A simple view on Catecholamine test

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The topic assigned to me by my beloved professor in Clinical Chemistry is the "Catecholamine test", by that time when she assigned me the topic, I was really excited and happy, because we've just discuss it a week ago prior that day.  So, I hurriedly get my notebook and scan my lecture and *poof* I saw the topic about the catecholamine test and everything about catecholamines. Still, my lecture was not that sufficient enough so I borrowed a book from one of my classmates. Then, as I browsed the book and read my topic. I learned a lot of information, so allow me to share it to you.

Before proceeding to the main topic, allow me to discuss what is Catecholamine first.

Catecholamines increase our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle strength, breathing rate and mental alertness. The one who is responsible for production of catecholamines is the adrenal gland which makes a large amount of catecholamines due to stress. There are different catecholamines but only the main catecholamines our the one to be discuss these are, norardrenaline (norepinephrine), epinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine. This three helps to breakdown the metanephrine and VMA, which are excreted through urine.

Now allow me to discuss the test and why it is being done.

The test is being done to help diagnose a tumor in the adrenal glands called Pheochromocytoma.

It is done by collecting a 24 hour urine specimen, Catecholamine have only seconds to 2 minutes half lives and circulate in a little amount in the body.

References:

Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Procedures, Correlations by Bishop  pages 425-428
Clinical Chemistry: A Fundamental Textbook by Donald F. Calbreath pages 340-347

Image:

http://www.edward.org/

Drug testing: A journey to heaven and death.

DO YOU AGREE THAT DRUG TESTING SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT FOR SCHOOL ADMISSION?

http://sdti.ed.gov/about.aspx

For me it's a Yes and No. 

Let me first discuss why I said "Yes!". As a student in the campus which is our second home, by doing drug testing we can assure that the students who will be entering or enrolling at the university are physically and mentally fit, so to avoid unnecessary incidents like brawling nor other bad stuffs that may influence non-drug users. Also I think it is a must, especially for us college students because whether we deny it or not, our generation today is totally curious on different things like drugs. If a student wants to use or currently using a drug because of the so-called "Peer-pressure", through this program which is drug testing, the school administrators would be able to detect those who are using prohibited drugs. Just like one of our prof in CFE in our early years in college said that, every single person is unique and capable of doing beautiful things, it's just that sad to know that these people who are using drugs can't maximize their skills and can't be the best person they could ever be on their lives. We always said that, "Ang Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan." so let's prove it now by supporting various program like the drug testing program, the change is within ourselves. Lets be the best of ourselves that we can ever be.

As you've read my statement above, you will see that I definitely want the school administrators to required as student to have drug testing. On other hand, I also answered "No!", why?

Because come to think of it if drug testing is never a requirement in school, it can give a chance for a drug user to enter the school, knowing that they would be apprehended on their choice as a drug user. It is our own free-will, the choice is always ours as everyone knows. Yes, using drugs is bad, but will you deprive a problematic user from wanting to learn? Will you deprive a user of education?.

Image source:  http://sdti.ed.gov/about.aspx

A MATCH TO REMEMBER!

“Hello! I am Jem, a 2 years old spoiled brat kid. As I remember, I love to crawl, walk, run, jump and fly until there are no limits. Most of all I love to EAT as long there is something I can put on my mouth and start chewing it. I remember someone asked me if I have any experience of toxicity in my life; I smiled at him and replied to him a big YES!”

One sweet beautiful morning, I was very hungry there were no “Chocobots, Bazooka bubble gum, Yankee and Pintura” on my room. So as my stomach started to crave for food that time, I saw a MATCHBOX!.

And guess what happens next….

I went nearby the matchbox and slowly picked it up. I observed it carefully and the next thing I did is I open the box and saw a bunch of LOLLIPOP!. (I thought it was my favorite lollipop “Chupa chups”, but sad to say the lollipop I ate was a real match!) LOL.

Maybe it was a suddenly acute awareness of being a spoiled brat. I just felt something pulling at me, nagging at me, a soft voice telling me to do it, to see for myself what the taste was like.

And..

And..

And..

END of the introduction because unfortunately I forgot all the details about it and I don’t have any plan to reminisce it all over again (haha).

Let’s talk about the MATCH,

Maybe you are wondering what are the different chemical composition presents on the match head. The match head is typically composed of the following:

• 45-55% potassium chlorate
• a neutralizer (ZnO)
• 20-40% of siliceous filler
• glue

As you can see KClO₃ is present. In pure form, it is a white crystalline substance. It is the most common chlorate in industrial use, and is usually present in well-stocked laboratories. It is used:

• as a disinfectant
• as an oxidizing agent
• in matches
• in explosives and fireworks
• in cultivation

The following are the effects of Potassium Chlorate when:

• Ingestion – cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

• Inhaled – cause irritation to the respiratory tract.
• Skin Contact – irritation to the skin.

As for me I accidentally ate the match and chew it like a crispy friend chicken of KFC, luckily nothing bad happens to me that time. (Is it really an accident? )

A Match to remember :]

Image by: Me, Myself and I

Reference: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_chlorate

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/p5620.htm

P.S

Eating match is kinda hmm.. never mind!

One sweet Wednesday morning...

As a student it is a part of our everyday life in school to study and listen to our teachers. As all we know after several hours of discussion. We should always expect for a TEST!, it is a must now a days (i think so hehe). Maybe some of you are feeling nervous whenever the teacher announced that there would be a test for the next 5 or 10 minutes.

So, the question is "Is a test really important?". The answer is YES! Because through various tests we could evaluate ourselves whether we are performing well at the class. Just like on our body we need to undergo on different tests to know if our body is functioning well.

"Thyroid hormone test". My previous post was about Thyroid hormone. Now let me discuss to you what is a Thyroid hormone test is, thyroid hormone tests are tests for the blood that check how well the thyroid gland is working. Maybe you are wondering why it is done? 

Thyroid hormone test are done to:

• To screen newborns to find out if the thyroid gland function is normal.
• To find out what is causing an abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone test.
• To check how well the treatment of thyroid disease is working.

Thyroid hormone test include:

• T3 test, This test is done to check your thyroid function. Thyroid function is complex and depends on the action of many different hormones, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4. Sometimes it can be useful to measure both T3 and T4 when looking at thyroid function. The T3 test can measure both the T3 that is attached to proteins and floating free in the blood. The range for normal values is 100 to 200 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter).

 

          Drugs that can increase T3 measurements include:

    

         - Birth control pills
         - Clofibrate
         - Estrogens
         - Methadone

         Drugs that can decrease T3 measurements include:

         - Anabolic steroids
         - Androgens
         - Antithyroid drugs (for example, propylthiouracil and methimazole)

•  T4 test, This test measures the amount of thyroxine, or T4, in your blood. T4 levels are important, because T4 increases numerous enzymes that produce energy for the body. T4 test is primarily ordered in response to an abnormal TSH test result. Sometimes the T4 will be ordered along with a TSH to give the doctor a more complete evaluation of the adequacy of the thyroid hormone feedback system. These tests are usually ordered when a patient has symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism. Normal range is: 4.5 to 11.2 mcg/dL (micrograms per deciliter).

          Drugs that can increase T3 measurements include:

    

         - Estrogens
         - Amiodarone
         - Estrogens
         - Birth control pills

         Drugs that can decrease T3 measurements include:

         - Androgens
         - Propylthiouracil
         - Propranolol

• TSH -test. often the test of choice for evaluating thyroid function and/or symptoms of hyper- or hypothyroidism.

                   

          TSH testing is used to:  

                               

          - screen newborns for an underactive thyroid,

          - monitor thyroid replacement therapy in people with hypothyroidism

                     

Below is a video wherein Dr. Tim D.C Lind describes the proper testing for thyroid conditions:

Book references:
Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Procedures, Correlations by Bishop
Clinical Chemistry: A Fundamental Textbook by Donald F. Calbreath

Image source:
http://bruteforcestudyguide.com


Video source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMWuboBRxFw

A view from the cloud!

 Just got home from the gym and here I am sitting at the front of my desktop computer while surfing the net, eating my favorite dish "Pork Adobo" and at the same time browsing my books wherein it has something to do with "Endocrine System". Bishop, Calbreath and Marshall & Bangert, these are the authors of the books that will help me explain the Thyroid gland which is under the Endocrine system carefully.

Photo by Go Inso Photography

"I cannot lose even a pound of my weight!", "I hate this body! I'm so fat" and blah blah blah!. I hear it all the time at the classroom, gym, canteen or should I say Everywhere. Most of the times, it is kinda exaggerated as I watch the same people complain.Sometimes it disturbs me. Sometimes it makes me laugh. I said it "disturbs me" because not being able to lose weight is a very real biological problem for a very small percentage of the population, especially women. Sometimes these are the persons who actually done all they can do and give up and usually they succumb to the life of a couch potato out of frustration, of which the source is an underactive Thyroid Gland.

Photo by Pitt.edu

Just like what I've explained on my previous post, Endocrine system is  a system of glands that secrete chemicals called Hormones into the bloodstream and the Thyroid gland which is our main topic is a part of this. Hormones can act slowly or quickly, they are responsible for enormous growth and change and also they govern our emotions. 

 

Awhile ago, I mentioned the term "weight loss". Wherein in the terms of weight loss and weight gain, the spotlight is turned on a different part of the Endocrine system and a different type of hormone, of which is the Thyroid Gland is the star.

According to "Principles of Human Anatomy by Gerard J Tortora, page 617 of Chapter 18", thyroid gland resides in the front of the neck just below the larynx. It consists of two lobes which make the structure look a bit like a butterfly. Its power is not to be underestimated. This gland can make you either love your mirror or make you want to hide under your quilt in your baggy tracksuit pants since it's main job is to make thyroxine. Simply put, if you do not have an adequate amount of thyroxine in your blood stream to stimulate your metabolism, it will be very difficult for you to lose weight. 

The paragraph above already mentioned one of the hormones that the thyroid gland secretes,  Thyroxine(T4) which is an iodine-containing hormone. It is form by combining the amino acid tyrosine with iodine. The following are the functions of Thyroxine:

• It causes an increase rate in CHO metabolism.
• A sudden rise in rate of protein synthesis and breakdown.
• excites the nervous system and leads to increased activity of the Endocrine system.

The next hormone to be discuss is Triiodothyronine(T3), it affects almost of the every physiological process in the body, including metabolism, body temperature, heart rate and growth. It is the most powerful hormone produce by the Thyroid gland. There are two types of T3 thyroid hormones. The first one, called type I is found in the liver and the second, type II, is found in the pituitary. Both thyroid hormones. The following are the functions of Triiodothyronine:

• Increased the consumption of both oxygen and energy in the body.
• Increased the synthesis and degradation of endogenous macromolecules.
• Increased protein degradation and synthesis.
• has a role in the breakdown of cholesterol.

The last hormone to be discuss is the Calcitonin, wherein it has to do with calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The major source of this hormon is from the C cells that can be found in the thyroid gland.

Video by neurocirujo

Take note, to be a PROUD owner of a healthy thyroid gland, and have more efficient metabolism, you will also need to consume adequate amounts of the mineral, Iodine.

Upon reading my post, I know some of you right now are wondering if there is such a thing as an Overactive Thyroid. Well, the answer is YES!, there is, and NO!, no because it is not a ticket to slim heaven!

As of now, our Endocrine system is working hard, to keep us healthy and active, just like all the other systems in the body and it doesn't require much upkeep. All we have to do is stay healthy and get some regular exercise and expect our general metabolism to slow down a little as we get old.

Kudos everyone! Now, I'm off to eat a full dinner after some intense gym sessions. Thank you for your time reading my post. Salamat.

Images source:

Image by Go Inso Photography

Image by Pitt.edu

Book references:

Clinical Chemistry: A Fundamental Textbook by Donald F. Calbreath

Clinical Chemistry by William J. Marshall, Stephen K. Bangert

Clinical Chemistry: Principles, Procedures, Correlations by Bishop

Principles of Human Anatomy by Gerard J Tortora

Online source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid

http://thyroid.about.com/library/links/blthyroid.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid_hormone

http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyfunction.html

http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~VxyrNsQJPivkur

Goodbye CC2, Welcome CC3!

I'm already done reading some of my books and surfing the net for my assignment in Clinical Chemistry 3 which includes Endocrinology, Toxicology and Drug testing. At first I made, a rough draft at Ms-Word to summarize all the things that I've read, I took a rest for a minute but after that I found myself sleeping in the front of my desktop computer and it’s already 3 a.m in the morning. So here we go!

I. Endocrinology

Photo by: Kequo

It’s already 3 a.m and still I am figuring how to start a good introduction here at my blog. So basically, I just told you guys that I got totally messed up because I found myself sleeping in the front of the computer. Now that I mentioned SLEEPING (sorry for the all caps, basically I hate this when this is happening to me), do you know that the hormone melatonin is the one responsible that help us to regulate our sleeping patterns. So as all we know melatonin is a hormone wherein it has something to do with the term Endocrinology. Let's start talking about Endocrinology!

Endocrinology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorder of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones. Endocrine system is an efficient means of controlling by the use of hormones, it is the most important factor in the control of the basic processes of the individual, such as metabolism, growth and reproduction.

Human Endocrinology is easily understood on how hormones are being secreted by different glands into the blood and dispersed to cells within the body. Each of the hormone group is described in a separate chapter, dealing with the factors affecting the hormones secretion.

Hormones are molecules that act as signals from one type of cells to another. Those secreted by the endocrine glands travel primarily through the blood. The major endocrine glands are the thyroid, the two adrenals, the four parathyroids, the pituitary, the pancreas, and the paired testes or ovaries. Hormones are also produced by tissues or organs whose function is not primarily an endocrine one.

Source:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3285182

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrinology

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=endocrin

Lecture Notes: Endocrinology and Diabetes,Sam A,. Meeran K,. 2009

II. Toxicology

Photo by: rwsphoto

I went to the kitchen to find some foods at the refrigerator but suddenly I noticed there were ants at the dishes left at the sink that attracts them (maybe my brother was the one responsible for this mess). After noticing that incident, something came up on my mind. I remember the story that one of my friends told me, it’s about that a woman who was very upset because her little girl caught eating Fire ants / Red ants called him via phone. My friend quickly reassured her that ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital.

So, upon hearing his story I quickly get my laptop and start surfing the net if there are really poisonous ants. Some tells that ”Yes!” they are really poisonous ants, because they do have venom. That will cause you to itch. If bitten several times by numerous ants, this will cause any type of severe allergic reaction. Some said “No!”, they are not poisonous unless you eat them in cupfuls you should be fine unless. Enough of this Ant’s thing and let’s just move on to the next topic. The reason I wrote it is because they have something to do with toxicology, their venom.

According to Concise Pocket Medical Dictionary 2nd edition, 2009, U.N Panda. Toxicology, is a branch of science dealing with toxic substances, their detection, pharmacological action, selection of suitable antidotes, treatment and prevention of their symptoms.

Toxicology is typically divided between mechanistic studies, which understand and explain the basis for such effects and the second is observational studies, looking at what effects result from exposure to a particular substance. Clinical toxicology involves the application of toxicological principles within a diagnostic setting.

Source:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicology

www.chemlin.net/chemistry/toxicology.htm

Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (Casarett & Doull Toxicology), 2001

III. Drug Testing

    Photo by: eowmg

After returning from the kitchen, I noticed my driver's license. My license has about to expire this year. So basically, I will need to renew it before it's expiration date and the bad thing is it is too expensive because you will need to pay for the medical examination which includes the drug testing and I need to get a medical certificate. Basically, the drug testing for me is just a quite weird for me. Because what is basically their point? An addicted to a certain illegal drugs like shabu, marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy can stop for a while taking drugs to renew his/her license. Weird! Anyways let's move to our next topic Drug testing.

According to our friendly neighborhood Wikipedia, Drug testing is a technical analysis of a biological specimen - for example urine, hair, blood, sweat, or oral fluid / saliva - to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites. I know before reading this, you guys exactly know what is drug testing all about.

As mentioned above there are different types on how to conduct a drug testing. As a future medical laboratory scientist, Urine drug testing is the most common test we do and not only by us, but also other federally mandated drug testing programs. Oral drug testing or the saliva testing is non-invasive and easy to collect specimen while sweat drug testing is very easy to collect the specimen and no comfort room needed to collect the specimen, these drug tests are relatively tamper proof since they are hard to manipulate. A laboratory is not required for analysis.

Source:

http://www.drugtest.org/

http://aboutdrugtesting.org/drug_test.htm

Biopharmaceutics and Drug Hypersensitivity (Pharmacology - Research, Safety Testing and Regulation) by Paul Mossillo and John Pinzini