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The value and training needs of the future research workforce is under the spotlight. In this article, I take up Ulrich and Dash's (2013) somewhat provocative invitation to engage in discussion and debate about current and future research. In my three-tiered response, I first discuss Ulrich and Dash's article, followed by my own observations about the APEC/Deloitte (2010) research report: "Skills and Competencies Needed in the Research Field: Objectives 2020," and finally, I explore, in some detail, challenges of building a twentyfirst-century research workforce.

The authors present their experience related to the diagnosis, treatment, and followup of 431 patients with bullous pemphigoid, 14 patients with juvenile bullous pemphigoid, and 273 patients with pemphigus. The detection of autoantibodies plays an outstanding role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Paraneoplastic pemphigoid is suggested to be a distinct entity from the group of bullous pemphigoid in view of the linear C3 deposits along the basement membrane of the perilesional skin and the “ladder” configuration of autoantibodies demonstrated by western blot analysis. It is proposed that IgA pemphigoid should be differentiated from the linear IgA dermatoses. Immunosuppressive therapy is recommended in which the maintenance dose of corticosteroid is administered every second day, thereby reducing the side effects of the corticosteroids. Following the detection of IgA antibodies (IgA pemphigoid, linear IgA bullous dermatosis, and IgA pemphigus), diamino diphenyl sulfone (dapsone) therapy is preferred alone or in combination. The clinical relevance of autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune bullous dermatosis is stressed.

To the Editor.-- The number of individuals with large numbers of common and atypical melanocytic nevi has been continuously increasing in several white populations. Subjects with dysplastic nevi are at [...]

Byline: Maria Kiss (1), Lajos Kemeny (1), Rolland Gyulai (1), Gunter Michel (2), Sandor Husz (1), Reka Kovacs (1), Attila Dobozy (1), Thomas Ruzicka (2) Abstract: The neuropeptides substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and [alpha]-melanocyte-stimulating hormone ([alpha]-MSH) are known to be able to regulate the production of cytokines in the skin. Since IL-8 plays an important role in cutaneous inflammation, the effects of SP, CGRP and [alpha]-MSH on the IL-8/IL-8 receptor (IL-8RA) systems of these cell types were studied. Cultures of human dermal fibroblasts and an immortalized keratinocyte cell line HaCaT were treated with 10.sup.-8 M SP, CGRP or [alpha]-MSH. The results demonstrated that these neuropeptides have different effects on the IL-8 and IL-8RA expressions of the cells. SP and CGRP upregulated the IL-8RA mRNA expression in HaCaT cells, but had no influence on their IL-8 production, whereas, [alpha]-MSH had no effect on either the IL-8 or the IL-8RA mRNA expression in HaCaT cells. In contrast, [alpha]-MSH resulted in a time-dependent induction of the IL-8 mRNA expression in dermal fibroblasts. This induction was already detectable after 6 h, and after 12 h there was a 5-fold change in comparison with the controls. The IL-8 content of the supernatant was also increased, with a maximum at 48 h after [alpha]-MSH treatment. The data established in the present study support the notion that neuropeptides can directly modulate the IL-8/IL-8RA system of keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Dermatology, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical University, H-6701, Szeged, P.O. Box 480, Hungary (2) Department of Dermatology, Heinrich-Heine-University of Dusseldorf, D-40225, Moorenstr. 5, Dusseldorf, Germany Article History: Registration Date: 30/09/2004