Drug Testing: a Requirement

In our modern world today, drugs is said to be one of the factors that can affect the education of students. It can cause change in the students attitute towards life, towards school.

For me, drug testing should be done prior to admission to school. This is because this is one way of ensuring the guidance of the school towards the students. This can serve as the first line of protection and concern. The school will surely not want an addict as a student, and if they are encountering certain problems, and they become users because of this, the school can give them counselling assistance.

If drug testing will be required, it would be best if they do not just do random sampling. This is because this random sampling can yield a low percentage. The other users will not be identified, thus, they will not be given the attention they need.

Yes to drug testing as a school requirement, just as long as it goes for EVERYONE. No exception for anyone.

Answers to Pop Quiz!

1. Transcribe EMIT.
Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique

2. When is EMIT commonly used?
commonly used in screening blood (serum) for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)

Fill in the blanks:

3. EMIT is a homogenous kind of assay.
4. EMIT is the separation using antibody specificity.
5-7. Quantitation is done by measuring enzyme-substrate reactions using visible spectroscopy, and standard curve.
8. The test makes use of antibodies that are enzyme linked that react only when the sample is positive with the drug being tested.
9 & 10. The specimens of choice for EMIT are blood and urine.

Pop Quiz! EMIT

1. Transcribe EMIT.

2. When is EMIT commonly used?

Fill in the blanks:

3. EMIT is a ________ kind of assay.

4. EMIT is the separation using ___________ specificity.

5-7. Quantitation is done by measuring ____________reactions using visible ___________, and ___________.

8. The test makes used of __________________ that react only when the sample is positive with the drug being tested.

9 & 10. The specimens of choice for EMIT are __________ and _________.


In your own words, explain the principle of EMIT, and why it is widely used.

EMIT - Enzyme-Multiplied Immunoassay Technique

What is EMIT?

E- Enzyme

M- Multiplied

I- Immunoassay

T- Technique


Emit is:

• cheapest and simplest technique
• an analytical method used in Clinical Toxicology
• commonly used in screening blood (serum) for TDM (Therapeutic Drug Monitoring) and as a primary screening procedure of abused drugs and their metabolines in the urine.
• it is the first homogenous assay to be widely used.
• the separation using antibody specificity (antigen binding).
• measurement of enzyme-substrate reactions using visible spectroscopy, and standard curve.
• produces reliable results
• the test utilizes antibodies that are enzyme linked and react only with the specific substance in the sample(urine or blood) is positive with the particular drug being tested.

Components of the Assay & Principle:

• drug in the specimen (urine/serum)
• Ab -- Antibody
• Ag -- Antigen
• substrate
• enzyme labeled antigen
• enzyme bound to drug
• reagent enzyme Ag

Ag being measured competes for the Ab binding sites with the antigen that has been labeled with an enzyme ---->the antibody reagent blocks any enzymatic activity when it is bound with the reagent enzyme Ag complex (thus preventing the formation of the product with a substrate) ----> then the free Ag-enzyme complexes compete with the Ag (in the sample) ----> forming a color change which are proportional to the concentration of the Ag present in the tested sample.


References: Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis by Henry et. al.

My TOP 10

This writing project is brought to you by the yearly Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2009: Visit the site to know more about this project by Ma'am Janet.

These are my choice for the Top Ten Emerging Influential Bloggers


1. Holly Jahangiri - It's All a Matter of Perspective: Mine
http://jahangiri.us/news/

2. Dr. Lorenzo Bernardino - Zorlone
http://zorlone.blogspot.com/

3. Jan Geronimo - Writing to Exhale
http://writingtoexhale.com/

4. Roy dela Cruz - The Struggling Blogger
http://thestrugglingblogger.168center.com/

5. Angel Cuala - Fatherbloggerdotcom
http://fatherblogger.com/

6. Kelvin Servigon - Kelvinonian Ideas 2
http://kelvinonian.com/

7. Irene - Lifelots
http://lifelots.blogspot.com/

8. Bing - I Love/Hate America
http://www.ilovehateamerica.com/

9. Luke - A Walk in the Dark
http://darkestshade.blogspot.com/

10.Dee - Tales from the Mom Side
http://www.talesfromthemomeside.com/

The contest is sponsored by:

Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, Business Summaries, Fitness Advantage Club, Events and Corporate Video, http://www.eventsatwork.com/, Dominguez Marketing Communications, Red Mobile, Budget hotel in Makati, Lucio C. Tan Group of Companies and Blog4Reviews.com.

Thyroid Video

Credits to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BrOS1W9Lpk

Let’s check your answers!

1. Thyroid hormone and calcitonin are the two hormones secreted by the thyroid gland.

2. Follicles are sphere thyroid cells adjoining core of a viscous substance called colloid.

3. Triiodothyronine(T3) and Tetraiodothyronine (T4) are the two active forms of thyroid hormone.

4. Calcitonin is secreted by parafollicular C cells and involved in the calcium homeostasis.

5. Thyroid gland is a hefty endocrine gland situated in the base of the neck and has a comparable form to that of the butterfly.

6. Thyroid hormone is concerned with regulation of the metabolic rate , neurologic development and numerous other body functions.

7. Calcitonin is a 32-amino acid linear polypeptide hormone that is produced in humans primarily by the parafollicular cells.

8. 150 ug/day is the recommended minimum intake of iodine per day.

9. Thyrotoxicosis is a result of excessive thyroid hormone ingestion or leakage of stored thyroid hormone from storage.

10. Thyroid Autoimmunity uses bioassay to determine the presence of autoimmune hyperthyroidism.

Case 1



What additional test/s can you suggest to diagnose the patient's disease?

The additional tests that can be performed to differentiate hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are the T3 Test, T4 Test, Total T4 Test which are increase in hyperthyroidism and TSH Level is decrease. While in hypothythoidism it is vice – versa. The T3 Test, T4 Test, Total T4 Test are decrease and TSH level is increase.

Based on the clinical manifestation presented what is your primary diagnosis?

The primary diagnosis of the patient’s is she is experiencing postpartum hypothyroidism which cannot be identified easily because the signs and symptoms of being pregnant with that of hypothyroidism are just the same. But after birth of the baby there is a noticeable retarded growth which is also a sign of deficiency in thyroid hormone.

What are the possible signs and symptoms of her disease?

According to Harrison’s Principle of Internal medicine, 17^th Edition the signs of hypothyroidism are dry coarse skin; cool peripheral extremities, puffy face, hands, and feet (myxedema), diffuse alopecia, bradycardia, peripheral edema, delayed tendon reflex relaxation, carpal tunnel syndrome, serous cavity effusions while the symptoms are tiredness, weakness, dry skin, feeling cold, hair loss, difficulty concentrating and poor memory, weight gain with poor appetite, dyspnea, hoarse voice, menorrhagia (later oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea).

Case 2

Aside from the test listed above what additional test can you suggest to diagnose the patient's disease?

Aside from serum TSH and autoantibody test T3 Test, T4 Test, Total T4 Test can be performed to confirm hypothyroidism. The presence of autoantibody indicates that the T- cell of the body attacks its own thyroid gland.



Based on the clinical manifestation presented what is your primary diagnosis?

Based on the clinical manifestations the patient is experiencing hashimotos’ thyroiditis which is a condition caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body inappropriately attacks the thyroid gland--as if it was foreign tissue.

What are the possible signs and symptoms of her disease?

Symptoms of Hashimoto's thyroiditis include weight gain, depression, mania, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, panic attacks, bradycardia, tachycardia, high cholesterol, reactive hypoglycemia, constipation, migraines, muscle weakness, cramps, memory loss, infertility and hair loss.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is often misdiagnosed as depression, cyclothymia, PMS, and, less frequently as bipolar disorder or as anxiety disorder. Testing for TSH and anti-thyroid antibodies can resolve any diagnostic difficulty. (wikipedia.org)

References:

Harrison’s Principle of Internal medicine, 17^th Edition

Pathologic Basis of Disease 7^th Edition, Robbinson et. al.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashimoto's_thyroiditis

http//www.medicine.net

Picture retrieved from:

vidadeunconsultor.blogspot.com