A change of heart: the new infective endocarditis prophylaxis guidelines.

New Australian guidelines for the prevention of infective endocarditis were published in July 2008. The guidelines were revised by a multidisciplinary group to reflect recent changes in international recommendations regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis. The reasons for the changes are explored in this review and the implications for dental practice are discussed.

The regulatory beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase interacts with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase (PhK) is an (alphabetagammadelta) 4 hetero-oligomeric enzyme complex that phosphorylates and activates glycogen phosphorylase b (GP b) in a Ca (2+)-dependent reaction that couples muscle contraction with glycogen breakdown. GP b is PhK's only known in vivo substrate; however, given the great size and multiple subunits of the PhK complex, we screened muscle extracts for other potential targets. Extracts of P/J (control) and I/lnJ (PhK deficient) mice were incubated with [gamma- (32)P]ATP with or without Ca (2+) and compared to identify potential substrates.

Structural evidence for co-evolution of the regulation of contraction and energy production in skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase (PhK) is a Ca(2+)-dependent enzyme complex, (alpha beta gamma delta)(4), with the delta subunit being tightly bound endogenous calmodulin (CaM). The Ca(2+)-dependent activation of glycogen phosphorylase by PhK couples muscle contraction with glycogen breakdown in the "excitation-contraction-energy production triad." Although the Ca(2+)-dependent protein-protein interactions among the relevant contractile components of muscle are well characterized, such interactions have not been previously examined in the intact PhK complex.

Escherichia coli K88 receptor expression in intestine of disease-susceptible weaned pigs.

A challenge trial was carried out in which Escherichia coli O157 K88ac was administered to a litter of weaned pigs and the development of the disease monitored over a five-day experimental period. The eight animals in the trial were assigned to two groups depending on whether they exhibited disease symptoms. Six pigs developed diarrhoea and two appeared unaffected; these were designated as the test (or K88-susceptible) group and the control (or K88-resistant) group, respectively.