Procedures for numerical analysis of circadian rhythms

This article reviews various procedures used in the analysis of circadian rhythms at the populational, organismal, cellular and molecular levels. The procedures range from visual inspection of time plots and actograms to several mathematical methods of time series analysis. Computational steps are described in some detail, and additional bibliographic resources and computer programs are listed.     

Social rhythm and other chronobiological findings in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

We evaluated the correlation between chronobiological variables and characteristics of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Sample: 17 individuals epileptic outpatients and respective controls. Instruments: The Social Rhythm Metric for social zeitgebers, lux meter, and an ACT10^® thermistor for activity–rest rhythm, light exposure, and peripheral body temperature. Regularity scores showed an inverse correlation with age at disease onset (r = ?0.5; p < 0.05), but not with disease duration or stabilization time. A significant intergroup difference was recorded for mean diurnal peripheral temperature (p < 0.01) and activity amplitude (= 0.06). There was a correlation between activity and temperature means in both groups. These results underscore the relationship between epilepsy and the biological clock on a physiological level. Epilepsy, in turn, is influenced by the circadian rhythm, indicating the potential involvement of the body’s internal clock in the development of the disease or the seizure recurrence pattern.     

ROC analysis as an additional method to characterize chronobiological data

Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was originally developed for the detection of radiosignals in the presence of noise, and is nowadays widely used for the assessement of diagnostic test discrimination. The method is also useful for characterising chronobiological data sets based on predefined clinically or experimentally suitable limits of variation. The method also helps to decide whether the chronogram reflects a relevant periodicity.     

中西医观解读时间生物学

时间生物学是一门研究生命活动节律的科学。在西方医学中,研究时间生物学是利用分子生物学实验来阐释其机制,以西医的思维方法解释时间生物学的生理及病理过程;中医对时间生物学的记载有两千多年的历史,阴阳理论、子午流注学说以及五运六气学说一直以来都在指导中医的诊断和治疗。中西医观的不同对时间生物学的研究提供了新的研究思路,同时时间生物学也为研究中西医结合提供了广阔的前景。     

贵州草海越冬黑颈鹤飞出飞回夜栖地行为节律初步观察

野生动物行为节律常常是其对环境变化的一种行为适应。黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)越冬期会利用固定夜栖地,形成每天早晨飞出觅食,傍晚飞回夜栖的固定行为模式。为探索这一固定行为模式在越冬不同时期的变化及其影响因素,利用瞬时扫描法对草海湿地全部7个固定夜栖地的黑颈鹤飞出和飞回夜栖地准确时间及飞出之前和飞回之后在夜栖地的行为节律进行了观察。并且保证越冬前期(11月9日至12月31日)、中期(1月1日至2月21)和后期(2月22日至3月31日)3个阶段的调查时间分别不低于15 d。结果表明,越冬不同时期黑颈鹤飞出夜栖地时间差异极显著(F=23.38,P0.01),飞回夜栖地时间存在显著性差异(F=3.51,P0.05)。整个越冬期,黑颈鹤飞出夜栖地时间在中期延后,而到后期则更为提前,越冬前期、中期和后期飞出夜栖地的平均时间分别为7:34时、7:40时和7:13时;而飞回夜栖地时间逐渐延后,平均时间由前期的17:12时,至中期的17:40时和后期的18:15时。黑颈鹤飞出夜栖地之前的行为在越冬前期、中期和后期差异极显著(F=1 768.25,df=12,P0.01),飞回夜栖地之后的行为在前期、中期和后期差异亦极显著(F=793.98,df=12,P0.01)。越冬前期、中期和后期,黑颈鹤飞出夜栖地之前的行为与飞回夜栖地之后的行为均差异极显著(前期F=2 723.16,df=6,P0.01;中期F=1 979.48,df=6,P0.01;后期F=5 098.18,df=6,P0.01)。黑颈鹤在飞出夜栖地前的80 min内,其行为以保养(34.32%)和休息(32.38%)为主;而飞回夜栖地后的90 min内,以觅食(43.04%)和休息(23.68%)为主。飞出时刻与日出时刻呈显著强相关(r=0.832,n=48,P0.01),飞回时刻与日落时刻呈弱相关(r=0.353,n=47,P0.01)。日出时间与黑颈鹤飞出夜栖地的时间的差值(Y1)受飞离时的空气湿度(W)影响,二者成反比,Y1=0.469﹣0.625W,P0.05。黑颈鹤飞回夜栖地时刻与日落时刻的差值(Y2)受当天平均温度(T)的影响较为显著,Y2=1.231﹣0.107T,P0.05,当天平均温度越高黑颈鹤飞回夜栖地时间越早,温度越低,黑颈鹤飞回夜栖地的时间越晚。研究结果对于进一步探讨黑颈鹤完整夜栖行为及其对干扰的适应性具有重要意义。     

来源于西梅的(R)-醇腈酶促立体选择性转氰合成(R)-酮醇腈

在水/有机溶剂双相反应体系中,研究了来源于西梅的(R)-醇腈酶催化酮与丙酮醇腈合成(R)-酮醇腈的立体选择性转氰反应．系统探讨了不同酶源、酶粉颗粒大小、底物浓度、两底物配比、酶浓度和底物结构对转氰反应的影响．结果发现西梅醇腈酶能高效催化三甲基硅酮与丙酮醇腈的立体选择性转氰．酶粉颗粒大小以直径0.3～0.45 mm为优,底物浓度以21 mmol/L左右为佳,底物丙酮醇腈与三甲基硅酮摩尔浓度比以2∶1为宜,酶浓度以60.9 g/L左右为好．西梅醇腈酶对3, 3-二甲基-2-丁酮几乎没有催化活性,而对其硅结构类似物三甲基硅酮却具有非常高的立体选择性和催化活性,在上述优化反应条件下反应24 h的底物转化率和产物光学纯度均高达99%以上,表明底物中的硅原子对西梅醇腈酶的催化活性有非常显著的促进作用．     

红角鸮的食性及育雏行为初报

红角鸮(Otus sunia)广泛分布于东亚和南亚。2012和2013年的两个繁殖季节,在江苏省南京大学浦口校区通过红外摄像观察记录了红角鸮的摄食及育雏行为,统计了亲代红角鸮育雏食物的种类、育雏的时间和次数。以1 h为一个时段,利用单因素方差分析(ANOVA)及Student-Newman-Keulsa多重比较法分析各时段之间育雏频次的差异。亲鸟育雏的食物大部分为直翅目(62%)和鳞翅目(18%)昆虫,以及非昆虫类的无脊椎动物,如蜘蛛(8%)和唇足动物(7%),红角鸮也捕食小型陆栖脊椎动物例如田鼠、壁虎等育雏,但比例甚低(3%)。红角鸮育雏节律较为明显,亲鸟主要集中在夜间外出觅食,但在白天也有觅食行为。夜间共有三个育雏高峰,分别为日落之后的19:00~20:00时和21:00~22:00时以及日出之前的04:00~05:00时。     

Reproductive characteristics ofPseudoperichaeta nigrolineata (Dipt., tachinidae), parasitoid ofOstrinia nubilalis (Lep., pyralidae)

The ovolarviparous tachinid flyPseudoperichaeta nigrolineata Walker is a larval parasitoid of the European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner. A study of the behaviours of gravid females and the kairomones that influence these behaviours led us to quantify several biological characteristics of these females. The females were observed from the moment they became gravid. They were placed in the presence of a corn-caterpillar complex that was changed three times per 24-hour period. Parasitoids lived an average of 8.5 more days. From emergence, the mean longevity was 24 days and the maximum, 39 days. The ovolarviposition period of the sample lasted a total of 12 days. However, the actual number of days of ovolarviposition per female averaged 6.9. The number of days between the end of ovolarviposition and death varies, but 69% of females laid eggs until their death. All the females ovolarviposited; some laid eggs regularly (59%) and others with interruptions (41%). Total mean ovolarviposition per female was 83 maggots, with extremes of 15 and 231 maggots. Thirty percent of the females laid eggs between 30 and 60 planidia. Variability was high for all characteristics studied. Results obtained are discussed with reference to other tachinids and the experimental conditions used.     

莲藕食根金花虫成虫活动行为的日节律

【目的】通过莲藕食根金花虫Donacia provostii Fairmaire成虫日活动行为节律的系统研究,以期为构建该虫的高效防控技术体系提供科学依据。【方法】采用室外单头隔离和雌雄配对饲养,将莲藕食根金花虫成虫的行为划分为离水静息、触水静息、取食、移动、交配和产卵6个类型,每30 min观察记录一次其活动行为,连续5 d,统计分析其活动行为的日节律。【结果】在时间上,莲藕食根金花虫成虫各行为在各时间点间和时间段间均存在极显著差异(P<0.001);在空间上,成虫各行为在不同位置发生的比例存在极显著差异(P<0.001)、且荇菜叶上和水面的各行为在不同时间点间存在极显著差异(P<0.001)。【结论】莲藕食根金花虫成虫活动行为存在时空上的差异,空间对其行为的影响较时间明显。     

红腹锦鸡和红腹角雉活动节律——基于红外相机监测数据

红腹锦鸡(Chrysolophus pictus)和红腹角雉(Tragopan temmminckii)均为国家Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类。作为两种同域分布的物种,其生态位重叠程度及竞争机制尚不明确。为了探究上述问题我们从2012年7月至2014年11月,在陕西省佛坪国家级自然保护区的9条样线上布设52台红外相机对这两种雉类的集群现象、日活动节律、季节性活动规律和最适活动温区进行研究。研究结果表明:(1)红腹锦鸡和红腹角雉每年8月下旬开始集群,到第二年的3、4月份集群结束,冬季集群最为频繁,而夏季则分散在其各自活动区单独活动。(2)二者皆为昼行性鸟类,活动高峰均出现在清晨和傍晚,但时间生态位存在明显分化:红腹锦鸡有两个活动高峰,分别为7:00时和17:00时;红腹角雉活动高峰为6:00时、9:00时和18:00时。(3)对两种雉类活动频次的季节性差异分析发现,春季活动最频繁,其后依次是秋季、夏季和冬季。(4)红腹锦鸡和红腹角雉选择在接近当月平均气温的时间段出来活动,红腹锦鸡活动的温度范围在﹣4℃到19℃,红腹角雉的活动温度范围是﹣1℃到22℃;但不同季节间略有差异,两种雉类在秋冬季大多选择在高于当月平均气温的时间段出来活动,而在夏季的活动温度则要略低于当月平均气温。观测数据证实了两种雉雉类有通过错峰活动减少生态位重叠导致的竞争的现象,但并未见到二者间有明显的适应性温区分化。     

Circadian time-dependent hepatic and renal toxicities to valproic acid in mice

This study aims to investigate whether hepatic and renal valproic acid (VPA) toxicities varied according to the dosing time in the 24-h scale in mice. VPA was administered by i.p. route to different groups of animals at four different circadian stages (1, 7, 13, and 19 h after light onset (HALO)). Biochemical study and histopathological examinations on liver and kidney sections were performed. The results showed that the hepatic and renal toxicity induced by VPA was time related. Animals treated at 19 HALO showed vacuolar degenerative changes, congestions, and inflammatory areas on liver parenchyma. Lesions within proximal tubules were observed in the kidney in groups treated at 19 HALO. The largest increases in alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and plasma creatinine activities were also observed at 19 HALO. The obtained data indicate that the optimal hepatic and renal tolerance is observed when VPA was injected in the middle of the light-rest span of mice.     

The fetal circadian rhythm in pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes is altered by maternal glycemic control and the morning cortisol concentration

Circadian rhythmicity is fundamental to human physiology, and is present even during fetal life in normal pregnancies. The impact of maternal endocrine disease on the fetal circadian rhythm is not well understood. The present study aimed to determine the fetal circadian rhythm in pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM), compare it with a low-risk reference population, and identify the effects of maternal glycemic control and morning cortisol concentrations. Long-term fetal electrocardiogram recordings were made in 40 women with PGDM at 28 and 36 weeks of gestation. Two recordings were made in 18 of the women (45.0%) and one recording was made in 22 (55.0%). The mean fetal heart rate (fHR) and the fHR variation (root mean square of squared differences) were extracted in 1-min epochs, and circadian rhythmicity was detected by cosinor analysis. The study cohort was divided based on HbA1c levels and morning cortisol concentrations. Statistically, significant circadian rhythms in the fHR and the fHR variation were found in 45 (100%) and 44 (95.7%) of the 45 acceptable PGDM recordings, respectively. The rhythms were similar to those of the reference population. However, there was no statistically significant population-mean rhythm in the fHR among PGDM pregnancies at 36 weeks, indicating an increased interindividual variation. The group with higher HbA1c levels (>6.0%) had no significant population-mean fHR rhythm at 28 or 36 weeks, and no significant fHR-variation rhythm at 36 weeks. Similarly, the group with a lower morning cortisol concentration (≤8.8 µg/dl) had no significant population-mean fHR-variation rhythm at 28 and 36 weeks. These findings indicate that individual fetal rhythmicity is present in pregnancies complicated by PGDM. However, suboptimal maternal glycemic control and a lower maternal morning cortisol concentration are associated with a less-well-synchronized circadian system of the fetus.     

Growth in four populations of Leporinus friderici (Bloch, 1794) (Anostomidae, Teleostei) in French Guiana

The growth rates of Leporinus friderici (Bloch, 1794) in four populations from four rivers of French Guiana are compared. According to a statistical analysis of growth curves using the method of maximum likelihood with the Gauss–Markardt algorithm, a marked difference is observed in the growth of the different samples which is attributed to the year of capture rather than to the geographical origin of fishes. It is demonstrated that the main factor affecting growth performances is the length of the rainy season, which corresponds for this species to the feeding period.     

Sequence search algorithm assessment and testing toolkit (SAT)

MOTIVATION: The Sequence Search Algorithm Assessment and Testing Toolkit (SAT) aims to be a complete package for the comparison of different protein homology search algorithms. The structural classification of proteins can provide us with a clear criterion for judgment in homology detection. There have been several assessments based on structural sequences with classifications but a good deal of similar work is now being repeated with locally developed procedures and programs. The SAT will provide developers with a complete package which will save time and produce more comparable performance assessments for search algorithms. The package is complete in the sense that it provides a non-redundant large sequence resource database, a well-characterized query database of proteins domains, all the parsers and some previous results from PSI-BLAST and a hidden markov model algorithm. RESULTS: An analysis on two different data sets was carried out using the SAT package. It compared the performance of a full protein sequence database (RSDB100) with a non-redundant representative sequence database derived from it (RSDB50). The performance measurement indicated that the full database is sub-optimal for a homology search. This result justifies the use of much smaller and faster RSDB50 than RSDB100 for the SAT. AVAILABILITY: A web site is up. The whole packa ge is accessible via www and ftp. ftp://ftp.ebi.ac.uk/pub/contrib/jong/SAT http://cyrah.ebi.ac.uk:1111/Proj/Bio/SAT http://www.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/genomes/SAT In the package, some previous assessment results produced by the package can also be found for reference. CONTACT: jong@ebi.ac.uk     

Possible linkage between the ability to change the period (tau) of the prolactin and cortisol rhythms in women and breast cancer risk

The 24 h profiles of plasma hormone concentrations are rhythmic. The circadian period (τ) changes in development, with seasons, and in women with different stages of the menstrual cycle. It is known that the rhythms of prolactin and cortisol are sensitive to environmental time cues, such as changes in day length and phase; however, the importance of these changes is not yet understood. This study investigates whether there is a relation between the ability of a subject to respond to external cues that are associated with seasonal changes causing alteration of the rhythm's periods in cortisol and prolactin and the epidemiologically determined susceptibility to breast cancer. It is shown that the rhythmic output pattern of prolactin and cortisol in vivo is generated by more than one oscillator and structured by more than one rhythmic component. Each cohort of American women, classified on an epidemiologic basis as high risk (HR) or low risk (LR) to develop breast cancer, expresses different rhythmic output patterns of both variables, suggesting that the genetic background as defined by the risk state is related to differences in the circadian time structure, including the ability of the subject to change the rhythm's τ. The LR cohort exhibited a statistically significant change between seasons in the rhythm's τ of both the prolactin and cortisol patterns. In contrast, the HR cohort showed no change in the rhythm's τ between seasons for prolactin and cortisol patterns. These results show that in human beings, the presence of a circannual rhythm in the circadian time structure or the ability to adapt the circadian rhythmic pattern of these variables to external cues, such as seasons, is related to the partly genetically determined risk state to develop breast cancer and may be of importance for human health.     

Acute myocardial infarction: Circadian, weekly, and seasonal patterns of occurrence

Convincing evidence has demonstrated that cardiovascular diseases do not occur randomly throughout the day, the week, or the year but show a well defined temporal organization. This article will review circadian, weekly, and seasonal patterns of occurrence of acute myocardial infarction, along with their underlying pathophysiological triggering factors.     

人为干扰对白腹锦鸡活动节律的影响

人类足迹的扩张增加了人与野生动物的相互作用。理解自然保护地的濒危物种对人为干扰的响应有助于更好地保护濒危物种和指导保护管理。以往的研究表明野生动物在时空维度会对人类的干扰进行规避, 然而这类研究在野生雉类中还较少, 尤其是分布在人为干扰相对较强的中低海拔区域的雉类, 如白腹锦鸡(Chrysolophus amherstiae)。2017年11月至2018年10月, 我们在中国西南部的一个亚热带森林保护区中使用红外相机陷阱技术对白腹锦鸡和人为干扰进行调查, 并研究了白腹锦鸡在时空维度对3种不同类型人为干扰(人类活动、放牧和家养动物活动)的响应及其季节变化。结果表明, 白腹锦鸡在空间维度并未对人为干扰进行规避, 而在非繁殖季节的活动节律上对人为干扰在时间维度上进行了规避。具体而言, 白腹锦鸡在全年和非繁殖季节的活动高峰集中在17:30-18:30, 明显避开中午的人类活动高峰; 而在繁殖季节, 白腹锦鸡活动水平明显提高, 和人为干扰的重叠度很高, 可能是由于求偶、占区等繁殖行为使得白腹锦鸡无法规避人为干扰。此外, 在人为干扰强度较高的位点, 白腹锦鸡倾向于通过改变其日活动节律, 将活动高峰期推迟至傍晚以降低与人为干扰的重叠度, 进一步说明白腹锦鸡可通过调节其自身的日活动节律从而避开高强度的人为干扰。由于白腹锦鸡地面营巢和春夏季繁殖, 自然保护区管理部门可通过管理人为活动, 尤其在繁殖季节通过控制放牧和猫狗的活动来帮助白腹锦鸡及其他地面营巢鸟类维持繁殖成功率。     

Lithium and bipolar disorder: Impacts from molecular to behavioural circadian rhythms

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe and common psychiatric disorder. BD pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and relapses are associated with numerous circadian rhythm abnormalities. Lithium (Li) is the first-line treatment in BD, and its therapeutic action has been related to its ability to alter circadian rhythms. We systematically searched the PubMed database until January 2016, aiming to critically examine published studies investigating direct and indirect effects of Li on circadian rhythms. The results, from the 95 retained studies, indicated that Li: acts directly on the molecular clocks; delays the phase of sleep–wakefulness rhythms and the peak elevation of diurnal cycle body temperature; reduces the amplitude and shortens the duration of activity rhythms and lengthens free-running rhythms. Chronic Li treatment stabilizes free-running activity rhythms, by improving day-to-day rhythmicity of the activity, with effects that appear to be dose related. Pharmacogenetics demonstrate several associations of Li’s response with circadian genes (NR1D1, GSK3β, CRY1, ARNTL, TIM, PER2). Finally, Li acts on the retinal-hypothalamic pineal pathway, influencing light sensitivity and melatonin secretion. Li is a highly investigated chronobiologic agent, and although its chronobiological effects are not completely understood, it seems highly likely that they constitute an inherent component of its therapeutic action in the treatment of mood disorders.