Antiphospholipid syndrome in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune condition characterized by a thrombotic event and/or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of persistently elevated antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody titers, which are most prevalent in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus but also have been associated with other autoimmune, malignant, and infectious diseases. In contrast to the clear correlation between high aPL antibody titers and thrombotic events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, the pathogenic role of these autoantibodies in association with other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is not as well defined. We report a case of APS manifesting as cutaneous ulceration and necrosis in a patient with severe RA.

Granulomatous dysimmune reactions (sarcoidosis, granuloma annulare, and others) on differently injured skin areas.

Granulomatous disorders are chronic cell-mediated immune responses histologically characterized by collections of macrophages, epithelioid cells, and multinucleated giant cells. This disease spectrum often has an infectious origin, but sometimes neither an infective agent nor an inciting antigenic stimulus can be identified. The skin may be a preferential target for these disorders, especially in the areas that have been damaged by various forms of skin injury (eg, herpetic infections, trauma, thermal or solar burns, vaccinations, tattoos).

Update on tanning: More risks, fewer benefits.

The tanning response, classically defined as increased cutaneous pigmentation after solar ultraviolet light exposure, encompasses a variety of protective, reparative, and cosmetic issues. The tanning story is continuously evolving as basic science, clinical research, and public health studies shed light on topics involving: the physiologic mechanisms of tanning, the medical benefits of tanning, the role of sunscreens, the development of "sunless" self-tanners, the use of photocarcinogenic indoor tanning services, and the relatively recent development and promulgation of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues. High-risk tanning behaviors have become increasingly popular and the incidence of melanoma has risen more rapidly than any other cancer.

De novo microdeletion of Xp11.3 exclusively encompassing the monoamine oxidase A and B genes in a male infant with episodic hypotonia: a genomics approach to personalized medicine.

Monoamine oxidase A and B (MAOA and MAOB) play key roles in deaminating neurotransmitters and various other biogenic amines. Patients deficient in one or both enzymes have distinct metabolic and neurologic profiles. MAOB deficient patients exhibit normal clinical characteristics and behavior, while MAOA deficient patients have borderline intellectual deficiency and impaired impulse control.