Abstract: Fluorescent dyes useful for detecting a target material in biological assays an electron donating moiety which is linked by a conjugated ?-electron bridge to an electron accepting moiety. The ?-electron bridge includes at least one carbocyclic ring structure or heterocyclic ring structure. The electron accepting moiety is a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, or has the formula: wherein: X8 is selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, and (CH2)n6-Z2?, where Z2? is a monovalent anion; and n6 is an integer from 1 through 10; and Q3 is O or S.

Abstract: The invention includes a composition for an optical fiber coating. An inventive composition includes a non-thiol functional adhesion promoter and less than about 0.5 pph of a strength additive containing a thiol functional group. The invention further includes an optical fiber coated with the inventive composition. A second inventive composition includes a photo-polymerizable composition which contains an adhesion promoter and a non-silicon containing strength additive containing at least about one thiol functional group. A third inventive composition includes a photo-polymerizable composition which has a silane containing adhesion promoter and a strength additive containing at least about one halide functional group. The invention also includes an optical fiber coated with the inventive coating and methods of making an optical fiber including the inventive coating.