PURPOSE To introduce a novel in vivo method (Visual Acuity Dry Up; VADU) for testing the visual performance during the dewetting of the pre-lens tear film on a contact lens (CL). METHODS Thirty-nine subjects were fitted with daily disposable CL (Nelfilcon A). Visual performance and dewetting characteristics of the pre-lens tear film were simultaneously assessed using a modified multifunctional topographer (Keratograph 5 M, OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, GERMANY) and the Non-Invasive Keratograph Dry-Up Time (NIKDUT) method. Measures were taken after five minutes and eight hours of CL wear and included the Visual Acuity Dry-Up Time (VADUT; time between last blink and visual breakdown) and the Visual Acuity Dry-Up Area (VADUA; dewetted CL area at visual breakdown) at one (VA+0.1logMAR), two (VA+0.2logMAR) and three (VA+0.3logMAR) log units below maximal visual acuity (VA). RESULTS Participants lost one, two or three log units of VA after 13.1 ± 17.4 s, 20.83 ± 21.81, 34.67 ± 29.11 (VADUT), corresponding to a dewetted CL area of 4.82 ± 6.64 mm², 9.5 ± 8.26 and 13.0 ± 8.68 (VADUA), respectively. Differences in VADUT und VADUA for all visual requirements were significant (all p 0.05). A median VA loss of one log unit occurred five seconds after the first dewetting. CONCLUSIONS The novel VADU method can be used to analyze the role of the tear film stability on the visual performance during CL wear. Hereby, visual loss is quantified based on the threshold definition of the psychometric function. BACKGROUND Few effective treatments are available for male pattern hair loss (MPHL) and especially for female pattern hair loss (FPHL). Recently, cell-based therapies using autologous or allogeneic cells have been used clinically. OBJECTIVE We examined the safety and efficacy of autologous cell-based therapy using dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells to treat MPHL and FPHL. METHODS DSCs dissected from occipital hair follicles were cultured to manufacture DSC cells. Subjects with MPHL or FPHL received single injections of 7.5×106, 1.5×106 or 3.0×105 DSC cells or a placebo in 4 randomized separate regions on their scalp, and hair densities and diameters were measured until 12 months later. RESULTS Fifty males and 15 females aged 33 to 64 were injected with DSC cells. Total hair density and cumulative hair diameter at the 3.0x105DSC cells injection site was significantly increased compared with the placebo after 6 and 9 months. Men and women showed similar improvements and there were no serious adverse events. LIMITATIONS No lower cell numbers were tested, and the positive effect was temporary until 9 months. CONCLUSION The results suggest that cell therapy with autologous DSC cells may be useful as a new therapeutic method for treating MPHL and FPHL. BACKGROUND Pigmented labial macules (PLM) are clinical, dermoscopic and histopathological challenges. OBJECTIVE To describe and evaluate the utility of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in PLM and to establish a correlation between dermoscopy, RCM, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. METHODS Prospective study of PLM from four tertiary referral centers of Dermatology. Fifty-one (biopsy proven) PLM were included in the study. Dermoscopic, RCM images and histopathological preparations were evaluated for malignant criteria. Diagnostic accuracy of RCM for melanoma diagnosis, RCM Lip Score previously reported and kappa values between techniques were calculated. RESULTS Five melanomas and 46 benign PLM were included. Dermoscopically, melanomas exhibited more frequently ≥3 colors and ≥3 structures. With RCM, pagetoid spreading, epithelial disarray, continuous proliferation of atypical cells around papillae, non-homogeneously distributed papillae, marked cellular atypia and higher number of dendritic cells per papillae were more frequent in melanomas. The RCM Lip Score was significantly higher in malignant lesions. Good kappa values were observed in most of the evaluated features. A perfect sensitivity and specificity was obtained combining dermoscopy and RCM. LIMITATIONS A low number of melanomas were obtained. CONCLUSIONS RCM improves lip melanoma diagnosis and the RCM Lip score represents a useful tool for the evaluation of a PLM. Reports of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease in former athletes have increased public concern about the acute and chronic effects of sport-related concussions (SRC). The biological factors underlying individual differences in the psychiatric sequalae of SRC and their role in potential long-term negative outcomes have not been determined. One understudied biological consequence of the known inflammatory response to concussion is the activation of a key immunoregulatory pathway, the kynurenine pathway (KP). Activation of the KP produces several neuroactive metabolites that have been associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. We tested the hypothesis that SRC results in an elevation of serum KP metabolites with neurotoxic properties (quinolinic acid [QuinA], 3-hydroxykynurenine [3HK]) together with a reduction in the neuroprotective metabolite kynurenic acid (KynA), and that these metabolites would predict post-concussion psychological symptoms. Additionally, because brain injury is thouetes with SRC at the early-acute visit relative to later visits. Importantly, athletes with greater elevation in this neuroprotective index at the early-acute visit reported fewer depressive symptoms at the late-acute visit. Finally, SRC athletes with prior concussion had significantly lower serum KynA/QuinA at all visits compared to SRC athletes with no prior concussion, an effect driven by elevated QuinA in SRC athletes with prior concussion. These results suggest that early-acute activation of the KynA branch of the KP may protect against the development of depressive symptoms following concussion. Furthermore, they highlight the potential of serum QuinA as a biomarker for repetitive head injury and provide insight into possible mechanisms linking prior concussion with subsequent injury. selleck OBJECTIVE Evidence has shown that sevoflurane plays a protective role in acute lung injury (ALI) due to its anti-inflammatory and apoptotic-regulating activity. Nevertheless, the mechanism of sevoflurane is still not completely understood. This study intends to discuss the mechanism of sevoflurane on ALI and the possible mechanisms involved. METHODS ALI model of rats was established through intravenous injection of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide. microRNA-34a-3p (miR-34a-3p) and signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1) expression in lung tissues of ALI rats were detected. The optimal inhaled concentration of sevoflurane was screened, and then the modeled rats were injected with miR-34a-3p inhibitors, overexpressed STAT1 and inhaled 1.0 Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) sevoflurane to determine mean arterial pressure (MAP) of rats, wet weight/dry weight ratio and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, oxidative stress- and inflammation-related factors in lung tissues of rats, along with lung cell viability and apoptosis.