In this paper, we consider a method of laser resection using the silica glass core from which the cladding layer has been removed as the cutting part of a laser scalpel. An absorbing layer coating the silica fiber tip markedly alters its biotissue cutting characteristics. The results of histological studies of skin after exposure to a laser scalpel with and without a strongly absorbing coating (SAC) at a wavelength of 0.97 μm show that resection using a coated scalpel is more sparing. When an uncoated scalpel was used, skin injury was more apparent in both its surface spread and the depth of structural damage, resulting in poorer tissue regeneration.

A group of variously colored proteins belonging to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) family are responsible for coloring coral tissues. Corals of the Great Barrier Reef were studied with the custom-built fiber laser fluorescence spectrometers. Spectral analysis showed that most of the examined corals contained multiple fluorescent peaks ranging from 470 to 620 nm. This observation was attributed to the presence of multiple genes of GFP-like proteins in a single coral, as well as by the photo-induced post-translational modifications of certain GFP-like proteins. We isolated a novel photo-convertible fluorescent protein (FP) from one of the tested corals. We propose that two processes may explain the observed diversity of the fluorescent spectra in corals: (1) dark post-translational modification (maturation), and (2) color photo-conversion of certain maturated proteins in response to sunlight.