Abstract: An examination or treatment facility includes a C-arm, movable along a circular path relative to a bracket supporting the arm. In an embodiment, the C-arm includes a bent carrier with a U-shaped cross-section, movable on a guidance facility provided on the bracket. The carrier is accommodated in a covering part with a C-shaped cross-section. The covering part includes its open side directed toward the guidance facility and is closed via flexible sealing elements, movable apart by the guidance facility.

Abstract: The present invention lies in the fields of chemistry and materials engineering. More specifically, the present invention describes a process of heat treatment of polymeric precursors including as active phases particle charge or a mixture of active phases with inert phases called “fillers”. It is also described a surface including ceramic polymer obtained by said process. The volumetric positive variation resulting from the formation of new phases, which for their formation, incorporate atoms from the gaseous phase, contributes to a minor shrinkage of the composition during the heat treatment process. The process of the present invention allows obtaining the desired phases in smaller treatment times and lower temperatures, when compared to a thermal treatment process as conventional pyrolysis (PC) due to the presence of highly reactive species, as for example atomic nitrogen produced by the dissociation of nitrogen molecules in the plasma environment.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to high brightness optical fiber systems and, more particularly to optical fiber systems 104 having an optical power module 151 remote from an initial amplifier stage 101. In one aspect of the invention, the optical fiber system comprises a first active optical fiber 102 operatively coupled to one or more first pump sources 104; a first signal optical fiber 110 coupled to the first active optical fiber 102; one or more final pump sources 120; one or more final pump optical fibers 130, coupled to one or more of the final pump sources 120; and spatially separated from the one or more final pump sources 120 and the initial amplifier stage 101 comprising the first active optical fiber 102, a power module 151, comprising a final active optical fiber 150, coupled to the first signal optical fiber 110, said final active optical fiber 150 being coupled to said one or more final pump optical fibers 130.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides genomic arrangements of the chromosome 3q13 region that are associated with prostate cancer, such as rearrangements between the ZBTB20 and LSAMP genes, including gene fusions between the ZBTB20 gene and the LSAMP gene and deletions spanning both genes. The ZBTB20/LSAMP genomic rearrangement serves as a biomarker for prostate cancer and can be used to stratify prostate cancer based on ethnicity or the severity or aggressiveness of prostate cancer and/or identify a patient for prostate cancer treatment. Another aspect involves discovering that deletions of the PTEN gene are observed predominately in prostate cancer from subjects of Caucasian descent. Also provided are kits for diagnosing and prognosing prostate cancer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides gene expression profiles that are associated with prostate cancer, including certain gene expression profiles that differentiate between subjects of African and Caucasian descent and other gene expression profiles that are common to subjects of both African and Caucasian descent. The gene expression profiles can be measured at the nucleic acid or protein level and used to stratify prostate cancer based on ethnicity or the severity or aggressiveness of prostate cancer. The gene expression profiles can also be used to identify a subject for prostate cancer treatment. Also provided are kits for diagnosing and prognosing prostate cancer and an array comprising probes for detecting the unique gene expression profiles associated with prostate cancer in subjects of African or Caucasian descent.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to high brightness optical fiber systems and, more particularly to optical fiber systems 104 having an optical power module 151 remote from an initial amplifier stage 101. In one aspect of the invention, the optical fiber system comprises a first active optical fiber 102 operatively coupled to one or more first pump sources 104; a first signal optical fiber 110 coupled to the first active optical fiber 102; one or more final pump sources 120; one or more final pump optical fibers 130, coupled to one or more of the final pump sources 120; and spatially separated from the one or more final pump sources 120 and the initial amplifier stage 101 comprising the first active optical fiber 102, a power module 151, comprising a final active optical fiber 150, coupled to the first signal optical fiber 110, said final active optical fiber 150 being coupled to said one or more final pump optical fibers 130.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and apparatus for accurately detecting the presence and concentration of an oxidant in a turbid water sample. This method is very helpful in allowing accurate and efficient (not too much nor too little) amounts of microbe killing oxidants to be introduced to water supplies that require oxidants but which at present cannot be measured properly. The method comprises the steps of: passing the water through at least one filter array, passing the filtered water to an analyzer, and then returning from the analyzer a measurement of the concentration. The filter array comprises at least one filter constructed and arranged to remove turbidity inducing material but not oxidant from the water sample. The analyzer can be a commonly commercially available analyzer that currently cannot accurately measure the oxidant concentration if the water had not been so filtered.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and apparatus for accurately detecting the presence and concentration of an oxidant in a turbid water sample. This method is very helpful in allowing accurate and efficient (not too much nor too little) amounts of microbe killing oxidants to be introduced to water supplies that require oxidants but which at present cannot be measured properly. The method comprises the steps of: passing the water through at least one filter array, passing the filtered water to an analyzer, and then returning from the analyzer a measurement of the concentration. The filter array comprises at least one filter constructed and arranged to remove turbidity inducing material but not oxidant from the water sample. The analyzer can be a commonly commercially available analyzer that currently cannot accurately measure the oxidant concentration if the water had not been so filtered.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and apparatus for accurately detecting the presence and concentration of an oxidant in a turbid water sample. This method is very helpful in allowing accurate and efficient (not too much nor too little) amounts of microbe killing oxidants to be introduced to water supplies that require oxidants but which at present cannot be measured properly. The method comprises the steps of: passing the water through at least one filter array, passing the filtered water to an analyzer, and then returning from the analyzer a measurement of the concentration. The filter array comprises at least one filter constructed and. arranged to remove turbidity inducing material but not oxidant from the water sample. The analyzer can be a commonly commercially available analyzer that currently cannot accurately measure the oxidant concentration if the water had not been so filtered.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a multimode glass core having a diameter of at least 250 microns and an index of refraction and a polymer cladding having a thickness and contactingly surrounding a glass portion of the fiber so as to define an interface between the glass portion and the polymer cladding. The polymer cladding can have a first index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction. The fiber can comprise a density of less than 0.25 non-conforming regions having a diameter of 25 microns or greater per millimeter of length along the fiber, where each of the non-conforming regions is a region visible to the human eye under an optical microscope and having at least a portion thereof within a selected distance of the interface. The selected distance can be less than or equal to the thickness of the polymer cladding. The optical microscope can have a total magnification of about 200. The polymer cladding can be applied to at least a part of the optical fiber in at least a class 1000 environment.

Abstract: A method of making an optical fiber article can include providing an optical fiber including at least a core; providing a preform; and subsequent to the foregoing providing of the optical fiber and the preform, drawing the preform so as to dispose a region about the optical fiber. An optical fiber article can include a core; a pump cladding disposed about the core, the pump cladding for propagating pump light; and a second cladding disposed about the pump cladding, where the second cladding can provide a photonic bandgap for tending to confine pump light to a region about which the second cladding is disposed. The second cladding can comprise a plurality of layers including a first layer having a different optical property than a second layer, and the plurality of layers can be arranged as to provide the photonic bandgap effect.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a multimode glass core having a diameter of at least 250 microns and an index of refraction and a polymer cladding having a thickness and contactingly surrounding a glass portion of the fiber so as to define an interface between the glass portion and the polymer cladding. The polymer cladding can have a first index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction. The fiber can comprise a density of less than 0.25 non-conforming regions having a diameter of 25 microns or greater per millimeter of length along the fiber, where each of the non-conforming regions is a region visible to the human eye under an optical microscope and having at least a portion thereof within a selected distance of the interface. The selected distance can be less than or equal to the thickness of the polymer cladding. The optical microscope can have a total magnification of about 200. The polymer cladding can be applied to at least a part of the optical fiber in at least a class 1000 environment.

Abstract: A method of making an optical fiber article can include providing an optical fiber including at least a core; providing a preform; and subsequent to the foregoing providing of the optical fiber and the preform, drawing the preform so as to dispose a region about the optical fiber. An optical fiber article can include a core; a pump cladding disposed about the core, the pump cladding for propagating pump light; and a second cladding disposed about the pump cladding, where the second cladding can provide a photonic bandgap for tending to confine pump light to a region about which the second cladding is disposed. The second cladding can comprise a plurality of layers including a first layer having a different optical property than a second layer, and the plurality of layers can be arranged as to provide the photonic bandgap effect.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating optical fiber, such as one or more loops of optical fiber. The optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) can include a body (12, 112, 412, 612) comprising an inwardly facing surface (16, 116, 416, 616) adapted for receiving a plurality of loops of a length of optical fiber. The body (16, 116, 416, 616) can include at least a portion (75) wherein the inwardly facing surface is continuous between two adjacent loops (79). Methods and apparatus are disclosed for disposing the optical fiber with an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating the optical fiber.

Abstract: Optical apparatus comprising a generally closed housing defining an interior, an arrangement of optical elements in optical communication, the arrangement housed within the interior of the generally closed housing, and an optical sensor within the interior and arranged for sensing interior ambient light for monitoring an optical characteristic of the arrangement of optical elements.

Abstract: An optical fiber coupler can include at least a first input optical fiber and an output optical fiber, where the first input optical fiber can comprise an antiguiding core, a first cladding disposed about the antiguiding core and a second cladding disposed about the first cladding so as to tend to confine light to said first cladding. The output fiber can comprise a guiding core, a first cladding disposed about the guiding core and a second cladding disposed about the first cladding of the output fiber for tending to confine light to the first cladding of the output fiber. Optical fibers are also disclosed, as are methods.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating optical fiber, such as one or more loops of optical fiber. The optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) can include a body (12, 112, 412, 612) comprising an inwardly facing surface (16, 116, 416, 616) adapted for receiving a plurality of loops of a length of optical fiber. The body (16, 116, 416, 616) can include at least a portion (75) wherein the inwardly facing surface is continuous between two adjacent loops (79). Methods and apparatus are disclosed for disposing the optical fiber with an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating the optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical apparatus including an optical fiber having a wavelength of operation, the optical fiber comprising a first length of the optical fiber joined to a second length of the optical fiber with a splice such that the first and second lengths are in optical communication; a photodetector for sensing light leaking from the splice; and wherein the splice has a splice loss of not greater than 0.5 dB at the wavelength of operation. Methods of sensing light are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical fiber can include a glass core that is multimode at a selected wavelength and that comprises an index of refraction and a diameter Dcore, a glass cladding disposed about said glass core, said glass cladding comprising an outer diameter Dcladding and a first index of refraction that is less than said index of refraction of said core, and a second cladding disposed about said glass cladding, said second cladding comprising an optically cured polymer, said polymer comprising an index of refraction that is less than said first index of refraction. In certain embodiments, the fiber can include various other features. For example, [Dcladding/Dcore]2 can be no greater than 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating optical fiber, such as one or more loops of optical fiber. The optical apparatus (10, 110,410, 610) can include a body (12, 112, 412, 612) comprising an inwardly facing surface (16, 116, 416, 616) adapted for receiving a plurality of loops of a length of optical fiber. The body (16, 116, 416, 616) can include at least a portion (75) wherein the inwardly facing surface is continuous between two adjacent loops (79). Methods and apparatus are disclosed for disposing the optical fiber with an optical apparatus (10, 110, 410, 610) for accommodating the optical fiber.