..HH +6GzHH d'`,<KTLLF`F` 33of ,K5HHm۶mmm ,mmmm۶mmm۶mmmm۶mmmm۶mmmmV.#V/VAVJdVOVYVZVaVcVdVeVgVoVqVrVsVuVzVVW,DW-W.?W/W:W;WAyWJyWZWa}WcWdWeWgWoWqWrWsWuWyWz8 Helvetica Helvetica 3Stone Informal StoneInformal3Stone Informal 24 `0d `d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L    DS . . . .-m۶m LF`4^x mm6mmm LF`4^ ,6August 29, 2000. Copyright 2000. Graphic News. All rights reserved. DRUG LABS GO FOR GOLD LONDON, August 29, Graphic News: OLYMPIC chiefs have taken the most significant step for years in thhhhhattle against doping by introducing a test at the Sydney Game battle against doping by introducing a test at the Sydney Games for one of the most dangerous drugs in sport -- erythropoietin (EPO). The combined blood-urine test, developed by Australian an00 athletes descend on the Olympic site. This is a major bread French laboratories, obtained the go-ahead just days before some 10,000 athletes descend on the Olympic site. This is a major breakthrough, said IOC vice-president Jacques Rogge. EPO is one of the most abused drugs and we have worked hard for a test. The IOC plans to conduct between 300 and 700 tests for EPO, depending on the laboratory capabilities, starting on September 2 when competitors begin to move into the athletes village in Sydney ahead of the Games opening on September 15. Athletes will be subjected to urine and blood tests, both of which must prove positive before sanctions are threatened. Athletes who refuse blood testing will be considered to have tested positive. Finding a dependable test for EPO, which was originally developed to help fight kidney disease, has long been a top priority for the IOC. The drug, known as recombinant EPO, is a copy of a human hormone that se drug, known as recombinant EPO, is a copy of a human hormone that sbinant EPO, is a copy of a human hormone that stimulates stem cells in bone marrow to produce new oxygen-bearing red blood cells. Some endurance athletes such as cyclists, long-distance runners and swimmers use recombinant EPO illicitly to boost the delivery of oxygen to the tissues and enhance their performance. EPO has been blamed for the deaths of about 20 European cyclists since 1987. Although there is no hard proof that EPO caused the deaths, some doping experts believe the riders blood thickened fatally after they took too much of the drug. SyO caused the deaths, some doping experts believe the riders blood thickened fatally after they took too much of the drug. Synthetic EPO is produced in mammalian cells that have been genetically altered by the addition of a gene for the natural human erythropoietin. Now a new test, developed by Franoise Lasne and Jacques de Ceaurriz at the National Anti-Doping Laboratory in France, uses isoelectric focusing (IEF) to differentiate between natural and recombinant EPO. First a blood test is used to establiral and recombinant EPO. First a blood test is used to establish if the athletes haematocrit, or red blood cell percentage, is higher than normal. Those with a haematocrit above 42 -- the normal level -- go on to the IEF urine test which measures the acidity or pH value of the EPO in the sample. The test utilizes the pH or power of Hydrogen scale which scientists use to describe the strength of acids and alkalis. The 14-level scale is centered rength of acids and alkalis. The 14-level scale is centered around pure water at position seven. Values below seven represent acids; those above represent alkalis. Concentrated sulphuric acid takes the number one slot, slightly acidic shower gel is around position 5.5, sea water checks in a around 8.5 and highly catic oven cleaner takes position 14. The IEF test is based on the fact that all hormones are constructed from amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Different combinations of amino acids display different pH levels, which relate directly to the electric charge they carry. Natural human EPO has a pH range of between natural 3.924.42, while the recombinant EPO has a pH in the range 4.425.11. By constructing a capillary test tube sandwiched between negative and positive electrodes it is possible to create a pH gradient. Running the urine sample through a capillary encourages the molecules of EPO to migrate to specific points where their electric charge becomes zero; an image similar to a genetic fingerprint of EPO patterns in the urine samples can then be recorded. The procedure was successfully tested on specimens from cyclists participating in the the infamous drug-sullied 1998 Tour de France, with images clearly differentiated between natural and synthetic EPO. Of course there will be legaid takes the number one slot, slightly acidic shower gel is around position 5.5, sea water checks in at around 8.5 and highly caus 0  @ `""""""333333DDDDDDUUUUUUffffffwwwwww l challenges, we expect this, said the IOCs Rogge. But we expect the scientific validation we have and the legal study weve done will convince any judge of our rights. /ENDS Sources: Reuters; National Anti-Doping Laboratory, France; Nature; AmgenaturzHmmm LF` S ,6mmm LF`0mmm LF`04^ -m۶m LF`4^ `0-m۶m LF`4^ ``-m۶m LF`4^ `-m۶m LF` 04^ `-m۶m LF`04^ `ڟ ¿;f++++V+ ++++ ++V+V+