Learning objectives
The course includes three series of lectures, overall aimed at:
- DD1 (knowledge and understanding) achievement of essential knowledge on (a) basic metrology, available instruments for the study of movement, data elaboration; (b) the most common laboratory exams for the characterization of major pathological processes of interest for people who practice exercise and for the evaluation of pathophysiological outcomes of exercise; (c) the main features of microorganisms and viruses etiologic agents of infectious diseases, and the principles of laboratory diagnosis;
- DD2 (applying knowledge and understanding): the knowledge acquired will be a tool for a conscious approach to movement evaluation, pathophysiology of exercise and infectious disease in their future working environment.
Prerequisites
Basic notions of Physics, Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology and general Microbiology.
Course unit content
The course will concern fundamentals of metrology, the most common instrumentation available for movement evaluation, data analysis and the relative techniques and instrumentation, the main laboratory exams adopted to evaluate the effects of exercise on human health.
General features microorganisms and viruses of medical interest, along with host defenses against infections and principles and methods of laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases, will be also described.
Full programme
For Instrumentation for movement analysis:
A) Introduction to metrology
- Basic definitions
- Direct and indirect measures
- Measurement uncertainty
- Measuring scales
B) Instruments for movement analysis
- Optoelectronic system
- Dynamometric Systems
- Electromyography
- Wearable sensors
C) Introduction to Microsoft Excel
For General Pathology and Diagnostics:
A) Elements of General Pathology
- Cell damage and death
- Acute and chronic inflammation
- The immune system
B) The blood
- Blood functions
- The complete blood count (CBC)
- The hematocrit and its alterations
- Anemia: classification and major types
- Leukocytes, leukocytosis, leukopenia
C) Indicators of tissue damage
- Organ-specific and non-organ-specific indicators
- Acute phase reaction, CRP and VES
D) Overtraining
- Fundamentals of immunopathology: Hypersensitivity and immunodeficiency
- Immunologic indicators of overtraining
- EIB and anaphylaxis
- PEIS
- Laboratory evaluation of immunocompetence
E) Organ damage
- Organ profiles
- The liver and the hepatic profile
- Liver toxicity of steroids
F) Diabetes Mellitus
- Physiopathological and biochemical bases
- The main types of DM
- The role of exercise in DM
- Esercise as the polypill
- Laboratory in the follow up of the diabetic patient
For Applied Microbiology:
A) - The resident microbial population in the human organism. - Microbial- and virus-host interactions.
- Host defence mechanisms against infections.
- Role of innate and adaptive immunity.
B) - General information on infectious diseases.
- General characteristics of infection agents (bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses).
- Methods of infection and transmission of infection agents and pathogenic action mechanisms.
C) - Outline about the principles of the laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases.
- Methods of collection, transport and storage of biological samples for the laboratory diagnosis of infection.
- Methods of direct diagnosis of infection (microscopic examination, culture examination, demonstration of specific antigens and nucleic acids).
- Methods of indirect diagnosis of infection (demonstration of a specific immune response).
Bibliography
For General Pathology:
- Antoniozzi, Gulletta (eds.)
Medicina di laboratorio
Logica & Patologia Clinica
III ed., Piccin, Padova, 2019
Kumar et al. (eds) Robbins Elementi di patologia e di Fisiopatologia, Edra SpA, Milano, 2024
For Microbiology:
Le Basi della Microbiologia con approfondimenti clinici. Richard A. Harvey, Pamela C. Champe, Bruce D. Fisher. Editore Zanichelli.
Microbiologia e Microbiologia clinica. Per le professioni sanitarie e odontoiatria. Simona De Grazia, Donatella Ferraro, Giovanni Giammanco. Ediz. MyLab. Editore Pearson.
Elementi di microbiologia e microbiologia clinica. Paola Cipriani, Giordano Dicuonzo. Editore McGraw-Hill Education.
Microbiologia medica. Batteriologia e virologia. Maria Pia Conte, Paola Mastromarino. Editore Esculapio.
For “Instrumentation for Movement Analysis” reference material will be provided during the lectures.
For all the modules, the slides shown during the lectures will be available on the Elly site.
Teaching methods
Lessons will be on site and interactive. They will be carried on through a dialogue between the teacher and the students.
Supporting material will be available on the specific, student-reserved platform (Elly) and will include slide presentations and audio-video aids.
Slide consultation will be necessary but NOT sufficient for students preparation.
Some of the lessons of the module "Strumenti per l'analisi del movimento" will concern the software Excel and will include practical simulations at the computer.
Teachers are available for explanations upon e-mail request.
Assessment methods and criteria
Learning outcomes will be verified through an oral examination. A preventive written exam will concern the module "Strumenti per l'analisi del movimento" and will consist of multiple choice questions, practical exercises and a question with open response.
The oral exam will consist of two questions (one for Pathology, the other for Microbiology) from two different examiners. Both will concern topics listed in the detailed program of the course. The dialogue between the student and the examiners will be finalized in evaluating the knowledge acquired by the student and her/his ability of applying the acquired knowledge to situations of professional interest.
The final mark will be the weighted average of the three evaluations with the possibility of raising or lowering the final mark by a maximum of three grades depending on the appropriateness of the terms used and quality of the presentation.
Admission to the oral exam will require the successful outcome of the written test. The outcome of the written test will be valid throughout all the exam sessions of the academic year and for the foillowing two academic years. Failure in one of the questions at the oral exam will imply the repetition of the oral exam.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
Good health and well-being
Quality education
Gender equality
