A 45-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated for Persistent Cough and Progressive

question 281

Multiple Choice

A 45-year-old man is evaluated for persistent cough and progressive dyspnea on exertion.  The patient has no medical issues but has been exposed to large quantities of coal dust while working as a miner for the past 15 years.  Chest imaging reveals small, nodular opacities in the upper lobes.  Lung biopsy shows fine carbon particles within the patient's respiratory bronchioles and alveolar ducts.  Which of the following mechanisms is most directly responsible for clearing the foreign particles from this patient's respiratory tract?

• A)Coughing and sneezing
• B)Immunologic memory
• C)Mucociliary transport
• D)Phagocytosis
• E)Upper airway trapping

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Definitions:

Individual Differences

Variability among individuals in behavior, biology, and psychology that makes each person unique.

Genes

Units of DNA that serve as instructions to make molecules called proteins, playing crucial roles in determining physical and functional traits.

Environment

The surrounding or conditions in which a person, plant, or animal lives or operates.

Facial Expressions

are movements of the facial muscles that convey emotions, thoughts, and intentions to others, serving as a primary means of nonverbal communication.