Effective synergies in indium oxide loaded with zirconia mixed with silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve number 34 catalysts for carbon dioxide hydrogenation to lower olefins.

Tandem catalysts consisting of metal oxides and zeolites have been widely studied for catalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation to lower olefins, while the synergies of two components and their influence on the catalytic performance are still unclear. In this study, the composite catalysts composed of indium oxide loaded with zirconia (In2O3/ZrO2) and silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve number 34 (SAPO-34) are developed. Performance results indicate that the synergies between these two components can promote CO2 hydrogenation. Further characterizations reveal that the chabazite (CHA) structure and acid sites in the SAPO-34 are destroyed when preparing In-Zr/SAPO by powder milling (In-Zr/SAPO-M) because of the excessive proximity of two components, which inhibits the activation of CO2 and hydrogen (H2), thus resulting in much higher methane selectivity than the catalysts prepared by granule stacking (In-Zr/SAPO-G). Proper granule integration manner promotes tandem reaction, thus enhancing CO2 hydrogenation to lower olefins, which can provide a practicable strategy to improve catalytic performance and the selectivity of the target products.

Age at onset of recurrent major depression in Han Chinese women - a replication study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between age at onset (AAO) and major depression (MD) has been studied in US, European and Chinese populations. However, larger sample studies are needed to replicate and extend earlier findings. METHODS: We re-examined the relationship between AAO and the clinical features of recurrent MD in Han Chinese women by analyzing the phase I (N=1848), phase II (N=4169) and total combined data (N=6017) from the CONVERGE project. Linear, logistic, multiple linear and multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine the association of AAO with continuous, binary and categorical variables. RESULTS: The effect size of the association between AAO and clinical features of MD was quite similar in the phase I and phase II samples. These results confirmed that MD patients with earlier AAO tended to suffer more severe, recurrent and chronic illness and cases of MD with earlier AAO showed increased neuroticism, greater family history and psychiatric comorbidity. In addition, we showed that earlier AAO of MD in Han Chinese women was associated with premenstrual symptoms, postnatal depression, a highly authoritarian or cold childhood parental rearing style and a reduced probability for having melancholia. LIMITATIONS: Data were collected retrospectively through interview and recall bias may have affected the results. CONCLUSIONS: MD with earlier AAO in Han Chinese women shows a distinct set of clinical features which are similar to those reported in Western populations.

The prevalence, clinical correlates and structure of phobic fears in Han Chinese women with recurrent major depression.

BACKGROUND: Phobic fears are common in the general population and among individuals with major depression (MD). We know little about the prevalence, clinical correlates, and structure of phobic fears in Chinese women with MD. METHODS: We assessed 22 phobic fears in 6017 Han Chinese women with MD. We used exploratory factor analysis to examine the structure of these phobic fears. We examined the relationship between individual phobic fears and the severity of MD, neuroticism, comorbid panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and dysthymia using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The frequency of phobic fears ranged from 3.0% (eating in public) to 36.0% (snakes). Phobic fears were significantly associated with more severe MD, high neuroticism, and co-morbid panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and dysthymia. Our factor analysis suggested four underlying subgroups of phobic fears which differed in their clinical correlates, severity and patterns of comorbidity. LIMITATIONS: Data were collected retrospectively through interview and recall bias may have affected the results. CONCLUSIONS: Phobic fears are correlated with comorbid MD and more severe MD. These phobic fears clearly subdivide into four subgroups that differ meaningfully from each other.

A comparison of the clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with recurrent major depressive disorder with and without dysthymia.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and dysthymia, a form of chronic depression, is complex. The two conditions are highly comorbid and it is unclear whether they are two separate disease entities. We investigated the extent to which patients with dysthymia superimposed on major depression can be distinguished from those with recurrent MDD. METHODS: We examined the clinical features in 1970 Han Chinese women with MDD (DSM-IV) between 30 and 60 years of age across China. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between clinical features of MDD and dysthymia and between dysthymia and disorders comorbid with major depression. RESULTS: The 354 cases with dysthymia had more severe MDD than those without, with more episodes of MDD and greater co-morbidity for anxiety disorders. Patients with dysthymia had higher neuroticism scores and were more likely to have a family history of MDD. They were also more likely to have suffered serious life events. LIMITATIONS: Results were obtained in a clinically ascertained sample of Chinese women and may not generalize to community-acquired samples or to other populations. It is not possible to determine whether the associations represent causal relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The additional diagnosis of dysthymia in Chinese women with recurrent MDD defines a meaningful and potentially important subtype. We conclude that in some circumstances it is possible to distinguish double depression from recurrent MDD.

[Effect of antipsychotic drugs on life quality of schizophrenic patients: one year follow-up study].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of 7 antipsychotic drugs on the life quality of schizophrenia patients including chlorpromazine, sulpiride, clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, and aripiprazole. METHODS: A total of 1,227 stable schizophrenic patients within 5 years onset who took 1 of the 7 study medications as maintenance treatment were followed up for 1 year at 10 China sites. Patients were evaluated by the short form-36 health survey (SF-36) at the baseline and at the end of 1 year. RESULTS: The life quality was improved obviously at the end of the follow-up. There was significant difference in body pain, vitality, and mental health (P<0.05) among these antipsychotic drugs. CONCLUSION: All 7 antipsychotic drugs can improve the life quality of schizophrenia patients. Atypical antipsychotic drugs, especially olazapine and quetiapine, are superior to typical antipsychotic drugs in improving life quality.

Serum free Fatty acids and glucose metabolism, insulin resistance in schizophrenia with chronic antipsychotics.

BACKGROUND: Weight gain and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are often linked to antipsychotics treatment. The aim of the study is to investigate serum free fatty acids (FFA) levels in schizophrenic patients who received long-term antipsychotics treatment, and to explore the associations between serum FFA and fasting blood glucose, and insulin resistance. METHODS: 308 inpatients with schizophrenia who met with the criteria of DSM-IV were recruited into this study, and were divided into four groups: control subjects, single obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 DM according to different body mass index, fasting blood glucose level and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose. Serum FFA was measured with colorimetry. Serum insulin and leptin were measured with radioimmunoassay respectively. RESULTS: There was a significant elevation in serum FFA levels in schizophrenic patients who received long-term antipsychotics treatment, especially in single obesity, IGT, and DM groups. The elevated serum FFA was remarkably positive correlated with fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested the elevated serum FFA in schizophrenic patients with long-term antipsychotics treatment affected the blood glucose metabolism, may have played an important role in insulin resistance and type 2 DM, and was also an important trait of metabolic syndromes.