A Mendelian randomization investigation of the causal association between the gut microbiota and sleep disorders.

Background: Increasing numbers of people are suffering from sleep disorders. The gut microbiota of these individuals differs significantly. However, no reports are available on the causal associations between specific gut microbiota and sleep disorders. Methods: Data on gut genera were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium. Twenty-four cohorts with 18,340 individuals of European origin were included. Sleep disorder data, which included 216,454 European individuals, were retrieved from the FinnGen Biobank. Subsequently, two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed to analyze associations between sleep disorders and specific components of the gut microbiota. Results: Inverse variance weighting (IVW) revealed a negative correlation between Coprobacter and sleep disorders (OR = 0.797, 95% CI = 0.66-0.96, and p = 0.016), a positive correlation between Lachnospiraceae and sleep disorders (OR = 1.429, 95% CI = 1.03-1.98, and p = 0.032), a negative association between Oscillospira and sleep disorders (OR = 0.745, 95% CI = 0.56-0.98, and p = 0.038), and a negative association between Peptococcus and sleep disorders (OR = 0.858, 95% CI = 0.74-0.99, p = 0.039). Conclusion: A significant causal relationship was found between four specific gut microbiota and sleep disorders. One family, Lachnospiraceae, was observed to increase the risk of sleep disorders, while three genera, namely, Coprobacter, Oscillospira, and Peptococcus, could reduce the risk of sleep disorders. However, further investigations are needed to confirm the specific mechanisms by which the gut microbiota affects sleep.

The use of aldehyde indicators to determine glutaraldehyde and alkaline glutaraldehyde contamination in chemical protective gloves.

The aim of this study was to assess the use of aldehyde indicator pads for detection of glutaraldehyde and alkaline glutaraldehyde permeation through chemical protective gloves under simulated in-use conditions. The quantitative analysis of glutaraldehyde permeation through a glove material was determined for Metricide, Wavicide, and 50% glutaraldehyde following a solvent-desorption process and gas chromatographic analysis. All glutaraldehyde solutions exhibited >99% adsorption (including both the glutaraldehyde oligomers of the reaction product and the excess glutaraldehyde) on the pads over the spiking range 0.05-5.0 microL. Breakthrough times for protective gloves were determined using the Thermo-Hand test method, and found to range from 76 to 150, from 170 to 230, and from 232 to 300 min for Metricide, Wavicide, and 50% glutaraldehyde, respectively. Glutaraldehyde recovery was calculated and ranged from 61 to 80% for all glutaraldehyde solutions. The mass of glutaraldehyde in these solutions at the time of breakthrough detection ranged from 17 to 18, from 18 to 19, and from 19 to 20 microg/cm(2) for Wavicide, 50% glutaraldehyde solution, and Metricide, respectively. Aldehyde indicator pads and the Thermo-Hand test method together should find utility in detecting, collecting, and quantitatively analyzing glutaraldehyde permeation samples through chemical protective gloves under simulated in-use conditions.

The thermo-hand method: evaluation of a new indicator pad for acid permeation of chemical protective gloves.

The thermo-hand method was developed to evaluate a new indicator pad for acid permeation through chemical protective gloves under in-use conditions (controlled conditions for the hand's skin temperature, hand movements, and relative humidity inside gloves). An indicator pad was used to detect both organic and inorganic acid permeation through glove materials. Breakthrough times for five types of gloves were determined and found to range from 5 to 308 min for propionic acid, from 4 to 293 min for acrylic acid, and from 15 min to >6 hours for HCl. Quantification was performed for propionic and acrylic acids following solvent desorption and gas chromatography. Both acids exhibited >99% adsorption (including the volume of acid, which reacted with an indicator to contribute the color change) on the pads at a spiking level of 1.8 micro L for each acid. Acid recovery for the system was calculated for each acid, with results ranging from 52-72% (RSD < or =4.0%) for both acids over the spiking range 0.2-1.8 micro L. The quantitative mass of the acids on the pads at the time of breakthrough detection ranged from 253-276 and 270-296 micro g/cm(2) for propionic acid and acrylic acid, respectively. The thermo-hand method and a new acid indicator pad together should be useful in detecting, collecting, and quantitatively analyzing acid permeation samples in the workplace.