High spatial-density, cladding-pumped 6-mode 7-core fiber amplifier for C-band operation.

We present a C-band 6-mode 7-core fiber amplifier in an all-fiberized cladding-pumped configuration for space division multiplexed transmission supporting a record 42 spatial channels. With optimized fiber components (e.g. passively cooled pump laser diode, pump coupler, pump stripper), high power multimode pump light is coupled to the active fiber without any noticeable thermal degradation and an average gain of 18 dB and noise figure of 5.4 dB are obtained with an average differential modal gain of 3.4 dB.

Low-loss Kagome hollow-core fibers operating from the near- to the mid-IR.

We report the fabrication and characterization of Kagome hollow-core antiresonant fibers, which combine low attenuation (as measured at ∼30 cm bend diameter) with a wide operating bandwidth and high modal purity. Record low attenuation values are reported: 12.3 dB/km, 13.9 dB/km, and 9.6 dB/km in three different fibers optimized for operation at 1 µm, 1.55 µm, and 2.5 µm, respectively. These fibers are excellent candidates for ultra-high power delivery at key laser wavelengths including 1.064 µm and 2.94 µm, as well as for applications in gas-based sensing and nonlinear optics.

Optoelectronic oscillator incorporating hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber.

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.

Dense WDM transmission at 2 µm enabled by an arrayed waveguide grating.

We show, for the first time, dense WDM (8×20 Gbit/s) transmission at 2 µm enabled by advanced modulation formats (4-ASK Fast-OFDM) and the development of key components, including a new arrayed waveguide grating (AWGr) at 2 µm. The AWGr shows -12.8±1.78 dB of excess loss with an 18-dB extinction ratio and a thermal tunability of 0.108 nm/°C.

100 Gbit/s WDM transmission at 2 µm: transmission studies in both low-loss hollow core photonic bandgap fiber and solid core fiber.

We show for the first time 100 Gbit/s total capacity at 2 µm waveband, using 4 × 9.3 Gbit/s 4-ASK Fast-OFDM direct modulation and 4 × 15.7 Gbit/s NRZ-OOK external modulation, spanning a 36.3 nm wide wavelength range. WDM transmission was successfully demonstrated over 1.15 km of low-loss hollow core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF) and over 1 km of solid core fiber (SCF). We conclude that the OSNR penalty associated with the SCF is minimal, while a ~1-2 dB penalty was observed after the HC-PBGF probably due to mode coupling to higher-order modes.

Demonstration of amplified data transmission at 2 µm in a low-loss wide bandwidth hollow core photonic bandgap fiber.

The first demonstration of a hollow core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBGF) suitable for high-rate data transmission in the 2 µm waveband is presented. The fiber has a record low loss for this wavelength region (4.5 dB/km at 1980 nm) and a >150 nm wide surface-mode-free transmission window at the center of the bandgap. Detailed analysis of the optical modes and their propagation along the fiber, carried out using a time-of-flight technique in conjunction with spatially and spectrally resolved (S2) imaging, provides clear evidence that the HC-PBGF can be operated as quasi-single mode even though it supports up to four mode groups. Through the use of a custom built Thulium doped fiber amplifier with gain bandwidth closely matched to the fiber's low loss window, error-free 8 Gbit/s transmission in an optically amplified data channel at 2008 nm over 290 m of 19 cell HC-PBGF is reported.

High-power Er:YAG laser with quasi-top-hat output beam.

A simple method for simultaneously exciting the fundamental (TEM00) transverse mode and first order Laguerre-Gaussian (LG01) donut mode in an end-pumped solid-state laser to yield a quasi-top-hat output beam is reported. This approach has been applied to an Er:YAG laser, in-band pumped by an Er,Yb fiber laser, yielding 9.6 W of continuous-wave output at 1645 nm in a top-hat-like beam with beam propagation factor (M2)<2.1 for 24 W of incident pump power at 1532 nm. The corresponding slope efficiency with respect to incident pump power was 49%. The prospects of further scaling of output power and improved overall efficiency are considered.

An x-ray absorption spectroscopic study of the electronic structure and bonding of rare-earth orthoferrites.

Rare-earth orthoferrites, REFeO3 (RE D rare earth; Y), are tremendously adaptable compounds that are being investigated for use in a wide variety of applications including gas sensors, vehicle catalytic converters, and solid-oxide fuel cells. They also exhibit interesting magnetic properties such as high-temperature antiferromagnetism, making them useful for data storage applications. The compounds adopt a distorted perovskite-type structure where the tilt angle of the octahedra increases (Fe-O-Fe bond angle decreases) as the size of the rare-earth atom decreases. Despite intensive study of the physical properties of these compounds, very few studies have investigated how the bonding and electronic structure of these systems change with substitution of the RE. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) is a technique well-suited for such a study, and, in view of this, Fe L-, Fe K- and O K-edge spectra from a series of REFeO3 compounds (RE D La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ho, Yb, Y) have been collected, and are presented here. Fe L-edge spectra show that Fe is octahedrally coordinated and that the Fe-centered octahedra do not appear to distort with changes in the identity of the RE. The Fe K-edge spectra contain an intersite hybrid peak, which is an ill-studied feature that is attributed to non-local transitions of 1s electrons to 3d states on the next-nearest-neighbor atom that are hybridized with 4p states on the absorbing atom through O 2p states. In this study, it is shown that the intensity of this feature is strongly dependent on the Fe-O-Fe bond angle; the lower the Fe-O-Fe bond angle, the less intense the intersite hybrid peak is.

High power Er:YAG laser with radially-polarized Laguerre-Gaussian (LG01) mode output.

A simple method for conditioning the pump beam in an end-pumped solid-state laser to allow direct excitation of the first order Laguerre-Gaussian doughnut (LG01) mode is reported. This approach has been applied to a hybrid (fiber-laser-pumped) Er:YAG laser yielding 13.1 W of continuous-wave output at 1645 nm in a radially-polarized LG01 doughnut beam with beam propagation factor (M(2)) < 2.4 for 34 W of incident pump power at 1532 nm. The corresponding slope efficiency with respect to incident pump power was 48%. The prospects of further power scaling and improved laser performance are discussed.

Pathogenic characteristics of the Korean 2002 isolate of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype O in pigs and cattle.

Experimental infection of susceptible cattle and pigs showed that the O/SKR/AS/2002 pig strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes an infection that is highly virulent and contagious in pigs but very limited in cattle. Pigs directly inoculated with, or exposed to swine infected with, strain O/SKR/AS/2002 showed typical clinical signs, including gross vesicular lesions in mouth and pedal sites. In addition, FMDV was isolated from, and FMDV genomic RNA was detected in, blood, serum, nasal swabs and oesophageal-pharyngeal (OP) fluid early in the course of infection. Antibodies against the non-structural protein (NSP) 3ABC were detected in both directly inoculated and contact pigs, indicating active virus replication. In contrast, the disease in cattle was atypical. After inoculation, lesions were confined to the infection site. A transient viraemia occurred 1 and 2 days after inoculation, and this was followed by the production of antibodies to NSP 3ABC, indicating subclinical infection. No clinical disease was seen, and no antibodies to NSP 3ABC were present in contact cattle. Additionally, no virus or viral nucleic acid was detected in blood, nasal swab and OP fluid samples from contact cattle. Thus, the virus appeared not to be transmitted from infected cattle to contact cattle. In its behaviour in pigs and cattle, strain O/SKR/AS/2002 resembled the porcinophilic FMDV strain of Cathay origin, O/TAW/97. However, the latter, unlike O/SKR/AS/2002, has reduced ability to grow in bovine-derived cells. The porcinophilic character of O/TAW/97 has been attributed to a deletion in the 3A coding region of the viral genome. However, O/SKR/AS/2002 has an intact 3A coding region.

The effect of periodicity on the defect modes of large mode area microstructured fibers.

It is well known that periodic variations in refractive index can be used to create guidance in an optical fiber via photonic bandgap effects. It has also been shown that periodic structure in index-guiding microstructured fibers can lead to the guidance of additional leaky higher-order modes due to bandgap effects. Here we demonstrate that this additional guidance mechanism can have important practical implications in large mode area silica microstructured fibers. We also demonstrate that similar modes can exist when a bandgap is not present and attribute this guidance to a low density of states. Excellent agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental observations is demonstrated. We explore the impact of these additional modes on the practical operation of these fibers and explore ways of minimizing their effects via the fiber geometry.

Aleutian disease in two domestic striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis).

This report describes the use of polymerase chain reaction and DNA in situ hybridization to diagnose Aleutian mink disease parvovirus DNA in various tissue specimens from 2 companion striped skunks. Clinical, laboratory, and microscopic findings also support a clinical diagnosis of Aleutian disease in these mink.

Effect of a flue-curing process that reduces tobacco specific nitrosamines on the tumor promotion in SENCAR mice by cigarette smoke condensate.

A 30-week dermal tumor promotion study was conducted to evaluate the dermal tumor-promoting potential of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) collected from cigarettes containing flue-cured tobacco cured by a heat-exchange process (HE) relative to that of cigarettes containing flue-cured tobacco cured by the traditional direct-fire process (DF). Heat-exchange process cured tobacco contains significantly lower concentrations of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) compared to traditional direct-fire cured tobacco. Mainstream CSCs were collected by cold trap from smoke generators using the Federal Trade Commission puffing regimen. Groups of 40 female SENCAR mice were initiated by a single application of 75 micro g 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to the shaved dorsal skin. CSCs were then applied to the skin three times/week for 29 weeks at 9, 18, or 36mg tar/application. End-points included body weights, clinical observations, organ weights, dermal tumor development and histopathology. The numbers of dermal tumors and the numbers of tumor-bearing mice for each CSC were statistically different from the DMBA/acetone control group and increased with increasing dose. When corresponding doses of each CSC were compared, only the DMBA/mid-dose HE CSC group was statistically significantly different (lower) from the corresponding DMBA/mid-dose DF CSC group. In this assay, the dermal tumor-promotion potential of CSC from heat-exchange flue-cured tobacco did not differ from that of traditional direct-fire flue-cured tobacco CSC.

Detection of histidine decarboxylase in rat aorta and cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells.

OBJECTIVE: Having previously demonstrated release of histamine from mast-cell-deficient rat aorta, the objective of this study was to determine and localize histamine synthesis capability in the aorta by detecting histidine decarboxylase (HDC), the enzyme that catalyzes histamine formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experiments were conducted with nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) to detect HDC mRNA and with immunofluorescence and western blot analysis to detect HDC protein in rat aorta, cultured rat aortic smooth muscle (RASMC) and endothelial cells (RAEC). RESULTS: Gel electrophoresis of nRT-PCR products indicated HDC mRNA in liver, aorta and RASMC but not in RAEC or kidney. Sequence analysis confirmed that the band observed in RASMC was the target HDC amplicon. Immunofluorescence indicated the presence of HDC protein in RASMC and not in RAEC. Western Blot analysis revealed HDC protein (55 kDa) in liver, aorta, RASMC but not in RAEC or kidney. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are the first to demonstrate the presence of HDC mRNA and protein in rat aorta and more specifically in RASMC, indicative of their capability to synthesize histamine.

Prevalence of streptogramin resistance genes among Enterococcus isolates recovered from retail meats in the Greater Washington DC area.

The prevalence of streptogramin resistance genes in enterococci recovered from retail poultry in the Greater Washington DC area was examined. Forty-three chicken and 32 turkey retail samples were analysed. Thirty-one non-Enterococcus faecalis enterococcal strains were isolated that displayed MICs of quinupristin-dalfopristin and virginiamycin of > or = 4 mg/L. These included Enterococcus faecium (turkey n = 4, chicken n = 23), Enterococcus gallinarum (turkey n = 2, chicken n = 1) and Enterococcus hirae (chicken n = 1). The presence of streptogramin resistance genes was examined by PCR in all non-E. faecalis isolates. The vat(E) gene was detected in 10/23 chicken E. faecium and from 2/4 turkey E. faecium. No other streptogramin resistance genes were detected by PCR. In addition, erm(B) was detected in all the E. faecium and E. gallinarum found in turkeys and in 7/23 E. faecium found in chickens. The vat(E) gene was transferable by conjugation from only two of the 12 E. faecium isolates (one from chicken and one from turkey). This study suggests that there is a high prevalence of low-level streptogramin resistance among enterococci found in retail poultry and that other, yet to be identified, mechanisms operate in these isolates that confer streptogramin resistance in enterococci.

Characterization of Tn1546 in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated from canine urinary tract infections: evidence of gene exchange between human and animal enterococci.

Thirty-five enterococcal isolates were recovered from dogs diagnosed with urinary tract infections at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital over a 2-year period (1996 to 1998). Isolated species included Enterococcus faecium (n = 13), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 7), Enterococcus gallinarum (n = 11), and Enterococcus casseliflavus (n = 4). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed several different resistance phenotypes, with the majority of the enterococcal isolates exhibiting resistance to three or more antibiotics. One E. faecium isolate, CVM1869, displayed high-level resistance to vancomycin (MIC > 32 micro g/ml) and gentamicin (MIC > 2,048 micro g/ml). Molecular analysis of this isolate revealed the presence of Tn1546 (vanA), responsible for high-level vancomycin resistance, and Tn5281 carrying aac6'-aph2", conferring high-level aminoglycoside resistance. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that CVM1869 was a canine E. faecium clone that had acquired Tn1546, perhaps from a human vancomycin-resistant E. faecium. Transposons Tn5281 and Tn1546 were located on two different conjugative plasmids. Sequence analysis revealed that in Tn1546, ORF1 had an 889-bp deletion and an IS1216V insertion at the 5' end and an IS1251 insertion between vanS and vanH. To date, this particular form of Tn1546 has only been described in human clinical vancomycin-resistant enterococcus isolates unique to the United States. Additionally, this is the first report of a vancomycin-resistant E. faecium isolated from a companion animal in the United States.

Early vascular abnormalities and de novo nitrate tolerance in diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: The haemodynamic consequence of altered mechanical wall properties in diabetes can impair the compliance characteristics or pulsatile function of arteries before changes in calibre or peripheral resistance become evident. We studied the sensitivity of pulsatile and steady-state haemodynamic variables in identifying vascular abnormalities and assessing arterial responsiveness to glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in patients with diabetes, free from clinical complications of the disease. METHODS: Radial artery pressure waveforms were recorded in 22 patients with diabetes and 22 age- and sex-matched control subjects, using a calibrated tonometer device. A computer-based assessment of the diastolic pressure decay was used to quantify changes in arterial waveform morphology in terms of pulsatile (arterial compliance) and steady-state (peripheral resistance) haemodynamics. Pressure pulse waveforms were recorded before and 3, 6 and 9 min after the administration of 300 micro g of GTN. RESULTS: Of the pulsatile and steady-state impedance parameters, only small artery compliance was significantly different in patients, 4.7 ml/mmHg (95% CI 3.8-5.8), compared with control subjects 7.1 ml/mmHg (95% CI 5.4-8.7); (p < 0.05). In response to GTN small artery compliance increased, and systemic vascular resistance decreased significantly in control subjects; (p < 0.05) but remained unchanged in patients with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial waveform analysis proved more sensitive in detecting early vascular abnormalities and tracking the haemodynamic effects of GTN in patients with diabetes than changes in total peripheral resistance. The diminished responsiveness of the arterial vasculature to organic nitrates may have therapeutic implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in diabetes mellitus.

Bufuralol metabolism by guinea pig adrenal and hepatic microsomes.

Previous investigations demonstrated that CYP2D16 was expressed at high levels in guinea pig adrenal microsomes. The studies presented here were done to determine whether adrenal metabolism of bufuralol (BUF), a model CYP2D substrate, was similar to that in the liver. Guinea pig adrenal microsomes converted BUF to 1'-hydroxybufuralol (1'-OH-BUF) as the major metabolite and smaller amounts of a compound identified as 6-hydroxybufuralol (6-OH-BUF). In contrast, 6-OH-BUF was the major product formed by hepatic microsomal preparations. The apparent Km values were similar for 1'-OH-BUF and 6-OH-BUF production in each tissue. Quinidine, a selective CYP2D inhibitor, decreased the production of both BUF metabolites equally in liver and adrenal microsomes. Cortisol also caused equivalent decreases in the rates of 1'-OH-BUF and 6-OH-BUF formation by adrenal microsomes, but had no effect on hepatic BUF metabolism. Although both BUF metabolites may be produced by CYP2D16, unknown factors appear to effect some differences in the catalytic characteristics of BUF metabolism in adrenal and liver. The large amount of 6-OH-BUF produced distinguishes BUF metabolism in guinea pigs from that in other species previously studied.

High-frequency recovery of quinupristin-dalfopristin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from the poultry production environment.

The occurrence of resistance to the streptogramin quinupristin-dalfopristin in Enterococcus faecium isolates from chickens on the Eastern Seaboard, was evaluated. Quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance was found in 51 to 78% of E. faecium isolates from the food production environment. The high level of resistance in this organism suggests that this reservoir of resistance may compromise the therapeutic potential of quinupristin-dalfopristin.

Changes in mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxidation and fatty acid profiles in adrenal glands, testes, and livers from alpha-tocopherol-deficient rats.

Studies were done to evaluate the effects of alpha-tocopherol deficiency in rats on the fatty acid composition and sensitivity to lipid peroxidation (LP) of mitochondria and microsomes from adrenal glands, testes, and livers. In control (alpha-tocopherol-sufficient) animals, adrenal concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were approximately 10 times greater than those in livers and testes. Dietary deficiency of alpha-tocopherol for 8 weeks decreased adrenal and hepatic concentrations by 80-90% and testicular concentrations by approximately 60-70%. Incubation of testicular or hepatic mitochondria and microsomes from control rats with FeSO(4) (1.0 mM) caused a time-dependent stimulation of LP as indicated by the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); the rate of TBARS production increased in preparations from alpha-tocopherol-deficient animals. TBARS formation was not demonstrable in adrenal mitochondria or microsomes from alpha-tocopherol sufficient rats, but reached high levels in alpha-tocopherol-deficient preparations. The fatty acid composition of mitochondria and microsomes was tissue-dependent. In particular, arachidonic acid comprised approximately 40% of the total fatty acids in adrenal membranes, but only 20-25% in testes and livers. alpha-Tocopherol deficiency increased oleic acid concentrations in adrenal and hepatic mitochondria and microsomes but not in testes. In all three tissues, linoleic acid concentrations decreased by approximately 50%, but arachidonic acid levels were unaffected by alpha-tocopherol deficiency. The results indicate a close relationship between tissue sensitivity to LP in vitro and alpha-tocopherol concentrations. Nonetheless, any oxidative stress in vivo caused by alpha-tocopherol deficiency seems to spare arachidonic acid in mitochondria and microsomes but decreases linoleic acid concentrations. It is possible that because of the important physiological functions of arachidonic acid, metabolic adaptations serve to maintain membrane content during periods of oxidative stress.