[Association between diabetes prevalence and mortality risk in the elderly aged 60 years and above in Liaoning Province, 2017-2019].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of diabetes in the elderly aged ≥60 years in Liaoning Province from 2017 to 2019 and analyze the impact of blood glucose control on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods: A survey was conducted in the elderly aged ≥60 years in Liaoning from 2017 to 2019 to collect the information about the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases in the diabetes patients. The mortality of the enrolled subjects was investigated in September 2023. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between blood glucose control in the elderly with diabetes and the risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Results: The crude prevalence of diabetes in the elderly aged ≥60 years was 20.2% (2 014/9 958) in Liaoning from 2017 to 2019, and the standardized prevalence rate was 19.9%. The prevalence rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and overweight/obesity in the diabetes patients were 77.0%, 51.7%, and 67.5% respectively. The median follow-up time was 5.5 years, and the all-cause mortality and CVD mortality rates in the diabetes patients were 244.3/10 000 person-years and 142.9/10 000 person-years, respectively. The results of the Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that compared with non-diabetic individuals, diabetes patients had an increased risk of all-cause mortality by 1.68 times [hazard ratio (HR)=1.68, 95%CI: 1.44-1.94] and an increased risk of CVD mortality by 1.56 times (HR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.29-1.89). The differences in risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality between the diabetes patients with normal fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels and people without diabetes were not significant (all P>0.05). The failure to meet either the FPG or HbA1c target increased the risk of all-cause mortality (all P<0.05). For individuals who failed to meet the HbA1c target, there was an increased risk of CVD mortality (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The comorbidity rate of chronic diseases was higher in the elderly with diabetes than in the elderly without diabetes in Liaoning. Elderly diabetes patients can benefit from good blood glucose control.

[Prevalence and risk factors of ischemic stroke in rural areas of Liaoning province].

Objective: To explore the prevalence and risk factors of ischemic stroke in rural areas of Liaoning province. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey. From September 2017 to May 2018, a total of 10 926 rural residents aged ≥40 years were investigated in Chaoyang county, Lingyuan, Liaoyang county and Donggang city of Liaoning province. The investigation included questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory examination.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors of ischemic stroke. Results: The prevalence of ischemic stroke in the rural areas of Liaoning province was 5.51% (602/10 926), and the standardized prevalence rate was 4.04%. The standardized prevalence rate of male (5.05%) is higher than that of female (3.44%). The prevalence of ischemic stroke increased with age in both males (P<0.01) and females (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age increase(compared with 40-49 years old group, 50-59 years old, OR=2.08, 95%CI 1.31-3.30, P=0.02; 60-69 years old, OR=3.90, 95%CI 2.51-6.05, P<0.01; 70-79 years old, OR=5.32, 95%CI 3.37-8.34, P<0.01; ≥80 years old, OR=3.64, 95%CI 2.00-6.62, P<0.01), male(OR=2.35, 95%CI 1.95-2.84, P<0.01),family history of stroke(OR=2.18, 95%CI 1.83-2.60, P<0.01),coronary heart disease (OR=2.01, 95%CI 1.52-2.66, P<0.01), hypertension (OR=2.82, 95%CI 2.21-3.60, P<0.01), diabetes mellitus (OR=1.36, 95%CI 1.11-1.67, P=0.03) and overweight/obese (OR=1.22, 95%CI 1.02-1.47, P=0.03) were the major risk factors of ischemic stroke. Conclusions: The prevalence of ischemic stroke in rural areas of Liaoning province is high. Age, male, family history of stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, overweight/obesity are the risk factors of ischemic stroke in rural areas of Liaoning province.

Electron Mass Enhancement near a Nematic Quantum Critical Point in NaFe_{1-x}Co_{x}As.

A magnetic order can be completely suppressed at zero temperature (T), by doping carriers or applying pressure, at a quantum critical point, around which physical properties change drastically. However, the situation is unclear for an electronic nematic order that breaks rotation symmetry. Here, we report nuclear magnetic resonance studies on NaFe_{1-x}Co_{x}As where magnetic and nematic transitions are well separated. The nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum is sensitive to inhomogeneous magnetic fields in the vortex state, which is related to London penetration depth λ_{L} that measures the electron mass m^{*}. We discovered two peaks in the doping dependence of λ_{L}^{2}(T∼0), one at x_{M}=0.027 where the spin-lattice relaxation rate shows quantum critical behavior, and another at x_{c}=0.032 around which the nematic transition temperature extrapolates to zero and the electrical resistivity shows a T-linear variation. Our results indicate that a nematic quantum critical point lies beneath the superconducting dome at x_{c} where m^{*} is enhanced. The impact of the nematic fluctuations on superconductivity is discussed.

Identification and characterization of ace1-type acetylcholinesterase in insecticide-resistant and -susceptible Propylaea japonica (Thunberg).

Characterization and gene cloning of acetylecholinesterase (AChE) in the insecticide-resistant (R) and -susceptible (S) insects have been reported in the past. However, the studies focused mostly on herbivorous pests, rather than predacious species, such as ladybird beetles. Using R and S Propylaea japonica (thunberg), a full-length cDNA sequence (2928 bp) of the ace1-type AChE gene was determined for the first time. The ace1 encoding a protein of 645 amino acids contained typical conserved motifs, such as FGESAG domains, catalytic triad, acyl pocket, oxyanino hole, choline binding site, peripheral anionic site, omega loop and conserved aromatic residues. R P. japonica displayed 50-times greater resistance to chlorpyrifos or mathamidophos with a significantly lower AChE sensitivity to paraoxon, malaoxon, chlorpyrifos or methamidophos than its S counterpart. Five amino acids in the ace1 of R P. japonica differed from those found in S P. japonica. One of them, F358S, located in the acyl-binding pocket, might play a crucial role in the resistance of the insect to organophosphates (OPs). Whereas, K493E and I538V, which were close to some of the conserved aromatic amino acids (i.e., H509, Y511, and W499) in the gorge, and G571R and T576A near C593 that formed the disulfide bonds with C471, might also involve in the change of insecticide resistance in P. japonica. AChE insensitivity and amino acid replacements, particularly F358S, might be the determining factors in the alteration of OPs-resistance in P. japonica.

Superconductivity Bordering Rashba Type Topological Transition.

Strong spin orbital interaction (SOI) can induce unique quantum phenomena such as topological insulators, the Rashba effect, or p-wave superconductivity. Combining these three quantum phenomena into a single compound has important scientific implications. Here we report experimental observations of consecutive quantum phase transitions from a Rashba type topological trivial phase to topological insulator state then further proceeding to superconductivity in a SOI compound BiTeI tuned via pressures. The electrical resistivity measurement with V shape change signals the transition from a Rashba type topological trivial to a topological insulator phase at 2 GPa, which is caused by an energy gap close then reopen with band inverse. Superconducting transition appears at 8 GPa with a critical temperature TC of 5.3 K. Structure refinements indicate that the consecutive phase transitions are correlated to the changes in the Bi-Te bond and bond angle as function of pressures. The Hall Effect measurements reveal an intimate relationship between superconductivity and the unusual change in carrier density that points to possible unconventional superconductivity.

Observation of strong electron pairing on bands without Fermi surfaces in LiFe(1-x)CoxAs.

In conventional BCS superconductors, the quantum condensation of superconducting electron pairs is understood as a Fermi surface instability, in which the low-energy electrons are paired by attractive interactions. Whether this explanation is still valid in high-Tc superconductors such as cuprates and iron-based superconductors remains an open question. In particular, a fundamentally different picture of the electron pairs, which are believed to be formed locally by repulsive interactions, may prevail. Here we report a high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study on LiFe(1-x)CoxAs. We reveal a large and robust superconducting gap on a band sinking below the Fermi level on Co substitution. The observed Fermi-surface-free superconducting order is also the largest over the momentum space, which rules out a proximity effect origin and indicates that the order parameter is not tied to the Fermi surface as a result of a surface instability.

Electronic structure and spin trapping in LiMnAs and LiFeAs:Mn.

The electronic structure of insulating antiferromagnetic LiMnAs is investigated using soft x-ray spectroscopy and compared to the electronic structure of metallic LiFeAs. Our calculations support the experimentally observed insulating antiferromagnetic order in LiMnAs. The x-ray absorption and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectra in LiFeAs and LiMnAs are adequately explained by the electronic structure alone, although it is possible that LiMnAs has significant electronic correlations driven by Hund's J coupling. Finally, we show evidence of a possible spin trap in Li(Fe0.95Mn0.05)As.

Superconductivity in strong spin orbital coupling compound Sb2Se3.

Recently, A2B3 type strong spin orbital coupling compounds such as Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 were theoretically predicated to be topological insulators and demonstrated through experimental efforts. The counterpart compound Sb2Se3 on the other hand was found to be topological trivial, but further theoretical studies indicated that the pressure might induce Sb2Se3 into a topological nontrivial state. Here, we report on the discovery of superconductivity in Sb2Se3 single crystal induced via pressure. Our experiments indicated that Sb2Se3 became superconductive at high pressures above 10 GPa proceeded by a pressure induced insulator to metal like transition at ~3 GPa which should be related to the topological quantum transition. The superconducting transition temperature (TC) increased to around 8.0 K with pressure up to 40 GPa while it keeps ambient structure. High pressure Raman revealed that new modes appeared around 10 GPa and 20 GPa, respectively, which correspond to occurrence of superconductivity and to the change of TC slop as the function of high pressure in conjunction with the evolutions of structural parameters at high pressures.

The anomaly Cu doping effects on LiFeAs superconductors.

The Cu substitution effect on the superconductivity of LiFeAs has been studied in comparison with Co/Ni substitution. It is found that the shrinking rate of the lattice parameter c for Cu substitution is much smaller than that of Co/Ni substitution. This is in conjugation with the observation of ARPES that shows almost the same electron and hole Fermi surfaces (FSs) size for undoped and Cu substituted LiFeAs sample, except for a very small hole band sinking below Fermi level with doping. This indicates that there is little doping effect at Fermi surface by Cu substitution, in sharp contrast to the more effective carrier doping effect by Ni or Co.

Specific heat versus field for LiFe(1-x)Cu(x)As.

LiFeAs is one of the new class of iron superconductors with a bulk [Formula: see text] in the 15-17 K range. We report on the specific heat characterization of single crystal material prepared by self-flux growth techniques with significantly improved properties, including a much decreased residual gamma, γ(r) (≡C/T as T → 0), in the superconducting state. Thus, in contrast to previous explanations of a finite γ(r) in LiFeAs being due to intrinsic states in the superconducting gap, the present work shows that such a finite residual γ in LiFeAs is instead a function of sample quality. Further, since LiFeAs has been characterized as nodeless with multiple superconducting gaps, we report here on its specific heat properties in zero and applied magnetic fields, to compare to similar results on nodal iron superconductors. For comparison, we also investigate LiFe(0.98)Cu(0.02)As, which has the reduced T(c) of ≈9 K and an H(c2) of 15 T. Interestingly, although presumably both LiFeAs and LiFe(0.98)Cu(0.02)As are nodeless, they clearly show a non-linear dependence of the electronic density of states (is proportional to specific heat γ) at the Fermi energy in the mixed state with the applied field, similar to the Volovik effect for nodal superconductors. However, rather than indicating nodal behavior, the satisfactory comparison with a recent theory for γ(H) for a superconductor with two isotropic gaps in the presence of impurities argues for nodeless behavior. Thus, in terms of specific heat in a magnetic field, LiFeAs can serve as the prototypical multiband, nodeless iron superconductor.

[Decrease of calcitonin gene-related peptide release from mesenteric arterial bed in diabetic rats and effect of nitric oxide].

Our previous work has shown that endotoxin triggers the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from the mesenteric arterial bed, which is partially mediated by nitric oxide. In the present study, the changes of endotoxin-induced CGRP release from the isolated mesenteric arterial bed and the CGRP mRNA levels in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of diabetic rats were studied in relation to the effect of nitric oxide. CGRP level in perfusate and the steady-state level of mRNA for CGRP in DRG were determined by RIA and semi-quantitatively by RT-PCR. The results showed that endotoxin (1-25 micrograms/ml) accumulated in perfusate caused concentration-dependent release of CGRP, which was significantly decreased in mesenteric arterial bed of diabetic rats. As compared with age-related control, the endotoxin (10 and 25 micrograms/ml) -induced CGRP release in diabetic rats was attenuated by 27% and 40%, respectively. L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, inhibited the effect of endotoxin in dose of 10 and 25 micrograms/ml by 23% and 46%, respectively against the control rats. However, there was no inhibitory effect of L-NAME on endotoxin-induced CGRP release in diabetic rats. The CGRP mRNA level in DRG showed no significant difference between the two groups. These results indicate that the response of the isolated mesenteric arterial bed to endotoxin-induced CGRP release in diabetic rats is significantly lower than that in control. The mechanism, at least in part, is due to a decrease of nitric oxide mediated release of CGRP, rather than a decrease of CGRP gene expression.

Expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) mRNA in rat lymphocytes.

We recently found that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity was present in lymphocytes of rat thymus and lymph node. In order to investigate whether these cells were capable of synthesizing CGRP, CGRP mRNA of rat dorsal root ganglia, thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were determined by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) utilizing synthetic oligonucleotides bracketing a portion of the calcitonin/CGRP gene. A discrete band of the expected size of 90 base pairs was found in the dorsal root ganglia (positive control), and in both thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes. These data strongly suggest that CGRP is not only an important neuropeptide, but it is also synthesized in lymphocytes of both thymus and lymph nodes, which is identical to that in sensory neurons. CGRP from lymphocytes may act as an immunomodulator and serve as a common ligand in immune and nervous systems.

[In vitro analysis of cross immunoreaction between CGRP and endotoxin in CGRP radioimmunoassay].

In the present study, the effect of endotoxin on the radioimmunoassay of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was investigated by method of radioimmunoassay. The results showed a competitive combination of endotoxin at high-concentrations (higher than 5 micrograms/ml) with multiclonal antibody of CGRP, and the cross immunoreaction ratio between CGRP and endotoxin was 5.6 x 10(-6). The mixed endotoxin in samples was effectively cleared through C18 column purification. The data indicated that endotoxin interfered CGRP radioimmunoassay in vitro at high concentrations. The influence of endotoxin on CGRP radioimmunoassay can be avoided through C18 column purification for the endotoxin-containing samples.

Corn and wheat-flour consumption and mortality from esophageal cancer in Shanxi, China.

In order to identify factors that may explain the great variation in mortality from esophageal cancer in Shanxi Province, China, an ecological study was carried out in 21 communes in that province. Mortality data were obtained from the registration records of the population of 148,928 during 1983 to 1988, which provided 744,640 person-years of observation. The data regarding average consumption of each kind of grain, potatoes and sweet potatoes were from food allocation records. The data regarding consumption of meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables and the data regarding alcohol drinking were from interviews. The concentrations of nitrite and of nitrate in pickled vegetables and in drinking water were measured. A significant positive relation was found between mortality rate and the consumption of dietary corn and wheat flour. Also, a significant inverse relation was found between the mortality rate and the dietary sorghum and millet level. The age- and sex-adjusted mortality-rate ratio of esophageal cancer for residents in the third and highest quartiles of corn- and wheat-flour consumption are 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1-2.0) and 3.2 (2.5-4.2), respectively, compared with those in the lowest quartile. Other factors studied did not contribute to the great variation in esophageal cancer mortality in the areas studied.

[Brenner tumor of the ovary--a clinicopathological report of 5 cases].

This paper reports 5 cases of Brenner tumor of the ovary treated in our hospital from 1967 to 1985. The patients' mean age was 54.6 years. Three lesions were solid, 1 cystic and the other occurred on the wall of a borderline malignant mucinous cystadenoma. All the 5 cases were benign by pathology. The clinical symptoms were abdominal pain in 3 cases, 2 of which had a torsion of the tumor pedicle, abdominal mass in 1 and abdominal swelling in the other. All the cases possessed the same feature that the tumor was composed of both hyperplastic epithelial nest and fibrous stroma. In histology, there were 3 transitional epithelial cell types and 2 basal cell-like types. Histogenesis of the Brenner tumor, according to the authors' observation, was shown by: 1. The epithelial cell nests of Brenner tumor were similar to the transitional epithelium of the urinary tract in 60% of these cases; basal-like cell in the early stage of differentiation comprised 40%, 2. In 80% of patients, there was observed, in the cell nuclei, a longitudinal groove, which resembled the cells of Walthard cell nests; 3. The transitional epithelial cells were found in the cyst wall of 1 polycystic tumor; another case was complicated with mucinous cystadenoma and there was no sharp demarcation between the two tumors under microscope. It suggests that the histogenesis imply that the Brenner tumor may arise from the coelomic epithelium of para-mesonephros. The authors also believe that certain Brenner tumors have endocrine activity, but the relation between which and the tumor stroma luteinization should be further studied.