The Effect of Lipopolysaccharide on Ischemic-Reperfusion Injury of Heart: A Double Hit Model of Myocardial Ischemia and Endotoxemia.

Introduction: Myocardial ischemia may coincide and interact with sepsis and inflammation. Our objective was to examine the effects of bacterial endotoxin on myocardial functions and cell injury during acute ischemia.

Methods: Rabbits were pretreated with incremental doses of E.

How reliable are ATP bioluminescence meters in assessing decontamination of environmental surfaces in healthcare settings?

Background: Meters based on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence measurements in relative light units (RLU) are often used to rapidly assess the level of cleanliness of environmental surfaces in healthcare and other settings. Can such ATP measurements be adversely affected by factors such as soil and cleaner-disinfectant chemistry?

Objective: This study tested a number of leading ATP meters for their sensitivity, linearity of the measurements, correlation of the readings to the actual microbial contamination, and the potential disinfectant chemicals' interference in their readings.

Methods: First, solutions of pure ATP in various concentrations were used to construct a standard curve and determine linearity and sensitivity.

Crystal structure of the minimalist Max-E47 protein chimera.

Max-E47 is a protein chimera generated from the fusion of the DNA-binding basic region of Max and the dimerization region of E47, both members of the basic region/helix-loop-helix (bHLH) superfamily of transcription factors. Like native Max, Max-E47 binds with high affinity and specificity to the E-box site, 5'-CACGTG, both in vivo and in vitro. We have determined the crystal structure of Max-E47 at 1.

The comparative myocardial protection by propofol and isoflurane in an in vivo model of ischemia reperfusion.

Background: Anesthetic Agents protect the heart from ischemic injury during perioperative period. We evaluated the protective effects of 2 anesagents on myocardial ischemia -reperfusion injury in rabbit models.

Methods: 58 anesthetized and mechaniventilated rabbits randomly received isoflurane (ISO) 2%, propofol (PRP), or were observed as the control group for 15 minutes.

Composition, structure, bonding and thermoelectric properties of "CuT2P3" and "CuT4P3", members of the T(1-x)(CuP3)x series with T being Si and Ge.

Through electron microprobe analysis, X-ray and neutron diffraction, it has been established that "CuT(2)P(3)" and "CuT(4)P(3)" (T = Si, Ge) adopt the cubic or tetragonally distorted zinc blende structures in which two element mixtures are present on both atomic sites. One site contains the Cu/T mixture while the other site is occupied by T and P. The structure of "CuT(2)P(3)" and "CuT(4)P(3)" can be derived from that of silicon or germanium, in which the single Si or Ge site is broken into two independent sites by the preferential Cu and P substitution.