SELF REFLECTION ON BIOCHEMISTRY ( POST BIOCHEMISTRY )

We are being asked to write a letter to our lecturer to comment on the teaching method that is used, reflect the activities that we have done and the things that we are learned and relate to biochemistry in our program and life.

NUR AFIQAH FITRI BINTI MOHAMAD (70849)

Dear Dr. Hashimatul,

In my opinion this is so far the least stressful class because we were having discussions, games and activities in class. The lecture was moving in good pace therefore it is easy for me to understand topics. Doing tasks and e –portfolio also helps me in organizing facts and learning objectives. Our instructor too, played important role during lectures by guiding us and explaining topics when there were some misconceptions. If given a chance to choose, I would like to have the same class environment for other courses too. Not only I think this method is effective but also because it is not written test oriented and more hands on.

Sincerely,

Afiqah ( 70849).

NUR FATANAH BINTI PINI (70935)

Dear Dr. Hashimatul,

 First of all, thank you for teaching us biochemistry for this semester. It's a privilege for us to be in your class. You are a teacher of great kindness and understanding. You know what we as a student really want.  During your class, I really like the environment as less stressful than the other class. Your teaching method is very helpful as you ask us to first look for the knowledge and discuss it with the group member instead of you spoon feed us. In addition, it will avoid us from becoming bored and lazy in your class when you give us a game to play, but at the same time we will also learn something.I have an idea to make your class more exciting, such as giving a gift to the person who wins that day's games to stimulate the student's sense of learning. Biochemistry is a challenging  subject because at the same time we need to study biology and chemistry. All that happens in our life is related to biology and chemistry such as our body's function, food we eat, and much more. I was so thankful that we did not have the final exam and we did the portfolio instead. Personally, I believe that eportfolio is the best way for students because it will not encourage us to learn because of the mark, but because of our understanding. To sum up, so far, your class is the best because it is a class of relaxation but has the important content.

Sincerely,

Fatanah  (70935).

FILA Table for PBL 2

This is the FILA table for our PBL 2  for biochemistry subjects. We have 2 different tables because both of us were in a different group so our discussion is different but we are discussing the same trigger.

NUR FATANAH BINTI PINI (70935)

Facts	Ideas	Learning Issues	Actions	References
● A 23-year old man developed an irregular heart rhythm, complained lethargy, tremor of hands and arms.	● Irregular heart rhythm, lethargy, tremor of hands and arms can cause by several disease.	1. What are those symptoms lead to? 2. What are the causes?	Discussion	Internet
● He complained about anxiety, sweating and hunger.	● Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger.	1. Can hunger cause anxiety symptoms? 2. Can anxiety cause sweating? 3. Why does the person sweat when they feel hungry ? 4. Can low or high blood sugar cause sweating? 5. Can these symptoms lead to any diseases? 6. What result can we get from blood test?
● Biochemical investigation on blood revealed blood sugar levels is 2.7 mmol/L.	● Blood sugar levels range before eating normally is between 80 mg/dL to 130 mg/dL.	1. What is the ideal or normal blood sugar level? 2. What happen to glycolysis when blood sugar level is low? 3. What is the treatment? 4. What are the ways to maintain a normal blood sugar level?

FILA table for PBL 2.

This is the FILA table for our PBL 2  for biochemistry subjects. We have 2 different tables because both of us were in a different group so our discussion is different but we are discussing the same trigger.

NUR AFIQAH FITRI BINTI MOHAMAD (70835)

Fact	Idea	Learning Outcome	Action
A 23-year old man developed an irregular heart rhythm, complained lethargy, tremor of hands and arms.	The 23-year old man is having health complications.	1)      What does it mean by irregular heart rhythm? 2)      What are the possible causes of lethargy? 3)      Why does he experience tremors of hands and arms? 4)      Are there any possible solutions to stop these symptoms? 5)      Is age a factor for these symptoms to occur? Why?	Do research through internet on the learning issues            Discussion in group
2.    He complained about anxiety, sweating and hunger.	A 23-year old man is complaining about the health symptoms that he is experiencing.	1)      What could trigger these symptoms? 2)      Is there any possibility that the anxiety will affect his physical condition? 3)      What happens during sweating? 4)      How does hunger contribute to the symptoms?
3.  Biochemical investigation on blood revealed blood sugar level is 2.7 MMOL/L.	The blood sugar level of the 23-year old man is low, below the normal range blood sugar level.	1)      How is blood sugar level tested? 2)      What is the normal blood sugar level for adults? 3)      What happens if the blood sugar level is too high or too low?  4)      How does the blood sugar level affect the body condition? 5)      How to achieve and maintain normal blood sugar level?

Video explain on Glycolysis, Kreb Cycle & Electron Transport System.

This is a video explaining how Glycolysis, Kreb Cycle and Electron Transport System work. This video is made by using Powtoon apps as it only a short video. This is the link to the video that we have made.
https://www.powtoon.com/c/dKjzmqtayEB/1/m

SELF REFLECTION ON LIPID

NUR AFIQAH FITRI BINTI MOHAMAD (70849)

I have learned that lipids are important because it protects our organs by acting as cushion. Lipids also act as long term energy storage for our body and thermal insulators to maintain our body temperature. Besides that, they also serve as source of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). Though there are significances, we should monitor our consumption of fat containing food products. There are three classifications of fat which are saturated fats, trans fats and unsaturated fats. First, saturated fats are derived largely from animal products like dairy and eggs. Second, trans fats are used to extend the expiry limit of processed foods. Lastly, unsaturated fats are derived from vegetables and plants like olives and nuts, high omega food like salmon.

NUR FATANAH BINTI PINI (70935)

Based on my understanding, lipid is another name for fat. It is a molecule containing hydrocarbons and constituting the building block of living cells' structure and function. The lipid can also be defined chemically as an insoluble substance in water but soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. This contains the hydrocarbon side chain that serves as energy stores, forms a bilayer which is an essential component of biological membranes and functions as intracellular and intercellular signaling molecules. A fat molecule consists of two kinds of parts, a glycerol backbone, and three fatty acid tails. Glycerol is a small organic molecule with three hydroxyls (OH) groups, while a fatty acid consists of a long hydrocarbon chain attached to a carboxyl group.

Fat is divided into two that are saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat is unhealthy fat while saturated fat is healthy fat. Too much intake of saturated fat will increase LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) which can cause coronary heart disease. Saturated fats do not have a double bond between the molecules therefore there is no gap and the fat is saturated with hydrogen molecules. If we replaced the intake of saturated fat with unsaturated fats, it will help lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a natural substance that made up by our body. The cholesterol is mostly located in our bloodstream (75%) which is produced by the liver while the remaining cholesterol (25%) comes from the food that we eat. Unsaturated fat has a double bond so it has a gap and it is broken up the chain of hydrogen molecules. Examples of food for saturated fats are dairy products such as milk, cheese, and meat, butter margarine and shortening. For unsaturated food, it can be classified into two which is monosaturated and trans fat. The example of monosaturated is olive, peanut, canola and other vegetable oils. Trans fats undergo a process called hydrogenation that causes the food to harden more such as potato chips and cookies.We usually assume that the fat will bring us many bad impacts, but it actually gives us many benefits if we consume it in the correct amount.

SELF REFLECTION ON CARBOHYDRATES.

NUR AFIQAH FITRI BINTI MOHAMAD (70849)

Carbohydrate is very essential because it is the main source of fuel for our body. Appropriate intake of carbohydrate will give us energy for daily routine and helps our brain to function normally. Carbohydrates break down into its simplest form known as glucose. Actually, there are a lot of foods containing carbohydrate such as bread, tortillas, noodles, pasta and grains. However, not all foods that contain carbohydrate are good for our health like sugar-sweetened beverages and pastries. Compared to whole carbs (eg; legumes, potatoes and whole grain) which are unprocessed and naturally healthy, these foods are heavily processed thus the natural fibers were stripped out. Over consumption and uncontrolled intake of carbohydrate will results in diabetes.

NUR FATANAH BINTI PINI (70935)

In my opinion, the most nutrient we can find in our food is carbohydrates. Macronutrients are the three ways the body gets energy or calories. Macronutrients are essential for the proper functioning of the body, and large amounts are required by the body. All macronutrients must be obtained through diet because macronutrients cannot be produced by the body alone. Carbohydrates are the main energy source we can find in our daily meals like rice, noodle, and bread. Carbohydrates are named because they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Carbohydrates prevent the use of protein as a source of energy and allow the metabolism of fat. As it affects mood and memory, the brains also need the carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex. The difference between the two forms is the chemical structure and the rate of absorption and digestion of sugar. Simple carbs are usually digested and ingested faster and easier than complex carbs. The example of simple carbohydrates is monosaccharides with fructose (fruit) and galactose (a milk product) and disaccharides with sucrose (table sugar), lactose (dairy product) and maltose (vegetables). There are three or more sugars in complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides). These are often called starchy foods, including beans, peas, peanuts, potatoes, corn, parsnips, whole grain bread, and cereals. All carbohydrates function as relatively fast sources of energy, simple carbs causes energy bursts much faster than complex carbs due to the faster rate of digestion and absorption. Simple carbs can contribute to blood sugar spikes and high sugar levels, while more stable energy is given by complex carbs. We can be incredibly good at the right type of carbs. We are not only important for our wellbeing, but we also have a number of added benefits. For mental health, carbohydrates may be essential. People on a high-fat, low-carb diet for a year had more anxiety, depression, and anger than people on a low-fat, high-carb diet. Scientists suspect that carbohydrates help with the production of serotonin in the brain. It can cause problems not to get enough carbohydrates. Without enough oil, the body does not get any power. Therefore, the central nervous system struggles without adequate glucose, which can cause dizziness or mental and physical fatigue. A glucose deficiency or low blood sugar is referred to as hypoglycemia. To sum up, carbohydrates are the main source of energy we need to consume every day to make our everyday living.

FILA Table for PBL 1

This is the FILA table for our PBL 1 for biochemistry subjects. We have 2 different tables because both of us were in a different group so our discussion is different but we are discussing the same trigger.

This is Nur Afiqah's group.

Facts	Ideas	Learning Issues	Action
1. Her children physical appearances change such as abdomen swelling, arms and legs got very thin, hair started to grow yellow reddish colour. Also the behaviour of her children started to change such as loss of appetite and lack of energy. Change in skin colour Irritability which is crying with no tears.	Her children showing symptoms of certain disease.	1. Why does  the symptoms occurs? 2. What causes their skin colour is change? 3. What causes her abdomen to swell? 4. Why is there no tears when crying?	Do research through internet on the learning issues           Discussion in group
2.We asked village chief to call the traditional healer but instead he told us that we should go to the health centre because this could all be caused by the food we are feeding our children.  4. Sweet potatoes, bananas, and cassava.	Go to the health centre instead of the traditional healer. Local sources of food in Rwanda Burundi.	1.     Why refer to the health centre instead of the traditional healer?  1. Which food family does these food belong to? 2. What are source of vitamins provided?
3. Sweet potatoes, bananas, and cassava.	Local sources of food in Rwanda Burundi.	1. Which food family does these food belong to? 2. What are source of vitamins provided?
4. Health worker showed a tape with three colours. Red, yellow, and green. The result turn out to be red.	The tape is used to measure the level of malnutrition	1.     How the tape measures the level of malnutrition? 2.     How malnutrition is measured? 3. What are the different level of malnourishment?
5.  Kanyangge need medical treatment and if she didn’t get it, she could become more sick and even die.	Patients need to be care under special treatment and given prescribed foods and medicine	1. Why malnutrition patient need special food? 2. What is in the special food? 3. Can a person die from malnutrition?
6.We learned that malnutrition is caused when you don't eat enough food or you don't eat the right variety of foods. She said that malnutrition is not just about the quantity of food you eat but also the quality.	Malnutrition is not about the quantity of food but also the quality of the food.	1. Why we need to balance the quantity and quality of food that we consume?
7. If a child is under 2 years old the effect of malnutrition can be permanent.	At this stage, children are still actively growing up.	1. How the effect of malnutrition can be permanent?
8. Malnourished are more likely to catch diseases like cholera, diarrhea or malaria because the body is not strong enough to fight diseases.	Body immune system play important role to fight any types of infection or diseases	1. Why they catch diseases easily? 2. What type cell immune system uses to fight infection?
9. All foods are split into three different families. Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins.	Balanced diet is essential for our body to promote good health.	1. What are the types of vitamins essential for growth? 2. Why we need to consume food categorized in three different family?
10. Keep breastfeeding Kanyangge until she is two years old.	Provide protection for Kanyangge from diseases.	1. Why breastfeeding is important? 2. What does the breast milk provide?
11. After 6 months of breastfeeding, can add a balanced diet of foods to a child’s diet	To make sure everyone is eating enough to stay healthy.	1. Why have to wait until 6 months?

FILA table for PBL 1

This is the FILA table for our PBL 1 for biochemistry subjects. We have 2 different tables because both of us were in a different group so our discussion is different but we are discussing the same trigger.

This is Nur Fatanah's group.

FACTS	IDEAS	LEARNING ISSUES	ACTIONS	REFERENCES
● Our children are always tired, abdomen started to swell, arm and leg have become thin, hair started to grow yellow reddish, not like to eat and sleepy	● The physical changes show that the person is not in a good condition.	1. What are the factors of malnutrition?	Discussion	Internet
● We feed our family the same as all families, sweet potatoes, bananas and cassava.	● They are required to consume the appropriate nutrients according to the food pyramid with the correct amounts	1. What is the importance of these foods? 2. What is the effect of this food to our body if we take it in certain amount? 3. What class of food does this food belongs to? 4. What are the foods that they need to be healthy?
● The health worker measured Kananga’s arm and showed the tape with 3 colours (red, green and yellow).	● Mid-upper arm circumference can accurately assess malnutrition than weight- based measures	1. What is the name of this method? 2. What are the advantages of this method? 3.What are other methods that can be used to diagnose one with malnutrition?
● Need medical treatment if she could not get it she could become sicker and can die.	● The type of medical treatment will depend on the severity of the malnutrition, and the presence of any underlying conditions to make the person become more better.	1. How long does it take for one to die from malnutrition? 2. What kind of medical treatments are available to treat malnutrition?
● Her stomach does not work properly anymore and giving them normal food could make them very ill.	● Food with poor quality and nutrition make the body becomes  weaker.	1. What happened to the body system? 2. What is the treatment for this problem?
● We learned that malnutrition is caused when you do not eat enough food or you do not eat the right variety of food.	● Food pyramid                is important for humans                to know the quantity and quality of foods.	1. What is the long term effect of this problem? 2. What are the types of malnutrition? 3. How to prevent malnutrition? 4. Does malnutrition affect the brain or other organs?
● Kananga would need to get special food from the clinic.	● Getting more information about the nutritious food from the doctor for healthy lifestyle	1. What kind of food is it?
● It is not about the quantity of food you eat but also the quality.	● A lot of quantity foods can make person suffered by another disease but quality foods give more nutrients	1. How do we know that our food is at the best quality? 2. How does an imbalance diet affect our health?
● Keep breast-feeding Kananga until she is 2 years old	● Children who are breastfeed have a lower rate of certain illnesses as they grow up	1. What are the advantages of breast-feeding ?