Deck 2: Evaluating Scientific Claims

Question 1

A pharmaceutical company conducts trials on animals and cell lines to determine the safety of a new vaccine before performing clinical trials on adult human volunteers.This is an example of

A) basic research.
B) applied research.
C) a case-control study.
D) a cohort study.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

You are reading an article written by Neil Shubin et al.regarding the pectoral fin of Tiktaalik roseae in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.Dr.Shubin is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is employed by The University of Chicago.This article represents a ________ literature presentation of ________ research.

A) primary; basic
B) primary; applied
C) secondary; basic
D) secondary; applied

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A research team funded by federal grants is studying the coevolution of pain receptors in grasshopper mice and the neurotoxic venom of scorpions (one of their primary food sources)to determine how the mice have adapted to the venom of their prey.This is an example of ________ research.

A) basic
B) applied
C) pseudoscientific
D) random

Answer 3

A

Question 4

You are reading an article in Discover magazine about Tiktaalik roseae,the organism thought to be the link between fish and terrestrial tetrapods.The researcher that discovered Tiktaalik was publicly funded.This article represents a ________ literature presentation of ________ research.

A) primary; basic
B) primary; applied
C) secondary; basic
D) secondary; applied

Question 5

Which of the following examples indicates a situation where the researcher is MOST likely to have a possible bias regarding his or her work?

A) A researcher, funded by a pharmaceutical company, is testing the clinical effectiveness and safety of a new vaccine.
B) A researcher, funded by a public grant, is testing the clinical effectiveness and safety of a new vaccine.
C) A federally funded researcher is working on developing a genetically engineered microbe to quickly digest oil spills.
D) A privately funded researcher is working on developing a genetically engineered and patented microbe to quickly digest oil spills. If successful, the microbe would be marketed worldwide.

Question 6

You are reading an article in National Geographic regarding the evolution of humans.This would be an example of ________ literature.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) peer-reviewed scientific journal
D) meta-analysis

Question 7

Your own scientific literacy would NOT be helpful in answering which of the following questions?

A) Should I take a cinnamon capsule every morning to help regulate my blood sugar?
B) Should I spend the extra money to buy a particular pair of shoes that claims to help tone my leg muscles better than other athletic shoes?
C) Will my cell phone cause me to have cancer?
D) Which movie should I watch this weekend?

Question 8

Therapeutic touch (TT)is a type of "energy" medicine that involves the practitioner moving his or her hands over the energy field of the patient,without actually touching the patient,to redirect the energy field and heal the patient.Which of the following would be the first concept to investigate to help evaluate the claims of TT practitioners?

A) documentable and repeatable evidence that an external energy field actually exists for humans
B) documentable and repeatable evidence that any existing energy field can be manipulated by merely passing hands over it
C) documentable and repeatable evidence that TT practitioners can, without seeing their subjects, actually feel the energy field of a patient
D) documentable claims by TT practitioners and their patients that the patients thought they felt better after being treated by the TT practitioner even though there was no change in their diseases

Question 9

Which of the following would NOT be a situation where your own scientific literacy would be helpful in decision-making?

A) Should I send my child to a school that requires my child be vaccinated according to the vaccination schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control?
B) Should I pay to store umbilical cord blood when my baby is born?
C) Should I vote to support a new oil pipeline through a sensitive natural area?
D) Is the space travel in Star Wars really possible?

Question 10

The reliability of primary scientific literature is strengthened by the ________ process,in which the work is examined by other leaders in the same field.For instance,a scientific paper examining the evolution of tetrapods would be reviewed by other evolutionary biologists and paleontologists.

A) peer-review
B) basic research
C) applied research
D) random research

Question 11

Which of the following is LEAST likely to include unchecked bias when making scientific statements?

A) political groups
B) religious groups
C) marketing groups
D) peer-reviewed scientific journals

Question 12

Therapeutic touch (TT)is a type of "energy" medicine that involves the practitioner moving his or her hands over the energy field of the patient,without actually touching the patient,but redirecting the energy field to heal the patient.If a researcher were to design a survey of TT practitioners and their patients to determine the validity of TT,which of the following questions would NOT be helpful in determining the validity of the survey?

A) Is the researcher a regular TT practitioner or patient?
B) Do the survey participants have a working relationship with the researcher or were they paid to participate?
C) Are any non-TT patients included in the survey?
D) How old is the researcher?

Question 13

Scientists working for a major cosmetics company are attempting to determine if a new face cream can reduce the number of fine lines and wrinkles on a person's face.This is an example of

A) applied research.
B) basic research.
C) meta-analysis.
D) a cohort study.

Question 14

Announcing "scientific" findings in a press conference before they have been published in an established scientific journal is an example of

A) primary literature.
B) secondary literature.
C) neither primary nor secondary literature because it has not yet undergone peer review to be primary literature, and secondary literature follows primary literature.
D) both primary and secondary literature because it does not need to undergo peer review to be either primary or secondary literature.

Question 15

The federally funded Centers for Disease Control routinely collect and evaluate data regarding communicable diseases.This information helps researchers make recommendations regarding vaccination schedules for children and adults.This is an example of

A) basic research.
B) applied research.
C) a case-control study.
D) a cohort study.

Question 16

Scientists at a major university are attempting to isolate the gene that slows the degeneration of collagen in skin.This is an example of

A) applied research.
B) basic research.
C) meta-analysis.
D) a case-control study.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the process of science is accurate?

A) Science is a systematic method of procedures designed to answer questions by evaluating evidence.
B) Science attempts to solve a problem by evaluating the plausibility of only one solution without considering other possible explanations.
C) Science does not use evidence and data collected to advance our understanding of natural and supernatural phenomena.
D) Science can answer all questions regarding the human experience and personal values.

Question 18

A research team funded by a pharmaceutical company is studying the adaptation of grasshopper mice to the neurotoxic venom of scorpions in an attempt to determine how the mice's adaptation could be used as a possible solution to pain management in humans.This is an example of ________ research.

A) basic
B) applied
C) pseudoscientific
D) random

Question 19

An individual claims to be able to detect the presence of graves in an old cemetery by using a "dowsing" or "divining" rod.The rod is a forked twig held in front of the individual as he walks across the cemetery.The "dowser" (person who is using the dowsing rod)claims that depending on which way the twig moves (up and down or side to side)he can determine if there is a grave there and the gender and age of the individual buried at that spot.Which of the following would NOT help evaluate if the dowser is a fraud?

A) It would help to know if the dowser had any previous knowledge of the cemetery.
B) It would help to actually dig up the site to determine if the dowser's predictions were accurate.
C) It would help to at least use X-rays or some other means to examine what might, or might not, be buried in the ground.
D) It would help to know the dowser's age and affiliation with other dowsers.

Question 20

Which of the following would be a positive consideration when evaluating a researcher's expertise regarding a particular scientific claim?

A) The researcher has an ideological, political, or religious belief that will be supported by the scientific claims being made.
B) The researcher stands to make money if others accept the claims being made.
C) The researcher stands to gain in prestige if others accept the claims being made.
D) The researcher has a PhD, MD, or at least an MS and years of experience in the field in which he or she is making a scientific claim.

Question 21

The graph below shows which of the following?

A) There is a strong correlation between the sale/consumption of organic food and the number of individuals diagnosed with autism between 1998 and 2007.
B) The increased consumption of organic food has led to an increase in the rate of autism between 1998 and 2007.
C) Consuming organic food causes autism.
D) There is strong evidence that a cause-effect relationship exists between the consumption of organic food and the development of autism.

Question 22

A scientific paper that combines results from several cohort studies and a case-control study would be considered a(n)________-analysis.

A) meta
B) beta
C) omega
D) pseudo

Question 23

Rick has high blood pressure and decides to try an herbal supplement recommended by his friend.Which of the following questions should Rick ask first to scientifically evaluate his friend's recommendation before he begins taking the herbal supplement?

A) Has this herbal supplement been studied in a clinical trial by trained medical professionals?
B) If this supplement was studied, who paid for the study?
C) If this supplement was studied, how many people were included as patients in the study?
D) What are the credentials of the team investigating the supplement?

Question 24

Observational studies that follow a particular group of individuals over a certain time period are ________ studies.

A) case-control
B) meta-analysis
C) beta-analysis
D) cohort

Question 25

When Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer,the doctor recommended a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy.Lori underwent the prescribed treatment recommended by the doctor.However,she also continued to eat lots of fruits and vegetables,walk three miles every day,and complete a daily yoga practice.Within about three months Lori was cancer-free.Afterward,Lori told everyone that her healthy lifestyle had helped to cure her.Is this conclusion reasonable given the circumstances?

A) No, a healthy diet and exercise regimen can never help cure cancer.
B) No, there are too many confounding factors to know exactly what happened.
C) Yes, the healthy diet and exercise regimen definitely helped to cure her.
D) Yes, this evidence very strongly supports the hypothesis that a healthy diet and exercise regimen probably helped to cure her.

Question 26

In the fall of 2012,a veterinarian from Texas issued a press release stating that her team of scientists had completed a five-year DNA study confirming the existence of "Sasquatch" or "Bigfoot." Which of the following statements,if true,would lend support to her claims?

A) She released her findings in a press conference prior to any peer review of her findings.
B) There are no corresponding lines of documented physical evidence (fossil record, historic record, undisputed clear picture or video, or evidence that the environment could support a breeding population of large primates in the areas where they have been reported) to support her claims.
C) The paper is published in an online source that consists of one issue with only this one paper (the full paper is for sale), and this new online publication is owned by the veterinarian.
D) She consulted experts in the field of human genomics and made her DNA samples available to them for analysis.

Question 27

When determining whether a claim about a new cleansing juice diet is scientific or pseudoscientific,which of the following is NOT a helpful question to ask yourself?

A) What are the credentials and possible bias or agenda of the person(s) making the claim?
B) Has the claim been published in a peer-reviewed, reputable scientific journal?
C) Does the scientific study purporting to support the claim meet the standards of the scientific method?
D) Are there a lot of people, including celebrities, endorsing the product as a healthy weight-loss method?

Question 28

Which of the following situations might present a logical reason for accepting a scientific claim made by a person who did not have appropriate credentials for making that claim?

A) The claim could be supported by other nonbiased and credentialed scientists who have conducted similar research and arrived at the same conclusion and been reviewed by their peers.
B) The claim could be supported by many other noncredentialed people who share the same ideas.
C) The claim could be supported because the person really, truly believes what he or she is saying is accurate from his or her own personal experiences.
D) The claim could be supported because certain celebrities have endorsed the idea presented by this particular researcher.

Question 29

Thomas's foot began to swell after he was stung by a scorpion.Thomas' friend said his mom had an old,trusted herbal poultice remedy that would absorb the venom from the foot,reduce the swelling,and heal the foot.Thomas allowed his friend to place the herbal poultice on his foot before going to bed that night,and the swelling was gone in the morning.Which of the following can be concluded about the herbal poultice remedy?

A) The poultice definitely worked because the swelling went down.
B) The poultice definitely did not cause the swelling to go down.
C) It is very likely that the poultice caused the swelling to go down.
D) There is not anything that can be concluded about the effectiveness of the poultice remedy.

Question 30

Sue has twin baby boys and is trying to decide whether to have them vaccinated against chicken pox or to take them to a "chicken pox party" where they can be naturally exposed to other children who currently have chicken pox.Which of the following would be the first relevant question for Sue to research before making her decision?

A) Are there any peer-reviewed, scientific studies of observable and quantifiable claims regarding the chicken pox vaccine or chicken pox parties?
B) Do any relevant studies make testable and falsifiable predictions related to a clearly stated hypothesis?
C) Are the relevant studies well designed and described with large sample sizes and minimization of bias, and have the results been reproducible?
D) Are there a lot of parents on the Internet endorsing the chicken pox parties?

Question 31

Developing a scientific understanding of a natural phenomenon typically begins by

A) observing a quantifiable natural phenomena.
B) proving an answer.
C) making a prediction.
D) testing a hypothesis.

Question 32

The fact that the onset of autism symptoms typically occur at about the same age children receive many of their vaccinations,including the MMR,is an example of an observed

A) correlation but not necessarily evidence of a cause-effect relationship.
B) correlation and strong evidence of a cause-effect relationship.
C) and evidence supported cause-effect relationship.
D) cause-effect relationship but not necessarily a correlation.

Question 33

A researcher noticed that as the prevalence of cell phone usage increased between the years of 1998 and 2010 so did the number of individuals diagnosed with autism.He decided that cell phone usage by expectant mothers was causing autism.Which of the following would be the first step in evaluating his assumption?

A) The researcher should develop a clearly testable and falsifiable hypothesis.
B) The researcher should carefully design a reproducible experiment.
C) The researcher's experiment should include thousands of participants from all gender, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups both with and without autism.
D) The researcher should use a small sample size (20 participants) of autistic children and their mothers to support the hypothesis.

Question 34

You are reading a paper in the journal Vaccine that analyzed and combined the results from five observational studies involving over 1 million children and another five studies that compared children with autism to children without autism (a total of nearly 10,000 children).The paper you are reading is best recognized as a

A) secondary literature source.
B) meta-analysis and primary literature source.
C) cohort study.
D) case-control study.

Question 35

If the Centers for Disease Control's recommended vaccination schedule is delayed,the children who do not receive their vaccines on schedule

A) are just as well protected from diseases as they would be if they were on schedule.
B) experience a decreased risk of contracting disease than they would experience if they were on schedule.
C) experience no change in protection from diseases as they would experience if they were ahead of schedule.
D) experience an increased risk of disease.

Question 36

Announcing "scientific" findings in a press conference before they have been published in an established scientific journal suggests

A) there may be reason to question the validity of the results or conclusions.
B) that the results were too ground-breaking to wait for or need peer review.
C) there is no reason to question the validity of the results.
D) that the media has scientifically determined the results to be valid and repeatable.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a reason to scientifically evaluate the plausibility of claims made by a psychic who states that a missing child is alive and located in a particular area of the countryside months after the child went missing?

A) Precious time finding the child could be lost.
B) Manpower could be wasted looking in a location when there is no evidence indicating the child might be there.
C) It could cause additional and unnecessary grief when the new hopes and expectations of the parents are dashed.
D) There is anecdotal evidence suggesting that psychics can predict the location of missing children.

Question 38

Although it seems contradictory,real science does not intend to "prove" a hypothesis to be true.This is because

A) all true hypotheses will be rejected by the scientific method because they can be proven false.
B) future experiments or discoveries may provide data that refutes the hypothesis.
C) science is a human endeavor, and like all human endeavors, it is limited by human understanding.
D) the scientific method is limited to examination of the natural world.

Question 39

A popular post on the Internet states that hugs "transfer energy" between participants,giving them an "emotional lift." Which of the following is a scientific approach to evaluating the claim of "energy transfer" during hugs? The hypothesis for the experiment would be as follows: if one person hugs another,the person receiving the hug will have more measurable energy after the hug.

A) First, develop a method of physically measuring the amount of energy available in a human being. Divide hundreds of subjects randomly into two groups, huggers and nonhuggers. The available energy in the individuals of each group would be measured, the individuals would then hug (or not), and then the energy levels are measured again. The experimenter should not know which group is the hugging or nonhugging group to avoid expectation bias. The experiment should be repeated numerous times before analyzing the data.
B) The researcher would need some people willing to hug someone else and fill out a survey stating how they felt before and after the hug. This should be repeated several times.
C) The researcher would need some people willing to keep a daily log of how they feel during the day, how many hugs they get, and which days they feel the best at the end of the day.
D) The researcher would need some people willing to complete a scientifically developed life history hugging survey. Through the survey, participants will document their own life histories of hugs (average number of hugs per day and how long they lasted) and emotional well-being. Once the survey is completed, the researcher will collate and evaluate the evidence. He or she should repeat this with a few different groups of people.

Question 40

Based on the scientific evidence presented in the journals Lancet and Vaccine which of the following is NOT the reason for the observed increase in incidence of autism in the United States and other countries since the 1970s?

A) There is a heightened awareness of autism in society.
B) More schools are screening more students for autism.
C) People are generally more willing to label a broader range of conditions within the spectrum of autism disorders.
D) The MMR vaccine is being more broadly administered, so more children are getting autism.

Question 41

The graph below shows that post vaccination program,the number of adult meningitis cases is

A) strongly correlated with the number of childhood meningitis cases; this appears to be related to the increased vaccination rates in children.
B) not correlated with the number of childhood meningitis cases; there appears to be no relationship to the increased vaccination rates in children.
C) weakly correlated with the number of childhood meningitis cases; there appears to be no relationship to the increased vaccination rates in children.
D) strongly but negatively correlated with the number of childhood meningitis cases; this is caused by the increased vaccination rates in children.

Question 42

Peer-reviewed scientific journals,technical reports,conference proceedings,and dissertations are considered ________ literature.

Question 43

When individuals use the scientific process to question information and make informed decisions about the world around them,they are acting in a(n)________ literate manner.

Question 44

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),by the end of September 2014,roughly 8,000 cases of whooping cough had been reported in California for that year; more than 250 patients (mostly infants and young children)were hospitalized with 58 of them requiring intensive care.Several other childhood diseases that were once common but then eradicated through high vaccination rates have returned since the antivaccination movement grew in the 1990s.The epidemiological data collected by the CDC indicates this resurgence of childhood diseases is most likely the result of

A) reduced herd/community immunity.
B) reduced vaccine effectiveness.
C) increased virulence of the pathogens causing these diseases.
D) simply the increased number of people present in the United States.

Question 45

The figure below,based on data collected by The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,graphically illustrates that as

A) increasingly more individuals in a community are vaccinated against a particular pathogen, future outbreaks of the disease are limited to fewer individuals because fewer people will become infected and then pass it on.
B) individuals in a community become ill, increasingly more individuals either become ill or think they are becoming ill as they find out about the illness from friends, family, and the media.
C) increasingly more individuals in a community are vaccinated against a particular pathogen, future outbreaks of the disease are limited to fewer individuals because fewer people think they can become ill. Just the idea of vaccines protecting from disease will make people think they are protected so they will not experience any symptoms.
D) a population of individuals is infected with a particular pathogen, more and more people will become infected. This is beneficial because everyone will always survive, and their offspring will be immune to any future infections.

Question 46

The graph below shows that after the childhood vaccination program was initiated in the United Kingdom in 1999,the annual number of meningitis cases in children

A) decreased to nearly zero by 2004, as did the meningitis rate for adults.
B) increased to over 700 in 1999 before slowly decreasing in 2000, as did the meningitis rate for adults.
C) did not decrease or increase; there was also no change in the meningitis rate for adults.
D) decreased to zero by 2000, as did the meningitis rate for adults.

Question 47

Anna Eaton went to her local library to begin a search for answers regarding vaccination.She checked out and read a textbook about how vaccines work.This textbook is an example of ________ literature.

Question 48

Claims that are vague,based on unclearly stated research questions and hypotheses,or are contrary to well-documented facts about the physical and natural world are considered ________ claims.These claims fail to generate testable and falsifiable predictions.

Question 49

The U.S.federal government funds the vast majority of scientific research intended to expand the "fundamental knowledge base" of sciences such as the life sciences,biomedicine,and agriculture.Since the funding comes from taxpayers,this ________ research is not considered biased.

Question 50

The figure below,based on data collected by The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,graphically illustrates that a disease is less likely to spread to vulnerable members of a population if most of the population is immunized against the disease.This phenomenon occurs because

A) when fewer individuals in the population are likely to become infected, fewer people are able to spread the disease, and the vulnerable members of the population are less likely to come in contact with contagious individuals.
B) if more individuals in the population become infected, fewer people are able to spread the disease, and the vulnerable members of the population are less likely to come in contact with contagious individuals.
C) if more individuals in the population become infected, more people are able to spread the disease, and the vulnerable members of the population are less likely to come in contact with contagious individuals.
D) when none of the population is immune to the disease, no one will contract the disease and therefore pass it on to the vulnerable members of the population.

Question 51

If we examine 100,000 children who have never had the MMR vaccine and 100,000 children who have received the vaccine and find that both groups of children have the same rate of autism,our data would NOT support the idea that the MMR vaccine ________ autism.

Question 52

The MMR vaccine became available in the late 1960s.In the early 1970s,organizations began recording the number of people with autism.The incidence of autism has increased 20- to 30-fold since that time.The number of children immunized with the MMR vaccine has also increased since that time.This rise in the rate of autism with the increased use of vaccines is a ________.

Question 53

If a statement about how the natural world works can be supported (or not)by using the scientific method,the statement is a(n)________ claim

Question 54

When Anna Eaton was deciding whether to vaccinate her baby,Caroline,she came across the fact that the onset of autism symptoms typically occurs around 16-24 months of age.Most children receive the MMR vaccine around the age of 15 months.This is an example of a

A) definite cause-effect relationship, but there is no support for a correlation between the MMR vaccine and autism.
B) correlation, but there is no support for a cause-effect relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism.
C) definite cause-effect relationship and full support for a correlation between the MMR vaccine and autism.
D) negative correlation between the MMR vaccine and autism and full support of a cause-effect relationship.

Question 55

Scientific studies that compare patients with a disease to those without the disease are referred to as

A) case-control studies.
B) clinical trials.
C) cohort studies.
D) in vitro studies.

Question 56

A scientist publishes a paper in a peer-reviewed journal; this paper is later retracted.Which of the following (if found to be true)is NOT a legitimate reason for the retraction?

A) The study involved only 12 participants, but sweeping conclusions were made by the author. These participants were not randomly sampled; they were picked specifically for their symptoms. Furthermore, there was no control group.
B) The findings could not be replicated, and there were many peer-reviewed studies, including millions of participants that found no evidence for the claims of the original paper.
C) The primary author of the paper received large amounts of money as a paid expert for lawyers who were suing companies based on the author's claim. The author would also benefit financially in other ways, such as patents on alternative products.
D) Although the findings were not replicated by other researchers, some studies indicated that the original paper might suggest a valid line of reasoning and warrants further investigation.

Question 57

Claims that are characterized by scientific-sounding statements,beliefs,or practices but are not actually based on the scientific method are properly viewed as ________.

Question 58

Which of the following would NOT be a reason for a peer-reviewed paper to be retracted by its publisher as untrue or inaccurate?

A) The author has made a clear error in the scientific process.
B) It has been shown that the author plagiarized someone else's work.
C) It has been discovered that the author violated ethical guidelines or was involved in other scientific misconduct.
D) Other researchers have published work that appears to contradict the paper in question.

Question 59

You discover that a holistic treatment called "ear candling" involves putting the end of a wax-coated cloth cone (a "candle")into your ear and lighting it on fire,letting it burn to within about four inches of your face,and then repeating with a new candle.This process is supposed to remove tension,anxiety,and stress from your body.Which of the following statements or questions would be MOST helpful in scientifically evaluating these claims?

A) Your great-aunt used ear candling on all of her children and grandchildren and they have all lived long and healthy lives.
B) Have there been any studies that measured the feelings of well-being in individuals before and after ear candling?
C) Ear candling has been used for centuries by many different cultures to cure earaches, reduce stress, and promote general well-being.
D) Have there been any reproducible, peer-reviewed studies that compared ear candling in individuals who have ear infections with those who do not have ear infections?

Question 60

A company is spending $200 million to determine if a newly isolated plant extract will help increase the effectiveness of an antidepressant drug currently on the market.This research would be an example of ________ research.

Question 61

MATCHING
Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature?
a.primary
b.secondary
Journal of the American Medical Association,a peer-reviewed scientific journal

Question 62

Medical researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia examined data from several cohort studies and several case-control studies regarding links between vaccines and autism.Overall,these studies included more than 1.25 million children from four different countries and vaccines for five different diseases.The conclusion of this paper indicates that there is no link between vaccines and autism.This work was published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine,and there is no evidence that the researchers at the University of Sydney have any conflict of interest with vaccines or treatment of autistic children.
Briefly describe this type of study and research (including if it is basic or applied research)and evaluate the strength of the researchers' claim that there is no link between vaccines and autism.List four lines of evidence to support your assertion.

Question 63

You see a blog post on social media stating that this year's flu vaccine is not very effective against the strains of flu currently going around.The post urges readers to avoid the vaccine because it might actually give you the flu.
What steps should you take and what types of information should you consider when evaluating this statement before deciding whether to get vaccinated with this year's flu vaccine? Be sure to include examples of primary versus secondary literature.

Question 64

In 2015,the dietary supplements industry,including herbal remedies and energy drinks,in the United States grossed somewhere between 12 and 24 billion dollars in sales.The FDA regulates the safety and manufacture of conventional,pharmaceutical drugs before they are marketed to consumers.However,the companies that produce dietary supplements are responsible for evaluating the safety and purity of their own products before these are marketed to consumers.The FDA is only responsible for taking action against any adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement product after it reaches the market and consumers.The FDA will also issue warnings about a product after adverse reactions have been reported.
Your friend,Vivian,is selling a fruit juice that contains a "secret,proprietary blend" of herbal ingredients.Vivian tells you that this fruit juice cured her dad's migraine headaches,so you should use it to cure your migraines and quit taking the medicine prescribed for you by your doctor.Write at least three steps you should take before you decide to follow Vivian's advice about the juice.

Question 65

Why would it be beneficial for you to be scientifically literate when choosing whether to purchase expensive workout apparel that claims to reduce muscle fatigue and promote circulation better than other brands of apparel?

Question 66

A large biotech company would like to market a microbe that will help clean up oil spills in the ocean by actually consuming and detoxifying the oil.Would this research be basic or applied? Explain your answer.

Question 67

Your best friend,Joe,is selling a new apparatus he claims will generate "alkaline water" (having pH levels greater than 8)for you to drink in your own home.Joe also claims that drinking "alkaline water" will decrease your risk of getting cancer,lower your blood pressure,lower your blood sugar,improve your digestion,balance your body's energy,and generate a sense of well-being.You can own your own machine for just $2,500 plus shipping and handling! Which of Joe's claims are scientific and which are pseudoscientific? Include rationale,such as which claims could be tested in a lab,and describe why it is important to question Joe's claims.

Question 68

The graph below illustrates the predicted number of meningitis cases with or without herd immunity after the initiation of the meningitis vaccination program in the United Kingdom in 1999.Write a short paragraph comparing the observed number of cases to the predicted number of cases.Assess the predictive value of the model used to generate the graph and how this relates to the prediction of the number of cases that would exist without herd immunity.

Question 69

MATCHING
Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature?
a.primary
b.secondary
review articles found in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Question 70

Why is it necessary to receive a new flu vaccine each year?

Question 71

What is a first step an individual should take when beginning to assess a "scientific" claim made by another person?

Question 72

MATCHING
Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature?
a.primary
b.secondary
Biology Now 2e,your textbook

Question 73

Evaluate the following and determine whether the treatment method is most likely based on science or pseudoscience.Provide a brief explanation of your answer.
"The symptoms of your cold are similar to those of mercury poisoning,so mercury should be the remedy you use.Of course,you should dilute it by using one part mercury to one trillion parts of pure water.This one all-natural remedy will treat all of your symptoms.You can trust this method because it is a very widely used system of medicine in the world and its popularity is growing.Babies and pregnant women can use this method with no adverse effects and it works in harmony with your immune system."

Question 74

Between 1997 and 2007,mobile cell phone subscriptions have steadily increased from 18 users per 100 inhabitants to roughly 97 users per 100 inhabitants in developed countries.During this same time,diagnosed cases of autism have also steadily increased from around 50,000 to 250,000.Your friend decides that cell phones must cause autism.Briefly describe what your response would be to your friend's conclusion,indicating any possible relationship(s)that may or may not exist.

Question 75

Vaccines approved for use are continually monitored and tested for ________ by the FDA.

Question 76

Cheryl searches the Internet for information regarding the use of a particular herbal supplement because she has heard claims that it will help her safely build muscle while losing fat.During her search she comes across a site that claims to have evidence to support those claims.What questions should Cheryl ask herself as she peruses the site?

Question 77

A friend tells you that vaccines,in general,are not safe and that no one is keeping track of the side effects and dangers associated with vaccines.Your friend has decided that he will not be vaccinated and will not have any of his children vaccinated.You want to encourage your friend to reconsider his views,so you share with him that there are actually various organizations continually testing and evaluating vaccines for effectiveness,safety,and side effects.Summarize the three ways this occurs.

Question 78

MATCHING
Which of the following texts are examples of primary literature and which are examples of secondary literature?
a.primary
b.secondary
Science,a peer-reviewed scientific journal

Question 79

How does a chicken pox vaccine stimulate immunity in an individual human? Be sure to accurately include the following terms: antibodies,disease organism,immune system,vaccine,virus.

Question 80

The spread of measles to individuals who cannot be vaccinated is minimized and/or preventable by ________,which is promoted by vaccinating a critical portion of the population with the measles vaccine.