Lab Skills
1. 1.1.4: The Evidence- In this lab I was able to learn how to identify unknown substances that a crime scene investigator would need to identify to see what a person might have been taken if there was an overdose. I was given one unknown substance and tested the result of the unknown to five common drugs like Cocaine, Tylenol, Aspirin, Methamphetamine, and Ecstasy. The results of the unknown matched Aspirin because it had the same appearance, feel, odor and linked to the indicators we used to cause a fizzing reaction. The skill learned would help in a forensic study of a crime scene when a substance was at a crime scene and was not known. Also in Anna's case, the forensic team would need to rule out an overdose as the cause of death if she was not using a medicine that would cause her death.
2. 2.1.1: Diagnosing diabetes- In this lab I was able to use a glucose tolerance test and an insulin tolerance test to figure out if a patient has diabetes and what type. The glucose tolerance test has a person drink a sugary drink and measures the blood sugar after drinking the drink and a few hours later. If the levels raise immediately and lower back to normal after the few hours then a person does not have diabetes. If the level stays high after the few hours then the person has diabetes. Using an insulin tolerance test will show if insulin is being produced or not. If insulin is produced after the glucose test then a person has type 2 diabetes and if not then they have type 1. Having the skill to understand a glucose and insulin tolerance test can help any health professional like a doctor figure out if a person has diabetes. Anna had type 2 diabetes after seeing the result of her tests, which could be a possible cause of her death.
3. 1.2.3: DNA Analysis- In the following lab gel electrophoresis was used to distinguish the DNA of different suspects. The gel electrophoresis is used to separate small and large fragments of DNA from each other. Since DNA is negatively charged a electric current is used to allow the fragment to move along the gel. Small pieces will move further down the gel than large pieces which will allow for separation. A DNA strand is originally broken apart by restriction enzymes. The enzymes cut a strand at a specific part of the DNA pairing like GGCC. Forensic scientist use this technique in order to prove the innocence of a person or the guilt. DNA is the best way for identifying a person because the gel provides a DNA profile which is allows different for every person.
4. 1.3.2: Student Response Sheet- In the response sheet I was questioned about HIPAA violations in 9 scenarios. HIPAA is a way for health care related professionals to keep up with set standards that were adopted in 1996. The standards mandates the privacy protection of a patient and regulates how health professionals can disclose information about the patient. The health professionals would need to use this to allow for no information of any patient to be disclosed to any person. Biomedical science are the health professional that need to work by these standards and keep up to the regulations.
5. 2.2.1: Food Testing- In the this lab I tested 4 different foods for glucose, protein, starch, and lipids. I used 4 different indicators to test for the 4 different macro-molecules. For the glucose we put in 3 mL of Benedict's solution and heated it in a warm water bath to activate the solution. Glucose was present if the solution changed to a bright orange or red. Protein was tested with Biuret solution and protein was present if the color changed to a purple. Iodine solution was used to test for starch and changed to a dark brown to indicate starch being present. Finally oil was dropped on brown paper and if it became transparent, then lipids were present. A food scientist can identify the stomach content of a person to see the last meal and what types of food were eaten. For Anna's case, it would be crucial to know if she was eating healthy for being a diabetic.
2. 2.1.1: Diagnosing diabetes- In this lab I was able to use a glucose tolerance test and an insulin tolerance test to figure out if a patient has diabetes and what type. The glucose tolerance test has a person drink a sugary drink and measures the blood sugar after drinking the drink and a few hours later. If the levels raise immediately and lower back to normal after the few hours then a person does not have diabetes. If the level stays high after the few hours then the person has diabetes. Using an insulin tolerance test will show if insulin is being produced or not. If insulin is produced after the glucose test then a person has type 2 diabetes and if not then they have type 1. Having the skill to understand a glucose and insulin tolerance test can help any health professional like a doctor figure out if a person has diabetes. Anna had type 2 diabetes after seeing the result of her tests, which could be a possible cause of her death.
3. 1.2.3: DNA Analysis- In the following lab gel electrophoresis was used to distinguish the DNA of different suspects. The gel electrophoresis is used to separate small and large fragments of DNA from each other. Since DNA is negatively charged a electric current is used to allow the fragment to move along the gel. Small pieces will move further down the gel than large pieces which will allow for separation. A DNA strand is originally broken apart by restriction enzymes. The enzymes cut a strand at a specific part of the DNA pairing like GGCC. Forensic scientist use this technique in order to prove the innocence of a person or the guilt. DNA is the best way for identifying a person because the gel provides a DNA profile which is allows different for every person.
4. 1.3.2: Student Response Sheet- In the response sheet I was questioned about HIPAA violations in 9 scenarios. HIPAA is a way for health care related professionals to keep up with set standards that were adopted in 1996. The standards mandates the privacy protection of a patient and regulates how health professionals can disclose information about the patient. The health professionals would need to use this to allow for no information of any patient to be disclosed to any person. Biomedical science are the health professional that need to work by these standards and keep up to the regulations.
5. 2.2.1: Food Testing- In the this lab I tested 4 different foods for glucose, protein, starch, and lipids. I used 4 different indicators to test for the 4 different macro-molecules. For the glucose we put in 3 mL of Benedict's solution and heated it in a warm water bath to activate the solution. Glucose was present if the solution changed to a bright orange or red. Protein was tested with Biuret solution and protein was present if the color changed to a purple. Iodine solution was used to test for starch and changed to a dark brown to indicate starch being present. Finally oil was dropped on brown paper and if it became transparent, then lipids were present. A food scientist can identify the stomach content of a person to see the last meal and what types of food were eaten. For Anna's case, it would be crucial to know if she was eating healthy for being a diabetic.