Behavioural reactivity of ewes and lambs during partial and total social isolation

This work investigated the differences in the reactivity of Sarda (primiparous n= 18, multiparous n= 17) and Dorset (multiparous n= 8) breeds of sheep and their singleton lambs to two challenging test situations involving a mother-lamb partial separation test and an isolation test. Non-parametric analysis used single behavioural variables and fear scores to evaluate the effect of parity, sex of lambs, and the association between mother-lamb behaviour. Amongst ewes, Dorset were characterised by a more calm temperament while Sarda (especially primiparous ewes) were more active in their response to challenge (i.e. more attempts to escape). As with their dams, lambs reflected to a certain extent this divergence and overall during isolation lamb fear score was on average significantly higher than dams. Correlations between measures of behavioural reactivity across tests were carried out to search for predictive measures of fear. A very strong correlation emerged linking vocalisation to locomotor activity. Vocalisation could be a good candidate as predictor factor of an active reaction of sheep to a fearful situation.

Prying into the intimate secrets of animal lives; software beyond hardware for comprehensive annotation in 'Daily Diary' tags

BACKGROUND: Smart tags attached to freely-roaming animals recording multiple parameters at infra-second rates are becoming commonplace, and are transforming our understanding of the way wild animals behave. Interpretation of such data is complex and currently limits the ability of biologists to realise the value of their recorded information.

DESCRIPTION: This work presents Framework4, an all-encompassing software suite which operates on smart sensor data to determine the 4 key elements considered pivotal for movement analysis from such tags (Endangered Species Res 4: 123-37, 2008). These are; animal trajectory, behaviour, energy expenditure and quantification of the environment in which the animal moves. The program transforms smart sensor data into dead-reckoned movements, template-matched behaviours, dynamic body acceleration-derived energetics and position-linked environmental data before outputting it all into a single file. Biologists are thus left with a single data set where animal actions and environmental conditions can be linked across time and space.

CONCLUSIONS: Framework4 is a user-friendly software that assists biologists in elucidating 4 key aspects of wild animal ecology using data derived from tags with multiple sensors recording at high rates. Its use should enhance the ability of biologists to derive meaningful data rapidly from complex data.

Step by step: reconstruction of terrestrial animal movement paths by dead-reckoning

BACKGROUND: Research on wild animal ecology is increasingly employing GPS telemetry in order to determine animal movement. However, GPS systems record position intermittently, providing no information on latent position or track tortuosity. High frequency GPS have high power requirements, which necessitates large batteries (often effectively precluding their use on small animals) or reduced deployment duration. Dead-reckoning is an alternative approach which has the potential to 'fill in the gaps' between less resolute forms of telemetry without incurring the power costs. However, although this method has been used in aquatic environments, no explicit demonstration of terrestrial dead-reckoning has been presented.

RESULTS: We perform a simple validation experiment to assess the rate of error accumulation in terrestrial dead-reckoning. In addition, examples of successful implementation of dead-reckoning are given using data from the domestic dog Canus lupus, horse Equus ferus, cow Bos taurus and wild badger Meles meles.

CONCLUSIONS: This study documents how terrestrial dead-reckoning can be undertaken, describing derivation of heading from tri-axial accelerometer and tri-axial magnetometer data, correction for hard and soft iron distortions on the magnetometer output, and presenting a novel correction procedure to marry dead-reckoned paths to ground-truthed positions. This study is the first explicit demonstration of terrestrial dead-reckoning, which provides a workable method of deriving the paths of animals on a step-by-step scale. The wider implications of this method for the understanding of animal movement ecology are discussed.

Gramsci, austerity common sense and the attacks on the welfare state: The need to understand and resist the imposition of the global neoliberal agenda and the role of the social work profession.

During the last 30 years governments almost everywhere in the world are furthering a global neoliberal agenda by withdrawing the state from the delivery of services, decreasing social spending and lowering corporate taxation etc. This restructuring has led to a massive transfer of wealth from the welfare state and working class people into capital. In order to legitimize this restructuring conservative governments engage in collective blaming towards their denizens. This presentation will examine some of the well circulated phrases that have been used by the dominant elite in some countries during the last year to legitimize the imposition of austerity measures. Phrases such as, ‘We all partied’ used by the Irish finance minister, Brian Lenihan, to explain the Irish crisis and collectively blame all Irish people, ‘We must all share the pain’, deployed by another Irish Minister Gilmore and the UK coalition administration’s sound bite ‘We are all in this together’, legitimize the imposition of austerity measures. Utilizing the Gramscian concept of common sense (Gramsci, 1971), I call these phrases ‘austerity common sense’. They are austerity common sense because they both reflect and legitimate the austerity agenda. By deploying these phrases, the ruling economic and political elite seek to influence the perception of the people and pre-empt any intention of resistance. The dominant theme of these phrases is that there is no alternative and that austerity measures are somehow self-inflicted and, as such, should not be challenged because we are all to blame. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the “austerity common sense” theme from a Gramscian approach, focus on its implications for the social work profession and discuss the ways to resist the imposition of the global neoliberal agenda.

Analgesia em modelo animal superior para ortopedia

O teste de novos biomateriais para aplicações clínicas em ortopedia, ou noutras áreas da medicina, em modelos animais vivos e sencientes, em prol do benefício humano, deve ser objecto de planeamento cuidado e ponderado, dado o conflito ético que se coloca. Compete-nos, enquanto investigadores, garantir que as condições de vida, saúde e bem-estar são asseguradas. O uso de ovinos como modelo superior pré-clínico, para investigação em Ortopedia, tem-se evidenciado devido às suas características translacionais para a espécie humana. Neste estudo retrospectivo deu-se ênfase ao plano anestésico/ analgésico instituído em três tipos de técnicas cirúrgicas ortopédicas, realizadas em ovinos. Os animais intervencionados foram adquiridos com 2 meses de antecedência em relação às cirurgias e mantidos em rebanho, com condições adequadas de abrigo, alimentação e maneio. As técnicas cirúrgicas inovadoras foram treinadas previamente em peças anatómicas adquiridas no matadouro. Todas as cirurgias e anestesias foram realizadas por médicos veterinários devidamente qualificados. Durante os períodos pós-operatórios os animais foram mantidos no Hospital Veterinário, sob vigilância e tratamento, após o que regressaram ao pasto. Considera-se que os protocolos anestésico e analgésico instituídos foram suficientes para eliminar a dor ortopédica/ neuropática causada pelas técnicas cirúrgicas referidas.

Modelo animal ex vivo para vertebroplastia percutânea

O teste de novos biomateriais para vertebroplastia percutânea (VP), depende da escolha de um modelo animal adequado. O objectivo deste estudo foi o desenvolvimento ex vivo de um modelo animal reprodutível e fiável para VP, para posterior aplicação in vivo, tendo em consideração a necessidade de evitar o derrame de cimento para o canal vertebral e estruturas vasculares adjacentes. Foi seleccionado um modelo animal superior (ovino), pelas suas reconhecidas propriedades translacionais para a espécie humana. Foram realizadas VP’s em vértebras lombares sob controlo táctil e fluoroscópico, através de uma abordagem parapedicular bilateral. O volume médio de defeito obtido foi 1234±240 mm3, o que assegura defeitos viáveis para o teste de novos biomateriais injectáveis. Seis vértebras foram injectadas com um cimento comercial (Cerament®, Bone Support, Suécia) tendo-se observado preenchimento adequado dos defeitos em todas as vértebras. Todas as vértebras foram avaliadas por microtomografia axial computorizada (microTAC) antes e após a criação dos defeitos e após injecção dos cimentos. Realizaram-se testes mecânicos de compressão, tendo as vértebras sido sujeitas a cargas superiores às fisiológicas e inspeccionadas macroscopicamente. Em conclusão considera-se este modelo adequado para estudos in vivo pré-clínicos, mimetizando aplicações clínicas.

Analgesia em modelo animal superior para ortopedia

O teste de novos biomateriais para aplicações clínicas em ortopedia, ou noutras áreas da medicina, em modelos animais vivos e sencientes, em prol do benefício humano, deve ser objecto de planeamento cuidado e ponderado, dado o conflito ético que se coloca. Compete-nos, enquanto investigadores, garantir que as condições de vida, saúde e bem-estar são asseguradas. O uso de ovinos como modelo superior pré-clínico, para investigação em Ortopedia, tem-se evidenciado devido às suas características translacionais para a espécie humana. Neste estudo retrospectivo deu-se ênfase ao plano anestésico/ analgésico instituído em três tipos de técnicas cirúrgicas ortopédicas, realizadas em ovinos. Os animais intervencionados foram adquiridos com 2 meses de antecedência em relação às cirurgias e mantidos em rebanho, com condições adequadas de abrigo, alimentação e maneio. As técnicas cirúrgicas inovadoras foram treinadas previamente em peças anatómicas adquiridas no matadouro. Todas as cirurgias e anestesias foram realizadas por médicos veterinários devidamente qualificados. Durante os períodos pós-operatórios os animais foram mantidos no Hospital Veterinário, sob vigilância e tratamento, após o que regressaram ao pasto. Considera-se que os protocolos anestésico e analgésico instituídos foram suficientes para eliminar a dor ortopédica/ neuropática causada pelas técnicas cirúrgicas referidas.

Modelo animal ex vivo para vertebroplastia percutânea

O teste de novos biomateriais para vertebroplastia percutânea (VP), depende da escolha de um modelo animal adequado. O objectivo deste estudo foi o desenvolvimento ex vivo de um modelo animal reprodutível e fiável para VP, para posterior aplicação in vivo, tendo em consideração a necessidade de evitar o derrame de cimento para o canal vertebral e estruturas vasculares adjacentes. Foi seleccionado um modelo animal superior (ovino), pelas suas reconhecidas propriedades translacionais para a espécie humana. Foram realizadas VP’s em vértebras lombares sob controlo táctil e fluoroscópico, através de uma abordagem parapedicular bilateral. O volume médio de defeito obtido foi 1234±240 mm3, o que assegura defeitos viáveis para o teste de novos biomateriais injectáveis. Seis vértebras foram injectadas com um cimento comercial (Cerament®, Bone Support, Suécia) tendo-se observado preenchimento adequado dos defeitos em todas as vértebras. Todas as vértebras foram avaliadas por microtomografia axial computorizada (microTAC) antes e após a criação dos defeitos e após injecção dos cimentos. Realizaram-se testes mecânicos de compressão, tendo as vértebras sido sujeitas a cargas superiores às fisiológicas e inspeccionadas macroscopicamente. Em conclusão considera-se este modelo adequado para estudos in vivo pré-clínicos, mimetizando aplicações clínicas.

Analgesia em modelo animal superior para ortopedia

O teste de novos biomateriais para aplicações clínicas em ortopedia, ou noutras áreas da medicina, em modelos animais vivos e sencientes, em prol do benefício humano, deve ser objecto de planeamento cuidado e ponderado, dado o conflito ético que se coloca. Compete-nos a nós, enquanto investigadores, garantir que as condições de vida, saúde e bem-estar são asseguradas. O uso de ovinos como modelo superior pré-clínico, para investigação em Ortopedia, tem-se evidenciado devido às suas características translacionais para a espécie humana. Neste estudo retrospectivo deu-se ênfase ao plano anestésico/ analgésico instituído em três tipos de técnicas cirúrgicas ortopédicas, realizadas em ovinos. Os animais intervencionados foram adquiridos com 2 meses de antecedência em relação às cirurgias e mantidos em rebanho, com condições condignas de abrigo e alimentação. As técnicas cirúrgicas inovadoras foram treinadas previamente em peças anatómicas adquiridas no matadouro. Todas as cirurgias e anestesias foram realizadas por médicos veterinários devidamente qualificados. Durante os períodos pós-operatórios os animais foram mantidos no Hospital Veterinário, sob vigilância e tratamento, após o que regressaram ao pasto. Considera-se que os protocolos anestésico e analgésico instituídos foram suficientes para eliminar a dor ortopédica/ neuropática causada pelas técnicas cirúrgicas referidas.

A Sociology for Other Animals: Analysis, advocacy, intervention

Sociology has come late to the field of Human Animal Studies (HAS), and such scholarship remains peripheral to the discipline. Early sociological interventions in the field were often informed by a critical perspective, in particular feminism but also Marxism and critical race studies. There have also been less critical routes taken, often using approaches such as actor-network theory and symbolic interactionism. These varied initiatives have made important contributions to the project of animalizing sociology and problematizing its legacies of human-exclusivity. As HAS expands and matures however, different kinds of study and different normative orientations have come increasingly into relations of tension in this eclectic field. This is particularly so when it comes to the ideological and ethical debates on appropriate human relations with other species, and on questions of whether and how scholarship might intervene to alter such relations. However, despite questioning contemporary social forms of human-animal relations and suggesting a need for change, the link between analysis and political strategy is uncertain. This paper maps the field of sociological animal studies through some examples of critical and mainstream approaches and considers their relation to advocacy. While those working in critical sociological traditions may appear to have a more certain political agenda, this article suggests that an analysis of 'how things are' does not always lead to a coherent position on 'what is to be done' in terms of social movement agendas or policy intervention. In addition, concepts deployed in advocacy such as rights, liberation and welfare are problematic when applied beyond the human. Even conceptions less entrenched in the liberal humanist tradition such as embodiment, care and vulnerability are difficult to operationalize. Despite complex and contested claims however, this paper suggests that there might also be possibilities for solidarity.

Molecular determinants of virus-like nanoparticle assembly in vitro and in animal cell culture

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Biotecnológicas (Engenharia Bioquímica), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2011

Nutrition and farming practices as modulators of quality in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

Gilthead seabream is the most important farmed species in the Mediterranean, and knowledge on how common farming practices impact its quality is limited. As such, this Thesis aimed to evaluate how gilthead seabream flesh quality is affected by some of these practices. In Chapter 2, the influence of nutritional factors was evaluated, specifically the high replacement of traditional marine-derived ingredients, both fishmeal and fish oil, with vegetable sources. We have seen that the vegetable-based diets tested did not greatly impact seabream flesh quality, although some alterations were seen in the fatty acid profile of the muscle. However, and despite having caused no alterations in flesh texture, vegetable ingredients reduced the amount of sulphated glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix, affected muscle pH and reduced the activity of proteolytic enzymes. Throughout this Thesis, we measured for the first time the activity of proteolytic enzymes in seabream muscle, and cathepsin B was found to play a pivotal role in post-mortem muscle degradation. In Chapter 3, we evaluated the effect of harvesting and slaughter stress on seabream quality, and contrary to what is seen in most farmed species, our results show that gilthead seabream muscle structure is highly resistant to changes caused by stressful events. Nonetheless, considering that welfare is an increasingly important quality criterion, the use of a zero-withdrawal anaesthetic as a rested harvest technique or even slaughter method could prove valuable to the industry. In Chapter 4, we used maslinic acid as a dietary supplement, to modulate the muscle’s energetic status pre-mortem. As a finishing strategy, maslinic acid failed to increase levels of glycogen and ATP in the muscle. However, supplementation resulted in higher muscle fibre diameter and lower cathepsin B activity, and maslinic acid is likely to be useful to promote growth in this species. In general our Thesis has generated new knowledge to a major challenge facing the aquaculture industry, which is to find a compromise between the trends towards intensive rearing and consumer demand for healthy, high quality seafood being ethically acceptable and having a low impact on the environment.