Understanding Physiological Processes and Homeostasis for Human Health and Disease Assessment

1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate understanding of fundamental physiological processes and homeostasis, and how impairment of these leads to disease.

2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

A range of physiological laboratory techniques and their application to the assessment of human health and disease.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

You will be provided with information on two physiological systems:

1. In the first part, you will be provided with data from measurements of blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer and an electronic blood pressure meter
2. In the second part, you will be provided with data from measurements of lung capacity using a Peak flow meter and a Spirometer You will submit a report that answers the questions set out in this brief about the two physiological systems. These questions require you to source appropriate information from the scientific literature, analyse the set of data you will receive in a separate document, draw conclusions and relate them to human physiology.

What do I need to do to pass?

• Produce a written report in accordance with the details of the assignment brief showing knowledge of physiological systems and their role in the maintenance of homeostasis.
• Demonstrate knowledge of physiological systems and their roles in the maintenance of homeostasis.
• Evidence an ability to analyse and interpret data obtained from physiology laboratory techniques

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

1. Discuss the role of arterial blood pressure in human physiology, the importance of measuring it and the main factors influencing it.
2. Calculate the mean ± standard deviation for the Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) measured by the sphygmomanometer and the electronic blood pressure meter. Use statistical analysis to compare SBP and DBP measured by the two different types of equipment. Discuss the role of standard deviation in reflecting repeatability of the measurement.
3. Did blood pressure and pulse rate change when the body positions changed? Give appropriate physiological explanations accounting for these effects.
4. How did exercise influence blood pressure? What is the explanation for this?
5. Use the group data collected and relevant statistical analysis to find out if there is correlation between Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) and Body Mass Index (BMI). Present MAP and BMI in a scatter plot. Discuss your findings.
6. Has the caffeinated beverage affected the MAP of the study group? Provide a physiological explanation of the observed findings.
7. Discuss the gas exchange taking place during external and internal respiration. Compare the events associated with quiet and forceful breathing.
8. Explain the purpose of measuring Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) rate and use statistical analysis to compare your PEF measured by peak flow meter and spirometer.
9. How did PEF change in the four different body positions? Provide physiological explanations for the observed findings.
10. Use statistical analysis to compare Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) in short and tall subjects of your study group. Present your data in a bar chart. Explain physiologically the potential differences of the two groups.
11. Calculate the minute ventilation at rest and after exercising. Describe the physiological background of the observed changes.
12. Which exercise group (light or moderate) showed the greatest change in oxygen saturation level from resting level? Explain your observations. How long did it take for each group to return to resting oxygen saturation levels? Discuss the events associated with post-exercise oxygen consumption.