A simple machine vision-driven system for measuring optokinetic reflex in small animals.

The optokinetic reflex (OKR) is useful to monitor the function of the visual and motor nervous systems. However, OKR measurement is not open to all because dedicated commercial equipment or detailed instructions for building in-house equipment is rarely offered. Here we describe the design of an easy-to-install/use yet reliable OKR measuring system including a computer program to visually locate the pupil and a mathematical procedure to estimate the pupil azimuth from the location data.

A novel missense mutation causing a G487R substitution in the S2-S3 loop of human ether-à-go-go-related gene channel.

Introduction: Mutations of human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG), which encodes a cardiac K(+) channel responsible for the acceleration of the repolarizing phase of an action potential and the prevention of premature action potential regeneration, often cause severe arrhythmic disorders. We found a novel missense mutation of hERG that results in a G487R substitution in the S2-S3 loop of the channel subunit [hERG(G487R)] from a family and determined whether this mutant gene could induce an abnormality in channel function.

Methods And Results: We made whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from HEK-293T cells transfected with wild-type hERG [hERG(WT)], hERG(G487R), or both.