Evolution of silica-based highly nonlinear fibers for FWM-based wavelength conversion application
Recent progresses on silica-based highly nonlinear fibers for practical FWM-based applications such as wavelength conversion efficiency enhancement and chromatic dispersion design are described, and then functional wavelength conversions using the fibers are demonstrated.
Multi-step-index bismuth-based highly nonlinear fiber with low propagation loss and splicing loss
Propagation loss and practical fusion-splicing loss of bismuth-based fibers are reduced to 0.8 dB/m and 2.6 dB/point, respectively, while maintaining high nonlinearity of 1100 W/sup -1/ km/sup -1/ by modifying the glass composition and eliminating the cladding mode.
Improved culture method for the isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis form contaminated specimens.
Studies were performed to evaluate a method for selective isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis from contaminated specimens. Ammonium hydroxide placed on an agar medium surface was found to inhibit the growth of many bacteria, yeasts, and saphrophytic fungi normally found in specimens such as animal tissues and sputum. In one study involving the culture of B. dermatitidis from canine tissues, 24% more isolations were obtained on a medium using NH4OH compared with a similar medium. Increases in the isolation of H. capusulatum from sputum specimens were also obtained, ranging from 20 to 32% compared with four other media without NH4OH.