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Clock gene expression in most organs of the living body exhibits a diurnal rhythm synchronized with the external 24 h light-dark (LD) cycle via circadian pacemaker suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Disturbances in clock gene expression due to desynchronization of clock gene expression of the external LD cycle are risk factors for developing various diseases. Measuring the in vivo clock genes expression rhythm for a long duration under LD conditions can greatly contribute to understand the pathogenic mechanism of the disease caused by the disturbance of the biological rhythm. However, it is presently difficult to continuously measure gene expression for a long duration under LD conditions. In present study, we succeeded in measuring Period1 (Per1) gene expression under LD conditions using ultraviolet (UV) light with filter cut the visible light range. In addition, we succeeded in measuring the kinetic change of liver Per1 gene expression during the process of desynchronization of behavioral rhythm from the LD cycle by chronic administration of methamphetamine (MAP). In the future, by using this system to measure clock gene expression rhythms of brain tissues such as SCN and peripheral tissues under LD conditions, it could contribute to understand the onset mechanism of diseases induced by the desynchronization mechanism of biological rhythm to the LD cycle.

Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment for fresh osteoporotic lumbar vertebral fractures (OLVF) are crucial. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is generally performed to differentiate between fresh and old OLVF. However, MRIs can be intolerable for patients with severe back pain. Furthermore, it is difficult to perform in an emergency. MRI should therefore only be performed in appropriately selected patients with a high suspicion of fresh fractures. As radiography is the first-choice imaging examination for the diagnosis of OLVF, improving screening accuracy with radiographs will optimize the decision of whether an MRI is necessary. This study aimed to develop a method to automatically classify lumbar vertebrae (LV) conditions such as normal, old, or fresh OLVF using deep learning methods with radiography. A total of 3481 LV images for training, validation, and testing and 662 LV images for external validation were collected. Visual evaluation by two radiologists determined the ground truth of LV diagnoses. Three convolutional neural networks were ensembled. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.89, 0.83, and 0.92 in the test and 0.84, 0.76, and 0.89 in the external validation, respectively. The results suggest that the proposed method can contribute to the accurate automatic classification of LV conditions on radiography.

While the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) coordinates many daily rhythms, some circadian patterns of expression are controlled by SCN-independent systems. These include responses to daily methamphetamine (MAP) injections. Scheduled daily injections of MAP resulted in anticipatory activity, with an increase in locomotor activity immediately prior to the time of injection. The MAP-induced anticipatory behavior is associated with the induction and a phase advance in the expression rhythm of the clock gene Period1 (Per1). However, this unique formation mechanism of MAP-induced anticipatory behavior is not well understood. We recently developed a micro-photomultiplier tube (micro-PMT) system to detect a small amount of Per1 expression. In the present study, we used this system to measure the formation kinetics of MAP-induced anticipatory activity in a single whisker hair to reveal the underlying mechanism. Our results suggest that whisker hairs respond to daily MAP administration, and that Per1 expression is affected. We also found that elevated Per1 expression in a single whisker hair is associated with the occurrence of anticipatory behavior rhythm. The present results suggest that elevated Per1 expression in hairs might be a marker of anticipatory behavior formation.

Background: This study examined the prevalence of visceral obesity in Chinese adults across different body mass index (BMI) groups and their associated lipid profiles and demographic risk factors. Methods: A total of 1653 Chinese adults were recruited for the study. Abdominal quantitative computed tomography (CT) imaging was performed to derive the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at the lumbar vertebrae (L2–L3) levels. Visceral obesity was defined using established cutoff values. Fasting serum total cholesterol, total glucose, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein were measured. Results: Visceral obesity was prevalent in 35% of men and 22% of women with normal BMI (18.5–24 kg/m2) and 86% of men and 78% of women with high BMI (≥24 kg/m2). In both sexes, participants with normal BMI and visceral obesity had higher levels of TC, TG and LDL and lower HDL compared to those with normal VAT. The risk factors for visceral obesity in women with normal BMI were an age ≥50 years and BMI ≥22.3 kg/m2 and in men included a BMI ≥22.5 kg/m2. Conclusion: Visceral obesity was observed in the participants with normal BMI and was associated with an adverse lipid profile. The BMI cutoff points were lower than the normally accepted values.