Question

Upon reading the results of the study, a student concludes that cytokine z must act as an anti-inflammatory signaling molecule on cardiac and vascular tissue. The results described in the passage:

A. are sufficient to prove his conclusion; subjects in group D had the lowest relative incidence of heart disease
B. are insufficient to prove his conclusion; the relative increase in [Z pre-mRNA] is similar in all groups
C. are sufficient to prove his conclusion; the sample size of the study increases its statistical power
D. are insufficient to prove his conclusion; a mediating variable may be responsible for the observed correlation

Answer 1

The evidence provided in the passage does not sufficiently prove the student's conclusion that cytokine Z acts as an anti-inflammatory signaling molecule on cardiac and vascular tissue due to lack of direct data and potential confounding factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

A student concluded that cytokine Z must act as an anti-inflammatory signaling molecule on cardiac and vascular tissue based on the results of a study. The passage provided insufficient information to assess this claim as it does not directly address cytokine Z's function in cardiac and vascular tissue or its anti-inflammatory properties.

Without specific data on cytokine Z, other factors such as the genetic background of individuals, the sample size of the study, and potential mediating variables could all influence the outcome of heart disease incidents. Therefore, the correct answer is D. The results described in the passage are insufficient to prove his conclusion; a mediating variable may be responsible for the observed correlation.