Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

At 1 pm, 14-year-old Anne Fosse (not her real name) was brought by her mother to the ED of the local children’s hospital with complaints of suddenonset vomiting, diarrhea, right-upper-quadrant abdominal pain, and numbness in her hands that she had had since 6 am. During triage, an RN noted the patient’s “ill-looking” appearance: sunken eyes, dry lips, pale skin, and flat affect. Her heart rate was regular at 162 beats per minute; sitting blood pressure was 98/40 mmHg; respiratory rate, 26 breaths per minute; and temporal artery temperature, 99.8°F. Although dizzy while standing, she was able to walk with the nurse from the triage office to the acute care side of the ED. Anne’s medical history included supraventricular tachycardia, irritable bowel syndrome, and a platelet aggregation dysfunction of a type not yet specified by her hematologist. Her current medications included omeprazole (Prilosec; Zegerid), propranolol (Inderal) for her supraventricular tachycardia, and dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (Adderall) for attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder. Although she reported no drug allergies, she couldn’t take any aspirin-type products or stimulants such as pseudoephedrine because of her medical history. The RN placed Anne on the cardiac monitor and noted a sinus tachycardia of 172 beats per minute. She placed a 20-gauge iv catheter and delivered a normal saline bolus. Within moments, the patient became pale and diaphoretic, with circumoral pallor. Her eyes were rolling, and she said she felt as though she was going to pass out. She complained of nausea and increased abdominal cramping, and she started vomiting bile, which was soon followed by foul-smelling explosive diarrhea (which later tested positive for occult blood). The attending physician confirmed the RN’s findings. Anne’s lungs were clear and she continued to have right-upper-quadrant tenderness and hyperactive bowel sounds, and she had no apparent rash. Blood was drawn for a metabolic panel and a complete blood count with differential; her stool was sent for an ova-and-parasites test as well as a culture-and-sensitivity test; an abdominal X-ray was ordered; and prochlorperazine (Compazine) was given to control the nausea and vomiting. The patient was started on iv hydration with normal saline at 300 mL/hr and monitoring. The laboratory test results were normal. After 2 L of saline, the patient’s respiratory rate was 22 breaths per minute, her heart rate was 158 beats per minute, and her supine blood pressure was 102/48 mmHg with orthostatic changes. The ED staff was perplexed.
Effect of dietary karaya saponin on serum and egg yolk cholesterol in laying hens

1. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary karaya saponin on cholesterol deposition in laying hens. 2. A total of 40 Boris Brown hens were randomly assigned at 20 weeks of age to 4 treatment groups and fed on diets supplemented with 0 (control), 25, 50 or 75 mg/kg karaya saponin for an 8-week experimental period. 3. After 8 weeks of dietary supplementation, karaya-saponin-treated groups had significantly lower serum cholesterol (23·0%) and triglycerides but increased high density lipoproteins cholesterol concentration than controls, irrespective of karaya saponin content in the diet. Egg yolk cholesterol and triglycerides were also significantly reduced by dietary karaya saponin. Hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced by karaya saponin but bile acids concentration in the faeces and liver were significantly increased by karaya saponin. The concentrations of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids in the yolk were greater in hens receiving karaya saponin than in controls. Karaya saponin significantly increased egg production, feed efficiency and yolk colour compared with controls. Karaya saponin tended to increase egg weight, feed consumption, Haugh units, albumen weight and yolk index. 4. In conclusion, karaya saponin is a potential agent for reducing yolk cholesterol concentration together with an overall increase of production performance and improvement in egg quality.
Evaluation of treatment outcomes from a medium secure unit for people with intellectual disability

The aim of the project was to evaluate the short‐term treatment outcomes of patients treated in a medium secure service for people with intellectual disability. A total of 138 patients, 77 discharged and 61 current inpatients, treated over a six‐year period were included in the audit. Information on demographic and clinical variables was collected on a pre‐designed data collection tool and analysed using appropriate statistical methods. The median length of stay for the discharged group was 2.8 years. About 90% of this group were discharged to lower levels of security and about a third went directly to community placements. None of the clinical and forensic factors examined was significantly associated with length of stay for this group. There was a ‘difficult to discharge long‐stay’ group which had more patients with criminal sections, restriction orders, history of abuse, fire setting, personality disorders and substance misuse. However, when regression analysis was done, most of these factors were not predictive of the length of stay. Clinical diagnosis or offending behaviour categories are poor predictors of length of hospital stay, and there is a need to identify empirically derived patient clusters using a variety of clinical and forensic variables. Common datasets and multi‐centre audits are needed to drive this.
The effects of lactoferrin on the intestinal environment of broiler chickens

1. The influence of in-feed lactoferrin (Lf) on bird production, intestinal microbiota, mucosal immune system and gut microarchitecture was assessed in male Cobb 500 broiler chickens. 2. Birds were given one of four diets from day of hatch: Control (basal diet with no additives), ZnB (basal diet + 50 mg/kg zinc bacitracin), Lf 250 mg/kg (basal diet + 250 mg/kg Lf) and Lf 500 mg/kg (basal diet + 500 mg/kg Lf); n = 24 birds/treatment. An apparent metabolisable energy study was performed between d 25-32. 3. Lf did not affect growth rate or feed conversion in the period 0-21 d of age, nor performance or energy metabolism during the 7 d metabolism experiment which commenced at 25 d of age. 4. The profiles of caecal microbial communities were significantly different in birds given ZnB compared with birds given a diet with no additives, or supplemented with 250 mg/kg Lf. Birds given 250 mg/kg Lf also had a different microbial profile compared with birds given 500 mg/kg Lf. 5. In comparison to control birds, Lf treated birds showed some differences in the T cell proportions in caecal tonsil and spleen. No differences in ileal villus height, crypt depth or goblet cell proportions were observed amongst dietary treatments. 6. Whilst Lf had little effect on the measured parameters, the use of an integrated approach to study the influence of novel feed additives may facilitate a greater understanding of the relationships between nutrition, gut health and bird performance.
CLINICAL STUDY: Adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol plasma levels directly correlate with childhood neglect and depression measures in addicted patients

Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction has been reported to be involved in vulnerability to alcohol and drug dependence in humans, possibly underlying both addictive behaviour and depression susceptibility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible interactions between childhood adverse experiences, depressive symptoms and HPA axis function in addicted patients, in comparison with healthy control. Eighty‐two abstinent heroin or cocaine dependent patients and 44 normal controls, matched for age and sex, completed the symptoms Check List‐90 (SCL‐90), measuring depressive symptoms, and the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Blood samples were collected to determine adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol basal plasma levels at 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. Addicted individuals showed significantly higher neglect and depression scores and ACTH–cortisol plasma levels respect to control subjects. Depression scores at SCL‐90 in addicted patients positively correlated with plasma ACTH and cortisol values. In turn, plasma ACTH levels were directly associated with childhood neglect measures, reaching statistical significance with ‘mother‐neglect’ scores. Plasma cortisol levels were related to ‘father antipathy’ among cocaine addicts. These findings suggest the possibility that childhood experience of neglect and poor parent–child attachment may have a persistent effect on HPA axis function as an adult, partially contributing, together with genetic factors and other environmental conditions, to both depressive traits and substance abuse neurobiological vulnerability.
PRECLINICAL STUDY: Disposition of Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol in CF1 mice deficient in mdr1a P‐glycoprotein

P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) plays a major role in drug efflux. All the transported substrates are more or less hydrophobic and amphiphatic in nature. Being lipophilic, Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main cannabis component, could be a potential P‐gp substrate. The aim of this project was to determine the contribution of the mdr1a gene product to THC disposition. Therefore, oral THC and digoxin (substrate test for P‐gp) pharmacokinetics have been investigated in the intestinal epithelium and in the brain capillary endothelium of CF1 mdr1a (−/−) mice (mice naturally deficient in P‐gp). These pharmacokinetics were compared to THC and digoxin oral pharmacokinetics in wild type mice mdr1a (+/+) (not P‐gp deficient). The application of Bailer's method showed that THC total exposure measured by the area under the plasma concentration time curve was 2.17‐fold higher in CF1 mice naturally deficient in P‐gp than in wild type mice after oral administration of 25 mg/kg of THC, and 2.4‐fold higher after oral administration of 33 µg/kg of digoxin. As a consequence, the oral bioavailability of THC and digoxin was higher in naturally P‐gp‐deficient mice. We concluded that P‐gp limits THC oral uptake and mediates direct drug excretion from the systemic circulation into the intestinal lumen.
Heavy drinking relates to positive valence ratings of alcohol cues

A positive family history of alcohol use disorders (FH) is a robust predictor of personal alcohol abuse and dependence. Exposure to problem‐drinking models is one mechanism through which family history influences alcohol‐related cognitions and drinking patterns. Similarly, exposure to alcohol advertisements is associated with alcohol involvement and the relationship between affective response to alcohol cues and drinking behavior has not been well established. In addition, the collective contribution that FH, exposure to different types of problem‐drinking models (e.g. parents, peers) and personal alcohol use have on appraisal of alcohol‐related stimuli has not been evaluated with a large sample. We investigated the independent effects of FH, exposure to problem‐drinking models and personal alcohol use on valence ratings of alcohol pictures in a college sample. College students (n = 227) completed measures of personal drinking and substance use, exposure to problem‐drinking models, FH and ratings on affective valence of 60 alcohol pictures. Greater exposure to non‐familial problem‐drinkers predicted greater drinking among college students (β = 0.17, P < 0.01). However, personal drinking was the only predictor of valence ratings of alcohol pictures (β = −0.53, P < 0.001). Personal drinking level predicted valence ratings of alcohol cues over and above FH, exposure to problem‐drinking models and demographic characteristics. This suggests that positive affective responses to alcohol pictures are more a function of personal experience (i.e. repeated heavy alcohol use) than vicarious learning.
PRECLINICAL STUDY: Mice lacking Gad2 show altered behavioral effects of ethanol, flurazepam and gabaxadol

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is synthesized in brain by two isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (Gad), Gad1 and Gad2. Gad1 provides most of the GABA in brain, but Gad2 can be rapidly activated in times of high GABA demand. Mice lacking Gad2 are viable whereas deletion of Gad1 is lethal. We produced null mutant mice for Gad2 on three different genetic backgrounds: predominantly C57BL/6J and one or two generations of backcrossing to 129S1/SvimJ (129N1, 129N2). We used these mice to determine if actions of alcohol are regulated by synthesis of GABA from this isoform. We also studied behavioral responses to a benzodiazepine (flurazepam) and a GABAA receptor agonist (gabaxadol). Deletion of Gad2 increased ethanol palatability and intake and slightly reduced the severity of ethanol‐induced withdrawal, but these effects depended strongly on genetic background. Mutant mice on the 129N2 background showed the above three ethanol behavioral phenotypes, but the C57BL/6J inbred background did not show any of these phenotypes. Effects on ethanol consumption also depended on the test as the mutation did not alter consumption in limited access models. Deletion of Gad2 reduced the effect of flurazepam on motor incoordination and increased the effect of extrasynaptic GABAA receptor agonist gabaxadol without changing the duration of loss of righting reflex produced by these drugs. These results are consistent with earlier proposals that deletion of Gad2 (on 129N2 background) reduces synaptic GABA but also suggest changes in extrasynaptic receptor function.
Effects of biotin on growth performance and foot pad dermatitis of starter White Pekin ducklings

1. An experiment with 9 dietary supplemental biotin concentrations (0, 0·03, 0·06, 0·09, 0·12, 0·15, 0·18, 0·21, 1·5 mg biotin/kg) was conducted to study the effects of supplementary dietary biotin on growth performance and foot pad dermatitis (FPD) of White Pekin ducklings from hatch to 21 d of age. 2. One-d-old male Pekin ducklings (n = 576) were randomly divided into 9 dietary treatments, each containing 8 replicate pens with 8 birds per pen. Final weight, feed intake and body weight gain increased with increasing dietary biotin levels from hatch to 21 d of age. No differences were observed in feed conversion ratio. 3. The supplemental biotin requirement of ducklings for optimal body weight gain was estimated to be 0.180 mg/kg. 4. At 28 d of age, dehydration, cracks, bleeding and scab, and ulceration were observed in biotin-deficient ducks. The external scores for FPD decreased from 17·50 to 1·00 with increasing dietary biotin. It was concluded that supplemental dietary biotin should not be less than 0·21 mg/kg to minimise the incidence of FPD.
REVIEW: Acute withdrawal, protracted abstinence and negative affect in alcoholism: are they linked?

The role of withdrawal‐related phenomena in the development and maintenance of alcohol addiction remains under debate. A ‘self‐medication’ framework postulates that emotional changes are induced by a history of alcohol use, persist into abstinence, and are a major factor in maintaining alcoholism. This view initially focused on negative emotional states during early withdrawal: these are pronounced, occur in the vast majority of alcohol‐dependent patients, and are characterized by depressed mood and elevated anxiety. This concept lost popularity with the realization that in most patients, these symptoms abate over 3–6 weeks of abstinence, while relapse risk persists long beyond this period. More recently, animal data have established that a prolonged history of alcohol dependence induces more subtle neuroadaptations. These confer altered emotional processing that persists long into protracted abstinence. The resulting behavioral phenotype is characterized by excessive voluntary alcohol intake and increased behavioral sensitivity to stress. Emerging human data support the clinical relevance of negative emotionality for protracted abstinence and relapse. These developments prompt a series of research questions: (1) are processes observed during acute withdrawal, while transient in nature, mechanistically related to those that remain during protracted abstinence? ; (2) is susceptibility to negative emotionality in acute withdrawal in part due to heritable factors, similar to what animal models have indicated for susceptibility to physical aspects of withdrawal? ; and (3) to what extent is susceptibility to negative affect that persists into protracted abstinence heritable?
Living and Dying at Murray Manor

Living and Dying at Murray Manor is a classic text that documents how the "work" of everyday life in a nursing home is accomplished. Jaber F. Gubrium spent several months at a nursing home as a participant-observer, involved in activities ranging from performing menial "toileting" work to serving as a gerontologist at staff meetings. The result is not a survey of statistics about nursing homes but an examination of the social organization of care in a single home the author calls Murray Manor. Gubrium's research reveals how staff, clientele, relatives, visiting physicians, and funeral directors negotiated their respective roles, needs, and goals- and how, in the end, Murray Manor emerged as an organized social entity.
The effect of vitamin E on growth performance and meat quality in broilers given diets containing distillers’ dried grain with solubles (DDGS)

1. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of vitamin E (VE, α-tocopherol acetate) on growth performance and meat quality of broilers fed on diets containing maize distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS). 2. A total of 360 one-d-old broilers were randomly assigned to 6 groups. Each group comprised 6 replicates of 10 broilers. Broilers were allocated to 1 of 6 diets and fed for 49 d in a 3 × 2 factorial design. The dietary treatments included three concentrations of DDGS (0, 10 or 20%) and two concentrations of VE (0 or 200 mg/kg). 3. Diets containing 20% DDGS decreased the growth phase and average daily feed intake, demonstrating that small amounts of DDGS affected feed intake in broilers and that an excess of DDGS was not conducive to feed intake. 4. Different dietary concentrations of DDGS did not significantly improve colour, drip loss, cooking loss, or shear force. Supplementation with 200 mg/kg VE significantly reduced cooking loss and shear force and improved colour. 5. In conclusion, supplementation with DDGS at 10% and/or α-tocopherol acetate at 200 mg/kg had positive effects on growth performance and meat quality in broilers.
Multiple polymorphisms in genes of the adrenergic stress system confer vulnerability to alcohol abuse

Environmental factors such as stress influence both the predisposition to and development of alcoholism, as well as have significant implications for alcoholism relapse. One predominant biological response to acute stress is the release of norepinephrine, which activates the peripheral stress response and also the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. We aimed to examine the role of two genes of the adrenergic system (SLC6A2 and ADRA2A) in alcoholism by genotyping 21 SNPs in 785 adult alcohol‐dependent patients and 1237 controls. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) (rs36020 and rs36029) in SLC6A2 were significantly associated with alcoholism [false discovery rate corrected P‐value (FDR) P = 0.007]. Two SNPs in ADRA2A (rs521674 and rs602618) were associated with a positive family history of alcoholism (FDR P ≤ 0.05). A combined SNP‐set analysis was also carried out to determine the risk of harbouring multiple alcohol risk alleles across SLC6A2 and ADRA2A. Logistic regression analysis revealed that an increase in the number of alcohol risk alleles increased the risk for alcoholism (P = 0.000567, odds ratio = 1.75, 95% confidence interval 1.26–2.44). A three‐SNP haplotype consisting of rs187715, rs36020 and rs40147 alleles, AGC, was also found, which was significantly over‐represented in cases compared with controls (61% versus 56%). We therefore demonstrate an association of SLC6A2 and ADRA2A with adult alcoholism. These data confirm the relevance of the adrenergic stress system when considering genetic predisposition to alcohol dependence and suggest that SLC6A2 and ADRA2A should be studied in additional alcohol‐dependent cohorts.
Effects of dietary rosemary and oregano volatile oil mixture on quail performance, egg traits and egg oxidative stability

Abstract 1. This study was conducted to determine the effects of volatile oil mixture on quail laying performance, egg traits and egg malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. 2. A total of 260 Pharaoh quails (Coturnix coturnix Pharaoh) aged 6 weeks were equally divided into 5 groups of 65 (4 replicates of 13 quails each). The mixture of diets was as follows: a control treatment with 0 mg volatile oil/kg of diet; (1) 200 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil; (2) 200 mg/kg oregano volatile oil; (3) 40 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil plus 160 mg/kg oregano volatile oil (ratio 20:80) and (4) 160 mg/kg rosemary volatile oil plus 40 mg/kg oregano volatile oil (ratio 80:20). The diets were prepared fresh for each treatment. The experimental period lasted 10 weeks. 3. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences amongst the groups in body weight, egg weight, egg mass, egg shape index, Haugh unit, egg shell thickness or egg shell–breaking strength. 4. Diets containing rosemary volatile oil increased the egg production significantly. Feed intake significantly increased in the groups containing volatile oil mixture (groups 4 and 5). The inclusion of rosemary volatile oil at 200 mg/kg improved feed efficiency. 5. Egg albumen and egg yolk index values showed significant increases in the group given diets containing rosemary volatile oil. Egg yolk colour became darker with the addition of rosemary and oregano volatile oil. The treatment group had lower egg yolk MDA concentration than the control group. 6. It is concluded that, alone or in combination, rosemary and oregano volatile oil can be used in quail diets without adverse effects on the measured parameters. Inclusion of rosemary and oregano volatile oil in quail diets enhanced the antioxidant status of eggs.
Volatile gas concentrations in turkey houses estimated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

1. The aim of the present study was to estimate gas concentrations in commercial turkey houses by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). 2. The experiment was conducted in 5 buildings of a commercial turkey farm. The measurements of gases were carried out every 3 weeks of the growth cycle. 3. The results demonstrate that ammonia and carbon dioxide are the prevalent gases released during the entire production cycle in turkey houses. The mean concentrations of the above compounds ranged between 4–31 ppm and 220–2058 ppm, respectively. Thiols, nitriles, amines, aldehydes, hydrocarbons and other organic and inorganic compounds also occurred in turkey houses, but they were emitted periodically and their mean concentrations were significantly lower in comparison with CO2 and NH3. 4. Lower ventilation ratio and higher moisture of excreta in the first half of the growth period accelerated the release of some gases, whereas gradual faeces and urine accumulation contributed to an increase in the concentration of selected organic compounds. 5. A portable FTIR analyser is a useful device for measuring gas concentrations in commercial turkey farms, and it supports determinations of tolerable emission limits in turkey production.