Model prediction of inactivation of Aeromonas salmonicida grown on poultry in situ by intense pulsed light

The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the inactivation effect of intense pulsed light(IPL)on Aeromonas salmonicida grown on chicken meat and skin,and to further develop prediction models of inactivation.In this work,chicken meat and skin inoculated with meat-borne A.salmonicida isolates were subjected to IPL treatments under different conditions.The results showed that IPL had obvious bactericidal effect in the chicken skin and thickness groups when the treatment voltage and time were 7 V combined with 5 s.In addition,the lethality curves of A.salmonicida were fitted under IPL conditions of 3.5-7.5 V.The comparison of statistical parameters revealed that the Weibull model could best fit the mortality curves and could accurately predict the mortality dynamic of A.salmonicida grown on chicken skin.And further a secondary model between the scale factor b and the treatment voltage in Weibull model was established using linear equations,which determined that the secondary model could accurately predict the inactivation of A.salmonicida.This study provides a theoretical basis for future prediction models of Aeromonas,and also provides new ideas for sterilization approaches of meat-borne Aeromonas.

The Effect of Intense Pulsed Light Treatment for Chronic Hordeolum

Objective To evaluate the effect of intense pulsed light(IPL)in the treatment of chronic hordeolum.Methods Patients with chronic hordeolum who underwent IPL treatment were enrolled in this study.According to the severity of hordeolum,the patients were treated with IPL 3 to 5 times.Patients’satisfaction and visual analog scale scores for ocular discomfort symptoms before and after treatment were collected.The number,congestion,long diameter,short diameter and area of nodules were also recorded and measured.Finally,eyelid margin signs,meibum quality,meibomian gland expressibility,meibomian gland dropout,tear meniscus height,and corneal fluorescein staining were scored.Results 20 patients were enrolled in this study.The eyelid margins were congestive and swollen,with blunt rounding or irregularity.The meibum was cloudy or toothpaste-like.The meibomian gland expressibility,meibomian gland dropout and tear meniscus height were reduced.The cornea showed scattered fluorescein staining.After treatment,score of visual analog scale,congestion and size of nodules were significantly reduced.Eyelid margin signs,meibum quality,meibomian gland expressibility,tear meniscus height and corneal fluorescein staining scores were improved.Meibomian gland dropout had no significant change.No side effects occurred during treatment.Conclusions IPL is beneficial for the treatment of chronic hordeolum.

Novel intense pulsed light-photodynamic therapy strategy in the treatment of facial actinic keratoses concomitant with rosacea

Rosacea presents as transient or persistent erythema,papules,pustules,fAushing,and telangi-ectasia on the middle of the face,which has some clinical similarity with act inic keratosis(AK).These two conditions can coexist in the same patient.Dermoscopy and reflect ance confocal microscopy(RCM)could be useful methods for diagnosis and monitoring treatment efficacy.Novel intense pulsed light-photodynamic therapy(IPL-PDT)may have better tolerance and curative effect than traditional red-light 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy(ALA-PDT).Herein,we present a case of facial AKs concomitant with rosacea where combination therapy of novel IPL-PDT and oral minocycline was effective in that AK lesions were eliminated and the patient's facial erythema and telangiectasia were significantly improved.

Intense pulsed light‑based treatment for the improvement of symptoms in glaucoma patients treated with hypotensive eye drops

Background:Ocular surface disease in glaucoma patients is a significant ocular co-morbidity that can affect 40%to 59%of these patients worldwide.The current study was aimed at evaluating the potential clinical benefit of an intense pulsed light(IPL)-based treatment in glaucomatous patients with ocular surface disease due to prolonged hypotensive eyedrop treatments.To our knowledge,this is the first series analyzing the therapeutic effect of this treatment option in this type of patients.Methods:This non-comparative prospective case series study enrolled a total of 30 glaucoma patients ranging in age from 57 to 94 years old and treated with hypotensive eyedrops for years with dry eye symptomatology.All patients received four sessions of IPL treatment using the Optima IPL system(Lumenis,Yokneam,Israel)adjusted to the official optimized Lumenis setting.Changes in symptomatology,corneal staining,conjunctival hyperemia,non-invasive break-up time(NIBUT),tear osmolarity,tear meniscus height(TMH),meiboscore and meibomian gland expressibility was analyzed after treatment.Results:Statistically significant reductions were observed after IPL treatment in the symptomatology scores measured with different questionnaires[ocular surface disease index(OSDI),standard patient evaluation of eye dryness(SPEED)and symptom assessment questionnaire in dry eye(SANDE)]as well as with the visual analogue scale(P<0.001).Mean change in OSDI was−15.0±11.3.A significant reduction was found after treatment in the corneal staining score(P<0.001).A significant reduction was found in tear film meniscus height(P=0.012),as well as in tear film osmolarity(P=0.001).A significant reduction was also found in meibomian gland expressibility(P=0.003),changing the percentage of grade 3 eyes from 44.4%before IPL to 17.2%after treatment.Conclusions:IPL therapy combined with meibomian gland expression(MGX)seems to be an effective option to improve symptomatology in glaucomatous patients with ocular surface disease due to prolonged hypotensive eyedrop treatments,with an additional improvement in clinical signs,such as tear osmolarity and corneal staining.

Instant formation of nanopores on flexible polymer membranes using intense pulsed light and nanoparticle templates

The development of simple and high-throughput approaches to yield solid-state nanopores on large surface membranes may facilitate the prevalence of nanopore analysis technology and in-vitro diagnosis using portable devices.However,solidstate nanopores are typically realized by complex and highend nanofabrication equipments.Here,we present a method to achieve nanopores on polymer membranes using,silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)as templates and intense pulsed light(IPL)as a heating source.The density and size of nanopores are controllable by adjusting the spin coating rate,the concentration of nanoparticle suspension,and the size of nanoparticles(NPs).The temperature of the AgNPs can rapidly reach 1132 K under instant heating of photothermal effect through light irradiation in 2 ms,resulting in localized melting and decomposition of an underneath polycarbonate(PC)membrane to yield nanopores with sizes ranging from 10 to 270 nm.After removing the nanoparticle residues,the flexible membrane with nanopores can be integrated into a flow cell to achieve a nanopore sensor that has been used to measure the translocation behaviors of bovine serum albumin(BSA).The results have demonstrated the capability of the sensor in protein denaturation identification.This low-cost and highthroughput technique to fabricate solid-state nanopores on flexible polymeric membranes may facilitate the development of more nanopore-based flexible sensors that can be integrated with other flexible components for wearable diagnosis.

Advances in the treatment of traumatic scars with laser,intense pulsed light,radiofrequency,and ultrasound

Traumatic scarring is one of the most common complications after soft tissue injury caused by burns and trauma,which affects tens of millions of people worldwide every year.Traumatic scars diminish the quality of life due to disfigurement,symptoms of pain and itch,and restricted motion.The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of traumatic scar remain elusive.The management for traumatic scars is comprised of surgical and non-surgical interventions such as pressure therapy,silicone,corticosteroid,and radiotherapy,which are chosen by clinicians based on the physical examinations of scars.Recently,great progress in treating traumatic scars has been achieved by the development of novel technologies including laser,intense pulsed light(IPL),radiofrequency,and ultrasound.The aim of this review article was to summarize the advances of these technologies for traumatic scars intervention.

Pulsed light processing of foods for microbial safety

The demand for processed foods and the awareness about food quality and safety are increasing rapidly.The consumers’demand for minimally processed foods and growing competition in the market have made the processors to adopt newer non-thermal technologies that preserve nutrients and sensory properties of the products.Conventionally,heat processing of foods is carried out to convert raw material into value-added product,reduce or eliminate microbial load to improve safety,and extend shelf life.Some of the limitations of thermal processing techniques can be overcome by employing non-thermal processes.High hydrostatic pressure,pulsed electric field,ultrasound,cold plasma,dense phase carbon dioxide,ozone,and pulsed light(PL)processing are gaining popularity in food processing.PL technology is a non-thermal technology,where sterilization and decontamination are achieved by impinging high-intensity light pulses of short durations on surfaces of foods and high-transmission liquids.Although a few reports on the PL technology are available,in-depth studies on this are needed to adopt at a commercial level.The present review provides an overview of light-based processing of foods and covers important aspects such as different PL systems used for processing of foods,mode of action of PL on microbes,the effect of PL on liquid foods,surface decontamination of foods and parameters that affect PL efficacy,combination processing with PL.With the growing demand in non-thermal processing for the technological advancement in the area of generation of light,light-based processing will be a promising technology for microbial load reduction.

Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes with a Unique IPL System

Introduction: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology is well accepted in the medical aesthetic field for the treatment of various skin lesions, including pigmented and vascular lesions. The light penetrates into the skin and is selectively absorbed by lesion chromophore. Absorbed energy is converted into heat, coagulating the lesion, which naturally fades following the treatment. The current article presents a retrospective efficacy evaluation of an IPL device with high peak power. Methods: Representative treatment results were collected from several clinics based on photographs taken at baseline and after treatments. Photos were evaluated and analyzed for aesthetic improvement of the various skin conditions in different facial and body areas. Results: Analysis included cases of pigmented and vascular lesions, textural lesions, and more specific conditions such as melasma and rosacea. The two evaluators’ scoring demonstrated improvement in all cases according to the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) scale. Conclusion: The vast experience gathered from the market in treating various skin lesions supports the safety and efficacy of the investigated IPL device. The device’s particular specifications contribute to the successful results and ease of treatment for the practitioner and the patient.

Peak Power Effect on Skin Rejuvenation Using IPL: Lumecca IPL Evaluation

A high peak power IPL system (Lumecca) was tested to determine the correlation between a high peak power and the successful treatment of pigmented and vascular lesions. Short pulse duration in the millisecond range and high peak power of 3.3 kW/cm2 enabled selective and effective destruction, not only of pigment, but also of vessels in a comparable manner to a pulsed dye laser. Only one treatment session at a low fluence (8 - 16 J/cm2) was sufficient to achieve the desired results.

Novel Intense-pulsed-light synthesis of amorphous SnO_(2)electron-selective layers for efficient planar MAPbI_(3)perovskite solar cells

Although perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have achieved a high power conversion efficiency(PCE)within a short period of development,the high-temperature sintering of the constituent electron-selective layers(ESLs)impedes the commercialization.In this report,we demonstrate the effectiveness of an intensepulsed-light(IPL)treatment for the rapid and damage-free sintering of amorphous-SnO_(2)ESLs for use in PSCs.The IPL treatment of amorphous-SnO_(2)substantially reduced the amount of surface hydroxyl groups,modified the surface energy,and enabled the growth of a low-stress perovskite layer with large grain sizes,all of which enhanced the photovoltaic properties and led to the proper alignment of band structures for efficient PSCs.Through comprehensive optimization of the IPL conditions,a PCE of 17.68%was achieved from the MAPb I3 planar PSC based on an amorphous-SnO_(2)IPL treated for a few tens of seconds,which was significantly increased compared with a PCE(7.06%)of nontreated SnO_(2)based counterpart.In addition,the PCE of the IPL-treated SnO_(2)based PSC is comparable to the best PCE(18.16%)of PSCs fabricated with SnO_(2)ESL annealed for three hours at 185℃.Because of its ultrafast sintering time and tendency to not damage SnO_(2)ESLs,the new IPL process is expected to open new opportunities for the commercialization of PSCs.

Meibomian gland dysfunction model induced with complete Freund’s adjuvant in C57BL/6 mice

AIM:To establish a new inflammatory animal model of meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD)in C57BL/6 mice.METHODS:C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into complete Freund’s adjuvant(CFA)group(14 animals,14 eyes),naphthazolin hydrochloride(NH)group(14 animals,14 eyes)and control group(14 animals,14 eyes).In CFA group,CFA was used in eyelid conjunctiva injection;in NH group,NH eye drops were used twice a day;control group was injected with equal dose of saline at the same time point and same site with animals in CFA group.The meibomian gland orifices score(MGOS)was evaluated on a scale of 0 to 3 in the middle five meibomian gland orifices of the upper and lower eyelid using slit lamp.After the successful induction of each animal model,intense pulsed light(IPL)was introduced on each mouse in CFA and NH group.Oil red O(ORO),hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)staining were performed before and after successful induction of CFA,NH and control group.RESULTS:At 12wk after CFA injection,inflammatory cell infiltration and fiber necrosis was observed,with acinar density and duct dilatation significantly lower compared with control group.In NH group,the meibomian gland acini were relatively smaller and deformed compared with control group,the number of meibomian gland acini was also slightly lower.No inflammatory cell or fiber necrosis was observed in NH group.After three times of IPL treatment(5/10 mice in each group,and the other 5 mice served as non-IPL control),MGOS was significantly lower in IPL-treated mice in NH group(P<0.01).After three times of IPL treatment,the MGOS of NH group was significantly lower than that in the CFA group(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:We develop a novel animal model that studies the role of inflammation in the development of MGD and IPL treatment.This model indicates that persistent inflammatory state may be the cause of MGD and weaken the therapeutic effect of IPL.

Spatio-Temporal Pulsating Dissipative Solitons through Collective Variable Methods

A semi-analytical approach for the pulsating solutions of the 3D complex Cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau Equation (CGLE) is presented in this article. A collective variable approach is used to obtain a system of variational equations which give the evolution of the light pulses parameters as a function of the propagation distance. The collective coordinate approach is incomparably faster than the direct numerical simulation of the propagation equation. This allows us to obtain, efficiently, a global mapping of the 3D pulsating soliton. In addition it allows describing the influence of the parameters of the equation on the various physical parameters of the pulse and their dynamics.

Fabrication and characterization of Ag flake hybrid circuits with IPL-sintering

The study of photonic sintering has gained interest based on the advantages of fast processing at room temperature.However,printed electronics made from photonic sintering with an intensive pulsed light(IPL)energy source exhibit more mechanical instability than those made from conventional thermal sintering processes.To solve the mechanical instability problems,we fabricated Ag flake hybrid pastes with a variety of concentrations of Ag flake(0,25,50,75,and 100 wt.%).All of the screen-printed hybrid Ag circuits were fabricated on polyimide substrates and were sintered at 3.5 MW.Surface porosity was analyzed using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method.An IPC(Packaging Electronic Circuits)sliding test was performed to analyze the flexibility of the screen-printed Ag flake hybrid circuits.The adhesion strength of the hybrid circuits was evaluated with a roll-type 90°peel test.The hybrid Ag printed circuit showed improvements in both the flexibility and adhesion strength with the addition of Ag flake.

Reflecting petawatt lasers off relativistic plasma mirrors:a realistic path to the Schwinger limit

The quantum vacuum plays a central role in physics. Quantum electrodynamics(QED) predicts that the properties of the fermionic quantum vacuum can be probed by extremely large electromagnetic fields. The typical field amplitudes required correspond to the onset of the ‘optical breakdown’ of this vacuum, expected at light intensities>4.7×10^(29) W/cm^(2). Approaching this ‘Schwinger limit’ would enable testing of major but still unverified predictions of power lasers. To close this considerable gap, a promising paradigm consists of reflecting these laser beams off a mirror in relativistic motion, to induce a Doppler effect that compresses the light pulse in time down to the attosecond range and converts it to shorter wavelengths, which can then be focused much more tightly than the initial laser light. However, this faces a major experimental hurdle: how to generate such relativistic mirrors? In this article, we explain how this challenge could nowadays be tackled by using so-called ‘relativistic plasma mirrors’. We argue that approaching the Schwinger limit in the coming years by applying this scheme to the latest generation of petawatt-class lasers is a challenging but realistic objective.