Association between Metal(loid)Exposure and Risk of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Mediated by Anti-Müllerian Hormone among Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer

Objective To investigate the relationship and potential pathways between metal(loid)exposure and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)in women of childbearing age.Methods This case-control study included 200 patients with PCOS(cases)and 896 non-PCOS controls with the age of 25-37 years.The concentrations of 29 metal(loid)s in the follicular fluid(FF)and clinical indicators in the serum were measured in all participants.Logistic regression analysis and mediation analysis were conducted to evaluate the associations between metal(loid)exposure and PCOS risk and investigate the possible roles of clinical indicators,respectively.Results Logistic regression analysis revealed an association between high copper levels in FF and increased PCOS risk(highest vs.lowest quartile:adjusted odds ratio=2.94,95%confidence interval:1.83-4.72).A high luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio and elevated levels of testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH)were strongly associated with increased PCOS risk induced by high copper exposure.The mediation analysis indicated a mediating effect of AMH in the association between copper exposure and PCOS risk.Conclusion Copper may affect PCOS risk through the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis,mediated by AMH.Copper exposure and internal AMH levels are important indicators for early warning of PCOS development.

Association between Exposure of Rare Earth Elements and Outcomes of In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer in Beijing

Objective The study aimed to investigate the impact of rare earth elements(REEs)exposure on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET)by analyzing samples from spouses.Methods A total of 141 couples were included.Blood and follicular fluid from the wives and semen plasma from the husbands,were analyzed for REEs using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS).Spearman's correlation coefficients and the Mann–Whitney U test were used to assess correlations and compare REE concentrations among three types of samples,respectively.Logistic models were utilized to estimate the individual REE effect on IVF-ET outcomes,while BKMR and WQS models explored the mixture of REE interaction effects on IVF-ET outcomes.Results Higher La concentration in semen(median 0.089 ng/mL,P=0.03)was associated with a lower fertilization rate.However,this effect was not observed after artificial selection intervention through intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)(P=0.27).In semen,the REEs mixture did not exhibit any significant association with clinical pregnancy.Conclusion Our study revealed a potential association between high La exposure in semen and a decline in fertilization rate,but not clinical pregnancy rate.This is the first to report REEs concentrations in follicular fluid with La,Ce,Pr,and Nd found at significantly lower concentrations than in serum,suggesting that these four REEs may not accumulate in the female reproductive system.However,at the current exposure levels,mixed REEs exposure did not exhibit reproductive toxicity.

Molybdenum Concentration and the Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Nested Case-Control Study — Beijing Municipality, China, 2018–2020

What is already known about this topic?The level of molybdenum(Mo)in a mother’s urine has been linked to the growth rate of the fetus and the blood pressure levels in children.What is added by this report?We evaluated the variations in maternal plasma Mo concentrations throughout pregnancy and their potential association with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth(SPB).What are the implications for public health practice?Future research must determine the Mo levels in pregnant women across various regions in China.Moreover,particular attention needs to be given to the potential increase in Mo concentration throughout pregnancy and its possible adverse impacts on the health of both the mother and the fetus.

Associations of particulate matter with dementia and mild cognitive impairment in China: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Ambient air pollution has been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of dementia and mild cognitive impairment(MCI).However,few studies have examined these associations in well-characterized populations with low residential mobility,similar living habits,and a standardized assessment of both air pollution exposure and clinical outcome.This study examined the associations of long-term exposure to particulate matter(PM)air pollution with dementia and MCI,using data from the Chinese Veteran Clinical Research Platform.The cognitive function of elderly veterans from 277 communities in 18 Chinese cities was examined.Participants’daily exposures to aerodynamic diameters%2.5 mm(PM2.5)and%10 mm(PM10)during the 3 years prior to the survey were estimated using a satellite-based prediction.The adjusted odds ratios(ORs)and 95%confidence intervals of MCI associated with each 10 mg/m^(3) increase in PM2.5 and PM10 were 1.52(1.39,1.67)and 1.04(1.00,1.08),and those of dementia associated with PM2.5 and PM10 were 1.27(1.11,1.46)and 1.13(1.05,1.21),respectively.This demonstrates that long-term exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 can increase the prevalence of dementia/MCI among veterans in China.Higher ORs were observed for those with%9 years of educational attainment,those who actively attended physical activities,those who never smoked,former drinkers,and those who did not suffer from cerebral infarction.Improvement of ambient air quality,especially decreasing levels of PM2.5,may help to decrease the risk of dementia/MCI.Given the statistically significant association between PM and cognitive impairment demonstrated here,future studies should focus on examining the causal effect of PM pollution on dementia and MCI.