Which of the following ions binds to the troponin complex, initiating contraction of a muscle?

The hypothesis should be modified to include the new findings that worm infestation can relieve the effects of certain autoimmune disorders.

A possible modification could be: “Parasitic worm infestation can have both damaging and beneficial effects on the host.

While it can cause harm, it has also been found to reduce the severity of certain autoimmune disorders.”

Choice A.

Worm infestation prevents the body from immune malfunction is not correct because it overstates the findings and implies that worm infestation completely prevents immune malfunction, which is not supported by the evidence.

Choice C.

Worm infestations exacerbate the body’s immune reactions is not correct because it contradicts the new findings that worm infestation can relieve the effects of certain autoimmune disorders.

Choice D.

Lack of worm infestations is the cause of some autoimmune disorders is not correct because it overstates the findings and implies a causal relationship between lack of worm infestations and autoimmune disorders, which is not supported by the evidence.

Melanin.

Melanin is a pigment produced by cells called melanocytes in the skin.

It protects the skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation by absorbing and dissipating over 99.9% of absorbed UV radiation.

This helps to prevent DNA damage and other adverse effects of UV radiation on the skin.

Choice B.

Perspiration is not correct because it is a fluid produced by sweat glands in the skin that helps to regulate body temperature, but it does not protect the skin from UV radiation.

Choice C.

Sebum is not correct because it is an oily substance produced by sebaceous glands in the skin that helps to lubricate and protect the skin, but it does not protect the skin from UV radiation.

Choice D.

Keratin is not correct because it is a fibrous protein that provides strength and durability to the skin, hair and nails, but it does not protect the skin from UV radiation.

Amino acids have a unique structure consisting of an amino group (-NH3⁺) and a carboxyl group (-COO⁻) attached to a central carbon (called the α-carbon). At physiological pH (around 7.4), these functional groups often exist in their ionized forms:

• The amino group (-NH3⁺) is positively charged, acting as a proton acceptor (a base).
• The carboxyl group (-COO⁻) is negatively charged, acting as a proton donor (an acid).

This results in a zwitterion — a molecule with both a positive and a negative charge. Because amino acids can accept or donate protons depending on the pH of their environment, they have buffering capacity. This means they can resist changes in pH by stabilizing the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺).

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Monosaccharides: These are simple sugars without ionizable functional groups, so they cannot act as buffers.
• B. Ribonucleotides and D. Deoxyribonucleotides: While nucleotides have phosphate groups that can donate protons, they lack the dual positive and negative functional groups necessary for the strong buffering effect seen in amino acids.

Therefore, amino acids are the correct choice because their zwitterionic nature provides them with excellent buffering capacity.

Testosterone is classified as an androgen hormone.

Androgens are a type of sex hormone that primarily regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics, such as body hair growth, muscle mass, and deepening of the voice.

Testosterone is produced primarily in the testes in males and in smaller amounts in the ovaries and adrenal glands in females.

Option A, estrogen, is a female hormone that regulates the development of female sexual characteristics, such as breast growth and menstruation.

While estrogen and testosterone are both steroid hormones and can be converted to one another in the body, testosterone is not categorized as estrogen.

Option B, progestin, is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.

Progesterone is a female hormone that plays a role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Testosterone and progestin are not related, and testosterone is not categorized as progestin.

Option C, aldosterone, is a mineralocorticoid hormone that regulates salt and water balance in the body.

It is produced in the adrenal gland and plays a role in regulating blood pressure.

Testosterone and aldosterone are not related, and testosterone is not categorized as aldosterone.

ff.

In this cross, both parents are homozygous recessive for the smooth leaf trait

(ff).

This means that all of their offspring will inherit two copies of the recessive allele (f) and will therefore have smooth leaves.

Choice A.

FF x FF is not correct because both parents are homozygous dominant for the fuzzy leaf trait (FF) and all of their offspring will inherit two copies of the dominant allele (F) and will therefore have fuzzy leaves.

Choice B.

Ff x Ff is not correct because both parents are heterozygous for the leaf trait (Ff) and their offspring can inherit either one dominant allele (F) or one recessive allele (f) from each parent, resulting in a 3:1 ratio of fuzzy to smooth leaves. Choice D.

Ff x ff is not correct because one parent is heterozygous for the leaf trait (Ff) while the other is homozygous recessive (ff), resulting in a 1:1 ratio of fuzzy to smooth leaves in their offspring.

The two major parts of the nervous system are the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

The CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord and acts as the integration and command center of the body.

The PNS represents the conduit between the CNS and the body and is further subdivided into the somatic nervous system (SNS) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Choice A is incorrect because it only mentions two subdivisions of the PNS, which are the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and somatic nervous system (SNS).

Choice B is incorrect because it only mentions one major part of the nervous system, which is the PNS, and one subdivision of it, which is the SNS.

Choice D is incorrect because it only mentions one major part of the nervous system, which is the CNS, and one subdivision of the PNS, which is the ANS.

The glomerulus is the main filtering unit of the kidney.

It is formed by a network of small blood vessels (capillaries) enclosed within a sac called the Bowman’s capsule.

The blood supply to the glomerulus is provided via the afferent arteriole.

The blood then flows through the capillary network, where it gets filtered, and then leaves the glomerulus via the efferent arteriole.

Choice B.

Proximal tubule is not correct because it is where the ultrafiltrate collected in the Bowman’s space drains directly into.

Choice C.

Distal tubule is not correct because it is not mentioned in relation to blood exiting the glomerulus.

Choice D.

Afferent arteriole is not correct because it provides blood supply to the glomerulus.

The pulmonary veins are the vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.

Choice A is not correct because the superior vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium of the heart.

Choice B is not correct because the inferior vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the right atrium of the heart.

Choice C is not correct because the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs.

In DNA, the nitrogenous bases adenine (A) and thymine (T) pair together, while cytosine (C) and guanine (G) pair together.

Therefore, the complementary strand of the given DNA sequence 3' TCGATCGCA 5' would have the complementary nitrogenous bases as:

5’ AGCTAGCGT 3’

NOTE: The 5’ to 3’ direction of the complementary strand is opposite to that of the given strand.

Choice A.

3’ AGCTAGCGT 5’ is not correct because it is not complementary to the given strand.

Choice C.

5’ UCGAUCGCA 3’ is not correct because it contains uracil (U), which is a nitrogenous base found in RNA, not DNA.

Choice D.

3’ TCGUTCGCU 3’ is not correct because it also contains uracil (U), which is a nitrogenous base found in RNA, not DNA.

Viruses.

Viruses lack essential machinery needed to reproduce by themselves.

In fact, viruses can only reproduce after infecting a living cell - a process called viral replication.

Once inside a living cell, viruses re-program the cell’s machinery to produce viral proteins and genetic material to make new copies of themselves.

Choice A, Bacteria, is not the correct answer because bacteria have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.

Choice B, Protozoa, is also not the correct answer because protozoa are singlecelled eukaryotes that have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.

Choice C, Helminths, is not the correct answer because helminths are multicellular parasitic worms that have their own metabolic pathways and can reproduce outside of a host cell.