The polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of beef and lamb liver.

The effect on liver fatty acids of two typical beef production systems, steers fed grass (grazing) and bulls fed concentrates, was investigated. Liver fatty acids were also studied in lambs grazing grass. Total fatty acid content of liver in the beef animals was not affected by production system, being 3.5% for grass and 3.7% for concentrates although carcasses of the latter animals were leaner. The percentages of the major non polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were also similar: (concentrates in parentheses) 18:0, 25.2% (25.1%); 16:0, 13.3% (14.5%); 18:1 12.6% (14.0%). Total liver PUFA contents were similar for the two production systems and much higher than in muscle from the same animals. All n-3 PUFA were present in greater amounts in liver from grass fed animals and n-6 PUFA were higher in concentrate fed animals: mg/100g liver, 18:3n-3 92 (32); 20:5 n-3, 151 (17); 22:5 n-3, 283 (108); 22:6 n-3, 83 (32); 18:2 n-6, 172 (444); 20:4 n-6, 194 (270). The P:S ratios were 0.20 (grass) and 0.32 (concentrates) and the n-6:n-3 ratios were 0.71 and 4.8, respectively. Livers from grass-fed lamb had a higher fat content, 4.9%, than the beef livers and a lower percentage of 18:0, (21%); but more 16:0, (16%) and 18:1 (21 %). Total PUFA content of lamb's liver resembled that of beef liver and the composition was similar to that of the steers fed grass. However the concentrations of 18:3 n-3 and 22:6 n-3 were higher in lamb and contributed to a lower n-6: n-3 ratio of 0.46 although the P:S ratio of 0.18 was similar to that in beef liver. Ruminant liver is potentially a good source of C20 and C22 PUFA in the human diet particularly from grass fed animals, with a highly desirable n-6:n-3 ratio and this may be more important nutritionally than the low P:S ratio since people can offset this elsewhere in the diet.

Fatty acid content and composition of UK beef and lamb muscle in relation to production system and implications for human nutrition.

Although ruminant meats normally have a low ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (P:S ratio), the muscle contains a range of C(20) and C(22) PUFA of both the n-6 and n-3 series of potential significance in human nutrition. However, information on the amounts of these fatty acids in muscle and how they are modified by production system is limited In this study, the content and composition of fatty acids was determined in several muscles from beef steers fed grass (grazed) and bulls fed cereal concentrates. These are the two main types of beef production in the UK and Europe. Muscle fatty acids were also determined in lambs fed grass (grazed on pasture). The total fatty acid content of all muscles studied was less than 35 g kg(-1). The percentages in total fatty acids of all n-3 PUFA were higher in muscles from steers fed grass than from bulls fed concentrates whereas all n-6 PUFA were higher in the latter. The gluteobiceps muscle contained the largest amounts of fatty acids including PUFA and the m. longissimus dorsi the least amounts of PUFA in beef and lamb, and m. longissimus contained the lowest percentages of PUFA. Arachidonic acid was the major fatty acid in the C(20) + C(22) PUFA in beef from both production systems with twice as much in muscles from bulls fed concentrates. The P:S ratios were higher in the latter animals, range 0.21-0.34 compared with 0.08-0.13 in the steers fed grass. However, the n6:n-3 ratio was much less desirable in the bulls, 15.6-20.1 compared with 2.0-2.3 in the steers fed grass. These effects of production system in ruminants are larger than previously reported. Lamb muscle P:S ratios resembled those in grass-fed beef but the n-6:n-3 ratios were lower. The percentage of trans unsaturated 18:1 fatty acids was similar in both cattle production systems but lamb muscles contained twice as much as beef. Although the concentrations of the C(20) and C(22) PUFA are much lower than in fish, maintaining high n-3 levels in ruminant meats through grass feeding may be advantageous in human nutrition since meat is more widely consumed.

Psychometric comparisons of sociopathic and psychopathological behaviors of alcoholics and drug abusers versus a low drug use control population.

Scales derived from a self-administered questionnaire were used to assess the degree of sociopathy, alcohol/drug abuse, low moods, and sleep disturbances in 53 outpatient alcoholics, 11 prisoner-addicts, and 54 controls. Separate preadult and adult scales assessed pre- and postaddiction behaviors. Methodology differs from previous studies in that scaling permitted assessment of sociopathy, alcoholism, and drug abuse as graded phenomena; and drug scoring, as a function of number, frequency, and seriousness, was established prior to data collection. Data provide support for an affective-antisocial spectrum disorder characterized by early onset, low moods, and alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and/or antisocial behaviors.

Measurement of psychopathy as a state.

It was hypothesized that psychopathic states could be measured by systematically changing items in psychopathy scales so as to suggest current feelings, thoughts, motives, and actions. The scales chosen for revision were the Psychopathic Deviate, Mania, and Antisocial scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI); Responsibility and Socialization scales of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI); and Psychopathy scale from the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI). Male alcoholics (N = 53) and opiate addicts (N = 28) exemplifying psychopaths were compared with normals (N = 54) on each of the above scales. Alcoholics and opiate addicts were significantly higher on the total of the psychopathic scales and each of the above state scales except for Mania. Reliability was significant on all scales except the Antisocial scale. Also, 58% of 560 items differentiated these groups from normals.