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At least 955 records · Page 53Linked to original sources

PubMed1975

Differential effects of environmental enrichment on the open-field behavior of wild and domestic Norway rats.

Early postweaning experience in an enriched environment had a greater influence on the open-field behavior and body weight of wild Norway rats than of their domestic counterparts. Genetic changes accompanying the domestication process may have reduced the relative impact of postweaning experience on the development of the domestic rat's response to changes in its environment.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1977

Burrows of wild and albino rats: effects of domestication, outdoor raising, age, experience, and maternal state.

Burrows dug by albino rats were compared with those of wild Norway rats in an outdoor pen and in observation chambers in the laboratory. Burrows, in terms of measurements, configurations, or sequential development, were indistinguishable in wild and domestic rats. Burrowing for both wild and domestic rats was unaffected by raising in outdoor burrows, by availability of nesting material, or by pregnancy. Prior experience in burrowing did make it more efficient in a second trial, which suggests that learning may have a limited role in what appears to be a behavior with a strong genetic basis. Feralization of domestic rats in the outdoor pen was especially productive in answering claims of degeneracy in these animals: Albino rats were hardy throughout climatic extremes, they maintained a stable population for two years, they constructed and lived in burrows, and they showed a vaiety of wild-type behaviors.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Limited number of patrilines in horse domestication.

Genetic studies using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have identified extensive matrilinear diversity among domestic horses. Here, we show that this high degree of polymorphism is not matched by a corresponding patrilinear diversity of the male-specific Y chromosome. In fact, a screening for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14.3 kb of noncoding Y chromosome sequence among 52 male horses of 15 different breeds did not identify a single segregation site. These observations are consistent with a strong sex-bias in the domestication process, with few stallions contributing genetically to the domestic horse.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Genetics and geography of wild cereal domestication in the near east.

About 12,000 years ago, humans began the transition from hunter-gathering to a sedentary, agriculture-based society. From its origins in the Near East, farming expanded throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, together with various domesticated plants and animals. Where, how and why agriculture originated is still debated. But newer findings, on the basis of genome-wide measures of genetic similarity, have traced the origins of some domesticated cereals to wild populations of naturally occurring grasses that persist in the Near East. A better understanding of the genetic differences between wild grasses and domesticated crops adds important facets to the continuing debate on the origin of Western agriculture and the societies to which it gave rise.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2003

Labor saved, calories lost: the energetic impact of domestic labor-saving devices.

OBJECTIVE: As the prevalence of obesity has increased, so has sedentariness. Progressive sedentariness has been attributed to greater use of labor saving devices, such as washing machines, and less nonexercise walking (e.g., walking to work). However, there is a paucity of data to support this conclusion. In this study, we address the hypothesis that domestic mechanization of daily tasks has resulted in less energy expenditure compared with performing the same tasks manually. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Energy expenditure was measured in four groups of subjects (122 healthy adult men and women total) from Rochester, Minnesota. Energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry while subjects performed structured tasks such as cleaning dishes and clothes, stair climbing, and work-associated transportation, and these values were compared with the respective mechanized activity. RESULTS: Energy expenditure was significantly greater and numerically substantial when daily domestic tasks were performed without the aid of machines or equipment (clothes washing: 45 +/- 14 vs. 27 +/- 9 kcal/d; dish washing: 80 +/- 28 vs. 54 +/- 19 kcal/d; transportation to work: 83 +/- 17 vs. 25 +/- 3 kcal/d; stair climbing: 11 +/- 7 vs. 3 +/- 1 kcal/d; p < 0.05). The combined impact of domestic mechanization was substantial and equaled 111 kcal/d. DISCUSSION: The magnitude of the energetic impact of the mechanized tasks we studied was sufficiently great to contribute to the positive energy balance associated with weight gain. Efforts focused on reversing sedentariness have the potential to impact obesity.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

Purification and characterization of cholyl-CoA: taurine N-acetyltransferase from the liver of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus).

The enzymological basis for the ability of mammalian liver to conjugate bile acids with both glycine and taurine, and for non-mammalian liver to make only taurine conjugates, was investigated. The taurine-conjugating enzyme has been purified 1200-fold from the liver of domestic fowl and its properties compared with those of the glycine/taurine-conjugating enzyme from bovine liver [Czuba & Vessey (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 5296-5299]. The enzyme from both species followed a Ping Pong mechanism. The enzymes were also similar with respect to their affinity for taurine, although the enzyme from domestic fowl would not bind glycine. The affinity of both for cholyl-CoA was quite similar, too, and both enzymes were inhibited reversibly by p-mercuribenzoate. The enzymes, however, were quite different in size. The enzyme from domestic fowl had a mol.wt. of 63000-65000 by both gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This is approx. 15 000 mol.wt. units larger than the enzyme from bovine liver, and suggests a loss of genome over the course of evolution as the basis for the altered specificity at the amino-acid binding site.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗

PubMed2005

Amazing grass: developmental genetics of maize domestication.

Crop plants were domesticated by prehistoric farmers through artificial selection to provide a means of feeding the human population. This article discusses the developmental genetics of crop domestication and improvement, including the historical framework and recent approaches in maize and other grasses. In many cases, selecting for a plant form that correlates with productivity involves controlling meristem activity. In the domestication of modern maize from its progenitor Zea mays ssp. parviglumis, QTL (quantitative trait loci) mapping, genetics and population genomics approaches have identified several genes that contain signatures of selection. Only a few genes involved in the derivation of the highly productive maize ear have been identified, including teosinte glume architecture1 and ramosa1. Future prospects hinge on forward and reverse genetics, as well as on other approaches from the developing discipline of evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology).

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Distribution of domestic triatominae and stratification of Chagas Disease transmission in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Mexico has 18 species of Triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) reported to be vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagas Disease is widespread in Mexico, with up to 3.5% seropositivity of human transfusion blood. The State of Oaxaca has the longest history of endemic Chagas Disease, based on acute and chronic case reports, and of entomological surveys in the country. However, the State health care services need more information on current risks of vector transmission. In order to identify and characterize areas of transmission in Oaxaca and to stratify the vector potential, the distribution of domestic Triatominae was surveyed during 1996-98 in collaboration with the primary health care services and local communities. Villages were studied in 11% of 570 municipalities in Oaxaca. Eight triatomine species were found in domestic and peri-domestic habitats: Triatoma barberi Usinger, T. bolivari Carcavallo et al., T. dimidiata (Latreille), T. mazzottii Usinger, T. nitida Usinger, T. pallidipennis (Stal), T. phyllosoma (Burmeister) and Rhodnius prolixus Stal. For each triatomine species in Oaxaca, the range of distribution and habitat characteristics are described. Habitat partitioning, principally based on altitude and mean annual precipitation, limited the overlap of distribution between species. Relatively consistent altitude of human settlements facilitates the dispersion of individual species within microregions. Entomological indices of house infestation were used to estimate that approximately 50% of the human population (1,874,320 inhabitants) would be at risk of vector transmission, with a minimum of 134,320 infected people and 40,280 chronic cases of Chagas Disease currently in Oaxaca.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Inferences from mitochondrial DNA patterns on the domestication history of alfalfa (Medicago sativa).

The evolutionary history of a wild-cultivated complex is the outcome of different factors, among which are the domestication of the cultivated form, its geographical and demographic expansion, as well as gene flow between natural and cultivated populations. To clarify this history for alfalfa (Medicago sativa), we adopted a phylogeographical approach based on a sample of natural and cultivated populations of the M. sativa species complex. This sample was characterized for mtDNA variation through restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Twenty-two mitotypes were identified in the whole data set (155 individuals). In the wild pool from the presumed area of origin (Near East to Central Asia), the diversity was high but the absence of geographical differentiation hinders a more precise location of the centre of domestication. Within the cultivated alfalfa, the geographical structure suggests strongly the existence of at least two independent routes of dissemination of alfalfa from its centre of origin. In particular, original mitotypes detected in some regions suggest that wild populations not sampled in this study, and located outside the presumed area of domestication, may have contributed to the diversity of the cultivated pool. Finally, analysis of the mtDNA variation shows that natural populations collected in Spain constitute an endemic wild pool now introgressed partially by cultivated alfalfa.

Crops, Agricultural↗

PubMed1997

Skin and treponemal diseases among Asian domestic house-helpers in northern Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Asian domestic house-helpers in Saudi Arabia come from a different socioeconomic setting with a different disease pattern from that of their host country. This study reports the incidence of skin and treponemal diseases in this group seen at a referral hospital in northern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study was based on the analysis of the dermatologic and serologic examinations of 1520 domestic house-helpers during resident permit issue, and a retrospective study of clinical records of house-helpers with skin disorders. RESULTS: Routine examination revealed significant skin disease in 374 (24.6%) individuals, and the disease was transmissible in 126 (8.3%). Treponemal infection (5, 0.3%) and leprosy (1, 0.07%) were seen. Hand dermatitis and chicken pox were the most common causes of hospital attendance. Psychologic skin disorders included three cases of neurotic excoriations, two cases of delusion of parasitosis, and a case of dermatitis artefacta. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of transmissible skin diseases in Asian domestic house-helpers is low compared with that in their home countries. Excluding individuals with stigmata of atopic dermatitis from employment as house-helpers, adequate counselling will reduce the incidence of hand dermatitis and psychologic skin disorders. There is a need for continuous surveillance to prevent the introduction of skin diseases not normally seen in the native population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Domestic violence and women's mental health in Japan.

There are positive changes in both the social and legal understanding of domestic violence in Japan. However, the scope of the problem has not been investigated in depth and described in the Japanese nursing literature. This descriptive study of a random sample of 177 women investigated domestic violence and the relationship between domestic violence and the mental health of the victims. Sixty-seven per cent of the female respondents reported having experiences of physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse. Forty-seven per cent of the abused women achieved statistically significant General Health Questionnaire scores that indicated clinical depression or anxiety. The findings of this study will enable Japanese nurses to better assess and intervene on behalf of their patients. In addition, avenues for further nursing research are suggested.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Hyoid apparatus and pharynx in the lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), tiger (Panthera tigris), cheetah (Acinonyxjubatus) and domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus).

Structures of the hyoid apparatus, the pharynx and their topographical positions in the lion, tiger, jaguar, cheetah and domestic cat were described in order to determine morphological differences between species or subfamilies of the Felidae. In the lion, tiger and jaguar (species of the subfamily Pantherinae) the Epihyoideum is an elastic ligament lying between the lateral pharyngeal muscles and the Musculus (M.) thyroglossus rather than a bony element like in the cheetah or the domestic cat. The M. thyroglossus was only present in the species of the Pantherinae studied. In the lion and the jaguar the Thyrohyoideum and the thyroid cartilage are connected by an elastic ligament, whereas in the tiger there is a synovial articulation. In adult individuals of the lion, tiger and jaguar the ventral end of the tympanohyal cartilage is rotated and therefore the ventral end of the attached Stylohyoideum lies caudal to the Tympanohyoideum and the cranial base. In newborn jaguars the Apparatus hyoideus shows a similar topographical position as in adult cheetahs or domestic cats. In adult Pantherinae, the Basihyoideum and the attached larynx occupy a descended position: they are situated near the cranial thoracic aperture, the pharyngeal wall and the soft palate are caudally elongated accordingly. In the Pantherinae examined the caudal end of the soft palate lies dorsal to the glottis. Differences in these morphological features between the subfamilies of the Felidae have an influence on specific structural characters of their vocalizations.

Acinonyx↗

PubMed1997

"They think you're as stupid as your English is": constructing foreign domestic workers in Toronto.

"In Canada, paid domestic work is often associated with (im)migrant women from a variety of countries of origin. We critically analyse Canada's foreign domestic worker programmes, noting the shifting definitions of which nationalities should participate. We note how gendered, racialised, and classed constructions of national identities infuse these programmes. We then turn to an empirical analysis of how foreign domestic workers are constructed in Toronto, where demand is the highest in Canada."

Americas↗

PubMed1995

Comparative intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in human and domestic species.

The current clinical use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for the alleviation of male factor infertility has prompted a re-investigation of sperm injection techniques in a number of animal species. This report examines sperm injection of in vitro matured oocytes in the major domestic species and compares the results with the human. Ovine, bovine and porcine oocytes can undergo fertilization and at least limited development without exogenous activation either prior to or subsequent to injection. Porcine is temperature sensitive during fertilization and the early stages of embryo development. The oocytes of all three domestic species, particularly ovine, have a tendency to activate after the injection procedure regardless of the presence or absence of sperm. The implications for early development studies and the practical use of direct sperm injection for domestic species are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Reassessing Coxcatlan Cave and the early history of domesticated plants in Mesoamerica.

Reanalysis and direct accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating of the cucurbit assemblage from Coxcatlan Cave provide information on the timing and sequence of the initial appearance of three domesticated plants in the Tehuacán Valley (Puebla, Mexico) and allow reassessment of the overall temporal context of plant domestication in Mexico. Cucurbita pepo is the earliest documented domesticate in the cave, dating to 7,920 calibrated calendrical (cal) years B.P. The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is dated at 7,200 cal years B.P. Cucurbita argyrosperma does not appear until 2,065 cal years B.P. The earlier identification of Cucurbita moschata specimens is not confirmed. Seventy-one radiocarbon dates, including 23 accelerator mass spectrometry dates on cucurbits, provide ample evidence of postdepositional vertical displacement of organic materials in the western half of Coxcatlan Cave, but they also indicate that the eastern half of the cave was largely undisturbed.

Archaeology↗

PubMed2002

Identifying genes of agronomic importance in maize by screening microsatellites for evidence of selection during domestication.

Crop species experienced strong selective pressure directed at genes controlling traits of agronomic importance during their domestication and subsequent episodes of selective breeding. Consequently, these genes are expected to exhibit the signature of selection. We screened 501 maize genes for the signature of selection using microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs). We applied the Ewens-Watterson test, which can reveal deviations from a neutral-equilibrium model, as well as two nonequilibrium tests that incorporate the domestication bottleneck. We investigated two classes of SSRs: those known to be polymorphic in maize (Class I) and those previously classified as monomorphic in maize (Class II). Fifteen SSRs exhibited some evidence for selection in maize and 10 showed evidence under stringent criteria. The genes containing nonneutral SSRs are candidates for agronomically important genes. Because demographic factors can bias our tests, further independent tests of these candidates are necessary. We applied such an additional test to one candidate, which encodes a MADS box transcriptional regulator, and confirmed that this gene experienced a selective sweep during maize domestication. Genomic scans for the signature of selection offer a means of identifying new genes of agronomic importance even when gene function and the phenotype of interest are unknown.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2003

Pattern of diversity in the genomic region near the maize domestication gene tb1.

Domesticated maize and its wild ancestor (teosinte) differ strikingly in morphology and afford an opportunity to examine the connection between strong selection and diversity in a major crop species. The tb1 gene largely controls the increase in apical dominance in maize relative to teosinte, and a region of the tb1 locus 5' to the transcript sequence was a target of selection during maize domestication. To better characterize the impact of selection at a major "domestication" locus, we have sequenced the upstream tb1 genomic region and systematically sampled nucleotide diversity for sites located as far as 163 kb upstream to tb1. Our analyses define a selective sweep of approximately 60-90 kb 5' to the tb1 transcribed sequence. The selected region harbors a mixture of unique sequences and large repetitive elements, but it contains no predicted genes. Diversity at the nearest 5' gene to tb1 is typical of that for neutral maize loci, indicating that selection at tb1 has had a minimal impact on the surrounding chromosomal region. Our data also show low intergenic linkage disequilibrium in the region and suggest that selection has had a minor role in shaping the pattern of linkage disequilibrium that is observed. Finally, our data raise the possibility that maize-like tb1 haplotypes are present in extant teosinte populations, and our findings also suggest a model of tb1 gene regulation that differs from traditional views of how plant gene expression is controlled.

Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial↗

PubMed1995

A study of bovine tuberculosis in domestic animals and wildlife in the MacKenzie Basin and surrounding areas using DNA fingerprinting.

The MacKenzie Basin, an area of about 5150 km2 in the South Island of New Zealand, was free of bovine tuberculosis prior to 1980. During the next 13 years, the majority of the cattle and deer herds in this area became infected with Mycobacterium bovis. The history of infection in the MacKenzie Basin has all the characteristics of a newly developed region of endemic tuberculosis with a wildlife reservoir of M. bovis. Tuberculous possums and ferrets were found in the MacKenzie Basin and both may have been a source of infection for domestic animals. DNA fingerprinting of 125 isolates of M. bovis from domestic animals and wildlife by restriction endonuclease analysis revealed two major groups of isolates. The same groups were identified using IS6110 as a DNA probe. Restriction endonuclease analysis enabled one group to be subdivided into seven restriction types and the other group into eight types. Mycobacterium bovis isolates with the most common restriction types were present in both domestic animals and wildlife, indicating that infection had spread between these two groups of animals. DNA fingerprinting also revealed that M. bovis was introduced into the MacKenzie Basin from at least two distinct sources. Furthermore, DNA finger-printing was able to identify probable sources of infection.

Journal Article↗