Metabolic risk factors of cognitive impairment in young women with major psychiatric disorder

BackgroundCognitive performance improves clinical outcomes of patients with major psychiatric disorder (MPD), but is impaired by hyperglycemia. Psychotropic agents often induce metabolism syndrome (MetS). The identification of modifiable metabolic risk factors of cognitive impairment may enable targeted improvements of patient care.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between MetS and cognitive impairment in young women with MPD, and to explore risk factors.MethodsWe retrospectively studied women of 18–34 years of age receiving psychotropic medications for first-onset schizophrenia (SCH), bipolar disorder (BP), or major depressive disorder (MDD). Data were obtained at four time points: presentation but before psychotropic medication; 4–8 and 8–12 weeks of psychotropic therapy; and enrollment. MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, (MCCB)—based Global Deficit Scores were used to assess cognitive impairment. Multiple logistic analysis was used to calculate risk factors. Multivariate models were used to investigate factors associated with cognitive impairment.ResultsWe evaluated 2,864 participants. Cognitive impairment was observed in 61.94% of study participants, and was most prevalent among patients with BP (69.38%). HbA1c within the 8–12 week-treatment interval was the most significant risk factor and highest in BP. Factors in SCH included pre-treatment waist circumference and elevated triglycerides during the 8–12 weeks treatment interval. Cumulative dosages of antipsychotics, antidepressants, and valproate were associated with cognitive impairment in all MPD subgroups, although lithium demonstrated a protect effect (all P < 0.001).ConclusionsCognitive impairment was associated with elevated HbA1c and cumulative medication dosages. Pre-treatment waist circumference and triglyceride level at 8–12 weeks were risk factors in SCH. Monitoring these indices may inform treatment revisions to improve clinical outcomes

Determining trace metal elements in the tooth enamel from Hui and Han Ethnic groups in China using microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

The content of trace elements in teeth can provide information on oral health, environmental factors and diet habits. A method for human dental enamel digestion using microwave system with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide is described for further determination trace elements of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Sr, Cd, and Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The reference materials of bone ash (NIST SRM 1400) and bone meal (NIST SRM 1486) were used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. The data were assessed statistically using t-tests. The results showed a significant difference (P< 0.05) in the trace element Fe as well as the trace elements Al, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Sr, Cd, and Pb (P < 0.01). In healthy tooth enamel, the contents of the trace elements Cd, Ni, Mn, and Pb, which may promote or accelerate caries and its development, are higher in the Han than the Hui ethnic group. However, for healthy tooth enamel, the contents of the trace elements Cu, Fe, Zn, and Sr, which may prevent caries, are lower in the Han than the Hui ethnic group. Different tooth structure and diet habits for the Hui and Han ethnic groups in Xi'an, China may be the primary basis for the distinction in trace elementcontent. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The different cones combination enhanced sensitivity on MC-ICP-MS: The results from boron isotope analysis

The sensitivity of multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (MC-ICP-MS) can be significantly improved using different sample and skimmer cones with different orifice diameters and angles. In this study, an MC-ICP-MS with three typical combinations of sample and skimmer cones [(H skimmer cone + standard sample cone (Standard + H), X skimmer cone + standard sample cone (Standard + X) and X skimmer cone + Jet sample cone (Jet + X)] was used to measure the boron isotopes, and the effect of the different combinations of sample and skimmer cones on the sensitivity of the MC-ICP-MS and the underlying physical principles were investigated. The results suggest that more ions can be introduced into sample cones with larger orifices, which results in increased sensitivity. Compared with standard skimmer cones (which have cylindrical entrances and trumpet-shaped exits), X skimmer cones (which have trumpet-shaped entrances and exits) can provide more space for ion beams to entrance the skimmer's orifice after they are subjected to the space-charge effect. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Determination of low bromine (Br) and iodine (I) in water with low-to high-salinity content using ICP-MS

A newly developed method for the determination of bromine (Br) and iodine (I) in low- to high-salinity aqueous samples by ICP-MS was established. Matrix related isobaric interferences ((ArK)-Ar-40-K-39 and (ArArH)-Ar-40-Ar-38-H-1 on Br-79) have been quantitatively estimated in the kinetic energy discrimination (KED) operation mode and the standard (STD) mode; it was shown that such interferences can be efficiently eliminated using the KED mode with He as a collision reaction gas. In addition, samples with high salt concentrations were analysed after pre-treatment using H-form cation-exchange resin with low dilution factors (10 or 20), rather than the high dilution factors (>200) reported in previous studies. The values for the total procedure blank of Br and I from this process were 0.784 and 0.015 mu gL(-1), respectively. The Br and I limits of detection (LOD) and spiked recoveries for this ICP-MS method were 0.1104 and 0.0013 mu g L-1 and 98.9-100.9% and 98.0-102.9%, respectively. The present method was successfully applied for the rapid and direct determination of Br and I in seawater and other aqueous samples. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Tracing sources of pollution in soils from the Jinding Pb–Zn mining district in China using cadmium and lead isotopes

International audienceSystematic variations in the Cd and Pb isotope ratios in polluted topsoils surrounding the Jinding Pb–Zn mine in China were measured so that the sources of the metals could be traced. The average δ114/110Cd value and 206Pb/207Pb isotope ratio in background soils from the region were +0.41‰ and 1.1902, respectively, whereas the contaminated soil samples had different values, with the δ114/110Cd values varying between −0.59‰ and +0.33‰ and the 206Pb/207Pb isotope ratios varying between 1.1764 and 1.1896. We also measured the Cd and Pb isotopic compositions in oxide ores, sulfide ores, and slags, and found that binary mixing between ores and background soils could explain almost all of the variations in the Cd and Pb isotope ratios in the contaminated soils. This suggests that Cd and Pb pollution in the soils was mainly caused by the deposition of dust emitted during anthropogenic activities (mining and refining). The Pb and Cd isotope ratios clearly showed that contamination in soils in the northeastern part of the area was caused by surface mines and zinc smelters and their slagheaps, while contamination in soils in the southwestern part of the area also came from tailing ponds and underground mines. The main area of soil polluted by dust from Pb–Zn mining processes roughly extended for up to 5 km from the mine itself

Determination of Boron Isotope Ratios in Tooth Enamel by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) After Matrix Separation by Ion Exchange Chromatography

Boron isotopes in teeth has been a new proxy for dietary reconstructions and its resistance to diagenetic alteration. In this study a method using inductively coupled plasma source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the measurement of boron isotope ratio in human dental enamel has been developed. Human dental enamel were digested with HNO3-H2O2 in a microwave system. Boron in solution was separated from the matrix components using Amberlite IRA-743 resin. The factors that may affect precision and accuracy in isotope ratio determination by ICP-MS, including memory effects, mass bias drift, and concentration effects, were investigated to obtain optimum conditions. Then, the 10B/11B ratios in teeth were measured. The results showed that 2% of HNO3 + 2% of NH3•H2O, selected as the diluent/rinse solution could be effective in the elimination of boron memory effect. There was no concentration effect on boron isotope ratios when the ratio of samples B concentration to standard B concentration (refers to Csample/Cstd) varied from 0.5 to 2. The result of 10B/11B ratios in tooth enamel by sex and age fluctuated over a broad range, ranged from 0.2007 to 0.2574. This method is expected to be used for boron isotope ratio analyses in archeometry, forensic identification, paleoecology, and other disciplines in the future

Cd isotope fractionation during simulated and natural weathering

International audienceIn practice, stable Cd isotope ratios are being applied to trace pollution sources in the natural environment. However, Cd isotope fractionation during weathering processes is not yet fully understood. We investigated Cd isotope fractionation of PbZn ore in leaching experiments and in the environment under natural weathering processes. Our leaching experiments demonstrated that the leachate was enriched with heavy Cd isotopes, relative to initial and residual samples (Δ114/110Cdleachate − initial state = 0.40–0.50‰, Δ114/110Cdleachate − residual state = 0.36–0.53‰). For natural samples, δ114/110Cd values of stream sediments were higher than those of the corresponding soil samples collected from the riverbank, Δ114/110Cdstream sediment − soil can be up to 0.50‰. This observation is consistent with our leaching experiments, which indicate significant Cd isotope fractionation during natural weathering processes. Therefore, natural contributions should be considered when using Cd isotopes to trace anthropogenic pollution in water and sediment systems

Deep Whole-Genome Sequencing to Detect Mixed Infection of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>

<div><p>Mixed infection by multiple <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> (MTB) strains is associated with poor treatment outcome of tuberculosis (TB). Traditional genotyping methods have been used to detect mixed infections of MTB, however, their sensitivity and resolution are limited. Deep whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been proved highly sensitive and discriminative for studying population heterogeneity of MTB. Here, we developed a phylogenetic-based method to detect MTB mixed infections using WGS data. We collected published WGS data of 782 global MTB strains from public database. We called homogeneous and heterogeneous single nucleotide variations (SNVs) of individual strains by mapping short reads to the ancestral MTB reference genome. We constructed a phylogenomic database based on 68,639 homogeneous SNVs of 652 MTB strains. Mixed infections were determined if multiple evolutionary paths were identified by mapping the SNVs of individual samples to the phylogenomic database. By simulation, our method could specifically detect mixed infections when the sequencing depth of minor strains was as low as 1× coverage, and when the genomic distance of two mixed strains was as small as 16 SNVs. By applying our methods to all 782 samples, we detected 47 mixed infections and 45 of them were caused by locally endemic strains. The results indicate that our method is highly sensitive and discriminative for identifying mixed infections from deep WGS data of MTB isolates.</p></div

The phylogenomic database of global MTB.

<p><b>(A)</b> Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogeny of 652 global MTB strains based on the concatenated alignment of 68,639 genomic SNVs. The colors represent seven MTBC lineages. <b>(B)</b> Schematic diagram illustrating the components of the phylogenomic database. The nodes of the ML phylogeny (represented by a sub-branch outlined in red in panel A) were numbered to record the branching order. A branch was determined by its mother and descendant nodes. The SNVs and evolutionary route of the each branch were recorded.</p