Bioengineering 3202 Sample Quiz
Below is an example of the kind of questions one can expect on a BE 3202
exam or quiz. Suggestions for answers are included after each questions in
italics. For a final exam, there might be 10-15
of the true/false questions and 3-4 of the essay questions.
- 1)
- Answer the following true/false questions and provide a
short (1-3 sentences) explanation for each answer
- If there were no
Ca2+ current, cardiac action
potentials would be much shorter than they are.
True: the
Ca2+ current is
responsible for prolong the action potential. Without it, the
K+ current would dominate and bring about a premature
repolarization.
- All types of cells in the heart contract and therefore all have
T tubules.
False: cells that make up the Purkinje fibers
in the heart do not contract and also do not have T tubules.
These cells are specialized for passing electrical activation
and so do not have a contractile function.
- In humans, the size of the ECG is directly correlated with the
level of exercise one is undertaking.
False: the size or amplitude of the ECG
depends on the potential difference that arises between
different parts of heart and the location of the lead used to
record it. There is no reason to expect exercise to
significantly change the distribution of potential in the heart
and hence no reason for it to increase (or decrease) ECG
amplitude.
- 2)
- Answer only ONE of the following essay questions,
using from .5 to 1.5 pages for each:
- Explain what is meant by ``calcium loading'' in cardiac cells
and the mechanisms that underly this process.
For this question, begin with a definition of
the term and then explain briefly how calcium management occurs
in the heart and how an influx of
Ca2+ via L-type
calcium channels will lead to a rise in total
Ca2+ in
the cell. You might use the staircase or ``Treppe'' behavior as
an example of calcium loading.
- Explain one mechanism that can explain the occurrence of
ventricular tachycardia.
Avoid the temptation to download everything
you know even remotely related to tachycardia (a.k.a.
brain-dumping) and focus instead on answering the question.
Select one mechanism and go through it, using a diagram to help
explain the key points of the mechanism and the resulting
pattern of excitation of the ventricles. Do not describe how
one might teat such an arrhythmia--that could be a separate
question.
This document was generated using the
LaTeX2HTML translator Version 2002 (1.62)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,
Nikos Drakos,
Computer Based Learning Unit, University of Leeds.
Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999,
Ross Moore,
Mathematics Department, Macquarie University, Sydney.
The command line arguments were:
latex2html -split 3 -no_white -link 3 -no_navigation -no_math -html_version 3.2,math -show_section_numbers -local_icons sample-quiz
The translation was initiated by Rob Macleod on 2004-05-01
Rob Macleod
2004-05-01