Jie Tang

Aims: Weight fluctuation and changes in relative fat mass ( RFM ) are independently linked to mortality, but few studies have examined the joint effects of weight and RFM changes on all‐cause and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) mortality among older community‐dwellers. Methods: We followed 203 962 Guangzhou residents aged ≥ 65 years (mean 71.9 years) who had baseline weight, waist and height measurements in 2018 and repeat assessment in 2019–2020. Weight and RFM changes were categorized as stable (±5%), 5%–10% increase, > 10% increase, 5%–10% decrease or > 10% decrease. Mortality from follow‐up visit until December 31, 2023. Multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic splines analysis were used to explore the associations of changes in weight, RFM, or both with all‐cause and CVD mortality among participants. Results: During median follow‐up of 5.6 years, 14 712 all‐cause and 6536 CVD deaths occurred. U‐shaped relationships were seen for both exposures. Compared with stable weight, all‐cause mortality was higher in participants who decreased > 10% (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.76–2.03) or increased > 10% (1.50, 1.39–1.63); similar patterns were observed for RFM decrease. In joint analyses, the highest all‐cause mortality risk was seen when both weight and RFM decreased > 10% (HR 2.09, 1.82–2.41), whereas the highest CVD risk occurred with > 10% weight decrease coupled with > 10% RFM increase (HR 2.02, 1.53–2.67). Similar associations of changes in weight, RFM or both, and all‐cause and CVD mortality were observed in different subgroups. Conclusions: Weight change exceeding 10% and any RFM decrease are associated with elevated all‐cause and CVD mortality among older community‐dwellers. Concurrent changes of more than 10% in both metrics confer the greatest risk. Maintaining stable weight and RFM may reduce premature mortality among older community‐dwellers. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR2400089945

Alexithymia is implicated in self-harm behaviors, including nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicide attempt (SA). However,, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood, especially among clinically referred adolescents with depressive symptoms. A total of 129 adolescents with depressive symptoms were recruited from Shenzhen Mental Health Center. NSSI, SA, alexithymia and its dimensions were measured using validated scales. Resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) within a predefined set of emotion regulation (ER)-related regions of interest (ROIs). Of the analytic sample, 37 adolescents met the criteria for NSSI and 59 met the criteria for SA. The externally oriented thinking (EOT) subscale scores were positively associated with SA (adjusted OR = 1.21, 95% CI, 1.03–1.43). Adolescents with SA exhibited heightened connectivity within ER regions compared to controls, including between the left orbitofrontal cortex and right medial orbital superior frontal gyrus (z score = 0.19, P < 0.001), left medial orbitofrontal cortex and left inferior occipital gyrus (z score = 0.16; P < 0.001), left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right medial orbital of the superior frontal gyrus (z score = 0.17; P < 0.001), right parahippocampal gyrus and right fusiform gyrus (z score = 0.17; P < 0.001), and between the right ventral hippocampus (vHC) and the right fusiform gyrus (FG) (z = 0.17; P < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that the association between EOT and SA was fully mediated by right vHC-right FG connectivity (indirect effect β = 0.096, 95% CI, 0.027–0.190). No significant associations between alexithymia or rs-FC within ER regions and NSSI were found. In clinically referred adolescents with depressive symptoms, EOT-related alexithymia is associated with SA, and this association appears to be fully mediated by enhanced vHC-FG connectivity. The vHC-FG circuit, which plays a key role in ER, may represent a novel neurobiological target for interventions aimed at preventing self-harm behaviors in this vulnerable population. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12991-026-00655-4.

It is unclear whether DNA methylation underlies the association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in early adolescents. We aim to explore the mediation of specific DNA methylation sites in the associations of CM and its subtypes with NSSI, following investigation on the association between specific DNA methylation sites and NSSI. A case–control study was conducted to examine 155 adolescents aged 12–14 years who were identified to have engaged in NSSI and 201 controls. CM and its subtypes were evaluated by using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The EPIC 850 k Bead Chip was used to discover differential methylation sites (DMSs) in the peripheral blood between 10 NSSI cases and 10 controls. Targeted pyrosequencing was employed to detect the levels of specific DMSs among the total study population, which were selected based on bioinformatics analyses and literature review. We discovered 456 DMSs between NSSI cases and controls, 219 were hypermethylated and 237 were hypomethylated. After controlling for potential confounders, CM or its subtypes, and the methylation of cg04622888 and cg05037505 were all significantly associated with NSSI (all P < 0.05). The total association of CM and its subtypes with NSSI were all significantly (all P < 0.05), with the standardized coefficient (β) ranged from 0.12 for physical neglect to 0.24 for emotional neglect and CM. Significant indirect association of physical neglect with NSSI through methylation of cg04622888 was observed and the mediating proportion was 0.14 (95%CI 0.06–0.23). Significant indirect associations of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect with NSSI through methylation of cg05037505 were also observed, and the mediating proportions were 0.09 (95%CI 0.04–0.14), 0.08 (95%CI, 0.03–0.14) and 0.19 (95%CI 0.07–0.32), respectively. Data of this study suggested that methylation of cg04622888 and cg05037505 were independently associated with NSSI among early adolescents, and they partially mediated the associations of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse with NSSI.

Background/Objectives: The association between egg consumption and dementia is unclear. We carried out a population-based case-control study in China to determine the independent association of egg consumption with dementia. Methods: We randomly recruited 233 participants with dementia and 233 without dementia from the community health service clinics and the dementia management system in Guangzhou, China to examine their dietary intakes over the past two years and other risk factors for chronic diseases. Egg consumption was categorised by frequency as Non-consuming/<monthly, Monthly, Weekly, Daily or ≥Twice a day. Results: Participants with dementia, compared to controls, were more likely to consume eggs at Monthly (15.5% vs. 8.6%) but less likely to consume at Daily (28.3% vs. 41.6%). The age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of dementia was 1.76 (95% CI 1.10–2.84) in participants who consumed eggs Weekly and 4.34 (2.16–8.72) in Monthly consumption compared to Daily. However, no significant associations were found for those Non-consuming/<monthly 1.35 (0.71–2.56) and ≥Twice a day 3.49 (0.83–14.67). After further adjustments, including gender, education, family income, smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary intakes (including red meats, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits), cardiovascular disease and other co-morbidities, the corresponding ORs were 2.10 (1.10–4.02), 4.82 (1.90–12.27), 0.73 (0.29–1.88) and 4.16 (0.80–21.63), respectively. Among participants who consumed eggs Monthly, Weekly or Daily, an inverse association between egg consumption and dementia was observed; the multiple adjusted OR of dementia was 0.48 (0.30–0.76) per average increment in egg consumption. Compared to Monthly consumption, the OR for Weekly consumption was 0.44 (0.18–1.08) and 0.22 (0.08–0.59) for Daily consumption. Conclusions: This study suggests that Daily egg consumption could help reduce the risk of dementia, while uncertainties regarding the association of non-consuming/<monthly or ≥Twice a day consumption with dementia warrant further research.

Aims It is unclear whether DNA methylation underlies the associations of childhood maltreatment (CM) with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents. We aim to explore the mediating effect of specific DNA methylation sites’ levels on the associations of CM and its subtypes with NSSI, following investigation on the association between the specific DNA methylation sites’ levels and NSSI. Methods A nested case-control study was conducted to examine 155 adolescents aged 12–14 years who had NSSI and 201 controls. CM and its subtypes were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The 850k chip was used to discover the differences in the whole genome methylation levels in the peripheral blood of 10 NSSI cases and 10 controls. Pyrosequencing was employed to detect the levels of differential methylation sites among the study population, which were selected based on bioinformatics analysis. Results After controlling for potential confounders, CM and its subtypes, and the methylation levels of cg04622888 and cg05037505 were all significantly associated with NSSI. The methylation level of cg05037505 significantly mediated the association of emotional abuse (proportion mediated estimates: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.06–0.14), emotional neglect (0.08; 95%CI: 0.05–0.13), or physical neglect (0.18; 95%CI: 0.08–0.31) with NSSI. The methylation level of cg04622888 significantly mediated the association of physical neglect (0.14; 95%CI: 0.06–0.25) with NSSI. Conclusions The methylation levels of cg04622888 and cg05037505 were independently associated with NSSI among early adolescents, and they partially mediated the associations of emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse with NSSI. Targeted interventions for NSSI should focus on individuals who have experienced of CM and exhibit high methylation levels of cg04622888 and cg05037505.

Aggression refers to any activity with the immediate intent to cause harm, pain, or injury to another individual,¹ including physical aggression (PA), verbal aggression (VA), indirect aggression (IA), anger, and hostility.² Violent behavior is a form of PA with excessive harm to the target. Globally, aggressive and violent behavior is a serious public health concern and social problem among children and adolescents. It is estimated that 1 of 2 children aged 2 to 17 years experiences some form of aggressive and violent behavior, and emotional aggression affects 1 in 3 children.³ Data from the World Health Organization showed that aggressive and violent behaviors are responsible for 1.76 million deaths as well as millions of nonfatal injuries and disabilities every year.⁴ Over the course of a lifetime, children exposed to aggression are at increased risk of mental illness, high-risk behaviors, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and further involvement in violence and crime.³ Low socioeconomic status is associated with an increased risk of aggression⁵; thus aggressive and violent behaviors may be more prevalent among rural Chinese children and adolescents given that studies have suggested that social economy in rural China is relatively low.⁶ A previous study⁷ suggested that approximately 24.3% of rural Chinese children and adolescents exhibited aggression. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify high-risk groups and specific risk factors for aggression among this population.

Many studies have identified that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality. However, most studies have been restricted to a few types of ACEs. This study aims to investigate the association of 13 common types of ACEs with NSSI, suicidal ideation (SI), and suicide attempts (SA), as well as the mediation of depressive and anxiety symptoms therein. A total of 1771 (994 male, 777 female) students aged 11–16 (12.9 ± 0.6) years who participated in the baseline survey of the Chinese Adolescent Health Growth Cohort study were included in the analysis. ACEs, including childhood maltreatment, other common forms of ACEs, and smoking, were measured via the Chinese version of the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and a series of valid questionnaires that were derived from previous studies. NSSI was measured using the Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Self-mutilation. SI and SA were measured using questions derived from the Global School Based Student Health Survey. Depressive symptoms were measured via the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and anxiety symptoms were measured via the General Anxiety Disorder-7. Of the included participants, 92.0% reported one or more category of ACEs. Smoking, parent–child separation, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and being bullied were positively associated with NSSI; smoking, parent–child separation, emotional abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and being bullied were positively associated with SI; smoking, emotional abuse, and being bullied were positively associated with SA. The associations of ACEs with NSSI, SI, and SA were each partially or completely mediated through depressive and anxiety symptoms. Children and adolescents who had experiences of smoking, physical abuse, and being bullied during childhood are consistently and independently associated with NSSI and suicidality, and these associations may be largely mediated through depressive and anxiety symptoms. In conclusion, not all the types of ACEs are independently associated with NSSI, and suicidality and other associations may mediate through depressive and anxiety symptoms. Target interventions for adolescents’ NSSI and suicidality should focus on those who have a history of ACEs and depressive and anxiety symptoms.