the parameter space, i.e., the space of tensors associated to every physical site. The base manifold is embedded in Hilbert space and can be given the structure of a Kähler manifold by inducing the Hilbert space metric. Our main interest is in the states living in the tangent space to the base manifold,more » which have recently been shown to be interesting in relation to time dependence and elementary excitations. By lifting these tangent vectors to the (tangent space) of the bundle space using a well-chosen prescription (a principal bundle connection), we can define and efficiently compute an inverse metric, and introduce differential geometric concepts such as parallel transport (related to the Levi-Civita connection) and the Riemann curvature tensor.« less

Distributed temperature sensing inside a 19-rod bundle

DOE PAGES

Lomperski, S.; Bremer, N.; Gerardi, C.

2017-05-23

The temperature field within a model of a sodium-cooled fast reactor fuel rod bundle was measured using Ø155 μm fiber optic distributed temperature sensors (DTS). The bundle consists of 19 electrically-heated rods Ø6.3 mm and 865 mm long. Working fluids were argon and air at atmospheric pressure and Reynolds numbers up to 300. A 20 m-long DTS was threaded through Ø1 mm capillaries wound around rods as wire-wraps. The sensor generated 173 measurements along each rod at 5 mm resolution for a total of 3300 data locations. A second DTS, 58 m long, was suspended between rods to provide 9300more » fluid temperature measurements at 20 mm resolution. Such data density makes it possible to construct 3D maps of the temperature field that are beyond the reach of traditional sensors such as thermocouples. This is illustrated through a series of steady-state and transient tests. As a result, the work demonstrates the feasibility of mapping temperature within the close confines of a rod bundle at resolutions suitable for validation of computational fluid dynamics codes.« less

Fiber optic probe having fibers with endfaces formed for improved coupling efficiency and method using same

DOEpatents

O`Rourke, P.E.; Livingston, R.R.

1995-03-28

A fiber optic probe is disclosed for detecting scattered light, with transmitting and receiving fibers having slanted ends and bundled together to form a bevel within the tip of the probe. The probe comprises a housing with a transparent window across its tip for protecting the transmitting and receiving fibers held therein. The endfaces of the fibers are slanted, by cutting, polishing and the like, so that they lie in a plane that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective fiber. The fibers are held in the tip of the probe using an epoxy and oriented so that lines normal to the slanted endfaces are divergent with respect to one another. The epoxy, which is positioned substantially between the transmitting and receiving fibers, is tapered so that the transmitting fiber, the epoxy and the receiving fiber form a bevel of not more than 20 degrees. The angled fiber endfaces cause directing of the light cones toward each other, resulting in improved light coupling efficiency. A light absorber, such as carbon black, is contained in the epoxy to reduce crosstalk between the transmitting and receiving fibers. 3 figures.

Fiber optic probe having fibers with endfaces formed for improved coupling efficiency and method using same

DOEpatents

O'Rourke, Patrick E.; Livingston, Ronald R.

1995-01-01

A fiber optic probe for detecting scattered light, with transmitting and receiving fibers having slanted ends and bundled together to form a bevel within the tip of the probe. The probe comprises a housing with a transparent window across its tip for protecting the transmitting and receiving fibers held therein. The endfaces of the fibers are slanted, by cutting, polishing and the like, so that they lie in a plane that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective fiber. The fibers are held in the tip of the probe using an epoxy and oriented so that lines normal to the slanted endfaces are divergent with respect to one another. The epoxy, which is positioned substantially between the transmitting and receiving fibers, is tapered so that the transmitting fiber, the epoxy and the receiving fiber form a bevel of not more than 20 degrees. The angled fiber endfaces cause directing of the light cones toward each other, resulting in improved light coupling efficiency. A light absorber, such as carbon black, is contained in the epoxy to reduce crosstalk between the transmitting and receiving fibers.

Segmentation of the Cingulum Bundle in the Human Brain: A New Perspective Based on DSI Tractography and Fiber Dissection Study.

PubMed

Wu, Yupeng; Sun, Dandan; Wang, Yong; Wang, Yibao; Ou, Shaowu

2016-01-01

The cingulum bundle (CB) is a critical white matter fiber tract in the brain, which forms connections between the frontal lobe, parietal lobe and temporal lobe. In non-human primates, the CB is actually divided into distinct subcomponents on the basis of corticocortical connections. However, at present, no study has verified similar distinct subdivisions in the human brain. In this study, we reconstructed these distinct subdivisions in the human brain, and determined their exact cortical connections using high definition fiber tracking (HDFT) technique on 10 healthy adults and a 488-subject template from the Human Connectome Project (HCP-488). Fiber dissections were performed to verify tractography results. Five CB segments were identified. CB-I ran from the subrostral areas to the precuneus and splenium, encircling the corpus callosum (CC). CB-II arched around the splenium and extended anteriorly above the CC to the medial aspect of the superior frontal gyrus (SFG). CB-III connected the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and precuneus with the medial aspect of the SFG. CB-IV was a relatively minor subcomponent from the SPL and precuneus to the frontal region. CB-V, the para-hippocampal cingulum, stemmed from the medial temporal lobe and fanned out to the occipital lobes. Our findings not only provide a more accurate and detailed description on the associated architecture of the subcomponents within the CB, but also offer new insights into the functional role of the CB in the human brain.

White matter correlates of cognitive domains in normal aging with diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Sasson, Efrat; Doniger, Glen M; Pasternak, Ofer; Tarrasch, Ricardo; Assaf, Yaniv

2013-01-01

The ability to perform complex as well as simple cognitive tasks engages a network of brain regions that is mediated by the white matter fiber bundles connecting them. Different cognitive tasks employ distinctive white matter fiber bundles. The temporal lobe and its projections subserve a variety of key functions known to deteriorate during aging. In a cohort of 52 healthy subjects (ages 25-82 years), we performed voxel-wise regression analysis correlating performance in higher-order cognitive domains (executive function, information processing speed, and memory) with white matter integrity, as measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fiber tracking in the temporal lobe projections [uncinate fasciculus (UF), fornix, cingulum, inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF)]. The fiber tracts were spatially registered and statistical parametric maps were produced to spatially localize the significant correlations. Results showed that performance in the executive function domain is correlated with DTI parameters in the left SLF and right UF; performance in the information processing speed domain is correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left cingulum, left fornix, right and left ILF and SLF; and the memory domain shows significant correlations with DTI parameters in the right fornix, right cingulum, left ILF, left SLF and right UF. These findings suggest that DTI tractography enables anatomical definition of region of interest (ROI) for correlation of behavioral parameters with diffusion indices, and functionality can be correlated with white matter integrity.

High-resolution flying-PIV with optical fiber laser delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weichselbaum, Noah A.; André, Matthieu A.; Rahimi-Abkenar, Morteza; Manzari, Majid T.; Bardet, Philippe M.

2016-05-01

Implementation of non-intrusive optical measurement techniques, such as particle image velocimetry (PIV), in harsh environments requires specialized techniques for introducing controlled laser sheets to the region of interest. Large earthquake shake tables are a particularly challenging environment. Lasers must be mounted away from the table, and the laser sheet has to be delivered precisely and stably to the measurement station. Here, high-power multi-mode step-index fiber optics enable introduction of light from an Nd:YLF pulsed laser to a remote test section. Such lasers are suitable for coupling to optical fibers, which presents a portable, flexible, and safe manner to deliver a PIV light sheet. Best practices for their implementation are reviewed. Particular attention is focused on obtaining a collimated beam of acceptable quality at the output of the fiber. To achieve high spatial resolution, the PIV camera is directly mounted on the moving shake table with care to minimize its vibrations. A special arrangement of PIV planes is deployed for precise in-situ PIV alignment and to monitor and account for residual structure vibrations and beam wandering. The design of the instruments is detailed. Here, an experimental facility for the study of nuclear fuel bundle response to seismic forcing near prototypical conditions is instrumented. Only through integration of a high-resolution flying-PIV system can velocity fields be acquired. Data indicate that in the presence of a mean axial flow, a secondary oscillatory flow develops as the bundle oscillates. Instantaneous, phase-averaged, and fluctuating velocity fields illustrate this phenomenon.

Wireless optical transceiver design, link analisys and alignment control for mobile communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Dayong

Pointing, acquisition and tracking of a free-space optical node in a mobile network experiencing misalignment due to adverse factors including vibration, motion and atmospheric turbulence requires a different approach than traditional free-space optical transceivers. A recent fiber-bundle approach for beam steering at the transmitter was investigated to provide continuous beam coverage at the receiver without the application of mechanical devices. Utilizing multiple fibers-lenses sets at the receiver was also proposed to enhance the tolerance of optical link misalignment. In this work, both laboratory experiments and software simulation were implemented to evaluate the optical link performance for different fiber-bundle-based transceiver setups as the link parameters were varied. The performance was evaluated in terms of the coverage area at the receiver, which is a measure of misalignment tolerance and is dependent not only on wavelength but on other key parameters such as link length, transmitted power, the pattern of transmitters, beam divergence, and the receiver construction. The results showed that fiber-bindle-based transceivers reveal significant potential to maximize the up time of the link, and the results also provide guidance on the further development of the overall system. To incorporate the proposed transceiver designs, an alignment control system was developed and evaluated as well. The laboratory results show that the optical control system successfully recovered and maintained the link while the receiver was in motion and the signal coverage at the target area was enhanced significantly.

Development of 1.0- to 1.4-Micrometer Heterojunction LEDs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

dispersion of silica fibers decreases with increasing wavelength (2]. This is due to the wavelength dependence of the refractive index , which predicts...shown here is sufficient to provide strong electron confine- ment in the low-energy material (InGaAs). A similar difference in refractive index for these...bandgap and refractive - index steps discussed above form the basis of fabricating heterojunction emitters (both edge-emitting LEDs and lasers

Protection of human muscle acetylcholinesterase from soman by pyridostigmine bromide.

PubMed

Maselli, Ricardo A; Henderson, John D; Ng, Jarae; Follette, David; Graves, Gregory; Wilson, Barry W

2011-04-01

Pretreatment with pyridostigmine bromide (PB) of human intercostal muscle fibers exposed to the irreversible acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor soman was investigated. Muscles were pretreated with 3 × 10(-6) M PB or saline for 20 minutes, then exposed to 10(-7) M soman for 10 minutes. AChE of muscles treated with soman alone was inhibited >95%. In contrast, PB pretreatment of soman-exposed bundles protected 20% of AChE activity. AChE of bundles exposed to PB alone recovered after 4 hours, but bundles exposed to both PB and soman did not. Soman-induced reduction of resting membrane potentials and increment of amplitudes and decay times of miniature endplate potentials (MEPPs) were partially corrected by PB pretreatment. In vitro pretreatment of human muscles with PB protected up to 20% of muscle AChE and ameliorated some deleterious effects on endplate physiology induced by soman. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High Spatial Resolution Imaging Mass Spectrometry of Human Optic Nerve Lipids and Proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, David M. G.; Spraggins, Jeffrey M.; Rose, Kristie L.; Schey, Kevin L.

2015-06-01

The human optic nerve carries signals from the retina to the visual cortex of the brain. Each optic nerve is comprised of approximately one million nerve fibers that are organized into bundles of 800-1200 fibers surrounded by connective tissue and supportive glial cells. Damage to the optic nerve contributes to a number of blinding diseases including: glaucoma, neuromyelitis optica, optic neuritis, and neurofibromatosis; however, the molecular mechanisms of optic nerve damage and death are incompletely understood. Herein we present high spatial resolution MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) analysis of lipids and proteins to define the molecular anatomy of the human optic nerve. The localization of a number of lipids was observed in discrete anatomical regions corresponding to myelinated and unmyelinated nerve regions as well as to supporting connective tissue, glial cells, and blood vessels. A protein fragment from vimentin, a known intermediate filament marker for astrocytes, was observed surrounding nerved fiber bundles in the lamina cribrosa region. S100B was also found in supporting glial cell regions in the prelaminar region, and the hemoglobin alpha subunit was observed in blood vessel areas. The molecular anatomy of the optic nerve defined by MALDI IMS provides a firm foundation to study biochemical changes in blinding human diseases.

White matter and schizophrenia: A meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging studies.

PubMed

Vitolo, Enrico; Tatu, Mona Karina; Pignolo, Claudia; Cauda, Franco; Costa, Tommaso; Ando', Agata; Zennaro, Alessandro

2017-12-30

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are the most implemented methodologies to detect alterations of both gray and white matter (WM). However, the role of WM in mental disorders is still not well defined. We aimed at clarifying the role of WM disruption in schizophrenia and at identifying the most frequently involved brain networks. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify VBM and DTI studies focusing on WM alterations in patients with schizophrenia compared to control subjects. We selected studies reporting the coordinates of WM reductions and we performed the anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE). Moreover, we labeled the WM bundles with an anatomical atlas and compared VBM and DTI ALE-scores of each significant WM tract. A total of 59 studies were eligible for the meta-analysis. WM alterations were reported in 31 and 34 foci with VBM and DTI methods, respectively. The most occurred WM bundles in both VBM and DTI studies and largely involved in schizophrenia were long projection fibers, callosal and commissural fibers, part of motor descending fibers, and fronto-temporal-limbic pathways. The meta-analysis showed a widespread WM disruption in schizophrenia involving specific cerebral circuits instead of well-defined regions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hindlimb unloading alters ligament healing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Provenzano, Paolo P.; Martinez, Daniel A.; Grindeland, Richard E.; Dwyer, Kelley W.; Turner, Joanne; Vailas, Arthur C.; Vanderby, Ray Jr

2003-01-01

We investigated the hypothesis that hindlimb unloading inhibits healing in fibrous connective tissue such as ligament. Male rats were assigned to 3- and 7-wk treatment groups with three subgroups each: sham control, ambulatory healing, and hindlimb-suspended healing. Ambulatory and suspended animals underwent surgical rupture of their medial collateral ligaments, whereas sham surgeries were performed on control animals. After 3 or 7 wk, mechanical and/or morphological properties were measured in ligament, muscle, and bone. During mechanical testing, most suspended ligaments failed in the scar region, indicating the greatest impairment was to ligament and not to bone-ligament insertion. Ligament testing revealed significant reductions in maximum force, ultimate stress, elastic modulus, and low-load properties in suspended animals. In addition, femoral mineral density, femoral strength, gastrocnemius mass, and tibialis anterior mass were significantly reduced. Microscopy revealed abnormal scar formation and cell distribution in suspended ligaments with extracellular matrix discontinuities and voids between misaligned, but well-formed, collagen fiber bundles. Hence, stress levels from ambulation appear unnecessary for formation of fiber bundles yet required for collagen to form structurally competent continuous fibers. Results support our hypothesis that hindlimb unloading impairs healing of fibrous connective tissue. In addition, this study provides compelling morphological evidence explaining the altered structure-function relationship in load-deprived healing connective tissue.

Solvent-free fabrication of three dimensionally aligned polycaprolactone microfibers for engineering of anisotropic tissues.

PubMed

An, Jia; Chua, Chee Kai; Leong, Kah Fai; Chen, Chih-Hao; Chen, Jyh-Ping

2012-10-01

Fabrication of aligned microfiber scaffolds is critical in successful engineering of anisotropic tissues such as tendon, ligaments and nerves. Conventionally, aligned microfiber scaffolds are two dimensional and predominantly fabricated by electrospinning which is solvent dependent. In this paper, we report a novel technique, named microfiber melt drawing, to fabricate a bundle of three dimensionally aligned polycaprolactone microfibers without using any organic solvent. This technique is simple yet effective. It has been demonstrated that polycaprolactone microfibers of 10 μm fiber diameter can be directly drawn from a 2 mm orifice. Orifice diameter, temperature and take-up speed significantly influence the final linear density and fiber diameter of the microfibers. Mechanical test suggests that mechanical properties such as stiffness and breaking force of microfiber bundles can be easily adjusted by the number of fibers. In vitro study shows that these microfibers are able to support the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts over 7 days. In vivo result of Achilles tendon repair in a rabbit model shows that the microfibers were highly infiltrated by tendon tissue as early as in 1 month, besides, the repaired tendon have a well-aligned tissue structure under the guidance of aligned microfibers. However whether these three dimensionally aligned microfibers can induce three dimensionally aligned cells remains inconclusive.

Leading non-Gaussian corrections for diffusion orientation distribution function.

PubMed

Jensen, Jens H; Helpern, Joseph A; Tabesh, Ali

2014-02-01

An analytical representation of the leading non-Gaussian corrections for a class of diffusion orientation distribution functions (dODFs) is presented. This formula is constructed from the diffusion and diffusional kurtosis tensors, both of which may be estimated with diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI). By incorporating model-independent non-Gaussian diffusion effects, it improves on the Gaussian approximation used in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This analytical representation therefore provides a natural foundation for DKI-based white matter fiber tractography, which has potential advantages over conventional DTI-based fiber tractography in generating more accurate predictions for the orientations of fiber bundles and in being able to directly resolve intra-voxel fiber crossings. The formula is illustrated with numerical simulations for a two-compartment model of fiber crossings and for human brain data. These results indicate that the inclusion of the leading non-Gaussian corrections can significantly affect fiber tractography in white matter regions, such as the centrum semiovale, where fiber crossings are common. 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Leading Non-Gaussian Corrections for Diffusion Orientation Distribution Function

PubMed Central

Jensen, Jens H.; Helpern, Joseph A.; Tabesh, Ali

2014-01-01

An analytical representation of the leading non-Gaussian corrections for a class of diffusion orientation distribution functions (dODFs) is presented. This formula is constructed out of the diffusion and diffusional kurtosis tensors, both of which may be estimated with diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI). By incorporating model-independent non-Gaussian diffusion effects, it improves upon the Gaussian approximation used in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This analytical representation therefore provides a natural foundation for DKI-based white matter fiber tractography, which has potential advantages over conventional DTI-based fiber tractography in generating more accurate predictions for the orientations of fiber bundles and in being able to directly resolve intra-voxel fiber crossings. The formula is illustrated with numerical simulations for a two-compartment model of fiber crossings and for human brain data. These results indicate that the inclusion of the leading non-Gaussian corrections can significantly affect fiber tractography in white matter regions, such as the centrum semiovale, where fiber crossings are common. PMID:24738143

About the specialized myocardial conducting tissue.

PubMed

de Micheli Serra, Alfredo; Iturralde Torres, Pedro; Aranda Fraustro, Alberto

2013-01-01

The chronological succession of discoveries on the location and structure of the atrio-ventricular conducting system are described. The starting point of this system is located in the sinus atrial node, identified by the English scientists A. Keith and M. W. Flack in 1907. The atrioventricular conducting system was pointed out by the Swiss physician Wilhelm His Jr. in 1893. The atrioventricular node (AV) was first identified by the Japanese pathologist Sumao Tawara and his German professor Ludwig Aschoff in 1906. Likewise the structure and routes of the three internodal bundles are described. These bundles include: Bachmann's bundle (1916) connecting the right with the left atrium and the AV node; the middle Wenckebach's bundle (1910) and the posterior or Thörel's bundle (1910), extending from the region of the sinus atrial node towards the posterior margin of the AV node. Lastly, the ventricular left and right conduction systems are detailed. These include the main trunk and their peripheral subdivisions with respective networks. Regarding the controversial existence of the left middle subdivision, it can exist in animal and human hearts. Nevertheless, an intermediate left septal network of specialized fibers seems to act as a functional equivalent of this subdivision. Copyright © 2012 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Investigation of BCF-12 Plastic Scintillating Coherent Fiber Bundle Timing Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

spread in transit time. The shape of the voltage pulse produced at the anode of a PM following a scin - tillation event depends on the time constant of...Choong, G. Hull, and B.W. Reutter. “ Scin - tillator Non-Proportionality: Present Understanding and Future Challenges”. Nuclear Science, IEEE

7 CFR 1421.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... such system; or (3) Other such acceptable evidence of title, as determined by CCC. Wool means the fiber... bundled peanut MALs and LDPs to a DMA. In the absence of a centralized MAL and LDP processing system for... accounting systems. Designated Marketing Association (DMA) means an entity, or a subsidiary thereof, that...

7 CFR 1421.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... such system; or (3) Other such acceptable evidence of title, as determined by CCC. Wool means the fiber... bundled peanut MALs and LDPs to a DMA. In the absence of a centralized MAL and LDP processing system for... accounting systems. Designated Marketing Association (DMA) means an entity, or a subsidiary thereof, that...

Study of Man-Machine Communications Systems for the Handicapped. Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafafian, Haig

Newly developed communications systems for exceptional children include Cybercom; CYBERTYPE; Cyberplace, a keyless keyboard; Cyberphone, a telephonic communication system for deaf and speech impaired persons; Cyberlamp, a visual display; Cyberview, a fiber optic bundle remote visual display; Cybersem, an interface for the blind, fingerless, and…

Architecture of the Suprahyoid Muscles: A Volumetric Musculoaponeurotic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Stephanie M.; Martino, Rosemary; Mahdi, Ali; Sawyer, Forrest Kip; Mathur, Sunita; Hope, Andrew; Agur, Anne M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Suprahyoid muscles play a critical role in swallowing. The arrangement of the fiber bundles and aponeuroses has not been investigated volumetrically, even though muscle architecture is an important determinant of function. Thus, the purpose was to digitize, model in three dimensions, and quantify the architectural parameters of the…

Modifications Caused by Enzyme-retting and Their Effect on Composite Performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bethune seed flax was collected from Canada with seed removed using a stripper header and straw pulled and left in field for several weeks. Unretted straw was decorticated providing a coarse fiber bundle feedstock for enzyme treatments. Enzyme treatments using a bacterial pectinolytic enzyme with ...

Seeing More by Showing Less: Orientation-Dependent Transparency Rendering for Fiber Tractography Visualization

PubMed Central

Tax, Chantal M. W.; Chamberland, Maxime; van Stralen, Marijn; Viergever, Max A.; Whittingstall, Kevin; Fortin, David; Descoteaux, Maxime; Leemans, Alexander

2015-01-01

Fiber tractography plays an important role in exploring the architectural organization of fiber trajectories, both in fundamental neuroscience and in clinical applications. With the advent of diffusion MRI (dMRI) approaches that can also model “crossing fibers”, the complexity of the fiber network as reconstructed with tractography has increased tremendously. Many pathways interdigitate and overlap, which hampers an unequivocal 3D visualization of the network and impedes an efficient study of its organization. We propose a novel fiber tractography visualization approach that interactively and selectively adapts the transparency rendering of fiber trajectories as a function of their orientation to enhance the visibility of the spatial context. More specifically, pathways that are oriented (locally or globally) along a user-specified opacity axis can be made more transparent or opaque. This substantially improves the 3D visualization of the fiber network and the exploration of tissue configurations that would otherwise be largely covered by other pathways. We present examples of fiber bundle extraction and neurosurgical planning cases where the added benefit of our new visualization scheme is demonstrated over conventional fiber visualization approaches. PMID:26444010

Characterization and modeling of ionic polymeric smart materials as artificial muscles and robotic swimming structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojarrad, Mehran

2001-07-01

In this dissertation document, a thorough review and investigation of works in connection with the ionic polymeric gels as artificial muscles and electrically controllable polymeric network structures were performed. Where possible, comparisons were made with biological muscles and applications in marine propulsion using such polymeric materials were investigated. Furthermore, methods of fabrication of several chemically active ionic polymeric gel muscles such as PolyAcryloNitrile (PAN), Poly(2-Acrylamido-2-Methyl-1-PropaneSulfonic) acid (PAMPS), and PolyAcrylic-acid-bis-AcrylaMide (PAAM) as well as a new class of electrically active composite muscle such as Ion-Exchange-Metal-Composites (IEMC) or Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMC) materials are introduced and investigated that resulted in two US patents regarding their fabrication and application capabilities as actuators and sensors. In this research, various forms of the IPMC fabrication were explored and reported. In addition, characterization of PAN muscles, bundling and encapsulation were investigated. Conversion of chemical to electrical artificial muscles were also investigated using chemical plating techniques as well as physical vapor deposition methods of the pH-activated muscles like PAN fibers. Experimental methods were devised to characterize contraction, expansion, and bending of various actuators using isometric, isoionic, and isotonic characterization methods. Several apparatuses for modeling and testing of the various artificial muscles were built to show the viability of the application of both chemoactive and electroactive muscles. Furthermore PAN fiber muscles in different configurations such as spring-loaded fiber bundles, biceps, triceps, ribbon type muscles, and segmented fiber bundles were fabricated to make a variety of actuators. Additionally, swimming robotic structures and associated hardware were built to incorporate IPMC as biomimetic propulsion fin actuators. In addition, various configuration of IPMC such as linear actuators and multiplayer actuators were fabricated and evaluated for load and sensing capability. Theories associated with ionic polymer gels electrodynamics and chemodynamics were proposed, analyzed and modeled for the manufactured material. Futhermore, theoretical models of swimming structures were developed and compared with biological fish propulsion models and dynamically evaluated for robotic applications.

Physical characterization of functionalized spider silk: electronic and sensing properties

PubMed Central

Steven, Eden; Park, Jin Gyu; Paravastu, Anant; Lopes, Elsa Branco; Brooks, James S; Englander, Ongi; Siegrist, Theo; Kaner, Papatya; Alamo, Rufina G

2011-01-01

This work explores functional, fundamental and applied aspects of naturally harvested spider silk fibers. Natural silk is a protein polymer where different amino acids control the physical properties of fibroin bundles, producing, for example, combinations of β-sheet (crystalline) and amorphous (helical) structural regions. This complexity presents opportunities for functional modification to obtain new types of material properties. Electrical conductivity is the starting point of this investigation, where the insulating nature of neat silk under ambient conditions is described first. Modification of the conductivity by humidity, exposure to polar solvents, iodine doping, pyrolization and deposition of a thin metallic film are explored next. The conductivity increases exponentially with relative humidity and/or solvent, whereas only an incremental increase occurs after iodine doping. In contrast, iodine doping, optimal at 70 °C, has a strong effect on the morphology of silk bundles (increasing their size), on the process of pyrolization (suppressing mass loss rates) and on the resulting carbonized fiber structure (that becomes more robust against bending and strain). The effects of iodine doping and other functional parameters (vacuum and thin film coating) motivated an investigation with magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) to monitor doping-induced changes in the amino acid-protein backbone signature. MAS-NMR revealed a moderate effect of iodine on the helical and β-sheet structures, and a lesser effect of gold sputtering. The effects of iodine doping were further probed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, revealing a partial transformation of β-sheet-to-amorphous constituency. A model is proposed, based on the findings from the MAS-NMR and FTIR, which involves iodine-induced changes in the silk fibroin bundle environment that can account for the altered physical properties. Finally, proof-of-concept applications of functionalized spider silk are presented for thermoelectric (Seebeck) effects and incandescence in iodine-doped pyrolized silk fibers, and metallic conductivity and flexibility of micron-sized gold-sputtered silk fibers. In the latter case, we demonstrate the application of gold-sputtered neat spider silk to make four-terminal, flexible, ohmic contacts to organic superconductor samples. PMID:27877440

A new detector for low Pt physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da Via, C.; DeSalvo, R.; Lundin, M.; Mondardini, M. R.; Orear, J.; Shimizu, T.; Shinji, O.

1992-12-01

Elastic pp (or poverlinep) scattering at microradian angles provides a measurement of the total pp (or poverlinep) cross sectio elastic scattering cross section with t (the square of the momentum transfer) and the ratio of real to imaginary scattering amplitudes, as well as an absolute luminosity calibration. A detector is proposed which can measure elastic scattering and small angle processes which are usually missed by a typical 4π detector. The detector consists of a bundle of scintillating fibers. Images from these fibers are transported via glass fiber optics and intensified with two proximity focused image intensifiers. Images are then reduced via an image taper and read out with a charge coupled device (CCD).

Differential Binary Encoding Method for Calibrating Image Sensors Based on IOFBs

PubMed Central

Fernández, Pedro R.; Lázaro-Galilea, José Luis; Gardel, Alfredo; Espinosa, Felipe; Bravo, Ignacio; Cano, Ángel

2012-01-01

Image transmission using incoherent optical fiber bundles (IOFBs) requires prior calibration to obtain the spatial in-out fiber correspondence necessary to reconstruct the image captured by the pseudo-sensor. This information is recorded in a Look-Up Table called the Reconstruction Table (RT), used later for reordering the fiber positions and reconstructing the original image. This paper presents a very fast method based on image-scanning using spaces encoded by a weighted binary code to obtain the in-out correspondence. The results demonstrate that this technique yields a remarkable reduction in processing time and the image reconstruction quality is very good compared to previous techniques based on spot or line scanning, for example. PMID:22666023

Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment Fiber Optic Testing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuller, Lindsay

2011-01-01

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) is a spectroscopic survey that will collect data from nearly one million Lyman-α emitting galaxies at a redshift of 1.8 < z < 3.8 in order to characterize dark energy. To accomplish this, over 33,000 optical fibers will feed light from these galaxies into 150 Visible Integral-Field Replicable Unit Spectrographs (VIRUS), an order of magnitude greater than has been done before. A fiber optic test bench has been constructed at the University of Texas at Austin in order to test the transmission and focal ratio degradation (FRD) of individual fibers at several wavelengths ranging from 350-600nm. Furthermore, the fiber optic bundles are undergoing extensive lifetime tests at the Center for Electromechanics on the university’s research campus which will simulate 10 years of motion on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope.

Effect of sonication treatment on fibrilating snake fruit (Sallaca) frond fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmanto, Seno; Rochardjo, Heru S. B.; Jamasri, Widyorini, Ragil

2018-02-01

Aim of this research is to investigate influence of chemical and sonication treatment on fibrillating and mechanical properties of snake fruit frond fiber. The presence of surface impurities and the large amount of hydroxyl groups in natural fibers make less attractive for polymeric materials reinforcement. Effort to remove the impurities can be done by few treatments that consist of physical, chemical and mechanical treatment. Snake fruit frond bundle fiber were firstly subjected to chemical treatments with alkali solution, steaming at 2 bar and steam explosion at 6 bar by 40 times releasing of steam. Advanced treatment is done by flowing ultrasonic wave at 20 kHz by 90 - 210 watt. The output of fibrillation can reach fiber in range 10 - 25 nm compared with 10.72 µm in diameter for sonication and 6 bar in pressure of steam with 40x of rapidly steam release respectively.

Development of BEM for ceramic composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, D. P.; Banerjee, P. K.; Dargush, G. F.

1991-01-01

It is evident that for proper micromechanical analysis of ceramic composites, one needs to use a numerical method that is capable of idealizing the individual fibers or individual bundles of fibers embedded within a three-dimensional ceramic matrix. The analysis must be able to account for high stress or temperature gradients from diffusion of stress or temperature from the fiber to the ceramic matrix and allow for interaction between the fibers through the ceramic matrix. The analysis must be sophisticated enough to deal with the failure of fibers described by a series of increasingly sophisticated constitutive models. Finally, the analysis must deal with micromechanical modeling of the composite under nonlinear thermal and dynamic loading. This report details progress made towards the development of a boundary element code designed for the micromechanical studies of an advanced ceramic composite. Additional effort has been made in generalizing the implementation to allow the program to be applicable to real problems in the aerospace industry.

Mechanical properties and cellular response of novel electrospun nanofibers for ligament tissue engineering: Effects of orientation and geometry.

PubMed

Pauly, Hannah M; Kelly, Daniel J; Popat, Ketul C; Trujillo, Nathan A; Dunne, Nicholas J; McCarthy, Helen O; Haut Donahue, Tammy L

2016-08-01

Electrospun nanofibers are a promising material for ligamentous tissue engineering, however weak mechanical properties of fibers to date have limited their clinical usage. The goal of this work was to modify electrospun nanofibers to create a robust structure that mimics the complex hierarchy of native tendons and ligaments. The scaffolds that were fabricated in this study consisted of either random or aligned nanofibers in flat sheets or rolled nanofiber bundles that mimic the size scale of fascicle units in primarily tensile load bearing soft musculoskeletal tissues. Altering nanofiber orientation and geometry significantly affected mechanical properties; most notably aligned nanofiber sheets had the greatest modulus; 125% higher than that of random nanofiber sheets; and 45% higher than aligned nanofiber bundles. Modifying aligned nanofiber sheets to form aligned nanofiber bundles also resulted in approximately 107% higher yield stresses and 140% higher yield strains. The mechanical properties of aligned nanofiber bundles were in the range of the mechanical properties of the native ACL: modulus=158±32MPa, yield stress=57±23MPa and yield strain=0.38±0.08. Adipose derived stem cells cultured on all surfaces remained viable and proliferated extensively over a 7 day culture period and cells elongated on nanofiber bundles. The results of the study suggest that aligned nanofiber bundles may be useful for ligament and tendon tissue engineering based on their mechanical properties and ability to support cell adhesion, proliferation, and elongation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for determining viscosity

DOEpatents

Chu, Benjamin; Dhadwal, Harbans S.

1990-01-01

A capillary viscometer is provided which includes a fiber-optic probe and a phototransistor which produces an output signal as a liquid meniscus falls through the field of view of a detecting fiber bundle. An analog circuit is employed for receiving the signal and starting or stopping a digital counter in response thereto. The circuit includes first and second differentiators and a zero detection portion for detecting zero value outputs from the second differentiator. The counter is started or stopped upon the generation of a triggering pulse at the time such zero value is detected.

Effects of Number Scaling on Entangled States in Quantum Mechanics

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

Benioff, Paul

A summary of number structure scaling is followed by a description of the effects of number scaling in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. The description extends earlier work to include the effects on the states of two or more interacting particles. Emphasis is placed on the effects on entangled states. The resulting scaling field is generalized to describe the effects on these states. It is also seen that one can use fiber bundles with fibers associated with single locations of the underlying space to describe the effects of scaling on arbitrary numbers of particles.

FY 2016 Research Highlights

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

This fact sheet summarizes the research highlights for the Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center (CEMAC) for Fiscal Year 2106. Topics covered include additive manufacturing for the wind industry, biomass-based chemicals substitutions, carbon fiber manufacturing facility siting, geothermal power plant turbines, hydrogen refueling stations, hydropower turbines, LEDs and lighting, light-duty automotive lithium-ion cells, magnetocaloric refrigeration, silicon carbide power electronics for variable frequency motor drives, solar photovoltaics, and wide bandgap semiconductor opportunities in power electronics.

Sliding durability of candidate seal fiber materials in hydrogen from 25 to 900 C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher; Steinetz, Bruce M.

1992-01-01

Sliding durability studies of candidate ceramic fibers were conducted in hydrogen to support the high temperature seal development program at NASA LeRC. Pin-on-disk tests were used to measure the friction and durability of a tow or bundle of ceramic fibers in sliding against a superalloy disk. This procedure was used previously to test candidate fibers in an air environment. The fibers based upon mullite (Al2O3-SiO2) chemistry (Nextel 550, 440, and 312) exhibited better durability in hydrogen than in air. HPZ, a complex silicon carboxynitride fiber which showed good durabilty in air, however, showed a significant loss of durability in hot hydrogen. These results are consistent with recent thermodynamic and experimental studies of ceramic compatibility with hydrogen at elevated temperatures. These research results indicate that only oxide fibers display good durability in both air and hydrogen environments. Also, simple, low cost testing in air can provide an adequate data base for initial seal material screening and selection, especially for oxide fiber candidates. The findings of this research provide critical input to the seal design team.

Fiber developments at the Anglo-Australian Observatory for SPIRAL and AUSTRALIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, David; Taylor, Keith

2000-08-01

In this paper we discuss some of the recent developments with optical fibers at the Anglo-Australian Observatory. Firstly we will describe the upgrade to the SPIRAL integral field spectrograph for the Anglo-Australian Telescope. SPIRAL-B uses a crossed cylindrical microlens array to feed 512 optical fibers at F/5.5 providing a field of view of 22 by 11 arcseconds with 0.7 arcsecond spatial sampling. The performance of the fiber bundle, microlens array, and construction techniques will be described. We will also discus the development of prototype optical fiber switchyard as part of the AUSTRALIS concept study. The switchyard provides an 'optical bread' in the fiber, between the telescope and spectrograph, which allows coupling between fibers of different diameters and focal rations. A dichroic can also be incorporated into the switchyard to allow both optical and IR spectrographs to be fed simultaneously. Switchyards therefore provide much greater observing flexibility by increasing the number of possible instrument configurations. We will briefly discuss the merits of fiber switchyards and present the results of FRD and transmission test performed in the laboratory.

Conductive cable fibers with insulating surface prepared by coaxial electrospinning of multiwalled nanotubes and cellulose.

PubMed

Miyauchi, Minoru; Miao, Jianjun; Simmons, Trevor J; Lee, Jong-Won; Doherty, Thomas V; Dordick, Jonathan S; Linhardt, Robert J

2010-09-13

Core-sheath multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)-cellulose fibers of diameters from several hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers were prepared by coaxial electrospinning from a nonvolatile, nonflammable ionic liquid (IL) solvent, 1-methyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][Ac]). MWNTs were dispersed in IL to form a gel solution. This gel core solution was electrospun surrounded by a sheath solution of cellulose dissolved in the same IL. Electrospun fibers were collected in a coagulation bath containing ethanol-water to remove the IL completely and dried to form core-sheath MWNT-cellulose fibers having a cable structure with a conductive core and insulating sheath. Enzymatic treatment of a portion of a mat of these fibers with cellulase selectively removed the cellulose sheath exposing the MWNT core for connection to an electrode. These MWNT-cellulose fiber mats demonstrated excellent conductivity because of a conductive pathway of bundled MWNTs. Fiber mat conductivity increased with increasing ratio of MWNT in the fibers with a maximum conductivity of 10.7 S/m obtained at 45 wt % MWNT loading.

Direct kinetochore–spindle pole connections are not required for chromosome segregation

PubMed Central

Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Magidson, Valentin; Steinman, Jonathan B.; He, Jie; Le Berre, Maël; Tikhonenko, Irina; Ault, Jeffrey G.; McEwen, Bruce F.; Chen, James K.; Sui, Haixin; Piel, Matthieu; Kapoor, Tarun M.

2014-01-01

Segregation of genetic material occurs when chromosomes move to opposite spindle poles during mitosis. This movement depends on K-fibers, specialized microtubule (MT) bundles attached to the chromosomes′ kinetochores. A long-standing assumption is that continuous K-fibers connect every kinetochore to a spindle pole and the force for chromosome movement is produced at the kinetochore and coupled with MT depolymerization. However, we found that chromosomes still maintained their position at the spindle equator during metaphase and segregated properly during anaphase when one of their K-fibers was severed near the kinetochore with a laser microbeam. We also found that, in normal fully assembled spindles, K-fibers of some chromosomes did not extend to the spindle pole. These K-fibers connected to adjacent K-fibers and/or nonkinetochore MTs. Poleward movement of chromosomes with short K-fibers was uncoupled from MT depolymerization at the kinetochore. Instead, these chromosomes moved by dynein-mediated transport of the entire K-fiber/kinetochore assembly. Thus, at least two distinct parallel mechanisms drive chromosome segregation in mammalian cells. PMID:25023516

Wideband fiber optic communications link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bray, J. R.

1984-12-01

This thesis examined the feasibility of upgrading a nine port fiber optic bundle telecommunications system to a single strand fiber optic system. Usable pieces of equipment were identified and new Light Emitting Diodes (LED), Photodetectors and single strand SMA styled fiber optic connectors were ordered. Background research was conducted in the area of fiber optic power launching, fiber losses, connector losses and efficiencies. A new modulation/demodulation circuit was designed and constructed using parts from unused equipment. A new front panel was constructed to house the components, switches and connectors. A 2-m piece of optical fiber was terminated with the new connectors and tested for connector loss, numeric aperture and attenuation. The new LED was characterized by its emission radiation pattern and the entire system was tested for functional operation, frequency response and bandwidth of operation. An operations manual was prepared to ensure proper use in the future. The result was a two piece, single strand, fiber optic communications systems fully TTL compatible, capable of transmitting digital signals from 80 Kbit/sec to 20 Mbit/sec. The system was tested in a half duplex mode using both baseband and carrier modulated signals.

Direct kinetochore-spindle pole connections are not required for chromosome segregation.

PubMed

Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Magidson, Valentin; Steinman, Jonathan B; He, Jie; Le Berre, Maël; Tikhonenko, Irina; Ault, Jeffrey G; McEwen, Bruce F; Chen, James K; Sui, Haixin; Piel, Matthieu; Kapoor, Tarun M; Khodjakov, Alexey

2014-07-21

Segregation of genetic material occurs when chromosomes move to opposite spindle poles during mitosis. This movement depends on K-fibers, specialized microtubule (MT) bundles attached to the chromosomes' kinetochores. A long-standing assumption is that continuous K-fibers connect every kinetochore to a spindle pole and the force for chromosome movement is produced at the kinetochore and coupled with MT depolymerization. However, we found that chromosomes still maintained their position at the spindle equator during metaphase and segregated properly during anaphase when one of their K-fibers was severed near the kinetochore with a laser microbeam. We also found that, in normal fully assembled spindles, K-fibers of some chromosomes did not extend to the spindle pole. These K-fibers connected to adjacent K-fibers and/or nonkinetochore MTs. Poleward movement of chromosomes with short K-fibers was uncoupled from MT depolymerization at the kinetochore. Instead, these chromosomes moved by dynein-mediated transport of the entire K-fiber/kinetochore assembly. Thus, at least two distinct parallel mechanisms drive chromosome segregation in mammalian cells.

Involvement of microtubules and 10-nm filaments in the movement and positioning of nuclei in syncytia

PubMed Central

1979-01-01

Previous studies (Holmes, K.V., and P.W. Choppin. J. Exp. Med. 124:501- 520; J. Cell Biol. 39:526-543) showed that infection of baby hamster kidney (BHK21-F) cells with the parainfluenza virus SV5 causes extensive cell fusion, that nuclei migrate in the syncytial cytoplasm and align in tightly-packed rows, and that microtubules are involved in nuclear movement and alignment. The role of microtubules, 10-nm filaments, and actin-containing microfilaments in this process has been investigated by immunofluorescence microscopy using specific antisera, time-lapse cinematography, and electron microscopy. During cell fusion, micro tubules and 10-nm filaments from many cells form large bundles which are localized between rows of nuclei. No organized bundles of actin fibers were detected in these areas, although actin fibers were observed in regions away from the aligned nuclei. Although colchicine disrupts microtubules and inhibits nuclear movement, cytochalasin B (CB; 20-50 microgram/ml) does not inhibit cell fusion or nuclear movement. However, CB alters the shape of the syncytium, resulting in long filamentous processes extending from a central region. When these processes from neighboring cells make contact, fusion occurs, and nuclei migrate through the channels which are formed. Electron and immunofluorescence microscopy reveal bundles of microtubules and 10-nm filaments in parallel arrays within these processes, but no bundles of microfilaments were detected. The effect of CB on the structural integrity of microfilaments at this high concentration (20 microgram/ml) was demonstrated by the disappearance of filaments interacting with heavy meromyosin. Cycloheximide (20 microgram/ml) inhibits protein synthesis but does not affect cell fusion, the formation of microtubules and 10-nm filament bundles, or nuclear migration and alignment; thus, continued protein synthesis is not required. The association of microtubules and 10-nm filaments with nuclear migration and alignment suggests that microtubules and 10-nm filaments are two components in a system which serves both cytoskeletal and force-generating functions in intracellular movement and position of nuclei. PMID:227913

Optimization of TM-Doped Phosphosilicate Glass for High Power Fiber Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-28

During the program, we have set up a test facility for Tm-doped fiber lasers with pump power of 300W at 790nm. We have fabricated a large number...efficiency. Our results show the OH level in our fabrication process is adequate. We have found there is evidence of high background loss at ~2µm being...Tower……………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 Photonic bandgap fiber fabrications ……………………………………………………………………………………………6 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Black phosphorus: a two-dimension saturable absorption material for mid-infrared Q-switched and mode-locked fiber lasers

PubMed Central

Li, Jianfeng; Luo, Hongyu; Zhai, Bo; Lu, Rongguo; Guo, Zhinan; Zhang, Han; Liu, Yong

2016-01-01

Black phosphorus (BP) as a novel class of two-dimension (2D) materials has recently attracted enormous attention as a result of its unique physical and chemical features. The remarkably strong light-matter interaction and tunable direct band-gap at a wide range make it an ideal candidate especially in the mid-infrared wavelength region as the saturable absorber (SA). In this paper, the simple and effective liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) method was used to fabricate BP. By introducing the same BP SA into two specifically designed rare earth ions doped fluoride fiber lasers at mid-infrared wavebands, Q-switching with the pulse energy of 4.93 μJ and mode-locking with the pulse duration of 8.6 ps were obtained, respectively. The operation wavelength of ~2970 nm for generated pulse is the reported longest wavelength for BP SA based fiber lasers. PMID:27457338

Ultrashort pulse generation in mode-locked erbium-doped fiber lasers with tungsten disulfide saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mengli; Liu, Wenjun; Pang, Lihui; Teng, Hao; Fang, Shaobo; Wei, Zhiyi

2018-01-01

Tungsten disulfide (WS2), as one of typical transition metal dichalcogenides with the characteristics of strong nonlinear polarization and wide bandgap, has been widely used in such fields as biology and optoelectronics. With the magnetron sputtering technique, the saturable absorber (SA) is prepared by depositing WS2 and Au film on the tapered fiber. The heat elimination and damage threshold can be improved for the WS2 SA with evanescent field interaction. Besides, the Au film is deposited on the surface of the WS2 film to improve their reliability and avoid being oxidized. The fabricated SA has a modulation depth of 14.79%. With this SA, we obtain a relatively stable mode-locked fiber laser with the pulse duration of 288 fs, the repetition rate of 41.4 MHz and the signal to noise ratio of 58 dB.