As a base for human transcriptome and functional genomics, we created the "full-length long Japan" (FLJ) collection of sequenced human cDNAs. We determined the entire sequence of 21,243 selected clones and found that 14,490 cDNAs (10,897 clusters) were unique to the FLJ collection. About half of them (5,416) seemed to be protein-coding. Of those, 1,999 clusters had not been predicted by computational methods. The distribution of GC content of nonpredicted cDNAs had a peak at ∼58% compared with a peak at ∼42%for predicted cDNAs. Thus, there seems to be a slight bias against GC-rich transcripts in current gene prediction procedures. The rest of the cDNAs unique to the FLJ collection (5,481) contained no obvious open reading frames (ORFs) and thus are candidate noncoding RNAs. About one-fourth of them (1,378) showed a clear pattern of splicing. The distribution of GC content of noncoding cDNAs was narrow and had a peak at ∼42%, relatively low compared with that of protein-coding cDNAs.

Background: There are two main stimuli that entrain the circadian rhythm, the light-dark cycle (LD) and restricted feeding (RF). Light-induced entrainment requires induction of the Per1 and Per2 genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the locus of a main oscillator. In this experiment, we determined whether RF resets the expression of circadian clock genes in the mouse liver with or without participation of the SCN.

Level II, prospective comparative study.

BACKGROUND Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have decreased strength, low bone mass, and an increased propensity to fracture. High frequency, low magnitude vibration might provide a non-invasive, non-pharmacological, home-based treatment for these musculoskeletal deficits. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of this intervention on bone and muscle in children with CP. METHODS Thirty-one children with CP ages 6-12 years (mean 9.4, SD 1.4) stood on a vibrating platform (30 Hz, 0.3 g peak acceleration) at home for 10 min/day for 6 months and on the floor without the platform for another 6 months. The order of vibration and standing was randomized, and outcomes were measured at 0, 6, and 12 months. The outcome measures included computed tomography measurements of vertebral cancellous bone density (CBD) and cross-sectional area, CBD of the proximal tibia, geometric properties of the tibial diaphysis, and dynamometer measurements of plantarflexor strength. Outcomes were assessed using mixed model linear regression and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS The main difference between vibration and standing was greater increases in the cortical bone properties (cortical bone area and moments of inertia) during the vibration period (all p's ≤ 0.03). There was no difference in cancellous bone or muscle between vibration and standing (all p's > 0.10) and no correlation between compliance and outcome (all r's < 0.27; all p's > 0.15). The results did not depend on the order of treatment (p > 0.43) and was similar for children in GMFCS 1-2 and GMFCS 3-4. CONCLUSIONS The primary benefit of the vibration intervention in children with CP was to cortical bone in the appendicular skeleton. Increased cortical bone area and structural (strength) properties could translate into a decreased risk of long bone fractures for some patients. More research is needed to corroborate these findings, to elucidate the mechanisms of the intervention, and to determine the most effective age and duration for the treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II, prospective randomized cross-over study.

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The cephalopod retina contains two kinds of photopigments, rhodopsin and retinochrome. For many years retinochrome has been thought to be localized in the inner segments of the visual cells, whereas rhodopsin is in the outer segments. However, it is now clear that retinochrome can be extracted also from fragments of outer segments. In the dark-adapted retina of Loligo pealei retinochrome is distributed half-and-half in the inner and outer segments. Todarodes pacificus contains much more retinochrome than Loligo, and it is more abundant in the outer than in the inner segments. The outer segments of Loligo contain retinochrome and metarhodopsin in addition to rhodopsin, whether squids are kept in the dark or in the light. But there is extremely little metarhodopsin (about 3% of rhodopsin) even in light-adapted eyes. The inner segments contain only retinochrome, and much less in the light than in the dark. On the other hand, retinochrome in the outer segments increases markedly during light adaptation. These facts suggest the possibility that some retinochrome moves forward from the inner to the outer segments during light adaptation and there reacts with metarhodopsin to promote regeneration of rhodopsin.