[Q]: This year scientist found concrete evidence of existence of black holes by taking photograph of one. Unfortunately, the originator of black hole theory, Stephen Hawking, was never awarded a Nobel prize despite letting science advance in big leap because his theory could not be verified during his lifetime. On the other hand, scientist B has received Nobel prize because he has based his theory on the earlier theory of scientist A. Did Stephen Hawking devise or not devise a newer way of looking at things than scientist B? Hint: The above example shows how science generally advances. New evidence is usually used to improve earlier ideas rather than entirely replace them. In this way, scientists gradually refine their ideas and increase our understanding of the world. On the other hand, sometimes science advances in big leaps. This has happened when a scientist came up with a completely new way of looking at things. For example, Albert Einstein came up with a new view of gravity. He said it was really just a dent in the fabric of space and time.
****
[A]: devise

[Q]: Brad and Dale went to the doctor for a check up. Brad did some blood tests and found out he has very high cholesterol levels, while his partner Dale had normal cholesterol levels, and was very healthy. Brad got scared and started worrying. Which friend was more at risk for atherosclerosis? Hint: Cholesterol has been implicated in heart disease for decades. Atherosclerosis is a disorder of the arteries in which cholesterol and other materials are deposited on the interior of the arterial wall. These deposits lead to the formation of plaques that can restrict or even block the flow of blood through these blood vessels (see Figure below ). A decrease in the flow of blood can lead to high blood pressure and a lowered oxygen supply to the heart muscle. A complete blockage of blood flow to parts of the heart (a heart attack) can cause significant damage due to oxygen deprivation, in some cases leading to death.
****
[A]: Brad

[Q]: Two university students studied different types of drugs for their exams. Kate studied statins, while Carol studied anti-depressants. Which student learned more about removing cholesterol from plasma? Hint: Currently, millions of individuals with high cholesterol take a similar type of drug, known as a statin. The drug, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase), the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, decreases blood levels of cholesterol by induce the expression of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors in the liver. The increased levels of the LDL-receptors stimulate the catabolism of plasma LDL, removing cholesterol from plasma, which is an important determinant of atherosclerosis. You may know of people who take a statin to help with their cholesterol levels. However, these drugs probably work slightly differently in many of those people. In some, it lowers their cholesterol significantly; in others it may lower it only moderately; and in some, it may have no significant effect at all. (Luckily for those individuals, there are multiple versions of the statins, so different drugs can be tested to find the proper combination for that individual.) Why the difference? Because of the genetic background of all people; the different single nucleotide polymorphisms that make us all different. Pharmacogenomics, a combination of pharmacology and genomics (the study of the genome) that refers to the study of the relationship between pharmaceuticals and genetics, may explain and simplify this problem.
****
[A]: Kate

[Q]: Two twin brothers had very different blood pressures. Tom had very high blood pressure, while Dan had low blood pressure. Which brother has a lower chance of developing heart disease? Hint: Hypertension , which is also called "high blood pressure," occurs when a person's blood pressure is always high. Hypertension is said to be present when a person's systolic blood pressure is always 140 or higher, and/or if the person's diastolic blood pressure is always 90 or higher. Having hypertension increases a person's chance for developing heart disease, having a stroke, or suffering from other serious cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension often does not have any symptoms, so a person may not know that he or she has high blood pressure. For this reason, hypertension is often called the "silent killer." Treatments for hypertension include diet changes, exercise, and medication. Foods thought to lower blood pressure include skim milk, spinach, beans, bananas and dark chocolate.
****
[A]:
Dan