The paper describes the first clinical experience in using the improved immunotherapeutic method of treating cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, which is based on extracorporeal photochemotherapy (photopheresis), followed by a 20-hour incubation period. The distinctive feature of this method is to differentiate monocytes into dendritic cells (DC) ex vivo without exogenically applying of growth factors, as suggested by the increase of CD14+ cells that express the coactivation molecule B7.2 (CD86).It is shown that 20-hour incubation gives rise to at least two potentially important cellular mechanisms to generate an adequate antitumor immune response. On the one hand, this is apoptosis of leukemic T cells and necrotic destruction of mature nonfunctional DCs that contain a full range of tumor antigens to yield exosomes and to convert antigenic epitopes to their soluble form. On the other hand, the activated monocytes that are initiated by transforming to dendritic antigen-presenting cells that are capable of the endocytosis of exosomes and the phagocytosis of apoptotic malignant cells, the processing and presentation of their distinguishing antigens by T-cell receptors on the naive T lymphocytes.

The paper describes a case of lichen ruber planus verricosus in a 48-year-old woman with recurrent breast cancer. It gives a diagnostic search involving anamnestic and clinical studies

The clinical and immunological status was assessed in patients with multiple papillomas. There was a significant rise in the total count of leukocytes in circulation and in the percentage of CD8 cells, a reduction in the count of early positive cell activation markers (CD25+), and an increase in the level of soluble Fas ligand. The patients with multiple cutaneous papillomas were found to have altered cell growth regulatory processes: a 1.7-fold elevation of serum epidermal growth factor levels and increases in the concentrations of stable nitric oxide end metabolites and serum interleukin-12.

The paper describes a case of the rare site of idiopathic atrophotoderma of Pasini and Pierini on the skin of the shin and back foot in a male patient aged 18 years. It presents the data available in the literature on the etiology, cninical picture, and treatment of this disease.

The paper describes a case of posttraumatic epilepsy in a patient who received carbamazepine maintenance therapy to prevent generalized convulsive seizures. The patient developed a complete clinical and biochemical syndrome of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) 8 years after the initiation of the therapy. Carbamazepine provides a porphyrinogenic effect and it is included into a list of drugs that are potentially hazardous as causative factors that provoke the manifestation and relapses of acute porphyria. The likely etiological role of carbamazepine in PCT and the issues of the differential diagnosis of this disease with pseudoporphyria induced by drugs are discussed

The paper analyzes the data available in the literature on the role of biologically active irritants (sesqueterpene lactones, furoquinolines, and others) contained in plants in the development of erythema multiforme exudativa, actinic reticuloid, dyschromia of the skin, plant granulates, the syndromes involving the skin and respiratory organs, and severe destructive changes. The specific features of skin diseases induced by plants are considered.

The paper describes a case of X-linked recessive ichthyosis in a 31-year-old patient. Ten Russian and foreign references are overviewed

Microbiological and electron microscopic studies were made to examine the skin microbiota in health and atopic dermatitis (AD). The microorganisms colonizing the skin in health and AD were found to have various morphological characteristics that are indicative of their varying physiological activity. In addition, there was integration of bacterial cells into communities of varying complexity

The activities of adenosine desaminase, AMP desaminase, and adenine desaminase were determined in the lysates of lymphocytes, red blood cells, and plasma in 54 patients with scleroderma systematica (SS) and in 15 patients with scleroderma placata (SP). There were both common changes in the activity of enzymes in the three biological media in SS and SP and significant enzymatic difference in the presence of these diseases, which were characterized by the heterodirection of alterations in the activity of enzymes, which along with clinical data promoted the differentiation of SP and SS.

By using scanning probing microscopy and oscillation spectroscopy of skin biopsy specimens from 6 patients with an onset of dermatitis herpetiformis (Duhring's disease), the authors examined the state of collagenous fibers and the collagen-proteoglycan complex of the derma. They revealed structural and physicochemical changes, suggesting water sequestration in the interstitial substance of the derma

The authors describe a case of secondary syphilitic of the skin and mucosae in a recipient who is a Group I disabled patient. The course of the syphilitic infection in the case concerned was aggravated by secondary immunodeficiency that developed in the use of immunological agents suppressing a rejection reaction of the grafted organ (a kidney).

A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the state-of-the-art, trends, and structure of morbidity of gonococcal infection and syphilis and their infection routes was performed in children aged 0-14 years in the Russian Federation, including the Urals Federal District in 1999 to 2006. It shows a rise in the proportion of 0-14-year-old children infected with syphilis through sexual abuse. The authors discuss whether it is necessary to develop a package of measures to improve the monitoring of morbidity and to prevent the further spread of venereal diseases in the pediatric population, including those to perform a meticulous epidemiological investigation of each case infected with a venereal disease among preschool and early school children in particular.

The paper reviews the data available in the literature on circumscribed alopecia, one of the most common diseases in a dermatologist's practice

The paper describes a few cases of rosacea in patients who have been found to have changes in the liver and digestive tract. Correction of the above disorder has yielded good therapeutic effects

The authors provide the present view of the clinical picture of various manifestations of rosacea, consider the pathogenesis of the disease in detail, and describe the current approaches to therapy for rosacea

Whether autologous peripheral blood multipotent hemopoietic cells (APBMHC) may be used to correct striae after pregnancy was studied. The first visual signs of the better appearance of atrophic scars are seen 1.5-2 months after administration of APBMHC and gradually progress up to 6 months. Light microscopic methods showed epithelial atrophy, hyperkeratosis and sclerosis of all layers of the derma with smoothing of papillae, fewer blood vessels and skin appendages in the striae cutis distensae prior to treatment. After using APBMHC, in all cases the connective tissue at the site of the derma displayed an increase in the number of vessels due to neoangiogenetic processes, a reduction in the degree of leukocyte infiltration, the thinning of collagen and elastin fibers and their straightening-out, which permits a more successful use of cosmetic procedures to correct these skin defects.

The paper shows the possibilities of using the Russian immunomodulator Polyoxidonium (PO) to treat slowly progressive acne vulgaris. It gives the results of successfully using PO in the complex therapy of dermatosis.