HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
To be admitted to the final exam of Human Physiology it is necessary to have followed the Course of Human Anatomy
The evaluation of the attainment of the objectives foreseen by the integrated Course is performed through a final exam on all issues presented in the detailed program of the Courses of Human Physiology. The exam consists of a multiple choices test of 40 questions delivered through a PC with a score of 0.825 for each correct answer and 0 for each wrong or missing answer. The exam aims at defining the knowledge and the degree of comprehensions of the human physiological mechanisms, the capacity to apply knowledge and comprehension and the learning capacity of the issues dealt with in the two aggregated Courses.
The exam is passed for scores higher than 18/30.
Physiology studies the human vital functions and analyses he mechanisms through which the organism realizes ad maintains its internal homeostasis at molecular, cellular and tissue level in spite of the modification of the surrounding environment.
The objective of the Course Human Physiology 1 will be to provide graduates with all the information necessary to understand, from a biophysical-quantitative point of view, the functioning of the various organs and systems of the body under normal conditions and their control by the nervous system central and autonomous and endocrine system.
Dublin descriptor 1: knowledge and understanding
Students must learn the basics of biophysics and the functioning of cells, tissues and organs in physiological conditions;
Dublin descriptor 2: applied knowledge and understanding
Students must use the acquired knowledge to understand complex and integrated physiological mechanisms.
Dublin descriptor 3: independent judgment
Ability to reason about the correlation between structure, biophysical behavior and the function of organs and systems.
Dublin descriptor 4: communication skills
Capability to clearly describe the discussed issues by using the adequate technical language.
Dublin descriptor 5: ability to learn
Ability to associate quantitative and functional parameters with changes in physiological conditions.
Resting membrane potential. Action potential and its propagation. Synapses and neuromuscular junction. Afferent sensory systems. Neuromuscular spindles and Golgi receptors. Thermal and pain sensitivity. Neuromotor units. Spinal reflexes. Motor control, function of cortical areas.
Skeletal muscle. Myogram. Force-length diagram. Force-velocity diagram. Dynamic force-velocity diagram.
Blood volume and its distribution. Velocity, cross section and pressure in the circulatory districts. Mechanical features of blood vessels. Bernoulli and Poiseuille laws. Cardiac excictability. Cardiac mechanics. Work and mechanical efficiency of the heart. Arterial and venous pulse pressure in systemic and pulmonary circulations. Fluid and solute exchanges between microvasculature and interstitial space. Lymph formation and propulsion. Oedema. Pulmonary circulation. Control of cardiovascular function
Air composition and respiratory gasses. Spirometry, static lung volumes. Pulmonary and alveolar volume and flow. Respiratory mechanics.. Respiratory ratio. Alveolar gas equation.. Respiratory gas exchange and their transport in blood. Nervous and chemical control of respiratory function.
Renal function. Glomerular filtration. Renal clearance. Absorption of water, Na+, Cl-, bicarbonates, aminoacids, urea. Secretion of H+ and organic substances. Henle loop and vasa recta. Distal convolute and collecting tubules. Aldosterone and vasopressin. Regulation of volume and osmoticity in extracellular body fluids. Urine volume, pH and composition.
Physiological buffer solutions. Respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis and their compensation.
Metabolism. Energetic fuel: anaerobic and aerobic pathways. Energy available in food. Oxygen debt. Basal, rest ad exercise metabolism. O2 consumption.
Peristaltic movements. Composition and functions of salivary, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic and intestinal secretion. Control of secretions. Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, ions, vitamins, drugs and water.
Mechanisms of hormone release and action in the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, thyroid, paratyroids, pancreas
Membrane potential
and action potential. Synapses. Neuromuscular junction. Neuronal coding. Synaptic integration. Sensory systems. Tactile and kinesthetic sensitivity. Tactile receptors. Proprioceptive, thermal and pain sensitivity. Vestibular system. Acoustic, visual, olfactory and gustatory sensitivity. The neuromotor unit. Spinal reflexes. Maintenance of posture. Motor coordination. Voluntary movement. Cortical areas.
Hemodynamics. Speed, section and average pressure in the various sections. Mechanical characteristics of the vessels. Laplace's law. Bernoulli's law. Laminar and turbulent motion. Sphygmic wave. Pressure in the districts of the large and small circle. Capillary exchange of liquid and solutes. Lymphatic system. Nervous and humoral regulation of blood pressure. Pulmonary circle. Coronary circle.
Rest and action potential of myocardial cells. ECG. Receptors, afferent pathways, cardio-regulating center, efferent pathways. Ventricular pressure and volume during the cardiac cycle. Cardiac throw. Cardiac work.
Atmospheric air composition and partial gas pressures. Static lung volumes. Pulmonary and alveolar ventilation. Pressure-volume diagram of the lung and chest wall. Intrapleural depression. Respiratory work. O2 consumption and CO2 production. Respiratory quotient. Alveolar air equation. Alveolus-capillary diffusion of respiratory gases. Transport of O2 and CO2 in the blood. Blood dissociation curves for O2 and CO2 Ventilation-perfusion ratio. Nervous regulation of ventilation.
Ionic volume and composition of the intracellular and extracellular compartments. Glomerular filtration. Renal clearance. Maximum tubular load. Absorption of water, Na +, Cl-, bicarbonates, amino acids, glucose, urea. Secretion of H + and organic substances. Henle loop. Osmoticity of the tubular and interstitial peritubular fluid in the various areas of the loop. Function of the vasa recta.
Buffer systems of the organism. Isoidic principle. Fixed and respiratory acidosis and alkalosis Respiratory and renal regulation of the pH of body fluids.
Energy sources: alactacid, glycolytic and aerobic lactacid mechanism. Caloric value of food and calorie equivalent of O2. Oxygen debt. Basal metabolism, rest and during exercise.
Skeletal muscle function. Isometric, isotonic and isovelocity contraction. Single shock, clone, tetanus. Force-length diagram. Force-speed contraction diagram
General characteristics of the digestive tract. Salivary, gastric, hepatic and pancreatic secretions. Peristaltic movements and their regulation. Gastrointestinal hormones. Digestion and absorption. Structure, mechanism of functioning and control of hormones.
Hormonal function of: anterior, posterior and intermediate pituitary; medullary and cortical of the adrenal glands; thyroid, parathyroid, endocrine pancreas, intestinal wall, gonads
Teaching will be given through frontal lessons. With the aid of images, schemas, graphs and biophysical analysis of the functioning mechanisms of cells, tissues and organs, the student will be driven to the comprehension of the different but integrated physiological processes
Prof. Negrini is available for the students through appointment set through the e-mail address : daniela.negrini@uninsubria.it