A 67-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated for Persistent Lower Back Pain

question 422

Multiple Choice

A 67-year-old man is evaluated for persistent lower back pain and fatigue.  The patient has no other medical conditions and takes no medications.  Laboratory testing shows anemia and renal dysfunction.  Serum total protein levels are elevated, and electrophoresis of the serum proteins reveals a narrow spike in the gamma globulin region.  A subsequent bone marrow biopsy shows abnormal marrow cells.  A medication that blocks cellular proteasome action is administered.  This treatment is most likely to cause which of the following effects on the abnormal cells?

• A)Augmented cytotoxic T-cell response
• B)Decreased DNA methylation
• C)Impaired RNA splicing
• D)Improved differentiation
• E)Increased apoptosis

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Definitions:

Opinions

Opinions are personal beliefs or judgments that are not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe, after an outcome is already known, that one would have foreseen it, often referred to as the "I-knew-it-all-along" effect.

"I Knew It All Along"

A cognitive bias, also known as hindsight bias, where people believe they accurately predicted an event or outcome that could not have been reasonably foreseen.

Confirmation Bias

The inclination to seek out, understand, prioritize, and remember information in a manner that validates one's already established beliefs or theories.