Using artificial intelligence platforms to support student learning in physiology.

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered language models presents new opportunities and challenges in education. By teaching students how to craft prompts that elicit insightful responses, faculty can scaffold activities where AI acts as a supplemental resource to amplify critical thinking and support student learning. Ongoing dialogue and iteration focused on ethical usage norms can achieve the right balance between emerging technology and foundational skills development.

Using the study cycle model to support better student learning: a faculty guide.

Despite years of varied school experiences, many college students do not have adaptable study methods that allow them to collect, organize, and reorganize information to critically assess what they know and what they need help with until after a poor exam performance. Faculty are frequently called on to help students become better learners. In addition, as the tasks and complexity of the material become more challenging, students will need to adopt new study habits and adapt them to each new learning opportunity to reach their goals.

Methods for radioactivity measurements in drinking water using gamma spectrometry.

In this study, three methods to measure activity concentrations of radionuclides through high resolution gamma spectrometry are developed, optimized, and tested on drinking water samples. Two pre-concentration methods (partial evaporation and ion-exchange resins) were optimized for accuracy, precision, detection limits, costs, preparation, and measurements times. A new sampling method for Rn was designed and optimized to directly sample water from the tap, reducing and minimizing losses of radon during the sampling.

The Translation of Sport Science Research to the Field: A Current Opinion and Overview on the Perceptions of Practitioners, Researchers and Coaches.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the collated integration of practitioner expertise, athlete values and research evidence aimed to optimise the decision-making process surrounding sport performance. Despite the academic interest afforded to sport science research, our knowledge of how this research is applied in elite sport settings is limited. This current opinion examines the existing evidence of the translation of sport science research into the field, with a tailored focus on the current perceptions of practitioners, researchers and coaches.

Reliability, usefulness and construct validity of the Combined Basketball Skill Test (CBST).

This study aimed to assess the reliability, usefulness and construct validity of the newly developed Combined Basketball Skill Test (CBST). Fifteen recreational (age = 22.8 ± 4.

Investigating the game-related statistics and tactical profile in NCAA division I men's basketball games.

The aim of this study was to analyze the game-related statistics and tactical profile in winning and losing teams in NCAA division I men's basketball games. Twenty NCAA division I men's basketball close (score difference: 1-9 points) games were analyzed during the 2013/14 season. For each game, the game-related statistics were collected from the official teams' box scores.

The Effects of Shear Force Transmission Across Vesicle Membranes.

We report a comprehensive study on mechanotransmission of shear forces across lipid bilayer membranes of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). GUVs containing fluorescent tracer particles were immobilized on a microfluidic platform and exposed to shear flows. A method was developed for the visualization of three-dimensional flows at high precision by defocusing microscopy.

Determinants of the effectiveness of fast break actions in elite and sub-elite Italian men's basketball games.

The aim of this study was to examine the determinants of successful and unsuccessful fast-break (FB) actions in elite and sub-elite basketball games. Fifteen 1-division (elite) and fifteen 3-division (sub-elite) Italian men's championship games were analysed across two seasons (2012/2013 and 2013/2014). A binary logistic regression analysis was performed, and the fast-break outcome (successful vs.

Effect of Number of Players and Maturity on Ball-Drills Training Load in Youth Basketball.

This study aimed to assess the basketball ball-drills workload analyzing: (1) the effect of varying the number of players involved on physiological and technical demands; (2) the temporal changes in players' responses across bouts; and (3) the relationship of players' workload with their maturation status and training age. Twelve young male basketball players (mean ± SD; age 13.9 ± 0.

Student exam analysis (debriefing) promotes positive changes in exam preparation and learning.

Traditional exam review sessions, typically conducted orally and in class by the instructor, are intended to identify the most frequently missed or problematic question with the intent of helping students perform better on subsequent exams. The shortcoming of this instructor-led activity is that it tends to focus on issues with content or understanding rather than helping the individual student prevent or avoid similar mistakes on future exams. Here, we report that students who performed a more comprehensive out-of-class exam debrief after the first exam significantly improve their exam performance compared with students that did not conduct the exam debrief.

Performance profile of NCAA Division I men's basketball games and training sessions.

This study aimed to analyse live and stoppage time phases, their ratio, and action played on half and full court in college basketball games. Differences were assessed for the entire games and between halves. Moreover, differences of the live/stoppage time ratio were analysed between games and game-based conditioning drills.

Physiological and Technical Demands of No Dribble Game Drill in Young Basketball Players.

This study assessed the physiological and technical demands of no dribble game drill (NDGD) in comparison with a regular drill (RD). Twenty-three young basketball players performed RDs and NDGDs in a random order. All basketball rules were followed for RDs, whereas dribbling was not permitted for NDGDs.

Effect of different number of players and training regimes on physiological and technical demands of ball-drills in basketball.

This study aimed to analyse the effects of two factors (number of players and training regimes) on players' physiological and technical demands in basketball ball-drills. Twenty-one young basketball players performed four different ball-drills (two levels for each factor). The number of players involved was 2vs2 and 4vs4, while ball-drill regimes were continuous and intermittent.

Correlation between the reason for referral, clinical, and objective assessment of the risk for dysphagia.

Purpose: To correlate the reason for referral to speech therapy service at a university hospital with the results of clinical and objective assessment of risk for dysphagia.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective analytical and quantitative study. The data were gathered from the database, and the information used was the reason for referral to speech therapy service, results of clinical assessment of the risk for dysphagia, and also from swallowing videofluoroscopy.

Time-motion analysis of Italian elite women's basketball games: individual and team analyses.

The aim of this study was to assess elite women's basketball game performance. Five elite women's games (3 Italian first division and 2 Euroleague) were analyzed for individual and team time-motion analyses. The individual analysis evaluated the players' movement patterns with particular focus on high-intensity activity (HIA), sprint activity, and repeated sprint events (RSEs).

Motion characteristics of women's college soccer matches: Female Athletes in Motion (FAiM) study.

Purpose: To quantify the locomotor demands of college female soccer matches and compare the relative proportion of distances in specified velocity bands between players completing an entire half with substitutes.

Methods: College female soccer players (n = 113) were assessed during a regular-season match using global positioning system technology. An ANCOVA was used to compare the locomotor characteristics for positions and substitutes, adjusting for duration played.

Paternity identification in sugarcane polycrosses by using microsatellite markers.

Although polycrosses have been used to test the potential of cross-combination of a large number of sugarcane parents, the male parent of the half-sib progenies produced is unknown. The present study aimed to integrate the molecular marker technology to the sugarcane polycross approach by the application of microsatellite markers to identify the male parent of 41 elite clones derived from polycross families. Ten microsatellite [single sequence repeats (SSRs)] primer pairs were used to identify the most likely male parent considering markers present in the selected clone but absent in the female parent.

Active review sessions can advance student learning.

Traditional review sessions are intended to help students learn and prepare for upcoming exams. Most sessions are passive question and answer sessions that look backward at content deficits rather than advancing student learning. By incorporating active and cooperative learning approaches during a review session, students are able to recognize critical concepts and better prepare for physiological problem solving.

Hypochlorous acid modifies calcium release channel function from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We have previously demonstrated that H2O2 at millimolar concentrations induces Ca(2+) release from actively loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and induces biphasic [(3)H]ryanodine binding behavior. Considering that hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a related free radical and has been demonstrated to be a more effective oxidant of proteins, we evaluated the effects of HOCl on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-channel release mechanism. In a concentration-dependent manner, HOCl activates the SR Ca(2+) release channel and induces rapid release of Ca from actively loaded vesicles.

o-Phthalaldehyde activates the Ca(2+) release mechanism from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

o-Phthalaldehyde (OPA) is a bifunctional reagent that forms an isoindole derivative by reacting with cysteine and lysine residues separated by approximately 0.3 nm. OPA inhibits sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase activity at low micromolar concentrations and induces Ca(2+) release from actively loaded SR vesicles by activating the ryanodine receptor from fast twitch skeletal muscle.

Training-induced alterations in lactate dehydrogenase reaction kinetics in rats: a re-examination.

The kinetics and the isozyme composition of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in rat plantaris muscle during a 26 week endurance-training program. Alterations in the LDH isozyme pattern were detectable after 6 weeks as the percentage of the M4 isozyme was reduced from 89 to 76 % and the total percentage of M subunits compared with H subunits declined by 8 %. At 16 weeks, M4 accounted for only 62 % of the total.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release and muscle fatigue.

Efforts to examine the relevant mechanisms involved in skeletal muscle fatigue are focusing on Ca(2+) handling within the active muscle cell. It has been demonstrated time and again that reductions in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) release resulting from increased or intense muscle contraction will compromise tension development. This review seeks to accomplish two related goals: 1) to provide an up-to-date molecular understanding of the Ca(2+)-release process, with considerable attention devoted to the SR Ca(2+) channel, including its associated proteins and their regulation by endogenous compounds; and 2) to examine several putative mechanisms by which cellular alterations resulting from intense and/or prolonged contractile activity will modify SR Ca(2+) release.

Hypochlorous acid inhibits Ca(2+)-ATPase from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes that migrate and adhere to endothelial cells as part of the inflammatory response to tissue injury. HOCl is an extremely toxic oxidant that can react with a variety of cellular components, and concentrations reaching 200 microM have been reported in some tissues. In this study, we show that HOCl interacts with the skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), inhibiting transport function, HOCl inhibits sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in a concentration-dependent manner with a concentration required to inhibit ATPase activity by 50% of 170 microM and with complete inhibition of activity at 3 mM.