How many NESA Biology questions cover Epidemiology?

AusGrader has 13 NESA Biology questions on Epidemiology, all with instant AI grading and detailed marking feedback.

NESA Biology Epidemiology

5 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 100%

Q17

2024

NESA

1 mark

Q17

1 mark

Over 12 months, the prevalence of a non-infectious disease will increase in a population if

the total population increases.

disease recovery time decreases.

the incidence rate of the disease decreases.

the survival time of individuals with the disease increases.

2024

SCSA

1 mark

Parkinson's disease can potentially be treated using cell replacement therapy. The purpose of using this therapy would be to replace the cells that

would normally function within the cerebral cortex.

would normally function within the cerebellum.

produce dopamine in the brain.

produce noradrenaline in the brain.

Q37

2025

SCSA

20 marks

Q37

Christian, a 40-year-old man, was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Christian was classified as obese according to his body mass index and his fasting blood glucose level was very high being measured at 10.3 mmol L $^{-1}$ . In addition to changes to his diet and increased exercise, Christian's doctor prescribed a drug to promote weight loss and lower Christian's blood glucose levels. This drug mimics a natural water-soluble hormone in the human body, enhancing the action of insulin and reducing glucagon levels.

Q37b

Explain how the following glands maintain blood glucose levels during fasting: ...

Q37a

5 marks

Outline how water-soluble hormones influence their target cells.

They attach to receptor proteins in the membrane of the target cell, forming a hormone-receptor complex. This activates a secondary messenger inside the cytoplasm or cell, activating particular enzymes, and having a short-lived response.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
States that they attach to receptor proteins in the membrane of the target cell	1
Describes the formation of a hormone-receptor complex	1
Explains that this activates a secondary messenger inside the cytoplasm/cell	1
States that this activates particular enzymes/increases enzyme concentration	1
Describes the response as having a fast onset/short-lived response	1

Q37b (i)

9 marks

... pancreas

Low blood glucose levels are detected by chemoreceptors, and the alpha cells are stimulated. Glucagon is secreted, stimulating glycogenolysis, which is the breakdown of glycogen to glucose, and gluconeogenesis, which is the production of glucose from amino acids and fats. Both of these processes primarily occur in the liver. It also stimulates lipolysis, the breakdown of fats, which occurs in most body cells or adipose tissue.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
States that low blood glucose levels are detected	1
Identifies that detection is by chemoreceptors	1
States that the Islets of Langerhans/alpha cells are stimulated	1
States that glucagon is secreted	1
Describes the stimulation of glycogenolysis/breakdown of glycogen to glucose	1
Describes the stimulation of gluconeogenesis/production of glucose from amino acids and fats	1
States that both processes primarily occur in the liver	1
Describes the stimulation of lipolysis/breakdown of fats	1
States that lipolysis occurs in most body cells/adipose tissue	1

Q37b (ii)

3 marks

... adrenal glands

The adrenal medulla secretes adrenaline/noradrenaline, and the adrenal cortex secretes cortisol. This further enhances the rate of glucose production, increasing blood glucose by gluconeogenesis/glycogenolysis.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
1 mark for each correct point (any 3 of): States that the adrenal medulla secretes adrenaline/noradrenaline; States that the adrenal cortex secretes cortisol; Explains that this further enhances the rate of glucose production/increases blood glucose; Identifies that this occurs by gluconeogenesis/glycogenolysis	3

Q37c

3 marks

Explain why a patient with Type 1 diabetes would not be prescribed the drug from the above scenario to manage their blood glucose levels.

Type 1 diabetes is the inability to produce insulin. The drug works to enhance insulin activity, so if there is no insulin being produced, the drug will have no effect.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
Defines Type 1 diabetes as the inability to produce insulin	1
States that the drug works to enhance insulin activity	1
Concludes that if there is no insulin being produced, the drug will have no effect	1

Q38

2023

SCSA

20 marks

Q38

Changes to the amount of thyroxine being released from the thyroid gland can have major impacts on the functioning of the body.

Q38a

12 marks

Name each of the disorders that may lead to an over-secretion or under-secretion of thyroxine; describe how the over-secretion or under-secretion impacts on the body; and explain how each disorder can be treated.

Hypothyroidism is a disorder where low levels of thyroxine lead to a decrease in metabolic rate. This causes symptoms such as decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure. Treatments include increasing iodine in the diet, taking synthetic hormone tablets, or surgery.

Conversely, hyperthyroidism is a disorder where high levels of thyroxine lead to overstimulation of body cells. This causes symptoms such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Treatments include taking drugs to block the thyroid's use of iodine, surgery to remove all or part of the gland, or radioactive iodine.

Marking Criteria

Disorder Identification

Descriptor	Marks
Identifies Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's disease	1
Identifies Hyperthyroidism/Graves' disease	1

Impacts

Descriptor	Marks
Describes that low levels of thyroxine lead to a decrease in metabolic rate causing symptoms	1
Describes that high levels of thyroxine lead to overstimulation of body cells causing symptoms	1

Symptoms

Descriptor	Marks
1 mark for each correct point (any 2 of) for Hypothyroidism: Decreased heart rate Decreased BP Cold intolerance Weight gain Goitre/neck swelling Slow brain functioning Fatigue	2
1 mark for each correct point (any 2 of) for Hyperthyroidism: Increased HR High BP Weight loss Hyperactivity Protruding eyeballs Increased sweating Increased appetite	2

Treatments

Descriptor	Marks
1 mark for each correct point (any 2 of) for Hypothyroidism: Increase iodine in diet Synthetic hormone tablets Surgery	2
1 mark for each correct point (any 2 of) for Hyperthyroidism: Taking drugs to block thyroid's use of iodine Surgery to remove all/part of gland Radioactive iodine	2

Q38b

8 marks

Explain the role of the liver in the maintenance of blood glucose levels.

Glucose is removed from blood to provide energy for liver functioning.

Glucose also converted to glycogen by the process of glycogenesis controlled by insulin, and glycogen is stored in the liver.

When blood sugar levels fall glycogen is converted back to glucose by the process of glycogenolysis, which is controlled by glucagon

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
glucose removed from blood to provide energy for liver functioning	1
glucose also converted to glycogen	1
by the process of glycogenesis	1
controlled by insulin	1
glycogen is stored in the liver	1
when blood sugar levels fall glycogen is converted back to glucose	1
by the process of glycogenolysis	1
controlled by glucagon	1

2025

SCSA

1 mark

A promising experimental therapy being used to treat Parkinson's disease involves the use of

stem cells to replace damaged or dysfunctional dopamine-producing neurons.

gene therapy to fix mutated DNA sequences in brain cells.

protein blockers to prevent the building up of amyloid plaques in the brain.

invasive brain stimulation therapy to activate dysfunctional neurons.

NESA Biology Epidemiology

Disorder Identification

Impacts

Symptoms

Treatments

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