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Objective: To find out if pretreatment with taurine would reduce the severity of endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in a large animal model. Design: Randomised controlled study under licence from the Department of Health. Setting: Department of Surgical Research, Ireland. Animals: 15 male Suffolk sheep. Interventions: Vascular catheters were placed in the femoral artery and vein and a Swan-Ganz catheter in the external jugular vein under general anaesthetic. Animals were randomized into three groups: control with measurements taken at baseline and half hourly up to 90 minutes; endotoxin, given Escherichia coli endotoxin intravenously after baseline measurements and taurine given 300 mg/kg 1 hour before endotoxin was given. Main outcome measures: Mean systemic arterial pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, arterial oxygen tension (pO[sub 2]), pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity, and neutrophil respiratory burst activity. Results: Endotoxin induced a severe lung injury characterised by a decrease in mean systemic blood pressure and an increase in pulmonary artery pressure, hypoxia, and an increase in pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity. Pretreatment with intravenous taurine significantly reduced these haemodynamic changes. It reduced pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity and peripheral neutropenia and increased neutrophil respiratory burst activity. Conclusions: This data suggest that taurine may have a therapeutic role in preventing the lung injury seen in endotoxaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an overview of Irish mining laws. Historical background; Irish legal system; State ownership of minerals; Compensation or prospecting licenses; Revocation and termination of prospecting licenses; Planning and environmental considerations.

Summary Background: Preconditioning describes the process whereby tissue exposure to a subcritical stress confers protection from subsequent injuries. This study assessed diaphragmatic muscle function after lower torso ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) and the role of thermal preconditioning in attenuation of this injury. Methods: Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into three groups (24 per group): a control group, an IR group that had aortic cross-clamping for 1 h followed by reperfusion, and a third group that received thermal preconditioning 18 h before IR. Diaphragmatic function was assessed at 24 h, 48 h and 7 days. Results: IR resulted in significant diaphragmatic twitch and tetanic dysfunction compared with control muscle. Thermal preconditioning significantly attenuated this injury (P < 0·05). Mean(s.e.m.) muscle twitch and tetanic forces in the IR group were 204·9(17·2) and 282·7(19·2) g respectively at 24 h. Corresponding twitch and tetanic forces in preconditioned muscle were 270·4(25·1) and 552·0(35·2) g. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that systemic IR injury produced a respiratory muscle mechanical dysfunction that was attenuated by thermal preconditioning, at 24 h, 48 h and 7 days. Preconditioning may have a role in clinical practice, particularly before elective surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]