SCSA Human Biology Science Inquiry Skills
5 sample questions with marking guides and sample answers · Avg. score: 73.9%
Eloise wanted to investigate the effect of temperature changes on the basal metabolic rate of rats. According to the Australian code of practice for care and use of animals for scientific purposes, eighth edition 2013, she must follow the principles of the 3Rs for the ethical and humane care of the animals. Which of the following is not one of the 3Rs?
Replacement – that wherever possible one should use alternative approaches that do not use animals.
Reduction – one should use the smallest number of animals possible to achieve the aims and statistical design requirements.
Refinement – one should modify methodology to minimise harm to the animals.
Repetition – one should repeat the investigative approach to ensure consistent results.
Refer to the information below.
A study was undertaken by which a small sequence of DNA was inserted into a virus. The virus was injected into veins of rats with Type 1 diabetes. The inserted DNA created cells that produced insulin. The purpose of this study was to find a way for humans suffering from Type 1 diabetes to eliminate the need for daily insulin injections.
Ethical approval would be required for this trial to be undertaken in humans after analysis of the results in the rat study. Which of the following would be an important ethical consideration?
number of people available to take part in the trial
possible side effects of the therapy on humans
cost of the trials
approval by drug companies
Mary Mallon was an asymptomatic carrier of the Salmonella typhi bacteria who caused several outbreaks of typhoid fever in the early 1900s. She became known as 'Typhoid Mary' and the story is a famous example of disease transmission and the need for public health measures.
Mary worked as a cook in New York homes, with many people developing typhoid fever while she was employed. She was never sick with the disease herself but was tested and identified as an asymptomatic carrier of the disease. Individuals become infected with typhoid fever from the ingestion of the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It is believed Mary was responsible for as many as 122 cases of the disease.
Bacteria can be treated with either antibiotics or a vaccine.
Given the evidence outlined above, identify the most likely mode of transmission for the typhoid fever pathogen.
Identify the location of the most important external body defence mechanism in preventing the spread of Salmonella typhi and outline two ways in which it prevents pathogens entering the internal environment.
List two ways in which a fever can help the body fight an invading pathogen.
Explain the physiological mechanisms that produce a fever.
Describe the key difference between when a person should be treated with antibiotics and when they should be treated with a vaccine.
Present two separate arguments for whether antibiotics and/or a vaccine is the best method of treating a population exposed to, or at risk of, exposure to a disease such as typhoid fever.
Thalassemia is a genetically inherited disorder that affects the haemoglobin of blood. Two types of thalassemia are alpha (α) and beta (β). One of the treatments of both types of thalassemia involves drugs that are administered to help remove excess iron from the blood. A research team wanted to investigate the effectiveness of the different modes of delivery of these drugs.
The team set up an investigation to compare the drugs in injectable form with the orally ingested form. The team conducted their investigation on a sample of 53 beta (β) thalassemia sufferers. The participants were divided into four groups. The participants in each group had daily treatments lasting one month. The groups were:
Group A – 14 participants who received the injectable drug
Group B – 13 participants who received an inactive injectable drug
Group C – 13 participants who received the orally ingested drug
Group D – 13 participants who received an inactive oral drug.
Propose an hypothesis for the study described above.
Why were both groups B and D required for this study?
Identify a variable that was controlled in the study.
Describe the data the researchers would need to collect and when they should collect the data.
Outline the cause of alpha (α) and beta (β) thalassemia and identify what makes each type of thalassemia different.
Alpha (α) and beta (β) thalassemia display the same inheritance pattern but can have differing effects on the gene pool of a population. Justify this statement.
One of the ethical considerations that must be adhered to during animal research relates to when and how animals can be used. Which of the following is not part of an ethical reason to test on animals?
The research has the potential to significantly benefit humans.
The financial cost of testing on animals is less than humans.
A minimum number of animals will be used during the study.
The use of animals is essential and cannot be substituted for.