Samples of muscle fatigue analysis figures
An encore presentation on how to add error bars in excel
See examples of previous disease wikis
Looking for a peer-tutor for this class - click here

Reading/Listening assignments

See a great documentary on Walter Freeman and the transorbital lobotomy - for your own interest
and another on the use of psychiatric drugs in children

Your final data analysis - due at the final exam Wednesday, Dec 8th
Use the muscle fatigue data to answer the following question:

  • Is grip strength affected by verbal feedback, visual feedback and repeated relaxation and contraction?

Answer this question by producing a figure using the data collected in lab. Your figure should use statistics, when appropriate, and contain a figure legend explaining the figure and your conclusions. Remember our discussions in lab about how to analyze these types of data (e.g. the importance of using percent changes in grip strength).

For Monday, Nov 29th (after t-giving)
Watch this TED talk by neurobiologist V.S. Ramachandran on brain function

For Friday, Nov 19th
Prepare for a non-graded review muscle quiz
Draw a sketch of the neural wiring in a stretch reflex and flexor (withdrawal) reflex
Look into the following terms (and think about how they are used in your sketches)
  • Monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflex arcs
  • Reciprocal inhibition
  • Crossed extension reflex
  • Intersegmental reflex arc

Effect of meth on snail memory - for your own interest

For Friday, Nov 12th
Draw a diagram of how a glutamic acid/NMDA receptor synapse would work using the information in your lecture notes and textbook. Think about how this synapse type allows for long-term memory formation. Bring this diagram to class for group discussion.

For Wednesday, Nov 10th
Read Nielsen et al. 2001 and use the Angel course page to respond to these questions
Enter your answers using the link under the “Contents” tab of the Angel course page
- Due by 1 am on Nov 8th (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning)
Bring a copy of your answers to class on the 10th for discussion

For Monday, Nov 1st
Check out these blog posts on different gene doping strategies, a recent gene therapy trial to treat muscle degeneration, and how anti-doping agencies may try to catch gene doping athletes
And here is a longer article if you want to read more
Read the introduction on the “EMG and Muscle Fatigue” handout before lab, and review the basic experimental setup. We will also be covering the muscles in “Lab #9”.

For Friday, Oct 29th
We will be learning the muscles listed in the Lab #8 handout

For Wednesday, Oct 20th
Review the full mechanism of muscle contraction from action potentials down a neuron to myosin pulling on actin
- This is summarized on page 5 of the muscular tissue lecture notes
Review action potentials and synapse function from Friday’s chalkboard work
Bring your review questions for Friday’s exam
Request an account on the AU wiki if you have not used it in the past
  • Click on this link and then click on “log in” in upper right hand corner

For Friday, Oct 15th
Use the textbook and lecture notes to:
  • Diagram how acetylcholine is released by a neuron and how it is destroyed
  • Diagram how Na+/K+ pumps produce a resting membrane potential and how Na+ channels and K+ channels produce an action potential
Review the sliding filament mechanism from Wednesday’s chalkboard work

For Wednesday, Oct 13
Use the textbook and lecture notes to sketch the structure of a sarcomere showing the location of the following proteins:
  • Actin
  • Myosin
  • Tropomyosin
  • Troponin
Be ready to discuss the function of each protein, and how calcium ions lead to muscle contraction

For Friday, Oct 8
Be ready to discuss the Uitterlinden et al. 2008 paper (also handed out in class)
Answers to these thought questions need to be submitted on the course Angel page by 1 am the morning of Oct 8th
Bring a hard copy of your answers to class

For Monday, Oct 4
Read over the handout describing the collaborative wiki assignment and think about possible diseases for your group
Review the bones of the skull

For Wednesday, Sep 29
Prepare for an in class texting quiz on skin and bone tissue
Review blood calcium homeostasis

For Monday, Sep 27
Review the following topics and be ready to discuss in class:
  • Endochondral ossification - how does bone form from cartilage?
  • Read this wiki page on a disease that turns soft tissue into bone. It was written by students in this class last year.
  • Blood calcium homeostasis - how are PTH, calcitriol and calcitonin used to control the effectors for blood calcium levels?

For Friday, Sep 24
Read this article on the evolution of skin color

For Monday, Sep 13
Read Insight 5.4 - Stem Cells
We will finish histology and start the integumentary system

For Monday, Sep 6th
Read Hilgemann 2004 and use the Angel course page to respond to these questions
Enter your answers using the link under the “Contents” tab of the Angel course page
- Due by 1 am on Sep 6th (Sunday night/Monday morning)
Bring a copy of your answers to class on the 6th for discussion

For Friday, Sep 3rd
Read this interview with a cutting edge anatomist
and a video of her dissecting an elephant

For Wednesday, Sep 1st
Read insights 3.2 and 3.3
Read Crimes of Anatomy handout

For Monday, Aug 30th
Read over lab handout for Diffusion lab
Review chapter 2 sections on:
  • Atoms, Ions and Molecules
  • Water and Mixtures
  • Organic Compounds

Review sections 4.1 and 4.2 in the textbook, and the function of different organelles
Read insight 4.2 - Genomic medicine
Read insight 3.1

Lab data/experiments
Follow up diffusion experimental designs
Blood pressure and heart rate data - Aug 30th
Osmosis data - Aug 31st

Science literature resources
ISI citation database
Pubmed
Ohio Link Electronic Journal Center

Online Journals
BioMed Central
Journal of Experimental Biology
Molecular Vision
Nature - full free access on campus
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Public Library of Science