Abstract: A system and method for growing and maintaining biological material including producing a protein associated with the tissue, selecting cells associated with the tissue, expanding the cells, creating at least one tissue bio-ink including the expanded cells, printing the at least one tissue bio-ink in at least one tissue growth medium mixture, growing the tissue from the printed at least one tissue bio-ink, and maintaining viability of the tissue.

Abstract: A nasal mask has exhalation scoop fixed adjacent a lower portion of mask, adapted to overlie an upper lip of a patient when the mask is worn. The mask includes ports for sampling flow of CO2 expelled from the mouth and nose of the patient to the end-tidal CO2 port, and a pressure-based flow resistor for balancing flow of CO2 expelled from the mouth and the nose of the patient.

Abstract: A system and method for growing and maintaining biological material including producing a protein associated with the tissue, selecting cells associated with the tissue, expanding the cells, creating at least one tissue bio-ink including the expanded cells, printing the at least one tissue bio-ink in at least one tissue growth medium mixture, growing the tissue from the printed at least one tissue bio-ink, and maintaining viability of the tissue.

Abstract: An amusement device has a display and an input device and includes a memory and a controller. The memory stores a plurality of games and a system control program. The controller is operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display. The controller controls the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device. The controller is configured to grant a user a block of time for accessing the amusement device; permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a first game from the plurality of games during the block of time; and permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a second game from the plurality of games that is different than the first game during the block of time.

Abstract: An amusement device has a display and an input device and includes a memory and a controller. The memory stores a plurality of games and a system control program. The controller is operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display. The controller controls the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device. The controller is configured to grant a user a block of time for accessing the amusement device; permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a first game from the plurality of games during the block of time; and permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a second game from the plurality of games that is different than the first game during the block of time.

Abstract: An amusement device has a display and an input device and includes a memory and a controller. The memory stores a plurality of games and a system control program. The controller is operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display. The controller controls the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device. The controller is configured to grant a user a block of time for accessing the amusement device; permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a first game from the plurality of games during the block of time; and permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a second game from the plurality of games that is different than the first game during the block of time.

Abstract: An amusement device has a display and an input device and includes a memory and a controller. The memory stores a plurality of games and a system control program. The controller is operatively coupled to the memory, the input device and the display. The controller controls the display based upon the system control program retrieved from the memory and based upon inputs from the input device. The controller is configured to grant a user a block of time for accessing the amusement device; permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a first game from the plurality of games during the block of time; and permit the user to selectively retrieve from the memory and play a second game from the plurality of games that is different than the first game during the block of time.

Abstract: A non-linearly frequency-converted Q-switched laser is “injection seeded” with short pulses from another laser, called a seed laser. Radiation produced by the Q-switched laser is frequency converted in a non-linear process. The injection seeding can enhance peak power and frequency conversion efficiency while reducing damage to a non-linear medium used to frequency convert radiation generated by the Q-switched laser.

Abstract: A laser apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a Neodymium-doped lasing material having first and second surfaces and a passive Q-switch optically coupled to the second surface. The first-surface is substantially transparent to a pump radiation and substantially reflective to laser radiation generated by an interaction between the pump radiation and the Neodymium-doped lasing material. The laser radiation is characterized by a vacuum wavelength corresponding to an atomic transition from the 4F3/2 level to the 4I9/2 level of Neodymium in the lasing material. The second surface transmits at least a portion of the laser radiation. The lasing material and Q-switch are configured to produce pulses of the laser radiation characterized by a pulse length of greater than zero and less than about 1.5 nanoseconds and a pulse repetition rate greater than about 100 kHz. A PQSL laser, an apparatus for generating blue light and a display system based on the laser apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light source is disclosed having a pulsed laser, a fiber amplifier optically coupled to the pulsed laser, and a nonlinear frequency converting element optically coupled to the fiber amplifier. The pulsed laser, e.g., a passively Q-switched laser, is configured to generate light pulses characterized by a pulse length of less than about 1.7 nsec and sufficiently large that a frequency bandwidth of the pulses after they emerge from the fiber amplifier is less than an acceptance bandwidth of the nonlinear frequency converting element. The laser is pulsed at a pulse repetition rate sufficiently large that the fiber amplifier does not spontaneously emit radiation between pulses. In such a source, the fiber amplifier is substantially free of stimulated Brillouin scattering and self-phase modulation may be held to a level that does not reduce conversion of infrared radiation to visible radiation. Such a light source can be combined with an image generator and a scanner in an image projection system.

Abstract: A method of producing a short-pass fiber by drawing a preform for a depressed cladding fiber at a predetermined drawing ratio. The preform has a core of refractive index n0, a depressed cladding surrounding the core and having a refractive index n1, and a secondary cladding surrounding the depressed cladding and having a refractive index n2. The core has a core cross-section and the depressed cladding has a depressed cladding cross-section that is larger than the core cross-section. The drawing ratio is determined based on the parameters of the preform measured along the axis of the preform and based on a desired minimum fundamental mode cutoff wavelength ?m. The final core cross-section defines a fundamental mode cutoff wavelength ?c such that ?c??m along the axis. Then the preform is pulled by the thus-determined drawing ratio to produce the short-pass fiber. In some embodiments a test section of the fiber is pulled first before pulling the short pass fiber.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance-free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a passively Q-switched laser (PQSL) that use a Q-switched laser as a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) in a phase-locked loop control circuit are disclosed. The PQSL may be optically coupled to a detector. The detector may be coupled to a an input of a phase lock loop controller. A reference oscillator may be coupled to a reference input of the phase lock loop controller. An output of the phase lock loop controller may be coupled to an integrator. The integrator may be coupled to a means for controlling an amount of power provided to the PQSL.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance-free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A Thulium-doped silica fiber normally has its strongest gain at 1.9 microns and thus is not suitable for communication use. By engineering a W-profile or depressed cladding fiber with an appropriate index profile having a fundamental mode cut-off between 1.9 microns and the shorter wavelength of desired operation, an optical amplifier based on the W-profile Thulium-doped silica fiber operates at wavelengths shorter than conventional amplifiers, just above what is currently called the Erbium L-band. In a preferred embodiment, the cut-off wavelength is at or near 1.7 ?m, eliminating longer wavelengths from the fiber. Amplifiers engineered according to the principles and techniques of the present invention can operate in the wavelength range between about 1.6 to 1.8 microns, which is particularly useful for telecommunications.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance-free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance-free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved diesel engine water pump includes three main features that aid in extending the maintenance free life of the pump. The impeller shaft is carried by tapered roller shaft support bearings of which the impeller bearing has a floating outer race that is urged axially by a preload spring to provide a prescribed axial preload that maintains concentricity of the shaft with the axis and prolongs bearing life. An improved oil seal combines an oil slinger, a stationary deflector and a lip oil seal with a return passage to the engine to more effectively limit oil leakage from the pump. An improved water seal includes pressurized water jets fed from the pump volute that flush wear particles from the water seal surface and increase water seal life. Further details of these features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing a short-pass fiber by drawing a preform for a depressed cladding fiber at a predetermined drawing ratio. The preform has a core of refractive index no, a depressed cladding surrounding the core and having a refractive index n1, and a secondary cladding surrounding the depressed cladding and having a refractive index n2. The core has a core cross-section and the depressed cladding has a depressed cladding cross-section that is larger than the core cross-section. The drawing ratio is determined based on the parameters of the preform measured along the axis of the preform and based on a desired minimum fundamental mode cutoff wavelength &lgr;m. The final core cross-section defines a fundamental mode cutoff wavelength &lgr;c such that &lgr;c≧&lgr;m along the axis. Then the preform is pulled by the thus-determined drawing ratio to produce the short-pass fiber. In some embodiments a test section of the fiber is pulled first before pulling the short pass fiber.