Anatomy
Which bone forms the posterior part of the hard palate and contributes to the floor of the nasal cavity?
The palatine bone.
What is the most likely diagnosis for a patient with a history of chronic alcohol use presenting with a sudden onset of severe back pain, fever, and a positive Cobb angle in the thoracic spine?
Osteomyelitis (possibly due to Staphylococcus aureus).
What type of bone tissue is primarily found in the epiphysis of long bones, and what is its function?
Spongy (trabecular) bone; it reduces the weight of bones and allows space for red bone marrow.
Which enzyme in glycolysis catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, and what is its regulatory mechanism?
Hexokinase
What is the main enzyme responsible for synthesizing mRNA during transcription?
RNA polymerase.
Which muscle is responsible for the lateral rotation of the arm at the shoulder and is also involved in abduction of the arm?
The infraspinatus.
A patient presents with muscle weakness, facial drooping, difficulty swallowing, and is found to have elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Polymyositis.
What histological feature differentiates cardiac muscle from skeletal muscle?
Cardiac muscle fibers are branched, contain intercalated discs, and have a single central nucleus, while skeletal muscle fibers are multinucleated and unbranched.
What is the role of phosphocreatine in muscle cells during high-intensity exercise?
Phosphocreatine donates a phosphate group to ADP to regenerate ATP during short bursts of intense muscle activity.
Which structure in the cell is responsible for protein synthesis?
Ribosomes
Which part of the brain is involved in regulating autonomic functions such as heart rate and respiratory rate, and is located just above the spinal cord?
The medulla oblongata.
What is the most likely diagnosis for a patient presenting with right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, fever, and recent history of gallstones?
Acute cholecystitis with choledocholithiasis (common bile duct stones)
What is the main histological characteristic of the parotid gland?
The parotid gland is primarily serous in nature and contains numerous ducts and acini with a dark staining due to the presence of protein-secreting cells.
Which enzyme deficiency results in a buildup of phenylalanine in the blood and leads to the disorder known as phenylketonuria (PKU)?
Phenylalanine hydroxylase.
In eukaryotic cells, where does transcription occur, and where does translation occur?
Transcription occurs in the nucleus, while translation occurs in the cytoplasm
What is the name of the vein that returns deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the right atrium?
The inferior vena cava.
What is the diagnosis for a patient presenting with sudden onset of severe calf pain, swelling, and redness, and a positive Homan’s sign?
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
What histological feature distinguishes elastic arteries (e.g., the aorta) from muscular arteries?
Elastic arteries have a thicker tunica media with numerous elastic fibers, while muscular arteries have more smooth muscle and fewer elastic fibers.
What is the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on vascular smooth muscle, and which enzyme is involved in its production?
Nitric oxide causes vasodilation by activating guanylate cyclase to increase cGMP levels; it is produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).
What is the function of the enzyme telomerase?
Telomerase adds repetitive nucleotide sequences to the ends of chromosomes (telomeres) resolving supercoiling
What is the fetal remnant of the umbilical vein, and what does it become after birth?
The ligamentum teres (round ligament of the liver); it is the remnant of the umbilical vein after birth.
What is the condition that occurs when a fetal structure, the ductus arteriosus, fails to close after birth, leading to a continuous murmur and increased pulmonary blood flow?
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
What histological feature of the fetal liver is different from the adult liver, and what is its function?
The fetal liver has a higher number of hematopoietic cells (blood-forming cells), whereas in adults, the liver primarily functions in detoxification and metabolism.
What is the primary source of glucose for the fetus during early gestation, and how does this differ from the adult's glucose regulation?
The primary source of glucose for the fetus is from maternal blood via the placenta, while in adults, glucose is primarily sourced from the liver through gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.
How does the lac operon regulate gene expression?
The lac repressor inhibits transcription, which is relieved by lactose binding.