A Lost Cyclical Tale

Submission to the Friends of Fondren Library Undergraduate Research Awards, 201

Persons with Mental Disabilities and the United States Justice System: a Study of Injustice and Contradiction

Honorable Mention winner of the Friends of Fondren Library Undergraduate Research Awards, 2011.This paper explores a short history of the mentally challenged in the legal system and makes comparisons between how the legal system treats subjects with borderline intellectual functioning and juveniles with normal intellectually functioning. The research contained in this paper amply proves the prevalence of nefarious consequences stemming from strict legal boundaries through two case study examples. The paper then proposes an experiment designed to prove that mentally challenged offenders do not meet the culpability standards set forth by the legal system. Conclusions drawn from the experiment are elaborated upon through their constitutional implications

Bilateral intraosseous adenoid cystic carcinoma of the mandible: report of a case with lung metastases at first clinical presentation

OBJECTIVE: Malignant epithelial tumours arising in the jaws are very rare. Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) represents approximately 7.5% of all carcinomas and only a few cases of intraosseous (central) ACC have been reported in the literature. MATERIALS: The salient clinico-pathological features of a case of ACC, bilaterally occurring in the mandible of a young caucasian woman who also had lung metastases are reported to appropriately characterize such unusual lesions and discriminate them from other tumours that more commonly affect the mandible. RESULTS: The patient presented with a painful swelling of the right retro-molar area and paraesthesia of the ipsilateral lower lip and radiological investigations disclosed bilateral radiolucent lesions of the mandible with unequivocal signs of malignancy but without intra-lesional calcifications or association with teeth roots or cystic component. Conventional histological examination disclosed typical ACC with solid and cribriform growth patterns and extensive infiltration of the adjacent tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of intraosseous malignant salivary gland type neoplasms is very difficult in view of their rarity and lack of specific signs and mainly achieved after histological examination and complete clinico-radiological work up. As surgical treatment of the patient was not indicated, due to extensive neoplastic disease, the patient is being controlled with multimodal treatment, including chemo- and radiotherapy and is alive with persistent disease 3 years after the original diagnosis