ASCP BOC UPDATED EXAMS TEST PAPER
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔A stool specimen that appears black and tarry should be tested for the presence of:
a. occult blood
b. fecal fat
c. trypsin
d. excess mucus - ✔✔a. occult blood
✔✔What substance gives feces its normal color?
a. uroerythrin
b. urochrome
c. urobilin
d. urobilinogen - ✔✔c. urobilin
✔✔A condition in which erythrocyte protoporphyrin is increased is:
a. acute intermittent porphyria
b. iron deficiency anemia
c. porphyria cutanea tarda
d. acute porphyric attack - ✔✔b. iron deficiency anemia
,✔✔Which of the following elevates carboxyhemoglobin?
a. nitrite poisoning
b. exposure to carbon monoxide
c. sulfa drug toxicity
d. sickle cell anemia - ✔✔b. exposure to carbon monoxide
✔✔The reason carbon monoxide is so toxic is because it:
a. is a protoplasmic poison
b. combines with cytochrome oxidase
c. has 200 times the affinity of oxygen for hemoglobin binding sites
d. sensitizes the myocardium - ✔✔c. has 200 times the affinity of oxygen for
hemoglobin binding sites
✔✔Detection of carriers of hereditary coproporphyria should include analysis of:
a. 24-hr urine for porphobilinogen
b. fresh morning urine for delta-aminolevulinic acid
c. erythrocyte protoporphyrin
d. 24-hr urine for porphyrin - ✔✔b. fresh morning urine for delta-aminolevulinic acid
✔✔A fresh urine sample is received for analysis for "porphyrins" or "porphyria" without
further information or specifications. Initial analysis should include:
a. porphyrin screen and quantitative total porphyrin
b. quantitative total porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
c. porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
d. porphobilinogen screen and ion-exchange analysis for porphobilinogen - ✔✔c.
porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
✔✔Which of the following enzymes of heme biosynthesis is iinhibited by lead?
a. aminolevulinate synthase
b. porphobilinogen synthase
c. uroporphyrinogen synthase
d. bilirubin synthetase - ✔✔b. porphobilinogen synthase
✔✔Serum haptoglobin:
a. is decreased in patients with tissue injury and neoplasia
b. is increased in patients with prosthetic heart valves
c. can be separated into distinct phenotypes by starch-gel electrophoresis
,d. binds heme - ✔✔c. can be separated into distinct phenotypes by starch-gel
electrophoresis
✔✔The primary function of serum albumin in the peripheral blood is to:
a. maintain colloidal osmotic pressure
b. increase antibody production
c. increase fibrinogen formation
d. maintain blood viscosity - ✔✔a. maintain colloidal osmotic pressure
✔✔In a pleural effusion caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, the protein value of the
pleural fluid as compared to the serum value would probably be:
a. decreased by 2
b. decreased by 1/2
c. increased by 1/2
d. equal - ✔✔b. decreased by 1/2
✔✔The first step in analyzing a 24-hour urine specimen for quantitative urine protein is:
a. subculture the urine for bacteria
b. add the appropriate preservative
c. screen for albumin using a dipstick
d. measure the total volume - ✔✔d. measure the total volume
✔✔When performing a manual protein analysis on a xanthochromic spinal fluid, the
technician should:
a. perform the test as usual
b. make a patient blank
c. centrifuge the specimen
d. dilute the specimen with deionized water - ✔✔b. make a patient blank
✔✔The direction in which albumin migrates (ie, twoard anode or cathode) during
electrophoretic separation of serum proteins, at pH of 8.6, is determined by:
a. the ionization of the amine groups, yielding a net positive charge
b. the ionization of the carboxyl groups, yielding a net negative charge
c. albumin acting as a zwitterion
d. the density of the gel layer - ✔✔b. the ionization of the carboxyl groups, yielding a net
negative charge
✔✔The protein that has the highest dye-binding capacity is:
a. albumin
, b. alpha globulin
c. beta globulin
d. gamma globulin - ✔✔a. albumin
✔✔Refer to the following illustrations:
The serum protein electrophoresis pattern shown below was obtained on cellulose
acetate at pH 8.6.
Identify the serum protein fraction on the left of the illustration.
a. gamma globulin
b. albumin
c. alpha-1-globulin
d. alpha-2-globulin - ✔✔b. albumin
✔✔The biuret reaction for the analysis of serum protein depends on the number of:
a. free amino groups
b. free carboxyl groups
c. peptide bonds
d. tyrosine residues - ✔✔c. peptide bonds
✔✔In electrophoresis of proteins, when the sample is placed in an electric field
connected to a buffer of pH 8.6, all of the proteins:
a. have a positive charge
b. have a negative charge
c. are electrically neutral
d. migrate toward the cathode - ✔✔b. have a negative charge
✔✔The relative migration rate of proteins on cellulose acetate is based on:
a. molecular weight
b. concentration
c. ionic charge
d. particle size - ✔✔c. ionic charge
✔✔The cellulose acetate electrophoresis at pH of 8.6 of serum proteins will show an
order of migration beginning with the fastest migration as follows:
a. albumin, alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin
b. alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin, albumin
c. albumin, alpha-2 globulin, alpha-1 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔A stool specimen that appears black and tarry should be tested for the presence of:
a. occult blood
b. fecal fat
c. trypsin
d. excess mucus - ✔✔a. occult blood
✔✔What substance gives feces its normal color?
a. uroerythrin
b. urochrome
c. urobilin
d. urobilinogen - ✔✔c. urobilin
✔✔A condition in which erythrocyte protoporphyrin is increased is:
a. acute intermittent porphyria
b. iron deficiency anemia
c. porphyria cutanea tarda
d. acute porphyric attack - ✔✔b. iron deficiency anemia
,✔✔Which of the following elevates carboxyhemoglobin?
a. nitrite poisoning
b. exposure to carbon monoxide
c. sulfa drug toxicity
d. sickle cell anemia - ✔✔b. exposure to carbon monoxide
✔✔The reason carbon monoxide is so toxic is because it:
a. is a protoplasmic poison
b. combines with cytochrome oxidase
c. has 200 times the affinity of oxygen for hemoglobin binding sites
d. sensitizes the myocardium - ✔✔c. has 200 times the affinity of oxygen for
hemoglobin binding sites
✔✔Detection of carriers of hereditary coproporphyria should include analysis of:
a. 24-hr urine for porphobilinogen
b. fresh morning urine for delta-aminolevulinic acid
c. erythrocyte protoporphyrin
d. 24-hr urine for porphyrin - ✔✔b. fresh morning urine for delta-aminolevulinic acid
✔✔A fresh urine sample is received for analysis for "porphyrins" or "porphyria" without
further information or specifications. Initial analysis should include:
a. porphyrin screen and quantitative total porphyrin
b. quantitative total porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
c. porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
d. porphobilinogen screen and ion-exchange analysis for porphobilinogen - ✔✔c.
porphyrin and porphobilinogen screen
✔✔Which of the following enzymes of heme biosynthesis is iinhibited by lead?
a. aminolevulinate synthase
b. porphobilinogen synthase
c. uroporphyrinogen synthase
d. bilirubin synthetase - ✔✔b. porphobilinogen synthase
✔✔Serum haptoglobin:
a. is decreased in patients with tissue injury and neoplasia
b. is increased in patients with prosthetic heart valves
c. can be separated into distinct phenotypes by starch-gel electrophoresis
,d. binds heme - ✔✔c. can be separated into distinct phenotypes by starch-gel
electrophoresis
✔✔The primary function of serum albumin in the peripheral blood is to:
a. maintain colloidal osmotic pressure
b. increase antibody production
c. increase fibrinogen formation
d. maintain blood viscosity - ✔✔a. maintain colloidal osmotic pressure
✔✔In a pleural effusion caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, the protein value of the
pleural fluid as compared to the serum value would probably be:
a. decreased by 2
b. decreased by 1/2
c. increased by 1/2
d. equal - ✔✔b. decreased by 1/2
✔✔The first step in analyzing a 24-hour urine specimen for quantitative urine protein is:
a. subculture the urine for bacteria
b. add the appropriate preservative
c. screen for albumin using a dipstick
d. measure the total volume - ✔✔d. measure the total volume
✔✔When performing a manual protein analysis on a xanthochromic spinal fluid, the
technician should:
a. perform the test as usual
b. make a patient blank
c. centrifuge the specimen
d. dilute the specimen with deionized water - ✔✔b. make a patient blank
✔✔The direction in which albumin migrates (ie, twoard anode or cathode) during
electrophoretic separation of serum proteins, at pH of 8.6, is determined by:
a. the ionization of the amine groups, yielding a net positive charge
b. the ionization of the carboxyl groups, yielding a net negative charge
c. albumin acting as a zwitterion
d. the density of the gel layer - ✔✔b. the ionization of the carboxyl groups, yielding a net
negative charge
✔✔The protein that has the highest dye-binding capacity is:
a. albumin
, b. alpha globulin
c. beta globulin
d. gamma globulin - ✔✔a. albumin
✔✔Refer to the following illustrations:
The serum protein electrophoresis pattern shown below was obtained on cellulose
acetate at pH 8.6.
Identify the serum protein fraction on the left of the illustration.
a. gamma globulin
b. albumin
c. alpha-1-globulin
d. alpha-2-globulin - ✔✔b. albumin
✔✔The biuret reaction for the analysis of serum protein depends on the number of:
a. free amino groups
b. free carboxyl groups
c. peptide bonds
d. tyrosine residues - ✔✔c. peptide bonds
✔✔In electrophoresis of proteins, when the sample is placed in an electric field
connected to a buffer of pH 8.6, all of the proteins:
a. have a positive charge
b. have a negative charge
c. are electrically neutral
d. migrate toward the cathode - ✔✔b. have a negative charge
✔✔The relative migration rate of proteins on cellulose acetate is based on:
a. molecular weight
b. concentration
c. ionic charge
d. particle size - ✔✔c. ionic charge
✔✔The cellulose acetate electrophoresis at pH of 8.6 of serum proteins will show an
order of migration beginning with the fastest migration as follows:
a. albumin, alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin
b. alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin, albumin
c. albumin, alpha-2 globulin, alpha-1 globulin, beta globulin, gamma globulin
