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Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can increase risks of health-harming behaviours and poor health throughout life. While increases in risk may be affected by resilience resources such as supportive childhood relationships, to date few studies have explored these effects. Methods We combined data from cross-sectional ACE studies among young adults (n = 14 661) in educational institutions in 10 European countries. Nine ACE types, childhood relationships and six health outcomes (early alcohol initiation, problem alcohol use, smoking, drug use, therapy, suicide attempt) were explored. Multivariate modelling estimated relationships between ACE counts, supportive childhood relationships and health outcomes. Results Almost half (46.2%) of participants reported ≥1 ACE and 5.6% reported ≥4 ACEs. Risks of all outcomes increased with ACE count. In individuals with ≥4 ACEs (vs. 0 ACEs), adjusted odds ratios ranged from 2.01 (95% CIs: 1.70–2.38) for smoking to 17.68 (95% CIs: 12.93–24.17) for suicide attempt. Supportive childhood relationships were independently associated with moderating risks of smoking, problem alcohol use, therapy and suicide attempt. In those with ≥4 ACEs, adjusted proportions reporting suicide attempt reduced from 23% with low supportive childhood relationships to 13% with higher support. Equivalent reductions were 25% to 20% for therapy, 23% to 17% for problem drinking and 34% to 32% for smoking. Conclusions ACEs are strongly associated with substance use and mental illness. Harmful relationships are moderated by resilience factors such as supportive childhood relationships. Whilst ACEs continue to affect many children, better prevention measures and interventions that enhance resilience to the life-long impacts of toxic childhood stress are required.

Ambient air particulate matter (PM) represents a class of heterogeneous substances that form one component of air pollution. Oxidative stress has been implicated as an important action mechanism for PM on the human organism. Oxidative damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) may affect any cellular macromolecule. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of air pollution on oxidative DNA damage [8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG)] and lipid peroxidation [15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP)] in the urine and blood from mothers and newborns from two localities with different levels of air pollution: Ceske Budejovice (CB), a locality with a clean air, and Karvina, a locality with high air pollution. The samples from normal deliveries (38-41 week+) of nonsmoking mothers and their newborns were collected in the summer and winter seasons. Higher PM2.5 concentrations were found in Karvina than in CB in the summer 2013 (mean±SD: 20.41±6.28 vs. 9.45±3.62μg/m(3), P<0.001), and in the winter 2014 (mean±SD: 53.67±19.76 vs. 27.96±12.34μg/m(3), P<0.001). We observed significant differences in 15-F2t-IsoP levels between the summer and winter seasons in Karvina for newborns (mean±SD: 64.24±26.75 vs. 104.26±38.18pg/ml plasma, respectively) (P<0.001). Levels of 8-oxodG differed only in the winter season between localities, they were significantly higher (P<0.001) in newborns from Karvina in comparison with CB (mean±SD: 5.70±2.94 vs. 4.23±1.51 nmol/mmol creatinine, respectively). The results of multivariate regression analysis in newborns from Karvina showed PM2.5 concentrations to be a significant predictor for 8-oxodG excretion, PM2.5 and B[a]P (benzo[a]pyrene) concentrations to be a significant predictor for 15-F2t-IsoP levels. The results of multivariate regression analysis in mothers showed PM2.5 concentrations to be a significant predictor of 8-oxodG levels.

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