1. A buffered optical fiber, comprising:
an optical fiber having a longitudinal length; and
an extruded buffer layer surrounding and in contact with the optical fiber along the longitudinal length, the buffer layer comprising:
a main portion of a first extruded polymeric material;
at least one discontinuity of a second polymeric material coextruded in the main portion, the discontinuity extending along the longitudinal length of the optical fiber, and the first polymeric material being different from the second polymeric material; and
a bond formed during coextrusion between the discontinuity and the main portion such that the buffer layer comprises a cohesive composite polymer structure that is separable at the discontinuity to provide access to the optical fiber,
wherein the bond is enhanced by incorporation of an acrylate functional group into a polymer chain of the second polymeric material.
2. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the discontinuity is less than 8% of a cross-sectional area of the buffer layer.
3. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the discontinuity extends along an entire length of the optical fiber.
4. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer has an interior surface that faces the optical fiber and an exterior surface, the discontinuity forming a portion of the exterior surface, wherein the discontinuity extends radially inward from the exterior surface a distance of at least fifty per cent of a thickness of the buffer layer.
5. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the discontinuity is less than 6% of a cross-sectional area of the buffer layer.
6. The buffered optical fiber of claim 5, wherein the discontinuity is wholly embedded in the main portion.
7. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the main portion includes a PVC material.
8. The buffered optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the at least one discontinuity comprises a first discontinuity at least partially embedded in the main portion and a second discontinuity at least partially embedded in the main portion, the first discontinuity being spaced from the second discontinuity.
9. The buffered optical fiber of claim 8, wherein a cross-sectional area of each discontinuity is less than 8% of a cross-sectional area of the buffer layer.
10. The buffered optical fiber of claim 8, wherein a height of the first discontinuity is at least two times greater than a maximum width of the first discontinuity.
11. A method of manufacturing a buffer layer for an optical fiber, the method comprising:
extruding a main portion of a first polymeric material to be in contact with the optical fiber;
co-extruding at least one discontinuity of a second polymeric material in the main portion, the discontinuity extending along a longitudinal length of the main portion, and the first material being different from the second material; and
forming a bond during coextrusion between the discontinuity and the main portion such that the buffer layer comprises a cohesive composite polymer structure that is separable at the discontinuity.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising enhancing the bond by incorporating an acrylate functional group into a polymer chain of the second polymeric material.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming the buffer layer to have a thickness in the range of 125-425 microns.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming the buffer layer to have an outside diameter of less than 1100 microns.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the optical fiber includes a silica-based core, a silica-based cladding surrounding the core, and at least one coating surrounding the cladding.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising extruding the buffer layer directly over the at least one coating to abut the coating.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein a cross-sectional area of the discontinuity is less than 6% of a cross-sectional area of the buffer layer.
18. The method of claim 11, further comprising wholly embedding the discontinuity in the main portion.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the main portion includes a PVC material.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein co-extruding the at least one discontinuity comprises co-extruding a first discontinuity at least partially embedded in the main portion and co-extruding a second discontinuity at least partially embedded in the main portion, the first discontinuity being spaced from the second discontinuity
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A composition for inhibiting neural death, increasing neural activity andor for reducing one or more negative effects of neurodegeneration comprising a compound of Formula (I) or Formula (H):
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,
wherein
R1 is C5-C20 alkyl or C5-C20 alkenyl optionally substituted with 1-3 C6-C20 arylene groups in the chain and that is optionally substituted with 1-3 halo, trifluoromethyl, \u2014OR7, \u2014P(\u2550O)(OR8)(OR9) or \u2014NR10R11 groups;
R2 is (C5-C20)alkyl or C5-C20 alkenyl optionally substituted with 1-3 C6-C20 aryl groups, which aryl group(s) are optionally substituted with 1-3 halo, trifluoromethyl, \u2014OR7, \u2014P(\u2550O)(OR8)(OR9) or \u2014NR10R11 groups;
each R3, R4, R5, and R6 is independently OH or C1-C6 alkoxy;
each R7, R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl or C5-C20 aryl; and
each R10 and R11 is independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl or C6-C20 aryl; or R10 and R11 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a C3-C7 heterocycle;
wherein each aryl group of R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 is optionally substituted with 1-3 C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 alkanoyl, C1-C6 alkanoyloxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl, halo, cyano, nitro, carboxy, tritluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy. NR12R13, or S(O)2NR12R13 groups, wherein each R12 and R13 is independently hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl;
R14 and R15 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C7 cycloalkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, optionally substituted C6-C20 aryl, optionally substituted C6-C20 aryl-C1-C6alkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl and optionally substituted heteroaryl-C1-C6 alkyl, each heteroaryl having 2-14 ring carbon atoms and 1-6 ring heteroatoms selected preferably from N, O, S, and P, wherein each substituted aryl or substituted heteroaryl is independently substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from \u2014OH, halo, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, and \u2014NR10R11 groups; or R14 and R15 together with the carbon atom they are attached to form a C3-C7 cycloalkyl ring optionally substituted with 1-3 C1-C6 alkyl groups;
R16 and R17 independently are hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl;
each R18 and R19 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, and a group of Formula (III):
wherein R14-R17 and n are as defined as herein;
Y is \u2014P(\u2550O)(OR18)(OR19) or \u2014CO2R20, wherein R20 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl;
Z is
wherein R21 is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl; A is C1-C5 alkylene which may have a substituent selected from \u2014OH, halo, C1-C6 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy groups on each carbon;
r is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and
n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the compound of Formula I is of Formula (IIA)
wherein R14, R15, R18 and R19 are defined as in claim 1.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the compound of Formula (II) is selected from the group consisting of:
4. The composition or claim 1, wherein the compound of Formula (I) is selected from the group consisting of:
5. A compound of Formula (II):
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,
wherein
R14 and R15 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C7 cycloalkyl, alkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, optionally substituted C6-C20 aryl, optionally substituted C6-C20 aryl-C1-C6 alkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl and optionally substituted heteroaryl C6 alkyl, each heteroaryl having 2-14 ring carbon atoms and 1-6 ring heteroatoms selected preferably from N, O, S, and P, wherein each substituted aryl or substituted heteroaryl is independently substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from \u2014OH, halo, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, \u2014NO2, and groups; or
R14 and R15 with the carbon atom they are attached to form a C3-C7 cycloalkyl ring optionally substituted with 1-3 C1-C6 alkyl groups;
R16 and R17 independently are hydrogen, methyl or C2-C6 alkyl, provided that, when one of R18 and R19 is not:
and each of R16 and R17 is methyl, then R\u20324 and R15 together with the carbon atom they are attached to form a C5-C7 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with 1-3 C1-C6 alkyl groups;
R18 and R19 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl and a group of Formula (III):
Y is \u2014P(\u2550O)(OR18)(OR19) or
\u2014CO2R20, wherein R20 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl;
Z is
wherein R21 is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl; A is C1-C5 alkylene which may have a substituent selected from \u2014OH, halo, C1-C6 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy groups on each carbon;
r is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and
n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
6. A composition comprising the compound of claim 5 and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
7. A method for inhibiting neural death, increasing neural activity, andor of reducing one or more negative effects of neurodegeneration comprising administering a compound of claim 5 to a patient in need thereof.
8. A method for treating osteopenia andor reducing one or more negative effects of osteopenia comprising administering an effective amount of a compound of claim 5 to a patient in need thereof.
9. A method for inhibiting neural death, increasing neural activity, andor of reducing one or more negative effects of neurodegeneration comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) or (II) selected from the group consisting of:
10. A method for treating osteopenia andor reducing one or more negative effects of osteopenia comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) or (II) selected from the group consisting of:
11. A method for inhibiting neural death, increasing neural activity, andor of reducing one or more negative effects of neurodegeneration comprising administering a composition of claim 6 to a patient in need thereof.
12. A method for treating osteopenia andor reducing one or more negative effects of osteopenia comprising administering an effective amount of a composition of claim 6 to a patient in need thereof.