WorldWideScience

Sample records for blue light conditions

  1. Effects of a blue light-filtering intraocular lens on driving safety in glare conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Rob; Hill, Warren; Neuman, Brooke; Houtman, Diane; Potvin, Richard

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate whether the previously established benefit of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOLs) when driving in glare conditions is maintained in patients previously implanted with a blue light-filtering toric IOL. Department of Applied Psychology, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona, USA. Comparative case series. The study comprised patients with a blue light-filtering toric IOL (test IOL) or an ultraviolet (UV)-only filtering nontoric IOL (control IOL). All patients had good visual acuity and a valid driver's license. While wearing best spherocylindrical correction, patients performed left-turn maneuvers in front of oncoming traffic in a driving simulator. The safety margin was defined as the time to collision less the time taken to turn at an intersection with oncoming traffic. Measures were repeated with a glare source simulating low-angle sun conditions (daytime driving). Of the 33 evaluable patients, 18 had a test IOL and 15 had a control IOL. In the presence of glare, patients with test IOLs had significantly greater safety margins (mean 2.676 seconds ± 0.438 [SD]) than patients with control IOLs (mean 2.179 ± 0.343 seconds) and significantly lower glare susceptibility (P<.05). In no-glare and glare conditions, patients with test IOLs had significantly lower glare susceptibility than patients with control IOLs. The blue light-filtering toric IOL produced a significantly greater reduction in glare disability than the UV-only filtering nontoric IOL and increased the ability of drivers to safely execute left turns in low-sun conditions. Dr. Houtman is an employee of Alcon Laboratories, Inc. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2012 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Phototropin 1 and dim-blue light modulate the red light de-etiolation response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yihai; M Folta, Kevin

    2014-01-01

    Light signals regulate seedling morphological changes during de-etiolation through the coordinated actions of multiple light-sensing pathways. Previously we have shown that red-light-induced hypocotyl growth inhibition can be reversed by addition of dim blue light through the action of phototropin 1 (phot1). Here we further examine the fluence-rate relationships of this blue light effect in short-term (hours) and long-term (days) hypocotyl growth assays. The red stem-growth inhibition and blue promotion is a low-fluence rate response, and blue light delays or attenuates both the red light and far-red light responses. These de-etiolation responses include blue light reversal of red or far-red induced apical hook opening. This response also requires phot1. Cryptochromes (cry1 and cry2) are activated by higher blue light fluence-rates and override phot1's influence on hypocotyl growth promotion. Exogenous application of auxin transport inhibitor naphthylphthalamic acid abolished the blue light stem growth promotion in both hypocotyl growth and hook opening. Results from the genetic tests of this blue light effect in auxin transporter mutants, as well as phytochrome kinase substrate mutants indicated that aux1 may play a role in blue light reversal of red light response. Together, the phot1-mediated adjustment of phytochrome-regulated photomorphogenic events is most robust in dim blue light conditions and is likely modulated by auxin transport through its transporters.

  3. Effects of blue light and caffeine on mood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekström, Johan G; Beaven, C Martyn

    2014-09-01

    Both short wavelength (blue) light and caffeine have been studied for their mood enhancing effects on humans. The ability of blue light to increase alertness, mood and cognitive function via non-image forming neuropathways has been suggested as a non-pharmacological countermeasure for depression across a range of occupational settings. This experimental study compared blue light and caffeine and aimed to test the effects of blue light/placebo (BLU), white light/240-mg caffeine (CAF), blue light/240-mg caffeine (BCAF) and white light/placebo (PLA), on mood. A randomised, controlled, crossover design study was used, in a convenience population of 20 healthy volunteers. The participants rated their mood on the Swedish Core Affect Scales (SCAS) prior to and after each experimental condition to assess the dimensions of valence and activation. There was a significant main effect of light (p = 0.009), and the combination of blue light and caffeine had clear positive effects on core effects (ES, ranging from 0.41 to 1.20) and global mood (ES, 0.61 ± 0.53). The benefits of the combination of blue light and caffeine should be further investigated across a range of applications due to the observed effects on the dimensions of arousal, valence and pleasant activation.

  4. Light transmission through intraocular lenses with or without yellow chromophore (blue light filter) and its potential influence on functional vision in everyday environmental conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owczarek, Grzegorz; Gralewicz, Grzegorz; Skuza, Natalia; Jurowski, Piotr

    2016-01-01

    In this research the factors used to evaluate the light transmission through two types of acrylic hydrophobic intraocular lenses, one that contained yellow chromophore that blocks blue light transmission and the other which did not contain that filter, were defined according to various light condition, e.g., daylight and at night. The potential influence of light transmission trough intraocular lenses with or without yellow chromophore on functional vision in everyday environmental conditions was analysed.

  5. Blue-light filtering alters angiogenic signaling in human retinal pigmented epithelial cells culture model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vila, Natalia; Siblini, Aya; Esposito, Evangelina; Bravo-Filho, Vasco; Zoroquiain, Pablo; Aldrees, Sultan; Logan, Patrick; Arias, Lluis; Burnier, Miguel N

    2017-11-02

    Light exposure and more specifically the spectrum of blue light contribute to the oxidative stress in Age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of the study was to establish whether blue light filtering could modify proangiogenic signaling produced by retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells under different conditions simulating risk factors for AMD. Three experiments were carried out in order to expose ARPE-19 cells to white light for 48 h with and without blue light-blocking filters (BLF) in different conditions. In each experiment one group was exposed to light with no BLF protection, a second group was exposed to light with BLF protection, and a control group was not exposed to light. The ARPE-19 cells used in each experiment prior to light exposure were cultured for 24 h as follows: Experiment 1) Normoxia, Experiment 2) Hypoxia, and Experiment 3) Lutein supplemented media in normoxia. The media of all groups was harvested after light exposure for sandwich ELISA-based assays to quantify 10 pro-angiogenic cytokines. A significant decrease in angiogenin secretion levels and a significant increase in bFGF were observed following light exposure, compared to dark conditions, in both normoxia and hypoxia conditions. With the addition of a blue light-blocking filter in normoxia, a significant increase in angiogenin levels was observed. Although statistical significance was not achieved, blue light filters reduce light-induced secretion of bFGF and VEGF to near normal levels. This trend is also observed when ARPE-19 cells are grown under hypoxic conditions and when pre-treated with lutein prior to exposure to experimental conditions. Following light exposure, there is a decrease in angiogenin secretion by ARPE-19 cells, which was abrogated with a blue light - blocking filter. Our findings support the position that blue light filtering affects the secretion of angiogenic factors by retinal pigmented epithelial cells under normoxic, hypoxic, and lutein

  6. A comparison of blue light and caffeine effects on cognitive function and alertness in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaven, C Martyn; Ekström, Johan

    2013-01-01

    The alerting effects of both caffeine and short wavelength (blue) light have been consistently reported. The ability of blue light to enhance alertness and cognitive function via non-image forming neuropathways have been suggested as a non-pharmacological countermeasure for drowsiness across a range of occupational settings. Here we compare and contrast the alerting and psychomotor effects of 240 mg of caffeine and a 1-h dose of ~40 lx blue light in a non-athletic population. Twenty-one healthy subjects performed a computer-based psychomotor vigilance test before and after each of four randomly assigned trial conditions performed on different days: white light/placebo; white light/240 mg caffeine; blue light/placebo; blue light/240 mg caffeine. The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale was used to assess subjective measures of alertness. Both the caffeine only and blue light only conditions enhanced accuracy in a visual reaction test requiring a decision and an additive effect was observed with respect to the fastest reaction times. However, in a test of executive function, where a distraction was included, caffeine exerted a negative effect on accuracy. Furthermore, the blue light only condition consistently outperformed caffeine when both congruent and incongruent distractions were presented. The visual reactions in the absence of a decision or distraction were also enhanced in the blue light only condition and this effect was most prominent in the blue-eyed participants. Overall, blue light and caffeine demonstrated distinct effects on aspects of psychomotor function and have the potential to positively influence a range of settings where cognitive function and alertness are important. Specifically, despite the widespread use of caffeine in competitive sporting environments, the possible impact of blue light has received no research attention.

  7. A comparison of blue light and caffeine effects on cognitive function and alertness in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C Martyn Beaven

    Full Text Available The alerting effects of both caffeine and short wavelength (blue light have been consistently reported. The ability of blue light to enhance alertness and cognitive function via non-image forming neuropathways have been suggested as a non-pharmacological countermeasure for drowsiness across a range of occupational settings. Here we compare and contrast the alerting and psychomotor effects of 240 mg of caffeine and a 1-h dose of ~40 lx blue light in a non-athletic population. Twenty-one healthy subjects performed a computer-based psychomotor vigilance test before and after each of four randomly assigned trial conditions performed on different days: white light/placebo; white light/240 mg caffeine; blue light/placebo; blue light/240 mg caffeine. The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale was used to assess subjective measures of alertness. Both the caffeine only and blue light only conditions enhanced accuracy in a visual reaction test requiring a decision and an additive effect was observed with respect to the fastest reaction times. However, in a test of executive function, where a distraction was included, caffeine exerted a negative effect on accuracy. Furthermore, the blue light only condition consistently outperformed caffeine when both congruent and incongruent distractions were presented. The visual reactions in the absence of a decision or distraction were also enhanced in the blue light only condition and this effect was most prominent in the blue-eyed participants. Overall, blue light and caffeine demonstrated distinct effects on aspects of psychomotor function and have the potential to positively influence a range of settings where cognitive function and alertness are important. Specifically, despite the widespread use of caffeine in competitive sporting environments, the possible impact of blue light has received no research attention.

  8. Fish with red fluorescent eyes forage more efficiently under dim, blue-green light conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harant, Ulrike Katharina; Michiels, Nicolaas Karel

    2017-04-20

    Natural red fluorescence is particularly conspicuous in the eyes of some small, benthic, predatory fishes. Fluorescence also increases in relative efficiency with increasing depth, which has generated speculation about its possible function as a "light organ" to detect cryptic organisms under bluish light. Here we investigate whether foraging success is improved under ambient conditions that make red fluorescence stand out more, using the triplefin Tripterygion delaisi as a model system. We repeatedly presented 10 copepods to individual fish (n = 40) kept under a narrow blue-green spectrum and compared their performance with that under a broad spectrum with the same overall brightness. The experiment was repeated for two levels of brightness, a shaded one representing 0.4% of the light present at the surface and a heavily shaded one with about 0.01% of the surface brightness. Fish were 7% more successful at catching copepods under the narrow, fluorescence-friendly spectrum than under the broad spectrum. However, this effect was significant under the heavily shaded light treatment only. This outcome corroborates previous predictions that fluorescence may be an adaptation to blue-green, heavily shaded environments, which coincides with the opportunistic biology of this species that lives in the transition zone between exposed and heavily shaded microhabitats.

  9. High-luminosity blue and blue-green gallium nitride light-emitting diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morkoç, H; Mohammad, S N

    1995-01-06

    Compact and efficient sources of blue light for full color display applications and lighting eluded and tantalized researchers for many years. Semiconductor light sources are attractive owing to their reliability and amenability to mass manufacture. However, large band gaps are required to achieve blue color. A class of compound semiconductors formed by metal nitrides, GaN and its allied compounds AIGaN and InGaN, exhibits properties well suited for not only blue and blue-green emitters, but also for ultraviolet emitters and detectors. What thwarted engineers and scientists from fabricating useful devices from these materials in the past was the poor quality of material and lack of p-type doping. Both of these obstacles have recently been overcome to the point where highluminosity blue and blue-green light-emitting diodes are now available in the marketplace.

  10. The influence of bubble populations generated under windy conditions on the blue-green light transmission in the upper ocean: An exploratory approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chengan; Tan, Jianyu; Lai, Qingzhi

    2016-12-01

    The “blue-green window” in the ocean plays an important role in functions such as communication between vessels, underwater target identification, and remote sensing. In this study, the transmission process of blue-green light in the upper ocean is analyzed numerically using the Monte Carlo method. First, the effect of total number of photons on the numerical results is evaluated, and the most favorable number is chosen to ensure accuracy without excessive costs for calculation. Then, the physical and mathematical models are constructed. The rough sea surface is generated under windy conditions and the transmission signals are measured in the far field. Therefore, it can be conceptualized as a 1D slab with a rough boundary surface. Under windy conditions, these bubbles form layers that are horizontally homogeneous and decay exponentially with depth under the influence of gravity. The effects of bubble populations on the process of blue-green light transmission at different wind speeds, wavelengths, angle of incidence and chlorophyll-a concentrations are studied for both air-incident and water-incident cases. The results of this study indicate that the transmission process of blue-green light is significantly influenced by bubbles under high wind-speed conditions.

  11. Blue light-induced oxidative stress in live skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakashima, Yuya; Ohta, Shigeo; Wolf, Alexander M

    2017-07-01

    Skin damage from exposure to sunlight induces aging-like changes in appearance and is attributed to the ultraviolet (UV) component of light. Photosensitized production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by UVA light is widely accepted to contribute to skin damage and carcinogenesis, but visible light is thought not to do so. Using mice expressing redox-sensitive GFP to detect ROS, blue light could produce oxidative stress in live skin. Blue light induced oxidative stress preferentially in mitochondria, but green, red, far red or infrared light did not. Blue light-induced oxidative stress was also detected in cultured human keratinocytes, but the per photon efficacy was only 25% of UVA in human keratinocyte mitochondria, compared to 68% of UVA in mouse skin. Skin autofluorescence was reduced by blue light, suggesting flavins are the photosensitizer. Exposing human skin to the blue light contained in sunlight depressed flavin autofluorescence, demonstrating that the visible component of sunlight has a physiologically significant effect on human skin. The ROS produced by blue light is probably superoxide, but not singlet oxygen. These results suggest that blue light contributes to skin aging similar to UVA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Blue and white light emission from zinc oxide nanoforests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nafisa Noor

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Blue and white light emission is observed when high voltage stress is applied using micrometer-separated tungsten probes across a nanoforest formed of ZnO nanorods. The optical spectrum of the emitted light consistently shows three fine peaks with very high amplitude in the 465–485 nm (blue range, corresponding to atomic transitions of zinc. Additional peaks with smaller amplitudes in the 330–650 nm range and broad spectrum white light is observed depending on the excitation conditions. The spatial and spectral distribution of the emitted light, with pink–orange regions identifying percolation paths in some cases and high intensity blue and white light with center to edge variations in others, indicate that multiple mechanisms lead to light emission. Under certain conditions, the tungsten probe tips used to make electrical contact with the ZnO structures melt during the excitation, indicating that the local temperature can exceed 3422 °C, which is the melting temperature of tungsten. The distinct and narrow peaks in the optical spectra and the abrupt increase in current at high electric fields suggest that a plasma is formed by application of the electrical bias, giving rise to light emission via atomic transitions in gaseous zinc and oxygen. The broad spectrum, white light emission is possibly due to the free electron transitions in the plasma and blackbody radiation from molten silicon. The white light may also arise from the recombination through multiple defect levels in ZnO or due to the optical excitation from solid ZnO. The electrical measurements performed at different ambient pressures result in light emission with distinguishable differences in the emission properties and I–V curves, which also indicate that the dielectric breakdown of ZnO, sublimation, and plasma formation processes are the underlying mechanisms.

  13. Blue Light Protects Against Temporal Frequency Sensitive Refractive Changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rucker, Frances; Britton, Stephanie; Spatcher, Molly; Hanowsky, Stephan

    2015-09-01

    Time spent outdoors is protective against myopia. The outdoors allows exposure to short-wavelength (blue light) rich sunlight, while indoor illuminants can be deficient at short-wavelengths. In the current experiment, we investigate the role of blue light, and temporal sensitivity, in the emmetropization response. Five-day-old chicks were exposed to sinusoidal luminance modulation of white light (with blue; N = 82) or yellow light (without blue; N = 83) at 80% contrast, at one of six temporal frequencies: 0, 0.2, 1, 2, 5, 10 Hz daily for 3 days. Mean illumination was 680 lux. Changes in ocular components and corneal curvature were measured. Refraction, eye length, and choroidal changes were dependent on the presence of blue light (P light, refraction did not change across frequencies (mean change -0.24 [diopters] D), while in the absence of blue light, we observed a hyperopic shift (>1 D) at high frequencies, and a myopic shift (>-0.6 D) at low frequencies. With blue light there was little difference in eye growth across frequencies (77 μm), while in the absence of blue light, eyes grew more at low temporal frequencies and less at high temporal frequencies (10 vs. 0.2 Hz: 145 μm; P light. Illuminants rich in blue light can protect against myopic eye growth when the eye is exposed to slow changes in luminance contrast as might occur with near work.

  14. Blue-light emitting triazolopyridinium and triazoloquinolinium salts

    KAUST Repository

    Carboni, Valentina; Su, Xin; Qian, Hai; Aprahamian, Ivan; Credi, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Compounds that emit blue light are of interest for applications that include optoelectronic devices and chemo/biosensing and imaging. The design and synthesis of small organic molecules that can act as high-efficiency deep-blue-light emitters

  15. Blue lighting decreases the amount of food consumed in men, but not in women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Sungeun; Han, Ashley; Taylor, Michael H; Huck, Alexandria C; Mishler, Amanda M; Mattal, Kyle L; Barker, Caleb A; Seo, Han-Seok

    2015-02-01

    Previous research has demonstrated that colors of lighting can modulate participants' motivation to consume the food placed under the lighting. This study was designed to determine whether the colors of lighting can affect the amount of food consumed, in addition to sensory perception of the food. The influence of lighting color was also compared between men and women. One-hundred twelve participants (62 men and 50 women) were asked to consume a breakfast meal (omelets and mini-pancakes) under one of three different lighting colors: white, yellow, and blue. During the test, hedonic impression of the food's appearance, willingness to eat, overall flavor intensity and overall impression of the food, and meal size (i.e., the amount of food consumed) were measured. Blue lighting decreased the hedonic impression of the food's appearance, but not the willingness to eat, compared to yellow and white lighting conditions. The blue lighting significantly decreased the amount consumed in men, but not in women, compared to yellow and white lighting conditions. Overall flavor intensity and overall impression of the food were not significantly different among the three lighting colors. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that the color of lighting can modulate the meal size. In particular, blue lighting can decrease the amount of food eaten in men without reducing their acceptability of the food. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Origin of colour stability in blue/orange/blue stacked phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sung Hyun; Jang, Jyongsik; Yook, Kyoung Soo; Lee, Jun Yeob

    2009-01-01

    The origin of colour stability in phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diodes (PHWOLEDs) with a blue/orange/blue stacked emitting structure was studied by monitoring the change in a recombination zone. A balanced recombination zone shift between the blue and the orange light-emitting layers was found to be responsible for the colour stability in the blue/orange/blue stacked PHWOLEDs.

  17. Commercial preslaughter blue light ambience for controlling broiler stress and meat qualities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Freitas Barbosa

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to study the effect of blue light diffuser on the broiler stress control by measuring the occurrence of PSE meat just before slaughtering. Birds were divided into the following two groups before slaughter at the point of being hung on shackles: broiler group under low intensity blue light ambience (475, 17-20 lx and control group under white light (550-650nm, 321-332 lx. Birds' stressful conditions were measured by the occurrence of PSE meat. Breast fillets were classified as PSE meat based on pH ( 53.0. The fillet samples in the control group had the following characteristics: pHu=5.77, L* = 54.26 and b*= 6.27. The fillet samples from birds under blue light ambience had the following characteristics: pHu=5.81, L* = 52.86 and b* = 5.22 (p < 0.05. These results revealed that the treatment of blue light ambience just before slaughtering contributed to the alleviation of ante mortem stress of the birds, which was observed by a 14% decrease in the occurrence of PSE meat. Exposure to blue light just before slaughtering was shown to have potential to be used in modern slaughterhouses to offer a comfortable atmosphere, thereby maintaining breast meat quality.

  18. [The dangers of blue light: True story!].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renard, G; Leid, J

    2016-05-01

    The dangers of the blue light are the object of numerous publications, for both the scientific community and the general public. The new prolific development of light sources emitting potentially toxic blue light (415-455nm) ranges from LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lamps for interior lighting to television screens, computers, digital tablets and smartphones using OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) or AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology. First we will review some technical terms and the main characteristics of light perceived by the human eye. Then we will discuss scientific proof of the toxicity of blue light to the eye, which may cause cataract or macular degeneration. Analysis of the light spectra of several light sources, from natural light to LED lamps, will allow us to specify even better the dangers related to each light source. LED lamps, whether used as components for interior lighting or screens, are of concern if they are used for extended viewing times and at short distance. While we can protect ourselves from natural blue light by wearing colored glasses which filter out, on both front and back surfaces, the toxic wavelengths, it is more difficult to protect oneself from LED lamps in internal lighting, the use of which should be restricted to "white warmth" lamps (2700K). As far as OLED or AMOLED screens are concerned, the only effective protection consists of using them occasionally and only for a short period of time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Phototherapy with blue and green mixed-light is as effective against unconjugated jaundice as blue light and reduces oxidative stress in the Gunn rat model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, Yumiko; Morimoto, Yukihiro; Uchiike, Takao; Kamamoto, Tomoyuki; Hayashi, Tamaki; Arai, Ikuyo; Nishikubo, Toshiya; Takahashi, Yukihiro

    2015-07-01

    Phototherapy using blue light-emitting diodes (LED) is effective against neonatal jaundice. However, green light phototherapy also reduces unconjugated jaundice. We aimed to determine whether mixed blue and green light can relieve jaundice with minimal oxidative stress as effectively as either blue or green light alone in a rat model. Gunn rats were exposed to phototherapy with blue (420-520 nm), filtered blue (FB; 440-520 nm without 1.00), respectively. Blue plus green phototherapy is as effective as blue phototherapy and it attenuates irradiation-induced oxidative stress. Combined blue and green spectra might be effective against neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Biological behaviour of buccal cells exposed to blue light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gritsch, Kerstin; Ponsonnet, Laurence; Schembri, Catherine; Farge, Pierre; Pourreyron, Laurence; Grosgogeat, Brigitte

    2008-01-01

    Blue light is used in dental practise to cure resin-based materials, but the path of the light often includes oral tissues such as gingival tissues. While adverse effects of blue light exposure on cells - such as retina cells - are well known, few studies have investigated the impact of blue light exposure on oral cells. The aim of the present in vitro study was to assess the biological effects of blue light emitted by two dental curing devices (a plasma-arc and a light-emitting diode curing unit) on human gingival fibroblasts. Light intensities and light-induced temperature rise were respectively measured with a radiometer and a thermocouple. Cellular response to blue light exposure was assessed by the observation of cell morphology (scanning electron microscopy) and the estimation of cell mitochondrial activity (MTT assay). Light intensities measured at the clinical distance were 488 ± 42 mW/cm 2 for the plasma-arc unit and ranged from 61 ± 5 to 140 ± 16 mW/cm 2 for the light-emitting diodes unit, according to the curing program used. The highest temperature rise was 0.5 and 3.5 deg. C for exposure to the plasma-arc light and to the light-emitting diodes light, respectively. Results showed no differences between exposed- and non-exposed cells in regards to cell morphology. However, cells exposed to blue light presented an increased mitochondrial activity compared to control cells (non-exposed), and mostly those exposed to plasma-arc light

  1. Monolithically Integrated Light Feedback Control Circuit for Blue/UV LED Smart Package

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koladouz Esfahani, Z.; Tohidian, M.; van Zeijl, H.W.; Kolahdouz, Mohammadreza; Zhang, G.Q.

    2017-01-01

    Given the performance decay of high-power light-emitting diode (LED) chips over time and package condition changes, having a reliable output light for sensitive applications is a point of concern. In this study, a light feedback control circuit, including blue-selective photodiodes, for

  2. Blue light-irradiated human keloid fibroblasts: an in vitro study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magni, Giada; Rossi, Francesca; Tatini, Francesca; Pini, Roberto; Coppi, Elisabetta; Cherchi, Federica; Fusco, Irene; Pugliese, Anna Maria; Pedata, Felicita; Fraccalvieri, Marco; Gasperini, Stefano; Pavone, Francesco S.; Tripodi, Cristina; Alfieri, Domenico; Targetti, Lorenzo

    2018-02-01

    Blue LED light irradiation is currently under investigation because of its effect in wound healing improvement. In this context, several mechanisms of action are likely to occur at the same time, consistently with the presence of different light absorbers within the skin. In our previous studies we observed the wound healing in superficial abrasions in an in vivo murine model. The results evidenced that both inflammatory infiltrate and myofibroblasts activity increase after irradiation. In this study we focused on evaluating the consequences of light absorption in fibroblasts from human cells culture: they play a key role in wound healing, both in physiological conditions and in pathological ones, such as keloid scarring. In particular we used keloids fibroblasts as a new target in order to investigate a possible metabolic or cellular mechanism correlation. Human keloid tissues were excised during standard surgery and immediately underwent primary cell culture extraction. Fibroblasts were allowed to grow in the appropriate conditions and then exposed to blue light. A metabolic colorimetric test (WST-8) was then performed. The tests evidenced an effect in mitochondrial activity, which could be modulated by the duration of the treatment. Electrophysiology pointed out a different behavior of irradiated fibroblasts. In conclusion, the Blue LED light affects the metabolic activity of fibroblasts and thus the cellular proliferation rate. No specific effect was found on keloid fibroblasts, thus indicating a very basic intracellular component, such as cytochromes, being the target of the treatment.

  3. Spectral effects of light-emitting diodes on plant growth and development: The importance of green and blue light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cope, K. R.; Bugbee, B.

    2011-12-01

    Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an emerging technology for plant growth lighting. Due to their narrow spectral output, colored LEDs provide many options for studying the spectral effects of light on plants. Early on, efficient red LEDs were the primary focus of photobiological research; however, subsequent studies have shown that normal plant growth and development cannot be achieved under red light without blue light supplementation. More recent studies have shown that red and blue (RB) LEDs supplemented with green light increase plant dry mass. This is because green light transmits more effectively through the leaf canopy than red and blue light, thus illuminating lower plant leaves and increasing whole-plant photosynthesis. Red, green and blue (RGB) light can be provided by either a conventional white light source (such as fluorescent lights), a combination of RGB LEDs, or from recently developed white LEDs. White LEDs exceed the efficiency of fluorescent lights and have a comparable broad spectrum. As such, they have the potential to replace fluorescent lighting for growth-chamber-based crop production both on Earth and in space. Here we report the results of studies on the effects of three white LED types (warm, neutral and cool) on plant growth and development compared to combinations of RB and RGB LEDs. Plants were grown under two constant light intensities (200 and 500 μmol m-2 s-1). Temperature, environmental conditions and root-zone environment were uniformly maintained across treatments. Phytochrome photoequilbria and red/far-red ratios were similar among treatments and were comparable to conventional fluorescent lights. Blue light had a significant effect on both plant growth (dry mass gain) and development (dry mass partitioning). An increase in the absolute amount (μmol m-2 s-1) of blue light from 0-80 μmol m-2 s-1 resulted in a decrease in stem elongation, independent of the light intensity. However, an increase in the relative amount (%) of blue

  4. Suppressed speckle contrast of blue light emission out of white lamp with phosphors excited by blue laser diodes for high-brightness lighting applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinoshita, Junichi; Ikeda, Yoshihisa; Takeda, Yuji; Ueno, Misaki; Kawasaki, Yoji; Matsuba, Yoshiaki; Heike, Atsushi

    2012-11-01

    The speckle contrast of blue light emission out of high-brightness white lamps using phosphors excited by InGaN/GaN blue laser diodes is evaluated as a measure of coherence. As a result, speckle contrast of as low as 1.7%, the same level as a blue light emitting diode, is obtained. This implies that the original blue laser light can be converted into incoherent light through lamp structures without any dynamic mechanisms. This unique speckle-free performance is considered to be realized by multiple scattering inside the lamp structure, the multi-longitudinal mode operation of the blue laser diodes, and the use of multiple laser diodes. Such almost-incoherent white lamps can be applied for general lighting without any nuisance of speckle noise and should be categorized as lamps rather than lasers in terms of laser safety regulation.

  5. Blue light phototherapy for Psoriasis from a systems biology perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Félix Garza, Z.C.; Liebmann, J.; Hilbers, P.A.J.; Riel, van N.A.W.

    2014-01-01

    This work analyses the effect of UV-free blue light (BL) irradiation of the skin using mathematical modelling. Prior research has shown that blue light reduces the proliferation of keratinocytes by inducing their differentiation, and causes apoptosis of lymphocytes. The effects of blue light on

  6. Blue light-mediated inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pileggi, Giorgio; Wataha, John C; Girard, Myriam; Grad, Iwona; Schrenzel, Jacques; Lange, Norbert; Bouillaguet, Serge

    2013-05-01

    In dentistry, residual infection remains a major cause of failure after endodontic treatment; many of these infections involve Enterococcus faecalis. In the current study, we explored the possibility that blue light activated photosensitizers could be used, in principle, to inactivate this microbe as an adjunct disinfection strategy for endodontic therapy. Three blue light absorbing photosensitizers, eosin-Y, rose bengal, and curcumin, were tested on E. faecalis grown in planktonic suspensions or biofilms. Photosensitizers were incubated for 30 min with bacteria then exposed to blue light (450-500 nm) for 240 s. Sodium hypochlorite (3%) was used as a control. After 48 h, the viability of E. faecalis was estimated by measuring colony-forming units post-exposure vs. untreated controls (CFU/mL). Blue light irradiation alone did not alter E. faecalis viability. For planktonic cultures, blue light activated eosin-Y (5 μM), rose bengal (1 μM), or curcumin (5 μM) significantly (pcurcumin of 100, 10, and 10 μM respectively, completely suppressed E. faecalis viability (p<0.05). Although the current results are limited to an in vitro model, they support further exploration of blue light activated antimicrobials as an adjunct therapy in endodontic treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Blue-light emitting triazolopyridinium and triazoloquinolinium salts

    KAUST Repository

    Carboni, Valentina

    2017-01-27

    Compounds that emit blue light are of interest for applications that include optoelectronic devices and chemo/biosensing and imaging. The design and synthesis of small organic molecules that can act as high-efficiency deep-blue-light emitters in the solid state and can be easily processed from solutions represents a significant challenge. Herein we present the preparation and photophysical, photochemical and electrochemical properties of a series of triazolopyridinium and triazoloquinolinium compounds. The compounds are soluble in water or polar organic solvents and exhibit photoluminescence in the blue region of the spectrum in fluid solution, in the solid state and in a frozen matrix.

  8. Morning and Evening Blue-Enriched Light Exposure Alters Metabolic Function in Normal Weight Adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivy N Cheung

    Full Text Available Increasing evidence points to associations between light-dark exposure patterns, feeding behavior, and metabolism. This study aimed to determine the acute effects of 3 hours of morning versus evening blue-enriched light exposure compared to dim light on hunger, metabolic function, and physiological arousal. Nineteen healthy adults completed this 4-day inpatient protocol under dim light conditions (<20lux. Participants were randomized to 3 hours of blue-enriched light exposure on Day 3 starting either 0.5 hours after wake (n = 9; morning group or 10.5 hours after wake (n = 10; evening group. All participants remained in dim light on Day 2 to serve as their baseline. Subjective hunger and sleepiness scales were collected hourly. Blood was sampled at 30-minute intervals for 4 hours in association with the light exposure period for glucose, insulin, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin. Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR and area under the curve (AUC for insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR and cortisol were calculated. Comparisons relative to baseline were done using t-tests and repeated measures ANOVAs. In both the morning and evening groups, insulin total area, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-IR AUC were increased and subjective sleepiness was reduced with blue-enriched light compared to dim light. The evening group, but not the morning group, had significantly higher glucose peak value during blue-enriched light exposure compared to dim light. There were no other significant differences between the morning or the evening groups in response to blue-enriched light exposure. Blue-enriched light exposure acutely alters glucose metabolism and sleepiness, however the mechanisms behind this relationship and its impacts on hunger and appetite regulation remain unclear. These results provide further support for a role of environmental light exposure in the regulation of metabolism.

  9. Degradation of phosphorescent blue organic light-emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiu, Chien-Shu [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany); Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Steinbacher, Frank [Department of Materials Science VI, University of Erlangen-Nuernberg (Germany); Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Krause, Ralf; Hunze, Arvid [Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Kowalsky, Wolfgang [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany)

    2009-07-01

    Development of phosphorescent materials has significantly improved the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). By using efficient red, green and blue phosphorescent emitter materials high efficient white OLEDs can be achieved. However, due to low stability of blue phosphorescent materials the lifetime of phosphorescent white OLEDs remains an issue. As a result, degradation of blue phosphorescent materials needs to be further investigated and improved. In this work, blue OLED devices based on the phosphorescent emitter FIrpic were investigated. Single-carrier hole-only as well as electron-only devices were fabricated. For investigation of degradation process the devices were stressed with electrical current and UV-light to study the impact of charge carriers as well as excitons and exciton-polaron quenching on the stability of the blue dye.

  10. Plant responses to UV and blue light: biochemical and genetic approaches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jenkins, G.I.; Christie, J.M.; Fuglevand, G.; Long, J.C.; Jackson, J.A.

    1995-01-01

    UV and blue light control many aspects of plant growth and development. It is evident that several different photoreceptors mediate responses to UV and blue light, and there are reports of the functional and biochemical characterisation of a putative photoreceptor for phototropism and of the functional and molecular characterisation of the CRY1 photoreceptor, encoded by the Arabidopsis HY4 gene. The CRY1 photoreceptor mediates extension growth and gene expression responses to UV-A/blue light presumably through different or branching signal transduction pathways. Progress has been made in cell physiological and biochemical studies of UV/blue light signal transduction, but much remains to be done to relate candidate UV/blue signal transduction events to particular photoreceptors and responses. The application of a genetic approach in Arabidopsis has been responsible for many advances in understanding UV/blue responses, but further UV-B, UV-A and blue light response mutants need to be isolated. (author)

  11. Cellular effects of halogen blue light from dental curing unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trosic, I.; Pavicic, I.; Jukic, S.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Halogen curing lights are the most frequently used polymerization source in dental offices. Light-cured bonding systems have become increasingly popular among clinicians because they offer a number of advantages over self-cured adhesives. The effort to increase polymerization quality releases the commercially available high power light density dental curing units. Emitted visible blue light belongs to the range of nonionizing radiation. Common concern in both, patients and dentist grows with regard to the unfavorable effects on the pulp tissue. The aim of study was to evaluate the time and dose dependence effect of halogen light curing unit (Elipar TriLight, ESPE Dental AG, Germany) at the disposed condition modes in vitro. A quartz-tungsten-halogen light source emits radiation of the wavelengths between 400 and 515 nm. This halogen blue light source operates in the three illumination modes, medium (M), exponential (E) and standard (S), and five illumination times. The total irradiance or the light intensity was measured by the light intensity control area on the control panel of device and mean light intensity given by manufacturer was 800 m W/cm 2 . Continuous culture of V79 cells was illuminated in triplicate. The influence of medium mode (M), exponential (E) and standard (S) illumination during 20, 40 and 80 sec on the cell viability, colony forming ability and proliferation of V79 cell culture was investigated. Trypan blue exclusion test was used to determine cell viability, both, in the treated and control cell samples. Colony forming ability was assessed for each exposure time and mode by colony count on post-exposure day 7. Cell proliferation was determined by cell counts for each time and mode of exposure during five post-exposure days. Statistical difference were determined at p<0.05 (Statistica 7.0, StatSoft Inc., USA). Viability of cells was not affected by blue light in view of exposure time and modes. Regardless to exposure or illumination

  12. Blue-enriched office light competes with natural light as a zeitgeber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vetter, Céline; Juda, Myriam; Lang, Dieter; Wojtysiak, Andreas; Roenneberg, Till

    2011-09-01

    Circadian regulation of human physiology and behavior (eg, body temperature or sleep-timing), depends on the "zeitgeber" light that synchronizes them to the 24-hour day. This study investigated the effect of changing light temperature at the workplace from 4000 Kelvin (K) to 8000 K on sleep-wake and activity-rest behavior. An experimental group (N=27) that experienced the light change was compared with a non-intervention group (N=27) that remained in the 4000 K environment throughout the 5-week study period (14 January to 17 February). Sleep logs and actimetry continuously assessed sleep-wake behavior and activity patterns. Over the study period, the timing of sleep and activity on free days steadily advanced parallel to the seasonal progression of sunrise in the non-intervention group. In contrast, the temporal pattern of sleep and activity in the experimental group remained associated with the constant onset of work. The results suggest that artificial blue-enriched light competes with natural light as a zeitgeber. While subjects working under the warmer light (4000 K) appear to entrain (or synchronize) to natural dawn, the subjects who were exposed to blue-enriched (8000 K) light appear to entrain to office hours. The results confirm that light is the dominant zeitgeber for the human clock and that its efficacy depends on spectral composition. The results also indicate that blue-enriched artificial light is a potent zeitgeber that has to be used with diligence.

  13. Blue Light Enhances Bacterial Clearance and Reduces Organ Injury During Sepsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Anthony J; Zhang, Xianghong; Griepentrog, John E; Yuan, Du; Collage, Richard D; Waltz, Paul K; Angus, Derek C; Zuckerbraun, Brian S; Rosengart, Matthew R

    2018-05-04

    The physiology of nearly all mammalian organisms are entrained by light and exhibit circadian rhythm. The data derived from animal studies show that light influences immunity, and these neurophysiologic pathways are maximally entrained by the blue spectrum. Here, we hypothesize that bright blue light reduces acute kidney injury by comparison with either bright red or standard, white fluorescent light in mice subjected to sepsis. To further translational relevance, we performed a pilot clinical trial of blue light therapy in human subjects with appendicitis. Laboratory animal research, pilot human feasibility trial. University basic science laboratory and tertiary care hospital. Male C57BL/6J mice, adult (> 17 yr) patients with acute appendicitis. Mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture and were randomly assigned to a 24-hour photoperiod of bright blue, bright red, or ambient white fluorescent light. Subjects with appendicitis were randomized to receive postoperatively standard care or standard care plus high-illuminance blue light. Exposure to bright blue light enhanced bacterial clearance from the peritoneum, reduced bacteremia and systemic inflammation, and attenuated the degree of acute kidney injury. The mechanism involved an elevation in cholinergic tone that augmented tissue expression of the nuclear orphan receptor REV-ERBα and occurred independent of alterations in melatonin or corticosterone concentrations. Clinically, exposure to blue light after appendectomy was feasible and reduced serum interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 concentrations. Modifying the spectrum of light may offer therapeutic utility in sepsis.

  14. Clinical and histological effects of blue light on normal skin.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleinpenning, M.M.; Smits, T.; Frunt, M.H.A.; Erp, P.E.J. van; Kerkhof, P.C.M. van de; Gerritsen, R.M.

    2010-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Phototherapy with visible light is gaining interest in dermatological practice. Theoretically, blue light could induce biological effects comparable to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation. OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of blue light on normal skin in terms of photodamage, skin ageing and

  15. Investigations of riboflavin photolysis via coloured light in the nitro blue tetrazolium assay for superoxide dismutase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Chien-Wei; Chen, Liang-Yü; Chou, Chan-Wei; Liang, Ji-Yuan

    2015-07-01

    Determination of the superoxide dismutase activity is an important issue in the fields of biochemistry and the medical sciences. In the riboflavin/nitro blue tetrazolium (B2/NBT) method, the light sources used for generating superoxide anion radicals from light-excited riboflavin are normally fluorescent lamps. However, the conditions of B2/NBT experiments vary. This study investigated the effect of the light source on the light-excitation of riboflavin. The effectiveness of the photolysis was controlled by the wavelength of the light source. The spectra of fluorescent lamps are composed of multiple colour lights, and the emission spectra of fluorescent lamps made by different manufacturers may vary. Blue light was determined to be the most efficient for the photochemical reaction of riboflavin in visible region. The quality of the blue light in fluorescent lamps is critical to the photo-decomposition of riboflavin. A blue light is better than a fluorescent lamp for the photo-decomposition of riboflavin. The performance of the B2/NBT method is thereby optimized. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Combined effects of blue light and supplemental far-red light and effects of increasing red light with constant far-red light on growth of kidney bean [Phaseolus vulgaris] under mixtures of narrow-band light sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanyu, H.; Shoji, K.

    2000-01-01

    Increasing blue light and decreasing R: FR with supplementary far-red light affect morphogenesis, dry matter production and dry matter partitioning to leaves, stems and roots. In this study, the combined effects of the two spectral treatments were examined in kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under the mixture of four different narrow-band light sources. In addition, because the leaf and stem growth are accelerated by increasing red light (600-700 nm) in proportion to far-red light (700-800 nm) while keeping R : FR constant, this study was conducted to determine whether red light or far-red light causes the acceleration of growth. Increasing blue light (400-500 nm) and decreasing R : FR only interacted on stem extension. The results illustrated with figures suggest that blue light amplifies or attenuates the acceleration of stem extension caused by decreasing R : FR. On the other hand, increasing red light with constant far-red light had no influence on leaf expansion or stem extension while R : FR increased. Because the acceleration of leaf and stem growth is caused by increasing either far-red light or both red and far-red light in our environmental conditions, the stimulative effects on leaves and stems seem to require increases in far-red light rather than red light

  17. Environmental blue light prevents stress in the fish Nile tilapia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Volpato G.L.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to test the effects of blue, green or white light on the stress response of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.. Each color was tested on two groups of isolated adult Nile tilapia (8 replicates each: one being subjected to confinement stress, and the other not (control. A different environmental color was imposed on each compartment by covering the light source with cellophane of the respective color (green or blue; no cellophane was used for white light. The intensity of green, white and blue lights was 250, 590 and 250 lux, respectively. Basal plasma cortisol levels were determined for each fish prior to the experimental procedures. The fish were confined by being displaced toward one side of the aquarium using an opaque partition for 1 h both in the morning and the afternoon of the two consecutive days of the test. At the end of this 48-h period, plasma cortisol levels were measured again. Basal cortisol levels (ng/ml were similar for each group (ANOVA, F(2;42 = 0.77, P = 0.47. Thus, plasma cortisol levels were analyzed in terms of variation from their respective basal level. After confinement, plasma cortisol levels were not increased in fish submitted to a blue light environment. Thus, blue light prevents the confinement-induced cortisol response, an effect not necessarily related to light intensity.

  18. The effect of blue-enriched white light on cognitive performances and sleepiness of night-shift workers: A field study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motamedzadeh, Majid; Golmohammadi, Rostam; Kazemi, Reza; Heidarimoghadam, Rashid

    2017-08-01

    Night-shift works are basically accompanied by reduced cognitive performance, sleepiness, and higher possibility for human error and related incidents. It is therefore crucial to improve individuals' performance and alertness in sensitive places like industries' control room with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiency and reducing the number of possible incidents. Previous research has indicated that blue light is a critical cue for entraining circadian rhythm. As a result, the present study was an attempt to investigate whether blue-enriched white light illumination was a practical strategy to decrease sleepiness and improve cognitive performance during night shifts. The study, which adopted a before-after interventional design, was conducted among 30 control room staff members of petrochemical industry. After baseline assessments under existing lighting conditions, every participant was exposed to two new lighting conditions (namely, 17,000K and 6500K blue-enriched white light), each lasting for a week. Assessments were conducted again at the end of these treatments. In order to measure the subjective sleepiness, Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) was utilized. Subjects also performed the Conners' Continuous Performance Test II (CPT-II) and 1-back test in order to gauge their cognitive performance, and melatonin assessment was carried out using salivary and Eliza technique. The data was analyzed using two-way repeated measure ANOVA. The results indicated that, compared to normal lighting conditions, participants' sleepiness and melatonin rhythm significantly declined when they were exposed to blue-enriched white light. Furthermore, the experimental condition had a significant effect on the reduction of working memory errors. It also decreased omission errors and the reaction time during the sustained attention task. Thus, using blue-enriched white light may be a proper ergonomic strategy for improving performance and alertness, especially during night, in

  19. Analysis of Pigeon (Columba) Ovary Transcriptomes to Identify Genes Involved in Blue Light Regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Ding, Jia-tong; Yang, Hai-ming; Yan, Zheng-jie; Cao, Wei; Li, Yang-bai

    2015-01-01

    Monochromatic light is widely applied to promote poultry reproductive performance, yet little is currently known regarding the mechanism by which light wavelengths affect pigeon reproduction. Recently, high-throughput sequencing technologies have been used to provide genomic information for solving this problem. In this study, we employed Illumina Hiseq 2000 to identify differentially expressed genes in ovary tissue from pigeons under blue and white light conditions and de novo transcriptome assembly to construct a comprehensive sequence database containing information on the mechanisms of follicle development. A total of 157,774 unigenes (mean length: 790 bp) were obtained by the Trinity program, and 35.83% of these unigenes were matched to genes in a non-redundant protein database. Gene description, gene ontology, and the clustering of orthologous group terms were performed to annotate the transcriptome assembly. Differentially expressed genes between blue and white light conditions included those related to oocyte maturation, hormone biosynthesis, and circadian rhythm. Furthermore, 17,574 SSRs and 533,887 potential SNPs were identified in this transcriptome assembly. This work is the first transcriptome analysis of the Columba ovary using Illumina technology, and the resulting transcriptome and differentially expressed gene data can facilitate further investigations into the molecular mechanism of the effect of blue light on follicle development and reproduction in pigeons and other bird species. PMID:26599806

  20. Analysis of Pigeon (Columba Ovary Transcriptomes to Identify Genes Involved in Blue Light Regulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Wang

    Full Text Available Monochromatic light is widely applied to promote poultry reproductive performance, yet little is currently known regarding the mechanism by which light wavelengths affect pigeon reproduction. Recently, high-throughput sequencing technologies have been used to provide genomic information for solving this problem. In this study, we employed Illumina Hiseq 2000 to identify differentially expressed genes in ovary tissue from pigeons under blue and white light conditions and de novo transcriptome assembly to construct a comprehensive sequence database containing information on the mechanisms of follicle development. A total of 157,774 unigenes (mean length: 790 bp were obtained by the Trinity program, and 35.83% of these unigenes were matched to genes in a non-redundant protein database. Gene description, gene ontology, and the clustering of orthologous group terms were performed to annotate the transcriptome assembly. Differentially expressed genes between blue and white light conditions included those related to oocyte maturation, hormone biosynthesis, and circadian rhythm. Furthermore, 17,574 SSRs and 533,887 potential SNPs were identified in this transcriptome assembly. This work is the first transcriptome analysis of the Columba ovary using Illumina technology, and the resulting transcriptome and differentially expressed gene data can facilitate further investigations into the molecular mechanism of the effect of blue light on follicle development and reproduction in pigeons and other bird species.

  1. Combatant eye protection: an introduction to the blue light hazard

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lattimore, Morris R.

    2016-05-01

    Emerging evidence of metabolic vulnerability to visible blue light is vitally important, as it is indicative of a scalable threshold effect. Added stressors (e.g., increased altitude or contact lens wear) could shift the wavelength effects toward a more damaging clinical picture. Recent reports have indicated rod photo-pigment damage resulting from solar blue-light exposures, adversely affecting unaided night vision, a militarily important performance decrement. The activation wavelength for the daily synchronous setting of the Circadian Clock, which regulates the synchronization of all hormonal and organ systems throughout the body, falls within this blue light perceptual range.

  2. Blue lighting accelerates post-stress relaxation: Results of a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minguillon, Jesus; Lopez-Gordo, Miguel Angel; Renedo-Criado, Diego A; Sanchez-Carrion, Maria Jose; Pelayo, Francisco

    2017-01-01

    Several authors have studied the influence of light on both human physiology and emotions. Blue light has been proved to reduce sleepiness by suppression of melatonin secretion and it is also present in many emotion-related studies. Most of these have a common lack of objective methodology since results and conclusions are based on subjective perception of emotions. The aim of this work was the objective assessment of the effect of blue lighting in post-stress relaxation, in comparison with white lighting, by means of bio-signals and standardized procedures. We conducted a study in which twelve healthy volunteers were stressed and then performed a relaxation session within a chromotherapy room with blue (test group) or white (control group) lighting. We conclude that the blue lighting accelerates the relaxation process after stress in comparison with conventional white lighting. The relaxation time decreased by approximately three-fold (1.1 vs. 3.5 minutes). We also observed a convergence time (3.5-5 minutes) after which the advantage of blue lighting disappeared. This supports the relationship between color of light and stress, and the observations reported in previous works. These findings could be useful in clinical and educational environments, as well as in daily-life context and emerging technologies such as neuromarketing. However, our study must be extended to draw reliable conclusions and solid scientific evidence.

  3. Blue lighting accelerates post-stress relaxation: Results of a preliminary study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesus Minguillon

    Full Text Available Several authors have studied the influence of light on both human physiology and emotions. Blue light has been proved to reduce sleepiness by suppression of melatonin secretion and it is also present in many emotion-related studies. Most of these have a common lack of objective methodology since results and conclusions are based on subjective perception of emotions. The aim of this work was the objective assessment of the effect of blue lighting in post-stress relaxation, in comparison with white lighting, by means of bio-signals and standardized procedures. We conducted a study in which twelve healthy volunteers were stressed and then performed a relaxation session within a chromotherapy room with blue (test group or white (control group lighting. We conclude that the blue lighting accelerates the relaxation process after stress in comparison with conventional white lighting. The relaxation time decreased by approximately three-fold (1.1 vs. 3.5 minutes. We also observed a convergence time (3.5-5 minutes after which the advantage of blue lighting disappeared. This supports the relationship between color of light and stress, and the observations reported in previous works. These findings could be useful in clinical and educational environments, as well as in daily-life context and emerging technologies such as neuromarketing. However, our study must be extended to draw reliable conclusions and solid scientific evidence.

  4. Blue light emitting diodes for optical stimulation of quartz in retrospective dosimetry and dating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøtter-Jensen, L.; Duller, G.A.T.; Murray, A.S.

    1999-01-01

    Recently developed blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the optical stimulation of quartz for use in routine optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and retrospective dosimetry have been tested. For similar power densities, it was found that the higher energy light provided by the blue LE......, preliminary results from ramping the blue light power output with time are demonstrated. It is shown that this technique enables the separation of OSL components with differing stimulation rates.......Recently developed blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the optical stimulation of quartz for use in routine optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and retrospective dosimetry have been tested. For similar power densities, it was found that the higher energy light provided by the blue LEDs...... (470 nm) gives order of magnitude greater rate of stimulation in quartz than that from conventional blue-green light filtered from a halogen lamp. A practical blue LED OSL configuration is described. From comparisons of OSL decay curves produced by green and blue light sources, and by examination...

  5. Psychophysical Measurements of Luminance Contrast Sensitivity and Color Discrimination with Transparent and Blue-Light Filter Intraocular Lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa, Marcelo Fernandes; Júnior, Augusto Paranhos; Lottenberg, Claudio Luiz; Castro, Leonardo Cunha; Ventura, Dora Fix

    2017-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure luminance contrast sensitivity and color vision thresholdfs in normal subjects using a blue light filter lens and transparent intraocular lens material. Monocular luminance grating contrast sensitivity was measured with Psycho for Windows (version 2.36; Cambridge Research Systems) at 3.0, 6.0, 12.0, 20.0, and 30.0 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) in 15 normal subjects (eight female), with a mean age of 21.6 years (SD = 3.8 years). Chromatic discrimination was assessed with the Cambridge colour test (CCT) along the protan, deutan, and tritan color confusion axes. Both tests were performed in a darkened room under two situations: with a transparent lens and with blue light filter lens. Subjective impressions were taken by subjects regarding their visual experience under both conditions. No difference was found between the luminance contrast sensitivity measured with transparent and blue light filter. However, 13/15 (87%) of the subjects reported more comfortable vision with the blue filter. In the color vision test, tritan thresholds were significantly higher for the blue filter compared with the transparent filter (p = 0.003). For protan and deutan thresholds no differences were found. Blue-yellow color vision is impaired with the blue light filter, and no impairment occurs with the transparent filter. No significant differences in thresholds were found in the luminance contrast sensitivity comparing the blue light and transparent filters. The impact of short wavelength light filtering on intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells is also discussed.

  6. A stable blue-light-derived signal modulates ultraviolet-light-induced activation of the chalcone-synthase gene in cultured parsley cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohl, S.; Hahlbrock, K.; Schäfer, E.

    1989-01-01

    Run-off transcription assays were used to demonstrate that both the ultraviolet (UV)-B and blue-light receptors control transcription rates for chalcone-synthase mRNA in the course of light-induced flavonoid synthesis in parsley (Petroselinum crispum Miller (A.W. Hill)) cell-suspension cultures. Blue and red light alone, presumably acting via a blue-light receptor and active phytochrome (far-red absorbing form) respectively, can induce accumulation of chalcone-synthase mRNA. The extent of the response is however considerably smaller than that obtained when these wavebands are applied in combination with UV light. A preirradiation with blue light strongly increases the response to a subsequent UV pulse and this modulating effect of blue light is stable for at least 20 h. The modulating effect is abolished by a UV induction but can be reestablished by a second irradiation with blue light. (author)

  7. Increased antioxidant activity and changes in phenolic profile of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamarck) Persoon (Crassulaceae) specimens grown under supplemental blue light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimento, Luana B S; Leal-Costa, Marcos V; Coutinho, Marcela A S; Moreira, Nattacha dos S; Lage, Celso L S; Barbi, Nancy dos S; Costa, Sônia S; Tavares, Eliana S

    2013-01-01

    Antioxidant compounds protect plants against oxidative stress caused by environmental conditions. Different light qualities, such as UV-A radiation and blue light, have shown positive effects on the production of phenols in plants. Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamarck) Persoon (Crassulaceae) is used for treating wounds and inflammations. Some of these beneficial effects are attributed to the antioxidant activity of plant components. We investigated the effects of blue light and UV-A radiation supplementation on the total phenol content, antioxidant activity and chromatographic profile of aqueous extracts from leaves of K. pinnata. Monoclonal plants were grown under white light, white plus blue light and white plus UV-A radiation. Supplemental blue light improved the antioxidant activity and changed the phenolic profile of the extracts. Analysis by HPLC of supplemental blue-light plant extracts revealed a higher proportion of the major flavonoid quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl (1→2) α-L-rhamnopyranoside, as well as the presence of a wide variety of other phenolic substances. These findings may explain the higher antioxidant activity observed for this extract. Blue light is proposed as a supplemental light source in the cultivation of K. pinnata, to improve its antioxidant activity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2012 The American Society of Photobiology.

  8. Blue light potentiates neurogenesis induced by retinoic acid-loaded responsive nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Tiago; Ferreira, Raquel; Quartin, Emanuel; Boto, Carlos; Saraiva, Cláudia; Bragança, José; Peça, João; Rodrigues, Cecília; Ferreira, Lino; Bernardino, Liliana

    2017-09-01

    Neurogenic niches constitute a powerful endogenous source of new neurons that can be used for brain repair strategies. Neuronal differentiation of these cells can be regulated by molecules such as retinoic acid (RA) or by mild levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are also known to upregulate RA receptor alpha (RARα) levels. Data showed that neural stem cells from the subventricular zone (SVZ) exposed to blue light (405nm laser) transiently induced NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS, resulting in β-catenin activation and neuronal differentiation, and increased RARα levels. Additionally, the same blue light stimulation was capable of triggering the release of RA from light-responsive nanoparticles (LR-NP). The synergy between blue light and LR-NP led to amplified neurogenesis both in vitro and in vivo, while offering a temporal and spatial control of RA release. In conclusion, this combinatory treatment offers great advantages to potentiate neuronal differentiation, and provides an innovative and efficient application for brain regenerative therapies. Controlling the differentiation of stem cells would support the development of promising brain regenerative therapies. Blue light transiently increased reactive oxygen species, resulting in neuronal differentiation and increased retinoic acid receptor (RARα) levels. Additionally, the same blue light stimulation was capable of triggering the release of RA from light-responsive nanoparticles (LR-NP). The synergy between blue light and LR-NP led to amplified neurogenesis, while offering a temporal and spatial control of RA release. In this sense, our approach relying on the modulation of endogenous stem cells for the generation of new neurons may support the development of novel clinical therapies. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Photo Inactivation of Streptococcus mutans Biofilm by Violet-Blue light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez, Grace F; Huang, Ruijie; MacPherson, Meoghan; Ferreira Zandona, Andrea G; Gregory, Richard L

    2016-09-01

    Among various preventive approaches, non-invasive phototherapy/photodynamic therapy is one of the methods used to control oral biofilm. Studies indicate that light at specific wavelengths has a potent antibacterial effect. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of violet-blue light at 380-440 nm to inhibit biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans or kill S. mutans. S. mutans UA159 biofilm cells were grown for 12-16 h in 96-well flat-bottom microtiter plates using tryptic soy broth (TSB) or TSB with 1 % sucrose (TSBS). Biofilm was irradiated with violet-blue light for 5 min. After exposure, plates were re-incubated at 37 °C for either 2 or 6 h to allow the bacteria to recover. A crystal violet biofilm assay was used to determine relative densities of the biofilm cells grown in TSB, but not in TSBS, exposed to violet-blue light. The results indicated a statistically significant (P mutans growth and reduce the formation of S. mutans biofilm. This in vitro study demonstrated that violet-blue light has the capacity to inhibit S. mutans biofilm formation. Potential clinical applications of light therapy in the future remain bright in preventing the development and progression of dental caries.

  10. Blue light inhibits the growth of B16 melanoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohara, Masayuki; Katoh, Osamu; Watanabe, Hiromitsu

    2002-01-01

    Although a number of studies have been carried out to examine the biological effects of radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UV), little is known concerning the effects of visible light. In the present study, exposure of B16 melanoma cells to blue light (wavelength 470 nm, irradiance 5.7 mW/cm 2 ) from a light-emitting diode (LED) inhibited cell growth in proportion to the period of exposure, with no increase observed in the number of dead cells. The number of B16 melanoma colonies that formed after exposure to blue light for 20 min was only slightly less than that in non-exposed controls, but the colony size as assessed by the area covered by colonies and cell counts per colony were markedly decreased. The percentages of G0/G1 and G2/M phase cells were markedly increased, with a reduction in S phase cells as determined by flow cytometry after exposure to blue light. Furthermore, analysis of the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into DNA also showed a reduction in the percentage of S phase cells after exposure. These results indicate that blue light exerts cytostatic effects, but not a cytocidal action, on B16 melanoma cells. (author)

  11. Blue light inhibits the growth of B16 melanoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohara, Masayuki; Katoh, Osamu; Watanabe, Hiromitsu [Hiroshima Univ. (Japan). Research Inst. for Radiation Biology and Medicine; Kawashima, Yuzo [Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., Naruto, Tokushima (Japan)

    2002-05-01

    Although a number of studies have been carried out to examine the biological effects of radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UV), little is known concerning the effects of visible light. In the present study, exposure of B16 melanoma cells to blue light (wavelength 470 nm, irradiance 5.7 mW/cm{sup 2}) from a light-emitting diode (LED) inhibited cell growth in proportion to the period of exposure, with no increase observed in the number of dead cells. The number of B16 melanoma colonies that formed after exposure to blue light for 20 min was only slightly less than that in non-exposed controls, but the colony size as assessed by the area covered by colonies and cell counts per colony were markedly decreased. The percentages of G0/G1 and G2/M phase cells were markedly increased, with a reduction in S phase cells as determined by flow cytometry after exposure to blue light. Furthermore, analysis of the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into DNA also showed a reduction in the percentage of S phase cells after exposure. These results indicate that blue light exerts cytostatic effects, but not a cytocidal action, on B16 melanoma cells. (author)

  12. Blue laser diode (LD) and light emitting diode (LED) applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergh, Arpad A.

    2004-01-01

    The family of blue LEDs, edge emitting and surface emitting lasers, enable a number of applications. Blue lasers are used in digital applications such as optical storage in high density DVDs. The resolution of the spot size and hence the storage density is diffraction limited and is inversely proportional to the square of the wavelength of the laser. Other applications include printing, optical scanners, and high-resolution photo-lithography. As light emitters, blue LEDs are used for signaling and in direct view large area emissive displays. They are also making inroads into signage and LCD back-lighting, mobile platforms, and decorative accent lighting in curtains, furniture, etc. Blue LEDs produce white light either with phosphor wavelength converters or in combination with red and green LEDs. The full potential of LED light sources will require three devices to enable complete control over color and intensity. Sensing and medical/bio applications have a major impact on home security, on monitoring the environment, and on health care. New emerging diagnostic and therapeutic applications will improve the quality and reduce the cost of health care. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  13. Blue laser diode (LD) and light emitting diode (LED) applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bergh, Arpad A [Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA), 1133 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036-4329 (United States)

    2004-09-01

    The family of blue LEDs, edge emitting and surface emitting lasers, enable a number of applications. Blue lasers are used in digital applications such as optical storage in high density DVDs. The resolution of the spot size and hence the storage density is diffraction limited and is inversely proportional to the square of the wavelength of the laser. Other applications include printing, optical scanners, and high-resolution photo-lithography. As light emitters, blue LEDs are used for signaling and in direct view large area emissive displays. They are also making inroads into signage and LCD back-lighting, mobile platforms, and decorative accent lighting in curtains, furniture, etc. Blue LEDs produce white light either with phosphor wavelength converters or in combination with red and green LEDs. The full potential of LED light sources will require three devices to enable complete control over color and intensity. Sensing and medical/bio applications have a major impact on home security, on monitoring the environment, and on health care. New emerging diagnostic and therapeutic applications will improve the quality and reduce the cost of health care. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  14. Phosphorous Diffuser Diverged Blue Laser Diode for Indoor Lighting and Communication

    KAUST Repository

    Chi, Yu-Chieh

    2015-12-21

    An advanced light-fidelity (Li-Fi) system based on the blue Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diode (LD) with a compact white-light phosphorous diffuser is demonstrated for fusing the indoor white-lighting and visible light communication (VLC). The phosphorous diffuser adhered blue GaN LD broadens luminescent spectrum and diverges beam spot to provide ample functionality including the completeness of Li-Fi feature and the quality of white-lighting. The phosphorous diffuser diverged white-light spot covers a radiant angle up to 120o with CIE coordinates of (0.34, 0.37). On the other hand, the degradation on throughput frequency response of the blue LD is mainly attributed to the self-feedback caused by the reflection from the phosphor-air interface. It represents the current state-of-the-art performance on carrying 5.2-Gbit/s orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed 16-quadrature-amplitude modulation (16-QAM OFDM) data with a bit error rate (BER) of 3.1 × 10−3 over a 60-cm free-space link. This work aims to explore the plausibility of the phosphorous diffuser diverged blue GaN LD for future hybrid white-lighting and VLC systems.

  15. Blue and ultraviolet-B light photoreceptors in parsley cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ensminger, P.A.; Schaefer, E.

    1992-01-01

    The authors studied UV-B photoreception in parsley cell cultures with physiological experiments involving temperature shifts and examined the possible role of flavin in blue and UV-B light photo-reception. Cells irradiated with UV-B light (0.5-15 min) at 2 o C have the same fluence requirement for chalcone synthase and flavonoid induction as controls irradiated at 25 o C. This is indicative of a purely photochemical reaction. Cells fed with riboflavin and irradiated with 6 h of UV-containing white light synthesize higher levels of chalcone synthase and flavonoid than unfed controls. This effect did not occur with blue light. These results indicate that flavin-sensitization requires excitation of flavin and the UV-B light photoreceptor. (author)

  16. Capsule Design for Blue Light Therapy against Helicobacter pylori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhangyong; Ren, Binbin; Tan, Haiyan; Liu, Shengrong; Wang, Wei; Pang, Yu; Lin, Jinzhao; Zeng, Chen

    2016-01-01

    A photo-medical capsule that emits blue light for Helicobacter pylori treatment was described in this paper. The system consists of modules for pH sensing and measuring, light-emitting diode driver circuit, radio communication and microcontroller, and power management. The system can differentiate locations by monitoring the pH values of the gastrointestinal tract, and turn on and off the blue light according to the preset range of pH values. Our experimental tests show that the capsule can operate in the effective light therapy mode for more than 32 minutes and the wireless communication module can reliably transmit the measured pH value to a receiver located outside the body.

  17. Evaluation of blue light exposure to beta brainwaves on simulated night driving

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purawijaya, Dandri Aly; Fitri, Lulu Lusianti; Suprijanto

    2015-09-01

    Numbers of night driving accident in Indonesia since 2010 are exponentially rising each year with total of loss more than 50 billion rupiah. One of the causes that contribute to night driving accident is drowsiness. Drowsiness is affected by circadian rhythm resulted from the difference of blue light quality and quantity between night and day. Blue light may effect on human physiology through non-visual pathway by suppressing melatonin hormone suppression that influence drowsiness. Meanwhile, the production of hormones and other activities in brain generate bioelectrical activity such as brainwaves and can be recorded using Electroencephalograph (EEG). Therefore, this research objective is to evaluate the effect of blue light exposure to beta brainwave emergence during night driving simulation to a driver. This research was conducted to 4 male subjects who are able to drive and have a legitimate car driving license. The driving simulator was done using SCANIA Truck Driving Simulator on freeform driving mode in dark environment. Subjects drove for total 32 minutes. The data collections were taken in 2 days with 16 minutes for each day. The 16 minutes were divided again into 8 minutes adaptation in dark and 8 minutes for driving either in blue light exposure or in total darkness. While driving the simulation, subjects' brainwaves were recorded using EEG EMOTIV 14 Channels, exposed by LED monochromatic blue light with 160 Lux from source and angle 45o and sat 1 m in front of the screen. Channels used on this research were for visual (O1; O2), cognition (F3; F4; P7; P8), and motor (FC5; FC6). EEG brainwave result was filtered with EEGLab to obtain beta waves at 13 - 30 Hz frequencies. Results showed that beta waves response to blue light varied for each subject. Blue light exposure either increased or decreased beta waves in 2 minutes pattern and maintaining beta waves on cognition and motor area in 3 out of 4 subjects. Meanwhile, blue light exposure did not maintain

  18. Blue light irradiation-induced oxidative stress in vivo via ROS generation in rat gingival tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Ayaka; Shiotsu-Ogura, Yukako; Wada-Takahashi, Satoko; Takahashi, Shun-suke; Toyama, Toshizo; Yoshino, Fumihiko

    2015-10-01

    It has been reported that oxidative stress with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is induced by blue light irradiation to a living body. Only limited research has been reported in dental field on the dangers of blue light, mostly focusing on cytotoxicity associated with heat injury of dental pulp. We thus performed an in vivo study on oral tissue exposed to blue light. ROS generated upon blue light irradiation of flavin adenine dinucleotide were measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. After blue light irradiation, the palatal gingiva of Wistar rats were isolated. Collected samples were subjected to biochemical analysis of lipid peroxidation and glutathione. Singlet oxygen was generated by blue light irradiation, but was significantly quenched in an N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) concentration-dependent manner. Blue light significantly accelerated oxidative stress and increased the oxidized glutathione levels in gingival tissue. These effects were also inhibited by NAC pre-administration. The results suggest that blue light irradiation at clinical levels of tooth bleaching treatment may enhance lipid peroxidation by the induction of oxidative stress and the consumption of a significant amount of intracellular glutathione. In addition, NAC might be an effective supplement for the protection of oral tissues against blue light irradiation-induced oxidative damage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Non-invasive plant growth measurements for detection of blue-light dose response of stem elongation in Chrysanthemum morifolium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjær, Katrine Heinsvig

    2012-01-01

    . In the present study a non-invasive plant growth sensor (PlantEye, Phenospex B.V, Heerlen, NL) was tested in analysing changes in diurnal stem elongation patterns and plant height in response to the spectral quality of the light environment. Plants were grown in four different LED supplemental lighting...... treatments with 0%, 12.5%, 18.5% and 22.5% blue light under greenhouse conditions in winter (18 h day/4 h night). The non-invasive measurements were carried out automatically every four hour with three repetitions, and supported by manual measurements of plant height every third day. A strong linear relation...... between the non-invasive measurements and manual measurements of plant height was achieved, and a blue-light dose-response showing a decrease in plant height in relation to an increase in blue light was demonstrated. However, the non-invasive plant growth sensor was not able to distinguish between diurnal...

  20. [Blue-light induced expression of S-adenosy-L-homocysteine hydrolase-like gene in Mucor amphibiorum RCS1].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ya; Wang, Shu; Fu, Mingjia; Zhong, Guolin

    2013-09-04

    To determine blue-light induced expression of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase-like (sahhl) gene in fungus Mucor amphibiorum RCS1. In the random process of PCR, a sequence of 555 bp was obtained from M. amphibiorum RCS1. The 555 bp sequence was labeled with digoxin to prepare the probe for northern hybridization. By northern hybridization, the transcription of sahhl gene was analyzed in M. amphibiorum RCS1 mycelia culture process from darkness to blue light to darkness. Simultaneously real-time PCR method was used to the sahhl gene expression analysis. Compared with the sequence of sahh gene from Homo sapiens, Mus musculus and some fungi species, a high homology of the 555 bp sequence was confirmed. Therefore, the preliminary confirmation has supported that the 555 bp sequence should be sahhl gene from M. amphibiorum RCS1. Under the dark pre-culture in 24 h, a large amounts of transcript of sahhl gene in the mycelia can be detected by northern hybridization and real-time PCR in the condition of 24 h blue light. But a large amounts of transcript of sahhl gene were not found in other detection for the dark pre-culture of 48 h, even though M. amphibiorum RCS1 mycelia were induced by blue light. Blue light can induce the expression of sahhl gene in the vigorous growth of M. amphibiorum RCS1 mycelia.

  1. A Study of Gibberellin Homeostasis and Cryptochrome-Mediated Blue Light Inhibition of Hypocotyl Elongation1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaoying; Yu, Xuhong; Foo, Eloise; Symons, Gregory M.; Lopez, Javier; Bendehakkalu, Krishnaprasad T.; Xiang, Jing; Weller, James L.; Liu, Xuanming; Reid, James B.; Lin, Chentao

    2007-01-01

    Cryptochromes mediate blue light-dependent photomorphogenic responses, such as inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we analyzed a genetic suppressor, scc7-D (suppressors of cry1cry2), which suppressed the long-hypocotyl phenotype of the cry1cry2 (cryptochrome1/cryptochrome2) mutant in a light-dependent but wavelength-independent manner. scc7-D is a gain-of-expression allele of the GA2ox8 gene encoding a gibberellin (GA)-inactivating enzyme, GA 2-oxidase. Although scc7-D is hypersensitive to light, transgenic seedlings expressing GA2ox at a level higher than scc7-D showed a constitutive photomorphogenic phenotype, confirming a general role of GA2ox and GA in the suppression of hypocotyl elongation. Prompted by this result, we investigated blue light regulation of mRNA expression of the GA metabolic and catabolic genes. We demonstrated that cryptochromes are required for the blue light regulation of GA2ox1, GA20ox1, and GA3ox1 expression in transient induction, continuous illumination, and photoperiodic conditions. The kinetics of cryptochrome induction of GA2ox1 expression and cryptochrome suppression of GA20ox1 or GA3ox1 expression correlate with the cryptochrome-dependent transient reduction of GA4 in etiolated wild-type seedlings exposed to blue light. Therefore we propose that in deetiolating seedlings, cryptochromes mediate blue light regulation of GA catabolic/metabolic genes, which affect GA levels and hypocotyl elongation. Surprisingly, no significant change in the GA4 content was detected in the whole shoot samples of the wild-type or cry1cry2 seedlings grown in the dark or continuous blue light, suggesting that cryptochromes may also regulate GA responsiveness and/or trigger cell- or tissue-specific changes of the level of bioactive GAs. PMID:17644628

  2. Damage threshold in adult rabbit eyes after scleral cross-linking by riboflavin/blue light application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iseli, Hans Peter; Körber, Nicole; Karl, Anett; Koch, Christian; Schuldt, Carsten; Penk, Anja; Liu, Qing; Huster, Daniel; Käs, Josef; Reichenbach, Andreas; Wiedemann, Peter; Francke, Mike

    2015-10-01

    Several scleral cross-linking (SXL) methods were suggested to increase the biomechanical stiffness of scleral tissue and therefore, to inhibit axial eye elongation in progressive myopia. In addition to scleral cross-linking and biomechanical effects caused by riboflavin and light irradiation such a treatment might induce tissue damage, dependent on the light intensity used. Therefore, we characterized the damage threshold and mechanical stiffening effect in rabbit eyes after application of riboflavin combined with various blue light intensities. Adult pigmented and albino rabbits were treated with riboflavin (0.5 %) and varying blue light (450 ± 50 nm) dosages from 18 to 780 J/cm(2) (15 to 650 mW/cm(2) for 20 min). Scleral, choroidal and retinal tissue alterations were detected by means of light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Biomechanical changes were measured by shear rheology. Blue light dosages of 480 J/cm(2) (400 mW/cm(2)) and beyond induced pathological changes in ocular tissues; the damage threshold was defined by the light intensities which induced cellular degeneration and/or massive collagen structure changes. At such high dosages, we observed alterations of the collagen structure in scleral tissue, as well as pigment aggregation, internal hemorrhages, and collapsed blood vessels. Additionally, photoreceptor degenerations associated with microglia activation and macroglia cell reactivity in the retina were detected. These pathological alterations were locally restricted to the treated areas. Pigmentation of rabbit eyes did not change the damage threshold after a treatment with riboflavin and blue light but seems to influence the vulnerability for blue light irradiations. Increased biomechanical stiffness of scleral tissue could be achieved with blue light intensities below the characterized damage threshold. We conclude that riboflavin and blue light application increased the biomechanical stiffness of scleral tissue at

  3. Protective effect of blue-light shield eyewear for adults against light pollution from self-luminous devices used at night.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayaki, Masahiko; Hattori, Atsuhiko; Maruyama, Yusuke; Nakano, Masaki; Yoshimura, Michitaka; Kitazawa, Momoko; Negishi, Kazuno; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2016-01-01

    We investigated sleep quality and melatonin in 12 adults who wore blue-light shield or control eyewear 2 hours before sleep while using a self-luminous portable device, and assessed visual quality for the two eyewear types. Overnight melatonin secretion was significantly higher after using the blue-light shield (P light shield (P light shield as providing acceptable visual quality.

  4. Photochemical eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by blue light activation of riboflavin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makdoumi, Karim; Goodrich, Ray; Bäckman, Anders

    2017-08-01

    To compare elimination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by exposure of blue light alone and with riboflavin. A reference strain of MRSA was cultured and diluted in PBS with and without riboflavin (0.01%). Fifteen microlitre was added on a microscope slide, creating a fluid layer with a thickness of around 400 microns. Both of the bacterial suspensions were exposed to blue light, and the effect between exposure with and without riboflavin was compared. Evaluation involved two different wavelengths (412 and 450 nm) of blue light with a lower (5.4 J/cm 2 ) and higher dose (approximately 28.5 J/cm 2 ). The effect of 412 nm light was also evaluated for a thicker fluid layer (1.17 mm). After exposure, colony-forming units (CFUs) were determined for each solution. All measurements were repeated eight times. The reductions in bacteria were similar for both wavelengths. With riboflavin, a statistically significant elimination was observed for both 412 and 450 nm (p riboflavin than without it. Using the higher dose, CFU reduction was 99% and 98%, respectively, for 412 and 450 nm light. The bactericidal efficacy was high also in the deeper fluid layer (93%, higher dose). Riboflavin enhanced the antibacterial effect on the exposed MRSA strain of blue light for both 412 and 450 nm blue light. This indicates that blue light could be considered for possible implementation in deep corneal infections. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Pulsing blue light through closed eyelids: effects on acute melatonin suppression and phase shifting of dim light melatonin onset

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Figueiro MG

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Mariana G Figueiro, Barbara Plitnick, Mark S Rea Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA Abstract: Circadian rhythm disturbances parallel the increased prevalence of sleep disorders in older adults. Light therapies that specifically target regulation of the circadian system in principle could be used to treat sleep disorders in this population. Current recommendations for light treatment require the patients to sit in front of a bright light box for at least 1 hour daily, perhaps limiting their willingness to comply. Light applied through closed eyelids during sleep might not only be efficacious for changing circadian phase but also lead to better compliance because patients would receive light treatment while sleeping. Reported here are the results of two studies investigating the impact of a train of 480 nm (blue light pulses presented to the retina through closed eyelids on melatonin suppression (laboratory study and on delaying circadian phase (field study. Both studies employed a sleep mask that provided narrowband blue light pulses of 2-second duration every 30 seconds from arrays of light-emitting diodes. The results of the laboratory study demonstrated that the blue light pulses significantly suppressed melatonin by an amount similar to that previously shown in the same protocol at half the frequency (ie, one 2-second pulse every minute for 1 hour. The results of the field study demonstrated that blue light pulses given early in the sleep episode significantly delayed circadian phase in older adults; these results are the first to demonstrate the efficacy and practicality of light treatment by a sleep mask aimed at adjusting circadian phase in a home setting. Keywords: circadian phase, dim light melatonin onset, light through closed eyelids, blue light, sleep

  6. Blue light filtered white light induces depression-like responses and temporary spatial learning deficits in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Qinghe; Lian, Yuzheng; Jiang, Jianjun; Wang, Wei; Hou, Xiaohong; Pan, Yao; Chu, Hongqian; Shang, Lanqin; Wei, Xuetao; Hao, Weidong

    2018-04-18

    Ambient light has a vital impact on mood and cognitive functions. Blue light has been previously reported to play a salient role in the antidepressant effect via melanopsin. Whether blue light filtered white light (BFW) affects mood and cognitive functions remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate whether BFW led to depression-like symptoms and cognitive deficits including spatial learning and memory abilities in rats, and whether they were associated with the light-responsive function in retinal explants. Male Sprague-Dawley albino rats were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 10) and treated with a white light-emitting diode (LED) light source and BFW light source, respectively, under a standard 12 : 12 h L/D condition over 30 days. The sucrose consumption test, forced swim test (FST) and the level of plasma corticosterone (CORT) were employed to evaluate depression-like symptoms in rats. Cognitive functions were assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. A multi-electrode array (MEA) system was utilized to measure electro-retinogram (ERG) responses induced by white or BFW flashes. The effect of BFW over 30 days on depression-like responses in rats was indicated by decreased sucrose consumption in the sucrose consumption test, an increased immobility time in the FST and an elevated level of plasma CORT. BFW led to temporary spatial learning deficits in rats, which was evidenced by prolonged escape latency and swimming distances in the spatial navigation test. However, no changes were observed in the short memory ability of rats treated with BFW. The micro-ERG results showed a delayed implicit time and reduced amplitudes evoked by BFW flashes compared to the white flash group. BFW induces depression-like symptoms and temporary spatial learning deficits in rats, which might be closely related to the impairment of light-evoked output signals in the retina.

  7. Do blue-light filtering intraocular lenses affect visual function?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavric, Alenka; Pompe, Manca Tekavcic

    2014-11-01

    To study different aspects of visual function, macular changes, and subjective differences between the eye with an ultraviolet (UV) and blue-light filtering intraocular lens (IOL) and the fellow eye with a UV-light filtering IOL. Thirty patients (60 eyes) with senile cataract had both cataracts extracted, and an IOL was implanted at least 2 years before clinical evaluation. In one eye, AcrySof SA60AT (a UV-light filtering IOL) was implanted, whereas in the contralateral eye, AcrySof IQ SN60WF (a blue-light filtering IOL) was implanted. Each patient underwent visual acuity testing, color vision testing (Ishihara and Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue tests), and contrast sensitivity (CS) testing. The macula was evaluated with optical coherence tomography and with clinical examination. Patients were asked if they noted any difference between the implanted IOLs concerning visual impression. Subjective visual quality was evaluated using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire. There was a borderline statistically significant difference in the mean best-corrected visual acuity (p = 0.05). As regards color vision, no significant changes in Ishihara and Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue error scores were detected between both eyes (p = 0.48 and p = 0.59, respectively). Analysis of CS showed no significant difference between the groups at any spatial frequency. There were also no statistically significant differences in central macular thickness and total macular volume between the two IOL groups (p = 0.72 and p = 0.61, respectively). In both IOL groups, three eyes developed an epiretinal membrane, and six eyes developed early signs of age-related macular degeneration. This study showed no significant effects of a blue-light filtering IOL on visual acuity and no influence on color perception and CS. After more than 2 years, there were no significant differences in macular changes between the IOL groups. Clinical evidence of the effect of a blue-light filtering IOL on

  8. White- and blue-light-emitting dysprosium(III) and terbium(III)-doped gadolinium titanate phosphors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antić, Ž; Kuzman, S; Đorđević, V; Dramićanin, M D; Thundat, T

    2017-06-01

    Here we report the synthesis and structural, morphological, and photoluminescence analysis of white- and blue-light-emitting Dy 3 + - and Tm 3 + -doped Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanophosphors. Single-phase cubic Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanopowders consist of compact, dense aggregates of nanoparticles with an average size of ~25 nm for Dy 3 + -doped and ~50 nm for Tm 3 + -doped samples. The photoluminescence results indicated that ultraviolet (UV) light excitation of the Dy 3 + -doped sample resulted in direct generation of white light, while a dominant yellow emission was obtained under blue-light excitation. Intense blue light was obtained for Tm 3 + -doped Gd 2 Ti 2 O 7 under UV excitation suggesting that this material could be used as a blue phosphor. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Blue-Light Therapy following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects on White Matter Water Diffusion in the Brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahil Bajaj

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI is a common and often inconspicuous wound that is frequently associated with chronic low-grade symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. Previous evidence suggests that daily blue wavelength light therapy may be effective at reducing fatigue and improving sleep in patients recovering from mTBI. However, the effects of light therapy on recovering brain structure remain unexplored. In this study, we analyzed white matter diffusion properties, including generalized fractional anisotropy, and the quantity of water diffusion in isotropic (i.e., isotropic diffusion and anisotropic fashion (i.e., quantitative anisotropy, QA for fibers crossing 11 brain areas known to be significantly affected following mTBI. Specifically, we investigated how 6 weeks of daily morning blue light exposure therapy (compared to an amber-light placebo condition impacted changes in white matter diffusion in individuals with mTBI. We observed a significant impact of the blue light treatment (relative to the placebo on the amount of water diffusion (QA for multiple brain areas, including the corpus callosum, anterior corona radiata, and thalamus. Moreover, many of these changes were associated with improvements in sleep latency and delayed memory. These findings suggest that blue wavelength light exposure may serve as one of the potential non-pharmacological treatments for facilitating structural and functional recovery following mTBI; they also support the use of QA as a reliable neuro-biomarker for mTBI therapies.

  10. Phosphorous Diffuser Diverged Blue Laser Diode for Indoor Lighting and Communication

    KAUST Repository

    Chi, Yu-Chieh; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Lin, Chung-Yu; Chen, Hsiang-Yu; Huang, Chia-Yen; He, Jr-Hau; Ooi, Boon S.; DenBaars, Steven P.; Nakamura, Shuji; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Lin, Gong-Ru

    2015-01-01

    An advanced light-fidelity (Li-Fi) system based on the blue Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diode (LD) with a compact white-light phosphorous diffuser is demonstrated for fusing the indoor white-lighting and visible light communication (VLC

  11. Sensitivity of Seven Diverse Species to Blue and Green Light: Interactions with Photon Flux.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Chase Snowden

    Full Text Available Despite decades of research, the effects of spectral quality on plant growth, and development are not well understood. Much of our current understanding comes from studies with daily integrated light levels that are less than 10% of summer sunlight thus making it difficult to characterize interactions between light quality and quantity. Several studies have reported that growth is increased under fluorescent lamps compared to mixtures of wavelengths from LEDs. Conclusions regarding the effect of green light fraction range from detrimental to beneficial. Here we report the effects of eight blue and green light fractions at two photosynthetic photon fluxes (PPF; 200 and 500 μmol m-2 s-1; with a daily light integral of 11.5 and 29 mol m-2 d-1 on growth (dry mass, leaf expansion, stem and petiole elongation, and whole-plant net assimilation of seven diverse plant species. The treatments included cool, neutral, and warm white LEDs, and combinations of blue, green and/or red LEDs. At the higher PPF (500, increasing blue light in increments from 11 to 28% reduced growth in tomato, cucumber, and pepper by 22, 26, and 14% respectively, but there was no statistically significant effect on radish, soybean, lettuce or wheat. At the lower PPF (200, increasing blue light reduced growth only in tomato (41%. The effects of blue light on growth were mediated by changes in leaf area and radiation capture, with minimal effects on whole-plant net-assimilation. In contrast to the significant effects of blue light, increasing green light in increments from 0 to 30% had a relatively small effect on growth, leaf area and net assimilation at either low or high PPF. Surprisingly, growth of three of the seven species was not reduced by a treatment with 93% green light compared to the broad spectrum treatments. Collectively, these results are consistent with a shade avoidance response associated with either low blue or high green light fractions.

  12. [Study on the safety of blue light leak of LED].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Chong-Yu; Xu, Zheng; Zhao, Su-Ling; Huang, Qing-Yu

    2014-02-01

    In this paper, the blue light properties of LED illumination devices have been investigated. Against the status quo of China's LED lighting, we measured the spectrum component of LED lamps and analyzed the photobiological safety under the current domestic and international standards GB/T 20145-2006/CIE S009/E: 2002 and IEC62471: 2006 standards as well as CTL-0744_2009-laser resolution, which provides the reference to the manufacture of LED lighting lamps as well as related safety standards and laws. If the radiance intensity of blue light in LED is lower than 100 W x m(-2) x Sr(-1), there is no harm to human eyes. LEDs will not cause harm to human eyes under normal use, but we should pay attention to the protection of special populations (children), and make sure that they avoid looking at a light source for a long time. The research has found that the blue-rich lamps can affect the human rule of work and rest, and therefore, the LED lamps with color temperature below 4 000 K and color rendering index of 80 are suitable for indoor use. At the same time, the lamps with different parameters should be selected according to the different distances.

  13. Blue Light Emitting Diodes for Optical Stimulation of Quartz in Retrospective Dosimetry and Dating (invited paper)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Botter-Jensen, L.; Duller, G.A.T.; Murray, A.S.; Banerjee, D.

    1999-01-01

    Recently developed blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the optical stimulation of quartz for use in routine optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and retrospective dosimetry have been tested. For similar power densities, it was found that the higher energy light provided by the blue LEDs (470 nm) gives order of magnitude greater rate of stimulation in quartz than that from conventional blue-green light filtered from a halogen lamp. A practical blue LED OSL configuration is described. From comparisons of OSL decay curves produced by green and blue light sources, and by examination of the dependence of the blue LED OSL on preheat temperature, it is deduced that there is no evidence that the blue LEDs stimulate deep traps in a different manner from broadband filtered light. It is concluded that blue LEDs offer a practical alternative to existing stimulation sources. They have the significant advantages that the life-time is indefinite, and the output can be controlled electronically; this allows the power to be readily controlled by software. Unlike a filtered light source, there are no electromechanical parts, and the switch on/off times are about 10 times faster than a shutter. Finally, preliminary results from ramping the blue light power output with time are demonstrated. It is shown that this technique enables the separation of OSL components with differing stimulation rates. (author)

  14. Biological effects of blocking blue and other visible light on the mouse retina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narimatsu, Toshio; Ozawa, Yoko; Miyake, Seiji; Kubota, Shunsuke; Yuki, Kenya; Nagai, Norihiro; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2014-08-01

    To elucidate the biological effects of blocking fluorescent light on the retina using specific blocking materials. Seven- to 8-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into three groups and placed in one of the three boxes: one blocked ultraviolet and violet wavelengths of light (violet blockade), one blocked ultraviolet, violet, blue and some other visible wavelengths (blue-plus blockade), and one allowed most visible light to pass through (control). They were then exposed to a white fluorescent lamp for 1 h at 5.65E-05 mW/cm(2) /s. After treatment, the electroretinogram, retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and retinal outer segment length were measured. In addition, retinal apoptotic cells were quantified by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling assay and c-Fos messenger RNA, and protein levels were measured by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analyses, respectively. The blue-plus blockade group retained a significantly better electroretinogram response following light exposure than the control or violet blockade groups. The blue-plus blockade group also exhibited greater outer nuclear layer thickness and greater outer-segment length, and fewer apoptotic cells after light exposure than the other groups. The c-Fos messenger RNA and protein levels were substantially reduced in the blue-plus blockade group and reduced to a lesser extent in the violet blockade group. The blockade of blue plus additional visible wavelengths of light was most effective in protecting the retina from light-induced damage. The blockade of violet light alone was also effective in reducing intracellular molecular responses, but these effects were not sufficient for attenuating retinal degeneration. © 2013 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  15. Controlled light emission from white organic light-emitting devices with a single blue-emitting host and multiple fluorescent dopants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chin, Byung Doo; Kim, Jai Kyeong; Park, O Ok

    2007-01-01

    In this work, we fabricated white organic light-emitting devices (WOLEDs) containing a layered light-emitting region composed of a single blue-emitting host and different fluorescent dopant materials. The effects of varying the dye-doping ratio and emitting layer thickness on the efficiency, lifetime, spectral voltage-dependence and white balance were investigated for devices with a blue/orange stacked layer structure. Addition of a blue host layer doped with a green-emitting dopant, to give a blue/green/orange emitter, resulted in a broadband white spectrum without the need for a charge-blocking interlayer. The composition of blue, green and orange dopants in the host and the thickness of each emitting layer were optimized, resulting in a device efficiency of 9-11 cd A -1 even at a high brightness of 10 000 cd m -2 (achieved at a bias voltage of less than 9 V) with an emission spectrum suitable for lighting applications

  16. Effect of Violet-Blue Light on Streptococcus mutans-Induced Enamel Demineralization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grace Gomez Felix Gomez

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: This in vitro study determined the effectiveness of violet-blue light (405 nm on inhibiting Streptococcus mutans-induced enamel demineralization. Materials and Methods: S. mutans UA159 biofilm was grown on human enamel specimens for 13 h in 5% CO2 at 37 °C with/without 1% sucrose. Wet biofilm was treated twice daily with violet-blue light for five minutes over five days. A six-hour reincubation was included daily between treatments excluding the final day. Biofilms were harvested and colony forming units (CFU were quantitated. Lesion depth (L and mineral loss (∆Z were quantified using transverse microradiography (TMR. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence Biluminator (QLF-D was used to determine mean fluorescence loss. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA to compare differences in means. Results: The results demonstrated a significant reduction in CFUs between treated and non-treated groups grown with/without 1% sucrose. ∆Z was significantly reduced for specimens exposed to biofilms grown without sucrose with violet-blue light. There was only a trend on reduction of ∆Z with sucrose and with L on both groups. There were no differences in fluorescence-derived parameters between the groups. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, the results indicate that violet-blue light can serve as an adjunct prophylactic treatment for reducing S. mutans biofilm formation and enamel mineral loss.

  17. Blue light enhances the antimicrobial activity of honey against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orlandi, Viviana Teresa; Bolognese, Fabrizio; Barbieri, Paola

    2018-02-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa may be isolated from skin wounds of burn patients, bedsore and diabetic ulcers. The healing of wounds is often impaired by the intrinsic antibiotic resistance, the tolerance to many antimicrobials and the ability to form biofilm of this opportunistic pathogen. Finding new topical treatments to combine with antibiotics is thus essential. Among natural products, the antimicrobial properties of honeys have been known for millennia. In this study honey and visible light have been combined to control the growth of P. aeruginosa PAO1. The irradiation by a broad spectrum light source of bacteria inoculated onto 2 % w/v fir and forest honeydew (HD) honeys caused a killing effect that the honeys alone or the light alone did not show. This antimicrobial activity was light energy-dose and honey-concentration dependent. Among the tested honeys, the fir and forest HD honeys were the most efficient ones. In particular, the irradiation by blue LED (λmax = 466 nm) yielded good rates of killing, that were significantly higher in comparison to irradiation alone and honey alone. Interestingly, a similar effect was obtained by plating bacteria on blue LED pre-irradiated HD honeys. The combined use of honey and blue light was also successful in inhibiting the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa. The blue LED irradiation of PAO1 administered with 10 % w/v forest HD honey significantly enhanced the inhibition of biofilm formation in comparison to dark incubated honey.

  18. Investigation of phosphorescent blue organic light emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiu, Chien-Shu [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany); Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Krause, Ralf [Department of Materials Science VI, University of Erlangen-Nuernberg (Germany); Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Kozlowski, Fryderyk; Hunze, Arvid [Siemens AG, CT MM 1, Erlangen (Germany); Kowalsky, Wolfgang [Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University of Braunschweig (Germany)

    2008-07-01

    Recently, rapid development of phosphorescent materials has significantly improved the efficiency of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). By using efficient phosphorescent emitter materials white OLEDs with high power efficiency values could be demonstrated. But especially blue phosphorescent devices, due to stability issues, need to be further investigated und optimized. In this work, blue OLED devices based on the phosphorescent emitter FIrpic were investigated. Single-carrier hole-only as well as electron-only devices were fabricated and characterized to study the impact of charge carriers on device performance.

  19. Blue Light Emitting Polyphenylene Dendrimers with Bipolar Charge Transport Moieties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guang Zhang

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Two light-emitting polyphenylene dendrimers with both hole and electron transporting moieties were synthesized and characterized. Both molecules exhibited pure blue emission solely from the pyrene core and efficient surface-to-core energy transfers when characterized in a nonpolar environment. In particular, the carbazole- and oxadiazole-functionalized dendrimer (D1 manifested a pure blue emission from the pyrene core without showing intramolecular charge transfer (ICT in environments with increasing polarity. On the other hand, the triphenylamine- and oxadiazole-functionalized one (D2 displayed notable ICT with dual emission from both the core and an ICT state in highly polar solvents. D1, in a three-layer organic light emitting diode (OLED by solution processing gave a pure blue emission with Commission Internationale de l’Éclairage 1931 CIE xy = (0.16, 0.12, a peak current efficiency of 0.21 cd/A and a peak luminance of 2700 cd/m2. This represents the first reported pure blue dendrimer emitter with bipolar charge transport and surface-to-core energy transfer in OLEDs.

  20. Blue Light Emitting Polyphenylene Dendrimers with Bipolar Charge Transport Moieties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guang; Auer-Berger, Manuel; Gehrig, Dominik W; Blom, Paul W M; Baumgarten, Martin; Schollmeyer, Dieter; List-Kratochvil, E J W; Müllen, Klaus

    2016-10-20

    Two light-emitting polyphenylene dendrimers with both hole and electron transporting moieties were synthesized and characterized. Both molecules exhibited pure blue emission solely from the pyrene core and efficient surface-to-core energy transfers when characterized in a nonpolar environment. In particular, the carbazole- and oxadiazole-functionalized dendrimer ( D1 ) manifested a pure blue emission from the pyrene core without showing intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) in environments with increasing polarity. On the other hand, the triphenylamine- and oxadiazole-functionalized one ( D2 ) displayed notable ICT with dual emission from both the core and an ICT state in highly polar solvents. D1 , in a three-layer organic light emitting diode (OLED) by solution processing gave a pure blue emission with Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage 1931 CIE xy = (0.16, 0.12), a peak current efficiency of 0.21 cd/A and a peak luminance of 2700 cd/m². This represents the first reported pure blue dendrimer emitter with bipolar charge transport and surface-to-core energy transfer in OLEDs.

  1. Pulsing blue light through closed eyelids: effects on acute melatonin suppression and phase shifting of dim light melatonin onset.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiro, Mariana G; Plitnick, Barbara; Rea, Mark S

    2014-01-01

    Circadian rhythm disturbances parallel the increased prevalence of sleep disorders in older adults. Light therapies that specifically target regulation of the circadian system in principle could be used to treat sleep disorders in this population. Current recommendations for light treatment require the patients to sit in front of a bright light box for at least 1 hour daily, perhaps limiting their willingness to comply. Light applied through closed eyelids during sleep might not only be efficacious for changing circadian phase but also lead to better compliance because patients would receive light treatment while sleeping. Reported here are the results of two studies investigating the impact of a train of 480 nm (blue) light pulses presented to the retina through closed eyelids on melatonin suppression (laboratory study) and on delaying circadian phase (field study). Both studies employed a sleep mask that provided narrowband blue light pulses of 2-second duration every 30 seconds from arrays of light-emitting diodes. The results of the laboratory study demonstrated that the blue light pulses significantly suppressed melatonin by an amount similar to that previously shown in the same protocol at half the frequency (ie, one 2-second pulse every minute for 1 hour). The results of the field study demonstrated that blue light pulses given early in the sleep episode significantly delayed circadian phase in older adults; these results are the first to demonstrate the efficacy and practicality of light treatment by a sleep mask aimed at adjusting circadian phase in a home setting.

  2. Effects of red and blue LD lights on the growth of lettuce

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, Y.; Takatsuji, M.; Yasuoka, T.

    2003-01-01

    In this study, Lactuca sativa L. cv. “Red Fire” was cultivated under visible laser diodes (LD) light alone, using red and blue LD for digital versatile discs (DVD). Relative growth rate, photosynthetic rate and vitamin C content were measured, and compared with those obtained using light emitting diodes (LED). When the lettuce was cultivated under LD light, the relative growth rate and net photosynthetic rate were decreased compared to those under LED light. The rates were decreased by 10% and 20% or more under red LD light and under a combination of red and blue LD lights, respectively. However, the vitamin C content was higher when grown under LD light than LED light. Considering the high output and high electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiency of LD, LD are potential light sources for plant cultivation when their prices decrease

  3. Low-intensity blue-enriched white light (750 lux) and standard bright light (10,000 lux) are equally effective in treating SAD. A randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meesters, Ybe; Dekker, Vera; Schlangen, Luc J M; Bos, Elske H; Ruiter, Martine J

    2011-01-28

    Photoreceptor cells containing melanopsin play a role in the phase-shifting effects of short-wavelength light. In a previous study, we compared the standard light treatment (SLT) of SAD with treatment using short-wavelength blue-enriched white light (BLT). Both treatments used the same illuminance (10,000 lux) and were equally highly effective. It is still possible, however, that neither the newly-discovered photoreceptor cells, nor the biological clock play a major role in the therapeutic effects of light on SAD. Alternatively, these effects may at least be partly mediated by these receptor cells, which may have become saturated as a result of the high illuminances used in the therapy. This randomized controlled study compares the effects of low-intensity BLT to those of high-intensity SLT. In a 22-day design, 22 patients suffering from a major depression with a seasonal pattern (SAD) were given light treatment (10,000 lux) for two weeks on workdays. Subjects were randomly assigned to either of the two conditions, with gender and age evenly distributed over the groups. Light treatment either consisted of 30 minutes SLT (5000 °K) with the EnergyLight® (Philips, Consumer Lifestyle) with a vertical illuminance of 10,000 lux at eye position or BLT (17,000 °K) with a vertical illuminance of 750 lux using a prototype of the EnergyLight® which emitted a higher proportion of short-wavelengths. All participants completed questionnaires concerning mood, activation and sleep quality on a daily basis. Mood and energy levels were also assessed on a weekly basis by means of the SIGH-SAD and other assessment tools. On day 22, SIGH-SAD ratings were significantly lower than on day 1 (SLT 65.2% and BLT 76.4%). On the basis of all assessments no statistically significant differences were found between the two conditions. With sample size being small, conclusions can only be preliminary. Both treatment conditions were found to be highly effective. The therapeutic effects of low

  4. Low-intensity blue-enriched white light (750 lux and standard bright light (10 000 lux are equally effective in treating SAD. A randomized controlled study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bos Elske H

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Photoreceptor cells containing melanopsin play a role in the phase-shifting effects of short-wavelength light. In a previous study, we compared the standard light treatment (SLT of SAD with treatment using short-wavelength blue-enriched white light (BLT. Both treatments used the same illuminance (10 000 lux and were equally highly effective. It is still possible, however, that neither the newly-discovered photoreceptor cells, nor the biological clock play a major role in the therapeutic effects of light on SAD. Alternatively, these effects may at least be partly mediated by these receptor cells, which may have become saturated as a result of the high illuminances used in the therapy. This randomized controlled study compares the effects of low-intensity BLT to those of high-intensity SLT. Method In a 22-day design, 22 patients suffering from a major depression with a seasonal pattern (SAD were given light treatment (10 000 lux for two weeks on workdays. Subjects were randomly assigned to either of the two conditions, with gender and age evenly distributed over the groups. Light treatment either consisted of 30 minutes SLT (5000°K with the EnergyLight® (Philips, Consumer Lifestyle with a vertical illuminance of 10 000 lux at eye position or BLT (17 000°K with a vertical illuminance of 750 lux using a prototype of the EnergyLight® which emitted a higher proportion of short-wavelengths. All participants completed questionnaires concerning mood, activation and sleep quality on a daily basis. Mood and energy levels were also assessed on a weekly basis by means of the SIGH-SAD and other assessment tools. Results On day 22, SIGH-SAD ratings were significantly lower than on day 1 (SLT 65.2% and BLT 76.4%. On the basis of all assessments no statistically significant differences were found between the two conditions. Conclusion With sample size being small, conclusions can only be preliminary. Both treatment conditions were found

  5. Advanced Oxidation of Tartrazine and Brilliant Blue with Pulsed Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes

    OpenAIRE

    Scott, Robert; Mudimbi, Patrick; Miller, Michael E.; Magnuson, Matthew; Willison, Stuart; Phillips, Rebecca; Harper, Willie F.

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVLEDs) coupled with hydrogen peroxide as an advanced oxidation process (AOP) for the degradation of two test chemicals. Brilliant Blue FCF consistently exhibited greater degradation than tartrazine, with 83% degradation after 300 minutes at the 100% duty cycle compared with only 17% degradation of tartrazine under the same conditions. These differences are attributable to the structural properties of the compounds. Duty...

  6. In-car nocturnal blue light exposure improves motorway driving: a randomized controlled trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacques Taillard

    Full Text Available Prolonged wakefulness greatly decreases nocturnal driving performance. The development of in-car countermeasures is a future challenge to prevent sleep-related accidents. The aim of this study is to determine whether continuous exposure to monochromatic light in the short wavelengths (blue light, placed on the dashboard, improves night-time driving performance. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, 48 healthy male participants (aged 20-50 years drove 400 km (250 miles on motorway during night-time. They randomly and consecutively received either continuous blue light exposure (GOLite, Philips, 468 nm during driving or 2*200 mg of caffeine or placebo of caffeine before and during the break. Treatments were separated by at least 1 week. The outcomes were number of inappropriate line crossings (ILC and mean standard deviation of the lateral position (SDLP. Eight participants (17% complained about dazzle during blue light exposure and were removed from the analysis. Results from the 40 remaining participants (mean age ± SD: 32.9±11.1 showed that countermeasures reduced the number of inappropriate line crossings (ILC (F(2,91.11 = 6.64; p<0.05. Indeed, ILC were lower with coffee (12.51 [95% CI, 5.86 to 19.66], p = 0.001 and blue light (14.58 [CI, 8.75 to 22.58], p = 0.003 than with placebo (26.42 [CI, 19.90 to 33.71]. Similar results were found for SDLP. Treatments did not modify the quality, quantity and timing of 3 subsequent nocturnal sleep episodes. Despite a lesser tolerance, a non-inferior efficacy of continuous nocturnal blue light exposure compared with caffeine suggests that this in-car countermeasure, used occasionally, could be used to fight nocturnal sleepiness at the wheel in blue light-tolerant drivers, whatever their age. More studies are needed to determine the reproducibility of data and to verify if it can be generalized to women.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01070004.

  7. Influence of blue and red light illumination on the holographic storage in an azopolyester–PMMA blend

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berges, C.; Díez, I.; Javakhishvili, Irakli

    2014-01-01

    . The dependence of holographic storage on the recording condition has been studied. No stable gratings can be recorded in thermally quenched films. The presence of cis isomers that can be induced by blue light irradiation seems to be necessary to store stable gratings. The cis isomer content and consequently...

  8. Tunable blue organic light emitting diode based on aluminum calixarene supramolecular complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legnani, C.; Reyes, R.; Cremona, M.; Bagatin, I. A.; Toma, H. E.

    2004-07-01

    In this letter, the results of supramolecular organic light emitting diodes using a calix[4] arene complex thin film as emitter and electron transporting layer are presented. The devices were grown onto glass substrates coated with indium-tin-oxide layer and aluminum thick (150nm) cathode. By applying a dc voltage between the device electrodes in forward bias condition, a blue light emission in the active area of the device was observed. It was found that the electroluminescent emission peak can be tuned between 470 and 510nm changing the applied voltage bias from 4.3 to 5.4V. The observed tunable emission can be associated with an energy transfer from the calixarene compound.

  9. Supporting Information Blue and White light electroluminescence in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Blue and White light electroluminescence in a multilayer OLED using a new Aluminium complex. Pabitra K. Nayak a. , Neeraj Agarwal a. , Farman Ali a. , Meghan P. Patankar b. , K. L.. Narasimhan b. *, N. Periasamy a. *. 1. Department of Chemical Sciences,. 2. Department of Condensed Matter Physics and. Materials ...

  10. Novel Br-DPQ blue light-emitting phosphors for OLED.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahule, H K; Thejokalyani, N; Dhoble, S J

    2015-06-01

    A new series of blue light-emitting 2,4-diphenylquinoline (DPQ) substituted blue light-emitting organic phosphors namely, 2-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-4-phenyl-quinoline (OMe-DPQ), 2-(4-methyl-phenyl)-4-phenylquinoline (M-DPQ), and 2-(4-bromo-phenyl)-4-phenylquinoline (Br-DPQ) were synthesized by substituting methoxy, methyl and bromine at the 2-para position of DPQ, respectively by Friedländer condensation of 2-aminobenzophenone and corresponding acetophenone. The synthesized phosphors were characterized by different techniques, e.g., Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence spectra. FTIR spectra confirms the presence of chemical groups such as C=O, NH, or OH in all the three synthesized chromophores. DSC studies show that these complexes have good thermal stability. Although they are low-molecular-weight organic compounds, they have the potential to improve the stability and operating lifetime of a device made out of these complexes. The synthesized polymeric compounds demonstrate a bright emission in the blue region in the wavelength range of 405-450 nm in solid state. Thus the attachment of methyl, methoxy and bromine substituents to the diphenyl quinoline ring in these phosphors results in colour tuning of the phosphorescence. An electroluminescence (EL) cell of Br-DPQ phosphor was made and its EL behaviour was studied. A brightness-voltage characteristics curve of Br-DPQ cell revealed that EL begins at 400 V and then the brightness increases exponentially with applied AC voltage, while current-voltage (I-V) characteristics revealed that the turn on voltage of the fabricated EL cell was 11 V. Hence this phosphor can be used as a promising blue light material for electroluminescent devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Blue light hazards for ocular lesions; Risques oculaires du rayonnement bleu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cesarini, J.P. [INSERM, Fondation Ophtalmologique A. de Rothschild, 75 - Paris (France); CES, Agents physique, AFSSET (France)

    2009-10-15

    The blue light range (400-500 nm) of visible radiation stimulates specifically cones and rods of the retina. The carried energy by these wavelengths is absorbed and transferred to specific pigments. Their energy is sufficient to produce free radicals and singlet form of oxygen. Intense sources, rich in blue light radiation, may induce, in the retina, photo-toxic lesions either limited or short-lived or photothermal lesions more or less definitive. Repeated photo-toxic lesions should be the root for the age-related maculo-pathy (A.R.M.) also called late macular degeneration (A.M.D.). As a consequence, the attention should be drawn on the potential risk linked to modern lighting as 'daylight' lamp, compact fluorescent lamps, energy saving (C.F.L.) and light-emitting diodes (L.E.D.) for which a specific vigilance should be enforced. (author)

  12. Effects of blue or violet light on the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus by riboflavin-5'-phosphate photolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Tak-Wah; Cheng, Chien-Wei; Hsieh, Zong-Jhe; Liang, Ji-Yuan

    2017-08-01

    The light sensitive compound riboflavin-5'-phosphate (or flavin mononucleotide, FMN) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon photo-irradiation. FMN is required by all flavoproteins because it is a cofactor of biological blue-light receptors. The photochemical effects of FMN after irradiation by blue or violet light on the inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus strains, including a methicillin-resistant strain (MRSA), were investigated in this study. Upon blue- or violet-light photo-treatment, FMN was shown to inactivate S. aureus due to the generated ROS. Effective bacterial inactivation can be achieved by FMN photolysis without an exogenous electron provider. Inactivation rates of 94.9 and 95.2% in S. aureus and MRSA, respectively, can be reached by blue light irradiation (2.0mW/cm 2 ) with 120μM FMN for 120min. A lower FMN concentration and a shorter time are required to reach similar effects by violet light irradiation. Inactivation rates of 96.3 and 97.0% in S. aureus and MRSA, respectively, can be reached by violet light irradiation (1.0mW/cm 2 ) with 30μM FMN for 30min. The sensitivity of the inherent photosensitizers is lower under blue-light irradiation. A long exposure photolytic treatment of FMN by blue light is required to inactivate S. aureus. Violet light was found to be more efficient in S. aureus inactivation at the same radiant intensity. FMN photolysis with blue or violet light irradiation enhanced the inactivation rates of S. aureus and MRSA. FMN photochemical treatment could be a supplemental technique in hygienic decontamination processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Is the photoactive yellow protein a UV-B/blue light photoreceptor?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carroll, E. C.; Hospes, M.; Valladares, C.; Hellingwerf, K.J.; Larsen, D.S.

    2011-01-01

    UV light below 300 nm is shown to generate the first photocycle intermediate in the blue light photoreceptor Photoactive Yellow Protein. Fluorescence and ultrafast transient absorption measurements indicate two excitation pathways: UV-B absorption by the chromophore and Fluorescence Resonant Energy

  14. The effects of blue-enriched light treatment compared to standard light treatment in seasonal affective disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gordijn, M. C. M.; 't Mannetje, D.; Meesters, Y.

    Background: One of the most frequently investigated hypotheses of the pathophysiology underlying Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a disturbance of circadian rhythms. Since the circadian system as well as other non-visual effects is especially sensitive to blue light, a new light therapy device

  15. Output blue light evaluation for phosphor based smart white LED wafer level packages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolahdouz, Zahra; Rostamian, Ali; Kolahdouz, Mohammadreza; Ma, Teng; van Zeijl, Henk; Zhang, Kouchi

    2016-02-22

    This study presents a blue light detector for evaluating the output light of phosphor based white LED package. It is composed of a silicon stripe-shaped photodiode designed and implemented in a 2 μm BiCMOS process which can be used for wafer level integration of different passive and active devices all in just 5 lithography steps. The final device shows a high selectivity to blue light. The maximum responsivity at 480 nm is matched with the target blue LED illumination. The designed structure have better responsivity compared to simple photodiode structure due to reducing the effect of dead layer formation close to the surface because of implantation. It has also a two-fold increase in the responsivity and quantum efficiency compared to previously similar published sensors.

  16. The plasma membrane-associated NADH oxidase of spinach leaves responds to blue light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morre, D. James; Penel, Claude; Greppin, Hubert; Morre, Dorothy M.

    2002-01-01

    The plasma membrane-associated NADH oxidase (NOX) of spinach leaf disks is characterized by oscillations in activity with a regular period length of ca. 24 min. Within a single population of plants exposed to light at the same time, NOX activities of all plants function synchronously. Exposure of plants transferred from darkness to blue light (495 nm, 2 min, 50 micromoles m-2 s-1) resulted in a complex response pattern but with a new maximum in the rate of NOX activity 36 (24+12) min after illumination and then with maxima in the rate of NOX activity every 24 min thereafter. Transient maxima in NOX activity were observed as well after 9.3 + /- 1.4 and 20.7 +/- 2.1 min. The blue light response differed from the response to red (650 nm, 10 min, 50 micromoles m-2 s-1) or white light where activity maxima were initiated 12 min after the light exposure followed by maxima every 24 min thereafter. Green or yellow light was ineffective. The light response was independent of the time in the 24-min NOX cycle when the light was given. The net effects of blue and red light were ultimately the same with a new maximum in the rate of NOX activity at 12+24=36 min (and every 24 min thereafter), but the mechanisms appear to be distinct.

  17. System responses to equal doses of photosynthetically usable radiation of blue, green, and red light in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristin Collier Valle

    Full Text Available Due to the selective attenuation of solar light and the absorption properties of seawater and seawater constituents, free-floating photosynthetic organisms have to cope with rapid and unpredictable changes in both intensity and spectral quality. We have studied the transcriptional, metabolic and photo-physiological responses to light of different spectral quality in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum through time-series studies of cultures exposed to equal doses of photosynthetically usable radiation of blue, green and red light. The experiments showed that short-term differences in gene expression and profiles are mainly light quality-dependent. Transcription of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes was activated mainly through a light quality-independent mechanism likely to rely on chloroplast-to-nucleus signaling. In contrast, genes encoding proteins important for photoprotection and PSII repair were highly dependent on a blue light receptor-mediated signal. Changes in energy transfer efficiency by light-harvesting pigments were spectrally dependent; furthermore, a declining trend in photosynthetic efficiency was observed in red light. The combined results suggest that diatoms possess a light quality-dependent ability to activate photoprotection and efficient repair of photodamaged PSII. In spite of approximately equal numbers of PSII-absorbed quanta in blue, green and red light, the spectral quality of light is important for diatom responses to ambient light conditions.

  18. Influence of Green, Red and Blue Light Emitting Diodes on Multiprotein Complex Proteins and Photosynthetic Activity under Different Light Intensities in Lettuce Leaves (Lactuca sativa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sowbiya Muneer

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the response of light emitting diodes (LEDs at different light intensities (70 and 80 for green LEDs, 88 and 238 for red LEDs and 80 and 238 μmol m−2 s−1 for blue LEDs at three wavelengths in lettuce leaves. Lettuce leaves were exposed to (522 nm, red (639 nm and blue (470 nm LEDs of different light intensities. Thylakoid multiprotein complex proteins and photosynthetic metabolism were then investigated. Biomass and photosynthetic parameters increased with an increasing light intensity under blue LED illumination and decreased when illuminated with red and green LEDs with decreased light intensity. The expression of multiprotein complex proteins including PSII-core dimer and PSII-core monomer using blue LEDs illumination was higher at higher light intensity (238 μmol m−2 s−1 and was lowered with decreased light intensity (70–80 μmol m−2 s−1. The responses of chloroplast sub-compartment proteins, including those active in stomatal opening and closing, and leaf physiological responses at different light intensities, indicated induced growth enhancement upon illumination with blue LEDs. High intensity blue LEDs promote plant growth by controlling the integrity of chloroplast proteins that optimize photosynthetic performance in the natural environment.

  19. Conductive stability of graphene on PET and glass substrates under blue light irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xueying; Liu, Xianming; Li, Xiangdi; Lei, Xiaohua; Chen, Weimin

    2018-01-01

    Electrical properties of graphene transparent conductive film under visible light irradiation are investigated. The CVD-grown graphene on Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and glass substrates for flexible and rigid touch screen display application are chosen for research. The resistances of graphene with and without gold trichloride (AuCl3) doping are measured in vacuum and atmosphere environment under blue light irradiation. Results show that the conductivities of all samples change slowly under light irradiation. The change rate and degree are related to the substrate material, doping, environment and lighting power. Graphene on flexible PET substrate is more stable than that on rigid glass substrate. Doping can improve the electrical conductivity but induce instability under light irradiation. Finally, the main reason resulting in the graphene resistance slowly increasing under blue light irradiation is analyzed.

  20. Efficient fluorescent red, green, and blue organic light-emitting devices with a blue host of spirobifluorene derivative

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, R.-H. [Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 640, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: lerongho@yuntech.edu.tw; Huang, Y.-W.; Wang, Y.-Y. [Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 640, Taiwan (China); Chang, H.-Y. [EChem Hightech CO., LTD, Hsin-Chu Industrial Park, Hu-Kou, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan (China)

    2008-06-02

    Efficient fluorescent blue, green, and red (RGB) organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) were fabricated using a blue host material of pyrimidine-containing spirobifluorene derivative 2,7-bis[2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)pyrimidine-5-yl]-9,9'-spirobifluorene (TBPSF) doped with blue dye perylene, green dye 10-(2-benzothiazolyl)-1,1,7,7-tetramethyl-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H,5H, 11H-benzo[l] pyrano[6,7,8-ij] quinolizin-11-one (C545T), and red dye 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) -4H-pyran (DCJTB), respectively. The brightness and current efficiency of the perylene doped blue device reached 10117 cd/m{sup 2} and 2.97 cd/A. Green emission of the C545T doped device reached 8500 cd/m{sup 2} and 13.0 cd/A. Red emission of the DCJTB doped device can be as high as 9000 cd/m{sup 2} and 2.0 cd/A, respectively. High color purity of the blue (Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE{sub x,y}) coordinates (CIE, x = 0.27, y = 0.24)), green (CIE, x = 0.19, y = 0.63) and red (CIE, x = 0.62, y = 0.37) emissions were achieved for RGB dyes doped TBPSF OLEDs. High brightness, large current efficiency, and good color purity of TBPSF-based RGB OLEDs were obtained by the configuration optimization device, such as inserting the hole and electron-injection materials, and suitable dopant content and light emitting layer thickness.

  1. A train of blue light pulses delivered through closed eyelids suppresses melatonin and phase shifts the human circadian system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Figueiro MG

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Mariana G Figueiro, Andrew Bierman, Mark S ReaLighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USAAbstract: A model of circadian phototransduction was published in 2005 to predict the spectral sensitivity of the human circadian system to narrow-band and polychromatic light sources by combining responses to light from the spectral-opponent “blue” versus “yellow” cone bipolar pathway with direct responses to light by the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. In the model, depolarizing “blue” responses, but not hyperpolarizing “yellow” responses, from the “blue” versus “yellow” pathway are combined with the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell responses. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell neurons are known to be much slower to respond to light than the cone pathway, so an implication of the model is that periodic flashes of “blue” light, but not “yellow” light, would be effective for stimulating the circadian system. A within-subjects study was designed to test the implications of the model regarding retinal exposures to brief flashes of light. The study was also aimed at broadening the foundation for clinical treatment of circadian sleep disorders by delivering flashing light through closed eyelids while people were asleep. In addition to a dark control night, the eyelids of 16 subjects were exposed to three light-stimulus conditions in the phase delay portion of the phase response curve while they were asleep: (1 2-second flashes of 111 W/m2 of blue (λmax ≈ 480 nm light once every minute for 1 hour, (2 131 W/m2 of green (λmax ≈ 527 nm light, continuously on for 1 hour, and (3 2-second flashes of the same green light once every minute for 1 hour. Inferential statistics showed that the blue flash light-stimulus condition significantly delayed circadian phase and significantly suppressed nocturnal melatonin. The results of this study further our

  2. 4-Gbit/s visible light communication link based on 16-QAM OFDM transmission over remote phosphor-film converted white light by using blue laser diode

    KAUST Repository

    Duran Retamal, Jose Ramon

    2015-12-21

    Visible Light Communication (VLC) as a new technology for ultrahigh-speed communication is still limited when using slow modulation light-emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, we present a 4-Gbit/s VLC system using coherent blue-laser diode (LD) via 16-quadrature amplitude modulation orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. By changing the composition and the optical-configuration of a remote phosphor-film the generated white light is tuned from cool day to neutral, and the bit error rate is optimized from 1.9 × 10-2 to 2.8 × 10-5 in a blue filter-free link due to enhanced blue light transmission in forward direction. Briefly, blue-LD is an alternative to LED for generating white light and boosting the data rate of VLC. © 2015 Optical Society of America.

  3. 4-Gbit/s visible light communication link based on 16-QAM OFDM transmission over remote phosphor-film converted white light by using blue laser diode

    KAUST Repository

    Duran Retamal, Jose Ramon; Oubei, Hassan M.; Janjua, Bilal; Chi, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Huai-Yung; Tsai, Cheng-Ting; Ng, Tien Khee; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; He, Jr-Hau; Lin, Gong-Ru; Ooi, Boon S.

    2015-01-01

    Visible Light Communication (VLC) as a new technology for ultrahigh-speed communication is still limited when using slow modulation light-emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, we present a 4-Gbit/s VLC system using coherent blue-laser diode (LD) via 16-quadrature amplitude modulation orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. By changing the composition and the optical-configuration of a remote phosphor-film the generated white light is tuned from cool day to neutral, and the bit error rate is optimized from 1.9 × 10-2 to 2.8 × 10-5 in a blue filter-free link due to enhanced blue light transmission in forward direction. Briefly, blue-LD is an alternative to LED for generating white light and boosting the data rate of VLC. © 2015 Optical Society of America.

  4. Phosphorescent cyclometalated complexes for efficient blue organic light-emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuri, Yoshiyuki; Oshiyama, Tomohiro; Ito, Hiroto; Hiyama, Kunihisa; Kita, Hiroshi

    2014-10-01

    Phosphorescent emitters are extremely important for efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which attract significant attention. Phosphorescent emitters, which have a high phosphorescence quantum yield at room temperature, typically contain a heavy metal such as iridium and have been reported to emit blue, green and red light. In particular, the blue cyclometalated complexes with high efficiency and high stability are being developed. In this review, we focus on blue cyclometalated complexes. Recent progress of computational analysis necessary to design a cyclometalated complex is introduced. The prediction of the radiative transition is indispensable to get an emissive cyclometalated complex. We summarize four methods to control phosphorescence peak of the cyclometalated complex: (i) substituent effect on ligands, (ii) effects of ancillary ligands on heteroleptic complexes, (iii) design of the ligand skeleton, and (iv) selection of the central metal. It is considered that novel ligand skeletons would be important to achieve both a high efficiency and long lifetime in the blue OLEDs. Moreover, the combination of an emitter and a host is important as well as the emitter itself. According to the dependences on the combination of an emitter and a host, the control of exciton density of the triplet is necessary to achieve both a high efficiency and a long lifetime, because the annihilations of the triplet state cause exciton quenching and material deterioration.

  5. Fluence dependence of the ultraviolet-light-induced accumulation of chalcone synthase mRNA and effects of blue and far-red light in cultured parsley

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruns, B.; Hahlbrock, K.; Schäfer, E.

    1986-01-01

    The fluence dependence of the time course of accumulation of chalcone synthase mRNA in ultraviolet (UV)-light-irradiated cell suspension cultures of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and the additional effects of blue and far-red light have been investigated. Variations of the UV fluence had no detectable influence on the initial rate of increase in mRNA amount or translational activity, nor on the preceding lag period of approximately 3 h, but strongly influenced the duration of the transient increase. The effects were the same whether the fluence rate or the time of irradiation was varied to obtain a given fluence. Blue-light pretreatment of the cells resulted in increased amounts of mRNA and abolished the apparent lag period. This effect remained cryptic without the subsequent UV-light treatment. Irradiation with long-wavelength far-red light following UV-light pulses shortened the duration of the mRNA accumulation period. This effect was not altered by a preceding blue-light treatment. Thus, three photoreceptors, a UV-B receptor, a blue-light receptor and phytochrome, participate in the regulation of chalcone synthase mRNA accumulation in this system

  6. Photocatalytic dechlorination of PCB 138 using leuco-methylene blue and visible light; reaction conditions and mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izadifard, Maryam; Langford, Cooper H.; Achari, Gopal

    2010-01-01

    A study of dechlorination of PCB 138, under visible light employing methylene blue (MB) and triethylamine (TEA) in acetonitrile/water has been conducted to investigate the details of the mechanism of dechlorination and to determine the efficiency of the process for this representative congener. Two other amines, N-methyldiethanolamine (MEDA) and (triethanolamine) TEOA also replaced TEA and two other solvents, methanol and ethanol replacing acetonitrile were examined for effects on reaction rates. The results show that PCB 138 can be dechlorinated efficiently in this photocatalytic reaction. Clarifying ambiguities in several previous reports, the reduced form of MB, leuco-methylene blue (LMB) was identified as responsible for the photoreaction with its excited state transferring an electron to PCBs; oxidized LMB (i.e. MB) is reduced back to LMB by the excess amine present. The reaction depends on a cycle driven by the amine as a sacrificial electron donor. MEDA proved to be the most efficient electron donor; apparently in consequence of the most favourable steady state concentration of LMB. Methanol and ethanol may be used to replace acetonitrile with little change in the efficiency of the reaction.

  7. Therapeutic effect of turquoise versus blue light with equal irradiance in preterm infants with jaundice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbesen, Finn; Madsen, Poul; Støvring, Søren

    2007-01-01

    AIM: To compare the efficiency of turquoise light with that of TL52 blue in treatment of preterm infants with jaundice at the same level of body irradiance. METHODS: Infants with gestational age 28-37 weeks and non-haemolytic hyperbilirubinemia were treated for 24 h with either turquoise light (O......,Z-bilirubin and lumirubin, in infants under turquoise light. This suggests, given equal irradiances, that light in the turquoise spectral range is preferable to the TL52 blue in treatment of newborn jaundiced infants....

  8. Anatomical features of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) grown under red light-emitting diodes supplemented with blue or far-red light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuerger, A. C.; Brown, C. S.; Stryjewski, E. C.

    1997-01-01

    Pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv., Hungarian Wax) were grown under metal halide (MH) lamps or light-emitting diode (LED) arrays with different spectra to determine the effects of light quality on plant anatomy of leaves and stems. One LED (660) array supplied 90% red light at 660 nm (25nm band-width at half-peak height) and 1% far-red light between 700-800nm. A second LED (660/735) array supplied 83% red light at 660nm and 17% far-red light at 735nm (25nm band-width at half-peak height). A third LED (660/blue) array supplied 98% red light at 660nm, 1% blue light between 350-550nm, and 1% far-red light between 700-800nm. Control plants were grown under broad spectrum metal halide lamps. Plants were gron at a mean photon flux (300-800nm) of 330 micromol m-2 s-1 under a 12 h day-night photoperiod. Significant anatomical changes in stem and leaf morphologies were observed in plants grown under the LED arrays compared to plants grown under the broad-spectrum MH lamp. Cross-sectional areas of pepper stems, thickness of secondary xylem, numbers of intraxylary phloem bundles in the periphery of stem pith tissues, leaf thickness, numbers of choloplasts per palisade mesophyll cell, and thickness of palisade and spongy mesophyll tissues were greatest in peppers grown under MH lamps, intermediate in plants grown under the 660/blue LED array, and lowest in peppers grown under the 660 or 660/735 LED arrays. Most anatomical features of pepper stems and leaves were similar among plants grown under 660 or 660/735 LED arrays. The effects of spectral quality on anatomical changes in stem and leaf tissues of peppers generally correlate to the amount of blue light present in the primary light source.

  9. Evidence for dark repair of far ultraviolet light damage in the blue-green alga, Gloeocapsa alpicola

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, E.; Lambert, J.; O'Brien, P.; Houghton, J.A.

    1979-01-01

    The inactivating effect of far UV light on the unicellular blue-green alga Gloeocapsa alpicola could be totally reversed by exposure to blue light immediately after irradiation. However, if the irradiated cells were held in the dark before exposure to blue light, reversal became progressively less efficient, and almost disappeared after 60-80 h holding. Caffeine and acriflavine inhibited loss of photoreversibility, suggesting an involvement of excision functions. Chloramphenicol and rifampicin slightly increased the rate of loss of photoreversibility, indicating that inducible functions play only a minor role. Split UV dose experiments indicated that light-dependent repair remained operational during dark liquid holding. These results provide preliminary evidence for dark repair in G. alpicola. (author)

  10. Photoluminescence studies of organic phosphor coated diffusing surface using blue inorganic light-emitting diode as excitation source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Gyanendra; Mehta, Dalip Singh

    2013-01-01

    We report the studies on photoluminescence (PL) of organic phosphor coated on a diffusing surface using a blue inorganic light-emitting diode (LED) array as an excitation source. The organic phosphor composite coated diffuser was used to scatter the directional blue light from the LED array. Some of the blue light is absorbed by the organic phosphor composite and the phosphor molecules are excited and re-emit light at longer wavelengths due to the PL process. The output light consists of scattered blue light plus phosphor generated broadband yellow light, thus making white light. The diffuser was made up of a plastic substrate coated with an organic composite of small molecule fluorescent material zinc(II)bis(8-hydroxyquinoline) (Znq 2 ) doped with different percentages of electro-phosphorescent metal complex iridium(III)bis(2-methyldibenzo-[f, h] quinoxaline) (acetylacetonate) ([Ir(MDQ) 2 (acac)]). By means of changing the concentration and the thickness of the phosphor composite material the colour coordinates of white light were achieved. The CIE coordinates and correlated colour temperature were calculated for various thicknesses and phosphor composite concentrations and the results are reported. (paper)

  11. Repeated exposures to blue light-activated eosin Y enhance inactivation of E. faecalis biofilms, in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinic, Karlo; Manoil, Daniel; Filieri, Anna; Wataha, John C; Schrenzel, Jacques; Lange, Norbert; Bouillaguet, Serge

    2015-09-01

    In dentistry, antibacterial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) has shown promising results for inactivating bacterial biofilms causing carious, endodontic and periodontal diseases. In the current study, we assessed the ability of eosin Y exposed to 3 irradiation protocols at inactivating Enterococcus faecalis biofilms, in vitro. E. faecalis biofilms formed on hydroxyapatite disks were incubated with eosin Y (10-80μM), then activated with blue light using different irradiation protocols. Biofilms exposed to continuous exposure were incubated for 40min before being light-activated for 960 s. For the intermittent exposure, biofilms were exposed 4 times to the light/photosensitizer combination (960 s total) without renewing the photosensitizer. For repeated a-PDT, the same light dose was delivered in a series of 4 irradiation periods separated by dark periods; fresh photosensitizer was added between each light irradiation. After treatment, bacteria were immediately labeled with LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability kit and viability was assessed by flow cytometry (FCM). Results were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison intervals (α=0.05). The viability of E. faecalis biofilms exposed to 10μM eosin Y, was significantly reduced compared to controls (light only-eosin Y only). After a second exposure to blue light-activated eosin Y, viability significantly decreased from 58% to 12% whereas 6.5% of the bacterial biofilm remained live after a third exposure (p<0.05). Only 3.5% of the bacterial population survived after the fourth exposure. The results of this study indicate that blue light-activated eosin Y can photoinactivate E. faecalis biofilms grown on hydroxyapatite disks. Also, repeated exposures to blue light-activated eosin Y were shown to significantly improve efficacy. Further studies seem warranted to optimize the antibacterial activity of blue light-activated eosin Y on major oral pathogens. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All

  12. Morning sleep inertia in alertness and performance: effect of cognitive domain and white light conditions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nayantara Santhi

    Full Text Available The transition from sleep to wakefulness entails a temporary period of reduced alertness and impaired performance known as sleep inertia. The extent to which its severity varies with task and cognitive processes remains unclear. We examined sleep inertia in alertness, attention, working memory and cognitive throughput with the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS, the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT, n-back and add tasks, respectively. The tasks were administered 2 hours before bedtime and at regular intervals for four hours, starting immediately after awakening in the morning, in eleven participants, in a four-way cross-over laboratory design. We also investigated whether exposure to Blue-Enhanced or Bright Blue-Enhanced white light would reduce sleep inertia. Alertness and all cognitive processes were impaired immediately upon awakening (p<0.01. However, alertness and sustained attention were more affected than cognitive throughput and working memory. Moreover, speed was more affected than accuracy of responses. The light conditions had no differential effect on performance except in the 3-back task (p<0.01, where response times (RT at the end of four hours in the two Blue-Enhanced white light conditions were faster (200 ms than at wake time. We conclude that the effect of sleep inertia varies with cognitive domain and that it's spectral/intensity response to light is different from that of sleepiness. That is, just increasing blue-wavelength in light may not be sufficient to reduce sleep inertia. These findings have implications for critical professions like medicine, law-enforcement etc., in which, personnel routinely wake up from night-time sleep to respond to emergency situations.

  13. From Plant Infectivity to Growth Patterns: The Role of Blue-Light Sensing in the Prokaryotic World

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aba Losi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Flavin-based photoreceptor proteins of the LOV (Light, Oxygen, and Voltage and BLUF (Blue Light sensing Using Flavins superfamilies are ubiquitous among the three life domains and are essential blue-light sensing systems, not only in plants and algae, but also in prokaryotes. Here we review their biological roles in the prokaryotic world and their evolution pathways. An unexpected large number of bacterial species possess flavin-based photosensors, amongst which are important human and plant pathogens. Still, few cases are reported where the activity of blue-light sensors could be correlated to infectivity and/or has been shown to be involved in the activation of specific genes, resulting in selective growth patterns. Metagenomics and bio-informatic analysis have only recently been initiated, but signatures are beginning to emerge that allow definition of a bona fide LOV or BLUF domain, aiming at better selection criteria for novel blue-light sensors. We also present here, for the first time, the phylogenetic tree for archaeal LOV domains that have reached a statistically significant number but have not at all been investigated thus far.

  14. Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Carbene Phosphors for Highly Efficient Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhao; Wang, Liqi; Su, Sikai; Zheng, Xingyu; Zhu, Nianyong; Ho, Cheuk-Lam; Chen, Shuming; Wong, Wai-Yeung

    2017-11-22

    Five deep blue carbene-based iridium(III) phosphors were synthesized and characterized. Interestingly, one of them can be fabricated into deep blue, sky blue and white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) through changing the host materials and exciton blocking layers. These deep and sky blue devices exhibit Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.145, 0.186) and (0.152, 0.277) with external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 15.2% and 9.6%, respectively. The EQE of the deep blue device can be further improved up to 19.0% by choosing a host with suitable energy level of its lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO).

  15. Effect of Stepwise Doping on Lifetime and Efficiency of Blue and White Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Song Eun; Lee, Ho Won; Lee, Seok Jae; Koo, Ja-ryong; Lee, Dong Hyung; Yang, Hyung Jin; Kim, Hye Jeong; Yoon, Seung Soo; Kim, Young Kwan

    2015-02-01

    We investigated a light emission mechanism of blue phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PHOLEDs), using a stepwise doping profile of 2, 8, and 14 wt.% within the emitting layer (EML). We fabricated several blue PHOLEDs with phosphorescent blue emitter iridium(III) bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2]picolinate doped in N,N'-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene as a p-type host material. A blue PHOLED with the highest doping concentration as part of the EML close to an electron transporting layer showed a maximum luminous efficiency of 20.74 cd/A, and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 10.52%. This can be explained by effective electron injection through a highly doped EML side. Additionally, a white OLED based on the doping profile was fabricated with two thin red EMLs within a blue EML maintaining a thickness of 30 nm for the entire EML. Keywords: Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diodes, Stepwise Doping Structure, Charge Trapping Effect.

  16. Growth, photosynthetic pigments and production of essential oil of long-pepper under different light conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VANDIMILLI A. LIMA

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Piper hispidinervum C. DC. is popularly known as long-pepper and it owns a commercial value due to the essential oil it produces. Long-pepper oil is rich in safrole and eugenoln components that have insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal activity. It has been establish that to medicinal plants light influences not only growth but also essential oil production. The growth, the content of photosynthetic pigments and the essential oil production of Piper hispidinervum at greenhouses with different light conditions was evaluated. The treatments were characterized by cultivation of plants for 180 days under different light conditions, produced by shading greenhouses with 50% and 30% of natural incident irradiance, two colored shading nets red (RN and blue (BN both blocking 50% of the incident radiation and one treatment at full-sun (0% of shade. The results showed that the treatments of 50% shade and RN and BN were the ones which stimulated the greater growth. Blue and red light also had the best production of photosynthetic pigments. Essential oil yielded more under full sun therefore this is the most indicated condition to produce seedlings for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

  17. Growth, photosynthetic pigments and production of essential oil of long-pepper under different light conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Vandimilli A; Pacheco, Fernanda V; Avelar, Rafaella P; Alvarenga, Ivan C A; Pinto, José Eduardo B P; Alvarenga, Amauri A DE

    2017-01-01

    Piper hispidinervum C. DC. is popularly known as long-pepper and it owns a commercial value due to the essential oil it produces. Long-pepper oil is rich in safrole and eugenoln components that have insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal activity. It has been establish that to medicinal plants light influences not only growth but also essential oil production. The growth, the content of photosynthetic pigments and the essential oil production of Piper hispidinervum at greenhouses with different light conditions was evaluated. The treatments were characterized by cultivation of plants for 180 days under different light conditions, produced by shading greenhouses with 50% and 30% of natural incident irradiance, two colored shading nets red (RN) and blue (BN) both blocking 50% of the incident radiation and one treatment at full-sun (0% of shade). The results showed that the treatments of 50% shade and RN and BN were the ones which stimulated the greater growth. Blue and red light also had the best production of photosynthetic pigments. Essential oil yielded more under full sun therefore this is the most indicated condition to produce seedlings for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

  18. Influence of Pre-trimethylindium flow treatment on blue light emitting diode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Bing; Zhao, Jun Liang; Dai, Hai Tao; Wang, Shu Guo; Lin, Ray-Ming; Chu, Fu-Chuan; Huang, Chou-Hsiung; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Sun, Xiao Wei

    2014-01-01

    The effects of Pre-trimethylindium (TMIn) flow treatment prior to quantum well growth on blue light emitting diode properties were investigated. High-resolution X-ray diffraction indicated that Pre-TMIn flow treatment did not change the composition of indium in quantum wells, but influenced electrical and optical properties of blue light emitting diode. Electroluminescence exhibited redshift with increasing TMIn treatment time. Though, the forward voltage became a little larger with longer Pre-TMIn treatment time due to the slight phase separation and indium aggregation, the efficiency droop of the device was improved effectively. - Highlights: • Pre-trimethylindium treatment can lead to longer wavelength. • External quantum efficiency can be improved effectively. • Electrical properties are not decreased using Pre-trimethylindium treatment

  19. Influence of Pre-trimethylindium flow treatment on blue light emitting diode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Bing; Zhao, Jun Liang [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Dai, Hai Tao, E-mail: htdai@tju.edu.cn [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Wang, Shu Guo [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Lin, Ray-Ming, E-mail: rmlin@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Electronic Engineering and Green Technology Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan (China); Chu, Fu-Chuan; Huang, Chou-Hsiung [Graduate Institute of Electronic Engineering and Green Technology Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan (China); Yu, Sheng-Fu [Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Sun, Xiao Wei, E-mail: xwsun@sustc.edu.cn [South University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen, Guangdong (China)

    2014-01-31

    The effects of Pre-trimethylindium (TMIn) flow treatment prior to quantum well growth on blue light emitting diode properties were investigated. High-resolution X-ray diffraction indicated that Pre-TMIn flow treatment did not change the composition of indium in quantum wells, but influenced electrical and optical properties of blue light emitting diode. Electroluminescence exhibited redshift with increasing TMIn treatment time. Though, the forward voltage became a little larger with longer Pre-TMIn treatment time due to the slight phase separation and indium aggregation, the efficiency droop of the device was improved effectively. - Highlights: • Pre-trimethylindium treatment can lead to longer wavelength. • External quantum efficiency can be improved effectively. • Electrical properties are not decreased using Pre-trimethylindium treatment.

  20. Transcriptome Analysis Reveals that Red and Blue Light Regulate Growth and Phytohormone Metabolism in Norway Spruce [Picea abies (L. Karst].

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fangqun OuYang

    Full Text Available The mechanisms by which different light spectra regulate plant shoot elongation vary, and phytohormones respond differently to such spectrum-associated regulatory effects. Light supplementation can effectively control seedling growth in Norway spruce. However, knowledge of the effective spectrum for promoting growth and phytohormone metabolism in this species is lacking. In this study, 3-year-old Norway spruce clones were illuminated for 12 h after sunset under blue or red light-emitting diode (LED light for 90 d, and stem increments and other growth traits were determined. Endogenous hormone levels and transcriptome differences in the current needles were assessed to identify genes related to the red and blue light regulatory responses. The results showed that the stem increment and gibberellin (GA levels of the seedlings illuminated by red light were 8.6% and 29.0% higher, respectively, than those of the seedlings illuminated by blue light. The indoleacetic acid (IAA level of the seedlings illuminated by red light was 54.6% lower than that of the seedlings illuminated by blue light, and there were no significant differences in abscisic acid (ABA or zeatin riboside [ZR] between the two groups of seedlings. The transcriptome results revealed 58,736,166 and 60,555,192 clean reads for the blue-light- and red-light-illuminated samples, respectively. Illumina sequencing revealed 21,923 unigenes, and 2744 (approximately 93.8% out of 2926 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were found to be upregulated under blue light. The main KEGG classifications of the DEGs were metabolic pathway (29%, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (20.49% and hormone signal transduction (8.39%. With regard to hormone signal transduction, AUXIN-RESISTANT1 (AUX1, AUX/IAA genes, auxin-inducible genes, and early auxin-responsive genes [(auxin response factor (ARF and small auxin-up RNA (SAUR] were all upregulated under blue light compared with red light, which might have

  1. Low-potential electrosynthesis of novel electroactive poly(9-fluorenemethanol) and its electrochromic and blue-light-emitting properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shimin; Qin, Leiqiang; Lu, Baoyang; Xu, Jingkun

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► The electropolymerization of 9-fluorenemethanol (FMO) was reported. ► Semiconducting poly(9-fluorenemethanol) (PFMO) film was electrosynthesized. ► PFMO shows favorable solubility and good redox activity and stability. ► PFMO exhibits electrochromic nature from pale brown to dark blue. ► PFMO is highly fluorescent with its emission at 418 nm and a quantum yield of 0.52. -- Abstract: In this paper we describe the electropolymerization of 9-fluorenemethanol (FMO) in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, which leads to low-potential electrodeposition of semiconducting poly(9-fluorenemethanol) (PFMO) film under optimized conditions. The as-formed PFMO film shows favorable solubility in common organic solvents, good redox activity and stability with a conductivity of 10 −2 S cm −1 , good thermal stability, and uniform morphology. Besides, PFMO exhibits electrochromic nature with its color changing from pale brown in its reduced form to dark blue upon oxidation, but its electrochromic performances are relatively poor. Fluorescence spectral studies demonstrated that soluble PFMO is highly fluorescent with its maximum emission at 418 nm and a quantum yield of 0.52, and it can emit bright blue light under 365 nm UV light irradiation

  2. Blue and Green Light-Induced Phototropism in Arabidopsis thaliana and Lactuca sativa L. Seedlings 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinitz, Benjamin; Ren, Zhangling; Poff, Kenneth L.

    1985-01-01

    Exposure time-response curves for blue and green light-induced phototropic bending in hypocotyls of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and Lactuca sativa L. seedlings are presented. These seedlings show significant phototropic sensitivity up to 540 to 550 nanometers. Since wave-lengths longer than 560 nanometers do not induce phototropic bending, it is suggested that the response to 510 to 550 nanometers light is mediated by the specific blue light photoreceptor of phototropism. We advise care in the use of green `safelights' for studies of phototropism. PMID:16664021

  3. Arabidopsis cryptochrome 1 is a soluble protein mediating blue light-dependent regulation of plant growth and development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin ChenTao; Ahmad, M.; Cashmore, A.R.

    1996-01-01

    Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) is a flavin-type blue type receptor of Arabidopsis thaliana which mediates inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. In the work described in this report it is demonstrated that CRY1 is a soluble protein expressed in both young seedlings grown either in the dark or under light, and in different organs of adult plants. The functional role of CRY1 was further investigated using transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing CRY1. It is demonstrated that overexpression of CRY1 resulted in hypersensitivity to blue, UV-A, and green light for the inhibition of hypocotyl elongation response. Transgenic plants overexpressing CRY1 also exhibited a dwarf phenotype with reduced size in almost every organ. This was in keeping with the previous observation of reciprocal alterations found in hy4 mutant plants and is consistent with a hypothesis that CRY1 mediates a light-dependent process resulting in a general inhibitory effect on plant growth. In addition, transgenic plants overexpressing CRY1 showed increased anthocyanin accumulation in response to blue, UV-A, and green light in a fluence rate-dependent manner. This increase in anthocyanin accumulation in transgenic plants was shown to be concomitant with increased blue light-induction of CHS gene expression. It is concluded that CRY1 is a photoreceptor mediating blue light-dependent regulation of gene expression in addition to its affect on plant growth. (author)

  4. Early Birds by Light at Night: Effects of Light Color and Intensity on Daily Activity Patterns in Blue Tits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Maaike; Caro, Samuel P; Gienapp, Phillip; Spoelstra, Kamiel; Visser, Marcel E

    2017-08-01

    Artificial light at night disturbs the daily rhythms of many organisms. To what extent this disturbance depends on the intensity and spectral composition of light remain obscure. Here, we measured daily activity patterns of captive blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) exposed to similar intensities of green, red, or white light at night. Birds advanced their onset of activity in the morning under all light colors but more under red and white light than under green light. Offset of activity was slightly delayed in all light colors. The total activity over a 24-h period did not change but birds moved a part of their daily activity into the night. Since the effect of red and white lights are comparable, we tested the influence of light intensity in a follow-up experiment, where we compared the activity of the birds under different intensities of green and white light only. While in the higher range of intensities, the effects of white and green light were comparable; at lower intensities, green light had a less disturbing effect as compared with white light on daily rhythms in blue tits. Our results show that the extent of this disturbance can be mitigated by modulating the spectral characteristics and intensity of outdoor lighting, which is now feasible through the use of LED lighting.

  5. Phototropin 2 is involved in blue light-induced anthocyanin accumulation in Fragaria x ananassa fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadomura-Ishikawa, Yasuko; Miyawaki, Katsuyuki; Noji, Sumihare; Takahashi, Akira

    2013-11-01

    Anthocyanins are widespread, essential secondary metabolites in higher plants during color development in certain flowers and fruits. In strawberries, anthocyanins are also key contributors to fruit antioxidant capacity and nutritional value. However, the effects of different light qualities on anthocyanin accumulation in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, cv. Sachinoka) fruits remain elusive. In the present study, we showed the most efficient increase in anthocyanin content occurred by blue light irradiation. Light sensing at the molecular level was investigated by isolation of two phototropin (FaPHOT1 and FaPHOT2), two cryptochrome (FaCRY1 and FaCRY2), and two phytochrome (FaPHYA and FaPHYB) homologs. Expression analysis revealed only FaPHOT2 transcripts markedly increased depending on fruit developmental stage, and a corresponding increase in anthocyanin content was detected. FaPHOT2 knockdown resulted in decreased anthocyanin content; however, overexpression increased anthocyanin content. These findings suggested blue light induced anthocyanin accumulation, and FaPHOT2 may play a role in sensing blue light, and mediating anthocyanin biosynthesis in strawberry fruits. This is the first report to find a relationship between visible light sensing, and color development in strawberry fruits.

  6. Action of UV-A and blue light on enzymes activity and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products in attached and detached frog retinas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapina, Victoria A.; Doutsov, Alexander E.

    1994-07-01

    The effect of the UV-A and blue light on the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products and activities of succinate dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase in the retina was examined in eye cup model of dark and light adapted frogs R. temporaria. Retinas were exposed to UV-A radiation (8 mW/cm2) and blue light (10 to 150 mW/cm2) for periods from 5 min to 1 hr. We have measured TBA-active products both in the retina homogenates and in the reaction media. Enzyme activities was measured in the retina homogenates only. The measurements revealed a significant increase in the endogenous and exogenous forms of lipid peroxidation products in the retina of dark adapted frog (1.6+/- 0.4; 1.4+/- 0.3 nmole TBA-active products per mg protein, respectively) compared to light adapted (0.85+/- 0.16; 0.32+/- 0.06 nmole TBA-active products per mg protein, respectively). In the same conditions succinate dehydrogenase activity was decline more than 50% but superoxide dismutase activity didn't decrease. Disorganized inner and outer segments were observed after 40 min exposures. No light microscopic changes were detected after 5 min exposures. Light damage was significantly higher in the retina of dark adapted frog. The results indicate that the retina from eye cup of dark adapted frog is more susceptible to UV-A and blue light damages.

  7. Overexpression of sweet sorghum cryptochrome 1a confers hypersensitivity to blue light, abscisic acid and salinity in Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Tingting; Meng, Lingyang; Ma, Yue; Liu, Qing; Zhang, Yunyun; Yang, Zhenming; Yang, Deguang; Bian, Mingdi

    2018-02-01

    This work provides the bioinformatics, expression pattern and functional analyses of cryptochrome 1a from sweet sorghum (SbCRY1a), together with an exploration of the signaling mechanism mediated by SbCRY1a. Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is considered to be an ideal candidate for biofuel production due to its high efficiency of photosynthesis and the ability to maintain yield under harsh environmental conditions. Blue light receptor cryptochromes regulate multiple aspects of plant growth and development. Here, we reported the function and signal mechanism of sweet sorghum cryptochrome 1a (SbCRY1a) to explore its potential for genetic improvement of sweet sorghum varieties. SbCRY1a transcripts experienced almost 24 h diurnal cycling; however, its protein abundance showed no oscillation. Overexpression of SbCRY1a in Arabidopsis rescued the phenotype of cry1 mutant in a blue light-specific manner and regulated HY5 accumulation under blue light. SbCRY1a protein was present in both nucleus and cytoplasm. The photoexcited SbCRY1a interacted directly with a putative RING E3 ubiquitin ligase constitutive photomorphogenesis 1 (COP1) from sweet sorghum (SbCOP1) instead of SbSPA1 to suppress SbCOP1-SbHY5 interaction responding to blue light. These observations indicate that the function and signaling mechanism of cryptochromes are basically conservative between monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Moreover, SbCRY1a-overexpressed transgenic Arabidopsis showed oversensitive to abscisic acid (ABA) and salinity. The ABA-responsive gene ABI5 was up-regulated evidently in SbCRY1a transgenic lines, suggesting that SbCRY1a might regulate ABA signaling through the HY5-ABI5 regulon.

  8. Early Birds by Light at Night: Effects of Light Color and Intensity on Daily Activity Patterns in Blue Tits

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Maaike; Caro, Samuel P.; Gienapp, Phillip; Spoelstra, Kamiel; Visser, Marcel E.

    2017-01-01

    Artificial light at night disturbs the daily rhythms of many organisms. To what extent this disturbance depends on the intensity and spectral composition of light remain obscure. Here, we measured daily activity patterns of captive blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) exposed to similar intensities of

  9. Non-visual effects of light on melatonin, alertness and cognitive performance: can blue-enriched light keep us alert?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Laxhmi Chellappa

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Light exposure can cascade numerous effects on the human circadian process via the non-imaging forming system, whose spectral relevance is highest in the short-wavelength range. Here we investigated if commercially available compact fluorescent lamps with different colour temperatures can impact on alertness and cognitive performance. METHODS: Sixteen healthy young men were studied in a balanced cross-over design with light exposure of 3 different light settings (compact fluorescent lamps with light of 40 lux at 6500K and at 2500K and incandescent lamps of 40 lux at 3000K during 2 h in the evening. RESULTS: Exposure to light at 6500K induced greater melatonin suppression, together with enhanced subjective alertness, well-being and visual comfort. With respect to cognitive performance, light at 6500K led to significantly faster reaction times in tasks associated with sustained attention (Psychomotor Vigilance and GO/NOGO Task, but not in tasks associated with executive function (Paced Visual Serial Addition Task. This cognitive improvement was strongly related with attenuated salivary melatonin levels, particularly for the light condition at 6500K. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the sensitivity of the human alerting and cognitive response to polychromatic light at levels as low as 40 lux, is blue-shifted relative to the three-cone visual photopic system. Thus, the selection of commercially available compact fluorescent lights with different colour temperatures significantly impacts on circadian physiology and cognitive performance at home and in the workplace.

  10. An Exciplex Host for Deep-Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hyoungcheol; Shin, Hyun; Kim, Kwon-Hyeon; Yoo, Seung-Jun; Huh, Jin-Suk; Kim, Jang-Joo

    2017-11-01

    The use of exciplex hosts is attractive for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) and thermally activated delayed fluorescence OLEDs, which have high external quantum efficiency, low driving voltage, and low efficiency roll-off. However, exciplex hosts for deep-blue OLEDs have not yet been reported because of the difficulties in identifying suitable molecules. Here, we report a deep-blue-emitting exciplex system with an exciplex energy of 3.0 eV. It is composed of a carbazole-based hole-transporting material (mCP) and a phosphine-oxide-based electron-transporting material (BM-A10). The blue PhOLEDs exhibited maximum external quantum efficiency of 24% with CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.21) and longer lifetime than the single host devices.

  11. Proteomic analysis of blue light-induced twining response in Cuscuta australis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dongxiao; Wang, Liangjiang; Yang, Xiaopo; Zhang, Guoguang; Chen, Liang

    2010-01-01

    The parasitic plant Cuscuta australis (dodder) invades a variety of species by entwining the stem and leaves of a host and developing haustoria. The twining response prior to haustoria formation is regarded as the first sign for dodders to parasitize host plants, and thus has been the focus of studies on the host-parasite interaction. However, the molecular mechanism is still poorly understood. In the present work, we have investigated the different effects of blue and white light on the twining response, and identified a set of proteins that were differentially expressed in dodder seedlings using a proteomic approach. Approximately 1,800 protein spots were detected on each 2-D gel, and 47 spots with increased or decreased protein levels were selected and analyzed with MALDI-TOF-MS. Peptide mass fingerprints (PMFs) obtained for these spots were used for protein identification through cross-species database searches. The results suggest that the blue light-induced twining response in dodder seedlings may be mediated by proteins involved in light signal transduction, cell wall degradation, cell structure, and metabolism.

  12. Optimization of sensitometric properties of blue and green light sensitive dental radiographic films employing an automatic processor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suchetha N Malleshi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Accurate film processing is of paramount importance in acquiring a good diagnostic radiograph. Radiographic films show variations in densities and contrast, with changes in processing conditions, and also film type, all of which are interdependent. Therefore, this research was conducted to recognize the effect of time and temperature variations of automatic processor on the sensitometric properties of blue and green light sensitive screen films. The study also aimed to note the effect on sensitometric properties when mismatch occurred when using between the screen and film belonging to different manufacturers. Materials and Methods: Sixty green light sensitive and 60 blue light sensitive spectrally matched screen film combinations were used in the study. However, the films and the intensifying screens employed belonged to different manufacturers. These films were exposed to five different exposure times and subsequently processed in an automatic processor, using two different protocols. Initially, at constant processing time of 2.5 min, five different processing temperatures were employed. Later, maintaining constant processing temperature of 35°C and five different processing times were engaged. Density, contrast and speed were calculated, using H and D curve. Results: Results revealed increasing density, contrast and speed values with increasing processing times and temperatures of both green and blue sensitive films. Conclusion: This investigation clearly establishes the possibility of obtaining optimal sensitometric properties, despite using intensifying screens and films of different manufacturers, if spectral match is ensured.

  13. Blue emitting KSCN:xCe phosphor for solid state lighting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chikte, Devayani, E-mail: devi.awade@gmail.com [G.N. Khalsa College, Matunga, Mumbai 400019 (India); Omanwar, S.K. [Department of Physics, S.G.B. Amravati University, Amravati (India); Moharil, S.V. [Department of Physics, R.T.M. Nagpur University, Nagpur 440010 (India)

    2014-01-15

    The intense blue emitting phosphor KSCN:xCe (x=0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04) is synthesized by a simple, time saving, economical method of re-crystallization through aqueous solution at 353 K. Photoluminescence measurements showed that the said phosphor exhibits emission with good intensity peaking at 450 nm corresponding to d→f transitions of Ce{sup 3+} ion. The excitation spectra monitored at 450 nm shows small peak at 282 nm and broad intense excitation band peaking at 350 nm. The latter lies in near ultraviolet (350–410 nm) emission of UV LED. The phosphor KSCN:0.02Ce{sup 3+} shows CIE 1931 color coordinates as (0.1484, 0.0602) whereas the commercial blue phosphor BAM:Eu{sup 2+} shows the color co-ordinates as (0.1417, 0.1072), respectively, indicating better color purity for KSCN: 0.02Ce{sup 3+} compared to the BAM:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor. The color coordinates of KSCN: 0.02Ce{sup 3+} phosphor (0.1484, 0.0602) are nearer to the color coordinate for blue color suggested by the color systems EBUPAL/SECAM, sRGB Blue as well as Adobe blue(0.15, 0.06). -- Highlights: • Novel phosphor KSCN:xCe prepared for the first time. • Method is simple, time saving, economical, easy to handle. • Intense, blue, Characteristic Ce{sup 3+} emission at 450 nm. • nUV excitation, suitable for solid state lighting.

  14. Supplemental Blue LED Lighting Array to Improve the Signal Quality in Hyperspectral Imaging of Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne-Katrin Mahlein

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Hyperspectral imaging systems used in plant science or agriculture often have suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio in the blue region (400–500 nm of the electromagnetic spectrum. Typically there are two principal reasons for this effect, the low sensitivity of the imaging sensor and the low amount of light available from the illuminating source. In plant science, the blue region contains relevant information about the physiology and the health status of a plant. We report on the improvement in sensitivity of a hyperspectral imaging system in the blue region of the spectrum by using supplemental illumination provided by an array of high brightness light emitting diodes (LEDs with an emission peak at 470 nm.

  15. Initial growth of Costus longebracteolatus and Costus spiralis ‘French Kiss’ under different light conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Bachin Mazzini-Guedes

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The Brazilian native Costus longebracteolatus and Costus spiralis ‘French Kiss’, in the family Costaceae, have been used as both cut flowers and cut foliage. It is known that Costus species grow better under partial shade, but studies on the influence of shading or light on plant growth, development, and flower production are still incipient. As this kind of information is essential on planning of planting, production, and agribusiness activities, the objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of different colored shade nets and light conditions on the initial growth of both C. longebracteolatus and C. spiralis ‘French Kiss’. Plants, obtained from cuttings of pseudostems, were cultivated under six light conditions, which comprised six treatments, along 270 days: red net with 50% shading, blue net with 50% shading, black net with 70% shading, black net with 50% shading, black net with 30% shading, and full sun. The initial growth of C. longebracteolatus (up to 270 days is more successful under the blue net with 50% shading, which promoted highest values of pseudostem length and dry matter of aerial part. For C. spiralis ‘French Kiss’ plants, both the red and blue nets with 50% shading implied best results and differed for the other treatments with greater pseudostem length. Plant exposure to full sun inhibited growth and development, and favored early leaf necrosis.

  16. Blue light induced reactive oxygen species from flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide on lethality of HeLa cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ming-Yeh; Chang, Chih-Jui; Chen, Liang-Yü

    2017-08-01

    Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a safe and non-invasive treatment for cancers and microbial infections. Various photosensitizers and light sources have been developed for clinical cancer therapies. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are the cofactor of enzymes and are used as photosensitizers in this study. Targeting hypoxia and light-triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) are experimental strategies for poisoning tumor cells in vitro. HeLa cells are committed to apoptosis when treated with FMN or FAD and exposed to visible blue light (the maximum emitted wavelength of blue light is 462nm). Under blue light irradiation at 3.744J/cm 2 (=0.52mW/cm 2 irradiated for 2h), the minimal lethal dose is 3.125μM and the median lethal doses (LD 50 ) for FMN and FAD are 6.5μM and 7.2μM, respectively. Individual exposure to visible blue light irradiation or riboflavin photosensitizers does not produce cytotoxicity and no side effects are observed in this study. The western blotting results also show that an intrinsic apoptosis pathway is activated by the ROS during photolysis of riboflavin analogues. Blue light triggers the cytotoxicity of riboflavins on HeLa cells in vitro. Based on these results, this is a feasible and efficient of PDT with an intrinsic photosensitizer for cancer research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Highly efficient greenish-blue platinum-based phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes on a high triplet energy platform

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Y. L., E-mail: yilu.chang@mail.utoronto.ca; Gong, S., E-mail: sgong@chem.utoronto.ca; White, R.; Lu, Z. H., E-mail: zhenghong.lu@utoronto.ca [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 184 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E4 (Canada); Wang, X.; Wang, S., E-mail: wangs@chem.queensu.ca [Department of Chemistry, Queen' s University, 90 Bader Lane, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6 (Canada); Yang, C. [Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

    2014-04-28

    We have demonstrated high-efficiency greenish-blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) based on a dimesitylboryl-functionalized C^N chelate Pt(II) phosphor, Pt(m-Bptrz)(t-Bu-pytrz-Me). Using a high triplet energy platform and optimized double emissive zone device architecture results in greenish-blue PHOLEDs that exhibit an external quantum efficiency of 24.0% and a power efficiency of 55.8 lm/W. This record high performance is comparable with that of the state-of-the-art Ir-based sky-blue organic light-emitting diodes.

  18. Red Light Combined with Blue Light Irradiation Regulates Proliferation and Apoptosis in Skin Keratinocytes in Combination with Low Concentrations of Curcumin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tianhui Niu

    Full Text Available Curcumin is a widely known natural phytochemical from plant Curcuma longa. In recent years, curcumin has received increasing attention because of its capability to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation as well as its anti-inflammatory properties in different cancer cells. However, the therapeutic benefits of curcumin are severely hampered due to its particularly low absorption via trans-dermal or oral bioavailability. Phototherapy with visible light is gaining more and more support in dermatological therapy. Red light is part of the visible light spectrum, which is able to deeply penetrate the skin to about 6 mm, and directly affect the fibroblast of the skin dermis. Blue light is UV-free irradiation which is fit for treating chronic inflammation diseases. In this study, we show that curcumin at low concentrations (1.25-3.12 μM has a strong anti-proliferative effect on TNF-α-induced psoriasis-like inflammation when applied in combination with light-emitting-diode devices. The treatment was especially effective when LED blue light at 405 nm was combined with red light at 630 or 660 nm, which markedly amplified the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects of curcumin. The experimental results demonstrated that this treatment reduced the viability of human skin keratinocytes, decreased cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, inhibited NF-κB activity and activated caspase-8 and caspase-9 while preserving the cell membrane integrity. Moreover, the combined treatment also down-regulated the phosphorylation level of Akt and ERK. Taken together, our results indicated that the combination of curcumin with LED blue light united red light irradiation can attain a higher efficiency of regulating proliferation and apoptosis in skin keratinocytes.

  19. Red Light Combined with Blue Light Irradiation Regulates Proliferation and Apoptosis in Skin Keratinocytes in Combination with Low Concentrations of Curcumin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Qing; Ren, Qu; Wei, Lizhao

    2015-01-01

    Curcumin is a widely known natural phytochemical from plant Curcuma longa. In recent years, curcumin has received increasing attention because of its capability to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation as well as its anti-inflammatory properties in different cancer cells. However, the therapeutic benefits of curcumin are severely hampered due to its particularly low absorption via trans-dermal or oral bioavailability. Phototherapy with visible light is gaining more and more support in dermatological therapy. Red light is part of the visible light spectrum, which is able to deeply penetrate the skin to about 6 mm, and directly affect the fibroblast of the skin dermis. Blue light is UV-free irradiation which is fit for treating chronic inflammation diseases. In this study, we show that curcumin at low concentrations (1.25–3.12 μM) has a strong anti-proliferative effect on TNF-α-induced psoriasis-like inflammation when applied in combination with light-emitting-diode devices. The treatment was especially effective when LED blue light at 405 nm was combined with red light at 630 or 660 nm, which markedly amplified the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects of curcumin. The experimental results demonstrated that this treatment reduced the viability of human skin keratinocytes, decreased cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, inhibited NF-κB activity and activated caspase-8 and caspase-9 while preserving the cell membrane integrity. Moreover, the combined treatment also down-regulated the phosphorylation level of Akt and ERK. Taken together, our results indicated that the combination of curcumin with LED blue light united red light irradiation can attain a higher efficiency of regulating proliferation and apoptosis in skin keratinocytes. PMID:26382065

  20. Highly efficient deep-blue organic light emitting diode with a carbazole based fluorescent emitter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahoo, Snehasis; Dubey, Deepak Kumar; Singh, Meenu; Joseph, Vellaichamy; Thomas, K. R. Justin; Jou, Jwo-Huei

    2018-04-01

    High efficiency deep-blue emission is essential to realize energy-saving, high-quality display and lighting applications. We demonstrate here a deep-blue organic light emitting diode using a novel carbazole based fluorescent emitter 7-[4-(diphenylamino)phenyl]-9-(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-carbazole-2-carbonitrile (JV234). The solution processed resultant device shows a maximum luminance above 1,750 cd m-2 and CIE coordinates (0.15,0.06) with a 1.3 lm W-1 power efficiency, 2.0 cd A-1 current efficiency, and 4.1% external quantum efficiency at 100 cd m-2. The resulting deep-blue emission enables a greater than 100% color saturation. The high efficiency may be attributed to the effective host-to-guest energy transfer, suitable device architecture facilitating balanced carrier injection and low doping concentration preventing efficiency roll-off caused by concentration quenching.

  1. Improved power efficiency of blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diode with intermixed host structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yue, Shouzhen; Zhang, Shiming; Zhang, Zhensong; Wu, Yukun; Wang, Peng; Guo, Runda; Chen, Yu; Qu, Dalong; Wu, Qingyang; Zhao, Yi, E-mail: yizhao@jlu.edu.cn; Liu, Shiyong

    2013-11-15

    High power efficiency (PE) p-bis(p-N,N-diphenyl-aminostyryl)benzene (DSA-ph) based fluorescent blue organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is demonstrated by utilizing intermixed host (IH) structure. The PE outperforms those devices based on single host (SH), mixed host (MH), and double emitting layers (DELs). By further optimizing the intermixed layer, peak PE of the IH device is increased up to 8.7 lm/W (1.7 times higher than conventional SH device), which is the highest value among the DSA-ph based blue device reported so far. -- Highlights: • DSA-ph based blue fluorescent OLEDs are fabricated. • The intermixed host structure is first introduced into the blue devices. • Blue device with the highest power efficiency based on DSA-ph is obtained.

  2. Ultraviolet radiation and blue-light emissions from spotlights incorporating tungsten halogen lamps

    CERN Document Server

    MacKinlay, Alistair F; Whillock, M J

    1989-01-01

    This report summarises measurements of the ultraviolet radiation and blue-light emissions from eleven 'desk-top' tungsten halogen (quartz) lamps and one 'floor-standing' tungsten halogen (quartz) lamp available in the UK. Values of occupational hazard weighted and erythemally weighted ultraviolet radiation irradiance and measurements and relevant calculations of blue-light hazards are presented. It is concluded that the safety design of some desk-top tungsten halogen lamps is inadequate to prevent unnecessary exposure of the skin to potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation. It is recommended that all tungsten halogen lamps should have sufficient filtration to reduce their ultraviolet emissions to an acceptably low level. As long as the comfort aversion responses of the eye are respected, direct viewing of the lamps examined should not constitute a retinal hazard.

  3. Ultraviolet radiation and blue-light emissions from spotlights incorporating tungsten halogen lamps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKinlay, A.F.; Whillock, M.J.; Meulemans, C.C.E.

    1989-07-01

    This report summarises measurements of the ultraviolet radiation and blue-light emissions from eleven 'desk-top' tungsten halogen (quartz) lamps and one 'floor-standing' tungsten halogen (quartz) lamp available in the UK. Values of occupational hazard weighted and erythemally weighted ultraviolet radiation irradiance and measurements and relevant calculations of blue-light hazards are presented. It is concluded that the safety design of some desk-top tungsten halogen lamps is inadequate to prevent unnecessary exposure of the skin to potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation. It is recommended that all tungsten halogen lamps should have sufficient filtration to reduce their ultraviolet emissions to an acceptably low level. As long as the comfort aversion responses of the eye are respected, direct viewing of the lamps examined should not constitute a retinal hazard. (author)

  4. Background story of the invention of efficient blue InGaN light emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Shuji [University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

    2015-06-15

    Shuji Nakamura discovered p-type doping in Gallium Nitride (GaN) and developed blue, green, and white InGaN based light emitting diodes (LEDs) and blue laser diodes (LDs). His inventions made possible energy efficient, solid-state lighting systems and enabled the next generation of optical storage. Together with Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano, he is one of the three recipients of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics. In his Nobel lecture, Shuji Nakamura gives an overview of this research and the story of his inventions. (copyright 2015 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  5. Exposure to blue wavelength light modulates anterior cingulate cortex activation in response to 'uncertain' versus 'certain' anticipation of positive stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkozei, Anna; Smith, Ryan; Killgore, William D S

    2016-03-11

    Blue wavelength light has been used as an effective treatment for some types of mood disorders and circadian rhythm related sleep problems. We hypothesized that acute exposure to blue wavelength light would directly affect the functioning of neurocircuity implicated in emotion regulation (i.e., ventromedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex [ACC]) during 'certain' and 'uncertain' anticipation of negative and positive stimuli. Thirty-five healthy adults were randomized to receive a thirty-minute exposure to either blue (active) or amber (placebo) light, immediately followed by an emotional anticipation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In contrast to placebo, participants in the blue light group showed significantly reduced activation within the rostral ACC during 'uncertain' anticipation (i.e., uncertainty regarding whether a positive or negative stimulus would be shown) in comparison to 'certain' anticipation of a positive stimulus. These findings may be explicable in terms of interactions between blue light exposure and the influence of specific neuromodulators on ACC-mediated decision-making mechanisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of blue light on flavonoid accumulation linked to the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395 in longan embryogenic calli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hansheng; Lin, Yuling; Chen, Xiaohui; Bai, Yu; Wang, Congqiao; Xu, Xiaoping; Wang, Yun; Lai, Zhongxiong

    2018-01-01

    While flavonoid metabolism's regulation under light conditions by structural genes and transcription factors is understood, the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this pathway have been rarely reported. In this paper, the accurate control of light was firstly enabled through the specially designed plant growth chamber which ensures consistency and accuracy of the cultivation of longan ECs and the repeatability of the experiments. Then, longan ECs were cultured in this chamber for 25 days. The change of growth rate of longan ECs was compared under different light qualities (dark, blue, green, white, green), intensities (16, 32, 64, 128, 256 μmol ·m-2 ·s-1), and durations (8 h, 12 h, 16 h, 20h, 24h). Results indicated that longan ECs had a high growth rate in the condition of blue or green light, at intensity ranged from 16 μmol·m-2·s-1 to 64 μmol·m-2·s-1, and duration from 8 h to 16 h. In addition, the contents of total flavonoids, rutin, and epicatechin were determined. Results indicated that flavonoid contents of longan ECs reached the highest value under blue light, at 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 and 12h/d. Blue light promoted the accumulation of epicatechin, but inhibited the synthesis of rutin. Finally, the expressions of flavonoid pathway genes, miRNAs and target genes were analyzed by qPCR. These results indicated that miR393 and its target gene DlTIR1-3, miR394 and its target gene DlAlMT12, and miR395 and its target gene DlAPS1 had a negative regulating relationship under blue light in longan ECs. Furthermore, miR393, miR394, and miR395 acted on target genes, which negatively regulated flavonoid key genes DlFLS and positively regulated key genes DlCHS, DlCHI, DlF3'H, DlDFR, DlLAR, and finally affected the accumulation of flavonoids. The treatment of longan ECs under the blue light at the intensity of 32 μmol·m-2·s-1 for 12 h/d inhibited the expression of miR393, miR394 and miR395, which promoted the expression of target genes and the accumulation of

  7. Deep-blue supercontinuum light sources based on tapered photonic crystal bres

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Simon Toft

    applications in areas such as spectroscopy and microscopy. In this work, we exploit the tremendous design freedom in air hole structured photonic crystal fibres to shape the supercontinuum spectrum. Specifically, the supercontinuum dynamics can be controlled by clever engineering of fibres with longitudinally...... varying air hole structures. Here we demonstrate supercontinuum generation into the commercially attractive deep-blue spectral region below 400 nm from an Yb laser in such fibres. In particular, we introduce the concept of a group acceleration mismatch that allows us to enhance the amount of light...... in the deep-blue by optimising the fibre structure. To this end, we fabricate the first single-mode high air-fill fraction photonic crystal fibre for blue-extended supercontinuum sources. The mechanisms of supercontinuum broadening are highly sensitive to noise, and the inherent shot-to-shot variations...

  8. Optimization of sensitometric properties of blue and green light sensitive dental radiographic films employing an automatic processor

    OpenAIRE

    Suchetha N Malleshi; Karthikeya Patil; Mahima V Guledgud

    2011-01-01

    Background: Accurate film processing is of paramount importance in acquiring a good diagnostic radiograph. Radiographic films show variations in densities and contrast, with changes in processing conditions, and also film type, all of which are interdependent. Therefore, this research was conducted to recognize the effect of time and temperature variations of automatic processor on the sensitometric properties of blue and green light sensitive screen films. The study also aimed to note the ef...

  9. Effects of blue light-filtering intraocular lenses on the macula, contrast sensitivity, and color vision after a long-term follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kara-Junior, Newton; Espindola, Rodrigo F; Gomes, Beatriz A F; Ventura, Bruna; Smadja, David; Santhiago, Marcony R

    2011-12-01

    To evaluate the possible side effects and potential protection 5 years after implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL) with a blue-light filter (yellow tinted). Ophthalmology Department, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Prospective randomized clinical study. Patients with bilateral visually significant cataract randomly received an ultraviolet (UV) and blue light-filtering IOL (Acrysof Natural SN60AT) in 1 eye and an acrylic UV light-filtering only IOL (Acrysof SA60AT) in the fellow eye. The primary outcome measures were contrast sensitivity, color vision, and macular findings 5 years after surgery. The study enrolled 60 eyes of 30 patients. There were no significant clinical or optical coherence tomography findings in terms of age-related macular degeneration in any eye. There were no statistically significant differences in central macular thickness between the 2 IOL groups (P=.712). There were also no significant between-group differences under photopic or scotopic conditions at any spatial frequency studied. No statistically significant differences in the color discrimination test were found between the 2 IOL groups (P=.674). After 5 years, there were no significant differences in color perception, scotopic contrast sensitivity, or photopic contrast sensitivity between the blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) IOL and the IOL with a UV-light filter only (untinted). The potential advantage of the tinted IOL in providing protection to macular cells remains unclear. Copyright © 2011 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Sonophotocatalytic degradation of trypan blue and vesuvine dyes in the presence of blue light active photocatalyst of Ag3PO4/Bi2S3-HKUST-1-MOF: Central composite optimization and synergistic effect study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosleh, S; Rahimi, M R; Ghaedi, M; Dashtian, K

    2016-09-01

    An efficient simultaneous sonophotocatalytic degradation of trypan blue (TB) and vesuvine (VS) using Ag3PO4/Bi2S3-HKUST-1-MOF as a novel visible light active photocatalyst was carried out successfully in a continuous flow-loop reactor equipped to blue LED light. Ag3PO4/Bi2S3-HKUST-1-MOF with activation ability under blue light illumination was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), photoluminescence (PL) and diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The effect of operational parameters such as the initial TB and VS concentration (5-45mg/L), flow rate (30-110mL/min), irradiation and sonication time (10-30min), pH (3-11) and photocatalyst dosage (0.15-0.35g/L) has been investigated and optimized using central composite design (CCD) combined with desirability function (DF). Maximum sonophotodegradation percentage (98.44% and 99.36% for TB and VS, respectively) was found at optimum condition set as: 25mg/L of each dye, 70mL/min of solution flow rate, 25min of irradiation and sonication time, pH 6 and 0.25g/L of photocatalyst dosage. At optimum conditions, synergistic index value was obtained 2.53 that indicated the hybrid systems including ultrasound irradiation and photocatalysis have higher efficiency compared with sum of the individual processes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Accumulation of Phenylpropanoids by White, Blue, and Red Light Irradiation and Their Organ-Specific Distribution in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yeon Jeong; Kim, Yeon Bok; Li, Xiaohua; Choi, Su Ryun; Park, Suhyoung; Park, Jong Seok; Lim, Yong Pyo; Park, Sang Un

    2015-08-05

    This study investigated optimum light conditions for enhancing phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and the distribution of phenylpropanoids in organs of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis). Blue light caused a high accumulation of most phenolic compounds, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, at 12 days after irradiation (DAI). This increase was coincident with a noticeable increase in expression levels of BrF3H, BrF3'H, BrFLS, and BrDFR. Red light led to the highest ferulic acid content at 12 DAI and to elevated expression of the corresponding genes during the early stages of irradiation. White light induced the highest accumulation of kaempferol and increased expression of BrPAL and BrDFR at 9 DAI. The phenylpropanoid content analysis in different organs revealed organ-specific accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol. These results demonstrate that blue light is effective at increasing phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in Chinese cabbage, with leaves and flowers representing the most suitable organs for the production of specific phenylpropanoids.

  12. Antimicrobial blue light therapy for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in a mouse burn model: implications for prophylaxis and treatment of combat-related wound infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yunsong; Zhu, Yingbo; Gupta, Asheesh; Huang, Yingying; Murray, Clinton K; Vrahas, Mark S; Sherwood, Margaret E; Baer, David G; Hamblin, Michael R; Dai, Tianhong

    2014-06-15

    In this study, we investigated the utility of antimicrobial blue light therapy for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in a mouse burn model. A bioluminescent clinical isolate of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii was obtained. The susceptibility of A. baumannii to blue light (415 nm)-inactivation was compared in vitro to that of human keratinocytes. Repeated cycles of sublethal inactivation of bacterial by blue light were performed to investigate the potential resistance development of A. baumannii to blue light. A mouse model of third degree burn infected with A. baumannii was developed. A single exposure of blue light was initiated 30 minutes after bacterial inoculation to inactivate A. baumannii in mouse burns. It was found that the multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strain was significantly more susceptible than keratinocytes to blue light inactivation. Transmission electron microscopy revealed blue light-induced ultrastructural damage in A. baumannii cells. Fluorescence spectroscopy suggested that endogenous porphyrins exist in A. baumannii cells. Blue light at an exposure of 55.8 J/cm(2) significantly reduced the bacterial burden in mouse burns. No resistance development to blue light inactivation was observed in A. baumannii after 10 cycles of sublethal inactivation of bacteria. No significant DNA damage was detected in mouse skin by means of a skin TUNEL assay after a blue light exposure of 195 J/cm(2). © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Homogeneous photosensitized degradation of pharmaceuticals by using red light LED as light source and methylene blue as photosensitizer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ye, Y.; Bruning, H.; Yntema, D.; Mayer, M.; Rijnaarts, H.

    2017-01-01

    Research on employing advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for pharmaceuticals removal is gaining interests. However, detrimental effects of background water constituents in complex water matrices are limiting their implementation. In this study, we report red light induced methylene blue

  14. Distinct UV-B and UV-A/blue light signal transduction pathways induce chalcone synthase gene expression in Arabidopsis cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christie, J.M.; Jenkins, G.I.

    1996-01-01

    UV and blue light control the expression of flavonoid biosynthesis genes in a range of higher plants. To investigate the signal transduction processes involved in the induction of chalcone synthase (CHS) gene expression by UV-B and UV-A/blue light, we examined the, effects of specific agonists and inhibitors of known signaling components in mammalian systems in a photomixotrophic Arabidopsis cell suspension culture. CHS expression is induced specifically by these wavelengths in the cell culture, in a manner similar to that in mature Arabidopsis leaf tissue. Both the UV-B and UV-A/blue phototransduction processes involve calcium, although the elevation of cytosolic calcium is insufficient on its own to stimulate CHS expression. The UV-A/blue light induction of CHS expression does not appear to involve calmodulin, whereas the UV-B response does; this difference indicates that the signal transduction pathways are, at least in part, distinct. We provide evidence that both pathways involve reversible protein phosphorylation and require protein synthesis. The UV-B and UV-A/blue light signaling pathways are therefore different from the phytochrome signal transduction pathway regulating CHS expression in other species

  15. PtAUREO1a and PtAUREO1b knockout mutants of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum are blocked in photoacclimation to blue light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Marcus; Serif, Manuel; Jakob, Torsten; Kroth, Peter G; Wilhelm, Christian

    2017-10-01

    Aureochromes are blue light receptors specifically found in photosynthetic Stramenopiles (algae). Four different Aureochromes have been identified in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PtAUREO 1a, 1b, 1c, and 2). Since blue light is necessary for high light acclimation in diatoms, it has been hypothesized that Aureochromes might play an important role in the light acclimation capacity of diatoms. This hypothesis was supported by an RNAi knockdown line of PtAUREO1a, which showed a phenotype different from wild type cells when grown in either blue or red light. Here, we show for the first time the phenotype and the photoacclimation reaction of TALEN-mediated knockout mutants of PtAUREO1a and PtAUREO1b, clearly proving the necessity of Aureochromes for light acclimation under blue light. However, both mutants do also show specific differences in their respective phenotypes. Hence, PtAUREO1a and 1b are not functionally redundant in photoacclimation to blue light, and their specific contribution needs to be clarified further. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Dynamic Blue Light-Inducible T7 RNA Polymerases (Opto-T7RNAPs) for Precise Spatiotemporal Gene Expression Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumschlager, Armin; Aoki, Stephanie K; Khammash, Mustafa

    2017-11-17

    Light has emerged as a control input for biological systems due to its precise spatiotemporal resolution. The limited toolset for light control in bacteria motivated us to develop a light-inducible transcription system that is independent from cellular regulation through the use of an orthogonal RNA polymerase. Here, we present our engineered blue light-responsive T7 RNA polymerases (Opto-T7RNAPs) that show properties such as low leakiness of gene expression in the dark state, high expression strength when induced with blue light, and an inducible range of more than 300-fold. Following optimization of the system to reduce expression variability, we created a variant that returns to the inactive dark state within minutes once the blue light is turned off. This allows for precise dynamic control of gene expression, which is a key aspect for most applications using optogenetic regulation. The regulators, which only require blue light from ordinary light-emitting diodes for induction, were developed and tested in the bacterium Escherichia coli, which is a crucial cell factory for biotechnology due to its fast and inexpensive cultivation and well understood physiology and genetics. Opto-T7RNAP, with minor alterations, should be extendable to other bacterial species as well as eukaryotes such as mammalian cells and yeast in which the T7 RNA polymerase and the light-inducible Vivid regulator have been shown to be functional. We anticipate that our approach will expand the applicability of using light as an inducer for gene expression independent from cellular regulation and allow for a more reliable dynamic control of synthetic and natural gene networks.

  17. Staring at the cold sun: blue light regulation is distributed within the genus Acinetobacter.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrián Golic

    Full Text Available We previously showed that the opportunistic nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is able to sense and respond to light via BlsA, a BLUF (Blue-Light-sensing Using FAD-domain photoreceptor protein. Here, we extend our previous studies showing that light regulation is not restricted to A. baumannii, but rather widespread within the genus Acinetobacter. First, we found that blue light modulates motility and biofilm formation in many species of the genus, including members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex. In many of these species blue light acts as a key factor guiding the decision between motility or sessility at 24°C, whereas in A. baumannii, light inhibits both motility and biofilm formation. We also show that light regulation of motility occurred not only at 24°C but also at 37°C in non-A. baumannii species, contrasting the situation of A. baumannii which only shows photoregulation at 24°C. Second, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi (strain ADP1 BLUF-photoreceptors can functionally replace in vivo the A. baumannii 17978 BlsA protein and that the pathways leading to biofilm formation are inversely regulated at 24°C between these two microorganisms. Finally, we found the presence of predicted genes coding BLUF-containing proteins in all Acinetobacter sequenced genomes, even though the copy number is variable among them. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a common origin for all BLUF domains present in members of this genus, and could distinguish well-differentiated clusters that group together BLUF homologs from different species, a situation particularly clear for members of the ACB complex. Despite a role played by these BLUF domain-containing proteins in the photoregulation observed in the members of the genus Acinetobacter is a likely scenario given our findings in A. baumannii and A. baylyi, further research will contribute to confirm this possibility.

  18. Staring at the Cold Sun: Blue Light Regulation Is Distributed within the Genus Acinetobacter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golic, Adrián; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Nemec, Alexandr; Viale, Alejandro M.; Actis, Luis A.; Mussi, María Alejandra

    2013-01-01

    We previously showed that the opportunistic nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii is able to sense and respond to light via BlsA, a BLUF (Blue-Light-sensing Using FAD)-domain photoreceptor protein. Here, we extend our previous studies showing that light regulation is not restricted to A. baumannii, but rather widespread within the genus Acinetobacter. First, we found that blue light modulates motility and biofilm formation in many species of the genus, including members of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex. In many of these species blue light acts as a key factor guiding the decision between motility or sessility at 24°C, whereas in A. baumannii, light inhibits both motility and biofilm formation. We also show that light regulation of motility occurred not only at 24°C but also at 37°C in non-A. baumannii species, contrasting the situation of A. baumannii which only shows photoregulation at 24°C. Second, we show that Acinetobacter baylyi (strain ADP1) BLUF-photoreceptors can functionally replace in vivo the A. baumannii 17978 BlsA protein and that the pathways leading to biofilm formation are inversely regulated at 24°C between these two microorganisms. Finally, we found the presence of predicted genes coding BLUF-containing proteins in all Acinetobacter sequenced genomes, even though the copy number is variable among them. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a common origin for all BLUF domains present in members of this genus, and could distinguish well-differentiated clusters that group together BLUF homologs from different species, a situation particularly clear for members of the ACB complex. Despite a role played by these BLUF domain-containing proteins in the photoregulation observed in the members of the genus Acinetobacter is a likely scenario given our findings in A. baumannii and A. baylyi, further research will contribute to confirm this possibility. PMID:23358859

  19. Effects of weather conditions, light conditions, and road lighting on vehicle speed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jägerbrand, Annika K; Sjöbergh, Jonas

    2016-01-01

    Light conditions are known to affect the number of vehicle accidents and fatalities but the relationship between light conditions and vehicle speed is not fully understood. This study examined whether vehicle speed on roads is higher in daylight and under road lighting than in darkness, and determined the combined effects of light conditions, posted speed limit and weather conditions on driving speed. The vehicle speed of passenger cars in different light conditions (daylight, twilight, darkness, artificial light) and different weather conditions (clear weather, rain, snow) was determined using traffic and weather data collected on an hourly basis for approximately 2 years (1 September 2012-31 May 2014) at 25 locations in Sweden (17 with road lighting and eight without). In total, the data included almost 60 million vehicle passes. The data were cleaned by removing June, July, and August, which have different traffic patterns than the rest of the year. Only data from the periods 10:00 A.M.-04:00 P.M. and 06:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. were used, to remove traffic during rush hour and at night. Multivariate adaptive regression splines was used to evaluate the overall influence of independent variables on vehicle speed and nonparametric statistical testing was applied to test for speed differences between dark-daylight, dark-twilight, and twilight-daylight, on roads with and without road lighting. The results show that vehicle speed in general depends on several independent variables. Analyses of vehicle speed and speed differences between daylight, twilight and darkness, with and without road lighting, did not reveal any differences attributable to light conditions. However, vehicle speed decreased due to rain or snow and the decrease was higher on roads without road lighting than on roads with lighting. These results suggest that the strong association between traffic accidents and darkness or low light conditions could be explained by drivers failing to adjust their

  20. Enhancement of autonomic and psychomotor arousal by exposures to blue wavelength light: importance of both absolute and relative contents of melanopic component.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuda, Emi; Ogasawara, Hiroki; Yoshida, Yutaka; Hayano, Junichiro

    2017-01-31

    Blue light containing rich melanopsin-stimulating (melanopic) component has been reported to enhance arousal level, but it is unclear whether the determinant of the effects is the absolute or relative content of melanopic component. We compared the autonomic and psychomotor arousal effects of melanopic-enriched blue light of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with those of OLED lights with lesser absolute amount of melanopic component (green light) and with greater absolute but lesser relative content (white light). Using a ceiling light consisting of 120 panels (55 × 55 mm square) of OLED modules with adjustable color and brightness, we examined the effects of blue, green, and white lights (melanopic photon flux densities, 0.23, 0.14, and 0.38 μmol/m 2 /s and its relative content ratios, 72, 17, and 14%, respectively) on heart rate variability (HRV) during exposures and on the performance of psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) after exposures in ten healthy subjects with normal color vision. For each of the three colors, five consecutive 10-min sessions of light exposures were performed in the supine position, interleaved by four 10-min intervals during which 5-min PVT was performed under usual fluorescent light in sitting position. Low-frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF, 0.15-0.40 Hz) power and LF-to-HF ratio (LF/HF) of HRV during light exposures and reaction time (RT) and minor lapse (RT >500 ms) of PVT were analyzed. Heart rate was higher and the HF power reflecting autonomic resting was lower during exposures to the blue light than the green and white lights, while LF/HF did not differ significantly. Also, the number of minor lapse and the variation of reaction time reflecting decreased vigilance were lower after exposures to the blue light than the green light. The effects of blue OLED light for maintaining autonomic and psychomotor arousal levels depend on both absolute and relative contents of melanopic component in the light.

  1. Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters for Deep Blue Organic Light Emitting Diodes: A Review of Recent Advances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thanh-Tuân Bui

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Organic light-emitting diodes offer attractive perspectives for the next generation display and lighting technologies. The potential is huge and the list of potential applications is almost endless. So far, blue emitters still suffer from noticeably inferior electroluminescence performances in terms of efficiency, lifespan, color quality, and charge injection/transport when compared to that of the other colors. Emitting materials matching the NTSC standard blue of coordinates (0.14, 0.08 are extremely rare and still constitutes the focus of numerous academic and industrial researches. In this context, we review herein the recent developments on highly emissive deep-blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters that constitute the third-generation electroluminescent materials.

  2. Evolution of quality characteristics of minimally processed asparagus during storage in different lighting conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanz, S; Olarte, C; Ayala, F; Echávarri, J F

    2009-08-01

    The effect of different types of lighting (white, green, red, and blue light) on minimally processed asparagus during storage at 4 degrees C was studied. The gas concentrations in the packages, pH, mesophilic counts, and weight loss were also determined. Lighting caused an increase in physiological activity. Asparagus stored under lighting achieved atmospheres with higher CO(2) and lower O(2) content than samples kept in the dark. This activity increase explains the greater deterioration experienced by samples stored under lighting, which clearly affected texture and especially color, accelerating the appearance of greenish hues in the tips and reddish-brown hues in the spears. Exposure to light had a negative effect on the quality parameters of the asparagus and it caused a significant reduction in shelf life. Hence, the 11 d shelf life of samples kept in the dark was reduced to only 3 d in samples kept under red and green light, and to 7 d in those kept under white and blue light. However, quality indicators such as the color of the tips and texture showed significantly better behavior under blue light than with white light, which allows us to state that it is better to use this type of light or blue-tinted packaging film for the display of minimally processed asparagus to consumers.

  3. Blue news update: BODIPY-GTP binds to the blue-light receptor YtvA while GTP does not.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias Dorn

    Full Text Available Light is an important environmental factor for almost all organisms. It is mainly used as an energy source but it is also a key factor for the regulation of multiple cellular functions. Light as the extracellular stimulus is thereby converted into an intracellular signal by photoreceptors that act as signal transducers. The blue-light receptor YtvA, a bacterial counterpart of plant phototropins, is involved in the stress response of Bacillus subtilis. The mechanism behind its activation, however, remains unknown. It was suggested based on fluorescence spectroscopic studies that YtvA function involves GTP binding and that this interaction is altered by absorption of light. We have investigated this interaction by several biophysical methods and show here using fluorescence spectroscopy, ITC titrations, and three NMR spectroscopic assays that while YtvA interacts with BODIPY-GTP as a fluorescent GTP analogue originally used for the detection of GTP binding, it does not bind GTP.

  4. Bright light in elderly subjects with nonseasonal major depressive disorder: a double blind randomised clinical trial using early morning bright blue light comparing dim red light treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Someren Eus JW

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Depression frequently occurs in the elderly. Its cause is largely unknown, but several studies point to disturbances of biological rhythmicity. In both normal aging, and depression, the functioning of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN is impaired, as evidenced by an increased prevalence of day-night rhythm perturbations, such as sleeping disorders. Moreover, the inhibitory SCN neurons on the hypothalamus-pituitary adrenocortical axis (HPA-axis have decreased activity and HPA-activity is enhanced, when compared to non-depressed elderly. Using bright light therapy (BLT the SCN can be stimulated. In addition, the beneficial effects of BLT on seasonal depression are well accepted. BLT is a potentially safe, nonexpensive and well accepted treatment option. But the current literature on BLT for depression is inconclusive. Methods/Design This study aims to show whether BLT can reduce non-seasonal major depression in elderly patients. Randomized double blind placebo controlled trial in 126 subjects of 60 years and older with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD, DSM-IV/SCID-I. Subjects are recruited through referrals of psychiatric outpatient clinics and from case finding from databases of general practitioners and old-people homes in the Amsterdam region. After inclusion subjects are randomly allocated to the active (bright blue light vs. placebo (dim red light condition using two Philips Bright Light Energy boxes type HF 3304 per subject, from which the light bulbs have been covered with bright blue- or dim red light- permitting filters. Patients will be stratified by use of antidepressants. Prior to treatment a one-week period without light treatment will be used. At three time points several endocrinological, psychophysiological, psychometrically, neuropsychological measures are performed: just before the start of light therapy, after completion of three weeks therapy period, and three weeks thereafter. Discussion If BLT

  5. Female Sprague Dawley Rats Show Impaired Spatial Memory in the 8-Arm Radial Maze under Dim Blue and Red Light

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Pirchl

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Light intensity and wavelength strongly influence mood and cognition in humans and rodent animal models. The aim of the present study was to explore if dim white (7.6–17.7 lux , blue (1.3–2.3 lux, and red light (0.8–1.4 lux affect spatial memory of male and female Sprague Dawley rats in the 8-arm radial maze. Our data show that spatial memory significantly improved within 5 daily learning sessions (each 5 trials under dim white light, which was not different between male and female rats. However, dim blue and red light significantly reduced spatial learning of female rats in the 8-arm radial maze in the last training session (session 5. In conclusion, we suggest that female Sprague Dawley rats show reduced learning under blue and red light.

  6. Nanostructured High Performance Ultraviolet and Blue Light Emitting Diodes for Solid State Lighting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arto V. Nurmikko; Jung Han

    2007-03-31

    We report on research results in this project which synergize advanced material science approaches with fundamental optical physics concepts pertaining to light-matter interaction, with the goal of solving seminal problems for the development of very high performance light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the blue and near ultraviolet for Solid State Lighting applications. Accomplishments in the duration of the contract period include (i) new means of synthesizing AlGaN and InN quantum dots by droplet heteroepitaxy, (ii) synthesis of AlGaInN nanowires as building blocks for GaN-based microcavity devices, (iii) progress towards direct epitaxial alignment of the dense arrays of nanowires, (iv) observation and measurements of stimulated emission in dense InGaN nanopost arrays, (v) design and fabrication of InGaN photonic crystal emitters, and (vi) observation and measurements of enhanced fluorescence from coupled quantum dot and plasmonic nanostructures. The body of results is presented in this report shows how a solid foundation has been laid, with several noticeable accomplishments, for innovative research, consistent with the stated milestones.

  7. Lighting considerations in controlled environments for nonphotosynthetic plant responses to blue and ultraviolet radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Caldwell, M.M.; Flint, S.D. [Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)

    1994-12-31

    This essay will consider both physical and photobiological aspects of controlled environment lighting in the spectral region beginning in the blue and taken to the normal limit of the solar spectrum in the ultraviolet. The primary emphasis is directed to questions of plant response to sunlight. Measurement and computations used in radiation dosimetry in this part of the spectrum are also briefly treated. Because of interest in the ozone depletion problem, there has been some activity in plant UV-B research and there are several recent reviews available. Some aspects of growth chamber lighting as it relates to UV-B research were covered earlier. Apart from work related to the blue/UV-A receptor, less attention has been given to UV-A responses.

  8. Comparison of light out-coupling enhancements in single-layer blue-phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes using small-molecule or polymer hosts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Yung-Ting; Liu, Shun-Wei; Yuan, Chih-Hsien; Lee, Chih-Chien; Ho, Yu-Hsuan; Wei, Pei-Kuen; Chen, Kuan-Yu; Lee, Yi-Ting; Wu, Min-Fei; Chen, Chin-Ti; Wu, Chih-I

    2013-01-01

    Single-layer blue phosphorescence organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with either small-molecule or polymer hosts are fabricated using solution process and the performances of devices with different hosts are investigated. The small-molecule device exhibits luminous efficiency of 14.7 cd/A and maximum power efficiency of 8.39 lm/W, which is the highest among blue phosphorescence OLEDs with single-layer solution process and small molecular hosts. Using the same solution process for all devices, comparison of light out-coupling enhancement, with brightness enhancement film (BEF), between small-molecule and polymer based OLEDs is realized. Due to different dipole orientation and anisotropic refractive index, polymer-based OLEDs would trap less light than small molecule-based OLEDs internally, about 37% better based simulation results. In spite of better electrical and spectroscopic characteristics, including ambipolar characteristics, higher carrier mobility, higher photoluminescence quantum yield, and larger triplet state energy, the overall light out-coupling efficiency of small molecule-based devices is worse than that of polymer-based devices without BEF. However, with BEF for light out-coupling enhancement, the improved ratio in luminous flux and luminous efficiency for small molecule based device is 1.64 and 1.57, respectively, which are significantly better than those of PVK (poly-9-vinylcarbazole) devices. In addition to the theoretical optical simulation, the experimental data also confirm the origins of differential light-outcoupling enhancement. The maximum luminous efficiency and power efficiency are enhanced from 14.7 cd/A and 8.39 lm/W to 23 cd/A and 13.2 lm/W, respectively, with laminated BEF, which are both the highest so far for single-layer solution-process blue phosphorescence OLEDs with small molecule hosts

  9. Comparison of light out-coupling enhancements in single-layer blue-phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes using small-molecule or polymer hosts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Yung-Ting [Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Taiwan (China); Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 10617, Taiwan (China); Liu, Shun-Wei [Department of Electronic Engineering, Mingchi University of Technology, New Taipei, Taiwan 24301, Taiwan (China); Yuan, Chih-Hsien; Lee, Chih-Chien [Department of Electronic Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan 10607, Taiwan (China); Ho, Yu-Hsuan; Wei, Pei-Kuen [Research Center for Applied Science Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11527, Taiwan (China); Chen, Kuan-Yu [Chilin Technology Co., LTD, Tainan City, Taiwan 71758, Taiwan (China); Lee, Yi-Ting; Wu, Min-Fei; Chen, Chin-Ti, E-mail: cchen@chem.sinica.edu.tw, E-mail: chihiwu@cc.ee.ntu.edu.tw [Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 11529, Taiwan (China); Wu, Chih-I, E-mail: cchen@chem.sinica.edu.tw, E-mail: chihiwu@cc.ee.ntu.edu.tw [Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate Institute of Photonics and Optoelectronics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 10617, Taiwan (China)

    2013-11-07

    Single-layer blue phosphorescence organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with either small-molecule or polymer hosts are fabricated using solution process and the performances of devices with different hosts are investigated. The small-molecule device exhibits luminous efficiency of 14.7 cd/A and maximum power efficiency of 8.39 lm/W, which is the highest among blue phosphorescence OLEDs with single-layer solution process and small molecular hosts. Using the same solution process for all devices, comparison of light out-coupling enhancement, with brightness enhancement film (BEF), between small-molecule and polymer based OLEDs is realized. Due to different dipole orientation and anisotropic refractive index, polymer-based OLEDs would trap less light than small molecule-based OLEDs internally, about 37% better based simulation results. In spite of better electrical and spectroscopic characteristics, including ambipolar characteristics, higher carrier mobility, higher photoluminescence quantum yield, and larger triplet state energy, the overall light out-coupling efficiency of small molecule-based devices is worse than that of polymer-based devices without BEF. However, with BEF for light out-coupling enhancement, the improved ratio in luminous flux and luminous efficiency for small molecule based device is 1.64 and 1.57, respectively, which are significantly better than those of PVK (poly-9-vinylcarbazole) devices. In addition to the theoretical optical simulation, the experimental data also confirm the origins of differential light-outcoupling enhancement. The maximum luminous efficiency and power efficiency are enhanced from 14.7 cd/A and 8.39 lm/W to 23 cd/A and 13.2 lm/W, respectively, with laminated BEF, which are both the highest so far for single-layer solution-process blue phosphorescence OLEDs with small molecule hosts.

  10. Combined Effects of Blue and Ultraviolet Lights on the Accumulation of Flavonoids in Tartary Buckwheat Sprouts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Hongbin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The effects of blue and UV-A (365 nm/UV-C (254 nm or their combinations on the levels of total flavonoids, rutin, quercetin, phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL, chalcone isomerase (CHI, rutin degrading enzymes (RDEs and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging activity in tartary buckwheat sprouts were investigated in this study. The total flavonoids content in the tartary buckwheat sprouts irradiated with blue light followed by UV-C (BL+UV-C raised by 10%, compared with the opposite combination sequence (UV-C+BL. However, blue light did not show the same results when combined with UV-A, and their combinations on the accumulation of total flavonoids were still lower than that of UV-A/UV-C. Key enzymes (PAL, CHI and RDEs revealed a significant correlation with total flavonoids in tartary buckwheat sprouts.

  11. Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder insomnia with blue wavelength light-blocking glasses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fargason RE

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Rachel E Fargason, Taylor Preston, Emily Hammond, Roberta May, Karen L GambleDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USABackground: The aim of this study was to examine a nonmedical treatment alternative to medication in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD insomnia, in which blue wavelength light-blocking glasses are worn during the evening hours to counteract the phase-delaying effect of light. Outcome measures included sleep quality and midsleep time. The capacity of ADHD subjects to comply with treatment using the glasses was assessed.Methods: Daily bedtime, wake-up time, and compliance diaries were used to assess sleep quality and timing during a baseline observation week and a 2-week intervention period. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI was administered following baseline and intervention. The intervention protocol consisted of use of blue wavelength-blocking glasses and a moderate lighting environment during evening hours.Results: Partial and variable compliance were noted, with only 14 of 22 subjects completing the study due to nonadherence with wearing the glasses and diary completion. Despite the minimum 3-hour recommendation, glasses were worn, on average, for 2.4 hours daily. Lighting was reduced for only 58.7% of the evening. Compared with baseline, the intervention resulted in significant improvement in global PSQI scores, PSQI subcomponent scores, and sleep diary measures of morning refreshment after sleep (P = 0.037 and night-time awakenings (P = 0.015. Global PSQI scores fell from 11.15 to 4.54, dropping below the cut-off score of 5 for clinical insomnia. The more phase-delayed subjects, ie, those with an initial midsleep time after 4:15 am, trended towards an earlier midsleep time by 43.2 minutes following the intervention (P = 0.073. Participants reported less anxiety following the intervention (P = 0.048.Conclusions

  12. Randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of a blue-enriched light intervention to improve alertness and performance in night shift workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sletten, Tracey L; Ftouni, Suzanne; Nicholas, Christian L; Magee, Michelle; Grunstein, Ronald R; Ferguson, Sally; Kennaway, David J; O'Brien, Darren; Lockley, Steven W; Rajaratnam, Shantha M W

    2017-11-01

    Night workers often experience high levels of sleepiness due to misalignment of the sleep-wake cycle from the circadian pacemaker, in addition to acute and chronic sleep loss. Exposure to light, in particular short wavelength light, can improve alertness and neurobehavioural performance. This randomised controlled trial examined the efficacy of blue-enriched polychromatic light to improve alertness and neurobehavioural performance in night workers. Participants were 71 night shift workers (42 males; 32.8±10.5 years) who worked at least 6 hours between 22:00 and 08:00 hours. Sleep-wake logs and wrist actigraphy were collected for 1-3 weeks, followed by 48-hour urine collection to measure the circadian 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) rhythm. On the night following at least two consecutive night shifts, workers attended a simulated night shift in the laboratory which included subjective and objective assessments of sleepiness and performance. Workers were randomly assigned for exposure to one of two treatment conditions from 23:00 hours to 07:00 hours: blue-enriched white light (17 000 K, 89 lux; n=36) or standard white light (4000 K, 84 lux; n=35). Subjective and objective sleepiness increased during the night shift in both light conditions (pnight shift workers, further research is needed in the selection of light properties to maximise the benefits. The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12610000097044 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=320845&isReview=true). © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  13. Light perception in two strictly subterranean rodents: life in the dark or blue?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ondrej Kott

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia are strictly subterranean, congenitally microphthalmic rodents that are hardly ever exposed to environmental light. Because of the lack of an overt behavioural reaction to light, they have long been considered to be blind. However, recent anatomical studies have suggested retention of basic visual capabilities. In this study, we employed behavioural tests to find out if two mole-rat species are able to discriminate between light and dark, if they are able to discriminate colours and, finally, if the presence of light in burrows provokes plugging behaviour, which is assumed to have a primarily anti-predatory function. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: We used a binary choice test to show that the silvery mole-rat Heliophobius argenteocinereus and the giant mole-rat Fukomys mechowii exhibit a clear photoavoidance response to full-spectrum ("white", blue and green-yellow light, but no significant reaction to ultraviolet or red light during nest building. The mole-rats thus retain dark/light discrimination capabilities and a capacity to perceive short to medium-wavelength light in the photopic range of intensities. These findings further suggest that the mole-rat S opsin has its absorption maximum in the violet/blue part of the spectrum. The assay did not yield conclusive evidence regarding colour discrimination. To test the putative role of vision in bathyergid anti-predatory behaviour, we examined the reaction of mole-rats to the incidence of light in an artificial burrow system. The presence of light in the burrow effectively induced plugging of the illuminated tunnel. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that the photopic vision is conserved and that low acuity residual vision plays an important role in predator avoidance and tunnel maintenance in the African mole-rats.

  14. HOT DUST OBSCURED GALAXIES WITH EXCESS BLUE LIGHT: DUAL AGN OR SINGLE AGN UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Assef, R. J.; Diaz-Santos, T. [Núcleo de Astronomía de la Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejército Libertador 441, Santiago (Chile); Walton, D. J.; Brightman, M. [Space Radiation Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Stern, D.; Eisenhardt, P. R. M.; Tsai, C.-W. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Mail Stop 169-236, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Alexander, D. [Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Bauer, F. [Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 306, Santiago 22 (Chile); Blain, A. W. [Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, 1 University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Finkelstein, S. L. [The University of Texas at Austin, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Hickox, R. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Wu, J. W., E-mail: roberto.assef@mail.udp.cl [UCLA Astronomy, P.O. Box 951547, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1547 (United States)

    2016-03-10

    Hot dust-obscured galaxies (Hot DOGs) are a population of hyper-luminous infrared galaxies identified by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission from their very red mid-IR colors, and characterized by hot dust temperatures (T > 60 K). Several studies have shown clear evidence that the IR emission in these objects is powered by a highly dust-obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN) that shows close to Compton-thick absorption at X-ray wavelengths. Thanks to the high AGN obscuration, the host galaxy is easily observable, and has UV/optical colors usually consistent with those of a normal galaxy. Here we discuss a sub-population of eight Hot DOGs that show enhanced rest-frame UV/optical emission. We discuss three scenarios that might explain the excess UV emission: (i) unobscured light leaked from the AGN by reflection over the dust or by partial coverage of the accretion disk; (ii) a second unobscured AGN in the system; or (iii) a luminous young starburst. X-ray observations can help discriminate between these scenarios. We study in detail the blue excess Hot DOG WISE J020446.13–050640.8, which was serendipitously observed by Chandra/ACIS-I for 174.5 ks. The X-ray spectrum is consistent with a single, hyper-luminous, highly absorbed AGN, and is strongly inconsistent with the presence of a secondary unobscured AGN. Based on this, we argue that the excess blue emission in this object is most likely either due to reflection or a co-eval starburst. We favor the reflection scenario as the unobscured star formation rate needed to power the UV/optical emission would be ≳1000 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. Deep polarimetry observations could confirm the reflection hypothesis.

  15. HOT DUST OBSCURED GALAXIES WITH EXCESS BLUE LIGHT: DUAL AGN OR SINGLE AGN UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Assef, R. J.; Diaz-Santos, T.; Walton, D. J.; Brightman, M.; Stern, D.; Eisenhardt, P. R. M.; Tsai, C.-W.; Alexander, D.; Bauer, F.; Blain, A. W.; Finkelstein, S. L.; Hickox, R. C.; Wu, J. W.

    2016-01-01

    Hot dust-obscured galaxies (Hot DOGs) are a population of hyper-luminous infrared galaxies identified by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission from their very red mid-IR colors, and characterized by hot dust temperatures (T > 60 K). Several studies have shown clear evidence that the IR emission in these objects is powered by a highly dust-obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN) that shows close to Compton-thick absorption at X-ray wavelengths. Thanks to the high AGN obscuration, the host galaxy is easily observable, and has UV/optical colors usually consistent with those of a normal galaxy. Here we discuss a sub-population of eight Hot DOGs that show enhanced rest-frame UV/optical emission. We discuss three scenarios that might explain the excess UV emission: (i) unobscured light leaked from the AGN by reflection over the dust or by partial coverage of the accretion disk; (ii) a second unobscured AGN in the system; or (iii) a luminous young starburst. X-ray observations can help discriminate between these scenarios. We study in detail the blue excess Hot DOG WISE J020446.13–050640.8, which was serendipitously observed by Chandra/ACIS-I for 174.5 ks. The X-ray spectrum is consistent with a single, hyper-luminous, highly absorbed AGN, and is strongly inconsistent with the presence of a secondary unobscured AGN. Based on this, we argue that the excess blue emission in this object is most likely either due to reflection or a co-eval starburst. We favor the reflection scenario as the unobscured star formation rate needed to power the UV/optical emission would be ≳1000 M ⊙ yr −1 . Deep polarimetry observations could confirm the reflection hypothesis

  16. Low-intensity blue-enriched white light (750 lux) and standard bright light (10 000 lux) are equally effective in treating SAD. A randomized controlled study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meesters, Ybe; Dekker, Vera; Schlangen, Luc J. M.; Bos, Elske H.; Ruiter, Martine J.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Photoreceptor cells containing melanopsin play a role in the phase-shifting effects of short-wavelength light. In a previous study, we compared the standard light treatment (SLT) of SAD with treatment using short-wavelength blue-enriched white light (BLT). Both treatments used the same

  17. Influence of Light Conditions and Light Sources on Clinical Measurement of Natural Teeth Color using VITA Easyshade Advance 4,0® Spectrophotometer. Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Posavec, Ivona; Prpić, Vladimir; Zlatarić, Dubravka Knezović

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare lightness (L), chroma (C) and hue (h), green-red (a) and blue-yellow (b) character of the color of maxillary right central incisors in different light conditions and light sources. Two examiners who were well trained in digital color evaluation participated in the research. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to analyze intra- and interobserver reliability. The LCh and L*a*b* values were determined at 08.15 and at 10.00 in the morning under three different light conditions. Tooth color was assessed in 10 subjects using intraoral spectrophotometer VITA Easyshade Advance 4.0 ® set at the central region of the vestibular surface of the measured tooth. Intra- and interobserver ICC values were high for both examiners and ranged from 0.57 to 0.99. Statistically significant differences in LCh and L*a*b* values measured in different time of the day and certain light condition were not found (p>0.05). Statistically significant differences in LCh and L*a*b* values measured under three different light conditions were not found, too (p>0.05). VITA Easyshade Advance 4.0 ® is reliable enough for daily clinical work in order to assess tooth color during the fabrication of esthtic appliances because it is not dependent on light conditions and light sources.

  18. The treatment of crigler-najjar syndrome by blue light as explained by resonant recognition model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cosic Irena

    2016-12-01

    However, the blue light treatment is less effective with ageing, due to decrease of the blue lightpenetration through skin. Thus, there is a need for alternative treatments. Here, we propose to design de-novopeptide, using this specific RRM frequency. Such peptide, according to RRM, is proposed to have the samebiological function as UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1-A1 and thus can be used for alternative treatment of Crigler-Najjar syndrome.

  19. Introduction of Red-Green-Blue Fluorescent Dyes into a Metal-Organic Framework for Tunable White Light Emission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Yuehong; Sheng, Tianlu; Zhu, Xiaoquan; Zhuo, Chao; Su, Shaodong; Li, Haoran; Hu, Shengmin; Zhu, Qi-Long; Wu, Xintao

    2017-10-01

    The unique features of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), including ultrahigh porosities and surface areas, tunable pores, endow the MOFs with special utilizations as host matrices. In this work, various neutral and ionic guest dye molecules, such as fluorescent brighteners, coumarin derivatives, 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM), and 4-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium (DSM), are encapsulated in a neutral MOF, yielding novel blue-, green-, and red-phosphors, respectively. Furthermore, this study introduces the red-, green-, and blue-emitting dyes into a MOF together for the first time, producing white-light materials with nearly ideal Commission International ed'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates, high color-rendering index values (up to 92%) and quantum yields (up to 26%), and moderate correlated color temperature values. The white light is tunable by changing the content or type of the three dye guests, or the excitation wavelength. Significantly, the introduction of blue-emitting guests in the methodology makes the available MOF host more extensive, and the final white-light output more tunable and high-quality. Such strategy can be widely adopted to design and prepare white-light-emitting materials. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Applications of Blue Light-curing Acrylic Resin to Forensic Sample Preparation and Microtomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groves, Ethan; Palenik, Christopher S

    2016-03-01

    This study discusses the results of an evaluation of a one-part blue light-curing acrylic resin for embedding trace evidence prior to the preparation of thin sections with a microtome. Through a comparison to several epoxy resins, the physical properties relevant to both trace evidence examination and analytical microscopy in general, including as viscosity, clarity, color, hardness, and cure speed, were explored. Finally, thin sections from paint samples embedded in this acrylic resin were evaluated to determine if, through smearing or impregnation, the resin contributed to the infrared spectra. The results of this study show that blue light-curing acrylic resins provide the desired properties of an embedding medium, generate high-quality thin sections, and can significantly simplify the preparation of paint chips, fibers and a multitude of other types of microscopic samples in the forensic trace evidence laboratory. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  1. Predawn and high intensity application of supplemental blue light decreases the quantum yield of PSII and enhances the amount of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments in Lactuca sativa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theoharis eOuzounis

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available To evaluate the effect of blue light intensity and timing, two cultivars of lettuce [Lactuca sativa cv. ’Batavia’ (green and cv. ‘Lollo Rossa’ (red] were grown in a greenhouse compartment in late winter under natural light and supplemental high pressure sodium (SON-T lamps yielding 90 (±10 µmol m-2 s-1 for up to 20 hr, but never between 17:00 and 21:00. The temperature in the greenhouse compartments was 22/11°C day/night, respectively. The five light-emitting diode (LED light treatments were Control (no blue addition, 1B 06-08 (Blue light at 45 µmol m-2 s-1 from 06:00 to 08:00, 1B 21-08 (Blue light at 45 µmol m-2 s-1 from 21:00 to 08:00, 2B 17-19 (Blue at 80 µmol m-2 s-1 from 17:00 to 19:00, and (1B 17-19 Blue at 45 µmol m-2 s-1from 17:00 to 19:00. Total fresh and dry weight was not affected with additional blue light; however, plants treated with additional blue light were more compact. The stomatal conductance in the green lettuce cultivar was higher for all treatments with blue light compared to the Control. Photosynthetic yields measured with chlorophyll fluorescence showed different response between the cultivars; in red lettuce, the quantum yield of PSII decreased and the yield of non-photochemical quenching increased with increasing blue light, whereas in green lettuce no difference was observed. Quantification of secondary metabolites showed that all four treatments with additional blue light had higher amount of pigments, phenolic acids, and flavonoids compared to the Control. The effect was more prominent in red lettuce, highlighting that the results vary among treatments and compounds. Our results indicate that not only high light level triggers photoprotective heat dissipation in the plant, but also the specific spectral composition of the light itself at low intensities. However, these plant responses to light are cultivar dependent.

  2. Predawn and high intensity application of supplemental blue light decreases the quantum yield of PSII and enhances the amount of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments in Lactuca sativa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouzounis, Theoharis; Razi Parjikolaei, Behnaz; Fretté, Xavier; Rosenqvist, Eva; Ottosen, Carl-Otto

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of blue light intensity and timing, two cultivars of lettuce [Lactuca sativa cv. "Batavia" (green) and cv. "Lollo Rossa" (red)] were grown in a greenhouse compartment in late winter under natural light and supplemental high pressure sodium (SON-T) lamps yielding 90 (±10) μmol m(-2) s(-1) for up to 20 h, but never between 17:00 and 21:00. The temperature in the greenhouse compartments was 22/11°C day/night, respectively. The five light-emitting diode (LED) light treatments were Control (no blue addition), 1B 06-08 (Blue light at 45 μmol m(-2) s(-1) from 06:00 to 08:00), 1B 21-08 (Blue light at 45 μmol m(-2) s(-1) from 21:00 to 08:00), 2B 17-19 (Blue at 80 μmol m(-2) s(-1) from 17:00 to 19:00), and 1B 17-19 (Blue at 45 μmol m(-2) s(-1) from 17:00 to 19:00). Total fresh and dry weight was not affected with additional blue light; however, plants treated with additional blue light were more compact. The stomatal conductance in the green lettuce cultivar was higher for all treatments with blue light compared to the Control. Photosynthetic yields measured with chlorophyll fluorescence showed different response between the cultivars; in red lettuce, the quantum yield of PSII decreased and the yield of non-photochemical quenching increased with increasing blue light, whereas in green lettuce no difference was observed. Quantification of secondary metabolites showed that all four treatments with additional blue light had higher amount of pigments, phenolic acids, and flavonoids compared to the Control. The effect was more prominent in red lettuce, highlighting that the results vary among treatments and compounds. Our results indicate that not only high light level triggers photoprotective heat dissipation in the plant, but also the specific spectral composition of the light itself at low intensities. However, these plant responses to light are cultivar dependent.

  3. Predawn and high intensity application of supplemental blue light decreases the quantum yield of PSII and enhances the amount of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments in Lactuca sativa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouzounis, Theoharis; Razi Parjikolaei, Behnaz; Fretté, Xavier; Rosenqvist, Eva; Ottosen, Carl-Otto

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of blue light intensity and timing, two cultivars of lettuce [Lactuca sativa cv. “Batavia” (green) and cv. “Lollo Rossa” (red)] were grown in a greenhouse compartment in late winter under natural light and supplemental high pressure sodium (SON-T) lamps yielding 90 (±10) μmol m−2 s−1 for up to 20 h, but never between 17:00 and 21:00. The temperature in the greenhouse compartments was 22/11°C day/night, respectively. The five light-emitting diode (LED) light treatments were Control (no blue addition), 1B 06-08 (Blue light at 45 μmol m−2 s−1 from 06:00 to 08:00), 1B 21-08 (Blue light at 45 μmol m−2 s−1 from 21:00 to 08:00), 2B 17-19 (Blue at 80 μmol m−2 s−1 from 17:00 to 19:00), and 1B 17-19 (Blue at 45 μmol m−2 s−1 from 17:00 to 19:00). Total fresh and dry weight was not affected with additional blue light; however, plants treated with additional blue light were more compact. The stomatal conductance in the green lettuce cultivar was higher for all treatments with blue light compared to the Control. Photosynthetic yields measured with chlorophyll fluorescence showed different response between the cultivars; in red lettuce, the quantum yield of PSII decreased and the yield of non-photochemical quenching increased with increasing blue light, whereas in green lettuce no difference was observed. Quantification of secondary metabolites showed that all four treatments with additional blue light had higher amount of pigments, phenolic acids, and flavonoids compared to the Control. The effect was more prominent in red lettuce, highlighting that the results vary among treatments and compounds. Our results indicate that not only high light level triggers photoprotective heat dissipation in the plant, but also the specific spectral composition of the light itself at low intensities. However, these plant responses to light are cultivar dependent. PMID:25767473

  4. Enhanced visible light photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by F-doped TiO{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Wei [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Liu, Xinjuan, E-mail: lxj669635@126.com [Shanghai Nanotechnlogy Promotion Center, Shanghai 200237 (China); Center for Coordination Bond and Electronic Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Pan, Likun, E-mail: lkpan@phy.ecnu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Li, Jinliang; Liu, Junying [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China); Zhang, Jing; Li, Ping; Chen, Chen [Shanghai Nanotechnlogy Promotion Center, Shanghai 200237 (China); Sun, Zhuo [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics and Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 (China)

    2014-11-15

    Graphical abstract: F-doped TiO2 is synthesized using a modified sol–gel method for visible photocatalytic degradation of MB with a high degradation rate of 91%. - Highlights: • F-doped TiO{sub 2} are synthesized using a modified sol–gel method. • The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by F-doped TiO{sub 2} is investigated. • A high methylene blue degradation rate of 91% is achieved under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: F-doped TiO{sub 2} (F-TiO{sub 2}) were successfully synthesized using a modified sol–gel method. The morphologies, structures, and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectra, respectively. The results show that F-TiO{sub 2} exhibits an enhanced photocatalytic performance in the degradation of MB with a maximum degradation rate of 91% under visible light irradiation as compared with pure TiO{sub 2} (32%). The excellent photocatalytic activity is due to the contribution from the increased visible light absorption, promoted separation of photo-generated electrons and holes as well as enhanced photocatalytic oxidizing species with the doping of F in TiO{sub 2}.

  5. Efficient non-doped phosphorescent orange, blue and white organic light-emitting devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Yongming; Yu, Jing; Cao, Hongtao; Zhang, Letian; Sun, Haizhu; Xie, Wenfa

    2014-10-01

    Efficient phosphorescent orange, blue and white organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) with non-doped emissive layers were successfully fabricated. Conventional blue phosphorescent emitters bis [4,6-di-fluorophenyl]-pyridinato-N,C2'] picolinate (Firpic) and Bis(2,4-difluorophenylpyridinato) (Fir6) were adopted to fabricate non-doped blue OLEDs, which exhibited maximum current efficiency of 7.6 and 4.6 cd/A for Firpic and Fir6 based devices, respectively. Non-doped orange OLED was fabricated utilizing the newly reported phosphorescent material iridium (III) (pbi)2Ir(biq), of which manifested maximum current and power efficiency of 8.2 cd/A and 7.8 lm/W. The non-doped white OLEDs were achieved by simply combining Firpic or Fir6 with a 2-nm (pbi)2Ir(biq). The maximum current and power efficiency of the Firpic and (pbi)2Ir(biq) based white OLED were 14.8 cd/A and 17.9 lm/W.

  6. Natural Blue Food Colour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roda-Serrat, Maria Cinta

    In recent years, there has been a growing tendency to avoid the use of artificial colorants and additives in food products, especially after some studies linked their consumption with behavioural changes in children. However, the incorporation of colorants from natural origin remains a challenge...... for food technologists, as these are typically less vivid and less stable than their synthetic alternatives. Regarding blue colorants, phycocyanins from cyanobacteria are currently in the spotlight as promising new natural blue colorants. Phycocyanins are proteins which blue colour results from...... the presence of the chromophore phycocyanobilin (PCB), a covalently attached linear tetrapyrrole. The applications of phycocyanins as food colorants are however limited, as they show poor stability in certain conditions of pH, light and temperature. Cleavage of PCB from the protein followed by careful product...

  7. The Histopathological Investigation of Red and Blue Light Emitting Diode on Treating Skin Wounds in Japanese Big-Ear White Rabbit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanhong Li

    Full Text Available The biological effects of different wavelengths of light emitting diode (LED light tend to vary from each other. Research into use of photobiomodulation for treatment of skin wounds and the underlying mechanisms has been largely lacking. We explored the histopathological basis of the therapeutic effect of photobiomodulation and the relation between duration of exposure and photobiomodulation effect of different wavelengths of LED in a Japanese big-ear white rabbit skin-wound model. Skin wound model was established in 16 rabbits (three wounds per rabbit: one served as control, the other two wounds were irradiated by red and blue LED lights, respectively. Rabbits were then divided into 2 equal groups based on the duration of exposure to LED lights (15 and 30 min/exposure. The number of wounds that showed healing and the percentage of healed wound area were recorded. Histopathological examination and skin expression levels of fibroblast growth factor (FGF, epidermal growth factor (EGF, endothelial marker (CD31, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Ki67 and macrophagocyte (CD68 infiltration, and the proliferation of skin collagen fibers was assessed. On days 16 and 17 of irradiation, the healing rates in red (15 min and 30 min and blue (15 min and 30 min groups were 50%, 37.5%, 25% and 37.5%, respectively, while the healing rate in the control group was 12.5%. The percentage healed area in the red light groups was significantly higher than those in other groups. Collagen fiber and skin thickness were significantly increased in both red light groups; expression of EGF, FGF, CD31 and Ki67 in the red light groups was significantly higher than those in other groups; the expression of FGF in red (30 min group was not significantly different from that in the blue light and control groups. The effect of blue light on wound healing was poorer than that of red light. Red light appeared to hasten wound healing by promoting fibrous tissue, epidermal and

  8. Blue-light mediated accumulation of nuclear-encoded transcripts coding for proteins of the thylakoid membrane is absent in the phytochrome-deficient aurea mutant of tomato

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oelmueller, R.; Kendrick, R.E.; Briggs, W.R.

    1989-01-01

    Polyclonal antibodies against pea phytochrome detect 2 protein bands (about 116 and 120 kDa) on blots of crude protein extracts and protein of microsomal preparations of dark-grown tomato seedlings. Both protein bands are undetectable in Western blots of the aurea mutant extracts. Neither protein band is detectable after isogenic wild-type seedlings are illuminated with 3 h of red light, either in the crude extract or in the membrane fraction of the irradiated seedlings; this result is consistent with the hypothesis that both bands are phytochrome. When dark-grown wild-type seedlings are illuminated with 3 h of red light or blue light against a red light background, the transcript levels for chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins of photosystem I and II, plastocyanin, and the subunit II of photosystem I increase. In all cases, the same fluence rate of blue light is much more effective than red light alone, a result that indicates the involvement of a blue/UV-A light photoreceptor in addition to the involvement of the far-red-absorbing form of phytochrome, Pfr. The aurea mutant responds neither to red light nor to blue light. Thus, no Pfr-independent induction of the four transcripts by a blue/UV-A light photoreceptor can be measured in the aurea mutant

  9. Pyridine substituted spirofluorene derivative as an electron transport material for high efficiency in blue organic light-emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeon, Soon Ok; Yook, Kyoung Soo; Lee, Jun Yeob, E-mail: leej17@dankook.ac.k

    2010-11-01

    The quantum efficiency of blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes was enhanced by 20% using a pyridine substituted spirofluorene-benzofluorene derivative as an electron transport material. 2',7'-Di(pyridin-3-yl)spiro[benzofluorene-7,9'-fluorene] (SPBP) was synthesized and it was used as the electron transport material to block the hole leakage from the emitting layer. The improvement of the quantum efficiency and power efficiency of the blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes using the SPBP was investigated.

  10. Leaf Morphology, Photosynthetic Performance, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Stomatal Development of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Exposed to Different Ratios of Red Light to Blue Light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jun; Lu, Wei; Tong, Yuxin; Yang, Qichang

    2016-01-01

    Red and blue light are both vital factors for plant growth and development. We examined how different ratios of red light to blue light (R/B) provided by light-emitting diodes affected photosynthetic performance by investigating parameters related to photosynthesis, including leaf morphology, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal development, light response curve, and nitrogen content. In this study, lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) were exposed to 200 μmol⋅m(-2)⋅s(-1) irradiance for a 16 h⋅d(-1) photoperiod under the following six treatments: monochromatic red light (R), monochromatic blue light (B) and the mixture of R and B with different R/B ratios of 12, 8, 4, and 1. Leaf photosynthetic capacity (A max) and photosynthetic rate (P n) increased with decreasing R/B ratio until 1, associated with increased stomatal conductance, along with significant increase in stomatal density and slight decrease in stomatal size. P n and A max under B treatment had 7.6 and 11.8% reduction in comparison with those under R/B = 1 treatment, respectively. The effective quantum yield of PSII and the efficiency of excitation captured by open PSII center were also significantly lower under B treatment than those under the other treatments. However, shoot dry weight increased with increasing R/B ratio with the greatest value under R/B = 12 treatment. The increase of shoot dry weight was mainly caused by increasing leaf area and leaf number, but no significant difference was observed between R and R/B = 12 treatments. Based on the above results, we conclude that quantitative B could promote photosynthetic performance or growth by stimulating morphological and physiological responses, yet there was no positive correlation between P n and shoot dry weight accumulation.

  11. Histone Deacetylase HDA-2 Regulates Trichoderma atroviride Growth, Conidiation, Blue Light Perception, and Oxidative Stress Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osorio-Concepción, Macario; Cristóbal-Mondragón, Gema Rosa; Gutiérrez-Medina, Braulio; Casas-Flores, Sergio

    2017-02-01

    Fungal blue-light photoreceptors have been proposed as integrators of light and oxidative stress. However, additional elements participating in the integrative pathway remain to be identified. In Trichoderma atroviride, the blue-light regulator (BLR) proteins BLR-1 and -2 are known to regulate gene transcription, mycelial growth, and asexual development upon illumination, and recent global transcriptional analysis revealed that the histone deacetylase-encoding gene hda-2 is induced by light. Here, by assessing responses to stimuli in wild-type and Δhda-2 backgrounds, we evaluate the role of HDA-2 in the regulation of genes responsive to light and oxidative stress. Δhda-2 strains present reduced growth, misregulation of the con-1 gene, and absence of conidia in response to light and mechanical injury. We found that the expression of hda-2 is BLR-1 dependent and HDA-2 in turn is essential for the transcription of early and late light-responsive genes that include blr-1, indicating a regulatory feedback loop. When subjected to reactive oxygen species (ROS), Δhda-2 mutants display high sensitivity whereas Δblr strains exhibit the opposite phenotype. Consistently, in the presence of ROS, ROS-related genes show high transcription levels in wild-type and Δblr strains but misregulation in Δhda-2 mutants. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitations of histone H3 acetylated at Lys9/Lys14 on cat-3 and gst-1 promoters display low accumulation of H3K9K14ac in Δblr and Δhda-2 strains, suggesting indirect regulation of ROS-related genes by HDA-2. Our results point to a mutual dependence between HDA-2 and BLR proteins and reveal the role of these proteins in an intricate gene regulation landscape in response to blue light and ROS. Trichoderma atroviride is a free-living fungus commonly found in soil or colonizing plant roots and is widely used as an agent in biocontrol as it parasitizes other fungi, stimulates plant growth, and induces the plant defense system. To survive in

  12. Inhibitory effect of blue light emitting diode on migration and invasion of cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Phil-Sun; Kim, Hyun-Soo; Kim, Eun-Mi; Hwang, Hyosook; Ryu, Hyang Hwa; Lim, SeokTae; Sohn, Myung-Hee; Jeong, Hwan-Jeong

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effects and molecular mechanism of blue light emitting diode (LED) in tumor cells. A migration and invasion assay for the metastatic behavior of mouse colon cancer CT-26 and human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells was performed. Cancer cell migration-related proteins were identified by obtaining a 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) in total cellular protein profile of blue LED-irradiated cancer cells, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis of proteins. Protein levels were examined by immunoblotting. Irradiation with blue LED inhibited CT-26 and HT-1080 cell migration and invasion. The anti-metastatic effects of blue LED irradiation were associated with inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression. P38 MAPK phosphorylation was increased in blue LED-irradiated CT-26 and HT-1080 cells, but was inhibited after pretreatment with SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK. Inhibition of p38 MAPK phosphorylation by SB203580 treatment increased number of migratory cancer cells in CT-26 and HT-1080 cells, indicating that blue LED irradiation inhibited cancer cell migration via phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. Additionally blue LED irradiation of mice injected with CT-26 cells expressing luciferase decreased early stage lung metastasis compared to untreated control mice. These results indicate that blue LED irradiation inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Gap state related blue light emitting boron-carbon core shell structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Paviter; Kaur, Manpreet; Singh, Bikramjeet; Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Kulwinder; Kumar, Akshay; Kumar, Manjeet; Bala, Rajni; Thakur, Anup

    2016-01-01

    Boron-carbon core shell structures have been synthesized by solvo-thermal synthesis route. The synthesized material is highly pure. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the reduction of reactants in to boron and carbon. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the shell is uniform with average thickness of 340 nm. Photo luminescence studies showed that the material is blue light emitting with CIE color coordinates: x=0.16085, y=0.07554.

  14. Blue light treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Strong bactericidal activity, synergism with antibiotics and inactivation of virulence factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fila, Grzegorz; Kawiak, Anna; Grinholc, Mariusz Stanislaw

    2017-08-18

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the most common pathogens responsible for both acute and chronic infections of high incidence and severity. Additionally, P. aeruginosa resistance to conventional antimicrobials has increased rapidly over the past decade. Therefore, it is crucial to explore new therapeutic options, particularly options that specifically target the pathogenic mechanisms of this microbe. The ability of a pathogenic bacterium to cause disease is dependent upon the production of agents termed 'virulence factors', and approaches to mitigate these agents have gained increasing attention as new antibacterial strategies. Although blue light irradiation is a promising alternative approach, only limited and preliminary studies have described its effect on virulence factors. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of lethal and sub-lethal doses of blue light treatment (BLT) on P. aeruginosa virulence factors. We analyzed the inhibitory effects of blue light irradiation on the production/activity of several virulence factors. Lethal BLT inhibited the activity of pyocyanin, staphylolysin, pseudolysin and other proteases, but sub-lethal BLT did not affect the production/expression of proteases, phospholipases, and flagella- or type IV pili-associated motility. Moreover, a eukaryotic cytotoxicity test confirmed the decreased toxicity of blue light-treated extracellular P. aeruginosa fractions. Finally, the increased antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa treated with sequential doses of sub-lethal BLT was demonstrated with a checkerboard test. Thus, this work provides evidence-based proof of the susceptibility of drug-resistant P. aeruginosa to BLT-mediated killing, accompanied by virulence factor reduction, and describes the synergy between antibiotics and sub-lethal BLT.

  15. Effects of the cryptochrome CryB from Rhodobacter sphaeroides on global gene expression in the dark or blue light or in the presence of singlet oxygen.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Frühwirth

    Full Text Available Several regulators are controlling the formation of the photosynthetic apparatus in the facultatively photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Among the proteins affecting photosynthesis gene expression is the blue light photoreceptor cryptochrome CryB. This study addresses the effect of CryB on global gene expression. The data reveal that CryB does not only influence photosynthesis gene expression but also genes for the non-photosynthetic energy metabolism like citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. In addition several genes involved in RNA processing and in transcriptional regulation are affected by a cryB deletion. Although CryB was shown to undergo a photocycle it does not only affect gene expression in response to blue light illumination but also in response to singlet oxygen stress conditions. While there is a large overlap in these responses, some CryB-dependent effects are specific for blue-light or photooxidative stress. In addition to protein-coding genes some genes for sRNAs show CryB-dependent expression. These findings give new insight into the function of bacterial cryptochromes and demonstrate for the first time a function in the oxidative stress response.

  16. Test-retest repeatability of the pupil light response to blue and red light stimuli in normal human eyes using a novel pupillometer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herbst, Kristina; Sander, Birgit; Milea, Dan

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we evaluated the repeatability of pupil responses to colored light stimuli in healthy subjects using a prototype chromatic pupillometer. One eye of 10 healthy subjects was tested twice in the same day using monochromatic light exposure at two selected wavelengths (660 and 470 nm......, we have developed a novel prototype of color pupillometer which demonstrates good repeatability in evoking and recording the pupillary response to a bright blue and red light stimulus....

  17. Test-retest repeatability of the pupil light response to blue and red light stimuli in normal human eyes using a novel pupillometer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herbst, Kristina; Sander, Birgit; Milea, Dan

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we evaluated the repeatability of pupil responses to colored light stimuli in healthy subjects using a prototype chromatic pupillometer. One eye of 10 healthy subjects was tested twice in the same day using monochromatic light exposure at two selected wavelengths (660 and 470¿nm......, we have developed a novel prototype of color pupillometer which demonstrates good repeatability in evoking and recording the pupillary response to a bright blue and red light stimulus....

  18. Gigabit-per-second white light-based visible light communication using near-ultraviolet laser diode and red-, green-, and blue-emitting phosphors

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Changmin; Shen, Chao; Cozzan, Clayton; Farrell, Robert M.; Speck, James S.; Nakamura, Shuji; Ooi, Boon S.; DenBaars, Steven P.

    2017-01-01

    Data communication based on white light generated using a near-ultraviolet (NUV) laser diode (LD) pumping red-, green-, and blue-emitting (RGB) phosphors was demonstrated for the first time. A III-nitride laser diode (LD) on a semipolar (2021

  19. Red photoluminescent property and modification of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal for blue light converted LEDs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruan, Jiufeng; Yang, Zhengwen; Huang, Anjun; Chai, Zhuangzhuang; Qiu, Jianbei; Song, Zhiguo

    2018-01-01

    Blue light converted light-emitting diodes is of great significance as a candidate for next generation lighting. In this work, the WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal photonic crystals were prepared and their luminescence properties were studied. The results demonstrated that the main excitation peak of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opals were located at 465 nm. The red luminescence peak at the 613 nm was observed in the WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal upon 465 nm excitation, exhibiting better red color purity. The influence of photonic band gap on the photoluminescence of WO3:Eu3+ inverse opal was obtained. When the red luminescence peak is in the regions of the photonic band gap and the edge of the band-gap, the red luminescence suppression and enhancement was observed respectively. The WO3:Eu3+ inverse opals may be a promising candidate for the blue light converted LEDs.

  20. Blue light alters miR167 expression and microRNA-targeted auxin response factor genes in Arabidopsis thaliana plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pashkovskiy, Pavel P; Kartashov, Alexander V; Zlobin, Ilya E; Pogosyan, Sergei I; Kuznetsov, Vladimir V

    2016-07-01

    The effect of blue LED (450 nm) on the photomorphogenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 plants and the transcript levels of several genes, including miRNAs, photoreceptors and auxin response factors (ARF) was investigated. It was observed that blue light accelerated the generative development, reduced the rosette leaf number, significantly reduced the leaf area, dry biomass and led to the disruption of conductive tissue formation. The blue LED differentially influenced the transcript levels of several phytochromes (PHY a, b, c, d, and e), cryptochromes (CRY 1 and 2) and phototropins (PHOT 1 and 2). At the same time, the blue LED significantly increased miR167 expression compared to a fluorescent lamp or white LEDs. This increase likely resulted in the enhanced transcription of the auxin response factor genes ARF4 and ARF8, which are regulated by this miRNA. These findings support the hypothesis that the effects of blue light on A. thaliana are mediated by auxin signalling pathway involving miRNA-dependent regulation of ARF gene expression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Advanced Oxidation of Tartrazine and Brilliant Blue with Pulsed Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Robert; Mudimbi, Patrick; Miller, Michael E; Magnuson, Matthew; Willison, Stuart; Phillips, Rebecca; Harper, Willie F

    2017-01-01

      This study investigated the effect of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVLEDs) coupled with hydrogen peroxide as an advanced oxidation process (AOP) for the degradation of two test chemicals. Brilliant Blue FCF consistently exhibited greater degradation than tartrazine, with 83% degradation after 300 minutes at the 100% duty cycle compared with only 17% degradation of tartrazine under the same conditions. These differences are attributable to the structural properties of the compounds. Duty cycle was positively correlated with the first-order rate constants (k) for both chemicals but, interestingly, negatively correlated with the normalized first-order rate constants (k/duty cycle). Synergistic effects of both hydraulic mixing and LED duty cycle were manifested as novel oscillations in the effluent contaminant concentration. Further, LED output and efficiency were dependent upon duty cycle and less efficient over time perhaps due to heating effects on semiconductor performance.

  2. Reducing Short-Wavelength Blue Light in Dry Eye Patients with Unstable Tear Film Improves Performance on Tests of Visual Acuity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaido, Minako; Toda, Ikuko; Oobayashi, Tomoo; Kawashima, Motoko; Katada, Yusaku; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2016-01-01

    To investigate whether suppression of blue light can improve visual function in patients with short tear break up time (BUT) dry eye (DE). Twenty-two patients with short BUT DE (10 men, 12 women; mean age, 32.4 ± 6.4 years; age range, 23-43 years) and 18 healthy controls (10 men, 8 women; mean age, 30.1 ± 7.4 years; age range, 20-49 years) underwent functional visual acuity (VA) examinations with and without wearing eyeglasses with 50% blue light blocked lenses. The functional VA parameters were starting VA, functional VA, and visual maintenance ratio. The baseline mean values (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, logMAR) of functional VA and the visual maintenance ratio were significantly worse in the DE patients than in the controls (P 0.05). The DE patients had significant improvement in mean functional VA and visual maintenance ratio while wearing the glasses (P 0.05). Protecting the eyes from short-wavelength blue light may help to ameliorate visual impairment associated with tear instability in patients with DE. This finding represents a new concept, which is that the blue light exposure might be harmful to visual function in patients with short BUT DE.

  3. Reducing Short-Wavelength Blue Light in Dry Eye Patients with Unstable Tear Film Improves Performance on Tests of Visual Acuity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minako Kaido

    Full Text Available To investigate whether suppression of blue light can improve visual function in patients with short tear break up time (BUT dry eye (DE.Twenty-two patients with short BUT DE (10 men, 12 women; mean age, 32.4 ± 6.4 years; age range, 23-43 years and 18 healthy controls (10 men, 8 women; mean age, 30.1 ± 7.4 years; age range, 20-49 years underwent functional visual acuity (VA examinations with and without wearing eyeglasses with 50% blue light blocked lenses. The functional VA parameters were starting VA, functional VA, and visual maintenance ratio.The baseline mean values (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, logMAR of functional VA and the visual maintenance ratio were significantly worse in the DE patients than in the controls (P 0.05. The DE patients had significant improvement in mean functional VA and visual maintenance ratio while wearing the glasses (P 0.05.Protecting the eyes from short-wavelength blue light may help to ameliorate visual impairment associated with tear instability in patients with DE. This finding represents a new concept, which is that the blue light exposure might be harmful to visual function in patients with short BUT DE.

  4. Light spectrum regulates cell accumulation during daytime in the raphidophyte Chattonella antiqua causing noxious red tides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shikata, Tomoyuki; Matsunaga, Shigeru; Kuwahara, Yusuke; Iwahori, Sho; Nishiyama, Yoshitaka

    2016-07-01

    Most marine raphidophyte species cause noxious red tides in temperate coastal areas around the world. It is known that swimming abilities enable raphidophytes to accumulation of cells and to actively acquire light at surface layers and nutrients over a wide depth range. However, it remains unclear how the swimming behavior is affected by environmental conditions, especially light condition. In the present study, we observed the accumulation of the harmful red-tide raphidophyte Chattonella antiqua under various light conditions during the daytime in the laboratory. When exposed to ultraviolet-A/blue light (320-480nm) or red light (640-680nm) from above, cells moved downward. In the case of blue light (455nm), cells started to swim downward after 5-15min of irradiation at a photon flux density≥10μmolm(-2)s(-1). When exposed to monochromatic lights (400-680nm) from the side, cells moved away from the blue light source and then descended, but just moved downward under red light. However, mixing of green/orange light (520-630nm) diminished the effects of blue light. When exposed to a mixture of 30μmolm(-2)s(-1) of blue light (440nm) and ≥6μmolm(-2)s(-1) of yellow light (560nm) from above, cells did not move downward. These results indicate that blue light induces negative phototaxis and ultraviolet-A/blue and red lights induce descending, and green/orange light cancels out their effects in C. antiqua. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Efficient white organic light-emitting devices based on blue, orange, red phosphorescent dyes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Ping; Duan Yu; Xie Wenfa; Zhao Yi; Hou Jingying; Liu Shiyong; Zhang Liying; Li Bin

    2009-01-01

    We demonstrate efficient white organic light-emitting devices (WOLEDs) based on an orange phosphorescent iridium complex bis(2-(2-fluorphenyl)-1,3-benzothiozolato-N, C 2' )iridium(acetylacetonate) in combination with blue phosphorescent dye bis[(4, 6-difluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C 2 )](picolinato) Ir(III) and red phosphorescent dye bis[1-(phenyl)isoquinoline] iridium (III) acetylanetonate. By introducing a thin layer of 4, 7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline between blue and red emission layers, the diffusion of excitons is confined and white light can be obtained. WOLEDs with the interlayer all have a higher colour rendering index (>82) than the device without it (76). One device has the maximum current efficiency of 17.6 cd A -1 and a maximum luminance of 39 050 cd m -2 . The power efficiency is 8.7 lm W -1 at 100 cd m -2 . Furthermore, the device has good colour stability and the CIE coordinates just change from (0.394, 0.425) to (0.390, 0.426) with the luminance increasing from 630 to 4200 cd m -2 .

  6. Quantifying the blue shift in the light absorption of small gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsekov, Roumen; Georgiev, Peter; Simeonova, Silviya; Balashev, Konstantin

    2017-01-01

    The dependence of the surface plasmons resonance (SPR) frequency on the size of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is experimentally studied. The measured data for the SPR frequency by UV-Vis spectroscopy and GNPs diameter by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) are collected in the course of classical citrate GNPs synthesis. The relationship between the GNPs size and the blue shift of the light absorption is presented. They are fitted by an equation with a single free parameter, the dielectric permittivity of the surrounding media. Thus, the refractive index of the surrounding media is determined, which characterizes the GNPs surface shell. Key words: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs), Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

  7. Red versus blue light illumination in hexyl 5-aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy: the influence of light color and irradiance on the treatment outcome in vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helander, Linda; Krokan, Hans E.; Johnsson, Anders; Gederaas, Odrun A.; Plaetzer, Kristjan

    2014-08-01

    Hexyl 5-aminolevulinate (HAL) is a lipophilic derivative of 5-aminolevulinate, a key intermediate in biosynthesis of the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). The photodynamic efficacy and cell death mode after red versus blue light illumination of HAL-induced PpIX have been examined and compared using five different cancer cell lines. LED arrays emitting at 410 and 624 nm served as homogenous and adjustable light sources. Our results show that the response after HAL-PDT is cell line specific, both regarding the shape of the dose-survival curve, the overall dose required for efficient cell killing, and the relative amount of apoptosis. The ratio between 410 and 624 nm in absorption coefficient correlates well with the difference in cell killing at the same wavelengths. In general, the PDT efficacy was several folds higher for blue light as compared with red light, as expected. However, HAL-PDT624 induced more apoptosis than HAL-PDT410 and illumination with low irradiance resulted in more apoptosis than high irradiance at the same lethal dose. This indicates differences in death modes after low and high irradiance after similar total light doses. From a treatment perspective, these differences may be important.

  8. Red versus blue light illumination in hexyl 5-aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy: the influence of light color and irradiance on the treatment outcome in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helander, Linda; Krokan, Hans E; Johnsson, Anders; Gederaas, Odrun A; Plaetzer, Kristjan

    2014-08-01

    Hexyl 5-aminolevulinate (HAL) is a lipophilic derivative of 5-aminolevulinate, a key intermediate in biosynthesis of the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). The photodynamic efficacy and cell death mode after red versus blue light illumination of HAL-induced PpIX have been examined and compared using five different cancer cell lines. LED arrays emitting at 410 and 624 nm served as homogenous and adjustable light sources. Our results show that the response after HAL-PDT is cell line specific, both regarding the shape of the dose-survival curve, the overall dose required for efficient cell killing, and the relative amount of apoptosis. The ratio between 410 and 624 nm in absorption coefficient correlates well with the difference in cell killing at the same wavelengths. In general, the PDT efficacy was several folds higher for blue light as compared with red light, as expected. However, HAL-PDT₆₂₄ induced more apoptosis than HAL-PDT₄₁₀ and illumination with low irradiance resulted in more apoptosis than high irradiance at the same lethal dose. This indicates differences in death modes after low and high irradiance after similar total light doses. From a treatment perspective, these differences may be important.

  9. Plasma temperature during methylene blue/light treatment influences virus inactivation capacity and product quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravemann, U; Handke, W; Sumian, C; Alvarez, I; Reichenberg, S; Müller, T H; Seltsam, A

    2018-02-27

    Photodynamic treatment using methylene blue (MB) and visible light is in routine use for pathogen inactivation of human plasma in different countries. Ambient and product temperature conditions for human plasma during production may vary between production sites. The influence of different temperature conditions on virus inactivation capacity and plasma quality of the THERAFLEX MB-Plasma procedure was investigated in this study. Plasma units equilibrated to 5 ± 2°C, room temperature (22 ± 2°C) or 30 ± 2°C were treated with MB/light and comparatively assessed for the inactivation capacity for three different viruses, concentrations of MB and its photoproducts, activity of various plasma coagulation factors and clotting time. Reduced solubility of the MB pill was observed at 5 ± 2°C. Photocatalytic degradation of MB increased with increasing temperature, and the greatest formation of photoproducts (mainly azure B) occurred at 30 ± 2°C. Inactivation of suid herpesvirus, bovine viral diarrhoea virus and vesicular stomatitis virus was significantly lower at 5 ± 2°C than at higher temperatures. MB/light treatment affected clotting times and the activity of almost all investigated plasma proteins. Factor VIII (-17·7 ± 8·3%, 22 ± 2°C) and fibrinogen (-14·4 ± 16·4%, 22 ± 2°C) showed the highest decreases in activity. Increasing plasma temperatures resulted in greater changes in clotting time and higher losses of plasma coagulation factor activity. Temperature conditions for THERAFLEX MB-Plasma treatment must be carefully controlled to assure uniform quality of pathogen-reduced plasma in routine production. Inactivation of cooled plasma is not recommended. © 2018 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  10. Dataset of red light induced pupil constriction superimposed on post-illumination pupil response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaobo Lei

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available We collected and analyzed pupil diameter data from of 7 visually normal participants to compare the maximum pupil constriction (MPC induced by “Red Only” vs. “Blue+Red” visual stimulation conditions.The “Red Only” condition consisted of red light (640±10 nm stimuli of variable intensity and duration presented to dark-adapted eyes with pupils at resting state. This condition stimulates the cone-driven activity of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC. The “Blue+Red” condition consisted of the same red light stimulus presented during ongoing blue (470±17 nm light-induced post-illumination pupil response (PIPR, representing the cone-driven ipRGC activity superimposed on the melanopsin-driven intrinsic activity of the ipRGCs (“The Absence of Attenuating Effect of Red light Exposure on Pre-existing Melanopsin-Driven Post-illumination Pupil Response” Lei et al. (2016 [1].MPC induced by the “Red Only” condition was compared with the MPC induced by the “Blue+Red” condition by multiple paired sample t-tests with Bonferroni correction. Keywords: Pupil light reflex, Chromatic pupillometry, Melanopsin, Post-illumination pupil response

  11. Effects of light quality on leaf morphogenesis of a heterophyllous amphibious plant, Rotala hippuris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Momokawa, Naoko; Kadono, Yasuro; Kudoh, Hiroshi

    2011-11-01

    For heterophyllous amphibious plants that experience fluctuating water levels, it is critical to control leaf development precisely in response to environmental cues that can serve as a quantitative index of water depth. Light quality can serve as such a cue because the ratio of red light relative to far-red light (R/FR) increases and blue-light intensity decreases with increasing water depth. Growth experiments were conducted to examine how R/FR and blue-light intensity alter leaf morphology of a heterophyllous amphibious plant, Rotala hippuris. Using combinations of far red (730 nm), red (660 nm) and blue (470 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), growth experiments were used to quantitatively evaluate the effects of the R/FR ratio and blue-light intensity on leaf morphology. Under the natural light regime in an outside growth garden, R. hippuris produced distinct leaves under submerged and aerial conditions. R/FR and blue-light intensity were found to markedly affect heterophyllous leaf formation. Higher and lower R/FR caused leaf characters more typical of submerged and aerial leaves, respectively, in both aerial and submerged conditions, in accordance with natural distribution of leaf types and light under water. High blue light caused a shift of trait values toward those of typical aerial leaves, and the response was most prominent under conditions of R/FR that were expected near the water surface. R/FR and blue-light intensity provides quantitative cues for R. hippuris to detect water depth and determine the developmental fates of leaves, especially near the water surface. The utilization of these quantitative cues is expected to be important in habitats where plants experience water-level fluctuation.

  12. Evidence for the Role of Blue Light in the Development of Uveal Melanoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick Logan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Uveal melanoma is the most common malignancy of the adult eye. Although it is a relatively infrequent tumor, clinical prognosis is often poor owing to a high incidence of aggressive metastatic disease, for which there are limited treatment options. Little is known about the etiology of this condition, although several risk factors have been identified. Unlike cutaneous melanoma, however, ultraviolet radiation does not figure prominently among these risk factors. In this review, we focus on an associated form of visible electromagnetic radiation, high-energy short-wave (blue light, a causative agent in various forms of age-related retina damage, as a previously overlooked risk factor in uveal melanoma development and progression. Finally, we discuss the impact of these data on contemporary ocular therapy, particularly the debate surrounding the filtering capabilities of intraocular lenses used to replace dysfunctional crystalline lenses during cataract surgery.

  13. Can sleep quality and wellbeing be improved by changing the indoor lighting in the homes of healthy, elderly citizens?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sander, Birgit; Markvart, Jakob; Kessel, Line; Argyraki, Aikaterini; Johnsen, Kjeld

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated the effect of bright blue-enriched versus blue-suppressed indoor light on sleep and wellbeing of healthy participants over 65 years. Twenty-nine participants in 20 private houses in a uniform settlement in Copenhagen were exposed to two light epochs of 3 weeks with blue-enriched (280 lux) and 3 weeks blue-suppressed (240 lux) indoor light or vice versa from 8 to 13 pm in a randomized cross-over design. The first light epoch was in October, the second in November and the two light epochs were separated by one week. Participants were examined at baseline and at the end of each light epoch. The experimental indoor light was well tolerated by the majority of the participants. Sleep duration was 7.44 (95% CI 7.14–7.74) hours during blue-enriched conditions and 7.31 (95% CI 7.01–7.62) hours during blue-suppressed conditions (p = 0.289). Neither rest hours, chromatic pupillometry, nor saliva melatonin profile showed significant changes between blue-enriched and blue-suppressed epochs. Baseline Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was significantly worse in females; 7.62 (95% CI 5.13–10.0) versus 4.06 (95% CI 2.64–5.49) in males, p = 0.009. For females, PSQI improved significantly during blue-enriched light exposure (p = 0.007); no significant changes were found for males. The subjective grading of indoor light quality doubled from participants habitual indoor light to the bright experimental light, while it was stable between light epochs, although there were clear differences between blue-enriched and blue-suppressed electrical light conditions imposed. Even though the study was carried out in the late autumn at northern latitude, the only significant difference in Actiwatch-measured total blue light exposure was from 8 to 9 am, because contributions from blue-enriched, bright indoor light were superseded by contributions from daylight. PMID:26181467

  14. Gigabit-per-second white light-based visible light communication using near-ultraviolet laser diode and red-, green-, and blue-emitting phosphors

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Changmin

    2017-07-12

    Data communication based on white light generated using a near-ultraviolet (NUV) laser diode (LD) pumping red-, green-, and blue-emitting (RGB) phosphors was demonstrated for the first time. A III-nitride laser diode (LD) on a semipolar (2021) substrate emitting at 410 nm was used for the transmitter. The measured modulation bandwidth of the LD was 1 GHz, which was limited by the avalanche photodetector. The emission from the NUV LD and the RGB phosphor combination measured a color rendering index (CRI) of 79 and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4050 K, indicating promise of this approach for creating high quality white lighting. Using this configuration, data was successfully transmitted at a rate of more than 1 Gbps. This NUV laser-based system is expected to have lower background noise from sunlight at the LD emission wavelength than a system that uses a blue LD due to the rapid fall off in intensity of the solar spectrum in the NUV spectral region.

  15. Gigabit-per-second white light-based visible light communication using near-ultraviolet laser diode and red-, green-, and blue-emitting phosphors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Changmin; Shen, Chao; Cozzan, Clayton; Farrell, Robert M; Speck, James S; Nakamura, Shuji; Ooi, Boon S; DenBaars, Steven P

    2017-07-24

    Data communication based on white light generated using a near-ultraviolet (NUV) laser diode (LD) pumping red-, green-, and blue-emitting (RGB) phosphors was demonstrated for the first time. A III-nitride laser diode (LD) on a semipolar (2021¯)  substrate emitting at 410 nm was used for the transmitter. The measured modulation bandwidth of the LD was 1 GHz, which was limited by the avalanche photodetector. The emission from the NUV LD and the RGB phosphor combination measured a color rendering index (CRI) of 79 and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4050 K, indicating promise of this approach for creating high quality white lighting. Using this configuration, data was successfully transmitted at a rate of more than 1 Gbps. This NUV laser-based system is expected to have lower background noise from sunlight at the LD emission wavelength than a system that uses a blue LD due to the rapid fall off in intensity of the solar spectrum in the NUV spectral region.

  16. Blue light induced free radicals from riboflavin in degradation of crystal violet by microbial viability evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Ji-Yuan; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P; Hsie, Zong-Jhe; Huang, Shiuh-Tsuen; Chen, Chiing-Chang

    2017-09-01

    Crystal violet (CV) is applied in daily use mainly as a commercial dye and antimicrobial agent. Waste water containing CV may affect aquatic ecosystems. Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B 2 , is non-toxic and an essential vitamin required for the functions of the human body. Riboflavin is photosensitive to UV and visible light in terms of generating reactive oxygen species. This study investigated the potential application of blue light on riboflavin, so as to come up with an effective way of degrading CV during its treatment. Photosensitivity of CV leading to degradation in the presence of riboflavin was investigated by light intensity, exposure time, and irradiation dosage. The degradation of CV during riboflavin photolysis treatment was studied by a UV/vis spectrometry and chromatography. The effects of CV degradation on microbial viability are relevant when considering the influences on the ecosystem. This study proved that riboflavin photochemical treatment with blue light degrades CV dye by ROS formation. The riboflavin photolysis-treated CV solution appeared to be transparent during conformational transformations of the CV that was rearranged by free radical species generated from riboflavin photolysis. After riboflavin photolysis, colony-forming units (CFUs) were determined for each CV solution. CFU preservation was 85.2% for the CV dissolved riboflavin solution treated with blue light irradiation at 2.0mW/cm 2 for 120min. Degradation of CV by riboflavin photochemical procedures can greatly reduce antimicrobial ability and serve as an environmental friendly waste water treatment method. Our results presented here concerning riboflavin photolysis in degradation of CV provide a novel technique, and a simple and safe practice for environmental decontamination processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Visible Light-Induced Degradation of Methylene Blue in the Presence of Photocatalytic ZnS and CdS Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parisa Vaziri

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available ZnS and CdS nanoparticles were prepared by a simple microwave irradiation method under mild conditions. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, TEM and EDX. The results indicated that high purity of nanosized ZnS and CdS was successfully obtained with cubic and hexagonal crystalline structures, respectively. The band gap energies of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles were estimated using UV-visible absorption spectra to be about 4.22 and 2.64 eV, respectively. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was carried out using physical mixtures of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles under a 500-W halogen lamp of visible light irradiation. The residual concentration of methylene blue solution was monitored using UV-visible absorption spectrometry. From the study of the variation in composition of ZnS:CdS, a composition of 1:4 (by weight was found to be very efficient for degradation of methylene blue. In this case the degradation efficiency of the photocatalyst nanoparticles after 6 h irradiation time was about 73% with a reaction rate of 3.61 × 10−3 min−1. Higher degradation efficiency and reaction rate were achieved by increasing the amount of photocatalyst and initial pH of the solution.

  18. Strong blue and white photoluminescence emission of BaZrO{sub 3} undoped and lanthanide doped phosphor for light emitting diodes application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romero, V.H. [Centro de Investigaciones en Optica, A. P. 1-948, Leon Gto., 37160 (Mexico); De la Rosa, E., E-mail: elder@cio.mx [Centro de Investigaciones en Optica, A. P. 1-948, Leon Gto., 37160 (Mexico); Salas, P. [Centro de Fisica Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, A.P. 1-1010, Queretaro, Qro. 76000 (Mexico); Velazquez-Salazar, J.J. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio One UTSA Circle, San Antonio TX 78249 (United States)

    2012-12-15

    In this paper, we report the obtained strong broadband blue photoluminescence (PL) emission centered at 427 nm for undoped BaZrO{sub 3} observed after 266 nm excitation of submicron crystals prepared by hydrothermal/calcinations method. This emission is enhanced with the introduction of Tm{sup 3+} ions and is stronger than the characteristic PL blue emission of such lanthanide. The proposed mechanism of relaxation for host lattice emission is based on the presence of oxygen vacancies produced during the synthesis process and the charge compensation due to the difference in the electron valence between dopant and substituted ion in the host. Brilliant white light emission with a color coordinate of (x=0.29, y=0.32) was observed by combining the blue PL emission from the host with the green and red PL emission from Tb{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+} ions, respectively. The color coordinate can be tuned by changing the ratio between blue, green and red band by changing the concentration of lanthanides. - Graphical abstract: Strong blue emission from undoped BaZrO{sub 3} phosphor and white light emission by doping with Tb{sup 3+} (green) and Eu{sup 3+} (red) after 266 nm excitation. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Blue emission from BaZrO{sub 3} phosphor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Blue emission enhanced with Tm{sup 3+}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer White light from BaZrO{sup 3+} phosphor.

  19. Effects of smartphone use with and without blue light at night in healthy adults: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heo, Jung-Yoon; Kim, Kiwon; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Papakostas, George I; Kim, Min-Ji; Kim, Dong Jun; Chang, Kyung-Ah Judy; Oh, Yunhye; Yu, Bum-Hee; Jeon, Hong Jin

    2017-04-01

    Smartphones deliver light to users through Light Emitting Diode (LED) displays. Blue light is the most potent wavelength for sleep and mood. This study investigated the immediate effects of smartphone blue light LED on humans at night. We investigated changes in serum melatonin levels, cortisol levels, body temperature, and psychiatric measures with a randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design of two 3-day admissions. Each subject played smartphone games with either conventional LED or suppressed blue light from 7:30 to 10:00PM (150 min). Then, they were readmitted and conducted the same procedure with the other type of smartphone. Serum melatonin levels were measured in 60-min intervals before, during and after use of the smartphones. Serum cortisol levels and body temperature were monitored every 120 min. The Profile of Mood States (POMS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and auditory and visual Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) were administered. Among the 22 participants who were each admitted twice, use of blue light smartphones was associated with significantly decreased sleepiness (Cohen's d = 0.49, Z = 43.50, p = 0.04) and confusion-bewilderment (Cohen's d = 0.53, Z = 39.00, p = 0.02), and increased commission error (Cohen's d = -0.59, t = -2.64, p = 0.02). Also, users of blue light smartphones experienced a longer time to reach dim light melatonin onset 50% (2.94 vs. 2.70 h) and had increases in body temperature, serum melatonin levels, and cortisol levels, although these changes were not statistically significant. Use of blue light LED smartphones at night may negatively influence sleep and commission errors, while it may not be enough to lead to significant changes in serum melatonin and cortisol levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Spontaneous mutation 7B-1 in tomato impairs blue light-induced stomatal opening

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hlavinka, J.; Nauš, J.; Fellner, Martin

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 209, č. 2013 (2013), s. 75-80 ISSN 0168-9452 R&D Projects: GA ČR GD522/08/H003 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GAP501/10/0785 Program:GA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : ABA * Anion-channel blocker * Blue light Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 4.114, year: 2013

  1. The study of LED light source illumination conditions for ideal algae cultivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Chun-Chin; Huang, Chien-Fu; Chen, Cin-Fu; Yue, Cheng-Feng

    2017-02-01

    Utilizing LED light source modules with 3 different RGB colors, the illumination effect of different wavelengths had been investigated on the growth curve of the same kind of micro algae. It was found that the best micro algae culturing status came out with long wavelength light such as red light (650 670 nm). Based on the same condition for a period of 3 weeks , the grown micro algae population density ratio represented by Optical Density (O.D.) ratio is 1?0.4?0.7 corresponding to growth with Red, Green, Blue light sources, respectively. Mixing 3 types and 2 types of LEDs with different parameters, the grown micro algae population densities were compared in terms of O.D. Interestingly enough, different light sources resulted in significant discoloration on micro algae growth, appearing yellow, brown, green, etc. Our experiments results showed such discoloration effect is reversible. Based on the same lighting condition, micro algae growth can be also affected by incubator size, nutrition supply, and temperature variation. In recent years, micro algae related technologies have been international wise a hot topic of energy and environmental protection for research and development institutes, and big energy companies among those developed countries. There will be an economically prosperous future. From this study of LED lighting to ideal algae cultivation, it was found that such built system would be capable of optimizing artificial cultivation system, leading to economic benefits for its continuous development. Since global warming causing weather change, accompanying with reducing energy sources and agriculture growth shortage are all threatening human being survival.

  2. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by green semiconductor films that is induced by irradiation by a light-emitting diode and visible light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chih-Chi; Doong, Ruey-An; Chen, Ku-Fan; Chen, Giin-Shan; Tsai, Yung-Pin

    2018-01-01

    This study develops a low-energy rotating photocatalytic contactor (LE-RPC) that has Cu-doped TiO 2 films coated on stainless-steel rotating disks, to experimentally evaluate the efficiency of the degradation and decolorization of methylene blue (MB) under irradiation from different light sources (visible 430 nm, light-emitting diode [LED] 460 nm, and LED 525 nm). The production of hydroxyl radicals is also examined. The experimental results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 that is doped with Cu 2+ is induced by illumination with visible light and an LED. More than 90% of methylene blue at a 10 mg/L concentration is degraded after illumination by visible light (430 nm) for 4 hr at 20 rpm. This study also demonstrates that the quantity of hydroxyl radicals produced is directly proportional to the light energy intensity. The greater the light energy intensity, the greater is the number of hydroxyl radicals produced. The CuO-doped anatase TiO 2 powder was successfully synthesized in this study by a sol-gel method. The catalytic abilities of the stainless-steel film were enhanced in the visible light regions. This study has successfully modified the nano-photocatalytic materials to drop band gap and has also successfully fixed the nano-photocatalytic materials on a substratum to effectively treat dye wastewater in the range of visible light. The results can be useful to the development of a low-energy rotating photocatalytic contactor for decontamination purposes.

  3. Effects of UV-B radiation on tetraspores of Chondrus ocellatus Holm (Rhodophyta), and effects of red and blue light on repair of UV-B-induced damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, Qing; Xiao, Hui; Wang, You; Tang, Xuexi

    2015-05-01

    We evaluated the effects of red and blue light on the repair of UV-B radiation-induced damage in tetraspores of Chondrus ocellatus Holm. Tetraspores of C. ocellatus were treated with different UV-B radiation levels (0, 36, 72, 108, 144 and 180 J/m2), and thereafter subjected to PAR, darkness, or red or blue light during a 2-h repair stage, each day for 48 days. The diameters and cellular contents of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimmers (CPDs), chlorophyll a (Chl a), phycoerythrin, and UV-B-absorbing mycosporinelike amino acids (MAAs) contents of the tetraspores were determined. Our results show that low doses of UV-B radiation (36 and 72 J/m2) promoted the growth of C. ocellatus; however, increased UV-B radiation gradually reduced the C. ocellatus growth (greater than 72 J/m2). The MAAs (palythine and asterina-330) in C. ocellatus were detected and analyzed by LC/MS. Our results suggest that moderate red light could induce the growth of this alga in aquaculture. In addition, photorepair was inhibited by red light, so there may be some other DNA repair mechanism activated by red light. Blue light promoted the activity of DNA photolyase, greatly improving remediation efficiency. Red and blue lights were found to reduce the capacity of C. ocellatus to form MAAs. Therefore, PAR, red light, and blue light play different roles during the repair processes for damage induced by UV-B radiation.

  4. Effect of arylamine hole-transport units on the performance of blue polyspirobifulorene light-emitting diodes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abbaszadeh, D.; Nicolai, H.T.; Crəciun, N.I.; Blom, P.W.M.

    2014-01-01

    The operation of blue light-emitting diodes based on polyspirobifluorene with a varying number of N,N,N′,N′ tetraaryldiamino biphenyl (TAD) hole-transport units (HTUs) is investigated. Assuming that the electron transport is not affected by the incorporation of TAD units, model calculations predict

  5. Comparative Study of Lettuce and Radish Grown Under Red and Blue Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and White Fluorescent Lamps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mickens, Matthew A.

    2012-01-01

    Growing vegetable crops in space will be an essential part of sustaining astronauts during long-term missions. To drive photosynthesis, red and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have attracted attention because of their efficiency, longevity, small size, and safety. In efforts to optimize crop production, there have also been recent interests in analyzing the subtle effects of green light on plant growth, and to determine if it serves as a source of growth enhancement or suppression. A comparative study was performed on two short cycle crops of lettuce (Outredgeous) and radish (Cherry Bomb) grown under two light treatments. The first treatment being red and blue LEDs, and the second treatment consisting of white fluorescent lamps which contain a portion of green light. In addition to comparing biomass production, physiological characterizations were conducted on how the light treatments influence morphology, water use, chlorophyll content, and the production of A TP within plant tissues.

  6. Highly efficient blue and warm white organic light-emitting diodes with a simplified structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiang-Long; Chen, Dongcheng; Cai, Xinyi; Liu, Ming; Cao, Yong; Su, Shi-Jian; Ouyang, Xinhua; Ge, Ziyi

    2016-01-01

    Two blue fluorescent emitters were utilized to construct simplified organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and the remarkable difference in device performance was carefully illustrated. A maximum current efficiency of 4.84 cd A"−"1 (corresponding to a quantum efficiency of 4.29%) with a Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinate of (0.144, 0.127) was achieved by using N,N-diphenyl-4″-(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-[1, 1′:4′, 1″-terphenyl]-4-amine (BBPI) as a non-doped emission layer of the simplified blue OLEDs without carrier-transport layers. In addition, simplified fluorescent/phosphorescent (F/P) hybrid warm white OLEDs without carrier-transport layers were fabricated by utilizing BBPI as (1) the blue emitter and (2) the host of a complementary yellow phosphorescent emitter (PO-01). A maximum current efficiency of 36.8 cd A"−"1 and a maximum power efficiency of 38.6 lm W"−"1 were achieved as a result of efficient energy transfer from the host to the guest and good triplet exciton confinement on the phosphorescent molecules. The blue and white OLEDs are among the most efficient simplified fluorescent blue and F/P hybrid white devices, and their performance is even comparable to that of most previously reported complicated multi-layer devices with carrier-transport layers. (paper)

  7. Organic light-emitting diodes with direct contact-printed red, green, blue, and white light-emitting layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Sun-Zen; Peng, Shiang-Hau; Ting, Tzu-Yu; Wu, Po-Shien; Lin, Chun-Hao; Chang, Chin-Yeh; Shyue, Jing-Jong; Jou, Jwo-Huei

    2012-10-01

    We demonstrate the feasibility of using direct contact-printing in the fabrication of monochromatic and polychromatic organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Bright devices with red, green, blue, and white contact-printed light-emitting layers with a respective maximum luminance of 29 000, 29 000, 4000, and 18 000 cd/m2 were obtained with sound film integrity by blending a polymeric host into a molecular host. For the red OLED as example, the maximum luminance was decreased from 29 000 to 5000 cd/m2 as only the polymeric host was used, or decreased to 7000 cd/m2 as only the molecular host was used. The markedly improved device performance achieved in the devices with blended hosts may be attributed to the employed polymeric host that contributed a good film-forming character, and the molecular host that contributed a good electroluminescence character.

  8. Bactericidal effect of blue LED light irradiated TiO2/Fe3O4 particles on fish pathogen in seawater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, T.C.; Yao, K.S.; Yeh, N.; Chang, C.I.; Hsu, H.C.; Gonzalez, F.; Chang, C.Y.

    2011-01-01

    This study uses blue LED light (λ max = 475 nm) activated TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 particles to evaluate the particles' photocatalytic activity efficiency and bactericidal effects in seawater of variable salinities. Different TiO 2 to Fe 3 O 4 mole ratios have been synthesized using sol-gel method. The synthesized particles contain mainly anatase TiO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 and FeTiO 3 . The study has identified TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 's bactericidal effect to marine fish pathogen (Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida BCRC17065) in seawater. The SEM photo reveals the surface destruction in bacteria incubated with blue LED irradiated TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 . The result of this study indicates that 1) TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 acquires photocatalytic activities in both the freshwater and the seawater via blue LED irradiation, 2) higher photocatalytic activities appear in solutions of higher TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 mole ratio, and 3) photocatalytic activity decreases as salinity increases. These results suggest that the energy saving blue LED light is a feasible light source to activate TiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 photocatalytic activities in both freshwater and seawater.

  9. Degradation of phosphorescent blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLED); Degradation der phosphoreszenten blauen organischen Leuchtdioden

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiu, Chien-Shu

    2011-07-01

    Phosphorescent organic materials harvest singlet and triplet excitons through inter-system crossing and improve the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). This improvement increases the potential of OLEDs, particularly white phosphorescent OLEDs (PHOLEDs), for lighting application. Although much progress has been made in the development of white PHOLEDs, the lifetime of phosphorescent emitters, especially the blue emitter, still needs to be improved. This thesis discusses the developments of blue PHOLEDs and investigations of degradation mechanisms. For development of blue PHOLEDs, two phosphorescent blue emitters were investigated: commercially available FIrpic and B1 provided by BASF. By varying the matrix and blocker materials, diode efficiency and lifetime have been investigated and improved. Blue PHOLEDs with emitter B1 show better efficiency and lifetime than devices with FIrpic. From lifetime measurement with constant DC current density, intrinsic degradation including luminance loss and voltage increase on both FIrpic and B1 PHOLEDs was observed. Photoluminescence measurement shows degradation in the emitting layers. To investigate the degradation of emitter layers, single-carrier devices with emitter systems or pure matrix materials were fabricated. Degradation on these devices was investigated by applying constant DC current, UV-irradiation and combination of both. We found that due to excited states (excitons), FIrpic molecules become unstable and polarons would enhance the degradation of FIrpic during DC operation and UV-excitation. To investigate the impact the exciton formation and exciton decay have on the degradation of FIrpic molecules, red phosphorescent emitter Ir(MDQ){sub 2}(acac) was doped in blue emitter layer TCTA:20% FIrpic. The doping concentration of Ir(MDQ){sub 2}(acac) was much lower than FIrpic to ensure that most of the exciton formation occurred on FIrpic molecules. Lower triplet energy of Ir(MDQ){sub 2}(acac) molecules

  10. Circadian phase, dynamics of subjective sleepiness and sensitivity to blue light in young adults complaining of a delayed sleep schedule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moderie, Christophe; Van der Maren, Solenne; Dumont, Marie

    2017-06-01

    To assess factors that might contribute to a delayed sleep schedule in young adults with sub-clinical features of delayed sleep phase disorder. Two groups of 14 young adults (eight women) were compared: one group complaining of a delayed sleep schedule and a control group with an earlier bedtime and no complaint. For one week, each subject maintained a target bedtime reflecting their habitual sleep schedule. Subjects were then admitted to the laboratory for the assessment of circadian phase (dim light melatonin onset), subjective sleepiness, and non-visual light sensitivity. All measures were timed relative to each participant's target bedtime. Non-visual light sensitivity was evaluated using subjective sleepiness and salivary melatonin during 1.5-h exposure to blue light, starting one hour after target bedtime. Compared to control subjects, delayed subjects had a later circadian phase and a slower increase of subjective sleepiness in the late evening. There was no group difference in non-visual sensitivity to blue light, but we found a positive correlation between melatonin suppression and circadian phase within the delayed group. Our results suggest that a late circadian phase, a slow build-up of sleep need, and an increased circadian sensitivity to blue light contribute to the complaint of a delayed sleep schedule. These findings provide targets for strategies aiming to decreasing the severity of a sleep delay and the negative consequences on daytime functioning and health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Initial growth of Bauhinia variegata trees under different colored shade nets and light conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Bachin Mazzini-Guedes

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Bauhinia variegata and B. variegata var. candida, commonly known as orchid trees, are small sized trees widely used for urban forestry and landscaping. Adult plants grow under full sun; in Brazil, however, seedlings are generally cultivated in commercial nurseries under natural half-shading. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different colored shade nets and light conditions on the initial growth of B. variegata and B. variegata var. candida. The influence of six light conditions (red net with 50% shading; blue net with 50% shading; black net with 70% shading; black net with 50% shading; black net with 30% shading; and full sun on the initial growth of B. variegata and B. variegata var. candida were evaluated along 160 days, and growth relationships were calculated. Seedlings showed more efficiency on the use of photoassimilated compounds when grown under full sun. Such condition is the most appropriate for seedling production of B. variegata and B. variegata var. candida, contradicting what has been performed in practice.

  12. Penetration of UV-A, UV-B, blue, and red light into leaf tissues of pecan measured by a fiber optic microprobe system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Yadong; Bai, Shuju; Vogelmann, Thomas C.; Heisler, Gordon M.

    2003-11-01

    The depth of light penetration from the adaxial surfaces of the mature leaves of pecan (Carya illinoensis) was measured using a fiber optic microprobe system at four wavelengths: UV-B (310nm), UV-A (360 nm), blue light (430nm), and red light (680nm). The average thickness of the leaf adaxial epidermal layer was 15um and the total leaf thickness was 219um. The patterns of the light attenuation by the leaf tissues exhibited strong wavelength dependence. The leaf adaxial epidermal layer was chiefly responsible for absorbing the UV-A UV-B radiation. About 98% of 310 nm light was steeply attenuated within the first 5 um of the adaxial epidermis; thus, very little UV-B radiation was transmitted to the mesophyll tissues where contain photosynthetically sensitive sites. The adaxial epidermis also attenuated 96% of the UV-A radiation. In contrast, the blue and red light penetrated much deeper and was gradually attenutated by the leaves. The mesophyll tissues attenuated 17% of the blue light and 42% of the red light, which were available for photosynthesis use. Since the epidermal layer absorbed nearly all UV-B light, it acted as an effective filter screening out the harmful radiation and protecting photosynthetically sensitive tissues from the UV-B damage. Therefore, the epidermal function of the UV-B screening effectiveness can be regarded as one of the UV-B protection mechanisms in pecan.

  13. Effects of electron transport material on blue organ light-emitting diode with fluorescent dopant of BCzVBi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Mei; Song, Wook; Kim, You-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Youn; Jhun, Chul-Gyu; Zhu, Fu Rong; Ryu, Dae Hyun; Kim, Woo-Young

    2013-01-01

    High efficiency blue organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), based on 2-me-thyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl) anthracene (MADN) doped with 4,4'-bis(9-ethyl-3-carbazovinylene)-1,1'-biphenyl (BCzVBi), were fabricated using two different electron transport layers (ETLs) of tris(8-hydroxyquinolino)-aluminum (Alq3) and 4,7-di-phenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen). Bphen ETL layers favored the efficient hole-electron recombination in the emissive layer of the BCzVBi-doped blue OLEDs, leading to high luminous efficiency and quantum efficiency of 8.34 cd/A at 100 mA/cm2 and 5.73% at 100 cd/m2, respectively. Maximum luminance of blue OLED with Bphen ETL and Alq3 ETL were 10670 cd/m2, and CIExy coordinates of blue OLEDs were (0.180, 0279) and (0.155, 0.212) at 100 cd/m2.

  14. [The spectrogram characteristics of organic blue-emissive light-emitting excitated YAG : Ce phosphor].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xi, Jian-Fei; Zhang, Fang-Hui; Mu, Qiang; Zhang, Mai-Li

    2011-09-01

    It is demonstrated that the panchromatic luminescence devices with organic blue-emissive light-emitting was fabricated. This technique used down conversion, which was already popular in inorganic power LEDs to obtain white light emission. A blue OLED device with a configuration of ITO/2T-NATA (30 nm)/AND : TBPe (50 Wt%, 40 nm)/Alq3 (100 nm)/LiF(1 nm)/Al(100 nm) was prepared via vacuum deposition process, and then coated with YAG : Ce phosphor layers of different thicknesses to obtain a controllable and uniform shape while the CIE coordinates were fine tuned. This development not only decreased steps of technics and degree of difficulty, but also applied the mature technology of phosphor. The results showed that steady spectrogram was obtained in the devices with phosphor, with a best performance of a maximum luminance of 13 840 cd x m(-2) which was about 2 times of that of the devices without phosphor; a maximum current efficiency of 17.3 cd x A(-1) was increased more two times more than the devices without phosphor. The emission spectrum could be adjusted by varying the concentration and thickness of the phosphor layers. Absoulte spectrogram of devices was in direct proportion with different driving current corresponding.

  15. A sensitive resveratrol assay with a simple probe methylene blue by resonance light scattering technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Haiyan; Dai, Kaijin; Luo, Qizhi; Duan, Wenjun; Xie, Yang

    2011-01-01

    A novel resonance light scattering (RLS) method was developed for the determination of resveratrol based on the interaction between resveratrol and methylene blue (MB). It was found that at pH 8.69, the weak RLS intensity of MB was remarkably enhanced by the addition of trace amount of resveratrol with the maximum peak located at 385.0 nm. Under the optimum conditions, a good linear relationship between the enhanced RLS intensities and the concentrations of resveratrol was obtained over the range of 2.0-14.0 μg ml -1 with the detection limit (3 σ) of 0.63 μg ml -1. The results of the analysis of resveratrol in synthetic samples and human urine are satisfactory, which showed it may provide a more sensitive, convenient, rapid and reproducible method for the detection of resveratrol, especially in biological and pharmaceutical field. In this work, the characteristics of RLS, absorption and fluorescence spectra of the resveratrol-MB system, the influencing factors and the optimum conditions of the reaction were investigated.

  16. The Impact of Blue Light Cystoscopy with Hexaminolevulinate (HAL) on Progression of Bladder Cancer - A New Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamat, Ashish M; Cookson, Michael; Witjes, J Alfred; Stenzl, Arnulf; Grossman, H Barton

    2016-04-27

    Background: The International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) recently proposed a new definition of disease progression in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including change in T-stage, change to T2 or higher or change from low to high grade. Objective: To establish whether blue light cystoscopy with hexaminolevulinate (HAL) impacts the rate of progression and time to progression using the revised definition. Methods: An earlier long-term follow-up of a controlled Phase III study reported outcomes following blue light cystoscopy with HAL (255 patients) or white light (WL) cystoscopy (261 patients) in NMIBC patients. The data was re-analysed according to the new definition. Results: In the original analysis, after 4.5 years (median), eight HAL and 16 WL patients were deemed to have progressed (transition from NMIBC to muscle invasive bladder cancer, (T2-4)). According to the new definition, additional patients in both groups were found to have progressed: 31 (12.2%) HAL vs 46 (17.6%) WL ( p  = 0.085) with four (1.6%) HAL and 11 (4.2%) WL patients progressing from Ta to CIS. Time to progression was longer in the HAL group ( p  = 0.05). Conclusions: Applying the new IBCG definition there was a trend towards a lower rate of progression in HAL patients, particularly in those progressing from Ta to CIS. Time to progression was significantly prolonged. This suggests that patients should receive blue light cystoscopy with HAL rather than WL at resection. Adoption of the new definition could allow more patients at risk of progression to be treated appropriately earlier.

  17. Low driving voltage blue, green, yellow, red and white organic light-emitting diodes with a simply double light-emitting structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhensong; Yue, Shouzhen; Wu, Yukun; Yan, Pingrui; Wu, Qingyang; Qu, Dalong; Liu, Shiyong; Zhao, Yi

    2014-01-27

    Low driving voltage blue, green, yellow, red and white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a common simply double emitting layer (D-EML) structure are investigated. Our OLEDs without any out-coupling schemes as well as n-doping strategies show low driving voltage, e.g. white OLED, respectively. This work demonstrates that the low driving voltages and high efficiencies can be simultaneously realized with a common simply D-EML structure.

  18. Blue-light digital communication in underwater environments utilizing orbital angular momentum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghdady, Joshua; Miller, Keith; Osler, Sean; Morgan, Kaitlyn; Li, Wenzhe; Johnson, Eric; Cochenour, Brandon

    2016-05-01

    Underwater optical communication has recently become the topic of much investigation as the demands for underwater data transmission have rapidly grown in recent years. The need for reliable, high-speed, secure underwater communication has turned increasingly to blue-light optical solutions. The blue-green visible wavelength window provides an attractive solution to the problem of underwater data transmission thanks to its low attenuation, where traditional RF solutions used in free-space communications collapse. Beginning with GaN laser diodes as the optical source, this work explores the encoding and transmission of digital data across underwater environments of varying turbidities. Given the challenges present in an underwater environment, such as the mechanical and optical turbulences that make proper alignment difficult to maintain, it is desirable to achieve extremely high data rates in order to allow the time window of alignment between the transmitter and receiver to be as small as possible. In this paper, work is done to increase underwater data rates through the use of orbital angular momentum. Results are shown for a range of data rates across a variety of channel types ranging in turbidity from that of a clear ocean to a dirty harbor.

  19. Design and fabrication of adjustable red-green-blue LED light arrays for plant research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenitz J Dustin

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although specific light attributes, such as color and fluence rate, influence plant growth and development, researchers generally cannot control the fine spectral conditions of artificial plant-growth environments. Plant growth chambers are typically outfitted with fluorescent and/or incandescent fixtures that provide a general spectrum that is accommodating to the human eye and not necessarily supportive to plant development. Many studies over the last several decades, primarily in Arabidopsis thaliana, have clearly shown that variation in light quantity, quality and photoperiod can be manipulated to affect growth and control developmental transitions. Light emitting diodes (LEDs has been used for decades to test plant responses to narrow-bandwidth light. LEDs are particularly well suited for plant growth chambers, as they have an extraordinary life (about 100,000 hours, require little maintenance, and use negligible energy. These factors render LED-based light strategies particularly appropriate for space-biology as well as terrestrial applications. However, there is a need for a versatile and inexpensive LED array platform where individual wavebands can be specifically tuned to produce a series of light combinations consisting of various quantities and qualities of individual wavelengths. Two plans are presented in this report. Results In this technical report we describe the practical construction of tunable red-green-blue LED arrays to support research in plant growth and development. Two light fixture designs and corresponding circuitry are presented. The first is well suited for a laboratory environment for use in a finite area with small plants, such as Arabidopsis. The second is expandable and appropriate for growth chambers. The application of these arrays to early plant developmental studies has been validated with assays of hypocotyl growth inhibition/promotion and phototropic curvature in Arabidopsis seedlings

  20. Light Modulates Leptin and Ghrelin in Sleep-Restricted Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana G. Figueiro

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute and chronic sleep restrictions cause a reduction in leptin and an increase in ghrelin, both of which are associated with hunger. Given that light/dark patterns are closely tied to sleep/wake patterns, we compared, in a within-subjects study, the impact of morning light exposures (60 lux of 633-nm [red], 532-nm [green], or 475-nm [blue] lights to dim light exposures on leptin and ghrelin concentrations after subjects experienced 5 consecutive days of both an 8-hour (baseline and a 5-hour sleep-restricted schedule. In morning dim light, 5-hour sleep restriction significantly reduced leptin concentrations compared to the baseline, 8-hour sleep/dim-light condition (1,32 = 2.9; =0.007. Compared to the 5-hour sleep/dim-light condition, the red, green, and blue morning light exposures significantly increased leptin concentrations (1,32 = 5.7; <0.0001, 1,32 = 3.6; =0.001, and 1,32 = 3.0; =0.005, resp.. Morning red light and green light exposures significantly decreased ghrelin concentrations (1,32 = 3.3; <0.003 and 1,32 = 2.2; =0.04, resp., but morning blue light exposures did not. This study is the first to demonstrate that morning light can modulate leptin and ghrelin concentrations, which could have an impact on reducing hunger that accompanies sleep deprivation.

  1. The first neural probe integrated with light source (blue laser diode) for optical stimulation and electrical recording.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, HyungDal; Shin, Hyun-Joon; Cho, Il-Joo; Yoon, Eui-sung; Suh, Jun-Kyo Francis; Im, Maesoon; Yoon, Euisik; Kim, Yong-Jun; Kim, Jinseok

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we report a neural probe which can selectively stimulate target neurons optically through Si wet etched mirror surface and record extracellular neural signals in iridium oxide tetrodes. Consequently, the proposed approach provides to improve directional problem and achieve at least 150/m gap distance between stimulation and recording sites by wet etched mirror surface in V-groove. Also, we developed light source, blue laser diode (OSRAM Blue Laser Diode_PL 450), integration through simple jig for one-touch butt-coupling. Furthermore, optical power and impedance of iridium oxide tetrodes were measured as 200 μW on 5 mW from LD and 206.5 k Ω at 1 kHz and we demonstrated insertion test of probe in 0.5% agarose-gel successfully. We have successfully transmitted a light of 450 nm to optical fiber through the integrated LD using by butt-coupling method.

  2. Large plasma-membrane depolarization precedes rapid blue-light-induced growth inhibition in cucumber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spalding, E. P.; Cosgrove, D. J.

    1989-01-01

    Blue-light (BL)-induced suppression of elongation of etiolated Cucumis sativus L. hypocotyls began after a 30-s lag time, which was halved by increasing the fluence rate from 10 to 100 micromoles m-2 s-1. Prior to the growth suppression, the plasma-membrane of the irradiated cells depolarized by as much as 100 mV, then returned within 2-3 min to near its initial value. The potential difference measured with surface electrodes changed with an identical time course but opposite polarity. The lag time for the change in surface potential showed an inverse dependence on fluence rate, similar to the lag for the growth inhibition. Green light and red light caused neither the electrical response nor the rapid inhibition of growth. The depolarization by BL did not propagate to nonirradiated regions and exhibited a refractory period of about 10 min following a BL pulse. Fluence-response relationships for the electrical and growth responses provide correlational evidence that the plasma-membrane depolarization reflects an event in the transduction chain of this light-growth response.

  3. Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of blue emitting materials based on arylamine-substituted diphenylvinylbiphenyl derivatives for organic light-emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kum Hee; You, Jae Nam; Won, Jiyeon; Lee, Jin Yong [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Ji Hoon [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul, 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Kwan, E-mail: kimyk@hongik.ac.kr [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul, 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Seung Soo, E-mail: ssyoon@skku.edu [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-10-31

    This paper reports the synthesis and electroluminescent properties of a series of blue emitting materials with arylamine and diphenylvinylbiphenyl groups for applications to efficient blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). All devices exhibited blue electroluminescence with electroluminescent properties that were quite sensitive to the structural features of the dopants in the emitting layers. In particular, the device using dopant 4 exhibited sky-blue emission with a maximum luminance, luminance efficiency, power efficiency, external quantum efficiency and CIE coordinates of 39,000 cd/m{sup 2}, 12.3 cd/A, 7.45 lm/W, 7.71% at 20 mA/cm{sup 2} and (x = 0.17, y = 0.31) at 8 V, respectively. In addition, a blue OLED using dopant 2 with CIE coordinates (x = 0.16, y = 0.18) at 8 V exhibited a luminous efficiency, power efficiency and external quantum efficiency of 4.39 cd/A, 2.46 lm/W and 2.97% at 20 mA/cm{sup 2}, respectively.

  4. A first-principles study of light non-metallic atom substituted blue phosphorene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Minglei [School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, Jiangsu (China); Tang, Wencheng, E-mail: 101000185@seu.edu.cn [School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, Jiangsu (China); Ren, Qingqiang [State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan (China); Wang, Sa-ke [Department of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, Jiangsu (China); Yu, Jin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, Jiangsu (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, Jiangsu (China); Du, Yanhui [School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, Jiangsu (China)

    2015-11-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • All the impurities are covalently bonded to blue phosphorene (with a single vacancy). • All the substituted systems are semiconductors. • B-substituted system exhibits direct bandgap semiconductor behavior. • The band gaps with spin polarization are found in C and O-substituted systems. • Our works can paves a new route at nanoscale for novel functionalities of optical and spintronics devices. - Abstract: First-principles calculations are implemented to study the geometric, electronic and magnetic properties of light non-metallic atom (B, C, N, O and F) substituted blue phosphorene. All the substituted systems are highly stable. The B-substituted system is a direct bandgap semiconductor with a bandgap size about 1.5 eV. The C, O-substituted systems are promising systems to explore two-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductors. Magnetism is observed for C and O substitution, while for the other impurities no magnetic moment is detected. Our works paves a new route at nanoscale for novel functionalities of optical and spintronics devices.

  5. Photomultipliers gain monitoring at the one percent level with a blue light pulser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berger, J.; Bermond, M.; Besson, P.; Favier, J.; Pessard, H.; Poulet, M.

    1988-07-01

    We describe a method and an experimental layout allowing the monitoring of photomultipliers gain. We use artificial blue light (Spark-gap with filter: 436 ± 20 nm) and three reference detectors. Short term and long term measurements are presented. The results indicate a precision better than 0.5% for the short term and 1.4% for the long term determinations. This gain monitoring system has been developed for a new neutrino oscillation reactor experiment (600 photomultipliers) starting at the Bugey nuclear plant

  6. Absorption and emission spectroscopic characterization of blue-light receptor Slr1694 from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zirak, P; Penzkofer, A; Lehmpfuhl, C; Mathes, T; Hegemann, P

    2007-01-03

    The BLUF protein Slr1694 from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 is characterized by absorption and emission spectroscopy. Slr1694 expressed from E. coli which non-covalently binds FAD, FMN, and riboflavin (called Slr1694(I)), and reconstituted Slr1694 which dominantly contains FAD (called Slr1694(II)) are investigated. The receptor conformation of Slr1694 (dark adapted form Slr1694(r)) is transformed to the putative signalling state (light adapted form Slr1694(s)) with red-shifted absorption and decreased fluorescence efficiency by blue-light excitation. In the dark at 22 degrees C, the signalling state recovers back to the initial receptor state with a time constants of about 14.2s for Slr1694(I) and 17s for Slr1694(II). Quantum yields of signalling state formation of approximately 0.63+/-0.07 for both Slr1694(I) and Slr1694(II) were determined by transient transmission measurements and intensity dependent steady-state transmission measurements. Extended blue-light excitation causes some bound flavin conversion to the hydroquinone form and some photo-degradation, both with low quantum efficiency. The flavin-hydroquinone re-oxidizes slowly back (time constant 5-9 min) to the initial flavoquinone form in the dark. A photo-cycle dynamics scheme is presented.

  7. Evidence from Studies with Acifluorfen for Participation of a Flavin-Cytochrome Complex in Blue Light Photoreception for Phototropism of Oat Coleoptiles 12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leong, Ta-Yan; Briggs, Winslow R.

    1982-01-01

    The diphenyl ether acifluorfen enhances the blue light-induced absorbance change in Triton X100-solubilized crude membrane preparations from etiolated oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Lodi) coleoptiles. Enhancement of the spectral change is correlated with a change in rate of dark reoxidation of a b-type cytochrome. Similar, although smaller, enhancement was obtained with oxyfluorfen, nitrofen, and bifenox. Light-minus-dark difference spectra in the presence and absence of acifluorfen, and the dithionite-reduced-minus oxidized difference spectrum indicate that acifluorfen is acting specifically at a blue light-sensitive cytochrome-flavin complex. Sodium azide, a flavin inhibitor, decreases the light-induced absorbance change significantly, but does not affect the dark reoxidation of the cytochrome. Hence, it is acting on the light reaction, suggesting that the photoreceptor itself is a flavin. Acifluorfen sensitizes phototropism in dark-grown oat seedlings such that the first positive response occurs with blue light fluences as little as one-third of those required to elicit the same response in seedlings grown in the absence of the herbicide. Both this increase in sensitivity to light and the enhancement of the light-induced cytochrome reduction vary with the applied acifluorfen concentration in a similar manner. The herbicide is without effect either on elongation or on the geotropic response of dark-grown oat seedlings, indicating that acifluorfen is acting specifically close to, or at the photoreceptor end of, the stimulus-response chain. It seems likely that the flavin-cytochrome complex serves to transduce the light signal into curvature in phototropism in oats, with the flavin moiety itself serving as the photoreceptor. PMID:16662593

  8. Study on the light leakage mechanism of a blue phase liquid crystal cell with oblique interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Sukin; Jeong, Heon; Lee, Seung Hee; Yang, Gyu Hyung; Nayek, Prasenjit; Hong, Seung Ho; Lee, Hyeok Jin; Shin, Sung-Tae

    2012-01-01

    The mechanism of light leakage in the dark state of a blue phase liquid crystal display cell which has protruded electrodes was investigated. We have performed a hybrid numerical simulation by combining the geometrical optics with the extended Jones matrix method. The light leakage in the cell was caused by changes in the polarization state which has been explained by the asymmetric amplitude change of transverse electric and transverse magnetic fields at the oblique interface and the change in an effective angle between crossed polarizers by the light path refraction. Based on our analysis, light leakage can be suppressed by the matching of the refractive indices of adjacent materials to the interface of the protruded electrodes whose surfaces are not parallel to the substrate. (paper)

  9. Characterization of a rapid, blue light-mediated change in detectable phosphorylation of a plasma membrane protein from etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Short, T.W.; Briggs, W.R.

    1990-01-01

    When crude microsomal membranes from apical stem segments of etiolated Pisum sativum L. cv Alaska are mixed in vitro with γ-[ 32 P]ATP, a phosphorylated band of apparent molecular mass 120 kilodaltons can be detected on autoradiographs of sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis gels. If the stem sections are exposed to blue light immediately prior to membrane isolation, this band is not evident. Comparisons of the kinetics, tissue distribution, and dark recovery of the phosphorylation response with those published for blue light mediated phototropism or rapid growth inhibition indicate that the phosphorylation could be linked to one or both of the reactions described. However, the fluence-response relationships for the change in detectable phosphorylation match quite closely those reported for phototropism but not those for growth inhibition. Blue light has also been found to regulate the capacity for in vitro phosphorylation of a second protein. It has an apparent molecular mass of 84 kilodaltons and is localized primarily in basal stem sections

  10. The Impact of Blue Light Cystoscopy with Hexaminolevulinate (HAL) on Progression of Bladder Cancer - A New Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamat, A.M.; Cookson, M.; Witjes, J.A.; Stenzl, A.; Grossman, H.B.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) recently proposed a new definition of disease progression in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including change in T-stage, change to T2 or higher or change from low to high grade. Objective: To establish whether blue light

  11. OSL response bleaching of BeO samples, using fluorescent light and blue LEDs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groppo, Daniela Piai; Caldas, Linda V.E.

    2015-01-01

    The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is widely used as a dosimetric technique for many applications. In this work, the OSL response bleaching of BeO samples was studied. The samples were irradiated using a beta radiation source ( 90 Sr+ 90 Y); the bleaching treatments (fluorescent light and blue LEDs) were performed, and the results were compared. Various optical treatment time intervals were tested until reaching the complete bleaching of the OSL response. The best combination of the time interval and bleaching type was analyzed. (author)

  12. OSL response bleaching of BeO samples, using fluorescent light and blue LEDs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groppo, D P; Caldas, L V E

    2016-01-01

    The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is widely used as a dosimetric technique for many applications. In this work, the OSL response bleaching of BeO samples was studied. The samples were irradiated using a beta radiation source ("9"0Sr+"9"0Y); the bleaching treatments (fluorescent light and blue LEDs) were performed, and the results were compared. Various optical treatment time intervals were tested until reaching the complete bleaching of the OSL response. The best combination of the time interval and bleaching type was analyzed. (paper)

  13. The intensity threshold of colour vision in a passerine bird, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomez, Doris; Grégoire, Arnaud; Del Rey Granado, Maria; Bassoul, Marine; Degueldre, David; Perret, Philippe; Doutrelant, Claire

    2014-11-01

    Many vertebrates use colour vision for vital behaviour but their visual performance in dim light is largely unknown. The light intensity threshold of colour vision is known only for humans, horses and two parrot species. Here, we first explore this threshold in a passerine bird, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Using classic conditioning of colour cues to food rewards in three individuals, we find a threshold ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 cd m(-2). Results are comparable to the two previously tested bird species. For tits, nest light conditions probably exceed that threshold, at least after sunrise. These results shed new light on the lively debate questioning the visual performance of cavity nesters and the evolutionary significance of egg and chick coloration. Although this needs further investigation, it is possible that blue tits exploit both colour and brightness cues when viewing their eggs, chicks or conspecifics in their nests. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. Evaluation of 405nm CW visible blue light as a means of inactivating Tulane Virus on Blueberries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Introduction: Visible blue light (405nm) is effective against bacteria but its potential as a nonthermal intervention for viruses on foods, such as berries that are prone to norovirus contamination has not been evaluated. Tulane virus (TV) is now a common human norovirus surrogate that can be propa...

  15. Stomatal Blue Light Response Is Present in Early Vascular Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doi, Michio; Kitagawa, Yuki; Shimazaki, Ken-ichiro

    2015-10-01

    Light is a major environmental factor required for stomatal opening. Blue light (BL) induces stomatal opening in higher plants as a signal under the photosynthetic active radiation. The stomatal BL response is not present in the fern species of Polypodiopsida. The acquisition of a stomatal BL response might provide competitive advantages in both the uptake of CO2 and prevention of water loss with the ability to rapidly open and close stomata. We surveyed the stomatal opening in response to strong red light (RL) and weak BL under the RL with gas exchange technique in a diverse selection of plant species from euphyllophytes, including spermatophytes and monilophytes, to lycophytes. We showed the presence of RL-induced stomatal opening in most of these species and found that the BL responses operated in all euphyllophytes except Polypodiopsida. We also confirmed that the stomatal opening in lycophytes, the early vascular plants, is driven by plasma membrane proton-translocating adenosine triphosphatase and K(+) accumulation in guard cells, which is the same mechanism operating in stomata of angiosperms. These results suggest that the early vascular plants respond to both RL and BL and actively regulate stomatal aperture. We also found three plant species that absolutely require BL for both stomatal opening and photosynthetic CO2 fixation, including a gymnosperm, C. revoluta, and the ferns Equisetum hyemale and Psilotum nudum. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Antimicrobial blue light: a drug-free approach for inactivating pathogenic microbes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Dai, Tianhong

    2018-02-01

    Due to the growing global threat of antibiotic resistance, there is a critical need for the development of alternative therapeutics for infectious diseases. Antimicrobial blue light (aBL), as an innovative non-antibiotic approach, has attracted increasing attention. This paper discussed the basic concepts of aBL and recent findings in the studies of aBL. It is commonly hypothesized that the antimicrobial property of aBL is attributed to the presence of endogenous photosensitizing chromophores in microbial cells, which produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species upon light irradiation. A wide range of important microbes are found to be susceptible to aBL inactivation. Studies have also shown there exist therapeutic windows where microbes are selectively inactivated by aBL while host cells are preserved. The combination of aBL with some other agents result in synergistically improved antimicrobial efficacy. Future efforts should be exerted on the standardization of study design for evaluating aBL efficacy, further elucidation of the mechanism of action, optimization of the technical parameters, and translation of this technique to clinic.

  17. White emission from nano-structured top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes based on a blue emitting layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyun, Woo Jin; Park, Jung Jin; Park, O Ok; Im, Sang Hyuk; Chin, Byung Doo

    2013-01-01

    We demonstrated that white emission can be obtained from nano-structured top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (TEOLEDs) based on a blue emitting layer (EML). The nano-structured TEOLEDs were fabricated on nano-patterned substrates, in which both optical micro-cavity and scattering effects occur simultaneously. Due to the combination of these two effects, the electroluminescence spectra of the nano-structured device with a blue EML exhibited not only blue but also yellow colours, which corresponded to the intrinsic emission of the EML and the resonant emission of the micro-cavity effect. Consequently, it was possible to produce white emission from nano-structured TEOLEDs without employing a multimode micro-cavity. The intrinsic emission wavelength can be varied by altering the dopant used for the EML. Furthermore, the emissive characteristics turned out to be strongly dependent on the nano-pattern sizes of the nano-structured devices. (paper)

  18. Green Light for Nocturnally Migrating Birds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanneke Poot

    2008-12-01

    Laboratory experiments have shown the magnetic compass to be wavelength dependent: migratory birds require light from the blue-green part of the spectrum for magnetic compass orientation, whereas red light (visible long-wavelength disrupts magnetic orientation. We designed a field study to test if and how changing light color influenced migrating birds under field conditions. We found that nocturnally migrating birds were disoriented and attracted by red and white light (containing visible long-wavelength radiation, whereas they were clearly less disoriented by blue and green light (containing less or no visible long-wavelength radiation. This was especially the case on overcast nights. Our results clearly open perspective for the development of bird-friendly artificial lighting by manipulating wavelength characteristics. Preliminary results with an experimentally developed bird-friendly light source on an offshore platform are promising. What needs to be investigated is the impact of bird-friendly light on other organisms than birds.

  19. Visible light reduces C. elegans longevity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Magalhaes Filho, C Daniel; Henriquez, Brian; Seah, Nicole E; Evans, Ronald M; Lapierre, Louis R; Dillin, Andrew

    2018-03-02

    The transparent nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can sense UV and blue-violet light to alter behavior. Because high-dose UV and blue-violet light are not a common feature outside of the laboratory setting, we asked what role, if any, could low-intensity visible light play in C. elegans physiology and longevity. Here, we show that C. elegans lifespan is inversely correlated to the time worms were exposed to visible light. While circadian control, lite-1 and tax-2 do not contribute to the lifespan reduction, we demonstrate that visible light creates photooxidative stress along with a general unfolded-protein response that decreases the lifespan. Finally, we find that long-lived mutants are more resistant to light stress, as well as wild-type worms supplemented pharmacologically with antioxidants. This study reveals that transparent nematodes are sensitive to visible light radiation and highlights the need to standardize methods for controlling the unrecognized biased effect of light during lifespan studies in laboratory conditions.

  20. Efficacy of antimicrobial 405 nm blue-light for inactivation of airborne bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dougall, Laura R.; Anderson, John G.; Timoshkin, Igor V.; MacGregor, Scott J.; Maclean, Michelle

    2018-02-01

    Airborne transmission of infectious organisms is a considerable concern within the healthcare environment. A number of novel methods for `whole room' decontamination, including antimicrobial 405 nm blue light, are being developed. To date, research has focused on its effects against surface-deposited contamination; however, it is important to also establish its efficacy against airborne bacteria. This study demonstrates evidence of the dose-response kinetics of airborne bacterial contamination when exposed to 405 nm light and compares bacterial susceptibility when exposed in three different media: air, liquid and surfaces. Bacterial aerosols of Staphylococcus epidermidis, generated using a 6-Jet Collison nebulizer, were introduced into an aerosol suspension chamber. Aerosolized bacteria were exposed to increasing doses of 405 nm light, and air samples were extracted from the chamber using a BioSampler liquid impinger, with viability analysed using pour-plate culture. Results have demonstrated successful aerosol inactivation, with a 99.1% reduction achieved with a 30 minute exposure to high irradiance (22 mWcm-2) 405 nm light (P=0.001). Comparison to liquid and surface exposures proved bacteria to be 3-4 times more susceptible to 405 nm light inactivation when in aerosol form. Overall, results have provided fundamental evidence of the susceptibility of bacterial aerosols to antimicrobial 405 nm light treatment, which offers benefits in terms of increased safety for human exposure, and eradication of microbes regardless of antibiotic resistance. Such benefits provide advantages for a number of applications including `whole room' environmental decontamination, in which reducing levels of airborne bacteria should reduce the number of infections arising from airborne contamination.

  1. Blue and near ultraviolet reversible photoreaction in the induction of fungal conidiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumagai, T.

    1982-01-01

    The effects of blue light and near UV light on the induction of conidiation in the fungus, Alternaria tomato, were investigated. Induction of conidiation was repeatedly controlled by alternating doses of near UV light and blue light. When the final light was near UV, conidiation was induced and conidia developed in the following darkness; when it was blue, the induction of conidiation was suppressed. When conidiation was induced by irradiation with a light mixed with near UV and blue, not only the time lag for inducing conidiation but also the amount of conidia formed were regulated by the fluence rates of both those lights. Thus, 'mycochrome' is considered to function as a photoreceptor system in the induction of conidiation of this fungus. (author)

  2. Light extraction efficiency improvement in GaN-based blue light emitting diode with two-dimensional nano-cavity structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Joong-Yeon; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Byeon, Kyeong-Jae; Lee, Heon

    2012-01-01

    The light extraction efficiency of light emitting diode (LED) devices was improved by embedding nano-sized two-dimensional, air cavity photonic crystal (PC) structure on the indium tin oxide (ITO) layer of GaN-based LEDs. The embedded air cavity PC structure was fabricated using a reversal imprint lithography technique. The nano-cavity patterns had a width of 560 nm, a space of 240 nm and a height of 280 nm. According to current–voltage characterization, the electrical performance of the LED devices was not degraded by the fabrication process of air cavity PC structure. The optical output power of the LED device was increased by up to 10% at a drive current of 20 mA by forming the nano-cavity PC structure on the transparent electrode of the blue LED device, which was grown on a patterned sapphire substrate, to maximize the photon extraction. Since photons are scattered with cavities and are unaffected by the packaging process, which is the encapsulation of a LED device with epoxy resin, this enhancement in light extraction efficiency will not be decreased after the packaging process.

  3. The fading of irradiated blue-colored pearls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Shinichi

    1982-01-01

    The fading of irradiated and natural blue-colored pearls was investigated in this experiment. Thirty natural blue-colored pearls and sixty irradiated blue-colored pearls were used. Some of them were placed at a light position of RT. Another pearls were placed at a dark position of 50 0 C. The irradiated pearls placed at a light position of RT didn't show remarkable fading in their color in 294 days. But the natural blue-colored pearls showed a little recovery from 4% to 8% in reflection factors in 223 days at RT. The irradiated pearls placed at a dark position of 50 0 C showed the recovery from 9% to 14% in 264 days independently of irradiation times. The natural blue-colored pearls also showed the bleaching from 5% to 10% in reflection factor in 86 days at 50 0 C. Both irradiated and natural blue-colored pearls hardly showed their remarkable changes in their chromaticities independently of temperatures. (author)

  4. Morning Sleep Inertia in Alertness and Performance: Effect of Cognitive Domain and White Light Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santhi, Nayantara; Groeger, John A.; Archer, Simon N.; Gimenez, Marina; Schlangen, Luc J. M.; Dijk, Derk-Jan

    2013-01-01

    The transition from sleep to wakefulness entails a temporary period of reduced alertness and impaired performance known as sleep inertia. The extent to which its severity varies with task and cognitive processes remains unclear. We examined sleep inertia in alertness, attention, working memory and cognitive throughput with the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS), the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), n-back and add tasks, respectively. The tasks were administered 2 hours before bedtime and at regular intervals for four hours, starting immediately after awakening in the morning, in eleven participants, in a four-way cross-over laboratory design. We also investigated whether exposure to Blue-Enhanced or Bright Blue-Enhanced white light would reduce sleep inertia. Alertness and all cognitive processes were impaired immediately upon awakening (pinertia varies with cognitive domain and that it’s spectral/intensity response to light is different from that of sleepiness. That is, just increasing blue-wavelength in light may not be sufficient to reduce sleep inertia. These findings have implications for critical professions like medicine, law-enforcement etc., in which, personnel routinely wake up from night-time sleep to respond to emergency situations. PMID:24260280

  5. Anti-apoptotic effects of Curcuma longa L. extract and its curcuminoids against blue light-induced cytotoxicity in A2E-laden human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sang-Il; Lee, Eun Hye; Kim, So Ra; Jang, Young Pyo

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the protective effect of the Curcuma longa L. extract (CLE) and its curcuminoids against blue light-induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells laded with A2E. A2E has been concerned in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). To perform this study, A2E-accumulated ARPE-19 cells were exposed to blue light to induce cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic gene expression levels were evaluated using a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and real-time PCR analysis, respectively. Curcuma longa L. extract was found to exert a protective effect in a dose-dependent manner. At a concentration of 15 μm, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin exerted significant protective effects against blue light-induced cytotoxicity. Treatment with CLE and curcuminoids meaningfully reduced the mRNA levels of c-Abl and p53, which was known to be augmented in apoptotic RPE cells. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin were found to inhibit p38 expression, which is increased in blue light-irradiated A2E-accumulated RPE cells. Curcuma longa L. extract and its curcuminoids provided significant protection against photooxidative damage and apoptosis in the RPE cells. Our results suggest that curcuminoids may show potential in the treatment of AMD. © 2017 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  6. Phototropism and Protein Phosphorylation in Higher Plants: Unilateral Blue Light Irradiation Generates a Directional Gradient of Protein Phosphorylation Across the Oat Coleoptile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salomon, M.; Zacherl, M.; Rüdiger, W.

    1997-01-01

    Blue light induces the phosphorylation of a 116 kDa oat protein found in plasma membrane preparations from coleoptile tips. We developed a very sensitive in vitro method that allowed us to determine the tissue distribution of protein phosphorylation after applying unilateral and bilateral blue light pulses in vivo. We found that following unilateral in vivo irradiation the degree in phosphorylation of the 116 kDa protein is significantly higher at the irradiated than at the shaded side of the coleoptile tip. This asymmetry can be considered as previously missing criterion that protein phosphorylation represents an early event within the transduction chain for phototropism. (author)

  7. Electrical lighting for improved wellbeing of elderly citizens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markvart, Jakob; Agnes Sander, Birgit; Kessel, Line

    2015-01-01

    Healthy elderly citizens living in their own homes may benefit from having replaced their existing indoor lighting with a lighting being superior in stimulating their circadian rhythm to improve sleep and general wellbeing. This was hypothesised in the presented study. We replaced the existing...... indoor lighting in the main living room of elderly citizens in 20 uniform private houses in a suburb of Copenhagen. In a randomized cross-over design 29 healthy participants over 65 years were exposed over 3 weeks to blue-enriched and 3 weeks to blue-deprived light with similar corneal photopic...... illuminances from 8 am to 13 pm. The two light epochs were separated by one week neutral indoor light. Daylight factors were measured for each of the houses. The pre-experimental lighting conditions were documented by pictures and the experimental light was measured on location using portable photometers...

  8. Spectrally balanced chromatic landing approach lighting system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chase, W. D. (Inventor)

    1981-01-01

    Red warning lights delineate the runway approach with additional blue lights juxtaposed with the red lights such that the red lights are chromatically balanced. The red/blue point light sources result in the phenomenon that the red lights appear in front of the blue lights with about one and one-half times the diameter of the blue. To a pilot observing these lights along a glide path, those red lights directly below appear to be nearer than the blue lights. For those lights farther away seen in perspective at oblique angles, the red lights appear to be in a position closer to the pilot and hence appear to be above the corresponding blue lights. This produces a very pronounced three dimensional effect referred to as chromostereopsis which provides valuable visual cues to enable the pilot to perceive his actual position above the ground and the actual distance to the runway.

  9. Bactericidal effect of blue LED light irradiated TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles on fish pathogen in seawater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheng, T.C. [Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan (China); Yao, K.S. [Department of Horticulture, National Taitung Junior College, Taiwan (China); Yeh, N. [Mingdao University, Taiwan (China); Chang, C.I. [Aquaculture Division, Fisheries Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Taiwan (China); Hsu, H.C. [Department of Life Science, Mingdao University, Taiwan (China); Gonzalez, F. [Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan (China); Chang, C.Y., E-mail: cyc1136@yahoo.com.tw [Center of General Education, National Taitung Junior College, Taiwan (China)

    2011-05-31

    This study uses blue LED light ({lambda}{sub max} = 475 nm) activated TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles to evaluate the particles' photocatalytic activity efficiency and bactericidal effects in seawater of variable salinities. Different TiO{sub 2} to Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} mole ratios have been synthesized using sol-gel method. The synthesized particles contain mainly anatase TiO{sub 2}, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and FeTiO{sub 3}. The study has identified TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}'s bactericidal effect to marine fish pathogen (Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida BCRC17065) in seawater. The SEM photo reveals the surface destruction in bacteria incubated with blue LED irradiated TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. The result of this study indicates that 1) TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} acquires photocatalytic activities in both the freshwater and the seawater via blue LED irradiation, 2) higher photocatalytic activities appear in solutions of higher TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} mole ratio, and 3) photocatalytic activity decreases as salinity increases. These results suggest that the energy saving blue LED light is a feasible light source to activate TiO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} photocatalytic activities in both freshwater and seawater.

  10. Test-retest repeatability of the pupil light response to blue and red light stimuli in normal human eyes using a novel pupillometer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina eHerbst

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we evaluated the repeatability of pupil responses to colored light stimuli in healthy subjects using a prototype chromatic pupillometer. One eye of 10 healthy subjects was tested twice in the same day using monochromatic light exposure at 2 selected wavelengths (660 nm and 470 nm, intensity 300 cd/m2 presented continuously for 20 seconds. Pupil responses were recorded in real time before, during and after light exposure. Maximal contraction amplitude and sustained contraction amplitude were calculated. In addition, we quantified the summed pupil response during continuous light stimulation as the total area between a reference line representing baseline pupil size and the line representing actual pupil size over 20 seconds (area under the curve. There was no significant difference in the repeated measure compared to the first test for any of the pupil response parameters. In conclusion, we have developed a novel prototype of color pupillometer which demonstrates good repeatability in evoking and recording the pupillary response to a bright blue and red light stimulus.

  11. Origin of a counterintuitive yellow light-emitting electrochemical cell based on a blue-emitting heteroleptic copper(i) complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Michael D; Garino, Claudio; Volpi, Giorgio; Casamassa, Enrico; Milanesio, Marco; Barolo, Claudia; Costa, Rubén D

    2016-06-07

    This work provides the synthesis, structural characterization, electrochemical and photophysical features, as well as the application in light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) of a novel heteroleptic copper(i) complex - [Cu(impy)(POP)][PF6], where impy is 3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-(pyridine-2-yl)imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine and POP is bis{2-(diphenylphosphanyl)phenyl}ether. This compound shows blue photoluminescence (PL, λ = 450 nm) in solution and solid-state and excellent redox stability. Despite these excellent features, the electroluminescence (EL) response is located at ∼550 nm. Although the EL spectrum of LECs is typically red-shifted compared to the PL of the electroluminescent material, a shift of ca. 100 nm represents the largest one reported in LECs. To date, the large shift phenomena have been attributed to (i) a change in the nature of the lowest emitting state due to a concentration effect of the films, (ii) a reversible substitution of the ligands due to the weak coordination to the Cu(i), and (iii) a change in the distribution of the excited states due to polarization effects. After having discarded these along with others like the irreversible degradation of the emitter during device fabrication and/or under operation conditions, driving conditions, active layer composition, and changes in the excited states under different external electrical stimuli, we attribute the origin of this unexpected shift to a lack of a thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) process due to the solely ligand-centered character of the excited states. As such, the lack of a charge transfer character in the excited states leads to a blue-fluorescence and yellow-phosphorescence photo- and electro-responses, respectively. This corroborates recent studies focused on the design of TADF for heteroleptic copper(i) complexes. Overall, this work is a clear insight into the design of new copper(i) complexes towards the preparation of blue LECs, which are still unexplored.

  12. The plasma membrane-associated NADH oxidase (ECTO-NOX) of mouse skin responds to blue light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morre, D. James; Morre, Dorothy M.

    2003-01-01

    NADH oxidases of the external plasma membrane surface (ECTO-NOX proteins) are characterized by oscillations in activity with a regular period length of 24 min. Explants of mouse skin exhibit the oscillatory activity as estimated from the decrease in A(340) suggesting that individual ECTO-NOX molecules must somehow be induced to function synchronously. Transfer of explants of mouse skin from darkness to blue light (495 nm, 2 min, 50 micromol m(-1) s(-1)) resulted in initiation of a new activity maximum (entrainment) with a midpoint 36 min after light exposure followed by maxima every 24 min thereafter. Addition of melatonin resulted in a new maximum 24 min after melatonin addition. The findings suggest that the ECTO-NOX proteins play a central role in the entrainment of the biological clock both by light and by melatonin.

  13. Spectral characteristics of light sources for S-cone stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlegelmilch, F; Nolte, R; Schellhorn, K; Husar, P; Henning, G; Tornow, R P

    2002-11-01

    Electrophysiological investigations of the short-wavelength sensitive pathway of the human eye require the use of a suitable light source as a S-cone stimulator. Different light sources with their spectral distribution properties were investigated and compared with the ideal S-cone stimulator. First, the theoretical background of the calculation of relative cone energy absorption from the spectral distribution function of the light source is summarized. From the results of the calculation, the photometric properties of the ideal S-cone stimulator will be derived. The calculation procedure was applied to virtual light sources (computer generated spectral distribution functions with different medium wavelengths and spectrum widths) and to real light sources (blue and green light emitting diodes, blue phosphor of CRT-monitor, multimedia projector, LCD monitor and notebook display). The calculated relative cone absorbencies are compared to the conditions of an ideal S-cone stimulator. Monochromatic light sources with wavelengths of less than 456 nm are close to the conditions of an ideal S-cone stimulator. Spectrum widths up to 21 nm do not affect the S-cone activation significantly (S-cone activation change < 0.2%). Blue light emitting diodes with peak wavelength at 448 nm and spectrum bandwidth of 25 nm are very useful for S-cone stimulation (S-cone activation approximately 95%). A suitable display for S-cone stimulation is the Trinitron computer monitor (S-cone activation approximately 87%). The multimedia projector has a S-cone activation up to 91%, but their spectral distribution properties depends on the selected intensity. LCD monitor and notebook displays have a lower S-cone activation (< or = 74%). Carefully selecting the blue light source for S-cone stimulation can reduce the unwanted L-and M-cone activation down to 4% for M-cones and 1.5% for L-cones.

  14. Effects of different wavelengths of light on the biology, behavior, and production of grow-out Pekin ducks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, C L; Colton, S; Haas, R; Rice, M; Porter, A; Schenk, A; Meelker, A; Fraley, S M; Fraley, G S

    2015-08-01

    Previous research has shown that red light conditions may improve growth and decrease aggressive behaviors in chickens and turkeys; however, more recent studies suggest that blue-green light may improve production of broilers over red light. To date, no research has been conducted to examine whether different wavelengths of light have an impact on production in the Pekin duck. To determine this, we raised Pekin ducks under aviary conditions that were similar to standard commercial barns. The ducks were kept in 3 different pens: red light (approximately 625 nm), blue light (approximately 425 nm), and white light. Light sources in each pen were standardized to produce a peak energy at 1.6 × 10³ μM photons/m²/s at the level of the ducks' heads. Ducks were given ad libitum access to water and commercial duck diet, and were housed on pine shavings at a density of 0.43 m²/duck. Ducks were evaluated weekly for BW and condition and a subjective measure of the duck's anxiety levels was determined. We found that ducks housed under blue light had significantly (P study (processing age; 35 d). Unlike ducks housed under red or white light, ducks housed in the blue pen showed a higher level of anxiety; while evaluators were in the pen a majority of them began panting, they were much less inquisitive than other ducks, they took longer to exhibit normal social behavior once evaluation was completed, and they frequently "swarmed" when no people were present. There were no differences in any measurements between the red and white-lighted pens. These data suggest that unlike the chicken, blue lights may be inappropriate for raising Pekin ducks in a commercial setting. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  15. LED Lighting – Modification of Growth, Metabolism, Yield and Flour Composition in Wheat by Spectral Quality and Intensity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    István Monostori

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The use of light-emitting diode (LED technology for plant cultivation under controlled environmental conditions can result in significant reductions in energy consumption. However, there is still a lack of detailed information on the lighting conditions required for optimal growth of different plant species and the effects of light intensity and spectral composition on plant metabolism and nutritional quality. In the present study, wheat plants were grown under six regimens designed to compare the effects of LED and conventional fluorescent lights on growth and development, leaf photosynthesis, thiol and amino acid metabolism as well as grain yield and flour quality of wheat. Benefits of LED light sources over fluorescent lighting were manifested in both yield and quality of wheat. Elevated light intensities made possible with LEDs increased photosynthetic activity, the number of tillers, biomass and yield. At lower light intensities, blue, green and far-red light operated antagonistically during the stem elongation period. High photosynthetic activity was achieved when at least 50% of red light was applied during cultivation. A high proportion of blue light prolonged the juvenile phase, while the shortest flowering time was achieved when the blue to red ratio was around one. Blue and far-red light affected the glutathione- and proline-dependent redox environment in leaves. LEDs, especially in Blue, Pink and Red Low Light (RedLL regimens improved flour quality by modifying starch and protein content, dough strength and extensibility as demonstrated by the ratios of high to low molecular weight glutenins, ratios of glutenins to gliadins and gluten spread values. These results clearly show that LEDs are efficient for experimental wheat cultivation, and make it possible to optimize the growth conditions and to manipulate metabolism, yield and quality through modification of light quality and quantity.

  16. High-brightness semipolar (2021¯) blue InGaN/GaN superluminescent diodes for droop-free solid-state lighting and visible-light communications

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Chao

    2016-05-25

    A high-brightness, droop-free, and speckle-free InGaN/GaN quantum well blue superluminescent diode (SLD) was demonstrated on a semipolar (2021) GaN substrate. The 447-nm emitting SLD has a broad spectral linewidth of 6.3 nm at an optical power of 123 mW. A peak optical power of 256 mW was achieved at 700 mA CW injection current. By combining YAG:Ce phosphor, SLD-generated white light shows a color-rendering index (CRI) of 68.9 and a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4340 K. The measured frequency response of the SLD revealed a -3 dB bandwidth of 560 MHz, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the device for both solid-state lighting (SSL) and visible-light communication (VLC) applications. © 2016 Optical Society of America.

  17. High-brightness semipolar (2021¯) blue InGaN/GaN superluminescent diodes for droop-free solid-state lighting and visible-light communications

    KAUST Repository

    Shen, Chao; Ng, Tien Khee; Leonard, John T.; Pourhashemi, Arash; Nakamura, Shuji; DenBaars, Steven P.; Speck, James S.; Alyamani, Ahmed Y.; El-desouki, Munir M.; Ooi, Boon S.

    2016-01-01

    A high-brightness, droop-free, and speckle-free InGaN/GaN quantum well blue superluminescent diode (SLD) was demonstrated on a semipolar (2021) GaN substrate. The 447-nm emitting SLD has a broad spectral linewidth of 6.3 nm at an optical power of 123 mW. A peak optical power of 256 mW was achieved at 700 mA CW injection current. By combining YAG:Ce phosphor, SLD-generated white light shows a color-rendering index (CRI) of 68.9 and a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4340 K. The measured frequency response of the SLD revealed a -3 dB bandwidth of 560 MHz, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the device for both solid-state lighting (SSL) and visible-light communication (VLC) applications. © 2016 Optical Society of America.

  18. Visible-light photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue with laser-induced Ag/ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whang, Thou-Jen; Hsieh, Mu-Tao; Chen, Huang-Han

    2012-01-01

    The preparation of Ag doped ZnO nanoparticles conducted through the method of laser-induction is presented in this work. The Ag/ZnO nanoparticles attained from various weight percentages of added AgNO 3 relative to ZnO were applied under visible-light irradiation for evaluating the heterogeneous photocatalytic degradations of methylene blue (MB) solutions. It was shown that the catalytic behavior of Ag/ZnO nanoparticles in the visible-light range is notably improved through the Ag deposition onto ZnO nanoparticles by the method of laser-induction with a maximum effectiveness of 92% degradation. The properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by the employments of UV-vis spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED).

  19. Enhanced quantum efficiency in blue-emitting polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposite light-emitting devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jong Hyeok; Lim, Yong Taik; Park, O Ok; Yu, Jae-Woong; Kim, Jai Kyeong; Kim, Young Chul

    2004-01-01

    Light-emitting devices based on environmentally stable, blue-emitting polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposites were fabricated by blending poly(di-octylfluorene) (PDOF) with organo-clay. By reducing the excimer formation that leads to long wavelength tails, the photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) color purity of the device was enhanced. When a conjugated polymer/dielectric nanolayer nanocomposite is applied to an EL device, we expect an electronic structure similar to the well-known quantum well in small nanodomains. The ratio of PDOF/organo-clay was regulated from 2:1 to 0.5:1 (w/w). The light-emitting device of 0.5:1 (w/w) blend demonstrated the highest quantum efficiency (QE), 0.72% (ph/el), which is ∼500 times higher value compared with that of the pure PDOF layer device. However, the driving voltage of the nanocomposite devices tended to increase with increasing organo-clay content

  20. High color rendering index white organic light-emitting diode using levofloxacin as blue emitter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miao Yan-Qin; Zhang Ai-Qin; Li Yuan-Hao; Wang Hua; Jia Hu-Sheng; Liu Xu-Guang; Gao Zhi-Xiang; Tsuboi Taijuf

    2015-01-01

    Levofloxacin (LOFX), which is well-known as an antibiotic medicament, was shown to be useful as a 452-nm blue emitter for white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this paper, the fabricated white OLED contains a 452-nm blue emitting layer (thickness of 30 nm) with 1 wt% LOFX doped in CBP (4,4’-bis(carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl) host and a 584-nm orange emitting layer (thickness of 10 nm) with 0.8 wt% DCJTB (4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-tert-butyl-6-(1,1,7, 7-tetramethyljulolidin-4-yl-vinyl)-4H-pyran) doped in CBP, which are separated by a 20-nm-thick buffer layer of TPBi (2,2’,2”-(benzene-1,3,5-triyl)-tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole). A high color rendering index (CRI) of 84.5 and CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.32), which is close to ideal white emission CIE (0.333, 0.333), are obtained at a bias voltage of 14 V. Taking into account that LOFX is less expensive and the synthesis and purification technologies of LOFX are mature, these results indicate that blue fluorescence emitting LOFX is useful for applications to white OLEDs although the maximum current efficiency and luminance are not high. The present paper is expected to become a milestone to using medical drug materials for OLEDs. (paper)

  1. New photo-convertible reactions of blue-fluorescent calf α-crystallin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujimori, E.

    1979-01-01

    Both native blue fluorescent α-crystalline from calf lenses and UV (300 nm)-irradiated blue-fluorescent α-crystalline, when further irradiated with 365 nm-UV light, produce photo-products capable of emitting a new fluorescence at 455 nm. Illumination of the photo-products with 420 nm visible light regenerates the original fluorescence at 420-425 nm. In addition, another fluorescence at 400 nm has also been found in UV (300 nm)-irradiated blue-fluorescent α-crystallin, when exposed to 365 nm-UV light. (author)

  2. Confidence in Airline Performance in Difficult Market Conditions: An Analysis of JetBlue's Financial Market Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flouris, Triant; Walker, Thomas

    2005-01-01

    This paper examines the stock market s reaction to JetBlue s Initial Public Offering (1PO) and subsequent price movements of the stock. In particular, w e examine whether the euphoria surrounding JetBlue s IPO carried over to other firms in the sector by testing whether the shares of JetBlue s competitors showed a significant price reaction to JetBlue s IPO. JetBlue's IPO took place just a few months following September 11, 2001. These events resulted in dramatic changes in the airline industry and had significant implications on the economic gains of airlines. We examine JetBlue s accounting and stock performance and compare it to the relative performance of Southwest Airlines (SWA), a representative of the loa-cost carrier group. In addition, we compare both JetBlue's and SWA's financial condition and the relative performance of their stock to two mainline U S. carriers, Continental and Northwest. representatives of the conventional-cost carrier group. We analyze whether there are any performance differences among the low-cost carriers and between low-cost carriers and conventional-cost carriers. In particular, we examine whether low-cost carriers were able to sustain the economic impacts of 9/11 better than the conventional-cost carriers.

  3. The assesment of flex blue implementation in Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahala Maruli Lumbanraja

    2014-01-01

    Flex blue is a small power modular and light water cooled reactor. The reactor site is located at the bottom of the sea surface (off shore) and main control room on the ground. Hull that contains of the main reactor components is placed at a depth of 60-100 m in the bottom of the sea surface so that the safety and security system is quite high. NPP was developed by the DCNS-France to meet the electrical energy needs of the world. The purpose of this study was to study the pre-feasibility of Flex blue implementation in Indonesia based on technological factors, sea geographical conditions and regulatory. The methodology used is to study a variety of literature study on NPP Flex blue technology, geographic conditions, and regulatory systems in Indonesia. In this study, location of potential sites are on the east coast of the island of Sumatra, Java's northern coast, the coast of the Borneo island and surrounding coastal islands between the east of the Sumatra island, northern Java and Borneo, however in terms of regulation, this technology could not be implemented. (author)

  4. Study of Selecting on Light Source Used for Micro-algae Cultivation in Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ai, Weidang; Ai, Weidang; Guo, Shuang-Sheng; Gao, Feng; Tang, Yong-Kang; Qin, Li-Feng

    To select suitable light source for micro-algae cultivation in future space station, the selected Spirulina plastensis(No.7) were cultured under different lightening qualities, including six light sources that were made up of different combinations of red and blue light-emitting diode(LED). The growth, photosynthetic efficiency and nutrition quality of the Spirulina, were analyzed. From the experiments, the red light may promote the cumulation of biomass of the Spirulina, and the cumulating rate was the highest under all red light source, but the syntheses of protein, phycobiliprotein, β-carotene, VE and other nutrients needs a certain portion of blue light; yet, the complete blue light condition is not favorable to the growth of Spirulina, and may bring pollution by chlorella and other kinds of micro-algae. It is concluded that the LEDs can be used as the light resource of micro-algae cultivation. The normal growth and development of microalgae need two light sources of both red and blue LEDs. The comprehensive analyses of the various factors that affect the growth of Spirulina, such as nutrition quality and photosynthetic activities, etc., showed that the combination of 80% red and 20% blue LED is the optimum one among those tested combinations. Key word: light-emitting diode; micro-algae; controlled ecological life support system (CELSS); space cultivation

  5. Treatment Results of Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Combined with Riboflavin and 440 Nm Blue Light for Bacterial Corneal Ulcer in Rabbits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Shufang; Zhang, Cuiying; Zhang, Shaoru; Xu, Yanyun; Mu, Guoying

    2017-10-01

    To study the treatment effect of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) combined with 440 nm blue light and riboflavin on bacterial corneal ulcer using animal experiments. A total of 21 New Zealand white rabbits that developed Staphylococcus aureus corneal ulcer were randomly divided into three groups. Seven rabbits were used as blank control groups; seven rabbits were treated with CXL combined with riboflavin and 440 nm blue light; and seven rabbits were treated with CXL combined with riboflavin and 370 nm ultraviolet A light. Necrotic tissues or secretions from the ulcer surface, eye secretions, conjunctival hyperemia, hypopyon, corneal infiltration, and pathological changes of the cornea were all observed. The 1st, 3th, and 7th day after CXL treatment, a statistically significant difference was found among the inflammation scores of the three groups. The scores of 440 and 370 groups decreased gradually, significantly lower than that of the control group. Bacterial cultures of 440 and 370 groups turned to be negative while that of the control group remained positive. After 1 day of CXL treatment, pathology pictures of the three groups all showed loss of corneal epithelia with many inflammatory cells in deep stroma. After 7 days of CXL treatment, abscess formed in almost all corneal area in the control group, while in 440 and 370 groups, multilayer healing of corneal epithelia, neovascularization, and many inflammatory cells within ulcers and proliferation of a small amount of fibroblast were seen. CXL combined with riboflavin and 440 nm blue light is effective in treating S. aureus corneal ulcer.

  6. High-efficiency pyrene-based blue light emitting diodes: Aggregation suppression using a calixarene 3D-scaffold

    KAUST Repository

    Chan, Khaileok

    2012-01-01

    An efficient blue light emitting diode based on solution processable pyrene-1,3-alt-calix[4]arene is demonstrated, providing a record current efficiency of 10.5 cd A -1 in a simple non-doped OLED configuration. Complete suppression of pyrene aggregation in the solid state is achieved by controlling chromophore dispersion using the 1,3-alt-calix[4]arene scaffold. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  7. Ultraviolet Laser SQUID Microscope for GaN Blue Light Emitting Diode Testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daibo, M; Kamiwano, D; Kurosawa, T; Yoshizawa, M; Tayama, N

    2006-01-01

    We carried out non-contacting measurements of photocurrent distributions in GaN blue light emitting diode (LED) chips using our newly developed ultraviolet (UV) laser SQUID microscope. The UV light generates the photocurrent, and then the photocurrent induces small magnetic fields around the chip. An off-axis arranged HTS-SQUID magnetometer is employed to detect a vector magnetic field whose typical amplitude is several hundred femto-tesla. Generally, it is difficult to obtain Ohmic contacts for p-type GaN because of the low hole concentration in the p-type epitaxial layer and the lack of any available metal with a higher work function compared with the p-type GaN. Therefore, a traditional probecontacted electrical test is difficult to conduct for wide band gap semiconductors without an adequately annealed electrode. Using the UV-laser SQUID microscope, the photocurrent can be measured without any electrical contact. We show the photocurrent vector map which was reconstructed from measured magnetic fields data. We also demonstrate how we found the position of a defect of the electrical short circuits in the LED chip

  8. Blue-Green Algae

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... that taking a specific blue-green algae product (Super Blue-Green Algae, Cell Tech, Klamath Falls, OR) ... system. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Depression. Digestion. Heart disease. Memory. Wound healing. Other conditions. More evidence is needed ...

  9. Highly efficient phosphorescent blue and white organic light-emitting devices with simplified architectures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Chih-Hao, E-mail: chc@saturn.yzu.edu.tw [Department of Photonics Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li, Taiwan 32003 (China); Ding, Yong-Shung; Hsieh, Po-Wei; Chang, Chien-Ping; Lin, Wei-Chieh [Department of Photonics Engineering, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li, Taiwan 32003 (China); Chang, Hsin-Hua, E-mail: hhua3@mail.vnu.edu.tw [Department of Electro-Optical Engineering, Vanung University, Chung-Li, Taiwan 32061 (China)

    2011-09-01

    Blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) with quantum efficiency close to the theoretical maximum were achieved by utilizing a double-layer architecture. Two wide-triplet-gap materials, 1,3-bis(9-carbazolyl)benzene and 1,3,5-tri[(3-pyridyl)-phen-3-yl]benzene, were employed in the emitting and electron-transport layers respectively. The opposite carrier-transport characteristics of these two materials were leveraged to define the exciton formation zone and thus increase the probability of recombination. The efficiency at practical luminance (100 cd/m{sup 2}) was as high as 20.8%, 47.7 cd/A and 31.2 lm/W, respectively. Furthermore, based on the design concept of this simplified architecture, efficient warmish-white PhOLEDs were developed. Such two-component white organic light-emitting devices exhibited rather stable colors over a wide brightness range and yielded electroluminescence efficiencies of 15.3%, 33.3 cd/A, and 22.7 lm/W in the forward directions.

  10. Highly efficient phosphorescent blue and white organic light-emitting devices with simplified architectures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Chih-Hao; Ding, Yong-Shung; Hsieh, Po-Wei; Chang, Chien-Ping; Lin, Wei-Chieh; Chang, Hsin-Hua

    2011-01-01

    Blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs) with quantum efficiency close to the theoretical maximum were achieved by utilizing a double-layer architecture. Two wide-triplet-gap materials, 1,3-bis(9-carbazolyl)benzene and 1,3,5-tri[(3-pyridyl)-phen-3-yl]benzene, were employed in the emitting and electron-transport layers respectively. The opposite carrier-transport characteristics of these two materials were leveraged to define the exciton formation zone and thus increase the probability of recombination. The efficiency at practical luminance (100 cd/m 2 ) was as high as 20.8%, 47.7 cd/A and 31.2 lm/W, respectively. Furthermore, based on the design concept of this simplified architecture, efficient warmish-white PhOLEDs were developed. Such two-component white organic light-emitting devices exhibited rather stable colors over a wide brightness range and yielded electroluminescence efficiencies of 15.3%, 33.3 cd/A, and 22.7 lm/W in the forward directions.

  11. Efficient blue and white polymer light emitting diodes based on a well charge balanced, core modified polyfluorene derivative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Dipjyoti; Gopikrishna, Peddaboodi; Singh, Ashish; Dey, Anamika; Iyer, Parameswar Krishnan

    2016-03-14

    Fabrication of efficient blue and white polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) using a well charge balanced, core modified polyfluorene derivative, poly[2,7-(9,9'-dioctylfluorene)-co-N-phenyl-1,8-naphthalimide (99:01)] (PFONPN01), is presented. The excellent film forming properties as observed from the morphological study and the enhanced electron transport properties due to the inclusion of the NPN unit in the PFO main chain resulted in improved device properties. Bright blue light was observed from single layer PLEDs with PFONPN01 as an emissive layer (EML) as well as from double layer PLEDs using tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) as an electron transporting layer (ETL) and LiF/Al as a cathode. The effect of ETL thickness on the device performance was studied by varying the Alq3 thickness (5 nm, 10 nm and 20 nm) and the device with an ETL thickness of 20 nm was found to exhibit the maximum brightness value of 11 662 cd m(-2) with a maximum luminous efficiency of 4.87 cd A(-1). Further, by using this highly electroluminescent blue PFONPN01 as a host and a narrow band gap, yellow emitting small molecule, dithiophene benzothiadiazole (DBT), as a guest at three different concentrations (0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%), WPLEDs with the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/emissive layer/Alq3(20 nm)/LiF/Al configuration were fabricated and maximum brightness values of 8025 cd m(-2), 9565 cd m(-2) and 10 180 cd m(-2) were achieved respectively. 0.4% DBT in PFONPN01 was found to give white light with Commission International de l'Echairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.31, 0.38), a maximum luminous efficiency of 6.54 cd A(-1) and a color-rendering index (CRI) value of 70.

  12. Molecular cloning and functional analysis of a blue light receptor gene MdCRY2 from apple (Malus domestica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuan-Yuan; Mao, Ke; Zhao, Cheng; Zhao, Xian-Yan; Zhang, Rui-Fen; Zhang, Hua-Lei; Shu, Huai-Rui; Hao, Yu-Jin

    2013-04-01

    MdCRY2 was isolated from apple fruit skin, and its function was analyzed in MdCRY2 transgenic Arabidopsis. The interaction between MdCRY2 and AtCOP1 was found by yeast two-hybrid and BiFC assays. Cryptochromes are blue/ultraviolet-A (UV-A) light receptors involved in regulating various aspects of plant growth and development. Investigations of the structure and functions of cryptochromes in plants have largely focused on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), pea (Pisum sativum), and rice (Oryza sativa). However, no data on the function of CRY2 are available in woody plants. In this study, we isolated a cryptochrome gene, MdCRY2, from apple (Malus domestica). The deduced amino acid sequences of MdCRY2 contain the conserved N-terminal photolyase-related domain and the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) binding domain, as well as the C-terminal DQXVP-acidic-STAES (DAS) domain. Relationship analysis indicates that MdCRY2 shows the highest similarity to the strawberry FvCRY protein. The expression of MdCRY2 is induced by blue/UV-A light, which represents a 48-h circadian rhythm. To investigate the function of MdCRY2, we overexpressed the MdCRY2 gene in a cry2 mutant and wild type (WT) Arabidopsis, assessed the phenotypes of the resulting transgenic plants, and found that MdCRY2 functions to regulate hypocotyl elongation, root growth, flower initiation, and anthocyanin accumulation. Furthermore, we examined the interaction between MdCRY2 and AtCOP1 using a yeast two-hybrid assay and a bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay. These data provide functional evidence for a role of blue/UV-A light-induced MdCRY2 in controlling photomorphogenesis in apple.

  13. Changes in plasma membrane aquaporin gene expression under osmotic stress and blue light in tomato

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Balarynová, Jana; Danihlík, J.; Fellner, Martin

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 40, č. 2 (2018), č. článku 27. ISSN 0137-5881 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : male-sterile mutant * arabidopsis-thaliana * seed-germination * abscisic-acid * solanum-lycopersicon * nitric-oxide * 7b-1 * protein * hypocotyl * responses * Tomato * Seed * Aquaporins * Blue light * 7B-1 mutant * Mannitol * PIPs Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 1.364, year: 2016

  14. Light Converting Inorganic Phosphors for White Light-Emitting Diodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiao-Wen Yeh

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available White light-emitting diodes (WLEDs have matched the emission efficiency of florescent lights and will rapidly spread as light source for homes and offices in the next 5 to 10 years. WLEDs provide a light element having a semiconductor light emitting layer (blue or near-ultraviolet (nUV LEDs and photoluminescence phosphors. These solid-state LED lamps, rather than organic light emitting diode (OLED or polymer light-emitting diode (PLED, have a number of advantages over conventional incandescent bulbs and halogen lamps, such as high efficiency to convert electrical energy into light, reliability and long operating lifetime. To meet with the further requirement of high color rendering index, warm light with low color temperature, high thermal stability and higher energy efficiency for WLEDs, new phosphors that can absorb excitation energy from blue or nUV LEDs and generate visible emissions efficiently are desired. The criteria of choosing the best phosphors, for blue (450-480 nm and nUV (380-400 nm LEDs, strongly depends on the absorption and emission of the phosphors. Moreover, the balance of light between the emission from blue-nUV LEDs and the emissions from phosphors (such as yellow from Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ is important to obtain white light with proper color rendering index and color temperature. Here, we will review the status of phosphors for LEDs and prospect the future development.

  15. Light Converting Inorganic Phosphors for White Light-Emitting Diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lei; Lin, Chun-Che; Yeh, Chiao-Wen; Liu, Ru-Shi

    2010-01-01

    White light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) have matched the emission efficiency of florescent lights and will rapidly spread as light source for homes and offices in the next 5 to 10 years. WLEDs provide a light element having a semiconductor light emitting layer (blue or near-ultraviolet (nUV) LEDs) and photoluminescence phosphors. These solid-state LED lamps, rather than organic light emitting diode (OLED) or polymer light-emitting diode (PLED), have a number of advantages over conventional incandescent bulbs and halogen lamps, such as high efficiency to convert electrical energy into light, reliability and long operating lifetime. To meet with the further requirement of high color rendering index, warm light with low color temperature, high thermal stability and higher energy efficiency for WLEDs, new phosphors that can absorb excitation energy from blue or nUV LEDs and generate visible emissions efficiently are desired. The criteria of choosing the best phosphors, for blue (450−480 nm) and nUV (380−400 nm) LEDs, strongly depends on the absorption and emission of the phosphors. Moreover, the balance of light between the emission from blue-nUV LEDs and the emissions from phosphors (such as yellow from Y3Al5O12:Ce3+) is important to obtain white light with proper color rendering index and color temperature. Here, we will review the status of phosphors for LEDs and prospect the future development.

  16. Blue fluorescent organic light emitting diodes with multilayered graphene anode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Joohyun; Choi, Hong Kyw; Moon, Jaehyun; Shin, Jin-Wook; Joo, Chul Woong; Han, Jun-Han; Cho, Doo-Hee; Huh, Jin Woo; Choi, Sung-Yool; Lee, Jeong-Ik; Chu, Hye Yong

    2012-01-01

    As an innovative anode for organic light emitting devices (OLEDs), we have investigated graphene films. Graphene has importance due to its huge potential in flexible OLED applications. In this work, graphene films have been catalytically grown and transferred to the glass substrate for OLED fabrications. We have successfully fabricated 2 mm × 2 mm device area blue fluorescent OLEDs with graphene anodes which showed 2.1% of external quantum efficiency at 1000 cd/m 2 . This is the highest value reported among fluorescent OLEDs using graphene anodes. Oxygen plasma treatment on graphene has been found to improve hole injections in low voltage regime, which has been interpreted as oxygen plasma induced work function modification. However, plasma treatment also increases the sheet resistance of graphene, limiting the maximum luminance. In summary, our works demonstrate the practical possibility of graphene as an anode material for OLEDs and suggest a processing route which can be applied to various graphene related devices.

  17. Modelling the effects of environmental conditions on the acoustic occurrence and behaviour of Antarctic blue whales.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fannie W Shabangu

    Full Text Available Harvested to perilously low numbers by commercial whaling during the past century, the large scale response of Antarctic blue whales Balaenoptera musculus intermedia to environmental variability is poorly understood. This study uses acoustic data collected from 586 sonobuoys deployed in the austral summers of 1997 through 2009, south of 38°S, coupled with visual observations of blue whales during the IWC SOWER line-transect surveys. The characteristic Z-call and D-call of Antarctic blue whales were detected using an automated detection template and visual verification method. Using a random forest model, we showed the environmental preferences pattern, spatial occurrence and acoustic behaviour of Antarctic blue whales. Distance to the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (SBACC, latitude and distance from the nearest Antarctic shores were the main geographic predictors of blue whale call occurrence. Satellite-derived sea surface height, sea surface temperature, and productivity (chlorophyll-a were the most important environmental predictors of blue whale call occurrence. Call rates of D-calls were strongly predicted by the location of the SBACC, latitude and visually detected number of whales in an area while call rates of Z-call were predicted by the SBACC, latitude and longitude. Satellite-derived sea surface height, wind stress, wind direction, water depth, sea surface temperatures, chlorophyll-a and wind speed were important environmental predictors of blue whale call rates in the Southern Ocean. Blue whale call occurrence and call rates varied significantly in response to inter-annual and long term variability of those environmental predictors. Our results identify the response of Antarctic blue whales to inter-annual variability in environmental conditions and highlighted potential suitable habitats for this population. Such emerging knowledge about the acoustic behaviour, environmental and habitat preferences of

  18. Modelling the effects of environmental conditions on the acoustic occurrence and behaviour of Antarctic blue whales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shabangu, Fannie W; Yemane, Dawit; Stafford, Kathleen M; Ensor, Paul; Findlay, Ken P

    2017-01-01

    Harvested to perilously low numbers by commercial whaling during the past century, the large scale response of Antarctic blue whales Balaenoptera musculus intermedia to environmental variability is poorly understood. This study uses acoustic data collected from 586 sonobuoys deployed in the austral summers of 1997 through 2009, south of 38°S, coupled with visual observations of blue whales during the IWC SOWER line-transect surveys. The characteristic Z-call and D-call of Antarctic blue whales were detected using an automated detection template and visual verification method. Using a random forest model, we showed the environmental preferences pattern, spatial occurrence and acoustic behaviour of Antarctic blue whales. Distance to the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (SBACC), latitude and distance from the nearest Antarctic shores were the main geographic predictors of blue whale call occurrence. Satellite-derived sea surface height, sea surface temperature, and productivity (chlorophyll-a) were the most important environmental predictors of blue whale call occurrence. Call rates of D-calls were strongly predicted by the location of the SBACC, latitude and visually detected number of whales in an area while call rates of Z-call were predicted by the SBACC, latitude and longitude. Satellite-derived sea surface height, wind stress, wind direction, water depth, sea surface temperatures, chlorophyll-a and wind speed were important environmental predictors of blue whale call rates in the Southern Ocean. Blue whale call occurrence and call rates varied significantly in response to inter-annual and long term variability of those environmental predictors. Our results identify the response of Antarctic blue whales to inter-annual variability in environmental conditions and highlighted potential suitable habitats for this population. Such emerging knowledge about the acoustic behaviour, environmental and habitat preferences of Antarctic blue whales is

  19. In vivo biocompatibility evaluation of Cibacron blue-agarose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kao, J M; Rose, R; Yousef, M; Hunter, S K; Rodgers, V G

    1999-12-15

    This study investigated the biocompatibility of Cibacron blue-agarose as a biomaterial for microencapsulation. Cibacron blue-agarose is known to have an affinity for albumin under certain pH conditions and in the proper steric environment. Thus it was postulated that the material's high affinity for host albumin might reduce a secondary immune response and reduce the fibrotic overgrowth that often accompanies transplanted foreign materials. In vivo tests were performed using the Lewis rat model. Both Cibacron blue-agarose and plain agarose disks were prepared, with some disks from each group being pre-exposed to sera from Lewis rats. The disks were transplanted into the peritoneal cavities of Lewis rats. After 115 days the disks were excised. Fibrotic overgrowth was analyzed using light microscopy, and a blind study was used to measure the average growth thickness on each disk. The results demonstrated that all disks developed some fibrotic encapsulation and that the presence of Cibacron blue was not significant in reducing fibrotic overgrowth (p = 0.62). Agarose disks pre-exposed to sera had significantly less average overgrowth than any other group (p = 0. 06). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  20. Color and illuminance level of lighting can modulate willingness to eat bell peppers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasenbeck, Aimee; Cho, Sungeun; Meullenet, Jean-François; Tokar, Tonya; Yang, Famous; Huddleston, Elizabeth A; Seo, Han-Seok

    2014-08-01

    Food products are often encountered under colored lighting, particularly in restaurants and retail stores. However, relatively little attention has been paid to whether the color of ambient lighting can affect consumers' motivation for consumption. This study aimed to determine whether color (Experiment 1) and illuminance level (Experiment 2) of lighting can influence consumers' liking of appearance and their willingness to eat bell peppers. For red, green, and yellow bell peppers, yellow and blue lighting conditions consistently increased participants' liking of appearance the most and the least, respectively. Participants' willingness to consume bell peppers increased the most under yellow lighting and the least under blue lighting. In addition, a dark condition (i.e. low level of lighting illuminance) decreased liking of appearance and willingness to eat the bell peppers compared to a bright condition (i.e. high level of lighting illuminance). Our findings demonstrate that lighting color and illuminance level can influence consumers' hedonic impression and likelihood to consume bell peppers. Furthermore, the influences of color and illuminance level of lighting appear to be dependent on the surface color of bell peppers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Photocurrent response of B12As2 crystals to blue light, and its temperature- dependent electrical characterizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Gul

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available With the global shortage of 3He gas, researchers worldwide are looking for alternative materials for detecting neutrons. Among the candidate materials, semiconductors are attractive because of their light weight and ease in handling. Currently, we are looking into the suitability of boron arsenide (B12As2 for this specific application. As the first step in evaluating the material qualitatively, the photo-response of B12As2 bulk crystals to light with different wavelengths was examined. The crystals showed photocurrent response to a band of 407- and 470- nm blue light. The maximum measured photoresponsivity and the photocurrent density at 0.7 V for 470 nm blue light at room temperature were 0.25 A ⋅ W−1 and 2.47 mA ⋅ cm−2, respectively. In addition to photo current measurements, the electrical properties as a function of temperature (range: 50-320 K were measured. Reliable data were obtained for the low-temperature I-V characteristics, the temperature dependence of dark current and its density, and the resistivity variations with temperature in B12As2 bulk crystals. The experiments showed an exponential dependence on temperature for the dark current, current density, and resistivity; these three electrical parameters, respectively, had a variation of a few nA to μA, 1-100 μA ⋅ cm−2 and 7.6x105-7.7x103 Ω ⋅ cm, for temperature increasing from 50 K to 320 K. The results from this study reported the first photoresponse and demonstrated that B12As2 is a potential candidate for thermal-neutron detectors.

  2. Bilirubin isomer distribution in jaundiced neonates during phototherapy with LED light centered at 497 nm (turquoise) vs. 459 nm (blue).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebbesen, Finn; Madsen, Poul H; Vandborg, Pernille K; Jakobsen, Lasse H; Trydal, Torleif; Vreman, Hendrik J

    2016-10-01

    Phototherapy using blue light is the treatment of choice worldwide for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. However, treatment with turquoise light may be a desirable alternative. Therefore, the aim of this randomized, controlled study was to compare the bilirubin isomer distribution in serum of jaundiced neonates after 24 h of therapy with narrow-band (LED) light centered at 497 nm (turquoise) vs. 459 nm (blue), of essentially equal irradiance. Eighty-three neonates (≥33 wk gestational age) with uncomplicated hyperbilirubinemia were included in the study. Forty neonates were exposed to light centered at 497 nm and 43 infants with light centered at 459 nm. Irradiances were 5.2 × 10(15) and 5.1 × 10(15) photons/cm(2)/s, respectively. After 24 h of treatment no significant differences in serum concentrations of total bilirubin isomers and Z,Z-bilirubin were observed between the 2 groups. Interestingly, concentrations of Z,E-bilirubin, and thus also total bilirubin isomers formed during therapy, were highest for infants receiving light centered at 459 nm, while the concentration of E,Z-bilirubin was highest for those receiving light centered at 497 nm. No significant difference was found between concentrations of E,Z-lumirubin. Therapy with LED light centered at 497 nm vs. 459 nm, applied with equal irradiance on the infants, resulted in a different distribution of bilirubin isomers in serum.

  3. Effect of LED light on seeds of Capsicum annuum L. var. serrano

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra María Moreno-Jiménez

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Serrano pepper (Capsicum annuum L. is a crop of economic, nutritional and medicinal importance; so it is necessary to increase its production and improve its characteristics. The objective of this research was to evaluate the stimulatory effect of light emitting diodes (LEDs on serrano pepper seedlings. Germination percentage, stem length, leaf width, leaf length, number of leaves, total chlorophyll content and carotenoid content were analyzed. The seeds were exposed to white, blue and red LED light, using fluorescent light as a control and a photoperiod of 11/13 hours. Once germinated, the seedlings continued with exposure to light for 30 days. After the laboratory conditions, the seedlings were transferred to a greenhouse for 60 days. The results show that there were no significant differences between LED light treatments on seed germination. The variables stem length, leaf width and leaf length, were favored with red light. Blue and red LEDs highlighted by increasing the number of leaves. Seedlings treated with blue light showed the highest content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll= 0.84 mg g-1, carotenoid= 0.12 mg g-1. In conclusion, the red LED light is effective for the growth of serrano pepper seedlings, while the production of photosynthetic pigments was favored by blue LED light.   Keywords: peppers, light-emitting diodes, germination, growth, photosynthetic pigments

  4. Hexaminolevulinate blue-light cystoscopy in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: review of the clinical evidence and consensus statement on appropriate use in the USA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daneshmand, S.; Schuckman, A.K.; Bochner, B.H.; Cookson, M.S.; Downs, T.M.; Gomella, L.G.; Grossman, H.B.; Kamat, A.M.; Konety, B.R.; Lee, C.T.; Pohar, K.S.; Pruthi, R.S.; Resnick, M.J.; Smith, N.D.; Witjes, J.A.; Schoenberg, M.P.; Steinberg, G.D.

    2014-01-01

    Hexaminolevulinate (HAL) is a tumour photosensitizer that is used in combination with blue-light cystoscopy (BLC) as an adjunct to white-light cystoscopy (WLC) in the diagnosis and management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Since being licensed in Europe in 2005, HAL has been used in

  5. Epidermal UV-A absorbance and whole-leaf flavonoid composition in pea respond more to solar blue light than to solar UV radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siipola, Sari M; Kotilainen, Titta; Sipari, Nina; Morales, Luis O; Lindfors, Anders V; Robson, T Matthew; Aphalo, Pedro J

    2015-05-01

    Plants synthesize phenolic compounds in response to certain environmental signals or stresses. One large group of phenolics, flavonoids, is considered particularly responsive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, here we demonstrate that solar blue light stimulates flavonoid biosynthesis in the absence of UV-A and UV-B radiation. We grew pea plants (Pisum sativum cv. Meteor) outdoors, in Finland during the summer, under five types of filters differing in their spectral transmittance. These filters were used to (1) attenuate UV-B; (2) attenuate UV-B and UV-A radiation signals that extend into the visible region of the solar spectrum. Furthermore, solar blue light instead of solar UV-B radiation can be the main regulator of phenolic compound accumulation in plants that germinate and develop outdoors. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Female Sprague Dawley Rats Show Impaired Spatial Memory in the 8-Arm Radial Maze under Dim Blue and Red Light

    OpenAIRE

    Pirchl, Michael; Kemmler, Georg; Humpel, Christian

    2010-01-01

    Light intensity and wavelength strongly influence mood and cognition in humans and rodent animal models. The aim of the present study was to explore if dim white (7.6–17.7 lux) , blue (1.3–2.3 lux), and red light (0.8–1.4 lux) affect spatial memory of male and female Sprague Dawley rats in the 8-arm radial maze. Our data show that spatial memory significantly improved within 5 daily learning sessions (each 5 trials) under dim white light, which was not different between male and female rats. ...

  7. Improving the color purity and efficiency of blue organic light-emitting diodes (BOLED) by adding hole-blocking layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, C.J.; Kang, C.C.; Lee, T.C.; Chen, W.R.; Meen, T.H.

    2009-01-01

    This work demonstrates the fabrication of a bright blue organic light-emitting diode (BOLED) with good color purity using 4,4'-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (DPVBi) and bathocuproine (BCP) as the emitting layer (EML) and the hole-blocking layer (HBL), respectively. Devices were prepared by vacuum deposition on indium tin oxide (ITO)-glass substrates. The thickness of DPVBi used in the OLED has an important effect on color and efficiency. The blue luminescence is maximal at 7670 cd/m 2 when 13 V is applied and the BCP thickness is 2 nm. The CIE coordinate at a luminance of 7670 cd/m 2 is (0.165, 0.173). Furthermore, the current efficiency is maximum at 4.25 cd/A when 9 V is applied.

  8. Single-frequency blue light generation by single-pass sum-frequency generation in a coupled ring cavity tapered laser

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole Bjarlin; Petersen, Paul Michael

    2013-01-01

    A generic approach for generation of tunable single frequency light is presented. 340 mW of near diffraction limited, single-frequency, and tunable blue light around 459 nm is generated by sum-frequency generation (SFG) between two tunable tapered diode lasers. One diode laser is operated in a ring...... cavity and another tapered diode laser is single-passed through a nonlinear crystal which is contained in the coupled ring cavity. Using this method, the single-pass conversion efficiency is more than 25%. In contrast to SFG in an external cavity, the system is entirely self-stabilized with no electronic...

  9. Timing growth and development of Campanula by daily light integral and supplemental light level in a cost-efficient light control system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjær, Katrine Heinsvig; Ottosen, Carl-Otto; Jørgensen, Bo Nørregaard

    2012-01-01

    light control system (DynaLight desktop) automatically defines the most cost-efficient use of supplemental light based on predefined setpoints for daily photosynthesis integral (DPI), forecasted solar irradiance and the market price on electricity. It saves energy in high-cost periods of electricity......Two campanula species Campanula portenschlagiana (‘Blue Get Mee’) and Campanula cochlearifolia (‘Blue Wonder’) were grown in a cost-efficient light control system and the effect of supplemental light level and daily light integral (DLI) on growth and development was quantified. The alternative...... the number of flowers and buds and CLI in ‘Blue Get Mee’. The results demonstrate that DLI was the main limiting factor for prediction of growth and development when two campanula species were grown in a cost-efficient light control system where the number of daily light hours was often below the critical...

  10. Antimicrobial blue light inactivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Gu, Ying; Dai, Tianhong

    2018-02-01

    Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a human-adapted, gram-negative diplococcus that infects human reproductive tracts and causes gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease, resulting in discharge and inflammation at the urethra, cervix, pharynx, or rectum. Over the years, N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to nearly every drug ever used to treat it, including sulfonamides, penicillin, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones. Drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae is now considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an urgent threat. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial blue light (aBL) at 405 and 470 nm for inactivating N. gonorrhoeae and reveal the mechanism of action. Our results showed that an exposure of 45 J/cm2 aBL at 405 nm reduced the bacterial CFU by 7.16-log10. When the aBL exposure was increased to 54 J/cm2, eradication of bacterial CFU was achieved. When the bacteria were exposed to aBL at 470 nm, 3-log10 reduction of CFU was observed at an aBL exposure of higher than 126 J/cm2. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses revealed the presence of endogenous porphyrins and flavins in N. gonorrhoeae cells. The present study indicated that aBL is a potential strategy to control N. gonorrhoeae infections. Endogenous porphyrins play a vital role in the killing effects of aBL. In vivo experiments are ongoing in our laboratory to treat genital tract infections in mice using aBL and explore the potential clinical applications.

  11. Characterisation of blue-light stimulated luminescence components in different quartz samples: Implications for dose measurement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jain, M.; Murray, A.S.; Bøtter-Jensen, L.

    2003-01-01

    -aliquot dose-evaluation protocols seem to be relatively free of complications when applied to quartz dominated by the fast OSL component coming from 325degreesC TL region, but this may not be true for quartz in which other components are more significant. An adequate understanding of how different OSL...... results from measurement of (a) sensitisation, (b) thermal stability, (c) recuperation, and (d) infrared response as a function of stimulation temperature from 3 different samples of sedimentary quartz selected on the basis of relative OSL contribution from different blue light stimulated linearly...

  12. Study on Healing Environment Using Green, Blue and Red LED and Aroma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyaho, Noriharu; Konno, Noriko; Shimada, Takamasa

    In this paper we evaluated the effects of 1/f fluctuation of Green LED light emitted from the specific object by using psychological and physiological experimental tests of spectral electroencephalogram (EEG) topography. In addition, we also verified that the combination of appropriate aroma, blue LED light irradiation and music such as “Mozart: Serenade in Eine Kleine Nacht Musik” has improved mental healing conditions. We confirmed the possibility that the effect of “Healing” would be improved by the above mentioned environments.

  13. Highly efficient and simplified phosphorescence white organic light-emitting diodes based on synthesized deep-blue host and orange emitter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koo, Ja Ryong; Lee, Seok Jae; Hyung, Gun Woo; Kim, Bo Young; Lee, Dong Hyung [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Woo Young [Department of Green Energy and Semiconductor Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan 336-795 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kum Hee [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Seung Soo, E-mail: ssyoon@skku.edu [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Kwan, E-mail: kimyk@hongik.ac.kr [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul 121-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-10-01

    The authors have demonstrated a highly efficient and stable phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED), which has been achieved by doping only one orange phosphorescent emitter, Bis(5-benzoyl-2-(4-fluorophenyl)pyridinato-C,N)iridium(III) acetylacetonate into an appropriate deep blue phosphorescent host, 4,4'-bis(4-(triphenylsilyl)phenyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl as an emitting layer (EML). The WOLED has been achieved by effective confinement of triplet excitons to emit a warm white color. The optimized WOLED, with a simple structure as a hole transporting layer-EML-electron transporting layer, showed a maximum luminous efficiency of 22.38 cd/A, a maximum power efficiency of 12.01 lm/W, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 7.32%, and CIEx,y coordinates of (0.38,0.42) at 500 cd/m{sup 2}, respectively. - Highlights: • Highly efficient phosphorescent white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED) • Single emitting layer consists of synthesized deep blue host and orange emitter • The WOLED with high EL efficiencies due to efficient triplet exciton confinement.

  14. White light emission from engineered silicon carbide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ou, Haiyan

    Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide indirect bandgap semiconductor. The light emission efficiency is low in nature. But this material has very unique physical properties like good thermal conductivity, high break down field etc in addition to its abundance. Therefore it is interesting to engineer its...... light emission property so that to take fully potential applications of this material. In this talk, two methods, i.e. doping SiC heavily by donor-acceptor pairs and making SiC porous are introduced to make light emission from SiC. By co-doping SiC with nitrogen and boron heavily, strong yellow emission...... is demonstrated. After optimizing the passivation conditions, strong blue-green emission from porous SiC is demonstrated as well. When combining the yellow emission from co-doped SiC and blue-green from porous SiC, a high color rendering index white light source is achieved....

  15. SrTiO3 Nanocube-Doped Polyaniline Nanocomposites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue under Visible Light

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed Shahabuddin

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The present study highlights the facile synthesis of polyaniline (PANI-based nanocomposites doped with SrTiO3 nanocubes synthesized via the in situ oxidative polymerization technique using ammonium persulfate (APS as an oxidant in acidic medium for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, X-ray diffraction (XRD, UV–Vis spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis (BET and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR measurements were used to characterize the prepared nanocomposite photocatalysts. The photocatalytic efficiencies of the photocatalysts were examined by degrading methylene blue (MB under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the degradation efficiency of the composite photocatalysts that were doped with SrTiO3 nanocubes was higher than that of the undoped polyaniline. In this study, the effects of the weight ratio of polyaniline to SrTiO3 on the photocatalytic activities were investigated. The results revealed that the nanocomposite P-Sr500 was found to be an optimum photocatalyst, with a 97% degradation efficiency after 90 min of irradiation under solar light.

  16. Effect of climate conditions on the uptake and translocation of trace elements in plants an behavior of ions at cell level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagami, Mutsumi; Yanai, Masumi; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi; Inaba, Jiro

    2003-01-01

    The present investigation was performed in order to look at the effect of various climatic conditions on the uptake and translocation of radionuclides and trace elements in plants. So far we have investigated the following three items; the effect of climate conditions including Yamase (seasonal climatic condition of low temperature, low sunshine and high humidity.) on the elemental transfer factors in rice, the effect of light conditions on the metabolism of elements in plants, and the effect of environmental factors on elemental movement at a cell level, and searched for mutant plant strains to match the elemental requirement. Among these items this paper elaborates about the effect of light condition on the metabolism of elements in plants. Young radishes (Raphanus sativus L.) were grown under various light conditions; white, blue+red and red fluorescent light. Under red light a marked spindly growth of the stem and petiole was observed. Adding blue light to red light reduced the growth to the level under control white light. The concentrations of elements, such as Fe, Cu and Zn, in the plants were affected by the light conditions. The effect of light condition on the spindly growth of hypocotyls with the plant was also studied with Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.), and the results showed that supplementation of blue light approximately 15% red light could control the growth. For a further investigation of the mechanism of these phenomena, several ion channel blockers and metabolic inhibitors were examined in hydroponic plants or protoplasts. The results suggested that both anion and cation channels were related to the elongation. (author)

  17. Comparison of Riboflavin and Toluidine Blue O as Photosensitizers for Photoactivated Disinfection on Endodontic and Periodontal Pathogens In Vitro

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Henrik Krarup; Garcia, Javier; Væth, Michael

    2015-01-01

    , Lactobacillus paracasei, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Propionibacterium acnes) were subjected to photoactivated disinfection with riboflavin/blue light and toluidine blue O/red light, and survival rates were determined by CFU counts. Within the limited irradiation time of one minute......, photoactivated disinfection with riboflavin/blue light only resulted in minor reductions in CFU counts, whereas full kills were achieved for all organisms when using toluidine blue O/red light. The black pigmented anaerobes P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were eradicated completely by riboflavin/blue light...

  18. Two pathogen reduction technologies--methylene blue plus light and shortwave ultraviolet light--effectively inactivate hepatitis C virus in blood products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinmann, Eike; Gravemann, Ute; Friesland, Martina; Doerrbecker, Juliane; Müller, Thomas H; Pietschmann, Thomas; Seltsam, Axel

    2013-05-01

    Contamination of blood products with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause infections resulting in acute and chronic liver diseases. Pathogen reduction methods such as photodynamic treatment with methylene blue (MB) plus visible light as well as irradiation with shortwave ultraviolet (UVC) light were developed to inactivate viruses and other pathogens in plasma and platelet concentrates (PCs), respectively. So far, their inactivation capacities for HCV have only been tested in inactivation studies using model viruses for HCV. Recently, a HCV infection system for the propagation of infectious HCV in cell culture was developed. Inactivation studies were performed with cell culture-derived HCV and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a model for HCV. Plasma units or PCs were spiked with high titers of cell culture-grown viruses. After treatment of the blood units with MB plus light (Theraflex MB-Plasma system, MacoPharma) or UVC (Theraflex UV-Platelets system, MacoPharma), residual viral infectivity was assessed using sensitive cell culture systems. HCV was sensitive to inactivation by both pathogen reduction procedures. HCV in plasma was efficiently inactivated by MB plus light below the detection limit already by 1/12 of the full light dose. HCV in PCs was inactivated by UVC irradiation with a reduction factor of more than 5 log. BVDV was less sensitive to the two pathogen reduction methods. Functional assays with human HCV offer an efficient tool to directly assess the inactivation capacity of pathogen reduction procedures. Pathogen reduction technologies such as MB plus light treatment and UVC irradiation have the potential to significantly reduce transfusion-transmitted HCV infections. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  19. A blue-emitting CdS/dendrimer nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sooklal, K.; Murphy, C.J.; Hanus, L.H.; Ploehn, H.J.

    1998-01-01

    CdS/dendrimer nanocomposites that emit blue light are formed by the arrested precipitation of nanometer-scale CdS quantum dots in the presence of starburst (poly(aminoamine)) dendrimers as the stabilizing host. The authors report a strong photoluminescence with emission maxima at about 450 nm. The optoelectronic properties of the CdS clusters are shown to be sensitive to synthesis conditions, including dendrimer type, solvent type, and the concentration of dendrimer and other solutes. Thin films of these materials prepared by solution casting retain the optoelectronic properties of the parent solutions. (orig.)

  20. No evidence for general condition-dependence of structural plumage colour in blue tits: an experiment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peters, A.; Kurvers, R.H.J.M.; Roberts, M.L.; Delhey, K.

    2011-01-01

    Condition-dependence is a central but contentious tenet of evolutionary theories on the maintenance of ornamental traits, and this is particularly true for structural plumage colour. By providing diets of different nutritional quality to moulting male and female blue tits, we experimentally

  1. Blue LED irradiation to hydration of skin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menezes, Priscila F. C.; Requena, Michelle B.; Lizarelli, Rosane F., Z.; Bagnato, Vanderlei S.

    2015-06-01

    Blue LED system irradiation shows many important properties on skin as: bacterial decontamination, degradation of endogenous skin chromophores and biostimulation. In this clinical study we prove that the blue light improves the skin hydration. In the literature none authors reports this biological property on skin. Then this study aims to discuss the role of blue light in the skin hydration. Twenty patients were selected to this study with age between 25-35 years old and phototype I, II and III. A defined area from forearm was pre determined (A = 4.0 cm2). The study was randomized in two treatment groups using one blue light device (power of 5.3mW and irradiance of 10.8mW/cm2). The first treatment group was irradiated with 3J/cm2 (277seconds) and the second with 6J/cm2 (555 seconds). The skin hydration evaluations were done using a corneometer. The measurements were collected in 7, 14, 21 and 30 days, during the treatment. Statistical test of ANOVA, Tukey and T-Student were applied considering 5% of significance. In conclusion, both doses were able to improve the skin hydration; however, 6J/cm2 has kept this hydration for 30 days.

  2. Health-friendly high-quality white light using violet-green-red laser and InGaN nanowires-based true yellow nanowires light-emitting diodes

    KAUST Repository

    Janjua, Bilal

    2017-02-16

    White light based on blue laser - YAG: Ce phosphor has the advantage of implementing solid-state lighting and optical wireless communications combined-functionalities in a single lamp. However, the blue light was found to disrupt melatonin production, and therefore the human circadian rhythm in general; while the yellow phosphor is susceptible to degradation by laser irradiation and also lack tunability in color rendering index (CRI). In this investigation, by using a violet laser, which has 50% less impact on circadian response, as compared to blue light, and an InGaN-quantum-disks nanowires-based light-emitting diode (NWs-LED), we address both issues simultaneously. The white light is therefore generated using violet-green-red lasers, in conjunction with a yellow NWs-LED realized using molecular beam epitaxy technique, on titanium-coated silicon substrates. Unlike the conventional quantum-well-based LED, the NWs-LED showed efficiency-droop free behavior up to 9.8 A/cm with peak output power of 400 μW. A low turn-on voltage of ∼2.1 V was attributed to the formation of conducting titanium nitride layer at NWs nucleation site and improved fabrication process in the presence of relatively uniform height distribution. The 3D quantum confinement and the reduced band bending improve carriers-wavefunctions overlap, resulting in an IQE of ∼39 %. By changing the relative intensities of the individual color components, CRI of >85 was achieved with tunable correlated color temperature (CCT), thus covering the desired room lighting conditions. Our architecture provides important considerations in designing smart solid-state lighting while addressing the harmful effect of blue light.

  3. Health-friendly high-quality white light using violet-green-red laser and InGaN nanowires-based true yellow nanowires light-emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janjua, Bilal; Ng, Tien K.; Zhao, Chao; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Prabaswara, Aditya; Consiglio, Giuseppe Bernardo; Shen, Chao; Ooi, Boon S.

    2017-02-01

    White light based on blue laser - YAG: Ce3+ phosphor has the advantage of implementing solid-state lighting and optical wireless communications combined-functionalities in a single lamp. However, the blue light was found to disrupt melatonin production, and therefore the human circadian rhythm in general; while the yellow phosphor is susceptible to degradation by laser irradiation and also lack tunability in color rendering index (CRI). In this investigation, by using a violet laser, which has 50% less impact on circadian response, as compared to blue light, and an InGaN-quantum-disks nanowires-based light-emitting diode (NWs-LED), we address both issues simultaneously. The white light is therefore generated using violet-green-red lasers, in conjunction with a yellow NWs-LED realized using molecular beam epitaxy technique, on titanium-coated silicon substrates. Unlike the conventional quantum-well-based LED, the NWs-LED showed efficiency-droop free behavior up to 9.8 A/cm2 with peak output power of 400 μW. A low turn-on voltage of 2.1 V was attributed to the formation of conducting titanium nitride layer at NWs nucleation site and improved fabrication process in the presence of relatively uniform height distribution. The 3D quantum confinement and the reduced band bending improve carriers-wavefunctions overlap, resulting in an IQE of 39 %. By changing the relative intensities of the individual color components, CRI of >85 was achieved with tunable correlated color temperature (CCT), thus covering the desired room lighting conditions. Our architecture provides important considerations in designing smart solid-state lighting while addressing the harmful effect of blue light.

  4. Improving the color purity and efficiency of blue organic light-emitting diodes (BOLED) by adding hole-blocking layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, C.J., E-mail: chien@nuk.edu.t [Department of Applied Physics, National University of Kaohsiung, 700 Kaohsiung University Road, Nan-Tzu, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China); Kang, C.C. [Department of Electro-Optical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, 1 Nan-Tai St., Yung-Kang City, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Lee, T.C. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Technology, 1 Nan-Tai St., Yung-Kang City, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Chen, W.R.; Meen, T.H. [Department of Electronic Engineering, National Formosa University, 64 Wen-Hwa Road, Hu-Wei, Yunlin, Taiwan (China)

    2009-11-15

    This work demonstrates the fabrication of a bright blue organic light-emitting diode (BOLED) with good color purity using 4,4'-bis(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-1,1'-biphenyl (DPVBi) and bathocuproine (BCP) as the emitting layer (EML) and the hole-blocking layer (HBL), respectively. Devices were prepared by vacuum deposition on indium tin oxide (ITO)-glass substrates. The thickness of DPVBi used in the OLED has an important effect on color and efficiency. The blue luminescence is maximal at 7670 cd/m{sup 2} when 13 V is applied and the BCP thickness is 2 nm. The CIE coordinate at a luminance of 7670 cd/m{sup 2} is (0.165, 0.173). Furthermore, the current efficiency is maximum at 4.25 cd/A when 9 V is applied.

  5. Red Light Represses the Photophysiology of the Scleractinian Coral Stylophora pistillata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijgerde, Tim; van Melis, Anne; Silva, Catarina I. F.; Leal, Miguel C.; Vogels, Luc; Mutter, Claudia; Osinga, Ronald

    2014-01-01

    Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced or red-repressed. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of blue and red light on the health, zooxanthellae density, photophysiology and colouration of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata over 6 weeks. Coral fragments were exposed to blue, red, and combined 50/50% blue red light, at two irradiance levels (128 and 256 μmol m−2 s−1). Light spectrum affected the health/survival, zooxanthellae density, and NDVI (a proxy for chlorophyll a content) of S. pistillata. Blue light resulted in highest survival rates, whereas red light resulted in low survival at 256 μmol m−2 s−1. Blue light also resulted in higher zooxanthellae densities compared to red light at 256 μmol m−2 s−1, and a higher NDVI compared to red and combined blue red light. Overall, our results suggest that red light negatively affects the health, survival, symbiont density and NDVI of S. pistillata, with a dominance of red over blue light for NDVI. PMID:24658108

  6. Red light represses the photophysiology of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijgerde, Tim; van Melis, Anne; Silva, Catarina I F; Leal, Miguel C; Vogels, Luc; Mutter, Claudia; Osinga, Ronald

    2014-01-01

    Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced or red-repressed. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of blue and red light on the health, zooxanthellae density, photophysiology and colouration of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata over 6 weeks. Coral fragments were exposed to blue, red, and combined 50/50% blue red light, at two irradiance levels (128 and 256 μmol m(-2) s(-1)). Light spectrum affected the health/survival, zooxanthellae density, and NDVI (a proxy for chlorophyll a content) of S. pistillata. Blue light resulted in highest survival rates, whereas red light resulted in low survival at 256 μmol m(-2) s(-1). Blue light also resulted in higher zooxanthellae densities compared to red light at 256 μmol m(-2) s(-1), and a higher NDVI compared to red and combined blue red light. Overall, our results suggest that red light negatively affects the health, survival, symbiont density and NDVI of S. pistillata, with a dominance of red over blue light for NDVI.

  7. Red light represses the photophysiology of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tim Wijgerde

    Full Text Available Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced or red-repressed. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of blue and red light on the health, zooxanthellae density, photophysiology and colouration of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata over 6 weeks. Coral fragments were exposed to blue, red, and combined 50/50% blue red light, at two irradiance levels (128 and 256 μmol m(-2 s(-1. Light spectrum affected the health/survival, zooxanthellae density, and NDVI (a proxy for chlorophyll a content of S. pistillata. Blue light resulted in highest survival rates, whereas red light resulted in low survival at 256 μmol m(-2 s(-1. Blue light also resulted in higher zooxanthellae densities compared to red light at 256 μmol m(-2 s(-1, and a higher NDVI compared to red and combined blue red light. Overall, our results suggest that red light negatively affects the health, survival, symbiont density and NDVI of S. pistillata, with a dominance of red over blue light for NDVI.

  8. Blue Light for Enhancing Alertness in Space Missions

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This is the final year of a directed research project that had reduced aims due to an unexpected funding reduction. The goal is to study the efficacy of blue or...

  9. Penetration of UV-A, UV-B and blue light through the leaf trichome layers of two xeromorphic plants, olive and oak, measured by optical fibre microprobes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karabourniotis, G.; Bornman, J.F.

    1999-01-01

    Quartz fibre-optic microprobes were used to monitor the light microenvironment beneath trichome layers of the xeromorphic leaves of two Mediterranean evergreen sclerophylls, Olea europaea and Quercus ilex. Young developing leaves of both plants were densely pubescent on both surfaces of the lamina, whereas the mature leaves were pubescent only on the abaxial side. Trichome layers of young as well as of mature leaves of both plants attenuated almost all incident ultraviolet (UV)-B (310 nm) and UV-A (360 nm) radiation and a considerable portion of blue light (430 nm). Abaxial trichome layers of young leaves were more effective in screening out the incident radiation compared to the adaxial ones of the same leaves and also compared to the abaxial layer of the mature leaves. The abaxial epidermis of dehaired mature leaves of O. europaea was ineffective in absorbing most of the incident UV-B and UV-A radiation. UV and visible spectra beneath trichome layers of O. europaea in mature leaves confirmed that the light microenvironment on the epidermis was deprived in the UV-B, UV-A and partly in the blue spectral regions. It is proposed that the occurrence of a dense trichome layer, especially in young leaves, may play a protective role against not only UV-B radiation damage, but also against high visible irradiance. This function is performed irrespective of the differing anatomy of individual hairs of both plants. The protection provided by the trichomes could afford advantages under stress conditions, especially during leaf development. (author)

  10. Dimeric Structure of the Blue Light Sensor Protein Photozipper in the Active State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozeki, Kohei; Tsukuno, Hiroyuki; Nagashima, Hiroki; Hisatomi, Osamu; Mino, Hiroyuki

    2018-02-06

    The light oxygen voltage-sensing (LOV) domain plays a crucial role in blue light (BL) sensing in plants and microorganisms. LOV domains are usually associated with the effector domains and regulate the activities of effector domains in a BL-dependent manner. Photozipper (PZ) is monomeric in the dark state. BL induces reversible dimerization of PZ and subsequently increases its affinity for the target DNA sequence. In this study, we report the analyses of PZ by pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR). The neutral flavin radical was formed by BL illumination in the presence of dithiothreitol in the LOV-C254S (without the bZIP domain) and PZ-C254S mutants, where the cysteine residue responsible for adduct formation was replaced with serine. The magnetic dipole interactions of 3 MHz between the neutral radicals were detected in both LOV-C254S and PZ-C254S, indicating that these mutants are dimeric in the radical state. The PELDOR simulation showed that the distance between the radical pair is close to that estimated from the dimeric crystal structure in the "light state" [Heintz, U., and Schlichting, I. (2016) eLife 5, e11860], suggesting that in the radical state, LOV domains in PZ-C254S form a dimer similar to that of LOV-C254S, which lacks the bZIP domain.

  11. Efficiency and stability of a phosphor-conversion white light source using a blue laser diode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Ledru

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A white light source using direct phosphor-conversion excited by a blue laser diode is presented. In this preliminary study we have investigated the influence of phosphor’s thickness and operating current of the laser diode over the (x, y chromaticity coordinates, Correlated Color Temperature (CCT and Color Rendering Index (CRI. The best values found were 4000 K and 94. A 40 lm/W luminous efficacy was achieved together with a CRI close to 90 for an operating current of 0.8 A. Those values, to the best of our knowledge, were not previously reported in the literature.

  12. Performance of light sources and radiation sensors under low gravity realized by parabolic airplane flights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirai, Hiroaki; Kitaya, Yoshiaki; Hirai, Takehiro

    A fundamental study was conducted to establish an experimental system for space farming. Since to ensure optimal light for plant cultivation in space is of grave importance, this study examined the performance of light sources and radiation sensors under microgravity conditions created during the parabolic airplane flight. Three kinds of light sources, a halogen bulb, a fluorescent tube, and blue and red LEDs, and ten models of radiation sensors available in the market were used for the experiment. Surface temperature of the light sources, output signals from the radiation sensors, spectroscopic characteristics were measured at the gravity levels of 0.01, 1.0 and 1.8 G for 20 seconds each during parabolic airplane flights. As a result, the performance of the halogen lamp was affected the most by the gravity level among the three light sources. Under the microgravity conditions which do not raise heat convection, the temperature of the halogen lamp rose and the output of the radiation sensors increased. Spectral distributions of the halogen lamp indicated that peak wavelength appeared the highest at the level of 0.01G, which contributed to the increase in light intensity. In the case of red and blue LEDs, which are promising light sources in space farming, the temperature of both LED chips rose but irradiance from red LED increased and that from blue LED decreased under microgravity conditions due to the different thermal characteristics.

  13. Antimicrobial blue light inactivation of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yucheng; Dai, Tianhong; Gu, Ying

    2016-10-01

    Background: With the increasing emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains, there is a pressing need for the development of alternative treatment for infections. Antimicrobial blue light (aBL) has provided a simple and effective approach. Methods: We first investigated the effectiveness of aBL (415 nm) inactivation of USA300 LAClux (a communityacquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain) both in the planktonic and biofilm forms. The survival of the bacteria in suspensions was determined by serial dilution and that of the biofilm-embedded bacteria was determined by bioluminescence quantification. Using a mouse model of thermal burn infected with USA300 LAClux, we further assessed the effectiveness of aBL for treating localized infections. Bioluminescence imaging was performed to monitor in real time bacterial viability in vivo. Results: In vitro study showed that, for the planktonic counterpart of the bacteria or the 24-h-old biofilms, an irradiance of 55 mW/cm2 for 60 min resulted in a 4.61 log10 or 2.56 log10 inactivation, respectively. In vivo study using infected mouse burns demonstrated that a 2.56-log10 inactivation was achieved after 100-mW/cm2 irradiation for 62 min. Conclusions: aBL is a potential alternative approach for treating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

  14. Safety of hexaminolevulinate for blue light cystoscopy in bladder cancer. A combined analysis of the trials used for registration and postmarketing data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witjes, J.A.; Gomella, L.G.; Stenzl, A.; Chang, S.S.; Zaak, D.; Grossman, H.B.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To detail and put into perspective, safety of hexaminolevulinate blue light cystoscopy (HAL-BLC), including repeated use, based on combined data of controlled trials used for registration of HAL and postmarketing experience. METHODS: Safety data of 2 randomized comparative studies (group

  15. ''Blue clearing'' on Mars in connection with dust clouds in August and September 1971

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prokof'eva, V.V.; Chuprakova, T.A.; Dzyamko, S.S.; Bryzgalova, T.V.

    1975-01-01

    Photometric processing of Mars TV pictures obtained in ultraviolet, blue, green and red spectrum regions reveals the connection of the ''blue clearing'' effect with the appearance of dust clouds above the light regions of the planet. The obtained data confirm the hypothesis about the dust nature of blue clearings: the illusion of blue clearings is produced as a result of increasing brightness of thse Mars light regions, when dust clouds apr above them

  16. Effects of supplementary lighting by natural light for growth of Brassica chinensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Shih-Chuan; Lee, Hui-Ping; Kao, Shih-Tse; Lu, Ju-Lin

    2016-04-01

    This paper present a model of cultivated chamber with supplementary natural colour light. We investigate the effects of supplementary natural red light and natural blue light on growth of Brassica chinensis under natural white light illumination. After 4 weeks of supplementary colour light treatment, the experiment results shown that the weight of fresh leaf were not affected by supplementary natural blue light. However, those Brassica chinensis were cultivated in the chambers with supplementary natural red light obtained a significant increasing of fresh weight of leaf under both white light illuminate models. The combination of natural white light with supplementary natural red light illumination will be benefits in growth for cultivation and energy saving.

  17. Highly efficient and stable white organic light emitting diode base on double recombination zones of phosphorescent blue/orange emitters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seok Jae; Koo, Ja Ryong; Lim, Dong Hwan; Park, Hye Rim; Kim, Young Kwan; Ha, Yunkyoung

    2011-08-01

    We demonstrated efficient and stable white phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with double-emitting layers (D-EMLs), which were comprised of two emissive layers with a hole transport-type host of N,N'-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene (mCP) and a electron transport-type host of 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzenetryl)tris(1-phenyl)-1H-benzimidazol (TPBi) with blue/orange emitters, respectively. We fabricated two type white devices with single emitting layer (S-EML) and D-EML of orange emitter, maintaining double recombination zone of blue emitter. In addition, the device architecture was developed to confine excitons inside the D-EMLs and to manage triplet excitons by controlling the charge injection. As a result, light-emitting performances of white OLED with D-EMLs were improved and showed the steady CIE coordinates compared to that with S-EML of orange emitter, which demonstrated the maximum luminous efficiency and external quantum efficiency were 21.38 cd/A and 11.09%. It also showed the stable white emission with CIE(x,y) coordinates from (x = 0.36, y = 0.37) at 6 V to (x = 0.33, y = 0.38) at 12 V.

  18. Blue-light photoelectrochemical sensor based on nickel tetra-amined phthalocyanine-graphene oxide covalent compound for ultrasensitive detection of erythromycin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Jinyun; Huang, Qing; Zhuge, Wenfeng; Liu, Yuxia; Zhang, Cuizong; Yang, Wei; Xiang, Gang

    2018-05-30

    In this study, we developed a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor for the highly sensitive detection of erythromycin by functionalising graphene oxide (GO) with nickel tetra-amined phthalocyanine (NiTAPc) through covalent bonding, which resulted in the formation of NiTAPc-Gr. The fabricated sensor showed a higher PEC efficiency under blue light, exhibiting a peak wavelength of 456 nm, as compared to that of the monomer. Further, the NiTAPc-Gr/indium tin oxide (ITO) sensor exhibited a photocurrent that was 50-fold higher than that for a GO/ITO sensor under the same conditions. Under optimal conditions, the NiTAPc-Gr PEC sensor showed a linear response for erythromycin concentrations ranging from 0.40 to 120.00 μmol L -1 , with the minimum limit for detection being 0.08 μmol L -1 . Thus, the NiTAPc-Gr sensor exhibited superior performance and excellent PEC characteristics, high stability, and good reproducibility with respect to the sensing of erythromycin. Moreover, it is convenient to use, fast, small, and cheap to produce. Hence, it should find wide use in the analysis of erythromycin in real-world applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Effect of aspherical and yellow tinted intraocular lens on blue-on-yellow perimetry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo França de Espíndola

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To investigate the possible effect of aspherical or yellow tinted intraocular lens (IOL on contrast sensitivity and blue-on-yellow perimetry. METHODS: This prospective randomized bilateral double-masked clinical study included 52 patients with visually significant bilateral cataracts divided in two groups; 25 patients (50 eyes received aspherical intraocular lens in one eye and spherical intraocular lens in the fellow eye; and 27 patients (54 eyes received ultraviolet and blue light filter (yellow tinted IOL implantation in one eye and acrylic ultraviolet filter IOL in the fellow eye. The primary outcome measures were contrast sensitivity and blue-on-yellow perimetry values (mean deviation [MD] and pattern standard deviation [PSD] investigated two years after surgery. The results were compared intra-individually. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant between-group (aspherical and spherical intraocular lens difference in contrast sensitivity under photopic conditions at 12 cycles per degree and under mesopic conditions at all spatial frequencies. There were no between-group significant differences (yellow tinted and clear intraocular lens under photopic or mesopic conditions. There was no statistically significant difference between all intraocular lens in MD or PSD. CONCLUSION: Contrast sensitivity was better under mesopic conditions with aspherical intraocular lens. Blue-on-yellow perimetry did not appear to be affected by aspherical or yellow tinted intraocular lens. Further studies with a larger sample should be carried out to confirm or not that hypotheses.

  20. Hydrogen evolution by a thermophilic blue-green alga. Mastigocladus laminosus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirua, Y; Yokoyama, H; Kanaoka, K; Saito, S; Iwasa, K; Okazaki, M; Komemushi, S

    1980-01-01

    The thermophillic blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), Mastigocladus laminosus isolated from a hot spring, evolved hydrogen gas under nitrogen-starved conditions in light when algal cells were grown in a nitrate-free medium. Cells grown in a nitrate-medium evolved no detectable hydrogen gas in light. The optimal temperature and pH for hydrogen evolution were 44-49 degrees C and 7.0-7.5. High activity of hydrogen evolution, 1.6 ml H/sub 2//mg chl.hr, was induced when algal cells grown in the nitrate medium were actively forming heterocysts in the nitrate-free medium in air. Hydrogen evolution in light was depressed by nitrogen gas and inhibited by salicylaldoxime or DNP. This hydrogen evolution by M. laminosus is attributed to the action of nitrogenase.

  1. Recent developments in white light emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohe, P. P.; Nandanwar, D. V.; Belsare, P. D.; Moharil, S. V.

    2018-05-01

    In the recent years solid state lighting based on LEDs has revolutionized lighting technology. LEDs have many advantages over the conventional lighting based on fluorescent and incandescent lamps such as mercury free, high conversion efficiency of electrical energy into light, long lifetime reliability and ability to use with many types of devices. LEDs have emerged as a new potentially revolutionary technology that could save up to half of energy used for lighting applications. White LEDs would be the most important light source in the future, so much so that this aspect had been highlighted by the Nobel committee during the award of 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics. Recent advancement in the fabrication of GaN chip capable of emitting in blue and near UV region paved way for fabrication of white LED lamps. Mainly there are two approaches used for preparing white emitting solid state lamp. In the first approach blue light (λ=450 nm) emitted from the InGaN LED chip is partially absorbed by the YAG:Ce3+ phosphor coated on it and re-emitted as yellow fluorescence. A white light can be generated by the combination of blue + yellow emission bands. These lamps are already available. But they are suffering from major drawback that their Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is low. In the second approach, white LEDs are made by coating near ultraviolet emitting (360 to 410nm) LED with a mixture of high efficiency red, green and blue emitting phosphors, analogous to the fluorescent lamp. This method yields lamps with better color rendition. Addition of a yellow emitting phosphor improves CRI further. However conversion efficiency is compromised to some extent. Further the cost of near UV emitting chip is very high compared to blue emitting chips. Thus cost and light output wise, near UV chips are much inferior to blue chips. Recently some rare earth activated oxynitrides, silicates, fluorides have emerged as an important family of luminescent materials for white LED application

  2. Jagua blue derived from Genipa americana L. fruit: A natural alternative to commonly used blue food colorants?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brauch, J E; Zapata-Porras, S P; Buchweitz, M; Aschoff, J K; Carle, R

    2016-11-01

    Due to consumers' increasing health awareness, food industry aims at replacing synthetic dyes by natural counterparts. The substitution of blue synthetic dyes is particularly challenging since current natural alternatives such as phycocyanin (Spirulina) suffer from poor stability. Jagua blue (produced from Genipa americana L. fruit) might represent a potential novel blue pigment source. However, only little is known about its color properties, and application in food systems. Therefore, the blue color and the stability of Jagua blue were assessed for the first time and compared to commonly used colorants, namely, Spirulina, brilliant blue FCF (Blue no. 1), and indigo carmine (Blue no. 2). The reaction rate of Jagua blue was independent of its concentration, confirming thermal degradation to follow first-order kinetics. Between pH 3.6 and 5.0, the color hue of Jagua blue solutions was similar to that of Blue no. 2. However, Jagua blue revealed markedly higher storage stabilities (t 1/2 =86-105days) than Blue no. 2 (t 1 /2 ≤9days) and was less susceptible to acidic pH of 3.6 (t 1 /2 =86days) than Spirulina (t 1 /2 =70days). High negative b* values (blueness) of colored gelatin gels were only obtained for Jagua blue and Spirulina, and the former exhibited higher light stabilities (t 1 /2 =15days) than Spirulina gels (t 1 /2 =4days). Our findings indicate Jagua blue to be a most promising alternative to synthetic dyes, providing relevant information regarding potential food applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Phycoerythrin-specific bilin lyase-isomerase controls blue-green chromatic acclimation in marine Synechococcus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Animesh; Biswas, Avijit; Blot, Nicolas; Partensky, Frédéric; Karty, Jonathan A; Hammad, Loubna A; Garczarek, Laurence; Gutu, Andrian; Schluchter, Wendy M; Kehoe, David M

    2012-12-04

    The marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus is the second most abundant phytoplanktonic organism in the world's oceans. The ubiquity of this genus is in large part due to its use of a diverse set of photosynthetic light-harvesting pigments called phycobiliproteins, which allow it to efficiently exploit a wide range of light colors. Here we uncover a pivotal molecular mechanism underpinning a widespread response among marine Synechococcus cells known as "type IV chromatic acclimation" (CA4). During this process, the pigmentation of the two main phycobiliproteins of this organism, phycoerythrins I and II, is reversibly modified to match changes in the ambient light color so as to maximize photon capture for photosynthesis. CA4 involves the replacement of three molecules of the green light-absorbing chromophore phycoerythrobilin with an equivalent number of the blue light-absorbing chromophore phycourobilin when cells are shifted from green to blue light, and the reverse after a shift from blue to green light. We have identified and characterized MpeZ, an enzyme critical for CA4 in marine Synechococcus. MpeZ attaches phycoerythrobilin to cysteine-83 of the α-subunit of phycoerythrin II and isomerizes it to phycourobilin. mpeZ RNA is six times more abundant in blue light, suggesting that its proper regulation is critical for CA4. Furthermore, mpeZ mutants fail to normally acclimate in blue light. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling an ecologically important photosynthetic process and identify a unique class of phycoerythrin lyase/isomerases, which will further expand the already widespread use of phycoerythrin in biotechnology and cell biology applications.

  4. Study on Suitable Light Conditions and Efficient Lipid Extraction Technologies for Biodiesel Production Based on Microalgae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yao; Zhang, Qingtao; Sun, Yuan; Yang, Chengjia

    2018-01-01

    As a new generation biodiesel feedstock, microalgae have most potential to replace fossil fuel. However, the limited scale and high cost are two bottleneck problems. Efficient microwave-assisted lipid extraction technologies and suitable light conditions for Chlorella Sorokiniana need further study for lowering the cost. In this study, three photoperiod groups(24L:0D, 12L:12D, 0L:24D), three illumination intensity groups (1800 lux, 3600 lux, 5400 lux)and four light spectrum groups (Red, green, blue, and white) were used to culture Chlorella Sorokiniana to investigate those effects on algae growth rate and biomass accumulation. The suitable microwave treatment was also studied to achieve an optimizing quantum fracturing technology. 400 w, 750 w and 1000 w microwave power were set and 60 °C, 75 °C, 90 °C microwave conditions were investigated. The results showed that Chlorella Sorokiniana under 24L:0D photoperiod with 5400 lux white light can achieve better growth rate. The 90 °C / 1000w microwave treatment was identified as the most simple, easy, and effective way for lipid extraction from Chlorella Sorokiniana. As the raw material of biodiesel production, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 have accounted for important components of fatty acid in Chlorella Sorokiniana. Therefore, Chlorella Sorokiniana is a good raw material for the production of good quality biodiesel under suitable and efficient technologies.

  5. Modulation by phytochrome of the blue light-induced extracellular acidification by leaf epidermal cells of pea (Pisum sativum L.) : a kinetic analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elzenga, JTM; Staal, M; Prins, HBA

    Blue light induces extracellular acidification, a prerequisite of cell expansion, in epidermis cells of young pea leaves, by stimulation of the proton pumping-ATPase activity in the plasma membrane. A transient acidification, reaching a maximum 2.5-5 min after the start of the pulse, could be

  6. Highly efficient blue organic light emitting device using indium-free transparent anode Ga:ZnO with scalability for large area coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Liang; Matson, Dean W.; Polikarpov, Evgueni; Swensen, James S.; Bonham, Charles C.; Cosimbescu, Lelia; Gaspar, Daniel J.; Padmaperuma, Asanga B.; Berry, Joseph J.; Ginley, David S.

    2010-01-01

    Organic light emitting devices have been achieved with an indium-free transparent anode, Ga doped ZnO (GZO). A large area coating technique was used (RF magnetron sputtering) to deposit the GZO films onto glass. The respective organic light emitting devices exhibited an operational voltage of 3.7 V, an external quantum efficiency of 17%, and a power efficiency of 39 lm/W at a current density of 1 mA/cm 2 . These parameters are well within acceptable standards for blue OLEDs to generate a white light with high enough brightness for general lighting applications. It is expected that high-efficiency, long-lifetime, large area, and cost-effective white OLEDs can be made with these indium-free anode materials.

  7. Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinxin Wei

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have investigated various factors that contribute to the severity of work zone crashes. However, little has been done on the specific effects of light conditions. Using the data from the Enhanced Tennessee Roadway Information Management System (E-TRIMS, crashes that occurred in the Tennessee work zones during 2003–2015 are categorized into three light conditions: daylight, dark-lighted, and dark-not-lighted. One commonly used decision tree method—Classification and Regression Trees (CART—is adopted to investigate the factors contributing to crash severity in highway work zones under these light conditions. The outcomes from the three decision trees with differing light conditions show significant differences in the ranking and importance of the factors considered in the study, thereby indicating the necessity of examining traffic crashes according to light conditions. By separately considering the crash characteristics under different light conditions, some new findings are obtained from this study. The study shows that an increase in the number of lanes increases the crash severity level in work zones during the day while decreasing the severity at night. Similarly, drugs and alcohol are found to increase the severity level significantly under the dark-not-lighted condition, while they have a limited influence under daylight and dark-lighted conditions.

  8. A fluorescent stilbenoid dendrimer for solution-processed blue light emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coya, C.; Álvarez, A. L.; Ramos, M.; de Andrés, A.; Zaldo, C.; Gómez, R.; Segura, J. L.; Seoane, C.

    2008-04-01

    We report a solution processed blue stilbenoid dendrimer based on a 1, 3, 5 - benzene core and endowed with a periphery of electron donating and solubilizing alkoxy chains. Raman analysis it is revealed as a helpful tool to investigate changes from the pristine material to the material in the OLED structure, explaining the differences between the dendrimer single layer thin film photoluminescence (PL) and the electroluminescence (EL) dendrimer active layer emission in the device. We report a blue EL emission (439 nm) and a very promising effective mobility value of 2.55 × 10 -5 cm2/(V•s) suggesting good transport properties for non doped blue OLEDs that use air stable Al as the cathode.

  9. High color rendering index white organic light-emitting diode using levofloxacin as blue emitter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Yan-Qin; Gao, Zhi-Xiang; Zhang, Ai-Qin; Li, Yuan-Hao; Wang, Hua; Jia, Hu-Sheng; Liu, Xu-Guang; Tsuboi, Taijuf

    2015-05-01

    Levofloxacin (LOFX), which is well-known as an antibiotic medicament, was shown to be useful as a 452-nm blue emitter for white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this paper, the fabricated white OLED contains a 452-nm blue emitting layer (thickness of 30 nm) with 1 wt% LOFX doped in CBP (4,4’-bis(carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl) host and a 584-nm orange emitting layer (thickness of 10 nm) with 0.8 wt% DCJTB (4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-tert-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidin-4-yl-vinyl)-4H-pyran) doped in CBP, which are separated by a 20-nm-thick buffer layer of TPBi (2,2’,2”-(benzene-1,3,5-triyl)-tri(1-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole). A high color rendering index (CRI) of 84.5 and CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.33, 0.32), which is close to ideal white emission CIE (0.333, 0.333), are obtained at a bias voltage of 14 V. Taking into account that LOFX is less expensive and the synthesis and purification technologies of LOFX are mature, these results indicate that blue fluorescence emitting LOFX is useful for applications to white OLEDs although the maximum current efficiency and luminance are not high. The present paper is expected to become a milestone to using medical drug materials for OLEDs. Project supported by the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. NCET-13-0927), the International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (Grant No. 2012DFR50460), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21101111 and 61274056), and the Shanxi Provincial Key Innovative Research Team in Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 2012041011).

  10. Red, green, blue and white light upconversion emission in Yb3+/Tm3+/Ho3+ co-doped tellurite glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desirena, H; De la Rosa, E; Meza, O; Salas, P

    2011-01-01

    Several Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ /Ho 3+ co-doped transparent TeO 2 -ZnO-Na 2 O-Yb 2 O 3 -Ho 2 O 3 -Tm 2 O 3 glasses were prepared and luminescence properties were characterized. Simultaneous red, green and blue (RGB) emission were obtained after excitation at 970 nm. Colour emission was tuned from multicolour to white light with colour coordinate (0.32, 0.33) matching very well with the white reference (0.33, 0.33). Changes in colour emission were obtained by varying the intensity ratios between RGB bands that are strongly concentration dependent because of the interaction of co-dopants. The colour tunability, high quality of white light and high intensity of the emitted signal make these transparent glasses excellent candidates for applications in solid-state lighting.

  11. Comparison of Riboflavin and Toluidine Blue O as Photosensitizers for Photoactivated Disinfection on Endodontic and Periodontal Pathogens In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, Henrik Krarup; Garcia, Javier; Væth, Michael; Schlafer, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    Photoactivated disinfection has a strong local antimicrobial effect. In the field of dentistry it is an emerging adjunct to mechanical debridement during endodontic and periodontal treatment. In the present study, we investigate the effect of photoactivated disinfection using riboflavin as a photosensitizer and blue LED light for activation, and compare it to photoactivated disinfection with the widely used combination of toluidine blue O and red light. Riboflavin is highly biocompatible and can be activated with LED lamps at hand in the dental office. To date, no reports are available on the antimicrobial effect of photoactivated disinfection using riboflavin/blue light on oral microorganisms. Planktonic cultures of eight organisms frequently isolated from periodontal and/or endodontic lesions (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherischia coli, Lactobacillus paracasei, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Propionibacterium acnes) were subjected to photoactivated disinfection with riboflavin/blue light and toluidine blue O/red light, and survival rates were determined by CFU counts. Within the limited irradiation time of one minute, photoactivated disinfection with riboflavin/blue light only resulted in minor reductions in CFU counts, whereas full kills were achieved for all organisms when using toluidine blue O/red light. The black pigmented anaerobes P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were eradicated completely by riboflavin/blue light, but also by blue light treatment alone, suggesting that endogenous chromophores acted as photosensitizers in these bacteria. On the basis of our results, riboflavin cannot be recommended as a photosensitizer used for photoactivated disinfection of periodontal or endodontic infections.

  12. Effect of different light spectra on the pigmentation of stored elephant garlic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comparini, Diego; Nguyen, Hieu Th; Ueda, Kota; Moritaka, Kyoshi; Kihara, Toshihiko; Kawano, Tomonori

    2018-05-01

    In the present study high-brightness light-emitting diodes were used to investigate the influence of different light spectra on garlic discoloration at different humidity levels and temperature. Many processes involved in the discoloration process of garlic/leek during storage under different conditions remain unanswered. For this reason in this study the ability of specific light spectra to enhance the production of desirable pigments has been evaluated in elephant garlic. It is well known that the pigments involved in the discoloration reaction are of great interest because of their potential ability to increase the nutritional value and health benefits of the food. In the present study, we show how the chlorophyll content of the sprout increases directly proportionally to the wavelength of the light tested; green/blue light delays the greening process of garlic young shoots whilst red/infra-red light irradiance conditions increase the greening process at different storage temperatures and humidity. Moreover different lights in the visible spectrum have been observed to stimulate and enhance the outer layer purple coloration. The use of different lights to modulate garlic pigmentation has been demonstrated and, in particular, the utilisation of red/green/blue lights and lower temperature resulted in higher red/pink pigments production supporting the hypothesis that this process involves more than one light to be fully performed and the low temperature is a condition that influences the formation of these products. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Plant experiments with light-emitting diode module in Svet space greenhouse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilieva, Iliyana; Ivanova, Tania; Naydenov, Yordan; Dandolov, Ivan; Stefanov, Detelin

    Light is necessary for photosynthesis and shoot orientation in the space plant growth facilities. Light modules (LM) must provide sufficient photosynthetic photon flux for optimal efficiency of photosynthetic processes and also meet the constraints for power, volume and mass. A new LM for SVET Space Greenhouse using Cree R XLamp R 7090 XR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is developed. Three types of monochromic LEDs emitting in the red, green, and blue region of the spectrum are used. The new LM contains 36 LED spots - 30 LED spots with one red, green and blue LED and 6 LED spots with three red LEDs. DMX programming device controls the LED spots and can set 231 levels of light intensity thus achieving Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) in the range 0-400 µmol.m-2 .s-1 and different percentages of the red, green and blue light, depending on the experimental objectives. Two one-month experiments with "salad-type" plants - lettuce and chicory were carried at 400 µmol.m-2 .s-1 PPFD (high light - HL) and 220 µmol.m-2 .s-1 PPFD (low light - LL) and composition 70% red, 20% green and 10% blue light. In vivo modulated chlorophyll fluorescence was measured by a PAM fluorometer on leaf discs and the following parameters: effective quantum yield of Photosystem II (ΦP SII ) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were calculated. Both lettuce and chicory plants grown at LL express higher photochemical activity of Photosystem II (PSII) than HL grown plants, evaluated by the actual PSII quantum yield, ΦP SII . The calculated steady state NPQ values did not differ significantly in lettuce and chicory. The rapid phase of the NPQ increase was accelerated in all studied LL leaves. In conclusion low light conditions ensured more effective functioning of PSII than HL when lettuce and chicory plants were grown at 70% red, 20% green and 10% blue light composition.

  14. Regulation of the subunit composition of plastidic glutamine synthetase of the wild-type and of the phytochrome-deficient aurea mutant of tomato by blue/UV-A- or by UV-B-light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Migge, A.; Carrayol, E.; Hirel, B.; Lohmann, M.; Meya, G.; Becker, T.W.

    1998-01-01

    The photomorphogenetic aurea mutant of tomato severely deficient in spectrophotometrically active phytochromes was used to study the light-regulation of the single-copy nuclear gene encoding plastidic glutamine synthetase (GS-2; EC 6.1.3.2). The de-etiolation of dark-grown aurea mutant seedling cotyledons showed an obligatory dependency on blue light. A limited red light-responsiveness of etiolated aurea cotyledons is, however, retained as seen by the stimulation of both the GS-2 transcript and protein level in the cotyledons of aurea seedlings during growth in red light. The subunits of the octameric GS-2 enzyme were represented by polypeptides with similar electrophoretic mobilities (polypeptides a) in etiolated wild-type or aurea mutant cotyledons. GS-2 proteins with similar apparent molecular masses were also seen in the cotyledons of red light-grown aurea mutant seedlings. In contrast, GS-2 polypeptides with different apparent molecular masses (polypeptides a and b) were detected in the cotyledons of wild-type seedlings grown in red light. This difference indicates that the (post-translational) modification of tomato GS-2 subunit composition is mediated by the photoreceptor phytochrome. The illumination of etiolated wild-type or aurea cotyledons with UV-A- or UV-B-light light resulted in an increase in both the GS-2 transcript and protein level. Following illumination of etiolated wild-type seedlings with UV-A-light, the relative proportion of the GS-2 polypeptides a and b was similar than upon irradiation with blue light but different than after exposure to UV-B- or red light. This result suggests the involvement of a blue/ UV-A-light-specific photoreceptor in the regulation of tomato GS-2 subunit composition. (author)

  15. Enhanced catalytic activity without the use of an external light source using microwave-synthesized CuO nanopetals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Govinda Lakhotiya

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available We report enhanced catalytic activity of CuO nanopetals synthesized by microwave-assisted wet chemical synthesis. The catalytic reaction of CuO nanopetals and H2O2 was studied with the application of external light source and also under dark conditions for the degradation of the hazardous dye methylene blue. The CuO nanopetals showed significant catalytic activity for the fast degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B (RhB under dark conditions, without the application of an external light source. This increased catalytic activity was attributed to the co-operative role of H2O2 and the large specific surface area (≈40 m2·g−1 of the nanopetals. We propose a detail mechanism for this fast degradation. A separate study of the effect of different H2O2 concentrations for the degradation of methylene blue under dark conditions is also illustrated.

  16. The influence of different light quality and benzene on gene expression and benzene degradation of Chlorophytum comosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setsungnern, Arnon; Treesubsuntorn, Chairat; Thiravetyan, Paitip

    2017-11-01

    Benzene, a carcinogenic compound, has been reported as a major indoor air pollutant. Chlorophytum comosum (C. comosum) was reported to be the highest efficient benzene removal plant among other screened plants. Our previous studies found that plants under light conditions could remove gaseous benzene higher than under dark conditions. Therefore, C. comosum exposure to airborne benzene was studied under different light quality at the same light intensity. C. comosum could remove 500 ppm gaseous benzene with the highest efficiency of 68.77% under Blue:Red = 1:1 LED treatments and the lowest one appeared 57.41% under white fluorescent treatment within 8 days. After benzene was uptaken by C. comosum, benzene was oxidized to be phenol in the plant cells by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system. Then, phenol was catalyzed to be catechol that was confirmed by the up-regulation of phenol 2-monooxygenase (PMO) gene expression. After that, catechol was changed to cic, cis-muconic acid. Interestingly, cis,cis-muconic acid production was found in the plant tissues higher than phenol and catechol. The result confirmed that NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR), cytochrome b5 (cyt b5), phenol 2-monooxygenase (PMO) and cytochrome P450 90B1 (CYP90B1) in plant cells were involved in benzene degradation or detoxification. In addition, phenol, catechol, and cis,cis-muconic acid production were found under the Blue-Red LED light conditions higher than under white fluorescent light conditions due to under LED light conditions gave higher NADPH contents. Hence, C. comosum under the Blue-Red LED light conditions had a high potential to remove benzene in a contaminated site. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Manipulation of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence of Blue Exciplex Emission: Fully Utilizing Exciton Energy for Highly Efficient Organic Light Emitting Diodes with Low Roll-Off.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zixing; Wang, Hedan; Zhu, Jun; Wu, Peng; Shen, Bowen; Dou, Dehai; Wei, Bin

    2017-06-28

    The application of exciplex energy has become a unique way to achieve organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with high efficiencies, low turn-on voltage, and low roll-off. Novel δ-carboline derivatives with high triplet energy (T 1 ≈ 2.92 eV) and high glass transition temperature (T g ≈ 153 °C) were employed to manipulate exciplex emissions in this paper. Deep blue (peak at 436 nm) and pure blue (peak at 468 nm) thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) of exciplex OLEDs were demonstrated by utilizing them as emitters with the maximum current efficiency (CE) of 4.64 cd A -1 , power efficiency (PE) of 2.91 lm W -1 , and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.36%. Highly efficient blue phosphorescent OLEDs doped with FIrpic showed a maximum CE of 55.6 cd A -1 , PE of 52.9 lm W -1 , and EQE of 24.6% respectively with very low turn on voltage at 2.7 V. The devices still remain high CE of 46.5 cd A -1 at 100 cd m -2 , 45.4 cd A -1 at 1000 cd m -2 and 42.3 cd A -1 at 5000 cd m -2 with EQE close to 20% indicating low roll-off. Manipulating blue exciplex emissions by chemical structure gives an ideal strategy to fully utilize all exciton energies for lighting of OLEDs.

  18. Antimicrobial photodynamic activity and cytocompatibility of Au25(Capt18 clusters photoexcited by blue LED light irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miyata S

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Saori Miyata,1 Hirofumi Miyaji,1 Hideya Kawasaki,2 Masaki Yamamoto,2 Erika Nishida,1 Hiroko Takita,3 Tsukasa Akasaka,4 Natsumi Ushijima,3 Toshihiko Iwanaga,5 Tsutomu Sugaya1 1Department of Periodontology and Endodontology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 2Department of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, Suita-shi, Osaka, 3Support Section for Education and Research, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, 4Department of Biomedical, Dental Materials and Engineering, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, 5Department of Anatomy, Laboratory of Histology and Cytology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan Abstract: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT has beneficial effects in dental treatment. We applied captopril-protected gold (Au25(Capt18 clusters as a novel photosensitizer for aPDT. Photoexcited Au clusters under light irradiation generated singlet oxygen (1O2. Accordingly, the antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of Au25(Capt18 clusters under dental blue light-emitting diode (LED irradiation were evaluated. 1O2 generation of Au25(Capt18 clusters under blue LED irradiation (420–460 nm was detected by a methotrexate (MTX probe. The antimicrobial effects of photoexcited Au clusters (0, 5, 50, and 500 µg/mL on oral bacterial cells, such as Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, were assessed by morphological observations and bacterial growth experiments. Cytotoxicity testing of Au clusters and blue LED irradiation was then performed against NIH3T3 and MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, the biological performance of Au clusters (500 µg/mL was compared to an organic dye photosensitizer, methylene blue (MB; 10 and 100 µg/mL. We confirmed the 1O2 generation ability of Au25(Capt18 clusters through the fluorescence

  19. One-Step Preparation of Blue-Emitting (La,Ca)Si3(O,N)5:Ce3+ Phosphors for High-Color Rendering White Light-Emitting Diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaguchi, Atsuro; Suehiro, Takayuki; Sato, Tsugio; Hirosaki, Naoto

    2011-02-01

    Highly phase-pure (La,Ca)Si3(O,N)5:Ce3+ blue-emitting phosphors were successfully synthesized via the one-step solid-state reaction from the system La2O3-CaO-CeO2-Si3N4. The synthesized (La,Ca)Si3(O,N)5:Ce3+ exhibits tunable blue broadband emission with the dominant wavelength of 466-479 nm and the external quantum efficiency up to ˜45% under 380 nm near-UV (NUV) excitation. Spectral simulations of the trichromatic white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using (La,Ca)Si3(O,N)5:Ce3+ demonstrated markedly higher color rendering index Ra values of 93-95, compared to 76-90 attained by the systems using a conventional BAM:Eu2+ phosphor or InGaN blue LED. The present achievement indicates the promising applicability of (La,Ca)Si3(O,N)5:Ce3+ as a blue luminescent source for NUV-converting high-color rendering white LEDs.

  20. Reverse leakage current characteristics of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well ultraviolet/blue/green light-emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Shengjun; Lv, Jiajiang; Wu, Yini; Zhang, Yuan; Zheng, Chenju; Liu, Sheng

    2018-05-01

    We investigated the reverse leakage current characteristics of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) near-ultraviolet (NUV)/blue/green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Experimental results showed that the NUV LED has the smallest reverse leakage current whereas the green LED has the largest. The reason is that the number of defects increases with increasing nominal indium content in InGaN/GaN MQWs. The mechanism of the reverse leakage current was analyzed by temperature-dependent current–voltage measurement and capacitance–voltage measurement. The reverse leakage currents of NUV/blue/green LEDs show similar conduction mechanisms: at low temperatures, the reverse leakage current of these LEDs is attributed to variable-range hopping (VRH) conduction; at high temperatures, the reverse leakage current of these LEDs is attributed to nearest-neighbor hopping (NNH) conduction, which is enhanced by the Poole–Frenkel effect.

  1. Artificial light at night affects sleep behaviour differently in two closely related songbird species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jiachen; Raap, Thomas; Pinxten, Rianne; Eens, Marcel

    2017-12-01

    Artificial light at night (ALAN) or light pollution is an increasing and worldwide problem. There is growing concern that because of the disruption of natural light cycles, ALAN may pose serious risks for wildlife. While ALAN has been shown to affect many aspects of animal behaviour and physiology, few studies have experimentally studied whether individuals of different species in the wild respond differently to ALAN. Here, we investigated the effect of ALAN on sleep behaviour in two closely related songbird species inhabiting the same study area and roosting/breeding in similar nest boxes. We experimentally exposed free-living great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) to artificial light inside their nest boxes and observed changes in their sleep behaviour compared to the previous night when the nest boxes were dark. In line with previous studies, sleep behaviour of both species did not differ under dark conditions. ALAN disrupted sleep in both great and blue tits. However, compared to blue tits, great tits showed more pronounced effects and more aspects of sleep were affected. Light exposed great tits entered the nest boxes and fell asleep later, woke up and exited the nest boxes earlier, and the total sleep amount and sleep percentage were reduced. By contrast, these changes in sleep behaviour were not found in light exposed blue tits. Our field experiment, using exactly the same light manipulation in both species, provides direct evidence that two closely related species respond differently to ALAN, while their sleep behaviour under dark conditions was similar. Our research suggests that findings for one species cannot necessarily be generalised to other species, even closely-related species. Furthermore, species-specific effects could have implications for community dynamics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A study of parameter setting and characterization of visible-light driven nitrogen-modified commercial TiO2 photocatalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuo, Yu-Lin; Su, Te-Li; Kung, Fu-Chen; Wu, Tsai-Jung

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A cost-effective and highly-efficient visible-light driven nitrogen-modified TiO 2 photocatalyst was prepared by a simple hydrolysis method. → The obtained optimum conditions applied to Taguchi method for preparing visible-light driven photocatalyst were undergone by the process of stirring for 1 day using 4M ammonium as the nitrogen source, and then calcining at 400 ° C for 2 h. → Several materials technologies of characterizing N-TiO2 photocatalyst have been used to realize the modification of TiO2 by ammonia water as the nitrogen source. - Abstract: An optimal condition applied to the Taguchi method with an L 9 orthogonal array for preparing a visible-light driven nitrogen-modified TiO 2 (N-TiO 2 ) photocatalyst by a simple hydrolysis method has been examined for material characteristics and a photodecolorization test of methyl blue (MB) under various visible light source (fluorescent and blue LED lamps) irradiations. Results of the material characterization showed that the absorption of prepared N-TiO 2 powder exhibited a significant extension into visible light regimes with an optical bandgap (Eg) of around 2.96 eV, which subsequently improved the visible-light photocatalytic activity of N-TiO 2 samples. The superior photocatalytic properties, the pseudo first-order reaction rate constants (k) and photodecolorization efficiency (η%) of a N-TiO 2 photocatalyst during the photodecolorization test of methyl blue (MB) under two different visible light irradiations were very evident compared to those for pure TiO 2 . For photodecolorization of practical dyeing from the waste water from the dyeing and finishing industry, a higher photodecolorization efficiency of N-TiO 2 powder toward Direct blue-86 (DB-86) (Direct Fast Turquoise Blue GL) dye was also achieved.

  3. Effect of red and blue light on the timing of cyclin-dependent kinase activity and the timing of cell division in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Oldenhof, H.; Bišová, Kateřina; Ende, H.; Zachleder, Vilém

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 42, - (2004), s. 341-348 ISSN 0981-9428 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA204/02/1438 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5020903 Keywords : blue light * chlamydomonas reingardtii * cell cycle Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology Impact factor: 1.414, year: 2004

  4. Unraveling the Mystery of the Blue Fog: Structure, Properties, and Applications of Amorphous Blue Phase III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandhi, Sahil Sandesh; Chien, Liang-Chy

    2017-12-01

    The amorphous blue phase III of cholesteric liquid crystals, also known as the "blue fog," are among the rising stars in materials science that can potentially be used to develop next-generation displays with the ability to compete toe-to-toe with disruptive technologies like organic light-emitting diodes. The structure and properties of the practically unobservable blue phase III have eluded scientists for more than a century since it was discovered. This progress report reviews the developments in this field from both fundamental and applied research perspectives. The first part of this progress report gives an overview of the 130-years-long scientific tour-de-force that very recently resulted in the revelation of the mysterious structure of blue phase III. The second part reviews progress made in the past decade in developing electrooptical, optical, and photonic devices based on blue phase III. The strong and weak aspects of the development of these devices are underlined and criticized, respectively. The third- and-final part proposes ideas for further improvement in blue phase III technology to make it feasible for commercialization and widespread use. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Design and optimization of a volume-phase holographic grating for simultaneous use with red, green, and blue light using unpolarized light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahamat, Adoum H; Narducci, Frank A; Schwiegerling, James

    2016-03-01

    Volume-phase holographic (VPH) gratings have been designed for use in many areas of science and technology, such as optical communication, optical imaging, and astronomy. In this paper, the design of a volume-phase holographic grating, simultaneously optimized to operate in the red, green, and blue wavelengths, is presented along with a study of its fabrication tolerances. The grating is optimized to produce 98% efficiency at λ=532  nm and at least 75% efficiency in the region between 400 and 700 nm, when the incident light is unpolarized. The optimization is done for recording in dichromated gelatin with a thickness of 12 μm, an average refractive index of 1.5, and a refractive index modulation of 0.022.

  6. Protecting the Melatonin Rhythm through Circadian Healthy Light Exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Angeles Bonmati-Carrion

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Currently, in developed countries, nights are excessively illuminated (light at night, whereas daytime is mainly spent indoors, and thus people are exposed to much lower light intensities than under natural conditions. In spite of the positive impact of artificial light, we pay a price for the easy access to light during the night: disorganization of our circadian system or chronodisruption (CD, including perturbations in melatonin rhythm. Epidemiological studies show that CD is associated with an increased incidence of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cognitive and affective impairment, premature aging and some types of cancer. Knowledge of retinal photoreceptors and the discovery of melanopsin in some ganglion cells demonstrate that light intensity, timing and spectrum must be considered to keep the biological clock properly entrained. Importantly, not all wavelengths of light are equally chronodisrupting. Blue light, which is particularly beneficial during the daytime, seems to be more disruptive at night, and induces the strongest melatonin inhibition. Nocturnal blue light exposure is currently increasing, due to the proliferation of energy-efficient lighting (LEDs and electronic devices. Thus, the development of lighting systems that preserve the melatonin rhythm could reduce the health risks induced by chronodisruption. This review addresses the state of the art regarding the crosstalk between light and the circadian system.

  7. Efficient single light-emitting layer pure blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices with wide gap host and matched interlayer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Yunlong; Zhou, Liang, E-mail: zhoul@ciac.ac.cn; Cui, Rongzhen; Li, Yanan; Zhao, Xuesen; Zhang, Hongjie, E-mail: hongjie@ciac.ac.cn

    2015-12-15

    In this work, we report the highly efficient pure blue electroluminescent (EL) device based on bis[(3,5-difluoro-4-cyanophenyl)pyridine]picolinate iridium(III) (FCNIrpic) doped 9-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-3,6-bis(triphenylsilyl)-9H-carbazole (CzSi) film. The matched energy levels of FCNIrpic and CzSi are helpful in facilitating the trapping of carriers, while the high triplet energy of CzSi can well avoid the undesired reverse energy transfer. More importantly, the injection of holes was further accelerated by inserting 5 nm 4,4′,4″-Tri(9-carbazoyl)triphenylamine (TcTa) film between hole transport layer and lighting-emitting layer (EML) as interlayer. Consequently, EL performances were significantly enhanced attributed to wider recombination zone and better balance of holes and electrons. Interestingly, single-EML device displayed higher performances than those of double-EMLs device. Finally, pure blue EL device with the structure of ITO/MoO{sub 3} (3 nm)/TAPC (40 nm)/TcTa (5 nm)/FCNIrpic (20%): CzSi (30 nm)/TmPyPB (40 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) realized the maximum brightness, current efficiency, power efficiency and external quantum efficiency up to 12,505 cd/m{sup 2}, 36.20 cd/A, 28.42 lm/W and 16.9%, respectively. Even at the high brightness of 1000 cd/m{sup 2}, current efficiency and external quantum efficiency up to 17.40 cd/A and 8.1%, respectively, can be retained by the same device.

  8. Effects of light wavelengths on extracellular and capsular polysaccharide production by Nostoc flagelliforme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Pei-pei; Sun, Ying; Jia, Shi-ru; Zhong, Cheng; Tan, Zhi-lei

    2014-05-25

    The influences of different wavelengths of light (red 660nm, yellow 590nm, green 520nm, blue 460nm, purple 400nm) and white light on extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) and capsular polysaccharide (CPS) production by Nostoc flagelliforme in liquid culture were demonstrated in this study. The results showed that, compared with white light, red and blue lights significantly increased both EPS and CPS production while yellow light reduced their production; purple and green lights stimulated EPS production but inhibited CPS formation. Nine constituent monosaccharides and one uronic acid were detected in both EPS and CPS, and their ratios showed significant differences among treatment with different light wavelengths. However, the advanced structure of EPS and CPS from various light conditions did not present obvious difference through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterization. These findings establish a basis for development of high-yielding polysaccharide production process and understanding their regulation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Tocopherols in Sunflower Seedlings under Light and Dark Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    del Moral, Lidia; Pérez-Vich, Begoña; Velasco, Leonardo

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of tocopherols in cotyledons and radicles from sunflower seeds with high and low total tocopherol content, mainly in the α-tocopherol form, and from seeds with increased proportions of β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol, both under dark and light conditions. Tocopherol content was measured every 24 h from 1 to 12 days after sowing. In all cases, the content of individual tocopherol forms in the cotyledons and radicles was reduced along the sampling period, which was more pronounced under light conditions. The presence of light had a slightly greater effect on α- and γ-tocopherol than on β- and δ-tocopherol. A marked light effect was also observed on total tocopherol content, with light promoting the reduction of tocopherol content in cotyledons and radicles. The study revealed only slight differences in the patterns of tocopherol losses in lines with different tocopherol profiles, both under dark and light conditions, which suggested that the partial replacement of α-tocopherol by other tocopherol forms had no great impact on the protection against oxidative damage in seedlings.

  10. Hubble's View of Little Blue Dots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2018-02-01

    The recent discovery of a new type of tiny, star-forming galaxy is the latest in a zoo of detections shedding light on our early universe. What can we learn from the unique little blue dots found in archival Hubble data?Peas, Berries, and DotsGreen pea galaxies identified by citizen scientists with Galaxy Zoo. [Richard Nowell Carolin Cardamone]As telescope capabilities improve and we develop increasingly deeper large-scale surveys of our universe, we continue to learn more about small, faraway galaxies. In recent years, increasing sensitivity first enabled the detection of green peas luminous, compact, low-mass (10 billion solar masses; compare this to the Milky Ways 1 trillion solar masses!) galaxies with high rates of star formation.Not long thereafter, we discovered galaxies that form stars similarly rapidly, but are even smaller only 330 million solar masses, spanning less than 3,000 light-years in size. These tiny powerhouses were termed blueberries for their distinctive color.Now, scientists Debra and Bruce Elmegreen (of Vassar College and IBM Research Division, respectively) report the discovery of galaxies that have even higher star formation rates and even lower masses: little blue dots.Exploring Tiny Star FactoriesThe Elmegreens discovered these unique galaxies by exploring archival Hubble data. The Hubble Frontier Fields data consist of deep images of six distant galaxy clusters and the parallel fields next to them. It was in the archival data for two Frontier Field Parallels, those for clusters Abell 2744 and MAS J0416.1-2403, that the authors noticed several galaxies that stand out as tiny, bright, blue objects that are nearly point sources.Top: a few examples of the little blue dots recently identified in two Hubble Frontier Field Parallels. Bottom: stacked images for three different groups of little blue dots. [Elmegreen Elmegreen 2017]The authors performed a search through the two Frontier Field Parallels, discovering a total of 55 little blue dots

  11. NMR Profiling of Metabolites in Larval and Juvenile Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis) under Ambient and Low Salinity Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Melissa A; Bishop, Karl D; Rawson, Paul D

    2017-07-06

    Blue mussels ( Mytilus edulis ) are ecologically and economically important marine invertebrates whose populations are at risk from climate change-associated variation in their environment, such as decreased coastal salinity. Blue mussels are osmoconfomers and use components of the metabolome (free amino acids) to help maintain osmotic balance and cellular function during low salinity exposure. However, little is known about the capacity of blue mussels during the planktonic larval stages to regulate metabolites during osmotic stress. Metabolite studies in species such as blue mussels can help improve our understanding of the species' physiology, as well as their capacity to respond to environmental stress. We used 1D ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 2D total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY) experiments to describe baseline metabolite pools in larval (veliger and pediveliger stages) and juvenile blue mussels (gill, mantle, and adductor tissues) under ambient conditions and to quantify changes in the abundance of common osmolytes in these stages during low salinity exposure. We found evidence for stage- and tissue-specific differences in the baseline metabolic profiles of blue mussels, which reflect variation in the function and morphology of each larval stage or tissue type of juveniles. These differences impacted the utilization of osmolytes during low salinity exposure, likely stemming from innate physiological variation. This study highlights the importance of foundational metabolomic studies that include multiple tissue types and developmental stages to adequately evaluate organismal responses to stress and better place these findings in a broader physiological context.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of pure and Li⁺ activated Alq₃ complexes for green and blue organic light emitting diodes and display devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhagat, S A; Borghate, S V; Kalyani, N Thejo; Dhoble, S J

    2014-08-01

    Pure and Li(+)-doped Alq3 complexes were synthesized by simple precipitation method at room temperature, maintaining the stoichiometric ratio. These complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible absorption and Fourier transform infrared and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the crystalline nature of the synthesized complexes, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm the molecular structure, the completion of quinoline ring formation and presence of quinoline structure in the metal complex. Ultraviolet-visible and PL spectra revealed that Li(+) activated Alq3 complexes exhibit the highest intensity in comparison to pure Alq3 phosphor. Thus, Li(+) enhances PL emission intensity when doped into Alq3 phosphor. The excitation spectra lie in the range of 383-456 nm. All the synthesized complexes other than Liq give green emission, while Liq gives blue emission with enhanced intensity. Thus, he synthesized phosphors are the best suitable candidates for green- and blue-emitting organic light emitting diode, PL liquid-crystal display and solid-state lighting applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. A study of parameter setting and characterization of visible-light driven nitrogen-modified commercial TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuo, Yu-Lin, E-mail: ylkuo@mail.ntust.edu.tw [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 43, Sec. 4, Keelung Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Su, Te-Li [Department of Cosmetic Application and Management, St. Mary' s Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Yilan 266, Taiwan (China); Kung, Fu-Chen [Department of Health Developing and Health Marketing, Kainan University, Taoyuan County 338, Taiwan (China); Wu, Tsai-Jung [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 43, Sec. 4, Keelung Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

    2011-06-15

    Highlights: {yields} A cost-effective and highly-efficient visible-light driven nitrogen-modified TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst was prepared by a simple hydrolysis method. {yields} The obtained optimum conditions applied to Taguchi method for preparing visible-light driven photocatalyst were undergone by the process of stirring for 1 day using 4M ammonium as the nitrogen source, and then calcining at 400{sup Degree-Sign }C for 2 h. {yields} Several materials technologies of characterizing N-TiO2 photocatalyst have been used to realize the modification of TiO2 by ammonia water as the nitrogen source. - Abstract: An optimal condition applied to the Taguchi method with an L{sub 9} orthogonal array for preparing a visible-light driven nitrogen-modified TiO{sub 2} (N-TiO{sub 2}) photocatalyst by a simple hydrolysis method has been examined for material characteristics and a photodecolorization test of methyl blue (MB) under various visible light source (fluorescent and blue LED lamps) irradiations. Results of the material characterization showed that the absorption of prepared N-TiO{sub 2} powder exhibited a significant extension into visible light regimes with an optical bandgap (Eg) of around 2.96 eV, which subsequently improved the visible-light photocatalytic activity of N-TiO{sub 2} samples. The superior photocatalytic properties, the pseudo first-order reaction rate constants (k) and photodecolorization efficiency ({eta}%) of a N-TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst during the photodecolorization test of methyl blue (MB) under two different visible light irradiations were very evident compared to those for pure TiO{sub 2}. For photodecolorization of practical dyeing from the waste water from the dyeing and finishing industry, a higher photodecolorization efficiency of N-TiO{sub 2} powder toward Direct blue-86 (DB-86) (Direct Fast Turquoise Blue GL) dye was also achieved.

  14. The acclimation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum to blue and red light does not influence the photosynthetic light reaction but strongly disturbs the carbon allocation pattern.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Jungandreas

    Full Text Available Diatoms are major contributors to the aquatic primary productivity and show an efficient acclimation ability to changing light intensities. Here, we investigated the acclimation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum to different light quality with respect to growth rate, photosynthesis rate, macromolecular composition and the metabolic profile by shifting the light quality from red light (RL to blue light (BL and vice versa. Our results show that cultures pre-acclimated to BL and RL exhibited similar growth performance, photosynthesis rates and metabolite profiles. However, light shift experiments revealed rapid and severe changes in the metabolite profile within 15 min as the initial reaction of light acclimation. Thus, during the shift from RL to BL, increased concentrations of amino acids and TCA cycle intermediates were observed whereas during the BL to RL shift the levels of amino acids were decreased and intermediates of glycolysis accumulated. Accordingly, on the time scale of hours the RL to BL shift led to a redirection of carbon into the synthesis of proteins, whereas during the BL to RL shift an accumulation of carbohydrates occurred. Thus, a vast metabolic reorganization of the cells was observed as the initial reaction to changes in light quality. The results are discussed with respect to a putative direct regulation of cellular enzymes by light quality and by transcriptional regulation. Interestingly, the short-term changes in the metabolome were accompanied by changes in the degree of reduction of the plastoquinone pool. Surprisingly, the RL to BL shift led to a severe inhibition of growth within the first 48 h which was not observed during the BL to RL shift. Furthermore, during the phase of growth arrest the photosynthetic performance did not change. We propose arguments that the growth arrest could have been caused by the reorganization of intracellular carbon partitioning.

  15. Blue-emitting LaSi3N5:Ce3+ fine powder phosphor for UV-converting white light-emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suehiro, Takayuki; Hirosaki, Naoto; Xie, Rong-Jun; Sato, Tsugio

    2009-08-01

    We have synthesized the pure ternary nitride phosphor, LaSi3N5:Ce3+ from the multicomponent oxide system La2O3-CeO2-SiO2, by using the gas-reduction-nitridation method. Highly pure, single-phase LaSi3N5:Ce3+ powders possessing particle sizes of ˜0.4-0.6 μm were obtained with the processing temperature ≤1500 °C. The synthesized LaSi3N5:Ce3+ exhibits tunable blue broadband emission with the dominant wavelength of 464-475 nm and the external quantum efficiency of ˜34%-67% under excitation of 355-380 nm. A high thermal stability of LaSi3N5:Ce3+ compared to the existing La-Si-O-N hosts was demonstrated, indicating the promising applicability as a blue-emitting phosphor for UV-converting white light-emitting diodes.

  16. Doping-free white organic light-emitting diodes without blue molecular emitter: An unexplored approach to achieve high performance via exciplex emission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Dongxiang; Xiao, Ye; Hao, Mingming; Zhao, Yu; Yang, Yibin; Gao, Yuan; Liu, Baiquan

    2017-02-01

    Doping-free white organic light-emitting diodes (DF-WOLEDs) are promising for the low-cost commercialization because of their simplified device structures. However, DF-WOLEDs reported thus far in the literature are based on the use of blue single molecular emitters, whose processing can represent a crucial point in device manufacture. Herein, DF-WOLEDs without the blue single molecular emitter have been demonstrated by managing a blue exciplex system. For the single-molecular-emitter (orange or yellow emitter) DF-WOLEDs, (i) a color rendering index (CRI) of 81 at 1000 cd/m2 can be obtained, which is one of the highest for the single-molecular-emitter WOLEDs, or (ii) a high efficiency of 35.4 lm/W can be yielded. For the dual-molecular-emitter (yellow/red emitters) DF-WOLED, a high CRI of 85 and low correlated color temperature of 2376 K at 1000 cd/m2 have been simultaneously achieved, which has not been reported by previous DF-WOLEDs. Such presented findings may unlock an alternative avenue to the simplified but high-performance WOLEDs.

  17. Blue-light induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species is a consequence of the Drosophila cryptochrome photocycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louis-David Arthaut

    Full Text Available Cryptochromes are evolutionarily conserved blue-light absorbing flavoproteins which participate in many important cellular processes including in entrainment of the circadian clock in plants, Drosophila and humans. Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome (DmCry absorbs light through a flavin (FAD cofactor that undergoes photoreduction to the anionic radical (FAD•- redox state both in vitro and in vivo. However, recent efforts to link this photoconversion to the initiation of a biological response have remained controversial. Here, we show by kinetic modeling of the DmCry photocycle that the fluence dependence, quantum yield, and half-life of flavin redox state interconversion are consistent with the anionic radical (FAD•- as the signaling state in vivo. We show by fluorescence detection techniques that illumination of purified DmCry results in enzymatic conversion of molecular oxygen (O2 to reactive oxygen species (ROS. We extend these observations in living cells to demonstrate transient formation of superoxide (O2•-, and accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 in the nucleus of insect cell cultures upon DmCry illumination. These results define the kinetic parameters of the Drosophila cryptochrome photocycle and support light-driven electron transfer to the flavin in DmCry signaling. They furthermore raise the intriguing possibility that light-dependent formation of ROS as a byproduct of the cryptochrome photocycle may contribute to its signaling role.

  18. The spatially resolved characterisation of Egyptian blue, Han blue and Han purple by photo-induced luminescence digital imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verri, G

    2009-06-01

    The photo-induced luminescence properties of Egyptian blue, Han blue and Han purple were investigated by means of near-infrared digital imaging. These pigments emit infrared radiation when excited in the visible range. The emission can be recorded by means of a modified commercial digital camera equipped with suitable glass filters. A variety of visible light sources were investigated to test their ability to excite luminescence in the pigments. Light-emitting diodes, which do not emit stray infrared radiation, proved an excellent source for the excitation of luminescence in all three compounds. In general, the use of visible radiation emitters with low emission in the infrared range allowed the presence of the pigments to be determined and their distribution to be spatially resolved. This qualitative imaging technique can be easily applied in situ for a rapid characterisation of materials. The results were compared to those for Egyptian green and for historical and modern blue pigments. Examples of the application of the technique on polychrome works of art are presented.

  19. Blue-shifted photoluminescence of Alq3 dispersed in PMMA

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Abstract. Alq3 is known to emit bright green light under UV excitation. Blue shift of the emission was reported in recent literature. This was ascribed to the presence of various isomers/crystallographic modifica- tions obtained through train sublimation. Here a blue shift was reported for Alq3 dispersed in PMMA. No iso-.

  20. Effect of light quality on somatic embryogenesis of quince leaves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Onofrio, C.; Morini, S.; Bellocchi, G.

    1998-01-01

    The effect of light quality on somatic embryogenesis in quince BA 29 was investigated. 2,4-D induced leaves were exposed for 25 days to the following light quality treatments: dark, far-red, far-red+blue, far-red+red, blue, white, red+blue, red. After a further 20 days of white light exposure, somatic embryo production was recorded. Somatic embryogenesis was highest in cultures subjected to red light treatment, and decreased progressively with the transition to red+blue and to white. Overall, embryogenic competence showed a correlation with photoequilibrium. Phytochrome appeared to be inductive although this effect was adversely influenced by the blue absorbing photoreceptor, in particular at low photoequilibrium. Independently of light treatments applied, somatic embryos frequently showed severe morphological abnormalities. Conversion of somatic embryos to plantlets was not observed. (author)

  1. High-Brightness Blue Light-Emitting Diodes Enabled by a Directly Grown Graphene Buffer Layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhaolong; Zhang, Xiang; Dou, Zhipeng; Wei, Tongbo; Liu, Zhiqiang; Qi, Yue; Ci, Haina; Wang, Yunyu; Li, Yang; Chang, Hongliang; Yan, Jianchang; Yang, Shenyuan; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wang, Junxi; Gao, Peng; Li, Jinmin; Liu, Zhongfan

    2018-06-08

    Single-crystalline GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with high efficiency and long lifetime are the most promising solid-state lighting source compared with conventional incandescent and fluorescent lamps. However, the lattice and thermal mismatch between GaN and sapphire substrate always induces high stress and high density of dislocations and thus degrades the performance of LEDs. Here, the growth of high-quality GaN with low stress and a low density of dislocations on graphene (Gr) buffered sapphire substrate is reported for high-brightness blue LEDs. Gr films are directly grown on sapphire substrate to avoid the tedious transfer process and GaN is grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The introduced Gr buffer layer greatly releases biaxial stress and reduces the density of dislocations in GaN film and In x Ga 1- x N/GaN multiple quantum well structures. The as-fabricated LED devices therefore deliver much higher light output power compared to that on a bare sapphire substrate, which even outperforms the mature process derived counterpart. The GaN growth on Gr buffered sapphire only requires one-step growth, which largely shortens the MOCVD growth time. This facile strategy may pave a new way for applications of Gr films and bring several disruptive technologies for epitaxial growth of GaN film and its applications in high-brightness LEDs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Effects of a shade-matching light and background color on reliability in tooth shade selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najafi-Abrandabadi, Siamak; Vahidi, Farhad; Janal, Malvin N

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a shade-matching light (Rite-Lite-2, AdDent) and different viewing backgrounds on reliability in a test of shade tab matching. Four members of the Prosthodontic faculty matched 10 shade tabs selected for a range of shades against the shade guide. All raters were tested for color blindness and were calibrated prior to the study. Matching took place under four combinations of conditions: with operatory light or the shade-matching light, and using either a pink or a blue background. Reliability was quantified with the kappa statistic, separately for agreement of value, hue, and chroma for each shade tab. In general, raters showed fair to moderate levels of agreement when judging the value of the shade tabs, but could not agree on the hue and chroma of the stimuli. The pink background led to higher levels of agreement than the blue background, and the shade-matching light improved agreement when used in conjunction with the pink but not the blue background. Moderate levels of agreement were found in matching shade tab value. Agreement was generally better when using the pink rather than the blue background, regardless of light source. The use of the shade-matching light tended to amplify the advantage of the pink background.

  3. Altering the axial light gradient affects photomorphogenesis in emerging seedlings of Zea mays L

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parks, B. M.; Poff, K. L.

    1986-01-01

    The axial (longitudinal) red light gradient (632 nanometers) of 4 day old dark-grown maize seedlings is increased by staining the peripheral cells of the coleoptile. The magnitude of increase in the light gradient is dependent solely on the light-absorbing qualities of the stain used. Metanil yellow has no effect on the axial red-light gradient, while methylene blue causes a large increase in this light gradient. These stains did not affect growth in darkness or the sensitivity of mesocotyl elongation to red light. However, mesocotyl elongation was altered for the dark-grown seedlings stained with methylene blue when these seedlings were transplanted, covered with soil, and permitted to emerge under natural lighting conditions. These observations are consistent with the idea that there is a single perceptive site below the coleoptilar node, and suggest that this perceptive site gives the actinic light which has traveled downward through the length of the shoot from an entry point in the plant tip region.

  4. LeMYC2 acts as a negative regulator of blue light mediated photomorphogenic growth, and promotes the growth of adult tomato plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Arabidopsis ZBF1/MYC2bHLH transcription factor is a repressor of photomorphogenesis, and acts as a point of cross talk in light, abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. MYC2 also functions as a positive regulator of lateral root development and flowering time under long day conditions. However, the function of MYC2 in growth and development remains unknown in crop plants. Results Here, we report the functional analyses of LeMYC2 in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The amino acid sequence of LeMYC2 showed extensive homology with Arabidopsis MYC2, containing the conserved bHLH domain. To study the function of LeMYC2 in tomato, overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) LeMYC2 tomato transgenic plants were generated. Examination of seedling morphology, physiological responses and light regulated gene expression has revealed that LeMYC2 works as a negative regulator of blue light mediated photomorphogenesis. Furthermore, LeMYC2 specifically binds to the G-box of LeRBCS-3A promoter. Overexpression of LeMYC2 has led to increased root length with more number of lateral roots. The tomato plants overexpressing LeMYC2 have reduced internode distance with more branches, and display the opposite morphology to RNAi transgenic lines. Furthermore, this study shows that LeMYC2 promotes ABA and JA responsiveness. Conclusions Collectively, this study highlights that working in light, ABA and JA signaling pathways LeMYC2 works as an important regulator for growth and development in tomato plants. PMID:24483714

  5. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic characterisation of the circadian blue-light photoreceptor cryptochrome from Drosophila melanogaster (dCry)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirdel, J.; Zirak, P.; Penzkofer, A.; Breitkreuz, H.; Wolf, E.

    2008-09-01

    The absorption and fluorescence behaviour of the circadian blue-light photoreceptor cryptochrome from Drosophila melanogaster (dCry) in a pH 8 aqueous buffer solution is studied. The flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor of dCry is identified to be present in its oxidized form (FAD ox), and the 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF) cofactor is found to be hydrolyzed and oxidized to 10-formyldihydrofolate (10-FDHF). The absorption and the fluorescence behaviour of dCry is investigated in the dark-adapted (receptor) state, the light-adapted (signalling) state, and under long-time violet light exposure. Photo-excitation of FAD ox in dCry causes a reductive electron transfer to the formation of anionic FAD semiquinone (FAD rad - ), and photo-excitation of the generated FAD rad - causes an oxidative electron transfer to the back formation of FAD ox. In light adapted dCry a photo-induced equilibrium between FAD ox and FAD rad - exists. The photo-cycle dynamics of signalling state formation and recovery is discussed. Quantum yields of photo-induced signalling state formation of about 0.2 and of photo-induced back-conversion of about 0.2 are determined. A recovery of FAD rad - to FAD ox in the dark with a time constant of 1.6 min at room temperature is found.

  6. Correcting the relationship between PRI and shadow fraction for the blue sky effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mõttus, Matti

    2016-04-01

    The Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) is defined as the normalized difference ratio of leaf reflectance at two specific wavelengths in the green spectral region. Its value depends on the status of leaf carotenoid content, and especially that of the xanthophyll cycle pigments. Due to the dependence on the xanthophyll cycle, when the photosynthetic apparatus of green leaves is close to the saturation limit, their PRI becomes dependent on light conditions. Therefore, by measuring the PRI of leaves in the same canopy under different local irradiance conditions on a sunny day, it should be possible to determine the saturation level of the leaves. In turn, this gives information on the light use efficiency (LUE) of the vegetation canopy. The average light conditions of visible foliage elements are often quantified with the shadow fraction -- the fraction of visible foliage not lit by direct sunlight. The dependence of PRI on the shadow fraction has been used to remotely measure canopy LUE on clear days. Variations in shadow fraction have been achieved with multiangular measurement. However, besides photosynthetic downregulation, the dependence of canopy PRI on shadow fraction is affected by the blue sky radiation caused by scattering in the atmosphere. To quantify this effect on remotely sensed PRI, we present the underlying definitions relating leaf and canopy PRI and perform the required calculations for typical midsummer conditions in Central Finland. We demonstrate that the effect of blue sky radiation on the variation of PRI with canopy shadow fraction is similar in shape and magnitude to that of LUE variations reported in literature. Next, we propose a new method to assess these PRI variations in structured vegetation. We investiagate this blue sky effect on the PRI -- shadow fraction relationship with high spatial (60 cm) and spectral (9.8 nm) resolution airborne imaging spectroscopy data from Hyytiälä, Finland. We evaluate the spectral irradiance in

  7. Daily light integral and day light quality: Potentials and pitfalls of nighttime UV treatments on cucumber powdery mildew.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suthaparan, Aruppillai; Solhaug, Knut Asbjørn; Stensvand, Arne; Gislerød, Hans Ragnar

    2017-10-01

    Nighttime ultraviolet (UV) radiation, if applied properly, has a significant potential for management of powdery mildews in many crop species. In this study, the role of growth light duration, irradiance, a combination of both (daily light integral) and light spectral quality (blue or red) on the efficacy of UV treatments against powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii and the growth performance of cucumber plants was studied in growth chambers. Increasing daily light integral provided by high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) decreased efficacy of nighttime UV treatments against P. xanthii, but it increased plant growth. Furthermore, the efficacy of nighttime UV decreased when day length was increased from 16 to 20h at a constant daily light integral. The efficacy of nighttime UV increased if red light was applied after UV treatment, showing the possibility of day length extension without reducing the effect of UV. Increasing the dose of blue light during daytime reduced the efficacy of nighttime UV in controlling the disease, whereas blue deficient growth light (light after nighttime UV reduced its disease control efficacy. This showed the importance of maintaining a minimum of blue light in the growth light before nighttime UV treatment. Findings from this study showed that optimization of nighttime UV for management of powdery mildew is dependent on the spectral composition of the photosynthetically active radiation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Impact of blue, red, and far-red light treatments on gene expression and steviol glycoside accumulation in Stevia rebaudiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoneda, Yuki; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Miyasaka, Juro; Ohdoi, Katsuaki; Shimizu, Hiroshi

    2017-05-01

    Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni is a plant that biosynthesizes a group of natural sweeteners that are up to approximately 400 times sweeter than sucrose. The sweetening components of S. rebaudiana are steviol glycosides (SGs) that partially share their biosynthesis pathway with gibberellins (GAs). However, the molecular mechanisms through which SGs levels can be improved have not been studied. Therefore, transcription levels of several SG biosynthesis-related genes were analyzed under several light treatments involved in GA biosynthesis. We detected higher transcription of UGT85C2, which is one of the UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) involved in catalyzing the sugar-transfer reaction, under red/far-red (R/FR) 1.22 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and blue LEDs treatment. In this study, it was demonstrated that transcription levels of SG-related genes and the SGs content are affected by light treatments known to affect the GA contents. It is expected that this approach could serve as a practical way to increase SG contents using specific light treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Blue light cystoscopy with hexylaminolevulinate: Our 7 years experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vito Lacetera

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of hexylaminolevulinate (HAL blue light cystoscopy compared with standard white light cystoscopy (WLC in daily practice. Materials and methods: An observational, comparative, controlled (within patient study was carried out at our Center. 61 consecutive patients with suspected or confirmed bladder cancer were recruited for the study from January 2008 until January 2015. Patients with suspected bladder cancer (positive cytology with negative WLC or history of previous high-grade NMIBC or CIS were included in the study. Biopsies/resection of each positive lesion/suspicious areas were always taken after the bladder was inspected under WLC and BLC. Diagnoses of bladder tumor or CIS were considered as positive results, and the presence of normal urothelium in the biopsy specimen as negative result. Results: 61 BLC were performed. 15/61 (24.5% with suspected initial diagnosis of NMIBC and 46/61 (75.5% with a history of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC. We performed a total of 173 biopsies/TURBT of suspicious areas: 129 positive only to the BLC and 44 both positive to WLC and BLC. 84/173 biopsies/TURBT were positive for cancer. All 84 NMIBC were positive to the BLC, while 35/84 were positive to the WLC with a sensitivity of BLC and WLC respectively of 100% and 41.7%. Sensitivity of WLC for highgrade NMIBC and CIS was 34.1% and 39% respectively while sensitivity of BLC for high-grade NMIBC and CIS was 100%. The specificity of the WLC was 79.9% compared to 48.5% of the BLC. The positive predictive value of BLC and WLC were respectively 48% (95% CI: 0.447-0.523 and 79% (95% CI: 0.856-0.734. Conclusions: Our data confirm those reported in the literature: BLC increases the detection rate of NMIBC particularly in high risk patients (history of CIS or high grade. BLC is a powerful diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of bladder cancer if malignancy is suspected

  10. Colour gamut enhancement with remote light conversion mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koseoglu, D.; Sezer, Y. S.; Karsli, K.

    2018-01-01

    The backlight unit spectrum of liquid crystal displays (LCD) directly affects the colour gamut. With the invention of GaN based blue light emitting diodes (LED), phosphors and quantum dots (QD) have gained considerable scientific interest due to their broad range of applications especially in lighting and display technologies. These phosphors and QDs are used to convert the blue light of the LEDs into white in general lighting. On the other hand, in display systems, they are used to generate red and green bands. There are different application methods such as on-chip and remote configurations. In this study, we concentrate on remote phosphor and QD backlight configurations where the light conversion is done away from the chips. In our display designs, we used GaN based blue LED lateral chips as an excitation source, on the other hand, light conversion layers were placed in backlight units as a thin film for the emission of green and red bands. The mixing ratios of these composite layers were arranged to match the emission spectrum of the blue LEDs and the light conversion layer to the colour filters of the LCD, so that the green, blue, and red bands efficiently widens the colour space. The results were also compared with the on-chip phosphor arrangements.

  11. The behavior of thermally and optically stimulated luminescence of SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ long persistent phosphor after blue light illumination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernov, V.; Melendrez, R.; Pedroza-Montero, M.; Yen, W.M.; Barboza-Flores, M.

    2008-01-01

    The behavior of afterglow (AG), thermoluminescence (TL), infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and phototransferred TL (PTTL) under thermal and/or infrared (IR) stimulation in blue (470 nm) light illuminated at room temperature (RT) SrAl 2 O 4 :Eu 2+ , Dy 3+ is presented. The TL glow curve consists of four peaks with maxima at about 340, 430, 560 and 680 K. The 340 and 440 K peaks are described well by second order kinetics with activation energies of 0.83 and 1.05 eV, respectively. The AG decay is fitted by the Becquerel's law with exponent 1.5 and correlates well with the thermal emptying of the traps responsible for the 340 K peak. The 340 and 430 K TL peak traps are destroyed under IR (830 nm) stimulation creating IRSL. IR stimulation after illumination with blue light and preliminary heating restore partially the 340 and 430 K TL peaks by phototransfer from deeper traps. The shape of the IRSL decay curves depends strongly on the preheating temperature and is determined by simultaneous refilling of the 340 and 430 K TL traps and their reverse filling due to phototransfer from the deeper traps under IR stimulation. The obtained data are interpreted by the transformation of Eu 2+ and Dy 3+ to Eu 3+ and Dy 2+ under blue light illumination and their reverse transformation under thermal or IR stimulation. The Eu 2+ ions are the luminescent centers and the Dy 2+ centers are the IR sensitive traps responsible for the TL peaks, AG and IRSL

  12. Influence of Emission Spectrum and Irradiance on Light Curing of Resin-Based Composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimokawa, Cak; Sullivan, B; Turbino, M L; Soares, C J; Price, R B

    This study examined the influence of different emission spectra (single-peak and broad-spectrum) light-curing units (LCUs) delivering the same radiant exposures at irradiance values of 1200 or 3600 mW/cm 2 on the polymerization and light transmission of four resin-based composites (RBCs). Two prototype LCUs that used the same light tip, but were either a single-peak blue or a broad-spectrum LED, were used to deliver the same radiant exposures to the top surfaces of the RBCs using either standard (1200 mW/cm 2 ) or high irradiance (3600 mW/cm 2 ) settings. The emission spectrum and radiant power from the LCUs were measured with a laboratory-grade integrating sphere coupled to a spectrometer, and the light beam was assessed with a beam profiler camera. Four RBCs (Filtek Supreme Ultra A2, Tetric EvoCeram A2, Tetric EvoCeram T, and TPH Spectra High Viscosity A2) were photoactivated using four different light conditions: single-peak blue/standard irradiance, single-peak blue/high irradiance, broad-spectrum/standard irradiance, and broad-spectrum/high irradiance. The degree of conversion (N=5) and microhardness at the top and bottom of 2.3-mm-diameter by 2.5-mm-thick specimens (N=5) were analyzed with analysis of variance and Tukey tests. The real-time light transmission through the RBCs was also measured. For all light conditions, the 2.3-mm-diameter specimens received a homogeneous irradiance and spectral distribution. Although similar radiant exposures were delivered to the top surfaces of the RBCs, the amount of light energy emitted from the bottom surfaces was different among the four RBCs, and was also greater for the single-peak lights. Very little violet light (wavelengths below 420 nm) reached the bottom of the 2.5-mm-thick specimens. The degree of conversion and microhardness results varied according to the RBC (pspectrum lights, while at the bottom, where little violet light was observed, the results were equal or higher when they were photoactivated with

  13. Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Triphenylene Derivatives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Seul Ong; Jang, Heung Soo; Yoon, Seung Soo [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seok Jae; Kim, Young Kwan [Hongik Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-08-15

    A series of blue fluorescent emitters based on triphenylene derivatives were synthesized via the Diels -Alder reaction in moderate yields. The electronic absorption and emission characteristics of the new functional materials were affected by the nature of the substituent on the triphenylene nucleus. Multilayered OLEDs were fabricated with a device structure of: ITO/NPB (50 nm)/EML (30 nm)/Bphen (30 nm)/Liq (2.0 nm)/Al (100 nm). All devices showed efficient blue emissions. Among those, a device using 1 gives the best performances with a high brightness (978 cd m{sup -2} at 8.0 V) and high efficiencies (a luminous efficiency of 0.80 cd/A, a power efficiency of 0.34 lm/W and an external quantum efficiency of 0.73% at 20 mA/cm{sup 2}). The peak wavelength of the electroluminescence was 455 nm with CIE{sub x,y} coordinates of (0.17, 0.14) at 8.0 V.

  14. A Handheld LED Coloured-Light Mixer for Students to Learn Collaboratively the Primary Colours of Light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nopparatjamjomras, Suchai; Chitaree, Ratchapak; Panijpan, Bhinyo

    2009-01-01

    To overcome students' inaccurate prior knowledge on primary additive colours, a coloured-light mixer has been constructed to enable students to observe directly the colours produced and reach the conclusion by themselves that the three primary colours of light are red, green, and blue (NOT red, yellow, and blue). Three closely packed tiny…

  15. Prussian Blue Analogues of Reduced Dimensionality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gengler, Regis Y. N.; Toma, Luminita M.; Pardo, Emilio; Lloret, Francesc; Ke, Xiaoxing; Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf; Gournis, Dimitrios; Rudolf, Petra

    2012-01-01

    Mixed-valence polycyanides (Prussian Blue analogues) possess a rich palette of properties spanning from room-temperature ferromagnetism to zero thermal expansion, which can be tuned by chemical modifications or the application of external stimuli (temperature, pressure, light irradiation). While

  16. Hybrid white organic light-emitting devices based on phosphorescent iridium–benzotriazole orange–red and fluorescent blue emitters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Zhen-Yuan; Su, Jian-Hua; Chang, Chi-Sheng; Chen, Chin H.

    2013-01-01

    We demonstrate that high color purity or efficiency hybrid white organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) can be generated by integrating a phosphorescent orange–red emitter, bis[4-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-aniline-N 1 ,C 3 ] iridium acetylacetonate, Ir(TBT) 2 (acac) with fluorescent blue emitters in two different emissive layers. The device based on deep blue fluorescent material diphenyl-[4-(2-[1,1′;4′,1″]terphenyl-4-yl-vinyl)-phenyl]-amine BpSAB and Ir(TBT) 2 (acac) shows pure white color with the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.33,0.30). When using sky-blue fluorescent dopant N,N′-(4,4′-(1E,1′E)-2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl) bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(2-ethyl-6-methyl-N-phenylaniline) (BUBD-1) and orange–red phosphor with a color-tuning phosphorescent material fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (Ir(ppy) 3 ), it exhibits peak luminance yield and power efficiency of 17.4 cd/A and 10.7 lm/W, respectively with yellow-white color and CIE color rendering index (CRI) value of 73. - Highlights: ► An iridium-based orange–red phosphor Ir(TBT) 2 (acac) was applied in hybrid white OLEDs. ► Duel- and tri-emitter WOLEDs were achieved with either high color purity or efficiency performance. ► Peak luminance yield of tri-emitter WOLEDs was 17.4 cd/A with yellow-white color and color rendering index (CRI) value of 73.

  17. [Preparation and spectral analysis of a new type of blue light-emitting material delta-Alq3].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hua; Hao, Yu-ying; Gao, Zhi-xiang; Zhou, He-feng; Xu, Bing-she

    2006-10-01

    In the present article, delta-Alq3, a new type of blue light-emitting material, was synthesized and investigated by IR spectra, XRD spectra, UV-Vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and electroluminescence (EL) spectra. The relationship between molecular spatial structure and spectral characteristics was studied by the spectral analysis of delta-Alq3 and alpha-Alq3. Results show that a new phase of Alq3 (delta-Alq3) can be obtained by vacuum heating alpha-Alq3, and the molecular spatial structure of alpha-Alq3 changes during the vacuum heating. The molecular spatial structure of delta-Alq3 lacks symmetry compared to alpha-Alq3. This transformation can reduce the electron cloud density on phenoxide of Alq3 and weaken the intermolecular conjugated interaction between adjacent Alq3 molecules. Hence, the pi--pi* electron transition absorption peak of delta-Alq3 shifts toward short wavelength in UV-Vis absorption spectra, and the maximum emission peak of delta-Alq3 (lamda max = 480 nm) blue-shifts by 35 nm compared with that of alpha-Alq3 (lamda max = 515 nm) in PL spectra. The maximum emission peaks of delta-Alq3 and alpha-Alq3 are all at 520 nm in EL spectra.

  18. Tuning Ag29 nanocluster light emission from red to blue with one and two-photon excitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russier-Antoine, Isabelle; Bertorelle, Franck; Hamouda, Ramzi; Rayane, Driss; Dugourd, Philippe; Sanader, Željka; Bonačić-Koutecký, Vlasta; Brevet, Pierre-François; Antoine, Rodolphe

    2016-02-07

    We demonstrate that the tuning of the light emission from red to blue in dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) capped Ag29 nanoclusters can be trigged with one and two photon excitations. The cluster stoichiometry was determined with mass spectrometry and found to be Ag29(DHLA)12. In a detailed optical investigation, we show that these silver nanoclusters exhibit a strong red photoluminescence visible to the naked eye and characterized by a quantum yield of nearly ∼2% upon one-photon excitation. In the nonlinear optical (NLO) study of the properties of the clusters, the two-photon excited fluorescence spectra were recorded and their first hyperpolarizability obtained. The two-photon absorption cross-section at ∼800 nm for Ag29(DHLA)12 is higher than 10(4) GM and the hyperpolarizability is 106 × 10(-30) esu at the same excitation wavelength. The two-photon excited fluorescence spectrum appears strongly blue-shifted as compared to the one-photon excited spectrum, displaying a broad band between 400 and 700 nm. The density functional theory (DFT) provides insight into the structural and electronic properties of Ag29(DHLA)12 as well as into interplay between metallic subunit or core and ligands which is responsible for unique optical properties.

  19. Cycles of light and dark co-ordinate reversible colony differentiation in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiensuu, Teresa; Andersson, Christopher; Rydén, Patrik; Johansson, Jörgen

    2013-02-01

    Recently, several light receptors have been identified in non-phototrophic bacteria, but their physiological roles still remain rather elusive. Here we show that colonies of the saprophytic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes undergo synchronized multicellular behaviour on agar plates, in response to oscillating light/dark conditions, giving rise to alternating ring formation (opaque and translucent rings). On agar plates, bacteria from opaque rings survive increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as repeated cycles of light and dark, better than bacteria from translucent rings. The ring formation is strictly dependent on a blue-light receptor, Lmo0799, acting through the stress-sigma factor, σ(B) . A transposon screening identified 48 mutants unable to form rings at alternating light conditions, with several of them showing a decreased σ(B) activity/level. However, some of the tested mutants displayed a varied σ(B) activity depending on which of the two stress conditions tested (light or H(2) O(2) exposure). Intriguingly, the transcriptional regulator PrfA and the virulence factor ActA were shown to be required for ring formation by a mechanism involving activation of σ(B) . All in all, this suggests a distinct pathway for Lmo0799 that converge into a common signalling pathway for σ(B) activation. Our results show that night and day cycles co-ordinate a reversible differentiation of a L. monocytogenes colony at room temperature, by a process synchronized by a blue-light receptor and σ(B) . © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  20. Assessment of spatial and temporal patterns of green and blue water flows under natural conditions in inland river basins in Northwest China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. F. Zang

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In arid and semi-arid regions freshwater resources have become scarcer with increasing demands from socio-economic development and population growth. Until recently, water research and management has mainly focused on blue water but ignored green water. Furthermore, in data poor regions hydrological flows under natural conditions are poorly characterised but are a prerequisite to inform future water resources management. Here we report on spatial and temporal patterns of both blue and green water flows that can be expected under natural conditions as simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT for the Heihe river basin, the second largest inland river basin in Northwest China. Calibration and validation at two hydrological stations show good performance of the SWAT model in modelling hydrological processes. The total green and blue water flows were 22.05–25.51 billion m3 in the 2000s for the Heihe river basin. Blue water flows are larger in upstream sub-basins than in downstream sub-basins mainly due to high precipitation and a large amount of snow and melting water in upstream. Green water flows are distributed more homogeneously among different sub-basins. The green water coefficient was 87%–89% in the 2000s for the entire river basin, varying from around 80%–90% in up- and mid-stream sub-basins to above 90% in downstream sub-basins. This is much higher than reported green water coefficients in many other river basins. The spatial patterns of green water coefficients were closely linked to dominant land covers (e.g. snow cover upstream and desert downstream and climate conditions (e.g. high precipitation upstream and low precipitation downstream. There are no clear consistent historical trends of change in green and blue water flows and the green water coefficient at both the river basin and sub-basin levels. This study provides insights into green and blue water endowments under natural conditions for the entire

  1. Synthesis, photoluminescence and forensic applications of blue light emitting azomethine-zinc (II complexes of bis(salicylidenecyclohexyl-1,2-diamino based organic ligands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Srinivas

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Various azomethine-zinc(II complexes (3a-c of bis(salicylidenecyclohexyl-1,2-diamino organic ligands were synthesized by one pot reaction of salicylaldehydes/2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde (2 eq, cyclohexyl-1,2-diamine (1 eq and zinc acetate (1 eq in methanol solvent at reflux temperature. The synthesized complexes were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, and SEM. Their photophysical properties such as Photoluminescence (PL and Diffused Reflectance Spectra (DRS were studied. PL studies revealed that the emission peaks of the complexes in both solution and solid states appeared to occur at 395–600 nm and emitted blue light. The band gap energies determined from DRS were 2.98 eV (3a, 2.91 eV (3b, and 2.73 eV (3c. Based on these results, we ascertain that these Zn(II complexes can serve as a suitable non-dopant blue light emitting compound for flat panel display applications. Latent fingerprint detection study indicated that the powder compounds show good adhesion and finger ridge details without background staining. The demonstrated method can be applied to detect fingerprints on all types of smooth surfaces.

  2. AZO/Ag/AZO anode for resonant cavity red, blue, and yellow organic light emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gentle, A. R., E-mail: angus.gentle@uts.edu.au; Smith, G. B. [School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Institute of Nanoscale Technology, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, New South Wales 2007 (Australia); Yambem, S. D.; Burn, P. L.; Meredith, P. [Centre for Organic Photonics and Electronics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 (Australia)

    2016-06-28

    Indium tin oxide (ITO) is the transparent electrode of choice for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Replacing ITO for cost and performance reasons is a major drive across optoelectronics. In this work, we show that changing the transparent electrode on red, blue, and yellow OLEDs from ITO to a multilayer buffered aluminium zinc oxide/silver/aluminium zinc oxide (AZO/Ag/AZO) substantially enhances total output intensity, with better control of colour, its constancy, and intensity over the full exit hemisphere. The thin Ag containing layer induces a resonant cavity optical response of the complete device. This is tuned to the emission spectra of the emissive material while minimizing internally trapped light. A complete set of spectral intensity data is presented across the full exit hemisphere for each electrode type and each OLED colour. Emission zone modelling of output spectra at a wide range of exit angles to the normal was in excellent agreement with the experimental data and hence could, in principle, be used to check and adjust production settings. These multilayer transparent electrodes show significant potential for both eliminating indium from OLEDs and spectrally shaping the emission.

  3. Light Converting Inorganic Phosphors for White Light-Emitting Diodes

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Lei; Lin, Chun-Che; Yeh, Chiao-Wen; Liu, Ru-Shi

    2010-01-01

    White light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) have matched the emission efficiency of florescent lights and will rapidly spread as light source for homes and offices in the next 5 to 10 years. WLEDs provide a light element having a semiconductor light emitting layer (blue or near-ultraviolet (nUV) LEDs) and photoluminescence phosphors. These solid-state LED lamps, rather than organic light emitting diode (OLED) or polymer light-emitting diode (PLED), have a number of advantages over conventional incand...

  4. Analysis of the parsley chalcone-synthase promoter in response to different light qualities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merkle, T.; Frohnmeyer, H.; Schulze-Lefert, P.; Dangl, J.L.; Hahlbrock, K.; Schaefer, E.

    1994-01-01

    We examined the chalcone synthase (chs) promoter from parsley [Petroselinum crispum Miller (A.W. Hill)] for the existence of separate promoter elements responsible for transcriptional activation of the chs gene by UV-B and by blue light. A combination of in-vivo foot-printing in parsley cells and light-induced transient expression assays with different chs promoter constructs in parsley protoplasts was used. Dark controls and blue-light-irradiated cells gave identical in-vivo footprints on the chs promoter. Pre-irradiation with blue light prior to a UV-B-light pulse is known to cause a shift in the timing of UV-B-light-induced increase in chs transcription rates. This shift was also manifested on the DNA template, since UV-B-light-induced in-vivo footprints in cells pretreated with blue light were detected earlier than in cells which had been irradiated with a UV-B-light pulse only. Although there was a clear shift in the timing of footprint appearance, the patterns of foot printing did not change. Light-induced transient-expression assays revealed that the shortest tested chs promoter which retained any light responsiveness, was sufficient for mediating both induction by UV light and the blue-light-mediated kinetic shift. These findings argue against a spatial separation of UV-B- and blue-light-responsive elements on the chs promoter. We interpret these data by postulating that the signal transduction pathways originating from the excitation of UV-B- and blue-light receptors merge at the chs promoter, or somewhere between light perception and protein-DNA interaction. (author)

  5. Red Light Represses the Photophysiology of the Scleractinian Coral

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wijgerde, T.; van Melis, A.; Silva, C.I.F.; Leal, M.C.; Vogels, L.; Mutter, C.; Osinga, R.

    2014-01-01

    Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced

  6. Light extraction efficiency enhancement for fluorescent SiC based white light-emitting diodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ou, Haiyan; Ou, Yiyu; Argyraki, Aikaterini

    Fluorescent SiC based white light-emitting diodes(LEDs) light source, as an innovative energy-efficient light source, would even have longer lifetime, better light quality and eliminated blue-tone effect, compared to the current phosphor based white LED light source. In this paper, the yellow...

  7. Light sheet microscopy reveals more gradual light attenuation in light green versus dark green soybean leaves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Light wavelengths preferentially absorbed by chlorophyll (chl) often display steep absorption gradients. This oversaturates photosynthesis in upper chloroplasts and deprives lower chloroplasts of blue and red light, causing a steep gradient in carbon fixation. Reducing chl content could create a mor...

  8. Photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue over Zn1-xCoxO under visible light irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao Qi; Zhang Jiang; Xiao Chong; Tan Xiaoke

    2007-01-01

    Co-doped ZnO photocatalysts were prepared by hydrothermal method. The obtained Co-doped ZnO powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The prepared Co-doped ZnO photocatalysts showed high photocatalytic activities for methylene blue decolorization at pH 10.5 under visible light irradiation. It was found that there were certain relationships between PL spectra and photocatalytic activity, namely, the stronger the PL intensity, the larger the content of oxygen vacancies and defects, the higher the photocatalytic activity. Therefore, in this study 3.0 mol% was the most suitable content of Co 2+ in ZnO, at which the recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes could be effectively inhibited and thereby the highest photocatalytic activity was formed

  9. Changes of the laser-induced blue, green and red fluorescence signatures during greening of etiolated leaves of wheat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stober, F.; Lichtenthaler, H.K.

    1992-01-01

    The UV-laser-induced blue, green and red fluorescence-emission spectra were used to characterize the pigment status of etiolated leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during a 48 h greening period under white light conditions. Upon UV-light excitation (337 nm) leaves not only show a fluorescence emission in the red spectral region between 650 and 800nm (chlorophyll fluorescence with maxima near 690nm and 735 nm), but also in the blue and green regions between 400 to 570 nm with maxima or shoulders near 450 nm (blue) and 530 nm (green). During greening of etiolated leaves the chlorophyll-fluorescence ratio F690/F735 strongly correlated with the total chlorophyll content and the ratio of the chlorophylls to the carotenoids (a+b/x+c). The ratio of the blue to the green fluorescence F450/F530 was also correlated with the total chlorophyll content and the ratio of chlorophylls to total carotenoids (a+b/x+c). Consequently, there also existed a correlation between the chlorophyll-fluorescence ratio F690/F735 and the ratio of the blue to green fluorescence F450/F530. In contrast, the ratios of the blue to red fluorescences F450/F690 and F450/F735 did not show clear relations to the pigment content of the investigated plants. The particular shape of the UV-laser-induced-fluorescence emission spectra of wheat leaves as well as the dependencies of the fluorescence ratios on the pigment content are due to a partial and differential reabsorption of the emitted fluorescences by the photosynthetic pigments

  10. Sequential light programs shape kale (Brassica napus) sprout appearance and alter metabolic and nutrient content

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Sofia D; Folta, Kevin M

    2014-01-01

    Different light wavelengths have specific effects on plant growth and development. Narrow-bandwidth light-emitting diode (LED) lighting may be used to directionally manipulate size, color and metabolites in high-value fruits and vegetables. In this report, Red Russian kale (Brassica napus) seedlings were grown under specific light conditions and analyzed for photomorphogenic responses, pigment accumulation and nutraceutical content. The results showed that this genotype responds predictably to darkness, blue and red light, with suppression of hypocotyl elongation, development of pigments and changes in specific metabolites. However, these seedlings were relatively hypersensitive to far-red light, leading to uncharacteristically short hypocotyls and high pigment accumulation, even after growth under very low fluence rates (<1 μmol m−2 s−1). General antioxidant levels and aliphatic glucosinolates are elevated by far-red light treatments. Sequential treatments of darkness, blue light, red light and far-red light were applied throughout sprout development to alter final product quality. These results indicate that sequential treatment with narrow-bandwidth light may be used to affect key economically important traits in high-value crops. PMID:26504531

  11. Electroplex as a New Concept of Universal Host for Improved Efficiency and Lifetime in Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wook; Lee, Jun Yeob; Cho, Yong Joo; Yu, Hyeonghwa; Aziz, Hany; Lee, Kang Mun

    2018-02-01

    A new concept of host, electroplex host, is developed for high efficiency and long lifetime phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes by mixing two host materials generating an electroplex under an electric field. A carbazole-type host and a triazine-type host are selected as the host materials to form the electroplex host. The electroplex host is found to induce light emission through an energy transfer process rather than charge trapping, and universally improves the lifetime of red, yellow, green, and blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes by more than four times. Furthermore, the electroplex host shows much longer lifetime than a common exciplex host. This is the first demonstration of using the electroplex as the host of high efficiency and long lifetime phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes.

  12. Efficient and stable laser-driven white lighting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristin A. Denault

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Laser-based white lighting offers a viable option as an efficient and color-stable high-power solid-state white light source. We show that white light generation is possible using blue or near-UV laser diodes in combination with yellow-emitting cerium-substituted yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce or a mixture of red-, green-, and blue-emitting phosphors. A variety of correlated color temperatures (CCT are achieved, ranging from cool white light with a CCT of 4400 K using a blue laser diode to a warm white light with a CCT of 2700 K using a near-UV laser diode, with respective color rendering indices of 57 and 95. The luminous flux of these devices are measured to be 252 lm and 53 lm with luminous efficacies of 76 lm/W and 19 lm/W, respectively. An estimation of the maximum efficacy of a device comprising a blue laser diode in combination with YAG:Ce is calculated and the results are used to optimize the device.

  13. The 7B-1 mutation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) confers a blue light-specific lower sensitivity to coronatine, a toxin produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bergougnoux, V.; Hlaváčková, V.; Plotzová, R.; Novák, Ondřej; Fellner, Martin

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 60, č. 4 (2009), s. 1219-1230 ISSN 0022-0957 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Blue light-specific response * COI1 * coronatine Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.271, year: 2009

  14. 'No blue' LED solution for photolithography room illumination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ou, Haiyan; Corell, Dennis Dan; Dam-Hansen, Carsten

    2010-01-01

    This paper explored the feasibility of using a LED-based bulb as the illumination light source for photolithography room. A no-blue LED was designed, and the prototype was fabricated. The spectral power distribution of both the LED bulb and the yellow fluorescent tube was measured. Based on that...... color rendering ability than the YFT. Furthermore, LED solution has design flexibility to improve it further. The prototype has been tested with photoresist SU8-2005. Even after 15 days of illumination, no effect was observed. So this LED-based solution was demonstrated to be a very promising light......, colorimetric values were calculated and compared on terms of chromatic coordinates, correlated color temperature, color rendering index, and chromatic deviation. Gretagmacbeth color charts were used as a more visional way to compare the two light sources, which shows that our no-blue LED bulb has much better...

  15. Red Light Represses the Photophysiology of the Scleractinian Coral Stylophora pistillata

    OpenAIRE

    Wijgerde, Tim; van Melis, Anne; Silva, Catarina I. F.; Leal, Miguel C.; Vogels, Luc; Mutter, Claudia; Osinga, Ronald

    2014-01-01

    Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced or red-repressed. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of blue and red light on the health, zooxanthellae density, photophysiology and colouration of the scleractinian coral S...

  16. Efficient red, green, blue and white organic light-emitting diodes with same exciplex host

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Chih-Hao; Wu, Szu-Wei; Huang, Chih-Wei; Hsieh, Chung-Tsung; Lin, Sung-En; Chen, Nien-Po; Chang, Hsin-Hua

    2016-03-01

    Recently, exciplex had drawn attention because of its potential for efficient electroluminescence or for use as a host in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this study, four kinds of hole transport material/electron transport material combinations were examined to verify the formation of exciplex and the corresponding energy bandgaps. We successfully demonstrated that the combination of tris(4-carbazoyl-9-ylphenyl)amine (TCTA) and 3,5,3‧,5‧-tetra(m-pyrid-3-yl)phenyl[1,1‧]biphenyl (BP4mPy) could form a stable exciplex emission with an adequate energy gap. Using exciplex as a host in red, green, and blue phosphorescent OLEDs with an identical trilayer architecture enabled effective energy transfer from exciplex to emitters, achieving corresponding efficiencies of 8.8, 14.1, and 15.8%. A maximum efficiency of 11.3% and stable emission was obtained in white OLEDs.

  17. Red-blue effect in Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based devices revisited

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igalson, M.; Urbaniak, A.; Zabierowski, P.; Maksoud, H. Abdel; Buffiere, M.; Barreau, N.; Spiering, S.

    2013-01-01

    The controversial issue of a source for the fill factor losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 -based solar cells observed under red light is discussed. Experimental evidence is presented that removal of the fill factor loss by blue light is accompanied by a decrease in capacitance. Similar kinetics for both effects are observed. This effect is demonstrated not only on CdS-buffered devices but also on Zn(O,S)- and In 2 S 3 -buffered cells. The explanation, supported by simulations, is based on a model of a reduction of the p + layer by holes photogenerated in the buffer. This effect might be differentiated from the effect of a photosensitive secondary barrier in the buffer-window part of the junction by a sign of the capacitance change under blue light. - Highlights: ► High-energy photons improve fill factor in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 -based solar cells. ► The effect is demonstrated on three types of buffer layers. ► Fill factor improvement under blue light is correlated with a decrease of doping. ► p + layer is the main cause of fill factor deficiency under red light

  18. Adaptation of light-harvesting functions of unicellular green algae to different light qualities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Yoshifumi; Aikawa, Shimpei; Kondo, Akihiko; Akimoto, Seiji

    2018-05-28

    Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms perform photosynthesis efficiently by distributing captured light energy to photosystems (PSs) at an appropriate balance. Maintaining photosynthetic efficiency under changing light conditions requires modification of light-harvesting and energy-transfer processes. In the current study, we examined how green algae regulate their light-harvesting functions in response to different light qualities. We measured low-temperature time-resolved fluorescence spectra of unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella variabilis cells grown under different light qualities. By observing the delayed fluorescence spectra, we demonstrated that both types of green algae primarily modified the associations between light-harvesting chlorophyll protein complexes (LHCs) and PSs (PSII and PSI). Under blue light, Chlamydomonas transferred more energy from LHC to chlorophyll (Chl) located far from the PSII reaction center, while energy was transferred from LHC to PSI via different energy-transfer pathways in Chlorella. Under green light, both green algae exhibited enhanced energy transfer from LHCs to both PSs. Red light induced fluorescence quenching within PSs in Chlamydomonas and LHCs in Chlorella. In Chlorella, energy transfer from PSII to PSI appears to play an important role in balancing excitation between PSII and PSI.

  19. Nitric oxide is involved in light-specific responses of tomato during germination under normal and osmotic stress conditions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Piterková, J.; Luhová, L.; Hofman, J.; Turečková, Veronika; Novák, Ondřej; Petřivalský, M.; Fellner, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 110, č. 4 (2012), s. 767-776 ISSN 0305-7364 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ME08048 Program:ME Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : abscisic acid * blue light * germination Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.449, year: 2012

  20. Photoreactivation of UV-irradiated blue-green algae and algal virus LPP-1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, P K [Central Rice Research Inst., Cuttack (India)

    1975-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) sensitivity and photoreactivation of blue-green algae Cylindrospermum sp., Plectonema boryanum, spores of Fischerella muscicola and algal virus (cyanophage) LPP-1 were studied. The survival value after UV irradiation of filaments of Cylindrospermum sp. and Virus LPP-1 showed exponential trend and these were comparatively sensitive towards UV than F. muscicola and P. boryanum. Photoreactivation of UV-induced damage occurred in black, blue, green, yellow, red and white light in Cylindrospermum sp., however only black, blue and white light were capable of photorepair of UV-induced damage in P. boryanum, spores of F. muscicola and virus LPP-1 in infected host alga. Pre-exposure to yellow and black light did not show photoprotection. The non-heterocystous and nitrogen fixation-less mutants of Cylindrospermum sp. were not induced by UV and their spontaneous mutation frequency was not affected after photoreactivation. The short trichome mutants of P. boryanum were more resistant towards UV. The occurrence of photoreactivation of UV-induced killing in wide range of light in Cylindrospermum sp. is the first report in organisms.

  1. Hybrid white organic light-emitting devices based on phosphorescent iridium-benzotriazole orange-red and fluorescent blue emitters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xia, Zhen-Yuan, E-mail: xiazhenyuan@hotmail.com [Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Su, Jian-Hua [Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Chang, Chi-Sheng; Chen, Chin H. [Display Institute, Microelectronics and Information Systems Research Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300 (China)

    2013-03-15

    We demonstrate that high color purity or efficiency hybrid white organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) can be generated by integrating a phosphorescent orange-red emitter, bis[4-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-N,N-diphenyl-aniline-N{sup 1},C{sup 3}] iridium acetylacetonate, Ir(TBT){sub 2}(acac) with fluorescent blue emitters in two different emissive layers. The device based on deep blue fluorescent material diphenyl-[4-(2-[1,1 Prime ;4 Prime ,1 Double-Prime ]terphenyl-4-yl-vinyl)-phenyl]-amine BpSAB and Ir(TBT){sub 2}(acac) shows pure white color with the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.33,0.30). When using sky-blue fluorescent dopant N,N Prime -(4,4 Prime -(1E,1 Prime E)-2,2 Prime -(1,4-phenylene)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl) bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(2-ethyl-6-methyl-N-phenylaniline) (BUBD-1) and orange-red phosphor with a color-tuning phosphorescent material fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (Ir(ppy){sub 3} ), it exhibits peak luminance yield and power efficiency of 17.4 cd/A and 10.7 lm/W, respectively with yellow-white color and CIE color rendering index (CRI) value of 73. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An iridium-based orange-red phosphor Ir(TBT){sub 2}(acac) was applied in hybrid white OLEDs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Duel- and tri-emitter WOLEDs were achieved with either high color purity or efficiency performance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Peak luminance yield of tri-emitter WOLEDs was 17.4 cd/A with yellow-white color and color rendering index (CRI) value of 73.

  2. Structural Insights into the HWE Histidine Kinase Family: The Brucella Blue Light-Activated Histidine Kinase Domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinaldi, Jimena; Arrar, Mehrnoosh; Sycz, Gabriela; Cerutti, María Laura; Berguer, Paula M; Paris, Gastón; Estrín, Darío Ariel; Martí, Marcelo Adrián; Klinke, Sebastián; Goldbaum, Fernando Alberto

    2016-03-27

    In response to light, as part of a two-component system, the Brucella blue light-activated histidine kinase (LOV-HK) increases its autophosphorylation, modulating the virulence of this microorganism. The Brucella histidine kinase (HK) domain belongs to the HWE family, for which there is no structural information. The HWE family is exclusively present in proteobacteria and usually coupled to a wide diversity of light sensor domains. This work reports the crystal structure of the Brucella HK domain, which presents two different dimeric assemblies in the asymmetric unit: one similar to the already described canonical parallel homodimers (C) and the other, an antiparallel non-canonical (NC) dimer, each with distinct relative subdomain orientations and dimerization interfaces. Contrary to these crystallographic structures and unlike other HKs, in solution, the Brucella HK domain is monomeric and still active, showing an astonishing instability of the dimeric interface. Despite this instability, using cross-linking experiments, we show that the C dimer is the functionally relevant species. Mutational analysis demonstrates that the autophosphorylation activity occurs in cis. The different relative subdomain orientations observed for the NC and C states highlight the large conformational flexibility of the HK domain. Through the analysis of these alternative conformations by means of molecular dynamics simulations, we also propose a catalytic mechanism for Brucella LOV-HK. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Evidence for Tautomerisation of Glutamine in BLUF Blue Light Receptors by Vibrational Spectroscopy and Computational Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domratcheva, Tatiana; Hartmann, Elisabeth; Schlichting, Ilme; Kottke, Tilman

    2016-01-01

    BLUF (blue light sensor using flavin) domains regulate the activity of various enzymatic effector domains in bacteria and euglenids. BLUF features a unique photoactivation through restructuring of the hydrogen-bonding network as opposed to a redox reaction or an isomerization of the chromophore. A conserved glutamine residue close to the flavin chromophore plays a central role in the light response, but the underlying modification is still unclear. We labelled this glutamine with 15N in two representative BLUF domains and performed time-resolved infrared double difference spectroscopy. The assignment of the signals was conducted by extensive quantum chemical calculations on large models with 187 atoms reproducing the UV-vis and infrared signatures of BLUF photoactivation. In the dark state, the comparatively low frequency of 1,667 cm−1 is assigned to the glutamine C=O accepting a hydrogen bond from tyrosine. In the light state, the signature of a tautomerised glutamine was extracted with the C=N stretch at ~1,691 cm−1 exhibiting the characteristic strong downshift by 15N labelling. Moreover, an indirect isotope effect on the flavin C4=O stretch was found. We conclude that photoactivation of the BLUF receptor does not only involve a rearrangement of hydrogen bonds but includes a change in covalent bonds of the protein. PMID:26947391

  4. The effect of coloured light on Ipomoea purpurea growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Surducan, Vasile; Lung, Ildiko; Surducan, Emanoil

    2009-01-01

    Ipomoea purpurea is a climbing ornamental plant native to Mexico. The paper is describing the experimental setup and results for indoor growing plants exposed to white LED light (inside a reference chamber) and four different wavelength LED lights (inside a measure chamber). Four growing experiments of 12-15 days, took place in identical environmental conditions (identical temperature and relative humidity inside the reference and measure chambers, similar lighting conditions and soil moisture). At the end of the experiments, the plant chlorophyll and xanthophylls content have been measured and the plant aspect (vegetal mass, leaves colour and robustness) has been observed. The smallest content in chlorophyll (a and b) was developed by the plants growth in blue light (480 nm), however those plants where 10% taller than plants growth in white light, but less robust. The higher content in carotenoids and xanthophylls was observed in plants which growth in white and red light.

  5. The effect of coloured light on Ipomoea purpurea growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surducan, Vasile; Lung, Ildiko; Surducan, Emanoil

    2009-08-01

    Ipomoea purpurea is a climbing ornamental plant native to Mexico. The paper is describing the experimental setup and results for indoor growing plants exposed to white LED light (inside a reference chamber) and four different wavelength LED lights (inside a measure chamber). Four growing experiments of 12-15 days, took place in identical environmental conditions (identical temperature and relative humidity inside the reference and measure chambers, similar lighting conditions and soil moisture). At the end of the experiments, the plant chlorophyll and xanthophylls content have been measured and the plant aspect (vegetal mass, leaves colour and robustness) has been observed. The smallest content in chlorophyll (a and b) was developed by the plants growth in blue light (480 nm), however those plants where 10% taller than plants growth in white light, but less robust. The higher content in carotenoids and xanthophylls was observed in plants which growth in white and red light.

  6. Light spectrum modifies the utilization pattern of energy sources in Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharaie, Samareh; Vaas, Lea A I; Rosberg, Anna Karin; Windstam, Sofia T; Karlsson, Maria E; Bergstrand, Karl-Johan; Khalil, Sammar; Wohanka, Walter; Alsanius, Beatrix W

    2017-01-01

    Despite the overruling impact of light in the phyllosphere, little is known regarding the influence of light spectra on non-phototrophic bacteria colonizing the leaf surface. We developed an in vitro method to study phenotypic profile responses of bacterial pure cultures to different bands of the visible light spectrum using monochromatic (blue: 460 nm; red: 660 nm) and polychromatic (white: 350-990 nm) LEDs, by modification and optimization of a protocol for the Phenotype MicroArray™ technique (Biolog Inc., CA, USA). The new protocol revealed high reproducibility of substrate utilization under all conditions tested. Challenging the non-phototrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 with white, blue, and red light demonstrated that all light treatments affected the respiratory profile differently, with blue LED having the most decisive impact on substrate utilization by impairing respiration of 140 substrates. The respiratory activity was decreased on 23 and 42 substrates under red and white LEDs, respectively, while utilization of one, 16, and 20 substrates increased in the presence of red, blue, and white LEDs, respectively. Interestingly, on four substrates contrasting utilization patterns were found when the bacterium was exposed to different light spectra. Although non-phototrophic bacteria do not rely directly on light as an energy source, Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 changed its respiratory activity on various substrates differently when exposed to different lights. Thus, ability to sense and distinguish between different wavelengths even within the visible light spectrum must exist, and leads to differential regulation of substrate usage. With these results, we hypothesize that different light spectra might be a hitherto neglected key stimulus for changes in microbial lifestyle and habits of substrate usage by non-phototrophic phyllospheric microbiota, and thus might essentially stratify leaf microbiota composition and diversity.

  7. Light spectrum modifies the utilization pattern of energy sources in Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samareh Gharaie

    Full Text Available Despite the overruling impact of light in the phyllosphere, little is known regarding the influence of light spectra on non-phototrophic bacteria colonizing the leaf surface. We developed an in vitro method to study phenotypic profile responses of bacterial pure cultures to different bands of the visible light spectrum using monochromatic (blue: 460 nm; red: 660 nm and polychromatic (white: 350-990 nm LEDs, by modification and optimization of a protocol for the Phenotype MicroArray™ technique (Biolog Inc., CA, USA. The new protocol revealed high reproducibility of substrate utilization under all conditions tested. Challenging the non-phototrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 with white, blue, and red light demonstrated that all light treatments affected the respiratory profile differently, with blue LED having the most decisive impact on substrate utilization by impairing respiration of 140 substrates. The respiratory activity was decreased on 23 and 42 substrates under red and white LEDs, respectively, while utilization of one, 16, and 20 substrates increased in the presence of red, blue, and white LEDs, respectively. Interestingly, on four substrates contrasting utilization patterns were found when the bacterium was exposed to different light spectra. Although non-phototrophic bacteria do not rely directly on light as an energy source, Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 changed its respiratory activity on various substrates differently when exposed to different lights. Thus, ability to sense and distinguish between different wavelengths even within the visible light spectrum must exist, and leads to differential regulation of substrate usage. With these results, we hypothesize that different light spectra might be a hitherto neglected key stimulus for changes in microbial lifestyle and habits of substrate usage by non-phototrophic phyllospheric microbiota, and thus might essentially stratify leaf microbiota composition and diversity.

  8. Color Degradation of Textiles with Natural Dyes and of Blue Scale Standards Exposed to White LED Lamps:Evaluation of White LED Lamps for Effectiveness as Museum Lighting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Mie; Moriyama, Takayoshi; Toda, Masahiro; Kohmoto, Kohtaro; Saito, Masako

    White light-emitting diodes (LED) are well suited for museum lighting because they emit neither UV nor IR radiation, which damage artifacts. The color degradation of natural dyes and blue scale standards (JIS L 0841) by white LED lamps are examined, and the performance of white LED lamps for museum lighting is evaluated. Blue scale standard grades 1-6 and silk fabrics dyed with 22 types of natural dyes classified as mid to highly responsive in a CIE technical report (CIE157:2004) were exposed to five types of white LED lamps using different luminescence methods and color temperatures. Color changes were measured at each 15000 lx·hr (500 lx at fabric surface × 300 hr) interval ten times. The accumulated exposure totaled 150000 lx·hr. The data on conventional white LED lamps and previously reported white fluorescent (W) and museum fluorescent (NU) lamps was evaluated. All the white LED lamps showed lower fading rates compared with a W lamp on a blue scale grade 1. The fading rate of natural dyes in total was the same between an NU lamp (3000 K) and a white LED lamp (2869 K). However, yellow natural dyes showed higher fading rates with the white LED lamp. This tendency is due to the high power characteristic of the LED lamp around 400-500 nm, which possibly contributes to the photo-fading action on the dyes. The most faded yellow dyes were Ukon (Curcuma longa L.) and Kihada (Phellodendron amurense Rupr.), and these are frequently used in historic artifacts such as kimono, wood-block prints, and scrolls. From a conservation point of view, we need to continue research on white LED lamps for use in museum lighting.

  9. Chlorophyll b degradation by chlorophyll b reductase under high-light conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Rei; Ito, Hisashi; Tanaka, Ayumi

    2015-12-01

    The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein complex of photosystem II (LHCII) is the main antenna complex of photosystem II (PSII). Plants change their LHCII content depending on the light environment. Under high-light conditions, the content of LHCII should decrease because over-excitation damages the photosystem. Chlorophyll b is indispensable for accumulating LHCII, and chlorophyll b degradation induces LHCII degradation. Chlorophyll b degradation is initiated by chlorophyll b reductase (CBR). In land plants, NON-YELLOW COLORING 1 (NYC1) and NYC1-Like (NOL) are isozymes of CBR. We analyzed these mutants to determine their functions under high-light conditions. During high-light treatment, the chlorophyll a/b ratio was stable in the wild-type (WT) and nol plants, and the LHCII content decreased in WT plants. The chlorophyll a/b ratio decreased in the nyc1 and nyc1/nol plants, and a substantial degree of LHCII was retained in nyc1/nol plants after the high-light treatment. These results demonstrate that NYC1 degrades the chlorophyll b on LHCII under high-light conditions, thus decreasing the LHCII content. After the high-light treatment, the maximum quantum efficiency of the PSII photochemistry was lower in nyc1 and nyc1/nol plants than in WT and nol plants. A larger light-harvesting system would damage PSII in nyc1 and nyc1/nol plants. The fluorescence spectroscopy of the leaves indicated that photosystem I was also damaged by the excess LHCII in nyc1/nol plants. These observations suggest that chlorophyll b degradation by NYC1 is the initial reaction for the optimization of the light-harvesting capacity under high-light conditions.

  10. The effects of spectral tuning of evening ambient light on melatonin suppression, alertness and sleep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Shadab A; St Hilaire, Melissa A; Lockley, Steven W

    2017-08-01

    We compared the effects of bedroom-intensity light from a standard fluorescent and a blue- (i.e., short-wavelength) depleted LED source on melatonin suppression, alertness, and sleep. Sixteen healthy participants (8 females) completed a 4-day inpatient study. Participants were exposed to blue-depleted circadian-sensitive (C-LED) light and a standard fluorescent light (FL, 4100K) of equal illuminance (50lx) for 8h prior to a fixed bedtime on two separate days in a within-subject, randomized, cross-over design. Each light exposure day was preceded by a dim light (LED conditions compared to FL 30min prior to bedtime. EEG-based correlates of alertness corroborated the reduced alertness under C-LED conditions as shown by significantly increased EEG spectral power in the delta-theta (0.5-8.0Hz) bands under C-LED as compared to FL exposure. There was no significant difference in total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE%), and slow-wave activity (SWA) between the two conditions. Unlike melatonin suppression and alertness, a significant order effect was observed on all three sleep variables, however. Individuals who received C-LED first and then FL had increased TST, SE% and SWA averaged across both nights compared to individuals who received FL first and then C-LED. These data show that the spectral characteristics of light can be fine-tuned to attenuate non-visual responses to light in humans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of blue fluorescent materials based on 9,9-diethyl-N,N-diphenyl-9 H-fluoren-2-amine substituted anthracene derivatives for organic light-emitting diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Seul Bee; Kim, Chanwoo; Park, Soo Na; Kim, Young Seok [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ho Won [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul, 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Kwan, E-mail: kimyk@hongik.ac.kr [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul, 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Seung Soo, E-mail: ssyoon@skku.edu [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-11-30

    Four 9,9-diethyl-N,N-diphenyl-9 H-fluoren-2-amine substituted anthracene derivatives have been designed and synthesized by Suzuki cross coupling reactions. To explore the electroluminescent properties of these blue materials, multilayer blue organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated in the following device structure: indium tin oxide (180 nm)/N,N’-diphenyl-N,N’-(1-napthyl)-(1,1′-phenyl)-4,4′-diamine (50 nm)/blue emitting materials (1–4) (30 nm)/bathophenanthroline (30 nm)/lithium quinolate (2 nm)/Al (100 nm). All devices appeared excellent deep-blue emissions. Among them, a device exhibited a maximum luminance of 5686 cd/m{sup 2}, the luminous, power and external quantum efficiencies of 5.11 cd/A, 3.79 lm/W, and 4.06% with the Commission International de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.15, 0.15) at 500 cd/m{sup 2}, respectively. - Highlights: • We synthesized blue fluorescent materials based on anthracene derivatives. • The EL efficiencies of these materials depend on the quantum yields in solid states. • These materials have great potential for applications as blue emitter in OLEDs.

  12. Emission of blue light from hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nevin, W. A.; Yamagishi, H.; Yamaguchi, M.; Tawada, Y.

    1994-04-01

    THE development of new electroluminescent materials is of current technological interest for use in flat-screen full-colour displays1. For such applications, amorphous inorganic semiconductors appear particularly promising, in view of the ease with which uniform films with good mechanical and electronic properties can be deposited over large areas2. Luminescence has been reported1 in the red-green part of the spectrum from amorphous silicon carbide prepared from gas-phase mixtures of silane and a carbon-containing species (usually methane or ethylene). But it is not possible to achieve blue luminescence by this approach. Here we show that the use of an aromatic species-xylene-as the source of carbon during deposition results in a form of amorphous silicon carbide that exhibits strong blue luminescence. The underlying structure of this material seems to be an unusual combination of an inorganic silicon carbide lattice with a substantial 'organic' π-conjugated carbon system, the latter dominating the emission properties. Moreover, the material can be readily doped with an electron acceptor in a manner similar to organic semiconductors3, and might therefore find applications as a conductivity- or colour-based chemical sensor.

  13. Observation of intermediate bands in Eu3+ doped YPO4 host: Li+ ion effect and blue to pink light emitter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Kareem Parchur

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the tuning of blue to pink colour generation from Li+ ion co-doped YPO4:5Eu nanoparticles prepared by polyol method at ∼100-120 °C with ethylene glycol (EG as a capping agent. Interaction of EG molecules capped on the surface of the nanoparticles and/or created oxygen vacancies induces formation of intermediate/mid gap bands in the host structure, which is supported by UV-Visible absorption data. Strong blue and pink colors can be observed in the cases of as-prepared and 500 °C annealed samples, respectively. Co-doping of Li+ enhances the emission intensities of intermediate band as well as Eu3+. On annealing as-prepared sample to 500 °C, the intermediate band emission intensity decreases, whereas Eu3+ emission intensity increases suggesting increase of extent of energy transfer from the intermediate band to Eu3+ on annealing. Emission intensity ratio of electric to magnetic dipole transitions of Eu3+ can be varied by changing excitation wavelength. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS study of as-prepared samples confirms the presence of oxygen vacancies and Eu3+ but absence of Eu2+. Dispersed particles in ethanol and polymer film show the strong blue color, suggesting that these materials will be useful as probes in life science and also in light emitting device applications.

  14. Plant lighting system with five wavelength-band light-emitting diodes providing photon flux density and mixing ratio control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yano Akira

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant growth and development depend on the availability of light. Lighting systems therefore play crucial roles in plant studies. Recent advancements of light-emitting diode (LED technologies provide abundant opportunities to study various plant light responses. The LED merits include solidity, longevity, small element volume, radiant flux controllability, and monochromaticity. To apply these merits in plant light response studies, a lighting system must provide precisely controlled light spectra that are useful for inducing various plant responses. Results We have developed a plant lighting system that irradiated a 0.18 m2 area with a highly uniform distribution of photon flux density (PFD. The average photosynthetic PFD (PPFD in the irradiated area was 438 micro-mol m–2 s–1 (coefficient of variation 9.6%, which is appropriate for growing leafy vegetables. The irradiated light includes violet, blue, orange-red, red, and far-red wavelength bands created by LEDs of five types. The PFD and mixing ratio of the five wavelength-band lights are controllable using a computer and drive circuits. The phototropic response of oat coleoptiles was investigated to evaluate plant sensitivity to the light control quality of the lighting system. Oat coleoptiles irradiated for 23 h with a uniformly distributed spectral PFD (SPFD of 1 micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 at every peak wavelength (405, 460, 630, 660, and 735 nm grew almost straight upwards. When they were irradiated with an SPFD gradient of blue light (460 nm peak wavelength, the coleoptiles showed a phototropic curvature in the direction of the greater SPFD of blue light. The greater SPFD gradient induced the greater curvature of coleoptiles. The relation between the phototropic curvature (deg and the blue-light SPFD gradient (micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 m–1 was 2 deg per 1 micro-mol m–2 s–1 nm–1 m–1. Conclusions The plant lighting system, with a computer with a

  15. Pupillary response to direct and consensual chromatic light stimuli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Traustason, Sindri; Brondsted, Adam Elias; Sander, Birgit

    2016-01-01

    Medical, Copenhagen), which is capable of both direct and consensual pupillometry measurements. The device uses a pair of dual monochromatic narrow bandwidth LED light sources, red (660 nm) and blue (470 nm). Pupil light responses were recorded with infrared video cameras and analysed using custom-made circuitry...... and software. Subjects were randomized to receive light stimuli at either the right or left eye after 5 min of dark adaptation. Pupil light responses were recorded in both eyes for 10 seconds before illumination, during illumination and 50 seconds after illumination with red and blue light. Three variables...... were defined for the recorded pupil responses: the maximal constriction amplitude (CAmax ), the pupil response during illumination and postillumination pupil response (PIPR). RESULTS: No difference was found in the pupil response to blue light. With red light, the pupil response during illumination...

  16. MoS{sub 2}–GO nanocomposites synthesized via a hydrothermal hydrogel method for solar light photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Yong; Zhou, Yifeng, E-mail: yifengzhou@126.com; Nie, Wangyan; Chen, Pengpeng, E-mail: chenpp@ahu.edu.cn

    2015-12-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The molybdenum disulfide–graphene oxide (MoS{sub 2}–GO) nanocomposite was synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal hydrogel method. • MoS{sub 2} and GO were composited fairly well in the obtained nanocomposites. • The electrons–hole pair recombination rate of MoS{sub 2} was greatly reduced via compositing with graphene. • The MoS{sub 2}–GO nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue under solar light irradiation. - Abstract: In this work, molybdenum disulfide–graphene oxide (MoS{sub 2}–GO) composite hydrogel was prepared via a one-step hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared hydrogels with different proportions of MoS{sub 2} and GO were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectra and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performance of MoS{sub 2}–GO nanocomposites was studied toward the degradation of methylene blue (MB). Results showed that the MoS{sub 2}–GO nanocomposites exhibited improved photocatalytic activities in the degradation of MB with a maximum degradation rate of 99% under solar lights irradiation within 60 min. The synthesized MoS{sub 2}–GO composite hydrogel possesses great potential toward the development of newly synthesizable catalysts in the field of organic degradation in water.

  17. Red-blue effect in Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}-based devices revisited

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Igalson, M., E-mail: igalson@if.pw.edu.pl [Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Physics, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warszawa (Poland); Urbaniak, A.; Zabierowski, P.; Maksoud, H. Abdel [Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Physics, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warszawa (Poland); Buffiere, M.; Barreau, N. [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France); Spiering, S. [Zentrum fur Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW) Baden-Württemberg, Industriestrasse 6, 70565 Stuttgart (Germany)

    2013-05-01

    The controversial issue of a source for the fill factor losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}-based solar cells observed under red light is discussed. Experimental evidence is presented that removal of the fill factor loss by blue light is accompanied by a decrease in capacitance. Similar kinetics for both effects are observed. This effect is demonstrated not only on CdS-buffered devices but also on Zn(O,S)- and In{sub 2}S{sub 3}-buffered cells. The explanation, supported by simulations, is based on a model of a reduction of the p + layer by holes photogenerated in the buffer. This effect might be differentiated from the effect of a photosensitive secondary barrier in the buffer-window part of the junction by a sign of the capacitance change under blue light. - Highlights: ► High-energy photons improve fill factor in Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}-based solar cells. ► The effect is demonstrated on three types of buffer layers. ► Fill factor improvement under blue light is correlated with a decrease of doping. ► p + layer is the main cause of fill factor deficiency under red light.

  18. Pupillary response to direct and consensual chromatic light stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traustason, Sindri; Brondsted, Adam Elias; Sander, Birgit; Lund-Andersen, Henrik

    2016-02-01

    To assess whether the direct and consensual postillumination (ipRGC-driven) pupil light responses to chromatic light stimuli are equal in healthy subjects. Pupil responses in healthy volunteers were recorded using a prototype binocular chromatic pupillometer (IdeaMedical, Copenhagen), which is capable of both direct and consensual pupillometry measurements. The device uses a pair of dual monochromatic narrow bandwidth LED light sources, red (660 nm) and blue (470 nm). Pupil light responses were recorded with infrared video cameras and analysed using custom-made circuitry and software. Subjects were randomized to receive light stimuli at either the right or left eye after 5 min of dark adaptation. Pupil light responses were recorded in both eyes for 10 seconds before illumination, during illumination and 50 seconds after illumination with red and blue light. Three variables were defined for the recorded pupil responses: the maximal constriction amplitude (CAmax ), the pupil response during illumination and postillumination pupil response (PIPR). No difference was found in the pupil response to blue light. With red light, the pupil response during illumination was slightly larger during consensual illumination compared to direct illumination (0.54 and 0.52, respectively, p = 0.027, paired Wilcoxon's test, n = 12), while no differences were found for CAmax or the PIPR. No difference was found between direct and consensual pupil response to either red or blue light in the postillumination period. Direct and consensual responses can readily be compared when examining the postillumination pupil response to blue light as estimation of photosensitive retinal ganglion cell activation. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Blue to bluish-green tunable phosphor Sr2LiSiO4F:Ce3+,Tb3+ and efficient energy transfer for near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Mubiao; Zeng, Lihua; Ye, TingLi; Yang, Xi; Zhu, Xianmei; Peng, Siyun; Lei, Lei

    2014-01-01

    Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ activated Sr 2 LiSiO 4 F phosphors were prepared by a solid state reaction technique at high temperature, and their ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopic properties were investigated. Under ultraviolet light excitation, Ce 3+ -doped Sr 2 LiSiO 4 F phosphors emit blue light (420 nm), while Tb 3+ -doped phosphors show yellowish green emission. Efficient energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ ions in co-doped samples was confirmed in terms of corresponding excitation and emission spectra. The energy transfer mechanism between Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ was discussed and demonstrated to be dipole–dipole interaction in Sr 2 LiSiO 4 F:Ce 3+ ,Tb 3+ phosphors. Due to energy transfer from Ce 3+ to Tb 3+ , Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ co-doped Sr 2 LiSiO 4 F phosphors show intense absorption in near-UV region, and present tunable emission from blue to bluish green under 360 nm light excitation. The results indicate that these phosphors can be considered as candidates for white LEDs pumped by n-UV chips. (paper)

  20. Light adaptation of the unicellular red alga, Cyanidioschyzon merolae, probed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueno, Yoshifumi; Aikawa, Shimpei; Kondo, Akihiko; Akimoto, Seiji

    2015-08-01

    Photosynthetic organisms change the quantity and/or quality of their pigment-protein complexes and the interactions among these complexes in response to light conditions. In the present study, we analyzed light adaptation of the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, whose pigment composition is similar to that of cyanobacteria because its phycobilisomes (PBS) lack phycoerythrin. C. merolae were grown under different light qualities, and their responses were measured by steady-state absorption, steady-state fluorescence, and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopies. Cells were cultivated under four monochromatic light-emitting diodes (blue, green, yellow, and red), and changes in pigment composition and energy transfer were observed. Cells grown under blue and green light increased their relative phycocyanin levels compared with cells cultured under white light. Energy-transfer processes to photosystem I (PSI) were sensitive to yellow and red light. The contribution of direct energy transfer from PBS to PSI increased only under yellow light, while red light induced a reduction in energy transfer from photosystem II to PSI and an increase in energy transfer from light-harvesting chlorophyll protein complex I to PSI. Differences in pigment composition, growth, and energy transfer under different light qualities are discussed.

  1. SimCP3—An Advanced Homologue of SimCP2 as a Solution-Processed Small Molecular Host Material for Blue Phosphorescence Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Ting Lee

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available We have overcome the synthetic difficulty of 9,9′,9′′,9′′′,9′′′′,9′′′′′-((phenylsilanetriyltris(benzene-5,3,1-triylhexakis(9H-carbazole (SimCP3 an advanced homologue of previously known SimCP2 as a solution-processed, high triplet gap energy host material for a blue phosphorescence dopant. A series of organic light-emitting diodes based on blue phosphorescence dopant iridium (III bis(4,6-difluorophenylpyridinatopicolate, FIrpic, were fabricated and tested to demonstrate the validity of solution-processed SimCP3 in the device fabrication.

  2. Continuous light-emitting Diode (LED) lighting for improving food quality

    OpenAIRE

    Lu, C; Bian, Z

    2016-01-01

    Lighting-emitting diodes (LEDs) have shown great potential for plant growth and development, with higher luminous efficiency and positive impact compared with other artificial lighting. The combined effects of red/blue or/and green, and white LED light on plant growth and physiology, including chlorophyll fluorescence, nitrate content and phytochemical concentration before harvest, were investigated. The results showed that continuous light (CL)\\ud exposure at pre-harvest can effectively redu...

  3. Recombination zone in white organic light emitting diodes with blue and orange emitting layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuboi, Taiju; Kishimoto, Tadashi; Wako, Kazuhiro; Matsuda, Kuniharu; Iguchi, Hirofumi

    2012-10-01

    White fluorescent OLED devices with a 10 nm thick blue-emitting layer and a 31 nm thick orange-emitting layer have been fabricated, where the blue-emitting layer is stacked on a hole transport layer. An interlayer was inserted between the two emitting layers. The thickness of the interlayer was changed among 0.3, 0.4, and 1.0 nm. White emission with CIE coordinates close to (0.33, 0.33) was observed from all the OLEDs. OLED with 0.3 nm thick interlayer gives the highest maximum luminous efficiency (11 cd/A), power efficiency (9 lm/W), and external quantum efficiency (5.02%). The external quantum efficiency becomes low with increasing the interlayer thickness from 0 nm to 1.0 nm. When the location of the blue- and orange-emitting layers is reversed, white emission was not obtained because of too weak blue emission. It is suggested that the electron-hole recombination zone decreases nearly exponentially with a distance from the hole transport layer.

  4. Aging characteristics of blue InGaN micro-light emitting diodes at an extremely high current density of 3.5 kA cm−2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Pengfei; Liu, Ran; Althumali, Ahmad; Gu, Erdan; Watson, Ian M; Dawson, Martin D

    2016-01-01

    The aging characteristics of blue InGaN micro-light emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) with different sizes have been studied at an extremely high current density 3.5 kA cm −2 for emerging micro-LED applications including visible light communication (VLC), micro-LED pumped organic lasers and optogenetics. The light output power of micro-LEDs first increases and then decreases due to the competition of Mg activation in p-GaN layer and defect generation in the active region. The smaller micro-LEDs show less light output power degradation compared with larger micro-LEDs, which is attributed to the lower junction temperature of smaller micro-LEDs. It is found that the high current density without additional junction temperature cannot induce significant micro-LED degradation at room temperature but the combination of the high current density and high junction temperature leads to strong degradation. Furthermore, the cluster LEDs, composed of a micro-LED array, have been developed with both high light output power and less light output degradation for micro-LED applications in solid state lighting and VLC. (paper)

  5. Protein aggregation studied by forward light scattering and light transmission analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penzkofer, A.; Shirdel, J.; Zirak, P.; Breitkreuz, H.; Wolf, E.

    2007-12-01

    The aggregation of the circadian blue-light photo-receptor cryptochrome from Drosophila melanogaster (dCry) is studied by transmission and forward light scattering measurement in the protein transparent wavelength region. The light scattering in forward direction is caused by Rayleigh scattering which is proportional to the degree of aggregation. The light transmission through the samples in the transparent region is reduced by Mie light scattering in all directions. It depends on the degree of aggregation and the monomer volume fill factor of the aggregates (less total scattering with decreasing monomer volume fill factor of protein globule) allowing a distinction between tightly packed protein aggregation (monomer volume fill factor 1) and loosely packed protein aggregation (monomer volume fill factor less than 1). An increase in aggregation with temperature, concentration, and blue-light exposure is observed. At a temperature of 4 °C and a protein concentration of less than 0.135 mM no dCry aggregation was observed, while at 24 °C and 0.327 mM gelation occurred (loosely packed aggregates occupying the whole solution volume).

  6. Effect of Different Light Qualities on Growth, Pigment Content, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in the Red Alga Pyropia haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huanyang

    2016-01-01

    Spectral light changes evoke different morphogenetic and photosynthetic responses that can vary among different algae species. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic characteristics of the red macroalgae grown under different spectrum environments. In this study, Pyropia haitanensis were cultured under blue, red, and green LED and fluorescent tubes light. The growth rate, photopigment composition, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzymes activities in different light spectrums were investigated. The results revealed that growth rate was significantly higher in the thalli grown under blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light. Contents of Chl a and phycobiliprotein in red light were lower among all the growth conditions. Furthermore, a striking increase in SOD and CAT activity was observed in red light treatment along with the NPQ increase. The results revealed that the photosynthetic efficiency and increased growth rate of P. haitanensis benefitted from light spectrums such as blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light by pigment composition and photochemical efficiency manipulation, whereas red light has disadvantageous effects. Accordingly, the results for improving quality and the economic yield of algae species in some extent and the combination of different wavelengths could allow better economic resource exploitation.

  7. Effect of Different Light Qualities on Growth, Pigment Content, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in the Red Alga Pyropia haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huanyang Wu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Spectral light changes evoke different morphogenetic and photosynthetic responses that can vary among different algae species. The aim of this study is to investigate the photosynthetic characteristics of the red macroalgae grown under different spectrum environments. In this study, Pyropia haitanensis were cultured under blue, red, and green LED and fluorescent tubes light. The growth rate, photopigment composition, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidative enzymes activities in different light spectrums were investigated. The results revealed that growth rate was significantly higher in the thalli grown under blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light. Contents of Chl a and phycobiliprotein in red light were lower among all the growth conditions. Furthermore, a striking increase in SOD and CAT activity was observed in red light treatment along with the NPQ increase. The results revealed that the photosynthetic efficiency and increased growth rate of P. haitanensis benefitted from light spectrums such as blue, green, and fluorescent tubes light by pigment composition and photochemical efficiency manipulation, whereas red light has disadvantageous effects. Accordingly, the results for improving quality and the economic yield of algae species in some extent and the combination of different wavelengths could allow better economic resource exploitation.

  8. Red Light Represses the Photophysiology of the Scleractinian Coral Stylophora pistillata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wijgerde, T.H.M.; Melis, A.A.M.; Ferreira Da Silva, C.I.; Leal, M.C.; Vogels, L.; Mutter, C.; Osinga, R.

    2014-01-01

    Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced

  9. Prevention of increased abnormal fundus autofluorescence with blue light-filtering intraocular lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagai, Hiroyuki; Hirano, Yoshio; Yasukawa, Tsutomu; Morita, Hiroshi; Nozaki, Miho; Wolf-Schnurrbusch, Ute; Wolf, Sebastian; Ogura, Yuichiro

    2015-09-01

    To observe changes in fundus autofluorescence 2 years after implantation of blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) and ultraviolet light-filtering (colorless) intraocular lenses (IOLs). Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan, and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Prospective comparative observational study. Patients were enrolled who had cataract surgery with implantation of a yellow-tinted or colorless IOL and for whom images were obtained on which the fundus autofluorescence was measurable using the Heidelberg Retina Angiogram 2 postoperatively. The fundus autofluorescence in the images was classified into 8 abnormal patterns based on the classification of the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group, The presence of normal fundus autofluorescence, geographic atrophy, and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) also was recorded. The fundus findings at baseline and 2 years postoperatively were compared. Fifty-two eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL and 79 eyes with a colorless IOL were included. Abnormal fundus autofluorescence did not develop or increase in the yellow-tinted IOL group; however, progressive abnormal fundus autofluorescence developed or increased in 12 eyes (15.2%) in the colorless IOL group (P = .0016). New drusen, geographic atrophy, and choroidal neovascularization were observed mainly in the colorless IOL group. The incidence of AMD was statistically significantly higher in the colorless IOL group (P = .042). Two years after cataract surgery, significant differences were seen in the progression of abnormal fundus autofluorescence between the 2 groups. The incidence of AMD was lower in eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Blue light irradiation triggers the antimicrobial potential of ZnO nanoparticles on drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ming-Yeh; Chang, Kai-Chih; Chen, Liang-Yu; Wang, Po-Ching; Chou, Chih-Chiang; Wu, Zhong-Bin; Hu, Anren

    2018-03-01

    Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a non-invasive and safe therapeutic method for microbial infections. Bacterial antibiotic resistance is caused by antibiotics abuse. Drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. is a serious problem in hospitals around the world. These pathogens from nosocomial infections have high mortality rates in frailer people, and Acinetobacter spp. is commonly found in immunocompromised patients. Visible light is safer than ultraviolet light (UV) for PDI of nosocomial pathogens with mammalian cells. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were used in this study as an antimicrobial agent and a photosensitizer. ZnO is recognized as safe and has extensive usage in food additives, medical and cosmetic products. In this study, we used 0.125 mg/ml ZnO-NPs combined with 10.8 J/cm 2 blue light (BL) on Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) that could significantly reduce microbial survival. However, individual exposure to ZnO-NPs does not affect the viability of A. baumannii. BL irradiation could trigger the antimicrobial ability of ZnO nanoparticles on A. baumannii. The mechanism of photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment for sterilization occurs through bacterial membrane disruptions. Otherwise, the photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment showed high microbial eradication in nosocomial pathogens, including colistin-resistant and imipenem-resistant A. baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Based on our results, the photocatalytic ZnO-NPs treatment could support hygiene control and clinical therapies without antibiotics to nosocomial bacterial infections. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Sunlight-Induced Photochemical Degradation of Methylene Blue by Water-Soluble Carbon Nanorods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anshu Bhati

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Water-soluble graphitic hollow carbon nanorods (wsCNRs are exploited for their light-driven photochemical activities under outdoor sunlight. wsCNRs were synthesized by a simple pyrolysis method from castor seed oil, without using any metal catalyst or template. wsCNRs exhibited the light-induced photochemical degradation of methylene blue used as a model pollutant by the generation of singlet oxygen species. Herein, we described a possible degradation mechanism of methylene blue under the irradiation of visible photons via the singlet oxygen-superoxide anion pathway.

  12. Antimicrobial blue light inactivation of biofilms formed by clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant microorganisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrer-Espada, Raquel; Fang, Yanyan; Dai, Tianhong

    2018-02-01

    Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious threats to public health. It is estimated that at least 23,000 people die each year in the USA as a direct result of antibiotic-resistant infections. In addition, many antibiotic-resistant microorganisms develop biofilms, surface-associated microbial communities that are extremely resistant to antibiotics and the immune system. A light-based approach, antimicrobial blue light (aBL), has attracted increasing attention due to its intrinsic antimicrobial effect without the involvement of exogenous photosensitizers. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of this non-antibiotic approach against biofilms formed by multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms. MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were grown either in 96-well microtiter plates for 24 h or in a CDC biofilm reactor for 48 h, and then exposed to aBL at 405 nm emitted from a light-emitting diode (LED). We demonstrated that, for the biofilms grown in the CDC biofilm reactor, approximately 1.88 log10 CFU reduction was achieved in A. baumannii, 2.78 log10 CFU in E. coli and 3.18 log10 CFU in P. aeruginosa after 162 J/cm2 , 576 J/cm2 and 500 J/cm2 aBL were delivered, respectively. For the biofilms formed in the 96-well microtiter plates, 5.67 and 2.46 log10 CFU reduction was observed in P. aeruginosa and C. albicans polymicrobial biofilm after an exposure of 216 J/cm2 . In conclusion, aBL is potentially an alternative non-antibiotic approach against MDR biofilm-related infections. Future studies are warranted to investigate other important MDR microorganisms, the mechanism of action of aBL, and aBL efficacy in vivo.

  13. The Influence of New Colored Light Stimulation Methods on Heart Rate Variability, Temperature, and Well-Being: Results of a Pilot Study in Humans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Litscher

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Changes of light intensity of different colors can shift many physiological parameters and conditions like melatonin, alertness, body temperature, heart rate (HR, and heart rate variability (HRV. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate acute temperature, HR, HRV, and state of mind reactivities after illumination with red (631 nm and blue (456 nm light (illuminance 140 lux for both. Seven healthy volunteers (5 females, 2 males; mean age ± SD 34.1 ± 11.9 years were investigated at the Medical University of Graz, using new color light panels. Significant decreases were found only after 10 min blue light stimulation in nose temperature (P=0.046, HR (P<0.05, and total HRV (P=0.029, in association with a significant alteration of the emotional state (stress level score, P=0.006. However, red light stimulation of the same persons did not induce the same effects in these parameters. The effect of blue light as environmental stimulation on human health is not clarified in detail and needs further investigations.

  14. Secondary and sucrose metabolism regulated by different light quality combinations involved in melon tolerance to powdery mildew.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Xin; Wang, Hui; Gong, Biao; Liu, Shiqi; Wei, Min; Ai, Xizhen; Li, Yan; Shi, Qinghua

    2018-03-01

    We evaluated the effect of different light combinations on powdery mildew resistance and growth of melon seedlings. Light-emitting diodes were used as the light source and there were five light combinations: white light (420-680 nm); blue light (460 nm); red light (635 nm); RB31 (ratio of red and blue light, 3: 1); and RB71 (ratio of red and blue light, 7: 1). Compared with other treatments, blue light significantly decreased the incidence of powdery mildew in leaves of melon seedlings. Under blue light, H 2 O 2 showed higher accumulation, and the content of phenolics, flavonoid and tannins, as well as expression of the genes involved in synthesis of these substances, significantly increased compared with other treatments before and after infection. Lignin content and expression of the genes related to its synthesis were also induced by blue light before infection. Melon irradiated with RB31 light showed the best growth parameters. Compared with white light, red light and RB71, RB31 showed higher accumulation of lignin and lower incidence of powdery mildew. We conclude that blue light increases melon resistance to powdery mildew, which is dependent on the induction of secondary metabolism that may be related to H 2 O 2 accumulation before infection. Induction of tolerance of melon seeds to powdery mildew by RB31 is due to higher levels of sucrose metabolism and accumulation of lignin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Printable candlelight-style organic light-emitting diode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jou, J. H.; Singh, M.; Song, W. C.; Liu, S. H.

    2017-06-01

    Candles or oil lamps are currently the most friendly lighting source to human eyes, physiology, ecosystems, artifacts, environment, and night skies due to their blue light-less emission. Candle light also exhibits high light-quality that provides visual comfort. However, they are relatively low in power efficacy (0.3 lm/W), making them energy-wasting, besides having problems like scorching hot, burning, catching fire, flickering, carbon blacking, oxygen consuming, and release of green house gas etc. In contrast, candlelight organic light-emitting diode (OLED) can be made blue-hazard free and energy-efficient. The remaining challenges are to maximize its light-quality and enable printing feasibility, the latter of which would pave a way to cost-effective manufacturing. We hence demonstrate herein the design and fabrication of a candlelight OLED via wet-process. From retina protection perspective, its emission is 13, 12 and 8 times better than those of the blue-enriched white CFL, LED and OLED. If used at night, it is 9, 6 and 4 times better from melatonin generation perspective.

  16. How does the blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) flash its blue rings?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäthger, Lydia M; Bell, George R R; Kuzirian, Alan M; Allen, Justine J; Hanlon, Roger T

    2012-11-01

    The blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata), one of the world's most venomous animals, has long captivated and endangered a large audience: children playing at the beach, divers turning over rocks, and biologists researching neurotoxins. These small animals spend much of their time in hiding, showing effective camouflage patterns. When disturbed, the octopus will flash around 60 iridescent blue rings and, when strongly harassed, bite and deliver a neurotoxin that can kill a human. Here, we describe the flashing mechanism and optical properties of these rings. The rings contain physiologically inert multilayer reflectors, arranged to reflect blue-green light in a broad viewing direction. Dark pigmented chromatophores are found beneath and around each ring to enhance contrast. No chromatophores are above the ring; this is unusual for cephalopods, which typically use chromatophores to cover or spectrally modify iridescence. The fast flashes are achieved using muscles under direct neural control. The ring is hidden by contraction of muscles above the iridophores; relaxation of these muscles and contraction of muscles outside the ring expose the iridescence. This mechanism of producing iridescent signals has not previously been reported in cephalopods and we suggest that it is an exceptionally effective way to create a fast and conspicuous warning display.

  17. Mechanism of blue-light-induced plasma-membrane depolarization in etiolated cucumber hypocotyls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spalding, E. P.; Cosgrove, D. J.

    1992-01-01

    A large, transient depolarization of the plasma membrane precedes the rapid blue-light (BL)-induced growth suppression in etiolated seedlings of Cucumis sativus L. The mechanism of this voltage transient was investigated by applying inhibitors of ion channels and the plasma-membrane H(+)-ATPase, by manipulating extracellular ion concentrations, and by measuring cell input resistance and ATP levels. The depolarizing phase was not affected by Ca(2+)-channel blockers (verapamil, La3+) or by reducing extracellular free Ca2+ by treatment with ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). However, these treatments did reduce the rate of repolarization, indicating an inward movement of Ca2+ is involved. No effects of the K(+)-channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA+) were detected. Vanadate and KCN, used to inhibit the H(+)-ATPase, reduced or completely inhibited the BL-induced depolarization. Levels of ATP increased by 11-26% after 1-2 min of BL. Input resistance of trichrome cells, measured with double-barreled microelectrodes, remained constant during the onset of the depolarization but decreased as the membrane voltage became more positive than -90 mV. The results indicate that the depolarization mechanism initially involves inactivation of the H(+)-ATPase with subsequent transient activation of one or more types of ion channels.

  18. Light Quality Dependent Changes in Morphology, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatile Production in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Sofia D; Schwieterman, Michael L; Abrahan, Carolina E; Colquhoun, Thomas A; Folta, Kevin M

    2016-01-01

    Narrow-bandwidth light treatments may be used to manipulate plant growth, development and metabolism. In this report LED-based light treatments were used to affect yield and metabolic content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv "Ceasar") grown in controlled environments. This culinary herb produces an aroma highly appreciated by consumers, primarily composed of terpenes/terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and fatty-acid- derived volatile molecules. Basil plants were grown under narrow-bandwidth light conditions, and leaf area, height, mass, antioxidant capacity and volatile emissions were measured at various time points. The results indicate reproducible significant differences in specific volatiles, and in biochemical classes of volatiles, compared to greenhouse grown plants. For example, basil plants grown under blue/red/yellow or blue/red/green wavelengths emit higher levels of a subset of monoterpenoid volatiles, while a blue/red/far-red treatment leads to higher levels of most sesquiterpenoid volatile molecules. Specific light treatments increase volatile content, mass, and antioxidant capacity. The results show that narrow-bandwidth illumination can induce discrete suites of volatile classes that affect sensory quality in commercial herbs, and may be a useful tool in improving commercial production.

  19. The 7B-1 mutant in tomato shows blue-light-specific resistance to osmotic stress and abscisic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fellner, Martin; Sawhney, Vipen K

    2002-03-01

    Germination of wild-type (WT) tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seed is inhibited by mannitol (100-140 mM) in light, but not in darkness, suggesting that light amplifies the responsiveness of the seed to osmotic stress (M. Fellner, V.K. Sawhney (2001) Theor Appl Genet 102:215-221). Here we report that white light (W) and especially blue light (B) strongly enhance the mannitol-induced inhibition of seed germination, and that the effect of red light (R) is weak or nil. The inhibitory effect of mannitol could be completely overcome by fluridone, an inhibitor of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis, indicating that mannitol inhibits seed germination via ABA accumulation in seeds. The inhibition of WT seed germination by exogenous ABA was also amplified by W or B, but not by R. In a recessive, ABA-overproducing, 7B-1 mutant of tomato, seed germination and hypocotyl growth were resistant to inhibition by mannitol or exogenous ABA, both in W or B. Experiments with fluridone suggested that inhibition of hypocotyl growth by W or B is also partially via ABA accumulation. De-etiolation in the mutant was especially less in B compared to the WT, and there was no difference in hypocotyl growth between the two genotypes in R. Our data suggest that B amplifies the responsiveness of tomato seeds and hypocotyls to mannitol and ABA, and that W- or B-specific resistance of the 7B-1 mutant to osmotic stress or ABA is a consequence of a defect in B perception or signal transduction.

  20. Detailed simulations of lighting conditions in office rooms lit by daylight and artificial light

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Anne

    In this thesis the effect on the annual artificial lighting demand is investigated by employing detailed simulations of lighting conditions in office rooms lit by daylight and artificial. The simulations of the artificial lighting demand is accomplished through daylight simulations in Radiance....... The detailed simulations includes studies of the resolution of different weather data sets in climate-based daylight modeling. Furthermore, influence of the electrical lighting demand by simulating with dynamic occupancy patterns is studied. Finally the thesis explores the influence of obstructions in an urban...... canyon on the daylight availability within the buildings, and hence on the energy consumption for artificial lights. The results from the thesis demonstrates that the effect on the outcome of the daylight simulations when simulating with typical weather data files for the location of Copenhagen...

  1. Light-sensitive brain pathways and aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daneault, V; Dumont, M; Massé, É; Vandewalle, G; Carrier, J

    2016-03-15

    Notwithstanding its effects on the classical visual system allowing image formation, light acts upon several non-image-forming (NIF) functions including body temperature, hormonal secretions, sleep-wake cycle, alertness, and cognitive performance. Studies have shown that NIF functions are maximally sensitive to blue wavelengths (460-480 nm), in comparison to longer light wavelengths. Higher blue light sensitivity has been reported for melatonin suppression, pupillary constriction, vigilance, and performance improvement but also for modulation of cognitive brain functions. Studies investigating acute stimulating effects of light on brain activity during the execution of cognitive tasks have suggested that brain activations progress from subcortical regions involved in alertness, such as the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the brainstem, before reaching cortical regions associated with the ongoing task. In the course of aging, lower blue light sensitivity of some NIF functions has been reported. Here, we first describe neural pathways underlying effects of light on NIF functions and we discuss eye and cerebral mechanisms associated with aging which may affect NIF light sensitivity. Thereafter, we report results of investigations on pupillary constriction and cognitive brain sensitivity to light in the course of aging. Whereas the impact of light on cognitive brain responses appears to decrease substantially, pupillary constriction seems to remain more intact over the lifespan. Altogether, these results demonstrate that aging research should take into account the diversity of the pathways underlying the effects of light on specific NIF functions which may explain their differences in light sensitivity.

  2. The discrimination of (non-denim) blue cotton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, Ray; Hutchinson, William; Fryer, Verity

    2009-03-01

    This study was conducted to determine the degree of discrimination obtained between non-denim blue cotton fibres using visible-UV range microspectrophotometry alone. To this end, samples of fibres were taken from 100, nondenim, blue cotton, outer garments, including t-shirts, trousers and jumpers and subjected to analysis by both visible and UV range microspectrophotometry. The results obtained from the samples of each garment were compared to determine if they 'matched' or not. From an initial visual comparison of the garments it was possible to subdivide the samples into two populations consisting of 73 'dark blue' garments and 27 'mid-blue' garments. It was found that of the 73 'dark blue' garments, 22 distinct sub-populations could be distinguished using visible range MSP, this figure being increased to 43 when the analysis was extended into the UVW range. In the case of the 27 'mid-blue' garments, 9 distinct sub-populations were discriminated using visible range MSP, this figure being increased to 17 when the analysis was extended into the UV range. The discriminating power (i.e., the number of discriminated pairs divided by the number of possible pairs) of visible range microspectrophotometry was calculated as 0.89 for 'mid-blue' garments and 0.87 for 'dark blue' garments. Extending microspectrophotometry into the UV range increased discrimination by 7%, giving a discriminating power of 0.96 for both mid and dark blue cotton fibres which was similar to that reported by a previous study where this method was combined with light and fluorescence microscopy. Intra-garment variation was found to be negligible. The implications of this study for casework are discussed and a revised analytical pathway for the comparison of this fibre type/colour combination using microspectrophotometry as a primary screening tool, is proposed.

  3. Organic light-emitting diodes based on 9-(2-naphthyl)anthracene derivatives with a triphenylsilane unit as the deep-blue emitting layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Ji Young; Lee, Seul Bee [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seok Jae [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Kwan, E-mail: kimyk@wow.hongik.ac.kr [Department of Information Display, Hongik University, Seoul 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Seung Soo, E-mail: ssyoon@skku.edu [Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-27

    A series of 9-(2-naphthyl)anthracene derivatives with a triphenylsilane unit, which prevented molecular aggregation and self-quenching effect, was designed and synthesized. By using various bridges between the 9-(2-naphthyl)anthracene group and the triphenylsilane unit, five deep-blue emitters were obtained and applied as non-doped emitting materials in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a device structure of indium–tin-oxide (ITO) (180 nm)/4,4-bis(N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino)biphenyl (NPB) (50 nm)/emitting materials (30 nm)/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen) (30 nm)/lithium quinolate (Liq) (2 nm)/Aluminium (100 nm). All devices showed blue emissions and their electroluminescence efficiencies are sensitive to the structural changes of the emitting materials. In particular, a device using 9-(2-naphthalenyl)-10-[6-(triphenylsilyl)-2-naphthalenyl]-anthracene (4) exhibited high luminous, power and quantum efficiencies of 2.28 cd/A, 1.42 lm/W and 2.40% at 20 mA/cm{sup 2}, respectively, and this device showed the deep blue emission with the CIE coordinates of (0.16, 0.10) at 6.0 V. - Highlights: • We synthesized 9-(2-naphthyl)anthracene derivatives with a triphenylsilane unit. • We study the conjugation-length effect on the electroluminescence properties. • The bulky triphenylsilane-anthracene derivatives show resistance to self-aggregation.

  4. Lack of short-wavelength light during the school day delays dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) in middle school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiro, Mariana G; Rea, Mark S

    2010-01-01

    Circadian timing affects sleep onset. Delayed sleep onset can reduce sleep duration in adolescents required to awake early for a fixed school schedule. The absence of short-wavelength ("blue") morning light, which helps entrain the circadian system, can hypothetically delay sleep onset and decrease sleep duration in adolescents. The goal of this study was to investigate whether removal of short-wavelength light during the morning hours delayed the onset of melatonin in young adults. Dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) was measured in eleven 8th-grade students before and after wearing orange glasses, which removed short-wavelength light, for a five-day school week. DLMO was significantly delayed (30 minutes) after the five-day intervention, demonstrating that short-wavelength light exposure during the day can be important for advancing circadian rhythms in students. Lack of short-wavelength light in the morning has been shown to delay the circadian clock in controlled laboratory conditions. The results presented here are the first to show, outside laboratory conditions, that removal of short-wavelength light in the morning hours can delay DLMO in 8th-grade students. These field data, consistent with results from controlled laboratory studies, are directly relevant to lighting practice in schools.

  5. Efficient degradation of Methylene Blue dye over highly reactive Cu doped strontium titanate (SrTiO3) nanoparticles photocatalyst under visible light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Qazi Inamur; Ahmad, Musheer; Misra, Sunil Kumar; Lohani, Minaxi

    2012-09-01

    Visible light induced photocatalysts of Cu doped SrTiO3 (Cu/SrTiO3) nanoparticles with the size -60-75 nm were prepared via facile sol-gel method. The morphological, optical, crystalline properties and compositions of synthesized Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra violet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). A significant red shift in the UV-diffused reflectance spectrum was observed and the absorption edge shifted to visible region by the Cu doping. Surprisingly, the band gap of SrTiO3 was changed from 3.2 eV drop to 2.96 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles was demonstrated for the degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light irradiation. The formation of new acceptor region in Cu/SrTiO3 was responsible for high photocatalytic activity of Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles. The results showed that the Methylene Blue dye was degraded by -66% within time span of 2 h over the Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles. This dye degradation reaction followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics and also exhibited first order reaction rate. The calculated rate constant for the degradation reaction following first order kinetics was k = 0.0016 min(-1).

  6. Remanagement of Singlet and Triplet Excitons in Single-Emissive-Layer Hybrid White Organic Light-Emitting Devices Using Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Blue Exciplex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiao-Ke; Chen, Zhan; Qing, Jian; Zhang, Wen-Jun; Wu, Bo; Tam, Hoi Lam; Zhu, Furong; Zhang, Xiao-Hong; Lee, Chun-Sing

    2015-11-25

    A high-performance hybrid white organic light-emitting device (WOLED) is demonstrated based on an efficient novel thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) blue exciplex system. This device shows a low turn-on voltage of 2.5 V and maximum forward-viewing external quantum efficiency of 25.5%, which opens a new avenue for achieving high-performance hybrid WOLEDs with simple structures. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Effects of acidifying ocean conditions on growth and survival of two life stages of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giltz, S.; Taylor, C.

    2016-02-01

    Blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, begin their larval phase offshore and circulate for approximately 30 days before settling near shore. As crabs transition to the juvenile stage, they move into coastal or estuarine environments characterized by lower salinity. Presently the average pH of the ocean is 8.1, 30% down from the beginning of the industrial revolution and is forecasted to drop to 7.8 by 2100. Decreasing pH causes dissolution of calcium carbonate shells, but the overall effects on crustaceans, such as blue crabs, are unknown. This study investigated the effect of a lower pH environment on the growth, survival, carapace hardness and molt frequency of larval and juvenile blue crabs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Larval crabs showed delayed growth under low pH (7.8) conditions compared to crabs in a control (present day) pH (8.1) environment. Population crashes (complete mortality) were experienced in 55% of the low pH aquaria but not in any of the control aquaria, suggesting that acidification poses a mortality risk. Under low pH conditions the intermolt duration decreased in juveniles, but the body length and weight did not differ from crabs raised in the control pH. Larvae (in tanks that did not crash) and juveniles did not experience increased mortality from a lower pH, but there do appear to be sublethal effects on growth and molting that differ between life history stages.

  8. [Occupational exposure of welders to ultraviolet and "blue light" radiation emitted during TIG and MMA welding based on field measurements].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolska, Agnieszka

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the study was to present the results of welders' occupational exposure to "blue light" and UV radiation carried out at industrial workstations during TIG and MMA welding. Measurements were performed at 13 workstations (TIG welding: 6; MMA welding: 7), at which different welding parameters and materials were used. The radiation level was measured using a wide-range radiometer and a set of detectors, whose spectral responses were adequately fit to particular hazard under study. The measurement points corresponded with the location of eye and hand. The highest values of eye irradiance were found for aluminum TIG welding. Effective irradiance of actinic UV was within the range E(s) = 7.79-37.6 W/m2; UVA total irradiance, E(UVA) = 18-53.1 W/m2 and effective blue-light irradiance E(B) = 35-67 W/m2. The maximum allowance time ranged from 1.7 to 75 s, which means that in some cases even unintentional very short eye exposure can exceed MPE. The influence of welded material and the type of electrode coating on the measured radiation level were evidenced. The exceeded value of MPE for photochemical hazard arising for the eyes and skin was found at all measured workstations. Welders should use appropriately the eye and face protective equipment and avoid direct staring at welding arc when starting an arc-welding operation. Besides, the lack of head and neck skin protection can induce acute and chronic harmful health effects. Therefore, an appropriate wear of personal protective equipment is essential for welders' health.

  9. Highly efficient phosphor-converted white organic light-emitting diodes with moderate microcavity and light-recycling filters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Sang-Hwan; Oh, Jeong Rok; Park, Hoo Keun; Kim, Hyoung Kun; Lee, Yong-Hee; Lee, Jae-Gab; Do, Young Rag

    2010-01-18

    We demonstrate the combined effects of a microcavity structure and light-recycling filters (LRFs) on the forward electrical efficiency of phosphor-converted white organic light-emitting diodes (pc-WOLEDs). The introduction of a single pair of low- and high-index layers (SiO(2)/TiO(2)) improves the blue emission from blue OLED and the insertion of blue-passing and yellow-reflecting LRFs enhances the forward yellow emission from the YAG:Ce(3+) phosphors layers. The enhancement of the luminous efficacy of the forward white emission is 1.92 times that of a conventional pc-WOLED with color coordinates of (0.34, 0.34) and a correlated color temperature of about 4800 K.

  10. Effects of blue light irradiation on dental enamel remineralization in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Ilka Tiemy

    2009-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of blue radiation on dental enamel remineralization. In addition, a methodology of analysis was developed to evaluate alterations of enamel mineral content by optical coherence tomography. Artificial lesions were formed in bovine dental enamel slabs by immersing the samples in under saturated acetate buffer (2 mL/mm 2 e 6.25 mL/mm 2 ). The lesions were irradiated with blue LED (l=455±20nm), with radiant power of 110 mW, irradiance of 1.4 W/cm 2 , radiant exposure of 13.8 J/ c m2 and exposure time of 10 s. Remineralization was induced by pH-cycling model during 8 days. Cross-sectional hardness and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were used to assess mineral changes after remineralization. Hardness data showed that non-irradiated enamel lesions presented higher mineral content than irradiated ones and this difference was more evident in lesions formed in higher solution volume. The analysis of OCT signal also demonstrated that the mineral content of non-irradiated group was higher than in irradiated one; however, no significant difference was observed. Furthermore, significant differences in OCT sign were detected between sound and demineralized enamel. Based on the results obtained in the present study it can be concluded that blue radiation caused an inhibition of enamel remineralization. The methodology adopted for OCT analysis allowed the quantification of enamel mineral loss; however, the remineralization process could not be evaluated by this technique. (author)

  11. Light responses in Photoperiodism in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anthony R. Cashmore

    2006-08-01

    ADO1: An Arabidopsis blue light photoreceptor We have reported the characterization of an Arabidopsis gene encoding the ADAGIO 1 (ADO1) protein (Jarillo et al., 2001a). ADO1 contains a LOV domain, similar to WHITE COLLAR 1 (WC1), a photoreceptor for entrainment of Neurospora circadian rhythms (Froehlich et al., 2002), as well as PHOT1 and PHOT2, the blue light photoreceptors for phototropism (Briggs et al., 2001; Christie et al., 1998; Jarillo et al., 2001b; Kinoshita et al., 2001). Loss of function ado1 mutants show an unusually long periodicity for their free running circadian rhythm (Jarillo et al., 2001a). This observation holds for plants grown under white light as well as blue light and surprisingly, plants grown under red light also show altered circadian properties. The similarity of the LOV domain of ADO1 to those of PHOT1, PHOT2 and WC1 (known flavoprotein photoreceptors) as well as the genetic and molecular properties of ADO1, indicate that ADO1 is likely a new class of blue light photoreceptor. Indeed, the LOV domain of the related FKF1/ADO3 has been shown to bind FMN, and exhibit the in vitro photochemistry characteristic of PHOT1 (Imaizumi et al., 2003). Furthermore, ZTL/ADO1 has been shown to participate in the circadian and proteasome mediated degradation of the Arabidopsis clock protein, TOC1 (Mas et al., 2003). We also showed that the ado1 mutation selectively confers hypersensitivity to red light — when grown under red light (but not blue light) the ado1 mutant possesses an unusually short hypocotyl. This red light hypersensivity is even more severe in a triple ado1 ado2 ado3 mutant — ADO2 and ADO3 being the two other members of this ADAGIO gene family. This finding of a mutant phenotype under red light is somewhat unexpected for a protein thought to function as a photoreceptor for blue light. We have pursued our studies of ADO1 by preparing a mutant gene for which we have altered the codon for the cysteine residue conserved in all LOV

  12. Blue emitting 1,8-naphthalimides with electron transport properties for organic light emitting diode applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulla, Hidayath; Kiran, M. Raveendra; Garudachari, B.; Ahipa, T. N.; Tarafder, Kartick; Adhikari, Airody Vasudeva; Umesh, G.; Satyanarayan, M. N.

    2017-09-01

    In this article, the synthesis, characterization and use of two novel naphthalimides as electron-transporting emitter materials for organic light emitting diode (OLED) applications are reported. The molecules were obtained by substituting electron donating chloro-phenoxy group at the C-4 position. A detailed optical, thermal, electrochemical and related properties were systematically studied. Furthermore, theoretical calculations (DFT) were performed to get a better understanding of the electronic structures. The synthesized molecules were used as electron transporters and emitters in OLEDs with three different device configurations. The devices with the molecules showed blue emission with efficiencies of 1.89 cdA-1, 0.98 lmW-1, 0.71% at 100 cdm-2. The phosphorescent devices with naphthalimides as electron transport materials displayed better performance in comparison to the device without any electron transporting material and were analogous with the device using standard electron transporting material, Alq3. The results demonstrate that the naphthalimides could play a significant part in the progress of OLEDs.

  13. Enhanced visible-light-response photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe-loaded BiVO4 photocatalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chala, Sinaporn; Wetchakun, Khatcharin; Phanichphant, Sukon; Inceesungvorn, Burapat; Wetchakun, Natda

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Fe-loaded BiVO 4 particles were prepared by hydrothermal method. • Physicochemical properties played a significant role in photocatalytic process. • All Fe-loaded BiVO 4 samples showed higher photocatalytic activity than pure BiVO 4 . • The Fe 3+ ions may improve the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. - Abstract: Pure BiVO 4 and nominal 0.5–5.0 mol% Fe-loaded BiVO 4 samples were synthesized by hydrothermal method. All samples were characterized in order to obtain the correlation between structure and photocatalytic properties by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer, Emmett and Teller, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The structure of all samples was single-phase monoclinic scheelite. The absorption spectrum of 5.0 mol% Fe-loaded BiVO 4 shifted to the visible region, suggesting the potential application of this material as a superior visible-light driven photocatalyst in comparison with pure BiVO 4 . Photocatalytic activities of all photocatalyst samples were examined by studying the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. The results clearly showed that Fe-loaded BiVO 4 sample exhibited remarkably higher activity than pure BiVO 4

  14. The Blue Coma: The Role of Methylene Blue in Unexplained Coma After Cardiac Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Enrico Antonio; Winterton, Dario; Nardelli, Pasquale; Pasin, Laura; Calabrò, Maria Grazia; Bove, Tiziana; Fanelli, Giovanna; Zangrillo, Alberto; Landoni, Giovanni

    2016-04-01

    Methylene blue commonly is used as a dye or an antidote, but also can be used off label as a vasopressor. Serotonin toxicity is a potentially lethal and often misdiagnosed condition that can result from drug interaction. Mild serotonin toxicity previously was reported in settings in which methylene blue was used as a dye. The authors report 3 cases of life-threatening serotonin toxicity in patients undergoing chronic selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy who also underwent cardiac surgery and received methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome. An observational study. A cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) in a teaching hospital. Three patients who received methylene blue after cardiac surgery, later discovered to be undergoing chronic SSRI therapy. None. All 3 patients received high doses of fentanyl during general anesthesia. They all developed vasoplegic syndrome and consequently were given methylene blue in the ICU. All 3 patients developed serotonin toxicity, including coma, after this administration and diagnostic tests were negative for acute intracranial pathology. Coma lasted between 1 and 5 days. Two patients were discharged from the ICU shortly after awakening, whereas the third patient experienced a complicated postoperative course for concomitant refractory low-cardiac-output syndrome. Patients undergoing chronic SSRI therapy should not be administered methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    SU Bitao; WANG Ke; BAI Jie; MU Hongmei; TONG Yongchun; MIN Shixiong; SHE Shixiong; LEI Ziqiang

    2007-01-01

    Fe3+-doped TiO2 composite nanoparticles with different doping amounts were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD),transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was used as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Fe3+/TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradia-tion. The influence of doping amount of Fe3+ (ω: 0.00%-3.00%) on photocatalytic activities of TiO2 was investigated.Results show that the size of Fe3+/TiO2 particles decreases with the increase of the amount of Fe3+ and their absorptionspectra are broaden and absorption intensities are also increased. Doping Fe3+ can control the conversion of TiO2 from anatase to rutile. The doping amount of Fe3+ remarkably affects the activity of the catalyst, and the optimum efficiency occurs at about the doping amount of 0.3%. The appropriate doping of Fe3+ can markedly increase the catalytic activity of TiO2 under visible light irradiation.

  16. Stomatal Responses to Light and Drought Stress in Variegated Leaves of Hedera helix1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aphalo, Pedro J.; Sánchez, Rodolfo A.

    1986-01-01

    Direct and indirect mechanisms underlying the light response of stomata were studied in variegated leaves of the juvenile phase of Hedera helix L. Dose response curves of leaf conductance were measured with blue and red light in leaves kept in normal or in an inverted position. In the green portions of the leaves, the sensitivity to blue light was nearly 100 times higher than that to red light. No response to red light was observed in the white portions of the leaves up to 90 micromoles per square meter per second. Red light indirectly affected leaf conductance while blue light had a direct effect. Leaf conductance was found to be more sensitive to drought stress and showed a more persistent aftereffect in the white portions of the leaves. A differential effect of drought stress on the responses to blue and red light was also observed. PMID:16664900

  17. Investigation of the effects of monochromatic lights combination on Phalaenopsis orchid and chrysanthemum in vitro plant growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Tien Thanh; Nguyen Tuong Mien; Huynh Thi Trung; Vu Thi Trac; Pham Van Nhi

    2016-01-01

    Eleven independent monochromatic light combination systems were established using super blue and red light LEDs. These are adjustable for mixing ratio of red and blue lights, the intensity and time for illumination. A fluorescent light illumination system was included as control. These were used to implement experiments for investigation effects of monochromatic lights combination in in vitro plantlet fully-forming stage on in vitro plantlet fully-forming and on the development of plant in nursery of chrysanthemum and Phalaenopsis orchid. Results from these experiments showed that illumination with intensity of 750 lx and light mixture of 20% blue-80% red is suitable for Phalaenopsis orchid; illumination with intensity of 1100 lx and light mixture of 90% red light-10% blue light is suitable for chrysanthemum. (author)

  18. Light energy dissipation under water stress conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stuhlfauth, T.; Scheuermann, R.; Fock, H.P.

    1990-01-01

    Using 14 CO 2 gas exchange and metabolite analyses, stomatal as well as total internal CO 2 uptake and evolution were estimated. Pulse modulated fluorescence was measured during induction and steady state of photosynthesis. Leaf water potential of Digitalis lanata EHRH. plants decreased to -2.5 megapascals after withholding irrigation. By osmotic adjustment, leaves remained turgid and fully exposed to irradiance even at severe water stress. Due to the stress-induced reduction of stomatal conductance, the stomatal CO 2 exchange was drastically reduced, whereas the total CO 2 uptake and evolution were less affected. Stomatal closure induced an increase in the reassimilation of internally evolved CO 2 . This CO 2 -recycling consumes a significant amount of light energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents. As a consequence, the metabolic demand for light energy is only reduced by about 40%, whereas net photosynthesis is diminished by about 70% under severe stress conditions. By CO 2 recycling, carbon flux, enzymatic substrate turnover and consumption of light energy were maintained at high levels, which enabled the plant to recover rapidly after rewatering. In stressed D. lanata plants a variable fluorescence quenching mechanism, termed coefficient of actinic light quenching, was observed. Besides water conservation, light energy dissipation is essential and involves regulated metabolic variations

  19. Condition and biochemical profile of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) cultured at different depths in a cold water coastal environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallardi, Daria; Mills, Terry; Donnet, Sebastien; Parrish, Christopher C.; Murray, Harry M.

    2017-08-01

    The growth and health of cultured blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) are affected by environmental conditions. Typically, culture sites are situated in sheltered areas near shore (i.e., 20 m depth) mussel culture has been growing. This study evaluated the effect of culture depth on blue mussels in a cold water coastal environment (Newfoundland, Canada). Culture depth was examined over two years from September 2012 to September 2014; mussels from three shallow water (5 m) and three deep water (15 m) sites were compared for growth and biochemical composition; culture depths were compared for temperature and chlorophyll a. Differences between the two years examined were noted, possibly due to harsh winter conditions in the second year of the experiment. In both years shallow and deep water mussels presented similar condition; in year 2 deep water mussels had a significantly better biochemical profile. Lipid and glycogen analyses showed seasonal variations, but no significant differences between shallow and deep water were noted. Fatty acid profiles showed a significantly higher content of omega-3 s (20:5ω3; EPA) and lower content of bacterial fatty acids in deep water sites in year 2. Everything considered, deep water appeared to provide a more favorable environment for mussel growth than shallow water under harsher weather conditions.

  20. Ocular exposure to ultraviolet and visible radiation from light sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hietanen, M.

    1992-01-01

    Exposure of the eyes to UV radiation and blue light of artificial light sources and the sun was evaluated. A spectroradiometer was used to determine the spectral irradiance at 1 nm intervals from 250 to 800 nm. Various groups of workers are at risk of ocular over-exposure to optical radiation, outdoor workers maintenance personnel of bright light source as and wear eye-protectors with effective filtering of UV radiation and blue light. (author)

  1. Light quality affects flavonoid production and related gene expression in Cyclocarya paliurus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Fang, Shengzuo; Yang, Wanxia; Shang, Xulan; Fu, Xiangxiang

    2018-02-01

    Understanding the responses of plant growth and secondary metabolites to differential light conditions is very important to optimize cultivation conditions of medicinal woody plants. As a highly valued and multiple function tree species, Cyclocarya paliurus is planted and managed for timber production and medical use. In this study, LED-based light including white light (WL), blue light (BL), red light (RL), and green light (GL) were used to affect leaf biomass production, flavonoid accumulation and related gene expression of one-year C. paliurus seedlings in controlled environments. After the treatments of 60 days, the highest leaf biomass appeared in the treatment of WL, while the lowest leaf biomass was found under GL. Compared to WL, the total flavonoid contents of C. paliurus leaves were significantly higher in BL, RL, and GL, but the highest values of selected flavonoids (kaempferol, isoquercitrin and quercetin) were observed under BL. Furthermore, the greatest yields of total and selected flavonoids in C. paliurus leaves per seedling were also achieved under BL, indicating that blue light was effective for inducing the production of flavonoids in C. paliurus leaves. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations between leaf flavonoid content and relative gene expression of key enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, PAL; 4-coumaroyl CoA-ligase, 4CL; and chalcone synthase, CHS) in the upstream, which converting phenylalanine into the flavonoid skeleton of tetrahydroxy chalcone. It is concluded that manipulating light quality may be potential mean to achieve the highest yields of flavonoids in C. paliurus cultivation, however this needs to be further verified by more field trials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Qualifying lighting remodelling in a Hungarian city based on light pollution effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolláth, Z.; Dömény, A.; Kolláth, K.; Nagy, B.

    2016-01-01

    The public lighting system has been remodelled in several Hungarian cities. In some cases the majority of the old luminaries were fitted with high pressure sodium lamps and they were replaced with white LED lighting with a typical correlated colour temperature of about 4500 K. Therefore, these remodelling works provide a testbed for methods in measurements and modelling. We measured the luminance of the light domes of selected cities by DSLR photometry before and after the remodelling. Thanks to the full cut off design of the new lighting fixtures we obtained a slight decrease even in the blue part of the sky dome spectra of a tested city. However, we have to note that this positive change is the result of the bad geometry (large ULR) of the previous lighting system. Based on Monte Carlo radiative transfer calculations we provide a comparison of different indicators that can be used to qualify the remodelling, and to predict the possible changes in light pollution. - Highlights: • Changes of the skydome of a Hungarian city were measured after lighting remodelling. • The observations were compared with Monte Carlo radiation transfer calculations. • Photopic measurements demonstrate improvement in light pollution after remodelling. • However, blue rich lighting increases the risk of negative ecological effects.

  3. Utilization of visible to NIR light energy by Yb"+"3, Er"+"3 and Tm"+"3 doped BiVO_4 for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regmi, Chhabilal; Kshetri, Yuwaraj K.; Ray, Schindra Kumar; Pandey, Ramesh Prasad; Lee, Soo Wohn

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Lanthanide doped BiVO_4 as highly efficient upconversion and photocatalytic material. • Well defined beads like morphology for better photocatalytic activity. • Effective utilization of NIR and visible light for efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. • Nontoxic to human cells, potential for application in biological fields. - Abstract: Lanthanide-doped BiVO_4 semiconductors with efficient photocatalytic activities over a broad range of the solar light spectrum have been synthesized by the microwave hydrothermal method using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the as-synthesized samples were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The chemical compositions were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The toxicity of the samples was measured using Mus musculus skin melanoma cells (B16-F10 (ATCC"® CRL-6475™)) and were found to be nontoxic for human cells. The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared samples was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) degradation. The best photocatalytic activity was shown by BiVO_4 with 6:3:3 mol percentage of Yb"+"3:Er"+"3:Tm"+"3 in all solar light spectrum. The synthesized samples possess low band gap energy and a hollow structure suitable for the better photocatalytic activity. The observed NIR photoactivity supports that the upconversion mechanism is involved in the overall photocatalytic process. Therefore, this approach provides a better alternative upconversion material for integral solar light absorption.

  4. White organic light-emitting diodes utilized by near UV-deep blue emitter and exciplex emission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Young Wook; Kim, Young Min; Choi, Jin Hwan; Park, Tae Hyun; Choi, Hyun Ju; Yu, Hong Jung; Cho, Min Ju; Choi, Dong Hoon; Kim, Sung Hyun; Ju, Byeong Kwon

    2011-02-01

    Numerous investigations have been made into the development of wide color gamut displays for deep-blue OLEDs, including the RGB sub pixels, and white OLEDs (WOLEDs). One of the well known deep-blue emissive dopants, tris(phenyl-methyl-benzimidazolyl)iridium(III) [Ir(pmb)3], successfully introduced its fascinating color coordinate of Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) 1931 (0.17, 0.06), however there have been no reports utilizing its accomplishments as WOLEDs. In this report, using only one phosphorescent dopant, the near UV-deep blue emissive Ir(pmb)3, the WOLEDs having the CIE 1931 coordinate of (0.33, 0.38) at 100 cd/m2 with a color rendering index of 85 are demonstrated. The white emission of the fabricated OLEDs are oriented from the near UV-deep blue emission of Ir(pmb)3 and the successfully controlled exciplex emission, between the Ir(pmb)3-host, and the Ir(pmb)3-interfaced material.

  5. Monochromatic blue light entrains diel activity cycles in the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus (L. as measured by automated video-image analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacopo Aguzzi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available There is growing interest in developing automated, non-invasive techniques for long-lasting, laboratory-based monitoring of behaviour in organisms from deep-water continental margins which are of ecological and commercial importance. We monitored the burrow emergence rhythms in the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, which included: a characterising the regulation of behavioural activity outside the burrow under monochromatic blue light-darkness (LD cycles of 0.1 lx, recreating slope photic conditions (i.e. 200-300 m depth and constant darkness (DD, which is necessary for the study of the circadian system; b testing the performance of a newly designed digital video-image analysis system for tracking locomotor activity. We used infrared USB web cameras and customised software (in Matlab 7.1 to acquire and process digital frames of eight animals at a rate of one frame per minute under consecutive photoperiod stages for nine days each: LD, DD, and LD (subdivided into two stages, LD1 and LD2, for analysis purposes. The automated analysis allowed the production of time series of locomotor activity based on movements of the animals’ centroids. Data were studied with periodogram, waveform, and Fourier analyses. For the first time, we report robust diurnal burrow emergence rhythms during the LD period, which became weak in DD. Our results fit with field data accounting for midday peaks in catches at the depth of slopes. The comparison of the present locomotor pattern with those recorded at different light intensities clarifies the regulation of the clock of N. norvegicus at different depths.

  6. Tetracyclines function as dual-action light-activated antibiotics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya He

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI employs photosensitizing dyes activated by visible light to produce reactive oxygen species. aPDI is independent of the antibiotic resistance status of the target cells, and is thought unlikely to produce resistance itself. Among many PS that have been investigated, tetracyclines occupy a unique niche. They are potentially dual-action compounds that can both kill bacteria under illumination, and prevent bacterial regrowth by inhibiting ribosomes. Tetracycline antibiotics are regarded as bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal. Doxycycline (DOTC is excited best by UVA light (365 nm while demeclocycline (DMCT can be efficiently activated by blue light (415 nm as well as UVA. Both compounds were able to eradicate Gram-positive (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli bacteria (>6 log(10 steps of killing at concentrations (10-50μM and fluences (10-20J/cm2. In contrast to methylene blue, MB plus red light, tetracyclines photoinactivated bacteria in rich growth medium. When ~3 logs of bacteria were killed with DMCT/DOTC+light and the surviving cells were added to growth medium, further bacterial killing was observed, while the same experiment with MB allowed complete regrowth. MIC studies were carried out either in the dark or exposed to 0.5mW/cm2 blue light. Up to three extra steps (8-fold increased antibiotic activity was found with light compared to dark, with MRSA and tetracycline-resistant strains of E. coli. Tetracyclines can accumulate in bacterial ribosomes, where they could be photoactivated with blue/UVA light producing microbial killing via ROS generation.

  7. Alerting or Somnogenic Light: Pick Your Color

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourgin, Patrice; Hubbard, Jeffrey

    2016-01-01

    In mammals, light exerts pervasive effects on physiology and behavior in two ways: indirectly through clock synchronization and the phase adjustment of circadian rhythms, and directly through the promotion of alertness and sleep, respectively, in diurnal and nocturnal species. A recent report by Pilorz and colleagues describes an even more complex role for the acute effects of light. In mice, blue light acutely causes behavioral arousal, whereas green wavelengths promote sleep. These opposing effects are mediated by melanopsin-based phototransduction through different neural pathways. These findings reconcile nocturnal and diurnal species through a common alerting response to blue light. One can hypothesize that the opposite responses to natural polychromatic light in night- or day-active animals may reflect higher sensitivity of nocturnal species to green, and diurnals to blue wavelengths, resulting in hypnogenic and alerting effects, respectively. Additional questions remain to be clarified. How do different light wavelengths affect other behaviors such as mood and cognition? How do those results apply to humans? How does light pose either a risk or benefit, depending on whether one needs to be asleep or alert? Indeed, in addition to timing, luminance levels, and light exposure duration, these findings stress the need to understand how best to adapt the color spectrum of light to our needs and to take this into account for the design of daily lighting concepts—a key challenge for today’s society, especially with the emergence of LED light technology. PMID:27525420

  8. Alerting or Somnogenic Light: Pick Your Color.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrice Bourgin

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In mammals, light exerts pervasive effects on physiology and behavior in two ways: indirectly through clock synchronization and the phase adjustment of circadian rhythms, and directly through the promotion of alertness and sleep, respectively, in diurnal and nocturnal species. A recent report by Pilorz and colleagues describes an even more complex role for the acute effects of light. In mice, blue light acutely causes behavioral arousal, whereas green wavelengths promote sleep. These opposing effects are mediated by melanopsin-based phototransduction through different neural pathways. These findings reconcile nocturnal and diurnal species through a common alerting response to blue light. One can hypothesize that the opposite responses to natural polychromatic light in night- or day-active animals may reflect higher sensitivity of nocturnal species to green, and diurnals to blue wavelengths, resulting in hypnogenic and alerting effects, respectively. Additional questions remain to be clarified. How do different light wavelengths affect other behaviors such as mood and cognition? How do those results apply to humans? How does light pose either a risk or benefit, depending on whether one needs to be asleep or alert? Indeed, in addition to timing, luminance levels, and light exposure duration, these findings stress the need to understand how best to adapt the color spectrum of light to our needs and to take this into account for the design of daily lighting concepts-a key challenge for today's society, especially with the emergence of LED light technology.

  9. Adult Tea Green Leafhoppers, Empoasca onukii (Matsuda), Change Behaviors under Varying Light Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Longqing; Vasseur, Liette; Huang, Huoshui; Zeng, Zhaohua; Hu, Guiping; Liu, Xin; You, Minsheng

    2017-01-01

    Insect behaviors are often influenced by light conditions including photoperiod, light intensity, and wavelength. Understanding pest insect responses to changing light conditions may help with developing alternative strategies for pest control. Little is known about the behavioral responses of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to light conditions. The behavior of the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda, was examined when exposed to different light photoperiods or wavelengths. Observations included the frequency of locomotion and cleaning activities, and the duration of time spent searching. The results suggested that under normal photoperiod both female and male adults were generally more active in darkness (i.e., at night) than in light. In continuous darkness (DD), the locomotion and cleaning events in Period 1 (7:00-19:00) were significantly increased, when compared to the leafhoppers under normal photoperiod (LD). Leafhoppers, especially females, changed their behavioral patterns to a two day cycle under DD. Under continuous illumination (continuous quartz lamp light, yellow light at night, and green light at night), the activities of locomotion, cleaning, and searching were significantly suppressed during the night (19:00-7:00) and locomotion activities of both females and males were significantly increased during the day (7:00-19:00), suggesting a shift in circadian rhythm. Our work suggests that changes in light conditions, including photoperiod and wavelength, can influence behavioral activities of leafhoppers, potentially affecting other life history traits such as reproduction and development, and may serve as a method for leafhopper behavioral control.

  10. Light quality influences indigo precursors production and seed germination in Isatis tinctoria L. and Isatis indigotica Fort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tozzi, Sabrina; Lercari, Bartolomeo; Angelini, Luciana G

    2005-01-01

    Isatis tinctoria L. and Isatis indigotica Fort. are biennial herbaceous plants belonging to the family of Cruciferae that are used as a source of natural indigo and show several morphological and genetic differences. Production of indigo (indigotin) precursors, indican (indoxyl beta-D glucoside) and isatan B (indoxyl ketogluconate), together with seed germination ability were compared in Isatis tinctoria and Isatis indigotica grown under six different light conditions (darkness, white, red, far red, blue, yellow light) at 25 degrees C. Light quality influenced both germination and production of indigo precursors in the two Isatis species. Different responsiveness to far red and blue light was observed. Indeed, a detrimental effect on germination by blue and far red light was found in I. tinctoria only. Different amounts of isatan B were produced under red and far red light in the two Isatis species. In I. tinctoria, the level of main indigo precursor isatan B was maximal under red light and minimal under far red light. Whereas in I. indigotica far red light promoted a large accumulation of isatan B. The photon fluence rate dependency for white and yellow light responses showed that the accumulation of indigo precursors was differently influenced in the two Isatis species. In particular, both white and yellow light enhanced above 40 micromol m(-2) s(-1) the production of isatan B in I. indigotica while only white light showed a photon fluence dependency in I. tinctoria. These results suggest a different role played by the labile and stable phytochrome species (phyA and phyB) in the isatan B production in I. tinctoria and I. indigotica. I. indigotica, whose germination percentage was not influenced by light quality, demonstrated higher germination capability compared with I. tinctoria. In fact, I. tinctoria showed high frequency of germination in darkness and under light sources that establish high phytochrome photoequilibrium (red, white and yellow light

  11. Occupational exposure of welders to ultraviolet and "blue light" radiation emitted during TIG and MMA welding based on field measuremants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Wolska

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of the study was to present the results of welders' occupational exposure to "blue light" and UV radiation carried out at industrial workstations during TIG and MMA welding. Materials and methods: Measurements were performed at 13 workstations (TIG welding: 6; MMA welding: 7, at which different welding parameters and materials were used. The radiation level was measured using a wide-range radiometer and a set of detectors, whose spectral responses were adequately fit to particular hazard under study. The measurement points corresponded with the location of eye and hand. Results: The highest values of eye irradiance were found for aluminum TIG welding. Effective irradiance of actinic UV was within the range Es = 7.79-37.6 W/m2; UVA total irradiance, EUVA = 18-53.1 W/m2 and effective blue-light irradiance EB = 35-67 W/m2. The maximum allowance time ranged from 1.7 to 75 s, which means that in some cases even unintentional very short eye exposure can exceed MPE. Conclusions: The influence of welded material and the type of electrode coating on the measured radiation level were evidenced. The exceeded value of MPE for photochemical hazard arising for the eyes and skin was found at all measured workstations. Welders should use appropriately the eye and face protective equipment and avoid direct staring at welding arc when starting an arcwelding operation. Besides, the lack of head and neck skin protection can induce acute and chronic harmful health effects. Therefore, an appropriate wear of personal protective equipment is essential for welders' health. Med Pr 2013;64(1:69–82

  12. Biosynthetic pathways to delta-aminolevulinic acid induced by blue light in the pigment mutant C-2A' of Scenedesmus obliquus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, O.; Senger, H.

    1978-01-01

    The X-ray induced mutant C-2A' of Scenedesmus obliquus grows heterotrophically but forms only traces of chlorophyll in the dark. Upon illumination, delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is synthesized and chlorophyll is formed. These processes are blue light dependent and ceased immediately when the cells were transferred back into darkness. Addition of levulinic acid (LA) inhibited the light-dependent formation of chlorophyll and caused accumulation of ALA by competitive inhibition of the ALA dehydratase (EC. 4.2.1.24). By feeding specifically labelled 14 C precursors to the pigment mutant, inhibiting the ALA dehydratase with LA, accumulating, extracting and analyzing the ALA, two pathways leading towards ALA could be established: glycine and succinyl CoA can be condensed to ALA and the 5 carbon skeleton of glutamate can completely be incorporated into ALA via a second pathway. The glycine-succinyl CoA pathway dominated over the glutamate pathway, but both led to chlorophyll formation. (author)

  13. Light energy dissipation under water stress conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stuhlfauth, T.; Scheuermann, R.; Fock, H.P. (Universitaet Kaiserslautern (West Germany))

    1990-04-01

    Using {sup 14}CO{sub 2} gas exchange and metabolite analyses, stomatal as well as total internal CO{sub 2} uptake and evolution were estimated. Pulse modulated fluorescence was measured during induction and steady state of photosynthesis. Leaf water potential of Digitalis lanata EHRH. plants decreased to {minus}2.5 megapascals after withholding irrigation. By osmotic adjustment, leaves remained turgid and fully exposed to irradiance even at severe water stress. Due to the stress-induced reduction of stomatal conductance, the stomatal CO{sub 2} exchange was drastically reduced, whereas the total CO{sub 2} uptake and evolution were less affected. Stomatal closure induced an increase in the reassimilation of internally evolved CO{sub 2}. This CO{sub 2}-recycling consumes a significant amount of light energy in the form of ATP and reducing equivalents. As a consequence, the metabolic demand for light energy is only reduced by about 40%, whereas net photosynthesis is diminished by about 70% under severe stress conditions. By CO{sub 2} recycling, carbon flux, enzymatic substrate turnover and consumption of light energy were maintained at high levels, which enabled the plant to recover rapidly after rewatering. In stressed D. lanata plants a variable fluorescence quenching mechanism, termed coefficient of actinic light quenching, was observed. Besides water conservation, light energy dissipation is essential and involves regulated metabolic variations.

  14. Red light-induced shift of the fluence-response curve for first positive curvature of maize [Zea mays] coleoptiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, E.; Schäfer, E.

    1987-01-01

    The fluence-response curve for first positive phototropic curvture of dark-grown maize coleoptiles is shifted to ten-fold higher fluences if the coieoptiles are irradiated with red light 2 h prior to the phototropic induction with blue light. Fluence-response curves for this red-induced shift were obtained with unilateral red irradiations 2 h prior to inductive blue pulses of different fluences. They differ significantly depending on whether the red light was given from the same side as or the opposite side to the respective inductive blue pulse, thus demonstrating that the red light effect is a local response of the coleoptile. The fluence-response curves for an inductive blue pulse in the ascending part were compared with those for an inductive blue pulse in the descending part of the fluence-response curve for blue light induced phototropism. They are quite different in threshold of red light sensitivity and shape for irradiations from both the same and the opposite sides. This offers evidence for the hypothesis that at least two different photosystems are involved in phototropism, and that they are modulated differently by a red light preirradiation. All these fluence-response curves indicate that it is possible to increase the response in the coleoptile, if the red light preirradiation is given opposite to the inductive blue pulse. This is supported by blue light fluence-response curves obtained after a weak unilateral red preirradiation. (author)

  15. Strong violet-blue light photoluminescence emission at room temperature in SrZrO3: Joint experimental and theoretical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longo, V.M.; Cavalcante, L.S.; Erlo, R.; Mastelaro, V.R.; Figueiredo, A.T. de; Sambrano, J.R.; Lazaro, S. de; Freitas, A.Z.; Gomes, L.; Vieira, N.D.; Varela, J.A.; Longo, Elson

    2008-01-01

    Ultrafine ordered and disordered SrZrO 3 powders were prepared by the polymeric precursor method. The structural evolution from structural disorder to order was monitored by X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy. Complex cluster vacancies [ZrO 5 .V O Z ]and[SrO 11 .V O Z ] (where V O Z =V O X , V O · andV O ·· ) were proposed for disordered powders. The intense violet-blue light photoluminescence emission measured at room temperature in the disordered powders was attributed to complex cluster vacancies. High-level quantum mechanical calculations within the density functional theory framework were used to interpret the experimental results

  16. A comparison of color fidelity metrics for light sources using simulation of color samples under lighting conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Hyeokjun; Kang, Yoojin; Jang, Junwoo

    2017-09-01

    Color fidelity has been used as one of indices to evaluate the performance of light sources. Since the Color Rendering Index (CRI) was proposed at CIE, many color fidelity metrics have been proposed to increase the accuracy of the metric. This paper focuses on a comparison of the color fidelity metrics in an aspect of accuracy with human visual assessments. To visually evaluate the color fidelity of light sources, we made a simulator that reproduces the color samples under lighting conditions. In this paper, eighteen color samples of the Macbeth color checker under test light sources and reference illuminant for each of them are simulated and displayed on a well-characterized monitor. With only a spectrum set of the test light source and reference illuminant, color samples under any lighting condition can be reproduced. In this paper, the spectrums of the two LED and two OLED light sources that have similar values of CRI are used for the visual assessment. In addition, the results of the visual assessment are compared with the two color fidelity metrics that include CRI and IES TM-30-15 (Rf), proposed by Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) in 2015. Experimental results indicate that Rf outperforms CRI in terms of the correlation with visual assessment.

  17. Preparation of reduced graphene oxide/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs ternary composites and their visible-light-induced photocatalytic degradation n of methylene blue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yongfang; Ma, Zheng; Xu, Lidong; Wang, Hefang; Fu, Nian

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Reduced graphene oxide/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs (RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs) ternary composites were prepared via the addition of graphene oxide to the dispersion of meso-TiO_2/AuNPs under a hydrothermal condition. The RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs ternary composites show high photocatalytic activity toward MB. - Highlights: • RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs were obtained by addition of graphene oxide to meso-TiO_2/AuNPs. • Au NPs in the mesopores of meso-TiO_2 reduce the recombination of charge carriers. • RGO covered with the surface of the meso-TiO_2 enhance the adsorption of MB. • RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs composites show high photocatalytic performance toward MB. - Abstract: Reduced graphene oxide/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs (RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs) ternary composites were prepared via the addition of graphene oxide to the dispersion of meso-TiO_2/AuNPs under hydrothermal conditions. The structure and the morphology of the RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of RGO/meso-TiO_2/AuNPs was evaluated by degradation of methyl blue (MB) under visible-light illumination. The ternary composites present an extended light absorption range, efficient charge separation properties, high adsorption ability for MB and high photocatalytic degradation activity of MB compared to the meso-TiO_2 and meso-TiO_2/AuNPs.

  18. Distant Measurement of Plethysmographic Signal in Various Lighting Conditions Using Configurable Frame-Rate Camera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Przybyło Jaromir

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Videoplethysmography is currently recognized as a promising noninvasive heart rate measurement method advantageous for ubiquitous monitoring of humans in natural living conditions. Although the method is considered for application in several areas including telemedicine, sports and assisted living, its dependence on lighting conditions and camera performance is still not investigated enough. In this paper we report on research of various image acquisition aspects including the lighting spectrum, frame rate and compression. In the experimental part, we recorded five video sequences in various lighting conditions (fluorescent artificial light, dim daylight, infrared light, incandescent light bulb using a programmable frame rate camera and a pulse oximeter as the reference. For a video sequence-based heart rate measurement we implemented a pulse detection algorithm based on the power spectral density, estimated using Welch’s technique. The results showed that lighting conditions and selected video camera settings including compression and the sampling frequency influence the heart rate detection accuracy. The average heart rate error also varies from 0.35 beats per minute (bpm for fluorescent light to 6.6 bpm for dim daylight.

  19. Patterns of smoking and its association with psychosocial work conditions among blue-collar and service employees of hospitality venues in Shenyang, PR China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xun; Liang, Huiying; Li, Xuelian; Guan, Peng; Yin, Zhihua; Zhou, Baosen

    2010-01-27

    To characterize the smoking patterns of hospitality employees in blue-collar and service occupations, and to examine its relations with psychosocial work conditions. The Shenyang Hospitality Industry Employees Survey-a face-to-face cross-sectional study of representative hospitality industry employees-was conducted between March and July 2008. A total of 4,213 workers were selected using stratified random cluster sampling designs, and final analyses were performed on 2,508 blue-collar and service subjects. Multilevel-logistic regression models were used to estimate the contribution of psychosocial work conditions to smoking status. Blue-collar and service employees smoked at a rate 1.4 times that of the general population (49.4% vs. 35.8%), more particularly for females (12.9% vs. 3.08%). Strain jobs had significantly higher odds ratio of daily smoking (OR 2.09, 95%CI: 1.28-3.41) compared to the relaxed category. The passive jobs (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.27 to 3.17), highest job demands (OR 1.72, 95%CI: 1.13-2.61), and lowest job control (OR 2.56, 95%CI: 1.57-4.16) were also associated with a significantly higher daily smoking ratio. The negative relationship between job stability and smoking behavior was slightly stronger among daily than occasional smokers. However, neither job strain nor any of its components was found to be significantly associated with occasional smoking. Smoking in hospitality blue-collar and service employees is certainly a major occupational health problem in Shenyang. This evidence also suggests an association between psychosocial-work conditions and smoking status, and implies that more intervention studies where changes in work environment are carried out in combination with health promotion interventions should be performed.

  20. [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine as Building Blocks for Universal Host Materials for High-Performance Red, Green, Blue and White Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Wenxuan; Shi, Lijiang; Gao, Lei; Hu, Peijun; Mu, Haichuan; Xia, Zhenyuan; Huang, Jinhai; Su, Jianhua

    2018-02-14

    The electron-accepting [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine (TP) moiety was introduced to build bipolar host materials for the first time, and two host materials based on this TP acceptor and carbazole donor, namely, 9,9'-(2-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(9H-carbazole) (o-CzTP) and 9,9'-(5-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-2-yl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(9H-carbazole) (m-CzTP), were designed and synthesized. These two TP-based host materials possess a high triplet energy (>2.9 eV) and appropriate highest occupied molecular orbital/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels as well as the bipolar transporting feature, which permits their applicability as universal host materials in multicolor phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (PhOLEDs). Blue, green, and red PhOLEDs based on o-CzTP and m-CzTP with the same device configuration all show high efficiencies and low efficiency roll-off. The devices hosted by o-CzTP exhibit maximum external quantum efficiencies (η ext ) of 27.1, 25.0, and 15.8% for blue, green, and red light emitting, respectively, which are comparable with the best electroluminescene performance reported for FIrpic-based blue, Ir(ppy) 3 -based green, and Ir(pq) 2 (acac)-based red PhOLEDs equipped with a single-component host. The white PhOLEDs based on the o-CzTP host and three lumophors containing red, green, and blue emitting layers were fabricated with the same device structure, which exhibit a maximum current efficiency and η c of 40.4 cd/A and 17.8%, respectively, with the color rendering index value of 75.