Undergraduate Student Laboratory Research Articles

XRF calibration with low-cost samples and implementation for quantification of inorganic elements in lipsticks

In this paper, the preparation of low-cost samples, for the calibration of an energy–dispersive X-ray fluorescence system is presented. The entire procedure is proposed as an undergraduate or postgraduate student laboratory activity, which aims to familiarize students with the procedure of calibration of a spectroscopy-based analytical method through the XRF technique. Furthermore, the use of XRF for the determination of elemental concentrations in samples related to students’ interests, was attempted.

Pharmacy students’ conceptions of theory–practice relation in the analytical chemistry laboratory – a phenomenographic study

In the undergraduate student laboratory teaching, one of the most common goals is developing improved conceptual understanding linking theory and practice. This study presents a phenomenographic analysis of pharmacy students’ conceptions of the theory–practice relation in the laboratory. Through semi-structured interviews with pharmacy students about laboratory teaching and learning, we find that the students conceive the laboratory experience of the theory–practice relation in three qualitatively different ways. They perceive the laboratory experience as either (i) a visual representation of the theory, (ii) acting in a multimodal setting supporting theory, or (iii) as a complementary perspective in understanding theory. Furthermore, the conceptions were context-dependent and changed over time. We discuss how these three different perspectives may affect the students’ learning outcomes and suggest how teachers can accommodate the perspectives in their teaching.

Integrating experience with databases, bioinformatics, and wet lab exercises for students in an introductory genetics course.

Students often have no exposure to the incredible amount of genomic and proteomic data that is freely and easily accessible online. Becoming familiar with these resources, and seeing how they could be applied to a specific research question, is a prerequisite for students to apply them to their own scientific development. Many students have to "see it" and "do it" before they "get it." This paper describes a teaching laboratory for undergraduate Genetics students that combines exploration of several publicly available databases with some simple bioinformatic exercises and "'real" live experience in a wet lab exercise. The goal is to teach skills in applying genomic data to a real scientific question. In this exercise, students identify a target protein after exploring several protein and signal transduction databases, such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. They then search for the encoding RNA in a newly available sea star mature egg transcriptome database and for the DNA in an existing sea star genome database. The students design primers against specific regions or domains in their target RNA and amplify these by reverse transcription PCR against RNA purified from fresh sea star eggs. The PCR reactions are analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. It is hoped that the combination of the computational biology exercises with the real lab work will excite the students and stimulate them to explore this exciting new biology further.

Mathematical Modelling of a Laboratory Drying Process: Case Study for Experimental Design Project

The drying process was chosen as a case study for the experimental design project. This design project is related to a heat and mass transfer laboratory for undergraduate students. The drying process was performed at different operating variables such as sample drying temperatures, air velocities, and sample particle size. Many runs were performed for each operating variable and the work was twice repeated for consistency. Each experimental run was continued until no further mass change was observed. The mass of material, wet and dry bulb temperature and air velocity were collected as a function of time. Many mathematical formulas were applied. The kinetics and the model of the drying process were estimated. The heat and mass transfer coefficients were calculated and related to the air temperature, moisture content, velocities, and the size of the sample. It was found that the drying process of wet sand followed the proposed model by Wang and Singh. Many other drying relations were studied as shown in the entire paper. This is a non-ending design project work.

Metal Chelators Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and N,N,N′,N′‐tetrakis(2‐pyridinylmethyl)‐1,2‐ethanediamine (TPEN) Interfere with Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) Activity in Wilbur‐Anderson Assay (WAa)

In our effort to set up a laboratory for undergraduate students with the tentative title ”Studying enzymatic activity of Carbonic Anhydrase”, we successfully determined carbonic anhydrase activity and demonstrated its inhibition by Acetazolamide, a potent CA inhibitor, using the Wilbur‐Anderson assay (WAa) using 6 experimental set‐ups with a class of 24 students.WAa hinges upon determining the time T (in seconds) required for 4 mL of saturated with carbon dioxide (CO2) water to lower pH from 8.3 to 6.3 of the mixture when added to 6 mL of 0.02M Tris buffer at 0°C without (T0) and with enzyme (TE). Activity (A) is defined as A = 2*(T0/TE‐1) assay units (AU). In n = 16 blank trials, T0 = 75.0±10.7s (Mean±Standard deviation), and with 0.001mg of CA in n = 12 trials, TE = 50.2±8.1s, A = 0.99±0.66 AU (p < 0.001). When for a test we used EDTA, a carboxylic high‐affinity metal ion chelator, to inactivate this Zn2+‐containing enzyme, we unexpectedly encountered that in the presence of the sodium salt of EDTA (Na2EDTA): 1) T was significantly slowed in a concentration‐dependent manner: for 5µM, 50µM, and 500µM, T was 84.3±7.9s (n = 10, p < 0.05), 108.5±.6s (n = 7, p < 0.001), and 130.8±22.7s (n = 10, p < 0.001), respectively; and 2) unexpectedly, in the context of the previous finding, Na2EDTA significantly enhanced CA activity (TE = 38.5±4.0s, A = 1.84 AU, n = 10, p < 0.001) in the presence of 5µM Na2EDTA that was abrogated by 10µM Acetazolamide, a potent CA inhibitor (T = 138.3±10.4s, n = 7, p < 0.001). TPEN, a pyridinic non‐carboxylic metal ion chelator that is more potent in metal ion chelation that EDTA, significantly slowed T0 (99.5±15.9s, n = 4) similar to Na2EDTA, and significantly enhance CA activity (TE = 41.1±3.8, n = 4, p < 0.05) with equal potency.This indicates that principally chemically different metal ion chelators EDTA and TPEN interfere with the determination of CA activity in the context of WAa. Studies to explain these phenomena are underway with the hypotheses that the contaminating metal ions that catalyze CO2 hydration/dehydration without CA are responsible for the observed phenomena.

A mobile augmented reality system to conduct electrical machines laboratory for undergraduate engineering students during the COVID pandemic

A mobile augmented reality system to conduct electrical machines laboratory for undergraduate engineering students during the COVID pandemic

A data-oriented approach to making new molecules as a student experiment: artificial intelligence-enabling FAIR publication of NMR data for organic esters.

The lack of machine-readable data is a major obstacle in the application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in artificial intelligence (AI). As a way to overcome this, a procedure for capturing primary NMR spectroscopic instrumental data annotated with rich metadata and publication in a Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) data repository is described as part of an undergraduate student laboratory experiment in a chemistry department. This couples the techniques of chemical synthesis of a never before made organic ester with illustration of modern data management practices and serves to raise student awareness of how FAIR data might improve research quality and replicability. Searches of the registered metadata are shown, which enable actionable finding and accessing of such data. The potential for re-use of the data in AI applications is discussed.

Virtual Laboratories in Undergraduate Science and Engineering Courses: a Systematic Review, 2009–2019

Current technology has the capacity for affording a virtual experience that challenges the notion of a teaching laboratory for undergraduate science and engineering students. Though the potential of virtual laboratories (V-Labs) has been extolled and investigated in a number of areas, this research has not been synthesized for the context of undergraduate science and engineering education. This study involved a systematic review and synthesis of 25 peer-reviewed empirical research papers published between 2009 and 2019 that focused on V-Labs. The results reveal a dearth of varied theoretical and methodological approaches where studies have principally been evaluative and narrowly focused on individual changes in content knowledge. The majority of studies fell within the general domain of science and involved a single 2D experience using software that was acquired from a range of outside vendors. The perspective largely assumed V-Labs to be a teaching approach, providing instruction without any human-to-human interaction. Positive outcomes were attributed, based more on novelty than design, to improved student motivation. Studies exploring individual experiences, the role of personal characteristics or environments that afforded social learning, including interactions with faculty or teaching assistants were noticeably missing.

Learning perceptions of Smart Grid class with laboratory for undergraduate students

Due to the modernization of the electrical grid and the commitments to it made by several governments and industries around the world, the work of engineers specialized in the electrical field is necessary more than ever. However, in recent years, the number of engineers working in this area has been decreasing, while almost half of their current population is prone to retirement. To solve this problem, universities began to modify their electrical engineering programs and courses, giving more focus to the implementation of Smart Grid technology. Although various approaches have been used in teaching methodologies to educate new engineers, it is also necessary to evaluate if the contents given in such classes are being properly taught. This paper proposes a new syllabus and new Smart Grid class, which is based on hand on experiments in a Smart Grid laboratory. This proposal promotes and trains undergraduate students in the use of the new technologies that are being deployed in the electrical industry nowadays, and it includes a discussion of the social, economic and environmental implications of the new ways to generate and distribute electrical power. To evaluate if the class methodology in our project was successfully implemented, a student perception survey was applied to analyze the way the undergraduate students perceived the Smart Grid class given to them. Additionally, signal detection theory and fuzzy logic type 1 and type 2 were used to compare their answers with the ones given by the professor as part of assessing the efficiency of the class syllabus and the teaching methodology for the purpose of improving their quality in future courses. The results obtained showed that the students acquired a synthesis of learning and analytical thinking to equip them with the competencies to solve the various challenges of electrical grid modernization. Additionally, the proposed new class methodology utilized innovative hands-on activities in laboratory practices that reinforced the learning of the most relevant theoretical concepts of the Smart Grid technology.

An undergraduate laboratory on RNA sequencing analysis of bacterial gene expression.

Next generation sequencing has revolutionized molecular biology and has provided a mechanism for rapid DNA and RNA sequence analysis. Yet, there are few resources to introduce next generation sequencing into the undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology curriculum. Herein, we describe the design, execution, and assessment of a four-week laboratory for junior and senior undergraduate students that focuses on bacterial gene expression changes detected by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). In the laboratory, students analyze a bacterial RNA-seq dataset in detail and answer questions relating to the impact of DNA methylation on bacterial gene expression. In addition, students confirm key results from the RNA-seq dataset using qRT-PCR and compare their results to similar experiments in the literature. A major strength of the laboratory is the ability of students to analyze raw RNA-seq data. In addition, another strength of the laboratory is the utilization of both dry approaches (informatics and statistics) and wet approaches (RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, and qRT-PCR) to answer bacterial gene expression questions. Assessment of the laboratory indicates that significant learning gains were achieved with respect to next generation sequencing and RNA-seq. We expect that the laboratory will be a valuable resource as is, or via modification with other datasets and projects. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 47(2): 161-167, 2019.

Analyzing gene expression in sea star eggs and embryos using bioinformatics.

The explosion in the amount of genomic data has changed how we educate future biologists. Students are inundated with information and need to develop skills in how to observe and understand this data. This chapter describes a teaching laboratory for undergraduate Genetics students that uses a combination of bioinformatics and wet lab exercises to teach skills in applying genomic data to a real scientific question. Students identify a target protein and search for the encoding RNA in newly available sea star transcriptome databases. The students design primers against specific regions or domains in their target RNA and amplify these by reverse transcription PCR. The PCR reactions are analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The goal of this laboratory is to provide an example of how bioinformatics can be used to solve a real biological problem.

Improving Online Interactions: Lessons from an Online Anatomy Course with a Laboratory for Undergraduate Students.

An online section of a face-to-face (F2F) undergraduate (bachelor's level) anatomy course with a prosection laboratory was offered in 2013-2014. Lectures for F2F students (353) were broadcast to online students (138) using Blackboard Collaborate (BBC) virtual classroom. Online laboratories were offered using BBC and three-dimensional (3D) anatomical computer models. This iteration of the course was modified from the previous year to improve online student-teacher and student-student interactions. Students were divided into laboratory groups that rotated through virtual breakout rooms, giving them the opportunity to interact with three instructors. The objectives were to assess student performance outcomes, perceptions of student-teacher and student-student interactions, methods of peer interaction, and helpfulness of the 3D computer models. Final grades were statistically identical between the online and F2F groups. There were strong, positive correlations between incoming grade average and final anatomy grade in both groups, suggesting prior academic performance, and not delivery format, predicts anatomy grades. Quantitative student perception surveys (273 F2F; 101 online) revealed that both groups agreed they were engaged by teachers, could interact socially with teachers and peers, and ask them questions in both the lecture and laboratory sessions, though agreement was significantly greater for the F2F students in most comparisons. The most common methods of peer communication were texting, Facebook, and meeting F2F. The perceived helpfulness of the 3D computer models improved from the previous year. While virtual breakout rooms can be used to adequately replace traditional prosection laboratories and improve interactions, they are not equivalent to F2F laboratories.

Spectroscopy system using digital camera as two dimensional detectors for undergraduate student laboratory

In this paper, we propose spectroscopy system, which use Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor as two dimensional detectors, for studying in undergraduate laboratory. The goal of this system is to make students understand internal structure of commercial spectrometer and characteristic of light spectrum. Light with various wavelengths propagated via variable slit, which is used to adjust width of spectrum, has been focus on reflective grating and then separated to various spectrum. After that, separated spectrum has been recorded by CMOS image sensor which consists of two dimensional array pixels. Each pixel can be determined as wavelength of light by calibrating with Mercury lamp which is standard light source that has exact spectrum value. Measuring factor i.e. sensitivity and spectral resolution have been considered. By using CMOS image sensor, student can observe distribution of real light spectrum and spectrum graph together. The results show that characteristic spectrum of Mercury lamp obtained from our system exact with standard value. By considering measuring factor of spectrometer, small slit width influence system gain high resolution but it cause system has low sensitivity. Spectrum of Mercury lamp, Hydrogen lamp, Argon lamp, led flash of smartphone, and compact fluorescent lamp have been shown and compared. Moreover, our system not only be applied for undergraduate studying, but also might be applied with other optical spectroscopy method in future.

Determining the 40K radioactivity in rocks using x-ray spectrometry

In this paper we propose an experimental method for the determination of potassium-40 (40K) radioactivity in commercial granite samples using x-ray fluorescence (XRF). The method correlates the total potassium concentration (yield) in samples deduced by XRF analysis with the radioactivity of the sample due to the 40K radionuclide. This method can be used in an undergraduate student laboratory. A brief theoretical background and description of the method, as well as some results and their interpretation, are presented.

A simple laboratory exercise with rat isolated esophagus and stomach fundus to reveal functional differences between striated and smooth muscle cells.

This study describes an undergraduate student laboratory activity using isolated preparations from rat gastrointestinal tissues that possess contractile profiles typically exhibited by striated and smooth muscle cells. While students are introduced to an ex vivo methodology, they can compare differences in trace experiments, twitch aspects, phasic and tonic properties, force-frequency relationships, and pharmacological responsiveness of esophageal (striated) and fundic (smooth muscle) segments. Muscle strips were subjected to electrical field stimulation (EFS) applied by platinum electrodes immersed in the physiological solution. The contractile profile of EFS responses varied between these two types of gut preparations. Atropine and tubocurarine revealed differential inhibitory influences in esophagus or fundus tissues; caffeine and procaine produced similar effects, i.e., potentiation and blockade of the EFS-induced contractile response in these tissues, respectively. Experimental results obtained during the activity helped the improvement of student learning about basic concepts previously discussed in theoretical lectures. To measure student learning with this laboratory exercise, a questionnaire was applied before and after the activity, and the number of expected correct answers, concerning the mechanisms of contraction in striated and smooth muscle, could be clearly evidenced.

Educational framework for a motor drive control systems: Design and performance assessment

ABSTRACTIn this paper, an emulation based electrical drive laboratory for graduate and undergraduate power engineering students and practicing engineers is presented. The virtual laboratory is realized by means of Hardware‐In‐the‐Loop (HIL) system, which is increasingly recognized as an effective approach in the design of power electronics control. Control of induction motor, as the most widely used machine including main and side effects is examined. In order to perform experiments gradually, software development framework which provides modular and incremental DSP programming possibilities (from basic to advanced levels) is given. Digital controller design procedure combined with appropriate emulated power stage, and followed by experimental results is presented in detail. In addition to conventional test procedure, scripting method implemented through Application Programming Interface (API) is shown. The benefits of remote laboratory approach is described in the case of collaboration of multiple teams. The proposed approach can be used as additional or completely self‐contained tool for research and education of electrical drive control. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 25:264–276, 2017; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21795

Low Cost Ubiquitous Context-Aware Wireless Communications Laboratory for Undergraduate Students

Wireless Communication technologies are in continuous evolution. Around the world, many Universities try to provide innovative laboratory courses to train their students in this field. In this paper, a ubiquitous laboratory course for wireless communications is described. The laboratory course has been designed so that the students have to complete six different experiments. Three of these experiments have been designed to use advanced professional network testing tools in order to provide practical experience in simulation tools. Two additional experiments have been implemented in order to provide hands-on measurements through the student's mobile device. This is a novelty and provides the students with an example of ubiquitous learning. Finally, in the last experiment, the students manufacture a WiFi antenna. The laboratory has been designed so that the students develop different practical skills in each experiment. This laboratory course facilitates applied learning and the consolidation of theoretical concepts.

Simple Syntheses of CdSe Quantum Dots

Quantum dots are an excellent resource for demonstrating quantum phenomena. Two new methods for synthesizing quantum dots are presented. Proceeding at relatively low reaction temperatures, these exercises are safe and easy to conduct in an undergraduate student laboratory. The quantum dots prepared from the first method exhibited visible luminescence across a broad range of colors. The size-dependent spectral properties of quantum dots were examined quantitatively in the second method. Following this procedure, students in an advanced chemistry laboratory course synthesized their own quantum dots and gained experience with these important nanomaterials.

An active learning mammalian skeletal muscle lab demonstrating contractile and kinetic properties of fast- and slow-twitch muscle

The fact that humans possess fast- and slow-twitch muscle in the ratio of ∼50% has profound implications for designing exercise training strategies for power and endurance activities. With the growth of exercise and sport science courses, we have seen the need to develop an undergraduate student laboratory that demonstrates the basic properties of fast- and slow-twitch mammalian skeletal muscle. This laboratory illustrates the major differences in contractile properties and fatigue profiles exhibited by the two muscle types. Students compare and contrast twitch kinetics, fused tetanus characteristics, force-frequency relationships, and fatigue properties of fast- and slow-twitch muscles. Examples of results collected by students during class are used to illustrate the type of data collected and analysis performed. During the laboratory, students are encouraged to connect factual information from their skeletal muscle lectures to their laboratory findings. This enables student learning in an active fashion; in particular, the isolated muscle preparation demonstrates that much of what makes muscle fast or slow is myogenic and not the product of the nervous or circulatory systems. This has far-reaching implications for motor control and exercise behavior and therefore is a crucial element in exercise science, with its focus on power and endurance sport activities. To measure student satisfaction with this active learning technique, a questionnaire was administered after the laboratory; 96% of the comments were positive in their support of active versus passive learning strategies.

Virtual Nuclear Laboratory for Undergraduate Students

Virtual Nuclear Laboratory for Undergraduate Students