CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is a very big aid and a

stepping stone to life after school. It is an opportunity given to students to put into

practice most things that were theoretically explained by lecturers in schools.

Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme, SIWES, is the accepted skill training

programme which forms part of the approved minimum academic standards in the

various degree programmes for all the Nigerian universities. It is provided to

bridge the gap existing between theory and practice of engineering, science and

technology, agriculture, medicine, management and other professional educational

programmes in the tertiary institutions.

It is aimed at exposing students to machines and equipments, professional work

methods and ways of safe-guarding the work areas and workers in industries and

other organizations.

1.2 Objectives of SIWES

1. To prepare students for work situations they are likely to meet after graduation.

2. To provide an avenue for students in Nigerian universities to acquire industrial

skills and experience in their course of study.

3. To enlist and strengthens employers involvement in the entire educational

process of preparing university graduates for employment in industries.

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4. To provide students with an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in

real work situations, thereby closing the gap between university work and actual

practice.

5. To expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipments and

machinery that may not be available in the universities.

6. To make the transitions from the university to the world of work easier and thus

enhance students contact for later job placement.

7. Teaches the student on how to interact effectively with other workers and

supervisors under various conditions in the organization.

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 About the department of Biochemistry

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Since its establishment in 1986, as a unit of the omnibus Department of Biological

Sciences in the School of Natural and Applied Sciences (SNAS), the Department

of Biochemistry has grown to become one of the finest in the continent.

Biochemistry is a scientific discipline that focuses on the chemical basis of life. It

explains life in chemical terms, life is a dynamic phenomenon that integrates a

gamut of chemical/biochemical reactions aimed at sustaining a continuous flow of

energy to cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. In biochemical terms, life is an

open system that allows the flow of metabolites in and out of the system in which

cyclical events are sustained in perpetuation of its existence.

Biochemistry has a sound influence on our understanding of Medicine, Health and

Nutrition. Results from biochemical studies have already led to molecular

understanding of diseases such as diabetes, sickle cell anemia, phenylketonuria,

cystic fibrosis, and hypercholesterolemia. The department of Biochemistry in

Federal University of Technology, Owerri focuses on all areas of biochemistry,

including industrial biochemistry to actually nurture and turn out high breed

biochemists.

CHAPTER THREE

Things I did at biochemistry laboratory

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3.1 Blood group

This is all ABC blood group system are clinically the most important .blood group

donors and patients must be grouped correctly to avoid the death of the patients

when the ABC is incompatible . The ABC blood group w have :AB ,AB ,A,

K ,B+,B,O+,0

AIM:

The aim is to determine a patient’s blood group

Apparatus:

Anti sera A, B, and C clean and dry title applicators, sterile blood lancet, sterile

swap and hand glove.

TECHNIQUES:

After a patient thumb has being cleaned with sterile swap and allows to dry, a

puncture is made with the lancet and the first drop of the blood is cleaned off.

And then pressed to get another drop of blood which is drooped at three division

on a tile.

Add one volume of the respective anti-sera A B and 0 to the blood samples

Using applicators mix the anti —sera with the blood respectively Rock for 2-3

minutes and then record your result. -

3.2 How to read your result

BLOOD TYPE ANTI -A ANTI -B ANTI-D

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3.3 Genotype

Genotype or haemoglobin electrophoresis is used to separate and identify the

different haemoglobins by their migration within an electric field. Haemoglobin

variants separate at different rates due to different in their surface electric charges

as determined by their amino acid structure .the predominant Genotype are AA and

AS ,SS while AC ,SC etc

Aim :to detect ones genotype.

Apparatus: sterile swap, 2m1 syringe ,harid glove ,Tris buffer cellulose acetate

membrane, clean and dry tile ,application ,a positive and negative control i.e. AS

and. AA ,water, pasture’s pipettes, electrophoresis machine.

PROCEDURE:

After blood collection using pasture’s pipette

The blood is placed using on a clean tile also your control placed at a different

division.

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Using another pasture’s pipette ,pipette small volume of water and add to the

respective blood samples..then mix separate using an application to make the

mixture light for easy separate of the samples.

Using respectively applicators place the sample on a cellulose acetate member

respectively .

Pour l00mis of this EDTA borate buffer ip each of the electrophoresis chamber.

Put the cellulose acetate member in an electrophoresis machine placed side down.

Cover the tank and correct to power supply leave for 25 minutes to separate.

RESULT : if the result is AA when there are two lines when the S migrate to the

positive electrode and then A to the negative electrode then is AS. When A migrate

only to the negative electrode then it is AA and when the S riigrate to positive

electrode and another S migrate to the positive electrode then it is SS.

3.4 Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics, as related to genetics and genomics, is a scientific subdiscipline

that involves using computer technology to collect, store, analyze and disseminate

biological data and information, such as DNA and amino acid sequences or

annotations about those sequences. Scientists and clinicians use databases that

organize and index such biological information to increase our understanding of

health and disease and, in certain cases, as part of medical care. The role of

bioinformatics in biological research can be compared with the role of data

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 analysis in the age of information and the Internet. In earlier days, the primary

challenge was getting to the information. Advances in reading DNA sequences

have lowered that barrier substantially. Going forward, the challenge is how to

understand and interpret the information that has been collected. Because the data

sets are large, whether you're talking about information about website visits or the

human genome, computer-based methods are the default approach. In the end,

bioinformatics work with human genomes seeks to discover practical insights

about human health and biology with all its complexity.

Transcriptomics: the study of the transcriptome, the full set of RNA transcripts in

a cell.

 For example, your body makes haemoglobin to carry oxygen in red

blood cells, but it’s not needed in white blood cells. We would therefore find

RNA linked to haemoglobin production in the tissues that make red blood

cells but not in the tissues where white blood cells are produced.

 Scientists can use RNA sequencing to compare gene expression in

different cell types, for example between healthy and diseased cells.

 Proteomics: the study of the complete set of proteins in a cell or system.

 Genes provide the information our cells use to make proteins, which

are the machinery of the cell.

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  Scientists can analyse a tissue sample and see what proteins can be

found in it.

 Phenomics: the study of phenotypes at a genome-wide scale.

 A phenotype is the way scientists describe something that can be

measured about a person. A phenotype might be ‘risk of diabetes’ or ‘eye

colour’.

 Bioinformatics lets us look for possible links between our DNA and a

phenotype.

 Chemoinformatics: the computational analysis of chemical and

biochemical data.

 Drug research generates lots of experimental data.

 Big databases of drug information can help scientists develop new

drugs, by providing examples of chemicals that target a certain protein.

3.5 How can we use bioinformatics to answer questions in genomics?

It’s possible to start with any of the types of bioinformatics data shown above,

depending on what question a lab wants to answer. There are two main

approaches:

 Starting from the genome:

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  Tools like HumanMine and OpenTargets allow scientists to start from

a gene and see what proteins it is the blueprint for.

 From there, they look at where the proteins are found in the body, and

what diseases are linked to them.

 Starting from the population:

 Health researchers start with a large-scale study of volunteers who

agree to share their phenotype measurements and a genetic sample.

 This population data lets researchers see if a phenotype is linked to a

disease, or locate a gene that might be influencing the phenotype.

 Volunteers in big studies like UK Biobank mean that there is ready-

made bioinformatics data available to researchers who apply for permission

to use it.

3.6 Urine analysis

This is a non-specific test that was used to detect the presence of some metabolites

in urines whose concentration was used to determine the health condition of a

patient such as diabetes, metabolic abnormalities, liver disease, binary and hepatic

obstructions, hemolytic disease and urinary tract infection. Routine urinalysis

consists of three testing groups which include urine microscopy, urine chemistry

and urine microscopy.

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3.7 Urine macroscopy

This measured the colour and transparency of urine sample which were determined

from the visual observation of the sample in a sterile transparent container the

physical characteristics of urine sample were noted as

• Pale amber and clear

• Yellow and turbid

• Pale amber and clouding

• Yellow and clear

• Bloody

3.8 Urine chemistry

This was based on the dipping of the medi test combi-9 colour sections into the

urine sample to check for the following parameters like

•PH

• Glucose

• Ascorbic acid

• Protein

• Nitrite

• Ketone

• Blood

• Bilirubin -

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• And urobilinogen

This test serves as a diagnostic tool which determines pathological changes in a

patient’s urine in a standard urinalysis.

AIM: To determine pathological changes in patient urine

MATERIAL: Test tube, combi-9, urinalysis strip, test tube rack and sample

container which contains the urine sample.

PROCEDURE

(1) A fresh urine sample of about l0mI was transferred from the transparent sample

container into a test tube and fixed in the test tube rack.

(2) The combi-9 strip was dipped into the well-mixed urine sample contained in

the test tube.

(3) The combi-9 strip was brought out from urine sample and the edge of the strip

the supported over the mouth of the test tube to remove excess urine.

(4) The result was read within 60 seconds by matching the colour changes with the

standard chromatic scale provided by the manufacturer on the combi-9 container,

RESULT:

There may be colour changes. On the urinalysis strip indicating the presence of the

parameters like PH, blood, Glucose, Bilirubin, Ketone, ascorbic acid, protein

urobilinogen.

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3.9 Urine microscopy

Urine was examined under a microscope in search of cellular fragments such as

pus cells, epithelia cells, red blood cells, yeast cells, casts, crystals, parasites like

flagellate of trichomonas vaginalis, and bacteria.

AIM: To check for cellular fragments in urine sample.

MATERIAL: Urine in a sterile container, clean grease-free glass slide, sterile

cover slip, centrifuge, test tube and microscope.

PROCEDURE

1. The urine sample was shaked to homogenize.

2. Urine sample of about l0ml was transferred from the sample container into a test

tube.

3. The urine sample in the test tube was spun down by centrifugation at 3000rpm

for 10 minutes.

4. The supernatant fluid was decanted and the deposit was mixed with the last drop

that drained back into tube,

5. A drop of the deposit was placed on the clean grease-free glass slide and

covered. With a sterile cover slip without entrapping air bubbles.

6. The preparation was mounted on the microscope and examined with xl0 and x40

objective.

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RESULT

Cellular fragments such as red blood, cells, pus cells, epithelial cells, yeast cells,

crystals, bacterial cells, casts and trophozoite of trichomonas vaginalis ma’ be seen

in urine deposit in microscopy view.

3.10 Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy material that’s found naturally in your blood. Your body

makes cholesterol and uses it to do important things, like making hormones and

digesting fatty foods.

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If you have too much cholesterol in your body, it can build up inside your blood

vessels and make it hard for blood to flow through them. Over time, this can lead

to heart disease.

3.10.1 Types of Cholesterol

 Total cholesterol

 LDL (bad) cholesterol

 HDL (good) cholesterol

 Triglycerides

Total cholesterol is a measure of all the cholesterol in your blood. It's based on the

LDL, HDL, and triglycerides numbers.

LDL cholesterol is a “bad” type of cholesterol that can block your arteries — so a

lower level is better for you. Having a high LDL level can increase your risk for

heart disease.

HDL cholesterol is the “good” type of cholesterol that helps clear LDL cholesterol

out of your arteries — so a higher level is better for you. Having a low HDL

cholesterol level can increase your risk for heart disease.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that can increase your risk for heart

attack and stroke.

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 3.11 The Cholesterol Test Procedure

The cholesterol test procedure remains quite simple and takes only about 5-10

minutes to complete. The process involves the following steps:

 A small needle will get used by a health care professional to draw blood

from a vein in your arm.

 Following the insertion of the needle, a small amount of blood will get

collected in a test tube or vial.

 When the needle goes in or out, you may feel a slight sting. It usually takes

under five minutes.

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Cholesterol tests are typically performed in the morning because you may get

asked to fast for several hours before the test.

You may also be able to test for cholesterol at home using an at-home kit. While

the instructions may differ depending on the brand, your kit will include some

device to prick your finger. The device will collect a drop of blood for testing.

Make sure to adhere to the kit instructions carefully. Also, notify your doctor if

you’re at-home test results show that your cholesterol level is higher than 200

mg/dl.

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3.12 Blood Glucose

Glucose testing is primarily done to diagnose or manage type 1 diabetes, type 2

diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Diabetes is a condition that causes your blood

glucose levels to rise. The amount of sugar in your blood is usually controlled by a

hormone called insulin. But if you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make

enough insulin or the insulin produced doesn’t work properly. This causes sugar to

build up in your blood. If left untreated, chronically elevated levels of blood sugar

can lead to other serious conditions including kidney disease, blindness, and heart

disease.

In some cases, blood glucose testing may also be used to test for hypoglycemia.

This condition occurs when the levels of glucose in your blood are too low, usually

lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Hypoglycemia can occur in people

with diabetes if they take too much of their medication, like insulin, exercise more

than usual, or skip a meal. Less commonly, hypoglycemia can be caused by other

underlying conditions or medications. Doctors consider very low blood sugar to be

a medical emergency, as it can lead to seizures, coma, and even death.

3.13 Preparation of Blood glucose test

Blood glucose tests fall into several categories, including:

 fasting

 random (non-fasting)

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  oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a 2-hour test

 post-prandial, which means testing after consuming food or drink

Doctors use fasting, random, and OGTT tests to diagnose diabetes.

Post-prandial tests can help show how well a person with diabetes is managing

their blood sugar levels.

Before your test, tell your doctor about the medications you’re taking, including

prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and herbal supplements. Certain medications

can affect blood glucose levels. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking a

particular medication or to change the dosage before your test temporarily.

Medications that can affect your blood glucose levels include:

 corticosteroids

 diuretics

 birth control pills

 hormone therapy

 aspirin (Bufferin)

 antipsychotics

 lithium

 epinephrine (Adrenalin)

 tricyclic antidepressants

 monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

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  phenytoin

 sulfonylurea medications

Severe stress can also cause a temporary increase in your blood glucose. You

should tell your doctor if you’ve recently had any of these:

 surgery

 trauma

 stroke

 heart attack

Fasting test preparation

For a fasting blood glucose test, you can’t eat or drink anything except water for 8

hours before your test. You may want to schedule a fasting glucose test first thing

in the morning so that you don’t have to fast during the day.

Fasting before a blood glucose test is important because it’ll provide more accurate

results that are easier for your doctor to interpret.

Random testing preparation

Random (non-fasting) blood glucose tests don’t require you to not eat or drink

before the test.

Your doctor may have you take several random measurements throughout the day

to see how your glucose levels change.

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Post-prandial testing preparation

A test given 2 hours after starting a meal is used to measure postprandial plasma

glucose. This test is most often done at home when you have diabetes.

It can help you understand if you’re taking the right amount of insulin with meals.

You must do this test 2 hours after you start eating a meal.

If you already have diabetes, this information may also help your doctor

understand if you need to adjust your medications.

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 Chapter four

4.1 Conclusion

The SIWES programme for three months undergone at Winners Specialist

Productions Medical Laboratory afforded me an in-depth exposure to some of the

practical aspects of medical laboratory science profession. I was opportune to have

known the different tests done in the laboratory, to know causes of some diseases

and certain test to be taken and it has exposed me to know signs and symptoms of

some diseases. Experiences were also gathered in the blood test. The programme

has been highly enlightening, beneficial, interesting and successful. The objective

of which the scheme was undergone was however achieved.

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