When the nurse administers a drug that stimulates the nicotinic receptors, what manifestation would indicate that the drug is working?

A) Phagocytosis: Phagocytosis refers to the process by which a cell engulfs large particles, such as pathogens or debris, and brings them into the cell. It is not related to the movement of hormones across the cell membrane.
B) Endocytosis: Endocytosis is the process where a cell engulfs substances from the external environment and brings them into the cell. However, this term is typically used when substances like nutrients or larger molecules are taken into the cell, not when hormones are being secreted out of the cell.
C) Pinocytosis: Pinocytosis is a type of endocytosis in which the cell engulfs extracellular fluid and dissolved substances. It is often referred to as "cell drinking" and involves the uptake of fluids, not the secretion of hormones across the membrane.
D) Exocytosis: This is the correct answer. Exocytosis is the process by which substances, such as hormones or neurotransmitters, are transported from inside the cell to the outside by vesicles that fuse with the cell membrane. In the case of hormones, they are synthesized within the cell and then released into the extracellular space via exocytosis, enabling them to reach their target sites.

A) Hypothalamus and the medulla: While the hypothalamus and medulla play critical roles in regulating autonomic functions and overall sympathetic nervous system activity, the primary origin of the sympathetic nervous system's neural impulses comes from the spinal cord, specifically in the thoracic and lumbar regions. The hypothalamus and medulla are involved in coordinating and regulating sympathetic activity rather than being the origin of the impulses themselves.

B) Cranium and sacral area of the spinal cord: The cranium and sacral regions are primarily associated with the parasympathetic nervous system, not the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system's nerve fibers arise from the brainstem and the sacral region, while the sympathetic fibers originate from the thoracic and lumbar areas.

C) Thoracic and lumbar section of the spinal cord: The sympathetic nervous system originates in the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord, which includes the thoracic and lumbar segments (T1-L2). These regions house the preganglionic neurons whose axons exit the spinal cord and synapse in sympathetic ganglia, leading to the sympathetic effects on organs and tissues. This makes the thoracic and lumbar sections the correct location for the origin of SNS impulses.

D) Nerve membrane: The nerve membrane, or the cellular membrane of individual neurons, is not the location where impulses originate. The origin of the impulses is in the central nervous system (CNS), specifically in the spinal cord for the sympathetic system, not at the level of the individual nerve membranes.