What is the role of endorphins during continuous exercise? a. they increase the body’s basal metabolic rate. b. they lower blood cholesterol levels. c. they allow the heart to pump more blood with less effort. d. they block pain messages from reaching brain cells.

A48-year-old male presents with an 8-day history of productive cough, subjective fevers, and malaise. he is otherwise healthy without any active medical problems. he is a social drinker of alcohol, and denies any tobacco or drug use. on physical examination, the patient is alert and oriented. his temperature is 100.4 0 f, pulse rate is 56, respiratory rate is 18, and blood pressure is 133/64. heent is within normal limits and a chest exam has diffuse expiratory wheeze with decreased sounds to the right lower lung fields. blood labs reveal wbc 14.4, hgb 11.3, plt 233, alt 65, ast 102, and po 4 2.1. a chest x-ray reveals a dense consolidation with bulging fissures. based on these findings, what is the most likely pathogen affecting this patient?