Titanium doped kagome superconductor CsV3-xTixSb5 and two distinct phases.

The vanadium-based kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 has attracted tremendous attention due to its unexcepted anomalous Hall effect (AHE), charge density waves (CDWs), nematicity, and a pseudogap pair density wave (PDW) coexisting with unconventional strong-coupling superconductivity. The origins of CDWs, unconventional superconductivity, and their correlation with different electronic states in this kagome system are of great significance, but so far, are still under debate. Chemical doping in the kagome layer provides one of the most direct ways to reveal the intrinsic physics, but remains unexplored. Here, we report, for the first time, the synthesis of Ti-substituted CsV3Sb5 single crystals and its rich phase diagram mapping the evolution of intertwining electronic states. The Ti atoms directly substitute for V in the kagome layers. CsV3-xTixSb5 shows two distinct superconductivity phases upon substitution. The Ti slightly-substituted phase displays an unconventional V-shaped superconductivity gap, coexisting with weakening CDW, PDW, AHE, and nematicity. The Ti highly-substituted phase has a U-shaped superconductivity gap concomitant with a short-range rotation symmetry breaking CDW, while long-range CDW, twofold symmetry of in-plane resistivity, AHE, and PDW are absent. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the chemical substitution of V atoms with other elements such as Cr and Nb, showing a different modulation on the superconductivity phases and CDWs. These findings open up a way to synthesise a new family of doped CsV3Sb5 materials, and further represent a new platform for tuning the different correlated electronic states and superconducting pairing in kagome superconductors.

The Effect of Dried Beancurd on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Chinese Women: A 2-Year Randomized Controlled Trial.

Soy foods contain several components such as isoflavones, calcium and protein that potentially modulate bone turnover and increase bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. The study is to evaluate the effect of dried beancurd supplementation on skeletal health in postmenopausal Chinese women. Three hundred postmenopausal women aged 50-65 years were assigned into two groups, receiving 100 g dried beancurd or rice cake a day for 2 years. BMD at the lumbar spine and right proximal femur were measured with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The bone turnover biomarkers of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone Gla protein (BGP) and urinary N-telopeptide cross-links of collagen normalized for creatinine (NTX/CRT) were also determined. Serum isoflavone concentration was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The 2-year dried beancurd supplementation generated a significant increase in lumbar spine BMD. An obvious decrease was found in urinary NTX/CRT, and a significant increase was detected in serum isoflavone concentration. The dried beancurd supplementation had no effect on changes of right proximal femur BMD and concentrations of serum ALP and BGP. Daily supplementation of dried beancurd could increase BMD of lumbar spine, but does not slow bone loss at right proximal femur in postmenopausal Chinese women.

Evaluation of the Effect of Sprout Soybeans on the Iron Status of Anemic Adolescent Girls in Rural China.

Soybeans are a major source of nonheme iron in Chinese diet. Germination is considered to be effective in improving iron bioavailability in soybeans. The study is to evaluate the effect of sprout soybean supplementation on the iron status of anemic adolescent girls in rural area of China and to compare it with the effect of soybeans. Two hundred and eighty eight adolescent girls were assigned to receive one of three dietary supplements (100 mL) a day for 6 m: 1) rice milk as the control (C); 2) sprout soybean milk (SS); 3) soybean milk (S). In addition to anthropometric measurements, iron status was measured at baseline and at the end of the study. After six months, the concentration of hemoglobin and plasma ferritin of participants in sprout soybean group were 138.6 ± 6.3 g/L and 43.3 ± 12.6 µg/L, significantly higher than those of the control. Significant decreases in the rate of anemia, iron deficiency and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) concentration were found both in sprout soybean and soybean group. An obvious decrease in plasma transferritin receptor was found in the sprout soybean group comparing with the control, but not in the soybean group. Small but not significant differences were found in all iron indicators between the sprout soybean and soybean group. Sprout soybeans and soybeans could improve the iron status of anemic adolescent girls. Although sprout soybeans exhibited some priority to soybeans, no absolutely significant difference was found between them.

Association between vitamin C intake and risk of hyperuricemia in US adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between vitamin C intake and hyperuricemia among the general US adult population has seldom been reported; thus, the present study examined the associations of total vitamin C (dietary vitamin C plus supplementary vitamin C) and dietary vitamin C intake with the risk of hyperuricemia. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Pooled data from three 2-year cycles (2007-2012) of the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in the present study. Dietary intake data were extracted from two 24-hour dietary recall interviews. Logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between vitamin C intake and hyperuricemia risk. RESULTS: A total of 14885 adults aged 20 years or older (7269 men and 7616 women) were registered in the present study. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 19.1%. Based on the lowest quartile of dietary vitamin C intake, multivariate adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of hyperuricemia for quartiles 2-4 were 0.84 (0.74-0.95), 0.83 (0.73-0.94), and 0.72 (0.63-0.82), and those for total vitamin C intake were 0.87 (0.77-0.99), 0.85 (0.75-0.96), and 0.66 (0.58-0.76). Inverse associations between vitamin C intake and hyperuricemia were discovered in both men and women, even with or without covariate adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Total vitamin C and dietary vitamin C intake are inversely associated with hyperuricemia in the general US adult population.

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen combined with nimodipine on treatment of diffuse brain injury.

The aim of the present study was to was investigate the treatment efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) combined with nimodipine on diffuse brain injury. AA total of 80 patients with diffuse brain injury were randomly divided into four groups: Group A, conventional treatment; Group B, conventional treatment + nimodipine; Group C, conventional treatment + HBO therapy and Group D, conventional treatment + nimodipine + HBO therapy. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß levels were assessed before treatment and at 8, 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment. The bilateral middle cerebral arterial blood flow velocity (VmMCA) was measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound. The results indicated that serum TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly decreased in all groups at 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment, compared with 8 h after treatment (P<0.05), with Group D exhibiting the largest decrease. The serum TNF-α, IL-1ß and VmMCA peaked at 8 h and gradually decreased over the treatment period. VmMCA was decreased in Group B and D compared with Group A and C, and the decrease rate was higher in Group D compared with Group B (P<0.05). GCS scores were significantly increased in all groups at 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment compared with 8 h after treatment (P<0.05), with Group D exhibiting the largest increase. Serum TNF-α and IL-1ß levels were positively correlated with VmMCA (P<0.05) and negatively correlated with GCS (P<0.05). Punctate hemorrhage was observed in all groups on CT before treatment, with a value of 66±3 HU. Punctate hemorrhage was observed to decrease over time in CT images, and CT values were significantly decreased in all groups at 8, 24, 48 and 72 h compared with before treatment (P<0.05). CT values were significantly lower in group D compared with groups A, B and C (P<0.05) at all time points. Serum TNF-α and IL-1ß levels were positively correlated with CT value (P<0.05). In conclusion, HBO combined with nimodipine exhibited increased efficacy in the treatment of brain injury compared with either treatment alone.

Effect of dietary intervention treatment on children with iron deficiency anemia in China: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown beneficial effects of dietary approaches for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) control. This study was design to investigate the effect of dietary intervention treatment on children with iron deficiency anemia. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of published dietary interventions effect on IDA treatment through meta-analysis. CBM, CNKI, Wanfang database, EMBASE, VIP, PubMed and Web of science database were searched to identify studies published between January, 1980 and December, 2016. Statistical analysis was performed by Revmen5.2 software. RESULTS: Initially we retrieved for 373 studies, and then 6 studies with a total of 676 individuals were included in the analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The overall pooled estimate of odds ratio [(OR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)] in the dietary intervention on children with iron deficiency anemia was 6.54 (95% CI: 3.48-12.31, Z = 5.82, p<0.001) and funnel plot is symmetric. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggested that dietary interventions are effective in improving the iron deficiency in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and should be considered in the overall strategy of IDA management.

[Effect of ashitabe chalcones on the mRNA expression of PI3K and Akt in hepatocytes of rats with diabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of chalcones extracted from Angelica Keiskei (AC) on the mRNA expression of phosphatidy I inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and serine-threonine kinases (Akt) in hepatocytes of rats with diabetes. METHODS: The diabetes of rats was induced by streptozotocin with intraperitoeal injection as well as with high-fat diet feeding. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups with 10 rats in each group,diabetic control group, high-dose AC group and low-dose AC group. All the rats were fed with high-fat diet. 0, 30 and 10 mg/kg BW AC per day were given to high-dose AC, low-dose AC and the diabetic control groups,respectively. Another 10 normal rats fed with regular diet were used as the normal control group. After 4 weeks, serum insulin levels were evaluated by radioimmunoassay. The mRNA expression levels of PI3K and Akt were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The phosphorylation levels of Akt in hepatocytes were detected by western blot. Blood glucose levels were measured by glucose oxidase method. RESULTS: Compared with rats in the diabetic control gruop, the levels of blood glucose and serum insulin in rats of high-dose AC gruop were decreased and the PI3K and AKT mRNA expression levels were increased. All the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: AC may upregulate the mRNA expression levels of PI3K and Akt and improve insulin resistance of rats with diabetes.