All-solid photonic bandgap fiber

We describe the design and fabrication of a photonic bandgap fiber formed with two different glasses. As in a hollow-core fiber, light is guided in a low-index core region because of the antiresonances of the high-index strands in the fiber cladding. The structure described represents an ideal bandgap fiber that exhibits no interface modes and guides over the full width of multiple bandgaps.     

Two-photon fluorescence endoscopy with a micro-optic scanning head

A major obstacle in the race to develop two-photon fluorescence endoscopy is the use of complicated bulk optics to transmit an ultrashort-pulsed laser beam and return the emitted fluorescence signal. We describe an all-fiber two-photon fluorescence microendoscope based on a single-mode optical fiber coupler, a microprism, and a gradient-index rod lens. It is found that the new endoscope exhibits an axial resolution of 3.2 microm and is capable of imaging transverse cross sections of internal cylindrical structures as small as approximately 3.0 mm in diameter. This device demonstrates the potential for developing a real-time diagnostic tool for biomedical research without the need for surgical biopsy and may find applications in photodynamic therapy, microsurgery, and early cancer detection.     

Equilibration in momentum space in the kinetic theory of polymer solutions

In the kinetic theory of dilute polymer solutions it is customary to assume a Maxwellian velocity distribution for the “beads” in the bead-spring models. For the sake of simplicity this velocity distribution function is generally taken to be Maxwellian about the fluid velocity at the center of mass of the macromolecule. In Brownian dynamics simulations it is more natural to assume that the velocity distribution is Maxwellian about the fluid velocity at the “beads”. It is found that the differences between the two approaches are important only at very high velocity gradients. This could be a confusing point in high-shear-rate Brownian-dynamics simulations. The extra terms arising in the constitutive equation because of bead-centered Brownian motion are non-objective.     

A new laser dye with potential for high stability and a broad band of lasing action: Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid-bis-N,N′(2′,6′ xylidyl)diimide

We have obtained high gain lasing action from a dye in the calss of perylene-tetracarboxylic acid diimides. These dyes have been used in the past as microcrystalline pigments and more recently as molecularly dissolved fluors having both an orange absorption color and orange fluorescence. In dimethylformamide this dye absorbs with a main maximum at 527 nm, well coupled to the exciting radiation from a frequency-doubled YAG exciting laser. The dye lases primarily in the 0′→ 1″ satellite of the fluorescence band from 566–585 nm, with intermittent output pulses to 605 nm. While this dye overlaps the lasing bands of the rhodamine dyes, we believe that it may be considerably more stable than even Rhodamine 6G, the most stable of that class.     

On the stability of a class of noncooperative games

The Nash equilibrium of a class of games generated from a market is examined. Demands are assumed linear, and production constraints are imposed. The equilibrium is shown to be solvable as a complementarity problem. If the demand matrix is a positive definite symmetric z-matrix, then the Nash equilibrium is stable. If the demand matrix is not symmetric, an additional condition yielding stability is developed.     

Ground state 14N quadrupole couplings in the microwave spectra of N,N'-dimethylaniline and 4,4'-dimethylaminobenzonitrile

Microwave spectra of N,N'-dimethylaniline and 4,4'-dimethylaminobenzonitrile have been recorded in a pulsed supersonic jet using chirped pulse techniques. Experimental substitution structures have been determined for both molecules by detection of the spectra of all (13)C and (15)N isotopomers in natural abundance using a broadband spectrometer. Additionally, a narrowband spectrometer has been used to reveal the (14)N quadrupole splittings at high resolution, from which the orbital occupancy numbers of the amino- and cyano-nitrogen atoms have been determined. An apparent direct relationship between these values and the barriers to inversion of the amino groups is discussed.     

Continuous analysis of δ¹⁸O and δD values of water by diffusion sampling cavity ring-down spectrometry: a novel sampling device for unattended field monitoring of precipitation, ground and surface waters

A novel sampling device suitable for continuous, unattended field monitoring of rapid isotopic changes in environmental waters is described. The device utilises diffusion through porous PTFE tubing to deliver water vapour continuously from a liquid water source for analysis of δ1?O and δD values by Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometry (CRDS). Separation of the analysed water vapour from non-volatile dissolved and particulate contaminants in the liquid sample minimises spectral interferences associated with CRDS analyses of many aqueous samples. Comparison of isotopic data for a range of water samples analysed by Diffusion Sampling-CRDS (DS-CRDS) and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) shows significant linear correlations between the two methods allowing for accurate standardisation of DS-CRDS data. The internal precision for an integration period of 3 min (standard deviation (SD) = 0.1‰ and 0.3‰ for δ1?O and δD values, respectively) is similar to analysis of water by CRDS using an autosampler to inject and evaporate discrete water samples. The isotopic effects of variable air temperature, water vapour concentration, water pumping rate and dissolved organic content were found to be either negligible or correctable by analysis of water standards. The DS-CRDS system was used to analyse the O and H isotope composition in short-lived rain events. Other applications where finely time resolved water isotope data may be of benefit include recharge/discharge in groundwater/river systems and infiltration-related changes in cave drip water.     

The relationship between naming reaction time and functional MRI parameters in Broca's area

We examined the correlation between behavioural reaction time and functional imaging parameters of the blood oxygenated level dependent (BOLD) response in Broca's Area during a word identification task, and whether the correlation [Magnetic Resonance Imaging 22 (2004) 451-455] varies as a function of four stimulus types: regular words (REGs) (e.g., hint), irregular words (IRRs) (e.g., pint), nonwords (NWs) (e.g., bint), and pseudohomophones (PHs) (e.g., pynt). Participants named letter strings aloud during a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Naming reaction times were recorded during regular gaps in image acquisition, and BOLD parameters were extracted via a Tikhonov regularized BOLD analysis technique. The results revealed that only PH reaction times were correlated with BOLD width, providing evidence that Broca's area supports phonetic decoding accompanied with phonological lexical access. In addition, we advanced the development of equation-based models of cognitive behaviour and neurophysiology, whereby we showed that the relationship of mathematical independence that exists for predicting REG accuracy, given IRR and NW or PH naming accuracy, was present for naming reaction time, BOLD width, BOLD time to peak, and BOLD intensity. Therefore, we provide converging behavioural and neuroanatomical evidence for a mathematically independent relationship between sight vocabulary and phonetic decoding systems, consistent with a dual-route model of reading.