Analysis of trace elements in human hair through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for screening of prostate cancer.

Background: Use of hair samples to analyze the trace element concentrations is one of the interesting fields among many researchers. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is considered as one of the most common methods in studying the concentration of elements in tissues and also crystalline materials, using low energy X-ray. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the concentration of the trace elements in the scalp hair sample through XRF spectroscopy using signal processing techniques as a screening tool for prostate cancer. Methods: Hair samples of 22 men (including 11 healthy and 11 patients) were analyzed. All the sample donors were Iranian men. EDXRF method was used for the measurements. Signals were analyzed, and signal features such as mean, root-mean-square (RMS), variance, and standard deviation, skewness, and energy were investigated. The Man-Whitney U test was used to compare the trace element concentrations. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to identify which extracted feature could help to identify healthy and patient people. P values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 software. Results: The mean±SD age was 67.8±8.7 years in the patient group and 61.4±6.9 years in the healthy group. There were statistically significant differences in the aluminum (Al, P<0.001), silicon (Si, P=0.006), and phosphorus (P, P=0.028) levels between healthy and patient groups. Skewness and variance were found to be relevant in identifying people with cancer, as signal features. Conclusion: The use of EDXRF is a feasible method to study the concentration of elements in the hair sample, and this technique may be effective in prostate cancer screening. Further study with a large sample size will be required to elucidate the efficacy of the present method in prostate cancer screening.

Hair collection protocol in 12-month-old infants.

Purpose: Most studies assessing hair cortisol were conducted with adults. As specific guidelines for infant hair collection are lacking, we developed a hair collection protocol for 12-month-old infants and assessed its acceptability and feasibility. Results: Out of the total (N = 45), 95.6 % (n = 43) of caregivers consented to the procedure, while one caregiver did not consent (2.2 %), and another requested the procedure to be halted before required amount of hair had been reached (2.2 %). Furthermore, two (4.4 %) infants did not have enough hair for collection. There was no attrition due to infant fussiness/crying. Discussion: We learned five lessons which can help to enhance reproducibility, mother's consent, and mother-infant comfort and acceptance of the procedure. The first lesson is to have the infant sit on the caregiver's lap to ensure the infant feels safe and remains relatively still. The second is to reassure caregivers by showing hair samples representing the amount to be cut as well as by clarifying no unaesthetic gaps would be visible. The third is to caress the infant's head to habituate them to the hair manipulation and to make soap bubbles as distractors. The fourth is to take extra care when securing the lock of hair for cutting because the infant scalp is thin and malleable. The fifth is to place a precision scale in the collection room to ensure the necessary weight is reached. Conclusion: Our hair collection protocol developed for 12-month-old infants was deemed feasible and acceptable, filled an important literature gap concerning the absence of published protocols for infants, and will contribute to increase the replicability and collection efficiency for other research teams.

Detection and quantification of etomidate and metomidate in human hairs by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

PURPOSE: Intravenous narcotic agents, such as etomidate and metomidate, has been widely spread and abused in the world, including in Korea and China; thus, it is important to establish validated and sensitive analytical method for these compounds. Human hair as a biological sample has various advantages, including a wide detection window of drugs, compared to other typical samples, such as urine and blood in investigation. The purpose of this communication is to develop a reliable and useful method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etomidate and metomidate in human hair samples by ultraperformance liquid chromatography combined with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and to apply it for authentic samples in abuse cases. METHODS: The hair samples were washed with a detergent solution, followed by with water and acetone. After drying, they were cut into approximately 2 mm sections and then ground to powder by a low-temperature grinder. The 20 mg of hair powder plus internal standard in 1 mL of methanol was vortexed and then centrifuged to obtain the supernatant layer, followed by subjecting to analysis. RESULTS: The coefficient of determination (r2) values of the calibration curves of etomidate and metomidate in the hair samples were both more than 0.99 in the range of 1-500 ng/mg and 1-500 pg/mg, respectively. The limits of detection and lower limits of quantification were 0.5 and 1 pg/mg, respectively, for the both target compounds. Other tested validation data were all satisfactory. Etomidate and metomidate could be detected in the all hair samples and cigarette oil, which were seized by the police. The concentrations of etomidate and metomidate obtained from 10 samples from suspects were 5.48-45.7 ng/mg and 3.60-377 pg/mg, respectively. The concentrations of etomidate and metomidate in the cigarette oil were 95.8 µg/mg and 2.8 µg/mg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a simple and reliable analytical method for etomidate and metomidate in the human hair has been established. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to establish a method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of etomidate and metomidate in the human hair, and to apply it to authentic samples seized in authentic cases.

A comprehensive LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous analysis of 65 synthetic cannabinoids in human hair samples and application to forensic investigations.

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) represent a diverse class of new psychoactive substances characterized by extensive substance variety and severe abuse implications. The current situation of synthetic cannabinoid abuse in China is getting worse, with an increasing number of SC variants emerging. Therefore, it is imperative to improve synthetic cannabinoid detecting methods to align with the prevalent abuse situation in the region. In this study, a reliable and validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of 65 SC analogues in human hair samples. The validation results demonstrated satisfactory linearity (r ≥ 0.99) within the range of 25-2500 pg/mg for each SC analogue. The method exhibited limits of detection ranging from 10 to 15 pg/mg and limits of quantification ranging from 25 to 40 pg/mg. The relative standard deviations of intra-day precision and inter-day precision were below 15 %. Furthermore, negligible matrix effects were observed, with recovery rates ranging from 85.70 % to 119.43 %. Analysis of abuser demographics revealed that the primary group engaged in SC analogue abuse consisted of adolescents, predominantly males, accounting for 79.5 % of cases. Among the suspected individuals, ADB-BUTINACA and MDMB-4en-PINACA were the most frequently detected substances. The present study develops a highly sensitive analytical method and provides a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of SC abuse in the eastern region of China.

A study into the nature and extent of polydrug use in driving recidivism behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Polydrug use has become a frequent pattern of drug consumption in Europe, and this is considered a particularly dangerous risk factor for impaired driving. In Italy, persons whose license has been revoked or suspended due to the use of psychoactive drugs can reapply for a new driving license, depending on the judgment of the relevant local medical committee (CML). To regain a revoked license, offenders must remain drug free throughout an observation period. An important problem with enforcement of impaired driving is recidivism. The aim of the present study is to analyze the influence of polydrug use on driving recidivism. METHOD: We report the findings of several years' experience at the forensic toxicology laboratory of the University of Macerata. Hair samples collected over a 7-year period by the CML from drug users were analyzed for cocaine, opiates, and cannabis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-five of the tested subjects were recidivists. Recidivism was more frequent among monodrug users (81%) compared with polydrug users (19%), but logistic regression showed that polydrug use is certainly a risk factor for recidivism compared to monodrug use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99). The sex and age distribution of recidivist subjects showed a strong predominance of males in both groups, but there were no sex differences. There were more recidivist polydrug users than recidivist monodrug users in the younger age groups (OR = 2.012). Cocaine use was most prevalent in the recidivist monodrug group. All drugs analyzed were demonstrated to be a risk factor for recidivism among monodrug users, whereas only the cocaine and cannabis combination was shown to be a risk factor for recidivism among polydrug users (OR = 1.65 versus cocaine; OR = 1.30 versus Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Almost all polydrug users became monodrug users, and cocaine was the most frequently detected drug in the subsequent test during the monitoring phase. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that polydrug use increases the risk of impaired driving recidivism and represents a considerable threat to road safety.

Hair cortisol, cortisone and DHEA concentrations and the composition of microbiota in toddlers.

Animal research suggests that the gut microbiota and the HPA axis communicate in a bidirectional manner. However, human data, especially on early childhood, remain limited. In this exploratory design, we investigated the connections between long-term HPA axis functioning, measured as cortisol, cortisone or dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations and their ratios from hair segments of three centimeters, and gut microbiota profiles, (measured as diversity and bacterial composition by 16 S rRNA sequencing) in healthy 2.5-year-old toddlers (n = 135) recruited from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. The alpha diversity of the microbiota was studied by linear regression. Beta diversity analyses with weighted UniFrac or Bray-Curtis distances were performed using PERMANOVA. The bacterial core genus level analyses were conducted using DESeq2 and ALDEx2. These analyses suggested that hair sample concentrations of separate hormones, cortisol/cortisone and cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone ratios were associated with various gut bacterial genera such as the Veillonella, the [Ruminococcus] torques group and [Eubacterium] hallii group, although multiple testing correction attenuated the p-values. Alpha or beta diversity was not linked with either steroid concentrations or ratios. These findings in toddlers suggest that long-term HPA axis activity may be related to genera abundancies but not to ecosystem-level measures in gut microbiota. The influence of these observed interrelations on later child health and development warrants further research.

Quantification of nimetazepam and its metabolite in human hair samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Case report.

Nimetazepam (marketed brand names; Erimin and Lavol) is an intermediate acting benzodiazepine derivative, which was widely used mainly in East and Southeast Asian region countries including Japan, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and China. Nimetazepam and its metabolite 7-aminonimetazepam were quantified from human hair samples by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), under selective reaction monitoring mode. Using diazepam-d5 as an internal standard, the concentration of nimetazepam and its metabolite 7-aminonimetazepam could be determined by matrix matched calibration method. Extraction of the target compounds was performed by using methanol, followed by evaporation and being concentrated with nitrogen. The Limit of quantification concentrations of nimetazepam and its metabolite 7-aminonimetazepam in hair samples were both 25 pg/mg by established method. The concentrations of nimetazepam in hair samples obtained from 2 users were 27.4, and 22.0 pg/mg, respectively; the concentrations of 7-animonimetazepam in hair samples were 54.2 and 29.1 pg/mg, respectively. In our study, the 7-aminonimetazepam concentrations in hair was higher than those of nimetazepam in the authentic hair samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report to establish the detailed procedure for quantificating nimetazepam and 7-aminonimetazepam in human hair by LC-MS/MS.

The effectiveness of an intervention to reduce exposure to trace metals during or prior to pregnancy: A prospective study in urban and rural locations.

Background: Prenatal exposure to trace metals can have adverse effects on health and increase the risk of developing certain diseases. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of giving women advice to reduce their exposure to trace metals during pregnancy or prior to conception. The study also examined differences in exposure between rural and urban environments in southern France. Methods: In this prospective study, pregnant women or those intending to conceive were recruited from two medical centers for gynecology/obstetrics (rural location: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence; urban location: Marseille). Hair samples were collected and analyzed to determine the levels of exposure to trace metals. Participants with 'risky' levels were given corresponding advice sheets on how to reduce their exposure or, for certain metals, they were encouraged to find out about potential sources of exposure. A second hair sample was collected and analyzed 3 months later. Results: It was found that 109 women had 'risky' levels of exposure to trace metals, out of a total of 184 women (59.2 %). Cerium was the most frequently identified metal (N = 26), followed by nickel (N = 23), and titanium (N = 19). There were more women at the urban center with 'risky' levels (56/86; 65.1 %) than at the rural center (53/98; 54.1 %), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.13). Advice sheets were given to 64 of the 109 participants with 'risky' levels (58.7 %), but only 21 returned for the second hair analysis. Of these, 14 were found to have reduced their exposure, which corresponds to just 12.8 % (14/109) of the participants with 'risky' levels. Conclusions: These results indicate that it would be helpful to develop new interventions to reduce trace metal exposure during or prior to pregnancy.

Self-collection of hair samples during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, public health restrictions were implemented that required study protocol revisions for our collection of hair cortisol samples from in-person to self-collection. The purpose is to provide descriptions of the protocol transition process from in-person hair cortisol sample collection to participant self-collection using written and video instructions as well as the acceptability and feasibility of this transition. Main results: The protocol transition required revisions to the written instructions with a link to a newly developed video for hair sample self-collection. There was little difference in the initial participant agreement to provide a hair sample between in-person (79/114; 69.3%) versus self-collection (254/417; 60.9%) protocol methods. Some participants were initially hesitant to provide a self-collected hair sample but commented that self-collection was easier than they anticipated which supports the acceptability of this protocol change. However, regarding feasibility, 16.8% of participant self-collected hair samples were not received by study staff despite reminders (14.3%) or there was an issue with mail delivery or return (2.5%). Major conclusions: The transition of our hair sample collection protocol from in-person to self-collection was acceptable and feasible. Providing instructions for hair sample self-collection in a variety of formats (oral, written, video) helped to decrease uncertainty and hesitancy regarding the process and promote agreement among participants. In addition, consistent follow-up communication was key to timely receipt of the hair samples from participants.

Passive Smoking Is Associated with Multiple Heavy Metal Concentrations among Housewives in Shanxi Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Passive smoking may increase the content of heavy metals in housewives. However, this association remains a subject of debate. Female passive smoking is widespread, particularly in Chinese rural areas. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between heavy metal accumulation and passive smoking status among rural housewives. METHODS: 405 women were recruited in Shanxi Province of Northern China, and 384 (94.8%, 384/405) participants were included in the final study, of whom 117 women were exposed to passive smoking. The information on their basic characteristics was collected via a structured questionnaire. We used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to analyze the concentrations of nine heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), germanium (Ge), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and chromium (Cr), in hair samples. RESULTS: The results indicated that higher As, Ge, Ti, and Fe concentrations were significantly associated with passive smoking. After adjusting for potential confounders, the adjusted odds ratios and the 95% confidence intervals of As, Ge, Ti, and Fe were (1.80 (1.13-2.90), p = 0.028), (1.78 (1.14-2.80), p = 0.007), (1.70 (1.09-2.67), p = 0.019), and (1.67 (1.07-2.63), p = 0.035), respectively. The statistically significant linear trend of the adjusted odds ratios at different levels further supported their association. CONCLUSION: Our research concluded that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke might contribute to As, Ge, Ti, and Fe accumulation among housewives.

Hair-Based Assessment of Sex Steroid Hormones in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex psychiatric disorder accompanied by a variety of endocrine effects. Altered levels of the sex steroid hormones progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have been shown to occur in patients with AN using short-term hormonal measurement methods based on blood, saliva, and urine samples. However, since sex steroid hormone levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, these measurement methods require a great deal of effort due to the need to collect multiple samples in order to correctly determine the basal level of sex hormones. In contrast, hair-based assessments provide a marker of accumulated longer-term hormone exposure using a single, non-invasive sample. The aim of this study was to investigate sex steroid hormone levels via hair-based assessments in acutely underweight AN in comparison with healthy, age-matched, female control participants. Additionally, we compared progesterone and DHEA hair levels longitudinally during inpatient treatment in AN. Collected hair samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine a monthly hormone level of progesterone and DHEA. Our results indicate that DHEA hair hormone levels were similar across groups but progesterone was suppressed in underweight AN compared with healthy controls. In the longitudinal design, no significant change in hair hormone levels during partial weight restoration in patients with AN was observed. Our findings suggest that hair analysis can be used to detect suppressed progesterone levels in severe AN, and that progesterone does not increase during short-term weight restoration.

Retrospective analysis of laboratory data from 19,275 hair samples submitted for drug abuse/misuse analysis from February 2019 to June 2021.

Drug abuse/misuse is now a major global problem affecting public health as well as economic and social stability. This study presents a retrospective view of the prevalence of drugs in hair. Reasons for hair testing include the need for law enforcement to test suspicious individuals and the need for employers in specific industries to test their employees. Toxicology analysis results were reviewed for a total of 19,275 hair samples requested for drug abuse/misuse analysis at the Academy of Forensic Science over 29 months from February 2019 to June 2021. Drugs and their metabolites in hair samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry. In the study, the 19,275 hair samples were screened for a total of 62 illegal drugs, which were divided into three categories: illegal-drugs (I), medication (II), and new psychoactive substances (III). These three categories contain 11, 29 and 22 drugs respectively. In these hair samples, 4852 (25.2 %) tested positive for one or more drugs. Among them, the positive rate of category I was the highest (48.7 %), followed by category II (28.5 %), and category III (22.7 %). Over all, the positive rate of male users (26.2 %) was higher than that of female users (23.7 %), and most of them were young people (25-44 years old). Illegal-drugs (morphine, etc.) had the highest positive rate. Under the influence of some certain factors, the drug abuse situation will also undergo corresponding changes. The results can provide a scientific knowledge database which can help in the prevention of drug abuse.

Potentially toxic elements exposure biomonitoring in the elderly around the largest polymetallic rare earth ore mining and smelting area in China.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) can be released during mining operations and ore processing. The pollution and health risk related to PTEs in total suspended particulates (TSPs) around the largest polymetallic rare earth mining area (Bayan Obo) and smelting area (Baotou) in Inner Mongolia, China, were evaluated. PTEs in the hair of the elderly living in these two areas and a reference area (Hohhot) were also examined. Relationships between PTEs in TSPs and hair with categorical factors (location, gender, etc.) were also modeled. Multivariate statistical analyses were carried out to analyze the possible sources of the PTEs in TSPs. The bubble maps of the concentrations of PTEs indicated that high concentrations of PTEs were near the industrial area where smelting plants and power plants were located. In addition, health risks were assessed for adults in the mining and smelting area. The carcinogenic risk of Cr was high for residents in the study areas. Also, the residents were exposed to a non-carcinogenic risk of Ni. Significant mean value differences were observed between PTEs in the hair of the elderly in Baotou and Hohhot. Results of the linear regression model indicated that around 31 % of the Pb in hair could be explained by the linear regression model, it could be affected by Ni and Zn in TSPs, but location, gender, and sampling time showed no significant contribution. Age was not significantly associated with the PTEs levels in hair in Baotou and Bayan Obo. The results provide important scientific evidence for a better understanding of the effects of PTEs in TSPs in polymetallic ore mining and smelting areas.

Simultaneous determination of four antibiotics in human urine and hair samples employing a simple and efficient dispersive micro solid-phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics containing azithromycin, amoxicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and azithromycin are widely utilized in the treatment of bacterial infections, and their determination in biological samples is critical to evaluate their side effects. METHODS: A dispersive micro solid-phase extraction (DMSPE) as an efficient sample preparation was developed for the simultaneous extraction of the antibiotics in biological samples. For this purpose, chitosan@Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared as a green and magnetic sorbent based on a chemical coating of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with chitosan. RESULTS: The sorbent was compared with several sorbents such as ZnO NPs, CuO NPs, and Fe3O4 NPs to extract the antibiotics. In addition, effective factors for antibiotic extraction were evaluated and optimized using a central composite design and one factor at a time. The method has wide linearity in the concentration ranges of 2.1-800.0, 3.5-1000.0, 2.0-800.0, and 2.7-1000.0 µg L-1 with an R-squared higher than 0.9958 for the determination of azithromycin, amoxicillin, doxycycline, and tetracycline, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation was lower than 1.1 and 3.5 µg L-1, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were also lower than 4.90% for the determination of the analytes at a concentration of 20.0 µg L-1. High recoveries in the percentage range of 94.70-106.75%, with RSDs between 4.64 and 5.83%, were obtained to analyze spiked urine and hair samples. CONCLUSIONS: The DMSPE-HPLC-DAD procedure displayed various advantages for determining antibiotics, including simple operation, high recoveries, low sample solution and desorption solvent consumption, high preconcentration factors, proper determination time, and simple and inexpensive method of sorbent preparation.

Detection of C-Peptide in Scalp Hair of Healthy Adults.

PURPOSE: The C-peptide level from blood and urine samples represents endogenous insulin secretion and has clinical implications for individuals with and without diabetes. However, the study results are inconsistent and the available methods can only measure short-term C-peptide levels, which can be substantially affected by concurrent glycaemia. In this study, we evaluated whether C-peptide can be detected from hair? Hair C-peptide if detected could potentially represent long-term, insulin secretion. And to know whether there is any correlation between hair C-peptide with certain biochemical and demographic parameters. METHODS: In a prospective observational study on 120 normal healthy individuals, hair samples were taken from the scalp and C-peptide was extracted. The hair C-peptide levels were measured in pg/mg of hair using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLISA) after methanol extraction and were compared among different age and body-type groups. Serum C-peptide, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c were assessed and their levels were correlated with anthropometric parameters. RESULTS: A detectable range of C-peptide was found in the hair samples of all the subjects with a median of 63.59 pg/mg hair and it was positively correlated with FPG but no significant correlation was found between hair C-peptide and serum C-peptide levels. The hair C-peptide level, along with FPG and HbA1c, was significantly different according to age. CONCLUSION: These results conclude that C-peptide can be detected from and measured in the scalp hair of humans and it is positively correlated with FPG, and it is significantly different according to age. This technique, if validated, may verify its usefulness in future studies of both healthy and diseased subjects.

Detection of C-peptide in human hair and nail: a comparison between healthy persons and persons with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Serum and urinary C-peptide has clinical implications in people with/without diabetes. Recently, C-peptide was detected in hair samples of healthy adults but not studied in people with diabetes. It is not known whether C-peptide can be detectable in nail tissue or not. This study aims to assess the detection of C-peptide in hair and nail samples and to find whether hair and nail C-peptide levels are different in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared with healthy individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In a prospective case-control study on 41 subjects with T1DM and 42 control subjects, hair and nail samples were collected and prepared. C-peptide was extracted by incubating the samples with methanol and measuring the extract with an immunoassay. The hair and nail C-peptide values were compared between the T1DM and control group and their correlations with each other and with other variables were assessed with a significant level set at 0.05. RESULTS: Hair and nail C-peptide levels were detected in both groups, with significantly lower values in T1DM compared with the control group. T1DM with >7-year diabetes duration had significantly lower C-peptide in serum, nails and hair. Hair and nail C-peptide levels have significant positive correlations with each other and negative correlations with age. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that C-peptide are detectable in the hair and nails of healthy persons and persons with T1DM. Compared with the healthy persons, persons with T1DM had significantly lower hair and nail C-peptide and significant hair/nail C-peptide reduction after 7 years of diagnosis. Our results suggest that hair and nails are suitable matrices for the measurement of C-peptide in healthy persons and persons with T1DM.

Comparison of hair cortisol concentrations between self- and professionally-collected hair samples and the role of five-factor personality traits as potential moderators.

Cortisol concentration of hair (HCC) is an established biomarker in stress research that can provide valuable retrospective information on subjects' long-term cortisol levels. Using a population-wide sample of in total N = 482 participants this study aimed to examine whether there are differences in HCC when participants collect the required samples by themselves with the help of a partner in domestic settings compared to professionally collected hair strands in the lab. Potential confounding factors that may affect HCC and might obfuscate the outcomes were considered. The results suggest that the two compared sample collection methods did not significantly differ from each other in terms of HCC (p = .307). A somewhat larger sample loss in the domestic setting was observed due to hair samples where HCC could not be determined (5.3 % vs. 1.8 % in the lab). Similarly, in a sample of N = 50 using a within-subjects design (Sample 2) no significant HCC differences between collection methods occurred (p = .206). In addition, potential moderating effects of personality traits of the Five-Factor-Model on the relationship between hair collection method and HCC were investigated. In Sample 1 personality data of the hair donor were available, while in Sample 2 personality data (n = 40) were available for the hair donor and the hair sample collector. Interestingly, none of the Big Five traits significantly moderated the relationship between HCC and hair collection method (all p > .20). Overall, these findings suggest that the self-collection of hair in domestic settings is a viable and economical method for measuring long-term cortisol concentrations in hair.

Mercury levels in hair samples of dentists: A comparative study in Sri Lanka.

AIM: Elemental mercury is widely used in dentistry as dental amalgam. Hair samples constitute preferred biomarkers to determine the index of mercury exposure. In the absence of any published studies, the aim of the present study was to ascertain the level of mercury in a selected sample of dentists and controls in Sri Lanka. METHODS: Hair samples (.7 g) from dentists working in and around the Colombo district in Sri Lanka (n = 50) and controls (n = 50) were digested with sulfuric acid-potassium permanganate solution, and reduced to metallic mercury with stannous chloride. Digested samples were analyzed for mercury using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The average mercury contents of the test and control samples (n = 50 each) were 5.36 ± 2.64 ppb and 3.1 ± 1.99 ppb, respectively. Based on the estimated ratio of mercury in hair to blood in humans as 250:1, the average content of mercury in the blood of the two groups could be .02 ppb and .01 ppb, respectively. The number of years in dentistry and number of amalgam restorations performed within 1 week were not correlated with the hair concentration of mercury. CONCLUSIONS: As the values of both groups were well below 10 ng/mL (10 ppb), within the concentrations considered as normal, mercury use was not considered an occupational hazard for dentists.

Hair analysis and its concordance with self-report for drug users presenting in emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Secondary analysis using data from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network randomized trial (NCT # 01207791), in which 1285 adult ED patients endorsing moderate to severe problems related to drug use were recruited from 6 US academic hospitals. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of hair analysis in drug use disorder trials with infrequent visits, and its concordance with Timeline Follow Back (TLFB). METHODS: This study compared the self-reported drug use on the TLFB instrument with the biological measure of drug use from hair analysis for four major drug classes (Cannabis, Cocaine, Prescribed Opioids and Street Opioids). Both hair analysis and TLFB were conducted at 3, 6 and 12 month follow-up visit and each covered a 90-day recall period prior to the visit. RESULTS: The concordance between the hair sample results and the TLFB was high for cannabis and street opioids, but was low to moderate for cocaine and prescribed opioids. Under-reporting of drug use given the positive hair sample was always significantly lower for the drug the study participant noted as their primary drug of choice compared with other drugs the participant reported taking, irrespective of whether the drug of choice was cannabis, cocaine, street opioids and prescribed opioids. Over-reporting of drug use given the negative hair sample was always significantly higher for the drug of choice, except for cocaine. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends the literature on hair analysis supporting its use as a secondary outcome measure in clinical trials.

Mercury exposure levels in children with dental amalgam fillings.

OBJECTIVES: Mercury combined with other metals to form solid amalgams has long been used in reconstructive dentistry but its use has been controversial since at least the middle of the 19th century. The exposure and body burden of mercury reviews have consistently stated that there is a deficiency of adequate epidemiological studies addressing this issue. Fish and dental amalgam are two major sources of human exposure to organic (MeHg) and inorganic Hg respectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 150 subjects aged between 9 and 14 years were divided into two groups of 75 subjects each depending on their diet, i.e. seafood or nonseafood consuming. Each category was subdivided into three groups based on number of restorations. Scalp hair and urine samples were collected at baseline and 3 months later to assess the organic and inorganic levels of mercury respectively by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). RESULTS: The mean values of urinary mercury (inorganic mercury) in the group of children with restorations were 1.5915 µg/l as compared to 0.0130 µg/l in the groups with no amalgam restorations (p < 0.001) (Wilcoxon sign rank test and paired t-test). The hair mercury levels (organic mercury) varied signi-ficantly between the fsh-eating group and nonfsh-eating group, the average values being 1.03 µg/l and 0.84 µg/l respectively (p < 0.001) (Mann-Whitney U-test and paired t-test). CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: The notion about the mercury being released from the amalgam restorations as a sole exposure source needs to be put to a rest, as environmental factors collectively overpower the exposure levels from restorations alone. How to cite this article: Varkey IM, Shetty R, Hegde A. Mercury Exposure Levels in Children with Dental Amalgam Fillings. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2014;7(3):180-185.