Nursing Elites

1. Which condition may benefit from branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine)?

• A. cancer-related malnutrition
• B. marasmus
• C. cardiovascular disease
• D. severe depression

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Branched chain amino acids, such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential in preventing muscle breakdown. Therefore, they may be particularly important for a patient with cancer-related malnutrition, where maintaining muscle mass is crucial. Marasmus is a severe form of malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency, not specifically related to cancer. Cardiovascular disease and severe depression do not have a direct correlation with the need for branched chain amino acids to prevent muscle breakdown.

2. The mineral that helps control enzyme actions in cell mitochondria that produce and store high-energy compounds is:

• A. iron.
• B. cobalt.
• C. hemoglobin.
• D. vitamin B12.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is iron. Iron is essential for enzyme function and energy production within the mitochondria. While cobalt is important for certain enzymes, it is not the primary mineral involved in this specific function. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, not a mineral involved in enzyme actions. Vitamin B12 is crucial for nerve function and DNA synthesis but is not directly related to controlling enzyme actions in mitochondria.

3. What substance activates pepsinogen to pepsin?

• A. Bile
• B. Gastrin
• C. Secretin
• D. Hydrochloric acid

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach plays a crucial role in converting pepsinogen into its active form, pepsin, which is necessary for digesting proteins. Bile (Choice A) is involved in the emulsification of fats, not in the activation of pepsinogen. Gastrin (Choice B) is a hormone that stimulates the secretion of gastric acid but does not directly activate pepsinogen. Secretin (Choice C) is a hormone that regulates the pH of the duodenum but is not responsible for the activation of pepsinogen.

4. A chemical feature that distinguishes a saturated fatty acid from an unsaturated fatty acid is the:

• A. arrangement of carbon atoms.
• B. number of oxygen molecules.
• C. number of double bonds.
• D. food source.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds. Therefore, the number of double bonds is the chemical feature that distinguishes a saturated fatty acid from an unsaturated fatty acid. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the distinguishing factor between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids lies in the presence or absence of double bonds, not in the arrangement of carbon atoms, number of oxygen molecules, or food source.

5. Amino acids that can be synthesized by the body in sufficient amounts are known as:

• A. indispensable.
• B. dispensable.
• C. simple.
• D. complex.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B, 'dispensable.' Dispensable amino acids are those that the body can synthesize in sufficient amounts, so they are not required to be obtained from the diet. Indispensable amino acids, on the other hand, are essential and must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot produce them in sufficient quantities. Choices C and D, 'simple' and 'complex,' are incorrect as they do not accurately describe amino acids in terms of synthesis by the body.

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