Publications by authors named "Takako Miyabe-Nishiwaki"

Article Synopsis
  • Research on Japanese macaques has shown no birth-associated mortality over 27 years, contrasting with many human populations where such complications exist.
  • Three potential reasons for this difference include: macaque fetal skull flexibility, greater pelvic and connective tissue flexibility during birth, and smoother birth dynamics due to the macaque pelvic shape.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reportedly affects male reproductive function by causing spermatogenesis dysfunction and suppressing testosterone secretion. However, the relationship between COVID-19 and impaired reproductive function, such as whether these effects on reproductive function are a direct effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in male reproductive organs or an indirect effect of high fever, is not known. Here, we examined whether the cell entry molecules of SARS-CoV-2, namely, ACE2, NRP1, TMPRSS2, and FURIN, are expressed in the male reproductive organs using the testes and accessory gonads of macaques during the breeding season.

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  • Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a poorly understood genetic heart condition categorized as an unclassified cardiomyopathy, largely due to the lack of standardized diagnostic criteria and proper animal models for study.
  • This research focused on two Japanese macaques showing symptoms of LVNC and their parents, using various medical imaging and tests to analyze their heart conditions.
  • Findings indicated that both affected macaques exhibited significant myocardial abnormalities typical of LVNC, suggesting that this species may be useful for studying the disease in a laboratory setting.
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Systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is an infrequent disease in which amyloid fibrils derived from the immunoglobulin light chain are deposited in systemic organs, resulting in functional impairment. This disease has been notably uncommon in animals, and nonhuman primates have not been reported to develop it. In this study, we identified the systemic AL kappa chain amyloidosis in a captive Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and analyzed its pathogenesis.

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Facial expressions have increasingly been used to assess emotional states in mammals. The recognition of pain in research animals is essential for their well-being and leads to more reliable research outcomes. Automating this process could contribute to early pain diagnosis and treatment.

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  • The study explored how relocating Japanese macaques affects their stress levels by measuring their fecal cortisol metabolites, a common stress indicator.
  • Ten adult macaques were relocated and their fecal samples were collected daily for a week to analyze cortisol levels.
  • Although there were no significant increases in cortisol over the week, the highest levels were recorded on the day of relocation, indicating slight stress that might be attributed to effective relocation strategies and consistency in their environment.
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A tetanus outbreak occurred during 2014-2015 in the rhesus macaques reared in an open enclosure in our facility. As the soil of the facility was suspected to be contaminated with Clostridium tetani spores, there was a risk of further tetanus occurring among the macaques. To protect them from tetanus, a tetanus toxoid vaccination was recommended; however, the vaccinated elderly animals might not be effectively protected due to insufficient humoral immune responses.

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  • Comparing neuroanatomical features of human and nonhuman primate brains is essential for understanding brain function and mental disorders.
  • To advance this research, ethical standards and animal welfare must be prioritized and integrated into scientific studies.
  • A new repository of anatomical images from various nonhuman primate species aims to facilitate discoveries in neuroscience while promoting ethical research practices and conserving brain data for future studies.
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Chimpanzees () with teeth severely damaged by dental caries and/or periodontal disease are often managed with medication and/or tooth extraction. A common endodontic treatment for severely decayed teeth in a 26-year-old female chimpanzee is reported. The left maxillary central incisor tooth had lost its crown, probably due to trauma that was not recent, and it had a fistula most likely due to chronic apical periodontitis.

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A- and B-antigens are present on red blood cells (RBCs) as well as other cells and secretions in Hominoidea including humans and apes such as chimpanzees and gibbons, whereas expression of these antigens on RBCs is subtle in monkeys such as Japanese macaques. Previous studies have indicated that H-antigen expression has not completely developed on RBCs in monkeys. Such antigen expression requires the presence of H-antigen and A- or B-transferase expression in cells of erythroid lineage, although whether or not ABO gene regulation is associated with the difference of A- or B-antigen expression between Hominoidea and monkeys has not been examined.

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Changes in facial expression provide cues for assessing emotional states in mammals and may provide non-verbal signals of pain. This study uses geometric morphometrics (GMM) to explore the facial shape variation in female Japanese macaques who underwent experimental laparotomy. Face image samples were collected from video footage of fourteen macaques before surgery and 1, 3, and 7 days after the procedure.

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  • Common marmosets are valuable for studying higher brain functions, but the impact of various sedatives and anesthetics on their resting-state brain networks is unclear.
  • This study evaluated the effects of different sedatives and anesthetics (like midazolam and propofol) on marmosets using advanced analytical methods.
  • The findings indicate that light sedation with midazolam or dexmedetomidine preserves brain network function well, while propofol uniquely maintains better resting brain function compared to other tested anesthetics.
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Background: Although some studies have reported cardiac diseases in macaques, an adequate screening method for cardiac enlargement has not yet been established. This study aimed to evaluate the positioning of macaques for radiographs and establish reference intervals for the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR).

Materials And Methods: We developed a device for chest radiography in the sitting position and performed chest radiography in 50 Japanese and 48 rhesus macaques to evaluate the CTR and chest cavity size.

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Facial expressions are subtle cues, central for communication and conveying emotions in mammals. Traditionally, facial expressions have been classified as a whole (e.g.

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Background: Assessment of pain in macaques is challenging. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate current knowledge and attitudes of primate veterinarians concerning acute pain in macaques; (2) to synthesise current knowledge and opinion to facilitate pain assessment. A primary question of interest was whether more confident individuals differ in their knowledge and attitudes from less-confident individuals.

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  • * Researchers analyzed fecal immunoglobulin A antibodies in bonobos to determine their exposure to various human respiratory viruses, finding a notable presence of antibodies against multiple viruses.
  • * The findings suggest a need for a strategic action plan based on epidemiological data to better protect bonobos from these anthropozoonoses.
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Captive primates require environmental enrichment to minimize physical and mental stress. However, only a few objective evaluations have been performed to assess environment-induced physiological variations in these animals. In this study, we evaluated the usage of the metabolic profile test (MPT) to assess the influences of the housing environment on the physiology of Japanese macaques.

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Mammalian faeces can be collected noninvasively during field research and provide valuable information on the ecology and evolution of the source individuals. Undigested food remains, genome/metagenome, steroid hormones, and stable isotopes obtained from faecal samples provide evidence on diet, host/symbiont genetics, and physiological status of the individuals. However, proteins in mammalian faeces have hardly been studied, which hinders the molecular investigations into the behaviour and physiology of the source individuals.

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Facial expressions are complex and subtle signals, central for communication and emotion in social mammals. Traditionally, facial expressions have been classified as a whole, disregarding small but relevant differences in displays. Even with the same morphological configuration different information can be conveyed depending on the species.

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The objectives of this study were (a) to establish a population pharmacokinetic model and (b) to investigate the clinical and physiological effects of a single bolus dose of propofol in common marmosets. In Study 1, pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in six marmosets under sevoflurane anaesthesia. 8 mg/kg of propofol was administrated at a rate of 4 mg kg  min .

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  • The study investigates the effects of different anaesthetic combinations on common marmosets, focusing on alfaxalone alone and in combination with ketamine and butorphanol-medetomidine.
  • Seven female marmosets were treated with four different anaesthetic protocols, with varying durations of unresponsiveness observed after administration.
  • The results indicate that the combination treatment (AMB) caused a more significant decrease in heart rate and oxygen levels, suggesting the need for careful monitoring and oxygen support when using this protocol.
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Marmoset wasting syndrome (MWS) is clinically characterized by progressive weight loss. Although morbidity and mortality of MWS are relatively high in captive marmosets, its causes remain unknown. Lipid mediators are bioactive metabolites which are produced from polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid.

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  • The study focuses on filling the knowledge gap regarding the hematology and blood chemistry of captive Japanese macaques, despite extensive research on their behavior and ecology.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 511 hematological examinations and various blood chemistry tests conducted on healthy, retrovirus-free macaques between 2009 and 2013.
  • The findings offer specific baseline hematological parameters for Japanese macaques, highlighting differences from other macaque species and noting variations based on age, sex, and origin, which can aid in clinical care for these animals.
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