This highly interactive computer program is designed to allow students
to collect urine and plasma data from groups of healthy male students
who took part in the following investigations:
1. control experiment (no water loading)
2. water loading experiment
3. experiments to investigate the action of four diuretics
(acetazolamide, amiloride, hydrochlorothiazide, bumetanide) in water
loaded subjects
For each experiment, data are presented (mean values: n=10)
graphically for:
- plasma electrolyte concentrations (Na+, K+,
Cl-, HCO3-)
- plasma creatinine concentration and plasma osmolality
- urine electrolyte (Na+, K+, Cl-,
HCO3-)
- urine creatinine output and total solute output
- urine osmolality
- urine flow.
Students observing data from water-loaded subjects may superimpose
control data to give a visual comparison. Similarly, water-loading
data can be superimposed for each of the diuretic experiments.
The program also describes the protocol for each experiment and,
in brief, the methods used to analyse urine and plasma. Accompanying
each experiment are several interactive questions and tasks
to emphasise the important physiological principles. These may be
questions (e.g. multiple choice or true false with feedback), data
interpretation exercises, or calculations. For example, for each
experiment and in addition to other questions, students are asked
to calculate using data they have collected from the program: glomerular
filtration rate; total and fractional (%) water re-absorption; total
and fractional (%) Na+ re-absorption. The calculations
require them to take measurements from the graphical screen displays,
enter it into well-established formulae and type in their answers.
Assistance with the calculations is available via an on-screen "Help"
and, if they get the answer incorrect, there is also a "Tell"
facility which demonstrates how the correct answer is arrived at.
These questions are designed to consolidate knowledge and to allow
students to self-assess their understanding of the section they
have completed. A summary of all other data, which may be calculated,
is also incorporated.
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