Medium effects on the selection of sequences folding into stable proteins in a simple model

We study the medium effects on the selection of sequences in protein folding by taking account of the surface potential in HP-model. Our analysis on the proportion of H and P monomers in the sequences gives a direct interpretation that the lowly designable structures possess small average gap. The numerical calculation by means of our model exhibits that the surface potential enhances the average gap of highly designable structures. It also shows that a most stable structure may be no longer the most stable one if the medium parameters changed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Report on grade assessment situation of the 12 prevention and control center pilot in Sichuan Province

目的  了解疾病预防控制机构（简称疾控机构）能力建设、经费保障、运行管理等情况，探索全省疾控等级评审方法和程序。方法  组织专家按照统一的评审标准对12家试点单位在政策环境、基础条件、疾病预防控制、检验检测、健康危害相关因素、信息化建设等7大类38个指标167个参数进行现场评审。结果  机构得分最高是自贡市，考核内容得分率较低的是检验检测和健康危害因素监测与控制，创建过程中各级政府对疾控机构在人、财、物方面均有不同程度的投入，A类和B类项目开展率有所增加，制定了疾控机构三级两等的评审标准。结论  疾控机构等级评审是疾控机构标准化建设和发展的有力抓手，通过评审能发现短板、弥补不足，增强政府在卫生防病方面的主体责任意识。Objective: To understand the situation of ability construction, funds guarantee, operation management of disease control agency, trying to figure out assessment method and program for prevention and control center. Methods: According to the unified standard, evaluation experts were organized to evaluate 12 pilot units. The assessment include 7 categories, 38 indicators and 167 parameters:  the policy environment, basic conditions, disease prevention and control, inspection, health relative factors, information construction, etc. Results: Zigong scored highest in all instituions. Inspection and health hazards monitoring and control scored lower in all categories.  In the process of setting up, all levels of government have different input on personnel, property and goods to prevention and control center. The development rate of type A and type B project increased. The classification standards were produced. Conclusion: Grade assessment is important to construction and development standardization of disease control agency. The assessment can find the weakness, make up the deficiency, strengthen responsibility consciousness of the government

No Weight Catch-Up Growth of SGA Infants Is Associated with Impaired Insulin Sensitivity during the Early Postnatal Period

Objective. To investigate the relationship between weight catch-up growth and insulin sensitivity in small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Methods. Forty-four singleton SGA subjects met the inclusion criteria and finished-3-month followup. Body weight, length, fasting glucose, and fasting insulin (FI) levels were measured at 3 days and 3 months. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by FI and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Results. According to the change of weight Z-score, forty-four subjects were divided into two groups: noncatch-up growth (NCUG) and catch-up growth (CUG). By 3 months of age, the body weight, body length and BMI of NCUG group were significantly lower than those of CUG group. The FI and HOMA were significantly higher in NCUG group. The change of weight Z-score during 3 months was inversely related to the HOMA at 3 months. Conclusion. Our data exemplified that no weight catch-up growth during the first 3 months was associated with impaired insulin sensitivity in SGA infants

p38b Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Mediates Exenatide-Stimulated Microglial b-Endorphin Expression

ABSTRACT Recent discoveries established that activation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) mediates neuroprotection and antinociception through microglial b-endorphin expression. This study aimed to explore the underlying signaling mechanisms of microglial b-endorphin. GLP-1Rs and b-endorphin were coexpressed in primary cultures of microglia. Treatment with the GLP-1R agonist exenatide concentration-dependently stimulated microglial expression of the b-endorphin precursor gene proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and peptides, with EC 50 values of 4.1 and 7.5 nM, respectively. Exenatide also significantly increased intracellular cAMP levels and expression of pprotein kinase A (PKA), p-p38, and p-cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in cultured primary microglia. Furthermore, exenatide-induced microglial expression of POMC was completely blocked by reagents that specifically inhibit adenylyl cyclase and activation of PKA, p38, and CREB. In addition, knockdown of p38b (but not p38a) using short interfering RNA (siRNA) eliminated exenatide-induced microglial p38 phosphorylation and POMC expression. In contrast, lipopolysaccharide increased microglial activation of p38, and knockdown of p38a (but not p38b) partially suppressed expression of proinflammatory factors (including tumor necrosis factor-a, interleukin-1b, and interleukin-6). Exenatideinduced phosphorylation of p38 and CREB was also totally blocked by the PKA inhibitor and siRNA/p38b, but not by siRNA/p38a. Seven-day intrathecal injections of siRNA/p38b (but not siRNA/p38a) completely blocked exenatide-induced spinal p38 activation, b-endorphin expression, and mechanical antiallodynia in rats with established neuropathy, although siRNA/p38b and siRNA/p38a were not antiallodynic. To our knowledge, our results are the first to show a causal relationship between the PKA-dependent p38b mitogen-activated protein kinase/CREB signal cascade and GLP-1R agonismmediated microglial b-endorphin expression. The differential role of p38a and p38b activation in inflammation and nociception was also highlighted

Method of determining cosmological parameter ranges with samples of candles with an intrinsic distribution

In this paper, the effect of the intrinsic distribution of cosmological candles is investigated. We find that, in the case of a narrow distribution, the deviation of the observed modulus of sources from the expected central value could be estimated within a ceratin range. We thus introduce a lower and upper limits of $\chi ^{2}$, $\chi_{\min}^{2}$ and $\chi_{\max}^{2}$, to estimate cosmological parameters by applying the conventional minimizing $\chi ^{2}$ method. We apply this method to a gamma-ray burst (GRB) sample as well as to a combined sample including this GRB sample and an SN Ia sample. Our analysis shows that: a) in the case of assuming an intrinsic distribution of candles of the GRB sample, the effect of the distribution is obvious and should not be neglected; b) taking into account this effect would lead to a poorer constraint of the cosmological parameter ranges. The analysis suggests that in the attempt of constraining the cosmological model with current GRB samples, the results tend to be worse than what previously thought if the mentioned intrinsic distribution does exist.Comment: 6 pages,4 figures,1 tables.Data updated. Main conclusion unchange

Association between social supports and negative emotions among pediatric residents in China: The chain-mediating role of psychological resilience and burnout

BackgroundChinese pediatricians are facing challenges, and there is a need to examine the issue of negative emotions, namely, stress, anxiety and depression, among front-line pediatric residents in clinical settings. Understanding the current situation and influencing factors of negative emotions among pediatric residents in China and exploring the formation mechanism can lay a foundation for psychological interventions.MethodsA total of 138 pediatric residents in the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China, were surveyed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS).Results(1) The incidence of abnormal stress, anxiety, and depression among pediatric residents was 18.8%, 47.8%, and 47.8% respectively. (2) Negative emotions were significantly negatively correlated with social supports and psychological resilience, and positively correlated with burnout. (3) The chain-mediating effect of resilience and burnout between social supports and negative emotions was significant.ConclusionPsychological resilience and burnout played a chain-mediating role between social supports and negative emotions. Measures should be taken to improve the mental health of Chinese pediatric residents