July 2006 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat             1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31           Jun   Aug	Ex-Pat Alaskans Temporarily                        In Ohio Seeking PhD Show Me           A Dog Blog...           Amusing Readers Since 6.23.2003
Friday, July 28, 2006 Mass Spectrometry To The Rescue?    Naturally, we're closely following the news reports regarding the alleged testosterone (T) doping by Floyd Landis. What makes this accusation particularly suspicious is why anyone would try to get away with doping themselves with a substance that isn't going to improve their short term performance on the bike.    Reportedly, the urine sample that tested high for T was taken after stage 17, the stage where Floyd made up eight minutes on key riders and ultimately set him up for victory in the time trial. I'm assuming tour officials measured a baseline T-level for all the riders prior to the start of the race, so assuming the follow-up test on sample "B" reveals the same thing as sample "A", it would have to represent a sudden spike in Floyd's T-level. But the question remains: why would anyone slap on a T-patch (or inject themselves) the night before a key stage when it isn't going to improve your performance? T can improve performance, but it takes weeks (at least) to achieve the effect of building muscle, bone mass, and endurance. Surely Floyd knows this, and wouldn't be so stupid as to jeopardize his would-be success.    Mass spectrometry could vindicate Floyd, or ruin him. Pharmaceutical varieties of T are nearly identical to the endogenous form - the kind your body makes naturally - except in the carbon isotope ratio, that is C13/C12. Every individual has a certain C13/C12 ratio incorporated in their endogenously produced T, similar to the ratio found in the metabolic precursor of T, which is cholesterol. So, a ratio of C13/C12 in a T sample, markedly different from that found in your cholesterol, would necessarily indicate doping with an exogenous form of T, i.e. a synthetic form. A simple mass spectrometer would be able to measure this ratio in a sample. If the isotope ratio was significantly different than expected, Floyd would have some explaining to do. If it wasn't, the frogs would have to accept the fact that another American has won their bike race. 10:59:01 PM    Comments disabled © Copyright 2008 Rufus. Nonsense, distribute widely and freely! Last update: 7/26/2008; 10:58:56 AM.			Readers Amused       Home About Me Airedale Philosophy How this all got started       FAQ What's an Upright? Upright: noun : a by and large bipedal companion, also referred to as a human being. What's a Cheechako? Cheechako: noun : a person new to Alaska who has come with the intention to live here. Who's Master? Master: pronoun : just the finest upright on the face of the earth, that's who! To read him is to love him. What's Dogdom? Dogdom: noun : Life's venue from a dog's point of view. What's a Sourdough? Sourdough: noun : A long time Alaskan who has an automatic suspicion of cheechakos. What does Outside mean? Outside: noun : A provincial reference to somplace other than Alaska; usually the lower 48. What's Breakup? Breakup: noun : A uniquely Alaskan season between winter and spring when the snow and ice begins to melt for good. Where is SquareBanks? SquareBanks: slang : A self-evident euphemism for a place widely known as Fairbanks, AK. Where can I read the Houston Trip? Houston Trip: vignette : Here What digital camera do you use? Camera: hardware : Canon Powershot A80 (4.0 MP) Who's Mom? Mom: Hottie : Have A Look What's a Squeakamunka? Squeakamunka: noun : your ordinary gray squirrel which can be seen everywhere in our Cleveland neighborhood! « Alaska Blogs »  Stories Fiction Boy Wonder Bat Girl Objects in Mirror Are Larger Than They Appear Used To Be Fish Skin Deep Essay Life Is Good Desert Nostalgia A Voice of Reason Fictional Four Realms of Darkness Poetry Lucky Chain  The Cycling Pages 1999 Canadian Tour 2000 Tour of Alaska "Yooper" : 2001 Tour of WI/Michigan UP 2001 Spine of Italy Tour 2002 Tour of New England 2004 Tour of New Zealand (coming soon!) 2005 Tour Of Nova Scotia Conways Game of Life (needs java plugin) Sometimes Interesting Billy Greg (Hiatus) Virginia Postrel Wendy McElroy Samizdata Atlantic Monthly Reason No Treason Slashdot Derke Lowe Heather Champ (Photo blog) T.C. Boyle Liquid Generation Improved Clinch Exquisite Corpse, A. Codrescu Fred On Everything Assymetrical Information The Daily Ablution (Hibernation) Lileks Frank Kelly (Hiatus) Up In Alaska