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The wall shear-stress sensor [MPS.sup.3] based on flexible micropillars has been used to experimentally assess the two- dimensional wall shear-stress distribution in turbulent duct flow at moderate Reynolds number. The sensor covers an area of 90 x 125 viscous length scales along the streamwise and spanwise directions, respectively. Applying Taylor's hypothesis allows a further increase in the streamwise extension. Preliminary results evidence the coexistence of low- and high-shear regions representing footprints of near-wall coherent structures. The low-shear regions resemble long meandering bands interrupted by local high-shear-stress regions. A qualitative comparison evidences the structures detected in the present study to be similar to wall shear-stress distributions reported in the literature and to structures found in higher regions of the boundary layer. These preliminary findings indicate the potential of the micropillar sensor concept to be capable of detecting the multidirectional planar wall shear-stress distribution in turbulent flows. A detailed discussion of the wall shear-stress characteristics and of the geometric properties of the streaklike structures is beyond the scope of this paper, and a more intrusive discussion needs to be done in the future.

Background: A two-fold risk increase to develop basal cell carcinoma was seen in outdoor workers exposed to high solar UV radiation compared to controls. However, there is an ongoing discussion whether histopathological subtype, tumor localization and Fitzpatrick phototype may influence the risk estimates., Objectives: To evaluate the influence of histological subtype, tumor localization and Fitzpatrick phototype on the risk to develop basal cell carcinoma in highly UV-exposed cases and controls compared to those with moderate or low solar UV exposure., Methods: Six hundred forty-three participants suffering from incident basal cell carcinoma in commonly sun-exposed anatomic sites (capillitium, face, lip, neck, dorsum of the hands, forearms outside, décolleté) of a population-based, case-control, multicenter study performed from 2013 to 2015 in Germany were matched to controls without skin cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted stratified for histological subtype, phototype 1/2 and 3/4. Dose-response curves adjusted for age, age 2 , sex, phototype and non-occupational UV exposure were calculated., Results: Participants with high versus no (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.24-3.50; p  = 0.006) or versus moderate (OR 2.05; 95% CI 1.15-3.65; p  = 0.015) occupational UV exposure showed a more than two-fold significantly increased risk to develop BCC in commonly UV-exposed body sites. Multivariate regression analysis did not show an influence of phototype or histological subtype on risk estimates. The restriction of the analysis to BCC cases in commonly sun-exposed body sites did not influence the risk estimates. The occupational UV dosage leading to a 2-fold increased basal cell carcinoma risk was 6126 standard erythema doses., Conclusion: The risk to develop basal cell carcinoma in highly occupationally UV-exposed skin was doubled consistently, independent of histological subtype, tumor localization and Fitzpatrick phototype., Competing Interests: Competing interestsFunds. SJ received funding for educational lectures from the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). Outside the scope of this paper, he received institutional funding for investigator-initiated research from Pfizer, Novartis, ALK, and Sanofi. BA received funding for educational lectures, workshops and expert opinions from the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). Outside the scope of this paper, she received grants for research paid to the institution, fees for lectures and advisory boards from Novartis, Leo, Sanofi, Biofrontera, Lofarma, Circassia, ALK, Incyte Corporation, Genentech, Shire, and Atopixs Therapeutics Ltd. EP, FM, BT, BR, LB, DGS, SHJ received payments for expert witness for one of the collaborating as well as for other funds. BI, AP, KP, DH, LS, JSM, HL, HE do not declare any COI. Employer. FM and BT declare no conflicts of interest. As staff of the Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine (IPA), they are employed at the ‘Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie’ (BG RCI), a public body which is a member of the study’s main sponsor, the German Social Accident Insurance. IPA is an independent research institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum. The authors are independent of the German Social Accident Insurance regarding study design, access to the collected data, responsibility for data analysis and interpretation, and the right to publish. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the sponsor. The other authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Only few diseases have been studied as extensively and on as many different levels in recent years as atopic dermatitis (AD). One of the reasons why AD is the focus of interest is that it is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases, affecting up to 30 % of children and 1-10 % of adults. Numerous complex alterations both on the genetic level as well as on the level of innate and adaptive immunity have been identified and form the basis for the characterization of different patient groups and the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Despite the complex pathophysiological and immunological differences, which are closely related to disease stage and severity, as well as the heterogeneity of individual trigger factors, treatment of AD - in particular that of moderate-to-severe AD - was long limited to merely symptomatic and relatively nonspecific immunosuppressive approaches. Since the approval of the first biologic for the treatment of moderate-to-severe adult AD (commercially available in Germany since late 2017), there has been some movement in the field of AD management. The present review highlights recent pathophysiologic insights. Advances in research allow for better characterization of certain patient subgroups and different disease manifestations. In addition, they form the basis of current and future developments in the field of precision medicine in AD., (© 2019 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Male fertility can be impaired by a multitude of factors. In addition to environmental and life style factors, such as stress, noise, smoking and overweight, diverse diseases can also have a negative effect on the ability to father a child and the hormone balance, particularly the testosterone level. In many diseases the currently available data do not go beyond observations of limited fertility. In this article the focus is on diseases in the treatment field of dermatology. Special attention is paid to chronic inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases. Data from recent years show that the excessive inflammatory reaction that these diseases have in common, most probably also has an influence on fertility and interacts with the testosterone concentration in serum. In addition, the impact of hereditary skin diseases on male fertility is discussed, which can have a direct influence on the ability to father a child due to disruption of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of occupational and nonoccupational ultraviolet (UV)-exposure concerning the development of basal cell carcinoma (BCC)., Methods: We undertook a population-based multicenter case-control study. Patients with first incident BCC (n = 836) were propensity score matched by age and sex to controls without skin cancer (n = 836). Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and lifetime UV-exposure were assessed by trained investigators. The differential estimation of occupational and nonoccupational UV-exposure dosages was based on validated instruments and established reference values. Associations were assessed using multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models., Results: Individuals with high levels of occupational UV-exposure were at significantly increased BCC-risk compared with individuals with low [odds ratio (OR) 1.84; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.19 to 2.83 and moderate (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.20 to 3.22) occupational UV-exposure. Nonoccupational UV-exposure was not independently associated with BCC., Conclusion: Skin cancer prevention strategies should be expanded to the occupational setting.

FcεRII is a multifunctional low-affinity IgER that is involved in the pathogenesis of allergic, inflammatory, and neoplastic diseases. Although discrepancies in FcεRII-mediated functions are being increasingly recognized, the consequences of FcεRII activation are not completely understood. In this study, we evaluated the expression of FcεRII on human blood cells and found that it was primarily expressed on monocytes and B cells. Although IL-4 promoted expression of the FcεRIIb isoform on B cells and monocytes, the expression of the FcεRIIa isoform was not dependent on IL-4. Furthermore, FcεRII predominantly bound allergen-IgE complexes on B cells but not on monocytes. FcεRII-mediated allergen-IgE complex uptake by B cells directed Ags to MHC class II-rich compartments. FcεRII-bearing monocytes and B cells expressed high levels of the FcεRII sheddase a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10, which implies that they are important sources of soluble FcεRII. Moreover, we identified that IgE immune complex stimulation of FcεRII activated intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation via Syk in B cells but not in monocytes. Importantly, FcεRII-mediated signaling by allergen-IgE immune complexes increased IFN-γ production in B cells of allergic patients during the build-up phase of allergen-specific immunotherapy. Together, our results demonstrate that FcεRII mediates cell type-dependent function in allergic reactions. In addition, the results identify a novel allergen-IgE complex/FcεRII/Syk/IFN-γ pathway in allergic responses and suggest that FcεRII may play a role in regulating allergic reactions via modulating IFN-γ production in B cells., (Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)