The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...

Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) progressively impairs multiple body systems due to the accumulation of uremic toxins, which disrupt cellular functions across various organs.Neurologic symptomsNeurologic symptoms often arise early in CKD, as uremic toxin buildup drives changes in cognitive and motor functions. Patients frequently experience fatigue, headache, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and, in severe cases, seizures. Peripheral neuropathy commonly manifests as burning sensations in the...

Water balance disorders are medical conditions that occur when there is a deviation from the body's water volume or osmolarity, disrupting normal homeostasis and leading todehydration, hypotonic hydration, hyperhydration, edema, or water intoxication.
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the body loses fluids (particularly water).
Causes:
The major causes of dehydration include excessive sweating, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and diuresis.
Signs and Symptoms:
Symptoms primarily include intense...

Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...

DialyzersA hemodialysis (HD) dialyzer is a plastic cartridge containing thousands of parallel hollow fibers, which serve as semipermeable membranes. These fibers are typically made from cellulose-based or other synthetic materials. During HD, blood is pumped into the top of the cartridge and distributed among these fibers. Simultaneously, dialysis fluid, known as dialysate, is introduced into the bottom of the cartridge, bathing the outside of the fibers. Across the semipermeable membrane,...