A new type of fluorogenic substrates for proteases based on the leaving group cresyl violet has been synthesized. Cresyl violet is not fluorescent when amino acids or peptide groups are attached but becomes highly fluorescent after proteolytic liberation. Its fluorescence shows linearity with concentration and barely any fading. The properties of Ala-Pro-cresyl violet as substrate for dipeptidy...

Sterilization of air by ultra-violet radiation is effective when the organisms are dispersed in droplet nuclei, the smallest particles being the most vulnerable (Wells & Wells, 1936; Bourdillon & Lidwell, 1948). Airborne bacteria, however, are also carried on dust particles shaken from textiles or swept from the floor, and against these ultra-violet radiation at intensities higher than those no...

The predatory bug Orius sauteri is an indigenous natural enemy of thrips and whiteflies in Asian countries. To put these bugs to practical use in pest management, methods to attract and retain the bugs in agricultural fields are needed. We previously showed that violet light (405 nm) attracts O. sauteri selectively. Many thrips and whiteflies are attracted to UV or green light. In this study, w...

The Golgi silver impregnation technique gives detailed information on neuronal morphology of the few neurons it labels, whereas the majority remain unstained. In contrast, the Nissl staining technique allows for consistent labeling of the whole neuronal population but gives very limited information on neuronal morphology. Most studies characterizing neuronal cell types in the context of their d...

Light of different wavelengths is essential for plant growth and development. Short-wavelength radiation such as UV can shift the composition of flavonoids, glucosinolates, and other plant metabolites responsible for enhanced defense against certain herbivorous insects. The intensity of light-induced, metabolite-based resistance is plant- and insect species-specific and depends on herbivore fee...

A photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity formed in an optically very thick slab can support reasonably high-Q modes for lasing. Experimentally, we demonstrate room-temperature pulsed lasing operation from the PhC dipole mode emitting at 1324 nm, which is fabricated in an InGaAsP slab with thickness (T) of 606 nm. Numerical simulation reveals that when T≥800 nm, over 90% of the laser output power cou...

1. Bacterial spores are highly resistant to the bactericidal action of the triphenylmethane dyes. Many Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis spores resist a saturated aqueous solution of gentian violet for 24 hours at 37 degrees C. They also resist exposure to the same dye solution for 10 minutes at 80 degrees C. 2. The selective bactericidal action of these dyes applies only to the vegetati...