Hair Zinc Research Articles

The Relationship Between Hair Zinc Levels, Feeding Patterns, and Infectious Diseases on The Incidence of Stunting in Children Aged 24-59 Months in The City of North Jakarta, Province of DKI Jakarta

Globally, stunting is a severe public health concern, especially in low- and middle-income nations like Indonesia. It is typified by stunted growth and development due to recurrent infections and chronic malnutrition. North Jakarta has a 19.8% stunting incidence, according to the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey. This indicates the critical need for additional research into the factors contributing to stunting, such as hair zinc levels, dietary habits, and infectious infections. This study employs an observational case-control design conducted in North Jakarta in March 2024. Stunting incidence and hair zinc levels are significantly correlated (p=0.000), affecting 87.5% of children with low hair zinc levels. Stunting is also correlated considerably (p=0.000) with incorrect feeding patterns; 75.7% of children who exhibit these patterns are stunted. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant correlation (p=0.806) between the incidence of stunting and a history of infectious illnesses. The mother's level of education, the child's age, gender, and family income did not significantly correlate with stunting.

Hair zinc level and autism spectrum disorder in children

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders. In children with ASD, the neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders are characterized by impaired quality of interaction, communication, and social imagination, with limited interest and repetitive behavior. Various studies have found that the mean zinc level is lower in children with ASD than in children without ASD, especially in the low functioning autism. Objective To compare hair zinc level in children with and without ASD. Methods This case-control study included children with ASD and controls without ASD. Subjects were children under 5 years old who came to Prof I.G.N.G. Ngoerah Hospital and Masadini Clinic in Denpasar. Hair zinc cut-off level was determined by the area under curve (AUC) based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results A total of 128 subjects consisted of 64 cases and 64 controls, with a mean age of 4 (SD 0.8) years. Most subjects were male (76%); 82.3% were well-nourished. The mean maternal age at delivery was 28.82 (SD 3.2) years. Subjects’ mean hair zinc level was 87.9 (SD 231.1) ?g/g. Bivariate analysis with Chi-square test revealed that children with hair zinc concentration of <33.88 ?g/g were 22.19 times more likely to have ASD than those with higher zinc levels (OR 22.19; 95%CI 8.02 to 42.09; P<0.001). Conclusion Low hair zinc level is more likely to occur in children with ASD than in children without ASD.

Understanding the pubertal, psychosocial, and cognitive developmental trajectories of stunted and non-stunted adolescents: protocol of a multi-site Indonesian cohort study.

The prevalence of stunting among Indonesian children aged 5-12 years decreased from 30.7% in 2013 to 23.6% in 2018 but has remained among the highest rates worldwide. Furthermore, Indonesian children were shorter than the standard reported by the World Health Organization and experienced obesity. The Indonesian government has created many programs to reduce stunting in children under the age of 5 years. An early preventive strategy is necessary because stunting can manifest within the initial 1,000 days of life, including during pregnancy. Therefore, a newer perspective, such as that achieved by addressing stunting in adolescents, has been deemed useful, given that adolescents are in their pubertal stage and are undergoing lifestyle changes. This cohort study was designed to measure these factors comprehensively in stunted and non-stunted children as they pass through adolescence. For the prospective cohort, 560 individuals will be recruited from DKI Jakarta, DI Yogyakarta, and East Java. The participants will be categorized into stunted and non-stunted groups, then undergo annual examinations in which key objectives, such as weight, height, and body mass index ,will be assessed for the growth profile; waist circumference, middle-upper arm circumference, hand-grip strength, body fat percentage, and food intake will be evaluated in a nutritional assessment; psychosocial and mental issues will be evaluated according to behavioral problems, symptoms of depression, quality of life, sleep patterns, anxiety disorders, and parenting style through the use of specific questionnaires; and pubertal stage will be assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Some cross-sectional data, such as cognitive performance, hair zinc levels, vitamin D levels, bone mineral density, and bone age, will also be included. All the outcomes will be analyzed in accordance with the variable types. This study provides a thorough dataset of Indonesian adolescents encompassing several elements, such as growth, nutrition, psychosocial wellbeing, mental health, and pubertal development, for both stunted and non-stunted individuals. The data acquired from this study can be used to formulate policies to prevent stunting through targeted interventions for adolescents. Finally, a better understanding of adolescent health could lead to improved strategies to decrease the number of stunted individuals in the next Indonesian generation.

The association between zinc and prostate cancer development: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Prostate cancer is affecting males globally, with several complications. Zinc can play roles in cancers. We aimed to clarify the association between zinc levels or intake with prostate cancer development. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science until May 1, 2023. We included case-controls and cross-sectionals that measured zinc level and/or intake in patients with prostate cancer or cohorts that evaluated the association between zinc and prostate cancer development. Studies that did not have a healthy control group were excluded. Joanna Briggs Institute was used for quality assessment. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's tests and funnel plot. Overall, 52 studies (n = 44 case controls, n = 4 cohorts, and n = 4 cross sectionals) with a total number of 163909 participants were included. Serum (standardized mean difference (SMD): -1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.67, -0.56), hair (SMD: -1.31; 95% CI: -2.19, -0.44), and prostatic fluid or tissue zinc levels (SMD: -3.70; 95% CI: -4.90, -2.49) were significantly lower in prostate cancer patients. There were no significant differences in nail zinc level and zinc intake between those with prostate cancer and healthy controls. There was no publication bias except for serum and hair zinc levels based on Begg's and Egger's tests, respectively. The mean risk of bias scores were 4.61 in case-controls, eight in cohorts, and seven in cross-sectionals. Overall, high zinc levels might have a protective role in prostate cancer, which can be used as a therapeutic or preventive intervention. Future large-scale studies are needed to confirm the association.

Role of zinc in chronic telogen effluvium in serum and hair of patients with alopecia.

To determine the levels of zinc in hair and serum samples of chronic telogen effluvium patients. The case-control study was conducted at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from April 2017 to May 2018, and comprised diagnosed cases of chronic telogen effluvium in group A, and healthy controls matched for age and gender in group B. Hair pull test was done, and level of zinc in hair and serum samples was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Of the 100 subjects, 50(50%) were in group A; 28(56%) females ad 22(44%) males with mean age 27.46±4.98 years. There were 50(50%) subejcts in group B; 26(52%) males ad 24(48%) females with mean age 28.34±4.92 years (p>0.05). Significantly low levels of zinc were observed in serum as well as hair samples in group A compared to group B (p<0.05). A positive significant association was observed in the level of zinc in hair with their concentration in the serum of subjects in both the groups (r=0.310, p<0.05). Low levels of zinc in hair and serum were found to be associated with chronic telogen effluvium.

Association of serum and hair antioxidant minerals with an oxidative stress marker in relation with characteristics of healthy adults: a cross-sectional study

Excess oxidative stress generated in the body causes various types of cellular damage, including DNA damage. Certain trace minerals act as antioxidants by functioning as cofactors for antioxidant enzymes. This study was conducted to evaluate the serum and hair concentrations of major antioxidant trace minerals (zinc, manganese, selenium, and chromium) and to determine the association between the oxidative stress marker urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and serum or hair antioxidant trace mineral concentrations, according to the general characteristics of healthy adults. Study participants were selected after screening, and 108 participants aged 19–69 years were finally included. Serum and hair trace mineral concentrations were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and urine 8-OHdG levels were quantified using an ELISA kit. Results showed that urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly higher in exercisers than in those who did not exercise. Correlation analysis revealed that urinary 8-OHdG was negatively correlated with hair zinc in participants over 60 years of age and with poor health status, and positively correlated with hair chromium in participants with irregular dietary habits. In conclusion, these results suggest that urinary 8-OHdG is particularly correlated with hair zinc and chromium levels. Additional large-scale epidemiological studies are needed to generally confirm these findings.

Dietary patterns, plasma and hair trace element in Ukrainian cohort of adults during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Adequate mineral intake is important for optimal immune protection against viral infections. However, there is insufficient data on the mineral status of the Ukrainian adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included people aged 35-80 years with a history of COVID-19 (study group, n=35) and those without (control group, n=26). Dietary intake was assessed using 7-day weighted food records. Trace element analysis of plasma and hair was performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (Elvatech, Ukraine). Low levels of zinc, copper, and, to a lesser extent, iron and selenium were found in the participants' plasma and hair samples. Low hair zinc levels were found in 75.8 % of participants in the study group and 95.8% in the control group (p=0.065). Hair zinc was positively associated with plasma levels (β 0.09, CI 0.03 to 0.15, p=0.007). Participants with a COVID-19 history had higher hair zinc levels than the control group, but still below normal. The difference between groups may be explained by the higher proportion of zinc supplementation (62.9% vs 16.0%, p=0.0005). The low supply of trace elements was independent of estimated dietary intake and history of COVID-19. With increasing age of the participants, the selenium content in their hair decreased (β -0.02, CI -0.03 to -0.01, p=0.001). Current findings show the need to improve the nutrition of Ukrainians, as well as to monitor the supply of minerals for the development of optimal nutritional interventions. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: trace elements; zinc; selenium; dietary intake; age; COVID-19

Association between Aluminium Levels and Cognitive Decline in Environmentally Exposed Elders

AbstractBackgroundNormal brain functioning depends on metals homeostasis, as imbalances may increase oxidative stress and cause other detrimental intracellular events that lead to cell loss. Furthermore, environmental exposure to toxic metals is hypothesized to induce neuroinflammation and neuropathology, paving the way to neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to examine whether such Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE) are associated with cognitive performance over time in a sample of elderly individuals of environmentally contaminated regions.MethodA total of 146 elders permanently residing in environmental risk areas were recruited. Participants completed the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive assessment and were biomonitored for several PTE through hair and urine analysis. After 5 years, the cognitive assessment was repeated.ResultCognitive performance significantly declined from baseline to follow‐up (p &lt; 0.001), with participants scoring on average 4.41 less points on MMSE (Baseline: M = 25.79, SD = 3.520, Md = 27.00; Follow‐up: M = 21.38, SD = 5.343, Md = 21.00). Regression analysis on the relationship between PTE and cognitive performance revealed that Aluminium (β = ‐0.322, p = 0.32) and Zinc (β = ‐0.372, p = 0.15) in hair and Aluminium in urine (β = ‐0.368, p = 0.010) significantly predicted MMSE scores past 5 years of biomonitoring (p = 0.002). Higher contents of these PTE were associated with worse cognitive performance at follow‐up, after controlling the effects of age, education and supplement intake.ConclusionHigher levels of Aluminium significantly predict worse general cognitive performance 5 years after biomonitoring across different biological samples. Environmental exposure to this metal may constitute a risk factor for cognitive decline.

Hair Zinc and Chromium Levels Were Associated with a Reduced Likelihood of Age Related Cognitive Decline in Centenarians and Oldest-Old Adults.

Cognitive function has inevitable decline with advancing age in nature, and age-related cognitive decline (ARCD) is of increasing concern to aging population. Scarce study has involved the associations between hair trace elements and ARCD in older adults, especially in centenarians and oldest-old adults. This study was to investigate the associations between hair trace elements and ARCD in centenarians and oldest-old adults. Based on the household registration information of centenarians and oldest-old adults provided by the Civil Affairs Department of Hainan Province, China, the investigators conducted a one-to-one household survey among centenarians (≥100 years old) and oldest-old adults (80-99 years old). All 50 centenarians had a median age of 103 years and females accounted for 68.0%. All 73 oldest-old adults aged 80-99 years had a median age of 90 years and females accounted for 82.2%. Basic information were obtained with questionnaire interview, physical examination, biological test and hair collection by pre-trained local doctors and nurses. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was used to measure hair trace elements. All data in this study comes from China. Age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, smoking, drinking, hemoglobin, albumin, fasting blood pressure, zinc, chromium, copper, selenium, iron, manganese, strontium, lead, magnesium, potassium, and barium were simultaneously included in multivariate Logistic regression analysis. One adjusted model was done with all hair trace elements together. Zinc and chromium levels were significantly lower in participants with ARCD than those without ARCD (P < 0.05 for all). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that zinc [odds ratio (OR): 0.988, 95%confidence interval (95%CI): 0.977-0.999] and chromium (OR: 0.051, 95%CI: 0.004-0.705) were associated with a reduced likelihood of ARCD (P < 0.05 for all). Hair zinc and chromium levels were associated with a reduced likelihood of ARCD in centenarians and oldest-old adults. Further studies are necessary to verify if zinc and chromium supplementation has the potential to improve cognitive function and prevent ARCD development.

The change of copper, zinc, iodine, and selenium contents in the scalp hair of healthy females and the efficacy of herbal extract shampoo treatment

We investigated shampoo-related changes in levels of some trace elements in the scalp hair of females and their impact on scalp skin properties. Sixty healthy women divided into control and experimental group who used regular shampoo and Urtica cannabina (U.cannabina) extract shampoo, respectively. Scalp skin was examined using an electronic skin analyzer, and trichometric analysis was performed with a Folliscope. The collected scalp hair samples were digested and measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The average copper (p=0.05), zinc (p=0.0002), and iodine (p=0.0004) levels increased notably, whereas the selenium content decreased slightly (p=0.337) in the experimental group. We found that the average iodine content in scalp hair of Mongolian females was three times lower than the global average. The average increase in trace elements may be considered to be due to the transfer of an element into the human scalp during shampooing. These results indicate that some trace elements in human scalp hair are not only associated with nutritional status and environmental factors, but cosmetic products can also affect the trace element composition. The hair growth, diameter, and density gradually increased and were higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Scalp skin moisture, sebum, and pH values increased in the experimental group, whereas the control group showed no notable difference. Herbal extracts may potentially support scalp hair growth and increase the hair density. This ability can be explained by the trace elements in the herbal extract, which may play a key role in inducing hair growth.

Correlation of endocrine disrupting chemicals with essential elements in biological samples of children (1–5 years) with different infectious diseases and impact on sustainable outdoor activities

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been extensively explored due to their harmful effects on individual health and the environment by interfering with hormone activity and disrupting the endocrine system. However, their relationship with essential trace elements remains uncertain. This research aimed to investigate the possible correlation between essential trace elements and toxic metals, including cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in children aged 1–5 years with various infectious diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, typhoid fever, and pneumonia. The study was conducted on biological testing and specimen (scalp hair and whole blood) of diseased and non-diseased children of the same residential area and referent/control age-matched children from developed cities consuming domestically treated water. The media of biological samples were oxidized by an acid mixture before being analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The accuracy and validity of the methodology were verified through accredited reference material from scalp hair and whole blood sample. The study results revealed that diseased children had lower mean values of essential trace elements (iron, copper, and zinc) in both scalp hair and blood, except for copper, which was found to be higher in blood samples of diseased children. This implies that the deficiency of essential residue and trace elements in children from rural areas who consume groundwater is linked to various infectious diseases. The study highlights the need for more human biomonitoring of EDCs to better comprehend their non-classical toxic properties and their concealed costs on human health. The findings suggest that exposure to EDCs could be associated with unfavorable health outcomes and emphasizes the need for future regulatory policies to minimize exposure and safeguard the health of current and forthcoming generations of children. Furthermore, the study highlights the implication of essential trace elements in maintaining good health and their potential correlation with toxic metals in the environment.

Metal Exposure and Risk of Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Metal exposure has been suggested as a possible environmental risk factor for Parkinson disease (PD). We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases to systematically review the literature on the relationship between metal exposure and PD risk and to examine the overall quality of each study and the exposure assessment method. A total of 83 case-control studies and 5 cohort studies published duringthe period 1963-July 2021 were included, of which 73 were graded as being of low or moderate overall quality. Investigators in 69 studies adopted self-reported exposure and biomonitoring after disease diagnosis for exposure assessment approaches. The meta-analyses showed that concentrations of copper and iron in serum and concentrations of zinc in either serum or plasma were lower, while concentrations of magnesium in CSF and zinc in hair were higher, among PD cases as compared with controls. Cumulative lead levels in bone were found to be associated with increased risk of PD. We did not find associations between other metals and PD. The current level of evidence for associations between metals and PD risk is limited, as biases from methodological limitations cannot be ruled out. High-quality studies assessing metal levels before disease onset are needed to improve our understanding of the role of metals in the etiology of PD.

Mineral, trace element, and toxic metal concentration in hair from dogs with idiopathic epilepsy compared to healthy controls.

Altered trace element status is associated with epilepsy in humans and dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Compare hair element concentrations in epileptic and healthy dogs. Sixty-three dogs with IE (53 treated, 10 untreated) and 42 controls. Case-control study using ICP-MS to determine hair calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, chromium, lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, and nickel concentration. Groups were compared using nonparametric tests. Results were controlled for diet, sex, age, and hair color using generalized linear mixed models. Compared to healthy controls, dogs with IE had lower hair phosphorus (mean ± SD; IE: 286.19 ± 69.62 μg/g, healthy: 324.52 ± 58.69 μg/g; P = .001), higher hair copper (IE: 10.97 ± 3.51 μg/g, healthy: 8.41 ± 1.27 μg/g; P < .001), zinc (IE: 158.25 ± 19.64 μg/g, healthy: 144.76 ± 32.18 μg/g; P < .001), copper/zinc ratio (IE: 0.07 ± 0.02, healthy: 0.06 ± 0.01; P = .003), selenium (IE: 1.65 ± 0.43 μg/g, healthy: 0.94 ± 0.73 μg/g; P < .001), and arsenic (IE: 0.40 ± 0.78 μg/g, healthy: 0.05 ± 0.08 μg/g; P < .001). When comparing treated and untreated epileptic dogs with healthy dogs, the differences in phosphorus and selenium remained significant for both groups, whereas the differences in copper, zinc, and arsenic were significant only for treated dogs. Potassium bromide treatment was strongly associated with high hair arsenic (P = .000). Altered trace element status could be involved in the pathophysiology of IE in dogs. Antiseizure drugs might affect trace element and arsenic metabolism.

Single hair analysis by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry detects small changes in dietary zinc intake: A nested randomized controlled trial.

baseline = 119.87 ± 20.33 and endpoint = 121.58 ± 23.58/intervention: baseline = 122.67 ± 24.19 and endpoint = 131.60 ± 21.34); (Zinc counts. baseline = 50.88 ± 14.33 and endpoint = 54.82 ± 14.61/intervention: baseline = 49.61 ± 10.77 and endpoint = 58.79 ± 12.20). For these parameters, there were also significant increases from baseline to endpoint in the intervention group but not in control. Furthermore, for Zn:S count ratio there were no differences in terms of the magnitude of the change from baseline to endpoint in the control group, although significant increases from baseline to endpoint were evident in the intervention group (Zn:S count ratio. baseline = 0.42 ± 0.10 and endpoint = 0.45 ± 0.08/intervention: baseline = 0.41 ± 0.08 and endpoint = 0.45 ± 0.08). A modest increase in dietary zinc over 6 months resulted in a detectable increase in both sulfur and zinc counts in individual hairs measured using XRF. This offers a sensitive, non-invasive method to monitor changes within subjects in response to dietary zinc interventions.

Potentially toxic elements in human scalp hair around China’s largest polymetallic rare earth ore mining and smelting area

There is a growing concern about human health of residents living in areas where mining and smelting occur. In order to understand the exposure to the potentially toxic elements (PTEs), we here identify and examine the cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in scalp hair of residents living in the mining area (Bayan Obo, n = 76), smelting area (Baotou, n = 57) and a reference area (Hohhot, n = 61). In total, 194 hair samples were collected from the volunteers (men = 87, women = 107) aged 5–77 years old in the three areas. Comparing median PTEs levels between the young and adults, Ni levels were significantly higher in adults living in the smelting area while Cr was highest in adults from the mining area, no significant difference was found for any of the elements in the reference area. From the linear regression model, no significant relationship between PTEs concentration, log10(PTEs), and age was found. The concentrations of Ni, Cd, and Pb in hair were significantly lower in the reference area when compared to both mining and smelting areas. In addition, Cu was significantly higher in the mining area when compared to the smelting area. Factor analysis (FA) indicated that men and women from the smelting area (Baotou) and mining area (Bayan Obo), respectively, had different underlying communality of log10(PTEs), suggesting different sources of these PTEs. Multiple factor analysis quantilized the importance of gender and location when combined with PTEs levels in human hair. The results of this study indicate that people living in mining and/or smelting areas have significantly higher PTEs (Cu, Ni, Cd, and Pb) hair levels compared to reference areas, which may cause adverse health effects. Remediation should therefore be implemented to improve the health of local residents in the mining and smelting areas.

Assessment of X-ray fluorescence capabilities for nail and hair matrices through zinc measurement in keratin reference materials

BackgroundNovel and emerging biomarkers of zinc status are being developed to help study and address zinc deficiency around the world. Two potential biomarkers, nail and hair, involve the measurement of zinc from easily accessible keratin-based components of the body. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a relatively new approach to the assessment of zinc in nail or hair, and has a number of compelling advantages compared with other techniques. The aim of the current study was to test the ability of XRF to measure zinc in keratinized reference materials (RMs) designed to simulate nail and hair. MethodsFour Keratin Matrix RMs were prepared and characterized for numerous trace elements by the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center. The Keratin Matrix RMs consisted of powdered samples of caprine (goat) horns pooled from several animals. Concentrations of zinc, as assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), were similar to what would be expected from human nail or hair tissues. Repeat measurements of the RMs were made using a portable XRF system. The XRF zinc results were compared with the ICP-MS zinc concentrations. Three different approaches to quantifying the zinc content by XRF were performed: (1) zinc signal to total signal ratio, (2) zinc signal to sulfur signal ratio, and (3) system output zinc concentration. ResultsThe portable XRF results from a given RM were found to be consistent across repeat trials under all three approaches to XRF quantitation. Precision, calculated as the relative standard deviation of repeat measurements ranged from an average result of 0.8 % (using the system output zinc concentration method) to 6.1 % (using the zinc signal to sulfur signal ratio method). Measurement of the RMs provided XRF zinc results which scaled well with ICP-MS zinc concentration, particularly when using the XRF zinc to total and system zinc concentration methods. A Bland-Altman plot showed that the XRF system zinc concentration output exceeded the ICP-MS zinc concentration by, on average, 10.2 % ± 1.2 %. ConclusionOverall, both accuracy and precision of measurement were found to be promising for portable XRF, provided appropriate conversions to concentration are introduced. The results of this study indicate that portable XRF is an effective and dependable method of assessing zinc concentration in keratinized tissue RMs. This will have implications for the future use of portable XRF to monitor zinc status in humans through measurements of nail and hair.

Hair zinc levels and psychosis risk among adolescents

Recent meta-analyses have shown lower zinc and higher copper levels in the serum of people with schizophrenia than in healthy controls. However, the relationship between trace elements (TEs) and the pathophysiology of psychosis, including schizophrenia, remains unclear due to the antipsychotic effects on mineral levels. In this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between zinc and copper levels in hair and psychosis risk among drug-naïve adolescents. This study was conducted as a part of a population-based biomarker subsample study of the Tokyo Teen Cohort Study, including 252 community-dwelling 14-year-old drug-naïve adolescents. Zinc and copper levels in hair were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The thought problems (TP) scale from the Child Behavior Checklist was used to evaluate psychosis risk. Regression analysis showed that hair zinc levels were negatively correlated with the TP scale (T-score) (β = −0.176, P = 0.005). This result remained significant after adjusting for age and sex (β = −0.175, P = 0.005). In contrast, hair copper levels were not associated with the TP scale (T-score) (β = 0.026, P = 0.687). These findings suggest that lower zinc levels could be involved in the pathophysiology of psychosis, independent of antipsychotics. Further longitudinal studies are required to investigate whether hair zinc level is a useful new biomarker for assessing psychosis risk.

No Association of Hair Zinc Concentration with Coronary Artery Disease Severity and No Relation with Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Although zinc (Zn) was reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective properties in CVDs, its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still unclear. As methods commonly used to assess Zn levels in blood and urine do not show the full picture of the microelement supply, in this study, the nutritional status of Zn in patients with angiographically confirmed CAD was assessed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. We found no association between Zn and the severity of CAD evaluated with the Coronary Artery Surgery Study Score (p = 0.67). There were no statistically significant differences in Zn levels between patients with acute coronary syndrome and those with stable CAD (p = 0.937). A statically significant negative correlation was observed between Zn content and serum triglyceride concentration (p < 0.05). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were found to have a significantly lower hair Zn content compared to non-diabetic individuals (p < 0.01). The role of Zn in the pathogenesis of CAD and its complications need further well-designed research as the moderation and supplementation of Zn dietary intake could be a simple intervention to reduce the CVDs risk.

Correlation between zinc intake and hair zinc levels to morbidity of infectious diseases in children aged 24-35 months in Jakarta

According to WHO, preventable diseases, including infectious diseases, are the most common cause of death in children. Based on Indonesia's 2019 health profile data, the top five morbidity and mortality in children aged 1-4 years are acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) of (25.8%), pneumonia (21.7%), fever (14%), diarrhea and gastrointestinal disease (14.4%). Zinc has an important role in immunity especially for younger child&#x0D;

Comparison of zinc levels in the various biosubstrates of patients with unstable atherosclerotic plaque.

The article describes the content and comparative characteristics of zinc level in the hair, biopsies of carotid atherosclerotic plaques (AP) and serum in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. The highest concentration of zinc is found in hair compared to the AP and serum. Zinc levels is higher in AP than in the serum. It is noteworthy that the level of zinc in biopsies of unstable AP was lower compared to the level of zinc in hair.