Effect of technology on student class performance and class absence.

Background: This study examined the effect of instructional technology availability on the performance of students enrolled in a medical physiology course at a podiatric medical school.

Methods: Multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict student overall test performance based on instructional technology, Medical College Admission Test score, undergraduate grade point average, and class absence.

Results: The availability of instructional technology was associated with a small decline in mean test performance and a small increase in class absence.

Can we predict 4-year graduation in podiatric medical school using admission data?

Background: This study examined the predictive ability of educational background and demographic variables, available at the admission stage, to identify applicants who will graduate in 4 years from podiatric medical school.

Methods: A logistic regression model was used to identify two predictors of 4-year graduation: age at matriculation and total Medical College Admission Test score. The model was cross-validated using a second independent sample from the same population.

Neurotrophic factors improve motoneuron survival and function of muscle reinnervated by embryonic neurons.

Motoneuron death can occur over several spinal levels with disease or trauma, resulting in muscle denervation. We tested whether cotransplantation of embryonic neurons with 1 or more neurotrophic factors into peripheral nerve improved axon regeneration, muscle fiber area, reinnervation, and function to a greater degree than cell transplantation alone. Sciatic nerves of adult Fischer rats were cut to denervate muscles; 1 week later, embryonic ventral spinal cord cells (days 14-15) were transplanted into the tibial nerve stump as the only source of neurons for muscle reinnervation.

Long-term delivery of FGF-6 changes the fiber type and fatigability of muscle reinnervated from embryonic neurons transplanted into adult rat peripheral nerve.

Motoneuron death leads to muscle denervation and atrophy. Transplantation of embryonic neurons into peripheral nerves results in reinnervation and provides a strategy to rescue muscles from atrophy independent of neuron replacement in a damaged or diseased spinal cord. But the count of regenerating axons always exceeds the number of motor units in this model, so target-derived trophic factor levels may limit reinnervation.

Fatigue of rat hindlimb motor units: biochemical-physiological associations.

Associations between fatigability and biochemical properties within motor unit (MU) types were explored in two hindlimb muscles of the adult rat. Type FF MUs in extensor digitorum longus and type S units in soleus were subjected either to a moderate (type FF) or severe (type S) 6-min, fatigue-inducing stimulation protocol. For both MU types, the range of values for their fatigability was considerably greater than the ranges in the activity levels of three enzymes in the units' constituent muscle fibers (MFs).

Properties of medial gastrocnemius motor units and muscle fibers reinnervated by embryonic ventral spinal cord cells.

Severe muscle atrophy occurs after complete denervation. Here, Embryonic Day 14-15 ventral spinal cord cells were transplanted into the distal tibial nerve stump of adult female Fischer rats to provide a source of neurons for muscle reinnervation. Our aim was to characterize the properties of the reinnervated motor units and muscle fibers.