Nursing Elites

1. What is the primary function of white blood cells?

• A. To carry oxygen
• B. To fight infection
• C. To transport nutrients
• D. To transport waste

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: "To fight infection." White blood cells are primarily responsible for fighting infections and foreign invaders in the body, making them a critical component of the immune system. Choice A, "To carry oxygen," is incorrect as red blood cells are responsible for oxygen transport. Choice C, "To transport nutrients," is incorrect as this function is mainly attributed to blood plasma and other specialized cells. Choice D, "To transport waste," is also incorrect as waste removal is primarily handled by the kidneys and the lymphatic system, not white blood cells.

2. Urine, the liquid waste product of the body, travels from the kidneys to the bladder through tubes called:

• A. Ureters
• B. Urethra
• C. Nephrons
• D. Renal pelvis

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Ureters.' Ureters are tubes that connect each kidney to the bladder. They transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder for storage before excretion. The urethra, which is not the correct answer, is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder out of the body. Nephrons, another incorrect choice, are microscopic units within the kidneys that filter blood and produce urine. The renal pelvis, also an incorrect choice, is a structure in the kidney where urine collects before moving into the ureters for further passage to the bladder.

3. How can bacteria acquire new genetic material from their environment?

• A. Transformation
• B. Transduction
• C. Conjugation
• D. All of the above

Correct answer: D

Rationale: A) Transformation: Transformation is the process by which bacteria can take up free DNA from their environment and incorporate it into their own genome, leading to the acquisition of new genetic material and traits. B) Transduction: Transduction involves the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. The bacteriophage carries bacterial DNA from one host cell to another, facilitating the transfer of genetic material. C) Conjugation: Conjugation is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria where genetic material is transferred between two bacterial cells in direct contact. This transfer is facilitated by a conjugative plasmid carrying the genetic information. Therefore, all the processes mentioned (transformation, transduction, and conjugation) are ways in which bacteria can acquire new genetic material from their environment.

4. Which of the following vessels is responsible for transporting blood from the heart to the lungs?

• A. Pulmonary vein
• B. Pulmonary artery
• C. Aorta
• D. Superior vena cava

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B, Pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart's right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation. This blood then undergoes the gas exchange process in the lungs, where carbon dioxide is removed, and oxygen is absorbed. The pulmonary vein, identified in choice A, carries oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart, which is the opposite direction of the blood flow specified in the question. Choice C, Aorta, is responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart's left ventricle to the rest of the body, not to the lungs. Choice D, Superior vena cava, returns deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart's right atrium, but it does not transport blood specifically to the lungs as requested in the question.

5. Not all cells in the pancreas secrete insulin because of the hormone somatostatin, which inhibits the release of insulin by all cells. What type of intercellular chemical signal does this illustrate?

• A. Autocrine
• B. Neuromodulator
• C. Paracrine
• D. Pheromone

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Paracrine. Somatostatin acts in a paracrine manner by inhibiting the release of insulin from nearby cells within the pancreas. Paracrine signaling involves the secretion of signals that act on neighboring cells, as seen in this scenario where somatostatin affects nearby pancreatic cells without entering the bloodstream or affecting distant cells. Autocrine signaling involves cells responding to substances they themselves release, which is not the case here. Neuromodulators are chemicals that modulate the activity of neurons, not directly related to this scenario. Pheromones are chemicals released into the environment to communicate with individuals of the same species, not relevant to the signaling within the pancreas.

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