Weekly Health Quiz: Agriculture, Cholesterol and Dreams

1 What initiates the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease?

• Oxidation of omega-6 linoleic acid inside the LDL particles

  Oxidation of LDL cholesterol is initiated by the oxidation of the linoleic acid inside the LDL particles, and oxidized LDL is associated with the development of atherosclerosis. Learn more.

• Oxidation of omega-3 EPA inside the LDL particles
• Oxidation of omega-3 DHA inside the LDL particles
• Insufficient amounts of omega-6 linoleic acid bound to cholesterol

2 While CAFOs pose an environmental risk no matter where they're located, it's especially unwise to build CAFOs near the North Carolina shore because:

• The salty sea air may erode the buildings
• It's an area prone to hurricanes, which can seriously damage CAFO waste lagoons, creating the perfect storm for devastation

  One North Carolina pig farmer speaking to Newsweek contradicted the Pork Council's rhetoric, stating that most local farmers would not have the ability to relocate their animals. "Nobody would have the capacity to handle your animals," he said. "That's not really an option." Learn more.

• The land costs are higher
• It takes longer to transport animals for processing

3 When testing a vaccine for safety and effectiveness, the most correct way to identify a safety problem is to use:

• An active comparator, such as a vaccine with thimerosal or aluminum adjuvant
• The same vaccine but in a lower dose
• A placebo (an inert substance)

  To determine a vaccine's safety and effectiveness, it should be tested against an inert placebo. When an active comparator is used, such as an aluminum-containing vaccine, it can significantly skew results by hiding adverse effects. Learn more.

• The same vaccine but in a higher dose

4 While lucid dreaming is generally safe, lucid dream induction is best avoided if you have:

• A physical problem such as a sports injury
• A physical handicap
• An overactive imagination
• A mental health problem such as schizophrenia

  Lucid dream induction is best avoided if you have certain mental health problems that make it difficult for you to discern the real from the unreal. Schizophrenia, for example, can be exacerbated by lucid dreaming. Learn more.

5 When doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT), the duration of your exercise needs to:

• Be reduced to once a week, or three times a week at most

  One of the foundational concepts of HIIT is that the intensity and amount of time spent working out are inversely proportional, meaning the greater the intensity, the less time you have to spend working out. As a general rule, HIIT should not be done more than three times a week at most. Learn more.

• Be increased to three to five times a week
• There is no relationship between intensity and duration, so it doesn't matter how many times a week you do HIIT
• HIIT is too dangerous for most people and should not be done at all unless you are a professional athlete

6 Soil's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide is directly related to which of the following?

• The amount of water in the soil
• The overall health of the soil

  Organic carbon is stored in soil by exclusively binding to certain soil structures, so soil's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide is directly related to its health. Learn more.

• The type of trees or plants growing in the soil
• The specific types of microbes living in the soil

7 Which of the following is NOT an aspect of regenerative agriculture?

• No-till
• Maintaining a living root system as long as possible
• Single-crop plantings (Monocrops)

  The five basic principles for building a healthy soil ecosystem are: not disturbing the soil microbiome, protecting the soil surface with cover crops, diversification, maintaining living roots in the ground as long as possible and integrating livestock and insects. Learn more.

• Livestock integration