Question 1

An 86-year-old female patient has the wasting syndrome of aging, making her vulnerable to falls, functional decline, disease, and death. What condition does the nurse know this to be?

Accepted Answer

Frailty is a common syndrome in older adults that involves increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, including falls, functional decline, and mortality. It is characterized by weakness, weight loss, and low activity, which aligns with the description of the patient's condition.

Question 2

Why does liquefactive necrosis occur in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Brain cells are rich in hydrolytic enzymes, which lead to the digestion of tissue and liquefactive necrosis when the cells die.

Question 3

A 50-year-old female became infected with Clostridium bacteria and died a week later. Examination of her red blood cells revealed lysis of membranes. Which of the following was the most likely cause of her death?

Accepted Answer

The presence of Clostridium bacteria and the lysis of red blood cell membranes suggest the development of gas gangrene, which is caused by Clostridium bacteria producing gas and toxins that destroy tissue and cause widespread death of cells. This can result in a fatal outcome if left untreated. Fat necrosis, wet gangrene, and gangrenous necrosis are all different types of necrosis that may be caused by various factors, but they are not directly related to a Clostridium infection.

Question 4

A newborn male is diagnosed with albinism based on skin, eye, and hair appearance. What pathology is associated with this condition?

Accepted Answer

Albinism is associated with a deficiency in the enzyme tyrosinase, which is necessary for converting tyrosine to DOPA, a precursor in melanin synthesis.

Question 5

A 50-year-old male intravenous drug user is diagnosed with hepatitis C. What type of cellular damage in the liver might be expected?

Accepted Answer

Hepatitis C virus can lead to liver cell damage through infection-induced apoptosis, where infected cells undergo programmed cell death as a response to viral infection.

Question 6

An adolescent is thought to have consumed mercuric chloride. Following ingestion, kidney function was impaired, and the heart began to fail. Which of the following was the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Mercuric chloride poisoning typically causes coagulative necrosis, which can lead to impaired kidney function and heart failure due to the toxic effects on tissues.

Question 7

Which of the following is a confirmation of somatic death?

Accepted Answer

Somatic death is confirmed by the complete cessation of respiration and circulation, indicating the end of life functions.

Question 8

What principle should the nurse remember when trying to distinguish aging from diseases?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What principle should the nurse remember when...

Question 9

When a nurse observes muscle stiffening occurring within 6 to 14 hours after death, the nurse should document this finding as the presence of:

Accepted Answer

Rigor mortis is the postmortem stiffening of muscles, typically occurring within 6 to 14 hours after death.

Question 10

When a nurse is checking a urinalysis, the finding that would alert the nurse to cellular injury is the presence of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of When a nurse is checking a urinalysis,...

Question 11

A group of prison inmates developed tuberculosis following exposure to an infected inmate. What type of necrosis is the result of this type of infection?

Accepted Answer

Caseous necrosis is characteristic of tuberculosis infections, where the tissue maintains a cheese-like appearance.

Question 12

A 23-year-old male develops a black eye following a fight. When the aide asks the nurse why this occurred, the nurse's best response is that the bruising is due to an accumulation of:

Accepted Answer

Hemosiderin is a brownish pigment that is derived from the breakdown of hemoglobin. It is commonly found in areas of bruising and can give the surrounding tissue a brown or yellowish appearance. This accumulation occurs as a result of bleeding under the skin. Transferrin, albumin, and bilirubin are not typically associated with bruising.

Question 13

What does the nurse know is true about cellular apoptosis?

Accepted Answer

Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death, which is a normal and controlled part of an organism's growth and development.

Question 14

A 35-year-old female is diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Biopsy of the tumour reveals Russell bodies, and laboratory testing reveals kidney dysfunction. What substance does the nurse know is accumulating in the patient's body?

Accepted Answer

Russell bodies are indicative of excess protein accumulation, specifically immunoglobulins, in plasma cells. In multiple myeloma, abnormal proteins (such as Bence Jones proteins) can accumulate and lead to kidney dysfunction.

Quiz 4: Altered Cellular and Tissue Biology