We report observation of a fine structure component in backscattered light from mucosal tissue which is periodic in wavelength. This structure is ordinarily masked by a diffusive background. We have identified the origin of this component as being due to light which is Mie scattered by surface epithelial cell nuclei. By analyzing the amplitude and frequency of the fine structure, the density and size distribution of these nuclei can be extracted. These quantities are important indicators of neoplastic precancerous changes in biological tissue. [S0031-9007(97)05049-7]

The use of synthetic chemicals has increased drastically due to industrialization and urbanization. However, the long-term and indiscriminate use of these chemicals has a negative impact on environment and human health; thus, public concerns about the hazardous effects of such synthetic chemicals are increasing day by day. To solve these problems, the exploitation of potential alternatives has become a major challenge, and the admiration of beneficial microbes is increasing due to their safe and environment-friendly nature. Microbes can mitigate the hazardous effects of synthetic chemicals by reducing their use and toxicity. Lysinibacillus species are gram-positive, spore-forming, motile bacteria. This genus was previously designated as Bacillus spp. under the family Bacillaceae of the phylum Firmicutes. For a long period of time, Lysinibacillus is well-known for its insecticidal activity against various insects, including mosquitoes, which are the vector of several human diseases. In addition, some Lysinibacillus species have a potential for heavy metal remediation. In recent years, Lysinibacillus spp. are attracting the researchers' attention as plant growth-promoting and disease control agents, which would be used as alternatives to agrochemicals. This study gives an overview of the entomopathogenic, bioremediation, plant growth-promoting, and biological disease control abilities of the genus Lysinibacillus.

To identify Lysinibacillus strains with the potential to function as plant biostimulants, we screened 10 previously isolated Lysinibacillus strains from the rhizosphere and soil for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) effects. In vitro tests showed that all strains produced indole-3-acetic acid. In primary screening, the PGP effects of these strains were assessed on spinach seedlings grown on Jiffy-7 pellets; strains GIC31, GIC41, and GIC51 markedly promoted shoot growth. In secondary screening, the PGP efficacies of these three strains were examined using spinach seedlings grown in pots under controlled conditions. Only GIC41 exerted consistent and significant PGP effects; therefore, it was selected for subsequent experiments. The results of 6-week glasshouse experiments revealed that GIC41 markedly increased shoot dry weight by ca. 12–49% over that of the control. The impact of fertilization levels on the PGP efficacy of GIC41 was investigated using pot experiments. The application of a specific level of fertilizer was required for the induction of sufficient PGP effects by this strain. The phylogenetic ana­lysis based on the 16S rDNA sequence identified GIC41 as L. xylanilyticus . Collectively, these results show the potential of strain GIC41 to function as a plant biostimulant.

To find out the response of potted gerbera under different light spectrum wavelengths of solar radiation was carried out. Three gerbera cultivars viz. V 1 (red), V 2 (pink), V 3 (brick red) and seven

An experiment was conducted to evaluate growth and flowering behavior of three dendrobium cultivars coded from V 1 to V 3 (Sonia-17, Purple Boutonniere and Emma White respectively). Longest pseudobulb (78.9 cm) and maximum girth of pseudobulb (19.7 mm) was found with Sionia-17 cultivar. For the same cultivar, maximum other growth and flowering characteristics were observed and recorded as number of pseudobulb/plant (18.8), number of leaves/pseudobulb (5.3), leaf area (253.3 cm 2), number of spikes/plant (14.9), spike length (44.6 cm), spike girth (7.4 mm), number of florets/spike (12.2), diameter of bud (26.1 mm) and diameter of floret (9.5 cm). Minimum chlorophyll content (58.8%) was also found from cultivar Sonia-17 (V 1).