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Mortality patterns in female domestic workers.

To investigate mortality patterns for domestic workers, proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated for the 1,382 female domestic workers who died in British Columbia at age 20 years or over between 1950 and 1984. This group experienced fewer deaths than expected from cerebrovascular accidents (PMR = 84) and hypertension (PMR = 39). The proportion of deaths from cirrhosis was higher than expected (PMR = 152). An excess of observed deaths was also noted for all accidents (PMR = 126), accidents due to environmental factors (PMR = 439), and homicide (PMR = 235). Mortality from pneumonia was elevated for domestic workers aged 20 to 65 (PMR = 180). Further studies using more sophisticated epidemiologic methods are necessary to evaluate whether these deaths are a result of occupational exposures or of poor socioeconomic conditions.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Glomerular size and volume distributions for cranial, medial, and caudal divisions of domestic fowl kidneys.

Separate renal arteries and renal portal veins supply the three divisions of domestic fowl kidneys, leading to uncertainty concerning the structural and functional homology of the different divisions. To assess the degree of anatomical similarity, separate glomerular size and volume distribution profiles were constructed for cranial, medial, and caudal divisions from the left and right kidneys of male and female domestic fowl. There were no significant differences between left and right divisions (intradivision comparisons) or between cranial, medial, and caudal divisions (interdivision comparisons) when the total number of glomeruli or total glomerular volumes were compared on a per gram kidney weight basis. Glomerular size distribution profiles were unimodal in shape, with the peaks for all divisions falling in the 0.15-0.22 mm circumference range in males and in the 0.19-0.26 mm circumference range in females. There were no significant differences in glomerular size distribution profiles for intradivision (left vs. right) comparisons. Interdivisional comparisons revealed that medial divisions had significantly lower values than caudal divisions in one of 11 glomerular circumference categories. For all remaining comparisons, there were no significant differences in glomerular size distribution profiles, nor were there any significant interdivisional differences when glomerular volume distribution profiles were compared. These data indicate that the three divisions of domestic fowl kidneys are structurally homologous on a per gram kidney weight basis, suggesting the separate divisions also are functionally homologous.

Animals↗

Daily organization of laying in Japanese and European quail: effect of domestication.

In the present study, we aimed to examine the possible effects of domestication on the daily organization of laying in female quail. To achieve this we compared laying patterns in a laboratory strain of Japanese quail with those in European quail originating from a wild population. Under LD 14:10, the same specific laying window was observed, with ovipositions occurring mainly between 7 h and 15 h after lights on. Thus, domestication did not modify the specific daily organization of laying in females laying in the afternoon. Research about the functional value of this temporal organization in the field thus seems justified. At an individual level, two distinct laying profiles were recorded, as in a previous experiment on an industrial Japanese quail strain selected for meat and egg production. However, different frequencies were noted. Whereas stable profile females (laying at the same time each day) were predominant (80.4%, N=102) in the industrial Japanese quail strain, delayed profile females (laying successively later each day) appeared dominant in the European quail (81%, N=22). The Japanese quail from the laboratory strain constituted an intermediate group with a slight dominance of the stable profile (58.8%, N=17). Thus, domestication has changed the frequencies of the laying profiles, favoring stable females, which are the most productive birds. A model involving interaction between one circadian rhythm and one ultradian rhythm can explain the observed laying profiles.

Analysis of Variance↗

Ejaculate-hormonal traits in the leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) and sperm function as measured by in vitro penetration of zona-free hamster ova and zona-intact domestic cat oocytes.

Electroejaculate traits and circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone concentrations were analyzed in adult leopard cats (Felis bengalensis), a rare felid species indigenous to east Asia. The ability of leopard cat sperm to bind and penetrate zona-free hamster ova and zona-intact domestic cat oocytes in vitro was examined as a means of testing sperm function. The influence of culture media [Biggers, Whitten, Whittingham (BWW) vs. modified Krebs Ringer bicarbonate (mKRB)], seminal plasma removal, and swim-up separation on sperm motility, sperm morphology, and oocyte penetration also were assessed. Sperm treatments included dilution of raw semen (DR), ejaculate centrifugation, and either resuspension (NS) or swim-up processing (SU). The percentage of oocytes penetrated (penetration rate) and the number of penetrated sperm/oocyte (penetration index) were determined. Ejaculates from each male consisted of at least a 50% sperm motility rating, and hormone concentrations in individual males were unrelated to any ejaculate trait measured concurrently on the same day. The SU technique improved (P less than 0.05) percent sperm motility and the proportion of structurally normal sperm compared to DR and NS treatments. Leopard cat spermatozoa were capable of binding to and penetrating hamster ova and domestic cat oocytes; however, penetration was influenced by culture medium and seminal processing. In the hamster assay, a higher (P less than 0.05) penetration rate and penetration index were achieved when mKRB was used for gamete incubation instead of BWW. NS processing also increased (P less than 0.05) overall penetration compared to DR and SU. In the cat oocyte assay, zona penetration rate was similar (P greater than 0.05) in the DR, NS, and SU aliquots; however, the zona penetration index was increased (P less than 0.05) by the NS compared to the DR and SU treatments. This study 1) provides baseline ejaculate and endocrine norms for the leopard cat, 2) demonstrates that leopard cat sperm undergo nuclear decondensation in hamster ova and penetrate zona-intact domestic cat oocytes, 3) indicates that seminal plasma removal enhances leopard cat sperm fertilizing ability and ovum penetration, and 4) suggests that heterologous oocyte penetration is effective for assessing factors influencing fertilization and sperm function in this nondomestic felid.

Animals↗

Bilateral song production in domestic canaries.

We studied the mechanism of song production in the outbred common or domestic canary (Serinus canaria). The contribution that each side of the syrinx makes to song was investigated by observing the effect of unilaterally occluding the left or right primary bronchus, followed by section of the ipsilateral branch of the tracheosyringeal nerve. In other birds with a bilaterally intact vocal system we monitored airflow through each side of the syrinx, together with subsyringeal pressure, during spontaneous song. Song production by domestic canaries is not strongly lateralized as it is in the conspecific song-bred waterslager strain. Some syllables are produced entirely on the left or right side of the syrinx, whereas others contain sequential contributions from each side. Low fundamental frequencies are produced with the left syrinx and high frequencies by the right syrinx, increasing the frequency range of domestic canary song compared to that of the waterslager strain. Midrange frequencies can be generated by either side. Syllables at repetition rates below about 25 s(-1) were accompanied by minibreaths, which were usually bilateral. Unilateral minibreaths were typically on the left side. At higher syllable repetition rates, minibreaths were replaced by a respiratory pattern of pulsatile expiration. Our data show that strong unilateral dominance in song production, present in the waterslager strain, is not a trait of the species as a whole and that the pattern of song lateralization can be altered by selective breeding for particular song characteristics.

Animals↗

Stress-induced changes in immune function are associated with increased production of an interleukin-1-like factor in young domestic fowl.

Investigation of the effects of stress on the immune system in young developing animals is hampered by many variables such as maternal interactions and physical size of immune organs. Young, precocial domestic fowl were used to overcome these difficulties. Domestic fowl, 14 days posthatch, served as an animal model to investigate the effects of stress (acute social isolation) on a rapidly developing immune system. Group-housed animals were isolated for 30, 60, or 90 min and assayed for numerative and functional changes in immune parameters in spleen and blood. The socially isolated birds showed an increase in body temperature, indicative of stress. The number of leukocytes/ml of blood increased in a time-dependent fashion, but the number of leukocytes in the spleen did not. The stress of isolation resulted in a significant increase in B-lymphocyte mitogen proliferation at 30 min, which decreased with time. Social stress also induced a time-dependent decrease in T-lymphocyte mitogen proliferation, which was significant by 90 min. Associated with changes in mitogen responsiveness was a significant increase in the production of an IL-1-like factor by splenic adherent cells from animals isolated for 30 min, which decreased in a time-dependent manner to return to baseline by 90 min. Thus, young domestic fowl represent a practical model for the examination of the effects of stress on immune function in a developing animal.

Animals↗

PCR based method for identification of zoonostic Brugia malayi microfilariae in domestic cats.

The survey of 326 human blood samples in the endemic area of Surat Thani and Narathiwat, the provinces in the south of Thailand, revealed that 5 of them were infected with Brugia malayi. Similarly, 53 feline blood samples were also investigated and found that 15 of the domestic cats were also infected with B. malayi. Upon the examination of human and feline blood specimens, a pair of human and domestic cat stayed in the same house and region. The periodicities of human B. malayi and feline B. malayi were similar as well as the results of Giemsa and acid phosphatase stained blood films of microfilaria positive cases. Likewise, the PCR-RFLP profile of Hha I repeat genes and PCR amplification of Trans-Spliced Leader Exon I (SLX) demonstrated that 15 samples the feline B. malayi were the same as those of human B. malayi. The data indicated that domestic cat plays an important role as the animal reservoir for B. malayi in the endemic areas of Thailand.

Animals↗

Shigella infection as observed in the experimentally inoculated domestic pig, Sus scrofa domestica.

The domestic pig, Sus scrofa domestica, was investigated as a potential animal model for shigellosis. We examined the effects of pig age, pig breed and antibiotic pretreatment upon Shigella infection. Shigella dysenteriae, and Shigella flexneri (both virulent and avirulent strains) were utilized. Our results indicated that young (4-week-old), conventionally re ared, domestic pigs were routinely, but briefly, colonized (average=3.5+/-2.5 days) following oral or gavage administration ofS. flexneri, as determined by direct rectal cultures. The duration of S. dysenteriae colonization was significantly shorter. Inoculation of younger (2 days) or older (9 weeks) pigs with S. flexneri had no significant effect on infection duration. Similarly, infection of 4-week-old pigs with virulent and avirulent strains of S. flexneri had no effect upon the duration of infection, nor did the use of a swine-passaged S. flexneri isolate. Marked clinical, histopathological (gross and microscopic) and immunoIhistopathological signs of disease were absent in all infections. However, in instances where microscopic histopathological evidence was used to correctly identify infected pigs, tonsillar lesions were the consistently noted criteria. The tonsils are believed to be an important portal of entry for Salmonella choleraesuis, another member of the Enterobacteriaceae and a prevalent pig pathogen. Taken altogether, our results indicate that the domestic pig is unsuitable as a model for shigellosis.

Age Factors↗

A conserved African swine fever virus IkappaB homolog, 5EL, is nonessential for growth in vitro and virulence in domestic swine.

An African swine fever virus (ASFV) gene with similarity to the cellular inhibitor of NFkappaB (IkappaB) was described in the pathogenic African isolate Malawi Lil-20/1 (ORF 5EL) and a cell-culture-adapted European virus, BA71V (ORF A238L). Recently, this gene was shown to be a functional IkappaB homolog capable of downregulating NFkappaB-regulated gene expression. This observation suggests the gene may be of significance to aspects of ASFV pathogenesis and virulence in domestic swine by interfering with a normal antiviral host response. Here we show, using nucleotide sequence analysis, that 5EL is highly conserved among various African and European pathogenic field isolates and that in all cases its similarity to IkappaB genes is limited to the presence of four low complexity ankyrin repeats in the ASFV gene. The 5EL gene of Malawi Lil-20/1 encodes a 28-kDa protein which was expressed early in virus-infected macrophage cell cultures with maximum levels observed at 3 to 5 hr postinfection. To study gene function, a Malawi Lil-20/1 5EL gene deletion mutant (Delta5EL) was constructed. Growth characteristics of Delta5EL in porcine macrophage cell cultures were indistinguishable from those of the parental virus. And, Delta5EL exhibited an unaltered parental Malawi Lil-20/1 disease and virulence phenotype in domestic swine. Thus, although highly conserved among ASFV isolates, 5EL is nonessential for growth in porcine macrophages in vitro and for viral virulence in domestic swine. A possible role for this gene in transmission of ASFV in nature, a setting which involves the cycling of ASFV between two highly adapted hosts, Ornithodoros ticks and warthogs or bush pigs, in sub-Saharan Africa is discussed.

African Swine Fever↗

Expression of neuron-specific enolase in the pineal organ of the domestic fowl during post-hatching development.

Immunohistochemistry for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) revealed that NSE is localized in both a limited number of pinealocytes and intrinsic afferent neurons in the pineal organ of the domestic fowl. Furthermore, a computer-assisted three-dimensional imaging technique allowed to clarify the reverse distributional pattern of both elements: NSE-positive pinealocytes displayed a dense distribution especially in the vesicular portion of the gland, whereas NSE-immunoreactive nerve cells were mainly found in the pineal stalk. The number of NSE-positive intrinsic neurons in the pineal organ of chickens decreased rapidly after hatching, with a concentration of these elements in the basal portion (stalk) of the pineal organ. On the other hand, immunoreactive pinealocytes increased remarkably in the end-vesicle of the organ with age, followed by a gradual expansion toward the proximal portion. Thus, the spectacular increase in NSE-positive pinealocytes and the progressive reduction of reactive neurons occurred in parallel during the course of post-hatching development. NSE-immunoreactive pinealocytes displayed morphological characteristics of bipolar elements, endowed with an apical protrusion into the pineal lumen and a short basal process at younger stages, whereas multipolar types of NSE-positive pinealocytes were predominantly found in the adult domestic fowl. These results indicate that in the pineal organ of the domestic fowl (1) the ontogenetic expansion of NSE-immunoreactive pinealocytes is paralleled by a regressive afferent innervation, (2) the NSE-positive pinealocytes transform from a bipolar (columnar) type to a multipolar type during post-hatching development, and (3) these ontogenetic changes in the NSE-immunoreactivity and morphology of pinealocytes may reflect the development of a neurosecretory-like capacity of the organ.

Animals↗

Molecular characterization and genetic mapping of class I and class II MHC genes of the domestic cat.

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the domestic cat has been poorly characterized to date, primarily because of numerous difficulties in the preparation of allotypic sera. We present here a comparative analysis of class I and class II genes in domestic cat populations using molecular probes of the MHC from man and mouse. The cat possesses a minimum of 20 class I loci and 5 class II genes per haploid genome. Class I genes of the domestic cat expressed limited restriction fragment length polymorphism. The average percent difference of the size of DNA fragments between individual cats was 9.0%, a value five times lower than the value for mice, but comparable to the human DNA polymorphism level. Class I and class II genes were both genetically mapped to feline chromosome B2 using a panel of rodent x cat somatic cell hybrids. Since feline chromosome B2 is syntenically homologous to human chromosome 6 and mouse chromosome 17, these results affirm the linkage conservation of the MHC-containing linkage group in the three mammalian orders.

Animals↗

Analysis of genetic diversity of domestic cattle in east and Southeast Asia in terms of variations in restriction sites and sequences of mitochondrial DNA.

There are three major groups of domestic cattle in East and Southeast Asia: European cattle, Zebu cattle, and Bali cattle. Ten restriction enzymes were used to analyze restriction site variants in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in 178 individuals belonging to these three groups of cattle. The results indicate that each of the three groups has mtDNA with a specific haplotype. The sequence of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome b in representative haplotypes of Zebu and Bali cattle was determined and was compared with that of European cattle in the literature. We calculated 51 pairwise nucleotide sequence differences between European and Zebu cattle and 91 between European and Bali cattle. Our results suggest that ancestral populations of Asiatic domestic cattle may have diverged into two lineages--Bali and European plus Zebu--more than 3 million years ago, and then the European and Zebu groups diverged more than 1 million years or so before domestication occurred.

Animals↗

Nucleotide diversity of mitochondrial DNAs between the swamp and the river types of domestic water buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis, based on restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns.

Cleavage patterns of mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) by 15 restriction endonucleases were analyzed for 10 swamp and 13 river types of domestic water buffaloes. Digestions with nine enzymes exhibited polymorphisms giving two or three kinds of cleavage patterns. Five mtDNA types were identified, three types in the swamp buffaloes of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia (S-types) and two types in the river buffaloes of Bangladesh and Pakistan (R-types). Nucleotide diversities ranged from 0.2 to 0.6% within the S- and R-types and from 1.9 to 2.4% between the R-types and the S-types. These values indicated that R-type and S-type mtDNAs differentiated at the subspecific level of other mammalian species reported. The possibility of polyphyletic domestication in different places is discussed for the origin of two distinct types of domestic water buffaloes.

Animals↗

The relationship of dispositional optimism, daily life stress, and domestic environment to coping methods used by cancer patients.

The relationship of dispositional optimism, daily life stress, and domestic environment to two types of coping methods was examined in a group of 94 cancer patients. As expected, dispositional optimism and domestic environment made significant contributions to the prediction of avoidance coping. Dispositional optimism contributed significantly to the prediction of active-behavioral coping. Specifically, a significant positive relationship was obtained between active-behavioral coping and optimism. A significant positive relationship also was found between avoidance coping and both daily stress and domestic environment. Avoidance coping was negatively related to dispositional optimism. In multivariate analyses, gender and disease-related variables did not make significant contributions to the prediction of coping method. Suggestions for future research were made.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Geographic population structure and sequence divergence in the mitochondrial DNA control region of the Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax), with reference to those of domestic pigs.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions from 40 Japanese wild boars were examined by direct sequencing after amplification by PCR. From the DNA sequences obtained, we found eight haplotypes, whose differences arose via transitions. The geographical distribution of these different haplotypes indicated that wild boar populations inhabited limited areas and that there was some restricted gene flow between local populations. Eight mtDNA haplotypes from Eastern and Western domestic pigs and the Ryukyu wild boar were also analyzed as references to those from Japanese wild boars. The cluster analyses of the control-region sequences showed that those from Japanese wild boars belong to the Asian type as do those from Eastern domestic pigs and the Ryukyu wild boar, which differed from the European type (Western domestic pigs).

Animals↗

Toxic effects of ingested lead shots in domestic fowls.

Lead poisoning from ingested shots is thought to be a major cause of high mortality in waterfowls throughout the world, and some millions of fowls die each year. However, there have been no other Japanese studies regarding lead toxicity in birds from ingested lead shots. We used domestic fowls instead of waterfowls as the experimental birds, in order to make clear the distribution and the toxic effects of lead shot in the birds. In a 1-wk follow-up study, two, four, and eight #4 lead shots were administered orally. A dose-dependent increase of the lead concentrations in blood, brain, liver, kidney, lung, spleen, bone, and epidermis of the gizzard was observed. In the 12-wk follow-up study, twenty domestic fowls were used and eight #4 lead shots were administered to the experimental birds. Lead concentrations in brain, liver, kidney, bone, ovary, fat tissue, and breast muscle increased more than in the 1-wk follow-up study. The observed lead concentrations of organs in the domestic fowls were lower than those of the other species used in past studies. The blood lead concentrations increased up to the third week and a remarkable suppression of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity in red blood cells and elevation of free erythropoietic protoporphyrin were observed in the exposed group. Body weight loss, loss of hair, and neurological symptoms were also observed. However, there were no mortalities during the 1- and 12-wk studies.

Administration, Oral↗

Domestic activities and walking in the elderly: evaluation from a 30-hour heart rate recording.

The physical activity pattern among 43 subjects (25 women, 18 men) from the Intervention Study of Elderly in Gothenburg (IVEG) has been evaluated by means of heart rate monitoring, rating of perceived exertion and recording activities over a 30-hour period. These subjects had previously been interviewed about their activity pattern, including the duration of their daily walks. In 91% of the participants the average heart rate was below 100 beats/min during walking. Considerable individual variations were noted in the duration of domestic activities and of walks. Using heart rate levels equal to or above the average heart rate during walking as a criterion, it was found that 68% of the women, but only 17% of the men, spent more time on domestic activities than on walking. Nonetheless, it is suggested that in addition to walking, domestic activities, owing to their duration, are important in maintaining physical fitness in the elderly, especially among women. This should be taken into account when physical activity is being classified (to avoid bias in favour of men). A modified version of a previously published six-grade scale for the classification of physical activity has been suggested.

Activities of Daily Living↗

An unusual domestic accident: a penetrating abdominal wound with intestinal evisceration in a child.

We report a penetrating abdominal injury due to a piece of glass, a very unusual domestic accident, in a 2-year-old boy who was admitted to the emergency department with an evisceration through the umbilicus. His mother reported that she was asleep when the boy came to her room, and did not know how it had happened. We primarily suspected child abuse, but the presence of a piece of glass in the boy's heel led us to think of a domestic accident. He had poured himself a glass of water, and then fell on the glass. We could not find a similar case in the literature on domestic accidents.

Abdominal Injuries↗