tom farrow sba

Question 1

Q1. A 42 year old man is suspected of having haemochromatosis, a condition that causes iron to accumulate in the liver. A pathologist examines a liver biopsy from this patient. Which of the following may be used to stain iron blue in histological sections?

Answer 1

perls’ stain

Question 2

Q3. The genetic code is the set of rules used by living cells to translate information encoded within genetic material into proteins. Which statement regarding codons is correct?
A- Codons are separated by exons
B- DNA and RNA use the same four bases to form codons
C-Each amino acid is coded for by a single unique codon
D- Each codon specifies only one amino acid
E- Each messenger RNA (mRNA) codon consists of three base pairs

Answer 2

D- Each codon specifies only one amino acid

Question 3

Q10. A 22 year old medical student develops profuse watery diarrhoea whilst on his elective in Bangladesh. Although he is drinking approximately 2 litres of fluid per day, he is passing 8-10 litres of liquid stools per day. He sees a doctor, who diagnoses cholera infection. Which part of the gastrointestinal tract normally absorbs the most fluid?

Answer 3

Jejunum

Question 4

Q12. A histopathologist is examining a sample from a patient. The specimen contains a ciliated epithelium. In which of the following are cilia normally found?

Answer 4

Fallopian (uterine) tube

Question 5

Q13. A 22 year old woman attends her general practitioner because she is hoping to start a family with her husband. She is concerned because whilst she and her partner are well, her younger sister has cystic fibrosis. She is worried that if she has a child it will also have cystic fibrosis. Which of the following statements is true?
A-Carrier parents have a 1 in 2 chance that their child will be affected
B-Her sons will have cystic fibrosis and her daughters will be carriers
C-It is likely that her parents and grandparents also have cystic fibrosis
D-She is more likely to have a child with cystic fibrosis if her parents are consanguineous
E-The chance that she is an asymptomatic carrier is 2 in 3

Answer 5

E-The chance that she is an asymptomatic carrier is 2 in 3

Question 6

Q14. Carotid sinus massage is a bedside procedure used to investigate unexplained dizziness, falls or faints.Which of the following effects may be caused by stimulation of the carotid sinus?
A-Decreased cardiac contractility
B-Decreased parasympathetic innervation of the heart
C-Increased heart rate
D-Increased peripheral vascular resistance
E-Reduced blood pressure

Answer 6

REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE

Question 7

Q15. A 23 year old man with Marfan’s syndrome is found to have a dilated aortic root. Which embryological structure gives rise to the aortic root?

Answer 7

TRUNCUS ARTERIOSUS

Question 8

Q21. Blood pressure control is complex and adapts to the changing needs of the body. Which statement about the physiology of blood pressure control is correct?
A-High blood pressure increases sympathetic activity
B-Local nitric oxide release overrides central control
C-Low blood pressure reduces cardiac output
D-Parasympathetic fibres control the precapillary arteriole
E-Standing up causes an increase in signal from the carotid sinus

Answer 8

B-Local nitric oxide release overrides central control

Question 9

Q22. Breathlessness has a wide variety of causes and it is useful to measure lung volumes to investigate the cause of the disease. Which of the following statements describes the functional residual capacity?

Answer 9

The volume of gas in the lungs at the end of a normal exhalation

Question 10

Q23. Cough receptors (pulmonary irritant receptors) are protective of the lungs. Which of the following best describes the purpose of coughing?

Answer 10

To move material from the vocal cords to the pharynx

Question 11

Q25. A 65 year old man who has smoked 20 cigarettes a day for the last 50 years presents to his general practitioner complaining of feeling short of breath and wheezy. He undergoes spirometry to measure his lung function. Which of the following volumes describes the maximum volume of air that can be expelled during a forced maximal exhalation

Answer 11

Vital capacity

Question 12

Q26. A 23 year old SCUBA diver has rapidly ascended from a depth of 5m. She immediately complains of shortness of breath and a sharp pain in her chest. On examination there are normal breath sounds on the left but no breath sounds on the right. Which is the most likely cause of shortness of breath in this diver?

Answer 12

PNEUMOTHORAX

Question 13

Q29. Expiration or exhalation is the process of letting air out of the lungs during the breathing cycle. Which mechanism is primarily responsible for this process?

Answer 13

ELASTIC RECOIL OF LUNG

Question 14

Q30. Exchange of gases in the lung adapts rapidly to body requirements. Which statement about the physiology of gas exchange at rest is correct?
A-All blood comes into contact with multiple alveoli
B-Blood in the pulmonary vein does not contain CO2
C-Haemoglobin is saturated 25% of the way through the capillary
D-Hypoxia results in pulmonary vasodilatation
E-Ventilation and perfusion are matched throughout the height of the lung

Answer 14

Correct answer
Haemoglobin is saturated 25% of the way through the capillary

Question 15

Q31. The pancreas has both endocrine and exocrine functions. Which of the following is secreted by the exocrine pancreas?Chymotrypsin
Gastrin
Insulin
Somatostatin
Trypsinogen

Answer 15

TRYPSINOGEN

Question 16

Q33. A dietician is prescribing total parenteral nutrition for a severely malnourished patient. Which of the following vitamins is fat-soluble?
Biotin
Folic acid
Retinol
Riboflavin
Niacin

Answer 16

RETINOL

Question 17

Q37. Pepsin is an important digestive enzyme. Which of the following statements concerning pepsin is true?

It converts proteins to amino acids

It hydrolyses bonds between aromatic amino acids

Answer 17

It hydrolyses bonds between aromatic amino acids

Question 18

Q39. Trace elements occur in a normal human diet. Which of the following metals is an example of a trace?
Calcium
Iron
Manganese
Sodium
Zinc

Answer 18

manganese

Question 19

Q40. Swallowing is an important part of eating and drinking. Which statement about swallowing is correct?
A-Initiation is involuntary
B-Motor co-ordination is through cranial nerves XI and XII
C-Sensory input is through cranial nerves IX and X
D-The hyoid moves down during swallowing
E-The nasopharynx is closed by the cricopharyngeus
Correct answer
Sensory input is through cranial nerves IX and X

Answer 19

Correct answer
Sensory input is through cranial nerves IX and X

Question 20

Q42. Van Dam et al. (2008) reported that increased all-cause mortality was predicted by the following factors: smoking; being overweight; consuming too much alcohol; decreased physical activity and poor diet. Which is the most likely term that is being described here.

Answer 20

MODIFIABLE

Question 21

44. A drug administered late or not all to a patient could carry serious consequences. Which term would best describe this error?

Answer 21

OMISSION

Question 22

Q45. During an outbreak we can estimate the probability of an individual developing a particular disease in a particular time period. Which of the following terms best describes this probability?

Answer 22

ABSOLUTE RISK

Question 23

Q47. In health economics there is a notion of how fair a given allocation of resources is. Which term best describes this?

Answer 23

EQUITY

Question 24

Q48. Six hundred and ninety-eight elderly people prescribed iron supplements were surveyed and 189 reported symptoms of constipation. Which term describes the level of this condition in this population?

Answer 24

PREVELENCE

Question 25

Q49. Patients with lung cancer were compared to patients with similar characteristics but without lung cancer. The two groups were similar in terms of average age, sex, social class of patients. The conclusion was that patients with lung cancer were much more likely to be smokers even after taking into account age, sex and social status. Which is the most likely study design that is being described?
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Answer 25

CASE CONTROL

Question 26

Q50. There are large geographical inequalities in mortality and morbidity in the UK: Tudor-Hart (1970) suggested that access to health care tends not to be proportionate to the actual need for care in the population served. Which term below best describes this concept?

Answer 26

INVERSE CARE LAW

Question 27

Q51. Hearing loss has many different causes. Which of the following statements is true?
A-A cochlear implant inserted through the round window lies in the scala media
B-Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) initially affects the low frequencies
C-Loss of hair cells at the apex of the cochlea does not affect hearing
D-Loss of hair cells at the apex of the cochlea causes low frequency hearing loss
E-The presence of middle ear fluid leads to a sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 27

D-Loss of hair cells at the apex of the cochlea causes low frequency hearing loss

Question 28

Q54. Loss of sense of smell has recently been identified as a symptom of COVID-19. Which statement about the sense of smell is correct?
A-Conscious awareness requires normal taste sensation
B-First order neurones synapse in the olfactory bulb
C-Neurones relay in the thalamus
D-The sensory neurones cover the lateral wall of the nasal cavity
E-85% of olfactory tract fibres decussate to the opposite hemisphere

Answer 28

B

Question 29

Q55. A 22 year old woman had a protracted breech delivery six weeks ago and has still not regained urinary continence. Which statement about neuronal control of micturition is correct?
A-The detrusor is supplied by the pudendal nerve
B-The external vesical sphincter is supplied by the pudendal nerve
C-The external vesical sphincter is supplied by the parasympathetic nerves
D-The internal vesical sphincter is supplied by the pudendal nerve
E-The levator ani (which includes pubo-urethralis) is supplied by the parasympathetic nerves

Answer 29

The external vesical sphincter is supplied by the pudendal nerve

Question 30

Q56. Plasma or cell membranes control the movement of substances into and out of the cell. Which statement regarding the plasma membrane of neurons is correct?
A-In the resting state there are more open sodium (Na+) channels than open potassium (K+) channels
B-It always has a myelin sheath
C-It contains very few active transport pumps
D-It is an excitable membrane
E-There is a positive resting potential inside with respect to the outside

Answer 30

Correct answer
It is an excitable membrane

Question 31

Q60. Some psychiatric diagnoses are associated with issues of either ‘over-control’ or ‘under-control’. Which of the following behaviours would be typical of an individual with ‘over-control’ traits?
A-Good at delayed gratification
B-Hyperactive
C-Impulsive
D-Little ability to delay gratification
E-Sexual disinhibition

Answer 31

Correct answer
Good at delayed gratification

Question 32

Q61. Microglial cells are found in the central nervous system. Which of the following statements about these cells is true?
A-They are crucial in guiding developing neurons
B-They are found in the meninges, brain parenchyma and vasculature
C-They have cilia
D-They influence local neurotransmitter and electrolyte levels
E-The provide a barrier between the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain

Answer 32

-They are found in the meninges, brain parenchyma and vasculature

Question 33

Q65. A 47 year old patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis attends her General Practitioner with numbness of the distal upper limb. The pattern of numbness does not fit with a spinal nerve root or a peripheral nerve lesion. Damage to which tract of the spinal cord may lead to this pattern of sensory loss?
A-Cuneate fasciculus (lateral posterior column tract)
B-Dorsal (posterior) spinocerebellar tract
C-Gracile fasciculus (medial posterior column tract)
D-Spino-tectal tract
E-Ventral (anterior) spinocerebellar tract

Answer 33

Correct answer
Cuneate fasciculus (lateral posterior column tract)

Question 34

Q66. A 21 year old student volunteers to take part in a research study investigating the neuropsychology of pain. Awareness of pain is associated with activity in which region of the brain?

Answer 34

PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX

Question 35

Q67. Calcitonin is produced in ‘C-cells’ and is involved in calcium homeostasis. In which of the following are ‘C-cells’ located?
A-Adrenal cortex
B-Juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney
C-Parathyroid gland
D-Skin
E-Thyroid gland

Answer 35

Correct answer
Thyroid gland

Question 36

Q71. A 22 year old man presents with an itchy rash. Which of the following statements regarding the histology of the epidermis is true?

A-Basal cells are anchored to the basement membrane by gap junctions
B-Melanocytes are normally present in the stratum granulosum
C-Rete ridges are barely evident on the fingertips
D-The stratum corneum is an acellular layer
E-The stratum spinosum is the site of keratin production

Answer 36

Correct answer
The stratum corneum is an acellular layer

Question 37

Q72. A 47 year old woman is seen in a ‘well woman’ clinic at her General Practitioner’s surgery. She reports that she has not had a menstrual period for three months and has no other symptoms. A pregnancy test is negative. Which is the primary physiological change that results in the menopause?A-Inhibition of ovulation by increased prolactin levels
B-Reduced production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary gland
C-Reduced production of gonadotropin release hormone (GTRH) by the hypothalamus
D-Reduced production of oestradiol (estradiol) and inhibin B by the ovary
E-Reduced stimulation of the adrenal cortex resulting in reduced sex hormone production

Answer 37

Correct answer
Reduced production of oestradiol (estradiol) and inhibin B by the ovary

Question 38

Q73. After embryo implantation the luteal phase supports the early days of the pregnancy through production of a hormone. Which hormone is produced?

Answer 38

PROGESTERONE

Question 39

Q74. The Type B spermatogonium migrates through the blood-testis barrier. Into which of the following does Type B spermatogonium develop?

A-Secondary spermatocytes
B-Spermatids
C-Spermatozoa
D-Primary spermatocytes
E-Type A spermatogonium

Answer 39

Correct answer
Primary spermatocytes

Question 40

Q76. The micturition cycle has two distinct phases, storage and voiding. What is the primary event in the switch from storage to voiding?
A-Contraction of the detrusor muscle
B-Contraction of the urethral sphincter
C-Funnelling of the bladder neck
D-Relaxation of the detrusor muscle
E-Relaxation of the urethral sphincter

Answer 40

Correct answer
Relaxation of the urethral sphincter

Question 41

Q77. Prior to birth the lungs contain no air; at birth air is drawn into the lungs. Which statement regarding pulmonary physiology after birth is correct?

A-Cyanosis always has a pulmonary cause
B-Blood shunts from the left to right atrium
C-Persistent hypoxia will cause the ductus arteriosus to remain open
D-Right atrial pressure does not change
E-Surfactant is produced by goblet cells

Answer 41

C-Persistent hypoxia will cause the ductus arteriosus to remain open

Question 42

Q78. Aldosterone is a mineralocorticoid produced by the adrenal cortex. Which of the following statements about aldosterone is correct?
A-It enhances the action of antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
B-It increases permeability of the collecting ducts to water
C-It increases potassium uptake in the kidney
D-It reduces sodium and water loss through the urine
E-Secretion is directly stimulated by renin

Answer 42

Correct answer
It reduces sodium and water loss through the urine

Question 43

Q79. Alkalosis is a condition in which the body fluids have excess base (alkali). This is the opposite of excess acid (acidosis). Which of the following would cause a metabolic alkalosis?
0/1

Answer 43

VOMITING

Question 44

Q80. A 50 year old alcoholic man presents with bilateral peripheral oedema. Blood tests show raised liver enzymes, a low sodium level and a low albumin. Which alteration in normal physiology explains his oedema?
A-Increased plasma osmotic pressure and fluid retention due to raised liver enzymes
B-Low sodium causing fluid retention and leakage into tissues

C-Raised pulmonary venous pressure due to left ventricular failure
D-Reduced resorption of tissue fluid due to low plasma osmotic pressure
E-Reduced tissue fluid resorption into capillaries due to raised venous pressure

Answer 44

Correct answer
Reduced resorption of tissue fluid due to low plasma osmotic pressure

Question 45

Q83. A bodybuilder flexes his biceps muscles in a competition. Which of the following descriptions best fits the changes that occur during contraction of skeletal muscle?
A-A-band remains unchanged in length, I-band shortens
B-Both A-band and I-band lengthen
C-Both A-band and I-band remain unchanged
D-Both A-band and I-band shorten
E-I-band remains unchanged in length, A-band shortens

Answer 45

Correct answer
A-band remains unchanged in length, I-band shortens

Question 46

Q84. In order to achieve accurate control of movement the muscles contain two types of sensors, muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs. Which statement regarding the muscle spindle cells is correct?
A-They are innervated by α (alpha) motor-neurons and detect the amount and rate of change of muscle length
B-They are innervated by α (alpha) motor-neurons and detect changes in muscle tension
C-They are innervated by γ (gamma) motor-neurons and contract to generate skeletal movement
D-They are innervated by γ (gamma) motor-neurons and detect changes in muscle tension
E-They are innervated by γ (gamma) motor-neurons and detect the amount and rate of change of muscle length

Answer 46

Correct answer
They are innervated by γ (gamma) motor-neurons and detect the amount and rate of change of muscle length

Question 47

Q87. There are three major hormones involved in calcium regulation. Which of the following hormones is produced in response to an elevated serum calcium concentration?

Answer 47

CALCITONIN

Question 48

Q88. A 23 year old man twisted his knee and ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament. Which statement about the anterior cruciate ligament is correct?
A-It holds the patella against the femoral condyles
B-It is attached anteriorly on the femur
C-It is taut in all positions of the knee
D-It lies outside the joint capsule
E-It stops forward movement of the tibia.
.

Answer 48

Correct answer
It stops forward movement of the tibia

Question 49

Q89. During running only one foot is in contact with the ground at any one time. Which bone of the foot supports ALL the body weight?

A-Calcaneum
B-Cuboid
C-Cuniform
D-Naviculum
E-Talus

Answer 49

Correct answer
Talus

Question 50

Q90. 25-hydroxycholecalciferol is converted to 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. In which of the following tissues does this occur?
0/1

Answer 50

KIDNEY