Gait analysis in swine, sheep, and goats after neurologic injury: a literature review.

Medical research on neurologic ailments requires representative animal models to validate treatments before they are translated to human clinical trials. Rodents are the predominant animal model used in neurological research despite limited anatomic and physiologic similarities to humans. As a result, functional testing designed to assess locomotor recovery after neurologic impairment is well established in rodent models. Comparatively, larger, more clinically relevant models have not been as well studied. To achieve similar locomotor testing standardization in larger animals, the models must be accessible to a wide array of researchers. Non-human primates are the most relevant animal model for translational research, however ethical and financial barriers limit their accessibility. This review focuses on swine, sheep, and goats as large animal alternatives for transitional studies between rodents and non-human primates. The objective of this review is to compare motor testing and data collection methods used in swine, sheep, and goats to encourage testing standardization in these larger animal models. The PubMed database was analyzed by searching combinations of swine, sheep, and goats, neurologic injuries, and functional assessments. Findings were categorized by animal model, data collection method, and assessment design. Swine and sheep were used in the majority of the studies, while only two studies were found using goats. The functional assessments included open pen analysis, treadmill walking, and guided free walking. Data collection methods included subjective behavioral rating scales and objective tools such as pressure-sensitive mats and image-based analysis software. Overall, swine and sheep were well-suited for a variety of assessment designs, with treadmill walking and guided free walking offering the most consistency across multiple trials. Data collection methods varied, but image-based gait analysis software provided the most robust analysis. Future studies should be conducted to standardize functional testing methods after neurologic impairment in large animals.

Comportamiento violento en adolescentes: su relación con las estrategias cognitivas y el rendimiento académico / No disponible

El objetivo general de esta investigación es estudiar los patrones de conducta violenta en la escuela, así como su relación con las estrategias cognitivas de aprendizaje y motivación, y el rendimiento académico en los adolescentes. Para ello se administraron dos cuestionarios (CEVEO y CEAM) en una muestra de 1.512 estudiantes de ESO, pertenecientes a centros educativos de la Comunidad de Madrid, situados en localidades de más de 50.000 habitantes. Los principales resultados del estudio fueron los siguientes: a) las principales diferencias con respecto a las estrategias cognitivas de aprendizaje se encontraron en búsqueda de lo esencial y enfoque superficial; b) en general, se encontraron diferencias en relación con las estrategias cognitivas de motivación; y c) existen diferencias significativas con respecto al rendimiento académico (AU)

This paper presents a study of violent behavior patterns of adolescents at school, along with its relation to learning and motivational cognitive strategies and to academic performance. Two questionnaires (CEVEO and CEAM) were completed by 1,512 secondary education students in Madrid region schools located in towns over 50,000 inhabitants. The main outcomes were the following: a) the main differences in learning cognitive strategies focused on finding the essential and superficial approach; b) significant differences in motivational cognitive strategies were observed; and c) significant differences were also found in academic performance (AU)

Organoarsenical species contents in cooked seafood.

The organoarsenical species arsenobetaine (AB), arsenocholine (AC), tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA+), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) were determined in 64 cooked seafood products (fish, bivalves, squid, crustaceans) included in a Total Diet Study carried out in the Basque Country (Spain). For cooking, various treatments were employed (grilling, roasting, baking, stewing, boiling, steaming, microwaving). The results obtained show that in cooked seafood AB is the major species, followed by DMA and TMA+. AC and MMA are minor species. The results in cooked seafood were compared with the arsenic species contents obtained for the same product raw. After cooking there was an increase in DMA for sardines and bivalves and an increase or appearance of TMA+ for meagrim, anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, and sardine. The data provided add to the very scant information available about organoarsenical species contents in cooked seafood.

Arsenic in cooked seafood products: study on the effect of cooking on total and inorganic arsenic contents.

Total and inorganic arsenic contents were analyzed in cooked seafood products consumed in Spain during the period July 1997-June 1998: hake, meagrim, small hake, anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, sardine, bivalves, crustaceans, squid, and salted cod. Various cooking treatments were used (grilling, roasting, baking, stewing, boiling, steaming, and microwaving). The results obtained were compared statistically with those found previously in the same products raw, and they showed that after cooking there was a significant increase in the concentration of total arsenic for salted cod and bivalves, and in the concentration of inorganic arsenic for bivalves and squid. The mean content of inorganic arsenic was significantly higher in bivalves than in any other type of seafood. For the Spanish population, the mean intake of total arsenic estimated on the basis of the results obtained in this study is 245 microg/day. The intake of inorganic arsenic (2.3 microg/day) represents 1.7% of the World Health Organization provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), leaving an ample safety margin for this population, which has a very high consumption of seafood.

Total and inorganic arsenic in fresh and processed fish products.

Total arsenic and inorganic arsenic contents were determined in 153 samples of seafood products consumed in the Basque Country (Spain): fish (white fish and blue fish), mollusks, crustaceans, and preserved fish. White fish presented higher levels of total arsenic and lower levels of inorganic arsenic than the blue fish, indicating possible differences in the metabolization of inorganic arsenic. For total arsenic, 66% of the samples exceeded the maximum permitted level by the strictest international legislation in seafood products [1 microg g(-)(1), wet weight (ww)]. The levels of inorganic arsenic were considerably lower than the maximum authorized in New Zealand (2 microg g(-)(1), ww), the only country with legislation for inorganic arsenic in fish and fish products. It is recommended that legislation based on levels of inorganic arsenic should be established.

Food surveillance in the Basque Country (Spain). II. Estimation of the dietary intake of organochlorine pesticides, heavy metals, arsenic, aflatoxin M1, iron and zinc through the Total Diet Study, 1990/91.

Total diet samples purchased at monthly intervals between March 1990 and December 1991 were analysed for different contaminants and nutrients. Each total diet sample included 91 food items which were combined after preparation and/or cooking into 16 groups of similar foods. The 'market basket' was based on a food survey which referred to the adult population (25-60 years) carried out in the Basque Country between 1988 and 1990. The dietary intakes (micrograms/day) of lead (43), cadmium (11), mercury (18), arsenic (291), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) (0.2), alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) ( < 0.1), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH) (0.1), gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-HCH) (2.9), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) (0.3), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (DDE) (0.9), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD)(0.2), dieldrin (0.5), heptachlor epoxide ( < 0.1), alpha-endosulphan (0.1) and beta-endosulphan (0.1) were all well below the respective Acceptable Daily Intakes or Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intakes. However, arsenic intake was much higher than that estimated in other countries and gamma-HCH was detected in anomalously high levels in the bread group. Dietary intakes of delta-hexachlorocyclohexane (delta-HCH), aldrin, endrin, heptachlor and methoxychlor were not calculated because no residues were detected in any of the samples. Aflatoxin M1 intake was not estimated owing to the low levels detected. Finally, zinc intakes (11.6 mg/day) were below the recommended dietary allowances for Spain and the same was true for iron (11.3 mg/day), but only for females.

Food surveillance in the Basque country (Spain) I. The design of a total diet study.

A total diet study has been initiated in the Basque country (Spain), the purpose of which is to provide estimates of the average intake of both food contaminants and certain nutrients. The types and quantities of foods that make up the average Basque 'Total Diet' are based on the results of surveys carried out between 1988 and 1990. These surveys have identified the major items in the national diet (91 categories of foods) which are combined for the total diet study, for analysis, into 16 groups of similar foods. Each group is being analysed for selected contaminants of concern which initially are: heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic), organochlorine pesticides (HCB, HCH (alpha, beta, gamma, delta), DDT (DDE, TDE), dieldrin, aldrin, endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan and methoxychlor) and selected trace element nutrients (zinc, selenium and iron). In the milk and dairy products groups an assessment of aflatoxin M1 contamination is also being carried out.

Liquid chromatographic determination of carminic acid in yogurt.

A reverse-phase liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of carminic acid in yogurt. A C18 column is used with acetonitrile-1.19M formic acid (19 + 81) as mobile phase and diode array detection. Sample preparation includes deproteinization with papain and purification in a polyamide column. The relative standard deviation for repeated determinations of carminic acid in a commercial strawberry-flavored yogurt was 3.0%. Recoveries of carminic acid added to a natural-flavored yogurt ranged from 87.2 to 95.3% with a mean of 90.2%. The method permits measurement of amounts as low as 0.10 mg/kg.