Han Children Research Articles

Cephalic index and horizontal point of maximum width in children with normal brain development in China

BackgroundTo identify the normal range and distribution in the cephalic index(CI) and horizontal point of maximum width(H-PMW) of Chinese children with normal brain development.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed Chinese Han children who visited our hospitals between June 2015 and June 2020 because of headache or suspected head injuries. 456 children (257 males, 199 females; aged 0–15 years) were enrolled and divided into 7 groups by age. The values of CI and H-PMW were measured using thin-slice brain computed tomography images.ResultsThe overall mean CI was 86.6 ± 5.2. The mean CI for males was 87.0 ± 5.1, and that for females was 86.0 ± 5.2. The overall mean H-PMW was 53.7 ± 2.4. The mean H-PMW for males was 53.8 ± 2.5, and that for females was 53.5 ± 2.3. The averages CI reached the maximum (89.98) at the age of 4–6 months, then began to decrease, decreased to the minimum (84.31) at the age of 2–3 years, and then gradually increased, and reached 86.17 at the age of 8–15 years. The average H-PMW was the smallest (52.17) at the age of 4–6 months, and reached 54.88 at the age of 8–15 years.ConclusionThe CI and H-PMW values of Chinese normal children reported in this study will provide a valuable reference to diagnose cranial deformities, assess the severity of the disease and the effectiveness of the treatment.

Double jeopardy? China’s minority migrant children in comparative perspective

ABSTRACT China has 125 million ethnic minority group members and an increasing number of minority children move to cities for better opportunities. Using data from the 2016 China Migrants Dynamic Survey and drawing on the theories of family migration, push-pull forces, and social capital, we compare migration patterns of minority and Han children in China. Results show minority children have a higher probability of joining migrant parents than Han children. However, this may not necessarily lead to more desirable outcomes. Due to limited urban educational resources and their special needs, many school-age minority migrant children work instead of attending school. They also tend to move to areas with higher minority concentrations, potentially reducing socioeconomic mobility. Compared to Han migrant children, who are already disadvantaged in many ways in urban China, ethnic minority children face additional challenges. This warrants increased attention from scholars and policymakers. While our measurement of ethnic networks has limitations and requires further research, our key conclusions about ethnic minority migrants are robust and well-supported.

Digital anatomical features of morphological development in the atlantoaxial synchondroses in children aged 1 to 6 years old: a retrospective study of CT images.

To investigate the anatomical indexes and anatomical positional indexes of the atlantoaxial synchondroses in normal Chinese Han children aged 1-6 years, and to analyze the changing law of the atlantoaxial cartilage union with the growth and development of age and its influence on the atlantoaxial ossification in children. A retrospective collection of CT imaging of 160 cases of normal cervical spine in children aged 1 to 6 years old was conducted. The cases were divided into six age groups, with each group representing a one-year age range. Measure the morphological anatomical indicators and anatomical positional indicators of the atlantoaxial synchondroses. Record and statistically analyze the measurements of each indicator. Measurements were taken on various parameters of the atlantoaxial synchondroses. TD, SD, height, area, and perimeter all gradually decreased among the groups. Distance between bilateral atlantal anterolateral synchondroses increased gradually from Group A to Group F, while the angle formed along the long axis in the cross-section showed a decreasing trend. Distance between the axoid dentolateral synchondroses and between the neurocentral synchondroses increased gradually from Group A to Group F, with the angle value in the cross-section showing a gradual decrease, and distance from the odontoid apex increasing from Group A to Group F. The atlantoaxial synchondroses gradually decrease in size with age, and ossification levels increase with age, with faster ossification occurring during a 1-2 years-old period. The anterolateral synchondroses, dentolateral synchondroses, and neurocentral synchondroses all gradually ossify towards the lateral direction with increasing age.

Temporal variation in the oral microbiome and the prediction of early childhood caries in different ethnicities.

Globally, early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant public health concern, necessitating effective prediction and prevention strategies. This study aimed to explore variations in the oral microbiome of saliva from pre-school Han and Uyghur children during ECC development and establish a predictive model based on temporal oral microbiome changes. Saliva samples were collected from a single kindergarten every three months over six months. Forty-four pre-school children provided 132 samples, categorized into six groups: (1) HEF (healthy pre-school Han children), (2) HEO (Han children with caries), (3) HEP (Han children with progressive caries), (4) WEF (healthy pre-school Uyghur children), (5) WEO (Uyghur children with caries), and (6) WEP (Uyghur children with progressive caries). Illumina Miseq sequencing identified oral microbiome differences between groups and time points. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm established ECC prediction models. The T1HEO group exhibited significantly higher Chaol index, observed species index, PD whole tree index, and Shannon index than the T2HEO group (p < 0.01). Similarly, the T1WEO group had significantly higher Chaol index, observed species index, and PD whole tree index than the T2WEO group (p < 0.05). The AUROC value for the ECC prediction model based on temporal oral flora changes was 0.517 (95% CI: 0.275-0.759) for pre-school Han children and 0.896 (95% CI: 0.78-1.00) for pre-school Uyghur children. In the onset of caries in pre-school Han children, bacterial species richness and community diversity in saliva declined, paralleled by a decrease in bacterial species richness in pre-school Uyghur children's oral saliva. The ECC prediction model grounded on temporal oral microflora changes exhibited robust predictive power, particularly for pre-school Uyghur children, potentially leading to more effective ECC prevention measures.

Ethnicity-based analysis of supragingival plaque composition and dental health behaviours in healthy subjects without caries

ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to scrutinise the disparities in the diversity, structure, and function of the oral microbiome among caries-free children from the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups with a focus on the influence of ethnically distinct oral health behaviours on the composition of the oral microbiota. MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted to assess oral health behaviours and dental plaque samples were collected from 96 Zhuang and Han children aged 4–5 years living in Guangxi, southern China for high-throughput sequencing. PCR amplification was performed for sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene, and second-generation sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform to compare and analyse the diversity, structure and function of the microbiota. ResultsSingle-factor analysis revealed significant differences between the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups regarding juice consumption, the frequency of consuming sugar-sweetened food or beverages before bedtime, the age that individuals started toothbrushing, the frequency of toothbrushing and the frequency of parental assistance with toothbrushing (p < 0.001). The dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, etc., and the dominant genera included Streptococcus and Neisseria. The dental plaques of the caries-free Zhuang and Han ethnic groups had similar core microbiomes, with no significant differences in the diversity and structure of the microbiota and no significant differences in the abundance of the dominant genera. In addition, no significant difference in metabolic function was observed between the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups. ConclusionThe core oral microbiota was consistent in caries-free Zhuang and Han children. Despite differences in dietary habits and oral hygiene behaviours between the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups, with a high frequency of sugary food intake but better oral health behaviours in the Zhuang group, there were no significant differences in the diversity, structure and function of the oral microbiota of caries-free children in the Zhuang and Han ethnic groups.

Nucleotide excision repair gene polymorphisms and hepatoblastoma susceptibility in Eastern Chinese children: A five-center case-control study.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) plays a vital role in maintaining genome stability, and the effect of NER gene polymorphisms on hepatoblastoma susceptibility is still under investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between NER gene polymorphisms and the risk of hepatoblastoma in Eastern Chinese Han children. In this five-center case-control study, we enrolled 966 subjects from East China (193 hepatoblastoma patients and 773 healthy controls). The TaqMan method was used to genotype 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NER pathway genes, including ERCC1, XPA, XPC, XPD, XPF, and XPG. Then, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were utilized to assess the strength of associations. Three SNPs were related to hepatoblastoma risk. XPC rs2229090 and XPD rs3810366 significantly contributed to hepatoblastoma risk according to the dominant model (adjusted OR=1.49, 95% CI=1.07-2.08, P=0.019; adjusted OR=1.66, 95% CI=1.12-2.45, P=0.012, respectively). However, XPD rs238406 conferred a significantly decreased risk of hepatoblastoma under the dominant model (adjusted OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.49-0.95; P=0.024). Stratified analysis demonstrated that these significant associations were more prominent in certain subgroups. Moreover, there was evidence of functional implications of these significant SNPs suggested by online expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and splicing quantitative trait loci (sQTLs) analysis. In summary, NER pathway gene polymorphisms (XPC rs2229090, XPD rs3810366, and XPD rs238406) are significantly associated with hepatoblastoma risk, and further research is required to verify these findings.

Comparison of physical activity and physical fitness in children and adolescents of Chinese Han and Tibet ethnicity.

Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are important markers of health status in children and adolescents in different ethnicities. In this study, we aimed to compare the PA and PF indicators between Tibetan and Han children and adolescents. Children and adolescents of 4-9 grades were recruited in Shigatse (n = 963) and Shanghai (n = 2,525) respectively. The information related to demographic, PA, and PF was collected via a self-reported questionnaire. PA was assessed through the participation of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) and organized sport participation (OSP). PF was estimated using the International Fitness Scale containing components of overall fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, speed and agility, muscular strength and flexibility. Han (mean age = 13.45 ± 3.3 years; 49.7% girls) and Tibet (mean age = 13.8 ± 2.5 years; 48.3% girls) children and adolescents from Shanghai and Shigatse completed the questionnaire survey. It was revealed that Tibetan students had higher MVPA, MSE and OSP than children and adolescents of Han ethnicity (p < 0.01, small to medium effect size). A relatively higher percentage of student in Shanghai did not participate in any form of PA. On the other hand, less Tibetan students thought their PF indicators including overall fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, speed and agility, muscular strength and flexibility were poor or very poor than their counterparts of Han ethnicity (p < 0.01, small to medium effect size). Tibetan children and adolescents have higher levels of PA and PF in comparison to their Han counterparts. More children and adolescents of Han ethnicity engage in no PA and think their PF indicators were poor.

Dental Age Estimation in Northern Chinese Han Children and Adolescents Using Demirjian's Method Combined with Machine Learning Algorithms.

To investigate the application value of combining the Demirjian's method with machine learning algorithms for dental age estimation in northern Chinese Han children and adolescents. Oral panoramic images of 10 256 Han individuals aged 5 to 24 years in northern China were collected. The development of eight permanent teeth in the left mandibular was classified into different stages using the Demirjian's method. Various machine learning algorithms, including support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting regression (GBR), linear regression (LR), random forest regression (RFR), and decision tree regression (DTR) were employed. Age estimation models were constructed based on total, female, and male samples respectively using these algorithms. The fitting performance of different machine learning algorithms in these three groups was evaluated. SVR demonstrated superior estimation efficiency among all machine learning models in both total and female samples, while GBR showed the best performance in male samples. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the optimal age estimation model was 1.246 3, 1.281 8 and 1.153 8 years in the total, female and male samples, respectively. The optimal age estimation model exhibited varying levels of accuracy across different age ranges, which provided relatively accurate age estimations in individuals under 18 years old. The machine learning model developed in this study exhibits good age estimation efficiency in northern Chinese Han children and adolescents. However, its performance is not ideal when applied to adult population. To improve the accuracy in age estimation, the other variables can be considered.

Association of the external environmental exposome and obesity: A comprehensive nationwide study in 2019 among Chinese children and adolescents

ObjectiveChildren and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of various environmental factors, which could disrupt growth processes and potentially lead to obesity. Currently, comprehensive and systematic assessments of these environmental exposures during developmental periods are lacking. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the association between external environmental exposures and the incidence of obesity in children and adolescents. MethodsData was collected from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, including 214,659 Han children aged 7 to 19. Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI-for-age z-score (zBMI) were the metrics used to assess overweight and obesity prevalence. The study assessed 18 environmental factors, including air pollutants, natural space, land cover, meteorological conditions, built environment, road conditions, and artificial light at night. Exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) to analyze individual exposures' associations with health outcomes, and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) to assess cumulative exposure effects. ResultsAmong the children and adolescents, there were 24.2 % participants classified as overweight or obesity. Notably, 17 out of 18 environmental factors exhibited significant associations with zBMI and overweight/obesity. Seven air pollutants, road conditions, and built density were positively correlated with higher zBMI and obesity risk, while NDVI, forests, and meteorological factors showed negative correlations. Co-exposure analysis highlighted that SO2, ALAN, PM10, and trunk road density significantly increased zBMI, whereas rainfall, grassland, and forest exposure reduced it. Theoretically reduction in the number and prevalence of cases was calculated, indicating potential reductions in prevalence of up to 4.51 % for positive exposures and 5.09 % for negative exposures. Notably, substantial reductions were observed in regions with high pollution levels. ConclusionThis large-scale investigation, encompassing various environmental exposures in schools, highlights the significant impact of air pollution, road characteristics, rainfall, and forest coverage on childhood obesity.

An artificial intelligence-based bone age assessment model for Han and Tibetan children.

Background: Manual bone age assessment (BAA) is associated with longer interpretation time and higher cost and variability, thus posing challenges in areas with restricted medical facilities, such as the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau. The application of artificial intelligence (AI) for automating BAA could facilitate resolving this issue. This study aimed to develop an AI-based BAA model for Han and Tibetan children. Methods: A model named "EVG-BANet" was trained using three datasets, including the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) dataset (training set n = 12611, validation set n = 1425, and test set n = 200), the Radiological Hand Pose Estimation (RHPE) dataset (training set n = 5491, validation set n = 713, and test set n = 79), and a self-established local dataset [training set n = 825 and test set n = 351 (Han n = 216 and Tibetan n = 135)]. An open-access state-of-the-art model BoNet was used for comparison. The accuracy and generalizability of the two models were evaluated using the abovementioned three test sets and an external test set (n = 256, all were Tibetan). Mean absolute difference (MAD) and accuracy within 1year were used as indicators. Bias was evaluated by comparing the MAD between the demographic groups. Results: EVG-BANet outperformed BoNet in the MAD on the RHPE test set (0.52 vs. 0.63years, p < 0.001), the local test set (0.47 vs. 0.62years, p < 0.001), and the external test set (0.53 vs. 0.66years, p < 0.001) and exhibited a comparable MAD on the RSNA test set (0.34 vs. 0.35years, p = 0.934). EVG-BANet achieved accuracy within 1year of 97.7% on the local test set (BoNet 90%, p < 0.001) and 89.5% on the external test set (BoNet 85.5%, p = 0.066). EVG-BANet showed no bias in the local test set but exhibited a bias related to chronological age in the external test set. Conclusion: EVG-BANet can accurately predict the bone age (BA) for both Han children and Tibetan children living in the Tibetan Plateau with limited healthcare facilities.

Correlation analysis of maternal condition during pregnancy with head circumference and autism spectrum disorder: A propensity score-matched study.

To determine whether health status during pregnancy is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and abnormal head circumference (HC) in the offspring. This study included 41 Han children with ASD who visited the Children's Health Clinic of the Second Hospital of Shandong University between March 2018 and February 2019, and 264 Han children with typical development (TD) who visited the clinic during the same period. Physical measurements were performed on the children. The questionnaire obtained information on maternal risk factors that may be related to the increased risk of ASD and folic acid (FA) supplementation. We designed an observational case-control study using propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The incidence of macrocephaly in the ASD group was 22.0%, significantly higher than that in the TD group (1.8%). The incidence of microcephaly in the ASD group was 17.1% (n = 7), significantly higher than that in the TD group (1.8%). The differences between the comparisons were statistically significant. Maternal FA supplementation during pregnancy was significantly associated with ASD (P < .05), with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval of 3.69 (1.76, 7.76)). Also was associated with macrocephaly (P < .05), odds ratio (95% confidence interval) were 8.13 (1.63, 40.61) and 4.16 (1.18, 14.60), respectively. The incidence of abnormal HC was higher in the ASD group than that in the TD group. Maternal FA supplementation during pregnancy may be negatively associated with the occurrence of ASD and abnormal HC in the offspring. Further examination of the role of maternal health status in the etiology of ASD is recommended.

Association of Interleukin-17A and Interleukin-17F Gene Polymorphisms with Atopic Dermatitis in Chinese Children.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease associated with an unbalanced immune response in the upper layers of the skin tissue, mostly starting in childhood. As important factors in gene expression regulation, polymorphisms in interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F may be associated with the susceptibility and severity of AD. Methods: Blood samples and clinical information were obtained from 132 patients with AD and 100 healthy children. Using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing, five potential single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-17A and IL-17F were genotyped in all participants. The relationship between SNPs and susceptibility to or severity of AD was examined by analyzing haplotypes and genetic models. Results: The IL-17A rs3819025 polymorphism was substantially associated with higher AD risk in both the allele model (p = 0.03; odds ratio [OR] = 1.76; confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-2.95) and the dominant model (p = 0.04, OR = 1.85; CI: 1.03-3.33). There was no correlation between AD susceptibility and the IL-17A (rs2275913 and rs4711998) or IL-17F (rs763780 and rs12203736) SNPs (all p > 0.05). Additionally, the five IL-17A and IL-17F SNPs did not significantly differ across the mild-to-moderate and severe subgroups (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: The IL-17A/rs3819025 polymorphism was linked to the development of AD, whereas the IL-17F polymorphism was unrelated to the susceptibility to and severity of AD. The IL-17A polymorphism may provide valuable information to speculate on the susceptibility to AD in Chinese Han children.

Prediction of asthma using a four-locus gene model including IL13, IL4, FCER1B, and ADRB2 in children of Kazak nationality

BackgroundTo study whether the four locus gene model consisting of ADRB2 rs1042713, IL4 rs2243250, FCER1B rs569108 and L13 rs20541 can predict asthma of the Kazak children in Xinjiang, China.MethodsFour single nucleotide polymorphisms about the 4 genes were genotyped in asthma group and control group of Han children and Kazak children respectively. The frequencies of different genotypes and alleles were compared between the asthma group and the control group in the two nationalities. Different risk genotypes for asthma were evaluated in the two nationalities.ResultsThe differences about frequencies of genotypes in ADRB2 rs1042713 and IL4 rs2243250 and IL13 rs20541 between asthma group and control group were statistically significant in Han children, as were the frequencies of alleles in the 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms, but there were no statistical differences in FCER1B rs569108(P > 0.05). For the Kazak children, no differences were existed among all the genotypes and alleles in asthma group and control group. For the Han children, more children were asthma high risk genotype in the asthma group than those in the control group and no difference was found in the Kazak children.ConclusionsThe four locus gene model consisting of ADRB2 rs1042713, IL4 rs2243250, FCER1B rs569108 and L13 rs20541 can predict asthma of Han children but not for the Kazak children in Xinjiang, which illustrating that the difference of asthma prevalence between different races is closely related to the genetic background.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line (SHETi004-A) from a Chinese Han child with left bundle branch block

Desmin (DES) is an important intermediate filament protein associated with the extrasarcomeric cytoskeleton and cellular function that was first reported to be associated with cardiac conduction disease and cardiomyopathy in 1998. We generated an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from the left bundle branch block (LBBB) patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells using Sendai virus-mediated reprogramming. The iPSCs exhibited stable amplification, expressed pluripotent markers, and spontaneously differentiated into three layers in vitro. Additionally, it showed a normal diploid karyotype and maintained the pathogenic mutation in DES. Hence, the iPSC line provided a platform for exploring LBBB mechanisms associated with DES mutations.

Research on the association between the status of physical fitness and psychological distress among Chinese children and adolescents aged 13-18 years

Objective: To describe the status of physical fitness of children and adolescents aged 13-18 years in China in 2019 and analyze its association with psychological distress. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, and 90 633 Han children and adolescents aged 13-18 years were included. Physical fitness was evaluated by "National Students Constitutional Health Standards" (2014 revised edition). Psychological distress was classified according to the scores of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: ≤19, 20-24, 25-29, and ≥30 scores indicated no, mild, moderate, and severe psychological distress, respectively, with moderate and severe psychological distress collectively referred to as high psychological distress. The χ2 test was used to compare the distribution differences between boys and girls, the Cochran-Armitage test was used to analyze the trend, and the multinomial logistic regression in the mixed effect model was established to analyze the association between physical fitness and psychological distress. Results: In 2019, the unqualified rate of physical fitness among children and adolescents aged 13-18 years in China was 17.2%, and the prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness was 18.2%, which was lower among boys (15.9%) than girls (20.5%) with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The excellent and good physical fitness rate showed a significantly decreasing trend with age (trend test P<0.05). The rate of high psychological distress among children and adolescents aged 13-18 years in China in 2019 was 39.3%, with boys (37.0%) having a lower prevalence than girls (41.6%), supported by a statistically significant difference (P<0.05), and a decreasing trend with the degree of physical fitness was observed both in boys and girls (trend test P<0.05). The multinomial logistic regression model showed that the prevalence of moderate (OR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.79-0.88, P<0.001) and severe (OR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.77-0.86, P<0.001) psychological distress were both lower in children and adolescents with excellent and good physical fitness. Conclusion: The status of physical fitness and psychological distress of Chinese children and adolescents aged 13-18 in 2019 was not optimistic, with physical fitness showing a significantly negative association with psychological distress.

Research on the association between the occurrence of spermarche and menarche and psychological distress among Chinese children and adolescents aged 9-18 years

Objective: To analyze the association between the occurrence of spermarche and menarche and psychological distress among Chinese Han children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, and a total of 54 438 boys aged 11 to 18 years and 76 376 girls aged 9 to 18 years with psychological distress, spermarche/menarche records were included in the final analysis. The occurrence of spermarche/menarche was recorded by physicians, and psychological distress was classified according to the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores. The chi-square test was used to compare the difference between groups in the occurrence of spermarche/menarche, and the multinomial logistic regression model and stratification analysis was established to analyze the association between psychological distress and spermarche/menarche. Results: The incidence of spermarche/menarche in 2019 ranged from 6.3% to 96.5% for eight age groups of Chinese boys and 2.8% to 99.0% for ten age groups of girls. The rates of high psychological distress among boys and girls were 32.5% and 32.7%. Among boys aged 11 to 18 years, the rate of high psychological distress increased with age, with a trend test P<0.001, and the difference in the rate of high psychological distress between those who had and had not had their spermarche was not statistically significant in all age groups. Among girls aged 9 to 18 years, the rate of high psychological distress increased with age, with a trend P<0.001; the rate of high psychological distress was higher in the group with menarche at age 10 and 12 than in the group without menarche (all P<0.05). High psychological distress was positively correlated with spermarche among boys aged 13-15 years living in urban areas and hight level economic development areas (OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.02-1.21;OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.06-1.32). Overall, high psychological distress was positively correlated with menarche in girls aged 9-12 and 13-15 years (OR=1.33, 95%CI: 1.25-1.42; OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.07-1.39). High psychological distress was positively correlated with menarche among girls aged 9-12 years living in different regions except for the Northeast region, in areas with different levels of economic development, and in urban and rural areas, in girls aged 13-15 years living in urban, central, and western regions, and in girls aged 16-18 years residing in the central region. Conclusions: This study found an association between the occurrence of spermarche/menarche and psychological distress among Chinese Han children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years in 2019, which was particularly significant among girls aged 9 to 12 years and boys aged 13 to 15 years living in areas with higher levels of socioeconomic development.

How do the identities of ethnic and left-behind children influence their depression? Evidence from ethnic minority areas of Sichuan Province, China

Millions of ethnic children in China live without their parents due to financial constraints and the lure of job opportunities elsewhere, staying in their hometowns primarily for education. Yet, current research inadequately addresses the mental health status of these left-behind children from ethnic minority communities in China. This study aimed to explore the effects of the combined identities—ethnic and left-behind—on depression among children in rural ethnic minority areas. We recruited a sample of 1131 children aged 12 to 16 from the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (also known as Ganzi Prefecture) in Sichuan Province. The Children's Depression Inventory was employed to assess depression levels. Results indicated that left-behind children in this region exhibited significantly higher depression levels than their counterparts who lived with their parents. Notably, children of Han ethnicity were more depressed than other ethnic groups. However, no interactive effects were observed between the dual identity factors. Intriguingly, Han children, despite being the majority ethnicity in China, perceived themselves as ethnic minorities in these areas. Their self-perception of ethnic pressure and differences, coupled with a potential lack of acceptance of their ethnic differences from the native minorities, might be subdued. This study underscores that parental relocation poses a risk to the mental health of adolescents in rural China. While policies and programs supporting left-behind children are crucial, further research is imperative to comprehend the nuances of their experiences fully.

The effects of caregivers' responsiveness and situational stress levels on children's expectations of caregivers' support-giving behavior and willingness.

Children develop expectations of caregivers' support-giving during early-life interactions. The present study examined whether caregivers' responsiveness would influence young children's expectations of caregivers' support-giving behavior and willingness under different situational stress levels. We manipulated the caregivers' responsiveness and situational stress levels. Children were tested to determine their expectations of caregivers' support-giving behavior and willingness. Sixty-four (33 boys, Mage = 5.34) and 68 (34 boys, Mage = 5.25) Chinese Han children from a city in Southeast China participated in Studies 1 and 2, respectively. In Study 1, we created a separation condition (i.e., a moderate level of stress) and found that children's expectations of caregivers' support-giving behavior and willingness were significantly lower in the unresponsive condition than in the responsive condition. The expectations in the unresponsive condition decreased significantly compared with the initial expectations. In Study 2, we created a danger condition (i.e., a high level of stress) and found that caregivers' responsiveness had no significant effect on children's expectations of caregivers' support-giving behavior and willingness. These results imply that both caregivers' responsiveness and situational stress levels affect children's expectations of caregivers' support-giving. They further suggest that children aged 4-6 can simultaneously assess caregivers' responsiveness and situational stress levels while forming support-giving expectations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Polymorphism of Estrogen Receptor Genes and Its Interactions With Neurodevelopmental Genes in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Among Chinese Han Descent.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a polygenic neurodevelopmental disorder with significant gender differences. The sexual dimorphism of ADHD may be associated with estrogen acting through estrogen receptors (ESR). This study investigates the impact of ESR gene polymorphism and its interactions with neurodevelopmental genes on ADHD susceptibility. The study compared genotyping data of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2 in 1,035 ADHD cases and 962 controls. The gene-gene interactions between ESR genes and three neurodevelopmental genes (brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa gene [SNAP25], and cadherin-13 [CDH13]) in ADHD were investigated using generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction and verified by logistic regression analysis. The G allele of rs960070/ESR2 (empirical p=0.0076) and the A allele of rs8017441/ESR2 (empirical p=0.0426) were found significantly higher in ADHD cases than in the controls but not in male or female subgroups. Though no difference was found in all subjects or females, the A allele of rs9340817/ESR1 (empirical p=0.0344) was found significantly higher in ADHD cases than controls in males. We also found genetic interaction models between ESR2 gene, neurodevelopmental genes and ADHD susceptibility in males (ESR2 rs960070/BDNF rs6265/BDNF rs2049046/SNAP25 rs362987/CDH13 rs6565113) and females (ESR2 rs960070/BDNF rs6265/BDNF rs2049046) separately, though it was negative in overall subjects. The ESR gene polymorphism associates with ADHD among Chinese Han children, with interactions between ESR genes and neurodevelopmental genes potentially influencing the susceptibility of ADHD.

TT Genotype of TLR4 rs1928295 Is a Risk Factor of Overweight/Obesity in Han Chinese Children Aged 7-12 Years and Can Interact with Dietary Patterns to Affect the Incidence of Central Obesity and Lipid Profile, Systolic Blood Pressure Levels.

Previous studies have found that TLR4 rs1928295 polymorphism is associated with Body Mass Index in European and American Indian adults. This study evaluates the relationship between this locus polymorphism, obesity-related parameters and dietary patterns in Chinese Han Children. A total of 798 children aged 7-12 years were included in this cross-sectional study. An improved Multiple Ligase Detection Reaction was used for genotyping. Dietary patterns were identified by principal component factor analysis. The overweight/obesity rate of the TT genotype was greater than those of the CC/CT genotype (p = 0.032 and 0.048 in boys and girls, respectively). Boys of the TT genotype could interact with protein and cholesterol intake to increase low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p = 0.02, 0.015, respectively), while girls of the TT genotype could interact with total energy intake to increase triglyceride (TG) (p = 0.018) levels. Boys predisposed to a healthy balance dietary pattern (HBDP) and girls predisposed to an egg/fruit/fish dietary pattern (EFDP) were significantly associated with lower rates of central obesity (p = 0.045, 0.028). Boys carrying the TT genotype and predisposed to animal food dietary pattern (AFDP) had a higher level of low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.017) and systolic pressure (p = 0.044). Our results indicated that the TT genotype of TLR4 rs1928295 is a potential risk factor for obesity in Chinese Han children and is associated with dietary patterns.