Background Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with significant sex differences. Cognitive impairment is common in patients with schizophrenia, even in remission. This study was designed to examine the sex differences in the relationship between cognitive impairment and clinical correlations with first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) schizophrenia. Methods 93 FEDN patients (male/female = 45/48) and 160 controls (male/female = 74/86) were enrolled to compare the sex differences in cognitive functions measure by the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were used to evaluated patients' clinical symptoms. We compared cognitive impairment with sociodemographic characteristics and measures of different genders, as well as group-by-sex interactions. Results Our results showed that the MCCB total and index score in FEDN were lower than in the control group, except for category fluency and social cognition. Male patients had significantly lower symbol coding, digital sequence, and verbal learning scores than female patients, and the controls showed a similar sex difference. Interestingly, we also found six indexes and MCCB total score that showed diagnosis-by-sex interactions, belonging to the speed of processing, attention, working memory, and verbal learning. The MCCB total score showed correlations with PANSS total score and education for both genders. In female patients, education showed significant positive correlations with MCCB total and all ten index scores. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that negative symptoms and general psychopathology of PANSS, HAMD total score, and education were independent contributors to MCCB total score. In male patients, only education was an independent contributor to MCCB total score. Conclusions These findings revealed significant sex differences in cognitive impairments and clinical symptoms in FEDN. These results should be considered, which will be worthy of a follow-up study of schizophrenia in the future.

Fenton-flocculation process as one of effective the advanced oxidation treatments was widely used and studied. In this paper, the efficiency of Fenton oxidation was evaluated by the velocity ratio of CODcr decreased to Fenton reagent consumed. The coagulant aids, PAC and PAM, were canalized by CODcr removal rate, transmittance of the supernatant, the flocculation ratio and sludge settling ratio in Fenton-flocculation process. As the results shown, comparing with flocculation by Fenton reagent, transmittance of the supernatant and flocculating ratio can reach 50% and 80% respectively. The optimal dosage of coagulant aids is PAC 60 mg/L or PAM 4mg/L. The efficiency of Fenton oxidation is decreased but not be increased by adding more Fenton reagent in the advanced treatment of waste water.

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