How is inheritance explained?

Choose one of the topics below and describe how the environment influences the traits/disorders (linked are good articles to start research with)

-Depression

-Obesity

-Cancer

Identify potential genes that are involved, and explain the epigenetic changes that lead to the expression of the disorder.

To help prepare us for our Media Response SAC that we will complete for this unit, we are going to have another introduction into what media analysis is and how we go about it.

Article 1
Article 2
Article 3

Read over each of the articles, focus on how the issue of epigenetics is portrayed in the articles.

Article 1 – “Prenatal Malnutrition-Induced Epigenetic Dysregulation as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes” (Vaiserman & Lushchak, 2019; International Journal of Genomics)

1. Evidence hierarchy.
   a. What type of publication is Article 1 (systematic review, narrative review, primary study, commentary)? Quote a line that supports your answer.
   b. Where does that publication type sit in the hierarchy of evidence for biomedical research, and why? NCBI
   
   

2. Synthesised data quality.
   a. The authors cite both animal and human studies linking intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) to later-life T2 diabetes. Choose one example they summarise and list two strengths and two limitations of that evidence set (e.g., sample size, control of confounders, length of follow-up).
   b. How convincingly does the review explain the causal role of epigenetic mechanisms rather than mere correlation? Support your judgement with details from the text. NCBI
   
   

3. Author transparency.
   Identify one explicit limitation or knowledge gap the authors acknowledge, and explain how that acknowledgement affects your trust in their conclusions.
   
   

Article 2 – “Epigenetics: DNA Isn’t Everything” (ScienceDaily, 2009)

4. Secondary reporting.
   a. Does Article 2 provide enough information to trace the original peer-reviewed study it reports on?
   b. Locate the organism, experimental treatment, and key outcome described for the fruit-fly experiment. Assess whether these details are sufficient to judge study validity. ScienceDaily
   
   

5. Language and certainty.
   The article claims “it has been scientifically proven which molecular structures are involved” in epigenetic inheritance. Evaluate this wording:
   
   

   • What additional data (e.g., replication studies, molecular assays) would you expect before accepting something as “proven”?
     
     

   • Suggest a more accurate phrase the journalist could have used. ScienceDaily
     
     

6. Generalisability.
   To what extent can results from a laboratory strain of Drosophila melanogaster be extrapolated to human epigenetic inheritance? Identify two biological similarities and two key differences.
   
   

Article 3 – “Epigenetics: How children’s experiences shape their genes” (Care for Kids, 2019)

7. Target-audience cues.
   a. List two stylistic features indicating this piece is written for a lay parenting audience.
   b. How might these features influence the depth of scientific detail provided? Care for Kids
   
   

8. Source attribution.
   The article cites “researchers at Harvard University” without linking to a specific study.
   
   

   • Describe how the absence of primary-source details affects the reliability and verifiability of the claims.
     
     

   • Propose a simple improvement that would strengthen source transparency. Care for Kids
     
     

9. Concept accuracy.
   Article 3 asserts that epigenetics “throws out the whole ‘nature vs nurture’ debate.” Critically discuss this statement in light of current scientific consensus on gene–environment interactions. Care for Kids
   
   

Cross-Article Comparison

10. Recency and relevance.
    Arrange the three articles from most to least recent. How might publication date influence the robustness of each article’s evidence base in a rapidly evolving field like epigenetics?
    
    

11. Mechanistic depth.
    Which article provides the clearest explanation of how epigenetic marks (e.g., DNA methylation, histone modification) alter gene expression? Support your choice with one quoted sentence and explain why it is superior. ScienceDaily
    
    

12. Future research needs.
    For Articles 2 and 3, outline one specific study you would design to test or extend a central claim they make (include hypothesis, basic method, and the type of data you’d collect).
    
    

Instructions for students: Answer each question in full sentences. Where asked to quote, use brief snippets (≤ 20 words) and reference the article and line numbers.

Media Response Rubric

Complete reading and notes of Edrolo Chapter 7D

Complete questions from Edrolo chapter 7D