Laboratory Reports Research Articles

Chronic multiarticular tophaceous gout with abnormally large tophi, case of surgical intervention: a case report from Nepal

Introduction and importance: Gout is an inflammatory disease caused by the deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals around the synovial joints, affecting the first metatarsophalangeal joints followed by ankle and knees. It is found to be more prevalent among men and older women. Tophi tends to develop if the acute phase of the disease is not controlled. In contrast, our patient had an unusual presentation of multiple tophi affecting several joints accompanied by deformities. Case presentation: Here, the authors present a case of a 63 years old male with chronic multiarticular tophaceous gout with a history of more than 30 years. He presented with multiple joint deformities and prior surgical history of excision of tophi. Laboratory reports revealed elevated serum uric acid, and X-ray showed joint deformities with tophi. However, the parameters of renal function test were normal. Surgical excision of the tophi was done. Clinical discussion: Gout is one of the most common inflammatory arthritis, which if untreated can progress to tophi formation. The diagnosis can be made clinically and by several investigations including serum uric acid estimation and aspiration of the joint to reveal monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. A long standing case of multiarticular tophi causing joint deformities does require surgical intervention. Conclusion: Early treatment and diagnosis of hyperuricemia prevent the progression to gouty arthritis and tophi formation. Long history of multiple tophaceous gout is an unusual presentation, which we intend to present here as a novel case report. Nevertheless, such cases require surgical interventions.

Cholera and diarrheal diseases in Cuamba District, Niassa Province, Mozambique: Systematic healthcare facility-based surveillance strengthening, characteristics of suspected cholera and diarrheal patients, and incidence of diarrheal diseases.

Mozambique is one of the countries in Africa that is continuously at risk of cholera outbreaks due to poor sanitation, hygiene, and limited access to potable water in some districts. The Mozambique Cholera Prevention and Surveillance (MOCA) project was implemented in Cuamba District, Niassa Province to prevent and control cholera outbreaks through a preemptive cholera vaccination, strengthened surveillance system for cholera and diarrheal diseases, and better understanding of cholera-related healthcare seeking behavior of local populations, which may further guide the national cholera control and prevention strategies. This article presents the surveillance component of the MOCA project. A prospective healthcare facility (HCF)-based surveillance of cholera and diarrheal disease was conducted in six HCFs in the District of Cuamba from March 2019 to December 2020. A systematic surveillance procedure has been put in place with capacity building in selected sentinel HCFs and a basic microbiology laboratory established on-site. Patients presenting with suspected cholera or other diarrheal symptoms were eligible for enrollment. Clinical data and rectal swab samples were collected for laboratory confirmation of Vibrio Cholerae and other pathogens. A total of 419 eligible patients from six HCFs were enrolled. The median age was 19.8 years with a similar age distribution between sentinel sites. The majority were patients who exhibited diarrhea symptoms not suspected of cholera (88.8%; n = 410). Among those, 59.2% (210/397) were female and 59.9% (235/392) were 15 years and above. There were 2 cholera cases, coming outside of the catchment area. The incidence of diarrheal diseases ranged from 40-103 per 100,000 population. No Vibrio cholerae was isolated among surveillance catchment population and Escherichia coli spp. (82/277; 29.6%) was the most common pathogen isolated. Efforts were made to strengthen the systematic surveillance of suspected cholera with standardised patient screening, enrolment, and diagnostics. The first basic microbiology laboratory in Niassa Province established in Cuamba District under the MOCA project needs to be integrated into the national network of laboratories for sustainability. No reports of laboratory confirmed cholera cases from the surveillance catchment area may be highly related to the pre-emptive oral cholera vaccine (OCV) mass vaccination campaign conducted in 2018 and the use of drugs by local populations prior to visiting the sentinel HCFs. Continued systematic cholera surveillance is needed to closely monitor the cholera endemicity and epidemics, and further evaluate the long-term impact of this vaccination. High incidence of diarrheal illnesses needs to be addressed with improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) conditions in Cuamba District. Efforts integrated with the prioritization of prevention measures are fundamental for the control of cholera in the country.

A case report on Kyrle’s disease in patient with diabetes mellitus

Kyrles disease classified under acquired perforating dermatosis, is a rare skin condition predominantly affecting 30-50-year-old females. Characterized by pruritic hyperkeratotic and ulcerated nodules, the disease involves the transepidermal clearance of aberrant endogenous components, leading to inflammatory reactions and expulsion of keratin and cellular material. The etiology though not fully understood, suggests changes in dermal connective tissue may play a role. In case report, a 56-year-old male with type II diabetes mellitus presented knee pain and 3 mm papules on lower limbs. Laboratory findings revealed hematological and metabolic abnormalities, and a skin biopsy confirmed Kyrle’s disease features. Laboratory reports indicated abnormalities in hematology, blood glucose, lipid profile, hepatic and renal function. Biopsy results confirmed acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, dysplsia and granulomatous inflammation. The association of Kyrle’s disease and metabolic abnormalities, emphasizing diabetes and chronic renal failure. Potential pathways involve oxidative damage, endoplasmic stress, and vasculopathy. Treatment options include keratolytics, emollients, antihistamines. Kyrle’s disease often linked to diabetes and chronic renal failure, is a chronic condition with variable remission periods. Early detection and appropriate management are crucial for improving patients’ quality of life. Understanding the association with metabolic abnormalities guides effective therapeutic approaches for this rare dermatological condition.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Adults- to Treat or Not?

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (ScHt) is a condition in which the Laboratory reports show normal T3 or FT3, normal T4 or FT4, and increased TSH concentrations, associated with few or no signs & symptoms of hypothyroidism. ScHt prevalence is estimated to be ranging from 4% to 20% of adults, with a higher prevalence in women, older people, and those with thyroid autoimmunity. It is higher in iodine-sufficient areas and genetics also plays a role. ScHt can progress to overt hypothyroidism, especially if antithyroid antibodies are present. It has been associated with adverse metabolic parameters like dyslipidaemia, reproductive, maternal-foetal, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and cognitive abnormalities. ScHt among pregnant women is significant as the prevalence of overt & ScHt among them is reported to be 2.5 % and almost fourfold (9.54%) respectively. The good news is that half of the cases resolve spontaneously in within 2 years. Methods & Materials: This article is an outcome of literature review following the author and his son’s annual blood test results showing indications of ScHt in late February 2024. Results: The results of annual blood tests in a recognised laboratory showed TSH levels of 6.233 and 7.529 respectively for the author and his son respectively. The authors Hb1Ac were 6.4 despite being just on oral anti-diabetics (with diet control and exercise routine) since 1991, indicative of a good management. It was surprising to note that both have ScHt. However, after an intensive literature search and discussions decided for “a wait and watch strategy” instead for jumping for treatment. Conclusion: In India 4% to 20% of adults have subclinical hypothyroidism, with a higher prevalence in women, older people, and those with thyroid autoimmunity. Though ScHt can progress to overt hypothyroidism, especially if antithyroid antibodies are present, half of the cases are expected resolve spontaneously in within 2 years. As most endocrinologists, Cardiologists and Public health professionals in India do not recommend treatment for 1-2 year unless either i) when TSH >10 mIU/L, or signs become explicit, or ii) Cardiovascular risk individuals, we have decided to monitor the progress for entire 2024 with quarterly assessments of the parameters.

A CORRELATION STUDY OF BLOOD HBA1C WITH FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between raised blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a gold standard test for the assessment of glycemic control. Serial monitoring of HbA1C in diabetes mellitus helps in the prevention of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the laboratory reports of 397 patients who visited the hospital for various reasons. There were 195 males and 202 females in the study group. We evaluated the correlation between HbA1c and two indicators of glycemic control: fasting blood glucose (FBG) and postprandial blood glucose (PPBG). Results: Both FBG and PPBG showed a significant positive correlation with HbA1c. However, PPBG had a stronger correlation with HbA1c than FBG. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) was 0.610 (p<0.05) for FBG and HbA1c and 0.683 (p<0.05) for PPBG and HbA1c. Conclusions: PPBG was a better predictor of HbA1c than FBG. PPBG may be an alternative marker of HbA1c for the management and monitoring of diabetes mellitus.

Analyzing Practicum Reports Made Using Posters for an Animal Structure Course

During the pandemic, teachers adopted assisted learning methods with apps like Canva to produce eye-catching, poster-like practical work reports. The purpose of this study was to analyze the poster practicum report for an animal structure course. In analyzing this lab report, the important points in the assessment were identity, assessment of hand-drawn elements, discussion, abnormalities in related tissues, questions and answers, and supporting bibliography. This study contains the analysis of practicum reports by tabulating the data, grouping them according to the assessment criteria, and describing the data. In the first practicum class, the average value of the poster practicum report was 80.3. In the second practicum class, the average was 83.09, and in the last class, it was 75.13. Based on the average value of this poster practicum report, it can be concluded that the laboratory report for the connective tissue of the animal structure sub-chapter reaches good and very good criteria based on the listed criteria.
 Keywords: analyzing, practicum, reports, posters, animal structure, course

A Case report of Anemia Masquerading as Myocardial infarction Unveiling Diagnostic Dilemmas in the Emergency Department

44 Year old Male Presented to Er with Breathing difficulty, Sweating, altered mental status. Patient was tachypneoic and Hypotensive and drowsy, Responding to painful stimuli. Patient blood gas analysis revealed severe metabolic and lactic acidosis and patient was intubated and resuscitated aggresively in Er. Ecg was obtained which showed global St/ T changes and hence cath lab was activated and Echo was done in Er which didn’t reveal any wall motion abnormalities. Lab reports revealed severe anemia and patient was transfused with prbcs and patient condition improved and Ecg changes were also reverted.

Phlebotomy- A gateway to laboratory diagnostics

Objective: To assess the knowledge, practice and attitude about venipuncture amongst Nursing staff of a tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: This questionnaire-based survey was done at Rawal General and dental hospital, Islamabad, from January to April 2022. The Questionnaire was developed as per the CLSI H3-A6 and WHO‘s venipuncture guidelines. It was distributed to nursing staff by hand. Most were filled inside the classes in front of the teacher. Results: The frequency of correct responses in the knowledge section varied from 4(4.6%) about the number of tube inversions to 79(90.8%) about wearing of gloves before taking a sample while 47(54%) selected the correct option of identifying a patient. Regarding the standard phlebotomy protocols, the response was quite low which was 26(29.9%), 18(20.7%) and 8(9.2%) about the correct angle of needle insertion, what to inspect of the supplies and the location of applying the tourniquet respectively. Recapping with two hands is still done by 13% and 79% still put the sample by holding tube in the other hand. In spite of all this 66% still think that one can learn venipuncture by practicing the techniques without going through a proper course. Conclusion: Nursing staff in Rawal General and dental hospital is not fully aware about basic laboratory protocols and their importance. This unawareness can lead to generation of erroneous lab reports. Formal education, training with summative assessments should be a part of the curriculum of nursing courses followed by rigorous implementation monitoring. Keywords: Awareness, Nurses, Phlebotomy, Venipuncture, Sample

Retrospective Analysis of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Clinical Samples of Dogs in Grenada, West Indies

Background: Clinical infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, imposing a severe economic burden. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacterium, had demonstrated a prominent level of acquired antimicrobial resistance to its selective antimicrobials. Currently, there is no updated information about the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Grenada. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa from the clinical isolates of dogs in Grenada. Methods: This retrospective study used the diagnostic reports from January 2015 to December 2022. The diagnostic microbiology laboratory reports of canine patients at the Small Animal Clinic of St. George’s University in Grenada were analyzed to study the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa. Result: Among the various bacterial clinical isolates, ninety-one clinical samples were positive for P. aeruginosa. The antimicrobial susceptibility test pattern of these isolates revealed susceptibility to gentamicin (95.6 %), ceftazidime (96.7%), imipenem (97.7%) and ciprofloxacin (97.8%). The result of the present retrospective study illustrates that P. aeruginosa isolates from canine patients in Grenada are susceptible to the recommended antimicrobial drugs. However, this study also revealed the recent development of progressive antimicrobial resistance. This mandates the judicious use of antibacterial drugs against bacterial infections in Grenada.

Under 5 pneumonia a forgotten pandemic: an insight into risk factors predicting outcome of severe pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 5 years of age

Background: Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. In developing countries like India, multiple sociodemographic and environmental factors influence the outcome of severe pneumonia so this study explores these risk factors with aim of finding ways to improve the outcome. Methods: It is a prospective observational study conducted over a period of 12 months on 2 months to 5 years, children with severe pneumonia admitted in ward and PICU of tertiary medical care institute. A total of 100 patients were enrolled in the given study after meeting the inclusion criteria. Predesigned proforma was used to record sociodemographic details, patient history, detailed examination findings and laboratory reports. Outcome in terms of mortality and morbidity was noted. Data analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, p values <0.05 accepted as statistically significant. Results: The severe pneumonia was more common in the age group of 2 months to 1 year of age (59%) and in males (60%). Malnutrition and leukocytosis was statistically significant. 53 subjects were exclusively breastfed. Type of family, mother & father’s education status, mother’s employment status, tobacco exposure and contact with tuberculosis were not found statistically significant in the given study. 21 participants required PICU and 10 patients required mechanical ventilation. 92 patients were discharged, while 2 patients expired. Conclusions: Pneumonia is an important preventable and treatable cause of under 5 mortalities. In developing countries like India an awareness and proper management of risk factors like malnutrition, low birth weight, immunization status can improve the outcome.

Genre analysis of introduction section in electrical engineering undergraduate laboratory reports.

This study examines the genre of Engineering Laboratory Reports (ELR) introduction section written by Electrical Engineering Undergraduates in a higher learning institution. The aims of this study are to identify the rhetorical moves and combinations of move patterns used by electrical engineering (EE) students to write introduction section. A genre analysis was conducted to identify writing patterns and convention practices of engineering undergraduate students thus a corpus of N = 35 was selected from electrical engineering students in their final year of study. This study adopted Genre Theory as its theoretical framework, Ngowu 1997 analytical framework and BCU approach for analysis procedure. A pilot test was conducted to determine the model that fits the best to describe moves and steps of ELR. Coding scheme was developed and intercoder reliability showed a significance of 0.91 The study benchmarks a move or step to be present in at least 60% of the reports. The finding shows the introduction consists of one main move which is providing background information of the experiment and followed by four subsequent steps which are reference to research purposes, reference to theoretical knowledge in the field, providing an overview of the study and identification of main research apparatus. The move 1 and all four steps identified above are viewed as obligatory, conventional and optional move and steps in introduction section among undergraduates in academic context. The exemplification of finding shows lack of compliance among undergraduates to produce EELR based on university's guideline in discussing previous literature and underpinning theories, lack of referencing and citation, absence in describing apparatus used and non-sequential moves steps. This study posits the importance of collaboration between English for Academic (EAP) practitioners such as English-writing instructors and discipline specific specialist from engineering field to further improve on genre-based writing instruction, and to identify student learning needs. The method employed in this study may be replicated to analyse other sections of scientific and technical reports such as method, result, discussion and conclusion (MRDC) that may pave ways to address grey areas for improvement in this genre.

Subnormal Serum Liver Enzyme Levels: A Review of Pathophysiology and Clinical Significance.

Subnormal levels of liver enzymes, below the lower limit of normal on local laboratory reports, can be useful diagnostically. For instance, subnormal levels of aminotransferases can be observed in vitamin B6 deficiency and chronic kidney disease. Subnormal alkaline phosphatase levels may indicate the presence of hypophosphatasia, Wilson's disease, deficiencies of divalent ions, or malnutrition. Subnormal levels of gamma glutamyl transferase may be seen in cases of acute intrahepatic cholestasis, the use of certain medications, and in bone disease. Finally, subnormal levels of 5'-nucleotidase have been reported in lead poisoning and nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia. The aim of this review is to bring attention to the fact that subnormal levels of these enzymes should not be ignored as they may indicate pathological conditions and provide a means of early diagnosis.

Gender, Equity, and Science Writing: Examining Differences in Undergraduate Life Science Majors’ Attitudes toward Writing Lab Reports

It is often causally generalized that females naturally excel more at writing than males. Contrastingly, modern conventional wisdom similarly purports that males often innately excel more at science. True or not, both generalizations overlook important gender differences at the intersection of writing in science. This quantitative study investigates undergraduate life science majors’ attitudes to and perceptions of writing lab reports for 294 students who self-identify as either female or male. We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to develop a three-factor scale and provide reliability and validity on several related constructs: confidence, sense of belonging, and persistence as a life science major. Our results indicate males self-report as being significantly more confident at writing lab reports (F (1, 292) = 186.08, p < 0.05) than females. With regard to writing lab reports, no significant differences were found between genders in the constructs of belongingness (F (1, 292) = 1.64, p = 0.20) and persistence as a life science major (F (1, 292) = 0.66, p = 0.42). Understanding attitudes and perceptions toward writing lab reports through an equity lens provides information to help science majors be successful. Our findings add to the literature on gender, equity, and science writing, motivating further exploration into underlying malleable cognitive mechanisms.

Student Perceptions Regarding Student-Designed Lab Experimental Procedures

First-year students are often expected to follow explicit directions in hands-on labs. This can result in highly uniform submissions, where the students are often motivated by performing the steps correctly instead of learning concepts. Through experimental procedure autonomy, students may be able to improve their understanding and develop additional skills in experimental design. In a mechanics lab, students were asked to hypothesize an answer to a question and design an experiment to test this hypothesis using a variety of equipment that was provided. This paper describes student perceptions regarding their learning associated with designing experimental procedures. Feedback survey responses indicated that 65% of students understood why they were asked to design their experiment, but 53% did not enjoy the process. When students assessed their own learning experience, 35% indicated that designing their procedure helped them understand concepts better while 21% indicated that they did not perceive additional learning. Many students (53%) indicated that they would prefer additional instruction on this type of task and 93% appreciated the lab report template provided to them to help organize their results.

Investigate cosmic rays: Analysis of the air showers

In this lab report, the concept of cosmic rays and their components that can be detected on the earth’s surface is introduced. In this experiment, four CosmicWatch muon detectors were used to detect the components of cosmic rays. This report describes the setup of the experiment as well as the method and algorithms used to filter the true signals of cosmic rays out of the background radioactive noises. Some process of the algorithm is visualized using histograms. The rate of air showers was found to be 0.151 mHz ± 0.022 mHz for a separation of 6.73 cm ± 0.08 cm, and 0.096 mHz ± 0.015 mHz for a separation of 13.5 cm ± 0.1 cm. Other sources of uncertainties are also analyzed in this report.

Spatial and temporal distribution of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Algeria from 2014 to 2022.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a major transboundary animal ailment in Algeria, is a serious economic burden on the livestock sector. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of FMD in Algeria and identifies the factors contributing to this phenomenon. Data on FMD cases occurring in Algeria from 2014 to 2022 were collected from various sources, including archives at the Ministry of Agriculture, peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, reference laboratory reports, and unpublished scientific reports. The data were compiled and analyzed using MS Office Excel® and SPSS® software. A total of 22,690 FMD cases and 1,141 outbreaks were reported in Algeria between 2014 and 2022. The apex of infections occurred in 2014 (34.5%), followed by an increase in the number of infections in 2019 and 2017. The prevalence of FMD extended to 91.6% of the districts of the country, particularly in the north (center) and eastern regions. Cows were the most affected, with 654 outbreaks and more than 3,665 cases. Although FMD affected all four regions, there was a statistically significant long-term decline in the incidence. These spatial and temporal trends underscore the robust disease control methodologies implemented by the Algerian government, such as the strategic immunization of livestock to fortify their viral resistance, stringent constraints on animal mobility, and enlightenment of farmers regarding the hazards associated with unrestricted livestock movement to effectively curb FMD dissemination.

Development and Evaluation of Surveillance System for Identifying Jail-Associated COVID-19 Cases in Minnesota, USA, 2022.

Confinement facilities are high-risk settings for the spread of infectious disease, necessitating timely surveillance to inform public health action. To identify jail-associated COVID-19 cases from electronic laboratory reports maintained in the Minnesota Electronic Disease Surveillance System (MEDSS), Minnesota, USA, the Minnesota Department of Health developed a surveillance system that used keyword and address matching (KAM). The KAM system used a SAS program (SAS Institute Inc., https://www.sas.com) and an automated program within MEDSS to identify confinement keywords and addresses. To evaluate KAM, we matched jail booking data from the Minnesota Statewide Supervision System by full name and birthdate to the MEDSS records of adults with COVID-19 for 2022. The KAM system identified 2,212 cases in persons detained in jail; sensitivity was 92.40% and specificity was 99.95%. The success of KAM demonstrates its potential to be applied to other diseases and congregate-living settings for real-time surveillance without added reporting burden.

Geographic Variation and Environmental Predictors of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Laboratory Surveillance, Virginia, USA, 2021-20231.

Because epidemiologic and environmental risk factors for nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been reported only infrequently, little information exists about those factors. The state of Virginia, USA, requires certain ecologic features to be included in reports to the Virginia Department of Health, presenting a unique opportunity to study those variables. We analyzed laboratory reports of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and M. abscessus infections in Virginia during 2021-2023. MAC/M. abscessus was isolated from 6.19/100,000 persons, and 2.37/100,000 persons had MAC/M. abscessus lung disease. M. abscessus accounted for 17.4% and MAC for 82.6% of cases. Saturated vapor pressure was associated with MAC/M. abscessus prevalence (prevalence ratio 1.414, 95% CI 1.011-1.980; p = 0.043). Self-supplied water use was a protective factor (incidence rate ratio 0.304, 95% CI 0.098-0.950; p = 0.041). Our findings suggest that a better understanding of geographic clustering and environmental water exposures could help develop future targeted prevention and control efforts.

Inequality in different countries: dynamics of states and perception by the population over 20 years

The article highlights the relationship between the country’s well-being and their people’s perception of inequality in 1999, 2009 and 2019. The country’s well-being was measured using four indicators: GDP per capita, life expectancy, the average number of years of schooling and the Gini index (data taken from the United Nations, the World Bank and the Global Data Laboratory reports). The perception of inequality was measured using six indicators: the importance of coming from a wealthy family and knowing the right people to get ahead, differences in income perception, feeling of conflicts in society, approval of inequality in opportunities, as well as subjective social stratification (based on the III-V waves of the modules Social Inequality of The International Social Survey Programme, ISSP). The groups of the countries based on their well-being and the people’s perception of inequality were determined using multidimensional scaling. With its means, for each of the taken years (1999, 2009 and 2019) two-dimensional spaces in which the countries were located were constructed. A positive correlation between a country’s GDP level and life expectancy was reproduced in all observed periods. In contrast, depth of stratification was not significantly associated with any of the remaining indicators of welfare. Subjective stratification, as well as people’s ideas about how to get ahead, were determined by GDP per capita, but not by objective stratification. This one correlated with feelings of conflict and approval of unequal opportunities. Dimensions in decisions — both for the country’s well-being and for perception— were reproduced at all measurement points. At the same time, the composition of homogeneous groups of countries varied from one time interval to another. The most stable were the groupings of Scandinavian and island countries, whose levels of well-being and perceptions of inequality by the population were similar.

Development of an integrated and project-based laboratory course in upper-level biochemistry and molecular biology.

An integrated and projected-based laboratory course was described, integrating interconnected knowledge points and biochemistry and molecular biology techniques on a research project-based system. The program, which served as an essential extension of theoretical courses to practice, was conducted with a sophomore of basic medical science who had completed the course in medical biochemistry and molecular biology. This course engaged students in learning "genetic manipulation" and "recombinant DNA technology" to understand the target gene's role in disease mechanics, thus altering evaluation and treatment for clinical disease. Students could master applied and advanced techniques, such as cell culture, transfection, inducing exogenous fusion protein expression, purifying protein and its concentration assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western bot analysis. This laboratory exercise links laboratory practices with the methods of current basic research. Students need to complete the experimental design report and laboratory report, which could be advantageous for improving their ability to write lab summaries and scientific papers in the future. The reliability and validity analyses were conducted on the questionnaire, and we examined students' satisfaction with the course and their gains from the course. The student feedback was generally positive, indicating that the exercise helped consolidate theoretical knowledge, increase scientific research enthusiasm, and provide a powerful tool to be a better person and make informed decisions.