The cluster representation matrices have already been successfully used to enumerate close-packed vacancy clusters in all single-lattice crystals [I, 2]. Point defect clusters in double-lattice crystals may have identical geometry but are distinct due to unique atomic postions enclosing them. The method of representation matrices is extended to make it applicable to represent and enumerate ...

Background: Similar to the thermoluminescence (TL) spectra, the optical parameters variations can also be used in TL crystals for dosimetry purposes. These optical parameters can include absorption, transmission and reflection coefficients. Materials and Methods: Single crystals of KBr and KCl which have been used in this research were grown from laboratory grade extra pure precursor p...

The study of amino acid based nonlinear optical (NLO) materials with optimum physical properties is an important area due to their practical applications such as optical communication, optical computing, optical information processing, optical disk data storage, laser fusion reactions, laser remote sensing, colour display, medical diagnostics, etc. Also, microelectronic industries require cryst...

Outer spore envelope proteins of pathogenic bacteria often present specific virulence factors and tools to evade the defence system of their hosts. Brevibacillus laterosporus, a pathogen of invertebrates and an antimicrobial-producing species, is characterised by a unique spore coat and canoe-shaped parasporal body (SC-CSPB) complex surrounding the core spore. In the present study, we identifie...

Induction of L-form bacteria from Bacillus thuringiensis was investigated with the long-term view of their use as targeted biological control agents within plants. L-forms were successfully induced from B. thuringiensis subspecies israelensis 36-3 by preparing pour plates of exponential cultures in L-phase medium (LPM) containing 175 g ml -1 cephalosporin C. The induced L-forms were then subcul...

An unusual property, human leukemic cell-recognizing activity, associated with parasporal inclusions of a noninsecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis soil isolate was investigated, and a protein (named parasporin in this study) responsible for the activity was cloned. The parasporin, encoded by a gene 2,169 bp long, was a polypeptide of 723 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 81...