By Ross Chandler
In January of 2006 a representative of Genetica DNA Laboratory called me and asked if I was a certified specimen collector for alcohol and drug testing. I answered “Yes”, and he explained that his lab was looking for someone to do DNA collections in Southeast Oklahoma. He sent me his specimen collection protocol steps, and we signed a contract.
I had never really looked into the area of DNA before and at first believed that this science could be easily understood with some background research and reviewing the latest articles on DNA on the Internet. I was very wrong! I spent several hours studying how DNA testing takes place, the different tests such as Mitochondrial testing of minuscule blood or tissue samples. Finally in desperation I admitted that at my age I may not be trainable in any depth on this subject. However, I may be able to share some basic insight with my readers on this revolutionary new science that will make changes in our lives whether we want it or not. Let me again admit I am not bright enough to understand all the details of the DNA laboratory process but can talk about some basics of the overall process (perhaps over simplified) and how it is being used throughout the world. In very brief form I will offer the following:
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)is material that determines inheritance of skin, eye, and hair color, plus millions of other traits in humans and animals. DNA is very thin double helix string less than 1/millionth of an inch long that are packed into chromosomes of each of our cells. Chromosomes are just bunches of DNA within all the cells of our body. DNA is found in all living things including animals, plants, and even bacteria. DNA can be further classified as Mitochondrial (Mother’s unique contributions), Y-Chromosome (Father’s unique contributions) and Autosomal (Both mother and fathers contributions).
Scientists have found that they can target 13 – 20 distinct markers (or more) in a DNA strand called “loci” or “locus” (just one) that provide a unique pattern for each subject being tested. The sequencing of the loci and its contents can be coded and compared to other specimens to an extreme level of accuracy and match (or not). These markers can be thought of as tiny shelves that contain a specific order of four basic building block chemicals that I would not want to try to spell or pronounce, but we can call them A, T, G, and C. These chemicals are arranged in a specific pattern on each shelf like AATTGCTTTAAA. All the shelves of one DNA strand can be compared to the comparable shelves of another DNA strand (sometimes on a machine called a synthesizer). There are several different scientific ways of examining DNA but they all take advantage of the following characteristics:
o Unsurpassed discriminatory potential. Match of the comparative samples can approach one in hundreds of millions, billions or trillions for confirmation or exclusion. Nothing compares to this level of assurance.
o Exquisite sensitivity. Extremely small samples of tissue, blood, etc. can be analyzed for DNA characteristics.
o Applies to any body material. Samples can be hair roots, fingernails, skin cells, blood, tooth pulp, and even the cells in the fluid surrounding unborn babies.
o DNA is very stable. DNA samples can be extracted from mummies, mammoths, or skeletal remains several generations old. DNA degradation is very slow.
The use of DNA is expanding throughout most aspects of our lives without us even knowing about it. Most of us that watch “CSI Miami, FBI Files, or Cold Case Files” are aware of the sensational use of DNA in criminal case (forensic testing); however, following are just a few of the other areas of DNA use:
ü Judicial: All 50 states have passed laws that require certain classes of convicts to give up a biological sample (blood or cheek swab). Their DNA is classified in 13 distinct markers, digitized, and placed into a database. State databases are being integrated into a national database called CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) at the FBI. Over one million felon database records are now on file with CODIS. Police can access this database and check crime scene biological samples (often blood) that have been digitized against the file. There have been well over 1,000 matches so far. A positive search process is called a “cold hit”.
Child support: All 50 states have developed DNA collection procedures to determine child support requirements. DNA genetic code is passed through both the sperm and egg to the baby.
Medicine/Genetics: Scientific research involving DNA is going on to locate and isolate the cellular base of certain inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia or hemophilia, hemochromatosis, and certain forms of cancer.
Genealogy: DNA has also become useful to track distinct family ancestors back in time to early descendents through the Y chromosome of males (unchanged Y chromosome pass from father to son). This and other markers allow us to trace human evolution, distinct groups of people, migration patterns, and answer paternity questions back through many generations.
Military: All military services collect a DNA sample from each member in case identification of remains is required. Hopefully this means “No more unknown soldiers”
Siblingship: Many forms of siblingship testing can be done. For example: to determine that two sisters had the same father (or not). Another common use is to prove the family linage for applying for benefits from the Choctaw Nation or other tribes.
Inheritance: Wills sometimes bequeath blood relatives’ money or property with proof of family ties.
Immigration cases: Children living outside the U.S. may have to prove they are sons or daughters of legal immigrants living in the U.S. to be sponsored for visas or citizenship. This is also used to prove blood linage to person on Native American tribal roles so the applicant may receive federal and tribal social services.
Custody and visitation: The alleged father may have to prove his status for custody or visitation under certain conditions.
Animals: DNA testing is also fast becoming a requirement to determine the linage of pedigreed animals. My first two inquiries about my DNA services were about whether I could verify dog linage and horse linage (or not)? In addition, DNA can even be used to tell if offspring of hybrid game fish are returning to less desirable traits such as becoming smaller, more bones, less tasteful, or more prone to disease.
Personal use: Some people just want their family DNA structure on record in case it is needed in recent times or generations from now.
Following are my predictions for the future of DNA uses starting with recent times to many years from now:
DNA testing will become faster, less expensive, and even more accurate.
DNA alteration will decrease inherited diseases and be increasingly used in medicine.
DNA cloning will allow perfect duplication of animals and plants used as food sources giving the following: resistant to disease, better taste, longer shelf life, lower cost.
ü DNA testing will move from the laboratory to a portable unit that will be used on the crime scene.
DNA evaluation, digitizing, and data bank search will approach real time giving law enforcement rapid identification of “persons of interest”.
DNA will become the universal database for tracking all human beings with collections at birth. Biological samples will be collected, digitized, and stored long term.
DNA collection, digitization, and sample storage will generate new businesses of long-term storage (cryogenic, vacuum packed, freeze dried, or what ever).
DNA alteration will give parents a “Baby Kit” to provide sex, eye color, and other physical characteristics of a planned baby.
Lastly, DNA alteration will be used to perfect our human species in ways not yet imagined! Hopefully this will be done for the best of reasons.
For more information on local DNA services contact Ross Chandler at 580-286-6577.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Friday, August 24, 2007
Chemical Abusers: Chameleon Like Personalities
By Ross Chandler
Many alcohol and drug abusers develop a chameleon like personality with a collection of tactics to dodge, use, and abuse those around them. Victim examples are parents, children, spouses, employers, concerned friends, and occasionally doctors and counselors. These tactics also seem to follow similar patterns for both alcohol and drug abusers. It is almost like they are issued and rigorously use a handbook that could be titled, “Chemical Abusers Survival Guide”.
Over time these life strategies jell into specific patterns of abnormal behavior also know as emotional defense mechanisms. To be brief, only the four most common tactics will be noted in this article:
1. Self Pity: The “poor-little-old-me” routine is an early favorite and extracts the rescuer, nurturing need for most of us to help the unfortunate. However, as one rescuer gets used up, another is often standing by to take their place. The abuser commonly uses expressions such as “Only you understand,” “I know I can count on you,” “Without your help I don’t know what I would do” . . . ad infinitum. What the abuser wants is an off-the-shelf rescuer response on demand with the abuser maintaining absolute freedom to do as they please.
Unfortunately, the rescuer is slow to figure out he or she is being used so the abuser does not have to pay the dues of their abuse. In alcohol abuse treatment a common expression is, “Every bad check you make good buys another drinking bout.”
2. Promises and Charm: This tactic is usually employed to get something now in exchange for the promise of the abuser doing something later (tomorrow, next week, next pay day, etc.). The superficial charm and sincerity is overwhelming with all the right implied or expressed promises.
Unfortunately, (by accident or design) something gets in the way of the abuser following through on their end of the commitment. Some abusers have even mastered the technique of making their failure to deliver the fault of the person they have duped.
3. Condemning Others: This strategy is to be quick with condemning judgment of others by picking on and magnifying weaknesses. The abuser that favors this technique is also often overbearing and unpredictable. He or she likes the shock effect they have on others.
The primary motivation for this behavior is they are less vulnerable about their own serious problems when they are on the verbal attack. In addition, family and concerned friends are also less likely to say anything negative about the abuser to avoid the sharp criticism being turned on them.
4. Imposing Control: In most cases, this is one of the later stages and develops as the abusers behavior becomes increasingly dangerous, anti-social, illegal, and/or immoral. He or she feels they must control people around them as the abusers life problems become intense. This defensive behavior develops both as insulation from criticism and protection of access to the chemicals of choice. Most often the abusers believes the booze and/or drugs are the only things keeping them going.
Self-pity, promises and charm become less used and the abusers behavior becomes rigidity, anger, belligerency, aggression, self-righteousness, and grandiosity. In many cases, the abuser becomes a master or demigod and cracks the whip and everybody jumps. Family and concerned friends become only “reaction” oriented and lose the ability to initiate meaningful positive interaction with the abuser. Some abusers will go to extremes with threats of suicide, physical abuse, arson, and even murder. In these cases, the chemical abuser has become a domestic terrorist. Worst of all, family members caught up in this life style can also become increasingly sick, depressed, and/or suicidal.
Those around them are now on standby to provide loans, cover up, rescue, pay medical bills, pay fines/bail, cover bad checks, and pick up the pieces of the latest abuse episode. The scary part is many people get very good at it and become “co-dependent” rescuers. They commonly seek the mental rewards of “See how good I am as fixing things” “Only I could do this”, “My reward will be in heaven”, and “All the others have given up but I never will”.
Because of the strife, unstable conditions, gloom and doom, family members often retreat into a shell of emotional paralysis. They often become lethargic, hopeless, and respond like robots with the abuser pushing the control buttons. Some will also abuse alcohol and/or drugs to get relief.
If any of this sounds familiar you may need to talk to an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.
By Ross Chandler
Many alcohol and drug abusers develop a chameleon like personality with a collection of tactics to dodge, use, and abuse those around them. Victim examples are parents, children, spouses, employers, concerned friends, and occasionally doctors and counselors. These tactics also seem to follow similar patterns for both alcohol and drug abusers. It is almost like they are issued and rigorously use a handbook that could be titled, “Chemical Abusers Survival Guide”.
Over time these life strategies jell into specific patterns of abnormal behavior also know as emotional defense mechanisms. To be brief, only the four most common tactics will be noted in this article:
1. Self Pity: The “poor-little-old-me” routine is an early favorite and extracts the rescuer, nurturing need for most of us to help the unfortunate. However, as one rescuer gets used up, another is often standing by to take their place. The abuser commonly uses expressions such as “Only you understand,” “I know I can count on you,” “Without your help I don’t know what I would do” . . . ad infinitum. What the abuser wants is an off-the-shelf rescuer response on demand with the abuser maintaining absolute freedom to do as they please.
Unfortunately, the rescuer is slow to figure out he or she is being used so the abuser does not have to pay the dues of their abuse. In alcohol abuse treatment a common expression is, “Every bad check you make good buys another drinking bout.”
2. Promises and Charm: This tactic is usually employed to get something now in exchange for the promise of the abuser doing something later (tomorrow, next week, next pay day, etc.). The superficial charm and sincerity is overwhelming with all the right implied or expressed promises.
Unfortunately, (by accident or design) something gets in the way of the abuser following through on their end of the commitment. Some abusers have even mastered the technique of making their failure to deliver the fault of the person they have duped.
3. Condemning Others: This strategy is to be quick with condemning judgment of others by picking on and magnifying weaknesses. The abuser that favors this technique is also often overbearing and unpredictable. He or she likes the shock effect they have on others.
The primary motivation for this behavior is they are less vulnerable about their own serious problems when they are on the verbal attack. In addition, family and concerned friends are also less likely to say anything negative about the abuser to avoid the sharp criticism being turned on them.
4. Imposing Control: In most cases, this is one of the later stages and develops as the abusers behavior becomes increasingly dangerous, anti-social, illegal, and/or immoral. He or she feels they must control people around them as the abusers life problems become intense. This defensive behavior develops both as insulation from criticism and protection of access to the chemicals of choice. Most often the abusers believes the booze and/or drugs are the only things keeping them going.
Self-pity, promises and charm become less used and the abusers behavior becomes rigidity, anger, belligerency, aggression, self-righteousness, and grandiosity. In many cases, the abuser becomes a master or demigod and cracks the whip and everybody jumps. Family and concerned friends become only “reaction” oriented and lose the ability to initiate meaningful positive interaction with the abuser. Some abusers will go to extremes with threats of suicide, physical abuse, arson, and even murder. In these cases, the chemical abuser has become a domestic terrorist. Worst of all, family members caught up in this life style can also become increasingly sick, depressed, and/or suicidal.
Those around them are now on standby to provide loans, cover up, rescue, pay medical bills, pay fines/bail, cover bad checks, and pick up the pieces of the latest abuse episode. The scary part is many people get very good at it and become “co-dependent” rescuers. They commonly seek the mental rewards of “See how good I am as fixing things” “Only I could do this”, “My reward will be in heaven”, and “All the others have given up but I never will”.
Because of the strife, unstable conditions, gloom and doom, family members often retreat into a shell of emotional paralysis. They often become lethargic, hopeless, and respond like robots with the abuser pushing the control buttons. Some will also abuse alcohol and/or drugs to get relief.
If any of this sounds familiar you may need to talk to an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Hammer Abuser by Ross Chandler
Having spent 20+ years as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, I have written some light (Hopefully humourous) articles about the thinking of abusers. Following is one of my favorites:
The Hammer Abuser
In all outward appearances, Fred would be described as a typical hometown guy with about the same life challenges as the rest of us; he works full-time, has a family, fishes, hunts, and goes to church. However, Fred occasionally is a hammer user but not in the usual way. Fred has favorite ball peen hammer with excellent grip, weight, and balance that he finds excellent for rapping a blow just above the right ear. He maintains it wakes him up, improves his concentration, and soothes his nerves. He has also found that his work goes better if he takes a hammer break now and then.
Fred apparently enjoys his hammer, and for a few years he only suffered a minor abrasion on the side of his head. Family and friends provide casual warnings, but most acknowledge that seen to have it under control. His mother states that she is glad he uses a hammer and not an ice pick. However, after five years his controlled, occasional use is becoming more compulsive. Fred now claims that a solid rap can give a pain free feeling, warm him up, or even help him sleep at night. He is also showing a discolored lump over his right ear that appears to be getting larger. Lately, Fred is also saying that the old ball peen hammer is not delivering the desired effects like it used to.
Fred is now starting to try different hammers such as heavy claw hammers, rock hammers, and even a mini sledge. He has also shifted his normal rap over the right ear to the front of his forehead. He claims he can now rap with both hands and get a better effect.
Seven years later, Fred’s answer to stress, anxiety, boredom, disappointment, worry, insomnia, fatigue, job, and marital problems is “Thump, thump, thump, thump.” He has had five trips to the hospital for concussions and two trips for skull fractures. Fred has also noticed lately that his hands shake in the morning; however, this can quickly be stopped with a couple of solid raps. He is also having blackouts and cannot remember some of his conscious activity. Every time he agrees with his doctor, family, and friends that he should quit or at least cut down on the hammer use. In desperation, his mother has suggested switching to an ice pick. Eventually, he no loner works and will thump anytime with anyone or alone. If a hammer is not available, he will use a crowbar, large crescent wrench, bowling pin, or even a small anvil. His last five-day stay at the hospital was the result of using two hammers at the same time.
In desperation, his family gets a court directed detention order to place him in a Hammer Rehabilitation Program. After being a model patient for 30 days, he is caught stealing a jackhammer on his way home from the program.
I agree that the above story is far out; however, if we substitute the compulsion to drink alcohol for the use of a hammer, similar behavioral patterns can occur. Most practicing alcohol abusers cannot offer logical reasons for why they drink as much as they do. Practiced long enough, it becomes “Alcoholism”. One of the first steps in the recovery process for alcohol abuse or alcoholism is learning the compulsion to drink is overwhelming real, very strong, and irrational.
The Hammer Abuser
In all outward appearances, Fred would be described as a typical hometown guy with about the same life challenges as the rest of us; he works full-time, has a family, fishes, hunts, and goes to church. However, Fred occasionally is a hammer user but not in the usual way. Fred has favorite ball peen hammer with excellent grip, weight, and balance that he finds excellent for rapping a blow just above the right ear. He maintains it wakes him up, improves his concentration, and soothes his nerves. He has also found that his work goes better if he takes a hammer break now and then.
Fred apparently enjoys his hammer, and for a few years he only suffered a minor abrasion on the side of his head. Family and friends provide casual warnings, but most acknowledge that seen to have it under control. His mother states that she is glad he uses a hammer and not an ice pick. However, after five years his controlled, occasional use is becoming more compulsive. Fred now claims that a solid rap can give a pain free feeling, warm him up, or even help him sleep at night. He is also showing a discolored lump over his right ear that appears to be getting larger. Lately, Fred is also saying that the old ball peen hammer is not delivering the desired effects like it used to.
Fred is now starting to try different hammers such as heavy claw hammers, rock hammers, and even a mini sledge. He has also shifted his normal rap over the right ear to the front of his forehead. He claims he can now rap with both hands and get a better effect.
Seven years later, Fred’s answer to stress, anxiety, boredom, disappointment, worry, insomnia, fatigue, job, and marital problems is “Thump, thump, thump, thump.” He has had five trips to the hospital for concussions and two trips for skull fractures. Fred has also noticed lately that his hands shake in the morning; however, this can quickly be stopped with a couple of solid raps. He is also having blackouts and cannot remember some of his conscious activity. Every time he agrees with his doctor, family, and friends that he should quit or at least cut down on the hammer use. In desperation, his mother has suggested switching to an ice pick. Eventually, he no loner works and will thump anytime with anyone or alone. If a hammer is not available, he will use a crowbar, large crescent wrench, bowling pin, or even a small anvil. His last five-day stay at the hospital was the result of using two hammers at the same time.
In desperation, his family gets a court directed detention order to place him in a Hammer Rehabilitation Program. After being a model patient for 30 days, he is caught stealing a jackhammer on his way home from the program.
I agree that the above story is far out; however, if we substitute the compulsion to drink alcohol for the use of a hammer, similar behavioral patterns can occur. Most practicing alcohol abusers cannot offer logical reasons for why they drink as much as they do. Practiced long enough, it becomes “Alcoholism”. One of the first steps in the recovery process for alcohol abuse or alcoholism is learning the compulsion to drink is overwhelming real, very strong, and irrational.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
