Mircrofabricating double-sided polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) artificial phylloplane for microbial food safety research.

Leafy green surface microbiology studies often experience significant variations in results due to the heterogeneous nature of leaf surfaces. To provide a precise and controllable substitute, we microfabricated double-sided artificial leafy green phylloplanes using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a vinyl-terminated polyethylene glycol chain-based hydrophobicity modifier (PDMS-PEG) to modify PDMS hydrophobicity. We further tested the properties and applications of these artificial leaves, by examining the function of epicuticular wax, growth and survival of E. coli O157:H7 87-23 on the surface, and removal of attached E. coli cells via sanitation. The double-sided PDMS-PDMS-PEG leaves well-replicated their natural counterparts in macroscopic and microscopic structure, hydrophobicity, and E. coli O157:H7 87-23 attachment. After depositing natural epicuticular wax onto artificial leaves, the leaf surface wetting ability decreased, while E. coli O157:H7 87-23 surface retention increased. The artificial leaves supplied with lettuce lysate or bacterial growth media supported E. coli O157:H7 87-23 growth and survival similarly to those on natural leaves. In the sanitation test, the artificial lettuce leaves also displayed patterns similar to those of natural leaves regarding sanitizer efficiency. Overall, this study showcased the microfabrication and applications of double-sided PDMS-PDMS-PEG leaves as a replicable and controllable platform for future leafy green food safety studies.

Fates of attached E. coli o157:h7 on intact leaf surfaces revealed leafy green susceptibility.

Leafy greens, especially lettuce, are repeatedly linked to foodborne outbreaks. This paper studied the susceptibility of different leafy greens to human pathogens. Five commonly consumed leafy greens, including romaine lettuce, green-leaf lettuce, baby spinach, kale, and collard, were selected by their outbreak frequencies. The behavior of E. coli O157:H7 87-23 on intact leaf surfaces and in their lysates was investigated. Bacterial attachment was positively correlated with leaf surface roughness and affected by the epicuticular wax composition. At room temperature, E. coli O157:H7 had the best growth potentials on romaine and green-leaf lettuce surfaces. The bacterial growth was positively correlated with stomata size and affected by epicuticular wax compositions. At 37 °C, E. coli O157:H7 87-23 was largely inhibited by spinach and collard lysates, and it became undetectable in kale lysate after 24 h of incubation. Kale and collard lysates also delayed or partially inhibited the bacterial growth in TSB and lettuce lysate at 37 °C, and they sharply reduced the E. coli O157:H7 population on green leaf lettuce at 4 °C. In summary, the susceptibility of leafy greens to E. coli O157:H7 is determined by a produce-specific combination of physiochemical properties and temperature.

Prenyllongnols A-D, New Prenylated Acylphloroglucinols that Fight Concanavalin A-Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis is a serious hepatic disorder with unknown nosogenesis, and natural products have been deemed to be one of the most significant sources of new drugs against this disease. Prenyllongnols A-D (1-4), four undescribed prenylated acylphloroglucinols, were isolated from Hypericum longistylum. Compounds 1-4 exhibited remarkable immunosuppressive activities in murine splenocyte proliferation under the induction of concanavalin A (Con A), and IC50 values ranged from 2.98 ± 0.21 to 6.34 ± 0.72 µM. Furthermore, in a Con A-challenged autoimmune hepatitis mouse model, the mice in the group that were pretreated with isolate 2 significantly ameliorated liver injury and decreased proinflammatory cytokine production. Notably, natural product 2 was the first prenylated acylphloroglucinol to protect against concanavalin A-induced autoimmune hepatitis. This finding underscores the potential of prenylated acylphloroglucinol-type metabolites as promising candidates for designing novel immunosuppressors in the quest for new antiautoimmune hepatitis drugs.

Formula Milk Supplementation and Bone Acquisition in 4-6 Years Chinese Children: A 12-Month Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dairy foods are crucial for adequate calcium intake in young children, but scarce data are available on the effects of formula milk on bone acquisition. This cluster-randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of the supplementation of formula milk on bone health in rural children accustomed to a low-calcium diet between September 2021 and September 2022. We recruited 196 healthy children aged 4-6 years from two kindergartens in Huining County, Northwest China. A class-based randomization was used to assign them to receive 60 g of formula milk powder containing 720 mg calcium and 4.5 µg vitamin D or 20-30 g of bread per day for 12 months, respectively. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) at the left forearm and calcaneus, bone biomarkers, bone-related hormones/growth factors, and body measures were determined at baseline, 6, and 12 months. A total of 174 children completed the trial and were included in the analysis. Compared with the control group, formula milk intervention showed significant extra increments in BMD (3.77% and 6.66%) and BMC (4.55% and 5.76%) at the left forearm at 6th and 12th months post-intervention (all p < 0.001), respectively. Similar trends were observed in BMD (2.83%) and BMC (2.38%) in the left calcaneus at 6 months (p < 0.05). The milk intervention (vs. control) also showed significant changes in the serum concentrations of osteocalcin level (-7.59%, p = 0.012), 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D (+5.54%, p = 0.001), parathyroid hormone concentration (-15.22%, p = 0.003), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (+8.36%, p = 0.014). The percentage increases in height were 0.34%, 0.45%, and 0.42% higher in the milk group than in the control group after 3-, 6-, and 9-month intervention, respectively (p < 0.05). In summary, formula milk supplementation enhances bone acquisition at the left forearm in young Chinese children.

[Role of NLRP3 inflammasome in diabetic neuropathy and prevention and treatment with traditional Chinese medicine].

As one of the most frequent complications of diabetes, diabetic neuropathy often involves peripheral and central nervous systems. Neuroinflammation is the key pathogenic factor of secondary nerve injury in diabetes. NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3(NLRP3) inflammasome is a group of subcellular multiprotein complexes, including NLRP3, apoptosis associated speck-like protein(ASC), and pro-cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 1(pro-caspase-1). NLRP3 inflammasome is an inducer of innate immune responses. Its activation stimulates the inflammatory cascade reaction, promotes the release of inflammatory mediators, triggers cell death and uncontrolled autophagy, activates glial cells, facilitates peripheral immune cell infiltration, and initiates amyoid ß(Aß)-tau cascade reactions. As a result, it contributes to the central nerve, somatic nerve, autonomic nerve, and retinal nerve cell damage secondary to diabetes. Therefore, due to its key role in the neuroinflammation responses of the body, NLRP3 inflammasome may provide new targets for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. With multi-target and low-toxicity advantages, traditional Chinese medicine plays a vital role in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Accumulating evidence has shown that traditional Chinese medicine exerts curative effects on diabetic neuropathy possibly through regulating NLRP3 inflammasome. Although the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in diabetes and related complications has been investigated in the literature, systematical studies on drugs and mechanism analysis for secondary neuropathy are still lacking. In this article, the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in diabetic neuropathy was explored, and the research progress on traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy through NLRP3 inflammasome was reviewed.

Effect of thermal hydrolyzed sludge filtrate as an external carbon source on biological nutrient removal performance of A2/O system.

Thermal hydrolyzed sludge filtrate (THSF) rich in biodegradable organics could be a promising external carbon source for biological nutrient removal (BNR). The use of THSF can effectively reduce wastewater treatment plants operating costs and recover bioresources and bioenergy from the waste activated sludge. In this study, the effect of THSF on the BNR process was investigated using a lab-scale anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A2/O) system. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies of 74.26 ± 3.36% and 92.20 ± 3.13% at a 0.3% dosing ratio were achieved, respectively. Moreover, 20.42% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) contained in THSF contributed to denitrification, enhancing nitrogen removal efficiency from 55.30 to 74.26%. However, the effluent COD increased by approximately 36.80%, due to 18.39% of the COD contained in THSF discharged with effluent. In addition, the maximum denitrification rate was approximately 16.01 mg N g VSS-1 h-1, while the nitrification rate was not significantly affected by THSF. Nitrosomonas, a common chemoautotrophic nitrifier, was not detected after the introduction of THSF. The aerobic denitrifier Rubellimicrobium was stimulated, and its relative abundance increased from 0.16 to 3.03%. Moreover, the relative abundance of Dechloromonas was 3.93%, indicating that the denitrifying phosphorus removal process was enhanced. This study proposes an engineering application route of THSF, and the chemical phosphate removal pretreatment might be a means to suppress the phosphate recirculation.

Assessment of comprehensiveness of Medicare Part B provider-level data sets within dermatology.

Publicly available provider-level Medicare Part B data sets have been increasingly utilized for health services research in dermatology. Despite offering detailed insights, an important limitation of these data sets is suppression of services performed for < 11 Medicare beneficiaries at the level of each provider. This longitudinal review assesses the magnitude of this limitation by comparing service counts in provider-level Medicare data sets to those in aggregate data sets, ultimately identifying a concordance rate of 94.3% for dermatology services. However, facility-based visits (52.5%), inpatient evaluation and management visits (59.7%), phototherapy (62.9%), incision and drainage (61.1%), and nail procedures (38.0%) were less well-represented in the provider-level data sets. Provider-level data sets are most suitable for assessing dermatology services in aggregate and among specific high-volume procedure groups but alternative data sets should be considered when investigating inpatient services, facility-based services (more common in certain states), or rarely performed procedures.

In Situ Polymerization of Aniline Derivative in Vivo for NIR-II Phototheranostics of Tumor.

Natural biopolymers can be controllably in situ synthesized in organisms and play important roles in biological activities. Inspired by this, the manipulation of in situ biosynthesis of functional polymers in vivo will be an important way to obtain materials for meeting biological requirements. Herein, in situ biosynthesis of functional conjugated polymer at the tumor site was achieved via the utilization of specific tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics for the first time. Specially, a water-soluble aniline dimer derivative (N-(3-sulfopropyl) p-aminodiphenylamine, SPA) was artfully in situ polymerized into polySPA (PSPA) nanoparticles at the tumor site, which was activated via the catalysis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) overexpressed in TME to produce hydroxyl radical (•OH) by coinjected horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Benefiting from outstanding near-infrared (NIR)-II absorption of PSPA, the in situ polymerization process can be validly monitored by photoacoustic (PA) signal at the NIR-II region. Meanwhile, in situ polymerization would induce the size of polymeric materials from small to large, improving the distribution and retention of PSPA at the tumor site. On the combination of NIR-II absorption of PSPA and the size variation induced by polymerization, such polymerization can be applied for tumor-specific NIR-II light mediated PA image and photothermal inhibition of tumors, enhancing the precision and efficacy of tumor phototheranostics. Therefore, the present work opens the way to manipulate TME-activated in situ biosynthesis of functional conjugated polymer at the tumor site for overcoming formidable challenges in tumor theranostics.

A Qualitative Analysis of Cultured Adventitious Ginseng Root's Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Effects.

The cultivation of ginseng in fields is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Thus, culturing adventitious ginseng root in vitro constitutes an effective approach to accumulating ginsenosides. In this study, we employed UPLC-QTOF-MS to analyze the composition of the cultured adventitious root (cAR) of ginseng, identifying 60 chemical ingredients. We also investigated the immunomodulatory effect of cAR extract using various mouse models. The results demonstrated that the cAR extract showed significant activity in enhancing the immune response in mice. The mechanism underlying the immunomodulatory effect of cAR was analyzed through network pharmacology analysis, revealing potential 'key protein targets', namely TNF, AKT1, IL-6, VEGFA, and IL-1ß, affected by potential 'key components', namely the ginsenosides PPT, F1, Rh2, CK, and 20(S)-Rg3. The signaling pathways PI3K-Akt, AGE-RAGE, and MAPK may play a vital role in this process.

[Clinical observation of acupotomy combined with warm needling for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy of qi and blood stagnation syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupotomy combined with warm needling on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) of qi and blood stagnation syndrome. METHODS: A total of 90 CSR patients were randomly divided into an acupotomy group, a warm needling group and a combined treatment group, with 30 cases in each group. The patients in the acupotomy group were treated with acupotomy, once every 7 days, consecutively for 3 times. The patients in the warm needling group received warm needling, once daily, at the interval of 2 days after consecutive treatments for 5 days, 7 days as one session of treatment and 3 consecutive sessions were required. The patients in the combined treatment group were treated with acupotomy and warm needling, and the methods and the treatment session were same as the the previous two groups. Before and after the treatment, the pain rating index (PRI) of McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) and the 20-point scale of CSR developed by Yasuhisa Tanaka (CSR20) were adopted in the assessment. The changes of clinical symptoms and functions of patients were observed and the clinical efficacy was assessed in each group. RESULTS: After the treatment, the PRI score was decreased (P<0.05) and the CSR20 score was increased (P<0.05) in the 3 treatment groups when compared with those before the treatment. After the treatment, compared with the acupotomy group and the warm needling group, the PRI score was decreased (P<0.05) and the CSR20 score was increased (P<0.05) in the combined treatment group. The total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in the acupotomy group, 76.7% (23/30) in the warm needling group and 93.3% (28/30) in the combined treatment group. The total effective rate in the combined treatment group was higher than those in the acupotomy group and the warm needling group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined treatment with acupotomy and warm needling may obviously improve the clinical symptoms and physical signs, e.g. pain and numbness in the patients with CSR of qi and blood stagnation syndrome. Its efficacy is remarkably higher than that of the simple application of acupotomy or warm needling.

Identification of antibacterial metabolites produced by a marine bacterium Halobacillus marinus HMALI004.

AIMS: This study examined and characterized the extract for metabolites of Halobacillus marinus HMALI004 to understand their antibacterial activities against opportunistic marine pathogens, that is, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae. METHODS AND RESULTS: The bacterial strain HMALI004 was characterized as H. marinus, and an antibacterial spectral test revealed its inhibition against two opportunistic marine pathogens (V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholera). Fermentation broth of strain HMALI004 was subjected to column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography to separate antibacterial substances. Two compounds were successfully isolated and identified as 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and 4-chloro-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance. The minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) values of 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and 4-chloro-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid for V. parahaemolyticus were 25 µg/ml, while their MIC values for V. cholerae were 50 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of two pathogen strains treated with 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and 4-chloro-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid were detected to investigate the antimicrobial mechanism. The results suggested that 4-chloro-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid exerted enhanced ROS production in V. parahaemolyticus, whereas 1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid had a weaker effect. Both compounds caused a significant rise in ROS production in V. cholerae, causing severe damage to the cell wall and cytoplasm, leading to cell death. CONCLUSIONS: The bacterium H. marinus HMALI004 was isolated from a shrimp pond and was found to produce antimicrobial compounds, which could inhibit the growth of opportunistic marine pathogens V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae by increasing ROS. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Successfully isolated antibacterial-producing strain, H. marinus HMALI004, and its antimicrobial compounds could be used as biological control agents for marine pathogens.

Folic Acid Rescues Valproic Acid-Induced Morphogenesis Inhibition in Neural Rosettes Derived From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The ability of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to specialize in neuroepithelial tissue makes them ideal candidates for use in the disease models of neural tube defects. In this study, we cultured hPSCs in suspension with modified neural induction method, and immunostaining was applied to detect important markers associated with cell fate and morphogenesis to verify the establishment of the neural tube model in vitro. We carried out the drug experiments to further investigate the toxicity of valproic acid (VPA) exposure and the potential protective effect of folic acid (FA). The results demonstrated that neural rosette undergoes cell fate speciation and lumen formation accompanied by a spatiotemporal shift in the expression patterns of cadherin, indicating the model was successfully established. The results showed that VPA caused morphogenesis inhibition of lumen formation by altering cytoskeletal function and cell polarization, which could be rescued by FA supplement.

Recent Advances in Clinical Diagnosis and Pharmacotherapy Options of Membranous Nephropathy.

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome among adults, which is the leading glomerular disease that recurs after kidney transplantation. Treatment for MN remained controversial and challenging, partly owing to absence of sensitive and specific biomarkers and effective therapy for prediction and diagnosis of disease activity. MN starts with the formation and deposition of circulating immune complexes on the outer area in the glomerular basement membrane, leading to complement activation. The identification of autoantibodies against the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing protein 7A (THSD7A) antigens illuminated a distinct pathophysiological rationale for MN treatments. Nowadays, detection of serum anti-PLA2R antibodies and deposited glomerular PLA2R antigen can be routinely applied to MN. Anti-PLA2R antibodies exhibited much high specificity and sensitivity. Measurement of PLA2R in immune complex deposition allows for the diagnosis of PLA2R-associated MN in patients with renal biopsies. In the review, we critically summarized newer diagnosis biomarkers including PLA2R and THSD7A tests and novel promising therapies by using traditional Chinese medicines such as Astragalus membranaceus, Tripterygium wilfordii, and Astragaloside IV for the treatment of MN patients. We also described unresolved questions and future challenges to reveal the diagnosis and treatments of MN. These unprecedented breakthroughs were quickly translated to clinical diagnosis and management. Considerable advances of detection methods played a critical role in diagnosis and monitoring of treatment.

Hypomagnesemia in intestinal lymphangiectasia: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare disease characterized by dilation of lymphatic vessels and leakage of lymphatic fluids into the intestinal lumen, causing depletion of lymphocytes, protein, lipids, fat-soluble vitamins, and electrolytes. Hypomagnesemia can occur in IL patients but is seldom discussed. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old Tibetan woman who had chronic diarrhea, edema, tetany, and tingling was diagnosed with IL. Prominent hypomagnesemia was noticed. She was treated with a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) diet and nutrient supplementation with satisfactory results. We also present a systematic review of hypomagnesemia in IL cases from the published literature. CONCLUSIONS: Hypomagnesemia may be an overlooked complication of IL, thus monitoring serum magnesium concentrations in IL patients is crucial.

Discovery of Undescribed Monoterpenoid Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinols with Immunosuppressive Activities from Hypericum longistylum.

Acylphlorostylums A-G (1-7), seven undescribed monoterpenoid polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, were isolated and identified from Hypericum longistylum. Significantly, acylphlorostylums A and B were the first monoterpenoid polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols possessing a dodecahydro-1H-benzo [b]cyclopenta [e]oxepine moiety bearing a 6/7/5 fused tricyclic ring system that assembled by the attack from 4-OH to C-13. In addition, acylphlorostylums A-G exhibited moderate in vitro immunosuppressive activity in anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies, lipopolysaccharide and concanavalin A-induced murine splenocyte proliferation, with IC50 values ranging from 1.51 ± 0.12 to 18.49 ± 1.67 µM, underscoring those isolates as novel chemical templates in the development of novel immunosuppressors.

Contact dermatitis and nutrition.

There is a worldwide increase in food and nutrition-related contact dermatitis, including irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, systemic contact dermatitis, protein contact dermatitis, and photocontact dermatitis. A wide range of patients is affected by this condition, from those who consume certain foods as part of their diet to workers who handle food occupationally. Patch testing, analytical chemistry, and reporting may help in timely recognition of contact allergens. Elimination of exposure to the known food or supplement is imperative for treatment. Currently, more research is needed in order to better define the role that nutrition plays in contact dermatitis.

Discovery of immunosuppressive Lupane-type Triterpenoids from Hypericum longistylum.

The phytochemistry study of Hypericum longistylum afforded one new degraded lupane-type triterpenoid, triterhyper A (1), and seven known congeners (2-8). The structures of those natural products were identified by extensive spectroscopic techniques and single crystal diffraction tests. Notably, triterhyper A (1) possessing an unusual 28-nor-lupane skeleton. More significantly, compounds 1-3 exhibited potential inhibitory effects on murine splenocytes proliferation stimulated by anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), with IC50 values ranging from (4.56 ± 0.45) µM to (18.34 ± 2.34) µM, highlighting that those isolates as potential lead compounds in the development of immunosuppressive drugs for autoimmune disease treatment.

Nutrition and urticaria.

Urticaria is a distressing dermatologic condition for many. Although the wheals of urticaria are characteristically evanescent, lasting less than 24 hours, patients tend to have recurrent episodes. Hives that last less than 6 weeks are considered acute urticaria. Acute urticaria does not routinely require supplementary work-up because the history often identifies a convincing, inciting allergen. Chronic urticaria is defined as episodes that occur for longer than 6 weeks, and there is often not an easily identifiable trigger. For both acute and chronic urticaria, patients frequently report food as a precipitating cause. For acute urticaria, the foods that are associated with true allergies, such as nuts and shellfish, are the most frequent offenders. The relationship between diet and chronic urticaria is not as firmly defined. Many patients unnecessarily restrict their diets, so it becomes the role of dermatologists to help patients identify if there is a reproducible link between their symptoms and their dietary exposures. The literature suggests that diets free from pseudoallergens and histamine-releasing foods may attenuate urticaria. Supplements such as fats, vitamin D, iron, and flavonoids have also been studied and may diminish symptoms.

Treatment of facial and non-facial lentigines with a 730 nm picosecond titanium: Sapphire laser is safe and effective.

OBJECTIVE: A 730 nm picosecond-domain laser was developed to improve the clearance of pigmented lesion and reduce adverse events. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of this system for the clearance of lentigines and explores how the short picosecond pulses interact with tissue via histology. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types II-IV were enrolled in this prospective, IRB-approved study. Four treatments were administered using a 730 nm picosecond-domain laser. Pre- and posttreatment photos were assessed by blinded reviewers at 4- and 12-week follow-up visits, using a 5-point clearance scale. Subject satisfaction was measured using a 5-point scale. Investigator Global Improvement Score (IGIS) was performed at the 4- and 12-week follow-up visits, using an 11-point clearance scale. Subject pain level was measured using an 11-point scale (no pain [0], extreme pain [10]). Histology of 730 and 532 nm picosecond pulses was compared with 755 and 532 nm nanosecond pulses. RESULTS: Sixteen subjects with a total of 118 discontinuous treatment areas, each comprised of 1-20 lesions, completed all study visits. Thirty body regions were studied, including arms (6), hands (16), scalp (1), forehead (2), face (3), and back (2). Spot sizes ranging from 2 to 5 mm diameters were used with fluences ranging from 0.8 to 4.0 J/cm2 . Mean pain score was 3.6 of 10 for all four treatments. Ninety-nine percent of randomly paired 4-week posttreatment images and 100% of 12-week posttreatment images were correctly identified from their respective baseline images by three blinded reviewers. Mean IGIS demonstrated scores of 6.7 and 7.0 at 4- and 12-week follow-up visits, respectively. At the 4- and 12-week follow-up visits, 76% and 73% of subjects, respectively, were satisfied to highly satisfied. The mean clearance score for all 118 treatment areas was 3 of 4 in follow-up visits. At 12-week follow-up, 36% of 118 treatment areas had a clearance score of 4, and 38% had a clearance score of 3. Post treatment, there was typical erythema, edema, dryness, crusting, and itching but negligible purpura, no pinpoint bleeding, blistering or scarring, and no significant hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. Histology showed diffuse, focal epidermal vacuolization ~5-10 µm in diameter and mild extravasation of erythrocytes with 730 nm picosecond pulses, while diffuse epidermal vacuolization was observed with coalescence of vacuoles (~20-100 µm), junctional clefting and mild extravasation of erythrocytes with 755 nm nanosecond pulses. Picosecond pulses of the wavelength of 532 nm produced diffuse, focal epidermal vacuolization and larger dermal vacuoles to depths of 500 µm, while 532 nm nanosecond pulses produced diffuse epidermal vacuolization with coalescence of vacuoles and marked dermal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential of a new 730 nm picosecond-domain laser for the clearance of lentigines. The results showed good clearance with no adverse events and good subject satisfaction in patients with skin type II-III. Additional studies need to be conducted on darker skin types. The histopathologic findings demonstrate that the picosecond 730 nm laser produces excellent selectivity for pigment with minimal disruption of the dermal-epidermal junction and may therefore reduce healing times and the risk of adverse events.