Nursing Elites

1. The innate immune system provides a non-specific first line of defense. What are some physical barriers that contribute to the innate immune system?

• A. Antibodies
• B. Phagocytes
• C. Skin and mucous membranes
• D. Memory B cells

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Physical barriers such as the skin and mucous membranes are crucial components of the innate immune system's first line of defense. These barriers act as physical obstacles that prevent pathogens from entering the body. Antibodies (option A) are produced by the adaptive immune system in response to specific pathogens and do not serve as physical barriers. Phagocytes (option B) are cells that engulf and digest pathogens, playing a role in the innate immune response but not as physical barriers. Memory B cells (option D) are part of the adaptive immune system and aid in mounting a faster and more effective immune response upon subsequent exposure to a specific pathogen, but they are not physical barriers against initial pathogen entry.

2. Through which structure do the kidneys reabsorb water, salts, and nutrients and return them to the body?

• A. Renal artery
• B. Renal vein
• C. Nephron
• D. Glomerulus

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The question has been corrected to specify the structure responsible for reabsorbing water, salts, and nutrients in the kidneys. The correct answer is the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney that performs filtration and reabsorption processes. The renal artery brings blood into the kidney for filtration, the renal vein carries filtered blood away from the kidney, and the glomerulus is a part of the nephron where filtration occurs. Therefore, the nephron is the structure that reabsorbs substances and returns them to the body.

3. What is the primary function of the respiratory system?

• A. to create sound and speech
• B. to take oxygen into the body while removing carbon dioxide
• C. to transport nutrients to the cells and tissue of the body
• D. to act as a barrier between the body’s organs and outside influences

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The primary function of the respiratory system is to take oxygen into the body through inhalation and remove carbon dioxide through exhalation. Oxygen is essential for cellular respiration and energy production, while carbon dioxide is a waste product that needs to be expelled from the body. This process is vital for the functioning of the body's cells and tissues. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because sound and speech production, nutrient transport, and acting as a barrier against outside influences are not the primary functions of the respiratory system. While the respiratory system is involved in speech production to some extent, its primary role is in gas exchange for respiration.

4. Which of the following is responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body?

• A. Brainstem
• B. Hypothalamus
• C. Medulla oblongata
• D. Cerebrum

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is the Hypothalamus (choice B). The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis by regulating various bodily functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sleep cycles. While the brainstem (choice A) is involved in basic life functions like breathing and heart rate, it is not primarily responsible for maintaining homeostasis. The medulla oblongata (choice C) is part of the brainstem and controls vital autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate, but it is not the main regulator of homeostasis. The cerebrum (choice D) is responsible for higher brain functions such as thinking, memory, and voluntary movement, but it is not directly involved in maintaining overall bodily balance or homeostasis.

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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