MarmoDetector: A novel 3D automated system for the quantitative assessment of marmoset behavior.

Background: Callithrix jacchus, generally known as the common marmoset, has recently garnered interest as an experimental primate model for better understanding the basis of human social behavior, architecture and function. Modelling human neurological and psychological diseases in marmosets can enhance the knowledge obtained from rodent research for future pre-clinical studies. Hence, comprehensive and quantitative assessments of marmoset behaviors are crucial.

Hereditary and histologic characteristics of the CF1/b cac mouse cataract model.

A substrain of mice originating from the CF1 strain (an outbred colony) reared at Osaka Prefecture University (CF1/b cac mice) develops cataracts beginning at 14 d old. Affected mice were fully viable and fertile and had developed cataracts by 22 d of age. The incidence of cataracts did not differ between male and female mice.

Inhibitory effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonists and leukotriene receptor antagonists on the transport of human organic anion transporter 4.

Human organic anion transporter 4 (OAT4) is the only member of the OAT family that is expressed in the placenta and also expressed in kidney. Although OAT4 has been shown to transport certain organic anions as well as other members of the OAT family, fewer numbers of substrates have been identified for OAT4 compared with OAT1 and OAT3, suggesting that the substrate specificity of OAT4 is greater than other OAT members. However, the substrate specificity of OAT4 remains to be investigated in detail.

Functional analysis of organic cation transporter 3 expressed in human placenta.

The aim of this study is to investigate the placental transport mechanism of cationic compounds by comparison of the uptake of an organic cation into human placental basal membrane vesicles (BLMVs) with that into organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3)-expressing cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that OCT3 is the only OCT isoform expressed in the human placenta. The function of OCT3 was investigated by measuring the uptake of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)) into human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells stably expressing OCT3 (HEK/OCT3 cells).

Association between neuroleptic drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms and dopamine D2-receptor polymorphisms in Japanese schizophrenic patients.

The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between dopamine D2-receptor gene (DRD2) polymorphisms (Taq1A, Taq1B, -141C Ins/Del) and the risk of extrapyramidal adverse effects (EPS), assessed according to the Drug-Induced Extra-Pyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS), or the maintenance dose of antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients. The DIEPSS score was significantly higher in patients bearing the -141C Del allele than in those without it. Taq1A and Taq1B restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) did not significantly affect the DIEPSS score.