A surgical stapling and severing instrument particularly suited to endoscopic articulates an end effector by having a geared articulation mechanism that converts rotational motion from a handle portion. The implement holding device includes a flexible arm that defines an inner lumen and that is configured to be coupled to a medical instrument. The compressed light is introduced to a first Raman amplifier. The performance parameters include at least a first, second and third parameters. The charge transport layer may be either a hole or electron transport layer and is useful in a variety of organic electronic devices. Each of at least seven forward speed-ratios and one reverse speed-ratio is achieved by an engaged state of two friction elements selected from the five friction elements.