A 60-year-old female presents with bone pain and frequent fractures. Laboratory tests reveal elevated levels of calcium in the blood. Imaging studies show areas of bone resorption.  What is the most likely cause of her symptoms? 

A 7-year-old girl presents with headaches, vomiting, and difficulty walking. MRI reveals a mass in the posterior fossa.  What is the most likely diagnosis? 

A patient with a bacterial infection shows an increased number of neutrophils at the site of infection. What process is responsible for this increase? 

A 45-year-old male with a history of liver disease presents with prolonged bleeding. Laboratory tests show low levels of protein C.  What is the role of thrombomodulin in this patient’s condition? 

A 50-year-old male with a history of hepatitis B infection is diagnosed with liver cancer.   How can hepatitis B virus contribute to cancer development? 

A 50-year-old female with a family history of breast cancer is found to have a mutation in the BRCA1 gene, a tumor suppressor gene.  What is the most likely consequence of this mutation? 

A 45-year-old female with a family history of multiple cancers is found to have a germline mutation in the MLH1 gene, associated with Lynch syndrome.  What is the primary function of the MLH1 gene in normal cells? 

A 45-year-old male presents with lower back pain radiating down his left leg. He reports numbness and weakness in his left foot. MRI reveals a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level.  What is the most likely cause of his symptoms? 

What is the first step in the degeneration process of herniated disc disease? 

A patient presents with a bacterial infection, and their innate immune response is activated. Which of the following cells is most likely to be rapidly recruited to the site of infection?