Radial-firing optical fiber tip containing conical-shaped air-pocket for biomedical applications.

We report a novel radial-firing optical fiber tip containing a conical-shaped air-pocket fabricated by deforming a hollow optical fiber using electric arc-discharge process. The hollow optical fiber was fusion spliced with a conventional optical fiber, simultaneously deforming into the intagliated conical-shaped region along the longitudinal fiber-axis of the fiber due to the gradual collapse of the cavity of the hollow optical fiber. Then the distal-end of the hollow optical fiber was sealed by the additional arc-discharge in order to obstruct the inflow of an external bio-substance or liquid to the inner air surface during the surgical operations, resulting in the formation of encased air-pocket in the silica glass fiber. Due to the total internal reflection of the laser beam at the conical-shaped air surface, the laser beam (λ = 632.8 nm) was deflected to the circumferential direction up to 87 degree with respect to the fiber-axis.

Optical properties of the fiber-optic temperature sensor based on the side-hole fiber filled with indium.

A highly sensitive temperature sensor was made by use of a side-hole glass fiber filled with indium metal, and its optical properties were investigated. The temperature sensitivity of the fiber-optic temperature sensor was dλ/dT=-7.38 nm/K. The temperature sensitivity was also examined in sensors made by different lengths of the side-hole fiber and the indium-filled fiber region. The temperature sensitivity could be varied in the range of -1.83 to -7.38 nm/K by changing the relative length between the side-hole fiber and the indium-filled fiber region.

Effect of infiltration pressure on the birefringent properties of a side-hole fiber filled with indium.

The effect of the infiltration pressure on the birefringent properties of a side-hole fiber filled with indium was investigated by the fiber-optic Sagnac loop interferometry. The fiber was made at the various gas pressures during the metal infiltration process. It was found that the birefringence of the fiber strongly decreased from 5.55×10(-4) to 1.68×10(-4) with the increase of the pressure from 15 to 45 bars, due to the compensation effect of the pressure applied during the infiltration. The temperature dependence of the birefringence, dB(m)/dT, was found to be constant of ∼-3.06×10(-6)/K regardless of the magnitude of the pressure.

Visible to infrared photoluminescence from gold nanoparticles embedded in germano-silicate glass fiber.

Germano-silicate glass fiber containing gold nanoparticles was developed by modified chemical vapor deposition and solution doping processes. Pumping with 488 nm Argon ion laser, we firstly report on the visible to infrared photoluminescence of the gold nanoparticles embedded in the core of the germano-silicate fibers. The surface plasmon resonance absorption peak at 498.4 nm and the visible to infrared photoluminescence over the range of 600 nm approximately 1560 nm were found and explained according to the interband and intraband electronic transitions of Au atoms. The averaged quantum efficiencies of the photoluminescence at 833 nm and 1536 nm were estimated to be 5.75 x 10(-8) and 2.01 x 10(-9), respectively.

Effect of aluminum on the formation of silver metal quantum dots in sol-gel derived alumino-silicate glass film.

The effect of aluminum incorporation on silver metal quantum dots formation in the alumino-silicate glass film processed by sol-gel process was investigated. The sol-gel derived glass was coated onto the silica glass plate by spin coating with the mixture solution of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), C2H5OH, H2O, AgNO3, Al(NO3)3. 39H2O, and HNO3 with the molar ratios of Ag/Si = 0.12 and Al/Si varying from 0 to 0.12. The formation of the silver metal quantum dots was confirmed by the measurements of the UV/VIS optical spectra, the X-ray diffraction patterns, and the transmission electron microscope images. While the radius of silver metal quantum dots increased with the increase of aluminum concentration, the concentration of the silver metal quantum dots decreased. The formation of the silver metal quantum dots was found strongly suppressed by incorporation of aluminum ions in the glass. The change in the glass structure due to the aluminum incorporation was investigated by the analysis of the Raman spectra. The silver ions in the glass contributed to form stable (Al:Ag)O4 tetrahedra by pairing with aluminum ions and thus clustering of silver metal quantum dots was hindered.

Modulation of biomechanical properties of hyaluronic acid hydrogels by crosslinking agents.

Modulation of both mechanical properties and biocompatibilities of hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels is very importance for their applications in biomaterials. Pure HA solution was converted into a hydrogel by using butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) as a crosslinking agent. Mechanical properties of the HA hydrogels have been evaluated by adding up different amount of BDDEs. While the mechanical properties of the obtained HA hydrogels were evaluated by measuring their crosslinking degrees, elastic modulus and viscosity, their in vitro biocompatibilities were done by measuring the degrees of anti-inflammatory reactions, cell viabilities and cytotoxicity. The degrees of anti-inflammatory reactions were determined by measuring the amount of nitric oxides (NOs) released from lipopolysaccharide(LPS)(+)-induced macrophages; cell viability was evaluated by observing differences in the behaviors of fibroblasts covered with the HA hydrogels, compared with those covered with the films of Teflon and Latex. Cytotoxicity of the HA hydrogels was also evaluated by measuring the degrees of viability of the cells exposed on the extracts of the HA hydrogels over those of Teflon, Latex and pure HA solutions by the assays of thiazoly blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT), neutral reds, and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). The results showed that employment of BDDEs beyond critical amounts showed lower biocompatibility of the crosslinked HA hydrogels but higher crosslinking degrees and mechanical properties, indicating the importance of controlling the HA concentrations, BDDE amounts and their reaction times for the synthesis of the crosslinked HA hydrogels for their clinical applications as biomaterials.

Phosphatidic acid and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induce the expression of CD83 through mitogen activated protein kinase pathway in a CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cell line, KG1.

To elucidate the signaling pathways involved in the expression of CD83, which is linked to the differentiation and maturation states of dendritic cells, we examined the effect of phosphatidic acid (PA) on the expression of CD83 in KG1, a CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cell. In the presence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, PA but not lyso-PA up-regulated CD83 on KG1 cells. Moreover, PA and TNF-alpha-induced expression of CD83 was slightly increased by propranolol, an inhibitor of PA phosphohydrolase but was unaffected by phospholipase A2 inhibitor. PA and TNF-alpha increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2, p38-kinase, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) by Western blotting. However, the up-regulation of CD83 by PA/TNF-alpha on KG1 was significantly abrogated by PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK kinase, but was enhanced by SP600125, a JNK inhibitor. Bis-indolylmaleimide, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, partially blocked the up-regulation of CD83 and ERK phosphorylation induced by PA and TNF-alpha. Moreover, the incubation of KG1 cells with phorbol ester and TNF-alpha for 5 days increased the protein level of phospholipase D. These results suggest that PA and TNF-alpha induce the up-regulation of CD83 and that their action is regulated by ERK and JNK.