Did you know Drug Testing It is becoming more and more common for drug testing to be used during a custody dispute or evaluation. With recreational drug use increasing every year, the chance that one or both of the parents involved in a custody battle has used drugs goes up proportionately. Accusations of drug use, whether true or false, almost always result in the ordering of drug testing by the court. A drug test can be a valuable tool to assist in determining the fitness of a particular parent, but the use of this tool must be balanced against the fact that drug testing is not always accurate. Needless to say, a "false positive" result on a drug test can destroy any chance that you had for gaining custody. Should you be asked (or ordered) to take a drug test, follow the guidelines below to ensure that your rights are preserved during this process.
Do you know Drug Testing If you are asked to submit to a drug test, always say "yes", but do not commit to a test date before you consult with your attorney. Inform the person asking that you are willing to be drug tested but that you will need to consult with your attorney privately and clear it with him first. There may be valid reasons why your attorney would not want you to be tested.
If you consent to drug testing, always schedule a private test first. Pay for the test in cash, NOT with a check or credit card. Ask that the results be sent to your attorney's office- this is safer than having them sent to your home or work address. Once you have the results you can decide how to proceed. If the test comes back positive, ask that another test be performed or that another type of test be used.
Sit down and make a comprehensive list of all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and foods that you've taken in the last several months. Many prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and even foods can cause "false positives" on drug tests. All drugs alter body chemistry; after all, that is why they're taken. Unfortunately, changes in body chemistry can fool some drug tests and produce inaccurate results ("false positives").
Ask the company doing the drug test to provide you with information on the kind of test that will be done. Also ask the company for a list of all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and foods that may interfere with the drug test results. If the company refuses to provide such a list, instruct your attorney to subpoena a list from them. You may also do your own research to find out what medicines or foods could cause the drug test to be invalid.
Request a copy of the laboratory's certification for drug testing, then investigate. What is their "false positive" rate? Has the laboratory's certification ever been suspended, revoked? Has the company ever been cited or found to be in violation of the certification? How long have they been in business? The answers may show that the company cannot be relied upon to provide accurate results.
Do you know Drug Testing If you're being asked to take a drug test, always insist that your spouse be tested too. If you're willing to do it, they should be willing to do it. Insist that the cost of the testing be split 50/50 between you.
Drinking plenty of water and juices helps rid the body of impurities. Stay away from coffee, tea and carbonated beverages if possible. Also refrain from drinking alcohol. While alcohol is being metabolized the body does little else in the way of processing other foods and ingestibles, preferring to concentrate on the alcohol because it is an extremely rich source of energy and sugars. In other words, consuming alcohol slows the body's process of clearing itself of other impurities.
Whenever possible, schedule your drug test for the afternoon, not in the morning. Chemical impurities are at higher concentrations in the body early in the day than later in the day (when your body has had some time to process them). Urine, for example, is typically most concentrated in the morning. If the testing laboratory insists that you schedule a morning drug test, agree, then call in on the day of the test and tell them that you will be late due to unforeseen circumstances (you got stuck in traffic, the car broke down, the bus was late, etc). Reassure them that you will be in to take the test as soon as you possibly can, then show up in the afternoon. If they want to reschedule you for another morning test, refuse. Tell them that you are here now, that you want to take your test now and that you don't want to have to come back again. If they refuse, insist that they give you a written note stating that they would not allow you to take the drug test at this time. Drug Test Interaction With Medicines And Foods
Be aware that certain foods and over-the-counter medications can cause you to test "positive" for various kinds of drugs.
Poppy seeds, for example, can show up on a drug test as morphine.
Cold remedies that contain codeine can also cause a positive result for morphine.
Valium reportedly can produce erroneous indications of PCP (Phencyclidine), and other cold remedies can apparently produce false reports of methamphetamine usage.
Dextromethorphan can produce a falsely positive qualitative urine opiate screening.
The widespread availability of hemp-containing products, including everything from hemp-seed oil nutritional supplements to hemp-seed candy, cookies, cheese, bread, cooking oil, and general seasoning, means that ingesting ANY of these products could potentially cause a false positive result on a test for marijuana.
Ibuprofen, contained in Advil, Nuprin, and Mortin, can make a positive result for marijauna. The EMIT test (an immunoassay test) has therefore been changed to use a different enzyme to eliminate false positives due to Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen in very high doses will still interfere with both the EMIT and the GC/MS (Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer) test. Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen is a common pain reliever that (even in low dosages) used to cause a false THC positive on the EMIT test. The EMIT has been changed to use a different enzyme to eliminate false positives due to Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen in very high doses will still interfere with both the EMIT and the GC/MS. There is some conflicting data here because some sources say that the GC/MS tests can distinguish between Ibuprofen and THC (as well as other over-the-counter drugs).
Common over the counter cold, asthma, and allergy remedies and diet pills such as Diatec, Dexatrim, Cotylenol, Triaminic, Primatene, Bronkotabs, and Nyquil can show up as positive for amphetamines.
Do you know Vicks Formula-44, Demerol, Mydol, Primatene-M and common prescription antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofanil can show up as positive for opiates such as opium and heroin.
Ephedra, also known as Ephedra Alkaloids or 'MaHuang Extract' has a chemical structure which is closely related to amphetamine, and can reportedly give a false positive for amphetamines. Often sold as an 'energy pill' it is an effective decongestant in low doses.
Valerian root is reported to cause false positives for benzodiazepines. Other herbal supplements such as Kava Kava and St Johns Wort may also affect body chemistry such that false positives are produced.
Zoloft is reported to cause false positives in urine screens, although for what specific substance isn't clear.
Do you know Primatene can also show up as positive for barbiturates, and Benadryl can show up positive for Methadone.
Some additional over the counter medicines that may cause various kinds of drug test interactions include Alka-Seltzer plus, Allerest, Bronkaid, Contac, Donnagel, Sinuntab, and Sudafed. Common Testing MethodsSeveral different methods of drug testing are available. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Urine TestThe most common form of drug testing is to analyze a sample of urine for traces of drugs. A positive test result only indicates that a drug was used sometime in the recent past; it does not tell whether or not the person was under the influence when giving the sample. For detecting alcohol, a urine test is accurate but is not used because it correlates poorly with blood levels when usual collection procedures are used. Blood TestA blood test measures the actual amount of alcohol or other drugs in the blood at the time of the test. Unlike the urine test, the results tell whether or not the person was under the influence at the time the test was done. Saliva and Hair TestsResearchers have begun studying the testing of hair and saliva to detect alcohol and other drug use. Early results suggest that testing saliva may be a valid testing method. The accuracy, reliability, and interpretation of hair testing have been determined to be useable in a court of law, although the actual accuracy is still open to some debate. Breath-Alcohol TestA breath test is the most common method of testing for alcohol. The results tell if the individual is under the influence of alcohol at the time the breath sample is taken. Alcohol is metabolized out of the body in a relatively short period of time; therefore, unless a person is under the influence at the time the specimen is collected, a breath test for alcohol will not detect alcohol use that occurred a day earlier.
Did you know Drug Testing
Did you know Genetic fingerprinting
Did you know 
genetic Fingerprinting (also called DNA testing, DNA typing, or DNA profiling) is a technique used to distinguish between individuals of the same species using only samples of their DNA. Although two individuals will have the vast majority of their DNA sequence in common, DNA profiling exploits highly variable repeat sequences called VNTRs. These loci are variable enough that two unrelated humans are unlikely to have the same alleles. The technique was first reported in 1984 by Dr. Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester, and is now the basis of several national DNA identification databases.
Reference samples
DNA identification must be done by an extraction of DNA from substances such as:
Personal items (e.g. toothbrush, razor, ...)
Banked samples (e.g. banked sperm or biopsy tissue)
Blood kin (biological relative)
Human remains previously identified
Reference samples are often collected using buccal swab.
Variations of VNTR allele lengths in 6 individuals.
Did you know DNA supercoil
The simple figure eight is the simplest supercoil, and is the shape a circular DNA assumes to accommodate one too many or one too few helical twists. The two lobes of the figure eight will appear rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to one another, depending on whether the helix is over or underwound. For each additional helical twist being accommodated, the lobes will show one more rotation about their axis.
The noun form "supercoil" is rarely used in the context of DNA topology. Instead, global contortions of a circular DNA, such as the rotation of the figure-eight lobes above, are referred to as writhe. The above example illustrates that twist and writhe are interconvertible. "Supercoiling" is an abstract mathematical property, and represents the sum of twist and writhe. The twist is the number of helical turns in the DNA and the writhe is the number of times the double helix crosses over on itself (these are the supercoils). The relationship of twist, writhe and supercoiling is expressed as the equation:
S = T + W.
Extra helical twists are positive and lead to positive supercoiling, while subtractive twisting causes negative supercoiling. Many topoisomerase enzymes sense supercoiling and either generate or dissipate it as they change DNA topology. DNA of most organisms is negatively supercoiled.
Do you know In part because chromosomes may be very large, segments in the middle may act as if their ends are anchored. As a result, they may be unable to distribute excess twist to the rest of the chromosome or to absorb twist to recover from underwinding--the segments may become supercoiled, in other words. In response to supercoiling, they will assume an amount of writhe, just as if their ends were joined.
Supercoiled DNA forms two structures; a plectoneme or a toroid, or a combination of both. A negatively supercoiled DNA molecule will produce either a one-start left-handed helix, the toroid, or a two-start right-handed helix with terminal loops, the plectoneme. Plectonemes are typically more common in nature, and this is the shape most bacterial plasmids will take. For larger molecules it is common for hybrid structures to form - a loop on a toroid can extend into a plectoneme. If all the loops on a toroid extend then it becomes a branch point in the plectonemic structure.
Did you know DNA Data Bank
Did you know a serial predator is on the loose in Reno, Nevada. He’s already murdered one young victim – 19-year-old Brianna Denison – and DNA evidence connects him to at least two other sexual assaults. As investigators worked to identify this monster, they ran into a huge roadblock. Detectives thought that there might be more attacks linked to the same suspect – and that the predator might be someone who lready has a criminal record. In Nevada, as in most states, every convicted felon must submit a DNA sample. But here’s the problem: in Washoe County, where Reno is located, an estimated 3000 DNA samples were sitting on a shelf, waiting to be analyzed and added to the database. Lack of funds to do all the work had created the backlog. Whether the killer’s DNA was among those 3000 samples – or if they contained evidence matching him to yet another case – the police had no way of knowing. Private citizens, unwilling to accept that, helped raise $160,000 so that the backlog could be cleared. Unfortunately, the answers police needed weren’t in there.
Even more unfortunately, the situation in Washoe County is far from unique. The Justice Department recently admitted that the FBI has a huge backlog of DNA from convicted criminals waiting to be tested – nearly 200,000 samples. And the backlog is growing. There’s no question that the FBI needs more funding for this important job, because I think that we need to expand the bureau’s nationwide DNA data bank, known as CODIS, even further. I’d like to see every state have mandatory collection of DNA from everybody charged with a felony, not just convicted of one. I’d like all of that information in CODIS, so that every law enforcement agency in the country has access to it.
Imagine if there was a national DNA data bank that was up-to-date, not years behind in its work. It would help solve hundreds of crimes – and it would help absolve many accused people of crimes they didn’t commit. We need to be uniformly collecting DNA profiles from both convicted AND accused criminals across the country. And we must make sure that everyone involved, from the FBI to local law enforcement, has all the resources they need to make that happen.
Did you know DNA Base Pairing Principle
Did you know the Base Pairing Principle is: Complementary base pairs are: adenine and thymine (A - T )guanine and cytosine (G - C)
The base pairing is called complementary because there are specific geometry requirements in the formation of hydrogen bonds between the heterocylic amines. Heterocyclic amine base pairing is an application of the hydrogen bonding principle. In the structures for the complementary base pairs given in the graphic on the left, notice that the thymine - adenine pair interacts through two hydrogen bonds represented as (T=A) and that the cytosine-guanine pair interacts through three hydrogen bonds represented as (C=G).
Although other base pairing-hydrogen bonding combinations may be possible, they are not utilized because the bond distances do not correspond to those given by the base pairs already cited. The diameter of the helix is 20 Angstroms.
Did you know alternative double-helical structures
Did you know DNA exists in many possible conformations. However, only A-DNA, B-DNA, and Z-DNA have been observed in organisms. Which conformation DNA adopts depends on the sequence of the DNA, the amount and direction of supercoiling, chemical modifications of the bases and also solution conditions, such as the concentration of metal ions and polyamines. Of these three conformations, the "B" form described above is most common under the conditions found in cells. The two alternative double-helical forms of DNA differ in their geometry and dimensions.
The A form is a wider right-handed spiral, with a shallow, wide minor groove and a narrower, deeper major groove. The A form occurs under non-physiological conditions in dehydrated samples of DNA, while in the cell it may be produced in hybrid pairings of DNA and RNA strands, as well as in enzyme-DNA complexes. Segments of DNA where the bases have been chemically-modified by methylation may undergo a larger change in conformation and adopt the Z form. Here, the strands turn about the helical axis in a left-handed spiral, the opposite of the more common B form. These unusual structures can be recognized by specific Z-DNA binding proteins and may be involved in the regulation of transcription.
Did you know Chemical differences between DNA & RNA
Did you know both RNA and DNA are composed of repeated units. The repeating units of RNA are ribonucleotide monophosphates and of DNA are 2'-deoxyribonucleotide monophosphates.
Both RNA and DNA form long, unbranched polynucleotide chains in which different purine or pyrimidine bases are joined by N-glycosidic bonds to a repeating sugar-phosphate backbone.
The chains have a polarity. The sequence of a nucleic acid is customarily read from 5' to 3'. For example the sequence of the RNA molecule is AUGC and of the DNA molecule is ATGC
The base sequence carries the information, i.e. the sequence ATGC has different information that AGCT even though the same bases are involved.
Consequences of RNA/DNA chemistry
The DNA backbone is more stable, especially to alkaline conditions. The 2' OH on the RNA forms 2'3'phosphodiester intermediates under basic conditions which breaks down to a mix of 2' and 3' nucleoside monophosphates. Therefore, the RNA polynucleotide is unstable.
The 2' deoxyribose allows the sugar to assume a lower energy conformation in the backbone. This helps to increase the stability of DNA polynucleotides. The following link shows 3-D models of the DNA and RNA nucleotides.
Cytidine deamination to Uridine can be detected in DNA but not RNA because deamination of Cytidine in DNA leads to Uridine not Thymidine. Uridine bases in DNA are removed by a specific set of DNA repair enzymes and replaced with cytidine bases.
