Bio 9G: How Your Body Works

Final Exam Keys and FAQ

2009-06-11T12:52:00.001-07:00

Version A
Version B

I will email you when your exam score and course grade are up on EEE.
If you believe you see an error in the key, please send a polite email to me and I'll look into it.

I've had some emails about Question 5, which showed this picture
and asked what fiber type the light fibers are. Students rightly remembered that "red" fibers are oxidative and "white" fibers are glycolytic.
But everyone who has emailed me has forgotten that this is an image of a human muscle and the color is a STAIN that stains the amount of myosin. So it is not red or white, but light, medium and dark. And the light fibers have less myosin, and thus are Type 1a, or slow oxidative fibers.
Here is the lecture slide:

The rest of Bob's Story

2009-06-04T16:50:00.000-07:00

Midterm 2 Answer Keys

2009-05-21T11:49:00.001-07:00

Here are the answer keys for the second midterm:
Version A
Version B

The student scores will be posted on Gradebook by the end of the weekend.
If you believe you see an error in the answer key, please send me a polite email explaining the error.

Human demonstration of muscle contraction

2009-05-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

By other Bio 9G students just like you:

Deep brain stimulation - an insider's perspective

2009-05-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

"The tremors started in 1999. I remember pouring a glass of wine and my hand starting to shake. “What’s that?” my wife at the time asked. “Parkinson’s,” I joked. We laughed. I was only 43. It seemed funny. The shaking went away, but over the next few weeks I started using the computer mouse and eating with my left hand. I didn’t know it, but the Parkinson’s was affecting the fine motor control on my right side. It was subtle, but enough to make me more comfortable as a southpaw. “That’s odd,” I thought. “When did I become left-handed?”

This is a very interesting essay from a man who chose an extreme treatment for his early-onset Parkinson's. It's a bit long, but if you have time I think you'll find it very interesting.

Midterm 1 Exam Keys

2009-04-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

Here are the exam keys from Midterm 1.
Version A
Version B

Please get your exam booklet and then open the appropriate file. Mark the correct answer in a different color in your booklet. If you missed the question, make a note in the margin WHY (misread question, didn't know info, etc). We will discuss how to modify your study techniques next week - bring your exam booklet to class.

If you believe you have found an error in the key, please send me a polite email explaining your reasoning.

Exam grading is not yet finished. Grades will likely be up by the end of the weekend.

Kevin's Heart

2009-04-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

Watch the rest of the video and find out the treatment Kevin received for his heart here:

Need a left-handed seat?

2009-04-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

If you would prefer a left-handed desk for all the exams, or have other medical needs for a special seat, please fill out the survey at https://eee.uci.edu/survey/9gSeating09 .
If you do not need a left-handed seat, you can skip the survey.

New treatment for Atrial Fibrillation

2009-04-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

A new heart device has been developed that helps reduce blood clots in patients who have untreatable atrial fibrillation.
Read more here.
It's a kind of balloon that prevents blood from entering the "atrial appendage," a small pocket in the left atrium. Share any comments you have below.

FAQ for the Bio 9G Essay

2009-04-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

Here are the answers to some of the questions I've gotten:

Q: For the paragraphs, do we just answer the questions that you put on the instructions for each paragraph?
A: The instructions say "Be sure to use good essay-writing technique. Have a topic sentence and concluding sentence for each paragraph. " So you are writing an essay paragraph which includes the answer to those questions.

Q: I wrote my introduction and is about 6 lines in length, do I need to elaborate more for my introduction?
A: If you have written an excellent paragraph that addresses all the necessary parts of the instructions, then you do not need to elaborate. If you have not engaged the reader or clearly expressed why this topic is interesting to you, then you do need to elaborate.

Q: I am interested in writing about _____ . Is this okay?
A: If the topic involves how the body works in some way, then it is appropriate. Students have asked about syncope (fainting), sleep apnea, etc. These are all fine.

What color is blood?

2009-03-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

In class today, I gave you the following clicker question:

What color is blood?

Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
Red or blue, depending on oxygen

There was significant disagreement among you! Go look up the answer now, being sure the website you get your information from is reputable and the author has clear educational training. Or look it up in a textbook. Once you figure out the answer, feel free to post it in the comments section. I'll be asking for the right answer on the first exam...

Free tutoring for Bio 9G

2009-03-30T21:13:00.001-07:00

Three upper-division Bio students are offering their services as free tutors for Bio 9G this quarter. Bryan, Dewey and Marilyn are each holding two hours of office hours every week, plus they will hold review sessions before each exam. To get handouts for their tutoring and see the most up-to-date hours, join their Bio 9G group in Facebook. Search for "Bio 9G" or click here.

Bio 9G begins

2009-03-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Bio 9G!
Download and print the Lecture 1 handout from the link on the right, and bring the handout and your clicker to class.

No, you don't HAVE to have your clicker yet. Re-read the syllabus to see how many days you can miss.
All adds and drops will be done through WebReg.

Is Bio 9G Right for You?

2009-02-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Warning!

Bio 9G is designed to be VERY interactive, VERY interesting, and VERY difficult. You will enjoy it much more than you think you will, but you will also have to work much harder than you want to. You will NOT be allowed to drop or switch to P/NP after the second week of class. Please ONLY enroll if you are willing to come to class, actively participate and talk to your neighbors, and spend time outside of class working to understand the material. See the class syllabus for more information.

Textbook:

There is no required textbook for this class, but you may find access to a physiology textbook REALLY helps you as a reference. I will be using images from Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach by Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, 4th Edition. Ask your Bio major friends if they have a spare you can use. I have deliberately made the book one that you can borrow or buy used so that you will have money available for the clicker. I do not have spare books on reserve.

Clicker:

You must purchase a clicker (iClicker brand ONLY) at the UCI Bookstore. You may use a roommate's or friend's if they don't need it this quarter, but you must register it to your UCInetID here. You cannot get a good grade without a clicker, and you cannot use a different brand.

Internet:

As you might have guessed from the presence of this blog, the course requires the use of the internet. If you do not have easy access to the internet and a printer at home, you will have a much more difficult time with this class. Lack of access will not excuse you from any assignment.

If you are still interested in taking this course, I'm excited to have you! Physiology is a fascinating subject, and everyone can learn it in this class.

Tentative Syllabus

2009-02-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

Tentative Syllabus: Spring 2009

PeerWise question-writing 9 points
"Physiology in My Life" essay 9 points
Clicker participation 12 points
Online quizzes 20
Midterm 1 50
Midterm 2 50
Final exam 100

Total points: 250

PeerWise Question Writing:
Three times during the quarter you will create a multiple choice exam question, plus comment on the questions of other students. This is done using the online PeerWise interface.

"Physiology in My Life" Essay:
You will be asked to choose a topic of interest to you and write a short essay in three parts to be submitted at times during the quarter.

Clicker Participation:
In order to receive the clicker points, you must register your clicker here and use it at least 10 times during the quarter.
1 point: registering by end of Week 2
11 points: clicking in 10 times by the end of the quarter
5 points: clicking in 6-9 times
It is YOUR responsibility to get your clicker to work. Ask for help if you need it. Clickers are available for purchase at the UCI Bookstore. You are welcome to borrow a friend's clicker for the entire quarter, but you must register it to yourself. You may NOT click in for someone else, or ask someone else to click in for you. If you are spotted with two clickers, both will be taken from you and not returned, and you and the other clicker owner will lose 10 points from the course. See academic dishonesty, above.
Clickers are a tool for learning, not an attendance mechanism. If you forget yours, you don't need to tell me about it.

Online Quizzes:
Online quizzes will be posted the night before each lecture on material from the previous lecture. Once you begin a quiz, you will have a limited amount of time to complete it. You must get at least half the questions correct to get credit for the quiz, and you must get credit for at least one quiz for 7 weeks to get the full 20 points. You may work together to take the quizzes (have study-and-quiz groups!) but you must each log in to take the quiz individually.
Points for online quizzes
7 or more weeks of at least one quiz 50% right = 20 points
5-6 weeks = 10 points
Less than 5 weeks = 0 points

Exams:
All three exams will be multiple choice, and the second two will be cumulative.

Final Grades
Final grades will be awarded based upon a straight scale as shown here:
A+ ≥ 96.5 > A ≥ 93.5 > A- ≥ 90 B+ ≥ 86.5 > B ≥ 83.5 > B- ≥ 80 C+ ≥ 76.5 > C ≥ 73.5 > C- ≥ 70 > D ≥ 60 > F

Making up Missed Work:
You may not make up any participation work. If you lose your clicker, you will need to replace it, re-register it, and inform me that you have done so. You don't need to participate every day or take every quiz, so that should cover any minor sickness or emergency. Longer absences will require you to withdraw from the course.

Student athletes are welcome in this course. I will make adjustments for class participation points and exam times if you must miss for your sport. BUT BE CAREFUL! I do not post lecture notes for the course. You MUST have someone who goes to class and can TEACH YOU WHAT YOU MISSED. Your grade will suffer if you don't arrange to have someone take notes for you and promise to explain the material.

The ONLY reasons for which a make-up midterm or final exam will be considered are a personal medical emergency (a doctor's note clearly outlining the your situation, along with your name and the date of the emergency will be required for verification) or a death in the immediate family (a note from the funeral home or doctor will be required). If your emergency prevents you from taking a makeup within 48 hours of the exam, you will receive an incomplete in the course.

Make-up exams will NOT be considered for a minor illness, religious holiday, car breakdown, family emergency, major freeway snarl or other occurrences of daily life. If you miss an exam for any reason that does not qualify for a make-up, you will get a zero on that exam.

Contacting Dr. Williams:
My office hours are after class and by appointment. Please email me to arrange an alternate meeting time, or ask simple questions about physiology, or let me know about problems with the course material. I like getting student email, since it's the only way I hear from some of you. But please use the following email format:

Use your UCI email
Add "Bio 9G" to the subject of your email
Start with "Dear Dr. Williams," and end with your full name and student ID
Use professional language and punctuation
Do not email to tell me you missed class or lost your clicker (see above)
Do not email to ask me something you could look up yourself
NEVER email to beg for a better grade or extra credit. The answer is always "no."

Bob's Heart

2008-06-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

We watched part 1 of the story of Bob and his heart failure today. Watch part 2 to find out if he gets a transplant before his time at the top of the donor list ends. If you need web page credit, you can post something you have researched on organ transplants or why there is a lack of donors.

Open Topic Posting!

2008-06-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 10! For our last week, I want to open up the topic for you to choose. What physiology or health topic are you interested in? Why? Find a web page that you once might have thought was too technical, and look up more information on this topic. Then tell us in your own words what you have learned, and include the link.

Sudden cardiac death in young athletes

2008-05-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

The vast majority of heart attacks occur in older individuals who have coronary artery disease. But some young people, often athletes, are also at risk. Read this simple article from Time on the subject, then google "athletes cardiac death" and let us know some of the likely causes and solutions.

Effect of Exercise on the Cardiovascular system

2008-05-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

In class on Thursday we will talk about how the cardiovascular system is affected by:
1. Exercise, and
2. Aerobic training
Search for trustworthy references (medical or educational sites, not anywhere trying to sell anything) that discuss the effect of exercise or long-term aerobic workouts or strength training workouts on the cardiovascular system.

Research on Exercise

2008-05-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

The field of exercise physiology is producing regular research on the best way to exercise. Here is a recent example of a study that looked at women who exercised three different ways, to see which technique builds the most muscle mass. Look for other scientific research on training techniques and tell us about them here.

Midterm 2 Results

2008-05-24T17:04:00.001-07:00

The short answer section and scantron of your exam is now available for you to download on MyEEE's dropbox.

The key is in two parts:
1. The multiple choice key is a couple of posts below this.
2. The short answer key is posted here as a pdf.

Note that Question 8 had no right answer, so everyone got full credit for this. There was one extra question on the multiple choice as extra credit. The midterm is worth 50 points, some students had a high of 52. The mean was higher on this exam than on the first midterm. Good job, everyone!
If you are unhappy with how well you are able to learn the material in the class, please email me and we can meet.

Further info on Muscle Fiber Type

2008-05-23T16:31:00.001-07:00

Did you find the discussion on fiber type, training, and temptations to be interesting? You are welcome to do a little further research on the topic. If you are interested in supplements or particular training regimes, be sure to provide an unbiased review of the risks and benefits beyond that of the site that promotes them.

Scantron results from Midterm 2

2008-05-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here are the answers to the scantron portion of the exam. Scores will be released later this week when the short answers have been graded and are available online.

Question	Ver A	Ver B	Type	Difficulty
1	(version)	(version)
2	E	D	Memorization
3	C	A	Integration
4	A	D	M
5	C	C	M
6	A	B	M
7	B	D	M	E
8	all answers	get credit	there was a problem	with the question
9	A	C	M
10	D	D	I	E
11	B	C	M
12	B	A	M
13	D	C	Novel
14	B	A	M	H
15	D	C	I
16	B	A	M	H
17	C	D	M	E
18	C	E	I
19	A	B	M
20	B	A	I
21	B	B	N
22	A	B	N

In the comments, you can get blog credit if you do a "re-write" for one of the questions. You must explain which lecture the info came from, and why the right answer is right and the wrong answers were wrong. You need to pick a question that hasn't been done yet to get credit.

Learning before or after the exam

2008-05-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

If you need a study break tonight, or have time after the exam, take this questionnaire and determine your primary learning style according to www.vark-learn.com. This site not only categorizes your learning style, but gives you hints on how to take notes and study for exams. Fill out the questionnaire (notice you can pick more than one answer for each question!) and then tell us what you learned about your learning style and recommended study techniques.

Exercise is more help than you think

2008-05-18T19:39:00.001-07:00

A recent study indicates that regular exercise by young women can reduce their risk of aggressive breast cancer. I'd like you to see what other benefits beyond weight loss exist. But I encourage you to only include information that mentions scientific research. Not all scientific research is well done, but it's a good start when you are evaluating the claims of some change in lifestyle. Provide us the link to your information, and tell us if you think the research is convincing.

How good is internet advice on exercise?

2008-05-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Lots of people want to lose weight, and what you eat is obviously important. But what advice is out there on the best exercise to lose weight? Is it good advice? Do a little googling to see what is out there, and report back on the exercise regimens you find that either make no sense physiologically, or seem to go along with what you have learned so far about muscle metabolism.

"Supplements" to Exercise

2008-05-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Are you someone who is trying to maximize the effectiveness of your fitness regime? Many people are. And many OTHER people are trying to sell you stuff to make you bigger, faster, stronger or skinnier than a healthy diet and sensible exercise will give. If you find the lure of supplements to be an interesting topic, see what is being offered out there, and pick a supplement. Do a little research on whether or not these supplements are actually safe and effective. Hint: if the website is selling the stuff, you'll need to look elsewhere for an honest opinion on its use.

Muscle Disorders

2008-05-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

We haven't covered all nerve-muscle disorders, and we won't have time to. But you are welcome to look up a few yourself. Google "muscle disorders" or "myopathies" and see if you can turn the medical-ese into an explanation that the other students can follow and find interesting.

Botox beyond wrinkles

2008-05-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Botox is famous for cosmetic uses, but there are an increasing number of medical benefits as well. This article is about its use in newborns. Do some browsing and discover other medical benefits. Describe how the botulinum toxin helps, and provide a URL.

Truth, Lies and Tivo

2008-05-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Do you have a favorite medical drama on TV? At my house it's "Bones" and "House." Have you ever wondered how accurate the information is? It turns out that sometimes national agencies care what information is put out there by networks. Other times, script writers were clearly thumbing through the "Big Book of Obscure Diseases" to fill a plot hole. If you tend to have a favorite show, take a moment to look up a recent disease that sounded interesting or important. Do a little research, and tell us whether you think the show did a good job presenting that disease. If you find any errors, point that out too. For instance, I yelled out loud when "Sarah Connor Chronicles" tried to convince me that John Connor could have AB blood when his mother had Type O. Did nobody have high school biology on that production set?

Find-your own animation: muscle contraction

2008-05-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

For this lecture's animation, search for "crossbridge cycling" or "sliding filament" or "muscle contraction." Be sure to find a new animation, give the URL, and indicate what was good or poor about the animation. I'd love to hear what part became clearer for you compared to the lecture information.

Extreme treatment for a serious disease 1: Parkinson's

2008-05-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

"The tremors started in 1999. I remember pouring a glass of wine and my hand starting to shake. “What’s that?” my wife at the time asked. “Parkinson’s,” I joked. We laughed. I was only 43. It seemed funny. The shaking went away, but over the next few weeks I started using the computer mouse and eating with my left hand. I didn’t know it, but the Parkinson’s was affecting the fine motor control on my right side. It was subtle, but enough to make me more comfortable as a southpaw. “That’s odd,” I thought. “When did I become left-handed?”

This is a very interesting essay from a man who chose an extreme treatment for his early-onset Parkinson's. It's a bit long, but if you have time I think you'll find it very interesting. You can then post research you've found on deep brain stimulation.

The mysteries of the brain

2008-05-04T15:46:00.001-07:00

There's a lot we are still learning about the brain, memory, and disease. Here is an example of recent research on how brain cells clean up old proteins using proteasomes, and why this might matter in treating memory diseases. See what other recent research you can find on neurons, memory, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, or Multiple Sclerosis. Keep it new and give us the link.

Find-your-own animation: Synaptic Transmission

2008-05-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Find an online animation for synaptic transmission. Talk about why it was good or bad. Give the URL. Make sure it is different from the comments above.

Another EKG video

2008-04-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Here is another video from my heart DVD series. Watch it and share your thoughts, then do a little research on other arrhythmias besides long QT syndrome: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, tachycardia, atrial flutter, sick sinus syndrome and bradycardia. Remember to use your own words and write something new.

Previous students looked up Long Q-T Syndrome, Sudden Cardiac Arrest, or a technology mentioned in the video... but the comments have pretty much covered these now.
(Update 5/2/08) - comments full, video is being moved to a new location.

New word for the day: "Nosocomial" infection

2008-04-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

I had never heard this term before until I was doing a little Science News browsing. A "nosocomial infection" is one that is acquired from being IN the hospital for some other reason. In this article, researchers used a technique from forensic medicine to find traces of blood inside a supposedly "clean" room. Read the article, and then do a little more reading on nosocomial infections, recommended methods for avoiding these infections, or the general problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As always, find something new to discuss, and be sure to USE YOUR OWN WORDS.

Malaria is different in children than adults

2008-04-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Did you notice any of your Facebook friends had blacked-out profile pictures on Friday? It was World Malaria Day, established to help developed countries learn more about this disease. It's a day of determination to dedicate resources towards a parasite that affects the poor.
In honor of this day, here is an article about recent research that has determined that the blood of children responds differently to the parasite than the blood of adults. This has important consequences in treatment choices. Read the article, then do some research on the biology of malaria and current treatments.

Growing heart cells in a petri dish

2008-04-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

What are some uses for a dish of cells? Well, if the cells are alive and growing, the uses are several. This article discusses a new technique to grow human heart cells in the lab. If you are interested, read the article and do a one-URL report in the comments on: adult stem cells, drug testing on heart tissue, genetic arrhythmias, OR growing new heart tissue. Be sure to use your own words and pick a new topic.

My goof is your gain

2008-04-23T11:31:00.001-07:00

In lecture on Tuesday, I spent some time talking about premature ventricular contractions and how they affect the heart. Unfortunately, I didn't have a PVC EKG in front of me, and I miss-remembered the effect of PVC's on the EKG.
You can make up for my failings by posting a (new) link to a description of PVCs that includes an image of a PVC EKG. Be sure to describe what you've learned in your comment.

Do your parents know you use Adderall?

2008-04-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

I know a student who uses Adderall to study for exams. She easily got a prescription from her family doctor, and didn't talk to her parents as she is over 18. As an old grumpy instructor, I have a problem with students taking drugs to get better grades. But I'm even more concerned because she is not receiving regular medical care from this doctor, so when she has fainting spells or panic attacks (and she does), neither her parents nor the ER doctor can connect this to her use of stimulants.
The American Heart Association has put out a warning to parents about ADHD stimulant use for children who may have a cardiac disorder. But do parents of college students who take Adderall or its equivalent know their children are taking this? How many of you have friends who use these regularly?
Present one of the following: Share some online research on "study drugs," share an example of use and abuse in your own circle of friends (be careful about names) and connect that to an online warning about the drug, or share an educated opinion from a major news source about this phenomenon.

Find-Your-Own Animation: Action Potentials

2008-04-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

We learned about action potentials and resting membrane potentials in class on Thursday. Find a (previously unmentioned) animation online, provide the link, and describe why it is an animation that did or did not help you learn the material for Thursday's exam.

Video on Irregular heartbeats

2008-04-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

I found a DVD for class, but I ran out of time to show this part. So I've uploaded it for you to watch. It's a 7-minute clip on atrial fibrillation and the surgical treatment that you might find interesting. After you watch, give us your comments on the procedure, any similar experience you or a family member may have had, and find more information on the internet on treatments for irregular heartbeats.

Find-your-own Animation: EKG

2008-04-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Our trip through the Wiggers Diagram is complete, now that we have covered the EKG. Track down an online animation that shows how the EKG is associated with the cardiac cycle. Post the link and describe what you liked or didn't like about the animation. I'll show you one in class tomorrow for you to compare to yours. As always, find something new.

EKG by Telephone

2008-04-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

Your parent has chest pains... is it a heart attack, or heartburn? What if your family doctor could get an expert opinion without your family having to go to the hospital? What if the hospital could read your EKG over the phone? This article talks about the use of a new handheld technology. See what other recent technologies you can find that might reduce the cost or increase the availability of good health care. As always, include your link and discuss something new.

Surely medicine is above politics?

2008-04-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

It seems like such a sensible question. What's the best way to determine if someone has a blocked artery in their heart? Figure out what test works best, then make sure Medicare covers THAT one, not others -- even if they are cooler. But the government is having a difficult time determining what high-tech scans are really better than cheaper methods. Read the article about CT scans vs. angiography, and be sure to read the comments as well. Then look up one of the following:
1. An effect of industry lobbying on another aspect of medicine
2. How CT scans or angiography or other cardiac diagnostic scans work
3. The rising cost of health care, and how the government (or presidential hopefuls) have sought to change it.

Will having a defibrillator at home save your life?

2008-04-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

When a person's heart stops, it must be restarted within very few minutes to prevent brain damage. So having a personal defibrillator at home seems like a good idea- shock your heart back into rhythm if it stops! So why doesn't it work? Read this story to find out. Share any opinions or experiences you may have had, and then give us some information on what WILL save a life. Include your reference link, and try to emphasize something nobody above you has emphasized.

Find-your-own Animation part 2

2008-04-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

You guys found some great animations for the cardiac cycle!
Now, browse the Web for some animations of either a pressure-volume loop, or a Wiggers Diagram. These are probably a little harder to find. Again, share the link, what you learned, and what you like / dislike. And you need to post a link not posted in the comments above you.

More causes, diagnostics, and treatments for heart valves.

2008-04-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today in lecture I covered four of the five heart valve defects on my list. But there were many aspects of valve defects I didn't have time to go into. If you find the topic intriguing, you can pursue it in the comments. Here are some ideas; pick one and do some research and tell us what you've learned.
option: learn more about one of the diagnostics used by doctors to check for defects.
option: learn about one other cause of heart damage, like Fen-Phen or Chagas disease.
option: find a new sort of valve repair or replacement treatment option

Be sure to explain what you've found in your own words, and tell us why it is interesting to you, and provide a good reference. Be sure you are not discussing something covered in an earlier comment.

Oops! No right answer for the research question.

2008-04-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

The clicker question I showed in class had no right answer (thanks to June my TA for noticing!) Here's the modified question that will appear on the quiz:

How can you tell the difference between an artery and a vein?

a. Veins carry blood to and from the body and arteries carry blood to and from the lungs.
b. The artery will be carrying blood from the heart and the vein will be carrying blood to the heart
c. The artery will be carrying red blood and the vein will be carrying blue blood.
d. Arteries have oxygenated blood and veins have deoxygenated blood

Go to the class noteboard (in MyEEE) to record your findings and read the research of others.

Build-your-own Heart Valve

2008-04-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

This article is published by Children's Hospital in Boston, describing the work that one of their doctors is doing to create a different type of heart valve replacement for children. Read the article, then pursue ONE of the following ideas:
1. Pick a word you aren't familiar with in the article, look it up, and define it for us.
2. Learn about a heart defect that children might be born with, and tell us about it.
3. Give us an example of the business end of heart valves - what companies are in the valve-replacement business? What are some challenges they face?
Be sure to discuss something that wasn't discussed in an earlier comment.

Find your own animation, part 1

2008-04-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today in class I had an animation of the cardiac cycle. It was fabulous, wasn't it?
Actually, in all seriousness, a lot of physiology makes more sense if you can watch it moving. I got that animation from a textbook company, but you can find more online. To post a comment here, you need to:
1. Find a NEW animation of the cardiac cycle online (that nobody above you has mentioned)
2. Give the link, and
3. Say what you like or don't like about this particular animation, or what it helped you understand.

Change in CPR Advice

2008-04-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I took CPR - sad to admit. But when I did, I remember there were a lot of instructions... Pinch nose, pull head back, check for a blocked airway. Three fingers up from the bottom of the sternum, place your hands. Push 15 times, breath once. Repeat. Now the American Heart Association has a new set of instructions:
1. Call 911
2. Push like crazy.
Simpler, no? And it turns out that these instructions save lives just as well.

Gmail allows you to send an email back in time

2008-04-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Gmail has a new feature! You can custom back-date your email to any date in the past four years. Now your professors can't claim you didn't turn in your paper on time! See more details here: https://mail.google.com/mail/help/customtime/index.html

... and then you might want to check today's date on your calendar :)
(sorry, no comments count for credit on this one)

Baseball Opening Night

2008-03-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

It's a new stadium, and the opening night of a new baseball season. I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan, but it's on TV a lot at our house. Have you ever hit a baseball? Have you thought about how much mental and physical processing must occur? Read an interesting article about the science of hitting a baseball here, and enjoy the graphic of the process here.

Is Bio 9G Right for You?

2008-02-25T10:09:00.000-08:00

Warning!

Textbook:

Clicker:

You must purchase a clicker (iClicker brand ONLY). You may use a roommate's or friend's if they don't need it this quarter, but you must register it to your UCInetID here. You cannot get a good grade without a clicker, and you cannot use a different brand.

Internet:

If you are still interested in taking this course, I'm excited to have you! Physiology is a fascinating subject, and everyone can learn it in this class.

Syllabus for Spring 2008

2008-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Bio 9G: How the Body Works
Syllabus: Spring 2008

This syllabus is subject to modification until the course begins.

Course Goals:
1. To understand the mechanisms of several human physiological systems
2. To see the relevance of physiology in "real life"
3. To learn techniques to study any new material

Adding and Dropping:
All adds and drops shall be done through WebReg. I will not sign any add, drop or P/NP cards. If you add after the first day of class, you cannot make up any missed participation work. You must drop by the end of Week 2 if you intend to drop at all. Students who decide they do not want to take the course but fail to drop it will receive an F.

Course Requirements:
1. You must participate during lecture. This requires you to be on time and prepared with your clicker and note-taking printouts. You must also be willing to particpate in small group activities or demonstrations as led by the instructor.
2. To minimize distractions, NO personal electronics (including laptops) should be used in class. Devices used inappropriately may be confiscated for the lecture and you may be denied credit for the day's participation. Lectures may be audiotaped for personal use only; videotaping by students is not permitted. Please do not talk, eat, come late or leave early.
3. You must have internet access and a printer at home. You are expected to daily check your UCI email, take twice-weekly online quizzes, and have access to the class web pages. You will often have handouts to print and bring to class.
4. This course will abide by UCI's Academic Honesty policy, which does not allow cheating, dishonest conduct, plagiarism, or collusion (definitions). Academic dishonesty can result in a failing grade for the course, and a letter can be placed in your academic file. It is up to you to understand the definitions of academic dishonesty. Even unintentional infractions will result in a zero grade for an assignment.

Grading:
There will be clicker participation, class points, online quizzes, 2 midterms, and a comprehensive final exam in this course. These will be weighted as follows:
Clicker participation 10 points
Class Points 10
Online quizzes 10
Midterm 1 50
Midterm 2 50
Final exam 100

Total points: 230

Clicker Participation:
In order to receive the clicker points, you must register your clicker here and use it at least 10 times during the quarter.
1 point: registering by end of Week 2
9 points: clicking in 10 times by the end of the quarter
5 points: clicking in 6-9 times
It is YOUR responsibility to get your clicker to work. Ask for help if you need it.
You are welcome to borrow a friend's clicker for the entire quarter, but you must register it to yourself. You may NOT click in for someone else, or ask someone else to click in for you. If you are spotted with two clickers, both will be taken from you and not returned, and you and the other clicker owner will lose 10 points from the course. See academic dishonesty, above.
Clickers are a tool for learning, not an attendance mechanism. If you forget yours, you don't need to tell me about it.

Class Points:
You will be able to earn up to 10 points outside of class for processing and thinking about the material. You have several options to earn these points:
1. Take Random Surveys (3-5 points): I will post questions for you to respond to at various times during the quarter. You will access them through the class web page. Some will only be open for a few days, and cannot be accessed once they have closed.
2. Attend Discussion (3 points): Weekly discussions are held by the course TA and undergraduate tutors. The days and times are posted on the course calendar. If you PARTICIPATE in discussion at least 5 weeks during the quarter (working in groups, working at the board, answering questions, etc), then you will earn the points.
3. Post Comments on Class Web Page (3 points): We post articles about physiology and health here on the class web page. You can comment on the posts. If you provide at least one “complete” comment a week for 5 weeks, you earn the points. Multiple comments in one week do not count, but you are welcome to post if you have something to say. See “How to Comment” for complete instructions.
4. Thoughtfully Complete Class Writing Assignments (3-5 points). During the quarter, I will occasionally assign short one-point writing assignments in class to be completed before you leave. Keep spare paper with you for these. You must be present in class and write a thoughtful and original response in order to get each point.

Online Quizzes:
Online quizzes will be posted the night before each lecture on material from the previous lecture. Once you begin a quiz, you will have a limited amount of time to complete it. You must get at least half the questions correct to get credit for the quiz, and you must get credit for at least one quiz for 7 weeks to get the full 10 points. You may work together to take the quizzes (have study-and-quiz groups!) but you must each log in to take the quiz individually.
Points for online quizzes
7 or more weeks of at least one quiz 50% right = 10 points
5-6 weeks = 5 points
Less than 5 weeks = 0 points

Exams:
All three exams will be multiple choice and short answer, and the second two will be cumulative.

Final Grades
Final grades will be awarded based upon a straight scale as shown here:
A+ ≥ 96.5 > A ≥ 93.5 > A- ≥ 90 B+ ≥ 86.5 > B ≥ 83.5 > B- ≥ 80 C+ ≥ 76.5 > C ≥ 73.5 > C- ≥ 70 > D ≥ 60 > F

Making up Missed Work:
You may not make up any participation work. If you lose your clicker, you will need to replace it, re-register it, and inform me that you have done so. You don't need to participate every day or take every quiz, so that should cover any minor sickness or emergency. Longer absences will require you to withdraw from the course.

Student athletes are welcome in this course. I will make adjustments for class participation points and exam times if you must miss for your sport. But I do not post lecture notes for the course, so your grade will suffer if you don't arrange to have someone take notes for you and promise to explain the material.

The ONLY reasons for which a make-up midterm or final exam will be considered are a personal medical emergency (a doctor's note clearly outlining the your situation, along with your name and the date of the emergency will be required for verification) or a death in the immediate family (a note from the funeral home or doctor will be required). If your emergency prevents you from taking a makeup within 48 hours of the exam, you will receive an incomplete in the course.

Make-up exams will NOT be considered for a minor illness, religious holiday, car breakdown, family emergency, major freeway snarl or other occurrences of daily life. If you miss an exam for any reason that does not qualify for a make-up, you will get a zero on that exam.

Contacting Dr. Williams:
My office hours are after class and by appointment. Please email me to arrange an alternate meeting time, or ask simple questions about physiology, or let me know about problems with the course material. I like getting student email, since it's the only way I hear from some of you. But please use the following email format:

Use your UCI email
Add "Bio 9G" to the subject of your email
Start with "Dear Dr. Williams," and end with your full name and student ID
Use professional language and punctuation
Do not email to tell me you missed class or lost your clicker (see above)
Do not email to ask me something you could look up yourself
NEVER email to beg for a better grade or extra credit. The answer is always "no."

The Skinny on Dairy Diets

2007-06-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice article (pdf format) on the limits to the research on dairy products and weight loss. Thanks, Amira!

Create a disease and treat it

2007-06-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

Is obesity a disease? A lifestyle choice? Does it matter? It does to drug companies, since drugs treat disease, not lifestyle. Read about how the results of overeating and under-exercising has been given its own name, and the marketing that goes with it.

Zapping the brain

2007-06-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

About 10% of the population of the US will suffer from clinical depression before the age of 40. A treatment that is becoming more frequently used is surgery to attach a pacemaker to the vagus nerve. Read more here.

Personal need outweighs public health.

2007-05-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

So you KIND of came down with drug-resistant tuberculosis, so bad that doctors tell you to stay away from anyone. But you've got wedding plans. In Greece. So you get on a plane anyway. Then while honeymooning in Italy you get a phone call from the CDC, telling you your passport is flagged and you are FORBIDDEN to get on an airplane and should turn yourself in to the Italian authorities. What do you do? Find out what one man did here.

More uses for Viagra

2007-05-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

Maybe we should just start a list of things Viagra is good for, besides the obvious? Now it might help with overcoming jet-lag. Check it out.

Graduating college with no short-term memory

2007-05-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Bio 9G has a lot of information to learn. Imagine what it would be like to take classes after you get a brain tumor removed and you have lost all your short term memory. This happened to Andrew Engel, and he has just graduated summa cum laude from the University of Baltimore. Read or listen to his story about how he has to adjust his study habits to embed all his class information into long-term memory.

Resources on Parkinson's Disease

2007-05-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Several people have sent me links related to Parkinson's. Check out the details below:

A new medication for Parkinson's is delivered by a patch.
An essay by a writer who had the surgery for deep brain stimulation.
And new research posted on Michael J. Fox's web page on Parkinson's.

Maybe you shouldn't stay up late to study...

2007-05-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Researchers took 12 people with a short version of a gene and 12 people with the long version of a gene. They were kept awake for 40 hours (!), and asked to perform various memory tests. People who had the short version of the gene were better at the low-sleep cognitive skills than people with the long version. You might be part of the 10% of the population who has only the long version. If you like to wake up early, then plan on getting sleep at night and studying during the day.

Public data used to find hidden risk

2007-05-23T12:26:00.001-07:00

Read the article below!
Here is a study that uses published raw data to find that the diabetes drug Avandia may have serious cardiovascular risks.

Drug companies are forced to make data public

2007-05-23T12:17:00.001-07:00

Drug companies are torn. On the one hand, their stockholders demand that they produce medications that are more effective than the comptetition's. On the other hand, patients demand that drugs be safe to take. So drug companies conduct research on the effectiveness of their drugs. But if the drug shows little benefit in one study and a bigger benefit in a second study, only the second study is published.
Now drug companies are being forced to publish all their data in raw form at a public web page. Any researcher can access the data and analyze it. Perhaps full disclosure will improve our medication choices? Or will it just confuse us?

Soon, women can stop menstruating for months

2007-05-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

This week, the Food and Drug Administration will give approval for a new birth control pill called Lybrel. It will join several other medications (Yaz, Loestrin 24, Seasonique) that blocks a woman's period for several months. The convenience factor is obvious, but what are the risks? And could there be actual benefits, since women used to have fewer periods because of multiple pregnancies and years of breastfeeding? Read the article, and look for more information to share with us.

Learning maximized before sixth grade

2007-05-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard that little kids can pick up a new language much faster than grown-ups can? Researchers are now using brain imaging to explore how learning in children changes as they age. And one of the early findings is that cognitive growth slows after age 10. So I guess nobody is smarter than a fifth grader?

Feeling wronged... and feeling chest pain

2007-05-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

How strongly do you agree with this statement: "I often have the feeling that I am being treated unfairly." Apparently, your answer is an indicator of your likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. Read the article, then decide why you think there is a link of perceived discrimination and heart attacks or angina.

Answers to those random questions

2007-05-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

When you want to find out random things about movies, you turn to IMDB. If you want answers to random questions about how your body works, where can you turn?
Here's one page that answers questions like, "Why do my veins pop out when I'm exercising?" Find some more sites, and give examples of the qustions they answer.

Transplanted heart transplanted again

2007-05-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Donor hearts are rare. And if you are a big person, you need a big heart. So if one becomes available, then doctors take it.... even if it has already been transplanted once before!

A person can live with one kidney...

2007-05-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

You are desperately poor, your village was ravaged by a tsunami, and you are living in a refugee camp. Would you sell one of your kidneys to a black-market broker for $3000? Many women are doing so in India. Read about the struggles in these poor villages, and the dilemma about whether to make organ sales legal.

Dance, dance: P.E. Revolution

2007-05-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

Basketball and kickball are so 1980. Kids today have moved on. My daughter argues that she doesn't need to do swim team this summer -- she'll just play Wii Sports every day.
Now some schools are going with the flow. If kids want video games, then let them play the ones that burn some calories. Read about DDR as PE.

Epinephrine in the movies

2007-05-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

All of your hard work in Bio 9G will make you a better movie critic! This indie science magazine Litmus takes a look at the movie "Crank," and compares its science to that from "Batman Begins." Read the article and be amazed at how much you understand now (warning - R-rated language in the article)

You aren't as dead as you think

2007-05-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

I was pretty sure that without oxygen, cells die. But some research is now indicating that cells do shut down without blood flow, but they don't immediately die. Unfortunately, the mechanisms we use to restart the heart after a heart attack may be what actually kills the patient. Read more about this intriguing idea here.

Treatment for Coronary Artery Disease is less effective in women

2007-04-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

Aspirin is one of the standard treatments for people who have coronary artery disease, because it prevents blood clots that can block the artery. But a new study analyzed the effectiveness of aspirin in different people, and found that the treatment is suprisingly less effective in women. See what other differences you can find regarding women and heart disease.

Genetics, Psychology, and 150 thousand years

2007-04-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

I always find it to be such a relief to be able to blame my genes instead of my personal behavior. Actually, the work of evolutionary psychologists is deeper than that, but they do enjoy hypothesizing why some of the stranger predilections of humans exist because of the needs of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. One of the experts in the field is Dan Fessler at UCLA. He says our craving of fat and salt was a useful thing for early humans, and we are merely suffering the downside of recent cheap availability of these products. Read the article for other things we can blame our genes for.

Treatment for Cranial Aneurysm

2007-04-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

The treatments for blood vessel diseases are fascinating, although scary for the families that must undergo them. One of our 9G students emailed me with details of the procedure to treat a cranial aneurysm, since he had a family member undergo the "microcoil thrombosis."
A neurosurgeon threads a catheter up into the arteries of the brain until he or she reaches the aneurysm. The surgeon inserts tiny platinum coils, shaped like springs, into the bulging-out section. The coils attract blood, filling the aneurysm with a big blood clot that prevents blood (and blood pressure) from pushing on the weak section of the vessel. My student tells me that every inch of the coil costs $900!
Read about the proceedure here.

Work the physio angle in sports

2007-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

Baseball used to be all math skills - averages and percentages. Then steroids introduced physiology into the sport ... but not in a positive way. Now you can put your classwork to good use! Tell your friends you know why Barry can hit them out of the park, or how Daisuke gets them past the plate. It's all in the bones and muscles. Biomechanics is the new "in" conversation in sports.

Your lecture notes are already out of date!

2007-04-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

The American Heart Association has just published an update -- most people should not take antibiotics before visiting the dentist. And it was only last week I was saying that people do! It seems that the risk of endocarditis is minimal when people have only slight heart irregularities. Read the summary here, and the American Heart Association is here.

Drug commercials are honest and objective, right?

2007-04-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

We've all seen the drug ads on TV and in magazines. Some of them are so obscure I don't even know what ailment the drug is supposed to be treating (although I come away pretty sure I must need the drug anyway). But do drug commercials deliberately mislead? Cognitive psychologists say that ads are designed to maximize your memory of the benefits and minimize your memory of the risks. Read more here.

Asthma vs. Ozone

2007-04-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

Most people know that the propellant that used to be in hairsprays has been banned because it destroys the ozone layer that protects the earth from the Sun's ultraviolet rays. But until very recently, that propellant WAS in most asthma inhalers. Now it is being removed, but this is allowing drug companies to make their drug patented again. So the result of saving the environment is to make this medication more expensive. Read more, then share your opinion.

Viagra improves high-altitude exercise

2007-04-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Viagra is a famous drug for erectile dysfunction (or ED, as it's ever-so-discretely called on TV ads). But it acts by widening blood vessels, and that can be handy for other activities as well. Researchers at Stanford and the Palo Alto Veterans Heath Care knew that at high altitude, the oxygen levels are lower and blood flowing through the lungs has a harder time getting fully oxygenated. They tested the effect of the drug on cyclists using air mixes that mimic those at high altitude, and found that in some athletes there was a large improvement in performance.

Psychology meets metabolism

2007-04-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Do you know someone on a diet? Do you know anyone who has managed to KEEP the weight off? The latest fad is not to avoid carbs, or just eat grapefruit. Instead, it's to think about how your brain works and convince your brain to HELP you make good food choices, rather than sabotage you. Using cognitive therapy techniques can provide dieters with the motivation to stay on target.

A little dirt makes you happier

2007-04-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Soil is full of bacteria that digest organic matter. Sometimes we worry that a soil bacteria might make us sick (your mother saying, "Wash your hands!")
But a group of scientists has found that injecting a particular type of soil bacteria into your bloodstream may cause your brain to produce more anti-stress chemicals and therefore reduce depression. Read the Economist article here, and you can see the reference to the research paper here. The interesting part is how the effect was discovered because the vaccine was injected to possibly reduce lung cancer. Clearly, washing one's hands is overrated...

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

2007-04-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

I don't think I would have picked these questions. But I like the idea -- WebMD.com has developed a health-related version of the TV show. Take the test (you have to write down your answers on a piece of paper before scrolling down) and then let us know which answers stumped you!

Don't Forget!

2007-04-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

When you post a comment, you need to do all four things to get credit:
1. Use your first name and exam code
2. Interpret the post thoughtfully and respectfully
3. Use good grammar
4. Include an original link
If you forget one, comment again to add it.
Thanks!

How does this relate to our class?

2007-04-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure it does. I just liked the idea that science journalists all tend to report the same story, and this particular journalist found it amusing. And how often does genetics and Paris Hilton end up in the same story? Anyhoo, let's see who can first summarize the story in the comments below by following the links.

Heartbeat Technology: Medicine and Economics Combined

2007-04-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

So you don't want to become a doctor. You're not pre-med, and learning all that latin vocabulary is exhausting. But physiology contacts our lives in many ways. Cardiovascular physiology teaches you about heart disease. You learn that women are more likely to die of heart disease than any other medical condition, but their symptoms are different than men's, and they are often misdiagnosed. If you are a woman (or know one), that is certainly relevant.
Then there's money. A company called MyoTech LLC is developing a Ventricular Assist Device that will beat a person's heart for them. And it is minimally invasive, and can be sized to fit a woman's smaller heart. Imagine the marketing! The hunt for investors! Improved treatment for women!
What part of this story did you most connect with? Heart disease? Adequate healthcare for women? The economics of medicine? Engineering of lifesaving machines? There's something for everyone.

Jailed for being sick

2007-04-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Robert Daniels has tuberculosis. And he's locked in a room in a hospital in Phoenix, AZ.
Is being sick a crime? No, but if you have extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis and you don't wear a mask when you go out in public, then you will not be allowed out of the hospital until (or if) you are well. How long will that take? Probably years.
Read Mr. Daniel's story here. Then look over this article on XDR tuberculosis and its deadly effects in South Africa. Then tell us whether you think involuntary detention is a good solution. Provide us some additional information on:

drug-resistant tuberculosis
involuntary detention
other diseases that might be drug resistant and globally spread

And you thought texting was for getting through boring classes...

2007-04-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

London has recently made available "AirTEXT," a free service that will send locals an email, SMS, or voicemail if the air quality is expected to be poor in his or her part of London. This should help people who suffer from diseases like asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, heart disease or angina and live or work in London. Eighty percent of the users of the beta testing said it helped them manage their chronic illness better. Read this press statement here, then comment on:

Asthma
Health and SMS technology
Air pollution and health

Shocking the brain to control Parkinson's Disease

2007-03-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Steven Gulie was only 43 when he first noticed his symptoms of Parkinson's. Unhappy with the effects of the standard drugs, he decided to have electrodes surgically implanted into his brain. The regular firing of the electrodes, he hopes, will shock his brain into controlling his muscles correctly. As a senior technical writer at Apple, Inc., Steven writes about Parkinson's and his surgery in this fascinating story here. After you read it, give us some feedback on the following topics:

Parkinson's Disease
Steven Gulie's perspective
Living with Parkinson's
Deep Brain Stimulation
Dr. Jaimie Henderson

Is heart surgery necessary?

2007-03-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

A recent study has indicated that when a blocked artery is causing chest pain, treatment with drugs works as well as surgery to insert a stent. Read the AP release here. Then see if you can find additional links about:

Stents
The New England Journal of Medicine
Dr. William Boden
Bypass Surgery
Dr. Martin B. Leon
Clinical research funded by drug companies

Welcome!

2007-03-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first post to this blog dedicated to students of Dr. Williams' Bio 9G course. I want you to see some of the cool effects of physiology out in the real world. And if I use a blog, you have the opportunity to comment back and share how you feel about it. Here's a quote that nicely shows how I feel about physiology:

"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful." Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912).

This picture shows the structure of a heart muscle cell. Cool, isn't it? It was photographed by Denis Kunkel, who has lots of great medical photos you can look at here.