Inflammation and the Host Response to Injury (In Healthy Volunteers)

The body's immune response to injury or infection is very complex.Immune cell activity, the release of specific mediators(such as proteins, genetics(Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA), the body's "instructions" for making proteins (Ribonucleic Acid or RNA) and heart rate variability (HRV,the intervals between heartbeats) may affect the body's clinical response to stress such as infection.Endotoxin is a man-made substance, which causes the body to "mimic" sickness (fever,chills, and achiness)for a few hours. This study is designed to determine whether any of the above (proteins,genetics,or HRV, etc.) correlate with or affect the body's response to endotoxin.This will enable the investigator to better understand the mechanisms involved in the immune response as well as potential therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes in patients.