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19-Norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (19-NE) are the two main urinary indicators used to detect illegal use of nandrolone. Recent studies showed that 19-NA and 19-NE can be endogenously produced in non-treated humans. The concentrations were close to the threshold of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), i.e. 2 ng/ml for men and seem to increase after prolonged intense effort. Androgens are involved in the biosynthesis of estrogens and estrogen has a protective effect against skeletal muscle damage following eccentric exercise. Furthermore, the testicular tissue can synthesize 19-norandrogens from androgens, we hypothetisize that the 19-norandrogen production might be influenced by muscle damage following eccentric exercise. Therefore the purpose of this study is to examine if three different exercise methods will influence the urinary concentration of 19-NA and 19-NE in healthy young subjects. Fifteen amateur hockey players undertook a 30 min submaximal standardized exercise protocol. They were randomised for three different types of exercise, namely a cycle ergometer test (cyclic muscle activity), a treadmill test (concentric muscle activity), or a bench-steptest (eccentric muscle activity) at a target heart rate corresponding to 65 % (± 5 %) of Karvonen heart rate. Urine samples were obtained before the test and 60 min and 120 min after the end of exercise. Subjects completed a Likert scale of muscle soreness before and 12 h after exercise. 19-NA and 19-NE were determined by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). Baseline urinary 19-NA and 19-NE concentrations were under limit of detection of 0.05 ng/ml, except for one sample (0.13 ng/ml). No 19-NA or 19-NE could be detected post exercise. In our experimental conditions, the exercise mode (eccentric or concentric) had no impact on 19-NA or 19-NE excretion. Our findings confirm that the current International Olympic Committee threshold level for nandrolone metabolites is suffi

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Paper presetation

This a position paper of the Working Group on Electrocardiology, Exercise Testing and Cardiac rehabilitation of the Belgian Society of Cardiology (BSC), aimed at reassessing the value for the clinical practice of cardiology of some electrocardiological techniques such as vectorcardiography and Holter monitoring in the frame of what has been called "quantitative electrocardiology". This official statement issued on behalf of the BSC was deemed necessary because of several consecutive attempts to discredit the clinical merits of these electrocardiological techniques currently in use in our country. This paper will also reassess the role of quantitative electrocardiology amidst non-invasive diagnostic methods used for cardiac imaging.

A spin-echo based 1H homonuclear pulse sequence, enabling the selective editing of homonuclear first-order J-multiplet types, is presented and analyzed. Its effectiveness in quantification applications is assessed. Its potential usefulness in the quantitative distinction between 2-deuterated and natural D-,glucose in biological samples is briefly discussed, with emphasis on studies of hexose metabolism conducted in vitro., FLWNA, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

A spin-echo based 1H homonuclear pulse sequence, enabling the selective editing of homonuclear first-order J-multiplet types, is presented and analyzed. Its effectiveness in quantification applications is assessed. Its potential usefulness in the quantitative distinction between 2-deuterated and natural D-,glucose in biological samples is briefly discussed, with emphasis on studies of hexose metabolism conducted in vitro., FLWNA, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. The gut-brain-axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system. Mounting evidence supports the premise that the intestinal microbiota plays a pivotal role in its function and has led to the more common and perhaps more accurate term gut-microbiota-brain axis. Numerous studies have identified associations between an altered microbiome and neuroimmune and neuroinflammatory diseases. In most cases, it is unknown if these associations are cause or effect; notwithstanding, maintaining or restoring homeostasis of the microbiota may represent future opportunities when treating or preventing these diseases. In recent years, several studies have identified the diet as a primary contributing factor in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, and in turn, the mucosal and systemic immune systems. In this review, we will discuss the potential opportunities and challenges with respect to modifying and shaping the microbiota through diet and nutrition in order to treat or prevent neuroimmune and neuroinflammatory disease.

© The Author(s) 2016. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex, heterogeneous illness of unknown etiology. The search for biomarkers that can delineate cases from controls is one of the most active areas of ME research; however, little progress has been made in achieving this goal. In contrast to identifying biomarkers that are directly involved in the pathological process, an immunosignature identifies antibodies raised to proteins expressed during, and potentially involved in, the pathological process. Although these proteins might be unknown, it is possible to detect antibodies that react to these proteins using random peptide arrays. In the present study, we probe a custom 125,000 random 12-mer peptide microarray with sera from 21 ME cases and 21 controls from the USA and Europe and used these data to develop a diagnostic signature. We further used these peptide sequences to potentially uncover the naturally occurring candidate antigens to which these antibodies may specifically react with in vivo. Our analysis revealed a subset of 25 peptides that distinguished cases and controls with high specificity and sensitivity. Additionally, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) searches suggest that these peptides primarily represent human selfantigens and endogenous retroviral sequences and, to a minor extent, viral and bacterial pathogens.

© 2016 The Author(s)Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex, heterogeneous illness of unknown etiology. The search for biomarkers that can delineate cases from controls is one of the most active areas of ME research; however, little progress has been made in achieving this goal. In contrast to identifying biomarkers that are directly involved in the pathological process, an immunosignature identifies antibodies raised to proteins expressed during, and potentially involved in, the pathological process. Although these proteins might be unknown, it is possible to detect antibodies that react to these proteins using random peptide arrays. In the present study, we probe a custom 125,000 random 12-mer peptide microarray with sera from 21 ME cases and 21 controls from the USA and Europe and used these data to develop a diagnostic signature. We further used these peptide sequences to potentially uncover the naturally occurring candidate antigens to which these antibodies may specifically react with in vivo. Our analysis revealed a subset of 25 peptides that distinguished cases and controls with high specificity and sensitivity. Additionally, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) searches suggest that these peptides primarily represent human self-antigens and endogenous retroviral sequences and, to a minor extent, viral and bacterial pathogens.

The marked depletion of dendritic cells (DCs) in skin cancers, as well as preneoplastic and neoplastic cervical epithelium, suggests a central role for DCs in productive human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cancer promotion. It has been suggested that HPV may facilitate tumor development by reducing DC density, contributing to a decrease in local immune surveillance. In this study, we have examined the response of human DCs transfected with a construct containing the HPV18 genome and their subsequent expression of papilloma virus proteins. Transfected cells expressed the L1 major capsid protein and upregulated E6 and E7 oncoprotein transcripts as detected by RT-PCR. Transfection of DCs also resulted in a significant increase in cytokine production. Finally, we observed that HPV18 transfection decreased the migratory activity of DCs. Our data indicate that HPV transfection of DCs leads to changes in migratory activity and cytokine production, which potentially can suppress or delay immune responses to viral antigens. Additionally, changes in cytokine production by HPV-transformed human fibroblasts and human cervical epithelial cells revealed that the migratory and antigen-presenting functions of DCs may be impaired by the suppressive effects of cytokines produced by HPV-infected epithelial and stromal cells.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a debilitating illness of unknown etiology characterized by neurocognitive dysfunction, inflammation, immune abnormalities and gastrointestinal distress. An increasing body of evidence suggests that disruptions in the gut may contribute to the induction of neuroinflammation. Therefore, reports of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) expression in association with neuroinflammatory diseases prompted us to investigate the gut of individuals with ME for the presence of HERV proteins. In eight out of 12 individuals with ME, immunoreactivity to HERV proteins was observed in duodenal biopsies. In contrast, no immunoreactivity was detected in any of the eight controls. Immunoreactivity to HERV Gag and Env proteins was uniquely co-localized in hematopoietic cells expressing the C-type lectin receptor CLEC4C (CD303/BDCA2), the costimulatory marker CD86 and the class II major histocompatibility complex HLA-DR, consistent with plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Although the significance of HERVs present in the pDCs of individuals with ME has yet to be determined, these data raise the possibility of an involvment of pDCs and HERVs in ME pathology. To our knowledge, this report describes the first direct association between pDCs and HERVs in human disease.

© 2016 The Author(s)Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex, heterogeneous illness of unknown etiology. The search for biomarkers that can delineate cases from controls is one of the most active areas of ME research; however, little progress has been made in achieving this goal. In contrast to identifying biomarkers that are directly involved in the pathological process, an immunosignature identifies antibodies raised to proteins expressed during, and potentially involved in, the pathological process. Although these proteins might be unknown, it is possible to detect antibodies that react to these proteins using random peptide arrays. In the present study, we probe a custom 125,000 random 12-mer peptide microarray with sera from 21 ME cases and 21 controls from the USA and Europe and used these data to develop a diagnostic signature. We further used these peptide sequences to potentially uncover the naturally occurring candidate antigens to which these antibodies may specifically react with in vivo. Our analysis revealed a subset of 25 peptides that distinguished cases and controls with high specificity and sensitivity. Additionally, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) searches suggest that these peptides primarily represent human self-antigens and endogenous retroviral sequences and, to a minor extent, viral and bacterial pathogens.

The marked depletion of dendritic cells (DCs) in skin cancers, as well as preneoplastic and neoplastic cervical epithelium, suggests a central role for DCs in productive human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cancer promotion. It has been suggested that HPV may facilitate tumor development by reducing DC density, contributing to a decrease in local immune surveillance. In this study, we have examined the response of human DCs transfected with a construct containing the HPV18 genome and their subsequent expression of papilloma virus proteins. Transfected cells expressed the L1 major capsid protein and upregulated E6 and E7 oncoprotein transcripts as detected by RT-PCR. Transfection of DCs also resulted in a significant increase in cytokine production. Finally, we observed that HPV18 transfection decreased the migratory activity of DCs. Our data indicate that HPV transfection of DCs leads to changes in migratory activity and cytokine production, which potentially can suppress or delay immune responses to viral antigens. Additionally, changes in cytokine production by HPV-transformed human fibroblasts and human cervical epithelial cells revealed that the migratory and antigen-presenting functions of DCs may be impaired by the suppressive effects of cytokines produced by HPV-infected epithelial and stromal cells.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a debilitating illness of unknown etiology characterized by neurocognitive dysfunction, inflammation, immune abnormalities and gastrointestinal distress. An increasing body of evidence suggests that disruptions in the gut may contribute to the induction of neuroinflammation. Therefore, reports of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) expression in association with neuroinflammatory diseases prompted us to investigate the gut of individuals with ME for the presence of HERV proteins. In eight out of 12 individuals with ME, immunoreactivity to HERV proteins was observed in duodenal biopsies. In contrast, no immunoreactivity was detected in any of the eight controls. Immunoreactivity to HERV Gag and Env proteins was uniquely co-localized in hematopoietic cells expressing the C-type lectin receptor CLEC4C (CD303/BDCA2), the costimulatory marker CD86 and the class II major histocompatibility complex HLA-DR, consistent with plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Although the significance of HERVs present in the pDCs of individuals with ME has yet to be determined, these data raise the possibility of an involvment of pDCs and HERVs in ME pathology. To our knowledge, this report describes the first direct association between pDCs and HERVs in human disease.