Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Molly: The Not So Convincing Truth Of Mdma, Alison Cromer

Sound Neuroscience: An Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal

This article discusses the schedule classification and effects of MDMA. The potential damage, therapeutic effects and reclassification of MDMA are examined in a new perspective that challenges past notions which lead to it's scheduling as a class one drug.

Molly: The Not So Convincing Truth Of Mdma, Alison Cromer

Sound Neuroscience Temporary

This article discusses the schedule classification and effects of MDMA. The potential damage, therapeutic effects and reclassification of MDMA are examined in a new perspective that challenges past notions which lead to it's scheduling as a class one drug.

Investigating The Formation And Substantiation Of Anti-Vaccination Attitudes: A Qualitative Analysis, Ned Sherry

Comparative Sociology Theses

Despite evidence that vaccinations reduce incidences of disease and spread, certain individuals question vaccine usage and often abstain from vaccination (Dikema et al., 2005 & Salzberg, 2012). Not vaccinating increases the opportunity for certain diseases to enter communities as well as raises healthcare costs.

Existing research of anti-vaccination populations has focused largely on quantitative studies, rarely looking in depth at the individuals that make up this demographic. This study, using qualitative methods, investigated anti-vaccine attitudes, uncovering the underlying processes by which anti-vaccination opinions are created and maintained. Participants were recruited from The Pacific Northwest, a region with the strongest anti-vaccination attitudes ...

Melanocytoma Of The Cerebellopontine Angle, Pranay Soni, M.D, Lawrence C. Kenyon, Md, Phd

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Ms. M.G. is a 46-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and prior bilateral laser eye surgery. In 2009, she presented with vertigo, tinnitus, and decreased hearing in the left ear. An MRI scan revealed an enhancing mass in the posterior fossa that was thought to be an acoustic neuroma. In May of 2009, she underwent gamma-knife radiotherapy for the 2.7 cm mass.

In September of 2012, M.G. noted progressive change in her voice quality as well as a swallowing disturbance and left facial spasms. A subsequent MRI showed significant enlargement of the tumor to a maximal ...

Diagnostic Yield Of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration (Ebus-Fna) In Lung Cancer Staging, Subtyping And Diagnosis Of Unexplained Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy, Rino Sato, Rossitza Draganova-Tacheva, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION

• Lung cancer (LC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the most frequent cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US (more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined)¹
• Clinical staging of LC is an integral part of patient care because it directs therapy and has prognostic value

Patients are routinely investigated with a conventional workup (medical history, PE, lab tests, bronchoscopy), CT and integrated whole-body PET-CT, followed by mediastinal tissue staging for enlarged or PET-positive intrathoracic nodes²

• Mediastinal tissue staging has been classically performed by mediastinoscopy, but they can ...

Temporal Lobe Ganglioglioma In An Epilepsy Patient With Worsening Seizures: Case Study And Future Directions, Adam M. Olszewski, Mark Curtis, Md Phd.

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Gangliogliomas are rare brain tumors that have both neuronal and glial components. They hold a better prognosis than other infiltrative glial tumors, but differentiating between them can be challenging. While molecular markers are being studied, it is currently a histologic diagnosis.

In this case, the patient presented with epilepsy and worsening seizures secondary to a medial temporal lobe mass. Radiology report was inconclusive. Surgical resection was achieved and based on histologic examination the lesion was diagnosed as ganglioglioma, WHO grade I.

In this patient, pathological diagnosis of ganglioglioma offers a favorable prognosis and low risk of recurrence. In the future ...

Correlations Between Gene Amplification And Protein Expression Of Topoisomerase 2a (Top2a) In Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Lung, Anita Modi, Msii, Charalambos C. Solomides, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Background: While DNA topoisomerase 2A (TOP2A) plays an essential role in maintaining the structural integrity of the double helix during replication and recombination, excessive expression of this enzyme may promote malignant cell transformations. In fact, increased levels of TOP2A have been observed in various cancer cell lines including squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. This study sought to identify correlations between genotypic and phenotypic evidence of TOP2A obtained via in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques.

Methods Tissue microarrays created from 29 samples of Stage I Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the lung were stained with VENTANA BenchMark ULTRA platform ...

Ocular Manifestations Of Rosai-Dorfman Disease, Phoebe L. Mellen, B.S., Ralph C. Eagle Jr., M.D.

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

History of Rosai-Dorfman Disease

In 1969, Dr. Juan Rosai and Dr. Ronald F. Dorfman reported four cases of an entity that previously had puzzled pathologists and clinicians. The four cases had failed to fit under any diagnosis, but shared a few common characteristics. Each patient presented with painless, massive lymphadenopathy, most commonly of the cervical lymph nodes¹. Other locations included the inguinal, intra-parotid, and axillary lymph nodes. The patients all presented with fever and leukocytosis¹. The differential diagnosis included malignant lymphoma, malignant histiocytosis, reticuloendotheliosis, and chronic inflammation. However, the histopathological characteristics of the cases did not fit the ...

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma In Unusual Locations – Differential Diagnosis Difficulties, Heather A. Mcmahon, B.S., Madalina Tuluc, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon malignant salivary gland tumor, representing 1% of all malignant tumors of the oral and maxillofacial region and 22% of all salivary gland malignancies. Although in the majority of cases ACC manifests in the major salivary glands, in rare instances it can be found in locations such as the esophagus, larynx, trachea, lacrimal gland, breast, prostate, lungs, or auditory canal. These unusual locations of ACC often pose a diagnostic challenge to the clinician and are associated with poorer outcomes for patients as compared to those ACC of a more typical presentation. In this study ...

Diffuse Idiopathic Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia (Dipnech) To Carcinoid: Exploring The Link, Jacob D. Mcfadden Msii, Jeffrey P. Baliff Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Neuroendocrine cells (NECs) play important roles in normal lung development, autonomic regulation of lung function, and response to hypoxia or injury. They are located between the respiratory epithelium and the basement membrane of bronchi and bronchioles (below), often as single cells or small clusters.

NEC proliferation is a common pathologic occurrence, well established as a reactive response to chronic lung injury. Much less commonly, NEC proliferation is observed in the absence of apparent inciting factors. This neoplastic phenomenon is termed “diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia” (DIPNECH).

DIPNECH is recognized as a precursor lesion for carcinoid tumors. While the progression ...

Graduate School Of Nursing Papers, 1982 – 2009: A Finding Aid, Office Of Medical History And Archives, Lamar Soutter Library, University Of Massachusetts Medical School

Finding Aids

The Graduate School of Nursing Papers documents the establishment of the Graduate School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and chronicles its early history and development.

Prevalence Of Subclassifications Of Subclinical Hypothyroidism: Comparison To Reclassifications When Using Free T4-Dependent Reference Ranges For Tsh, Hollie L. Matlin, Laura J. Mccloskey, Douglas F. Stickle

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH: normal free T4 (FT4), elevated TSH) is the subject of frequent inquiries to the laboratory. New practice guidelines for hypothyroidism from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Thyroid Association (Endocr Pract 2012;18:988-1028) define subclassifications of SH with respect to whether TSH is less than or greater than 10 mIU/L (here defined as subclassifications A and B, respectively), delineating whether recommendation for T4 replacement therapy is automatic (for subclass B). Our objectives were to determine %A and %B in our patient population, and, because of the log-linear relationship between TSH and ...

Thoracic Dissecting Aneurysm And The Importance Of Genetics, Dan Kramer, Ba, Anthony Prestipino, M.D.

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Patient Presentation

• 28 year old white male with a past medical history significant for untreated hypertension
• Presents with 3 day history of chest discomfort, lower extremity weakness, bowel and bladder dysfunction, near-syncopal episodes
• Absent pulse in right femoral artery, weak pulse in left femoral artery
• Echosonography showed acute Type A dissecting aortic aneurysm
• Treatment

Immediately taken to surgery for repair of aorta with a graft and replacement of the aortic valve

• Outcome

Unstable after surgery

Biventricular heart failure

Persistent bleeding into mediastinum due to DIC

Required massive transfusion of RBCs, FFP, Cryoprecipitate, and Platelets

Became anuric and acidotic

Became fluid ...

A Case Of Hemoglobinopathy-Thalassemia Syndrome, Michele C. Khurana, B.S., Gene Gulati, Ph.D

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Patient Presentation

• 43 year-old African American female presents with left lower extremity pain
• Physical exam: unremarkable
• Past medical history:

Anemic since childhood

Avascular necrosis of left hip

DVT

Chronic illnesses: asthma, depression

Surgical history: appendectomy, tubal ligation, splenectomy, cholecystectomy, L hip replacement

• Family history: mother has lupus

The Line Between Addiction And Medication: Alcohol, Anesthesia, And Analgesia, Priya Joshi, B.S., Emanual Rubin, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Alcohol is a particularly dangerous addiction because its consumption is legal even in excess, despite its harmful effects. Because alcohol has a multitude of targets in the central nervous system that are modified during chronic exposure, medications with overlapping targets such as anesthetics and analgesics must be modified when given to alcoholics. Unfortunately, as relatively little is known about the mechanism of addiction, it is difficult to predict how medications will be affected by central adaptation to chronic alcohol exposure. This review summarizes the consequences of alcohol exposure with particular attention to the GABA_Areceptor, and discusses the reasons ...

Myeloid Sarcoma: Extramedullary Relapse After Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant For Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Maria Gubbiotti, Alina Dulau Florea, Md, Renu Bajaj, Phd

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary tumor of myeloid precursor cells, which can precede or occur concomitantly with acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, or myeloproliferative neoplasms. Although MS can involve any organ, it is more common in the central nervous system (CNS) and gonads, sites known as “pharmacologic sanctuaries” where leukemic cells can survive despite systemic chemotherapy. Less often, this tumor can be the manner of relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

The diagnosis is based on morphology and immunophenotype by either flow cytometry or immunohistochemistry of paraffin-embedded tissue, and confirmed by FISH or molecular studies. Myeloid sarcomas usually express ...

An Unexpected Immunohistochemical Profile In An Ovarian Lesion, Kate Fritton, Joanna Chan, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

A 27 year old female presented with pelvic pain and a palpable pelvic mass. Upon histological examination, the cystic mass contained a multi-cellular lining with nuclear grooves. Negative inhibin staining ruled out a follicular cyst and granulosa cell tumor while pan-cytokeratin positivity suggested an epithelial lesion. The lesion stained positive for thrombomodulin, ultimately suggesting a diagnosis of a Brenner cell tumor, although CD56 positivity in the tumor questions the known immunohistochemical profile of Brenner cell tumors. This unusual result opens the door to future research into the role CD56 in the diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms.

Lumbar Chordoma: A Primary Bone Tumor, Andrew N. Fleischman, Bs, Brian O'Hara, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION

• Primary malignant bone tumor of embryonic notochord remnants
• 1-4% of primary bone tumors, <0.1 per 100,000
• Location: Sacral (50%), Skull base (35%), Vertebral column (15%)
• Classic, chondroid (5-15%), and dedifferentiated (5%) variants
• Most commonly in late middle age (50s to 60s)
• Low-grade, slow growing tumor
• But locally aggressive, high rate of local recurrence (20% in 1^st year)
• Local recurrence is most important predictor of mortality
• Metastasis only occurs very late in disease
• Median survival of about 6 years, less than 12 months with mets
• 5 year survival of 70%, 10 year survival of 40%
• Primary therapy- aggressive surgical resection (if possible ...

Morphologic And Endoscopic Evaluation Of Collagenous Gastritis, Annie Ashok, Ashlie L. Burkart, Md, Cm

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

Collagenous gastritis (CG) is a rare gastrointestinal condition of unknown etiology and pathogenesis characterized by the presence of a gastric subepithelial collagen band of variable thickness. While little is known about the disease, children and young adults often present with anemia, abdominal pain, and nodular gastric mucosa on endoscopy. In contrast, adults often present with chronic watery diarrhea and normal gastric mucosa on endoscopy. Disease associations (usually in adult cases) include celiac disease, collagenous colitis, collagenous sprue, and lymphocytic colitis. This study aims to further characterize the clinical, endoscopic and morphologic spectrum of CG.

Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury, Nadia Abidi, Jay Herman, Md, Julie Karp, Md

Pathology Honors Program Student Research Symposium

A 74 year old woman presented with hematemesis. Her medical history was significant for pulmonary embolism treated with warfarin anticoagulation, fibromyalgia treated with NSAIDs/steroids, and a prior bleeding event from a gastric ulcer. On admission she was stable with a hemoglobin of 8.7 g/dL and a therapeutic INR of 3.19. A type and screen determined a blood type of AB positive. In anticipation of endoscopy, the patient received one unit of red blood cells and four units of type AB plasma. Following transfusion, her INR was 1.83. The patient received an additional four units of ...