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Background: Ghrelin may influence several alcohol‐related behaviors in animals and humans by modulating central and/or peripheral biological pathways. The aim of this exploratory analysis was to investigate associations between ghrelin administration and the human circulating metabolome during alcohol exposure in nontreatment seeking, heavy drinking individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: We used serum samples from a randomized, crossover, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled human laboratory study with intravenous (IV) ghrelin or placebo infusion in two experiments. During each session, participants received a loading dose (3 µg/kg) followed by continuous infusion (16.9 ng/kg/min) of acyl ghrelin or placebo. The first experiment included an IV alcohol self‐administration (IV‐ASA) session and the second experiment included an IV alcohol clamp (IV‐AC) session, both with the counterbalanced infusion of ghrelin or placebo. Serum metabolite profiles were analyzed from repeated blood samples collected during each session. Results: In both experiments, ghrelin infusion was associated with an altered serum metabolite profile, including significantly increased levels of cortisol (IV‐ASA q‐value = 0.0003 and IV‐AC q < 0.0001), corticosterone (IV‐ASA q = 0.0202 and IV‐AC q < 0.0001), and glycochenodeoxycholic acid (IV‐ASA q = 0.0375 and IV‐AC q = 0.0013). In the IV‐ASA experiment, ghrelin infusion increased levels of cortisone (q = 0.0352) and fatty acids 18:1 (q = 0.0406) and 18:3 (q = 0.0320). Moreover, in the IV‐AC experiment, ghrelin infusion significantly increased levels of glycocholic acid (q < 0.0001) and phenylalanine (q = 0.0458). Conclusion: IV ghrelin infusion, combined with IV alcohol administration, was associated with increases in the circulating metabolite levels of corticosteroids and glycine‐conjugated bile acids, among other changes. Further research is needed to understand the role that metabolomic changes play in the complex interaction between ghrelin and alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the need for young people to be aware of health and safety issues when they enter the labor market. They mention the need for employers to provide proper health and safety training, the Youth@Work--Talking Safety curriculum for secondary schools, and how such training can be included in several curricula.

An essay is presented that explores how American authors Mark Twain and Mortimer Neal Thomson (Q. K. Philander Doesticks) addressed racial oppression in their satirical work. It examines various pieces of satire written by each author and discusses the influence that Doesticks had on Twain's newspaper writing.

This article discusses the sketches, tales, mock letters, almanac pieces, and essays on outdoor sports that have created a large portion of the humor in the old southwestern United States. Authors including Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, Johnson Jones Hooper, and George Washington Harris are discussed.

Examines the humorous writings of U.S. author James Edward Henry. Achievements of Henry in civil service; Qualities of Dick, an African American character in Henry's work "My Man Dick"; Information on humorous sketches and literary style of Henry.

The article focuses on the changes in the law that allow the community pharmacy loyalty programs to include and offer incentives to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. It also discusses the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and mentions criteria to design the community loyalty programs. It suggests the need of research on influence of loyalty programs and nominal incentives on adherence.